I trust this update finds you rejoicing in the goodness of our God. I have not given an update concerning our church planting efforts for quite a few months now and this is purposeful. As I write this note, I do so with mixed emotions. On one hand it is encouraging to know we are exactly where God wants us, on the other it is hard to see a ministry door close. Nina and I are going to be staying in Windsor, Virginia as I continue to serve as the Associate Pastor of Antioch Church. We have not come to this decision lightly or hastily. It has come over months of earnest prayer and insightful counsel from others. We prayed all along that God would open doors to make this church plant happen and while our burden never diminished for a church in the Valley, another burden deepened to a greater extent. We both feel so burdened for our current ministry and we know the timing is not right for us to leave Antioch. We prayed for many things specifically for the plant and some of those things God paved the way for immediately. Our partners for the church plant are families that are choice servants of God. We thank God for their friendship over these past years and look forward to continued times of mutual encouragement in the future. We have seen God provide in extraordinary ways for this church plant, and so we know He is going to raise up a church in the Valley in His timing, with His people, for His glory. This excites us!

Thank you for your prayers for us over these months. My declining health has been an enormous struggle and on Tuesday, July 13, I will be having major surgery at the University of Virginia Medical Center to hopefully ease my suffering. I ask for your continued prayers for us during the next months of recovery. Let me be clear that my health was not the primary reason for us sensing God’s leading us to stay here in Windsor. Obviously it was a reason, but our hearts are with our family here in the country. This is our home. Pastor Mark Habecker and the deacons are extremely encouraged that we are staying here and some in the church have admitted that they were praying for us to remain. God’s people were praying for His will and while many people had many different prayers, we are thrilled that God’s will is being accomplished in our lives. It’s exciting to know we are exactly where we are supposed to be right now.

For those of you who have supported us financially, know that the money you donated is still in an account under the care of Community Baptist Church. I will be contacting each of you individually in order to make arrangements for us to return those gifts to you, should you desire. We were overwhelmed by the generosity of God’s people. Thank you for your support.

We look forward to years of God’s continued blessing here at Antioch Church in Windsor, and want you to know that you are always welcome at our church and in our home. If you are ever in the Tidewater, VA area please let us know and we will show you some good old hospitality—Southern style. Thank you for your prayers and friendship. God bless you.

In Christ Alone,

The Whitcomb Family

Because of my poor health, many have wondered if we are still pursuing planting a church in the Shenandoah Valley. The answer is an emphatic YES! While the timing of things has been bumped back a couple months, our intent is to move to the Valley and see God raise up a new local church for His glory. Obviously, the two huge components of this are my health and financial provision. It is a difficult place in which we find ourselves. On the one hand, when my disease attacks, I am pretty much incapacitated and in bed, which is not conducive for church planting. This leads the thinking person to assume that the work of church planting has ceased and that there may not be a church after all. God has continued to strengthen and confirm our desire to see this church started in the Valley. He has continued to move things along in His timing even when I could do nothing. We have seen Him orchestrate situations throughout this whole process and it is encouraging to know that we can’t manipulate God’s plans: He does whatever He pleases, whenever He pleases. Praise Him for that. The second component of the situation is money. Now this is where it gets really complicated. I am not a fundraiser. To be completely honest I hate this part of church planting. I know how missionaries feel now when they spend hours on end calling and trying to raise funds. Some people have asked me why I don’t just find a part time job in the Valley. Well, I have two reasons for that: one is theological and the other is practical. The practical side of it is that I simply don’t have the physical prowess to exert that kind of energy anymore. I used to be able to run a landscaping business, play sports, go to seminary, and spend time with my family. Now, I find myself pushed to the limits to accomplish ministry alone. I know that the Lord will give me strength to do His will, I just can’t imagine trying to hold down a part time job and start a new church at the same time. The second reason I don’t want a part time job is because I feel that I need to pour all my energy into the ministry of the church. This, after all is the New Testament model. Granted, Paul worked part time it seems, but the ideal was that the Elders dedicated themselves to prayer and ministry of the Word of God. This is what we desire to do.

Hence, we have established Vision for the Valley 360, an opportunity for others to partner with us financially for a season as we see God build His church. I am confident that God will use this to get us to the Valley in His time. If you are one of those people who has been waiting to see if this church plant is going to be a reality, let me encourage you that it is! We need your help now! We desire to be in Augusta County right now. Please give with this sense of urgency in mind. We know God will take care of our needs, and we would love for you to share in that blessing. Click on the links below for information on how to give to our ministry. We are excited to see how God is going to use you to partner with us in this venture.

Lastly I would like to share some prayer requests/updates on what exactly is going on with the church plant:

1). My health is very good right now. I have had about 3 weeks in a row of good health. I started a new treatment 2 days ago and so far it is working. Continue to pray that it will be effective.

2). We have received several monetary donations the past month for Vision for the Valley 360 totaling around $1,000.00. We look forward to continued blessing.

3). Our current pledged support level is 25% of the minimum dollar amount we need in order to move. Pray about how God can use you to get us to the Valley ASAP. Every little bit helps, and we need help NOW.

4). We have seen God encourage other people to consider moving out to Augusta County to help us. I spoke with a family last week and they are praying about moving. We thank God for the opportunity to share our vision with others.

5). Our target date for moving is now June 1, 2010. This has been bumped back due to my health and the recommendation of our doctor to see how this new treatment works. We are eager to be in the Valley this spring. Pray for God’s will in this matter.

5). Nina and our children, Emma (3), Elliot (21 months), and Ethan (7 months) are doing well. Through my sickness and a number of other events, the Lord has been gracious beyond our imagination. Praise Him.

Hopefully this gives you a good idea of exactly what God is doing on our behalf. I cannot reiterate enough that we ARE moving and that we need YOUR help do to so. Consider prayerfully what you can do to make Vision for the Valley a reality. Let God use you in an extraordinary way!

Links for information regarding financial partnership:
20100118_DeputationLetter2

20100118_V4V360_Card_Vert

Please send all financial support to:
Community Baptist Church
643 South Suber Road
Greer, SC 29650
(please write “Augusta County Church Plant” on the memo line)

Praise our great God!
MLW

Now to tell you about what God is doing for this church plant. I mentioned earlier that God has done some great things. Attached below are some pictures of materials donated to us from a former church in the Valley. These materials include:

• 75 hymnals
• 50 Bibles
• Approximately 100 padded chairs, with chair dolly
• 50 metal folding chairs
• Copier
• Digital piano
• Portable mixing board, other sound equipment, speakers, microphones, wiring, etc.
• Communion set
• Nursery supplies
• Various decorations

I checked online for similar materials and their costs and the total came to just under $12,000.00. God is so good! As I sat and looked at all those chairs and other items, I thought, “Now we just need God to fill up those chairs.” John, Sean, and I rejoiced together as we stood there and looked at all these things that God provided and realized we could start church services with the items we now have. We are excited about God bringing people to begin this church. We are excited about ministering to the people of Augusta County.

We are also looking for your partnership with us as we continue to pursue God’s will. Attached below is our first prayer letter as well as information about how you can partner with us right now. We are looking forward to God providing all of our needs. He has blessed us with abundant grace up to this point and we have no doubt that He will use you to invest with us for eternity. We are praying that God will continue to bless us in unusual ways. Contact me any time if you have any questions or if you just want to chat. I would love to hear from you.

Please send all financial support to:
Community Baptist Church
643 South Suber Road
Greer, SC 29650
(please write “Augusta County Church Plant” on the memo line)

To the praise of His glorious grace,
MLW

20100118_DeputationLetter2

20100118_V4V360_Card_Vert

1. John and Darla Collins are partnering with us in our church planting ventures! This is a huge answer to prayer and one that God worked out in an unusual way. John continues to help in numerous ways with graphic design, etc. We thank God for His abundant grace.
2. We received thousands of dollars worth of church supplies (piano, copier, chairs, pulpit supply, etc.) from a church in the Valley. This is a blessing we cannot even begin to express thanks to God for. Basically it looks like we’ll be able to begin services with these supplies. We just need more people now!
3. The Lord continues to provide for us financially. I will post more about this later this week.
4. My health is still good. While I am not “cured” per se, I am feeling well and able to live a semi-normal life. Praise God for this goodness, too.
5. We have our first financial partners in ministry. Again, I will say more about this later.

Here are some things for which we need your prayers:

• We are going out to the Valley January 18-21. Here is a list of things that will be going on during this trip:

1. We will be going through the inventory of things that have been donated to us, and categorizing them.
2. I have a Remicade treatment at UVA on Tuesday. Pray that this treatment continues to be effective.
3. We will be meeting with a realtor on Wednesday and looking at several houses in the area. Pray that we will find good financing options a some good leads on homes.
4. We will be presenting Vision for the Valley @ Lexington Baptist Church on Wednesday evening. This is the church where Michael Wilburn is pastor and where Sean and Chrissy are currently attending. Pray that we will be able to see God burden these people to partner with us in various ways. We are anticipating God’s good favor here.
5. We will be staying with Sean and Chrissy and always look forward to their encouragement. Pray that our hearts will be drawn together as we look to the future.

Thank you for praying. It is amazing to see what God is doing. There are so many things that we could list; “little” things that God is bringing about to build this church for His glory. We praise His name for everything that happens. Keep praying!

Peace,
MLW

Also, continue to pray for my health. I had 18 good days in a row and then crashed again and am in the middle of a flare up as I type this. God is good all the time, but I desperately need his strength during these times of weakness. Pray that we will be able to get an appointment with the doctors at the University of Virginia Medical Center this week or next so that I can get some relief.

We know God is doing some incredible things and it is comforting to just sit back and watch Him work. I feel a great sense of peace knowing that I am unable to manipulate God into doing what I think He should do. I am completely dependent on His good grace and am thankful that He is continuing to move us in His perfect will.

Keep praying!
MLW

So what is going on with the church plant you ask? Well obviously it was hard to get a lot done while I was in the hospital and on bed rest, but the Lord has continued to move things along. Here are some of the things that have happened:

1. We received a $1,000.00 love gift for the church plant! Praise our good God for His gracious provision!
2. We have seen God bring some more interest from people who did not know about the potential of a church plant in the Valley.
3. We are anticipating some significant opportunities of service that were not anticipated. I will be able to talk about these in the future. For now, keep praying that God will give us unusual wisdom.
4. We are continuing to pray for partners who would come out and help us in the Valley. The Lord is opening hearts in His perfect timing.
5. We are looking forward to catching up on things here at Antioch Church in Windsor through the holidays and then Lord willing intensifying our efforts in the Valley as we start 2010.

Keep on praying for us, friends. I wish I could say more about a huge opportunity that is potentially on the horizon, but the Lord is working things out in His impeccable timing, so I look forward to sharing these things with you shortly. In the meantime, keep praying for my health: that is a primary concern. Keep praying that God will grow us and give us incredible wisdom as we pursue His will. Thank you for all you do to lift us up.

In Christ Alone,
MLW

We are headed out to the Valley this coming week. Nina will be out there with my parents from October 2-9, and I will head out on Monday through Wednesday (October 5-7). Here is what we are hoping to accomplish:

1. I’m meeting with a pastor in Charlottesville to speak with him about what we’re doing just over the mountain in Augusta County. I know a few people that go to his church and he is very interested about our church plant and mentioned that some of his people are driving 45 minutes over Afton Mountain from our target area to his church in Charlottesville. The thought is that as the Lord leads, some of these people might be interested in partnering with us. Please pray that I will have a good meeting with him and that we will both sense God’s leading.
2. We have been blessed by our dear friends, John and Darla Collins as they have helped us so much already. John designed our prayer card and is in the process of helping us with our website and some other media things. The Lord has truly gifted him and he’s been a real blessing to me since I am not skilled in the avenues of media and technology. We look forward to meeting with them next week and getting some more ideas on paper.
3. We are once again meeting with Sean and Chrissy Godden, our partners in crime =) We have grown to love them so much and the Lord has knit our hearts together with them as we see God building His church. 

Here are some prayer requests we currently have:

1. We are pleased that God is growing our core group. Some of our dearest friends have sensed the Lord leading them to help us start this church and they have been praying about moving out with us next spring. Pray that God will continue to give them unique wisdom and insight over these next months. We’ll be going out to the Valley with them at the end of October, so please pray for a great weekend of fellowship and unity with them. Lord willing, I’ll be able to write more about this family and how much they mean to us personally.
2. We are gearing up for meetings over the next few months. As you know, I was basically out of commission for all of August and have been playing catch up here at Antioch Church through September. While we’ve had some good meetings, we have not “hit the trail” hard so to speak. With the Holidays coming soon, we’ll see how God leads, but we anticipate a busy six months ahead. Pray for openness and financial backing from churches and individuals.
3. We continue to see God provide financially for us, but we still need YOUR help. Perhaps the Lord has just recently blessed you with a windfall and you don’t know what to do with all that extra cash? I know a great investment opportunity that has 0% chance of failure! It’s God’s church (Matthew 16:18)! Seriously, we are aware of the financial situation of the country and many of you who are struggling. We are also aware of the greatness of our God and the way He is answering our prayers. Here are some specifics needs we have at the moment:

• A portable LCD projector that we will be able to use not only during deputation, but also once we begin worship services for the church ($600-1000).
• Travel expenses as we present our ministry to other churches and individuals ($200/trip).
• Website development and maintenance (could range in the $1,000’s).
• Church brochures and other outreach materials (various costs).

Please send all tax-deductible financial gifts to:
Community Baptist Church
643 South Suber Road
Greer, SC 29650
(please write “Augusta County Church Plant” on the memo line)

Once we get closer to next spring, you can expect this list to grow exponentially. We are anticipating the gracious hand of God to provide for our needs. We would love for you to invest in eternity and be a part of what God is doing in the Valley. Here is a list of what God has already provided financially for us through the graciousness of His people. May it serve as a reminder of His constant faithfulness:

• DVD Presentation
• Prayer Cards
• External, back up 500 gb computer hard drive
• Some travel expenses
• Full coverage for my ongoing medical expenses

I trust this gives you a good overview of where we are in the process right now. We are looking forward to God’s constant grace and for His people to be energized about what He is doing. We would love to hear from you, so please feel free to contact us anytime.

To the praise of His glorious grace,
MLW

So what happens now? Lord willing the treatments will continue to be effective. I have them in rapid succession here over the next few months and then every 8 weeks for the rest of my life, assuming it continues to work. I can’t express in words the hope I have now. I thank my God for the relief and am cautiously optimistic that this could be the answer to these physical problems with which I’ve dealt for over 3 years now. I thank God for the accessibility to this medication and for good insurance that will defer the enormous cost of the treatments. My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude to all of you who have been praying for me over these past months. I know you have prayed earnestly and do not take your intercession for granted. I had such a sweet time with the Lord during my treatment yesterday as I could sense His Holy Spirit calming me and restoring my hope.

I could spend hours typing about all the things I have experienced over the past months, but I think that would be laborious for both author and reader alike. My hope is that what I have written will point the praise and glory back to my loving and gracious Lord, who alone is worthy of my praise. I know He is faithful, in the valley as well as on the mountain.   

Grace and peace.

1. The DVD presentation is complete and we look forward to sharing this with anyone who is interested. Contact me for a hard copy or look here for updates regarding a website that will host a digital version.
2. Our prayer cards are complete and we are very happy with the finished product.
3. God has burdened a family to begin supporting us right now and help us with our travel expenses as we share this ministry with others.
4. I met with a friend yesterday concerning partnering with us in the Valley and they are praying about the possibility of moving out with us. We would love for this couple to come and partner with us, God’s grace is evident in their lives.
5. Our church, Antioch Church, is getting more and more excited as we share what God is doing. We will share our ministry with them in full on Sunday, August 2. We look forward to what they will do in helping us start this new church.
6. We are meeting with a single lady this weekend in Augusta County who has expressed interest in this new church. Pray that God will knit our hearts together if it is His will for her to partner with us.
7. I spoke on the phone today with a pastor in Charlottesville and was encouraged by his heart for God and his affirmation that indeed there is a need for a solid, grace-centered church in Augusta County. I look forward to speaking with him more in the near future.
8. We will be meeting with a pastor in Lexington sometime this weekend as well and are anticipating what the Lord is going to do through his church.
9. We are looking to establish our church name and begin working on a website. Pray that this will develop smoothly and that we will have wisdom.
10. Nina is ready to have baby Ethan. She is due August 30. Pray that God would continue to be gracious to our family by bringing this little boy into the world safely and in good health.

I trust this gives you a good idea of what our God is doing. He alone is worthy of our praise and we are so thankful for His sovereign grace in our lives. Thank you for praying and as always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me any time.

Grace and peace.
MLW

The following is an excerpt from Randy Alcorn’s blog. Men, this is a sober reminder of why fidelity is so crucial. Read it and personalize it. We can overcome temptation through the power of the God (ICor. 10:13).

Personalized List of Anticipated Consequences of Immorality

• Grieving my Lord; displeasing the One whose opinion most matters.
• Dragging into the mud Christ’s sacred reputation.
• Loss of reward and commendation from God.
• Having to one day look Jesus in the face at the judgment seat and give an account of why I did it. Forcing God to discipline me in various ways.
• Following in the footsteps of men I know of whose immorality forfeited their ministry and caused me to shudder. List of these names:
• Suffering of innocent people around me who would get hit by my shrapnel.
• Untold hurt to Nina, my best friend and loyal wife.
• Loss of Nina’s respect and trust.
• Hurt to and loss of credibility with my beloved children, Emma and Elliot.
• If my blindness should continue or my family be unable to forgive, I could lose my wife and my children forever.
• Shame to my family.
• Shame to my church family.
• Shame and hurt to my fellow pastors and elders. List of names:
• Shame and hurt to my friends, and especially those I’ve led to Christ and discipled. List of names:
• Guilt awfully hard to shake—even though God would forgive me, would I forgive myself?
• Plaguing memories and flashbacks that could taint future intimacy with my wife.
• Disqualifying myself after having preached to others.
• Surrender of the things I am called to and love to do—teach and preach and write and minister to others. Forfeiting forever certain opportunities to serve God. Years of training and experience in ministry wasted for a long period of time, maybe permanently.
• Being haunted by my sin as I look in the eyes of others, and having it all dredged up again wherever I go and whatever I do.
• Undermining the hard work and prayers of others by saying to our community “this is a hypocrite—who can take seriously anything he and his church have said and done?”
• Laughter, rejoicing and blasphemous smugness by those who disrespect God and the church.
• Bringing great pleasure to Satan, the Enemy of God.
• Heaping judgment and endless problems on the person I would have committed adultery with.
• Possible diseases (pain, constant reminder to me and my wife, possible infection of Nina, or in the case of AIDS, even causing her death, as well as mine.)
• Possible pregnancy, with its personal and financial implications.
• Loss of self-respect, discrediting my own name, and invoking shame and lifelong embarrassment upon myself.