Archive for December, 2007
As I walked away from the Summit meeting that ended at 6:30 or so I was told that this year was already better than last year. I know that the guys are doing a great job with the music thanks to Philip Bassham. I know that Brother Tony’s message was right on target.
The plea is out from Aaron to get people to the seven key cities of Morocco to begin an all out offensive to get the gospel to that great country. Jeff Bush preached with power! Charles Blackstock explained the call of God and how we are to get involved in the work. It was a great evening.
I am excited to see people slipping off to pray, to talk about world evangelism, and to do what they can to find out more about working to get the gospel to the world.
It is our prayer that everyone including me step it up a notch to do more for God than we have ever done before.
Pray for us tomorrow
December 27 2007 | General | No Comments »
God is already at work in the mini conferences, Tony Howeth and Aaron preaching, prayer and great fellowship. Tonight I hope to post a little about the preaching–maybe even some audio. Please pray for us that God would be glorified.
December 27 2007 | General | No Comments »
Well I wanted to take this opportunity to wish a very Merry Christmas to all of the Vision family from those that live here in the USA to those that are scattered around the world and our missionaries.
Kitty and Karla Stephens are still members at least for a few more days and they are in Wisconsin.
Hugo Navarette is still a member and is living in Peru and will be changing his membership soon.
Ricardo Santos is in Mexico and Lord willing will be returning but I want to wish him a very Merry Christmas.
Steve P is incarcerated right now but I love him more than words can express and he will be back with us soon.
Chris and Andria Gardner and the kids are serving God in Peru and having a Christmas that far away.
Julio and Joy Soncco and the kids are also in Peru and having their Christmas.
Then we have our missionaries flung to all the far corners of the globe. Vision Baptist Church is truly an international church.
Then we have members and attenders that are visiting their families every where all over the USA There is no way that I can call all of you and tell you how much we love you but take this little post as my way of saying Merry Christmas.
I do not know if Larry and Chae Hess read the blog or not but I send them my heart felt love and Merry Christmas.
I want you all to know how much Betty and I love you. I go to bed thinking of you and praying for you. I wake up in the morning and you are on my mind. I want you to know that I love you and that I thank God for each of you.
Have a very Merry Christmas. Thank you for all the Christmas cards and gifts. We love you
December 25 2007 | General | No Comments »
Well I just got through chatting with Keith Shumaker in Burkina Faso and he woke up on Christmas morning with malaria chills. His parents are there visiting but he has had a rough bout with the disease. Not a fun way to begin Christmas or any day but he has been one of those true warriors that has paid the price to get the gospel to these people
John Pearson and I will be visiting their family in January and are really looking forward to that. You might want to drop them a note at keith@theharvest.net or call them on skype if you have their skype contact.
You are a wonderful church that loves our missionaries and I am proud of you.
Merry Christmas from Austin and Betty. We love each of you very much.
December 25 2007 | General | No Comments »
Pastor Ronald Tubillas has put up a video of Christmas on the Northside. You will really enjoy it if you take the time to click right here and go see it.
December 25 2007 | General | No Comments »
I am amazed that God gave us 30 first time visitors from the area! I stand amazed that 3 people were baptized and became members of our church! I stand amazed that we had 160 in the evening service with at least 180 showing up for the activities afterwards. I stand amazed that there were 6 professions of faith in the services.
But most of all I stand amazed at how hard each of you worked. I know you killed yourself bringing visitors, setting up games, being friendly, praying, taking care of children and just working yourself to death.
I wish there were a way that I could express my gratitude and praise first to God and second to each of you for all that you have done to give us a wonderful year. You are indeed my Christmas gift from the Lord after my salvation
I watched you running around, getting there early, staying late, cleaning, setting up and taking down. What can I say–I am still enjoying Christmas on the Northside just thinking of all the things that you did.
We love you and God bless you.
December 24 2007 | General | No Comments »
Well tonight was wonderful. The service started at 5 pm. God gave us another member and someone to be baptized. David Clapp was baptized tonight. God has blessed the Clapp family and all 5 of the family have now accepted Jesus Christ and followed him in baptism.
Then we had 160 come to church tonight between the Spanish service and the English service. At least 20 people arrived late and so our total for the event was 180 people. There were 5 professions of faith in the Spanish service and one in English that I was able to lead to Christ after the service.
Then what can I say. The music was just super excellent and I believe that the Lord Jesus was magnified. The message was on Jesus Christ being God in human flesh. The truths of those verses were greatly impressed on our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
Can I say how much I love all of you and how hard you work. You guys did a jam up job. You were working before the service, after the service, during the service I mean God used you and I thank you.
I told the Lord that I was the most blessed man in the universe–I am saved, I have the most wonderful wife and family but on top of all that I am privileged to work with you. I love watching the way you react when I am preaching. I love watching the way you love others–wow. All I can say that I love God and I love each of you.
We had over 30 first time visitors from the area tonight. If all the Spanish people would have gotten here on time I think that might have broken 50–amen.
The bobsleds, the snow, the horses, the fires and marsh mellows, the cider, well everything was just over the top.
You know what maybe is the greatest thing as a pastor (and maybe a confession of my laziness) is that I simply showed up and the most wonderful staff and team did it all. You guys are the greatest. You are my crown and my joy.
I saw part of the dream come true tonight. I can’t wait to see what all God has for us in 2008.
Now comes Christmas and I wish you the most Merry Christmas ever!
Then starting Thursday we have the Summit. I can’t wait. Here it is one thing after another–what a privilege to serve God together–did I tell you how much I love God, our church, and each of you??
Merry Christmas
December 24 2007 | General | No Comments »
I just read one of the most beautiful posts that I have ever read! Julio and Joy Soncco are your missionaries in Arequipa, Peru. I know that they are my kids but I couldn’t help but feel a sweet and wonderful Christ-like Christmas feeling. Here is there post:
I would like to share with you what the Lord did in our lives yesterday. A few weeks ago my wife and I felt that the Lord had put on our hearts to put other first by being a help to some poor children on the outsides of Arequipa, one of the poorest sections here. Where there is no water and no electricity. So we decided to go out and do a common thing that is done here at Christmas time which is to give them some hot chocolate with a kind of sweet bread they have here. We planned on making enough for 600 people. So Saturday morning my wife and mom were up at 4 a.m. making hot chocolate and a lot of it to take out to the needed people.
The most important part of it though, was not only to give them something to drink and eat, but we took advantage and took 3 young people from our church along with us, they dressed up as clowns to play with the children so they could have a good time. The greatest part of it all was that we were able to take that time and share the gospel with them, we handed out gospel tracts, gave away some Bibles and were able to lead some people to the Lord.
I would like to encourage you to put others first and be a blessing to someone else. We were able to learn a great lesson and we felt a joy that only God can give you when you do something for Him.
God Bless you
Julio Soncco
Click here to see the photos of this special work
I thank God for people that learn the real meaning of Christmas. These kids live on very little support–actually about 20% of a regular missionary at the most but check out what they did. I hope you are proud of your missionaries and that some from our church might send them a note and tell them about what you think about what God led them to do.
December 24 2007 | General | No Comments »
I was just thanking God for how good He has been to us this year, 2007, and I believe that I am right when I tell you that this year He has allowed us to baptize 23 so far and to see 28 people join our church. I will go over the records better and give a real report in our Vision service but I thought that was a pretty good blessing.
That is not counting one more that should be baptized tonight. God has been so good to us. In January you will hear a report about what God has done in our midst and then we will share what we are asking God to do in 2008.
Well it is about time to get back to church but I thought that anyone could be encouraged with those numbers. Praise the Lord.
December 23 2007 | General | No Comments »
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