Good Bus Route Numbers; Focus on "Young Couples" (Mar 29, 2010)
Last week we started running our bus routes in the afternoon, as opposed to the morning, and the numbers have spiked significantly. Last week our bus routes, which had been running in the high nineties, brought in over 120 riders. Yesterday, that number jumped to 163 with five children praying to receive Christ in the counseling center of bus church. Amen!
In addition, Fort Benning Bible studies took a significant leap as well. 180 soldiers attended this week's Bible studies, and Brother Ingram reports that seven of these stood to receive Jesus Christ as personal Savior. Praise the Lord!
Chapel attendance, as well as our walk-in crowd, held its own yesterday. Total numbers were 623 for Sunday School and 669 for the morning worship service. It had been a little while since we had cleared the six-hundred mark, and we are thankful for this renewed jump as we march into our Spring Sunday School campaign.
Our spring campaign is on "Signs of the Times," and we this past Sunday we concentrated on the "Just Married" sign. Daniel Henderson highlighted our young couples Sunday school class in the morning worship. And yesterday's message was on significant traits necessary for a healthy marriage. A good number of decisions were made at the altar. You can listen to the message again by logging on to our website.
Last evening, Aliya Henry followed the Lord in believer's baptism. Recently, Pastor Powell preached a message from our pulpit on how to pray for your children. Within a week of that message, young Aliya had accepted Christ. Amen! What a privilege it was to plunge her beneath baptismal waters yesterday as she publicly identified with Christ.
We had visitors yesterday from Florida, llinois, and Georgia.
Among the visitors yesterday were two recent graduates from Pensacola Christian College, Hope Anderson and Allison Waterstreet, who are interviewing for teaching positions at Grace Christian School for the upcoming school year. Pray for them and us as they observe classes today.
In addition, we were visited yesterday by Marvin and Margaret Gongre, who helping us get evangelistic Bible studies started in the Columbus public schools. Pray that God will provide an open door.
Great sermons were preached by Paul Kingsbury and Shelton Smith at our annual Sword Conference last week. Be sure to log on to the website and listen to our best Sword Conference ever.
After the conference concluded, Karen and I traveled to Ambassador Baptist College for their annual board meeting. I also had the privilege of preaching in Ambassador's annual Bible conference. It was a great week. The atmosphere was the best I have ever experienced on campus.
Later today, I travel to BIMI to preach at their annual Action Committee meeting. Tuesday morning I will be preaching at the annual meeting of Georgia Independent Baptist fellowships. Pray that God will give liberty in both meetings.
Tuesday night is the annual induction ceremonies for GCS honor society. Plan to attend.
Your continued prayer and suppport of this ministry means much to us. Please keep it up.
Sword Conference Kicks Off (Mar 22, 2010)
Our tenth annual Sword of the Lord Conference kicked off yesterday with Dr. Smith delivering two powerful messages. Last night's message on the Filling of the Holy Spirit was especially powerful, and you can listen to both messages by logging on to our website.
During the morning worship service, Kali Bates walked the aisle and trusted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. Rodney Welch also walked the aisle to receive assurance of his salvation. A good number of Christians prayed to receive a fresh anointing last night at the altar. It was a good day!
Unfortunately, attendance was down significantly - perhaps due to weather and illness. Several in our church experienced work related injuries and had to be taken to the hospital for medical attention. Others were out of town because of family members who are critically ill.
In spite of these circumstances, we rejoice in the good things that God did. Sixty-one soldiers attended our Fort Benning Bible studies with 12 of them standing to receive Jesus Christ as personal Savior.
Our bus routes began a new schedule this week, moving from morning routes to the afternoon. Initial numbers are good. Twenty-six first time riders boarded the buses, and attendance was up nearly twenty over average. We praise the Lord for this good start.
This past week I had the privilege of preaching a missions conference for David Folsom at Central Baptist Church in Crawdfordville, Florida. The Lord blessed the services, and Pastor Folsom was able to lead one man to Christ who was under noticeable conviction all week. Praise the Lord!
Do pray for our Sword Conference that continues tonight and Tuesday. Dr. Paul Kingsbury will be joining Dr. Smith tonight. Pray for his safe arrival and the power of God's Spirit upon the services.
Also pray for our daughter Ashley who will be traveling today back to West Coast Baptist College after a week of spring break. It is hard to believe that she will soon be done with her junior year.
Later this week, Karen and I will travel to Lattimore, North Carolina for the board meeting of Ambassador Baptist College. I will be preaching Thursday night in their annual Bible Conference. It will be great to see old friends again.
Missionary GS Nair With Us (Mar 15, 2010)
In spite of the time change yesterday, a good number of people remembered to "spring forward." The Lord blessed with good attendance figures, and several key decisions were made for Christ yesterday. Praise the Lord!
Visitors attended our services yesterday from Alabama, Florida, and Illinois. We are thankful for these.
Bus attendance held its own, and two precious kids prayed to receive Christ in the counseling center of bus church. One child received assurance of salvation.
Fort Benning Bible studies were attended by 126 soldiers this week. 21 of these servicemen stood to receive Christ as personal Savior. Amen!
As members continue to graduate from the Soul Winners Club at Grace Baptist Church, God uses them to bring people into the family of God. Our director, Denny Henderson, and another fellow deacon, John Rogers, were able to lead Cheyenne Gurlach to the Lord several weeks ago in her home. Yesterday, it was my privilege to plunge Cheyenne beneath baptismal waters as she publicly took her stand for Christ and became the newest member of Grace Baptist Church. Praise the Lord!
We were also privileged to hear Dr. G. S. Nair preach last night. This modern-day marvel has started over 1300 churches in India. The good hand of God has been on the Peoples Baptist Church ministries for many years now. What a great night it was to hear this great man of God speak again. You can hear his sermon by logging on to our website.
Don't forget that this upcoming Sunday will celebrate our tenth annual Sword of the Lord conference. Dr. Shelton Smith, editor of the Sword, and Dr. Paul Kingsbury, pastor of North Love Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois, will be our featured speakers. You won't want to miss this three-day event. The preaching will be hot and helpful.
Thanks for your continued support of this ministry. Your prayers mean much to us.
Pastor Preaching in Troy, AL & Sword Conference Ahead (Mar 08, 2010)
After a good week of study in the office and profitable board and budget meetings at the church, the Lord blessed with a good day yesterday. Bus church saw three precious children pray to receive Christ in the counseling center, and our Fort Benning Bible studies this week witnessed fifteen soldiers standing to receive Christ as personal Savior. Amen!
Visitors from Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia were in attendance yesterday. Pray for us as we follow up with those in our immediate vicinty.
We were particularly thankful to have Harold Cleveland visit Grace for the first time. Harold was wounded while serving with the U.S. military in the Middle East. While he was recovering, an army chaplain was able to lead Harold to Christ, but he had no place to be baptized while overseas. Harold visited Grace for the first time yesterday for the express purpose of making his new faith in Christ public. What a joy it was to plunge this "soldier of Christ" under the water yesterday! He emerged from the water and gave me a bear hug, filled with joy over the cleansing that God had brought to his soul.
Karen and I traveled yesterday afternoon to Troy, Alabama where I preached last night for Pastor Chadwick Teal and God's Way Baptist Church. This was the opening service of their annual Bible Conference. This year's Bible Conference is a "Family Life Conference," and it was a great opportunity to minister the Word of God in two separate sessions last night. Pray for me as I minister God's Word three more times in this special conference.
In my absence, Pastor Powell preached a powerful message on "How to Pray for Your Children." You can listen to his sermon again by logging on to our website.
Last night, we were privileged to welcome into membership Debbie and Jimmie Norton. Debbie and Jimmie are the proud parents of Michael Norton, a valiant ranger and member of Grace Baptist Church who recently received the Silver Star from the U.S. Army. Michael's story will be highlighted in the next edition of the Pensacola Christian College Update. What a great thrill to welcome Michael's parents into our membership who transferring to this area from the great state of Michigan.
Don't forget that our annual Sword of the Lord Conference is less than two weeks away. Dr. Shelton Smith, editor of the Sword of the Lord, will be our featured speaker on March 21. He will be joined by Dr. Paul Kingsbury on Monday and Tuesday. Dr. Kingsbury is the pastor of North Love Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois. North Love is the home of Reformers' Unanimous.
Also, don't forget that the annual science fair for Grace Christian School will be conducted tomorrow night at our third-quarter PTF. You won't want to miss it.
Your continued prayers and support of this ministry mean much to us. Keep them up.
