Saturday, June 30, 2007
Pictured here are two of the elders of the Somerset Church of Christ in Somerset, Ohio, acting out parts in VBS, "The Incredible Run". This is a congregation of about 100 members who are very active and becoming more active in out reach in the community. They had a very successful VBS. In part an e-mail I received reads as follows, "Our attendance, Sun. 106, Mon. 116, Tues. 109, Wed. 107, Thurs. 166. We had classes for the very young to the adult. A special effort was made for Thursday to get the parents of the kids from the community to attend. It worked. We plan to follow up with those from the community from the attendance records of the kids. This has been our best community effort and response for many years. Now it's on to prepare for our Church booth at the county fair next month. We share a booth with a sister congregation each year to promote Jesus, pass out literature,offer Bible studies, and give away bibles and commentaries.
This is a church, with which Rosemary and I worked this past May. It is a great group of Christians and are always endeavoring to reach out with the gospel to others. They have three really fine elders: Dave, Don and Larry.
Friday, June 22, 2007
As we will be away in a meeting, I probably will not have internet service until I return home, but will answer you email and return to the blog as soon as possible. Don
We just finished our gospel meeting at Howell with Br. Benny Burns. The attendance, esp. from those who were not members of the Church of Christ was just amazing. This was accomplished by many members of the church going out - door to door- passing out literature and giving a personal invitation to people to attend. I know that we often hear that people are not interested in church anymore, but believe me, it has been our experience that a personal invitation is still a very effective way to get people to come to church. I am very proud of my brethren at Howell, they were all very much involved in getting ready for our meeting. A lot of work was done on the building, but the personal work done by our brethren was just a magnificient example to all. Rosemary and I leave in the morning, Sat. for Murfresboro to begin a meeting with the Church of Christ at Windrow. It goes thru Wed. eve. When we get back we hope to do a great deal of follow up and hopefully bible studies with many of the visitors at our meeting at Howell. Don
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Our meeting started today at the Howell Church. Br. Benny Burns is speaking and Br. Stephen Bryan is leading the singing. After services, we all had dinner together. The church had worked hard in door knocking and personally inviting people to services and many came this morning who are not members. I am very proud of the Howell Church and its hard, diligent work in out reach to the community and the surrounding area. It is really beginning to show and have an effect on the community but also on us as members as we see what really can be done and that evangelism is a "good thing". Next week I begin a meeting with the Windrow congregation near Murrfresboro, Tn. If you know people there, I hope you will invite them to attend this meeting. Our messages during this meeting will have emphasis on out reach and helping the church grow, both spiritually and numerically. Don
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Many of us at the Howell church had a grand experience last evening, Fri. Our gospel meeting begins this Sunday. It is always good when other christians from other congregations attend, but we wanted to make a special effort to encourage non members to attend. So... several of us, 12 I believe left the building about 6:30 and endeavored to walk or ride all the roads that lead away from the building for a distance of about a mile and personally invite people to attend this meeting. We received many favorable responses. Some ask us to pray for them, some asked us to visit their loved ones and all in all I believe we made a very favorable impression to the community at large. I really expect some bible studys to come from this effort as well as many of them attending our meeting. From my latest discussions with members of the Bayou La Batre Chruch of Christ, they are continuing to work on their new building, and are continuing quite well. They continue to need our prayers and encouragement, but they are a determined group of christians. Don
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
We do apologize for not having much on the blog as of late. This past week, however and the next week are very busy with gospel meetings, and VBS somewhere every night. I will tell you that tomorrow evening, Wed. we will be at Wilson Av. in Tullahoma speaking in there Summer Series. Our message is entitled, "Battling for the souls of men." We just finished with our Open Bible Classes with the Friendship Church of Christ in Lincoln Co. This Fri . evening many of us at the Howell Church are going out door knocking in the surrounding community inviting them to our up coming meeting starting Sun. with Bro. Benny Burns speaking and Br. Stephen Graham leading the singing. We are looking forward in meeting the people with this invitation and it is a real opportunity to let them know that this meeting is important to us and that we are taking our time to let them know how much we would appreciate their presence. This also gives them the opportunity to meet us, many of whom they may not know. We also may be able to set up a few bible studies. Don
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Good News. I just received an email from Russ Blackwell who has just returned from the 32nd annual Back to the Bible Campaign in Tulsa, Ok. There were 68 studies taught and 34 people were baptized into Christ. The method of study that is used is the Open Bible Method. This method of study really helps the student to teach himself as he reads just what the bible says about various subjects. We just finished teaching this course of study at the Friendship Church of Christ in Lincoln County. Our next sessions will be with the Howell Church of Christ. It is so positive to see these kind of results, it is work, but it also indicates to us that there really are a lot of people who are interested in the Lord and our relationship with him. Good Night Don
Monday, June 04, 2007
Would like to suggest a couple of blog spots with some very positive info of good things happening in the church. Mike works with the Fla. Bible Camp just north of Gainsville, Fla. and has an interesting article on his blog. http://mikesmissionupdates.blogspot.com Also Carol emailed me and told me there is a very good article about the Bayou La Batre Church of Christ and it's work in out reach and their new building. http://www.christianchronicle.org There is also an article in the chronicle about are we growing that I found very interesting. Looking forward to returning to the Friendship Church of Christ this Wed. night for another lesson on the use of the open bible study method. This congregation is quickly learning this method and I know will make good use of it in reaching out to others with the message of Jesus. Don
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Good News, the Church of Christ that meets on Hemley Road in Bayou La Batre in now in their "new building". They had services there this morning and it is my information that they about 70 in attendance. This is the church in which several of us were in a door knocking campaign under the leadership of Russ from the Cox Blvd. Church in Sheffield, Al. this past month. As you recall we had 21 baptisms during that week. Certainly a big thanks goes out to so many who have donated time, energy, money and a whole lot of love in helping this new congregation become a reality. There will, no doubt be continued challenges, but with their determination, our continued support and the help and direction of the Almighty, it is looking very good for this new congregation. Brethren our Lord said it best, "Lift up your eyes unto the fields, they are white already unto harvest." Jn.4:35 Bayou La Batre Church of Christ p.o. box 218 Bayou La Batre 36509 Don
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Good News from the new work in Lewistown, Montana, where Br. Henry Pendegrass and his wife Agnes are helping the church. Br. Henry writes, "interest continues to grow in the work here. Our highest attendance for the month of May was the 13th when we had 18 present for worship. We have now a total of 38 different people in attendance. We have been having a good bible study at the home of for several weeks now. They usually last about 2hours. After a 2 and 1/2 hr. study two were baptized. From Don, It is encouraging to see that a new work can be started by this type of dedication by Henry and Agnes. May their efforts be an encouragement to all of us to continue in our outreach to others. Don
