February/March 2022 A Kingdom that Cannot be Shaken

February/March 2022 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe. Hebrews 12:28 What? A kingdom that cannot be shaken. Really?! That’s hard to imagine right now. A kingdom like that would be made possible only by a Sovereign Who is worthy of grateful, acceptable, reverent, and awe-inspired worship. Praise goes to the Founder and Perfecter of our faith for a diverse community of committed compatriots who have been about the task of working together to share the Good News and grow where He has placed them in this world that is not our home. There has been a lot of diligent proclaiming of the Good News about that unshakeable kingdom and the King Himself, Who gave His life to pay the price of forgiveness and admission to the place He has gone to prepare for its citizens. Here are a few recent examples:

Although the pandemic is still causing hiccups and requiring painstaking effort in the operations of the ministries here in Tepic, we are grateful that it can never prevail against God’s plan for His kingdom. Services are completely in person now, though we’re still live streaming for those who are unable to attend because of disabilities. That’s an unexpected blessing that has come out of this awful time of lockdown! OANSA (AWANA) on Saturday afternoons is back in full force, and the kids and leaders are thrilled. We kicked off our return with a 4-week OANSATLÓN game time. David, this year’s game director, planned the challenging citius, altius, fortius (faster, higher, stronger) competitions with team-building activities focused on winning the prize honestly and in unity. Jonatán, the OANSA commander, rigged up a professionally-narrated “live-recording studio” broadcast from atop the neighbor’s roof to some of the uttermost parts of the earth. Kingdom unshaken! 

At last, we got the “go-ahead” for Huichol Youth Camp 2022. We had already written the scripts, prepared the teaching sessions, and coordinated activities for 2020 -- even had the t-shirts printed! Huichol young people and their local pastors from villages all throughout the mountains can hardly wait for April 10! This year’s theme is Lead Me to the Cross. I know that God is going to use this camp to change lots of lives and encourage believers to keep our focus clear. May this reminder of Jesus’s unmerited grace and the price he paid for our redemption bring about acceptable worship, with reverence and awe. 

Just last week, a group of 15 young volunteers from the IBBM-Tepic church headed to Durango (a state in Mexico) for a mission outreach at a little church there. These cream-of-the-crop kids ooze with God’s love and encouragement everywhere they go. The trip was laced with multiple mechanical difficulties, but the team is learning well to be grateful for the kingdom as they experience God’s provision in places beyond our borders. 

Grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, Huichol believers are constantly looking for ways to offer themselves as living sacrifices and their gifts for the service of the King and His subjects. After 12 years of diligent work as mother-tongue translators of the Huichol Bible, pastors Refugio and Hilario have stepped up to the new challenge of using their polished skills to translate the 16-lesson Biblical Discipleship curriculum into their heart language, as well. A Mexican family from the Tepic church couldn’t wait to share in the kingdom work and gave them each a tent and sleeping bags to use on their trips to teach new followers of Jesus in more remote mountain villages. This kind of stuff leads to nothing short of reverent acceptable worship of an awe-inspiring God Who makes these things happen.

Enjoy some Tepic February/March 2022 activities here.