Category Archives: Ministry
Prayer Letter for January-February 2014
Dear Prayer Partners,
Ministry Update
Hello again from beautiful Bucaramanga, Colombia! The Lord has opened many doors for us since our last letter. We have seen people trust Christ as well as new discipleship and home Bible studies started, including one in our own home. As we establish these contacts, we plan to officially open a church within the next couple months. It is exciting to be a part of God’s work. Consider coming to join us!
I returned this week from an evangelistic campaign on the other side of Colombia where I was able to preach several times in small villages in open-air meetings and from house to house. Many attended, with over 30 trusting in Christ for salvation, and we were also able to encourage new believers. These campaigns were in preparation for church plants by the Colombian national pastor who invited me. Though I spent dozens of hours in buses, taxis, motorcycles, riverboats and on foot, this trip was a tremendous blessing! The culture, accent, and the weather is much different on the Coast than here in the mountains where we live. Thankfully, the Gospel message works the same!
Family Happenings
February kicks off the school year here in Colombia, so our girls began attending a nearby preschool in the mornings. They are learning well and have fun playing with the other children. Meanwhile, Aubrie is meeting with a personal tutor at the same time to improve her Spanish. I’m proud of how they are all coming along in the language and culture! When explaining to Amira she would be wearing a uniform like all the other children, she exclaimed, “Oh Yeah! Everybody likes Unicorns!” She still gets excited about wearing her unicorn each day. Ha…
Colombian Culture Corner
Many everyday words in Colombia are very vulgar and offensive in other Spanish-speaking countries. Coming from pastoring the Spanish ministry in GA with people from many different countries, it has been an adjustment using these words. It’s all part of learning the culture. We just have to be careful for the words that work the other way around! 🙂
Prayer Requests
- New converts, discipleship groups & Bible studies
- Wisdom as we choose a location for the church
- Financial support — We could use several more partners as we launch the church
- That God would continue to glorify himself in us!
Love In Christ Jesus,
Aaron Vance & Family
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Timothy 2:3-6
P.S. – Our new field address is: Carrera 51 #50-103 Bucaramanga, Santander Colombia You can also call us any time on a US number that rings on my cell here: 678-696-0082 or email us: aaronlvance@gmail.com
Click to see a printable PDF of our letter (with pictures!)
November – December 2013 Prayer Letter
Dear Prayer Partners,
Hola From Colombia!
We have at last arrived on the field! It’s been quite a process, but now the easy part is done and the work has just begun.
The last month in the US was very hectic with 15 meetings in 5 states (what was I thinking??). We sincerely appreciate all that helped us prepare for our departure as well as those that gave monthly and one time gifts. God used you to get us here. You have advanced the cause of the Gospel and there will be eternal fruit to your account.
The Holidays
It was definitely a different experience spending Thanksgiving and Christmas in Colombia without the rest of our extended family, but God’s grace is always sufficient! Christmas is an exciting time here, as everything was completely decked out with lights and nativity scenes. On the surface it appears that Colombians celebrate the Christ of Christmas even more than in the States. However, it brings tears to my eyes that most Colombians don’t KNOW the Christ of Christmas. They know the religious traditions, holidays and rituals, but all without a sweet relationship with Jesus. There is a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5). Please pray as we introduce Christ the Savior to those that know him only in tradition and religion.
Click to see a printable version of our letter.
Ministry Opportunities
We have been able to survey different areas of this growing city and have it narrowed down to a couple of neighborhoods for our first church plant, hopefully by Spring. The need here is incredible. We have seen some people saved and are currently working on making contacts and conducting home bible study groups in preparation for the church launch.
During our time getting established we have also been able to attend and help out another Baptist church started by a missionary brother from Panama on the other side of the city from us. I’m currently preaching here each Wednesday. Please pray for Pastor José Morales and this dear church.
Prayer Requests
Again, thank you for your support in prayers and financial gifts. For those that have been holding out, we remain at about 95% of our needed funds and could definitely use a few more monthly partners as we launch our ministry. Please prayerfully consider if God would have you support the work of church planting in Colombia. Souls are in the balance.
Also pray for wisdom in all that goes into starting a church, for open doors to present the Gospel, for men & women as well as young people that we could not only see saved but also trained and discipled.
Lastly, pray for the family as we adjust. The girls are doing great learning some Spanish and Aubrie is gaining fluency. It’s a big change to all but we’re excited to be here for the glory of our great God.
All for Jesus,
Aaron, Aubrie, Amira & Anabel Vance
Philippians 1:20-21
P.S. – Here is our new field address:
Carrera 51 #50-103
Bucaramanga, Santander
Colombia
You can also call us any time on an US number that rings on my cell here: 678-696-0082 or email us: aaronlvance@gmail.com
July – August 2013 Prayer Letter
Deputation Update
Click to see and print our full prayer letter (with pictures)
The countdown has begun! As I sit here to write this letter, it is almost surreal to know that in just over 2 months we will land in Bucaramanga, Colombia to begin our ministry of church-planting. For the past 2 years on deputation, we have been so blessed and humbled by the many churches and individuals that have helped us along our way. Thank you all for holding the ropes for us. The work is just beginning.
Many have helped with our setup fund needs, and we are most grateful! If you’d still like to have a part, we’d encourage you to check out our website (BeMagnified.org) to see an updated list of our needs. Gifts can be given online through PayPal or by sending a check to our Mission Board and marking it “Aaron Vance” or “322.” Pastors, would you consider taking up a special offering for this?
Family Update
My wife and our little girls are excited about moving to South America. It seems every time we get in the car, Amira asks if it’s time to move to Colombia yet. To say there is much work to do is quite an understatement. Please pray everything goes smoothly in these last days.
Aubrie is recovering well from her surgery. Thank you all for your prayers in that matter. Our God is always faithful and good, and we pray that even in most difficult moments He would receive great glory.
Colombian Culture Corner
According to CIA.gov, 75% of Colombians live in cities. This rate is going up rapidly as every year more families and students are looking for a better life and future. Looking at the New Testament model of church planting in Acts, there is a strong focus on reaching cities, whereby the Gospel could easily spread into smaller towns and villages. We need more laborers for the thousands of cities around the world that lack a strong Gospel witness. There are still about 200 of these cities in Colombia. Would you be willing to give your life to reach a city?
Prayer Requests
- Pray that the remaining 10% of our monthly support would be raised before we leave
- Pray for several setup fund needs to be met (see website for details)
- Pray for travels to our remaining 2 dozen meetings with churches around the Eastern US
- Pray that God would prepare hearts of Colombians to receive the Gospel before we arrive
- Pray for more laborers. How about you?
It excites me to know that soon, many Colombians will hear the true Gospel message for the first time. You have had a part in this through your prayers and financial support. Thank you. Please let us know how we can pray for you.
All for Jesus,
Aaron Vance & Family
Class, Camp, Celebration, & Challenge – A Machine Gun Update
Hey friends! There has been much going on lately in the Vance family household. God has been good (what’s new there?!) and we’ve been enjoying each minute. This post is simply to get you all up to speed on some amazing recent events… (I alliterated it for my preacher friends, so bear with me).
Class
The past week was both exciting and exhausting as I was privileged to teach a 14 hour modular class at the Our Generation Training Center on Evangelism & Leader Training in Catholic Cultures. God really blessed as we went through the Master Plan of World Evangelism and some of The Gospel According to Rome. I’d definitely recommend both of these books if you are serious about both learning how Jesus trained leaders to reach the world, and how to deliver the Gospel to those that are close yet still depend on works.
Camp
My family and I will leave Monday morning to spend a week with teens and college students from around the country at the OG Student Leadership Camp. I was at the very first camp that was held 9 years ago just before I spent 6 months in Peru preparing for the mission field. The camp helped me tremendously as I was able to get around missionaries that were getting the job done in reaching people and training men. It was encouraging to see how God was using other young men, and now I’m able to return on the other side of that equation. Please pray that God works in the lives of the many teens and singles that will be there. God has a plan for each of them. Pray that some are saved, some are called, and all would be surrendered to God’s will for their life!
Celebration
This Sunday our little Anabel turns 1-year-old! It’s crazy how time flys by. It seems like just last week that we brought her home from the delivery room. It seems like just yesterday she was starting treatment for her tumor (which is doing fantastic, by the way), and it seems like a few minutes ago she was an infant. Now she’s trying to talk, walk (she’s getting close!) and she’s growing up into a little lady. Wow… We joy in the fact that God has entrusted our children to us, and we take very seriously our responsibility to shepherd their hearts and guide them through their childhood years toward knowledge of, and commitment to, Christ.
Challenge
In our last prayer letter I mentioned that as of right now, it looks like we’ll be moving to Colombia in November. Well, that is becoming more of a reality each day! Our support continues to steadily rise (at 79% now!), and our setup fund needs are being met, little by little. We just received the girl’s passports this week and will be getting our religious visa for Colombia very soon. Here’s the challenge: Would you pray that everything goes smoothly in these last few months? There’s much to do, still some money to raise and lots of traveling to do on deputation between now and then. Secondly, would you pray that God would send more people to Colombia? The need is great. The laborers are few! If we were to plant a church for every 50,000 people, we would need at least 940 churches throughout the country! Maybe God would have you to come and help us.
We love y’all and would love to hear how things are going in your lives. What can we pray for you about? Keep your eyes on Jesus… He’s coming soon, we must be busy in the work he has left us to do. God bless!
Happy Resurrection Day! (VIDEO)
We serve a risen Savior! Thanks for keeping up with us as we take the Gospel message to Colombia.
[If the above video doesn’t show up click here]
The Vance Family 