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Ministry glimpses

Connecting with the “Real World”

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I have a love/hate relationship with sermon applications. You know, that part of the sermon when the preacher finally tells us what we’re supposed to do as a result of the Scriptural text of today.

Not all texts have a direct application in the text, of course. And even if they do, we all want something more specific that “love your neighbour”.

Sometimes it is indeed helpful to suggest something we could do “this week”. But the problem is that the text may have as many specific applications as there are people listening. The Holy Spirit speaks to people in their own circumstances through His Word. I would suggest it’s often better to clearly explain what the passage is saying – and let Him do the rest.

(Another problem is that applications are often opinions and ideas – and the preacher had better be careful that he’s not presenting a helpful idea as a new law!)

That being said, this doesn’t mean that the preacher shouldn’t connect the text with today’s world. That’s quite another matter, and it’s something that’s urgently needed. Again, this will depend somewhat on the people listening and their context. But surely God’s Word should be shining light on the classroom, changing the way we view politics, transforming how we do business, affecting the way we respond to authorities over us, readjusting our priorities, thinking about health – the list goes on and on.

It’s a challenging thing to do, but it’s up to all of us to take God’s Word and let it shine on today’s world.

This takes a lot of listening, to hear where people are at, and what they’re struggling with. It may take some listening to the world at large – what’s happening in the community, country and world? How does God want us to respond?

How is this happening here? I started talking about sermons, but it’s actually happening in many conversations in general. It’s happening at our institute classes, as we continue especially working with leaders and struggling together to equip our congregations for their ministry (Ephesians 4:11-16). Learning how to worship. Bible studies on certain topics.

I was reminded recently as I sent out a report to some people that pray for us that we’re in some pretty challenging studies right now! I’m preparing a study on a vision in Zechariah (which has been a great blessing to me, I might add), as well as a study on the doctrine of divine healing, and the gift of prophecy! I didn’t realize until I wrote it all down how intense all this is. 🙂 But these are things that affect us today.

It seems to me that the church is often starving for more than the vague platitudes that we already know. And God’s Word is so full of riches. How can we do better at mining them?

Service Soundtrack

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Some interesting things happen while I’m preaching. This is partly because we’re more or less outdoors (please pray that we can find a more permanent place!).

This past Sunday was, of course, Resurrection Sunday. And as I was preaching, a microphone stand randomly fell over. Oh well… it wasn’t the one I was using.

But then a parade, with a band, started to go by. Now, the back door was open, and so I could see people in costumes going by the door. And they weren’t all – shall we say – the most spiritual. And this was right at the very personal application part of the sermon, the last few minutes, and the prayer.

I stopped briefly (this is the part you see in the clip), thinking that it was passing by. But they instead camped out at a house nearby, and we were able to enjoy the full effect for maybe 15 minutes or so.

Anyway, you won’t see the parade in the clips below, but you will get an idea of how loud it was. Eventually they began to set off “bombas” (exploding fireworks, which sound a lot like gunshots). Oddly, those didn’t really pick up in the video. They were pretty constant and loud especially during our closing singing!

But here you are – another little glimpse of the unexpected…

63 Weeks Later …

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So, this Sunday, after 1 year, 2 months, and 16 days, we’ll be finishing our study of the Gospel of John!

En la Biblia (2024)

Of course, there wasn’t a sermon on John every Sunday. I wonder how many Sundays we actually preached on John? Why wonder? I’ll check. Ok, 46 sermons! Only a few of them mine.

Oscar started the series, and he’ll be finishing it.

I always like to reuse materials when I can on my Spanish blog, En la Biblia (In the Bible). So in 2024 I’ve been doing a series on every chapter in John, and dispersing throughout some sermons. I’ve been able to be more consistent with using Bible cards (and I have my Dad’s cards as well), which means that I have a lot of material to draw from.

The other nice thing is, the website has now been around for almost eleven and a half years (yikes!), so I can link together past information about themes, places, people, and so on. You can see an example here – John chapter 3.

This year I’ve been going through Zechariah, the next book we’ll be going through on Sunday mornings. And to get me even more into the theme, this Sunday (Lord willing) I’ll be teaching on the return of Christ during Sunday school, as we continue our series on doctrine.

Anyway, if you have a Spanish-speaking friend, maybe they’ll find En la Biblia useful!

Lots of Planning!

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We’re very happy to have our co-workers, Rod and Mayra Fry, back in Mexico! That being said, Rod in particular is planning a lot of travel this month, so how much we’ll actually see them I’m not sure.

But while they’re around we’re doing what we can to plan and organize for the weeks ahead. We recently had one of our famous meetings, in which we can’t possibly cover everything we need to…

Tired out from all the planning.

We’re also noticing one of the blessings/challenges of a growing church. There are a lot of different people planning things! There are Sunday services to plan, adult and children’s Sunday school, institute classes, music practices, and Bible studies. Those alone involve several planners (half of whom are not pictured!). Plus there are upcoming visits from short-term teams, summer activities, a mission trip to southern Mexico, and circuit events (events with other churches in the Mexico City area). So the circle of planners gets even larger.

Let’s just say that the word communication is coming up a lot these days!

But anyway, there are meetings, and then a flurry of messages sent back and forth, and then we forget about something important. I’m sure ministry in your area runs much smoother! Or maybe we’re not alone. 🙂

We are enjoying a whole month focusing on the resurrection, due to the fact that we’re finishing up the last two chapters of John on Sunday mornings. Today I was reminded of one of Paul’s applications of the great truth of the resurrection, from 1 Corinthians 15:

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Praise the Lord!

The Brave Ones

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So a storm passed through on Saturday. It was one of those times when the weather prediction a week and a half earlier had been right on! The temperature dropped and the rain started.

The brave ones at hospital evangelism
(click on the image for a larger version)

It’s still dry season, so we’re not used to rain. And while it didn’t look like much, and walked out into it and quickly got soaked.

Anyway, it was one of the mornings of our hospital evangelism, and we’re normally outside under the sky (and a few sparse trees) serving tortas and sweet bread. That wasn’t going to happen.

There is an indoor courtyard, with a porch all around with a roof. This is essentially the “waiting room”. So this time we were allowed to go right inside there where everyone was waiting, serve hot coffee, tea, and the above-mentioned snacks, and share the gospel.

Above you can see some of the people who braved the weather on Saturday. I’m especially impressed at those who could carry a box with both hands and still hold an umbrella!

I have been reminded again what a variety of people you are apt to meet. You would think there would be a certain demographic at the hospital, and Mexico is indeed more homogenous a culture than we’re used to in Canada (though there is a lot of variety here too – dozens of major languages and cultures that are indigenous – up to hundreds!). But everywhere you go, the world is full of individuals!

And, of course, we’re not only talking with patients, but also with their caregivers, family members, even neighbours.

One neighbour of a patient had serious spiritual trouble of his own – possibly some demonic activity in his life. Another was buying into myths about the origins of the Bible. Yet another brought his own anointing oil on a keychain! There are people with all sorts of beliefs and ideas. Some suffer a lot of physical pain. So we share the gospel, pray with them, and share their prayer requests with the church so others can pray too.

We’re thankful for this opportunity to serve others in a place with so much need.

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