Found Iglesia del Camino (Church of the Way) without any problem this morning. Discovered that this is a “church plant” of Pathways Community Church in Largo, Florida. From the minute I reached the door, I felt at home, though I’d never been there before. Immediately you are greeted by their hospitality team who gives everyone a name tag. Interestingly, visitors and members all wear the same name tag. The atmosphere is really relaxed, with coffee and quick bread available to snack on before (and for some even during) the service. The whole place had a “come just as you are” feel about it. During the week, the church runs a coffee shop, has a number of opportunities for Bible study and fellowship, and even has a Celebrate Recovery group and an outreach ministry to the police in Antigua. Since, as a whole, the police in Guatemala are not known for their integrity, this is amazing. Pastor Mike leads three Bible studies during the week for police officers, at the invitation of the police department. You can feel the Spirit moving through this church.
I’m having difficulty knowing how to write about the service. It had a profoundly personal effect on me that I don’t know I can really put into words, but here goes. The theme for the day was, “God can do nothing for me until I get to the limit of the possible.” (Oswald Chambers) I’ve been praying much this week about how I can possibly get everything together to move after the first of the year, but God has not given me any indication to change course or delay. (Believe me, I’ve been watching for some.) So immediately I was hit by the “oh, this sermon’s gonna be for me” experience. Pastor Mike didn’t let me down. The sermon notes in the bulletin were brief and to the point: “Life is for the resurrection of our heart, and the discovery of our role in the larger story.” He also challenged each of us to consider what we were doing as part of this larger story. I didn’t ask him after service, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Pastor Mike has been reading John Eldridge, one of my favorite authors on spirituality. Those words could have come out of any of his books. As Pastor Mike spoke, though, I knew he was not just repeating catchy words written by some “guru” of the spiritual life. He was sharing how he was living his life. . .and challenging me to live mine with the same “ruthless trust” in the Father who loves us.
I’ve been praying about how I was to continue to grow spiritually once I move down here. I strongly believe in the “up and down” theory of discipleship—everyone needs to be discipled by someone, and everyone needs to be discipling at least one other person. There has never seemed to be a lack of people God has put in my life to help come to know Him better, so I really wasn’t worried about that. But, many times in my life I’ve had long periods where I felt like those teaching and leading me were speaking another language. For the past few years I’ve been blessed to receive spiritual direction and training from a couple of pastors who “get it” and “get me” at the same time and I’ve grown remarkably. Now I feel more confident that I will find a place to continue my own walk with God down here.
If that weren’t clear enough from Pastor Mike’s preaching, he then began talking about a new ministry at Caminos—ministry to the deaf. I was impressed when I’d noticed that there were 3 people signing in the front of the church. He introduced one Guatemalan man as the pastor of a church for the deaf in Guatemala City,
who was coming to Antigua on Wednesdays to help start their deaf ministry. This seemed a bit coincidental to me, because Dick & I had just traveled two days to help Bayron, a deaf child, communicate better with his family. As Pastor Mike introduced the next two folks, it became clear, at least to me and Dick, that it was not by accident that I was in THIS church on THIS particular Sunday. Lynn and Stan are two missionaries working with the deaf through the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention—which my home church belongs to. Not a big thing, ~~~~~~Pastor Gusatavo~~~
I’m having difficulty knowing how to write about the service. It had a profoundly personal effect on me that I don’t know I can really put into words, but here goes. The theme for the day was, “God can do nothing for me until I get to the limit of the possible.” (Oswald Chambers) I’ve been praying much this week about how I can possibly get everything together to move after the first of the year, but God has not given me any indication to change course or delay. (Believe me, I’ve been watching for some.) So immediately I was hit by the “oh, this sermon’s gonna be for me” experience. Pastor Mike didn’t let me down. The sermon notes in the bulletin were brief and to the point: “Life is for the resurrection of our heart, and the discovery of our role in the larger story.” He also challenged each of us to consider what we were doing as part of this larger story. I didn’t ask him after service, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Pastor Mike has been reading John Eldridge, one of my favorite authors on spirituality. Those words could have come out of any of his books. As Pastor Mike spoke, though, I knew he was not just repeating catchy words written by some “guru” of the spiritual life. He was sharing how he was living his life. . .and challenging me to live mine with the same “ruthless trust” in the Father who loves us.
I’ve been praying about how I was to continue to grow spiritually once I move down here. I strongly believe in the “up and down” theory of discipleship—everyone needs to be discipled by someone, and everyone needs to be discipling at least one other person. There has never seemed to be a lack of people God has put in my life to help come to know Him better, so I really wasn’t worried about that. But, many times in my life I’ve had long periods where I felt like those teaching and leading me were speaking another language. For the past few years I’ve been blessed to receive spiritual direction and training from a couple of pastors who “get it” and “get me” at the same time and I’ve grown remarkably. Now I feel more confident that I will find a place to continue my own walk with God down here.
If that weren’t clear enough from Pastor Mike’s preaching, he then began talking about a new ministry at Caminos—ministry to the deaf. I was impressed when I’d noticed that there were 3 people signing in the front of the church. He introduced one Guatemalan man as the pastor of a church for the deaf in Guatemala City,
who was coming to Antigua on Wednesdays to help start their deaf ministry. This seemed a bit coincidental to me, because Dick & I had just traveled two days to help Bayron, a deaf child, communicate better with his family. As Pastor Mike introduced the next two folks, it became clear, at least to me and Dick, that it was not by accident that I was in THIS church on THIS particular Sunday. Lynn and Stan are two missionaries working with the deaf through the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention—which my home church belongs to. Not a big thing, ~~~~~~Pastor Gusatavo~~~but really, even Lynn and Stan commented
on the “coincidence” (which I’d already decided was a Godincident) since they said there are not too many IMB missionaries in Central America, fewer who work with those with disabilities, and they don’t live in Guatemala at all, but in El Salvador. I don’t want to imply that God put this day of worship together just for me—but I don’t want to discount His provision in inviting me here this day. Am more confident than ever that this is where I belong, though 2010 seems to be coming much too quickly when I look at all that needs to be in place for me to move. But I’m coming home with Pastor Mike’s words in my heart, “Faith looks back and draws courage. Hope looks forward and keeps desire alive.”
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