Last month I shared with you how our fall campaign resulted in several visitors attending our services. We are thankful to have a good relationship with Shilo Inn and continue to enjoy the use of a recognizable convenient location for our services. It was wonderful to have those visitors in attendance. Sadly, none of them received Jesus as Saviour, and none of them continued to attend church.
In November, we ran a promotion on Facebook inviting people to attend church and offering a free turkey per family for each person who visited. We came up with the idea when we noticed several people in the community asking for food on social media. Although many in the community were asking for food, it seems that no one was willing to attend church to get a free turkey. One family from another church did visit during the campaign so we sent them a gift certificate for a grocery store since they were from out of town. Even though dozens of people gave a thumbs up to the announcement that we made in a community group, no one came to get a free turkey.
In a Clatsop County “rants and raves” social media group, my wife began a “rave” about Jesus Christ while listing the names of Christ and bragging on the Lord Jesus. This group is often full of bickering, foul language, harassment, and hateful posts, so Stacy thought she would add something positive to it. The response at the door continues to be very negative in the community, so we have discussed using the internet to reach out to people as well. The admins of the group contacted her and asked her to stop posting and deleted her comments.
We lost some more people in the last quarter who were attending. I continue to be amazed how folks want to live in gross sin and expect the pastor and church to remain silent. Paul told Timothy to reprove and rebuke with all longsuffering. Jesus said to repent. John the Baptist said to bring forth fruit meet for repentance. I am beginning to realize that even Baptist churches are extremely comfortable places for people living in sin. The Bible says the Holy Spirit will reprove the world of sin. People leave Anchor Baptist Church and find other churches to attend where it seems they are made to be comfortable with their sin. We didn’t come to Astoria to produce a “community fellowship.” We came to plant a Baptist Church! By God’s grace and through his power, that’s what we will do!
Several people sent Super Giant Print Bibles to us for use in nursing homes. I shared with you how one woman received one of those copies and also received Jesus as her Saviour. Recently I visited with her, and she gleefully exclaimed that she had completed reading the entire New Testament! I thank God for her dedication to read and thank you for helping us to reach her with the Gospel! God bless you for your continued prayers and support. The ground is tough, but the seed is good!