You said 'toot.'
Jessica, my daughter (technically it was a text and so not heard).
Monday, July 22, 2013
Posted with BlogsyHonduras: Day 7
My final day in Honduras. It was a free day. The Houston group went and did some tourist stuff all day, but I stayed at the hotel to rest, reflect, read, and pray. Mostly because I don't care for doing "touristy" stuff, bit also because I really needed the rest. The picture is of my reading/thinking chair outside my hotel room.
The rest was good, especially since I have a full day of traveling tomorrow - about 4 1/2 hours of driving and about 5 1/2 to 6 hours of flights to sleep in my own bed tomorrow night. So resting today was important for me today.
I went to the restaurant in the hotel today and paid entirely too much for a very thin hamburger but it was a nice experience. The whole day was refreshing.
As I read part of Nehemiah today, I though about worship. Nehemiah 12:43 says,
And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.
It made me think of the singing in the churches we worshipped this week. The people we so free in their worship singing and were so loud that people could hear them from down the road. This verse in Nehemiah speaks if all of God's people walking on the wall around the city being lead by a choir. Their rejoicing and singing out to the Lord was heard from far away.
It is too bad that many in the American church are reserved in their worship and make worship about preference instead about the Almighty Creator and Sustainer of Life.
It is my prayer that when I return home that my worship will be free and about God and not concerned with how I look or what music I like. I want God to make me rejoice with great joy!
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Honduras: Day 6
Today I finished my ministry in Honduras. I haven't posted because I haven't had the time. I finished the theological classes on Friday afternoon. That was a half a day earlier than I anticipated but the pastor of the host church said he had advertised that it would finish Friday and he would look bad otherwise. So I made sure I cover all the information by Friday. At the end of the day, we handed out 42 certificates to students who finished both classes.
Saturday, I spent the morning resting and then between 2 and 4 PM I went with the Houston team to a local television station in Olanchito. They performed their dramas and gave some testimonies and some were interviewed, along with myself. They had a great set up there. A young man who works there named Samuel came up to me and we began to talk. He showed me around the station and was real nice.
Saturday night we went to Iglesias Rios de Agua Viva (Rivers of Living Water Church). The pastor there was at the the Olanchito Bible Institute last year. The Houston group did a drama and a song and a testimony and Craig preached. It was a good service.
Today, we all went to Pastor Moises church, Iglesias Agua Viva (Living Water Church). The group again did a drama and a song and a testimony but this time I preached on Matthew 4:1-11, which is the temptation of Jesus. The drama was called "The Sin Box" and showed getting stuck in sin. The sermon went well with it, I believe. At the end of the service, Pastor Moises gave us each a certificate which showed their appreciation for our work around Olanchito. We left Olanchito for La Ceiba after church.
This evening, the group was split in two and half went to a church where Craig preached and half went to another church where I preached. I preached on John 10:7-10, which is where Jesus said "I am the Gate." We were El Pino, I think and the church was Iglesias Palabra Viva (Living Word Church). Pastor Adrian Was the pastor there. The evening went well.
After dinner we got to the hotel late. Tomorrow is a free day. The Houston group is doing something tomorrow but I told them I am hanging out at the Hotel. I am looking forward to going home.
It has been a good trip. I felt like I accomplished the big thing I set out to do down here, which is to teach the pastors whom God sent to the classes. I handed out index cards to the students and asked them for any comments to help me improve. They all wrote something. I look forward to getting those back from world hope. Unfortunately, I was not able to accomplish my second goal for coming and that was for healing and refreshment. But I am going to attempt to accomplish that some tomorrow.
Spanish phrases learned while here (may not be spelled correctly but I can say them)
Todos la comida es racisima
Dios te bendiga
Buenos dias mi hermanos e mi hermanas. Me llamo es Rolland e yo soy pastor de Colorado.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Olanchito Bible Institute: Day 1
We started the Olanchito Bible Institute today. World Hope Bible Institute does an amazing thing all over the world. They take pastors who have a Master's degree and send them to places where theological education is hard to accomplish or out right unattainable and provide free theological training for pastors and church leaders. We were anticipating around 35 students today. We had 62!! I started teaching "Introduction to Orthodoxy" which is a short Systematic Theology. Today I essentiall taught three introductory thoughts, what is theology, who can be a theologian, and where do we get theology.
In brief, I taught that theology, simply stated, is discussion about God. In a broader sense, we discussed Anselm's statement, "faith seeking understanding"; the idea the our faith and love of God drives us to want to know more about him, which IS theology. Additionally, i taught that only believers can "do" theology because they are the only ones who are indwelt with the Holy Spirit (John 14:26) and non-Christians will not and cannot accept the things of the Spirit (1 Cor 2:14).
However, we really camped on sources of theology. We discussed how there can be many different sources we use, such as church tradition, church history, personal experience, reasoning. But we nailed down that scripture is not just a source for theology....it is THE source for theology. I taught the necessity for the pastor and ministry leader to know true doctrine so that they will be stable (Eph 4:11-16), and can confidently preach God's word. I think the most sobering verse we read about this was Deuteronomy 18:20:
But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.
How many times have I, or numerous other pastors, deacons, Sunday School teachers, ministry leaders, church leaders been presumptuous when speaking to God's people. Manipulating the meaning of the Word of God to make it say something it really does not say. Even teaching today, after reading that verse, a somberness, and serious reality came down one me. Teaching theology to church leaders is an incredibly important and needed discipline.
If you are a pastor (especially of the Baptist persuasion) and reading this post and would like to experience the joy of teaching eager pastors how to be even more effective in their ministry, contact World Hope Ministries International, who conduct these Bible institutes. They have them all over the world and it would be definitely worth your time.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Mission!
Today we landed in Honduras. I met the team with no problem and had a good flight.
We drove about a hour from San Pedro Sula toward La Ceiba and stopped for lunch. After that, we drive for another two hours to La Masica where my driver and his son live. So they stopped at their house and told me I was driving the rest of the way to La Ceiba! I found out that their traffic laws are fairly different from ours and they are not strictly enforced. I had no idea what the speed limit was nor how fast I was going. And if it wasn't for Ruth, the interpreter for our vehicle, I would not have known where I was going. It was quite an adventure. I will try to post a picture of the van-truck I was driving.
We stayed the night in La Ceiba. The group walked over to the local Mall and had some dinner, bought some bottled water, and then came back to the hotel. We will get ready to drive to Olanchito on Wednesday where we will spend the next five days.
Pray for me as I start classes on Wednesday afternoon.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Get Set...
Today I traveled to Houston and am staying the night to meet the rest of the group Tuesday morning. It is my understanding we will all be on the same flight down to Honduras. I am not thrilled about getting off the plane in Houston, getting my bags, finding the hotel shuttle, sleeping, checking in tomorrow morning, going through security...again..., and then flying down, but I am just trying to think of it as another adventure. After all, I was the one who chose this itinerary instead of flying to Houston on Tuesday morning from Denver to make a 9:00 AM flight to Honduras.
The trip to Houston went smooth. It took me 54 minutes from the time I parked my car to get to my gate. I was happy about that. The flight went well. The seat next to me was empty so I just read my book. When I landed I found the shuttle for my hotel and got to my room with no problem.
Overall, for a travel day it was somewhat uneventful...which I really like!
If you are wondering why I am posting the mundane, it is because I have a more and more difficult time remembering things and I want a record. So I post here to help me remember.
So, tomorrow, I am off to the airport, flying to Honduras, and driving to La Ceiba. I will post tomorrow about it. Keep praying, please. I have already felt the benefit from it.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
On Your Mark...
I have my bag packed and I think I am ready to go to Honduras. I have spend the last couple of weeks preparing my teaching notes, I have got my clothes all packed, and I think I have everything ready. I fly out tomorrow for Houston, and then I will meet the rest of the team on Tuesday morning at the airport.
Please pray that God would use me in a unique way while I am on this trip. Please also pray that God give me clear direction for when I get back. Pray that God would work in the pastors and church leaders I will be teaching. Pray for the mission team with whom I will be tagging along.
I hope that I will see some of the students who where there last year. Here is a picture from 2012's World Hope Bible Institute in Olanchito (click picture for larger image). They all were very eager to learn and very appreciative that we would come and teach them. But I was the one who was blessed. I hope to reconnect with some of the students from last time and I hope that we may have some new students, as well.
I will do my best to post while I am down there, although I am not sure I will be able to post pictures until I am back in the states.
Pray for us!
Please pray that God would use me in a unique way while I am on this trip. Please also pray that God give me clear direction for when I get back. Pray that God would work in the pastors and church leaders I will be teaching. Pray for the mission team with whom I will be tagging along.
I hope that I will see some of the students who where there last year. Here is a picture from 2012's World Hope Bible Institute in Olanchito (click picture for larger image). They all were very eager to learn and very appreciative that we would come and teach them. But I was the one who was blessed. I hope to reconnect with some of the students from last time and I hope that we may have some new students, as well. I will do my best to post while I am down there, although I am not sure I will be able to post pictures until I am back in the states.
Pray for us!
Sunday, July 07, 2013
Another Test...Another App
I am engaging in one more test from my iPad to make sure I can post easily from Honduras. Today, I am using an app named "Blogsy". It is much more dynamic than the previous two apps I have used. I like this app and will probably stick with this one from now on. Not that I think anyone out there cares about this, but I have to post something.
Blogsy has a lot of functionality. I like that it will do the block text, which I use a lot. It also allows the user to directly type in HTML, which, again, I use sometimes. Like the following.
When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: "Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses." (Nehemiah 4:14 NASB)
So, I like that I can still do my Bible and other quotes and I can still use the BibleRef link.
As for the Nehemiah quote, in my devotion time today, I was struck that I. The middle of their work, while they were facing opposition from God's enemies, Nehemiah encouraged God's people by reminding them who God is (He is great and awesome) and reminding them they were fighting for those they loved. I may begin to posts my thoughts on Nehemiah soon but for now I will just say I was encouraged by this verse.
Saturday, July 06, 2013
Another Test...Different App
I wanted to post another test today using a different app. The previous post was published using the Blogger app for the iPad. Today's post is being created using Posts, which is a free app and much better than Blogger's app. The first HUGE advantage to this app is that I can post links. If Blogger can do that, it it not intuitive.
It is also easy to post pictures. Here is a picture of my daughter doing science at her school.
I have not seen an easy way to post videos, which I would like. So, this app is a step up from the previous app. There is still one more i would like to try. I will post again to see how that handles.
It is also easy to post pictures. Here is a picture of my daughter doing science at her school.
I have not seen an easy way to post videos, which I would like. So, this app is a step up from the previous app. There is still one more i would like to try. I will post again to see how that handles.
Friday, July 05, 2013
Testing from iPad
When I go to Honduras in a few days ( see previous post) I want to see if I can get away with bringing only my iPad. So I downloaded the Blogger app and wanted to Test to see what the post would look like when down, what functionality the app had, and if it would be adequate for me to use while out of the country. So far, I have found I cannot post a link, which is perry disappointing.
So, this is just a test post.
Thursday, July 04, 2013
Honduras Mission...Again
In ten days, I will be off to Honduras again for a mission trip (to see information regarding my last mission to Honduras, you can click the Honduras 2012 label or the Missions label). I will be doing essentially the same thing except that I will only be going to Olanchito. The map below shows last year's itinerary but Olanchito is one of the cities circled. We will still fly into San Pedro Sula and then drive to La Ceiba and eventually make our way to Olanchito where we will stay for about 8 days (we have not planned to go to Tocoa this year). (click picture to see a larger image).
While in Honduras I will be doing the same thing I did last year except only in Olanchito. That is, I will be train pastors and church leaders through theological education. Specifically, I will be teaching "Introduction to Orthodoxy", which is a very short Systematic Theology class, and "Doctrine of the Holy Spirit." Each class is four hours for three days so, with a translator, the students get about 9 to 10 hours instruction for each class.
Last year I shared my teaching responsibilities with Mike Patterson, who was pastor of First Baptist Church, Lorena, Texas at the time, which was a real joy for me. This year, I will be the only instructor so I will be teaching 8 hours a day for 3 days. Additionally, I will be preaching in Olanchito on Sunday morning (and maybe evening?).
I am really looking forward to investing in these eager students. Many of them have pastored for a lot longer than I have. Some of the students walk for an hour to get to the classes. All of them sit with ready ears and with a lot of grace as I speak through a translator. Every one of them are blessing to me and even now thinking about it fills me with humility to be able to help them in each of their ministries.
Please pray for me and I will work very hard to give updates on this blog as I am in Honduras. I hope to have a few "Funniest Thing I Heard Today" while I am on the trip, so look for those, too.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Back Again and Still Ranting
So, in five days it will have been a year since I posted anything new. A lot can happen over the course of a year. I will not attempt to outline all the changes that has happened in my life and is happening in my life but I want to share some Scripture that has been shared with me for encouragement.
The first comes from my wife. In an attempt to not only deepen her own faith, but to be the example she wants to be to other women, she has been reading and studying Titus over the last year. There is a lot in that book about how those who are older should be examples to the younger - both men and women. The verse she shared with me was:
My sister encouraged me with some verses from Romans, which echo the same thought:
Additionally, I read this verse this morning which includes a similar message:
There are too many times in the church that we excuse those being divisive, factious (as the NASB says), and who cause dissension. We excuse them because we say "It is just the way they are, it is just their personality." We excuse them because we are too frightened to confront them with what the Bible calls sin. We excuse them because they are people we respect so we say they are just having a bad day. We find all kinds of excuses for them but they are tearing up the church. It is weakening the church's spiritual power and it is causes thousands to leave the church and never come back. After all, why do I need to go to church to watch people fight in a unbiblical manner when I can just watch the world do that.
Instead of causing division and stirring up dissention, those who make up the church MUST give each other grace. We are commanded to give grace and speak grace to all we come across:
This is because the one people who are expected to be gracious and merciful is the body of Christ:
So these verses should spur every believer to two actions. First, we must address the divisive person. No matter how uncomfortable, no matter the consequences, no matter the impact on our relationship, we must address the sin that is impacting the church and work to reconcile that person to God (See Matthew 18).
Second, we must make giving grace to people a priority. The divisions caused in churches today are mostly over superficial issues, like style of music or how people dress, not major issues, like doctrine. Instead of demanding our own way over these nonessential issues, we must learn to give grace to those who need it. Maybe by giving grace we earn the right to invest our lives into others. Maybe by giving grace we can win more people to the Kingdom of God. Maybe by giving grace we learn to be more and more like Jesus every day. We must learn to give grace.
If you are reading this, please post a comment so I know if my ranting is reaching anyone. Also, let me know if there is a topic you want me to revisit or address at some point. It is my intention to post regularly.
The first comes from my wife. In an attempt to not only deepen her own faith, but to be the example she wants to be to other women, she has been reading and studying Titus over the last year. There is a lot in that book about how those who are older should be examples to the younger - both men and women. The verse she shared with me was:
Reject a divisive person after a first and second warning, knowing that such a person is perverted and sins, being self-condemned. Titus 3:10-11 (HCSB)
My sister encouraged me with some verses from Romans, which echo the same thought:
Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. Romans 16:17-18 (NASB)
Additionally, I read this verse this morning which includes a similar message:
Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. 1 Timothy 2:8 (NASB)
There are too many times in the church that we excuse those being divisive, factious (as the NASB says), and who cause dissension. We excuse them because we say "It is just the way they are, it is just their personality." We excuse them because we are too frightened to confront them with what the Bible calls sin. We excuse them because they are people we respect so we say they are just having a bad day. We find all kinds of excuses for them but they are tearing up the church. It is weakening the church's spiritual power and it is causes thousands to leave the church and never come back. After all, why do I need to go to church to watch people fight in a unbiblical manner when I can just watch the world do that.
Instead of causing division and stirring up dissention, those who make up the church MUST give each other grace. We are commanded to give grace and speak grace to all we come across:
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29 (NASB)
This is because the one people who are expected to be gracious and merciful is the body of Christ:
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:36 (NASB)
So these verses should spur every believer to two actions. First, we must address the divisive person. No matter how uncomfortable, no matter the consequences, no matter the impact on our relationship, we must address the sin that is impacting the church and work to reconcile that person to God (See Matthew 18).
Second, we must make giving grace to people a priority. The divisions caused in churches today are mostly over superficial issues, like style of music or how people dress, not major issues, like doctrine. Instead of demanding our own way over these nonessential issues, we must learn to give grace to those who need it. Maybe by giving grace we earn the right to invest our lives into others. Maybe by giving grace we can win more people to the Kingdom of God. Maybe by giving grace we learn to be more and more like Jesus every day. We must learn to give grace.
If you are reading this, please post a comment so I know if my ranting is reaching anyone. Also, let me know if there is a topic you want me to revisit or address at some point. It is my intention to post regularly.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Honduras Details
In preparation for my mission trip in a couple of weeks, I found some details about Honduras just to help me get an idea of where I will be ministering. First, Honduras is just a little bigger than the size of Virginia, in both square miles and population.
Honduras 43, 278 square miles
Virginia 42,774 square miles
Honduras 2010
estimate 8,249,574
Virginia 2010 estimate 8,001,024
Virginia 2010 estimate 8,001,024
Second, Honduras is the second poorest country in Central America. It suffers from extraordinarily unequal distribution of income, as well as high
underemployment.
Honduras' GDP per capita: $4,300 (2011 est.)
United States' GDP per capita: $48,100 (2011 est.)
United States' GDP per capita: $48,100 (2011 est.)
Third, some of the main products produced in Honduras are bananas, coffee, citrus, corn, African palm, beef, timber, shrimp,
tilapia, and lobster (according to the CIA's factbook).
For more information, specifically, information about the spiritual climate of Honduras, look at the Operation World entry for Honduras. There is a lot of additional information located at that link.
These bits of information help me know how to pray for the pastors I will be teaching and learning more about Honduras has been helpful in getting me prepared to go on my trip there. I hope you find this information helpful, as well.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Honduras Update
I have received a few updates regarding my trip to Honduras. First, the schedule for the entire trip has changed. If you have read my previous post on the details of my Honduras trip you would know that I was original scheduled to teach at 3 cities over 10 days. The institute scheduled for San Pedro Sula was canceled due to some sort of scheduling conflict in Honduras (still not sure what happened there). So, I will be traveling for 8 days and teaching at two institutes. Second, I will be teaching hermeneutics, or, how to study the bible. That is one of my favorite subjects to teach and I am really looking forward to teaching it. I was able to work on my lessons today and got through a couple of sessions. I will need a few more days to get all the material ready and I will need to do that soon as my departure date is getting closer.
Third, I found out that there will be 35 pastors at the Olanchito institute and 25 pastors at the Tocoa institute. I was also told that the numbers could fluctuate 25% in either direction. I am excited to invest in at least 60 Honduran pastors. One pastor ministers to many people so even invested in one pastor multiplies quickly and if you multiply that by 60 this trip becomes a pretty intense endeavor.
Fourth, it looks like my schedule will look something like this:
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Saturday I will travel to Honduras.
Sunday - I will be preaching in La Ceiba (you can find it on the map from the previous post.)
Olanchito
Monday - I will teach morning and afternoon classes
Tuesday - My teaching partner will teach morning and afternoon
Wednesday - I will teach morning and my partner will teach afternoon
Wednesday evening we will travel to Tocoa.
Tocoa
Thursday - My partner will teach morning class and I will teach the afternoon class
Friday - My partner will teach both morning and afternoon class
Saturday - I will teach both morning and afternoon classes
Sunday I will travel back to America.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Finally, I have begun taking my Typhoid meds which should immunize me for 5 years against Typhoid (Yikes! Let's hope thats not a problem). I will begin my Malaria medication right before I leave.
So, things are progressing. I need to get my material all prepared and I need to think about packing. I am trying not to be nervous. Please pray for me that God will prepare my heart for whatever ministry He has prepared for me.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Preparing for Honduras
I went to the doc's today and I got my vaccinations and prescriptions I need for traveling to Honduras. I got the first of two Hepatitis A shots, a Tetanus shot, and prescriptions for Malaria that I will have to take daily while I am in Honduras, for Typhoid which I will have to take before I leave, and then one more prescription for an antibiotic in case I get....um....shall I say "stomach problems" while I am there.
I was expecting the Malaria pills but the others surprised me. The doc was trying to talk me into getting a polio booster as well. I was not really interested in that. The CDC recommends adult who are traveling to other countries where polio is still around to get a polio booster but I did not want to do that. I think I will be fine.
The pharmacy did not have the Malaria or the Typhoid meds so they will be in Tuesday. I figure out when I need to start them according to that schedule.
I know if you are world traveler, this is all "old hat" to you but it was my first time getting all these shots and prescriptions. Makes me thankful for living in a time where these treatments are readily available. It also makes me think of what it would take to bring these meds to the nations struggling with these diseases and make them as safe as I am in my little world.
I know there are all kinds of campaigns to fix this problem; like the mosquito nets to reduce the spread of malaria: Worldvision and Bite Back and Nothing But Nets and MEDA and so on (I have not checked out these non-profit sites so I am not endorsing them). There are many who are fighting for this cause. It just makes me think I could be doing more.
I am so looking forward to spending time in Honduras. I will send more information as it comes
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Honduras Mission Details
I found out some of the details for my mission trip to Honduras. First, I will be going for 10 days instead of the initial 7 days. So, as I understand it, I will be leaving July 5th and will be returning July 14th. I don't know for sure because World Hope Bible Institute (WHBI) are still working out the itinerary. The extra days are so that we can fit in another city to teach in.
I will fly into San Pedro Sula (#1 on map) and teach there first. I am not sure how long that will be yet. Then, I will fly to La Ceiba (#2) and then I will take a four hour drive to end up in Olanchito (#3) and will teach there. I do not know how long I will be there either. Then, I will make my way to Tocoa and will teach there. Once again, I am not sure for how long. I am assuming I will be staying two days in each teaching location or maybe 3 days.
I am excited that I get to see several places in this country. It looks like I will see a range of terrain throughout the country. The image below shows the different terrains of the cities I will be teaching. The orange circles approximate where I will be (click picture for a larger picture).
The picture below outlines my itinerary. I will explain below the picture (click picture to see a larger image).
I am excited that I get to see several places in this country. It looks like I will see a range of terrain throughout the country. The image below shows the different terrains of the cities I will be teaching. The orange circles approximate where I will be (click picture for a larger picture).
In addition to the terrain, and of course, more importantly, it looks like the places I will be going will be somewhat populous. San Pedro Sula will be the most populous, then Olanchito, and then Tocoa. Here is a map of the population of Honduras (click picture for a larger image).
Finally, I thought it was interesting that I would be staying in three different states (is that what they are called in Honduras? Anyone know?). San Pedro Sula is in Cortes, Olanchito is in Yoro, and Tocoa is in Colon. I just thought that was interesting (click the picture for a larger image).
Just as a reminder, the trip will be a group of American pastors teaching Honduran pastors various aspects of ministry. At this time, I do not know what I will be teaching but that information is coming soon from WHBI. They provide a curriculum and there will some things they require I cover in the class and then I will be able to add whatever the Lord leads me to teach. As I said in my previous post, my "life verse" is 2 Timothy 2:2
and this trip will be being faithful to that verse.
Additionally, this will be fulfilling my personal commitment to The Radical Challenge that I challenged Summit Baptist Church, the church I pastor, to commit to throughout 2012. This will be spending my time in another context.
Please pray for me as this trip is coming incredibly fast. Pray that God would prepare the hearts of the pastors in Honduras. Pray that God will work in my heart to share what He would have me share with those precious men of God serving there. Pray that my preparation will be fruitful. Pray that God will change me to become more like Him through this trip.
More updates are forthcoming!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
On Mission to Honduras
I am planning to go On Mission to Honduras July 8th through 14th, 2012. I will be going with a ministry named World Hope Ministries International (WHMI). One of WHMI's ministries is World Hope Bible Institute (WHBI),which is a ministry that trains indigenous pastors and leaders through theological education. In short, WHBI brings pastors to a country, and that pastor teaches local pastors so that those pastors can teach to those God has placed in their care. This is a powerful outworking of my life verse, 2 Timothy 2:2.
In this verse, I do not envision myself as Paul, but rather Timothy. I have been taught some good things through friends, pastors, teachers, and professors, and I feel like it is my calling to share what I have learned to faithful followers of Christ who will take that and teach others. That is what this Honduras trip is about.
I heard about the great need for theological training across the world from Dr. Stuart Sheehan at the last executive board meeting of the Colorado Baptist General Convention. He shared his heart to meet the need of the pastors overseas and God pricked my heart. I think WHBI has a great vision and I am looking forward to partnering with them in July.
If you are a pastor and would like to participate in mission trip like this, please contact World Hope Bible Institute.
I will post more information about Honduras and the trip in the coming weeks. Please begin praying for me. Ask that Lord help me prepare my heart for what I will be teaching and pray that God will use me in a powerful way.
In this verse, I do not envision myself as Paul, but rather Timothy. I have been taught some good things through friends, pastors, teachers, and professors, and I feel like it is my calling to share what I have learned to faithful followers of Christ who will take that and teach others. That is what this Honduras trip is about.
I heard about the great need for theological training across the world from Dr. Stuart Sheehan at the last executive board meeting of the Colorado Baptist General Convention. He shared his heart to meet the need of the pastors overseas and God pricked my heart. I think WHBI has a great vision and I am looking forward to partnering with them in July.
If you are a pastor and would like to participate in mission trip like this, please contact World Hope Bible Institute.
I will post more information about Honduras and the trip in the coming weeks. Please begin praying for me. Ask that Lord help me prepare my heart for what I will be teaching and pray that God will use me in a powerful way.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The Work of the Holy Spirit - Filling
The final study in our look at the Holy Spirit is the filling of the Spirit. This is another greatly misunderstood aspect of the work of the Spirit. I believe the misunderstanding stems from an emphasis on the work "filling" and focusing in on the idea of quantity. The idea, wrong though it is, is if something is filled then there is more than there was before. Thus, there are some believers who have more of the Spirit than others, and there are those believers who do not have as much of the Spirit as another. This is not only a gross misinterpretation of Scripture, it also produces within the body of Christ different "classes" and thus a type of elitism. It places terrible burdens on those who have not displayed some type of evidence of filling which, in turn, brings many to produce these evidences falsely or to give up on Christianity all together (I have heard many friends give personal testimony to this effect). The idea of filling of the Spirit must be understood for one to be a healthy Christian.
The outline I used for this sermon is as follows:
I think the crux of this topic is found in (Ephesian 5:18. In short, this verse indicates that filling of the Spirit is not about maturity but it is about control. The picture used in this verse is the similarity between alcohol and the Spirit. When alcohol is in control of people they are no longer in control but the alcohol is. Inebriated people will say things they would not normally say, they will do things they would not normally do, think in ways they would not normally think. The alcohol controls that person while they are drunk. THIS IS THE POINT!
The filling of the Spirit means that someone is not allowing alcohol to control them but instead the Spirit is in complete control. A person, full of the Spirit, will say things he would not normally say, he will do things he would not normally do, he thinks in ways he would not normally thing. The Spirit is in control. Filling of the Spirit is not about acting drunk in front of a crowd, it is not about having more of the Holy Spirit than the guy sitting next to, it is not about how spiritually mature a person is. It is not about quantity. It is about control. It is not how much of the Spirit you have but how much the Spirit has you (I know...a cliché but it speaks the truth).
When a person accepts Christ, they receive the Holy Spirit and they get ALL of the Holy Spirit. However, the person must yield more and more control of their life to the Spirit. It is this process of yielding which can be characterized as filling of the Spirit.
So, if filling is yielding our lives to the Holy Spirit, then there must be some conditions which more easily allows that yielding. This is my second point: what are the conditions which allow the Spirit to have more control of our lives. First, we must not quench the Spirit. In 1 Thessalonians 5:19 the Holy Spirit is pictured as a fire and we are told to not put that fire out in our lives. When we do not allow the Spirit to work in our lives, we are quenching the Holy Spirit. Second, we are not to grieve the Holy Spirit. We grieve the Holy Spirit when we sin. The Spirit wants to work in us but that is prevented when we live in rebellion. This grieves Him and He cannot be in control if we are willing to allow sin to control us. Finally, we are to walk in the Spirit. The point here is that our lifestyle, our habits, our though process, all need to be more and more under the control of the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit does not mean that we will obtain sinless perfection on earth, but it means we are making that our goal.
So if we understand that filling is control of the Spirit in the believer's life, and that there are conditions which allow the believer to yield to the Spirit, then what does that look like? What happens when someone is filled with the Spirit? While there are many characteristics which could be mentioned, I focused on three. First, the person filled with the Spirit will display the fruit of the Spirit. You cannot be an apple tree and not produce apples. A Christian yielded to the Spirit will display Chist-like character. Secondly, Paul tells us in the Ephesians passage that when one is controlled by the Spirit, a godly worship will be produced. Finally, Paul goes on to say that the yielded believer will be subject to others. In short, the person will serve others much like Christ came to serve.
The filling of the Spirit is simply a metaphor for the control of the Spirit in the life of a believer. To the extent one is allowing the Spirit to work and direct one's life, the results are far-reaching.
My denomination does not seem to have historically spent a lot of time preaching on the Holy Spirit, although that seems to be changing. It is good to spend some time and think about the Spirit's work in our salvation, our life, and our eternity. It is amazing thing to think of the incredible gifts God has given those who have trusted in Christ's work on the Cross and have the Spirit of God working within them.
The outline I used for this sermon is as follows:
I. What is filling of the Holy Spirit? (Eph 5:18)
A. Filling is not maturity
B. Filling is control
II. What are the conditions in which we can be filled?
A. Do not quench the Holy Spirit (1 Thes. 5:19)
B. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30)
C. Walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16)
III. What happens when we are filled?
A. We will display Christian character (Gal. 5:22-25)
B. We will truly worship (Eph 5:19-20)
C. We will engage in service (Eph. 5:21)
I think the crux of this topic is found in (Ephesian 5:18. In short, this verse indicates that filling of the Spirit is not about maturity but it is about control. The picture used in this verse is the similarity between alcohol and the Spirit. When alcohol is in control of people they are no longer in control but the alcohol is. Inebriated people will say things they would not normally say, they will do things they would not normally do, think in ways they would not normally think. The alcohol controls that person while they are drunk. THIS IS THE POINT!
The filling of the Spirit means that someone is not allowing alcohol to control them but instead the Spirit is in complete control. A person, full of the Spirit, will say things he would not normally say, he will do things he would not normally do, he thinks in ways he would not normally thing. The Spirit is in control. Filling of the Spirit is not about acting drunk in front of a crowd, it is not about having more of the Holy Spirit than the guy sitting next to, it is not about how spiritually mature a person is. It is not about quantity. It is about control. It is not how much of the Spirit you have but how much the Spirit has you (I know...a cliché but it speaks the truth).
When a person accepts Christ, they receive the Holy Spirit and they get ALL of the Holy Spirit. However, the person must yield more and more control of their life to the Spirit. It is this process of yielding which can be characterized as filling of the Spirit.
So, if filling is yielding our lives to the Holy Spirit, then there must be some conditions which more easily allows that yielding. This is my second point: what are the conditions which allow the Spirit to have more control of our lives. First, we must not quench the Spirit. In 1 Thessalonians 5:19 the Holy Spirit is pictured as a fire and we are told to not put that fire out in our lives. When we do not allow the Spirit to work in our lives, we are quenching the Holy Spirit. Second, we are not to grieve the Holy Spirit. We grieve the Holy Spirit when we sin. The Spirit wants to work in us but that is prevented when we live in rebellion. This grieves Him and He cannot be in control if we are willing to allow sin to control us. Finally, we are to walk in the Spirit. The point here is that our lifestyle, our habits, our though process, all need to be more and more under the control of the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit does not mean that we will obtain sinless perfection on earth, but it means we are making that our goal.
So if we understand that filling is control of the Spirit in the believer's life, and that there are conditions which allow the believer to yield to the Spirit, then what does that look like? What happens when someone is filled with the Spirit? While there are many characteristics which could be mentioned, I focused on three. First, the person filled with the Spirit will display the fruit of the Spirit. You cannot be an apple tree and not produce apples. A Christian yielded to the Spirit will display Chist-like character. Secondly, Paul tells us in the Ephesians passage that when one is controlled by the Spirit, a godly worship will be produced. Finally, Paul goes on to say that the yielded believer will be subject to others. In short, the person will serve others much like Christ came to serve.
The filling of the Spirit is simply a metaphor for the control of the Spirit in the life of a believer. To the extent one is allowing the Spirit to work and direct one's life, the results are far-reaching.
My denomination does not seem to have historically spent a lot of time preaching on the Holy Spirit, although that seems to be changing. It is good to spend some time and think about the Spirit's work in our salvation, our life, and our eternity. It is amazing thing to think of the incredible gifts God has given those who have trusted in Christ's work on the Cross and have the Spirit of God working within them.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The Work of the Holy Spirit - Sealing
Another work of the Holy Spirit, and one that may get overlooked sometimes, is the sealing of the Holy Spirit. This work is one which should bring great hope and encouragement to the believer.
Here is the outline I used in this sermon:
To help in understanding what the Ancient Near Easterner heard when the author used the picture of sealing I went to Esther 8:8. We see in this text that the owner of the seal determines how secure that seal is and if it is the king's seal then that seal is irrevocable. This is the picture of what sealing of the Spirit is. When a believer accepts Christ at that moment he or she is regenerated by the Spirit, indwelt by the Spirit, baptized by the Spirit, and at that moment the believer is sealed by the Spirit. That seal shows the ownership of that person. Like the king's signet ring, our heart, our lives, are stamped to show they are God's and God's alone. The Spirit's sealing also gives believers the security that no one will take that mark from them. This is because that seal is irrevocable. Once God stamps the believer with Him mark, the mark can never be removed.
In the Ephesians passage, Paul show a connection with the seal and the guarantee of our hope. This is my second point about the Spirit's sealing. When the Spirit seal us that sealing is a down-payment, so to speak, on eternity. It teaches us that His sealing preserves an inheritance for us. It also teaches us that He will preserve us for that inheritance.
Finally, while I touched on in my first point, I finished this study by focusing on what it means to be marked by God. The seal of God means that there is a mark on His followers. People should look at His people and know they are His people because of His mark on their lives. While there may be many "marks" which one could identify as showing God's ownership, I chose two. First, there should be a mark of holiness on those who have the seal of the Spirit. I am not advocating entire sanctification but I do believe that if someone is truly sealed by the Spirit, if they truly are a believer, their lives should not be characterized by sin. The Spirit working in our lives will result in increased holiness, from God's work and to His glory. Second, there will be a resemblance of believers to Christ. Much like some parents could never disown their children because the children look like little clones of the parents, a believer should have a walk that resembles Christ.
The sealing of the Spirit is usually not spoke of as a dramatic, dynamic work of the Spirit. This might be because 1) people would rather talk about the controversial aspects of the work of the Spirit like baptism or 2) the sealing of the Spirit seems to be mostly internal. The sealing begins as a work of God which He alone sees as a mark of His children. The results of this are more visible, like someone turning from a sinful life and living and loving more like Christ. Nevertheless, the sealing of the Spirit is an incredibly amazing work of God in the live of believers. We are marked as His and that mark is permanent and can never be removed. Because of that, we can know we will be with Him for eternity and eternity will be there for us. All of this should produce in us a desire to live more and more like the One who died for us. What a great God we serve!
Here is the outline I used in this sermon:
I. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit (Est 8:8, Eph 1:13-14)
A. The seal of the Spirit shows ownership (1 Cor 6:19-20)
B. The seal of the Spirit gives security (John 10:27-29)
C. The seal of the Spirit is irrevocable.
II. We are given a guarantee by the Spirit of God (Eph 1:13-14)
A. The inheritance is kept for us (1 Pet 1:3-5)
B. We are kept for the inheritance (Phil 1:6)
III. We are marked by the Spirit of God
A. We have the mark of holiness on us (1 John 3:9)
B. We have the mark of resemblance on us (1 John 2:6)
To help in understanding what the Ancient Near Easterner heard when the author used the picture of sealing I went to Esther 8:8. We see in this text that the owner of the seal determines how secure that seal is and if it is the king's seal then that seal is irrevocable. This is the picture of what sealing of the Spirit is. When a believer accepts Christ at that moment he or she is regenerated by the Spirit, indwelt by the Spirit, baptized by the Spirit, and at that moment the believer is sealed by the Spirit. That seal shows the ownership of that person. Like the king's signet ring, our heart, our lives, are stamped to show they are God's and God's alone. The Spirit's sealing also gives believers the security that no one will take that mark from them. This is because that seal is irrevocable. Once God stamps the believer with Him mark, the mark can never be removed.
In the Ephesians passage, Paul show a connection with the seal and the guarantee of our hope. This is my second point about the Spirit's sealing. When the Spirit seal us that sealing is a down-payment, so to speak, on eternity. It teaches us that His sealing preserves an inheritance for us. It also teaches us that He will preserve us for that inheritance.
Finally, while I touched on in my first point, I finished this study by focusing on what it means to be marked by God. The seal of God means that there is a mark on His followers. People should look at His people and know they are His people because of His mark on their lives. While there may be many "marks" which one could identify as showing God's ownership, I chose two. First, there should be a mark of holiness on those who have the seal of the Spirit. I am not advocating entire sanctification but I do believe that if someone is truly sealed by the Spirit, if they truly are a believer, their lives should not be characterized by sin. The Spirit working in our lives will result in increased holiness, from God's work and to His glory. Second, there will be a resemblance of believers to Christ. Much like some parents could never disown their children because the children look like little clones of the parents, a believer should have a walk that resembles Christ.
The sealing of the Spirit is usually not spoke of as a dramatic, dynamic work of the Spirit. This might be because 1) people would rather talk about the controversial aspects of the work of the Spirit like baptism or 2) the sealing of the Spirit seems to be mostly internal. The sealing begins as a work of God which He alone sees as a mark of His children. The results of this are more visible, like someone turning from a sinful life and living and loving more like Christ. Nevertheless, the sealing of the Spirit is an incredibly amazing work of God in the live of believers. We are marked as His and that mark is permanent and can never be removed. Because of that, we can know we will be with Him for eternity and eternity will be there for us. All of this should produce in us a desire to live more and more like the One who died for us. What a great God we serve!
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