STAS Update

As many of you may know, my sending agency, the International Mission Board (IMB) has had revenue shortfalls for several years.  In addressing this, they have planned to implement a two-phase reset to cut field personnel by 600-800.  

The first phase of this two stage process has been offering a voluntary retirement incentive (VRI).  All field personnel age 50 and over with at least 5 years with the Board will be offered a retirement package. 

I ask that you pray for those who have accepted the VRI as they transition out of their service with the IMB and seek to serve the Lord in other ways.  The Americas Affinity has been hit particularly hard with this.  It will be a difficult time. But we serve a sovereign God, and we know that the gospel will continue to go out to the ends of the earth with all boldness unhindered. 

The second phase will be announced in January. 

Stateside

Greetings! Here's a quick update.  I would like to thank everyone who has been praying for me and the ministry in Colombia.  Prayer is an important part of the Great Commission work to send the gospel of our Lord to the nations.

I want you all to know that I am beginning a five-month furlough. From October 6 to March 6, I will be in the States.  Please pray that it will be a fruitful time as I visit family, have a time off from the work to be refreshed, and share about the work God is doing in Colombia as I speak at churches.  Also, please pray that the work in Colombia among the displaced indigenous will continue in my absence.

_____

Therefore let it be known to you
that this salvation of God has been sent to the nations,
and they will listen.
Acts 28:28

The Church's One Foundation

Let's keeps our eyes on Jesus who is the foundation for the church. Despite the trials we face, the gospel will go out and save a people from every tribe, nation, and tongue. Christ will save his bride. He will build his church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Mat 16:18).  I haven't posted a hymn on here in a while. I hope this one will encourage and strengthen you. 

New Update

Greetings from the land of coffee! I hope each of you is doing well and enjoying the summer. "The joy of the LORD is our strength" (Neh 8:10). I would like to thank everyone who has been faithful in praying for me. Prayer is a much needed part of the Great Commission task. Your partnership with me through prayer enables you to become a part of the work God is doing through me in Colombia. Thank you.

I am continuing to make visits downtown with the Chamí. It is still difficult to have a consistent time of sharing stories from the Word with them. Often they are busy selling their handicrafts to have a good time of studying the Word. It is also difficult to find them at home. Please pray that I may have fruitful time in the Word with the Chamí and other indigenous people who are displaced in Bogotá.

June Update

As I mentioned in my last update, I traveled to Risaralda a few weeks ago to visit with some of the Chamí who moved there last year.  One of the Chamí believers, Juan De Dios, had died a few weeks before my visit.  I was able to visit with his wife Maria Lina and some of the other family members.  I prayed with her and shared some Scripture.  The death of her husband, understandably, has been difficult for her.  Here is a photo of them both taken not long before they left Bogotá for Risaralda.

 

Pray for me as I travel next week…

Greetings and salutations! I hope that everyone is doing well.  Here is a quick update regarding what I’ll be doing next week. 

O Church, Arise

This week, I am posting a modern hymn written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend—"O Church, Arise."  This song calls the true church to know that we are truly in Christ, and because of who he is and what he has done for us we have a sure hope to boldly persevere in the faith despite our trials and struggles as we reach out in love to those in darkness.  That is what this song preaches to us so wonderfully.

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" is an old hymn from the early 16th century written by the reformer Martin Luther.  Luther wrote many hymns which helped to instruct people theologically and served to spread throughout Europe the truths restored by the Reformation.  This hymn is based on Psalm 46.  It has also been called "The Battle Hymn of the Reformation."  There is a reason that this hymn is still widely sung today nearly 500 years after it was written.  Here it is sung by Chris Rice.

2 Thessalonians 3:1 

Finally, brothers, pray for us, 

so that the word of the Lord 

may speed forward and be glorified…

Hello everyone! Thank you for your prayer support. Your prayers are a crucial aspect of the ministry I am doing here in Colombia. Please continue to pray for the advance of the gospel to the ends of the earth and for the work God has for me to do here in Colombia.

Here is an update as to what I'm doing:

I have been visiting with some of the Chamí that live in the shelter downtown. In some ways it has been frustrating because they are not always there. At times, I will have a couple of weeks with some good visits, but then I will have a couple of weeks when I can never find them at the shelter to visit.

Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery

"Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery" is a simple and wonderful modern hymn which beautifully summarizes the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It was written by Matt Papa, Matt Boswell, and Michael Bleecker.  Our plea to the nations is for them to come behold the wondrous mystery of the good news of Jesus Christ, to come to Him with true belief and true repentance.  Oh that the gospel message would be proclaimed throughout the world to all peoples! 

Singing the Word

Romans 1:1-6

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

Sovereign Grace Music has an album called Grace Has Come: Songs from the Book of Romans.  The album contains 16 songs based on passages and themes in the book of Romans—theological truths about our depravity and need for repentance and faith and about God's gracious provision of justification and forgiveness in the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross. It is about the gospel. This week, I am highlighting the album's first song "The Gospel Was Promised" which is based on Romans 1:1-6. Enjoy!

Psalms, hymns, and Spiritual Songs.

~ Psalm 100:1-2 ~

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

     Serve the Lord with gladness!

    Come into his presence with singing!

The first week, I posted a spiritual song, "All I Have Is Christ."  Then, I posted a hymn, "A Debtor To Mercy Alone." This week, I am posting a psalm—Psalm 73 by Indelible Grace Music. The words are an adaptation of the biblical psalm put to contemporary music.

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!

~ Psalm 150:6 ~

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!

Praise the Lord!

The song for this week is an old 18th century hymn by Augustus Toplady "A Debtor To Mercy Alone" updated by Indelible Grace Music.  May it draw your heart more toward Christ and the gospel.

If you're unfamiliar with Indelible Grace Music, I highly recommend their music.  They take wonderful old hymns they are rich and solid and put them to new music—a great remedy for some of the fluff that is out there today.

Singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart…

~ Colossians 3:16 ~ 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, 

teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom,

singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, 

with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

One of the ways the word of Christ continues to dwell within us is through the teaching of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.  I love songs that are theologically rich and that focus my heart and mind toward the triune God in worship and to the glories of the gospel.

Happy New Year!

~Daniel 7:14~ 

And to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, 

that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him; 

His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, 

and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. 

Thank you all for your prayers.

Prayer is a vital component to the missionary task of the church. We should never underestimate its importance. John Piper said, "Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief."