Lonnie and Margie Smith - October 08

October 2008

Dear Friends in Christ,

In September there was a very good increase in the enrollment of our Bible Colleges in Mexico. This was due to the many Youth Camps conducted across our country. Record attendance was recorded in every camp in every section of Mexico. Souls were saved and many young people dedicated their life to the Lord, many of these to serve Him full time.

We rejoice in the continuation on the construction on the building of Matamoros Baptist Mission in Matamoros Mexico. As you have read the Bedford Baptist Temple of Bedford, Texas and their men have taken a real interest in helping this mission expand their facilities. Last month we were able to finish an addition to the first building almost doubling our space. Again the Baptist Temple began a fundraising for added space. Work has begun on the second floor of this mission. It will again double our Sunday school space and also have room for a parsonage for the pastor and family. Thank you so very much for this help. Praise God!

During this month we will be busy getting material ready for our annual BBF of Mexico Fellowship meeting, which will meet the second week of November in Cuerna Vaca at the Rawling’s camp. With their financial help busses will be chartered from every point of Mexico for the pastors and delegates that wish to attend this meeting. We believe it will be one of the best-attended meetings to date. Bro. Angel Zapata, head of the mission committee of BBFM will be taking a large amount of SS and other material to this meeting. We are just finishing another 1000 songbooks and 15,000 offering envelops.

Beloved, once again we wish to thank you for your faithfulness in prayer and support that enables us to continue to labor for our Lord here in Mexico. Thank God for the great results in souls this summer.

Yours for Souls in Mexico,


Lonnie & Margie Smith

Good News Jail & Prison Ministry - September

Chaplain’s Corner

I am so thankful and excited to announce that Ron Morse has joined us as our new full-time Chaplain.

Ron Morse was raised in Central New York and moved with his family to Rochester in 1970. In 1971, Ron joined the Army and served for nearly twenty years in both active duty and in the reserves. Ron is a graduate of Louisiana Baptist University in Shreveport, Louisiana. In 1995, Ron was ordained into the ministry at Victory Baptist Church in Roches­ter and planted a church in the inner city. Ron has pastored Victory in the City Baptist Church since 1995. He, along with Pastor Dennis Tieppo, opened an aftercare ministry called His Way House in 2003. His Way House is a transitional ministry for recently re­leased inmates from local county jails and New York State Prisons. He has admin­istrated the house since its opening. Ron is also the author of More Than Sin, a book designed for Christian counselors on under­standing and minis­tering to those with addictive behav­ior. The book is an expanded version of the CLEAN Ad­diction Recovery Ministry that he wrote to counsel inmates suffering from addiction. The CLEAN ministry is currently run­ning in 23 churches and 16 jails in New York, and is also in Penn­sylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Florida, and Texas.

Ron and his wife Marion live Rochester. They have three daughters: Claudia Eloise Jabieski, Brittany Ann, and Briana Lynn; son-in-law Blake Jabieski; and three grand­children: Dara, Amaris, and Chester.

It is an honor and a bless­ing to have Ron serving alongside me in this life-changing ministry.

Chaplain Paul Burress

Volunteer Spotlight!

What a blessing it has been to be a volunteer with Good News Jail & Prison Ministry. I teach a Bible study, and whether there is one inmate or ten in attendance, it blesses me to have been able to minister to them. The inmates are always respectful and appreciative of my coming to share God's Word with them. Many of them are willing, for the first time, to consider Jesus as the answer to their problems. That is why it is so important to have someone there to share what Jesus has done in his own life and to share what He can do for them. They need to hear the good news! It makes my day and blesses my heart every time I get to share Jesus through the opportunities that Good News Jail & Prison
Ministry gives me.

God bless,
Brent Snyder

Praise/Prayer Requests

We praise God for the faithful supporters of the jail ministry, whether they are prayer partners, volunteers, financial partners, or any combination of the three – Thank you!

Please Pray:

· for a continued open door of ministry in our local jails

· for a chaplain or volunteer to minister to the next arrested criminal you hear about on the news

· for the victims of crime

· for our new Chaplain and his family as he transitions into this new full-time mission.

A letter from Prison

One thing I have found to be so sad over the years in prison is how many men get wrapped up in cults. The body of Christ has really dropped the ball in most places. It is so good to hear that that is not happening in Rochester. I have been praying for you and your min­istry there.

Please pray for the men in the State Prisons, and for the men and women of the Church who I am sure God is calling and leading to work in Jail & Prison Ministry. There is little or no glory in working with those the world calls failures, but isn’t that exactly who Jesus hung out with? Let people know that those of us inside who do know Him are working to share the light and life, but without out­side support it is far harder, and for many men too discour­aging. I am learning how to serve with a real desire and love and not just out of obliga­tion. I realized how much pride I used to have, even after getting locked up! It is amaz­ing how self deceived we can be about our spiritual maturity level. Even in the face of clear evidence of a total bankrupt character, we still try to moral­ize or justify our foolish wicked hearts. Thank God for His loving kindness and patience! For too many years I held a double minded view, and it is stripped away day by day. I am learning the joy of the cross.

I am so blessed to have men like you in my life to model the real truth of the Gospel. Let us continue the race. Pray for me so that I can really be salt and light. God Bless you. Thank you for remembering those of us who are forgotten.

Your little brother in Christ

Rick (not his real name)

Coming up

Fall

Motorcyle Run!

October 11 is our Fall Good News Motorcycle Run. Please come ride with us. (Muscle cars are welcome to come along!) We are going to have a blast and raise some money for this life- changing ministry at the same time. We will start out with a free breakfast at Bugaboo Creek Steak House in Henrietta and then take a scenic ride through Letchworth State Park. Registration starts at Bugaboo at 7:30 am. We will have breakfast and testimonies starting at 8:00 am and will be leaving for our ride at 9:00 am. We are asking all riders to self-sponsor and try to get others to sponsor as well. All donors will receive a tax write-off. Help us lower crime in our community one life at a time!

ANNUAL

PRAYER BREAKFAST

We will be having our annual prayer breakfast on November 1 at 8:00 am at North Baptist Church. This is a holy time when we come to­gether as a ministry family and fervently pray for our ministry. We will have a great breakfast and a wonder­ful time of fellowship. Breakfast is free, and we will be asking for a donation for our local ministry. You do not want to miss it!

UNITED WAY

Don’t forget you can donate through the United Way by designating #1138.

Thank You

Sean Sears (church plant in Massachusetts)

Sean and Billie Sears moved to Boston in the summer of 2001 to teach at a Bible college. It only took God 4 years to convince them they were put there to plant a Gospel teaching church. There is not a single county in all of Massachusetts where even 4% attend an evangelical church of any denomination! If that didn't strike you, read it again. In fact, less than 1% of those living in Stoughton attend a church that preaches salvation is by God's grace through our faith alone. Their neighbors in front of them, behind them, and diagonally-behind them have all come to faith in Jesus and have been baptized. Their neighbors across the street, diagonally, have attended since the middle of July but have not yet committed to follow Jesus. They're close though! The husband told Sean a few weeks ago, "I'm just not ready to go all-in with this Jesus thing...Yet."

News from Africa

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Greetings in the name of the Lord. Hoping this letter finds all well. We are doing fine except for the getting older part. God is wonderful as usual. Thanks so much for your support and especially your prayers.

The 20th year celebration in the "bush" went great. We had just over 1,700 kids from our churches with several hundred more coming as visitors. There were 192 who got saved and 98 who re-dedicated their lives to the Lord. The messages were powerful and right on as the kids and teachers sat for days learning more from God's Word. After four days of VBS, the adults came and we had over 8,000 from our 110 churches in attendance. Of course not every member came and over half could not come because of distance and money problems. God came down and met with us. The Nationals and the team from the USA led by Pastor George Grace, preached and preached and preached and taught and taught and taught. Hundreds and hundreds came for re-commitment and to give their lives in taking the Word throughout Africa. Fifteen deaf were saved along with many more hearing who gave their lives to Jesus. We had 95 baptized down at the river, and of course had our group of watchers to make sure there were no crocs around, amen. We had a group of 35 visitors from the USA, with a team of doctors and dentists led by Dr. Jim Elias. They all performed well and ministered to all the people tirelessly. We had several of the doctors re-dedicated their lives to the Lord and even had one of them saved. Wow, came all the way to Africa to find Jesus, is that great or what? All in all, it was a wonderful celebration in Zambia. Many thanks go out to all who had part in helping feed all the children who came.

We are back in the USA now traveling from church to church. Please continue to pray for the work there and for our needs. We have a 40 ft. container sitting fully packed with thousands of Bibles, SS material, pastor's bicycles, but we do not have the money to ship. Please pray and help if you can. Also, pray for the works in the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Botswana, Angola, Mozambique, Zambia, and of course the new ones just beyond the next river. God bless you and thank you for your support.

Bobby & Becky Bonner
IAM Ministries