Dear Friends:
There are many different views on the Rapture and that's
okay, since it is not a salvation issue. I do not preach
or teach on the timing of the "catching away"
of the church in our services, however I have written the
following study on this important subject and I hope it
will be a blessing to you.
Pressing On,
Joel Hemphill
Pre-Tribulation
Rapture
Fact
or Fiction?
Jesus is coming soon! The signs are everywhere, famines,
pestilence (aids is the greatest ever known to man), and
the increase of earthquakes (Matt. 24:7). Jesus said also
"the sea and the waves would be roaring" (tsunamis)
and there would be "fearful sights" (Luke 21:11,
25). What could be a more fearful sight than busses and
buildings being blown up, killing thousands? One of the
greatest signs of His soon coming is the re-gathering of
the Jews and Israel re-established as a nation (Isaiah 14:1-3,
Jer. Ch. 30 & 31, and Ezek. Ch. 36 & 37, Amos 9:14-15).
Plans are now under way to rebuild the last days' temple
in Jerusalem (Mark 13:14, Rev. 11:1-2) (see www.temple.org.il).
However, there is one thing that is being taught by many
sincere Christian ministers today that I believe is based
on a misinterpretation of scripture and I feel constrained
in spirit to write about it. That is the doctrine of the
pre-tribulation rapture of the church. May I say in all
humility that I believe this is a man-made doctrine that
is not supported by the Bible. Not that they would knowingly
preach error but perhaps they have embraced it without thorough
study and rightly dividing the word of truth. Maybe you
have made up your mind in this area and will not hear me
out, but I pray that this is not the case. Please look with
me at some Bible facts.
1. According to Revelation 8:1-13 & 9:1-21; there are
7 trumpets to sound and the wrath of God and plagues are
to be poured out during the first 6 trumpets. The saints
are resurrected and changed at the last trumpet.
(I Thess. 4:13-17, I Cor. 15:51-52, Rev. 11:15 & Isaiah
27:12-13).
2. It is God's way, as shown in the Bible, to preserve
His people in trouble rather than take them
out of it. God preserved Noah in the flood, Daniel
in the lions den, the Hebrew three in the
fiery furnace, and Israel in Egypt (Goshen) at the
time of the terrible plagues. The wrath of God and plagues
will not be poured out on the saints "for God has not
appointed us to wrath" but will be poured out on the
wicked world that has worshiped the beast and taken his
mark. (Rev. 14:9-11 & Rev. 16:1-6). God is well able
to protect the righteous while punishing the wicked (II
Peter 2:9). In a major battle while Israel was marching
to the land of promise, God cast down great hailstones upon
the enemy and slew more of the enemy than Israel slew with
the sword, and not one Israelite was killed (Joshua 10:11).
3. In Revelation 12:17 the dragon persecuted the remnant
of the saints "who have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
Clearly these are Christian believers. The beast (anti-Christ)
persecutes the saints according to Daniel 7:21, 24-25 and
Revelation 13:7. How can this be if they are in heaven?
4. If the saints are raptured before the time of trouble,
why does Revelation 14:13 say "Blessed are the dead
which die in the Lord from now on," or verse 12 say
"Here is the patience (perseverance) of the saints?"
(Job 14:13 & Isaiah 57:1).
5. If the saints are raptured to heaven before the time
of trouble, why did Jesus say in Matthew 24:22, "For
the elect's sake those days will be shortened." The
word elect means "chosen ones" and in scripture
it refers to saved people, both Jew and Gentile. (Matt.
24:24, 31 & Luke 18:7). Also in Romans 8:33 and Colossians
3:12, Paul refers to Gentile saints as "God's elect."
6. The anti-Christ and his kingdom of Babylon are destroyed
in Revelation chapter 18, before the marriage supper
of the Lamb which is told of in Revelation 19:1-9.
7. According to II Thessalonians 2:1-4 "the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him"(the
rapture) cannot occur "unless the falling away
comes first and the man of sin (anti-Christ) is revealed"
and "stands in the temple of God, showing himself that
he is God."
8. In Matthew 24:23-30, Jesus teaches about His second
coming and says plainly that it is "after the tribulation
of those days." Nowhere does the scripture teach that
the people of God will spend 3½ years up in the air to escape
the great tribulation. The tribulation is to punish the
world for iniquity as well as refine Laodicea. Where is
that church today that is without "spot or wrinkle,"
"holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:27) and
how will she shine forth without some refining persecution?
When the early church was persecuted "the word of God
grew and multiplied" (Acts 12:24).
9. In Revelation 3:7-10 the Philadelphian church was to
be delivered from "the hour of trial which shall come
upon the whole world," but not the Laodicean church
which was at the end of the age. (Rev. 3:14-21).
10. The apostle Paul says in II Thessalonians 1:7-10, "And
to you who are troubled rest with us, (when?) when
the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty
angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know
not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from
the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power:
When He shall come to be glorified in His saints,
and to be admired in all them that believe...in that
day." This does not sound like Paul believed
in a secret rapture of the church.
11. Jesus said in Mark 14:25 and Matthew 26:29 "I
will drink no more of the fruit of the vine (wine) until
that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
He said in Luke 22:18 "For I say unto you, I will not
drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God
shall come." The kingdom of God is to be set up on
earth (Daniel 2:44, 7:14, 18, 22, 27; Matt. 6:10,
Rev. 12:10) so the marriage supper of the Lamb cannot be
in heaven, else Jesus would not drink the wine that is served.
12. In studying Jesus great teaching regarding the end
time and His second coming, found in Matthew 24, Mark 13,
& Luke 21, no reference can be found to a secret, pre-tribulation
rapture of the church. He did say, "But he who endures
to the end shall be saved," (Matt. 24:13). Please
read these chapters again prayerfully.
13. In Revelation chapter 12, John the Revelator saw a
vision of the end time, and the Lord's church pictured as
a woman, persecuted by a great red dragon (Satan). Verse
6 says she "fled into the wilderness, where
she hath a place prepared of God," where she is fed
and protected for the final 42 months of the tribulation.
Please note that it did not say she was caught up to heaven.
14. The angel Gabriel told Daniel in the book of Daniel
chapter 12 that he would not be resurrected until after
the time of trouble "at the end of the days."
Do those who preach a pre-tribulation rapture believe that
they will be in heaven seven years before the great prophet
Daniel?
15. Contrary to what is taught by some, the apostles did
not believe Jesus was coming back to earth in their lifetimes.
He taught them that certain things would happen before His
return, including the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
(A.D. 70) (Mark 13:2, Luke 29:43-44, Luke 21:9). He told
Peter plainly that he would grow old and be killed for the
Gospel (John 21:19). The disciples were shocked when they
misunderstood Jesus and thought He was saying that John
would live until His coming (John 21:22-24). Paul knew that
he would die, and spoke of his "departure" and
what would come after. He knew that the rebuilt Temple would
be defiled by the anti-Christ (Acts 20:29-31, II Tim. 3:1-6,
II Thess. 2:1-8). They all understood that Jesus would come
the second time as He had the first "when the fullness
of time had come" and not before (Galatians 4:4, Romans
11:25).
My friend, can you imagine a just God taking His church,
which is the light of the world and the salt of the earth,
to heaven to miss the time of trouble and leaving the babies
and children of all the nations to suffer through it? Do
you believe all of earth's children under the age of accountability
will be raptured, and have you seen in the Bible where life
will continue on earth with no child to be found under the
age of 10 or 12 years? Likewise is the church to escape
suffering and persecution, while Israel that has already
suffered so much, is left here in tribulation without our
help, prayers, or support? It simply does not fit scripture,
but seems tailor made for an American Church (Laodicea)
that says "I am rich, and increased with goods, and
have need of nothing," and knowest not "that thou
art wretched, and miserable, and poor and blind and naked"
(Rev. 3:17). I cannot help but think of the old hymn that
asks, "Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds
of ease, while others fought to win the prize and sailed
through bloody seas?"
My friend, God looks severely upon false teaching and the
seriousness of it can hardly be overstated. When Paul said
in II Thessalonians 2:3, "Let no man deceive you by
any means" he was speaking in reference to the timing
of Jesus' return. This shows that there would be deception
regarding this matter. Every doctrine bears fruit, and error
as you well know bears bitter fruit. Let me explain how
this pre-tribulation rapture doctrine can do harm to the
body of Christ.
The USA Today newspaper carried a story recently about
the U.S.'s most decorated officer to survive as a P.O.W.
He spent 8 years in the horrible prison called "Hanoi
Hilton" and in spite of intense mental and physical
torture, came back home to his family. He was asked in the
interview, who did not survive the ordeal and he said, "The
optimists." When asked to explain he said, "those
who said, 'we will be out by Christmas' and weren't, then
'we'll be out by New Years' and weren't, then 'we'll be
out by Easter' and weren't, and their spirits were broken,
their hopes dashed, and they succumbed to despair and died."
He said, "I fixed my mind for the long haul and thought,
I have a wife and babies back home in the U.S. and no matter
how long it takes or what I have to suffer, I will see them
and hold them again." Thus, he made it! We as Christians
must fix our minds for the long haul!
It is dangerous to preach a doctrine of easy escape when
that is not what is coming. May I humbly say that what is
coming is a shaking of the nations. In 1986, God told me,
"I am soon going to shake the nations with a demonstration
of the power of my wrath. Many will think that it is the
end but it is not, it is just to show my power to the nations."
God said He did not want His people stirred by the shaking,
but He wants us stirred by the Word, now, "so that
we will have the strength to reap the harvest of souls that
the shaking will bring." I later found where Ezekiel
38:20, Haggai 2:6-7, Hebrews 12:26-27 and Joel 3:11 speak
of this shaking which is to come. Joel 2:31 says these things
happen "Before the coming of the great and awesome
day of the Lord."
Let me say to my friends in the ministry, Brethren instead
of telling people they will fly away and avoid it all, let's
do as Paul did in Acts 14:21-22, preaching to all of the
churches "strengthening the souls of the disciples,
exhorting them to continue in the faith" and saying
"we must through many tribulations enter the
kingdom of God." What happened to that
message?
As Don Finto said in his book, Your People Shall Be My
People, "I would rather be prepared for the worst and
be delivered than to be caught off guard." Daniel 11:32
says, "then they that do know their God shall be strong
and do exploits," (not, "will fly away").
These exploits are heroic and notable deeds and there is
something in me that looks forward with great anticipation
to that day. Strengthened by God, I would love to do battle
with the anti-Christ for "greater is he that is in
us than he that is in the world" and "the weapons
of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God."
(I John 4:4 and II Cor. 10:4)
Dear fellow Christian, please receive this message in the
spirit of love in which it is written as I do honor you
and believe that you are a sincere seeker for truth.
God has plans that we know not of and one thing is for
sure, His glory will soon be revealed in the earth. May
we spread the Gospel and pray for the soon coming of Jesus.
Your Brother In Christ,
Joel Hemphill
Friends:
Sometime back I wrote a study titled "Why I Speak
in Tongues" and posted it on this website. We get a
good many questions and comments about this article and
are always happy to respond.
A couple of weeks ago I received a quite lengthy email
from a Dr. Bob Pearson (I have changed the name)
who named many great Christian ministers from the past,
and Dr. Billy Graham of the present, who did not teach or
practice speaking in tongues. His question was basically,
"If speaking in tongues is of God, and they didn't
practice it, how could they have been used of Him as they
were?" That is a good question and I hope I answered
it well. I have posted my email to him here, so you can
be the judge.
Warmest Christian Regards,
Joel Hemphill
P.S. I do not normally talk about "tongues"
in our concerts and church services, as our ministry crosses
many denominational boundaries, but I certainly do practice
it every day in my personal prayer time. Also, I was amazed
at some of the good statements I found from Brother Billy
Graham on this subject.
"More
About Tongues"
Dear Brother Pearson:
I received your email regarding my article on speaking
in tongues and was very happy to hear from you. From the
tone of your questions I felt that you may not believe in
speaking in tongues, however I will answer according to
my belief that you are a sincere seeker for the truth.
Number one, Brother Pearson, we must not get our doctrine
from experience, no matter how profound, but from the
eternal word of God, and we strive that our experience might
fit the Bible.
Number two, you mentioned the names of many great men who
obviously have done much for the kingdom of God, whom you
say did not teach or practice speaking in tongues, and asked
me to judge whether they were lost, backsliden or heretics.
These are definitely not words that I would use to describe
any of these servants of the Lord and neither would I set
about to judge their walk with God. Nevertheless, from the
scriptures we learn that some have done a good work for
God, even tho their understanding of the truth was deficient
and their message incomplete. Acts 19:24-28 tells of
Apollos, a Jew who was "an eloquent man and mighty
in the scriptures." Verse 25 says he was "instructed
in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in the spirit,
he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing
only the baptism of John." He was doing a good work
for God. But verse 26 says Aquila and Priscilla "expounded
unto him the way of God more perfectly" and his
ministry became much greater (verse 28). If as you say,
the men that you named never spoke in tongues, just think
how much greater their ministries would have been had they
practiced and taught this wonderful experience. They would
have been in the company of many people, mightily used of
God, who did speak in tongues, including Mary the mother
of Jesus (Acts 1:14 and 2:1-4), His brother James (Acts
1:14 and 15:8-13), the apostle Peter (Acts 2:4-21) and the
apostle Paul (I Corinthians 14:15-18).
My question to you Brother Pearson is, How do you know
that the men you named never spoke in tongues? Take Billy
Graham for instance. In his book "The Holy Spirit,"
in the chapter titled "The Sign Gifts," he says
some wonderful things regarding speaking in tongues. He
says on page 226 "I personally cannot find any biblical
justification for saying the gift of tongues was meant exclusively
for New Testament times." On page 228 he says,
"The filling of the Spirit may result in many different
experiences in our lives, of which tongues on occasion
may be only one evidence." On page 231 Brother
Graham says, "A number of friends have told me that
after they had prayed for a long period of time, they suddenly
found themselves speaking in an unknown language."
He adds "The private use of tongues is implied by Paul
when he remarks that 'I speak in tongues more than you all'."
On page 233 Brother Graham expresses the need for believers
to be filled with the Spirit and says, "on the occasion
of a particular in-filling, tongues may be a sign God gives
some." He says also on page 233 "to summarize,
First, there is a real gift of tongues. Many of those
who have been given this gift have been transformed spiritually.
Second, God uses tongues at certain times, in certain
places, especially on the frontiers of the Christian mission,
to further the kingdom of God and to edify believers."
On page 218 Brother Graham gives this account, "A
leading minister in the Church of Scotland lay in the Intensive
Care Unit of a Glasgow infirmary. He knew that his life
hung in the balance - at any minute he might be seeing his
Lord face to face. And so, he began talking to Him. As he
did, he found himself praying in a language he had never
heard before. He recovered to serve his Lord for several
more years." He makes this enlightening statement on
page 221, "No one can escape the fact that the neo-Pentecostal
emphasis has brought Protestants and Roman Catholics closer
together in some parts of the world, not on the basis of
having worked out their theological disagreements but
on the basis of speaking in tongues and baptism with the
Holy Spirit." While not professing to be an expert
on speaking in tongues or saying whether or not he speaks
in tongues, Brother Graham addressed the subject of "unknown
tongues" on pages 224 and 225. He says "the question
is whether or not the tongues in I Corinthians were known
languages." He continues "some Bible students
suggest they were, while others say they were simply some
form of ecstatic utterance unrelated to any know human
language. Personally, I lean toward the latter position."
Also he gives a quote from I Corinthians chapter 13, "Paul
mentions tongues of men and of angels. Now it should be
apparent that angelic tongues are not known to any
of us, yet the implication is there that some might speak
in such tongues." Dr. Graham makes this awesome
statement on page 234, "Indeed, tongues is a gift
of the Spirit. Today there are Presbyterians, Baptists,
Anglicans, Lutherans, and Methodists, as well as Pentecostals,
who speak or have spoken in tongues. And those who forbid
it do the Church a disservice because they appear to contradict
the teaching of the apostle Paul." Please consider,
that as quoted by the Full Gospel Men's Voice he said, "In
the main denominations we have looked a bit askance at our
brethren from the Pentecostal churches because of their
emphasis on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, but I believe
the time has come to give the Holy Spirit His rightful place
in our churches. We need to learn once again what it means
to be Baptized with the Holy Spirit." (Emphasis
mine throughout) I do know that his daughter Anne Graham
Lotz teaches and practices speaking in tongues.
Brother Pearson, you mentioned D.L. Moody. I think possibly
he spoke in tongues, as this practice did appear in the
wake of his preaching campaigns. Take this account by Robert
Boyd of a service in Sunderland England in 1873. "When
I got to the rooms of the YMCA, I found the meeting on fire.
The young men were speaking in tongues and prophesying.
What on earth did it mean? Only that Moody had been addressing
them that afternoon."
You mentioned also John Wesley. While I have no proof that
he spoke in tongues, he certainly did witness many strong
manifestations of the Spirit in his meetings. One account
from his journal states, "In the evening, such a spirit
of laughter was among us, that many were much offended."
Another says "It was a frequent occurrence for people
to cry aloud or fall down as if dead in the meetings, so
great was their anguish of heart, caused, no doubt, by the
Holy Spirit convicting them of sin."
Concerning George Whitefield, an account of a service in
1740 says, "Mr. Whitefield had scarcely spoken for
a minute on the same text when the whole auditorium could
be seen to be deeply moved, to be in tears, and to be wringing
hands, and the sighings, weeping, and shouting of the people
could be heard."
Jonathan Edwards' ministry was accompanied by many manifestations
of the Holy Ghost as well. His writings tell of congregations
"that were moved by a mighty, invisible power"
that sometimes caused "visible commotion." He
writes of one service where "many others at the same
time were overcome with distress about their sinful and
miserable condition; so that the whole room was full of
nothing but outcries, faintings, convulsions and the like.
It was pretty often so, that there were some that were so
affected, and their bodies so overcome, that they could
not go home, but were obliged to stay all night where they
were."
You mentioned William Booth, father of the Salvation Army.
His grandson, the late William Booth-Cliburn, noted minister
and songwriter who penned such great hymns as "Down
From His Glory" and "He's Coming Soon," was
a very dear friend of mine, and he preached and practiced
speaking in tongues.
Brother Pearson, from my study of the history of the Church
of Jesus there seems to be an unbroken line of the Holy
Spirit poured out in this manner. St. Augustine, who lived
in the fourth century, wrote, "We still do what the
apostles did when they laid hands on the Samaritans and
called down the Holy Spirit on them by the laying on of
hands. It is expected that converts should speak with
new tongues." Tongues appeared in many of the great
revivals. The early Waldensians, spoke in unknown languages.
So did the Jansenists, and the Quakers and the Shakers,
and the Methodists. "While waiting upon the Lord,"
wrote W.C. Braithwaite in an account of early Quaker meetings,
"we received often the pouring down of the Spirit upon
us and ...we spoke with new tongues."
You mentioned Martin Luther, and perhaps he was not baptized
with the Holy Ghost. We owe him a great debt of gratitude
for his part in the Reformation, but late in his ministry
he turned bitter toward the Jews and wrote hateful things
that are not consistent with scripture, nor someone filled
with the Holy Spirit. He was quoted by Hitler in some of
his speeches, and his erroneous doctrines helped lead to
the horrible Holocaust. All doctrine, good and bad bears
fruit, and it was said in a scholarly treatise on the Holocaust
recently, written by rabbis Yoel Schwartz and Yitzchak Goldstein,
"...without Christianity, the success of Nazism would
not have been possible...Were it not for the fact that dozens
of generations in Europe had been imbued with religious
hatred, the growth of racist hatred towards Jewry in modern
times could not have taken place." While I am not blaming
Martin Luther for the Holocaust, some of his doctrine certainly
did contribute to it. Perhaps it would have been different
if Luther and others like him who taught this false doctrine,
had been baptized with the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus said,
"will guide you into all truth...and show you things
to come" (John 16:13). Please note also that the disciples,
baptized with the Holy Spirit, and with Him as their inner
guide, taught only what "seemed good to the Holy Ghost"
(Acts 16:28). Brother Pearson, much of the error and divisions
that are a part of Christianity today would go away if all
were baptized with the Holy Ghost.
Dr. Pearson, a look at tongues such as this always begs
the question, "What good is speaking in tongues?"
Let's let the Bible answer.
1. It is a sign to unbelievers. (I Corinthians 14:22)
2. It is speaking to God, and speaking mysteries in the
spirit. (I Corinthians 14:2, 28)
3. It edifies the speaker. (charges his spiritual battery)
(I Corinthians 14:4)
4. It is prayer to God by the spirit of the speaker. (I
Corinthians 14:14)
5. It is blessing and giving of thanks to God. (I Corinthians
14:16-17)
6. It magnifies God. (Acts 10:46)
7. It builds a person up in the Lord. (Jude verse 20 and
I Corinthians 14:14-15)
Brother Pearson, I hope that you will read again prayerfully
Acts chapters 2, 8, 10 and 19 and I Corinthians chapter
14. It is a serious thing to teach and preach error and
not the "whole council of God." I will say of
all Bible truths what Dr. Billy Graham says of the
"gospel" in his book "The Holy Spirit,"
"Men and women do make decisions wherever the gospel
is proclaimed; whether publicly or privately, some say yes,
some say no, and some procrastinate. No one ever hears the
gospel proclaimed without making some kind of decision."
Paul says in I Corinthians chapter 3 that some who have
worked for God, will on judgement day"suffer loss"
of rewards, tho they themselves will be saved, because they
were not careful how they built on the foundation of Jesus
Christ, as laid down by the apostles. The Lord told
me in 1986 that my reward was being weighed in regard
to how I received His word. Perhaps it is the same for
you.
Please open your mind and heart to all the God has for
us as believers.
In Christian Love
Joel Hemphill
Ministry
To Homeless
Joel and LaBreeska and their daughter Candy
Christmas are very excited about a new ministry the Lord
has opened up for them in Nashville, in addition to their
ministries on the road. They can be found every Tuesday
evening @ 6:00 p.m. under the Jefferson Street bridge singing,
preaching and feeding the homeless. The crowds have been
running around 200 to 250 (Nashville has approximately 6000
homeless) and God is moving mightily. There have been people
saved, baptized with the Holy Spirit, healed and set free
from drugs and alcohol. One homeless man who was in a wheelchair
was prayed for and he returned the following Tuesday without
his wheelchair and praising God for his healing. There has
been one baptismal service and another one is planned for
the last week of November.
We are amazed at the number of ministers,
both singers and preachers, that the Lord has sent to help
in this work. The work was started about 1 year ago by Brother
Danny Allen, a dedicated soul winner of Springfield, TN.,
who remains a very important part of it. Other regulars
are Evangelist Kent Christmas, Pastor Bruce Allen of Christ
Worship Center of Whitehouse, TN, Pastor & Mrs. Robb
Tripp of Gallatin, TN. and Pastor and Mrs. David Calhoun
of Donelson, TN. Other regular singers in addition to Joel,
LaBreeska and Candy are their granddaughter Jasmine Christmas,
Randy Burnett, Evangelist Jerry Bennett, Brittany Calhoun,
Robb Elders, Russ and Becky Jeffers and Heather Smith.
Joel or Candy normally preach, but special
guest ministers have included Pastor Jim Crockett of Bible
Baptist Church in Hendersonville, TN, Evangelist LaVerne
Tripp, Pastor Eddie Myers of Sonlight Baptist Church in
Knoxville, TN who brought two car loads of his people and
blessed us with their singing and preaching, and Pastor
Maury Davis of Cornerstone Assembly of God in Madison, TN.
Special guest singers have included, Stella Pardon, LaVerne
and Edith Tripp, Sarah DeLane and Joey Hemphill.
No solicitation for money is made in the
services or anywhere else but if God lays it on your heart
to give to this work it would be thankfully received, and
used 100% to feed and clothe the homeless of Nashville.
Checks should be made to Joel Hemphill Gospel Association
and are tax deductible. Be sure to specify for the "Bridge
Ministry."
You may be asking, "How can I help?"
You can pray and come to visit us any Tuesday night. Also,
as winter approaches, in addition to the Bibles, shoes and
clothes that are always needed, there is a pressing need
for blankets, sleeping bags, winter coats, and a building
to gather in on bitter cold nights. These dear people are
homeless, for whatever reason, and sleep on the ground,
in the woods and some in pasteboard boxes.
This is an exciting work! Thank God for
the opportunity! Candy said to me a couple of weeks ago,
"Dad, I could do this 7 days a week." It's hard
work! Each week Candy cooks a 40 quart pot of Jambalaya
(rice, chicken, sausage) as well as roast. LaBreeska cooks
pots of baked or green beans, and other sweet ladies cook
turnip greens, chili or cobblers.
Thanks to all who attend, pray, work and
give. Great things are happening - just wanted you to know.
Christian Love,
Joel Hemphill
Alligator
Hunt
The last week of September Joel and LaBreeska
went to Louisiana for Joel's annual alligator hunt with
good friend Bobby Emfinger. Bobby, of Gilbert, LA, sings
with the gospel group, "Sounds of Calvary" and
is one of the country's best alligator hunters.
Joel bagged an 8 foot and a 9 foot during
the 2-day hunt. (Bobby had already bagged an 112
foot monster a couple of days before Joel arrived.) It was
a good time of rest, relaxation, and fellowship with beloved
family and friends, including Joel's mother who is doing
well at the age of 87. LaBreeska managed to get in some
shopping as well.
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