2024 Fall Update

    We send our appreciation to those who give to make our ministries possible. You have blessed us, and we have been able to use your gifts to bless others. Things are going well here.

    I co-led a dozen men on a men’s retreat earlier this month. It was a unique mix of Indian college students, homeless men, guys young in their faith, and guys maturing in their faith. There were meaningful conversations, extended prayer times, convicting moments, and encouraging moments. We studied John 15, and I believe God’s Spirit moved in each man’s life. Pray for the men to abide in Christ. Pray that God's call to faithfulness and fruitfulness would be our idea of success.

    I’m including pictures from this week’s teen Bible study. We were learning about the power and authority of Jesus in John 4. Some were hearing the gospel for the first time, and others invited friends and led in prayer for the first time at this Bible study. Pray for spiritual growth, especially among the older teens.

    This summer we wrote some grants to improve the parking lot next to our house by adding a bench, trash cans, a picnic table, native pollinators, and a new in-ground basketball hoop. This is the main place we meet and engage with the teens who attend Thursday night Bible study at our house. This basketball hoop is now the best in the neighborhood, and we have been able to make some new connections as a result. The evening after it was installed, Julia came home and met a young man who was in the parking lot for the first time. As the conversation progressed, Julia had the opportunity to share the gospel and invite to church. He showed up on Sunday, attends faithfully, and is asking excellent questions. He even attended the men’s retreat and connected with many of the more mature believers.

    A big praise and prayer request is a family that we—several people from our church—have been connecting with and witnessing to for three summers now. It is a grandpa, his granddaughter, and his grandson. They practice Hinduism but never miss our summer outreach in the park. The grandpa is likely a pluralist who has had little exposure to the truth about Jesus. He peeked into our church one Sunday in July. When we were wrapping up at the park on that following Tuesday, he told me he would see me at church on Sunday. They have come every week since, and we were able to provide them with a Bible in their language. Pray for this family! Pray that God’s spirit works in their hearts and that we represent Christ well.

    Julia has also gotten to connect with a young mom from India who has two daughters. Because the mom is Muslim, she has a limited community here and is lonely. Julia has gotten to take the family to the zoo, share a meal in their house, and has an ongoing relationship with them. Pray that this relationship can continue and that there are opportunities to share the gospel.

    We are praying for spiritual growth among our people. Over the past decade, much of our ministry has been to unbelievers and young believers. As we were writing this update together, we had to give credit where credit is due: God is answering that longtime prayer for spiritual growth. One man in our church recently decided to pursue pastoral training. We have three other people attending CityView who are writing worship songs and have asked me to record them. Two people have asked to be baptized next month. God is good.

    Thanks for reading this long update. There are so many opportunities to write about, so many ways that God is at work here in Cleveland—even more than were included here and even more than we realize now. We thank God for you and for your prayers.

The Kudlos