Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from the ABS and from Ruston Baptist Mission to our brothers and sisters in Christ and the churches of the BMA of Louisiana. It is my joy to share an update on the works taking place here in Ruston and to thank you for your continued prayers and support for both ministries. We are blessed in more ways than we can express because of your partnership in the gospel, both for the sake of the students at La. Tech and for the planting of a biblical, Christ-centered church in Ruston. I do not take for granted that these works would not be possible without your support. On behalf of our students and our church plant, thank you for investing in us.
I have never been accused of being a wise planner, and August proved that point in a big way. First, as I mentioned in our last report, we began public meetings with our church plant, and things have continued to go incredibly well. We have averaged around 40 each Lord’s Day and even had the joy of receiving a new family into membership on the last Sunday of August. That gives us five families, including my own, who have formally joined our work, along with about four other families who attend regularly and with whom we have begun conversations about membership. I am greatly encouraged by our people and their commitment to the work.
Every Monday morning, I meet with six men to review the previous day’s service and to plan for the coming Lord’s Day. Their insight and involvement are crucial to our continued growth, and I want them — and their families — to know they share fully in this work. This is not a ministry led by one man, but by Christ, with all of us linking arms, utilizing the gifts God has given and sharing the labor together so that Christ may build His church here in Ruston.
Secondly, toward the end of the month — on August 27 — students finally began moving in at Tech! Many of you, both individually and through your churches, responded to our request for help with DAWG-HAUL/Welcome Week lunches, and we are deeply grateful. The first day was slow, but attendance grew on Thursday and Friday. Then, the following Tuesday, EIM (Evangelistic International Ministries) sponsored our last lunch, which turned out to be our highest-attended event of the week.
For those unfamiliar, EIM is a ministry started by my grandfather, Rocky Goodwin, and now led by my father, Mike Goodwin. EIM faithfully shares Christ around the world, trains pastors in developing countries and distributes Shepherd Bags to children. I am incredibly thankful for their work, and I hope ABS students will soon join them on short-term mission trips to some of the countries where they are laboring. Partnerships like this are vital to our ministry at ABS, and I thank God for each one. Please continue to pray for our work here and for the students God has brought us to train and equip to share Christ on the campus of La. Tech.
Finally, in the midst of all this, Jessica and I welcomed our eighth child, Laurel Katherine Goodwin. She was born on Aug. 19 at 5:35 p.m., weighing 7 lbs. 12 oz. and measuring 20 inches long. Both mom and baby are doing wonderfully.
Having a baby in our 40s was not in our plans, but once again God has shown Himself wiser than we are. We love Laurel dearly, and her brothers and sisters cannot keep their hands off her. We cannot imagine our family without this precious gift. Life has certainly grown busier, and with all the work before us, there are moments we feel overwhelmed — but God is faithful.
As Christians, we are called to “do hard things.” We know God has not called us to lives of ease but to lives of self-sacrifice. We can walk this road not by our own strength but by the grace of God and the union we share with Christ. This is exactly what Paul meant when he said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13 NKJV).
Please pray for us as we labor for Christ. Pray for our children — that they may have faithful, God-honoring parents who continually point them to Jesus. Thank you for your prayers, and may God richly bless you and your churches.
