Ministry Update – April 2021

Dear Friends,

I have started this letter several times.  Where do we start?  God is still good.  No matter the events of life, we are dependent upon the Lord to give wisdom and strength.  There are days when it is so obvious He is working.  Then there are times when we wonder what is happening.  It is during those times that we lay hold of the truth and not allow our emotions, concerns, and thoughts to direct our lives.  We are rejoicing with those who are rejoicing but we are also weeping with those who are weeping.  Through it all, the Lord is still giving comfort and grace.

We are certainly thankful this year is not in locked down like last year.  Life has changed but we are moving forward.  The Lord continues to keep us busy.  We have meetings scheduled.  We look forward to them along with the men’s backpacking camps.

Churches –

We are thankful that Calvary Baptist Church in Kingman AZ has called a pastor, Robert Kelley.  He and his wife plan to arrive in Kingman the last part of May.  We are praying for the transition to work smoothly.

Ron Sondergaard is the new pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Sonoma CA.  The church voted to call him in February.  We are excited for this work as there is a need for a good church in the area.  Please pray for God to work mightily in and through this church to reach their area.

Lincoln Park Baptist Church in Wenatchee WA is looking for a pastor.  I was able to spend time with them, preaching two Sundays and midweek too.  It was good to look over the situation there and talk with the people.  There is a need for the church to continue.  They have a good base for a revitalization work.  Please pray the Lord sends the right person to pastor this church.

Update on Pastor Jeff Estes –

Many of you know that Pastor Jeff is the pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church, our home church.  He was in a serious car accident the last Saturday in February.  He spent time in ICU, the hospital, and rehab with serious injuries.  After just over a month, he finally was able to go home.  He is healing but it will be a long road to full recovery.  This week he had some other issues show up from the accident.   He is still in a lot of pain.  Please continue to pray for him and his recovery.  He surprised everyone at church when he made an appearance at church on Resurrection Sunday.  It was a major undertaking which push him to the limits of his strength to be there for just a few minutes.  It was so good for the church family to see him.  We gave him a standing ovation as he transitioned from his wheel chair to stand with his walker.  After he was done speaking for a few minutes he sat back down in his wheelchair and was wheel out of the church to go back home.  What a joy it was to see him, if only for a few minutes. 

What are we up to? –

When we are home, I am helping at the church with the preaching and teaching.  With Pastor Jeff being unable, this has increased to some extent.  Jeneen and I head to AZ for ministry in Grand View Camp for their men’s retreat the 15^th – 17^th of April.  I look forward to the opportunity to speak at the retreat.  While in AZ we will see many pastors and friends.  I will be speaking at Calvary Baptist Church in Kingman.  The months ahead, we have some meetings, camps, and men’s backpacking camps scheduled. 

Please Pray –

Please pray for the churches and pastors who are faithfully serving the Lord.  These are trying times for many with all the issues of the day.  Many believers are focused on the issues and have lost sight of the big picture.  How easily we are turned from doing the will of God to carrying an agenda for societal concepts.  Covid-19 and the issues surrounding it brought much difficulty for many churches.  In some believers, spirituality is now defined by whether you wear a mask or not, get the vaccine or not.  Spirituality has and always will be by walking in the Spirit, controlled by the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit evident in the lives of believers.  Please pray for Spirit controlled believers in the churches. Wherever we land on the issues of the day, be godly in your actions and reactions.  Our unity doesn’t come from where we stand on issues which are variable but on the truth of God’s Word and our life in Christ, who never changes.

We pray for the churches.  The attack on the church has always been from the outside but when it comes from within the body, it hurts even greater.  But God is still working.  People are still getting saved.  Discipleship is happening.  We hope and pray you are seeing God work mightily in you all and through you all as you walk with Him.  Thank you for praying for us.

Your friends in Christ,

Monte & Jeneen Leavell