As the Summer heads into its final stages, much has happened for Northern Lakes BC. We have had four services now and we are excited about all that God is doing here.
The Building!
As stated in our last newsletter, God is a God of impossibilities.
We are thankful for the building He has given us to start this new church. Since our last newsletter, we have made several changes to the building to include: made and hung a cross on the exterior, hung four 6×10 vinyl banners with the church name and web address on our highway signs, knocked down an interior wall, patched and cleaned the space, put in new carpet for the chapel area, made a rustic pulpit, moved in furniture, purchased folding chairs and tables and purchased pew chairs for the chapel area. This does not include all of the administrative work that has gone into starting the church.
First Services
Although the building was more work and took longer than expected, we held our first service on July 11th, one week short of our target date. There were nine in attendance, including my family.
On our second service, we had four visitors bringing us to thirteen for that week. As we approach our fifth Sunday this coming week, we know that God’s hand is on this church.
He has given us so many provisions and we feel that this church is progressing more quickly than our last church-plant. I am thankful for my parents who helped us start our first church, Riverview BC, and are now an important part of helping us to start this church.
Soul-winning
We held our second soul-winning date this past Sunday after services. Since this is a church-plant, it was myself, my wife and our five daughters that scouted and canvassed doors in the Land O’ Lakes and Phelps areas. It was a good trial run as we familiarize ourselves with these rural areas. Beyond, door-to-door soul-winning, there is the personal invitations and witness. My wife and I work, as well as, three of our older daughters. We have been able to invite many people for our upcoming Grand Opening services in the fall, please pray for these communities and for this special day. We will also run an ad in one of the local papers, the Border Bulletin, to promote this special day and our regular service times.
In addition to the invitations we have handed out, Lighthouse BC in Antigo, under Pastor John Sass, will be driving nearly two hours to help us on Saturday, August 12th with more soul-winning, we are so thankful for their help.
The Need & Prayer Requests
We are thankful for all of you who have generously helped and supported us through prayers, finances, materials, and soul-winning.
Many of you have been sending monthly financial giving, soul-winning and much needed supplies. First of all, we are very thankful for each of you, but I would like to send a special “Thank You” to Harbor Lights Baptist Church in Ashland, under Pastor Randy Hoffman, for the piano, sound equipment and many other needed materials. Also, Northside BC, under Pastor Weng Liew, who generously gave us a thousand dollars to purchase pew chairs.
We were able to get twenty of these, thirty folding chairs and two eight foot folding tables for the church. Additional prayer requests for God’s continued blessing and leading, as well as, as His power for each service and this church. Please pray that we will not waste His time, but reach those who are in search of Him.
Thank You
As always, my family and I would like to thank each of you for your prayers and support. It is always a joy to serve the Lord with each of you in our different fields of ministry! May the Lord bless your year of 2017 as we labor together for the Lord.
