Impact for generations
WOW! Just WOW! God is at work! “We wish this training was more days.” “This training has allowed me to view myself as God views me.” “We cannot wait to begin to train other leaders in our churches.” “It is clear that you are passionate about correctly teaching God’s Word.” “We have seen through your teachings your love for God, and your love for us. We feel like you are family.” Those are comments from pastors and leaders from the training in José María Morelos, Mexico. THIS is what those of you partner with Para through prayer and finances are sowing into.
A pastor that Justus and I had breakfast with this morning said he is excited about these trainings. He said, “I see that you are teaching pastors to be able to teach the true things of God, and this will have impact for generations to come. You may not even see the true fruit for 5 years. This will impact marriages, families, and churches for a long time.” Amen!
The trip to Morelos was going to be something rare: we had no plans to do any preaching, since we had three 8-hour days of training, and had to leave early Sunday morning to be able to meet with pastors in Chetumal to plan for October, and still have time for one of our interpreters to reach his church back in Belize in time for Sunday evening service. Well, we should have known that would change. Pastor Carlos (one of our interpreters and the pastor hosting this coming week’s training in Orange Walk) preached Friday night at a church service in Morelos. Pastor Justus preached at a church service Saturday in Morelos. We had to be back in Chetumal (2 ½ hours away) by 10:00 for Pastor Carlos to catch the bus back to Belize. So the host/coordinating pastor for trainings in Chetumal said since we would be there, could I preach at his church. So I did! And it is the first time I spoke Spanish to do my introduction! Poco a poco!
In Chetumal, we had lunch with three pastors after service. We shared the vision God has given us for the future, and how we want to go where the Lord will lead. By the end of the meeting, the pastors shared there are 3,000 pastors in 3 different areas of Mexico that would be eager to receive this training. What!? God, what are you doing!? Two of them shared that they already have leaders in their churches that have been in the trainings, meeting weekly with other leaders in their churches to teach them! THAT is our heart: to train leaders that train leaders. To shepherd those that shepherd others.
One person in Morelos said: “through studying God’s Word these days, it has made me consider my daily habits. I have seen clearly that I must be spiritually healthy to be able to minister to others. Things that I thought were maybe harmless, I realize can harm me long-term. I must grow to be more like Christ in all aspects of my life.” Jesus gave all of Himself; He expects all of us. To make disciples, I must be a disciple. Of the Way, not the world. Jesus has not called fans, but followers. Jesus IS the Way. Jesus IS the Truth. Jesus IS the Life. What daily habits must I lay down at His feet, to be more like Him? Where does my life more look like the world, rather than the Word? These are questions that we must wrestle with daily as the Holy Spirit sanctifies us to produce Christlikeness in us.