Hands Working Together

     Working together is an awesome way to share the message of the cross.  Wow our travels this week took us to Bedford Indiana to be with Brother Tim Sumpter and his congregation.  We had a wonderful time with them and pray for God to press upon their hearts to support this work.  We had a great time of fellowship with them.  God is moving in many ways.  We left Bedford and Drove to the southern part of Indianapolis to be with Pastor Scott Mauldon and the members of Landmark Baptist Church.  God is doing great things at that church.  We pray that these churches will join hands with us in prayer to help spread the gospel message to the people of Brownstown.

     One of the biggest prayer request I had for the work in Brownstown was that we would be able to plant ourselves into the center of that town and be a light and help to the community.  I can now say that God is opening that door for us to plant firmly into Brownstown.  Last week I had an opportunity to talk with the chairman of the Brownstown revitalization committee.  Their plan is to revitalize Brownstown's downtown area.  The key area they are focusing in on is the city block where our building is located.  Our hope is to get involved with this process and be able to add valid input to what is happening to the proprieties next to the building.  In all of this discussion with this person it has become very clear that a few possible outcomes may happen.  One outcome is that we may be able to purchase proprieties next to our buildings for less then asking price, and have grants from the city to be able to repair or rebuild. Second outcome is that we may be able to see an increase in the value of our building making it easier to attain a newer, larger building in the future.  Third is that we may be able to receive grants to fix our building.  But the most important outcome is that we are going to be able to build positive relationships with the members of the Brownstown Community. 

     On November 5th we are having a work day to clean and gut the inside of our building.  We hope that you will be praying for us to get much accomplished.  Also be praying for us to have enough hands to complete this work quickly. 

     Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to pass this along to anyone who might be interested. Please keep praying for us as we travel and labor for the kingdom of God.

Bro. Mike

Great Fall weekend to travel.

     Well it is the time of year that I love to hate.  It is officially fall and the leaves are changing.  I love to see the colors that God paints this time of year, but I know that before too long the snow is going to start to fly.  I love fall for its beauty But I despise winter and the cold temps it brings.  I could live with the temperature changing but I do not like the snow and ice. 

     With the changing of the leaves it made for a beautiful weekend to travel.  The temperatures were cool, the sun was shining, and the colors were bright and crisp.  It just stands to remind me of God's wonderful creation.  We traveled to Sheridan Indiana Saturday to be with Brother Alan Schoeff  and the work there.  They hosted the Fall festival of faith on Saturday where I was able to give a devotion and hear God's word preached by some dear friends of mine who pastor some of our sister Churches.  This festival was an opportunity to hear what God is doing in the churches of Indiana.  What an awesome time it was. 

     Sunday morning I had the chance to present what God is doing in Brownstown to the people of Sheridan.  Then I had the opportunity to preach Gods word.  After the preaching service we had the privilege of watching Brother Alan baptise a young man and he and his wife joined the work there in Sheridan.  God is doing great things there.  Please continue to pray for Brother Alan and the people of Sheridan as God has them labor there.  Thank you Sheridan for your Love, prayers, and Love offering.  I pray that God will bless you for all you have done in making this weekend awesome.

    Well the deputation schedule keeps getting more and more filled up.  We added two more stops in November.  Praise God!!!!.  We now have only one more Sunday left in November to schedule and November Sunday's will be booked.  God is Good.

     We are still preparing for the work day to gut and clean the building that has been provided for us.  God is already providing workers to help in this task.  I believe if enough people show up it will only take us a few hours to fully tear out all that needs to go.  As this gets moving forward we are already going to be needing financial support to put everything back.  I fully believe God has already provided everything needed to get the building ready.  Please continue to pray for what God can use you to do in the way of financial support.  Please pray for that support to start flowing in so that this work can continue moving forward. 

     Also continue to pray for us as we travel, that God will guide and lead us safely to each destination. 

Brother Mike

Getting settled and making appointments

     

     Busy, busy, busy, that is what has been happening in the last week.  God has been working through these efforts.  I have spent the last week planning a work day at the building and getting deputation appointments made.  

     We have the key to the building and are making plans on November 5th to have a work day.  There is a lot of work needed to the building to get it ready to meet in.  First we have to gut the whole place to make room for a sanctuary.  Then we have to get it put back together.  We are asking all that can help to come on November 5th to lend a hand in tearing down walls and cleaning the mess up.

     I have been working all week to get appointments set for deputation.  So far I have somewhere to be every Sunday through the rest of the month.  Also November is starting to fill up.  Our schedule looks like this so far. October 15th - 16th we will be in Sheridan Indiana.  October 23rd we will be with Landmark in Bedford in the Morning and then Landmark In Indianapolis that evening.  Then October 29th and 30th we will be at Mt Calvery in Marion Indiana.  On the Evening of the 30th we will be at Faith Baptist Church In Greenwood Indiana.  We ask that you pray for these churches to catch the vision and support the work that God is doing in Brownstown.

     This week I hope to get with the town to verify what we need to continue to move forward.  Please pray for the town to be excited and open to what God is bringing to Brownstown.  I also ask that you pray for a family that we are in contact with, that God will continue to burden their hearts to be a part of this church.  This family is having a difficult time adjusting to a new life away from worldly influence.  My prayer is that God will give them courage and strength to carry forward.  Most of all I pray for God to convict the hearts of the naysayers to come to him in salvation.

     A little from my own heart;  I am praying that God will continue to show me the direction he is leading.  I want to be a tool used of him.  My prayer is that God will provide the finances to see this mission move forward, and to see lives changed through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  My desire is to teach the people of Brownstown about the joy that only comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

     I will be praying for all that are reading this and hope that you return the gesture and pray for the work that God is doing in Brownstown.  Have a wonderful week!!!

Bro. Mike

On you mark, Get Set, Go!

     Well this past Sunday I kicked off deputation with the church that has been called home to my family and I for the last year and a half.  Victory MBC has been a wonderful place to serve God.  They have been prayerfully supporting my family and I for many years.  This is the church that I surrendered to the full time Gospel ministry, and was ordained at.  Pastor Kenny Roberson has been a wonderful support to me personally for some time.  I am excited to see where God is leading Victory.  Please pray for them as they continue to minister to the people of Seymour, Ind.
   
     As I reflect on the past five to six years and what Victory MBC and I have been a part of, it has caused me to rejoice in what God has done through them to bring us to where we are today.   It is exciting to see God move in many ways. 

     I had a strange thing happen to me this week.  As I was getting ready to finish preperations on my sermon notes for Sunday morning, I turned on my computer and all my previous notes were gone, disappeared, vanished, no where to be found.  I panicked as this was at 10:30 Saturday night.  It left me wondering why this could have happened.  I thought that maybe it was God trying to tell me that wasn't what he wanted me to preach.  So I started a pot of coffee, set down and started to pray. After some time in prayer, I really felt that, that was the message that God wanted me to preach.  So I started the notes all over again.  I figured Satan didn't want me to preach that message because it was on people putting their faith into action through witnessing to others.  I must say I am glad I stuck with that sermon.  God truly blessed my heart, and used that message to challange me, and the people at Victory.

     As I was preaching Sunday morning a lady that was visiting Victory stopped me in the middle of my sermon to ask me a question concerning my conviction about spreading God's word in the workplace.  That was a first.  I answered her question. At the end of service she came to me and wanted to know more about My convictions and asked that my wife and I pay her a visit to talk some more.  She lives in Seymour but pray for her. I will be getting with her this week to share more.

     This weekend I had the oppurtunity to spend some time with some very dear friends.  These people have been a true blessing to my family and I.  The Long family invited us to a cookout on Saturday and what a blessing it was.  Their daughter Emily graduated last spring and this was an event to celebrate that  occasion.  It had been postponed 3 different times.
  
     Through this event I was able to make a great contact for the work in Brownstown.  There was a family of seven people there that I had the oppurtunity to talk to. They seem to be looking for a church in Brownstown that was grounded on God's word and not something to just make you feel good. God's timing is great.  The father gave me his contact information and asked me to stay in touch with him.  Pray for this family as they seek God's will. 

     Pray for us this week as we continue to make deputation appointments, and start making calls about the building renovations.  Thanks for reading and may God Bless your work week!

Bro. Mike