He Is Risen!

“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).  Being in ministry for 52 years has brought me to the realization that Charles Spurgeon was right.  He said, “The problem with preaching is not having too few things to preach on, but too many!”.  Every year during Christmas and Easter I take 4 weeks to address Jesus’ incarnation and four weeks to address His crucifixion and resurrection.  I could easily take the entire year!

This year, Paul’s strong warning to the Corinthian church kept coming to my mind.  Apparently, there were some in attendance who denied the resurrection of the dead, even though Jesus specifically taught it would happen (John 5:25-29).   Paul explained that if there was no resurrection of the dead, then even Jesus wasn’t raised.  And if Jesus wasn’t raised, there was no proof that His death satisfied God’s punishment for our sins.  We would still be in our sins, bound for hell.  The Sadducees, the Gnostics, and today the Jehovah Witnesses, all tried to deny our Lord’s bodily resurrection.  Paul refutes this heresy.  Jesus has risen from dead; He lives today, and the price for our sin has been paid in full!  (see Luke 24:39)

March Blessings: The month seemed to “run rather than march”.  By God’s grace I was able to teach up to 6 days a week at the ski area during spring break, sharing with students from Iran, Egypt, and the Dominican Republic as well as the USA.  We held a weekly Bible study for fellow instructors; and conducted a mountain top chapel service each Sunday afternoon.  I had the privilege of sharing a video sermon with Grace Fellowship Church in Lake City, doing our weekly Saturday Night Worship services as well as a video study.  In addition, I taught 2 required forest fire safety refreshers for the Gunnison and Crested Butte Volunteer Fire Departments.  Your prayers undergird us as we share Jesus in these different venues!  Lord willing, we will be able to take a few days off now that the ski area is closed for the season.

2021 So Far: (*This is our quarterly newsletter which includes those not on our monthly mailing list.)

1. First Responder New Testaments and Devotionals: over 1000 sent to chaplains and firefighters around the US and Canada!  *Ann (91) just requested more to distribute in her assisted living center!
2. Helping “Alumni” Missionaries and Pastors establish retirement/emergency accounts.
3. Mountain Top Chapel attendance averaging 20 per week with guests, employees and locals.  Assisting several families in need, underwriting the delivery of trailer loads of clothing to churches on Indian reservations, supporting 19 alumni missionary families on a rotating basis, and our annual prayer time and dinner for the evangelical pastors, missionaries and their wives.
   

Upcoming:  Lord willing, Pitkin CO (May 30), Tin Cup CO (June 5, Sept 5), as well as a wedding, and several funerals.  And of course, our 50th wedding anniversary (June 6).

Finances: Praise the Lord, who is our “Jehovah Jireh” (“The Lord will provide”-Genesis 22:14).  Every bill is paid., Thank you for your investment in His work through us!

Family:  Steve and Annie (Samuel and Abigail) would appreciate your prayers as Steve seeks the Lord’s direction on a new job.  Nick and Rebekah (Kailani) would appreciate your prayers as they consider a major business decision.  Tim and Sara (Elizabeth and Sydney) are doing well with both girls growing stronger each day.  Stephen and Joy (Hannah and Bethan) are praying for Scotland to open so Stephen can travel and preach again.  Melva and I are doing well although a bit tired from a busy winter of ministry and work.

Promoted to Glory: This year, several wonderful co-workers in the Lord have joined our Savior in heaven.  Newt Cole, retired Air Force Chaplain and Tin Cup Pastor; Glenda Schammerhorn, wife of Jimmy who coordinates the Tin Cup chapel services, Rikki Santarelli and Ricky Dean, attendees in the Tin Cup church, all passed into glory.  Donnie White, who attended our college ministry years ago and always showed the love of Jesus wherever he went, joined our Lord as well. Please pray for their families!  “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones” (Psalm 116:15).

Prayer Requests: For the anointing of the Holy Spirit as we share His glorious gospel.  For the Lord’s guidance as we enter a summer of ministry, forest fires and family.  For our Saturday night worship services, that we continue to mature in the Lord as well as reach out to the lost around us.

Thank You sooooo much!  May our Risen Lord richly bless you!  Rick and Melva 

Alumni Missionaries Paul & Sarah

Chapel service on top of ski lift in Crested Butte

Evangelical pastors, missionaries & wives prayer & dinner