The next step

Hi all!

On the 23rd of this month (Easter Sunday) I'll be doing a special class where I'll answer as many questions on the Bible, theology, the church, etc. as I have time for. All I ask is that in the next couple weeks you email me your questions (or you can send them to me on Facebook) so I can study up for them. The Q&A session is kind of a "wrap up" to my time with the DMs. That will also be my final Sunday with the class. I can't even tell you all what joys I've received from being a part of this group and ultimately leading it! There have been some struggles and pains along the way as well but I wouldn't trade any of it. I can honestly say that I'm a better man and a better minister for my time with each of you and I thank God for you all.

This coming Sunday (Palm Sunday, the 16th) I will be presented to the congregation at Flat Rock Baptist Church in Louisburg and they will vote on calling me as their youth director. Suffice it to say it's a big step in a lot of ways and God has already blessed me tremendously just in opening this door. I covet your prayers this Sunday.

Reid Powell (my co-teacher and a fine figure of a lad if ever there was one) will be taking over the reins of the DMs following my departure. He will be spliting the teaching duties with Aaron Dougherty (a stout hearted man himself). They will be assisted in leadership by a few others and I'm excited to hear how God uses the whole bunch of them in the months to come!

God bless you guys. I'm going to miss you more than you know (probably more than I know). I'll still be in the area so I'm sure we'll see each other from time to time but it is the nature of life that we move on and grow and God brings us to bigger and better things. If you think about me, it'd mean a lot if you said a little prayer as I can use all the prayers I can get (and pray for the ones who really need it--those poor kids who will be stuck with me as their youth minister!). I say it all the time but it really is true: I love you all, very much. We're family and it wouldn't have been as great as it was without a single one of you. Be blessed!

Your brother,
Barry v.
(Prov. 3:5-6/Matt. 6:33)