Global Ministries News

The July/August 2008 edition of Currents, Liebenzell USA's newsletter, is now available.

2007 Review contains a brief overview if Liebenzell USA's finances for the 2007 fiscal year.

Events Calendar:

Papua New Guinea, Sept. 7-12; seminar for pastors, "The Mission of Jesus", sponsored by the Evangel-ical Church of Manus.

Germany, Sept. 8; fall semester begins at the Academy for World Missions in Korntal.

Zambia, Sept. 9; fall term begins as Amano Christian School.

Germany, Sept. 14; Fall Missionsfest in Bad Liebenzell.

Papua New Guinea, Sept. 14-21; annual conference of the Evangelical Church of Manus.

Ecuador, Sept. 18; classes resume at the CCB Bible institute in Ibarra.

Germany, Sept. 20-21; Youth Missions Encounter, in Bad Liebenzell.

France, Sept. 26; faith foundations course begins in Mortagne.

Crystal & Sarah

Our ministry opportu-nities and personnel needs page has been updated. Click on "Our Work" to see where you can plug in.

Missionary Websites, Blogs & Photos:

Steve Bradley (USA/Chuuk, Micronesia)

Kevin & Kathy Bruce (Ecuador)

Brad Boydston (Guam)

Ned & Marisol Farnsworth (Guam)

Crystal Gosnell (Nigeria)

Melissa Heck (Guam)

Markus & Julia Klausli (Germany)

Dave Owen (Guam)

Tim & Melody Plaxton (Guam)

Sandy Simpson (Hawaii)

Steve & Anne Stinnette (USA/Guam)

Rob Watt (Palau)

Jason & Kelly Zimpfer (Zambia)

PIBC class in Palau

Christmas pageant at Amano Christian School

Awana Club on Guam

Global Ministries News

Open Air Evangelism in Zambia

It starts by getting the word out. Jason and Kelly Zimpfer report that kids from their neighborhood were recruited to hand out invitations to a two-evening showing of the Jesus film. A trailer, made especially for crusade type meetings, was set up with speakers and a large screen.

The evening began with a children’s program. A small musical group then lead some singing, and some of the youth shared their testimonies. Following that, people saw the movie. About 250 to 300 people attended each night. After the film, Michael Pflaum, the Liebenzell Area Director, spoke through a translator, since most of the local people only speak a bit of English. He invited those who wanted to trust Jesus as their Savior to come forward; about 30 people came to the front.

The event was held in an open area right next to a local bar and on the weekend when the local workers received their monthly wages.

The challenging task of follow-up is next. Because Zambia is such a religious society, it is very popular to go forward after the message and even to pray loudly along with the preacher. In the coming weeks, believers will be going through the neighborhood, trying to locate those who made decisions and talk to them further. Those who are serious about their decision will be given personal attention and invited to attend small group discipleship gatherings.

Please pray for fruit to come from this event and that many of those who made decisions to trust Jesus would follow through and get plugged in to a local church. (02 Sept.)

Snapshots of Summer, Part III

In mid-August a group of 17 students from Pacific Islands Bible College participated in the final program of "Blessing Guam", an event designed to draw churches together and encourage each other in their goal of reaching a diverse population (Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, Chuukese, Yapese, Palauan, American, etc.) for the Lord. The students participated with music and testimonies, reporting on their various ministry activities during the summer. It was an encouragement know that they are not alone in this great task!

Morata study Morata is the largest squatter settlement in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. People migrate from the bush into the city in search of jobs, seeking to go from subsistence farming to a cash-based economy. What they often find is unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse, crime, violence and marriage/family issues. Among the ministries Liebenzell offers in this setting, Katharina Meier and Christine Urschitz work with women. Along with Bible studies and literacy courses, the women learn how to sew, cook, and bake; they learn basic health and medical information; they also learn crafts, which they can use to support themselves.

"When we began, our expectations were not very high because we thought that very few of them would attend consistently. We were pleasantly surprised at how many of them persevered, making a point to attend as many gatherings as they could."

Reach AUT band What motivates 270 youth from Germany and Austria, to pay money to spend their vacation sharing the gospel all over austria? "Because He Lives" is the answer to the question and the motto of the third Reach AUT missions camps, going on in Austria during the last two weeks of August. Reach AUT is a project of Teens in Mission (TiM), the youth missions branch Liebenzell Mission in Germany, in cooperation with Austrian Christian communities. The primary goal is to support the organizing churches in their missionary work. Stefan Lepp, the leader of TiM, says Reach AUT is a training experience where young people learn how to creatively transmit the love of God. Following a week-long retreat and training time, the teens will disperse throughout Austria in cities like Gmunden, Graz, Leoben, St. Pölten and Thening. (26 Aug.)

Snapshots of Summer, Part II
CCTB class

On July 25th the College of Christian Theology in Bangladesh (CCTB) celebrated its fortieth anniversary. The special day was marked with a service of thanksgiving and praise. The College for Christian Theology in Bangladesh is a unique project; 23 different church and missions organizations participate to provide undergraduate and postgraduate programs. The college is located in Savar, near the capital of Dhaka; nearly 1,000 men and women study in full-time resident programs or as part of an extensive TEE (Theological Education by Extension) program. The college is supported financially by Liebenzell and some of our missionaries regularly teach at the college.

Elijah Titus & Norman Dietsch

Elijah Titus recently visited the U.S. headquarters of Liebenzell in Schooley’s Mountain, New Jersey. Elijah is president of the Evangelical Church of Manus in Papua New Guinea. Norman Dietsch (right) was the first missionary sent out by Liebenzell USA in 1951. When he arrived in Manus, Elijah was four years old – and Norman worked with his father in the church. Elijah remembers those early days of ministry and reflects upon them now as the body has grown to include 33 churches on Manus, in Port Moresby and along the north coast of New Guinea. “We are the fruit of your labors,” said Titus, referring to the many years of Liebenzell’s work on the island. “We are a visible testimony to God’s faithfulness.”

Impact Team The first Impact short-term mission team has finished its work in Micronesia and returned to Germany. The team accomplished a lot in its three months of ministry in Palau and Yap. The intensive, team-building experience was enhanced by shoulder-to-shoulder work and encounters with those they came to serve. In Yap, the team met man named Jesus, which told them about his years of alcohol and marijuana abuse. Eventually, his wife took their four children and left him, while he slipped into a life of petty theft. Then God got a hold of his life. Today he happily tells everyone about the power of God to change any life. (19 Aug.)

Snapshots of Summer

Recently Pacific Islands Bible College got together with several churches and ministries on Guam and celebrated "A Night of Missions." It was a time to report on summer mission trips and be challenged to reach those who have never heard the Gospel. The PIBC students reported on their summer mission trips to Thailand and Palau, and sang a couple songs. Recent graduate Kalvin Assito, team leader for the Thailand group, shared how God has given him a heart for Thailand and that he is committed to going back in future summers to continue the evangelism work he has done the last two years at two major Thai universities.

Milton teaching kids
In the Awa ministry of northern Ecuador, the kids learn a Bible story each Sunday, just like the grown-ups. Milton, an Awa believer, faithfully and enthusiastically prepares a lesson each week. The Awa Bible is only seven years old and, even though Milton was one of the first to learn to read and write, it is still hard work for him. He often listens to the Scripture passage on the Proclaimer (a device that plays a digital recording of the Awa New Testament) in order to gain a better understanding.

Bible study

Samuel and Anke Meier conducted a four-day outreach in the remote Nabwalya valley region of Zambia. The church in Mpika (the largest village in the area) was strengthened and encouraged. Bible studies and discussion were held each morning leaving the afternoons for visitation within the community. One major praise item: six men gave their lives to Jesus.

The Nabwalya valley is accessible only in the dry season. Both roads and the lone airstrip are unusable during the six-month rainy season. (12 Aug.)

Older News

Russia: Skating in the Middle of Summer (10 July)

Gospel Days Celebration in Palau (03 July)

Starting from Scratch in Salinas (12 June)

Papua New Guinea: Ministry in the Sepik Region (29 May)

PIBC Students in Mission This Summer (13 May)

The May/June 2008 edition of Currents, Liebenzell USA's newsletter

Ground-breaking at Amano Christian School in Zambia (29 Apr.)

Burundi: Hope and Trust in the Face of War (22 Apr.)

Spain/Cuba: Open Doors (18 Apr.)

Chuuk: Connecting in Micronesia (09 Apr.)

PNG: Settlement Work in Port Moresby (09 Apr.)