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Ready. Set. Go.

Hey you guys,

I made it back to the States on Aug. 17th. Sometimes it’s sad how quickly time flies, but I’m thankful for all that the Lord has been doing. My life would not have been the same if I had not answered the Lord’s call to CSOM this summer. He’s directed and spoken to me in ways that wouldn’t have happened if I had stayed home. Thank you for all of your prayers and support in this season!

Re-Cap

One of the key theme’s of our last week was faithfulness and the importance of showing up as a Christian and in ministry. I certainly need the Lord’s help to grow in my follow through. I want my yes to be yes and my no to be no (Matt. 5:37). We began our last week of classes by hearing from a church planter down in Southern Mexico. He lives in a very dangerous area, but despite that, God is adding people to His Church. In that, we got to hear more of the realities that await those who church plant; the struggles, the times of loneliness, but the assurance of knowing and following God’s call allows us to walk in those seasons. Getting to hear his story of God’s faithfulness in the face of great darkness was needed. We might not know what’s next, but He calls us to pray! As our final class came we were able to re-cap what the Lord has been showing us through our six weeks in Baja California. Man, what a full six weeks it was. I’m so thankful for the relationships the Lord allowed me to build and grow during this time, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what God wants to do in this season with all of us!

Outreach

Getting ready for the Covid food relief at the end of our outreach…

During our final week we only had one outreach, but it was a sweet one. We were able to go to an area near Tijuana where we got to have a time of worship and teaching for the adults and the Lord helped me to teach the kids about Jonah. It was so much fun to get to play games and color with them. They really enjoyed red light, green light; our translator Jessica did a fantastic job! To finish everything out we gave out food relief to help families in need during this pandemic. The Lord used it, thank you for praying!

Abiding

As we went into our debrief weekend, we went through John 13-17 seeing God’s heart and commission for us—His people. I know that no matter what comes I am called to abide in Jesus. As that happens He will take me right where He wants me. The encouragement and growth that the Lord brings is a beautiful thing and I am so looking forward to what He has in store. He has to be the priority; I can’t do any of it without Him.

How To Get Involved

Since I’ve been back the Lord has really been providing for me financially, and definitely guiding me in what’s next. Thank you for praying. The Lord hears prayer, He is gracious, and He pours out His love upon us in so many ways. He has been working things out with my car and finances so thank you very much for praying for those needs! He knows our need and He answers. Would you please continue to pray:

  • That the Lord would make me faithful in all I do.
  • That the Lord would provide me with a job as I pursue an internship.
  • That the Lord would grow me in my gifts and callings.
    • That I would be faithful to walk them out.
  • For direction on when to move.
  • That I would grow in my knowledge of the Word and living it out.
  • That I would promote growth and unity in the Church wherever I go.
  • For safe travels.
  • That I would be a good caretaker of all that the Lord has put in my hands.

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

-John 15:1-5 (NKJV)

Blessings,

-Jordon

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Humility In Discipleship

God is good,

We’ve really gotten into a good groove here. I think one of the greatest issues is becoming complacent while in ministry. Learning how to better foster my relationship and walk with the Lord has been a huge blessing. Your prayers have been at work the whole time we’ve been in Mexico—thank you! You’ve been praying for unity, and the Lord has helped us to walk in unity. You’ve been praying for boldness in sharing the Gospel, and the Lord has been giving it. He’s been giving wisdom and discernment. He has been keeping us in good health, and He is guiding; thank you.

Back To The Basics

This past week the Lord has been making me more aware of pride in my heart and my great need to walk in humility with Him. I am to truly identify with Jesus, and as His follower, I need to humble myself before Him and bring my purpose and reason for being in alignment with His. I am to bring Him glory (John 15:8). Both of our books this week, Humility by Andrew Murray and The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer, spoke on our need to die to self, cling to Jesus, and pursue Him! It’s been a blessing to see how God speaks at just the right moment to draw us closer to Him and to move us from grace to grace in our walks with Him.

Church Planting and Cambodia

This week we got to hear from an experienced church planter who is working in Cambodia right now. He shared about some of the challenges that church planters face. When dealing with cultural norms, some will be different from what I am used to, but that doesn’t mean that they’re wrong. Others, however, need to be corrected through the Word and discipleship. This was a sweet time, as I’m praying about whether the Lord would have me go to an Asian country to church plant.

Ending our Class session praying with our guest speaker…

Conference in Baja

This week’s teaching was appropriately tied in with church planting, as we got to attend the CC Rosarito Church Planting Conference here in Mexico. There were some huge themes of perseverance in the face of opposition and discouragement. To remember that we are called to faithfulness. It was a great reminder when one of the speakers shared that church planting is the building block laid upon evangelism and discipleship. Those two things are the direct outpouring of the believer as they walk with the Lord, and it leads to believers walking in what it looks like to be the Church.

Highlights

I think some of my favorite moments this week were hanging with kiddos. While serving during one of the afternoon sessions of the conference, I got to help watch the kids while parents were attending the conference. It was really fun getting to hang out with a bunch of the kids; one of whom (his name was Orlando) was part of a family that CC Rosarito was sending out to start a church in Guatemala. As we were leaving he wanted to know if I was going to be there the next day to play basketball, and I was just stoked to be able to serve and build relationships; even just briefly. It’s such a blessing to get to see what God is doing, and how He is growing His church. Another moment that stood out to me was during one of our outreaches at CC Primo Tapia where one of our translators, Jessica, and I got to help a man named Eduardo carry his food back to his home. We got to talk with him about the Lord. From our conversation it sounded like he was a believer, so we encouraged him to attend the church. Things have been pretty difficult for him, especially with this pandemic, and it was a blessing to be able to encourage him.

Getting to help Eduardo carry some groceries home…

As followers of Jesus, we have a sweet opportunity to make disciples wherever we are. Regarding discipleship, we students were challenged to pray for the Lord to bring people into our lives to disciple; to point them to Jesus and teach them to follow Him. Would you be up for praying how the Lord might want to use you to help raise up someone in their faith and walk with Jesus? The reality is that we can’t, but with a willing, surrendered heart, God can use us to accomplish things we never thought could happen.

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” -2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (NKJV)

How To Get Involved

Our time here is coming to a close, we’ve got one week left to go, but there is still more to learn and more people to share Jesus with. I feel the Lord has been continuing to stir my heart for church planting, and I absolutely want to be obedient wherever He is leading. As for what is next, I definitely need the Lord’s wisdom. There are some opportunities for internships that can help prepare and grow me for being able to go out when He says to go. In that, I also wanted to share some of my financial needs. I was in an accident on June 13th and need new transportation. I’m looking at buying a car that’s in good shape from my family for ~$2,680 which would include ~$180 for registration and smog. Thankfully they are allowing me to make payments so that will be a huge help. There is also need for part of my rent ($350 total) for where I’m moving in to. If anyone would feel so led to give, the link is below. Most of all, would you please continue to pray; He knows exactly what He has:

  • That the Lord would continue to reveal where He would have me go.
  • That I would trust more deeply.
  • For where I should fulfill a potential internship, as there are a few different opportunities.
  • That the Lord would continue to give me opportunity to grow in the gifts and calling He has given.
  • For continued team unity.
  • For provision:
    • That my tax return would come in soon to help pay my bills
    • Finances for car.
    • Finances for rent (month of September).
  • To put into practice these things that the Lord has been teaching since early June.
  • For continued health, protection, and safety for myself and the rest of the team.
  • Please pray that everything learned and gained during this time would be kept and put into practice as I get back to the States.

Dios te bendiga, love you guys,

-Jordon

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None of These Things Move Me

Time is flying!

We have had a lot of great opportunities to continue to grow and serve here in Mexico. Thank you so much for being part of what God is doing. He’s using your prayers and support in so many ways. The unity between our team has been so great. I look forward to how these relationships will grow over the next two weeks. To be around like-minded people who love Jesus and want to make Him known is such a blessing.

Becoming A Student of Culture

Last week I was reminded of the spiritual war we find ourselves in as Christians. This world is filled with darkness and we have the antidote. We have Jesus and we have the amazing opportunity to tell people about Him. There are a lot of ways that the Lord has been breaking my heart for the lost. Did you know that there are about 17,000 unique people groups on this earth, and 7,000 of them have not been reached with the Gospel? That means that they don’t even have access to it. To put this into perspective, there are 1,000 churches for every 1 unreached people group. If more churches made it their goal to reach the unreached, then we could reach them in this lifetime! In regards to reaching them, I was also able to see how big of a barrier culture can be. With the Lord’s help, and a lot of patience we can reach communities all around the world for Jesus. People are headed toward a Christ-less eternity, and we have the answer. I believe the Lord has been stirring up my heart greatly for the unreached, and wherever He leads I will gladly go.

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!’” -Romans 10:14-15 (NKJV)

Christ Is Gain

COVID Food relief in Rancho Cuarante

At both of our outreaches this week we were able to bring the Gospel, and food relief for around 60 families. We had games and lessons for the kiddos, and shared testimonies as well as the Gospel with the adults. It was a really sweet time to build relationships with some of the people in these communities. At our first outreach there was a little boy named Josué that I got to connect with while playing football (soccer). It was really great to see the smiles on the kids faces as they played and had a good time with our team. At our second outreach on the Kumuyey tribe’s reservation, we got to meet a little boy named Abraham. He had been stung by a bee, and we were able to talk, help, pray with him, and one of our leaders, Bryan, was able to share with him about where his name comes from in the Bible. Please be praying for the Kumuyey as the pastor who served them died about a week ago. Right now there is a young man named Angel there in his place; please be praying for him, and also for someone to come out full-time and love and serve the group of believers there.

Getting ready for outreach in San Jose de las Zorras reaching the Kumuyey people

How To Get Involved

When we go on outreach we are going to give people Jesus, but our hope, flowing out of that, is to meet physical needs as well. If you would like to be a blessing as we continue, then please indicate that under the note section when giving. If you would like to partner with me in seeking to bring Jesus to those who do not know Him, and feel led to give, you can do that through the giving link as well. Again, the greatest need is prayer. Would you please pray:

  • For continued unity
  • For boldness to proclaim the Gospel and meet people where they are at
  • For a burden to reach those who do not know Him
  • For us to be Jesus’ hands and feet while we are here
  • For wisdom and discernment as we go out
  • For continued provision
  • For the Lord to continue to make callings clear
  • For health, safety, and protection as we finish out our time here

With all of this said, I’d love to hear how you guys are doing and how I can be praying for you!

“And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” -Acts 20:22-24 (NKJV)

Blessings,

-Jordon