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Just to catch you up . . .

Iglesia Bautista Pueblo de Dios was (semi)-officially planted in April. We first began meeting in Jose’s home with his family and a few of their friends. Since then we have moved locations to a local English-speaking Baptist church in the area.

Right now we are spending a lot of time building up this fragile group of believers spiritually and numerically. Above is a snapshot from a little fiesta we had at our apartment a few weeks back.

A ton has happened. When I think about trying to translate it to the blog it feels a bit overwhelming. You can download our monthly newsletters and progress reports here for more info.

We use Logos at Mid-America. It’s a bit on the expensive side. But it is an amazing piece of software. One great thing about it is the digital library that is included. It provides a way to sample books to which I may have never been exposed.

Two that have been particularly useful to me are The Necessity of Prayer by E.M. Bounds and Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon. I read this from Morning and Evening today:

Faith is our walk, but fellowship sensibly felt is our rest. Faith is the road, but communion with Jesus is the well from which the pilgrim drinks.

. . . the morning light broke in upon us . . . to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death . . . and to guide us to the path of peace . . .

When faith ceases to pray, it ceases to live.

E.M. Bounds

My life feels like a process of losing myself, so I can find myself. Losing my life in order to find it . . .

I am giving up my rights, dreams, preferences, ambitions. Not just to be willing to surrender those things, but to actually do it.

Funny thing is when I empty myself of me I find myself being filled with what really matters.

Above all I am giving control of my life to God. He has ransomed me and has every right to move me, transform me, discipline me. Giving myself to him occupies the highest priority in my life.

I am also giving myself to my family. God has placed Amanda, Sophia, and Samuel under my watchcare. It is with them that I experience life, the simple and profound, the mundane and extraordinary. My whole life is completely wrapped up in them. Taking care of them is second only to walking with Jesus. The two aren’t mutually exclusive. They go hand in hand.

I am pouring myself out for my neighbor. In this stage in my life my neighbor lives 10 minutes away and speaks mostly Spanish. God has placed compulsion and call in my heart to make myself available to him to plant a Hispanic church.

Words have power. They build and destroy, heal and hurt. Words transform.

Listen to what God says through Isaiah (43) to those that are his:

I have ransomed you.

I have called you by name.

You are mine.

I will be with you.

You are precious to me.

You are honored.

I love you.

For those who are in Christ, every last syllable is true.

For those who are in Christ and live believing what God said through Isaiah, transformation is occurring.

I am a church planter.

I get a bit unnerved just saying that, but it’s true.

It’s not true because I decided that I should be one. It’s not true because an organization gave me that title. It’s not even true because I have planted a church before.

It’s true because that’s the job God has set before me. A church planter is what God has called me.

So, I’m learning to call myself that. It’s getting less and less strange to say because I am slowly becoming more and more confident in Him.

Needless to say, if I were depending upon myself to do this, I’d be in a hot mess.

This summer God used two experiences to begin a revolution in my heart and mind. I began to see myself fitting into God’s activity on earth in a whole new light. I felt compelled to get out in the community, start knocking on doors, walk with people through the truths of Scripture, and fold them into a congregation. I wanted to work with Latinos, but I didn’t know where or when or if I even should. But, this compulsion wouldn’t go away. I didn’t really want it to.

So, I started. I climbed into our 1994 Ford Aerostar and started driving. I had no idea where to go, but I couldn’t sit around any longer. I said “God if you want me to do this, you’ve got to show me where.”

He did.

I went down a street and came upon a small house that had a gaggle of kids playing in the front yard. They were Hispanic. It seemed like there were hundreds. It was like God said, “Start here.” I was 5 minutes from the front door of my apartment.

That was back in early September. Since then I have mapped over 100 Latino homes and visited more than 30. I have started two Bible studies in homes. And, I’ve learned a ton. The most important lesson? That I am completely and utterly dependent upon the power of the Spirit. Jesus is my sufficiency and motivation.

I am a church planter.

It’s been a long time since I have felt like this. God has asked me to do something and I feel completely inadequate and overwhelmed. Yet, I feel completely confident and hopeful. God doesn’t just call, he sustains and guides and empowers.

You’ll be hearing a lot more about this adventure. Feel free to email me if you have any questions about it.

A lot of people ask me the same question in one form or the other.

“What are you studying to be at seminary?” or “What are your plans after seminary?” or “What are you going to seminary for?”

It’s a fair question. I’ve probably asked it myself. But, the funny thing is I don’t really think of my time here in that way. I’m not here to go anywhere. I’m here because this is where Jesus put me. I’m not here to leave. I’m here to lift him high.

Yes, we do have plans/leadings/guidance (and an anticipated graduation date). If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be getting a Masters of Missiology. However, being a missionary doesn’t start when (if) my feet hit some foreign soil. It’s now. After all, this is foreign soil. My mission is clear, and it starts now.

I’m studying to be a better cross-cultural worker. But, that’s secondary. I’m here to lift him high in obedience and faith.

Sometimes the most impacting stuff professors say are on rabbit trails. Here are a few nuggets from Dr. May’s Issues of Missiology class last week.

. . . on praying for others:

Prayer is me getting to invest in your life. Prayer is me standing beside you in the spiritual realm to help you fight the battles going on in your life.

. . . on repentance:

Repentance is a life of continual course correction towards God.

. . . on faith:

Faith is trusting in his blood for forgiveness and his Spirit for empowerment.