Power Of Prayer

If there's a pie chart for how time on mission trips is spent, sleeping and eating are very small corners, and watching TV and/or using your cell or the Internet are almost non-existent. Prayer is the huge wedge in the chart. Next in line is probably changing terminals at Miami's airport if you're headed to South America.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" - Philippians 4:6-7.

During our mission trip to Colombia in 2008, prayer was the foundation of our 6 AM meetings, a big part of our breakfast, then Matt and I prayed arm-in-arm before leaving the hotel room. We prayed later in the morning with each church's members ("nationals") where we were building attendance before heading out into their neighborhood, prayed with Colombians who either chose Christ or just desired prayer for a medical condition or personal affliction. Back at the church that afternoon, we prayed over all the forms we collected from neighbors and new believers. Later, when we finally turned out the lights in our hotel room, Matt prayed to Father to thank Him for all we experienced. Matt has an incredible heart and love for the Lord. I was simply in awe that I was rooming with a guy in a foreign country and we were praying together.

OK, I admit I fell asleep during that lights-are-out prayer time. It wasn't a lack of emotional conviction to Matt praying, rather it was my body realizing lights were out, I was in bed ... and my reaction to know it was time to sleep. Tossing and turning is foreign to me.

One of my best memories of the power of prayer when we were in Colombia was the day we started in our second neighborhood. On Monday and Tuesday of mission trips, we grow membership in one church and on Wednesday and Thursday we do the same for another church. On Friday night, we have a celebration service at one central location for all new members ... multiply that times a handful of teams in our overall group and you have about 1,000 people on fire for Jesus.

The church and neighborhood we visited on Monday and Tuesday were so inspiring that I chose to spend my off-day on Friday, before the celebration service, back visiting them. I couldn't wait until our gas-powered taxi dropped us off on their street that morning, and I didn't want to leave them several hours later. Matt did the same on Friday in the neighborhood where he visited on Monday and Tuesday.

My prayer with Matt before leaving the hotel room on Wednesday was for us to trust in Him that day. We knew our new neighborhoods were going to bring struggles that day, after the prayers of so many had opened the hearts of so many Colombians to our message the past two days. We were sharing the story of Jesus, and as a disciple we were aware that Christian persecution was a huge and dramatic part of early church history: 11 of the 12 disciples of Jesus died for sharing the story of Jesus with others.

Before our van stopped at the new church in the new neighborhood that Wednesday, we knew. Doors in the area were closed, not opened, and we couldn't find a child or adult outside their home. What we did see were packs of Jehovah's Witnesses knocking on doors leaving their footprints fresh in the dirt where we were headed.

At the church, I was given a new translator, Mary, a native who taught English at a nearby college, along with two nationals: two elderly women (pictured) and leaders at the church who were dressed their best and shared an umbrella to combat what was easily the hottest day of the week.

The translator, Mary in this case, is tasked with knocking on doors and introducing us (me in this case). The nationals join us for neighbors to meet friendly faces that will remain in the neighborhood once we leave, and to be equipped to build the church in the same manner and with the same message as we present.

From house-to-house-to-house-to-house, etc., Mary couldn't find anyone receptive to opening their door or to want to listen to what we had to share. After more than an hour, I became defeated and frustrated -- new feelings for me in Colombia. Mary even shared with me that she was cramping that morning and it was painful for her to walk.

I was on the verge of gathering the four of us and returning to the church to develop a new strategy once I found our team leader. I told Mary that I thought our two nationals were even frustrated and ready to head back because they were off in the shade under a tree talking to each other. Mary shook her head and said, "Dave, they're in prayer, they're praying for God to open these doors."

I'm such an idiot to not only judge others, but to doubt His strength and power.

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express" - Romans 8:26.

When they finished in prayer, one of the elderly women walked over to me, grabbed my wrist, looked up to me and smiled, and began walking toward the end of the street. Like race walking. It couldn't have been comfortable and routine for her in the heels and polyester dress she was wearing, but she was going strrong and deliberate, with Mary and the other woman following. The street looked like a dead end, but we kept walking in the scorching heat. We reached the end, I looked at her and she motioned to turn left. We walked around the corner from the set of homes we just walked down, and came upon a new street as we looked back in the direction of the church. And the hot rising sun. She released her firm grasp on my wrist, looked at me, and said (through Mary), "God directed me here. He's prepared their hearts to hear what you have to say. Let's go."

Well, OK then! The first home we visited, the Colombian couple opened their front door to Mary, carefully listened to my words and the story of Jesus that I shared outside on their porch, and eventually chose Christ as I led them in a prayer of acceptance. I was so focused on this couple and enjoying finally being able to develop a new relationship in the area that when I turned around to look at the street, I found doors open, kids now outside in the street playing ... and the two women from the church already next door talking to a woman and waving me over to share the story of Jesus again.

By Noon, the vans of Jehovah's Witnesses had departed the neighborhood. God showed His glory to us and through us the rest of the day and again on Thursday in that area of Barranquilla.

And I became a little bit more patient.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

In His Time, Not Yours

During our mission trip in Colombia (two years ago), we started every morning at 6 AM with an hour of prayer and devotionals around the hotel pool, followed by breakfast and instruction/motivation for our day in the field. After a quick trip back to our hotel room to gather our belongings and to pray for each of our days, Matt and I divided into our respective teams, jumped into vans and departed for our assigned communities around 8:45. We returned around sunset.


The initial thought that Matt and I both shared was to attend the first prayer hour on Monday, but to sleep in the rest of the week and report straight to breakfast.


During one of the breakfast meetings at the start of the week, our group of 70+plus from across the country and of all ages was asked for a show of hands of those who have been following Christ for 50 or more years. A scattering responded, which was incredible. Then 25 or more years. A bunch; many people my age who probably grew up in a Christian home and in a strong church where they still visit when returning home to see family. Then 10 or more years. Almost everyone in the room. I knew what was coming. Finally, a show of hands for less than 10 years.


I think I was the only one in the packed meeting room whose hand was raised. There I was, out in the open, exposed and the latest member of God's Chosen among a room of dozens and dozens of experienced missionaries.


Before I could feel a sense of uneasiness about being out of my league in that room when it came time to sharing the Gospel or reciting scripture of singing songs tied to scripture, I realized God had me exactly where He wanted me. This trip was by His plan and His design. My perceived "weakness" with my left hand still in the air and all alone in the room would become my strength in the mission field.


"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:10


Within a couple hours, I found myself a world removed from the hotel meeting room, sweating in the early-morning Colombian heat ... and sharing the amazing story of Jesus to strangers as we traveled house to house building membership in area churches. Sharing His Love and His commitment to find us, to rescue us, wherever we are in the pit ready to surrender.


Even if we had been in the pit for 30-plus years looking for an answer. That statement resonated with Colombians I met who were grown adults, just like me. The hope that I conveyed in Christ they clearly saw in my eyes and heard in my voice, even through my translator. They could sense His love through His spirit that was in me and leading me. No one else in that hotel meeting room had that story to tell of living in darkness for so, so long and the patience God has with all of us, but I did.

We never missed prayer house at 6 AM that week. Starting the morning in communion with Him was as important then as it was me earlier this morning. Day One will start back in Colombia two weeks from today, after our arrival on Saturday night.

He's going to wow me again, I can count on that.

Step Aside And Enjoy The Moment

You can never be ready for your first mission trip. Physically, yes, but mentally ... never. It's one thing if you're hammering on a new structure in a third-world country or feeding a poverty-stricken community; it's a whole different experience if your trip is evangelism and building membership in new churches in a country you've never traveled. A country like Colombia ... which you have heard of because of its rich history exporting drugs, and of course, the guerillas that are the dangerous underbelly of the nation.

Imagine a moment where you're 1-on-1 sharing the story of Jesus through an interpretor to a total stranger or, in some cases, 1-on-8 with three generations of a family all staring at you from their front porch.

You can approach each "appointment" like you would starting any other day back at home ... with confidence in yourself and your abilities to manage, control and react to each situation as best you can. Or, you can place your trust in Jesus, not to hold your hand or push your back, but to lead you. Control you. Empower you. And wow you.

Jesus told His disciples in John 16:7 that His departure was to their advantage because, "if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you."

"The Spirit helps us in our weakness." - Romans 8:26

"Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." - Romans 8:14

Yes, yes and yes.

It was that simple for me on my first mission "appointment," as it has become every day in my life, to yield to the Spirit. Oh, I'm as stubborn as anyone you'll meet, but for me it was and is the way. The only way.

During my first "appointment" in Barranquilla, Colombia back in October of 2008, I shared the story of Jesus with a man and two women in a small park that was surrounded by several small homes. There was plenty of training provided to us, but nothing like meeting total strangers who are all wondering what, why and how a red-haired, fair-skinned man is doing in their South American neighborhood.

If seeing all three eventually surrender themselves to Jesus didn't give me enough evidence that it was all the Holy Spirit and not me, the next "divine appointment" did.

Minutes later, as I entered a home just off the park to meet a woman and her teen-age daughter, the Mother -- noticeable weeping -- said to my interpretor: "I heard the voice of an Angel outside my window. Come inside and sit down. I've been praying for you."

Whether walking the streets of Colombia, making a big decision in the office or leading your family ... it's all in yielding to the King. He will show you the way.

I am so, so eager to return with Matt to Colombia in nearly two weeks.

Plans underway

We're just a few short weeks from the trip to Cali. At this stage we are raising financial and prayer support. April 10 is coming quickly.

Colombia Day 7

Today was the last day in Colombia. There are too many stories to tell in a blog post, too much to share in a few paragraphs. The picture we've tried to share through this week only gives you a very very very small look into the true Kingdom things we've exprienced this. The phrase I have used this week is that "we got to see the Bible in real-time". I borrowed the phrase from Steven and it says it all, God didn't show up, He showed off this week.

As we get ready to catch a little sleep before waking up at 4:45am to be on the bus to the airport, I want to leave you with some amazing numbers.

Over 4 days, our group consumed 3,176 bottles of water. We got a total of 37 minutes of sleep, walked 75,439 miles, and beared temperatures that were in excess of 173 degrees. Actually only the number that is true is the water. We drink a lot of water here.

Tonight we went to a victory celebration where the new believers were bused in at no cost to celebrate. Doug and Steven were asked to perform with a couple of other "music guys" at the service. This was truly an honor for them and for us. Worship happened in that room tonight. About 1400 people showed up, and another high point was Andrew's testimony. You will see a changed man when he returns on Sunday!

Seriously these are God given numbers...
The Gospel was presented 6889 times that we know about. It was actually many more times than that, but that's all that was recorded.

3432 of these 6889, turned their life over to Christ and professed him as Saviour.

Again, this is only from those that we recorded. There were many more that weren't recorded.

God is good all the time, and sometimes He likes to show off...we're glad we got to see it.

Matt & Dave

Colombia Day 6

Post by Dave Stephenson

My priorities were really in order earlier this month when I started spending my lunchtime at work on the Internet searching for how to spend our off day in Barranquilla tomorrow, when our work in the mission field was completed. Mud vulcano? Beach? Trip into Cartegena?

God had other plans, and for many of us. Our work in the mission field may be complete, but we absolutely love these people. During my testimony at our service this afternoon (at our new church plant), I spoke about our mission in Colombia ... to share the love of Jesus. So many Colombians are lacking Jesus, but the love they show and are extending us is unbelievable. They are teaching us how to love strangers in ways unimaginable back at home.

Because of the relationships we have forged in the past week, many of us are choosing to spend our off day back in our communities, encouraging the new brothers and sisters in Christ to get on the bus at their church and to attend our victory service. I'm two days removed from the first community we penetrated on Monday and Tuesday, so I'm headed back there with team member Doug Schmidt to pop in dozens of homes, grab some hugs, and play the role of encourager.

E-mail blasts don't work in these communities.

Matt is doing the same in the village he led his team into on Monday and Tuesday, and they're bringing in an eye doctor to lend his services to anyone needing assistance.

We're going to be a mess back at Firewheel on Sunday morning after our return Saturday night. "Our people" will be a continent away and not a $10 taxi ride outside the city limits.

That's where faith shows its true color -- trusting in the Holy Spirit to take these newborns into lights in their communities.

Colombia Day 5 (part 2)

I want to share a little of what our days are like outside of the mission field. Dave Stephenson and I are rooming together this week. Each morning we wake up at 5:15 to get ready for our 6:00am prayer meeting hosted by Vicki Ingrassia. Many from this team of about 70 meet together to pray and worship. What a wonderful way to start the day! At 7:00am we meet with the whole team for breakfast, fellowship and a devotional time led by Sam Ingrassia (our e3 leader). These lessons always start with something funny with pictures from the day before and then a wonderful lesson on our role in the mission field. These are lessons I will remember forever. After breakfast, Dave and I run back to the room to pack up water and our materials for the day. Dave shares a short scripture for the day and we pray together.

After spending the day in the field, we return to the hotel to get ready to head out for dinner somewhere. You should see the lobby as we all flood back, there are stories being shared about the great harvest we have just witnessed. It's an amazing place to be. I imagine this is only a fraction of what happens in heaven each day. Scripture tells us that angels rejoice and praise God when a person receives the gift of salvation. The hotel lobby has to be just a small glipse of that scene in heaven. Keep in mind that we have been out for about 8 hours without easy access to bathrooms, in very hot and humid contitions, and we don't run to the rooms, we linger to share.

We usually dine with our field teams, the stories never stop. We share what happened, moments that touched us in ways I can't explain, and we just love and encourage one another.

After dinner, we return to the hotel, stories are still unfolding in the lobby, sharing from group to group with the Amazing things God is doing. (I use the capital "A" because it is the "Amazing" that Pastor Jerry preached about). Dave and I meet back in the room at some point, usually someime between 9 and 10pm.

The stories are different from team to team, and much different from our Medical team. They are moving from place to place each day, treating people in every location that come in with everything from cuts and bruises to parasites. Don't ask Edith Gray about tapeworms, she will tell you and you don't want to know. The medical team has been overwhelmed and each day they go out with renewed strength and love. They are a miracle in human flesh.

From the time we get back to the room, Dave and I share our day. We tell about the wonder of God working in the communities and share our "5 minutes" stories. The 5 minutes is something Dave came up with..."Tell me the 5 minutes you would like to go back to today and experience again".

We can't seem to stop sharing and rejoicing together until around 12:00 or 1:00am. (Remember that we get up at 5:15...we know it's insane!). I share a scripture for the day, while we answer email, and review the pictures from the day.

At lights out, I get the nightime scripture and prayer, then we try to cram in 8 hours of sleep in 4. God is good at recharing batteries on a short schedule. As I type this, Dave started snoring mid-sentence. I've never seen anybody who can fall asleep that fast.

The big news we got on Wednesday morning...after only 2 days in the field, we have seen over 1700 professions of faith! You now have more "hemanos y hermanas en Christo" (brothers and sisters in Christ).

Continue to pray for us. When God makes this much noise, Satan takes notice.

Last thought...Pastor Steven prayed for us Monday morning and in his prayer he asked God..."don't just show up God, we want you to show off!" He has - every day.

Matt