God's Mighty Hand: Legacy Story

Farm Boy Finds Christ
Mark Baptist Church, Mark Iowa

Fifty-eight years ago, God reached into the small farming town of Mark, Iowa, population 35, and saved a teenager named Boyd. Boyd was the only child of a highway worker and part-time farmer. Little did the people of that community know that God would use this event to impact thousands of lives over 3 generations.



God's Plan
Rural Town to Megacity

That young man was Boyd Lyons, who eventually became a missionary to the Philippines! A legacy of preachers and missionaries began on that Sunday.

Soon after Boyd's salvation, God spoke to his heart about becoming a preacher. His pastor, Rev. Harold Jayne, directed Boyd to prepare for ministry at Baptist Bible College, Springfield, Missouri. There Boyd met Donna Crysler and they began the Lyons family.



Godly Generation
Ministry Heritage

Both sons of Boyd Lyons are Gospel preachers: Rev. Edward Lyons - Pastor, High Street Baptist Church, Springfield, MO and Rev. Greg Lyons, Missionary.

Now four grandchildren have answered the call of God to serve:
Luke Lyons - Missionary
Cory Lyons - Missionary
Tiffany Lyons - Staff member at High Street Baptist Church
Jessica Lyons Buxton - married to Missionary Evangelist Marc Buxton.

Memories
Thanking God
Recently, I and my two sons, Missionaries Luke Lyons and Cory Lyons visited Mark Baptist Church. Luke Lyons spoke in the same church where his grandfather was saved and called to preach! Along with Mark Baptist Church's current pastor, Rev. Gary Axtell, the 3 missionaries prayed and thanked God for His mighty work which began in that simple service many years ago. A teenage boy was sitting listening to the Gospel being preached and God began a great work for His glory.

Legacy
Churches Planted, Lives Saved

Since that time, over 100 churches have been planted. Through the joint ministry efforts from this legacy, over 100,000 souls have come to Christ. Three Bible Institutes have been established, training over 2,500 students through the years. Many preachers have been prepared for ministry through the extended ministry of Dr. J. Boyd Lyons and the generation of preachers he began. Praise God for His amazing work!

Thank God for my father's faithfulness! Dr. J. Boyd Lyons continues to lead a thriving ministry in Metro Manila. At 74, Dr. Lyons is still changing lives!




Begin A Legacy This Week!
You never know who is sitting in your church. It may be another Boyd Lyons! That unlikely teenager may have God's hand on him or her. Let us preach with fervor asking God to call new servants to His harvest.

Your Missionary,

Greg Lyons
Metro Manila

Greg and LuAnn Lyons - Metro Manila

Church Planting Report, June 2009

Last year we sent out three church planting teams. Three strategic areas of Metro Manila were selected: Molino Cavite, Blumentritt Manila, & Marikina. The teams were formed from volunteers of committed small group leaders who had a passion to reach more people for our Lord. Each church planting team has been working diligently for the Lord. Launching a small group network in each area, each church embraced a goal to have a core congregation of 200 from 20-25 small groups. After several evangelistic events and vision casting gatherings, the new churches began planning their public service launching.

Cavite Church Launches with over 800

The first to launch was Molino, Cavite, led by Pastor Lito Lipata. In May, God blessed with 878 people attending their first public service! Many visitors were present and 39 were saved during the event! God is good!

Pastor Lito Lipata and his team continue to serve and stabilize this new church plant. They have settled with a regular attendance of 250 since their initial launching!

NFD Church Planting Strategy Video

Watch Video

Pastor Johnny Royo Connects with P.T.A. Presidents!

Blumentritt Manila, is one of the most densely populated areas in our city. Current population density is at 70,000 per square mile in the inner city. Pastor Johnny has been diligently working with his leadership team to penetrate the community, schools, and other people groups with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Recently, God opened a great door! Pastor Johnny came in contact with a group of Parent Teacher Association presidents! After sharing his desire to be of service to the community, Pastor Johnny was invited to hold a 'Parenting Seminar' for the 100 PTA presidents. God blessed as Johnny ministered to the group of civic leaders. Sharing his desire to plant a new church, one of the PTA presidents said, "I'll help you out!" With that, an even greater door has opened.

These PTA presidents represent 5,000 parents of students in the public school system. The presidents have agreed to help invite the over 5,000 parents to our upcoming Parent/Teacher Camps this October. God is good! Pray for Pastor Johnny as he walks through these open doors for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.Pastor Johnny's new church will launch public services soon. They have 24 small groups functioning, a children's ministry, and are asking God to help them launch with over 600 their first service. A meeting hall in a local mall has been secured for their launching service!

Church Planting Is The Key!

Focusing on the Great Commission through evangelism and church planting is our key strategy. All of our evangelistic camps, campus outreach efforts, martial arts ministries, etc., point to one singular effort: the planting of a new church. Leadership training is a major part in what we do as we seek to supply the needed pastors and workers to plant new churches.

Our vision is to plant 100 new churches throughout Southeast Asia by 2018. We are asking God to raise up the needed church planting team members as well as the pastors who will lead the teams. We have 14 churches in process.

Join us in praying for this great effort.

You are part of this team!

Through our partnership, we are making an impact in our world. Thanks for standing with us!

Greg & LuAnn Lyons - Megacity Ministries

Letter from Africa

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Greetings in the wonderful name of the Lord. Hope and pray this letter finds you serving our Savior. He is worthy, no doubt. Becky sends her greetings as well.

Summer is upon us and the Conference in the "bush" is very near. A few days ago, Kevin wrote and asked if we had enough money to feed all the people who are coming. I told him, we need to pray. It looks as if the money is not even close to what is needed so we need a miracle to say the least. Thanks go out to all of you who have helped in this project. The people travel for days, some on foot, and others rent trucks, etc. to make their way to the Mission. It is very hard to imagine just what it takes to not only get to the Mission from all over Zambia, Congo, and Tanzania, but to house and feed the people when they arrive. It is quite a project. Entire villages make the tract to come to hear the preaching and teaching of the Lord and to have the fellowship with other believers. It only takes around $1 to feed one person for the entire week which included, Nshima, beans, cabbage, tomato's, onions, and dried fish. Sometimes we have enough money for sugar, salt, and cooking oil for around 10,000 people. Remember, those coming are mostly unemployed, sub-servant farmers, living from day to day in a mud hut with no electricity or running water. Before the people come we build grass structures all over the Mission and dig portable latrines, get firewood, have good clean water for all, and give them the best teaching and preaching of the Word possible. It is still not too late to contribute. If you can't, please pray that we will have enough, and that the Lord will grant us a miracle of the loaves and fished. God bless you guys.

We have a wonderful team coming over and we're looking forward to what the Lord is going to do. Don't forget to pray for Brother Dennis Anderson and myself as we head to Africa on July 11th. We are headed first to Nigeria for a week, then off to South Africa where we will be picked up and driven to Botswana, and then we fly to Malawi to visit with some of our new churches. Then off to Zambia where we will get on a bus and head for Tanzania to do a Bible conference with some of our new churches as well. After this we will then be going to Kafulafuta for our annual Bible Conference in the Bush. We will be doing lots of traveling, teaching, and evangelizing so please pray for us, and of course my health. Also pray for Becky as she is going to the Mission to help with VBS and is going to teach the ladies. Pray for souls to be saved. God bless you guys.

In this day of financial uncertainty, Becky and I want to thank you so much for your prayers and support. You have been so faithful to the Bonner family. May God richly bless you. To God be the glory. Even so come Lord Jesus.

In Jesus Name,
Bobby and Becky Bonner