Often as we meet people and tell them we are missionaries they want to know what we do. There is an assumption that missionaries work in churches, perhaps as pastors or teachers, and sometimes that is true of some missionary groups. I am often asked, "Do you have a church here that you pastor?"
In light of that, it occurred to me to give a brief synopsis of our strategy and what we actually do here...and speaking of strategy...that is a big part of my particular job. My responsibility is to develop a strategy for reaching the areas of Costa Rica that don't have evangelical churches and to secure, deploy, and supervise personnel to accomplish the task.
The short answer of what we are trying to do is this: We are trying to plant Christian churches. Now that's a very simple statement for an involved process. Involved in the word "Christian" is the concept of Christ being the center and head of the church, salvation through Christ alone, through the grace of God. It implies doctrine, worship, evangelism, and fellowship.
Ok, so much for the theological and ecclesiastical stuff, as important as that is. How do we go about it? Good question. I'm glad you asked.
Below is a picture of a little town called Naranjo. It could be any town in Costa Rica. Our process is this: We locate an area or town where there is no evangelical church. (Notice I didn't say Baptist, although that's what we are without apology. But we do recognize that there are other churches that have correct doctrine.) We will "scout" the town, or do recon work to find out if there are believers there. At times there are Christians who have no church and no other believers with whom to fellowship.
Should we find such believers, we offer to begin a Bible study in their home. If they agree, we begin and encourage them to invite neighbors and friends. Our hope is that the group will evolve into a church with trained local people serving as leaders.
Another, and more common method, is to take a group of volunteers from the U. S. into an area and do a door-to-door scripture distribution, giving each home a copy of the gospel of John with key passages marked. We ask people if they would be interested in a home Bible study, and then follow-up with those who agree. Our desire is that the studies will lead to the people becoming Christians and then witnessing to neighbors and friends. We train potential leaders with the view of them taking over and leading Bible studies and reaching out to surrounding areas, neighborhoods, and even towns. Ideally, the group will organize itself into a church eventually.
As International Missionary Board missionaries, we do not serve as pastors. We see our task as trainers, catalysts, and mentors. We believe that the national Christians can do a better job than we can at reaching their own people. Our hope is that through planting churches that have a "DNA" of evangelism and missions, those churches will multiply themselves many times over and the country will be reached much faster than a few missionaries could do it by trying to start and oversee each church that is begun....not the least of the reasons is that it seems to jibe with the New Testament method.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Costa Rica as a Sex Vacation Spot
Prostitution is legal in Costa Rica, supposedly with the purpose of preventing disease. I'm told that the ladies have to have a weekly physical and carry a card saying they are "disease free".
You see both women and men prostitutes on the streets at night - such a sad, desperate scene.
A few weeks back there was a large article in the Sunday newspaper regarding those that are advertising on the internet trying to attract "sex vacationers" to this beautiful country. This such a great place to visit, it doesn't need to be degraded in this way!
Carroll may have already written about the men he's met at the golf course, the 50-65 year olds bragging about their 21 year-old girlfriends, and the man we talked to at the airport who was going back to the U.S. but would "sure miss the women in Costa Rica".
The women here dress provocatively and see American men, and probably most foreigners, as rich and a ticket to a better life.
Night before last we were eating with a large group of missionaries in an American chain restaurant and beside us were two American men about 65 with two ladies in their early 20s, probably "professional women". It was such a sad scene. They couldn't talk to each other. The girls were talking and the men were talking but all the while, cuddling and communicating in physical ways. These girls could have been our daughters or more likely our granddaughters. My heart broke for them and for the men who have such a distorted view of life.
When we were here in 1999 the Catholic church still had enough influence to control public homosexuality but I'm told they have lost influence and this group is gaining influence and recognition in Costa Rica.
There is much more blatant sex and nudity on television and in the movies here than the U.S. as well as foul language. I've come to realize that even though we in America are rapidly declining morally, we are still "behind" the majority of the rest of the world". Maybe it's really not too late to make a turn around.
Please pray for God to do a great work in Costa Rica; that He will touch the hearts of the people to demand righteousness and set an example of holiness for the coming generations. The religious leaders must preach and teach Godliness and we need a spiritual revival desperately. As in the U.S., evidentally the Christians are sitting back and letting the world take over.
II Chronicles 7:14 applies to Costa Rican Christians as well as to us in the U.S.
You see both women and men prostitutes on the streets at night - such a sad, desperate scene.
A few weeks back there was a large article in the Sunday newspaper regarding those that are advertising on the internet trying to attract "sex vacationers" to this beautiful country. This such a great place to visit, it doesn't need to be degraded in this way!
Carroll may have already written about the men he's met at the golf course, the 50-65 year olds bragging about their 21 year-old girlfriends, and the man we talked to at the airport who was going back to the U.S. but would "sure miss the women in Costa Rica".
The women here dress provocatively and see American men, and probably most foreigners, as rich and a ticket to a better life.
Night before last we were eating with a large group of missionaries in an American chain restaurant and beside us were two American men about 65 with two ladies in their early 20s, probably "professional women". It was such a sad scene. They couldn't talk to each other. The girls were talking and the men were talking but all the while, cuddling and communicating in physical ways. These girls could have been our daughters or more likely our granddaughters. My heart broke for them and for the men who have such a distorted view of life.
When we were here in 1999 the Catholic church still had enough influence to control public homosexuality but I'm told they have lost influence and this group is gaining influence and recognition in Costa Rica.
There is much more blatant sex and nudity on television and in the movies here than the U.S. as well as foul language. I've come to realize that even though we in America are rapidly declining morally, we are still "behind" the majority of the rest of the world". Maybe it's really not too late to make a turn around.
Please pray for God to do a great work in Costa Rica; that He will touch the hearts of the people to demand righteousness and set an example of holiness for the coming generations. The religious leaders must preach and teach Godliness and we need a spiritual revival desperately. As in the U.S., evidentally the Christians are sitting back and letting the world take over.
II Chronicles 7:14 applies to Costa Rican Christians as well as to us in the U.S.
Music is a Common Denominator
Last Sunday night at church was a neat experience. There are 90 Americans in Costa Rica this week working with various churches doing evangelism. Three of these were at the church we attend in San Jose. In honor of these people and, I'm sure to attract visitors, we had special music which is rare or non-existent in most of the little churches here.
A young man sang and introduced his music by saying we were "going to Nashville, the country-music capital of the world". He sang "I'll Fly Away", "Peace in the Valley", and many more "Elvis hymns" in Spanish. It was so much fun for us to hear these precious old songs sung in this far-away place.
I'm sure the Costa Ricans didn't appreciate the music nearly as much as we did, but it blessed us to be reminded that God is the same yesterday, today and forever and all over the world. The nationals did agree with the message of the music as it's the same everywhere - those whom God has redeemed, He will bless, both here and in heaven.
Please keep praying for the nationals to get the vision of reaching their fellow countrymen with the gospel and for eternal results to come from the efforts put forth this week by these visiting Americans.
By the way, Carroll and I had our first opportunities to translate from English to Spanish for these American visitors. We trust that God gave the people "ears to hear" in spite of our mistakes.
A young man sang and introduced his music by saying we were "going to Nashville, the country-music capital of the world". He sang "I'll Fly Away", "Peace in the Valley", and many more "Elvis hymns" in Spanish. It was so much fun for us to hear these precious old songs sung in this far-away place.
I'm sure the Costa Ricans didn't appreciate the music nearly as much as we did, but it blessed us to be reminded that God is the same yesterday, today and forever and all over the world. The nationals did agree with the message of the music as it's the same everywhere - those whom God has redeemed, He will bless, both here and in heaven.
Please keep praying for the nationals to get the vision of reaching their fellow countrymen with the gospel and for eternal results to come from the efforts put forth this week by these visiting Americans.
By the way, Carroll and I had our first opportunities to translate from English to Spanish for these American visitors. We trust that God gave the people "ears to hear" in spite of our mistakes.
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