August 2002 Newsletter

Dear Prayer-Partners,

Greetings in the name of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.  “The Lord has done great things for us, wherof we are glad” (Ps. 126:3).  With all that has happened in my life in the last year, I did not have any idea on what the Lord was going to do with me.  Now I just want everyone to know how good the Lord has been to me in my personal life as well as how the Lord has blessed me with many ministry opportunities.  The Lord has shown me the truth of Ps. 34:18, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”  I understand brokeness before the Lord like never before in my life.  It has made me desire to just walk closely with the Lord and let Him lead me every step of the way.  Space does not permit me to share with you all the ways the Lord has shown me that His grace is sufficient in every situation.  I just want to say this of the Lord, “Oh how great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men” (Ps. 31:19).  Please continue to pray for me that I will be sensitive to the Lord’s leading every day of my life.

 LOCAL MINISTRY

 Most of you know that the Lord gave me the opportunity to be the director of youth ministry at Beth’El Baptist Church here in Green Forest.  Our youth ministry is an outreach to teens from broken homes.  I have 20 kids in the youth group and every one of them is from a broken home.  I am so thankful for the opportunity the Lord has given me to help them grow in their walk with the Lord.

 HAITI MINISTRY

 Luke, Brian Hambly (a 19 yr old from Iowa) and I were in Haiti for ten days in July.  It was a great time to be with the believers there again and encourage them in the Word of God.  I do feel that I was  the one that came away from that trip the most encouraged, though.  It was so good to have my third son, Luke to help me in the ministry there.  Each time I would preach in a different church, Luke would get up first and explain to the people what had happened with his mother.  The folks in Haiti had been praying fervently for the situation and they said they will continue to do so.  The people loved us, cried with us, prayed with us and assured us they wanted us to come back and continue to work with them.  I told them I could only put the situation before the Lord and see what He would do and how He would lead.  I have enclosed some letters from pastors in Haiti that  wanted me to share them with you.  I think you all know I would love to be able to continue to have some sort of ministry in Haiti.  Just what form that will take and how it will all work out we are leaving in the hands of the Lord. 

MISSION SUPPORT 

First of all, I want to say a big thanks for all the folks that have stood by me during a very difficult, trying and challenging time in my life.  May the Lord bless you double for your faithfulness!  I also want you to know that all support for my ministry can now be given through my home church and therefore will all be tax-deductible.  For those wanting a tax deduction please send all support to

Beth’El Baptist Church, Box 437, Green Forest , AR 72638

and note on a separate piece of paper that it is for the support of Dave Stockeland.

 As you know, I was substitute teaching in our school here last spring.  I intend to continue that this school year.  Last April, the very week that I received my information in the mail to apply for a full-time teaching position, Beth’El Church offered me the youth ministry position.  Even though it only pays $100 per week, I took it as an indication from the Lord that He wanted me to continue in ministry and to be available for ministry instead of teaching full-time.  If I average three days a week teaching, I can make about $5,000 for the school year.  However, the more I am involved in ministry that takes me away from home, the more mission support I will need.  If I plan for a budget of $24,000 annually, that would come out to 80 shares of $25 per month.  Counting the salary from my church as 17 shares I now have 30 shares committed.  That would be $9,000 annually before substitute teaching.  How all this is going to work out I have no idea.  I am just sharing the information with you and then will just trust the Lord for His direciton in ministry through the support that comes in. 

MISSION TRIPS & PROJECTS 

We have some people who have expressed an interest in going to Haiti in January to put a roof on a church building.  In addition to the one that needs a roof we have three that have a roof but no walls.  We have one where the walls are half done.  I have a friend in the States who needs $200,000 per year in ministry expense to do the ministry he does (for which I am ver thankful).  When I see that, I sometimes wonder if I lack faith in not asking the Lord to do more.  I am not sure I have the answer to that but would just ask that you pray with me for the Lord to show us clearly what He wants us to do.  I very much appreciate your laboring together with me in these ministries.  I could not even do all the youth ministry I do without the support that has been coming in this summer.   I have enclosed a couple of notes from our teens who are also thankful for you. 

OZARK TEEN CAMP 

We just finished our first teen camp in the Ozarks!  What a blessed time the Lord gave us!  A few months ago, I would not have dreamed that the Lord had in mind for me to direct a teen camp here in Arkansas.  The Lord is soooo good!  The camp is only four miles from my house and we are already making plans for next year. 

THE BOYS 

Matthew is working in Peoria, Illinois, Mark is working in Ocala, Florida, Luke is in Bible College in Lake Zurich, Illinois (by Chicago), and John continues to travel and sing full-time with the Franz family. They are all doing well and are walking with the Lord, for which I am very thankful. 

The future is as bright as the promises of God.  I believe He will continue to do great things for us and we will continue to be glad!

In Christ our Savior, 

Dave Stockeland

P.S.   LAST MINUTE NEWS!  I have been asked to go the the country of Cyprus in October to teach Bible lessions to a large group of kids for a week while their parents are attending a conference for missionary workers.  If the Lord provides, I will go.  Cost: $1,100. 

JULY CONVENTION COMMENTS

This is a letter from the leadership committee of the churches that sponsored the convention I preached at in July. 

Pastor Dave Stockeland,
We, the members of the leadership committee of the Community Christian Church of Jelen, wish the peace and grace of God to reside with you always.

When we learned of the very difficult situation that happened in your family it was just like it happened to our family.  We feel for you with the great void that was caused in your family by the absence of your wife.

We want to encourage you to continue to pray because there is not anything that is impossible with God.  Hold to the faith and wait for the intervention of the Lord because the Bible says that the people in the world have many thoughts in their head but the final word rests in the hand of the Lord.  The Bible says the soul that sins, that soul will die.  We do not wish anything bad for your wife, but because it was not you who fell into temptation, it was not you who decided to have things  happen like this,  we are asking you to continue to work in the ministry the Lord has conferred upon you in Haiti.  We also would love to continue to work with you because we know you are a good servant of the Lord.

We hope we will continue to see you with us in Haiti.  We leave you with this verse, “When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up” (Ps 27:10).

Signed by leadership committee

Community Christian Church

This letter is from the Baptist pastor who is over all the Baptist churches in our section of the country.

Dear My Friends,
I am Pastor Emile Alneve, pastor of the Baptist church in Jeremie and Executive Secretary of the Baptist Mission in Haiti.  I want you to know that Pastor David Stockeland is our friend in Haiti.  He has done much good work with churches, he leads groups to come do work projects here, he gives seminars for pastors and preachers and he preaches in many churches, especially Baptist churches.

I would really like it if you could continue to support him so he can continue with his work even more.  Sunday night, July 21, he preached in the Baptist church in Jeremie where I am the pastor.

God bless you, Pastor Emile Alneve

This letter is from a Baptist pastor from out in the country.

To Those Who Support Pastor David Stockeland,
I am happy that I can greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  I want to give you thanks that you have supported Pastor David so he could come and work in the country of Haiti.  Also, I want you to know that Pastor David has helped us so much when he has come to the country of Haiti.  I am asking if you can continue to support him with your support so he can continue to come work in our country because I would really like that.

Also, I am praying for God to continue to bless you for the way you have supported Pastor David.  I send you this verse, “Cast they bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days”  (Ecclesiastes 11:1).

The peace & Grace of Jesus Christ be with you,

Pastor Eric Pierre

These are letters from kids in my youth group.

Those who support Bro Dave,
I want to thank you for supporting Bro Dave and for helping him with what he needs.  We, the youth of Beth’El Baptist appreciate all of your support that you have given.  Thanks again.  Sincerely,

The Youth of Beth’El Baptist

Those who support Bro Dave,
Thanks for supporting Bro Dave.  He has been such a blessing to us, especially me.  Thank you so much.

Sincerely,

A Teenager

Those who support Bro Dave,
I want to thank you for supporting Bro Dave and all the help that you have been giving him.  He is a blessing to us.  He also helps us out a lot.

Sincerely,

A Teenager

P.S.  An interesting note, I am Bro (Brother) Dave here in Arkansas.  Up north I was always   Pastor Dave.  Even the pastor of our church is listed as Bro Joe Summers, Pastor.

These are letters from kids in my youth group. 

Those who support Bro Dave,
I want to thank you for supporting Bro Dave and for helping him with what he needs.  We, the youth of Beth’El Baptist appreciate all of your support that you have given.  Thanks again.  Sincerely,

The Youth of Beth’El Baptist

Those who support Bro Dave,
Thanks for supporting Bro Dave.  He has been such a blessing to us, especially me.  Thank you so much.

Sincerely,

A Teenagerbb

Those who support Bro Dave,
I want to thank you for supporting Bro Dave and all the help that you have been giving him.  He is a blessing to us.  He also helps us out a lot.

Sincerely,

A Teenager

P.S.  An interesting note, I am Bro (Brother) Dave here in Arkansas.  Up north I was always   Pastor Dave.  Even the pastor of our church is listed as Bro Joe Summers, Pastor.