You might see a 35’ motor home with a red truck hooked to it going down a road sometime and never think that inside were traveling missionaries. That is exactly what is inside and was recently seen in lower Alabama. From their home congregation at the Pacific church of Christ, Pacific, MO, Larry and Carolyn Stephens are presently making a loop through the lower states preaching and teaching the gospel of Christ.
Carol was invited by the Christian Home church, Wicksburg, AL, to speak at their Ladies Day recently. Larry parked their motorhome next to the church building where it served as their home away from home. From that base they were able to visit and encourage the churches in the surrounding area.
On Sunday, September 22, they were invited to the Geneva church of Christ, Geneva, AL. Larry taught the men’s class and preached at the morning service. Carol taught the ladies class. During their time in the Geneva area they invited people to worship with the church.
Larry and Carol have been on the road preaching and teaching the gospel for five years. It was always Larry’s dream to travel and help churches who needed them. After retirement they worked to make that dream come true. Larry has preached in 11 of the states they have traveled in. He is scheduled to be in Gallup, New Mexico later this year where they will be Honorary grandparents to the children in the Manulito Navajo Children’s home. This tour will end in Louisanna where Larry will preach two weekends and Carol will speak at a ladies devotional. Arriving back home in in Pacific, MO, just in time for Thanksgiving, they are booked through August 2020 and will soon be on the road again.
Carol shared, “Since we drive everywhere we have to plan carefully so that we are good stewards of our time and give the Lord the best of ourselves and what we have.”
Carol has used time on the road to study and write. She has written several books and is presently in the process of writing a 13-lesson ladies Bible study book. Each day she sends some fifty friends a Bible verse with comments through text message, as she stays in touch and teaches the gospel.
When Larry is asked by some congregations occasionally if he has a sermon ready, he holds up his Bible and says, “Oh, I have a few.”
The Stephens may be contacted at: larrydstephens@sbcglobal.net and carolstephens@sbcglobal.net.
As a teenage girl, I prayed to marry a preacher. I knew no one who was desiring to be a preacher but each night I knelt by my bed and prayed, “Lord, if I am capable of being a preacher’s wife I would like to marry a preacher. If not, just let me marry a Christian.” God answered that prayer for me. Our local preacher, Jerry Humphries, preached in two gospel meetings that summer and invited a young man from Alabama Christian College (now Faulkner University) to preach in his absence. He brought his girlfriend with him so that took him out of the running. But when I learned they were coming back in a week or so, I asked if they didn’t have some fine young man they could bring down and let me meet. The girl thought for a minute, snapped her fingers and said, “Old Doug.” Old Doug and I have been married 53 years and have two children and two grandchildren. All our children are faithful members of the church. God is so good. I love Him so.