by Ryan Thomas
Synopsis: Report on the work of the Lord in northern Michigan from August to November of 2017.
The Northern Michigan Church of Christ is temporarily meeting in the Richfield Township Hall located at 1410 North St. Helen Road, St. Helen, MI 48656
Greetings from the north country located on the 45th Parallel! It is my hope and prayer that this report finds you all in the best of health, diligently and faithfully serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and God our Father, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe and the Father of our Spirits (Zech. 12:1)! First of all, I want to say, "thank you" to all those who have offered emotional, spiritual, and financial support over the past few months. As some of you already know, this has been a time of transition for us, and the path forward has not always been clear. Even though the way has been dim at times, we are still required to "walk by faith" (2 Cor. 5:7) and stand for the truth in spite of all the trials, temptations, and obstacles we face in our daily lives. With all of the prayers, support, and concern that has been shown to us, it is my great honor and privilege to update you on the status of the work here in northern Michigan and to share with you some of the most recent developments.
Earlier this year I asked brother John Isaac Edwards from Terre Haute, Indiana, to hold a gospel meeting at the Grayling Church of Christ where I was then preaching. I had been preaching there full-time since January 2014, attempting to direct them back to the pattern of the New Testament. After a considerable interval of time had passed, I felt the time had come to directly address several issues regarding the liberal practices in which they had been engaging for many years even before I arrived there. These issues centered mainly around institutionalism, so I requested John Isaac to preach on Bible authority, especially as it relates to the work of the church which he did for three consecutive nights from August 22-24. During the meeting, two different mindsets within the congregation emerged as about half of the members rejected the teaching while the other half was greatly encouraged by the lessons being presented. It was discouraging to see the reaction by some, despite the great effort put forth by brother Edwards. Even though it is very sad that some reject the truth, we know that such a reaction is to be expected due to the very nature of the truth itself (Heb. 4:12).
The Sunday following (8/27/17) I requested to have a business meeting with the men of the Grayling congregation to see if we could iron out our differences. Unfortunately, during that meeting, it became clear that we would not be able to come to a satisfactory agreement on what the Bible teaches. Therefore, after the meeting was concluded, I addressed the entire congregation and resigned as their full-time minister. This was most unfortunate. Even though we had formed many friendships during our time there, my wife and I felt that it was more important to be faithful to the Lord than to remain friends with those who persist in their religious error. Friendships and family relationships keep many from doing what the Lord requires (Luke 14:26), but that Sunday, my work there concluded. The following Sunday (9/3/17) I rented a meeting room at the Day's Inn Hotel in Grayling where we held services and had a total attendance of ten. In the Bible class portion of our worship, I began a new topic: "What Kind of Church Does Jesus Want This Church to Be?" This is based on a study written by brother Raymond Harris. I am combining his material with that found in Roy Cogdill's lesson book on the New Testament Church. I then preached a sermon on "Let Us Rise Up and Build" from the book of Nehemiah to motivate our group for the next phase of our work. These lessons were appropriate in light of the circumstances we were facing and were well received by the brethren.
At that time, it became clear to me that more teaching was needed on the issues that divided us. Therefore, I took it upon myself to see that this need was met and contacted brother Ron Halbrook to come and hold a gospel meeting for us. He offered to present a series of lessons on "The Authority of Christ" in which he would deal specifically with the issues we had been studying, and with which some were still struggling. Thankfully, the meeting was a huge success, as all the members were built up and edified through the teaching of the word of God.
This comes as no surprise, as that is exactly what it was designed for according to Acts 20:32. Unfortunately, those from the liberal congregations in the area chose not to attend any of the services. As sad as it may be, we cannot dwell on the past, but must now move forward despite the unwillingness on the part of some to abide in the teaching of Christ. As Paul said, we must "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14)!
I am happy to report that another conservative work has begun in the state of Michigan. Brother Tim Anderson and his wife, Jill Anderson, are now working with the saints located in the eastern portion of the Upper Peninsula. They are from Indiana where brother Anderson served as an elder at the congregation where they worshipped. In August, they held a gospel meeting with brother J.R. Bronger from Danville, Indiana. He came with brother Mike Turner, who is one the elders from the Danville congregation. I was able to attend one night, and he did an excellent job in presenting the truth.
By the grace of God, I was able to hold a gospel meeting in Bloomington, Indiana, at the Westside Church of Christ where my father, Craig Thomas, is laboring. It is located very close to the campus of Indiana University, giving students in the area the opportunity to worship with a sound church while away from home. Since this is a college town, the influence of liberalism can be clearly felt. It has been my experience that, in an environment such as this, the definitive nature of the truth can be made even more apparent. However, finding those who are interested can be exceedingly difficult. Thankfully, I was able to work with the Westside congregation from October 8-13. Unfortunately, there were no visible responses to the gospel, but the word of God was preached to the best of my ability and "I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice" (Phil. 1:18)!
After learning about our situation in Michigan, my father-in-law and mother-in-law, Rody and Tessie Gumpad, decided to visit us in the U.S. to give our newly formed congregation some much-needed encouragement. Rody is a faithful gospel preacher in the Philippines and preaches for the Metro-Tuguegarao Church of Christ, which lies in the northern province of Luzon, as well as the newly formed Edsa-Pasay congregation in Manila. He divides his time between the two works. His son, Rody Gumpad Jr., who is also a full-time evangelist, preaches there on a regular basis, dedicating much of his time to that work. This was not an easy thing for them to do, but we appreciate their great love and sacrifice, and especially the other family members who donated financially to make their trip possible!
As we look forward to the work ahead, we are optimistic about the spread of the gospel in our small, rural community. We trust that God will open doors of opportunity for us to sow the seed of the kingdom that His name might be magnified in this place. "Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen" (Eph. 3:21)!
Author-Bio: Ryan has preached the gospel full-time for 10 years. He currently labors with the Northern Michigan church of Christ located in Roscommon, Michigan. He can be reached at ryanjthomas1981@gmail.com.
