Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands Psalm 100:1

Dear Co-Laborers in the ministry of reconciliation,

The Lord is good and wants all people to worship Him. He is worthy of praise. We thank the Lord that He let us see Him praised in Egypt, but also pray to see Him magnified in Dearborn MI! We thank you all for faithfully laboring with us in the ministry. We pray God uses you to fulfill His world vision for His name.

Changing times for the Unchanging God

“We want to honor Pastor Coffey after 41 years of ministry.” Pastor Monteith exclaimed. Pastor Coffey has pastored me for 37 years. We celebrated his life and ministry as he retired after 41 years. He stood with me when I was far from God and guided me when I sought the will of God. He taught me about the preeminence of Christ and about missions. I would never be the man I am today without him. I thank the Lord for Pastor Coffey and now pray to serve with our new pastor, Bob Monteith. He once served with BIMI as a missionary to the military in Japan. He was used to go to Egypt to ordain Gergis when I could not get in. I am confident that God will guide Pastor Coffey in his new move and for Pastor Monteith as he leads our church under the authority of Christ.

“Pray for me, I have prostate cancer and take meds for depression.” Mostafa, Muslim from Lebanon sternly said. While in Dearborn preparing the way before we get there, I knocked on doors for soul winning. Me and a young man named Eddie were at the final door and Mostafa answered. I followed up with him with Pastor Chris Staub and he invited us in for tea and cookies. Many think Muslims want to harm us, but Mostafa needed a friend and we shared Christ with him. He invited me and my family over to their home when we arrive in Dearborn. Pray for Mostafa! On another note, I have been able to visit Dearborn monthly and have scoped out homes and a place of worship for the next church plant. We are not being idle as we move forward for the next phase of ministry. When we land, we will be able to hit the ground running because of early preparation. We are raising support for setup and trust God to provide through His people for our needs.

“We pray for Joshua’s healing.” Pastor Darrell Worley of New Hope Baptist in Salisbury NC prayed. We were so honored to have this supporting church invite us to come to their church for the specific reason to pray for Joshua’s healing. Joshua has a rare condition called tuberous sclerosis that effects his body. We trust God for him and know He’s in control. It touched our hearts as they invited us in front. They then took the time to have a time of confession of sins and then the whole church proceeded to pray for him. The pastor ended the prayer and held Joshua and told him that he loved him. We are so blessed to have friends like this that strive together by prayer for our family.

“We gladly stand next to you as you serve the Lord.” Pastor Paul Chappell of Lancaster Baptist said. I was blessed to take part in Mission Commitment Sunday in CA. I was able to proclaim to the guys’ college dorm about their importance in world missions. One young man asked counsel about overcoming fear. Another simply wanted to learn from my experience. God let me also counsel another man going through life changes as well. While going from church to church or in everyday life, God opens doors of utterance and I proclaim Christ. Beth continually does the same. We thank so many churches for standing next to us as we serve the unchanging Savior. We will continue to make disciples and church plant while sharing Christ along the way in everyday life.

“We will add a new service for the week, and I will be training leaders!” Pastor Gergis excitedly exclaimed. The work presses on in Egypt and we are excited they move forward. Pastor Gergis grows in the faith and helps the flock grow. Along with the new service, they will teach classes on church membership, Baptist history and basics of discipleship. Pray to give to the building needed for these faithful believers. Over a quarter of the finances are given! Think about giving to this need, especially for Giving Tuesday Dec 3. Send it to the address below or from our website.

Family Matters

The next court case for the adoption of Noah is Jan 15. Approximately a month after this court case, we will be able to finally move forward and adopt Noah! Pray this goes great!

The Gates Family