Millionstotell.org

E.M. Bounds on Prayer (lame cover, good book)

2012-01-20T11:53:00.000-05:00

About tenyears ago, I received a book on prayer by E.M. Bounds, actually it is seven bookson prayer in one volume. Honestly, I had been judging it by its cover all thistime and never bothered to pick it up until recently. The book has a pink coverwith a picture of a windmill! Who decided on that? It looks more like the coverto one of those cheesy Christian romance novels than a book on prayer. Therewould have been a greater chance that I would have been drawn to read itearlier had it contained a picture of a warrior on his knees about to beoverrun by thousands of his enemies.

I finishedthe first book in the volume and have started on the second and am remindedthat, no, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. The book contains much morepowerful content than the peaceful windmill represents. It is helping me torefocus my prayers from being “me centered” to being more “God centered”, and tolook at prayer as being much more essential to the ministry work than all theactivities, planning, and study that one could do.

Whenspeaking of the church and prayer Bounds concluded that “the church is notdependent on purely spiritual forces as it used to be…”

He also said(keep in mind that although he wrote in the late 1800s, his words are sotimely),

Many churchleaders seem to think that if they can be prominent as men of business, ofmoney or influence…that these are enough, and will atone for the absence of thehigher spiritual power that only much praying can give.

This is nota praying age; it is an age of great activity, of great movements, but one inwhich the tendency is very strong to stress the seen and the material, and toneglect and discount the unseen and the spiritual. Prayer is the greatest ofall forces because it honors God and brings Him into active aid.

Prayer isthe only thing that does any good, the only thing that makes effectiveeverything else that we do.

We are indanger of substituting church work and a ceaseless round of showy activitiesfor prayer and holy living.

An increaseof education facilities and a great increase of financial support will be themost disastrous curse to religion, if these things are not sanctified by moreand better praying than we are doing.

Prayer is notthe opposite of work; it does not paralyze activity. Rather, prayer itself isthe greatest work; it works mightily.

Our need isfor men who can set the church ablaze for God, not in a noisy, showy way, butwith an intense and quiet heat that melts and moves everything for God.

Caleb’s Arm (Prayer Request)

2012-01-16T07:30:00.000-05:00

In NovemberCaleb tried an unsuccessful skateboard jump and broke his arm. The breakrequired surgery and a few pins. Praise the Lord, the bone healed up fine andfused together like it should have.

It has beenseveral weeks since the cast was removed and there seems to be some lingeringeffects on the nerves. He still isn’t able to completely bend his arm, he hasno feeling in his pinky. His pinky andring fingers stay partly curled. We thought that after a few weeks of using thearm and playing he would have regained full movement and feeling.

The doctorhas prescribed 10 sessions of therapy. Our hope is that therapy will correctthe problem so another surgery will not be needed. Would you pray for Calebthat he would be strong during his therapy sessions (going to the doctor makeshis pretty nervous), and that he would regain full movement and feeling. He’llstart therapy on Tuesday.

Update: Waiting On A New Place

2012-01-14T10:50:00.000-05:00

One thing weknow for sure, it is that the Lord has a new place for our church to meet in.We’re just not quite sure about the how, when or where it might all come together.

We are nolonger able to continue to use our current building after the month of Februarydue to other clients who also rent offices in the same building. We notifiedthe owner of our intentions to not continue renting. The faith-building part isthe place we are hoping to move into is not yet a signed deal! The owner livesoutside of Santiago and we have been unable to get together due to cancelledmeetings and complications on his part.

If the Lordpromised to build His church, I have no doubt that He will also provide for Hischurch. Our need as Iglesia Bautista Esperanza (Hope Baptist Church) is a newmeeting place. All the delay in getting a contract signed on a new place makesme feel unsettled, but I am sure the Lord has us right where He wants us to befor the moment.

Happy Birthday Aaron

2012-01-07T20:42:00.000-05:00

I want to thank the Lord for this day 14 years ago when webrought home our first child, Aaron. We are so thankful to God for giving ussuch a fine son who is quickly proving himself to be an even finer young man. Iam so thankful that Aaron is respectful, kindhearted, obedient, and that he hasa desire to walk pleasing in the sight of God.

Aaron, I want to encourage you to seek wisdom and strive to glorify God in all that you do. If you do that, there will never come a daythat you will look back on with regret. Happy Birthday, I love you!

Sign up for email updates

2012-01-02T18:30:00.000-05:00

One of the main ways we keep in contact with others that may be interested in knowing a bit more about the ministry here is via our blog.

On our blog you can see all kinds of updates that may range from the ministry, to a quote from a book that I am enjoying, to a family photo, or just a random thought.

However, I would like to "cut the clutter" and send out periodic emails that deal only with the ministry to those interested in reading only ministry updates. Of course we'll keep the blog going for those who like all the random stuff!

If you are interested in receiving, directly to your in-box, a periodic update of the ministry, we encourage you to sign up here.

Help us by forwarding this to a friend who also may be interested.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T22:00:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone! We hope you all have a great weekend remembering the birth of our wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ.

How is Christmas different in Chile? Apart from it being a summer holiday...

No baby in the manger scenes.

When our neighbors setout a manger scene and we saw the baby was missing I assumed it was lost orbroken. After about the fifth manger scene without a baby I figured, either itmust be some sort of tradition or somebody is going around town stealing themall. The tradition (it may just be a Catholic one) is to wait until midnight on Christmas Eve to place thebaby in the manger.

The Christmas flea markets or “Feria navideña”.

In the United States you may head out to pick out a Christmastree or go somewhere to see a lights display. Here, we go to the flea market! Ifyou want to buy stuff cheap (or buy cheap stuff) this is the place togo. Each year for two weeks leading up to Christmas there are flea markets setup in many of the communities. They offer all kinds of Christmas decorations,toys and those last minute gifts.

Christmas is celebrated at midnight.

Chileans celebrate Christmas by getting together with familyon Christmas Eve for a big dinner. Once the clock strikes midnight the presentsare exchanged, and the most festive hit the streets as we learned last year.Christmas day is for sleeping in. We decided we are going to “tweak” ourtraditions a bit to adapt to Chilean culture since I was about dead whenChristmas morning finally came last year.

Last year we followed the typical “American-Kenney” familytraditions for Christmas. On Christmas Eve we ate a bunch of snacks, spent timeas a family, and watched a Christmas movie. Then it was off to bed, because, for us, Christmas comes in the morning and the kids get up bright and early.

We soon realized we were the most “fome” family on the block(Fome - pronounced foamy - is Chilean slang for lame or boring). At midnight thestreet came alive. Kids were running around. Santa drove down the street in theback of a pick-up truck honking its horn. About 1:00 to 1:30am, a six year oldneighbor came by to show off his new skateboard. (In Chile you don’t knock on doors you just stand outside and call out the person’s name or a loud “Álo”.) All the kids were already inbed.

This year, we are not planning on going against the system,but we are looking forward to a late dinner with Chilean friends.

Chile Baptist College Update

2011-12-18T07:21:00.002-05:00

Check out the link below to see what the Lord is doing in the Bible College in Chile, and read a great personal story of one of the guys that is currently studying in the college.

Chile Baptist College Newsletter - December 2011Thanks Josh Ewing for writing this up!

Summer Camp: Run to Win

2011-12-14T14:52:00.001-05:00

The last few days it has been around 27° to 30°…in Celsius. For us, it’s not beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, but more like summer camp. We have six weeks before camp!

Today we met with a group of guys from the Bible College to follow up on the plans for camp and lay out the preaching and teaching schedule. During the week there will be 4 devotional times, 6 teaching sessions, 4 messages, plus small group times. We will have plenty of fun and games, but we also put a strong emphasis on the teaching, training, and preaching of the Bible.

The theme for camp this year is “Corre para Ganar” or Run to Win. Camp is one of the highlights of the year. Not only is it a wonderful, fun time, but it is also a spiritually packed intensive week that changes lives for the glory of God and cause of Christ!

The Effective Church

2011-12-12T16:32:00.002-05:00

I love 1 Thessalonians 1:8.

To me, this verse is a role model for churches everywhere. Every pastor and missionary wants to see their church grow; and books, blogs and podcasts are in ready abundance offering their spin on church growth opinions, techniques and gimmicks. Some of it is good and helpful; some of it is absurd and foolish. However, we would do better to strive for effectiveness over growth. Growth and effectiveness are not necessarily a package deal. One does not guarantee the other. I believe sometimes our thinking is backwards. We think, let the church grow and it will become effective. We should think, make the church effective and it will have to grow.

What does it mean to be an effective church? That is where, I believe, 1 Thessalonians 1:8 gives us the perfect example. Look what Paul writes about the church located in the biblical city of Thessalonica.

“From you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in everyplace your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak anything.”

They were effective because they were propagating the Gospel message. They were reaching beyond their walls, beyond their neighborhood, city, region and country.

What does this verse tell us about the church? They were effective. They were active. Notice what this verse does not tell us about the church? We have no idea about their average attendance, the size of their buildings and facilities, or if they had to form a chariot parking lot ministry to help with big Sunday morning crowds.

The effectiveness of the Thessalonica church was not based on its size, but on its obedience to the Great Commission (Mateo 28:19,20). It is not in the number of her attendees that is most impressive, but the number of disciples. There is no way Paul could have written such a verse if the church was full of just “attendees”. The people in the church not only believed the Gospel, but they lived it as well. The church at Thessalonica did not seem so concerned about drawing people into the church as they were with sending themselves out of the church.

By following the example found in the church at Thessalonica, effectiveness is within reach of all churches, regardless of their size.

November/ December Update

2011-12-09T08:37:00.002-05:00

From Updates

Click the image to read our newest update and find out what has been going on!

Update on the Building situation:

Lord willing, next week we will be signing a contract on a new building that we will be able to occupy mid January!

Two Articles for Parents

2011-12-03T06:57:00.003-05:00

The family is a subject we address often in series of messages. We teach on it frequently for two reasons:

I need it. There is a constant assessment being made in my own heart as to how well I am doing as a husband, father, and Christian. I get one shot to do this right and I need/want all the help I can get.
Families are in trouble. I am amazed at how many homes are on the verge of failure. Many husbands and wives seem to have traded love for toleration, and each day of marriage is survival mode. Many parents have no authority or influence over their children, but rather have deceived themselves into thinking all is right because the kids are at least being fed, educated, and enjoy many perks.

Recently I read two articles relating to the family that I feel are worth passing on.

The first article is called Loving the Husband more than the Kids in Key to Good Life. It addresses the shifting of priority in many homes away from the marriage relationship and into an unhealthy focus on the children.

Here are a couple quotes:

When a family is strong, mom does prioritize the marriage over the kids. But we live in a culture where kids come first. Or, as my friend recently said, "Since when did kids move from the card table at Thanksgiving to the head of the table?"

There's a badge of honor among American women to not prioritize yourself or your marriage: It's all about the children. Without realizing it…women can end up getting their emotional intimacy and physical satisfaction from their children, instead of their partners.

The other article is called Why Men are In Trouble. It address the need for men to quit acting like boys and “man up.” (You can read a great summary and insight on this article here, where I first read it)

Here are a few quotes:

Today, 18-to- 34-year-old men spend more time playing video games a day than 12-to- 17-year-old boys. While women are graduating college and finding good jobs, too many men are not going to work, not getting married and not raising families. Women are beginning to take the place of men in many ways. This has led some to ask: do we even need men?

For boys to become men, they need to be guided through advice, habit, instruction, example and correction…Each generation of men and women have an obligation to teach the younger males (and females of course) coming behind them.

The Founding Fathers believed, and the evidence still shows, that industriousness, marriage and religion are a very important basis for male empowerment and achievement. We may need to say to a number of our twenty-something men, "Get off the video games five hours a day, get yourself together, get a challenging job and get married." It's time for men to man up.

Flights to Chile

2011-12-02T17:02:00.003-05:00

Thinking about coming to Chile?

Here is a quick post for those who have family in Chile, or for those planning on visiting Chile.

I just found out that American Airlines is offering a major sale on flights from the U.S. to Santiago in the Spring and Summer of 2012. I punched in a random date and saw a $910 rate which is much better than Delta's $1600.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T06:22:00.003-05:00

Thank you to all who have been a part of the ministry here is Chile! Thank you for your prayers, support, emails, cards, and even for taking the time to keep up with us through this blog or facebook. What we do here is not possible without people like you.

We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving day with your families!

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers. 1 Thessalonians 1:2

Your Move

2011-11-21T12:10:00.000-05:00

The other morning on the way to teach at the Bible College I was listening to a message downloaded from Ministry 127. The message was titled The Faith Involved in Planting a New Church. At one point during the message the pastor related an illustration he had learned from an older preacher about playing checkers with God; maybe an odd sounding illustration, but a good one.

This isn’t a quote but my paraphrase of the idea.

When playing checkers the second player makes a move in relation to the move of the first player. The player doesn’t wait while the other makes several sequential moves. When God tells us something, puts something on our heart, or reveals His will to us, He doesn’t owe us another move until we’ve responded to the first.

What has God put on your heart to do? Have you responded or are you waiting around for Him to do everything for you without having to really trust Him and move by faith.

A Possible Change

2011-11-15T13:05:00.004-05:00

We praise the Lord for the work that He is doing! This past weekend, for our friend day, four people trusted Christ as their Savior during the Sunday services. Others that seemed to be floating in and out have stepped up their commitment to Christ.

This picture of Sunday evening's service is a reminder to ask you to continue to pray for another meeting place for Iglesia Bautista Esperanza (Hope Baptist Church). Even though the congregation is small (57 were present during this particular service), we have out grown the place we are currently using.

Notice two things in the picture; there are a few people standing in the back, and there are no children. The children are in another room participating in the kid's club. We have our kid's club on Sunday evening since it is the best attended service and we need the space in the main room.

This weekend we will be meeting a gentleman for the second time to discuss a rent-to-buy option on a building across the street from our current location. If everything works out it may mean a move in the month of December. Pray for us, we are excited about the prospect of moving to another building, but we do want to be sure it is the place that the Lord has for us.

Friend Day

2011-11-09T20:57:00.003-05:00

This Sunday, November 13, we have a special day planned and want to ask for your prayers. We have encouraged each person to invite their unsaved friends, family or neighbors to our Friend Day. We'll have two services with a special reception, a gift for each person who comes and messages from our invited preacher. The goal is not simply to have a high attendance, but to see lost people come to Christ and to help the church catch a vision for reaching the lost around them.

Laja, Chile

2011-11-03T23:45:00.001-04:00

Monday and Tuesday we took a trip south to a city called Laja. We met with several families members of a family that attends our church in Santiago. We also had the opportunity to preach to a small group.

The Bio Bio River

The group that traveled down.

Pray for this man. He has cancer and listened intently to the presentation of the Gospel, but never responded.

The Streets of Laja.

The man accepted Christ as his Savior.

Who knows? Maybe sometime down the road we may have part in helping to start a church work there!

Caleb's Failed Skateboard Jump

2011-11-02T21:25:00.003-04:00

Here's a picture of Caleb after an unsuccessful attempt to jump a ramp with his skateboard which landed him a two night stay in the hospital, surgery and three pins in the arm just above the elbow. We thank the Lord he is doing better.

One blessing we received through all this was to be able to see the love and care of our church family here in Chile. Throughout Friday and Saturday in the hospital, we received a steady stream of calls checking up on him. They were not only calls from our church, but from several others as well. We are so grateful for our familia chilena!

Short Term Missions for a Young Lady

2011-10-28T14:52:00.002-04:00

Below is a letter that was written by our friends, the Holts, about a great ministry opportunity here in Chile. Please pass this around if you know a qualified, christian young lady who might be interested.

Short Term Mission Opportunity for A Young Lady

God is doing some amazing things in Chile, South America. As the ministry has grown, we’ve seen many new and exciting doors of opportunity opened. Our team is looking for a godly young lady to make a 9 month commitment to invest in our ministry and to give us an opportunity to invest in you too! We are looking for someone who has a heart for working with children, who is apt to teach, and who is ready to immerse herself in a foreign culture and learn from the Chilean people.

We need someone to teach American missionary children in a school setting using the Abeka video program. Each child will have their own video teacher whom they will watch. Your responsibility would be to follow lesson plans, organize materials, administer pre-made tests, grade papers, monitor the classroom, and carry out other administrative duties. Your investment in these children will create much needed time for Spanish speaking missionary wives to disciple and teach in the Chile Baptist College.

We also need help in another very important part of our ministry: Evangelistic English classes. God has blessed us with several church plants in Chile and we frequently organize semesters of English classes to reach out to the community. This simple fruit bearing ministry is very easy to carry out. And best of all, requires little or no Spanish speaking.

But we wouldn’t want you to live in Santiago for nine months without learning how to speak Spanish! We have arranged for a private tutor to teach you conversational Spanish 5 days a week. We also have a wonderful group of Chilean young people who will do their best to get you speaking quickly.

If these three activities aren’t enough to keep you busy, there are always plenty of other exciting things going on in the ministry in Chile. So you can jump in wherever you want and help even more. We believe you will finish your trip with a sense of accomplishment and a better understanding of mission work and the Chilean culture.

When you arrive in Chile, you will have no set-up expenses like a long-term missionary. So contact us very soon if you’re interested. We’d love to find out if our ministry would be a good fit for you.

Dates: March 1, 2012 – December 15, 2012

Cost: $900 a month plus the cost of your plane tickets*

*This monthly amount includes housing, utilities, food, transportation, and Spanish classes

Prayer Request

2011-10-28T13:44:00.000-04:00

As some of you know we have been praying for some time for a new church building. The building we are in is very limited in space, plus we share some common space with two other businesses which means at times we have people walk through our church service to get to their offices.

I just heard of a house close by that the owner has plans to sell and am waiting for more details. It would be an ideal location with much more room than we currently have. I would like you to pray that if the house does go on the market that the Lord would move the heart of the owner to be flexible and that the Lord would provide what we would need to obtain the building.

Christianity On The Job

2011-10-24T10:35:00.010-04:00

I read this quote from here and thought it was worth re-posting.

“The Church’s approach to an intelligent carpenter is usually confined to exhorting him not to be drunk and disorderly in his leisure hours, and to come to church on Sundays. What the Church should be telling him is this: that the very first demand that his religion makes upon him is that he should make good tables…Let the Church remember this: that every maker and worker is called to serve God in his profession or trade–not outside of it… The only Christian work is good work well done.” - Dorothy Sayers

A couple extra thoughts of mine…

Every Christian has been called by God and has been equipped to do His will whether in “full-time” ministry or making tables.

There are no second-class Christians in the Kingdom, only different gifts and administrations. We need table makers as much as pastors.

Christians should be the best, most dedicated and efficient workers at the workplace. How one works reflects on your Heavenly Father.

The command to “come to church on Sunday” is the lowest expectation we can put upon a Christian. We don’t need Christians to simply dress up and come to church, but to live their faith and impact their community from the outside.

Remember 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Missions Retreat on Latin America

2011-10-21T17:09:00.006-04:00

Below is a re-post from the Latin Bridge about the upcoming retreat on Latin America missions that I posted about here. it will give you a little insight about the guys that will be speaking during the retreat. I have heard all but one of the speakers and I will tell you now that it will be worth it.

The original source here

I’m blown away with the two key speakers we have scheduled for the Latin Bridge Retreat ’12! Both men have been used by God to lead church planting movements in two different countries, on two different continents, in two different languages and cultures. Their combined experience might surpass that of any other conference of 2012. You can’t miss the Latin Bridge Retreat ’12!!

Get to know the speakers:

First Speaker – Randy Stirewalt has been a church planting missionary in Kenya, Africa since 1976. During his 1st term on the field, God allowed him to plant 3 churches. On his 2nd term he added an additional 7 churches to the ministry. On the 3rd term, God allowed him to start 10 more. In the 4th and 5th terms, the ministry exploded due to discipleship and multiplication principles. Today, 35 years since the first church plant, over 280 churches have been started in three different countries with an average combined Sunday attendance of 38,000 believers. Also, he has started 4 Bible colleges to provide continual training for the pastors and leaders.

Bro. Stirewalt will be speaking in the Bonus Activity Friday morning and will open the retreat’s first session on Friday afternoon in Atlanta. You will not want to miss his wisdom and advice about church planting and leader training.

Second Speaker – Austin Gardner served in Peru for nearly 20 years as a church planting missionary. During those years, God allowed more than 80 churches to be planted throughout the country. He started a Bible college in southern Peru that has trained hundreds for the ministry. During the past decade, Pastor Gardner has focused on training church planting missionaries globally while personally planting a new church in the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta. His personal mentorship approach as helped shape missionaries that are today serving in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, China, South Africa, Burkina Faso, and Ireland. His international experience and church planting heart will undoubtedly ignite a passion in each attendees’ heart. Pastor Gardner will be the keynote speaker for the remaining sessions of the Latin Bridge Retreat ’12.

Fresh from the field – Jeff, Chris, and Jason are the other special guest that will be along for the retreat – Jeff Bush serves in Argentina, Chris Gardner in Peru, and Jason Holt in Chile. These three guys are all in their 30s and could help encourage you about the opportunities and challenges of church planting in today’s Latin American context. Enjoy spending time with them and others during the informal times of the retreat.

Preaching Mistakes

2011-10-19T16:21:00.003-04:00

To any of my pastor/ missionary friends that may read this blog, below I re-posted something I read by David Murray that is practical advice on preaching. Here is the original source.

By the way, he has also written a great little book called Christians get Depressed Too that I found to be a helpful resource for helping others through it.

Top Ten Preaching Mistakes

It’s one of my privileges to hear many beginning preachers preach their first sermon. Sometimes, it’s stunning how God has gifted a person and you hope Seminary doesn’t spoil them! Usually, however, first sermons confirm the need for much further training. As I’ve listened over the years to students begin to preach, I’ve noticed the same mistakes arising again and again, the same mistakes that we all fall into from time to time. The ten most common are:

1. Cramming: Squeezing all you have ever studied about the Bible over the years into 30 minutes.

2. Skimming: Taking too many verses and simply skimming over the surface of the text, teaching nothing that someone with average intelligence would not have derived from the text themselves.

3. Floating: The preacher says many things that relate to the text, floating or hovering above the text, but fails to show how they are anchored in the text.

4. Proof-texting: Including lots and lots of texts from all over the Bible, and sometimes diverting hearers by expounding the proof texts as much as the sermon text.

5. Quoting: Too many quotes from commentators, theologians, and other preachers from the past and the present.

6. Lecturing: It’s difficult to define the difference between preaching and lecturing, but you know it when you see it/hear it. It’s about passion, eye-contact, persuasion, urgency, etc.

7. Assuming: Our own over-familiarity with the text results in us assuming that our hearers know the background of the text, the meaning of basic key words and concepts, etc. May also result in Mach 7 preaching speeds. And don’t assume your hearers are all converted either.

8. Confusing: Hearers are left confused usually because of a lack of structure or too complicated a structure (main points, sub-points, etc.); or sometimes there is a good structure, but it’s not sufficiently highlighted and emphasized so that hearers know where they’ve been, where they are, and where they are going.

9. Spraying: Lots and lots of data, but no single dominant thought; it’s the difference between a shotgun and a rifle.

10. Complicating: Instead of explaining the text, a preacher can actually make it more obscure. Usually involves words too big, sentences too long, concepts too abstract, language too philosophical/theological.

Marriage and the Home

2011-10-13T08:21:00.004-04:00

On Wednesday nights we are in the middle of a short study on the family called Marriage and the Home. We recently finished up a long study on the book of Genesis so we figured a short topical study would be a good idea before launching into another book study.

Last night we did something a little different. We had two teaching times running simultaneously. The men gathered together to study Biblical "manhood", and the women gathered together with Jenny to study the the Bible's perspective on "womanhood". So glad I have a wife not only willing to teach others, but also qualified to teach others as well (She's the one receiving all the good feedback).

Next week I am looking forward to teaching on parenting. This morning I opened up my Google reader and came across these two articles on parenting that are helping to get my wheels turning.

Cary Schmidt writes on 15 way to Affirm Your Children

By the way, I love anything Cary Schmidt writes on the family and recommend checking out His books.

The other is an article on Giving Children Clear Instructions

I think this guy has been peaking in our curtains during room cleaning time.

New Ministry

2011-10-10T17:47:00.004-04:00

Blanca, the lady pictured to the right, often comes to church with one or two neighborhood children. Marcos, the man pictured to the right, owns a school van and talked to me several weeks ago about his willingness to use it for church ministry. We had a bus ministry waiting to happen and on Sunday we had eight children ride the van to Sunday school!

What makes me so thrilled to see this ministry develop is not only to be able to have children come to church that may accept Christ as Savior, but it is to have people in the church that are laboring along side of me!

Latin Bridge Retreat '12

2011-10-07T17:31:00.003-04:00

I want to pass on information about a retreat aimed at guys interested in Latin American missions. The retreat will be January 6 - 7, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia.

The retreat will include sessions, taught by experienced church planters, that focus on

Cross cultural evangelism
The role of discipleship in leader training
strategic church planting principles for the Latin American context.

You can visit the web page The Latin Bridge for more information and to fill out the registration form.

I encourage you to check out this event if you work in Latin American missions, are currently in the process of going to the field, are interested in Latin America missions, or are praying about missions.

One Gospel for All

2011-10-06T08:34:00.002-04:00

This morning I was reading through two of my favorite chapters in the Bible, John 3 and 4. Although those chapters contain two completely different main stories, I cannot help but read them together. The main story in chapter three is Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus. The main story in chapter four is Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan women. One was a religious Jew with an impeccable lifestyle (externally speaking) enjoying the higher class of society; and the other was a woman of a despised race, low class, reaping the daily scorn of five failed marriages and a live-in lover.

These two chapters display the power and the beauty of the Gospel. They show the power of the Gospel in that Jesus can save anybody at any time despite past or present circumstances. They show the beauty of the Gospel in that it is for all peoples. Jesus has extended the invitation to all sinners, and no one is out of reach of God’s loving grace. In fact Jesus actually waited for the “worse” of the two, the Samaritan woman, while Nicodemus “came to Jesus by night”.

I love these two chapters together because they show two completely different people outwardly speaking, but inwardly they were the exact same:

1. They both attempted to sound very religious when confronted with the Gospel.

Nicodemus said “Rabbi, we know that thou are a teacher come from God…”

The woman said “Our fathers worshipped in this mountain…”

2. They both were following their respective religions blindly without understanding the real Gospel.

Jesus asked Nicodemus; “Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?”

To the woman Jesus said; “Ye worship ye know not what.”

3. They both were initially confused by what Jesus was saying.

Nicodemus doubted; “How can a man be born when he is old?”

The women asked; “Whence then hast thou that living water?”

4. They both had the same emptiness that caused them to search for something more.

In the end these very two different people became brother and sister in the same family because they trusted in the same Savior, Jesus Christ.

Cumbre 412

2011-09-29T17:15:00.004-04:00

Cumbre is the Spanish word for summit and the number 412 comes from Ephesians 4:12 "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."

The Summit 412 is a youth retreat that will be taking place this weekend here in Chile. The goal is a bit different than that of camp. The summit is geared for a smaller group of teenagers that are already serving (or want to serve) in some capacity in their church, so we limited the size.

The idea of the Summit is to equip the young people to better serve in their churches as leaders, teachers, and future pastors and missionaries.

The schedule will include a series of lessons on How to study and explore the Bible and develop what you have studied into lessons. Another track of lessons will be kind of a survey of the Old Testament showing how each book links together to form One story. On Friday evening we will have a formal dinner which many of the teens seem to be pretty excited about.

We have about 25 young people signed up to participate. I am really excited to see how this will turn out.

Pastor Waiting Execution

2011-09-29T15:46:00.003-04:00

I just read these two articles on pastor Austin Gardner's blog that deal with the pending execution of an Iranian pastor.

Pray for Persecuted Brethren around the World and this one

Next 24 Hours Critical...

Take a look and read them, pray for the Iranian Christians, and take action. There is a link provided where you can write and send a message.

This is what I wrote (I also sent it directly to the Embassy in Washington);

Your Excellency, the Ambassador of Iran:

We are concerned about recent news reports that we have read mentioning the pending execution of Christian pastor Yousef Nadarkhani. We respectfully request that you urge your government and the Iranian judiciary to acquit pastor Nadarkhani of the charges that are against him in accordance with Iran's constitution which sanctions Christianity as a legitimate minority faith and allows Christians to freely carry out their faith.

We urgently request that you pass our petition to the Iranian Government as this good man's life hangs in the balance.

Thank you for you kindness in taking the time to address our concern.

Sincerely,
Jason Kenney

CBC

2011-09-26T17:41:00.003-04:00

My friend and co-laborer Jason Holt wrote the following letter to explain the ministry of the Chile Bible College or Seminario Chileno Bautista. He started the Bible college through Faith Baptist Church (Iglesia Bautista Fe) in Santiago a couple of years ago. It is one of the ministries that I have the privilege of being a part of.
Chile Baptist College - September 2011

Back in Chile (part 2)

2011-09-17T17:05:00.005-04:00

Like many mission trips the visitor ends up taking home a whole lot more than he left. The purpose was for me to teach them several doctrines, but I think the Lord taught me many things through the Chinese Christians. Here are some of the things that stood out to me (I hope they make sense since I jotted them down early this morning thanks to the lingering effects of jet lag):

1. Involvement of 20s and 30s. That is the prized demographic that is missing in many American churches. After all the fun of the youth group many young adults abandon church. Although I think middle age women make up the largest demographic in the churches, young people in their 20s and 30s have a strong showing. I talked with a young man who was leading his house group because his pastor left China to work in an undisclosed country. No seminary training, just discipleship and mentorship. I was impressed. They weren’t drawn to church because there was a cool pastor sporting an Abercrombie shirt while preaching under a purple light. They were there at a cost because they love the Lord and desire to serve Him.

2. The Healing Power of God. The Chinese Christians share stories of healings. I am not talking about the phony “Faith healer” type, but the kind that happens when people pray. Several months ago I heard the story of a young man that attempted suicide by jumping out a window. He was not expected to ever walk again. I saw him while I was in China. He was walking and God was glorified! We have become too sophisticated to believe that our God is still capable of doing miraculous things. Also, many times we want God to do a great thing for our benefit more than for His glory.

3. The Priority of Prayer. Wow, do those Chinese believers pray. They haven't been in “Christendom” long enough to have developed the “bless this food to our bodies” uniform prayers that we (I included myself) are so guilty of. Their prayers are worship and supplication. I met one Chinese businessman that has built a prayer retreat, a place where people or church groups can come to pray and worship for 24 hours. It's always in use!

4. Hunger to Learn. How many church members would attend (or would survive) four days of teaching for eight hours a day? Although the classes were geared toward church leaders many “regular” members attended out of a desire to learn more about the Bible. I am not suggesting that we prove our desire to learn the Bible by spending more hours at church. Many Christians couldn’t give that amount of time due to other commitments, but I have to wonder how many Christian just wouldn’t, period.

5. Strong Commitment. I admit that I have grumbled because our church in Chile is located on the second floor and our entrance is on the back of a commercial building, not ideal. One of the churches we held meetings in is located on the twenty- something floor of a high-rise. It didn’t bother or hinder anybody. For many persecuted Christians around the world being a Christian cost something. There aren't many nominal Christians – it’s just too risky.

6. Creative and Entrepreneurial Spirit. I met several businessmen and women that used their businesses for Christ. They think of ways and strategies to start businesses not only for making a livelihood, but for carrying out the Great Commission. There wasn’t a separation between their job and the Church. Stewardship is more than just giving God 10% of your earnings, but it is about giving God 100% of your life. Imagine what more could be done if businesspeople saw their role in the church as so much more than just being the big tithers!

Back in Chile

2011-09-17T16:40:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I got back to Chile after a 15 day trip that took me to the States, China and Japan. So glad to be back with the family. My body is trying to readjust. Fortunately this is a holiday weekend in Chile so I am not walking back into a full schedule.

The purpose of the trip was to teach Bible doctrines to a group of church leaders. It was a wonderful, unforgettable privilege. Sorry but since this is a blog and not a personal email list, I cannot go into a lot of detail neither can I post pictures of the ministry related activities. China is a country where many of the believers face persecution and meet together illegally in “underground” churches and I wouldn’t want to post anything that may cause problems for the believers or the missionaries that labor there.

However, I would like to share a few thoughts on the trip and how the Lord challenged/ encouraged me, but first let me answer the two most popular questions.

The number one question. Did I see the great wall?

Yes. It's much tougher to walk than it looks.
Number two. How is the food?

In the restaurants it was excellent. In the streets I wouldn't even try it.

Taking a Trip

2011-09-02T21:17:00.004-04:00

I am sitting in the Seattle airport waiting to board a plane to a "closed country". During the week there I, along with another missionary, will be teaching sevaral house churches bible doctrines. I ask for your prayers for me during the trip and also for Jenny and the kids as they "hold the fort" in Chile. I look forward to sharing with you updates when I return.

Bible College

2011-08-24T15:46:00.007-04:00

I am waiting on the seminary students to finish up an exam on the book of Acts so I thought it would be a good use of this “down time” to write about the Bible College.

One of my favorite ministries that I have the privilege (and I don’t use the word privilege just as an empty sounding formality, I do mean it) to work in is the Chile Bible College. Being able to lead somebody to Christ is awesome, watching that same person go through discipleship and grow into a mature, serving Christian is even awesomer (I know, not a real word), but getting to have a part in the training of future leaders is the climax of missionary work. All the soul winning and discipleship in the world won’t leave the lasting mark like a national pastor will.

The Seminario Chileno Bautista (Chile Baptist College) was started two years ago at Iglesia Bautista Fe (Faith Baptist Church) under the leadership of Jason Holt.

The classes currently being taught this semester are:

The book of Acts
Major Prophets
History of the Church
The other side of Calvinism
Church Ministries
General Epistles
Doctrines 1

Currently, there are eight men studying full-time while training in the ministry through a work-scholarship program. The churches in which they work do try to provide some sort of “salary” through the offerings, but the monthly budget runs a bit short.
Perhaps you would prayerfully consider sponsoring a Bible College student through the Chile Baptist College. My friend and co-laborer, Jason Holt has explained it a bit more completely in his article You can have a part in training national pastors in Chile!

Happy Birthday Jenny!

2011-08-18T13:43:00.002-04:00

Wishing my wonderful wife, Jenny, a very happy birthday.

Jenny, I love you so much and am so glad to be able to share my life with you. I would never be able to do the work that we do without your help. Having you by my side is awesome, and I thank the Lord for bringing us together.

How in the world did I end up with the best?

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

Proverbs 31:29

The Essentials

2011-08-12T17:34:00.003-04:00

As a new church planter in the process of planting our first church I am constantly evaluating, reevaluating, tweaking, changing, looking for ways to improve and at times second guessing the things that we are doing. We have tried special days and activities to cast the net and draw in visitors, each of which has its place and have been very helpful. We stick with what has yielded fruit and toss aside what seemed to be a waste of time.

While activities take advantage of holidays, ages and cultures they are not guaranteed. What worked last year may flop this year. However, there are a few things that are essential in church planting and have been tried and proven in every culture in every city in every generation since the church’s conception. It doesn’t matter if you are reaching baby boomers or millennials, North Americans or Chileans, country folk or city people; without these basic essentials a church cannot be planted. The best part about these essentials is that they are cross-cultural, require almost no resources and you don’t have to try to be one of those cool, hip, culturally relevant, pastor-dudes to do the job.

The essentials are…

1. A soul winning/ visitation time – another word is evangelism. You have got to be out on the street sharing Christ and inviting people to visit. The best presence in the community isn’t a big sign in front, but a personal presence.

2. Discipleship and training – This is what I call the living room ministry. You will not see real growth if the only time you instruct from the Bible is from the pulpit. Be willing to make appointments and go over people’s homes to have one-on-one discipleship.

3. Clear Bible teaching – I am surprised when somebody tells me they enjoy our church because of the Bible teaching. My preaching? With my horrible Spanish? Believe it or not there are a lot of people that really want to know what the Bible says. They don’t want you to try to make the word justification sound cool, they just want you to explain what it means.

4. Personal relationships and friendships – The church growth buzz word is community. People are looking for a place of belonging, a community of caring people. They want a place that leaves them feeling encouraged, edified and challenged. They want to go to a place where they matter and are truly loved.

This list is not just based on theory. It is based on what we have experienced and the feedback we have received by those who have chosen to call our congregation their church home.

The Latin Bridge

2011-08-08T19:28:00.006-04:00

Are you interested in missions in Latin America? Are you wondering where to begin? Where to go? What to do?

A couple friends just started a new resource website designed to inform and equip missionaries or would-be missionaries to Latin America. I invite you to take the link and look around. What you'll find are some great articles based on the experience and training from various laborers in Latin America.

Bridges have a singular purpose. Sure they can be beautiful, a sign of strength and power, and even a platform for base jumping, but in every instance they are ultimately a connector. The Latin Bridge is seeking to start a renewed movementof church planting in the Latin American world...

Find out more visit the latin bridge

Pray Request

2011-08-06T13:03:00.004-04:00

Pray for a family in our church (the couple in the right hand corner of the photo). Their names are Marcos and Pili. Yesterday morning Marcos's mother was killed when she as struck by a bus while crossing the street. As you can imagine this is quite a difficult time for the family. Last night we were able to spend time with the family, and today we will be visiting the family during the viewing.

This couple is an extremely special family in our church. Pili is the first person in our church to be trained as a Sunday school teacher, she now teaches one of the kids' classes. Marcos has a servant's heart and last week he committed to help in the youth ministry and to use his van to begin a bus route that we plan to launch in September.

Although this is a sad time for the family there is great comfort knowing that his mother is in the presence of our Saviour. She was a dear lady who, after you met her, left no doubt that she was one of the Lord's choicest saints.

To Train or to Entertain

2011-07-30T13:31:00.002-04:00

Part of our ministry here in Chile involves youth. For me, youth work can be some of the most rewarding, but at the same time the most challenging. Teenagers are passionate, yet impressionable. And that passion and impressionability can go both ways; a passion for God or for self.

Our church here is perhaps like many of the churches in the States. We have all age groups. But the group that seems to be the most difficult to capture and maintain is that 20 to 30 age range. Why do teenagers leave the church when they become young adults? The answers (or excuses) are many and it could be difficult to name them all. However, the question turned around is much easier to answer; Why Youth Stay in Church?

The answer. They have been trained and not entertained.

I love activities and fun, but not at the cost of the main goal. The goal of every church should be to make disciples of Christ, because disciples stick around even when the music stops and the moonwalks have been deflated.

Here is the article that brought this thought on Why Youth Stay in Church...

July/ August Update

2011-07-26T18:40:00.001-04:00

Click the photo to read our latest update

From Updates

Youth Congress 2011

2011-07-20T13:16:00.004-04:00

Tonight will be the first service of this year's Youth Congress. The Youth Congress is a three day conference held each year during winter vacation. While summer vacation winds down in the States, most schools in Chile are out for a two week winter break (in fact it's in the forties as I write this).

The conference will be hosted by Iglesia Bautista Fe (Faith Baptist Church) and pastor Miguel Murillo of Arequipa, Peru will be preaching. We are looking forward to having young people from at least six churches present.

New Class

2011-07-11T17:32:00.003-04:00

The book of Ephesians tells us we should not be unstable Christians willing to accept (or fall for) any kind of doctrine that comes down the road.

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. Ephesians 4:14

One characteristic lacking in many believers is spiritual discernment. Many people base so much of what they believe on their own opinions, mood swings, or circumstances rather than being settled on the constant truths of the Bible.

As a way to better “equip the saints” we have decided to begin a new ministry in the church on Friday nights called Advanced Bible Studies (Estudios Bíblicos Avanzados). The class will run in four week blocks with breaks in between and will deal with various subjects relating to the Bible and understanding our Faith. It is not a Bible Institute, but just an opportunity for those interested in digging a little deeper than what we may reach during a regular church service.

After making the announcement, the feedback has been encouraging. The goal is to not give Christians a head knowledge, but a working knowledge of the Scriptures. Our prayer is this class will help us to develop future Sunday school teachers and leaders in the church.

2011-07-05T22:32:00.004-04:00

Just thought I would post a few pictures from this weekend at church as a way to remind you to continue to pray for the work here. We are in need of another place. Where we are meeting is too small. We had to change our kid's class from Wednesday evenings to Sunday evenings just to put the kids in another room to provide more space for the Sunday night services.

If you would like to know more about what we are doing to get a new place and how you may help click here to learn about our "Project Nehemiah".

This is our "auditorium". It's an old medical office waiting room that holds about 45 chairs.

Friday we had a couple's meeting. Eight couples came!

Aaron and Belén working in the kid's club. They practice hand bells, singing and learning to recite verses.

The kids will give a presentation on July 31.

Sunday morning we had West Point cadet Luke Estes with us. He was in Chile for a few weeks attending the military academy as part of an exchange program.

15 Years!

2011-06-29T15:14:00.002-04:00

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful wife and best friend. It is so hard to believe that 15 years have already passed by. What a wonderful life we have together!

About sixteen years ago I didn't ask her to a Valentine Banquet because I was too chicken. So glad I got over that and eventually asked her to marry me.

Love you Jenny.

Money Pit

2011-06-23T16:37:00.004-04:00

I read that 60% of pro basketball players go broke within five years of retirement. That statistic caused my mind to churn. Imagine making more in one year than many people will earn in their entire lifetimes only to find yourself empty handed at the end of the day. How could that happen? I thought of several reasons.

1. Lack of Stewardship – Every dollar is a gift from God to be managed wisely for His glory. Luke 12:19,20

2. Selfishness – I have never heard of any body (in their right mind anyway) going bankrupt because they were a giver. It is usually do to an uncontrollable habit of spending on self or shady practices in the attempt to get more. Philippians 2:4

3. No Discipline – Debt turns free men into slaves. There is no freedom this month when you positioned yourself to be a slave to last month’s purchases. Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

4. Shortsightedness – Failing to look down the road usually causes you to go off the road. James 4:13-15

5. The Wrong God – The love of money is the root of all evil because it removes God off His throne and places material possessions in His place. A person who honors the Lord with their substance is guaranteed to have the bread that he needs (I didn’t say the steak that he may want). 1Timothy 6:10

Not Wasting Trials

2011-06-15T14:47:00.005-04:00

I was listening to a message by Paul Chappell while driving today and he made a statement that helped me. It really wasn’t on topic, but just an extra. He said (I’m not sure if this is an exact quote, I don’t want to have to re-listen to the podcast);

“Know that God is not wasting that trial you might be facing.”

What a powerful statement! We often think that the Lord is only working when everything is going our way. We act as if God works through healing but not through sickness. God works through abundance but not through lack. God works through times of joy and victory but not through times of discouragement and doubt.

The truth is God does not waste time. Everything He does is bringing about His divine purpose and molding us into the image of His Son. We can be assured that whatever we face in life it has been divinely placed there so that for God’s glory we might come forth as gold (Job 23:10). The apostle Paul puts it this way;

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

God is not wasting that trial, but is using it to reveal glory!

The Individual

2011-06-13T20:57:00.005-04:00

I will be honest and say that since starting the church I have been a little bit disappointed with the growth. I want to see things move faster; a larger congregation, more converts, more young people, larger Sunday school classes, etc. Who wouldn’t? I guess that is normal for a pastor. Sometimes I feel like the man-hours don’t correspond with the results. It can be so disappointing to spend hours visiting, counseling, helping a person that I think has the potential to become a key member and leader in the church, only to see them fizzle away quicker than a sparkler on the 4^th of July.

When these feelings come I have to remind myself that the goal is not my glory or the glory of a growing ministry, but the glory of our great God. As long as we are not loafing around and being lazy we have no reason to feel frustrated. We labor and God gives the increase...

Like Hugo who trusted Christ at 72 years and just finished discipleship,
Like Fabian and David, two teenagers that are being discipled and helping with the music,
Like the Flores family that finished discipleship and are helping as the church treasurer,
Like Victoria who taught the children’s Sunday school class for the first time,
Like the Muñoz family that wrote out a prayer expressing their commitment to the Lord and placed it in the offering plate…

When we don’t see the numbers we want, we do well to pause and look at the individuals that God has placed in our path.

Hugo (standing up), One of the individuals the God has changed!

Volcano

2011-06-08T14:55:00.005-04:00

Here are some amazing photos of a volcano that erupted in southern Chile. The volcano is about 600 miles south of where we live in the capital city of Santiago. Take a moment to pray for those affected.

(click on the link below to see others)

Volcano erupts in Chile

The eruption of the Puyehue volcano in the Andes mountains of southern Chile last weekend provided some spectacular images of the force of nature. Ash covers the landscape and thousands of people were evacuated from the surrounding rural communities. The volcano, which hasn't been active since 1960 when it erupted after an earthquake, sent its plume of ash 6 miles high across Argentina and toward the Atlantic Ocean.

Project Nehemiah Update

2011-06-04T11:59:00.004-04:00

Project Nehemiah is into the second week of a 52 week plan and the church has given $47,010! That is in pesos though, which translates into about $100 U.S dollars.

Each week we will be adding a paper brick with the amount received for that week to a graph we have hanging on the wall in the church. This will continue until we have a 52 brick wall.

We are praying for God to allow us to have our own property by the end of the year. He is able!

In case you haven't heard; Project Nehemiah is a year long plan we started with the hopes of being able to purchase a permanent place for the church.

The Voice of Hope - June 2011

2011-05-31T11:00:00.003-04:00

For those who might be interested, understand Spanish or want to practice their Spanish, here is a copy of our June church newsletter. Every two months we hand deliver a letter to all those who are attending the church or have visited the church. It is a good way to keep a follow-up going. It is called The Voice of Hope.

From Updates

Random Thoughts on the Family

2011-05-30T20:38:00.003-04:00

The longer I am a father the more I realize that child rearing is much easier in theory than in practice. Those kids you haven’t had yet sure do behave, respect, and obey upon the first request. The ones you actually have are a bit more resilient. Since kids aren’t grown in some cabbage patch then air mailed via a stork it is impossible to write a one-manual-fits-all child rearing book. Child rearing books are great tools, but they could never replace your personal experience with your very own, and unique to your family, child. No seminar, book, parenting class or preached message can help you as much as getting to know and understand your own child in light of what the Word of God says about him (and you). To deepen your personal knowledge and intimacy with Jesus Christ you would spend time with Him through prayer, meditation and reading His Word. Other books may offer help, but could never completely substitute the value of time with Him. In other words it is better to spend more time with the source rather than read about the source. To better know how to raise your children you must be with them to cultivating a great relationship.

Below are some of my thoughts (written by a non expert and a constant student of the school of raising kids) on what I am learning on this journey of parenthood.

Love you children with all of your heart from a biblical perspective; understanding your role as their friend, disciplinarian, and spiritual role model.
Your children need a relationship with Christ more than they need comforts, sports, education, or popularity. You are their primary source for knowing Him.
Don’t be afraid to use your authority to instruct and expect. The Bible teaches that you cannot truly love them if you do not correct them.
Never forget that every need to discipline should be a time of discipleship. Discipline is much more than inflicting discomfort. It is your opportunity to shape, mold and disciple them.
Demonstrate a model relationship by honoring and loving your spouse. Your children will benefit much more than you think by having a mom and dad that take time for each other (even if it means leaving the kids with a babysitter!).
Take the time to enjoy your children’s company. They ought to be your favorite people, and, if they are not, shame on you!
Be your children’s primary source for instruction and direction about God, life, love, friendships and yes, even sex. If they don’t learn it from you they will get it from somewhere else.

Our Treasure The Bible

2011-05-27T20:47:00.004-04:00

Today I finished reading through the life of David. I am attempting to read through the Bible this year (in Spanish) in chronological order. As you may know, the order that each book appears in the Bible is not necessarily according to a time-line, but rather according to genre. The books of Moses are grouped together, the books of the history of Israel are together, the prophets are together, etc. So, reading through the life of David had me jumping from Samuel to Chronicles to the Psalms.

I enjoy this plan of Bible reading for two reasons:

1. It keeps you from getting bogged down in complicated sections of Scriptures for a long period of time. It breaks up the prophetical books. If you are like me, reading straight through the Bible is easy until you reach Ezekiel.

2. It helps you to understand the Bible in its full and intended context. For example, it benefited me greatly reading each Psalm as it corresponded to the events taking place in the life of David. This is also helpful as you read through the prophets while reading through the historical books. You see them prophesying in their historical context.

Many peoples in this world do not have a Bible of their own, others may not even know how to read, and yet for others a Bible doesn't even exist in their native tongue. Let’s not take for granted what God has given to us. It is our treasure.

Project Nehemiah

2011-05-23T19:23:00.002-04:00

On Sunday we started Project Nehemiah.

We are in need of a larger, more accessible place of worship. We thank the Lord for what he provided as the birthplace for Iglesia Bautista Esperanza (Hope Baptist Church). However, we are growing. Project Nehemiah is a challenge we have placed before the church family to pray and give toward the purchase of a permanent place for the church so that we would not have to continue renting.

Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days. Our plan is to save for 52 weeks by putting aside 15% of the general offerings plus receiving designated offerings for the project. At the end of the year we hope to be able to buy land or a building! We have placed a chart in the church to track the progress. Each week we will place a “brick” on the wall with the amount given towards the purchase of a permanent church building.

During the Sunday evening service as I preached on the vision for the church and plans for future works, it was exciting for me to see their excitement as we talked about what God can do! Would you pray for this project? Would you consider being a part of it?

We look forward to keeping you updated on what God is doing!

Jason Kenney – Building Fund

Macedonia World Baptist Missions, Inc.

PO Box 519

Braselton, GA 30517

May Update

2011-05-18T16:12:00.001-04:00

Click to read our latest update

From Updates

English Class

2011-05-13T17:00:00.004-04:00

This week I was able to participate in a couple English workshops at a local school. The students were given the opportunity to ask me questions about English, culture, our life, our experiences as foreigners in Chile and about life in the U.S. It was a lot of fun, and the easiest thing I have had to do in a long while. It was almost entirely done in English! I was impressed with the student’s level of English and their ability to form questions. Also, I was equally impressed by their respect, courteousness, and friendliness. Although I wasn't asked to come and preach/teach Bible, the question was raised as to why we came to Chile? That gave an opportunity to explain a bit of the Gospel.

Chile has great potential to do great things for God because it has great young people. Pray that God would raise up an army of young Chileans to carry forth His Gospel throughout all of Chile and the world.

I had the chance to "show off" my old B-ball skills. Found out my "skills" aren't the only thing getting old.

They wanted a picture with Aaron. Boy did he blush!

Notice Caleb's reaction. The difference a couple years of age can make!

Los Guitarristas

2011-05-09T18:50:00.003-04:00

One of the things that use to worry me when we were planning to launch a new church was the lack of music. Unfortunately, I have no musical talent to pass on to my kids. We would start the church with the plan to sing it all a cappella (with me leading). Wish I could say every service sounded great.

A friend (pictured at the end) from another church that we had worked in during our second year in Chile started helping us during the Sunday evening services, and offering to teach whoever wanted to learn to play the guitar. On Thursday evenings we started having a guitar workshop. Well, you can see the fruit! Three young people have started playing during the services! We sound better each week. And, one of these guys plays the piano! We hope to get one and utilize it once we have a larger place.

Omar, en caso que estés leyendo esto, quisiera decirte gracias por todo lo que has hecho para nosotros. Gracias por multiplicar el talento que el Señor te ha dado. Has sido de gran bendición a la Iglesia Bautista Esperanza.

Ladies Ministry

2011-05-03T21:57:00.002-04:00

I remember my first weeks in Chile and turning the corner down a hallway in a restaurant as I made my way to the restrooms. The first door I saw was marked with an “M”. Years of English instincts said, “M for men.” I put my hand on the door and was ready to push it open when a sudden doubt crossed my mind questioning why a restaurant in Chile would label its doors according to English. Thankfully, I never entered the bathroom.

Turns out the “m” stands for mujer the Spanish word for woman. There is also the word dama which would be more of an equivalent to the word “lady”. You also have the Señora and señorita dilemma, which I usually just steer away from since that involves assuming the age of the lady.

Women have a huge and important role in the church. In many cases they are the spiritual glue of the family due to the lack of spiritual leadership amongst the men. We praise the Lord that he is growing a great group of ladies at our church. I will be very honest and say that that is due to about zero influence on my part and mostly all due to Jenny’s.

Warning! Here is where this post might get a bit mushy.

Jenny is doing a great job ministering to the ladies at our church. She is given many opportunities to counsel others because they trust her. She communicates with more than just words, she communicates by the life and example she lives. She models what it means to be a great wife, mother and friend. I am so thankful I have her by my side. I truly believe that the people in our church have a far better pastor’s wife than they do pastor.

Jenny, I love you! Thank you for all that you do. Thanks for serving the Lord with me in Chile. We certainly have a great life together.

He Lives! Happy Easter!

2011-04-22T11:54:00.003-04:00

Resurrection Sunday is just two days away. No doubt it is the most important day for Christianity because the entire faith rests on the fact that Jesus Christ arose from the dead. Had He only died on the cross His work would have been incomplete. Death alone provides a martyr, and the world has seen many of those. However, death followed by resurrection is something different; that provides a Saviour! Hebrews 7:25 says “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

This time of the year the news magazines, Discovery channel, and the History channel will call the so-called scholars together and air programs attempting to give us the “real” Jesus. The big problem is that many of those “experts” do not even know who He really is? It is not the scholar on the History channel to whom you should seek evidence of Jesus and His resurrection. Ask the people who were there.

Ask the Disciples:

Why did you run in fear while Jesus was alive, but are so willing to give your life for Him and proclaim His message now that He is dead?

Answer: The resurrection.

Ask His former enemies (particularly Paul):

Why did you hate Jesus so much when He lived and persecuted His followers, but whole-heartedly follow Him now that He is dead?

Answer: The resurrection.

Ask the Jews that converted to Christ:

Why did you cry “Crucify Him, crucify Him” for blasphemy while He lived, but are so willing to abandon thousands of years of tradition to follow Him now that He is dead?

Answer: The resurrection

Ask the Gentiles that converted to Christ:

Why did you ignored the God of the Jews for thousands of years, but have joined the following of a Jewish man named Jesus who claimed to be God’s Son now that He is dead?

Answer: The resurrection

A Soldier or an Invalid

2011-04-21T10:51:00.003-04:00

Are you serving or being served?

"It is urgently needful that the Christian people of our charge should come to understand that they are not a company of invalids, to be wheeled about, or fed by hand, cosseted, nursed, and comforted, the minister being head-physician and nurse - but a garrison in an enemy's country, every soul of which should have some post of duty, at which he should be prepared to make any sacrifice rather than quit it."

F.B.Meyer (1847-1229)

(from the book 50 People Every Christian Should Know by W. Wiersbe)

Happy Birthday Ellie!

2011-04-20T13:53:00.002-04:00

I am about two days late posting this, but late is better than never. On Monday, Ellie, our youngest child and only girl celebrated her fourth birthday. She is a wonderful little girl with an incredible will that rivals all four of the boys' put together. We love you Ellie!

Ellie on the plane the day we arrived in Chile. Where has the time gone?

Opening presents

Ellie and her friend Mical

She had been waiting for a Backyardigan cake for months, specifically for a Uniqua cake. Jenny made the cake and did a great job!

Young People (Jóvenes)

2011-04-14T10:33:00.002-04:00

Jóvenes is the Spanish word for young people. It is a bit different from the English word teenager. Teenagers seem to include only those in their “teen” years while being a “joven” means you're just young in age. After three years in Chile I still get confused about who or what age is considered joven (young). My guess is because the word young is so relative, while the word teenager locks you in between the ages of 13-18.

Each Saturday we have a young people’s meeting at the church. We normally have a game, some snacks and a Bible study. The teenagers that come can vary from the junior high age to university students. Each youth meeting is an opportunity to influence the lives of tomorrow’s leadership.

Would you pray for the youth ministry in Chile? Pray that God would raise up a generation passionate about His Name.

50 People

2011-04-12T07:39:00.003-04:00

I started reading a book by Warren Wiersbe that I had intended to read a while back titled “50 People Every Christian Should Know.” The book contains hundreds of years of collected wisdom from men and women who have impacted Christian history. It is one of those books to read with the highlighter in hand because it is full of quotes and insight into their habits, daily activities and preaching ministries. After reading just the first ten chapters I have already gleaned more than I have in the last ten books that I have read. A definite must read for anybody in the ministry.

Here are several highlighted quotes from last night that challenged me in my ministry work:

"True, you are not to keep back the fundamental doctrines of the gospel: but there are different ways of stating them; and you should adopt that which expresses kindness and love, and not that which indicates an unfeeling harshness." – Charles Simeon (1759-1836)

“Preach the gospel of the grace of God intelligently, affectionately, and without shame…Let the preacher influence himself; let him reach his own heart, if he would reach the hearts of others; if he would have others feel, he must feel himself.” – Christmas Evans (1766-1838)

“I have been much impressed with the sin of choosing my text without special direction from the Lord. This is like running without being sent, no message being given me.” – Andrew Bonar (1810-1892)

“I see a man cannot be a faithful minister, until he preaches Christ for Christ’s sake, until he gives up striving to attract people to himself, and seeks only to attract then to Christ.” – Robert Murray McCheyne (1813 – 1843)

Five Guys

2011-04-09T11:26:00.003-04:00

I want to dedicate this post to five really great people.

I thank God for giving Jenny and me five great children. I know they aren’t perfect, and we have just stuck our foot in the door of those teenage years (so I may have to rewrite this post in a few years), but I feel like writing and telling just how thankful I am for them.

First let me say that inside the walls of our home we are just like everyone else that deals with everything typical. We at times have to say for the umpteenth time “Pick those toys up”, “go to sleep”, “stop fighting” or even “why in the world did you lick your finger and stick it in your brother’s ear?”

But, despite the fact that they are the typical sons, daughter, brothers and sister, they have done something extraordinarily well. They have adapted and adopted a new culture, language, and people.

Several years ago we uprooted them from everything familiar and planted them in the midst of everything new. They did it.

For the first two years in Chile we attended two established churches already filled with friends ready to be made. But several months ago we stepped out and started a new church. There would be no other kids, no kid’s classes, and the truth was we had no idea if anybody would even show up. Our kids would be the pioneers, the first kids, the ones who would have to extend friendship rather than be the recipients of it. They did it. They are doing it.

My kids are more than just my children; they are my best friends and my helpers in the work of the ministry.

Aaron, Seth, Caleb, Timothy, Ellie; I love you guys. Thanks for serving the Lord with me and mom!

Random Thought On Mormonism

2011-04-05T10:46:00.004-04:00

One of the somewhat annoying things that I deal with in missionary/church-planting is the assumption of many that we are Mormons. Like the Mormons we spend a lot of time walking the neighborhood, but that is about as far as the similarities go (I guess you can say being a gringo is another similarity). Our Gospel is different, our Jesus is different, and our message of salvation is different.

The other day Aaron and I spoke for several minutes with a pair of young missionaries. One was a young man from Iowa. I was amazed at His friendliness, but also saddened at his spiritual blindness. The most intriguing aspect of his unsuccessful attempts to “persuade” me of the legitimacy of his faith was the bee-line he made to the words of the current day LSD prophets. No amount of Scripture can be used to persuade a person of their error if, in their mind, the ever changing “revelation” of the living prophets is superior to all that was written beforehand; even if contradictions exist between the two.

Below are a couple of quotes from a USA Today article that I read today…

"We pay lip service to the prophet's fallibility," said Edward Kimball, son of late church President Spencer W. Kimball. "But when you come down to specifics, we can't think of any incidents where a prophet was wrong."

One of Smith's (founder of the Mormon church) most radical concepts was "continuing revelation," the notion that the scriptural canon did not end with the Bible and that well-established beliefs could be altered — even overturned — by new messages from heaven to the leaders in charge.

One thing the New Testaments writers never had to do was change or “overturn” what the Old Testament writers had written. Why do Mormon prophets feel that they have been granted that authority?

Questions and Answers

2011-03-28T11:22:00.001-04:00

Sunday evening we had a bit of a different kind of service. We had our second “Question and Answer” time. Instead of preaching a regular message we allowed the congregation to ask questions. Of course we gave about two weeks to submit the questions beforehand rather than take questions directly from the floor. Part of the reason was to better maintain control of the service and the content. The other reason was to keep me from stuttering around an answer (probably the main reason!).

We had a great time. Plus, receiving the questions allows you to see what the congregation is thinking and what issues they may be dealing with. On the wake of the Japan earthquake several questions dealt with the “signs of the times” and the second coming of Christ. One question wanted to know if a person could lose their salvation, including through suicide. Two questions related to a better understanding of Baptism. And yes we did answer the question; “Where did Cain get his wife?”

How fun it is to gather together with a great group of people who desire to know more about their Saviour and His Word. For so many people, especially in a South American Catholic culture, religion is a blindly followed ritual. People go through the motions of a Sunday mass without any life changing power left over for Monday. The reason is because the study and application of Scripture has been substituted for a thirty minute religious rite.

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” Psalm 119:18

Thank you Mr. Hamby and Glenn

2011-03-26T12:27:00.005-04:00

I just want to use this post to publicly say a big thank you to Mr. Hamby for coming to Chile to visit us. We had a tremendous, but busy week. Jenny and I were so encouraged to have had the opportunity to talk with you.Thanks also for preaching in six churches while here, and for teaching six hours in the Seminary. All this while touring Santiago and Valparaiso and being willing to stay up late each night to talk with us.

Thanks Glenn for having a heart toward missions and a desire to follow the Lord's leading in your life. Thanks for sharing your testimony in several of the churches including our youth meeting. Thanks for being willing to spend so much time with Aaron and Seth. I believe they both benefited greatly by your example and heart.

The message in English was great. I am just not sure what the people heard after it was translated into Spanish!

A few people we met in Valparaiso. Kyle Sheridan (not pictured) preached a Gospel message to them.

Visitors

2011-03-20T12:09:00.003-04:00

This week we have the honor of hosting Dean Hamby, the assistant director of MWBM, and Glenn Savage a student at Old Suwanee Christian School in Buford, GA. Mr. Hamby has known Jenny since she was a teenager. Anybody who knows Mr. Hamby, knows he not only is a tremendous encouragement, but also a lot of fun to be around. I think my kids are really going to miss him after the week is over.

Glenn is going to graduate in May and is praying about where God may be leading him. He plans to attend Bible college and prepare for the ministry.
Saturday Glenn shared a testimony during the youth meeting. Seth asked if he could have a go at translating. He was a bit nervous, but did a great job. Anybody who has translated knows what a mental exercise that can be. Saturday we headed to the market ("feria" in Spanish) located just a few blocks from the church. We were able to hand out about seven hundred church invitations with Gospel tracts.

This week Mr. Hamby will be teaching six hours in the Chile Bible College, plus we plan on showing Glenn around the city and giving him an idea of what mission and church planting work involves.

March Update

2011-03-12T19:18:00.004-05:00

Click to read our latest prayer letter/update

From Updates

Thank you Clapp Clan

2011-03-07T09:31:00.001-05:00

We like to say a great big THANK YOU to the Clapp family for coming to Chile to visit us for a few days. The Clapps have been our friends for about ten years, and over those ten years have been a great blessing to Jenny, the boys and me.

Thank you Clapp family for packing some extra goodies in your suitcases for us, thanks for helping us pass out tracts on Saturday, and thanks for providing a new projector for the church, and most of all thanks for your friendship and coming to hang out with us for a few days!

Baptismal Service

2011-02-28T18:55:00.008-05:00

Yesterday was a very special day for us at our church. We had our first baptismal service with five people following the Lord in believer’s baptism. Not only was it our first baptismal service, but it was also our first time having over 50 in attendance!

It is so exciting to see people publicly identify themselves to Christ, and commit to be His followers. Pray for their continued spiritual growth.

Also, don’t forget to pray that we will be able to rent/ buy a larger place soon. As you can see it can get pretty crowded.

Christian Facing Execution

2011-02-21T08:07:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was church. Did you go?

Millions of Christians woke up yesterday. Sadly, millions never even gained the victory over the bed sheets and opted to sleep in. Millions readied themselves for services. The real faithful even made it back for the evening service.

For one Christian man in Afghanistan, waking up Sunday morning meant facing more physical and sexual abuse at the hands of prison guards while waiting to find out if his execution would be carried out for his refusal to re-convert to Islam.

Think about that. While you went to church yesterday and the only opposition that you may have faced being that one of the kids couldn't find their shoe, or that you seemed to hit all the red lights on the way; Said Musa is facing execution because one day he went to church.

May we all pray for this man, and reflect on our level of dedication to our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Click here to read a post calling for prayer for this brother that includes several links to news outlets.

2011-02-07T14:00:00.003-05:00

Camp

Last week we ended an awesome week at camp. Around a hundred teenagers attended from seven different churches, including a small group from our church. Of the several teens that trusted Christ throughout the week one was a girl from our church! That was exciting because just a couple weeks earlier my wife led her mother to Christ! We would like to thank all those who prayed for the week of camp, and also want to thank one of our supporting churches (Faith Baptist Church, Pikeville, TN) for a generous offering toward the cost of camp. No doubt many lives were affected and changed throughout the week.

Burglary

Coming off a great week of camp we were really looking forward to Sunday services. But when we arrived Sunday morning we found that the church had been burglarized. Everything of value is locked in two interior rooms during the week. Someone had entered a small second story window on the back end of the property. Once in they literally broke one of the office doors in two and stole the projector. Then after attempting to break through the other locked door, they decided kicking a hole through the wall would be easier. Fortunately, apart from damages to the wall and door, the only thing of substantial value that was stolen was the projector. The small opening of the window combined with the second story climb must have kept them from stealing the sound system and other things of value.

Summer Camp

2011-01-24T09:45:00.003-05:00

This time next week we will be heading down the road for summer camp. We are especially looking forward to this year since it will be the first year participating in camp while representing our own church! In all I believe six (maybe seven) churches will be represented this year at camp. Four of the six churches are under a year old. How amazing to see God forming a strong team of churches!

The theme for the year is “Dare to take the maximum risk.” Most Christian summer camps seem to always focus on counter attacking the ever changing issues of teen pop-culture. The final product is a changed teenager for the remainder of the summer. Our prayer and desire is to preach and teach on how God can (and wants) to use young people in a huge and radical way so that His Name would be glorified among all nations.

The cost of each camper is around $50 (super, super cheap compared to many stateside camps). Every year we set an affordable price, knowing that the end of the week will leave us a substantial deficit that the missionaries will split up. Every year we let some young people attend who really want to go, but can’t afford to pay, knowing this will add to the already substantial deficit.

Would you consider sponsoring a teen to camp for $50?

By the way: One teen from last year is now the song leader at Iglesia Bautista Fe (Jason Holt’s church), another teen from the same church is heading up Sunday and Wednesday Bible studies at a daughter church plant.

Jason Kenney - Camp

Macedonia World Baptist Missions, Inc.

PO Box 519 Baraselton, GA 30517

News From Chile about China

2011-01-24T08:29:00.005-05:00

I hope to get a new post about what's going on here soon - a lot going on, a lot planned for the coming weeks. But until then let's read about China.

I want to pass on this great article I read over at the gospel in china (one of the mission blogs I enjoy the most). He writes about the differences between Honk Kong and mainland China. What really stood out is the last sentence of the post.

"Our hope in a closed country never lies in the relaxing of government restrictions, but in the Spirit’s work through the Word proclaimed by obedient servants."

7 Billion

2011-01-05T08:10:00.001-05:00

First of 2011

2011-01-05T07:52:00.000-05:00

We’ve been working through what we have been calling Project 20/20 an effort to distribute a church invitation to each house within the area of our church’s location. The Saturday before Christmas we went out and began delivering the flyers to the houses in a designated area. At the end we realized we were about 200 flyers short of completing that particular area.

I like things in order and couldn’t relax with the idea of leaving two hundred or so homes undone until after the Christmas and New Year break. So we printed more flyers and Aaron, Seth, another guy and I met together one morning to finish up the group of houses before the New Year.

On Sunday, the first Sunday of 2011, a gentleman showed up who lived in the section where we had delivered those extra 200 flyers, the section we almost put until after New Years. The man’s name is Hugo. He was not only our first visitor of 2011, but also the first new believer of 2011. How awesome is that?!

Radical is Ordinary

2010-12-28T07:16:00.002-05:00

Last night I finished up the book Radical by David Platt . The book’s subtitle gives a bit more depth as to what it means to be Radical: Taking back your Faith from the American Dream. In the final chapter he writes about turning your life upside down by taking the “Radical Experiment”. Expecting some profound, new steps to spiritual achievement? His answer is pretty simple. Writing about prayer and a steady diet of the Word of God, he says;

“In our quest for extraordinary, we often overlook the importance of the ordinary, and I’m proposing that a radical lifestyle actually begins with an extraordinary commitment to ordinary practices that have marked Christians who have affected the world throughout history.”

First Couple's Meeting

2010-12-20T18:49:00.002-05:00

Last Friday we had our first couple’s meeting at the church. I had my mental list made out before we were leaving: Bible, handouts, prizes, music, and the camera. Unfortunately, the camera never made it. Sadly, we have no photos of the event to post.

We had the typical couple’s meeting: good food, a lot of laughs playing a few crazy games, a Bible study that focused on marriage, and time for each couple to introduce themselves by give a brief history of how they met.

In lieu of posting photos I’ll post some of the biblical principles that we studied.

· Marriage is an unconditional pact, not a contract with conditions and stipulations.

· Marriage is an opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ.

· Marriage is about being selfless by fulfilling the needs and desires of another, before concern for ours. (I just read today this sad “celebration” of self-centeredness in marriage.)

· Marriage will be difficult if we don’t learn how to deal with problems with the correct heart.

Genesis 2:24, Ephesians 5:25, Ecclesiastes 9:9, Ephesians 4:29

Happy Birthday Timothy!

2010-12-03T07:53:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to my "buddy" and six year old son! Timothy we love you so much!

Timothy trying to get some air on his new skateboard.

Timothy three years ago on our first flight to Chile.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

2010-11-25T18:50:00.004-05:00

Of all the days of the year, today is the day that I miss the USA the most. Christmas isn’t so bad because Chile celebrates it pretty much the same way (except it’s the middle of the summer).

So what have I to be thankful for?

First – I am so thankful that Jesus Christ is my Savior. (Is He yours?)

Second – I am so thankful that Jenny is my wife (she is incredible, I feel sorry for the rest of you guys because there is only one just like her).

Third – I am so thankful for each one of my kids (five completely different personalities, so much fun to be around).

Fourth – I am so thankful for the privilege to live in Chile (even if it means missing Thanksgiving day in the States, I am perfectly content to do so).

Religion or Relationship

2010-11-13T13:54:00.005-05:00

Last week my wife led a lady to Christ that had visited the church for the third time. Having grown up in a Catholic country, she was very religious. She was full of questions and doubts, and couldn’t get past the idea that her religious “ceremonies” and “works” have nothing to do with having a relationship with Jesus Christ. Her many years in religion taught her absolutely nothing about the grace of God and His free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. She didn’t know about Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”, but she had climbed hundreds of stone steps on her knees to reach a statue of Mary (the steps and statue in the photo below). Now she knows the difference between religion and a relationship! What about you?

Did you know there are only two religious systems in the world? Those that say “do” and the one that says “done”. Not exactly sure to what I am referring? Download this free e-book called DONE

A great week

2010-11-13T13:37:00.002-05:00

This week has been one of those “victory” weeks in the ministry. It started Sunday morning at 11 when it was time to start church, but nobody had arrived. Well, people finally showed up and it turned out to be a pretty normal attendance for Sunday morning. The best part, after the service a visitor trusted Christ as her Savior. Then in the evening we had one of our best attended services despite a pouring rain. Wednesday was a normal attendance for us, but was made even better by another person who was saved! Friday was the third week of our park ministry with 22 kids attending for a time of games and a Bible lesson. Two kids prayed to receive Christ as their Savior! Today in the morning we had a good group go out for Proyecto 20/20 (our Saturday evangelistic program) and in an hour or so we are looking forward to what God has for us at the youth meeting.

We relate this not that we might receive compliments, but that Christ may be glorified. People aren’t the goal, nor is an attendance that was higher than the week before. But as Paul said in Philippians 3:8 “That I may win Christ.” He is the goal!

Just for Fun

2010-11-11T16:16:00.002-05:00

I took this picture with my cell phone when I went to check the mail today. This has nothing to do with the ministry here in Chile, but it has the kids pretty excited. This will be the second Chuck E. Cheese in Santiago (the other is way on the other side of the city). This is only 10 minutes from the house!

Searching: New Building & Fans

2010-11-03T08:22:00.003-04:00

This past Sunday we had a special day at church that focused on the family. Because it was a special day we were blessed to have a higher than normal attendance of 46 (with 8 being first time contacts). Two things became very apparent: we need a different location, and we need a couple of fans.

Taking care of the need for fans was the easy part. With temperatures this weekend reaching in the high 80s those little second floor rooms we are using were steaming. Heading to a department store was a must.

Taking care of the new location is not as easy as runny down to Paris (not France, but the department store here) and picking it out. Forty-six may not seem like a huge attendance, but when the “auditorium” only fits 38 chairs, that’s big.

We have checked on two possibilities this week: One was out of our price range, and the other is not available. Since we have already started the church and everybody that comes walks our search area is limited. We are looking for a certain building in a specific area.

During the week would you pray and ask the Lord to direct us to a new location?

calling all kids

2010-10-21T17:45:00.002-04:00

This weekend we start two new ministries relating to kids.

First we will be splitting the kid’s Sunday school so that the younger kids can have a class of their own. A much needed move due to the fact that the age of the kids coming starts at three. This means that we will have two Sunday school classes: Gigantes en la fe (Giants in faith) for the older kids, and Ovejitas del redil (Lambs of the fold, sounds a bit better in Spanish). We are excited to be able to take this step and look forward to more classes as soon as the Lord provides another building with additional space.

Second, Fridays we will be starting an open-air kid’s club. In every neighborhood there are plazas or little parks. For four weeks we will invite kids to play games and hear a Bible story in a particular plaza, then move to another plaza to hold another four week club. Our church sits at the crossroads of three neighborhoods. The goal is to reach the kids with the Gospel of Christ and then be able to visit their homes to share the message of Christ with the entire family.

Tough Job

2010-10-09T21:30:00.001-04:00

The following was passed to me via email from a friend.

In 1915, twenty-eight men were alone, trapped in the ice-covered waters of Antarctica's treacherous seas. "Frozen," as one man put it, "like an almond in the middle of a chocolate bar." These were the men of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition in the coldest climate on earth. They suffered frostbite, gangrene, hysteria, starvation, all for the glory of being the first ones to cross the Antarctic continent from sea to sea, the greatest polar journey ever attempted to date. The leader of the expedition, Sir Ernest Shackleton, had put an ad in the newspaper that read:

"Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success. Ernest Shackleton."

And 5000 people applied.

Why?

They wanted some great purpose and passion in their lives. Samuel Zwemer, missionary to the Muslims said that “so many young people’s minds and hearts are occupied by weak things, by inconsequential things. Their eyes have never been illumined by a great vision, their mind has never been gripped by unselfish thoughts, their hearts have never been thrilled with the passion for the lost, their hands have never grown weary and strong in the lifting of a great burden.”

If you want to be gripped by a cause greater than yourself…I present you with the cause of the Christless millions and the call to leave houses and lands and family and friends…and find some pocket of people who haven’t heard the Gospel, like gypsie nomads, urban businessmen, or isolated mountaineers.

Would you give up your life? Would you go?

Suffering and God's Plan

2010-09-30T23:04:00.003-04:00

If God is so loving why is there so much suffering in the world?

This coming Sunday I will be addressing this issue through a series of messages during our morning services. Whether in Atlanta, Georgia or Santiago de Chile the fact is people are hurting, frustrated, and looking for comfort (although many times in the wrong places). The truth is that outside of Christ all suffering and pain is meaningless. Pray for our upcoming services as we attempt to answer a very difficult question.

Flying Kites

2010-09-20T19:26:00.003-04:00

What a great weekend of bicentennial celebrations we have had here in Chile. We spent some time at the park in our neighborhood flying kites. It was packed with people taking advantage of the vacation time and awesome spring weather. Flying paper kites or volantines is extremely popular here this time of year. It is actually quite fun, and our kids are pretty obsessed with them at the moment. Every now and again you can catch teenagers battling kites attempting to cut one another's string with special string called hilo curado. Which you are not suppose to have and will be confiscated by the police.

Día de la Patria

2010-09-14T15:37:00.003-04:00

On September 18, Chile will celebrate her independence day. This year the celebration will be a bit bigger and a bit longer due to the fact that this is Chile’s bicentennial. I missed USA’s bicentennial by six months so I am looking forward to getting in on this one!

Our plans are to have what is called an “asado” or barbecue at home. We probably will put a bunch of meat on the grill and eat choripanes covered in pebre (provided links to wikipedia, wow! You can find everything on wikipedia).

On Sunday we are looking forward to having a special day at church. We’ll decorate the auditorium in red, white, and blue (that‘s Chile red, white and blue), have some special games, wear traditional dress, have a special time of prayer for the country, and of course eat choripanes.

Project 20/20

2010-09-03T11:29:00.005-04:00

In just two days we will begin a new phase in the life of our three month old church! This Sunday (9/5) will be the start of our Sunday morning services. Up until then our meetings have been on Sunday evenings and Wednesday evenings along with youth meeting on Saturdays.

With the cold weather finally giving way to springtime we are looking forward with great expectations to beginning new projects and outreach ministries. One project that we will begin on September 11 is called Project 20/20 (which comes from Acts 20:20). The plan is to involve those who are already attending the church to join with us is getting a church invitation along with a gospel brochure to each home within our community. I am not sure how many homes that involves, but it will be no small task. The area where we are working includes not only thousands of homes, but also hundreds of apartment buildings.

Spare no Expense

2010-08-27T10:07:00.002-04:00

For the last three weeks I have been following the story (along with the entire country of Chile) of the 33 miners trapped a half a mile below the surface of the earth. Seventeen days after the initial cave in, and after 8 failed attempts to drill and make contact where is was hoped the miners had fled, the nation cheered as news spread that all 33 miners were safe.

The challenge now is drilling a hole large enough through half a mile of solid rock so that all the men can be hoisted up. The estimated timetables range from a couple months to "we hope to have you out by Christmas".

The New York Times say "Chile is sparing no expense or attempted innovation in trying to rescue the miners."

What if the attitude had been; "Let's evaluate the cost first"? What if the rescue effort was shut down after the third, fourth, or fifth attempt to make contact with the miners? What if the mine was just closed up permanently and the entrance sealed?

How horrible to even think about that!

How do we measure up to Chile's persistent, "never give up" attitude? After all we are in the rescue business as well. We preach "deliverance to the captives." We preach salvation (or rescue) through Christ alone. Could it be said of us that we are sparing no expense or attempted innovation in our world-wide mission efforts?

Prayer Request via Video

2010-08-23T18:55:00.002-04:00

I know this video lacks professionalism, but I was at the church getting ready to go visiting with Seth when I decided to “try” making a quick video mentioning our need for another church building.

Its crude, it won’t win an Oscar, but I hope it conveys to you our need.

Right now the pressing need is to rent a place, but the long term goal is for the church to eventually have a piece of property of its own. I hope to share more about that project in the future…

Thanks

Filling the City

2010-07-26T21:20:00.004-04:00

Last week was the annual Youth Congress hosted by Iglesia Bautista Fe (Faith Baptist Church) where Jason Holt is the missionary/pastor. It was a tremendous conference as always with visiting pastor Austin Gardner of Vision Baptist Church. There were four message times and an activity on Friday afternoon in which a group of about twenty-five teens went into the city for some fun activities and to hand out Gospel tracts and flyers promoting a newly created website that contains a clear and simple presentation of the Gospel. Within 48 hours over 500 people had visited the website! Also, what made this year's youth congress extra special for us is that we were able to bring three teenagers with us from the church we had planted two months ago. So I guess this youth congress was the official first youth outing of Iglesia Bautista Esperanza (Hope Baptist Church).

Can I Marry Your Daughter?

2010-07-18T22:10:00.002-04:00

I am enjoying the biography of Adoniram Judson on one hand, yet struck with conviction on the other as I read of his sacrifice for the cause of Christ. For him it wasn't "goodbye until next furlough" or "as soon as we get settled in and the internet up we'll call you."

Read this letter that Adoniram Judson (missionary to Burma) wrote to his would-be father in law in 1810.

"I have now to ask, whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world; whether you can consent to her departure, and her subjection to hardships and sufferings of a missionary life; whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean; to the fatal influence of the souther climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps violent death. Can you consent to all this for the sake of him who left his heavenly home, and died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing immortal souls, for the sake of Zion, and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with the crown of righteousness, brightened with the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her Saviour from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?"

14 years!

2010-06-28T22:51:00.001-04:00

Proverbs 18:22 says; Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

A month before my nineteenth birthday I proposed to Jenny and six months later we were married on June 29, 1996. That was fourteen years ago. What an enjoyment marriage has been! Jenny is truly my best friend, and an amazing wife. Not only is she an amazing wife, but she is a wonderful mother to our five children. She is probably the most balanced mother I know. She knows when to be stern, and knows when to be fun. She has the discernment to know when to be a tender mother, and when to not to “baby” the kids. Also, she is a faithful Christian. She loves God and cares for people. She is humble, and kind. She has adapted to a new people and culture, learned a new language while having to home school, and is such a help to me as we work together in planting a new church.

Jenny,

I love you and I am so glad that God has brought us together. I didn't just find a “good thing” I was given the “best”. I look forward to spending more years with you and seeing what God has in store for us.

One Month So Far

2010-06-17T19:35:00.003-04:00

Last Sunday evening we had a special time after the message to do what we do best at times - eat. This was done to celebrate God's blessings in allowing us to have completed our first month at iglesia bautista esperanza. We praise the Lord for 42 in attendance.

Please continue to pray for this new ministry as we plan and work in the coming months...

pray for people to be saved
pray that the Lord might send us someone to help in the music
pray for another location (the one we are in is temporary)

That Funny Feeling

2010-05-24T20:29:00.003-04:00

Last night we had our second Sunday service at the new church plant. Thirty-one in total were in attendance. In classes about church planting nobody told me about the huge knot I would feel in my stomach the hour leading up to the church service wondering if anybody was going to show up.

Sundays we are studying the life of Jesus from the book of John, and Wednesdays we are studying on the family from a biblical perspective. If you're in the Maipú/ Santiago Chile area, Stop in! It may be worth the drive or even airplane ride.

Here's Hope

2010-05-10T16:43:00.003-04:00

Above is a picture of the building where we will be starting out with church services. We will be using the rooms on the front right-hand corner. The building sits on the corner of two busy streets and also sits in front of a bus stop where three different bus numbers pass by. Below us we have an awesome bakery, and a Chinese take out, so starting this church may cause weight gain!

We will be starting out with church services on Sunday evenings and Bible studies on Wednesdays with plans to add Sunday mornings in a couple months. In the mean time we will continue to serve at Iglesia Bautista Renacer for the Sunday AM service.

It is so awesome to watch the Lord bring this all together!

Ready, Set,...

2010-04-29T19:01:00.005-04:00

We are just a couple weeks away from taking the first steps in planting a new church (Hope Baptist Church) here in Santiago, Chile. We are busy preparing the place that we have rented as our temporary meeting place. Also we are getting invitations printed, signs made, Bibles gathered, and everything else we need in order to start with the first Bible study. We'll be going door to door in the neighborhood extending invitations and sharing the Gospel.

Our first service will be on Sunday, May 16!

Excited? Yes!

Nervous? Yes!

Pray that God will pour out His blessings, people will come to Christ, and that Chile will never be the same!

Happy Birthday Ellie

2010-04-17T21:20:00.002-04:00

Ellie's birthday is tomorrow (April 18), but since Sundays are pretty busy days for us I wanted to get this posted tonight.

Its hard to believe that our baby girl is turning three years old. When we moved to Chile she was only six months old. Ellie is a sweet little girl, yet with four older brothers she knows how to hold her own. I visited her in her bed during nap time to ask her about her birthday. We love you Ellie!