Evangelist Ken Lynch
812 Reid School Road - # 28, Taylors, SC 29687
(864) 244-8053
www.bbcwccs.com/kenlynch
SPECIAL REPORT ON MISSION TRIP TO SPAIN, JULY,
2011
Dear Friends,
Missions Report: Between
June 26th and July 19th I had the joy of preaching in four
churches in different parts of
Spain. This was my first trip to
Spain.
Spain
is a very Roman Catholic nation, in name at least. It was here that Christians
were persecuted in the first to third centuries by the emperors of Political
Rome and later suffered persecution by Religious Rome during the infamous
Spanish Inquisition. In 1939, a terrible Civil War broke out that cost tens of
thousands of Spanish lives leaving Spain under the dictatorship of
Francisco Franco. Under his control of
Spain, dissidents and those who did not agree
with him, were often imprisoned in concentration camps, put to hard labor and
sometimes even put to death. During his reign of terror there was little
religious freedom. As in communist countries many a group of Christians had to
meet in the woods for their church services even though Franco was himself a
very strong anti-communist. He held a grip on the nation until his death in 1975
after which the country began its long journey to become a free country with
free elections. Today, many Spaniards have become disenchanted with the many
moral scandals in the Roman church and, though they remain Catholic in name,
have become more agnostic or atheistic than ever.
Spain
is close to becoming a nation of “secularism” much like France. Planting
a fundamental Bible-believing Baptist church under these conditions is a
difficult task indeed, but with God’s help and through the power of the Holy
Spirit, that great work is being done!
Madrid
area:
My first week of ministry was just
outside the city of
Madrid with
Pastor Alejandro Nachez, a national. The church celebrated its 30th
anniversary while I was there with an average attendance during the meetings of
about 50. I really had a great time of fellowship with the people. Pastor
Sanchez took me to visit a couple of cities within an hour of Madrid. One of them was the city of Toledo
where we visited a plaza used, centuries ago, as a place where many hundreds of
Christians were burned at the stake during the Roman Catholic’s bloody
Inquisition.
Oviedo:After
an hour’s flight I arrived for my second week of ministry along the northern
coast of Spain
in the city of Oviedo.
My hosts, Pastor & Mrs. Dwayne Buker, have been missionaries to Spain for more
than 30 years. During the meetings we saw four first-time visitors that
responded to the flyers that were handed out. One of their daughters sang in the
ABC choir on our new choral CD. While there we visited a statue of the “Grand
Inquisitor” from the Spanish Inquisition; the role that Dr. Bob Jones, Jr.
played in the film Flame in the Wind.
In fact, there is a town in southern Spain where there is a monument to
those who actually held the torches that set fire to the victims of the
Inquisition.
Tarragano: After two
airline flights and a layover in
Madrid, I finally arrived in
Barcelona
for my final week of ministry with Joaquin Lopez. Actually the church was in the
city of Tarragona,
about an hour south of Barcelona.
The city is located right on the shores of the beautiful
Mediterranean Sea and dates from Roman times, predating the time of
Christ. Two points of interest are of note here with photos on our web site: 1)
The summer home of Caesar Augustus (see Luke 2) with a statue of him and 2) the
famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) amphitheatre where
gladiators fought and where many Christians were killed by wild beasts during
the bloody persecutions at the hands of Roman Emperors.
Musical Ministry: During
the meetings we saw one lady saved. I also spoke at length with a young man who
knows he is lost and needs the Lord. Pray for Juan Carlos as the Lord brings him
to mind. Pastor’s daughter also is a student at ABC and sang in the choir on our
new CD. Pastor Lopez’s mother has been hospitalized for several months and has
seen roommates come and go. The daughter of one of them came to the meetings and
was saved! Other contacts have also been made. While there I had the opportunity
to present a 30-minute program of sacred music on the violin. Keep in mind that
it was a Roman Catholic institution and so we could not preach the gospel per
se. But, as you know, in presenting various hymns and gospel songs, the gospel
is very clear.
Just as I was about to begin the program, I was asked if I would do the
same program again on a different floor and a different group of patients. Each
program was attended by more than sixty patients, family and staff. A comment we
heard from more than one staff member was, “We have never seen this many people
sit this quietly through a program like this. No one cried out or had to leave.
They were so still!” I could actually hear some of the older folks humming along
with some of the songs, especially when I played “The Old Rugged Cross.” Even
the administrator was amazed telling pastor that he could not believe that we
would come and do a program like this for free. He said that the Catholics don’t
do anything for free! He then gave the pastor his card and said, “You are
welcome here anytime!”
All in all it was a
wonderful trip and we praise the Lord for safety in travel and souls saved.
Thank you for praying. Until next time, keep looking up. Jesus is coming soon!
Sincerely in Christ,
Ken & Barb Lynch, Eph. 6:19