P.O. Box 170, Eagle
Butte, SD 57625
(605) 891-1704 (Pastor’s
Cell)/ www.fbceaglebutte.com (Website)
April 20, 2016
Dear Friends,
Now
at last, winter's chill is finally lifting from our part of the country.
We are entering a confusing period, in which the weather is frequently
warm and sunny, but a blizzard could come through at any time. We even
had a powerful windstorm that ripped one of the largest limbs from a tree, next
to my house. That's okay, though; nothing was damaged. Besides,
it's fun when God keeps you guessing about what's around the next corner.
Special Guests bring the Gospel
First Baptist Church had the honor, together with other local
churches, of hosting the Todd Becker Foundation. This organization was founded in memory of
Todd Becker, a young man who made a series of choices that destroyed his life,
culminating in his death from a drunk driving accident. His brother, grieving for the loss, made it
his goal to travel to high schools across America and convince young people to
avoid the choices that destroyed Todd Becker.
The program is Christ-centered and Gospel-focused, based on the idea
that no decision could be more sound than following the Lord Jesus Christ. And in January, they came to Eagle Butte.
They put on two presentations at our local high school. The first was during normal school hours, and
was primarily about choosing to follow the right road in life. The second meeting took place that evening,
and because it was after school hours, the law allowed it to be more explicitly
Christ-oriented. Hundreds of young
people were motivated to omake different choices in their lives that day, and
several made professions of faith in Christ.
It was a good day.
A New Ministry, from a Fresh Face
During the past few months, I have
become acquainted with a remarkable young man named Tyrone Sudden Brave. A Hunkpapa Lakota by birth, he grew up in
poverty and became involved with gangs and drug culture. But God saved him out of that lifestyle, and
he now uses every opportunity available to him to tell others about Jesus. He has traveled around the country, ministering
on no fewer than 78 different Native American reservations. Now he has returned to South Dakota, where he
has founded a ministry in the nearby community of Cherry Creek. It is primarily designed for the youth, and
is focused on winning their trust through basketball. As often and as vigorously as possible,
Tyrone shares his testimony and the Gospel.
Tyrone requested that he be allowed
to speak at First Baptist Church, and I accepted. Clint Holley of Windswept Academy soon
requested that he do the same at the school.
The result was two beautiful presentations in which Christ was exalted
and the transformative power of God was shown.
We look forward to many more years of partnership with Tyrone’s
ministry, “On Eagle's Wings- CC”.
Girls’ Night Out
Love, ladies and gentlemen. Love can never be synthesized, can never be
replaced, and can never be underestimated.
There are few ministries greater than that of simply showing others that
you love and care about them. And that
is why the ladies at our church decided to partner with some of the women from
other area churches to organize a “girls’ night out” for the girls of Windswept
Academy. They showed these girls that
they loved them by doing a series of fun activities with them, and giving them
lots of attention.
The evening began with a
progressive dinner, where the girls traveled from one ladies’ house to another,
eating a different course at each house (my wife handled the appetizers). They then went to Windswept Academy, where
they had dessert and watched movies until 2:00am! Then they grabbed a few quick hours of
sleep. But it wasn’t over.
The next morning, the ladies
brought all of the girls to First Baptist Church. Working together, they prepared lunch for the
local community, and invited anyone who was hungry to come inside and eat. It was a perfect conclusion to the
festivities, since the best thing you can do with love is to give it to others!
Youth Sunday!
In an effort to involve the youth
in church life, we experimented with the idea of a “youth Sunday”, in which the
young people of our church would participate in portions of the service
normally reserved for adults. They took
up the offering. They offered
prayers. They formed a choir and
sang. It was a beautiful thing to see,
since I know that these same people will be running the church in fifty years,
when I am too weak to lead. These are
the people that God will use to bring His church into the future. God bless them.
A Visit from Friends in Tennessee
In my time at First Baptist Church,
I’ve seen a lot of strange things. I’ve
seen a blizzard in May. I’ve seen a tipi
decked out in Christmas lights. I’ve
even called 911 to report a group of escaped horses, running down Main Street. But I’ve never seen a visit from Merryville
Christian School that didn’t end in happiness.
And this time was certainly no exception. A small, devoted group of students from that
school actually sacrificed their spring break for the opportunity to come up
her and serve. And serve they did. For some days, they fixed everything at
Windswept Academy that was broken, and assisted in the classrooms in various
ways. And on the last night they were
here, they participated in First Baptist Church’s Off-the-Wall activity. They had fun with the kids, and shared their
testimonies with them. It was a
beautiful night. We can’t wait to see
these dear friends again!
Giveaway!
Early this year, we had received
enough donations of clothing and other miscellaneous items from all over the country
to enable us to have a giveaway! All of
your donations were placed on tables throughout the fellowship hall, and were
given away to anyone who was in need.
There are a great many people who stayed a little bit warmer this winter
because of your generosity!
So perhaps you are wondering how you can become a partner with
us in our ministry here in Eagle Butte? If so, then we are happy to tell
you, since we welcome assistance from the body of Christ. Here is what we need
the most:
Prayer. It may be true that our church is getting along very well at the
moment, and that God is doing great things here. But it is precisely when
a church is being used by God that Satan does all in his power to destroy
it. So please pray, my brothers and sisters. Pray that our
leadership will keep their hearts pure and humble, and that we will live at
peace with each other. Pray that we will be protected from the power of
the enemy, and that God’s Holy Spirit will shine through in our lives.
Pray that the Lakotas in the community will come to know the Lord, and that the
commitment they make will not be a superficial group of words, but a real
change in their Spirits that will alter the course of their lives for
eternity.
E-mail addresses. For those of you who have e-mail
addresses, please send them to me. That way, these monthly newsletters
can be forwarded to everyone in your church who wants one! Just send your
name and e-mail address to me at benfarrar777@hotmail.com,
and I’ll make sure you receive this newsletter as often as it comes out.
Financial Assistance. Our church
is fortunate to have members who are generous in their giving. But some of our
most generous members are, nevertheless, very poor. We have long been
blessed with assistance from outside churches and individuals, and we try to
use those gifts wisely and well.
If any one of you wishes to bless the church with a financial
gift, you may send it to:
First Baptist Church of Eagle Butte
P.O. Box 170
Eagle Butte, SD 57625
Since the last newsletter, a financial contribution was made in
honor of Catherine P. Farrar.
May God bless you all, and draw you closer to Himself each and
every day.
Yours in Christ,
Ben Farrar
Pastor
First Baptist Church of Eagle Butte
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