Many Souls Saved, Added Missionary to Alaska (Oct 12, 2009)
The Lord blessed with a tremendous week, and it is impossible to share fully with you all that is in our heart because of the good hand of God upon this ministry. We will, however, attempt to share with you a few of the highlights from this past week.
On Monday evening, Karen and I received a call from one of our long-time "church members" who was doubting her salvation. She asked if Karen and I could come over that evening and help her with these plaguing doubts. It became obvious by the time our conversation was ended that Alice Wall had never truly been born again. She bowed her head that night and gave her heart to Christ. Amen! It was my privilege to baptize her Wednesday night and welcome her into the fellowship of Grace as a legitimate member.
Also on Wednesday evening, Jonathan and Shelley Calhoun joined the church. They have been attending Grace for a little while now, and John, who was in the military, was about to be deployed. He wanted to join along with his wife before his departure for duty overseas. They are a lovely couple, and I am sure they will be a great help to this ministry.
Several weeks ago, I was privileged to lead Tundra Davis through the sinner's prayer. Tundra still was struggling with her salvation and walked the aisle on October 4 to solidify her faith in Christ. It was my privilege to baptize her yesterday and welcome her as the newest member of Grace Baptist Church.
Steve Waddell and I were out soul-winning on Saturday and followed up with Christopher Freeman and Tina Jones, an engaged couple who visited Grace hoping to get their soon-to-start marriage off on the right note. We explained to them that the only way to have a truly Christian home is to have a home of Christians. We explained the plan of salvation to them, and both Christopher and Tina prayed to receive Christ. Amen! We baptized both of them yesterday.
Bus riders once again numbered over a hundred yesterday. Four precious children prayed to receive Christ in the counseling center of bus church. Praise the Lord!
Fort Benning Bible studies this week were attended by 178 soldiers with 24 of them standing to receive Christ as personal Savior. Amen! Please pray for our Freedom House Director's wife, Becky Ingram, who went to the hospital yesterday with chest pain. The doctors, thankfully, determined that she is not experiencing heart trouble. Pray that the pain medication they have given her will be effective in alleviating her discomfort. The Ingrams are a great blessing to us!
The Lord also blessed with good numbers at our sattelite church in Lumpkin, Georgia. Pastor Allison witnessed a good increase in the morning worship service, and one new visitor was present yesterday. Pray for them as they follow up. Grace of Lumpkin will be a holding a tent revival this week. Pray that the Lord will give souls and new contacts through these special meetings.
Of the visitors that attended Grace in Columbus yesterday, one family came as a direct result of our radio broadcast, A Touch of Grace. We praise the Lord for this. If you would like to know more about our radio ministry, log on to our website at www.atouchofgrace.org.
Last night we were also privileged to welcome Nathan and Ruth Ann Shuler into the membership of Grace. Nathan had been a member previously, and it was a great joy to see him return with his new wife. Pray that we will be a blessing to them. I know they will be a blessing to us.
Grace was also privileged to add John Pinnix to our missionary family last night, the 156th family supported by Grace. John and Janet, along with their six precious children, will be stationed about 50 miles north of Anchorage. From there they will use planes, boats, and snowmobiles to reach the remote regions of Alaska - towns completely removed from the road system of our 49th state. Many of these towns have no churches, and some have never even heard of Jesus. They will be working in "the bush" regions of America. John was a great blessing to our church last night, and you can listen to his sermon by logging on to our website.
Don't forget that this upcoming week we are supposed to write our government officials who are doing a good job and tell them how much we appreciate them.
Please pray for Karen and I as we travel Thursday to Galveston, Texas to minister at the couples' retreat for Christchurch Baptist Fellowship. Johnny Pope has become a good friend, and we are excited about this opportunity to minister family truth.
This upcoming Sunday, Karen and I will celebrate ten years of ministry here at Grace. Where has this decade gone? We thank the Lord for the privilege of serving week after week at one of America's great churches.
Special thanks is due to those of you who have prayed for our financial situation. Offerings were very healthy again yesterday, and the Lord is keeping this church current with all bills paid in the midst of America's econcomic turbulence. Praise the Lord for the sacrifice of His people. Please continue to pray for this vital ministry.