August - September Prayer Letter

Dear Pastor and Praying Friends,

Church News

Things at church seem to be picking up again as it does every autumn.  Recently we have seen one young man saved and many new and unexpected faces visit the church.  Probably the one person I am most thrilled about seeing in church is a man who attended once last summer for a wedding.  I have visited him often at his home; but he finally came for the first time a couple of weeks ago.  What a blessing!

Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. -  Romans 12:13

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;  - 1 Timothy 3:2

Apparently this has been a season of hospitality for us.  Several pastors and missionaries have passed through since our last letter, including my home pastor from Bethel Baptist Church in Wilson, NC; and my pastor friend from Crossroads Baptist Church in Kentucky along with several of his faithful men.   What a blessing and encouragement they were to our family and church.  These men preached and helped in so many ways around the church and church property.  They were able to finish in a short time what would have taken me weeks to do.  Praise the Lord for friends in the ministry!

Family News

All the Beckles are well.  Our children are doing especially well since they were able to see their grandparents who came to visit with us for a while.  I always enjoy seeing my parents, but it was a special blessing to watch them get to know their grandchildren a little better.  In fact, this was my father’s and little Raymond DeSean’s first time to meet.

 

Please pray with us about:

1. Our family’s health and wellbeing. Praise the Lord that everyone is doing well.

2. Praise the Lord for the church’s parsonage- our home; but it does have some serious plumbing problems.

3. Souls, souls, souls! Please pray with us that we will see more souls saved and active in church.

In His Service,

Pastor Raymond Beckles

 

 

March- April 2014

Dear Pastor and Praying friends,

“…Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in…”

Luke 14:23

 We would like to invite you to attend Lighthouse Baptist Church this Sunday. 

…I am not in church right now; but when I do go, I only attend the Church of Christ.

May I take the Word of God right now and show you how you can know Jesus as your Savior?

...Actually, I am kind of busy.  Bye.

We continue to be amazed on visitation by the responses we get from people.  I am sure this scenario is one you have experienced before if you invite others to church on a regular basis.   Be it the Church of Christ, or some other false religion that has infested your area; people know just enough to keep them from hearing the truth.  That being said… We continue to praise God.  Souls are still being saved and added to the church here in Newport, Arkansas!  Since our last prayer letter we have seen two young men and one lady in her mid- thirties pray to receive the Lord while we were out soulwinning.  Also, one single lady who has been visiting with us for the past month or so has asked to join the church next Sunday.

We were seeing about thirty to forty souls every Sunday morning a couple of months ago. Since our last prayer letter our church has gone through a time of pruning.   It is a little discouraging for a church planter whose goal is to build a church  to see those you care about move on; but it just goes to show that God is not only concerned about numbers.  He is also concerned about spiritual fruit. 

Another noteworthy topic is the storms that recently hit our area.  One particular Sunday evening the tornado sirens were sounding about every ten minutes for hours it seemed.  We were in our home praying and prepared to go to the basement. Many in our town were bunkered down in the community storm shelter down the road.  Thankfully the tornados did not hit Newport; but a few neighboring towns lost loved ones and property.

Slammed doors and dis-interested people, times of pruning and discouragement, and horrible storms show us how much we need the Lord to intervene on our behalf.  Thank you for your prayers and financial support which enable us to continue to spread the gospel in Jackson County of Arkansas.

Please pray with us about:

1.  Our family’s health and wellbeing.  Praise the Lord that everyone is doing well.

2.  Praise the Lord for the church’s parsonage- our home; but it does have some serious plumbing problems.

3.  ‘Tis the season to be mowing!  I spend a good amount of time mowing grass every week.  Please pray with us about a tractor.

4. Souls, souls, souls!  Please pray with us that we will see more souls saved and active in church.

In His Service,

 

Pastor Raymond Beckles