Miles and Coleen Templeton Our vison the world, our field Brazil Sharing in His sufferings
This phrase has been going around in my mind for a few weeks now, and I perceive a new dimension or insight into “sharing in his sufferings.” I remember well when our children were small, I often felt that I “suffered” with them because of their misconduct. Sometimes that suffering was merely emotional as I hurt for their wrong decisions and desired deeply for them to want to be obedient and to do those things which pleased the Lord.
Now in a spiritual realm we experience the same emotional suffering when “our” spiritual “children” make wrong choices and stray from the Bible’s teachings. Thinking about this one day, this verse in Philippians came to mind and I asked myself if this also might be part of the “fellowship of His sufferings.” Certainly, His heart is hurt and saddened and He suffers with my wrrong actions and attitudes, just as I do for those whom I disciple in the Word.
Having this perspective, helped me to think more compassionately and less condemningly toward these babes in Christ for He never condemns me, but always corrects in lovingkindness.
And, I also thank the Lord for being able to empathize at least to a small degree with His earthly ministry, “sharing in His sufferings.”
This radiant smile does not allow even a hint of the emotional sufferings this couple have known and we have walked through with them. She first began to study the Bible when she was new to our town and had been asked to teach catechism classes. Wanting to know the Bible better before she taught it, she sought out my sister in law and I.
At that time we were team teaching through the Bible, using the chronological method, for ladies in our community. Later, a couples Bible study was begun and her husband came as well. “A.. and I..” came to know the Lord and began to grow in Christ. He worked at a bank here in town and she owned and operated a small children’s clothing store.
As they grew in Christ they also began to face some crises–financial, marital, emotional, spiritual. One evening we went to their home and found all the family crying and the angry husband ready to walk out on everything and everyone. Desperation led her to seriously consider suicide, but God intervened on two different occasions to foil her plans.
They have moved frequently because of his job and we have followed them along their journey. About a year after they left our town, they found an evangelical church in their new town of residence and we saw some very positive things happening in their spiritual lives, praise God. Now yet another five or so years later, they were recently baptized in the church where they are now participating. When I look at these happy faces, having seen wonderful changes come about, I surely praise God for His unfailing love and faithfulness.
Yes, we have known some “sharing in His sufferings,” but also He gives us occasional glimpses of His glory in the lives of these who have come to Christ. It is worth it all to serve Jesus.
Coleen Templeton
Discipleship
I’ve been thinking a lot about discipleship these days and what it looks like in real life. Perhaps too often we think of it as a classroom situation taught by someone older or more experienced in the faith. Let me share a couple of instances of discipling we have experienced recently.
(#1)I have been meeting with a group of nine ladies from four different churches to do a Bible study. Breaking Free, written by Beth Moore, is based out of the book of Isaiah and deals with spiritual strongholds or captivities that can keep us from living victorious Christian lives. The book form of the study has been translated into Portuguese, so we read from that, and then I add study questions for homework. The first week, only one of the students was able to finish the homework. Most were totally puzzled as to how to proceed. How do you read a Bible verse and take from it what should be the “obvious” answer to the question before you? So we began to talk about that (the “how to”) as well as began to make applications to our personal lives. Everyone was pretty quiet, not sharing much, not willing to get out of his or her individual comfort/safety zone. Not willing to be vulnerable. As the weeks have progressed, I have been amazed and thrilled to see these ladies grow spiritually right before my eyes, under God’s Holy Spirit tutoring. How I praise Him! (#2) For most of the them the word “stronghold” was even difficult to comprehend, but now they are saying, “I see that fear has me bound.” “Forgiving is just so difficult.” “I see how pride has hindered my walk with God.” And now that we are beginning to see the areas of spiritual strongholds, we can begin to deal with them. That is discipleship.
Miles has begun teaching the book of Acts to two young couples. Both have studied the chronological foundational studies and have professed to know Christ. We were somewhat discouraged that both couples took part to some extent in the recent festivities of “Carnival.” This past week in Bible study, Miles posed a number of questions to them regarding how the enemy tries to work in our lives. First how does he work to keep us from even getting into Bible study? Then, if we do study, what will he do to keep us from coming to salvation? If we do accept God’s gift of grace, what tactics does the enemy use to keep us from growing and maturing in Christ. It was very interesting to hear them talk and see that they do indeed understand a number of the basic principles, but breaking away from the “old traditions and desires of the flesh” to embrace the “new life in Christ” is often quite difficult.
(#3) One day this week Miles spent the whole morning with one of these young men. They went out to a river about an hour away, to get a truckload of sand for construction. They had good conversation over a variety of topics and Miles used these opportunities to continue to disciple. Not long ago, this same young man told Miles, “I don’t know if it is because I am getting older (29) or because I have been studying the Bible, but I don’t seem to enjoy all of the same things that I used to enjoy.” Then this week while working together, he again referred to this saying that his reading of the Word has caused him to leave a lot of things behind that he used to do or like. His wife, however, doesn’t seem to be quite as ready to leave these “old” things to grow as a “new creature in Christ Jesus.” Pray that we will use every opportunity to share God’s truth with these we have come to love in Christ. (#4)
Changes and Contentment
The year 2011 lies before us like an unfilled agenda. Do you wonder, as I do, what God intends to write on the pages of our lives? How much joy; how much sadness? Do you wonder, as I do, if you are ready for the adventure of 2011, and how you will handle all that awaits you in this New Year? I am currently studying the book Calm my Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow. If you are my “friend” on Facebook, you may have caught some of the quotes that I have shared there. Contentment is a choice, or better, a daily series of choices for each of us. May we choose wisely each day of the New Year.
Our Missionary Journey
In July, we learned that a Brazilian co-worker had recently acquired a vehicle, but felt uneasy about driving to his ministry location as he has had very little practical experience in driving even though he has had a driver’s license for a number of years. Miles offered to drive the car to his home for him, and plans began to fall into place for our “very own” missionary journey.
News from “Gaviao” Land
I recently received this news from Darlene, working with the Gaviao people in northern Brazil. Please praise the Lord with her for what God is doing there and take these requests before the Lord as well.
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Family Reunion coming up
Pray for nice fall weather not too cold, travel safety for all coming from afar, and good health and immunity against colds and flu.
The Funeral Walk
“There are no words” was the only thing that I could think of as we walked down the street behind the hearse that carried the body of our friends’ son to the cemetery.
Around us were the sounds of songs sung to Mother Mary on behalf of the young man that had died. Some of the words were as follows:
“I hope to save my soul, with the help of God.
My obedience of the Ten Commandments opens the gates of Heaven. ”
These words really struck me as being so final, and eternally condemning. The depth of death struck such a blow, and carried with it a soul unprepared to meet his Maker.
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Tags: death
Joining Hearts, Hands, and Helpers
Several years ago when our own children were in school, there were a number of MK’s studying here from other mission organizations. We always found it to be a blessing and an encouragement to work with these children and their missionary families. Now, once again we have been blessed by the work of brothers and sisters of like precious faith.
SIL, known as Wycliff Bible Translators in the USA, is soon closing their school and offices in western Brazil and moving much closer to where we are located. Beginning in the August 2008 term, a good number of them will be sending their children to our school and some of their school staff is now going to become a part of our staff. The transition has already been in the works for a number of months and is going well and according to schedule. Sometime ago a para-organization to Wycliffe Bible Translators known as Wycliffe Associates was scheduled to go to the SIL center and build a playground for the children attending school there. When this re-location was decided upon, the associates were asked if they would be willing to build the playground instead at our MK school where now both NTM and SIL children will be attending school. How blessed were we to have this team agree to come.
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Tags: associates, helpers
Your Labor is not in Vain
I share this article as a note of praise to God for what He is doing in this great land. CMT
‘This verse came to my mind when I received the most recent news from the Gaviao work. Horst and Annette Stute have worked with these people for 43 years and now are retiring and returning to Germany. In spite of all the persecution that they encountered during the beginning of the work, they remained steadfast because they believed in the Lord and believed that their work would not be in vain.
At the ‘going away’ party given for them as they left, one of the leaders of the village, the same one who had shot at Horst when he first arrived there, placed a necklace on Horst’s neck as a symbol of gratitude and acceptance.
At the airport there were many Indians singing and praying for the missionary couple. Horst gave his last words of counseling to his children in the faith and there was much crying. How marvelous that they were able to see there the fruit of their labors, in which they had continued ‘steadfast and immoveable”’ "
Learning Language for Eternity’s Sake
Please partner with us in prayer for our co-workers in the Javae tribe and elsewhere who are studying tribal languages. Their goals are of eternal value.
"Not too long ago a little Indian grandma and her family came to visit and have lunch with us. The grandma wasn’t feeling well and was very weak. I helped her to a bed while I worked on finishing up lunch. She wasn’t doing well at all and I kept checking on her and sitting her up so that it was easier for her to breathe. She has tuberculosis and after several bouts of coughing etc…I was really getting worried about her.
I called Steve who was with her grandson at our co-workers house to tell him I thought she needed to get to the hospital. Her grandson said she may just be hungry, so once she got settled down again, I finished up lunch. PTL she was very hungry and after two large platefuls of food, she seemed much better although was still hurting a lot and rested the remainder of the afternoon in bed.
The grandma doesn’t speak hardly any Portuguese, only Javaé and a feeling of hopelessness came over me as I thought she could die here in my home and I can’t even share the Gospel with her because I can’t speak her language. I realized too the hopelessness she faces that she could die anytime, has almost died several times, but doesn’t know our precious Savior.
Please pray that we’ll learn the Javaé language quickly and be able to share the Hope of the Gospel with them."