The 138

Last week we finally made it to Bakersfield, California, after a long yet enjoyable drive from Loganville, Georgia. The last 90 minutes of our journey was on a highway that I have driven hundreds of times since 2005- Highway 138, or "the 138" as they say in California. As I drove down the 138 last week my heart was stirred, and I rejoiced in the goodness and mercy of God.

March/April 2013 Prayer Letter/Update

A very busy, profitable travel schedule

March and April found us visiting our supporting churches in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Alabama. It truly was busy in the purest sense of the word, and it was equally profitable because of the wonderful opportunities that God afforded us. Those opportunities include: getting reconnected with some of the best churches in the world; getting to see some of our dearest friends in the world; preaching in church services and Christian school chapels; and giving the Gospel to people we met along the way.

January/February 2013 Prayer Letter/Udate

                  Blessed to see our supporting churches

It has been such a blessing to be in several of our supporting churches during January and February. We have been able to report in 17 of our supporting churches covering the states of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, and West Virginia. Truly, God has blessed us with precious supporting churches who love us and support us faithfully; and we love them! Each time we have had to say goodbye to one of the churches we have visited on this furlough, there has been an aching in my heart and a desire to stay and fellowship for just a little longer. We cherish the relationship that we have with each church that has partnered with us, and we will be praying for our supporting churches and their pastors, that God will continue to use and bless them for His glory.

"Preaching Christ for Christ's sake"

From the Memoir and Remains of Robert Murray M'Cheyne by Andrew Bonar, page 45.

(Excerpt from M'Cheyne's journal) "July 8- Since Tuesday have been laid up with illness. Set by once more for a season to feel my unprofitableness and cure my pride. When shall this self-choosing temper be healed? 'Lord, I will preach, run, visit, wrestle,' said I. 'No, thou shalt lie in thy bed and suffer,' said the Lord. Today missed some fine opportunities of speaking a word for Christ. The Lord saw I would have spoken as much for my own honor as His, and therefore shut my mouth. I see a man cannot be a faithful minister, until he preaches Christ for Christ's sake- until he gives up striving to attract people to himself, and seeks only to attract them to Christ."

Highlights from Our Week

• I've been praying that God would open my eyes to more opportunities to give the Gospel to those I meet in our travels. Last week I was able to give the Gospel to the manager at CiCi's pizza in Jacksonville, Arkansas. She didn't make a decision for Christ, but I hope I at least put a pebble in her shoe.

• Had the opportunity to teach a missions class at Bethel Baptist College in Jacksonville, Arkansas. Taught on "The Missionary and His Materials", as well as some helpful things I learned from the book "The Deputation Manual" by Pastor Austin Gardner.

• Had a great time visiting two guys from my home church (Victory Baptist Church, Loganville, Georgia)- Matthew Sewell and Steven Ayers- down at Champion Baptist College in Hot Springs, Arkansas. We went down for a few hours last Thursday, and I sat in on two of the classes. Heard some of the best teaching on the topic of prayer I have ever heard.

• Sunday morning, Feb. 17th, we stopped in and worshipped with one of our supporting churches, Colonial Baptist Church in Rogers, Arkansas, Pastor Claude Slate. Was personally stirred to see God's grace at work in Pastor Slate and his family, as just over one year ago his daughter, Kim Boling, went home to be with the Lord. We are still praying for God's grace and comfort towards the Slate family and toward Kim's husband, Michael Boling. 

• Sunday night, Feb. 17th, we were with another supporting church in Rogers, Arkansas- Gospel Light Baptist Church, Pastor Noel Cwenar. Was able to give a report, sing, and hear a timely message from God's Word.

• My daughter, Elisabeth (4 yrs. old) is proving to be quite the analyzer. She asked me out of the blue earlier today, "Daddy, do strangers think that we are strangers?" I don't think I started thinking those kind of thoughts until I was a good ways further down the road of life than she is presently at. 

• Please pray for the wife of one of the men I will be working with when we get back to Cambodia. The man's name is Tho. His wife, Jan, has been very sick, and they are looking for a doctor who can give her a correct diagnosis.

When Choosing a Veteran Missionary...

Picture taken in 2006 during my first survey trip

The choice of which veteran missionary you will work with during your first term on the mission field is incredibly important. I thank God that He led us to the Benefield family to work with during our first term in Cambodia. To the glory of God, I can tell you that during time that we were in the Benefield's ministry, Bro. Benefield and I never had a cross word with each other. And I thank God for that. My outlook on ministry in Cambodia is extremely positive, and I owe much of that to Bro. Benefield's leadership. In this post I want to list some facets of my experience working under Stephen Benefield that may prove helpful to a missionary who is still considering which veteran missionary he will work with for the first term.

The Missionary and His Materials

Yesterday I had the privilege to teach a practical missions class at Bethel Baptist College in Jacksonville, Arkansas. I wanted to leave something with the class that would really be a practical help to them when they begin the deputation process. These simple thoughts surely helped me when I was on deputation, and these principles certainly apply to furlough as well. These thoughts specifically apply to the materials- the prayer letter, letterhead, website, display, packet, and, most importantly (in my opinion), the DVD presentation. In this post, I will focus more on the DVD presentation.