Can you imagine spending long, exhausting days plowing and preparing a vast field? Can you imagine then carefully planting your crops and waiting for weeks to see that crop begin to sprout and grow ever so steadily? See yourself pulling weeds, keeping away the birds and small animals that would love to feast on the [...]
Archive | Missionary thoughts
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White flight, Racism, and Missions
Some years ago an African-American pastor’s wife from Atlanta visited us in Chile. Her husband pastored a church just miles from my old elementary school. During the 90s, my family and most of our friends left the area opting for a less “urban” environment in the suburbs. As we discussed my own history in the [...]
Don’t be a lazy pastor or missionary
“Some pastors and preachers are lazy and no good. They rely on these and other good books to get a sermon out of them. They do not pray; they do not study; they do not read; they do not search the Scripture. It is just as if there were no need to read the Bible [...]
a couple of years won’t cut it – more church planting thoughts
I often hear ambitious plans put together by well meaning church planting theorist that show how to plant a church and train nationals in a short period of time. Skepticism is the nicest word I can think of to describe my opinion of these plans. (And believe me, there are many other words I think [...]
What’s needed to get a church off the ground in Latin America – Part 1
Patience! Radical life change can take a long, long, long time! This is one of the key lessons I learned during our first term in Chile. I was utterly shocked after 3 months at our new church plant, back in 2005, that we didn’t have 20-30 faithfully growing disciples of Jesus. The truth is, after [...]
My wife got jipped
My wife happens to be the best possible wife God has ever made. She totally is responsable for 90%+ of all practical, clever, and wise ideas I’ve ever had. Today the cat’s out of the bag. I’m like the man behind the curtain, all voice and little more. She is my real hero, and I [...]
Home is Chile
Often times people ask us when we are “coming home” for furlough. I understand what they mean, and sometimes I’ll refer to the USA and Chile as both our home. But, we are planning, God willing, to be in Chile for the long run. It’s virtually impossible to effectively plant churches, train pastors, and evangelize a [...]
God’s multiplying your investment
Our Missions Conference ’10 wrapped up this week in the main church in Santiago, Chile. The Chilean christians increased their projected annual missions giving to just over $8,000 dollars!! It’s fantastic to see them assuming their responsibility to reach their country and the world with the gospel. They are currently supporting missionaries in Chile, Argentina, [...]
Missions on the Mission field
The great commission was not exclusively given to white anglo-saxon christians… it was given to the local church! All churches from every nation, tongue, and tribe must be active in fulfilling the great commission. Regardless of the socioeconomic context of a new church plant, it must soon began to actively engage the world by praying, [...]
Broken lives, broken hearts
Half way through our Tuesday night drug/alcohol recovery class Rodrigo came in. He’s a 33 year old addicted to a cheap form of crack cocaine. He spoke up during my message to object to the notion that Christ could change him. Later, he told us how drugs have ravaged his family. His wife and teenage [...]
