tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-134051172012-02-16T06:08:35.657-05:00Frankly Speaking is the online home for the thoughts of Pastor Frank WellerFrank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.comBlogger6091100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-2350701890102805162011-11-07T12:36:00.000-05:002011-11-07T12:36:08.616-05:00

On Sunday, November 6th, I made a historic announcement to the South Lansing Christian Church family. I announced a proposed ministry partnership between SLCC and The Solomon Foundation, a Church Extension Fund that assists Christian Churches and Churches of Christ with building, remodeling and refinancing existing church mortgages. This partnership, if approved be the SLCC membership, will

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-26349299951924267762011-08-29T16:12:00.000-04:002011-08-29T16:12:15.971-04:00

Mrs. Frankly and I confess to a bad habit. We sometimes watch television programs that highlight the maladies of others. Why? We joke to one another that it makes us feel more normal about our own pathologies. Several years ago that program was The Jerry Springer show. Our extended family was going through a particularly difficult season and it was reassuring to know that ours was practically

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-57725086905618575352011-07-18T16:59:00.000-04:002011-07-18T16:59:38.035-04:00

Paul, a gentleman that attends our church, is a highly functioning developmentally disabled older adult. He's a great guy. He lives on his own, washes dishes at one of the MSU cafeterias and can't clap in rhythm to save his life. He sought me out immediately after yesterday's announcement at South Lansing Christian Church. Usually Paul buttonholes me before church. We chat about the Spartans,

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-87426292707931770382011-07-17T19:33:00.000-04:002011-07-17T19:33:47.862-04:00

Mike Blakely, Elder at South Lansing Christian Church, announced this morning that the church will be leaving the building. With a mortgage payment of $15,500 a month and offerings falling about $2,000 short of our $11,000 weekly need, staying is no longer tenable. Unless something changes quite soon, we will be making plans to meet somewhere else. Here is the video of Mike's announcement and my

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-27398956757045323262011-07-17T19:30:00.000-04:002011-07-17T19:30:01.044-04:00

Imagine Video #1 from South Lansing Christian Church on Vimeo.

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-13446634083859501072011-07-10T23:39:00.002-04:002011-07-10T23:47:37.294-04:00

Our family visited Wave Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia this morning. We went with some friends that moved to Virginia Beach recently and are looking for a church. Walking into a new church made me think about the congregation where I serve and how we might score if we were issued a report card. Here's my report card for Wave Church this morning. Keep in mind that I come with my own set of

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-59798780162413143052011-06-19T09:18:00.000-04:002011-06-19T09:18:41.502-04:00

If you've ever given thought to how you can capture, process and distribute drool as an industrial lubricant, you might be a dad. If your wife has ever put a Dora the Explorer plate with a half-eaten lump of Mac-N-Cheese in front of you and said, "Here, finish this," you might be a dad. If you've ever thought, "I wonder where that umpire lives," you might be a dad. If your wife has ever signed

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-2937731035467026082011-04-04T17:49:00.000-04:002011-04-04T17:49:07.720-04:00

The Butler Bulldogs. Rooting for my Indiana boys tonight and their great coach, Brad Stevens. Good luck Dawgs!

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-66356922599762119302011-03-31T14:41:00.000-04:002011-03-31T14:41:12.754-04:00

Taking a drink of water from a fire hydrant. I returned from Drive Conference this morning, collapsing into bed at about 4 AM. The three days was inspiring, amazing and challenging. Andy Stanley is the founder and lead pastor of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. In the last decade and a half, North Point has developed into a multi-campus church that is devoted to moving

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-32382600138570868962011-03-28T23:30:00.000-04:002011-03-28T23:30:34.442-04:00

Babies with cool hats. My friend, Jackie Palmer, recently began a new business, Baby Toppers. She makes one-of-a-kind hats for infants. They are, in a word, amazing. Her marketing plan is made easier, I suppose, since Jackie is also a gifted photographer. She is an artist, frankly, that happens to work in multiple mediums: yarn and film. Makes me wish I was a grandpa. (Nothing even remotely

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-12006411305701119242011-03-27T23:27:00.000-04:002011-03-27T23:27:57.883-04:00

Springtime in Kentucky. I am on the road today headed to Northpoint Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia with Wally and Rob. We're headed to the Drive Conference at Andy Stanley's church. Conferences like me inspire me and stoke my ministry fires. We're traveling by car and stopped by Skyline Chili in Dry Ridge, Kentucky. Rob ate the four-way and Wally ate the five-way. I had three chili

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-25232955030379396212011-03-26T15:00:00.000-04:002011-03-26T15:00:41.618-04:00

Little kids that memorize movie lines. Regularly readers of Frankly Speaking (I think there are four or five) will recall that I am a substitute school bus driver. After a year of subbing at Holt Schools, I just recently began having some really good conversations with my co-workers. They've begun asking questions about theology and sharing things they would like me to pray about. The Kingdom of

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-45779381668293607332011-03-24T10:02:00.000-04:002011-03-24T10:02:09.277-04:00

Looking forward. This morning revealed a one-eighth layer of ice on the windshield of my car, requiring about five minutes of scraping before I could head out to work. Wait a minute! I thought Spring began on Monday, What gives with the snow and ice? If there is anything I have learned in my three years, seven months and twenty-three days since moving to Michigan it is that winter is a season

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-20687971872698590012011-03-22T21:49:00.000-04:002011-03-22T21:49:57.551-04:00

Wonder bread. If your house is like ours, you're probably trying to be more careful about what you eat. A few months ago our doctor gave us a simple rule: don't eat anything that is white. Now, I don't think she was talking about cauliflower and milk so much. Rather, she was talking about bread and pasta and the like. We have tried to follow that rule by eating more whole grain pasta, whole

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-70443227148608052192011-03-21T09:46:00.000-04:002011-03-21T09:46:12.322-04:00

Worms on the sidewalk. The warmer weather and the rain flushed the worms from their tunnels this morning - yet another portent of Spring. Our Children's Minister, Betty Allen, is deathly afraid of worms. Occasionally the twenty foot stretch between the back door of our office wing and the parking lot is littered with the drowning creatures. When that happens, Betty tip-toes to her car like the

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-8247539392247015782011-03-19T13:21:00.000-04:002011-03-19T13:21:46.524-04:00

The first robin of Spring. I saw my first robin as I was leaving South Lansing Christian Church today. As much as any other sign that warm weather is approaching, the "first robin" has been the traditional portent of spring in our family for as long as I can remember. There is something about seeing that bright orange breast and bright eye that makes me want to put the winter coat in the storage

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-63088226115886523732011-03-17T10:28:00.000-04:002011-03-17T10:28:26.168-04:00

Hearing, "Cancer free!" My buddy, Luke F. My friend Sean has a five-year-old son named Luke. Luke is cancer free, but that was not always the case. Two Decembers ago Monica, Luke's mom, was giving then three-year-old Luke a bath when she noticed a small lump on his hip. She made a Thursday morning appointment with their pediatrician to have it checked out. By Saturday Luke was an inpatient at

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-55784994842825467342011-03-16T10:01:00.000-04:002011-03-16T10:01:52.941-04:00

Being on the "B" team. I led worship this Sunday at South Lansing Christian Church. Wally was hosting the Michigan Statewide Teen Convention, so I got the nod. Here's the thing: Wally Lowman is one of the most gifted worship leaders I've known. What is more, he is the most gifted worship leader I have ever personally worked with. That isn't just praise from a starry-eyed preacher either. I was

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-12838887477690638932011-03-15T19:20:00.000-04:002011-03-15T19:20:29.901-04:00

Doctrinal disagreements discussions. I enjoyed chatting with Soren this morning. We had a wide-ranging, spirited discussion about topics of concern in the Restoration Movement. The role of women. Is baptism necessary for salvation? Are Standard Publishing, Orchard Group, and CDF forming a triumvirate that is planning to take over the world? Good stuff. It has been interesting to see how Mike

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-61327072089306836112011-03-14T19:20:00.000-04:002011-03-14T19:20:00.725-04:00

National Preaching Summit. I am at the National Preaching Summit in Indianapolis, Indiana for two days of stoking my preaching fire. This is an annual event that is designed by preachers for preachers. I can't help but get jacked up about the proclamation of the gospel when I come here. This year's lineup is solid! Ben Cachiaras, Bob Russell, Billy Strother and Ben Merold are not only solid

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-23888185083015889722011-03-11T14:10:00.001-05:002011-03-11T14:15:50.481-05:00

The wonderful "seasoned citizens" at South Lansing Christian Church. The older folks that attend the church where I preach are some of the most graceful people I have ever had the pleasure to know. They are supportive. They are faithful - both to God and to their church. They are committed to growing in their faith even when many of their peers have locked into spiritual cruise control. If I

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-32493957984516200752011-03-10T00:24:00.000-05:002011-03-10T00:24:38.832-05:00

That shrinky stuff that you put on electronical wires. Did some work tonight on my MacBook Pro power adapter. It bit the dust the other day - the second one to do so in three years. My co-worker, Wally, says it is because I am too hard on them, and he is probably right. He has had the same one for five years now. To that I say, I have had the same wife for nearly 25 years, Wally, and she is

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-81941411025566285042011-03-09T14:57:00.000-05:002011-03-09T14:57:28.313-05:00

I'll admit it. I am easily impressed, easily appeased. Easily . . . happified. In fact, it is often the littlest things that make me the happiest. That is not to say that big things don't make me happy, too. They do, of course. So if you're thinking about buying me a new iPad2, I'll take the 3G, 32 GB version thank you very much! And yet, little things suffice. So, in celebration of the little

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-36347566114687083432011-02-25T09:30:00.003-05:002011-02-25T09:39:43.604-05:00

On Mt. Sinai, Moses told God, "Your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth." (Exodus 33:16)The presence of God is what still sets us apart from all the people of the earth. If God is not in our midst then we are, at best, a civic organization dedicated to the alleviation of the temporal worldly suffering of those with whom we share this journey. At

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-22766745864956605362011-01-25T10:06:00.009-05:002011-02-05T01:07:49.001-05:00

Several years ago I offended some people that I really care about when I posted that God is not an American. As far as I know He still is not.That is one of the reasons I find this fish meets flag car emblem so distasteful. The folks marketing it encourage us to "Proclaim our nation's righteous heritage" and to "Celebrate the Christian faith that upholds the USA."Where to begin?Ichthys as a

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-74508665549526116512010-12-23T10:26:00.002-05:002010-12-23T14:04:32.370-05:00

Eleven-year-old Savannah has a very short Christmas list this year. No iPod. No DVDs or gift cards. No new-fangled electronic gadgets. This year Savannah just wants her mom to come home from the hospital.Readers of Frankly Speaking know that I am a chaplain with the Lansing Police Department. Acting in that capacity I have encountered hundreds of interesting people and had experiences I

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-48052708311194432552010-12-07T23:07:00.001-05:002010-12-07T23:09:19.822-05:00

Left, Actor Cody Burger, a.k.a. Rocky from Christmas Vacation. Right, Chumlee from Pawn Stars. Same person? Hmmmmmmmm.

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-4330090075431307162010-11-25T20:37:00.005-05:002010-11-25T20:49:16.197-05:00

My sister, Tina, wrote this to remember our grandmother, who passed away earlier this week. It eulogizes her more beautifully than I ever could:When I remember you, Grandma, the first thing that comes to mind is you in your kitchen. I can see you rushing around, lighting the stove to put on your homemade applesauce in your old enamel pan. Or, you’re poaching Grandpa’s eggs for breakfast, while

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-88459577276446582232010-11-09T11:30:00.003-05:002010-11-09T11:48:52.375-05:00

If you comfortable with your faith and want to stay that way.If you like your creature comforts.If you would rather not be discomforted by poverty. By famine. By disease.If you want to grab your piece of the American Dream.If you have it all planned out.If you want Jesus to be Savior but not necessarily Lord.If you don't want to read words like these:If Mark 10 teaches us anything, it teaches us

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-50573200114007863742010-10-26T10:03:00.008-04:002010-10-26T10:28:30.932-04:00

Back in college I knew a couple, Brian and Joanna, that sold their car and bought bicycles. It made little sense to me at the time. As a newlywed man, it seemed like obtaining a car was the natural progression in attaining the American Dream.Twenty-five years later, there seems to be some prescient wisdom in their two-wheeled decision. At least that is what I thought this morning as I read

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-31905137270860098702010-10-20T16:39:00.006-04:002010-10-20T17:04:12.564-04:00

First-grader Fernando wouldn't leave Brian alone. He poked and pinched him until the two were on the floor of the school bus wrestling. I needed to speak with Fernando's mother. Problem is, she doesn't speak English, and my Spanish is the "mission trip variety." That is to say I can find a bathroom, order three different kinds of burritos, and ask for various hand tools - "Yo necessito un

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-30200786129684949152010-10-20T10:51:00.009-04:002010-10-20T16:19:05.041-04:00

I got in trouble with some people that I care deeply about a few years back when I kicked up a fuss about mixing patriotic imagery with spiritual activity. Recalling something that my literature professor said years before - "When you put your hand on your heart, face a flag, recite words from memory, and sing a song with a tear in your eye, that looks a lot like worship." - I determined to love

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-7772153383124776132010-10-01T13:32:00.003-04:002010-10-02T18:33:08.262-04:00

With thanks to Kelsey Fisher. My son, Caleb, is the tallest snare player. Near the end, he is in the lower left hand corner marking time for the D-line. My son, Jonah, is a trombone player. Love this band!

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-70813327508411917732010-10-01T09:29:00.003-04:002010-10-01T09:34:48.267-04:00

Terry sent this to me. It is pretty funny, actually.

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-64801057275950341032010-08-25T11:22:00.004-04:002010-08-25T11:44:21.864-04:00

Something I re-read today reminded me of the impact that Christians have, and the potential for positive impact they can have. Bill Hybels, in his book, Just Walk Across the Room, writes:Recently, I received a five-page letter from an area waitress who is part of Willow Creek. Before becoming a Christian, I learned, she waited tables at a restaurant where many of us would eat after weekend

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-67268334853960044302010-08-10T22:01:00.004-04:002010-08-10T22:38:25.456-04:00

I was out of town camping. My Administrative Assistant, Melissa, took the call. Twenty-five minutes later she put the phone down exhausted from the tirade she had just endured.Apparently, "needy" is a racial slur. At least that is what the caller told Melissa.Our church is collecting school supplies to give to neighborhood children that are in need of them. That's why Terry, our designated

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-1819718394814397692010-06-28T11:22:00.004-04:002010-06-28T11:43:12.661-04:00

Last year, about this time, I wrote about my trip to the Secretary of State. It was a long day, that one.It seems only fair then, to give some credit where credit is due.This morning I stopped by the downtown branch of the Secretary of State to transfer the plate from my son's truck to my wife's car. My wife drives a 1998 Mercury station wagon with 160,000-ish miles on it. The car is valued at

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-68865748670076701802010-06-16T11:49:00.010-04:002010-06-16T13:57:46.367-04:00

"When a plane flies into a building killing thousands, we know that's not right."When a four-year-old dies from a brain tumor or a mother of three dies slowly of breast cancer, we know that's not right. . . ."Whether we believe in God or not, most of us know intuitively that there are certain things that shouldn't happen in the world. It's that intuition that makes us want to ask why in the

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-9870333563015132782010-05-10T22:57:00.006-04:002010-05-10T23:35:24.984-04:00

When senior citizens at a retirement center near Savannah, Georgia were told they could no longer have a communal prayer at mealtime they were, understandably, upset. So was their mayor and their families. After all, this generation has been praying before eating since they first learned, "God is great; God is good; Let us thank Him for our food." Some of them were praying for their daily

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-73721619450297431852010-05-06T22:38:00.002-04:002010-05-06T22:48:52.968-04:00

She was well dressed, if somewhat conservatively in her black knit top and matching black pants. She was pretty. Short hair, olive skin. Asian, I think. Her eyes were puffy and red, her cheeks flushed. She had been crying, or was just about to. She was walking from a residence toward her car and I thought, “She must be coming from a wake. Someone has passed and she put on her all black

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-86263978342172964612010-04-21T11:21:00.002-04:002010-04-21T11:23:29.794-04:00

Making disciples is the job of disciples in Acts. Mainline North American Protestantism, faced with steady decline in membership over the most recent decades, tends to waver between superficial techniques for church growth or unconvincing alibis for church death – “We are not really dying; we are tightening our ranks for service.” “Only the reactionary, conservative churches are growing. We

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-42671251684420937022010-03-11T09:05:00.006-05:002010-03-11T16:26:37.781-05:00

Dear Marion,I read on Yahoo Sports this morning that you signed a contract to play for the WNBA's Tulsa Shock. Good for you.We all make mistakes. And while there are plenty of people who are quick to pile on with phrases like, "We're all under pressure, but we don't all take performance enhancing drugs," I'm not one of them. None of us can understand the stress, the weight that led to your

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-27285205525783419782010-01-28T19:57:00.006-05:002010-01-28T20:10:38.836-05:00

When the Student Leaders from our High School Youth Group, Modified, decided to challenge one another to a little peanut butter competition, I’ll bet they didn’t expect this to happen. Their original plan: for Grand Ledge High School to challenge Everett High School to see which school could collect the most peanut butter to send to Haiti. Our students talked to their respective administrators

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-59728515166617862802010-01-26T09:49:00.002-05:002010-01-26T10:06:17.081-05:00

There is a woman sitting behind my wife and me as we pull into the driveway of our home. She has a job, her own car. Is headed off to college in the fall. Just the other day she sat in our mini-van munching on a Happy Meal and dumping her Hi-C on the floor.Not anymore. She's a woman now.I pause at the garage door and switch the headlights off. I press the opener, and the door rises like a

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-23565469496700168702010-01-15T18:54:00.004-05:002010-01-15T19:09:32.430-05:00

The unprecedented events of the past week have challenged everyone that has watched the events unfolding in Haiti. None more than the brothers and sisters at South Lansing Christian Church that have prayed for, supported financially and served alongside ministries in Haiti. Nearly two years ago our church collected 9,000 jars of peanut butter to send to Haiti. It was distributed within about

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-31058207756279800732010-01-12T17:38:00.006-05:002010-01-12T19:46:56.677-05:00

We've been studying the Bible book of Acts at South Lansing Christian Church. The deeper I go, the more I think it has the potential to ruin my life. Last week I challenged the congregation to have the same attitude that the early church had - that the return of Jesus Christ was imminent. Following his ascension, the disciples returned to Jerusalem and, while they waited for the promised Holy

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-40994128150849122832010-01-06T02:38:00.006-05:002010-01-06T03:48:12.778-05:00

I read this interesting article on Yahoo tonight: 10 Things Not to Buy in 2010. My personal experience validates what this article reports.Tops on the list: DVDs. Mrs. Frankly and I had a conversation just the other night about the futility of buying more of them. We probably own about a hundred, including all seven seasons of The West Wing and the first four seasons of The Office. I

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-66295338728150019342010-01-05T19:03:00.001-05:002010-01-05T19:04:23.072-05:00

I think you have to have grown up on a farm to appreciate this:

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-24546398388277000012010-01-01T00:53:00.014-05:002010-01-01T01:38:05.507-05:00

Dick Clark was there tonight. I assumed he would be. New Year's Eve wouldn't be New Years without Dick Clark.The Grahams were there. Jeff sat on the end of the sectional beside Beth. Becca was sprawled on the floor and Megan was in the recliner hammering away on her brand-new Blackberry. Caleb was somewhere playing X-Box. He showed up just in time to see the ball drop. Jonah was there,

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-208785931024307122009-12-29T19:02:00.002-05:002009-12-29T19:03:29.960-05:00

Anyone that has ever done anything in public knows the horrible feeling of forgetting the words. I feel for this guy . . . really I do.

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-19579515866114306392009-12-12T22:44:00.005-05:002009-12-12T23:24:39.909-05:00

I've invested some time in reflection these last several months. During the dark moments - and there have been many - I have reflected on the "could haves" and "should haves" in my life. I've ruminated over regrets. I've agonized over choices made and opportunities lost.To be completely honest, it has been difficult. Painful. Draining.I am forty-two years old, and I can't help but think that

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-64445564445474906632009-12-07T17:56:00.003-05:002009-12-07T18:40:38.016-05:00

Last Saturday I enjoyed spending the morning with little Davey (not his real name) as part of the Lansing Police Department's Shop With a Cop program. We had a blast.I'll admit that I was a little nervous at first. And when Davey's mom told me that he was really quiet and shy I was even more so. But when we loaded up to head out to the Wal-Mart, Davey began to loosen up. And why not. We were

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-13735218475858877482009-10-22T11:00:00.006-04:002009-10-22T11:45:57.471-04:00

I grabbed my copy of William Barclay's commentary on Romans this morning to examine his thoughts on Romans 14. My Christian Doctrine professor, Mr. Fisher, frequently warned us against using Barclay as he denied the miracles of Jesus. Or at least that is what I recall him saying. Still, good ol' Bill has helped me understand the Jewish-ness of the New Testament, and I find that he adds to my

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-17462096057199945922009-10-08T09:51:00.003-04:002009-10-08T09:52:19.619-04:00

My son's band, the Grand Ledge High School marching Comets, perform their field show at the 2009 Grand Ledge Exhibition, performing selections composed by Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich Wednesday, October 7, 2009. (The last several seconds are, regretably, cut off on this video as I ran out of memory on my video card.)

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-40722990283116107482009-10-04T23:03:00.004-04:002009-10-04T23:31:06.712-04:00

Jonah's 8th-grade football team defeated a determined Dewitt squad earlier today with a last second goal line stand that will be remembered long after these boys stop dreaming of NFL glory. It was their second such defensive denial of the game.Previously, with the ball spotted at the Grand Ledge one yard line, the Dewitt boys lined up for a fourth and inches first-down try.All day long the

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-2251914943176533922009-09-28T23:57:00.005-04:002009-09-29T00:32:14.201-04:00

My friend, Paul, took me for a spin in his new mini-van the other day. Aside from the fact that Paul surrendered and is now driving a grocery getter in anticipation of the imminent delivery of his firstborn child, I learned something else on the trip. Paul is frustrated by one of the vehicles accessories - or the lack thereof. Paul's vehicle, like many others, comes with a spot for coins. Just

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-50973271609894661132009-09-09T18:00:00.004-04:002009-09-09T18:25:09.943-04:00

The thing is, spiritually, we never arrive. There is always something more. Some other challenge. Some "next step" that we are called to take.Take sanctification. ("Please!" some would say.) Just when the Holy Spirit cleans up one part of my life and I begin to think I am finally getting the hang of this faith thing, God reveals another area of my heart that needs swept clean. I'm reminded

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-56881143813600743002009-09-06T19:59:00.003-04:002009-09-06T20:00:55.387-04:00

My daughter and her Indiana friends made this distorti . . . er adaptation of the Disney classic, "I'll Make a Man Out of You," from the movie Mulan. Wow!

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-25047135216200196942009-08-17T12:19:00.004-04:002009-08-17T12:43:33.893-04:00

Saturday was a loooong day for me, but a great one. The day began with a speech at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Butler Public Library in Butler, Indiana. When I lived in Butler I was President of the library board when we embarked upon a facility expansion. I helped raise some of the money and got the ball rolling on the project, and then I left town. The new President, Larry Moore,

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-72576779083176880722009-08-10T17:35:00.008-04:002009-08-12T23:52:13.548-04:00

Kenny Renner passed away yesterday.We always knew him as Uncle Kenny, even though we were not related. When my wife was in college she became acquainted with Lois, Kenny's sister-in-law. Tracy would often spend the weekend at Ben and Lois's home - weekends that often included family meals with bowls of steaming mashed potatoes and swiss steak made from venison. Kenny was always there with his

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-7702872361173589452009-08-10T13:52:00.002-04:002009-08-10T14:05:34.455-04:00

A buddy of mine told me he was in a public restroom the other day. A father was in one of the stalls with his obviously young son. The son was chattering on about this and that. The father was becoming more and more impatient and said to his son, "Why don't you just take care of your business?""My what?""Your business, you know go to the bathroom."The son replied with wonder in his voice, "You

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-44574829278756507162009-07-31T08:49:00.006-04:002009-07-31T09:25:36.229-04:00

I remember the first time I saw someone die.I was a twenty-one year-old newly married college kid working at E.W. Sparrow Hospital here in Lansing. The department I worked for was brimming with college students, most of them pre-med at Michigan State University. Because Sparrow is a teaching hospital, these spots were highly prized by my fellow employees who saw them as an opportunity to

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-76730575503523031952009-07-14T15:57:00.003-04:002009-07-14T16:01:39.731-04:00

Our church is collecting change to send to Haiti. Here's the story. Larry Owens from Waves of Mercy Ministries was given 170,000 nutrition bars that had to be thrown out because they were part of a multi-pack that contained contaminated peanut butter bars. The bars he received are perfectly good, but they cannot be sold separately, so the mission was given them.Now the mission is raising the

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-19019218227317695102009-07-10T23:36:00.005-04:002009-07-11T14:35:33.003-04:00

No, I wasn't "born in a barn." But growing up in rural DeKalb County, Indiana, I suppose it was inevitable that much of my young life would be spent in a barn. Our farm was one of the first settled in the county by one Arthur Heitz. His name was painted on the side of the barn - the side that faced the dirt road. I prayed they would pave that road so I could buy a skateboard, but to this day

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-31851941758616313712009-07-07T23:45:00.003-04:002009-07-07T23:59:55.599-04:00

More than a hundred years ago, composer and pastor Frank Graeff was in the midst of a trying personal crisis when he penned the words to the hymn, Does Jesus Care?Does Jesus care when my heart is painedToo deeply for mirth or song,As the burdens press, and the cares distressAnd the way grows weary and long? Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,His heart is touched with my grief;When the days are

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-2884459778157948172009-07-03T23:59:00.003-04:002009-07-04T00:14:50.908-04:00

Max Lucado wrapped up the 2009 North American Christian Convention earlier today. He preached from John 3:16. I think Max had the sermon memorized, but then he wrote the book on John 3:16 – literally.Max has been accused by some in our brotherhood of churches for being a bit too Baptistic in his doctrine. (Perhaps rightly so.) That’s why I really appreciated what he said about baptism. He

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-34393616828213486692009-07-02T23:00:00.003-04:002009-07-02T23:14:57.827-04:00

An all around great day, topped off by an incredible message from Matt Proctor. Matt spoke from 2 Timothy 2, encouraging us to persevere. Quoting from Remember the Titans, Proctor challenged us to repeat a liturgy:Proctor: "Do you wanna' quit?"Congregation: "No!""What do you want?""We want some more!"I needed to hear that sermon. I need the encouragement, and am ready to wade back into

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-80208971348790702582009-07-02T22:54:00.002-04:002009-07-02T23:00:24.088-04:00

In his book, Missional Renaissance, Reggie McNeal details three views of the church:The church as a place where things happen. This, in McNeal’s view, comes from the Reformation heritage. The church is a place where people where certain rites and sacraments are performed. It operates in predominantly Christian cultures. Adherents “go to church” listen to preaching and teaching, engage in

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-42505524519031182552009-07-01T21:57:00.003-04:002009-07-01T22:23:15.698-04:00

Day two at the North American Christian Convention ended with David Clark preaching on "Healing Grace." He talked about how each of us need to let God's Spirit minister to us in our pain. Tracy and I have been experiencing a measure of pain in recent days - not with each other - but with some of the bumps and bruises that sometimes come from ministry.Tonight was a good reminder that God's grace

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-65013053948489104342009-06-30T23:30:00.002-04:002009-06-30T23:44:34.996-04:00

Enjoyed the first evening session of this year's North American Christian Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Jeff Stone preached about grace tonight. Does grace still amaze us? It is a question worth considering. Jeff taught us that, if we value Gods grace it will fuel a lifestyle response of grace.Makes me wonder . . .Jeff mentioned Ephesians 4:32 - a verse that I preached on a few weeks

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-84083987882982876552009-06-25T21:51:00.010-04:002009-06-26T00:08:46.330-04:00

As you walk through the produce section at the Felpausch, from time to time you hear thunder. It happens just before the produce is automatically misted so you know to get out of the way and avoid the shower.At the Sun Theater when the $2 movie doesn't start quite on time and when the sound stops working part way through and they have to stop to re-thread the film, nobody freaks out.The blind

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-46770089892705200562009-06-17T14:06:00.004-04:002009-06-17T14:23:58.287-04:00

I've been really impressed with Reggie McNeal's The Present Future and by the tough questions that he has for the North American church:Is the church the mission or the missionary?Are we "doing" church at the clubhouse, or "being" the church in the world?Are we measuring our effectiveness with "church culture yardsticks" like, "Was the sermon well received?" and "Are church programs staffed and

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-9204471755719554812009-06-16T19:14:00.005-04:002009-06-16T21:33:25.186-04:00

I invested some time with a pre-married couple tonight. We talked about the nature of intimacy and passion and how the two are interrelated. Together we unpacked this passage of scripture that is paraphrased uniquely in The Message.Corinthians 6:16-20There's more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, "The two become one."

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-27403703152568640112009-06-11T22:33:00.002-04:002009-06-11T22:36:47.800-04:00

I sometimes think my job is difficult. But I am really glad that I don't have this woman's job. She is the Inspector General of the Federal Reserve. In other words, she is the top cop responsible for making sure that the Federal Reserve's monetary supply and fiscal policy (and thereby the solvency of our entire financial system) retains its integrity.This testimony was offered on Capital Hill

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-60303076135034354182009-06-09T22:15:00.007-04:002009-06-10T09:48:50.896-04:00

A couple weeks back the family and I were hanging out at Fred and Mariah's when I was surprised to see my pants hanging on the back of the Lab's bathroom door. I say surprised - not so much because they were hanging in their bathroom, but because I had been looking for them for some time and couldn't recall where they were. When I saw them on the back of Fred's door, though, I remembered: Fred

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-71504581840339235652009-06-09T09:31:00.003-04:002009-06-09T09:47:47.922-04:00

I am reading The Present Future by Reggie McNeal. (I know, Mike, I am about six years behind the curve!) One paragraph that I read today really resonated with me. Here it is:Part of the spiritual formation of followers of Jesus surely should involve helping them know how to introduce Jesus into conversations and be able to pass along pertinent insights to people who are being drawn to God.

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-25527857084136685732009-06-03T19:03:00.005-04:002009-06-03T19:39:47.108-04:00

I begin a new sermon series this coming Sunday. Honestly, it is a straight-up knock off of Andy Stanley's book, It Came From Within. Andy writes about four monsters that attack our hearts: guilt, anger, greed, and envy. More on that in later posts.The upshot of the book, which I finished reading this morning about 1 AM, is this: we spend far more time adjusting our behavior that we we do

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-92133050244812494802009-05-22T13:43:00.005-04:002009-05-22T14:24:42.603-04:00

I took my middle child to the Secretary of State today to acquire his level one driver's license. (That's the BMV for my three Indiana readers). It was . . . exactly what you would expect. And since Frankly Speaking is such a helpful oriented blog (wink, wink), I thought I would pass along several useful tips for surviving your upcoming trip to purgator . . . er . . . the license branch, as we

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-17338177971506567612009-05-18T22:45:00.003-04:002009-05-18T23:33:42.930-04:00

I enjoyed visiting with Jim in my office earlier today. In the course of our time together, he asked how much our church's elders were paid. He was really surprised when I told him that they are all volunteers. I can understand why.I've known some great elders in my time as a preacher, and they all desrved to be paid. Ray S. cared enough to confront me when I was still wet behind the ears.

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-81427341286082073832009-05-15T15:04:00.003-04:002009-05-15T15:36:37.667-04:00

Yesterday was one of those days that alternates between heartache and joy. A day when a preacher feels both incredible helplessness and incredible hope.The day began when I met a physician that has a vision for a free health care clinic in an under-served area of Lansing. Her grant proposal was well written. She has over $100,000 in in-kind donations. She needs another $200,000 to get her

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-11490764683288029762009-05-09T12:31:00.003-04:002009-05-09T12:42:17.145-04:00

Terry called me this morning. “Frank, I need you to come to the hospital. Gene and Amy are here. Their two-week-old son, Landon, passed away this morning.”When Amy fed Landon at 3 AM she could tell something wasn’t right. Then he stopped breathing. They laid him on the floor and Greg began CPR while Amy called 911. Gene prayed and breathed for his little man, but by the time the paramedics

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-23526509531346121862009-05-04T13:30:00.004-04:002009-05-04T14:30:33.657-04:00

Last Friday I watched Abby get all dolled up for the Everett High School Prom. She and her friends from South's youth group all went together and, even though she attends Grand Ledge High School, they fixed her up with a guy from Everett so she could hang with them. Tyler was the young man's name, and he seemed nice enough.Even though I just met Tyler, I wasn't worried about him. As I said, he

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-47033389300009489762009-04-19T09:30:00.000-04:002009-04-19T09:31:34.012-04:00

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-17667007714728810342009-04-14T17:22:00.003-04:002009-04-14T17:40:32.548-04:00

Some have mentioned the recent dearth of Frankly Speaking posts. The reason for the sudden slim output? Simply this: I am trying to spend a little less time expressing and a little more time reflecting.About two weeks ago I was blindsided. I had hurt a friend pretty significantly without realizing it. The wound festered and caused great pain. I was at fault, and that is a problem. The

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-43515489589738498522009-04-08T16:08:00.001-04:002009-04-08T16:08:53.114-04:00

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-63962539060951243542009-03-27T18:46:00.007-04:002009-03-27T19:08:53.206-04:00

The local McDonald's recently began doing something that I find sort of disconcerting. When you pull up to the drive-through menu order board (something I do far too often), a cheery voice greets you. Usually it is something like, "Welcome to McDonald's would you like to try an iced mocha coffee this afternoon?" That, in itself, is nothing unusual. But I have learned that the cheery voice is

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-25344073832960271862009-03-26T20:26:00.003-04:002009-03-26T20:30:15.414-04:00

Wally and our Financial Peace teaching team just announced that South Lansing Christian Church is going to be a simulcast location for Dave Ramsey's Town Hall for Hope. This is going to be an important national event that will bring believers together at 8 PM on April 23rd for encouragement and empowerment. Together we will learn the strategies necessary to weather the financial storm that is

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-12156809641664003382009-03-22T21:33:00.005-04:002009-03-22T23:34:56.435-04:00

Four days ago I was teaching a group of Haitian pastors about the qualifications for Biblical deacons in the pastoral epistles. When I told them that scripture says a deacon must not be addicted to much wine, they all freaked. Seriously. There was a major bruh-haha in the room. They were arguing back and forth with one another. My interpreter, Archimel, was trying to control the chaos.Then

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-79507280023017256112009-03-22T16:21:00.001-04:002009-03-22T16:21:51.507-04:00

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-67800959407034377332009-03-20T19:05:00.002-04:002009-03-20T19:09:25.066-04:00

Took a trip to the Far West today to see what is happening in La Bay. We were also supposed to go to Beuchamp, but a tire in the tap-tap gave out. So we changed tires and headed back to the mission early. I was able to get some soil samples to bring back to Chris. If he can analyze them at MSU, we should be able to give the missionaries here a better idea how to work their land. Then they,

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-31658770542196781512009-03-19T22:10:00.003-04:002009-03-19T22:14:00.352-04:00

Do you know where my wife is? She is in Haiti. In the recovery room. Working. And none to happy to have her picture taken. Still, I thought you should all know that Tracy is hard at work on her mission trip.

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-41428174825400105792009-03-19T08:44:00.007-04:002009-03-19T09:02:03.263-04:00

Yesterday was a good day in Haiti. It began sadly, though. A one-year-old boy named Roberson was brought into the clinic with severe malnutrition. He weighed only eight pounds. His mother, who is mentally challenged, was unable to care for him properly and brought him from the Far West to the clinic. He was immediately started on a special formula called F75 that contains milk, vitamins, oil

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-14993571047868621522009-03-18T09:00:00.006-04:002009-03-19T09:02:38.643-04:00

Yesterday I learned that the missionaries have a phrase for when things don't go according to plan: "Another day in Haiti." Similar to my missionary sister's phrase, "Africa wins again," they use it whenever they are thwarted in their ministry efforts by the circumstances of living in the poorest zone of the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Yesterday's "another day in Haiti" moment:

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-86248389499813687312009-03-16T18:53:00.001-04:002009-03-16T18:55:18.406-04:00

This little guy made me think of the old TV show with Gary Coleman. What was the name of that show?

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-88130978943696688332009-03-16T18:52:00.001-04:002009-03-16T18:53:45.096-04:00

Last night's supper was barbecued chicken legs, beet salad and deep fried plantains. I'm not sure if Brenda doesn't like the beet salad, or if she feels bad for the chicken.

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-61356851551033448222009-03-16T18:50:00.001-04:002009-03-16T18:51:56.343-04:00

Nate Moreno hanging out with a little one in the mission courtyard and Northwest Haiti Christian Mission. Shortly after this Nate got involved in a scrappy soccer game. No word, yet, on who won.

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-21841057009957519642009-03-16T17:54:00.004-04:002009-03-16T18:14:59.701-04:00

A great day. I taught about forty preachers and young men planning on becoming preachers today in the Bible College here at St. Louis du Nord. It was interesting working with a translator. When I preached yesterday at the church it was only the second time I worked with a translator. For the sermon I worked with a translator named Johnny. He leaned over just before my sermon and said, "This

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-47201353105072897082009-03-14T22:47:00.001-04:002009-03-14T22:49:31.900-04:00

We arrived at the mission without any hitches. We're all settled in and getting ready to hit the sack. I am preaching tomorrow (found out about thirty minutes ago). The weather here is beautiful. The mission looks great. Everyone is in fine spirits. I will write more tomorrow, or as internet access allows. I'll also try to upload a picture or two as well.

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-71137597556416541972009-03-13T22:59:00.004-04:002009-03-13T23:04:49.897-04:00

We are safely ensconced in our Miami hotel awaiting our morning flight out to Port au Prince. The flight in went perfectly. All our bags arrived as they were supposed to. We had dinner at Bennigan's tonight (thanks to our anonymous benefactor) and are ready to sack out. We have breakfast at 7 AM and then board the shuttle to the airport at 7:30 AM.Here is the pool in which our high school

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13405117.post-32720124565048728342009-03-12T13:35:00.002-04:002009-03-12T13:48:14.177-04:00

Myself, Mrs. Frankly, and our daughter are headed to Haiti tomorrow afternoon. We will be flying out of Detroit to Miami. On Saturday we head from Miami to Port au Prince. We are part of a team that includes several other folks from South Lansing Christian Church as well as my former church, Butler Church of Christ, and my home church in Garrett, Indiana.I will be teaching a group of Haitian

Frank Wellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463410780530079540noreply@blogger.com0