The Peace Inn

I would like to take this opportunity to at least briefly describe to you a local and tiny ministry called The Peace Inn. It is a guest house that supports the local house of prayer and its related ministries. People who are coming from outside the local area to minister, teach, sing, pray, preach, or assist with such activities at the International House of Prayer - Siloam Springs are welcome to stay at The Peace Inn anytime, for any length of time at no cost.

The Lord gave my wife & I this house (that we live in) for a song about 5 1/2 years ago when it was still a neglected foreclosed and abandoned property. No one had lived in it for years and it was quite literally falling apart. It had once belonged to Gina's family but had been sold and then fell into disrepair.

We drove by "grandma's old house" for months feeling sorry for it before I finally read the notice on the window. A few weeks later I was on the steps of the local courthouse bidding on it with one other man. When I bid my final amount, that Gina & I had agreed upon in advance, the other bidder all of a sudden dropped out and we became its new owners.

We did as much to it as we could the 30 days before we moved in. It was awful. It was mostly a month of removing filth, layers of it, and dead critter parts and souvenirs. House parts that were thoroughly soiled were dragged to the curb. We slapped a fresh coat of cheap paint on everything just to give us a sanitary barrier.

I don't recall where we started after that but I know it wasn't too long before we needed to totally replace the entire bathroom. I took a week of vacation to get it mostly done. After that I started on the kitchen. Meanwhile we replaced most of the major fixed appliances. Then we found the termites. We paid (dearly) to have the house treated before too much damage was done. We replaced the roof, every door and every window in the house. We tore walls down and we built walls up. Most of the plumbing and electrical was replaced. We made room for a dishwasher, replaced the countertop and added more cabinets. We replaced much of the lighting, flooring and trim and slapped some color on the walls.

Many people helped us over the 5 year live-in project, some paid, some eternally rewarded, some both. As we were nearing the official completion of most of the work something started happening in our hearts. It was around this time that we became acquainted with the House of Prayer and its supporting church, Antioch. We quickly became aware that many folks from outside the area, especially from Kansas City, were visiting and needing a place to stay and rest. We live just 7 doors down from the House of Prayer and as our lives were already becoming intertwined with this ministry it just made (spiritual) sense to open up our home in support of it.

So Gina & I moved our personal things out of the two extra bedrooms, made the beds and hung our sign (so to speak). As soon as we communicated our desire to the House of Prayer & Antioch we started receiving visitors. It started with the Derek Loux team, then some missionaries from Israel, then 2 consecutive teams from the House of Prayer in Kansas City. Then we had an ice storm and housed a family with 4 kids for about a week. Now it's May 2009 and we will be near capacity 3 weekends out of the month all Kansas City folk.

The Lord has also given us the honor to host ministry/business meetings, social gatherings (usually with no notice), dinners for as many as 12 people, a cookout for about 30 people, and even a jam session at least once so far. We also enjoy the more intimate meals shared with friends whether we've known them 20 years or 20 minutes.

The Lord has surely blessed us and it is our joy to share what he has given us with others.

If you have plans to visit the ministry at the International House of Prayer - Siloam Springs (or its related ministries) and are needing a place to stay and rest please feel free to contact us. We will do what we can to accommodate you.

I'm sure you will be hearing more about The Peace Inn.

- Wade Baker

Free Prayer Booth Photo Found!

I actually found a picture of the Free Prayer booth. It's the little white tent behind the huge tree. It actually was a good location. Now you know I wasn't making this whole thing up.


- Wade Baker

Siloam's Storm Angel

Siloam Springs seems to be unusually spared from many weather events that could have a devastating effect on our community. I have some times wondered if there is an angel stationed on US 412 at the state line. A screen shot like the one below from just a few minutes ago might get others to wondering it too.

- Wade Baker

The Pool of Siloam (Springs) Has Water In It Today Still

We had Spring Singing at the historic Spring of Siloam again today like usual (usually unusual). It seems the weather has been pretty effective in discouraging folks from showing up. We pray for rain and then run and hide from it. The Marketplace Set was sharing about that this morning.

I have never seen the pool full so many days in such a short time. It's neat that it gives me an opportunity to share it with others. Today we had with us, visiting from IHOP-KC, published author Cherie Blair. It was a blessing to have her there today. Cherie is a full time intercessory missionary with strong connections to the Siloam community. She also serves on a team in KC that prays for Siloam each week.

It's our pleasure to have Cherie staying with us at The Peace Inn, our homegrown version of a local ministry guest house the Lord has blessed my wife & I with. It is open and available to visiting ministers & missionaries. We'll have missionaries staying with us 3 weekends in May alone. It is always a blessing to us.

- Wade Baker

Let It Rain

I've been joking around the House of Prayer that the song "Let It Rain" is off limits until further notice. It's been raining for about 10 days straight. These last 2 days we finally saw a welcome and much needed break. The community sounded like an angry swarm of bees as movers were running in harmony across the city.

I'm glad for our reasonably-priced mowing guy, Ron. Between being allergic to grass and not having the time it sure is nice. Plus I don't know too many people who actually like to mow. Ron was able to get it done just before our weekend guest arrived. It looks so nice.

But as I type this Sean Womack is singing about the rain again. Op! There he goes again, "let it rain." Like I mentioned in a previous post, when he sings that it usually does. Erik Leetch got soaked last Friday after Sean sang that. Although thanks to his rain gear Erik only got soaked on the outside. My wallet was wet for a week. There's a story there too. I'll try to share sometime.

- Wade Baker

The Pool Has Filled Twice More

I was driving back from the community National Day of Prayer service and saw the Pool of Siloam (Springs) was full of water again. The odd thing, even though we've had quite a bit of rain lately, it hasn't rained in 2 days. Usually the pool is empty within 24 hours of the last day of rain. I wonder if God kept it there as a sign for the community prayer time.

There is another time it was full since my last post. The pool filled last Friday, a week ago, while we were there for Spring Singing. It's the first Spring Singing that had water and it was filling while we were there. The representation there was also cross-congregational even though I hadn't thought about it until now. This was also only 5 days after the Free Prayer booth. Better for God to gives us a sign after the festival as rain would not have been a welcome event. The pool was full 3 days the weekend following the festival, Friday through Sunday. Those are the same days the prayer booth was in operation the weekend before, like a mirror.

These two occurances represent documented observations number 6 and 7 in the last 12 months, 3 times in the second part of 2008 and 4 times 2009 so far.

- Wade Baker

The 52 Churches Now Have Their Own Blog

I have broken this blog out once again, hopefully for the last time.

All information regarding the 52 churches of Siloam Springs has moved to the following new blog:

thechurchofsiloamsprings.blogspot.com

- Wade Baker

The East Gate of Siloam Springs

I visited Eastgate Free Will Baptist Church yesterday (what a great time) and it got me thinking about the name, east gate. When you break it out like that we believers almost can't help but think of the east gate of Jerusalem.

I tried yesterday to find some information in my bible about it but only a reference in Nehemiah. Not even a helpful map in my particular study bible. When I check my concordance I see 27 references. I had a vague sense that this is the gate "by which the Lord enters" but I wanted to see where I was getting that from, ever curious. Now I see there are several references in Ezekiel. I thought it was end-time prophecy related and checked Revelation. I forgot about his Old Testament cousin.

I also seemed to recall that this gate had been sealed off and a cemetery stood between it and the Mount of Olives. A quick search has turned up that this is accurate. I've heard that non-believers did that to prevent the Lord's return. It's even somehwhat convicting that there are those that understand this prophecy better than some believers.

I plan to do more study and report what I find. This promises to be a difficult post so I appreciate you bearing with me as I try to flesh this out. I just found it interesting that that was the name of the church and it is on the east side of town. I feel like the Lord is trying to speak to me about this and that's why I'm trying to seek it out.

I've continued to research and contemplate this and I keep encountering interesting discoveries. So we're working with the term "east gate". It is the gate that is mentioned in regards to the Lord's return. It also is a possibilty that it's the gate mentioned in Acts 3:2 where healing occurred. Or let's say this, the gate that's referenced in this passage was on the east side of town, near the temple, facing the Mount of Olives.

So the term "east gate" can be thought of in terms of the Lord's presence (or the entrance thereof) and healing. Why is all of this interesting? Well, because of the church I visited recently, Eastgate Free Will Baptist. Out of all the 52 churches that call Siloam Springs home, Eastgate is the easternmost. And guess what's on their sign? "Siloam - A Place of Healing - Eastgate Free Will Baptist Church".

I just find it very interesting how consistent it is with scripture even though those associations were necessarily considered when the sign was put up.

- Wade Baker

The Free Prayer Booth - The Testimony of Tiffany

A friend at church today reminded me I owed you all this story.

I don't recall if it was Saturday or Sunday I was sitting at the Free Prayer booth at last weekend's Dogwood Festival. It was while my friends Ron & Bonnie were there so you might have to ask them which day it was if that's important. It was a blur to me.

They are talking off to the side and I noticed this young lady walk by the booth and as soon as she did she quickly plopped down in one of the white plastic food court chairs. She didn't look like she was feeling too well. I wondered if the Lord wanted me to pray with her. I leaned over to my friends to excuse myself from the booth and they took it as an opportunity to lay hands on me and pray fervently for me. I was caught a bit off guard but their encouraging prayers seem to lend me an extra measure of the Lord's grace.

I stepped away from the small prayer circle and made the short distance to the seated young woman. I think I said something like, "Ma'am are you feeling all right?" I think some of my first aid training was doing some of the talking. She told me she was pregnant and was feeling faint and dizzy and thought she'd better sit down. It looked like she didn't have a lot of color in her face. I told her I was from the nearby booth and we were praying for people and asked if she would mind if I prayed for her. She readily agreed and told me her name was Tiffany.

From there I think I went straight into prayer. I thanked the Lord for the life that she carried inside her and then went for the two main points that seemed to be burning on my heart. I asked the Lord to impart to Tiffany in that moment divine "strength and endurance" and I closed in Jesus' name.

I'm going to have to slow this part of the playback down a bit because everything seemed to happen so quickly and all at once. I think I said something like, "I hope you get to feeling better soon." and I think she gave me a sincere "Thank you." I turned and walked the few steps to the booth and sat back down. As soon as I did and looked over to where Tiffany was sitting all I saw was an empty chair. As my eyes scanned the crowded scene I could just make out Tiffany as she was walking briskly away and in an instant was out of sight.

Thoughts shot off in my head like rapid fire. How had Tiffany gotten up so quickly? How is it that she seemed to cover 2 to 3 times the distance I did in the same amount of time? Where did she go?

I was amazed and then also sweetly convicted. I heard a question in my heart, "What did you expect?" Not that. "Why not? Isn't that what you prayed for?" Well... yeah, but... "But what?" I was just left shaking my head, for so many reasons.

And then I recalled the days of Jesus' first disciples. "Get up and walk." I didn't even think to ask Tiffany if she was feeling better. I think I could have said, "Get up and walk" and would have been biblically justified in doing so even though our culture has done to good of a job to strangle that kind of faith.

I didn't feel condemnation but just the loving hand of the training Father. If I had to do it again I would like to think I would do it differently. The good thing is I most likely will have another opportunity, though next time her name might not be Tiffany.

Maybe there were two miracles that day. Tiffany seemed to receive a divine physical touch in an instant and a young man seemed to receive a new measure of faith in the very next instant.

- Wade Baker

Free Prayer - Found!

After days and days of listening to Bill Johnson sermons (for at least the 3rd time) I have finally found the recorded testimony I've been looking for. This is the story that inspired the idea for the Free Prayer booth at last weekend's Dogwood Festival. I won't post it word for word but here's a fair an accurate representation.

Bill Johnson's younger (little) brother heads up a ministry on the streets of San Francisco. He's 6'6" and describes himself as "280 pounds of love". He takes these little old grandma's into the bars of San Francisco and puts them at a table where they put up a sign that reads, "Free Prayer". Bill's brother orders a 7-Up and sits at the bar watching the ladies to make sure they are OK. Pretty soon people start coming to the table, kneeling asking for prayer and before they know it there's a vibrant ministry time going on.

I share this with you for a couple of reasons. One is that the general concept of the Free Prayer table was not my original idea. I am grateful for the encouragement I continue to receive but I don't want to take credit for something that wasn't completely mine. In fact, I've since learned that the prayer booth concept has been very successful at many festivals across the nation for years. This is also encouraging to me as we are seriously planning on doing it even bigger and better next year (51 weeks to go).

The other reason I share that story with you is I have tried to do so verbally with a number of people and I've probably botched it up like a old tired joke and so I wanted to set the record straight and for you to be able to hear it as accurately as possible. I think there is a lot to learn from this testimony and so I want to present it as accurately as possible.

I know that I am encouraged anew just having heard it again. I hope it also inspires you to new ideas and levels of boldness and courage. He speaks to you in that still quiet voice. Move forward with the ideas, even if they aren't your "cup of tea" as a friend put it. I trust you will be as richly blessed as I have been.

- Wade Baker

The Pool Is Full

This is a "reprint" of a previous entry by the same name. In breaking this blog out into 2 (one Siloam, the other more personal) I seem to have lost a few entries. This is and important one so I thought I'd at least mention it again.

What I refer to as the physical Pool of Siloam Springs is full right now. This is only the 6th time I have seen this in the last 2 years. It is somewhat of a rare sight. In fact, the photo at the title of this blog is one of only a couple like it and the only I know of that's ever been published, electronically or otherwise. So if you want to see what all the hub-bub is about, this afternoon, after the rain tapers off a bit, would be a great opportunity to come check it out. It will most likely go back down tonight and be gone by Monday morning.

It has a lot of sticks and leaves in it right now but I'm planning on coordinating some volunteer work with the city and getting it cleaned out.

- Wade Baker

The Pool of Siloam Springs' Author Creates Personal Blog

I started getting on some rabbit trails so I started a personal blog and have tried to move anything not having to do specifically with Siloam Springs and/or what God is doing here to that new location. This new opportunity allows the reader to continue learning about the author without clogging this more important narration with personal entries.

So, here comes the link.

http://wadeandgina.blogspot.com/

- Wade Baker

The Pool of Siloam Springs' Title Image

First, I want to thank my friend, Jamey Clayberg, for working on the title image at the top of this blog.

This is a photo my wife, Gina, took sometime last year of the historic Spring of Siloam in the main downtown park of Siloam Springs. I was so excited to see it so full of water I "couldn't help myself" but to enter into it even though I was still wearing my Sunday's best.

The Lord had been speaking to me recently about the spring being filled. I didn't even know it was possible until Gina & I went down there that one Sunday afternoon.

Thank you again, Jamey!

- Wade Baker

Blog Links (Blinks)

I think I've done a better job of making links to other blogs more readily available. You should be able to see them over to the right side of this page now. ------------------->

Also, this would be good for me to introduce a new word to you: blinks. It's the combination of the words blog and links. That's right, you heard it here first, documented for all mankind. I especially like how blog is already a hybrid. So I've made a hybrid of a hybrid. I'm sure that genetic monster will come back to haunt us someday.

- Wade Baker

The Marketplace Set

There is a small group of believers that gather each Friday morning 6-7AM at the IHOP-SS to pray about things in the marketplace. We pray for things like some of the local companies, their leaders, more businesses sowing into Kingdom things, for justice in things related to commerce like against human trafficking. Last week we prayed for the Prayer Booth at the Dogwood Festival because it's a good example of bonding ministry and the market together. We also pray for things like marketplace evangelism. This could even mean praying for someone at the local store.

Sean Womack leads worship on guitar and vocals, Bill Tucker plays bass and Joel Karum usually leads prayer. It's what's called an Intercession Set so the microphone is also open to those not on the actual team. We often have local business owners come and pray with us. Sean does a great job leading worship and his words are usually quite prayerful and quietly powerful. Let's just say when Sean sings "Let It Rain" you better hope you have an umbrella. You think I'm kidding? I'm glad I wore my waterproof boots today.

It's easy to think about business and ministry as separate. This 1-hour set is a great reminder that God is and wants to be in everything. God understands economy & commerce better than any man. He is Jehovah Jireh, our provider. When faced with the option of man's economy and God's economy wouldn't God's always be the wiser choice?

Maybe we'll see you here sometime soon.

- Wade Baker