From Oswego, Illinois to Springboro, Ohio

Pastor David Hemphill

We journeyed to Oswego, Illinois this past Wednesday for a meeting at Valley Baptist Church. This church has been led by Pastor David Hemphill for the past 11 years. He is doing a fantastic job here as they had a good crowd for the Wednesday service. 

Good crowds coming in

The pastor had me give testimony and show my video. Then I preached the evening message. People responded well and many said they enjoyed the message. Many came by my table and asked about Thailand and the need there. It was a great time. I was very impressed with the entire church from their nice facilities to their friendly people. Always good to go to a missions minded church!

Preaching the message

On Thursday we traveled to Ohio for a missions conference at First Baptist Church of Springboro. This church was started by Pastor Rick Carr 25 years ago and he is still leading it today! Praise God for a faithful man of God who sticks by it for all those years.  

Bro. Heidenreich and Pastor Carr

He had Brother Steve Heidenreich as his guest speaker for the conference. He did a fantastic job preaching every night. We enjoyed our time listening to him and getting to fellowship with him. 

Bro. Heidenreich preaching

God blessed the services each night as folks came forward. We also enjoyed good special music every single service as well. God has clearly blessed them with some talented singers.

Special music

We even had a chance to see some old friends as Dr. Mike Cox was in attendance Thursday evening. I had a good time of fellowship with him before and after the service. I have had the privilege of being with him in several meetings this past year.

Bro. Mike Cox

On Friday evening the pastor had me give testimony and present our video to the church. Many seemed to enjoy as several stopped by our table to visit with us about the need for Thailand.

Pastor Carr giving introduction

On Saturday we went out door knocking and bus calling. God allowed me to talk to several people and I was even able to lead a lady named Sarah to Christ who just moved into the area from Houston. Pastor Carr also talked to many folks while we were out.

Soul winning on Saturday

On Sunday Brother Heidenreich brought some great messages and there was a really full house. The pastor handed out their Faith Promise Commitment cards and had folks come forward to pray over them. On Sunday night after the service the church voted to take us on for support. What a blessing! The entire conference was great as we felt like we made many new friends and are thankful for a new partnership. We will have up coming meetings in Indiana and Michigan over the next several weeks.

Mrs. Painter and some teen girls

Faith Promise Conference in Ponca City, Oklahoma

Pastor Ken Newport

This past Thursday was the start of a Faith Promise Missions Conference at Second Baptist Church in Ponca City, Oklahoma. This church has been led by Pastor Ken Newport for the last 17 years. He took this church from being Southern Baptist 12 years ago and turned it into a good independent Baptist church that runs buses, is King James only and is reaching folks in this community. What a great example!

Missionary Rea

The conference opened up Thursday night with Veteran Missionary David Rea to Zambia. He did a great presentation. Then second generation Missionary Jonathan Mislan to the Philippines preached the evening message. Both did a great job and it was a great kick off to the conference as people seemed moved.

Mrs. Mislan singing special

Then Friday night Brother Mislan presented his mission to the Philippines. His wife also sang the special that night. (I discovered that his wife's father is Pastor Ed Lorena from the Philippine Islands. He is a great pastor and I have visited his church years ago.) Then I preached the message that evening and gave the invitation. Several came forward and it seemed like another great evening as the pastor continued to promote Faith Promise giving to his people.

Saturday there was a ladies brunch in which the missionary wives were to speak to the church ladies. My wife gave her testimony and answered questions. She said it went well. In the afternoon we gave out Gospel tracts and witnessed to several people. I took a man named Christian through the plan of salvation but he did not choose to trust Christ as his Saviour.

Brother Joel Garza

Sunday morning we attend Brother Joel Garza's couple's class. He did a great job of teaching on Galatians chapter 4. We enjoyed the class greatly. We then headed into Junior Church for a question and answer time with the kids. Then we were brought into the auditorium to hear the end of Pastor Ken Newport's Resurrection message. All the missionaries were then brought up to the platform after the invitation to be introduced to the congregation.

Pastor Newport preaching

There was also a lot of great singing and special music all throughout the conference. It was a blessing to see the pastor getting behind the piano for a few of the specials!

Pastor Newport playing the piano

 Then Sunday night they had me present our mission to Thailand. Then Brother Rea preached a great message on soul winning. The altars were filled and many were praying about becoming better soul winners. God blessed the entire conference. We enjoyed getting to meet and fellowship with the church members.

Presenting Sunday night

I want to thank all the families for the great meals and fellowship. I also want to give a special thanks to Norma Cook for keeping us in her home during the conference. What a blessing it was to get to know this special lady. Please pray for us as we will be in Oswego, Illinois on Wednesday night.

Norma Cook

In Mapleton and Peoria, Illinois

Pastor Brandon Dillard

This past Wednesday night I was at LaMarsh Baptist Church in Mapleton, Illinois. This church is led by Pastor Brandon Dillard who started out as an assistant here and is now the pastor for over the last year. He is doing a wonderful job and is currently leading the church in a major remodeling project. We were able to present our mission before the church and I preached the evening message. God blessed and many seemed stirred. We enjoyed visiting with several of the folks at our table after the service. On Thursday afternoon my wife went out soul winning with one of the church ladies in Pekin. Our time here was great and we really enjoyed the the people!

Preaching Wednesday Evening

Then on Saturday we went soul winning with El Vista Baptist Church in Peoria. This church has been led by Pastor Joey Watt for 33 years. While I was out with Brother Adair we got to see two high school boys trust Christ as their Saviour. God is good. Brother Adair is 72 years old and still goes soul winning faithfully every week. My wife also got to lead a young lady to Christ in a different area on Saturday. She went with a lady from the church.

Brother Adair out soul winning

Sunday morning greeted us with a surprise snow storm. It made travel a little bit messy and slow. It is mid April, you would think the snow would be over by now. Ha ha! 

Snowy Sunday morning

Sunday school and the morning service were just great as Pastor Watt did a fantastic job teaching and preaching. There was also some very good special music and offertory playing.

Special music

Brother Lancaster doing offertory

 Then on Sunday evening I was able to present our mission to the church. I gave testimony and showed our video. Then I was able to preach the evening message. It was an honor to be able to speak here to these folks. Please pray for them as they are working to reach this area for Christ and please pray for us as we are working to reach Thailand for Christ!

Pastor Joey Watt

Two Trips to Shreveport with Henderson in the Middle

Bro. Wyett Martin

On Wednesday night we arrived at Bible Baptist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana. This church is led by Pastor Jeff Lines who was out of town. Everything was coordinated by his assistant pastor Brother Wyett Martin. Brother Martin is currently enrolled in Texas Independent Baptist Seminary and is doing an internship at the church. I was able to present our ministry to the people and to preach the evening message. We enjoyed getting to know the folks there.

Mrs. Wiley Bennett

On Thursday we journeyed into Texas and swung through Tyler for a visit with Mrs. Wiley Bennett. Her husband was the pastor of Woodland Hills Baptist Church in Tyler for more than 25 years and was a very good friend of ours. He passed away several years ago but we have stayed very close to his wife Carmen. It is always good to see old friends.

Pastor Lee Blankenship and his wife

On Saturday we went to Victory Baptist Church in Henderson to go soul winning with them. This church was started by Pastor Lee Blankenship in May 2018. He is working hard to reach this rural area as his church sits several miles outside of town. While there we saw one of our good friends from Bible college Brother Dos Rossouw and his wife. They were there to help go soul winning. It was good to see them as we ate lunch afterwards and had good fellowship.

Brother Dos Rossouw

While out soul winning we went with the pastor working some county roads a few miles from the church. Some of the houses were really spread out. While out I was able to win a man named Jeremy to Christ. When I was witnessing to him another man named Charles came out of the house and asked if he could get in on this too. Of course, we let him in on it! Both of them asked Christ to save them. Praise the Lord!

Jeremy and Charles getting saved

Pastor Blankenship witnessing to some farmers

Then on Sunday I presented my mission during the Sunday school hour and then preached the morning service. Hearts seemed stirred and we enjoyed the fellowship with the people afterwards. Please pray for this new church to continue to grow and prosper.

Pastor Don Tinsley

Then Sunday evening we journeyed back to Shreveport to Indian Hills Baptist Church. This church has been led by Pastor Don Tinsley since 2014. It was a privilege to come and meet the folks and be able to present our mission to them. It was also an honor to preach the evening service. God blessed as hearts seemed touched. Please pray for us as we journey to Peoria, IL for several meetings starting Wednesday evening.

Preaching evening service

One last story and prayer request. On Saturday evening my wife received a call from a man named David Khin from Burma who lives in Elkhart, IN. He told my wife that he is a friend of Sese who my wife met in Center, TX. Sese was of a Buddhist background and had converted to Christianity in order to marry her husband, but wasn't truly saved. So my wife was able to lead her to Christ several weeks ago. David said he and his wife Ni May Wi were so moved by the testimony of Sese that they wanted to talk to my wife in order to learn to know God better and to ask her to pray for them to have a baby. My wife witnessed to David and he claims salvation, but his testimony is not clear. This man and his wife have agreed to do a long distance Bible study with us every week. We are mailing a Grow in Grace booklet to them and we will take them through it. Please pray for them to be saved and that we can find a good church near where they live for them to go to. We were happy to hear Sese is giving her testimony to others. She was supposed to follow the Lord in believer's baptism at a good English church there in Center but her husband told her no. At least she is testifying to her friends about what Christ has done for her. 

David and his wife

From Mocksville, NC to Baytown, TX

Dr. Darrell Cox

This past week has been a whirlwind as we finished the conference in Greensboro and traveled to West Park Baptist Church in Rockwell, North Carolina to stay in their prophets chamber. A special thanks to Pastor Sechrist for allowing us to stay. Wednesday evening we had a scheduled meeting with Trinity Baptist Church in Mocksville, North Carolina. This church has been led by Dr. Darrell Cox for 35 years. They are in a very small town and have a tremendous attendance and a tremendous bus ministry. 

Presenting our mission

Pastor Cox introduced me and told the folks in the church that he remembered meeting me when I was in Bible college. I was able to give testimony and show our video. Pastor Cox seemed stirred and very excited about our presentation. He led the church to vote to take us on right away. This was a tremendous blessing to us to be able to gain a new partnership. Then Pastor Cox taught the Bible study that night which was a blessing to us as well. After the service we had nearly every person present come by our table and take a prayer card. We sure do appreciate the friendly folks at Trinity Baptist Church. The entire meeting was a great blessing to us.

Dr. Cox preaching

The next day we had to begin to journey to Baytown, Texas to be there by Friday evening. It was a long journey but we arrived by late afternoon and got ready for the evening service at Iglesia Bautista Victoria. This church I have been to before and preached at and spent time going soul winning for them. So our family was no strangers to these folks. This church was started 11 years ago by Pastor Isaias Rodriguez and is absolutely a miracle church.  Their attendance is incredible and they have truly been blessed with their property.

Pastor Rodriguez

The conference was kicked off with some special music from their church folks and then they had a singing group from Pastor Orellana's church in Tenaha, Texas come up and sing both Friday night and Saturday afternoon. All of the singing groups did a fantastic job of blessing the soul with the special music!

Men's group from Iglesia Bautista Victoria

On Saturday morning we went out soul winning with some of the folks from the church. My partner was Brother Martin Rodriguez with whom I have gone soul winning with in the past. While we were out I got to meet a man named Frank who had just moved from El Paso, Texas. In fact he had a U-haul truck in the parking lot full of his stuff.  While I talked with Frank I asked him about his eternity. He said he didn't know if he would go to Heaven but he desired to know about it if he could. So took my New Testament and began to share with him the Gospel. After I was done Frank said he wanted to pray and he bowed his head and asked Christ to be his Saviour. Praise the Lord. Frank said he really needed this... he was going to be busy moving, so he is going to come to church the following week.

Frank holding up the Gospel tract

On Saturday afternoon the service started at 3:30 PM. There was a lot more good singing including a group of young ladies dressed up as people from all over the world. They did a great job!

International ladies singing

At this service I presented our mission to the church. Pastor Rodriguez translated for me. The folks seemed to enjoy our video. I was the second missionary to present at this service. I enjoy the multiple presentations because the people really begin to get stirred in their hearts as they see the presentations.

Presenting the need

Then Missionary Ruben Murillo preached the message to close out the service. He is the guest speaker for the conference and he preached a fantastic message that afternoon from Genesis 24 called "Lower Your Pitcher." He used the illustration of Rebekah at the well relating it to what it takes to be successful in missions giving. Brother Murillo has been a missionary on the field for 42 years. That's incredible!

Missionary Murillo

After the service there was a very festive international dinner put on by the church people. It was a blessing and everyone seemed to really enjoy it all. The food was fantastic!

International Dinner

On Sunday morning I taught the junior high boys class while my wife taught the high school girls class. I had a great time teaching for Brother Jonathan who has been faithful for three years as the teacher of this class. 

My wife also had a visitor come Sunday morning that she met out soul winning on Saturday. His name is Felix and my wife talked to him while he was doing his laundry on Saturday in the apartment complex. He is previously saved but has been out of church for a few years. He really enjoyed the church and came back Sunday night. He even filled out a Faith Promise commitment card! 

Felix at church

Then on Sunday afternoon at the hotel my wife was getting a cup of coffee in the lobby when she struck up a conversation with the hotel clerk named Milton. Milton has only lived in Baytown about a month. My wife asked him about his eternity to which he said he didn't know he would go to Heaven. My wife then presented the Gospel to Milton with her New Testament and Milton bowed his head and trusted Christ as his Saviour. Thank you for a God that still saves sinners!

Milton

Sunday evening was a powerful service that lasted about 3 1/2 hours. It concluded with a ordination service for one of the missionaries that is being sent out from this church. I was asked to serve on the ordination council for Missionary Alvarez who is leaving next week for Mexico. I have gone out bus calling and soul winning with Brother Alvarez before. He is a good faithful man in this church! May God use him mightily on the field.

Praying for Brother Alvarez

I remember what a special time an ordination can be as I was ordained on July 4, 2001. God truly blessed this missions conference as it was capped off by the church raising their Faith Promise giving enough to take on all four missionaries for support. We thank the Iglesia Bautista Victoria for becoming a new partner with us. I will be heading to Shreveport next and will be sending out my monthly letter in the next day or two as my schedule has kept me from getting it completed on time. Please pray for safe travels.

Pastor and missionaries