Don
Bierle
On "Expecting"
As a man, I can't really know all that goes through a woman's
mind when she is pregnant. It must be so life-changing! There
is likely a host of competing emotions: joy, excitement, weariness,
wonder, anticipation, uncertainty, humility, thankfulness, even
trepidation.
Many who read this may find it difficult to make the transition
from pregnancy to the ministry of FaithSearch.
But as President and lead evangelist, I daily experience
those same emotions—-without being actually pregnant, of
course!
Every day I am thankful to represent the Lord Jesus
Christ through proclamation of the Gospel with evidence. With
great anticipation I look forward to experiencing the
joy of seeing many individuals make a profession of faith for
new and eternal life. In humility I wonder why I should
be so privileged to play a part. It is also exciting
to be carried along by the Holy Spirit as God reveals His plan
and blessing for the USA, India, Russia, Hispanic peoples and
more.
On the other hand, I occasionally wake up during the night
with thoughts of uncertainty: about the health and happiness
of our staff and their families; or about some endeavor which
may not be progressing as we had anticipated; or about inadequate
finances; even about my own aging and the future. I would be
in denial if I didn't admit to occasional weariness and
trepidation.
As a result of my nearly thirty-nine years of full time ministry
experience (twenty-seven with FaithSearch), with
a devoted and competent staff around me, and with the assuring
guidance and power of God, this "pregnancy" of "proclaiming
the Gospel with evidence to all peoples everywhere" is
progressing nicely! I look forward to that day when the Great
Physician comes from His throne to the waiting room and announces,
"FaithSearch, you've become the parent of
a spiritual family representing every race, language, age, gender,
continent, and culture." All the long stages of preparation
will have been worth it, and I will proudly and with joy wear
that new parent button!
Carlos
Fernández
Mexico and More
Recently I have been juggling the development of our Spanish
language ministry in the USA and internationally, while also
completing my Master's thesis paper (which has finally been
delivered). As this newsletter goes to press, I will be conducting
a ministry trip to my native Peru and to Guatemala. I am thrilled
to report that after a preliminary visit to Mexico City at the
end of last year, the FaithSearch "Gospel with
Evidence" is being eagerly welcomed in Latin America.
One of the highlights of the trip was on Sunday, December 10.
Nearly 450 of the estimated 840 attendees of my FaithSearch
presentations at Primera Iglesia Bautista of Mexico City indicated
they had taken a step of faith to recommit their lives to Lord.
They were very thankful for having received solid evidence for
the Christian Gospel! In addition, sixteen people made a
faith commitment to follow Christ for the first time. I
was even blessed to introduce four other people to faith in
Jesus Christ through individual conversations during this trip.
Another aspect of this trip was my serving as facilitator and
translator for a group from Westwood Community Church in Chanhassen,
MN. They were conducting a missions trip to the small, rural
village of Santa Cruz, Honduras, three hours west of the capital
city of Tegucigalpa. The church has an ongoing relationship
with this community. It was a joy to partner with them in
building God's Kingdom.
As I presented and discussed our ministry in Mexico, the Spanish
translation of Dr. Bierle's book Surprised by Faith (Sorprendido
por la Fe) and the FaithSearch Discovery presentation
inspired the enthusiasm of key denominations and church groups.
Already we have received three invitations to return to Mexico
this year to present FaithSearch Discovery, and to train leaders
there. This is very exciting for me. I was also able to
build relationships and network with campus ministry groups
and leading seminaries. These face-to-face contacts are essential
to developing our ministry there. Praise God for all the opportunities
ahead—and continue to pray for His wisdom, guidance and provision
as we pursue them.
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