Ministry Update
March 2022
Dear Ministry Partners,
This has been my first three months of full-time local church work, and it has been blessed. The Lord has been faithful, and we can see how our efforts are bearing fruit. This letter is arriving one week late because things have gotten particularly busy this week! See below for more details.
This has been my first three months of full-time local church work, and it has been blessed. The Lord has been faithful, and we can see how our efforts are bearing fruit. This letter is arriving one week late because things have gotten particularly busy this week! See below for more details.
Building church
A screenshot of our staff webpage.
The Lord is continually adding to the number being saved at Christus Gemeinde Wien!
I mentioned in my previous update that one of our pastors moved back to the States early this year. That has meant a substantial uptick in my responsibilities this quarter, and aside from one week where Kai was out sick, I enjoyed it all! Also, as a young Ältestenanwärter (pastor-in-training), I think I have gotten a good grasp of what my abilities and limitations are. Lina and I have even established something of a work/life balance, although something has thrown a bit of a wrench in that this week as well. (Read below)
Regarding teaching in the church, I am continuing my series through James, and I have now delivered 3 messages from chapter 1. I will also be delivering an address on Good Friday and continuing my James series in May. Kai is continuing a Fundamentals of the Faith course, and I am slowly getting two individuals through a Christianity Explored course. Lord willing, we should be able to baptize and induct several new members shortly before Summer.
I mentioned in my previous update that one of our pastors moved back to the States early this year. That has meant a substantial uptick in my responsibilities this quarter, and aside from one week where Kai was out sick, I enjoyed it all! Also, as a young Ältestenanwärter (pastor-in-training), I think I have gotten a good grasp of what my abilities and limitations are. Lina and I have even established something of a work/life balance, although something has thrown a bit of a wrench in that this week as well. (Read below)
Regarding teaching in the church, I am continuing my series through James, and I have now delivered 3 messages from chapter 1. I will also be delivering an address on Good Friday and continuing my James series in May. Kai is continuing a Fundamentals of the Faith course, and I am slowly getting two individuals through a Christianity Explored course. Lord willing, we should be able to baptize and induct several new members shortly before Summer.
Building churches
This is where the Christus Gemeinde Dachstein Tauern was founded.
In my last newsletter, I mentioned that we have begun building a network of like-minded churches throughout Austria. Praise God, those relationships are beginning to bear fruit. We are now holding a weekly zoom call with about 8 churches and church plant projects in Austria. Also, we just held our first pastor's college meeting in Christus Gemeinde Dachstein Tauern (CGDT). While CGDT shares our name, they were actually planted independently from us. However, we are profoundly thankful for what the Lord has done there. CGDT shares our hope for biblically based and healthy churches led by qualified elderships.
Kai Soltau (my co-worker and pastor) delivering one of many lectures at the Pastor's college.
In our first meeting of our pastor's college, we had about 25 participants who were either elders in their congregations or training to become elders. Also, 4 of our trainees, who I mentioned above, were also able to take part. For our first meeting, we discussed how to prepare expository sermons. Particularly, we discussed how to develop a central message from the text for the sermon, and how to faithfully deliver that message to our local churches. We plan that our pastor's college will meet again next quarter in order to discuss the centrality of Jesus Christ and biblical theology as it relates to the delivery of expository sermons.
Kai Soltau (my co-worker and pastor) delivering one of many lectures at the Pastor's college.
Kai and his former student, Flo Gostner, were the primary speakers. Kai mostly spoke regarding homiletical methodology, and Flo delivered a sermon for us from Colossians chapter 2 on the suffering of Paul as a model for pastors. I and a pastor from Klagenfurt led some of the small group discussions. All of the brothers with whom I spoke were tremendously thankful for the time together, and they left better equipped to handle God's Word and shepherd His people.
Building Family:
Bomi Rae Short
Bomi Rae Short
Our daughter, Bomi Rae Short, was born on Monday, April 4th! Bomi is a Korean name related to the Korean word for Spring.
Things have been pretty busy both before, during, and after her birth. Lina was struggling with mobility in the last few months of the pregnancy, so it is a relief to have our daughter with us now. Lina even feels more mobile postpartum than she did before.
Bomi also arrived right on time! We had an appointment at the hospital at midday for a checkup; because Bomi was predicted to arrive on April 4th all the way back in September. :D She also arrived quite expediently. By the time we realized that we needed to head to the hospital, Lina was unable to move 10 minutes later. So, I wound up delivering our daughter at our home shortly before 8 o'clock. It was quite a terrifying experience, but God gave us grace. Shortly after our daughter was born, the EMTs arrived and we made our way to the hospital in the ambulance.
Thanks for rejoicing with us and please join us in praying for Bomi's strength, growth, and salvation. We're thankful for her health and that we get to enjoy this time with her.
Things have been pretty busy both before, during, and after her birth. Lina was struggling with mobility in the last few months of the pregnancy, so it is a relief to have our daughter with us now. Lina even feels more mobile postpartum than she did before.
Bomi also arrived right on time! We had an appointment at the hospital at midday for a checkup; because Bomi was predicted to arrive on April 4th all the way back in September. :D She also arrived quite expediently. By the time we realized that we needed to head to the hospital, Lina was unable to move 10 minutes later. So, I wound up delivering our daughter at our home shortly before 8 o'clock. It was quite a terrifying experience, but God gave us grace. Shortly after our daughter was born, the EMTs arrived and we made our way to the hospital in the ambulance.
Thanks for rejoicing with us and please join us in praying for Bomi's strength, growth, and salvation. We're thankful for her health and that we get to enjoy this time with her.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Your brother in the Faith,
Matthew
Your brother in the Faith,
Matthew
