First Service:
Since we arrived back in Bolivia, several months ago, our desire has been to start a new church. Since we have been back, we have seen how the Lord has been blessing the churches here, which has encouraged us even more to move forward with starting a new work. Out of ten to fifteen places that I have been praying about to start a church, there were two areas specifically that we were considering. One was an area called Pacata and the other, the south side of town. After spending some time getting to know both areas, and looking at possibilities, we decided to start in Pacata. One of the reasons that we made this decision was that there are no churches that we know of in the area, and also we already had several contacts of people there that are looking for a church. Well after several weeks of looking for a place to meet, and not finding anything adequate, we decided to rent a small store of a friend for a month to get started. This meeting was to be with the core people so that we could start setting the foundation for what the church would be. On our first Sunday we had twenty people show up, and that was without even handing out invitations or anything. It was truly a great time and all the people were very excited about what the future holds for the church there. We would ask you to continue to pray because we hope to have a permanent place within the next few weeks where we can have more activities to invite people.
Finding the One:
While one of our greatest responsibilities in the ministry is to help people grow, we must realize that our ministry will not endure if we do not train leaders, and on top of that, leaders of leaders. When we talk about training leaders, most people will start with discipleship, but they have no idea where to go from there. This process is by no means an easy one, and I don’t consider myself and expert, but I believe there is a process that can help us find those who have potential and can become the leaders that we are seeking.
There are two illustrations that come to mind to help explain this process:
The Sieve
A sieve is something that is used to filter larger particles from smaller ones by passing them through small holes. In this same way we need to have a process that can allow possible leaders to pass on while filtering out those that may not have leadership potential.
The Funnel
There is also the illustration of the funnel where the top is larger and as you go through the funnel it gets smaller and comes out more focused or concentrated. This is great example of how we try to get as many people as possibly into the funnel or process and little by little the ones that remain are the ones that are more focused and have potential to become our leaders.
So, what are the filters or funnel that we use in this process? While there might be many, here are a few that might help. A clear testimony of Salvation that can be seen by the fruit in their lives. Also and interest in the things of God and a desire to serve. Next, there must be faithfulness that comes from that desire to serve. Then lastly you should be able to see through their priorities that serving God is most import. As you challenge them to learn, change, serve, and grow, and they take that next step, you will see them develop more and more into a leader that can do great things for the Lord.
Prayer Requests:
1. Pray that we can find the right place to start meeting for our new church in Pacata.
2. Pray for our Christmas activities that we will have in the next few weeks.
3. Pray for our youth camp coming the second week of January.
4. Pray for the construction at our first church as they are trying to finish the bathrooms and main classroom.