Tired! That's how I feel. My trip to Scotland was flat-out tiring. I can't explain it, except that I must be fighting the flu or something. I've been fighting it the whole time in Scotland. Oh well. Needless-to-say, I preached 6 times in three churches, and once on the radio in Arboath, just north of Dundee. All the Christians in all three churches were such a blessing to me and my son Joel, who went along with me. I was so glad to have him along. He even got to go skiing (briefly), and I beat him in hockey (grin), and the Lord blessed in everything we set out to do. I went door-to-door in Dundee, and learned a lot. Praise God for faithful men who stay on their field of ministry and stay knocking on doors, and stay witnessing of our risen Saviour, because that is the only way people are going to be reached with the Gospel. Period!
I'm back home now, and already in high gear to get final preparations under way for our Church Revival meetings in full swing. The revival begins this next Sunday, and I kow I need it! Pray the Lord steps down from heaven in a marvellous way, and changes His people, and saves the lost!
I'll keep you posted! Craig
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Church 11th Anniversary Memories
Anniversary Memories
From the Pastor’s Pen
1994 - 2005
A dream – a vision – a burden. That’s what I had – that’s what I still have. Eleven years ago I and my family opened the doors of an old shed called the Total Abstinence Hall (TA Hall for short), located on the edge of Blarney village, and we had “church.” Not normal church that people were used to, but a meeting that was far simpler, and far more direct – “What will you do with Jesus Christ?” I preached, and people came. A few every week, but always hungry, always yearning to know this Person named Jesus. Thousands of Gospel leaflets were handed out, thousands of people were met and witnessed to at the doors. People got saved – born again - by repenting and believing completely on the Lord Jesus Christ! And then they got baptized. First in a pool over near Glanmire, and then others in the river. Usually the water was cold, but the zeal for God was burning hot.
Sunday School classes, Men’s Retreats, Church Picnics – every year people came and got saved and got excited about living for the Lord! And the church grew. We all handed out ten thousand specially written Gospel tracts to people at the Tour de France in held in Cork that day back in 1996. We advertised the Gospel in the Echo and in the Examiner; We published The Open Challenge paper; and people got saved! And they went on to be baptized as well!
And then we went big – we invited Dr. Kent Hovind to come and present Biblical Creationism here in Cork – he spoke 8 times in four days to over 300 people. And people got saved! And people grew! He even came back a second time, and 300 more people came! Miracles still happen!
One of the best things I get to do as pastor besides preaching and leading a soul to Christ, is marrying Christian couples! I “hitched-up” Bill and Geraldine Daunt first, and then others, and their extended families and friends saw what a Christian wedding and family was really all about!
And then there are other memories… even miracles… watching my own family grow, and seeing God’s good hand on our churches as we just stay faithful. So many other events… maybe I will write them all down someday. They are all worth their weight in gold, and were all a privilege to be a part of!
It would be easy to look back and start thinking of what should have been, or what could have been, but thank God, we know better – our focus is forward, on the future, and we have the promise of our heavenly Father…
The Best is YET to Come!And I can’t wait!
From the Pastor’s Pen
1994 - 2005
A dream – a vision – a burden. That’s what I had – that’s what I still have. Eleven years ago I and my family opened the doors of an old shed called the Total Abstinence Hall (TA Hall for short), located on the edge of Blarney village, and we had “church.” Not normal church that people were used to, but a meeting that was far simpler, and far more direct – “What will you do with Jesus Christ?” I preached, and people came. A few every week, but always hungry, always yearning to know this Person named Jesus. Thousands of Gospel leaflets were handed out, thousands of people were met and witnessed to at the doors. People got saved – born again - by repenting and believing completely on the Lord Jesus Christ! And then they got baptized. First in a pool over near Glanmire, and then others in the river. Usually the water was cold, but the zeal for God was burning hot.
Sunday School classes, Men’s Retreats, Church Picnics – every year people came and got saved and got excited about living for the Lord! And the church grew. We all handed out ten thousand specially written Gospel tracts to people at the Tour de France in held in Cork that day back in 1996. We advertised the Gospel in the Echo and in the Examiner; We published The Open Challenge paper; and people got saved! And they went on to be baptized as well!
And then we went big – we invited Dr. Kent Hovind to come and present Biblical Creationism here in Cork – he spoke 8 times in four days to over 300 people. And people got saved! And people grew! He even came back a second time, and 300 more people came! Miracles still happen!
One of the best things I get to do as pastor besides preaching and leading a soul to Christ, is marrying Christian couples! I “hitched-up” Bill and Geraldine Daunt first, and then others, and their extended families and friends saw what a Christian wedding and family was really all about!
And then there are other memories… even miracles… watching my own family grow, and seeing God’s good hand on our churches as we just stay faithful. So many other events… maybe I will write them all down someday. They are all worth their weight in gold, and were all a privilege to be a part of!
It would be easy to look back and start thinking of what should have been, or what could have been, but thank God, we know better – our focus is forward, on the future, and we have the promise of our heavenly Father…
The Best is YET to Come!And I can’t wait!
Finally Starting
Well, I'm finally starting to blog here in Ireland!
It's something I thought I would never do, but it has always facinated me that I could record a journal that might be a blessing to others who want to know of the day to day things and events that go on in the ministry here in ireland!
My oldest daughter Sharon just finished recording 13 hours of chior singing at West Coast baptist College and really enjoyed it! She is learning so much and growing so much! I am truly proud of how the Lord has blessed my family!
We just heard back from the head of the building that we rent from for our Church meetings that we are allowed to stay indefinitely, and we are so relieved! What an answer to prayer! Thank you to all who have prayed about this situation! We continue to look for suitable church property, and will know more tomorrow about some very serious sellers and see if anything will fit our needs!
There's more to come, especially with our revival starting in less than a month, so pray with us for God to change us, and grow us as a Church and as Christians here in the land of Ireland.
Until later, Pastor Craig
It's something I thought I would never do, but it has always facinated me that I could record a journal that might be a blessing to others who want to know of the day to day things and events that go on in the ministry here in ireland!
My oldest daughter Sharon just finished recording 13 hours of chior singing at West Coast baptist College and really enjoyed it! She is learning so much and growing so much! I am truly proud of how the Lord has blessed my family!
We just heard back from the head of the building that we rent from for our Church meetings that we are allowed to stay indefinitely, and we are so relieved! What an answer to prayer! Thank you to all who have prayed about this situation! We continue to look for suitable church property, and will know more tomorrow about some very serious sellers and see if anything will fit our needs!
There's more to come, especially with our revival starting in less than a month, so pray with us for God to change us, and grow us as a Church and as Christians here in the land of Ireland.
Until later, Pastor Craig
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