Messiah Baptist Blog

The eleven

2009-02-25T20:42:00.006-06:00

Patrice
Olivia
Katrina
Steve B.
Steve G.
Cesar
Veronica
Jeremiah
Jill
Kalena
Joel

A list of names to many folks. Some of you probably can't even put a face to the name. We can!

Tonight, in an incredible ceremony at the YMCA pool just around the corner from our church, these eleven souls, saved by grace, followed Christ in baptism!

Oh, the stories. Saved out of pride. Saved from despair and hopelessness. Saved from wallowing in their sin. Saved to a new hope. Saved to relationship with the God that loves them.

Saved to eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Oh, the wonder of it all! God is so-o-o-o-o-o-o good.

The Crowd!

The obedient eleven:
Kalena

Joel

Jill

Jeremiah

Veronica

Cesar

Steve Berlin's testimony

Steve G.

Patrice

Olivia

...and Katrina!

Galkin Evangelistic Ministy

2009-01-27T10:20:00.006-06:00

Richly blessed! Richly, richly blessed.

The Galkin Evangelistic Ministry Team (check out their site here) rolled into town last Saturday and have nourished the body of Christ here at MBC through God's word and through rich worship.

You can share in the feast by accessing Will Galkin's messages to us on our website (here). Despite the ice, broken brakes and other attempts by Satan to thwart this ministry, God has already used these folks to strengthen believers and to bring one lost couple to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

We look forward to our remaining days with these special friends.

It's a family ministry in the sweetest sense!

Will Galkin ministers to the Body through God's good word.

Christie and Josh using their gifts and talents.

Caroline (above) and Reba (below) beautifully used of God.

Blessings

2009-01-25T15:06:00.003-06:00

Attention Everybody! Tonight we start a series of special meetings with the Galkin Evangelistic Team. These meetings will go every night through the first half of this week. The conclusion will be on Wednesday night. Pre-service meetings start at 6:30 and the service is at 7:00. So come out with your family and friends with your heart ready for conviction and blessings.

New posts

2009-01-06T20:27:00.002-06:00

Tonight, I added three new posts on the site. To catch up, simply click the following links:

Enjoy catching up on God's goodness to all of us at Messiah Baptist Church!

COOKIES!

2009-01-06T20:20:00.003-06:00

On December 15th the ladies of the church held their annual cookie exchange here at the home of the Pond family. We always have fun and end up with lots of yummy goodies to enjoy throughout the holidays.

This year we were blessed to have our Pastor Counterman's mother in town for the event, and she graciously consented to share her heart with us that night. Her challenge to us was to slow down and remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas. It is always so easy to get caught up in everything that the world has added to Christmas, but it's vital that we don't lose sight of God's gift to us and what the birth of Jesus really means.

Our pastor's wife, Liesl, and her mother-in-law, Jo Ellen.

Jo Ellen challenging hearts.

After the devotion and snacks, some of the ladies participated in a little craft project that we had planned for the evening. We made a photo calendar for the new year. It was a fun project and I think everyone enjoyed it...at least I hope they did.

The finished product

All in all, it was a very enjoyable evening. It was warm inside in spite of the freezing (literally) cold outside. The food was wonderful, the devotion challenging, and the fellowship was oh so sweet!

Christmas 2008

2009-01-06T18:59:00.005-06:00

We had a rich Christmas Eve service at Messiah Baptist Church. Families and members of the congregation volunteered to sing, read, play, and two very young brothers gave us a memorized flannel graph presentation of the Christmas Story.

And what Christmas Eve service could be complete without a candlelight singing of Silent Night?

Glory to God in the highest!

Christie, Susan, and Bethany Stevens

Christie and Caleb Stevens in trio with Corbin Matamoros

"Away in a Manger" to melt your heart with Papa, Elijah, Cana and Eden Counterman

Brady and Mason Shine tell the Christmas Story

Holy Cow!

2009-01-06T18:37:00.004-06:00

Hmmm...November 11th was the last post. Let's catch up on things. We'll kind of work this back to front. Unlike one heifer who worked things front to back.

In rural Texas, you don't want bored bovine. What are they going to do? Nibble some more grass? Find some different flavored water? One night, one such critter grew tired of his boundaries and found an escape. It saw some pals in the pasture across the way and began a-mosey'n. Across the highway. In the dark of night. Cloaked in black outerwear.

At that time, our intrepid warriors, Pastor and his bride with the children secured in their car seats, came out of the darkness. They had been to the site of their new home build and with hearts light and filled with joy, headed toward home. The beast came into the headlights far too late for any Hollywood avoidance maneuver. Car, meet cow. Cow, meet car.

This is the front end the day after the introduction.

And this is how the cow looked.

Quite honestly, neither one looks very good. Neither was driveable.

Praising God that none of the Counterman's were hurt. Apparently the heifer took to flight after meeting up with the bumper and glancing off the windshield. No doubt God's good hand kept the beast from coming through the windshield. It could have been catastrophic. But it wasn't.

The Counterman's now drive a Suburban and keep constant vigil for the lost...farm critters.

(Pastor looks kind of like Hemingway kneeling over a bull elephant on the Serengeti, doesn't he?)

Slipped discs

2008-11-11T17:03:00.006-06:00

Last Sunday after church, the men went out and tried their hand at disc golf. These aren't the frisbees you chucked at the beach. No, these babies are made for distance. The accuracy, well, that depends on the tosser. As you'll see below, accuracy was sometimes lacking.

For some of our men, disc golf was better than pneumonia.

The muster at the first tee

Tyler, ready to pull a muscle.
Kidding aside, he won closest to the pin!

Pastor and Jerry figuring out how their going
to get through the trees...or their discussing eschatology,
I don't remember which.

Austin, out from under the tree, had the longest, most accurate drive.
Not bad, the thirteen year old beating all the men.

Jerry from amidst the blue spruce

Drew from the red spruce

Josh looks a ways away, but he took the low overall score. Semper Fi!

Is that pastor?!?

Finally, a wide open fairway!

The grill master, Jeremiah Smith

Are those BRATS???

We had a great time even beyond the disc golf and grilling. Pastor challenged the men to "man up" in the church and fulfill their God-given duties. Each one has been uniquely gifted, and the Body of Christ depends upon the men to exercise their gifts within the church.

We at MBC are blessed to have men who will stand up for the truth of God's word and for Christ, and who are willing to shoulder their God-ordained load.

Paintball, anyone?

Election 2008: How do we respond?

2008-11-05T21:05:00.004-06:00

Tonight, Pastor Counterman poured out his soul to the saints regarding our nation's election.

Take the time to invest 25 minutes and 7 seconds to hear what God's word says and how a man of God feels about what went down on November 4th, 2008.

You can listen here.

"Come and see"

2008-10-13T13:07:00.007-06:00

As our missionary, Segundo Rodriguez, challenged us a few months back, the simplest and often best witness we can be follows the example of the earliest disciples in John's gospel. No in depth theology. No bridges, roads, or EE to memorize. No tracts required.

"Come and see!"

Three simple words to encourage folks to meet the Man, to meet the God, who changed our lives.

Pastor Lukus inflated his sails into the wind of that simplicity and rode it into MBC's first "Come and See" Sunday. The purpose was simple. It focused on Christ and what He had done in the lives of our church's membership (like Mark DeBoe at right).

We had nine new visitors who clearly heard the gospel presentation. There were no professions of faith yesterday, but ground was tilled, seed was sown, and water was applied.

In an amazing way, too, the church was encouraged. Our souls were stirred and God was glorified as believers shared what Jesus had done in their lives through a simple cardboard testimony. On one side of the piece of cardboard, they had written what they were before Jesus' work, and on the other side, they had written what they have become because of His work (you can see most of them in the picture above). What an awesome testimony!

If you didn't get a chance to hear Pastor Lukus' simple and powerful gospel message, you can listen here.

"And such we once were"...ah, but no longer! Praise God!

Photos: Top right - Mark DeBoe tells of Christ's transforming power; center - cardboard testimonies (from l-r, Mark Deboe, Jerry Stevens, Susan Stevens, Caleb Stevens, Keith Pond, Mary Taylor (hidden behind Keith), Scott Eidson, Hannah Paul, Brian Moix, Jeremiah Smith, Randy York, Jay Brunt, Tracy Pond, and Sue Wagner going away); bottom left - A simple sermon: "God calls us to change: It's needed, it's available, and it must be His way!"

To Wichita Falls, the U.S, and the uttermost parts of the Earth.

2008-09-10T12:44:00.013-06:00

Sunday we had our beloved missionary from Peru, Segundo Rodriguez, in for a visit. It has been almost 2 years since we started supporting Segundo, after he first visited our church at the request of Pastor Counterman. Pastor knew Segundo from a previous mission trip to Peru and through their mutual friend Tim Chapman.

Segundo spoke during our Sunday School hour, our morning service, and our evening service on Sunday. During Sunday School Segundo gave the church a report on his activities in Peru. It was a blessing to see God working through him, from the institute he is a part of to the remote mountains and forests he travels to.

During Sunday worship, Segundo encouraged us on toward evangelism in a unique way. He called it the "Basic Approach." He walked us through examples of people coming to Jesus in the early chapters of John's gospel. These people that came were all the result of other people saying, "Come and see." Segundo said that this is the most persuasive method we can use in presenting the message of Christ. We are changed people. If we live that change and when people see it, all we have to do is share that change with them. "They can't ignore that, " Pastor Rodriguez shared.

Sunday evening, he came with the Great Commission and its relevance to us. Segundo related Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth to Wichita Falls, United States, Canada/Mexico etc, and, well, the uttermost parts of the earth. He spent time on each region, expressing the need and offering methods for reaching each. It was a time well spent.

Segundo is a man blessed with the gift of handling God's word. His attitude of submission and servanthood is visible to all. We just say, "Praise God for such men!" Our prayers and thanks go with him and his work.

Also a big thanks to Arnoldo Matamoros for translating Segundo's message. He did an awesome job!

(Photos: Top - Segundo (right) and Arnoldo Matamoros, Middle - Pastor Lukus with Segundo, Bottom - MBC hears the word preached and translated).

To seek and save the lost

2008-08-16T09:40:00.006-06:00

Since coming to know the Lord, Mark Deboe has ached for those who do not know Christ. That ache has translated to time spent going out to where the people are to be a witness to what Christ has done in his life.

Mark and Josh in a role play

Mark doesn't stop there. To pass on his passion for Great Commission work, he began a class out of his home to teach the folks in our church the basics of sharing one's faith. Hoping to have a few disciples to teach, Mark was overwhelmed by the response. Soon his livingroom would no longer accommodate the hungry saints, and the moved the study time over to the church.

Iron sharpening iron

Recently the masses went out to meet the masses during our town's 4th of July parade. Hundreds of tracts were passed out, but more than that, brothers and sisters in Christ went into the world to share the message of God's judgment and God's love to those who have likely never heard the truth before.

The 4th of July Team: Longoria's, Stevens', Smith's, Deboe's and a few Pond's

Please pray that through this ministry at Messiah Baptist Church, hundreds would come to know the grace of God.

Happy Campers

2008-08-11T11:45:00.010-06:00

Front row: Cameron Longoria, Caleb Kettula
Back Row: Josh Longoria, Austin Pond, Tyler Pond

Several weeks ago our teens made their 4th annual trip to Southland Christian Camp. In the heart of Louisiana, Southland sits near the tiny town of Ringold, roughly 45 minutes south of Shreveport. As an attendee of the camp myself for 3 years I know that camp is always a treat. The ability to get away from everything else for a week and just chill, you and God--well, plus a couple hundred other people doing the same thing. The week incorporates, good food, crazy games, devotions, Bible memory, hot, humid weather, and powerful preaching.

The speaker this year was Will Galkin, a big hit with our young men. It's been neat to see the influence his speaking has had on the youth who attended camp. Our campers were, Caleb, Tyler, Austin, and Cameron. Josh Longoria, our youth leader, took the teens solo this year. When responding to the teens' gratitude, he said, "I know y'all view it like me taking you, but the time is just as blessed for me as it is for you."

Find one of our crew in the Camper Choir (hint: It's not Josh)

Galkin spent his morning services talking about the life of Joseph and living a life a purity and forgiveness. The nighttime services were centered around salvation and living for God.

Melee!

Look hard to find Cameron, Tyler, and Austin in this free-for-all photo!

The atmosphere of isolation from the rest of the world, and being surrounded by things of God for a whole week, makes you far more sensitive to the areas of your own life where you are failing; you really feel conviction. That and the godly fellowship are superb reasons for camp attendance. Any camper who has gone with us will tell you how worth it camp is.

From big ball and water games, to chicken sandwiches and pizza, to Bible memory and life lessons from Joseph, this year's camp was once again a blessed a time for our teens (both young and old).

A taste for Chile

2008-08-08T19:21:00.010-06:00

Sometimes when family rolls into town, you batten down the hatches and make the most of it. When you have to finagle to figure out how you're related, that bodes doubly ill.

Such was NOT the case when David and Kristi Flink tumbled into town from the great green north. David and Pastor Counterman, while not blood, are related in that their siblings, sister and brother respectively, married up a few years back. Since that time, God has burdened David's heart to serve Him as a missionary to Antofogasta, Chile. He's blessed him with a wondrous wife who grew up as an "MK" (missionary's kid) in Chile, and now three young children, Jordan, Ben, and Kaylee.

Our church family met them during meals on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and we grew in our knowledge of God's work in South America as David wonderfully handled God's word during Sunday school, Sunday worship and during our Sunday evening service. You can access his messages on our Church's web-site here.

Please pray for them as they are now resituated in Edinburg, Texas (about as far south as you can get and still stay north of the Rio Grande) as David finishes up his foreign language training. They have almost attained to the total need for their support to head down to Chile next January. Please pray for God's provision to that end, too.

We sure had a GREAT time with them as God's family should. Please check out the latest with the Flinck's on their blog here. You'll even see our church.

Vaya con Dios!

3 Items in the Box.

2008-08-02T22:35:00.002-06:00

Hi all, I apologize for getting a little behind here, but I encourage you to check back here throughout the week. I'll be posting on three exciting stories including our 4th of July ministry success and our Way of the Master program, teen camp, and our missionary service.

Thanks for your patience. God's peace.

A Sweet Smelling Aroma

2008-07-08T19:24:00.004-06:00

No we don't offer burnt offerings to God anymore, but we can still offer savory sacrifices. Music, for instance.

Recently our church was blessed with a visit from a vocal team of Maranatha Bible College students, the Heritage Singers. Members of our church opened up their homes to the team so they could minister to us on Friday night, June 27th.

The team has been traveling all summer, spending their time out of school on this mission trip, sacrificing the summer free time they could have spent with their family, friends, and fiances.

Not only did they bless us with their voices but they also helped with a special Teen Time after their service. Good times had by all.

Many thanks to the Heritage Singers

Thanks, too, to those who housed the Heritage Singers. Thank God and pray for them during their travels.

Make a joyful noise!

Tracking Down the Truth

2008-06-17T18:42:00.005-06:00

The evening of Sunday, June the 1st, we celebrated the end of our 3rd year of Truth Trackers, our Wednesday night discipleship program for children Pre-K thru 6th grade.

It was a joy to watch and listen as the kids recited the numerous Bible verses they had committed to memory over the past year. When all was said and done, I'm sure I was not the only one of 18+ years that was put to shame. What a blessing to see the faith of parents being passed on and hidden in the hearts of the young.

Many of our kids memorized all of their verses and did all of their devotions for the entire year. A majority of those who did not were simply not here the whole year. Great effort by the kids, but even more so on the part of the parents. "Train up a child in the way he should go..."

Lastly, special congrats to Jeremiah Stevens. This was his last year in Truth Trackers. He was one of the students who memorized every verse and did all of his devotions. In addition, he also memorized each week's bonus verse. He won the "Truth Tracker of the Year Award" here at Messiah Baptist Church. Keep up the effort in Youth Group, buddy!

How good it's been to watch this program grow in our body. Praise God for his blessings in this regard, and pray for the continued growth of the program abroad for the purpose of training up little saints and the spreading of the gospel.

Summer Sunday School Series....

2008-06-16T21:12:00.001-06:00

....say that five times fast.

A week ago our adult Sunday School class started a new series led by Pastor Counterman. The series is focusing on Men and Women, including their roles in the family, church, and workplace, and how they are to act as members of their gender.

This is a highly relevant matter for Christians today. As our culture seeks to blend the differences of men and women together, we need to go back to the Bible and see what it says. That's what this class is about.

Pastor Counterman will continue to show us how we were created to function, while alerting us to the corruptions of our culture and how we can protect ourselves, our families, and our church from them. True to the gospel and certainly not politically correct, the men of our church seek to teach the Word of God only. This class is no different.

So come on out and join us for Sunday School if you're not already a regular attendee. Good stuff from God's Word.

Under New Management

2008-06-15T12:14:00.005-06:00

Hi all,

Drew Pond here. Just wanna give a shout out to let you know that I have been entrusted with keeping this blog up to date. If you have news from the church or photos of church functions please email them to me at messiahbaptistwf@gmail.com . I appreciate it.

God's Peace.

Ann

2008-05-13T19:36:00.008-06:00

I wish I had a picture to post of Steve and Ann S. who visited with us for a few months this past winter. Ann was seeking cancer treatment here in Wichita Falls. She and her husband met Faith and Grace L. at a store and then worshiped with our body for the time they spent here in town.

Ann has stage 4 cancer and is now in Hospice Care. She is a SPECIAL and wonderful Christian woman who has lived a hand-in-hand walk with Christ. Her husband has and is serving the Lord as a seminary professor. During her time here, Ann held a Bible study with 2 women in her treatment center. Both of them had stage 4 cancer. Pastor Lukus had the privilege of being with Ann while they both witnessed to Pam and Nancy. To God be the glory, they both received Christ. Pam has gone on now to meet the Lord.

Ann's daughter Ann Janel (a missionary wife to Brazil) writes the following letter about her mother. I hope you will be blessed in reading this and reminded to pray for dear Ann and her family:

In the midst of all of the sad news I've had to share recently I wanted to take a moment to share how good God has been.

Through all of this I'm truly seeing how loved my mom is. She gets at least one to two cards in the mail daily from people all around the world. She gets so many phone calls it's hard to keep up, but keep up she does. She just finished writing individual Thank you notes to 25 second cousins and relatives who sent a generous gift to her. When she is able she returns phone calls to the many who just want to hear her voice and express their love and concern.

In just the past week we have received several meals from neighbors and friends. A church had a ton of groceries delivered. One neighbor paid the Schwan man and sent him over to let us pick out whatever we wanted! What a treat! Also mom's house is full of fresh beautiful flowers from so many who love her.

This weekend mom and I were invited to a tea hosted by a friend. She wanted to encourage 5 of her friends that are suffering from cancer. What an event! Up to the day, each person wasn't sure whether their health would even allow them to be able to attend. 4 precious women made it. From 34 to 70 years of age these women are battling for their lives. As each took time to share how God has worked in their lives through the midst of cancer I wept. What stories, what suffering, what a faithful God. My precious mother really broke my heart as with struggling breaths she shared her story. When she said that Pam's and Nancy's salvation made the whole thing worthwhile I stood in awe. She has suffered much and done so graciously!

Mother's Day was very special. Marcus and his family were here. Jon surprised mom and flew in from New York just to be with her. She wasn't feeling well so we had a service together in our living room. It was a precious time of singing and sharing (and tears!)

Patrick arrived safely! Praise the Lord our family is together again. Many ask me how the kids are handling this time. God has truly blessed me with precious, flexible children. They've gone 2 months with just a mommy, a mommy trying to take care of Grandmom AND them. They've done so well. They just go with the flow, whether it's sitting in a waiting room playing "I spy" and reading Highlight magazines or being quiet so Grandmom can rest or shopping (not Nathanael's favorite thing) for things Grandmom might need or having to stay with someone so mom can take Grandmom to a doctor, they just adapt and keep going! Thank you, God, for these precious kids!

We started Hospice yesterday. I think that was the most difficult thing I've done-- calling them. It broke my heart. Then as mom signed Do Not Resuscitate papers my heart broke even more. I can't believe this is happening. The hospice nurse encouraged us when she said "I can't believe she isn't in pain, Someone is looking out for her." It is wonderful mom isn't in pain, and we praise the Lord. The cancer is aggressive, very aggressive. The nurse was shocked to learn that the tumor on mom's breast and the cancerous fluid in her lungs didn't show up in a PETscan in March. This cancer is moving quickly! But God has been good.

There is much sorrow around our house and many tears. We love this woman and are sad to think her life on earth is coming to a close. She is up and around and not in pain, for this we are so grateful!Thanks for letting me share what God is doing! Continue to pray for us.
AnnJanel

Christmas Pageant

2007-12-28T18:47:00.000-06:00

Never a more handsome and lovely Joseph and Mary.
The Happy Carolers :-)
Tim, Mason, Cameron, Bradey, and Sarah--the family sharing the Christmas story
Some angels :-)
Don't forget the shepherds because they were unforgettable :-P

First Children's Christmas Pageant at Messiah

"The Unopened Gift"

The children did a wonderful job!

November Baptism

2007-12-28T18:43:00.000-06:00

Bryant was saved last year and came to our church this year. He realized he needed to obey the Lord in believer's baptism. It was a cool November day, but not as cold as it could have been!

November Baptisms

2007-12-28T16:47:00.000-06:00

Jessie and Justin were baptized in November. They were saved in early summer.

Praise the Lord!

Latest Baptisms

2007-11-13T15:54:00.001-06:00

Caleb S.
Kristy S.

It was a great blessing to see these two teenagers get baptized after their salvation! Praise the Lord.

Baptisms

2007-10-06T10:04:00.000-06:00

Joe after his baptism

Flor reading her testimony of salvation

Flor after her baptism

Mark (Flor's husband) giving his testimony.
Part of the church listening before the baptisms.

Grace answering questions about her salvation before her baptism.
"Even a child is known by his doings"

"Suffer the little children to come unto ME and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
Joe reading his testimony of salvation.

Joe and his Dad.

God has been good to save souls and bring them into the body of MBC. Praise His name!

Following are Mark and Flor's testimonies:

Mark: At the age of fourteen I started drinking, smoking, and having sex. At the age of 17 I got into drugs (weed, acid, mushrooms, and cough syrup). I decided to join the Air Force to get away from the bad influences in my life, only to discover that they would follow me and get progressively worse. I was stationed at Fort Walton Beach Florida, and that is where I met Flor. I never stopped any of the addictive habits I had while I was in the Air Force; they only grew worse and more addictive. I never understood why she stayed with through those years, but now I know it was all God’s plan. After I got out of the Air Force, Flor went her way and I got a contract job overseas in Kosovo. I was 23 years old making anywhere between 7 to 10 thousand tax free dollars a month. Not good when you are an alcoholic and drug addict. I ended up working there for only 10 months out of a 12 month contract. I got fired for not showing up to work because I was out drinking the night before. When they came and woke me up the next morning they took me to get a breathalyzer, and I blew a .21 at 8 in the morning. I came back home to Michigan with about $35,000, and decided to move in with some buddies in Denver, Colorado. Having this much money I was introduced to some new drugs, Crack and Cocaine. In the beginning of February 2001 Flor came out to visit me and ended up getting pregnant with our son Nicholas. I then spent the next nine months agonizing over the reality if he was my child or not. I ended up blowing all $35,000 dollars on drugs and alcohol. By the time Nicholas was born in November, I was suicidal due to the amount of drugs and alcohol I put in my body, and I decided it was the best for me to move to New Jersey with Flor and try to raise Nicholas. In February of 2002 I got another contract job in Ecuador, South America. Not a real good location for a Coke head, being that Ecuador borders Columbia. After 6 months Nicholas got a bad stomach virus and Flor and him went back home to New Jersey. That very same day I spent the day snorting cocaine and drinking. At night I decide to get on a moped and go to the bar. I ended up crashing into a car and flying about 15 feet into a light pole. I woke up the next day in the hospital lying on my left side barely able to move. I had a 4 inch hematoma on the right side of my head, the right side of my face was paralyzed, and my right ear had a continuous flow of blood coming out of it. After about 2 weeks the doctors said they didn’t have the medical equipment I needed so I went home. The day after I got home my face was no longer paralyzed. Even after all that, I didn’t quit drinking and doing drugs. In March of 2003 I got a civil service job down in Valdosta, Georgia at Moody Air Force base. After about 8 months in November of 2003 I ran into Glenn Savell. Glenn had just come to our shift, and I had never really talked to him before. One day he ask me if I would consider myself to be a good person, then proceeds to use God’s law, the Ten Commandments on me. I really didn’t think much of it. A week later or so he asked me if I would be interested in joining him for a bible study on the book of Revelations. Being polite I said yes but never had any intention of doing it. A week after that he came into my room and asked me if I like to read, I said not really, but being polite again I accepted the book he was offering. It was the Left behind Book. I couldn’t put it down; I read it in 3 days or so. After that I was drilling him with questions and he was giving me answers. About this same time a friend that Flor worked with invited her to church. Flor in hope of getting me to quit drinking asked me if I would go. I polite fully said yes. That first Sunday I was sitting there for about forty five minutes twiddling my thumbs thinking about what I was going to eat, then all the sudden tears were rushing down my face and I had no idea what was going on. After the service, people were coming up to us and thanking us for coming and all I was thinking was for them to get away from me because I was very embarrassed; here was a grown man crying in church. About two weeks went by and I was back at church, twiddling my thumbs, getting excited to get out of there and go watch football, when all of the sudden, BOOM the same thing happened, and there I am crying like a little baby again. That Tuesday evening, January 27th 2004, I approached Glenn again with a question. He didn’t answer the question but instead asked me one. He said “Mark have you ever made Jesus lord of your life?” I said maybe back at vacation bible school once. He said no, you haven’t. Don’t you realize that if you died tonight you would go to hell? What are you waiting for? Before the words even came out of my mouth he said “you want to get high on last time, you want one more drunk. I said yep. He turned around and left. I was standing in the hallway with my jaw on the floor. I was like who does this guy think he is. I went into my bunkroom and just sat there. Five minutes later I was on my knees crying out to Jesus to forgive me and take my life, it was his. The next morning I went up to Glenn and told him I did it, he said did what; I said I gave my life to Jesus. I have never seen a bigger smile on someone’s face before. Those next couple of days whenever I would use God’s name in vein or cuss I thought my heart was going to explode out of my chest. The Third day was when it really hit me that I have been changed. For the past year I was on 20mg of Lexapro and seeing a psychologist. When I went to take my medication, but I couldn’t raise my hand to my mouth, and I ended up throwing the depression medication away. The next day at home I felt like I needed to get rid of all my movies, music, downloaded songs, and all my alcohol. No one told me to do this, I just felt like I had to. About a week and a half later I got Scripturally Baptized at the First Baptist church in Valdosta, GA. I got a job offer here in Wichita Falls and since Flor and I were not married, I knew I had to come by my self until we did get married. Flor brought me to God to get me sober and instead he did a lot more and the change that he brought about freaked her out. One last quick note, when I got to my job at Sheppard, I had to get my yearly tuberculosis test done. It was discovered that I had Inactive TB. Before I got saved and was drinking, almost every morning after drinking I would always puke up blood and couldn’t figure out why. I was dying. Flor was also going to leave me on February 2nd; I got saved on January 27th. [Had God not rescued Mark at this time, Mark would not be alive today because the drinking and untreated TB would have killed him; and Flor would have left him. God is sovereign!] God is awesome. There is so much more that I can add that God has done and continues to do, but I guess this is good for now.

Flor: I was born & raised in Peru and then came to the USA, I was raised catholic. I was 18 when I came to the USA and I discovered that in USA you can do whatever you want since you’re an adult. I considered myself to be a good person, responsible, friendly, everybody liked me. I had it all together so I thought. I moved to FL with my brother and I pretty much lived la Vida Loca, I was dating Mark (my husband now) on and off for 2 years then I moved to NJ and he went to Kosovo. After a year ½ he came back and on a crazy night I went to visit him. I had a good time but I realized he was a loser so when I went back to NJ I was going to start a new life…but 2 weeks later I discovered I was pregnant!! I was 30 and I decided that my life was going to change and I visited the priest and confessed my sins and he was really nice and I was good to go. Mark moved to live with me, he wanted to be the father of his son and try out the family thing. We had 2 years of horrible relationship. We moved here and there, argued, he wanted to keep partying and our lives together just wasn’t good anymore.
I decided to leave him on Feb 2nd of 2003 he didn’t know I had it all planned with my family, but on Jan 27 he got saved, and he did a 360 on me. I thought he was going crazy when he talked about being a Christian. I thought I was the religious one, so I accepted Christ & I got baptized just so he would leave me alone. I really didn’t get it, we still had problems but this time because he was crazy and I wasn’t a true Christian according to him, I moved to NJ and he moved to W F. While I was in NJ my whole family was talking to me about being a catholic and I said I was a catholic. I just wanted to know more about this, and I wanted to know if Mark was getting into a cult. I talked to a pastor from a Baptist church and he was talking to me, and I guess he was watering the seed and then I helped my parents move to FL. While I was there I visited a Baptist church and a lady invited me to a Beth Moore woman’s bible study. While I was there, on the 3rd visit, I finally got it. I cried, realized that I was a selfish, self centered, spoiled brat, a sinner, and a horrible person. I repented and gave my life to God. The ladies ministered to me and I came to WF. We got married and we are a family that loves God. Although there is so much that I need to change, I’m glad that I am learning and that God is calling me his child…

Patch Program and Start to Truth Trackers

2007-09-29T18:19:00.000-06:00

The children sang for our Sunday Service and recited Psalm 19:1-7 and 10. It is wonderful to see the young ones hiding God's Word in their hearts. Truth Trackers (grades 1-6) and Tiny Trackers (age 3 1/2 to K5) began. This program is a systematic approach to Scripture memory, daily devotions, and weekly teaching. You can read more about Truth Trackers at www.truthtrackers.org. Please pray for us as we help parents disciple the children of MBC.

Tic Tac Challenge

2007-08-20T10:17:00.000-06:00

MEAN GREEN vs. BLACK ATTACK

Pillow Fights, Egg on the Face, Tug of War, Relays Galore, Opera Contest--all these and more marked our awesome church family activity. Laughter doeth good like a medicine!

Truth Trackers Program

2007-08-13T12:14:00.000-06:00

Here's a shot of Mr. Tim and his Truth Trackers in the closing program in May. Truth Trackers starts up again September 12. Be there or be square! The program involves Scripture memory focusing on doctrines of the Bible. The children memorize in answer to a question, such as, "Is Jesus Christ God?" Their answer is "John 1:1, 'In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.'" It is thrilling to see kids becoming wise in the Word and applying it, too. A devotional program is also built into Truth Trackers. We hope that a lifelong habit of spending time with God will develop through Truth Trackers.

Our Tiny Trackers are the cutest in the world. They learn one verse a week. The three to the right are sporting a special medal for memorizing all the verses. The other girls came in later in the year, but they memorized faithfully while in the club. These little ones put many of us adults to shame! We look forward to a big group starting September 12!

Missionary Visit

2007-08-13T12:08:00.000-06:00

Missionary Ed and Cindee Richards of the Windward Islands visited with us two Sundays ago. The church enjoyed meeting them for the first time.

Catching up on Church Events

2007-08-03T11:08:00.000-06:00

Valentine's Banquet 2007

As you can see, we had a fantastic time!

Chelsea and Kasey--two new believer testimonies

2007-07-16T08:32:00.000-06:00

Chelsea giving her testimony of salvation
Kasey giving her salvation testimony

Chelsea:

My story is not amazing or heroic. I didn't have a near death experience. I was not unaware of the saving grace of salvation through Christ. One day I simply saw the light, repented my sins, and accepted Jesus. Although therewas not much outward fanfare, it effected a tremendous change in the way I view and live my life. As a child I was introduced to the idea of Jesus frequently. I was baptized at a young age and regularly attended church. However, it never really clicked for me until age 12 or so. Even then, although I had the knowledge and understanding, I still did not truly accept it into my heart. I continued to attend church, but it never really affected me. I always had the thought-I will live that way later. Maybe tomorrow or next week. But tomorrow never came. I was a pretty well behaved kid, but that had more to do with man's rules than God's law. I strayed farther even from the rules of man my senior year of high school. I made a mistake that cost me my "fun" years of college. ButI gained a lot more. I gained a loving man who I am marrying tomorrow and a beautiful little boy, Aiden. Then, Josh brought us to Messiah BaptistChurch. It was the last piece of the puzzle. I realized that I was not truly a Christian and that I needed to accept Him into my heart. The changes He has made in me already are awesome. I want to know God's position on any subject and to follow it over my own. I want to read theBible and take his teachings to heart. I can say with confidence for the first time that I will go to heaven. I just feel a warmth inside whenever I pray or think about Him. I could go on and on, but I will try to sum it all up in this verse: Psalm 57:11 In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

Kasey:

I did not grow up in a religious home. As a child my experiences with church were definitely not positive ones. I really didn't give God much thought until I had Hunter. I remember holding him in the hospital, and I began to pray that God would keep him safe, happy and healthy. It was impossible for me to look down at my brand new baby and ignore God. We moved here when Hunter was 2 months old and began going to a large church here in town. Though it was nice, I failed to grow in my spiritual life. On March12th, 2005 as I was preparing for Hunter's 1st birthday party, two ladies knocked on my door, those 2 ladies were Liesl and Bonnie. I began taking walkswith them and after several months decided to go visit their church. Our family felt welcome from the 1st moment we walked into Messiah Baptist, I knew if ever there was a time in my life to come to know God it would happen with the help of this church. On Easter Sunday 2006, after the service, I met with Sarah Shine. As we talked I knew that this was an important day. I prayed to God. I asked Him to forgive me of my sins and to come in to my heart. An immediate since of peace and joy came over me. I had asked to be saved. Two weeks later I received news that the baby I was pregnant with had a 1 in 200 chance of having Down syndrome. I thought that maybe this was a test of my faith. I prayed like I had never before. I prayed for this baby and I prayed that she did not have Down syndrome. After additional testing the doctors assured us that our baby girl was healthy and did not have Down syndrome. Wow, I thought, God listened, my baby was fine, my prayers were answered. Ella Grace was born six weeks early and with Down syndrome. I was devastated. How could God have done this to her, didn't he know that I could not handle this? Well meaning people would say things like "God only gives special babies to special moms," and "God doesn't give you more than you can handle." I just knew that God made a mistake. I wanted my old life back. The baby girl I dreamed of having was gone, and I wanted to die. I had closed my heart to God. Even though we continued to come to church, I was angrywith God. Though I fell madly in love with our new baby girl and the anger lessened, I couldn't help but think maybe I was being punished. About two months ago the fog that had covered my life began to lift. I realized just how incredibly blessed I am. This is what my life was meant to be. As I look back over the last 18 months I now am able to see how God was with me. It is like the poem footprints "....I noticed that it was at the lowest and saddest times in my life. I asked, 'Lord, you said that once I decided to follow You, You would walk with me all the way. But during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why you left my side when I needed you most.' The Lord said, 'My precious child, I never left you during your time of trial. Where you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." Even though I had closed my heart off to the Lord, he never left me, never gave up on me. I began though to worry that if I could lose my trust in the Lord maybe I hadn't really been saved. I met with Pastor and Liesl to discuss whether or not I had really been saved because it was weighing heavily on my heart. Pastor showed me several examples in the Bible. Onewas Romans 8: 37-39 NLT No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced thatnothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, ourworries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep Gods' love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in thedeepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate usfrom the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. After reading through this verse, and other that day, I left Pastor's home with the same feeling I had the day I was saved, there was peace in my mind and joy in my heart. What a wonderful and forgiving God he is to stay with us through our darkest days. I stand here today and can say with confidence that I have been saved. Though I know that I will have worries and fears in the future, I know that I will have God with me through it all and that His plan forme will prevail. I would like to close with Phillipians 4: 11-13 I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstance may be. I know now how to live when things are difficultand I know how to when things are prosperous. In general and in particular I have learned the secret of....facing either plenty or poverty, I am ready for anything through the strength of the one who lives within me.

Letter from an airman's mom

2007-05-31T16:34:00.000-06:00

"Pastor Counterman, I'd like to say thank you to your church for the terrific outreach they did for our son Matthew H. Matt was stationed at Sheppard the last several months and your church family was a huge help to him. As a young airman in an unfamiliar part of the country you provided a sense of home and belonging. We had many phone calls where he was excited about church activites that he had been too. We've seen in him a huge step to maturity both spiritually and emotionally. He's now at his base in Florida and I'm sure he'll be looking for a church to attend. Again, thank you for being there not just for our son but for all other young people you're reaching for. Holley H."

Latest Baptisms, part 2

2007-05-31T14:36:00.000-06:00

Sometimes we baptize in a pool (even a small pool works!) Here is Chris following the Lord in Believer's Baptism.

Sonya.
Elijah!
Rosie :-)
Chelsie.

This was a great, great time, seeing new believers identifying publicly with their Savior. Pray for our new believers to grow and become strong disciples of Christ!

More than a building...our people...latest baptisms

2007-05-31T14:12:00.000-06:00

Eric giving public testimony of salvation.

Sometimes we baptize in a local pond.
It feels very "New Testament" here.
Matt being baptized.
Eric being baptized.

We praise the Lord for two young men who obeyed the Lord in believer's baptism!

Messiah Baptist Church. Wichita Falls, Texas

2007-05-31T14:00:00.000-06:00

76 windows, now unmasked and painted. Cathing the glimmer of the Texas sun.
Cleaning up the "alley" side.
View from Travis and 8th Street.
Fine Brick Cross done by Harry from a missions team from Maryland, Anchor Baptist Church.
So much has happened here in the past two and half years! God has blessed with money and workers (our own members included) to clean up, paint, demolish and remodel this buiding in the downtown of Wichita Falls. Thank you, Lord.