Market Place Wednesday Night!

We had nine residents and my family of five for a total of 14 people at our Wednesday services at the Market Place Apartments in Brownwood last night. Market Place is a retirement community.

I preached on Romans 2:14-16, explaining that even when people don't know God's law, or His word, they set their own standard and become a law unto themselves. Notwithstanding, man can not even live up to his own law, let alone God's law, which is why we need the Gospel. (I have preached to this group twice, both times making a point to define the Gospel as I Corinthians 15:3-4). As long as they'll let me, I'll continue to preach and teach them from Romans, explaining the true doctrine of the Gospel and building them up doctrinally. After we finish Romans, we'll study how to put our faith into action.

The group at Market Place is not a church. I am unaware of their Baptismal status, and they haven't covenanted together to carry out God's work. That being said, they act like a church. They meet, vote and make decisions. (They are congregational rule... haha!)

They have decided to invite me out to hold services with them every Wednesday at 6 p.m., and have decided to discontinue the preaching services on Sunday afternoons, electing to revert back to the "Sunday Singing" format they had earlier.

Next week, we'll study from Romans 3.

I do have some speaking appointments coming up... and I'll honor those. Don't worry, I'll handle the details.

I have to praise God for all of this. Over the past few weeks, I have been struggling through an intense Spiritual battle, yet God, in his mercy and grace, has continued to build the work in Brownwood. God is awesome! Thank you!

More Praise

We had 8 in our home-based services this morning, including our neighbors and the girl from the apartment complex who accepted Christ yesterday. PRAISE GOD! Things are beginning to move in Brownwood.

Praise report

We had some of our neighbors over for Barbecue Saturday night. I think we have begun what will turn out to be a long friendship with these neighbors. I have also met everyone else on the block, all of whom have spiritual and prayer needs that I pray the Lord will fulfill. We're off to a good start.

Bible studies this morning (Sunday) went well with seven in attendance. I was hoping for more, but God has been known to refine our faith by offering tests early on. I am teaching a series called "God's Vision" from the Gospel of John. We all have our visions for how we want our work to go, but what is God's vision?

Today's study came from John 1:10-13. God's Vision is for people to receive Christ, be adopted into His family, and that vision is made possible by the Gospel (the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins according to the scriptures.)

I'll be preaching at Beacon Baptist Church of San Angelo for Father's day, then the series continues June 22 with God's Vision for Reaching People from John 1. (Andrew reaches Peter, Philip reaches Nathanael). This is based on a sermon by Daniel Davis.

I am planning on attending services at Wyndrock MBC of Abilene tonight, will likely rest a little tomorrow before meeting more neighbors. Please continue to pray for me.