“. . . I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.” (Acts 26:19)
Thirty-three years ago, on September 17, 1992, while serving in the United States Air Force, the Lord called me to missions to start a local church on a Micronesian island, later specified as Guam. The doors to Island Baptist Church opened on January 7, 2001, and by the grace of God and the faithfulness of God’s people, the doors have stayed open. God’s Word has been preached from the pulpit every Sunday and Wednesday, thousands have been led to Christ through personal soul winning, and believers have been baptized. It has been, and continues to be, an amazing journey of faith.
Since the last update, the Lord has used me personally to lead 36 people to Christ.
While speaking with a man about salvation, he knew the correct answers concerning the Gospel, being proud that he was “religious.” When I asked if he would be willing to pray and receive Christ into his heart as his personal Saviour, he consented, and we prayed together. When we finished praying, his demeanor dramatically changed, with a “what just happened to me” expression on his face. What happened was salvation, something religion had never given him.
A lady was eating ice cream when I approached her and asked if she were to die, would she go to Heaven. She was so surprised by the question that she stopped eating the ice cream and listened intently as I explained the Gospel. When I finished, she acknowledged that she understood and believed and then prayed with me to receive Christ into her heart. When we finished praying, she thanked me, and then I spoke to her about the assurance of salvation. We said goodbye, and instead of the customary fist bump, she left trying to figure out how to eat her melted ice cream.
The Lord continues to bless Island Baptist Church. One of our faithful families has been bringing relatives to church. The patriarch of the family personally led one of the relatives to the Lord, and that one followed in believer’s baptism. One of our elderly ladies broke her leg in two places near the knee. It required surgery and 52 staples. She said the ordeal strengthened her faith. When the pain became too much to handle, she asked the Lord to help her with it, and the pain would immediately subside. Her recovery was so quick, it surprised the doctors and nurses, being a great testimony of God’s grace and healing. Another member was concerned the U.S. government shutdown would affect her financially, being a recent government retiree waiting for the paperwork to be processed. She took a “big leap of faith” and tithed for the entire month that she had yet to receive her last paycheck for. To her surprise, one week later, not only was her pay deposited but also all of the rest of the money she was owed for vacation pay, etc., which she wasn’t expecting until the end of December. We are amazed at the Lord taking up for our faithful folks, answering our prayers for them and answering their prayers as well. And we are so proud of them for exercising their faith and doing their best to be a good testimony and reach people for the Lord.
Thank you for continuing to support and pray for us. Please continue to pray for our health and safety, Island Baptist Church, Guam, and Micronesia.
In His harvest field,
Dan Rothwell and Family
