Independence, MS April 2008

Liberty Baptist Church
Pastor Andy Sims
Independence, MS
April 2008

Watch out for Mr. Gene!

Jackie is working hard to get the foundation work done for the slab at Red Oak, OK in July 2008. This is one of the pieces of equipment that he operated.

Watch out for Mr. Gene, tho. He still can get out of the way pretty quickly. Go Mr. Gene!!!!

Mr. Gene Winegeart is a VIP with I Am Able Ministries. He is one of the older men that volunteers but he doesn't let age or aching bones stop him. He can keep up with any man on the team.

This picture was taken September 7, 2004 at Pine Hill Baptist Church.In this picture he's the one putting shingles on the outhouse while Randy stabilizes the ladder.
He worked hard and still had energy to lead praise and worship at a revival service at the end of the day. He also knows what to do when you come to a fork in the road. Just ask him, he'll tell you. We have enjoyed working with Mr Gene and look forward to future assignments with him.

Movie Link "We Shall Remain"

I was looking for something on LPB and stumbled upon the movie series "We Shall Remain". From the award-winning PBS series American Experience comes
We Shall Remain, a provocative multi-media project that establishes Native history as an essential part of American history

You can watch the entire movie on line or download it to i-tunes for a small cost or purchase the DVD. Watch it online first. I'd like to hear your comments on it.

How to Make Fried Bread

I did a search on my desktop for all my videos and this one was among them. I forgot that I had it. The sound is kinda of raspy but it is clear enough to understand. Three teams from Louisiana's I Am Able Ministries was in New Mexico. We were staying at the Dome, Christ for all Nations. A local Native American lady taught Evelyn and Juanita how to make the traditional fried bread. Here they are preparing the dough for frying and then frying it up. It is eaten with a toco like meat dish, then topped with lettace, tomato, cheese, sour cream. It is a very satifying. This was in May of 2004, 5 years ago. We were there with teams to do 3 simultaneous revivals. The churches we were working in were Pine Hill, Tinian, and Eagle Springs. We had children's teams working with the children at each church during the rivial meeting time. We also brought supplies to make a couple of outhouses for Pine Hill Baptist Baptist Church. We even got to test them. (But that's for another blog)

Sheet Rock Going Up

Sheetrock looking good ! 8-19-09!
This is the sheetrock going up at Red Oak, OK. Still work to do but it is getting done, praise the LORD!!

Church at HBC

Today we had 14 new converts baptized into our congregation. We had 4 from one family. the mom and dad and two of the 4 children. I've never seen so many baptized at one time. It was moving and really satisfying as a church member to witness such an event. There were several conversions from VBS and several from our revival. God is still moving and calling the lost into the fold.

Bro Jack handled it pretty good. He had all of the candidates except for one in the baptismal at one time. He had them sitting on the steps so they could witness each other's baptism. That was quite a site.

I just ordered Jackie and me some ministry cards. I was really having a hard time picking out something that would work for both of us. I saw this flag and thought about our freedoms that we have in America. We do have the freedom of religion and the freedom of speech. I do believe that our country is based on Christian priniciples and that if we as Christians would do as 2 Choronicles 7:14 says "if My people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Notice this verse is addressed to us Christians not the lost sinners of our land. It is me and you, the born again, He is talking to. What does that mean? I think it means that I need to confess my sins and seek God's face perhaps by fasting and prayer. Why aren't we doing this as a country? Maybe I Am Able Ministries can help something like this to happen through our outreach to the "Nations".

Letter to Yvonne Stockman re: Leupp, AZ

Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 12:04 PM

Teamwork Is good! Thank goodness each true Believer has a different gift. Christ's Body has more parts than just feet or lips! It takes all of us working together to share the Good News! Your work was essential to our VBS. "One plants, another waters, and God gives the increase!"

We were able to hand out some of the Bibles sent by Bro. John Miller. We left the others at the hotel where we stayed. We talked to one of the clerks, using the witness bracelets for a door opener. I told her we would give her one if she promised to tell someone what it meant. We then explained it to her (using your tract) and asked her to explain it back to us. She told us she was going to give it and the tract to her boyfriend, a 27yr. old who had attended church for the first time with her the previous Sunday, and had accepted the Lord! Turns out, he had never been to church and he told her that no-one had ever invited him to accompany them to Worship either! Hard to believe.

This should really drive home the need for our efforts here in the U.S. Who knows? One of us will share the Gospel of the Kingdom to the last convert of this Gentile Church Age and the last 7 yrs. of "Jacobs trouble will begin!" Why couldn't this witness of the Good News actually happen here in America, the greatest Missionary Society ever?

I'm coming back. It could be soon.
It will be sudden! God."

I got the impression that Native American Southern Baptists think "Anglos" have abandoned them. Our own Indian Brothers and Sisters in Christ are left to wallow in poverty and hopelessness on these reservations. When you drive up to Leupp the first thing you see from miles off is a huge beautiful Mormon temple. We went to a Luepp Baptist Church. It was a beautiful place of Worship because of the believers there, but it was obvious there was little money for upkeep and operations.

Pastor Jimmy McCabe at Leupp told me he has been "praying and waiting for an "Anglo" Pastor to come," since 1985. I think financial support was cut drastically sometime in the past. He said "Anglo pastors" are respected as authority figures and will be followed by multiple families. Clans will not respect another family leaders authority like him. He seemed very discouraged.(Like many of our Anglo Pastors)I don't know enough to talk about this?????
Our group felt a special need to encourage Bro. Jimmy. Our ladies described him as being "very sad". We all need continue to pray for these brave men who lead their congregations. As each LA Church partners with a Native American Church, hopefully we can look thru our spiritual eyes and not with intellectual reason. (Peter, thru faith walked on the water with Jesus). As a man it is easy to find reasons be negative.

Only 18 enrolled in our VBS effort. Four came forward for decisions, not including the two little boys who pointed at their chests and said "Jesus in my heart too!" As a Christian we look thru eyes of faith and see the "Fields are white for harvest"! How shall they hear if no one speaks? To speak someone has to go. Much like the struggling Indian pastors, those willing to go can't finance the effort or do all the material gathering, e-mails and phone-calls. God has shown I Am Able, He will provide if we all make ourselves available as a team and wait for His guidance. When the Holy Spirit leads us to go, just go, He always meets every need. The hard part is to not look at the waves. Pray God will continue to put volunteers and finances together. The door that has opened with the Native Americans is impossible for man to accomplish. "I am able to do all things thru Christ who strengthens me."

I can't wait for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. I can only imagine seeing my loved ones and the believers of all the ages who have faith in our Heavenly Father's Love, Mercy, and Justice. What a motivational truth!-Eternity in My Fathers House!

As one church sign we passed on our way to AZ. said,

"I'm coming back. It could be soon.
It will be sudden! - God."

The hotel clerk told me, that her boyfriend needed the most basic Christian teaching. AZ. D.O.M. Bro. Al Camson voiced the same need. Scriptural teachers. She asked could I imagine having never been taught anything from Scripture? (With the apathy and "form of religion that denies the power" controlling many Baptist Congregations today, a blank slate may actually be a blessing to him.) I gathered the Child Evang. and other materials you had assembled and also gave her one of the (J.M.) Bibles for her boyfriend. They had free newspapers on the front desk and I placed the remaining Bibles with them after asking permission from the manager. I'm sure, God will use them to speak to many.

Bro. Jean Winegeart was approached about buying some jewelry by a young Navaho lady. He told her that he didn't wear bracelets. She asked him, "What's that on your arm?" He grinned and explained the witness bracelet to her. She said she had seen them many years earlier, in a VBS!! We then told her we would give her the bracelet, if she would tell someone else what it meant. She smiled and put it on her arm.

"Divine appointments" or as Bro. Randy says, "Another God Moment!" These diamonds are there, rough and hidden, if we only step outside the comfort zone of our church sanctuaries and daily routines.

As I started this e-mail thanking you, I will conclude with the same. "One plants, another waters, and God gives the increase!"
In His Love,
Bro. Dwayne


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Report on Mission Trip to Leupp, AZ

Sunday, August 02, 2009 6:12 PM
We got back around 3:30 am this morning from our V.B.S. in Leupp Az. It was a struggle to get this VBS organized. Everything seemed to oppose our effort to go to Leupp. Amiable Baptist Church graciously sponsored our trip. Bro. Jean Winegeart, Angie Bass, Prent and Kelly Colson and I were joined in AZ by Bro. Tim Himel and his wife Linda. They live near Ragley La.

We had small numbers in attendance (avg. 11), but that did not hinder the Holy Spirit. At the end of our VBS each Christian walked forward to stand, sort of like a wedding rehearsal, slowly, one at a time, and then we invited any new Believers to come forward. Four children came to stand with us at invitation time and prayed the sinners prayer!

The highlight for me came after I had talked to one of our new sisters in Christ and I felt a tug on my pants. A beautiful little boy(4-5yrs?), who had not spoken a word during the three days of VBS (according to Angie Bass) told me, "I want Jesus in my heart." Another little boy about 3 or 4 yrs. old, also pointed at his heart and said "Jesus in my heart too." I assured them he would be their life-long friend and we all left with huge smiles. I am sure our Father will water and increase the seed we left with them. Our love was rewarded with the return of their love! Priceless!!!!!

Needless to say, "We had a great time!" God is so-oooo good!! We learned a lot. If we do another VBS on a reservation, we will try to start at a later time. We were told more children would likely attend if we started about 5:00 pm. At 9am no one in Leupp was stirring around yet. We needed to use the afternoon hours to knock on doors and "drum up" the kids. Linda and Tim Himel are excited to be going back to Leupp Az. in October to follow up and help with the Evang. Meeting. They have talked to Pastor Jimmy McCabe about having a block party. He had never heard of one! Pray that this will be used to reach all those outside the church walls. Their efforts are truly a blessing to us.

Team-work is fun! Bro. Bennie Hollingsworth, Pastor of Hosanna Baptist Ball, La. will be our leader in Eagle Springs N.M. as the S.B.C. La. teams go to do simultaneous revivals with our Native American Brothers and Sisters in New Mexico, Arizona, and now Oklahoma. He has two other preachers going with our team. Bro. Bennie will do the childrens program and the three of us will probably each preach one night of the meeting.

In His Love, Bro. Dwayne.