In November 2020, I conducted a BTTB study in my home with a good friend and fellow soldier, Dan. Dan had little religious knowledge. He had recently received a pacemaker implant and was thankful that God had granted him more time on earth. Dan had reached out to me in his search to learn more about God and his grace. I decided to use the BTTN DVD as the method of delivery, and I served as the “silent partner.” After the third study, my friend decided to obey the gospel!
Later that same month, an elder (Mickey) in the congregation decided it was time to get to work. He began to arrange a series of studies that kept us busy for the next couple of months. I served as the teacher, and Mickey served as the silent partner. We conducted our next study with a member’s daughter (Candra) in her parents’ home. After the third study, she decided to obey the gospel!
Our next study began the first week of December. Mickey was truly a “fisher of men.” Mike had recently moved to the Elizabethtown area and had been struggling to find employment and a place to live. Mickey quickly developed a relationship with him and began to plant the gospel seed. After a few weeks, Mike agreed to a Bible study. Mike had a diverse religious history, but it was clear that he was traveling on many paths. After the third study, he decided to obey the gospel!
By this time, the saints in Elizabethtown began to take notice. Our next prospect was given to Mickey and me from a concerned wife and mother-in-law. Bobby came to us with zero biblical knowledge, no religious past, and little education. He had a tremendously hard upbringing. His wife faithfully attended every study. I must say, I had to be very careful, slow and deliberate in my method of delivery with Bobby. Through it all, BTTB was simple to use. After our third study at the building, he decided to obey the gospel!
This next conversion happened over time. I have been studying with my son (Jacob, age 15) using texts, phone calls, the Zoom app, and FaceTime. My son lives in Ohio with his mother. After nearly a year of study, I grew impressed at my son’s knowledge and maturity. I drove to Cincinnati to watch him play hockey and then bring him back to Elizabethtown to visit with us for a week. Through our conversation in the truck, Jacob did not want to wait a second longer to become a member of the Lord’s church. I made a phone call to the elders where we were met by several members at the building. My beloved son was baptized into Christ.
My son became excited about his newfound hope. Our weekly Zoom study grew to about nine older teen members, including his girlfriend Becca (15). She and her family were active members in the First Baptist Church in Ohio. After completing BTTB with the group on Zoom, Becca wanted to be re-baptized, this time for the remission of sins and into Christ Jesus.
Due to her age and distance, I grew concerned about her parents’ thoughts. The next day we did a FaceTime call with her mom, Jaime. She was excited about Becca’s decision. Her mom expressed interest in being re-baptized as well. I was apprehensive at her mom’s rash decision without fully teaching her the gospel message. Our elder, Mickey, had contacted a local congregation in Ohio. He made arrangements for me to meet the preacher there when I took my son back home after his visit with us. There we met Tim, his wife, his parents, Becca, her mom, and her siblings. Becca was baptized into Christ for the remission of sins.
Before leaving Ohio for Kentucky, I left Jacob and Becca the BTTB DVD that you, your wife, Ken, and Marissa produced. Over the next several weeks with very little guidance from me, Becca convinced her mom Jaime to agree to a Bible study. Using nothing but the Bible and the BTTB DVD, Jaimie decided to obey the gospel just a few weeks ago. “God is still alive! BTTB really works. It is simple. It is scriptural. It’s successful and it’s systematic.”
This has been in incredible year. Recently brother Larry Acuff told me. “Open churches mean open doors, and closed churches mean closed doors.” There is no doubt the doors are open, and the brethren have a mind to work! I pray more churches will do the same.
Beattie Road church of Christ, Albany, Georgia: Charles Harris reports, “We’ve had three baptisms within the past week. Abby Puiszis was baptized Wednesday. She is the daughter of two faithful members at Beattie Road. My daughter has studied with her in the past and has tried to offer encouragement along the way. Her parents have done likewise. Several have been praying for her and encouraging her. Sometimes people just need to step back and put the pieces together on their own. I truly believe Abby will do much good for the Lord and His kingdom as time continues. I’m looking forward to watching her grow.”
Coweta church of Christ, Oklahoma: Keno Shrum reports, “Rob, we’ve had another great week of Bible studies. We got thru Lesson 2 BTTB with the gentleman who is a member of the Church of God of Prophecy. He received it well and is scheduled for Lesson 3 this upcoming week. I am excited that my mother-in-law has agreed to go through Lesson 1 with Jamie and me this coming Saturday. Finally, one of the most exciting upcoming studies is one we have worked on for several weeks. He is a part time minister for a denominational church, and he and his wife have agreed to go through BTTB. He surprised us by showing up to our Wednesday evening Bible class and was at Sunday evening worship service tonight. He said he will go through the study with an open mind. Please keep these studies in your prayers. We will continue to pray for you and your family and all of our brothers and sister evangelizing this nation! God bless!”
Jacksonville church of Christ, Alabama: “On Sunday I saw a visiting family sitting on the back pew. I immediately grabbed a visitor bag and introduced myself. ‘Hi, my name is Rob; are you visiting this morning?’ ‘Yes, we are. My name is Cameron, my wife Lindsey, and our little girl is Emma.’ ‘I would like to give you this visitor bag.’ ‘Thank you, that is so kind.’ ‘Could I get your contact information, so we have a record of your visit?’ This simple conversation led our new preacher, Keith Richey and his wife Lynn, to invite them to dinner. The dinner invitation led to a Bible study on Tuesday evening. Guess where the Bible study will lead? Stay tuned!”
Linville Forrest church of Christ, North Carolina: Their preacher Kelly Brown reports, “Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25, were two great days. We studied with three people (Kelly, Maegan, and Josiah) on Saturday. Brother Bernard Revel studied with Maegan and used the Lesson 3 of the Back to the Bible series. Maegan was baptized after the second lesson. Steve Hare and Kelly Brown studied with Kelly and Josiah using the Does It Matter book. After the study, both decided they needed to be baptized. So, we baptized the three of them that evening.
Then on Sunday morning, Edward came with the same lady (Lisa Jenkins) who brought the other three to us. After a study by Brother Bernard, Edward was baptized at the beginning of our services. What an awesome two days. The study through both of the Back to the Bible lessons were so easy for them to understand God’s Word and obey it. We are already preparing for more studies as God has opened the door WIDE. To God Be the Glory!”
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