Posts Tagged ‘Kingdom advance’

Bringing Renewal to the Border and Beyond!

Posted: March 12, 2019 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Prayer
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Kingdom Growth along the Border and Beyond!
Petri preaching in Ensenada at Renuevo church
Petri preaching in Ensenada at Renuevo church

This weekend I had the opportunity to visit two or our church planters in two different cities. One in Ensenada, which is 1 1/2 hours from us. The other one is in Mexicali, which is about 2 1/2 hours from our home. So I had a lot of time in the car, but I also had a great time encouraging and connecting with our church planters and their team. God is on the move in these cities!

Renuevo in Ensenada – Pastor Petri & Yudy
  • Pastor Petri and his wife, Yudy
    Pastor Petri and his wife, Yudy

On Sunday I was with Petri, his wife, Yudy and their church plant called Renuevo. They meet in Ensenada, which is a beautiful port city south of border. It is known as the Cinderella of the Pacific, because of its raw beauty and emerging potential. Yet, below the beauty, many people are huring and have deep spiritual needs.

Petri and his team are reaching out to professionals on the North side of the city. One of the things that excites me about their project is that there are literally no churches in the area of the city that they are planting in.

There’s a huge need, especially in the part of the city where the church plant is located. Petri is a bi-vocational church planter. He is the supervisor of the school district in Tecate, which is an hour north of Ensenada. Petri’s wife Yudy, is a teacher in this same school disctrict. It is not easy working a full time job in another city, and planting a church. Yet, the advantage is that Petri and Yudy have lived and worked in Ensenada for a number of years so they have deep roots in city. They still live in Ensenada even though they work in Tecate.

One of the things I enjoy about visiting the church is that Petri is an excellent teacher, and he does a great job of explaining and sharing the gospel each Sunday. There’s still much work to be done in Ensenada, but they are off to a good start. Pray that the Lord continues to open doors for them to share the gospel and that more and more people will come to Christ and become a part of the church.

A New Ministry in Mexicali
  • Blanca and Federico with Dave

The other church planters that I visited are just beginning their work in Mexicali. Federico is a seminary student who will be graduating this May. He and his wife, Blanca went through our church planting discovery center in Mexico City in January. They were evaluated and approved as church planters.

Now comes the hard work. I’m partnering with them and the National Presbyterian Church in Mexico to raise the funds to start a new church planting project in Mexicali. Mexicali is the capital of Baja California and it is an important city for the State and for the country of Mexico.

You might remember that we started a new church that we built in memory of our daughter, Hannah in the outskirts of Mexicali. Now we would like to start another church towards the city’s center.

Join us in Prayer!

Since we are just beginning this project there are many things that still have to come togethter for this church plant to get moving forwar. We do have some traction. The wheels are starting to turn. We know that one of the most important needs that we have now is to bathe this project in prayer. Actually we need major prayer for both works. Please join us in lifting these needs before our Heavenly Father. Lift up Petri and Yudy and their team as well as Federico and Blanca.

Thanks so much dear friends for standing with us in prayer!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

Gospel Growth in Greece

Posted: October 4, 2017 in Christianity, Church Planting, Ministry, Missions, Prayer
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Greece & MTW

Athens, Greece

Athens, Greece

Dawn and I just returned from a LEAD meeting in Athens, Greece. Every three years Mission to the World (MTW) holds a leadership meeting for all our missionaries from around the world and our national partners.

It’s an amazing time to come together as a group committed to reaching the world for Christ. We connected with missionaries that we know, and many that we hadn’t met yet. As a mission, we don’t have many opportunities like this to meet together as a missions body and work together, because they serve in other parts of the world. Some of them literally are living on the other side of the world.

One of the highlights for me was spending time with the other missionaries, hearing their stories and having the opportunity to pray with them and for them. Some of our people are working in very remote and difficult places. Missionaries need prayer. They need encouragement. It is not an easy job, and the church must unite with them (us) on Mission with God.

A Place Where Paul Once Preached

The Ruins in Corinth where Paul stood trial for his faith

The Ruins in Corinth where Paul stood trial for his faith

I found it amazing to be meeting in Greece. A place where Paul preached. We even had the opportunity to visit the Acropolis and Mars Hill. We also went to Corinth. While we were there Dawn and I reflected on the roots of our faith. We thought about how our daughter, Hannah is with Paul and other Biblical characters.

Sadly Greece is no longer following Christ. Less than 1% of the people are followers of the Messiah. Greece is a country that has lost its way and now needs to be won again. We do lift up our missionaries there and their national partners. Some wonderful servants of the Lord.

Goals for Growth – More Workers!

MTW LEAD 2017

MTW LEAD 2017

While at the LEAD conference our leadership highlighted some of our goals as a mission. Lloyd Kim, MTW’s coordinator encouraged us to pray and work for more than 2,000 new missionaries to go to the field. The goal is that the PCA would send 2,877 missionaries which is 1% of our membership. That’s a huge undertaking, and our leadership is beginning to put some tracks in place to move towards reaching 1%.

One of the keys is to have many people praying for God to touch people’s hearts and call them to serve on the foreign mission field. There are all kinds of ways that a person can serve today. You can check out some of the opportunities on our website: MTW.org/1

David & Dawn at the Acropolis in Athens

David & Dawn at the Acropolis in Athens

Lloyd Kim and our leadership team also rolled out a goal to work in a more collaborative way with others in order to see more churches planted and more people reached for Christ. We pray that by God’s grace there will be a Kingdom movement. A movement of the Lord where we truly see the world changed, on earth as it is in heaven.

Thanks for praying with us, and believing God for even greater things that are yet to come!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

God Uses Special Friends!

Posted: April 18, 2017 in Journey, Ministry, Ministry, Missions, Prayer
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God Has Blessed Us With Some Amazing Friends

Dave & Dawn with the Cisneros family

Dave & Dawn with the Cisneros family

Some of my favorite friends are the Cisneros family. I first met them when I was a young, fledgling seminary student in 1985. I came down to Mexico City with Dr. William Iverson and 16 other students and professors. That was a life changing trip for me, because it was there that the Lord first called me to serve in Mexico.

Through the years Dawn and I have been able to stay in touch with the Cisneros’s. We’ve prayed for each other, and encouraged one another. They are a family that is deeply committed to Christ. I first met them, because of they were serving with Campus Crusade for Christ, now Cru. Then later they began to work with Operation Mobilization. They continue to serve in missions in Mexico, and other countries.

They are like family to Dawn and me, and we have a strong love for one another.

The Impact of Hannah’s Life!

Dave & Angel on the street outside Angel's home

Dave & Angel on the street outside Angel’s home

This reunion was special in many ways, as it was the first time Dawn and I have seen them since Hannah passed away. They made a special effort to love on us and encourage us.

Angel's daughter, Ana Rut

Angel’s daughter, Ana Rut

Angel Cisneros who is now like the patriarch of the family had three of his children with us. All of them were sharing how Hannah’s life and death impacted them. One of them, Ana Rut said she remembered Hannah being happy as a small child, and she saw how she grew to love Christ as she became a young woman. She said that Hannah’s death really impacted her, and made her think about her own life and her own devotion to Christ. She shared this through her tears, which brought Dawn and me to tears.

They were healthy, cleansing tears, and we felt so much better after we had cried together. One of my prayers has been and continues to be that Hannah’s death was not in vain. I suppose I know in the grand scheme of things God uses even death, so it’s not in vain, but I want to see an impact left by my beautiful daughter’s life. Ana Rut’s story was an answer to this longing that I’ve had. She told me as well as the family told both Dawn and me that Hannah’s life and example touch many people’s lives.

The Lord Met Us in a Special Way

After a wonderful meal we were able to sing together, and then pray together. They asked us if we would pray for them and pray over them, and it was a very special time. We all sensed the presence of the Lord as he ministered in us and through us. Hallelujah!

Thank you Jesus for the Cisneros family. Wonderful servants of yours, and we do pray your rich and bountiful blessing over them.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org