God is Blessing Hill Country MBM in Kerrville, TX

Current meeting facility for Hill Country MBM.

It's always a blessing to me to visit with brothers and sisters in Christ who are diligently working to see the Gospel spread and lives changed. That's why it is an honor to be able to visit with Don, Cindy, Bethany and Allison Trussell in Kerrville, TX.

Bro. Don is entering his second year as a state salaried missionary, serving at Hill Country MBM in Kerrville. Prior to answering the call of the Lord, Hill Country, and sponsoring church Faith MBC of Round Rock, Bro. Don and Sis. Cindy worked as house parents for the Texarkana Baptist Orphanage.

The Trussells are working hard in Kerrville. They are holding one-day VBS's on Saturdays (one in November and one in December), Open House events at the church building, doing evangelism and reaching out in their community, and trying to see God build the work. So far, the Lord has been blessing.
  

Cooper the dog visits kids at VBS

As with any mission work, the more tools you have, the more widely you can spread the Gospel. In mission work, those tools are often acquired due to the generous support given by sister churches. As of right now, Bro. Don and Sis. Cindy are working with minimal support aside from the support from the MBA of Texas, their sponsoring church and a recent TMD presentation. The MBA of Texas support pays Bro. Don's salary and the TMD funds can only be used to purchase land or buildings. The MBA of Texas Ladies Auxiliary recently presented the Kerrville mission with the 2010 annual mission project check, but again those funds have designated uses.

In the mean time, tracts need to be purchased and distributed, outreach events need to take place, and the mission could use a few more resources. Therefore, I would like to encourage the churches of the MBA of Texas to consider supporting the work in Kerrville. If not regularly, perhaps a one-time offering. The Trussells are most grateful for all support given. On that note, I am grateful for the support given to the Brownwood work as well. Your support really enables us to do great things for the Lord.

Offerings for the Kerrville mission can be sent via their sponsoring church:

Faith MBC
1561 Sam Bass
Round Rock, TX 78681.

Be sure to write on the memo line that the check is intended for Hill Country Mission in Kerrville.

90-Hour Weeks with Little Sleep? You're Doing It Wrong!

Have you ever had the Lord remind you of something so basic you know you shouldn't have needed the reminder? Recently, while studying my Bible, I came across Psalm 127, that says, "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so He giveth His beloved sleep."

We know that as children of God, and some of us ministers of God, that without Christ, we can do nothing. Unless the LORD prospers our efforts, our labors are in vain. Paul sowed, Appollos watered, but GOD gave the increase. One of the things that separates Christians from the world is that we know that God will provide our needs, and that if we rely on Him, we don't need to neglect our families so we can work around the clock for additional "security." We know that, right? Maybe. Maybe not.

I have found myself lately in a situation where my wife and I have had little time together. When we do get together, its for a half hour for lunch, or maybe a few minutes in the evening after the kids have gone to bed. The kids... when was the last time I hiked up Enchanted Rock with them? When I have been taking that time with them, many times my thoughts wandered back to what I "really" needed to be accomplishing.

Psalm 127 reminds us that God builds the church, provides our needs and gives us security. It is God who blesses our efforts. Therefore, as verse two says, "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so He giveth His beloved sleep."

Wake up at a decent hour (early ends at 6 a.m.), go to bed at a decent hour and be a good steward of the time in between (don't waste two or three hours on Facebook or YouTube). We need to get our ducks in a row on this because our lack of faith is having a devastating effect on the cause of Christ.

Recently, I lamented my schedule to Bro. Jim Slocumb, who told me that I better straighten it out because no Great Commission work is worth losing your wife. I'm noticing as I look across the fruited plain that more ministers seem to be getting divorced now than ever before. I am not judging those men, I don't know what happened. What I do know is that long periods of separation, isolation, or neglect that come with long work hours play a role in the divorce of an otherwise good marriage.

When I was in seminary, a professor told our class that he was counseling with several ministers who had affairs. He said the one common factor in all of their situations was fatigue.

Therefore, I am committing, and strongly urge you to commit, to being a good steward of time, and to relying on the LORD for our efforts to be prospered. Our families need us. May God bless you, and may God bless the churches of the Lord.

Mission: Brownwood October 2010 Report



Grace Pointe members observe a baptismal service at the lake.

Grace Pointe Attendance Rebounds in October

After having our average Sunday morning attendance hover in the mid to upper teens over the summer, we finally hit 20 in October. Sunday evening attendance averaged 13, our highest Sunday evening attendance since we started holding evening services in July, and Wednesday services held steady at 13. While we don't live and die by attendance numbers at Grace Pointe, seeing increased averages blesses us because it is indicative of more believers becoming true disciples.

Door-to-Door Visitation Results in One Soul Saved

During our weekly door-to-door visitation, Bro. Randy Kelso and I were able to lead one man to the Lord. Please pray that more people would be receptive to the Gospel. We have not even canvassed 25 percent of Brownwood yet, but have seen 18 souls saved over the two years we have been here.

Radio Ministry Gets Underway

Beginning November 4, 60-second Gospel messages sponsored by Grace Pointe began airing on local radio station The Breeze 96.9 KQBZ. The Breeze is our local Adult Contemporary station, very popular among locals who are under 40, and our messages air at 7:50 a.m. as parents are dropping kids off for school. Below is the audio to one of the messages. More can be found on our facebook page.

It's Association Time Again

I will be attending the Missionary Baptist Association of Texas Meeting Nov 15-17. During this meeting, I need your support. (a) Grace Pointe will be nominated for the State Ladies Auxiliary Mission Project. We are trying to finish out the third year of our three-year plan to be self-supporting. West Texas needs churches, and Grace Pointe aims to fill that need as soon as we become self supporting. (b) I will be up for state support again this year. We have rolled back our requested support amount from $3,058 to $2,800 this year. This will be the last year we request state support.

And (c) while not a part of the association meeting, Grace Pointe is on the TMD ballot this quarter. We would greatly appreciate your vote. There are currently two church buildings on the market ranging in price from $150,000 to $200,000. TMD funds would take us a long way toward reaching our fundraising goals to purchase a facility.

Sunday Morning:
10/3/10 - 21
10/10/10 - 19
10/17/10 - 18
10/24/10 - 19
10/31/10 - 23

Sunday Evening:
10/3/10 - 18
10/10/10 - 9
10/17/10 - 13
10/24/10 - 14
10/31/10 - 11

Wednesday Evening
10/6/10 - 12
10/13/10 - 9
10/20/10 - 12
10/27/10 - 14

A Plea for West Texas Support

In the messenger meeting of the MBA of Texas next week (11/15-11/17), the state Ladies Auxiliary Meeting, and in the upcoming Texas Mission Development vote, tough decisions will have to be made regarding which missionaries and projects to support, and which ones not to support.

While the missionaries and projects presented before all three bodies (state meeting, Ladies Auxiliary and TMD) are worthy projects, led by Godly, respectable men, I really want to present the urgency and magnitude of the need in Brownwood and West Texas in general.

First of all, MBA of Texas churches in West Texas are scarce. From Brownwood, our nearest sister churches to the northwest are Wyndrock MBC and Texas Ave. MBC of Abilene, some 84 miles away. To the southwest, Beacon Baptist Church is in San Angelo, some 90 miles away. To the south, Hill Country Mission in Kerrville is approximately 120 miles (two-hours of driving) away, and to the east, Westview MBC of Gatesville is 90 miles away. The nearest churches to the northeast are in the DFW metroplex (2.5 hours away), and the nearest churches to the north are at least 2.5 hours away in Iowa Park and Wichita Falls.

Now the popular perception is that West Texas is full of nothing but desert and tumbleweeds, but that only describes the areas west of the Pecos river... in Far West Texas. The areas in the panhandle and west-central Texas (from Midland-Odessa to I-35) are actually well populated with towns comparable to those in East Texas.

Between Brownwood and Abilene lies Coleman County (population 10,000). Between Brownwood and San Angelo lies Runnels County (population 11,000) and between Brownwood and Kerrville lies Fredericksburg (10,000), Brady (5,000) and Mason (2,000). All of these areas are at least an hour drive from the nearest MBA of Texas associated church.

Why is this relevant? Because these are all areas that need MBA of Texas churches started there, and we'll only be able to reach into these areas if the current mission projects in the area (Brownwood, Kerrville and Midland) are supported so they can become self supporting.

Why do we need MBA of Texas churches in these areas? Do I really need to answer that question? Because (a) people are lost and going to Hell there, (b) Meth and drug distribution rules the streets there, (c) alcoholism is prevalent (in Coleman, local police do not set up DUI check points and monitor night clubs for political and economic reasons) and (d) we can not delegate the responsibility of evangelizing these areas to other Baptist groups.

The predominant Baptist groups in this are are the Southern Baptist Convention churches, which, with all respect and deference made to my friends in the convention, are being fed pastors who were educated at Howard Payne University, a GBCTx school which teaches evolution and de-emphasizes the importance of correct Bible translations. The second most dominant type of Baptist church in this area is the Independent Baptist Church movement, which teaches salvation well and focuses on Soul Winning, but lacks in the teachings concerning the Lord's Supper. (They teach it, but they generally teach it open, though some are closed.) I am not against Independent Baptists, they are passionate about the Lord's Work and if you ever have some join your church, you'll find them to be well-taught, supportive church members. We can not just delegate this responsibility of reaching these groups to other Baptist denominations. The third most prevalent type of Baptist in this area is Primitive Baptist, followed by MBA of Texas churches.

The need in West Texas is great. We need more churches, more missionaries, and more support coming this direction, and while the churches of the MBA of Texas have been willing to support us in terms of state salary, other support is still needed.

At Grace Pointe in Brownwood, we have been pleading for building funds for two years, especially now that our currently rented building is not handicap accessible, and we have several members who need handicap accessibility. We are actually at a liability should anyone have an accident. We need to move into a place that is not only handicap accessible (per ADA laws), but can also accommodate future growth. Future growth is vital to becoming self-supporting.

At Hill Country in Kerrville, they were elected as the state ladies auxiliary project, but as of the end of October, only 25 percent of the goal had been raised.

In West Texas, we face the challenges of isolation. We are far removed from each other. The local association meeting and mission rallies are typically a five-hour drive away, unless you are the host church. Finding preachers to fill-in when the pastor/missionary is gone is also difficult and expensive, as few are willing to accept the appointment and funding the traveling expenses to bring a fill-in preacher to town can range from $300-$1,000. Attending associational functions in East Texas are difficult, as that can account for an 8-hour drive for some of our churches.

There is a need here, a need for the Gospel and the Lord's churches to be multiplied. That need can only be met by the willingness of the churches of the MBA of Texas to invest in West Texas, an area untouched by the MBA of Texas. With the support of the MBA of Texas, the mission projects we have in West Texas now will be able to finalize their organization efforts, and begin the process of reaching the surrounding towns.

We truly appreciate those who have supported us over the past few years. Memorial MBC of Rusk has supported us though they too have suffered hard times, Denson Springs MBC of Grapeland (Slocum community) has faithfully supported us, First Baptist Church of Arp has supported our building fund from the beginning, Muse MBC of Grapeland was one of our first supporters, Heritage BC of Tyler has stepped in when we needed it, White Rock MBC of Center has been a very faithful supporter, Bassett Road MBC and Memory Lane MBC of Palestine have always been there for us, Salmon MBC of Elkhart has ministered to us even though their finances were sometimes very tight, Nevill's Chapel MBC of Mt. Pleasant has been one of our biggest financial supporters, as well as Hickory Grove MBC in Newport, AR (although they never met us), East Side Baptist Church of Jacksonville, TX has been one of our most faithful supporters and I would be remiss if I didn't mention my sending church, Rocky Springs MBC of Jacksonville, who not only sent me out, but raised me up in the faith.

We have also received support from Oakland MBC of Rusk, (Oakland community) Sublett Road MBC and Crestview MBC of Arlington, Craig Rogers of Grapevine, Quaker Ave MBC of Lubbock, Beacon Baptist Church of San Angelo, Beacon Baptist Church of Odessa, Tall City MBC of Midland, Northside MBC of Snyder, and Northcrest MBC of Andrews, along with 58th Ave. MBC of Amarillo. I would also like to thank Heritage Baptist Church of Missouri City, TX, and the entire Southwest Association of Missionary Baptist Churches. I know I am forgetting some, and I do apologize. But Grace Pointe in Brownwood has enjoyed the benefit of supporting churches who help Rocky Springs with the 20 percent match for state salary, and with the various outreach projects undertaken in Brownwood that has helped Grace Pointe lead 18 souls to salvation.

The close fellowship I enjoyed with y'all back when I was in East Texas is always a great memory for me and my family, and I look forward to the day that we are no longer separated by an Interstate Highway and hours of driving, but are in close proximity to each other as we worship our Savior for eternity. Your prayers and support have been invaluable to us, and we appreciate it. We just ask that you don't forget us. May God bless you as you continue to remember us.

Why I Use the King James Version

Some who read my previous post about the coming drought of God's word might have questions regarding my choice of Bible translation. In my study, personal devotions, and in my preaching and teaching, I use the King James Version exclusively. Some would label me a "King James Only" preacher, but they would be wrong. Some might also be surprised to find that my views on this issue have changed dramatically in the past three years. This is an issue I think needs to be approached logically, and discussed intelligently. Too much of the Bible translation argument is characterized by misrepresentation and name-calling.

When I was in college, very little attention was paid to our Bible translations in our youth group. Perhaps the leader of the group felt that he should focus on more pressing matters (salvation and getting us to stay out of sin). Or perhaps he did address the issue, and I wasn't there. Or maybe I didn't pay attention. I don't know. I have nothing but nice things to say about the man.

However, when I joined Rocky Springs, I was informed that they were "King James Only." So, in an effort to get along, I carried a KJV to church, but continued reading from my NLT and NIV. I was later saved, and eventually went to using a KJV because I got to where I preferred it.

I took my KJV to seminary, during which I was taught that all literal translations of the scriptures were valid (which included the New King James Version, the New American Standard Bible, and even the NIV. Some of my fellow students even carried the English Standard Version). So, while I was in seminary, and during the early part of my ministry, I used the KJV, but vehemently defended other translations. At times I would dabble in a modern translation, maybe preach a sermon or two from it, but I couldn't get comfortable (and no, comfort is not why I use the KJV.)

After a few years of sparring with KJV-Only preachers over arguments about translation by committee and whether the person who led in the translation of the NIV was a lesbian, and whether modern translations were counterfeits, I came across some research by Bro. James Snyder. Bro. Snyder's research, his thesis for the Louisiana Missionary Baptist Institute and Seminary, did something no other discussion on the KJV did. It presented the argument in a purely logical form. Oh, and Billy Howard posted some info, but I rejected it from the hardness of my heart. Sorry, Bro. Billy.

Anyway, what separated Bro. Snyder's research is that it didn't focus on committees or conspiracy theories, but rather the texts and manuscripts that the various translations came from. His research also dealt with textual criticism.

What Bro. Snyder's research revealed to me is that the KJV is taken from the Received Text (Textus Receptus) while modern translations are taken from the Wescott and Hort text. Up until this point, no one had told me that the modern translations and the KJV were taken from completely different documents.

Now, the question is which text is the Word of God? The Received Text, or the Wescott and Hort Text. Seeing how the Received Text was widely regarded as the Word of God for centuries, and the Wescott and Hort Text wasn't finished until the late 1800s, are we to assume that the Received Text was not God's Word and the Wescott and Hort Text finally revealed it to us? Isn't this how cults get started? Or do we believe that the older text is closer to the original? Would God have allowed us to go centuries with a faulty copy of His word?

Seeing the Received Text has been accepted as God's Word for centuries, and it has been what has been used to spur revivals in countries around the world, I believe that we should accept the Received Text as the Word of God. As for the Wescott and Hort, it has significant differences from the Received Text, and comparing the two texts age wise and historically, I can't see how anyone would be able to say that it is the preserved Word of God and the Received Text is flawed.

So, until a modern translation advocate is able to demonstrate to me why the Wescott and Hort Text, a document completed in the late 1800s, super cedes the Received Text, and is able to prove the Received Text to be defective, I will continue to exclusively study, preach and teach from literal translations of the Received Text. The only reliable literal translations of the Received Text that are on the market today are the KJV, the KJV Easy Read, and sources say the up and coming KJV 21st Century, though I haven't had the opportunity to research that edition.

Which translation should you use? A literal translation of the Received Text. There are various translations of the Received Text available in most languages.

So, don't accuse me of believing in an immaculate translation or idolizing a translation, or being a stick in the mud. All I am doing is using the translation that I believe is the true word of God.