July 17, 2013

Karen and I returned early yesterday morning from Orem, Utah where I was privileged to preach the annual missionary conference for Victory Baptist Church where Kevin Brooks is the pastor. Several years ago, I was made aware of this ministry by Jeremy and Melissa Pommerening who were moving from Tennessee to Utah to assist this church in the heart of Mormon country. Orem is a sister city to Provo, home of the Brigham Young University and the world’s most frequented Mormon Temple.

When I was a pastor in Columbus, Georgia we sent a group of teenagers to help in this church plant, and one of the couples with whom I had lunch while there started attending the church through that missions team. Amen! Our team was so impressed with Kevin and his dear wife Sherri that we added them to the missionary family of Grace before we moved to Rhode Island.

God blessed the conference in a good way. The faith promise commitments nearly tripled (299.6%) the giving of last year. The church was able to double their missionary family while we were there. Praise the Lord!

In addition, a visiting team of construction workers from Kentucky and Texas were there to help install a new baptistery. It was a great privilege to meet some of these fine pastors and laymen working with Macedonian Missionary Service. I am thankful that GRIBT allows me some Sundays away to assist churches like this in their missionary outreach.

In my absence, Pastor Tom preached some powerful messages. His message on salvation was particularly effective, as an elderly lady came forward after the service and was able to be lead to the Lord by Lisa DeOliveria. Amen!

We have several new converts scheduled to be baptized within the next couple weeks. Pray that they will honor their commitments to the Lord. Also pray as we follow up on the visitors from this past week.

The auditorium remodel has begun in earnest. This week the platform is being redesigned to accommodate more choir members. The pews will be removed this Saturday to make room for the new carpeting. The painters will also be here. All of this will make way for the new pews to be delivered by the end of summer. It is exciting to watch the work be done. I am thankful for my beloved predecessor, Tom Crichton, whose financial management made this project possible.

Our teens are at camp this week in the Wilds of New England. I am hearing good reports about the preaching and the behavior of our young people. Amen!

Karen and I are happy to announce that our oldest daughter Ashley has taken a teaching position with Temple Christian Academy in Flower Mound, Texas. In just a couple of weeks, she will be transitioning from Columbus, Georgia to the Metroplex of Dallas. It has been my privilege to conduct several teacher orientations for this ministry, which is the educational arm of Temple Baptist Church. We are excited to have our daughter part of this dynamic church which is shepherded by my dear friend Richard Wallace – a source of great encouragement to me. Please pray for Ashley, as well as our daughter Amy. As you know, Amy begins her teaching career this year at Pensacola Christian Academy.

This coming Sunday we will continue our “Four Your Consideration” sermon series with a look at “Four Things Hard to Stomach.” Pray that God will give us souls. I am thankful that God is using me to assist various ministries, but there is no place like home. We are trusting that this Lord’s Day will be a big day!