{"id":3192,"date":"2020-02-08T18:29:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-08T18:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/clone\/2020\/02\/08\/a-prodigal-returns-brings-three-friends-boston-church-of-christ\/"},"modified":"2023-06-02T07:08:21","modified_gmt":"2023-06-02T05:08:21","slug":"a-prodigal-returns-brings-three-friends-boston-church-of-christ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/a-prodigal-returns-brings-three-friends-boston-church-of-christ\/","title":{"rendered":"A Prodigal Returns, Brings Three Friends \u2013 Boston Church of Christ"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cYet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God \u2013 children not born of natural descent not of human decision, or of a husband\u2019s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made is dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth<\/i>.\u201d \u2013 John 1:12-14 <\/p>\n

On December 1, 2019, Franklin Emerson was restored to the Boston Church of Christ<\/a> after loosing his faith 21 years earlier. After leaving God, his wife and young son, he lived a prodigal life until God got his attention. In May of 2018, Franklin was jolted into repentance when God made it clear in a dream that his sinful life was unacceptable in his sight. He awoke with a clear understanding and deep conviction to change and return to his first love. Devoting himself to the Word of God, the Lord gave him opportunity after opportunity to share his faith with the people in his life. <\/p>\n

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Theresa So was a friend of Franklin. God was working in herlife as she had been invited to a church in Boston by a stranger. She hadreached out to Franklin regarding another matter and at that time he told herabout his recommitment to Jesus. Little did Franklin know that God had begun awork in Theresa’s heart. She asked Franklin for his help to understand the Bible andthe teachings of Jesus and if he would go with her to church. He consented tohelp her as she explored Christianity. When it came time to study the Bible,Franklin reached for the Acts Study Series which he had kept the whole timeduring his time away from the fellowship. On December 2, 2018,Theresa was baptized and added to God\u2019s Kingdom. <\/p>\n

Theresa\u2019s Mom is Haine Heng, or as we call her, Mami. Shehad seen what God was doing in her daughter\u2019s life. Theresa was activelysharing what it meant to follow the one true God with those closest to her,including her mom and family back in Cambodia, often challenging them to getrid of the Buddhist things in their homes. Mami began studying the Bible withFranklin and Theresa and came to her own conviction that she needed to bebaptized. She was baptized on May 5, 2019. <\/p>\n

Then came Jon Korth, a co-worker of Theresa at Marshall\u2019s.In response to the gospel message Theresa reached out to Jon and asked him ifhe went to church. Jon had been raised in a church-going family in Ohio but wandered away from his foundation of faith. He was beginningto lose hope and had been praying to God for help and understanding. Thissimple question opened the door for Jon to find Jesus. After studying theBible, he began to make changes and with his hope renewed he was baptized onJune 23, 2019. <\/p>\n

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This band of disciples met together for midweeks and church services after trying to find a home in a couple of local churches. Franklin was concerned that the group needed to experience a true fellowship. In July, he attended the wedding of his son Andrew, a faithful disciple. At the wedding, Franklin was able to reconnect with a number of disciples. Mike Lamb, an evangelist in the Boston church who had studied the Bible with Andrew, spoke with Franklin and learned about all the God had been doing. Mike encouraged him to come back to the fellowship and to bring his group. The group began attending the Boston church in August. Each of the disciples has embraced the fellowship. They are sharing their faith and are very active in the local Cambodian community. <\/p>\n

At his restoration, Franklin shared that his son\u2019s fasting for him for five years moved his heart deeply. Let\u2019s never forget to love, pray and fast for those who have wandered. God is always waiting, searching the horizon for his lost children. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On December 1, Franklin Emerson was restored to the Boston Church of Christ after loosing his faith 21 years earlier.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":3193,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[12],"tags":[54],"post_folder":[151],"class_list":["post-3192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-testimonials","tag-north-america"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/franklinemersonrestorationbostonchurchofchrist.jpeg?fit=1920%2C1517&ssl=1","author_info":{"display_name":"dtadmin","author_link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/author\/dtadmin\/"},"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/phsvEw-Pu","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":31405,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/ministers-wellness-webinar-the-prodigal-father-on-oct-15th\/","url_meta":{"origin":3192,"position":0},"title":"Minister’s Wellness Webinar: The Prodigal Father on Oct 15th","author":"Sunday Awolowo","date":"September 22, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Join our upcoming webinar entitled \"The Prodigal Father: Nurturing Emotional and Spiritual Connection with Our Children at Every Stage of Life in Ministry.\"","rel":"","context":"In "Families"","block_context":{"text":"Families","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/category\/families\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Parenting-in-Ministry-MWC-Webinar.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Parenting-in-Ministry-MWC-Webinar.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Parenting-in-Ministry-MWC-Webinar.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Parenting-in-Ministry-MWC-Webinar.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Parenting-in-Ministry-MWC-Webinar.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4601,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/boston-church-celebrates-2018-conversions\/","url_meta":{"origin":3192,"position":1},"title":"Boston Church Celebrates 2018 Conversions","author":"dtadmin","date":"March 7, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"In 2018, the Boston Church of Christ celebrated seeing 174 disciples baptized or restored to the faith. 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