Well, this installment is very much overdue. Since the conference much has happened, mostly travel and holiday’s. Sounds pretty tipical to most of your lives as well. But I have to confess that through more than 30 years of ministry nothing compares to the tiempo or the pace of work we have known since entering this field. We have learned something of “being spent” for the gospel. But God graciously granted us some restful days with family during the holidays. First we spent Thanksgiving with our grown children and grandson in Greenville. It was the first such occasion in many years. We shared great fellowship, decorated the Xmas tree, went to the Christmas parade in downtown Greenville, and played endlessly with little Caleb, the “play machine”.
Coming home in December we found things well managed by the brothers here after two weeks away. That was a blessing and a joy to see the improvement over my the past absences. And, as it turns out, something of a good test for the demanding days ahead for us. More on this in a moment.
December begins the heavy tourist season in Carlos Paz when the population will almost double to over 100,000 people. Which usually includes extra visitors for us from all around Argentina. We continue to be blessed by these opportunities to minister to people from all kinds of doctrinal pursuasions who might wander into our building.
In the middle of December we said goodbye to Zac Coventry from Texas, who had been with us for 3 months studying spanish and preparing for a two year commitment with the Peace Corp. Zac was a great blessing and a joy to have here to serve the congregation and to serve with us in every way he possiblly could. He was truely a blessing to have in our church and home. Please pray for Zac as he pursues the Lord’s will for him and seeks to be faithful to the opportunities he has been given in God’s providence to grow in grace and holy living while in Equador.
In addition, just as Zac was leaving, Erin Kuyper arrived for a one week stay from Kemp Road Baptist Church in Dayton OH. She comes from a vibrant group of under 30 adults in that church, who are faithfully praying for us, and longing to be more involved in this work though this brief visit. We are so grateful for visitors from churches who will give up vacations and come without expectations to learn of this work and meet those to whom we minister and then carry those faces and experiences back to their church to help fan the flame of missions locally. Erin was such a guest, though it was not easy for her having to overcome, missing a flight, illness and lack of language skill. But she was a joy to have with us and to enjoy Christmas with her.
After a few days of rest, January will be a hot month in more that one respect. Here is a schedule of events for the month the ministry calander.
Jan. 2 Teaching Elder candidates in Oncativo
Jan 8 New class in the Reformed Pastors Institute: Christian Leadership
Jan 14 We begin Sunday evening worship services in San Nicolas, Buenos Aires with 15-20 believers
Jan 16 Oncativo Study
Jan 19-21 Gail and I go to spend the weekend ministering in Santiago to the congregation of Omar Ramos
Jan 22 Reformed Pastor’s Institute
Jan 28 San Nicolas Evening Worship and Fellowship
Finally, each Saturday in January thru March we will have an outreach Bible Study entitled “Ulimate Questions” which Claudio and I will teach. We are praying that the Lord will be pleased to use this study to evangelize several lost friends our church family for whom we have been praying.
The schedule for each month works pretty much the same for at least the next 5 months, Lord willing. Going to San Nicolas will entail a five hour drive after sunday morning preaching to the congregation here in Carlos Paz. Each sunday evening I am away Claudio or Jorge will be preaching. We have much need for your prayers throughout these days of ministry. Pray not only for unction as I travel and preach trying to open the gospel to others, but for these very new congregations which are trying to form under the care and oversight of the Spirit by the Word.
Brothers, this is the reason for our being sent. Further I am convinced this is reason to “spend and be spent”. Jesus said before he healed the blind man in John 9,
“We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day, night is coming, when no one can work.” Dear brothers there must be an urgency to our labors for the gospel and with that a willingness is implied to spend all and be spent.
Growing up in Arkansas on a farm with 25,000 chickens, 100-150 head of cattle, and learning to work from day break till after dark as a boy and young person taught me many hard lessons. Giving our sweat and sleepless nights for the noble ends of love for family, learning personal responcibility, and personal accomplishment . All perishable treasure at best. Now the question that comes to me personally is; Shall I labor less or give an inferior effort for the One who purchased me with his own blood. I am not merely speaking of the call to “duty”.(Although I don’t regard duty,in itself, as a bad motive for faithful service. And our generation of believers could use a good dose of real “duty”. ) I believe we are called to duty, but we are also powerfully called to glory. Duty and Glory calls us to, “lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where niether moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also.” Matt.6:20,21 The kingdom will built up by those disciples of the King whose hearts are set on heavenly treasure and do not mind earthly things as though they were something to be gained. Pray for us as we pray for you to know by experience the joy of a heart set on heaven and its priorities and treasure. Brothers, duty and glory calls.
in gospelbonds,
Don
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