Tag Archives: Jim Woodell

Tampa Bay Area Men’s Retreat This Week

Airiel and I still have a few days of vacation left, and we’re packing up to leave for Tampa in the morning. We’re spending a couple of days visiting family, then on Wednesday my dad is flying in from Arkansas. While Airiel and the kids hang out with my in-laws who nearly all live in that area (letting their other grandmamas and grandpapas spoil them), he and I will be teaching at the Bay Area Church of Christ Men’s Retreat Thursday-Sunday, and I’m pumped!

I love teaching people who are serious about applying the Word (the brothers at Bay Area most certainly are), and also love teaching alongside my dad. We haven’t co-taught anything for a while, but we have great chemistry when speaking together and love spending time with one another in general. I have no doubt I’ll leave this retreat fired up, and no doubt many others will join me.

Here are the topics we’re dealing with:

  • Reals Sins & Real Struggles
  • Real Evangelism & the Real Gospel
  • How Does the Gospel Intersect With Everyday Life?
  • Taking God & the Gospel of Grace Seriously

Focused breakout groups will be utilized after each lesson allowing the men to really dig in to what we’re teaching, and we’re praying this time is transformative.

I’m planning to take my digital recorder with me, and I’ll throw these lesson recordings on the web when I get home for anyone interested in listening.

I’m worn out right now – we just had a house full of college students hit the road after a great Bible study on the cross here.

Bedtime … Tampa, see you tomorrow!

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123 Baptisms, 158 Restorations at River City Ministry in 2009

I just received the year end report from Anthony Wood – the 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.

River City is a great example of a ministry concerned with social justice that is making an eternal impact on the individuals being served – not simply providing them with temporal care. Other ministries like this that aren’t experiencing these types of results might think about studying River City to see what you could do differently.

From Anthony’s email:

Friends I wanted to send you this list, as I have on occasion of those immersed and restored. As 2009 comes to an end, we all rejoice that because Jesus was lifted up daily by all who serve with River City Ministry, 120 were immersed into Christ and 158 were restored back to their first love.
 
I am so thankful to serve with a team of dedicated servants who glorify God in every way as they serve those whom society seems to forget. Please take a few minutes to pray each by name that the faithfulness, security, hope and love of God will richly indwell them.
 
Here’s hoping you all have a wonderful, rich, and restful holiday season.
 
Blessings,
Anthony Wood, Evangelist
River City Ministry
North Little Rock AR

2009 River City Ministry Baptisms

1/12 Alfred T.
1/14 Randy T.
1/15 Pamela M.
1/20 Ray T.
1/20 Teraz H.
2/9 Tony M.
2/10 Ricky B.
2/12 Clara H.
2/17 Gracie H.
2/24 Alonzo P.
2/26 Oliver S.
3/2 Lee B.
3/2 Loretta D.
3/10 Krystal W.
3/10 Darren B.
3/11 Bill K.
3/12 Ronnie T.
3/18 Vicki B.
3/24 Frederick F.
3/30 Tawana H.
4/1  Claude A.
4/6  Tim S.
4/6  Jackie G.
4/6  LaVonne T.
4/8 Tony B.
4/9 Freddie W.
4/14 John G.
4/15 Rachel M.
4/15 Buford B.
4/22 Ken P.
4/23 Frieda R.
4/27 Norman S.
4/28 Quartez S.
4/29 Chris H.
4/29 Bryan S.
5/6 Christy C.
5/7 Shawn C.
5/12 Mary B.
5/13 Cleophus B.
5/18 Brian T.
5/21 Mike R.
5/27 Adam M.
5/28 Helen D.
6/1 Kristopher S.
6/8 George B.
6/8 James T.
6/9 Richard S.
6/11 Mike S.
6/12 Roger G.
6/14 Archie J.
6/15 John K.
6/22 James J.
6/23 Willie M.
6/23 John H.
6/28 Frances N.
6/30 Robert G.
6/30 Troy H.
6/30 Don J.
7/1 Andre-a W.
7/6 Edgar B.
7/8 Charles F.
7/9 Greg P.
7/13 Antonio “Shorty” T.
7/13 Amy T.
7/14 Andre’ C.
7/20 Christy S.
7/20 Joe S.
7/21 William H.
7/22 Jason M.
7/23 Eddie D.
7/24 Jean S.
7/27 Robert C.
7/28 Brian-Paul W. H.
7/28 Rodney C.
8/2 Cleophus B.
8/4 Lamareo C.
8/5 Dean D.
8/5 Wes S.
8/6 Don K.
8/10 Nicky L.
8/11 Dairon B.
8/26 Ronnie R.
8/26 Ashante S.
8/26 Kenneth W.
9/3 Donneal M.
9/10 Larry W.
9/15 Tim R.
9/22 David W.
9/22 Anna B.
9/22 Sylvia A.
9/22 Carlester Y.
9/23 Torence N.
9/24 Emma S.
9/28 Craig W.
9/29 James S.
9/30 David F.
10/1 John H.
10/4 Shirley J.
10/6 Robert C.
10/7 Phillip “Billy” J.
10/7 John B.
10/13 Daniel S.
10/14 Jamie O.
10/14 Ulysses H.
10/15 Ralph R.
10/19 Gastivus H.
10/20 Marcus M.
10/26 Vernon F.
10/27 Glen W.
11/11 Teresa M.
11/12 Dennis C.
11/16 Paul D.
11/17 Herman B.
11/17 Brad B.
11/19 Terry A.
12/3 Pat B.
12/3 Steve P.
12/3 Samuel T.
12/9 Keith M.
12/9 Kyle T.
12/10 Louis B.
12/14 Kim H.
12/16 Mark B.

 2009 River City Ministry Restorations

1/6 Billy B.
1/8 Mack Y.
1/8 Rita W.
1/12 Geraldine L.
1/13 Aaron J.
1/20 Carlton W.
1/21 Cherry W.
1/22 Lilly W.
1/25 Donald B.
2/3 Brian S.
2/3 Wesley B.
2/4 Sharon H. G.
2/4 Gary Z. W.
2/4 Anthony S.
2/4 Michael Y.
2/5 Dan S.
2/11 Adam M.
2/11 Stephen S.
2/17 Alonzo M.
2/17 Willie L.
2/17 Ron M.
2/17 Earl M.
2/17 David R.
2/17 Ronnie K.
2/19 Billy B.
2/25 Oliver S.
2/26 Donald J.
2/26 Marcus T.
2/26 Joanna S.
3/2 Manuel O.
3/2 Desmond A.
3/4 Adrian B.
3/4 Wiley C.
3/4 Christy S.
3/9 Robert B.
3/10 Marty R.
3/16 Earle M.
3/17 Bryant R.
3/17 Barry M.
3/18 Albert B.
3/24 Terrence C.
3/25 Gary M.
3/30 Gastivus H.
4/1 Lloyd P.
4/1 Oliver S.
4/1 Tochelle W.
4/6  John G.
4/7 Larry H.
4/7 Kay M.
4/7  Ruth J.
4/13 Joe K.
4/16 Jeremy R.
4/20 Michael F.
4/21 Yolanda C.
4/21 Keith M.
4/22 Shantana M.
4/26 Sara B.
4/29 Danny P.
5/4 James W.
5/4 Calvin C.
5/6 Odell D.
5/7 Samuel T.
5/11 Willie J.
5/14 Mike H.
5/18 Kenneth H.
5/20 Ricky N.
5/21 Steve K.
5/26 Jay A. G.
5/27 Ed D.
5/28 John G.
6/1 Robert G.
6/5 James T.
6/9 Teraz H.
6/11 Yolanda M.
6/11 Lee B.
6/16 Dean B.
6/18 Wendell W.
6/19 Dwayne S.
6/22 Gastivus H.
6/23 Lenora B.
6/23 Michael S.
6/30 Robyne B.
7/1 Mark M.
7/13 O.J. W.
7/13 Linda H.
7/16 Tommie J.
7/22 Marcus T.
7/24 Dean D.
8/4 Roosevelt B.
8/4 Carl W.
8/11 Ronnie C.
8/11 Earnest A.
8/12 Gastivus H.
8/24 Victoria M.
8/31 Doris W.
8/31 Jesse M.
8/31 Charles C.
8/31 Linda H.
9/2 Jerry A.
9/2 Randy B.
9/9 Larry W.
9/10 Dante T.
9/15 William B.
9/21 Samuel T.
9/21 Herbert M.
9/21 Herman B.
9/21 Sylvia C.
9/22 Sylvia A.
9/22 Carlester Y.
9/28 Sandra D.
9/28 Jerry M.
9/29 Kenneth P.
9/29 Sharon W.
10/5 Frank P.
10/5 Rickey S.
10/8 Ed D.
10/8 Nandre E.
10/12 Jimmy D.
10/13 Clara H.
10/21 Tim J.
10/12 Clarence B.
10/21 Harold H.
10/21 Kenneth E.
10/22 Sherman C.
10/26 Vernon F.
10/28 Robert M.
11/2 Albert B.
11/4 Derrick C.
11/4 Terrence C.
11/5 George B.
11/5 Beth H.
11/9 Leroy K.
11/9 Andrew R.
11/9 Nathan M.
11/11 Marilyn G.
11/11 Willie J.
11/16 Charles C.
11/16 Bradley B.
11/18 Terry A.
11/18 Ronnie M.
11/18 Romero B.
11/23 Brian H.
11/24 Regina F.
11/24 Carol L.
11/30 Doris W.
11/30 L. P. F.
12/1 Donovan M.
12/1 Steve P.
12/2 Pamela B.
12/2 Dawn S.
12/14 Terrence W.
12/14 Robert A.
12/16 Rhonda B.
12/16 Darin Y.

 Awesome.

As Anthony requests, “please take a few minutes to pray each by name that the faithfulness, security, hope and love of God will richly indwell them” – I know they’ll appreciate it. 🙂

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Anthony Wood’s MissionMessage + News from ACU

A note from my friend Anthony Wood – the evangelist for River City Ministry. RCM is a ministry to the poor and homeless in North Little Rock, AR, and my dad has served as executive director there for many years now.

I love these stories:

Carol, Lord, remember him? You know him because he talks to you everyday, all day long. He came into my office to share how You work in his life. He went to River City Church yesterday after rededicating his life back to You last Thursday. He enjoyed himself and appreciated the fellowship. Here’s the good part, Lord. 
 
Carol smiled, “Let me tell you how good God is, Bro. Anthony. I only had three dollars in my pocket when I was at church, and I thought, I’m hungry, so I’ll go to McDonalds and get what I can get for those few dollars. But the Spirit moved me to trust the Lord, and so I gave it all to Him.”
 
Carol gave all that he had to live on. Seems like I read somewhere about a widow who did that.
 
Anyway, Carol left church and walked towards the river bridge and came upon a couple of ladies handing out fliers about their church feeding the homeless in the next few weeks. He thanked the kind ladies as his stomach growled. One of the ladies turned and said, “You must be hungry, God is telling me to give you this. Get yourself something good to eat.” It was a ten dollar bill.
 
“I went to a Chinese Buffet and ate like a king, Bro. Anthony! God always has something for me, everyday. I just have to look for it. I just have to listen for His voice. It may be a good meal or it might be me telling someone about Jesus, but God always has something for me, everyday. So, I listen for Him, and I look for Him, everyday, all day.”
 
Lord, Carol gave his all and You returned to him 3 times back what he gave to You. He looks for You. He listens for You. And, Carol sees You. He hears You. He follows You. He obeys You.
 
“It’s just not that hard Bro. Anthony to find God working. He’s all around.”
 
Lord let me practice Your presence, every moment, of every day, looking for You, listening for Your voice.
 
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matt. 6:3, NIV).
 
Blessings,
Anthony Wood, Evangelist
River City Ministry
North Little Rock AR

 Great stuff 🙂

Anthony regularly sends out updates like this. If you’d like to be added to the email list, send him a note at awoodxulon@yahoo.com asking to be.

——

I also found this story about ACU to be interesting … here’s an excerpt:

Abilene Christian University is on the cusp of a new faith era.

The school is preparing to host its first student body with a majority of students coming from denominations and faiths other than the Church of Christ — the school’s cornerstone denomination since its founding in 1906.

Last year was the first time the school had a freshman class with a majority of students — about 53 percent — who don’t claim affiliation with the Church of Christ. This fall’s freshmen have the same proportion.

Read the full story: ACU’s religious face taking a change

The article says the reason for this change in the makeup of the student body is because the Church of Christ is losing membership nationwide, and young people are bucking denominational loyalties.

Interesting take, though I wonder if that’s the real reason. I’m curious if other traditionally Church of Christ schools are experiencing the same type of thing … does anyone know?

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