PREACHING THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD TO ALL THE WORLD

Feb. 1, 2008

Dear Christian friends,

It is a great joy and blessing to be back home.  The Lord’s mercy and grace never fails, even when we are called upon to suffer hard times.  Yet, when we are blessed to visit other saints in the various countries of the world, we are reminded again just how greatly God has blessed us here in America.

When you see the poverty and hardships that other people endure on a daily bases in these countries, it is most humbling and gratifying to come home to a comfortable home with plenty of food and a comfortable bed.  Yet, we are so much given to complain rather than being thankful for the Lord’s blessings upon us.

Before I made my first trip to India in 2000, I was searching diligently for assurance from the Lord that it was His will for me to go to India. One day as I read Psalms 46, I read verses 10-11 and the Lord gave me that assurance. The Lord said, “I will be exalted among the heathen.”  This trip was my ninth trip to India.  We have seen each year how the Lord has truly been exalted among the heathen.  The work there has grown far beyond what we ever imagined. All of us who made this trip said it was the most rewarding and encouraging trip we have made.

We were able to visit again the churches in the state of Andhra Pradesh at Budedu and Kanekal.  This is a relative new area that God has opened up.  Last year we baptized 34 people at Ananthapur. We then ordained Elder Matthew Sake and constituted the church at Kanekal.  This was the results of the evangelistic labors of Elder Guna and other elders from Tamil Nadu. This year we conducted a seminar at the Kanekal Primitive Baptist Church which was well attended by several other ministers in the area.

            On Monday we made a twelve hour train trip to Salem, Tamil Nadu, and then on to Chettipatty, where Elder Guna lives.  We conducted a three day seminar at the Chettipatty Primitive Baptist Church, where he is pastor.  The services began at 10 AM and continued until 2 PM each day.  These services were well attended by the saints from several churches in Tamil Nadu.  It is a great joy to be preaching the truth of God’s Word and see the saints rejoicing as the interpreters interpreted.

            On Wednesday night we visited with the children at the orphanage at Veppamarathur. These children steal your hearts. The workers there are doing a great job of caring for the children and teaching them. They all seem so very happy.

            The preachers meeting on the last day of the seminar was one we will always remember.  There were 16 Indian Primitive Baptist preachers present. Man after man stood to tell us how thankful to the Lord they were for the doctrinal truths they had learned through our visits.  They declared their deep love and loyalty to the Lord and His truths.

            Thursday evening we visited the site for the construction of the new church building at Thalavaipatty, near Salem. This is where Elder Judson is the pastor. This is one of the newest churches in Tamil Nadu and Bro. Judson is doing a fine job as the pastor. The footers have been dug, waiting for the finances to be raised to start construction on the building.

            Friday we traveled up the mountain to Yercaud to dedicate the newly constructed church building where Elder Babu is the pastor.  He is doing a fine work there.  The building is not yet completed, but it is already being used by the church as their meeting place.  We pray that the Lord will be pleased to send the finances necessary to complete the building in the near future also.

            On Saturday, Elders Zack Guess, Timothy Guess and Guna, took their leave and traveled to Cuddalure where they met with the Seaside Primitive Baptist Church. They reported a very spiritual time there with the pastor, Elder Ambrose.  Elder Guna and Bro. Ambrose baptized six people in the Bay of Bengal.

            Meanwhile, I traveled north to Vellore with Elder Babu and Bro. Nixon.  There we met Bro. Sam, Bro. Paul and Bro. Eliezer; men who have been conducting Bible studies and prayer meetings in the area for several years. On Saturday evening we had supper in the home of Bro. Nixon, followed by a brief Bible study on Romans 8:28.

            Sunday morning I traveled with Brothers Nixon, Babu and Sam to a Bible study and prayer group that had been meeting together for the past six months.  There were about 25-30 people gathered in a small 20X20 block building with a thatched roof. I was told some were absent because it was a holiday weekend and they were away visiting with families.

This group has not been organized as a church yet, but Bro. Guna has been visiting among them and teaching, so they seem to be headed towards becoming a Primitive Baptist church in the near future.  I preached from Rom. 8:29-30. The Lord gave me liberty in preaching and the message seemed to be well received by the congregation.

            In the afternoon, Bro. Sam took me to visit the Christian Medical College Hospital in Vellore. It is a very large hospital now, but began only as a women’s hospital in 1900, by Dr. Ida Scudder, daughter of the famed missionary doctor, John Scudder.

            That evening I visited another group that was meeting in the area.  They were being led by a young man who had been associated with Elder Babu several years prior, before he became a Primitive Baptist.  There were about 70 people in attendance, including 4 or 5 visiting ministers.  There were a lot of young people in attendance and the drums were very loud.  Using Matt. 11:28-30 as a text, I spoke on the Invitation and the Instruction of Christ. I am sure my message was different from what the group had ever heard, but I felt the Holy Spirit used the words as I spoke, to speak to the hearts of the people.

            Monday morning Elder Babu and I traveled by taxi to Chennai where we met up with Elders Guna, Zack and Timothy Guess.  Bro. Jones, who has visited in Primitive Baptist churches in America with Elder Guna, came to visit us with his brother Prince.  Neither of the two men are Primitive Baptist yet, but they are good supporters of the Primitive Baptist work in India.  I trust the Lord will soon lead them to become Primitive Baptists. That evening they took us to visit Bro. David.

            Bro. David is a young man about 35 years of age. He was baptized by Elders Mike Stewart and Zack Guess during our visit last year.  In October, early in the morning, he broadsided a large bus that pulled across the road in front of him. Both he and his wife were very seriously injured.  Bro. David’s wife has recovered, but he is still in a coma from his head injuries.  Pray that the Lord will be pleased to heal him soon.

            The next day, Tuesday, Elder Balin came to pick us up at the hotel and took us to his home about 30 miles from Chennai.  His wife, Sister Jaymary, had prepared a very good meal for us of fried fish and beef stew. After the meal, we had a time of fellowship with Bro. Balin and his wife, followed by a short nap before we returned to the Chennai airport to board our plane for home.  Our plane was not scheduled to leave until 1:50 AM Wednesday, but we arrived at the airport at 8:30 PM Tuesday night.  We did not want to miss our plane home! So we settled in for the long wait and joyful anticipation of our trip home.

            Fortunately, the plane left on schedule. Our trip back to Memphis, TN was uneventful, but long, with a freezing five and one-half hour stopover in Chicago.  By the time I got in bed on Wednesday night, I had been up for over 52 hours. These trips are hard physically and it is not pleasant being away from our families, but the joy of fellowshipping with the dear saints in these distant lands make it well worth the effort.  They seem to appreciate our coming so much and treat us with such great hospitality, but it is us, the Americans who go, that receive the blessing.

            I need to share a personal word of benefit from this trip. From the very beginning of our labors in India, I have been a dissenter of the social work, including the orphanage that Bro. Guna is doing. My main interest is and has been the preaching of the gospel and the establishment of New Testament Baptist churches. While I have sympathy for those who are poor and distressed economically, my main concern has always been that we keep the gospel work as the first priority. I have repeatedly warned of the danger of “letting the tail wag the dog.”  The preaching of the Word of God and the establishment of churches is still my number one concern; however, I learned some things on this trip that has made me re-evaluate some of my previous views.

 Through the years, I have heard story after story of how God has used the social work as a means of reaching individuals and bringing them to hear the gospel. Nothing has changed in my conviction of immediate Holy Spirit regeneration and the role of the Gospel as a means of conversion.  But I have become more convinced of the Biblical correctness of the work that Bro. Guna is doing in India. On this trip I learned that the pastor of one of our churches is a young man who only a few years ago was involved with the making of illegal alcohol. His children were in the tutoring program. Through this, the father and mother where brought to hear the Gospel and were converted.

 We all need to remind ourselves that India is not America, nor can God be “boxed in” to one methodology.  Bro. Guna is a great administrator. He has gifts far beyond me.  I have come to know him to be a man of Biblical soundness and of great integrity.  He is also a man that has a great compassion and vision. I am more thankful today that God has brought Bro. Guna among Primitive Baptists, then any other time in all the years I have known him.  

             I want to thank all of you who have encouraged us so much with your letters, phone calls, prayers and financial assistance on these trips. While you may not be able to make the trips, it is because of the Lord’s help through you, that any of us are able to travel to these various countries to minister to the saints of God there.  

            These are exciting times among Primitive Baptists. Tonight there are Primitive Baptists laboring for the Lord in Africa, in Cambodia, in the Philippines and in India. Remember to pray for all these works that the saints of God might grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

            Plans are being made for a trip to Europe and Russia this summer. Pray for this planned trip that the Lord may be pleased to give us direction on where and when we should travel.  God is being exalted among the heathen in foreign countries.

“Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ…” Col. 4:3

 God bless you and keep you,

Bro. Herb

© Copyright 2006
Aberdeen Primitive Baptist Church

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