SWAT REPORT # 88  07-19-07

Titus 1:9  Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

CONVINCING THE GAINSAYERS (better known as JW’s)

 What??? A convention of JW’s right here in Brasov?  Well, let’s do something about that!

So I hastily gathered some information about this cheap cult and Cornel, one of our faithful men, put it all together with his gifts on the computer…we ran down to the printer and waalaah a fine anti-JW tract in Romanian.  An announcement at the last minute brought four of the faithful to the football (soccer) stadium where the Romanian national convention invited the 39,000 existing JW’s from all over the country.

We greeted   them with “the truth” in comparison with their false garbage.  They came toward us literally in droves.  At the very first they thought we were part of the act and they took the tracts.  But very near instantaneously the goon JW authorities were on us like skin cancer at the beach.  Threats, nudging, angry looks, stealing tracts from their deceived, and police encounters immediately followed.  See photo 8801.  The JW authorities assigned two goons for each of us, taking the tracts from the hands of their deceived as soon as we gave them.  In case they missed any the gate guards were instructed to dispose of all that may enter.  Then they sent runners blocks ahead to inform them not to take them.  Now the scene is that we are nudging our way in front of the goons to offer a tract to comers who are shaking their heads “no thanks” a block ahead and those who do take them lose them immediately via the goons.  The police inspector backed up by four cars full of policemen (good time to rob the bank downtown) is seriously threatening “TROUBLE” if I refuse to take him up on a ride downtown to discuss all of this.  Oh, the interesting times in which we live.

Finally, our attempts became so ineffective and the conflict was so heated that I cashed it in.   Cornel circled the stadium on the way home and reported hundreds of our tracts covering the ground.  At least they know that someone in Brasov opposed their lies.

 The ministry is going well, with all three ministries operating in Brasov, Racos (with the Zander family) and the village of Budila and the Bible study held weekly there.  A very important prayer request is that we might be able to establish a permanent location for our church in Brasov.  We have held services in this city for 2 ½ years now in the same location.  Many people know who we are, what we are all about, and where we are.  Unfortunately, we must vacate this location because the rent has suddenly doubled due to the extreme rise in real estate prices in eastern Europe as well as the loss on the value of the dollar.  We do have temporary facilities, and very good ones, but until we get something we can own in Brasov we will be meeting in a large, comfortable room on Brent Logan’s property.  The price is right but it is located in Harmon…which is a good ways from Brasov and even with transportation provided will cut out much of our attendance.  So “Brasov Independent Baptist Church” will be meeting in the village of Harmon until further notice.  Please pray for this need.

 For the first time in three years we have emptied the barrel of Chick tracts.  We were hoping this barrel would be like the widow woman’s flour barrel, but the day of the prophets must be past.  A rough estimate would be upwards to 200,000 have been faithfully distributed of this period…not altogether without response.  If the Lord would so move on your heart please let us know.  

 In photo 8802 I am teaching a Bible class to the workers at a Hospice here in town.  We are honored to minister there several times each month.  This will prove, in the future, to be a great opportunity for our Bible institute students and men of the church.  

 In Photo 8803 our Romanian lady-folk within our church minister in song during the service this past Sunday. From left to right their names are Simona (her small daughter in front), Mary, Eni (pronounced Anny), Betty, Reluka, and Anna.  We are honored to have some Godly women folk. 

 Finally, in photo 8804  Pastor Logan is in the midst of one of his most “uplifting” sermons…he is holding Vali his translator for some kind of illustration but everyone laughed so hard we forgot his point.  Vali followed with a wonderful solo entitled, “Heeeee lifted Me.”

 Be sure and check our Romanian church website at www.bbi bv.ro and you can hear audio sermons translated by clicking on “predici audio.”    Of course the SWAT TEAM website is always fresh at www.streetpreaching.com  Call us by dialing 011-40-268-477-243 but remember we are seven (7) hours AHEAD of EST.

 Facing down the enemy on the eastern front
Gerald Sutek and the SWAT TEAM for Christ
2Tim. 1:8, Amos 5:10