Antioch News - November 2004

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NEWS AND VIEWS

• I think we are all glad that the elections are over with in America. Please continue to pray for this country. We have done and continue to do many things that are displeasing to God. However, I am encouraged by the findings of the political analysts who say that the election may have turned on moral issues this year. There is still a remnant in this country for which we can praise the Lord.

• Pray also for the situation in Israel. I believe that any major move against Israel by the United States could bring serious consequences for America. God told Abraham, “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee” (Genesis 12:3). I see no place in scripture where God ever changed His mind on this.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• I am writing this the week of Thanksgiving. I have always loved this holiday. It is a truly godly holiday. It does not have the historical baggage that many other holidays have. That is, it was started by believers for godly reasons. I like the fact that it is a purely American holiday. When I talk to people from other countries, I like to tell them about our Thanksgiving. I always remember it as a time for our family to get together. Of course, thankfulness is such an important part of our faith in the Lord. May each of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

• I (Pastor Reagan) have named Drew Ray as Assistant Pastor for Antioch Baptist Church. As the Lord continues to bless the church, I have realized that there is more and more need for established leadership in the church. Brother Ray was already putting many hours a week into the ministry of the church. He, his wife Lula, and children Noah and Hannah, have been a blessing to the church for a good while now. I look forward to working with him in this capacity.

• On Wednesday, December 15^th, we are scheduled to receive a report from one of our veteran missionaries. This is Jeff Brigham who works with his family in Japan. Please pray for them and the work they are doing there.

CHURCH MINISTRIES

• During this season we temporarily put a hold on our scheduled visitation program. This takes into account the extra activities so many are involved in during this time. If people are not going to a Christmas party or shopping, they are exhausted from doing it earlier. The season that claims to make people merry often has the opposite effect. However, we are still making necessary visits and have visitation packets available to all who would like to make calls. We will be starting up scheduled visitation again next year.

• I (Pastor Reagan) am making plans to go to Israel May 23^rd through June 3^rd of 2005 for a session with Mt. Carmel Bible Institute. This will be a trip that combines seeing the land of the Bible with studies in the history and geography of the land, the culture of the people of Israel, and time with the people learning their needs and reaching out to them in love. Mt. Carmel Bible Institute is open to all dedicated believers who wish to see Israel and serve their Lord. It offers a unique and blessed alternative to the standard Bible land tours. If you would like to receive information about this trip, please let us know. I will be the official teacher for this session and would love to have you with us.

MISSIONS

• Please pray for the servants of the Lord in the trouble spots of the world. One of those spots is the small country of Nepal which is in the middle of a revolution. Marxists are trying to take over the country and they have attacked those they consider missionaries.

• Pray for those trying to reach Iraqis for Christ. Though the work is full of danger now, it may be the best chance we get for a long time. When American troops are gone, it is doubtful that missionaries will be allowed. This is a small but important window of opportunity.

BIBLE COLLEGE

• We have begun our second term of the fall semester with the following courses and teachers:
  • Creation Science with Chris Wilhoit
  • John with David Reagan
  • Return From Captivity with Karl Lohman
  • Galatians with Drew Ray

• The Spring Semester is scheduled to begin January 24, 2005. We have tentatively scheduled the following courses for this spring:
  • Bible Study Methods with Emphasis in Zechariah with David Reagan
  • John with David Reagan
  • Return From Captivity with Karl Lohman
  • Colossians with Drew Ray

• We are approaching completion of the first on-line Bible course to be offered through learnthebible.org website. It will be a course on Bible Interpretation. The on-line audio lectures with the notes corresponding to that lecture will be available to all. Those who want to take the quizzes and receive credit for them will fill out a short form and receive the password for taking the tests, which will be totally automated. The courses will be free of charge. Although we will not offer standard degrees for this study, we will offer diplomas for certain levels of training. The courses will be set up as a lifetime Bible and ministry learning program under the auspices of Learn the Bible University. Please pray for us as we work on these courses.

PREACHING/TEACHING

• We had a good meeting with evangelist and author Sam Gipp the first part of November. Please pray for him as he deals with much pain from his neck. He broke it in an accident years ago and it continues to deteriorate. We thank those who helped make the services so well-attended.

• On most Sunday evenings I am doing a study through the book of Ecclesiastes. This is a fascinating book of the Bible. Last Sunday evening we dealt with chapter three and the vanity of timing in our lives along-side the beauty of God’s timing.

WEB SITE

• The web site set new records last week for the amount of traffic on the site—setting both the week record and the single day record. For the week, we had 29,348 page views and we had a single-day record of 5492 on Wednesday. So far, our monthly high was last month. In October, 2004, we had 110,814 page views.

• The total number on our email newsletter list is now 2093. We now have 5 to 6 people signing up every day to receive our email newsletters. A survey of twenty recent sign-ups showed people from the United Kingdom (3), India, Ghana, Singapore, Philippines, South Africa, Canada (Nova Scotia), Minnesota, Georgia, Missouri (2), Kansas, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois (2), Tennessee, and Louisiana.

• We are continually receiving comments from visitors to the site. At this point, the positive ones outnumber the negative by about ten to one. Here are some of the recent positive ones:
  • It is a real joy just to look through the various items on your site. Thank and may God bless. –from Quebec, Canada
  • I am a missionary serving the Savior here in Mexico. I recently came across your web page and now have it set to come up right away on my computer. Your web site has been an encouragement. You have supplied this old boy with a real tool that I have, though it’s been briefly, referred to many times. I have an institute and am pastoring 2 churches that I hope to leave soon. I need all the quick resource material I can get. We’re in the jails and prisons and feel like after 9 short years were just getting started. Well, just felt compelled of the Lord to say thanks. I have also referred you to fellow missionaries. 
  • I really love your site cause it helped me find some information and I think I really learn from your site. –from Philadelphia.
  • Thanks for this great site. –from Taiwan
  • Thank you. I had a great time with this study. I look forwards to receiving the emails. –from Singapore
  • Thank you for the messages that give encouragement in my spiritual life. I’m pastoring a congregation here in the Philippines and your ministry is very helpful to a minister like me.
  • First I want to thank you for such a great website.  I have especially enjoyed the sermons for download.  I work about an hour away from where I live, and between you and James Knox I always have plenty to listen to.  I always put the sermons on cd, then after I finish I will pass them on to others.

• Please pray for us as we keep working to make the site better and more effective in ministering to people around the world.