Render to Ceasar

One of the ironies of the Christian world view is the juxtaposition of the sovereign hand of God over the affairs of sinful men. 

And there is nothing like tax season to make that reality sting. We just finished ours and found that the civil government gets a much bigger chunk this year.  That, combined with a very expensive year ,means that as a family we need to be very frugal  this year.  

The church is in the same situation, only in many ways it is harder. We are going to need to be very frugal, and yet the no way out of this bind is to be investing in out reach and evangelism.  In the end we are in God's hands.

I am planning on seeking out substitute teaching positions and see if we can supplement a bit. As well as get the church to re-structure their budget process to save as much as possible.

I am praying for some younger families to join our church with a generous spirit and the desire to work. That would aid in this process tremendously. 

Sliding backwards

We had a several guests this Sunday. One of them a young man who showed up last week and offeeed to help shovel our parking lot, and then came back for church. His face tells enough to know that he has a rough story, but he has been back twice now of his own accord.  So we have at least one new face in the small group. 

The othe news is that we are running a very high out-go to in come ratio. That is not good.  And as I have told the people here it doesn't stem from people who lack in faithful giving, it has to do with trying to maintain  a facility that is meant for 200 with only 35 or so in attendance. We are drifting slowly backward. The challenge is that we will rapidly be out of money if we don't reverse that trend. 

This is not a surprise, but it is cause for prayer, pray for wisdom as we seek to change the tragectory and culture of a church. Pray for God's favor as we seek to reach new people with the gospel and incorporate them into a church that is losing ground .

A Renewed Request for Prayer

IT  has been a while since most of you have heard from me.

A lot has change for us in the past several months. We are no longer working directly with a church plant in Dayton OH. We are now working with a church in Union City OH.

Many of you have prayed for us over the years, and if you are getting this update as mail-chip feed in your in box. I took the liberty of thinking you might want to hear from me again!  (Just unsubscribe if you don't want to)

We are in the process of taking a church that has been struggling for many years in a small town and attempting to breath new life and fresh vision into the lives of existing Christians, and begin to reach out to the community on a number of levels.

I am also still working with the Air-Force reserve so we have no shortage of things to do!
The point of this particular blog and of getting your email connected to it, is to ask that you take a second when you receive this and subsequent emails to pray, and then delete it form you inbox.

We need your prayers.  My concern is that this small church is representative of a lot of small churches and pastors who are disconnected and isolated and will simply burn out without the support of a praying community.

If you are like me you get dozens of prayer requests every week, from ministries and missionaries, so I thank you for the extra minute of you time to pray with a bit more information for the work at
First Baptist Church Union City  Thanks,

And God Bless