We spent the weekend at Headquarters in Oak Brook for our Directors meeting.
We were excited to see the wonderful things that God is doing around the world in the ministry of the Institute in Basic Life Principles. Along with the Big Sandy Campus in Texas, the Training Centers in Indianapolis, Dallas, Oklahoma City, Eagle Mountian and Eagle Springs in Arkansas, the Elms Plantation, The Durango River Ranch in Colorado, the International Ministry Institute in Texas and of course the Riverfront Character Inn in Flint, there will soon be a new hospital in Nashville, and other things are in the making. There are new opportunities now for young people to pursue degree programs while serving with the Institute. The most exciting thing to me is not yet official but when it is you will be able to read about it here.
Mr. Gothard enthusiastically described his vision for making disciples and gave us advanced copies of his writing on the commands of Christ. He just finished writing his commentaries on the Commands of Christ during the month of January in the Northwoods. While there he also finished two more fine books, The Power of the Spoken Blessing, and the Rewards of Jealousy. I have been the beneficiary of the IBLP ministry for years and a raving fan, now to be able to pour my life into this ministry pulls the very best out of me. Our whole family so deeply and passionately believes in what we are doing. When Mr. Gothard recruited us he got ten new full-time missionaries for the work in Flint. (I’m not sure Hope is pulling her weight yet, but she shows great promise).
Saturday night we got to be a part of the annual Valentine Banquet. It is quite an affair here. The entire Staff Center building was transformed for the evening into a French Caf?. The single staff at headquarters did the Banquet. It was complete with valet parking, filet mignon and beautiful live music. The staff even offered to vacuum the car during the dinner.
The speaker for the evening was Greg Smalley. It was interesting to hear him because I have read all of his father’s books. When the evening was over we picked up our photo on the way out and a quartet of young men serenaded us while we waited for our car.
Our accommodations for the weekend were on the MacDonald’s Corporation Campus in Oak Brook. In fact I am writing this from luxurious leather chair looking out into a woods divided by a meandering creek. I noticed deer tracks in the snow on the frozen ice during a brisk winter walk this morning. Lois brewed the coffee this morning and brought it to my side. There was a wonderful basket in our room filled with fruit, chocolates, gifts and even a couple nice books. As you can imagine I am feeling unusually petted and privileged right now. By the time you read this I will be back on the job in Flint were the labor is pretty intense.
We are steadily receiving reservations for the Family Enrichment Weekend coming up March 7-9 at the Character Inn. If you would like to attend print a registration form from the www.kenpierpont.com web site and send it in right away and we will reserve you a room or two.
Next weekend the whole family will sing and I will speak at Camp Barakel in the Michigan’s wonderful northern lower peninsula. I better get to my story of the week or you will never get to work this morning.
