Bells Genius

Eureka! Yesterday I found the world's most knowledgeable person regarding Second's unreached people group, the Bells of the Big Country (name cryptic). I had heard about him off and on through the years, but for obvious reasons, he has not been in the forefront of missions publicity.

He is a European. I have been exchanging emails with him. We have never met personally. I feel like I have found a long lost friend. He knows about things I have always wondered about. He is brilliant. He is a believer. He is a translator. He is passionate about the Bells. I think I have found a soulmate. Amen. Thank You, Jesus.

Second still has five years to go on our 20 year commitment to the Bells. My new acquaintance will help us be better focused and more strategic as we continue our work.

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Glen Campbell

Few names bring back more pleasant memories for Baby Boomers than Glen Campbell. He was a folksy singer who had a wonderful personality, topped off by a TV variety show many of us watched regularly.

Alzheimer's is stealing his beautiful mind. My brother, who is in Utah visiting family, attended a Glen Campbell concert last night. It's his farewell tour. Charles told me Glen's two sons and a daughter were performing on stage with him and helping him. Charles said Glen stumbled over the words a few times, and his children would help him. Also, they helped him at times with his efforts to talk.

Charles' most touching story involved the reaction of the crowd. He said when Glen Campbell was singing, if he began to stumble over the words, the crowd would take up the song and sing it for him and with him. Deeply touching. I like that.

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Coming home

Twitter @john316marshall
www.facebook.com/john316marshallWe enjoyed the Southern Baptist Convention in New Orleans this week. Ruth and I moved here 40 years ago to attend seminary.

When we arrived, the seminary chapel did not have a steeple. It had a stunted platform above the clocks.

Ruth and I well remember the day the steeple was set in place. It's an exact replica of the steeple at the First Baptist Church of America in Providence, Rhode Island.

Found Him

Twitter @john316marshall
www.facebook.com/john316marshall Ruth has been determine to find the doctor who delivered John 2. I felt it was an effort in futility. I was wrong.

Ruth, the super sleuth, found him. We knocked on his door. He joyfully greeted us, though we were strangers. Ruth and I were grateful to be able to thank him for his generosity to a poor young seminary couple.

By the way, to get to his house, we turned left on Hickory, then left on Dickory, and then right on--you won't believe, brace yourself--Dock. No kidding!!

An African-American President

History captured the Southern Baptist Convention today. We elected our first African-American President, Dr Fred Luter, Pastor at Franklin Ave Baptist Church in New Orleans.

I and many hundreds of others cried with joy. This is no small event for a denomination that was birthed on the wrong side of the slavery question.

I'm proud of my denomination. We have problems and weaknesses aplenty, but today for one brief moment we stood tall. Yay for Southern Baptists.

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Fathers Day Reflections

Fathers don't get the respect mothers do. This is understandable. Nothing can compare to a mother's love. I think there's something about Mom having a nine-months head start.

USA Americans spend multiplied millions more to celebrate Mothers Day than to recognize Fathers Day. Not too long ago, more collect calls were made on Fathers Day than on any other day of the year. Ouch.

My family has always bucked the "neglect Fathers Day" trend. They treat me like a king every year. This year was no exception to the rule. They gave me one of my best days ever!! I am a man greatly blessed.

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Fathers Day 2012

Fathers, you need to take your parenting role very seriously.  Your duty is performed unto the Lord.  In the parent-child relationship, parents stand as God to the child until the child matures spiritually.

When parents conceive, they enter the secret sacred chamber of God's act of creation.  Children exist due to God's creation through parents. They are His agents.

At conception parents take on the role, and at birth take on the responsibility, of standing in the position of God for the child. A parent's highest honor is to live before his or her children as a worthy representative of God.

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Unreached Peoples

I just finished a debriefing with three of our people who recently returned from a trip to Asia. We are trying to re-up our church's work with the Bells of the Big Country (fake name). In 1997 Second voted to adopt the Bells for 20 years as our unreached people group. Five years remain on our commitment.

Our work among the Bells has waned the last two years or so. We need to find a way to wisely use these next five years. Souls hang in the balance. We may need to send someone to live there among them for a while to help us re-establish networks vital to our efforts being successful. We'll see.

One thing stood out as paramount in the meeting. The three travelers' hearts were literally crushed on behalf of the Bells. I know the feeling. It brought back sentiments about the Bells I've suppressed for a good while. The meeting caused irresistibly strong inner passions to surface again. I felt myself overcome with compassion for this unreached people group numbering about three million, of which only 200 or so are believers. We must do our best to win as many of them as possible to Jesus.

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My Brother's Birth

52 years ago today, my brother Charles was born. He was almost born in the car. He came 10 minutes after we arrived at the doctor's clinic in Chaffee MO. We had to drive all the way from Cape Girardeau because Dad had found a doctor who would deliver preachers' kids free.

I remember the event well. It's hard for an 8-year-old boy ever to forget watching and hearing his mother in agonizing labor. It didn't help hearing Mom and Dad talk about maybe having to deliver the baby in the car. Maybe this is why I never had any inkling of a desire to be a Gynecologist.

Mom had grown tired of being pregnant. The night before Charles was born, she took castor oil, an old family recipe for hastening births. I have other extended family members who have tried the same elixir. My guess is, Charles came when he wanted to, without regard for any liquid influence. I know I could be wrong. I often am.

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Tank Man

I've been surprised at the seemingly small amount of attention that has been shown today to the Tank Man. Today in 1989 he singlehandedly stared down a column of Chinese tanks near Tiananmen Square. It was one of the most electrifying moments of my life. The whole world held its collective breath.

No one knows for sure what happened to Tank Man. Some say he was arrested and killed by a firing squad. Others say he disappeared into the crowd, and is hiding out somewhere in China. To me, the most intriguing theory as to his fate is one I recently read. Some think he has never come forward because he does not know of his international fame. Pictures of the incident are forbidden in China. Thus, the unidentified rebel may not know he has inspired millions around the world.

I hope we find out someday who he is. I would love to meet him, and talk with him person to person about that moment. We need to thank God for the freedoms we enjoy here in the USA.

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