December 2018
Upcoming Mission and Ministry Schedule
September-November: US travels--visits to several states; visits to the churches
September-December: teaching and preaching in US churches, men's group, various church Bible classes
November 25: Preach and Mission Report; Main and Oklahoma church of Christ, McAlester, OK
November 27-December 2: Baxter Institute graduation, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
December 8-14: Centro Historico, Guatemala City; Church leaders seminar, Clinica Ezell, Guatemala
January 9-16 (2019): Heredia, San Jose, Costa Rica (plus various churches)
March 14-18 (2019): Santiago,Dominican Republic (retreat, teaching/preaching)
May 15-18 (2019): Seminario Baxter, Tegucigalpa, Honduras; will be expanded to include visits to other locations
The 2018 Calendar is available on this site. I hope you can attend an event when I am in your area. Contact me for specific details of events listed or to schedule an event. A few open dates remain on the 2019 calendar.
Leaving Footprints
December 1, 2018
As one gets older, one spends more time thinking about one's life. Perhaps the tendency to review and evaluate one's life is a normal part of aging. I am now officially in my eighth decade! (For those who are not quick at the math, that means I just celebrated my 70th birthday!)
How does one measure life? "Remember your leaders, those who told you God's Word, look carefully at the results of their conduct and behavior, and imitate their faith" (Heb. 13:7). Leaders are described as those who spoke God's Word and lived it out in faith. Their lives are summarized in two words -- conduct and behavior. Everything we do has results, and the combined results will be the measure of our existence on this planet.
Questions. What will be my footprint? To what am I dedicated? What is my life about? Who am I? I can think about and evaluate my life, but others will ultimately decide if I have correctly thought about who I am and who I want to be. Here is how I would like to think about my life.
I am (or I have tried to be) a teacher, preacher, professor, missionary, exegete, servant, author, evangelist, and spiritual leader.
I am (or have tried to be) a good husband, father, and grandfather.
I am (or have tried to be) a friend, confidant, mentor, brother in Christ, neighbor, kingdom person, member of God's great assembly of believers. I would add: encourager, lover, spiritual seeker, a lover and pursuer of people.
Merely leaving footprints in the pathways of this world has little meaning or impact eternally. Where and how we leave footprints matters. Christians leave footprints through the things they do and the impact they have on others. John wrote that when we rest from the troubles of this world, our works will continue and remain as an example (Rev. 14:13). Works and example: these are our footprints, left for others to follow.
We can leave different kinds of footprints that have an impact on others. [These are only listed in this excerpt; they are expanded in the full article.]
Footprints of spirituality; footprints of priorities; footprints of personal ministry; footprints of example, conduct and behavior; footprints of influence; footprints of attitude; footprints of unity.
Let each of us resolve to leave the kind of footprints that will matter for eternity!
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The above is an excerpt. The entire article can be accessed and downloaded at: Leaving Footprints
