We are so excited to boast of what The Lord has been doing in our 'end of the earth'.
Over the last year and a half that we've been living in our townhome, we have been trying to build relationships with those around us. One of our neighbors in particular has been a couple named Cassie and Jonathan. They had been struggling a lot lately with employment and finances, and Jonathan with alcoholism as well. Sean had been helping them get around, provided rides, sharing his story and Bible passages with them. A few months ago they hit a really low spot. They were very desperate. Jonathan had been trying to read the Bible as Sean had been suggesting but was just having a hard time with it. Then one night while on night-shift he tried listening to the Bible on audio and the floodgates were opened!!
He listened all night to most of the New Testament and was changed!! He saw his need for a savior and all that Christ offered him and wanted it. He has been rapidly growing ever since that day and has not had a drink of alcohol. Cassie and Jonathan have chosen to follow Christ and would even like to get baptised. We have been meeting with them weekly for church and discipleship teaching them how to share their testimony, how to share the gospel and how to lead and disciple others. Jonathon's co-workers have noticed a tremendous physical and spiritual difference in him. He has been sharing his testimony with them and about the things he is learning, not because we've prompted him but, because he just can't hold it in. A new convert makes a great witness! The gospel is spreading and His transformative power is being seen. God is transforming lives!!! Jonathan has also recently had 3 co-workers say they would like to join him for Bible study so we have been training Jonathan to lead his own discipleship group. The goal has always been to make disciples, 'fishers of men', not just fish for men. We are to be like Jesus, who made disciples, who made disciple and that is our quest. We want to fully equip the body of Christ to do good works, and 'greater works' for the Kingdom of God.
Please be in prayer for us, Jonathan and Cassie, and all those whom God is preparing, that we may all grow deeply, be transformed and bring glory to God. We could not have done anything like this out of our own intent or own desire. God transforms our passions to be for His Kingdom and He is the one that draws people to Him. May all the Praise and Glory be to Him!!!
Saturday, January 2, 2016
Monday, December 14, 2015
Worldwide Spiritual Awakening
I believe we are at the beginning stages of a worldwide spiritual awakening.
Hey friends, here is why I believe this:
3) These movements are expanding RAPIDLY and in areas traditionally thought to be "hard to reach places". What was traditionally thought to take a long time to see happen is happening similarly to what you see in the BOOK OF ACTS.
4) I believe at the core of it it is a RETURN TO THE WORD OF GOD for how we do discipleship, evangelism, and churches. The ingredients for reaching the world have been there all along, but now people around the world are rediscovering those biblical principles.
5) I am meeting people who are from CITIES AROUND AMERICA who have the vision for reaching their entire cities with the Gospel of Christ, and they have biblical strategies they are aggressively pursuing (with the love and grace of Christ!!). For example people who are going street by street, house by house, looking for People of Peace (Luke 9 & 10), sharing the gospel, seeing people come to faith in Christ, discipling them and training them to do the same.
6) There are individuals and groups IN ALMOST EVERY COUNTRY / STATE in the world who have the VISION and STRATEGIES for reaching their cities / states (https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer…).
7) There is INCREASED HOSTILITY towards Christians and traditional Christian theology and morals. While many might think this is a bad thing (and in some ways it is), I believe discomfort challenges and urges us to PUSH MORE INTO CHRIST and HIS WORD and separates those who are superficially following Christ (because they won't want to follow him if they are being persecuted) and those who are genuinely following Jesus. Christianity rarely thrives where there is comfort, luxury, and ease.
These are a few of the main reasons I believe this. Again, I believe we are just at the beginning stages of this movement. But I believe 15-20 years the spiritual landscape and churches will look a lot different.
Thoughts? Questions? Do you want to join God in the movement!?
Hey friends, here is why I believe this:
1) RIGHT NOW around the world there are several places where they are seeing thousands and in some places millions of people coming to faith in Christ (here is one article to get a glimpse of that:http://simplychurch.com/what-in-the-world-is-god-up-to/). [I will speak on the American church towards the end]
2) These are REPRODUCING movements. What I mean by this is that when someone comes to faith in Christ, these individuals are immediately trained in how to share their faith and disciple others (among other things), and they are going out and doing so [they are trained and held in loving accountability to do so] and then when they lead someone to faith in Christ they do the same thing so it is constantly reproducing.
3) These movements are expanding RAPIDLY and in areas traditionally thought to be "hard to reach places". What was traditionally thought to take a long time to see happen is happening similarly to what you see in the BOOK OF ACTS.
4) I believe at the core of it it is a RETURN TO THE WORD OF GOD for how we do discipleship, evangelism, and churches. The ingredients for reaching the world have been there all along, but now people around the world are rediscovering those biblical principles.
5) I am meeting people who are from CITIES AROUND AMERICA who have the vision for reaching their entire cities with the Gospel of Christ, and they have biblical strategies they are aggressively pursuing (with the love and grace of Christ!!). For example people who are going street by street, house by house, looking for People of Peace (Luke 9 & 10), sharing the gospel, seeing people come to faith in Christ, discipling them and training them to do the same.
6) There are individuals and groups IN ALMOST EVERY COUNTRY / STATE in the world who have the VISION and STRATEGIES for reaching their cities / states (https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer…).
7) There is INCREASED HOSTILITY towards Christians and traditional Christian theology and morals. While many might think this is a bad thing (and in some ways it is), I believe discomfort challenges and urges us to PUSH MORE INTO CHRIST and HIS WORD and separates those who are superficially following Christ (because they won't want to follow him if they are being persecuted) and those who are genuinely following Jesus. Christianity rarely thrives where there is comfort, luxury, and ease.
These are a few of the main reasons I believe this. Again, I believe we are just at the beginning stages of this movement. But I believe 15-20 years the spiritual landscape and churches will look a lot different.
Thoughts? Questions? Do you want to join God in the movement!?
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Prayer Requests
Pray for...
- Opportunities to meet more of our neighbors and develop relationships with them
- Opportunities to share the gospel
- Our church, that we might all live with a passion for God and his people
- Sean and I, that we would abide strongly in God and His word
- That God would be with Sean and grant him favor as he meets with local church leaders this week
- That God would open doors and hearts of people who would partner with us as prayer-partners and financial-partners in our transition into full-time missionaries
- Jonathan and Cassie, that they may continue to grow in Christ and have God meet their physical and financial needs
About us
Sean and I met while attending college at Texas State University and wed in the summer of 2010. I, Claudia, have enjoyed serving in education the last six years and as a kindergarten teacher for the last three years in Agua Dulce, TX. I am now greatly looking forward to being a stay mom and urban missionary!! Our first child, a baby boy is due February 29th, 2016!!!
Five years ago, after Sean graduated from college, the Lord opened up a door for him (and me) we did not anticipate but have been incredibly blessed by—working in youth minister. Through this experience God has taught us so much. He has not only developed in us a passion for working with young people, but He has stirred in our hearts the importance of equipping all believers, working together in unity, and in reaching out to others.
Both Sean and I are so excited about what the Lord is doing in our lives and how we will be living out those passions through 4 Seasons Ministries!! We believe God is starting a Spiritual movement here in Corpus Christi, and we are excited to be invited and commissioned to join along with Him in what He is already doing (John 5:17). Perhaps He is calling you to be a part of this movement as well! We look forward to this new and deeper journey of discipleship and all those we will encounter because of it.
Luke 10:2 ~ Jesus says, “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”
Please join us in prayer, as brothers and sisters in Christ, that the Lord would guide our steps, give us the words to speak and bestow upon us hearts like His that we might live like Him and only He would be glorified through our endeavours.
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