Hello again!
As promised, here is our continued update! There is so much to share, and we are blessed to see God do so many amazing things! We truly wish you could travel with us and experience all that God is doing. We hope to bring you completely “up to date” with this newsletter.
We finished the last newsletter talking about my 50th spiritual birthday on July 5th, so I want to start this newsletter thanking God for what took place on July 6th – my wife and I celebrated 36 years of marriage. How thankful I am for my wife and her love for God and the work of God. She has truly been a model “helpmeet” for me, and I am beyond grateful for the gift God has given me in her!
Now, let me catch you up on all our meetings:
July
Wendy and I left on June 30 and drove to Conway, Arkansas, where I preached for our dear friend, Pastor Dan Allen at Ambassador Baptist Church for their midweek service. Dan and Tabatha are longtime friends, and it is such a JOY to see all that God has done in and through them in Arkansas!
From there, we drove down to Waxahachie, Texas to be at a Bridge to Recovery Meeting held at the Cowboy Church of Ellis County. It is so exciting to see this great, Christ-centered addiction program spreading across the globe! To God be ALL the glory!
On Sunday, we started the day at Worth Baptist Church in Fort Worth, where I was blessed to speak in the SS class of our dear friends, Earl and Niki Sides. Wendy and I then had the privilege of hearing Pastor Tyler Gillit preach the morning service before heading to Waco, Texas, to speak for Pastor Gerald McKelroy at the Greater Waco Baptist Church in Waco.
We then went back to Worth Baptist for a “Revival of Hope and Freedom” on July 8-10. We were blessed by the testimonies and the faithful workers now led by John and Holly Foster – who were reached through the addiction program when it was led by Director Tyler Gillit.
If you ever wonder why we keep going; why we keep putting miles on the car; why we sleep in our own bed far less than in others – it is because we want to see more “John and Holly Fosters” reaching the hurting and sharing the gospel!
After speaking Wednesday through Sunday, Wendy and I arrived back home on Tuesday and left for La Jose, Pennsylvania on Saturday for a Bible Conference at New Life Baptist Church. This church is pastored by Tony Donachy. Tony, Kristin, and Grace Donachy are like family to us. We “sat on the front row” and watched God change their lives! Watching them serve God today is nothing short of a miracle! I was honored to speak to their growing congregation Sunday through Wednesday, and Wendy was thrilled to teach a Bible study to the ladies on Thursday. The love that this couple has for their church is priceless!
August
The first week of August takes us to Bridgeport, Michigan for the annual B2R Conference! The excitement at this year’s conference could be “felt” as you walked through the door. So many doors of addiction programs were closed during the pandemic, and it is so thrilling to see people who have the burden opening the doors again! It is our joy and privilege to help them in whatever capacity we can. This conference is always the first Tuesday-Thursday in August, and if you are available, you should plan to be with us next year!
On Sunday following this conference, Wendy and I were so thrilled to be at Lighthouse Baptist Church with Pastor Joel Stiff for the morning service and Beth Haven Baptist Church in Sheridan for the evening service. It was truly an honor to speak at these two churches. We met new friends at Lighthouse and were reunited with friends of many years at Beth Haven. God is so good.
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I wish you could travel with us. I wish you could see what we get to see. I wish you could get a “taste” of the miracles of the transforming power of Jesus Christ. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so maybe these pictures will help you see what our long newsletters are incapable of describing.
In Texas, we were at a Revival of Hope and Freedom at Worth Baptist Church, where John Foster is the director of the B2R in their church. John is a graduate of the addiction recovery program of this great church.
At the end of July, we were at New Life Baptist Church in La Jose, Pennsylvania with Pastor Tony Donachy. Tony is a graduate of the Men’s Home in Rockford and the addiction recovery program where we served for over 20 years.
On our way to Michigan, Wendy and I stopped in Chillicothe, Ohio to hear Pastor Chris David preach. Wendy and I taught in SS, and then were blessed to sit and listen to Pastor David preach from God’s Word. Chris is also a graduate of the Men’s Home in Rockford and the recovery program there.
On our way home from Michigan, Wendy and I took a little “detour” to go visit our kids in Chicago and then over to visit our kids in Rockford. On August 16th, Wendy and I visited Memorial Baptist Church where we got to hear Pastor Donnie Barnes preach from God’s Word. Donnie is a graduate of the Men’s Home in Rockford who worked with us during his graduate program and then worked with us on staff as the Dean of the Men’s Home.
Their pasts are full of addiction, jail, homelessness, rebellion, and pride. BUT….
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Here they are today:
Thank YOU for your prayers and your support so we can continue to do what we’ve done for 25 years. We get to be a small part and “sit on the front row” and watch as God transforms lives!
Sincerely,
Ben and Wendy Burks