May 2014 Newletter

Dear friends and supporters,

Thank you for your support of this missionary Bible teaching ministry. Maturity In Christ: “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ;” (Ephesians 4:13) Jesus came into this world to show us the Father. (John 14:9) He demonstrated the life of someone completely submitted to the will of God. (John 7:17) Then He told us that we would be able to do the same works. (John 14:12, 13) Then He poured out His Holy Spirit on us so that we would have the character and power to do his works. (John 16:7) Then He sent us out to preach the gospel with these signs following. (Mark 16:15-18) We are to receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon us. (Acts 1:8) These nine gifts of the Holy Spirit are listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10) When Jesus rose from the dead, He gave five ministries “for the perfecting of the saints, (in the order that they might do) the work of the ministry.” (Ephesians 4:11,12) This growth into the maturity of Christ is why Paul says, “you have received the Spirit (which makes you to become the children of God, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. (Romans 8:15,16) Nadine Britton Crosses Finish Line: On Tuesday, May 13, the wife of Bill Britton was received into glory. Her celebration was held in the chapel of the Maranatha Nursing Home on Friday, May 23rd, Bro. Britton’s birthday. Many came from all of the country, including a teenaged friend of Nadine and one of Bill’s. There son, Phil, led the service. Their daughter, Becky, composed several slide shows of Bill’s ministry, Nadine’s home, and their married life. There was a reception at Fountain of Life (House of Prayer) on Friday evening, with internment on Saturday. Bill Britton was the founder of the House of Prayer in Spring-field, Missouri. The Lord led me to this church in August, 1963, when my wife-to-be, Fern Crouch, arranged for me to meet her in Momma Britton’s kitchen. Sis. Britton was the office manager of Bro. Britton’s literature, church, and speaking ministry. Several young people who came to the Overcomer Teaching Center stayed in the Britton home. Mission Ministry: Joseph Mugo, Omega Pentecostal Church, Kianyaga, Kenya: The remaining $735.00 is being used to lay a cement floor in the Kinyaga head-quarters church. Mugo receives $300.00 in monthly support, most of which he uses for food for the minister’s seminars, for transportation to these seminars, and for administrative expenses. Please continue praying for Kenya. There have been two bombings in Nairobi by Moslem terrorists in recent weeks. Kalembelembe Bible Institute, Fizi, Dem. Rep, of Congo: Director Eciba Ekyochi has reported on the Second Trimester 2013/14. Because of the students going out to preach on weekends, eighteen people became Christians, and forty have reconsecrated their lives. K.B.I. is thankful for the computer and generator that has been purchased. $1,280 has been sent to pay the salaries of three instructors, and the guard, for student tea, administrative costs, and to purchase a printer. Also Eciba asks us to pray for the healing his deteriorating hip joint. Ralph & Shirley Hagemeier, and Stephanie, Kalemie, Dem. Rep. of Congo: Stephanie writes, “God is SO good, SO, SO good. ... At the Health Center we have a sudden “crop” of babies being born. ... The Thibiti students are off for Easter. So the class rooms are being painted and a container cleared out. At a service with 425 high school students, many were saved and came back to the Lord. Among the 500 prisoners held in jail, the Hagemeiers are feeding seventy now. The prisoners are hungry to hear the Word and recently nine or ten prayed and confessed their faith in Jesus Christ. Recently, Stephanie was shocked to find two children, a girl five, and a boy about two, covered with burns from head to foot. The father had been arrested, and then the mother had abandoned the children. Fortunately, the lady prison director is allowing these children to live in the prison visiting room. Please support Stephanie in her ministries. They receive $50.00 a month from Open Word. African Safari 2014: Thank you for your prayers for my thirty-first African Safari to Kenya and Congo for September through mid December this year. Plans are being made for a month and a half of meetings in Kenya, and two months in Congo. There will be three subjects taught in pastor’s seminars; The Work of the Holy Spirit, The Second Coming of the Lord, and Pastoral Ministry which will include calling, finances, communion, wedding and funeral ceremonies. Thank you for your support to cover the air tickets, transport, restaurant, and accommodations.. New and Improved O.W.M. Web Site: My daughter, Mina Willner Dragovic, has worked very hard to upgrade our web site, to add slide shows showing the history of our ministry and several African Safaris. Please check the upgrades at: www.openwordministries.com. Also, she has put O.W.M. on Face Book at www.facebook.com/openwordmissionsministries Let us know if you would like to be “friended”. Thank You for Your Prayers and Financial Support: May the Lord bless you for your prayerful financial support for this missionary Bible teaching ministry. You may send your donations to one of the post office box addresses in the letter head above. Yours together in His harvest, Charles Willner