Friday, September 12, 2014

September 2014 Newsletter

Our Mission: To Equip the saints [In the D.R.] for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. - Ephesians 4:12-13

Dear Family and Friends,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We thank God for all of you who pray, give, and encourage this mission. I say this on the onset of our latest newsletter (NL), because truth-be-told, without  the body back home (all of you believers reading this), this mission would not exist, and there would be no NL to write in the first place. The cooperation of the saints, and unity of mind and purpose towards the gospel is a beautiful thing, and I can’t thank each and everyone of you enough. Principally, we can’t thank Jesus, our Lord, enough. Praise Him!

Celia and I have faced what was probably our toughest month since we’ve been on the mission field. Maybe the most difficult month of our lives, spiritually speaking. Spiritual warfare is very real, and I feel that we are being targeted more prominently of late. I only say this due to the constant (and more recent) onslaught of fiery darts that manifest themselves as doubts, fears, confusion and despair. But greater is He, Who is in us (God), than he who is in the world (Satan)! Please pray for us, and then pray some more if you don’t mind! I know your intercession is in large part fighting off the forces of evil. We are not ignorant as to the key to our strength and endurance– the prayers of the saints. To be sure, it is Christ, yet He delights to manifest Himself when His saints assume the very mantle he wears, namely intercession.

I feel that in the short space of a NL, I often have to switch gears abruptly to say everything I want to, and so I move on to some exciting news. Just the other day, two couples from Boruco were legally married (the more important part-the ceremony before the church will take place later)! This is always incredible news, when you consider the culture here. The bride of Christ just became that much “cleaner”. Marriage has lost its meaning in these parts. Any man and woman living together call themselves “married.” Even in the church, this language pervades. However, we are working...rather God is working through us to restore this glorious institute, and to have the culture mold itself to Christianity, not Christianity to the culture.















In closing, hard times make you run to the throne of God and Christ. Better is one day in His courts than thousands elsewhere. Oh saint, do you believe that?