Ray Family Update from September 2022

Dear Praying Friends,

It has been a couple of months since I have provided an update. Much has happened since I last wrote, some of which I will provide you with details in order to bring you up-to-date. As for the remainder, I beseech you to pray for private situations and the people in those situations that God will provide the necessary healing and comfort so that those impacted can move forward with the peace of God working in their hearts. Needless to say, the past two months have brought with them great causes for rejoicing and great sources of sorrow. Our hearts have been both happy and heavy. Please know that I understand we are not alone in this, as I am sure each of you could testify of the same. Thankfully, we can bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.

If all goes well, when you read this update, we will be in Michigan at Faith Baptist Church in Chelsea. On that note, I ask that you pray for me and others who will be preaching at their annual Fall Fellowship. As of now, the only other scheduled meeting is at the end of the year (December 28-30) in Cana, Virginia, at Bear Trail Baptist Church. Some of this has been on purpose as I am trying to focus more on Antioch’s church ministries including an emphasis on some of our global outreach through publications and media. On that front, over the last two months, I have put in loads of hours learning InDesign and formatting books. For quite some time, I have had two books in the works (one with Brother Knox and one with Brother Stauffer), but just could not get them complete. Both of these books are now so much closer to being ready to go to print. While I am trying to tie up the final loose ends on those books, I am also formatting the first of seven years of Sunday School outline lessons or curriculum.

Last time I wrote, I encouraged our readers to pray with us about some ministries and situations at Antioch that need attention and help. I am not quite ready to announce what those ministries and situations are and how God’s people can best help, but I hope to be able to do so in one of my next two updates. It goes without saying, but sometimes people need to be reminded that some of our church’s greatest needs are not financial but include people volunteering to learn and donate time to make sure the work of God is getting done in the best possible way. Many pastors like me are dreamers. We can dream up ministries all day long, but we rarely have the time to make those ministries a reality because of the time already required of us to study, preach, counsel, and minister. Churches that can only accomplish what a pastor or staff has time to personally accomplish are sure to die with their pastors and staff. As such, our churches need more stewards—those willing to give themselves to the dreams and aspirations of others as though the dreams and aspirations are their own. Hopefully, by the end of the year, I will be able to share some of those dreams and aspirations with you.

As far as the health of our local body, the Lord has truly blessed us recently with some new families. Some of which have already united with us. Others we hope will do so soon. Numbers are not the measure of all things, but seeing new people alongside of the steady, faithful pillars sure can be encouraging. My hope is that many of these new faces will add to the number of steady, faithful pillars and that the Lord will strengthen our foundation. Please pray with us also for several families that had been visiting with us but have fallen by the wayside, yet without a church home. Sometimes, it just takes a little bit of encouragement to get plugged in somewhere and the Lord will do the rest.

Concerning our family, please pray for us as oft as the Lord brings us to your minds. There is so much going on at all times, some of which is health related, some of which is related to material needs, some of which is spiritual in nature. For the most part, we are well. At the same time, there are burdens, heavy on our hearts, for which we need the Lord to do that which only He can do. We remain in His care, believing that is the safest place we can be. Yet, we covet the prayers, love, and support of His people! Thank you for being one of those!