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<\/p>\nThe first part of June we held a three-day Foundational Bible Teaching Seminar for 35 local pastors, Christian leaders, and others interested in teaching and discipling cross culturally and seeing people come to Christ.<\/p>\n
It was a really good opportunity. We had fifteen different presenters working together, team teaching, about how to effectively cross-culturally share the gospel and how to see people not just get saved, but grow. We\u2019re looking at doing it again in the future, and want to include more of the local pastors in the actual teaching.<\/p>\n
The comments were really good. There were areas of ministry and communication that some of them had not even thought of before.<\/p>\n
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Since being back to Paraguay, I also made a trip back to Missouri for 10 days for seminars related to how to better know how to help new missionaries learn language when they arrive in Paraguay, and also met with other consultants around from various other countries to continue to adjust and become more effective in our program for learning language and culture and helping missionaries. Learning language at a level where you can clearly communicate cross culturally at a deeper level, is a challenge and difficult, but vital for our ministries.<\/p>\n
This week we\u2019re doing missionary language evaluations to help the missionaries learn what levels they are at in their understanding of the language and culture, what more clearly what areas they need to work on, and to better understand how they\u2019re applying the various principles for learning language. Necessary here in Paraguayan culture, and as they head out into a tribal work, so they can effectively translate, teach, and really be involved with the people.<\/p>\n
Laurie has been involved in multiple things, including sewing things in our mission guest house, where people stay when they come to town for paperwork, doctor\u2019s visits, or to rest.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s also been working with the Asunci\u00f3n Christian Academy (ACA), prepping for the arrival of the new director next week.<\/p>\n
We also found out the one of my coworkers, who is part of our three-member language consultant team, Ithie Jackson, with her husband Steve, will be transfering from Paraguay to Ethnos360 ministries in the U.S. the end of January to be closer to and care for her parents.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s going to increase my work load. As you are already aware, I\u2019ve got a bit of a full plate with responsibilities as a language\/culture consultant, teaching, discipling, and guiding new missionaries, mobilizing local churches, being a link with local church and NTM PY, as part of the leadership team of a local church here, etc.<\/p>\n
The thing is, these things are important if we want to see the least reached people here… those have either never heard the gospel, have never understood it, or who need teaching… grow and come to Christ.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d ask you to pray for me and our team for wisdom in priorities as to what to focus on and do. The thing the Lord keeps bringing to my mind, is that I can only do, what I can do. He has a plan. I made not get all done I want to do, or even what other\u2019s think I should do, but I want to focus on and get done what He wants me to do. A walk of faith, choices, and many decisions each moment of each day. Pray for us as we learn to rest in that. Someone much wiser than I, once said, \u201cEvery opportunity is not of the Lord.<\/em>\u201d There are no end of opportunities, but though good, not all in God\u2019s plan for the day. My prayer is that I\u2019d be able to state as Christ did, \u201cLord, I\u2019ve finished the work which you gave me to do<\/em>.\u201d (Jn. 17:4)\u00a0 No more. No less.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>A short good booklet in that regard is put out by NavPress, called \u201cThe Tyranny of the Urgent<\/em><\/strong>\u201d by Charles Hummel. It’s an easy, but helpful, and convicting read. (You can access the link by clicking on the photo at the right<\/em>.)<\/p>\n