Today we had two presentation times. One at 1:00 p.m. at Mission of Hope for Men and then the other at 5:00 p.m. at Home of Grace for Women. Both of these places are drugs and alcohol addiction rehab centers.

Since we didn’t have to be anywhere early for the morning, we had a chance to sleep in and get some much needed rest. We arrived at Mission of Hope at 11:45 a.m.

We shared our presentation in their chapel that was in the center of the campus with the guys at Mission of Hope and it was moving for a lot of them. God used this time to help some of the guys remember that He is with them and that He hasn’t left them. The students did great and Bobby did great sharing the word that was just right for that time and place.

After we were done, we tore down, loaded up and headed back to Redemption Church since we had some extra time to kill. We had some chill time and some nap time (me) that was needed!

When it was time to go, we headed to Home of Grace. They had a beautiful chapel on their campus with stained glass that the sun was shining just right and making beautiful colors on the floors and pews. The ladies arrived and we started the program. As soon as we started, the ladies were very much into it. They stood up and sang and clapped with us. You could fill the energy in the room. The students did great and Bobby shared the Christmas story about God findin favor with Mary. And that God has find found favor with them. It was a time of God moving through the ladies just letting them know that God still loves them.

After the program, we took some time to visit with them. We then loaded up and headed to Dreamland BBQ Restaurant and had fellowship time together as our last night of the trip.

Friday morning we headed back home and arrived at DSBC around 3:45 Friday afternoon.

Thank you everyone for your prayers and support for Four12 as they served the Lord through song and service. I can’t wait until what next season holds!

​Brian

Today we went to Mission of Hope (Men’s Campus). This is a Christian Addict Outreach Program that helps with drug and alcohol addiction. This is a nice campus with all kinds of projects that goes on every day.

When we got there, we divided into 3 groups. You could go and help in the workshop, helping with anything to do with wood. You could go and help paint base boards at a new house that was built on campus. Or you could go help with going to the peach orchard and help trim the peach trees. Our kids did great helping!

After we worked for a couple of hours, we came in the chapel and cooled off because it was hot outside. We listened to two guys give their testimony of how they came to be in this program and how they are doing now.

This one guy was 50 years old and had been there a year and was in step two of the program. He said at a young age, he learned to play the piano and at 19, he was a Music Minister at a church in north AL. But he was doing religion, not living a life for Jesus. He made one decision to drink that led to many other things. He found himself out of the ministry and doing drugs and alcohol. He basically wasted his life addicted to drugs and alcohol. He finally made the decision to get in the program in his late 40’s. He was a very good speaker and kept all of our attention to listen to him.

After testimony time, we had lunch there which they had prepared. Then we came back to Redemption Church and chilled out until we had to leave to go to the Ronald McDonald House.

We arrived at the Ronald McDonald House to prepare, cook and serve meals to some of the residences who are staying there. This is a very nice house with I think the lady said 38 rooms? They had a huge kitchen to prepare the meal. We also had some students go to some of the rooms to wipe down all the toys and straighten the play room up. Other students straighten the little library they had there.

When it was time time to serve the meal, we also got to sing the songs from our program acapella style. The students did really good without any music. I’m very proud of them! You can see that video on the Church’s Facebook page.

The residents you could tell were tired, exhausted. One of them had twins early and had been there for 5 months. She said her babies alternate good and bad days. Majority of these residents had babies prematurely and were just waiting for them to get stronger to be able to go home. One showed pictures of their baby which was the weight of a soda can.

After everyone ate, we cleaned up and then came back to Redemption Church. The students are doing great! The adults are helping and doing a super job as well!

Today is is our last mission day. This will be a long day with two presentations within 4 hours. We’ll leave here at 11:00 a.m. and won’t get back until around 8:00 or 9:00 tonight. I feel that these final two presentations are going to be the best ever and I’m looking forward to what God will do today.

Thanks for your prayers!

​Brian

Today started out by going to Waterfront Rescue Mission. This is a shelter for those who are serious about getting back on their feet. Most of these guys come from being in prison and they have to go through an interview process in order to get in this program. It’s is a one year program that helps them be more responsible about life. The Bible is taught to them in daily classes. They help with daily routines of cleaning around the campus.

We we were able to meet a lot of these guys and help them with cleaning bathrooms, dining hall, helping in the kitchen, dusting, washing down the tables and chairs in all the rooms. We split up into groups of about 10 - 12 and was spread out though the campus helping.

At 10:00 A.M., we sat in a class with them as they took prayer requests and then listened as a lesson about Jesus was shared.

At 12:00, we had lunch with them. Some of our people helped prepare and serve this meal that we ate.

We were done around 1:30 and we came back to Redemption Church to chill, take naps (that was nice!), played in the gym, played games. It was a nice restful time.

At 4:00, we headed to Missions of Hope for Women in Mt. Vernon, AL. This is at what used to be a residence, but the house was donated to this mission to house women who may been battered, maybe drugs or alcohol, etc. There were about 20 women plus some of their kids with them when they came to our presentation.

We we met in a closed-in garage that was at least big enough for one vehicle. This room was tight, yet we manged to get all of us in there.

As we started singing, the ladies had tears falling down their faces. Now, I couldn’t see them, but the students told after what was happening. When started singing the song “Trust in You”, they immediately started singing along with us, standing up, some with their hands raised. That got to all of us (yes, me too). That really set us off to sing even with more power and joyful hearts while shedding tears at the same time.

Bobby did a great job when he shared the word with them. The Holy Spirit guiding him with the right scripture to share. It fit perfectly.

When we sang Death Was Arrested, they sang with us even stronger. Tears coming down, praising God for His Son!

After it was over, we got to visit with the ladies and it was great talking with them.

We then went back to Saraland, AL where our church that we are staying is and stopped at Whataburger and Goldfingers to eat.

This was a day that we needed to be a part of. We may have been a blessing to those ladies, but they were a blessing to us.

Today we start Day 3 with going back to Waterfront Rescue Mission. We will present our program there at 6:00 P.M.

Thanks!

​Brian

Day one started off with us doing our first presentation at our home church, Dawson Street Baptist Church. The kids did great and it was a packed house. After the service, we tore down, loaded the luggage and then ate a great lunch provided by Steve Carroll’s Sunday School class. (Thanks for that lunch and all the snacks that were provided for the trip guys!!!)

Next we headed towards Mobile with a stop at New Beginnings Baptist Church in Pensacola, FL. This is where my relatives John (Pastor) and Amanda Pavlus serve. They were gracious enough to not only have us, but they changed their service time an hour later so that we had enough time to get there coming from Thomasville. An added bonus was a great meal they served us afterwards. They also provided a birthday cake for one of our students, Ryn Conger, who was celebrating her 16th birthday. Thank you New Beginnings for your hospitality!

We made it to Redemption Church in Saraland, AL around 9:30 last night. This is where we will be staying for the week as we serve all around Mobile.

Today, we will be serving at Waterfront Rescue Mission doing various projects around their campus. Then this evening, we’ll be going to Missions of Hope for women to present our program to them.

Pray for strength, endurance, and loving hearts as we share about Jesus through work and song.

​Brian

We are getting ready for our 2018 Music Mission Tour to Mobile, AL!  Songs are starting to get memorized, the harmonies are blending better, the band is syncing together better and the students are getting more confident in their singing.  God is preparing to do some amazing things through these students!  

Last Friday, April 20th, our senior adult ministry, JOY Ministries, held a penny auction to raise money for our trip to Mobile.  The average funds raised at these type of auctions usually finish around $200 - $300.  They prayed for $1,000.  God blessed with over $1,800 raised!  We thank our senior adults for an amazing turnout at the auction!  

In the past few days, clues were given to try and guess where this year's Four12 trip will be held.  On Sunday January 21st, the reveal of the city we are going was revealed.  We are going to Mobile, AL!  We'll leave on Sunday June 3rd and arrive back home on Friday June 8th.