Jim Morgan
Hi, my name is Jim Morgan, from Mears, Michigan, a missionary candidate for Romania with Drive-In Ministries, of Prattville, Alabama. I’m single, never been married, and 58 years old. I am currently on the board of Drive-In Ministries. I served with this mission in the 1970s when I was in my 20s, for 7 years. The Lord has been working in my heart, and I believe He would have me spend the remaining good years of my life serving Him in Romania with Drive-In. This DVD will introduce you to the ministry in Romania and is about 15 minutes long.
The Drive-In Ministry was started by Terry and Olive Lytle in 1949. Olive is my mother’s sister and I have been in touch with the Lytles all of my life. It was a joy to work with them in the ‘70s. Terry and Olive went to be with the Lord in 2008, and we rejoice in their tireless work over the years, those who came to Christ, and the joy they now experience in the presence of the Savior!
Let me tell you how it has happened that God is calling me to Romania. Drive-In Ministries has always been on the cutting edge of using technology to spread the Gospel of Christ. I believe Terry and Olive instilled that into me when I served with them. I observed their passion for the lost and I believe that passion has been passed along to me. My spiritual gift is evangelism and for the past 2 years, the Lord has encouraged me to use technology to bring people to Himself. The technology I’m speaking of is the Internet. I have met many people from around the world on the Internet and witnessed to them about the saving power of Jesus Christ. Some have come to saving faith, just by conversing with them on an instant messenger service and helping them to seek God’s forgiveness and asking Jesus to be their Lord and Savior!
In the winter of 2008, I met a young man in Romania online. Cata was 16 at the time and he introduced me to 6 of his friends, all 16, all classmates, and one was a Christian. Teo, the Christian, is the youngest in a family of 12 children. Teo then introduced me to several brothers, sisters and nieces and nephews of his. In the process of getting to know all 7 of the young people and witnessing to them, Mihai and Julian accepted Christ as their Savior. I had a strong desire to go to Romania to meet these young people.
In the spring of 2008, I was visiting with Mike Jones, president of Drive-In Ministries and he mentioned he would be going to Romania in the fall to meet with a Seminary, to speak with them about the potential of putting a film ministry van in that country. I asked if he would like a companion and so a trip to Romania was born.
As it worked out, I went ahead of Mike, and he joined me the last 2 days of my 10 in Romania. I arrived in Timisoara, Romania on Wednesday evening, November 26, 2008. Teo was to meet me at the airport with his brother Oni and his brother-in-law Pastor Teo. I went with the faith that they would meet me and they did!! It was a joyful meeting, and from that moment I was Teo and Onis guest in their country for 8 days. It was a blessing to be with these precious Romanian young people, to hang with them, to worship in their churches and meet many of their family members. I also met Teo’s 6 classmates and the two that had accepted Christ. When my time was over with Teo and Oni, the good bye was tearful and I didn’t expect to ever return to their country, but God had other plans!
The 2 days with Mike were very profitable. We stayed with Pastor Gigi and he showed us 3 tiny churches he pastors out in small, poor, rural villages. Mike and I caught the vision of great potential for film ministry in Romania.
I returned to Michigan on December 5, 2008, and from the moment I arrived home, the Lord began to tug at my heart about Romania. I used every excuse I could think of to tell God no, but the tug got stronger every day. On January 15, 2009, my excuses no longer mattered and I told the Lord I would go to Romania if that’s where He wants me. Ever since that moment the doors have been flying open as the Lord prepares the way. I contacted Mike Jones and asked if he would be interested in me being a missionary with Drive-In to Romania, he said yes! I decided I needed to go back to Romania and within a few days of these decisions, the furnace in my house died. There went the possibility of being able to afford another trip to Romania, but the Lord had other plans. Through generous friends from church, the Lord provided $2,717.00 to make the trip! I was humbled and thankful.
On June 3, 2009 I set out for my 2nd trip to Romania in 6 months, this time for a 12 day visit. I spent 8 days with Teo, saw his classmates again, met new people, then spent 4 days with Pastor Gigi, and was able to be with him in his 3 tiny churches. I was about 80% sure that God wants me to serve Him in Romania when I arrived in that country. On the morning of June 8, I was staying with Teo, got up at 6:00 AM to read my Bible. I had started to read Psalms before I left for Romania and on this morning the next chapter was 139. When I read verses 9 and 10, I stopped, read them again and again, and with tears streaming down my face, knew for certain God wants me in Romania! This trip was full of blessing meeting more people, speaking in churches and hanging with young people. When it came time to say good bye to Teo, brother Samy and his wife Ofelia, and niece Ligia, the tears began to flow. This time I could say “I’ll be back!” and I can’t wait to get there to serve the Lord!
On Labor Day, September 7, 2009, I learned that I have been accepted as a candidate for Romania with Drive-In Ministries. I have been working with my pastors and the mission chairman at my home church, First Baptist of Hart in preparation for deputation and presenting what the Lord has for me to our congregation. On September 20, Mike Jones was here and made the announcement to our congregation that I am a candidate to serve in Romania. On November 1, 2009 I presented the Lord’s calling in my life to the people I have served the Lord with for the past 27 years.
What will I do in Romania? I will live in the city of Craiova in the southern part of the country, which has a population of about 400,000. Romania is the size of New York and Pennsylvania combined and has a population of 23 million people. Drive-In Ministries will provide me with a film ministry vehicle, a van with a screen, video projector and sound system to be used in film ministry in the cities and villages in Romania. I will be able to continue to use my love for technology and the gift of evangelism God has given me to tell the lost about Christ, to disciple and encourage Christians and to build many, many relationships.
The Lord has used a 21st Century method, the Internet to introduce me to people in Romania. Not many missionaries can say when they arrive on the field that they know people in the country they are about to serve in. I know more than 100 people in Romania, have spoken in 7 churches, and I haven’t arrived to officially begin the work God has called me to do!! What an incredible time we live in! I am in need of financial support to accomplish the task of bringing people to Christ in Romania. I have contacted you because your church supported Terry and Olive in the past. You know about the ministry of Drive-In, and now you know how God has worked this year in my life. Would you consider supporting me, the next generation relative of the Lytles to serve in the ministry they founded and loved so dearly? I have divided the monthly support need by 30 days and it comes to $117 per day. Would you consider taking a day or more per month? I would love to speak with you and come to present the work the Lord has for me to yourself personally and to your congregation.
Teo taught me months before I ever met him in person that “God is working!” God is working in my life. He has been working the past few years at my home church and I believe that the Lord has worked in my heart because He has been working in the lives of people at my church.
email jhmorgan0951@yahoo.com
blog Jim2Romania.blogspot.com
cell# 231-425-7184
Here is a video of the first film meeting in Romania! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR6DRhjmMo8