In the Dominican "D" Stands for Salvation

 = Salvation  

Today I’ll tell you  the story about the Dominican man wearing a Detroit Tiger baseball t-shirt with the Old English "D."  When he looked inside the box that asked the question, "If you were to die today are you 100% sure you would go to heaven?"  he said he knew he needed to get saved but 'wasn’t ready.' Just like the man I wrote about yesterday, God provided me with a connection.  

The streets of Santa Domingo where we witnessed.

I looked at him and asked, “do you know where I am from?” 

Of course he said “no.” With that I took my finger and traced the "D" on his chest and said,  Detroit, Michigan."

His mouth opened so wide I think a truck could have driven through it.  I then said through our translator, “Do you think God would have sent me to Santo Domingo, to the very beach where you would be wearing a Detroit Tiger baseball shirt if He didn’t want you to get saved today?"

As his eyes filled with tears he simply shook his head.  Through God's use of an Old English "D" this man was ready for salvation and accepted the Lord.

Iglesia Bautista Cristian Sunday Worship Service

A video of part of our trip and Saturday's revival by the ocean side should be available the first part of next week as well as more pictures and testimonies from our other Mission Team members.

Dios bendiga (God Bless You)

Pastor Tom Miller

Over 460 Salvations in the Dominican Republic

All the Mission Team Members & Bus Driver
having Lunch in the Dominican

We've returned from the Dominican and there are so many stories to tell. I'd like each member of our mission team to share some memories here. There were over 460 salvations during the 10 days we were there. We all have pictures to share  and even a video so those will be forthcoming.

Today I'll start with one of my more memorable one-on-one moments when we were on the street evangelizing.

A middle-aged man in Santo Domingo told me he knew he needed to be saved, but was not ready for it.  I looked the man in the eye, put my hand on his chest over his heart and told him, "The Lord has sent me all the way from Detroit, Michigan, USA,  to tell you about Jesus and what you need to do to be saved."

As I spoke these words and the translator translated,  I could actually feel his heart begin to speed up, and I said to him, "Do you not think Jesus wants you to be saved today?"  He lowered his head and simply said, "Si," and accepted Jesus as his savior.

Rev. Tom Miller Preaching at the school
at Iglesia Bautista Cristian

Praise God for his working through our hands and hearts!

Just also want to thank all the team members.  Sorry, I don't have some of the last names, but our mission team consisted of 5 pastors, Bob Hollis (Holly, Mi) and Tom Miller (Waterford, Mi) Tom Berg (Maryland), Richard Stimson (S. Carolina), and Richard Blue (Fenton, Mi); 3 lay people: Dana Babka (Waterford, MI)  Skip (Waterford, Mi), and Mark (Mt. Pleasant, Mi); and 3 Midwestern Baptist students:  James, Susannah and Ruthie.  The devotion and diligence and sacrifice of this team allowed us to see miracles happen in the souls of the Dominicans.

More stories to come, I'm going to spend some time now with 'mi esposa.'

Dios bendiga!  (God bless you)
Pastor Tom Miller

Two Hours - 158 Salvations

Dominican Update:   These are only highlights and snippets of the events.  When the team returns we will be asking them  to share more of the actual stories with you.

Day 5 & 6 (Tuesday & Wednesday)  ministering and showing the box at the Christian schools.  The majority of the students are not Christians, however.   There were over 140 students who accepted the Lord in two days.

Day 7:  (Thursday) A little time for sightseeing and then on to another church in San Cristobal. (Long bumpy ride)

Day 8:  (Friday) A slower day trying to get translators, sitting on bus waiting for a long time.  15 salvations.  The churches visited are in some of the poorest, crime ridden areas.  (While they were speaking there was a rat that ran across one of the wires.)

According to one of the pastors this area is hungry for the Lord, their hearts are ready.  He said it is like the time of Pentecost.  These are a religious people - but they don't have the whole story....they are ripe and ready for the saving truth of God's word.

Today-Day 9 (Saturday)  the mission team did a video presentation and a question and answer period following. While the presentation was going on a mom whose child was saved the day before at the school came in.  One of the local men went up to her and asked her to look in the box and they were able to lead her to the Lord.

Apx. 30 people went down with the mission team to the ocean side.  The mission team members were partnered with a translator and a local.  At one time there were 15 people waiting to look in the box.  The team was running up and down the area, answering questions  and then sending the translator out with a local to be a new team.  In only 2 hours, 158 salvations took place.   PRAISE God for his presence and faithfulness.

Tomorrow is Sunday.  We will be speaking  3 times at churches again.

Inside the Box Goes International

     Our mission team begins their first full day in the Dominican Republic.  After some delays yesterday due to the storms in the Midwest and East coast  11 members* landed safely in the Dominican around 5:00 p.m.   Our Inside the Box team includes 5 pastors, 3 Midwestern Baptist college students and 3 lay people.*   They begin the outreach today.

     The team will be traveling from Santo Domingo, to San Cristobal and surrounding countryside.  There are several local churches and pastors who are hosting Inside the Box.  Also a special Youth meeting is planned for this evening.  In the days to come our mission team will be training local pastors how to use Inside the Box to lead people to Christ.

       Apx. $1500 was needed to finance each person making the trip.  Many fundraisers helped to meet the expenses for the ministry team. Congregations helped to make this possible through their prayers and donations.  One pastor even ran his first 5k race with pledges of nearly $400 made toward the trip.

The Boxes

    As our ministry has grown over 6000 souls in four states have accepted Jesus in their hearts. Now God has provided the means to go international. Last year the groundwork was laid in the Dominican Republic by Rev. Bob Hollis and Baptist Evangelistic Mission Association (BEMA) to meet with local pastors and establish connections to prepare for this trip. 

     "and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8

     Please pray for our ministry team (and their families), for the local host pastors, those who will be in training and for hearts to be open to receive the Good News.  Pray also that any language barrier will be bridged through the use of the translators and the Holy Spirit.

*For safety reasons we will not disclose individual names while the members are away.