Dear Friends,
Twenty years ago this Christmas we left Dallas for Uganda. And now, while Jesus’ birth on earth is the supreme focus of Christmas, we as missionaries also relate to another key character in the story – John. Later known as John the Baptist, the name John in Hebrew means, “God is gracious.”
There’s a lot of hope even though we are living in a world where things seem to be upside down and crazy. You are making a difference in the lives of people here as well as in Uganda as you support us through The Rock.
The Rock continues the Life Application Bible fund for new believers in Uganda and we are finding their distribution helpful in the US as well. The Freedom in Christ materials also are shared as part of our discipleship ministry. God is expanding our mission field using our gifts of hospitality and discipleship. We are blessed to be part of First Baptist Dallas with a mission of “transforming our world with God’s Word…one life at a time.”
The emphasis of being in relationships with people one on one as we teach and disciple through the Bible is rich. Whether they're here in the US with Freedom in Christ discussions individually, on Zoom, or on WhatsApp in Uganda, God is expanding our relationships. When you think about it, the way lives are transformed, it's one person at a time. We find that God is putting new people in our path to minister to each week. Whether it's a young woman in her 20s here who needs a job; two Uganda engineering students studying in Turkey, trying to figure out their God-given skills; or an older person who is going through trials and wants freedom from the past. Mark gets referred by Freedom in Christ Ministries on a regular basis as an encourager to pray and study Biblical ways with others to be spiritually free.
With Texas flowers blooming ahead of time in March this year, we are reflecting about God’s blessing of ushering in a refreshing new season of ministry for The Rock.
Solomon writes “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.” (Eccl 3:3.)
In Verse 22 he adds, “So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?”
We have enjoyed widening the reach of the ministry’s discipleship and teaching in Dallas and the surrounding area while also maintaining and expanding relationships in Uganda through Zoom and WhatsApp.
Our prayers continue to be answered as we ask the Lord to bring people to whom He wants us to minister.
Mark currently facilitates a 10-week Freedom In Christ course on Zoom to encourage believers and their families. Each month we host our multi-generational Sunday school class First Friday Fellowship at our home. We encourage with "identity in Christ scripture verses", have some great food, and pray. In addition Mark has been an "encourager" leading elders, a pastor and others through the "Steps to Freedom in Christ."
This is a biblical approach to affirming spiritual truth over deception and overcoming unforgiveness, lack of submission, pride, behavioral bondage and generational strongholds. Each week he facilitates a small men's group Bible study.
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Ugandan students continue to refer friends and family each week to Margaret to help them understand their practical God-given skills and how to incorporate them into their career strategies.
Couples we have mentored in the past have requested discussions about practical issues related to marriage. Several couples have reached out for advice about attending school while being married in foreign countries. God is providing opportunities to disciple in practical ways, weaving Biblical solutions into our discussions.
The Life Application Bibles provided by The Rock through generous donors have been a huge blessing to new believers at Uganda Christian University as the chaplaincy does evangelistic outreaches.
The stories are so encouraging and the people continue to multiply. Thank you for supporting the ministry so we can continue being spiritual and emotional resources for people needing someone to listen and share about our identity in Christ. The one on one discipleship ranges from students needing help with resumes, women finding themselves pregnant and choosing life, couples wanting information about how to navigate financial challenges in marriage to adapting to life outside their home country. And in the US, elders and pastors wanting to start community freedom ministries to lay firm identity foundations in their churches.
Be encouraged because you are making a difference in the lives of many people in the US and abroad. We are grateful to be serving one person at a time.
Excited and joyful about what God is doing,
Mark and Margaret
Merry Christmas!
As we celebrate God’s greatest gift to us in His Son Jesus, we also should appreciate the accompanying gift of faith.
Without it, Christmas is relegated to Santa Claus, commercialism and time off with family. And we are left without faith's beautiful accompaniment – hope.
Our ultimate hope is eternal life in heaven, achieved by faith in Jesus and the atoning blood He shed for our sins.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Eph 2:8)
By faith we also have hope for our remaining time on earth.
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Heb 11:1
Through faith we have confidence in God’s character and love as revealed in His Word to see us through the uncertainties of life.
This faith in God’s providence and care has brought us through many challenges and changes in our ministry. As stated in Romans 8:28, He has always used our circumstances for our good and His glory.
Here’s wishing your Christmas is filled with joy and God’s perspective.
With love and appreciation as we stand with you focusing on our faith and hope for the future,
Mark and Margaret
A Recap of 2023
2023 has been a year of expanding one on one discipleship for Margaret and Mark. Margaret is assigned two students from Uganda Christian University Honors College each term to mentor remotely, in addition each week more students are referred to her for resume writing as they continue to gain confidence in their God-given skills. Sponsors of university students are requesting assistance in navigating their sponsored child’s future which has been a new thing. Mark continues discipling one on one, doing Freedom in Christ Zoom calls. He is a resource for facilitating studies in the US and UG using several books embracing our identity in Christ.
24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. John 5:24
Be encouraged. Even though we are experiencing unfathomable evil in the world, God is revealing to us the sense of urgency about sharing His gift of salvation and restoration. God didn’t create the world to be full of evil but filled with good. Making choices that honor God seems to be at the heart of our conversations and discipleship.
God gives us choices so our relationship with Him is real, not robotic.
This year has been one of exciting changes. Kingdom View in Uganda is continuing to have 20-30 students weekly at movie night. During mission week the balance of our Life Application Bibles were distributed by Christopher in the Uganda Christian University chaplain’s office. Part of our continued work in Uganda is providing Life Application Bibles to people wanting to go deeper in the Word along with remotely preparing people to understand their identity in Christ. Click here to donate to Bible Resources.
Margaret continues to mentor Honors College students assigned to her each term. Mark is active with Freedom in Christ Ministry, encouraging, listening to people one on one and available for small group Bible studies. God continues to open doors to both of us as we bridge the gap between students and their sponsors from a variety of organizations.
We realize we can’t change the world ourselves but we can impact and help people one person at a time. The joy we experience from this helps us cope and focus on shining a light.
So often we forget where evil comes from and live in a state of deception. God wants us to see things from His perspective which is illustrated in the Bible. It supports a true worldview that is trustworthy, loving and just.
Recently we heard author Lee Stroebel speak and his message was direct. Do we believe in what Jesus did on the cross for us in our hearts or just our heads? Do we accept the gift of forgiveness and restoration? Have we become a child of God as an outcome of acceptance of His gift? To know in our hearts that we are going to heaven 100%, we must choose to believe, receive and become. Without all three the transaction is incomplete.
John 1:12 says,
Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.
Stroebel says essentially, then, the formula for becoming adopted into God’s family is:
Believe + Receive = Become.
Stroebel mentioned even the demons believe. If we truly love people we will share and pray that they choose to have eternal life in heaven. We need to realize we all live eternally in one place or another. The choice must be made before we die as described in the Bible
https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-life-after-death/. Randy Alcorn’s Biblically based book, Heaven is very encouraging.
My question to those who haven’t completed the three parts of the transaction, what is the down side of accepting this gift?
Let’s make it a point to share the good news of Jesus to people God puts in our path before it is too late. We have been convicted that we haven’t been more bold and courageous about this but time may be getting closer than we realize. So many signs and other things are complete. We don’t know exactly when but let’s be prepared.
Sending our love and encouragement as we stand with you in preparation.
Please contact us so we know how to pray for you and others in your families.
Mark and Margaret
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Simon Peter’s grandmother had been contacted two
weeks earlier about a letter for Simon Peter from his Compassion sponsor.
The Ugandan postal system is very different from the U.S. With amazement
he read the letter and realized it had been lost for years. Their
youngest child was two years old at the time the letter was written.
Now the son is 14 years old. When Margaret chatted with Sarah in Dallas,
she mentioned there were many letters written but apparently not received
over the years. Simon Peter is so grateful being reunited with his
sponsors.
