Here is the latest update from our missionaries to Honduras, Evan & Carmen Williams…
Dear Supporting Pastors and Friends;
What a pleasure to share with you all the ways in which God has been working in and through our ministry here, but first let us wish you all a wonderful Christmas and we do thank you all for your prayers and faithful support that have made this ministry physically possible. Thank you too for all the cards, emails and greetings that you have sent to us; we assure you that they make us feel so loved.
Synopsis:
1). The Department for Internal Affairs of the Government wants more changes to our constitution. 2). The builder who is studying with us is showing much interest. 3). We finally finished handing out the 3,000 Newsletters we printed up in July and we are now preparing our third edition. 4). Carmen starts to put together our Christmas programme.
Government demands:
The Lawyer acting for the department of Interior affairs has returned our constitution with even more requirements for change. Most of them are changes in format but there was one that was very sinister indeed. She had added a clause that all of our ministries would be carried out under the supervision of competent government departments. When Carmen and I went down to her office to talk with her about this she first alleged that it was just a generalization but when I insisted that she explain to me where in Honduran law they had a department who supervised the preaching of the gospel she quickly replied that that would be the job of the Fraternity of Evangelical Churches. After I informed her that we are not a member of that group, nor ever will be, I pointed her to our clearly stated position on separation in our Constitution, which she had not changed, she went quiet and after further insistence on my part that she show me where this was a legal requirement in Honduras, she backed down and removed this inserted clause. Praise God with us that God enabled me to pick this clause out and to realise it’s danger to our freedom as a Biblical Baptist Church and that our challenge of it was so successful. Continue to pray also that God will continue to give us wisdom in all these necessary legal affairs. Remember too our continued wrangle with her over our name and I will keep you posted on that.
Bible Study:
The builder that is working on our house is doing such a wonderful job and both he and his labourer study the word with me during their lunch break. He, more than the labourer, seems to be wrestling with the new concepts that he is being taught. I have been bringing them constantly to passages such 1Tim 2:5 and emphasising to them that Jesus is the only mediator before God for man. Today I challenged him to search the N.T. and bring me one verse that teaches him clearly that he must go through Mary to get saved. Pray for these men, as they are blind to these great truths.
Mariology is so big in Honduras, and not least in Santa Lucia. Just today I over heard someone listening to the Catholic radio station and the presenter made a most blasphemous statement. She said that as the bible calls Jesus the second Adam (which shows she does not know her bible, for it says He is the “Last Adam” 1Co 15:45) she then went on to argue, “Since Jesus is the second Adam, that then makes Mary the second Eve” ??????? Such misrepresentation of scripture is all to commonplace here and sadly not just amongst Catholics.
Newsletters:
Despite the geographical challenges we encounter in this mountainous area we have been able to fulfil our planned distribution of the 3,000 copies of our evangelistic Newsletter that we print up twice a year and we are now preparing our third edition. This last copy saw one new family coming to our church and several phone inquiries. What a joy too to see this new family grow in their relationship with Christ. Pray for this area of our ministry that God will bless it to the salvation of many souls.
Christmas programme:
As in most churches, Carmen is encouraging the children in our different ministries to take part in our Christmas programme. The sad thing is that their parents never attend to see their participation. Pray with us that this year might be different and that many will accept our invitation to attend.
Our next report will be after Christmas, when we will be sending you our yearly report of all that has been happening throughout 2011. Until then, may you all know God’s hand of blessing in your own lives and ministries.
Yours in Him, Evan and Carmen Williams.