News

	Special Articles	In Progress	Clinic	Battle Cry	Free Materials
	Sightings	Previous Campaign	Español	Wake Up America	Schedule
	Editorialist	Past Events	News Spanish	Booking Info	About Us
	Google	Does door knocking work?	The multiplying power of a united effort	Do We Care Campaigns change people’s lives?	Contact Us

We Care Brothers and Sisters--

Well, it's been almost three weeks since the Goldthwaite campaign and I must say that the Body in Goldthwaite is still on cloud nine! The power of the Gospel has led a few more souls to the water and He has blessed us greatly! Cathy Zetterland was added to the Kingdom last night. We knocked Cathy's door on the second day of the campaign and she wanted us to come back for a study. When we did, she was sick but asked us to come again. The Lomaxes and I knocked her door a couple more times when they were here.

Finally, she came to study on Tuesday and she was presented the Gospel. After a day to think about it, she determined to know Christ and Him crucified! Persistence pays!!!

We are now at 35 rescued since the first day of the campaign--phenomenal considering this is a town of only 1800 souls. But satan is alive and well here ... yet he is now aware that the army of God will not stand back and allow him to keep these folks imprisoned in their sin.

AfterCare is going very well. Of the 35 rescued, 31 are faithful after three weeks. The four who are not faithful are entrenched in high church doctrine--steeped in tradition--and are going to be a challenge. Our strategy is just to keep calling on them and loving on them and letting them know how much we want them to be in our family. The four are Rosalinda Olvera, George Montelongo, Anthony Bosquez and Isabel Vasquez.

All four of these are also fighting against family members who are pressuring them to not leave Catholicism. Many times we knock their door or call them on the phone and a family member runs interference for them.

We divided all the newcomers into three different Sunday morning classes by age group. That is going very well. We are using the lessons Chuck passed along to me from the little red workbook. I re-write the lessons to make them more conducive to a "small group" setting. I am amazed at how many have already opened up and are sharing intimate details of their lives without fear of judgment or reprisal. After we go through the red book, we will do the lessons in the AfterCare manual.

We have also implemented a weekly supper before Wednesday night Bible class and that has helped us get people mid-week and to learn more about them through fellowship and sharing.

I believe the greatest benefit has been the remarkable change in the tenor of the congregation. We are more spiritual, more loving and more caring. In general, the body is doing a great job of absorbing these newcomers. Of course, there are always some who stand in the corner with their arms folded. All I can do is pray that God will soften their hearts and allow them to know the joy that comes with doing the Lord's will.

All in all, brothers and sisters, the campaign was worth every penny spent and every ounce of energy given. We would do it again in a heartbeat. Thank you for playing the huge role that you and the cadre' did. You were wonderful and amazing and ... Christ-like.

We had an out-of-town visitor on Easter Sunday. He was so impressed with the Lord's work going on in the congregation, he wrote us a letter. I thought you'd enjoy seeing it and it is attached.

Grace & Peace,

Jim Hays
1308 Reynolds Street
Goldthwaite, TX 76844
325.648.2443 H
325.451.0554 C

visitor's letter...

To the Leadership of the Church of Christ, Goldthwaite

Paul writes to the Ephesians, “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers…” (4:11).

So often the people of the church use this verse and others to justify giving money to missionaries, supporting ministries of varying shapes, but are just excusing themselves from participating in Christ’s work. But I want you, as the leaders of this body of Christ, to know that the recent extension of faith and service that you all have demonstrated is truly the message that Christians everywhere should experience. Ideas like this are so often smothered before being allowed to work because they are pushing us out of our comfort zone and even more often are forcing us to trust in the unknown. I believe these things are what proves our faith in God.

Thank you for having the faith to trust God in His work on Earth and in His ability to overcome things that seem to be so uncomfortable, including financial and logistical struggles. Thank you for having the faith to stick your neck out on something that could have failed (and those necks being given by God to us). Thank you for having the faith to push for what is required of us as God’s children. Thank you for having the faith not to question what God can do through his people. Thank you for having the faith to question the motives of those looking for a way to avoid being “uncomfortable” for Christ. Thank you for having faith.

When Jessica and I came to worship this past Sunday (April 6), smiles grew across our faces to know that this place is so alive in and at work for Christ. To know that this church is courageously receptive to accept people into Christ’s Body as one of their own is truly a conquered barrier to be praised for. Courage, I say, because of the tremendous pressure on everyone else to change for “ME” instead of “ME” loving them in God’s way.

I believe that every penny spent, every minute of preparation, every step taken, and every word spoken was worth the sacrifices and potential discomforts made by you and the church for Christ. I am utterly jealous of your accomplishments and of this church’s leadership – you. What a blessing it is to know that the leaders are backing efforts like this one with faith, that this church truly has shepherds and leaders in place to help guide its spiritual life and to continue to encourage and push to make this church more Christ-like in all it does. I am uplifted by you and this church.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Eph. 3:20)

Thank you and Praise God!

Ryan Kramer