MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 08-19-2007

Well, folks, this is it, the eve before the big trip to Texas. We've spent the past few weeks getting ready, and are pretty much packed up and ready to go. The U-Haul truck is loaded up and sitting out in the driveway, and all that remains is a few odds and ends to wrap up in the morning and then we'll be on our way! In case you've recently joined the MISSION: Uganda Email Update family, we are fixin' to head down to Texas for ten months of language school at Baptist Bible Translators Institute. Anna and I will both be trained in advanced linguistics, Bible translation, missions, and so forth, so when we head to the field in early 2009, we'll be able to learn the various Bantu dialects we need to know quickly and effectively. It's going to be a good and a profitable time. I have already scheduled several meetings in Texas and Louisiana, so we will be able to stay busy with deputation to get the remainder of our support raised while going to school during the week.

Tonight, my church ordained me. It was a really special weekend. My Dad, a Baptist preacher in Bellflower, MO, was on the ordination council we held on Friday, along with several other Pastors from the St. Louis area, our deacons, and our BIMI Director, Dr. Ron Bragg (there were a few we failed to invite, or that couldn't come, so if you are one of those, you were not intentionally excluded. The past few weeks at the church have just been super busy). It was very humbling to be in that room, being questioned and wisely counselled by these men of God, who were engaging in the same practice of ordaining elders in the church as it has been practiced since the time of Christ. It was just a very encouraging and instructive and deeply honoring time, and I am personally grateful to each who were able to be on my council. These men, and the other Pastors from the area I've gotten to know over the years, have my highest regard and respect, and to get what amounts to their seal of approval for the Gospel ministry is the highest honor I have ever been given. Then, our church voted to ordain me tonight, and the men of the church laid hands on me and presented me to the LORD for the Gospel ministry, exactly as the Bible prescribes, as young men have been inducted into the ministry for generations. It was at once so grave, and awe inspiring, and proper. As I gave my testimony, and looked out over these people who I've come to love so much, I gazed upon our young men and thought "Some of these will be doing this themselves one day," and it just humbled me even further, considering the magnitude of this holy office to which I have been granted entrance, the cloud of witnesses, great men of God who have gone before, of whose fellowship I am now a part. "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry" 1Timothy 1:12 Pray for me. I want to be a profitable servant to my LORD, and glorify His name in my ministry, and represent my church well. I need all the grace and prayer I can get, and I count on you all to render it. I know you were praying, because God was with me and helped me in the council, and the services tonight. Thank you, and please keep praying.

Pray for us while we're in Texas, that we will learn everything well, and get full benefit from the training. Pray that I will continue getting meetings, getting in touch with the right Pastors, and getting into the churches that God has prepared to support us. I had our church family pray that we would be able to get a meeting in First Baptist Church of Hammond (Jack Hyle's former church) last Wednesday, and they called to give me a meeting the very next day. I would also like to get into Lancaster Baptist Church's missions conference coming up in October, 2008. Pray that God will convict the right people in that church also to help me get into that conference, be able to minister there, and ultimately get some support, both prayer andfinancial, from this stellar church, doing the LORD's work in Lancaster, CA. Pray that some of the Pastor's I've been trying to reach lately will call me back, and that God will help me to secure meetings in those churches as well. I can tell folks have been praying. Our schedule for next year has been coming together swiftly and easily, because God is putting things together for us.

Pray for us as we travel over the next two days, and get settled in to our new home (for the next ten months) during the next couple weeks.

Well, I reckon that's it.