Fall Ministry Update

With Families at Heart and a Heart for the World

Thanksgiving 2015 — Ministry Update

Dear Friends in Christ,

Bernie has honestly been overwhelmed with requests to lead spiritual heritage outreaches with a variety of international and American groups this summer and fall! It is always so encouraging and affirming for us to know this endeavor is being blessed with fruit from the Lord. In any ministry, there are often times when you don't really see much response or much fruit and still you must continue on faithfully and trust the Lord to work in His way and His time. So when what you feel the Lord has led you to do grows by word of mouth and is actually seeming to meet a need and reach people with “the gospel revealed in America's history,” it is such an encouraging bonus and blessing!

We are so grateful for people like you that hold the ropes for us, enabling us to continue on faithfully. During Thanksgiving, next to our precious family, you all are tops on our gratefulness list!! Thank you so much for the ways big and small that you bless us! Whether by encouraging words, prayers, or financial support, each person plays a part in our success as well as our perseverance! Thank you so much for helping make possible all these stories (and many more) in Bernie’s report below!

Since our last ministry update there has been a remarkable range of people and groups we have been able to minister to, primarily in two categories:

A. International business leaders and international students.

B. American families, churches and campus student groups.

It’s always edifying for Christians, and evangelistic for non-Christians. And though we have led ministry outings to over twenty locations here in the greater DC area (list available upon request), Washington, DC itself is the place that most people want to visit. And the place where many are surprised to see and hear for themselves the overwhelming evidence of our nation’s Christian heritage. Still, our prayer is always that each person will be touched in some significant spiritual way. Here are some recent vignettes from Bernie:

International Friends

George Washington Lives Here

1. International Business Leaders — We help two Chinese groups that bring Christian and non-Christian business leaders to DC each year. We typically visit Mount Vernon. In addition to the Scripture and spiritual lessons I share in five rooms of the Mansion, what a joy to point out the words of Jesus carved in stone over George and Martha’s tomb (see above). Dr. Yu later said, “I am as grateful as before for what you have done for the brothers and sisters from China. May our Lord remember your work!”

-- Talking with “Washington.”

-- Group Photo On Washington's front lawn.

New Friends From Other Lands

2. International Students — Five different international student groups connect with me in DC several times each year. They come from many nations and are often full of questions and misconceptions about our nation, but go away glad to hear clear spiritual answers from history and our personal need today for a Savior. One person said, “Your knowledge and insights are invaluable. Your patience with us and your kind manner are also greatly appreciated!”

American Families, Churches and Campus Groups

Our Amazing Local History

3. Families — In recent months we’ve had groups of families from many states like California, Ohio, Washington State, Texas, Pennsylvania and Frederick, Maryland. Typically they are homeschool families or part of a Christian school, so they are eager to learn. One teen wrote me: “The information you hold about the Christian history of our nation is amazing. You really made history more interesting than I have ever found it before. Above all, thank you for sharing your love for the Lord in everything you said.” Recently, a local group of families met me at Francis Scott Key’s Statue in Mount Olivet Cemetery to learn about his life and Christian testimony, and stories behind Frederick’s nickname of “Clustered Spires.” The term comes from John Greenleaf Whittier’s Civil War era poem entitled, “Barbara Frietchie” (full Frederick flier available upon request).

As an evangelist who loves history, I also wrote a Gospel flier about Francis Scott Key (also available upon reqeust). By the way, a highlight of that day was when my Mother shared a dramatic reading of Whittier’s poem at Barbara Fritchie’s monument! Before leaving there we visited the grave of John Gladhill, a relative who fought in the War of 1812. And this weekend is the 250th Anniversary of when “Twelve Immortal Judges” in Frederick took one of the first official acts in the Colonies toward independence by repudiating the Stamp Act of 1765. Two of those judges were Bealls! It’s a wonderful thing to be so closely tied to our amazing local history.

Serving Local Churches

4. Churches — From a busload of “Young at Heart” folks from my Mother’s church, to carloads of friends from our church in the 90s when we lived in Northern Virginia, we're always looking for opportunities to serve and bless churches. I had a moving experience recently when a pastor brought a group of men to DC including a Vietnam Vet who had never been to the Vietnam Memorials. We spent two days together, but the focal point was visiting The Wall almost 50 years to the day after five of the Vet’s friends were killed in the Battle of Ia Drang Valley. It was an emotional time. Because his five friends all died the same day, their names are nearly side-by-side on the Wall. We took rubbings of all 5 names. Surprisingly, I shared a name with 3 of them: Bernard. After we visited all the major war memorials in DC, one of the men was teasing their pastor when he said, “I’ve heard so much Scripture from Bernie that I guess I don’t need to go to church this Sunday!”

Well, obviously, he still needs to go to church. Perhaps he could join us this Sunday at a local church while I give my favorite Thanksgiving presentation entitled, “Pilgrims & Providence, or The DNA of the USA.” This is one of three dozen presentations we do (list available upon request).

Campus Ministry Opportunities, Too!

5. Campus Groups — This photo was taken in the Crypt of the U.S. Capitol with a busload of college students. That’s me in the center next to the statue of Roger Sherman. He was an outspoken Christian who authored an excellent creed for his church. As the only person to sign all four of our founding documents, he helped break a deadlock at the Constitutional Convention by proposing that Congress be bicameral. His tomb says, “He ever adorned the profession of Christianity which he made in his youth and died in the prospect of blessed immortality.” Great words for today's youth! BTW, I typically share from the Founders “in their own words.”

Thank you for helping us to share truth & encouragement, and to point people from America & abroad to Jesus!

May God bless you richly as you walk with Him,

Bernie & Linda Beall