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Yes,
there were many smiling faces and
rejoicing times at our Second Annual Pastors Conference
in Chisinau. Last year, at Dr. Loreen Ittermann's
request, the conference was planned for twelve key
pastors on her team. One of those pastors, John Miron,
has taken a role of leadership in helping many other
pastors in Moldova. This year John requested a more
extensive conference for an additional forty pastors
who desired to attend. Higher Ground Foundation was
so gracious to sponsor this
event. The one thing that has made a lasting
impression on me is the pastors’ sincere desire
to learn everything that was presented to them. We
received the publisher's permission to copy some one
hundred pages of material in Russian on church growth,
so we were able to have a nice notebook for each pastor
who attended. Two key verses for the conference were
Ecclesiastes 10:10, If the iron be blunt, and he do
not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength:
but wisdom is profitable to direct, and Luke 16:8,
And the Lord commended the unjust steward, because
he had done wisely: for the children of this world
are in their generation wiser than the children of
light. Our theme dealt with sharpening our spiritual
axes and becoming wiser in doing the Lord's work.
I knew the twelve young pastors who attended last
year would be enthusiastic about receiving the material.
However, I was unsure about the reception of the older
pastors who had joined us this year. During one of
the first sessions, some of the men were whispering
among themselves. I jokingly said, "You have
to wait until I leave before opposing me on any of
the material." Their retort was, "No, we
were just talking about ways to implement this material
as soon as we get back to our churches." What
a pleasant surprise! The three-day conference passed
so quickly. As the pastors returned to their respective
towns and villages, most of whom traveled by train
or bus, we were sad to part, but glad for all that
God had done in our hearts . After
the Pastor's Conference, I spent the weekend with
Pastor Miron since Sunday was the Dedication Day for
two children’s shelter buildings that had been
built with sacrificial gifts from believers in America
and Moldova. A three-hour service was held outside
in cold winter weather because there was no room in
the buildings to accommodate all the people. Yes,
most of us wore overcoats and gloves! It was neat
to hear Miss Loreen's testimony at the dedication
service regarding how the Lord directed her to work
with Pastor Miron in seeing the buildings built. It
was a great privilege for me to speak at the service,
along with the Moldovian Pastors. A loudspeaker system
was used for the meeting, so it was a great witness
for the Lord to the whole town of Telenesti! On Monday
I traveled to Predneostovia with Pastor Slava. We
had meetings in three of the seven house churches
for which he is responsible. Again, it was quite an
experience to hear so many joyful believers say, "Christ
is all we need!" They have almost nothing else!
When I asked Slava about the all-day preacher's meeting
scheduled for Tuesday, he said I would have about
four hours of speaking time, and there would be about
twenty-five preachers there. When we arrived at the
church in Gregoriople for the meeting, about fifteen
"babuskas" (grandmothers) and five other
ladies were there! When I asked why
they were there, he said, "They heard we were
having a meeting and just wanted to get in on everything
going on at the church!"
Once again, I went to help the pastors in every way
possible, and perhaps they taught me more than I taught
them. Most of our "difficult circumstances"
in America cannot be compared to the struggles they
face in life every day, yet they have learned the
truth of Philippians 4:11. …I have learned,
in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
-Dave
Marcum
DREAMS
BECOME REALITIES IN ROMANIA
Wow! What a difference God makes through the obedience
of one person, or one family. This is what the Ziemers,
Whitelys, and Becky Wilder have seen first hand! Fundulea,
a little town about 30 kilometers from Bucharest,
looked much like any other ordinary town in Romania.
However, the Ziemer Family had a dream for the people
of Fundulea. We wish you could visit there one time
to see what God is doing! Lives of adults, young people,
and children have been changed by the power of the
Gospel of Christ! Lives of adults, young people, and
children have been changed by the power of the Gospel
of Christ! Many converts have followed the Lord in
believer's baptism. Unmarried couples with children
have been saved. They have been convicted that their
life-style is not God-honoring and have entered into
marriage in order to correct their relationship with
God and
Construction on the
multi-purpose building in Fundulea
give
testimony to man of the change that has
occurred within them.
The
first little church building in Fundulea could only
seat about fifty people. The building was soon overflowing
week after week. Many church members worked diligently
with the Ziemers to construct a new 12X48 meter, multi-purpose
building. How rewarding it must have been for all
of them to use the new building for their first public
services. This recently took place when 250 people
arrived for the showing of The Jesus Film. In their
first Sunday service they had 125 in attendance. How
we all rejoice in what God is doing in Fundulea! Perhaps
the same could be said of the town of Simeria. For
nearly a decade Gerald and Kathy Whitely have worked
with Pastor Florin Dobos inthe town of Simeria. Several
years ago he shared with them his vision for a new
church building and
Gerald Ziemer
with many who witnessed eleven new believers follow
Christ in baptism in Fundulea
the
construction of an English kindergarten. They agreed
that many more families could be reached with the
Gospel through this means. After much prayer, hard
work, and sacrificial giving, a beautiful church building
was erected and soon filled with joyful believers.
When God brought TITUS missionary, Becky Wilder, to
Simeria, the dream of an English kindergarten became
a reality. In a recent report Becky writes,
As we come to the last few months of chool, we have
reached a time of decision. At Pastor Florin's request,
and with the Lord's leading, I plan to return for
another school year. Our objectives are to develop
and expand the kindergarten. The difference
in ages and expected increase in enrollment necessitates
that we divide into two different age groups. My duties
will be mostly administration and instruction. I will
be teaching English in both classes. In addition,
I will continue the other ministries in which I have
been involved this past year.
Becky Wilder
and her assistant holding some of the kindergarten
children in Simeria.
JOYFUL
HEARTS AND SMILING FACES IN MOLDOVA
As
I began to choose the pictures to use for this newsletter
from my February trip to Moldova, I could not help
but notice the smiles on so many faces. Many of us
who have been ministering in former Soviet Union countries
for the past twelve years have been told we would
not see many "smiling faces" there. We know
from experience this is true! I have shared with many
people along the way what the interpreter said to
me on my first trip, "You Americans smile and
laugh a lot, don't you?" When I started to apologize
for offending their customs, she interrupted me saying,
"No, don't apologize, we like to see you smile
and laugh, but life is hard here and we don't have
anything to smile about." I soon learned how
much the people there struggle financially and live
without what we consider, basic necessities. So, it
is rare to see a person with a smile on his face.
However, when you are with believers, it is a completely
different story! You will see many smiles in these
pictures, for they have been taught by our American
and national missionaries that a person can have the
joy of the Lord, in spite of difficult circumstances!
Even these older believers in a small house church
in Prednestrovia have beautiful smiles on their faces!
On one of my trips I traveled to Kiev, kraine, by
bus. A pastor had promised to meet me at the big Bus
Terminal in Kiev. When I arrived at the terminal,
it looked like a “bee hive.” I wondered
how he would find me with so many people wandering
about. Within a couple of minutes someone said to
me, "You must be Dave Marcum." When I said,
"Yes, how did you know?" He replied, "You
are the only one in the bus terminal with a smile
on your face!" -Dave Marcum
HISPANIC
MINISTRY BLESSED
Missionary,
Jorge Romero, along with his wife, Janeth and their
three children, Mary Lou, Samuel, and Jorge A., have
lived in Rome, Georgia, since 1994. Jorge is actively
involved in reaching many of the thousands of Hispanic
people living in North Georgia. Presently 10,000 Hispanics
are living in Rome. He ministered as a tentmaker until
about two years ago when he joined the TITUS family.
This enabled him to greatly expand his ministry. His
main focus has been the discipleship of leaders and
new believers who in turn can go out and reach others
in their communities. Jorge's outreach includes the
publication of La Telerevista
(Telemagazine), Casa De La Esparanza (the name of the
church where Jorge ministers), an Hispanic Pastor’s
support group, and a thirty-minute, twicedaily (8:00
A.M. and 5:00 P.M.) local television program, Telemagazine,
began airing in February 2002. Please pray for this
fine family and this muchneeded ministry! - -Dave
Marcum
cont. next column, click
here.
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DR.
LOREEN ITTERMANN WITH TITUS TEAM INSTITUTE
TEACHERS
Loreen
and the TITUSTeam have been used in training many Bible
teachers in Moldova, Romania, Russia and the Ukraine.
This intensive program is designed to prepare teachers
to teach in churches, public schools and orphanages.
The TITUS Team has written/composed their own teaching
scripts and music tapes which have been broadcast on
local radio. Other TITUSTeam ministries include: church
planting, missions, evangelism, pastoring, camp, drama
programs, and caring for needy children. There are presently
45 full-time workers on the Moldova TITUSteam. For more
information and current updates, visit our TITUS website
at: www.titusinternational.org.
-Gwen Lopez
CHURCH
PLANTING PROGRESSES IN ODESSA, UKRAINE
(Note:
At the time this Newsletter is being printed, Dave Marcum
is in Odessa working with the Funakoshis)
Masato
Funakoshi instructs believers and prepares them for
baptism.
For
the past four years Masato and Miki
Funakoshi have been working diligently in planting a
new, doctrinally sound church in Odessa. It has not
been an easy task, but God has blessed their efforts.
While learning the Russian language and the Ukrainian
culture, they became convinced that most Ukrainians
had formed false, preconceived ideas about the Bible
and Christianity. This made it very difficult for them
to understand the true meaning of salvation by grace
through faith in Christ alone.
Therefore, in order to represent the Lord, their sending/supporting
churches and TITUS agreed that establishing a new church
was the right thing to do.To build relationships with
families in their area, Masato and Miki began providing
free piano lessons and language classes in English and
Japanese to people of all ages. These vehicles proved
effective in reaching a good number of people for Christ.
For about six
months after conversion, these new converts are provided
with a strong discipleship program. Upon completion,
new believers are baptized. There are eleven baptized
believers now. Sunday services were initially held in
a rented apartment in the building where Masato and
Miki live. The maximum seating capacity was thirty people.
When the number outgrew this flat, a larger public facility
was rented which provides ample space for their growing
congregation. In June, Dave Marcum will be visiting
and working with the Funakoshis. Many special activities,
including English classes, are planned for that time.
Sunday, June 9, several more believers are scheduled
to be baptized, and for the first time the Lord's Table
will be observed. -Dave Marcum
"SECONDS"
IN UKRAINE
Most
of the time the word seconds brings to
mind a defective item, sold for less because of the
defect, or those not good enough to make the first team.
This year's TITUS team to Ukraine was definitely not
that! This trip was the second TITUSmedical team to
Odessa, Ukraine, as well as, the second teaching team
to TITUS Bible
Institute in Kiev. ODESSA - Our medical team was made
up of Dr. Tim Murphy, from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, a
Clinical Nurse practitioner, and three Montana Registered
Nurses, one of whom is my sister, Deb
Smith. God supplied over $9000 worth of
medical supplies and medication. The team
conducted three of the village clinics normally
handled by missionary, Dr. Miriam Wheeler
(now on furlough) and another clinic in a
orphanage/national church near Odessa. The teaching
team was made up of Deb's husband, Ed Smith and myself.
The teaching sessions were at ABWE's Church Ministries
Institute. The teams also did construction work, witnessed,
presented special music, shared in personal evangelism,
and preached. A deep impact was
made on the lives of many Ukrainians. One of the nurses
remained at the orphanage, and Dr. Murphy and two of
the nurses returned to the States. Ed, Deb and I went
on to Kiev.
Part
of the $9000 worth of medicines and medical
supplies taken to the Ukraine
The
2002 TITUS Medical Team to the Ukraine
Back: Ed and Deb Smith, and Brenda Gilmore
Front: Fred Bennett, Ivy Schlesener, and Shelley White
Not Pictured: Dr. Tim Murphy
KIEV
- Our second week was entirely different. We ministered
in the Central Church where TITUS missionary, Vlad Kozoubovskii,
assists his father (who is the pastor) and heads TITUS
Bible Institute. In the institute, Deb Smith ministered
to the ladies, and Ed Smith taught practical lessons
on youth ministry, which Vlad's students have already
begun to implement in their churches and village works.
I taught Introduction to Missions, which was timely
considering that Baptist churches in Ukraine now seem
to be on the brink of a great missionary movement. As
planned, I visited a nearby synagogue, to follow up
on my visit there last year. Since recent anti-Semitism
in Kiev resulted in the beating of an old rabbi, damaging
of a synagogue and threats, the rabbi and others welcomed
our friendly visits and prayers for them and for Israel.
What a great privilege it is to be a missionary with
an organization that cares for the spiritual and physical
needs of the world. We are already planning our third
medical team, and have made a long-term commitment to
our Bible Institute in Kiev. Thank you for your part
in making all of this ministry possible! -Fred
Bennett
A
word of explanation: In a recent trip to a communist
country, I wrote e-mail using safe language to protect
the workers in that country. The M-word (missionary)
could cause a national to be jailed for three years.
C-words (Christian or religious) could cause M's to
be expelled from the country. The situation is very
serious. Read the letter below using these codes as
you read: M = manager or missionary, English = Bible;
Family = House Church; Dad or Boss = God; Honor= Worship;
Intercession, speak highly, top level meetings = prayer;
Book Review = Bible Study; Group involvement= Fellowship;
Night = Secretly, and Business = ministry.
Dear Friends Who
"Held The Ropes" During My Trip, I arrived
safely and was secure during my teaching times and speaking
with three
families. All of this happened because of your intercession.
Thanks so much, both from our dear brothers and sisters,
and me, for whom you spoke Highly during my time with
them. Physically, Dad blessed me with over eight hours
of sleep on my long flight! Arriving at 8 PM, I was
briefed on our work and was able to sleep another six
hours that night! We flew 1,000 miles south the next
morning and began English classes that evening. For
the whole two weeks, I had neither jet lag nor physical
problems of any kind. Dad gave me strength to teach
family leaders and families in three cities. I conducted
classes in First Century Book Review and Book Review
Methods/lnterpretation. In addition, Dad protected me
through extensive searching at the Airport upon my arrival
for the manager who had been waiting on me for an hour.
In that hour, he saw all male foreigners being searched,
except me! Extensive travels by plane, car, train, van,
taxi, and bicycle (rode 10+ miles, among about 5 million
other bikeriders) were all safe as well. Spiritually,
my two weeks in-country involved many one-on-one English
classes with both national family members and managers.
Three times I was blessed to meet at night with family
and experienced great honor and group involvement. My
classes were awesome times of feeding hungry hearts
and minds, as national leaders learned and grew in their
English knowledge. But, they also taught me much by
their spirit, wisdom, and commitment. For me personally,
it was a time of soul-searching, heavy burden, and top-level
meetings for the overwhelming needs of my friends and
their country. Mis and family members are under constant
surveillance, and at times the pressure is nearly unbearable.
Please don't forget them. I am consulting my Boss about
when to return to continue this important English teaching.
Pictures of my students follow. For their protection,
the faces of family members have been covered. Thank
your Dad for freedom to speak out on business things.
Thanks again for speaking Highly and investing in our
business.
FPB
MEET
SOME TITUS BOARD MEMBERS
Board
members, Dr. Arthur Ittermann, Hugh Davis and Dr. Jim
Rhoades
Board
member, Marvin Euler has made six trips with me over
the past nine years (Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania,
Hungary, Austria,
Finland, and Japan). He has been given the "Most
Organized Travel Award." -DM
Missionaries,
Gerald Whitely and Fred Bennett are pictured with TITUS
Treasurer, Dr. John Economidis
Pastor Tim Wright playing the piano in Eastern Europe
TITUS
Board Members: Don't forget the most important day of
the year, the Annual Board Meeting on December 3, 2002!
-DM
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