“They need to read my Kids4Truth book!”

This past Saturday we had a Jehovah’s Witness come to our door. I was right in the middle of something and really had no time to engage the man at all. I simply told him that I had serious theological differences with his religion and sent him on his way.

After I closed the door, my son JD, who just turned 8 the week before, asked me who that was. I told him he was someone from a bad church that taught false things about the Bible and how to get to Heaven. He asked, “What kind of false things?” and I explained how JW’s don’t believe, for example, that Jesus is God. At that he ran up stairs and came down with his Kids4Truth book.

“Dad,” he exclaimed, “They need to read my Kids4Truth book!” “We just learned that Jesus is God. It says so in Hebrews 1:8 – ‘But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne O God is for ever and ever.’” “See, Dad, God the Father calls Jesus God!” “I have to go show them my book!”

If I had let him, he would have chased the man down the street with his Kids4Truth book.

Whitefield on Physical Infirmities

George Whitfield maintained a grueling preaching schedule, often speaking outdoors to multiple thousands of people every day. He had an unusual combination of devout personal piety and remarkable oratory skills that put his preaching in high demand wherever he went. It is likely that his constant travel and rigorous schedule contributed to the many physical infirmities that he suffered from throughout his life.

You would think that those infirmities would discourage him as they often hindered what was normally a very effective ministry. Not so with George Whitefield. He felt that those things that “weakened” his preaching or hindered it altogether were designed by God for his own good. Here is an excerpt from his journal entry for May 1, 1740:

I preached in the evening at New York to as large a congregation as ever; but my spirits being exhausted, I preached, as I thought, but heavily. But I have been too apt to build on my frames, and think I do no good, or do not please God, only because I do not please myself; for I have often found, that my seemingly less powerful discourses have been much owned by God. I find it absolutely necessary, that Gospel ministers should meet with such thorns in the flesh, that both ministers and hearers may know themselves to be but men. Lord, show that Thou dost love me, by humbling and keeping me humble as long as I live! The means I leave to Thee. I am Thy clay, Thou art the Potter; mould me as it seemeth good to Thy sovereign goodwill and pleasure! Amen and Amen.

Ministry Update: New Modular

For those who have been following the progress of our facilities at Grace Baptist Church, here is a photo of our latest addition. We had someone donate the funds for a new modular, so the church only had to pay for the permits, sidewalk, electrical, and the ramp/deck construction. The modular will allow us to move a children's SS class out of a baptistry changing room and give us much needed space for additional adult SS classes. As an added bonus, the Lord provided, through the generosity of a local businessman, new sod for that side of the church. We are looking forward to the expanded ministry opportunites that this modular and the new grass will provide.