Sabbatical

I'm off to take a weekend (2 1/2 day) sabbatical. I'm going alone and will be staying in nice little cabin about an hour from Monterrey. My purpose in doing this is primarily to prepare for our up-coming pastor's conference. Please pray that I will have a good and profitable time of study, prayer, and reflection.

Ministry update and prayer requests

We are now well into the new school year. The Lord has blessed and brought us a good group of new students. Between the university and the prepa (high school) we have over 50 new full-time students. In addition, in the theology department, we have a good number of new students (both full-time and part time). A number of them are students from other majors who wish to take some extra Bible/theology courses. This year we plan to begin offering a certificate program to students from other majors (like education, business administration, etc.) who wish to pursue a Bible certificate in addition to their own major.

In the theology department, the semester began with three weeks of modular (block) courses. The first week Will Pareja was with us to teach the book of James. Will is a former staff/faculty member of UCLA, having served for three years as the men's dorm supervisor and Bible teacher (2000-2003, I think). Will recently finished his M.Div. at Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary and is now living in Chicago where plans to do church planting work.

The next two weeks we were privileged to have Jim West with us to teach Pastoral Theology. Jim is a "regular" here at UCLA, having taught 15 - 20 modular classes for us over the years. As a veteran missionary (to Spain, England, and elsewhere) and pastor, Jim's vast ministry experience makes him an invaluable resource for us.

This semester I'm teaching five classes, including Exposition of Revelation, Exposition of Romans, and Doctrines 1 (which covers prolegomena & the doctrine of revelation/Scripture). What a blast! There's nothing I enjoy more than studying and teaching the Bible.

A number of times I've mentioned a pastor's conference that my co-worker, Matt Bixby, and I will be doing early in October. This will be a three-day conference held in the city of Saltillo, Coahuila. The theme of the conference is "The Pastoral Ministry". Matt and I will each be giving 7-8 hours of instruction. Matt will focus primarily on homiletics and my topic will be pastoral theology. Please pray for this conference. This is our first time to do this kind of conference. Lord willing, we will begin to do them on a regular basis around Mexico (we already have two scheduled for next year). Our prayer is that this conference will be of great spiritual benefit to the pastors who attend.

Another project that you can pray for is a new video correspondence ministry that we're working on. My friend, Russell Raymer of OREMUNDO Ministries (a sister ministry of UCLA) is videotaping a number of our modular classes. Our goal is to offer to pastors from around the Spanish-speaking world and who are unable to take classes here on-site to earn a "Certificate in Pastoral Ministry" via video classes. This certificate (as well as the one I mentioned above) is part of a new branch of UCLA's theology program which is designed to provide more educational opportunities and options to those who are unable to pursue our regular bachelor's degree in theology. Please pray for these new initiatives.

A Christian View of Dying

Today I came across the following quote by D. James Kennedy who went to be with the Lord yesterday. It's true that Christians live well, but that's not what impresses me the most. What really impresses me is how well they die. Here's the quote:

“Now, I know that someday I am going to come to what some people will say is the end of this life. They will probably put me in a box and roll me right down here in front of the church, and some people will gather around, and a few people will cry. But I have told them not to do that because I don’t want them to cry. I want them to begin the service with the Doxology and end with the Hallelujah chorus, because I am not going to be there, and I am not going to be dead. I will be more alive than I have ever been in my life, and I will be looking down upon you poor people who are still in the land of dying and have not yet joined me in the land of the living. And I will be alive forevermore, in greater health and vitality and joy than ever, ever, I or anyone has known before.”

Drug Wars

Our co-worker, Matt Bixby, has a post on his blog concerning the drug wars here in northern Mexico and Monterrey. If you're interested, check it out here. Matt provides some links to Time Magazine's recent coverage of the issue.

And I thought the traffic in Mexico was bad!

Happy Birthday Ruth!!!!!

Yup, that's right. Ruth turns 32 years old today. How 'bout shooting her an e-mail "happy birthday?"

Eye of the Storm

For those of you who have asked or are wondering about our safety with hurricane Dean, it looks like the brunt of the storm will hit a bit south of us (click on the map to see where we're located relative to the projected path).

This is a HUGE storm, though (see below), so we're likely to see at least some heavy rain here. Thanks for your prayers. Please pray for the many families and friends of our staff and student body who will be affected by the storm.

"You rule the raging of the sea...." Ps 89:9a

Visas Acquired!!!!

Thanks to all of you who prayed for our visas to come in quickly. They did come in today, and in record time with minimal hassle. God was gracious to us. Now we have to head up to the Texas/Mexico border to renew our car papers. Please pray that this will go smoothly and that they won't give us troubles for being late (for an explanation of the problem we have with our visas and car papers, see this previous post). Thanks again for your prayers.

The Gospel-Centered Life & Ministry

I've been working on some lectures for a pastor's conference we're doing in October. My topic in general is "Pastoral Theology" and I'm currently (today) working on a couple of workshops on gospel-centered ministry--that is, on the centrality of the gospel in pastoral ministry (and indeed, all of life). My thesis is that the cross of Christ and his work of redemption should lie at the heart of all pastoral work and should be the central focus (or perhaps "obsession" would be a better word) of every Christian. In fact, the last three or four years, this "obsession with the gospel" has become something of a personal life and ministry focus for me (e.g., see the verse at the top of this blog).

Today I ran across a good post by Rick Phillips on the Ref21 blog on this very subject (note especially the words I place in italics):

Here is something on my mind: If we are more fascinated or excited about anything more than the fact that the Son of God voluntarily suffered in our place, bearing the guilt our sins deserved, then we are in big trouble. I get the impression that many today . . . are rather bored with the cross of Christ and the justification of sinners through faith alone. But there is no greater mystery and no more glorious theme than this. Do we get bored hearing the "same old gospel?" If so, our ministries and our lives are heading for big trouble. In my opinion, if there is one there would be no more powerful influence in our lives and our churches than for us sincerely to exclaim with Paul: May I never boast except in the cross of Christ Jesus my Lord.

So what's your greatest fascination and source of excitement today?!!! What's at the center of your mental and emotional and spiritual universe?

Celebrating 11 years of marriage

Today (August 3) Ruth and I are celebrating 11 years of marriage. Congratulations to us! And to God be the glory. I often think that in spite of all of my shortcomings, one of the ways I know that God must love very much is that he gave me Ruth (I'm not sure what it says about his love for Ruth). Thanks, Lord, for this wonderful gift. And thanks for another year to enjoy being with her.

A Defense of Christian Education

This semester I will again be teaching a class called "Aprender a Pensar" or "Learning to Think." I teach this class to all of our new incoming freshmen. It is the only non-Bible class that I teach and I enjoy it very much because it gives me a chance to get to know all of our new students, including those who are not theology majors. I've been working on a new lecture for that class that deals with the Christian's use of the mind and with the importance of education. While preparing that lecture, decided to re-read a chapter from John Piper's book, The Pleasures of God, called (somewhat cumbersomely) "The Pleasure of God in Concealing Himself from the Wise and Revealing Himself to Infants."

There are several things that I like about this outstanding chapter. One is Piper's masterful theological exposition of Luke 10:21-24, which serves as an excellent introduction to Christian epistemology (the study of the nature, foundations and origin of knowledge).

Another thing I like about this chapter is Piper's excellent defense of Christian education. Since Luke 10:21-24 indicates that knowledge of God comes to us only though revelation from God himself, why do we need to study, search for knowledge, and educate our children? As an educator this is a question that greatly interests me.

So why is education important? Here's one of Piper's answers in what he calls "a compelling reason for rigorous training of the mind." (It's a long quote but well worth the read.)

One basic and compelling reason for education--the rigorous training of the mind--is, very simply, so that a person can read the Bible with understanding.

This sounds too obvious to be useful or compelling. But that's just because we take the preciousness of reading so for granted or, even more, because we appreciate so little the kind of thinking that a complex Bible passage requires of us.

The book of Hebrews, for example, is an intellectually challenging argument from Old Testament texts. The points that the author makes hang on biblical observations that come only from rigorous thought and mental effort. The same could be said for the extended argumentation of Romans and Galatians and the other books of the Bible.

This is an overwhelming argument for giving our children a disciplined and rigorous training in how to discern an author's thoughts from a text--and especially a biblical text. They must learn an alphabet, vocabulary, grammar, syntax, the rudiments of logic, and the way meaning is imparted through sustained connections of sentences and paragraphs.

The reason Christians have always planted schools where they have planted churches is because we are a people of "the Book." It is true that the Book will never have its proper effect without prayer and the Holy Spirit. It is not a textbook to be debated; it is a fountain for spiritual thirst, food for the soul, a revelation of God, a living power, and a two-edged sword. But none of this changes the fact that apart from the discipline of reading, the Bible is as powerless as paper. Someone might have to read it for you; but without reading, the meaning of the power of it are locked up.

The ability to read does not come intuitively. It must be taught. And learning to read with understanding is a lifelong labor. The implications for Christians are immense. Education of the mind through the rigorous discipline of thoughtful reading is a primary goal of school. The Church of Jesus is debilitated when his people are lulled into thinking that it is humble or democratic or relevant to give a merely practical education that does not involve the rigorous training of the mind to think hard and construe meaning from difficult texts.

The issue of earning a living is not merely so important as whether the next generation can grasp the meaning of the Word of God. We need an education that puts the highest premium, under God, on knowing the meaning of God's book and growing in the abilities that will unlock its riches for a lifetime. It would be better to starve for lack of food than to fail to understand the written Word of God.

Very helpful. I find that in teaching exegesis and biblical exposition, one of the greatest challenges is that my students simply don't know how to think logically and/or read well. I don't mean that they are slow readers. I mean that often their minds simply have not been trained to follow a hefty and rigorous argument. As Piper pointed out, following the argument of Hebrews or of some of Paul's writings requires a great deal cerebral energy and strength. Reading (well) is a skill that is developed over a lifetime of mental exercise and discipline. But it is also something that can be taught and cultivated in the classroom by others who have already acquired some of the necessary skill.

"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen" (Rom 11:36a). Among the "all things" of this verse is education. All knowledge and intellectual pursuits are from him (all truth is his truth), through him (all knowledge comes through his gracious revelation), and to him (it's all to be done for his glory). May God be glorified through the training of Christian young people at La Universidad Cristiana de Las Amércias. Soli Deo Gloria!

2007 Universal Forum of Cultures

This fall Monterrey (our city) will be hosting an international cultural event called "The Universal Forum of Cultures." This 80-day event, popularly known as "The Forum," begins in September and runs through December of this year. It is sometimes called the "Olympics of cultural events" because it is held every four years in different cities around the world and because it is is a global event representing many countries and cultures.

This is really a big deal for Monterrey. According to organizers, the 2007 Forum is expected to attract a whopping 1.5 million visitors from around the world. After the first Forum in Barcelona, Spain in 2004, Monterrey was chosen from among other internationally prominent cities such as Amsterdam, Fukoa (Japan), Montreal, and Durban (South Africa). In preparation for the event, Monterrey has been doing some massive construction and renovation projects down town. For some construction photos, see here.

According to its official web site, the purpose of the Forum is "to celebrate the cultural diversity in arts and letters, language and intellectual production, in the social organizations and in ways of life, in value systems, in traditions, in beliefs, and in the material productions of human groups."



The Forum is a mixture of cultural exhibitions and international dialogue. The cultural exhibitions are educational, and attempt to promote understanding, tolerance and appreciation for the many cultural expressions around the planet. The exhibitions revolve around four core themes or values:

• Cultural diversity, which "is not a static patrimony, but rather a living and renewable treasure that guarantees the survival of humanity."
• Knowledge, which "is the essential instrument for development and the generation of welfare."
• Peace, which "is not only the absence of war, but rather an indispensable condition for welfare and happiness"
• Sustainability, "because we need to think about the future of living species and natural resources."

The dialogue part of the Forum seeks "to reunite citizens from a varied range of cultures, languages, [and] religions to foster inter-cultural dialogue and to promote global civil society empowerment" (from Wikepedia).

The "dialogues" will focus on these key topics/themes:

• Peace and Spirituality
• Education, Science, and Technology
• Cities and Population
• Natural Resources
  
• Knowledge-based Development
  
• Culture of Health and Quality of Life
• Governability and Participation
• Human Rights and Justice
• Identity and Diversity
• Cultural Politics
• Communication

This event promises to be pretty amazing. In many ways it looks like it will be very educational and interesting. On the other hand, I definitely have mixed feelings about it. In many ways it looks like a cross between the Tower of Babel, Mars Hill, and Babylon the Great of Revelation 18. There's certainly a place for cultural awareness and strategic planning for the future, but God's Word makes it clear that peace, international social justice, and true human transformation will never take place through the concerted efforts of the human race. All attempts to create a utopian international community apart from the direct intervention of Jesus Christ, the transforming work of the Gospel, and the establishment of the kingdom of God will ultimately come to naught. Only sinful human pride and self-sufficiency could every imagine otherwise. Please understand me. I'm not saying that men should not try to make this planet a better place. Nor am I saying that peace, unity, and justice shouldn't be vigorously pursued. But I am saying that pursuing those things without the fear of the Lord and apart from (and especially contrary to) his self-revelation will ultimately be unsuccessful. "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Cor 10:5, ESV).

Please pray that God would give us opportunities this year through the Forum to give testimony in this city to the realty of the Kingdom of God and the the transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

"How lovely on the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace
And brings good news of happiness,
Who announces salvation,
And says to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'"
(Isa 52:7, NASB)

(Unless otherwise noted, all quotations come from the official web site of the Universal Forum of Cultures.)

Mission Church

One of the great joys for us coming back to Monterrey is returning to our mission church. We had a great time of fellowship there this last week. God is at work and it's great to see how Christ is building his church (just as he promised in Matt 16:18). On Saturday we had almost 90 children at our weekly Bible club and on Sunday we enjoyed a very sweet spirit among the people.

It's been a busy summer at the mission. In our absence, a mission team from PA built the roof for our new auditorium (see photo above). It is a special blessing to see this project completed because much of the money for the materials (about $4,000 USD) came from the offerings of the people of the mission over the last two or three years. Please pray that we will be able to put the walls up before winter.

On Sunday afternoon we were privileged to spend the afternoon in the home of David and Paty, one of the most faithful couples in the church. David taught us how to make a delicious chicken meal and we enjoyed spending the afternoon fellowshipping with them. David has only been saved for two years but has been growing by leaps and bounds. He loves to read and "devours" everything I give to him. He recently finished D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' two volumes on The Sermon on the Mount and J.I. Packer's Knowing God. He's presently reading Secrets of the Christian Life by J.C. Ryle. Please pray for David. He is going back to school to finish Jr. High (!!!) and feels that God is calling him to the ministry. Pray that he will continue to grow, have a tender heart, and hunger for the Word of God.

Also pray for our pastor, Chuy, and his wife, Edith. They're presently beginning deputation to go to Ecuador as missionaries. Pray that they will raise the support they need.

Some Prayer Requests

Upon arriving back in Monterrey, one of the first things we had to do was apply for the annual renewal of our visas. It should be a fairly simple process, but always seems to end up pretty complicated and drawn-out. On Tuesday I turned in all of our paperwork and on Monday (July 22) I have to turn in some more. Please pray that the process will go smoothly and that we will receive our visas quickly. It is especially important that we receive our visas soon because of another added complication - our car papers. The papers that we are required to have on our vehicle expire the same day as our visas. Why? Well, that's just the way it works. The problem is that we cannot renew our car papers until we get our renewed visas. This means that we have to drive around for a month or two (or however long it takes to get the visas) with expired papers on our van. Unfortunately, there are really no other options open to us--the system is broken. The danger is that we could get our vehicle confiscated if we are caught with expired papers. Please pray that our visas will come quickly and that we will not have any problems with our van.

Also, please pray for us the following weeks as we begin our new school year. Here are some specific requests:

• Please pray that we will have a good number of new students enroll.
• Please pray that God will bless our opening spiritual emphasis week on Aug 6-10.
• Please pray that God's hand of blessing will be upon our semester. Especially pray that there will be a good spirit in the student body and that our students will come with humble, teachable attitudes.
• Please pray for the pastor's conference that my co-worker, Matt Bixby and I will be holding in the city of Saltio the first week of October.

Thanks for your prayer!

Welcome to new co-workers!

I just want introduce you to our newest co-workers here at the Christian University of the Americas: the Tom Chapman family (photo forthcoming). Tom and his wife, Kim, and their five children just moved to Monterrey from Massachusetts to serve in our music department. Tom is the brother of Susan Bixby. Tom and Susan's parents are missionaries in Chile. (In my last post I mentioned our one of our recent graduates, Daniel Salvatierra. Daniel is from the Chapman's church in Chile.) Please pray for Tom and his family as they make the transition to Mexico, learn Spanish and begin their ministry at UCLA. And please pray that the Lord will send us more co-workers!