Mission Bulgaria Week 5

MINISTRY: Since the time I arrived in Bulgaria about a month ago, I have been working closely with the National Overseer Pastor Pavel Ignatov. Besides my responsibilities in the National Youth Movement, for the past two weeks we have been working on the developing of a strategy to increase the level of Pentecostal preaching and ministry among the churches of the denomination. As a tool we have prepared a series of Sunday School lessons as based on the Declaration of Faith, which will be mailed to churches and ministers on a weekly bases. Such ministry, although much needed, has never been introduced to the Bulgarian Christians and we believe that as a historical precedent it will be revolutionary in its results. I will be presenting the full Sunday School Program tomorrow at the Council of Elders meeting in the town of Purvomay.

This coming Sunday I am beginning a 15-minute series on the Book of Acts, which will be held at the Central Church of God before each Sunday prior to the morning worship service. This series will be combined with the lessons on the Church of God Declaration of Faith. Also, beginning on Wednesday, September 26, 2001 I will start a series of expository preaching on the Book of Revelation.

This past Wednesday night I had my first opportunity to preach. I ministered in the Central Church of God in Sofia. Approximately 200 came to the service. Due to the building limitations, the congregation of the Central Church of God attend different local Churches of God during the week Approximately 200-250 come to the national headquarters where services are held daily. Perhaps, very soon this problem will be solved as the new building, called New Home, for the Central Church of God will be finished. We are praying that the weather will permit for the work to continue every day.

WEATHER: The weather in September has been warm. Although it was in the low 50F in the beginning of the month, it has changed to quite warm and nice weather for the latter part of the month. There have been some rainy days, but this is usual for the fall in Bulgaria.

INTERESTING FACTS: Since the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, 1,200 Pentecostal congregations have been started in Bulgaria. This simply means that for the past 12 years 2 new churches have been started every week. Approximately 350 of these churches belong to the Bulgarian Church of God, as this fact characterizes it as the fastest growing denomination in Bulgaria.

PRAYER NEEDS: Please, pray for the Council of Elders Meeting on Saturday September 22 in the town of Purvomay. Pray also for the National Crusade with Dr. David Hathaway from England, which will be continuing every Sunday for the remaining of September and into October.

Thank you for your kind responses, which I receive every day. Thank you for your interest in our ministry. May the Lord bless you richly for your work in His Kingdom!