Go...make....teach...baptize

I have been tromping around for some weeks now through Ted's and my early days as new creatures in Christ. There is a motive for dredging up these early days of our redemption and here it is:  New babies are imprinted forever by what they see, feel and remember. Because we are born sinners because of the Fall in Genesis 3, our souls (bellies) are one big messy mixture of lies and Truth. Satan and his minions watched every one of those lies being inhaled into our souls. His mission? ....to blind our eyes to God's Truth so that the lies keep us stuck emotionally, and then, spiritually.  He is not bothered one bit by a bazillion salt shakers sitting side by side in church, but when those shakers venture out into his territory, he turns loose all his minions with their fiery darts.  He hates the word "disciple" and he hates those who do it.

I have written to you about some really cruddy experiences we had as new Christians in a Christian school. I had a response from a wonderful Christian college student who is thankful for my truthfulness, for she is struggling to understand the "worldliness" within a supposed "Unworldly" institution. While we were disappointed by those ugly sins that surfaced in leadership and students, the mighty Word of God was invading our souls simultaneously, pushing out the lies that Christ and Christians were not to be trusted. Ted immediately began to learn three scriptures a week. That powerful reservoir of the  Mighty Word of God imbedded into his soul over the years,  carried him through all the attacks of the evil one whose mission was to dishearten him to the point of settling for a traditional pastoral ministry, built upon popularity of the pastor and not redemptive reproduction carried out by the saints.

After graduating from Northwestern Bible College, Ted knew he was to go on to seminary. He worked as a brakeman on wheat trains in blistering Kansas humid heat for a summer, then we headed  for Dallas Seminary with our little son Doug, plus everything we owned packed into our '40 Ford. We knew no one in Dallas, Texas, except Jesus Who met us there. He gave us jobs and a tiny apartment. Ted worked a 40 hour week and carried eighteen units. We became teaching and music staff  for several churches, but our hearts were really with Young Life, the finest of youth ministries started by Jim Rayburn, a Dallas Seminary man who graduated a couple of years ahead of us.  Jim's mantra: "Never bore a kid with the Gospel". To this day, Young Life continues to reach kids around the world who have absolutely no frame of reference about Christianity. I have just received a call from a dear Bakersfield friend, telling me that Young Life has come to life again in Bakersfield. Praise the Lord!

It was one month before Ted's graduation from DTS.  We had no idea where we would be or what we would be doing. As is so often the case, one phone call is all it took to guide us to the next chapter of our adventure with Christ. That "one phone call" was made by Ray Stedman to his friend, Howie Hendricks, favored professor at Dallas Seminary. "I'm ready for my first staff man, Howie. Who is graduating that hasn't spent all his time in the library?" Howie: "Ted Stone. He's your man."  We entered our next level of "Training in Discipleship" with Ray Stedman. We would never be the same.

By next week, some of Ted's messages will be available to you several ways. I don't understand "the ways" but two computer gurus (They speak in an UNknown tongue) who love Jesus and us do, ...so good stuff from Ted is a comin'.

                                           GAITHER HYMN: They That Sow in Tears

Does your heart fill with doubt when alone you pray?
Does the world your soul annoy?
Lift your sights! Look beyond! God is standing near! 
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy!

Love,
Jo