Entries by James

Couch to 5K

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Alright. I have to confess. I've been keeping secrets. Oh, such secrets! You have no IDEA!! Sneaky Okay, maybe not that melodramatic, but I do have one secret to reveal: I've been running again. Earth shaking, I know, but believe it or not, I have maintained a consistent running regimen for the past eight weeks. You see, Kyle's death really shook us up, and reminded me emphatically that the future is uncertain. Anna was pretty concerned about me, because I've had a fairly sedentary job for a while now, and had managed to get pretty badly out of shape.

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update, 06-28-2006

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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!

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 06-19-2006

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Hello! It's been awhile since our last email update. Innocent I guess I just haven't been super motivated to type one up of late. Anyway, just to bring you all up to speed:

Our meeting in Hannibal, MO went well (Pastor James Barmore, Victory Baptist Church). We had a great service with the folks there. It's a young church plant, in a town that's normally torn between Southern Baptist and Catholic. They're the only Independent Baptist gig around. They had some folks leave lately, and need to grow. Please pray that God will help them to bear fruit, and would add to the church as He would.

Jiggety Jig

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We survived the trip home. Basically, you sit in a hot wind tunnel all day, and reach the end feeling wind blasted and sun baked Sweating. Both Anna and I were both pretty numb, and a little brain dead when we were done. The kids were real champs. They didn't complain, and played well all the way home. They make me real proud! It is very good to be home. I'm intending to do little or nothing today, other than the requisite errands that have to be run when you come back from a trip.

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 05-28-2006

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Greetings once again! We're in Johnson City, TN at the moment. We just completed our conference in Answer Baptist Church (Pastor Jason Wiley). It was a real blessing. We had great preaching all week from Bro. John Halsey (International Representative, BIMI). The people took great care of us. The meals were delicious, and we had some great fellowship with everyone. On Thursday, they took the men to a suit store and bought us new suits. Wow! I've never had a church do anything like that for me before. Now I can finally retire this one suit I've had for the past three years and have something decent to wear to meetings and to church. They took Anna out to buy some new outfits. She was in need of some things for summer, so that was a big help.