4 Months! In a couple weeks I will complete my fourth month here in Monterrey. It’s hard to believe that I have been here for almost a third of a year! Time is flying by! I feel like I have accomplished a lot, but there is so much more to do. I have already learned a lot, but I know there is much more to learn. Our church (God via our church) has made a big difference in the city of Monterrey, but its just a drop in the bucket. I feel like I have seen a lot, but there is so much more I want to see. I think you get the idea.
I was writing to a friend the other day, and it struck how much my mentality has changed in the past four months. When I first got here, I was all about going out and approaching all these strangers in the mall or in the park; to share the gospel with them. Many of them prayed with me right there, but thereafter were nowhere to be found. I get the feeling that people are just being nice, not wanting to offend this poor foreigner. I’m afraid that many of them haven’t truly accepted God. And that I cannot accept. So unconsciously, I switched things up a little. As hard as it is for me to hold back; I don’t share the gospel the first time I meet someone. I just try to get to know them. I just love on them. Most of them have grown up in a churchy/religious tradition type family. They believe in God; buts that about as far as it goes. He is not one of their priorities. This is something I feel this culture has very much in common with the USA. It’s a good thing we serve an all-powerful God! He can easily overcome any personal barriers. He never changes, and therefore is as important and relevant as He was 3,000 years ago.
please pray for me in this area. It is very hard for me to hold back from telling people why I am really here. The answer I started with was “I’m a missionary, let me tell you about Jesus…” and now its more like, “I volunteer with a couple different organizations and churches. God told me to come here, so I’m just hanging out, making the best of my time here; trying to meet new people and stuff”. It’s a struggle for me to deal with the reality that if I get percieved as coming on too strong, or too “Christiany” people will immediately set up barriers and close doors. I am doing my best to find the balance between standing firm in my faith, and without compromising; not coming across too strong. The last thing I want to do, is see a bunch people shoot up like “weeds” only to die out just as quickly because they lack roots. A friend also told me a comforting refrence from the Bible, [2 corinthians 2:16] that to some people we are the frangrance of life, and to others we are the stench of death.
What do you think?

How are people responding to the message that you are communicating?
I have experienced a variety of responses, and the majority has been very positive. Most people are very open and interested in our work. However, there are some people who are tied very strongly to the Catholic Church and are therefore skeptical, and closed off, to anything contrary to it. Traditions are very important and meaningful in this culture (and in most) and we must respect, but not necessarily condone them. Most people are very friendly, willing to listen, and willing to help. I am not a big fan of numbers (because I do not believe they indicate success) but this should help you better understand our situation: we started church services about 4 months ago, and last week we had approximately 75 locals attending our Sunday services. We have also seen a lot of positive growth throughout the various small groups, and several people being baptized.

How could people that live in the US help you in the ministry that you are doing?
There are generally 4 ways (but if you think of another I’ll listen) people can join our team. First, and most important, is through prayer. Second, is through volunteering of your time. That might mean coming down to visit, instead of a vacation. We occasionally have small teams that come down for short mission trips. We always welcome more visitors, and always have plenty of ways for you to help serve. Another way is through generous donations of your financial resources. Monterrey is a very expensive city, and as much as I wish it wasn’t, money is necessary to survive. And the fourth way to help is through spreading the word. Sharing this concern at a prayer meeting, with friends, at other churches, and anyone who is interested in hearing about the expansions of Gods kingdom!

How many people have you seen coming to the Lord since you got there?
This is a great question, and arguably the most important. It’s also difficult to answer. I can’t see what is truly in a person’s heart. It’s an answer that only God knows. While evangelizing to strangers in the mall, parks, and on some college campuses; I have seen numerous people pray with me to accept Christ. However, the majority of them are not keeping in contact with us. There are also a large number of people who “used to go to church.” A lot of people would go to church as a tradition, when they were younger, but then left for a while. So it’s hard to know if they were already saved when they were younger. But we know they are now. We have also had many people who have without a doubt, changed their entire life to follow Jesus. I don’t know for sure, but I would say at least 20 in the past 4 months. Also, we have baptized three people.

What are you doing to keep yourself focused on the task that God has placed in your heart?
Prayer. Lots and lots of Prayer. I take a day to fast and pray at least once a month. I am under close supervision and accountability by my pastors and friends (both here and back home). But for me, this is a passion that God has put on my heart; that I would not be able to ignore even if I tried. One thing that I have noticed is that it is difficult to say no to other good things. There are many other opportunities that I see, or have been invited to; but if I said yes to everything I would burn myself out, and wouldn’t be able to give 100% to the specific vision God has put before me. In order to do this, I follow the advice of proverbs 15:22 and seek wise counsel.

How can we pray for you and your ministry?
Wisdom, patience, passion, humbleness, boldness, and faith. Also, financial stability and we will need to find a larger room soon (if we continue growing at our current pace) to rent for our weekend services.