Important Message from Mission:Estonia

As missionaries, our main goal in ministry on the field was to see Estonians reaching Estonians. Throughout our time in Estonia, God has been showing us over and over again in many different ways that the people are beginning to reach their own successfully and do not really need foreign missionary help.

Through our time here we led a small group, taught children’s Sunday school in an Estonian church, and conducted a kids club that ministered to mostly American missionary kids. We have seen how through the seminary in Tartu, pastors and lay people are being taught/trained in different aspects of discipleship, leadership, and Christian life. Through the Baptist Union's Mission Center, missions is being done in Estonia and Estonian missionaries are being sent abroad. There is church planting training for Estonians whom God has called to church plant either nationally or internationally. Church planters are actively being trained and sent out. Results are already being seen as new churches are being planted, people are being reached with the gospel, and people are being baptized.

These aspects are very encouraging and fulfill what we came here to do, however, much of it had already been implemented during the four years that we were away from Estonia. I am excited to see Estonians reaching Estonians and seeing success in those efforts. However, because of these things, we are not especially needed here in Estonia anymore.

We are still passionate about missions. After much prayer, counseling with our pastor, and working with our missions department, we have decided to make the transition back to the States at the end of April 2017. Our kids club that we are conducting will end in April and will be the final thing needed to be wrapped up before we leave. I am passionate about teaching and training/equipping people for ministry and want to continue my education and earn a Ph.D in intercultural studies where I can teach at the seminary/university level. I have already been accepted into a program and will begin this fall. I trust that God will open doors for me to use my gift of teaching in this and other ways in the future.

This post will serve as my final post on this blog and will wrap up our mission work in Estonia. Thank you for your prayer and financial support over the years and for this opportunity to return to Estonia and to serve the Lord here.


Blessings,

Justin & Crystal Owens

January & February Update - New Year, New Topic

Starting in January we began going through the life of Jesus in the kids Bible club. We had a good few lessons so far as the kids have learned of the importance of baptism, obeying and submitting to your parents, Jesus calling the 12 disciples, and feeding the 5000. We also continued our teaching rotation at Kalju Baptist Church teaching the children in Sunday school. There have been usually 10-15 kids in Sunday school and our usual 7 at kids club.

The game was to watch who “Jesus” was and then imitate Him. Here Lorelei was “Jesus” and everyone had to do as she did!

The kids made a baptism craft after learning about John the Baptist and Jesus’s baptism.

Our small group has also continued to meet and have been going through the life of Joseph. We recently all got together and had a Super Bowl party and watched the game together and had a time of fellowship. It was a good time all around and I was able to share some of American culture with our Estonian friends. Later this month we will be helping another Baptist missionary here with his quarterly children’s outreach during the school break as well as teaching Sunday school again at Kalju Baptist Church. Pray for these times of teaching with the kids and pray for God to continue His work among the Estonian people.

Here the kids had to move from one shape to the next based things about them. It emphasized that Jesus calls all sorts of people to be His disciples.

We got to go to America to spend time with family at Christmas. Here Lorelei was happy to pose in one of the airports.

Over the past year, we have begun to see how the Estonian people are effectively doing ministry and seeing positive results in church planting and discipleship efforts. This is an exciting thing! As such, we have been meeting with leaders here and in the States assessing our mission work in Estonia and are seeking God’s guidance for our role here. Please pray with us as we make decisions about upcoming ministry and our role here in Estonia.

Please pray for the following:

• Pray for a man in our small group that he would grow into a small group leader.
• Pray that God would show us ways to bless others and share the gospel.
• Pray that God would bless our efforts to teach the children at the kids club and in Sunday school.
• Continue to pray for the Estonian people to be open and receptive to the gospel.
• Pray for the work that the Estonians are doing among their own.

If you or someone you know would like to support the mission and vision that God has given us for Estonia, then send your checks payable to BMAA Missions with “Mission:Estonia Work” in the memo line.  Mail them to the BMAA Missions Office at:

BMAA Missions
P.O. Box 878
Conway, AR 72033

You can also donate online. Click the red “Donate Now” button on the right to donate now!

Your support goes toward helping people here in Estonia find their way to Jesus. Join us!

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