Fall 2011 Report

We’re thankful for your prayers and concern for what God is doing in Uruguay. And we’re thankful for your interest in our family and for the ways that you continue to encourage us as we prepare for work there. We’re currently in Greenville, South Carolina, and are enjoying being in one location for a sustained time! During September John Mark spent three focused weeks in Alaska, where he made or renewed contact with about a dozen churches or pastors. Then in October and November for nearly six weeks we did the same as a family, this time seeing churches, friends, and extended family along a route between South Carolina and Edmonton, Alberta.

At the end of a year it is often profitable to look back gratefully at what God has done to carry us to this point. Perhaps doing so now will serve as a helpful reminder and will fill in details for those we’ve only recently met.

Three years ago, at the end of December of 2008, we were accepted as missionaries with EMU International. For over a year we continued to work jobs in Greenville, though we were able to make progress by preparing information for presentation, scheduling future meetings, and presenting our anticipated ministry in several churches during this time. John Mark taught a semester-long church music course in a local Hispanic church’s Bible-college ministry (spring of 2009), and we also spent a month in Uruguay, where he taught similar material at a family camp and an EMU workers’ conference (February of 2010).

In May of 2010 we left our jobs and began full-time preparation for a permanent move to Uruguay. During that first year the Lord abundantly supplied our needs, and our level of financial support rose from 9% to 42% of EMU’s goal for us. The Lord also gave us our second child, Daniel James Matías. Then from late May to late August of 2011 we helped oversee the ministry of Maranatha Bible Church, a church being planted by Déborah’s father in Uruguay. After returning from Uruguay we began what is essentially our second year of full-time travel.

The job of a missionary teacher or evangelist is, of course, to make disciples and to equip Christians by preaching the gospel and teaching the Bible. Ideally this happens largely in the context of relationships. It is our desire to serve in this way now among North American churches—in preparation for doing the same in Uruguay. We have the added privilege of telling about God’s works in Uruguay and of requesting prayer. These activities then serve a secondary purpose—that of giving God’s people opportunity to evaluate their sense of God’s calling and of our qualifications. The result is their acknowledgement of God’s leading and in various ways helping to send us. We are presently maintaining contact and fellowship with 40 to 50 churches, while seven churches and six individuals have partnered with us in regular financial support, prayer, and accountability.

We plan to continue this deputation process until the Lord opens the door for our move, knowing that if we are not yet in Uruguay it is because He has something genuinely better for us and for the churches there . . . at least for now. However, please ask Him to put us in Uruguay permanently this next year! Plans for the next several months include participating in a wedding in Uruguay. (We plan to post details and updates on our trip here.) In January John Mark will be preaching in a conference in Ohio and taking two weeks of classes at BJU. Déborah expects to teach a college course in Spanish grammar. Pray for us as we continue to schedule meetings, visit churches, and organize our belongings with a forward look toward our transition to Uruguay. Thank you!

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Why North America?

Last week I had the opportunity to meet with a group of students interested in God’s work among the nations. Before the meeting someone asked me, “Why Uruguay?” This is a question that we regularly try to answer, and that I’ll try to review here in the near future.

But we’re not in Uruguay yet. It’s been helpful to me to work through a philosophy of why we’re doing what we’re doing right now, before making a permanent move to Uruguay. The full answer takes much more space, but here’s an attempt to summarize in a hundred words:

As a missionary teacher, my work is preaching the gospel and teaching the Bible, with the goal of strengthening Christians and churches. We are currently trying to serve in this way among a group of North American churches and Christian friends in preparation for doing the same in Uruguay. We have the added opportunity of recounting God’s works in Uruguay and requesting prayer. These activities then serve a secondary purpose of giving people opportunity to evaluate their sense of God’s calling and of our qualifications, resulting in their sending us (in various ways) and thus confirming God’s calling and leading.

(“And who is sufficient for these things?”)

Post by Deborah: "Beginning Year Two"

Mid-May of last year was a time of great emotion, reminiscent of high school or college commencement; we stood at a defining moment made up of an end as well as a beginning. We were leaving the predictability of life as we had known it in the Upstate to begin full-time travel, preparing for full-time ministry in Uruguay. Originally, our goal was to be in Uruguay in April 2011. We continue to trust God for His perfect timing...

In mid-May of this year, we were preparing to fly to Uruguay as short-term “furlough replacements” for my dad and stepmom. We returned from Uruguay in late August and began Year Two of full-time travel in September. We are currently at 43% of our targeted support level and prayerfully plan to be in Uruguay in mid-2012.

Year One was undoubtedly filled with “stretching” and learning opportunities. Our experiences have been – for the most part! – encouraging and enjoyable. I say “for the most part” because traveling with a four-year-old (now five) and newborn (now one) has certainly provided an array of often unexpected challenges. We continually find our Good Shepherd to be faithful for each step of the way; He is blessing us and providing our every need. His people have been very good to us, and we have enjoyed reconnecting with friends as well as forming new friendships with like-minded brothers and sisters who now pray specifically for us and for the ministry in Uruguay.

Our most recent travels took us from SC through the Mid-West to churches in CO, UT, ID, Alberta, and back through MT, UT, CO, and IA. After that last week of thirty hours in the car, we’re especially thankful for God’s grace and protection. And we’re content to be “sojourning” in South Carolina once again!

Elizabeth gets excited about real-life geography lessons!

(I do plan to post pictures of our trip – as time and the demands of getting resettled allow!)

As we continue this stage of our ministry, we recognize more than ever our need for God’s grace. Each day on the road offers new challenges, new opportunities for growth, and new mercies – all from the hand of our perfect and loving Shepherd. We’re thankful for His promises!

Will you pray for us?

The Law of the Yukon

On more than one occasion last month in Alaska, conversations turned to the needs in the villages. We want to see native churches led by native pastors. In the meantime, what seems to be at least one necessary element is the missionary willing to go for good, willing to be isolated, willing to feel the brunt of winter after dark winter; in short, willing to go there to die. And no doubt the romance of working in a northern village dies at the rate of six or seven minutes each day until the sun no longer rises and one realizes his need for Something greater than romance to sustain him.

At the risk of perpetuating a bit of romance, I quote Robert Service’s personification of the Yukon: “And I wait for the men who will win me—and I will not be won in a day” [HT: Jim Elliot, who acknowledged quoting the words “utterly out of context”].

The irony is that God has chosen the weak—in Service’s words, even “the dissolute, damned and despairful, crippled and palsied and slain”—made whole and strong by the gospel and empowered by grace, to make disciples in this land, by authority of the King of the land (Matthew 28:18-20).

I enjoyed reading the entire poem here.

Psalm 67

The first time I remember paying attention to Psalm 67 was when reading notes that Jim Elliot had made in his journals. Appropriate, considering his interest in the subject that interests the psalmist: the nations of the earth.

In the years following 9/11, nations new and ancient have occupied our attention: Iraq and Afghanistan, Russia and Georgia, Libya and South Sudan. Some nations, like South Sudan, should receive more of our attention.

If we would allow this psalm to renew our minds, our interest in these places would go beyond our own national security, beyond our questions about the economy and price of gas, and beyond even a love for democracy and freedom. The writer of Psalm 67 prays for the nations to be rightly related to God. How would this happen?

His first prayer is for God’s blessing on His people, the Jews, a blessing that he hopes will result in the nations’ praise of, fear of, and joy in God. We haven’t seen this yet. How would this happen?

The Queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon piques our interest as we watch her observe God’s blessing on Israel and as she then praises Yahweh (2 Chronicles 9:1-8). But this leaves us unsatisfied. Has God answered the Psalm 67 prayer? What kind of blessing would result in the nations’ being rightly related to God?

The answer is found in the New Testament, where we read of God’s blessing on the Jews in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah . . . “that the Gentiles (the nations) might glorify God for His mercy” (Romans 15:8-9). We wait to see further fulfillment of the psalmist’s prayer when Jesus will exercise His full, visible rule over this planet and its nations. But in the meantime, you and I as (mostly) Gentiles from the nations rejoice and glorify God for His mercy to us. Undeserved mercy! Why did we respond to the gospel when North Koreans will die without hearing Jesus? How will they call on someone whom they will never hear?

There is a right way to think about the nations of the earth. Jesus is the only way for these nations to be rightly related to God. We glorify Him for His mercy to us. And those mercies are adequate motivation for us to present our bodies in living sacrifice . . . that the nations might experience such mercy and thus glorify God. And South Sudanese brethren have known greater sacrifice.

January 2011

This month took us to Michigan, Ontario, and Ohio. After completely circling Lake Michigan in January, the worst road conditions we saw were in Greenville, SC, within a few miles of home.

Today will preach in Linville, NC, from Psalm 63: Because God is all-satisfying, we should seek Him, rejoice in Him, praise Him . . . and take to the nations the good news of that all-satisfying God who offers salvation in His Son.

Hoping for gospel conversations with Uruguayans in coastal SC this coming week.

Nate Saint's Christmas Letter

“As we weigh the future and seek the will of God, does it seem right that we should hazard our lives for just a few savages? As we ask ourselves this question, we realize that it is not the call of the needy thousands, rather it is the simple intimation of the prophetic Word that there shall be some from every tribe in His presence in the last day and in our hearts we feel that it is pleasing to Him that we should interest ourselves in making an opening into the Auca prison for Christ.

As we have a high old time this Christmas, may we who know Christ hear the cry of the damned as they hurtle headlong into the Christless night without ever a chance. May we be moved with compassion as our Lord was. May we shed tears of repentance for these we have failed to bring out of darkness. Beyond the smiling scenes of Bethlehem may we see the crushing agony of Golgotha. May God give us a new vision of His will concerning the lost and our responsibility.

Would that we could comprehend the lot of these stone-age people who live in mortal fear of ambush on the jungle trail . . . those to whom the bark of a gun means sudden, mysterious death . . . those who think all men in all the world are killers like themselves. If God would grant us the vision, the word sacrifice would disappear from our lips and thoughts; we would hate the things that seem now so dear to us; our lives would suddenly be too short, we would despise time-robbing distractions and charge the enemy with all our energies in the name of Christ. May God help us to judge ourselves by the eternities that separate the Aucas from a comprehension of Christmas and Him, who, though He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor so that we might, through His poverty, be made rich.”

(From Elisabeth Elliot, Through Gates of Splendor, 165-166)

“My testimony is that of a dishonorable man that God has saved and honored in every conceivable way. Every good thing that I’ve ever wanted to do, God has let me do; and every good thing I’ve ever wanted to have, God has let me have. That’s the way dads are to their children.”    — J.D. Crowley, missionary to Cambodia

JDC at BJU

Yesterday J.D. Crowley (EMU missionary in Cambodia) preached the first of four messages during Missions Emphasis Week at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC:

A Christian is someone who cannot bear the thought that there are places on earth where God is not famous. We make Him famous by talking about Him—not only by giving propositions but by recounting what He has done. The Story revealed in the Bible was unknown in northeastern Cambodia. It is unknown in much of the world. It is increasingly unknown in the United States. Propositions alone—apart from the contextual Story—are incomplete. “Hobbits are remarkable creatures”; “Friendship is important”; and “Sometimes you have to walk alone” have much more meaning within a much larger context.

An Offer

I believe that a man named Jesus was both a powerful prophet and the only Son of God. I believe that He was and is the rightful King—not only of the Jewish people but of every nation of the world. Both the Jews and the nations—and I myself, for I wanted no such king—nailed his living body to a wooden cross. We sinned against Him and against the Father when we did this; and we are responsible. But our doing so was by God’s design and was a fulfillment of the writings of God’s prophets. Jesus was offering His own innocent life and shedding His own blood to pay the penalty that my sin deserved and that God's holiness and law demand. He was purchasing a people for Himself, a people that God would graciously call “righteous” on the basis of their God-given faith—a people that God would relentlessly mold and change until they each would look like His own Son, who will thus be “firstborn” (preeminent) among them, His brethren. I believe that He is alive! Trustworthy witnesses saw both the empty tomb and the living Lord. And He has commissioned His people, the church, to make other disciples of Jesus—of all the nations.

If you are an unhappy sinner, come join us! (If you aren’t, then Jesus offers you no hope.) Deny yourself and come to Jesus—the only way to the Father, and the only valid Priest—and throw all your weight upon Him. He will forgive. He will give life!

Termination Dust: 5 of 5

Thoughts on Psalm 90 and September

Last month I again spent several days in Utah, an area where I lived part of my teenage years. I am now twice as old. Those years seem long ago; yet time has passed very quickly. As people “in Christ,” we have not experienced—and never will—God’s unbridled wrath. But perhaps you have become acutely aware of the brevity of life. Perhaps you have suffered in some way the excruciating effects of the Fall. Perhaps you have learned something of God’s dealings with sin and of the fleeting nature of life. And you want to respond with wisdom and with a fear of God.

How do we respond to the brevity of life? How do we respond with wisdom? Compare these two possibilities:

“Life is short. I need to get busy. I need to get up, to work harder, to study better, and to invest in my family. I need to give the gospel more faithfully. No more games! There is work to do.”

Or, “Return, O Yahweh! Be sorry for Your servants. Satisfy us with Your lovingkindness. Make us glad. Let Your work and Your majesty appear to Your servants. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands.”

The first is not all bad. But the second mirrors what Moses prays in the remaining verses of this psalm. I would suggest that here we have a Holy-Spirit-inspired application and response to the brevity of life. Moses has just “numbered his days,” and they numbered 70 or 80 years (though, of course, God gave him a few more). What follows (and this is my attempt at a summary) is a humble appeal to God for grace (vv. 13-17). Or, in other words—words with which Moses began this psalm—it is a responding to life’s brevity by fleeing to the eternal God for refuge. The Christian servant may rest in the One who was here before the mountains were born. Hide in Him who, from everlasting to everlasting, is God. Pray to the Father in the name of Jesus with words like these:

“Have compassion. Make me glad! Show me Your glory! And establish. (That has the sound of permanence.) Establish—for I certainly cannot. Establish the works of my hands!”

This has implications for how we carry out the work of our Lord’s last commission to the church to make disciples. It is not merely a matter of working harder. It is not at all a matter of mustering our own strength for the task. It has everything to do with an appeal for God to show His own glory in working and in doing what we cannot do. Let’s work. Let’s work very hard! But only as we completely rely upon the grace of God.

28 July 2010

The folks on Dimond Boulevard have been very kind to us for these two weeks. The guest room at the church has provided a valuable place from which to work, handle correspondence, visit churches, and spend time during the week with believers here. The two weeks in Fairbanks were similar. On Saturday we drive to Sterling.

The Steels to Uruguay: video link

A permanent link to our video presentation is now posted to the side of this page. The video introduces the country of Uruguay, our family, EMU International, and the specific ministries we anticipate.

Full-time Deputation: Week One

A week ago today we began full-time deputation, which for us is a period of ministry in local churches with whom God has given us relationship. These churches are among those that will, we trust, participate in sending us to Uruguay. We conclude this because (1) we believe that God has called and led us and because (2) we believe that the Lord’s people will desire to be involved in what He is doing.

We spent Thursday evening in Cedar Rapids again. Please pray for the salvation of a young couple met during this evening’s neighborhood visitation.

On Saturday we arrived in Greeley, Colorado, for a missions conference that will end tonight. Please pray for the Lord’s gracious work in all of our hearts. On Friday and Saturday we will drive to Utah.

Request for Prayer: April 1

For those who pray for us from time to time, please pray that we will be in Uruguay a year from today: April 1, 2011.

We don’t know everything that must take place between now and then in order for this to happen. We do know that everything that will take place between now and then has been designed by God to conform us into the image of Jesus, the end to which we have been pre-destined by grace alone (Romans 8:28-29).

Our responsibility, and the task at hand: to love and serve God and neighbor in His strength among His Church.

Soon enough He will say, “Set them apart for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:1-3). Until then we say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and begin service in Uruguay the first of April, 2011” (James 4:15).

Music Training

A question that continues to arise as we visit churches has to do with the use of my music training. While in Uruguay last month, many people expressed to me their interest in receiving instruction in music. This could probably occupy all of my time if I am not careful to guard what I view as my primary calling. However, I do expect to make use of the musical preparation that the Lord has given me. Already we have seen God use my limited knowledge of Uruguayan art music to open doors of contact with unsaved musicians and within the Uruguayan public school system. People also seem to appreciate our interest in folk music. There will be abundant opportunity to participate in local church music ministry, and in that context my desire would be not only to participate but to train others to take that place in the body. Within the institute and college program, there will certainly be opportunity both to teach music and to develop some kind of music program (a choir, for example) that would serve to train students for local church ministry.

Ohio and Indiana

I don’t know how large the church in Antioch was, although I suspect it outgrew any home in which it may have met. I do know, though, that the church in North America is quite large and rather spread out—which makes more difficult our part in imitating the Acts 13 model! We are very thankful for the encouraging time spent with the Lord’s people in Ohio and Indiana during the past week or two. We were genuinely blessed and strengthened by our time with them. I trust that, as we attempt to serve among local churches, God will make clear to them His calling and leading in our lives—in a way that echoes His words in Antioch: “Set them apart for the work to which I have called them!”

My grandmother is now with Jesus. She no longer needs her wheelchair, and my dad crushed her pills to powder. In a mere breath we won’t need ours. Nor will we be able to return to seize the precious opportunities that now abound around us. A small plaque that used to hang in Grandpa’s and Grandma’s bedroom quotes David Livingstone and Paul:

“Only one life—
’Twill soon be past,
Only what’s done
For Christ will last.
‘To me to live is Christ.’”

And having been there ten days (“bright shining as the sun”!), Grandma would certainly add, with Paul, that “to die is gain.”

Assisting Uruguayan Churches in Evangelism and Ministry Training

Thank you for your interest in the work of the Kingdom in Uruguay! There is a wide door of opportunity open for us there, and we are excited about the privilege of serving Jesus Christ in this part of His harvest field.

Our goal is to assist and strengthen the Uruguayan churches in some of the following ways:

Ministry training: This will take place first within EMU’s F.V. DABOLD BIBLE INSTITUTE. We then expect to partner with Uruguayan pastors and leaders in the long-term development of a BIBLE COLLEGE PROGRAM, for those desiring training beyond the institute level. We view this as the major focal point of our ministry.

Gabriel Gómez, director of the Bible institute, has written the following to me: “My concern is that after a student finishes the Bible institute . . . he then has no other possibility of continuing to study and to deepen his knowledge. . . . This is my own personal burden; I myself desire to be able to continue studying, and I believe that all of us here would benefit greatly.”

Evangelism and discipleship: We desire to strengthen churches and church planting efforts, with the goal of equipping believers and promoting mature, trained national leadership. Two immediate needs include Iglesia Bautista Fundamental Siloé (Siloam Fundamental Baptist Church), an EMU church currently without a pastor, and Iglesia Bíblica Maranatha (Maranatha Bible Church) in Pando, a church being planted by Deborah's father, Don Garwood (of Maranatha Bible Missions). Opportunities include preaching, Sunday school teaching, neighborhood visitation, and youth ministry. Finally, we look forward to involvement in Camp Emmanuel during Uruguay's summer (January and February).

By serving in the local churches and camp ministry, we hope to strengthen these works by equipping and encouraging believers to take their place in the ministry. This will also provide opportunity to evangelize and will give us valuable experience in the ministry.

We are prepared to begin work immediately upon arrival in Uruguay: the Lord has given us knowledge of Uruguayan culture and experience with the Spanish language. Please pray that the Lord would use us to further His purposes both here in the United States and Canada, and in the future in South America!