The Bible Story Family

  My sister Peggy started sewing when she was just eight years old. She collected scraps our mother had planned to use for cleaning rags and created outfits for her dolls. What began as a hobby has developed into a lifetime fascination. One little girl visiting her house counted over one hundred dolls, all dressed in outfits she has made. Some of Peggy’s dolls have been attired in clothing representing family members like our Aunt Effie. She buys used dolls at second-hand stores, washes them, repaints faces and makes them new clothes. Then she makes them available at craft shows. “The most fun is watching a little girl pick out a doll her family could not otherwise afford at less than half the price of a new American Girl doll.” Over the years several dolls have found their way into the arms of girls without any cost at all. Recently a family from Kenya began attending Grace Baptist Church of Muncie, Indiana, where Peggy is a member. The mother attended a missionary school in...

  One hundred and thirty-five years ago a group of believers in the town of Lake Benton, Minnesota organized a Baptist church. Forty-nine years ago that church called me to my first pastorate, a position which had been held by my father-in-law some twenty five years earlier. Carmen and I moved to Lake Benton directly from seminary. The Valley Journal welcomed her as “a local girl coming home,” although she had lived there less than a year. The church had four deacons at that time, all of whom had been deacons longer than I had been alive. They and the church welcomed us with open arms and made our ministry there a treasured time. Last weekend the First Baptist Church of Lake Benton celebrated its one hundred and thirty-fifth anniversary. Pastor Richard Riley, along with former pastor Mark Fish and the rest of the congregation had prepared a wonderful two days of fellowship, memories, greetings from former pastors, and since we are Baptists – feasting. Carmen and I enjoyed...

  CREATIVE CHURCH PLANTING As a young boy I had the privilege of traveling with my father, Dr. Arthur Allen, as he planted churches in Montana and Wyoming. He did that while serving as Field Director for the Intermountain Baptist Fellowship. During those years he helped start thirty-six churches throughout the west. Nine years ago the IMBF appointed my friend Paul Hoover as Field Representative. Under his leadership the association has expanded into a total of seven states. He brings to the job his experience with Reaching America Baptist Partners which has worked with over sixty church plants since 1997. At the present time Paul is helping four churches. Working with him are mother churches which provide prayer support, financial aid, and fellowship to the groups seeking to organize. Mother churches he has worked with in the past include Souls Harbor Baptist Church of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, First Baptist Church of Laurel, Montana, Elmwood Baptist Church of Brighton, Colorad...

  Allow me a moment of parental pride. In chapter 45 of “Dare to Walk on Water: Creative Like God” I wrote a DARE encouraging believers to write in all genres: historical fiction, Chick Lit, westerns, sci-fi and short stories. Our son Christopher has done that. His book of short stories, “A Diversity of Things,” became available this week. Diverse is certainly an appropriate title description. While not overtly religious, the stories emerge from a solid biblical world-view. My first comment on reading the stories was, “You have required us to think without telling us what to think.” Brief explanations concerning the impetus for each story shed some light on the mysterious behavior of the creative process. Granddaughter Brea Hanson contributed the cover art work. You will find the stories challenging, sometimes perplexing, but always interesting. My favorite has to be “Noel,” which changed forever my thinking concerning the betrothal of Mary and Joseph as well as the hum...