Day 3: success, attacks, pizza

or: a normal day in the mission field*
(no labels, you can figure out which is which)

Today i started out teamed up with Dustin and Ana (i.e. ballin' team). We went and the first guy we talked to was a catolico with whom we got to spell out the whole gospel (in English and Spanish. (ballin' team)) when we got to the part of being reconciled and (more than just not-Hell) having a real relationship with God; he asked us, "How can i have what it is you are saying?" (the words that every person who shares the gospel wants to hear). We talked about what it meant to have faith in Christ, repenting and confessing and all that good stuff and he said he already had done that and we were able to encourage him and invite him to check out our church... I later paired up with Moji and we got to have some really great conversations and found some slackliners on the campus...

Through some other conversations ("who are you to say to me what is true or what is not?"**) and comments and circumstances (non-spanish speakers having to sit silently through whole conversations) and other shtuff, the team has been hit recently with a lot of spiritual warfare. They mostly take the form of undermining people's confidence in their usefulness or identity. Since you asked, I'll tell you that my biggest attack has come in the sense of (big shocker kids) feeling my leadership inadequate or undermined (those go hand in hand often). But, hey, i didn't volunteer, Jesus put me (indirectly) in charge, so he'll use me.

We went tonight to Romario's, and got three honkin' huge pizzas. Our team (7) and Javier and Andres and Carolina and Liz and .....a lot of people came it was a lot of fun. The team (which includes the people in the church here) has been working together so well for a while now and it was encouraging to me to watch as they played together too. There are some unspeakably strong relationships being built right now and it is blowing my mind. I think they'll be hooked on missions before.. well, it's too late now : )



*"mission field" is a silly term. if you're not living a missional (i would say even world-focused) life wherever you are, sharing the gospel with and being Jesus to the people around you, you're missing the Point.

**if your mind's ear hears this in a gravelly southern preacher's voice (the sweatin' Bible-thumpin' podium-poundin' kind), it'll be more enjoyable: Who am I to say what's true? I'm a blood-redeemed, Spirit-filled, Word-infused son of the King who reads the Word of Truth with guidance from the Spirit of Truth. I don't just have a right to say what's true, I have a responsibility. Woe to me if I don't speak words of Truth...haha