Eastern Home Missionary
Newsletter
Rev. Jai Mahtani
216 Thornberry Drive
Pittsburgh PA 15235
Tel: (412) 371-2299
E-mail: jaimahtani@msn.com
August 23, 2001
To:
Council & Congregation of Southwest Protestant Reformed Church,
PR congregations, denominational mission fields &
contacts in eastern US
Dear friends and fellow saints,
Greetings!
Greetings once again in the love of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ! Another
summer is almost over! It is time to begin another study season, in school and in the
church. All of a sudden, I am into my fourth year as eastern home missionary, and I find
myself often praying the prayer of Moses in Psalm 90:12: "So teach us to number our
days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."
New Study Season in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
I think that in this newsletter I will begin by letting you know what we are planning
to do in this new study season. Perhaps this will inspire you in your preparation for your
children's catechetical instruction and as you yourself plan to attend Bible studies in
the midst of God's people. As we did last year, we plan to meet Wednesday evenings for our
four catechism classes. There are about twenty children in attendance, with an average of
about five in each class. This is most encouraging, as we see Christ's church being
gathered also in these precious lambs. The young adults will meet one Sunday a month after
the evening service to discuss a series of topics they have chosen. The ladies plan to
begin a Ladies Fellowship, meeting once a month to discuss the book of Ruth. All the
adults will meet again on Thursday nights for our doctrinal and biblical studies. Last
year we completed our study of the doctrines of grace and then spent several weeks
studying the distinctives of the Protestant Reformed Churches. These studies proved
valuable and enriching, as they helped the saints in Pittsburgh not only to be
strengthened in their convictions but also to be given the opportunity to discuss and
confirm their commitment to the glorious truths of the Reformed faith. We plan in this new
season to discuss the five "Solas" of the great Reformation of the sixteenth
century. "To God Alone Be The Glory!" "Scripture Alone!" "Christ
Alone!" "By Faith Alone!" "By Grace Alone!" It is our prayer that
these battle cries might be heard once again! It is our joy that those shouts of joy and
faith can be heard in Pittsburgh, PA.
Once again we look forward to a visit by our Reformed Witness Hour speaker, Rev. Carl Haak, who will come to Pittsburgh the first week of November to speak at our Fourth Annual Reformation Celebration. In light of our upcoming doctrinal studies this year, we have asked him to speak on the theme: "Christ Alone!" Please be encouraged to call for further details and to join us Friday November 2 and Sunday, November 4. We have found that these annual Reformation Celebrations have been a wonderful way to encourage those of like-precious faith to come together and to grow in the truths of God's Word. In the past couple of years, Rev. Haak and I have been interviewed on the radio to promote this event, and we have found attendance steadily increasing. Out-of-town guests are of course warmly welcome to come and support us in this or any of our other regular or special activities.
Our worship services continue to be attended regularly by the core group but also by
several visitors. The Word of God preached is enthusiastically received. It is our prayer
that more of our contacts will join with us in worship so that a congregation of the Lord
Jesus Christ might be organized in Pittsburgh. I have been preaching in the morning from
the Heidelberg Catechism, one of our confessions, under the theme: "Comfort in Life
and in Death." I have just concluded a series on the book of Nehemiah that emphasizes
the spiritual building of the walls of Jerusalem. I have now begun a new series of sermons
on the subject of death. We have in the back of our Psalter a form that is not so often
used. It is the Form for the Consolation of the Sick to prepare believers to die
willingly. Using the rich biblical material found in this form, I have entitled this new
series: "Preparing to Die Willingly," and hope to preach a dozen or so sermons
on death, dealing with doctrines such as total depravity, federal headship, everlasting
judgment, etc. Not only is there an aging population in Pittsburgh but also there are many
that hold to Roman Catholic teachings such as purgatory. These can and must be addressed
through the preaching of the Word. I covet your prayers as I seek, by the grace of God, to
remain a faithful preacher of the Word. This, after all, is the crux of the task of any
minister, whether a pastor of a congregation, a missionary on the field, or a professor in
the seminary. We must preach the Word or give up the honor of being a minister!
My family was able to join me in my July visit to Fayetteville. I have been traveling
there rather often, and it was good for my wife and children to go along and see the
progress and development there. Plans had been made for a field day with various
activities: tug-of-war, soccer, basketball, swimming, etc. The competition was tight but
the Mahtanis beat the Fayettevillians except in the tug-of-war. We were outnumbered by one
hundred percent! The group there has grown. Two new families have been attending the
services, and several others are showing interest. This is most heartening. Although I
plan to continue to be involved in the labors there, I am going to have to cut back on my
visits to Fayetteville due to the increasing demands of the labors in Pittsburgh. It is
becoming evident to all that the work in Fayetteville needs more and more attention.
Southwest PRC and the Domestic Mission Committee are presently discussing various
possibilities of giving the saints there more systematic help, both in the preaching as
well as in pastoral and evangelism labors. How thankful we must be as churches that the
Lord continues to give us open doors to labor. How good it is to see the Reformed faith
being received also in Fayetteville, NC. The saints there earnestly desire to see a
Protestant Reformed Church in their area, and it is our prayer that the Lord may fulfill
this desire, in His good time.
During my last visit to Fayetteville we had visitors both Sundays. Besides the
interested parties mentioned above, we had a few other visitors. The Word of God is going
out in Fayetteville through radio, newspaper, personal contacts, etc. For example, the
chief Parks Ranger, an Indian man from Trinidad, was in attendance. I had met him during a
previous visit and he had attended a Bible study. We also had a sales representative from
J.C. Penny's, a lady who had helped me pick out a dress for Esther during my visit in May.
I sometimes wear a McDonald's tie which was given to me by the store's manager in
Fayetteville, a Christian man who has promised to visit us. The "M"s on this
tie, of course, stand for Missionary Mahtani.
But this kind of diversity of backgrounds is found also in Pittsburgh. Because we have
an African-American family in our group, we have seen several blacks join us in worship:
parents, nephews, nieces, friends. Through our radio announcements we have come to be in
contact with all kinds of people: those of Reformed background, but also those who have
never heard the Calvinistic presentation of the gospel. We are in contact with people in
Pittsburgh, but also those who live in surrounding areas of up to an hour's drive. Several
widows, in fact three in number, communicate with us regularly by telephone or through an
occasional visit. We are also happy that a few of the families from Trinity Christian
School where we hold our services have worshiped with us. In the next paragraph I will
give you a specific example to illustrate this diversity in our mission labors, one that
has been of great encouragement to me personally.
Jesus tells us that when one sinner repents, the angels in heaven rejoice! (Luke
15:10). The Lord is pleased to save His own in various different circumstances, including
those who are in jail. In fact, I was inspired to write this newsletter today because I
had a most encouraging visit with a brother who is incarcerated. I came to know him a
couple of years ago before he was put into prison. There is no need for me to enter into
any details here about his crime or conviction. Suffice it to say that this man has come
to repentance by the wonderful grace of God. He has read the Bible twice through in the
last several months. Although he was raised in a Christian home, he had left the Christian
faith for many years. These were his words today: "Sad to say, I realize now that I
had become part of the world for so long, that world which is in each of us. Happily, by
the grace of God, I realize now that I do not desire to be part of the world any longer,
but to walk as a child of God. I am concerned that when I get out of here I continue to
have the same desires. I know that I have not come to this conclusion on my own, but the
Sciptures themselves have shown me this. I want to be sure that when I leave I not only
have the support team of doctors in place, but my spiritual contact in you and your
church." Let us join in the rejoicing!
We believe that the Word of God does not teach that God either purposes or desires the
salvation of all men head for head, soul for soul. We do not labor as missionaries with
that false assumption either. Rather, we are convinced that the Scriptures mean to
emphasize the truth that salvation is for the world - not only for the Jews, but also for
the Gentiles. The gospel must go to the nations, that is, to all peoples, before the Lord
returns. The mystery of Christ in now manifest in the New Testament to all men, that is,
to all kinds of men. It is interesting that the Scriptures repeatedly emphasize this
aspect of the universality of the elect church: not only Jew and Greek, but also rich and
poor, bond and free, king and servant, near and far, aged and children, and the list can
be multiplied. And so, as Reformed people, we have reason to be zealous in missions. We,
of all people, must bring the gospel to every creature!
Harvest Plenteous, Laborers Few
So it is evident that the labors in Pittsburgh flourish and the work in Fayetteville
continues to blossom. We also continue to develop the contacts we have in Allentown, PA
and Lanham, MD. There are also other contacts being developed by others both in eastern
and western USA. It is clear that we need more manpower for home missions. At the same
time, however, we have three vacant churches. There are also great needs in foreign
missions: a second missionary for Ghana, a missionary for the Philippines, and a
minister-on-loan for Singapore. The Word of our Lord Jesus Christ stands true, also today:
"The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few" (Matt. 9:37).
Pray With Thanksgiving!
All this is surely no reason to become anxious or discouraged, although we might be prone to do this when we lean on our own human understanding. On the contrary, let us lift up our hearts with thanksgiving to God for the privilege He gives to us as churches to reach the nations with the gospel of grace, both at home and abroad. The many open doors give us reason to go on bended knee to the Lord of the harvest to acknowledge humbly that the harvest is the Lord's and that the laborers must be provided by Him. This He commands us to do in Matthew 9:38: "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He may send forth laborers into his harvest." It is the Lord's
harvest, and He will provide more laborers, in His good time. Let us rejoice in the
Lord's blessings and continue fervently to pray for our ministers and our missionaries,
not forgetting our professors and our students who prepare for the ministry. May Jehovah
be pleased to continue to keep us faithful in contending for the faith once delivered to
the saints, both within the churches as well as on the mission field.
Family Blessings
My family and I had an enjoyable summer. With the kids out of school we were able to
take a vacation in Houston and Florida. Jonathan and David had an enjoyable time at the
Young People's Convention again this year. They have just got their driving licenses and
this will be a great help on the field for those who have transportation problems. For
example, they have offered to give rides on a regular basis to Mr. Ed Brown, who lives
some thirty minutes away, and whose declining eyesight has hindered him from coming to
church. We were also able this summer to tour a couple of colleges just to begin thinking
about where our children might go in the years to come. The family is growing so fast. All
of a sudden we have not one or two, but four teenagers in the home. Mary will begin
kindergarten this fall, so we will have seven of our eight children at Trinity. All in
all, we are thankful for a fruitful and blessed summer and for the special time we were
able to spend to deal with the growing needs of a growing family. We now look forward to
another busy study season.
Concluding Remarks
I am sure that with this newsletter many of you will have either begun or are now busy
preparing to begin another school year. I would like to conclude in the same way I began.
Let us look forward to this new study season with joyful enthusiasm, not with burdensome
regret! As we on the mission field busy ourselves in catechism, Bible studies, doctrine
classes, etc. may you at home do the same. Let us at home and on the mission field be busy
in the noble spirit of the Bereans, searching the Scriptures daily! Yes, may we also be as
those who love Zion, the city of God! Let us be found often in her midst, in the precious
communion of the saints, and around the precious Word of God! Till next time, may
Jehovah's face shine on you all.
In His Love,
Rev. Jai Mahtani