With the Flore and Brown Families in North Carolina
(post written by Mary Beeke)
The National Center for Family-Integrated Churches (NCFIC) promotes dependency on Scripture in church and family life. The theme for this year’s conference was “The Power of the Gospel.” The 1,200 attendees included many large, wholesome families. Pastor Scott Brown is the leader, and in lockstep with the mission of NCFIC, involves a number of his family and church family in running the conference. The five young men in this year’s internship program spent seven months being discipled and mentored in the Hope Baptist Church in Wake Forest, North Carolina. The culmination of their internship was to help run the conference. We didn’t think twice when one of them introduced himself as James Fletcher at the airport. Then on the way to the conference, he said, “I think you know my grandparents, Bob and Betty Fletcher.” What a happy surprise to meet the grandson of such dear friends!
On Thursday we attended a pre-conference for church leaders and wives where my husband spoke on the need for pastors and their wives to live out of the Scriptures. Other speakers included Joe Morecraft, Craig Houston, John Snyder, and Jeff Pollard. A roundtable discussion which focused on shepherding the sheep followed the addresses.
We had the joy of having dinner Thursday evening with two large families who reside near Lansing, Michigan: Jerry and Tamael Flore and Joel and Tammy Brown. The Flores’ had “only” thirteen of their eighteen children with them this year, and the Browns had seven of their soon-to-be eleven children with them (they are in the process of adopting three more children). What a joy these families and friends are!
With Scott and Deborah Brown and Craig and Emily Houston
The keynote speakers for the main conference from Thursday afternoon to Saturday evening were Scott Brown, John Snyder, Jeff Pollard, R.C. Sproul Jr., Kevin Swanson, Carlton McLeod, and my dear husband. The addresses were on the Holy Spirit’s work in salvation, covering many of its major steps, including election, conversion, justification, sanctification, assurance, perseverance, and glorification. My husband was asked to speak on assurance and to give two messages on perseverance. He also gave a one-hour interview on holiness, as did some of the other speakers, in anticipation of next year’s conference.
There was a separate session for men and boys called “Burnings in the Soul,” in which nine speakers told in fifteen minutes each what issues were on the forefront in their hearts. Joel shared these: family worship, which was a motivation for producing the KJV Study Bible; excitement for reprinting the Works of William Perkins, the first time ever since it was printed in the 1600’s; Reformed experiential preaching and writing a book about it; and national repentance and the prayer that God would raise up God-fearing preachers and politicians.
The NCFIC Conference was the place of the debut of the publication of the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible. Steve Renkema, RHB manager, stopped in Indiana on his way down and picked up the first skid of the hard cover edition. Larry and Linda VanBeek drove down also, to work the book table. Close to 400 Bibles sold together with many more books, especially after Joel urged the people to use the Study Bible for family worship, to read the Puritans (reprinted in today’s language), and for the children to read about heroes of church history. Most of the children are home educated, so they are always looking for materials. One little boy had saved money to buy a certain book, and he seriously laid out his one dollar bill and many coins. Another family purchases a book for each child every year, so they diligently check out each booth to make their choice. Several families bought Bibles for their entire family (ranging from 5 to 15 Bibles per family) so that every child of reading age could participate directly in family worship. What an encouragement such families are!
Happy Buyers of the KJV Study Bible and Other Books
I think seeing the KJV Study Bible in print was one of the most special moments in my husband’s life. It is a dream come true for him as well as for his fellow editors, Dr. Michael Barrett (OT editor), Dr. Jerry Bilkes (NT editor), and Rev. Paul Smalley (editorial assistant). It is the fruit of countless hours of work for the writers and especially the editors. The most special part about it, aside from the Scripture itself of course, is the section of thoughts for personal and family worship at the end of each chapter’s notes. We hope and pray that sinners will be saved and souls fed, and that fathers will lead their families to discover the treasures of Scripture, so that Jesus Christ will be at the center of every heart.
