Dear Friends,

The last time you heard from us, Deb and I were preparing to leave Boston for organizational meetings in Iowa. Since that time we have spent a week with Baptist Mid-Mission’s missionaries, reported to six supporting churches, attended our son David’s wedding to Janelle Campbell, said goodbye to our daughter, Linda, as she headed off for college (Maranatha Baptist Bible College), and finally, said goodbye to Dave and Janelle as they moved to South Carolina. Yikes, no wonder we are feeling a little bit emotionally and physically spent. 🙂

In the mean time, the task of ministering the gospel to the world by ministering to the world in Boston continues to make progress. Throughout August our fellowship was somewhat scattered, so it was comforting to be together again this last Sunday. What a blessing it is to have mature Christians, young Christians, and seekers joining together on Sunday mornings to learn about how to know and walk with God.

Jay’s (baptized last month) parents visited our services Sunday. It was an honor to not only become acquainted with Jay’s parents, but to also have the privilege of communicating the gospel to them. When we minister to our international friends in Boston, we often have the opportunity to minister to their homeland, as well. We are now hearing of family members who are responding to the Christian testimony of our young disciples and are, themselves, responding to the gospel and becoming followers of Christ. The gospel is moving from Boston to other parts of the world.

Our weekend furniture give-away is a very recent illustration of the global nature of city ministry. When one of our international friends came by to pick up the furniture she had chosen, she informed us that she had already told her mother in China about it. Her mother couldn’t believe we would just give it away. Our friend then said, “You know, this kind of thing just doesn’t happen in China.” She also asked if we did this because of our belief in Christianity. I said, “Yes, God puts it in our hearts to show His love to people.” She said, ” You know I am Buddhist. I used to believe that I should only follow this one religion. But because of this kindness, I want to look into Christianity.” We are praying for this student, as well as her mother back home.

This coming weekend is another busy time in Boston, including a baptism (our intern, Andy, will be baptizing Alex), the Moon Festival (an important Chinese celebration) which we are hosting, and a missions conference in the area in which Bill will be attending and speaking on Saturday and Sunday night.

Prayer Requests

1. We have a number of Bible studies that need to be organized for the fall including evangelistic, infant discipleship, baptismal, and more mature discipleship studies. Please pray that all would be organized and happening by the end of next week.

2. Bill is finishing up course work for his class on Eastern Orthodoxy (Deb is helping with fifty pages of typing). This needs to all be done by Monday of next week.

3. There are two families considering joining the ministry team in Boston. Please pray that God’s will becomes clear.

4. We have lost two supporting churches this last year–one ceased to exist and another decided to move in a different direction with their mission dollars. This means that we are losing $420.00 of our monthly support. This is a matter for earnest prayer.

5. Pray particularly for Cody and his family. They came to a summer program, and we are praying specifically that we will be able to share the gospel clearly with them, and that they will become members of the fellowship.

Praise the Lord

1. The Lord provided all that was needed for the basement renovation and for the ministry home air conditioners.

2. We are having a third baptism in a little over a month.

3. The Lord has helped us establish several evangelistic and discipleship studies.

4. A community group recently asked Bill to pray at a community event, stating that they wanted “the spiritual leader of the community” to pray. Although these individuals do not attend the fellowship, it is evident that progress is being made.

5. Jay brought his parents to church and they heard the gospel.

6. Tina (baptized last month) will be playing the keyboard for us this Sunday.

7. Bill is receiving excellent opportunities to present global-city-church planting in seminaries, Bible colleges, leadership conferences, and missionary conferences. These opportunities are coming without solicitation on our part.

The Son always shines in Boston,
Bill and Deb Edmondson