Thursday night we had the opportunity to be a part of “English Talk” with the college ministry. This is a time for the locals here to practice their English. It has proved a great way to make first contact with people and build relationships to share the gospel. They have many discussion starters and games that get people really mingling and sharing with each other. Sasha (on staff with Centro Crecer) instructed us to just let the conversation flow and if an opportunity arose naturally to not be afraid to let them know why we are here in Argentina and talk about Centro Crecer and the gospel.

I was a bit nervous heading up to english talk because I didn’t know what to expect and was worried that if I did have an opportunity to share the gospel that I would not be able to do it in a concise, clear and natural way. It was so amazing to finally get to really speak with people. I couldn’t get enough! I felt like I connected with people on a whole new level! It proved to me once again what Chad and I have found by moving within the states, and that is: there are good people everywhere. It also made me a bit sad knowing that we would be leaving these people in a couple of days right when we were really getting to know each other. Their lives interested me, their stories made me laugh and their openness wared my heart. What was really neat for me to see was how Riley (my daughter) interacted with the students during our time. She was really enjoying herself and talking up a storm. I noticed there was one girl who was really sticking with riley and I got to meet her later… I’ll let riley say a few things about her:

I met a girl named Augustina. She is 19 and shared a lot of funny stories with me. It was fun when we played two truths and a lie game. She also really liked some stories about my brothers and sister. She has younger sisters that she misses while she is at college. Augustina was telling me all the yummy foods I should eat here like ice cream and submarino (which is hot chocalate made with hot milk and 2 bars of chocolate melted in it). She said she would come convince my mom to let me have ice cream and she did!

I got a chance through Riley to also talk quite a bit with Augustina and learned that she hadn’t found a church she was comfortable with here but wanted to. I was able to tell her why our group was visiting Cordoba and about Centro Crecer. I invited her to come to check out the church and introduced her to Maria Silvia (Sasha’s wife). I was struck by the connection she had with Riley and how that led to her being open to talk with me. It reminded me of Jesus and the little children. Jesus became angry when the disciples tried to shoo the kids away and Jesus told them that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these and we will not enter it unless we receive it like children. People are drawn to the frankness, openness and innocence of children; I think Jesus was too. riley could have become too shy or afraid to open up to these strangers but she dove right in and won the heart of not only Augustina but a few others through the night, it was only from the groundwork Riley laid that I was able to talk with augustina about the church.

Before I knew it, it was midnight and time to walk home. And by the way Riley did get some ice cream…

We spent the next two days handing out shoes to kids at multiple schools and helping Fabian work on their soon to be home.  Although they are not living there permanently yet, the evidence of their ministry is obvious.  Everyone we spoke to knew who they were and why they were there, whether it was people living in the town or an hour away.  Jason gave a message on Tuesday night, and even though there was no announcement made, around fifteen people showed up, which considering the entire community only has 100 people is huge.  Even when a group of us got lost on a road that was even more remote than the town and had to stop at the only hut we saw to ask for directions, they knew of the church which will soon be coming to their community.

Here is Kim’s point of view on the trip.

It may seem cliched to say this trip has been humbling and encouraging, but that’s exactly what it’s been. One of the cool things about being here is the stories we’ve heard about how God is at work in and around Cordoba. I’ve had some incredible conversations with a few people. They have shared what God specifically put on their heart and what he’s doing now in those situations.  One of those stories is that of Fabian and Marcela.  

Around seven years ago Marcela went to visit her family in La Rinconada after her cousin committed suicide. While there she became burdened for the people in La Rinconada.  Suicide, alcoholism, serious promiscuity that leads to pre-teen and teen pregnancy is a common problem. Through visiting with her nieces and nephews she learned they had never heard of Jesus or anything related to the gospel. She came back to Cordoba burdened and determined to do something to help. To make a long story a little bit shorter, someone in her family left her land and she and her husband, Fabian, are working on getting a church started there.

The couple weeks leading up to this trip I had spent a lot of time reflecting on how I’m actively serving God in my daily life. After experiencing Fabian and Marcela’s eagerness to sacrifice and serve in La Rinconada, I have continued to put my own willingness to serve into perspective. What am I doing to share the gospel with people back home? What am I willing to sacrifice?  Unfortunately right now the answer to both those questions is not much. I often have “excuses” that guard me from sharing Jesus with others. Such as being too busy or hiding behind the fact I have a hard time opening up. This trip is breaking down the walls I’ve put up. I can’t wait to get back and dive back into my daily life, but with this renewed perspective.

We were able to serve the people of La Rinconada in a number of ways.  Jason was able to give a message, explaining the importance  of Christ’s, death and the grace and love God offers.  Some of us watched the kids during Jason’s message and were able to talk to them about God’s love.  We were also able to give to them freely, specifically shoes, without expecting anything in return.  Sam told us over dinner Monday night that many of the people in these rural areas have been taken advantage of by those more affluent and are untrusting of “outsiders.”  To be able to serve them freely and lovingly and help show the love of Christ that Fabian has been preaching was an honor and a blessing.  

We all have stories of La Rinconada and the people who live there, so please don’t hesitate to ask us when you see us.

Please continue to pray for the town of La Rinconada.  Pray for Fabian and Marcela, that God would continue to provide for and protect them as they move to the area.  The one big thing that is keeping them from moving permanently is that the house isn’t finished.  Also, one of them needs to find a job in an area that doesn’t really have jobs.  There is a new school opening to the north, and Marcela has applied for the teaching position.  Pray that God would grant her this job.  And, most importantly, pray that God would change the lives of those in La Rinconada, that the Gospel would take route and grow through out the whole community.

One quick story from the afternoon… One of the things we are doing is taking nearly 80 pairs of new shoes to children in the schools around La Rinconada. We sent a group from our team to make those purchases and the Lord gave us great favor with the shoe store owners. Not only were they extremely helpful but it cost $300 less than we anticipated and they even helped shuttle the team back to Centro Crecer in their car. God has been very good, 80 kids will have new shoes now and your generous financial support made that possible!

As we spent the evening with the Masters in their home we were able to hear the story of how the ministry in La Rinconada began. It was truly an act of God burdening the hearts of one family to reach those who have often been overlooked. And tomorrow we get to trek 6 hours by car to encourage the believers and share the Gospel with those who do not yet know Christ.

We wanted to take the opportunity to let some of the team share what God is doing in their lives during our trip. So tonight here is Mario…

The culture is so different here, obviously. But the greatest thing I notice is the people’s willingness to accept us and even go out of their way to help us. The best story I can think of was Saturday night when we attended a bible study with some college kids. We broke up into small groups and had a discussion about the topic of that night, discipleship. In our group none of our “typical” translators were present. So, even though it probably was a little uncomfortable for him, my new friend Leo, was willing to translate for us the questions and answers that were being shared. Without him I would have been sitting there, silent and clueless. But since he was willing to step out of his comfort zone to help us, I was able to see how greatly the Spirit of God is moving in all the kids we were with. It was amazing to see their understanding and knowledge of God’s Word! I tell you, God will do great things in them!

I mentioned this story to bring up probably the greatest thing God is teaching me. He wants me to step out of my dreaded “comfort zone” to help others and serve Him. God wants and can do some great things if I would just get out of the way and let him work through me. He can move in me the way He is in the students down here. Helping others can go a long way in affecting another person’s life, if I am willing to get away from what’s comfortable. That is what I want to bring back to the good city of Independence: a greater willingness to step out for Him and help others, not just when it’s easy, but even more so when it’s tough…

Well, that and I’d like to bring back some of this incredibly delicious food! You have NO IDEA what are you are missing! Hope God is blessing all of you back home the same way He is blessing us here.

Tomorrow our team will have just the opportunity to step out of our comfort zones to lovingly & boldly share the Gospel. Pray for us as we travel, but more than that pray that we will make much of Jesus and will trust him to step out of our comfort zones.

We will most likely have no contact with the outside world while we’re in La Rinconada. So we will try to update you on Wednesday evening when we return to Cordoba.

We made it to Argentina last night after more than 24 hours of traveling.  Once we (finally) made it through customs, Sam and Carita met us along with Sasha (the youth/college minister) and Scott (and independent missionary working with Sasha).  We went straight to the church and got settled in.

While some of the team began to set up, others went to get dinner from “the chicken guy.”  Think of the best grilled chicken you’ve had, and then make it better.  Needless to say, we chowed down.

Before dinner Sasha gave us an orientation talk and a run down of what will be happening this week.  We will be spending a good deal of time getting to know the people and youth of Centro Crecer as we continue to find ways for our churches to partner together.  

This morning, we began the day with a joint devotional (our team and the musical leadership of the youth).  It was very cool to the see the youth of Centro Crecer devoted to worshiping God, not only through music, but with their lives.  We shared verses about worship that guided the way we do so, and then spent some time praying with each other, both in Spanish and English.

The rest of the morning and part of the afternoon, Jason, Sarah and I spoke with the leadership of the church on how we plan services, worship and small groups.  They had many questions, from media to volunteers to social networking, and more.

Tonight we celebrated Andy’s, aka Tony’s (ask him later), birthday!  He turned 21 today, and we got him a mate (pronounced ma-te, a traditional Argentine tea) set, which we promptly convinced him to use.  In a few minutes, we will be joining the jovenes (college age group) for a bible study and dinner (at midnight!).  Dinner is a traditional Argentine dish called milanesa, which is worth waiting until midnight for.

We are excited to see how God is going to grow us this week, and use the trip to teach others about the Gospel.  He already began to do to before we left, with Sarah and her hair stylist.  Here is her story.

“After I scheduled a very last minute trim for Thursday morning, my favorite hair girl asked me what I was doing this weekend. It’s not very often that I get to say “Going to Argentina!” As we chatted about the purpose of the trip, I was finally able to talk about what God means for my life and how that influences my involvement at LifeConnection. This conversation naturally led me to asking “So, what’s your experience with church and stuff?”. I’ve been praying for three years that I would have a natural opportunity to talk to her about God. For the rest of my time in her chair (minus when she used the blow dryer) we talked about where she and her husband find themselves in relation to God. I invited her to come check out LifeConnection and now I pray that she will connect to Jesus. How cool is it that God began using our time in Argentina before we even boarded the plane!?!“

We will miss worshiping with our LifeCo family in the morning, but are looking forward to worshiping with the members of Centro Crecer tomorrow night!

Paul

If you miss a week you can tune in online as we walk through Mark (or any other series from the past).

So if you want to check things out or you just want to catch up on a week because you were serving with KidsCo head on over to the resources page and browse around – HERE.

Also, don’t forget about the Mark Reading Guide to study along as we walk through Mark together as a church.

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” James 5:13-16

Please remember the following in prayer this week as LifeConnection prays for the world, the city of Independence, and those in the church.

1. Argentina Trip: Please remember the team going to Argentina at the end of July. Continue to pray that God would provide the remainder of the finances needed to make this trip happen. Pray that God would prepare the hearts of our team for ministry. Pray also for those people in Argentina that will hear the gospel, that they’d come to faith in Christ.
2. Independence: Please pray for God to continue to work in the hearts of men, women, and children in the city. Ask him to draw people to Himself that they may see Jesus for who he truly is. Pray for LifeConnection to share & embody the gospel in our city.
3. Chris Seay: “Please pray for my upcoming wedding, finances, wisdom, and growth through it all.”
4. Mike Corkill: “Please pray that I do better in school and for growth in my relationship with Christ.”

The Gospel of Mark

Over the next nine months at LifeConnection we will be walking through the Gospel of Mark together. Jesus is the center of the Gospel & the center of our faith, so our time in Mark will prove tremendously valuable to our discipleship under him.

From now until February our plan is teach through Mark’s Gospel. We want to take our time as we work through Mark, fixing our gaze on Jesus and allowing him to transform us from the inside-out. Below you will find a reading guide to help you prepare throughout the week for each Sunday sermon.

Pray that God will use the preaching and hearing of his word to show us Jesus for who he really is and transform us as his people.

How to Use This Reading Plan

This reading plan includes activities four days each week. As we read & study through the text each week it is our prayerful expectation that this will help prepare our hearts for the teaching of God’s word each Sunday. This will help contribute to our understanding and application of God’s word.

The focus of all the Scriptures is Jesus. So each week we will focus our attention on Mark’s unique portrayal of Jesus’ identity & activity.

What you’ll need. A Bible (we’d recommend a copy of the English Standard Version). We’d recommend you utilize a journal to write down your thoughts and prayer. Not only will this help you internalize God’s word more readily it will also be a great record of God’s work in your life, showing how he’s grown you to look more and more like Jesus.

As you work through each week in the chart below here are questions for you to consider each day to help guide you during your reading & study. Remember, the goal of Bible reading is transformation as God brings our lives in line with the Gospel. So get practical as you read and journal – How is God challenging your thoughts, attitude, and behavior?

• Day 1: What stands out? What do you notice? What questions do you have?
• Day 2: What is the big idea of the passage? Write this out in a few sentences.
• Day 3: What does the passage say about the Identity & Activity of Jesus? What’s the significance of this for your life?
• Day 4: Write down what you’ve learned about Jesus. What implications does this passage have for you as a disciple? What does it say about how you should live as a disciple?

The reality is this: as a young church we have people coming and going quite a bit. And it seems wise for us to help those who are leaving understand how to discover a church in which to plant their lives. Let’s move beyond the idol of Consumerism to think biblically about this question. And this is why this short list from 9Marks is helpful.

From – Q&A: What should I look for in a church? (9Marks)

1. Expositional preaching. Does the pastor preach God’s Word, or his own ideas? Does he allow Scripture to set his preaching agenda, or does he pick topics by some other criteria?
2. Biblical theology. Does the church openly confess key biblical doctrines? Do the leaders consistently teach sound doctrine?
3. A biblical understanding of the gospel. Does the church clearly proclaim the good news about what Jesus Christ accomplished for sinners in his death and resurrection? Consistently?
4. A biblical understanding of conversion. Does the church teach that people must be born again in order to enter the kingdom of God (John 3:1-8)? Does the church teach that in order to become a Christian, a person must repent of sin and trust in Christ, both of which are ultimately gifts of God?
5. A biblical understanding of evangelism. Does the church preach the gospel to non-Christians and encourage its members to do the same? Does it understand that it’s our responsibility to preach the message of salvation yet God is the only one who can do the saving?
6. Biblical church membership. Does the church take membership seriously by seeking to ensure that its members faithfully attend? Does it encourage members to fulfill the biblical “one-anothers” with each other?
7. Biblical church discipline. Does the church lovingly, patiently practice church discipline?
8. Biblical discipleship and growth. Does the church expect and equip its members to grow spiritually? Does the church encourage its members to disciple one another? Growing as a Christian should be normal, not exceptional.
9. Biblical church leadership. Is the church led by godly, qualified men? Does the church look to Scripture to determine its leadership structure?

So whether you are committed to LifeConnection, checking things out, or you’re on your way out, these are things you should look for in a church. When you see these present the real question is, “how can you contribute and invest your life in these people in this place?”

Here is a very helpful short 3-part series of posts from Sovereign Grace Ministries & CJ Mahaney on how to make the most of your vacation this summer. The Gospel has implications even for how we vacation. I think you’ll find this short series of posts extremely helpful, especially if you have children.

Here’s the outline within the 3 posts:

1. A Servant Heart
2. A Tone-Setting Attitude
3. An Awareness of Indwelling Sin
4. Studying Your Family
5. Skillful Surprises
6. Intentionally Together
7. Gratefulness to God

You would serve your family well by prayerfully taking time to read and consider these short posts.

Leadership & Family Vacations

It’s so big, we are having it at two different houses in the Noland Estates in Independence, MO. Just follow the signs once in the neighborhood.

Map: http://tinyurl.com/27upntx

All proceeds go to sending a team from LifeConnection Church to Argentina on a mission trip.

July 16, 7-3
July 17, 7-2
July 18, 7-2
July 19, 7-3