Louisville First Conducts Successful
Evangelistic Series
September 8 through October 7, David Hartman, the conference minis-
terial and evangelism director, conducted a series of evangelistic meetings
at the Louisville First Church, assisted by Pastor Stewart Lozensky. Eighty
guests attended at least one night with 30 tracking through the entire five-week
prophecy series. At the conclusion of the meetings, 11 people took their stand
for Christ and were baptized. Below are some of the amazing stories:
Last February Tiffany Gordan, a young lady from Louisville, received a
vivid dream of Christ’s second coming. Jesus spoke to her and said, “Tiffany,
I’m coming soon, and you need to clean up your life and get ready to meet Me.”
That next week she began to discard items that she knew were displeasing to
God, such as alcohol, tobacco, and worldly music/television. She also began
attending various Christian churches in her search for God, as well as reading
her Bible. One day as she browsed through the Ten Commandments, the Sab-
bath seemed to jump out at her. Unaware of any Sabbath-keeping churches,
she googled the Sabbath and came across the website for the Louisville First
Seventh-day Adventist Church. She began attending regularly and invited her
mother, Sonya, to the meetings. Both Tiffany and Sonya were baptized.
Jon and Rosemary Beams, along with Jon’s mother, Lee, had been avid
students of God’s Word and became convicted of the Sabbath. They searched
for a church that followed the plain teachings of the Bible, but were disap-
pointed and worshiped alone at home. Jon received a handbill at his work-
place. This in itself is a miracle because there were no mail-outs to businesses,
but rather only to residences. They attended every night of the meetings. One
evening the pastors visited with the Beams and Jon shared how his family
felt unaccepted in other churches because of their Sabbath convictions. Pastor
Stewart reached out with a big hug and exclaimed, “Welcome home.” Jon,
Rosemary, and Lee were all baptized together at the end of the series.
Roy and Maria Ramirez own a car detailing business in Louisville. Maria
grew up Adventist, but was not an active member of any church and Roy grew
up in a devout Catholic home. They had been searching for truth and had a
Bible study group that met in their home. April Ibarra, a Bible worker from
the Louisville First Church, befriended Roy and Maria and invited them to the
Louisville First Church. At the conclusion of the meetings, they were both
baptized together.
The amazing thing about this prophecy series is that God was already at
work, long before the meetings began, stirring the hearts of the people. Acts of
the Apostles, p. 109 declares, “There are many who are reading the Scriptures
who cannot understand their true import. All over the world men and women
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Connection
Pastor David Hartman (left bottom), K.C. Onyiri, Laeticia DesForges,
Anique Fayette, Hans Fayette, Roy and Maria Ramirez (left top), Jon
and Rosemary Beams, Lee Shocky, Tiffany Gordon, and Pastor Stewart
Lozensky
are looking wistfully to heaven. Prayers and tears and inquiries go up from
souls longing for light, for grace, for the Holy Spirit. Many are on the verge
of the kingdom, waiting only to be gathered in.”
The Louisville First Church took active steps to prepare for this series.
1. Pastor Stewart Lozensky emphasized a culture of evangelism during
the two years prior.
2. They sponsored two Bible workers during the previous nine months.
3. They conducted a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace seminar during the
summer months.
4. They invited magabook students to work in the area with a mail out
of Bible study interest cards.
5. The church held a 40 Days of prayer prior to the prophecy meetings
with members interceding for their church and community.
In 2017, the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference realized a 30 percent in-
crease over 2016 in total baptisms. The 2018 New Year promises to be a
fruitful year as well with over 75 approved budgets for bridging events and
reaping meetings.
What will you do to touch your friend, neighbor, or work associate for
Christ this year? All heaven waits for our participation.
BY DAVID HARTMAN
Ministerial Director
Kentucky-Tennessee Conference
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