Ministry Update for July – August 2013

 

Company And More

After buying our house in the next seven weeks we had company for five out of seven. Our house was put to good use right away but we were beginning to get exhausted. All routines had been thrown out the window. Even the two weeks where we didn’t have company were filled. I managed to get some sort of infection in my intestines that was so serious that I ended up in the hospital overnight. The other week we had a funeral to help out with so things have been busy.

Reaching Out To Those Close By

Moving into our new home as provided some new opportunities to get to know our neighbors. I have been challenged by some of the laws in the Old Testament and have been trying to implement them in our modern culture. Let me explain, in Leviticus 19:9-10 we read some apparently obscure laws about not reaping all the grapes off the vine. Then in Leviticus 23:22 we read that the Israelites were not to glean the corners of their fields. Then in Deuteronomy 24:19-22 we read that they were not to gather all the olives from the olive trees. What do these Old Testament Laws have to do with today?

These laws were related to Israel’s system of taking care of the poor. God wanted the poor to be able to glean the food from the corners of the fields, the leftovers of the vine, and the leftovers of the olive trees. When reading the story of Ruth we recognize the importance of these laws because Ruth and Naomi depended upon these laws for their very survival. But how does this help us today?

God didn’t want those who were doing well to so fill their barns with their goods that the poor couldn’t be taken care of. Poor people are simply people in need. Today there are some rich people who are poor in other ways. It is easy for us to fill our schedules with good things and then neglect the needs of those around us. Some of us spend all of our energy working on things that benefit our lives, our church, our family and then don’t have any energy to help someone who can never repay the favor. We can spend a lot of time working for an evangelistic event or taking part in scheduled door to door soulwinning but not have time for the person who God brings your way when you haven’t scheduled this as a time to share God’s Word with them.

With all that said, I realized that I have been so busy with “Church tasks” that I have missed many opportunities to make an impact with those nearest to me, my neighbors. I have been striving to get to know my neighbors and develop relationships with them. There is a great spiritual need here and God wants to meet it. Please pray for us as we strive to win the lost and be sensitive to the doors of opportunity that the Lord opens up along the way.

For a more detailed updates please visit our www.OTBChurch.com and click on “Pastor’s Page”

or visit www.jasonandbeccamiller.blogspot.com.

 

To view/download our monthly updates please use the link below.

Miller Family Updates

Thanks so much for your prayers and support,

Jason, Becca, Elizabeth, Andrew, & John Miller

After Eden

First Baptism Service Scheduled for Sunday

Just finished preparing to preach for Sunday and I am very excited because we will be having our first Baptism service. 
I plan, Lord willing, to preach on Baptism (Water and Spiritual Baptism).

Here are the questions I intend to answer... 

1. Who is Your Spiritual Family?

2. Can I Change Families?

3. What’s the Difference Between Families?

4. What Makes the Change Effective?

5. What Does Water Baptism Do?

Do you know where I'm going with each question?

Matthew 18:4

Camping With The Kids In The Rain

On Sunday night we set up the tent so the kids could sleep outside. On Sunday night the whole family slept outside and the past few nights it has just been the kids and I. Last night was a bit of a different story. After broke one of the tent poles and I tried to repair it with good old Duct Tape the weather decides to give us a lightening show and downpour. We managed to stay dry... for the most part. But the edges of everything were soaked. 

Update On My Canning/Pickle Adventure!!!

My life used to consist of "making hay while the sun shined"... but lately it has been "making pickles while the cucumbers are fresh"! As many of you know fro my earlier post I have been canning lots of things...peaches. kiwi jam, cherries and pickles, pickles and more pickles:) Well here is the update...the  earlier post showed the first batch of pickles I did 48 pints (36 actual pints and 6 quarts) those were put in the pantry and here are the additional ones. 

On Monday I was able to 46 pints and 8 quarts...it started slow because I decided to make some the old-fashioned way (without Mrs. Wages) and it turned out to take longer than I anticipated even with Jason's help. I had hoped to be finished with pickles...but one must sleep sometime:) 

So back to pickles/the grindstone today (being Tuesday)...no more homemade ones...quick and easy Mrs. Wages Kosher Dill, which Jason wanted to try. I finished the last ones and ended up with 14 more pints and 2 quarts. So what you see in the photo is Monday's and Tuesday's pickles...so doing the math brings the total (from all days) head count to 96 pints and 14 quarts!!! There were several different kinds-Bread and Butter, Dill,Homemade Dill, Sweet and Kosher Dill...the sweet definitely smelled the best! I think that I am a little pickled myself:) I am still really not sure what I got myself into...:) That is the "official" update!!!

My surplus dwindled just a little:)

Andrew enjoyed helping Mommy!

Elizabeth did a good job keeping John happy!!

Ministry Update

Funeral

On Saturday I preached for another funeral. This time it was someone I had never met and the family had asked me to talk about her. I did my best to take notes of what the family had to say about her and then I did my best. I preached from Philippians 4:8 and specifically the text, “Think on these things.” Ilene testimony was such that her family remembers her as someone who could always find the positive in someone else. I then made the connection to the Gospel by saying there is nothing more glorious and wonderful to think upon than what Christ did to pay for our sins.

Everything went well and I saw a lot of people there I knew that I wouldn’t have been able to preach to otherwise. Please pray for the family. They have lost many loved ones in the last year and many of them are struggling with their faith. With so much pain and suffering they need your prayers as well as mine.

Baptism

We are excited about our first baptism. Next Sunday we plan on doing a Baptismal service. We will be excited to write about it and tell you what took place.

On This Day…

Carey’s Storm

William and Dorothy Carey, with four energetic children, sailed aboard the Kron Princessa Maria to India in 1793. The journey took five months, and the worst moments came about 1 a.m. on August 26, 1793, when the ship sailed into a terrific storm. Carey was awakened by stools, tables, pots, and glasses flying through the room. Mountainous seas bore down on the ship from every direction, and the ship would rise and plunge almost perpendicularly. The vessel managed to ride out the storm, only to be quickly hit by another one. Carey later wrote: “I hope I have learned the necessity of bearing up in the things of God against wind and tide, when there is occasion, as we have done in our voyage.... In the Christian life, we often have to work against wind and tide; but we must do it if we expect ever to make port.”

Robert J. Morgan, Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook, 2002 Edition. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001), 204.

Canning Caught Me Unprepared

The first bit of canning caught me unprepared...and wow was it a process, but fun and very rewarding...what a welcoming sound to hear the lids popping as they sealed:) I am not quite sure what I got myself into, but I am 48 pints of pickles later and at least that many to go! I think I will be pickled after smelling all the pickle brine:) Also canned 6 quarts of peaches 5 pints of cherries and 2 pints of kiwi jam... Crazy but fun!!

I think I am ready now for what ever gets dropped in my lap to can...!!!

Why is There Evil in the World?

I have been preparing to preach from Genesis 3, which is a chapter packed with truth for today. It is where the source of all evil in the world comes from. I saw this video and thought it hit the spot.

If you have trouble viewing the video Click Here.

Ministry Update (long overdue)

Our lives have been very busy this summer and unfortunately I realized that I have forgotten to do ministry updates to keep everyone informed.

March – April 2013

Home Missions Conference

March began with a bang. With a new baby we headed to Englewood, Co for the Dennis Brown Memorial Home Missions Conference. We were encouraged being around other pastors and church planters and received a lot of good preaching.

 

Youth Rally

I spent a large amount of time in March preparing for the youth rally and things went very well. Evangelist Mike Fisher came and preached after the teens were quizzed over Hebrews 7. We had 88 chairs in the building and people were still standing around so I think it is safe to assume we had more than 90 people in attendance. Several teens made decisions of surrender and afterwards they hit the streets for a photo scavenger hunt.

 

 

 

 

Funeral for Charlie Oliver

It wasn’t long after the teen activity that another event was on our plate. Charlie Oliver passed away. His wife LaQuetta Oliver who has been a faithful and active church member spent several weeks helping her failing husband until he passed away on April 10^th. The funeral was held on April 16^th and the family asked me to officiate the service with Bill Walker, who is an old family friend. I was privileged to preach a simple gospel message to many family and friends who would never enter a church building.

 

May – June 2013

Trip To Minnesota

We were compelled to take a last minute trip to Minnesota to help my Father-in-Law get his fields planted. He has hurt his back and needed help. Unfortunately, rain didn’t let us get to much done but it was good to be able to see family again. While I was there I received some phone calls from an family who was interested in coming to our church. They had many questions and we hope to see them soon. On our way home we stopped to see Mt. Rushmore and let the kids do some exploring.

 

Visit from Pastor VanderHart

Pastor Ron VanderHart, the pastor I grew up under, stopped in for a visit with his wife Donna on their way to Yellowstone National Park. They rolled in just in time for our Church service and I asked him to preach for us. He preached a very powerful sermon from Mark 4:35–41 on trials and trouble that we face. After the service they scooted on to Yellowstone so they could check in before their reservation was canceled. It was good to see them again and we made sure we got a picture with them before they left.

 

Buying a house

Just before leaving for Minnesota we looked at another house that was for sale. We weren’t sure if it would work out or not but in many ways it was perfect. It was close to the church, 3 bedrooms, had a fenced in yard for the kids, and even a garage. After returning we closed on the house on June 13^th and have been in a flurry of projects since.

 

 

 

 

Watching God work

On Wednesday before buying the house Sam, our neighbor next to the church, told me that there was a backhoe coming on Friday to clean out some debris between the church property and his. I can remember thinking how there was no way if we bought the house on Thursday I would have enough time to help with this project, prepare for Sunday, clean the house, and begin moving all within 2-3 days.

As we finished up the backhoe project on Friday morning I was approached by Dave Corneliussen. He asked me if there was anything his family could do to help us. I had never met him before and didn’t know him. He had parked across the street with his camper and told me that he had heard about us and was coming through the area helping out small churches. It wasn’t long before we struck up a bond and the whole family Dave, Chris, Even, and Savannah all jumped in helping us move and get many projects done around the church.

I can’t honestly say that I prayed for the Lord’s help for the weekend, but He answered my prayer before it was uttered. Lee and Cindy Griebe and Leroy Clark were planning on coming over on Friday to help clean the house so with many hands the work was made light. We are mostly moved in and about ready for our missions conference. With the Corneliussen family here to help we were even able to get some new laminate flooring in the dining room where the white carpet had been torn up by the previous renter’s dog. We owe a big thank you to the Corneliussen family and are praising God for his provision of much needed help.

 

 

Missions Conference

Just after we finished moving it was time for our missions conference. Many people came from other churches to take part and it was encouraging listening to Pastor Marlin Driskell and Missionary Nathan Roberts preach. After the conference our church voted to take on the missionaries who came as well as the Corneliussen family who are helping small churches. Our people wanted to do this and it was exciting to see it happen.

To view/download our monthly updates please use the link below.

Miller Family Updates

Awaiting God’s Timing

J. Oswald Sanders, missionary statesman, wrote of a time when he wanted a particular position very much. Having friends in positions of influence, he was about ask them to “pull strings” for him. But while walking down the main street in Auckland, New Zealand, turning the matter over in his mind, as he walked past His Majesty’s Theatre, Jeremiah 45:5 to his mind with tremendous authority. “I believe that was a real turning point in my service to the Lord,” Sanders later wrote. As a result, he did not seek the position, but it later opened to him on its own in God’s good timing.
           What may be my future lot,
           High or low concerns me not;
           This doth set my heart at rest:
           What my God appoints is best.

Robert J. Morgan, Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook, 2002 Edition. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001), 212.