Christmas Travel

During our Christmas travel back home to Indiana, we were able to see family & two different churches. On Sunday, I was able to give an up date of our work to the Dupont Baptist Church during their SS. (Dupont is my sending church.) We left & caught the morning service at the Harvest Baptist Church in North Vernon. This is the first church that we started. Pastor Hadley is the man that took the work when we made plans to start another church. They have bought new seating and have also dressed up the platform area. Things looked nice and it was good to see many new faces there.

On our way north, I realized that I'd forgotten my suit and then the boys couldn't find some of their Sunday duds either. Most everything I have on in this picture is borrowed. Life with the Jones family, never a dull moment.

Thanksgiving at Heritage Baptist

We recently enjoyed our Thanksgiving dinner at Heritage. Great food is always a highlight: deep fried turkey, dressing, deviled eggs, fried okra, broccili cass. and much more... The midweek service before Thanksgiving Day is a special for us each year. I had a short message and then sat down in front of the congregation & it was their turn. We worked ouor way through the crwod & each person had the chance to share what they were thankful for this last year. Even some who are typically quiet got involved.

A common theme was that someone had a problem, struggle or tradegy & they could see how God was there for them. They also were thankful for how God used the people in the church to help meet many of those needs. The Lord showed me again something that I probably knew but needed to be reminded of again. People remember what you do more than what you say. Not one person mentioned a particular message I had preached. (A great blow to my ego. haha) I told our people all of that & that we need to continue to rise to the occasion as we face a new year ahead of us.

What Will the Gospel Do?
This picture was taken on the first night of our revival a few weeks ago. Pastor Dan Boatman is on the left & one of our men, Tommy Thrower is on the right. Bro. Dan preached a powerful message on Faith. Both of these fellows have been friends for several years. I thought it was funny to see them both in their team gear. The gospel can make bitter enemies the best of friends!

Fall Revival at Heritage

What a great revival meeting we had this last week at Heritage Baptist Church. Pastor Dave Noffsinger was there with his wife Jane for 3 of the 4 nights. He preached some powerful messages and she sang a couple of songs each evening. Wonderful is all I can say. We had 1 young man saved, another person got assurance of their salvation. Others renewed commitments to walk closer to Christ, be a better witness, begin to tithe, greater faithfulness to church, on & on the list goes... Our people were stirred by the Lord.

Yesterday we had the largest attendance we've ever had on a Sunday Night! 45 people, many of those were 1st time visitors. Pray for the work of God here in Opelika, AL.

Things Are Heating Up

Things are heating up here in the South. Yes, I know it's Fall, but you have to know this is football country down here. We live in a football crazy state and we certainly have a deal deal of fun with it all. Alabama is our team of choice! Roll Tide! They look like they are headed to a showdown with Florida in the SEC Championship game the first Sat. in Dec. It could be a war.

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Things are heating up at the church & we have seen some excitement. We have had visitors almost every week for the last 6-7 weeks and had 2 saved. Pray these that trusted Christ recently, a young man & woman. May the Lord help us with their Christian growth. The second week of Nov. we have our Fall Revival with Dave Noffsinger & Dan Boatman. I'm looking for a refreshing from the Lord those 4 days.

Infantry Museum

Last week Jeremy & I went down to Ft Benning, GA with some fellows from the church. The Army just opened the new Infantry Museum a couple of months ago. We got down there early, right at opening time. The infantry man here is saying "Follow me!". A volunteer greeted us at the entrance of the exhibits, retired military, and explained that the last 100 yds belong to the US infantry. It gave me goosebumps to think of all the men that have charged across fields and forests in the face of bullets and bayonets to insure my freedom. Thank you to all in the service or are prior service.

There were more things than we could see in 3 hours. This soldier to the left is from the Korean War. My father-in-law was in Korea while serving in the Air Force. It all was informative, stirring and well worth the trip. In the near future we are going to plan a men's trip here.

Jeremy and I had a great time together. The museum had displays for every era of American history. There were some neat interactive things, films, tanks, helicopters, guns, on and on... All of the models of these men were based on actual soldiers that were stationed at Ft. Benning. Jeremy is sitting with another Korean War era soldier. He's writing a letter home no doubt. These men sacrificed a great deal but their families also sacrificed much.

Not every soldier is squared away. Some still have a few rough edges to be knocked off.

This is the Infantry School on the post. If you watch the movie "We Were Soldiers" you can see this building in the background of one of the shots.

Encouragement

One of our newest members is a sweet senior citizen. She make me smile & often tells me she is praying for me. I really believe she loves her new pastor.

It's funny how an encouraging word has such a powerful effect on all of us. My doctor said I was doing a good job with my weight loss & my blood pressure was doing super. That pat on the back meant quite a bit to me. It made me want to keep at it & do even better.

Think how few people ever get any kind of positive message from family or friends. As much as I enjoy the "atta boys", I want to be an uplifter. Someone who builds not a person that is always tearing down. "Keep at it." "Your doing a great job!" "Hey, I thought of you today." "Hang in there."

If you haven't thought of it yet, our Savior is the greatest encourager of all. Many times the only thing that has kept me going is the thought that I will hear a message from Him. "Well done thou good and faithful servant." Yes, that will keep you headed in the right direction.

The Empty Nest is Coming

Shame on me, it has been 5 months since my last blog. Plenty is going on but I have just neglected getting up to date here.

Last week, I was on the campus of Crown College for the annual Pastor's College. This is always a highlight of my yr. & the Lord deals with me for which I am thankful. We were challenged all week about the Truth, Friendship & World Evangelism. These things are all connected.

Before I checked in at the college, I spent several hours out on a trail in the Smokies. Great fun & I can't wait to do it again. My hike was around 8 miles over what they said was a moderate trail. I can hardly imagine what a diificult one would look like. The last day of the conference, Pastor Sexton handed me a $1 that he had signed for Brett's schooling there worth $1000! No doubt this is the first answer of many prayers that will be offered to get him through school.

Both Jeremy & Brett will be in school this fall. Brett will check in Aug. 21st & Jeremy will be gone by the 1st week of Sept. Donna & I are not sure how we will adjust to the fact that both our boys will be out of the house. (I believe I've seen Donna thumbing through cruise brochures though.)
Pray for them & us as we make this transition.

Iron Sharpeneth Iron

While at the church planting conference in Okla. City, we were privileged to be around some of God's choice servants. One of those was Col. Tyler Ryberg, a man dedicated to helping reach America's service men and women. What a ripe mission field! He promotes church plants near military bases and can direct service people to a sound work in their area. Col. Ryberg is a retired Marine that flew attack helicopters and also spent some time in the Pentagon. Semper Fi! (We were able to have him spend a week end with us when we were in Hanover, IN.)

Here is a partial list of some of the other preachers I got to meet for the first time or renew old acquaintances with: Sam Davidson (President of Heartland), Matt Wilkerson (Medicine Lodge, KS), Dean Herring (Kuna, Idaho), Adam Zamora (Buckeye, AZ) and Larry Clayton. Bro. Clayton has started or helped start churches all around the world. He is a remarkable worker for Christ and a treasure trove of info. on how to get things done in church planting.

Let me encourage those that are in church planting to visit this conference at least once. You won't regret it. It is strange how meeting one person, or hearing one message or even one phrase can have a profound impact on your ministry. Use these tools to keep your heart on fire for reaching America and the world. The USA needs more churches as we face some challenging days ahead. God bless.

Oklahoma Report

Donna and I got to spend two days at the Heartland Church Planting Conference. This is a one of a kind event where there is preaching, encouragement and giving in an incredible way. Sounds like your run of the mill conference I can hear you say. Not so! Pastor Davidson calls church planters to the platform each session and they can give their testimony, explain their ministry goals and also lay out the needs they have. (Ministry related and personal.) Then in an enthusiastic way people begin to give. Hands across the audience begin to go up. $100 here. $200 there. This goes on until a specific or maybe all of their need is met. Praise the Lord. Probably the most exciting is seeing the students get involved in the giving. Numerous times these Bible college students gave, some $20, $50 or even $100.

We were challenged about church planting again. It is plain to see that God is calling families to raise up old fashioned Bible preaching churches all across our Nation. There truly is a need every where. When we saw how God was still on the move we both were stirred and encouraged.

When we got to Oklahoma City, our church and family had several needs. We had to leave a day early and missed out on getting to the platform. God worked in different ways and provided for the last of Jeremy's school bill. Our church does not have a sound system yet but is trusting that this will be taken caare of also. Our Savior has never let us down.

HEARTLAND Church Planting Conference...

Donna & I just got back in from 2 days at the Church planting conference in Okla. City. 14 hour drive back. After a nights sleep I will give a report. Thanks for all the prayers for our traveling safety & for a challenging meeting.

Even though we are church planting in the deep south, in the Bible Belt, it does not mean every church is preaching the gospel. There is still an offense connected to the message of the Savior. If the gospel is presented, you can be sure that some reproach is certain to follow. (No doubt, there are here many that do know the Lord yet do not live for Him. Door knocking, some people can give the plan of salvation better than you can.)

In every state, there is a need for a renewed effort to plant new churches & to revive those that are just hanging on. Unfortunatley, people are not just offended by the gospel. We must fight against some that are territorial in their thinking & others that are fine with a resurrected church as long as they do not have to change.

The picture is one that I took of an old textile mill in Columbus, GA. All that stands today are some of the walls & some ruins inside. There is no work force anymore. No machinery. No products. No bosses. No company picnics. No paydays. No life at all. The day I was there they were tearing the place down. One man told me the place used to be some where between a 1/4 to 1/2 mile long. In some places, all that is left of the church is four walls and a roof. There is no life inside. No work force being trained & utilized. The machinery of a thriving church has been dismantled & replaced with pettiness, division & carnality. May God help us & others to do the work of Christ with our best energies.

This picture was taken over Christmas. From left to right: me, my brother Greg, youngest son Brett, my Dad Ted & oldest son Jeremy. What a good looking group of guys. 3 generations here.