Here is the latest update on Bob and Tina McKinney. They normally send an update about once every month and we will make every effort to post these updates.
***The McKinney's will be with us on October 10, 2010 in our morning worship service. We look forward to a great time with them!!***
March 2010
Dear Praying Friends,
Winter in Poland has been cold and very long this year. We praise God that the ministry has been much warmer than the weather. Since our last prayer letter (December 2009), we are excited to report the salvation decision of both Daniel and Marysia. I specifically asked you to pray for this young couple and the decisions they needed to make. We met them last summer at the doctor's office and started a conversation. In the course of the conversation I invited them to church, and they started attending. Since last summer we found out that Daniel and Marysia were living together and expecting a baby. Both come from very dysfunctional home situations. They wanted nothing to do with marriage after growing up in these dysfunctional families. After attending our church through the fall, they surprised us at our Christmas service and gave testimony how they both had accepted Christ. Since then they have made several good decisions. They will be married in May, and immediately afterward I will baptize them in the local river. I am currently counseling them every week and dealing with issues of marriage and family from a biblical prospective. Please continue to pray for them!
In January we completed our Church covenant and had a covenant signing service for our church. Immediately afterward, we celebrated Jesus Christ as the focus of the new ministry with the Lord's Table. Since then, Tinaand I have been delegating duties to the nationals, and all have responded well, assuming duties as church members. We praise God for how He has brought together this group of believers and incorporated them into a church.
A blessing for any pastor/Bible teacher is holding a seminar on a Saturday afternoon with 100% attendance of the church people. I had the opportunity to teach church history and the great sacrifices made by many believers over the centuries. I was especially surprised to learn in my research how many believers immigrated to Poland in the 16th century to escape the persecution of the state church in other parts of Europe. Since that time, the state church has nearly blotted out all believers in Poland. Poland has an estimated 5000 Bible-believing Christians today. This works out to be about 1 believer for every 7800 Polish citizens. Please pray God will raise up more missionaries and Polish nationals to preach the Word of God in this country.
We will be taking a one-year furlough at the end of July 2010. In the past ten years our furloughs have been one to six months in length because of kids going to college, graduations, weddings, and a grandchild. This will be the first "one-year" furlough in many years. We are looking forward to spending time with our children, reporting back to our supporting churches, and renewing old friendships. I have set up a schedule and look forward to arranging meetings so we can give a report to our supporters.
We are honored to represent you in southeast Poland!
Servants of the Master,
Bob, Tina, and Alli McKinney
Dear Praying Friends,
During 2009, God has allowed our little church to grow both spiritually and numerically despite being in a very strong Roman Catholic area. At the end of 2008, we prayed as a church, that God would bring our Sunday attendance up in 2009. We were averaging just 4 (Bob, Tina, and 2 Poles) at the end of 2008. God is so good. Not only is our attendance up for the Sunday services, but our Thursday evening Bible study attendance is up also. First, in January, Andrzej (Andrew) began attending after seeing our advertisement poster for a seminar. Then in February, Marcin (Martin) found us through our church website. Next, we met Daniel and Marysia this spring at the doctor's office and invited them to our services. They have not missed more than an occasional service. This summer Jurek (Jerry) and Dorota (Dorothy) were searching for a Bible-teaching church since their former church closed its doors. They found us and after a recent meeting with them, they expressed a desire to join us. This fall we had another seminar and Pani (Mrs.) Stanislawa found us. She had been traveling by bus to Krakow every Sunday to attend church. She is so happy to have our church so close since she cannot walk quickly and has a hearing problem. Recently two young men attended. Both are Marcin's age (late teens) and seem eager to study the Word of God. Not only did God bring our attendance up to 14 Poles this fall, but He worked in the hearts of 4 to be baptized. In May, Bob had the privilege of baptizing Pawel (Paul), Grazyna (Grace), Andrzej (Andrew), and Marcin (Martin). In our personal life, God has blessed abundantly. First, we praise God for helping with Alli's eye problems through eye therapy and corrective lens. Then in February, we became first-time grandparents to Colton Scott McKinney, the cutest grandson in the world. We were able to be in the States for his birth. God also led us to an allergy doctor for Alli's allergy problems which are now under control. We praise God for giving Bob the opportunity to work on his MA Bible degree online. This is something he has really wanted to do. It is difficult for a guy in his 50s but rewarding. This knowledge will help him as he teaches and preaches here in Poland. Also, our family has experienced good health throughout the year. We ask you to pray for a few requests with us. First, that our church would complete the church covenant by the end of 2009. Next, for the salvation of Daniel and Marysia, the spouses, parents, and children of several of our church people as well. And last pray that God will increase our attendance again in 2010.
Servants of the Master,
Bob, Tina, and Alli McKinney
Bochnia, Poland
Upcoming Events
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May20
Special Song Service by the Rob Mills Family
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Visit the Rob Mills Family website for more information: http://www.robmillsfamily.com/
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May20
Sunday Morning Worship
Sunday, May 20, 2012
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May27
Sunday Morning Worship
Sunday, May 27, 2012
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Jun 3
Sunday Morning Worship
Sunday, Jun 3, 2012
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Jun 9
Game Night
Saturday, Jun 9, 2012
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