Time for Sabbath Rest...

This summer will be the second time in my pastoral ministry that I have had the opportunity to take an extended sabbatical. I am indebted to our church's leadership for providing this for me every three years. They had the foresight and and generosity to set this up for the pastor even before they knew who it would be when I arrived here nearly seven years ago. So this July I will step away for a month and enjoy a much needed rest.

For some folks, there is confusion and skepticism about why a pastor would ever need extended time away. That usually comes from the same crowd that's convinced that he only works on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights! I've discovered this time is valuable for several reasons.

First, the preaching and teaching ministry is one of the most mentally and emotionally draining tasks that anyone can engage in. I tell folks often that Sunday just keeps coming at you. It's a continual challenge to remain fresh and energized when you are speaking to many of the same people for most of the year. My sabbatical gives me the chance to step away and be fed by other preachers and teachers. I can read and study more extensively for myself. I can engage the Word of God, not to preach it to others, but to preach it to myself.

Second, my sabbatical gives me time to reconnect with my family and more intensively pour myself into their lives. Some months in the ministry I can spend anywhere from 4-8 hours in family counseling. As pastors, we often feel guilty that we are giving our best energy to other marriages and other children, rather than investing in our own.

And finally, my sabbatical gives me a chance to step away and really look and my ministry with the long view. In the daily grind of congregational life, you so often get caught up in just trying to keep your head above water each week. There are mettings to prepare for and hospital visits to make. Effective ministry requires some intensive attention given to the big picture.

If your pastor does not get the opportunity to take a sabbatical every few years, I strongly encourage you to be his advocate and provide this for him and his family. The long-term benefit to your church will far outweigh the inconvenience of having him out of the pulpit. His family and the family of God will be blessed by an extended time of sabbath rest.

My Summer Reading List

Between some vacation trips and a study break I'm taking this summer, I've put together a reading list that I am already working on. These choices reflect my interests as a pastor as well as one of my "guilty pleasures"--American westerns. Maybe a few of them will interest you as well. I hope you will take time this summer to not only refresh and replenish your body, but also sharpen and grow your mind. Happy reading!


Read the Bible for Life: Your Guide to Understanding & Living God's Word, by George H. Guthrie
I met Dr. Guthrie this month at the Southern Baptist Convention and fell in love with this new work he has released. I plan on teaching it this fall on Sunday nights as a preparation course for reading the Bible through as a church next year. It's a great resource every one should have who is serious about knowing their Bible.


Tempted and Tried, by Russell D. Moore
I'm almost finished with this great study on the temptation and triumph of Christ in the wilderness. It's one of the best resources you will find on dealing with temptation in your life.


Hell Under Fire, Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson, eds.
I finished this book last month as a resource for preparing my present sermon series on hell. This is a collection of essays on the doctrine of hell by some truly world-class evangelical scholars.


Whosoever Will: A Biblical-Theological Critique of Five-Point Calvinism, by David L. Allen
I'm looking forward to reading this work that is a collection of presentations made at the John 3:16 conference a few years ago.


Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, by Eric Metaxas
I've heard so many good reviews of this award-winning work by Metaxas. I'm really looking forward to diving in to it.


Radical Together, by David Platt
This is the follow-up to Platt's ground-breaking book. David's probably the most respected voice in the SBC right now.


The Last Gunfight: The Real Story of the Shootout at the O.K. Corral and How it Changed the American West, by Jeff Guinn
I love westerns, so I'm really looking forward to learning more about the real story of the O.K. Corral (even if it ruins it for me when I watch "Tombstone" from now on).


Doc: A Novel, by Mary Doria Russell
"I'm your huckleberry."


The Word Became Fresh: How to Preach from Old Testament Narrative Texts, by Dale Ralph Davis
I've always felt that Old Testament narrative is the most challenging type of text to preach. This is a great new resource for preachers and teachers.


Salvation and Sovereignty: A Molinist Approach, by Kenneth Keathley
Keathley's treatment of these doctrines intrigues me and I'm looking forward to becoming more familiar with his position.

Biblical Friendship Looks Like This...

"Brother, I want you to know that I am committed to you. Your will never knowingly suffer at my hands. I'll never say or do anything knowingly to hurt you. I will always in every circumstance seek to help you and support you. If you're down and I can lift you up, I'll do it. Anything I have that you need, I'll share it with you. And if I have to, I'll give it to you. No matter what I find out about you and no matter what happens in the future--either good or bad--my commitment to you will never change. There is nothing you can do about it and you don't have to respond. I love you and that's what it means." Source Unknown

10 Questions to Turn Your Conversation to the Gospel

(From an article by Don Whitney)

Many Christians suffer with unnecessary fears about sharing their faith. Once they finally get a conversation turned to the subject of the Gospel, however, most believers find that they're able to manage quite well. Much of the time the biggest problem is simply moving a conversation from small talk to "big" talk, the biggest subject of all—the Gospel. Here's a list of questions that can help. Some of them aren't original with me, though I don't recall where years ago I first heard the ones I've borrowed. I've found that the last one opens more doors for the Gospel in the widest variety of situations.

1. When you die, if God says to you, "Why should I let you into Heaven?", what would you say? Are you interested in what the Bible says about your answer?
2. If you were to die tonight, where do you think you would spend eternity? Why? Are you interested in what the Bible says about this?
3. Do you think much about spiritual things?
4. How is God involved in your life?
5. How important is your faith to you?
6. What has been your most meaningful spiritual experience?
7. Do you find that your religious heritage answers your questions about life?
8. Do you have any kind of spiritual beliefs? If what you believe were not true, would you want to know it? Well, the Bible says .
9. To you, who is Jesus?
10. I often like to pray for people I meet; how can I pray for you?

What I Wanted

It was Spring, but it was Summer I wanted;
The warm days and the great outdoors.

It was Summer, but it was Fall I wanted;
The colorful leaves and the cool, dry air.

It was Fall, but it was Winter I wanted;
The beautiful snow and the joy of the holiday season.

It was Winter, but it was Spring I wanted;
The warmth and the blossoming of nature.

I was a child, and it was adulthood I wanted;
The freedom and the respect.

I was 20, but it was 30 I wanted;
The youth and the free spirit.

I was retired, but it was middle-aged I wanted;

The presence of mind without limitations.

My life was over;
and I never got what I wanted.

(quoted by Chuck Swindoll)

Why I Will Vote for the GCR Task Force Recommendations

If you are a Southern Baptist, by now you know that next week at our annual convention in Orlando we will vote on recommendations from a "Great Commission Resurgence Task Force" that was appointed at last year's convention in Louisville. The Task Force's work has been the focus of our attention for the last twelve months because the recommendations they put forward in their report have lasting ramifications for our denomination in the years to come.

If you aren't familiar with the group's report, I urge you to visit the GCR Blog and watch or read the entire report. If you would like to read several opposing viewpoints, go to Baptist Press.

I have a keen interest in the report and have read and prayed over it carefully for two key reasons: 1) I'm a lifelong Southern Baptist and a product of God's work in this denomination. Her mission is near and dear to my heart. 2) I'm being nominated next week to serve on our North American Mission Board as a trustee. As you'll see in the report, the mission and even the very existence of NAMB has been a key focus of the discussion.

I have good friends, fellow pastors and leaders in our state conventions, who strongly disagree with many of the key components of this report. And I will go on record as saying that I hope there will be consideration given to strengthening the language concerning the Cooperative Program as our key funding strategy. But at the end of the day, my conviction to support this initiative is three-fold:

First, Southern Baptists aren't the hope of the world. Yes, I said that. Jesus is the hope of the world. As I've pored over many of the opinion pieces on Baptist Press and other places, I'm often grieved that many of our leaders seem to feel that the preservation of a denominational structure should take priority over the spiritual darkness of the world. I know that there isn't a single one of them that actually believe this, but if our passion for the Great Commission is continually limited by our unwillingness to ruthlessly evaluate "sacred cows" (like cooperative agreements and the key mission of longstanding bodies like the Executive Committee) then will we ever really discover the true potential God has given this great denomination?

Second, the people of God should always be on a mission to seek God with fresh eyes and a pure heart. For too long I think we've been unwilling to consider a better way simply because it would require us to make changes that would put a strain on longstanding relationships between state conventions. My concern about "cooperative agreements" simply reflects my bewilderment at how we can keep doing something at the state and national level that we have already seen fail at the local level. For instance, how effective would our church's mission giving be if there were "cooperative agreements" with the student ministry, Sunday School classes, and committees? We would have to require that a certain amount of our missions giving each year be sent back to these groups so that they could fund their own mission projects. This obviously still gets some mission work done; it even involves and develops our own peope in missions, and there isn't anything wrong with that. But would it surprise us if our missions giving actually went down because people began to see that much of their giving never actually made it to missionaries and church planters on the field? Yet this is essentially how a great deal of our missions giving to foreign fields comes right back to the state level. Are good things being done? Absolutely. Is this the best way to fund missions work in the most spiritually lost places? I just don't think so.

Finally, time is short and Jesus is coming back soon. No one who has tracked the health of our convention over the last decade could argue that we are at a critical crossroads. We have to be willing to make the hard choices that give us the greatest potential to impact the world while God grants us the opportunity. I totally agree that if every individual would tithe, if every church would give at least a tithe or more to the CP (our church gives 14%), then it may have never occurred to us that we needed a Great Commission resurgence. But obedience to God has always meant that there is a crucial devotion to stewardship--stewardship of monies, personnel, as well as stewardship of our thinking and planning.

We all recognize that these recommendations aren't a cure-all. Nothing can replace our personal devotion to loving God with our hearts, souls, and strength. But my prayer is that if they pass, they might become a launching platform for the greatest Great Commission movement of our lifetimes. May we all come together under Jesus to make it so.

What Your Pastor Cherishes Most...

This year at Together for the Gospel, John MacArthur was asked what kind of counsel he might give to elders or church members who wonder what their pastor needs the most from them. For all of my friends who want to discover how to help their pastor be as successful as he can possibly be, these words are priceless:

"What I cherish the most is a true and loving loyalty. This disloyalty, betrayal, undermining, just cuts the heart out of your pastor. When I talk about loving loyalty, I mean when there is an issue that needs to be addressed you go eyeball-to-eyeball, man-to-man, and you confront it. And I love that. I love when guys come to me and say, “John, I think this is a problem. I think you are overlooking this. I think this is a misstep on your part.” Those are the men I cherish. Those are the men I pull to my heart. 


But what is just terribly debilitating is to feign that kind of affection to the man and then undermine that among the people. That is the most difficult thing. It is the betrayal that that brings. I could endure any problem in a church. I am challenged to solve any problem. But it is so hard when the men that you trust betray you behind your back. Because he is God’s man in your midst, you give him your love and you give him your loyalty. Be honest with him, face to face, man to man, open hearted. But understand the burden that he bears, and you need to be his true friend. You really do."

The Day He Died

When asked what God had taught him most deeply about life, George Mueller (1805-1898), pastor and philanthropist, explained:

“There was a day when I died, utterly died, died to George Mueller, his opinions, preferences, tastes and will, died to the world, its approval or censure, died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends, and since then I have studied only to show myself approved unto God.”

Quoted in A. T. Pierson, George Mueller of Bristol (London, 1899), page 367.

Just Preach Jesus

When I came out of seminary a few years ago, the new push towards "relevant," or "seeker-sensitive worship" was just beginning to gain steam. I remember being in preaching class with a lot of guys at Southwestern and that was the buzz. "You've got to exegete the culture around you before you exegete your sermon." And I have to confess that when I first started pastoring a few years later, this kind of thinking got inside my head. It's probably influenced more sermons I've preached than I care to admit.

But God's patience and extended time in the pressure cooker of local church ministry have a way of teaching you things that no conference or church growth seminar can. And over the years I began to realize that a steady, long-term commitment to passionate, in-your-face, biblical preaching produces more long-lasting fruit for the kingdom than any fancy church growth strategy ever did.

I love this recent quote from James MacDonald on his devotion to strong, biblical preaching:

I try not to spend any time in my message preparation thinking about what people want to hear or what questions the culture is asking. I just don’t spend any time on that at all. I have believed now for 21-plus years that if you try with all of your heart to say some things that God wants said—God has some things he wants said; that’s why he wrote a Book—God would get some people over here to hear it.

"I try not to spend any time in my message preparation thinking about what people want to hear or what questions the culture is asking." I had to laugh when I read that. Do you realize how many warehouses of paper have been used to print books and manuals that teach us how to do that exact thing? If you'd like to read the entire interview with James on preaching, you'll find it here.

And I say "Amen." God wrote a book. Let's read it, study it, memorize it, meditate on it, swim in it, and preach it with white-hot passion until the Savior returns. And trust God to get some people in the seats to hear it. I can't wait for Sunday to get here!

The New Tradition in Worship

If you hang around the local church long enough, you see trends come and go, especially when it comes to worship style. That's why the substance and the heartbeat of authentic worship has to be the proclamation and the celebration of the gospel, not creating a bigger and better musical experience every week. North Point put out a humorous video this week that illustrates how contemporary has become the new traditional.

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

The Divine Architect

Thanks to Randy Alcorn for pointing me to this incredible excerpt from one of Spurgeon's sermons, "Laus Deo" (which is Latin for "Praise Be to God"). If you don't visit his blog it's well worth your time at www.randyalcorn.blogspot.com.

Meditate, dear friends, upon the whole range of God’s works in creation and providence. There was a period when God dwelt alone and creatures were not. In that time before all time, when there was no day but “The Ancient of Days,” when matter and created mind were alike unborn, and even space was not, God, the great I Am, was as perfect, glorious, and blessed as he is now. There was no sun, and yet Jehovah dwelt in light ineffable; there was no earth, and yet his throne stood fast and firm; there were no heavens, and yet his glory was unbounded. God inhabited eternity in the infinite majesty and happiness of his self-contained greatness.

If the Lord, thus abiding in awful solitude, should choose to create anything, the first thought and idea must come of him, for there was no other to think or suggest. All things must be of him in design. With whom can he take counsel? Who shall instruct him? There existed not another to come into the council-chamber, even if such an assistance could be supposable with the Most High.

In the beginning of his way before his works of old, eternal wisdom brought forth from its own mind the perfect plan of future creations, and every line and mark therein must clearly have been of the Lord alone. He ordained the pathway of every planet, and the abode of every fixed star. He poured forth the sweet influences of the Pleiades, and girt Orion with his bands. He appointed the bounds of the sea, and settled the course of the winds.

As to the earth, the Lord alone planned its foundations, and stretched his line upon it. He formed in his own mind the mould of all his creatures and found for them a dwelling and a service. He appointed the degree of strength with which he would endow each creature, settled its months of life, its hour of death, its coming and its going. Divine wisdom mapped this earth, its flowing rivers and foaming seas, the towering mountains, and the laughing valleys.

The divine Architect fixed the gates of the morning and the doors of the shadow of death. Nothing could have been suggested by any other, for there was no other to suggest. It was in his power to have made a universe very different from this, if he had so pleased; and that he has made it what it is, must have been merely because in his wisdom and prudence he saw fit to do so.

There cannot be any reason why he should not have created a world from which sin should have been for ever excluded; and that he suffered sin to enter into his creation must again be ascribed to his own infinite sovereignty. Had he not well known that he would be master over sin, and out of evil evolve the noblest display of his own glory, he had not permitted it to enter into the world: but, in sketching the whole history of the universe which he was about to create, he permitted even that black spot to defile his work, because he foreknew what songs of everlasting triumph would rise to himself when, in streams of his own blood, incarnate Deity should wash out the stain.

It cannot be doubted that whatever may be the whole drama of history in creation and providence, there is a high and mysterious sense in which it is all of God. The sin is not God’s, but the temporary permission of its existence formed part of the foreknown scheme, and to our faith the intervention of moral evil, and the purity of the divine character, do neither of them diminish the force of our belief that the whole scope of history is of God in the fullest sense.

My Prayer Today

One of my favorite preachers, James McDonald, shares this prayer today that he often prays for the start of every day. May it be ours also...

Ephesians 5:18, “Be filled with the Spirit.”

Lord, fill me with Your Spirit today. I can’t fix yesterday, and tomorrow seems a long way off.
Today, Lord: Cleanse my heart from the fleshly residue of yesterday’s fallen humanity.
Today, Lord: Scrub my thoughts and motives till they shine with singularity – wanting Your glory alone.
Today, Lord: Wash me and I will be whiter than snow, purposed afresh to follow Your footsteps.

Lord, fill me with Your Spirit today. The tasks ahead are too much. If I must go alone, I cannot go at all.
Today, Lord: I’m not smart enough to know what is best, and not strong enough to choose what is righteous.
Today, Lord: My wife, my family, my friends, my church . . . I am not sufficient for these things, and I know it.
Today, Lord: Or what unfolds in the hours ahead will fade into the abyss of worthless, wasted time.

Lord, fill me with Your Spirit right now. Come, make these 24 hours all You created them to be.
Now, Lord: You know how to ‘give good gifts’ and I am so thankful to be called Your child.
Now, Lord: By faith, I receive the Presence You’ve promised, and delight to know that Your Word is true.
Now, Lord: You are filling my life with peace and purpose and freeing my soul to sing.

Galatians 5:16, 22, “Walk then in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of your flesh. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self control.”

I Want to be a Man of One Thing

"A zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing. It is not enough to say that he is earnest, hearty, uncompromising, thorough-going, whole-hearted, fervent in spirit. He only sees one thing, he cares for one thing, he lives for one thing, he is swallowed up in one thing; and that one thing is to please God. Whether he lives, or whether he is rich, or whether he is poor--whether he pleases man, or whether he gives offense--whether he is thought wise, or whether he is thought foolish--whether he gets blame, or whether he gets praise--whether he gets honor, or whether he gets shame--for all that this zealous man cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing, and that one thing is to please God, and to advance God's glory. If he is consumed in the very burning, he cares not for it--he is content. He feels that, like a lamp, he is made to burn; and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such a one will always find a sphere for his zeal. If he cannot preach, work, and give money, he will cry, and sigh, and pray...If he cannot fight in the valley with Joshua, he will do the work of Moses, Aaron, and Hur, on the hill (Exodus 17:9-13). If he is cut off from working himself, he will give the Lord no rest till help is raised up from another quarter, and the work is done. This is what I mean when I speak of 'zeal' in religion." J. C. Ryle in Practical Relgion

Books I'm Reading Right Now

He Dwelt Among Us by A.W. Tozer

This is a collection of Tozer's teachings from the gospel of John. Great insight on the fourth gospel.

The Reason for God by Timothy Keller

Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, addresses the doubts that both skeptics and true believers have about God.

How to Reach Your Full Potential for God by Charles Stanley.

Stanley still provides the most practical teaching of any pastor in America. This is no exception.

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

A great story about faith, friendship, and forgiveness.

Everyone's Quest

Confession time...when I was growing up, I really enjoyed watching "professional" wrestling. I realize that calling it professional may be a stretch, thus the quotation marks. But my favorite wrestling was when the teams went after each other. Two or more wrestlers would go up against another team. When one member got pinned or in deep trouble, he would reach out, tag his partner, and IT WAS ON!!

I think that the best picture of what the Great Commission should look like in the local church is God's people doing "tag-team" evangelism. From the very outset, introducing people to Jesus was a "come and see" invitation. Andrew invited Peter. The woman at the well invited her entire village. When we come together for the sake of the gospel, God just seems to bless that kind of effort in a special way.

Beginning February 21, we will be doing some tag-team evangelism at First Baptist with a campaign called "Everyone's Quest." For six weeks, I will be preaching through the foundational truths of the gospel. We will provide you with some invitation cards like the one above and you can use them as conversation-starters with family, friends, and co-workers. Our worship hour will be prayerfully prepared for your special guests. We're praying for God to use this campaign as a vital resource for you in your mission to share the Good News of Jesus. We are ready to get after it this Sunday. Let's tag up!

One reason I love being a pastor...

I could think of dozens of reasons that pastoring a local church is the great joy and privilege of my life. To be sure, some days are better than others; but as a servant to God's flock, one reason that this duty is such a joy is the chance to have a "front seat" when God does a transforming work in someone's life.

Last night we hosted a local Christian band for an evening concert at our church. After the concert I was drifting around meeting visitors and enjoying fellowship with church members. A young lady introduced herself to me that had come with a friend. She was new in our city and looking for a church. I told her I was more than happy to talk to her about our congregation. During the conversation, she mentioned that she came as a guest of her friend, who was a friend of a band member. She mentioned to me that her friend wasn't a Christian, but was looking for answers.

In a few moments her friend walked up. We were introduced and began to talk. Here was a lost person who not only showed up for a concert at church, but had invited a friend. If that isn't someone who is ready for the gospel, I don't know who is! I began to explain the gospel to her and asked her if she was ready to turn her whole life over to Jesus. She enthusiastically said "Yes!"

It was a great finish to an incredible day: one other came forward for baptism and one teenager surrendered to missions Sunday morning. Those are the days when I love being a pastor. Every pastor has seasons of trial and grief in ministry, but thank you Jesus for letting us be a part of your eternal purpose in people's lives! I can't wait for next Sunday.

My Pick for the U.S. Open

This week Phil Mickelson will tee it up for the U.S. Open at Bethpage, New York. I don't know how he will fare in the final standings. Mickelson has always been a threat at major championships. Thus far he has won the 2004 Masters, the 2005 PGA Championship, and the 2006 Masters. But I feel safe in making this prediction: whatever the result come Sunday, in my opinion Phil is already the winner.

You probably already know by now that Mickelson's wife, Amy, began treatment for breast cancer last month. Earlier in the season at an emotional press conference, he announced that he was suspending much of his play this year to be with her as she goes through treatment. As of now, Amy's surgery is scheduled for July, with treatments to follow. The cancer was caught early, so prognosis is good.

"I'm putting everything I have into this week," Mickelson said, "because I don't anticipate being able to play for awhile." In an era where there are so many examples of men embracing passivity and ignoring their responsibilities, Mickelson is a model of what authentic manhood is all about. Real men are there for their wives, "in sickness and in health." I'm sure Amy has stood by him at all the high and low points in his career. And he is standing with her as she faces perhaps her greatest challenge. So that's my take. This Father's Day I'm picking Phil Mickelson. May many other men follow his example.

"It is a poor sermon that gives no offense—that neither makes the hearer displeased with himself nor with the preacher." George Whitfield

Hearing from God Under the Mango Tree...

I'm posting this morning from Kolda, Senegal. We are having a great time doing some preliminary work on our partnership here. Our goal is to help plant a church in a nearby village, Sarre Yoba, where there are no believers. It is an exciting type of ministry that I urge other churches to get involved in as you seek to take Acts 1:8 seriously.

A few days ago, we met with about 7-8 new believers and their friends here in Kolda. There was no building, or stained glass windows. Just a mango tree and a few wooden benches and our Bibles. This is really the first church in this area, and it is fascinating watching this small band of Christ-followers figure out how the are going to do church. There are no instruments and no bulletins to hand out; just baby Christians reading their Bibles and then discussing what they have discovered in God's Word.

They had chosen the passage in Luke 11:37-53 as their text for the evening. This is the passage where Jesus pronounces six woes on the Pharisees who are seeking to trip Him up. Now, this is a pretty challenging text I think, even for seasoned Bible students. As they turned to the passage, I was wondering, "Will they really be able to grasp the theme of this text?" Dumb question on my part.

In Kolda, there are several languages spoken. The primary one is probably French. The people group we work with speaks Fulani. Then there are Creoles. So in this group, the verses were read through three times, once in each language. I was asked to read it in English. Each reading took several minutes, but the entire group listened closely to every word. When they had finished reading it, they began discussing what they thought it meant. And within just a few minutes, they had nailed it: God's primary concern is the condition of your heart, not the outward dressing of religion. If you have a disobedient heart, no amount of religious fervor is going to please Him.

Wow! "How did they figure that out?" was my first thought. But I already knew the answer. When we listen to the simple Word of God, with a teachable heart, the Spirit speaks truth into our lives. The Spirit is skilled in French, Fulani, Creole, English, and every other language. I walked away from that worship service under the mango tree with a greater determination than ever to preach God's Word with faithfulness and passion. The Holy Spirit is fully qualified to do the rest. I am grateful to my new brothers and sisters in Senegal for teaching me this timeless truth.

Muslim Demographics

I will be in Senegal for the next week and a half with one of our mission teams, so I will be away from my blog for awhile. Our partnership in West Africa is focused on trying to plant a church in a region that is 98% Muslim. We take the gospel to these regions because of the sobering reality that this video illustrates. Please pray and join with us in asking God to give us the nations.