It is our hope and prayer that you and all those you love and hold dear are well!

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

Recently, the Lord has given me more and more understanding of the need of proclaiming the suffering, death, and resurrection of His Son Jesus, through which God has remained righteous while saving the unrighteous (Romans 3:26). As I last wrote to you, I am teaching through the book of Romans to about 200 young adults. I am going through the epistle verse by verse. First, I am blessed by the Lord through the preparation of the study, and then I am privileged to preach and pass on what He has shown me from this fundamental epistle. The Lord is blessing the studies tremendously.

Since our last report, I traveled for five days with about twenty young people to several major cities in the Netherlands. During the day we approached people on the street with the question: “What is the purpose of your life?” During the evenings, I spoke at meetings. It was a learning time for me, because although I speak in many meetings, I have done little street evangelism. Some brothers who were with me did street preaching, which was a powerful experience. There was a great deal of resistance and opposition, but at the same time, much brokenness in human lives, which led to many open doors to share the Gospel. One of the highlights of our time was my encounter with two women in a park in Alkmaar. One woman was homeless and living on the streets. The other woman was an ex-prostitute. Both were addicted to alcohol among other things. When I met them, they were under the influence. I invited them to the evening meeting. Both were going to come, but in the end only the homeless woman came. After the meeting we talked with her and prayed. She ended up coming with us, and for about four weeks she lived with friends of ours here in a neighboring village. Now, she is being helped by a Christian aid organization. We hope and pray that the Lord will fulfill His glorious purpose in her life.

During the weekend of October 20, I was privileged to speak at the fall conference of Heart Cry Netherlands. The main theme for this conference was Luke 1:17. I spoke to the young people about the necessity of repentance from Acts 17:15-34. With the older people, I shared a message from 2 Chronicles 16:9. God desires for us to have a heart that is completely devoted to Him!

During this upcoming period I will be making a contribution to the pro-life movement in the Netherlands, which is held annually and is called, “The March for Life.” See also the website www.marsvoorhetleven.nl We hold a massive outdoor meeting in the center of The Hague. Then, we walk a “silent march” through the city in memory of the nearly 30,000 children who are murdered in the womb annually in the Netherlands. I have written an article for a national newspaper and I will be speaking during the open meeting. This is an interdenominational Christian event, which also includes political leaders. Recently, I have also been given an open door at a regional radio station to share the Word of the Lord, for which we are very thankful.

In addition to the above work, the Sunday lectures continue in our own community and the municipalities elsewhere in the country. Not everywhere is the message of the Gospel well received. There is also opposition. Recently, I received strong criticism toward the message that I had shared in the city of Eindhoven. It was said that I was causing strife among the people. I was too radical and too black and white. This problem will only increase in the Netherlands. In many evangelical churches people are not taught any longer about following Christ and what that means – that we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and that we must imitate Jesus. In my country, the call does not often go beyond “accepting” Christ as Savior, and rarely includes receiving Jesus as Lord of your life! I have laid the criticism I received before the Lord, and He has confirmed that this is the Word that I must share. The result is that I may no longer preach in certain places. That happens.

Lately, I am noticing more and more that it is necessary to think about and speak on specific themes. Amongst Dutch Christians there is an enormous amount of confusion about themes such as marriage, divorce, remarriage, and related issues surrounding sexuality, homosexuality etc. I suspect that speaking on these themes will cause divisions within Christian communities. I am constantly confronted by the fact that many people in Christian communities detract from the truth. However, in these things the Lord asks spiritual leaders to be steadfast and fearless. My prayer is that the Lord will equip me and will give me grace to stand.

In recent weeks, a brother has developed a website for us. With this website we want to give more “face” to our ministry, and communicate with brothers and sisters who are involved with our ministry. On this website, you will find sermons on MP3 and Video. Additionally, my speaking schedule is listed, so that people can pray and stay informed. Unfortunately, the text is not readable in English, but if you go to www.jacquesbrunt.nl, you will get a clear picture of our ministry.

Now that we are serving the Lord in full-time ministry, I am learning to divide my time properly. Often in the evening I am away from home for speaking engagements. During the day, I am more at home. Through the call to the ministry, we have entered into a new period as a family. As a father and husband, I am seeking to distribute my time in such as way as to have enough time with my family and also for the work to which we have been called. I do not find this to be so simple. Sometimes everything is mingled. It is important that as a family we get up on time in the morning, seek the Lord, and get into a daily rhythm. In addition, I sometimes find it difficult to separate the necessary time for preparation for sermons from my personal time with God. My personal relationship with God, communion with Him, should not be supplanted by preparing for speaking engagements.

I started this report with the text from Romans 8:32 and I also want to close this report with that verse. God the Father has given His Son, also for us! What grace! What a miracle! He will also give us ALL THINGS with Him! Not so much what we WISH for, but what we NEED as a family. By that faith we live!

Again, thank you for your support and your bestowed trust. It is extraordinary to be interconnected ‘across oceans in the person and work of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Please, receive our loving greetings from Holland!

Jacques & Annette Brunt
Levi, Boaz & Jesse
Alblasserdam | Holland