March 2016

Hello everyone!  I am trying to revive my blogger account in order to share prayer requests, photos and pictures with you all.  Please continue to pray for us.  Below are some photos of the LEAD team. This is a group of pastors from different IBC churches around the Northern Europe area who are coming together to plant internationals churches in strategic cities across Northern Europe.  Currently we are getting ready to start a church in east Berlin.  Also,,  there are some pictures taken from our worship night that was held at one of our members homes.  We invited some refugees that I had met this past year and were able to share Christ.  It was a great opportunity.  Also there is a picture of Bahadin, a brother from Syria who was baptized last February. To God be the glory!!

Norther Europe Church planting Team

Visiting area of new church plant in Berlin

Some of the people from IBC invited refugees to their home to share a meal and the love of Christ

Thankful for Bahadin (right) who was baptized this last Feb.

me, Nabil, Bahadin, and the translator at Bahadin's baptism

Teddy and Emma taking in the sun (whenever we get a chance)

Maggie, Teddy, and Jesse climbing the trees by our house

IBCC guys serving Jonny's landlord.  God is opening up opportunities for  the Gospel through service.

March 18, 2014
 "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

       It has been a while since my last update, and much has happened since I spoke with many of you at the LVC annual meeting.  Many of you who are not members of LVC, and receive my updates have heard even less, so it is time I share with you all that God is doing, and I will try to explain it all as brief as I can.

·                Many of you have been praying for Rafiq and I am happy to report that your prayers are being answered.  Rafiq is growing strong in the Lord, and has a great hunger for God’s word.  He has already expressed that when he is done with his master’s degree in finance he would like to study theology.  Despite his family rejecting him, Rafiq grows strong.  He told me, “The only thing I can figure out is that God wanted to save me so that more people in my family and in Bangladesh will hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”  Please pray that Rafiq can find a job to support himself.  He also wants me to thank those who have financially blessed him so that he can continue to study in Germany. 

o   Please pray for Rafiq’a friend Anika.  Rafiq has shared much with her, and I have had the opportunity to show her from scripture what the Gospel is, and how we can be reconceled to God.  Pray she understands her need for a Savior and comes to Christ.

·                   God has opened up a door for me to support an intern at the church.  Nicolas von Brandenstein is a deacon at IBC Cologne and a student at the Cologne Academy for Art and Design.  Nick is someone that I have been discipling since I came to Germany, and is one of the people I believe God is building up to help lead in this church.  During Nick’s studies he is mandated to do a six month internship, and I felt it would be great for the church to utilize his skills in Internet design, marketing design, and communication.  Nick will be helping us finish the website, as well as create videos and blogs to better communicate with the church and to reach out into the city.  Further, Nick and I will be working together to build our home group ministries and is working to start a new group in the north side of Cologne in the next month.  IBC agreed to pay Nicolas 300 euros a month, but that is not much to live on, and he will not be able to work during his internship.  Therefore Kristen and I are using an additional 400 euros a month from our support to help cover his costs.  I believe this to be a great investment into God’s kingdom work.  We are praying after his studies are finished that Nicolas and his wife Jackie can move to Wyoming for a year to attend the WEST Institute.  Please be praying for Nick’s ministry now and for God to open doors for him to study at the WEST in 2015.

Nick and Jackie von Brandenstein

·               We have been praying for the father of our friend Rojan, who attends IBCC.  Rojan;s father, Bahram, was an Atheist who escaped from Iran in the 70’s to run from the Islamic regime that was coming into power.  During his treatment he rejected offers for people to come and pray with him and share the Gospel.  However, on Feb 26^th one of the ladies from IBC went to the hospital unannounced to pray for him.  She shared the Gospel and he prayed to receive Christ.  The next day he allowed me to come in and share from the Bible who Jesus is, and what he offers.  I was able to share from Luke 5 about the paralyzed man, and how Jesus healed the man with a word in order to show that he had the Son of God had authority to forgive sins, and that all who believe in Jesus will be saved.  He prayed with me and agreed with the scripture I shared with him.  20 minutes after I left, Barham fell asleep and never woke up.  He died at 3:30 the next day.  One week later I was able to officiate the funeral of Barham and there were almost 300 people, mostly Persian and Kurdish, in attendance.  Not only did Barham give his life to Christ, but because of this we were able to abundantly sow the Gospel of Christ to so many more.

       We have officially been in Germany one year now, and we have been able to see people saved, three baptized, and more have joined the church are beginning to get involved in the life and ministry of IBC Cologne.  To God e the glory for the great things he has done!  Many of us believe 2014 is going to be a very important year, and have a deep feeling in our hearts that the Holy Spirit is preparing a great harvest.  Thank you for your prayers, and for your support and encouragement. 

Kristen on the Bridge between east and west Cologne

Maggie, Jesse, Emma, Teddy

Pics

I have been less than faithful about taking pictures. Funny how I carry a camera around in my pocket 24/7 and yet I don't take any time to document things. Hopefully i will be able to post some pictures of the ministry soon. I just want to make sure I have permission to post pics of people in my church first. Until then, here are some pics of our last month or two.

What a blessing it was to see Chris, Heather, Collin, and Tiffany Rucinski Last month. They were a huge encouragement to us, and the girls received an extra blessing by being able to spend time with Tiffany.
We also celebrated Jesse and Kristen's Birthday in Sept/Oct. Jesse is now 2 yrs old, and Kristen...

Emma is adjusting to school and Maggie is making friends and learning the language as well in Kindergarten. They are in school from 8am to 3:30, so we are hoping they pick it up quickly.

Teddy is doing well. He is growing up and adjusting well. Of all the kids, teddy struggled the most with transition, but he has come along way and even has a couple good friends. God is good
























- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

October Update

It is with great apology that I am so late in sending this it. It was my hope to have a video done, but I have decided not to wait for that. So, here is an overdue update letter.

Family

It has been a great answer to prayer how we have so quickly adjusted to life here in Germany. The support of our church family here, as well as the prayers of all of our family and friends back in the states have really been a huge encouragement, and God is answering prayers. The girls are both in school now and slowly figuring it out. I heard them arguing last week in English and German. Although they do not use the right words, and for the most part make no sense when they talk, it is a good sign that they are starting to adjust more and adapt to their life on Germany. god is good.

Teddy and Jesse are still at home, but they love where they are and Teddy is making friends in the church. It has been great to see him open up more to so many people.

Kristen is finally finished setting up the house. No more paint, and no more trips to Ikea...ok so there will be more trips to Ikea, but no more paint.

Church

The church, by God's grace has been growing consistently, and we have had a large group of people join the church in the last few weeks. Our small group ministry is really becoming a part of our identity and a few key leaders in those groups are really beginning to take ownership of this ministry, as well as seek out new ways to reach people outside the church. My hope is to have a teen life group begin after Christmas. Please continue to pray specifically about this.

Kristen started a ladies bible study, and it has really taken off. There are about 6 or 7 ladies that meet every week to study through 1 Peter. A couple of to ladies that come have not yet been redeemed, but we believe God is working on their hearts. It is, in our minds, a matter of when not if.

This last month we had 2 people come and share their testimonies to be baptized. It was a great worship service, and the Gospel was clearly shared with people who came to watch, but do not have a relationship with The Lord. We are praying as God brings in the people that baptismal services will become a regular thing.

I have been preaching through Ephesians since I began in March and God is really grounding the church with his word. As part of my sermon from Ephesians 4 this last week, I had me young lady from Cameroon share how God showed her through the scriptures how, because of his great love for her, could forgive her father for abandoning her as a child. It was very powerful, and spoke directly to the application I was making in the text. God, through his word, is changing people, and sanctifying them through the work of the Spirit.

I am convinced that God is preparing great things for this church here in Cologne. We need to pray that God will prepare our hearts for the Harvest, as well as the attack from the enemy. We are entering into Carnival days, when the people of the city take off the masks of decency and order to celebrate sin and the lust of the flesh. Cologne is in a great need of the Gospel, and we are praying that God would position our church in such a way to be a light house that shines int the darkness.

Finally, until I get a video done, I will continue to write on this blog. Many of you who read this have partnered with us with your prayer and support and it is very important that you are able to pray with knowledge.

Thank you,


David Martin
Pastor
International Baptist Church Cologne

slide show

Some people have asked for more pics, so here they are.  I hope you enjoy.  I am working on a ministry update at the moment, so for those who want to know specifically how God has been working in our lives, and in the life of the church, stay tuned...

a short testimony

So this is my third video. I would love some feedback to know if this media is a good way to keep you updated. I am still working on getting better at making videos, so hopefully you will see progress over time.

VIDEO


David Martin
Pastor
International Baptist Church Cologne

good news

God answered a lot of prayers this week. Here is a short video.

video


David Martin
Pastor
International Baptist Church Cologne