Every ’78 Pontiac

In Neuroscience, the Reticular Activating System refers to a set of connected nuclei in the brain that monitors and filters information being taken in by the senses.[1] When the brain becomes familiar with certain stimuli or patterns of stimuli, the Reticular Activation System becomes more sensitive to that information. It is what allows a person to pick up on an interesting conversation across a noisy room when he/she hears a key word, or to spot every 1978 Pontiac on the road because it brings back the memory of a first car. Much like a media search engine attempts to predict and recommend what a user would like to hear next, the Reticular Activation System tailors the information that breaks through from the subconscious to the conscious based upon the person’s previous interests and attention.

Similarly, reading Scripture through the illumination of the Holy Spirit increases the brain’s sensitivity and alertness toward more Scripture and situations addressed by Scripture. The more a person studies Scripture under the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the more equipped and apt a person is to apply it effectively.

For instance, the Pharisees missed the simplicity of the law, whereas Jesus summarized it (at the request of a lawyer) in Matthew 22:36-40 by quoting Deuteronomy 6:4 and Leviticus 19:18. Further, Jesus, on more than one occasion, began answering the charges of the Pharisees with the phrase, “have you not read?” (Luke 6:3, Matthew 19:4). Their minds had not been transformed to properly apply Scripture.

In contrast, when Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ” (Matt. 16:16). Peter was able to recognize Christ as the promised messiah from the Old Testament. Jesus explained Peter’s insight by saying, “Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 16:17)

Was Jesus demeaning Peter by saying, “you didn’t come up with that on your own?” No, He was giving Peter the hope and encouragement that all believers have: The Holy Spirit illuminates Scripture to us and trains us to process life experiences through the Word. What a wonderful gift!

The work of the Holy Spirit is more powerful than human memory because it is completely divine in origin. In other words, our brains, in and of themselves, will fail –often. But the work of the Holy Spirit never fails.

However, it is not that simple of a dichotomy. Instead, the Holy Spirit chooses to work by training our brains –not superseding them (Ps. 119:98-100). In other words, we cannot sit back and lazily expect the Holy Spirit to bring to mind things we have never studied. After all, we are called to be students of the Word (2 Timothy 2:15, Psalm 119:97).

So, approach the Word passionately, asking the Holy Spirit to illuminate the Word, train your brain, and conform your thinking to His. The results are even more powerful than a mere Reticular Activating System!


[1] Rita Carter, Mapping the Mind (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1998), 186-187.

Is Your Discipleship Whole?

Discipleship has been used and misused to the point that the word itself has become almost meaningless. It begs for clarification.

Everyone would agree that discipleship should be transformational (Check out Transformational Discipleship by Geiger, Kelley, and Nation). But what exactly is being transformed?

At this point I see three popular, yet incomplete, views:

1)   Belief-Driven Discipleship: This view sees discipleship as the collection of knowledge. It is completely cognitive driven. Classes, lessons, books, and Scripture memorization compose this view of discipleship. Belief-Driven proponents encourage their disciples to study in such a way as to “rightly handle the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

2)   Behavior-Driven Discipleship: This view sees discipleship as changing behaviors. Many times proponents of behavior-driven discipleship quote James 1:22, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only.”

3)   Attitude-Driven Discipleship: This view sees transformation of the inner state of the heart as the main focus of discipleship. Because major emphasis is placed upon character, affections, and desires; this view of discipleship regards relationships as key. Attitude-Driven disciple-makers resonate with verses such as 1 Cor. 13:13, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

At first glance, you might think, “All three of those views sound great. How could you go wrong by choosing one?”

And that is exactly where the problem lies. While each view is correct, none of the view are complete. The crux of the issue is not about which view you include, but which views you leave out. Discipleship modeled after Christ’s example will include all three views –not just one or two.

Why is this important? Consider a few biblical examples:

The Pharisees had cornered the market on belief-driven discipleship. Nobody knew the word better! And yet they were the object of constant criticism from Christ because they “neglected the weightier issues of the law” (Matt. 23:23). They were all head and no heart.

The rich young ruler was incredibly behavior-driven. He told Christ that He had kept all of the law since his youth. However, when Jesus challenged Him to leave everything behind and follow Him, the rich young ruler “went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:22). Compliance to rules doesn’t always equal obedience.

Paul recognized the Corinthian’s enthusiasm for fellowship. They were a very relationship-oriented people and could be considered a textbook case of attitude-driven discipleship. However, because their relationships lacked the standards of God’s truth, Paul had to continually rebuke them (1 Cor. 1:10).

When discipleship only focuses on one (or even two) of these areas it is dangerous. Heresy, after all, is not always about what is being said, but what is not being said.

The Pharisees knowledge was important, but without a lifestyle of obedience and love, it betrayed the gospel. The rich young ruler was the model citizen –straight as an arrow. Most pastors would love to have him as a member. But yet, his inability to follow Christ whole-heartedly was a tragedy. And the Corinthians, while passionate about relationships, betrayed the gospel by missing the foundations of truth. Therefore, their relationships became perverted and their fellowship tainted.

Christ-like discipleship focuses on all three areas: Beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes. Another way to describe these categories would be,”head, hands,  and heart.” (For more on this concept, check out Larry Richards’ Theology of Christian Education).

Parenting is a great example of how all three of these areas must combine for a holistic approach. A parent may at times teach their child facts (Beliefs). They may need to memorize their address, recite the rules of the house, or learn to spell their name. These are all vital, but parenting is more than that.

At other times, a parent will focus on behaviors (Making up the bed, saying “yes ma’am,” “no sir,” “please,” and “thank you.”). While certain habits are vital to learn, mere behavior modification is rather cold and empty.

Which is why parents must also spend time playing with their children, expressing their love toward them, and communicating deeply with them. The heart attitude expressed to child will be reflected in the child. After all, more is caught than taught.

Any good parent knows that all three of these focuses can take place at any moment of the day simultaneously. That’s holistic discipleship. Or, to put it another way, its transferring one complete life to another complete life –just as Christ has done for us.

God Equips When We Obey

I remember one of the first days I was pastor of Wyatt Baptist Church in El Dorado, Arkansas I called on a man to pray, and silence followed -much silence.

Finally, I heard the man say, “I pass.”

I was a little stunned to say the least. I didn’t know you could “pass” on public prayer!

After the service, one of the deacons pulled me aside and explained that the man did not like to pray in public. It was something everyone in the church knew… except for the new pastor.

During my conversation, the deacon told me there was another man in the church who was uncomfortable praying (and speaking) in public. His name was Mike.

Mike was also a deacon in the church. He worked hard to serve others and was incredibly faithful –not to mention quiet.

After participating on a church mission trip to Central America, Mike returned with a desire to learn Spanish. He purchased Rosetta Stone Software and began studying. He even started watching Spanish channels on television.

On the job, Mike met a co-worker from Costa Rica named Carlos. Soon, Mike enlisted Carlos as a personal tutor during lunch breaks. Carlos even helped Mike memorize a gospel presentation in Spanish.

To my surprise, one day Mike asked if he could start a Spanish-speaking evangelism group through our church. I was elated and surprised. Mike began driving around neighborhoods looking for Spanish-speaking people to evangelize. As you can imagine, he looked suspicious, but eventually the people learned to trust Mike.

One week, I rode with Mike and listened to him share the gospel with a group of about ten seasonal workers. These strong men with a rough demeanor listened intently as Mike shared the gospel. They could tell that he had memorized the presentation and so they sensed the message was important.

Over the years, Mike has won many Spanish speaking people to Christ in South Arkansas and discipled them to do the same. In fact, at one time, Mike’s Spanish speaking ministry was the fastest growing ministry in our church.

As several new believers joined our congregation, Mike was intent on finding a way to translate the services for them. He called upon his co-worker Carlos to translate live into headphones for Spanish speakers so they could be a part of the entire church body and not relegated to another room for a separate service. It was important for them to know they were just as much a part of our church as all the English speakers.

As the Spanish-speaking portion of the congregation grew, we commonly said, “The face of our church is changing. We are getting a tan!” Soon, we began incorporating Spanish songs into the services. It was like a foretaste of Heaven!

Recently, as I was visiting Nicaragua, I learned that Mike had been in the country the week before. That wasn’t a surprise. What was a surprise, however, is that Mike preached in a worship service –in Spanish!

It just goes to remind me of two things.

1) A call to salvation is a call to ministry. Mike is not a vocational minister. He is a minister with a vocation,

2) God will always equip us for the ministry to which He calls us. It was true for Moses, Joshua, and Daniel. And it is even true for a quiet, reserved man named Mike.

The Triple-Word-Score of Providence

Have you ever caught a glimpse of something God is doing? Maybe you’ve observed an experience where what once seemed to be coincidence was clearly providence. Perhaps you met your spouse in the most unlikely of places and later realized God had planned the entire event. Or maybe the kind soul who stopped when your car was stalled on the side of the road became the life-long friend who would later share Christ with you.

But what if I told you that those experiences are just a drop in the vast ocean of God’s sovereignty and providence?

God’s sovereignty over all things reminds me of Scrabble.  Occasionally I can get a triple-word-score.  And when my game is really on, I can spell words horizontally and vertically all in the same move!

Now, imagine God is playing Scrabble.  Instead of seven letters, God has infinite letters.  And instead of one board with a limited number of squares, God has an infinite number of boards of infinite size filling every plane of the universe.  In one move God could play every piece on every square of every board and no matter which angle you looked at, it spelled a word… infinitely.  In a small way, that’s similar to what is happening in every square inch of the universe. Actually, the universe doesn’t even capture it because God is so much bigger than that.

God exists outside (as well as inside) of our universe. He is not limited by our dimensions. He is not limited by time. In other words, when we try to piece together God’s hand in a situation, we only see his triple-word scores at best. But He is perfectly holding together events in every location, across generations, in a perfect providential plan.

“What is plain to him is frequently obscure to us.”[a] Our perspective is small and our capacity for calculating the relationships between every situation in the past, present, and future is almost non-existent.  Our speculation over God’s will in just one circumstance, feeling, or idea is at best a shot in the dark.

Our inability to understand should not drive us to despair -but instead draw us to worship. Oh mighty, Sovereign, all-knowing, wise, providential, purposeful, merciful, gracious, and good God -We stand in awe.

Of course, the greatest example of God’s providential plan working throughout time and space is found in the incarnation. Just think about the points of providence that have been revealed to us for our amazement:

Christ left Heaven

Became a seed of Adam

Was carried through a people

In and out of captivity

Over Centuries

Planted in a virgin

Born in humility

Carried into refuge

Raised in obscurity

Followed by multitudes

Invested in a few

Betrayed for silver

Unjustly tried

Crucified as a criminal

And raised in power.

Only God could craft such a perfect plan over the course of centuries past to affect the world for centuries to come!


[a] Sinclair Ferguson, Discovering God’s Will (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 2001), 32.

4 Tips to Keep Great Illustrations From Ruining Your Sermon

“He’s fun to listen to, but very hard to follow.”

A friend and I were speaking about a preacher we had both listened to. It was a legitimate critique, I agreed. At the same time, I’m afraid it could be describing me too.

For many preachers, public speaking comes naturally. They are gifted rhetoricians with story-telling skills. Much like an athlete lives for the next opportunity to perform a strong crossover or to deliver an open-field tackle, gifted speakers thrive on the opportunity to draw the attention of a crowd down to a whisper then roar with the crescendo of well-crafted verbiage. All the while, he is interacting with the audience as with a sparring partner–sensing their emotion, drawing them into a position to be persuaded.

The gift of public speaking is incredibly valuable to ministry. In fact, it is listed by Paul as a qualification for a pastor. However, it can be a double-edged sword. For some talented speakers, the ability to speak impromptu creates a temptation to avoid serious sermon preparation. They know they can fake their way through a sermon without most people noticing.

Yet other naturally talented speakers find another temptation: they try to do too much. They are like the point guard who feels the need to dribble between his legs every time he brings the ball down and the pass behind his back on every possession. It’s simply too much and too risky. Special moves should be reserved for the right times.

The same is true with using illustrations, stories, analogies, and metaphors. The preacher my friend and I were speaking about has a lot of natural talent. He is a very gifted storyteller. Yet, I have noticed (and I am guilty of the same thing) that he uses his “special moves” too often. For instance, He may tell a powerful story for ten minutes of his sermon only to illustrate a part of the sermon’s historical background. That might be ok if the background was the main point of the sermon –but its not. It’s just background.

The sad thing is, he tells such great stories leading up to the main point of his sermons that he usually runs out of time and emotional capital before getting to the main point.

It caused me to think about the way I often do the same thing in my preaching. So, here are a few new rules of thumb I am going to try for my sermons.

  • Don’t force an illustration into a sermon merely because it is powerful.
  • Weight my illustrations based upon the importance what I am illustrating: Longer, more powerful illustrations should accompany my main points. Supporting material should have limited illustrations.
  • Limit the total number of illustrations per sermon so they remain special and not just one of many that start to blur together.
  • Never let the illustration outshine the point.

With careful planning, illustrations can be a powerful tool for communicating so that not only are sermons interesting –but also effective.

Three Bad Reasons to Plant a Church

I am a supporter of church planting. I believe the Great Commission requires it.

However, I’m of the opinion that church planters with the wrong motives should stop and re-evaluate. Don’t misunderstand, no church planter is perfect, and certainly all planters have some degree of selfsih motives they struggle with. But if the main impetus for planting a congregation is sinful, be sure that it will have major ramifications.

Here are three selfish reasons for planting a church:

  • “Church my Way.”  I understand that every planter has ideas about how their church will be different and unique. That’s great. But if the planter’s motive stems from not being able to find a church they like so they are going to plant one that is their “ideal” church, this is a major red flag. The fact that they can’t find a satisfactory existing church probably says more about them than the churches they have rejectied. Further, the idea that anyone can plant the “perfect” church is delusional. Ultimately, this motive is more a reaction to other churches rather than a passion for reaching people. This planter has a great opportunity to redirect his motive toward finding innovative ways to reach people whom other churches are failing to reach. In this way, he retains his vision for improvement and change, but takes away the temptation of competition with other churches.
  • Entrepreneurial Planting. Every planter has a unique set of God-given gifts and abilities that shape his ministry. One valuable skill is an entrepreneurial mindset. However, this skill can become a liability when it becomes the motive for planting rather than a support for a biblical motive. This can result an “ends justify the means” philosophy of ministry which values growth over people. This planter has a valuable skill if only he will put it in proper perspective. Keep the main thing the main thing and let everything else support it.
  • Need a Job. Sound rediculous? You may be surprised. Picture a pastor who is disatisfied with his current pastorate. He feels underappreciated and underpaid. He has looked for other churches to pastor, but nobody seems interested. One day, he discovers a denomination or church planting entity. The group promises to help with startup costs and moving expenses. See the temptation? This planter needs to deal with his internal issues -namely, loving the people God has already given him to pastor, and learning to be content with the resources entrusted to him. I’m not saying he has to stay at his current church (or salary) for life. But if his heart is not content and thankful now, no change in location or salary will satisfy him. If this planter can learn contentment, it will prove to be an asset in starting a new church -trust me, it’s critical.

Does God Hate?

Does God Hate?

This topic probably didn’t get a lot of airplay from your childhood Sunday school teacher –and understandably so. Generally speaking, it is wrong to hate.

The issue of God’s hatred is not just a theological riddle. The way we answer this question cuts to the heart of our understanding of God and the gospel.

The simple answer is “yes,” God hates. More specifically, God hates sin. Proverbs 6:16-19 is just one scriptural proof:

There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

If it still seems strange to say that God hates something, keep in mind that to love what is good implies a hatred of what is evil. This is vital to our understanding of God’s righteousness. If we believe that God is passionate about righteousness, we must believe that he is equally wrathful against sin.

For instance, imagine an innocent child being kidnapped and tortured.  Now imagine God supernaturally writing a message in the sky saying, “Don’t worry about prosecuting the kidnappers –its not that big of a deal.”  Would that reflect the holiness and righteousness of God? Of course not. Why? Because His passion for righteousness insists upon His hatred of sin. Otherwise, He would not be a good God.

The issue gets even more personal. Consider Ephesians 2:3, which states that without Christ, we were “children of wrath.” God’s wrath toward sin was pointed toward us because we were born into sin.

But here is the beautiful part. God the Father decided to pour out His wrath toward us upon His Son, Jesus! “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Forgiveness in Christ is not just a disappearing act for sin. Something had to happen to our sin for God’s wrath to be satisfied –justice had to be served. Christ took the wrath on our behalf so that God the Father would still be just and at the same time be the justifier of sinners (Romans 3:26). What a sacrifice! What grace!

Such a work of God in our lives does not leave us unchanged. Instead, we are called to reflect God’s wrath toward sin and passion for righteousness. “O you who love the Lord, hate evil!” (Psalm 97:10). Indecently, this is all that we are called to hate. All other hatred is sin because it is essentially pronouncing our desire for damnation upon the object of our hate (which is a reflection of the intent of God’s hatred). That’s why we must be adamant to teach our children not to hate school, friends, teachers, etc.

So, don’t tell your Sunday school teacher, but there is one good reason to hate!

Did Jesus Battle Depression?

Did Jesus battle depression? Seems like a strange question at first, but consider Isaiah’s prophesy of the coming Messiah: “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3).

That certainly sounds like someone dealing with the symptoms of depression. So why do we immediately push back at the thought that Jesus might have dealt with symptoms of depression?

Perhaps it is because we have the false notion that depression is either 1) a sin or a 2) sign of weakness. But neither is the case.

In fact, depression is not something a person chooses. Rather it is something a person must choose how to deal with.  The real issue is not whether a person experiences depression, but instead, how the person reacts to depression.

For this reason I am of the opinion that Christ did indeed battle depression. And more importantly, He battled it perfectly. Hebrews 4:15 reminds us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Christ wasn’t the only person in Scripture who dealt with depression. For instance, David exclaimed, “I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping” (Psalm 6:6).

Even great preachers such as C.H. Spurgeon experienced the woes of depression. He explained, “I find myself frequently depressed – perhaps more so than any other person here. And I find no better cure for that depression than to trust in the Lord with all my heart, and seek to realize afresh the power of the peace -speaking blood of Jesus, and His infinite love in dying upon the cross to put away all my transgressions.”

This issue is important to me because I have struggled with depression. And it has been my experience that there are no easy answers. The darkness can attack without warning. It does not ask permission and it does not need a reason. Make no mistake; depression is real.

What does it feel like? I’m sure its different for everyone, but for me, there are days that everything is covered with a thick fog. Despondency feels like an unending trance that is inescapable. And if someone were to offer you an all-expense paid vacation, you wouldn’t take it because you don’t even know what would make you happy. Worse, you feel like you don’t even know yourself anymore.

Unfortunately, a stigma still surrounds depression. Some believe its imagined. Others believe it demonic oppression. Some say its strictly spiritual, while others believe its strictly physical. Some believe you must take medicine. Others believe its a sin to take medicine.

Of course there is more than one category of depression (situational, clinical, etc). But no matter the source or treatment (counseling, medicine, etc), depression is always an opportunity to draw nearer to Christ. For this reason, we must view the words of a counselor as an extension of Christ’s wisdom –not a replacement for it. And we must see medicine as a gift of God –not an alternative to His power. If I seek a cure without seeking Christ, I am bowing to idols of my own desires.

That’s why I think Hebrews 4, after reminding us that Christ has experienced our same temptations, encourages us in verse 16 to “draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

So here’s the takeaway:

  1. Depression is real. (Jesus experienced it)
  2. Experiencing depression is not sin. (Jesus didn’t sin)
  3. Experiencing depression is not necessarily a result of sin. (Jesus is completely righteous)
  4. There is no “quick fix” for depression –it is a battle (often for life).
  5. The key is our reaction to depression: whether or not we cling to Christ.

 

If you know of someone dealing with depression, here are a few thoughts:

  1. You have an opportunity to minister the patient, merciful love of Christ to them.
  2. Be patient and listen to them.
  3. Encourage them to see biblical counseling. (A good biblical counselor will encourage them to also consult a physician to determine if there is a need for medicine).
  4. Continue pointing them to dependency on Christ.
  5. Pray for them –and don’t give up!

Did Jesus battle temptation? Yes, I think so. But even more -I believe He defeated it!

There is No “I” in Church

The local church is God’s chosen vessel for working in this world. Christ founded His church, died for His church, and now empowers His church. Other organizations and entities may come and go, but Christ has promised that His church will stand (Matthew 16:18).

The church is a called-out community of baptized believers. There is no “I” in church. The fellowship, teamwork, and mutual dependency of church members guards against the mistaken idea that any one member is self-sufficient. In this way, Christ receives all glory in the church –not individuals.

This happens when the church reflects Christ in its worship, teaching, reputation, and labor. In other words, the body honors Christ by imitating Christ’s example and following Christ’s commands.

Road (Air) Trip: Nicaragua

The ministry of discipleship and church planting in Nicaragua under the direction of Oscar Gaitan has been a major influence in my life for many years. Shortly after graduating from college I took my first trip to visit the Central American country where I met Oscar and his wife Tami. Over the years, I have returned to visit and serve with various friends and mission teams.

During my years of pastoring, our church’s exposure to Oscar’s church changed our ministry forever. I frequently explain that the Nicaraguan church discipled my church. Likewise, without realizing it, Oscar had influenced me as well. My recent trip to Nicaragua brought this into greater focus for me.

I was thrilled to take my son Bryce with me on this trip. We enjoyed a great bonding experience together as we visited mission pastors, swam in a river, hiked around a volcano, and enjoyed a scenic lagoon. My heart was blessed as I watched Bryce play along with other children who treated him with love and affection despite the language barrier.

On our first evening, we visited Oscar’s new mission church in Masaya. Although the church is young, it is full of energy as we met people who had recently come to Christ and were being intentionally discipled. Oscar and Tami have been practicing one-on-one discipleship for many years. It is a part of the DNA of their church plants. The idea is simple: people reproduce, small groups (they call action centers) reproduce, and congregations reproduce. Over the past eleven years, Oscar has overseen the planting of seventeen churches throughout the country. Every time a new church is planted, it is just a matter of time before they reproduce and plant another congregation.

This does not happen without great effort. During our week in Nicaragua, we joined Oscar on visits to various pastors. Each pastor can sense that Oscar cares for them and is available for anything they need.

As a byproduct, all of the mission churches share a special bond. It is not uncommon for churches to meet together for special services meetings, or camps. There is no competition –only teamwork. These churches understand that kingdom work is better together.

As an example, near the end of the week, several mission churches held a camp together. I was privileged to speak during the camp services and enjoyed the strong sense of unity among the people. Their unity, however, was not merely relational, but even more, their unity was anchored in a common goal –to make disciples and plant churches throughout Nicaragua and beyond.

The commitment to Great Commission work is displayed in the people’s willingness to give of their homes, vehicles, food, time and resources for the sake of the mission. On Sunday morning I witnessed the use of homes for childen’s Sunday school classes. Later in the week, they were used for action centers. Many churches even start in homes.

Further, church members often go out of their way to provide transportation to those whom they are trying to reach. And when needed, they are given meals and lodging.

It is normal to attend a church service and be introduced to a new believer who had trusted Christ in one of the members’ homes during the week. For most churches in the states, if we experienced what Nicaraguan churches consider “normal,” we would be shouting “revival!”

Throughout our week, I was reminded of the great talent in which God has blessed Oscar. He displayed skills in caring for the mourning, counseling leaders, organizing strategies, providing music and leading corporate worship, and casting vision. All of these talents he exercises with unusual excellence. It is easy to see that God has equipped him for the ministry to which he has been called.

Beyond his talent, Oscar is also humble. Along with his wit, charm, and charisma, lies a gentle servant’s heart. For example, this week I learned that earlier in life, Oscar had an opportunity to play for the national soccer team of Nicaragua, but turned it down because they played on Sunday. He never boasts about the honor.

Likewise, Oscar recently was given the opportunity to meet the president of Nicaragua. The president asked him if there was anything Oscar wanted (he was referring to money, a new house, etc.) Instead of asking for any material goods, Oscar simply asked the president to let him offer some advice: Read the Bible, talk with God in prayer, and remember God has placed you in this position to care for the people of Nicaragua. Before the end of their meeting, the president asked Oscar to pray for him before he left. It reminds me of how God gave Joseph, Daniel, Ester, and others opportunities “for such a time as this.”

The night before we left, Oscar asked Bryce, “Are you ready to go home to your country?”

Bryce replied, “Um, we live in the city.”

I guess you could say something got lost in the translation. However, what was clear was that God is using Oscar’s leadership in a powerful way to reach Nicaragua for the gospel. It is my privilege to call him “friend!”