Dear friends at Grace Church and community,

As I start my first official preaching series at Grace Church on 12/09/2012, I cannot help but think of God’s goodness and faithfulness. My heart is full of gratitude for the way God worked in bringing my wife and me to Lititz. And I want to honor Him first and foremost with all I say and do. “He must increase; I must decrease” (and may my head not end up on a platter as the one of the author of this phrase did!).

As we start our ministry here at Grace Church, I would like to state as succinctly as I can the reasons I have come here.

I have come here, first of all, because I believe God’s glory in our lives and through us into the world can radically change the way we live. “Oh God, please help me help the people of Grace Church to enter the threshold of your throne and take in the full extent of your glory and then be ready to irradiate the glory of your presence into other people’s lives.”

I have also come here because I believe we must storm the gates of hell with the authority of the King of the universe, the builder of the Church, the Victor of all victors, Jesus Christ, our Lord. “Oh God, please help me  help the people of Grace Church to fully understand that they have been commissioned by you to go against the strongholds of the enemy. Help them to see that they don’t need to be intimidated by the biggest bully and noisiest usurper there is and believe and act as though they can have victory, because they can. As we experience victory, may we tell others about how they too can be victorious in Christ.”

Please join me in the greatest endeavor there is — to make His Name famous, starting here and not quitting until we reach the ends of the earth. “As long as I have breath, Lord, give me the ability to help men, women and children partner with you so the glory of God can fill the entire universe and Jesus can come. Amen. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.”

With God, for the nations,

Pastor Ivanildo C. Trindade