Archive for July, 2008

The people in the church are growing. About half are very interested in the Bible and want to learn. We’re studying Genesis on Wednesday evenings. Many have never studied Genesis and are finding it very interesting, especially when they come to realize that people in the beginning are not so much different than they are. Things are going well for the amount of time we have been here. The people here have to be taught so we can handle more people. Presently Susie and I are the “Sunday School Dept.”

~ Riley & Susie Wilson

The people are excited about seeing this ministry grow. We’ve begun a mid-week prayer and Bible study, an after worship service fellowship. The church had very little equipment for children’s Sunday school, so with the OK of the board, we purchased some tables & chairs, a boom box, TV, and VCR/DVD player. We were able to secure an overhead projector from the church at Red Cloud and another VM church has said they would like to help us get a sound system going. The ladies are in the process of making curtains for the basement. All these things have not only been blessed by the people who attend, but they are also excited to help.

At the completion of the worship service I always give an invitation. A couple of weeks ago I asked if there was anyone that was not sure of their salvation, and the granddaughter of the board chairman raised her hand. She came to the house and shared that she didn’t have eternal security. After sharing the Gospel with her, she confessed the Lord Jesus as her Lord. She was saved and very excited to have eternal security. This last Sunday another man in the church responded the same way to the question about having eternal security. I will be visiting him this week and hope that he, too, will respond by confessing Jesus as his Lord.

The giving here is poor, though; I don’t believe they’ve ever been taught about tithing. When the opportunity avails itself we will get to the subject of giving. But as the Scriptures teach, I must do this with “great patience and careful instruction.”

~ Riley & Susie Wilson

One evening after Prayer and Bible Study I could hear a young couple outside and went out to see what was going on. Rita was upset because Mike was not trusting in the Lord as he should and wondered why he wouldn’t come and talk to me. Rita went home and I stayed with Mike. We ended up going through the plan of salvation and Mike confessed Jesus as his Lord.

The board chairman, Dick, was curious about what I’ve been saying to lead people to the Lord Jesus Christ. The opportunity presented itself, so I took him through the plan of salvation. He had a problem with eternal security; he thought he could lose his salvation. At the end of the Gospel presentation, Dick prayed to receive the Lord Jesus by confessing Him as his Lord. He said it “freed him up.”

~ Riley & Susie Wilson

The church has stood the test of time. Four to five years ago, a young pastor came to preach and teach just on Sundays. There was a group of 5 or 6 young couples in the church that somehow, due to the influence of this pastor, got into leadership, sold the church building, and took all the money. They then began going to other churches in the area. That left this group of older believers with nothing. Dick began to have church in his house with this group. In time they were able to secure the building where a Baptist church met. This small group of steadfast believers has kept things going. Dick did most of the preaching and teaching, and taught kids’ Sunday school. He has no formal training of any kind, but did a sufficient job.

They’ve given us a very warm welcome. Many have said they need leadership and are there to help as they can. Susan and I are excited to begin this work. It’s like starting from scratch with people that want to have a vibrant church. They are willing and anxious to receive teaching.

~Riley & Susie Wilson

There have been some good comments from people in the community about our ministry. One was, “He is there every day.” Being in the church office nearly every day is beginning to have some results. More and more adults are “just stopping by” and most have a situation they need to talk about. Children have “stopped by” for a daily dose from the Pastor’s candy jar!

A young couple called and wanted to speak to me about a wedding in June. They are neighbors of a lady who comes to church once a month or so. When I asked them if they understood salvation, they both said, “No!” I gave them a Bible and shared the plan of salvation. Both of them prayed and trusted in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior!

~ Larry and Kathy Shetenhelm

Several people who left during the time the church was without a pastor have returned to the fellowship. We celebrated the Lord’s Table together as a body, after learning that they had not done so since 2006! Many unsaved visitors have come to church, especially on Fellowship Dinner Sunday, and have heard the Gospel presented.

We’ve made contact with many souls around the Harlan community. I met a woman at the rest home here who was interested in talking. She came in and listened as I shared the scriptures with a former church attendee who lives at the rest home now. I challenged this lady to consider her relationship with God. I also visited with an unsaved couple from the little community of Cedar (west of Harlan). The husband had a stroke 5 years ago and the wife takes care of him. We started to talk more about God and Jesus. I am hoping that the Lord will open the door of their hearts.

~ Jim & Lynette Karg

I’ve been doing a Saturday night service at the local campground. Each Saturday, we had at least 20 people come. Sometimes we’d start singing, and people would just start coming from their sites! It’s a wonderful opportunity to share God’s Word and make good contacts. I also officiated my first wedding! We’ve had the privilege of counseling this young couple from God’s Word the last year or so, and have developed a really good relationship with them. It was a “camo-wedding,” so I related marriage to hunting in my message. We trust that the Lord will continue to work in their hearts.

~ Chad & Sarah Johnson

We’ve had some really encouraging visits over the last year! One visit was with a man who’s retiring and wants to put a lot of time and energy into ministry here in Cedar River. He asked if I’d teach him how to preach, he wants to do some calling with me, and he’s just excited to have the time to devote to being a servant and worker for the Lord. Obviously, we’re greatly encouraged by this! I’ve been praying that God would raise up men passionate about their walk with Christ, faithful in their service to the Lord, and leaders in the home and in the church. This was a great answer to prayer and such an encouragement to us to see God working.

There’s also a lady who comes faithfully each week, and I’ve been praying for her husband, an unbeliever. When I visit them, he’s quiet and reserved, especially when we talk about spiritual things. I prayed that it would be different this time…and it was! We were talking about church-related things, and he said he wants to come to church one of these Sundays! As I was leaving, he said, “Stop back more often.” I’ll definitely take him up on that offer!

I spent time with a young believer; we had good conversations and he asked me great questions. It’s encouraging to see him grow in his walk and understanding of God’s Word. I’ve done quite a bit of fishing with different guys and the Lord has used these times to help establish closer relationships and to disciple a few as well. A lot of guys in the church and in the community are fishermen, and this activity is a great way to accomplish those things. Though my top priority is building strong relationships, I also have the extra bonus of catching big fish…lots of them!

~Chad & Sarah Johnson

The church is growing! We had to work out a new way of setting chairs for Sunday service at the township building where we meet. The new setup gave us room for 10 additional chairs. The men scrubbed the floor at the church building we’ve been remodeling, and got the room set for VBS with a second bathroom and temporary kitchen. There was a lot of excitement about having their first VBS outreach. And VBS was great! Also, a group came and did work projects mostly for single ladies or widows in the church. One day they stacked about 490 tires and picked up–literally–a ton of trash! Other projects included removing landscaping steps, laying patio blocks, and doing yard work. In our ladies’ Bible study we have seen growth, even in some of the older women. Some of the ladies are young in the Lord, and it is such a blessing to see them grow spiritually. Things are starting to come together for the summer remodel project. A group of men from Liberty Chapel came up and helped us go a long way in renovating the building the church purchased.

~ Skip & Venita Pullen