December 19

Many blessings to report.

The morning began with the ladies taking a trip to a local weekly open-air market. Then we headed back to the platea for more tract distribution and witnessing. On the walk from the parking lot to the preaching spot, a Greek man stopped to take a tract. We began a conversation with him but did not get far until we had to resort to – I’m transliterating here – “then catalaveno” (Greek for “I don’t understand”). Brother Koletas caught up and took the conversation at that point. The man wanted to know why we were there spreading our heresy when they have the Orthodox church. The god of this world has surely done a masterful job of “blinding the minds of them that believe not…” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

A good time on the streets. Many people out and about despite the cold and damp conditions. A good number must have been doing their holiday shopping, judging by the many bags they were toting. Tracts seemed to go a bit slower than yesterday evening, but we got out over 1,000 before we had to sing “Amazing Grace” and shut it down for the Greek “siesta” (about 2:00).

Brother Koletas had several more good conversations. Said this week has been the best for one-on-one witnessing opportunities since he arrived. Just one example is that of a witness with a 13-year-old boy named George (originally from Bulgaria). Sister Koletas began the conversation with him. He was asking for food, so we shared some with him, then Brother Koletas was able to continue giving him a clear presentation of the gospel.

Perhaps the most fruitful conversation of the day took place as we were touring the open-air market in Thessaloniki after leaving the platea. Brother Koletas struck up a conversation with a man named John (who sells his fish at the market) for the purpose of finding out if there were any good used-book shops in town. After John generously offered to escort Brother Koletas to two such shops tomorrow afternoon and deal with the owners to make sure they didn’t rip off the American, Brother Koletas gave him a gospel tract, thinking it would be the end of the conversation. But it was just the beginning. John was very interested. He had several questions. Promised to be in church on Sunday and to bring as many people as he can with him (if not this Sunday, then in subsequent weeks). Please pray that he will come, and many with him, and that they will be saved.

More blessings from the church service this evening. Brother Koletas allowed me to teach the Bible lesson, which was Lesson 9 (Witnessing) in Brother Brent’s Bible Foundations discipleship book. Last week they had made it to the point in the lesson on boldness, which was a blessing since I had recently done a study and taught a lesson on that topic at THE BIBLE Baptist Church. So Sister Koletas sat beside Telemachus, or “Kiria (Mister) Mikey,” and translated while I taught in English. At one point during the lesson, he stopped Sister Koletas and had her tell me, “you are preaching to me.” What a blessing when the word of God does its work in the believer’s heart!

Toward the end of the lesson a man slipped into the service. None of us, nor any team before us, had ever met him. A friend of his got a tract with the church information on it and gave it to him. This man (cannot remember how to pronounce, much less spell his name) likes to visit different churches, so he decided to stop by. During the course of conversation, Brother Koletas found out he was a carpenter. He began to get his number so they could call him if there were any work to be done at the church house. He gave his number but was also quick to point out that he does not charge churches for his labor. Not only that, he has family members who speak both English and Greek, and these contacts may prove helpful in locating an interpreter to fill in the gap between the Koletases’ departure and Brother Angelo’s return. Please continue to pray for this need. The Koletases hope to meet with him later in the week to discuss this possibility further.

Back to Brother Telemachus. Enjoyed fellowship with him after the service both at the church house and over supper. In addition to sharing (1) his testimony, (2) his amazement that so many of us from the states would take time off and pay our way to come to Thessaloniki and do what the Christians in the city are unwilling to do, (3) his desire to return to the platea and witness with us, as a result of the Bible message, he told us a little bit of his family history (which you may have read in previous updates).

His grandfather, who was Greek, was saved in Serbia through the ministry of an American missionary. He (the grandfather) was then influential in establishing an evangelical church (that word does not have the ecumenical connotation here that it does in the states) in Thessaloniki in the late 1800s. His mother taught him about the Lord, but after his father’s untimely death, he spent a lot of time on the streets and learned, in his own words, “the worst of things.” A successful career in the banking industry did nothing to ease the guilt and hardship that come with a life of sin. He was contemplating suicide the night he met Brothers Angelo, Wade, and Jayson, and has seen been faithful to church and growing in the Lord.

So, brethren, keep sowing the seed. Who knows where the Holy Spirit will take it or what it will accomplish. Amen!