Hello everyone,
God continues moving through CC Roca Norte under Pastor Jose and his wife Keyla's leadership. Honestly, it's something that blesses me so much as the church planter and first pastor of the church. I hear story after story about how God is using them and it makes it obvious to everyone that God has called them to Chihuahua for such a time as this. Please keep praying with us that God blesses Pastor Jose and his family and that He uses them mightily for His glory.
One of the most recent things that God did involved an Inductive Bible Study Conference that CC Roca Norte hosted. Pastor Dan Finfrock visited Chihuahua and led the conference. Members of the church attended the conference and people from other churches throughout the city also joined to learn about the Inductive Bible Study method. Many of the participants expressed their excitement about what they learned at the conference. 2 Timothy 2:15 encourages us to study to show ourselves approved by God as workers that rightly handle His Word. Properly studying and teaching God's Word is a vital skill for each Christian to learn. Misunderstanding, discouragement and even heresy can all come if a person doesn't take the time to properly understand the text of the Bible. Pastor Jose is very passionate about God's Word which is why he wanted one of his first events as pastor of CC Roca Norte to be this conference. Thanks to those of you that were praying for the conference, it seems clear that Lord was really glorified through it.
I want to end by emphasizing one of the prayer requests that you'll find below. Please pray for divine spiritual and physical protection for Pastor Jose, his wife Keyla, their two sons Lemuel and Daniel--and for everyone at CC Roca Norte. As Jose and I have talked consistently over the last few months, he's mentioned a few different scary situations that have occurred. A couple months ago, Jose felt compelled by the Lord to go on a late-night walk to pray for Chihuahua and the marriage conference they were planning. As he walked, he was confronted by a car of men and threatened at gunpoint. Thankfully, as he explained who he was, what he was doing and the fact that he had nothing of value on him, they let him go. Then, a couple weeks ago, everyone in the church received a scare when they showed up for Sunday morning service and the building had a strong scent of gasoline. They reviewed cameras from the plaza and discovered what had happened. To make a long story short, there's a man that previously attended the church a couple years ago. He started out really seeking the Lord but then fell back into drugs and a life of deception. He subsequently lost his family, stopped attending the church and spiraled to a very dark place. Even though we tried to help him in many ways, he blamed the church (and especially me as the pastor) for what happened. Anyway, the night before the service a couple weeks ago, this man had come to the church at night and poured gasoline on the doors and windows (presumably with the intention to light the building on fire that night or at some point in the future). Thankfully, the Lord protected the church and everyone is ok. Anyway, I share those two specific stories to encourage you to continue praying for Pastor Jose, his family and the CC Roca Norte family. There is lots of spiritual warfare but we know God is in control and is the Good Shepherd that protects His sheep. Thank you and God bless you!
-Tim
Eph. 3:20-21
Praise Reports
- The marriage conference was a great success! The couples were really ministered to and it opened doors for Pastor Jose and Keyla to be able to counsel various couples in the following weeks.
- The Inductive Bible Study Conference also went really well and Pastor Dan is already talking about wanting to return in the fall to offer more classes.
- The Lord has been protecting Pastor Jose and his family, even in the midst of intense spiritual warfare.
- The Lord has been blessing the new Women's Coffee & Study as well as the new Youth Ministry meeting.
Prayer Requests
-For the continued protection and safety of Pastor Jose, his family and the church.
-For a mission trip to the mountains of the neighboring state of Durango that CC Roca Norte has planned for April. For their safety (as it is right in the middle of cartel country) and also for the Lord's provision and His guidance throughout the trip.
-For the men involved in the men's ministry of the church as they are going to begin leading a Bible study at a new Drug Rehab Center in the city.
-That CC Roca Norte would continue reaching the lost with the Gospel and making disciples of Jesus.
-For continued financial provision for the church and for Pastor Jose and his family.
-For wisdom and the Lord's guidance on the logistics of best way to receive US financial support for the ministry and send that support to the church.
-Continued prayer for Tim's mom (Susan). She has a scheduled surgery for mid-April to remove the cancerous tumor. That the Lord would heal her and that she would soon be cancer-free.
