November, 2013 Update

THANK GOD FOR NOVEMBER 2013

Report on the Ministry of Dr. Rick Flanders

I spent quite a bit of time this month “up in the air” because I was involved in revival meetings in two distant states and had to take planes to get here and there.  God responded to prayers again in November, and I am glad to report on the events of the month to those who were praying.  Do read this update all the way through because some pretty remarkable things have happened.

• ·         ROUND PRAIRIE BAPTIST CHURCH (November 3-8) near Lockridge, Iowa: a good revival campaign in a strong country church.  I met Pastor Kevin Dice earlier this year, and arranged to work with him and his people this week.  God led and helped us in presenting revival truths here, and in preaching on a variety of subjects.  The Lord brought some to important decisions, and helped us get needy people into the meetings.  He also gave us soul winning opportunities and good prayer meetings. We had a good number of folks visiting from area churches this week, including one for which I preached in a series of meetings earlier in the year. 
• ·         VICTORY BAPTIST CHURCH (November 10-15) in Corydon, Iowa: a revival campaign in a church that was born in revival not long ago!  Prayer and evangelistic effort preceded the meetings, and a faithful member brought a co-worker to church Sunday morning for whom many prayed.  Richard had never visited the church before, although he lived right across the street.  After the morning service, he told his friend that he was coming back to the evening service, and it was after church Sunday night that he got saved!  Evangelist Matt Weber is serving this church as interim pastor now that their founding pastor has been led to another ministry.  We felt that the services and sermons were unusually suited to the needs of the congregation at this time, due to the leading of the Spirit.  I expect to hear of great days in the life of this young church in the near future, especially if we keep praying for them.  They contacted me Sunday night to say that they had covenanted to pray for me in the campaign at Deltona.
• ·         FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH (November 17-23) of Deltona, Florida: a revival campaign in a good church where I had preached a couple of years ago.  Pastor Byron Herchenroder believes and teaches revival truth, and urged attendance at these meetings by both church people and families of the kids in their large Christian school.  We began the week by learning and claiming the promise of Luke 11:13.  I preached in Sunday’s services, revival meetings at night, in Christian school chapels and at a Thanksgiving brunch on Saturday.  Many made important revival decisions, especially on certain nights, God gave us some remarkable evangelistic opportunities, and we saw a student saved in the Christian school.  We also saw some wonderful answers to prayer, and the Sunday after the campaign, there was an important visible move at the invitation that indicates better things ahead.
• ·         MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH (November 24) of Ocala, Florida: a good day given to preaching and teaching on prayer.  Pastor Mike West (with whom I have served the church in past years) announced the services as a one-day conference on prayer.  In Sunday school, I taught a combined class on what Jesus taught about prayer in the Sermon on the Mount.  In church I preached from “the Lord’s prayer” on “Praying out of Temptation” in the morning, and “Praying out of Care” from Philippians 4 in the evening. We saw a lady saved after the morning service, and many Christians deciding about their prayer lives throughout the day.  We also enjoyed a Thanksgiving “dinner on the grounds.”  I got to visit several old “Juniata friends,” such as Cindy (Carmean) Lorusso and Tilly McGinnis, who attend this good church.

The Lord is keeping me busy through the end of the year, and has given me a variety of worthwhile things to do.  December 1-3, I will be at the Crooked Creek Baptist Church of Athens, Georgia, a congregation that has tasted of revival, for what we are calling a “Revival Seminar.”  I will be “lecturing” in a preachy way on the history of revival Sunday through Tuesday.  If you live anywhere near Athens, or know anybody who does, encourage folks to attend these meetings.  We think they will be significant to the Cause of Christ in this part of the country, as well as to the cause of revival at this good church.

December 4-17, I will be teaching a “block-class” on First Corinthians to students at the Baptist College of Ministry in the Milwaukee area.  I am to preach at the Grace Baptist Church of Moline, Illinois, on December 8, at the Falls Baptist Church Sunday morning December 15, at Souls’ Harbor Baptist Church in Milwaukee at 1 p.m. that same Lord’s Day, and at the Mukwonago Baptist Church at 6 p.m.  Then, after the class concludes, I am to teach the new congregation of the Pickerington Baptist Church in Pickerington, Ohio, on Thursday night, December 19, about having prayer meetings.  On December 22, I will preach at the Landmark Baptist Church of Clio, Michigan, (where our son John is pastor) in the morning, and at the Shalom Baptist Church of Orion, Michigan, (where Midwestern Baptist College finds its home) Sunday night.  On the last Sunday of the year, December 29, I will be preaching all day at the new Victory Baptist Church of Marysville, Michigan.  God is raising up many new revival-oriented churches across the land, and bringing more and more older churches to the revival point of view.  It is very exciting, and is coming in answer to prayer!  We are so glad to be playing a role in the revival movement God has initiated and is advancing around the world.

This month, the Lord provided funds to cover nearly all the budget of our NAIROBI MISSION in January.  A gift of $3700 from a private donor came in the mail, which covers all but a little of our known expenses.  Of course, we may encounter some unexpected costs.  We will keep you posted, and we can take extra gifts with us to help the missionaries we will be assisting.  This donation is a remarkable answer to prayer, certainly unexpected and unlikely apart from the power and promises of God.  Thank you so very much for remembering the Nairobi Mission in your prayers, and keep on praying for it.   As of this writing, there is still room for more travelers to join the REVIVAL TOUR OF ISRAEL (March 23-April 5).  Dr. Wayne Van Gelderen and I have been asked to be teachers on this life-changing combination of a revival conference and a holy-land tour.  Go to the BCM website, www.bcmedu.org, to get the details of the trip, or call 1-866-234-2BCM today.  Some of you will be interested in signing up for the new seminary course, BAPTISTS AND REVIVAL, which will be offered January 6-17 by the Baptist College of Ministry. You will want to call the college at 262.251.7051 to get information about the cost of the course, and housing possibilities. Find my new article at our website, www.drrickflanders.com, and look over the other new features there.  May the Lord lead us in our lives and in our prayers.

RICK FLANDERS