Archive for November, 2017

First Baptist Church

Thursday, November 30th, 2017

During the month of November, we parked our motorhome in Cumberland, Iowa with Pastor Michael & Dawn Martin.  During the week I spent time in the woods trying to harvest a deer for this year’s meat supply.  Praise the Lord I was successful and was able to harvest a young buck from a nearby tree stand.  On weekends I preached in Murray, Iowa; Corning, Iowa; and finally in Cumberland, Iowa, so Pastor Michael could spend some time with family over the Thanksgiving holiday.

We thank Pastor Michael and his wife Dawn for allowing us to stay for such a long time so that we could harvest a deer and hold meetings in other local churches in the area.  The church family was very supportive in praying for us as we worked hard to fill our tag for this bountiful harvest.  Please pray for this growing church and Pastor Martin’s family as they seek to reach this area for Christ.

Grace Baptist Church

Thursday, November 30th, 2017

On November 19, 2017 we held a one-day meeting at Grace Baptist Church in Corning, Iowa.  Pastor Dan Lamgo invited us to hold an all family Sunday School class with Rawley helping me tell the story of Jonah and the Great Fish.  Then for the morning service, I preached out of John chapter 3 about Nicodemus and his belief that Salvation was a goal to attain; after talking with Jesus, Nicodemus learned that salvation was rather a gift to receive.  After the morning service, the church moved downstairs for a Thanksgiving feast with turkey and all the trimmings.  Jane and I sat with visitors hoping that they would come back next Sunday and hear the pastor preach.

After 1:00 the tables were cleared off and everyone headed upstairs for the closing service of the day and I preached “A Living Portfolio” out of Mark 5 on the Demoniac of Gadara.  Please pray for Pastor Lamgo and this growing church in southern Iowa.

Murray Baptist Church

Saturday, November 18th, 2017

On November 12, 2017 we held meetings at Murray Baptist Church in Murray, Iowa.  Pastor Alex Bauman had a triple heart bypass the week before and needs lots of prayer and rest.  It was good to see him at church that day and doing very well.  Please pray for him as he gets stronger and recovers from heart surgery.  The morning service was full for my message and a quick introduction of my friend Rawley.  I shared with them that I would tell a full story with Rawley that night and everyone was welcome to come back that night.  After the morning service we all headed downstairs for a thanksgiving meal with turkey and all the trimmings.

We spent the afternoon with Timothy Summers and his family just east of Murray.  We got some rest to prepare us for the evening service, played some games and watched the deer run in the open field.  We got back to the church at 6:00 for the service and found it full of people that wanted to see and hear the story with Rawley.  Pastor was encouraged by the response and others commented on the great attendance.  Please pray for this church as they seek to reach Murray, Iowa with the gospel.

Faith Baptist Church

Friday, November 10th, 2017

The last week of October, I put our display up for the Missions Conference at Faith Baptist Bible College.  It was challenging to listen to the messages and workshops throughout the week.

Then on November 5, 2017, I filled the pulpit for Faith Baptist Church in Fort Dodge, Iowa who is looking for a senior pastor.  It was encouraging to see friends from Bible college that are active in the ministry serving the Lord.  The church had great attendance for Sunday School and the morning and evening services.  We saw Mike Crawford who serves as a chaplain to our US military.  The secretary Mrs. Shirley Fry served in this church when I held Vacation Bible School in the church back in 1988.  Mrs. Fry had this to say about our ministry on Sunday:

“Word can’t express how your ministry blessed my heart yesterday.  Your messages were so outstanding.  I am only sorry that more were not there to hear you.  I am praising the Lord for his protection upon you and your motorhome under the tree that didn’t fall during the high wind storm in Steven’s Point.  Will be praying for Caleb concerning his future schooling.
Thank you so much for your encouraging ministry.  Shirley”

We appreciated the fact that a local motel let us stay between the services so that we could get some rest and prepare for the evening service.  Please pray for this vibrant church as they seek a new pastor to lead them on in the ministry reaching Fort Dodge for Christ.

Lakeland Baptist Church

Saturday, November 4th, 2017

Our next stop was in Gilbert, Minnesota at Lakeland Baptist Church with Pastor Nathan Lobb and his wife Donna.  For Wednesday night, October 25, we prayed with the church family and I preached a message from Acts 16 on Lydia and the Philippian Jailer as Paul and Silas had a part in the birth of the church in Macedonia.  Sunday morning, October 29, I presented the story of Jonah and what he learned about God in a whole family Sunday School class.   For the morning service I preached from Mark 5 on The Demoniac of Gadarene.  Because God could calm the storm from without in Mark 4, he could also calm the storm in the life of a man troubled by demons?  Friday evening, we traveled with Pastor Lobb to Perkins in Virginia for a pastor’s fellowship with area pastors in northern Minnesota.  That night on our way back to Gilbert, we stopped at a teen fellowship where I presented a Bible study on what we can be thankful for.

We enjoyed seeing the Lobb family again and friends from northern Minnesota.  During the week I helped pastor work on the motor on a log splitter, measured logs with a eight foot pole to help Nathan as he used his chain saw to cut down trees for our Saturday work day, then on Saturday several men came to the church to cut and split wood for the wood boiler furnace to keep the church warm for the cold winter months.  Please pray for Nathan Lobb and the church family as they prepare to build a new auditorium for this growing church.