Surprise!!!

For more than 4 years we have been praying for and working hard to raise funds to purchase property or larger facilities for our church plant here in Lima. We continue to pray and believe for a miracle even though only about 20% of the amount needed has been raised.

El Oasis continues to grow numerically which we believe also reflects the spiritual growth of the congregation. 175 children, youth and adults attended last week's Sunday AM service. It is a very challenging moment for us because we don't want to lose this momentum as we battle the physical limitations of our rented facilities. In November a triangle planter in the center of the sanctuary was removed so that 20 more chairs could be added. In July we will probably return to multiple services.

The congregation has also responded via offerings to the church building fund. They do not appear to be discouraged by the huge financial mountain that must be overcome. $1200 was given in a special offering in March. Once a month, at the end of the Sunday AM service, the women of the church sell food and snacks. All profits go to the church building fund. This averages nearly $100 a month! Also a local businessman is considering a large donation to help us renovate our current facilities, since we have neglected routine maintenance (painting, carpet, etc) in our saving for the future. Their faith and energy have surprised and inspired us.

However, the greatest surprise was yet to come. A few weeks ago a large family in the church came into my office. They looked very sad as they each one handed me envelopes full of cash. It was all an act. They were really excited because they had come to tithe on their inheritance It was their desire to give it all to the building fund. The total was $17,420. I was in shock. This was by far the largest, single amount ever given to the project (the previous high was $5000 given by a church in the States). It was a sacred moment as we prayed, dedicating this money to God's plans for the future. When we least expect it...Surprise!!!!! God is still working!!!! We can't wait for the next surprise...

Things...

Last week we lost our internet service for 2 days. In some foreign countries this is normal, but here in Lima not so much. I was amazed at my reaction to not having internet access. I felt panic. We could not call our daughters or our parents. (We do have a "land line," but it is so expensive.) We could not transfer money into the girls' accounts. We could not check e-mail. We could not check on international news, the stock market or baseball scores. Austin could not play any "on-line" games. What were we going to do? How would we survive? How long would this last?

The last time help such anxiety was during our first few weeks in Costa Rica where we studied Spanish. We had no car. It seemed like I had always driven. Driving was a right! Owning a car was like having an arm, a hand or legs. It was a necesity for living. It was difficult at first, but we made adjustments and modified our lifestyle. We survived for 1 year without "wheels."

The part that bothers me the most about these 2 moments in my life, is how "things" had become so important to me and to my well-being. I am not very astute when it comes to technology and I do not own very many technological devices. My cell phone is basic. Our TVs are simple and old. I really thought that, unlike others, I would have no problem if certain "things" were taken away from me. I was wrong. Last week's "near disaster" has caused me to, once again, evaluate how much time and how much importance I give to "things." It is easy to think we value "people" more than "things." But, is it true? How much do you need "things?" How much time do you spend with "things?" Last week I had a lot more time to give to Austin, to Kerri and to the Lord.

It is hard to imagine that the first A/G missionaries took several weeks to cross the ocean before arriving on the mission field and that for many years their only contact with home were letters. I am humbled by their commitment and their sacrifice.

Disappointment

Over the past several weeks I have been on a spiritual journey to not only understand the true meaning of "disappointment," but to also learn how to manage disappointment when it happens to come my way. While it can take many forms, my own personal pilgramage has helped me to cope with self-disappointment, disappointment with others as well as disappointment with God. I have been reading and studying the book, Disappointment With God, by Philip Yancey. I would highly recommend it if you have ever felt like God is or has been unfair, silent or hidden.

This brief reflection is not an attempt to summarize the book nor Yancey's own process of self-discovery concerning disappointment. I only want to take a moment to formulate a few ideas which have helped me move forward in the face of disappointment. I would like to challenge you to join me in this journey that many have traveled. C.S. Lewis walked this path too in his book, The Problem of Pain. Here are few insights I continue to process:

1. Man's disppointments are better understood if we look at disappointment from God's perspective. The entire Biblical witness reveals how God has constantly dealt with mankind's failure. His love and faithfulness "in spite of" give us a worthy example to follow.

2. A common mistake is to believe life should be fair, because God is fair. However, God is not life. The two are distinct. Life is unfair; God is fair. Our definitions and our expectations are in error.

3. Perhaps God is constantly speaking. We are just incapable of understanding all that he seeks to communicate. Or perhaps a full understanding of God knows would be harmful to us. It is the difference between flesh and spirit; the difference between living in a 3 dimensional world and existing in a reality without dimensions. This is best seen in God's reply to Job in the last chapters of this mysterious book. He doesn't answer his questions. God recounts his greatness and awesomeness as Creator and Lord of the universe.

4. Faith and fidelity are not the same. Faith is trust and confidence that God will intervene. Fidelity is that "hang-on-at-any-cost" faith that continues to believe even when the expected miracle does not come. Fidelity is necessary when we reach the final moments of our life on the earth. It is the type of "faith" that carries us into eternity.

Satisfaction

A few months ago "Roberto" arrived at my office for a pastoral conference.   He had been attending our church for a few weeks.  He told me that he that a few weeks prior to attending "El Oasis" he had had a dream where God had guided him to our church.  He had never been to our church and was surprised that the church he had seen in his dream was "just like" our church. (We know of no other "basement" church in Lima.  We know of no other church named "El Oasis de Esperanza" in Lima).  Over the next couple of hours he told me of a 15 year journey investigating numerous philosophies, religions and cults, as he sought to find TRUTH. 

He seemed like he had tried everything.  At end of each detour the result was the same, confusion and dissatisfaction.  At the end of our meeting he excitedly told me how he had finally given his life to Christ and accepted Jesus' work on the cross as the only path to salvation.  For the first time in his life he felt satisfied.  His search was over.  But a new journey had just began...

Each week I meet with "Roberto" as we work together to purge his life of the LIES that he had encountered in his pligrimage to TRUTH.  Once again his experiences have  taught me that Satan has been working "overtime" to seduce and enslave mankind.  Once again, I have learned that the power of his LIES is real.  Now we are working to flood his life with God's Word and with TRUTH in hopes that this will begin to dilute the falsehoods he has accepted over time.  This is a long process, but his smiles of joy motivate me to continue on.  The one thing he often tells me is how satisfying it is to have a relationship with Jesus Christ and to finally know the TRUTH. Once again, I have learned that the power of God's love and God's truth is much greater and more powerful than anything the enemy has to offer us. 

Evangelism 101-Find a way to share Jesus

In August we held 3 Evangelism Training sessions for members of our church, El Oasis.  One of the new church board members had received this portfolio and decided start this important ministry.  At the end of the 3rd week the students looked for practical ways to put into practice what they had learned over the previous weeks.  They were not satisfied with just learning "how" to share their faith.  They wanted to actually "do" something!

Three ministry teams were formed:

1.  Visitation--Each week visitors and people who have not attended church services will receive a phone call or a home visit by members of this team.

2.  Distribution of Literature--Every couple of weeks this team will pass out flyers and tracts in front of the church.  Hundreds of people pass by our church facilities each day and know nothing about El Oasis.  If someone wants to talk, this group is prepared to share the "good news" of Jesus Christ.

3.  Small group studies and events-These team members are using bible studies or special materials such as the book,  The Purpose Driven Life and the movie, Fireproof to share the Lord's love with friends, neighbors and relatives.

Over the next several months we hope to see many lives transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Our ultimate goal is to make "disciples."  Extending the Kingdom of God is not complete until new believers are instructed and incorporated into the local church.

 

Really Studying God's Word

Since returning to Peru last year we decided to redo our adult discipleship program.    In most churches the majority of the adult "bible" courses are either a study of systematic theology which utilizes "proof texting" to show where certain doctrines are found in the Bible or studies of biblically related topics normally included in the titles of the most popular books in the nearest Christian bookstore.  It is rare to see an entire biblical book being studied.  Few set out to read the entire Bible or the entire New Testament in one year.  While both doctrinal and topical studies have an important role in the Christian diet, they cannot replace familiarity and understanding of the actual biblical text.  

Now our adult "School of the Bible" includes the following quarterly studies:

--Your New Life Christ (for New Believers) --The Purpose Filled Life

--The 10 Commandments --New Testament Survey

--Old Testament Survey

--Genesis --Exodus --Luke

--Acts --Romans --Galatians/Efesians

--Revelation

Throughout the year we also offer practical studies on the following topics:

--Marriage --The family --Money

--The Holy Spirit --Personal Evangelism

--Missions --Inner Healing

--Praise & Worship --Prayer

We will eventually have a School of Leadership for those who complete the earlier studies.  Each year we want to emphasize that each believer should read a large portion of the Bible during their devotional time each day.  

Using this program we hope to see believers mature quickly in their daily walk with Jesus Christ.  People are hungry for God's Word.  We need to make sure this is what they are being fed in the local church. 

New Wine

In Matthew 9 Jesus used the "wineskin" illustration to help his hearers understand a very important truth about the gospel.  Put simply, one doesn't put new wine in an old wineskin because the old wineskin can't contain it.  It will very quickly begin to crack and leak.  And the new wine is lost.  Jesus' coming and his message could not be contained by the old "wineskin" of Judaism.   The emphasis on forgiveness and transformation made possible by His death and resurrection were too much for the legalism of the Pharisees.  If the precious "new wine" of the gospel was to be saved, then a new "wineskin" would have to be created.  The church became this new "wineskin."

The principle to be learned from this is the message of the gospel must be packaged in a way that preserves its integrity and makes it relevant to those who hear it.  The packaging "wineskin" can be modified, changed or even replaced, but the "new wine" message of salvation cannot.  In recent years this principle has been freely used to restructure how we "do church." Missionaries who return from the field for itineration are normally surprised and at times shocked by these changes, as the church works hard to find new methods (new wineskins) to connect the message(new wine) with the needs of a rapidly changing society. 

While understanding and application of this truth has given the church strength to move forward in very difficult circumstances, there can still be problems when a good is pushed to an extreme.  In this case there is a danger that method (wineskin) can become message (the new wine).  One example is the lack of "pentecost" in the pentecostal church.   The baptism in the Holy Spirit and the operation of spiritual gifts just doesn't "fit" well with new versions of "doing church."  Many now believe it will offend and confuse people.  Others see it as awkward and embarrassing.  In most pentecostal churches it is still a part of the doctrine, but no longer a part of the practice.  It just doesn't work well in the church services.  Some are now questioning whether the pentecostal experience is important for a relevant "new wineskin" church.  When this happens, the "wineskin" becomes the message and the "new wine" is lost.

It is difficult to maintain a pentecostal emphasis in the midst of a society dominated by science and technology.  But it is not impossible.  Adults and young people in every cultural and in every society continue to crave an authentic experience with the supernatural.  Rather than sacrifice the "new wine," the church must be inspired to create "new wineskins" to keep the power of the Holy Spirit in its ministries and programs.  We strive to do this in El Oasis de Esperanza.  It is not easy.  We are constantly challenged to find new ways of doing this. It is still exciting to see people baptized in the Holy Spirit and flowing in the gifts of the Spirit.  At this point belief and experience join hands to equip the believer for the tremendous challenges of living life victoriously and sharing their faith courageously.