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Shifting Paradigms

October 6, 2023 in Ministry by Dave | Permalink

Paradigm noun: a typical example or pattern of something; a model.

There are familiar patterns to our lives, ways that we are accustomed to thinking, speaking, and acting that help us to relate to others, accomplish tasks, and meet the challenges that we face on a daily basis. These are our paradigms; although usually unconscious, they govern our behaviors in significant ways. Generally, we only become aware of those paradigms when they fail us, often painfully.

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As we serve on the Global Resource Training Team (GRTT), training Global Workers for AGWM, we recognize that we can’t prevent all of those painful moments, but we can prepare them by helping them recognize their paradigms and allow for the shifts in those paradigms that will inevitably come throughout their career. That process begins during the Pre-Field/Candidate Orientation (PFO/CO) sessions.

In October’s session, the GRTT welcomed 83 new Global Workers who are beginning the formation that will make them effective ministers in a cross-cultural context with AGWM. Dealing with the Bible in Ministry (BiM), Dave participated in the presentation of a revamped curriculum to help these new Global Workers see the limitations of traditional paradigms for understanding the Bible and connect them to its overarching story which more readily engages the people they aim to reach.

In the afternoons, we joined our Latin America Caribbean (LAC) Regional Team to receive the 7 new missionaries joining the LAC family and to facilitate conversations around the core missionary competencies of Spiritual Formation, Missionary Life and Work, Theology of Mission, Understanding Language and Culture, Ministry in Context, as well as Bible in Ministry.

What a privilege it is to serve in this capacity, preparing our colleagues to fulfill the Great Commission! We appreciate your prayers and support that make our ministry possible.

Photo Captions:

  1. Dealing with BiM, Dave shared during two sessions, presenting a revamped curriculum to help new AGWM Global Workers grasp the biblical narrative.
  2. In this PFO/CO session, we celebrate answers to prayer: seven new Global Workers for the harvest in the LAC Region.
  3. A highlight of our week was the Global Prayer Service. Our newly elected executive director, John Easter, led us as we interceded for the nations.

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What’s Happening in Oaxaca (wah-HAH-kah)?

August 13, 2022 in Ministry, Missions by Dave | Permalink

Actually, a lot! First-term missionaries, Noah and Melanie Lane are training indigenous pastors. Mexicans are preparing for international missions service, and brand new opportunities to pray, give, and go are opening up!

1. Sampling barbacoa de borrego
2. Noah Lane leading worship at CAMAD
3. Dave speaking at CAMAD graduation
4. Iliana, one of our former students from Mérida, now a CAMAD student

We’ve just returned from our second visit to Oaxaca. This time, we road-tripped from Mexico City to be on hand for the graduation of 11 students from the missions training center, CAMAD (Centro de Adiestramiento de Misiones de las Asambleas de Dios). The event marked the culmination of the training of a new group of global workers, prepared to face the challenges of making disciples in this post-pandemic world. Dave spoke during the graduation, reminding them that their call was first to be with Jesus, the one who was sending them to make disciples.

The ceremonies also included the inauguration of CAMAD’s new facilities as incoming students prepare to take classes and reside for the first time on grounds exclusively dedicated for training in cross-cultural service. A special treat was seeing one of our former students from the Bible School in Mérida, Iliana, among them.

Simultaneously, Noah Lane was participating with other faculty of the Bible Institute for the training of indigenous ministers, IBEM (Instituto Bíblico para las Etnias Mexicanas) in special classes to prepare them for their 2022-2023 school year. This school is opening up ministerial training to many who were unable to attend traditional Bible Institutes due to barriers of language or distance. In April of this year, Noah and Melanie opened a new extension of IBEM in Teponaxtla where 10 students are studying.

Yes, there are some pretty exciting things happening in Oaxaca and you can be a part!

  • First, you can pray! Pray for the students and faculty of CAMAD and IBEM.
  • Second, you can give. CAMAD is in construction! Their academic and administrative building is taking shape. Use the link, http://s1.ag.org/137r, to navigate to our giving page and select “40” under “Advanced Giving Options” to help advance the work.
  • Finally, you can go! While in Oaxaca we met with the directors of the grade school, Centro Educativo Vida Nueva. They are looking for college graduates to help direct their students through their Bible-based, English curriculum. It’s an impactful way to give a year and pray about a lifetime of service in missions. Follow this link, http://s1.ag.org/oaxaca, to find out more!

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Starting the New Year with Scripture and Supplication

December 30, 2021 in Ministry, Prayer by Dave | 1 comment

As we close the book on 2021, we look to the New Year as an opportunity to reprioritize our lives, to realign our daily habits with our beliefs and values. As Christians, what better way to accomplish that realignment than to devote ourselves to God’s Word and prayer? That’s why we’re excited to start off 2022 with Scripture and supplication. 

We’ll begin with a season of prayer as we join with the Southern Missouri District Ministry Network in their 21 days of prayer, January 2nd through the 22nd. During those three weeks, we’ll be praying along with the  Assemblies of God USA during their exploration of the nature and names of Jesus from the 2nd to the 8th. We’ll also be meeting with Mexico missionaries routinely to pray one for another, for ministries, and for the Mexican national church. However, the highlight of our time of prayer will be our regional gathering on January 20th at 5 PM CST as missionaries throughout Latin America/Caribbean (LAC) will join together to ask for God’s will to be done among our host countries as it is in heaven, and we want you to be a part! Join us via Zoom for this special event.

  • Dave preached @ Monte de Olivos in November. In 2022, we’ll be guiding them through the Bible.
  • It’s an honor to serve missionaries like the Lanes in Oaxaca. Join with us on January 20th as we lift up our missionaries throughout the LAC!

Our emphasis on the Word kicks off on January 4th, where we meet with leaders of the church Monte de Olivos here in Mexico City. We’ll be taking them through the Bible Project: How to Read the Bible series of videos in Spanish with the goal to help them engage with the Scriptures in a fresh and meaningful way.  As we meet together each Tuesday until March 22, we’ll be showing them how the Bible from Genesis to Revelation tells a unified story that leads to Jesus. Then, on Monday, January 10th, we’ll begin taking new LAC missionaries through the same study. 

Of course, we don’t want to keep this resource to ourselves. If you’d like to offer this class to your family, small group, or church, just ask! We’ll be happy to send along the presentations and discussion questions that we’ll be using.

Join us as we start 2022 off right. As we work to fulfill the Great Commission, let’s make time to seek the One who’s given us our commission. Let’s make Scripture and supplication our priority in this New Year!

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They’re Planting in the Middle of a Pandemic!

July 10, 2021 in Ministry, Prayer, Progress, Support by Dave | 1 comment

It’s been a full and rewarding month of ministry. We started things off by participating in the virtual Missionary Training program, where two new missionary units destined for Mexico joined the dozens readying themselves for global ministry. Later, we took part in our LAC Leadership Meetings, where we discussed initiatives to encourage resilience in our missionaries during these difficult times. We also had the chance to encourage some itinerating missionaries headed to Mexico City (see photo) and finished off the month advocating for Mexico and missions at Northland Cathedral in Kansas City, MO. However, one of our more surprising activities was a guest question and response session with students from Instituto Bíblico Bethel in Merida.

Encouraging and having fun with missionaries, Crag and Natalia Baumtrog and their kiddos!

When I (Dave) received the message from Fernando Diaz, pastor and Bible School administrator, I had feared the worst. The coronavirus pandemic has entered a third wave in the state of Yucatan, and I was concerned that he was reaching out with bad news. Instead, I was pleased to learn that it was an invitation to share with his church planting class.

I logged on, not knowing what to expect. Bethel had been meeting virtually for over a year. I had wondered what the dynamic might be after so much time online. Would Zoom fatigue have taken its toll?

The class was a lively one. Following a brief introduction and recap of our experiences stimulating church planting with the district evangelism department, we launched into our time of questions. There were many, and they were varied, and extremely practical–“When should I move from Bible studies to weekly services? Which workers from my home church should I invite to accompany me in the church plant, how should we divide the responsibilities?” In our conversation, I found that the students were actively involved in starting new works, deftly navigating restrictions placed on them because of the pandemic, while reaching out to share the gospel message to friends, relatives, and neighbors. Needless to say, I left our session extremely encouraged. Despite the pandemic, the church is growing in Yucatan!

Still, the price to be paid to the pandemic has been costly. Nationwide, the church in Mexico has lost 270 pastors to COVID-19. In addition, Tomás Vera, the minister who succeeded me as the leader of the evangelism department has been diagnosed with cancer and is very ill. Won’t you join us in praying for their health and strength even as they work to extend the reach of the gospel?

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Moving Toward Mexico

June 12, 2021 in Progress by Dave | Permalink

We are on our way back! After a year of quarantines and travel bans that have kept us socially and physically distant from the nation and people of our calling, we can finally trace our organizational and personal route of return.  It’s happening in five steps.

Bonus: this month we joined missionary to Honduras, Jessie Harshbarger, and her dog, Zoee, in the Central Kids’ Missionary Spotlight.

1. The release of stateside missionaries. Since March of 2020, while almost half of our Mexico missionary force has been stateside, only two missionary families have been released to the field. Finally, we are in a position to see others return! We’re happy to report that four families are on their way back, traveling this summer to Chihuahua, Chiapas, and Mexico City. Another couple will finish language school in July and make their way to Oaxaca! We’re so glad to see these families return at such a critical time.

2. Missionary Training. At the same time that missionaries are returning to the field, we will be involved in the training of two new missionary units making plans to serve in Mexico. They will join with the dozens who have answered the call during the pandemic to take the gospel message around the world. This two-week period of training will help them deepen their understanding of the critical competencies that will guide and support their future work on the field.

3. General Council. Following Missionary Training, we’ll be headed to our last opportunity for advocacy in the US at the in-person Assemblies of God (A/G) General Council. At this national event, we’ll be working with others from our region at our Latin America Caribbean booth to connect with interested individuals and encourage participants to engage in missions at all levels.

4. Missionary Retreat. Hard on the heels of that event, we’ll be traveling to the Mexico Missionary Fellowship Retreat. This will be the first such physical gathering of missionaries in Mexico since 2017! We’re looking forward to meeting together to hear from each other, our US and Mexican leadership, and from God.

5. Relocation. Finally, in September, we make our own trip to Mexico City as we fly the nest (our three MKs stay in the US) to live and minister in this megacity of 21 million, which serves as the home of the    A/G of Mexico. 

We appreciate your prayers as we navigate this active summer! 

Note: this post is just a portion of what we share in our quarterly newsletter. If you’d like more information from the Godzwas or would like to print this update, take a look at the full PDF version of our quarterly newsletter or, better still, sign up to receive our newsletters direct to your inbox!

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Influencing the Next Generation

October 12, 2019 in Ministry, Thanks by Dave | Permalink

When Jay Dickerson, Area Director for Central America and Coordinator for Missionary Formation, asked me (Dave) if I’d be interested in teaching the "Bible as Narrative" competency for new missionary candidates during their orientation sessions this month, it didn’t take long for me to give him my enthusiastic affirmative response. As missionaries in the Yucatan, we were passionate about facilitating encounters with the Bible. We know that as individuals understand the Bible story and see themselves within the framework of its redemptive history, their way of perceiving reality or worldview is changed.   That change makes possible their increased participation with God in that same redemption. What an honor it was to walk through the Bible with these new missionaries, giving them the tools they need to see that change happen in themselves and lead others to experience it as well.  As Mexico Area Directors we look forward to additional opportunities to influence the next generation of missionaries.

But this month we also had the chance to influence the next generation of missions supporters as we were invited to speak to the children in Lebanon First Assembly (Lebanon, MO) and Northland Cathedral (Kansas City, MO) about how Boys and Girls’ Missionary Challenge (BGMC) helps missionaries reach people throughout the world.  After grabbing their attention with our snake (Don’t worry, it’s not real.), we talked to them about how missionaries use BGMC funds that they give each week to help men and women and boys and girls all over the world know Jesus.

Thank you for your prayers and support that are enabling us to extend our influence. We appreciate your involvement in our team!

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An Encounter with the Word of God

May 4, 2016 in Ministry, Progress, Thanks by Dave | Permalink

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We believe in the power of the Word of God to bring about transformation. This excerpt is taken from our vision statement[PDF]: “As individuals have a true encounter with the Word of God, applied to their context, their lives will change. We seek to provide this encounter for all those who live in or visit the Yucatan.” This past month we’ve seen opportunities to lead people into just this type of encounter.

Things began with a report from Ricardo Rodriguez, who had received the blessing of literature that we were able to coordinate in January of this year. He shouted an enthusiastic “Glory to God,” as he related the results of the campaigns that took place throughout the state of Yucatan. It was a pleasure for us to see the Bibles that they were able to purchase being grasped firmly by new believers now preparing themselves to confirm their new life by following the Lord in baptism.

The blessings continued internationally as, from April 18-21, Dave had the chance to travel to Panama, where several hundred educators had gathered for fellowship, spiritual enrichment, and continuing education. For two sessions, he teamed up with fellow missionary Paul Kazim to teach the course “The Teacher and Biblical Interpretation.” It was a joy to be able to lead the participative groups into the discovery of tools that will not only facilitate a personal encounter with God’s Word, but also help them to correctly guide others into the same experience.

As we wrapped up the month, we were excited to see how the Bible studies, which were reinvigorated by the Chi Alpha Team visit in March, are having an impact on the students attending the University of Yucatan. During one session, a new student chose to listen in on the conversation even though he admitted to being an atheist. In another meeting, Fernanda* was clearly moved as we talked about how God gives us comfort in our need so that we might offer that comfort to others. Following up with her, we found out that word had given her the courage to reconcile her strained relationship with her mother. Clearly, God’s Word has power!

Thank you then for your support as we continue to offer opportunities for others to experience God’s Word. And, as you thank God for His work, won’t you pray for these new believers, educators, and university students, that these encounters with God’s Word will continue to produce fruit in their lives?

*Name has been changed.

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Get Our Fall Newsletter Now!

September 24, 2013 in Maya, Media by Dave | Permalink

We had the opportunity to deliver our first Proclaimer to San Isidro Ochil. What a blessing to hear the group interact with the Word in Maya! Hit the link here or click on the picture to experience the event with us. While you’re there, don’t miss the rest of our latest quarterly update from the field!

Our online newsletter is viewable as a PDF document. If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat Reader software installed, you may download it here.


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Go East Young Man?

January 22, 2013 in Maya, Ministry by Dave | Permalink

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Practicing personal evangelism

Certainly that’s not right. The direction is supposed to be west, is it not? Well, if you live in Merida, and your goal is ministry among the Maya, then east is the direction you want to travel.

And go east we did, Joseph and I that is, to be a part of another Action Group training for the Jesus Film in Maya. We travelled three hours on a rather circuitous route to make it to the city of Tizimin, where one of my former students, Alex Canul, served as our host.  Once there, churches from Tizimin, Espita, and Dzonot Carretero, five in all, were trained with the view to participate in a Jesus Film outreach in their area.

Of course, the goal of the Jesus Film is much more than simply the projection of the film itself. The goal is to leave a nucleus of believers, a functioning church, in each place it is shown. To do so, Action Groups are trained in everything from personal evangelism and testifying to teaching discipleship classes to new believers.

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Pastor Alex Canul

Our time in Tizimin was a full day of teaching strategy, methods, and techniques, but we took time as well to emphasize our dependence on the work of the Holy Spirit to create opportunities, to open doors, and to work in the hearts of those reached by the film. We left satisfied with the ground that we were able to cover, but more desperate than ever for God to reach Maya speakers in the Yucatán with a clear presentation of the story of Jesus and a church home full of the sound of their native language.

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A New Generation

December 5, 2012 in Ministry by Dave | Permalink

Evangelism is important to me. Since 2006, it’s been one of the principle classes that I’ve taught at the Bible School. So, for me, evangelistically related themes take on a special interest.

This past month, as I wrapped up my Missions class, I discovered some interesting information about world evangelism. First of all, the need is immense. The Joshua Project, a site which reports the state of the gospel among unreached people groups, declares that 2 out of every 5 people do not have an adequate witness of the gospel. Nevertheless, Evangelical Christianity has never been so prevalent as it is today. According to Ryun Chan, author of the “Manual de Misiones”, at our current numbers, there is one evangelical believer for every nine non-believers in the world.

What does this mean? It means that although the task is great, if each of us does his or her part, the goal of finishing the Great Commission is within reach. Still, with the promotion of tolerance as the most prized virtue, pressure is mounting for us to keep our faith to ourselves. In other words, if the trends continue, we may be experiencing the high water mark of Evangelical Christianity even as our goal is within reach.

How do we combat these trends? Only by keeping our stated purpose in focus. Our denomination, the Assemblies of God, in its statement of faith has declared that “the Church has a Mission to seek and save all who are lost in sin.” It is therefore an imperative to engage in and promote evangelism, and that is just what we’re doing here in Merida.

On November 13th, I began teaching a new generation of Bible Institute students in my sixth installment of “Evangelismo Práctico I.” This new group of eight students are walking through a set of lessons and assignments to help them make evangelism, not just a task but a way of life. Already, we’re seeing fruit as these students are putting themselves in contact with seekers. Stay tuned for updates as we continue through the semester!

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