Christmas Outreach and Open Doors

The full text of the McNerneys’ latest update… Dear brothers and sisters,

Thank you for your prayers on our behalf and for the sake of the gospel in Vietnam.

This past Saturday night, Dec. 19th, Hon Dat church in Kien Giang province held their Christmas outreach service. They had planned on roughly 150 invited guests - actual turnout was well above that, praise the Lord. There were an especially large number of children in attendance. A number of people indicated they desired to follow Jesus after the gospel was preached. I was delighted by how clearly the pastor explained the gospel message. He kept on target all the way through.

We give thanks to God for these encouraging signs. Now we pray for Hon Dat church as they begin following up with the individuals who responded, both young and old. To this end, specifically we pray for the Lord of the harvest to send out more laborers into his harvest field of Hon Dat, and beyond. Over the months preceding this outreach, Robbie partnered with several other men to help train follow-up workers from Hon Dat church. With this heartening response to the gospel it would seem our brothers and sisters in Hon Dat have ample opportunity to put into practice what they have worked hard to learn. To God be the glory!

As Robbie and the other men transition out of this season of training with Hon Dat church, the Lord has given them another similar opportunity with Ma Lam church in Binh Thuan province. Ma Lam church plans to have an Easter outreach service this coming Spring, and Robbie and the others have already begun training follow-up workers there in advance of that.

I (Robbie) give thanks to God for such precious opportunities to work hand in hand with our Vietnamese brothers and sisters in Christ. In His wisdom God had me wait years before opening such doors of close partnership and service; indeed at times I doubted He ever would. But His ways are not our ways; they are more magnificent than we can ever imagine (Isaiah 55:8-11; Ephesians 3:20-21).

Here is a Bible verse I have been memorizing and thinking on:

“Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.” Joshua 21:45 (ESV)

All of God's promises are absolutely reliable, down to the last word.

Full of hope because He came for sinners, Robbie & Minh Loan McNerney

Open-air gospel outreach in front of Hon Dat church. Individuals are being invited on stage to express their response to the gospel message just preached.

The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are still few. (Matthew 9:35-38)

Later, all the children in attendance are invited on stage to receive a small Christmas gift bag.

Some youth remain standing at the church gates after the gospel invitation had been given.

In the far back right you can see the dark reddish outline of one of three mini-buses the church rented to transport guests from separate localities in their district. Each locality has at least one deacon living there who will coordinate follow-up in their local area. Let's pray for them!