Wednesday, June 15, 2005
JUNE NEWS UPDATE
Hello everyone from sunny, tropical León. Of course, sunny and tropical to one person can also be perceived by another as extremely hot with intense humidity and scorching temperatures. Since some days we enjoy the heat and other days we don’t, the Mexican summer is either a “holiday” or a “dog day”, depending on how one feels at the time. Still, if it ever gets too hot, we can just close our eyes and pretend we are in Hawaii. Problem solved!
FLUXUATING NUMBERS
There are many exciting things happening here this summer that I want to keep you updated on. Although we did hit two of our lowest Sunday attendances in mid-May, we transitioned to June with three Sundays in a row where we were without adequate seating for the large number of worshippers. In other words, we went from 10 people one Sunday, to 17, to 32, to 21, finally bringing us to 27 worshippers last Sunday. As one can see, during these first months of having the Church in León, we have literally felt a roller coaster of response, making it at times difficult to gauge what is taking place here. For certain we have learned that growth in numbers creates an exciting dynamic which causes more growth. Likewise, we have seen the frustrations of watching people dwindle from attendance and the challenge it creates.
PEOPLE
We continue to meet and find more and more people for studies. I have begun a new study with a young guy here named Daniel. He saw a flier we dropped off at his door and was interested in a “Let’s Start Talking” style of study. Another contact came through a chance meeting as he went to our house to service our television. An invitation was given and now Gerardo and his wife Patty attend worship and have begun studying with Jessica and I. As I went to visit one of my contacts that I study with named Roberto, I ran into a man named Jose. Before I knew it we were discussing the differences between Christianity and Catholicism and setting up a study. As a team, we are seeing similar successes as more and more people are showing interest in the Gospel in León.
MINISTRY
Jessica and I continue to cast various types of nets as ways to share Jesus here in Mexico. We have cast the net of “hospitality” by bringing families into our home to eat together and fellowship with. The net of “spirituality” is used as we open the building up for prayer times and Bible studies. We cast the net of “Christian community” by developing three weekly adult small group studies in the missionaries’ homes. “Recreation” is the net that uses Rollerblading in the park or GameNight as a way to make contacts and create interest in studies. Of course, the list of nets to be cast by our team can go on and on. In many ways “the sky is the limit” as we search for Christ like ways to be “all things to all men” in the community.
LIVING
Living in Mexico continues to be a joy as Jessica and I really start to feel comfortable in the culture. Spanish is truly coming along for us as we comprehend most of what anyone says and can get our ideas across fairly easily as well. There are times when all eyes are upon us that we have a much more difficult time, but things are going good. Of course, we still have a while before our conversations move smoothly and quickly like they do in English.
Alison is wrapping up her first year in the Mexican school system and seems to be doing well with few struggles. Christian is becoming a “big old boy” although he still does not speak any language known to man and thinks that he is Buzz Lightyear.
There are plenty of other things happening here in Mexico, but we will save those for another day. As always, we love and appreciate your prayers and we are very honored to serve you and the Lord here south of the Texas border. We do look forward to seeing you again in the near future and hope this update finds you well.
-Chris Johnson
FLUXUATING NUMBERS
There are many exciting things happening here this summer that I want to keep you updated on. Although we did hit two of our lowest Sunday attendances in mid-May, we transitioned to June with three Sundays in a row where we were without adequate seating for the large number of worshippers. In other words, we went from 10 people one Sunday, to 17, to 32, to 21, finally bringing us to 27 worshippers last Sunday. As one can see, during these first months of having the Church in León, we have literally felt a roller coaster of response, making it at times difficult to gauge what is taking place here. For certain we have learned that growth in numbers creates an exciting dynamic which causes more growth. Likewise, we have seen the frustrations of watching people dwindle from attendance and the challenge it creates.
PEOPLE
We continue to meet and find more and more people for studies. I have begun a new study with a young guy here named Daniel. He saw a flier we dropped off at his door and was interested in a “Let’s Start Talking” style of study. Another contact came through a chance meeting as he went to our house to service our television. An invitation was given and now Gerardo and his wife Patty attend worship and have begun studying with Jessica and I. As I went to visit one of my contacts that I study with named Roberto, I ran into a man named Jose. Before I knew it we were discussing the differences between Christianity and Catholicism and setting up a study. As a team, we are seeing similar successes as more and more people are showing interest in the Gospel in León.
MINISTRY
Jessica and I continue to cast various types of nets as ways to share Jesus here in Mexico. We have cast the net of “hospitality” by bringing families into our home to eat together and fellowship with. The net of “spirituality” is used as we open the building up for prayer times and Bible studies. We cast the net of “Christian community” by developing three weekly adult small group studies in the missionaries’ homes. “Recreation” is the net that uses Rollerblading in the park or GameNight as a way to make contacts and create interest in studies. Of course, the list of nets to be cast by our team can go on and on. In many ways “the sky is the limit” as we search for Christ like ways to be “all things to all men” in the community.
LIVING
Living in Mexico continues to be a joy as Jessica and I really start to feel comfortable in the culture. Spanish is truly coming along for us as we comprehend most of what anyone says and can get our ideas across fairly easily as well. There are times when all eyes are upon us that we have a much more difficult time, but things are going good. Of course, we still have a while before our conversations move smoothly and quickly like they do in English.
Alison is wrapping up her first year in the Mexican school system and seems to be doing well with few struggles. Christian is becoming a “big old boy” although he still does not speak any language known to man and thinks that he is Buzz Lightyear.
There are plenty of other things happening here in Mexico, but we will save those for another day. As always, we love and appreciate your prayers and we are very honored to serve you and the Lord here south of the Texas border. We do look forward to seeing you again in the near future and hope this update finds you well.
-Chris Johnson
#
posted by Chris J : 4:53 PM 
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
