We all have our theological “pet peeves” that just bother us more than they should.  This may seem silly to some, but one thing that bothers me is to hear people pray what I would call “confused prayers.”  Prayers that seem to address one person of the Godhead, yet use the name of another.  Continue reading…

They came for him in the afternoon.  With torches in hand, 250 of Gabriel Mugmal’s neighbors threatened him and his family in the town perched on a mountainside in the Ecuadorian Andes.  Gabriel felt gasoline trickle down his face and arms as the mob prepared them for a brutal beating, then burning.  The only way to save his family was to recant what he believed. Continue reading…

There has been a debate among Christian scholars for a number of years regarding what exactly is required for salvation.  Of course, we know that it is faith, alone, that gives us the new birth and a place in God’s family.  But apart from the fact of faith, the debate centers around the depth of that faith.  Continue reading…

What a glorious service we had on April 9th in our sanctuary!  We will have some photos attached soon.  You may not realize, but this was the fifth largest appointment of missionaries at one time in the 160 year history of our mission board of the Southern Baptist Convention.  Dr. Jerry Rankin did a masterful job in presenting the mission message to the 2400 or so that attended this time of worship and celebration.  If you are interested in continuing to communicate with any of the 92 missionaries appointed that evening or with the 25 missionaries we had in our Bible Life Groups, let me know and I will send you a way to email or call them or send letters their way.  God bless you!

With the Pope in the United States, and the emphasis in the news about Roman Catholic theology, the natural thought is of Mary.  Not the “co-redeemer” that Roman theologians have invented over the years, but the Biblical Mary whom God used to bring His eternal son into the world.  Set aside the Roman Catholic hype and “traditions” about Mary and think of this pure, obedient young woman, and her willingness to be used by God. Continue reading…

What happens in the life of a believer after salvation is generally referred to as the process of sanctification (growing in grace).  However, sanctification actually has three aspects to it.  The word translated “sanctify” has the meaning of “being set apart.”  It is the very same word from which we get our English words “saint” and “holy.”  Continue reading…

Pray with us as we prepare our team to go to Guayaquil, Ecuador in June of this year.  As you notice from the pictures attached that the experiences have been great as we have worked in this big city,of 3 million people, as well as, with the 2.5 million folks in the capital of Ecuador, Quito.  Plus, we have had a great time on the sandy beach at Manglaralto working to remodel their Baptist camp and have revival meetings in the small church of Cadeate.  It was there that during the past two years we have baptized 16 in the cool waters of the Pacific Ocean.  Also on another trip, those of us that went could not forget the prayerwalking experience in the Andes mountain town of Gera, just outside of the antique city of Cuenca.  Pray with us and go, if you can!

What a great weekend at Sunnyvale! We had 25 missionaries from around the world to be in our home fellowships Saturday night. Close to four hundred of our church people participated in the 17 home fellowships. Then we continued with our GME on Sunday morning with missionaries in all of our Bible Life Group classes at 8:30 and 11am. Another great blessing for our weekend was the Mission Celebration service with Dr. Tom Eliff as our key preacher for the day. You will notice some of the pictures online that shows our sanctuary filled with country flags from all around the world. The Lord has given us a great opportunity to proclaim His name this week and to see appointed at our church over 90 missionaries. Come join us for this grand event!!