When you made your "New Years Resolutions" for 2010, did you believe you'd reach your goals. I did. Three of my goals for 2010 were ones I'd had for years; Masters Degree, Africa Mission Trip, new ministry. Well here it is June 2010 and my three goals have been met; I earned my Masters, I will leave June 6th for Africa, and I am in a new ministry - New Life Baptist Church. There is always one more goal that I set each year that I've already met and exceeded; leading someone to Christ. This year God has use me to share His Grace with four people who are now His children, WOW! What goals have you set with God for this year or for your life? It's time.

And God said, "who shall go for Us"

Isaiah said in his book that God asked the question "Who shall go for Us..." and Isaiah said, "Here am I Lord send me..." Africa is only a few weeks off and the number of people going has dropped from over a dozen to six. I know God is in charge and that Satan doesn't want us to go and that is the root of what is going on. And I feel for the ones who have had to drop out because I know their hearts were right, but things came up that were unavoidable. So, like Jack, I ask the question, "what does God have in store for us in Kenya?" Ono of my own interests is possibly starting a school for Pastors or teaching in their current one. The area we are going to is very poor - unlike anything you can imagine. Maybe with the Gospel they will be set free from poverty. Maybe another widow gets the new life she needs and a helping hand with the life she has now as a widow. Maybe orphans find food, shelter, clothing, and a family that cares. What ever it is God is going to be glorified and the Kingdom advanced. Pray for our team and the work we will do.

I know I don't update this as often as I should, but when something significant happens I try to pass along updates. Here are a couple of things worth mentioning. First, during the Christmas store here in Rowan County held at the Association office, I got the priviledge to witness to and see over ten people pray to become Christians - WOW! In six years I've got to lead over 27 people to Christ while working at the Christmas Store. Second, God gave me some personal encouragement the other day - some will get it some won't. Twice now as I have pastored God's church things haven't progresed as I thought or hoped they would. The funny thing is that while I'm waiting on God at one point, He blesses in another direction. In AK I pastored a small church that just couldn't get over the hump of 50 and God blessed me with teaching high school where I had 120 kids five days a week, an hour a day - what a priviledge. Today I have not realized the goals I set for growth in the church I am currently at, yet God has deveolped a world wide church via the internet through my blog and daily devotions which now reach over 300 homes. People forward them to many others, some copy them and keep them, African Pastors use them in Bible study and preaching, and this Fall I baptized two dear men, brothers of a friend who became Christ followers. Give God the glory for using me/us even in spite of what we think we are supposed to do!

A genuine miracle

Today I received one of those phone calls that changes your life. My good friend Jack Hutchins from Winston Salem, NC called about the 2010 Africa Mission Trip he is setting up to find out if I was interested in going. Jack and I have been friends since he and a mission team came to AK several years ago and we have stayed in touch. Some reading this might remember that Becky and I went to Africa together in 2008 - see the slide show below. I shared that I was interested, but that current circumstances were proving to be a problem for getting that kind of money together again. What happened next is the miracle that only God could do though and in His people. Jack told me that he had seen the connection in my eyes and knew Africa had touched my heart and then said, "if you are still interested in going someone has provided a scholarship for your costs and it won't cost you anything to go..." I began to weep as the realization of his statement set in. Four hours later I'm still on the verge of tears to know that God does provide, even before we ask and more than we ask or think - Eph 3:20-21. What an amazing God we serve - don't ever let money or any human thing stand in the way of doing God's will. So, next year I will be back in the awesome African continent, in beloved Kenya, sometime in June. Start praying now for us and Africa that God would use us mightly again.

Alaska 2009 Mission Trip

Where do we go from here?

If God has so chosen to use you or me in His work reaching people for Christ, what would He do next? There may indeed be a "next," but I am still wrestling with the "Love God, Love Others, Serve the World" idea. You see I think that as we allow God to work in our lives He reveals more of Himself to us because His ultimate desire to conform us into the image of His Son. It all comes down to God's greatest desire for us to know Him and draw closer to Him. And He is willing to do whatever it takes in order for that to happen. The question is then what will it take for us to love God more? Such are the rambling of my mind and questions that go unanswered.

The Answer

I have discovered the answer to low budgets, low attendance, low baptisms, dying churches, low Spiritual vitality, and a host of other maladies that infect our church, mine included - we have forgotten why we are here. Our soul purpose for God leaving us behind here on Earth is to win souls, period!(pun intended) If we were busy winning souls to the Lord, many, if not all of our current problems would cease to exist. Granted, we would then have new problems, like; high utilities due to heating up the baptistery and filling it more than once a year, our Sunday School budget would be over costs due to needing more materials, parking and seating would be at a premium, we would need more greeters and ushers to handle the extra people, more background checks on new nursery workers since the nursery would be full, we'd have to have more children programs for the kids and youth, more Sunday School classes and teacher would be needed. What do you think? Is that over simplification? But, you have to admit it's true.

Most churches and Christians do not witness and win souls - they hire the Pastor to do that. He is the "Super Hired Holy Man" and if the church dies, it's his fault. Well, maybe no one else is saying it so let me be the first - it ain't our fault! We are all to blame. Witnessing is everyone responsibility. So what do you say - you want to turn the world on it's ear? Lead someone to Christ. Remember, "we do not witness to win the whole world to Christ, but if we lead someone to Christ we have to have witnessed..."

Remember it is a command from our Lord - Matt 28:19-20
Pastor Bill