Posts Tagged ‘Abundant Life’

Life: Abundant Life!

Posted: June 6, 2016 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Prayer, Tijuana
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Celebrate Life in Abundance!
Pastor Cesar Zavala and his wife, Kristina in the blue shirts with Dave and some of the visiting pastors

Pastor Cesar Zavala and his wife, Cristina in the blue shirts with Dave and some of the visiting pastors including pastor Abraham Velazquez and Martha

This afternoon Hannah and I participated in a great celebration!

Vida Abundante church of Ministerios Transformación held their 12th year anniversary today. Pastor Julio Cesar Zavala and his wife, Cristina are good friends of ours and they invited us to participate in their anniversary celebration.

They started the church in the eastern part of Tijuana 12 years ago. They replanted the church two years ago in an area of TJ called La Torres. The Lord provided some land for them, and through their affiliation with Ministerios Transformación they were able to build a church on the land two years ago.

When they moved the church they lost some of their people, because so many people they minister to don’t have cars, so proximity to the church becomes an issue. This gave them the opportunity to build on their core from their church to reach out in this new community.

It was exciting for Hannah and me to be able to worship with them today. We could see the love and feel the Spirit working among this church.

Christ Promise of Abundant Life
Hannah worshipping at the Vida Abundante Church

Hannah worshipping at the Vida Abundante Church

I love the name of the church, Vida Abundante, which means Abundant Life. One of the verses both Dawn and I often refer to when we are sharing the gospel is John 10:10. The second part of the verse states, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

What a wonderful promise that Christ gives us, and yet so many people are not experiencing the abundant life. Those who don’t have Christ in their lives aren’t able to experience this abundance that Jesus speaks of. Also, many that are in Christ are not walking in the Spirit as Paul speaks of in Ephesians 5, so they miss out on this life as well.

Yet it is such a wonderful promise, and all God’s promises are true in Christ Jesus!

The first part of John 10:10 states that, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” We must not forget that we have an enemy who wants to destroy us, but we are overcomers in Christ. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Cesar and Cristina have a heart to see the lives of the people in their community transformed. The light of Christ shines brightly as they faithfully serve and share the love of Christ.

Pray for Kingdom Expansion
They gave Dave and some of the other visiting ministers an opportunity to share a word of encouragement

They gave Dave and some of the other visiting ministers an opportunity to share a word of encouragement

Pray for them that their church will continue to grow as they reach even more for the kingdom. Pray that the Lord will raise up many more like them.

This Thursday and Friday we will be holding church planting training for 12 pastors from Tijuana, Rosarito, Tecate and Ensenada. Cesar will be one of the pastors attending the training. Pray with us that the Lord uses it to minister to, and enrich the lives of these servants so that they will be even more effective in their ministries.

We pray that the church will continue to grow on the border, the Baja and Beyond! Jesus, hear our cry!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

The Abundant Life – “Vida Abundante”: The Silva Family

Posted: January 29, 2013 in Christianity, Church Planting, Family Happenings, God's Leading, Journey, Ministry, Missions, Potential Team Members, Prayer, San Diego, Tijuana
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family, Mexico, coffee, Mario & Silva Silva, Dave and Dawn Diaso

Dave & Dawn enjoying some coffee and tea with Mario and Silvia Silva

Mario and Silvia Silva along with their three children, Silvia, Cesia and Daniel just left on Sunday. They visited us for 10 wonderful days. They were exhausting days, but great all the same.

Our family loves the Silvas. The Lord has done a good work in their lives, and in their family.

Dawn and I were involved in a church plant with Mario and Silvia in Mexico City in the late 90’s. We became good friends during those days. The Lord used that time to give Mario and Silvia a heart to plant churches.

After we left Mexico City we didn’t stay in close contact with Mario and Silvia. The Lord used the Silva’s daughter, Silvia or “Chivis” to reconnect us. Mario reminded me of how Chivis was going to have a big Quinciañera party (when a girl turns 15 in Mexico they throw a fiesta). Then Chivis changed her mind, and decided she wanted to reconnect with us, and come live with us for six months. She lived with us in 2010.

God used that reconnection to spark something new. It rekindled our friendship. We began to dream about the possibility of working together on the border.

Mario and Silvia have worked as bi-vocational church planters in Mexico City. They call their ministry Vida Abundante or Abundant Life. Mario gets very passionate when he explains how most Christians are not experiencing the Abundant Life that Christ came to give us.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

–John 10:10 (ESV)

They teach the Bible in such a way that those that are learning begin to understand how they might experience the abundant life. Their heart is to see that ministry expanded on the border. Dawn and I love their passion. When we were together they shared about some of their dreams. What they hope to see the Lord do here on the border. We came away inspired and hopeful about what God might do!

In order for them to be involved with us here, they’ve got to get a visa. Join us in prayer as we work with them on figuring out how to get the correct visa. We are learning it’s not an easy thing. God is the God of the impossible, so we will trust that he will bring it to pass. We just have to wait on his perfect timing.

If any of you have experience with a religious workers visa or another type of visa please send me a note.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org