Finding Many Connections at Conference in Colorado Springs

Pastor Scholz

We spent the last five days at a missions conference at Lighthouse Baptist Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The pastor is Nathan Scholz. I discovered many connections and overlappings on many different levels while at this church. First area starts with the pastor who was born in Falls City, Nebraska. He lived in Lincoln at one time in his life and attended the church that my wife and I were married in for a short while. (Not at the same time we were there.) He also came from the same church as a former pastor of mine named Brother Shonebarger. It was amazing when everything was pieced together to realize how close our lives came to crossing although they never did before now.

Pastor Barfield

Second connection was found in one of the other missionaries/church planter at the conference. Pastor Tyrone Barfield planted a church in Texarkana, Texas. The church I attended Bible college at and was ordained at played a part in helping him start that church by supplying him a family for a whole year from their church. It turned out that I know the family that helped him and many of the others from the Longview Baptist Temple that helped him too. It was a blessing to get to know this man and his family. Please pray for Calvary Independent Baptist Church to be blessed!

Brother and Mrs. Kuyendall

Third connection was found in a family that are members of Lighthouse Baptist Church. Brother Kuyendall is the founding pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Kilgore, Texas. This is a church I have known for many years. He and his wife also knew Pastor Wiley Bennett and his wife from Woodland Hills Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas. In fact they even attended Woodland Hills for a short while before moving to Colorado. Brother Bennett passed away several years ago, but was a very good friend of our family. We are still very close to his wife. It is amazing sometimes how small this world of ours really is!

Men's group singing a special

Bryant family singing special

The conference was fantastic! There was a lot of special music and heart stirring preaching each night on missions. We felt refreshed and renewed after each service. I was amazed by all the talented singers and musicians. Even the pastor jumped into the orchestra for a special number during the offering time. We thought that was pretty neat.

Pastor Scholz

My wife and daughters even got in the act and sang "Bring Them In" in the Karen language. The folks of the church really seemed to enjoy it!

Wife and daughters singing a special

While in town we stayed with our good friends Brother and Mrs. Steve Johnson. Brother Johnson lives in Colorado Springs, but is pastor of the Lighthouse Baptist Church in Aurora, Colorado. I was called into the ministry during a revival meeting Brother Johnson was preaching in 1996 at the Norfolk Baptist Church which was being led by Pastor Shonebarger at that time. Another connection yet again here! Since being on deputation we have stayed with the Johnson's five separate times. It is always a blessing to see them. I had a chance to go soul winning with Brother Johnson up in Aurora while we were there and got to knock on the door of a lady who told me that she was so excited to see me come by because she was just discussing with her daughter about needing to find a church. She told me this was of God. So I visited with her for several minutes and then asked her about her eternity. She informed me that she didn't know if she would make it to Heaven or not. I showed her from the Bible her need for Christ. After about 15 minutes she bowed her head and trusted Christ as her Saviour. She is going to start attending the Lighthouse Baptist Church in Aurora with her daughter. Praise God for His divine appointments. Please pray for us as we are flipping several time zones again and will be in Indiana by Wednesday. 

Brother Steve Johnson