Beginning of Tri-State

 

Its been a busy busy month and there looks like there is no end in site, so we need your prayers for us to keep going on! Now we are at Tri-State Bible Camp, preaching 2x's and sometimes 3x's a day. Thankfully though 3 went back for salvation last night and one was saved earlier in the week. 

A unique part of camp is having the same teens each day and we have been delving into some unique teen topics such as suicide, entertainment, purity, etc.. and the Lord has been blessing the sessions.

Please be in prayer for the following:

1. Jasmine's Health- we have been to the ER with Jasmine and her breathing and trying to get her the correct medication and looks like we will coming home earlier than anticipated so she can see her own pediatrician.

2. Future Scheduling as well.

4. Pray for mom's continued recovery obviously we have been very concerned of the matter while on the road!

Gulf Coast Baptist VBS/Refuge Baptist Camp

The updates have been scarce but that has not mean we have not been busy. We have been in Cantonement Fl for a week at Gulf Coast Baptist Church for VBS. It was a  smaller VBS but the spirit definitely was not lacking to any stretch of the imagination. With a group of kids who professed to be saved we dealt heavily with missions and encouraging them to consider the mission field. God is dealing even with these young lives with the possibility of being a missionary for Him!

After Florida we headed up to Georgia to be at Refuge Baptist Camp in Carnesville, GA, but on the way we stopped in Montgomery, AL at Fannin Road Baptist Church with Pastor Jim Lester. We love the folks there in Montgomery, AL and visit them whenever we have the chance, and I had the opportunity to preach there for their Sunday services while visiting as well!

We arrived this past week at Refuge Baptist Camp and had the opportunity to meet and fellowship with many pastors from across GA and other states. Decatur Baptist Church hosted the event and I had the opportunity to preach some of the services and sessions along with providing games and activities for the young people. 

Its been a busy busy month and there looks like there is no end in site, so we need your prayers for us to keep going on! 

Victory Baptist Revival

God blessed with a tremendous close to the revival in Coshocton, OH with Pastor Ralph Johnson and the great folks there. The hospitatlity was overwhelming and God used them in our lives as significant as we hoped to be in theirs. There were many hilights and encouraging moments, but the stark difference was the unexplainable spirit that was evident in each service. God met with us and I believe that it will be "fruit that will remain." 

Afterwards God blessed us and we were able to switch phone carriers, this was a HUGE blessing. I was dropping calls, missing calls, and many other things with our old service. Thankfully now we have good service so Lord willing I will able to be reached without lots of confusion!

Now we find ourselves in Dugspur, VA at Mt. View Bible Camp where I begin speaking tomorrow for Father'd Day and start Monday morning for the rest of the week of camp.

Please pray for little Jasmine who looks as if she has some type of allergy, that we pray we can find out soon! God bless prayer and financial supporters, God bless!

Somerville Baptist Church VBS

Well its now been around 8 years of doing VBS at Somerville Baptist Church and God has blessed each year so very much. This year was no exception. I traveled with my pastor friend, Johnathan Eason of Victory Baptist Church of Elizabeth City, NC. He did a fantastic job as we both laboured together morning and evening at VBS and teen revival. Each day was jampacked with games, activities, and stories. But aside from the sheer fun of it all, the Gospel was exalted and Christ was honored. 

We do not know the exact numbers, but around 50 were saved during the week of VBS!! God was so good, the attendace for both programs were around 200's. It was our privilege to serve alongside this church and watch God do something truly amazing.

Now we are in Coshocton, OH at Victory Baptist Church  for a revival, and already a sobering moving of the Holy Spirit is evident and its only Monday, please pray for continued results.

Also pray for my wife who is sick with a cold and me trying to get my voice back from so much activity last week!

 

First Baptist Church of Atoka Youth Conference

Well, today I am by myself all the way out here in Atoka, TN. My wife and Jasmine stayed behind in Wilson, NC where they are having a ceremony to honor her brother who was killed in Afghanistan on this Memorial Day Weekend!

I arrived yesterday and had the oportunity to meet the staff and preach to the congregation as a whole before things get kicked off this evening for the youth rally. "Youth of Valor" is the theme and encouraging teens to stand up with confidence for the Lord. Please be in prayer for the meeting with all these young people that God will do a work and that we will see great decisions made for Christ as a result!

Prep, Prep, and More Prep

I am reminded of the saying, "That no man is wasting his time while sharpening his sword."

I sometimes feel if I'm not the road after souls that I've become complacent in the fight. The Lord has reminded me though that this time is valuable and I'm to redeem it. Therefore this past week and a half has been filled with hours and hours of prep for VBS and Camp this summer.

Great summer programs do not just happen they are planned intensively to reap bountiful results. The Lord has blessed though with good friends, resources and creativity to have a new program ready for this summers VBS and Camp themes. Make sure to look at the ITINERARY link above to see where we will be and pray for us as well.

Couple of Quick Prayer Request

1. Please pray for little Jasmine, the doctor has officially given her the diagnosis of having ashthma. Thankfully we know what is going on with these "prolonged colds" she was having, but do pray that we can take care of her fine while were on the road since my wife and I neither are used to ashtma related problems.

2. Please pray for a truck, God has provided a beautiful trailer, but we just can't move it at this time. Were looking for an older truck that can help us get started then down the road one day Lord willing we could get another one that will be more reilable.

3. Please pray for us personally as many decisions need to made on our part. I hate to write that we have an unspoken request, but at this time I do not feel I have liberty to discuss in depth. Just know the Burden family will have to make some big decisive steps and we need your prayers through it all!

God bless!

Services/Trailer Work

Well, Praise the Lord for another week to serve Him. On my last post I was speaking about teaching a public school class calld TRUTHSEEKERS. I'm happy to report that 5 young teens sought the truth during class and were saved!! It was such a blessing to part of the action. I was honored to have the opportunity to give the gospel in that kind of setting.

Well for the past week we were able to go home to our new trailer. We have been working tirelessly on things being done to the trailer. I have my new hobby for sure in trailer maintenance, but we are loving it. We do not have the truck though, the Lord closed the door on that matter. Initially we were very discouraged about it, but 3 days after we were to get it, the transmission blew out on it, so the Lord was definitley protecting us in those matters! 

Well, now we head for Wilson, NC to back to one of our favorite spots of Wilson Christian Acadmey for chapel services. But the beginning of the week will be filled with writing summer program materials and a number of other mental intensive chores.

We appreaciate your prayers, especially for little Jasmine who keeps getting sick on and off and having repeat visits to the doctor's office. God bless you all prayer and financial supporters!

Immanuel Baptist Church of Edenton NC

Well the month of April is marching on by so incredibly quickly as so many things are going on within the ministry. 

We were in Chattanooga, TN for Easter Sunday for a two day revival at Grace Baptist Tabernacle with Pastor John Geeter. The Lord blessed with visitors from other places and some great decisions as well. The Devil fought that meeting heavily as many that had made plans to be there were not, and as sickness went through our family for the third wave. We had to rush back to NC at 2:30am to get Jasmine to her pediatrician, and thankfully she is back on her nebulizer and antibiotics to help rid herself of this bronchiolitis again. Please continue to pray for her as she is not back to par as of yet!

Now we are in Edenton, NC with Pastor Randy Browder and the folks of Immanuel Baptist Church. Edenton has the small town feel with wonderfully warm hospitality spilling all over. We have enjoyed tremendously our stay, but more important than that, God has granted much liberty during the revival services. Do still pray as its not over yet and there are some who are on the verge of salvation still. Also were praying not just for meetings but for God to truly meet with us during these days. It was great to have Victory Baptist Church of Elizabeth City, NC with Pastor Eason and Pastor Moore bring their young people out to be part of the revival services as well. 

Well do still pray as I preach in chapel twice on Thursday and as I teach the public school class TRUTHSEEKERS as well on Friday. Pray as I plan on giving the gospel there too! 

JOY of JOYS: Leading a family member to Christ...

Busy and Exciting are the two words that can describe this past week.

1. Ordination went well, and thank the Lord I am an ordained preacher of the Gospel as of March 30.

2. We ARE MOVED INTO OUR NEW TRAILER!!! God has blessed us with a beautiful home and now we are so excited to get everything all settled in. Unfortunately we did not get the truck at this time, but we are praying that in God's timing that He will provide a truck for us.
If your a truck person and know of any good deals please relay them on to us. We are looking for a Dodge Ram 3500 Cummings Diesel with Dually Wheels.

3. The revival at Amazing Grace was such a blessing. The first day I had the opportunity to lead my cousin to the Lord and he was there every night after growing in Christ and reading the literature his pastor had given to him as well. That for sure was highlight of the week for me, although there were many other exciting times. The people were generous and friendly to my family making us feel right at home hence I preached like it. The messages were very direct and made us truly considering counting the cost of the Christian life. Many decisions were made and I believe God did a work. One man exclaimed to me after the service, "I'm just upset, that it's over!!"

We love what we do in evangelism but its even more thrilling when others appreciate the ministry that God has given to us!

Pray for us now as we head to Chattanooga, TN for a revival starting on Easter Sunday!

A Week to Remember

Well, the Spring SHARE-A-THON at Grace Baptist Church has come to an end and the Lord provided over 200,000 to keep the brodcast going through the airwaves. It was exciting to be part of all the action and seeing God bless!

Now we are  in the midst of a transition/busy week. Lord willing the truck and trailer for which the Lord has blessed us with should be arriving this week. Along with crash course lessons to drive, park, and operate the 40' home. 

Also I'll be preaching at the chapel services of Calvary Christian Acadmey tomorrow morning, along with preparing for a local revival starting this Sunday! Please be in payer for both events

And last but not least the my ordination service is scheduled for Friday, March 30 at 4pm. All this in one week, well you keep us in prayer for all these matters as we continue to serve Him in the ministry!

Missionary Prayer Letter Showing the Importance of TEEN Decisions

The Freemans of Asia,

 When I was a teenager I heard a sermon at a youth rally in Michigan on the importance of responding to every situation God puts in front of you. The speaker told us it could be a divine appointment. I resolved that day never to pass an auto accident without stopping or any situation that looked like a time when someone needed help. At times it has gotten me into trouble but I believe it is my duty and sometimes my spiritual need to stop and help. I would want someone else to stop if it were me or my family. One of those events came home to bless me last week.

Over 30 years ago when we were very young I was riding my motorcycle down to the market when I saw a little girl standing on the road crying (I found out later she was five years old) I stopped and picked her up, placing her on the gas tank of my cycle and got her to quit crying and tell me what was wrong. She told me she was lost and could not find her house because she had gotten off the bus at the wrong place. I start driving her up and down every street in the little lane and after about 20 minutes her mother saw us and came running out to get her. We talked and I gave her mother a tract an invitation to our church. They never came though we did visit them several times. 

Last week after performing a wedding we were approached by a couple with their 3 children. This young lady told me that she was that little girl. She pulled track out of her bag. Her mother had kept it to remember the event, and when she was older she read it and had been saved as a teenager. She had not been allowed to go to church for many years, but after her marriage to a Christian man she now could and did go with her kids. My recommendation to you this year, stop when no one else will you; you may be on a divine appointment.

 

LET'S NOT RIDICULE THE DECISION OF A TEENAGER

Dugspur Revival

Dugspur also know as "Drugspur" VA was the destination of our meeting this past week. We were granted such a blessing to be part of their services. The church under the leadership of Pastor Jon LaMontagne began preparing for the revival in advance. Many had already began to have spiritual victories in their lives before the services began. They had searched their hearts and sought to come closer to the Lord.

Therefore as the official services began it was a very easy group to preach to and God gave me liberty as I did so. It was a revival where some serious soul searching was done. Passages I had never preached from before I preached that week, passages that require a sober minded people ready to take the next spiritual step.

We enjoyed our time of fellowship with the members there and got know some new ones and also to rekindle relationships with old friends. Jasmine had a great time getting to know everybody as she walked up and down the aisles greeting everyone with a super loud, "HI HI" Thank you for your prayers for the meeting, God met with us and I believe God is going to do something great in Dugspur, VA.

Now we are back home, preparing for a trailer to come next week and also I am on the radio station this week for the Spring Share-A-Thon. You can tune into the radio station @ fbnradio.com                                           My shift times are   Wed. 7p-10p, Thurs. 3p-7p,  Fri. 7p-10p, Sat. 7p-10p

Baptist College of Ministry

Recently we had the opportunity to be part of the chapel services of Baptist College of Ministry and also part of their Christian High School as well. The Van Gelderen's are in leadership there and doing a fantastic job there at the school and at Falls Baptist Church.

Both of the chapel services were a blessing and the altars were flooded both times with tender hearted students seeking God's best for their lives. I attended classes there and was able to fellowhip with students across the country and literally some around the world. What a blessing it was to hear their stories, to see their passion to serve God, it was beyond refreshing!

Their website is and contact information is at the link below for you to familiarize yourself with some godly people doing a great work for God.

www.becmedu.org

 

Priceless Blessing

This past week we have been in Clio, MI at Trinity Baptist Church. I was preaching on Wednesday night to the teenagers there with brother, Aaron Burden, who is the Youth Pastor there. We had a great service with them but the big blessing came later in the week.

While I was in the area I was invited to preach at Reformer's Unanimous at Trinity in Flushing, MI. I attended the group sessions and the other talk seminars. While there I met a man who had been a crack/cocaine addict for around 30 years and he had recently had victory in those areas. He had a son who was heading the same direction and the man did not know what to do with his teenage son. He had kicked him out in the past then let him back in and then he was continuing to get into even more trouble. 

Nevertheless the son was given a deal to either go to Reformer's Unanimous that night or be kicked out of the house again. I had the priviledge to preach that night and wathed as the young man without hesitation went to speak with counselor concerning salvation. He got saved that night!! And the father came to me, obviously touched came spoke to me sharing his heart and thanking me for being used of God to speak to his teenage son's heart. 

What a memorable moment and blessing that I shall never forget!! God is so good!

GLOW-BAL VISION YOUTH RALLY

Praise the Lord for a great youth rally in Draper, VA. The rally was a combination of churches in the Draper, Blacksburg area of VA, that lasted pretty much the enitre day. It started around 11 and lasted till around 7, the grand prize was an XBOX 360 with a Kinnect, so motivation was pretty high to be in attendance.

The 3 services went well with many decisions being made, but the real blessing came the final service. At the final service around 6 teens went back for salvation. What a blessing! Much work and prepearation went into it all, but obvioulsy that made it all worth it.

Please pray now as we are now heading to Albion, IN to start revival services on Thursday.

Kendall Park Baptist Church/ Parsippany Christian School

Wow has God has blessed. First of all we had the opportunity to preach at Kendall Park Baptist Church and was able to be with the ever hospitable Pastor Brown and family. It was great to be a part of their services since Lord willing we will be there this July for a VBS. Their joy and hopsitality is extremely contagious and we love to be around them whenever we get the chance.

Along with preaching at Kendall Park, God opened the door for us to be able to preach at Parsippany Christian School. I preached to the High School and Jr. High Class during 2 different periods and God blessed both in a mighty way!

Now we are in Waynesboro, PA spending the night with our ultimate destination being Draper, VA for a youth rally with Max Creek Baptist Church called GLOW-BAL VISION!!

Camp Manatawny

What a great weekend. We had the privilege to be a part of Valley Forge Baptist Temple Youth Group ABLAZE!!

Under the leadership of Brandon Joyner and many other great people on staff we spend the weekend at Camp Manatawe. The teens enjoyed skiing, tubing, and snowboarding. I personally didn't try any of these activities but thankfully they had fun!! 

But more than just the "fun" aspect it such a blessing to see the tender hearts represented. Many teens made great decisons and many had already carried them through before the weekend came to an end.

A school teacher at the Christian School sent an email letting the leaders know that many of her students came to her and asked for her forgivenss concerning some disrespect that had been shown to her. One girl called her father in NY and made things right before camp came to an end as well. Praise the Lord for teens getting right with their authority!!

Please keep us in prayer as our next stop is in Kendall Park, NJ for a couple of days in next week!!