Hey folks!
here is our April prayer letter--- put your cursor over the HIGHLIGHTED link below and it will direct you to the prayer letter!!
God bless!!
APRIL PRAYER LETTER-- CLICK HERE!!
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
Leadership Training
Almost 6 years ago a couple came to me wanting Biblical Training. The husband (Jose) was a co-leader of a small church that had a heart for missions for the nations, but was very dry in its local missions and in its teaching / preaching.
This couple thrived in the class- almost always being the first to arrive and the last to leave. The wife's ( Seve) books were filled with notes, comments and questions. At 60+ years old she was consuming the Bible voraciously and was amazed at all she had not learned in 30+ years of following Christ. For the first time in her life she felt free to explore the Bible on her own and discover the depths of Jesus!
Jose wanted his fellow leaders to go to the Bible Institute as well, but none were interested. He offered it to the church and noone expressed interest in the training. So for 2 years he faithfully took a 160km round trip to another town to teach pastors and leaders in La Mision. Church planters, pastors, orphanage workers, rehab center workers all took the classes and celebrated their graduation last spring.
Jose's church got pretty frustrating for them. Jose and Seve have a heart to reach their community, to send out church planters and to glorify Jesus through their lives. Everytime they tried to make headway, the church would drag its heals. Jose and Seve were ready to give up co-leading the church and move on.
Then, over the course of a few months, the 2 other co-leaders fell spiritually. Their were other very public issues within the church and almost as if at once, the entire church realized their collective and individual sinfulness and need for Jesus. They had several days of meetings with people asking for forgiveness, offering forgiveness and publicly confessing sin. It was a real work of God and Jose and Seve were taken aback by it all.
Within days or weeks the church was completely different. It went from a "serve me" church where the majority of people sat to be served to a church that was excited to find out their gifts and serve one another! They went from having 3 or 4 people serving to many with a ministry. They began to get a heart for their community and a desire to know Jesus more.
This all happened these last few months. And a few days ago Jose called me to ask if he could take the Bible Institute to his church with his people. 16 in his church have expressed desire to learn. 3 others from outside the church also want to join them. I had planned on not starting again until September to give our teachers a break, but the people are begging to learn more and so we are in the process of registering 19 new students this spring.
They will study for 4 hours a week over the course of 3 years, most of them receiving a Diploma of Christian leadership.
We are excited for this new group of eager leaders- and more excited to see what God will do in this church. God is working, it's an exciting pleasure to be working alongside Him and His people!
Please be in prayer for this group-- It is very common for people to face spiritual opposition when they decide to study God's word. One man already lost his job and we know that others will face illness, discouragement, family strife. It is normal. Please pray for perseverance!
James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds. Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. And perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything.
This couple thrived in the class- almost always being the first to arrive and the last to leave. The wife's ( Seve) books were filled with notes, comments and questions. At 60+ years old she was consuming the Bible voraciously and was amazed at all she had not learned in 30+ years of following Christ. For the first time in her life she felt free to explore the Bible on her own and discover the depths of Jesus!
Jose wanted his fellow leaders to go to the Bible Institute as well, but none were interested. He offered it to the church and noone expressed interest in the training. So for 2 years he faithfully took a 160km round trip to another town to teach pastors and leaders in La Mision. Church planters, pastors, orphanage workers, rehab center workers all took the classes and celebrated their graduation last spring.
Jose's church got pretty frustrating for them. Jose and Seve have a heart to reach their community, to send out church planters and to glorify Jesus through their lives. Everytime they tried to make headway, the church would drag its heals. Jose and Seve were ready to give up co-leading the church and move on.
Then, over the course of a few months, the 2 other co-leaders fell spiritually. Their were other very public issues within the church and almost as if at once, the entire church realized their collective and individual sinfulness and need for Jesus. They had several days of meetings with people asking for forgiveness, offering forgiveness and publicly confessing sin. It was a real work of God and Jose and Seve were taken aback by it all.
Within days or weeks the church was completely different. It went from a "serve me" church where the majority of people sat to be served to a church that was excited to find out their gifts and serve one another! They went from having 3 or 4 people serving to many with a ministry. They began to get a heart for their community and a desire to know Jesus more.
This all happened these last few months. And a few days ago Jose called me to ask if he could take the Bible Institute to his church with his people. 16 in his church have expressed desire to learn. 3 others from outside the church also want to join them. I had planned on not starting again until September to give our teachers a break, but the people are begging to learn more and so we are in the process of registering 19 new students this spring.
They will study for 4 hours a week over the course of 3 years, most of them receiving a Diploma of Christian leadership.
We are excited for this new group of eager leaders- and more excited to see what God will do in this church. God is working, it's an exciting pleasure to be working alongside Him and His people!
Please be in prayer for this group-- It is very common for people to face spiritual opposition when they decide to study God's word. One man already lost his job and we know that others will face illness, discouragement, family strife. It is normal. Please pray for perseverance!
James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds. Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. And perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)