The calendar says that the month of June has arrived. Hard to believe with this morning’s temperatures in the 50s! The weekend is approaching; a new month filled and overflowing is beginning. I began this week in Catacamas, Honduras where on Sunday morning I preached at the El Colegio congregation. The opportunity to renew friendships …
Category Archives: Missions
Blessed! Bendecido!
Today I am blessed. On this day as I awaken again in Honduras, I am thinking of friends, churches, and brothers and sisters in Christ in many parts of Latin America. God is good! Many times in Latin America, the response to the question, “Como esta?” is “Bendecido.” We are blessed by God. He cares …
It’s Always about the People
Yesterday was a good day–a day filled with opportunities to catch up on various projects, but more important, a day to renew friendships in Christ. It has been four years since I was last in Catacamas. Catacamas is growing; there are many new construction projects. I am having to reorient myself after a four-year absence. …
Doors Opening, Opportunities Abounding
God works through us in mysterious ways. We plan to do one thing, and God opens more and more doors. We set up a Bible study and an entire family is present when we arrive. We set up a Bible study with one person and there are 13 present for the study. We go to …
Why I “Retired”
I have read several articles recently about why people should not retire. I would hardly be so bold as to say that one should or should not retire. Retirement is difficult to define and means different things to different people. Jan and I talk much more about reinvesting our lives than about our retirement. Nonetheless, …
Different Values
The comment surprised me: “You guys live with a different set of values.” I was a weekend visitor in the congregation, invited to present a leadership and planning workshop on Saturday and to teach and preach on Sunday. Some of the elders invited me to share Sunday lunch. Also present was Roberto Miranda, a coworker …
Guatemala Reflections: Developing and modeling an approach for effective Bible study
Our seminar approach is not only to share specific Bible information, with different classes and lessons which can be adopted and taught “as is.” We do some of the former, but we more often seek to demonstrate and model an exegetical approach to Scripture, a way to study and understand God’s Word, beginning by thinking …
Guatemala Reflections: Individual Studies vs. Seminars
I am seeing more and more the importance of individual Bible studies in the process of leadership and teacher development. On this trip, I spent much more time than in the past in studies with families and potential leaders, in individual studies and conversations. These individual studies are very encouraging and have great potential for …
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Guatemala Reflections: At least some of the Mayans are preparing for 2013
Chichicastenango is an area where the influence of the Mayan culture is obvious. The congregations in the area are heavily influenced by the Mayans, and many of the leaders and members are of Mayan heritage and Quiche speakers. On the bulletin board in the church building in Chichi, I was encouraged to see that the …
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It’s Sunday Again: Family
We will be with our family again today–our eighth different family reunion location in eight weeks. Over the past seven weeks we have visited and worshipped with our brothers and sisters in Tulsa, Lexington, Nashville, McAlester, Solola, Antigua, and Guatemala City. Except for Jan’s preference for English-speaking worship, each week has been a unique and …