November Update
After a year of building projects, licensing permits, and a whole lot of waiting, on November 8, the Iglesia Bautista El Olivar officially opened it's doors to the community of Dos Hermanas. Through much prayer and hard work we were able to distribute 30,000 flyers in preparation for this very special day. Let us take a moment to share the very personal ways we felt God bless on this inauguration service.
Our first month in Dos Hermanas, September 2014, we met a sweet couple by the name of Germán and Nieves. You have faithfully prayed for this couple and for their salvation. We have spent the past year inviting them into our home, spending time with them over a cup of coffee at a local café, and sharing the gospel with them. Germán is very curious and actually accompanied us to one of the Sunday services at the church in Sevilla while we awaited the usage permits on our building. Germán and Nieves joined us for our first service.
Back in July, we began a home Bible study with a few believers we had met through personal contact in the community. These believers were looking for a church that was vibrant and active in reaching their community for Christ. From that home Bible study, we had four adults attend our first service.
In August, we began our Tapas y Temas which is a community outreach that focuses on offering opportunities to practice conversational English. The Spaniards are obsessed with speaking English as it opens the doors for higher paying jobs and oppportunities to work abroad. Through this outreach we saw one man attend our first service.
In the Spring I had ordered 20,000 "Coming Soon" flyers that we placed in every home in Dos Hermanas, and then two weeks before our opening service I printed up 10,000 "Inauguration" flyers. From those flyers we had a family of four visit us on our first service that we had never met before.
Our hearts overflowed as we saw the Lord bless each and every outreach we had focused on to bring people to our opening service. We praise Him and give Him all the glory for what He did on that day. And we thank you, our faithful supporters for your faithful prayers and many special offerings that you have given to help in the completion of the renovation project.
We are excited to see what the Lord will do as we follow up on these visitors, continue with evangelism, and actively seek the lost. May the Lord bless you as you faithfully do the same in your Jerusalem.