Advance the Gospel

October 2015 Missions Letter

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From Conference to Conference

For many churches, the autumn time of year does not only bring the change of leaves but also a special emphasis. Some dub this time of year “mission conference season”, it is a time when the focus is on what they are going to do to reach the world with the Gospel! One Pastor said it this way, “This is our annual business meeting where we decide the fate of the world in light of the Gospel.” Much of September was invested in different mission conferences, and we have a few more scheduled to be in for October. With a full schedule, we are always in a church sharing our hearts about how God is leading us to Argentina, but mission conferences are a special time in a churches calendar.

Please continue to pray for us as we continue on deputation. We are asking for God’s favor in each church service and for our support to increase. We are currently at 70%. We will leave for the field March 24, 2016.

Serving Together,

Patrick, Leslie, Lily, Piper, and Ivy Henry

 

In Argentina…

Iglesia Bautista Luz (Light Baptist Church) just celebrated their first anniversary! Pastor Esteban started the church out in an area near La Plata. I have been in this church. I saw the people, I fellowshipped with them after the service. God is blessing this church. Pastor Esteban has worked hard. He trained at Lighthouse Baptist Church. He served there before being sent out to start this church. Please pray for Light Baptist Church that they will continue to grow, that many more will be saved, that men will be trained and sent out to do the same thing that Pastor Esteban has. God is at work in Argentina, but there are many more places in need of a Light Baptist Church! Pray that God uses us to train men to do the same!

 

Here Is Some Advice: Love Your Spouse

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We are continuing our series on “Here is some advice…” It is all about the different advice I have received as we continue deputation. Today’s post will cover advice that I am given regularly. It is actually “Love your wife.” but to generalize I entitled this post, “Love your spouse” because I think it goes both ways.

“Without your spouse, you do not have a ministry.” Can God use a man who is single? Yes. Sure He can! But God’s design is that husband and wife work together in ministry. Aquila and Priscilla are a great example of this, but that is another post (one that we have touched on I might add, click here). If I lose my wife, I lose my ministry. Here are a few tidbits I’ve been given to make sure I “love my spouse…”

  • Spend time with your spouse. The ministry takes time. I remember when I first started working at my home church my Pastor told me, “The ministry is not a job that you can punch in and out on a time clock. It is always going.” In the process of ministry it is easy for everything else to take a “back seat”, including your family. Although there are times this is unavoidable, time should be made for your spouse.
  • Do ministry together. Our marriage is by no means perfect, but there is something we have always done. We have always done ministry together. I think it is because we never knew any different. We worked together in ministry before we were married. We have worked together in ministry throughout our marriage. When we had babies, they were just dragged along with us. We have worked together, and if may say so, any good thing that has happened in what I’ve done, Leslie was deeply involved in it. She truthfully makes me better. I can attest to this piece of advice, ministry should be done together.
  • Do things for your spouse. Pastors have told me the importance of taking care of my wife, of going beyond what is expected and doing special things for her. Her birthday and Christmas should not be the only times I give her gifts. Some have advised that she is the queen of our house and should be treated as such.
  • Talk to your spouse. Men have told me to tell my wife I love her and tell her often. I am encouraged to tell her how beautiful she is (and she is very beautiful!). She may know that I love her, but it doesn’t hurt for her to be verbally reminded of it regularly. Some have claimed that a lack of communication is one of the biggest problems in marriage. It is important to talk with your spouse.

There is so much more to this subject that I have been encouraged to put to practice. I remind you that this isn’t something I have come up with (although I fully agree with it), but advise I have been given by men of God as we have travelled on deputation. Here is some advice, love your spouse!

I have attached a photo that I took of Leslie last night. I must say I am a very blessed man. The truth is she is obviously gorgeous, but she is even more beautiful on the inside…

Leslie

Country of the Week: Angola

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Angola on the GlobeGeneral: Angola is a large coastal state on the South Atlantic coast. It is the seventh-largest country in Africa, and is bordered by Namibia to the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Zambia to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to west. The exclave province of Cabinda has borders with the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The capital and largest city is Luanda.

Population: 22,431,000

Gospel Need: Largest religion is a mixture of indigenous beliefs

  • 47% Indigenous beliefs
  • 38% Roman Catholic
  • 15% Protestant

The church in Angola has seen growth but has not emerged unharmed from the decades of conflict. Angola has religious freedom, but it also has a reputation for having dangerous syncretistic cults that mix elements of Christianity with animistic tribal religions. The government attempts to encourage the work of established and reputable denominations, while limiting the effects of the cults.

Angola Provinces

Highlighted Bible Reading: Luke 7:1-10

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Bible Reading: Luke 7:1-10

How do you look at yourself? A good way to answer that is to examine what you think you deserve or what you are entitled to. The centurion in Luke 7 had an interesting view of himself, even though others had a different view of him. Some of the elders of the Jews came to Jesus begging Him to help a centurion’s servant who was sick. The elders told Jesus that this centurion was “worthy” for Jesus to answer this request (Luke 7:4). Jesus went on His way to the centurion’s home. On the way, the centurion sent another messenger who explained the centurion’s self-worth. The centurion said, “I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof.” (Luke 7:6). Where the elders of the Jews thought of the centurion as worthy of Jesus, the centurion himself knew he was not worthy of Jesus. I think the centurion had the correct view.

On a side note, the centurion, who was not worthy to have Jesus come to his house, did something no Jew ever did. The centurion had such faith in Jesus, that it made Jesus “marvel” (Luke 7:9).