Posts on Gary & Tina Barrow

Fruit, Faithfulness and Future

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 21:34:59 +0000

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It’s been a while now that I’ve been back in the states, and I wanted to report to you on what God has done since my last update.

As you know, I was in the 10/40 window for the two months of March and April. It is my great pleasure to report that God met me and our team of pastors in the most wonderful way imaginable.

Literally Staggering

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 03:31:49 +0000

The time has come to return to the 10/40 Window. The statistics are literally staggering.

For example, as I write this update, there is approximately 8.09 billion people in the world. It’s estimated that 42% of the worlds population, or 3.45 billion people have never heard the name of Jesus. The 10/40 Window is often called “The Resistant Belt” and includes the majority of the world’s Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists

It's Not Hyperbole or Exaggeration

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 20:47:37 +0000

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After a 6 week trip in Mexico with Calvary School of Missions, I headed to Thailand for the Calvary Chapel Asian Conference. I was in Thailand for 2 1/2 weeks before I flew out to South Asia for another 6 week stay. Now I’ve been back for a week, and I’m jumping right back into discipling our pastors, workers and students in the 10/40 window via zoom.

A Great Light in Darkness

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 00:12:07 +0000

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I know this is a long update, but please read it in it’s entirety. God has done such great things and I want to share some of them with you for His praise and glory.

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I’ve been back for week a now, from my recent trip to Mexico with the Calvary School of Missions. I’ve tried to take the last few days to just gather my thoughts regarding all the amazing things we saw God do. My great fear today is that I will not be able to put into words the wonderful things that has taken place.

Past events, as well as future ones

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 17:35:09 +0000

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It’s been a bit since I have returned from my last trip. God has opened many wonderful opportunities for us to serve Him.

We continue leading a weekly Bible study every Sunday morning in King’s Beach CA. It’s a small home fellowship, but the group is so loving and desires to go deeper in the Word. It’s been such a blessing to meet with them. We recently finished teaching verse by verse through the Book of Acts and have started the Book of Romans. One of the great blessings to me has been when God has called me away, either to teach and share in other churches the ministry that the Lord has given us, reaching out to the unreached, Bryan, our son, has stepped in to lead the group. It’s such a blessing to be able to trust the Bible study to him, knowing that he cares for the people and is able to teach them the Word faithfully, without error. What a blessing!

Momentary Light Afflictions

Wed, 01 May 2024 20:45:38 +0000

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My recent trip to the 10/40 window was met with the loss of hearing in my left ear, which continued for 3 weeks. Then, upon its resolution, I promptly broke a tooth. The trip was topped off with a 22 hour delay of my final flight on my way home. It made for a return trip that consisted of 25 hours of flight time and a total 34 hours of layovers. But it was all worth it!

1 Year anniversary and a New Start

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 19:17:21 +0000

It has been just over a year now since we left Southern California and have moved to Verdi NV. We moved into our rental 4/13/20.

I officially took over the leadership responsibilities of Calvary Chapel Truckee on 4/1/20. God has done so much and has shown Himself strong every step of the way.

Taking over the church during the pandemic was something new. Not being able to meet people in the church for the first 4-5 months was a challenge. We were forced to record and post all our teachings because we were unable to meet.

Calvary Chapel Truckee

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 19:35:39 +0000

As you know, we moved to Northern California to take the senior (only) pastor position at Calvary Chapel Truckee.

We actually moved to Verdi Nevada. as close as you can get to Truckee and not be in California. It’s about a 20 minute drive along the Truckee river, on I 80, to get to the church.

So I wanted to give you a quick update and share some really exciting news with you.

South Asia 2019

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 17:19:34 +0000

In less that a week, P Trent and I will be leading a team to South Asia. All of us on the team would appreciate your prayers.

The country we are going to is one of the top 10 worse countries to live in if you are a believer. A vow has been made by the leaders of this country to eradicate Christianity from within their boarders.

While we are there, we will be visiting 3 of the 4 Bible colleges, some of our remote church plants, and we will be holding 3 conferences for leaders and workers. Because of the current climate in the country, these conferences have to be held securely and somewhat secretly. There is a certain danger for those who are attending.

It's April Already!

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 16:40:53 +0000

The picture to the left says “TIME FLYS.” What can I say? It’s true, but it’s not an excuse. I’m just bad at writing updates, staying up on them and making sure they get out in a timely manner. It seems like a never ending battle with the calendar. Lord help me!

I think part of the problem is that our lives as missionaries are not really much different than your life. We wake, we spend time with the Lord in our devotions. Afterwards I go to work, talk with people, try to let my light shine, look for opportunities to share Jesus. After a day working for the Army, I go home, spend time with the family and relax. Before I turn in, I try to spend some more time with the Lord, read my Bible, thank the Lord for His faithfulness, for carrying us through another day, and I ask Him for His grace and goodness for tomorrow. I’m certain that’s about the same as your daily routine. It’s just the life of a Christian.

As of July

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 16:08:23 +0000

I recently sent this update out to our financial supporters and wanted to share it with a wider audience. I hope it will bless you.

After the update I have a few more recent additions. So please take the time to read it and pray.

Gary and Tina

---—————————————————————————————————— All I can say is wow! Things have been so hectic, wonderful, crazy and full of attack.

Ashley and Elijah are here for the summer. They needed to come to renew their visas, escape the heat in Jordan and avoid Ramadan. They came with another friend of theirs who is also working in Jordan. Shortly after they arrived, we had a special night where they made an Arab meal for our church and shared about the work they are engaged in. I was struck by one story they told of one of the Sudanese refugees that we have been supporting as a church. They told how he was being tortured for his faith and knew that if the torture that he was enduring was going to continue, he would loose his sight. The next day they came and they brought him out to torture him and they did some other type of torture. What stuck me was his response. He thanked the Lord for the different form of torture. His sight was not endangered any more. I was left wondering how I would have responded?

New News!

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 15:39:06 +0000

I have been wanting to write to share some big news. We recently have had an unexpected answer to prayer. I have been asking everyone I know to be praying that God would open a door and allow us to return to full time ministry and missions.

Long story short, we are going to be moving to Truckee, California. If you have never heard of Truckee, it is a few miles west of Lake Tahoe. I was asked to take over as the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Truckee.

Just around the corner

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 14:45:50 +0000

Just wanted to give you a little more information about our trip to South Asia. IT’S JUST AROUND THE CORNER! I mean, it’s coming soon and it seems to be picking up speed.

There will be eight of us going, four pastors, two really cool young men with a radical heart for the Lord, and two of the sweetest, godly, on fire women that I know. It’s a blessing to be part of this group. I think God has great things in store for us during the three weeks in June we are away.

How Long Has It Been?

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 14:44:35 +0000

I confess it has been a long time since my last update. Please forgive me for not writing sooner.

God has been doing so much and the enemy is not happy.

We were able to find a house in Verdi Nevada, about 20 miles form the church office. We are renting a little house right across the street from the Truckee river. We actually can’t afford to live in Truckee. Since the Covid pandemic, many people from San Francisco, knowing now they can work for home, are escaping the big city and buying up all the properties in Truckee. The house costs have skyrocketed. a 1000 sq ft A-frame fixer upper with no garage will run $550,000.

Easter 2012

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 14:35:25 +0000

All last week the weather was wonderful. I was certain that it was the beginning of spring and summer was just around the corner. Isn’t it funny how quick things can change? When things around us are changing, it’s then that we need to remember that our Lord is a Solid Rock, a Sure Foundation, the same yesterday, today and forever, with no shadow of turning. That is such a wonderful truth to me and the Lord has been pressing it upon my heart.Even though the weather was not cooperating, our Easter was a great success. We had a great turn out for church, we sang praises, celebrated our risen Savior, and afterwards our Bar-b-que, albeit indoors, provided a great time of fellowship. Afterwards when we were saying good bye to everyone, a German teenager told me that he really enjoyed coming to church today. He said it wasn’t as boring as his church and that he never knew that the resurrection was pictured in the Old Testament or understood why it was so important. Praise God, he’s family said that they would be back and wanted to start coming to Calvary Chapel regularly.Other changes, which you are looking at, is our new update format. We very excited to be affiliated with Saving Grace World Missions and hope you enjoy the new look of the updates. Our goal is to better communicate what God is doing in the church and in the lives of those coming to Calvary Chapel Ansbach. We want to encourage you to pray for us and ask God to establish and bless Calvary Chapel Ansbach. And please let us know how we can pray for you. “We serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today. I know that He is living, whatever men may say. I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer. And just the time I need Him, He’s always near. He lives! He live! Christ Jesus lives today, He walks with me and He talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives? He lives with in my heart.” We hope you had a wonderful Resurrection Sunday.God bless,Gary and Tina

CCBC South Asia

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 15:25:49 +0000

I wanted to let you know the latest and ask you for your prayers.

The new semester at Calvary Bible College South Asia is under way. It started November 15. The 16 week semester will continue through the month of March.

This semester the classes offered are: Ezra & Nehemiah, 1st & 2nd Samuel, The gospel of Luke, The book of Acts, The book of Romans, 1st & 2nd Corinthians, and Practical Christian Ministry.

Exceedingly, abundantly above all we could have imagined: South Asia 2019

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 02:45:11 +0000

Let me start by saying there are no words. There are no words that could adequately convey all that God did. I have been a missionary for 18 years now. I have been on many trips as a leader and team member, and I can say without a doubt, this was the best team I have ever served with. This was the best trip I have ever taken. I have never seen more fruit born from a trip than I saw born out of this trip.

May and June 2019

Sat, 22 Jun 2019 22:03:20 +0000

This last month and a half has been ridiculously busy and blessed! As you know, I am working full time for the Army in the middle of the Mojave desert, but the Lord has blessed us with an abundance of ministry.

Starting in May, I had the opportunity of sharing at The Pursuit Christian Fellowship in Gilbert Arizona. This was an extra special blessing because Tina and I got to hang out with a couple of our best friends, Tim and Jenny Lee, and Greg and Lori Ward. Tim pastors The Pursuit. Tim and Jenny haven’t laid eyes on Tina for close to 20 years. So you can imagine the blessing that reunion was.

Psalms, Praise, and Prayer

Mon, 03 Sep 2018 21:42:13 +0000

“I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;

I will tell of all Your marvelous works.

I will be glad and rejoice in You;

I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High”

Ps 9:1-2

One of the Psalms I read this morning. I love the Psalms and read them daily. I am frequently reminded by the psalmist how much of our walks with the Lord is simply just a choice. In the psalm above he states his choice to praise the Lord, “I will praise you, O Lord.” He tells us how he chooses to praise the Lord, with his “whole heart.” He also declares how he is going to carry out his choice, by “telling of all [the Lord’s] marvelous works.” He says, within his heart, he chooses to “to be glad and rejoice” in the Lord, while outwardly, he chooses to “sing praise” to the Lord.

Surprises, Blessings, Bible teaching and Prayer

Mon, 26 Mar 2018 01:52:08 +0000

There has been so much that has happened since my last update.

As you may have known, Ashley and Elijah, our daughter and son-in-law, have been expecting their first child. While talking with my sister, Sharalynn, Tina mentioned that Ashley was a little disappointed that she was not going to be able to have a baby shower. They do not live close to any family or any of their close friends. So, it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that she would miss out on that happy event in a new mother’s life when preparing for a new addition to their family.

New Vision, Same Calling

Tue, 16 Jan 2018 00:10:16 +0000

I wanted to let you know what the Lord has been doing and the doors that He is opening. Like Paul said, “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries****” 1 Cor 16:9

It’s been just over a year since the Lord has brought us back to the states. This last year our family has been going through a time of breaking, of really pressing in and seeking the Lord for His heart, and a time of drawing close to Him like never before. It has intensified somewhat in the last three to five months. As you know, when the Lord takes you through these times with Him, it can be overwhelming. There’s been a lot of tears, a lot of tears, but also times of rejoicing and praise, with much needed comfort mixed in.

Moved in & almost settled

Sat, 01 Apr 2017 23:14:03 +0000

Thank you all for your prayers. God has blessed us with a really nice house. It was very difficult to find a house to rent when we got here and the options were very limited, yet The Lord blessed us with a home that is over and above what we could have wished for. We live on the out skirts of Victorville in a quiet neighborhood. Since we live in the desert, there is no grass to mow. That’s a blessing in and of itself in my eyes.

In A Word...

Mon, 09 Jan 2017 05:27:19 +0000

Since we announced we were returning to the states, it has been nothing but a whirlwind for us. It has been all we could do just to hang on. So many people have emailed us to ask us how we are doing and how they could pray for us, but honestly, we have been so overwhelmed with things that need to be done, we just haven’t had the time to respond. So, I want to let you know, in a word, we’re doing…“fine.”

Bitter sweet

Mon, 05 Dec 2016 19:49:04 +0000

That was us 14 years ago, shortly after we arrived in Hungary. Looking back we can clearly see God’s faithfulness to our family as well as His hand on the ministry He has entrusted to us.

God allowed us to pour into the life of many of the Bible college students while we were serving at Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe. We’re still in contact with many of them.

Since The Last Time

Tue, 27 Sep 2016 17:09:07 +0000

I just wanted to write a brief update to bring you up to speed with what has been going on here. It has been 5 months since my last update. The good news is that God is still good. He is still at work in our lives and the lives of those He has given us to serve. He continues to supply for our needs, pour out His mercy and grace upon us and He continues to bless.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Sun, 27 Dec 2015 12:32:22 +0000

I don’t know about you, but this past year has seemed to fly by for us. This has been our busiest year since moving to Germany. It seems like there just isn’t enough time to get to all the things placing demands on us. It has also been our most challenging year. It has been a very fruitful year, but it has been mixed with difficulties.

First of all, thank you for your prayers for Tina. She had her surgery and her wrist is healing well. She has no noticeable limitations as a result of breaking her wrist/arm. She was told that she would have to have the plate in her wrist removed sometime in February, but we’ll see. The doctors gave that recommendation because the plate was too big for her and they thought it would give her problems, but she is doing just fine. Again, thank you for your prayers.

Happy, Merry, Happy and February

Tue, 10 Feb 2015 18:34:16 +0000

To everyone, we want to wish you a belated, yet none the less heart felt, Happy Thanksgiving! Merry Christmas! and a Happy New Year!

That’s how long it’s been since we have written an update, and it’s a sign of just how busy we have been.

We have praises to share with you and prayer requests for you, trusting you will stand with us in prayer.

We had a great Christmas even though it was the first Christmas we have had without Ashley. We had a couple of our German friends over for Christmas dinner and we enjoyed a wonderful meal and great fellowship.

Praise and Prayers

Mon, 13 Oct 2014 15:38:23 +0000

It’s amazing how fast time can slip away from you. There has been so much go on since I last wrote an update, I don’t really know what to share with you. I guess I’ll just stick to the basics and not let so much time pass till I write again.

First, Tina and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary. September 1st marked the milestone for us. God was so gracious to allow us to get away and spend time together in Rome. We took five days to just get away and refresh. It went by all too fast. We walked all around the city and saw as much as we could. We got to go into the Vatican museum and the Colosseum. We walk around the Roman Forum and Circus Maximus. We went into the Pantheon, saw the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain (under restoration) as well as visiting as many churches as possible. It’s really amazing to go into churches that are not well known and see the art that is in them. Best of all, we got to share Christ with a few people. It was an amazing time that we will never forget.

Well?

Sun, 27 Jul 2014 19:32:14 +0000

It’s been some time since our last update and many have asked us where we are in the process of moving to England. It was January 2013 when it all started. That is when the subject came up that we should pray about being part of the work there. Tina and I spent a lot of time in prayer about it, and we visited with the pastor in Exeter in May 2013. He extended an invitation to us to come and we felt that the Lord was really knitting our hearts together in a sweet way. Tina and I felt very strongly that the Lord was in it and would be moving us to England. We were very excited. Last November we took a step of faith and went to the states to share the direction we felt the Lord was leading us in. There is a saying that you hear often around Calvary Chapel. It’s “Where God guides, God provides.” We believe it’s true. Since we shared what we thought God was doing, we asked people to pray and ask the Lord to provide the support necessary to live in England. Even though we had friends and family join us in supporting us in the work of the ministry, we did not see our monthly support increase.

How's things?

Sun, 06 Apr 2014 14:51:01 +0000

I thought I’d take a brief minute to share a little about what’s been going on here.

A son of a friend on ours in California sent us “Flat Stanley.” He wrote and told us that he was going to do a presentation in his second grade class and wanted to share about what missionaries around the world were doing for the gospels sake. He asked us to cut “Flat Stanley” out and show him around our area. We invited Flat Stanley to our home fellowship and took a picture of him before the Bible Study. That’s him between Tina and I. We have been studying through the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ in Chronologicalorder on Sunday Mornings. We’re about 4 years into that study now. On Wednesday nights we have our prayer meeting and then follow that with our Wednesday night Bible study in Exodus.

Discouraged, Disappointed? I don't think so!

Tue, 11 Feb 2014 20:31:00 +0000

Psalm 93 begins by declaring “The LORD reigns…” How wonderful is that knowledge? He reigns in good times and bad, in times of health and times of sickness, He reigns in the storm and in the calm, He reigns in the valley and on the hilltop. David asks, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps 27:1) As believers we have nothing to fear while we cling to Him because we remember that He is in control.

2014, Now What?

Fri, 17 Jan 2014 10:16:09 +0000

I remember, years ago a lady came to our church and she said something I will never forget. She said, “I used to think that prayer was a big part of the ministry. But now I know, PRAYER IS THE MINISTRY.”

We all have experienced difficult times and circumstances. As a fellowship we have recently looked at what the Bible says about spiritual warfare. And as you know, “…we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore…”

"...Who will go for Us?"

Sun, 24 Nov 2013 13:26:49 +0000

In Isaiah we have one of the most beautiful descriptions of the heavenly scene in scripture. We get a glimpse of God’s throne room and Isaiah’s heart.

Isaiah sees the Lord high and lifted up, the train of His robe filling the temple. He see and describes the seraphim as they are flying about the throne, covering their eyes, so as not to look upon the Lord, and covering their feet in the presence of the Lord, all the time crying “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord… the whole earth is filled with His glory.”

Exceedingly Abundantly Above

Tue, 29 Oct 2013 09:14:42 +0000

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” Eph 3:20-21

I can’t think of a better description of my recent trip to the states. I went to share with friends, supporters and churches the open door that the Lord has placed before us. In short, we have been asked to move to England to assist Pastor Bob Claycamp in the work at Calvary Chapel Exeter. Tina and I will be working with University students, teaching and discipling, along with assisting in the church and serving the body. And that’s not all, a major denominational church has asked Calvary Chapel to raise up Bible teachers to teach in their churches. How crazy is that? It’s like a large denominational church in your area calling your church and asking them to send over a Bible teacher to teach them the Bible because they can’t do it anymore. So, Calvary Chapel is starting a Pastor’s school, and I will also be assisting in raising up pastors to teach the Bible simply and accurately in churches across the southwest of England.

It Was Wonderful!

Wed, 11 Sep 2013 09:04:50 +0000

God is so good!

As you know, August 25th Ashley was married. It was at the Woodenbridge Hotel and Lodge in Vale of Avoca Arklow, Co. Wicklow, Ireland. It really is amazing how many details there are in putting together a wedding; invitations, reservations, menu planning, just to name a few. And the logistics of it all can be overwhelming by itself. Having a wedding in a country other than the one you live in, just adds to the stress. But God met us in such wonderful ways. It was a beautiful wedding.

News, Gracious Reminders and Upcoming Events

Sat, 27 Jul 2013 12:38:35 +0000

My mom wrote me recently and reminded me that April was the last time I wrote an update. Where does the time go? There is so much going on here, I feel at times I’m just able to hang on at best.

Calvary Chapel Ansbach continues to goes forward and as a fellowship we’re drawing closer to the Lord. We are about to finish the book of Genesis on Wednesday nights. It’s been a wonderful time of seeing Jesus in the first book of the Bible.

Are You Ready For News?

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:05:19 +0000

For some time now Tina & I have been asking the Lord for some changes. I guess the old axiom may be true, " Be careful for what you pray for." The Lord is answering our prayers.

The really big news is that Ashley is now engaged and getting married August 25th of this year. She first met Elijah at Bible College in Siegen Germany. She didn’t think much about him at the time.

What are you actually doing?

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:44:59 +0000

I was very happy with the feed back we received from our last update. Many people wrote e-mails of support and encouragement to continue to press on in the Lord even though we were facing so many hardships in the form of spiritual, financial and physical trials.

One of the e-mails we received was from a friend of mine who pastors a church in Oregon. He is one of the pastors in my life that I have the utmost respect for. He wrote, " I wonder if giving us a clear picture of your goals and what it is you actually do might not help raise your level of support." He said, " I probably should know this, so forgive me, but I am not exactly sure what it is you do. Are you pastoring? Teaching at a bible school? Assisting other ministries?"

A Cry For Help

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 20:49:13 +0000

There is verse in Nehemiah that has held a special place in my heart and it’s a frequently quoted verse. It’s Nehemiah 4:19-20, " …The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

Nehemiah was faced with discouraging and difficult circumstances. It’s interesting to me because He clearly trusted the Lord to work on behalf of His people, but Nehemiah also alerted others to the need and asked others to rush to the aid of those being overwhelmed on the wall when the need arose. He trusted God but also took practical steps.

Merry Christmas

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 16:52:56 +0000

A picture from outside our window

We want to wish you a VERY BLESSED CHRISTMAS as you celebrate the birth of our Savior. Our family is healthy and together, what a wonderful blessing that alone is to us.

This last month has flown pass. It seems to have been filled with many things that demand our attention, yet there doesn’t seem to be much to show for the activity. We’ve been trying to find just the right gifts and then get them wrapped and packed, hoping to getting them sent out to family members on time so they can have them for Christmas morning. Well, we didn’t make it. It’s 5 PM on Saturday night the 22nd and we’re still at it. I’m sure you’ve been there too.

Half Full or Half Empty?

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 15:45:57 +0000

This was our back yard two weeks ago.I love the colors of Autumn. Bright yellows and golds, oranges and varying shades of crimson. The leafs, clinging for life on the trees, fighting against the wind to stay off the ground. It’s a losing battle. We all know winter is near. This was our back yard last week. The leafs are now blanketed by the snow on the ground. The wind and the cold too much for them. The leaves won’t be back till the snow gives way to warmer temperatures. When we woke I put Gunther (pronounced goon-ter) out to get to know the snow, it was the first time he had seen snow. He wasn’t sure about it at all. It took about 20 minutes for him to decided that the snow was nothing but a whole lot of fun. He can’t be outside enough now. All he wants to do is play, jump, and run around in the snow. It’s going to be a long cold winter this year I think, but Gunther is looking forward to it. As I thought about the end of Fall and the coming of Winter, my mind began to wonder. I started to think about the temperature outside. Right now it’s 0 degrees. That’s 32 degrees Fahrenheit. I started to think about the differences. I mean, who would be crazy enough to go swimming when it’s 0 degrees outside, but 32 doesn’t sound so bad. I thought, if you had 32 of anything, you’d have a lot. Would you rather have 32 dollars or 0 dollars? I’ll take the 32 dollars please. If I had 32 cars, I would need to do a lot of oil changes. If I had 0 cars I would have a lot more time to do other things. If I owned 32 homes, I would be considered wealthy. But since I have no home, am I poor?I guess it is whether you’re a half full guy or a half empty guy, because 0 and 32, in this case, is exactly the same. October is one of the most beautiful months here, yet it is the hardest month for me. It’s the time of the year that most resembles Oregon. It’s during October that I remember, with tremendous love and longing, our church and the fellowship we enjoyed back home in Corvallis.Thinking about our church back home, it was nothing in the early days of Calvary Corvallis to see 10-20 people come to the Lord on a Sunday. Those Sundays that only 1 or 2 people give their hearts to Jesus seemed like a little bit of a let down compared to others Sundays. In reality, anytime the Lord draws someone to Himself it’s miraculous.It may sound like I’m rambling, but there is a point. It’s easy to look back at “Better Times.” It’s easy to think of 32 as more then 0. But it’s not always true.This month we have had a number of people, although not a large number, visit our fellowship. They found us on the web, they were invited by a friend, I talked with them and gave them a card, and they came. A girl from Corvallis came, a family that just moved here from the states, a teacher from a local school, soldiers from post with their families came. It has been a good month.But in all this, sometimes I can still feel a little discouraged. But our God is so Good! He lifts us up when we are down, He strengthens us when we are week, and when we look to Him He leads and guides us. He hears our prayers and knows our hearts. The other day in my devotions, I read 1 Cor 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.“The Lord has spoken to my heart and said. “Gary, it’s enough for you to be steadfast and continue with what I have called you to. Don’t get so caught up in the past you can’t go forward; and don’t be so concerned about the future you fail to see what I’m doing in and through you today. Let me take care of the church. You just focus on following Me.” How good is our God?A Quick Family Update Tina, I’m so thankful for her, continues to be a full time mom. Even though our kids are older, they are at home and are living in a foreign country. Tina’s input in their lives is needed now more then ever. I watch her ministering and discipling our kids and I am blown away by her wisdom and love. Not only that, but her ministry of hospitality to church that meets in our home is remarkable. Ashely has, for a long time now, sensed that the Lord is calling her to serve Him in the middle east. We have been praying about it for a while. It would seem that the Lord may be opening doors for her to go to Jordan. She is in contact with a ministry that teaches English and reaches out to muslim women. The Lord has uniquely prepared her through the years here in Europe for just such a ministry. She is thinking about visiting the ministry around February of next year till May.

Blessing upon blessing

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 05:32:56 +0000

God is so good! He’s worth enough to say it again and again and again, God is good!

The Bible says in Psalm 68:18, “Blessed be the Lord who daily loads us with benefits…” Its a picture of Him lavishing benefits and blessing upon us. Psalm 13:5-6 says, “I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me.” Even when we don’t see His blessing with our eyes today, we can look back over time and know that this is a true statement. In our case it is very true.

August marks ten years

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 19:00:54 +0000

It was ten years ago this month that we left our home in Corvallis Oregon and moved to Europe. I wanted to give you a brief overview of the last ten years.

I can remember writing a friend, when we settled in Hungary, and telling him that I felt like I was at a men’s retreat everyday. That was the euphoria of being a new missionary talking. We quickly learned we weren’t in Kansas anymore. It was shortly after that realization the trials began.

Another "Independence" day

Sun, 08 Jul 2012 17:59:35 +0000

Summer is here! Our cherry trees and heavy laden with cherries. The flowers are in full bloom. It’s not dark outside until 10:30. We can’t seem to mow the grass fast enough. As soon as we finish mowing the yard, the grass seems to have grown enough to warrant another go round. The fields behind our house are full of waist high wheat and shoulder high corn. The temperatures here is in the high 80’s - low 90’s while the humidity is just enough to make you sticky and wish for air conditioning.

May, a month full of blessings and challenges

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 13:59:05 +0000

This last month, the month of May, has been full of blessings and challenges. May started out wonderfully as a team of scientist from NASA came and did a week long training session for certain employees who work with the Army youth. I got to meet my counterparts from all around Europe. We were briefed on many of NASA’s current missions, the findings of past mission, and the purpose of future missions. We looked at photos from many different satellites, from those orbiting Mercury to those traveling to the outskirts of our solar system. I was even certified to handle NASA’s moon rocks and meteorites that are considered national treasures. The purpose of the training was to help the youth I work with get excited about science and to get them thinking about future careers. The greatest part was to see the wonder of God’s creation like never before. How interesting it is to see the creation of the universe spoken of in Genesis in just a few verses while the creation of man has chapters devoted to it. As beautiful as His creation is, it’s an indication of what is really important to our God. That’s you and me.Church has been going very well. The 12th CAB, the Combat Aviation Brigade here in Ansbach, has deployed to Afghanistan. There has been a slight increase in attendance since the deployment. That’s always welcome. But we have also been experiencing slight troubles with recording our Sunday mornings teachings. But I trust we’ll get to the bottom of it soon and get those messages posted so you can listen in if you like.The last few weeks of the month I have been very sick. It started out as scarlet fever. After 4-5 days of antibiotic therapy my throat felt much better but I continued to have a fever. It started out at 102.6 and with the antibiotics it dropped to 100-101. The doctor was left wondering what was going on. So after a few blood tests, EKG, sonograms and x-rays he decided that I wasn’t recovering due to severe physical exhaustion. So I have been holding the couch down for the last 18 days now. The day before I got sick, Ashley gave me a gift. I have always wanted a wired hair Dachshund. But I had resigned myself to never getting one as they are quite expensive. Ashley and one of the guys from our church found one unbelievably cheap. They got him for me as a loving gift. So I’d like to introduce you to the newest member of our family, Gunther (pronounced goon-ter). What a blessing he is. So small and cute but he’s like an infant with teeth. I forgot how tiring potty training can be. Yet everyone is totally in love with him. Now we have two wonderful dogs and a great cat. Thank you Lord!On May 30th we celebrated Austin’s 21st Birthday. God has blessed us with three of the greatest kids. These last 21 years with Austin has been full of humor, if you don’t know him he’s rediculously funny, and astonishment, just watching him grow from a boy into a man who loves Jesus has been incredible to watch and his heart is to tell others about Jesus.Each of the kids have a strong walk with the Lord and desire to serve him. This week they are in Croatia visiting a missionary family we know there who are preparing to return to the states after 8 years in Europe.You may have heard about two helicopters that went down in Afghanistan over Memorial day. They were from the 12th CAB stationed in Ansbach, one Apache and one Blackhawk, The two who piloted the Apache died in the crash. The pilot of the Blackhawk attends our church. He is credited with saving the lives of his 12 passengers and crew. The helicopter crashed hard but every one walked away from the crash with only minor injuries, at least that what I’m hearing at this time. Please be praying for the surviving family of the Apache pilots. One was married with a daughter and the other was married with no kids I’m told. Pray for the full recovery of the soldiers in the Blackhawk. Pray also and Angel, the pilot of the Blackhawk who attends the church, Diane, his wife and their three kids. Pray for their comfort and strength in the Lord as they wait to get further details on Angel. Also please pray for the in suing investigation. An investigation is common after crashes but will also be very stressful and taxing for Angel.Finally on a personal note, we would like to ask you to pray about getting involved in the ministry with us. We have need to partner with people who are prayer warriors and others who desire to be part of the building of the Kingdom of God here on earth through financial giving. Please pray and seek the Lord on what part He’d have you play. I see us as the tip of the spear and you are the shaft, in fulfilling the great commission. He has called us all to go into the world and make disciples, but all can’t go. In 1 Samuel 30 God sets out the principle that those that go to the battle share equally with those that provide support even though they can’t go to the battle.Saving Grace World Missions has made it easy for people to get involved. You can go to www.sgwm.com and click on “Europe” on the world map, then click on “Gary and Tina Barrow” and sign up for weekly prayer request updates. You can also click on “Become a Financial Partner” and give a one time gift or set up regular monthly donations. If you prefer, you can send a check to Saving Grace through the mail. Just write “Gary and Tina Barrow” in the memo line and it will get to us.We’d ask you to personally get involved in the great commission with us . Don’t put it off, seek the Lord’s face and ask Him what He’d have you do. I promise you won’t regret it. You’ll be storing up treasures in heaven.Thank you.God bless,Gary and Tina Barrow

April showers bring May flowers

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:59:35 +0000

It’s a beautiful time of year here in Bavaria. The days are longer and warmer, the flowers are blooming, and the Lord’s blessings are evident.During the month of April we had a number of different families visit the church. Our prayer is that they would be blessed and feel that Calvary Chapel Ansbach is the place for them to plug in, to be fed, to be challenged to walk closer to the Lord, and to grow in the knowledge of His grace.One of the German teenagers who had been coming this last month asked me if I would visit his school and share with his class. So, last Friday I drove the 30 minutes to Grafensteinberg. I was met by Chris and his teacher, and they escorted me to their classroom. On the way the teacher told me that the topic they were discussing that day was death. He asked me if I could speak about death and my belief of an afterlife. With a rather large smile I said, “Okay, I think I could say something about that.“After a short time of class business, I was introduced and given the floor. For the next 45 minutes I shared about God’s love, sin, the cross, forgiveness and the certainty of heaven if a person would receive Christ verses rejecting Christ and the certainty of hell. The classroom, full of 14 and 15 year old students, was silent, every eye fixed and every ear waiting to hear more about Jesus and His heart for each of them. The Lord blessed and it was a great privilege for me.Afterwards the instructor thanked me and told me it touched his heart. He asked me if I had time in the future, would I consider coming back and sharing with the class again. He said it was a message that the students needed to hear. I gave him a card and told him I would return anytime and as often as he wanted me to. Praise the Lord for open doors. On a family note, Bryan has been working on post as a projectionist in the post theater. He has been saving his money for sometime now in hopes to get an old German motorcycle. If you know Bryan and Austin, you’re aware that they have quite a collection of WWI and WWII artifacts. A German motorcycle would be a great addition to Bryan’s collection. Well the Lord blessed Bryan with a really great price on a fairly rare motorcycle. He purchased a 1941 DKW NZ 350. God is so good! He enjoys blessing His kids with things that are special to them. Thank you Lord for your grace. Finally, I would encourage you to please be praying for us and the church plant. Pray for our family, our devotion time and our walks. Please pray also that God would bless and establish Calvary Chapel Ansbach. And please pray that God would give us vision and wisdom for the work He has entrusted to us.Thank you for your prayers and support.God bless,Gary and Tina

Welcome

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:11:44 +0000

Gary and Tina Barrow serving in Germany

Tina and Gary both grew up in southern California and met in high school. Tina knew that Gary was not a Christian so she began to pray for him. After about a year of praying, Tina had a chance to share the gospel with Gary and he gave his life to Jesus in 1979. Tina and Gary were married in 1984.

God opened doors for them to move to Oregon in 1995 to help a Calvary Chapel get established in Corvallis. As the young church grew, Gary labored faithfully in many practical areas, in addition to serving as an elder and leading the men’s ministry for several years. While at Calvary Corvallis Gary was also involved in a number of outreaches to Eastern Europe.

Auto Draft

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:40:21 +0000