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.