My Heart's Desire...A Report from the Dominican

L-R:  Rev. Tom Miller (Mich), Rev. Martine (head of the
Cuban Alliance of Baptists)  and Rev. Bob Hollis (Mich)
following their meeting in the Dominican Republic 

Back in November, after buying my ticket to travel to the Dominican Republic, I realized I had a desire to lead someone to the Lord in Spanish. Determined to learn,  I borrowed our school’s copy of Rosetta Stone and began to work an hour a day. I developed a vocabulary, but by the time February rolled around I still didn't have the slightest idea how to even say “where’s the bathroom?” let alone speak the Romans Road. 

I called a dear friend, Rev. Tom Blossom, who now lives about forty miles north of us and was a missionary to the Dominican for 25 years. I told him about our trip and my desire about being able to lead someone to Christ in Spanish. He said he would try to put something together.  On a Sunday evening about an hour before our worship service and one week before the trip there came a knock on our door. It was Bro. Tom and his wife Stacey.  Their purpose - to give me pointers on leading someone to the Lord in Dominican Spanish.

They came in and we visited and they shared stories about the Dominican and their culture and city and its people.  They attended our worship service and Tom delivered the message and Stacey played piano for our music service. They stayed overnight and the next day I met with Tom for a couple hours while he tutored me.  Needless to say his advice was very good.

He told me the Dominican people are very literate so I could have them read the scripture text rather than for me to memorize it in Spanish, as I had been trying to do.  Next he asked me how I would normally lead someone to the Lord. Using my regular method he was able to tell me what to say in Spanish as I took the person from one verse to the next. He even wrote out the prayer I should say for the person and the prayer they could read and say out loud for repentance.

Saturday,  Feb. 9^th,  was our first day on the street in the Dominican and within five minutes all the translators were busy.  God gave me the privilege to lead a husband and wife to the saving grace of Jesús Cristo. They were very patient with me as I used my halting Spanish to explain God’s gift of salvation.

Before our time in the country was over God allowed me to repeat the process 14 more times for a grand total of 16 I was able to lead to the Lord in Spanish. Although I also led others to the Lord in English, and still others through preaching using translators, those smiling faces of that husband and wife will stay with me until I am reunited with them in our eternal glory.

Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Psalm 37:4  

Dios bendiga (God bless you)

Pastor Tom Miller

God Will Even Use Baseball to Save the Lost

Rev. Tom Miller speaking to a Christian School Class
in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Our group was asked to speak at  several Christian schools during our visit.  Santo Domingo is a city of 4 million.  Most families choose to send their children to private schools because they are superior to the public schools.  Christian schools (with American and Dominican staff) are very popular.  However, even at the Christian schools there are children not 100% sure if they are going to heaven.

Each person on our mission team was asked to speak in a classroom.  Each group saw salvations.  On this morning in particular we praise God that we saw 94 children accept Jesus as their Savior.  

Here is a little of my own experience:

Who is Tigres (Tiger) fan?

I was asked to speak in front of 2 different classes.  This was where being a baseball fan came in handy for me.  Santo Domingo has two professional winter baseball teams,  the Tigres (Tigers) and Leones del Escogido (Chosen Lions).  The first thing I asked was "Who likes football?" (soccer). Three kids raised their hands. Then I asked "who likes baseball?" The whole class raised their hand, some even jumped up.  I then asked a boy what his favorite baseball team was. He said 'the Eagles,' which is a team outside of Santo Domingo.  I asked the class "who likes the Tigres?" All raised their hand, except one boy who was a die hard  Leones fan.  

I  delivered my message about how we are all sinners and  said, "that includes soccer fans, Lion fans, Eagle fans and, yes, even Tiger fans." I gave a simple plan of salvation and told them that Jesus died for " these soccer fans (as I stood near them), the Eagle fan (as I stood next to the seat of the Eagle fan) the Lion fan (as I stood next to the Lion fan), and, yes,  He died for Tiger fans too."   After the message and final prayer there were seventeen children who accepted Jesus as their Savior.    

Rev. Miller in School Classroom in Santo Domingo

God will use our passions, hobbies, and interests to make connections and lead the lost to Him.  Inside the Box always needs workers.   Don't let Satan say you can't lead someone to the Lord.  It is not about what we think we can't do.  It IS about who we are, and how God will use us if we love Him and let Him lead.  If you would like to be part of this exciting ministry please contact us.

Dios bendiga, (God Bless You)

Pastor Tom Miller   revtompastor (@) msn (dot) com

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

Show Me Your Expiration Date

Thursday when I took my turn at the fair a group of 3 college age people, a young woman and 2 young men, came to my table in the tent.   They were unchurched, 'sort of' knew about Jesus, but not much else.  The young woman thought she would 'probably' go to heaven because she was baptized when she was a baby.   I talked to them, beginning with original sin and the separation it created, how blood sacrifice was necessary before Jesus came, then how Jesus took our place, and John 14:6 - he is the ONLY way to heaven .  One of them laughed nervously a few times.  The young woman seemed sincerely interested, her eyes kept looking deep into mine.  I felt that the young woman wanted to accept Jesus in her heart.
      I asked if I could pray with them.  The young men shrugged.  She nodded her head. Out loud  I thanked God that they took the time to stop in.  Then I said if you want to accept Jesus, repeat after me...and I began the sinner's prayer.  I said, 'Dear Jesus,' None of them spoke. So I added, 'or say this in your heart,' and I finished the prayer.  We ask each person to fill out a prayer card with at least their first name and any prayer requests.  I also asked them to put a * by their name if they accepted Jesus.  The young woman did!!
    Then one of the young men asked me, 'Why can't I wait 20 years to accept Jesus? You know, do what I want to now and then ask him later.' He had a kind of smug grin and made eye contact with the other young man who laughed.  God gave me these words, "Show me the date."  'Huh?'  "Show me your expiration date - the date you know your're going to die."  'I don't know that,' he said.  Then I said 'let me tell you about my brother-in-law, Mike...'  
    In February Mike went out to the corner store to pick up a pizza.  He and his 10 yr old son were going to be home alone - his wife was working and his other son was at a friend's.  Mike came back home with the pizza, was stopped at the end of his driveway waiting for traffic to clear so he could make a left turn into it.  He was hit from behind and pushed in to oncoming traffic.  He was killed almost instantly. Had his 10 yr. old run up to the corner with him to get the pizza he would have been dead too.  I looked at the young man and said, 'Mike didn't know that that day was his last. He didn't know his expiration date.'
     The young men had gone silent, their smiles were gone.  The young girl spoke softly and said, "I am so sorry."   I thanked her and said, "it made me realize more deeply how urgent it is to share this message."
Please think more about it," I said to the young men. They left the tent . 

Setup for the fair was done yesterday.  Tents, tables, chairs and question boxes delivered, unloaded, and set up in the 90* heat.  Due to the storms there is no electricity on the fair grounds yet this morning.  Pray that power will be restored as the question boxes operate on electricity.  Also - the workers will need fans to help stay cool.

If you want to work in the tent contact either Pastor Tom or Pastor Jeff.  If you want to help by donating bottled water or ice it would be greatly appreciated.  In this heat they will need the extra water.  Pray for their physical well being too.

You can comment, keep updated and add prayers on Facebook at inside the box fair ministry.

Fair season is upon us again!  The Michigan Oakland County fair begins this week and runs for 10 days.  We need your prayers!

Inside the box Fair Ministry has been serving since 2008.  In it's first summer of service God brought 527 to His salvation in less than one week! Glory Hallelujah!

Could it truly be that simple, asking people if they want to go to heaven, then telling them the Gospel?  The fact of the matter is most people don't know where they will go when they die.  Yet,  even in this day and age  people are still desperate to find out how they can go to heaven.

God has used this ministry to now reach thousands with the gospel.  Inside the Box Fair Ministry has now been to over a dozen fairs in multiple states and two countries.

The setup is always the same.  Two boxes are there with a viewmaster in the top. By looking into the first box the passer by sees the question, "If you died today are you 100% sure you will go to heaven?" If they are NOT able to positively answer we invite them to look into the second box which has John 14:6 inside.

As of the end of 2011 in just 4 years, God has used this ministry  and half a dozen or so churches to bring His salvation to 3765 souls!

It is this ministry's vision to continue to expand through the help of the local Bible Believing and preaching church into more fairs throughout the nation and world.

People need to know the Gospel, they need to know that Christ died for them.  We must tell the world there is a way that they may know for sure they will go to heaven.  Will you help us?  Will you tell them?

If you are interested in evangelizing at a fair in your area, we would love to train you.  Please contact us for further information, because the fields are ready for harvest the Lord just needs His servants to reap.