Posts Tagged ‘1 Corinthians 3’

Sow the Seed!

Posted: August 9, 2014 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Prayer, Tijuana
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Blessed by God’s Servants
Dave with Pastor Jaime Rodriguez

Dave with Pastor Jaime Rodriguez

The Lord blesses Dawn and me richly as we connect with the pastors and the pastors’ wives that we serve alongside in TJ. I know that it encourages them to have our support, but it also enriches us. We always come away marveling in some way about what God is doing, and grateful for the special people that he has given to us to work with.

Earlier in the week Pastor Jaime Rodriguez and I got together. He was helping get my car fixed, which was a huge need I had. My need gave us an opportunity to get together.

Sowing the Seed of the Gospel

One of the things I love about Jaime is his passion for sharing the gospel and his desire to equip others to share their faith.

We spent most of the morning talking about outreach at his church and some of the other churches in the Lo Mejor del Trigo network. Jaime is a gifted evangelist. He builds relationships with new people and then shares the gospel with them.

One of the keys to having a growing church is sowing the seed. If you don’t plant the seed, you can’t expect a harvest. Just as this is true in farming, it is the same in regards to the gospel.

God Gives the Fruit
Pastor Abraham Velazquez and Martha with Dawn and Dave

Pastor Abraham Velazquez and Martha with Dawn and Dave

God causes the growth, but he uses us, his people to plant and water. I’m so grateful that we can minister with friends like Jaime, and discuss tools and strategies for reaching the lost.

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. —1 Corinthians 3:6,7

I’m also grateful that the growth is not dependent on us. God has to do it!

Pray with us!

O Lord, I do pray for a bountiful harvest. I pray that we will be faithful to plant the seed of the gospel and that your Spirit will touch the lives of the people. That we will see many come to Christ!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

 

The Joy of Christmas and God’s Increase

Posted: December 24, 2013 in Bright Spots on the Border, Christianity, Church Planting, Family Happenings, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Prayer, Reflections & Musings
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The Joy of the Season!
David & I both celebrate our birthdays in December. The cake got the best of us - "Mordida"

David & I both celebrate our birthdays in December. The cake got the best of us – “Mordida”

Today is a doubly special day in our home. We celebrate the birth of our first-born son, David Jr. and we celebrate the birth of Christ.

Like many my family and I enjoy this season. It’s a great time to reflect on the many gifts the Lord has given us. I love having all the family together, at least my immediate family. I do wish I could be with my parents and my brothers and their families. It becomes more complicated to bring everyone together, but I am so thankful that our kids can be with us.

God Provides the Increase

When I reflect on this last year, and some of the gifts and blessings the Lord has given us I’m reminded this has been one of the most fruitful years we’ve had in our 25 years of ministry. I realize that the Lord provides the increase, but it’s so good to be on this journey. It’s so good to witness God working in the hearts of men and women.

Paul says it best in 1 & 2 Corinthians:

I planted, Apollos water, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. – 1 Corinthians 3:6,7

For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. –2 Corinthians 2:15

God is doing a Healing and Restorative work!

Dawn and I love the people we work with. The pastors we are able to serve alongside on both sides of the border. We are grateful that our relationship with them has deepened.

He is moving and bringing many to a saving faith. It is beautiful to be a part of a ministry where we witnessed over 100 come into a new relationship with Christ. Many of those that came to Christ are now growing in their faith.

Just last week we saw 17 people come to Christ through our Christmas in City Heights outreach!

Dave with Daniel Nuñez and two of the church planters, Ivan Casados and Jose Luis Rivera

Dave with Daniel Nuñez and two of the church planters, Ivan Casados and Jose Luis Rivera

There were also many in Tijuana that came to Christ through are partnership with Lo Mejor del Trigo and our church plants there.

Here’s the story that one of our friends, Pastor Ivan Casados and his wife, Rocio shared with us about a family that has been changed forever by the gospel.

Recently, Rocio met a woman who lives in the neighborhood, Veronica. Rocio asked Veronica if she could pray for her. Veronica said that she needed prayer for her back, and that she was scheduled to have surgery later that week. Veronica was nervous about the upcoming operation.

Rocio prayed and Veronica felt God’s peace, which carried her through the surgery. This comforted and encouraged Veronica and it opened a door for Rocio and the church to share the love of Christ with her. Veronica gave her life to Christ with her. Later her husband, Saul and her son, Samuel came to Christ. Now the family is growing in their faith and they are part of the core group for this new church.

Dave and Dawn - thankful for the Lord's renewing work on the border

Dave and Dawn – thankful for the Lord’s renewing work on the border

One of the things we are excited for 2014 is that we are getting ready to help Ivan and Rocio plant a new church in Valle Verde in Tijuana.

Prayer is Key

I strongly believe that one of the reasons God is blessing the ministry on the border is the prayer of so many friends. Thanks for holding us up, and standing with us in prayer.

Merry Christmas! Worship the King!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Sowing the Seed

Posted: April 29, 2013 in Christianity, Ministry, Missions, Prayer, Reflections & Musings
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Dave sharing the gospel in Mexico City with Isabel Cisneros

Dave sharing the gospel in Mexico City with Isabel Cisneros (circa 1987)

Jesus shared the parable of the sower and the seed. The seed that fell on fertile soil bore fruit.

Part of our work is sowing the seed. Sometimes the seed falls on infertile soil. Yet, it’s so wonderful when the seed does produce. We rejoice with the angels when there is a new birth.

Fruit From the Summer of 1987

This week a friend of mine from Mexico City told me they met a woman who I shared the gospel with in the summer of 1987. This woman came to Christ through our seed sowing, and she is now a leader in the church.

In the summer of 1987 I was doing an internship while I was in seminary. God used that summer internship to confirm my call to serve in Mexico. I was going out with a small team almost every day in an impoverished area east of Mexico City. We were visiting people, sharing the gospel and praying for the sick.

God used that summer to grow me. I’m grateful that he also used it make a difference in people’s lives. It warms my heart to hear how someone we shared the gospel with those many years ago is continuing to be a faithful member and leader of the church.

God Makes it Grow
Sowing, 1495

Sowing, 1495 (Photo credit: Marcel Douwe Dekker)

I realize that I only played a small part. Our team planted the seed, but others watered and God caused the increase.

Paul says in relationship to his sowing of the gospel,

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:6,7 ESV)

This is a reminder to me that we must continue to be faithful to sow the seed of the Word of God. We may not always be around to see the fruit, but some of the seed will fall on good soil. God uses different people in his kingdom to produce fruit. He ultimately is the one who has to make it grow.

Thank you Lord, that you do work through us. Sometimes our efforts are feeble, but you still work through them.

Thanks to our faithful friends for standing with us, as we sow the seed. Continue to pray with us that God will cause much growth as we serve him on the border.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org