The
Schaefers
in India
March
21, 2013
Dear praying
friends, may your meditation on our Lord, His glory, His righteousness, His
character, His obedience, His teachings, His atonement, His Rising, His power,
His presence, His return, be sweet!
Through your
prayers, I returned to Pune to teach OT Historical Books and John’s Gospel in
November, and “Jesus Christ Our Only Redeemer, Mediator, Prophet, Priest and
King”, this past week.
During three days
of sessions in November (mostly for rural pastors), I was able to teach
concerning “The Holy Spirit and the Cessation of the Miraculous Gifts” (two
sessions), “Christ, Our Prophet, Priest and King” (two sessions), as well as to
speak three times in general sessions, on “The Forgiveness of Sins”, “The Seven
Promises Of God To His People In The Old Testament”, “Why You Must Forsake Your
Idols, and Must Become A Christian Right Away”.
Ruth and Stephanie came for two of the three days, and they did three children’s
ministry sessions, teaching on the story of Noah and other things, and Ruth
taught two sessions for women as well.
While occasionally
teaching several batches of men around Secunderabad, I have been able to give
instruction concerning “The Trinity”;
“The Transfiguration”; “Christ,
On His Father’s Throne”; “Life of Christ”;
“Christian Philosophy, from the book of Ecclesiastes”; “Christian Marriage”; “The Book of II
Timothy”; “The Ten Commandments”; and “A sober and Serious Look at ‘Destructive
Biblical Criticism’ (as Practiced by those who
have forsaken the doctrine of Inspiration of Scripture)”. I was asked to speak to
university students on two consecutive Wednesday evenings in November, during
which I taught them concerning The Ten Commandments.
Our annual ministry in Singapore,
Philippines and Malaysia
went very well, and we felt that the Lord was very gracious to use for His
glory, which could only be by His mercy and grace. I preached in several assemblies in Singapore
on Sundays. “The Glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ” (3x) (John 1.14; 17.22);
“‘Christ’ The ‘Anointed’ Prophet, Priest and King” (I Timothy 2.5); “Everlasting Love” (Song of Solomon); “God’s
Promises To His People in the Old Testament” (3x); “A Child is Born, A Son Is
Given” (Isaiah 9.1-7); “The Birth Of
Jesus” (Matthew 1.18-25); and “The Transfiguration” (Luke 9).
In one Singaporean
local assembly’s annual family camp, across the border in Malaysia, I
gave the following messages, aiming at revival:
Elijah (“My God is Jehovah”); Self-Denial (Lk 9.23; 14.26); Moses (“True
Greatness—Service to Others”); The Judgment
To Come (II Corinthians 5.10); Having a Christian Philosophy (Book of
Ecclesiastes). Ruth conducted the
children’s ministry during this camp retreat.
We taught in the International School of Missions, in
Cebu, Philippines, for two weeks in January.
Ruth’s topic was Children’s Gospel Ministries, and mine was I
Timothy. I also taught concerning ‘The
Holy Spirit of God and the Errors of the Charismatics’ as well as ‘What is the
Gospel, and How to Prepare Sermons’.
As
our Church-Planters’ Training Fund has been depleted, may we request you to
consider an additional gift at this time, to replenish this fund? Our ordinary support levels have eroded by
more than 15% per month during the past year, and this fund enables us to cover
the expenses of travel to various places for training pastors as well as to
provide them with good solid doctrinal materials.
Please
Pray:
- That we would remain healthy and safe.
- That our Lord would make someone inside the Indian Consulate in
the USA merciful when we submit our applications for new Indian visas in
the month of May. It’s hard to
believe our ten-year visas are near to expiry. Our continuing in India beyond the end
of 2013 is contingent upon our getting new visas. For this, we must make a visit to the
USA to apply. Our plan is to arrive
in the USA by May 3rd.
- For the Lord Jesus to be glorified in all that we do, and that
we would be as active as possible every day for the sake of His Gospel.
Chit-chat: The heat is back on in South India.
It just about touched 100°F one day last week, and it gets pretty hot
every day now. I very
recently made a sudden visit to my parents in the USA. None too soon, as my dear mother went to be
with the Lord on March 1st, before my visit ended. The Lord is kindly giving us all the
assurance and grace we need, and we have lately shared many very tender moments
and expressions of mutual comfort (I Thess 4.18). Let me die the death of the righteous. Ruth started offering free
tutoring in English to some students.
She calls it, ‘Discovering Christianity Through English” and the
students are all non-christians. The Lord has answered the
prayers and rewarded the hard work of our daughter Mary and her husband Andrew
Ward by enabling them to reach 85% of their financial support goal. They are hoping to get to 100% soon, and to
depart for foreign missionary service in Togo, West Africa, later this
year. Stephanie has now piled a short
course in Physics on top of her year-long study of Chemistry. A glutton for punishment, I guess.
Kid’s
Korner:
Stephanie:
“I helped my mom do children’s ministries in
four countries in the past four months.”
In
Christ’s Service,
Stephen & Ruth Schaefer
“Serving with the Independent Gospel Missions”
990 Calkins Road, Rochester, NY 14623 Phone:
585-334-9048
