Over the course of the last 25 years I have had the joy of ministering in Oakwood UMC in Lubbock, TX, on five different occasions. That church has been a part of our support team for much of that time. Eddie Marcum, their pastor, is a dear friend and a member of the Board of Directors for our ministry. It was like going home to be back there.
Felicia and I enjoyed our time in Oakwood. The people had bathed the event in serious prayer, and it showed. There was a good crowd in every service, and the altar was a place where many took this as an opportunity to set things right with God. On the last night a single mom gave her heart to Christ. Even though she has no earthly place to call ?home,? she is now assured of a place in His Kingdom!
BibleQuest started a little slow, but there was a 500% increase (from 4 to 24) by Wednesday night. Many of the children prayed to receive Christ. Some of them had been involved at the elementary camp where I’ve been a story teller for nearly 30 years. You should have seen the joy of the adults when they heard how excited the children were about learning Bible verses! It was an exciting time. Tamara Speer is doing a fantastic job working with the children, and the kids just love her to death.
Be sure to check out the BibleQuest medal winners here.
The first two weeks of November will find us in Woodward, OK, and Johnson, KS. Please be in prayer for these services. We long to see God work in the hearts of His people. We long to see a deeper hunger for God and His Word in the church.
A quick update on the CD. The album now has a name! ?Amazing Love? sums up the message that Charles Wesley was trying to convey in his hymns. I’ve made it my goal to maintain the heart of that message while presenting it with new words and tunes for a new generation. Watch the web page for release date. You are welcome to call our toll free number to pre-order, if you like. 800-530-4949.
This past week I had the honor of preaching at the funeral of a good friend of our ministry who died after a long battle with Alzheimer?s. Beth Calfee has been a friend for over 20 years. She was a widow and had no children, so our family adopted her and she spent several holidays with us. Felicia and I watched as her good friends, Odell and Shirley Hickman, gave of themselves tirelessly in her care over the past four years. They were one of the best examples of Christ?s love I?ve ever seen. They never let a week go by without visiting her and caring for her every need. It was an awesome thing to see.
I?ve been privileged to visit her as well, even though she has not known who I am for some time. Each time I went, I read some of her favorite Bible verses and sang some of her favorite hymns. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but I believe I saw a spark of recognition when I sang. Her love for the Lord was expressed in her loyalty to the church, through her service to others, through her incredible generosity, and her devotion to Jesus. She is now in the great cloud of witnesses.
Please keep her surviving family members and friends in your prayers.
One more thing: Our son, Timothy, is job hunting. He has been serving as minister of worship and arts in Bryant, AR, but with a change of pastors comes a change of support staff. If you know of anyone looking for a worship pastor, send them to Timothy’s web page (www.timothyputnam.com). It has his resume online.
May God bless you as you continue to serve Him, and one day, may we all hear the Lord say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”