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The Most Action-Packed Update, Ever!
September 1, 2014
Dear Friends,
Brace yourselves — This is perhaps the most exciting prayer letter we’ve ever written! The past two months have been packed with God’s grace and blessings. Here is a quick rundown summary.
Church Launch
The Iglesia Bíblica Bautista El Faro had its first official services on July 13th with around 40 in attendance. Several acknowledged their need for salvation, repenting and believing on Jesus that day! There have been new visitors every week and many families and individuals are plugging in with personal discipleship, helping around the church and bringing their friends. Pray especially for a few young men who have shown interest in going further. Christ is building his church!!
Surprise Funeral
Just days before the inauguration of our church, a Colombian lady contacted me from the USA whose mother was back in her hometown of Bucaramanga visiting family, and suddenly passed away. Both the daughter and this woman had been recently saved and were attending a good church in Florida, and I was asked to perform her funeral. The wish of this woman was that her lost family members would hear the Gospel preached at her funeral. What God did was truly amazing. By our best counts, about 120 people showed up for the service at our church (which really only holds 80), and heard a clear presentation of Biblical salvation. Dozens of these decided to place their faith in Jesus alone for eternal life. It was amazing! What an honor to this lady who had just been saved one year before. God is good!
More Lives Changed
We have seen several receive Christ and become born again in the past month, including religious people, who realized that Jesus is the only way, He is enough and that works do not save; also Atheists, who understood that there is a God who created them, loves them and died for them; and even an ex-paramilitary hit-man, who found a new beginning and new life in Jesus. God’s power has no limits. He is mighty to save all who will believe.
A Productive Visit
Our pastor and several from our home church came to visit in July. They helped get out thousands of invites the weekend before the big church launch and were a tremendous help to get the building ready for all the people. God worked through them and in them. Please pray especially for two of the young men that desire to return here or another place as God leads to work as full-time missionaries. If you would like to bring a group to Colombia, please get in touch with us, or see our website with details about a trip for students and singles June 15-25, 2015. We would love to have you!
Prayer Requests
- Growth of the church numerically and spiritually
- Families and individuals who are in discipleship
- A new youth outreach starting this month in the poorest and most dangerous neighborhood of our city
- Additional monthly financial support. At this point we have many more plans but are only held back by lack of funds. Would you consider partnering with us, that fruit would abound to your account? No amount is too small!
- Aubrie and the new baby — they are healthy and in the 2nd trimester already!
We love you and pray that the abundant grace of Almighty God would fill you, bless you and enable you to continue laboring for his Worthy Name!
Aaron & Aubrie Vance and family
Click for a printable PDF of our prayer letter (with pictures!).
Thank you for all you do to make it possible for us to be here! How can we be praying for you?
March – April 2014 Prayer Letter
Dear Prayer Partners,
6 Months There, Now 6 Here…
Ten years ago I spent 6 months in Peru, South America for missions training and hands-on preparation. It was an amazing time in my life that God used to teach me and mold me into who I am today.* Well, 6 months have now gone by since our family arrived in Bucaramanga Colombia for long-term church-planting ministry. It feels like just a short while, but at the same time it feels like we’ve been here all our lives! In other words, it feels like home.
God has been working mightily lately. The past couple months we have seen blessings with both ministry and with our own family. In March we enjoyed a visit from my Mother in law, our first from the USA! In April I was able to travel to Chile for a very helpful Latin America church planters conference with many other missionaries. Aubrie and I also celebrated our fifth anniversary in April. Our children are growing and adapting well to life here. God has been good to this family!
HUGE NEWS…
We just signed this week on a building to rent for our first church in Colombia! This is a blessing as it takes us one step forward in our ministry goals. Within a few weeks, in June Lord willing, we will hold our kickoff service. Please pray that as we share the Gospel, God would work in many hearts and build His church. He is worthy!!
Special Projects…
Several have asked me to share special financial needs as they come along. In the coming weeks I’ll be buying 80 chairs, basic sound equipment, 20,000 pieces of literature, nursery supplies and much more as we get ready for the first service. If you would like to help offset these expenses, we have set up PayPal on our website for secure online giving through Macedonia World Baptist Missions, or you can send a check to MWBM at the address below with our name in the memo. Thanks for your help!
We had been saving funds for a vehicle but will use this money to go ahead with the church plant and wait for God’s timing on our own transpiration. We have been using public transportation here and will keep doing so until we have the funds for a car.
We express our heartfelt thanks to those of you that support us regularly with your prayers and financial support. God is already adding fruit to your account and we are most grateful that you have chosen to hold the rope for us! How can we be praying for you?
Prayer Requests…
- Church kickoff within a few weeks
- More people saved, baptized and discipled
- Young men that I can begin to pour my life into
Servants Of Our Great King,
Aaron Vance & Family
“Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” 1 Corinthians 4:1-2
_________
*PS – if you or a young person you know is interested in missions, I highly recommend they check out the Our Generation Training Center!
Click to see a printable PDF copy of our letter (with pictures!)
Things That Are Different And Not The Same
Here’s a fun post for you. These are a few adjustments we’ve had to make here in Colombia having to do with daily life. This list is definitely not conclusive, but they are just some things we’ve found interesting and had to learn. 🙂
“¡Mira las monitas!” (Look at the little monkeys!)
At The Store
- Fruit is dirt cheap. Just be sure to wash off the dirt.
- Eggs are not sold nor stored in the refrigerated section but on a room temperature shelf.
- Milk is not sold in jugs but in bags, also on the non-refrigerated shelf.
- Cheese is used everywhere, but any type of yellow cheese is rare and expensive, that is if you can find any! (aka “Goodbye, Cheddar”)
- Mountain Dew and Red Bull both are sometimes available, and are less than a dollar for what costs $2-4 in the States.
- “Ragu” pasta sauce is imported and costs about $6 per jar.
- Bottled carbonated water is as common as uncarbonated water.
- Today we saw a tin of cookies (the same brand Aubrie used to buy for her Grandpa for Christmas at the Dollar Tree) for about $9.50 US.
- We won’t be eating those cookies.
At Home
- Hot water heaters are available, but not common. When we asked a real estate agent about this, he asked if the local water was too cold for us. We mentioned that we enjoy a warm/hot shower if we can get it, he gave us a serious look and asked, “But won’t that make you sick?” 🙂
- Tile instead of carpet, bars on windows instead of screens, and open windows instead of air conditioning (The AC isn’t too much of a problem since it stays moderately warm).
- Many friendly Colombian neighbors love to play music loudly at night. Salsa, Reggaeton, Mariachi… oh yeah.
- Rent is a bit cheaper than the US, but buying a house or property is much more expensive!
Around Town
- Traffic signals, lines, and signs are merely suggestions and often ignored.
- On a 3 lane road, many times there will be 4 small cars and a couple of motorcycles squeezed in between each car. True story.
- For a city of 2 million, I’ve only seen 1 small wreck in the week we’ve been here. Not sure how that’s possible as I’ve seen how people drive here. Lol…
- Seat belts are almost never used. Just hold on for your lives!
- Many people have multiple cell phones. In fact, there are over 49 million active cell phones and Colombia’s population is only 47 million.
- On many street corners there are people who carry 50-100 new-release movies with copies of the cover and a burned DVD in a plastic bag, selling them for 1-2 dollars each. Yes, pirated. Right next to the cops. They don’t sell many in stores. I wonder why…
- Public restrooms are between 25 cents and a dollar to use, toilet paper is rationed, and most public toilets do not have seats.
- People that are strangers will often stop what they’re doing for hours to help you. I find this unique and refreshing, even coming from the Southern US!
- As I mentioned in my last post, our little blonde haired girls are referred to as “Monitas” or, little monkeys. There aren’t many foreigners, even in our big city, so they get lots of attention!
- Colombians are very proud of their heritage and superiority in society (what people group isn’t?!). I had a taxi driver preach to me for 1/2 hour last night about how terrible each other Latin American county is, and how Colombia and its people, of course, is supreme in all things. I just smiled and said how much I liked Colombia. 😀 Inside I thought how great it would be if this man got the same passion for Christ and his glory… what a difference he could make!
Just because some people do certain things differently, doesn’t make them weird. Actually, it makes us weird, because we are prone to do things differently than them, in their own land. We try to have a student’s eye, watching and learning how people do things. We try to have a servant’s heart, helping and lifting up instead of expecting to be served. We try to have the Savior’s mind, who left it all, came to a different land, and gave his all for us so that we could be with Him.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11
Let us all have the eyes of a student, the heart of a servant and the mind of our Savior!
Feel free to share, comment, or add to any of this. God bless!
4 Steps To Knowing God’s Will (PART 4)
PART 4
(Click here to see other posts in this series as they’re posted)
As we’ve already looked at being (1) in the Family of God, (2) in Fellowship with God, and (3) Faithful to God, let’s wrap up this study on the Will of God with this:
Be Sure You’re Following God’s Leadership!
“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.” Matthew 4:18-22
When Jesus called his disciples to follow him, he asked of them something huge… He asked them to forsake what they were comfortable with, to leave it behind, and to follow him. But this forsaking wasn’t in vain. He promised to make them something better. Something greater. Something bigger than they had ever dreamed of. He promised to do a work in them, and through them, to eternally impact others.
In this, our last, in the series on Knowing the Will of God, we need to know that there are many voices and noises in life that can call away our attention from what God wants from us. Job opportunities, girlfriends/boyfriends, friends, education, family, and others are always pulling at us. How do we know what is right? How do we know what to listen to?
1. Realize you were made for something greater
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10
Do you want to spend the rest of your life doing things that lost people can do? We often hear of the “American Dream” but in reality, it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be! What do most people live for? A good education, a good time, a good job, a good family….? They punch a time clock, come home, watch TV, go to bed and do it all again the next day. They exert their effort in getting more riches and “toys” that can never bring true happiness. When is it enough? When does it satisfy? Don’t you want to do something better with your life? Something of eternal impact?
Good. That’s why God made you!! We are his workmanship, his handywork, made for a special purpose. Realize this. Understand this. Give yourself to this.
2. Decide to surrender all
“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.” Luke 14:27-30
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1-2
Jesus wants committed disciples. If you want to do God’s will, you need to decide right now that you will not do it “half-way” nor will you get out when it gets tough, but rather that you are in it for the long run. Christ wants to do a work through you, but he cannot do that until you surrender everything to him. Give him total access!
It is a hard step, yet a rewarding step in the life of a believer to say “Jesus, whatever you want for my life, it’s yours!”
3. Watch God open up doors of opportunity
“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast beenfaithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:21
Faithfulness was already mentioned in the last post, but it’s worth bringing up again. If you’re being a good steward of the little things, God will give you opportunities in greater things. Be watching for these opportunities. Don’t expect them if you aren’t faithful now, but if you’re doing what God wants from you today, it just may be that he will open up a door soon for you to have a greater influence and impact. But remember, it’s hard to steer a parked car! Get moving for God. He’ll guide you in His perfect will.
4. Check everything in light of God’s Word & Godly Counsel
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” Proverbs 3:5-7
“Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.” Proverbs 15:22
There are dangers to stepping out to serve God. Many won’t understand. Many will mock you. Many will tell you to go another route with your life. Another danger is doing something based on emotions. This is why you need the counsel of God’s word and the counsel of Godly leaders in your life. You can’t trust how you “feel” because the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, and we can’t know it! (see Jeremiah 17:9).
So, realize that every decision we make ought not to contradict Scripture. That’s why God’s word was given to us; as a roadmap to knowing Him and his Will for our lives. Stay in his Word. Don’t assume you know what his will is because of how you feel. Check it against the Bible.
Second, surround yourself with men and women of God that can help you see things that you may not be able to see. Some call this mentorship. You need a mentor. You need somebody that will be honest with you enough to help you. You need somebody to point out areas in your life that still need improving. You need somebody that has “been there” and can help you avoid common mistakes. This is a biblical model. Jesus mentored the 12 disciples. Paul mentored Timothy, Titus and others. Elijah mentored Elisha. Find somebody to learn from and stick with them like glue.
_________
So, in conclusion, how do we know the Will of God? Is it something mysterious that can’t be known? No. God WANTS us to know his will, and he WANTS to do a work through our lives. For some this might be “full-time” ministry such as being a missionary, a pastor, a wife of such, etc… but for ALL of us, he wants several things from us. In review:
1. Be in the Family of God
2. Be in Fellowship with God
3. Be Faithful to God
4. Be Following God
You can know His will! He can use your life. If I can personally help you with any of this, please let me know. Email me, call me, whatever is best for you. There’s nothing like living in the middle of God’s will. It isn’t always easy, but it is the most blessed, joyful and fulfilling life we could ever hope to live.
4 Steps To Knowing God’s Will (PART 3)
PART 3
(Click here to see other posts in this series as they’re posted)
Be Sure You’re Faithful With What You Have!
“Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” 1 Corinthians 4:1-2
“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10
As I speak to young people who want to find God’s will for their lives, sometimes it strikes me as odd that they aren’t taking advantages of opportunities they have at the moment. Sometimes we think the Will of God is some distant, far off thing. However, we should understand that the Will of God is for TODAY. Be faithful with what you have TODAY and, if you’re faithful in that, God may see fit to give you more responsibility and opportunities tomorrow.
In Matthew 25:14-29 Jesus gives the parable of some stewards that were entrusted by their boss with large portions of his money, called “talents” while he went on a trip. Each talent was said to be worth about 20 years wages. Some had more than others, but they were all expected to be faithful, and even to invest, that which had been given to them while their master was away. As the story goes, one had 5 talents (The US equivalent to $2,669,500!), another 2 ($1,067,800!), and another 1 ($533,900!). But one of the stewards wasn’t faithful with what he had, and it was taken away from him and given to another who was faithful. He didn’t take advantage of current opportunities, whether because of fear or misunderstanding, and he missed out on further opportunities that could have been.
What can we learn from this?
1. Be a good steward of the TIME God has given you!
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17
Are you a waster of time? When you have extra time, what do you find yourself doing? Do you find time to read your Bible, pray, witness, be at church, serve others, or is it hard to squeeze those things into your busy schedule? Each minute that passes is another minute that we can never get back. Where are we investing our time?
2. Be a good steward of the TREASURES God has given you!
“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Luke 16:10-13
Mammon, in this passage, is just another word for material wealth. Are you a good steward of the earthly “treasure” God has given to you? Do you regularly give to your church, to world missions, and to the poor and needy? These are the three classifications of giving in the Bible. Or, do you waste your money on things that don’t matter. Do you pay your bills on time? Are you a good steward of your money? This is all part of knowing the Will of God! How can he trust you with much, if you’re not faithful in the little?
3. Be a good steward of the TALENTS God has given you!
“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” Luke 12:48b
“Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.” 1 Corinthians 14:12
God has given each person certain abilities and talents that others may not possess, but it is all for a purpose. It’s for the edifying (building up) of the body, the church! If you aren’t using your ability for God, what are you using it for? Are you faithful in applying your gifts to serve others, to help others, to lift others up, and ultimately to Glorify Christ? Do you seek to grow in your abilities to further minister with them? If not, I challenge you to look for areas in which you can serve and apply the talents that God has entrusted to you!
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How do we know God’s will for our lives? First, we looked at the fact that we must be in the Family of God. Second, that we must be in Fellowship with God. Third, that we be Faithful to God in even the smallest things. Stay tuned for the last, part 4, of this series.
The Vance Family 