Haiti is known for slavery, poverty, political unrest and earthquakes. But today Jacob Via and Jephte report how the dynamic Word of God is growing, spreading and multliplying across this island nation. Haitians are turning and believing. New disicples are forming churches. And the work is being done by Haitians. Even more, the catch-cry is "Haitians to the nations" as the Haitians send out workers to far away places.
This just came in via Troy Cooper:
Got an update from Jacob Via in Haiti. In March they were tracking 320 new church starts only 11 months after their 4Day Training.
Just got a report yesterday they're tracking 3,148 church starts w over 24,000 baptisms! PRAISE JESUS! 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
For backgournd you can watch the video above or listen to the podcast.
Related: Nothing but the obedience of faith, the living Word and the Holy Spirit
Recently the (Australian) ABC reported that the men most likely to beat their wives were evangelicals. It's not true, they made it up. There is no evidence. What evidence exists points to the transforming power of the gospel.
In the US, Conservative Protestant men who attend church regularly are found to be the least likely group to engage in domestic violence.
Marxist feminist Elizabeth Brusco set out to study the impact of evangelical conversion on family life in Columbia. Here's what she discovered by careful research:
The asceticism required of evangelicals brings about change in the behavior of male converts, particularly in relation to the machismo complex in Latin America. Drinking, smoking, and extramarital sexual relations are forbidden. By redirecting into the household the resources spent on these things, such changes have the effect of raising the standard of living of women and children who are in varying degrees dependent on the income of these men.
My data on Colombian evangelical households support the conclusion reached by virtually every other analyst of Latin American Pentecostalism, that is, that conversion of both a woman and her husband improves the material circumstances of the household. Quite simply, no longer is 20 to 40 percent of the household budget consumed by the husband in the form of alcohol. Ascetic codes block many of the other extra-household forms of consumption that characterize masculine behavior in Colombia: in addition to drinking, smoking, gambling, and visiting prostitutes are no longer permitted.
Furthermore, an emphasis on male as well as female fidelity within marriage prohibits a man from keeping a woman other than his wife, and so a man's limited resources are no longer split among two or more households dependent on his wage.
In re-forming male values to be more consistent with female ones (i.e., oriented toward the family rather than toward individualistic consumption) the movement provides a "strategic" challenge to the prevailing form of sexual subordination in Colombia. [pp 5-6]
Bruscho concludes:
The tangible changes and improvement in the standard of living of women and children in dependent households is only a symptom or an indicator of something much more remarkable that is happening.
With conversion, machismo is replaced by evangelical belief as the main determinant of husband-wife relations. The machismo role and the male role defined by evangelicalism are almost diametrical opposites . Aggression, violence, pride, self-indulgence, and an individualistic orientation in the public sphere are replaced by peace seeking, humility, self-restraint, and a collective orientation and identity with the church and the home. [p 139]
Listen to the podcast version.
Trudy mentioned two influencers: David Watson and Jerry Trousdale. Then interview transcript.
Trudy Read (front centre) and CityTeam workers
In this episode I talk to Trudy Read of CityTeam about her journey in disciple making movements.
Great insights on finding the person of peace and then coaching them to reach their world.
The video version of the interview.
Trudy mentioned two influences: David Watson and Jerry Trousdale. Their books are below.
UPDATE: The interview transcript.
Troy Cooper talks to Steve Addison about his recent mission trip to Mexico. Listen in and it just might revolutionize how you do short term missions.
In the interview Troy mentions his 411Training.
He also refers to the 3Touches.
This text just came in from a guy called Troy somewhere in Mexico.
PRAAAISE!! Jesus is moving in Monterrey, Mexico & mightily using our South FL bro Agustin "Oggie" Martin who led the entire 2-day training in Spanish last weekend.
This city/area ravaged by drug cartel since 2009 w unspeakable violence--super broken place!! We arrived late Thurs & early Fri modeled in harvest w 2 pastors & saw 4 households come to faith. 134 trained Fri night & had 60+ all day Saturday including 6 pastors & lead apostle. Said they've praying/fasting for a simple, effective training to apply & share w others.
During 1hr HoP search, 30 homes engaged & 24 households came to faith!!!!! The harvest is PLENTIFUL!!!!! Oggie is there this week to MAWL leaders w training, harvest, follow-up, the commands & church starts. The pastors have released baptism & want to start churches (baptism already multiplying in the harvest).
They have vision for their city, Mexico & the nations. They’re so so excited a team came to build the Kingdom & show them how to do it themselves!!! Oggie is leading 2nd 2-day training at different Monterrey location this weekend & swarming w fruitful folks from last weekend. He's also bringing some of these new trainers w him to swarm Costa Rica next month for 1st Christian Surfer touch. He's a BEAST!!!!
Been praying/fasting for this Spanish-speaking leader in South FL! Praise Jesus! He provided!! I'm amazed by what God is doing there. This place is RIPE--both harvest & local church! I'm overwhelmed, praising Jesus & learning!! Pls continue to pray!
How viral is your method of multiplying disciples and churches? Can it jump borders and cultures?
