Tonight, we went to a church in Allegan, MI.  We had a great service, and the church is undergoing some extensive renovations because of the growth that they are having!  I talked to a dear lady after church who had grown up in a Christian Reformed church, and she told me her testimony.  She had been baptized as an infant and basically told that she was on her way to heaven as a result.  Her church believed in Covenant Theology, which basically espouses that salvation is passed down through generation after generation automatically.  She told me she thought that she had been saved for many years, yet she truly did not receive Christ until she was 32 years old!  She also talked about the testimonies of friends and relatives in her family who were part of the church.  It was pretty eye-opening to me how so many religions lead people to sincerely believe they are on their way to heaven when the reality is that they have a false hope.  She also told me of her burden to help show other people the truth who are involved in the same beliefs that she was.  What a blessing to see someone who is almost now 80 years old wanting to stay involved in the work of the Lord!  We are never too old to serve God and spread the truth about Jesus Christ.

We have still had many great services.  Last Saturday night we were in Warren, MI.  When we arrived there, we met our two hosts.  One was the music director of the church, and the other was the father of the youth pastor.  I went with Bro. Butterfield and Sam to the latter’s home.  They were such a nice family, and they were Italian.  As you can guess, we had awesome food!  The battle of the bulge has not been going so well for me lately!  Ha!  We fellowshipped for a while, then I worked on fixing my computer.  I have been having the dreaded blue screen of death!  I do hope my computer doesn’t die though.  We had a great service there the next morning and sang in the youth department as well as in the main church service.

On Sunday night, we went to Fostoria.  It was a tiny little town with hardly any people.  What was even crazier though is that the town of 300+ had a church with close to 400 people in it!  Though it seems hard to believe in such a small town, God still works in great ways!  We had a good service there and talked to some college friends afterwards.  I talked to Kim Childs,  a graduate from our college.  She and many other graduates are working for Pastor Scott Wendal at Valley Forge Baptist Temple in Pennsylvania.  It was fun catching up with other graduates of WCBC.

The next day we had a day off!  It was very exciting, but it was raining when we woke up in the morning.  So, we got a little soaked packing up, but that was okay.  We headed to Bro. B’s mom’s house for the day and relaxed there.  We also took in some dry-cleaning, which we desperately needed!  I got plenty of rest and had great fellowship with Bro. B’s family.  

I have been reading in the book of Psalms for my devotions and have found many awesome things from it!  One thought that especially stuck out to me was from Psalms 28:3.  It says, “Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.”  I thought about the day in which we live where so many people say nice things to others around them, but their heart doesn’t align with what they are saying.  They are the people who say sweet things to their “friends”, but think hatefully about them.  We all probably know those who compliment others about how they look, some achievement they have made, the purchase of a new home or car, or maybe a job promotion.  Yet, when they walk away they think to themselves how much they don’t even like the person that they have just spoken to or spoken highly about!  It’s a sad state that is present far too often in Christianity today, especially in our churches.  We ought to speak peace to our neighbors and Christian brothers around us and actully mean it.  If there is one thing I can’t stand, it’s a person who is double-tongued or double-minded.  Remember, a hypocritical tongue and a hypocritical heart will eventually make a hated person.  Though you may seem clever by speaking nicely about people to their face but maligning them to others in private, remember that people will always figure you out sooner or later!  And often, it is sooner!  You don’t want to develop that kind of a repuation.  I hope this is a helpful thought!

Well, it has been a while since I have been on here!  Internet has been scarce on this tour, which is highly unusual.  On Sunday the 10th, we had a great service at church.  I played the piano for church because Bro. Hopkins was out-of-town.  On Monday morning, we had senior pictures.  It was super-bright outside, and we could hardly keep our eyes open!  On Monday night, we had the WCBC music night.  There were tour groups, ensembles, the college choir and chorale, and some instrumental groups that played and sang.  It was a great night.  My parents and Grandma also came in on Monday, and it was awesome to get to see them!  After the night was over, my dad went and picked up my brother from the airport.  On Tuesday morning, we had graduation practice at 7:30 AM.  Talk about early–lol!  That night was our baccalaureate service and combined church service.  It was a very special time.  On Wednesday morning, the big day arrived!  I dressed in all of my graduation garb and headed over to the North Auditorium for our pre-graduation meeting.  We got all lined up then walked down the aisles!  I don’t think anyone tripped or anything.  Everything went great!  It was a sad time for me since I will miss being in Lancaster, especially at the church and college; but, it was also a time that I looked forward to the future.  We heard some great preaching, had some awards given out, and eventually we got to have our tassels turned! 

After graduation was finished, I took some pictures with quite a few people.  I think I took a thousand with my family, lol!  I only had a few hours in the afternoon to spend with my family, because shortly thereafter I would be heading on the road for tour!  We went out-to-eat and opened some graduation gifts then I headed back to school and hopped in the tour van!  We had a great first service in Castiac, and after it was finished, I road back home with my parents.  It was the last time I would be with them for a while.  We stopped at Wendy’s for a quick bite to eat then I headed back to my dorm to pack for the long journey ahead!  We said our goodbyes, then I sorted through all my stuff.  Eventually I got through all my junk then went to bed. 

We left the next morning with Dr. Rasmussen for our first meeting in Arizona.  We had a great service, and Dr. R and I were able to lead a lady to the Lord.  She also came to the church that night!  It was wonderful!

From there, we went to New Mexico and had a service on an Indian reservation.  We had a great turnout and counted it a privilege to minister through music.

After that, we headed to Colorado and hit a couple of churches.  Then, we went on to Kansas and on to Illinois.  My parents came up to the meeting there to pick up some extra stuff I had.  It was nice to release some of the weight from the tour van!

Since then, we have been in Michigan (9 days ago).  It is my first time being up here, and I have really enjoyed it.  There is way to much to tell about on here, so I will have to talk about it some other time.  We are definitely heading across the country at a fast pace, and we will be traveling all the way up to Maine!  

I have had a fun time with all the guys, and even though I am sure we get on each other’s nerves at times, we are still having a blast and enjoying growing friendships.  I wouldn’t trade it for anything!  Well, that will have to be all for now.  Looking forward to great Sunday services tomorrow!!!

 

I haven’t been on here for a few weeks now!  College has been really busy, and I am approaching graduation week.  It’s exciting to think about being able to finish and go where God wants you!  I can’t wait for the future!  Well, this has to be all for now!

What a blessing the 2009 West Coast Baptist College Youth Conference was this year!  On Thursday night, Pastor Kurt Skelly preached a stirring message called “I Have No Man,” based on the text of John 5 with the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda.  What a powerful message on challenging us to live our lives spreading the Gospel and living to please Christ so that the world could say that there was no man to reach them or to influence them to choose Christ!  On Friday morning, Pastor Chappell preached the final message, encouraging teens to live for God and make an impact in the world and many decisions were made!  Let’s pray that these teenagers and even those of us college students who made decisions for God determine to keep them. 

On Saturday, I had a great day soulwinning and got the opportunity to invite some people to this weekend’s Easter musical.  I went to one house over in East Palmdale and was able to give the plan of salvation to a kind man.  Apparently there had been some problems with a neighbor that led to some ill feelings and unresolved conflicts.  As I tried sharing the Gospel with him, he could not understand how that neighbor who had wronged him and said he was saved (at least that’s what this man claimed) could go on living his life like everything was fine when he had done so much hurt to this man I was talking to.  I tried to explain to him how even Christ was unjustly blasphemed, criticized, beaten, and crucified upon a cross, and how even He loved us in spite of our sin that we did against Him; yet, when we still went on in our sin like we had done nothing wrong and didn’t care what God thought, He loved us still and desired to save us!  Sadly, the devil was clearly blinding this man’s eyes to the truth of the Word of God, as he seemed heavily opinionated of his interpretation of what He believed the Bible to actually be saying.  So many are in this state today!

I have also been reading the story of Hudson Taylor, missionary to the people of China.  There was a part of his life’s story that touched my life greatly.  When Taylor was sailing from Shanghai to Ningpo, a Chinese man named Peter accompanied him.  This man had not yet come to Christ, but Taylor was fervently praying that he would come to receive salvation.  As they were sailing, Peter fell overboard.  Taylor looked to see if he could rescue him, but it was not possible because the tide was running out.  When he saw some fishermen nearby, he asked them to bring their net over and save this man.  They replied that it was not convenient.  Taylor hollered to them again.  They said that they were fishing.  Finally, Taylor offered them money, but they said it was not enough.  In a desperate attempt, Taylor offered all the money he had on him, and the fishermen let down their net and brought up the lifeless body of Peter.  Though Taylor tried to revive him, it was no use.  His friend had slipped off into eternity.

Sadly, I think some of us possess the same attitude as these fishermen.  When souls all around us are dying and going to hell, it is not convenient for us to pass out a tract or present the Gospel to them.  Or, we are too busy living our own lives.  Even worse, do we place so little value on the worth of a soul like these fishermen did that God would have to beg and plead with us to rescue those who are dying?  After all, He gave us more than Hudson Taylor gave to those fishermen–He gave us His only Son!

Last night was a great kickoff service to the 2009 West Coast Baptist College Youth Conference!  There are over 1,600 teenagers in attendance!  The youth conference video this year has an interesting plot that will be exciting to see unfold over the next couple of days!  Dr. John Goetsch preached the first service and hit it tooth-and-nail challenging young people to live for God, and calling those who had gone their own way and rebelled against God to come back to Him.  Also, the college drama presented this theme in the stories of Ruth and the prodigal son.  Many decisions were already made to totally submit to God!  I had the privilege of playing the piano with Bro. Hopkins.  It’s a lot of fun playing with someone who can pretty much play any song in any key you ask him to even if he has never heard it before!  And, Bro. Schmidt did a great job leading the music and getting the teenagers into the thunderstorm game, the hand-clapping game, and youth pastor’s feud (a ministry-based “Family Feud” game, lol)! 

This morning, Kenny Baldwin preached and he was on fire!  He definitely has the power of God upon his life.   He can sing and play the piano too–a very multi-talented man!  More decisions were made today, and there were some teenagers saved as well.  The men’s summer tour groups sang and did a great job on “Sinner Saved by Grace” and “A Few Good Men.”  God is doing great things already, and I look forward to seeing how the service tonight will go!  Pray that the Lord calls some of these teenagers to full-time ministry.  Dr. Goetsch told us the other day in college chapel how the impact of over 1,600 teenagers each making decisions to live their lives for God and serve Him completely could radically change this nation for the cause of Christ.  We need God’s power once again!

I have decided to start the path of blogging!  I have never done it before, but I figured this would be a decent way to let people know what is going on in my life and would save me some time in the long run!  God has been good to me and many blessings have opened up for the future.  I am ready to graduate from West Coast Baptist College in just 43 days from now!  Hopefully, I will pass all of my classes, lol!  I am looking forward to traveling with the college for another summer!  It is a joy to be able to sing at churches and encourage pastors across the country.  Riding in a tour van with the same guys all summer can present a challenge, but in the end it is worth it to see how God works in each life over the summer; it is also a privilege to see souls saved and teenagers come to the college.  Well, there will be more to come!  Right now, I must press on with a research paper!  Joy!