The calm serenity we experienced in Guatemala last week, described in the previous gracEmail, is a rather rare and recent blessing. Surrounded by picturesque lakes, volcanoes, Mayan ruins and exotic flowers and birds, we would never suspect that for many Guatemalan families violence and terror remain an all-too-recent memory. Only 12 years ago the country was still embroiled in a bloody civil war that raged for 36 years and resulted in more than 200,000 dead or missing. An official investigation attributed 93% of the atrocities to government security forces. Even in peace times, most of the 13 … [Read more...]

White clouds sparkled in the sunshine as the Boeing 800 aircraft descended from five miles high and Guatemala City came into view. This city of one million souls, some very rich and most very poor, spread over the lush green mountains and valleys below in this homeland of the ancient Mayans. We would take buses one hour from this capital city to Antigua, an ancient town of 5,000 feet elevation surrounded by volcanoes and a favorite vacation place of my employer Mark Lanier and his wife Becky. Through the years they have become benefactors to residents in this ancient village of stone walls and … [Read more...]

October 2004 -- The last two weekends have found wife Sara Faye and myself, by choice and by planning, far from our Houston home. Two weekends ago we indulged a perennial craving for Autumn color -- a treat the eyes miss here on the Texas Gulf Coast -- by flying on Thursday to Nashville, Tennessee then driving for the weekend to Asheville, North Carolina. There in the forest-covered Appalachians we toured the Biltmore Estate, the 250-room mansion and grounds built in the 1890's by George W. Vanderbilt and now visited by approximately one million people each year. Along the way we spent a day … [Read more...]

April 2003 -- This past weekend I enjoyed a blessed Spring weekend in Nashville in the beautiful hill country of Middle Tennessee, where I was privileged to speak at a two-night gospel conference sponsored by Engedi Ministries. Engedi is a relatively new interdenominational ministry focusing on helping Christians understand the wonder and assurance of their salvation. The name comes from an oasis in the desert near the Dead Sea where a beautiful waterfall provides clear, cool, clean, refreshing water for weary travelers through the desert. Dr. David Lawrence is the principal teacher for Engedi … [Read more...]

The springtime sun rises over the California coast, gradually warming the invigorating morning breeze. A rainbow of flowers adorns this mountainside that slopes gracefully down to the Pacific Ocean, on which is nestled Pepperdine University. Halfway up the mountain, a tall white stone cross signifies to all who see it the faith commitment and purpose of this distinguished institution of higher learning. This past week (April 29-May 2, 2003) the university hosted its 60th Annual Bible Lectures and Sara Faye and I were among the 4,000-5,000 believers who gathered to share four days of … [Read more...]

Each Spring, Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif. sponsors a four-day event known as the Annual Bible Lectures, with keynote sermons based on a particular biblical book or theme. This year, May 1-4, 2001, the theme was "Shaped by the Cross," with a focus on First Corinthians. As many as 6,000 persons packed the University Fieldhouse for worship and key addresses. Hearts raised, many hands raised, and the roof practically raised as well with old-time, four-part harmony, a cappella singing of traditional hymns and contemporary praise and worship songs. Besides the main lectures, some … [Read more...]

God was present and gracious at the Kentucky/Indiana Christian Fellowship Week the final week of July 2008, during which I was privileged to speak once on grace-gifts (charismata) generally and one time each on healing and prophecy in particular. This is an annual event hosted by the premillennial Churches of Christ. It was a pleasure finally to meet many of these brothers and sisters, gospel-loving, mission-minded and enthusiastic hymn-singing people whose spiritual ancestors were driven out of the mainstream Church of Christ during a dark and disgraceful time in the early 20th … [Read more...]

Our spirits were filled to overflowing with joy and praise last weekend in worship, fellowship and study at the Springfield Church of Christ in Virginia, where I was privileged to make five presentations on Saturday and Sunday, then field an hour of Q&A discussion on Sunday night. Our topic was spiritual leadership, which included a study of the ministry of women in the New Testament. All the presentations were recorded and will soon be available (with Power Point) at no charge on the church's website. I will inform you when those are ready. An unincorporated area of approximately … [Read more...]