Sharing the Good News

While visiting various countries when traveling with work of LATTE, there are many opportunities to share news from other mission fields. 

Much of this is informal like the included picture taken after a delicious dinner given to the professor and his wife in the home of one of the members. Conversation had touched on what other places WELS is sharing the gospel besides here in Colombia. We talked of the work in Latin America, Africa and then Asia. These Colombians are looking at pictures of a tour the chairman of World Missions of WELS is taking of work in Asia. 

You may be sure that these members are enthused and encouraged by the continued spread of the gospel. They will have these distant fellow believers in their thoughts and prayers.

Welcome

The Santisima Trinidad congregation here in Medellin, [Colombia] is a vibrant congregation with members who share the gospel with joy to all in their circles. [One] Sunday, we witnessed one of the ways that this works. 

A young woman came as a guest of a member. She and her hostess sat in front of us [Larry and Marlene] during Bible class. The class was dedicated to a study of the confessions of the Lutheran church. As all Lutheran members know, these confessions are based on the Bible truths and what we confess about them. However,it can be a bit confusing to a first time visitor to our church. All through the class the hostess was explaining what the teacher was sharing. At the end of the class the teacher went out of his way to welcome the visitor.

In the recess between class and the worship service, the other women of the congregation literally lined up to introduce themselves and give her a warm welcome. I heard many short encouragements being given to her to continue to hear the Word. After the church service as the crowd thinned, I had a chance to introduce myself. The young woman told me she so enjoyed the service, the sermon and the friendly people. She plans to return for the next Sunday. Meanwhile her hostess friend and others plan to call on her in her home this week with gospel encouragement. I will probably go along as I am often included in the ladies activities while we are here.

Putting it into Practice

The joys of the ministry are many. For me as a LATTE professor, it is a joy to train men and women for the gospel ministry. And my joy is multiplied when I see our students put what they are learning into practice.

I am not called to be a parish pastor right now, so I am not out there directing evangelism programs for a congregation. I do not preach every Sunday or teach Catechism class to the youth. But I am training others to do that.

What a joy, then, to see God reign in the ministries of our students.  Our students are reaching out with the Gospel.  

I'd like to share a short video of Alex and Obed handing out copies of "The Promise" -- a booklet produced by our WELS Multi-Language Publications to explain God's promise of salvation.  

This video selection was recorded a few years ago in the Dominican Republic.

Unpredicted

Charlie was saying earlier today that there are two things, for sure, than can not be predicted with certainty. One of those is, of course, the weather! Here we are in Wisconsin in June, and should be having beautiful days of early summer. Instead, we braved almost two weeks of cold, rainy days before June lived up to its name. And back in Dourados, they also had a weather surprise. During the summer months the farmers and ranchers plant soybeans, and when these are harvested, they plant corn for a second harvest. The government extension agents give out a date by which the corn should be planted in order to be harvested before the possible freezes of July. Ooops! It froze in some of the fields around Dourados a couple of days ago, and the temp in town was near freezing. So much for predictions! About 40% of the corn harvest has been compromised by the freeze that came too early. I'm sure you have lots of stories about weather surprises!

Another thing that can't be predicted is where and when the Holy Spirit is going to work. In one of our many discussion over Skype with Gilberto, our evangelist in charge in Dourados, we heard a number of stories in which someone surprised Gilberto with a confession of faith. Probably the least expected were the answers of two teenage girls who are studying to be confirmed. Gilberto decided to test them with a number of important questions before the class began. He was bowled over by the answers they gave which confessed their faith. He didn't expect it because they are two rather quiet girls. Certainly the Spirit has been working in them because they are often in church, and sitting up in the front with their dad and grandad.

An excerpt  from Retired Missionary Charlie and Beth Flunker continue to serve Igreja Luterana Brasileira – The Brazilian Lutheran Church as active volunteers, residing in Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul.

Remain Calm

"Place the oxygen mask over your nose and mouth. Breathe normally. Remain calm."

Anyone who has ever flown hears these words over and over again before the plane leaves the ground. But they are not the words you want to hear when the plane has reached cruising altitude.

On a recent flight, our plane had reached 25,000 feet and we were expecting the flight to go well when the pilot announced that the plane was losing pressure. The pilot started a steep decline and the oxygen masks fell out of the ceiling. As everyone worked at putting on the masks, the plane kept going down until we leveled out at 10,000 feet. After about 15 minutes we were allowed to take off the oxygen masks.


At that time, the man sitting next to me was visibly shaking. The first words he said were, "What if we had all died?" During the remaining portion of the flight I was able to tell him about the Savior. Jesus lived the perfect life we have not been able to live. He gives us that perfection which we have not earned and do not deserve. What happens to all the sins that we have already committed? Jesus paid for all of them with his innocent death on the cross. His perfect life and innocent death are all we need to enter heaven. And He gives them to us freely.

A frightening situation became the open door to talk to someone about the peace God gives us through faith in his Son Jesus. Now we do not need to fear death because we know what comes after this life ends. We can be calm, Jesus is there.

Missionary Philip and Kathy currently reside in the Dominican Republic.