We have arrived in lovely Adelaide, “the city of churches”
Adelaide, South Australia
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Dear Intercessors and Partners in the Great Commission,
Upon our arrival yesterday afternoon we were greeted at the airport by our dear host Richard Hawke who attended the Basic Training when we were last here in May 2005. While in Sydney last week we were right in the middle of Australia’s largest metropolis, here in Adelaide we are staying in Golden Grove—by comparison a rustic community of well-manicured lawns and lovely gardens. It’s a nice change of atmosphere.
In Sydney we trained a congregation of Indonesian disciples originally from Southeast Asia, but here in Adelaide we will be training Aussie believers who move in a predominantly “Christian” Anglo-Saxon culture. The challenge will be different. Today we see the gospel spreading rapidly and with power in mission fields like India and China, while countries based on western culture have already had the gospel for centuries. Because of this they have in some sense been “inoculated” to the gospel. In Western Europe one can even say for the most part that the gospel has come—and gone. In the spiritual vacuum left by its departure, Islam has arrived with fury to take over.
In Australia and the United States, the situation is better than in Western Europe. In these countries although the main harvest is already complete, there is still work to be done—there are a couple hours of daylight left before night descends. In my opinion, what remains here is the final gleaning of the harvest among the lost. In addition to that, we are to make ready a people prepared for the great and dreadful day of the Lord. We are not only to complete the Great Commission to the lost, we are also to prepare the body of Christ for His Second Coming. I believe that is why we are in Adelaide at this time.
The Basic Training will take place Thursday and Friday evenings, and Saturday morning. Then on Saturday afternoon there will be an open-air evangelistic healing outreach where people will gather for free barbecue and outdoor activities. At this climactic outreach the gospel will be preached, and the trained disciples will heal the sick to demonstrate to the people that only Jesus Christ can save them from sin and eternal suffering in the lake of fire. Our goal is that this and other similar evangelistic healing outreaches will be continued by the Aussie disciples on an ongoing basis after we are gone—until the Lord returns.. That is the purpose of the Training here.
Here is the schedule:
Thurs Sept 17th: First training session (7pm to 9.30pm at Torrens Valley Christian Centre)
Friday Sept 18th: Second training session (7pm to 9.30pm at Torrens Valley Christian Centre)
Sat Sept 19th: Third training session (9am to 1pm at Torrens Valley Christian Centre)
Evangelistich Healing Outreach in Whitmore Square Adelaide (4.30pm to 6.30pm) Sun Sept 20th: Preaching at Torrens Valley morning and evening Thank you for partnering with us and praying for us, dear brethren.
Please also pray for William’s elderly mother Susan who is being cared for at home in Houston. She suffers from dementia and periodic episodes of extreme fear and anger. It can be a challenge to provide care for her. Currently Lucille’s sister-in-law from Indonesia caring for her.
May the Lord’s peace and grace be abundant for you and your loved ones today!
Sincerely in Christ,
William & Lucille
www.TheElijahChallenge.org
