Keep On Keeping On - Peru 2010

Well, the Lord has another full day of ministry and outreach before our mission team today (Wednesday, June 30th). You'll remember from an earlier blog that I introduced you to the team members and listed the times and topics they'll be teaching on. You can use that blog as a daily "prayer-guide" as you lift up the conference to the Lord.

I would also ask you to remember me today. I'll be a part of the team going to share an evangelistic message at a High School today at 11:00 AM. Then I'm teaching a session at the conference this afternoon, and I finish the night speaking at another Church in Huancayo for their Wednesday night services. I actually had the privilege to speak at this Church last year on Wednesday night as well. The Lord used the leadership and people of this fellowship to bless, encourage, and challenge me in powerful ways. The is the Church where Missionary Rolando serves. However, as he and I talked last night over dinner, he shared with me that he is not paid by the Church. So I asked, "How do you make your living?"

He simply replied, "I trust the Lord. We're told in Scripture to trust God for our needs. I try to apply that to my life. This is why my favorite verse in the Bible is Psalm 23:1: 'The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.' The Bible doesn't say that the Lord, my Shepherd, will give me everything. It says I won't need anything."

I must say I sat speechless before this dear missionary. He gives his life to spreading the Gospel among the nations. I realized I was looking at a living example of Acts 20:24 right before my eyes.

I don't know about you, but many times I "hear" God's Word and don't "apply" it. May God help me and all of us who confess Christ as Lord to take His Word seriously, to heart, to life. I think Missionary Rolando is boldly living out Matthew 6:31-34, "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (NIV).

Of course, the "all these things" Jesus mentions refers back to the context of what He was just teaching about. In other words, He's talking about our daily needs not wants. God will meet our needs as we make His Kingdom our priority in life. But perhaps this is the very reason why many of us aren't seeking His Kingdom "first" because we aren't content to live with just our "needs" met - we want our "wants" met, too. And because of this, we live hectic, complicated, and confused lives trying to follow and fulfill all our desires instead of simply forsaking everything to follow our Shepherd, the Lord Christ, who is faithful to met our needs.

So now that we've heard Christ's Word, let's ask Him for the grace and strength through the power of His indwelling Spirit to enable us to apply them to our lives today!

Holding Forth the Word of God - Peru 2010

We had an awesome first day at the conference! It was packed for a first day. I think the women alone had over 100, and usually the conference begins a little “slow” and then builds because the word spreads. So we’re looking forward to another great day tomorrow.

I don’t have pictures of everyone who taught or shared today because the team is really encouraged to sit among the people for the sessions. This is great because it helps us to connect better with those we’re teaching, but it also means I’m not able to roam around a lot and take pictures of everything that’s going on throughout the course of the conference on any given day.

Nevertheless, here are a few pictures to take a look at. First, we have Dr. Tolbert leading an opening session on “Overcoming the Enemy.” J.B.’s standing close beside him as he translates the message. All of our interpreters are excellent at what they do. We truly couldn’t make it without them!

Next, we have a shot from above of the women’s conference. As you can see, there are a lot of women, and this picture doesn’t even capture all of them. This is a glimpse of Debbie teaching her session along with her faithful interpreter right by her side.

Now, here’s a shot of the kitchen crew. Of course, we have to include food, right? You may notice missionary Cameron on the far right faithfully serving behind the scenes. The food was delicious! They served us a meat soup with noodles, and I had a wheat roll. (Are you proud of me Wendy for taking the wheat roll instead of the white bread? :-) We also had a hot, creamy desert that tasted sort of like orange pudding to me. Both of these hot items really warmed you up for the chilly night air of Huancayo.

We also have another shot from above of Marci teaching her lesson and Blanca interpreting. Remember, I told you Blanca was carrying double-duty - so pray for her. Actually, she’s carrying more like triple duty tomorrow because she’s also part of the team who’ll be sharing at a High School tomorrow on moral purity. Just to let you know, I’m taking the pictures of the ladies conference whenever I can break away from upstairs because I want to try to minimize any interruptions as much as possible.

Next, we have a couple of pictures of Corey and Rob sharing. Corey shared a powerful testimony about how God saved him and eventually called him into full-time missions (left). Thank You, Lord, for another servant who’s being mobilized among the nations for Your glory! And Rob gave a very insightful presentation on “Truth and Faith” and how this is tied to the breastplate of righteousness in Ephesians 6 (right). In fact, I spoke after Rob and referred to his session about two or three times because the Lord used him in such a dynamic way. By the way, Rob and Marci are also planning to go to the mission field. Again, be glorified Lord Jesus in lives of Your chosen vessels.

And on this point, please remember to pray for Corey, Blanca, Rob, Marci, and myself as we go to the High School tomorrow to share about moral purity. We learned tonight that they changed our time from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM. Did I mention something about being flexible on the mission field? Thanks for your intercession.

Well, I know you can’t be at the conference with us. So I thought I would try to do the next best thing – I would take a little of the conference to you. Take a quick listen to the men singing a song to begin the host pastor’s session today. You may not know Spanish, but I think you’ll recognize this with your heart.

Enjoy and blessings!

Sights and Sounds of "Quiet" Huancayo - Peru 2010

I thought I would give you just a little glimpse of some of the sights and sounds of Huancayo from my fourth floor hotel room. Now, this video is a little misleading because the city seems so "quiet" in this clip, but trust me, it's usually noisy and bustling with activity until very late into the night or early morning hours.

But, nevertheless, I thought you might want to take just a peak. You'll see the some of the more tame, rolling Andes Mountains off in the distance, some buildings (mostly the roofs of businesses from this vantage point), and the top of a huge Catholic Church which is almost directly across the street from our hotel.

Okay, enjoy, and pray for the city of Huancayo!

Keep Praying - Peru 2010

One of the key things I've learned when serving on missions is to be flexible. I think this is important because we have to depend on the Lord's plan and power constantly.

Here's a few prayer items you can lift up to the Lord for the mission team as we seek to move forward resting in Christ (Matthew 11:28-30; John 15:5) and His power to provide resources and wisdom.

1. Copies - We still need to have all our copies of handouts to make binders for the people attending the conference to be completed today. We have until 2:30 PM at the latest to see this come together. Please pray that the Lord would provide.
2. Dr. Tolbert - Dr. Tolbert will be speaking to the fraternity of pastors this morning at 9:30 AM on being a good father to their children and also about the conference. Pray for the Lord to use this time to equip His leaders for His glory.
3. Schools - We learned yesterday that our mission team will be able to be in a High School tomorrow morning at about 10:30 AM and in a Middle School on Thursday morning at about 10:30 AM. Please pray for the mission team members who'll be sharing on moral purity to the high school students: Rob, Marci, Corey, Blanca, and myself.
4. Other Opportunities - I also learned yesterday that a Church I preached in last year on Wednesday night has invited me to come back this year on Wednesday night. My teaching schedule for the conference allows for me to step into this opportunity; however, we're trying to see if a translator is available to go with me. Please pray that God would accomplish His will and encourage and challenge His people with His Word.
5. Conference - Well, the conference is scheduled to begin today (Tuesday, June 29th)! You'll remember from an earlier blog that I introduced the team members to you and also shared when they would be teaching. You can review that blog to see who's teaching today and at what time they're teaching so you can be praying for them. Pray that God would be glorified and that our dependence would rest completely on Him and Him alone.

Thanks again for all your prayer support. Also, please remember all the ways God working is working both at home and around the world. For example, I believe a VBS team from Woodland Park Baptist Church in Hammond, LA is beginning an outreach today - they're taking VBS to our community! Please pray for good weather, strength, resources, wisdom, etc. I'm definitely praying for them in Peru.

Isn't it great to know that God never drops a call and that His coverage map has no gaps? Praise the Lord for all the unsearchable ways He ways and works!

What a Day! Peru 2010

Wow! It’s after 10:15 PM, and I’m just getting to my computer to punch out this blog before I go to sleep. I hope I don’t fall asleep as I’m writing it. I’m exhausted. I really understand the words – the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak – in a new light tonight.

There’s no way I can recap everything that the Lord did today, but I’ll try to hit some of the highlights. He blessed our mission team with a VERY productive day for His Kingdom purposes as we prepare for the teaching conference to begin tomorrow afternoon. So, without any further delay, here we go…

The day began with one of our very dear friends, Missionary Rolando, sporting his new Saints shirt Wendy and I brought him from the United States! Hey, I’m proud of the Black and Gold and trying to do my part to spread a little "Who Dat" fever. I'm also VERY ready for some football - anybody else?




Then it seemed like we were off to the races. As you can see from a picture I took when we got to the Church this morning, the busy streets of Huancayo outside were an accurate reflection of our busy activities on the inside of the Church.

What sorts of things did we do? It’s more like – what sorts of things did we NOT do! We first had to sweep and mop pretty much three levels of the Church. The Holy Spirit demonstrated an absolutely awesome servant’s spirit in the life of every mission team member.

Here’s Marci and Rob helping with some sweeping and bag-moving. And take a look a Bro. Bobby putting his back into a broom which he transformed into a mop as we cleaned the floors.
Of course, once the books were unloaded, we had to sort and count them. This is Juancho surrounded by Bibles and discipleship materials!

Then there were tons of things to wipe down. Corey has a bucket of water, and he’s getting to work. Actually, I don’t think they wiped down a “ton” of things; I think they pretty much wiped down everything – chairs, pews, tables, the plastic wrappings over mattresses, etc. Wait a minute – did you say “plastic wrappings over mattresses?” Yes, indeed.
Some of the people who come to the conference from the villages in the mountains definitely cannot travel back and forth because it would take too much time and money. So they sleep in the Church. Here’s Blanca taking some mattresses to a holding room. By the way, on this point, please pray for those who’ll be sleeping at the Church. It can get cold at night. Remember: It’s winter in Peru these days.

Now we also had a lot of other things to do.
For instance, we had to set up things for the conference like children’s rooms. Here’s Debbie in one of the kids’ rooms. Also, we had to move pews down about four or five flights of stairs to set up seating for the women attending the conference. Take a look at Juancho handling one of these pews all by himself! Is there any doubt now why we call him “Juancho El Hombre”?

We also had to carry over 100 chairs and several tables up about four flights of stairs to set up the dining area. Well, here’s no surprise – it’s Juancho El Hombre man-handling some chairs all by himself again!






You know, after watching Juancho do all this hard work, it’s no wonder that I found him sneaking a siesta at one point in the day. But all this effort paid off! Just take a look at this awesome dining area the team put together for those coming to the conference.


Of course, there were other things we did that were a little less strenuous. For example, we put together craft items for the children. We also had to make some items. Here’s the host pastor’s wife and others cutting cardboard for a kids’ activity. Take a look at Corey and J.B., one of our translators, setting up the video for the women’s meeting area. I think they might be having way too much fun for this to be called "work" - what do you think?

I mean, if it looks like we had some fun throughout the day in addition to our work, you’re exactly right. Here’s Corey and Debbie going to get some water. I don’t know about you, but I think Debbie’s going to get a little more than Corey – what do you think? Also, take a look at J.B. with this soccer ball. Soccer’s really big in Peru; I guess it's just that the soccer balls are sometimes a little small!

You know, today we did a lot of things to serve the Church in Peru in a physical way. Tomorrow, we’ll begin serving them in another way – we’ll be teaching them more about God’s Word and His desires for their lives. I think this picture kind of sums this up well.


This is Cameron and David on the left. They are missionaries in Peru and work a lot in the villages. Then, if you look closely, you’ll see several broom handles – one of which is being held by the host pastor’s wife. Finally, by the pastor’s wife’s feet, you notice a couple of Bibles sitting on top of an envelope. This envelope contains copies of the sessions I’ll be teaching for the conference, my English Bible, and a Quechua Bible which Missionary Rolando gave me this morning as a gift.

The reason why I think this picture sums up mission work well is simple. We need to teach people God’s Word. Without the truth of the Scriptures, we have no message to share. But we also need people to go and make disciples of all nations. Thank God for faithful people like David and Cameron who labor tirelessly in Kingdom work in Peru and encourage and equip people like this pastor’s wife. And we need “brooms and dust-pans” in mission work. What do I mean? We need to serve the people, demonstrate God’s love to them, build a rapport with them as we reach out to them through service, and share the Gospel with them which is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes!

What a day! What an awesome day! Thank You, God, for the absolute privilege to work in Your fields today, and may You be glorified in all things!

Busy Bees - Peru 2010

Please pray for our mission team today (Monday, June 28th). We have an extremely busy day ahead of us as we prepare for the teaching conference to begin tomorrow.

After breakfast, we’ll gather in the hotel lobby at 8:00 AM for a team meeting and to break out into three groups. One group will finish shopping for additional craft supplies for the conference. Another group will work to purchase thousands of copies of the some of the conference materials. We purposefully wait to do this shopping and copying in Peru. The up-side is that we don’t have as much weight to pack and take with us from the U.S. The down-side is that we only have a day and a half to get these things done before the conference begins tomorrow at 2:30 PM.

The final group will be preparing the Church for the conference. This involves things like cleaning, sweeping, moving pews up and down flights of stairs, setting up tables and chairs, etc. Of course, all of this is done in the higher altitude of Huancayo which is a bit difficult, but the Lord is our strength! At some point later in the day, all the groups will come together at the Church to finish the final touches of preparation like putting together the conference binders and such.

So here’s how you can specifically pray for us today:

• Unity – Please pray for a spirit of unity and servanthood for each team member as we volunteer for groups and all work together to get the job done.
• Open Doors – Please pray that we’ll find the right supplies at the right prices and a place to make our copies at a good price with a quick turn-around.
• Strength – Please pray for God to give our bodies His energy as we labor in His Kingdom work (Colossians 1:28-29).

Of course, we realize that all of you at home are extremely busy as you also begin another week, and we want to lift you up to the Father as well. I know, for example, that some of the Believers at Woodland Park Baptist Church in Hammond, LA are beginning a VBS outreach in our community this week. So we’re praying for you, too!

May we all remember God's words of promise for whatever looms before us today and every day of our lives:


“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:28-31, NIV).

God is faithful and sufficient for all our needs today and every day (Lamentations 3:22-26; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-25).

Finished or Unfinished? Peru 2010

During our devotion time on Friday (June 25th), Dr. Tolbert shared an interesting and encouraging truth with our mission team. He told us to notice when we are in Huancayo how many of the buildings/houses have rods sticking out of the top of them. I took a couple of pictures so you can see what he’s talking about.

This picture is of a store right across the street from Iglesia Bautista de el Tambo (where I worshipped this morning, June 27th). Do you see all of the things sticking out of the top of the building? Those are rods.


This picture is of a couple of houses/buildings right next to Iglesia Bautista de el Tambo. You’ll have to look a little more closely, but I think you can still see some of the rods sticking out of the tops of these houses/buildings.


Now, you might obviously ask: Why do they do this? It’s really quite simple. I’m told that in Peru, as long as a structure is “under construction” or “unfinished,” the owners or occupants pay lower taxes on the property. So many Peruvians intentionally leave these long rods sticking out of the tops of their homes or businesses in order to take advantage of paying lower taxes. The structure is actually finished on the inside, but it looks unfinished on the outside.

Of course, all of this leads me to a question: Are Believers “finished” or “unfinished” pieces of work? The answer, ironically, is “Yes!” We’re “finished” in the sense that we’re complete in Christ (Colossians 2:9-10). We’re “new creations” on the “inside” as far as what God sees because we are the righteousness of God in Christ who took our sin and gave us a perfect standing before God in Himself (2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 8:1-4).

Yet, we’re “unfinished” in the sense that God is still working to complete the good work He began in us (Philippians 1:6). On the “outside,” we clearly have many ugly “rods of construction” sticking out of our lives in many places! Rods called "prejudice," "disobedience," "gossip," "gluttony," "impatience," "lust," "pride" - do I really need to contiue?

In fact, all Believers have an invisible “Under Construction” label attached to their lives. This is why Paul tells us in Philippians 2:12-13, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good pleasure” (NIV).

Now, please notice what Paul is NOT saying here and what he IS saying here. First, he’s NOT saying that Believers are to work for their salvation. This is impossible because we’re saved by grace through faith and not of works so that no one can boast before God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Second, he IS saying that Believers are to work out their salvation. In other words, we’re a complete package in our position in Christ (we’re finished) - this is the truth of justification, but throughout our lives, God is enabling us by His grace to unpack practically the riches of His great salvation (we’re being finished) - this is the process of sanctification. It’s like the materials list to build the house is complete at the very moment of salvation (we finished) - this is the truth of justification, but now God is putting us together on the outside (we’re being finished) - this is the process of sanctification. This is why when Paul calls us to work out our salvation, he also tells us that God is really the One who supplies all the power we need. In fact, Peter tells us in 2 Peter 1:3 that “[God’s] divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (NIV).

So, are Believers “finished” or “unfinished” works of God? Yes! We’re complete in Christ, but God is also finishing the good work He began! And by the way, isn’t it great to know that God finishes every project He starts? Praise His great name!

Focus on the Mission - Peru 2010

The mission team went to worship in two different Churches this morning (June 27th). Dr. Tolbert led half the team to the Church where he was preaching, and I led the other half of the team to Iglesia Bautista de el Tambo (The Baptist Church of the Tambo). The “Tambo” is the neighborhood or area of town where the Church is located. This is the same as Woodland Park Baptist Church which got its name because of the old Woodland Park area of Hammond where the Church was originally located, if my understanding is correct. Or, you might think of something like First Baptist Church of New Orleans which shows that the Church is named after the city in which it is located.


Well, when we arrived at the Church, this is what we saw on the outside (see left). It’s a tall Church with about four or five stories! But when we entered the auditorium for worship, this is what we saw in huge colored letters centered on the wall behind the stage (see below).

You probably don’t need to know very much Spanish to translate this message. It simply says, “Go and make disciples.”

Wow! What a reminder for us to stay focused on our mission. This is Jesus’ Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. But please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not suggesting that this is a reminder for our mission team to stay focused on our mission in Peru this week. No, indeed. I’m saying that this is a reminder to every Believer to stay focused on Christ’s mission every single day of their lives regardless of what our geographical location happens to be!

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. Life is a short-term mission trip. It’s “short-term” because our life is only a mist (James 4:14), and it’s all a “mission trip” because everything about our lives ought to be centered on advancing God’s Kingdom by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 20:24) through all of our works (Matthew 5:16) and words (1 Peter 3:15-16) to the glory of our heavenly Father (1 Corinthians 10:31). In fact, it's been well-noted the the verbal form Jesus uses to begin His Great Commission could or should be translated, "As you are going, make disciples."

So let’s stay focused on the mission today and every day whether we're at home or abroad (Philippians 1:21; Colossians 1:28-29)!

Journey through the Andes Mountains - Peru 2010

There’s no way I could ever capture all of the beauty of our trip through the Andes Mountains to the city of Huancayo, but I thought I would give you just a few of the “sights” along with some Scripture for your meditation and reflection. Enjoy…


Here is a quick picture from one of our stops through the mountains. You’ll notice a little river along the bottom, and what you’re seeing at the top of the picture is a Peruvian cemetery. They bury their loved ones above the ground in these little buildings here. Each “black hole” is a place where a body is put to rest.

Think about the people of Peru and how many of these whose remains were placed here may have never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” Romans 10:13-15, NIV


Here I am at the highest point in the Andes Mountains! Can you see the snow in the mountain peak behind me? It’s really cold, and the air is so thin that you can find it hard to keep your breath just walking from the van to this point where the picture was taken – it’s only about a 30 yard walk and a 10 foot hill I’m standing on!

But just think: The Lord God Almighty made all these mountains, and He reigns in sovereign power from His throne in heaven over all the earth which is His footstool! “This is what the Lord says: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?’ declares the Lord. ‘This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.’” Isaiah 66:1-2, NIV


There are so many sights like this one as we journeyed through the Andes. But I want you to take a close looks at this one. Do you see how calm the water is even though the skies look ominous? Do you see the little paths etched out on the ground in the forefront of the picture? But do these majestic mountains look threatened or intimidated at all? Certainly not!

I think we all feel as though this picture could represent our life’s journey at innumerable times, don’t we? But remember these promises: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his names sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:1-4, NIV


Do you know what I love about this picture? The light on the grass contrasts so sharply with the shadows casts by the clouds.

How many times this is true for the Believer! It’s seems that the deeper the shadow - the brighter the light. The deeper the valley - the higher the mountain peak. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you savor this familiar truth as though it’s the very first time you’ve ever heard it: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28, NIV


Only God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1), and all of creation sings His praise!

May we join with all of creation now and give the Lord Jesus the glory that only He rightly deserves! “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.” Psalm 19:1-6, NIV


"Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and the lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." Psalm 150, NIV

Praying for the Mission - Peru 2010

Hello Everyone! The Lord has brought us safely into the country of Peru, through the Andes Mountains, and to the city of Huancayo. Please pray for each member of our mission team as we ask the Lord to give us clarity (Colossians 4:2-6) and courage (Ephesians 6:18-20) to communicate the Gospel as we should.

Let me introduce you to the team you’re praying for…


Meet Corey! He’s a student at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, working on his masters in missiology. He’ll be sharing his testimony at the teaching conference on Tuesday night (June 29th) from 6:30-6:45 PM.


Here’s Blanca! She’s a student a New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, working on her masters in missiology. Blanca is handling “double-duty” this week because she’s both a translator and speaker for the women at the conference. She’s translating everyday for all sessions, and she’s teaching on “Rely on God’s Word” on Wednesday (June 30th) 3:00-4:00 PM.


This is Bro. Bobby! He’s a retired car dealer from Decatur, AL. Bro. Bobby’s grandson just returned from a mission trip to Pennsylvania the day after Bro. Bobby left for his own mission trip to Peru! Bro. Bobby is a Gideon who’ll be handing out Spanish/English New Testaments, and he’ll be sharing his testimony in the teaching conference on Wednesday (June 30th) 6:30-6:45 PM.


This is Marci and Rob! Marci graduated from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is currently a school teacher. Rob is working on his masters in missiology. Marci is teaching three sessions for the women on “Truth and Faith” on Tuesday (June 29th) 5:30-6:30 PM, on “Teaching Children to Pray” on Wednesday (June 30th) 7:45-8:45 PM, and on “Look to Jesus” on Thursday (July 1st) 3:00-4:00 PM. Rob is teaching for the men of the conference on “Truth and Faith” on Tuesday (June 29th) 6:45-7:45 PM.


Meet Debbie! She is a student at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, working on her masters in Christian education. She’s absolutely gifted by the Holy Spirit to lead in effective children’s ministry. In fact, Debbie is the master-mind for all the children’s ministry aspects of the conference, and she’ll also be teaching for the women three times on “Children Under Attack” on Tuesday (June 29th) 3:00-4:00 PM, on “Hiding God’s Word in My Heart” on Wednesday (June 30th) 4:00-5:00 PM, and on “Witnessing Training” on Thursday (July 1st) 4:00-5:00 PM.


Many of you know this guy as John. But in Peru, he is known as “Juancho El Hombre!” John is a city planner and consultant, and this is his second trip to Peru. He’ll be teaching on “Pray in Faith” on Wednesday (June 30th) 6:45-7:45 PM.


Meet Suzie (left) and Tatiana (right)! Suzie and Tatiana are both from Peru and are an extraordinary help to our mission team. They live in Lima. Tatiana recently finished Seminary in Lima and helps us with translating, and Suzie is currently studying in the Seminary in Lima.


Here’s Dr. Tolbert and Joy! Dr. Tolbert is the Director of the DMin Program at New Orleans Seminary, and he is the leader of our mission team. Mrs. Joy is the unparalleled organizer and encourager of our mission team! Dr. Tolbert will be speaking at least six times which includes four sessions for the conference. He’ll be preaching in a local Peruvian Church on Sunday (June 27th), and Dr. Tolbert will be speaking on “Pastors and Their Children” on Tuesday (June 29th) morning to a fraternity of Peruvian pastors. He’ll be speaking for the conference on “Overcoming the Enemy” on Tuesday (June 29th) 3:00-4:00 PM, on “Witnessing Training” on Wednesday (June 30th) 7:45-9:00 PM, on “Preparing Biblical Sermons” on Thursday (July 1st) 7:45-9:00 PM, and on “Stand Victorious” on Friday (July 2nd) 7:30-9:00 PM. Mrs. Joy takes the primary lead for the ladies of the conference, and she’ll be teaching three times on “Overcoming the Enemy” on Tuesday (June 29th) 3:00-4:00 PM, on “Pray in Faith” on Wednesday (June 30th) 5:30-6:30 PM, and on “Teaching Children Missions” on Thursday (July 1st) 5:30-6:30 PM.


Meet Pete! Don’t I look hilarious trying to take my own picture? I'm scheduled to teach three times for the men at the conference on “Spiritual Formation” (or a synopsis of my new book scheduled to release in September 2010 entitled Reaching the Next Level: Partnering with Others for Spiritual Growth; it's neat to see how God is already opening international doors to use this resource in making disciples of all nations - this is the whole goal!) on Tuesday (June 29th) 7:45-9:00 PM, on “Rely on God’s Word” on Wednesday (June 30th) 3:00-4:30 PM, and on “Look to Jesus” on Thursday (July 1st) 7:45-9:00 PM.

Well, this is the mission team God has sent. We're all humbled and honored to be a part of God's plan to advance His Kingdom throughout the earth, and I know I speak on behalf of everyone on the team that we really appreciate your intercession. May God's will be done by His power and for His glory (1 Colossians 1:28-29)!

Study to Show Yourself Approved

The Lord has opened another amazing opportunity to continue equipping others for more effective usefulness in His Kingdom purposes.

I'm planning to teach one of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary extension center courses in Hammond. The course is open to all interested adults, and undergraduate Seminary credit is available. It will be on Tuesday evenings from 6 PM to 8 PM at the Northshore Missions Office in Hammond/Pumpkin Center, LA. The course is scheduled to begin on August 10th and finish on October 5th. We will not meet on the Tuesday evening following Labor Day weekend. There is a $100.00 cost for the course and an additional $25.00 registration fee.

The course is a New Testament survey class focusing on the main contours of the Book of Acts and the Epistles of John and major highlights in Early Church history leading to the conversion of Constantine. Anyone interested in registering for the course can simply attend the first class on August 10th at 6 PM. Please be aware only two absences are allowed becasue of the compressed nature of the course.


The textbook for the class can be purchased online at Amazon.com. Here is the book information:

Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough, Encountering the New Testement: A Historical and Theological Survey, 2nd edition (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005). Of course, the Bible is your other textbook - it's the main one!

The format of the course will be straightfoward. We'll have lecture/discussion time for each session, and students will be graded on a mid-term and a final exam. The exams will be objective and developed from a study guide.

Please let me know if you have any questions and are interested in attending. Blessings...

First Book to Release in September!

Praise the Lord! Some of you may remember a post from May 14, 2010 entitled Perseverance Pays Off! where I talked about completing the editing process for my first book proposal. Well, the Lord has opened an incredible door in an extraordinary amount of time. I've been offered a contract to publish the book, I signed the contract about two weeks ago, and it's scheduled to release sometime in September (2010).

The title of the book is Reaching the Next Level: Partnering with Others for Spiritual Growth, and it will be published in two volumes: A Student Guide and a Leader Guide. Among other options, they will be available online through Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I'll plan to have links on my blog on how you can get the book, and I'll also plan to post an image of the book's cover design when it's approved probably sometime in late July or so. I'm also thinking of putting together a Facebook page just for the book so people can share stories/testimonies, ask questions, etc.

Please pray for a couple of items. First, the publisher and I are now in the editing phase. Of course, I do this in all my "free time" in the midst of my extremely busy summer schedule. But the Lord is my strength and fortress (see Psalm 46)! Second, pray that the Lord will use this resource in any way He desires for His glory. This book is all about continuing to do whatever we can to make disciples of all nations. I want to personally invest in others myself and help equip other Believers who have a heart to obey Jesus' command to make disciples of all nations.

Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel, and may God bless you as you continue to love Him and love others!

God's Presence

Exodus 33:7-23 is an interesting stretch of verses to me. They’re simultaneously encouraging and challenging. They give voice to a deep desire in my heart to experience God’s presence in more and more powerful ways everyday.

God’s presence – It’s a recurring promise in the Scripture. For example, God was with Abraham (see Genesis 21:22); God was with Isaac (see Genesis 26:3, 24, 28); God was with Jacob (see Genesis 28:15; 31:3, 42; 46:4); God was with Joseph (see Genesis 48:21); and God was with Moses (see Exodus 3:12; 33:14). Do you see a pattern?

Of course, God was also with Joshua who led Israel into the Promised Land after Moses died (see Joshua 1:1-5). But the promise of God’s presence wasn’t only for the great heroes of the past. It’s for us, too! In fact, Jesus’ name “Immanuel” means, “God with us” (see Matthew 1:23, NIV). And before Jesus is crucified, He gives His disciples a promise that applies to us as well when He says, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (see John 14:16-17, NIV). Also, before Jesus ascends to the Father, He says in Matthew 28:20b, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (NIV). Lastly, as the final two chapters of the Bible begin, we see the new heaven and the new earth and the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, come from God, and we hear “a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God’” (Revelation 21:3, NIV).

We might be tempted to ask: Why is the promise of God’s presence so important to be reiterated over and over in Scripture? Simply put: There’s no greater promise than His presence. God couldn’t promise more than Himself because He’s the great I AM, remember? He’s all in all. When you have Him, you have everything you could ever possibly need.

This is why I think Moses responded the way he did in Exodus 3:15, “If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here” (NIV).

I don’t know about you, but I’ve launched out many times without the “presence” of God. And I regretted those decisions and ventures every time without exception. These independent excursions betray my sinful self-confidence, and the arm of my flesh has failed me every time. In fact, every time I lean on my flesh I find it be a rotten reed which snaps and impales me! But when I cast myself completely and joyfully on God’s all-sufficiency, I’ve never been disappointed.

I long for what Moses describes here. I long for God’s presence. Let me just summarize three things I see in Exodus 33:7-23 I yearn for in my life that I might experience with greater intensity and consistency.

• Exodus 33:11a, “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend” (NIV). I don’t know what else to say except – Wow! Talk about spiritual depth and intimacy with God. This is what I long for.
• Exodus 33:16, “How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth” (NIV)? What does “distinguish” our lives? Is it our personality? Our possessions? Our educational profiles? Our pet projects? Etc. I want God to demonstrate His presence in my life in such a powerful and distinct way that it’s unmistakable. Honestly, do we want people to be impressed with us or with the God who is with us?
• Exodus 33:18b, “Show me your glory” (NIV). I want God to give me the holy courage to ask to see His glory, knowing that the depth of this encounter will always involve a deeper death I must die. It’s interesting to me that when I live for myself, I do just that – live. But if I want to encounter God, it always requires me to die to myself. In fact, Jesus says in Matthew 16:24-25, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for me will find it” (NIV).

So, getting back to the title of this blog – God’s Presence – this isn’t a sensational request but a sober one. It costs my life. The reality is that one day I will see His face. In the last chapter of the Bible, Revelation 22:4a simply says, “They will see his face” (NIV). But of course, you understand, I will have shed this “earthy tent” by this time.

Let me close with this thought. I like to think of God’s presence like the ocean. It’s beautiful but incredibly powerful. It’s something everyone wants to see but everyone must respect. The human eye can scan it but never take in all of it. You can go into it, but you cannot remain in it indefinitely without dying. For instance, if you take a lion, the king of the jungle, and drop it in the middle of the ocean, it’ll die. Why? Because it doesn’t have a body conducive to a watery environment. It wasn’t made to live in the ocean. Likewise, if you take a huge, massive whale and drop it in the middle of the jungle, it’ll die. Why? Same reason – It’s doesn’t have a body conducive to the environment of the jungle.

Where am I going with this? Simple – If my eyes caught a glimpse of God’s glory in all of its fullness now and if my lungs took in a full breath of the unmitigated holiness of God, I would die. This is why I need a new body when I go to heaven (see 1 Corinthians 15), and this is why I will one day inherit a body like His glorious body. Paul says in Philippians 3:20-21, “Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (NIV).

What a glorious thought that isn’t just a “thought” but a quickly approaching reality! Sure, God’s presence is everywhere; this is why we believe God is omnipresent (see my other blog entitled No Such Thing as “Secret Sin”). So when I mention "God's presence" in this blog, I'm not talking about His presence in general. The Scripture says there's no place we can go from His presence in general (see Psalm 139). Rather, I’m talking about encountering a deep level of spiritual intimacy with God’s presence that beckons me to a more intense surrender to His Lordship than I’ve ever known. Let’s long for God’s presence so He might receive all the glory and honor that He's worthy of from our lives now!