2008-12-30   Mon 5am Guatemala City

“A doubter often prays for things he already possesses.” T.L. Osborn

“Do not repay evil with evil… but with blessing, to this you were called, so that you may inherit a blessing.” (1Pet. 3:9)

Am I using my inheritance in Jesus?

Rafa and Vivi pastor a small church in Guatemala City. They recently adopted a son and asked me to dedicate him to the Lord, and preach on “spiritual adoption”. Adoption makes a person an heir.Helen’s brother David and his wife Cheryl have a lot of experience with adoption having adopted 26 children in the past 25 years. Adoption makes a person an heir. The Greek word for adoption is huiothesia “to place as an adult son”—an heir.

For a Hebrew man, one of the most important things in life is to pass on an inheritance to his children. Inheritance is the all important thing to the Hebrew family. It’s their source of faith and identity, therefore purpose in life.

Abraham was greatly distressed while not having a son for an heir. When God gave him Isaac, He established the great law of faith that determines who are considered true descendants of Abraham—his heirs. “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for he shall never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac” (Gen.21:10-12; Gal.4:30).

God loved Ishmael and his mother Hagar and blessed them greatly. But he lost the inheritance of Abraham’s faith in the decree of God. Abraham’s true heirs are those who possess his same faith in the promised seed. Those who are of faith are blessed with an eternal and temporal inheritance in Christ. It is only by using our inheritance in Christ that we can overcome the world.

God knows how much we struggle with doubts about Him and His blessings. To help Abraham overcome his doubts, He not only gave him His promise, but He swore by Himself, that He would do the miracle of giving him a son (Heb.6:17-18).

Because of inheritance, adoption is a very important issue. Before the foundation of the world, God chose to adopt as His own sons, all who would follow Jesus (Eph.1:4-5), giving them an inheritance by which they would overcome the world. Revelation chapter 5 is a picture of Jesus giving this inheritance to His Bride. The scroll in God’s hand is the inheritance He offers humanity (JFB and Beale). Adam and Eve lost it when they sinned, and Jesus restores it to His Bride so that she may overcome by using it.

To help our faith, God gives us a double assurance of being His heirs: by “regeneration” and by “spiritual adoption” (Rom.8:14-17; Gal.4:1-7). Adoption establishes us as adult sons—able to use our inheritance now—without having to wait to mature. The death and resurrection of Jesus give us access now to our inheritance. The first and best part of our inheritance is communion with God Himself and growing in His wonderful, holy fear. This is what enables us to overcome (Ps. 61:5; 16:5-6; 73:26; 119:57).

We also overcome by flowing with God’s mission. Being always ready for His mission is part of the armor He gives us to overcome (Eph. 6:15). As sons and daughters of Abraham, we are called to bless and be a blessing to others (Gen.12:1-3; 1Pet.3:9). Because of our inheritance we all have something to bless with, flowing with God in His mission of blessing others with what we receive in our inheritance.

Here’s to overcoming through our inheritance in 2009!!!

Prayer Power
Heavenly Daddy, You are amazing! You are the riches of our life and family. Draw us nearer to You, to gaze upon You, and worship You, to be filled with awe at Your love for us. We receive, as the first part of our inheritance, more of You and Your holy fear. Guide us and help us be sensitive to the needs of those around us. May we be a help to them to enter into their inheritance in Jesus.

“Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“He will be the sure foundation of your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” Isaiah 33:6

Is God’s treasure my treasure?

The Bible was the first book I ever read cover to cover. In my early twenties I was intrigued by how often the God of love in the Bible speaks of a “holy fear” that is His treasure. I felt I lacked this virtue and became desperate for more of it.

During our first 10 years as missionaries in Honduras, I found very few books about the fear of the Lord. In Ecuador, in 1987, I decided to print out all 187 Bible passages that refer to it and spent six months reading and meditating on them. This helped me understand God’s treasure in a deeper way.

One Saturday morning I came into the kitchen where Helen was cooking a batch of her wonderful pancakes for the six of us. She knew how intensely I’d been studying this awesome subject and listened expectantly as I shared some of my discoveries.

She said it reminded her of when she left her home in Spain, at age 18, to begin studies at Mississippi College. Her first dorm-mates invited her to go out partying with them, but something had detained her. She really wanted to please them, but the question came to her mind, “How would my daddy feel if he knew I was doing this?”

My mouth dropped open! She had summed it up. Her dad and mom had poured so much love into her that it caused her to love them in such a way that she wouldn’t do anything that would hurt them. Her love (“holy fear”) for her dad and mom caused her to repulse what they didn’t like. “The fear of the Lord abhors evil” (Pro.8:13 Spanish RV60).

In the same way that little children get nauseated by food they don’t like, we get sick at what our heavenly Daddy inside us doesn’t like. Morality is learned by relating with society–the fear of the Lord is learned by personally relating with God. Spending time with Him causes this treasure to permeate our soul. Those who don’t give God the opportunity to relate with them rarely learn His holy fear, even though they’ve been born again. “And when you’ve sought for it with all your heart, then you’ll understand the fear of the Lord.” (Pro.2:1-5 synthesized).

True prosperity only comes by a humble fear of the Lord (Dt. 5:29). Our Father offers us three primary ways to learn His holy fear: by worshiping Him, studying His Word to do it, and by tithing (Dt.10:20; 14:23, 17:19; 31:12-13). These three transform our spirit, soul, and body, making us disciples of the Way. As we worship the Triune Yahweh, privately and corporately, we experience his glory and are filled with awe at who He is. Private prayer is the product of private worship.

If we truly connect with God in our study of His Word, our identity in Him grows. As we tithe in our church, we relate with our Father as the source of our life. The more we see Him as He truly is, and become obedient to His Spirit, the more we receive His holy fear and are moved by what moves Him.

“They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: ‘Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty!  Just and true are Your ways, O King of saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?’” Rev.15:3-4

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, You are worthy of our heart. May Your priorities be ours. May we be sensitive to how You are serving those around us and flow with You in that, beginning with our family. May we enjoy more of Your treasure—Your holy fear.

2008-12-23   Wed 5am Guatemala City

“As members of the body of Christ, our life is a sacrament. As we are broken in God’s hands, His life flows through us to others.” Oswald Chambers

“Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, but do it with gentleness and respect” 1 Pet. 3:15

It’s a 12 hour bus ride from Guatemala City to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, with a two hour lay over for lunch in San Salvador. I felt happy and comfortable in my jeans, palm stamped shirt and Gator cap—perhaps not the typical look of a 60 year old missionary pastor in Latin America. I enjoyed chatting with the young man next to me about Jesus. His heart was open.

After lunch, in the waiting room, I continued reading Rodney Clapp’s, “A Peculiar People,” an interesting study of the Church as counter culture. A young lady sat down beside me carrying a big white teddy bear. I smiled and said, “That’s a cute teddy bear” (in Spanish of course). She asked me where I was headed and I replied, “Tegucigalpa,” and continued my reading.

When it came time to board the bus, I was met by the asst. manager who told me I wouldn’t be allowed to get on. At first I thought he was joking or that they’d oversold the seats and needed to bump somebody off.

Then he explained that I had made a comment to someone in the waiting room that I was carrying a bomb. The police had already arrived and were standing behind me. As the seriousness of the accusation began to sink in I could feel my heart rate increase, remembering how ugly life is in the Latin American prisons I’ve visited over the years.

The great thing about daily prayer and communion with God in His word is that you’re always aware that He’s in control. I began to draw from His well and seek His purpose. I showed the man my ordination card and explained the purpose of my trip each year to meet with the Latin American directors of INSTE.

I was lead into a small room where four policemen searched through my things, squeezing the toothpaste and shaving cream, and asking me questions. I was pleasantly surprised with their calmness. When they didn’t find anything unusual, I commented on the good job of security they provide and that I was grateful they had not been rough with me either physically or with their words. I knew the Lord was touching them.

I would reach my destination half a day late and have to pay for my hotel room in the bus terminal. But the inconvenience was a small price for the joyous presence of Jesus with me that night, and it was a great story for us to laugh about at the meeting.

Your prayers are a constant strength to us. (Helen travels to Quito, Ecuador on Jan. 9th for the birth of our 2nd grandson to Cristina and Stephen Meier, who are serving in the Alliance Christian Academy, where Cristina graduated from High School. Stephen is the High School principal.)

Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year with family!!

2008-10-20    Thu 5:00a   Guatemala City

“Let the dead bury the dead, but you, go and preach the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:59

Nydia Corado, a 73 year old widow and INSTE graduate, is an “apostle of love” who has planted eleven new churches in the past five years.*

This past Saturday I gave the INSTE seminar to the one person who came — Alma Velasquez. We usually have 5 to 20 in attendance in our monthly leadership seminars. Those who participate have to study the 60 page leader’s manual, over a 5 day period before coming, to be able to take the test and practice leading a group of 4 or 5 people during the seminar. This month eleven leaders from various churches had signed up. By Friday, 4 had confirmed they were ready and would come. On Saturday morning one came. But, that one seed may have been worth the six hours spent.

Alma Velasquez, and her husband Carlos, are non-formally trained professional Christian counselors. For more than ten years they headed up the counseling staff of one of the biggest evangelical radio stations in Guatemala, and then for seven years headed up the 80 member pastoral counseling staff of their large Church. For the past year and a half they’ve worked from 8am to 8pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays as pastoral counselors in their Church’s offices. When they’re not ministering to someone in prayer counseling, they sell Real Estate.

Carlos and Alma will be planting a new Church in the capital of Guatemala the beginning of next year and want to use INSTE to train their leaders. Alma heard about INSTE from a former student that she described as a true “apostle of love”.

Nydia Corado’s pastor began training some of the staff members of his church using INSTE about ten years ago. Nydia was a prayer counselor and a widow at 64 when she enrolled in INSTE with her pastor. Since her formation in INSTE, Nydia has been instrumental in planting eleven new churches. She loves on people in Jesus’ name, prays for them, counsels and teaches them until they become a group of about twenty or so, and then she finds a Pastor for them. Eleven pastors are now following up on those that she was instrumental in bringing into God’s kingdom. Through INSTE Nydia learned that every true follower of Jesus has the heart of a missionary because God’s mission flows only through His bride.

Prayer Power

Papa, we open our hearts to flow with Your mission of love. Thank you for setting Your eyes on us to make us Your Bride. As a part of Your “First Lady”, may we each lift our heads to see Your harvest around us. Draw us intimately into your heart that we may be empowered by your love to reach out to the most needy we see around us each day. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen and Hallelujah!

AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I will be sensitive to the heart of my eternal Husband, the Lord Jesus, to discern how He wants to use me in His mission to the needy around me.

*This is a correction of the previous report that Nydia had planted 4 churches in 7 years.

2008-09-24  Thur 5:00a  Guatemala City

“When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!” (Mat.9:37 The Message)

Yesterday (Wed)

What is Jesus’ passion? David Rodriguez’s story says it all.

David decided to follow Jesus at a youth retreat in 1988 in Antigua, Guatemala. He was 17 years old and the next year he married Leti. From the outset, David took all the informal “courses” his Church had developed, but he yearned to study the Bible professionally and be trained in flowing with God’s mission. However he says he couldn’t afford to go to a Seminary or Bible College.

The responsibilities of being a husband and father forced David to put off his College career after his third year. He and Leti taught Sunday school, became youth leaders and home group leaders. David became a worship leader and his Church’s administrator as well as its School’s administrator.

When the Institute of Theology by Extension, INSTE, arrived in Guatemala in 1998, David saw how inexpensive it is and that he could study with a group in his own Church. He felt it was an answer to his 10 year prayer for professional ministerial training. So David and Leti enrolled and he led his INSTE group to become the first graduates in Guatemala of the 2nd Level of INSTE (college level).

Two years ago the pastor of David’s Church in Antigua sent him and Leti out with 130 members to plant a new Church in Ciudad Vieja, the first colonial capital of the Vice Royalty of New Spain, a city now ravaged by poverty. The new church has doubled in attendance already and 60% of the growth has come from the youth sector.

David learned in INSTE that every Christian is a missionary, so his church is growing in relationship with God’s mission to the needs of those around them. Every week they give out clothes and food, show films and evangelize the poorest children on the streets of their community. They’ve organized teams that have permission to teach in the high schools about drug addiction, sexual abstinence, and AIDS. The youth are also ministering in homes for the elderly.

David was in my office lately to get his books to begin two new INSTE groups for his people. He’ll lead one for the leaders who’ve seen their need for Bible training in God’s mission, and the other for the youth. Jesus’ passion is to have multitudes of disciples flowing in God’s mission of redemption to those around them. INSTE is designed to produce just that. When I asked David why he was training the leaders himself, he said, “I want to transmit the passion of Jesus in me to them, and make sure they form the habits of good disciples.” He thanks you for sending INSTE to him through Helen and me.

Prayer Power:

Heavenly Father, open the eyes of the hearts of your pastors in Guatemala to see that your passion is multitudes of disciples flowing in your mission of love and redemption to all who surround them. May our hearts be gripped by your passion and break with Jesus’ heart that your name may be glorified. Haleluya! Amen.

2008-08-23 Saturday 5:30a Guatemala City

“Now Daniel, in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.” (Dn.6:10)

Yesterday (Fri)

Why does Steve think he needs a doctoral degree to be more effective in his mission?

Well, the degree is not the goal, it’s the specialized training that is needed to help the Guatemalan Church get back on track. Guatemala needs highly trained experts in God’s mission. Many Seminaries and Universities from the States offer degrees cheap, with little effort for Latin Americans. But that doesn’t meet the need of the Body of Christ for Churches becoming oriented by God’s mission. The Latin American Doctoral Program (PRODOLA) is the best contextualized mission training that exists for Latin America. All my authorities tell me to “Go for it!”

One of the first things I learned in my studies this year is that on a whole, most Christians are unaware of how influenced their thinking is by modernism. Our education and culture formed us to think “rationally” instead of spiritually. The Enlightenment paradigm, based on scientific logic, affects the way we interpret the Bible, perceive God’s will and do mission. Even when we use biblical vocabulary, our thinking is more rational than inspired. David Bosch brought this to light in his magnum opus, Transforming Mission (1992), that has become a cornerstone in the theology of mission today.

In my class, “Historical-Social Analysis of the Church and Latin American Reality”, Dr. Deiros, apostle and professor at Fuller Seminary, President of International Theological Seminary, Buenos Aires, shared with us an effective way of doing “prayer evangelism.”

Ask someone you want to share the Lord with, “How do you feel about the future?” You’ll get an array of answers. Then ask him/her, “What do you feel the future holds for you personally?” Here you’ll pick up on specific interests he/she has. Then you can ask if he/she would let you bless them in prayer. Pray a special blessing over some of the things he/she mentioned in response to your question. Then ask if you can have coffee with them in the next few days. If the reply is negative, give them your phone number and ask them to call you if they see an answer to your prayer for them.

Compare that with using the 4 spiritual laws, which focuses on intellectual concepts, and is more Enlightenment programmed. The laws are true, but the method that seemed to work well 30 years ago, doesn’t jive today in our postmodern world. People today are looking for authentic spirituality in a God encounter. A one day old Christian can evangelize this way. We are all called to flow with God’s mission. It’s not about defining our own mission, but about discerning what God’s mission is around us (the needs) and flowing with what He’s doing.

Jesus’ Latin American Bride needs to be able to dialogue and self critique her own practice of mission (or lack their of). European and North American theological admonitions are not adecuate for Latin America’s context of extreme poverty, economic oppression, political, social and family abuse. One has to live in solidarity with her in order to lead her to overcome, as she learns to reflect scripturally and missionally by God’s Spirit.

Prayer Power…
Jesus, Lord of our heart, thank you for equipping us for your final harvest. Help us be sensitive to what you’re doing around us. Help us feel your compassion for the needy and your creativity in providing for those needs. Thank you for the spontaneous power gifts of your Holy Spirit. May they be released in the market places of your lost sheep through every member of your Bride. Amen.

“Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth and righteousness shall look down from heaven.” Psalm 85:10-11

AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I will be sensitive to the needs of those around me and to how God is wanting to meet them through me.

2008-08-19 Tue 4:00a Guatemala City

Yesterday (Mon)

“But the priests, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near Me to minister to Me.” (Ez.44:15)

During the past two weeks I had the enormous privilege of being trained in Paraguay with what felt like a team of Latin American Olympians for “God’s Olympics”. Our trainers were the foremost missiologists and Church historians on the continent—true apostles, prophets, pastors and teachers. My teammates were Roberto Aldana (Guatemala, Superintendent of Church of God Central America – represents around 5000 churches); Ruben Fernandez (Argentina, Rector, Nazarene Seminary, Costa Rica); his wife Monica Fernandez (Argentina, Pastor and Seminary Professor); Jorge Baños (El Salvador, Asst. Rector, Nazarene Seminary); Amos Cahuich (Mexico, President, Presbyterian Seminary, Yucatan); Eder De Melo (Brazil, Pastor Baptist renewal church); Ruben Driedger (Uruguay, Mennonite Seminary Professor, Paraguay), Arturo Delgado (México, Apostle, San Luis Potosi); Christian Giordano (Spain, Mission Director to the Muslim world); Javier Kosacki (Argentina, Director Latin American Four Square Churches, USA); Young Min Lee (South Korea, missionary to Amazon tribes, Ecuador); Juan Verón (Paraguay, Mennonite Pastor renewal church); and me (USA, INSTE Director, Guatemala). We were missing three precious friends who weren’t able to make it this trip. (Check out the photos on our FaceBook http://www.profile.to/stevecobb).

Jesus’ Latin American Church is exploding numerically and needs serious, professionally trained, and anointed leaders to help navigate the increasing storm the planet is facing. Deep spirituality, coupled with strategic mission planning is required. Most Latin American Pastors don’t understand what God’s mission is. His mission in Jesus is for each member of the Church to minister to the needy around them where they hurt most with the power of the Holy Spirit. Each member is a dynamic missionary in his own home and neighborhood. Many churches however have gotten way off on tangents of self promotion and aggrandizement or are simply in maintenance mode.

As with the Olympic games, this deeper level of specialized training is the greatest challenge I have ever faced. The Lord has shown Helen and me that in order to do what He wants to through us, He has to train me on a deeper level. Even with the 60% scholarship I’ve received, the program has increased to cost $8000 a year for four years. We need 30 friends who will invest $1000 each for this vital training that will enable us to produce the depth of ministry that the Church in Guatemala needs from us. We prayed for two years before entering this program and some friends gave us $3000 to start off. So we know the Lord will see us through with this.

Please prayerfully consider stretching your faith with us to be a part of God’s “Olympic team” in Latin America to bless the nations in this way. You may contribute now by clicking here and designating for “Steve’s PRODOLA training”. Thank you.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank you for making your will clear to Helen and me about this training. Thank you for the wonderful friends You’ve given us over the years, who believe in what you are doing through us and sacrifice along with us to flow with your mission of life to this needy nation. Thank you for multiplying the bread in our hands as we give it out together to feed your flock. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

“Oh, that My people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries… and with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you.” Psalm 81

AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: My utmost for His highest!

2008-07-29, Tue. 5:30a, Guatemala City

So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. Lu.10:34

It’s so beautiful to see a struggling church restored to health through the process of true discipleship! Many Guatemalan pastors have never considered mentoring individual members of their congregation into ministry, as a major priority in their service. When a pastor’s eyes are opened to the reality of Jesus’ call to personally discipleing others and he finds a tool like INSTE to help him do it, it’s as if you could take “before and after” snapshots of the fruit of that congregation’s ministry.

Amilcar Alvarez turns 40 next month. He’s been a Christian for 26 years and a Pastor for 22. He and his wife Sonia have five children, the youngest of which has Downs Syndrome. Besides pastoring, he is a History professor at the National San Carlos University in Guatemala City.

Amilcar pastors the “Secure Families” Church, which he founded in the poor historic district of downtown Guatemala City. Prostitutes, drunks, drug addicts and gays are common in the neighborhood. For years his congregation was plagued by the “us” and “them” paradigm. But since Amilcar began discipleing leaders in his church using INSTE, those on the street are finding a helpful hand for their restoration as the members of the community learn the power of being salt and light through Christ’s love and service. They are learning this as they apply the practical aspects of the INSTE lessons to their own lives and social context and through the personal mentoring of their Pastor and the leaders he is forming for ministry.

Pastor Amilcar knew that his church needed more than just the weekend emotional lift of a loving Sunday sermon in order to grow into a healing element in the downtown district. He knew that each of the members would have to become comfortable with their true identity and nature in Christ as participants in God’s mission. And he has found INSTE to be just the tool he was looking for to mentor them into that reality.

Amilcar thanks you for sending INSTE to Guatemala through us.

Prayer Power

Father, thank you for Amilcar and his church that are serving the residents of their community with your love and power. Thank you for giving him the heart of a mentor and coach in your kingdom. May we each continue to seek those we need to help move us up a notch in our effectiveness in Your mission to those around us. In Jesus name, Amen.

2008-07-12 Sat 5:00a Guatemala City

Yesterday (Fri)

“The Lord has given me the the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary.” Is.50:4

Last night in home group, JJ and Amilcar lead us with soft guitar picking, into Jesus-centered worship (no noisy self-centered stuff). The Lord reciprocated and His presence enveloped us stronger and stronger, deeper and deeper, sweeter and sweeter, stimulating our passion for Him. It was easy to get lost in His waves of love.

JJ was visiting from West Palm Beach where he’s a youth leader in a Latin American church. He’s from Guatemala and his dad was an Elder in our church. The home group hadn’t seen this development in JJ since he’d moved away three years ago after graduating from the Christian Academy, the same one our kids, Anita and Tim graduated from.

I asked those present if they were surprised by the intensity of God’s presence and what they received from Him in worship. All of the 30s and over group acknowledge they had. I shared that, that kind of worship doesn’t come from a person whose goal is just to make good music. It comes from worshipping alone, on one’s knees, day after day, pouring out one’s heart in song to our Father.

Throughout the world, God is responding to “the millenniums” (those in the 15 to 30 year old generation). They’re desperate for the authentic life they see in the New Testament and haven’t seen much of it in the Church. They would prefer to be mentored by the older and wiser, but they’re going for it, with or without the cooperation of their forerunners.

In Isaiah 50, we find the prophet sharing how he learned the Way of the Lord. He sought Him early and interceded for the rebellious in the midst of the darkness and confusion of his society. When God drew near he responded to His call to pray and received His encouragement (v2-3).

The whole chapter is prophetic of Jesus. “Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his Servant, while walking in darkness and having no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on His God. Those who light their own fires to see in the dark will be put to shame” (v10-11).

Are we paying the personal price to learn our Lord’s Way before the storm gets darker?

There’s no other way to learn it than the way Abraham, Isaiah, Jesus and the disciples learned it.

Those who pay that price will have His light when they need it.

Prayer Power …
Abba, thanks for being so near, even within us who have received You in Jesus. Our delight is to know You, worship You, and have Your love flow though us to others. You’re so awesome God! We kiss Your Son. Come reign in us that the lowly may see and find Your life in them.

“Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God.” Psalm 43:4

2008-07-08 Tue 4:00a Guatemala City

Yesterday (Mon)

“This people I have formed for Myself: they shall declare My praise.” (Is.43:21)

Agustín Kanú (40) is a warm-hearted Mayan Pastor with a sparkle in his eye. “How can we help the drunks on the corner that stumble into our church meetings?” he asked me. “Have you thought about offering them some coffee and bread?” I replied. As we discussed numerous possibilities for working through some of the challenges he faces in his new pastorate, he became thankful for the mentoring relationships he’s developing as a student in INSTE.

Agustín has a 6th grade education and is beginning INSTE’s Second Level leadership training (college level). He is father to Benjamin (22), Rafael (16), and Pedro (13), as well as husband to Maria Estela. We chatted informally about how worshiping Jesus, and focusing on Him is the primary purpose of the Church meeting, and the Pastor’s role is to facilitate that. Too many churches are focused on people; the worship team, the Pastor or someone else. We thought together about the priority of the Pastor’s family life and how to develop worship in the home. I asked him if he had ever served the Lord’s Supper to his family at home, and he had not.

We looked at God’s story where the Passover began that night when the death angel passed over Egypt. Where was the Passover supper initiated? In the homes of the Israelites? Where was it initiated in the New Testament? In a friendly upper room after Jesus had washed the feet of his family and best friends. I asked him, “If your children worship Jesus in their home, with His Supper, what will they feel like when they come to His Supper at the public meeting?” They’ll be more deeply centered on Him!

In Jewish life the family is top priority. God’s covenant with Abraham made him a father, and he mentored his children in the faith (Gen.18:19-20). Rodney Clapp, senior editor for IVP, in his book titled, A Peculiar People, reflects on how individualism and separatism have distorted the biblical identity of many Christians and has hindered them from leavening society with holy life. “Christians” after Constantine, “all too quickly forgot how to be good Jews, yet Jesus and the earliest, New Testament Christians did not” (p77). True Christianity, as with being a true Jew, has nothing to do with formality, and everything to do with giving God the worship He desires and deserves.

Agustín and I prayed together for his family and community, that he will be sensitive as to how the Holy Spirit desires to lead his congregation into serving and meeting the needs of those who live in the vicinity of his church.

Prayer Power …
Heavenly father, thank you for Agustín and his family who are a healing and restoring element that you have placed in their community. Give him wisdom and strength to lead his congregation into ministering your holistic salvation that will glorify You, in the name of Jesus. Amen.