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It has been without a doubt one of the greatest experiences of my life over the past six years to see the the grace of God at work through His word to call out a people from among the many to whom we have witnessed and worked since we arrived in Villa Carlos Paz.   In that period of time we have seen approximately 96 people come in contact with our preaching for extended periods of time.  Some endured for a month others for years, but all 96 eventually left.  Some left because of the doctrine, others because of the practice that the doctrine demanded; others left because of the worship style, “too much preaching” or too many hymns;  others said there were not enough marriage prospects; others went away because we would not be a financial or social support system for them; others feared living with the biblical expectations of practical holiness and personal commitment to one another in a local church.  It has been sad to see these go away.  We cannot say that they were all unbelievers, although some undoubtedly were.  Others were merely those who have bought into  the lie that the church is merely an institution that exists to meet the needs of a “spiritual consumer”.    

             Paul has clearly said that the church is so much more.  In Ephesians 3 he refers to the chruch as, “the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things,” .  The church has always been upon the mind of God in all his gracious purposes for mankind and for that matter even “heaven-kind”.  Paul leaves no doubt about the purpose God has for the church, ”so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Ef.3:10,11).    God did not make all these plans merely to occupy a small place in the mind and life of mortals who have needs.  But so that He might display through this new creation, the church, the rainbow colors of his wisdom and glory to the very top of the created order.   

It seemed that on this past Sunday when we looked upon the 13 new members of this, the first reformed baptist church to be planted in Argentina by an American missionary, we were viewing something that the world would take little notice of but that, according to the Bible, the event had incredible eternal and spiritual importance.  Those 13 committed souls represented, “the manifold wisdom of God”.   There were husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, brothers and sisters, a north american daughter-in-law and her Argentine in-laws, there was a policeman, and a casino employee, an artist and a tennis teacher, an english teacher and a hotel employee.  However, in all their differences it was only  one characteristic that they all shared which qualified them to take the covenant vows that they pledged to eachother before God and witnesses… they were all sinners, called out from the world to be a singular,  “spiritual house” and a “holy priesthood”.    It was as though before  our very eyes and to our very ears we saw the Lord form these “living stones” into a ”people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light”  . 

The witnesses present for this act were; the good brethren who came from the Grace Baptist Church of Taylors, Pastor Bob Selph his wife Cathi, Pastor Chad Clint and Aaron Selph, as well as my dear brothers from Chile, Pastor Omar Ramos and brother Javier Valenzuela; also several brothers from the church in Cordoba, “Centro Crecer” whose pastor is Sam Masters a dear friend an fellow missionary.  We were so thankful that these could join with us as each one has had some role in the progress toward this day as insturments by the grace of God. But furthermore they represent three countries and cultures brought together to bear witness and marvel with us at the grace and work of the Triune God.  

It was a particularly blessed day for my wife and I as we tasted the sweet fruit of our labors for the past 7 years hear in Argentina.   As sower of the seed we did not make it to grow, nor did we sustain it by our power or will, we were not the author of its goodness, neither could we make the soil to receive it.  We merely were the farmers. We sowed. We watered. We cultivated. We waited.   And we did none of this alone. We had many helpers who worked with us and the power of a mysterious and wonderful providence ordained by God who brought us into contact with each soul now present.  But most of all it was the person of the Holy Spirit sent before us who prepared and prospered the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He “over-shadowed” the Word that was sown so that it supernaturally grew in the hearts of those who heard it, making much of Jesus and his work for sinners.    We have known much frustration, yet I do not believe that it was in vain, but God sanctified us through each of the 96 who turned away.   So that on the 11th of May 2008, in these 13 “living stones”, He has glorified Himself by so much more grace than we could have imagened, that all our grief has been turned to joy.  To Him be glory in the Church, now and forevermore!!!

                                in blessed bonds,

                                                         Don