Here is another incredible update fro Ecuador! Amazing...
Let us start from Friday. Friday we were supposed to arrive at the church for the first part of the conference for the church in Quito. Due to the massive storms in the area, Juan and Guillermo were not able to pick us up until around 7:45 P.M. We got to the church after 8:00. By then the majority of the people were leaving even though they knew that we had arrived.
Around eight to ten people remained there after the pastor had invited us into the church. The manual was introduced once more and the lesson on the authority of Scripture was taught. Lessons from the manual were given out to be presented the next day. The morning (Saturday) we arrived at the church before 9:00. Well, only three other people besides the pastor showed up for this session. At about 9:45 the pastor told us to move the chairs into a circle because the group was so small. We were not able to go through the lessons given out the previous night because so few showed up.
During our stay here in Ecuador, in both Quito and Puyo we have been praying for key men to present themselves and help with the purpose of returning "The Church" back to God's Word. The conference turned quickly into a small meeting lead by the Pastor. The Pastor asked Juan to help Him to teach the manual! After this Juan began to take over and go through the goal and key points of the manual. We watched as Juan assumed his role of leadership and with much passion he went through the key points and the ultimate goal of the manual. The pastor inserted his comments in complete accordance with what Juan was saying. (Keep in mind that the church in Acts acted in one accord, with one mind and one Spirit).
Juan and the pastor began discussing on how to work together in unity and with the help of the manual to train up key leaders within the church to reach "The Church" in Ecuador. This was a huge answer to prayer and a great foundation that had been laid on that day. We sat back and watched the Holy Spirit at work in both of these men's lives. This was enough for us I believe but God was not through quite yet. If it had not been for the rain (God's intervention) making us late to the meeting and thus shifting the whole outset of the conference, this most valuable meeting would not have taken place.
Today (Sunday morning), the pastor asked Tim to speak for the service and to teach a section specifically from the manual on our relationship with Christ, our marriage and family, and the church. He even printed out the diagram from the manual as well. The Holy Spirit was at work here as well. The pastor wanted his church to be revitalized by a message specifically from the Word and not from himself but from a fellow brother from the United States. After the message, we enjoyed great fellowship with the people there at the church .
At this point we thought that our mission was through here in Ecuador and we went to eat lunch with our translator Catherine and her mother at Burger King. Afterward, Catherine's mother left and we went to the mall to enjoy some coffee. During this time Catherine mentioned to us that we were to meet Juan, the pastor and another contact of theirs at 3:00 p.m. At three we met and had coffee with these men and this is the finale (as far as I know) of our trip. The meeting begins with the pastor. Fervently he declares that the churches are dying and falling off of the map. He begins to explain the purpose of the manual and though we could understand very little, with great confidence we knew that the Spirit was at work.
We weren't quite sure of the role of their contact except that he was the president of some alliance. We found out that their contact is the president of the alliance of all the independent (meaning non-denominational, non-affiliated) churches in all of Ecuador. How about 2,000+ churches! Juan now takes over and begins to go through the manual with this president going through page by page and summarizing all of the key points. Almost immediately this brother is on board. In the end he agreed to meet with Juan and the pastor and two other key men to complete the manuals. After they complete the manual they are going to lead meeting of their own to train more leaders and so on. The goal being to spread through out all of Ecuador. Two last key points. 1. Their contact has contacts in several other countries in South America that he wants to share the manual with as well. 2. He has agreed to sponsor whatever funds necessary for more Spanish manuals to be produced for "The Church" here in Ecuador! To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen. The Lord is at work and His Gospel will not cease to spread throughout the world!!!!!!! We ended the meeting in prayer and afterward stood in awe as we had the entire meeting. What a wonderful God we serve!
Let us start from Friday. Friday we were supposed to arrive at the church for the first part of the conference for the church in Quito. Due to the massive storms in the area, Juan and Guillermo were not able to pick us up until around 7:45 P.M. We got to the church after 8:00. By then the majority of the people were leaving even though they knew that we had arrived.
Around eight to ten people remained there after the pastor had invited us into the church. The manual was introduced once more and the lesson on the authority of Scripture was taught. Lessons from the manual were given out to be presented the next day. The morning (Saturday) we arrived at the church before 9:00. Well, only three other people besides the pastor showed up for this session. At about 9:45 the pastor told us to move the chairs into a circle because the group was so small. We were not able to go through the lessons given out the previous night because so few showed up.
During our stay here in Ecuador, in both Quito and Puyo we have been praying for key men to present themselves and help with the purpose of returning "The Church" back to God's Word. The conference turned quickly into a small meeting lead by the Pastor. The Pastor asked Juan to help Him to teach the manual! After this Juan began to take over and go through the goal and key points of the manual. We watched as Juan assumed his role of leadership and with much passion he went through the key points and the ultimate goal of the manual. The pastor inserted his comments in complete accordance with what Juan was saying. (Keep in mind that the church in Acts acted in one accord, with one mind and one Spirit).
Juan and the pastor began discussing on how to work together in unity and with the help of the manual to train up key leaders within the church to reach "The Church" in Ecuador. This was a huge answer to prayer and a great foundation that had been laid on that day. We sat back and watched the Holy Spirit at work in both of these men's lives. This was enough for us I believe but God was not through quite yet. If it had not been for the rain (God's intervention) making us late to the meeting and thus shifting the whole outset of the conference, this most valuable meeting would not have taken place.
Today (Sunday morning), the pastor asked Tim to speak for the service and to teach a section specifically from the manual on our relationship with Christ, our marriage and family, and the church. He even printed out the diagram from the manual as well. The Holy Spirit was at work here as well. The pastor wanted his church to be revitalized by a message specifically from the Word and not from himself but from a fellow brother from the United States. After the message, we enjoyed great fellowship with the people there at the church .
At this point we thought that our mission was through here in Ecuador and we went to eat lunch with our translator Catherine and her mother at Burger King. Afterward, Catherine's mother left and we went to the mall to enjoy some coffee. During this time Catherine mentioned to us that we were to meet Juan, the pastor and another contact of theirs at 3:00 p.m. At three we met and had coffee with these men and this is the finale (as far as I know) of our trip. The meeting begins with the pastor. Fervently he declares that the churches are dying and falling off of the map. He begins to explain the purpose of the manual and though we could understand very little, with great confidence we knew that the Spirit was at work.
We weren't quite sure of the role of their contact except that he was the president of some alliance. We found out that their contact is the president of the alliance of all the independent (meaning non-denominational, non-affiliated) churches in all of Ecuador. How about 2,000+ churches! Juan now takes over and begins to go through the manual with this president going through page by page and summarizing all of the key points. Almost immediately this brother is on board. In the end he agreed to meet with Juan and the pastor and two other key men to complete the manuals. After they complete the manual they are going to lead meeting of their own to train more leaders and so on. The goal being to spread through out all of Ecuador. Two last key points. 1. Their contact has contacts in several other countries in South America that he wants to share the manual with as well. 2. He has agreed to sponsor whatever funds necessary for more Spanish manuals to be produced for "The Church" here in Ecuador! To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen. The Lord is at work and His Gospel will not cease to spread throughout the world!!!!!!! We ended the meeting in prayer and afterward stood in awe as we had the entire meeting. What a wonderful God we serve!
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