Hello All,
No, I am not in Jerez, but I did get the chance to talk with Carlos Casco today via telephone. The phone is such a cool invention! Anyway, Carlos filled me in on some of the news from Jerez and we talked for over an hour. It went by really fast as it always does. Carlos is just one of the funniest, most joyful men I have ever encountered. I would encourage you to read Carlos blog (You can access that on the right side of the front page.) and see what has been happening with Carlos' ministry ventures. There is a great slide show there regarding his recent trip to Bolivia, where there are 60 Bolivian Pastors enrolled in a Pastoral training course that Carlos is supervising. Next month, both Carlos and my Father-in-Law, Dan Finfrock, will travel down to Bolivia and run the Inductive Bible Study course that Dan has put together.
Things are also going good in North Africa. There are great reports coming from there. Due to circumstances that I am sure you understand, certain details cannot be shared over the internet. Suffice it say, things are going fantastic!
Meanwhile, in Spain, some troubling times have hit the church. I am again bound by the inability to share details, but we ask that you would pray for Carlos and Yolanda, as well as their daughter Yolee and her son Miqueas. Pray for their wisdom as they consider the future of the work there in Spain.
Otherwise, the church is continuing it's course. Pastor Carlos has begun to have Andre teach on Wednesday nights and Juan Carlos teach the Friday night devotions. Yolee and Andre are leading worship. Juan Carlos is a Bolivian who hooked Carlos up with the churches in Bolivia and has been a truly faithful man of the word since he started coming to the church.
In so many ways, God is using Carlos, even though the work in Spain contains little in the way of Spanish converts. I am constantly reminded and thoughtful regarding the state of the Spanish nation. Remember that this is the first generation that has had religious tolerance. This first generation then still has problems letting go of their traditions and knowing how to truly embrace Christ. The seeds are being planted now for the next generation to be able to hear the Word and embrace the truth of God.
In the meantime, God is sending over Latin American Christians, like Juan Carlos and Andre (of Brazilian Descent) who are absolutely on fire for Christ. What is happening is that the Christian churches there in Spain are being built by immigrants, whose impact in the nation is slowly being felt. We do pray that the Lord would use these faithful Christians mightily for the name of the Lord Jesus.
Of course, this is never to negate the faithfulness of men like Pastor Carlos, who are currently spreading the seed. We of course will also continue to pray for Ivan and Eunice, who are shortly going to return to their homeland for the same purpose. But that being said, there is a need for annointed preaching and proclaiming of the Word, and the annointed hearing as well! Until both work in concert, the fruit will come inconsistently.
Does that mean that we stop, or limit the work to only nationals or only missionaries? NO WAY! We keep sending, keep praying and keep equipping everyone who wants and has the means to go legally. Businessmen, musicians, artisans, anyone, who trade in hand, would willingly go and speak of Christ in the midst of their activities, would be welcome and exciting.
And it reminds me, a person who wishes to be there, has tried to be there, and cannot, that we cannot quit praying and partnering with these precious saints who take the gospel to nations and places that would not have a witness otherwise. In my mind, Carlos Casco is a modern day Paul the Apostle. How would we have partnered with Him as he wrote half of the New Testament? I pray that he might stir your heart to consider the answer to that question.
And it's not just Carlos. I mention him because he is in the nation that I have adopted. Perhaps your heart is elsewhere, in another nation. How can you get involved? Maybe, it's not another nation. How about another city!? Ever thought of Kentucky? Check out our friends Josh and Charlene Marlette, who recently re-located their family to Elizabethtown, Kentucky (Yeah, I asked why too! :) Just Kidding Guys!) and are doing the work of the Lord there.
I just write all this to say: GET INVOLVED!!! Be part of God's program wherever it is happening in any way that you can. Does God need you? NO! But are you missing out on the benefits and blessings that come with working with Him and investing into His programs? I pray that you won't miss out.
Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez
No, I am not in Jerez, but I did get the chance to talk with Carlos Casco today via telephone. The phone is such a cool invention! Anyway, Carlos filled me in on some of the news from Jerez and we talked for over an hour. It went by really fast as it always does. Carlos is just one of the funniest, most joyful men I have ever encountered. I would encourage you to read Carlos blog (You can access that on the right side of the front page.) and see what has been happening with Carlos' ministry ventures. There is a great slide show there regarding his recent trip to Bolivia, where there are 60 Bolivian Pastors enrolled in a Pastoral training course that Carlos is supervising. Next month, both Carlos and my Father-in-Law, Dan Finfrock, will travel down to Bolivia and run the Inductive Bible Study course that Dan has put together.
Things are also going good in North Africa. There are great reports coming from there. Due to circumstances that I am sure you understand, certain details cannot be shared over the internet. Suffice it say, things are going fantastic!
Meanwhile, in Spain, some troubling times have hit the church. I am again bound by the inability to share details, but we ask that you would pray for Carlos and Yolanda, as well as their daughter Yolee and her son Miqueas. Pray for their wisdom as they consider the future of the work there in Spain.
Otherwise, the church is continuing it's course. Pastor Carlos has begun to have Andre teach on Wednesday nights and Juan Carlos teach the Friday night devotions. Yolee and Andre are leading worship. Juan Carlos is a Bolivian who hooked Carlos up with the churches in Bolivia and has been a truly faithful man of the word since he started coming to the church.
In so many ways, God is using Carlos, even though the work in Spain contains little in the way of Spanish converts. I am constantly reminded and thoughtful regarding the state of the Spanish nation. Remember that this is the first generation that has had religious tolerance. This first generation then still has problems letting go of their traditions and knowing how to truly embrace Christ. The seeds are being planted now for the next generation to be able to hear the Word and embrace the truth of God.
In the meantime, God is sending over Latin American Christians, like Juan Carlos and Andre (of Brazilian Descent) who are absolutely on fire for Christ. What is happening is that the Christian churches there in Spain are being built by immigrants, whose impact in the nation is slowly being felt. We do pray that the Lord would use these faithful Christians mightily for the name of the Lord Jesus.
Of course, this is never to negate the faithfulness of men like Pastor Carlos, who are currently spreading the seed. We of course will also continue to pray for Ivan and Eunice, who are shortly going to return to their homeland for the same purpose. But that being said, there is a need for annointed preaching and proclaiming of the Word, and the annointed hearing as well! Until both work in concert, the fruit will come inconsistently.
Does that mean that we stop, or limit the work to only nationals or only missionaries? NO WAY! We keep sending, keep praying and keep equipping everyone who wants and has the means to go legally. Businessmen, musicians, artisans, anyone, who trade in hand, would willingly go and speak of Christ in the midst of their activities, would be welcome and exciting.
And it reminds me, a person who wishes to be there, has tried to be there, and cannot, that we cannot quit praying and partnering with these precious saints who take the gospel to nations and places that would not have a witness otherwise. In my mind, Carlos Casco is a modern day Paul the Apostle. How would we have partnered with Him as he wrote half of the New Testament? I pray that he might stir your heart to consider the answer to that question.
And it's not just Carlos. I mention him because he is in the nation that I have adopted. Perhaps your heart is elsewhere, in another nation. How can you get involved? Maybe, it's not another nation. How about another city!? Ever thought of Kentucky? Check out our friends Josh and Charlene Marlette, who recently re-located their family to Elizabethtown, Kentucky (Yeah, I asked why too! :) Just Kidding Guys!) and are doing the work of the Lord there.
I just write all this to say: GET INVOLVED!!! Be part of God's program wherever it is happening in any way that you can. Does God need you? NO! But are you missing out on the benefits and blessings that come with working with Him and investing into His programs? I pray that you won't miss out.
Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez
2 comments:
Great exhortation frank… I’ve found if you…seek, ask and knock the Lord will be faithful to direct you…across the street, around the corner, to another state, or around the world. Just be open, yielded and available. You’ll know when He is calling “His sheep know His voice”
-josh
Thanks Josh,
And what I found, in our time, is that when you do that (ask, seek, knock and move) that the reward isn't the place or the position, but the person of Christ Himself! He is the Reward and The End of our means! That is the best part of partnering with Him!
It got real humid today here in California, but I bet you guys in Kentucky have a whole new depth of understanding when it comes to the MUG!!
Blessings,
F.S.
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