So, the miracle boys are at it again.

The video attached to this blog post was taken this past Sunday, January 9, 2011 at Wellspring Church. Isaac and Christopher Campbell, soon to reach their third birthdays, were chasing one another around on the steps and platform after the service this past Sunday.

Those of you who have been around Wellspring know about the Campbell twins and their amazing journey. For those of you who don't know Christopher and Isaac, let me give you some background.

These two boys were born very, very prematurely just about three years ago. Together they would fit in their father's hand. Both had major issues that jeopardized their viability, beyond their prematurity. Christopher's esophagus and windpipe were open to one another--had he been fed normally, via bottle or breast, he would have drowned in the milk being given him. Isaac developed major issues in his gut and had all but 14 centimeters of his small intestines removed. Both boys had bleeding in their brains. In short, these two little guys had big, big problems.

Jenn and Brian were told by the doctors that Isaac would never survive--his gut was too short to absorb enough nutrients for life to be sustained. Christopher would need surgery to close up his esophagus and to attach it to his stomach. Both might have severe physical and mental complications from the brain bleeds. Not good news. That was the doctors' report.

But Brian and Jenn had heard another report--the promise of the Lord given prior to birth through a trusted prophet that her children would be fine, not to believe the doctors. They stood on that word.

A new treatment modality was found for Isaac at a hospital in Boston. Then the time came for his intestines to be re-attached to his bowels. But the doctors said they would need to stretch his gut, because 14 centimeters was too short to sustain life. Brian and Jenn and their friends and the whole family at Wellspring prayed--believing God for a miracle. God--you can grow these intestines. Do a creative miracle in this boy's body!

Why not pray this way? We had already seen the Lord do a creative miracle in Christopher's frame. We had prayed for the Lord to grow his esophagus in order to reach his stomach when it was to be re-attached. The Campbells had been told then that the doctors would need to stretch his esophagus, because unattached it would not have grown along with the rest of his frame. But God grew it! When they opened him up--the esophagus was right there next to the stomach, ready for the doctors to stitch it on!

Then God did it again for Isaac! His intestines had grown out to 34 centimeters when they opened him up to re-attach it to his bowels.

Score at that point on the creative miracles front: Isaac one and Christopher one. On the messed up because of brain bleed front: Zero for each.

Yeah God!

That is the old news. About three weeks ago we got word from Jenn that Isaac needed more prayer because he had not grown hardly at all in the last year and he was not absorbing enough nutrients to sustain healthy life and growth. So we prayed as a congregation, while the elders laid hands on Isaac and commended further healing to him from the Lord.

Then last Sunday we watched our prayers being answered. Go Isaac--chase your brother Christopher! Go boys! Run hard, because the goodness of God is chasing you both!

The Campbell Boys from Wellspring Church on Vimeo.

Soon the New Year will be upon us and the first decade of the 21st century will be in the books! Wow! Where did it go?

Each new year is a big deal at Wellspring. Our congregation was first gathered as a small group of Swedish believers on New Year's Eve 1883. So the turning of the year marks our anniversary as a church. First the Swedish Elim Baptist Church of New Britain; then Elim Baptist; next Kensington Baptist Church; and since 2005, Wellspring Church.

As a congregation January will mark an effort to Start The Year Off Right! This will be the teaching theme for the first four Sundays of the year.

On the weekend of January 7-9, we will hold a 36-hour Worship and Prayer vigil in the sanctuary. Beginning at 9:00 pm on Friday night, January 7, through Sunday morning services on January 9, there will be continuous worship and prayer in the sanctuary. (This will include the Saturday @ 5 service on January 8.)

What will happen during those 36 hours? A lot! There will be some sessions of worship led by our various bands interspersed with corporate intercession for the coming year. There will be some sessions in the deep night and during the day where individuals will lead in worship. Other times will be more quiet - times of "soaking" in the Lord's presence or quiet prayer.

Why are we doing this? We want to start the year off right! The foremost reason for this 36-hour initiative is to honor the Lord's presence amongst us with an extravagant offering of praise, worship and thanksgiving. To use a familiar metaphor, we want to stoke the fire on the altar. Secondly, as we go into 2011 we want to continue to seek the Lord for his blessing and provision for our ministry through the coming twelve months.

So, please won't you help us Start The Year Off Right? Mark your calendar; make your plans now to be part of this 36-hour vigil the first weekend after the New Year. You can sign up on the big board at the Welcome Center.

Blessings,

Pastor Rick

Greetings Team Wellspring!

Wow! What a weekend it was! What excitement and enthusiasm filled the house this past Saturday evening and Sunday morning! What a visual of all the different ways that so many of you are making a difference in the lives of others and in this world! What a sense of the Lord's presence in the time of worship and of his heart expressed through the various ministries on display!

You can check out an article that the New Britain Herald ran on Monday via this link:

http:www.newbritainherald.com/articles/2010/11/21/news/doc4ce9d62f409e3419764074.txt

I want to thank all of the team members who did such a great job in making this experience happen and--more importantly--for all the ministry that you are doing week in and week out. Remember, the purpose of Team Wellspring Weekend is to create on-ramps for more folks to join in the joy of serving in the Kingdom.

I also want to take this opportunity to reflect with you upon some numbers that were shared at the congregational meeting this past Sunday night. I think they are worth celebrating. Pastor Dave Luce put them together for us to review where we have been over the past few years in this journey together. Two indicators--attendance and giving--are recorded in numbers but they reflect precious people and faithful commitment.

Over the past five years our average attendance has grown from 387 in 2006 (our first full year in our new building) to 634 for the first ten months of 2010. That averages just under 13% growth each year. Team Wellspring has been growing!

Over that same time our giving has increased comparably--just about 13% each year on average. This has been true in flush economic times and even after the recent economic downturn. You have been faithful, reflecting God's faithfulness. Remember, there are no recession in heaven! And as Pastor Wes said over this past weekend--our giving honors God and goes to support the work of Kingdom ministry that was on display all over the building during our Team Wellspring celebration. Kingdom giving touches lives!

So I wanted to say thanks for the privilege of being part of such a wonderful team. And I wanted to congratulate you upon all that you are making possible by your faithfulness and glad-hearted efforts.

Blessings,

Pastor Rick