Things we have learned - Long ago, hitchhiking from Vancouver to Prince George a truck driver who picked me up stopped at a cafe where I saw a plaque on the wall, Ve get too soon oldt und too late schmardt. But these years in Spain have taught us a few things like:
- Although I am called to teach, I get restless when we accumulate a lot of classroom knowledge without putting it into practice. That is why we have prayed continually for helpers, younger people who love the Lord and want to learn. But at the same time:
- We have been too ready to include anyone who shows up. Sharon would have been more cautious but I always hoped they would work out. As I shared some months ago people come with different motivations and sometimes think they don't need to learn, but are here to take over. Right now there's just the 2 of us, and that is a factor in taking a serioius look at the future.
- There are some really nice people who have rejected anything to do with historical Christianity. We have many friends like this, and long for their eyes to be opened.
- Even though the majority of Spain's Catholic majority are not really practicing Catholics, there are many sincere seekers after God, doing everything that they are told to do by their leaders.
What we want to do different
- Go from friendships to purposeful sharing. Although in the past we have seen good results from friendship evangelism, now we tell our friends, we would like to go to your place (or meet at ours), to share our faith. The response has been positive. 2 days ago we spent 2 hours at the home of a couple who are community leaders, each of us sharing our faith. Their "testimony" is that of belonging to a group of a few thousand people worldwide, who meet regularly and call themselves Christians.and never open the Bible. They use a consciousness-altering drink in a large group, to get in touch with the supernatural. The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don't believe... Lord, open their eyes. I felt that the best thing to recommend at that point was that they become familiar with the gospel of John. We have a long list of people to visit.
- We still want people to come to live and work with us, but mainly as trainees, with a good recommendation. In the past this was not much of an option: for a :number of years sending countries quit recruiting for Operation Mobilization in Spain because of leadership problems at a national level. It was traumatic for us as well. Finally the international leadership had to oversee the necessary changes, and things are looking up.
- Use the property that we have been fixing up, as a center for outreach activities. The goal is to be able to eventually own the property by offering time-shares to tourists and for it to become self-supporting.
- Special emphasis on outreach to children: We start with activities that they will enjoy. There still is widespread prejudice against anything "Evangelical", and we must build confidence with children and their parents.
- Recruit local youth to help with these activities. Hopefully this will serve to draw in a group of idealistic young people whom we can train and share the way of Christ. The project is called Caminos, or Paths. We hope to see many people turn to El Camino, La Verdad, y La Vida (The way, the truth and the life)
- Emphasize being Christians rather than any particular denomination. This morning as I listened to a preacher talk about John Wesley I thought again how beautiful it would be to have groups of Christians meeting in homes in all 20 of the towns in this district
What we want to do the same
- More than ever, do everything by prayer. You, our prayer partners, and we, could be in touch weekly, daily.
- The gospel never changes. People will always need God and his forgiveness,
- Be a witness by our lives. We have lost some ground recently in this area as people who came to work with us have decided to do their own thing in a way that seems to be competition.
- Count on the work of the Holy Spirit, who will convict of sin and turn people to Jesus
