Cork and Ruth Albright
missionaries to the Netherlands
December 2004 - January 2005
Ruth's Family News
"That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love…" Ephesians 3:16, 17. These two verses are the basis for the little booklet, "My Heart, Christ's Home" by Robert Boyd Munger. Pastor Munger does a marvelous job of describing how our heart can be divided into different rooms. He teaches us how to enter each room with the intention of making them a place where Christ can dwell daily. I read this booklet 30 years ago and it impacted my life to the point that many of my decisions then became convictions. I will be speaking to 25 girls during two sessions at our Euro-Wide Ladies Retreat on the 4th of February using this booklet as one of my materials. I have a copy for each girl. I pray that God will again use this little booklet to impact the hearts of the young ladies who attend the workshop.
Family throb
Angele was more than ready to get back into the classroom after her Christmas break. Isn't that a great sign of a genuine teacher! Pray for her as she will have a very busy Summer. She will be a bridesmaid in Switzerland and a maid-of-honor in Honduras. And she will also be making a trip home to Belgium to see her life-long friends . . . mom and dad. We are awaiting word from Amy and Griz as to how our Lord has lead them concerning a new job for Griz. He was released from his job two weeks before Christmas. He has been diligent in seeking the work that God wants especially for him. He has had a lead to a very good job opportunity in Wilmington, North Carolina and we are waiting to hear the results. Amos and Christina were able to spend Christmas with Angele and Amy. What a good time they had together. We enjoyed hearing all about the day! Maybe next year we will be able to be with them during the celebration of our Lord's birth. Amos is making plans to intern-pastor this summer. He is praying for the Lord's leading as to which church he should spend this summer helping and experiencing the real work of a pastor leading his flock.
Ministry throb
Since the first Wednesday of January we have been enjoying our Bible Studies at the same location as our Sunday service. It was necessary to move to a larger space so everyone could attend. We were no longer fitting into the living room of our hosts. We have three different men taking turns leading the study each week. It is so exciting seeing more of our church participate in the Bible Studies. Please pray with us for Cork, Harrie and Jan as they prepare each week.
Praise throb
The very first day back to language school after Christmas break I took my language tests (listening, grammar, reading and dictation). It was hard focusing on the exams after such a wonderful vacation. The Lord helped me to settle down a week before going back to school to practice the language exercises that my teacher had given me. The Lord honored me for my diligent study time . . . I passed all four tests with flying colors. A week later, after taking my speaking test, my new teacher said, "Je deed uitstekend!" (You did excellent!) Jeanne, the neighbor lady I ride bikes with, helped me to prepare for my speaking test. She is not a Christian and has been an object of my prayers for about three years now. She contacted me the same day after my test to check to see how I felt I did. She mentioned that she had been thinking about me all that morning of the test. I cannot wait to hear her say she has been praying for me. I will get the results of all my tests this coming week. Only one more set of tests to do in May and I will be finished with my formal language studies!
Prayer throb
Please pray for my language teacher. For the past 3 1/2 years he has taught me the basics of the Dutch language. Willy is very sick and will not be returning to finish our last year with us. I have witnessed to him and given him different tracts throughout the past years. We are praying that he will contact us after he has received a card or short note from us in the next couple of months. We would love to talk to him again about his salvation!
Dutch throb
The following Bible verse in Dutch is just part of the verse that I used at the opening of this letter: Efeziërs 3:17, "Opdat Christus door het geloof in uw harten woning make." (Ephesians 3:17, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith".) If you can get a copy of this booklet, "My Heart, Christ's Home", I pray it will impact your life as it has mine.
Cork's Ministry News
Meeting for the first time in March 2004, independent Baptist missionaries joined together under the leadership of Dr. Leland R. Kennedy in a Declaration of Intent to establish the International Baptist Network Europe (IBNE) in the Baptist Center in Thieusies, Belgium. The IBNE will carry the responsibility for establishing the International Baptist Network of Europe, for establishing a college for training pastors and missionaries, for establishing a camp for reaching Europe’s youth for Christ, for establishing a method and organization for supporting missionaries and for establishing a newspaper/magazine for communication. The IBNE is a voluntary association of Bible-believing Baptist missionaries, national pastors and Christians who desire to work with like minded brethren while maintaining separation from the apostasy so prevalent in evangelicalism and mainline denominationalism. Our purpose is to foster voluntary cooperation among independent Baptists who hold common doctrine as expressed in the Articles of Faith and a common purpose as expressed in the Great Commission to facilitate church planting in Europe.
At a second meeting in May 2004, a founding group of fifteen Baptist missionaries representing countries throughout Europe established the International Baptist College Europe (IBCE). The IBCE is located in the Baptist Center, Thiesuies, Belgium. The college is established to teach and train students first through a modular program later becoming a residence school to enable graduates to plant Baptist churches in Europe. The school is to be taught in English with translation in national languages provided as needed. Classes for the International Baptist College Europe begin on Saturday morning, January 29, 2005 in the Baptist Center, Thieusies, Belgium at 8:30AM and the Opening Day Ceremony commences at 11:00AM. Please contact us if you are interested in helping to provide quality education for European students who desire to further their education with the goal of establishing independent Baptist churches in Europe. More information about the IBNE and the IBCE can be found on our website at: www.corkalbright.com which is now up and running without problems. We will continue our church planting efforts in the Netherlands (we have started four churches) as we work together with colleague missionaries and national pastors to establish the International Baptist Network Europe and the International Baptist College Europe.
