Ray Family Update from March 2015

Dear Praying Friends,

This month has been a sober reminder that man cannot effectively serve the Lord without His help. I remember when I first became the pastor at Antioch. I felt so inadequate, associating with the words of Solomon when he said, “I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in” (1 Kings 3:7). In the spirit of Solomon, I asked the Lord for a wise and understanding heart (1 Kings 3:9, 12). Though that was over seven years ago, the need remains. I need wisdom!

I am certain that the preachers of years gone by dealt with problems of which we know nothing; but, likewise, I have to believe we face challenges with which they had no experience. The underlying nature of man has not changed, nor has our need for God’s wisdom, guidance, and power. If I could give any advice to a young man entering the ministry, it would be to learn and believe the words of the Lord Jesus when He said, “for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). Truly this applies to me!

Looking Back

The past month has been an exciting month on a number of fronts. We were able to resume our street preaching and added several outreach opportunities to needy people in our community. Several of these opportunities are unique and require that we write new materials to minister to those hurting. As such, I wrote a tract for mothers who have lost a baby. Though the tract is in the early stages, I hope to have it done before the end of the month. In the midst of these other things, we have also made good progress on the songbook, the devotional book, and the rewriting of One Book Rightly Divided.

Additionally, you may or may not be aware, but for the last ten months our building has been under extensive renovations. The construction crew is finally gone, but our work on the building continues. This past month, we have been able to do a little more work—building walls for future nurseries and bathrooms, and tackling the initial work for a large kitchen area. We have quite a bit more to accomplish before the end of the month. In fact, we are having a special service April 26th, using the building renovations as an opportunity to invite friends and loved ones to church. What a blessing it would be to see someone saved! We want our building to be a tool for ministry! Already, we have seen an increase in the attendance of some of our seniors and have welcomed new visitors who could not attend when we were not handicap accessible. Praise the Lord!

A Look Ahead

This month projects to be a busy month. In fact, due to the extreme demands for writing, preaching, and counselling, I have adjusted my weekly routine. Going forward my schedule will be as follows: Sunday is church day; Monday is set aside for One Book Rightly Divided; Tuesday is for the songbook; Wednesday is reserved for Sunday School outlines and sermon preparation; Thursday will be for the devotional book; and Saturday for outreach and sermon preparation. If I am going to maintain a good home and longevity of ministry, Fridays must be reserved for family and recovery. My addiction to work will eventually catch up to me. Therefore, I will begin taking Fridays off.

As for additional ministry opportunities this month, I will be doing some writing for a friend in the ministry and will be travelling to Michigan toward the end of the month for a King James Conference. Beyond that, I do not currently expect any other travel or writing.

Prayer Requests

* Pray for the needed wisdom.
* Pray for physical and spiritual strength and clarity of mind so that my time of labour in the Lord’s service will be more fruitful.