Encouraged This Morning!

I am encouraged this morning as I reflect on the activity and ministry that happened this weekend among our little fellowship of house churches.  

 

On Saturday afternoon, Martin and Rosa called from La Piedad—just to connect and see how our week had gone.  They shared about their week and their ministry among addicts and their ongoing desire and efforts to see God’s kingdom come more powerfully to their own family.  Martin told me that his older sons and some of their teenage friends were planning to be together with the church that meets in their home on Sunday—that he was praying about the time they would have together and was preparing himself to tell them the story of Jesus’ encounter with the leper.  I wonder how it went.  But I’m encouraged to know how they are thinking and trying to live into their faith…

 

A few hours later on Sunday morning early, Jose Luis and Juliana called me from the street.  My family and I were with them and their church last Sunday in their colonia the week before—as about 25 members of their family and friends met to eat, sing, pray, share their hearts and read the Bible together.  Yesterday, they called saying they were on their way to visit and meet with Omar and the band of Jesus followers in and around Omar’s house in Jocotan (another area of the city).  Since the group with Jose Luis and Juliana doesn’t usually meet until the late afternoon, they wanted to take advantage of the early part of the day to visit and meet with the other church.  Nancy and I felt so encouraged at the news of their leadership…their initiative…the sense of love and responsibility that is developing among these groups.  They seem to grasp the importance of living in and incarnating Christ in their own neighborhoods and among their own families—yet they also know they are part of something larger than just this—they form a part of the larger body of Christ in their city.  

 

I had breakfast this morning with Omar—he told me that the day was great—he told of the encouragement he and his group felt from Jose Luis and Juliana—of how Omar’s wife is being drawn to Christ by the transformation in Omar’s life and by the community of Jesus followers around Omar.  

 

At the same time all of this was happening on Sunday, Gerardo and Carola and a few of those from the church in their colonia had plans to begin something new among a family on the other side of the city.  They planned to enter into this “house of peace” and to begin sharing and proclaiming Jesus as God gives them opportunity.  Their prayer is that this will be the beginning of a new Jesus community—a new church.  I wonder this morning how it went. 

 

But I’m encouraged to see evidence that God is moving among my dear friends… 

Guadalajara Partners’ Meeting

Today, I’m in reflection mode as I think about the last few days—and the days leading up to them.   

This past weekend we hosted our 4^th Partners’ Meeting for the Guadalajara Multiple Church Planting Project.  We’ve hosted four such meetings since our mission effort began here 10 years ago—in 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2008.  The general idea of these events are to invite representatives, church leaders, ministers, etc. from the U.S. churches that partner with our mission to spend a long weekend with us—seeing, experiencing, discussing, and evaluating with us the ongoing mission partnership we share in our region.   

This year we hosted 26 representatives from eight Churches of Christ in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Washington.  We chose the theme “The Story Continues…” and tried to facilitate the presentations of multiple perspectives of the ongoing story in which we find ourselves.  This year was unique because we invited a couple of missionary families who are living a similar vision in Mexico City to join us in the telling of the story.  All and all there were 41 adults—seven missionary families and the stateside partners.   

We started off on Friday night with a Noche Mexicana eating tacos, listening to Mariachi music, and allowing everyone to get acquainted with one another.  Saturday morning was spent with presentations, stories, videos, break out sessions and group discussion related to “Telling Our Story” from the perspective of the missionary families.  We especially focused on telling and trying to interpret what has happened since our last meeting in 2005.  Saturday afternoon and evening was spent in smaller groups as the partners went with missionary families to their homes and/or the homes of Mexican Christians—a taste of Mexican family life and culture.  On Sunday we spent several hours at a park with the fellowship of Mexican house churches.  Five groups were represented as we spent time in worship, food, fun and fellowship.  After eating, we invited people to stand and tell a story of God working in their lives.  It was cool to hear the stories of both Mexican and U.S. Christians.  On Sunday evening, the missionaries and U.S. partners met for a wrap-up session where we asked the partners to reflect honestly on  and share their perspective of the story—to give us feedback on what they had seen and thought.  Monday morning was spent shopping in a tourist area of the city—everyone boarded planes and were gone from Guadalajara by mid-afternoon.   

The weekend was full.  I was overloaded with multiple conversations, ideas and feelings.   

Today I’m tired.  I sense the need to reflect and collect my thoughts—to discern God’s word in this weekend—to seek clarity. 

I sense it was an important weekend.   

Today, I’m thinking of the story recorded in Luke 8:19-21.  I want to live as “family” with Jesus.  I want to clearly hear God’s word.  I want to put it into practice. 

10 Years in Guadalajara

10 years ago last night, my family and a team of 4 other families began arriving in Guadalajara.  We were very “green” yet really wanted to be used by the Lord for good…for the expansion of God’s kingdom.  Our twins were 4 1/2 years old.  We were all young!  

I’ve been reading my journal entries for those days.  So much has changed in our thinking, understanding of the culture, understandings of our task…

Yet, so much remains the same:  a deep desire to follow God’s lead and be empowered by God, a deep desire to trust God, a deep desire to see the gospel make a difference in the lives of the Mexican people, a strong awareness of our imperfection and our need for God and for one another. 

I’m especially thankful to God for our coworkers today:  Joe and Elaine Pruett, Robert and Shelley Herrera, Pat and Malissa Sheaffer, Jason and Beth Gossett.  Lots of memories!