John’s Speaking Engagements & Events
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2022 Yearly Partner Update
Dear Partners in Ministry,
Happy New Year! Last year was full of ministry opportunity and thanks to your continued faithfulness and God's favor, Bonnie and I were able to teach around the world, seeing Pastors trained, Christians challenged with Scripture and the lost come to saving faith in our Lord Jesus.
Looking ahead in 2023, Lord willing, we will continue to develop class materials, lessons and teaching videos. We will begin our travel this year in February and be mostly on the road through July. After a quick turnaround, we will be back on the road all over the world until Thanksgiving.
We have exciting plans for the launch of Discover The Book Academy. With the Lords favor, we hope to launch that within the next month or so. The Academy will be free, and will allow you to access and view all the lessons in one given series conveniently from one site. We are planning lots of content, tools and resources to help you 'discover the book'.
We covet your prayers for provision, safety and success in ministry this coming year. It's all possible because of God's faithfulness and your continued partnership. We could not be more grateful or feel more loved and appreciated. May the Lord bless you richly for your faithful participation in our ministry work.
Thank you and bless you in Jesus name,
John & Bonnie Barnett
1Thessalonians 3:12-13
December 2022 Partner Update
Dear Partners in Ministry,
As I type this thank you note for your continued faithfulness in supporting us and praying for us along the ministry road—my heart is flooded with so many faces and voices of those we have seen God transform their lives this year. We are seeing men and women, young and old come to Christ for salvation and start growing in amazing ways. In 2022 we heard from dozens and dozens of them. We have challenged, counseled, nurtured, and rejoiced with each of them. Most have found a local church where they have gotten baptized and are starting to become a part of an active body of believers.
One of the most stirring reports was sent by one of our students named Phil, that God used us to be a part of his radical transformation. Here is his testimony he wrote out and gave to me:
Several years ago the Holy Spirit used you and your ministry to reach me when I was in total darkness and sin. I was a loveless person in the deepest despair. I was a drug-addicted homosexual, homeless, HIV positive, having practiced witchcraft, and for lack of better words completely destitute. While in my sin the Holy Spirit reached me through your sermons on YouTube. Your videos would pop up in my video feed! Your teachings on homosexuality were eloquent and I understood my sin was not too big for God. Your teachings on drug addicts as people and sinners made sense to me, even while I still used drugs. He used you to reach me.
After many years of this lifestyle, I had overdosed on drugs and I could literally feel death all around. I cried out to Jesus and begged him not to send me to hell. I knew I was going to go to hell. I knew I was destined for a place that was separated from him. I told him I was sorry for how I lived my life. I told him I needed him because I couldn’t save myself from hell. And Jesus did save me. He transformed me. Today I am married to a beautiful woman and she is pregnant with my second child. She is HIV-negative and both of my children are healthy and beautiful. Can you believe how good The Lord is? He is so good. He is amazing and wonderful. Today I have a career and we own our home. Jesus Christ restored me more than I could have ever known. But, what is most important is I have a relationship with Jesus Christ. I love when he gently wakes me up in the wee hours of the morning just so I can pray and commune with Him. God is so good. I cannot wait to meet Jesus one day.
I wanted you and Bonnie to know that your ministry reached me when I was in great darkness and the Holy Spirit used your words and led me back to Jesus. Remember me in your prayers. I’m still learning how to guard my heart and mind against besetting thoughts. The wickedness of the flesh and devil is real some days and I find my mind is the area I have the most difficult time. But, I introduced your teachings to my wife and my mother and we watch your teachings now. In my personal reading, I’m in Isaiah. And I love your study guides online.
That is what God is doing through your investments in us as we serve.
We are scheduled to teach all during 2023, Lord willing. We are scheduled at training centers in the US, Canada, Central America, Europe, and Asia. All that is only possible by God’s grace. The empowering of the Spirit of God. The provision of all expenses by faithful saints like you, and your partnership praying for us each day.
Thank you in Jesus' Name for loving us, helping us, and cheering us along as we serve Him together.
Yours Because His,
John & Bonnie Barnett
Hebrews 13:20-21
November 2022 Partner Update - A VIVID Reminder for Eternal Thanks
As Bonnie & I waded through the crowds at Denver airport this week and stood in line (it was full like the picture above shows), we were again reminded of one of the shared ministry gifts the Lord sent us.
A smiling man pulling his bag walked straight up to us, hand extended. He looked us each in the eyes and said, "You led me to Christ and discipled me with your YouTube messages all through Covid." He then sweetly thanked us, turned, and melted back into the crowds. I turned amazed, and said to Bonnie, 'Do you think that was that an angel, or a real person?"
After 10 weeks on the road, teaching 5-6 days a week across four countries we were full of joy and tired. The Lord reminded us there at DEN (one of our favorite airport codes that signal we're close to home) that we are TAKING PEOPLE with us to Heaven. But, the very next thought that flooded our hearts was that each of YOU is what makes it possible for us to lead more than 100 people to Christ over the last 36 months of Covid.
Your investment in supporting us financially and prayerfully makes us partners in taking these people to Heaven. Just like this man walking straight up to us at the airport, I believe we will each have similar experiences in Heaven when we meet those the Lord SAVED using US together in partnership--as His tool.
May your hearts be full of joy this holiday season. Remember what Paul said in 1 Th. 2:19-20, that we will share the joys of taking people with us to Heaven. It is a THRILL to see the Lord doing that through us as we serve in partnership with each of you!
With our love,
John & Bonnie Barnett - 1 Th. 2:19-20
October 2022 Partner Update
Dear Fellow Citizens of Heaven--
Thank you for helping us to serve here in Europe this month. This comment from one of our students captures what we love to do so much. The student said--
Teacher John that class message was deep, it went straight to the heart, it was confirmation and the answer to my spiritual warfare. Now I feel comfortable, talking to the saints of God and the Lost. Thank you so much for helping me with this spiritual warfare, God Bless
Bonnie & I live in student housing, walk almost a mile each way to the grocery store, carry our food and water back to the apartment, and then climb four flights of stairs to our place. When we open the door and walk into this totally different world than we ever dreamed of when we started on the mission field in 2017--we both smile, and one or the other says, "These are the BEST days of our lives!"
We love every challenging and tiring minute we are here because God is using us to touch so many students' lives.
Here are our three BIGGEST delights of October--
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- TRANSFORMED LIVES--We taught several classes on "Denying Ungodliness by Grace" where we taught the students the daily disciplines of reading the Word devotionally, applying it to specific areas of our lives by prayer, and finding a small group to cultivate personal accountability.
- LIFE-LONG HABITS: One of our precious moments was when we explained, demonstrated, and testified about how "Scripture Memorization & Meditation" has changed our lives. I showed the students my verses cards I'm using here in Europe each day (they are picture files in Apple Notes of the dozens of worn-out, dog-eared cards I carried in the USA over the years). Then we showed them how to choose a verse, memorize a verse, and start to prayerfully meditate on that verse. The results are astounding when they see life-long struggles with specific sins start to fade as they apply the Sword of the Spirit to their specific struggle.
- EUROPEANS REACHING EUROPEANS--We were able to lead a "How to Share the Gospel" training session complete with marking the Romans Road in their Bibles, a demo on how to witness, and a long-term prayer strategy for reaching people around us with the Gospel. Then we launch them each week to go out and try to share what God has done in their life with someone this week. We also participate and have some wonderful witnessing appointments the Lord always gives us.
We all have been through an amazing month of global and local events. I just love reading the news over here in Europe that is so completely different than the news we hear in America. Praying for each of you who so faithfully stand with us over here as we serve. We hope to make it back to the States by Thanksgiving unless the Lord Returns--and then we will look for you in Glory!
Yours Because His,
John & Bonnie Barnett
Hebrews 13:20-21