More Great News!

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My son, John, just got saved! It's been a few days. He wasn't sure about Jesus dying for him. He understood he was a sinner, and he understood Jesus died for others, but it wasn't clicking that He died for him personally. We went over it again tonight during Bible reading, and he kept telling us he wanted to be saved. So, I used the wordless book to give him the gospel, and he got it! "Jesus died for me!", he said. But Jesus didn't stay dead. He is risen, and is in heaven. He understood, so we prayed, and he asked Jesus to save him, and to clean him all up (his words). My son is a believer. It is so much easier to train a regenerate child, than an unregenerate one. It's made all the difference with James. John has been struggling with his conscience the past few days. Now, he has a new nature, and a clean conscience. James was so excited. He's been very worried for John, but now his brother is born again! Of all the people in the world, the millions who are lost and on their way to Hell, I have always cared for my children the most. It is a great relief of mind to see them get saved, and in their youth. Pray for James and John, as they grow in Christ together.

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 03-17-2005

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Hello, once again. We've just finished up our church's Church Planting Conference. Bro. Loren Steven and Bro. James Beller (Arnold Baptist Tabernacle) were the main speakers, with testimonies from Ed Bragg (Lafayette Bible Baptist), William Gillespie (Maranatha Baptist Church) and Don Ploesser. It was a real encouragement to me, to hear what these other men have done, to be challenged spiritually, and to get some practical advice on church planting, which I will be doing myself in Uganda. Several pastors from the Missouri and Illinois area were in attendance. It's good to see how God is working in churches all over the place, and to know that more churches are being birthed to replace the dearth of churches in America. As always, it's up to the pesky Baptists to do the real work of the New Testament church, and to hold the line against liberal philosophy and apostasy in our culture. We, the downtrodden, scorned, and maligned, are, in fact, God's agents in this world to preach the gospel and to occupy until the LORD returns. Seriously, if it weren't for Baptists, there'd be no Biblical churches anywhere, but we'd be like Europe, apostate, cold, and pertaining to the Gospel and sound doctrine, all too silent. I'm looking forward to starting churches of my own in Uganda, and to see faithful men trained to lead them, and then to help them birth churches also, and train their own leadership, and in so doing, ensure that the Great Commission will be fulfilled, and endure, no matter what, in Uganda. This little nation could conceivably become the epicenter for a Great Awakening on the African continent, that would sweep out from Uganda in ever-expanding circles until all have heard. We can save Africa from Communism, and Islam, and from Animism, in a few generations, by aggressively planting churches, training faithful men, and by training them to do likewise. If the LORD tarries, it could happen. I know it's my heart's desire, and that of every missionary already in Uganda. Tho' it may seem like there's an awful lot of missionaries either in Uganda, or heading there, there are definite reasons why God is calling so many to Uganda, and why, in reaching Uganda, we may in time reaching the whole of Africa.

Pray for us, folks, and for all our missionaries on the field and elsewhere who are privileged to be called of God to Uganda.

Great News!!

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My eldest son, James, just got saved! He's four, but we were reading in 1 John 3 before bed, and we were talking about sin, and the conviction of God plainly fell on him. He was almost crying and saying "I not want to go to Hell, I want to go to heaven." He was so convicted that he didn't want to go to sleep, so I told Anna to get the wordless book, and she led him to Jesus. When we asked him, "What did Jesus do for you?" he responded all on his own "Jesus washed me all up." You could see the relief and the joy in his countenance, and it was beautiful and wonderful to behold. My son is saved! Pray for John. He's very close, but he still doesn't quite "get it". I'm going to try to talk to him alone tomorrow and see what happens. Glory! What an answer to prayer!

Right after, as we were finally getting them to bed, James was telling us that "John needs to ask Jesus to be his Savior, and Ethan, and Elizabeth". He's minutes old as a Christian, and already, the desire to see his siblings saved is there. God is so good, and we are so blessed to have His love, and favor, and forgiveness.

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 03-11-2005

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Just a quick note. You may have heard the Jaws-inspired phrase "We're going to need a bigger boat." Well, we're going to need a bigger van. Why? Well, my wife may be carrying twins. That's right, TWINS. How cool is that? We won't know for sure 'til we can afford an ultrasound, but based on her symptoms, compared to prior pregnancies, it's a definite possibility. I am, of course, rooting for twin girls, which would balance the numbers nicely (3 boys and 3 girls). Anyway. I was driving past the place where I spotted that conversion van the other day, and it hit me – 'If this is twins, a conversion van won't be big enough". We would need 8 seatbelts, and a conversion van only has 7. So, I guess it has to be a passenger van now. Now, some of the eugenicist, population control types out there may be tempted to think, "Six kids!? Have they gone mad?!" I, however, feel honored that God would potentially entrust not one, but TWO sets of twins to us. Pretty slick. Good thing we're going to a country where large families are still considered good, and children are rightly regarded as God's blessing.

Anyway, that's all for now. Pray for us.

'nuff said…

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 03-09-2005

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Greetings, faithful reader! We're home this week. Somehow, we got some wires crossed with our church in Ava, MO. Apparently, the meeting was for the first Sunday in March, 2006, not 2005. Glad I called first. This coming Sunday, we'll be in our church for our Annual Church Planting Conference. Bro. Jim Waymire, and Bro. Jim Beller will be the keynote speakers, along with several guest speakers from the St. Louis area. I'm really looking forward to it. Since church planting will be one of our primary missions in Uganda, it will be good to hear from guys who've actually done it to learn the practicalities of how it should be done.

We heard from Bible Baptist Church (pastor Mike Clement) in Scottsbluff, NE. They're taking us on for support! Our undying gratitude to all our supporting churches, and individuals. We wouldn't have made it this far without you. It's encouraging to know that folks are praying for us all over the place. Again, we wouldn't have made it this far without you all. God will raise our support. Pure and simple. I got to worrying about it, when it wasn't my responsibility in the first place, and I think that's what got me down. When you worry about things, or try to take responsibility for things that are God's, you wear yourself down. I got to thinking about it, and we really have loads to be grateful for. God's in control. He wants us on the field, so it's up to Him, not me, to get us there. So, I figured I'd better just quit feeling sorry for myself and start enjoying deputation (If it was a movie, it would be called Dr. Strangegood, or, How I Learned How to Stop Worrying and Love Deputation). Thanks for praying for us, tho'. I'm feeling a lot better about things, and my attitude has certainly improved.

Be praying. I spotted a potential replacement van on the way to church on Sunday. It's a maroon colored, 1996 Ford E150 conversion van, with 129,000 miles. I checked it out up close, and the paint is in great shape, the interior looks clean and well cared for, the tires appear to be new or fairly new, and I didn't spot any rust above or below. They're asking $7000. If this is the one, then God will have to come up with the 7 grand we need to buy it (probably more like 7500, in order to cover sales tax). Pray for His provision. What with Huckabee number five on the way, we need a bigger vehicle more than ever. Pray also that I'll be able to fill up June, July, and August. The summer months are light on meetings, probably due to the drop in attendance that virtually all churches experience during the summer months. If you know anybody that would like to have a missionary to Uganda in during those times, by all means give a holler.

Anyway, that's all I can think of to write for now. Thanks for all your kind care of us, prayer, and support. We really appreciate it.