The power of vision

It is amazing how fast the schedule takes over when you get back from a trip. Spent a couple of days last week arguing with Montezuma, and it has already been a week since we got back. Oh well.....

We visited 32 different churches/missions from Friday night until Thursday night. We spent a lot of time in the wawa (Dominican for bus). Days were sometimes quite long, and showers quite "refreshing" with the humidity a bit higher than most of us were accustomed.

Everywhere we went on the island, we saw the power of a God-sized vision. The leader of the Dominican Baptist Convention has a vision to reach the entire nation for the cause of Christ. He has been the pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Puerta Plata for 28 years and he is 48 years old. Many men in that church are missionaries to their own people. Many other men in that church are preparing to become pastors or missionaries. It appears that they are approaching planting churches in much the same way that Guy posts about here. Not exactly the same, but similar.

We saw many people who are sold out to the cause of Christ. They work full time jobs, serve in the main church, and work to start missions, holding Bible Studies, developing relationships with other people.

We heard strategies that are well beyond the capabilities of the people who are working them. I made the comment to a seminary friend who was there that what they are doing made our Practicum course look weak in comparison. These men and women minister in impossible situations and God is magnified, lifted up, people are served, and the impossible becomes possible through His means. People are being set free from the bondage of sin regularly. The church is growing and flourishing.

Enough for now. More later.