Seventeen years ago this June, an ideal was born. It started in a large shed in Blarney, County Cork, Ireland with just a few people, and a big vision. The ideal was a Bible believing Baptist Church. The vision was of multitudes of sinners getting born again, and gladly following the Lord Jesus Christ! Both those dreams have come true in the Bible Baptist Church of Cork, Ireland! We started in Blarney, and moved ten years later to Ballincollig, but my heart, and the ideal, and my vision remains the same! I am so glad to just be able to serve my Lord, and do my best for His honour! I wish more people knew just what this Church means first to God, and then to their families and this city! The Bible Baptist Church is not a religious group, but a family! My prayer as we approach our 17th anniversary of gathering together to worship and follow the Lord Jesus Christ, is that we take a good look at what God has given us in our Church, and never take anyone or anything for granted! What a priceless gift another Bible believing Christian is! May a thousand more Irish souls decide this year to follow the Lord Jesus, and make Him the Lord of their lives! And may we as a church have a part in directing those men, women and children to trust Him, and obey His word by faith! We are debtors to our generation to open their eyes to the wonderful works of God, and to the words of eternal life as found in the Bible! I am so thankful to not have to serve God alone, but alongside faithful families who just love God! More about the upcoming 17th anniversary celebratiuons to come!

Been Quite a While...

It's Friday evening here in Ireland, and the rain is gently falling outside with a bit of a stiff breeze driving it against the windows of our home. I love nights like this! I am studying for Sunday's "Friend Day" here in Ballincollig, and as usual, I feel that I need God more than ever! Being saved over 30 years now by the precious blood of my Saviour, I would have thought that the older I get in the Lord, the more confident I would be in my "spirituality." But the opposite is true. The older I get, the more I find I need His wisdom, and His direction, and His strength in bigger doses! The spiritual battles of today, along with the trials and troubles of life have not faded, but only grown more fierce around me with the passing of time. In my heart, a greater peace and rest reigns the longer I serve Jesus, but just beyond my skin rages such sorrow and heavy burdens that I get overwhelmed sometimes just praying for what many people are struggling with. I find that most often, the troubles people, even believers are going through, have been brought on by themselves, but that doesn't make the burdens any lighter! As I sit here and prepare for Sunday's message, I am focused not just on dependency, but on Motherhood (since it will be Mother's Day here in Ireland on Sunday), and I feel for modern mothers most of all. They have only dreams, and ideals, with almost no abiding confidence in the Lord Jesus and His promises! I realise all to often that Mothers need more than my thoughts expressed when I preach... they need God's encouragement! I hope more than anything, to be such an encouragement, so that the Mothers who come on Sunday dig their heels in literally, and stay in the fight for their homes, and their husbands, and their Saviour! May Sunday be a miracle day, for the glory of children, and the honour of Moms! Just my thoughts, as I prepare for Sunday!