Saturday, October 1, 2011

More News...Finally!

In August I dropped Dayle off at my sister Andrea's home in Pinion Hills, California to help get her home and my mom Edythe's home ready for her relocation to my sisters.  My mom's house sold the first few days it was on the market and she had to be out on August 30th.  After almost 3 weeks everything was packed, cleaned, and moved.  My sister and family are new believers and attend church every Sunday which causes my mom real anger and bitterness.  Pray that Edythe will saved by God's grace.

I went to pick up Dayle on August 29th and came home on the 31st. We celebrated our 40th Anniversary with our church family on the 4th and then Dayle was off to Mexico City for two weeks on the 6th for her sister Ellen's 30th year anniversary as a missionary in Mexico.  Here are some pictures of her time there:

 Dayle taught at Ellen's Wednesday Bible study for two weeks.


 Hector came from Canada for Ellen's 30th anniversary.  Having dinner in Ellen's kitchen.


 Henry Tolopilo came from Grace Community church to speak at the celebration.


We went to visit the underground Aztec city in Mexico City.  Above is the base of the pyramid.

 Dayle also taught at Ellen's Thursday bible study for two weeks.


 This is one of Ellen's neighbors who is not saved but came to the celebration and heard the Gospel.


Nina also came from California.  She has been a long time friend.  This picture was taken on the Mexican Independence Day at Wal-Mart.

The past month has been a very exciting time.  For the past three months the deacons and I have been working on some very important changes in the doctrinal statement and constitution.  There are some serious errors which would prevent practically anyone from becoming a member, as well as making it nearly impossible to call a pastor.  Among other things that are just biblically incorrect, was a statement that unless a person desiring membership or a pastoral candidate agrees with the constitution wholeheartedly and without any mental reservation he cannot be considered as a pastoral candidate.  According to the constitution as it reads now even I must leave the church.

I have been teaching on these changes for the past couple of months and we sent out the proposals on the first of September with full explanations.  The "big" meeting was on the 18th.  According to the constitution there must be a 75% presence of all members as well as a 75% approval of all members in order to make a constitutional change.  We did have the 75% at the meeting but there were also some members who have not attended in nearly three months.  Well, not a single proposal was passed.  This is a good illustration why godly scriptural elders should be leading the congregation.  In this scenario, we had to depend on the immature, the unfaithful ones, to vote the right way.  Well, they didn't.

Since nothing passed I thought we were then being told to leave because I was not qualified, according to the church constitution, to be the interim pastor.  That Sunday evening, four couples said that they must resign their membership and seek another church for the same reasons.  This would have killed the church since there is only 20 members and these four couples are the faithful attenders and givers.

Then, two days later they all decided not to leave but that they are going to stay and insure that the biblical changes take place.  We were also asked to stay.  So, another plan is in the works right now.  This time the deacons are meeting with each person who voted against the changes and are explaining to them why they must be made.  Another vote is scheduled for next month.  Once these changes are made, then we can call a permanent pastor.

This church was still teetering on the verge of collapse but after an informal meeting last Thursday, the faithful ones (12 people)  are quite optimistic for the future.  The deacons are growing and looking to the bible to discern what to do about the issues concerning the church but with grace, love and compassion for those who are weak in the faith.  Please keep Bethany Bible Church in your prayers.

This Monday, October 3rd, we are flying into Portland, renting a car, then driving to Astoria, Oregon for our regional conference.  On Monday at 1:30 p.m. we will be having our final interview with the board of directors of NICE (Northwest Independent Church Extension of the IFCA).  This is the final step in the process to become NICE missionaries.  If approved we will be "special missionaries" who will be sent to struggling churches who need assistance.  We could be sent as pulpit supply, interim pastor, or just to fill in while a regular pastor takes a vacation or even a sabbatical, or like here at Bethany, to go in and help fix a broken and dying church.

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