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Duggar, whose large family is the focus of the hit TLC network show
19 Kids and Counting, recently paid a surprise visit to Park Meadows
Baptist Church.
Duggar is a good friend of Pastor S.M. Davis, who has guided the
flock at Park Meadows for more than 35 years. “We got to know
them years ago when I was conducting a meeting in Arkansas,” said
Davis. “They drove a couple of hours to hear me preach. We went to
their home and spent the afternoon with them.”
Davis, whose ministry to families has gained national attention, was
conducting a Family Conference in North Carolina when Duggar and 12
of his brood dropped in for a Sunday morning service.
For years Duggar has benefitted from Davis’ media ministry, relying
on his recorded messages to help rear his own children and give
advice to others seeking direction in the difficult task of
parenting.
“I get asked a lot of questions about childrearing and many people
seek my counsel about their family,” said Duggar. “I often point
them to Pastor Davis’ website, Solve Family Problems.”
Duggar has had a trying few weeks. Two of his children recently left
for a mission trip to Indonesia while eight of them have had chicken
pox. In the midst of this, his wife’s father passed away after a
lengthy illness.
All of this on top of the fact that the latest addition to their
family is still under doctor’s care in Little Rock. Michelle had
pre-eclampsia and delivered her latest blessing three months
prematurely. The little girl they named Josie weighed less than two
pounds at birth and has been under constant medical supervision
since her arrival seven months ago.
Duggar, whose Christian faith is the centerpiece of his life, takes
it all in stride. Whether trying to keep up with his miniature army
of children or standing at the front of a church while a line of
people unaware that he had driven through the night wait to speak
with him, there is a calmness about him.
This inner peace he exudes stems from his relationship with God.
“When I was approached about doing the show, I agreed to do it on
one condition,” recalls Duggar. “I told them we would do it if we
didn’t have to hide our Christian faith.” The network made a wise
decision to allow the Duggars to express their faith, and TLC has
been rewarded with a hit television show.
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“Our show is broadcast three times a day,” said Duggar. “They tell
me that over 1.4 million people view it daily.” Michelle flew to
Ohio to help with her father’s funeral arrangements while Duggar
loaded up the majority of the children in their bus and began the
long trek from their home in Arkansas to Ohio to be with his wife.
He had long desired to visit Park Meadows and decided to take a
two-hour detour to attend services there. The unexpected visit
delighted the congregation, many of whom watch the show and were
excited to meet the Duggars in person.
The Duggar children were swarmed by the large youth group at Park
Meadows, and an impromptu lunch was prepared for this famous family.
“They’re just real people,” said Davis in a phone interview as he
traveled back to Lincoln. “The reason they are so popular is because
they are so down-to-earth. They love their kids and their kids love
them. Jim Bob and Michelle love each other.”
“It’s like a breath of fresh air for our country to see a family
like this.”
[text from file received from Park Meadows Baptist Church]
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