Metanoia Live

You better look at my daddy's other blog, or else!

2008-08-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

PLEASE GO TO:

www.metanoiamissions.typepad.com

Faith, Trust, and the Impossible

2008-08-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

Faith is one of the most written about subjects in the Bible. In fact, there are 667 direct references to Faith in the Bible. That's 193 in the OT and 474 in the NT. Jesus Himself referred to Faith 156 times and Paul talked about Faith 192 times, so as we can see, Faith is a very important subject for us as believers.

Wendell Smith wrote "Faith just doesn't believe in God, even demons do that. Faith does not just believe that the Bible is true, for even the devil recognizes that. FAITH CHANGES THE NATURAL ORDER OF THINGS. Faith generates a force, a power, and an influence, that makes changes in the natural realm through the power of the supernatural. Faith is a confident trust in the Power of the Almighty God through Jesus Christ. We don't just believe in Him, we PUT OUR TRUST IN HIM!"

I like what Pastor Smith said there, We don't just believe in Him, but we put our trust in Him! The truth is, and Jesus said it in Matthew 17:20, that if we put our Trust in Him and have the Faith to believe that He will move on our behalf, then "We can say to this mountain move from here to there and it will.....Nothing will be impossible for you! Con Dios lo imposible no existe. Nothing will be impossible to you!

What are you believing in today? Where do you place your trust? Where is your faith?

Communion Night

2008-08-07T06:38:00.001-07:00

For the past two months, our Wed. night attendance has been relatively low. Sure, all churches have their "seasons" where the numbers fluctuate a bit, but the past two months have been a bit unusal for us. There has been a sense of uncertainty with some, and with others, somewhat of an indifferent or "not-caring" attitude had set in. However, it felt like something broke on Sunday, with the launching of our "Miracle Wall" and the 5 o'clock service dedicated to testimonies, prayer, and miracles. People seem to be excited again and there is a great sense of expectancy in the church. And I believe last night is a good indicator of the changes that are taking, because last night we had over 2,300 people in attendance. To God be the Glory!

PREPARING FOR SUCCESS

2008-08-06T07:09:00.001-07:00

In Proverbs 6, we find a few interesting facts regarding ants and how it is that these little creatures are able to survive like they do. If we took the time to review this passage of Scripture, we would see that the ants are successful because they are in constant preparation. Constant preparation is something I believe we need to implement in our lives as well. About 13 years ago, I heard Pastor Scott Wilson, the pastor of The Oaks Fellowship in Texas, say "You will be tomorrow what you are planning for today!" Of course that wasn't an original quote that he trademarked or copyrighted, but it is obviously a true statement. And from the moment that I first heard Scott say it, it has become one of my favorite sayings. In fact, I not only believe it, but I try to practice it in my own life, and I also teach about the principle every chance I get. So with that said, allow me to share with you a few thoughts on preparing for success.

1) We Need to Pray (John 16:13)

2) We Need to Observe the Wind (Acts 27:13)
-cycles, trends, culture

3) We Need to be Constantly Evaluating (Proverbs 27:23)
-What are people saying?
-What is the environment around you like?
-How are people responding to you and your leadership?
-How are people reacting to your decisions?

4) We Need to Make Plans (Proverbs 32:8)
-If you aim at nothing you will hit nothing!
-Even if you don't stick to them 100%, atleast you will have direction.

5) We Need to Take Repsonsibility

6) We Need to EXPAND our Perspective and Viewpoint (Acts 1:8)
-We cannot limit God and what He wants to do.
-We Need to Dream Big, Dream Outloud, and Dream in Full Color.
-Get around other dreamers and out-of-the-box thinkers.

Congo Monkies

2008-08-05T12:07:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, when we were taking a hike through the woods during our Pastor's Retreat, we came across about 15 Congo Monkies. Unfortunately I couldn't get a clearer shot, or a picture of the whole bunch, but atleast I was able to get these two while they were monkeying around. (Man, I crack myself up.)

Group Dynamics

2008-08-05T07:24:00.001-07:00

Check out the dynamics in this picture. I took this photo on my Blackberry yesterday during a pastor's retreat. This is Hosanna's founding pastor, Dr. David Spencer, talking to 5 of our staff pastors. Wow, a person couldn't ask for a better leadership example than this! Look how the staff naturally gravitated around Pastor Spencer and hung on his every word.

Holy Worms Batman!

2008-08-04T20:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, what you are seeing is real. The image on the left is of a worm next to my wife's hand, taken this way to show the size of the worm, and the image on the right, is of thousands of worms dying at the base of a tree.

When did you say Fear Factor wanted to film a few episodes in Nicaragua?

Muro de Milagros

2008-08-03T20:17:00.001-07:00

For the month of August, we have set-up a Muro de Milagros (Wall of Miracles). All month, as an act of faith, we are having people bring forward their prayer requests and pin them to the wall of miracles. Every service the pastors and leaders will then pray over the various requests and we will watch God begin to touch life after life and perform miracle after miracle. Just wait until I begin to post all the miracles that are taking place!

I proudly present to you Mr. & Mrs. Brent Stevenson

2008-08-02T11:10:00.000-07:00

Today I performed a wedding ceremony for Brent Stevenson, who is from Canada, and Tania Garcia, who is Nicaraguan.

For my little "motivational chat" before the vows, I enouraged them to remember the 3 C's.

1) Christ is the head of the home.

2) Commitment is forever.

3) Communication is the key to a healthy & happy marriage.

Bennett Ministries

2008-07-31T07:24:00.001-07:00

The Bennett Family was just METANOIANIZED! Tim and Katie were just in Nicaragua with the Two-20 youth group and did a great job delivering the Word of God.

If you are not familiar with Tim and Katie, they are Assemblies of God evangelists from the PennDel District, who can not only usher you into the Presence of God through their singing, but preach the Word with a Powerful anointing as well.

Special Note of Interest: Tim still wears z cavariccis, pegs his pants, and yes, sometimes he still wears IOU sweatshirts.

Two-20 Youth Says Good-Bye to Nicaragua

2008-07-31T07:17:00.000-07:00

It was great having Pastors Carl and Andrea Redding and their youth group here with us for the past 9 days. They literally did everything from weeding the bean fields at the orphanage, to casting out demons during evangelistic outreaches. Needless to say, I think this is a trip that they will never forget. Pastor Carl, I think that your youth group was just METANOIANIZED! (Okay, I'm not sure that is actually a word, and if it is a word, I have no idea what it means, but I like it. So, if it is not a word, I will trademark it, copyright it, and begin to market it as our own. So from here on out, every group that comes in and works with us will be METANOIANIZED!)

ARIANA'S B-DAY

2008-07-30T07:24:00.000-07:00

At about 6 am this morning I gave Ariana her B-Day gift from me, a cute doll, that, as you can see, is just about as big as she is. And from the moment I gave it to her, she held onto it and wouldn't put it down. Well, that was until 7 am when her grandma and grandpa Spencer came over and gave her their gift, a monkey that grunts, talks, and makes funny noises. Now the precious doll that I gave her is home all alone, because Ariana took her new monkey to school to show her friends. What's up with that? Why are grandparent's gifts always more attractive to kids than their parent's gifts? Ariana asked for a doll for her B-Day, so, like a good dad, I got her a doll. If I would have know she wanted a monkey, I could have bought a monkey suit, dressed-up in it and grunted, talked, and made funny noises all day too!

Conferencia "SIN LIMITES"

2008-07-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

We have been trying hard to pull all the pieces together for our 1st, of which will be a yearly, SIN LIMITES conference. Things are coming together and we are expecting a great turn-out for this event. The dates are September 17th to the 21st, just in case you may be passing through the area during that time:)

The Dogs Must Go

2008-07-28T11:15:00.000-07:00

Saturday afternoon, one of our boxers, Joybean, and my father-in-law's Rottweiler, Chica, got into a nasty fight. It was literally something you would see on You Tube or in a movie. It took five of us to seperate them, plus keep our other 3 boxers from getting in on the action.

After we finally got them seperated, we were able to tend to their wounds and get them the appropriate medication that they needed. We then put Joybean in our laundry room for the night, and Chica slept at our in-laws. On Sunday, we chained the dogs up on opposite sides of the property, just to make sure their tempers had died down and there were no hard feelings between them. However, last night, Chica broke free and ran straight to where Joybean was tied-up and the battle began again. Thank God it was much easier to get them apart this time. (I think the battle wounds hindered them from really getting into it again.)

Unfortunately though, we decided it would be better to find good homes for these two than to take any more chances. Even though I don't think anything would ever happen, with 3 small children, we just can't take the chance. What if one of my kids were caught in the middle of the next fight? I couldn't live with that! As much as we love our dogs and as much as they have been a part of our family, it's time to say Good-Bye to Chica and Joybean!

Discipleship Dinner

2008-07-25T21:41:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had a leadership dinner with both of our discipleship groups, Varones de Exito y Matrimonios Jovenes. Pastor Spencer hosted it at his house and we were privileged to have him lead us in worship to close out the night.

Cool Pictures

2008-07-25T06:59:00.000-07:00

I didn't feel like writing right now, but wanted to post something. So here are a few pictures to enjoy. Hasta mas tarde!

Under the Shadow of the Almighty

2008-07-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

Psalm 17:8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.

What would it have been like to be Adam and Eve, walking and talking with God in the Garden?

Sure, I talk to God just about every morning. I spend time daily seeking His face. And yes, believe it or not, He does talk back to me. It is not always a one-sided conversation. But what would it have been like to walk with God in the Garden of Eden and literally have His shadow cast upon us. I mean if Peter's shadow could bring a physical healing to people, can you imagine what kind of experiences we could have being under the Shadow of the Almighty?

Lord, I ask that each person reading this blog experiences your presence in a fresh, exciting way throughout the day today and that each one of us can literally sense Your shadow being cast upon us. Amen.

The Other Wall in the Kitchen

2008-07-23T08:04:00.000-07:00

Oops! My wife just chatted me and told me that I didn't post a picture of the other side of the kitchen. I guess that's what happens when you are in a rush!

Our Newly Painted Kitchen

2008-07-23T06:52:00.001-07:00

Horacio finished painting our kithen a little while back, but I kept forgetting to upload the pictures. However, I saw the camera on the shelf when I was walking out the door this morning and remembered that I needed to upload pictures onto my laptop. No not onto the MAC, but onto my Acer. For all you MAC fans out there, as you may recall, I did purchase a MAC the last time I was in the States and my wife did use it for about 3 weeks, however, for the last 2 weeks it has been in the shop. And it looks like we will be waiting another week or two until we get it back. Hmmm, I purchase a MAC and can't even use it for more than 3 weeks before it has to go to the shop, but I've owned Acers (3 of them to be exact) for the last 4 years and not once had a problem with them! And you guys want me to give up my Blackberry and go with the IPhone, now I know that you are all smoking some of that funny stuff that they grow up der n dem der heels n Kentucky.

Happy Birthday Dad

2008-07-22T07:36:00.001-07:00

A Big Birthday Shout goes out to my dad, Dennis Ferguson, who is turning (?) years of age today. I could actually do the math and tell you what he is turning today, but I will leave that up to him to tell you. I wouldn't want this blog to be used against me in the court of law. :)

Dad, I want you to know how much I love and respect you. You are a great father and have been a good, solid example in my life. I appreciate the sacrifices you have made for us as a family and I pray that God blesses you in return 100-fold.

Enjoy your special day today and know that we are thinking about you and wishing that we were there to help you celebrate. But since we are not, maybe you should go out to the Club House for dinner and have them send me the bill. They do accept Nicaraguan Cordobas, don't they?

We love you! Have a Blessed B-Day!

6 Years Ago

2008-07-21T07:09:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that we have been missionaries here in Nicaragua for over 6 years now. Wow, where does the time go? It's hard to believe that when we moved here in June of 2002, Alec, our youngest, was just 8 months old and Spencer, our oldest, was just 2 1/2. And now, our youngest, Ariana, who wasn't even a thought in our minds at the time, is about to turn 4! Aahhhhh, that means that if our kids are getting older, so are we! I guess that means that the not-so-black hairs in my beard aren't the color they are from lack of nutrients. They really could be this color due to my age. Nah, impossible! I choose to believe that I am still 28-years of age and getting younger by the year. Now that my mind believes that, I just hope I can convince the rest of my body!

A Wonderful Day with the Family

2008-07-19T18:27:00.001-07:00

Today was a great day with the family. It's not too often that we can actually hang-out the entire day as a family and not have to be somewhere or do something, but today was one of those rare days. We played soccer (in the house), draw and colored, played hangman, made spaghetti for lunch, the kids ate popsicles, we wrestled, and now we are finishing the day by watching Beethoven's 4th. These are the type of days that every parent needs to have with their children. No plans, no pressure, just being together and enjoying one another.

Frequency Youth Says Good-Bye To Nicaragua

2008-07-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

Pastor Jeff Davidson and the Frequency Youth group left for the airport this morning at 5:00 a.m. They were a great group and a real joy to work with. Hopefully Nicaragua will be on their list of misson's trips for 2009. Thanks for the deposit you left here in Nicaragua and for keeping a positive, good attitude throughout the entire trip, even when your group was divided and sent to different churches to minister. Blessings!

Hosanna Jinotega

2008-07-18T09:14:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Pastor Jose Carrion for the great work he is doing in Jinotega, Nicaragua. The church is moving forward with a good, solid progress and is beginning to see fruit from the efforts there in Jinotega!

2 Truths About God

2008-07-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

1) He is a God that pursues us. (Genesis 3:8-10)

He is a loving God that reaches out to mankind.
He pursues us because He desires a personal relationship with us.
God is not mad at us, He is made ABOUT us.

2) His desire is that our relationship with Him is pleasurable. ( 1 John 5:3, Psalm 149:4, Revelations 4:11)

As we serve God, let's do it with joy and delight, not out of obligation.
God delights spending time with us...He wants to be with us because He loves us.
We bring Him pleasure by worshiping Him, and then He puts a new song in our hearts.

What's the Devil Doing?

2008-07-16T06:51:00.000-07:00

To go along with the Spiritual Warfare message that I am preparing for next Wed., here are a few other thoughts.

What is the devil doing?

1) He is blinding the minds of unbelievers.

2 Corinthians 4:4

2) He is devouring people.

1 Peter 5:8

3) He is deceiving men.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10

4) He is binding men.

Luke 13:16

5) He is murdering men.

John 8:44

FREQUENCY YOUTH MISSIONS TEAM

2008-07-15T12:17:00.000-07:00

We have a team of 30 young people working with us here in Nicaragua until Saturday. You can check out their Blog to get a little bit of an idea of what they are doing.

http://www.frequencyyouth.com/

Joybean Coffee Company

2008-07-14T09:25:00.001-07:00

If you haven't tried Metanoia's Joybean Coffee, you are missing out on one of the best coffees available on the market today. And not only are you missing out on one of the best coffees, but you are also missing out on the opportunity to help support the children living in Metanoia's orphanage, because the proceeds from the sales of Joybean Coffee go directly to the support of the orphanage.

If you'd like more information regarding the purchasing of Joybean Coffee, please visit our Web Store. www.metanoiamissions.org/store.htm

NEW BLOG-www.metanoiamissions.typepad.com

2008-07-14T08:59:00.000-07:00

PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR NEW BLOG:

www.metanoiamissions.typepad.com

We are being sought after!

2008-07-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning to prepare for a message I will be speaking on Spiritual Warfare and figured I would take a few moments and talk outloud as a way to begin processing some of my thoughts.....

We are being Sought After!

John 10:10 tells us that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy and in 1 Peter 5:8 we read that our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Whether we like to admit it or not, the devil is out to get us. He doesn't want us to live a successful Christian life, on the contrary, he wants us to fall away from Christ and cause damage to the Body of Believers in the process. One of the devil's worst enemies is a sold-out, radical Christian. So he does what he can to hinder people's walks and tries to get people to stumble in their faith.

But thank God that the devil isn't the only one who is seeking after us.

Luke 15:4 Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the 99 in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, "Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep." I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous person who do not need to repent.

Ezekiel 34:12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they are scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.

It is comforting to know that Christ is watching over us as our Good Shepherd, and that no matter what the devil brings at us, the Holy Spirit is always there with us. 1 Corinthians 10:13b....And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Happy 4th of July

2008-07-04T08:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July!

Even though we are in Nicaragua and usually do not feel the same "feelings" during the various holiday's that are celebrated in the USA, today I feel a little bit different. For some reason, my heart is going out to the USA and I am even more grateful for the price that our forefather's have paid for us (North Amercians). Sure, there are problems in the United States of America, but what country doesn't have their problems. Sure, people can say what they would like, but I've traveled quite a bit outside of the United States, and regardless of what people say, the United States is still a great country and a great place to live. Now don't get me wrong, I love Nicaragua and am not planning on headed back to the US to live anytime soon, but I think that today is a good day for everyone living in the United States to be grateful and take a moment to consider what it took for our nation to become the great nation that it is. And let's continue to pray together and believe that it will continue to be a great nation.......ONE NATION UNDER GOD! THE ONE TRUE GOD!

Women's Retreat

2008-06-30T09:01:00.001-07:00

Pastor Edel and a group of 100 ladies were spiritually charged this past weekend during a weekend women's retreat. They joined us back the church at the close of the evening service for a time of celebration and testimonies.

The Board's Final Decision

2008-06-26T13:52:00.000-07:00

Monday night the Metanoia Missions Int. board had a conference call regarding the purchase of the two churches we were interested in purchasing. As much as everyone thought that it could be a great opportunity for Metanoia, we still decided that this wasn't the timing for us and that we need to focus on raising more funds for the orphanage and the medical aspect of Metanoia, which we hope to launch some time in 2009.

The conference call was very encouraging and I could really feel that the board was together as a board. It is comforting to know that we have a board that not only cares about the business aspect of Metanoia, but also cares about our well being too! We are truly blessed to have the depth of wisdom and insight that we have on our board.

4 Days Without H2O and Counting

2008-06-25T13:32:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's right. It has been 4 days now that we have been without water and we're still not sure that things are being resolved. Shanna keeps calling the water company and they keep promising us that the water will be on by the evening. Sure it will, but what evening are they referring to? Because here we are entering into another evening and I still haven't received a call from my wife stating that the water is back on. You know, to go without electricity really isn't too, too bad. Sure, I would prefer not to be without it, but one can live a semi-normal life by planning your day out and knowing what needs to be done before the sun goes down. However, going without water just stinks. (No pun intended either). You can't shower, you can't clean the dishes, you can only cook certain foods, you can't flush the toilet, you can't rinse your tooth brush, you can't even give your dogs something to drink! But like I've said so many other times, this too shall pass.

I guess one positive thing out of this is that I feel like a real missionary now!

Saturday's Crusade

2008-06-24T12:22:00.001-07:00

This picture is what it felt like preaching on Saturday night. Where is everyone?

I wasn't going to post anything about the crusade in Jinotega because I really wasn't sure what to write. To be completely honest, I was very disappointed on how things turned out. Sure, the door to door evangelism during the day went well, with over 400 houses being visited and 101 people receiving Christ as their Savior. However, the actual crusade in the evening didn't quite go over like we had planned. Even though both leadership teams (Hosanna Central y Hosanna Jinotega) worked hard and planned well, people just didn't show up for the crusade. In fact, of the 300 or so people that were there on Saturday evening, only about 30 of them were NOT part of our leadership team. So, as you can imagine, we were all a little bit shocked at the turn out and a bit disappointed at the outcome, but praise God there was one man that did come forward for salvation. AND YES, EVEN FOR ONE, IT IS STILL WORTH IT!

Da Boy's First TKD tournament

2008-06-22T19:01:00.001-07:00

Spencer and Alec did awesome today at their first Tae Kwon Do tourament. Spencer won the GOLD in his category and Alec brought home the BRONZE in his. Way to go boys, we are very proud of you.

Taking Jesus at His Word

2008-06-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

The past two times that I have taught something (church staff & our discipleship group), I taught on "Taking Jesus at His Word." In John 4 we find a story of a royal official whose son was close to death, so he went to Jesus and begged Him to go to his house and heal his son. However, Jesus tells the man to go home because his son had been healed. Here's the interesting point; In v.50 the text says, he took Jesus at His word and departed. This royal official, who was not a follower of Christ, took Jesus at His word and departed. This man accepted the word of Jesus. This unbeliever received Jesus' word as truth and went home believing that his son was healed.

How many of us take Jesus at His word? How many of us accept the Word of God as the Truth and go in faith believing it to be so? Unfortunately a lot of us know what the Word says, but we don't always take it as the Truth for our lives and/or circumstances. However, there are 7,874 promises given to man in the Bible and when God makes a promise, history shows us that His promises always come to pass. So let's start taking God at His Word and let's start believing that what He says is true and will come to pass in our lives.

Let's follow this man's example and see what God will do in and through our lives!

Shaving the Mohawk

2008-06-20T12:43:00.001-07:00

I am preaching a crusade tomorrow in Jinotega, Nicaragua, so I think it's time to shave off the mohawk. Even though I have only had it for two days now, I've actually grown accustomed to it. I think the strangest part about it is, is that it was just for a joke, but I think I may actually like having it now! Hmm, what next, a Harley and leather?

You Should Have Seen Their Faces!!!!

2008-06-19T11:07:00.000-07:00

It was a little odd wearing a baseball cap to the office today, in fact, it had people wondering what was up, but they still had no idea what was going on. But man, I wish I had a picture of everyone's face when I took off my hat and they saw my MOHAWK! Their expressions were awesome! Even though it is now a few hours later, it's still hilarious to see people's reactions when they walk into my office and forget that I have a MOHAWK. Who would have ever imagined that cutting my hair could be so shocking and exciting?

And What Do you Want to Be When U Grow Up?

2008-06-18T21:35:00.000-07:00

Bring on Tito! Bring on Forrest! Bring on Rich or Spencer or whoever you want. I'm ready. Let's get ready to rumble. Okay, maybe not. Oh sure, the mohawk's real. And yep, the sweatshirt is real too. It was a gift straight from the UFC Web Site. But the body, well, that's another story. Too many fasts, too much work, and not enough time to exercise. So I guess I will just keep on being a poser. Well, I guess that is until some real fighter comes along and kicks my skinny, white butt. Actually, they may need to wait in line because my wife is about to take the first shot!

What Would You Do?

2008-06-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

For some reason I've been thinking a lot about various situations that happen to us in life and I've been asking myself, "What would I do?"

Here are a few examples: 1) I just found out that a friend's father just passed away. 2) We found out that a friend of ours is terminally ill. 3) I just learned that a friend of mine, who is a missionary in a closed country, is now on the government's list as a pastor in the underground church. 4) We found out that a friend of our's husband has not been paying their mortgage and they have to pay $5,000 in fines and back payments. 5) We found out that a friend of ours will never be able to have children. 6) We heard that our friend's parents are swingers.

Okay, the list could go on and on and on...but the question still remains "What would I do in these situations?" Makes ya really think about things, doesn't it?

Hosanna and Hurricane Relief

2008-06-17T08:29:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post a few pictures that the mission's team took when they went out to distribute some of the supplies that the church collected for those that were "hit" by the hurricane.

My Best Friend

2008-06-16T14:23:00.000-07:00

I have a few minutes before my next meeting, so I figured I would do a quick blog and introduce the cyber-world to my very best friend! This was a picture we took from my phone on Prince and Faith's deck in Henderson, Kentucky about a week and a half ago.

Let's see if you can follow me on this one? This is my Pretty Woman. From the moment I met her, my mind was Gone in 60 Seconds. Honestly, I think it actually took about 9 1/2 Weeks to come back to my senses. In fact, over the past 14 years, I have Notebook after Notebook full of stories about her. Even though our lives are Too Fast, Too Furious, every once-in-a-while she surprises me with an Indecent Proposal....Can I say that on my blog?? Hey, it might not be something you would hear on 101 Dalmations, but I think that it is a good thing. Sure, there are times I feel like I live in a Glass House because we have 3 Spy Kids (one is the Karate Kid, the other is the Kungfu Panda, and then there is our little Ice Princess) running around our house and my in-law's house (who I love dearly) is in my front yard or maybe my house is in their backyard, either way, you get the picture. Okay, I will stop with this paragraph for now, because I am walking A Thin Red Line. Hope I didn't leave you with a real Cliffhanger.

Anyway, back to telling you about my queen of the Little Women. She is the one with all The Passion for life. Like I said, when I met her for the first time, it turned into One Crazy Summer. Then low and behold, I set out on a Mission Impossible, to try to have 50 First Dates with her. However, she was too busy trying To Loose a Guy in 10 Days.... and it almost worked too! Then, I decided that it was time to be Facing The Giants. I turned into the Hulk, got into Herbie, and set-out on a Cannonball Run all over Dallas until she finally realized that I am Legend! Yep, that's right she discovered that this isn't another Bob the Builder story, but that is a true Knight's Tale!

And What Kind of Week Are You Having?

2008-06-13T17:19:00.000-07:00

Okay, let's see if you can guess what kind of week I have been having by viewing these pictures.

Let's just say that our trip to the US went great and we received, in pledges, about 60 percent of what Metanoia needs to launch into our 3-year medical missions project, which, by the way, will be directed by Will and Jill Krost.

However, since we've been back in Nicaragua, things have been crazy. Nothing like a little extra stress in one's life:) But hey, this too shall pass.

No Mom, It's not a real Tattoo!

2008-06-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

I have had a few conversations lately, with people that I respect I might add, that have disturbed me. There is this notion among many Christians, that because they are Christians and are saved by grace, that they can pretty much do as they please. There is this idea that as long as they "love" Jesus everything else is pretty much irrelavent. During these conversations, I heard numerous times that the "older" Christians just need to stop being legalistic and that they need to be delivered from their "Religious Spirit." Why were such comments made? Because many "younger generation" Christians listen to a different style of praise and worship than their parents do, they do not sport a coat and tie in church, and they are into body piercing and tattoos. And I might add here, that this isn't just a trend with the "younger generation of Christians," but I know of many ministers that fit in this category as well. Now please do not get me wrong. There's not necessarily anything wrong with listening to a different style of praise and worship, ditching the coat and tie, and getting a few "I LOVE MOM" tattoos. However, the thing that I find disturbing is the attitude that the younger generation of Christians has toward the older generations. They themselves are developing the exact same spirit that they are so much against: A RELIGIOUS SPIRIT. This younger generation of Christians do not want to worship in the same manner as their parents and grandparents, they certainly do not want to wear the clothes their parents wore to church (remember your Sunday best?), and they certainly do not want to hear anything against body piercing and tattoos. The problem is though, and this is what I find disturbing, is that if you do not do the things the way they think it should be done, or if you think in a manner a little different than them (old school) you are legalistic or have a religious spirit.

Hmmm, if they aren't accepting the older generation of Christians because their style of worship is different, and they tend to dress a little more conservative, and claim that Leviticus 19:28 still holds true today, then who is being legalistic and who has a religious spirit? The one who is a little hesitant to change because they are set-in-their-ways, or the one that thinks their "new" way is the right way and won't accept the older way of doing things? Now of course I could be totally missing it here, but it seems to me like both groups are struggling with the same issue. Our way is the right way = religious spirit!

Look, I am part of the younger generation of Christians, even though my wife keeps telling me we aren't as young as I think we are, but I am afraid that many of us "youngins" are missing out on an inheritance of wisdom and knowledge that the older generation of Christians has to offer us because we are too stubborn and "in love with Jesus" to accept it and receive it. We'd rather keep doing our own thing, in our own way, thus putting even a greater chasm between our generations. Instead, we should embrace the best of both worlds and find a way to grow together and encourage one another. Remember, we are all in this together. It's not about us (young guns) verses them (old farts), it's about sons finding spiritual fathers, and fathers investing in the lives of spiritual sons. However, these relationships will never exist if both generations continue to allow those religious spirits to cause division and strife in the Body of Christ.

WHAT IN THE WORLD??????

2008-06-08T18:59:00.001-07:00

My wife and I were traveling to Cleveland this weekend for a few meetings and happened to come across these interesting looking animals. I was so amazed by what we saw, that I turned the car around and asked my wife to take a few pictures. Thank God for Blackberry technology, because who would believe that such an animal could even exist, especially close to Cleveland, Ohio?

I'VE FINALLY GIVEN IN

2008-06-03T19:49:00.000-07:00

After years of not wanting to conform, I have finally succumbed to the peer pressure....I finally bought a MAC! Yes, it is true, I've traded in the ACER and joined the MAC family. As much as I have prided myself in using $400 to $500 laptops for the past 4-years, I just couldn't handle it any more. The 5- minutes to boot-up and an extra 5-minutes to close down windows two or three times a day just wasn't working for me any longer, so I made an executive decision and entered the Big League. I mean really, look at this picture, a MAC, a Blackberry, and a Starbucks Coffee. Now I feel like I am part of corporate America......well, that is until I get back to Nicaragua and can't buy a Starbucks and can't find a WiFi connection, but until then, I will make a pretty good poser!

Much Needed R & R

2008-06-03T19:22:00.000-07:00

This quick preaching trip to the States has been a much needed "break" for me. I didn't realize how driven and wired I am until these past few days. I've had two whole days with absolutely nothing planned. In fact, I have even limited emails, chats, and phone calls, simply because I am trying to rest and relax. Honestly, it has been great. I've been able to pray without interruptions, I've read two more books, and I've been able to just sit and read the Bible. Unfortunately though, I've discovered something about myself: I have a very difficult time "doing nothing." As much as I know that this time to myself has been a God thing, I have been having a hard time not doing or accomplishing something. I've never realized just how driven I really am. Sure, this can be a great attribute, because I do get things done and tend to make things happen, but at the same time, I do need to learn to "just be." Wow, the story of Mary and Martha keeps coming to my mind! Lord, teach me to rest in your presence and to be still and know that You are God.

Big Dog

2008-06-01T20:19:00.001-07:00

The service today at the Praise and Worship Center in Lebanon, Ohio went great. We really connected with the church and I felt lreceived like part of their church family. Thanks everyone at PWC for your friendliness and generosity.

This evening I went out to eat with Joel and Kristy Mathews. Kristy is now Metanoia's stateside administrator since Evie went on as the full-time business administrator at their church. We had an interesting dinner (it's a long story), then a cup of joe from Barnes and Noble. Then we stopped off at their house to see their two beautiful daughters and their very BIG DOG! Who, by the way, is only 9-months old. He actually makes my 80-plus pound boxer look like a chiwawa.

My Books for June & July

2008-05-31T13:10:00.000-07:00

I went to the Family Christian Book Store today and spent entirely too much money. Oh, wait a minute, I did save $25.20 with my Pastor's Perks Card, so I guess the damage could have actually been worse.

My goal for this year is to read a minimum of 4 books a month, so as you can see from the picture, my reading for June & July is ready to go. Oh yeah, by the way, it is May 31st and I am one book ahead of schedule. (There is one good thing about longer layovers)

Immune Builder Shake

2008-05-30T21:31:00.000-07:00

I was traveling through the Houston airport today and decided to buy an Immune Builder Shake from Smoothie King. When I finally made it to my gate and sat down to enjoy this yummy treat, a thought came to me: This Immune Builder Shake is a lot like my devotions for my spiritual well-being. Please let me explain. There are tons of places to grab something to eat in the Houston airport, but the majority of the things they offer aren't the best for our physical well-being. So instead, I chose something that was full of vitamins and minerals, something that would help strengthen my body. So it is with our spiritual well-being as well. There are tons of things that we could do with our time, energy, and resources, but they are not all good for our spiritual immune system. (our spirit man) We could opt for things that would be fun, entertaining, or exciting, but that would ultimately leave our spiritual immune system in a weak and/or vulnerable state. Or we could choose to spend time praying or reading the Word and ultimately build our spiritual immune system. It is a simple choice that you and I have to make everyday.

Raining More Than Cats and Dogs

2008-05-29T13:43:00.000-07:00

Nicaragua is being inundated with rain at this present moment. If you look at the picture on the far left, you can see the storm clouds coming in and literal walls of rain coming down. The news stations actually say that of the Latin countries, Nicaragua has been hit the hardest since this storm arouse in the Caribbean.

I took the other picture when I arrived at office this morning. At 7:15 am, the time of this picture, part of our recording studio was already several inches under water and it hasn't stopped raining since. Now our problem is trying to repair the roof in the rain. It's a catch-22 situation, but at this point we don't have any other choice. We can't afford to get more rain on the radio equipment.

A Leadership Thought to Always Remember

2008-05-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, I may have broken the law by posting someone else's picture on my blog without their written consent, but I think that my blog is obscure enough that the photographer won't really mind.

As we all know, leadership is influence. And because a leader has influence, he or she will be out front leading the way, just like this picture depicts. However, there is something that we, as Christian leaders, often overlook in our efforts to become better, more effective leaders. Many times we fail to recognize that we are Christians before we are leaders. In other words, we often put so much focus on being a leader, or on our responsibilities, position, and ministries, that we fail to focus on the fact that we are Christians, or as the word signifies, followers of Christ. Hey, I know that I'm preaching to the choir here, because I am as guilty of this as every other John Doe. We, as leaders, tend to listen to scores of teachings on leadership, devote hours a week to reading books on leadership, and even attend leadership conferences throughout the year. Now as important as this may be, how much time do we actually focus on becoming more like Christ? I'm not saying, "How much time do we devote to becoming better Christian leaders," but "How much time do we focus on developing the characteristics of Christ in our lives." Remember, we are Christians before we are leaders. Sure, I may be the Senior Executive Pastor of a church with the average weekend attendance of 7,500 people, so you could say that I am a leader because I have an influence over a large group of people. However, if you take me out of this position I may no longer have a title or position or the influence of a leader, but I will still be a Christian. So regardless of how far I climb on the ladder of influence, or what title I may one day carry, if you took it all away, I would still be a Christian. That my friends, should be the foundation of our leadership. Our leadership should be a reflection of our relationship with Christ. As important as it is to study and learn, our ability to lead should not come from a book or a class, but come from our relationship with Christ. If we want to be a better leader, we need to spend time in prayer. If we want to be more effective, we need to spend more time in God's Word. If we want to experience breakthroughs in our leadership, then we need to spend time fasting and seeking the face of God. It is when we get back to the basics of Christianity and focus on God and glorifying Him, as opposed to trying to reach some new level of leadership, that all the things that we heard, studied, and read regarding leadership, can then truly be put into practice. We need to remember that we are Christians first before everything else.

Monday Night Leadership

2008-05-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

Despite the rain, we had a good crowd tonight for our once-a-month, church-wide leadership meeting. Here are a few photos of Pastor Spencer leading the congregation in prayer. The photo at the bottom is Pastor Spencer's famous "blessing the people" stance. As you can see from the picture, our leadership was open and ready to receive!

Men's Retreat

2008-05-26T12:48:00.001-07:00

Last night, to close out the service, a few of the 100 men that participated in this weekend's men's retreat, shared about what God did in their lives during the retreat. It is incredible how "on fire" people come back from a retreat. May the Lord keep those flames burning.

Parasite Medication Distribution

2008-05-24T13:17:00.000-07:00

We've been blessed with the opportunity to partner with Operation Blessing to distribute parasite medicine. Today, we launched a campaign to begin distributing 250,000 anti-parasite pills. Each campaign will include dramas, musical talent, a doctor's teaching/instructions, and the presentation of the Gospel by distributing salvation bracelets.

Leadership Dinner-Women's Ministry

2008-05-23T18:34:00.000-07:00

This evening we attended a leadership dinner for Hosanna's women's ministry. Wow, I must say, I was quite impressed. Pastor Edel and her group did an incredible job. Over 200 ladies (all part of Pastor Edel's leadership) came out to Rosti Pollo for a time of worship, prayer, teaching, and fellowship. Oh yeah, each lady also received a little gift. What a nice touch! I spoke on "3 Things that every leader should understand," then Pastor Spencer closed-out with a prayer of blessing.

Why Can't I Have a 30-Hour Day?

2008-05-21T07:34:00.000-07:00

This is the exact reason why I didn't want to start a blog in the first place. I just can't find the time to dedicate to it. As much as I love to write, I just don't have the time to do so. For example, I am using the 5- minutes I have between meetings to write this simple blog. Ooops, by the time I posted the picture of the clock, it left me with two minutes and counting...........Well, my fine feathered friends, until next time; Keep your chin up and knees down, the best is yet to come. Blessings.

Shall We Negotiate?

2008-05-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I received all the information regarding the two churches that we are interested in assuming. (See blog from two weeks ago: Good idea or God idea) I believe that the buildings and land are worth the price they are asking, however, we are not in a position to pay what they are asking. You know, I never thought I would find myself wanting to negotiate over the price of a church. Sure, a building or land that we desire to use for a church, but never actually negotiating over the price of two exisiting churches, that actually have faithful congregations.

How is it that two ministries can begin to barter and negotiate and try to "get the most that they can" from each other, when they are negotiating over something that belongs to God? I know business is business and I try to be the best steward of God's resources that I possibly can, but something seems wrong with this picture! Shouldn't I want the best for this other ministry? Shouldn't I desire that they are blessed and prosperous? Shouldn't I treat them the way that I desire to be treated? If that is the case, why am I trying to pay the absolute mininum that I can for these two churches? To be continued.......................................................................................

Latest Pictures From China

2008-05-17T22:35:00.001-07:00

This is the 3-year old girl that was rescued from the rubble and some pictures of what our missionary friends in China are digging through. The area has experienced 4000+ aftershocks, plus there have been many mudslides, making matters even more difficult. Please keep praying because the latest concern is that the local dam appears that it is about to burst.

Which Do You Want First?

2008-05-17T19:25:00.000-07:00

Good News: The public transportation strike is over! The government decided to lower the gas prices for the taxi and bus drivers by $1.oo per gallon. Now everyone can get to work again and the country seems to be able to function once again in a semi-normal capacity.

Bad News: To compensate for the $1.00 a gallon discount for the taxi and bus drivers, the normal folks, like us, are now paying $5.30 a gallon. Isn't that special!

Would anyone be willing to send me a mountain bike with a bike seat for 3 children? Oh yeah, I guess I would need a side-car for my wife too!

Students of the Week

2008-05-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

These beautiful children were the "Students of the Week" at the orphanage. And beause they behaved so well, they were honored guests at Bismarck's and Adriana's wedding. Way to go guys, we are so proud of you! You are all doing such a terrific job and learning so much.

Congratulations Bismarck and Adriana

2008-05-17T11:48:00.000-07:00

This morning Bismarck Ocon and Adriana Vasquez tied the knot! As you can see from their picture, they were all smiles and were enjoying every minute of the ceremony and post-ceremony celebration. What a blessing it is to have such pleasant, dedicated people in our church. Congratulations guys, may the Lord continue to bless you and keep you as you start your life together in this sacred covenant. Oh yeah, just in case I forgot to mention it earlier, the premarital counseling was free, but everything from here on out is going to cost you big time. (just kidding)

And Fridays Are My Days Off?

2008-05-16T22:05:00.000-07:00

You know, I just don't understand how my Fridays, which are my "Days Off," always end up like this. From 7:15 am to 8:30 am Shanna and I met with the students in our Pastor's School, then from 8:30 am to 10:30 am we met with individual students from the school and signed checks. From there we did make it to Rosti Pollo for breakfast, but guess what, we talked about ministry related stuff almost the entire time. After breakfast we drove around looking for a desk and bookshelf for my office, but unfortunately everything was too expensive. From there we picked Ariana up from school (12:00) and headed home. Shortly after arriving at the Ferguson residence, we had a visit from our intern. Believe it or not though, no more work took place (okay, there were a few text messages and emails on the blackberry) until we dropped the kids off at a birthday party (3:00 pm) and headed to the church to pick up a few things. Once at the church, we talked to a few pastors and signed more checks. From the office we headed back to the party and after the party, we headed to Tae Kwon Do (5:00 pm to 7:00 pm). On arriving home from Tae Kwon Do, I managed to slip upstairs and get some good prayer time in, because at 8:30 pm I was going to minister to a group of leaders form the Young Married's group at church. So from 8:30 pm to 10:30 pm I found myself in a work-related situation again. Of course I actually love ministering to people, so I didn't actually perceive it as work. However, for Fridays being my "Day Off," they sure never seem to be a "Day Off!" The crazy thing is that today was actually a fairly work free Friday when compared to other Fridays. Maybe I should have said a big ole TGIF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS-The picture was taken from my phone at the close of the meeting. Aldrin Reyes is closing the meeting with a prayer of blessing.

More News from China

2008-05-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest update from our friends in China.

Keep praying!

Yesterday my husband traveled with a group up closer to the epicenter to help dig people out of the rubble and do medical assistance. They had special permission to go past road blocks, but no way to get there. It took a long time and many conversations to finally find transportation. It seemed one thing after another was trying to keep them from being able to go. We were praying like crazy. Finally, they were able to rent a car, after the 3 or 4th try. I don’t know all the details, we have only been able to talk for 10 minutes. He said it was devastation like you could never imagine, completely unreal. I hear it was horrific, as they dug through rubble in homes and a middle school and well, you can image. Apparently they were working with a medical group from the city and there were no foreigners back there for a while, not even the media (who snuck in later). At midday, the army came in mass. They were in groups to digging people out. My husband’s group dug out 7 survivors!!!!!!!!!!!! One of the survivors was a little 3 year old girl, who was as cute as a doll. She didn¹t have a scratch but had been trapped in rubble for 3 days.

Please pray for him and for the other volunteers to be able to stay!

Please pray that those who will be rescued and even those who won¹t would have visions of Jesus!

PS-I am so thrilled to know that on my 9th wedding anniversary, my husband helped rescue 7 lives...please Lord, let there be more!

A Josiah Generation

2008-05-15T06:43:00.000-07:00

2 Kings 22:1-2 Josiah was eight years old when he became king.....He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.......not turning aside to the right or to the left.

Last night our children's pastor, Adolfo Manzanares, preached a very encouraging word. However, the most powerful part of the entire service was when the children's discipleship group(ages 6-12) began to pray and minister. It was awesome to see 100-plus kids laying hands on adults and praying mighty prayers of faith.

The discipleship programs that Pastor Adolfo (children's pastor) and Pastor Ditmara (junior high pastor) started last year have really taken off and we are seeing a lot of fruit. There is a powerful generation of young people being trained and equipped to take the Gospel around the world.

Mark 16:20 The the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed His word by the signs that accompanied it.

Crusade Postponed for Jinotega

2008-05-14T11:52:00.000-07:00

This is the view I was planning on having this Saturday in Jinotega, but we decided that it would be best to postpone the crusade until a later date.

I'm not one to live in fear, and I'm certainly not afraid of dying for my faith, but we just couldn't take the risk on sending 300-plus people from Managua to Jinotega in the middle of a nation-wide transportation strike. With two people killed already, and many cars and trucks damaged or burned, I didn't want to take any unnecessary risks. I know that Reinhard Bonnke might be a bit disappointed by our decision, but dying because of your faith is one thing, however, it is another thing all together to die in the hands of an angry taxi driver who just wants a better wage.

News from China

2008-05-13T09:06:00.001-07:00

I was thrilled to receive an email this morning from two of our very good friends that are missionaries to China. Up until this morning, we hadn't heard if they were okay or not. So the email came as a huge relief. I have cut and pasted part of their email, but have changed out their names for their protection.

We are fine! Praise God!

The earthquake's epicenter was only 60 miles from us a place we go through all the time and near an area we work in quite a bit, so we really felt it. It was strong (7.9) and lasted 3-5 minutes. Itwas like a scene from a movie where everyone started running and screaming! My daughter and I were downtown with friends on the 3rd floor of a mall. We were talking about trusting God with kids and how you think you really are trusting Him and then something happens and you realize how much more trust you need. Then the earthquake started! We didn't realize the quake was going to last so long so we stayed sitting where we were for awhile and were praying like crazy. When the crowd had passed and the quake was still going and stuff started falling from the ceiling, we grabbed the stroller and ran for the stairwell and then outside. It was still going. Everyone was outside on the sidewalks and in the streets. We got on a bus to head home but were in it for 1 hour when it should have taken 10-15 minutes. The bus was packed! Finally we got out and walked 2 hours to get home. Once home, everyone in our apartment complex was outside in the courtyard till dark. They were being told not to go back indoors because of more after shocks. By the evening, the gas was turned back on, and it was nice to take a hot shower.

My husband was with a friend also on the third floor. He and his friend were talking about how we need to see a move of God with power. Ten seconds later things started to shake and they both thought, "It's a sign!" thinking it was just a shaky building. Then it got really bad & they realized it was an earth quake and were like "wooohhh" and they started to run with everyone out of the building. A piece of wood/ceiling fell between he and his friend as they were leaving!...He was quite excited...God definitely protected us and we are so thankful.

Thank you for your faithful prayers for us! You never know when they will be needed the most!

A Double Blessing on Mother's Day

2008-05-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

It was a great Mother's Day weekend. We went out to eat, not only with my mother, but also with my grandmother. And even though it was Mother's Day, my grandmother (G-Ma) made me her famous, old-country recipe Apple Strudel. Wow, I should come back to visit more often!

It was a tremendous blessing being with family, but God also had another blessing in store for me. On sunday, I also had the opportunity to share about our orphanage at Allison Park Church, which is pastored by Jeff Leake. Jeff, by the way, is my brother-in-law, and was also my pastor when I lived in Gibsonia. I knew that Pastor Jeff was going to interview me during the services, but I didn't know that the church was going to present Metanoia with a $10,000 check to help support the orphanage.

Thank you Allison Park Church for your prayers and continual support. And thank you mom, dad, and G-Ma for a pleasant weekend.

Da Burgh

2008-05-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Pittsburgh Friday night and will be headed back to Nicaragua early Monday morning. It is nice how God worked it out for me to be with my mother on Mother's Day (tomorrow). I don't think I have been in Pittsburgh and able to celebrate Mother's Day with my mom since I was senior in college. What a blessing this is for us as a family. And the really cool thing is that we don't celebrate Mother's Day in Nicaragua until June, so I can buy my wife a Mother's Day card on sale tomorrow! Hopefully she won't read this blog and find out how cheap I really am. Actually, I hope she is reading this because I bought her two very nice gifts when I went shopping today. Hey I might be cheap, but I'm not stupid. We didn't write Discovering Your Way in Marriage: A Practical Guide for Young Couples without first living out what we wrote. It didn't take too many nights sleeping in the dog house or on the couch for me to finally get a clue. Gentlemen, whether your wife's love language is receiving gifts or not, every lady loves to receive them. ....It shows that you care and were thinking about her.

Disclaimer: In almost 13-year s of marriage, the author of this blog has never slept in the dog house or on the couch and never plans to. This statement was used for literary purposes only.

Communion Night and a Breakthrough

2008-05-08T06:41:00.000-07:00

When you are living in the second poorest country in this part of the world, inflation really hits the people hard. For example, rice and beans are the staple of the Nicaraguan diet, however many people can't even afford beans now because they are just too expensive! And gas or diesel, forget it! I just filled up my truck last week and paid $140.00. It has been crazy here ever since Daniel Ortega was reelected as president. And now, to make things even worse, we are experiencing a public transportation strike. So you can imagine the stress and heaviness that the Nicaraguan people are living under right now.

As we started our communion service last night, the burdens that people were carrying was making it very difficult to enter into worship. The heaviness so thick in the sanctuary that you could literally feel people's worries and fears. However, when our children's pastor (Adolfo) got up to pray, the Holy Spirit begin to move and immediately the heaviness was lifted and hands began to go up as an act of worship all across the sanctuary. As always, God's timing is perfect....."come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

The service ended up great. We had about 2,000 people in attendance and our administrator, Ottoniel, brought forth the Word.

In the Hands of the Father

2008-05-07T12:38:00.000-07:00

We are back in Managua now and I am trying to figure out how to post these pictures. As you can see, this is only my second posting and I'm still in the learning phase. Hopefully I can catch onto blogging a lot faster than I did the Spanish language. :)

The churches look great and have a lot of potential. In fact, that is why this missions organization wants to sell us the churches. They said that they have reached their limit as far as leadership training and staff development goes and wants a ministry to take the churches to the next level. So the question arises once again, "Good Idea or God Idea?"

The director of this missions organization will be sending me a detailed sales proposal within the next couple of days. Their desire is to sell the two churches to us, then reinvest the money into another project they have here in Nicaragua. I guess a few days of fasting and seeking Godly counsel will help bring some revelation to the previously mentioned question.

Good Idea or a God Idea

2008-05-07T06:41:00.000-07:00

Right now I am walking out the door of my office and driving about an hour from Managua to visit two churches. We have been presented with an offer to "take over" two existing churches in what would be considered the "country" here in Nicaragua. Taking over existing churches is not really part of our vision, but this does sound like a great opportunity. Sure, the churches are small (30 -40 people), but each one does have a simple church building, a parsonage, and even 1 1/2 acres of land. So the question arises, is this a Good Idea or a God Idea? There are a lot of dynamics involved in this particular question, however, for times sake, we will leave it at that. If you know me, then you know that I am not interested in God's permissible will, but interested in His perfect will.............Good Idea or God Idea?