Missions Conference 2018 at FBC Hammond

Bro. Bosje (Missions Director)

We had a great time at First Baptist Church of Hammond's missions conference. We were already so thankful that they supported us, but the opportunity to come to their missions conference was a fantastic experience. We were honored to stay with Mark and Missy Cogley who even allowed us to come several days early. On Saturday we attended the soul winning/neighborhood canvassing time for their upcoming Easter services. Our family covered about 300 doors and had two saved.

On Sunday we attended Bro. Mark Bosje's Sunday school class. He was a missionary to Thailand for seven years and is currently the missions director at the church. We enjoyed getting to meet his class members and give a testimony. We also enjoyed going to lunch with him and his family after the morning service.  

Pastor Wilkerson

Throughout the week we were privileged to speak with Pastor John Wilkerson several times and have some fellowship. He is doing a great job leading the church. We also enjoyed listening to Missionary Kevin Wynne preach multiple times throughout the conference. What a great missions speaker! 

Da We (Senior at Hyles-Anderson)

I also had the opportunity to give testimonies and answer questions in Church Ed class at Hyles Anderson College on Tuesday and Wednesday. Here I met many wonderful students, one of them being Da We who use to live in Northern Thailand in the area close to where I am going. He is a senior and has a heart to want to go back to the area he grew up at and reach his people as a missionary some day.

Tuesday night we attended the services in the Spanish church with Pastor Andy Gomez. He is doing a wonderful job and we truly enjoyed getting to met the many great Spanish families. Their spirit was incredible as was the whole church. We felt truly blessed to be a part of their conference and their missionary family! 

Member of Spanish church in Chinese dress

Meetings in Illinois and Indiana

Di Di after he got saved.

Pastor Moncofsky

Missions Director Bruce Enlow

This past week we had an opportunity to drive from Minnesota back to Lincoln to see our newest grandson who was born on March 12, 2018. While there my son (our pastor) asked me to teach the Wednesday night Bible study. It was an honor to teach the people that I had been the pastor of for so long. Many who are personal converts of my wife and myself. We also went out soul winning and met Di Di who  use to live in Thailand. I had the opportunity to lead Di Di to Christ. He works a lot of Sunday's, but is supposed to come to church in the near future.

We then stopped in the Marion Avenue Baptist Church in Washington, IA on Sunday morning. It was a privilege to visit Brother Abe Koehn's Sunday school class and to listen to Pastor Joseph Brown preach. The church already supports us. The Pastor had me get up and give a testimony. I am also thankful for them putting us up on Saturday night and feeding us a meal.

We then had the opportunity to visit Pastor Jason Moncosky's church in Quincy, IL. (Grace Baptist Church) He has a good group of folks and we felt warmly welcomed. They have faced a difficult time recently but I truly believe the Lord is going to use this church to do some great things in this community. God has already blessed them with some fantastic property. I was honored to present my ministry and be able to preach to them.

Then Wednesday night we visited Pastor Todd Poynter's church in Greenwood, IN. (Greenwood Bible Baptist Church) It was a privilege to meet Pastor Poynter and his dear people. His name is very similar sounding to mine and while on deputation I have actually been introduced by that name a couple of times because the pastors confused the name. (They are pastors who know him.) Pastor Poynter started this church 23 years ago and they have the most beautiful buildings that they have built themselves. This church is doing a great job impacting this area. I enjoyed visiting with everyone especially their missions director Brother Bruce Enlow. The pastor asked me to give my testimony going all the way back to when I was a deputy sheriff and the Lord called me out of that line of work and into the ministry. God is blessing our deputation. Please pray for us as we head to a missions conference at First Baptist Church in Hammond, IN.

Great Weekend in Illinois

Pastor and Mrs. Eddy

Pastor Harrison

Junior Ushers

This past weekend we were in Illinois at a couple of great churches. We spent Sunday morning with Pastor Jim Eddy and the Victory Baptist Church in Macomb, IL. I was able to teach Sunday school and then present our ministry during the morning service before I preached the morning service. Pastor Eddy has been here ten years and staying strong by the stuff. We have known the Eddy family since 1998, it was an enjoyable time.

Then Sunday evening we traveled to Lockport, IL and attended the evening service at Grace Baptist Church with Pastor Keith Harrison. I was privileged to be able to present our ministry in the evening service and really enjoyed listening to Pastor Harrison preach on Stewardship. Pastor Harrison has been here four years and he use to be a missionary in Argentina for 16 years. His church has an obvious heart for missions.

We had a meeting rescheduled for later in the year and ended up being in our home church Wednesday night. It was junior usher night, which is done once a month. It was enjoyable watching the junior ushers attend the ushers meeting with the adult men ushers. Then during the offering time watching them pick up the offering was fun. They all had smiles from ear to ear on their faces!

I was able to lead four souls to Christ this past week and my wife two while out soul winning. Two of mine are supposed to attend our home church this coming weekend, please pray that they do. Names are Wah Nay and Paw Gay, they are Karen people from Burma. Also, please pray for us as we head to Minnesota this weekend.