September Update

Greetings! I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the Fall weather. I want to thank everyone for your support as you pray for the work God is among the displaced indigenous people here in Bogota, that the word of Christ would speed ahead and be honored, and that the gospel would advance throughout the world unhindered. God is faithful and will complete the great commission. Our desire is for people from every tribe, nation, people, and tongue to worship around the throne. And that task is accomplished through the faithful preaching of the gospel throughout the world.

My work in Colombia focuses on the displaced indigenous in Bogota. Much of my everyday work has been centered around the indigenous living in a city park near my apartment. I have been visiting there four to five times a week. A few weeks ago, however, the 1000 indigenous in that park have been returned to their territory in western Colombia. Some of them have stayed in Bogota, but are no longer in the park. They have moved to various shelters in the city. I have found some of them in one shelter which I have started to visit each week. There are a few Colombian believers who are coming with me to this shelter. Please pray that I can find where others have moved to and continue to visit with them as well.

There are are two other shelters that I have been visiting. It is possible that some in these shelter may be returned to their territory later this year. But as for now, we are continuing to visit them each week for evangelism. We were recently able to do a more extensive three-day event with them for evangelism and discipleship. We are also planning to do a relief project for them soon. So pray that that would go well.

The number of national partners (individuals and churches) is beginning grow and become involved in the displaced indigenous work. We recently had a one-day training event for our national partners, giving them a little bit of teaching on the indigenous, animistic worldview and orality. We are wanting to get together some material on such issues to help better train our national partners in the future. Pray for that to go well and that more national partners would become involved with the work among the indigenous.

Please continue to pray for my visits with the Wounaan. I have been able to make several visits to “Silas” to study the Word and pray together. I will sometimes visit him when he is selling in the market. On one of my visits, I was able to spend about five hour with him and his family. Some of them are believers, and there is a small Wounaan church, but much work still needs to be done.

Please pray for my visits with “Mike.” I visit with him once or twice a week to talk, pray, and study the Word. Life is hard for him as he struggles to find work to support his family. Pray the he would come to see his need for Christ and trust in Him.

Please continue to pray for the ministry in Las Cruces. I haven’t been able to be as involved in it as I once did due to time. But pray for that ministry there as Daniel and his family start a new church and reach their neighborhood with the gospel.

Please continue to pray for my team. Pray for us as we seek to reorganize our labor in light of those who were moved from the park to the other side of the country. Also, one couple on my team is retiring at the end of the year. So pray for the changes that that will entail. Pray that God will send more workers to us.

Pray that we would have wisdom to do our work well. Pray for patience. It takes a lot when working with indigenous. Pray that Christ would be glorified in all we do. We are dependent on Him to supply all our needs and trust that He will. Thank you for your prayers. May God be glorified. 

Last time, we looked at the parable of the sower and the different ways people hear the Word that is preached. After that parable, Jesus teaches on the lamp on the lamp- stand. He is still teaching on the kingdom. The lamp is the Word of God (Psa 119:105), especially the Word of Christ (John 1:4-5; 8:12; 9:5; 12:46). Isaiah prophesied that those who walk in darkness would see a great light (Isa 9:2) and that the Messiah would be a light to the nations(42:6), bringing salvation to the ends of the earth (49:6). The lamp has come in Jesus who is the light of the world.

We are to proclaim that light to the world. We are to proclaim the excellencies of the one who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Pet 2:9). Paul was sent to the nations to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 26:18). We are to place that light on a lampstand for all to see. We are not to do anything in our proclamation to conceal that light. Its proclamation must take centerstage in our evangelism and missions. We must refuse to tamper with the word, renouncing disgraceful and underhanded ways (2 Cor 4:2). Satan is doing all he can to blind the eyes of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel (2 Cor 4:4). But the light of the gospel of Christ can open blind eyes. And as people trust in Christ, their eyes are open to see more and more of glorious truth. Those who refuse to believe will sink further into darkness. May we flood the nations with the light of the gospel. Let us show them Jesus and the good news of we He has done for us through His life, death, and resurrection. May those who walk in darkness see a great light. May we faithfully proclaim the word whole and untrimmed, trusting its power to save and sanctify people. May we avoid any means that takes away and obscure the word. Preach the word (2 Tim 4:2)!