Praise the Lord for a great trip to Ireland. God enabled us to get a lot of things done in a very short visit. We were not able to visit all of the people we would have liked and we were unable to visit any churches. The main purpose of the trip was to organize the upcoming church planting meetings and teaching for the future work in the Irish Republic. We will have a one day conference and training in church planting on September 8th. Through that time we are praying that God will identify future partners with whom OMS can work to see effective churches planted. The trop to Kazakhstan had to be postponed until next year. Pray over the next months for ministry and travel: Colombia in June; Russia and Mexico in July; Ireland and Brazil in September. Before each visit we will give you a more detailed idea of what will be happening for prayer etc and a report on each when we get back.
We praise the Lord that Lupita also got her visa when in Ireland – another of the reasons for the trip. She went through quite a long interview but the visa now frees her up to minister and travel freely. Thanks for your prayers!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
We will be giving two days of training on church multiplication movement principle. We then will meet with national leaders to facilitate an understanding of partnership and develop a partnership agreement. It is our prayer that in this summit we will come to an agreement on the adoption and practiced implementation of church planting movement principles. This will help giver further clarity of vision as well as increasing effectiveness in strategy. It is our prayer and belief that as a result more will come to know Jesus and grow to maturity through local churches that meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of where God had placed them.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Haiti
We believe that God is working in the country of Haiti. As Lupita and I have returned from a recent ministry trip the Lord has impressed on us the need for further prayer. Once again the stark cultural and economic differences were brought to our attention; it is difficult to comprehend the needs sometimes. They can be quite overwhelming. One program which impacted Lupita and I was Starfish Kids. It is a child sponsorship program that helps provide for the physical, educational and spiritual needs of the children of Haiti. We were especially encouraged to see how it is done in conjunction with the local church.
During our trip we met with all the OMS staff to focus on and diffuse vision. We also met with ministry leaders and began an alignment process that focuses our ministries and staff on OMS vision. This will be a long process but will help us be more effective in the medium to long term. Please pray for all of our staff and ministries in Haiti, that they will understand our vision and be able to make the necessary changes to focus energies, resources and staff in moving in the direction God reveals.
It was also exciting to meet with the executive committee of the national church. The purpose of this meeting was to establish a deep, meaningful and productive partnership with the Emmaus Fellowship of Churches. We discussed and agreed on what a partnership is and agreed to work together in a deeper and more meaningful way. Agreement was also forthcoming on key church planting strategies which, as we adapt them together in the months to come, will radically change our church planting ministry and effectiveness. We praise the Lord for that and much value your prayers for Haiti.
Please pray for our upcoming ministry trips. We will be involved in leading upcoming summit meetings in Kazakhstan and Russia. There we’ll focus on partnership agreements and church planting strategy and methodology. It is our prayer that God will enable us to be more effective as a result.
In June we will be involved in meetings with the Igleico Church in Colombia, a daughter church of OMS. It is our plan and desire to partner with them to enter into a new country, possibly the Dominican Republic. Through this we would like to begin recruiting Spanish speaking Latin men and women as OMS missionaries and begin to further internationalize OMS and the ministries God has entrusted to us. Please pray as much needs to be prayed about and discussed. It is our only desire that God’s will is done in His timing.
During our trip we met with all the OMS staff to focus on and diffuse vision. We also met with ministry leaders and began an alignment process that focuses our ministries and staff on OMS vision. This will be a long process but will help us be more effective in the medium to long term. Please pray for all of our staff and ministries in Haiti, that they will understand our vision and be able to make the necessary changes to focus energies, resources and staff in moving in the direction God reveals.
It was also exciting to meet with the executive committee of the national church. The purpose of this meeting was to establish a deep, meaningful and productive partnership with the Emmaus Fellowship of Churches. We discussed and agreed on what a partnership is and agreed to work together in a deeper and more meaningful way. Agreement was also forthcoming on key church planting strategies which, as we adapt them together in the months to come, will radically change our church planting ministry and effectiveness. We praise the Lord for that and much value your prayers for Haiti.
Please pray for our upcoming ministry trips. We will be involved in leading upcoming summit meetings in Kazakhstan and Russia. There we’ll focus on partnership agreements and church planting strategy and methodology. It is our prayer that God will enable us to be more effective as a result.
In June we will be involved in meetings with the Igleico Church in Colombia, a daughter church of OMS. It is our plan and desire to partner with them to enter into a new country, possibly the Dominican Republic. Through this we would like to begin recruiting Spanish speaking Latin men and women as OMS missionaries and begin to further internationalize OMS and the ministries God has entrusted to us. Please pray as much needs to be prayed about and discussed. It is our only desire that God’s will is done in His timing.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
We praise the Lord for having settled in to te USA. One of our prayers was to be able to make non Christian friends, build relationships and be used by Him to lead people to the Lord in the USA. That has not been as esay as we first thought it would be. However, we praise God that last month both Lupita and I were able to each lead someone to the Lord here in the USA. God has been so good. Please pray for Ricardo, a young dentist that I had the privilege of leading to Jesus and for Andrea, a nine year old girl, that Lupita lead to Christ the very same day!
Today we leave for Haiti for one week. We will have an intensive schedule for 8 days. All of the national church leaders and OMS Haiti leadership will be meeting together so that we can discuss and come to agreement on future vision and srtaegy. We will also be working with the OMS team on leadership structure and aligning ministry to vision. This is a very important week for the Lord's work in Haiti. Please pray God's spirit would lead and His name be glorified as we work together.
Today we leave for Haiti for one week. We will have an intensive schedule for 8 days. All of the national church leaders and OMS Haiti leadership will be meeting together so that we can discuss and come to agreement on future vision and srtaegy. We will also be working with the OMS team on leadership structure and aligning ministry to vision. This is a very important week for the Lord's work in Haiti. Please pray God's spirit would lead and His name be glorified as we work together.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Haiti update
The last few months have seen ministry in the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Columbia and Haiti. We would like you to focus your prayers on the country of Haiti. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and, with its spiritual legacy of voodoo still a significant force, the spiritual needs are great. OMS has currently engaged in a wide range of ministry activities, each of which has much potential to deeply transform the lives of the Haitian people. (Click on the picture to find out more about OMS's ministry in Haiti)
It was exciting to see the medical centre function. It treats the physical needs of over 50,000 people a year while also attempting to share with them the hope that is in Christ. The radio station 4VEH broadcasts to all Haiti and beyond, sharing that salvation is found in Christ while also providing educational programming which facilitates stability and growth in basic areas of Haitian society.
The seminary is actively focused on the spiritual formation and biblical training of young Haitian Christians that will soon give much needed leadership to the Haitian church. The OMS team is a good size, growing and filled with talented people called of God to make a difference. There is indeed much to be excited about when we prayerfully contemplate what God wants to do through OMS in the this county of much need.
It was exciting to see the medical centre function. It treats the physical needs of over 50,000 people a year while also attempting to share with them the hope that is in Christ. The radio station 4VEH broadcasts to all Haiti and beyond, sharing that salvation is found in Christ while also providing educational programming which facilitates stability and growth in basic areas of Haitian society.
The seminary is actively focused on the spiritual formation and biblical training of young Haitian Christians that will soon give much needed leadership to the Haitian church. The OMS team is a good size, growing and filled with talented people called of God to make a difference. There is indeed much to be excited about when we prayerfully contemplate what God wants to do through OMS in the this county of much need.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Haiti
I will be in Haiti from the 5th to the 10th of this month. I'll work with leadership to clarify the vision, align strategy to that vision and work on team building and effectiveness. Please pray for wisdom in these meetings and, that as a result, we will more effectively win people for Christ, plant churches and train leaders to lead them.
OMS first became involved with Haiti after purchasing 4veh, and although OMS ministry in Haiti began with Radio 4VEH in the 1950s, other ministries have begun over the years that both reach out to the Haitians and train national Christian leaders. We have several ministries in Haiti including Emmaus Biblical Seminary, the Emmaus Fellowship of Churches, Cowman International School, Bethesda Medical and Dental Clinic, Starfish Kids and the Villa Ormiso Hospitality Center.
I trust you are well.
OMS first became involved with Haiti after purchasing 4veh, and although OMS ministry in Haiti began with Radio 4VEH in the 1950s, other ministries have begun over the years that both reach out to the Haitians and train national Christian leaders. We have several ministries in Haiti including Emmaus Biblical Seminary, the Emmaus Fellowship of Churches, Cowman International School, Bethesda Medical and Dental Clinic, Starfish Kids and the Villa Ormiso Hospitality Center.
I trust you are well.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The Dominican Republic
Greetings to my much appreciated and valued readers. On October 28th through November 4th, I will be in the Dominican Republic where I'll meet with leaders from all over Latin America. National church leaders, ECC leaders and OMS International directors will be discussing issues that affect each of the countries as well as what to do about the Haitian refugees going into the Dominican Republic and exploring whether OMS should have a presence there.
In order to fully understand what it will mean to open a new field, it helps to know how OMS carries out our four-fold purpose. Every Community for Christ (a division of OMS) works to give every community an opportunity to hear the Good News and respond in faith. Each ECC team is comprised of Christian nationals: Colombians in Colombia, Indians in India, etc. When ECC went to a location in the past, it had the goal of planting a single strong church. ECC teams now function as Church Multiplication Teams, modeling the concepts of effective evangelism and discipleship. New believers are quickly equipped to make disciples of Jesus by opening their homes and their network of relationships to share the Good News and form worshiping groups that become fully functioning churches. Then these churches plant daughter churches, and the cycle continues.
I need your prayers as I'll be doing quite a bit of traveling in the next month. Pray for wisdom and guidance in leadership-making decisions in the Dominican Republic and for the day to day decisions regarding Latin America.
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