As a pastor in Mexico, I will be honest, it is discouraging at times to not have anyone new come to the church. I find my strength in the Lord and how he calls us to be faithful to what he has called us to do. The ground is very hard here. The reality of only 1% of the 50,000 who live in Autlan profess to be "Christian" is evident when you invite people to church on a Sunday morning who never come. Not that coming to church on Sunday mornings is the answer, but it is one of the first steps to faith, when so many are just going to the Catholic church out of religious tradition and no biblical knowledge. Paul said in Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (ESV) We have found when someone comes to a "Christian" church they are coming out of curiosity in seeing what these Christians are all about.
On Saturday evening, I was downtown with my two young guys Jose and German. We played racquetball and were just hanging out. I got an opportunity to share the gospel with a guy who was singing for money. After that, I saw a couple who I knew named Augustine and Edna. I knew them because Edna had been in one of my English classes over three years ago. The last time I had seen Edna, through tears she said she had lost her first baby. They came into La Roca maybe 3 months ago where Edna asked me about raising kids who now have 2 little girls ages 2 1/2 and 1. I was able to share with them that it is a difficulty to bring two different ways of discipline together and try to come to some agreement (which is what I perceived to be one of the issues they were having). They left and I didn't think I would see them again.
When I saw them on Saturday, Augustine was very frank and said that they were thinking about separating. They had a few days of great difficulties and were very stressed. I didn't know about what I could say to them. As Edna was running after their two girls who were climbing all over a mechanical horse, I was able to say to Augustine that we as men have to choose to love our wives in what Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 13. It is not selfish, keeps no record of wrongs, looks for the best of others. They both said they would try to make it to church on Sunday morning. My expectations where not very high has this is something we hear very often with no results. Lo and behold they were there on Sunday morning. After church Edna was able talk with Jessie and a few of the other women of the church. She voice her concern as Augustine might not have anyone to talk to, but Augustine was more talkative after church than Edna was. He was bringing up topics that he had studied like creationism verses evolution and science. He had come to believe in creationism but how to defend this position was were he was having difficulty. It was clear he had done some study but not with a biblical basis. We again invited them to the coffee house to have a pizza on us in the evening. They came as well. They again didn't have to worry about their girls as much, as there were other kids to play with. As they left in the evening, Edna said she had a really good time. Our hope is that they will come to our bible study on Thursday. What I was telling Jessie afterwards, was I think that through the difficulties and stresses of life, God is using these things to draw them to himself. Please pray for this young couple, that God would touch their hearts. I will continue to keep you all posted about this. God knows their hearts and what they need.
On Saturday evening, I was downtown with my two young guys Jose and German. We played racquetball and were just hanging out. I got an opportunity to share the gospel with a guy who was singing for money. After that, I saw a couple who I knew named Augustine and Edna. I knew them because Edna had been in one of my English classes over three years ago. The last time I had seen Edna, through tears she said she had lost her first baby. They came into La Roca maybe 3 months ago where Edna asked me about raising kids who now have 2 little girls ages 2 1/2 and 1. I was able to share with them that it is a difficulty to bring two different ways of discipline together and try to come to some agreement (which is what I perceived to be one of the issues they were having). They left and I didn't think I would see them again.
When I saw them on Saturday, Augustine was very frank and said that they were thinking about separating. They had a few days of great difficulties and were very stressed. I didn't know about what I could say to them. As Edna was running after their two girls who were climbing all over a mechanical horse, I was able to say to Augustine that we as men have to choose to love our wives in what Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 13. It is not selfish, keeps no record of wrongs, looks for the best of others. They both said they would try to make it to church on Sunday morning. My expectations where not very high has this is something we hear very often with no results. Lo and behold they were there on Sunday morning. After church Edna was able talk with Jessie and a few of the other women of the church. She voice her concern as Augustine might not have anyone to talk to, but Augustine was more talkative after church than Edna was. He was bringing up topics that he had studied like creationism verses evolution and science. He had come to believe in creationism but how to defend this position was were he was having difficulty. It was clear he had done some study but not with a biblical basis. We again invited them to the coffee house to have a pizza on us in the evening. They came as well. They again didn't have to worry about their girls as much, as there were other kids to play with. As they left in the evening, Edna said she had a really good time. Our hope is that they will come to our bible study on Thursday. What I was telling Jessie afterwards, was I think that through the difficulties and stresses of life, God is using these things to draw them to himself. Please pray for this young couple, that God would touch their hearts. I will continue to keep you all posted about this. God knows their hearts and what they need.
