Ruth and I are pleased to announce that Jonathan and Lorena Templeton have made the decision to serve our Lord as missionaries in Spain. Their sending church will be Living Stone Baptist Church in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. Below is a copy of our last prayer letter that reveals a little bit of the excitement we feel in our hearts for God’s working in their lives. 
Pray that the Lord will get them to the field quickly. If you are interested in having Jonathan and Lorena share their ministry vision with you, feel free to contact them at templetons2spain@gmail.com or by phone at 267-625-1819.
Thank you for your prayers on their behalf. Most of all, thank you for your interest in the gospel.
January, 2011 PRAYER LETTER FOLLOWS
Dear Friends in Christ,
It is a thrill to inform you that Jonathan and Lorena Templeton are taking their first steps to be missionaries in Spain. They are applying for approval by Baptist Mid-Missions, being sent out by Living Stone Baptist Church in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, and preparing their deputation presentation.
Lorena is the daughter of Kent and Belen Albright, missionaries in Spain for years. Both Jon and Lorena speak Spanish, were reared on the mission field, feel comfortable living abroad or in the U.S., and know the ministry and church planting firsthand from their childhood. Of course it is different as an adult and being the missionary church planters, but they have many advantages in cross-cultural church planting.
They will experience sweet victories and see firsthand the power of God transform a powerless, beat-down slave of sin into a new and free creature in Christ. To be the instrument God used to make it all happen is like receiving a rush of spiritual adrenalin. Marriages and homes will be salvaged, relationships restored, and churches established and filled with testimonies of God’s grace and power that penetrate into the community and shine like a lighthouse in the pitch dark ocean of sin. To watch a little boy learn God’s Word and one day hear him preach his first sermon as pastor of a new church; to attend the wedding of a beautiful young lady who has grown up in your church and in purity and godliness will bring a lump to your throat and praise to your lips. There is nothing harder than serving Christ; but there is nothing more satisfying. Nothing.
The highest honor on earth is to be an ambassador of Jesus Christ. Ranking not far below is that of having a son and daughter joining the ranks. When I left for the mission field in Peru, South America, my father recalled the words to the hymn, "O Zion Haste". One stanza goes like this:
"Give of thy sons to bear the message glorious
Give of thy wealth to speed them on their way;
Pour out thy soul for them in prayer victorious,
And all thou spendest Jesus will repay."
The words took on new meaning for my father and mother who have lived the song. With tears streaming down their faces, they sent me to a place they had never seen, to speak a language I had never heard and live with people I had never met. It was nearly 26 years ago when I loaded up barrels to be shipped and then flew to a strange, faraway land in the midst of turmoil and terrorism.
I stepped off a plane and was immediately flung into the front lines of spiritual battle on foreign soil. And what a battle it has been. In the spiritual mine field where one wrong step can result in being taken out of action, there have been many painful trials, luring temptations, attractive distractions, and severe opposition. Frustrating defeats, intense fear being pinned down in an intense battle and forced to call in air support, total bewilderment from being injured by friendly fire, embarrassment from giving friendly fire, paralyzing sadness from comrades taken prisoner by the enemy, anger over some that join the foe, and deep sorrow from the loss of those who fought bravely by your side become vivid memories ever burned into the DVD of your soul and mind.
Through all this no one, and I do mean no one, has been more supportive of my ministry, more helpful in my affairs at home, more caring in their love, and more sacrificial in their giving than my own parents. Now it is my turn. As the father of a missionary son, I send him off to a foreign country to do as my own father has done for me. It is a duty, an honor and a privilege both to send and be sent. In a real sense, you are as much in spiritual warfare at “home” as the sender, as you are in another country for there are no boundary lines in spiritual conflict. Pastors probably understand that better than anyone.
Some feel sorry for missionaries. Others look down on them. There are those that even think of being a missionary or pastor as if that is what you do when you can’t make it in the real world. I honestly feel sorry for people who have such poor spiritual values. Some realize the hardship and sacrifices and feel a sense of pity. My friend, never pity a believer for making a sacrifice for Christ. Pity the one who hasn’t.
Just as a father sends his own son, the dearest possession in his soul, into the military to fight danger in faraway places, so I too am overwhelmed with emotions. As I write it is difficult to choke back tears. Knowing how hard it is to fight hand to hand combat in intense spiritual warfare on foreign soil, I have mixed emotions of gratitude and concern: joyful for the decision made, thankful for a life well trained, prayerful for the battles ahead, fearful for the attacks coming, and sobered by the sacred duty that awaits. I lift my heart in soaring praise to God Almighty.
Today I sang out loud the words to “O Zion Haste” and experienced the same emotions my father did. My father, my son and I strive to:
“Publish glad tidings, Tidings of peace,
Tidings of Jesus -- Redemption and release.”
Ruth and I want to be among the first to give an offering for their missionary support. We believe in the gospel with all our hearts and want people in Spain to hear it. We now formally invite and passionately encourage all to pray and consider supporting Jonathan and Lorena. They have already begun to schedule meetings. If you are interested, their contact information is: E-Mail: templetons2spain@gmail.com Phone: 267-625-1819
As an individual, you can financially support them now. Contact Jonathan and he can explain how. I will soon be contacting my supporting churches and pastor friends to present them for consideration.
Thank you for your prayers for Jonathan and Lorena. Most of all, thank you for your love for the Savior and your interest in the gospel. What an honor to partner with you in the furtherance of the gospel; the worthiest of all causes.
For Christ’s glory,
Stanley and Ruth Templeton
Pray that the Lord will get them to the field quickly. If you are interested in having Jonathan and Lorena share their ministry vision with you, feel free to contact them at templetons2spain@gmail.com or by phone at 267-625-1819.Thank you for your prayers on their behalf. Most of all, thank you for your interest in the gospel.
January, 2011 PRAYER LETTER FOLLOWS
Dear Friends in Christ,
It is a thrill to inform you that Jonathan and Lorena Templeton are taking their first steps to be missionaries in Spain. They are applying for approval by Baptist Mid-Missions, being sent out by Living Stone Baptist Church in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, and preparing their deputation presentation.
Lorena is the daughter of Kent and Belen Albright, missionaries in Spain for years. Both Jon and Lorena speak Spanish, were reared on the mission field, feel comfortable living abroad or in the U.S., and know the ministry and church planting firsthand from their childhood. Of course it is different as an adult and being the missionary church planters, but they have many advantages in cross-cultural church planting.
They will experience sweet victories and see firsthand the power of God transform a powerless, beat-down slave of sin into a new and free creature in Christ. To be the instrument God used to make it all happen is like receiving a rush of spiritual adrenalin. Marriages and homes will be salvaged, relationships restored, and churches established and filled with testimonies of God’s grace and power that penetrate into the community and shine like a lighthouse in the pitch dark ocean of sin. To watch a little boy learn God’s Word and one day hear him preach his first sermon as pastor of a new church; to attend the wedding of a beautiful young lady who has grown up in your church and in purity and godliness will bring a lump to your throat and praise to your lips. There is nothing harder than serving Christ; but there is nothing more satisfying. Nothing.
The highest honor on earth is to be an ambassador of Jesus Christ. Ranking not far below is that of having a son and daughter joining the ranks. When I left for the mission field in Peru, South America, my father recalled the words to the hymn, "O Zion Haste". One stanza goes like this:
"Give of thy sons to bear the message glorious
Give of thy wealth to speed them on their way;
Pour out thy soul for them in prayer victorious,
And all thou spendest Jesus will repay."
The words took on new meaning for my father and mother who have lived the song. With tears streaming down their faces, they sent me to a place they had never seen, to speak a language I had never heard and live with people I had never met. It was nearly 26 years ago when I loaded up barrels to be shipped and then flew to a strange, faraway land in the midst of turmoil and terrorism.
I stepped off a plane and was immediately flung into the front lines of spiritual battle on foreign soil. And what a battle it has been. In the spiritual mine field where one wrong step can result in being taken out of action, there have been many painful trials, luring temptations, attractive distractions, and severe opposition. Frustrating defeats, intense fear being pinned down in an intense battle and forced to call in air support, total bewilderment from being injured by friendly fire, embarrassment from giving friendly fire, paralyzing sadness from comrades taken prisoner by the enemy, anger over some that join the foe, and deep sorrow from the loss of those who fought bravely by your side become vivid memories ever burned into the DVD of your soul and mind.
Through all this no one, and I do mean no one, has been more supportive of my ministry, more helpful in my affairs at home, more caring in their love, and more sacrificial in their giving than my own parents. Now it is my turn. As the father of a missionary son, I send him off to a foreign country to do as my own father has done for me. It is a duty, an honor and a privilege both to send and be sent. In a real sense, you are as much in spiritual warfare at “home” as the sender, as you are in another country for there are no boundary lines in spiritual conflict. Pastors probably understand that better than anyone.
Some feel sorry for missionaries. Others look down on them. There are those that even think of being a missionary or pastor as if that is what you do when you can’t make it in the real world. I honestly feel sorry for people who have such poor spiritual values. Some realize the hardship and sacrifices and feel a sense of pity. My friend, never pity a believer for making a sacrifice for Christ. Pity the one who hasn’t.
Just as a father sends his own son, the dearest possession in his soul, into the military to fight danger in faraway places, so I too am overwhelmed with emotions. As I write it is difficult to choke back tears. Knowing how hard it is to fight hand to hand combat in intense spiritual warfare on foreign soil, I have mixed emotions of gratitude and concern: joyful for the decision made, thankful for a life well trained, prayerful for the battles ahead, fearful for the attacks coming, and sobered by the sacred duty that awaits. I lift my heart in soaring praise to God Almighty.
Today I sang out loud the words to “O Zion Haste” and experienced the same emotions my father did. My father, my son and I strive to:
“Publish glad tidings, Tidings of peace,
Tidings of Jesus -- Redemption and release.”
Ruth and I want to be among the first to give an offering for their missionary support. We believe in the gospel with all our hearts and want people in Spain to hear it. We now formally invite and passionately encourage all to pray and consider supporting Jonathan and Lorena. They have already begun to schedule meetings. If you are interested, their contact information is: E-Mail: templetons2spain@gmail.com Phone: 267-625-1819
As an individual, you can financially support them now. Contact Jonathan and he can explain how. I will soon be contacting my supporting churches and pastor friends to present them for consideration.
Thank you for your prayers for Jonathan and Lorena. Most of all, thank you for your love for the Savior and your interest in the gospel. What an honor to partner with you in the furtherance of the gospel; the worthiest of all causes.
For Christ’s glory,
Stanley and Ruth Templeton
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