Nov. 5th Renovations Update Video and Pictures

Hi everyone,

Here is an update video and some pictures. Please have a look:

Video:

http://vimeo.com/31645916

Pictures:
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjwDchVE

I will be adding more updates over the next 2 weeks, Lord willing, as the work progresses so you all can see it.

Please pray! We may be getting a new English student in one of our English classes and therefore a new contact! Pray that this comes to pass. The student will be coming to "checkout" the class this week.

Thank you all for your prayers and support!

Serving Jesus,
Alan Minks and family

Building Renovations Continue...

Dear all,

Well, it's been awhile since I have written a blog update. Sorry about that. Renovations are ongoing to the church building and have picked up speed over the last week or so. We scheduled siding and windows to be installed on the building (yea, no more leaks!) so we have been doing a lot of prep work that has to be done before the siding can be put on. Below are some links to photos and videos of recent work. The siding installation should begin in anywhere from a few days to a week from now. Please pray that all goes well with the installation of the siding and windows.

Our pictures on Flickr: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjwDchVE

Our videos on Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/minksfamily

We appreciate you all for your prayers and support! Take care.

Serving Jesus,
Alan Minks and family

Radio Ad

Hello everyone! Well, I just wanted to let you know that our ad for Shepherd Radio is now out in a missionary directory here in Japan. This ad is listed three times in the phone directory but we only paid for one! PTL more exposure for the station. This directory lists hundreds of missionaries here in Japan and comes out about once a year. Our prayer is that these missionaries will enjoy our conservative music and programming and share it with their churches and unsaved friends. Please pray for the stations outreach throughout the country and worldwide. May God's will be done and to Him be the glory!

Here is a picture of the ad. We just received the directory today:
(The church office/radio studio)

Serving Jesus,
Bro. Alan


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Canvassing June 4th, 2011

Today, praise the Lord, we were able to go out once again and pass out some church info packs containing various tracts. We were accompanied by James and John Wright, and Josh McKenzie from Grace Bible Baptist Church in New Paris, IN. Please continue to pray that God will use these tracts to help folks understand about the true Savior.

In Saku City

Hi folks,

I am in Saku City now. That is west and a tad north of Tokyo. I'm here with Bro. Dan Roberts. We will be preparing, gathering, and loading food and other items tomorrow to take up north to the quake/tsunami stricken area shelters to distribute. Lord-willing we will head out Wednesday, drive 8 hours or so north, and then pass out things on Thursday. Please pray for Dan as he has been "go go go" these last few weeks and now has a cold. Also, please remember our families as we are away from them while on the road. Finally, please continue to pray for the Japanese people. They are hurting in the areas that are destroyed. Pray for God to work in each heart.

I left home in north Hokkaido at 7:00 AM this morning. Flew to Tokyo. Then took the train to Saku City. Here is one of the trains I rode on:


This is a Shinkansen (bullet train). It is very, very fast and smooth.

Thank you for your prayers in advance!!

Serving Jesus,
Alan Minks

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Youth Camp

Hi Folks,

Victoria and I went to a 2 day youth camp a few days ago and had a nice time. Here is a video you might like to see of our friends the Smith family as they sang a special there. It was a blessing to us and I hope it will be to you too...even thought it is in Japanese. ;)

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evE15r-Ogsw

Pray with us as we are still researching and looking for the best way(s) to help in the Japan quake/tsunami relief efforts. Please, please continue to pray for the Japanese and give towards this need.

Serving Jesus,

Bro. Alan

Today's Canvassing March 19th, 2011

Greetings all. Hope all is well in your 'neck of the woods'! Things are going fine here. Our hearts still ache for the Japanese affected by the terrible events of late. (Earthquake, Tsunami, Nuclear Power Plant problems, etc.) We are praying for them and for all of Japan. We hope you all are praying as well. Out of these terrible events and tragedy good things can come! We pray people will really think about life and death and realize that they need our Saviour! May many come to Jesus before it is too late.

We passed out tract packets again today to another section of the city. (Look at our blog page to see the progress on the map posted.) Please pray for fruit from these tracts. Also, we are seeking ways to help the earthquake/tsunami victims. Please pray with us for God's will in this. We are quite far away so that makes it difficult to help, but we are willing and seeking to help people.

Have a great week! Serve the Lord! - Bro. Alan

March 12th, 2011 Canvassing

Howdy all! I am sure most of you, if not all of you, are aware of yesterday's earthquake/tsunami's here in Japan. It was bad. It IS bad. Horrible. Please pray. We are fine though. We live a long way away from the affected areas. We are thankful to be safe and for God's protection. It really makes you stop and think about what is really important. People on T.V. say what is most important is that they are still alive, but that is not it. What is most important is eternity. Are you ready? Houses, lands, and lives can be snatched away in a moment... but not our salvation. Amen!

Well, we got out there again today and passed out some tracts. Glory to God and shame on the devil! We've had our hearts and minds focused on the earthquake/tsunami news and I must say it is quite captivating. I am the kind of person that can easily get wrapped up in the news and stay there (as with 9/11). Now, yesterday's destruction was horrible and our hearts go out to the many folks suffering, but we can't sit around and watch the news. We must carry on. So... me and three of my boys, Malachi, Gideon, and Josiah got out there and pounded the pavement...err, ah... snow! The devil didn't want us to go. He wanted us to sit and fret and watch the horrible events unfold on T.V. But! But! What people need is the Good News, especially at a time like this! I asked the boys "if they had their ammunition?" and "if they needed to reload?" as we went. They said "it is a weapon isn't it?" and "it's sharper than any twoedged sword!" and "maybe after the earthquake and tsunami some might be more open to reading these tracts." I said, "That's right, they may be!" So, we had a good time out today. It snowed a little but no problem. Slipping on the ice was more of a problem! Ha! Josiah fell a number of times! You all have a great week and please continue to pray for Japan and the Japanese at this time. And please pray for those "little preachers" (tracts) that we passed out today. They can keep on preachin' even when we aren't around! Take care!

Today's Canvassing

Greetings from Japan! We went out today (Saturday) to pass out church info packets. Tanya, Malachi, Gideon, Josiah, Zebulun and I went today. Victoria and Abigail were able to stay the night with the Smith girls. So they were in Nayoro. We just found this nifty free program online called Scribble Maps at scribblemaps.com. It allows us to mark on a map where we have been passing out tracts. We thought you might enjoy seeing what's going on so now you can see our recent canvassing progress on the map on our blog's main page. I hope to keep you all posted in this way in the future using scribblemaps.com. I have been doing things the "old school" way by marking a city map on the church office wall! But, since you all can't see it, I thought I'd do it this way and see how it goes. Have a great Lord's day!

(On the map, upper left corner has navigation controls, upper right corner has full screen button)