Sorting out priorities
A new year brings new challenges to the Guanano church in Brazil.
Missionary Lindy Drake wrote, "Barry and Denise Spor and Carol and I will be attending our mission’s annual Workers’ Conference this month. That means that for the space of two and a half weeks the Guanano church leaders get to flex their spiritual muscles and handle all the Bible teaching on their own."
For that reason, the missionaries sat down with Guanano church leaders including Herman, Mario and Moise and his wife, Delfina.
"We talked about the big picture," Lindy wrote. That includes what to teach this year, and how to best disciple the believers. And a key question in that discussion was what Lindy should concentrate on before he leaves for home assignment in the USA in June.
"Should we concentrate our efforts in the area of Bible translation and try to finish the Old Testament portions," Lindy wrote, "or should we … work on the revision of Bible lessons for the new believers which we are teaching now as fast as we print them out?"
The church leaders told Lindy, "We need them both!"
While their response was honest and heartfelt, "that wasn’t helpful," Lindy wrote.
However, the Spors, Drakes and the church leaders are "actively seeking the Lord’s direction" for ways they can assist Lindy and perhaps accomplish both things by June.
The leaders also talked about their responsibility to their fellow believers. "We talked about some individuals who have made bad decisions and how some counsel from God’s Word is necessary if we are to fulfill the responsibility God has given to us as shepherds of His Guanano flock," Lindy wrote.
"What a blessing it is to be part of a leadership team that prays and seeks the Lord’s direction together!"
Missionary Lindy Drake wrote, "Barry and Denise Spor and Carol and I will be attending our mission’s annual Workers’ Conference this month. That means that for the space of two and a half weeks the Guanano church leaders get to flex their spiritual muscles and handle all the Bible teaching on their own."
For that reason, the missionaries sat down with Guanano church leaders including Herman, Mario and Moise and his wife, Delfina.
"We talked about the big picture," Lindy wrote. That includes what to teach this year, and how to best disciple the believers. And a key question in that discussion was what Lindy should concentrate on before he leaves for home assignment in the USA in June.
"Should we concentrate our efforts in the area of Bible translation and try to finish the Old Testament portions," Lindy wrote, "or should we … work on the revision of Bible lessons for the new believers which we are teaching now as fast as we print them out?"
The church leaders told Lindy, "We need them both!"
While their response was honest and heartfelt, "that wasn’t helpful," Lindy wrote.
However, the Spors, Drakes and the church leaders are "actively seeking the Lord’s direction" for ways they can assist Lindy and perhaps accomplish both things by June.
The leaders also talked about their responsibility to their fellow believers. "We talked about some individuals who have made bad decisions and how some counsel from God’s Word is necessary if we are to fulfill the responsibility God has given to us as shepherds of His Guanano flock," Lindy wrote.
"What a blessing it is to be part of a leadership team that prays and seeks the Lord’s direction together!"