8 and 10 am

No Sunday school

We are so blessed to have amazing volunteers serving in our Sunday School ministries and our hope is that this “sabbatical” will encourage and provide some much needed rest to so many that serve.

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We want to let you know about some very exciting news. When we first moved to Mexico City, one of our broader goals was to eventually plant an English speaking international church in the city. It would be a unique and effective tool to help reach the approximately 1 million english speakers in the city, as well as make inroad in both the business and university populations. There are only 2 or 3 such churches in the city, a number that is not nearly sufficient to fulfill the need.

Over the last year we have been developing a relationship with an established international, English speaking church here in Mexico City. Over the last year they have lacked a pastor and, in order to help, I have preached at times and had various talks with them about vision and philosophy. The group has had some challenges over the years, but we quickly saw the potential of its members and influence in the city. Others did as well.

On Sunday, after a year of discussion and prayer, my former mentor and ministry partner, Lance Lefler (and family) arrived in Mexico City to pastor Union Evangelical Church. Lance is an excellent teacher, uniquely gifted at leadership development, and a visionary — just what Union needs. He will also serve as part of our extended Mexico City Team team and bring years of wisdom and ministry insight to our team. Our team is excited to partner with the Leflers and Union Church to better know Jesus and make Him known in the city.
Please pray for Lance, his wife Suzanne, their three children joining them, and their 18-year-old daughter who has remained behind. They are beginning an amazing, crazy, opportunity filled adventure for the gospel.
Please pray for Anchor Community Church in Long Beach, CA. Lance planted and shepherded the church over the last 7 years. Pray that God will give them the right leadership to move forward and make Jesus known in a very difficult area of California.
Please pray for me (Joshua) as I leave Monday morning for a week-long trip to Costa Rica and Haiti, where I will be both working to develop a comprehensive vision for our Mexico City team and meeting with our Latin America leadership team.
For those of you who read about Josu’s broken arm on Facebook, he is doing much better!
Thanks!

Joshua (and family) Smith
Mexico City Team Leader
EFCA ReachGlobal

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Basically, Al Lewis, a long-time EVFree pastor (and father of one of our TMC classmates) has put together a simple, brief, but highly effective hermeneutics training program for international church leaders. The idea is to teach hermeneutics in the context of actual verse by verse study of a single book. The goal is to eventually have training weekends, each training weekend focussed on one book, and which progressively teaches leaders how to read, accurately interpret and ultimately teach the Scriptures.

The goal at the moment is to train american pastors who will commit to training national leaders who can then train others. Or another way of saying it, training trainers of trainers. That way we can multiply our efforts and use american pastors to help launch the training without it being dependent on them.

I see this as a tremendous need in Mexico City and many other places. I actually just finished teaching a year-long systematic theology course, but quickly realized that the cart had been put before the horse. If the Mexican Church is going to become more biblically grounded and gospel-focused, they need to better understand how to interpret scripture in its original context.

Because of that, I am helping arrange a training weekend in Santa Clarita for the weekend immediately following the Shepherd’s Conference, March 8-9. This allows us to take advantage of leaders like you all being in one place at the same time.

The training would be the evening of Friday evening, March 8 (around 4 hours) and all day Saturday, March 9. We would like to have 12-14 leaders total who would commit to going through the material in order to be equipped to teach it to others later on (and that would hopefully include Mexico City). I have gone through one of the trainings and found it very, very beneficial (and honestly, I’m not all that easily impressed!).

This seems like a great way for biblically minded churches (like Austin Bluffs) to partner with us in Mexico City to help have a long-term impact. I would like to ask that Austin Bluffs consider having a couple leaders attend the training with the goal of eventually helping bring it to Mexico City. If the leaders are already going to be present for the Shepherd’s Conference, it would really only require missing the final evening session on Friday night.

We are still putting together the details, but if you or any of your leaders would be interested in partnering in this way, please let me know as soon as possible and we will look at moving forward with the plans.

Blessings!

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Before the year-end craziness kicks into high gear, we want to say a big “Thank you” for making our ministry possible. We really believe that the Lord is active in it, and we are grateful that you are all a part of it.

Merry Christmas!

Joshua, Naomi, Malachai, Josu and Selma Smith
Mexico City, Mexico
EFCA ReachGlobal

YEAR-END GIVING — we could definitely use some special year-end giving to help provide for ministry travel and health care costs for the coming year. If you would like to give a special one-time gift (or start giving monthly!), we would love you partnership! (And yes, it is absolutely tax-deductible)

Support can be mailed to:
EFCA
901 East 78th St.
Minneapolis, MN 55420.
(Please make checks to “EFCA” and write “M-1927” in the memo (our donor code).)

For ONLINE giving, please go to: www.efca.org (under “donate now”).

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Please pray for the Project: NEXT Team (Brett Wyss, Dan Mellema, Steve Woodford, Lance Gentry, and Pepe Alicea) as they assist the elders in researching and thinking through the issues related to a possible future facilities move.

If you have questions or ideas for this team you can email them at *protected email*

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OUR SCHEDULE:

Phase 1: we head out tomorrow for a quick trip to California where we will:
· Meet with an amazing couple looking to join our Mexico City Team.
· Attend a short conference on missional communities
· Meet with the provost/vice-president of The Master’s College to talk about possible future partnership
· Meet with some leaders from Saddleback Church as they explore church planting in Mexico City (they requested to talk because they are gathering info from local leaders).
· Give a short ministry update at Faith Community Church (Nov. 4)
· Leave our kids with my parents so Naomi and I can begin Phase II of our journey. . .

Phase 2: on Nov. 4 Naomi and I head out on a 10-day international trip in which we will:
· Meet with the ReachGlobal Europe City Team leaders in Berlin and study how to reach megacities like Berlin and Mexico City
· Spend one quick weekend in Pamplona, Spain visiting non-believing friends and former church members (it has been over two and a half years since we left!)
· Spend a day in Florida meeting with another awesome couple looking to join our Mexico City team

Phase 3: after all that, we are going to take some needed vacation time with the family. . . and maybe go on a man-date to a Lakers game with the boys (three future hall-of-famers on the court at one time!). You won’t be hearing from me J

Phase 4: Before returning to Mexico City, we will be briefly visiting Anchor Community Church in Long Beach, CA. So if you are from Long Beach, keep a look out for us!

We love you all and are so thankful for you making this ministry possible. If it is any encouragement, the Mexican pastor of the Redeemer church plant in Mexico City recently told me that Naomi and I have had an amazing year of ministry. I think so too, but it’s pretty cool that others are noticing it as well.

Blessings!

Joshua (for the family)
Mexico City Team Leader
EFCA ReachGlobal

PS. If anyone is looking for somewhere to make any end-of-the year tax-deductible donations, we would certainly love to be considered. My ministry travel schedule and some recent tech needs (finally going Apple after problems with HP!) have pushed our support budget a bit more than originally expected.

TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS CAN BE SENT TO:
EFCA ReachGlobal
901 East 78th St., Minneapolis, MN 55420
- Checks should be made out to “EFCA,” writing in the memo “M-1927,” our personal donor code
- Or call 1-800-745-2202 for automatic donations
- Or give online at www.efca.org (under “donate now”)

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GREETINGS from sunny … and sometimes rainy … Sanford, Florida, where ministry continues at NTM’s home office!

WORK-WISE, Arlen will soon replace the checking of tax returns each afternoon with the major scanning project that had to be placed on “hold”. Each morning he will continue to work in the receipting area of the finance office.

Working as receptionist, Rhoda sometimes receives a call from a co-worker from our days in the Philippines. That happened this week! For a few minutes we were able to reconnect, before forwarding the call to the intended recipient. Good memories … a “hug” from God! 

A MATURING CHURCH

It’s exciting to realize that 35 Higaunon tribal teachers, leaders and their wives are attending a seminar in a tin-roofed meeting house in a jungle area of the Philippines. Sona’ (top left, with his wife Yinit and family) and Pogong (middle, with his wife Pusay and family) have stood firm for the Lord in many stressful situations. They are teaching 2 Corinthians to all who have come from near and far. Imagine everyone’s joy as they worship God together and strengthen one another in His Word!

A GROWING FAMILY

God provided for Rhoda to fly to Chicago for a week to help care for our grandkids, Caleb, Meredith and Shane (whose photo is above). Their mommy, Meghan, needed some extra help while their daddy, Kris, was at a conference. The good news is that Meghan no longer needs to be on bed rest; baby #4 is growing well and is due to appear by Dec. 13!

A HEARTFELT “THANK-YOU” for your part in our lives and ministry! Have you noted some special “hugs” from God recently? Maybe you’d like to share one with us … or a particular prayer request.

On a personal note, Rhoda’s cousin Beryl in England is facing a “no cure” diagnosis for cancer, and has had great difficulty with the chemo treatments, which should be completed now. Please pray for God’s peace and strength to be real, and for restored energy so she and her husband, Roy, and family can create good memories together.

Blessings … Arlen and Rhoda Johnson

*protected email*

*protected email*

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