Merry Christmas 2015

November 2015 Update

AMAZING GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH - Columbus, Ohio...

On Sunday, November 1st I had the privilege of preaching at Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio for Pastor Jobe Beechler.  Bro. Jobe had been the church's associate pastor for a few years and then became the church's pastor this past spring after Bro. Jimmy Hood stepped down for health reasons.  I was very thankful for the opportunity to visit with Bro. Hood at his son's home before the service for a few minutes.  It was a blessing just to see this great man of God.  We had a very good service that night at Amazing Grace and the Lord really gave good liberty to preach and a full altar.

TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH - Tioga, Pennsylvania...

After a few days off at the beginning of November we headed to Tioga, Pennsylvania - a small town about an hour south of Corning, New York.  This was our first time being at this church.  Pastor Steven Neff contacted me back in September about preaching their fall revival.  This was really a tremendous REVIVAL meeting.  There was such a good spirit in the services and the response to the preached Word of God was amazing.  On Sunday evening after the service while on the way a home, a teen boy trusted Christ! Again on Monday evening after the service a teen girl trusted Christ.  Then on Wednesday evening during the invitation the pastor's daughter along with one of the teen young ladies trusted Christ.  I personally spoke with each one of these individuals afterwards asking them if they knew they were saved and each one said yes.  When I asked them how they knew they were saved, they said that they had trusted the Lord - AMEN!!! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!!!!!  The Gospel was clearly preached several times in the services and there was no doubt Christ was calling on sinners to get saved.  We enjoyed some great fellowship during the week with the preacher, his family and some of the church folks.  The Lord truly blessed with a great meeting! 

What a blessing when we can park the bus at the church!

Tabernacle Baptist Church - Tioga, Pennsylvania

Tabernacle Baptist Church - Tioga, Pennsylvania

The beautiful Tioga Valley in north central Pennsylvania. Tabernacle Baptist Church is in the center of the picture (enlarged in the next photo below)

Tabernacle Baptist Church in the Tioga Valley of Pennsylvania

Good congregational singing during the week

Pastor Steve Neff - Tabernacle Baptist Church - Tioga, Pennsylvania

Lots of good special music during the meeting

 

LIBERTY BAPTIST CHURCH - Miamisburg, Ohio...

We had to be in the Dayton area for some personal business during the third week of the month.  I contacted Pastor Tom Gresham and asked if we could park at the church during our time in town and he graciously said yes.  A couple of weeks before we arrived he asked me if I would preach on the Sunday and Wednesday we would be there.  I very much appreciate and and am grateful for every opportunity to preach.  It was good to see the Liberty crowd again and are looking forward to being back at the camp meeting next July.

HOME - FIRST MOUNT PLEASANT BAPTIST CHURCH - Franklin, Indiana...

We left Dayton on November 19th and headed home to Franklin, Indiana and I have preached a few times at our church since getting back.  As of this morning, the bus is totally unpacked and ready to go into storage tomorrow for the winter.  We will still be busy over the winter with meetings and different things, but we will not be traveling in the bus again until April.  

My pastor - Kent Kirchmeyer and me

The bus is ready to go to the barn for winter storage

One of Jack's favorite views while traveling in the bus! This was our last ride for 2015

October 2015 Update - Part Two

CALVARY BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH - Elbridge, New York...

It was our privilege for the third year in a row to be back at Calvary Bible Baptist Church in Elbrdige - a little town about 20 miles west of Syracuse.  Pastor George Burkinshaw started this church over 35 years ago and has been faithful all these years.  On top of the struggles of pastoring the church - he is the sole care provider for his dear wife who is in the final stages of dimentia.  I admire him for being so determined to stick it out as long as he is able.  The devil has fought him very hard over the last couple of years in ways that are hard to believe but he has definitely stayed with the stuff.  Because of some circumstances we mutually agreed to just have a Sunday and Wednesday meeting instead of a multi-day revival.  Stacie and I enjoyed some good fellowship with the preacher and some of his people.  Many thanks to Pastor Dave Dunbar in Auburn for allowing us to park the bus there for the week.  It was our prayer to try and be an encouragement to this church.

Calvary Bible Baptist Church - Elbridge, New York

Evangelist Craig Cobb and Pastor George Burkinshaw

GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH - Newark, Ohio...

This was our first time being at this church located about 45 miles east of Columbus.  Troy Kahler served as the church's associate pastor for 14 years in the past.  The church called him to be the pastor back in January of this year.  Evangelist Gary Lutrick and myself preached for Bro. Kahler while he was in New York prior to this and it was a blessing for us both to be here for a meeting.  The church spent much time in prayer in the weeks leading up to the meeting with old fashioned "cottage prayer meetings" the week before.  Their efforts in prayer really were blessed as we had a GREAT meeting.  This was the first time this church had a meeting with two preachers in the same week.  Bro. Kahler reported to us all week about how his folks were telling him during how the Lord was working in their lives.  He also said people who he had never seen at the altar were there multiple times during the week.  I believe it is safe to say that this was really a REVIVAL meeting.  We are already looking forward to being back next October.

Grace Baptist Church - Newark, Ohio

Grace Baptist Church - Newark, Ohio

Pastor Troy Kahler - Grace Baptist Church - Newark, Ohio

The "Buckeye Bluegrass Gospel Boys" (and girl!) -
from Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio

Andrew (a young man traveling with Bro. Lutrick), Evangelist Gary Lutrick,
Pastor Troy Kahler and Evangelist Craig Cobb

October 2015 Update - Part One

BUCK SETTLEMENT BAPTIST CHURCH - Bath, New York...

A meeting the first week of the month got cancelled and so Pastor Greg Ferguson at Buck Settlement Baptist Church asked me if I wanted to preach for him on that Sunday and Wednesday.  The Lord really moved in the Sunday and Wednesday night services.  The altars were full and the preacher said the messages were a real help to some folks who were struggling with some things in their lives.  Praise the Lord!

ANNIVERSARY...

On Thursday, October 8th - Stacie and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary.  I thank the Lord for the godly lady He gave me.  It is such a blessing to be married to your best friend.  She has been my help in life and the ministry.

Craig & Stacie Cobb - October 8, 1993

SEMPRONIUS BAPTIST CHURCH - Moravia, New York

This was our fourth annual fall meeting here at Sempronius with Pastor Dennis Grimes and his folks.  They are a great church way out in the country in Central New York.  We had some great services during the week.  One of the young men who is in Bible college in Florida actually drove home (1100 miles each way) just to be in the meeting.  The church is doing good and has been seeing some visitors recently.  On Friday night of the meeting they have a youth rally and this year it was unique.  There were no skits - instead Pastor Grimes had a man come in from another church in the area and we had an old-fashion "singspiration".  Almost 200 teens from churches as far as 4 hours away came for the service.  After about 30 minutes of singing the Lord led me to preach the gospel message.  Any and all lost people there are now accountable for hearing the truth and we pray the seed that was planted will be used to bring a great harvest.

Good special music from the young people

Ethan - church song leader at 17 years old. And does a great job!

Pastor Dennis Grimes - Sempronius Baptist Church in Moravia, New York

A little food for thought for preachers...

If we are to be persecuted - let us be persecuted for righteousness' sake - not for being unkind, mean and hateful. There is a difference between being bold and being ignorant. Making a point just to be right without the intention of being sincerely helpful in a humble fashion does not make you spiritual - it makes you stupid.

Jesus was our example. Who was he constantly rebuking? The RELIGIOUS crowd. The Pharisees. Oh brethren - we may have the truth but shoving it down peoples' throats because "bless God I'm right and they're wrong" turns one into the same Pharisee that Jesus was always chastising. We are to walk in love. We are to walk in humility. We are to approach people out of a broken heart not a judgmental, critical spirit. 

The men I know used of God the most were "hard" and "bold" but they were Christian gentlemen. Being kind is not compromising it is being Christ-like. 

Please consider the following...

• Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

• II Corinthians 1:12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

• Ephesians 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise...

• Philippians 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.

• Colossians 4:5 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

• I Thessalonians 2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe...

AUGUST - SEPTEMBER UPDATE (2015)

After we left Maine (in the middle of August) we were in meetings in the following churches for the remainder of August and September...

• Old Time Baptist Church - Hamburg, New York (Pastor Lou Guadagno)
• Amazing Grace Baptist Church - Belmont, New York
• Bible Believers Baptist Church - Newport, Pennsylvania (Pastor David Bard)
• First Mount Pleasant Baptist Church - Franklin, Indiana (Pastor Kent Kirchmeyer)
• Shady Acres Baptist Church - Houston, Texas (Pastor Danny Farley)
• Central Baptist Church - Lanett, Alabama (Pastor Jeff Thorn)
• Buck Settlement Baptist Church - Bath, New York (Pastor Greg Ferguson)

We had very good services in all of these churches and are thankful the Lord allowed us to be there.  In each meeting we saw the Lord move in His own special way and it is always good to see when His people follow the Lord's leading.  I am thankful the Lord has put us in this work and what a blessing to be a part of it!

Evangelist Craig Cobb and Pastor David Bard

Camp meeting at Old Time Baptist Church

Amazing Grace Baptist Church in Belmont, New York

Buck Settlement Baptist Church - Bath, New York

Pastor Brad Hanks, Evangelist Ken Avery,
Evangelist Craig Cobb and Evangelist David Evans

UPDATED SCHEDULE - Remainder of 2015

As with all schedules, they are subject to change.  But as of right now, the following is our schedule for the rest of this year.  We appreciate very much the prayers of God's people over these meetings!

OCTOBER

4, 7

Buck Settlement Baptist Church

Bath, New York

Pastor Greg Ferguson

11-16
Sempronius Baptist Church
Moravia, New York
Pastor Dennis Grimes

18-21
Calvary Bible Baptist Church
Elbridge, New York
Pastor George Burkinshaw

25-30
Grace Baptist Church
Newark, Ohio
Pastor Troy Kahler


NOVEMBER

8-11

Tabernacle Baptist Church
Tiogoa, Pennsylvania
Pastor Stephen Neff

15, 18
Liberty Baptist Church
Miamisburg, Ohio
Pastor Tom Gresham


DECEMBER

6-11
Victory Baptist Church
Clarkston, Michigan
Pastor Bob Nogalski

27
First Mount Pleasant Baptist Church
Franklin, Indiana
Pastor Kent Kirchmyer

Updated: 10/19/2015

THE MAINE THING...

It is hard to believe that our time in Maine is almost over. We have been here for four weeks and the Lord has let us be in four churches:

*New Life Baptist Church in Dover Foxcroft (Pastor David Ireland)

*Seal Cove Baptist Church in Mount Desert (Pastor Chuck Barnes)

*Bible Baptist Church in Bangor (Pastor Artie Dean)

*Cornerstone Bible Baptist Church in Prospect (Pastor Ray Hedgpath)

The Lord sure did give us some great services and sweet fellowship with His people. We have come to really love these folks in the 13 years we have been coming to Maine. They are in our hearts and we are blessed that they have also loved on us. 

Tomorrow morning the bus and car will be pulling out and heading to Hamburg, New York for the annual camp meeting at Old Time Baotist Church (Pastor Lou Guadagno). We are looking forward to seeing the folks there again as well as many of our friends from around the country. A couple of young men from New Life will be following us on the trip and Pastor Ireland and his wife are driving there separately. 

CORNERSTONE BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH - Prospect, Maine

Last week we had our first revival meeting at Cornerstone Bible Baptist Church in Prospect, Maine.  Pastor Ray Hedgpath started this work 14 years ago.  We have known he and his family for many years thru the meetings at New Life Baptist Church in Dover Foxcroft and last year attended their meeting with Evangelist David Evans.

The Lord really gave us a great spirit in all of the services and He helped Stacie and I as we sang special music and then me as I preached.  Pastor David Ireland from New Life and several of their people came out Friday and Saturday night.  We enjoyed our fellowship with the Hedgpaths and the church folks.  We are already looking forward to next year!

Stacie did a great job with the special music

Pastor Ray Hedgpath and Evangelist Craig Cobb

Cornerstone Bible Baptist Church - Prospect, Maine

Cornerstone Bible Baptist Church - Prospect, Maine

Cornerstone Bible Baptist Church - Prospect, Maine

PHOTO GALLERY: New Life Baptist Church Camp Meeting

Here are more pictures from the 3rd annual Camp Meeting at New Life Baptist Church last week...