Thank you for your prayers for us while we are ministering in Central America. The video below was shown at our midweek Bible study at Lancaster Baptist, and it provides an update of our trip.

Terrie and I flew out of Los Angeles last night for a missions trip. We are in Nicaragua now and will spend the next several days in this country, El Salvador, and Costa Rica. Traveling with us is a team of about forty members from our church and students from West Coast Baptist College. I just wanted to take a moment and ask you to pray for us and for this trip.

Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and these people desperately need the Gospel of Christ! I will be preaching this evening with Dr. Ezekiel Salazar. Also, we will be surveying the country with some WCBC graduates.

In El Salvador, we will be doorknocking, preaching in public schools, and preaching the organizational services for two churches that have been founded by Lancaster Baptist Church missionaries—the Charters and Fridenstine families. Also, we will be preaching to the national soccer team and meeting with a group of pastors in El Salvador who are interested in getting further Bible training through West Coast Baptist College. (more…)

If there is a story in the Bible that simultaneously encourages and irritates me, it is the account of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.

Encouraging? God gave Nehemiah a vision to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. As Nehemiah shared the vision, the people rallied and built, raising the walls to God’s glory.

Irritating? The complete project was finished in a mere fifty-two days! Obviously, the Jews did not have to deal with permits, city codes, building inspectors, local ordinances, or the countless other time-takers we have today!

Sunday night, I shared a tremendous vision with our church—an expansion to our Worship Center. In reality, this West Wing Tower is only the first in a three-phase project to make room for what God is doing through our church. (more…)

Christmastime at Lancaster Baptist is encouraging and festive, and I’m looking forward to our upcoming services.

Our special Christmas services will be livestreamed, available at lbclive.tv. Below is a schedule for these events (times given are Pacific Time):

December 10 & 11 at 6:00 p.m.
A Baby Changes Everything Musical—Life changes for everyone when a new baby is born. But the changes are infinitely more dramatic when that Baby is God. Our Christmas musical is a highlight of the year, and I’m praying we will see many people come to Christ both of these evenings through the musical drama and the Bible message afterward. (more…)

For the eleventh time in the history of Lancaster Baptist Church, we thrust our silver shovel in the ground, beginning a new building project by faith. Yesterday morning we broke ground for our West Wing Tower—the first in a three-phase expansion project for our auditorium.

From a human standpoint, starting a multi-million dollar building project during an economic recession is poor timing. But as we gathered on the lawn yesterday, we looked at another time in history when God’s people began a massive building project in uncertain days. Like Nehemiah and the Israelites who built the wall with him, we believe that “The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build” (Nehemiah 2:20)!

Many times over the past twenty-five years we have stepped out in faith and made the sacrifices necessary to provide more space. Every time, God has not only been faithful to provide each need, but He has also filled every new seat! This week, we embark on another spiritual journey that will expand our capacity to reach more people and will increase our faith in God to provide. (more…)