Posts Tagged ‘church multiplication’

Relationships & Multiplication: God’s Gift to Us!

Posted: January 6, 2020 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Prayer
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Family & Growth: So Exciting
Some of the church planters that we are working with that are seeing multiplication

Two of the things that excite Dawn and me the most is our close relationship with the church planters we are working with and seeing the church grow. We continue to work for and pray for multiplication on the Border, the Baja and Beyond!

I feel like it’s hard to describe the special relationship that we develop with the church planters that we partner with. A number of them refer to us as family, ‘Padre y Madre’. I haven’t experienced many relationships like this in the U.S.A. I think people tend to be a little more guarded in the United States.

These relationships make us feel good, but there’s more to it than just good feelings!

Fruit: The Ministry is Growing!
Pastor Luis & May with their children David & Zuri

The Lord is using these relationships and the training and coaching that Dawn and I are able to provide to produce fruit. We are seeing ministries grow.

Just today one of the church planting couples that we are working with in Cuba, Luis and May told us how their relationship with us has made a dramatic difference in their lives. They refer to it as a before and after. Luis and May told us that their ministry and their effectiveness has grown since they met us.

They’ve been using some of the church planting training material that I shared with them the last time I was there. Red de Multiplicación (Multiplication Network) has some excellent church planting training resources that we’ve given them. Luis and May took those resources and have trained 12 couples that have started 12 house churches in their city in the last year. 400 people have been reached through these churches!

That is multiplication, and that is what we are praying and working for! Praise Jesus!

Continued Growth in 2020!
Pastor Mario & Yany’s church in Cabaiguan. There’s a growing network of churches in this city

Luis and May are planning on starting two more house churches this month as we begin 2020. They are already off and running! These are just two of the church planters that Dawn and I are working with. God is building his church on the Border, the Baja and Beyond!

Please pray for us as we kick-off 2020. We are praying for more churches and multiplication of leaders with a clear vision to reach the lost for Christ. God is so good, and he is so faithful to grow his church!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

My Journey to the Middle of the World

Posted: January 23, 2019 in Christianity, Ministry, Missions, Prayer
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Wow! The middle of the world

Wow! The middle of the world

Last week I felt like a Hobbit or at least I thought of them as I visited the middle of the world in Quito, Ecuador. When I visit a new place I like to spend at least a little time getting to know the city and surrounding area. It was my first time in Quito so I took advantage of my time there and went to see the city, and I also visited the middle of the world. Where it is 0.0 – 0 latitude. It is a fascinating place to be for sure. And like I mentioned it made me feel like a tall Hobbit.

Amazed by the Unity in Christ

Red de Multiplicación meeting in Quito

Red de Multiplicación meeting in Quito

I was in Quito for an annual meeting of the Latin American leadership for Red de Multiplicación (Multiplication Network). This was the first time that I joined this group. I was truly amazed by the spirit of cooperation and community that the group shared.

One of the reasons that I was amazed is because these men and women represented a wide array of denominational groups who shared one goal to see more churches planted throughout Latin America. I don’t always see unity among even people from the same tribe let alone when they are from very different persuasions. I think that is one of the beauties of Red de Multiplicación. They excel in bringing people together for the proclamation and proliferation of the gospel. The goal is to plant more churches and stronger churches.

The unity that I see among these friends reminds me of Psalm 133:1.

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when the brothers dwell in unity!”

Jesus prayed in John 17 that there would be unity among his followers, and too often this isn’t the case. The sense of working together for the gospel demonstrates the love of Christ.

Breakthrough as the Church Multiplies

A great group. Friends from Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela, Ecuador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Mexico who serve with Red de Multiplicación

A great group. Friends from Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela, Ecuador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Mexico who serve with Red de Multiplicación

Dawn and I first learned about the Multiplication Network two years ago which was just after Hannah moved to heaven. Of course, that was a time when we were especially hurting and mourning, but we were also praying for more. Dawn and I felt as we prayed that the Lord wanted to see our reach expand.

The Lord impressed Isaiah 54 upon us at the beginning of 2017 which speaks of enlarging your tent, and breakthrough.

“Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread abroad to the rights and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities.” Isaiah 54:2-3 ESV

We believe that the Red de Multiplicación is an answer to our heart’s cry. An answer to our prayers. The Lord has already used them to help plant thousands of churches throughout Latin America and as one of our friends, Ben Meyer said, they hope that this is just the tip of the iceberg.

I’ve been encouraged and amazed as I’ve heard the testimonies of ministries that hadn’t planted any churches, and all of the sudden after partnering with the Red de Multiplicación they’be begun to multiply and to see a number of churches planted. We do pray for more!

Join us in Prayer for More!

Pray with us as we partner with the Multiplication Network to see more churches planted so that lives will be transformed by the gospel as they encounter Jesus! We do pray that the church growth we’ve seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg and that the Lord will ignite the fires of the gospel throughout Latin America and beyond! Hallelujah!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

An Answer to Prayer on the Border!

Posted: May 5, 2018 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Prayer
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The Discovery Center in TJ

Our fun group from the Discovery Center in Tijuana (Centro de Descubrimiento in Spanish)

Our fun group from the Discovery Center in Tijuana (Centro de Descubrimiento in Spanish)

Jesus asked us to pray for more workers in Matthew 9:37 & 38. I participated in a Discovery Center in Tijuana this week. The Discovery Center is designed to evaluate people who are interested in planting churches. You could say that these people are the answer to what Jesus asked us to pray for.

“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9:37-38‬ ‭ESV‬‬

It’s exciting to be part of an answer to prayer. At this particular Discovery Center, there were four couples that we were evaluating. I love hearing their testimonies. It’s a joy to get to know them and learn how God has been working in their lives up to this point. Some of those that come have a very strong and definite call to plant a church. Others are interested, but they are exploring and asking the question, “is the Lord calling me to plant a church?”

A Network of Church Planters

The church planting candidates working on one of their projects

The church planting candidates working on planning out a project to plant 5 churches

All four couples that came through the Discovery Center were approved, which means that the team that evaluated them believes they have the skills, the gifts, and the character to plant a church. One of the couples is ministering in Mexicali. The same city where we just built the church in Hannah’s memory. This particular couple is already planting a church, but they have been doing it on their own. They want to be part of a supportive network of churches.

Ministerios Transformación is wonderful at coming alongside those that are either interested in starting a church or already in the process and giving them a place to belong and grow. We’ve worked with them over the years to provide help in training and mentoring. I’ve enjoyed watching them grow and mature as a ministry.

This year they’ve started a church planting training center for all their new church planters. It also is a place to prepare people who are exploring or may be interested in church planting in the future.

Partnering with Friends is Healing

Dawn and I give thanks to the Lord for the opportunity to serve alongside our friends at Ministerios Transformación. On the last day during our debrief they told me that they didn’t consider me an outsider, but one of them, even though I was the only American involved. The love and care that they exhibit ministers to both Dawn in me in a deep and profound way. I believe the Lord is using them to bring much healing to us since Hannah moved to heaven.

The Dedication of the Hannah Diaso Church Plant

Pastor Mere and Edna

Pastor Mere and Edna

This Sunday we will be dedicating the new church in Mexicali that we built in Hannah’s memory. Please pray for Pastor Mere and Edna as they launch this new ministry. We pray that as the name Ministerios Transformación implies that there will be true and lasting life transformation in the community they are ministering in. Thank you, Lord, for your promise to build your church!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

​Growth in Guadalajara

Posted: June 7, 2017 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Prayer
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God is Growing His Church in Mexico

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Guadalajara

Dawn and I are grateful that we are connected to a larger mission that works in many cities in Mexico and beyond. You might remember that we began our ministry with Mission to the World (MTW) in Mexico City back in 1990. That was also the year that our oldest son, David Jr. was born. As we pray and work towards the growth of the church, and for changed lives it’s exciting to be able to visit and encourage our missionaries and to see all the Lord is doing through them. One of the cities we recently visited was Guadalajara.

Precious Servants & Friends

 

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Our good friends, Matt & Esta Jesch with their son, Mateo

Guadalajara is a beautiful city with many needs for the gospel. MTW missionaries have been working in this great city for more than 20 years. It gave Dawn and me great joy to spend some time with Matt and Esta Jesch, who arrived in Guadalajara about three years ago. They are wonderful servants of the Lord, who we’ve grown to love as we’ve gotten to know them. They actually flew out to support us when our daughter, Hannah died.

Matt and Esta have many gifts and they have amazing hearts to work alongside our churches to reach out and come alongside people in need. This includes job training and mercy ministries. We love being with them, they are some of our favorite people.

Church Growth in Acapulco & Guadalajara

 

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Kenton & Adriana Wood with Dawn and Dave in front of Rey de Reyes Church

One of MTW’s missionaries who has had the most success not only in Mexico, but in all of Latin America is Kenton Wood. Kenton’s parents were missionaries when he was a child. They served in the Acapulco area. Unfortunately, when Kenton was still young both of his parents were tragically killed in an airplane accident. Even with this tremendous tragedy, and challenge Kenton’s love for Mexico and the people of Mexico has not waned.

He planted a church in Acapulco in the 80’s. Then in the mid-90’s he moved to Guadalajara to begin his church planting work with his wife, Karen. The church, Rey de Reyes has grown to 900, and they have started four other churches in Guadalajara and other cities in Mexico.

Kenton has experienced some challenges in his life, but he’s been resilient and continued to serve faithfully. Not only did he lose his parents when he was young, but his wife, Karen passed away about 5 years ago. She had cancer. The Lord has sustained Kenton and his family through all these trials.

Dawn and I were so encouraged to share a meal with Kenton and his lovely wife, Adriana who now serves alongside him in the church, Rey de Reyes. God is so good, and takes care of His children. First we visited the church, and saw all the various ministries and how the Lord is using them. It brought us joy to see the vision and creativity for reaching the lost with the good news of Christ.

I give thanks for all that the Lord is doing in Guadalajara. Pray for the church to grow and that even more churches will be started, even more lives will be transformed by the gospel. We pray that we can replicate more churches and healthy churches throughout Mexico and beyond!

In His Loving Grip, Dave

 

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

El Salvador Multiplication

Posted: May 20, 2017 in Christianity, Ministry, Missions, Prayer
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Red de Multiplicación – Multiplication Network in El Salvador

IMG_1145Over 300 people from 19 Latin American countries gathered this week in El Salvador to promote more churches and healthier churches in the Spanish speaking world. One of the most exciting things for me was to see people from so many different cultures and denominational traditions coming together for the Kingdom of God.

I believe it glorifies God when his people come together and when they lay aside some of their differences for the advance of the church. The ministry that organized this event is called Multiplication Network or Red de Multiplicación in Spanish. Their slogan is more churches, healthier churches.

The Church in Growing in Latin America

Reports were given by various leaders about how many churches have been started, how many people have come to Christ, been baptized and other areas which demonstrate growth and health. With all the bad news going on in the world it does lift up my soul to see how God’s Spirit is moving and bringing about transformation in Latin American.

The main focus at the conference was on discipleship and life transformation. This is a much needed area in the church. The trends are showing that while the church is growing in Latin America, that many Christians are becoming nominal. Their faith is shallow, and therefore their influence on the culture is minimal.

We can’t be satisfied with just getting people in the door of the church. O Lord, do wake up the church and bring about true transformation that will rock the nations!

Collaborating with Friends & Colleagues

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Pastor Edson Martinez, David Diaso (Me), Pastor Abraham Velazquez and MTW Missionary Peter Boling

Another highlight for me was that some of my friends and colleagues in ministry were able to join me at the conference. Peter Boling who works with me in the Baja was able to attend. Also, two pastors from Ministerios Transformación attended, Pastor Abraham Velazquez and Pastor Edson Martinez.

On the last night we had a little time available to explore San Salvador and we saw some of the city together and enjoyed pupusas, which is one of the delicious El Salvadoran meals.

My ongoing prayer has been for breakthrough. I long to see breakthrough where we are locally on the border and The Baja. I also long to see breakthrough in other parts of México, in the great cities of Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, etc. I pray that the Lord’s Spirit will move in such an amazing way in Mexico and that it will spill over into other countries in Latin America. My desire is to be a part of what God is doing. This desire, this dream is not too big for the Lord. O Lord, do you mighty and awesome work on the earth as it is in heaven!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Cuba: Despite Suffering The Church Grows!

Posted: December 19, 2016 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Prayer
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The Two Sides of Cuba

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Cuban Church planters with Discovery Center Staff

I continue to both amazed and saddened when I spend time in Cuba. I’m amazed by all that the Lord is doing in this country that has experienced so much oppression. They’ve suffered greatly, despite what some in the media write. It saddens me to hear the stories and learn of all they’ve had to live through. As one of my friends said, “there is equality, we all have the same, we all share the same misery.” Yet, despite this they are a wonderful and resilient people. The Cubans we met are good-natured, and enjoyable to be around.

The other thing that I observed is that God has used all their suffering, and all the things they lack to make it crystal clear to the people that they need something greater than themselves. They need a deliverer. They need a savior, and many are turning their lives over to Christ.

Quality and Choice Servants of the Lord

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Dawn with Oniel Rojas and his wife, Heidy and their daughter, Rosa. Oniel is the leader of the movement we worked with in Cuba

The church planters that Dawn and I met during the Discovery Center are such quality people. Their love for Jesus is so evident. Some of them are amazing evangelists, and the Lord is already using them to reach many for Christ. Even though we went to minister to them and encourage them their testimony lifted us up. Dawn and I felt humbled as we heard their stories, and of their love for the Lord.

The church is not allowed to build church buildings in Cuba, but they can meet to study the Bible and to worship in their homes. The house church is exploding in Cuba. Missiologist say that Cuba is the only country in the Western Hemisphere where a true church planing movement is occurring. Yet, there is a need for training, coaching and encouragement. We give thanks to the Lord that we can play a role in the work there.

Second Trip to Cuba

I first went to Cuba in April, and I fell in love with the people. At the time, I thought I’d love to be able to bring my wife and my daughter to Cuba with me. Unfortunately, I will never have the opportunity to bring Hannah, but the Lord did open the door for me to bring Dawn, and we had a wonderful experience together.

God’s Strength in Our Weakness

The church planting candidates working on a project during the Discovery Center

The church planting candidates working on a project during the Discovery Center

Thank you Jesus for giving us the strength to be able to go and minister in the midst of our sorrow! One of our friends and colleagues in the gospel ministry, Ivan Villalta said it was a miracle that Dawn and I were in Cuba helping with the Discovery Center, since we just lost Hannah only a few weeks ago. That encouraged me that he said that. Yes, it’s not easy to minister in the midst of our pain, but we are finding God’s grace is strengthening us and carrying us through it all.

When I told Mario & Yany one of the church planting couples about Hannah passing away, they said it was clear that the Spirit was giving us strength to be able to continue to minister during this difficult season of life.

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Dawn and I appreciate your love and prayers for us. God is using you to lift us up!

Just as we felt we were able to bring the love and blessing of our Lord to our friends in Cuba, they definitely blessed us and helped lift our spirits. Hallelujah!

The Lord did so many amazing things in Cuba that I have more to write, but I will save it for another post. Please continue to pray for us this week as we are back at home, and celebrating our first Christmas without Hannah.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Coaching in Missions: What’s the Connection?

Posted: June 20, 2014 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Prayer
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Coaching Church Planters

Dr. Tom Wood leading us through a module on gospel coaching

Dr. Tom Wood leading us through a module on gospel coaching

I’m on a jet plane flying back home from Houston as this is going out. I’ve had a wonderful week at two events in this city. I started the week at a training event to learn how to do a better job coaching church planters. Then I ended the week at the PCA’s General Assembly, which is a huge church event for our denomination.

Dr. Tom Wood who is the founder and president of Church Multiplication Ministries led the training along with Tami Resch. Here’s some of the highlights on the training on coaching church planters. The coaching is gospel centered. I loved the strong emphasis on the gospel in coaching others.

Born to Coach

I enjoy coaching a great deal. I think it’s one of the areas I’m gifted in. A group of us started coaching church planters in Mexico in the mid 90’s. So I’ve been involved in coaching in one form or another for almost 20 years.

I must admit I was a little skeptical coming into the training. I wondered if I would get much new out of it, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Bringing Coaching to Mexico

Having some fun in Texas with one of our Mexican partners Jorge Aleman

Having some fun in Texas with one of our Mexican partners, Jorge Aleman

Another highlight was the people I went through the training with – wonderful people. The main reason we are doing this is so that we can bring this training to Mexico and begin training and multiplying coaches for our church planters. I was able to bring two other Mexicans and one American who work with Mission to the World in Monterrey, Mexico.

It was outstanding to have them there, because we are beginning to form a team that can coach church planters and train others to do so.

I believe that this is one of the most important things that we are doing right now. It is a fact that church planters need a coach. They become much more effective with a coach. Bringing this training to Mexico and multiplying our coaches will aid us in seeing more effective church planters, which means there will be stronger churches.

The gospel emphasis is such a keystone to success in ministry. People need the gospel, and in many ways those in ministry need it most.

Please do pray for us as we work on bringing this training to Mexico. It’s going to take some time, but this will enable us to build a strong foundation.

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Dave with Hector Guzman

Wonderful Connections with Friends

Another highlight was some of the other people who went through the training on coaching with us. I met Hector Guzman. He is now working as the Spanish pastor of a bilingual church plant in the Atlanta area. The last time I saw him he was a business man in Mexico City involved in the core group of a church plant that Dawn and I were working in there.

Pray for Jason & Kara Tippetts

I stoled this from Kara's blog: Mundane Faithfulness

Jason and Kara Tippetts. I stole this from Kara’s blog: Mundane Faithfulnes 

I spent some time with Jason and Kara Tippetts from Colorado Springs. They are planting a church there. They arrived in the Springs just as Dawn and I were leaving to move to the border. I know Jason through some of our church meetings, but I had never really met Kara.

Kara has stage four cancer. They are going through a difficult season as a family. She writes an outstanding blog that is an encouragement to many called: Mundane Faithfulness. In her blog she shares her journey through cancer, and how God in his grace shows up and is carrying her and her family through it. I’d urge you to check it out.

  • Pray for the Tippetts
  • Pray that I learn and that our team learns how to coach other church planters with a focus on the gospel
  • Pray that we will soon be able to train other coaches in Mexico
  • Pray for my energy – it’s been a long week!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

 

Church Multiplication in Tijuana!

Posted: October 22, 2012 in Bright Spots on the Border, Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Ministry Partners, Missions, Prayer, San Diego, Tijuana, Video
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The next two Saturdays we will work with our good friend, Daniel Nuñez and Lo Mejor del Trigo (The Best of the Wheat) to build a new church building for Daniel’s 17th church plant. His vision is to plant 50 churches in 20 years! This is the second church plant that Harbor has partnered with Daniel on.

It’s been so encouraging to see what the Lord has done in Rosarito through the first church plant. I’m thrilled that we are on the border, and that we can participate directly in this new work!

This video that our talented friend, Danny Kim put together features some of the highlights from the Rosarito church plant.

“Lord, we do pray that there will be many more churches, and that the city of Tijuana will be transformed as people are won to Christ, and the gospel is powerfully proclaimed. Amen!”

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org