Both Paul Brown Sr., and Jr., are traveling via a moving van from Oklahoma to California as I write this. Sister Jacquelyn attended services Wednesday evening after flying in to Sacramento with her sons, Ben and David. Brother Paul Brown Jr., has accepted employment here in the Sacramento area after much time in prayer. He along with his wife and two sons will be a blessing to our church as they join themselves to us and begin a new chapter in their lives and service to the Lord. Both Jacquelyn and Paul were active members of Sherwood Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. Paul was the associate pastor to his father as well as filling a number of duties including teaching their young people. Paul has accepted the position of associate to serve with me, Pastor William Brown, and we look forward to having him serve with us as long as God allows.

Paul is leaving a great deal of family and they will certainly miss him, Jacquelyn, Little Ben and Paul David. I well remember when I left my family and took my parents three grandchildren 2,000 miles away to serve the Lord in Little Rock. Phone conversations and much prayer ease a little of the pain of missing our dear ones. But nothing replaces those hugs and kisses except those hugs and kisses.

Honoring Andy Stevens
April 3, 2008 W. L. Brown

On November 17th, 2005 I received a phone call that a former member of Carmichael Baptist Church, Andy Stevens, a California Highway Patrolman was killed while making a routine traffic stop. Members of his family are still faithful members of Carmichael Baptist Church. Andy was a young boy while here and many of us watched him grow up to be a kind, warm, and enthusiastic man. Andy was a teen here, attending our Christian Academy, and had a manner about him that was always respectful and caring. Andy knew Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and his faith was evident. Andy was 37 when his life was taken.

I'm writing this because today (April 3, 2008) at a little after 2 pm, it was announced on the Radio, that the jury had reached a verdict of guilty in the trial of the man who shot and killed Andy near Woodland, CA, on County Road 96. His family have been observers of the trial every day. The pain and agony of losing Andy, their brother, son, husband, and uncle was tough enough in 2005. To extend that through today has been a challenge beyond the necessary. Rather than focus on the trial and the two criminals who took Andy's life I'd rather honor Andy by remembering his life, his love and his legacy.

Andy's funeral drew thousands to honor him. Governor Schwarzenegger and other state dignitaries were present at his funeral along with law enforcement officers nationwide and even some from other countries. I had a part in the services and was able to share with everyone present the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the gospel that Andy Stevens believed and had prepared him for entering into eternity. We miss Andy, but we know that in our grief, we do not grieve as others who have no hope. We take great comfort knowing there is a day coming when we too will put off this robe of flesh and be reunited with Andy in the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. While God's justice is sure, we are glad that man's justice in this case has been truly just. Please continue to pray for the family and friends of Andy Stevens who have had to endure new wounds and the opening of old wounds during this trial. The penalty phase will begin soon.

A Personal Update from the Hottman Family March 14, 2008, Lynn Elkins (Dan's Sister) 9:49 pm

Dear Friends and Family, all loved ones, For some of you, this will be the 1st communication about the death of my brother, Dan, in an automobile accident March 1st and injuries that his wife and children sustained.  So, please forgive the details for those who were already notified.  I tried sending a mass email update, but my internet provider blocked it wrongly classifying it as spam.  I've done headings so you can skip to what you want to know.  I wanted to get this all down since I haven't had much time to communicate with y'all. 

What Happened:

Dan was driving home Friday, February 29th from a Christian Counseling seminar with his wife, Christie, and their three children, Winston, 21, Hannah, 19, and Erica, 12.  The details that are public can be read in the Conroe Courier.

 Injuries Sustained:

Erica experienced a broken left thumb, some minor burns, cuts from broken glass, and severe lacerations from the seat belt.  Erica had been in a great deal of pain, but was released Tuesday, March 4th.  My mom, sister, and I had a hotel suite close to the hospital and she stayed with us until her brother and sister were released.

 Winston and Hannah had internal damage to their colons from the seat belts and the force of the impact.  Each has had surgery to remove the damaged portion of their colons.  Hannah also has a broken right clavicle.  We've joked that she now has a matched set since the other one was broken when she was born.  They are doing amazingly well and were moved from Surgical Intensive Care within a few days.  Winston was released Sunday, March 9th.

Hannah was released Tuesday, March 11th, after celebrating her 20th birthday on Saturday, March 8th in the hospital.  She is still being monitored and on coumadin for 6 months.  Her aortic artery was crushed from the impact and they need to prevent blood clots so she doesn't have a stroke or rupture anything.

Christie was in the surgical ICU until Sunday, March 9th.  She has broken ribs, a broken right arm, a broken ankle, a broken hip/pelvis bone and a blown-out knee which was in traction.  In addition, she has some 2nd degree burns on her back and side of her face from the fire.  She has more minor contusions and asphalt imbedded into her skin, as well.  The 1st week, a lung collapsed and she required a blood transfusion.  The hip surgery was successful.  The doctor who performed the surgery said that it was his specialty.  He compared it to putting a jigsaw puzzle together and said it was the worst case he had ever seen.  The force of the impact caused the leg bone to break the hip socket into many pieces.  He put it together with 4 plates and 17 screws.  She will not be able to put weight on it for 8 weeks.

She still needs surgery on her ankle to clear bone fragments next Tuesday and will hopefully be released on Wednesday.  She is in a great deal of pain, but has fought for her life the entire way for the sake of her children.

 How Are They Doing?

With that said, they are all hopeful, optimistic, determined, and positive. 

Hannah, upon seeing my sister, affirmed that God is good.  Winston asked me to read Romans 8 and some Psalms to him.  Christie was concerned that she could do nothing for OUR grief over losing Dan and sorrowful about Denis and Alexander losing their Uncle Dan so shortly after growing to love and enjoy him. Erica is, well, bubbly smiley Erica-a joy to all who know her.  They all firmly believe that God is loving and that Dan is in a far better place, in the presence of his Lord and Savior.  There is a distinct lack of bitterness for the driver of the other car and earnest gratitude for all the care they are receiving and have received.  Senses of humor are still intact, although a bit rusty and understated.  I am so proud of all of them in glorifying God in the most tragic of circumstances.

 Now that the 3 kids are out of the hospital, their cousin, Heather, flew in from California to care for them once my mom and I returned to California.

She will stay as long as they need her.  They are staying in a 2 bedroom/2 bath extended stay hotel in downtown Houston until their mom is released from the hospital.  We wanted to avoid long commutes and traffic snarls so they could be close and easily visit their mother.  In the meanwhile, part of the roof in the manufactured home in which they live threatened collapse due to water damage.  The Memorial Baptist Temple church family is taking care of that before they return home.  They have a tremendous support system between family, friends, and church members.

 When/Where Is The Funeral?

Christie has asked that no memorial service take place until the whole family can attend together.  Christie's sister works for a mortuary and they brought Dan's body to the hospital chapel on Monday so Christi and the kids could see him before cremation.  I went in to the viewing Monday night feeling sad and empty and came out feeling rich and full.  Christi's sister, Mori, did an amazing job in preparing tables that reflected important areas of Dan's life.  She even, unaware of the significance, included the Louisville Slugger bat with our Uncle Ken's name engraved from the year he played for the Chicago White Sox.  We pored through the photo albums and the slide show was amazing.  I was struck and in awe of how Dan and I influenced each other's lives not only as brother and sister, but as friends and spiritually, as well.  The photo albums that contained photos I had forgotten about clearly told a story of grace being ministered in and through each of us to the other.  There is discussion of two memorial services when everyone recovers; one in Houston and one in Sacramento.  Both would be weeks from now and depend greatly on Christie's recovery.

 What About Dan?

What greater thing could I say about my brother than that he lived and died serving our Lord?  In spite of being trapped in a burning vehicle, he stayed calm and instructive to his children.  Firefighters extracted Dan and called for a LifeFlight.  When it arrived, Dan had crashed and paramedics were working on reviving him.  So they decided instead to use the LifeFlight for Christie who had started to crash.  I know Dan would have wanted them to save Christie rather than himself.  While they continued to work on Dan in the ambulance, they couldn't save him.  Dan died a godly man; fully loving as Christ himself loved and giving his own life for the lives of his wife and children.  While greatly sickened about the thought of having to see my brother's body, I was equally relieved when I did see him.  For all who know Dan, you know mischief is afoot when his lips start to curl and his eyes start to crinkle.  That is exactly how he looked.  He looked as if he was just getting ready to laugh and joke.

 Thank you all for your love and prayers.  Doug and the boys have been well-cared for in my absence by our Christ Church family.  Your prayers are highly desired and appreciated by my family, not so much that we believe in the "power of prayer", but in the power of God to whom we pray, who delights in drawing us near to Him.  I know that my brother would be honored if even one person came to know Christ through his death, particularly since he invested his life in preaching the Word of God to that end.

 With love for you all,

 Lynn Elkins

Alisal Baptist Church Conference - March 19, 20 and 21, 2008 W. L. Brown

I will be attending the Bible Conference hosted by Pastor Dewayne Harris and the Alisal Baptist Church in Salinas, California which begins Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm and continues on through Friday night and the concluding message. It will be three days of great preaching, singing, and fellowship with the saints of God who hold to the old historic Baptist faith without question. If you have any questions see their link (click on their church name above) and make contact with them.

Praise God for the mighty recovery of Bob Silvey
March 1, 2008 W. L. Brown

Sunday afternoon I had the opportunity to personally visit with Brother Bob Silvey at the services of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. This is exactly 2 months after his accident and damage to his back. God's mercy and grace was overwhelming and obvious in Bob's recovery. I told him I wanted to give him a big hug but didn't want to hurt him. He just replied "hug away!" It is just a blessing to see and hear how God has allowed his body to recuperate the way it has. Praise the Lord for his wonderful grace.

Local area - 5th Saturday Meeting Dec. 29, 2007

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church is hosting our 5th Saturday meeting on the 29th of December. The services begin at 10 am. Preachers from churches of like faith and order gather together as they have since 1976 to preach the old articles of faith. Pastor Chris Silvey, is the host pastor and selects the preachers from those who are in attendance. Join us as we dig into the word of God and the theology of our historic fathers of the faith. For 2008 the meetings will be held on:

March 29th, 2008
May 31st, 2008
August 30th, 2008
November 29th, 2008

These are the dates unless FMBC issues a change of schedule due to unforeseen conflicts.

*(We finally heard the story from Dr. Royce Smith about how and when these meetings began in November of 1976. They were originally hosted by Dr. R. L. Crawford and the Landmark Missionary Baptist Church of Hayward. We continue the same pattern begun long ago and it has truly been a blessing from the Lord.)

Ladies Bible Study - Join us on Tuesdays

Every other Tuesday the Ladies of CBC join together in the educational building and study the Word of God. They are presently using "Hand Me Another Brick" to facilitate their studies under the leadership of Mrs. Pam Lively. They meet at 7 pm, call and find out the next Tuesday.

Thanksgiving Services - A Celebration of Thanks To Our God Nov. 22, 7 pm

In keeping with the history of Thanksgiving in our Country we are celebrating the blessings of the Lord for our previous year. We had a good house full and a wonderful two hour service filled with rich and encouraging testimonies from young and old a like. We even had a family from out of town join us and share with us their own thankfulness. Despite the challenges of all sorts, hearts were full of thanks to the Lord for His provision, love, grace, mercy and testing. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.

Elliott Baptist Church Revival August 5-8, 2007

I will be preaching for the Elliott Baptist Church  and Pastor Cecil Fayard in Elliott, Mississippi starting Sunday August 5th through Wednesday the 8th. 

(Elliot Baptist Church Services)

What a blessing this church is and has been in not only their own area but through out the world. They are an active vibrant compassionate church preaching the gospel and ministering when and where God leads them. Check out their web page from our links page.

CBC Fall Bible Conference
October 3-5, 2007

The church here has voted to again hold a Bible Conference in October of 2007. The format will be the same as in 2006. We will begin on Wednesday evening at 7 pm and then continue all day Thursday and Friday. Last year we had 21 preachers in attendance and had the privilege of hearing nearly all of them. We would love to have you in attendance. If you are a God called minister of "like faith and order" please let us know you are coming and allow us to help make plans for your arrival. We encourage anyone in the area to attend. The church will be providing the meals on both Thursday and Friday. The preachers will be providing the spiritual food.

Ordination of Paul Arthur Little March 17, 2007

Cool Baptist Church has sent out an invitation to churches of like faith and order to assist them in the ordination of Brother Paul A. Little. The church at Cool has called Brother Little and he has accepted the position of interim pastor. The ordination services will be held at the Grange Hall in Cool, on March 17th, 2007, beginning at 9:30 am. Please contact them for any further information.

Update - the Cool Baptist Church did in fact ordain Brother Paul Little to the Gospel Ministry after the presbytery questioned the candidate and found him to be sound in the faith and voted to recommend to the church at Cool that he be ordained. A complete DVD and CD of the ordination services are available from the Cool Baptist Church, located in Cool, California.

Alisal Baptist Church, Bible Conference April 3-5, 2007

The Alisal Baptist Church in Salinas, California has invited us to attend their annual spring Bible conference. Each year this conference proves to be a wonderful time in the Lord around his word with several churches attending. Brother Dewayne Harris is the pastor. You can see their web site on our links page for more information.

(Alisal Conference Crowd 2007)

Update - What a blessed event this was. For tapes or CD's you can contact Alisal Baptist Church.

2006 CBC Bible Conference
October 18-20, 2006

The 2006 CBC Bible Conference was a wonderful blessing. Our parking lot was filled to over flowing. The Auditorium was full and extra chairs had to be brought in to accommodate all those in attendance.  The messages were rich, the fellowship was sweet, the singing was awesome, and the glory was the Lord's. We had a total of 22 preachers in attendance. If you missed any of the conference all of the messages are available on CD or MP3 formats for a small fee.  Some of the pictures are now be posted on our Conference Pictures page.

 Tentative dates for our Bible Conference in 2007 are set for October 3rd, 4th, and 5th.

Conference Speakers:
Pastor John Vondoloski, White City, OR
Pastor George Kelley, Ontario, CA
Brother Jason Williams, Salinas, CA
Pastor Gene Plaskett, Greenfield, CA
Pastor Larry Killion, Tacoma, WA
Pastor Don Akins, Moreno Valley, CA
Missionary Sean Kallner, Salinas, CA
Pastor T. P. Crawford, Hayward, CA
Pastor Dewayne Harris, Salinas, CA
Brother Joey Jaco, Sacramento, CA
Pastor Mike Prater, Roseville, CA
Elder Arthur Mellon, Hayward, CA
Brother Rod Fox, Roseville, CA
Pastor Chris Silvey, Sacramento, CA
Pastor Bill Downing, Morgan Hill, CA
Pastor Cecil Fayard, Elliot, MS

2004 Ministerial Seminar

This seminar was held at our facilities and covered four areas with four different speakers. "The Call, Desire and Need of the Preacher" - Pastor T. P. Crawford; "Ministerial Ethics" - Pastor Rick Perdue; "Homiletics" - Pastor Dwayne Harris; "Hermeneutics" Pastor Bill Brown. A copy of each lecture is available in cassette, CD and DVD format.

Patch The Pirate

              Patch the Pirate meets every Wednesday evening. We have two very fine young people working with those ranging from 1st grade to the 6th grade. Both Jacob Mickelson and Trevor Mickelson are excellent teachers as well as being wonderful spiritual examples. They meet from September through June and everyone is welcome.

5th Saturday Meeting @ Carmichael Baptist Church on May 31st, 2008
May 8th, W. L. Brown

Since 1976 the churches of like faith and order in Northern California have been meeting together every 5th Saturday to preach through the old articles of faith we each adopted during our organizational services. On May 31st, beginning at 10:00 am. we (CBC) will be sponsoring the meeting to hear pastors and preachers preach from the New Hampshire Confession, the Philadelphia Confession, or the London Confessions that have saved our churches from irreparable harm. The churches that have stood firm in the faith once delivered unto the saints continue as we have, faithfully defending ourselves against the modernism and modifications that we have seen some bewitched by.

Join us, stay for lunch and the preaching that follows. We should conclude services by 2:30 pm.

Hottman Memorial Service
April 19, 2008, W. L. Brown

What a blessing to see the church house full of friends, family and supporters of the Hottman family. A slide presentation was shown of Dan and his family that was uplifting, encouraging, and touching. Jay Ross opened in prayer after Amazing Grace was played by Brenda Jackson. Doug Elkins and his sons Alexander and Denis read the opening passages of Scripture that truly spoke to the heart. One of Dan's favorite songs "In The garden" was Sung by Bill Brown and then Ken Hottman, Dan's Uncle, read his obituary and moved us to tears. Jay and Justin Ross read the Remembrances written by many family and friends, including touching words by Christi, Winston, Hannah, and Erica. We all cried and laughed through each one. La Vaonna Mickelson then sang another of Dan's favorite hymns, "Be Thou My Vision." The sermon was preached by Pastor Bill Brown and J. T. Ross closed us in prayer before we filed into the fellowship hall for hugs, farewells, and memories galore. Farewell Brother, we will see you again when we too are called home!

Dan Hottman, with the Lord March 1, 2008, W. L. Brown

Brother Dan Hottman, Associate Pastor of Memorial Baptist Temple, Montgomery, TX died as a result of injuries sustained in a head-on collision Friday evening (Feb. 29th) as he and his family were returning home from a Christian Seminar near his home. His wife Christi was taken to Downtown Memorial Hospital in Houston by life-flight and sustained serious injuries and was placed into the critical care unit. Their three children, Winston, Hannah, and Erica were with them. Winston and Hannah also sustained serious injuries and have undergone surgery.

(Hottman family & young boy)

(As of Thursday, March 6th, Erica has been released from the hospital and staying with Dan's sisters and mom near the hospital. Christi is improving after a collapsed lung, many broken ribs, and hip, ankle, pelvis, and arm injuries. She is expected to be in the hospital a total of 6 weeks. Winston and Hannah are improving and now up and walking and hoping to be released soon. There are no present arrangements for Dan at this time.

As of March 07, Friday Christi is moving up to the floor with Winston and Hannah and out of intensive care. She is scheduled to have surgery on Tuesday, March 11. Pray for continued healing.

As of April 3, 2008 Well praise the Lord that Christie has been released from the hospital. She cannot put any weight on her right leg but she is home and able to get around by wheel chair or a walker. The family is still grieving and we encourage everyone who reads this to continue to lift them up in prayer for physical recovery and spiritual healing.)

Brother Dan Hottman was a member (1985-1996) and a missionary sent out by Carmichael Baptist Church to Brazil. He was ordained by Carmichael Baptist Church in May of 1986 and soon after left for Brazil. He returned from the field after feeling the Lord leading him to work with his father-in-law, Brother Winston Wheeler, and the church of which he was pastor, Memorial Baptist Temple in 1996. Please remember Christi, Winston, Hannah, and Erica as they recover and as they deal with the loss of husband and father. Remember the Hottman family here in California, the Wheeler Family in Texas and elsewhere. Also remember the church in which he ministered. Pray for God's grace, comfort and healing. Brother Dan Hottman was my friend, we went to school together and worked together in the Lord's service. He will be greatly missed. Dan was only 46 years old. He is with the Lord he loved and served.

(I think this was taken in 1993)

(While young missionaries in Brazil, Winston, Christi, Dan, and Hannah)

New Study On Wednesday Evenings
Jan. 2nd, 2008

On Wednesday evenings we are starting a new series. The Epistle to the Galatians will be the focus of our study. We will be using at least ten methods of Bible study over the course of the next twelve weeks. As an aid to our studies we have posted the entire book of Galatians (Audio version) on our lessons page. In one of the columns you will also find the PowerPoint presentations given on Wednesday's with the lectures.

The Dead Sea Scrolls & San Diego
Dec. 6-8, 2007, W. L. Brown

(San Diego Natural History Museum)

I have to admit to having a very sweet wife. As a special gift for my birthday she booked us on a flight on Thursday, December 6th, for San Diego, and bought tickets for Friday to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the Museum of Natural History at Balboa Park.

(The Psalm Scroll)

The scrolls will be leaving and returning to Israel by January 6th, 2008, and may not be displayed here again for decades. it was a rich and rewarding experience. I only regret we could not take any photos for the sake of the preservation of these 2200 year old parchments. Twenty-four different parchment scrolls and the copper scroll were on display. Ten of which have never been seen outside of Israel were on display. It was just a wonderful testimony to the promise of God's preservation of His pure Word. Even these scientists were amazed at the fact that over 2,000 years had passed and yet the Word remained changeless. Praise the Lord and a big huge thank you, to my dear wife for taking me.

(The Leviticus Scroll)

Carmichael Baptist Church
2007 Bible Conference - Preachers

(From Left to right)
Brother Jason Williams - Alisal Baptist Church, Salinas, CA
Pastor T. P. Crawford - Landmark Missionary Baptist Church, Hayward, CA
Pastor Michael Carling - Free Grace Baptist Church, Yuba City, CA
Brother Joey Jaco - Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Sacramento, CA
Pastor James McDowell - Heritage Baptist Church, Elk Grove, CA
Elder Arthur Mellon - Clover Road Baptist Church, Tracy, CA
Pastor Chris Silvey - Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Sacramento, CA
Pastor Royce Smith - Bethel Baptist Church, Choctaw, OK
Pastor William L. Brown, Carmichael Baptist Church, Carmichael, CA
Pastor Dewayne Harris - Salisal Baptist Church, Salinas, CA
Brother John Bunyun Crawford, Grants Pass, OR
Elder Wayne Camp - Central Baptist Church, Grenada, MS
Pastor Dennis Riddick, Twinbrook Hills Baptist Church, Hamilton, OH
Pastor Paul Little, Cool Baptist Church, Cool, CA
Pastor Gene Plaskett, Greenfield Baptist Church, Greenfield, CA
Pastor Frank McClanahan - Meadow Thorpe Baptist Church, Lexington, KY
Pastor Dean Robinson - Bethel Baptist Church, Lawton, OK
Pastor Lane Lawless, Clover Road Baptist Church, Tracy, CA
Pastor J. C. Settlemoir - New Testament Baptist Church, Brownsburg, IN
Pastor Bill Downing - Sovereign Grace Baptist Church, Morgan Hill, CA
Pastor Larry Banks - Fellowship Baptist Church, Winslow, AR
Pastor John Vondoloski - Liberty Baptist Church, Medford, OR
Pastor Don Akins, Moreno Valley Baptist Church, Moreno Valley, CA

Sherwood Baptist Church Conference July 1-4, 2007, W. L. Brown

After a short family vacation I flew into Oklahoma City from the Sacramento Airport and was picked up by Brother Paul Brown Jr.. The conference, content, fellowship, and food were wonderful. Pastor Paul Brown is a wonderful host and organized a conference theme that was a true blessing. I regret that I did not take my digital camera so I will only add pictures if if receive some from others. They had the entire conference on live streaming so it could be watched live. If you connect to their website they will post each of the messages in about a week. You can connect to their web page from our links page.

(Sherwood Baptist Church Building)

Trip To Mississippi and Tennessee April 14-18, 2007, W. L. Brown

April 14th I departed the Sacramento Airport with Pastor T. P. Crawford of the Landmark Missionary Baptist Church of Hayward. We returned late Wednesday April 18th and had a wonderful trip invading the Land of Dixie. We attended the Bible conference at the Elliott Baptist Church in Elliott, Mississippi, where the pastor is Cecil Fayard.

(Brown, Fayard, Crawford)

Brother Fayard is a precious brother and long time friend, who has blessed my life since we met. We had the privilege of meeting some fine Pastors of the South who preached the same truths we hold to and love. I believe there may have been around 35 preachers in attendance. The church at Elliott blessed us with their great Southern hospitality and fellowship.

 We also were able to stop off at the resting place of the body of James Robinson Graves. Brother Crawford dug out his "Old Landmarkism, What is it?" book and we had prayer and gave thanks for our heritage of faith. We stood and enjoyed some great fellowship and recalled the ministries of Dr. Graves

(T.P., J.R., & W.L.)

(J. R. Graves Tombstone)

It makes you wonder how many other sound Baptist have stood and pondered the grace of God and how it was expressed through Dr. Graves as we did. The two of us renewed our commitment to stand with them for those same old Landmarks. Both of us couldn't help but be moved by the experience and the link we enjoy to this old fallen soldier of the faith who will rise again.