The Homosassa Adventist Church family was very happy when Jarvis first started visiting our church. He had met a lady friend who was a Seventh-day Adventist and he wanted to learn more about the Bible teachings the Adventist Church followed. Sadly as Jarvis and I continued our Bible studies, his lady friend passed away. Jarvis was saddened but encouraged by the new hope he had found in the resurrection. Jarvis was determined to continue studying the Bible with me and the other members of the Homosassa Adventist Church. On October the 8th of 2022, Jarvis was baptized.
And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. Galatians 3:27 NLT After the baptism we presented Jarvis with his baptism certificate and welcomed him into our church membership, though he was already a part of our church family! This Sabbath as well as having Jarvis’ baptism we also celebrated communion. Wally, one of our elders had the privilege of washing Jarvis’ feet as Jarvis participated in his first ordinance of humility and communion service with his new Homosassa Adventist church family. We enjoyed a joyous Sabbath with Jarvis from beginning to end! Don’t let the sun go down on your life without experiencing the joy and hope of salvation which Jarvis now has. If you would like to give your life to Jesus, because He gave His life for you, I would love to help you make this step. You can contact me at william.earnhardt@floridaconference.com
It was a special Sabbath today at the Homosassa Seventh-day Adventist Church as Eddie gave all of his life to Jesus, because Jesus gave all of His life for Eddie. Several months ago Danny and Maritza started coming to our church and we began studying the Bible together. Soon their friend Eddie started coming to church with them and joined our Bible studies. Eddie Started telling me about the changes he was making in his life, as he decided to live for Jesus and be baptized. Eddie has family members who have fallen asleep, and he wants to be with them and Jesus one day. All of heaven and the Homosassa SDA church rejoiced as Eddie was baptized today.
“For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.” Galatians 3:26-29 NLT
Eddie wrote about how happy he was to be baptized and to know the salvation that comes from living your life for Jesus. After the baptism we gave Eddie his baptism certificate and a gift study Bible. Eddie shared with the church family how he let God change his life so he can live with God here on earth every day, as well as being ready to meet Jesus when He comes again. Don’t let the sun go down on you before you make the decision to give all of yourself to Jesus, because He has given all of Himself for you. I would love to help you make this decision and prepare for baptism if you would like to reach out to me at racerthree@gmail.com.
Jose, (left), as well as being the head deacon of the Plant City Seventh-day Adventist Church, also has a passion for sharing Jesus with others. Jose has a weekly Bible study group in his home. After befriending Nicolas, (center) he invited him to his Bible study group. Nicolas enjoyed learning more about Jesus and the Bible, and told Jose he wanted to be baptized and give his life to Jesus. Jose has led several family members to Jesus, and he was just as happy to see his friend get baptized. As the head deacon, Jose prepared the baptistry for his friend. I think its pretty cool that Jose prepared his friend spiritually for baptism as well as making the physical preparations. At his baptism Nicolas testified that he was saying goodbye to the old Nicolas and was starting a new life for Jesus.
Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. Romans 6:3-7 NLT
In my New Believer’s Sabbath School class, Nicolas enthusiastically participated and especially enjoyed reading Scripture, and affirming his faith in Jesus, and his assurance of salvation from sin and death. Please pray for Nicolas as he continues his walk with Jesus. Please also pray for him as he continues to share the hope in he has in Jesus, that Jose shared with him.
Thank you for contributing to the Bible Worker Fund, that not only allows me to share Jesus with others, but also allows me to train, equip and encourage others to share Jesus, just like Jose.
It’s that time of year again when I like to celebrate and share the wonderful things God has done through the Plant City Bible Worker Fund. Even with the COVID restrictions God has been providing more ways than ever to share the Gospel.
As well as continuing online Bible studies via Zoom and Facetime, personal and group Bible studies in person are growing as well. This year I have been enjoying several youth, adult and family Bible studies on Zoom as well as after school on the NTCA school campus. I have also been able to give Baptism studies in the Tampa Bay area, extending beyond the Plant City community. In just a few weeks I will be conducting another week of prayer evangelism series at the New Port Richey Adventist school.
In Plant City I have been having group Bible studies as well as personal Bible studies. Some groups meet at the church while I have also started a group Bible Study at the Krazy Kup Café in downtown Plant City. This group is intended to reach the unchurched as well as those who want a personal worship service but are not comfortable returning to a regular sized church yet. The start was rather small, but it has been growing steadily, and more people are showing an interest. Some Adventist members have been reluctant to come because it is at a coffee shop on Sabbath mornings. However no one in our group buys anything (not that I have told them not to, that’s their personal business) and we meet in a private meeting room the café provides at a reasonable cost.
This year also saw several new members coming into the kingdom of God at the Homosassa SDA Church by way of baptism and profession of faith. The Homosassa SDA Church generously provides for half of my fulltime salary. This is why I rely on God providing contributors like you to the Plant City Bible Worker Fund for the other half of my fulltime salary. The Plant City SDA Church itself is unable to contribute, but generously hosts the fund so I can do Bible Work in the Plant City-Tampa Bay area and beyond. Jim, is one of those who I have studied with and baptized at Homosassa. However there still turned out to be a link between him and my ministry in the Tampa Bay area. As it turns out, Jim is the cousin of some friends of mine from the Tampa First SDA Church. Both his family at Tampa First and the Homosassa SDA Church family were very encouraged to see Jim make his decision for Jesus!
As well as doing personal and online Bible studies and seminars, I am usually preaching twice a Sabbath. While many people are uncomfortable returning to the actual church for worship service and Sabbath School, this includes some lay preachers who hesitate to return, thus creating a greater demand for me to speak. The Homosassa SDA Church has graciously moved its services to the afternoon, allowing me to preach mornings at the Plant City SDA Church before driving to Homosassa to preach. Other area churches have had several pastors retire this year, and I have also been called to preach at a few of those churches as well.
Several times recently I have been given the opportunity to preach at the New Port Richey SDA Church.
Meanwhile, as I have been giving personal and group Bible studies and seminars in person in the Florida area, I have also been conducting Zoom and FaceTime personal Bible studies and seminars from Georgia to California and several points in-between. I want to thank those who have been faithfully contributing to this ministry with their generous monthly contributions as well as one time contributions. This ministry has been successful now for over 6 years. Yet there is still so much more to be accomplished. Also while this ministry relies on the continued support of contributors like yourself, some who have begun contributing 6 years are no longer able. This is why we are always welcoming new contributors to contribute monthly or with one time contributions.
You may send your tax deductible contributions to the Plant City SDA Church, P.O. Box 5379 Plant City, FL 33563. Please mark your check or envelope “Bible Worker Fund.”
You may also contribute online by going to the Plant City Adventist Online Giving page, and go to the third line item under “Local Church” which reads “Bible Worker.”
In the summer of 2011 Mike and karmin were members of a group Bible Study that would meet at Panera Bread, and sometimes Mike and Karmin’s home. During this time Mike and karmin had a baby boy named Kaleb. Here I am meeting Kaleb at his first ever Tuesday night Bible study. Actually it was his first ever Tuesday night! Like my friendship with Mike and Karmin, Kaleb and I have been best friends ever since. For over 10 years we have always been there for each other, or at least they have always been there for me. They were there with me when I went to the ER in 2009, and have always been there when I needed help with cleaning or moving, or just watching my place while on vacation. They are also there for me whenever I need someone to eat pizza with me or just a listening ear at Starbucks. So ten years later this summer, when Mike and Karmin told me they were having baptism studies with Kaleb, I was very honored and happy when they asked me to participate in Kaleb’s preparation for baptism. Kaleb completed his Following Jesus baptism workbook as a part of his Bible study. Kaleb was also full of thoughtful questions on various topics as we studied together.
Yesterday was the special day when Kaleb expressed his love for Jesus, by being baptized. Kaleb gave all of himself to Jesus, because Jesus gave all of himself for Kaleb. About his baptism Kaleb said,
“I want to be baptized so I can continue my journey with God. I also want to be baptized so I can have a stronger relationship with Him. God is the only God and I want to make my commitment to Him.”
After the baptism Kaleb received his baptism certificate which includes his Bible beliefs. Please pray for Kaleb as he continues his journey with God.
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. Galatians 3:26-27 NLT
A special thanks for those who have been faithfully making these moments possible through the Bible Worker Fund. God bless you for your prayers and monthly or one time offerings.
During the quarantine Genevieve (Left) began Bible studies with her cousin Jinky and her friend Gee. After a while I was able to join them. Genevieve’s Sprit filled Bible studies made them hunger for more of God’s Word and the love of Jesus. Jinky was the first to make her decision to be baptized. Jinky shared that after recently losing her husband, mother and sister she is looking forward to Jesus’ soon coming where all those who love Jesus will enjoy eternal life with no more death and sorrow! Jim contacted me on the Homosassa SDA Church website and asked for Bible studies. He shared that he had gone to a nearby Adventist Church as a child but drifted away. As we studied the In Light of the cross Bible study guides Jim told me that he had a new and greater understanding and appreciation for God’s love and mercy. Jim is already a big part of our Wednesday night Bible study and prayer group. He is helping with our church landscaping and has shown interest in our food pantry. The Homosassa SDA Church is very happy to see both Jim and Jinky already becoming a big part of our church family.
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. and now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. Galatians 3:26-29 NLT
After their baptism Jinky and Jim were both rewarded their baptism certificates along with a copy of The Desire of Ages, the classic on the life of Christ.
Before the sun sets on your life please give yourself to Jesus, Who gave all of Himself for you. I would love to study with you and help you make this decision. You can contact me at racerthree@gmail.com.
This is William Earnhardt and 2020 has been filled with amazing challenges and amazing miracles! Like so many other pastors, lay pastors and Bible Workers we have been working hard encouraging people to continue growing in Christ even while many churches have moved to online church services and the “assembling or ourselves together” for edification and encouragement has taken on new challenges. Giving families the tools and coaching they need to be the priests of their home and making their home a church has been more crucial than ever this year. I never imagined that one day I would be performing baptisms while wearing masks. But these baptisms are beautiful all the same!
One of the amazing miracles is that while 2020 has seen many financial trials, thanks to God and faithful supporters my Bible Worker fund never let me miss a paycheck. I intentionally never sent out a fundraiser newsletter until now as during the year I realized there were so many worthy needs this year while God was faithfully supplying all of my needs. At the same time I now find it prudent to remind everyone of my need of continued monthly support so I can continue sharing the Gospel in the Florida area and around the world in 2021. I thank God for those who have continued to support this ministry since day one. Some are no longer able to contribute for various understandable reasons. This is why I ask you to prayerfully consider continuing or begin to financially support my ministry with monthly or one time financial contributions as well as your prayers. While my fund is located at the Plant City Florida SDA Church the Plant City Church does not contribute to my fund. They simply host my fund as I do Bible Work in the Plant City area as well as Florida and beyond.
You may send your tax deductible contributions to the Plant City SDA Church, P.O. Box 5379 Plant City, FL 33563. Please mark your check or envelope “Bible Worker Fund.”
You may also contribute online by going to the Plant City Adventist Online Giving page, and go to the third line item under “Local Church” which reads “Bible Worker.”
Recently Shayla Parsons wrote a letter she wanted to share to encourage people to support what she feels is a worthy ministry. Shayla writes:
Over the years Pastor Earnhardt has been a huge blessing to our family. We know we can always count on him for support, prayer, and encouragement. He is always happy to meet with us for Bible study and has given our children, as well as our nieces and nephews Bible study. We are so grateful to him and to those who contribute to his ministry, so he can continue to work with our family and others. Pastor Earnhardt truly enjoys sharing the love of Christ, and The Bible. Our daughter Angelina insisted on writing a letter in support of Pastor Earnhardt as well to help support his ministry. Thank you, The Parsons Family
Shayla Parsons and her family
As Shayla wrote and told me, when her daughter Angelina heard she was writing a letter in support of my ministry Angelina insisted on writing a letter of support as well. That really touches my heart! Angelina writes:
Hello, I’m Angelina Parsons. I am 10 years old and in the 5th grade. I’ve known Pastor Earnhardt for many years. He has given me, my siblings, and my friends Bible study every summer for the past few years. When the Coronavirus hit I thought we wouldn’t be able to study together but Pastor Earnhardt said, “Let’s meet on zoom!” Pastor Earnhardt also helped me get ready to be baptized, we have the best conversations after our lessons. He knows a lot of funny jokes! I know if we ever need anything he is always there for us that’s why we need him, and his ministry so he can continue helping others and teaching them about God.
As I mentioned my Bible Worker ministry needs support from all over the world as my ministry reaches all over the world. As well as doing Bible studies on Zoom and FaceTime in many areas beyond Florida, This ministry has also traveled well beyond Florida personally as well as by way of writing. My ministry has its own blog which regularly gets visits from over 173 countries around the world. I also write for the Sabbath School Net which is also read around the world. Recently Inge Anderson, the webmaster of Sabbath School Net wrote me a letter of encouragement I would like to share. Inge Writes:
Dear William, I just want to take this opportunity to thank you for your faithful service to the world-wide ministry of Sabbath School Net, both by your weekly blog posts since January 2012 and your moderation of comments on the blog. We really value your gift of making deep spiritual subjects simple and applying biblical teachings to everyday life. I remember that that is how Jesus taught, and it is especially important to a ministry like ours that includes many thousands of people for whom English is a second language. But it’s also important for those of us in English-speaking areas of the world who may have the tendency to debate fine points of doctrine or church traditions while forgetting the “weightier matters of the law.” I can understand how not being a salaried employee working for the church can be a lot more challenging than being on salary while essentially doing the same work. But I know that God records your faithful service. Perhaps that has also helped to keep you close to the Lord who has promised to supply all your needs. I pray that our loving Father will impress those who benefit from your ministry to contribute funds to continue it. May the Lord continue to bless you with spiritual insight, good health and sufficient wealth to meet your needs.
Blessings, Inge Anderson
Inge Anderson and her husband Pastor Andrew Anderson
Thanks again to all those who have faithfully prayed for and financially supported my ministry so I can keep taking the Gospel to Florida and around the world! Thank you for prayerfully considering supporting this ministry in 2021 and beyond! To God be the glory!
You may send your tax deductible contributions to the Plant City SDA Church, P.O. Box 5379 Plant City, FL 33563. Please mark your check or envelope “Bible Worker Fund.”
You may also contribute online by going to the Plant City Adventist Online Giving page, and go to the third line item under “Local Church” which reads “Bible Worker.”
I first met Charlie about 5 years ago in the youth Bible studies at the Plant City Seventh-day Adventist Church on Wednesday nights. Several of the youth from the community would come to play games and have a Bible study. So I was very happy when Charlie’s girlfriend, Stacy contacted me for baptism studies! We were able to study at the church while practicing social distancing as well as over the phone.
Charlie’s grandmother was a big part of the Plant City SDA Church back in the day. She even designed the picture on our baptistry. She now lives in Ooltewah Tennessee. This morning, November 28, 2020 Charlie and Stacy surprised his grandmother by being baptized in the Ooltewah SDA Chruch! A very big thank you to Pastor Peter Kulakov (Right) for being such a gracious host for this baptism!
Charlie and Stacy with their “Just baptized” masks.
What and exciting day for the Plant City SDA Church, the Ooltewah SDA Church and all of heaven! If you are interested in giving your life to Jesus because of His great love and sacrifice that He made for you I would love to talk with you! You can contact me at racerthee@gmail.com.
I also want to thank all of my contributors to my ministry that keep these wonderful baptisms coming! Click here to find out how you can be a contributor. Thank you!
Today Helli was presented with her Profession of Faith certificate as she rejoined the Homosassa Seventh-day Adventist Church. When someone who has already been baptized by immersion becomes a Seventh-day Adventist member they have the choice of being re-baptized or joining on profession of faith.
Helli was born in Finland in the 1930’s. She had 7 brothers, one of whom was a Seventh-day Adventist. When Helli was 16 she studied to become a Seventh-day Adventist and was baptized and attended an Adventist academy in Finland.
In 1957 Helli came to the United States to study nursing at Washington Missionary College. In nursing school Helli made a life long Adventist friend named Sue. Over the years Helli drifted away from the church and what she had learned in the Bible. Now in her golden years she has moved near her lifelong Adventist friend Sue in Homosassa Florida. Helli lives in an assisted living center and visited the Homosassa Adventist Church before the quarantine. Helli became convicted of her need to practice the Bible teachings she discovered in the Bible so long ago. I studied with Helli through a screen window at her living center as we reviewed the Bible teachings she studied decades ago on another continent. Helli is once again an avid Bible student and also loves reading books from the Spirit of Prophecy like “Great Controversy” and “The Desire of Ages.” Helli once sold these books in Finland as a student Literature Evangelist. Today she is falling in love all over again with the books and the truth she knew so long ago.
Today As we presented Helli with her certificate she told us how happy and excited she is to be back home with Jesus in the Seventh-day Adventist family.
Helli did not let the sun set on her life before coming back to the One who gave His life for her. Please do not let the sun set on your life before you make the most important decision of your life. To give yourself to Jesus who gave all of Himself for you. I would love to help you with this decision and I would be happy to study with you no matter where in the world you are. You can contact me at racerthree@gmail.com.
In Light of The Cross 