Step One is Complete!

I have now stepped down as Senior Pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in DeKalb, IL. What a privilege it has been to serve these dear people for the past 11½  years. We have had the joy of seeing a hurting group of people from a fractured church become strengthened and grow in the gospel and grace of Jesus Christ into a healthy church. We will greatly miss our family of families but are delighted to be sent out and supported by them to serve the broader mission of God to the unreached people groups with the gospel. We look forward to returning to Harvest of DeKalb on June 12^th for our commissioning service.

This past month, Terri and I enjoyed attending The Gospel Coalition at McCormick Place in Chicago. The messages and workshops were challenging and fed our souls. My favorite speakers were Alistair Begg and Mike Bulmore. The opportunity to see so many friends was very encouraging. We also had the joy of assisting Rod and Linda Conner at the To Every Tribe exhibit booth and to talk to many people about the need for missionaries to take the gospel to unreached peoples.

The week before Easter we were able to host David Sitton and Rod Connor in our home. We enjoyed four days of To Every Tribe ministry in our area. This included meetings with prospective missionaries, donors, training partners and special project teams to serve the needs of our missionaries in Papua New Guinea. David and Rod kept a full schedule with Steve Leston of Kishwaukee Bible Church and our own people of Harvest. We especially enjoyed a combined service of the two churches to learn more about the work of God through To Every Tribe. God is at working raising up a team of missionaries from the DeKalb area. I will tell you more in a later post.

Terri and I are now in the middle of a trip that has taken us to Ohio where Terri is staying while I have made my way to Lewisburg, PA for the 2011 John Bunyan Conference. Please pray for us as we travel much this month to share the vision of our ministry with To Every Tribe and seek out the partners that God will raise up to participate with us through prayer and financial provision. Pray also for the remaining work on our home in DeKalb and for its timely sale. We are trusting God and hope to be in Texas by the end of the summer.

** Some Other Posts That May Be of Interest **