Greetings from Ben and Wendy!
We need to “stop the odometer” and give YOU a report of all that God has been doing since our last newsletter. We may have to save some of it for the next one!
At the time of our last report, we were headed to Community Baptist Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, with Pastor Brent Stancil and his son, Quinn. Our hearts were so blessed to find their recovery ministry strong and growing! Many (if not most) of their students committed themselves fully by purchasing all eight Bridge to Recovery books. Pray for Quinn and this group as they continue to shine the light of Christ in their city. We hope to return in late fall to train additional churches in that region.
From there, we headed to the panhandle of Florida…but we visited a few friends and family on the way including a dear couple whose daughter is in jail and whose son passed away due to drugs and the complications that come as a result. Their hearts are heavy, and we prayed that our time with them reminded them of the hope found in Christ.
Back on the road late in the evening and after only a few hours of sleep, I attended a Pastors Fellowship at NorthStone Baptist Church in Pensacola. I shared Hope Beyond and Bridge to Recovery with pastors and lay leaders and enjoyed reconnecting with many friends while meeting new ones.
We then joined Pastor Mike Muse at Vision Baptist Church in Crestview for their midweek service. This new church plant is led by a man older than I am who continues to serve the Lord with great strength. Our time with him and the Lapee family was such a blessing. Pray for this church as they seek wisdom to help hurting people.
We were grateful to return to West Florida Baptist Church in Milton with Pastor Mike Brown. We have many friends there. The Yorey family continues to help hurting people each week. Pastor Dan Libby and his wife were saved out of addiction and now serve the Lord full time. Their testimonies are powerful! The team hosted an open house for community leaders in hopes of partnering with them to reach more people. The meeting was held in a former bar where Dan’s wife once worked, and the joy in that moment was overwhelming as we reflected on what God’s transforming power has done! They kept us busy speaking to the church, recovery groups, ladies’ groups, men’s groups, and community leaders. Mark is writing excellent recovery materials using the Recovery Bible, and we are excited to see how God is using them.
I then preached a midweek service for Pastor Joe Mitchell at Calvary Baptist Church in Fort Walton Beach. He is new to the church, but we have ministered there for many years. This church will always hold a special place in our hearts. The Lapee family remains dear to us, and the fruit of their service continues. These are truly “friends who are more like family.” Pray for Pastor Mitchell as he seeks the right time to begin a Bridge to Recovery ministry.
On our way home, we stopped at Grace Baptist Church in Columbus, Georgia, with Pastor Seth Hon. They are launching a Bridge to Recovery ministry immediately. God is moving in Columbus, and it is encouraging to see what He has planned for this church. Seth was a teenage boy when I helped start a recovery program at his father’s church in Indiana. It is refreshing to see young men carry the same burden their fathers carried.
We ended our Florida trip by bringing home an unwanted, ugly “souvenir” called COVID. The illness forced us to rest, which we needed. Within a few weeks we were back in a local church in Virginia on Easter Sunday. I am thankful for every opportunity to preach the gospel and watch people respond. We then spent time with our children and grandchildren in Illinois as we laid my wife’s mother to rest beside her husband. We will share more of that story in our next newsletter. We continue to see the good hand of God going before us and behind us.
Thank you for your prayers and support! At the writing of this letter, we’ve just finished a trip to 4 churches in Pennsylvania and are currently in a revival meeting in New Castle, Virginia. We will share these events in our next newsletter including the praise of 3 precious souls being saved!
Wendy’s books continue to bless many readers. If you would like a copy, email us. Her titles include A Worthy Model, Finding Security in an Insecure World, Victim or Victorious 1, Victim or Victorious 2, and Victim or Victorious 3. Each book offers biblical encouragement and inspiring biographical studies.
We still have some openings on our calendar where we can come and serve in YOUR church. Give us a call and let’s get it scheduled!
Sincerely,
Ben and Wendy Burks
PS – Wendy has also had 5 ladies’ events over April and May that we look forward to telling your about! So much to share in our next newsletter!