This past Sunday I had the privilege to preach at Faith Baptist Church of Bakersfield. In recent days my dear friend of 30 years, Pastor Joe Grande, resigned to take a church in Missouri. My time with the FBC family was their first without their pastor. We had a great day in Bakersfield.

Pray for the Faith Baptist Church family as they are seeking God’s choice for their next pastor!

A few days ago, while visiting my brother Pastor Joe in the hospital, I showed him a sticker that has a picture of Southeast Asia and China on it. The sticker also has the words “Don’t Let the Dream Die” and “China or Bust” on it. These words refer to my brother’s dream of seeing a team sent to China and some of the last words he ever said prior to being hospitalized: “China or Bust.” Soon after I left the hospital my sister-n-law Mary sent me a text with the following words: “When you showed him the sticker and walked out, it was the first time I saw multiple tears roll down his cheek.” A day or two before that I had asked my brother if he had remembered saying, “China or Bust”? With a few blinks he replied, “Yes.” I also asked him if he still wanted the church to “push China”? Again, with a few blinks, he replied, “Yes.”

Please continue to pray for a miracle for my brother. Pray for his family. And pray that God will raise up more laborers for the 1040 Window, and specifically China!

On Wednesday evening I had the opportunity to open up the Missions Emphasis for the Spanish Ministry of Pacific Baptist Church in Maywood. Brother Bruce Mejia and my niece Sarah Esposito are doing a great job with this ministry. PBC of Maywood is a church plant of my sending church and God has blessed it immensely. Next Wednesday evening I will open up the Missions Emphasis for the English members of PBC Maywood.

Pray for the Spanish members of PBC (Maywood) that God will help them to come to grips with the importance of worldwide missions, especially the great need in the 1040 Window!

The highlight of the evening came after the service. A woman, who was visiting for the first time, had a few questions for me. One thing led to another, and eventually I had the opportunity to share the Gospel with Christine and she trusted Christ!

Pray for Christine to grow in her newfound faith and pray for her adult son Richard who also had a chance to hear the Gospel but did not respond!

Tonight I will be preaching at Harbor Light Baptist Church in Wilmington. Early tomorrow morning I will be flying to Connecticut and will be spending the weekend with Pastor Michael Peslak and the White Oak Baptist Church family for their Missions’ Emphasis weekend. Early Monday morning I return to California and have a busy week planned. I will be teaching and preaching at Pacific Baptist Bible College, preaching twice for Pacific Baptist of Maywood and three times for Pacific Baptist of Long Beach.

Please pray that God will bless these different opportunities to preach and teach at four different churches and the Bible College. Pray that God will speak to hearts about praying, giving, and going to the great harvest of the world!