Hillcrest members share Gospel in India

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By Larry Baldwin/David Meade

Five members of Hillcrest Baptist Church of Williamston recently traveled to India for a mission trip where they shared the Gospel and saw and did some exciting things. The trip was during the week of September 25-Oct. The mission team, Rev. Larry Baldwin, Debbie Creamer, Leon Brown, Dolly Ford, and Fran Cooley ministered south of Delhi at a colony called Mahipalpur.

While there, they prayer walked through a Sikh temple and visited several Hindi temples, one of which was the temple of Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god in Chatarpur.

The team also participated in a ministry that is called the Luke 10 ministry, which involves walking down streets, stopping and sharing with the people that they meet. “Many times we were invited into homes where we shared our faith and accepted the hospitality of a very friendly culture,” Rev. Baldwin said.

During one outing, they traveled five miles southwest to a church in the village of Karnal. Ford and Cooley discipled the women of the church while Rev. Baldwin and Brown taught the men how to share their faith. On Thursday, Oct. 3rd, the team traveled to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal.

When asked, “Why do you think you have to go 8000 miles to the other side of the world to share the Gospel? There are people right here in our area that needs Christ,” Rev. Baldwin said, “You’re exactly right, there are people here that need Christ in their lives. But the reason we go there also is because when Hillcrest Baptist Church does missions, I want to do it Biblically. Christ said in Matthew 28:19-20 – the Great Commission, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Balwin said, “Also in Acts 1:8 we are told this: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Hillcrest has mission projects going on in the Williamston area (our Jerusalem), we go in-state and out-of-state every year (Judea and Samaria) and also out of the country (the ends of the earth).”

“Everyone can be involved in missions,” he said. “No matter how young or old. If you’re not able to be involved physically, you can still “give” and “pray!”

Rev. Baldwin stated that he is “so humbled to be a part of such a mission minded church.” If you would like to be involved or know more about what God is doing through the mission efforts of Hillcrest Baptist Church, contact the church office at 847-7521.

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