Advance the Gospel

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).

Quick Update: A Sunday in Ohio

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Both of our services this Sunday will be in Ohio. We start the morning off in Toledo at Faith Bible Baptist Church. From there we go to our evening service in New Philadelphia with Calvary Baptist Church. Each meeting is another opportunity to share what God has called us to do and is another opportunity to partner with churches to plant churches in Argentina!

Thank you for your constant prayers for us. We are seeing God move. Please continue to pray for us!

Serving Together,

Patrick, Leslie, Lily, Piper, and Ivy Henry