It has been my joy to travel back to Connecticut the past two weekends to preach to the Emmanuel family, begin having staff meetings, start getting to know the church family, and begin reaching out to the area. God is blessing in many ways and I wanted to share a few for praying friends. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement! We are grateful.
The past two Sunday evenings, the Lord led me to preach two messages that I believe are foundation to the “re-planting” of this great church. The first was entitled “Where Do We Go From Here” and highlighted principles from the story of Israel’s revival under Hezekiah. Tonight’s message was entitled, “Bad Leadership or Biblical Leadership” and it highlights passages from Jeremiah, 1 Peter, and many other scriptures that present a biblical clarity on what servant hearted leadership truly is. You can listen by clicking on the titles above, if you desire.
A new pastor coming into a new church family, you wonder how messages like these will be received. Gratefully, the church family has received the Word of God with open, eager, and receptive hearts. They are responsive and fully engaged. It has been a delight to preach to people who are hungry and who love the Word of God. And it has been a great joy to literally watch the Holy Spirit enlighten understanding, unburden hearts, and revive spirits even during the delivery. I truly love the spirit of this church family. God is at work here in a special way.
We have seen a steady inflow of visitors, a few salvations, and many great decisions. The hardest part of the picture is that now we will be away for a month as we prepare for the move. Yet, in recent weeks, I feel that the Lord has ordained the laying of a good foundation for the future. It’s been a joy to hold on to Him as tightly as I can—and then watch Him lead forward, pave the way, and work in hearts.
I’m humbled, over joyed, and a bit speechless at where our lives have come to in such short order. Please continue to pray that God will work mightily in Newington, CT and the surrounding regions.
