Grubb Mission Report - April 2015
“Go into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
A Work of the Chestnut Mountain Church of Christ, Chestnut Mountain, Georgia USA
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PLEASE PASS THIS REPORT TO THOSE YOU THINK MIGHT HAVE INTEREST IN OUR WORK!
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New Zealand Trip – For the First Time – March 11-April 8
A Work of the Chestnut Mountain Church of Christ, Chestnut Mountain, Georgia USA
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PLEASE PASS THIS REPORT TO THOSE YOU THINK MIGHT HAVE INTEREST IN OUR WORK!
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New Zealand Trip – For the First Time – March 11-April 8
As I begin the first
of four overseas mission trips this year, I will be making my 55th trip since
1985. This was my first trip to New Zealand. In 1997 I transited through
Auckland on my way to Australia. This time I went through Australia to go to New
Zealand. It was the first time I actually was able to meet and work with the
brethren there in the country.
The trip started out
with a “glitch.” There was a miscommunication about my arrival date. Because of
this, I missed the flight from Auckland to New Plymouth. Therefore, when I final
arrived, I stayed the night in Auckland with Trevor and Chris Majors and was
able to meet with some of the brethren from the South Auckland
congregation.
On Saturday, instead of
Friday, I flew down to New Plymouth from Auckland. During the time I was in New
Plymouth, I enjoyed the hospitality and fellowship of the Herd
family.
While in New
Plymouth, I had the privilege to teach three lessons on Sunday, two in the
morning and one in the evening. On Monday, I spent the day with the Herd family
then had dinner with one of the families here in New Plymouth. Tuesday night, we
had a Bible class at the Herd’s house. There were eighteen people who attended
that night, including a husband and wife who are searching for the truth. On
Wednesday night, I presented another lesson at the church building.
On Thursday, Chris
Herd transported me down to Porirua to begin an effort with the church there and
in Wellington. Lance and Kristen Mosher and John and Erin Jones are working
together in these two congregations. I had the privilege to stay with Lance,
Kristen, and Silas Mosher.
There had already
been a great deal of preparation for the upcoming Chinese gospel meeting by the
local brethren. On Friday and Saturday, Lance and I went around and visiting and
inviting Chinese people to attend the upcoming gospel meeting. Friday was in
Porirua and Saturday was in Porirua and Wellington. We also had the opportunity
on Friday night to have dinner with John Jones’ parents and one of the Chinese
families here in Porirua.
Sunday was a busy
day. We started with Bible study and worship in Wellington. Then Sunday
afternoon English worship in Porirua. The Chinese gospel meeting began on Sunday
evening. There were two lessons on Sunday and two more lessons on Monday
evening. I used the bi-lingual PowerPoint so those who did not speak Chinese
could follow along in the lesson. There were several who benefited from
that.
On Tuesday, I had
the opportunity to do some sightseeing, eat lunch with the Wellington brethren,
and have a part in the leadership meeting in Porirua that night.
On Wednesday, the
Mosher’s took me to Palmerston North for a few days efforts. I had the
opportunity to go around and look for some Chinese people and try to make
contacts with them. I also had the opportunity to accompany the local brethren
in Bible studies. On Wednesday night, I went to Foxton to teach the midweek
Bible class. On Thursday, there was the first baptism as a result of the recent
campaign in Palmerston North. David Pamata obeyed the gospel on Thursday. On
Thursday, I spoke at the Palmerston North midweek class.
On Saturday, I flew
from Palmerston North through Auckland to Hamilton. The flight was delayed then
cancelled. I took a later flight to Auckland, but the last flight of the day for
Hamilton had already departed. So they provided a free shuttle to Hamilton – 90
minutes away. I was impressed. James Cammock, the preacher in Hamilton (a
graduate of Southwest School of Bible Studies) picked me up at the airport. I
had the privilege to stay with the Neville and Lily Whittaker while I was in
Hamilton. James and Emily have a new baby, Simon, and Emily’s mother, Imelda is
staying with them to help out for a while. I delivered five lessons in three
days in the gospel meeting there. In the reverse way, I used bi-lingual
PowerPoint in Hamilton, speaking in English but having the Chinese on the screen
for a Chinese family who attends. The wife, Helen, is a member, but her husband
is not, and he speaks almost no English, so it was helpful to him. On Monday
night, we had four Chinese speaking people in attendance on both Monday and
Tuesday nights.
On the first day of
April, I headed back to New Plymouth to spend my last week in New Zealand. On
Wednesday night, I presented another lesson in the Bible class at New Plymouth.
I am thankful for the hospitality of the Herd family while staying in New
Plymouth.
The lectureship/camp
began on Friday, April 3rd. This was the 25th anniversary of the camp. I spoke
five times during the lectureship along with the other main speaker, Mike
Vestal. We had almost two hundred in attendance for Sunday morning worship and
Bible study. We were thrilled to have two baptisms during the camp. The fiancée
of one of the Christians obeyed the gospel on Sunday. The husband of another
Christian obeyed the gospel on Monday. We are thankful to have had a part in
these results.
While in New
Zealand, we were able to distribute several copies of William Chen’s DVD lesson
on “What Must I Do to Go to Heaven.” I was amazed at the number of Chinese
people living in New Zealand and having the opportunity to reach them with the
gospel of Christ.
I was able to get
back into a pretty good routine of walking while on the trip. There were only a
few days I was not able to get my regular exercise.
I am thankful for
all the prayers on my behalf during this initial trip to New Zealand. I hope to
be able to make another trip in years to come and will spend more time in
getting ready for the Chinese population living there.
Please continue to
remember all of our brethren in New Zealand who are striving to help spread the
gospel in that country. Also, remember the workers who travel from other
countries to New Zealand to assist in their work.
“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the
increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that
watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that
watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his
own labor. For we are laborers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are
God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:6-9).
JMG
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Materials Available
Materials Available
There are
sixty Chinese lessons currently posted on YouTube. You can access them at: http://m.youtube.com/user/TheCoJC.
I update my Facebook page all the time. Be sure to check my Facebook wall for
pictures and news about my trips and activities. Be sure to check out my
website: www.grubbchinese.org. http://grubbmissionwork.blogspot.com
is my blog address. I post my monthly report there too.
I continue to work
with World Video Bible School to help produce the Chinese
version of the Searching for Truth booklet and DVD. Please continue to pray for
all those who are working on this project. I will be visiting with the brethren
at WVBS in early May to discuss future projects there. Please remember these
good brethren in the great work they are doing.
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In the May Issue:
I
will talk about my upcoming trip to Malaysia and some of the traveling I did
during the rest of the month of April. Thanks for your prayers for this work.
Thanks also to all of those who help to make this work possible. We are very
grateful to all of you. JMG.
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SPEAKING SCHEDULE
SPEAKING SCHEDULE
2015
May 19 – June 15 – Malaysia
22-24 Kuala Lumpur
28 – 30 May Kampar Gospel
Meeting
31 May AM Ipoh PM
Kampar
June 4-6 Chinese Asian Bible
Lectures
June 6-7 Section
17
June 12-14 Subang Jaya
Bi-Lingual
June 21 – MSOP
Graduation
September 9-29 –
Taiwan
October 17 – Mission Forum – Forest Park,
GA
November 2-28 – China
2018
Apr. 22-25 Gospel Meeting – Collinsville,
IL
– John M.
Grubb
