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

    

Plowing Ahead

Pastor John Heath

We are plowing on ahead as we reach the halfway point of our Fall schedule. Last Friday we traveled to Keokuk, Iowa to be with Calvary Baptist Church for their missions conference. This church has been led by Pastor John Heath for 27 years. Their conference started on Thursday, but we arrived in time to attend their missions banquet on Friday evening. It was a blessing being there and getting a chance to fellowship with the church folks, we even met another pastor from the next town over. 

Pastor Heath witnessing

On Saturday morning I went out visiting and soul winning with the pastor for almost three hours. We visited many of the bus riders for the church bus route and the pastor even had a chance to present the Gospel to a friend of one of the riders. However, the young lady didn't want to trust Christ as her Saviour. After the visits were done the pastor and I went door knocking. The pastor met a man named David and began to visit with him about his eternity. The man didn't know if he would go to Heaven and the pastor began to present the Gospel to him. While he was giving the Gospel to David a lady named Brittany came out of the house onto the porch to see what was going on. As we talked we discovered that she didn't know that she would go to Heaven. I was able to take my New Testament and present the Gospel to her. After about 15 minutes she bowed her head and trusted Christ as her Saviour. David trusted Christ as his Saviour as well. They are going to try to come to church the following week. We will be praying that they do so they can grow in the Lord.

Pastor Gary Dice

Saturday night, I showed my video and preached the service. Then on Sunday morning I taught the adult Sunday school class. A national pastor to India preached the morning service and then there was a meal after the service. The church was going to be having an afternoon service, but we had to drive to another meeting for Sunday night. That meeting was at Grace Baptist Church in Pittsfield, Illinois. That church is led by Pastor Gary Dice. 

Brother Brandon Owen and his sons

On Sunday night I showed my video and preached the service. Hearts seemed stirred and many took prayer cards from us. This is a great missions minded church. Pastor Dice has been in poor health since 2015, but has recently improved greatly. Please keep praying for his health to continue it's improvement. While there we ran into an old friend, Brother Brandon Owen. When I was a senior in Bible college, Brother Brandon was a freshman. His dad has been a missionary to the American Indians for a long time... Brother Sam Owen currently is in Dupree, South Dakota. Brother Brandon and his family have been in Pittsfield for four years and is working in the children's ministries. Please pray for us as we plow ahead to our next meeting. 

From Darkness to Light

Pastor Doug Rogers

From Rogers City Baptist Church we headed to meet with the Berean Baptist Church in Mackinaw City, MI. The church is led by Pastor Doug Rogers who has been here for many years. He also started Faith Baptist Church in Berne, Indiana which is a partner with our ministry. Their missions conference was going to be starting the following weekend and their theme was "From Darkness to Light". However, the week prior to their conference they take the missionaries along with their staff to the Servants Retreat on Mackinaw Island.

Meily from Thailand

I already put this story out in our latest letter, but while we were waiting for the group to arrive in Mackinaw City we grabbed a bite to eat and met a Thai girl working at the establishment that we were eating at. She is Buddhist, but we had a chance to lay the foundation of the Gospel out for her. She was getting ready to return to Thailand in a few days and lives in area we have been at before. In fact my wife has been texting with her since her departure and we are going to be sending a missionary we know in Thailand to follow up on her and hopefully we will be able to report to you soon that she has been born again! Please pray for Meily to get saved when our missionary friends visit her.  

Dr. Jim Green

The Servants Retreat is hosted by Dr. Don Green and his son Dr. Jim Green. It is a wonderfully refreshing and relaxing time. We got to stay several nights at the famous Grand Hotel which had Vice President Mike Pence staying there the previous week before we arrived. As much as I like our Vice President, the crowd staying during the Servants Retreat is a more important crowd in God's eyes as it is a group of men of God!

The men of God at the Retreat

The guest speaker for the retreat was Evangelist Tim Green. He preached a great message both Tuesday night and Wednesday night as well as in the split sessions on Wednesday morning. We enjoyed hearing him as well as Dr. Don Green who also preached on Wednesday morning with Holy Spirit fullness!

Brother Tim Green

On Wednesday evening before the preaching Brother Jim Green asked Pastor Russell Tharp from Bible Baptist Church in Central Lake, Michigan to sing a special. He sang "We Believe" and did an absolutely fantastic job at it! As hearts were stirred from the singing, Brother Tim Green got up and preached a great message!

Pastor Tharp singing

During the refreshment time on Tuesday evening before the service started my wife had a chance to give the Gospel to a young man who was standing by as an attendant for the refreshments. His name was Jayson and he is from the Philippines. After my wife took him through the plan of salvation he had to get to work, so my wife left him a Gospel tract. (Many foreigner works are brought in here to work the tourist season and then return to their countries during the winter time.) The next morning Mrs. Terri Green told us that after the service last night she tried to give this young Filipino fellow a tract and he already had one and showed her our tract. He also told her that he prayed and asked Christ to save him. Praise God.... but wait, it gets better than that. Jayson approached us on Wednesday evening before the service and thanked my wife for sharing the Gospel with him. He said that after she talked to him he felt conviction and knew that he needed to trust the Saviour! He told us he bowed his head and prayed and asked Christ to save him!!!

Jayson who trusted Christ

We headed back to the mainland on Thursday and drove four and half hours to Adrian to prepare for the missions conference. We are thankful for the Berean Baptist Church taking us on this retreat and a special thank you to Brother Kevin Chase who is in charge of the group in the church that takes care of us for this conference and paid our way to go to the retreat, because it does cost a significant amount to be able to go. For us this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and we are thankful for it!!! By the way Brother Chase is the administrator of Berean Baptist Academy.

Brother Kevin Chase

We stayed with Dr. Mike Cox and his wife during the conference. Brother Cox is one of the former pastors of Berean Baptist Church and is the founder of the FBMI mission board. He and his wife are our friends and they currently help Harvest Baptist Church in Grasslake which is a partnering church with us. Speaking of Harvest Baptist Church, I ate lunch with their new pastor, Brother Kelly Daniel. Brother Daniel has been there just a little over a month and is a good friend of mine as well. He and I were actually ordained on the exact same day at the same time... July 4, 2001. It was good to talk with him and see how he is settling into the new church. Unfortunately, I failed to get a picture with him. Lol!

Dr. Mike Cox

On Saturday my wife and I went out soul winning with Berean Baptist Church. I went out and pounded doors with Brother Doug Campbell and my wife went separate with his wife and another lady named Phyllis. I was able to lead a man named Emmanuel to Christ who just moved from Detroit. He wasn't able to come on Sunday but said he wants to make it next week.

Phyllis and my wife

On Sunday morning my wife and went to the Shepherds class, which is a class for special education adults. We enjoyed meeting the people as I tried to shake hands with every person in there, which there was a lot of folks in there, probably at least 60 folks. I taught a lesson and then my wife and I answered questions about Thailand. Brother Doug Campbell, my soul winning partner from Saturday, was the song leader for the class and introduced me to the class.

Brother Doug Campbell

After Sunday school I taught in the one of the junior churches and my wife and I told them about Thailand after the invitation time. Two young ladies got saved during the invitation time. My wife did an excellent job teaching them about Thai customs and telling them many Thai sayings...  On Sunday night all the missionaries gave a flag presentation for their country and then Missionary Ben Turner preached the evening message.

Mrs. Painter talking to junior church

On Monday morning Brother Turner preached Chapel and then Pastor Rogers took the men out and bought them new suits in Toledo. Then Monday night Missionary Ben Turner gave an update of his work in Canada and preached the evening message. Brother Turner started a church in the Vancouver area in 2001 and has been faithfully serving there since. His son is currently on deputation as a missionary going to Uganda and was also at this conference.

Missionary Ben Turner in between his son and father

Tuesday morning Brother Turner's son, Caleb preached the chapel service and my wife and I spoke to some of the elementary kids after the service about Thailand. We had a great time and the kids really enjoyed listening to us tell them about various custom differences. In the afternoon the missionary wives were taken shopping in Toledo to get a new outfit to go with the husband's new suits. Then on Tuesday evening another missionary presented his work and preached.

My wife teaching the kids

Wednesday morning there was a men's breakfast. We had a great meal and then the missionaries all gave their salvation testimony's. I told about mine and then how I was called from being a deputy sheriff to going into the ministry first as a pastor and then becoming a missionary.

Men's Breakfast

After the men's breakfast I preached the morning chapel service. I preached to a good crowd of not only kids, but adults. Many stayed over for chapel after the men's breakfast was over. I preached on "The Compassion of Christ" and hearts seemed stirred. Their students are very attentive and well behaved which is a blessing!

Preaching Chapel

After lunch on Wednesday we had a question and answer time with all of the high school kids. All the missionaries were included in this and there were a lot of great questions. Then we went soul winning with the teenagers. My partner was Jacob and we knocked on many doors. We were privileged enough to have a man named Robert answer the door. I was able to not only invite him to church but talk to him about his eternity. He didn't know if he would go to Heaven when he dies, but said he would like to know that. I then took him through the plan of salvation with my New Testament and after about 15 minutes of talking and explaining Robert bowed his head and asked Christ to be his Saviour. Praise God!

My partner Jacob

On Thursday morning after attending chapel we went to the Senior Citizens service for a question and answer time with all of the missionaries. We talked and answered questions for the Senior Citizens of the church and then afterwards ate lunch with them. It was blessing to spend time with these precious folks. This church covers every aspect of getting their missionaries for their conferences in touch with every level of their church. We met with every group and level of people while here. It is a very missions minded church!

Lunch with Senior Citizens

Thursday night is the final service of this conference. It was now my turn to present our mission before the entire church and to preach the final message. God seemed to truly bless the service as I presented and then preached the Word of God. During the invitation the altars filled up with people moving forward and making decisions. After the service the Faith Promise Commitment cards were collected and then pictures were taken with each group and their missionary family. Each missionary has a different group assigned to it and that group takes care of the missionary during the conference and if the church partners with the missionary that group continues to pray for and be a blessing to that missionary family. Afterwards each group host a shower of blessings party for their missionary family. This was a tremendous blessing for us as these sweet folks fulfilled many things of need for our mission to Thailand. We cannot thank Pastor Rogers and this church for all the goodness that they did for us. Please pray for us as we head to a missions conference in Iowa on Friday. Also, please pray for Berean Baptist Church as many of them are headed to Belize next week for a missions trip.

Missionaries with Pastor and his wife

  

Indianapolis to Rogers City, Michigan

Pastor John Ray

On Wednesday we were at Southeast Baptist Tabernacle in Indianapolis. This church has been led by Pastor John Ray since 1991. I presented during their morning service that they have for their senior citizens and second shift workers. The folks enjoyed our video and my testimony. Then after the service we handed out prayer cards and visited with several folks about the great need in Thailand. Then in the evening service I presented again to the adults and then went and presented to the teen group and preached the evening message to them. Hearts seemed stirred and many teens had questions about the mission field. The teenagers are led by Brother Andrew Solarek who is the Youth Pastor and seems to have a great connect with these young people. 

Brother Andrew Solarek

Then we traveled to Rogers City, Michigan for a weekend meeting at Rogers City Baptist Church in Rogers City. This church has been led by Pastor David Rogers for the past 15 years. We enjoyed getting to meet the people at an afternoon activity at the pastor's house. Many folks came out and the pastor had an old fashioned cider press and made apple cider for everyone. It reminded me of the great fun we would have at our church activities back when I was the pastor in Lincoln.

Pastor David Rogers

Pastor Rogers working the press

On Sunday I and my wife both gave testimonies and we showed our video and then taught the morning lesson to several adult classes and to the teenagers in a combined class setting. Pastor Rogers preached the morning service and afterwards we gave out prayer cards and visited with many folks. That afternoon we went to the nursing home with the pastor and he asked me to preach. Before the service I had a chance to give out a couple of tracts in the hallway and invite some of the residents to the service. One man I even tried to witness to but he wasn't very open to me presenting the Gospel. I then preached the nursing home service and was encouraging the people about praising God and then I also preached the plan of salvation and gave an invitation afterwards. 

The Nursing Home

Then in the evening service Pastor Rogers called us up to answer questions about our ministry and Thailand. Then he had me preach the evening message. I preached and many after the service told me that they enjoyed the message. I had an opportunity to witness to a man after the service, but I was unable to convince him that he was lost. Overall we really enjoyed the spirit of the church folks. Please pray for them as they will be emphasizing missions for the next month. I will be sending out my monthly update letter tomorrow.

"Missions Means Me" in Grove City, Ohio

Pastor Stan Slabaugh

After the missions conference in Bourbonnais ended Wednesday night we journeyed to Bible Baptist Church in Grove City, Ohio for the start of their missions conference. This church has been led by Pastor Stan Slabaugh for the last 14 years. The theme for the conference was "Missions Means Me" and the guest speaker was Missionary Walter Stevens who is a 30 year missionary to the Roma people in Eastern Europe.

Missionary Stevens

On Thursday night I presented our mission to Thailand and preached a short message before making way for the special speaker. Brother Stevens did a wonderful job and hearts were stirred at the invitation time. God really blessed the kick-off to the service. 

Speaking Thursday Night

On Friday morning there was an activity for the missionaries to the Anthony-Thomas candy factory in Columbus. It was neat to see how the candy is made and how the operation works. We appreciated then pastor and his staff taking us out on the tour.

On the way to the tour

Then Friday there was another great service. Another presentation was given and the missionary preached a short message and then Brother Stevens preached up a storm afterwards. God blessed and people were stirred once again. 

The parade

Then on Saturday morning we marched in a parade and handed out John and Romans to everyone along the two mile parade route. Bible Baptist Church had a float and threw out candy as we worked the sidelines with the John and Romans. Toward the end of the route I was able to talk to a young adult named Timothy who just moved to the area from Youngstown. I invited him to church and then asked him about his eternity. He said that he had been saved before, but didn't know that he was going to Heaven. He told me that he hadn't been living right. I presented the Gospel to Timothy and I explained to him that works have nothing to do with salvation and that he can't begin to live right until he has the Holy Spirit of God living on the inside and that comes through trusting Christ as his personal Saviour. Timothy bowed his head and asked Christ to save him. Timothy said he is going to come to church, but didn't make it Sunday morning. Please pray for him to come next week and for him to grow in the Lord.

Float for Bible Baptist Church

Then Saturday evening the church had an International Dinner with the evening service to follow. Brother Xavier Parak missionary to Siberia presented his work. This is his home church and he has gone to the church I use to pastor and presented his work there. This brother is going to a very needy field and I believe he is going to do a great job. I actually met him on a Wednesday night at my home church over a year ago. He had already speaks Japanese because he lived in Japan once and is learning Russian now. He is very good with linguistics! Brother Stevens preached another great message afterwards and all the missionaries were blessed by the church after the service with some special gifts.

Missionary Parak

On Sunday morning I taught a boys Sunday school class and my wife taught a girls Sunday school class. It was a great time for both of us to spend some time with the kids and to get to know the teachers a little better.

Mrs. Wallace and Mrs. McKeon

Bro. McKeon and Bro. Wallace

Then the morning service was spectacular with an awesome spirit in the service. The choir and special music was great and the auditorium was full. Brother Stevens preached another great message and decisions were made at the invitation time.

Great Sunday morning crowd

Great music and orchestra

 Then Sunday night was the finish to a great conference. Brother Stevens who is already supported by this church went ahead and presented his work for an update. It was a blessing to hear about all the Roma Gyspies that they have reached and churches they have started. He preached a great message and at the end of the service the pastor announced how much they raised in Faith Promise and it was $5,000 more than raised last year. The pastor also announced that all of the missionaries will be picked up for support. Praise the Lord! We will be heading to Indianapolis tomorrow for our next meeting.