Great Meetings in Michigan

Pastor Paul Madonna

We journeyed to Michigan for a meeting this past Wednesday at The Covenant Baptist Church in Sterling Heights, Michigan. This church has been led by Pastor Paul Madonna since 2000. He has been on the staff here at the church since 1975 working as an assistant to his father who was the founding pastor of the church. We enjoyed eating supper with the pastor at his house and having fellowship with him as well as another missionary family that was there. We had a get together to meet the church folks before the service and then had an opportunity to present our mission second that night in the service. Afterwards we got a chance to visit with many of the church members about Thailand and the great need there. It was a blessing!

Pastor Doug Rogers

On Thursday we ate lunch with Pastor Doug Rogers from Berean Baptist Church. We were staying with our good friend Brother Mike Cox who lives in the town of Adrian. While at lunch Pastor Rogers asked me to come and preach the school chapel the next morning. We love their church and had attended their missions conference last October. On Friday morning we went to school chapel and I preached a message from 2 Kings chapter 7. God seemed to bless the time and I think I was a help to the kids. Afterwards Brother Kevin Chase (Administrator) had us stand at the doorway and shake everyone's hands.

Preaching Chapel

On Friday at lunch time Brother Cox and his wife had an old friend of mine over for lunch. Pastor Kelly Daniel who is the pastor of Harvest Baptist Church in Grasslake. Harvest Baptist Church is one of our partnering churches since before Pastor Daniel was there. In fact Thursday evening we ate dinner with Brother Bobby Toiler and his wife at Brother Cox's house. Brother Toiler is the previous pastor and was there when we attended their missions conference back in 2018. Pastor Daniel and I went to Bible college together and have been friends ever since. In fact we were both ordained at the same time on July 4, 2001. It was good getting to visit with him and see how the church is going.

Pastor Kelly Daniel and my family

On Saturday morning I went to Harvest Baptist Church in Grasslake, Michigan to go soul winning with their church. My wife and daughters had been invited to attend the Winter Wonderland Ladies Conference at Metro Baptist Church in Bellville, Michigan on Friday night and Saturday. So I went out door knocking for about an hour and half and I met many people while out. One teen boy trusted Christ as his Saviour and said he and his mom were looking for a church. I didn't get to meet mom, but Pastor Daniel will follow up with them. I met several others that were interested in coming to church sometime also.

Pastor Russell Tharp

Saturday evening we traveled to Central Lake, Michigan for our Sunday meeting with Bible Baptist Church there. This church is led by Pastor Russell Tharp who has been the pastor here 12 years. His son Matthew is his assistant pastor and together they are doing a great job reaching their area for Christ.

Teaching Sunday School

On Sunday morning I taught the adults in the auditorium. Then during the morning service I gave some testimony about the need in Thailand. There were some great special music by the choir and by the pastor's daughters. Pastor Tharp then preached a great message out of Luke chapter 7. In the evening there was a short piano recital by some of the kids. Then I was able to present my mission in the evening service and preach the evening message. The folks seemed to enjoy it and hearts seem stirred. The pastor also announced that the church has decided to partner with us. This is a tremendous blessing. On Monday we will be heading to Ohio for a meeting.

Choir Special

    

   

'Tell Me the Story of Jesus' in Richmond, Kentucky

Pastor John Doss

On Friday we started a new conference at Faith Baptist Church in Richmond, Kentucky. The church has been led by Pastor John Doss for the last five years and they are currently in the process of trying to build a new building. They have already purchased new property, Praise God. The theme for the conference was "Tell Me the Story of the Jesus."

Choir Special

There were four missionaries total there... myself, Missionary Jon Beil (Thailand), Esteban Marquez (Mexico), and Evangelist Rod Black. I was excited to see Jon Beil and get a chance to visit with him about Thailand. It is not very often that I get to be in another conference with a missionary going to the same country. On Friday night Brother Beil presented and Bro. Marquez preached the service. There was good special music tonight as well as at every service throughout the conference.

Bro. Kevin Holman

On Saturday morning we went to a breakfast at the church and then there was a bus ministry and soul winning meeting followed. After the meeting we went out soul winning. I was partnered with Brother Kevin Holman and two boys. Brother Holman is an old friend of mine from Texas. It was good to see him again this weekend. We knocked doors for several hours and I was able to go with the pastor's son Christian. Christian was a good partner and did a good job helping me out as we went. We were able to sit down and give the Gospel to several people, two of which made a decision to trust Christ as their Saviour. Praise the Lord! I pray for some of the others to make a decision for Christ one day.

Christian my soul winning partner

On Saturday evening there was a Thanksgiving dinner at the church before the evening service. I presented that evening and Brother Beil preached the service. Before I presented my daughters sang a special. It was a blessing to share our burden with the folks and help them realize the great need in Thailand.

My girls singing special

On Sunday morning I taught the high school class. Brother Gene Holmes is the teacher of that class. It was an honor to teach his class. Brother Holmes goes all the way back to Dr. Ford Porter in Indiana (one of his mentors) and has started many churches in his life including Clay Mills Road Baptist Church that is currently led by Dr. Jeff Fugate and home to Commonwealth Baptist College. (Dr. Ford Porter wrote the famous tract called "God's Simple Plan of Salvation.")

Bro. Gene Holmes

After the Sunday school hour Evangelist Rod Black presented his ministry. Then I preached the morning message. Many seemed stirred as people came forward at the invitation time. After the invitation there was a Thanksgiving dinner for those who road on the buses. Sunday evening Bro. Marquez presented his field and then Evangelist Rod Black preached a great message on holding the rope. It was a blessing and hearts seemed stirred again. Great way to finish out the conference. On Monday we headed home for a week for Thanksgiving and then we will hit the road again to Michigan. Please pray for good weather for us to travel in after the holiday is over.

Preaching Sunday Morning

Another Meeting in Alabama After All

After my last post about the missions conference in Athens, Alabama I said I was heading to Kentucky for my next meeting. Well, my next meeting wasn't until Friday so I was just heading to Kentucky to find a church to drop into Wednesday night. In fact I had actually been calling people as late as last Saturday to try to get a meeting somewhere for Wednesday night, but was turned down or no response. I prayed about it and left it in the Lord's hands. 

Pastor Logan (left) and Bro. Gibson (middle)

On Monday I decided to stay in Athens one extra day before heading to Kentucky. On Monday evening we stopped into the Publix store there in Athens to pick up a few items and while we were in the store a man came up to us and asked what church we go to? I told him we go to a lot of different churches.... he smiled and said are you missionaries? I told him yes, we were missionaries to Thailand. He introduced himself as Brother Mike Gibson the assistant pastor at Sweet Springs Baptist Church in Ardmore, Alabama. We visited for a while and he asked me if I had ever contacted their church. I told him that I thought I had talked to Pastor Brent Logan last year and he told me that he would file my information and look it over later. Then I told Brother Gibson that maybe I should drop into your church Wednesday night because I don't have a meeting. Brother Gibson told me they already have a missionary scheduled to come in. So, I figured there wouldn't be much point in me dropping in. I gave him a prayer card and we chatted some, then when we separated he told me that he would take my card to Pastor Logan and maybe he would have us in sometime later.

Pastor Brent Logan

On Tuesday we headed toward Kentucky and in the afternoon I got a call from Brother Gibson telling me that Pastor Logan wanted us to come and present the work Wednesday evening. We came back and did so. It was a blessing to be with the church and well worth returning for the privilege. Pastor Brent Logan has been the pastor here for three years and before that he started a church in South Carolina and was a missionary in Romania and Greece. The church is very missions minded and stands strong on the King James Bible. They actually had two other missionaries there that night, but the other two are already supported by the church, and they were just reporting. The pastor and his assistant felt this was of God running into me at the store like that and I believe it was too. In fact Brother Gibson said he doesn't ever shop at Publix, he was just there to get a Turkey.... It also shows that dressing like a Christian pays off in many ways, because that is why Brother Gibson stopped us. When you don't look like the rest of the world, people notice! We will be with Faith Baptist Church in Richmond, Kentucky tonight for the start of their missions conference. 

'Joy in Serving Jesus' in Athens, Alabama

Pastor CW Kennedy

This past Friday evening the missions conference started at Madison Street Baptist Church in Athens, Alabama. Pastor CW Kennedy has been leading this church for the past three years. The theme for the conference was "Joy in Serving Jesus". There were four missionaries present for this conference and they kicked off Friday evening with a meal and then had a missionary presentation before Pastor Kennedy preached the opening message.

Missionaries with Pastor's family

On Saturday morning two bus loads of soul winners headed out to hit the street after a short meeting. My two daughters split up and went with the pastor's daughters. I got to go with my favorite partner, my wife! As we knocked we met a man named James who invited us in. He was already saved (actually attends another Baptist church in the area), but extremely heart broken about having lost his wife recently to cancer. We spent about ten minutes visiting with him and I prayed for him to have comfort of heart. He thanked me for taking the time away from our soul winning to talk with him. We continued on and eventually met a man named Cosby who invited us inside his house as well. He attended a church in the area, but was unsure about his eternity. He allowed me to present the Gospel to him and then bowed his head and asked Christ to save him. Praise the Lord.

Mrs. Painter getting info for potential bus rider

On Saturday evening we had two services with an international dinner squeezed in the middle. In the first service we had a missionary presentation and then he preached. Then the dinner followed by another missionary presentation and more preaching. It was two great messages by Brother Chris Lanier (Mexico) and Brother Brandon Murdock (Germany). God really seemed to bless the entire evening! 

Preaching Sunday morning

On Sunday morning I presented my ministry to the adults and teens in the auditorium. After showing my video I gave my testimony going all the way back to how I got right with God when I was a deputy sheriff and surrendered to the ministry; later becoming a pastor and then a eventually a missionary. Hearts seemed stirred as many came up to me after the Sunday hour and told me that it touched their hearts. I then preached the morning service and turned the invitation over to the pastor. 

Choir singing

On Sunday evening there was several more good music specials. We had seen good music throughout the day and the conference. Then we had the final message preached by Missionary Mike Williams. He preached an excellent message on giving and how it is intended to work. Hearts were definitely stirred as many came forward at the invitation time.

Pastor's daughters singing a special

After the invitation time closed out they collected the Faith Promise commitment cards. The pastor told us that they would like to take on all the missionaries and we should know in about four weeks or so. We will be traveling back to Kentucky for our next meetings this week. We also bought our airline tickets this week for our departure. We are flying out on January 27th! We are excited but still in need of getting the rest of our support. I know many that we presented to earlier this year told us that they decide at the end of the year which missionaries they will be able to support. We are hopeful that this works out for us along with some of the meetings we have left. It is not necessarily that easy to get the timing down. We have preparations that have to be made in order to move to the other side of the world along with trying to get this ready and then coordinate this with having our support raised as well. Please pray for us about this and of course for traveling safety. We are getting to the time of year when weather can become difficult at times. May the Lord richly bless y'all and thank you for your prayers.

   

Great Meeting in Mt. Vernon, Kentucky

Pastor Mark Eaton

We traveled to Mt. Vernon, Kentucky to be with Central Baptist Church. This church has been led by Pastor Mark Eaton since 2006. On Saturday we went out soul winning in the morning time. We actually knocked doors in a nearby town called Brodhead that was about 15 minutes from the church. My wife went with one of my daughters and I took the other one with me. The very first door I knocked on I met a man named Lewis who was very friendly. After some friendly conversation I asked him if he knew he would go to Heaven when his life here on earth was over. He told me he definitely did not. He allowed me to take my New Testament and show him the map to Heaven from God's Word. When I finished, I asked him if he would like to trust Christ as His Saviour, he bowed his head and asked Christ to save him. He told me that he had something else he had to do the next day, but definitely wanted to come the following Sunday. When I told the pastor about him, the pastor told me that he knew him and had taken him through the plan of salvation before, but the man didn't want to ask Christ to save him at that time. One plants, another waters, eventually the harvest will come...

Lewis after trusting Christ

My wife took a lady through the plan of salvation, but she didn't want to trust Christ as her Saviour. Then I met a different lady later in the morning and she allowed me to present the plan of salvation. She was from a Church of Christ background but had been out of church for many years. I spent a lot of time teaching her against good works for salvation and baptismal regeneration. She also bowed her head and trust Christ as her Saviour. Praise the Lord!

Pastor Eaton playing instrument

On Sunday I taught the auditorium class and it went well. During the morning service the pastor had me give testimony. After some special music he preached a very good morning message on being thankful. He was going to be heading on a missions trip to Mexico the next day, so he was getting some Thanksgiving preaching in... pray for him and Brother Allen Johnson a missionary from their church who was taking the trip with him. They have a Bearing Precious Seed Ministry out of their church and the Lord is using them to help get scriptures to different parts of the world.

Special by the young people

On Sunday night the pastor had me present our mission and video. Then after the verse memorization time and the special music by the young people. I preached the evening message. The pastor told me after the service that he liked my message and that they would add me to a list to be supported in the future. Please pray for us as we journey to our next meeting.

Preaching the evening service

Heading East

Pastor Ron Hon

This past weekend we began our journey eastward by going to Lighthouse Baptist Church in Marion, Indiana. Pastor Ron Hon has been the pastor there since 1997 and his church has been a solid light to this city for many years. He has a lot of great families at his church as well as many of his adult children there serving faithfully!

Preaching Sunday morning

On Sunday morning I taught the pastor's Sunday school class and then preached the morning service. The last ten minutes of Sunday school I gave my testimony about how I got right with God as a backsliden law enforcement officer and called into the ministry. This is a testimony that I don't actually give that often because my testimony usually starts with me being a pastor and then becoming a missionary. Several commented that my testimony was powerful to them and had a positive influence on them. I am thankful that the Lord can use something from my past and use for His glory! I also preached the Sunday evening message and at each invitation hearts seemed to be stirred. Praise God for Pastor Hon and his church! Also, pray for them as they move forward with some building projects.

Evangelist Craig Bryan

We then traveled to North Carolina where we would have a meeting Wednesday night. On Monday we went to West Park Baptist Church and stayed in their prophets chamber for several days. This church is one of our partners and Pastor Billy Sechrist has become a good friend over the past year. In fact while we were here in the area we got to visit with many friends and partners. One of these friends is Evangelist Craig Bryan who is a great soul winning evangelist. He always hands out smiley face tracts everywhere he goes and wins many people to Christ in the meetings he has. I thank the Lord for friends like these and the others in the area that didn't get mentioned but they are good friends too!  

Pastor Stephen Pope

On Wednesday night we drove to a meeting we had scheduled with Calvary Baptist Church in Union Grove. This church has been led by Pastor Stephen Pope for 28 years and is a tremendous church. We had dropped in last January for a service and got this meeting scheduled. We enjoyed it the first time we were there and were very excited to go back. Pastor Pope and his church are solid. They are busting at the seems and are building a new building across the road that will be an incredible building. I believe their church will explode once they move in as they are actually losing visitors that come because there is no room to get any more people into their old building.

Pastor Pope during announcements

Before the service we went out for the churches soul winning time by knocking some doors up the road. All the people we met said they were saved already and knew the church already. A good testimony to the pastor and the church's outreach influence. Then in the service I presented our mission and then preached the evening message. It was a good crowd to preach to as the amen's were often prevalent!

Preaching the evening message

After the service there was a fellowship in the new fellowship hall. While over there the pastor showed us the new building. It is going to be a fantastic building. We are excited for them as they are getting closer all the time to opening it up. We are heading to Kentucky next. As always, please pray for our safety. May the Lord richly bless y'all.  

Missions 'the Heartbeat' of God

Pastor Delbert Davis

This past weekend the missions conference at Talking Rock Road Baptist Church of Branson West, Missouri started. The theme for the conference was "Missions 'the Heartbeat' of God." This church has been led by Pastor Delbert Davis for the past twenty two years. He is doing a fantastic job and the church has a great spirit among the people for missions.

Teaching Sunday School

On Sunday morning I taught Pastor Davis's Sunday school class which is called the Ambassadors Class. I taught a lesson out of Ecclesiastes chapter eleven on how to set sail with missions. God seemed to bless the lesson as several said they really appreciated it. During the morning service the pastor had all the missionaries come up and introduce themselves. Then one of the missionaries that the church already supports preached the morning message.

Central America Night

Starting on Sunday evening there would be a internationally themed meal each night of the conference put on by a different Sunday school department. The missionaries would do the judging of each group based on not only food, but the decorating and the dress of those serving. Every group did a great job of trying to emulate the area of the world that they were representing.

Being trained on the cutter

On Monday morning we went to work in the Seedline Ministry of the church. It is run by Brother Miles Wallis and they are producing a lot of Scriptures. In fact not too long ago they produced a bunch of Thai John and Romans that went to B.E.S.T. missions which is run by Dr. Bob Bowen and Bro. Curtis Hall which means they would eventually end up in the hands of someone like me in Thailand to hand out. We worked on French on Monday morning and Tamil on Tuesday morning. (Tamil is an ancient language still used in some places in India dating all the way back to the days of "doubting" Thomas the disciple.)

My wife and daughter working the stitcher machine

On Monday evening I presented my work by giving testimony and showing my video. I then preached the evening message. God blessed as many came up to me after the service and told me how much they appreciated the message and the truth that was given from the Bible. 

Preaching Monday night

Other presentations were given on the other nights by different missionaries. We enjoyed seeing the other fields and hearing the messages as well as the many different music specials. My daughters even sang a special on Tuesday night. 

Church kids singing a special

On Wednesday evening there was a special service taking place. They run a couple of their bus routes and had all the Sunday school classes come up and represent the different countries where some of their missionaries are at. They did a fantastic job! Since we were to be judges of who does the best, it was a difficult choice.

A class representing Africa

My daughters also sang a special for the second night in a row on Wednesday evening. I use to not have my daughters sing at churches but then I realized a few months back that it was robbing the churches of a blessing and them of an opportunity to serve our Saviour. Another interesting story is that we ran into the Player family here, I forgot to get a picture, but it was good to see them. When I was a deputy sheriff in Northeast Nebraska we use to attend the same church. It is amazing what a small world it truly is. Also, it is amazing that Brother Looper our assistant pastor at my home church use to serve as an intern here at the church. It is a small world!

Daughters singing special

Please pray for us as we are journeying back east for a series of meetings to try to finish up the majority of our deputation. (We do have two meetings for the very beginning of December.) Please pray for safe traveling and for us to get the rest of the partnerships that we need.

Just One More Soul

Pastor and Mrs. Kevin Cowling

This past week we were in Mesa, Arizona at Valley Baptist Church for their missions conference. The theme was "Just One More Soul." This church has been led by Pastor Kevin Cowling since 1997. He is only the second pastor of the church and is a doing a fantastic job of reaching this area for Christ. Mesa is the second largest population of Mormon's in the United States behind only Salt Lake City.

Brother Trevor Cowling and his wife Breanna

On Saturday we went out and visited a bus route with Brother Trevor Cowling. I went with Brother Trevor and my wife went with his wife Breanna. We visited many bus riders and passed out tracts along the way. Then we stopped for lunch before going back out. In the afternoon I was able to meet two young men named Adrian and Jason. Adrian had just suffered a seizure a few days prior and had a terrible stuttering problem because of it. Jason informed me that it all started after the seizure. Both these young men told me that they didn't know where they would go when they die and they don't currently attend church. I was able to take out my New Testament and share the Gospel with these men. They listened carefully and then bowed their heads and asked Christ to be their personal Saviour. Afterwards Adrian told me that he wouldn't normally have listened to someone like me, but that because this happened to him he felt like God was trying to get his attention. He was not able to come that Sunday but said he was going to come the following Sunday. Since this time he has texted me and told me that since he trusted Christ his stuttering problem has gotten much better. It is amazing how God works to bring someone to the Saviour. Please pray for these men that they grow in the Lord.

Bus #2

On Sunday morning my wife and I rode of Brother Trevor's bus. We had a great time meeting all the riders and enjoyed traveling with them. The bus filled up with 72 riders and on the way into the church I addressed the kids and told them a little bit about Thailand.

Friendship Class Teacher Jan Pluth

Then when we got to the church, my wife and I greeted the primary department before heading to two different adult classes to teach Sunday school. I went to teach the Golden Years Class and my wife the Friendship Class. It was a blessing teaching each one. The teacher of the Friendship Class is Jan Pluth who also is the head of the WMS circle for the church. The teacher for the Golden Years Class is Brother Keith Baker who was out sick with Gout. However, the folks seemed to enjoy the lesson that I brought and by Wednesday evening Brother Baker was back in the services.

Morning service

Then during the morning service time I preached in one of the junior churches. After I preached my wife told some interesting things to to the kids about Thailand. Then we headed into the service as the invitation time was going on. The auditorium was packed as several were going forward to make decisions. There were four or five people that trusted Christ as their Saviour at the invitation time. Praise the Lord!

Pastor's children singing a special

Then Sunday night I was able to present our mission to Thailand and show our video. There was great singing by the teenagers and special music. Also, the guest speaker was Dr. Daniel Siemer who is a former medical doctor and currently a field representative for FBMI and medical adviser. Dr. Siemer preached great messages each evening and even though I had met him before we enjoyed getting to know him even better. 

Dr. Siemer preaching

Monday morning I spoke in a chapel service to the older kids in their Christian school. It was privilege to speak to these young people about the great need that is out there and what we need to do about it. Afterwards we headed out soul winning with the pastor and the other missionaries. I got to go with my favorite partner, my wife! We met a man named Terry who was in the process of moving to Nevada. He had just recently lost his wife to cancer. As we visited, I asked him about his eternity. He told me that he doesn't know where he would go, but that he does believe in God and Jesus Christ. I took my New Testament out and presented the Gospel to Terry. After I answered a few questions for Terry he decided to bow his head and trust Christ as his Saviour. He thanked me for coming by to share the Gospel with him and wanted someone from the church to follow up with his daughter and grandchildren. What a blessing! Also, my wife was able to lead a lady to the Lord with a special needs child later that morning. She too is interested in coming to church if she can figure out a way to get someone to watch her special needs child. (The child cannot be moved from home.)

Terry after getting saved

Then Monday evening services continued with more singing, presentations and great preaching. We had a chance to meet Carol McDorman who is in charge of the WMS group that has Thailand. She informed us that we are going to be a part of her group. I had received a nice gift basket from them and their group also fixed one of the meals for us. Tuesday morning we went out soul winning again but no one got saved. The evening continued with another great service.

Carol McDorman

Then Wednesday morning we went out soul winning again. This time I was partnered with my favorite partner again, my wife. We spoke to many people this day and the Lord really blessed our efforts. I was able to lead two young men to the Lord whose mother had just been taken to the Hospital by ambulance for a stroke. They are both interested in coming to church next Sunday. Also, we met a man named Larry who was already saved and has been looking for a church. He is 85 years old and moved to Arizona from Iowa. He is planning on coming next Sunday too. We also met a man who was in a motorized wheelchair. I gave him a tract and began to witness to him, he told me that he was in Vietnam and New York City policeman for 25 years. He said he has seen many horrific things happen in this world that give him nightmares every night. He also lost a leg two years ago from an old injury that happened during the Vietnam war. He said to me a God who would let me go through all of this suffering doesn't want me in His Heaven and then sped off. I was surprised and stunned for a moment, but my favorite partner was not. I fully believe that the filling of the Holy Spirit led my wife to call out to this man to stop. He did stop and she went over to him and began to talk to him. At this point I felt God was in this and allowed my wife to continue to talk to him while I listened and prayed. This man allowed my wife to present the entire plan of salvation to him and then as he began to appear to have tears in his eyes, he said he wanted to stop the conversation. He then left with a tract in his hand. However, we saw him about ten minutes later in a different location outside with the tract in his hand reading it and tears coming down his face. Someone from the church is going to follow up on this man. His name is Bill, please pray that he will get saved. 

Witnessing to Bill

Wednesday night was time for the final service of the conference. The specials were great and the preaching fantastic. We enjoyed one very cute special with some of the little kids singing in outfits from different countries. It was precious. The whole conference was a blessing. We are thankful for all that was done for us including the Garrison's who allowed us to borrow one of their vehicles which was a great blessing to us.

Pastor Cowling with the kids