We’ve had two Sunday services now, and I thought I’d give a quick report of how they’ve gone. First, we’ve been meeting in a small clinic that has a meeting room with air conditioning and chairs for about thirty-five people. The clinic is located in a nice neighborhood about a mile from our house (everything is close in Santa Marta).
We have started by inviting people who come to our Grupos de Impacto. Of those people, two whole families showed up the first week with a couple of other people (I think that we were 31 people, including our families). This last week we had fewer people come, but another gentleman and his daughter came. We have invited many people, and many say “yes” and then don’t come. We realize that only God can truly work in someone’s life so that they make the effort to hear God’s Word.
The services have gone very well. I think that my coworker Scott has done a great job of leading the services; in fact, they are better organized than any other service I’ve been to here in Santa Marta, and I’ve visited at least eight other churches here. Holly, Scott, and I have been playing guitar for the music. As far as the preaching, I can’t comment, since I’ve been the first preacher for these first two weeks.
In all, the experience has been good, but it makes us realize that we have not “planted” a church yet. I’ve preached from 1 Thessalonians, and I’m amazed at Paul and his team, who started that church in a short period of time (three Sabbaths and I would guess a month or two more). In contrast, our ministry here in Santa Marta has not resulted in a church yet. I think that starting from scratch is definitely more difficult than starting with a group of people from a mother church. In our case we didn’t have that option. The sad thing is that even the believers we do have are struggling tremendously in many areas of their lives (marriage, family, finances). We definitely see that if this church results in a vibrant body of believers it is only by God’s grace.
Please pray for Impacto Bíblico here in Santa Marta and for us.
