We praise the Lord for a wonderful year of ministry in 2008. We participated in 42 ministry opportunities during our 39 weeks on the road. Half of our revivals in 2008 were in small mission churches. The love gifts from folks throughout the year help us to travel to these smaller congregations.

In June and July, we ministered with evangelist Herman Cramer from Seguin, TX in the REAP program (Rural Evangelism Associational Partnership) around the Crockett, TX area. REAP is a program designed to allow small rural churches the opportunity to have a full-time evangelistic team in their church for revival. One of our revivals was at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church outside the town of Trinity. On our way to the church, we traveled a few miles down a paved road which turned into a gravel road and then to a dirt road. The church was established in 1862 and the present church facilities were built in the 1940’s. We began the meeting with 16 in worship service. Sunday night our crowd grew to over 25, and that was the average attendance for the rest of the week. The folks were excited when their neighbors, whom they had invited repeatedly to church, came to the revival. That is what REAP is all about. At Antioch Baptist Church just outside of Lovelady, TX, their REAP revival plans expanded to include the whole community. Instead of having a revival in just one church, four Baptist churches around Lovelady plus the Methodist church decided to make it area wide at their community center. Every night the invitation went long as folks streamed down the aisles to pray and counsel with the pastors at the altar. We do not know all of the decisions made that week because no formal records were kept, but we did learn that a 70 year old man was saved.

A few days before our next revival at First Baptist Church in Groveton, 14 year old Holly joined the pastor and the youth group in passing out posters to advertise the meeting. She talked with the pastor about her relationship with the Lord, and that afternoon she prayed to receive Christ. On Wednesday evening of the revival, Holly made her decision public to the church. Also on that night, 11 year old Paul and his older brother, Dillon were saved.

We never know all that God is doing during a revival, but we trust He will bring to harvest the seeds He allows us to plant. Two weeks after one of our REAP revivals, members of a church told us how God was still bringing renewal to their congregation. Two of their members, who had lost their friendship over a disagreement, forgave each other and were reconciled. Three more teenagers had also been saved since the revival.

In August, we left Texas on another pioneer mission trip to Wisconsin with evangelist Rick Ingle. Our first revival was at First Baptist Church in Clintonville. During a testimony time in one of our services, a lady shared how she had come to know the Lord during a revival we had done there 2 years ago. This time 4 folks gave their hearts to Christ. From Clintonville, we traveled to Graceway Church in Green Bay where 3 more were saved.

Our last revival in Wisconsin was at New Beginnings Church in Manitowac. The new congregation is meeting in a small downtown building that was once a photo developing shop. On Friday evening, they began the festivities with a “brat fry” before the service. We sat at tables out in the front parking lot for the meal. Because the building is so small, the parking lot serves as their fellowship hall when the weather is good. Many of the folks being reached by this mission have never attended a church at all. The “invitation time” at the end of the service, to which we are accustomed, is a foreign idea to them. They will raise their hands during the invitations to indicate that they have prayed to receive Christ, but choose to talk to the pastor about their decision later. On Sunday morning, a newly married couple raised their hands indicating they had surrendered their lives to Christ. After the service, 15 year old Justin told the pastor he asked Jesus into his heart also.

We returned home and began a busy fall revival season. At Elm Street Baptist Church in Woodward, OK, we joined evangelist Steve Cody for a tent revival. On Tuesday night, we experienced “cow bell preaching” for the first time. After the music, the pastor and 2 other speakers, preached in tag team fashion for 8 minutes each. At the end of each preacher’s allotted time, a cow bell rang signifying time to move on to the next speaker. Bro. Steve followed up with a short message and then offered an invitation. A mom and her preteen daughter came forward to receive Christ. Earlier in the day, they had driven by the church and noticed the tent. The daughter wanted to come and see what was going on. They attended the service that night and both were saved. The following night they brought more of their family to the service.

We returned for our 3^rd time with evangelist Herman Cramer to Cornerstone Fellowship in Caddo Mills, TX. We first came to this church 2 years ago during the REAP program in their association. In times past, we have met under a tent for the revival because their temporary building was too small for the crowds. This time they had just completed putting up sheetrock in their new building, and we met there. Electric power had not yet been installed, so an electrical line was run from the old building for temporary power. The air conditioning was not in either, but the Lord gave us cool evenings with a good breeze for each service. It was a wonderful service as the church met for the first time in their new building on Sunday morning. On Sunday evening, one of the members invited his brother and sister to attend with him. His sister is a Christian, but his brother was not. That night he came forward during the invitation to be saved. By the end of the week, 7 folks had given their hearts to Jesus. They were all so excited they decided to have baptism on Wednesday evening. Although the newly installed baptistery did not have a water heater, it did not dampen the enthusiasm of those who were baptized!

We want you to know we appreciate your prayers and concern for us as we minister wherever the Lord opens the doors. So many of you help make the difference through your prayers for our safety and health each week. Since June, Paul has been undergoing an infusion treatment of Remicade every eight weeks for his ulcerated colitis. He has had his 5^th treatment and it has made such a difference. The treatments are something that will have to go on for the rest of his life, but it has basically given him his life back. “Praise the Lord” for answered prayers! We appreciate the individuals, churches, Sunday school classes and mission organizations that have supported our ministry in 2008. The financial support has made such a difference. In these volatile economic times, we do not take that sacrifice lightly. We continue to minister at times in places where the travel expenses we incur far exceed the love offering that is given. One pastor shared with us they couldn’t afford to put evangelistic teams in motels anymore, but they could put in electrical plugs for our trailer and the evangelist’s RV. The additional love gifts from folks during the year help us defray the expenses of providing our own accommodations and fuel costs, so churches will be able to continue to invite us for revival services.

Our schedule still has a number of open weeks in 2009, so please continue to pray that the Lord will open the doors of ministry that He wants us to go through. Also continue to check out our schedule and ministry pictures here on this web site from time to time. Above all else, we want to be used in the Lord’s work and open to go whenever and wherever He chooses to send us.