Friends & Family

I just wanted to take a moment to share a few things with you and give you a few specific things to pray about.

Updates
The school year is coming along fine.  We have about 168 students right now from Kinder to 12th.

God is giving me some awesome relationship with some of the other staff members.  It's opened up the door for me to be able to speak into their lives and to pray with them.  I am the old man around here with the teachers ranging from 22 to 26 years old.

Dane just took his SAT for college and scored very well.  His plan is to go to Liberty University after graduation.  Next week he is going to take some Advanced Placement tests to see which classes at the university that he can test out of.  Those tests will be in Spanish and Literature.

Both of the boys continue in the ministries that the Lord has given to them.  They are faithful in leading worship for the school, church, youth group and community outreaches.  We are very proud of them.

Prayer Requests
I've been offered the opportunity to start a Bible study on Sunday evenings beginning on March 27th.  I really believe this is from the Lord because so many of the teachers, missionaries and people who just live and work in Peru really need a place to fellowship, worship and learn the Bible in their own language.  The majority of them simply do not speak Spanish well enough to be edified in the Spanish church services they normally attend.  Please pray that God will bless and that His will would be done.  I am going to start with a verse by verse study through the book of Daniel, my sons Dane and Brandon are going to lead worship and Jannett is going to help with the children.  Just like old times!

We have just purchased our tickets to come home as a family from June 18th to July 24th.  We will be flying into Atlanta, GA to spend a week with my family in Greenville, SC.  From there we will drive to Southaven, MS where we will attend a two week training for the Network of International Christian schools and then we will make our way to Andrews, TX.  Please pray that the Lord would give us traveling safety, rest, relaxation, catch-up time with our families and friends.

Please also pray that the Lord would give us some time to visit with some of the churches who have been faithful to our ministry here in Peru.  Please let me know if your church would be interested in me sharing in one of your services.

Answered Prayer
The transition from the Bible College to the Christian School went smoothly.  Our biggest concern was that our supporters back home (you) would follow in that transition.  We simply moved by faith that you would and you did!  Thank you so much for continuing to support our ministry here through your prayers and finances.

I also had asked you guys to pray about an 11th grade Bible class that I was really struggling with.  They were simply unresponsive.  However, I changed the format of the class to a group orientated class that involves a lot of group discussion and that has worked wonderfully.  I also started given them notes of my lectures with blanks so that they can follow along and fill them in as we go.  It has also helped the class to maintain focus.  Thanks for your prayers in that area.

Please pray for our Spiritual Emphases Week at the school.  A group is coming in this weekend from Tennessee to do this for us.  Please pray that God would lead them and that students would be encouraged through their ministry.  Also, that some of the students who have never given their lives to Christ would do so during this week.

We love each and every one of you.  Thanks for all that you do for us.

New Bible Study

The Lord has given me an opportunity to start a new Bible Study in the Board Room at Union Church in Miraflores on Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. beginning March 27th. It's located at 1155 Av. Angamos Oeste. There will be a time of worship and then we will start a verse by verse study through the book of Daniel. Childcare will be available.

MSNBC Host Makes Rob Bell Squirm: "You're Amending The Gospel So That It...

If you ever doubted where Rob Bell is coming from, this video will remove all doubt.

The Smell of the World

In Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, Jim Cymbala, pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City, shares about an encounter he had one Easter evening with a homeless man named David. His first impression was that the man only wanted money. He would soon be surprised. Cymbala recalls: When he came close, I saw that his two front teeth were missing. But more striking was his odor—the mixture of alcohol, sweat, urine, and garbage took my breath away. I have been around many street people, but this was the strongest stench I have ever encountered. I instinctively had to turn my head sideways to inhale, then looked back in his direction while breathing out. I asked his name. "David," he said softly. "How long have you been homeless, David?" "Six years." "Where did you sleep last night?" "In an abandoned truck." I heard enough and wanted to get this over quickly. I reached for my money clip in my back pocket. At that moment David put his finger in front of my face and said, "No, you don't understand—I don't want your money. I'm going to die out there. I just want that Jesus the red-haired girl talked about." I hesitated, then closed my eyes. God, forgive me, I begged. I felt soiled and cheap. Me, a minister of the gospel. . . . I had wanted simply to get rid of him, when he was crying out for the help of Christ I had just preached about. I swallowed hard and God's love flooded my soul. . . . And that smell . . . I don't know how to explain it. It had almost made me sick, but now it became the most beautiful fragrance to me. . . . The Lord seemed to say to me in that instant, Jim, if you and your wife have any value to me, if you have any purpose in my work—it has to do with this odor. This is the smell of the world I died for.

Martin Luther

Once Martin Luther was threatened by the pope with what would follow if he persisted in his rebellion and lose all of his supporters "Where will you be then," said the pope. Luther said, "Then as now, in the hands of God!"