Settling In...
Brethren,
It is difficult to believe that the first month of my work here in Moab has already come to a close. Per the heading of this report this first month here in Moab has been spent getting settled in to the community of Moab as well as into the work here. From my first Sunday here on January 5th, the congregation received me with arms wide open and immediately integrated me into their lives by including me in different gatherings of the congregation outside of worship services. The congregation here is also ready to work and eager to do all they can to help the Lord’s church here in Moab to win more souls to the Lord. They have been extremely encouraging and supportive of my work here and we have established a solid relationship with one another as we work together to further the Lord’s Kingdom.
As far as the work is concerned, on Sundays we have begun studying through the book of Ephesians in our Bible class and at the writing of this report are nearing the end of the second chapter. I have chosen to pursue studying Ephesians in an effort to not only encourage but also to strengthen the Lord’s body here since there is a great focus on the church being a body with every part being important within that book. My sermons for these first few months are focused on encouraging the congregation in the work here as well as building them up to be an even stronger body of believers. In our Wednesday evening Bible class we are studying the parables unique to the book of Luke. Furthermore, upon my arrival here I discovered that every second Wednesday of the month we have a congregational prayer night in lieu of Bible class. I saw this as a huge plus because it will aid us in building our collective relationship with our Lord through prayer. In addition to these things I am pleased that there are two men in the congregation here, Bill Jackson and Kyle Twitchell, who are capable preachers, teachers, and song leaders who carried most of the tasks involved in worship in the absence of a regular preacher prior to my arrival. They are a great asset to the Lord’s kingdom here in Moab. This is also a blessing for me because they will be able to fill the pulpit here should I ever be absent for whatever reason. On this note, I regret to announce that contrary to what was originally planned, my friend and fellow preacher Kenneth Garcia will not be able to join me in the work here due to obstacles faced in raising support. However, this will not be a problem because I am confident the Lord will give me the ability and wisdom to do what needs to be done here on my own as He has done thus far.
These things being said bring me to what has been happening as far as the mission in the community of Moab is concerned. First and foremost, the congregation here is very excited because the second week of my time here we had our first baptism of 2014. We baptized an individual named Alex Kenney.
I met Alex back in November when I visited here to fill in and asked him then if he was interested in studying the Bible further based on the apparent interest he had in the Bible as a whole. He agreed and the second Sunday I was here we studied the plan of salvation over lunch and he was baptized into Christ that afternoon at the Moab Valley Inn’s swimming pool since our baptistery is under repair at the moment. On behalf of myself and the congregation, I ask that you keep Alex in your prayers because being that he is an infant in Christ, he is still extremely vulnerable to our enemy’s attacks. That being true, Alex and I are continuing to have regular Bible studies so that he may be strengthened in his walk with the Lord.
In addition to the regular studies Alex and I are having, there are three other studies I have initiated with others who have visited here since my arrival. On top of these studies though, I have compiled a list of people who are in our directory who no longer attend and am making attempts to establish contact with these people with the assistance of the current members of the congregation. Furthermore, there are individuals within the community and within member’s families that I have been introduced to in order to possibly reach them with the gospel as time goes on.
Other attempts I have made at reaching into the community have included visiting local restaurants during my lunch hour and signing up at the local gym for my own health but also as an added way to meet others in the community and build relationships with them. In addition to these things, I am also exploring an opportunity to get involved with the local multicultural center in order to reach into the Hispanic community here in Moab since I speak fluent Spanish. Also I am exploring an opportunity for a jail ministry which consists of once a week Bible studies with the inmates.
In His Service and on behalf of the Moab church of Christ,
David Malley