July 6

Posted on July 7, 2012 by admin

Philippians 2:14-16

14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Good day everyone:

Yesterday we made full use of the song books written by sister Deborah Porrell; we sang and sang to the people. The singing seems to draw them in. It is a curious thing that people will walk up to us to take a tract while we preach and sing.

While reading my Bible this morning, I came across the above verses. I have read the Bible through several times, but never have the aforesaid verses jumped out at me as they have this morning. While reading the verses, immediately a picture entered my mind of us standing among the Thessalonians preaching and extending our hands with tracts containing the word life. It is a blessing to take part in witnessing for our savior, and I do not mean here only but in all places where we lift up the name of Jesus.

Angelo spoke with a self-righteous theologian and asked him what he is trusting in, and the man, as many here, could not say Jesus. The man kept rebuking Angelo because we are not theologians and therefore have nothing we can teach.

In the picture on the bus, the older man was intrigued by the sign I held. He was at the front right of the bus when he caught a glimpse of the sign. I watched as he made several attempts to read the sign, even changing seats to get a better view. Finally, he stood up and made is way to the rear section of the bus in order to read the sign. Then he and Angelo had a lengthy conversation which caught the attention of other riders. The little lady seated behind Dan was listening, as well as a few others.

The young man pictured with Angelo spoke with us for about 20 minutes. He said he wants to meet with us next week for coffee and talk some more.

Today, Dan and I will be on our own, and we get to use a new banner we had made; it is one with the cross as a bridge over hell, the same banner we have at our church. I think it will get much attention.

The things you need to pray about at the present time:

1. Souls to be saved
2. A Greek speaking man to help in the work
3. People who are interested to not just SAY they will come, but TO COME
4. Angelo’s visa situation (that he would not have to go back to Australia to get original paperwork)
5. The Logan’s visa situation (they must stay incognito until it is resolved).

They are certainly not a family of lazy people, so this seems to be wearing on them.

From Daniel:
Today, instead of having a day off, Bernard and I decided to take the brand new sign and show it off as we walked up and down the square. We had some good conversations. Though many people stared at the words (Ephesians 2:8-9) on the front and (Romans 6:23) on the back, many more people rejected the tracts. One man did stop us and asked for a Bible.

While Angelo and Brent spoke to the man and the women in the picture in a Bible study, Bernard and I got out lots of tracts.

Altogether, this day turned out busier than others, but it was enjoyable in our business.

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July 5

Posted on July 6, 2012 by admin

(Video included at end of post)

Γεια σας οι αδερφοί και οι αδερφές μου. Hello my brothers and sisters.

We were in the square by 1000 this morning. We sang many songs to the people, then we preached and read scripture to them from the Greek Bible. We had several conversations as well. In one instance, an older woman was telling brother Bernard that in her opinion we do not need to be telling Greeks our message since Greece is an Orthodox Christian nation. She was asked if any Greeks have ever told her about the love of Christ and salvation. The answer was no. She was asked how many of her people she has witnessed to; the answer was none. She was then informed of command to “go ye into all the world and preeeeeeeach the gospel to every creature.” She was told that national pride and Orthodoxy cannot save her. She walked away lost, but she has been confronted with the gospel.

Attached is a video with Angelo speaking to a Greek man who thinks of Jesus as a revolutionist, but the man is lost. Bernard spoke for nearly forty-five minutes with the atheist girl who is pictured in the video. From the Bible, she was shown creation, salvation, and the judgement that awaits her; and she was told of the standard by which she is to be judged; the word of God. Jesus said, the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge you in the last day.

Dan even preached in Greek today. I couldn’t believe, the Lord must have given him the gift of tongues! The other day we gave a guy on a scooter a tract. He read it while he was riding the scooter.

My Greek is not sufficient for the task, but our God is. Please pray for the Lord to open my understanding so that I may be of better use to Angelo and to the Lord. Pray for the souls of the Greeks.

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July 4

Posted on July 4, 2012 by admin

From Brother Daniel and Brother Bernard
We arrived at the street at about 11:30 am and immediately began tract distribution while making our way to the area where we would make our stand for Jesus. Scores of people took tracts from us. If we had 100 Christians handing out tracts it would not be enough. We prayed, sang, preached and distributed tracts. It is really strange how the tracts flowed from our hands until about 1400, then as if someone flipped a switch the majority of the people stopped accepting the tracts. While we preached I noticed that people did stop to listen. How great it is to have people listen intently!

Maria is the woman pictured with Dan. He spoke at length with her, but she is lost even though she believes in God. Angelo stood his ground with a priest to whom Bernard gave a tract. The priest said that the Orthodox church gave us Jesus. Angelo rebuked him, and the priest departed just as lost as he was when he interrupted a conversation Angelo was having with someone else. The priest interrupted the conversation to tell the other man that Angelo is crazy.

So many joys abound as we see the Lord do His work here in Greece. Please keep Angelo in constant prayer as this dear brother is working so hard for Christ. Also, the Logan family has continual struggles with their visas. Let’s pray heartily that God works this situation out quickly. We sure do thank you for your prayers so far. There is much to do here. We send our love.

From Brother Logan
The container of Bibles and tracts arrived in Romania last night. We need to pray now that all will go smoothly for it to be released from Romanian customs. Bro. Cornel Moisuc, the pastor of the church in Brasov, needs wisdom with all the paperwork, shipping companies, and customs officials. After the container is released from Romanian customs, we then need to pray for safe arrival here in Thessaloniki without customs problems or other issues in Greece.

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July 1

Posted on July 1, 2012 by admin

The scene was the same as last Sunday with multitudes leaving the city for the sea (picture 1). The left side of the highway is bumper to bumper while the RIGHT side to church is scarcely populated. What a perfect picture of the direction of man’s broad way in contrast to God’s narrow way. Many of the people who had promised to come to church admitted Saturday night that they would be heading to the beach instead. It is really almost a cultural way of life here. Everybody goes to the sea on Sunday during the hot summer months. One couple who came to church today (Niko and Stella) even admitted that they had received an unusual phone call this morning from a relative asking them to go to the beach for a swim. In answer to prayer, they had resisted the temptation saying that they had been looking forward all week long to come again to church. Amen!

The first Greek to walk into church this morning was an older lady named Harula (picture 2) who lives up the street. It was her first visit. She had walked past the building during the week and had seen the sign with the big Bible advertising a church. She was curious. She told her husband about it, and he sent her this morning to “check it out”. Once inside, Angelo began speaking with her. She said she had been to the Orthodox church but didn’t understand anything. She and her husband had gotten nothing from attending the G.O. church, and they had never been taught the Bible there. She was interested when Angelo assured her that we were Bible believing Christians emphasizing only the word of God. After church was over, she told Angelo that she agreed with and loved the preaching, promising to bring her husband next Sunday. God had spoken to her heart as well, and Angelo began to challenge her about the matter of salvation. She said that before today’s message, she had never heard the gospel that way before. Angelo asked her if she had ever called upon the Lord to be saved as the publican had done in Luke 18 (today’s sermon, picture 3). She replied that she prayed every day for God to save her. Angelo explained the way of salvation more perfectly to her, and she said she understood. We hope to be able to speak with her in more detail in the coming days.

Faithful Avra came again today. She has never missed a service. After hearing about the difference between the Pharisee and the publican, she admitted to Angelo that she was the guilty Pharisee, insisting that most all Greeks are the same as her…trying to establish their own righteousness in order to be accepted with God. She said God was working in her heart but that she was not going to call out to the Lord as the publican just to please us. She continues to intently listen and internally debate her choice about repentance and faith in Christ. The simplicity of the gospel continues to overwhelm her. Your prayers are not wasted on this soul wrestling with her eternity.

Niko & Stella also returned to church today. They love the services. Stella almost apologized for crying in church last Sunday. “I have never done that before. I felt like getting on my knees while you were preaching, but I was too afraid to.” Niko and I told her never to hesitate to respond to the Lord. Niko, who claims to have been saved about 12 years ago, asked me if I would be willing to teach him the Bible during the week sometime. When I said yes, he nearly hugged me. “I have always wanted someone to teach me the Bible in detail. You mean I can come here to this place and learn at night? Can she come too?” You can guess what I told him. Details to follow by God’s grace.

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June 27

Posted on June 28, 2012 by admin

There has never been a true work of the Spirit of God without opposition. There are enemies of the gospel in every place where the whole counsel of God is declared. Up until today, we have had the most perfect unhindered liberty to preach, sing, witness, pass tracts, hold Scripture signs, and represent Jesus Christ as our conscience leads us. We have always counted this to be an unusual blessing and open door protected by our heavenly Father. However, it would be fantasy to think that the rulers of the darkness of this world would forever stand on the sidelines without recourse to our activities for Jesus. Neither our Savior nor the apostle to the Gentiles had such continual circumstances of peace. The servant is not greater than his Lord. We have always expected opposition. We just didn’t know when, where, and how it would come. Today as we proclaimed the gospel of the grace of God, the enemy revealed himself. As several priests lazily sat at a nearby caffe smoking their cigarettes and drinking their cocktails, they began hearing songs of praise to Jesus and the preaching of the word of God in English and Greek. Hearing enough, one priest straightened out his dress, approached Bro, Grandstaff, and verbally began to assault him in English. After the exchange of words, the priest went back to his table, and started making phone calls.

Within about ten minutes, a rabid devil-possessed woman approached me and began her diatribe. She kept saying “Orthodox” over and over, and I kept saying “No. Only Jesus.” Two men soon joined her. It was also apparent that all three were intoxicated. The men were kissing their crosses and beads while spewing their disdain. They walked away from me without further event, but we could see them making phone calls over at the caffe after they walked away. In about ten more minutes several police officers showed up. We conversed with them. The police were unconcerned that the accusers were inebriated but were insistent that we stop preaching and singing. We related our legal activities underneath a Greek Baptist church to no avail. The 3 accusers continued their accusations with much fervor until the police asked Bro. Angelo to come to the police station to answer the charges being pressed against him. It was most interesting that they were pressing charges against Angelo and none of the Americans. He had not even spoken with these people prior to the police coming. Nevertheless, they took him in.

While at the police station, Angelo was not allowed to speak for himself as he sat in their “interrogation” room. The accusing woman won an Academy award for her performance of how she was threatened and maligned. The lies poured like the sea with the police taking their side and rudely treating Angelo.

A lady who had been speaking with Angelo before he had to leave was visibly upset after he was escorted to the station. She grabbed a passerby to translate her concerns to me. “Don’t let them take that man away. Go to him. Help him.” She even walked to the police station and sat there with us in concern. We could hear her praying with us in Greek as well.

After this conversation, a man called out to me in English. “Is everything alright? Why are they taking him away? Are they taking him because you are sharing the gospel?” I informed this unknown man of what had taken place. He shook his head and said he was not surprised and then asked where we were from. Upon hearing most of us were US citizens, he said, “I work for the US Consulate’s office here in Thessaloniki. If this doesn’t get resolved then here is the person in charge you should contact. They will be most willing to help.” How amazing that this man was in the right place at the right time with the right job to give us the right instructions about the Consulate and even the person in charge to speak with!

Angelo was told he would be detained because of the charges and since he did not have his passport. I had to drive back to the house to get it. Several of us didn’t have our passports with us since we had never had any issues to this point. While waiting, Bro. Grandstaff, his son, my son, and my daughter were also escorted into the police station. It seemed things were getting out of hand. I sent a text to Angelo from the car with our Christian lawyer’s phone number in Athens. He was allowed to call the lawyer. The lawyer insisted on speaking with the police. Angelo could hear the lawyer’s loud rebukes through the phone as the officer held the phone away from his ear for the volume. “You let them go. You know they have done absolutely nothing illegal. If you mistreat them in any way, then it will be front page news tomorrow, and we may sue for defamation and illegal escort into the police station.” Many more words were said. When the police got off the phone, everything changed. They began to be more respectful to Angelo, let everyone else go, and said that as soon as Angelo’s passport was produced all would be rectified. When we got the passport to the station, it was copied, and he was released.

All is well, but things were a bit hostile for a while. Thanks to all who prayed to see the matter resolved. Please continue to pray for liberty that we may give the gospel to every creature in this city. We rejoice in being counted worthy to endure a tiny inconvenience for the truth’s sake. Our desire is to continue unhesitatingly forward yet with wisdom learned from the situation.

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Urgent Prayer Request

Posted on June 27, 2012 by admin

Date: June 27, 2012 1:22:38 PM EDT
Right now Bro. Angelo and Bro. Grandstaff are in the police station after 3 drunk Greeks sought to press charges against our evangelism. Please pray!

Updates

Date: June 27, 2012 3:41:03 PM EDT
Just got off the phone to Greece. Angelo and Bro Grandstaff badly treated at police station after enraged G.O. priest provoked three drunks to falsely accuse them. Roughly handled UNTIL phone call came from the lawyer in Athens. By the time he was done screaming at police they meekly sent the men on their way. Bro Brent will send details when time permits. Thanks to all for praying.
Bro James

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June 25

Posted on June 26, 2012 by admin

Bro. Angelo Reports:

Praise the Lord for his servants the Grandstaffs, who have been such a blessing here in Thessaloniki. As we make our way to the square and set up scripture signs, gospel tracts start to flow. While thousands of people walk past, the preaching begins, and many hear the gospel probably for the first time. They stop and read the scripture signs without knowing that it is the word of God, and most out of curiosity will take a tract.

An elderly man (Picture 1) accepts a tract only when Bro. Angelo tells him that we are not JW’s, AND that we believe in the deity of Jesus Christ. When challenged about his soul’s salvation, he chose to walk away lost just like the JW’s, but said he would read the Gospel tract.

Next, a tall man named George (Picture 2) approached Bro. Roger, as he was holding a scripture sign and passing tracts, and said, “God bless you.” Bro. Roger asked him if he was saved and with a smile on his face said, “Yes, four years ago.” He goes to a Pentecostal church, but he took our details and said he would try and visit us.

Then a man named Costa (Picture 3) spoke to Bro. Angelo for twenty minutes and heard for the very first time that Jesus loved him and wanted to have a relationship with him. He liked what he heard and gave Bro. Angelo his mobile number to get together and hear more.

Every time we pass out tracts, we must tell people that we are not JW’s. Two curious young ladies (Picture 4) were given tracts and both of them stopped and read the tracts completely. Bro. Angelo approached them to say that we are not JW’s (as we do with everyone), and they both turned around and said, “WE ARE.” Bro. Angelo sat down and showed them from the scriptures the simple plan of salvation. They listened with fervor (instead of arguing, unlike most JW’s) and wanted to hear more. They took our information and said they would call, both of their names were Dimitra. Beloved, please pray with me that those we have talked to will be bothered in their hearts and minds, as the gospel rings loud and clear.

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June 24

Posted on June 25, 2012 by admin

From Brother Brent:

Sunday Service in Thessaloniki
Many thanks to all of you who prayed for the Sunday service in Thessaloniki. On Saturday evening, we contacted all 16 people that had given us their phone numbers having expressed interest in attending the service this week. We were a bit disappointed that almost all of them offered an excuse for why they could not come. Some were going out of town while others were working. A few just said they had obligations that prevented them from attending. In lieu of these responses, we did not know what to expect. Upon driving to church Sunday morning, the other side of the highway was packed with vehicles leaving the city to go to the sea. The scene of bumper to bumper cars for miles and miles revealed that most Greeks do not worship any god or go to any church. Their bodies and their comfort is the religion of choice. As we waited and prayed for people to come, Bro. Angelo spotted Andromachi walking down the street looking for the building. This is the dear lady mentioned in the report of June 19-20. Angelo ran after her and brought her to the building. She had driven 75 miles to come to church. It was also her birthday, and she wanted to stay with us after the service so as not to be alone. There are many hurting people in this world. She has been a widow for 25 years. Her husband was a lawyer who went to work one day and never came home. He died suddenly in his thirties. She never remarried. She sat through the service listening to the word of God and fellowshipped with us over a meal after the service. Pray for her. Avra then walked through the door. She had spoken to Angelo the day before asking what the Bible passage would be for the sermon Sunday so that she could read it the night before. She listened intently to the message. Her heart was moved by the message from Luke 16 about the rich man and Lazarus. She left the church almost in tears and saying she wanted to meet with us this week if possible because she “wanted to know”. She is so close to receiving Christ. Pray for her! Two more Greeks walked in the door right as we began to sing. Niko and a lady were very glad to be there today. Niko had spoken to some of us on the street through the course of several weeks. Today he came. He professes to be a believer and even verbally rejoiced during the preaching with a “Hallelujah” as Jesus Christ was being lifted up as the only Good and only Savior. The lady with him was in tears during the message. During the service, another Greek man named Thanasis walked in off the street because he had heard the singing. He did not stay for the whole service because he had not prepared for this. He was a passerby. We hope to see him again. Many others walked by during the preaching and singing curiously staring at the unusual event they were beholding. This day was a blessing. There had been 13 of us in the service. Jesus had been praised with hymns in Greek and English. Greeks had heard the gospel. Thanks be unto God.

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June 23

Posted on June 23, 2012 by admin

Grandstaff’s Report

We spent the good portion of the day in prayer concerning the visa situation for the Logans and stamped hundreds of gospel tracts with the new stamp that has the church name, address, and Bro. Angelo’s phone number. In the evening, we went out on the street and preached and passed out tracts. Bro. Roger had prayed for some positive feedback and for God to bless in a special way. Several people walked up to us and asked for tracts. Please pray that the seed will fall on good ground.

Angelo’s Report:

A young man named Stellio (Picture 1) talked to Bro. Angelo for twenty minutes about the Bible. This was after he waited a good while for Bro. Angelo to finish talking to an argumentative man and two JW ladies that disputed the Bible. Stellio said that he was saved and went to a Pentecostal church but was living an ungodly life. He was encouraged to live for God and was invited to come to church. He told Bro. Angelo that he would think about attending and was thankful for the conversation about the Lord.

Shortly thereafter, Bro. Angelo was approached by G.O. monk (Picture 2) who was furious about what we were doing and openly mocked and scorned us. As Bro. Angelo proceeded to tell him what the BIBLE said, he would slam the Bible shut and say, “No one can ever understand the Bible, unless they are like me.” It was obvious that the Bible was not his authority, but rather his tradition, religion, and isolation from the world. He told Bro. Angelo that although Greece is Orthodox by name, the majority of the population do not follow the way of Jesus (i.e. the G.O. church) and were all going to hell. He continued to tell Bro. Angelo that he was demon possessed and was going to hell also.

The next day on the street, Bro Angelo saw a elderly woman (Picture 3) that read an entire gospel tract for five minutes. When she finished, she approached Bro. Angelo and said, “ I believe everything I read in this tract with my whole heart.” Bro. Angelo asked when she received salvation and she exclaimed that she was born again on May 29, 1989. Furthermore, she said that she was from the same village that Bro. Angelo’s parents are from. Wow!!! What amazing evidence of God working here in Greece. She thanked us for preaching the gospel and asked to please continue to do so; for only because of preaching was she able to hear about the free gift of salvation.

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June 19 – 20

Posted on June 21, 2012 by admin

Report from the Grandstaffs:

The Grandstaffs arrived safely in Thessaloniki with no baggage lost or even checked by the officials, so, praise the Lord, all the tracts came through with no problems. We went out Wednesday on the street to pass out tracts and do some publick preaching. Many people still believe we are Jehovah’s Witnesses. After Bro. Roger handed one lady a gospel tract, she was about to give it back and asked if we were Jehovah Witnesses. He told her “no Jehovah witness,” so she kept the tract. The same happened with Jacob. When he handed an elderly man a tract, the man looked at it and asked him if we were Jehovah’s Witnesses. A look of relief and satisfaction came over his face when Jacob emphatically told him we were not. Another lady asked Jacob who we are and he told her that we are Christians. “Orthodox Christians?” she asked. “No, just Christians,” he replied. It’s hard for the Orthodox to fathom the possibility of anyone being a Christian and not being Orthodox as well, since the Orthodox Church plays a vital role in salvation according to the doctrine that they are taught.

The street preaching (Picture 1), scripture signs, and the singing drew the people in for conversation. Bro. Roger witnessed to several people who, after receiving a tract, stopped, stood, and read the gospel tract. He has never seen adult men and women over 30 years old EVER do that in America. There seems to be a spiritual searching and thirst among the people here. God is definitely in this work.

Report from Brother Angelo:

Thanks to God by His grace and goodness to us for giving us another opportunity by His power alone to be a gospel witness for him. What an honor to serve Jesus in this way. That old, old story just never grows old. As the scripture signs are held, many walk by them to stop and read. Some smile, most frown, but all are curious and read them. As the tracts, preaching, and singing start, people stop to listen, read the word of God, and take tracts. As always, our opening line is “WE ARE NOT JEHOVAH WITNESSES.” Hearing this, they are happy to take a tract.

As Brother Angelo is preaching, an older lady by the name of Niki (Picture 2) read both scripture signs and started blowing kisses at Angelo to say thank you for coming to Greece and telling us that religion can’t save and only Jesus does. She said she would call and come to church as long as there were no priests’ hands to kiss or icons. She said she just wanted to hear about the SAVING POWER OF JESUS.

Next, a Catholic priest named Mark (Picture 3) stopped to hear Brother Brent preach. He was not dressed as a priest, but when challenged about his eternal salvation he said, “Don’t worry about me. I am a Catholic priest.” He enjoyed the preaching, but when challenged by the word of God he would say, “Stop attacking me.” He wanted nothing to do with the Bible.

As the Logans sang Amazing Grace, a lady by the name of Andromachi (Picture 4) stopped. She said that she had never seen joy like these men had on their faces while they sang. As brother Angelo gave her the Gospel, she wanted so much to believe on the Jesus that we were proclaiming, and wanted nothing to do with G.O. church. Phone numbers were exchanged (she even went to the trouble of changing her mobile service provider to the same as Angelo’s to be able to talk on free time!!!) and she said she will try and come to church this Sunday. Please pray that God who is mighty to save will save their souls and deliver them from the bondage of religion.

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