People First!
February 2025
People First! Thank you to everyone reading our blog and supporting us!
The border area of Mexico is an incredible place to minister! Sometimes we get too caught up in the “ministry” stuff that we are TOO BUSY for people! Our goal and desire for 2025 is to fulfill the second greatest commandment:
“…you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39
Picture: Helping a dear friend & recent widow move.
Last year was an incredible year in Rosarito’s biggest church! We had hundreds of people visit and had many baptisms each month. However, Claudia and I have found that in a church so full of new visitors and new converts (baby Christians!), it is easy to get overlooked. Our desire is to get to know people, spend time with them and make new friends! Now, while many people want attention from the main pastor and so on, we have discovered that most folks don’t know anyone and may not even have one friend! I believe Jesus wants us to love people with our most valuable resource: our time!
Men’s Discipleship 2025
I restarted my men’s small group in January. We meet every Thursday to review the week’s Bible reading in the Gospel of John. I have met many men in our church patio and through counseling over the past three and a half years and most do not have the great discipline of reading the Bible daily (daily devotions). I will ask men if they would like to learn how to read and study the Bible and most say yes!
The key is to read slower than faster! I have created a 365 year reading plan through the book of John! Yes, you could easily read the whole book in a couple of days, but by slowing down, we have found that God truly speaks and teaches us much more effectively!
We started this reading plan in the small group in April and I am personally now in chapter 15. Here is an example of my personal reading this morning:
“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.” John 15:3
The context of this verse is a little while after Jesus washed the feet of the disciples and Peter said, wash ALL of ME! Jesus said that it was not needed since Peter was already clean from Jesus’ words! As I read this verse in John 15:3, I realized that in our community the majority of people put more emphasis on water baptism and church attendance than in reading the Word of God. What an incredible blessing to know that as we read God’s Word, He does a supernatural work in drawing us closer to Him, revealing Himself and transforming our minds!
Women of Worth and Purpose 2025
Claudia leads a bilingual women’s study with one co- leader, 9 table leaders and 2 subs. On Thursday nights the women whether in person or online are coming together to be more equipped to walk in those good works God has preordained for them to walk in thru studying systematically, verse by verse, through the whole counsel of God in a book of the Bible. Praying for the ladies, serving together, and going on mission trips together! This year we have added a Youtube channel including “shorts!” God has even provided a 21 year old to manage the channel and record “shorts” ! How about subscribing? https://youtube.com/@mujeresdevalorypropositobiling?feature=shared
Mission trip to Morelia, Michoacan – February 7-10th
Claudia was invited to travel and teach at a conference this weekend! More to come next time!
Biblical Counseling!
As most of you know, Claudia and I oversee the Biblical Counseling area. Counseling people who are struggling is both fulfilling, difficult, frustrating and fruitful! Claudia regularly counsels remotely very successfully I might add!
Even my men’s discipleship group grew out of the need so many men have to grow in their character and habits. Most of us guys are too busy, too proud or too oblivious to request counseling! (Ladies, can I get an amen?) Our goal is to help people receive the mercy, forgiveness and love of God and grow in their relationships with Christ!
People First!
The title of this month’s blog emphasizes the great need to remember why Jesus came to this earth. Most of us can quote John 3:16 “God so LOVED the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life”. God LOVES the world and so should WE! And that means loving people. How do you show love to people you meet? We meet new people and families every week! This year we are committed to meet, befriend, and connect people to our community. My own mother to this day is lifelong friends with the other young couples she met at their church when they first moved to Claremont in 1969! Picture: Celebrating a birthday with friends! (Elias, Elvia, Claudia, Tina, Flor and Kristy)
Picture: This precious young family moved here from Culiacan a few years ago! We want to help them connect and make friends! (Lizbeth, ALvaro, Matias and Emma)
Constant Challenges!
Working closely with folks and getting involved with people’s lives means great victories but also failures! In our community you will experience a lot of welcoming genuine love. People often seek God in times of personal crisis! We have wept with people as they suffer through overwhelming trials and tragedies. Three years ago, I remember being in our “prayer corner” where people wait for and request prayer. These are some things I was asked to pray for: my children won’t come to church; my son is on drugs; my daughter is suicidal; I have cancer; I was overwhelmed and I couldn’t sleep at night; my daughter has cancer; my son was in a car accident; my partner was just killed in an accident; my nephew was kidnapped… But guess what? OUR GOD is BIG and HE IS GREAT! Remember the promise of Jesus,
“If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” – John 14:14
While this is not a blank check to get whatever we want, we can be absolutely sure that GOD hears our prayer and will answer! And, believe it or not, most of the time he answers YES! I also remember being so overwhelmed by people’s prayer requests and apparently enormous problems! So the next time I went to the prayer corner to pray, I was ANXIOUS and NERVOUS! I prayed, “Dear Jesus, please! I can’t handle this! Don’t crush me with your people’s burdens! But, Lord, I won’t run away, I am going to pray for them nonetheless!” Guess what happened that Sunday? I remember that person after person said things like,
“Pastor, do you remember me? God healed me!”
“Here is my son who was in that car accident! He is well!”
And many more like those grateful saints! A few months ago when my friend asked me to pray for his nephew, my natural thought was… it’s over for him. But, he told me the nephew was released. I didn’t ask for details. The lady who asked for prayer for her children who didn’t want to go to church… they come now and have friends here! That lady is one of Claudia’s table leaders and her daughter enthusiastically serves as an usher! We have learned to place people’s great needs and prayers at the foot of Jesus! And, by the way, people regularly return to tell us how God answered their prayers!
The Kids!
Poiema experienced a great time of growth and challenge with her new job as a cashier at Cafe de la Fonda in downtown Rosarito! It is not easy to go from a cozy, supportive home to a 40 hour work week and job that starts at 6:30 am! She learned a lot about customer service and working with the public! Not so scary after all! This is one of the ways God provided for her last semester at CBI Peru! She will have left Monday February 3rd!
Ben is doing great and is taking coding classes online and pulling straight A’s!
Cristian continues his medical studies at Universidad Xochicalco in Ensenada. Email me and request their phone numbers so you can send a message of encouragement!
Lydia and Geoff are currently in Japan for the next few months working as missionaries!
Natalie continues her high school Biology and Physics teaching in Midland Texas… wedding this June on the 28th!
Praise reports:
- God has answered ALL our prayer requests from our December blog!
- Men’s discipleship started in January and we have added a daily whatsapp message!
- Claudia’s bilingual Thursday study now has a Youtube channel! 1000 views for the two “shorts in less than a week!”
- God has provided financially for Poiema to return to Peru one last semester! And her renewed US passport arrived just in time!
Prayer Requests:
- For men to get serious in the discipleship class and do the daily homework! (Paul)
- For four couples who we have counseled who have not been willing to repent and be reconciled. (Paul & pastors)
- God’s wisdom and protection over two ladies in abusive relationships. (Claudia)
- For God to guide us, as we try to connect new people and families to our church family. (both)
- For God to help me be focused and more organized (Paul)
- Hortensia and Jesus’ wedding on February 14 and celebration on the 15th. (Paul)
- Faithful women & leaders for the Bilingual Women’s study (Claudia)