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