JPM 2022 Newsletter

GREETINGS IN THE STRONG NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST,

2022 — what a remarkable year. Though COVID is still with us (proving, yet again, that all of the modern ‘prophets’ who prophesied it would be gone two years ago are still proving themselves to be false prophets — I digress), we seem to be learning to live with it. Masks are no longer required on planes, which puts a big smile on my face. The absurd theater of being required to walk into a restaurant wearing a mask and then taking it off once you sit down is, thankfully, a thing of the past … I hope.

In this newsletter, I’m going to provide a brief glance back at 2022 and a look ahead, as best I can tell, for the ministry in 2023.

Before getting to that, let us rejoice together over one of the most wondrous victories of 2022: the overturning of the abominable 1973 decision by the name of Roe v. Wade. In a number of states with strong pro-life trigger laws set to take effect when Roe met its overdue demise, abortions have all but halted completely. I honestly never thought we would see the day. We are a far cry from where we need to be, given that many states have few if any, restrictions on abortion at all; but the overturning of Roe is something that all true Christians celebrate with grateful hearts toward God.

It has been interesting to see not only who has celebrated this momentous ruling, but also who has not. The social justice movement continues to wreak havoc within the evangelical world, and the silence from many “social justicians” within evangelicalism has been deafening. Two prominent examples were Beth Moore and Russell Moore — the latter being the previous head of the ERLC of the SBC. Beth Moore is well-known for being ‘Johnny-on-the-spot’ any time there is the slightest whiff of any racial injustice. She voices her opinions quickly and loudly and often does so before all the details of the particular situation are even known. But when Roe v. Wade was overturned … crickets from both of them. Making it all but illegal in many states to murder unborn children in the womb apparently does not strike them as something to celebrate. This is but one of many examples of how embracing worldly philosophies will inevitably distance oneself from the true Gospel.

Now, on to a review of the year behind and a look ahead to 2023.

TRAVELS

This has been another busy year of traveling and preaching. God graciously allowed me to preach in 16 states, ranging geographically from Alaska to Florida, and I had many unique opportunities for ministry and have met so many wonderful people. I preached in large churches and small churches. I preached in churches that have been long established as well as young church plants just getting started. It is such an encouragement to me to spend a few days with these pastors and their flocks. There is no shortage of bad churches to be sure, but there are good churches out there led by dedicated, humble pastors. I have such a love and appreciation for all of the faithful shepherds out there. The vast majority of these men labor away in anonymity. They do not have big platforms and are not being asked to speak at big conferences. They are known only to their respective flocks and to the Good Shepherd Himself. But it is these men who will one day be at the front of the line.

I tell people often that it can be discouraging when you consider the state of the broad, visible spectrum of what falls under the label “Evangelical Christian” nowadays, but the church — the true church — is safe. The true church is the bride of Christ. She is His creation. He serves as her Head and the gates of Hades will not prevail against her (Matthew 16:18). If you are a pastor/elder reading this and are going through a difficult season, be encouraged. You are doing important work. Even though others may not see your labors, Christ does and He will one day be your Reward. If you are reading this, and you belong to a good church led by faithful elders, pray for them and express your appreciation to them. It means more to them than you know.

In May, I had the privilege of preaching at the Truth Matters Conference, hosted by Grace To You and held at The Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky. I was but one of several preachers at this conference that dealt broadly with recovering a biblical worldview. Topics ranged from social justice to mysticism to standing for truth in a society that is increasingly hostile toward it. This was the first GTY conference that had been held anywhere except Grace Community Church. Having it hosted by The Ark Encounter opened the conference up to many people who, for various reasons, are not able to make it out to California to attend. The conference sold out within 30 minutes of registration opening up. People offered a wealth of positive and encouraging feedback. And, as a bonus, my friends Virgil Walker and Darrell Harrison, of the “Just Thinking” podcast, gave me my first bowtie and then helped me put it on. I felt so cultured and proper!

There are only a few seminaries left that I can recommend without any reservation, but one of those is The Expositors Seminary in Jupiter, Florida. I was honored to be invited to teach a series for them and all their extension campuses on the Word-Faith movement. The teaching was received very well, and they are doing a great job training men to be faithful expositors of God’s Word.

Also in May, I preached at Highland Bible Church in Woodland Park, Colorado, pastored by Jeff Gwinn. Jeff is a great guy with a great church. He has had me preach at Highland Bible twice now, at least in part because Charis Bible College, led by Word-Faith teacher Andrew Wommack, is located there. If you’re not familiar with Wommack or Charis Bible College, Jesse Duplantis, Creflo Dollar, Kenneth Copeland, and Todd White have all (ahem) “preached” there, so that should give you an idea of the school’s theology. One morning, we visited the Charis Bible College campus and sat in on a class. We signed in and were told we were welcome to do so. At the end of the class, the instructor, Barry Bennett opened the floor up for Q&A. I motored my electric scooter to a microphone and asked, “If it is always God’s will to be physically healed as you teach, then how do we explain all of the faithful servants of God in Scripture, such as Moses, David, Elisha, Timothy and the Apostle Paul himself, who were sick but not healed?” Bennett replied, “Get my book, ‘God Healed Them All,’ that will answer your question.” I replied, “But that isn’t true. In John 5, there was a multitude of the sick laying at the Pool of Bethesda, but Jesus healed only one.”

Bennett, as is typical of false teachers, did not like to be challenged and got very defensive very quickly. He replied, “Are you here to ask a question or to be argumentative?” I said, “I’m asking a question.” He replied, “Get my book. That’s the answer.” The bell rang, and the class was dismissed. Within seconds of the bell ringing, several students gathered around me. One thought I just needed more faith to be healed, but two of them told me that they have been watching my YouTube channel and had learned a great deal from it.

They actually thanked me for my teaching; teaching that stands in direct opposition to the school at which they were enrolled! They told me that they were having serious questions about the theology they were being taught at Charis, but none of the instructors would give them any answers. Charis officials ended up kicking me out and telling me not to come back, but in God’s providence, these two students — and likely others — had their hearts pricked by the Truth. There are a few scattered lost sheep in these false churches and false Bible colleges. It is for these people that I go into Word-Faith conferences and churches when the opportunity arises. What an encouragement to see the Holy Spirit do His true work; not that of making people jerk and shake or fake signs and wonders, but rather that of pulling people out of darkness into Light, out of deception, and into Truth.

Another special preaching opportunity came in October when I preached at Shepherd’s House Bible Church in Chandler, Arizona, pastored by Costi Hinn and Brett McIntosh. Costi has been a good friend of mine for seven or so years now. After his deliverance out of the Word-Faith movement and conversion, he soon embraced soteriologically reformed and cessationist theology. To say the least, that is a massive change. This quickly provided him with a huge platform. He was interviewed by national and international media outlets, and he became something of a hero in the reformed camp. I was concerned that such attention and accolades would overwhelm him so soon out of the prosperity heresy.

But in watching Costi handle all of this, I have been nothing but impressed. He has handled it with grace and maturity. Sometimes God puts those He saves on a fast track of sanctification and He certainly seemed to do that with Costi.

All of my international travel had been put on ice since the appearance of COVID. This year, however, I was able to preach in Finland, Brazil, and Madagascar. The trip to Finland was wonderful. Two dear friends of ours, Josh and Sharla, went with me. The invitation came from Kyle McCartan, the Heartcry Missionary Society missionary to that country. Kyle asked me to preach six messages at their Soli Deo Gloria conference which, as the title suggests, focused on the glory of God. The decline of Christianity in Europe has been stark in the last half century or so, and Finland may be one of — if not, the least —Christian countries in Europe. The country is confessionally Lutheran, but only a tiny fraction of a single percent of people attend anything resembling a true biblical church. Nonetheless, God still does have His sheep there, and many of them from all over the country came to the conference. It was a joyous time fellowshipping with the saints there. They were such kind, gracious people and so very hungry for and appreciative of sound teaching.

Kyle is also the pastor of Agape International Baptist Church in the town of Pedersöre. Kyle is a great guy who loves the Lord and his church. The church has actually shrunk in number since he started pastoring, but that is from his preaching of the true Gospel. The “goats” left, and the few sheep remained. But Kyle continues to faithfully shepherd them. You can watch a video about the work at Agape International Baptist church on their website. Kyle will be one of those shepherds who will one day be at the front of the line. Please pray for Kyle, his family, the church, and the rest of the leadership there. It is tough work they are doing, but by God’s grace, it is bearing fruit to the glory of Christ.

Then in August, I had the opportunity to preach in Franca, Brazil. My friend, Josh, accompanied me on this trip as well. I was invited along with Josh Buice, Jeff Johnson, and Steve Lawson, to speak at what they call The Old School Conference. I spoke at this same conference back in 2017, and it was a joy to renew several friendships I had already made. Brazil’s religious sphere is predominantly either Roman Catholicism or Word-Faith. They asked me to teach the former. Preaching through a translator, I had two sessions on Roman Catholicism and demonstrated that it denies all five Solas (salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone for the glory of God alone as recorded in Scripture alone) of the Protestant Reformation. The Council of Trent (1545-1563) was essentially the Roman Catholic Church’s (RCC) response to the Reformation, and in it, the former anathematized all five of the Solas. In layman’s terms, the RCC said that if you believe that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone you will die and go to Hell. That remains official RC doctrine to this day. The anathemas of the Council of Trent have never been rescinded.

So many people came up to me and told me that God used the teaching I have been presenting over the last decade or so to save them and deliver them and/or their family members out of the Word-Faith deception. Hearing their testimonies was a great encouragement to me. Paulo Silva is the teaching elder of Calvary Alliance Church in Franca. He is a lion for truth. Some have referred to him as the Spurgeon of South America. He is the embodiment of what a pastor is to do per the Apostle Paul’s instruction to Titus: “Teach sound doctrine and refute those who contradict” (Titus 1:9). Paulo has faced a great deal of persecution for being as bold as he is in confronting false teachers that are so popular, wealthy and powerful in Brazil. I’m grateful for his bold witness.

My final international trip was to Madagascar, a large island off the coast of Africa. You may have seen the Disney animated movie titled Madagascar which features lions, giraffes, zebras, etc. Turns out that Madagascar has none of those animals on the island. #falseadvertising 😊

Depending upon which list you consult, this large island located in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of Africa is either the sixth or eighth poorest country in the world. It was not uncommon in our travels to see people bathing and washing their clothes in a shallow pool with a cow just feet away in that same water doing what cows do. The average life expectancy of the island’s 28 million inhabitants is just 58 years.

Amidst the grinding poverty, however, God is doing an amazing Gospel work, and a man named Faly Ravoahangy is no small part of that work. Faly grew up in Madagascar’s capital city, Antananarivo (Tana for short), got married, and then attended and graduated from The Master’s Seminary. He, his wife Lily, and their now five children live in Tana where he pastors Ankadivato Biblica Baptist Church. Faly, along with fellow elder David Ellingson, lead a ministry titled Madagascar 3M. According to their website, Madagascar 3M’s purpose is “to train pastors in the three roles which lie at the heart of their calling: preacher, shepherd and slave” (each of these words in the Malagasy language begins with an “M”). The ultimate goal of Madagascar 3M is to develop a seminary dedicated to training men in sound doctrine and expository preaching. They are currently renovating some existing buildings and constructing another one. Words cannot convey what important work this is. It will surely bear good, lasting, and eternal fruit for God’s kingdom for generations to come.

As is the case with practically all of sub-Saharan Africa, the religious climate in Madagascar is marked by syncretism. It is a blend of animism, Roman Catholicism, Word-Faith/Prosperity theology, and Islam. In short, it’s a mess. There are very few true biblical churches. But there are some and, by God’s grace, they are growing in number. Faly invited me along with several other speakers to preach at the International Summit For Expository Preaching in Tana. Pastors from over 70 churches throughout the country attended. Not all were on the same theological page with me and the other speakers on some issues, most notably cessationism. However, those that were not, were stretched and made to think — that is a good thing.

CURRENT PROJECTS

Lord willing, by the time you read this, I will have already traveled to the G3 Ministry headquarters near Atlanta to record an updated version of my Clouds Without Water (CWW) seminar. G3 has a brand new recording studio and they have graciously invited me to record the newest version of this project. My previous recording was done back in 2016, and I now have tons of updated material (sadly there is no shortage of material for CWW). This new version will feature new false teachers, and new heresies, and also deal with Bethel and Hillsong more in-depth than the previous.

It is amazing to me how many churches — even some doctrinally sound churches – play Bethel and Hillsong music as part of their worship services. The doctrinal errors of Bethel and Hillsong are not merely secondary issues. These are cults that preach a different Jesus and, therefore, a different Gospel. They openly admit that they use their music to expand their respective brands. They use their music as a hook to pull people into their cults. Bethel has been referred to as “Christian Hogwarts” because of the bizarre and demonic practices of their Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (including, but not limited to “fire tunnels” and “grave soaking;” the latter where students lay on the tombs of dead charismatics to get an “anointing” that supposedly lingers over the corpse). Whereas Bethel is known for theological heresy and dark practices, Hillsong is often thought of as being merely Christianity-lite with a life-enhancement message. Jesus is more of a life coach than Savior and Judge.

Make no mistake, however, that Hillsong is cut from the same theological cloth as Bethel. Bill Johnson, the pastor of Bethel, has spoken at Hillsong conferences. Both Bethel and Hillsong minimize sin and almost never speak of God’s wrath. In the last year, two devastating documentaries have been done exposing the shady and seedy underbelly of Hillsong. The entire Hillsong empire is riddled with sexual immorality. Pastors in many Hillsong satellite churches have been shown to have lives marked by promiscuity. The two most famous Hillsong pastors, Carl Lentz of Hillsong New York and Brian Houston himself, pastor of the Hillsong mothership in Sydney, Australia, included. The whole world now knows of this, and it is beyond me how any church could, in good conscience, encourage their members to sing their songs. It matters not that some (emphasis on some) Bethel and Hillsong songs have lyrics that would pass a basic doctrinal smell test. These are cults led by false teachers whose lives are characteristically marked by greed and sexual immorality (2 Peter 2:2-3). Anything that comes from them has no place in the worship of our thrice-holy God (John 4:24; Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). Besides, it is not even necessary to sing Bethel or Hillsong. There are more than enough solid hymns and solid newer songs (that have none of the dreadful baggage of Bethel or Hillsong and let’s throw in Elevation Music from Steven Furtick’s outfit in there too) to keep us singing songs that actually please God until we are raptured. Shameless plug: Have you checked out the Hymns of Grace hymnbook with 355 titles, 100 of those being newly written? How about the newly released Psalms of Grace Psalter with Scripture from the Legacy Standard Bible? No? You should!

Thank you for indulging me on that little, but important, theological rabbit trail. Now, back to CWW. Dr. Josh Buice and the others at G3 have asked me to write a book to go with the new recording to be published by G3 Press. There will be an electronic book as well as a physical one — with a twist. The electronic book will have links to the video clips I will reference. For example, if I discuss a video teaching by Kenneth Copeland, there will be a link so that you can actually watch the clip. The twist to the physical book is that it will have QR codes next to the clips I describe/quote so that you can hold your smartphone over it and actually watch them on your phone. To my knowledge, this book will be the first of its kind. It will almost be like the book version of a hybrid vehicle!

I will be part of two documentaries coming out this year and in 2024. The first is American Gospel 3: Spirit and Fire. This will likely come out in a series of episodes given how much material there is. This third installment of the American Gospel series will focus on Bethel Church and the movement it has spawned and the claims and theology of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). The trailer is out now and may be viewed on YouTube.

The other documentary in the works is entitled Cessationist. This project will show that all of the early Pentecostal/charismatic leaders (“God’s Generals” as they are called) were theological heretics, and charlatans, and most were sexually immoral. The true history of the charismatic movement is not a good one. The film will also provide a biblical, theological, and historical refutation to the position that the Apostolic (or sign) gifts continue to be operative in the church today. It will show that, contrary to popular perception, it is not we cessationists who have a low view of the Holy Spirit, but rather the charismatics. As cessationists, we should cede no ground in our pneumatology (doctrine of the Holy Spirit) to the charismatics.

The debate as to whether or not the Apostolic gifts continue to be in operation is not in and of itself a salvific issue. In other words, genuine Christians can come down on the charismatic position and be truly regenerate. However, in my estimation, this issue is at the top of the secondary issues and is bumping the floor of the primary issues because so much is at stake, especially the sufficiency of Scripture. One simply cannot hold to a charismatic position and the sufficiency of Scripture at the same time. They are mutually exclusive positions. If Scripture is sufficient, then the Apostolic gifts are no longer necessary. They have already fulfilled the purpose for which they were given.

My YouTube channel continues to grow far beyond my expectations. At the beginning of 2022, my channel had 130k subscribers with 10 million views, and as of this writing, there are 180k subscribers with well over 15 million views.

I’ve tackled a number of issues over the past year. Casey Butner, pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Winter Garden, Florida, and I did several videos on FBC Orlando (FBCO) discussing how they have baptized open homosexuals and, in at least one case, allowed a homosexual man who is “married” to another man actually baptize someone himself in their own baptistry. FBCO has been one of the most prominent and influential churches in the SBC for decades. Outside of a very few, no prominent voices within the SBC voiced any concern at all.

Casey pointed out in my interviews with him that FBCO is using a curriculum titled Posture Shift that is designed to ‘shift’ evangelical churches’ position on homosexuality to make them more welcoming to homosexuals. How welcoming? Well, Danny DeArmas the associate pastor of FBCO preached a sermon titled “We Are First Orlando” in which he stated, “We have transgender, LGBTQ, cohabitating people and pro-choice people (who) attend, listen, serve, grow and give. …In the midst of all this we have one of the most beautiful worship experiences you can possibly imagine.” The senior pastor, David Uth, preached a sermon in which he said that “every truly healthy church has two things: heretics and people who are sexually immoral. A church that consists only of committed Christians probably has lost sight of its mission and resembles more the frozen chosen than the messy community God has in mind.”

This is utterly shocking. The Bible is crystal clear that such people who live in this state are not regenerate (1 Corinthians 6:9). One cannot grow in Christ unless he has first been born again. One cannot worship God unless he first knows God and is known by God (Galatians 4:9). The church is comprised of those people who have been called out by God. They have been called out of darkness and into the light. To say that any healthy church must have heretics and sexually immoral people flies directly in the face of the clear teaching of Scripture that commands us to “watch your doctrine and your life closely” (1 Timothy 4:16) and warns that “sexual immorality must not even be named among you” (Ephesians 5:3). According to the Posture Shift website, they have trained over 200,000 church leaders — many of them in the SBC — how to shift their posture on homosexuality. Sadly, it appears to be working.

Happily, though, a number of former homosexuals whom God has genuinely saved watched the videos Casey and I did. They contacted Casey and thanked him for having the courage to tell the truth. They told Casey that the best way to show true love to homosexuals is to confront them in their sin and give them the Gospel. They said the FBCO is not showing love to homosexuals by affirming them as Christians while still in that sinful lifestyle. It is only the Gospel that has the power to save and to move homosexuals from being in 1 Corinthians 6:9 to joining the ranks of 6:11, “for such were some of you.”

In March of 2022, I interviewed a friend of mine named Nic. Nic was my translator when I preached in Ukraine back in 2019. I preached in a few different churches in different parts of the country, as well as a large conference that was hosted by Grace To You (GTY). Phil Johnson spoke with me as well. Ukraine likely has the highest number of true Christians per capita of any European country. I was privileged to meet many precious brothers and sisters there. When the war began in February of 2022 my heart broke for the believers there. I was able to contact Nic and he graciously agreed to do an interview.

As of this writing, the war continues to rage in Ukraine. I texted Nic recently and asked if he would share a word for this newsletter. Here is what he said:

“As this difficult year is ending and the new year is beginning, believers all over Ukraine reflect on the blessings and trials of 2022. It’s definitely been the most challenging year in my life and in the history of Ukraine since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Millions of people have been displaced, tens of thousands have died, billions of dollars of infrastructure and housing destroyed. No one could have ever imagined that we would be under attack from Russia in the 21st-century. But God’s wise and good plan purposed for this to occur and there is no better comfort than knowing that He is in control.

As our nation grieves the loss of lives, hopes and dreams, we have been stirred up to seek Him as so many began seriously pondering eternal questions, perhaps, for the first time in their lives. Churches are filled with people who never thought they would be seen amongst believers. God’s redemptive purposes cannot be thwarted. He will seek and find His own even in the midst of tragedy and despair.

As I reflect on God‘s work in my own life and in Ukraine in general I am very thankful for three things. First, the doctrine of God‘s sovereignty without which it would be impossible for me to not be overcome by anxiety and depression. That the Bible so clearly teaches that God is loving and good and in absolute control of every detail for which He has a wise and eternal purpose is the most comforting truth in the midst of war and death. Second, even though there are still challenges and setbacks, I am very thankful to see how so many brothers and sisters in Ukraine have sacrificially reached out and served so many in need. I am also thankful that most Christians in Ukraine realize that the most important thing is proclaiming the Gospel to those who haven’t heard. I feel like the church responded well to this opportunity. Three, I am overwhelmed by the support, encouragement, prayers, love and concern of my brothers and sisters around the world. It has been amazing to see how the body of Christ got together to respond so powerfully and graciously to the needs of Ukrainian Christians and unbelievers. If you have prayed, expressed your concern and support or helped in any tangible way during the past 10 months of the war, please know that it has been used by the Lord as an enormous blessing for those of us who are living and serving Christ in Ukraine. We are very, very thankful for this outpouring of love and support.

The only thing that I can think and pray for in these uncertain times, other than this senseless war coming to an end as soon as possible, is for God to give us strength, wisdom, and resolve to remain faithful no matter what we face or what lies ahead in 2023. And no matter where you are or what your calling is as a believer in Christ, we all should be focused on looking not at the things seen, but things unseen this side of eternity and upon completing our earthly task hearing the approving words of our Lord and Savior, “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Dear ones, this is what it looks like to have a right understanding of God’s sovereignty. The doctrine of God’s sovereignty is so fundamental to living the Christian life. It affects every single aspect of our daily walk with Him. God is not only the Creator, but He is also the Sustainer. Hebrews 1:3 states that Christ “upholds all things by the word of His power.” The late R.C. Sproul said, “If there is one maverick molecule in all the universe, then God is not sovereign. And if God is not sovereign, He is not God.” Every single molecule in the entire universe comprised of trillions of galaxies each with hundreds of billions of stars is being held right now in its proper place by the constant exertion of God’s power. If God were to ever stop working even for a nanosecond, the entire universe would at that moment cease to exist. It is this incomprehensibly powerful God that we are privileged to love, trust and serve. Selah.

Another YouTube highlight for me came in March when I had the privilege of interviewing John MacArthur. I wrote John a letter back in 2021 asking him if he would be willing to do an interview with me. He graciously accepted. The interview was conducted in March 2022 at the MacArthur Center for Expository Preaching on the campus of Grace Community Church. John has done so many interviews, so it was a challenge to think of questions that he may not have been asked before. I really wanted the interview to be of help to pastors and elders of smaller churches who faithfully labor in anonymity. These men do not have the big platforms and are not being asked to speak in the big conferences, but they are every bit as faithful and every bit as dedicated to rightly dividing God’s Word. Pastors of smaller churches often do not have other like-minded pastors in their area that they can fellowship or seek advice from. John MacArthur has been through many battles and has acquired much wisdom in his now 53+ years of pastoring Grace Community Church, and I wanted this interview to be an encouragement to them.

Contrary to the way he is often portrayed by his critics, John is extraordinarily warm and gracious. He is kind. Though others know him far better than do I, I’ve been around him enough to see how genuinely humble he is. There have been a couple of occasions where I’ve observed him interact with people that showed how humble he truly is. I know many people who know John very well, and to a person, they all speak of his kindness, his generosity, and his humility. I’m so grateful to John for his long and faithful ministry and the example he has provided to me and countless others. If you’ve not already seen it, you may watch this interview on my YouTube channel.

The YouTube channel has grown into a significant part of this ministry. It is rare now that I am in an airport and do not have at least one person — and it is often several — come up to me and tell me that they watch my videos. They express how grateful they are for the teaching. Just a few days ago, I walked (well, rolled technically, but let’s just go with it) into the Portland, Oregon airport. As I came up to the check-in line, two men of Indian ethnicity immediately recognized me. Their eyes lit up and one said, “Justin Peters!” “Yes,” I replied, “What’s your name?” We began talking and they were both just so profoundly grateful for the teaching on my channel. One of the men is a pastor and told me, “I show your videos all the time to my church, and churches and people all over India are watching and benefiting. You have no idea how many people are being helped.” They were both just about to get on a flight back to India.

I was going through security at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, and one of the security guards tasked with making sure I had no nefarious intentions, said, “Mr. Peters?” I thought he might have been given a heads-up that a guy in a motorized scooter was coming through and was expecting me. I’ll call his name ‘Ben’ to protect his privacy. Turns out Ben watches my channel and is a like-minded believer in Christ. Please know that I do not share these stories to suggest I’m some kind of celebrity. I have absolutely no interest in that on any level. In fact, James 3:1 is never far from the forefront of my mind. I share this with you just as a testimony to God and how He has graciously spread the reach of the work He has called me to. John MacArthur has said that we are responsible for the depth of our ministries, but God is responsible for the breadth. I’m grateful and humbled that He has seen fit to steadily expand the reach of this work around the world. Via YouTube and other social media platforms (the very real dangers of social media notwithstanding), God is getting the truth to people even in regions where Christianity is actively persecuted.

A LOOK AHEAD

It looks like 2023 will be another full year of preaching and teaching. I am scheduled to preach in venues all across the United States as well as on international trips to Israel, Great Britain, the Faroe Islands, Albania, Greece, and Macedonia (some of these countries will be combined into one trip).

I will also continue to work on the YouTube channel. I have several interviews scheduled with people with subject matters ranging from doctrinal issues, such as the Atonement, to personal testimonies. I’ll continue the ongoing series such as the Inigo Montoya: Commonly Misinterpreted Verses to the Why Are Charismatics So Weird? series, as well as addressing various theological issues as they arise. A new series that I would like to make you aware of is Daily Bible Reading. In this playlist, I am simply reading Scripture. There is no video of me, just audio. I am following the Bible reading plan compiled by Robert M’Cheyne. At the end of the year, we will have read through the Old Testament once and the New Testament and Psalms twice. If you would like to follow along, I am reading from the Legacy Standard Bible. The feedback thus far in this new series has been extraordinarily positive.

I will continue working on the Clouds Without Water book and will likely have a new and expanded edition of my first book, Do Not Hinder Them published. In addition to the preaching, teaching, writing, and YouTube work, I look forward to the opportunities God will provide to simply share the Gospel with people. I never cease to be amazed at the doors He opens for me to tell people about the Good News of Jesus Christ. And for the most part, people are surprisingly willing and open to having those conversations. In my witnessing encounters, I’d say that probably 90% of people will at least listen and consider the things I have to say. So, may I enthusiastically encourage you to share the Gospel with folks? Remember that the power does not lie in you or me. It is not how articulate we are or how winsome our personalities may be. The power lies in the Gospel itself (Romans 1:16).

We are living in dark times, dear ones. In the United States, we are being governed by a wicked administration that champions all the sins listed in Romans 1. Persecution is a reality for many of our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world, but it is coming to western nations too. The storm clouds are rising. My friends and I used to joke about how one day we might have to do prison ministry because we’ll be arrested for our faith. What seemed mostly like a joke five or six years ago now appears all too real. The way things are going — and if it pleases the Lord to allow me to live another couple of decades — I would not be surprised if my final days are spent in prison. Yours may be as well. The day will come when it will be illegal to preach against homosexuality or transgenderism, or even simply that Jesus is the only way to be saved. But take comfort in the complete sovereignty of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Take comfort in knowing that as the times get darker, the brighter the Gospel’s Light will shine.

Thank you for reading this newsletter and for your interest in the ministry. If you are able to support this work in a financial way, it is greatly appreciated. Please know that your support will go directly to Gospel work. This ministry also supports some other faithful churches and ministries. If you are unable to do that, Kathy and I would certainly appreciate your prayers. We know that so many people all around the world pray for us and the ministry. We cannot tell you how much that means to us. They are a tremendous encouragement.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14).