It is hard to believe we are coming down to the end of yet another year of ministry. This has been by far our most active year; our 18th year of doing the Lord’s will. If you look at the year in the eyes of a farmer we have planted hundreds of seeds. We have planted those seeds with the addicted prostitutes that walk our streets daily, and the gang members throughout Durham who think nothing of taking another life. We will continue to plow and nurture these fields in 2016. Other seeds have been planted with the homeless, addicts, alcoholics, pimps and people from all walks of life. We want no one to spend eternity in hell! The Parable of the Sower describes the different types of ground where seed was sown (Matthew 13.) It is sad that most of the ground is not the kind that will produce a harvest.
Matthew 13:22 Now the seed sown among thorns stands for someone who hears the message, but it is choked by the worries of the world and the deceitful glamour of wealth, so that it produces nothing.
We will not give up; as long as these people have breath we will continue to minister the Word of God! We hope and pray one day they will surrender and turn from their wicked ways. We pray they will be set free and spend eternity with Jesus!
Matthew 13:22 Now the seed sown among thorns stands for someone who hears the message, but it is choked by the worries of the world and the deceitful glamour of wealth, so that it produces nothing.
We will not give up; as long as these people have breath we will continue to minister the Word of God! We hope and pray one day they will surrender and turn from their wicked ways. We pray they will be set free and spend eternity with Jesus!
This year has seen an escalation of violence in Durham. Over 40 people have been murdered; people of all ages and backgrounds. This makes over 160 murders since we began ministry in Durham in 2008.
So many that I minister to think that they have a long time to get right with Jesus. Many on this wall I had the conversation with and they said "one day I will get right but I'm just not ready". "I want to enjoy my life". If they could come back they would do it different and I tell this story over and over to many that come in.
So many that I minister to think that they have a long time to get right with Jesus. Many on this wall I had the conversation with and they said "one day I will get right but I'm just not ready". "I want to enjoy my life". If they could come back they would do it different and I tell this story over and over to many that come in.
Many of those gone I knew and ministered to. So many of those seeds were not on fertile ground. Any who did not repent of their sinful lifestyle are now in hell where they will be tormented forever (Revelation 14:11.) Praise God we still have ties to many of the victim’s families and we continue to minister into their lives.
The young man in the picture I first ministered to when he was locked up at the age of 16 with the worst offenders in the Durham County Jail. I told him that day that he needed to get his life together then just shy of two years later he was the one under the sheet when I responded to a shooting at "The Mac".
The young man in the picture I first ministered to when he was locked up at the age of 16 with the worst offenders in the Durham County Jail. I told him that day that he needed to get his life together then just shy of two years later he was the one under the sheet when I responded to a shooting at "The Mac".
I continue to work extensively in the Durham County Jail with male and female inmates. The Lord has given me favor in that place and there has been powerful ministry inside those white walls. I have counseled many incarcerated for murder and other crimes and a lot of these people have become my friends. Many of them never had a fair chance at life; with two strikes against them at birth. I tell them anything is possible when you surrender to God and you become a new creation, the old is gone! So many of them are on their way to an early grave of incarceration. There were days I spent eight (8) hours in the jail. Even if I did that every day I don’t know if I could catch up on all there is to do!
This year we returned to the McDougald Terrace Projects to work with the youth. We would go in on either a Friday or Saturday night and find kids of all ages out on the streets. Many of them were hungry and told of not having food in their apartment for several days. One young girl that sticks in my mind was one that Angie asked if she needed prayer and the little girl responded with “please pray that my mommy will come back.” Her mom had left her when she was born. We continue to battle THE LIFE CRIPPLING DISEASE “baby-mama, baby daddy” that is so popular in the world today. If someone does not reach these kids for Jesus then the devil will surely snatch ahold of them. There are kids as young as 12-13 that are doing home invasions. Many of these kids are already addicted to drugs and gang members. We also hope to work more in the juvenile court system in 2016.
There are so many things going on in this ministry that every day can bring new people or situations. You never know who or what the Lord will bring to us. Here are a few stories from 2015:
Marathon ministry week in May: Pastor Terry and Frank spent an entire week living at ministry Headquarters. People we had never seen in six years came to the ministry and were fed truth. The Holy Spirit showed up and it was an awesome week of ministry.
We were blessed to open the Holy Way Café in October. The space was painted and spruced up. Meals were served almost daily and we had Thanksgiving dinner there for many in the neighborhood. People came to fill their belly with food. We did that and most importantly fed them spiritually.
Probably the most touching time in the ministry this Christmas season involved a refrigerator. We had one for sale because we were replacing it with a freezer. I had a call from a family in Mebane that needed one really bad. They asked me to hold it while they found a truck to borrow. I had it for sale for $75 which was a stretch for them, but affordable. We set a time and I met them at headquarters on a day when it was pouring down rain. They were very excited as we moved the fridge out of headquarters and started to load it in the pickup. Now, the part that really touched me was when their son (probably 9 or 10) wrapped both arms around his mother, laid his head up against her then he said "mommy, this means I am going to be able to have cereal again." His mama looked him in the eyes with tears in hers and with the biggest smile on her face said "yes, son, you are going to be able to have cereal again!" She then told me how hard things had been for them. I gave them some food and I will be getting with them soon to fill their freezer with meat. All of them, including the dad, thanked me over and over. I told them to thank JESUS! I talked to them about their relationship with the Lord and they seemed to be striving to have a true relationship with Him. As we all stood there soaking wet, I told them they owed us nothing. We all hugged and they left happy as could be. We pray that little guy is enjoying his cereal every morning!
I had a guy named James stop into our headquarters one day. He asked if he could sit down then he started opening up about how messed up his life is. I asked him about his relationship with the Lord and he said it was "perfect." It wasn't long after asking him a few questions that he was able to see that his “perfect” relationship was not very good at all. I talked to him about the importance of a true relationship with the Lord. He never asked me for anything other than to talk to him. He spent around an hour with me. I asked him if he had food and he dropped his head and said no. I asked if he wanted some meat. His face lit up and he smiled. I had just picked up our second donation of meat that week. I told him to grab some plastic bags and we proceeded to round him up the things he liked that would fill his freezer. He said "I had no idea what or where I was going to find something to eat.” I told him that the Lord knew prior to him coming in. I told him Merry Christmas and that I would be praying for his situation. He is going to stop back and let me know what is going on. There are so many hurting people out there. Please keep James in your prayers!
Angie and I purchased a home in Rougemont, NC at the beginning of December. We believe that the country living will give us a break from our busy, hectic lives and allow us to be restored when not at work. It is also a blessing for it to be cheaper than renting in Durham. Rest assured we are not relocating the ministry and will continue to sow the seeds planted there over the past seven years. We will continue to be based on Holloway Street to reach the lost in east Durham and everywhere else the Lord leads.
We want to thank all that have kept our ministry in prayer in 2015. Please continue to pray! We want to thank everyone who has labored in our ministry in 2015. I so badly want to start naming names but I will not do so in fear of leaving a special one out. Plus, the list is so long you may not finish reading the post. The greatest thing is the Lord witnessed your labor for Him and the reward will be great! We want to thank all those that have given financially to the ministry over the course of 2015. The Lord touching hearts like yours are what enables us to keep doing what He has called us to do. We pray for more laborers to come into the harvest.
Matthew 9:37 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 "Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."
We pray for more prayer warriors to come on board with us in 2016. We pray for more financial supporters to partner with us on a monthly basis. We ask that you would prayerfully consider a year end tax-deductible donation to strengthen us going into the New Year.
I know I said no names but there are some that I must praise. It is hard to find dedicated people to work in this type of ministry but we were blessed this year to have Lew and Darlene Seger, Vinny Abbruscato, and Frank Goldstein working full time for parts of the year. Angie and I want to thank you all for your help in touching so many lives for Christ.
There are many more that were/are a huge blessing in one way or another to the Lord and this ministry! We pray that you were blessed by the time you spent in the ministry and we hope the Lord calls you to return for a day, a week or even longer.
Thank you so much. Happy New Year and God bless you!
Our new mailing address is Bull City Outreach, 4777 Helena-Moriah Road, Rougemont NC 27572.
Marathon ministry week in May: Pastor Terry and Frank spent an entire week living at ministry Headquarters. People we had never seen in six years came to the ministry and were fed truth. The Holy Spirit showed up and it was an awesome week of ministry.
We were blessed to open the Holy Way Café in October. The space was painted and spruced up. Meals were served almost daily and we had Thanksgiving dinner there for many in the neighborhood. People came to fill their belly with food. We did that and most importantly fed them spiritually.
Probably the most touching time in the ministry this Christmas season involved a refrigerator. We had one for sale because we were replacing it with a freezer. I had a call from a family in Mebane that needed one really bad. They asked me to hold it while they found a truck to borrow. I had it for sale for $75 which was a stretch for them, but affordable. We set a time and I met them at headquarters on a day when it was pouring down rain. They were very excited as we moved the fridge out of headquarters and started to load it in the pickup. Now, the part that really touched me was when their son (probably 9 or 10) wrapped both arms around his mother, laid his head up against her then he said "mommy, this means I am going to be able to have cereal again." His mama looked him in the eyes with tears in hers and with the biggest smile on her face said "yes, son, you are going to be able to have cereal again!" She then told me how hard things had been for them. I gave them some food and I will be getting with them soon to fill their freezer with meat. All of them, including the dad, thanked me over and over. I told them to thank JESUS! I talked to them about their relationship with the Lord and they seemed to be striving to have a true relationship with Him. As we all stood there soaking wet, I told them they owed us nothing. We all hugged and they left happy as could be. We pray that little guy is enjoying his cereal every morning!
I had a guy named James stop into our headquarters one day. He asked if he could sit down then he started opening up about how messed up his life is. I asked him about his relationship with the Lord and he said it was "perfect." It wasn't long after asking him a few questions that he was able to see that his “perfect” relationship was not very good at all. I talked to him about the importance of a true relationship with the Lord. He never asked me for anything other than to talk to him. He spent around an hour with me. I asked him if he had food and he dropped his head and said no. I asked if he wanted some meat. His face lit up and he smiled. I had just picked up our second donation of meat that week. I told him to grab some plastic bags and we proceeded to round him up the things he liked that would fill his freezer. He said "I had no idea what or where I was going to find something to eat.” I told him that the Lord knew prior to him coming in. I told him Merry Christmas and that I would be praying for his situation. He is going to stop back and let me know what is going on. There are so many hurting people out there. Please keep James in your prayers!
Angie and I purchased a home in Rougemont, NC at the beginning of December. We believe that the country living will give us a break from our busy, hectic lives and allow us to be restored when not at work. It is also a blessing for it to be cheaper than renting in Durham. Rest assured we are not relocating the ministry and will continue to sow the seeds planted there over the past seven years. We will continue to be based on Holloway Street to reach the lost in east Durham and everywhere else the Lord leads.
We want to thank all that have kept our ministry in prayer in 2015. Please continue to pray! We want to thank everyone who has labored in our ministry in 2015. I so badly want to start naming names but I will not do so in fear of leaving a special one out. Plus, the list is so long you may not finish reading the post. The greatest thing is the Lord witnessed your labor for Him and the reward will be great! We want to thank all those that have given financially to the ministry over the course of 2015. The Lord touching hearts like yours are what enables us to keep doing what He has called us to do. We pray for more laborers to come into the harvest.
Matthew 9:37 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 "Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."
We pray for more prayer warriors to come on board with us in 2016. We pray for more financial supporters to partner with us on a monthly basis. We ask that you would prayerfully consider a year end tax-deductible donation to strengthen us going into the New Year.
I know I said no names but there are some that I must praise. It is hard to find dedicated people to work in this type of ministry but we were blessed this year to have Lew and Darlene Seger, Vinny Abbruscato, and Frank Goldstein working full time for parts of the year. Angie and I want to thank you all for your help in touching so many lives for Christ.
There are many more that were/are a huge blessing in one way or another to the Lord and this ministry! We pray that you were blessed by the time you spent in the ministry and we hope the Lord calls you to return for a day, a week or even longer.
Thank you so much. Happy New Year and God bless you!
Our new mailing address is Bull City Outreach, 4777 Helena-Moriah Road, Rougemont NC 27572.