Silent Matters » dale

My Blue Heaven

dale — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:09:45 +0000

I recall a discussion a while back regarding what we will see in heaven. Some asked if their favorite things on earth would be there; their dog, their spouse, or their favorite steak dinner. Someone responded that he believed it would be so. I cannot really say as the Bible is silent on the matter, but I must respectfully disagree because I believe the view is a bit narrow – and here are my reasons:

If we are to think heaven, the place to start is in the original state our God created us; the Garden of Eden. What we see there before the fall is simply perfection in all our needs and joy fulfilled. Adam and eve were “unashamed” in everything they did and everything they did was good. I mean they walked around naked unhidden from each other – no secret was kept between them and absolute trust was given. No fear of betrayal or what would happen to tomorrow because complete trust was given to the Lord. In our world, we can only glimpse a shadow of what that is like and it varies at different levels; ideally the marriage is a shadow of what life was like in paradise because (again, ideally) the husband and wife place their complete trust in each other and nothing is hidden from their sight and they can see each other naked and be unashamed. Ideally, in a marriage there is no secrets kept from each other and the home is a place of true rest. There is a lesser picture of paradise with most trusted friends or family though it can never be equal to that of a godly marriage. Trust and support can be found there as well and true love of a friend is a divine gift. But no matter how we strive to create our marriage or friendship as God intended, there are always periods of struggle and strife. The greatest marriage counselors will admit to you that making the perfect marriage is impossible.

I read this morning about a man who had a terrible dream that his wife and children were killed. The dream was so vivid that he woke scared to death and when he looked at his wife, he was filled with unprecedented love for her and all the dearest thoughts of he simple poured out of him and he wept in thanks God she was with him. Imagine that moment, where all your most profound love for your most intimate friend was bottled up in one moment. Hold that thought and you will only taste the profound joy you will experience every moment in heaven and it will be multiplied a million times because the joy will be shared with every saint unashamedly together.

But will my favorite steak dinner be in heaven? Who cares.

Another Idol fallen

dale — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:44:06 +0000

I confess, I was praying Tiger Wood was sincerely innocent because I hate to see what such things can do to a family and I had hopes he was a little more mature, but the reality of this world falls hard again and again. I was asked why this happened and the answer was pretty simple; idols need to be worshiped and more so when their popularity and success is waning – when humanity begins to replace idolatry. A friend told me that he could not understand why Tiger would have need to look outside of his marriage with such a beautiful wife, but the truth is that his wife – as with any wife – did not see him as a god, but just another human with extraordinary talent. Tiger, like any idol, needed to be worshiped. I do not think this was intentional at all and want to believe Tiger loved his wife and children dearly – I do believe it – but it was his sinful humanity which craved being worshiped. Very few people can handle fame well and very very few people have the level of fame Tiger is trapped in. I pray Tiger will rise again, but the idol will remain fallen – only in Christ is this truly possible.

And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:34-35 ESV)

Yeshua or Jesus

dale — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:25:28 +0000

Member of the Body

dale — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:09:40 +0000

What Are SBC Baptists?

dale — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:57:17 +0000

Love

dale — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 13:25:11 +0000

To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it up carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket—safe, dark, motionless, airless—it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell. (C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves [Orlando: Harcourt, 1988]: 120; orig. 1960).

NC Baptist Deaf Pastors’ Retreat

dale — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:50:20 +0000

It has been a week since the Pastor’s Retreat (and a very busy week) but I have an hour before I have to go out so I will try to post some pictures of the wonderful time we had together. Donnie and Irma Wiltshire were, again, wonderful, wonderful hosts (thanks to BSCNC as well) and it is always a blessing to gather, fellowship, pray, worship, and (thanks to the Marsha’s memory) sing together. This conference was also special because two deaf missionaries from Honduras were also with us, Melvin and Wendy.

let me post some pictures:

Kevin, Debbie, Glenda, and Bo

Donnie's Idea of Olympic Competition (Kinna)

Donnie, Irma, and Gena

Mmmm... lunch on Lake Lure

All play and no work makes Jack a difficult report

Melvin and Wendy

Go Fish

You will be missed!

Jerry and Leona Potter will be moving to a little Dutch town in Northern Washington. They will be greatly missed. It was a wonderful blessing to have had fellowship with them once again before they moved.

JAARS Deaf Day

dale — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:48:41 +0000

On Saturday, our church was went to the JAARS (Jungle Aviation And Radio Service) Deaf Day and it made a wonderful impression on our members and other churches that attended. the JAARS encampment is locted an hour south of uptown Charlotte (where our church is located) in a beautiful dense forest. This seems ideal for the training JAARS provides for missionaries. For a more thorough history of JAARS, visit this link. We met in the morning and were greeted by around 50 people from several Deaf churches around the city and and had several very interesting messages regarding why JAARS is in existence, but also Wycliffe Bible Translation as well.

The first presentation was on why it is important to use the ‘vernacular language” when ministering to different cultures and this was exactly the same message Aric Randolph gave at the SBCD. “Vernacular language” means “heart language” and I believe that the deaf hearing his (names forthcoming) presentation understood exactly what he meant having lived this everyday.

There was a wonderful skit that morning also demonstrating the burden that missionaries carry when they go to a far-off village and are pushed to quickly translate the Bible into the vernacular language. A young volunteer, Ron Caughman, came up to act as the missionary called out to a obscure village in Northern Africa to translate the Bible, but he also found that, along with his work as a translator, he would also work as the carpenter, reading teacher, homeschooler, doctor, financer, editor, father of six, and husband. The point of the skit was to show the need for other volunteers to help ease the burden on many missionaries around the world. Ron did a good job in the skit and throughout all the burden he carried, kept copying the translation of the Bible.

Shawn Collins

After the skit, we moved to another building to listen to a presentation by Shawn Collins. This presentation was very interesting because in included a new concept of using technology to create 3D animation to translate the Bible. How the Technology works would take several years of college study, but Shawn explained to us laymen the goal of the program was to create a software that would allow the creation of signing in different sign languages around the world. He explained that there are around 300 to

Dee Collins

400 different signed languages around the world and that this software would provide a safe alternative to using locals on video. Often when locals who speak the vernacular language sign on video, opposing religions would hunt them down and kill them so it is often hard and dangerous using locals to create Bible videos using signs. Everyone really loved this concept and look forward to see the finished product. You can see an example of the work at Shawn’s blog. Shawn and his wife, Dee, are a wonderful asset to our Christian Deaf community in Charlotte and we are so blessed to know them.

After lunch, we all went down to the JAARS hangar to prepare to be boarded onto the helicopter for a thrilling ride (3 at a time). The heat and humidity that day was high, but it did not dampen our spirits. It was also a good time to fellowship. We did not have enough time to tour the museums, but will next time we visit.

From all us here at FBC Charlotte Deaf Mission, many thanks to JAARS, Shawn and Dee, and the interpreters who volunteered their time there. God bless you all.

Jim Walterhouse

dale — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:39:29 +0000

Let me introduce you to a wonderful brother of mine, Jim Walterhouse. We met on the Baptist Board several years ago where Jim was a regular contributor and clicked right off. We have been prayer partners from afar over the few years and finally last month met at the SBCD in St. Louis. It was wonderful finally meeting him in person. I asked him if he would like to be a contributor to Silent Matters and he agreed. Let me me take his “About” information from his website Deaf4Christ.org:

The Walterhouses

About us – Let me begin by introducing you to our family. Jim (that’s me) is tall, dark, and handsome. Well, two out of three isn’t too bad- I’ll let you guess which two! I was born in Indiana and graduated from Tennessee Temple University in 1982. My wife Debbie is a Georgia peach. We met at Temple and got married in 1979. We have two sons, Jonathan and Joshua. Jonathan is married to Michelle and they currently reside in Tennessee while on deputation as missionaries to Mexico. They are also parents of our first grandchild- Jaiden Paul. Joshua is still living at home with us. He is in 12th grade in our home schooling program, and plans to attend Bible college next year.

About our ministry in Mexico – After working with the deaf (starting deaf ministries in churches) in the USA for 15 years, in November of 1997 the Lord saw fit to call us to work with the deaf in Mexico. In January of 1999, we arrived on the field to attend language school in Saltillo. In November of that same year, we moved to Tampico and began the ministry of Iglesia Bautista ‘El Faro’ para sordos (Lighthouse Baptist Church for the deaf). We also have a mission church to the deaf in the city of Ciudad Mante, teach a class on Mexican Sign Language (LSM) to the students in the Baptist Bible Institute in Mante, and direct a camp for the deaf every summer.

About our people – There are anywhere between 6-7 million deaf in Mexico. The majority of them have very little education, and thus very little hope for decent employment. Many live with family and are completely dependent upon others for their subsistence. But that is not their biggest problem. Their biggest problem is the lack of knowledge of the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. In all of Mexico there are very few Gospel preaching churches with an outreach to the deaf, only about 7 Baptist churches for the deaf, and less than 20 independent Baptist missionaries to the deaf (including their families). Truly this is a field ‘white unto the harvest.’

Jim was called a few months ago to pastor the Deaf Ministry at the McAllen Baptist Temple in McAllen, Texas but he still sneaks across the border to cast the gospel net whenever he has the chance. Last week he went to a camp there and reports 109 came with 7 accepting Christ as their Lord and Savior. Now he is hopping the Rio Grande once again to help start a new Deaf ministry in Reynosa, Mexico. Pray for his ministry and welcome him to Silent Matters!

JAARS Saturday

dale — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:53:34 +0000

This Saturday Charlotte Deaf Mission will be going down Waxhaw, NC to visit and tour JAARS (Jungle Aviation And Radio Service). For those who are riding on the church bus, meet me in the back church parking lot at 8:00am. We leave at 8:15 or “train gone.” For those of you who are driving on your own, here are Dee’s directions:

I am really looking forward to JAARS day next Saturday!

Here are the directions to JAARS from I485 and Providence Road.

I485 and NC-16/Providence Road (10.2 miles)

Turn Left at E S Main st/NC 75/Providence Road/Waxhaw HWY (Railroad tracks)

Continue to follow Providence Road S (2.1 miles)

Across from the Petro Gas keep to the right-stay on Providence Road S

This also says it’s Old Waxhaw Road

Turn right to stay on Providence Road S.

There is a white furniture store sign (0.4 miles)

Turn Right at Davis Road (2.9 miles)

Please meet in the Townsend Building (which is labeled) in the coffee shop

Wear comfortable walking shoes

There will be things for children to do as well

If you are wondering about the schedule, here it is:

9:15am: Arrival (Briefing for Interpreters) Meet in the Townsend Building Coffee Shop (signs are posted)

9:15-9:50am: Coffee Shop, Chatting;

Dee needs full count of people staying for lunch to inform cafeteria

10:00am: Auditorium; Welcome, Prayer & Announcements by Arthur Lightbody

10:02-10:17: Vision Talk by Phil Baer

10:18-10:23: Video presentation from “For such a Time as This”

10:24-10:40: Skit with Katy and Ken

10:40am: Dismissal to LSC Building across street

10:45-11:00am: LSC Building; sign language software project by Shawn Collins

11:00am-11:30am: Walk over to Aviation; Helio demo at hanger; air presentation

11:35-12:15am: VMS presentation back at Townsend Building; VMS Room; by Phil Baer

12:15pm-1:30pm: Lunch in Cafeteria

Choice of Pizza or Potato Bar*

1:30pm: RIDES: helicopter, small plane or 4-Wheel Drive and small Plane ride

(Each ride is about ½ hour)*

After Rides, groups are free to stay and tour other departments or museums on own

*Dee will need an exact count of rides by 9:45am, day of event.

JAARS will stay open until 4:00pm

*Lunch in Cafeteria $5.00

*Helicopter rides ($20.00), 4-Wheel & small plane rides ($18.00)