Tag Archives: Anthony Wood

Jun 24 2009
1 Comment
Urban Ministry

Anthony Wood’s MissionMessage – 6/15/09

More good stuff from my buddy Anthony Wood – RCM’s evangelist. This is an amazing, true story from the streets of North Little Rock.

The folks at RCM saved a homeless guy from comitting suicide, and then he turned around and saved a woman from being raped. Check it out:

Lord, what’s it like to save a life? You’ve done it so many times. What’s it like to see death coming for someone and then, You rescue them, save her life, without them really knowing what has happened until it’s over? What’s like to know, that without a shadow of doubt, someone has entered the shadow of the valley of death, with no exit in sight, and be lifted up and out of the pit? You do this quite often. Thanks for letting me watch.

 Some people call him Joe, but his name really is John. He’s a good man with a devastating problem, and fatal. He’s been an alcoholic for quite some time, but that’s all changing now. Because, of You.

 A couple of weeks ago John called me over as I walked across RCM’s parking lot. He said, “I only want to ask one thing of you Bro. Anthony.” I said, “Sure, if I can.” With a cold stare he spoke, “I only want you to pray for my soul because what I’m about to do I know is against God. Today is the day.” I asked, “Ok, what is it?” He stared, “I’m not telling you.” I smiled, “Then, I’m not praying for you.” Lord, I rarely do that, I mean, not honor that type of request, but it was my first mind and I credit Your Spirit with that answer. I stared back, and he was the first to blink, “Ok, I’ll tell you.” I took him to my office.

 “Today’s the day,” John said with resolution. “For what?” I asked. “It’s over, today I’m gonna end it all. I’m tired of the pain, the chemo, I’ve had for the cancer I got from working on a job that had asbestos. And now, they want to do surgery, I don’t want them to cut on me. I gave away my last money to help some homeless people get a room. I’m gonna go to the river, it’s pretty swift, yeah, that should do it. I need you to pray for me Bro. Anthony, to ask God to have mercy on me, because today I’m gonna kill myself, will you let me use your phone to call my sister in Milwaukie so I can tell her goodbye?”

 Amanda, our lead social worker said he would kill himself without some major intervention, Lord. He had all the classic signs of a person going to commit suicide. He had a plan, renounced his religion knowing God would not be pleased with his choice to die, gave away all his money, called is sister to say “goodbye,” but really through the defensiveness, he was crying out from the deepest part of his soul, “Help!”

 He finally broke and agreed to go to the ER, thanked and hugged us when they took him back. It wasn’t long that he called threatening a lawsuit and asking why we did this to him, meaning lockdown. Well, of course, we didn’t make that decision. He did when the doctors reasoned that he was a danger to himself and others. They locked him down, the best thing that could’ve happened to him.

 Four days later, John was out of the hospital, in an outpatient program and making his meetings, sober, and on his way to a halfway house to have the accountability he needs in his life. He came to me saying, “You guys literally saved my life. Thank you.”

 A Saturday night a couple of weeks ago, while John was trying to sleep, he heard a ruckus next door to his apartment and a woman screaming. He got in the door to find three men hovering over a woman, naked on the floor, high from the drugs planted in her drink, and a table on top of her they has just thrown to hold her down.

 John, Lord, stepped I, like You did for him, and told the guys he wasn’t going for it. He picked her up, as their mouths hung open, left, clothed her, and put her on the bus with a bit of money to continue her escape.

 The next day, Sunday, John came to Clint to say, “I’m ready. I’ve put this off for too long but now I’m ready. I want God to have all of my life.” So Lord, You rescued John yet again, but this time for eternity. The new John, surrendered, come up out the water leaving the old corpse of sin in the grave.

 Lord, You are a rescuing God, and I guess that’s because that’s just the way You are, and how You want us to be. We at RCM, because You lead us, rescued John, and in turn John rescued that lady, and in turn You rescued John from Satan and sin.

 And by the way, Lord, thanks also for rescuing Bill last Sunday afternoon, whom You saved when he took the pile of pills to kill himself. You sent the police to find him behind an abandoned building that few people frequent. He woke up in the hospital alive. He still struggles, but he believes more in You now. You, Lord, the Great Rescuer. Thanks for letting me just be a servant boy in Your kingdom work of rescuing people You love.

 “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks for his unfailing love, and his wonderful deeds for men (Psalms 107:19-21, NIV).”

 Blessings,
Anthony Wood, Evangelist
River City Ministry
North Little Rock AR

 Love it!

To subscribe to Anthony’s updates from RCM, send an note to awoodxulon@yahoo.com requesting to be added to the MissionMessage email list.

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Jun 10 2009
3 Comments
Baptism, Urban Ministry

God’s Work Through River City Ministry in the First Half of ’09

Just got this note from Anthony Wood – full time evangelist for River City Ministry. I’ve written about River City several times before having spent a good part of my growing up years being influenced by this ministry. My dad, Jim Woodell, currently serves as the Executive Director there, and my brother-in-law filled that position before him.

River City Ministry is a mission to North Little Rock, AR’s, poor and homeless population with facilities located in a pretty rough part of town.

Free groceries, shelter, clothing, showers, toiletries, medical services, prescriptions, eye and dental care, daily meals, and a host of other services are provided by the good people at River City.

But there’s one more thing: they also have a full-time evangelist on staff whose sole purpose is to share Jesus with those coming there for other services, and check out these results.

Here’s the email I just got from Anthony Wood – River City’s evangelist:

Hey guys, here’s the latest in God’s work to save souls. Praises go to God. Thanks to all for the great teamwork we share and enjoy that glorifies God. It is a pleasure serving with you.

We at RCM believe each person’s response to God, whether for the first time, or a return to God, is precious. Please take time to pray over this list that each person may come to know Christ and make Him known.

Blessings,
Anthony

 2009 River City Ministry Baptisms:

  1. 1/12 Alfred T.
  2. 1/14 Randy T.
  3. 1/15 Pamela M.
  4. 1/20 Ray T.
  5. 1/20 Teraz H.
  6. 2/9 Tony M.
  7. 2/10 Ricky B.
  8. 2/12 Clara H.
  9. 2/17 Gracie H.
  10. 2/24 Alonzo P.
  11. 2/26 Oliver S.
  12. 3/2 Lee B.
  13. 3/2 Loretta D.
  14. 3/10 Krystal W.
  15. 3/10 Darren B.
  16. 3/11 Bill K.
  17. 3/12 Ronnie T.
  18. 3/18 Vicki B.
  19. 3/24 Frederick F.
  20. 3/30 Tawana H.
  21. 4/1  Claude A.
  22. 4/6  Tim S.
  23. 4/6  Jackie G.
  24. 4/6  LaVonne T.
  25. 4/8 Tony B.
  26. 4/9 Freddie W.
  27. 4/14 John G.
  28. 4/15 Rachel M.
  29. 4/15 Buford B.
  30. 4/22 Ken P.
  31. 4/23 Frieda R.
  32. 4/27 Norman S.
  33. 4/28 Quartez S.
  34. 4/29 Chris H.
  35. 4/29 Bryan S.
  36. 5/6 Christy C.
  37. 5/7 Shawn C.
  38. 5/12 Mary B.
  39. 5/13 Cleophus B.
  40. 5/18 Brian T.
  41. 5/21 Mike R.
  42. 5/27 Adam M.
  43. 5/28 Helen D.
  44. 6/1 Kristopher S.
  45. 6/8 George B.
  46. 6/8 James T.

 
2009 River City Ministry Restorations:

  1. 1/6 Billy B.
  2. 1/8 Mack Y.
  3. 1/8 Rita W.
  4. 1/12 Geraldine L.
  5. 1/13 Aaron J.
  6. 1/20 Carlton W.
  7. 1/21Cherry W.
  8. 1/22 Lilly W.
  9. 1/25 Donald B.
  10. 2/3 Brian S.
  11. 2/3 Wesley B.
  12. 2/4 Sharon H.G.
  13. 2/4 Gary Z. W.
  14. 2/4 Anthony S.
  15. 2/4 Michael Y.
  16. 2/5 Dan S.
  17. 2/11Adam M.
  18. 2/11Stephen S.
  19. 2/17 Alonzo M.
  20. 2/17 Willie L.
  21. 2/17 Ron M.
  22. 2/17 Earl M.
  23. 2/17 David R.
  24. 2/17 Ronnie K.
  25. 2/19 Billy B.
  26. 2/25 Oliver S.
  27. 2/26 Donald J.
  28. 2/26 Marcus T.
  29. 2/26 Joanna S.
  30. 3/2 Manuel O.
  31. 3/2 Desmond A.
  32. 3/4 Adrian B.
  33. 3/4 Wiley C.
  34. 3/4 Christy S.
  35. 3/9 Robert B.
  36. 3/10 Marty R.
  37. 3/16 Earle M.
  38. 3/17 Bryant R.
  39. 3/17 Barry M.
  40. 3/18 Albert B.
  41. 3/24 Terrence C.
  42. 3/25 Gary M.
  43. 3/30 Gastivus H.
  44. 4/1  Lloyd P.
  45. 4/1  Oliver S.
  46. 4/1 Tochelle W.
  47. 4/6  John G.
  48. 4/7 Larry H.
  49. 4/7 Kay M.
  50. 4/7  Ruth J.
  51. 4/13 Joe K.
  52. 4/16 Jeremy R.
  53. 4/20 Michael F.
  54. 4/21 Yolanda C.
  55. 4/21 Keith M.
  56. 4/22 Shantana M.
  57. 4/26 Sara B.
  58. 4/29 Danny P.
  59. 5/4 James W.
  60. 5/4 Calvin C.
  61. 5/6 Odell D.
  62. 5/7 Samuel T.
  63. 5/11 Willie J.
  64. 5/14 Mike H.
  65. 5/18 Kenneth H.
  66. 5/20 Ricky N.
  67. 5/21 Steve K.
  68. 5/26 Jay A. G.
  69. 5/27 Ed D.
  70. 5/28 John G.
  71. 6/1 Robert G.
  72. 6/5 James T.

 

What an encouraging update!

I’ve heard Anthony often refer to River City as a well just like the one Jesus was sitting by in John 4. The Samaritan woman came there for one thing (water), but she found something else (Jesus).

Anthony says, “Our job is just to find the wells, Wes. River City is a well. People come here for our goods and services, but they find something else. They find Jesus!”

The “well” for me is the university campus that sits a few hundred yards from my front door.

I think I’ll go sit there a while … I wonder who God will send me …

 

P.S. – Anthony will be speaking at the 2009 CMU Workshop July 9 at Harding on how evangelism to the poor can equal evangelism to a university campus. Should be good stuff – I’m looking forward to it. Here’s Anthony’s bio for the event.

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Feb 11 2009
1 Comment
Devotional Thoughts, Urban Ministry

Thankful for murderers?

Here’s a recent email update from my buddy Anthony Wood – the evangelist for North Little Rock’s urban outreach to the poor and homeless called River City Ministry. My dad serves as the executive director for RCM, and the guy that held that position before him was my brother-in-law. I sort of grew up around it.

Anyway, check out this note from Anthony:

____________________

Lord, he grabbed me by he arm and said, “I need prayer, I need you to pray for me, I need you to pray with me.” As he stood, staring intently for my response, holding back the tears, I said, “C’mon let’s go  to my office.”

I sat to settle in for what I believed would be a long talk. Dan was just that way.  “No sir, this kind takes gettin’ down on my knees,” he mumbled. And, Dan went to praying as he painfully got down on his knees. He’s old, and walks with a cane and a bad limp. But,  Lord, did he pray. You were there. You heard him.

 

“O God what did I do, I know it was wrong, I didn’t mean to do it, I repent O Lord, I can’t bear this burden, I know Jesus You died on the cross so I could be saved, Lord I want to be saved, the weight is so heavy, Lord, O God why did I do it? You only can save me, take away my sin Lord, my Lord Jesus, O my Lord Jesus, I can’t bear it, please forgive me for what I done, Lord Savior, Christ, You are Messiah, I can do nothing Lord Majesty, unless You let me, I can’t come back unless You let me, blessed be Jesus’ name, my God, my Lord, my God, my Lord, my God, my Lord, be merciful to my soul, I commend my soul to You, I trust You O Lord. Lord Majesty, reach out to the whole world, so they can be healed, so they can say ‘Praises to the Lord.’” And Lord, You know that’s just a small part of all that he prayed.

 

He prayed with all his heart, he prayed like David did in the Psalms. His tears were thick. He called on You, he cried out to You, he begged You, and lamented like an Old Testament prophet.

 

Lord, did You listen? Did You receive his prayer? Did You forgive Dan for killing Beatrice? I knew Beatrice. He murdered Beatrice. Without mercy.

 

You see Lord, Dan got drunk, got mad because Beatrice didn’t want him anymore. Dan lost who he was, and when she came to get the last of her stuff, he killed her right out on the front lawn a block and a half away from RCM. He stabbed her many times. She bled to death, right there on the grass. Now, Dan felt stabbed, many times, it wouldn’t stop, there was no stopping it. The stabbing went deep. In his soul. Deep in his soul. And, Dan, he couldn’t stop the pain.

 

I could, if I chose to, ask, “Well, was he sincere or just high, was he being real or just drunk, is he truly sorry or just wanting his guilt to go away . . . ?” I actually heard someone say some of that today. But, I won’t. I refuse. I was raised to do so, but You healed me of having to judge others, because You showed me that in my judging, I’m truly the one being judged. And, I don’t want that either. You showed me through a difficult time, that I deserved judgment, not mercy, but in Your love, grace, mercy, and peace, You didn’t give me what I truly deserved.

 

It’s just so easy to judge another’s sincerity when it’s not my sin, when it’s not my life that’s out in the open. I’m glad You know, O Lord, what is deep in a man’s heart, for You are God and I am not.  I’m glad You know what’s deep in Dan’s heart, for You are God and I am not. I’m glad You know what’s deep in my heart, and truly, that’s all that matters, for You are God and I am not.

 

“If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her . . . You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one . . . (John 8:7, 15, NIV).”

 

Blessings,

Anthony Wood, Evangelist

River City Ministry

 

_______________________

 

You know, Dan ought to be very thankful for murderers.

 

No, I’m not saying the act of murder is a good thing – its evil.

 

But think about it – a good chunk of the Bible was written either by or about murderers. Moses – the man who wrote the first five books of the Old Testament, who gave us the old Law from God, and led the nation of Israel toward the promised land was a murderer. King David – the most revered Israelite king of all time whose righteous rule ushered in Israel’s golden age and who the Bible calls “a man after God’s own heart” was, in fact, a murderer. The apostle Paul who wrote the majority of the New Testament and whose early missionary efforts planted more churches than any other single person in the first century eventually leading countless numbers to Christ was a murderer of early Christians.

 

God didn’t just forgive those murderers – he used them to impact the world in such a way that you and I along with our children and our children’s children are the beneficiaries.

 

To Dan – murder is a horrible sin, but with repentance comes forgiveness, with forgiveness comes sanctification, with sanctification comes Christ-centered purpose, and with Christ-centered purpose comes God’s power to change the world for the better.

 

Amen. 🙂

 

 

P.S. – if you’d like to receive Anthony Wood’s MissionMessage updates, email awoodxulon@yahoo.com and request to be added to his email list.

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