Hello from South Dakota!
I am preaching (7 times!) this weekend at the EASTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with Pastor Jason Jett, whom I worked with in Stillwater, OK. Bro. Samuel Hardy is the youth pastor here, and he was the pastor’s son in Stillwater when we were there. It is such an honor to be preaching the youth conference and the Sunday services here, and I ask that you pray for me and my wife as we are ministering on your behalf.
Tomorrow we head to Phoenix to represent California in our Southwest Regional Church Planters Conference (more info at SWChurchPlanters.com). We have over $2,000 to give away toward California church planting at this offering, and through this I am praying that God continues to challenge us as a church to do more for the cause of Christ in our great state of California.
In our absence, both of our brand new summer interns will be preaching today. Our Assistant Pastor, Bro. Zack Roberts, is on a well-deserved vacation, and my dad, (our Pastor Emeritus), is still recovering from his stroke he had 8 days ago (please continue to pray for mobility down his left side).
I am so thankful for the capable servants God has here at our church. Bro. Ariel Román is helping to coordinate all the up-front part of the worship service, Bro. Philip Thompson did all the opening and lock-ups today, Bro. Jared Burkholder is leading choir, Bro. Brandon Román is teaching Rooted, Bro. Gerhard Theurich is filling in for the Fellowship Class, and Bro. Paul Heyman is teaching the Ambassadors Class. Whew! That’s a lot of substitutes, but also a sign of a wonderful church family that God has gifted with a variety of gifts. That’s how it ought to be! 1 Cor. 12:6–7
This morning’s preacher is BRO. JACE KRAUSS, the nephew of Nathan and Carrie Rench, and a gifted preacher, as you heard on Wednesday night. Tonight in our 5:30 p.m. service, BRO. ALEX DEL CID will be preaching. He interned here two summers ago and has such a heart for California that he prays God will call him to our state someday.
Give plenty of “AMEN”s for them. God bless you mightily today. I sure love you and miss you, and I’ll see you on Wednesday.
-Pastor Ryan