“And you shall seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found by you, declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 29:14 While traveling back to our missionary roots in Indonesia earlier this month, I used stories of our field experiences in sharing a devotional time each night […]

(Although we are back home in Mississippi, reports and photos from our family trip to Indonesia will continue for a few more posts.) Lori could not wait to hit the streets once we arrived in Jember, East Java. Although modern shopping malls now dot the town, our hotel was just a block from the unchanged […]

One of the most encouraging changes in missions in recent years is the increased partnership and cooperation among various organizations and Christians devoted to fulfilling the Great Commission. In fact, in the context of current developments it is amazing to reflect on the isolation, independency and even competitiveness among those doing missions in previous years. […]

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 We recently traveled back to Indonesia with our daughter’s family to introduce her husband and children to her roots there. Along the way we recalled stories and experiences during our nightly devotionals about the years of missionary service in the […]

Our service in Indonesia years ago ended with a two-year assignment in Surabaya before we left for a regional leadership role and served out our overseas tenure in Bangkok and Singapore. But our reminiscing with Lori and her family began as they arrived here from Central Asia. After negotiating a perplexing array of new thoroughfares […]

When we came to Indonesia in 1970 our visa was granted by the Department of Religion, giving official status to our role as missionaries. Although our work permit designated that we were in the country to work with Christians, specifically the Baptist churches, we had relative freedom to witness openly. Being the only foreigners in […]

Knowing we were returning for a visit to Indonesia, friends still serving here persuaded me to agree to leading a 4-day seminar for students at the Baptist seminary in Semarang on spiritual warfare. After having study guides and a power point presentation translated into Indonesian, I was able to study and review the presentation but […]

“Protect me, God, for I take refuge in You….I keep the Lord in mind always. Because He is at my right hand I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:1, 8 A refuge is a place of safety, somewhere we can feel secure. Birds seek refuge in their nests, something often used as an analogy of […]

I can recall world maps distributed by the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention posted on bulletin boards in churches. Countries were colored red where missionaries were serving, leaving the impression that that country was now being evangelized because there was a missionary presence. There was a display at mission headquarters that highlighted […]

Okay, so our roots are firmly embedded back home in Mississippi, but the roots of our missionary life will always be in Indonesia where we spent the first 14 years of fulfilling a calling that continues after more than 40 years. Flying in for a three-week visit back to places of ministry and connecting with […]