Things You Can Do

June 15, 1980

 

The Lord willing, my family and I will be completely moved into our new home this Friday. You have all been very helpful to us in making this transition. Your love, kindness, and friendship are very deeply appreciated.

Beginning next Sunday, we will resume our regular schedule of services, with the evening services being held at 6:30 P.M. I am grateful to you for your cooperation in holding the evening services at 5:00 P.M. for the past several weeks. This has made it much easier for Shelby and Faith to come‑with me each weekend. I want to thank you for this.

I trust that each of you will join me in the prayer that we will have a lasting and profitable ministry together for the glory of our Redeemer. Our ministry must be a united effort. It would be impossible for me to give myself to study and prayer and the preaching of the gospel if you did not give generously to support my family and me. And it will be impossible for me to preach effectually if you do not pray for me. Let me make these suggestions of things you can do to assist in the ministry of the Word.

1. Pray for the ministry of the gospel. Pray for your pastor that he may have a message from the Lord. Pray for yourself that you may have a receptive heart. Pray for sinners that the glory of Christ may be revealed in their hearts. Pray for the presence of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

2. Invite sinners to come to hear the gospel. Do not bargain with men to get them to come to church. Do not try to get men to come in order to please you, or for any other reason but this--invite men to come to hear the good news of salvation by Christ.

3. Prepare your own heart to worship the Lord. Rise a little early on Sunday. Try to spend some time in quiet meditation and prayer. And come to the house of worship seeking to hear from God.

4. Give generously for the furtherance of the gospe1. We hope to employ every available means for spreading the gospel of God's grace. In order to accomplish this, we are dependent upon those who love the gospel giving to promote it, so that others might hear and believe.

Don Fortner