Charles Spurgeon once referred to R. C. Chapman, the British evangelist, as “the saintliest man I ever knew.”
One morning Chapman was asked how he was feeling. “I’m burdened this morning!” was his reply.
However, his happy countenance contradicted his words. So the questioner exclaimed in surprise, “Are you really burdened, Mr. Chapman?” Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized
“So, I hear that you’re retiring,” a friend said to me recently.
“Don’t use the ‘R’ word,” I replied.
“Oh, I thought you were leaving West main?”
“Well, I am at the end of May. But I’m not retiring from preaching.”
After a puzzled look, I explained that I am leaving local work, but seeking a more flexible schedule that allows for a broader ministry in the brotherhood. Although I will turn 70 in March, my health is good and I still feel very energetic.
Since my December post announcing this new chapter in our lives, some of our plans have taken shape. In addition to my love of preaching, are traveling and enjoying the fellowship of brethren in other locations. So, we are going to combine the two for a period of time.
This summer we are spending 7 weeks in Welland, Ontario, Canada. The church in Wellandport will serve as our “home base.” Their preacher and my friend, Michael Stephens, is my liaison to the Canadian brethren. We’ve already scheduled a gospel meeting, a VBS, a men’s class and some studies on “Evidences” at Wellandport. As time permits, there will be other opportunities throughout Ontario.
Following this, we will take our annual anniversary trip in August to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. This will take us to both Rome and Athens where we look forward to meeting and worshiping with brethren in those cities.
When we return we have Fall meetings already scheduled. In addition to meetings in Texas, currently, we have speaking engagements that will take us to Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida. Possibly we could add one or two more meetings to our Fall schedule.
Sometime in November, we will make our way to Florida, where our daughter, Rachél and her family live. By then, our son, Kenny, and his wife, April, will have moved back to Florida, where she will begin her full-time medical practice. Since our children and grandchildren will be in central Florida, we anticipate making that our “home base” for at least 5-6 months a year. We are working on some potential preaching opportunities around Florida and maybe into the Carribean.
We already have meetings scheduled for 2019 and beyond and are looking to add to that schedule as well as speak on an appointment basis. Hopefully, the Canadian work will serve as a model where we can spend 4-8 weeks in various localities and offer support, encouragement and spiritual edification to the brethren while we are there. We want to be used in whatever way we can serve as the brethren and the Lord see fit for as long as we can.
The Shepherds and the West Main Church Family have been incredibly considerate and understanding of our decision. We are indebted to them for their support during this transition.
During this time we plan to continue ThePreachersWord. We’re looking forward to meeting some of our readers in other localities, especially in Canada and Europe, in the months ahead.
We solicit your prayers on our behalf for fruitfulness in the Kingdom and safety in our travels.
—Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
Filed under Preaching
When Henry Kissinger was Secretary of State the story is told he once asked an assistant to prepare an analysis on a certain initiative. After putting in long hours on the project, he gave Kissinger the report. An hour later it was returned with a note to redo it.
The assistant stayed up all night redoing the report. Again Kissinger asked for him to redo it.
After the third attempt, the assistant asked to see Kissinger. “I’ve done the best I can do,” he told the Secretary. Continue reading
Filed under Word of the Week
Owen Bourgaize relates an encounter with a woman who saw him as he drove to his office. After parking his car, the lady standing nearby said, “That’s a nice car, but I wouldn’t want to drive it”
Obviously puzzled Owen asked, “Why not?”
“It’s green,” she replied. “Furthermore the license plate number adds up to 13.” Continue reading
“You have become a man ruled by selfish and perverted desires, a man defined by his daily choices repeatedly to feed that selfishness and perversion. You chose to pursue your wickedness no matter what it cost others,” calmly and deliberately spoke Rachael Denhollander as she addressed former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar in court yesterday. Continue reading
Filed under Gospel
Several years ago the cable television mogul Ted Turner spoke at a banquet in Orlando where he was given an award by the American Humanist Association. During his acceptance speech, he criticized fundamentalist Christianity.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Turner saying that Jesus would probably “be sick at his stomach” over the way his ideas have been “twisted.” Continue reading
Filed under Great Bible Verses
How many sporting events have you seen a team get off to a rocky start, find themselves trailing at halftime, but rallied to win the game? Or a runner back in the pack, but finishes strong to win the race. It happens. A lot.
Author Jim George was right when he wrote, “It’s not how you start that’s important, but how you finish.” Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized
It was on this day, January 22, 1973, that the United States Supreme Court handed down its infamous decision in Roe v. Wade legalizing abortion. The vote was 7-2. As a result, the state laws against abortion violated the Constitution and were struck down.
Since then almost 60 million babies have been slaughtered upon the altar of “a woman’s right to choose.” Fortunately, women’s pregnancy centers promoting a pro-life agenda, the advance of scientific understanding and use of sonograms has decreased the number of abortions in 2017 to its lowest number since Roe v Wade. Yet, there were still nearly 1 million babies denied the right to life last year. Continue reading
Filed under Abortion
With the winter Olympics beginning soon the name Vinko Bogatej comes to mind. Anyone remember him?
He was a ski-jumper from Yugoslavia who, while competing in the 1970 World Ski-Flying Championship in Obertsdorf, West Germany, fell off the takeoff ramp and landed on his head. Continue reading
Filed under Failure
New York socialites Quentin Esme Brown and Peter Cary Peterson got married last weekend in Las Vegas. But it’s not a typical, traditional marriage.
“He has always been my soulmate in every sense of the word and we felt mutually that Vegas was the place to finalize our commitment to partnership,” Brown posted on Instagram. “Peter and I are not romantically involved — in fact we are still dating others and will continue to seek love in all forms.” Continue reading
Filed under Marriage
ThePreachersWord 