June 2016

Dear Churches and Saints of the Savior,

I bring you greetings in the name of our Lord who is called a “helper of the fatherless” (Ps. 10:14).

I am excited as Pastor of New Testament Baptist to bring you this update in regard to the COOL (Children of Our Lord) Ministry. Since Nathan began full-time in February he has worked very hard at making connections in the community and seeking opportunity to minister the gospel to the fatherless. Our legal system has made it difficult to minister to those who are of the neediest in our land. However, with persistence, prayer and the mercy of our Lord opportunities have made themselves available to us and Nathan has been able to preach the gospel to many young men and women in the juvenile detention centers.

This ministry began a few years ago when I began to go to the detention centers on Sunday afternoons but quickly realized that there was a full-time ministry there of spreading the gospel and building relationships with those who were in the detention center. These young people needed more than someone who could come and preach to them occasionally. They needed someone who could give themselves to this type of ministry and disciple them. The Lord answered our prayers and enabled us begin COOL ministry and Nathan has proven to be a faithful and committed servant of the gospel. He has extended his learning, training, counseling and teaching ability in order to reach these young people.

Currently, the Lord has led us to where we are and we are so thankful for His hand that has faithfully guided us. When we began the ministry we only knew the Lord wanted us to reach the fatherless with the gospel and we were uncertain as to what the ministry would look like. As of now, Nathan is taking the gospel 3-4 times a week into 2 different juvenile detention centers. This involves more than preaching the gospel, it also involves discipleship that teaches them the scriptures, instructs them how to live and points them to the Lord for their only hope in life. Please pray for all the young people that are being reached.

Also, once a month COOL ministry hosts a night of encouragement and instruction for married couples who are considering adoption, have adopted or are involved in foster care. We know that as word gets out about this ministry it’s going to grow. So many parents need encouragement! We understand that when we minister to parents who have sought to take children into their home that we are in essence also ministering unto those children. Nathan and Mishal are a great encouragement unto other parents that are involved in adoption or foster care!

The church here voted to support Nathan full-time for one year beginning this past February. The church pays three quarters of his salary and the other quarter comes from the COOL Ministry fund. We were praying and hoping that within this year that as the ministry grew so would the financial support of churches and individuals. It has indeed grown, for which we are very thankful, but it needs to grow much more in order for Nathan to continue to be full-time. Nathan has done great at trying to visit some churches while not forsaking the ministry at the same time. It has been difficult to try and raise support while doing the ministry but he has balanced it very well. It’s becoming more difficult to visit churches as he puts more and more time into ministry but he is available some Sunday’s to present the COOL ministry to the Lord’s churches if you are interested. Please pray for this ministry. We want to see it continue and grow! There are no limits to how far reaching this ministry can go. There is so much to do for Christ! There are so many young people that are raised in homes without a father. They need to know our Father in heaven who alone can help them.

Thank you to all churches and individuals who give to this ministry! Spread the word and encourage others to be helpers of the fatherless.

For the Glory of Christ,

 

Pastor Jack

New Testament Baptist Church