Wow!  It just continued today.  Had a lot of fun today that began with breakfast at Cracker Barrel and a group of fun senior adults.  It was a hoot.  Following that I went with one of the men to see the preacher in the hospital.  He was still in a fair amount of pain but as we visited the preacher’s cell phone rang.  His wife took the call and as we continued our visit we could not help but notice her shaking her head as she talked with the person on the other end.

When she got off she just chuckled and said; “you’re not going to believe this, but that was the guest speaker for tonight.  He has food poisoning and will not be able to speak.”  As we stood there, the pastor asked; “well, can you handle it all tonight?”  I told him I could so there you go.  I did my best and the people were gracious.  It was another good crowd and we had a little movement at the invitation so all the glory goes to the Lord!

I’ll head out for home so I appreciate all the prayers this week and now as I drive home.

Love you,

John

Your continued prayers are appreciated as the work continues.  It was a good day that started with me sharing this ministry at the local nursing home.  There is a very dedicated group of senior adults in this church, Gum Grove Baptist Church, that have taken this nursing home as a ministry and have been doing Sunday School and worship as well as a weekly Bible study for some time now.  It was a real blessing spending time with this dedicated group.

Tonight’s crowd was down a little from last nights but the spirit was really good.  As I told you in yesterdays blog, the pastor of the church has been hospitalized and finally was able to have surgery this evening around 5:15.  By 6 p.m. he was out of surgery and we were told that everything went really well.  Praise the Lord! 

Keep praying.  Services finish out tomorrow night and I’ll head home on Thursday to wash, repack, and head out Saturday. 

 Love ya,

John

Wow, what a day and what a service tonight.  We met up at the church earlier this afternoon to prepare for the service and grab a bite to eat before the service.  Well, I get up there and the pastor is not there.  I really need to get into the sanctuary to set up some things and time is pressin’ a bit. 

About that time the minister of music shows up and tells me that the pastor has been hospitalized with a severe gall bladder attack and will be having surgery in the morning.  Geez…the pastor’s wife is already struggling as the result of a car wreck at the end of last month and now this.  Anyway we went on into the service with the minister of music presiding.

The weather here is in between fronts.  Yesterday was cold and today was a great deal warmer.  By the time we got into the service it was really hot in the sanctuary so that make everything a little more difficult.  I actually felt a little ill before I finished my part of the service.  When I sat down, the minister of music went and turned the air on but with the very good crowd we had, the system just could not catch up. 

Lots of distractions throughout as the many children that came to see my friends became a little restless and figidty and some of the younger ones, fussy.  God worked but it was all very difficult.  One recommitment tonight so we praise Him for that.  Pray for the services as we’ll be managing without the leadership of the pastor and pray for him and the doctors helping him.  His name is Rev. James Sanders.

Each night has a different speaker so pray for Kent Campbell.

Blessings,

John

It was a good day in the Lord today.  Thank you for your prayers.  The church had “high attendance” Sunday today and their goal was 150.  There were 153 so the excitement began early.  This mornings service went well and at the conclusion of the service there were 5 baptized including a dad, mom, and teen aged son.  Awesome, huh? 

Tonight’s service went well although there was no movement during the invitation.  I led in worship then brought the message.  The people were “with me” through out so I’m grateful for that but would obviously liked to have seen some movement.  God knows hearts and needs and I’m glad it’s up to Him and not me.

Please continue to pray!

John

It was a good night as I focused on a kids night with my “friends” and lots of crazy choruses as well as worship music.  We had a great crowd, the preacher said, and lots of kids. 

I asked the pastor if he saw many visitors.  He said that it appeared that all the adults were pretty much his church folks but they brought a good many kids from the neighborhoods and such.  Friends of their kids.  That was nice.

This ministry with the many facets, ie trumpet, ventriloquism, and music, is unfamiliar to this church.  In the past, the pastor told me, they have used local businessmen and women to do the music part of a revival service.  Pray that God will preceed and annoint every single aspect of this ministry and will use it to perhaps touch a part of each heart that hasn’t been touched.

I am following two glorious weeks of ministry so I don’t want to take anything for granted.  Tomorrow morning (Sunday a.m.) Dr. Jimmy Porter from the Baptist Building in Jackson, MS, will be speaking.  Tomorrow night I will be doing the music and the preaching.  Pray for strength.

I look forward to each opportunity and covet your prayers.  I’ll give you a report, Lord willing, tomorrow night.

Love you,

John

First let me thank you for checking in so often.  I have to apologize but I was unable to blog while out of the country.  Just a set of unique circumstances but I know you prayed for us and we appreciate it.  Let me give you a brief synopsis of our trip.

We arrived in Birmingham Thursday night after a really long day of driving home from the great revival (6 1/2 hrs), unloading and reloading for the warm temps in Grand Cayman.  When we got to our hotel in Birmingham it was 9:00, 14 degrees and was to be 8 first thing in the morning.  Well, it was.  We drove to the airport at 4:45 a.m. bundled up.  I dropped Patty off with the luggage, curb side, and she threw her winter coat to me and ran indoors.  I parked, covered the considerable distance from the parking spot to the terminal then took a little time to thaw.

Our plane left for Atlanta, we made our connection and at 1:55 e.s.t. we walked off a plane to 80 degrees and breezy.  From there it was one blessing after another as we got to know the people of Cayman Island Baptist Church.  The church is a new church plant in the southeast district, Savannah/Newlands, of Grand Cayman where there was no Baptist church previously.  People are coming from all around and God is really working.

I did an afternoon program for kids on Saturday.  There were about 125 in attendance and lots of fun.  They really didn’t know how to take me.  Can you imagine? On Sunday I took the sermon time and did a mini concert aimed at the family.  It was well received and lots of fun.  Then on Monday I accepted an invitation to do a program for an inner city government school in the heart of George Town, Grand Cayman.  It was awesome!  Here’s a little side-bar…the inner city school begins each day with a prayer, they have chapel every Monday morning and every class has a Bible study time at some point during the day.  Think about that…I had to leave my country to be able to pray in public school.  Anything wrong with this picture?

After all that, we took Tuesday to just lay back, ride around the island to soak it all up, then headed home Wednesday.  I want to encourage you to continue to pray for us.  As we press on in service to Him I know the attacks will keep coming.  I will be leaving Saturday morning to lead worship in a revival meeting in Brookhaven.  Gum Grove Baptist Church will be having a different preacher each night.  On Sunday night I will do the entire service.

Everything will begin with a kids night on Saturday so start praying now!

I will be able to blog this next week so watch and pray!

John

Hallelujah!  Ok, I’m sure where to begin for fear of leaving something out so let me just begin at the first thing this morning.  I asked you to pray for us as we went into Winona Christian School today.  The prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  You know who you are “righteous man” so I want to share with you.  At 8:30 this morning, Bro. Bowlin went into the middle school/high school.  Grades 7-12.  There were 4 professions of faith including a brother and sister.

Following the chapel, the host pastor, Bro. Freddie Matthews and Bro. Bowlin went to tell the dad all about it.  Mom works at the school and was so excited.  The men arrive at the farm to see dad on the tractor in the field.  They talk, he shows up at church tonight at WHAM, gets saved.  How bout that?

I went to the elementary, grades 1-6, this afternoon.  Tonight, 6 of the kids walked down the aisle to receive Christ as Lord and Savior.  Following that, a leader in the youth group came forward to recommit his life.  His dad was one of the 7 saved on Sunday.  When he recommited, being the leader he is, another teen guy came forward to receive Christ.  He’s not even a member of the church.  He lives in another community about 10 miles away.

All in all, we saw about 16 or 17 come to Christ and countless decisions of recommitment and families committing to take a deeper walk and begin a family altar time each day.  Truly a spirit filled revival.  I’ve only had the privilege of experiencing true revival in a church a few times in my ministry.  Your constant prayer coverage was honored by the Lord and I praise Him and thank you for your faithfulness.

Continue to lift up Vaiden Baptist Church and their pastor, Bro. Freddie Matthews as they fulfill God’s call.  We’ll head home early tomorrow for a long day.  We head home, unload, reload and head to Birmingham to spend the night.  On Friday morning we’ll fly out at 6:40 for Grand Cayman and the weekend mission at Cayman Island Baptist Church.

Not sure that we’ll be able to blog so pray.  Saturday a kids program, Sunday morning we’ll be participating in the service and Monday morning we’ll be in one of the elementary schools.

Blessings,

John

It’s a bit late but wireless problems at our hotel kept me from posting last night.  Another good day in the Lord on Tuesday.  There were a number of people that showed up to go door to door in the community to both invite folks to the meeting and share Christ as the Lord led.

The meeting began at 11 and it was their monthly “Live Wires” (senior adult) meeting so they just tied the two together.  They apparently have quite a few members of the group from other churches.  It was a good turnout and the service was nice. 

Last night Bro. Bowlin spoke on Eph. 5 and 6 and of course directed everything to the family.  The altar was full and included on little fellow giving his heart to Christ. 

This morning Bro. Bowlin spoke at the high school chapel (Winona Christian Academy).  Haven’t heard the results but he was excited to be able to give an invitation.  I will be speaking for the elementary at 1:30 today.  I won’t be able to go as far with the appeal since I heard last night that even 3 year olds would be included.  Those of you who know me know this isn’t my preference.  Pray that I am effective.

Tonight will be young people’s night.  (they are combining the youth and kids) So we’ll gear everything accordingly and pray for God to move mightily.

Blessings,

John

It was a good day.  At 11 a.m. we met at the church.  Obviously the crowd was the retired group mainly because most of the church folks work a ways from there and it wouldn’t be practical for them to be there for that time. 

Tonight’s service was, once again, a spirit filled service.  It’s been exciting listening to the church members express their “almost disbelief” but exceptionally excited over the crowds showing up and the response during the invitation.  We saw the altar full again tonight and 1 small boy giving his heart to Christ.

We appreciate your continued prayers.  The pastor has felt led in a different direction for tomorrow.  Instead of an 11 a.m. service, we are meeting at the church at 10, going out throughout the area to promote the meeting and talk to folks about Jesus.  Pray that the Holy Spirit goes before us and we see a great movement of God.

Blessings,

John

The Lord continued to work tonight as we saw an altar full during the invitation.  Thank you for your continued prayers on behalf of myself and Bro. Gary Bowlin.  Tomorrow we’ll have a service at 11 a.m. then, of course, tomorrow night.

Blessings,

John