After a summer filled with family and ministry projects, the website of the John C. Vaughn Evangelistic Association is now up and running. It is updated regularly with short articles, photos, and itineraries of upcoming meetings linked to available websites of those hosting meetings. Please visit us at www.johncvaughn.com.
Thanks to everyone who continues to pray for Brenda’s health, and to those who bring meals and words of encouragement. The next round of doctor’s visits with numerous tests will be in early November. Cirrhosis is somewhat manageable, but worsens over time. We continue to manage secondary symptoms with good care and lots of rest, and have, so far, been able to avoid another major crisis like the one three years ago. Love and prayer is always helpful. The recent gift of a new lap top and a more comfortable chair has enhanced her new found love for communicating with friends by e-mail. She has always loved bringing joy to others, and God is giving her strength for each day as she encourages others. The answers to prayer are obvious and she greatly appreciates prayer for the days ahead.
Becky is now enrolled in her first Master’s level course, and scheduled to participate in three upcoming speaking engagements in Puerto Rico, Oregon, and Tennessee. Her school schedule is set up for Tuesdays and Thursdays, so she is able to be away from Friday to Monday. Her new tract We All Have Special Needs based on answered prayer is now in print. It is being received very well. This week God answered a simple prayer for her in a special way. She had been praying for a small table to put beside her chair, which would also serve as a study, snack and game table when having friends over. Last week, at Gateway Baptist Church in Loveland, CO, I met Mr. Larry Miller, inventor of the patented “Miller’s Amazing Magic Table.” After hearing Becky’s story, the folks at Gateway and Mr. Miller knew the table was just what she needed. Today, the beautiful little Amish-crafted table arrived by FedEx! God indeed answers prayer.
Fall travel is underway. A recent ten day itinerary in Colorado was typical. After the Sunday through Tuesday mission’s conference at Gateway Baptist, there was a visit to church planters Jim and Janice Mitchell in Pueblo. Thursday brought a visit to an FBFI chaplain recovering from surgery in Colorado Springs (Captain Roger Rodriguez), and an afternoon of interviewing chaplain candidates at a nearby Cracker Barrel. Friday was a day to encourage a pastor dealing with a difficult matter in his ministry, and Saturday included lunch with Ted and Julie Rich, former members of Faith, and leaders of Cross Impact in the Denver area. They also provided a tour of the new facilities of Tri-City Baptist in Westminster, the host church of the FBFI Annual Fellowship next June. Sunday services at two more churches (Harvest Baptist in Castle Rock with Dr. Ed Nelson, and Highlands Baptist in Centennial for Pastor Jeff Musgrave). I had the pleasure of driving the Musgraves to the airport on Saturday for a meeting in Glendale, AZ, to present his new outreach ministry, The Exchange, which is rapidly becoming one of the most successful soulwinning approaches in use today. This 10 day trip ended with a 9 hour delay in Atlanta due to torrential rain and flooding, but that too was a divine appointment (see below).
On arrival at home in the wee hours of September 22nd (a birthday I share with my sister) I was completely surprised and thrilled to see that my home office was no longer furnished with one old (small!) desk and stacks of boxes, but with beautiful new furniture bought and delivered by numerous precious friends of many years who are committed to our continued ministry of encouragement. Special thanks to the Gallants, the Rameys and all those who did the heavy lifting, and of course, to Kim and Joy for putting everything where I would think to look for it. Our life message is that “We have everything we need to do the will of God for our lives,” and God has proved it again!
We don’t believe in coincidences. Since my days in the Air Force, I have had the joy of leading souls to Christ through conversations that began on the subject of aviation. A while back, dear friend George Opalak took me for a ride on the B-17 restored by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). During the long Atlanta layover, I met an EAA board member by noticing the man’s 50 year AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilot’s Association) lapel pin. When I told him I am a 23 year member, he immediately took aircraft photos out to share. The gentleman was on his way to the Paris Air Show where one of his racing aircraft was to be featured. An exciting discussion of the B-17 and the picture of Becky in John Leupp’s restored Cessna 140 led the man to ask for more information on Becky’s story—a perfect opportunity to present the gospel through Becky’s new tract, We All Have Special Needs.
One of the most important ministries we have enjoyed has been through gospel tracts. The Lord used a gospel tract to bring me under conviction for salvation. Becky’s original Hidden Treasure tract was the result of her childhood desire to take the attention her disability brings and turn it to Christ. By God’s grace, over 1 million of those tracts have been printed and distributed! Ten years ago, we received a letter from a lady who, on a flight from the Far East, had given a Hidden Treasure tract to a celebrity whom we would never have had the opportunity to witness to otherwise. She wrote how she had watched the late pop singer Michael Jackson as he read the tract. His eternity is now settled, but through this simple tract, Becky had given him the gospel. Her new emphasizes that God answers prayer, sometimes in the way we hope, and at other times, in ways we would never expect.
Recently, our son Joe wrote a tract titled One Step Away, based on his brother’s death. God graciously provided the funds to have ten thousand of each of these tracts printed. Single copies are available by sending a stamped self-addressed envelope or can be ordered in shrink-wrapped packages of 50, for a minimum donation of $10 to the John C. Vaughn Evangelistic Association. You can also order from the website. We have another fascinating tract, He That Hath Ears to Hear, Let Him Hear, ready to print when the Lord provides the funds. This tract tells the incredible story of Francis Smith, who was born with multiple disabilities (including deafness) caused by Treacher-Collins Syndrome, but who “heard” and believed the gospel. Today, Francis is completing his PhD in Craniofacial Embryology, searching for a way to prevent this condition.
Upcoming ministry will take us to Guam, Wyoming, Nebraska, Texas, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, and Oregon. Joe and Kimberly are expecting grandbaby number eight any day now, and Debbie and family are planning a November visit so she can replicate her mother’s amazing Thanksgiving meal for us. And in conclusion, the “Cute Grandkid Picture of the Summer” award goes to Debbie’s youngest, Jonathan, getting a big smooch from Dan’s son Silas on one of their rare times together.
John C. Vaughn Evangelistic Association, Inc. 109 Saffron Way | Taylors, SC 29687-6257
