News from
Honduras
A lot has
happened since Christmas! Some exciting stuff!
Three new
areas for training leaders, a class begun where there had been opposition, students continuing after graduation, new
workers produced in the field through these courses, our Roberto preparing for
baptism, all this and more!
Let me
start at the beginning.
First of
all, do you remember Miguel Orellana?
A couple of years ago he asked me to give him some personal theological
teaching, since he was working all week in a distant town. He would arrive for
Friday afternoons, and I took him through inductive Bible study, a course on
Apologetics (defense of the faith), and a course of Homiletics (how to preach).
I remember proudly watching him preach his first sermon in church. He has preached occasionally since then,
helps with the youth program, and on January 3rd began as the adult
Sunday School teacher. Time spent with him was very well spent!
On January
18th I travelled to El Progreso to observe as the class that had
graduated at the end of November started the second series of courses. Of the
28 who graduated, 26 are continuing in the second level. I have committed to
travelling there once every six weeks to observe, encourage, and only occasionally
facilitate. Several of these have begun facilitating groups in their churches.
More
excitement: I have just learned that two of those students are now beginning as
pastors of new church plants!
January
21-24 was the annual convention of the Baptist churches in Honduras. The first
day and a half was more of a pastor’s convention, while the delegates were
there for the next half. During the pastors’ time I was asked to be guest
speaker, giving conferences on the Pastor as Teacher, the Pastor as Mentor (pastor of pastors), and
the Pastor as Administrator. During the actual
Convention time, on the Saturday evening, we graduated our group of pastors who
had finished the three years of advanced studies in the Central Zone (I had
been team teaching with pastor Hector). Those who had the proper school
credentials were given a Licenciatura en Teología (Bachelor of Theology).
A certificate of recognition for my ministry:
And surprise: Josué Claros presented me with a new hat!
On February
7th, Cristhian Matutes,
one of our ETBIl students at Hermon Baptist Church, was officially installed as
pastor of our mission point in Brisas del Bosque. He is a university student,
and at the same time has nearly completed the thirteen courses of First
Principles. He was a student of mine as well in my classes on Inductive Study
of the Bible and Homiletics. We are very happy to see him put in a lot of
serious work in developing this church plant.
On February
14th, three classes of First Principles (First level) graduated together at Hermon Baptist Church. (One of these classes had been facilitated by Lise). We now have a fourth generation of students,
with those from the first, second and third generations facilitating classes as
they themselves continue to study. Multiplication!!!
Our first
generation, the pilot group, is on the last two lessons of the final,
thirteenth course. When they graduate, they will receive “Bachillerato en
Theología” (equivalent
to high school graduation). They will already be better equipped than many
pastors in the country.
In the
second week of February I received a call from Josué Claros. A group of pastors and leaders from 6 Baptist churches in La Ceiba
was willing to start the First Principles courses!
Saturday,
February 20th, we traveled together to introduce the courses. Since
then I have been travelling by bus every second weekend to facilitate two
lessons. Fifteen students are participating. I hope to be able to graduate them
from the first level before I leave in September.
On February
29th to March 2nd I was in Gracias, Lempira to facilitate a group of pastors in the
second level of First Principles Courses. The pastor of the main church has been
facilitating a first level group. Both groups had their graduation from the
first level while we were there.
In March, Pastor
Mark Usher came to visit us with a small group from Fort MacMurray Baptist
church. They invited us for a holiday in the beach resort of Trujillo from the
10th to the 12th.
Thank you Mark, for a great time, and for your generosity!
Pastor Hector and his wife Wendy were also with us for a well deserved vacation.
Monday,
March 14 I travelled to Yoro, the
capital of the department of Yoro, with Josué Claros, to begin a new
group there (Josué travelled on to another town an hour away). We returned home for the following evening.
When I travel by bus alone in the future, that will involve an extra day.
One of the
courses involved in the second level of First Principles, deals with the Family
unit. In the class which Lise is facilitating, the discussion resulted in
requesting that I begin a regular Married
Couples Meeting. (Difficult to start new programs in the very
structured churches here). Lise passed
on the request, and we had our first “Supper-Conference” on Thursday, March 31. It is a great need, and after I had given
a general talk, covering a number of bases, the general request for the next
meeting was a talk on conflict in the marriage. (Requests were written
anonymously on bits of paper I had handed out).
Shortly
after this I received a request from the El
Progreso churches. Could I go and teach Homiletics on Saturday
afternoons? From 2:00 to 6:00 pm. So for at least four sessions, perhaps five,
I will be travelling there every second weekend (the weekend I am not in La
Ceiba). I began on April 9th,
with 52 students. I think a 53rd will be joining us next time, having
missed the first time around through illness.
And now for
our Roberto. (Our “adopted”
son here, who is now serving in the army). During supper one evening Lise asked
him if he had considered baptism. He seems to have a genuine faith in the Lord.
He said he wanted to be baptized, and Last Sunday evening he began his
preparation for baptism. Because of his military duties, he will only be able
to meet with his discipler every second Sunday, but will do 2 lessons at a time.
We are looking forward to seeing him baptized before leaving the country.
(Those who know me well enough will know that doing a dozen lessons of
preparation for baptism is not my idea). We are proud of Roberto and hope that our other "grandsons" at the Children's Home will grow to be like him.
Roberto with Miguel Orellana
Lise has
been helping with the AWANA program in the mission point in Brisas del Bosque,
as well as Saturday afternoon at Hermon Baptist church.
I was hoping to be able to help Cristhian in
Brisas, but for now I am away every weekend.
So that is
our news for now!
Some prayer
requests:
1. Roberto as he perseveres in his
preparation for baptism.
2. Perseverance for the students in La
Ceiba.
3. Our health as we complete our last
lap here. (Lise is having difficulty with her foot, my respiratory problems
continue, and my doctor just warned me that if I’m not very careful, I could
lose my voice for up to 3-4 weeks! Pray that I will have the self-discipline
not to chatter when I don’t need to! Also for energy, with an increased work (travel) load. Feeling my age! ha ha!
4. Cristhian as he works at getting the
Brisas church plant off the ground.
God bless,
and many thanks for your prayers, interest, and support.
John and Lise Francis
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