Author Archive for: James

Greetings! Just a little FYI to bring everybody up to speed with what we've been up to lately. Last week, we had our meeting in Sioux City, IA (Lighthouse Baptist Church, Pastor John Morris). The whole thing started to feel like a massive conspiracy to keep us from making the trip. You see, last time, we were supposed to travel out there in February, but, as it turned out, that was just days after I buried Kyle. Needless to say, I was in no condition to be cheery or encouraging to anybody. So, we rescheduled for July. Then, as we're heading out there last Saturday, about 40 miles out of town our speedometer zeroed and our transmission started 'acting up'. I pulled it over, called AAA (God bless AAA!), and got it towed back to St. Louis. Then, as we were exiting on to the road leading to the mechanic, one of the rear tires blew out. The tire was decimated. Praise the LORD we weren't driving when it happened. So, we finally got all the stuff with the car squared away, and finished our trip, arriving late in Sioux City Saturday night. What a mess! Fortunately, however, we were able to leave our car with one of 'our' mechanics, and Dad let us borrow their van to make the trip, so it all worked out the best it could under the circumstances. We had a good meeting. Anna's Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Brad were in attendance (they live about an hour from Sioux City), which was pretty cool. God really moved, and I think it's pretty obvious, based on His actions, why there was so much opposition going to this church.

Hello, again! It's been a restful time for us this month, and a chance to get caught up on things around the house that needed doing. This past week, and the next, I'm filling the pulpit for our pastor, Ken Spilger, while he and the clan are off on vacation, visiting family up in Washington state. I'm preaching a series of four messages on Baptist Distinctives. Last week, we covered B, A, P, and T, meaning, Biblical Authority, the Autonomy of the Local Church, the Priesthood of the Believer, and the Two Ordinances of the Local Church (Believer's Baptism and the Lord's Supper). As you've probably guessed, we'll be finishing up with I, S, T, and S next week, meaning Individual Soul Liberty, a Saved Church (Purity of the Church), the Two Offices of the Local Church (Pastor and Deacon), and Separation of Church and State. I think most of us are at least aware of these things in principle, but it helps to have them articulated, and spelled out in an organized fashion for review. The history of our denomination is important to consider as well. I was able to bring this out, particularly in the points on the autonomy of the local church, and believer's Baptism. There are very good and compelling scriptural reasons for our historic doctrinal stances, and it is those stances in particular that have caused considerable problems for Baptists in the past, as Baptists found themselves in disagreement, and legal conflict with the Episcopal state church that existed in our country before the Revolution. It's all been very interesting and profitable, and I'm looking forward to finishing the series on Sunday. I tell you what, I'm glad I'm saved, and I'm also glad I'm Baptist!