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Long Time Friend of Church Planters to America

Behind the scenes we have a man who has helped C.P.A. for many years. Doug Durkee retired in 2021 from a 40+ year career as a broadcast television engineer. He lives in Greenville, SC with his wife Janis. He currently works part time and enjoys home projects especially yard work. He and Janis have three grown children and love spending time with their four grandchildren.                          

Tom Buckley opened a church in Hope, Maine and was Doug’s pastor during his high school years. He has many fond memories of the Hope church as the Hope Church and Pastor Buckley were instrumental in his spiritual growth during his teen years.  

Doug graduated from Bob Jones University with a degree in Broadcast Engineering. Doug runs our website keeping it up to date. In today’s multimedia world he is an important part of C.P.A. Thank you Doug for all you do for Church Planters to America!

Keeping the Church Alive

By Rob Andreas

When I wrote this title my first thought was, this is not our job! Jesus will build His church, the Bible says, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. The powers of hell are surely at work trying to destroy the church and her message of hope. The devil schemes to distract Christians from becoming the vital church God needs in this world. We are the church of the living God. It is not buildings, it is God building up people to live in this sinful world.   

We need people that are committed and full of faith in God. This is what the church is all about. Believing God will have His way and His Word will accomplish that which He pleases. The church then is an entity of the power of God moving upon our society and culture to impact each individual with the authority of God’s Holy Word.       

Many churches are feeling the effects of a great cultural demise. Statistics and current surveys tell us that fewer and fewer people attend the local church. The need to join and become active in a local church is vital to growth for every Christian and in spreading the hope of the Gospel to a lost and dying world. What we need is for the church love people while not compromising the truth that is clear in the Word of God. We must convince the world by demonstration of the life of Jesus Christ which will transform each member of the church. This will breathe new life into any congregation that holds Jesus Christ as present and the sovereign head of the Body of Christ, the Church.      

So what do we do? We need to get back to the simplicity of the Gospel and teach and preach repentance toward God and faith in Jesus our Lord. We must come to church expecting God to do great and mighty things in our hearts. We must see the early believers and their passion to serve and grow in faith and seek their sincere love and hope for the Lord. We must gather together to serve and edify one another in truth. We must get back to the basics we find in Acts 2 where the church gathered to worship, learn, fellowship, pray and serve the Lord with diligence and honesty. This can happen if we ask God to REVIVE US AGAIN!                                

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble    themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn

from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven,

and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.  

2 Chronicles 7:14