Rogers Update 7/11/2023
July 13, 2023
Hi Everyone,
I am pleased to share with everyone that BEM will be having another Small Church Conference this fall. The Lord has blessed these conferences in so many ways, and it is a privilege to be a part of them. In the past we have held these conferences in Indiana and Utah with very positive results, and we are planning on continuing to do so. We are adding a new location to our expanding schedule as God continues to open doors. This new conference will be at Milan Baptist Church in Milan, Michigan. The dates are September 22-23, 2023. We will have the usual Friday Family Fun night with the main conference taking place on Saturday.
I am very excited about this conference because of the emphasis on the entire church congregation. In the past members of churches have always been welcomed, but the main focus of the teaching was centered in the pastoral ministry of the church. This conference has been expanded to include a strong emphasis on the congregation as well as the leadership.
The theme of the conference is The Joy of Small Church Ministry. We at BEM have all been involved in “Small Churches” for most of our ministries. Because of this, we believe it is a great privilege when God directs one of His servants to be a part of a small church. Whether you are a pastor, a pastor’s wife, or a member of the congregation, you will always be a valid part of the ministry in a small church.
As always there will be a program for children and for teens while the adults have their sessions. As in all of the Small Church Conferences that BEM has done, there is no charge for this conference. There will be an offering taken during the conference, but there is no pressure to give. We want you to come to the conference no matter what the financial situation is in your life. God has always met the conference financial needs, and we trust Him completely to do so again. In addition to what I just shared; a book packet will be given away at no charge to each family unit as we have always done.
It is important to register as soon as possible. Registering helps in our planning of the conference and the purchase of books to give away. The link to register online is:
I want to thank all of those that have been praying for me through this year. It has been a roller-coaster ride when it comes to my health. I have been having infections in multiple locations of my body for months now. As a result, I have been to the emergency room twice since this has started. (Just another adventure in a servant’s life!) One of the areas affected has been my spinal column, but there have been several other areas as well. I am in physical therapy to help with the spinal situation. Over all, I have been taking a lot of medicine to help my body heal.
These infections have forced me to cancel many ministry opportunities this year, but serving God has never been about what we think should happen. I have in the past canceled a trip because of health or other reasons. Almost everyone who travels and speaks has to do that occasionally. This has been different. The many various infections have weakened my body resulting in me needing antibiotics at a level that is way above normal.
I have been going to doctors and doing medical procedures as they work at diagnosing what has been happening to me. This has opened several really good opportunities to talk with doctors and nurses about the Lord. I have also done more counseling by phone and online than normal.
A few weeks back, I once again had a very severe infection, this time in the urinary tract. This is awkward to talk about! The doctor gave me a very powerful antibiotic for the infection. I had a serious side effect reaction to the medicine that almost hospitalized me. The right side of my body felt like it had caught on fire and I felt like I was paralyzed on that side. I could hardly move my right arm without severe pain. It has taken weeks, but I am now starting to get over my body’s reaction to the antibiotic. I had no idea that antibiotics could do that!
Finally, a board member of BEM approached me and asked if he could set up a GiveSendGo account online to help with our finances. This is the Christian version of GoFundMe. He also asked if I would put it in our newsletter. Finances have been a little tight for us with the medical bills, several major vehicle costs, and loss of income from not speaking. Our support level is at 47%. In the past, offerings from travel have been used by the Lord to help make up the difference in support. Obviously, cancelled meetings have affected our income. Although good friends have sent additional money, finances have been much more challenging this year. No complaints! God has met our daily needs, and I am certain that He will continue to do so. We also realize that God uses people to be a part of His plan.
If God burdens your heart to give to our GiveSendGo account, we will use the money as good stewards. We have never centered our prayer requests around finances, so please do not feel obligated. However, if God burdens your heart to do so, we will of course be grateful! Here is the link:
Of course, you may also send funds throught BEM as those funds will come to us.
Please pray that I will continue to heal and be able to do all that is scheduled this fall. Also, pray for Beabea who has done a great job of helping me through all of this. She has spent hours at emergency centers waiting with me, and she has done so without complaint. I think she handled it better than I did, as usual!
Again, thank you for your prayers. All of you are truly an encouragement to us!
John (and Beabea) Rogers
jtrbem@gmail.com
|
