We have made quite a few changes here in our ministry. Some for security reasons, others simply to help us to reach more people and grow the ones that we presently have.  One of the changes that we recently instituted was changing from monthly “Celebration Services” to doing the service once every three months.

We recently had our first new “Celebration Service.” It was also the kickoff service for two weeks of emphasizing missions. We had such a wonderful time. We were blessed to have missionary Derek Thomas (Ukraine) speak for our service. The worship, preaching, fellowship, food, and games were great. And, how about the traditional outfits?

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR THREE CONGREGATIONS TO CONTINUE TO STAND FOR CHRIST AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS WITH THEIR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND OTHERS IN THEIR VILLAGES AND SURROUNDING VILLAGES!

It was also a blessing to have Brother Derek with us for a week in our college. He taught on “Progressive Sanctification” for four days. His teaching was both convicting and challenging, and Lord willing, life changing. It was a blessing to have our dear friend Pastor Kampai and a few of his Bible Institute students with us for all four days!

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SEEDS THAT WERE SOWN DURING THIS WEEK TO BRING FORTH FRUIT UNTO HOLINESS IN ALL OF OUR LIVES!

Many of the young men and women who are former students of mine at Pacific Baptist School and Pacific Baptist Bible College are presently serving in the ministry, including on the mission field. One of the finest of these is Bounna Has. He and his wife Thy have been serving the Lord in Cambodia with our Team for the past seven years now. They are a wonderful couple, devoted servants of Christ, and are being used greatly in the country of Cambodia.

It was a real joy to have Bounna with us for the second week of our Missions’ Emphasis and to teach in our School of Ministry. His messages on Sunday were a tremendous encouragement and his teaching on “Cults” for our School of Ministry will be helpful for years to come, especially the teaching on Mormonism.

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO USE BOUNNA AND THY HERE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THAT GOD WILL WATER THE SEEDS THAT WERE SOWN BY HIM WHILE WITH US!

It’s always a blessing to have visitors from the States, but especially visitors from our home and sending church – Pacific Baptist Church of Long Beach. Recently, we had Donna Rollanza visit with us for a few days.  Many of you don’t know this, but for five years while serving at Pacific Baptist Church, I was actually the Pastor of our Filipino Ministry. Donna was one of our most faithful members. While visiting with us Donna was not only able to witness some of our ministry, she even had a chance to go shopping with my wife and Bounmee.

 

My wife and I, once again, want to thank you for your faithful prayers and continual and consistent financial support. We also thank you for keeping in touch with us and reminding us that you are praying. It mean much!

Johnny and Denise Esposito

ADDITIONAL PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Please continue to pray that we will have the love, wisdom, and power of God in our lives and flowing through our ministries.
• Please continue to pray for our two village ministries and the ministry here in the capital city.
• Please continue to pray for our new Saturday English classes in the capital city.
• Please continue to pray for our upcoming Christmas parties for the school and in the three villages.
• Please continue to pray for the End of the Term for both the English School and the School of Ministry and the New Terms coming in January.
• Please continue pray for my ministry trip to Northern Thailand near the end of January!

“While we understand that not all will ‘GO’ to the uttermost parts of the world, all who claim the name of Christ and have experienced the wonderful grace of God in their lives, must be a part of this great undertaking of which we call missions.”

-Johnny Esposito, Peeking Through the 10/40 Window

My wife and I, along with the rest of our Team here in this “Creative Access” Nation, and the locals want to wish you all on the other side of the Pacific a Happy Thanksgiving!

Denise and I are so grateful for so many open doors and opportunities to be able to serve and share the love of Christ and God’s Word in this country where Buddhism (62% of the population) and Animism (34% of the population) are dominant. Whether it is our Church Services in one of three different locations, our Small Groups, Discipleship Groups, teaching the children and teens English and the Bible in one of the villages, our English School, Hospitality Ministry, Special Activities (like Sunday Night Volleyball), or our School of Ministry, we have been blessed beyond measure with many wonderful opportunities for service. We are ever mindful that none of this would be possible, but by God’s grace and your generosity!

AGAIN, WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING A BLESSING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA BY WAY OF YOUR PRAYERS AND YOUR GIVING AND ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR US!

Every month or two we have the privilege of hosting a special Midweek service with a dear friend of ours and faithful servant of God from Thailand. Pastor Pradit was reached over 30 years ago by another Thai man who was reached by our missionary friend Philip Pope. He has now been pastoring for 25 years and has had a great influence over many, not only in Thailand, but also in the “Creative Access” Nation where we are presently serving. It’s always a pleasure to have him and a few of the folks from his church in Nakhon Phanom, as well as some of the Bible college students from UdonThani, Thailand. The worship, fellowship, preaching, and food is always great. We thank God for Pastor Pradit and his ministry, and of course, we thank God for missionaries like Philip Pope who left all to come to Southeast Asia to bring the light where it is so dark!PLEASE PRAY FOR BELIEVERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE MEKONG RIVER TO BE A LIGHT IN THE MIDST OF THE DARKNESS IN THESE TWO COUNTRIES!

Every year our English School uses the American holiday of Thanksgiving to introduce our students to “Western Culture” and the meaning of Thanksgiving, as well as an opportunity to have food, fun, and fellowship with the young people. In other words, it is a really good opportunity to teach our Buddhist students why Americans celebrate Thanksgiving and about the God of all blessings. As it always is, it was a great time of bonding with the students, lots of good food and fellowship, and, above all else, a chance to introduce our Buddhist students to the God of all blessings and the God of Thanksgiving!PLEASE PRAY FOR SEEDS THAT WERE SOWN TO BRING FORTH FRUIT OF EVERLASTING LIFE!

It was a blessing to have Quamsay and Bpom and their children over our house recently for a wonderful meal and some fun. They work seven days a week and have little free time to themselves. They always look forward to coming over. We have known them now for about six years. We have had them over our house on quite a few occasions, have shared the Gospel with them, given them tracts and Christian literature in the past. On this past visit, we were able to talk to them about the differences between Buddhism and Christianity and share the Good News of Jesus with them. We also sent them home with a few Gospel tracts and an invitation for learning more about Jesus!PLEASE PRAY FOR QUAMSAY, BPOM AND THEIR CHILDREN TO COME TO A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD JESUS!

This past Sunday was a bit different than our normal Lord’s Day over here. Just a few minutes prior to leaving for the facility where our church family gathers all the electricity went out. Nothing unusual about that, but as I walked outside I smelled and saw smoke. In just a few moments, I saw people from all directions running towards the smoke. A house two doors from where we live was on fire. Within a few moments a fire truck showed up (nothing like the modern fire trucks we are used to in America). To make a long story short, three houses burned down and our village was thrown into a state of chaos. While we had no electricity (fans or AC), could not sing the songs of Zion for security reasons, we still gathered together to worship the Unshaken King of glory and we all rejoiced in the grace of God. God moved in the service!PLEASE PRAY THE FAMILIES THAT LOST MUCH, IF NOT EVERYTHING, IN THE FIRE!

ADDITIONAL PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Please continue to pray that we will have the love, wisdom, and power of God in our lives and flowing through our ministries.
• Please continue to pray for our two village ministries and the ministry here in the capital city.
• Please continue to pray for our School of Ministry (Bible College).
• Please pray for our new Midweek Bible Study for teens. Please pray for our new Saturday English classes in the capital city.
• Please pray for our upcoming School of Ministry Intensives to be taught by two missionaries from the Ukraine and Cambodia. 
• Please pray for our Missions’ Conference next week.

My wife and Denise I want to thank you for your prayers, financial support, and friendship. As we try to mention in every update, all that we are privileged to do is by the grace of God and the generosity of God’s people.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Johnny and Denise

 

The group above are a few of our young people from one of our three congregations. One weekend recently, Kong and Lilee went out to the harvest fields (literal harvest fields) with them to do some literal harvesting. I thank God for their willingness to work in the literal harvest fields of this country, and, more importantly, the spiritual harvest fields of this country!

PLEASE PRAY FOR KONG, LILEE, SAUL, MAI AND THE OTHERS AS THEY LABOUR FOR THE MASTER IN THE HARVEST FIELDS

We are so excited about what the Lord is doing here in this country! It never ceases to amaze me. In fact, to be honest with you, I am often speechless when reflecting on what God has done, is doing, and looks like He may be doing in the near and distant future.

Whether it’s our Monday – Thursday English school, our Saturday Village Ministry (we teach English and the Bible), our School of Ministry, our three congregations that are up and running, or just our various forms of hospitality ministry, God has blessed immensely!

As for our school, things are going very well. The students just took their Mid-terms and it appears most of them passed with flying colors. There were a few exceptions, but we won’t bring them up. All of our teachers (Koumaly and Darath Thongdy and my wife Denise) do a great job, not only teaching English, but loving the students.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY THAT GOD WILL USE OUR SCHOOL AS AN INSTRUMENT OF HIS LOVE AND GRACE!

I love Saturdays. Denise and I, along with Jui, Bounmee, and Pachu, leave our house at 8:00 AM and catch a tuk-tuk for about a 30-minute ride. The tuk-tuk that we normally catch (he actually waits on us) is made to carry 8-10 at the most, but we are never so lucky. We have had as many as 22 people on the Tuk-tuk along for the ride. We then arrive in the village, teach the children and teens the Bible separately and then we teach them English. It’s always a blessing to go to the village.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR SATURDAY VILLAGE MINISTRY!

Of course, one of the primary reasons my wife and I relocated back to this country was to help start a School of Ministry (Bible College) in order to train our young people for full-time service. This term, our second, we are offering The Gospel of Matthew 2, Bible Doctrines 1, New Testament Survey, Biblical Leadership 2, and Christian Womanhood 2. It’s a blessing, not only to teach our young people, but to do special things with them. They especially like to eat out!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR SCHOOL OF MINISTRY AND FOR OUR STUDENTS!

We presently have three different congregations in three different locations. God is blessing in all three locations and, Lord willing, we are getting ready to make a few major changes in order to reach more people and to grow the people we presently have more effectively.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR GOD’S BLESSING UPON OUR SUNDAY AND MIDWEEK SERVICES, AS WELL AS OUR SMALL GROUPS!

One thing that Denise and I have tried to do regularly, especially the past four years, is to have folks over our house on a weekly basis. Of course, we have many brothers and sisters in Christ over, but we especially love to have our lost neighbors over in an attempt to build a relationship with them and share the Gospel. We are presently praying and working closely with two families and having them over our house. Two weeks ago, we had Pone, his wife Buoa, their daughter Pam (go figure) and one of her friends Malie over.  My wife and the girls made Mexican fajitas and “the works,” we played Uno, and had a wonderful time. We even had the chance to talk some about the similarities and differences between Christianity and Buddhism.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR HOSPITALITY MINISTRY AS WE SEEK TO LOVE PEOPLE TO JESUS!

The hi-light of the past month was when our team joined with five other small congregations for a time of soul-winning and tract distribution in Thailand during a holiday. There were about 40 of us and we had the privilege to pass out 18,000 tracts, as well as John and Romans booklets. In addition to the soul-winning and tract distribution, we had a mini-Bible conference in which I had the privilege to preach!

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL WATER AND BRING AN INCREASE TO THE SEEDS OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE THAT WERE SOWN DURING OUR TRIP TO THAILAND!

We are presently in the process of making quite a few changes – most of them small, but a few that are not so small – that, Lord willing, will allow us to expand the reach of our ministry, reach more people, and grow and disciple the people that we presently have. One of the changes, or “new things,” is a new Midweek Bible study that is geared primarily for young people.  The study is in one of the villages that we have been serving in for a while.  We had our first meeting this week with about 20 teens and adults and a boatload of children outside. I spoke on making wise choices from Joshua 24, and it went very well!

PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS NEW MINISTRY, AS WELL AS OTHER CHANGES WE WILL BE MAKING SOON!

ADDITIONAL PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Please continue to pray that we will have the love, wisdom, and power of God in our lives and flowing through our ministries.
• Please continue to pray for our two village ministries and the ministry here in the capital city.
• Please pray for our new Midweek Bible Study for teens. 
• Please pray for our new Saturday English classes in the capital city.
• Please pray for our upcoming Thanksgiving Meal with our English students and that we will have the open door to share the true meaning of Thanksgiving in America.
• Please pray for our upcoming School of Ministry Intensives to be taught by two missionaries from the Ukraine and Cambodia. 
• Please pray for our upcoming Missions’ Conference at the end of the month.

Denise and I want to thank you for your continual prayers and financial support. All that we are privileged to do is by the grace of God and the generosity of God’s people!

 

“In the vast plain to the north I have sometimes seen, in the morning sun, the smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary has ever been.”            

— Robert Moffat

After spending three weeks in the States, it was great to be back “home.” Of course, it is good to be back with my wife, our team, and our people. At the same time, it is heartbreaking to, once again, see the bondage of those with whom we are here to love, serve, and with God’s help reach with the Good News of Jesus Christ!

PLEASE PRAY FOR US HERE IN THIS “CREATIVE ACCESS” NATION AS WE BRING THE GOOD NEWS TO THOSE WITH SO LITTLE HOPE OR HELP!

Praise the Lord! We recently started our new English term and presently have 57 students. I think that might be a record enrollment, if not, close to it that’s for sure. It’s a blessing to be able to teach the young people, build relationships, and use the school as an instrument for opportunities to share the Gospel with some of them. I am grateful for my wife and the Thongdy’s (Koumaly and Darath) willingness to teach our six classes.

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL USE US AND OUR ENGLISH SCHOOL TO REACH THESE YOUNG PEOPLE FOR CHRIST!

As I mentioned above, I had the privilege to make a very brief trip to the States. During this time, I had the honor of preaching the Missions’ Revival of Pacific Baptist Church of Long Beach and Pacific Baptist Church of Monterey Park. As most of you know, my brother Pastor Joe, started both of these churches. We had wonderful services and a great time of fellowship at both churches.

Pastor Steve Meyers and his staff are doing a wonderful job with Pacific Baptist Church of Long Beach, the college, and the school. Pastor Kyle Beck, one of my former college students, is doing a great job at Pacific Baptist Church of Monterey Park!

I also had the privilege to teach a one-week Missions’ Intensive at Pacific Baptist Bible College. The Intensive was called, “Unreached People Groups Around the World and Around the Corner.” It’s always a blessing to teach young people and try to convey the great need to reach out to the Unreached People Groups in our world. I also had the privilege to preach in college chapel three times. It’s always a blessing to be with the college. I was the Vice-President of the college for its first seven years of existence and definitely love this place. My nephew, Joseph Esposito (pictured below), is doing a great job with the college.

It was also a great blessing to have Go Oishi with us during the Missions’ Revival at Pacific Baptist of Long Beach and one day in the college. He is pictured above with his wife playing instruments for our church service. Go is a graduate of our college and is on his way to serve as a missionary in Japan. Years ago, he surrendered to serve as a missionary while I was preaching at his home church in Michigan!

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL WATER THE SEEDS THAT WERE SOWN AT THESE TWO CHURCHES AND THE COLLEGE DURING MY TIME IN THE STATES!

The day before leaving the States, my dear friend Pastor Ryan Thompson of Liberty Baptist Church in Newport Beach and I got together for a time of food, and fellowship and afterwards, we went to visit my brother, Pastor Joe. It was the five-year anniversary of his being hospitalized. Just as Pastor Thompson was getting ready to head back to work, my brother grabbed his hand, almost as to say, “Don’t leave me!” It was an emotional moment for all of us, to say the least. We thank God for all of the progress that has been made and, of course, pray for more.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR PASTOR JOE AND HIS WIFE MARY AS THEY WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY THAT GOD HAS SET BEFORE THEM!

This past Sunday, a day after I returned from the States, two of our three congregations gathered together for our “Celebration Service.” Normally, we meet together once a month to worship, partake of the Lord’s Supper, preaching and teaching of the Word, fellowship, and a wonderful meal. Due to circumstances beyond our control we had to cancel the August Celebration Service. So, it was a real joy to gather together this past week. It was a wonderful Sunday!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR ALL THREE OF OUR CONGREGATIONS AS THEY SEEK TO REACH THEIR PART OF THE HARVEST FIELDS IN THIS COUNTRY!

It was great to be able to sit in on our English classes, once again, and to give a few of the students in my wife’s two classes some souvenirs from back home-actually, from East Los Angeles. Needless to say, they were happy campers!

It’s been a blessing, over the past two months, to see six different people trust Christ from one of our village ministries. Their names are Yin, Yiang, Chure, Hod, Zuen, and Manivang. This is the ministry that Kong and Lilee started and oversee, and they are doing a wonderful job in loving and reaching people.

PLEASE PRAY FOR KONG AND LILEE AND THESE NEW CONVERTS!

ADDITIONAL PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. Please continue to pray that we have the love, power, and wisdom of God as we continue to serve in this part of the world!
2. Please continue to pray for our Fall Term at the English school!
3. Please pray for our School of Ministry Fall Term that begins next week.
4. Please continue to pray for the salvation of Quamsay, Bpum, Grandma Peng, Pone, his wife, and a host of others we are working with.
5. Please continue to pray for both of our village ministries to continue to reach new people and grow the people that they have!

My wife and I want to thank you for your continual prayers and your consistent financial support. Whether it’s preaching the gospel to the lost, teaching and discipling the saved, assisting missionaries and National pastors, having our lost neighbors over for supper, teaching village children the Bible and English, visiting the widows in their affliction, visiting the sick in the hospital, or just visiting the hurting in a village, WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU!

Johnny and Denise

“The task of reaching every people group is no small thing, but the problem isn’t in the amount of people groups who are unreached; it is in the amount of people going to them.” – David Markham

The picture above is a grim reminder of the many trials and tragedies the people in this part of the world experience, and with very little help to recover after the fact. Many are familiar with the terrible flooding that has taken place this summer in the country of India, but few know of the flooding that has devastated many parts of the country where we presently reside and serve!

One of the multiplied thousands who was affected by the flooding is our dear friend, Pastor Lee Seng. Brother Dwight Tomlinson and the Barnabas1040 ministry, which he oversees, presently support Pastor Lee Seng and his ministry. In the past ten years or so, he has started six churches in this difficult country, and is presently co-laboring with us, pastoring a brand new village church, and he teaches in our School of Ministry. His home village was flooded and he lost everything on his farm. We are thankful for Brother Tomlinson and barnabas1040.com and their willingness to help this dear brother and his family to recover everything that they lost!

PLEASE PRAY FOR PASTOR LEE SENG AND FOR THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE FLOODING HERE!

A couple weeks ago, about fifteen of our ladies and teen girls crossed the border and attended a Ladies’ Conference hosted by our dear friend Pastor Pradit and his church family. They were blessed beyond measure and helped immensely. We thank God for opportunities such as this, as rare as they are, for our folks to be stretched in their faith and grow in their love for Christ and others!

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR LADIES TO BE THE PROVERBS 31 WOMEN GOD IS CALLING THEM TO BE!

For ten months my wife and I labored in China, prior to relocating to the “Creative Access” nation where we are presently assisting our team. We love China. Last week I had a chance to return to China to preach and teach. I was with the Living Water’s Baptist church that was started by a missionary friend and former co-laborer of mine (Dick Baucum) nearly twenty years ago. The church is presently pastored by a good man, a Chinese national, Pastor Bob (last name withheld for security reasons). I met Bob a little over two years ago, while preaching in a “Leadership Conference” in China and we had been trying to work it out for me to come since then. Praise the Lord, we were finally able to make it happen!

I had the blessed opportunity to preach six times and teach Sunday school during a three-day period (Friday–Sunday). My theme for all of the messages–including the Sunday School hour–was “Growing in Christ!” God moved miraculously. It was amazing to see God move in our midst, to see the tears, and a spirit of revival among the people.

For five of those sessions, we had two other churches join us. Both of these churches are church plants of Living Waters Baptist Church. We are grateful for these men and women who are laboring for Christ in a difficult field that is becoming more difficult by the day.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE COUNTRY OF CHINA, FOR THESE THREE CHURCHES, AND FOR GOD TO BRING FORTH FRUIT FROM THE SEEDS SOWN WHILE I WAS WITH THEM!

Jui is one of our fine young men. He was saved four years ago, just a few weeks before we left this country for Cambodia. A little over four months ago, Jui gave up a good paying job and career ambitions to serve God full-time. He is presently assisting me in many capacities–including serving as my full-time Interpreter. One of his responsibilities is to work with our young people, and he, along with a few others, is doing a tremendous job. This last week, while I was in China, Jui had one of our Monthly Teen Activities, and from what I understand it went very well. We are grateful for our young people!

We officially ended our summer with a two-day Team Training. We had a wonderful time of teaching, fellowship, and, of course, some really good food. Brother Koumaly Thongdy, my wife, and I all taught two sessions each. My wife officially takes over as the English School Administrator this week, so she taught a practical session on the school itself, and a great session on “Loving Young People.”

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR TEAM TO WALK IN HUMILITY AND TO WISELY SERVE CHRIST AND THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY!

Over seven years ago, Koumaly and Darath Thongdy came to this country after being asked by my brother Pastor Joe Esposito to do so. They have faithfully served here and loved the people of this country for these seven years now. Recently, they returned after a short and well-deserved furlough to the States. Anyone who knows the Thongdy’s know that they are some of the most kind and generous people in the world. For the first few days, after returning, they stayed busy going from place to place and delivering gifts from the U.S. and Canada. We are grateful they are back!

PRAY FOR GOD’S BLESSING ON KOUMALY, DARATH, SOMMER, AND HUDSON!

As I have mentioned in previous Updates, one of our village ministries, which is led by a young man named Kong and his wife Lillee, is doing very well. God has been moving! In fact, over the past 5-6 weeks at least six adults have turned to, and trusted Christ as their Savior. This past week was a special blessing, Kong’s Language teacher (he is from a different ethnic group) from when he was 13-year’s old, trusted Christ as her Savior!

PLEASE PRAY FOR MANIVANG TO GROW IN HER NEW FOUND FAITH!

As the summer draws to a close, I would like to say, it’s been a tremendous blessing to have different folks visit with us this summer, including four from our home and sending church, and another young lady from Illinois, named Ericka. Pacific Baptist Bible College students, Sammy Tith and Isaac Pechardo, spent nearly two months with us, along with nine days with our team in Cambodia. They sacrificed much – including their jobs back home – to be with us and they were a tremendous blessing to our folks here.

PLEASE PRAY FOR SAM AND ISAAC AND OTHER YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN LIKE THEM WHO ARE CONTEMPLATING A FUTURE ON THE FIELD FOR GOD! 

ADDITIONAL PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. Please pray for our Fall Term at the English school!
2. Please continue to pray that we have the love, power, and wisdom of God as we continue to serve in this part of the world!
3. Please continue to pray for the salvation of Quamsay, Bpum, Grandma Peng, Pone, his wife, and a host of others we are working with.
4. Please continue to pray for our full-time Bible college students (Kong, Jui, Lamphan, Bounmee, Lilee, and Pachu) to continue to grow in their faith, their love for Christ and others, and their dedication for the cause of Christ!
5. Please continue to pray for both of our village ministries to continue to reach new people and grow the people that they have!
6. Please continue to pray about a possible move our English school might make in the near future!

My wife and I want to thank you for your love, friendship, prayers, and financial support. Whether it’s preaching the gospel to the lost, teaching and discipling the saved, assisting missionaries and National pastors, having our lost neighbors over for supper, teaching village children the Bible and English, visiting the widows in their affliction, visiting the sick in the hospital, or just visiting the hurting in a village, WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU!

Thank you,

Johnny and Denise

“While we understand that not all will ‘GO’ to the uttermost parts of the world, all who claim the name of Christ and have experienced the wonderful grace of God in their lives, must be a part of this great undertaking of which we call missions.”

-Johnny Esposito, Peeking Through the 10/40 Window

 

My wife celebrated her 29th birthday once again this year! 🙂 Our church family surprised her with a small party just before a recent Midweek Bible Study/Prayer Meeting. I am so grateful that a loving heavenly Father gave me a loving wife, wonderful mother and grandmother, and the perfect helpmeet for a missionary. Denise does so much, not only for me, but for our ministry here in this country, and all over Asia. I definitely would be lost without her!

The last few weeks have been so very busy! In addition to our various ministries, we have had the privilege to host a few of our Team Members from Cambodia. Former students of mine from Pacific Baptist School/Pacific Baptist Bible College, Michelle Hardesty and Adrian Torres, both spent about a week with us.

We also had Kosal and Phalley with us for four days. While my wife and I lived and served in Cambodia for two years, Kosal was one of the many men that I had the privilege to disciple. We had a wonderful time with Kosal, his wife, and their precious daughter Abigail!

It has also been a real blessing to have two of our young men (Isaac Pechardo and Sammy Tith) from Pacific Baptist Church and Pacific Baptist Bible College with us for the past month, they will be with us for another three weeks. I have known these young men since they were small children, and they too were former students of mine at Pacific Baptist School. Isaac and Sam have been a real help here in the school and in various aspects of our ministry.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR TEAM IN CAMBODIA AND THE DIFFERENT YOUNG MEN FROM LONG BEACH WHO HAVE VISITED US HERE RECENTLY!

It is amazing what God is doing through Kong and Lillie in Kong’s village. As we have mentioned previously, Kong started the work a little bit over two years ago and God is blessing them tremendously. Recently Pachuo, one of the Hmong young ladies who is living with us,  started helping them with the children on Sundays.

Two weeks ago, a young man named Dean trusted Christ. A week ago, not only did they have a great day, but they had a miraculous day. Grandma Jua, who had been without physical sight for three months and spiritual sight for over fifty years, attended their service and received both her physical and spiritual sight. She trusted Christ and is spending a week with Kong and Lillie here in the capital city!

PLEASE PRAY FOR KONG, LILEE, AND PACHUO AS THEY LABOR FOR THE LORD IN THE VILLAGE!

Our two most recent “Celebration Services” have been very special. Worshipping Christ in song, partaking of the Lord’s Supper, testifying of God’s goodness, and receptive hearts during our time of teaching have made the days very memorable. There is nothing quite like hearing the Nationals testify of God’s goodness and grace in their lives.  Along with many others, one of our good ladies, named Champa, who just so happens to be disabled, testified of God’s goodness since trusting Christ and her gratitude for the love of God’s people. It was such a touching testimony, folks were talking about it for days. In our most recent “Celebration Service” we had 96 people in attendance. God is good!

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR THREE CONGREGATIONS AND THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO USE THEM TO REACH THEIR VILLAGES FOR CHRIST!

We are grateful for the opportunity and the privilege to work with our School of Ministry (Bible College) students. Their hunger for the word of God, their desire to serve God, and their overwhelming burden to reach their people is humbling and convicting. We recently had our Mid-term Week and I am happy to say, “Everyone did so well!”

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SCHOOL OF MINISTRY STUDENTS!

Our Sunday services, Midweek Services, and Small Groups have been going very well. On Sundays, I have been teaching, for ten weeks now, on “Growing in Christ.” On Wednesday’s, for about the same amount of time, I have been teaching a series, “Lord, Teach Us to Pray.” I am especially excited about the Teen Small Groups led by Jui and Bounmee.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SERVICES AND OUR SMALL GROUPS!

Every Sunday, immediately after our Small Groups, we have a huge meal. It’s a wonderful time of fellowship, and let me assure you, the food is great. And every week, the same group of girls wash the dishes for us. Two weeks ago, I treated them to some ice cream at Swenson’s. It was a first for four of the girls and we all had a good time!

PLEASE PRAY THAT THESE YOUNG LADIES WILL GROW TO BE THE WOMEN GOD HAS CALLED THEM TO BE!

Another of the many blessings since our last Update a few weeks ago, was the privilege to once again preach and teach for another church not far from here. I have mentioned this pastor and church many times, in the years gone by. I have been preaching for them and teaching in their Bible college for seven years now. He was the first National IB pastor in the country. A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to preach for him and his folks once again. My wife and I taught split sessions for the men and the women. Of course, as always, they were extremely receptive. The vast majority of these folks are factory workers (think “sweat shops”) and don’t have much of a “life,” so they always look forward to us coming. As always, it was a great time, and, as always, they were a tremendous blessing to fellowship with!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR PASTOR KHAMPAI, HIS CHURCH FAMILY, AND THEIR BIBLE INSTITUTE!

ADDITIONAL PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. Please pray that we have the love, power, and wisdom of God as we continue to serve in this part of the world!
2. Please pray for the salvation of Quamsay, Bpum, Grandma Peng, Pone, his wife and a host of others we are working with.
3. Please pray for our full-time Bible college students (Kong, Jui, Cher Chou, Lamphan, Bounmee, Lilee, and Pachu) to continue to grow in their faith, their love for Christ and others, and their dedication for the cause of Christ!
4. Please pray for both of our village ministries to continue to reach new people and grow the people that they have!
5. Please pray for our upcoming Ladies’ Fellowship in Thailand (August 13-14)!
6. Please pray for my upcoming meetings in Hainan, China at the end of August!
7. Please pray for our English School’s Fall Registration, which begins at the end of August!
8. Please pray about a possible move our English school might make in the near future!

As always, my wife and I want to thank you and your church family for your continual prayers and financial support for our ministry here in Asia. God has blessed in so many ways, and He has used you to be a great part of the blessing!

 

“Reaching remote unreached people groups is the most urgent and important mission. It is his great commission, and that mission is worth giving our lives for.” – David Markham

 

Those who know my brother, Pastor Joe, know him to be a visionary – a man of many dreams for good and for God. Prior to being hospitalized, one of the many dreams within the heart of Pastor Joe was to see our teams in Laos and Thailand work together in the area known as the Golden Triangle (where Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar intersect). The purpose was to train nationals from Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and potentially Myanmar to reach their prospective countries, and eventually reach into Southwest China (Yunnan Province).

Over the past year-and-a half I have had the privilege to work together with our team in Thailand in training Thai and nationals from a “creative access country” on three separate occasions, and it looks like I will be with them again in January.  This week was a special blessing because five of our team members from “the country we currently serve in” joined us for the special meetings of training pastors and church workers. And, it was a tremendous blessing.

Pastor Joe would have been so excited to see what God was doing this week. AND NO DOUBT, PASTOR JOE WOULD HAVE GIVEN US ALL A BIG THUMBS UP!

It really was a wonderful week! We had meetings with their teens on Friday evening, soul winning on Saturday, Sunday services, and three days of teaching sessions and preaching services Monday – Wednesday. Fellow team members from “the country we currently serve in” (Kong, Lillee, and Bounmee) pictured below were a special blessing to the folks we were training.

It was also a blessing to have two of our young men, including my nephew Ben (Pastor Joe’s son), from Pacific Baptist Church of Long Beach spend a week with us in “the country we currently serve in” and another week with us in Thailand.  They fit in real well, especially in Thailand. They were great with the kids, and Ben even won and adult man to Christ!

One of the many blessings of the week was this couple below. He’s a pastor and the two of them rode a motor bike 16 hours one way to spend the week with us. Much of their time traveling was in the rain too. Now that’s what I call hungry for the word!

It’s always a blessing to be able to spend time teaching and fellowshipping with pastors and missionaries. It’s a special privilege and joy to be able to spend time with the men pictured below. They pastor in very difficult places, and have to deal with extremely difficult situations, but they do it with the joy of Christ. One of these men actually pastors seven churches. Imagine that!

PLEASE PRAY THAT THE SEEDS THAT WERE SOWN DURING THIS WEEK OF MINISTRY WILL BRING FORTH FRUIT!

ADDITIONAL PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. Please pray that we have the love, power, and wisdom of God as we continue to serve in this part of the world!
2. Please pray for our full-time Bible college students (Kong, Jui, Cher Chou, Ken, Lamphan, Bounmee, Lilee, and Pachu) to continue to grow in their faith, their love for Christ and others, and their dedication for the cause of Christ!
3. Please pray for our two village ministries to continue to reach new people and grow the people that they have!
4. Please pray for our upcoming Ladies’ Fellowship in Thailand (August 13-14)!
5. Please pray for my upcoming meetings in Hainan, China at the end of August!
6. Please pray for our English School’s Fall registration, which begins in the middle of August!
7. Please pray about a possible move our English school might make in the near future!

As always, my wife and I want to thank you for your continual prayers and financial support for the ministry here in Asia. God has blessed in so many ways, and He has used you to be a great part of the blessing!

Johnny and Denise

“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.”

The picture above, of course, is my wife Denise. Over the past five years she has become quite good at shopping in many different situations and circumstances. God blessed me with a wonderful woman who has been a great helpmeet all of these years, but especially here on the mission field.

One of our first tasks, after arriving in the country, was to plan and conduct a two-day Team Orientation. To say the Orientation went well would definitely be an understatement. It was a wonderful time of bonding and casting vision. I taught three sessions, another one of our team members spoke twice, and two others spoke once each.

WE COVET YOUR PRAYERS THAT GOD WILL EMPOWER AND ENABLE US AS A TEAM TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK BEFORE US!

On Friday mornings I am presently meeting with six of our young people, along with a young lady named Ericka who is interning with us from the States. Our goal during this time together is basically two-fold: (1) to personally help these young people to grow in their faith and relationship with the Lord, and (2) to see these six young people start discipling one or two others before the summer is over.

PLEASE PRAY FOR KONG, JUI, LAMPHAN, LILEE, BOUNMEE, AND PACHU AND OUR TIME TOGETHER ON FRIDAYS!

Three weeks ago we started classes in our School of Ministry. We presently have eight students and our classes are held Monday – Thursday from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM. On Monday, one of the National pastors is teaching a class on “Galatians and Ephesians.” On Tuesday, I am teaching “Bible Study/Bible Teaching Methods.” Wednesday, I am teaching the “Gospel of Matthew,” and on Thursday, I am teaching a course called “Being a Disciple and Making Disciples” and another course, for men only, “Principles of Biblical Leadership.” My wife is teaching on Thursdays also, a “Christian Womanhood” class. We are excited about the opportunity to invest in the lives of these young people!

WE COVET YOUR PRAYERS FOR THE SCHOOL OF MINISTRY AND FOR OUR STUDENTS!

Koumaly and Darath Thongdy, who are presently on a short furlough during the summer months, started our English school here seven years ago and have faithfully guided it over the years. The school provides us a reason to be here.  Yet, more than that, it gives us an opportunity to meet and build relationships with folks we never would have had a chance to meet. And yes, some of them actually get saved. Our school also offers us an opportunity to help the locals to better themselves for the future. We are excited about the Summer Term that just started and look forward to the upcoming Fall Term.

WE COVET YOUR PRAYERS FOR THE SCHOOL AND OUR STUDENTS!  

We presently are blessed to have ministries in two different villages. In both of the villages we have seen churches planted. Both of these works are pastored by national men. And, for this we thank God! God is doing some amazing things in both of these villages, but especially the village that Kong and his wife Lilee are overseeing.

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO BLESS THESE VILLAGE MINISTRIES AND THE TWO MEN WHO OVERSEE THE WORKS!

Our most recent Celebration Service (combined service) was great! It was a true blessing to have all three churches gather together for a time of worship, teaching, preaching, and some wonderful food. We are grateful for all that God is doing and thankful for the opportunity to occasionally gather together!

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR THREE CHURCHES AND THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO FAITHFULLY SERVE IN THEM!

For over seven years now (even before coming to this part of the world as a missionary), I have been preaching for a dear friend and local pastor, and teaching in his Bible Institute. Over the past few years, I have added something special. His ministry is filled with factory workers, male and female, and as often as possible, I try to spend an evening with them. We gather together for a time of food, fun, and fellowship, as well as teaching the Word of God. It was a blessing to meet with them two weeks ago!

PLEASE PRAY FOR THESE FOLKS TO BE USED BY GOD TO REACH THEIR PEOPLE! 

We have so many young people here. In fact, our ministry is overrunning with young people. So many of them are growing in Christ and have a desire to serve the Lord with their lives. Recently, we started having occasional “Friday Teen Nights” to encourage and edify the young people. This ministry is totally run by our National young people and led by a young man who is my assistant. His name is Jui and he is doing a great job!

It’s always a blessing when our ladies have the opportunity to gather together. Recently, our ladies had a Ladies’ Fellowship. While I wasn’t there :), I was told they had a great time of food, fun, and fellowship. My wife had a chance to speak for the ladies on being “Rooted and Grounded in Christ.”  While the ladies were together, I took a few of the men and teen boys out for some pizza. And, yes, we had a great time too!

As always, my wife and I would like to thank you for your faithful financial support and your consistent prayer support. We are here, doing what God has led us to do, by His grace and your generosity!

Johnny and Denise

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is.                                     Missions exists because worship doesn’t.”

 

For those of you who follow us on Instagram, Twitter, or FaceBook, you will be very familiar with the sight above. This is an everyday occurrence for me as I go on my prayer walk. These are just a handful of the Monks from one of over 300 Buddhist temples in our city. The sad reality is that the vast majority of the people in this part of the world are in bondage to the religion of Buddhism. Oh, how desperately we need more laborers here.

PLEASE PRAY FOR MORE LABORERS FOR HARVEST FIELDS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA!

Immediately after last month’s wonderful Youth Conference in Udon Thani, Thailand, my wife and I flew into Cambodia and spent a week with our team and “family” and friends there. It is absolutely amazing what God is doing in Cambodia!

Of course, as many of you will remember, my wife and I served with our team in Cambodia for two years. It always good to go back and be with folks we love dearly and see all that God is doing. And, He’s doing a lot!

I also had the opportunity to preach and teach a few times, as well as do a quite a bit of soul-winning and visitation while in Cambodia. Denise and I also spent a lot of quality and fun time with our family and friends.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR TEAM IN CAMBODIA AND THE MILLIONS OF LOST SOULS IN THAT COUNTRY!

After our trip to Cambodia, my wife and I took a few days off for our anniversary and went to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Our anniversary is actually in December and we had this trip planned then, but we had to cancel it. So, this was actually a belated anniversary “get away” for the two of us. So grateful for a wonderful (and patient) wife! 🙂

We had a wonderful time. We also had a chance to meet up with some missionary friends, and I had the opportunity to preach for missionary Jay Ballou and his church family.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THAILAND. THE NEED IS SO GREAT; LABORERS ARE SO FEW!

We are now getting settled into our new home in the “Creative Access” nation where we previously served with our team for 17 months. It has been a blessing to already begin preaching, teaching, discipling, serving in one of our village ministries, meeting with potential School of Ministry (Bible College) students, and preparing for the beginning of our School of Ministry, along with just trying to get “moved in.”

Our recent Mother’s Day service was such a blessing. We had a packed house, a wonderful spirit, and the folks were attentive as I taught during the Sunday school hour for the teens and preached in the main service. Honoring the mothers is something a bit foreign over here, so it was a special treat.

PLEASE PRAY FOR US AS WE GET SETTLED INTO OUR NEW “HOME” AND INTO THE VARIOUS MINISTRIES WE WILL BE DIRECTLY WORKING WITH AND OVERSEEING!

Things get really busy beginning this week. As if they weren’t already! 🙂 Along with preaching four times a week for the next month or so, teaching nine hours a week in our School of Ministry (Bible College), meeting with seven of our young people (college students) weekly in a Discipleship Group, sitting in and observing our English classes a few times a week, I will also be overseeing all of our ministries. This week my wife starts teaching in the English school and will be teaching a Christian Womanhood class in the School of Ministry.

We definitely covet your prayers!

Denise and I want to, once again, thank all of you for your prayers and financial support. All that we do is because of God’s grace and your generosity!

Johnny and Denise Esposito

“We must be global Christians because our God is a global God!”

I want to thank you all for praying for our Youth Conference in Udon Thani, Thailand. The group picture above will give you a good idea how many folks attended the three-day conference. We had at least 245 people in attendance for the services, representing 15 different churches.

It was a blessing to see so many young people in the services, to see so many pastors and missionaries praying together and preaching together. I had the opportunity to preach three times, teach a special session for the Hmong young people, and teach another session for the missionaries and the pastors.

As most of you know, my wife and I recently relocated to assist our team in a “Creative Access Nation.” We are looking forward to discipling a few of the young men and women, assisting in training of the national leadership here, and getting a Bible College/Institute started.

Of course, I will be doing a lot of preaching and teaching here. This is especially true over the next few months as Koumaly and Darath Thongdy will be leaving for the summer months on a short furlough. I have already preached a few times since arriving and, as always, it’s been a privilege and a joy. 

Of course, our last week in China was bittersweet. I had the chance to teach the men one more time, teach in our KTV Connection Group, preach in our Sunday service, as well as quite a few emotional “goodbye meals” with many of our dear friends.

The video below is a temple that is located about fifty yards from our front porch. A great reminder why we are serving in this part of the world!

My wife and I thank you for holding the ropes back home,

Johnny and Denise

After hearing an account of the spiritual needs of India, the secretary of the meeting remarked: “There is a gold mine in India, but it seems almost as deep as the center of the earth. Who will venture to explore it?” “I will venture to go down,” said Carey, “but remember that you must hold the ropes.”