Mission Costa Rica – Part V

The top story of the day did not happen first on the agenda this morning.  We had lunch at a little place on the side of the road in Cipreses.  Our desire was that the believers in that village would be called together by the Lord to start a church for their area.  However, these people were not those who came for lunch.  One young man Jacob knows from the area was invited and seemed to reluctantly attend.  Allen was slated to conduct a Bible study after lunch and did a wonderful job sharing on the nature of true faith.  After explaining faith he shared his testimony which truly resonated with the young man Jacob invited.  The whole episode ended with the young man in the floor repenting of his sin, and he was saved.  Jacob also had opportunity to share Christ with a man there and led him to the Lord as well.

Previous to this event this morning we had a time of fun and recreation at the plaza in Cot.  We played soccer, football, and various other games with the kids of the village.  We also had the opportunity to speak with some students of an English class and help them with their conversational English.  The time ended with Jacob sharing the gospel with around 200 people.  He did a marvelous job articulating the gospel, and we were able to give the children a commic book with the gospel in it afterward.

Finally, tonight our marriage conference speakers (Dough & Janice and Gregg & Lynn) switched venues from the other night and presented material on communication and intimacy respectively.  Doug and Janice had a couple of folks come to their session and they provided wonderful discussion and feedback.  Gregg and Lynn had a nice turn out and some especially interesting questions.  Everyone should be sure to ask them about the feedback they received.  We all had a wonderful day ministering for the Lord and now trying to get things ready for tomorrow.  Please pray for the services going on at Cot and Boqueron that the Lord would move in the lives of His people.

In Christ,

Pastor Josh

Mission Irazu, Costa Rica – Part IV

Today afforded us some unique opportunities in the ministry here in Costa Rica.  After a trip to the top of Volcano Irazu this morning we went to a local church, Iglesia Biblica de Paraiso.  This congregation hosted us for lunch and allowed the use of their facilities for Brian to teach on finances – he did a fantastic job.  Originally this was intended to be a luncheon for businessmen, but it actually turned into a conference for their church members.  I feel certain this biblical teaching on finances was helpful by the number of questions the people had concerning business and home expenses as well as teaching children about the use of money.

This afternoon Doug and Janice had opportunity to visit the local school and speak with students in an English class.  The teacher was even willing to allow them to share why we are here and how we came to be a part of Mission Cot.  This evening there was a women’s conference in Cot that went so well the women did it twice so as to minister to those who came arrived late.  Kile, Shelia, and Lynn did a wonderful job taking advantage of the opportunity afforded them by the Lord.  Meanwhile in Boqueron us men did a youth conference at Oscar’s church.  Kip did a phenomenal job with an object lesson illustrating the life consumed by the Lord.  Mike and Lealand jammed out with some worship music, and Lealand shared his testimony.  In the end the Lord saved a young lady named Pamela.

A pastor shared today that the reason the Irazu region has been largely ignored evangelistically is that it is a very hard area.  At this time I cannot argue with that statement, but I have no problem seeing that the Lord indeed has a people for Himself even here.  Praise be to Him as He builds His church.

In Christ,

Pastor Josh

Mission Irazu, Costa Rica – Part III

The team had a wonderful day in Cot today.  We spent the morning time meeting people in the village and handing out flyers for a series of conferences that are being offered between now and Saturday.  There were a number of folk who were open to discussing the gospel, but these need more time for the Holy Spirit to work.  I trust that you will pray with us that the Lord will continue this good work in their hearts and bring it to its fruition.

This evening there were marriage conferences in Cot and Boqueron.  In Cot the topic was intimacy while in Boqueron the topic was communication.  On Saturday these two conferences will flip and I will hopefully have some photos to share as I was not able to attend either event this evening.  Keep in mind that many women in this region suffer from physical and emotional abuse and few men really know how to be husbands and fathers as the Lord intended them to be.  Many of the problems in this region can be traced to a poor understanding of the family and the roles of each member of the family.

While others were in the marriage conferences, Francisco, Jacob, and myself went to a nearby village, Cipreses to visit with some who had confessed Christ yesterday and agreed to have Bible studies in their homes.  Unfortunately these particular people were not home for us to see, but we did meet another young man who was very open to discussing the gospel.  Our conversation began with him by asking him about the many plants around his house.  Jacob did a fantastic job turning our discussion to the gospel and sharing with him the truth of God’s word.  He did not pray to receive Christ, but does want Francisco and Jacob to begin coming to teach him the Scripture.  I was curious when he expressed appreciation for our talking with him from the Bible rather than the booklets other Christian groups bring.  I could not help asking to see some of this material being left by other groups.  When I noticed that it was published by the Watchtower, I asked if I could take them with me and thus confiscated the literature of the false teachers.

Keep us in your prayers as we continue ministering tomorrow with a Bible study in a nearby church and more conferences in the evening.

In Christ,

Pastor Josh

Mission Irazu, Costa Rica – Part II

Our first day of ministry in Costa Rica was truly amazing.  The group went to the village Cot to do personal evangelism and hand out flyers for a number of conferences being offered this week.  I spent the day in Boqueron at the Iglesia Boca de Dios where Oscar Brenes is the pastor.  There we had three pastors and a youth minister attend a pastor’s conference where I did some teaching on expository preaching.  I also encouraged them of the importance of partnerships with fellow pastors and among like-minded churches.  During a Q&A time the conversation was dominated by the issue of dealing with conflict in the church.  As I consider the context in which these men minister as well as the nature of the conflict with which they are dealing, I must admit that I am humiliated by the petty things that seem to consume my attention as a pastor.  I hope you will join me in praying for these pastors and their churches.  They no doubt serve on the front lines of the war being waged against the powers of darkness in this place.  Also, let me say a special thank you to my friend Jacob Folk who served as my translator today.  He did a tremendous job translating a difficult and technical discussion. 

As I mentioned above the rest of the group was working in Cot today.  There are many reasons to praise the Lord for their labors.  First, I am sure you will rejoice with me to hear that two individuals repented of sin and prayed to receive Christ today.  There were others who clearly showed signs of conviction over sin but stopped short of dying to self to live for Christ.  Others who were dealing with conviction over sin were more hostile as one group encountered a very angry fellow flashing a knife.  The Lord’s grace was sufficient and the group was able to communicate love to the young man without putting themselves in danger.  Pray that the young man will have his heart changed by the Holy Spirit and be released from the bondage of such anger.

Our mission team represents three churches and I am happy to report that everyone seems to enjoy one another’s company, gifts, and willingness to minister.  Some among us are on their very first international mission trip.  During our sharing time tonight it was evident that the Lord is not merely working in the hearts of the Ticos of Irazu, but also on those who have come to share the gospel of our Lord.  Please continue to pray for the health and rest of the group.  We all want to be as effective as possible for the Lord.

In Christ,

Pastor Josh

Mission Irazu, Costa Rica – Part 1

It is about 7:30am here at the hotel Las Brumas (8:30am eastern time). Yesterday was a long day as we began by leaving Spartanburg at 3:00am to drive to Atlanta. We arrived in Costa Rica a little after lunch and made the 50km trip to Cartago.
In Cartago we first visited the Basilica which is the hub of the Catholic stronghold in this part of the world. Here you can always find people crawling on their hands and knees down the long aisle to the altar where they worship Mary seeking her favor for their sins. After they pray to Mary they move to the side to confess their sins to the priest. Along the side of the Basilica there are pipes pumping out water that the people have been trained to believe is blessed by Mary. Believing this water to have healing power they come from all sectors to wash their ailing parts and even drink this water that would likely make us sick to taste. While the Basilica is a marvelous structure to behold, the spiritual darkness that is manifest there is truly sad. We usually visit this site first upon our arrival to remind us all why we are here.
From the Basilica we went to an orphanage that is maintained by a single couple in their home. It is moving to see the 30+ children (some with special needs) relate to one another as an actual family. This orphanage is a faith-based ministry by lay people who simply rely on the Lord to provide for the needs of these children. It is also interesting to me that the couple are faithful believers in Christ who attend a Baptist Church. This is an unbelievable ministry which I do not doubt that those associated with Mission Irazu will return to serve.
We wrapped up our day by checking into the hotel Las Brumas and enjoying a very nice supper (lomita mi tierra for me).
For now, I am off to breakfast then to meet with area pastors for encouragement and instruction.
More to come.
In Christ,
Pastor Josh

Who Is Adequate for the Lord’s Work?

In Exodus three we read of Moses’ encounter with the Lord at the burning bush.  After the introductions Moses is given a mission by the Lord to bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt (v. 10).  The dialogue that follows teaches us much about the one who is adequate for the Lord’s work.

First, in v. 11 Moses protests, “Whom am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”  Aside from the logistics of getting an entire people group together to move them to a new land, Moses also felt most inadequate to face Pharaoh as well as his own people.  Remember that as an infant Moses was taken in by the Pharaoh’s daughter (2:10) escaping the massacre of all male Hebrew children.  Being raised in the context of Egyptian royalty no doubt discredited Moses in the eyes of many of the Hebrews.  They would likely have a difficult time understanding why God would send to them a deliverer from among those who oppressed them.  At the same time Moses had grown to feel compassion for his own people and tried in his own way to deliver them (2:11-12).  His actions as an adult, betraying efforts to return to life as a Hebrew, would certainly generate suspicion if not rage from the Pharaoh.  Therefore, it is not difficult to understand how Moses must have felt inadequacy if not sheer terror at the Lord’s words in this encounter.  I sense this same angst in the lives of many believers, as well as my own at times.  You may sense the Lord leading you to participate in some great work in His kingdom (witnessing, teaching, encouraging, serving), but you’re not certain how you will be received.  On one hand it is intimidating to stand before God’s people as one who is known to have not been raised as a church-goer or at the very least in a different context from the majority of those before whom you stand.  At the same time the friends of your past look at you with suspicion because of this change that has taken place in your life and the reordering of your priorities.  In short, you feel that you lack the pedigree and the reputation to serve the Lord in any capacity.

However, notice the Lord’s words to Moses in v. 12.  “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.”  The Lord knows what is in the heart of every person.  Here He knows of Moses’ uncertainty and feelings of inadequacy, but notice He does not exempt Moses from the service or choose someone else to go in his place.  Rather the Lord explains to Moses exactly why he is adequate for this mission.  His adequacy will not come from his pedigree, his training, his reputation, or anything like these.  Instead, Moses’ adequacy will be due to the Lord’s presence with him.  As we read the story of the exodus we see that it is actually the Lord who is delivering the sons of Israel and Moses is acting as His earthly agent.  Here is encouragement to all who seek to serve the Lord.  You are adequate for this calling because the Lord is with you.  As you follow Him in lock-step you will see Him accomplish His purposes through you.  Your words of encouragement or admonition and your acts of service will bear fruit because it is the Lord who is at work in you.

I am also intrigued by the sign that the Lord gives Moses that all this is true.  The Lord does not promise to perform some miracle, or manifest Himself in some mystical or physical way.  Rather He tells Moses that he will know this is true when he and the sons of Israel exit Egypt and worship God at this mountain.  Moses will know he is doing what he has been called to do when God’s people worship together at God’s chosen place.  There the people will be recommitted to the Lord and knit together with Moses as their leader.  Moreover, the Lord will show Himself in their faithful worship.

Of course we know that this does not mean that Moses will not have great challenges and difficulty in leading the sons of Israel.  We too can expect challenges and difficulties in the service we seek to offer to the Lord.  Nevertheless, His presence ensures that our faithfulness will be rewarded both now and on the day of Christ Jesus.  So what is the Lord calling you to do?  Are you going to rely on His presence in your life and move forward in faithfulness?

In Christ,

Pastor Josh

What Makes Ground Holy?

This week our congregational Bible study comes from Exodus Three.  There are several important principles and theological truths to be gleaned from the passage.  I would like to call your attention to one found in verse five.  God’s word says in Exodus 3:5, Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”  I am certain that you have had many Sunday School lessons on this verse, and likely have heard many sermons on the same.  However, have you ever given much thought to what makes ground holy?  We tend to refer to certain ground as holy whether it is where a church or cemetery sits or a special place to us where the Lord ministered to us.  Whatever the case and wherever the place I want to call us out this week and challenge our thinking.  There has to be more to holy ground that warm fuzzy feelings or near misses of tragedy.  The Scripture makes clear that there is only one who is holy and He is God.  All other things regarded as holy are only such as they relate to Him.  Therefore it is the presence of the Lord that makes ground holy.  Notice that in verse two we are told that the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a blazing fire.  We are also told in that verse that the bush was not consumed by the fire that was burning in it.  Then in verse four we find that it is the Lord who saw that Moses had turned aside and ultimately has the conversation with Moses which begins with instruction to remove his sandals.

 There are a few points to be gleaned from this.  First, when the Lord is present that place is holy.  In Exodus Three it is the ground that is holy due to God’s presence.  More significant we need to understand that if the Lord is present in our lives then that means our lives are holy, and we should reflect that character in our words and actions.  When someone claims to know Christ as Savior and lives a life that mirrors the sinful ways of the world God’s people must be concerned as to whether such a profession of faith is true.  We can also assume the reverse is true.  If the Lord is not present in a person’s life then it should not surprise God’s people when such a one acts like the world and manifest sinful patterns in life.  I have always been told that I should not be surprised when a sinner acts like a sinner.  A final point to consider has to do with the removal of Moses sandals.  Moses was instructed and expected to submit himself and show respect for the holiness of the Lord.  The same is true in our lives.  Whether we are in church listening to God’s word, in prayer seeking God’s guidance, or some seemingly mundane experience in our lives; in His presence we are to have an attitude of submission and reverence.  I will let you think on your own how that submission and reverence should be manifest, but I will remind you that as Christians we are in many ways continually in the Lord’s presence.

In Christ,

Pastor Josh

The Beginning of Sin

Too often we consider sin simply as an act of disobedience that should not have happened.  Rarely do folks give consideration to the origin of any given transgression.  In addition, the only method brought forth to remedy sin is will power – I just have to stop…  I believe that if we return to the place where sin entered the world, we will also then have a better idea of how sin is generated within us and how to guard against future transgressions.

Consider Genesis Three; the first five verses read as follows: Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.  And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”  And the woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die.’”  And the serpent said to the woman, You surely shall not die!  “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

It is clear from this short dialogue that sin is generated when the Lord’s word is twisted.  Consider first that the serpent twisted God’s word by generalizing it.  He said to the woman has God said you shall not eat from ANY tree in the garden [emphasis added].  The suggested prohibition of all the trees of the garden immediately puts the woman on the defensive and ultimately hampers her ability to rightly articulate God’s word.  Many times Satan will use such generalizations to cast doubt in our minds and even question the nature of God’s commands.

Second, we see the woman twist God’s word by adding to it.  She said, from the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, you shall not eat from it OR TOUCH IT lest you die [emphasis added].  I will give the woman the benefit of the doubt that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was in the middle of the garden, for she knew the tree of which she was not to eat.  However, she adds the prohibition of touching the tree.  God did not tell the man and woman that they could not touch the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but rather that they could not eat from it.  It could be that the woman overcompensated due to being on the defensive with the serpent.  Nevertheless, she misrepresented God’s good command and it will ultimately be for her demise.  We must be careful to handle God’s word accurately realizing that there are some who are waiting for a reason to dismiss it and/or our witness to it.

The Gospel According to Blue Man Group.

Several weeks ago my friend Bill posted a video of a cutting edge church that showed a clip from the Blue Man Group’s drumbone performance in their worship service.  Bill praised the church for being on the cutting edge and doing extraordinary things.  Carl then commented on the posting by asking the question, “how does this lead someone closer to Christ?”  Carl took the words right out of my mouth so I echoed his question concerning the use of such a video in the church’s corporate worship.  Bill, who originally posted the video, responded with a question of his own: “does everything we do as a church have to lead people closer to Christ?”  For a few moments I could not believe such a question had been asked.  Then I was compelled to continue the conversation with a resounding, ABSOLUTELY!  There are several things about this encounter that deserve your thought.

First, notice that my brother Bill did not seek to make a case for “Drumbone” being a valid evangelistic or discipleship tool.  His answering Carl’s  question with a question of his own betrays an understanding of the difference between entertainment and ministry, but also shows a desire to implement mere entertainment into the ministry of his church.  So then, the major criterion for which we choose what is included in corporate worship becomes what is pleasing to us as ministers or the congregation at large.  I do want to say at this point that I did enjoy the Blue Man Group’s “drumbone” very much.  I have nothing against the Blue Man Group and would love to see them perform their “drumbone” as well as other numbers live.  This does not mean, however, that I would ever invite them to come perform in our worship service (assuming they would come in the first place).  Rather, I am convinced that there are very real expectations that the Lord has for our worship, and they do not include mere entertainment that lacks the all-important truth found in His word.

Secondly, I believe that Christians must consider what has become of the church, especially in America today.  Over the last couple of decades there has been a major paradigm shift in how church ministry is executed.  Such a shift has come from the admirable desire to encounter and engage the culture with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Rightly, certain evangelical leaders recognize that many times the traditional church is failing to communicate the gospel to the culture all together.  Moreover, when the church does proclaim the gospel to a secular culture, it often fails to do it in a way that is understandable and meaningful to those who receive the message.  However, now we see the pendulum has swung to the other side of error so that much of what we see in the contemporary church is void of any gospel truth, and lacks any potential to lead someone to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  This does not concern many in the contemporary church since they have been convinced that not everything the church does has to lead someone closer to Christ, but I would beg to differ.

When we look at the ministry of our Lord we see that He never simply entertained anyone.  With every sermon, every teaching session, every personal encounter, every miracle, and indeed every act of ministry He was consciously seeking to draw people to Himself.  How much more diligent should we be to present the truth of the gospel to lost and dying world.  The Great Commission (Matt 28:19-20) commands believers to go and make disciples, not to go and entertain the culture.  Acts 4:12 says there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.  That name is Jesus Christ, not Blue Man Group, etc.  Jesus said no man comes to the Father except through Him (Jn 14:6).  Such a statement makes clear that simply sitting in a church service will not be enough to find entrance into heaven.  With these things in mind, can we really afford to waste even a moment in our worship for that which does not point to Christ and lead others closer to Him?  Your thoughts?

In Christ,

Pastor Josh

Discipline for the Purpose of Godliness

1 Timothy 4:7 says that we should discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness.  In his book, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Don Whitney devotes a chapter to the spiritual discipline of journaling.  I have never enjoyed journaling, and only moderately enjoy writing of any sort.  However, I sense the Lord convicting me that I use such disinterest as a cop-out.  I realize that journaling is not necessarily the same as blogging.  I also know that few folks would care anything about reading a journal of my life at this point.  Nevertheless, I do believe that blogging, like journaling, will promote learning in my own life, assist me in seeing how the Lord is working in my personal life, as well as the world around me, and develop discipline that will keep me well-informed and moving forward in the quest to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Therefore, I hope that you will begin checking back with more frequency as you see more information on this site.  I hope to add a plethora of sermon notes this weekend and begin dealing with some issues that are fresh on my mind early next week in the blog section.  Until then I urge you to consider what area or aspect of your life needs to be disciplined.  Are you willing to make an effort to discipline yourself in every area of life for the glory of the Lord?

In Christ,

Pastor Josh