October 2022 Report

God continues to pour out his blessings on our group here in Norman as we labor in his field. We continue to share the gospel here and elsewhere as we have the opportunity. I would encourage you to put a spiritual rock in the shoe of those that you encounter daily. What do I mean by that? Engage people in spiritual conversations. One of the best ways I have found is to ask people if there is anything I can do for them. Usually the answer is no, but I then ask them If there is anything that I can pray for them about. I have found that most people welcome having someone pray for them. After I pray for them, this will sometimes open the door for a more spiritual conversation. Be alert, be aware as the Holy Spirit moves in the conversation. These are some examples of some folks I encountered yesterday– telemarketer, delivery person and mail lady.

Below is an excerpt of Chris’s monthly report:

This past month, Luis an I had the opportunity to be ordained by the church. It was such a blessing to be affirmed in this calling and for there to be such an outpouring of love and support on this special day with a good number of people from outside the church coming to the ceremony. I know that Luis and I both have an unshakeable call to preach God’s word and shepherd God’s people and that’s what we’ve been trying to be faithful to do over the last several years with Steve’s oversight and encouragement.

We’re not quite a megachurch yet – far from it! But we’re hanging in there! We’re trying to be faithful with the people the Lord has given us both in person and online. And we’re trying to make improvements to the online experience of NGBC, by trying to maximize the sound quality for not only the sermon audio but the music as well. This is a challenge, but we’ve learned a lot and it’s getting better. …… ( We’re thankful that some folks from Arizona and Nevada continue to attend online.)…. So we want to make sure they have a good experience as they attend “virtually”.

In addition to our three Sunday services, we are continuing our Wednesday men’s and women’s bible studies through the book of 1 John. ……

I’m thankful that our church has been used in many wonderful ways to minister to the homeless and needy in Norman over the years. Drugs, addiction, and homelessness continues to run rampant in our country, but I’m glad our church is not afraid to reach out to these folks and show God’s mercy and compassion, whether it’s at Food and Shelter for Friends, Mission Norman, Church in the Park, or wherever the Lord brings them to us, so that we might show God’s love to them and try to lead them back on the right path.

Thank you all again for the spiritual and monetary support. You are making a difference through your ministry at New Generation Baptist Church.