In featuring a closely contested Missouri race for Congress, the offices for both major candidates for Missouri 3^rd District – Russ Carnahan and Ed Martin -- were contacted.  Radio time was offered to each of them to express their views on some major social/moral issues, issues of great interest to our listeners, such as

*Pro-life and abortion;

*Human cloning;

*Same sex marriage; and

* Expansion of legalized gambling.

Both offices were alerted to the offer that their interviews would be posted on my website.  Ed Martin responded and was interviewed.  His answers can be heard here.  Russ Carnahan’s office did not respond.

Henry Maxey, my classmate during our days at Oklahoma Baptist University, has served in honoring the Lord through a career of ministry in music and praise.  But some of his most impacting service may well be happening right now.  With tens of thousands of churches around the world being small, those pastors are likely to be part-time and bi-vocational, and the church's music and praise leader, if any, may be someone enlisted out of the congregation with very limited time, training, and background to lead that part of the worship.  With a burning desire to provide practical resources to such worship leaders, Maxey established and maintains www.creativeworshipservices.com, which offers a wealth of helpful resources to meet those needs. 

You are invited to forward his web address to others, especially to busy music/praise and worship leaders everywhere.  At the time of this writing, Maxey's site is receiving an average of 500 - 600 "hits" a day ... both from the United States and different parts of the world. 

Staggering and Awesome!  Thus are some of the descriptions of Rock the River with Franklin Graham under the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, MO, attended by 65,000 on August 2, 2009.  (Some in the National Park Service people - www.gatewayarch.com - estimated the crowd to be even larger.)  Amid the seven hours of concerts by popular Christian youth bands described at www.rocktherivertour.com, during the day Franklin Graham presented three clear messages of hope and salvation found in Jesus Christ.  With the enormous crowd size, not all spiritual decisions were recorded.  But of the recorded commitments Pastor Dr. Bruce McCoy -- overseeing the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association-trained counseling and follow-up -- summarized the results as follows:

65,000 attendances,

800 plus decisions,

530 salvations,

300 decibels,

100 spf sunscreen,

4 quarts of drinking water,

1 remarkable day!

The names and information of those making commitments to Christ are to be assigned to participating churches and followed up in typical BGEA fashion. 

Dr. Bruce McCoy in the pastor of the Canaan Baptist Church in St. Louis County and is the President of the Missouri Baptist Convention.

Jim and Tammy McGarry founded “More Than Carpentry Christian Ministries (MTC)” in 2006 and “will provide job training and mentoring to men and women in Wellston, MO, a small, struggling city just west of the St. Louis, MO city limits … MTC seeks to make an impact on the lives of men and women by developing relationships and serving their individual needs. A primary component will be a structured curriculum to teach the trade of cabinetmaking while the student earns a wage. Apprentice cabinetmakers will work with mentors to learn life skills, positive work habits and the value of applying biblical principles…” Jim and Tammy took a South American mission trip in recent years that intensified their burden for missions. They responded to God’s call to be missionaries in the inner-city of Greater St. Louis, MO. Jim is himself a carpenter and a cabinetmaker. See www.morethancarpentry.com.

Eric McGrew, a career pilot, found himself captured on his Delta airliner by a suicidal hijacker. What happened in that crisis is probably unique in all the history of flight.  Just after that very-near-death experience, the very impressed Delta Airlines executives asked Eric to tell every detail of the story, including the details of his witness to the hijacker.  The video of his report was provided to every Delta pilot…as well as Delta forwarding the video to the other airlines.  Thus thousands of pilots have learned from it and its impacting witness.  Eric McGrew summarized the event by phone on my radio show as part of promoting his upcoming St. Louis visit.  Soon thereafter he came and shared the story with nearly 900 at a St. Charles Businessmen’s Prayer Breakfast in St. Charles, MO … sponsored by St. Charles Ministry to Men (www.ministrytomen.net). You can now hear his gripping remarks “in his own words” as given at the breakfast. 

Part 1

Part 2

Delta Pilot Eric McGrew’s story may be unique in the history of aviation.  Captured while in his airliner by a suicidal gunman, the unfolding story you will not want to miss.  Eric, a southern gentleman, had prayed for an open door to share the love of Jesus with his fellow Delta pilots, but it wasn’t happening.  Then he was hijacked, his life threatened.  During the experience he shared Jesus and the scripture with his captor, who, as a result, gave up his suicide attempt.  Delta airline officials insisted that he record the whole story, leaving out nothing, including the details of his biblical witness.  Eric did.  The video has been shown to thousands in the airline industry -- pilots, flight attendants, Federal Aviation Agency staff members, etc -- as a part of their training.  Eric McGrew’s prayer was answered.  (This account is supplemental to his story he told to nearly 1,000 at the St. Charles, MO Businessmen’s Prayer Breakfast in 2008, already posted elsewhere on www.haroldhendrick.com.)

On March 8, 2009, a gunman walked into the First Baptist Church of Maryville, IL (in the St. Louis, MO area) and shot and killed Pastor Fred Winters as he was concluding his late Sunday morning sermon.  The tragedy became a national and international story.  When the shocked and grieving congregation looked for someone to preach the following Sunday, they secured Dr. Al Meredith, pastor of Wedgwood Baptist Church (www.wedgwoodbc.org) in Ft. Worth, TX.  In 1999 a crazed gunman walked into Wedgwood Church and randomly shot and killed seven people.  (Don Browning, the father of one of those victims, shares his unforgettable story regarding Sydney Browning in another on demand  interview on www.haroldhendrick.com.)  In this interview Pastor Meredith tells of the journey of his Wedgwood Church and offers comfort, guidance, and even warnings for the Maryville Congregation.  He received much favorable press in St. Louis and around the country for his sensitive and wise counsel at Maryville.  With his frequently being asked to make appearances in both local and national media, it is further interesting to hear of his ministry with the media.  (We both observed how fair and sensitive the press had handled the Maryville tragedy.)  Media people frequently ask him, “What can we do for you?”  Pastor Al responds by saying, “You can let me pray for you!”  And he does.  Hear the very insightful, helpful and interesting comments Pastor Al Meredith offers to the Maryville Church for, not just surviving but, for overcoming.  *** See Pastor Fred Winters quiet but powerful 5-minute video Why do we Exist presenting God’s Biblical plan of salvation at www.fbmaryvlle.org.

Kerry Messer describes a fascinating scene in the Missouri State Capitol.  In mid March of 2010, a group of lawmakers – Democrats and Republicans, Senators and Representatives – “summoned” the Missouri Family Network President (www.missourifamilynetwork.net) and 26-year Traditional Values Lobbyist Kerry Messer to a “behind the scenes” meeting of leaders in the State Capitol Building.  These key lawmakers made a plea for much prayer throughout the state.  Facing a $1.5 Billion state budget shortfall, they in essence asked, “Can you create a network of churches in MO to pray for us as we deal with this huge budget shortfall?”  As a result Messer, National Day of Prayer leader Sue Stoltz, and other key prayer leaders began to mobilize a statewide, non-partisan prayer effort.  These elected officials of both parties have agreed to stay behind the scenes to avoid the appearance and accusations of “grandstanding” for personal political benefit.  40 Days of Prayer will be initiated with a time of sincere prayer in the MO Capitol Rotunda in Jefferson City on Monday, March 29, 2010 from 12:00 noon until 1:30 PM.  All are invited.  Many other Christian entities are getting the word out.  Bringing a prayer message, calling us to repentance and to seeking the Lord God in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday noon of March 29 is Anne Graham Lotz (www.annegrahamlotz.com), daughter of famed Evangelist Billy Graham.  The 40 days of Prayer will conclude on the very day the budget is to be -- according to Constitutional requirement – finalized and approved by the legislature …which is also the National Day of Prayer!