SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST
MISSION OF MALAWI
PO BOX 60150 BT. 6 BLANTYRE MALAWI AFRICA
TEL. 265-999-741-007 or 265-888-751140 (mobile)
Missionary / Evangelist: Peter A. Halliman
Email: brothersinthebush@yahoo.com
Website: sgbm-malawi-africa.com
DATE: 16th March 2013
Dear Pastor, Church, and all Supporters;
(2Co 4:5) “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.”
(2Co 4:6) “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
I would like to take a moment of your time and share with you some things that the LORD has been doing in our lives as well as the works sake.
Firstly, I had neither intentions nor plans to be here in this country this long, when I departed Malawi Africa for the USA. However, we are again reminded, “The LORD’S thoughts are not our thoughts, and The LORD’S ways, are not our ways…”
I don’t presume to know the LORD’S ways, or thoughts, I can only ask for GOD’S H.S. to lead me as I go in the way. That being said, I have some thoughts, which I would like to share with you.
GOD has deemed it necessary for me to be here since July 2012, I have driven 38,000 miles to preach the Gospel to HIS people and churches. I have had the honour to preach three revival meetings, of where there was fruit for those seeds planted.
Some new churches I have visited in view of support and only the LORD knows where that will go. I always go where I am invited, and never return to where I am not welcomed.
I am preparing now to preach another revival meeting to be held at Ella Grove Baptist Church in Glenville, GA. This no doubt will be my last meeting as I am making preparations to return to the field.
I do want to report on some “observations” that I have been privy to here amongst GOD’S people in the USA. I see things most folks here do not because I am looking in from the outside. If GOD will, may HE use some of this to stir your soul and cause some to look deeper into their spiritual life as well as the life of the churches where they are a member.
Firstly, I have been looked after, blessed and entertained by GOD’S people here truly as one of GOD’S servants. I want to thank each of you who have had a part in my life for the past few months. I want to thank each of you for that special ‘room’ which was provided when simply passing through. Thank you for those ‘home cooked meals’, and the special things, which were shown in kindness. Thank you for waiting up, when you knew I was coming in late.
I want to thank each of you for your prayers, thoughts, kind words, letters, and cards, which came our way, and for us. Thank you very much indeed for the ‘love offerings’, which you sacrificially gave. I was not left stranded, or short-sided in any way through these many miles of travel.
I have learned what Paul meant when he said he had “learned how to spend and be spent” I have experienced that many times, having paid my way to preach the Gospel of Christ, and was spent at the end of the day, however the LORD always grants the “energy, and strength” to do HIS work.
I would like to share with you some of my observations, from being here these past few months, as I have shared time in homes, churches, and meetings with our kind of people.
I find that there is not a [single] church (without) problems, if you find one, don’t go to join it for you will corrupt it with all your faults and problems!!
I personally do not agree with everything every preacher I have met, nor every church I have preached in, nor will I or any of us until the LORD comes back.
For some pastors, and churches, they have all the I’s dotted, and all the T’s crossed. Many have all the forms in place, and the protocol in order, however when you walk into the assembly it appears that the LORD’S Spirit has departed or has refrained from going in to worship. All the ‘right doctrines’ are taught and preached from the pulpit, however the church doesn’t grow, nor do any visitors come.
Then there are others who are alive, well, the church seems to be growing, and a good spirit but there seems to be some of those ‘hard doctrines’ missing or not being preached.
Then there are others yet, who say its hypocritical to try and get folks saved, or come to church because ‘you’ are just trying to fill the church with numbers, then on the other hand when one does witness, evangelize, and seek to ‘win souls’ they are accused of being Arminian. Amongst some of our people they are condemned for doing, and others for not doing. Yet I go further and there is much to do about programs, entertaining, youth rallies, activities etc.… and the list goes on.
Then there are the Theologians who sit in the temples, debating long and hard about things, which will never change nor persuade others; instead it is a demonstration of their cleverness and ‘book knowledge’ desiring to have the ‘preeminence over the brethren’.
Still yet, there are some who sit in their closet and pray about their problems, but yet never come out to do anything relative to them. With all of GOD’S providence and Sovereignty, man still is responsible. Then there are others who pray very little and rely upon man-made policies, i.e., (Insurance policies, doctors, medicine, money, vehicles, etc.…) all these are simply tools and are not intended to take the place of our dependency upon a Sovereign God.
We are commanded to be good stewards of what GOD has given us, that includes not only the missionary, but the pastor too, and the church members. All our funds, (support) or otherwise are from the LORD, what is it that you have that was not given unto you? Your house, your vehicle, your job, your health, and yes your (body, soul, spirit)! Are we therefore not required to be a good steward over these things?
I have heard the comment ‘we don’t know what is going on with our churches anymore’ perhaps it is because the pastors are (spoon-feeding) the members. Maybe the strong doctrinal feeding is something of the past, perhaps GOD’S people just need a ‘Spiritual Cleansing’ simply put – to be Revived. I will close with this, I have seen it take place in some churches since my being here, I have been a part of it and it felt [good].
I feel the reason there is so much division and fault finding between our kinds of Baptist is because folks have left there [First Love]!
In His Name,
Missionary Peter A. Halliman