Noccalula Falls

Saturday, July 21, Martha and I drove from Winona, Mississippi to Piedmont, Alabama. We left at 11:25 a.m. and arrived at the home of brother Bob and sister Peggy Rogers at 5 p.m. They treated us to supper at a local Italian restaurant across the Georgia line and in another time zone. The tasty food was only surpassed by the company of dear brethren.

On the Lord’s Day morning, Martha and I assembled with the Highway Nine Church of Christ, whereupon I spoke for Bible class, a.m. worship and worship once more at 12:30 p.m. Between the worship periods, we were treated to an amply delicious cuisine, complemented by cherished brothers and sisters in Christ. Incidentally, one of our waitresses in the family run eatery was only 9-years-old. She did a very good job and was so cute. Her brother, mom and dad comprise the balance of the team.

Sunday afternoon, we caught up with our hostess, sister Peggy, at the local nursing and rehabilitation center where brethren from the Piedmont Church of Christ were conducting a devotional. A little over three hours later, we assembled with that congregation, and I was again afforded the privilege of speaking to this church, too. Following worship, youth loaded about a dozen boxes of used songbooks into the van; they will eventually make their way overseas to English-speaking Christians.

Passing through Gadsden, Alabama, we stopped briefly at Noccalula Falls; we enjoyed the natural beauty of the site nestled in the cityscape, and we noted the lore surrounding the spot. Then, through the dark of night, we aimed the car back toward Winona, and we pulled into the driveway at 1:00 a.m. In less than an hour, we had the van unloaded and readied ourselves for bed—thoroughly exhausted.

Monday and Tuesday, young people—10-months-old through middle teens—congregated at the World Evangelism Building. They came from the Double Springs Church of Christ in Alabama. For those two days, boys and girls prepared several mailings (i.e., the Bates’ newsletters, The Voice of Truth International), unloaded a truck and warehoused Volume 96 of The Voice of Truth International, packed boxes of books to be sent to student preachers (free of charge), shredded papers and cleaned. They also loaded literature into Jerry’s utility trailer; Wednesday he and Paula left for Texas where they will offload the literature for eventual shipment to African nations.

Wednesday, Martha and I personally delivered two cases of The Voice of Truth International #96 to the West President Church of Christ in Greenwood, Mississippi. We were passing through before services on our way to the Indianola Church of Christ in Indianola, Mississippi. Before we got to Indianola, we paused for awhile in Moorhead, Mississippi at the home of brother Gene and sister Madolyn Gibson. Gene has been and is valiantly fighting illness as they have tirelessly for many years operated a Christian Student Center across from Mississippi Delta Community College.

Brother Gene Hill taught the adult class at the Indianola Church of Christ. It was good to assemble with these familiar brethren. We were cordially greeted, and we left some The Voice of Truth International and Global Harvest magazines as well as a few of the Rushmore Newsletter. We arrived back home at 10 p.m.

Between incidents mentioned above, we devoted ourselves to sundry office duties. Martha has been contacting schools of preaching and Bible colleges associated with the churches of Christ to prepare for sending books to men in training to be preachers. I have been working on the August edition of Gospel Gazette Online and volume 98 of The Voice of Truth International. Today, we also prepared “Thank You” cards for our most recent donors over the past week. There is always much to do—often behind the scenes to further the cause of Christ. We are pleased to be of some service to our Lord, and thankful that congregations and Christian families make it possible for us to so do.

Behind the Scenes

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Sunday, July 15, 2018, Martha and I assembled for the a.m. Bible class and worship with the West President Church of Christ in Greenwood, Mississippi. I talked about missions during class time and preached during worship about “Biblical Interpretation.” Sunday evening, we dropped in on the Coffeeville Church of Christ in the Mississippi town by the same name. The congregation’s new preacher, Ben McRee, was preaching. Brother Don Roberson, Coffeeville’s former preacher, led singing.

Monday and Tuesday, young people the Leoma, Tennessee Church of Christ came to work at the World Evangelism Building in Winona, Mississippi. For two days, teen boys and girls as well as their chaperones attended to a lot of chores. Several mailings were prepared whereby copies of Global Harvest magazine and sister Betty Choate’s newsletter were dispersed throughout the country. They also loaded a utility trailer with nearly $28,000 worth of literature—a little over 2,400 pounds. Eventually, this shipment will make its way to about a hundred churches of Christ throughout the South American country of Guyana.

For lunch Tuesday, brethren Joshua and Kabita Gootam from Kakinada, India—plus their son, daughter-in-law and grandbaby girl—joined the whole crew. Boys and girls got to hear firsthand from brother Joshua about the introduction of the Gospel into India in the 1960’s through the present. Finally, everyone departed, and the Winona bunch retired to their homes.

There are a lot of components to the foreign mission work of World Evangelism team members behind the scenes and of which Christians are largely unaware. We travel nearly every weekend to congregations throughout the USA—trying to speak for two churches each Lord’s Day that are within driving distance of each other. We keep literature going (e.g., The Voice of Truth International and Global Harvest magazines, tracts, books). We are responsible for international radio and television Gospel broadcasts, massive distribution of literature, the Internet magazine Gospel Gazette Online, worldwide teaching (e.g., Bible schools, churches, streets, homes). Each of us, amenable to our respective overseeing congregations with their elderships, voluntarily cooperate to provide a comprehensive approach to evangelizing the world. There is a whole lot of what goes on behind the scenes to make it possible to fulfill today the words of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Great Commission. We couldn’t do any of it without the prayers, physical help from time to time and financial participation of fellow Christians and the churches with which they worship. Thank you!

2018 World Evangelism Team Meeting

Thursday and Friday, July 12-13, 2018, several brethren convened on Winona, Mississippi for our annual World Evangelism Team Meeting. We shared notes on our varied activities around the world over the past year, and we brainstormed about how we could be more useful to our Lord Jesus Christ in the coming year.

Naturally, we had to eat, too. As we always do, Thursday night we assembled for our supper meal at the Carmack Fish House. Back at the World Evangelism Building otherwise, we had breakfast and lunch meals also.

It is ever a pleasure to commune with our fellow-laborers and encourage each other. We are graying (or balding) and becoming feebler but no less energetic spiritually. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16 NKJV).

New Reading Material!

Three new PDF files are ready for your reading pleasure and enjoyment. The price is right, too—no charge! The following items have been added to the newsletter archive and to the 100+ titles in the Digital Library at Gospel Gazette Online (www.GospelGazette.com).

• The Rushmore Newsletter (http://www.gospelgazette.com/Newsletter/2018/June.pdf) for June is available in a PDF file, besides the nearly 1,200 printed copies that were mailed recently. Keep abreast of happenings concerning Martha and me—stateside and abroad.
• Volume 97 of The Voice of Truth International (http://www.gospelgazette.com/Library/Voice%20of%20Truth/VOT_097.pdf) also is accessible now in a PDF file. Recently, the digital file was made available to the printing company that prints it, but the printed copy will not be ready for distribution for months. This is another instance where you can read it before you can hold it!
• Job’s Journey to Know God, a 122-page study book, likewise, is obtainable for your edification. You can access it at http://www.gospelgazette.com/Library/PDF%20Books/Job’s_Journey_to_Know_God.pdf.
• In addition, the July issue of Gospel Gazette Online is newly available at GospelGazette.com. Thousands of articles are also archived and searchable at Gospel Gazette Online.

Printed editions of the first three above are available upon request. The printed Rushmore Newsletter is free to all who want it; just contact me at Email: rushmore@gospelgazette.com. The Voice of Truth International and Job’s Journey to Know God are sold for nominal fees to offset publishing costs. They and about 350 other titles can be inspected online at www.WorldEvangelismMedia.com.

Aside from the above, Friday, July 6, Martha and I had eye examinations. Our eyesight has remained constant over the past year, for which we are happy, of course. Martha involuntarily posed for the snapshot!

Union, Mississippi

Martha and I began the month of July by a visit on the first to the Church of Christ in Union, Mississippi. That entailed an early-morning departure from Winona, Mississippi to arrive in plenty of time before Bible class at 9:30 a.m. During class time, I talked about 2017-2018 mission trips to South America and Asia. It was a privilege to assemble for worship with God’s people—as it always is no matter where we go on Earth. Further, it was an honor to preach as we worshipped God in spirit and in truth. Afterward, a few of us dined in the local hospital cafeteria, as we have from time to time before. These good brethren ever encourage us, and they participate with us in our labors for Jesus Christ our Lord.