April Prayer Letter

Dear Friends,

Since 2012 Glen and I (Tom) have been opening the gym at the Frederick Douglass Christian School for basketball on Sunday nights for guys eighteen and older. We have anywhere from twenty to fifty guys show up each week. While ten of the guys are playing ball Glen and I walk around and talk with those who are waiting to get on the court.

As we talk we ask the guys out to lunch with the intent of sharing the gospel with them. Many times the guys have questions about God so we also invite them to join us for a Bible study called Christianity Explored. Our goal is not just to have Bible study with these guys. We want build relationships with them and see them become active participants and leaders in the church we are planting.

One of the guys we have been focusing on is Marvin. I first met Marvin in 2007 when he and a bunch of his friends would come to play basketball at teen Bible study. Since then Marvin has participated in a variety of Bible studies that we have had, but has not made a commitment to follow Christ. In a recent conversation Marvin shared about how he told his cousin that he needed Jesus. I replied, “Marvin, you haven’t made that decision yet.” His reply, half joking, was, “Well, I’m Marvin.”

Though he has not made the choice to follow God Marvin enjoys spending time with Glen and I. He has helped plan Sunday basketball and Bible studies and even tried to get a number of guys together to go see the “Son of God” movie. Marvin enjoys being in the company of those who follow Christ, and he is willing to share Christ with others. The Lord could use him in mighty ways for the Kingdom. God has been calling Marvin for a long time, and we are praying that he will answer this call soon.

Wednesday Night Bible Study and Basketball

Please pray:

• That God will continue to soften Marvin’s heart and that Marvin would answer God’s call.
• That the guys from Sunday basketball would follow through on their commitments to come to Bible study.
• That our team will continue to be faithful prayer warriors for this church plant.

For the Kingdom,

Tom, Vicki, Lizzy, and Lilly Anthony

Since we wrote this letter we have seen an average of 10 young adults show up for our Wednesday Christianity Explored Bible Study and five of them have begun to regularly attend our Sunday church service.