Be the Church Blog Coming Very Soon!

Coming Tuesday, May 19th!

Hi Everybody!

After several months of work, we are finally ready to launch our training blog! “Be the Church” will launch Tuesday, May 19th. It has a new logo and will have a different feel to it than the updates that you are used to getting from us.

While we plan to continue the updates, we will share the blog as well. Why? Because our updates are geared to keeping you informed of the ministry happenings in Guatemala and other places. But the blog is designed to help equip you to make and multiply disciples — being the church right where you are. And we need you, our champions in prayer, to help us get the word out about this training we are doing in both English and Spanish.

But why would we want to add this to our plate and send you something new and different? Great question! Even before the pandemic hit us, we felt convicted that we weren’t giving away our best learning and practices from our 20 years of trials and errors in starting new churches, ministries, and Play. Story. Eat. groups. We felt that in order to give our training to all of the many groups we interact with, that we had to learn how to produce this online and use the technologies that the whole world is now using.

And when the corona virus turned our world upside down, we realized that even though we didn’t understand all of the whys behind this, God was preparing us to navigate the inevitable shift in doing ministry in this new era.

Admittedly, when we began, we weren’t sure that our friends in the United States would understand. After all, many, if not most, of our supporters here in the U.S. go to wonderful churches. But when the playing field was leveled and everyone had to experience church in a different way, we have seen how it has opened the door for our training to mean even more here at home. And it not only upped the ante for us, it did that for YOU too!

Don’t miss this point. We are doing this blog for YOU! You may not have been looking for it. But you really do need this! We are certain that what we do can help you do church anytime and anywhere. We believe that God wants to use you right now to multiply disciples. And we believe that with Jesus leading you, He gives you the power to do exactly what He is calling you to do.

We invite you to embrace this new era where God can use us in new relational ways. We feel so grateful for you and the wonderful friends He has given us all over the world--from cowboys to Kekchi Indians to suburbanites to farmers to city dwellers to sports enthusiasts to geeks to Jesus freaks, from people who go to church and people who have never set foot in a church building. In all these different groupings, God is at work. Jesus’ church is unstoppable! And we believe that for believers in the U.S., God wants us to not merely go to church, but to experience the full spiritual and relational benefits of BEING the church. Trust us. It’s not that complicated. And you can do it.

Note that in the first blog post, we will be going straight to Jesus' words about how His followers are to operate with each other and in the world.

Blog post by blog post and video by video, let’s allow Jesus to teach us what being the church is all about and what He calls us to do.

As we embark on this journey of being the church together, your feedback is vital to us. So let's stay in touch! And get ready for that first blog post! 

Love y’all!

Steve

PS…Thanks for your continued gifts to help us do this together! We couldn’t do it without you.

CLICK HERE FOR THE EASY WAY TO INVEST.

Latest Developments in Our New Reality

Good morning everyone! Hope you are doing well. It’s been a few weeks since I last updated you. We are getting settled into our new reality of social distancing and staying in touch with friends thanks to the technologies that can keep us together.

We continue to make videos and send messages to friends as we write new material and prepare to load up content for our websites in both English and Spanish. We haven’t released any of our “Be The Church” training videos yet but hope to in the next month. Our plan is to get the whole package done before we release it, since we anticipate that after they are completed we will need to be more available for leader-to-leader coaching. Slowly we are getting the hang of the skills required of us in this new way of doing ministry.

Before shooting a training video, Justin Jacobson, Bill Burrows, and I put our swords together before we pray and do our three musketeer “all for one!” thing. The two swords that you see are thanks to our friend Bill Buchanan, of Reeds, Missouri, who gave them to Bill and me last year. We were at a loss of what to do with them! But now they help us do something equivalent to a high five when we are supposed to be 6 feet apart! Thanks Bill! We have now put your swords to good use!

Here Bill is recording the audio portion that goes with the slides shown on one of the first “Be the Church” training videos. Justin is making sure that the slides keep up on the video. We are working to produce each session in both English and Spanish.

Here I am a couple of days before Easter recording a video in a cemetery for my cowboy friends in Guatemala.

Guatemala Happenings Since the Shutdown

Many of you have asked me how Cesar and Elba are doing. They are well. Cesar is able to contact most of the leaders by phone and is staying abreast of the realities of many of our leaders, even though he is not traveling himself. As of last week, Guatemala had about 350 cases of Covid-19 and only 8 deaths. Many attribute that to the swift action their president took to shut down all air travel into or out of the country.

In these days of quarantine, Elba Gonzalez, Cesar’s wife, shows off her first fruits of the mango season. She knows how much I love mangoes and sent this picture to rub it in that I am not down there enjoying them!

Cesar believes that they will be allowing more movement and opening up the country for more travel next week. The biggest effect on Guatemala has been with the economy and for the most vulnerable. The food shortages are getting more serious in some areas. Our friends in the jungle have been hit hard, because all the transportation of goods in or out of their area has been shut down. So the jobs in the palm oil plantations and ranches have been temporarily halted for most of the day laborers.

Here is a palm oil plantation. Many of the men in the jungle are working in these operations. Due to the transportation shutdown from the Covid-19 crisis, all of these businesses, as well as the bigger ranch operations, have stopped hiring day laborers until they are able to go back to normal operations. Many of our church leaders in the jungle are without employment.

As soon as Cesar can travel, he plans to head to the jungle with food and supplies. Due to the generosity of Cross Creek Baptist Mission in Oak Grove, Missouri, Cesar will be able to use their donation from last week to help provide rice and beans and offer about 10 men some work to finish the last touches on our refurbished base camp there.

The four men on the right are leaders helping a pastor on the far right start a new church near a palm oil plantation. This picture was taken just weeks before the shutdown.

Cesar enjoyed cooling off in the river near the village of one of the newest church plants. This picture was taken just a month before the shutdown.

This lady boiled some snails to add some protein to their soup. It is quite tasty! And nutritious!

10:02 PRAYER

Please continue to pray for our government leaders, medical personnel, and your neighbors who are struggling financially during these days. I have had neighbors approach me in recent days looking for help. Let’s keep our eyes and ears open to the needs around us and be the church like never before. We are praying for you who read this update that you would be incredibly fruitful in these days, that you would be connected to Jesus (John 15), and that because of you, many will come to faith in Jesus. Pray with us that this is a time for a spiritual awakening in our country and around the world.

Continue to pray for wisdom for your pastor and church leaders. And pray for Cesar as he helps pastors and leaders in Guatemala. Thanks for your continued prayers for us and for the funds to continue.

ENGAGE

If you would like to be a guinea pig for some of our training when we get it ready for testing and evaluations, please contact us. We plan to test our “Be the Church” training and a couple of discipleship tools for having a daily, life-giving conversation with God. If you are interested, let us know!

INVEST

Keep those cards and letters coming! Thanks to many of you who have responded to our need to fund Justin Jacobson’s position. We appreciate every gift.

CLICK HERE FOR THE EASY WAY TO INVEST.

Until next time, here is one of my favorite sunset pictures I took in the jungle last year out the back of our base camp.

Love y’all!

Steve

The beauty of God’s creation never ceases to amaze me!

The Coronavirus and Play. Story. Eat.

The Coronavirus Crisis Forces Our Hand

Little did we know in January, when we felt prompted by God to change our strategy in 2020 from face-to-face ministry visits, to video and phone visits, that the Coronavirus crisis was already on the way to changing our world.

Last month, we introduced you to Justin Jacobson, our newest team member, who is helping Bill Burrows and me get up to speed on producing audio and video content for our groups. Just days after sending that update, the pandemic kicked into high gear.

10:02 PRAYER

Please pray for our government leaders at all levels. Pray for folks you know in the medical field during these days. Keep your eyes and ears open to the needs of your community and your neighbors. We are all on a mission field together in this.

Pray for wisdom for your pastor and church leaders. Pray that your church flourishes and is a shining light during these days.

Thanks for your continued prayers for us and for the funds to continue. Pray for the energy and stamina for Cesar as he responds to the many needs in Guatemala.

ENGAGE

We had to postpone a couple of our fund raising painting projects in March. But when we get the all clear sign, Bill, Justin, and I plan to do those work projects. If you would like to help us with that, let us know!

INVEST

Last week I sent out a letter to many of you by mail asking folks to help us raise the funds for Justin to keep working with us. If you didn’t get it, or would like to see a copy of that letter, click here.

CLICK HERE FOR THE EASY WAY TO INVEST.

Our Families Are Safe…

We, like you, have had to make some major family adjustments to the new realities. Fortunately for Nola and me, her job is steady as she has been allowed to move from working downtown to doing her work online from home. Normally at this time of the year, I have been in Guatemala. Thankfully, I was home when the crisis kicked in. For Bill and Joyce Burrows and our team here in the U.S., we are home-based already, so we are good to keep working.

In Guatemala, Cesar was scheduled to go to the jungle for a couple of weeks, but Guatemalan authorities have mandated stay-at-home orders. So he is at his home in Amberes, and we talk almost daily about the realities that they are facing in Latin America.

While we are grateful that our team is safe and we can continue to minister, we suspect that many of you may be in tough circumstances. We want to be sensitive to that reality as we share of what we see as God’s providential blessing on us and the opportunity to make a difference in this new day.

Days Prior to the Social Distancing Orders…

Just a few weeks ago, Nola and I were enjoying an indoor soccer league with our son Ryan and his wife Bobbi, Nat and Emma Beck, and other friends. We ran a 5K for fun on March 7th. Cesar and a team had just completed construction on our base camp in the jungle. I was doing weekly calls to Cesar with other leaders. And Cesar had made a quick visit to a motorcycle group in Coatepeque, Guatemala. All during February and going into March, Bill, Justin, and I worked at producing content for video courses and the podcast.

Here’s Justin working on a sound check for Bill as we prepared for a podcast trial run.

Ray Gurney, pastor of Cross Creek Baptist Mission, in Oak Grove, Missouri, sends a video greeting to a motorcycle group near Coatepeque Guatemala, while I wait to translate.

The last weekend before the Coronavirus shutdown, Cesar was with a new PSE motorcycle group at their annual parade in Coatepeque. Here they are holding an envelope of money collected for a fellow motorcyclist who is suffering from serious burns from an accident.

The week before social distancing, Bill Burrows and Blake Huston high five in celebration of a completed discipleship step taken on a walk at the Parkville, Missouri, nature trail.

Church Service Closings…

Nola and I were in Omaha, Nebraska, for Brayden’s (our 6-year-old grandson) spring break. That weekend of March 15, churches began to close their doors for normal Sunday services and activities. The following week, it seemed that everything happened so quickly. While we were with Josh and Kristin, we got to witness their roller coaster of emotions. Kristin had just gotten an Optometrist of the Year award for her 3-year-old practice from her Optometry school where she graduated 6 years ago. But that same week, because of the pandemic, she realized that she would have to shut down her practice to only medical emergencies. While Josh’s job as a computer programmer is secure, if the shutdown lasts very long, Kristin will have to lay off her 5 employees. In all likelihood, she would lose her award-winning practice.

On March 15th, we watched a church service online of Stonebridge Christian Church in Omaha, Nebraska, where Josh and Kristin attend with our grandsons.

That week I had a phone conference call with a group of pastors in Guatemala, and they also suspended their normal Sunday services and have since struggled to help all those in need around them. Public transportation has stopped. Many jobs are on hold like they are here. Grocery stores are allowed to open from 8am to noon. Food shortages have kicked in, and calls for social distancing have created major challenges for those living in tight quarters.

During that call with pastors, I committed to sending them a video each week. Currently we are in week two of that commitment.

Sharing a video message with Cesar and leaders

So much has changed in such a short span of time that I find myself reeling a bit. When we think of the state of the church, many are worried that their church might suffer and lose ground. Please don’t take me wrong here. I know this is all very painful. But I believe that God is being gracious with us. For years, many have prayed that God would revive us as a nation and as a church. As much as we dislike going through tough times, God uses trials and persecutions to strengthen and grow the church. Throughout history, the church has grown and flourished during times of persecution and suffering.

What Would Jesus Say About Our Churches?

Remember that Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Looking at our empty church buildings, we might be inclined to wring our hands and say, “Ain’t it awful.” But remember that Jesus’ church cannot be stopped! Maybe our form of church might be in jeopardy. But true church, the way Jesus calls for it to happen, cannot be stopped.

Interestingly enough, before this pandemic started, we were working on video content for what we have been calling “Be the Church Coaching.” It is designed for pastors and church leaders to help their congregations and church members to not merely attend church services, but to operate in such a way that they are “being” the church together. Based on our experiences in multiple countries and multiple cultures, we believe that we can help any leader understand what the core mission and activity of a church really is—especially when it is stripped down to its simple but profound elements.

In coming days we hope to unveil this training. Please pray for us as we work on this. We are trying to speed up our learning curve to get these out as soon as possible in both English and Spanish.

Thanks for your continued prayers and encouragement! We are praying that God keeps you safe and uses you where you are during these days as well.

Love y’all!

Steve

Behind the Scenes Preparations for 2020

Hi everyone!

So much has been going on behind the scenes in these first two months of 2020. (Yes, more exciting and important to us than even a Chiefs Super Bowl win!!) Today I want to share some things that will help you know where we need fervent and ongoing prayer.

At the turn of the new year, our local Play. Story. Eat. team did some strategic planning. When I was in Guatemala, I spent about a week doing similar collaboration with Cesar Gonzalez. In the past few weeks, we have begun to implement some of the priorities from that planning.

Two “BHAGS” (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) in 2020

Goal# 1: “Visit” every group this year by way of video or a live call.

In the past few years, Cesar and I have spent much of the month of January and part of February burning up the roads in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador trying to visit our friends starting Christian Rancher groups and new churches in the jungle. And then in recent years on the home front, Bill and I have traveled from South Dakota to Texas to touch base with friends and supporters as well.

But with nearly 100 places to go in Central America and probably half that in the U.S., we realize we need to rethink how we are traveling. While we know that waltzing into town and having personal contact is great, we can’t visit every group in person in one year, much less more often than once. In January, we experimented with making video calls with groups to encourage, and it seemed to be received well, and we believe that if we continue doing this, it would allow us to touch more groups more often. So we would like to do that for every current group in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.

Cesar and I greet a group in Honduras by way of a WhatsApp video.

To help us do more communicating using multiple platforms, we have hired a young man to help us on a two-month trial. I will share his name with you further down in this email!

Goal #2: Creation of video and audio training content for leaders and groups.

Along the lines of visiting remotely, we plan to provide training videos and send them using readily available technologies. While in Guatemala, Cesar and I made 8 short videos that introduce people to Christian Rancher groups. We hope to create more in Spanish.

In one of our first attempts at creating a training video, Cesar shares how the first Christian Rancher groups got started.

Bill Burrows is clapping to mark the beginning of a video shoot for an introduction to our ministry. The production of training videos in 2020 is a part of our strategic plan to use simple technologies to better communicate with our friends anywhere in the world.

Once I got home, we started working on video concepts and podcast concepts in English. And that leads me to reveal who is going to help us accomplish this!

Welcome Justin Jacobson: Newest Team Member!

Justin Jacobson has joined our local team here in Kansas City to help us take steps to improve and expand our communications. Currently we are in the second month of a two-month trial period to produce different communication pieces. Both Bill and I have really enjoyed Justin working with us. Justin is a new believer, having come to Christ because of the Play. Story. Eat. process and the ministry of a local church here in Kansas City. Soon we hope to hear him tell his story on a podcast.

Justin Jacobson gives Bill and I last minute instructions before producing our first podcast!

Justin’s job will include social media expansion, creation of online training videos for the website, and creation of a podcast for church leaders and disciple makers. Already we have begun filming and recording. Soon we hope to unveil some finished products. In the meantime please pray for me, Bill, Cesar, and Justin as we learn how to do this. Also pray for increased funding. We are working to raise Justin’s support for the rest of the year.

Project Goals for Cesar

Cesar Goal#1: Finish construction project at our base camp in the jungle.

In December, a Guatemalan friend worked on the systematic take-down of the wooden planks we had for walls at our base camp in the jungle.

As I write this update, Cesar is in the jungle with a Guatemalan construction team that is finishing out the building of our base camp facility. Thanks to some funds from Cross Creek Baptist Mission in Oak Grove, Missouri, this project will be a game changer for our work there.

In January, the walls took shape.

Right now, the team is finishing out the stucco for the cement blocks. These types of walls will help keep the critters out (mostly scorpions and snakes!) and will allow for an air conditioner unit to be installed that will greatly improve the sleeping conditions. This will allow Cesar and other personnel to come and stay longer.

These pictures from last week! One of our friends is putting on the finishing touches to the front door!

Plans are to have a Guatemala medical team use this facility more often so that helpers can stay several weeks at a time to do more comprehensive church planting and health projects. From past experience with these kinds of projects, receptivity to the gospel is multiplied. Stay tuned!

Cesar Goal#2: Leadership development once a month with our Xinka friends in the mountain region above Jutiapa.

Cesar and the community leadership team of Manantiales, Guatemala

In the last update, I highlighted the beginnings of this project. As soon as Cesar gets back from the jungle, he will take a week to train and give counsel to leaders of this group.

Equine Therapy

Several of you with interest in this project have asked for more specifics. In January, Linda Wright, a horse trainer for equine therapy horses, spent a couple of weeks working with Bambino, a horse that friends helped purchase last year. The idea was to train the horse to be ready for the program. But the reality of the situation was that training Bambino was only part of the task. Training Humberto Solares and his workers to work with Bambino was of even more value.

Linda Wright points out some issues for the handler to be aware of in leading Bambino for a therapist to work with a client.

While down there, Linda helped them set up a simple and achievable program that trains for 10 minutes every time the horse is fed. After six months, Humberto and Linda and other horse people will determine if Bambino will be able to do the job he is called to do. While Bambino is capable of doing rides for children, he’s not able to deliver on the emotional therapy part of the job just yet.

Getting Bambino ready for a session, Linda and Humberto check out the equipment. Looking on is Clarrissa, an equine therapy specialist from Guatemala City, who will be also be working with Humberto to build up the program.

This autistic girl began her session with Clarrissa and Bambino terribly afraid of horses. Here at the end, she asked if she could do one more lap!

Note that in addition to the equine therapy program, Humberto has been convening two PSE groups. And his daughter Paola is leading a youth group as well. Pray that these groups continue to flourish and grow!

10:02 PRAYER

Please pray that we develop the skills needed to effectively communicate using various video and audio technologies to connect with leaders and groups. Also pray that we will be disciplined and diligent in doing what is required to produce these materials and tools.

Pray for increased funding to pay Justin.

Pray for energy and stamina for Cesar as he works with the team to finish construction at our base camp, and pray for the Xinka team that Cesar will be working with later this month. Note that Cesar’s birthday was February 16! If you’d like to send him a birthday wish, I’d be glad to bank shot it to him if you don’t have his email.

ENGAGE

In response to the last update, I will be meeting this next week with a couple of people interested in a mission trip to help with the Xinka project. As you read of the work in various places, remember that you have skills and experiences that God wants to use for His glory. As God prompts your heart, we would love to encourage you to follow His lead. If you think we could help, contact us!

INVEST

We are currently near the end of the two-month trial period with Justin. So we need to raise about $1500 per month to have him continue. Any extra gifts would be extraordinarily strategic for funding this emphasis for 2020.

CLICK HERE FOR THE EASY BUTTON TO INVEST.

Thanks for your continued prayers and encouragement!

Love y’all!

Steve

Back Just in Time for the Super Bowl!!!

Hi everybody!

For the past several weeks, I have been in Guatemala working behind the scenes with Cesar Gonzalez on preparations for the upcoming year. In addition, Linda Wright, a horse trainer for equine therapy horses, was there working behind the scenes with Humberto Solares to train the horse that we purchased last year.

Thankfully, while in Guatemala, we got to see the Chiefs win the AFC Championship, and now that I’m back I am so pumped about the upcoming Super Bowl that I can hardly stand it!!!

Touchdown, Kansas City! Patrick Mahomes es magnifico! It was fun seeing the game in Guatemala and hearing the announcers do their play by play in Spanish!

Most of the time, we stayed close to Cesar’s place in Amberes. But on a few days, while Linda was working with the horse, Cesar and I took the opportunity to visit both new and old friends. I want to share about a couple of these visits. One was with a new mayor and the other was with a Xinka Indian leader. In coming updates, I hope to share some of the exciting steps we are taking to impact more groups in 2020.

Linda Wright gave Humberto Solares some pointers in working with Bambino, our horse that is being trained for an Equine Therapy ministry in Guatemala.

The Latest Developments in Guatemala

It was a great honor to be invited to the inauguration of our friend, Luis Gabriel, the newly elected mayor of Jutiapa, Guatemala. Luis is a veterinarian by trade, and for more than 10 years we have worked with him on various projects with the cattlemen’s association of Jutiapa. As an underdog in the mayoral race, his integrity and likability won the day versus a candidate who spent a lot of money and was considered a shoo-in.

In Luis’ speech, he shared that his relationship with Jesus Christ is the most important thing in his life and that he wants to invite the community to ask God to help them make their city better. He even cited the story of how Jesus took a small boy’s 5 loaves and 2 fish to perform a miracle. Luis was incredibly bold in stating that he believes that God can multiply what they have to help make a difference in their region. I was amazed and grateful. Please pray for Luis as he starts his administration. This is a dangerous job. Two of the past 5 mayors have been murdered.

After the inauguration, we met with some old friends at the restaurant of our friend Otto (standing between Cesar and me in the center). Otto came to Nebraska about 13 years ago on a reverse missionary trip and is part of the cattlemen’s association in Jutiapa. Tino, the guy kneeling, is a good friend who heads up the department of transportation that builds roads in the region. On the far left is Rogelio, an assistant of the mayor and a friend who works at the weekly cattle sale. On the far right is Carlos, a new friend that Tino introduced to us. Carlos is a Xinka Indian, and leads a group of 800 Charismatic Catholic youth in a mountainous region where Tino just built a road to their village.

Because Luis was so inundated with people clamoring for his attention, after congratulating him, we turned to some of our friends to enjoy catching up. Before we could say much of anything, Tino pulled us in closer to Carlos.

A New Invitation…

“You have to do with Carlos what you do with the Kekchis in the jungle,” he implored. “I have been working with him for several years now in building a road up the mountain to their village. For years the only way out of their village down to the nearest road was about an hour hike. They have the best coffee in the world, but had to get it out on their backs or on mules. We got the road to them, but now they need to know what to do to help them prosper.”

Cesar and I agreed to go visit Carlos and his village a couple days later.

Sitting at 4,623 feet, this is lake Ayarza. We had to snake our way around it, and then go up a mountain to get to Los Anonos, the closest town to Manantiales, which is Carlos’ village. Manantiales means “springs” in Spanish. This village has several springs that flow out and down the mountain to supply water to about 15 villages.

We met Carlos at the public health entity in the bigger town of Los Anonos. Here we met with health officials to discuss the logistics of a latrine program for Manantiales.

Here the leader of the public health team hears of the needs of Carlos’ village and offers to train them in how to build the latrines for the community.

After the meeting in Anonos, Carlos got in the truck with us and led us up the new road to his village. To construct the road, the able-bodied men in the villages along the proposed roadway were commissioned to help the road construction crew in clearing the initial barriers for the road to be cut with bull dozers and other heavy equipment. For several months last year, Carlos led the charge in recruiting volunteers to work side by side in this project.

Once we got to Manantiales, Carlos introduced us to the two teachers at the school. Several years ago, the men of the village helped build this school by carrying every concrete block and every construction item on their backs or with mules the hour from where the main road used to end.

Carlos invited the leaders of the nearby villages to come meet with us at his parent’s house located near the school. As a part of our discussions, we talked about having a relationship with God, so Cesar used the multi-colored soccer ball and pot holders to share a gospel message. All were very receptive and want to continue having these spiritual conversations.

After the meeting, Cesar and Carlos talked about how Carlos needed to delegate leadership like Jethro counseled Moses to do in the Bible.

This view out the back of Carlos’ parents’ home shows Carlos’ house a little further up the mountain. In the foreground you can see the red coffee beans turning ripe for harvest. Because of their higher altitude, this is some of the highest quality coffee in the country. Yet, through the years, they have received less than fair market value. We hope to connect them with other coffee grower friends who have done some things to get higher prices for their coffee.

After meeting with Carlos and his people, we felt that we just clicked. Cesar agreed to come back in a couple of weeks for some leadership training. In the meantime, he will be introducing Carlos and his friends to some of our friends in coffee and agriculture who can coach them on how to maximize the opportunities they have to improve their coffee production and diversify in more than just coffee. Stay tuned!

10:02 PRAYER

Please pray for Luis and his family as he embarks on a tough job. Pray that his faith shines as he goes about his work. Also pray for wisdom for Cesar and Carlos as they ask God to help impact a mountainside for Christ. Finally, we ask for your prayers as we work hard this next month on more behind-the-scenes preparations.

ENGAGE

This next year, we have two needs for groups to go down and work with Carlos. One would be a coffee and agriculture focused trip. The other would be a hiking related trip to hike in the mountains with Carlos and some of his young people. Let me know if you know anybody interested.

INVEST

Your generosity has kept us moving and shaking going into this new year. Thanks so much! And may your tribe increase!

CLICK HERE FOR THE EASY BUTTON TO INVEST.

Until next time, root hard for them Chiefs!

Love y’all!

Steve

Gooooo Chiefs!!! Woo hoo!!!

Christmas Comes in Small Packages

I don't know where you plan to be for the holidays, but we are looking forward to a Kansas City Christmas with our Reed family! As I write these words I’m basking in another Chiefs win, texting the boys about our fantasy football league, and remembering I need to check the front porch for another delivery. 

All the while, Mrs. Claus (aka Nola Reed) is busy making preparations for our family Christmas get-together. She's making her list and checking it twice--not to consider who is naughty or nice, but to prepare for the pure chaos anticipated with 5 of our 6 grandchildren being two years old and under!

On a chilly day this fall, we had all six of our grandchildren together. As you can see, getting a picture with all smiling on cue was a challenge.

In spite of my scrooge-like tendencies, I am working at being more elf-like to help Nola in her grand scheme. More than that, I want to be prepared at a deep, personal level. I want to wrap my heart around the amazing reality that God put the greatest gift of all time into a small package—a little baby born to bring salvation to the world.

When we receive God’s gift of salvation, the life of the Manger Baby brings new life in us! Every time we help someone else discover this gift of salvation, it’s like a small re-enactment of the Christmas story, no matter what time of year that may be. 

Thank God that new life comes in small packages! May God use all of us to pass on His incredible gift to the world.

Merry Christmas!

Love y’all!

Steve

THANKS FOR GIVING GENEROUSLY

CLICK HERE FOR THE EASY BUTTON TO INVEST.

From the Reed family to yours…Merry Christmas!!

You did it in 2019!

Your Giving, Praying, and Going Made a Difference in the Lives of Many in 2019. 

This week I began reviewing the past year of work we have done together. Soon it became obvious that God used you in a significant way! Here’s a short list of your accomplishments…

A team from FBC Benbrook, Texas, is ready for a day of hiking and ministry in the jungle of Guatemala.

• You supported eight different mission teams travel to Guatemala and Honduras this year.

• You helped start two new Christian Rancher groups in a new region for us in Honduras. 

• You financed three new pastor training events in the Guatemalan jungle.

• You partnered in three new church starts in the jungle in Guatemala through soccer evangelism. 

• You started one new group in a seniors center in Guatemala. 

• You supported and staffed two equine therapy training events in Guatemala to spawn two new Play. Story. Eat. groups. 

• You purchased the first horse for an equine therapy ministry in Guatemala. 

• You funded three new tin roofs for three new churches.

• You collaborated with three sister churches in Guatemala that are sending missionaries to other places in Guatemala. 

• You supported and received ministry partners Cesar and Elba Gonzalez in their Taste of Guatemala tour, visiting friends in Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. 

• You enabled and promoted five Play. Story. Eat. training events in five states.   

• You created strategic partnerships with churches where we worked on mission training and partnership both at home and abroad. Honorable mention churches are Burwell Baptist, First Baptist of Benbrook, Northern Heights Baptist, Cross Creek Baptist Mission, LifeQuest, First Baptist of Avilla, and Valentine Baptist. These churches have made a huge difference both internationally and are taking their missionary responsibility seriously at home. Way to go!

A favorite staple of any Play. Story. Eat. training event is the wagon wheel drill. Designed to give participants training in initiating spiritual conversations, this exercise took place at Burwell Baptist in Burwell, Nebraska.

Along the way this year, we tried to keep you abreast of many of the stories of God's amazing grace in this past year. From passport snafus, to the story of a new church in the jungle getting started despite threats of violence, to a story of 15 bull riders coming to Christ, we saw God move in many ways this past year. 

This is the moment right before 15 bull riders near La Ceiba, Honduras, prayed to receive Christ.

And that leads me to “look directly” at you and say "thank you." Thank you for your friendship, your generosity, your love and encouragement that you have shared with the world this year. Whether you have mailed in a check, put one of us up in your home, fed us, supported a friend to go on a trip, helped buy a horse, or started a group, your heartfelt actions mean so much to me. 

So for all that, I want to say thank you! May your tribe increase! If you would like to talk to us about a strategic partnership with your church, please give us a call!  

Love y'all!

Steve  

Thanks for your Investment!

Retracing our Steps in Guatemala

With another Guatemala mission trip in the books, I’m home and ready to share a few stories and pictures from our trip! My original plan had me heading down a week before a team from LifeQuest Church in Belton, Missouri, was to arrive so that Cesar and I could go to the jungle for a soccer evangelism thrust with some friends in some of the newest villages. However, due to storms and a few cancelled flights in Dallas, I was delayed four days in getting to Guatemala!

That knocked the jungle plans out. So instead, Cesar and I worked on the beginnings of a book idea together and met with some of our cowboy and rancher friends the last couple of days before the LifeQuest team arrived. Once they came, we retraced the steps of two previous LifeQuest groups this past year to encourage some of the newer groups.

Where the Dog Bites…

On the first day, the LifeQuest team retraced our steps to the “dogbite” church. This is a place near Cesar Gonzalez’s home where a new church has begun and where a couple of years ago I had got bit by a dog! In front is Erica Whittington, following her is Sue Teegarden, then Corinne Daut, and Tim Goulet.

Tim Goulet, the worship and youth pastor of LifeQuest, tells a story with the use of some balloons. Note that this new congregation meets in a coffee field. Behind Tim is the back wall of their little building that they have begun constructing.

New Christian Rancher Groups…

In a beautiful setting at Pastor Valentin Solares’ home, we got to be a part of a new group at his ranch. Valentin is a bi-vocational pastor of a church in Nueva Santa Rosa that has more than 200 members.

Valentin Solares shows us a pacaya that was growing wild on his ranch as Tim looks on. He explains that if you were in the jungle and needed something to eat, you could survive on this plant.

For the past several years, Valentin has felt a burden for the cowboys and ranchers that he knows who would never darken the doors of his church building in town. With Cesar’s encouragement, Valentin has decided to start a new group at his ranch, and he has invited mostly non-believers to the group. On a Saturday night we joined him and his wife, Mari, for a Guatemalan style barbecue that drew a good group for only its second time to meet.

A new Christian Rancher group gathers at the home of Valentin and Mari Solares near Chiapas, Guatemala.

At the end of the evening, Cesar and Valentin invite those who would like to, to pray a prayer to receive Christ. Several did so.

Equine Therapy News…

In the past several trips, we have been checking in with Humberto Solares about his ongoing desire to get an equine therapy ministry going. In the meantime, he and his family continue to lead two groups for adults and one for youth. His latest group is a music-oriented group that plays ranchero music (Guatemala’s version of country music). An avid musician himself, Humberto decided to invite some friends to come over and jam together on some of their favorite songs. Already the group has met a couple of times and is spurring numerous spiritual conversations.

Here Humberto talks about the progress being made with the horse that we bought this year for the equine therapy program.

Corinne gets licked by Bambino, the equine therapy horse.

Humberto does a practice run with Bambino and some volunteers.

Before the equine therapy talk, someone got the group playing with a balloon.

Oliver, a new friend attending Humberto’s group that jams together, plays a social action song for us.

Senior Citizen Groups…

During the week, we went back to two different Senior Citizen groups. One was near Quesada and the other in Santa Cruz Narranjo.

Cesar translates Tim’s story to the seniors near Quesada, Guatemala.

Sue (left) and Corinne (right) help the staff deliver the meals to the seniors in Quesada.

Erica prepares to hand out balloon bouquets to several of the ladies.

Tim helps the director of the center to move the pinata as one lady prepares to take a swing with her cane.

At the senior center in Santa Cruz Narranjo, the team takes turns dancing to some of their favorite songs.

At the seniors center, this lady shares how she is grateful to God for helping her battle cancer, and she wanted to sing a song that praises God in the good times and the hard times.

Fun Times…

Throughout the week, our team enjoyed having fun with our new friends.

Corinne shows how to make a balloon dog to a church group in Chiapas. This group is branching out to use the PSE method to start new groups.

In a balloon inflating competition, the girl on the right whoops her older and bigger competition!

Here a couple of boys play a game called Score Four that Delbert Wagner, a Nebraska friend, invented and constructed to send on this trip. Delbert, they loved it!

Sue enjoys a moment with a mother and her girls.

10:02 PRAYER

Thanks for your prayers for us the past few weeks. Please pray for Cesar and our friends who will be following up with those who are coming to Christ. Pray too for Ray Gurney of Grain Valley, Missouri, this week as he travels with Cesar. And then pray for Cesar as he heads to the jungle the week after next. Pray that every new group continues to grow and that they reach more and more of their friends with the good news of Jesus.

ENGAGE

As we head towards the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, stop and consider how you could enjoy this time with friends using our Play. Story. Eat. method. As always, we’d love to hear of your creative ideas to reach out to others this holiday season. If you have something that is working, give us a call! We’d love to hear about it.

INVEST

Your end of the year investment in this ministry is extraordinarily vital as we head into 2020. Thanks for your continued partnership!

CLICK HERE FOR THE EASY BUTTON TO INVEST.

May our Thanksgiving week be a catalyst to us having hearts full of gratitude to God for His incredible blessings.

I’m grateful for you and your prayers and support.

Love y’all!

Steve

Missions Boomerang Comes Back to Nebraska!

After a couple of months hiatus from updating you, I’ve got a lot of catching up to do! Since my trip to Guatemala at the end of July, Nola and I have celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary, 3 grandkids’ birthdays, and Nola’s mother’s 90th birthday!

On the ministry side, at the end of August and in part of September, Bill Burrows and I spent some time in Nebraska doing Play. Story. Eat. training and speaking in churches. For the past several years, we have said that we believe that everything we do in Guatemala can be done here in the U.S. After some time with our friends in Valentine, Burwell, Ord, and Norfolk, we see how the missions boomerang we threw down to Guatemala to reach cowboys has come back to serve us here with many different types of people. Here are a few pictures highlighting our time in Nebraska.

Valentine, Nebraska

You can’t go to Valentine without checking out the livestock auction at the sale barn! From time to time, Lawrence Turner and his friends have had cowboy church here.

A few of our friends in our PSE training at First Baptist Valentine took a picture with Bill Burrows (black shirt in back). Johnathon Moore (kneeling) is pastor. Lawrence Turner is on the far right.

During one of the training sessions at FBC Valentine, partners practiced sharing their current reality stories. A current reality story is one where we tell what God is doing right now in our lives. On the right is Scott McClellen, pastor of the Valentine Berean Fellowship Church.

Special thanks go out to Lawrence Turner for putting us up for a few days. While at Lawrence’s, I spent a morning moving cows on horseback. I can’t help it that I still want to be a cowboy when I grow up!

It sure is peaceful out on Turner ranch near Sparks, Nebraska.

Burwell, Nebraska

A few months ago when we scheduled our time to be in Burwell we didn’t realize that we would be going during the first couple of weeks of our good friend, Joel Wentworth, becoming Burwell Baptist’s new pastor! Joel is the coordinator for the Sandhills Baptist Association, and he will continue in that role. But now instead of pastoring two congregations, he will be down to one—Burwell.

During our week in Burwell, we spent time with just about every group in the church. In each case, people loved how simple and refreshing our PSE process is. Special thanks go to Dave & Sandy Gideon and Rex & Deb Kelley for putting us up during those days.

By the way, also during our time in Burwell, we participated in Joel’s Rural Church Workers training done for leaders in the region. And we spent a couple of days with Doug Olsen and friends at the Evangelical Free Church in Ord. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures on the days in Ord and for the Rural Church training! At any rate, here are some other pics from our Burwell stay.

The Burwell Baptist Junior High group invited us to talk to them about our PSE method. Here, they try their hand at a new teamwork game that one of their youth leaders invented.

Marty Archibeque, a Burwell veterinarian, shows how he made his game. He still hasn’t come up with a name yet! But whatever it is, I am planning to take this idea to Guatemala this year and test it out!

In the PSE training, participants play using Marty’s game. The goal is to move blocks to designated spots in the circle.

In the PSE training, the wagon train drill offers a quick and effective way to practice initiating spiritual conversations.

Lynch, Nebraska

On the Saturday afternoon after our training in Burwell, Joel Wentworth took me to Lynch, Nebraska, where crews are still working to rebuild after the unprecedented flooding that took place last March. I worked for a few hours helping a team sheet-rock a home before getting a ride to Norfolk.

On the Niobrara river near Lynch, Nebraska, Joel Wentworth surveys the remnants of the dam that got washed out in the March flood.

Joel surveys the progress on the rebuilding of the home of Jim McBride, the fire chief for the town of Lynch. Jim had been instrumental in saving many in the town during the flood. But his home was flooded as well. Now, people from the community along with friends from Northern Heights Baptist Church of Norfolk and disaster relief workers with the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists have returned to bless him.

Norfolk, Nebraska

In Norfolk, I spoke at the Spanish service at Northern Heights on a Sunday, and the next day we did PSE training in both English and Spanish. David Martinez, the Spanish speaking pastor, leads a Monday night training of leaders he calls “El Instituto Biblico,” The Bible Institute. Though it is a Spanish program, when word got out that we would be at the training, a few of the leaders on the English side wanted to get in on it. So Bill took the English speakers and I took the Spanish speakers, and we did simultaneous training.

David Martinez introduces me to the Spanish speaking church at Northern Heights shortly before speaking.

At the Monday training, we prayed before dividing the group up into English speakers and Spanish.

By the way, David has been commissioned by the KNCSB to help train and coordinate the Spanish work in the convention, and he is having me speak to a Spanish breakout session this coming Monday, October 14th, in Lexington, Nebraska, for the KNCSB annual meeting.

10:02 PRAYER

And that leads me to ask for your prayers as I go to speak at the convention meeting and prepare for another trip to Guatemala at the end of this month. Continue to pray that the Lord of the harvest will send forth laborers into his fields in Nebraska. Pray that every person in Nebraska will have a friend who loves Jesus!

ENGAGE

If your church could use a boost of creativity and renewal in reaching out to your community, give us a call! We would love to collaborate with you on your mission field.

INVEST

As we head down the stretch on 2019, your end of the year investment in this ministry is vital to our collective work—especially as we head into 2020. We are grateful for your partnership in helping us travel and make disciples PSE style. May your tribe increase!

CLICK HERE FOR THE EASY BUTTON TO INVEST.

In a few days I hope to update you on the new developments in Guateamala.

Thanks again for all your prayers and support. Love y’all!

Steve

P.S. Here is one of my favorite pics from all the recent birthdays!

Landon, our number 5 grand child, gets a taste of what being one is all about!

Never too Young, Never too Old--Belton, Missouri, Team Falls in Love in Guatemala!

Hi all!

I’m back home after another fantastic trip to Guatemala—this time with a team from LifeQuest Church in Belton, Missouri. This team worked with a wide range of people from senior citizens to school children. The agenda was simple. At each place, we played, shared stories, and ate with new friends and acquaintances. As a result, two new PSE groups are getting started, and a couple of churches will be sending their own teams to other parts of Guatemala to do the same. Here are a few pictures of our week together.

On our first day, we met with the seniors center of Santa Cruz Naranjo. Here our team posed with a dear lady from the center. From left to right is Dawn Farrill, her husband George, 16-year-old Alexandra “Alex” Catron, Belinda Burkhardt, and me.

On our last day, we spent the morning with a group of school children. Here, George holds a target as the children take turns throwing balls at it.

At a seniors center near Quesada, Guatemala, we were called upon to dance with the men and women as Cesar served as the DJ—playing some of their favorite songs from their youth.

At a youth group gathering of Iglesia Mision Damasco (Damascus Mission Church) in Rinconcito, Guatemala, Dawn delicately placed her piece on the top of the Jenga tower as her team looked on. This youth group is planning a trip to the jungle this year to help with our work there.

All enjoyed the Jenga challenge!

At Iglesia Damasco in Rinconcito, this man shared what he is grateful for. He lost his leg in an accident falling from the top of a train in Mexico last year while trying to get to the United States. He is grateful for his life, his church, and his friends.

In Santa Cruz, Alex placed bead necklaces around each neck of the senior ladies.

Dancing with the seniors in Santa Cruz Naranjo

Making balloon figures was a hit at several places. Here, Alex showed some children how to make a dog.

To this group of 2nd and 3rd graders, Alex shared how when she was about their age, her parents divorced, and it forced her to grow up quicker than she wanted to. About three years ago, she came to faith in Christ and now loves going on mission trips.

We spent one day with Humberto Solares. Some of you may remember that a team from Open Range Fellowship in Lone Jack, Missouri helped him purchase this horse (named Bambino) for the beginning of an equine therapy program for special needs children. Here, Humberto leads Bambino as Clarissa, an expert in ET from San Jose Pinula, Guatemala, tests the horse’s abilities and points some things out to the group gathered for the orientation.

When we stopped to eat after the training, Bambino stuck his head in the window to see what we were eating!

At the first meeting of a new Christian Rancher group in Chiapas, Guatemala, Valentin Solares, a local pastor, makes a point as he welcomes his friends to a Guatemalan style barbecue.

At the Jesus Viene (meaning Jesus is Coming) Church in Chiapas, Guatemala, George told the biblical story of Matthew 20 where a vineyard owner pays all the workers the same daily wage—even to those who only worked an hour. As a manager of a landscaping company, he shared how crazy it would be for him to do the same thing—highlighting God’s amazing grace to all, even to those who come to Christ at the last hour. As a Christian since 2017, George feels grateful that God gives him the same claim to eternal life that long-time believers get.

A trio sang for a PSE Sunday morning gathering with the Jesus Viene Church in Chiapas. On the left is Carlos Chavaria, the pastor and long-time friend. Later this year, Carlos plans to take a team to the jungle to partner in our mission work there.

During the trip, each member of the team had at least one opportunity to share their faith story. I wish I had time to highlight each one, but in every case, the stories really connected. In several places, people prayed to receive Christ.

10:02 PRAYER

Pray for the Iglesia Damasco Church in Rinconcito and the Jesus Viene Church in Chiapas as they reach out to youth and unchurched people in their respective areas. Pray also that they will be able to join us on a mission trip to the jungle this year.

Pray for the new Christian Rancher group getting started with our friend Valentin Solares and for the ongoing efforts of Humberto Solares’ group that is leading the way in starting the Equine Therapy ministry. Pray that Linda Wright, a horse training specialist in ET, will be able to raise the funds for her to go down soon to begin training Bambino.

ENGAGE

Word is getting out that Bill Burrows and I will be storming through Nebraska a couple of weeks in August and September. August 21-25 we plan to be in the Valentine, Nebraska, and on Saturday, August 24th, from 9am to 3pm, we will be at First Baptist Church in Valentine for a PSE training camp. The cost is $20, lunch and snacks included. To sign up, contact Pastor Johnathon Moore at fbcvalentine@yahoo.com or call (402) 389-1757.

We plan to be in Nebraska again from September 6-15. On Saturday, September 7th, from 8:45am to 4:30pm, we will be at Cedar Creek Bible Church near Burwell, Nebraska, for a Rural Christian Worker's Conference. We will be leading one of the 5 breakout sessions. To sign up, contact Joel Wentworth at joelwent@hotmail.com or call (402) 340-3370.

On Saturday, September 14th, from 9am to 3pm, we will be at Burwell Baptist for another PSE training camp. The cost is $20, lunch and snacks included. To sign up, contact Joel Wentworth at joelwent@hotmail.com or call (402) 340-3370.

INVEST

Thanks for investing in this ministry. We have seen a lot happen during this summer, and your gifts have made it possible. Your continued partnership has carried us big time. Keep it up!

CLICK HERE FOR THE EASY BUTTON TO INVEST.

One last note before I sign off. While we were in Guatemala, the funeral service for our good friend and partner, Frank Slaughter, took place. Frank was pastor of Open Range Fellowship in Lone Jack, Missouri, and so wanted to come to Guatemala on a mission trip but never was able to. In his last days, he modeled how to make every day count as he battled cancer head on for two grueling years. Our prayers go out to his family, including his wife Brenda and his daughter Laura, who has been with us on a couple of mission trips to Guatemala.

Thanks again for all your prayers and support. Love y’all!

Steve

PS…Below are more pics…Thanks again LifeQuest for your partnership!

At the seniors center in Quesada, these ladies made a sign to welcome us. It says, “Welcome American Brothers.”

Belinda and Alex tying off balloons

This little lady suffers from dementia but dances out of pure joy!

George played Connect Four with a new friend in Chiapas, Guatemala.

Alex shakes hands with her opponent.

Dawn gave a prize to Elizabeth Chavaria, the pastor’s wife in Chiapas, after playing Connect Four together. After the trip, Dawn wrote her friends on Facebook to say, “This trip was life changing!”

As a former barrel racer and self-avowed horse lover, Alex couldn’t wait to ride Bambino.

Taking Bambino for a spin

Belinda gets a selfie with a couple of school girls.

The last day, the group posed for a picture with a class of school children near Amberes, Guatemala.