All our adventures as missionaries, past and present.

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!

Pray for me as I preach and lead in the services tonight, and on Sunday. I want to feed the sheep, and be able to maintain the church well in lieu of our Pastor's return. Pray that I'll have wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit as I serve in this capacity.

We have some men in our church that need jobs. Pray that God will supply, and that they'll be able to get jobs they like, with good pay, decent benefits, and reasonable hours that will permit church attendance on Sunday.

That's all for now.

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 06-19-2006

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Hello! It's been awhile since our last email update. 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.

Our church finished up it's annual Family Workshop, with Ben Burk of Reformer's Unanimous as the main speaker. God moved, and we all experienced His refreshing. RU is primarily an Independent Baptist ministry to addicts (one of the fastest growing in America), which, unlike the 12-step programs, actually makes a permanent difference. Our kids got to be in the Children's Workshop, which they greatly enjoyed.

It's been super hot lately, so we're mighty glad we were able to get the air-conditioning in our van fixed (again). It's made the money this month a bit tight, so pray God will provide.

If you haven't heard by now, Nate and Sara Wright, missionaries in Soroti, Uganda, have a three year old son named Andrew who has contracted cerebral malaria. They air flighted him to Kampala over the weekend. Part of the treatment called for a blood transfusion, which his body reacted to, causing severe convulsions. They sedated him to control the convulsions, and flew him by air ambulance to Johannesburg, South Africa. As of this morning, he has regained consciousness, is responsive, and his major bodily functions appear to be operating normally. This was a big answer to prayer. Pray that he will continue to recover well, that there will be no brain damage, and that he will not contract AIDS from the blood transfusions he's had to receive.

The next two weeks, I'll be filling the pulpit for our Pastor while he and his family are on vacation. Pray for me as I prepare sermons, preach, and lead in the prayer meetings on Wednesdays. Pray for Pastor Spilger and family as they travel, that all will go well, and that they'll be able to get some rest.

Our next meeting is on July 9, with Pastor John Morris in Lighthouse Baptist Church in Sioux City, IA. Pray that God will bless.

That's all for now.

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. 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. We'll be getting the evaporator in the van replaced tomorrow, and that should do the trick. Then we'll be back in the land of mobile climate control once again. We're all tired, and are looking forward to the light schedule this month. It will be nice to be around our home church for a while. We'll get to attend the Family Workshop, and the kids will be able to go to the Children's Workshop. I'll be preaching for our pastor while he and his family take a much needed vacation. Other than that, we've got the one meeting in Hannibal, MO next Sunday, and that's it. So, I intend to just rest, and enjoy St. Louis in the summer. We're going to do things as a family for this month, and Anna and I will be going on dates as a couple to make up for all the dates we've not had while on the road. Plus, we get to celebrate our anniversary properly for once (the last two years prior it fell right in the middle of Candidate School at BIMI). It's going to be a great month, and we're all looking forward to it!

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.

On Friday, we went to Bays Mountain State Park. They had some enclosures with wolves running around in it. The Park Ranger called them over and got them to howl for us, which the kids got a real kick out of. They had a talk for some school groups that were there, and we all sat in and listened to it. The subject was snakes, and afterwards, the guys got to all touch a King Snake (harmless), and I even talked Anna into trying it. On Saturday, we went to the Tipton-Haynes historical site, where they had some activities for the kids involving old time crafts, like spinning wool, and making paper. We explored a cave that was on the property, which they also really enjoyed. Then, in the evening, we had a picnic in a park near the church, and just kind of relaxed and visited with folks. To cap the whole thing, on Sunday they voted to take us on for support! It's just been a really great conference, and a true blessing.

Tomorrow, we'll be driving back to St. Louis. Pray for us as we drive. Our air-conditioning is still needing to be fixed, and it's going to hit 92 tomorrow. We got the compressor replaced, but that revealed a leak in the evaporator. Our mechanic couldn't work us in until May 31, so until then, we have to suffer with the heat. The cost of the repair will be $800, so please pray that the money will be there for that. We'll be home for much of June to get some much needed rest. I'm covering for our Pastor so he and his family can go on vacation, and our wedding anniversary is on June 10 as well, so we decided to take it easy on meetings this month. We have a meeting next week in Hannibal, MO, in Victory Baptist Church with Pastor James Barmore, and then we'll be home for the rest of June. Pray for the meeting, that we'll be able to be a blessing, and that God will work.

MISSION: Uganda Blog Udate 05-22-2006

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Greetings, once again! We're in Des Moines, IA at the moment, preparing to make the drive home to St. Louis, MO (easy drive, only six hours). We just completed the 2006 Missions Conference at Southtown Baptist Church (Pastor Jim Chamberlain). Dr. Les Frazier (SE Asia Director for BIMI), was the main speaker, and he did a great job every night. The sermons were spot on, and really ministered to both of us, and appeared to do the same for everybody else. The turnout was good every night. The international dinner on Saturday was fantastic (those things usually are). I told 'em that they were helping us get ready for the mission field in Uganda, because the Ugandans will come up and tell you you're looking fat, and mean it as a compliment, because it's a sign of good health and prosperity to them.

I went soul-winning with one of the men on Saturday morning. I'd been praying that God would help me bear some fruit, and He answered big-time: I led three Catholic girls to the LORD at the same time! It was incredible. They tried to justify themselves at first, so I took them to the ten commandments, and we talked about how God makes no difference between sins, that they all have the same penalty (death), and that if you sin in one point, you are guilty of the whole law. I could see they were under conviction, so I gave them the good news, that while they were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. They all three wanted to be saved, and prayed to receive Christ as their LORD and Savior right there in the doorway. Be in prayer for Lindsay, Ashley, and Samantha. The church will be visiting them again next week. Pray that their grandparents won't be hostile, and that they'll be able to reach the whole family. I also witnessed to a Methodist lady who was plainly under conviction, but would not believe on the LORD Jesus to be saved. The ladies from the church will be returning to visit her also next week. Pray that she will not harden her heart, but will believe and be saved. It was just a tremendous day of soul-winning and fellowship with the men, and God truly blessed.

Pray for Jim Chamberlain. He's been having some health problems lately, so pray that God will heal his flesh so he can continue to be effective in the ministry. Pray for Les Frazier's new grand-daughter. She is having some problems with her liver that the doctors are still trying to diagnose. At this point it would appear that it's not a genetic disorder (that's good), but some surgery will likely be required. Please pray.

On Wednesday, we'll be driving to Johnson City, TN for a conference in Answer Baptist Church (Pastor Jason Wiley). Pray for the trip that all will go well. Our evaporator needs to be replaced, but we can't get it done until May 31, so until then, we have to endure the heat. Pray for the conference, that God will bless, and that the Church will experience revival and God's moving. Pray that we'll be a blessing and an encouragement.