
One of the great joys for me this past year was to visit and preach again at the “Church of The New Directions,” in Chennai, India. Many of our ND Alumni and Board Members gave to help build this beautiful church for our 25th Anniversary a number of years ago. This time I had the privilege of baptizing a number of new believers after the worship service—including the pastor’s son! We also did major Tsunami relief distribution from this church in 2004 after that horrific disaster. Since its dedication, the church has gone on to plant several other daughter churches and support a number of full time evangelists working among the unreached tribes in India. And it all started in Alamance country with the “Y-Teen Caravan” in 1969!
Read More/Less
Full Article Permalink. Filed under: Alumni News

It is always a joy to go on a mission trip with one of our New Directions Alumni. Randy Durham is both a member of our alumni and a former staff member. As such he has traveled extensively with JL over the years to other countries, documenting the partnerships and projects supported by New Directions and Impact Of Hope.
Randy originally began the ND’s first video ministry and developed our studio facility in Graham. Later he ran the video department for the NC Baptist State Convention. He went on to start several video and web companies. Randy currently is the president of Raleigh-based Credence Pictures. He also owns several websites related to boating and fishing including North Carolina’s most visited fishing website NCangler.com. In 2009 he also started an online fishing tackle company called TackleMonkey.com.
Randy and his wife Lisa live in Raleigh, NC and have three children. Caleb is a junior at NCSU, Joshua recently enlisted in the US Marines and Jessica is a sophomore at Wake Christian Academy. They attend Gateway Christian Fellowship.
Randy’s continued passion is to document the work of the Lord around the world. To date he has produced videos in 28 countries, having visited several them multiple times. JL believes Randy is one of the most creative videographers around and loves to travel with him. These pictures were taken from an African trip they did together this past Fall to Ghana, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya and Zimbabwe. And yes, those are real lions he is with! Randy noted that if JL says he has transportation taken care… be prepared for anything!













If you ever need video work done, call Randy or check out his website. You will be impressed. He and JL are already planning one or two ‘Kingdom Adventure Safaris’ for 2010—and would like you to be a part of them. Check out our Kingdom Adventures page for more details.”
Read More/Less
Full Article Permalink. Filed under: Alumna Profile

Pastor Scotty Smith is one of the “original” members of the New Directions dating back to 1968. After his high school and college years with NDI, he has had a wonderful ministry as the founding pastor of Christ Community Church in Franklin, Tennessee, where he is still the Senior Pastor for Preaching, Teaching and Worship. He is also a Seminary Lecturer. Scotty is the author of a half dozen books and travels and ministers widely in America and abroad. He recently started writing this “daily devo” for his parishioners and friends. So I am sharing it with all of my personal friends and partners with joy, thanksgiving – and a bit of spiritual pride as one of our alumni. I invite you to visit Scotty’s blog on the Christ Community Church website to receive inspiration from Scotty’s daily sharing from God’s Word. You can view Scotty’s blog here or you visit his Facebook page here.
I am attaching a couple of photos of Scotty’s family.

The names, from left to right are, Rann Russell, Scotty’s son-in-law and Kristin Russell, daughter; Bayley, daughter-in law, married to Scott, son; Darlene, and Scotty. The all live in the Nashville area and Kristin and Rann just gave Scotty and Darlene their first grandchild on April 30th, Finely, “Finn,” Ward Russell (see below).

You might also want to see Scotty – and his brother Steve “Moose” Smith, in their early years as a members of the New Directions and Damascus Road. Just go to the “Alumni” section of my web site and click on “Memories.” Scroll down to two articles with pictures entitled “Jesus Freaks & Fools” and “Children of Jubal.” There you will see him in his early years as a musician and minister.
In His Healing Love,

Read More/Less
Full Article Permalink. Filed under: Alumna Profile

Me and Fuji on the streets of Bunia, Congo, a city that was seized in recent fighting.

Fuji and some street children

Fuji in front of one of the 11 churches that NDI has helped rebuild that was destroyed during the fighting.

New roof with recent bullet holes from recent fighting

A traditional drum that is used in the services

As one of our original musicians, Fuji tries his hand
with the traditional ‘Congo harp’

Fuji stands with our Congo partner, James Byensi, on the site of a pastor’s home that was burned down in the fighting

Fuji, Dr. Jim Seymour and Dr. Mike in the destroyed Surgery Theatre of the Nyankunde Hospital

Me in front of the Nursing School that NDI has helped rebuild for $5,000

Fuji inside of the Nursing School being rebuilt

Fuji standing beside a skeleton – fortunately not mine! He was right at home with this since he taught Gross Anatomy in college for years

The destroyed ‘Nyankunde Hospital Chapel’ that NDI hopes to rebuild for $35,000

Fuji in front of the small MAF plane before our flight from Nyankunde to Aru

Fuji takes time for a little magic with the children before take off

Fuji in front of our ‘African Cottage’ in Aru

Fuji in front of one of the ‘World War 1’ trucks that brought people to the Conference.
It is far worse than the old ND bus!

Some of the hundreds of bicycles that most people rode to the Conference site.

A group shot of the more than 2,000 people who attended the Conference.
Read More/Less
Full Article Permalink. Filed under: Alumni News

Dear ND Alumni,
Here are a few pictures from a time of co-ministry I had with David Horner in Chennai, India, back in October. As many of you know, he is one of the ORIGINAL NDs going back to 1968! And he married another one of our ORIGINAL gals, Kathy Ryder Horner. It has been a blessing to stay in close fellowship and partnership with David and Kathy across the years. Since they live and minister in Raleigh, it has been a bit easier to stay in touch with them than with some of you who live farther away from Burlington and NC.
As many of you know, David was the founding pastor of Providence Baptist Church where he has been the Senior Pastor since the beginning. They just recently celebrated their “30th Anniversary” as a Church. Patt was there to join in the celebration – but I was out of the country. ND Alumni, Joel and Sonia Leath, have now been on staff there for a number of years. So it has been a joy to see these two ND Alumni couples ministering together. We are also thankful for the fact that Providence has been one of our most faithful and generous Partner Churches across the years.
David, Kathy, Patt and I have made a number of Mission trips together across the years. As you look at these few pictures of the recent “All India Conference” we did in Chennai, India, I hope some of you will prayerfully consider partnering with us on a “Kingdom Adventure Mission Safari” sometime in 2009!
Finally, when you receive this ND Alumni update, I will be traveling and ministering in Africa for 3 weeks. This trip I will be in Ghana, Ethiopia, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Kenya – an in that order. I do covet your prayers for this intense and diverse time of travel and ministry…

PS: Also, be watching for another ND Alumni report coming out with pictures from my time in Kenya and the Congo with Alumni Steve ‘Fuji’ Allen. You will be blessed!

Bishop Ezra Sargunam opens the Conference with his usual joy and passion

David teaching from his book on the basic problems pastors and leaders face in ministry– whether in America or India

It was a great privilege and joy for David and me to teach surrounded by paintings of all of the great missionary patriarchs and statesmen of missions

Me preaching in “Traditional Indian clothing” – much more comfortable than shirt and tie

Teaching on the priority of evangelism

Me preaching away and “sweating for Jesus” as usual

Some of the several hundred Indian pastors and church planters we had the joy of teaching

Here is the current ECI brother who pastors the “Church of the New Directions” that we built for our “25th Anniversary” as a ministry. I will be sending you another report soon on the great growth and mission outreach of this church.
Read More/Less
Full Article Permalink. Filed under: Alumni News
Page 2 of 7 pages < 1 2 3 4 > Last ›