Meet the Coats Family

"For the grace of God that brINgeth saLvAtioN hath appeareD to all men," (Titus 2:11)

"Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?" (2 Samuel 7:18).

"For by grace are ye saved through faith"

By the grace of God I was saved through faith in early 1968 in La Junta, Colorado, where my career-military father was stationed. Since 1968 God has sustained and kept me by His grace, and He will one day "bring me home" by His grace.

"Honour thy father and thy mother"

By God’s grace, I have two saved parents and two saved brothers. Some of my earliest memories are of my mother reading Bible stories to my brothers and me while Dad was temporarily stationed in Greenland—and of her asking us questions to make sure that we were listening! I can also remember reading aloud from the family Bible while sitting on my father’s lap—which is where I learned that the "p" in "psalm" is silent.

"Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing"

Since October 28, 1979, I have been married to the former Victoria Vaughan, the saved daughter of two saved parents.

"Behold, I and the children which God hath given me"

In our 26+ years of married life, God has blessed us with seven children, the oldest six of whom are saved.

The Coats Family

parents: Daryl and Victoria

children: Angelique (1/4/1983); Christopher (10/5/1986); Melody (11/9/1987); Patience (11/12/1992); Daniel (7/15/1994); Michael (9/11/1986); and Mary (10/7/2000)

My wife and my children are essential parts of my ministry, and I’m thankful for family members who have willingly helped with public ministry, nursing-home ministry, prison ministry, the Soldiers in Training ministry, and other service opportunities that the Lord has provided here in the U.S. We look forward to serving God as He directs in Finland.

"... much study is a weariness of the flesh"

Most of my life has been spent in an academic setting. As a student, I received twelve years of "primary" and "secondary" education in Mississippi, Georgia, Colorado, and Turkey, as well as two earned degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi (B.A., summa cum laude, and M.A.), a year’s worth of "graduate studies" at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, Kentucky), and a Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi. As an educator I have 6 years of experience as a college instructor, 13 years of experience as a college professor, and almost 4½ years of experience as an instructor for the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Although thankful for the learning opportunities that God provided me, I put no more stock in my education and "academic achievements" than Paul put in his pre-salvation accomplishments, and I acknowledge freely that only God’s grace has allowed me to "achieve" what I have.

"Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"

I’ve known since the late 1960s that God wanted me to tell others about Jesus Christ and to teach folks what the Bible says. Since the late 1970s I’ve known that the Lord wanted me to serve Him in another country in a "missionary capacity" (but it has only been recently that I understood which country He had in mind). As a student, as a college professor, and as an educator in the Mississippi Department of Corrections, I have tried for nearly three decades to serve the Lord in Kentucky, Mississippi, Wyoming, and Louisiana. During that time, God gave me a ministry that included:

preaching (in the streets, at housing projects; in nursing homes and prisons; even in church assemblies for revival meetings, Bible conferences, and "pulpit supply")

teaching (Sunday school classes for adults and teenagers; "vacation Bible school" classes for children; Bible classes for adults; Bible conferences and "special meetings"; and homeschooling our children)

writing (tracts, a newsletter, booklets, and an occasional book; ministering through the mail); and music.

"Speak, LORD: for thy servant heareth"

While driving home from work in May 2000, I heard a radio broadcast about May Day celebrations in Finland. My heart was broken by what I heard, and I began trying to find missionaries to that nation that I could pray for and encourage. I eventually discovered that only one missionary family ministers in Finland—and because that family also ministers for part of each year in Russia, there is no full-time Bible-believing outreach in Finland.

Try to imagine a country of more than 5 million people in which there is not a single Bible-believing, fundamental, doctrinally-sound church—a country in which Muslims outnumber ecumenical Baptists four-to-one, Jehovah’s Witnesses outnumber ecumenical Baptists seven to one, and Pentecostals outnumber ecumenical Baptists twenty to one. Try to imagine a country in which the true words of God are almost impossible to find, even in its churches. Such a country is Finland!

"Here am I. Send me."

After much prayer, my family and I determined that Finland was the nation in which God would have us serve, and in 2004 I resigned my position with the Mississippi Department of Corrections so that we could devote ourselves full time to deputation and to preparing ourselves to minister in Finland.

"Brethren, pray for us"

My family and I gratefully appreciate any and all prayers offered on our behalf, as well as opportunities to present our ministry and the spiritual needs of Finland. We would certainly count it a blessing to meet you and your congregation as we seek to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in Finland. Thank you.

"Looking for that blessed hope,"

Daryl Coats (Titus 2:11-14)
Keskutie 18, 03850 Pusula, Finland (phone: 358-040-3688035)

Sending Church

Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1071, Laurel, MS 39441

Note: We are going out under the authority of our local church and not under the auspices of a "missions board."

Messages by Brother Daryl R. Coats

Hard Hearts: The Cause And The Cure    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

She Judged Him Faithful    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

Some Litle Known Historic Positions    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

The Greatest Of These Is Charity    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

The Thought Of Foolishness    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

Straining At Brass    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

Enoch Also    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

How To Listen To A Sermon    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

Thomas Tenison ... an early defender of the King James Bible    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

Straining At Gnats    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

The Whore's Sorceries    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

A Father’s Influence    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

Marvel Not, My Brethren, If The World Hate You    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

Neither Give Heed To Fables    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

The Testimony of Dan Brown (author of The Da Vinci Code)    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

New King James Version Nonsence    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

The Two Lies ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

Sophomoric ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats    ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats

Patience and Impatience ... a message by Brother Daryl R. Coats