Did you ever meet someone whose story made you wonder how they were still alive? That thought went through my mind after hearing a new brother in Christ give his testimony one day recently. His name is Darrin. Darrin is a regular attender of "Genesis Fellowship," an early Sunday morning breakfast and Bible study we [...]
Paul Henderson Agape Church Budapest, Hungary Thirty-four years ago this month, a student with a freshly acquired degree in Criminal Justice from Middle Tennessee State University walked into my campus ministry office. He had planned on following in his dad's footsteps and become a police detective. Experiences in the months leading up to [...]
by Karen Stroud The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were scandalized by the company he kept. They couldn’t imagine any God-fearing Jew associating with adulterers, prostitutes, swindlers, and the like – much less a rabbi who claimed to be the Son of God! It just didn’t fit their religious box. A “friend of sinners” they [...]
Kindness Can Make a Big Difference Mike Stroud Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done. Proverbs 19:17 Losing my daddy to cancer in 1989 was difficult. One of the saddest days of my entire life came three months before he took his last [...]
That's Killian Washington on the right side of both photos above. We met in 2011 through Greenhouse Ministries housing program for men. Killian passed away in December due to complications of diabetes. What developed during the intervening years paints an ideal picture of life on life disciple making. Here's the story. "I was 'blown here' [...]
A Bittersweet Story from "Re-entry" Disciple Making You might recall reading Melissa C's testimony in our August e-letter. She spent fifteen years in federal prison and was very candid about her former life as a drug dealer. Melissa was being discipled by Tracy Patterson and Karen Stroud. She also attended "Genesis Fellowship" and a small group [...]
It Started with Lunch and a Game of Horseshoes The enemy of God wants us to believe disciple making is best left to "religious experts." He capitalizes on our doubts and fears, keeping most on the sidelines and out of the game. It doesn't have to be this way! Making disciples really is as simple as [...]
Linda Vannatta celebrated her 83rd birthday this year. I've come to think of her as a female version of Caleb, the Old Testament hero who at age 85 was still a leader in the Lord's army when the Israelites conquered Canaan. Linda is not ready for the sidelines! She first opened her Bedford County home [...]
Few of us will ever know what it's like to spend fifteen years in prison. Melissa does, however, and here's her story of redemption. mls My name is Melissa, and I am originally from Austin Texas. I am the youngest of four children. I grew up in a great home with great parents, but [...]
by Mary Gordon Team Leader, Women's Discipleship In the spring of 2015, a small group of women in Bedford County found their way to The Timothy Network. The women were long time members of a local church. I was blessed to begin meeting with them and studying THE CALL for discipleship. As we grew in [...]
