Yes, this was an epic day – ten years ago – the first service at the new property of the Path of Life Bible Church of Jesús María! 2014…
Here’s a photo of the music team practising – I was on keyboard. Then continue on for a video of the service.
So, this Sunday, after 1 year, 2 months, and 16 days, we’ll be finishing our study of the Gospel of John!
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!
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…
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!
It’s saying a lot – but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a worse time for volcanic ash.
Living near an active volcano as we do, we’re not strangers to having volcanic ash around (in fact, you may remember that I mentioned it here). But over the last couple of days it’s been quite the topic of conversation.
The news this week was that the spewing of the volcano was interrupting flights from central Mexico. I checked a couple of news reports that explained that the volcano had had “13 exhalations” (which is pretty much what it sounds like – spews of gas or ash) in one day. Well, today it’s 148 exhalations so far. Quite high – though it’s certainly been higher other days this month.
Anyway, whatever the reason may be, I’m feeling ash as I type on my keyboard here. You can wipe a surface in the house and come back a little later to wipe it again. It gets into everything – very fine, it hangs in the air like a mist. People are out sweeping the street in front of their houses – Shari included. Our neighbour was cleaning out the nooks and crannies in his car – even in the engine. And sweeping it up does help to keep sewers from getting clogged.
But you must admit, it does feel a little useless when you can come out and see the grey-black dust everywhere that you just swept!
The good news is that the wind seems to be blowing the plume in the opposite direction for the moment (apologies to our friends in Puebla!), and it doesn’t seem to be smoking too much at the moment. But you can check it for yourself right here (webcam). And in case you’re interested, a few years ago I posted the local recommendations of what to do in case of ash.
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.
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.
Ten years ago today, Nathanael was at a weekly soccer practice that was put on by the community centre in the community of Jesús María, and taught by our friend Jonathan. Apparently I was playing with video filters that day, but the noises are authentic Mexican sounds – including a nearby school band practising!
