Rogers Update 10/20/2022
October 20, 2022
Dear Friends,
I have been told that when a person enters the “Elderly” stage of life, there are certain things that start to happen. One is you don’t bend as well and another is when you do bend, the movement is slower! I have come to understand those are accurate statements. Another occurrence that happens is you begin to hear of friends and associates you have known through the years entering into eternity. That has also been happening the last few years. When a dear friend leaves this life behind, there is always a sadness because you will not see the departed one in this life any longer. However, if that friend has trusted Christ to take him to God in heaven, there is also great joy (and maybe a little envy…) knowing he is experiencing the wonder of eternity with our Lord.
I experienced this sadness and this joy last week when I learned that Kevin Robinson, a close friend I have known since Bible college, passed into eternity. This godly man had a heart for serving God and has for several years now pastored one of our supporting churches. Kevin has always been an encouragement to me. Looking at the funeral website, I read this statement made by someone who also had experienced that quality in him. Kevin “… was a man of God first and foremost, and it was always obvious. Anytime I had the chance to chat with Kevin - he would look me in the eyes and always asked ‘How are you doing?’ His heart was for others, and he genuinely cared.” All of us live on the edge of eternity. The old saying about this world is "...you can’t take it with you!" However, you can leave behind memories, and the memories we leave will have an impact on others. Thanks, Kevin, for the memories of what God did through your life that had an impact on mine!
Since the August Newsletter, I have been in Wisconsin, Missouri, and Tennessee. Next year is filling in rapidly with ministry trips to California, Florida, Alaska, Utah, Montana, and Michigan. Next month Beabea and I head to Kokomo, Indiana for the BEM Small Church conference at Grace Baptist Church. As I said in the last newsletter, I believe this will be one of the very best conferences BEM has ever held. God deserves the honor for putting together a program that goes to the very heart of the challenges that pastors and churches face in this ever-changing culture of today. Spiritual warfare is often associated with the pressures of the outside world that Satan uses in believers, but spiritual warfare is mostly in us and the decisions we make every day. How we view God in our lives and what that really means is where the real battle is. Don’t miss one session of this conference!
The Lord has also placed in my heart a desire that these BEM Small Church Conferences might be a place where churches without pastors might connect with pastors without churches. There is such a great need in this area. Tim Hewitt (Director of BEM) and I have been talking about ways we could help facilitate potential pastors and churches in connecting. If you are a church without a pastor or a God called pastor without a church, consider coming to the conference and spend time networking with others. Pastors with churches often know of possible men or locations. God could use this conference to help answer your prayers for God’s direction in your future.
If you are coming or would like to come to the BEM conference in November, you need to register as soon as possible. There is no charge for the conference, but registering helps with planning programs, meals, displays, gift bags etc. As I have shared in the past, we will be taking an offering, but there is absolutely no pressure placed on anyone to give. That is between you and God.
You may register here:
Please continue to pray for us as we travel. Pray for the power of God’s truth in the messages we preach and teach. Pray for the counseling we do every day on the phone, on the computer, or in person. We have recently been working with people who claim to know Christ, but are involved in eastern religious worship and others who have possible connections to witchcraft. Those ministry opportunities are extreme situations that seem to be happening more and more, but some of the most destructive spiritual battles are taking place in everyday Christian living before many believers become aware of the danger. Praise God, the Lord is never taken by surprise!
Thank you for all God does through you to enable us to serve Him each day!
Saved, Sealed, and Delivered! Saved from sin / Sealed to God / Delivered from death (both spiritual & physical)! Praise Jesus!
John (and Beabea) Rogers
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