Success Stories: September 4, 2024

Glencoe church of Christ, Alabama: David Marker (elder) reports, “We’ve got so many people that are really working hard to help us be more effective in our evangelistic efforts. We are consistent in staying plugged into the HTHSOE model. As a result, we are getting very positive feedback from the community in regard to the compassion cards, invitation cards, new mover baskets delivered, and pies taken to the bereaved. We are having baptisms and restorations and developing a culture of serving others as Christ did.

“Ted Brooks, one of our deacons, continues to do a really good job of teaching our adult New Converts class. Also, because several of our young people have been baptized in the last several months, we have five new converts in our Young Adults/Youth class. In addition, we’ve had several special studies before midweek Bible study at the student’s request. We are planning a mentor class to help develop our young people to be more committed to their faith and inspire them to become leaders in the local church.”

Highland Park church of Christ, Muscle Shoals, Alabama: Andrew Myhan (deacon) reports, “This week we began contacting those that will be coordinators over different areas of service that the eldership agreed on last week. We had one Bible study with a young man on Wednesday. One very encouraging part of this Bible study was that one of our new converts from three weeks ago helped to lead this Bible study! We are compiling our first prospect list and have set a date for our first compassion card day.”

Central church of Christ, Saraland, Alabama: David Dixon (preacher) reports, “We had a special visitor Sunday. I think that will lead to another Bible study. The visitor even stayed for our fellowship meal. We have sent out about 1900 cards and delivered four new mover baskets. We emphasize the postcards at the beginning of worship services every Sunday morning.

“We are now always looking for ways to work evangelism into everything we do, evidence of a culture change. I try to include references to evangelism in every sermon. We now know how to treat visitors. We are making plans for our VBS and other events to have an evangelistic purpose. We know growth will only come by trusting God’s method for evangelism, and we are dedicated to growing not just this year but every year from here on out!”

West Huntsville church of Christ, Alabama: Paul Owen (associate preacher) reports, “Lima Esene’s lesson on “Getting Contacts” Sunday evening gave our congregation a boost. We have many new contacts and six ongoing studies!”

Petersville church of Christ, Florence, Alabama: Adam Richardson (preacher) reports, “Petersville starts our conducting Bible studies class for ten members this Wednesday. The class will run for a quarter, and we will offer it again to another group of interested individuals. Compassion card groups met every week, and I started counseling with one young man we had not heard from in about two years who had been receiving cards.”

Hatton church of Christ, Alabama: Chris Miller (preacher) reports, “We continue to have great participation and enthusiasm.  We currently have 12 contacts receiving cards.  We had our One Mission Meal this past Sunday and assigned our visits.  We recently did another review of Back to The Bible during our AM Bible class.  Chris Miller did an outstanding job reviewing this awesome study tool.  God has blessed our efforts with growth.”

Malvern church of Christ, Arkansas: David Burruss (preacher) reports, “We currently have one Bible study under way and plan to start lesson 2 this week. Compassion cards are still being sent weekly, but starting this month, we will meet after morning services, hoping to get additional participation with the compassion card program. We are preparing for our upcoming Gospel Meeting and preaching seminar, where preachers from the local area will hear evangelism lessons and have an open round table discussion.”

Rison church of Christ, Arkansas: Keden Shrum (preacher) reports, “Recently, we sent compassion cards to a member of the community who had surgery on his face and mouth to remove cancer. His wife was moved by all of the cards and visits made to check on her husband. She came and worshipped with us Sunday morning and thanked the congregation again. She couldn’t eat with us as she needed to return home to her husband, but before leaving, she said she planned to return next week. Sunday evening, Care Team B met to sign cards, and we included her on the cards for this week.”

Niceville church of Christ, Florida: Joe Palmer (preacher) reports, “This past week, we sent 30 compassion cards.  We had two Bible studies with three people. We had lunch with two prospects who attended last Sunday and returned to worship this week.  We had a cookout with them on Monday and have a study set up with them. It was such a pleasure to get to know them, and they were able to connect with several other members. We have several other studies in the works.”

Eatonton church of Christ, Georgia (remote): Roderick Coney (preacher) reports, “Over the last couple of weeks, we finished setting up tables. We are still conducting two Bible studies, and we are teaching the Back to the Bibleseries in Sunday morning Bible study. We also sent out cards to about six people over the last 2 weeks.”

Cartersville church of Christ, Georgia (remote): Charles Harris (regional trainer), “Since implementing the Evangelism Model in June, we have focused primarily on restoring the wayward. Thursday, after studying Does It Matter, Sherry was restored. She is excited about being active in the work here at Cartersville.

“With the addition of Sherry, our New Converts class continues to grow. Last Wednesday, we had six in class. On September 1, we began reaching out to people on a new Prospect List. Compassion Card Group 1 signed 75 cards. Visits to those from past Prospect Lists continue to be made. Notes of appreciation are beginning to be mailed to us from community members. We appreciate all prayers for us as we practice the first part of Acts 2:47 to give opportunity for the Lord to add souls to the church.”

Lafayette church of Christ, Georgia: Jesse Teague (deacon) reports, “Last night was the first Sunday, so of course we sent out compassion cards. About ten saints gathered after worship to send cards to the souls that needed to hear the Gospel. We still have one ongoing Bible study, and we are getting closer to starting a few more. It is fitting to send this on Labor Day; I pray the Lord will give the increase for the labor of the saints.”

Woodstock church of Christ, Georgia: Matt Amos (preacher) reports, “The Prison Ministry Group has expanded our Bible study program to Milledgeville Youth Detention Center (YDC). We are hopeful our classes will be filled with youth interested in Bible studies. The convert class had nine attendees on Sunday morning. WCOC had two non-Christian visitors at our Sunday morning service.”

Honolulu church of Christ, Hawaii: Tagiilima Esene (preacher) reports, “Aloha from the Honolulu congregation! My family and I had the privilege and blessing to be part of PTP this year. I was very encouraged by the presence of brethren in my sessions who wanted to improve their efforts in evangelism. Upon returning home, I learned that two souls are currently studying the Bible with some of our members. We now have a total of seven souls in Bible studies.

“This week’s highlight was one of our sisters responding to the Lord’s invitation, seeking to be right with God. Seeing such a great example of tenderness in the heart is encouraging. God’s promise of forgiveness will continue to cover us as we seek to do what glorifies Him. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”” (1 John 1:9 NKJV). We appreciate all prayers.”

Collinsville-Troy church of Christ, Illinois: Jason Wright (elder) reports, “Prospecting continues in southern Illinois as we mailed out 139 compassion cards this week. We are praying for folks on our bookmarks each week as well. We currently have several Bible studies in progress. One of our sisters just completed a study of Book 3 of Back to the Bible. This precious soul counts the cost and knows what she needs to do. This week, they will study Does It Matterand pray that she will put on Christ in baptism.

“We are gearing up for New Movers in the next couple of weeks. Invitation cards have been ordered, so they will be utilized. We continue our training two Sundays a month and make follow-up visits on the other two. It is just a matter of time before souls will be saved!”

West Hammond church of Christ, Indiana: Robert Webster (preacher) reports, “We had four visitors two Sundays ago with whom we have set up studies for this week. I sent out 26 cards last week. We appreciate all prayers for our studies with these three extremely great prospects.”

Beloit church of Christ, Kansas (remote): Dustin Dougherty (regional trainer) reports, “Sunday is my favorite day of the week when I worship God and fellowship with fellow saints.  We had a great service yesterday and a fellowship meal afterward. I finished teaching the Does It Matter booklet last Wednesday during mid-week Bible studies, and the members in attendance now feel comfortable using that as an option when necessary. I am still seeking contacts and cultivating ground with a few prospects. To God be the glory.”

Central church of Christ, Paducah, Kentucky: Adam Faughn (preacher) reports, “Even in a week where we have been overrun with sickness and had our lowest attendance in about three years, that did not stop our evangelistic efforts. In fact, on Friday night at a youth group lock-in, three young ladies were baptized into Christ. Alexis Kinsler, Kylie Alexander, and Sophie Clark have been visiting with us for some time and studying with one of our families. Late in the night at the lock-in, there was a lesson on the importance of baptism, and each of these young ladies decided it was time to obey the Gospel. We rejoice with them and look forward to helping them as they begin their Christian walk. Due to tremendous sickness, our other efforts were slowed (including having to postpone several studies), but we are continuing to work hard to reach the lost and look forward to continuing these efforts.”

Aberdeen church of Christ, Maryland: Will Brown (preacher) reports, “Yesterday, two souls obeyed the Gospel. They both have been listening to sermons about Jesus and obeying the Gospel. We continue to keep our focus as a church on unity and reaching people. We have had nine baptisms this year, and the third soul has been saved in three weeks. We appreciate all prayers for our efforts.”

La Plata church of Christ, Maryland (remote): Eric Sykes (regional trainer) reports, “We wrote 32 compassion cards this week, and we dropped off a gift basket to one of the ladies who is on our compassion card mailing list. She is in ICU in the hospital a few blocks from the church building. She was sleeping when Sandy and I arrived. We just left the flowers and the book Muscle and a Shovel on her nightstand rather than waking her. Her niece called and thanked us for stopping by and checking on her aunt. She said it meant a lot to the family. We will follow up with her in a few days to see how her aunt is doing.

“Six people attended our advanced teacher training class. We are taking the class on a field trip/pop quiz to show them how to deliver New Mover Baskets. “We had five attendees in our New Converts class and nine members watched “The Providence of God” video in this week’s training class.“We here in La Plata are loving life as we try to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Who knows whether we have come to this place “for such a time as this.”’

East Main church of Christ, Tupelo, Mississippi: Barry Kennedy (preacher) reports, “Work is still going forward at East Main. We continue to send encouragement cards and to reach out to visitors who come our way! It is great to see the energy that members are showing. We are still trying to tweak a few areas to fit our needs. It is, however, good to see members working on things of eternal value! To God be the glory!”

West End Blvd church of Christ, Cape Girardeau, Missouri:  Jared Scaggs (preacher) reports, “Covid has hit us hard. A good 30 members are dealing with it this week, including the preacher and his family. We appreciate all prayers. This weekend is the beginning of our District Fair here in Cape Girardeau. We look forward to generating a lot of contacts from this event.”

Eastside church of Christ, Marshall, Missouri (remote): Charles Reid (preacher) reports, “We had a meeting after worship yesterday afternoon to talk about how to make HTHSOE work in our congregation. It will be a challenge, but we can do His will with prayer, effort, and the Lord’s strength. He was Isaiah’s strength and Jesus’ strength, and He is our strength as well.”

West Highway 160 church of Christ, West Plains, Missouri: Marvin Hatley (elder) reports, “We were fortunate to have three Bible studies this past week. Two of the studies came about due to requests for financial assistance. One of the studies has been ongoing with a former coworker of one of our members. Book 2 of BTTB was completed with this prospect last week, and Lord willing, the study will progress to Book 3 this week. Our Compassion Card Group 2 completed 29 cards to be mailed this week.”

East Flushing church of Christ, New York (remote): Clarence Jenkins (preacher) reports, “We currently have ten prospects and seven Bible studies. We had three visitors on Sunday. After worship service, we watched the YouTube video “House to House/Heart to Heart & Door Knocking Day” and passed out the flier for the “Fifth Annual Brotherhood-wide Door Knocking Day.” We are preparing for that event.

“We had three visitors on Sunday, one of which has been coming consistently for a month. In our training class/meeting on Sunday afternoon, we watched and discussed the video “Growing Church Characteristics of Success.” We also began going through the checklist. This week, we will send out emails with “Reaching the Lost” reports, and we have a date set to have the “Post Seminar Survey” done after the focus and trainings are completed for Door Knocking Day. We appreciate all prayers.”

Carthage church of Christ, North Carolina (remote): Randy Chambers (preacher) reports, “This past week, we continued three personal Bible studies and mailed out 21 compassion cards to prospects. We also had two visitors during worship service; both had visited before.”

New Concord church of Christ, Ohio: Terry Townsend (preacher) reports, “We continue our studies with two people, and we had two visitors on Sunday. They are the parents of one of the young ladies who recently obeyed the Gospel. Though they are denominational, they seemed to enjoy our services.

“We continue to play catch-up on follow-ups with our prospects. Our new mover teams have been busy visiting and distributing baskets to around 15 different families. A couple of families took some of our newer faces (not members but have been visiting) to lunch after Sunday service. One of our families is hosting a young adult luncheon after services next Sunday. We are building stronger relationships!”

Streetsboro church of Christ, Ohio: Ralph Price (preacher) reports, “We currently have three people on our prospect list. We are sending out cards to them this week. We had several visitors yesterday, but they were all members of other congregations visiting for the weekend.

“We are working to encourage our new converts. One of them is working through some tough problems in her personal life. Another is very busy with his job. Another has just started back at school and is very busy. We are blessed to have so many new converts to worry about. We appreciate all prayers so we can help these precious souls stay faithful.”

Coweta church of Christ, Oklahoma: Keno Shrum (regional trainer) reports, “We are continuing to prospect contacts. This week we revisited our bookmarks and are going to be sending out more compassion cards Sunday. We are also gearing up for our door-knocking later this month. Last year, we discovered that door-knocking can be very effective, as several baptisms resulted from it. For so many years, we had no success because we did not know what to say when we knocked on the door. After receiving the proper training from HTHSOE, it has become an effective tool in our evangelism toolbox. I think it highlights how important it is that we pay attention to the videos on the website and use the training cards provided by HTHSOE to be properly trained. This will make our efforts the most effective and the most efficient that they can possibly be as we continue our work to reach lost souls.

“We have had seven baptisms this year, but the work is not done. We have several prospects; we are working to get Bible studies with them. We appreciate all prayers, and we are so thankful to all the congregations that report to RTL as it is an encouragement to read these reports every week! May God bless all of you in your labors!”

Cheyenne church of Christ, Oklahoma (remote): Nathan Brewer (member) reports, “A week ago tonight, we baptized a gentleman who had studied BTTB with me and another member. He is married to a member and has been attending for a couple of years. After we knew him better, he agreed to do the study with us. This was our first baptism utilizing HTHSOE and BTTB. We hope it is the first of many.”

York church of Christ, Pennsylvania: Mark Raschke (deacon) reports, “We prepared some cards to send to a visitor and a member’s relative with health issues. I will also add my next-door neighbor to our list, as he suffered a major heart attack yesterday.”

Union church of Christ, South Carolina (remote): Terry Hale (preacher) reports, “We had a great week of Bible studies, and we are all very excited. I hope to see a positive response to Book 3 of a study on Wednesday, Lord willing. We had another study on Tuesday at the nursing home with one prospect. She was not feeling well. Every week we gain more contacts, and we pray for more workers. I am also taking a packet to introduce HTHSOE to four elders in a meeting at the Liledoun church of Christ in North Carolina.”

Freewill church of Christ, Gainesboro, Tennessee: Andrew Scott (preacher) reports, “We rejoice with Hurbert Chaffin, who was baptized into Christ yesterday afternoon. Two of our members, Danny and Helen Hensley, studied with him last week. It seemed that hopes for his obedience were fading due to a hardened heart, but one more opportunity softened his heart. Never give up!

“It is a blessing to see our members doing Bible studies! After Hurbert’s baptism, we studied the Bible with Jayden Gentry and his mother, Pam. They have been visiting with us for the past couple of weeks. We began Book 1 of Back to the Bible. One of our members helped me as the silent partner, and she did an amazing job. We have had record attendance over the past month, and our members continue to make contacts. I can hardly describe our joy as a congregation is seeking the lost. Evangelism works when we work it! To God be the glory!”

White Oak church of Christ, Tennessee (remote): John McGiffin (preacher) reports, “This Sunday we preached and started training on how to receive visitors for the upcoming Friends and Family Day. It was discussed to have a door-knocking event the Saturday before the event. We modified it and are planning to knock on New Movers Doors.

“As a result, we will preach and train on what to do with new movers. Members said they followed instructions the best they knew in the past. They receive the New Movers List and sent compassion cards for four weeks, but they had several phone calls asking them to stop.

“I asked if anyone visited with a move-in basket before the cards to determine if they would be a prospect. The answer was NO. I explained that compassion cards are the second step of the Model, not the first step. Identifying new movers is a way to gather contacts and gauge whether they are ready to be prospected due to triggering events or life circumstances.

“Several are excited to go out with new mover baskets and attempt to follow the model. To trust the model, they must know and understand the model. After this event, we will refresh their training. As they noted, the work is hard when someone is not consistently pushing the model from the pulpit. The lesson on visitors was well received.”

New Union church of Christ, Manchester, Tennessee: Paul Fultz (elder) reports, “We had eleven visitors last Sunday, and our members submitted five additional contact cards. We sent out 49 compassion cards and made six visits during the week. One Bible study continues, and our New Convert class is going well. We handed out one new mover basket.”

Covington church of Christ, Tennessee: Wayne Dalrymple (elder) reports, “We are continuing to look for opportunities to reach the lost with the Gospel. This week we had several visitors at our services Sunday. Our new converts, Justin and Lyla, were present as well. We hope to get Justin into our New Converts class soon.

“This weekend, the elders, deacons, and ministers will be meeting for a leadership retreat at our building. We hope to focus our efforts on growing the church. We want to do this by making sure we are united as a family. When people see that we are united and love each other, they are more drawn to be a part of that. We want to enhance our influence in the community as we reach out.”

Hebron church of Christ, McMinnville, Tennessee: Derrick Stiles (preacher) reports, “We had a great week and a great Lord’s Day at Hebron. We have adjusted something in the compassion card program that will help us be more efficient. We have four weeks of cycling through compassion cards, and in the fifth week, the team leaders meet with the coordinator. They will discuss proceeding with the elder’s decisions on the new prospect list. This allows the team leaders to better organize and prepare for the next round of compassion cards. This seems to work well for staying organized. We hope to transition a few visitors to Bible studies very soon. We appreciate all prayers as we work to evangelize our community!”

Hillcrest church of Christ, Springfield, Tennessee: Tim Taylor (associate preacher), “On Sunday, we had a virtual meeting with Rob. It was very helpful. We continue to track all visitors and follow-up with compassion cards. We are preparing to make some transition visits to set up Bible studies.”

Stoney Creek church of Christ, Elizabethton, Tennessee: Mike Blevins (elder) reports, “There are three active Bible studies that are going well. Kris is teaching us how to use the Back to the Bible study booklets. He did lesson one last night. He did a great job. Our evangelism groups are working.”

Celina church of Christ, Tennessee: Daniel Burton (member) reports, “This coming Wednesday, our transition teams will meet and have names assigned. We are looking forward to knocking on the doors of those who have received cards. It will be an eye-opening experience, reminding us how many precious souls need the Gospel of Christ. However, it is with a heavy heart that I share the news of one of our card recipients passing away. The family reached out to express how much the cards meant to their loved ones during the final days. We will continue to send cards to the surviving spouse to show our ongoing care and support. This loss is a reminder that life is like a vapor, and we must not hesitate to reach out to souls with the message of Christ.

“In August alone, our card ministry sent out 479 cards. These cards have been a vital tool for touching hearts and showing care and compassion in our community. We also welcomed seven visitors last month and ask for prayers for these visitors.“This past month has been a testament to the importance of our evangelistic efforts. As we move forward, we must remain diligent in our mission and understand the urgency of sharing the good news with those around us.”

Hillsboro church of Christ, Tennessee: Chris Sliger (member) reports, “Team A met and wrote cards to 13 contacts on Sunday (eight from the Community Dinner and five from Door-knocking/New Movers). Also, the Mercado family revisited us on Wednesday, and we plan to ask them to dinner soon.”

Mountain Creek church of Christ, Chattanooga, Tennessee: Michael Tomshack (elder) reports, “As part of the Sunday lesson given by Gary Massey (Elder and Minister), our prospect card was emphasized. We continue to receive a few contacts each week. However, the number obtained through the summer months has been below expectations. We keep pressing forward, understanding that we must trust the process and that God will give us the increase. We will hold our monthly visitation team meeting next Monday evening to review the contacts made as well as obstacles, new assignments, and opportunities through the year-end.”

Chapel Hill church of Christ, Tennessee: Matt Jones (deacon) reports, “We continue to progress well. This past week, we gained a new brother in Christ. He was invited by one of our members. He had been visiting with us for some time, and he regularly joined our community table outreach. This past week, he finally decided to put on Christ in baptism. We rejoice with his decision! These special moments continue to propel us forward in the call to bring the Gospel to the lost in our community!”

Graceton church of Christ, Diana, Texas: Johnny Willeford (elder) reports, “We are celebrating this evening with the baptism of Rhonda Shaver. My wife and I have been studying with her and her husband, Earl, for several months. She has been battling cancer for about two years. They were in the very first group that received compassions cards from us almost a year and a half ago. We are so honored that we could sit down with them once a week to share a meal and study God’s word with them. We started with the three lessons from House to House in early May, and we have been working through their questions. Little steps and patience pay off with God’s help.

“Our Group C met Sunday after our First Sunday Fellowship Meal together. They will be sending out 16 cards to four new contacts. Six visitors attended Sunday morning services, and three stayed for the following fellowship meal. We pray for all who are sharing in the work of evangelism.”

Colleyville church of Christ, Texas (remote): John Garza (regional trainer) reports, “On Sunday, I preached the ‘Quantity, Not Quality’ sermon, and we implemented our congregational contact bookmark and compassion card works of the HTH School of Evangelism. We received one prospect, and we started sending cards on Monday. We plan to follow up in a couple of weeks.

“Additionally, we have two Bible studies. One of our members is studying with a young man he met when his company (AT&T) came to do some work at his house. The other one is Noah, the barber who cut my hair recently. After a conversation with him, I asked if he would like to have lunch or dinner when I returned from PTP, and Noah agreed. Today, we met for lunch, and after we talked for a few minutes about random stuff, the rest of the time was spent talking about the Bible and life. Based on his questions, I invited him to have a personal study, and he agreed to it.”

Fruitvale church of Christ, Texas: Carl McCann (elder) reports, “We rejoiced greatly this week. We concluded Book 3 with Ron and Mary Chewning; they were baptized into Christ for the remission of their sins and added to the church. Now, we have begun to study the new convert materials with them. “We have another person who is in Book 2 of Back to the Bible, and we hope to start Book 1 with another person this week. Our social media approach has led to another potential connection, and a Bible study is being set up this coming week. We retaught how to use the bookmark to make contacts and constantly pray for their souls. We continue to go out and do follow-up work, and the congregation continues to bring people who need to be prospected to our attention.”

Granbury Street church of Christ, Cleburne, Texas: Ryan Cowan (deacon) reports, “My study with Joel is going well. After two weeks, we completed Book 1. Joel is ‘brand new’ to his bible, so I help him find the verses a little. He is reading all the verses as well. We are sticking to the book and not wandering too far from the questions about each verse.

“Cody Grinnell and Michael Flores are preparing to study with a man named Sean soon. I made sure that we have the needed supplies for our ‘mini-AMC’ on the weekend of September 20.  As far as I can tell, preparations are going well.”

Wheeler church of Christ, Texas: Garrett English (preacher) reports, “The family who visited us last Sunday came back on Wednesday. They liked how much Bible they are getting compared to where they have been attending. We hope to ask them about further study. They were out of town on Sunday. Invitations to study will be ordered tomorrow, and we will give out the Bibles as soon as they come in.”

Bridgewater church of Christ, Katy, Texas: Doug Suggs (deacon) reports, “At Bridgewater, Wade and I continue studying with David, a young man from China. We have been using the Believe the Bible booklets and have finished the first two. We will continue to study with him and use the third lesson about Christ next. He seems to be understanding. He continues to come to our evening service on Sundays. Our brother Andre is working with some young people at his school. We continue to send compassion cards.”

Southwest church of Christ, Austin, Texas: Mark Speir (deacon), “We had the same returning visitors on Sunday, and two of the families stayed for lunch. We also had two new visitors; we will send cards to them. The Bible studies are progressing.”

Wasatch church of Christ, Clearfield, Utah (remote): Daniel Welker (preacher) reports, “It is going to be a busy week at Wasatch church of Christ. We have four ongoing studies on prayer with non-Christians and one with a new Christian so that he can be better equipped to serve when needed.

“One of our members approached me and said he had heard I was reaching out to church members who had fallen away. He asked if he could partner with me because he knows them, and he thought they would not slam the door in his face. “I also have a member who said, ‘I want to do Bible studies. Will you show me how you do it so I can learn?’ I am so thankful for willing hearts.

“The past week, several of our members attended an encampment to have our cup filled with messages from God’s word taught by brother Guy Orbison. The preacher from Brigham City church of Christ and his wife work with the Utah School of the Deaf and Blind. Their names are Justin and Becca Blevins. They are working to translate the three Back to the Bible booklets into Braille; hopefully, several souls will come to Christ from this effort.”

West Side church of Christ, Salem, Virginia: Jeff Durham (elder) reports, “We continue using opportunities to teach and have discussions about recognizing/maximizing our opportunities to make and cultivate our prospects and contacts. More and different members are contributing to our ‘funnel’ of people with whom we want to influence towards having a Bible study. Our recent new converts are participating in their class and participating in activities. Several Bible studies are continuing. Compassion cards will be written on Wednesday night this week.”

Chesapeake church of Christ, Virginia: Ernest Benjamin (regional trainer) reports, “We had a blessed day of services this past Sunday.  I met with Kay Dolberry on Thursday via Zoom, and we completed lesson one of B2B and began lesson two.  She had several moments when her long-held beliefs were supplanted with truth.  I am going to begin recording my Zoom studies for training purposes.  In addition, we had our annual church picnic on Saturday.  I met Lorenzo, the brother of a member, and I took him to lunch today.  I’m working to earn a bible study with him.”

Peninsula church of Christ, Virginia: Ben Phillips (preacher) reports, “We had another good day of worship yesterday with some of our contacts returning to visit. We set up a study with one of them for this week. Another contact is finding it difficult to schedule a survey due to difficulties in her life. We offered to bring her dinner and help with the kids so she would have the time to study. She hesitates to ask for too much help, but we continue to wait and water.

“Yolanda Gonzalez was at services yesterday afternoon, and we were able to schedule our first follow-up study since PTP. We also had a church member who needs to be restored visiting us again yesterday. She expressed an interest in meeting with the elders, so we hope she will soon be brought back into the fold. I also received a returned correspondence course from one of our contacts from the HTH mailings ahead of AMC. We will be sending her the next study.

“One of the best parts of the day was the addition of five names from our members to our contact list. This is the most contacts we have had from our membership since AMC. I am interested in prospecting these contacts over the next few weeks.

“We are further prospecting other contacts from AMC with a compassion card blitz over the next few weeks. We have had eight to ten names on our prospect list each week from our continued visitors, so some of them did not receive cards from AMC but still need them. We will double up our efforts over the next few weeks, asking more of our members to ensure these cards get sent so we can follow up. We also have a follow-up coming at the end of the month for some additional prospects from AMC who requested House to House be sent to them. We wanted to be sure they had the opportunity to receive an issue or two before returning to their door.

“I am also continuing the work of going through the 12 weeks of preaching and introduction as we fill out the program. The elders and deacons met again yesterday to discuss our current status and ensure we implement the program completely. We are working as a team to be sure the ball will not be dropped on our contacts.

“Right now, we have two active studies, one pending scheduling due to a difficult work schedule, and one pending scheduling due to other difficulties. We have two other good contacts. We anticipate the opportunity to study with them soon. I am thankful for the good work that continues to be done and for the congregation’s engagement.”

Williamsburg church of Christ, Virginia: Jim Bishop (elder) reports, “This has been a great week with continued enthusiasm in searching for contacts and preparing for the groups to send additional compassion cards. Twenty-five compassion cards have been prepared for prospects. There are many opportunities for contacts. May God bless us with the boldness to preach the Gospel daily.”

Marlon Retana (regional trainer): “One of the many blessings of our ministry is connecting with people from around the world as they discover the resources we provide. Recently, we received a message from a gentleman in Mexico:  ‘Good morning. While searching for an online course, I came across your website, which I found very appealing. Although I haven’t enrolled yet, I want you to know that I will begin your course today, as scheduled. I want to congratulate you on creating such valuable work, as it provides a path for those seeking knowledge.’ This encouraging feedback, as well as many others, fuels our hearts to continue our work. We have just completed recording 14 lessons for our course on I Timothy, which will be edited and released in the coming days. This week, we’ll begin recording the lessons for our II Timothy course.

“Over the past weekend, we published the first three chapters of the Digging Deep Bible Study for ladies, allowing our Hispanic sisters to start their studies simultaneously with English-speaking sisters. Our work keeps us busy, but there is no greater joy than being busy for the Lord. Thank you all for keeping up with us, especially those helping us do this work of the Lord. To Him be all glory!”