Thursday, October 21, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Testimony
I was at the Sons of Thunder last Tuesday. It was very pleasing
and I needed it at that very moment. I thank Chad for inviting me. It was very
uplifting and really what I needed. God had it all planned and I am glad I
didn't turn my back on it.
Again Thanks it was very moving and a great thing this group is doing.
Thank You,
Jeff Wilmath
and I needed it at that very moment. I thank Chad for inviting me. It was very
uplifting and really what I needed. God had it all planned and I am glad I
didn't turn my back on it.
Again Thanks it was very moving and a great thing this group is doing.
Thank You,
Jeff Wilmath
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Another Tuesday night Testimony
Guys, Carl called me today he was on the way to a retreat in Kentucky. He said
that this last meeting was just awesome and he could just feel the presence of
the Holy Spirits. He said it is real important for us not to change anything.
That doing testimonies, worship and prayer is simple but powerful. He told me in
all of his experiences including even Promise Keepers he has never felt the over
powering presence of the Holy Spirit at a meeting with men as he has with these
meetings. He said he just can't explain it, that it has to be God has got his
hand on this ministry. Please keep praying for SOT. God Bless
Your Brother In Christ
John
that this last meeting was just awesome and he could just feel the presence of
the Holy Spirits. He said it is real important for us not to change anything.
That doing testimonies, worship and prayer is simple but powerful. He told me in
all of his experiences including even Promise Keepers he has never felt the over
powering presence of the Holy Spirit at a meeting with men as he has with these
meetings. He said he just can't explain it, that it has to be God has got his
hand on this ministry. Please keep praying for SOT. God Bless
Your Brother In Christ
John
Tuesday night Oct 12 2010
Guys, I am again just blown away by another awesome night. Each one we have it
is just like it can't get any better but it does. Thanks for all your hard work
and passion for this ministry. We had some guys with us tonight that I have
never seen. Everything was just perfect again. God is Good, All the time, all
the time, God is Good. We cleared over $600.00! Love you guys. God bless
John
is just like it can't get any better but it does. Thanks for all your hard work
and passion for this ministry. We had some guys with us tonight that I have
never seen. Everything was just perfect again. God is Good, All the time, all
the time, God is Good. We cleared over $600.00! Love you guys. God bless
John
Tuesday night Oct 12 2010
What night, before the guys giving there testimony could get finished the crowd of men present would start clapping for them in there victory over there past live. God is so good. Justin did a live skit and the place errupted with cheers of joy. If you were not there need to make the next one in November. It will b the 9th at First Baptist Church in Searcy. The are calling it burger, fries and home made pies night with a multi generation of testimonies.From the youngest to the oldest you don't need to miss this one and all you fathers out there bring you sons if you can.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Next meeting
The next meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12, at the First United Methodist Church’s Yancey Hall, 304 N. Main St. in Searcy. Any Christian man is invited to attend; however, the group requests an e-mail confirmation to ensure that there will be enough food to go around. To confirm or to get more information on the Sons of Thunder, e-mail Byrd at jbird4391@yahoo.com
Sons of Thunder storm through the state by Jeanni Brosius
SEARCY — A small group of five Searcy men believe they are being guided. Although they know which direction they are headed, they’re still unclear on the impact or the outcome. John Byrd, Sid Langley, Gene Morris, Greg Rowden and Jay Jordan are the base of the new Christian men’s group Sons of Thunder that seems to be taking Arkansas by storm.
“We were at a men’s retreat, and a handful of men felt like the women were leaving us behind in the church,” Jordan said. “We wondered what we could do when we got back. We were all sitting in a room, and we all said God is calling us to something bigger. Then John said, ‘Let me tell you about this group I met in Alabama.’ Then we all got chills.”
The group Byrd met, which was in Tuscaloosa, Ala., had changed its name, opened up to other churches and grew by leaps and bounds.
“I thought about that and brought it back here,” Byrd said.
The five men, who were part of a men’s group at First United Methodist Church in Searcy, were concerned about the attendance of men’s-group meetings being so low.
“We changed our name to Sons of Thunder, we meet once a month, and we opened it up to any Christian man in the area,” Byrd said. “The first meeting we had over 90, then 210 at the second and between 450 and 500 last month.”
Sons of Thunder stems from Mark 3:17, which reads “James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder).”
In a matter of five months, the attendance moved from about six or seven men to nearly 500.
“It was a jaw-dropping experience for all of us,” Morris said about the numbers. “It started out with five guys with a vision from the Lord who put it in our hearts to do this.”
At last count, the Sons of Thunder had 26 different churches over eight counties, and groups in Heber Springs and Cabot are forming on the same model.
“It’s not a First Methodist thing,” Byrd said about the fact that all five founders are members of First United Methodist Church of Searcy. “It’s a God thing; it’s a Jesus thing.”
The nondenominational group has no budget, no agenda and no dues. Dinner is served at each meeting at no charge. A basket sits at the end of the table for those who can donate to cover the cost of the food.
“We take up a collection to pay for the food only,” Morris said. “Everybody can donate, but if you can’t, that’s OK, too.”
Because the group is still new and finding its direction, plans for charitable work is in the future. Men can add their e-mail addresses to a list, and they are notified when volunteers are needed for such things as clearing away storm damage, Habitat for Humanity or other community services.
“Looking down the road, when you’ve got 400 men who will step up and say, ‘Put me in, Coach,’ you can move cities and mountains,” Rowden said.
The men share stories and realize that they aren’t alone, and they all have the same feelings, fears and responsibilities in life.
“It’s causing men to rise up and be the head of their households,” Langley said. “Men are hungry for this. ... These men get to see other men struggle with the same things.”
Christian men from Searcy, and the Three Rivers area, all the way to Russellville and Malvern, attend the monthly meetings.
“My vision is for this to reach to other counties and us all have a statewide meeting once a year,” Byrd said.
“We were at a men’s retreat, and a handful of men felt like the women were leaving us behind in the church,” Jordan said. “We wondered what we could do when we got back. We were all sitting in a room, and we all said God is calling us to something bigger. Then John said, ‘Let me tell you about this group I met in Alabama.’ Then we all got chills.”
The group Byrd met, which was in Tuscaloosa, Ala., had changed its name, opened up to other churches and grew by leaps and bounds.
“I thought about that and brought it back here,” Byrd said.
The five men, who were part of a men’s group at First United Methodist Church in Searcy, were concerned about the attendance of men’s-group meetings being so low.
“We changed our name to Sons of Thunder, we meet once a month, and we opened it up to any Christian man in the area,” Byrd said. “The first meeting we had over 90, then 210 at the second and between 450 and 500 last month.”
Sons of Thunder stems from Mark 3:17, which reads “James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder).”
In a matter of five months, the attendance moved from about six or seven men to nearly 500.
“It was a jaw-dropping experience for all of us,” Morris said about the numbers. “It started out with five guys with a vision from the Lord who put it in our hearts to do this.”
At last count, the Sons of Thunder had 26 different churches over eight counties, and groups in Heber Springs and Cabot are forming on the same model.
“It’s not a First Methodist thing,” Byrd said about the fact that all five founders are members of First United Methodist Church of Searcy. “It’s a God thing; it’s a Jesus thing.”
The nondenominational group has no budget, no agenda and no dues. Dinner is served at each meeting at no charge. A basket sits at the end of the table for those who can donate to cover the cost of the food.
“We take up a collection to pay for the food only,” Morris said. “Everybody can donate, but if you can’t, that’s OK, too.”
Because the group is still new and finding its direction, plans for charitable work is in the future. Men can add their e-mail addresses to a list, and they are notified when volunteers are needed for such things as clearing away storm damage, Habitat for Humanity or other community services.
“Looking down the road, when you’ve got 400 men who will step up and say, ‘Put me in, Coach,’ you can move cities and mountains,” Rowden said.
The men share stories and realize that they aren’t alone, and they all have the same feelings, fears and responsibilities in life.
“It’s causing men to rise up and be the head of their households,” Langley said. “Men are hungry for this. ... These men get to see other men struggle with the same things.”
Christian men from Searcy, and the Three Rivers area, all the way to Russellville and Malvern, attend the monthly meetings.
“My vision is for this to reach to other counties and us all have a statewide meeting once a year,” Byrd said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)