What No One Tells a New Sunday School Teacher

When you were first handed a teacher's manual, did anyone say this to you? "Be careful. While this is the best curriculum we've found, there may be errors in it." 

Choosing a curriculum is important, but an even greater responsibility lies with those of us who use it. We are the ones who will be held accountable for what we teach. A teacher who is willing to study first from the Bible and then look at the teacher's manual will be able to overcome a less-than-perfect curriculum. 

When you use a curriculum or create your own lesson from scratch, these six points will help you teach a lesson that correctly reflects biblical truth.

1. God is the central character of every lesson. We use drama, excitement, and emotion when we tell the story of David and Goliath. That's good. But who comes out looking like the hero? Is it David? Or is it God? David was clear when he charged the giant. "I come in the name of the Lord." We need to ensure that our students understand that it was not David's courage or his abilities that won over the Philistines that day, but God who enabled Him. If we stop to think of how many things could have gone wrong that day, we will have a better understanding of David's confidence in God. We need to paint a picture of God's abilities with such admiration that there is no doubt Who won the victory for the Israelites.   
2. Subpoints should not take center stage. The story of the feeding of the 5,000 is not a lesson about sharing, but a lesson on Jesus' power. It should fill us with amazement and wonder at how great He is. God may choose to use that lesson to encourage a child to share, but our emphasis as teachers needs to be on Jesus, not the boy who doesn't even get mentioned in some of the gospels' narratives of this event. 
   
3. My emphasis needs to be on spiritual change, not good behavior. Many children understand the need for grace when they initially ask God to forgive them of their sins and to include them in His family. Too few realize that they still need grace in order to grow and live the Christian life. Sometimes it's easy for them to believe that they are accepted by God because of their good behavior. If we do not continually encourage a dependence upon God's grace as they grow in their walk with God,  they may come to believe that their own self-discipline and obedience are making them pleasing to God. This can lead to Phariseeism and legalism. 
4. I waste time if my activities do not aid in teaching the central truths of the day. Activities and games are valuable teaching tools, especially for children. We should employ a great variety of teaching methods. But with every activity, we need to ask some simple questions. How will this help the students grow? Will it increase their understanding? Will it help them apply today's main truth? If I include this activity, will they be more or less likely to remember and apply today's truths?  Will they walk away from my class more excited about God or will they only remember the game? We have so little time with our class. Let's not waste one minute of it on activities that do not help to drive home the main point.
5. I need to be thorough in my lesson preparation? Lesson manuals are wonderful aids for teachers, but they do not replace the study of the Word of God. As teachers of the Bible, we start our lesson preparation with our text, the Bible. We do our best to ensure that we understand the lesson thoroughly ourselves before we try to teach it to others. This requires preparation throughout the week. Some truths are hard for us to understand, but rather than ignoring those truths, we need to spend time working to interpret them to our students. Once we feel we know what the Bible is teaching, then we pick up the manual to help us supplement what we've already learned.
6. Prayer is vital to my lesson preparation. Unless God does something in us and through our teaching, all our efforts will be in vain. As we begin to prepare, we ask God to teach us and help us to apply what we learn. We ask God to enable us to teach it in ways that our class will understand. We ask Him for attentive ears and receptive hearts. We ask Him to take His Word and apply it. We pray for the life situations that our students face. We entrust the our teaching time to Him, asking Him to use it to spread His fame in each of our lives.

God has given us a book.  That book is about Him.  We want to provide a solid foundation that will last a lifetime.

Are you one of those who was given a curriculum without any instructions on how to use it? Were you aware when you started teaching that you might find errors in it? Did you? I would love to hear your answers in the comments below.

Ministry in the Chin Hills

We flew from Chattanooga to JFK, Frankfort, Singapore, and Yangon, arriving 37 hours later.  In Yangon we were greeted by heat, rising into the high nineties. I removed my wedding band, certain that my hands and feet would swell because of the sharp shift in temperature. I was glad I did. The next day I would not have been able to get it off.

After a day in Yangon, we flew on to Kalemyo, where Brother Kap, IPM’s missionary in Myanmar, met us and took us to a hotel. He was there for a conference, so we attended the last night of the conference meeting. The four-hour service seemed even longer after a long day.

God's beauty surrounded us.

The next day we got into Kap’s Land Cruiser to make the journey through the hills to Tedim where we would be teaching for the next two weeks. Rain, road construction, and the twists and turns on a narrow road meant that the 57-mile journey took almost three hours.  We were relieved to finally arrive at our destination where we were shown to an ample guest room with a private bath, and luxury of luxuries, the bath had hot water in the shower! We were now in the hills, where temperatures dipped into the fifties at night and hovered around seventy in the daytime, and the hot water was appreciated.

Crowing roosters and beating drums announced the coming of each new day. After a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bread, and coffee or tea, we prepared for our day of classes.

Our teaching day started at 8:45 when we joined the students for fifteen minutes of prayer and singing and then headed to class. Charlie taught the 3^rd and 4^th years students on Biblical counseling for an hour and a half while I taught the children English. We each had a break and then went to the chapel where Charlie spoke. After chapel we enjoyed lunch. Our afternoon classes lasted 45 minutes. I taught the 3^rd and 4^th year students on the teaching ministry of the church while Charlie taught the 1^st and 2^nd year students on Christian stewardship. Then we had some free time which we usually spent getting ready for the next classes.

At 5:00 in the evening, I headed off to teach the children again. This time it was more of a translated Bible club. I had a phenomenal translator who is also musically gifted. He could really get those children to sing. After teaching several songs, I told a simple Bible story which he translated. Some of the older students knew more English and were following me in English. We finished off with a review game and sent the children home at about 6:00.

The children of my evening class.

Charlie started his evening class at 6:00 with the graduate students, teaching Baptist Distinctives. When they finished at 7:30, we headed down for supper. Our meals always included an assortment of locally grown vegetables. Other things like chicken or noodles were often on the menu as well. We could not have asked for better food while we were there.

By the time we finished, the children were singing several songs and choruses without the help of the words. When I split them into two groups to sing “Rejoice in the Lord Always” as a round, they tried to out-sing each other. As they walked home at night, I could hear them singing along the way. Thongpi, my translator, requested the words to all the songs we used so that he could continue to teach them to the children. Toward the end, the children began bringing little gifts to me before and after class. My real regret was that I could not communicate with them in their language.  

Because it was the dry season, the hydro-electricity was limited and rolling blackouts were part of life. One night you would have power all night. The next night there was none. Some days there would be power, but not on others. So our evenings ended relatively early and the mornings were early as well. It was important to get the most use of the daylight.

As we came to the end of our two weeks, we both felt that we could have stayed much longer. Maybe next time.

Almost Missing Christmas

After we booked our trip to Peru, I realized that we would be gone most of December. I knew I did not want to walk into the house a few days before Christmas to find Thanksgiving decorations still up, so I put those away. Now what do I do? I decided I would get out the few things that mattered the most - the Nativity set, the advent wreath, a picture frame with the words, "Jesus, the reason for the season." I put those up, added a few candles and a red tablecloth to the dining room table and stood back. That was enough.

We left on December 1, heading to Pennsylvania for our mission's annual meeting. Then on December 7, we left the cold of Pennsylvania and flew to the Peruvian Amazon, where we spent the next ten days teaching.

The temperature change was so drastic that on the second day in the village, my feet started to swell. Every day they got a little worse. I started sitting down during our teaching breaks so that I could put my feet up. Then one of the pastors brought chairs and I was able to sit down part of the time while I translated for Charlie. That helped. On our last morning, as I struggled to fit my swollen feet into my loose sandals, I wondered if I would pick up hookworm if I went barefoot. I tugged at the straps until I could get my feet inside.  While the skin was tight and uncomfortable, at least I knew it was not permanent. My feet would return to normal when we got out of the heat. Once we got back to the city where I was not standing all day and we were sleeping in an air-conditioned room, my sandals were comfortable again.

From Iquitos, we flew to Arequipa in the southern highlands. Since we were just stopping in to see IPM's missionaries, the Araujos, and not to minister, we stayed in a hotel in the center of the city and spent most of the two days enjoying their company.

Life-sized nativity in Peru

Arequipa was decorated for Christmas. In front of the Catholic Church, people gathered to see the life-size nativity set. A two-story Christmas tree, surrounded by gifts the size of appliance boxes, dominated the central square. One night a children's choir sang there. Decorated artificial pine trees seemed like anatopisms, and I wondered what their traditions might have included before the Christmas tree became so universal.

We were privileged to be able to participate in one Peruvian Christmas tradition - a chocolatada. We attended church on Tuesday night at a new church plant. Since it was the last time they would meet before Christmas, they held a chocolatada after the service. Thick hot chocolate was served with slices of Panetone, a sweet bread with raisins and candied fruit.

We returned to the U.S. on the 22nd. When we got off the plane, I heard someone call out "Merry Christmas!" My first thought was, "What are they talking about?" Then I realized what day it was. Of course, people were greeting each other with "Happy Holidays" and "Merry Christmas!" Secular Christmas music even played over the intercom in the airport terminal.

We returned to the office to get our car and then began driving back home to Georgia. I was very glad that I had changed the Thanksgiving decorations for Christmas ones before I left.

On Christmas Eve we went to a worshipful Christmas Eve service together, and on Sunday we gathered with family and friends to enjoy a turkey and ham feast. Those two very important parts were central to our Christmas celebration this year.

There was lots of joy and celebration, yet it still felt strange. It almost felt like I had missed Christmas. Why, I wondered, when the things I valued were present? I had even spent the month of December reading Christmas passages in my Bible. So why did it feel so different?  And does it matter? As I thought of these things, I realized two very important things.

First, the cues that tell me Christmas is around the corner were missing. There were no Salvation Army bell ringers at the fronts of stores. No Christmas music played over the intercoms in malls, stores, and restaurants. No Christmas cards arrived in the mail and I did not send any. No Christmas decorations were present in the Peruvian churches. I did not bake Christmas cookies for parties or friends. I did not light an advent wreath during my morning devotions. No Christmas carols were sung. We did not attend any Christmas parties or programs. December was much like any other month of the year.

We North Americans celebrate Christmas on December 25 and extend it into an avalanche of activities for a whole month. Even though Charlie and I were busy throughout December, our activity was not based on things surrounding a traditional North American holiday. Instead it was normal ministry. When I realized that it was the cues that were missing, I realized a second, more important truth. It was good to have a different Christmas where much of the tradition was missing. Sometimes the things we use to point our hearts toward Christmas Day become so important that the  real message of Christmas gets lost in the trimmings. My heart needs to celebrate the central message of Christmas - that Christ came into the world to save sinners. It is not the gifts, the parties, and the decorations that make something feel like Christmas. In fact, all those things can lead us away from its truths.

Maybe our ministry focus during the month was exactly what God wanted. Maybe it was the best gift we could have given Him this year. In that case, I did not miss Christmas at all. In fact, it was better than usual.

- - - - - - - - - -

The days since Christmas whizzed by like a tractor trailer on the Interstate. I fully intended to write this as soon as the first days of January began. Instead, I find myself playing catch-up on this last day of the month.

If Life is Like a River, then Ministry is Like Rafting

Some say that life is like a river. It makes sense. A river bends and winds its way down to a vast ocean, just like life winds its way through the years and ends in a vast eternity, either with God or without him. You never know what lies around the bend. It could be beauty or devastation, waterfalls or still water.

If life is like a river, then ministry is like rafting.  There are times of still waters where you get to enjoy the beautiful scenery as you float by. Routine and quiet days fill the weeks of ministry. Ordinary milestones like anniversaries, weddings., baby dedications, and birthdays are like the beauty on the banks of river where you see carefully planted gardens, towering trees, and flowers blooming. You float peacefully through those days, reveling in their joyful serenity, appreciating the warm sunshine and relatively cloudless days. Sometimes the quiet can lull you into thinking that life is peaceful and all the hard times are behind you.

Then, suddenly, the current speeds up and you know that difficulty lies ahead. At times in our ministry lives, we have had some warning that ministry was going to get difficult again. Perhaps, it was an undercurrent of unhappiness or a conflict that did not quickly resolve. At other times, it took us completely by surprise. As we rounded the bend, we were able to see the white water ahead and know that it would take all of our energy and all of our skill and strength to avoid the rocks and stay upright through the roiling waves. We knew that we might even be injured in the process, but that at least it would be tough and exhausting. We knew, too, that we needed to lead the raft of people in our ministry in such a way that we would not cause permanent damage to anyone on board.

However, in ministry "rafting," we have a Guide who has been down "our" river ahead of us and knows every unseen danger. If we were to try to navigate on our own, we would put ourselves and those with whom we minister at serious risk, but with our Guide we can rest assured that He will help us navigate around the sharp rocks and through the white water. He will even help us over that massive waterfall that looks impassable.

These days our journey in ministry with IPM often feels like river rafting. We have quiet, peaceful days when we are preparing for our next trip. We spend our days studying, writing, corresponding, making phone calls, connecting with churches, and reaching out to those around us. Then the speed picks up as we buy tickets and start making lists of the things we need to take with us. We stop the mail and the garbage pickup. We alert our neighbors to our upcoming absence and send out emails to relatives and friends asking for prayer. And then we take off - into the white water, speeding through the next days and weeks when we touch down in a new place to teach.  Then almost as suddenly as it began, we end our time there and find ourselves back in relative calm.

We would appreciate prayer that God would use us in each phase of our ministry - on those quiet, calm days and on the exciting, rushed ones. More than anything, when we eventually find our way to the end of our river and enter into the ocean of eternity, we want to hear a shout of "Well Done" from the Captain of our souls.

Questions About Moving Abroad

Montevideo, Uruguay

For years we have considered the possibility of moving abroad.  Right now there are things that are keeping us in the US, but it continues to be in our thoughts and our prayers.  Every time we make a trip abroad, we ask the question, "Is this the place where God wants to send us to live next?"

One of the main factors in where we can live is cost of living.  While we enjoyed our visit to Luxembourg last year, for example, we know that we cannot survive there on the income God has given us.  On the other hand, most of Latin America, some of Asia and some of Europe and Africa could potentially be a place for us.  The world is a big place, and there are many places where we could go.

A second factor, and probably the most important, is ministry.  Is there something for us to do there that fits the skill sets that God has given us?  We do not want to move abroad to simply retire.  We want to be fully invested until we can no longer work.  So every time we visit a country we also ask this question, "If we lived here, what ministry would we have?  Are there teaching and training opportunities here?"

Another major factor is language.  While there are many countries where we could use English to start up a ministry to expatriates living there, we want to be able to minister among the nationals. This trip to Bolivia was a major part of seeing whether or not a Spanish speaking country could work. After a month of living there and getting some language instruction, we think it can.  So now we have two language options - English and Spanish.

There are some other more minor factors that we will consider, like health care and transportation. How hard and how expensive is it to get back to the US if we need to do that? Is it easy for us to get a visa? Is it easy to live without a car? If not, what would that cost? Is it better to rent or own a residence? Would we need to maintain a residence in the US? These and other questions would need to be answered.

The last factor and the one that will be the deciding one for us is God's call.  We want to hear God clearly speak to us about the next step we need to take. It is possible that He will call us to stay in the U.S. or He may lead us abroad. Whatever we do, we want to be sure that we are following His direction for our lives. Wherever it is, we believe that He is already putting together the pieces that will give us the ministry He has for us when we get there.  When the time comes, we will know. In the meantime, we keep doing the work He has for us right now.

January Newsletter

Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. Psalm 66:16

Dear friends and family,

God has done great things in the past year, and we want to declare His greatness to all who will listen.

Church in Guatemala

1. He funded our travel. When we started the year, we saw that the money in our travel account was inadequate for the trips we planned to take. Here we are beginning a new year, and we now have more money in that account than we did last year at this time after taking five trips and visiting six countries. How great is His provision!
2. He brought people to a saving faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Throughout our travels we were witnesses to Christ's great work of redemption. In Guatemala alone, we saw more than twenty people make professions of faith.
3. He gave us new opportunities to serve Him. IPM held their first pastors' conference in the Amazon town of Mazan, Peru, and Charlie was one of the teachers. We both taught in Mindanao, Philippines, and they have asked us to come back and teach again. Joan partnered with Levi Schooley to lead a VBS seminar in Arequipa, Peru. It was the first time they had worked together and they both enjoyed it.

   

   Teaching a game in Peru

4. He gave us the opportunity to take a missions trip "vacation" to Europe where we were able to help out in ministries in Belarus and Luxembourg.

As we look back and see His faithfulness to us in the past year, we have no doubt that He will again be faithful in 2017.

1. We expect that we will take at least five trips again this year and maybe more, and we have no doubt that, so long as we only go where He sends us, He will fund those as well.
2. We expect that He will continue to save people in the various ministries we visit around the world, and we are looking forward to be able to witness His power at work in changing people's lives.
3. We expect that He will help us as we seek to improve our skills to do a better job. In just a few weeks we are headed to Bolivia where we will visit IPM's missionaries there and take an intensive Spanish course. In addition, Charlie has been working on his doctorate so that he will be better qualified to teach at a seminary level.
4. We expect that this will be a full year. In addition to trips to Bolivia, the Philippines, Uruguay and one or two African countries, Charlie also plans to go to Cuba. We also love to teach and preach whenever we are in the U.S.
5. We expect that none of this will be done well unless God works in us and through us, so we value your prayers and support.

Your partners with national missionaries around the world,

Charlie and Joan Farley

A Picture Summary of 2016

Take a trip with us and see where we were and what we were doing abroad during the past year.  We each took five trips and went to six countries.  Five of those trips we took together and we each took one trip alone. That does not even count the trips we took within the U.S. where we went to Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Minnesota, Florida, North Carolina, California, and probably some other states too.  It was a busy and blessed year, and we are looking forward to an even busier one this year.

We put together a Prezi presentation online of our trips abroad. Just click on the link, and it will take you there. Then you can cruise through the photos and, if we visited you, maybe even find a photo of yourself.  Just tap on the link and then in the new window use the arrow keys to go through the presentation.

Whispers

A teenage girl leans in to a close friend and whispers about the boy she likes.  A child reaches up and pulls down his dad's head to whisper his desire for ice cream.  Husbands and wives whisper their love for one another in the darkness of night.  During a concert, a proud mother whispers to her guest that her child has the next solo.  

Whispers are for two people.  We do not speak in whispers when we want others to hear.  We might speak quietly if we want only a small group to hear, but we do not whisper.

Yet this week I am learning about another kind of whisper.  Friday night I lost my voice.  After that, only whispers escaped my lips.  Any attempts to vocalize caused pain.  I have lost my voice before, and it has usually returned in a day or two.  This time is different.  Four days later I am still without a voice. I can only speak in whispers.

Whisper a prayer in the morning.  Whisper a prayer at noon.  Whisper a prayer in the evening to keep your heart in tune. 

So goes the song.

Yes, I have whispered my prayers all through the day.  Whispered prayers are as effective as those I have prayed with a loud voice, and maybe even more so, depending on the state of my heart.  My inability to communicate with others has given me more time for prayer.  Whispers work in my prayers to God, and I love the fact that He can hear my whispering heart even if everyone else is crying out to Him with a loud voice.  Whispers work in my prayers.

But there are so many times when whispers do not work well.  When I am out on the street, desperate to catch a child's attention because of an oncoming vehicle, a whisper will not do.  When I am in church and everyone around me is lifting their voices in praise to our Almighty God, my little whisper is not enough.  When I am out on the street inviting children to Vacation Bible School, parents eye me suspiciously when they hear me whisper to their children.  Yesterday, in a large group of people, I wanted to chime into the conversation, but a whisper is not heard over the buzz of friendly banter.  I cannot even give directions from the back seat of a vehicle.  Obviously, I cannot teach so long as I am voiceless.

I am sometimes called a quiet person, yet I am realizing how vocal I really am.  Everywhere I turn, I find that I miss using my voice.  I want to be able to call out a greeting to a neighbor on the street, thank a child effusively before she runs off again to play, and join in the conversation around the table.  But most of all, I miss being able to sing, to lift my voice in praise to the God I love.

For that, whispers will not do.

January Highlights

Looking back over the month, here are a few highlights:

1. At the beginning of the month. we went to Minneapolis.  When I walked into my brother's living room, four of his five children got up to give me a group hug.  One of them had just flown in from Kuwait and another was getting ready to return to England.  I was able to see the fifth the next day.  It is so seldom that those five people are in the same location at the same time that I knew I was blessed when I got to be there then.
2. I was able to catch up with a few friends in Minneapolis while Charlie attended classes at Central Seminary.

   

   Amazon River, Peru

3. A photographer friend agree to take pictures for our new prayer card.  
4. We are participating in the children's ministry of our church here in Georgia.  
5. Details for Charlie's trip to the Peruvian Amazon came together, and he is now booked and getting ready to go. He will be teaching in a pastors' conference.
6. I attended the funeral of my friend, Char, via live-streaming.  What a godly example she was to me throughout the years that I have known her.
7. I am working on the children's ministry class I will be teaching in the Philippines. 
8. I am almost ready to send the "Lost in the Desert" curriculum to the printers.
9. On this, the last day of January, we walked into a church to give some Spanish materials to them to take on a missions trip to Nicaragua.  When the teacher of the ladies' Sunday school class saw me, she asked to share the Word with a ladies' Sunday school class. I did not go expecting to teach, so I looked back at the things the Lord was teaching me this week in devotions and shared from Psalm 18.
10. Then tonight I got to hear my husband preach.  It was a good end to a good month.   

Eight Evidences of Erroneous Education

Thoughts on Teaching Children in the Church

Through the years, I have read many different lessons for children.  I have seen enough problems in teacher’s manuals that I sometimes cringe when I am handed a manual and asked to teach.  Fortunately, people who know me know that I will refer first to the Bible and later to the manual. They expect that, so I am blessed that I am not expected to take the manual and use it exactly as it is presented.

At the same time, I know there are people who may be teaching for the first time.  They will usually take the materials and use them in the way they are presented.  So when I read something that misses the mark, I think of all those teachers who do not realize that the material they have been given is inadequate.  They think they should follow it as written. 

In order to alert teachers to the need to carefully examine their teacher’s materials, let me give you some of the main errors that I see in children’s curriculum.

1. Leave out or undervalue the main point of the Bible story.  What is the main point of the “Feeding of the 5,000?”  It is that Jesus, who looked like just an ordinary man, could take a little bit of bread and fish and feed more than 5,000 people with it.  He was not an ordinary man after all, but the Son of God.  A miracle happened that day!  Yet too often that story, when it is told to children, focuses on the need to share.  The story is not about sharing.  It is about a miracle.  It showed the people the power Jesus had.  We should teach the story with awe and wonder, not make it a moral about sharing.
2. Make the lesson one that will build up the children’s self-esteem by assuring them that they are at the center of God’s love.  Yes, God loves children with a love that goes beyond our comprehension, and nothing can separate a believer from that love.  However, we do not need to encourage a child’s self-centeredness.  Instead, if we help the children to understand God and His amazing plan of redemption, then His grace, mercy and love will naturally create a healthy view of God and a healthy view of themselves.
3.  Focus too much on the human characters instead of the supernatural One.  David killed the giant, Goliath!  Yes, he did.  But David was the first to give credit to the One to whom credit was due.  “I come in the name of the Lord.”  God was the one who put David there that day.  God was the one who gave David the ability to shoot straight.  God was the one who responded to David’s faith.  If we leave out God, why are we asking our children to come to Sunday School?
4. Waste time by using filler that has nothing to do with the main points you are trying to get across.  We have so little time in our children’s ministries that not one minute should be wasted.  Yes, we can teach using games, songs, crafts and other activities.  But we need to ensure that the activities actually teach something important that will help them remember the lesson.  For example, does the song, “Father Abraham” really help to teach children something about the lesson?  When the child walks away from Sunday School, will they go home talking about an amazing God or something much less important?
5. Focus on good behaviors instead of dealing with spiritual issues.  Too many lessons encourage children to act right rather than helping them realize that without God’s grace at work in us, none of us can ever measure up.  God has set a perfect standard before us.  Good behavior is not enough.  When children are old enough to understand their own sinfulness, we need to help them depend upon the God who can change them rather than asking them to change themselves.  We want to see what God can do in their lives, not what self-discipline can do.
6.  “Dumb it down.”  Too many people assume that children cannot learn the great theological truths of God’s Word.  True, it is very hard to teach those truths in simple terms, but if a teacher will give careful thought on how to present those truths, it can be done.  Since children are trusting, they will often believe these truths even more quickly than adults, and those truths will stay with them for a lifetime.
7. Forget about the whole counsel of God.  I have used curriculum that uses the same Bible stories over and over and thereby neglects huge portions of Scripture.  I have been in churches where the same lessons were being taught on Sunday and Wednesday, but the repetition was accidental, not intentional.  There was no attempt to say, “If this child stays in our church until they are eighteen, will they be equipped for adulthood when they are done?”
8.  Ignore the fact that the child is part of a family.  If we are going to do a good job of teaching children, we must also teach the family.  We have very little time with the children who come.  Their families are able to teach much more than we can.  Therefore, we must reach the home and help the parents teach their children.

God has given us a book.  That book is about Him.  When we teach it to children, we need to be sure that we are teaching in such a way that what we teach will not have to be unlearned at a later date.  We want to provide a solid foundation that will last a lifetime.

So Little Time - August newsletter

Dear Faithful Friends,


We returned to our home in Georgia after a 10-week trip. During that time, we travelled by car through the upper Midwest, Canada, Maine, and back home. We also flew from Boston to Peru and back again. We give thanks for God’s grace for His protection and enablement. Even though we felt constrained by our limited time in each place, we are thankful that God, who is not bound by time, can multiply our short time and our meager ministry to do great things to glorify His name.

Four years ago, we met Daniel and Sonia Araujo who are investing their lives in making disciples in Arequipa, Peru. It was good to walk into their church on that first Sunday morning and see some familiar faces and new ones as well. Many improvements have been made to the church building. In addition, their son Junior was only beginning to be fully involved in the work of the ministry four years ago. He is now an integral part of their team. In fact, he is largely responsible for a new church
plant in Majes, a desert town about two hours away.

We arrived in Arequipa on June 20. For the next two weeks, we taught every night. Charlie taught a course on Hermeneutics where more than thirty people attended, and nine completed the course The following week, Joan taught on Christian Education. Forty people attended her course, and ten also completed the course work.  On Sundays, Charlie preached in various locations.

On our second Monday, we traveled seven hours over the mountains to a remote village in the Ubinas district. More than a decade ago, God placed this area on Daniel’s heart and he began to make the long journey over the mountains to win people there to the Lord. The growth has been slow, but now several of these villages have a small church. On the day we were there, six small local assemblies gathered for a big celebration together that included a baptism, a feast of alpaca stew, and a combined evening service. Charlie also had the privilege of preaching that day, and our nephew, Jeremy, who joined us on the trip, was his interpreter through most of those days in Arequipa.

The Araujos feel the pressure of time. What pastor do we know here in the US who is pastoring one church, filling in as pastor for another, planting a third church and working as a missionary in a district of multiple towns where there is no church?  So many people to win and disciple. So little time.

From Lima, we flew to Iquitos, the largest city in the world that is unreachable by road. Pastor Giovanni Avendaño, IPM’s Latin America director, met us there. From there, we took a boat down the Amazon River to the town of Mazan. For the next three days, we met with four men who are interested in becoming missionaries with IPM. Charlie taught classes that would help the men in their respective ministries – Communication; Dealing with Anger; Church Discipline; Marriage and Divorce; etc. Joan gave an introduction to IPM’s Children’s Ministry. Brother Giovanni went over IPM’s Policy and Procedure manual. When we were done, the four men were very appreciative. One of them told us as we were getting ready to leave, “Thank you for coming. I was so discouraged that I was ready to give up on ministry and go back to secular work. Now I feel ready to go back. I know I have made many mistakes simply because I did not understand God’s way of doing things. Pray for me and my family as I make the changes we need.” With limited resources, these men are struggling to make a difference in their areas for Christ. Pray for them.  On the Amazon River as well, there are so many souls, and so little time.

Peru has many children and often we were enchanted by their smiles and friendliness (some of the Mazan children are pictured on left).  It was obvious that Peru is an area where children’s ministry is needed. One night when we were sitting in a restaurant in Mazan, we saw four teenagers carrying a
stretcher to the hospital. The form on the stretcher was small and covered by a sheet. The restaurant owner told us, “He died this morning. He is the second ten year-old boy to die this week. The other one drowned on Sunday afternoon.” So many children. So little time.

We came back with hearts burdened for Peru, and especially Mazan and all the needs there. Please pray for IPM as they determine the best way forward to help these men.

In October, we are planning to go to Uruguay for IPM’s regional conference. We want to connect personally with IPM’s missionaries from all over Latin America and inquire how we can best help them. Joan is hoping to have a sample copy of a VBS curriculum for them to look over. Pray that God would help her complete that in time and that we would be able to get it translated as well. Pray, too, that God would supply the $3,000 we need to make this trip.

Thank you for your prayers for us. We felt God’s enabling grace on this trip and we saw His hand redirecting our steps.  Without Him, it would have been a disaster. It would have been so much time, with so little accomplished. Instead, because of God’s work, we believe that much was accomplished that will last into eternity.

Co-laboring together with you,
Charlie and Joan Farley

Guatemalan Blessings

Midway through our time here in Guatemala, I want to lift up my voice in praise to God who allowed us to be here and who has granted so many blessings along the way.  Rather than give an account of the things we have been doing, I thought I would just list some of the blessings that have come our way.

• Celebrating sixteen years of marriage here.  Charlie found an “I Love You” card in Spanish.  I had brought one from the U.S.  Our hostess went to the trouble to prepare special meals for us, and we had a full day of ministry.  Then our host family took us out to dinner that night.  The following day the church sang a “Happy Anniversary” song to us.
• Flowers.  Instead of paying the proverbial “arm and a leg” for flowers, flowers are inexpensive here, so Charlie bought me some to celebrate.  I’m hoping to get some more while we are here.  Fresh flowers often adorn the front of the church as well.
• Village sounds.  Even now I can hear roosters crowing, dogs barking, the wind blowing through the trees, and birds singing.  The modern sounds of buses, horns, air compressors, and generators are here too.
• Mountains.  Mountains surround us here, and they are a constant reminder to me of God’s care.  “I will lift up mine eyes unto this hills.  From whence cometh my help?  My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.”  Psalm 121:1-2
• Salvation.  How often I give thanks to God for His saving power in my own life and in the life of the believers around me.  Yesterday that power to save was demonstrated once again when a 9-year-old boy asked Jesus to save him from his sins and surrendered to His control.
• A vibrant church.  This church where we are teaching is only seven years old.  It is filled with the enthusiasm of new believers and families growing together in the faith.  Seven years ago, most of them did not know Jesus, except as a name.  Today they are His followers.  The church has become a magnet for young families looking for answers because so many of the families have a very positive testimony of family harmony and closeness.
• A vital ministry.  The missionary pastor and his family are busy.  Everyday except Thursdays they have something scheduled. In the ten (or so) years they have been here, they have seen one church firmly planted and two others get started.
• Being able to serve this ministry.  During our time here Charlie has done a fair amount of teaching and preaching, and I have been teaching teachers, women, and children.  Our days are full, and we feel blessed to be able to share the things God has taught us. 
• A close look at a close-knit family.  It has been a privilege to live with the Avendaño family while we are here.  They have been gracious to us in every way.  When you live with someone for an entire month, you get to really know them, and we have been very pleased to see the closeness they have. 

I could add more, but I’ll stop here.  We are blessed!

Similarities Between Three Nations

 

Mexico, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. How are these three nations alike? Here are some interesting features that unite them.

First, they are united by a common language. They all speak Spanish. Yet that is like saying that the Australians, Brits, Indians, and North Americans all speak English. Yes, it is the same language, but the accent and many of the idioms and expressions make them quite different.  

A group of believers in the Dominican Republic

On our first visit to the Dominican Republic, I was lost.  I had been out of Latin America long enough that my Spanish was very rusty.  Added to that difficulty, the Dominicans blend their words together and speak rapidly.  When I was surrounded by the locals, I understood very little.  Mexico, on the other hand, was the easiest for us.  Was that because we've become more accustomed in the last couple years?  Perhaps.  But I think it's also because I hear more Mexican Spanish spoken here in the US than I do the other accents.

Second, they are all in the Western Hemisphere.  This is helpful to us since it does not cost as much for us to travel to these nations as it does to those on the opposite side of the world.  We can make two or three trips for the cost of one trip to Asia.

Third, we hope to visit all three of these countries this year, and in all three of these nations, IPM's missionaries are church planters.

Morning service in Cuernavaca, Mexico

We were privileged to visit Cuernavaca, Mexico, for the first time this year and see the church plant that Sergio and Alejandra Herrera have planted there.  As you see from the previous post, we were quite impressed by that church.  When they came together, they were excited to be there.  At night, the pastor had to shut the lights out in order to get them to leave.  On Sundays, they spent almost the entire day together.  Eagerness abounds in learning new things about God and in sharing those truths with others.  Although they will miss the Herreras when they return to their homeland of Chile, they are looking forward to the process of becoming completely independent.  

Teaching the children in Guatemala

In just a few days, we will be heading out to spend a month in a little town called Cerro Alto, about two hours outside of Guatemala City.  There we will be working with Giovanni and Barbara Avendano.  Giovanni is a Guatemalan who came to know Christ while he lived in California.  He has gone back to the town of his birth where he planted a church.  That church is vibrant and strong.  On a typical Sunday morning, there are over one hundred people there.  We know we will be involved in multiple ministries while we are there:  teaching teachers, training leaders, preaching and teaching on Sunday and Wednesday, and anything else the Avendanos need from us. 

Giovanni has a deep desire for his people to know Christ, so one church plant is just not enough.  When we were there, he had begun meetings in another town nearby.  A smaller group of about 30 were meeting there.  Then, sometime during the last two years, He has begun church plants in another nearby location.  His desire, like that of Paul’s, is that all men would come to know the truth.   

Students taking a quiz in the Bible institute

In October, we hope to head to the Dominican Republic to work with Enrique and Solanlly Mejia.  They have also started a church.  One difference with Enrique Mejia, however, is that he also has a thriving Bible institute where pastors and future pastors gather from all over the island to increase their knowledge and ability to use the Word of God effectively in their ministry.  

Fourth, our ministry will be in Spanish.  I will do all of my teaching in Spanish.  Over the past couple years, I have become much more comfortable doing this, but I still feel very inadequate.  I would greatly appreciate prayers for fluency, especially since I am often teaching new material every time I go.  

Preaching through a translator

Charlie teaches through a translator.  In Mexico, the translator that was available had never translated before.  His command of English was good, but translating in front of a group of people, some of whom also have an adequate command of English, was intimidating.  In the Dominican Republic and in Guatemala, the missionary men themselves do the translating.  Their command of English is excellent, and they do a great job of translating.

We are looking forward to the next month in Mexico.  There is still much to be done before we leave, but we are eager to go.

After Mexico

We are seated in the airport in Mexico City, waiting for our flight back to the U.S.  It has been a full week, but we feel blessed to have been a part of the life and work of our coworkers, Sergio and Alejandra Herrera and their family.  Sergio and his family, Chilean nationals, moved to Cuernavaca, Mexico, eleven years ago to plant a church.  We were witnessing a miracle of changed lives over the past decade.

We left the house on April 24 at 6:00 a.m. and arrived in Mexico City in the afternoon. Sergio met us and after a snack, we boarded a bus for a two hour ride, arriving at the home of our hosts at about 7:30 p.m. They had a meeting at church, so they left us in the house and headed out while we unpacked.

Friday morning and afternoon I studied while Charlie went to the church to help with construction.  Then on Friday night, we headed to church where I taught a class on “Training Warriors.”  In the meantime, Charlie hung out with the men and was present when Brother Sergio led a man to Christ.  On Saturday, we returned to church where I taught once again.  This time the subject was “Creating a Bible Lesson from Scratch.” 

After supper (at about 4:00 p.m.) we rested briefly and returned to church again that night.  The evening was for married couples, and Charlie taught on marriage with the help of Armando, a young man who translated for him.  It was his first time to translate.

On Sunday morning Charlie and I both taught Sunday School.  He taught the teens and adults and I taught the children.  When it was time for him to start teaching, Armando had not yet arrived, so the pastor’s daughter, Priscilla, was recruited to translate for him.  It was a good thing.  Had she been asked, she would have refused because she did not feel ready.  But since no one else was available, she did it. 

Right after Sunday School, it was time for lunch.  The families of the church take turns bringing lunch for everyone else.  After lunch, it was time for the main service. 

At the request of the Herrera’s, we brought Bibles.  Thanks to the generosity of the children of West Hampden Baptist Church and BEAMS, we loaded 56 Bibles into our luggage.  Sergio asked all of those who did not have a Bible to come forward, and we were surprised by how many came.  What a blessing it was to see them receive something essential for their spiritual growth.  (Charlie figured it out.  In the US, on minimum wage, it would take about two hours to have enough money to buy a good Bible.  In Mexico, it would take 2-3 days.)  In addition, we took a small Betty Lukens flannelgraph set as a gift for the church. This was purchased from moneys raised by the children of West Hampden Baptist Church at their Vacation Bible School last year.  Charlie preached that afternoon on “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.”  By this time, Armando had arrived and was ready to work.

On Monday, Brother Sergio took us and two men from the church to a town nearby that had a small pyramid on top of a hill.  We climbed the hill, took in the view and returned to Cuernavaca for supper.  That night, Charlie taught on the role of the deacon.  At the end, Charlie asked for questions and several questions were asked for clarification.  Then one of them said, “We don’t have a lot of questions yet because this is all new to us.”

We have been so blessed to have person after person tell us how our teaching helped them.  Several of them asked when we would return.  “When we are invited,” we responded.

And now we’re headed home again.  We look forward to being there again when the rest of the building is finished and that part is also filling up.

One Week and Counting

One week from today we leave for Cuernavaca, Mexico. We will board the plane in Chattanooga and fly to Atlanta.  From there we will catch a connecting flight to Mexico City.  In Mexico city, our missionary, Sergio Herrera, will meet us.  We will get on a bus and ride the remainder of the way to where they live near Cuernavaca.

Many things have already been accomplished. 

Two cases of Spanish Bibles.

• We purchased Spanish Bibles and a flannelgraph set to take with us.
• We have been preparing lessons.
• A friend in Maine is checking over my Spanish grammar on the things I've finished while I continue to work on more lessons.
• We bought our tickets.
• We have been in communication with the Herreras about the upcoming seminar.
   

In the midst of all this, I have been so glad to have an office again.



It has been great to go to the bookshelf to research the things I need for my lessons.

What is left still to do?  Much.

The regular things of life do not stop just because we have a trip coming up.  Resurrection Sunday is coming.  There are special events this week, including the arrival of family visiting from Minnesota.  We also need to:

• Figure out how to pack the Bibles and other materials we are taking.
• Finish the lessons we are preparing.
• Print off handouts and outlines.
• Talk to our neighbors and ask them to keep an eye on things while we are gone.
• Hire someone to cut the lawn and water the fledgling garden that Charlie planted.
• Gather our personal items and pack them without going overweight with all the things we are taking.
• Get a ride to the airport.
• Somehow do the other things like eat, sleep, exercise, pray, read our Bibles, go to church, and all the other normal things of life.

If we were to write a detailed list, I'm sure it would be very long.  But you get the idea.  We would definitely appreciate prayer as we count down to our departure.


 

Ladies’ Winter Retreat

Most of the ladies’ retreats I encountered in Maine were day-long retreats packed with teaching.  This was valuable and a great boost to the women who attended.  Yet I longed for something that I had experienced years ago where people got together in a beautiful setting away from home with a little bit more relaxed schedule.  That way we would actually spend time with the other people there and have extra time for meditation and time with the Lord.  I wanted an overnight retreat in a beautiful location with the women of our church. 

The first question that needed to be answered was “When should it be?” As we looked over the church calendar, it looked quite full. There was one gaping hole: January. The let-down after Christmas was felt by a number of women. I also began to hear the women expressing a desire to get together during those cold winter months when it seemed that winter would never end. Then there were other advantages to planning it for the depth of winter. Retreat locations would be cheaper. Schedules would be freer. Speakers would be more likely to be available. So the idea of a winter retreat was born.

Ladies gathered for evening session on Friday night.

Since leaving our church, it is this event that I have most missed.  I loved hearing the women lift their voices in song together.  I loved seeing the fruit from times spent alone with God.  I loved hearing the laughter that came from being in a relaxed location.  I loved seeing the women head out into the snow for a walk together and then come back with cheeks bright red, stomping the feeling back into their toes, and seeing the growing bond between them.  If I could be there every year for this event, I would be very happy. 

So it was a delight to me when it worked out for me to both attend and speak to my precious sisters at this event.  Here are some of the blessings from those two days together.      

College women taking a "selfie".

• It was the first time in years that we did not have to drive through the snow to get there.  The resort where we gathered was about two hours from Bangor, so good weather for driving was a real blessing.
• Lynn taught a craft so that everyone who came early was able to take home a handmade project as a reminder of the event.
• Gwen shared her testimony of how God has faithfully led them through the years.
• Corinne, one of our supporters, came and shared her 85th birthday with us during the event.  Deborah, (who was not able to stay because of childcare duties) drove her down.
• I met new women who have become part of our church since we left. 

  

  Alone time with God.

• After each session, the women retreated to a quiet place to reflect and pray over what they had heard.  It was a blessing to see these women seeking the Lord.  There were a few tears for some women during this time, and it did my heart good to see God’s working in their lives.
• Once again, there was singing and a lot of laughter. 
• On Sunday morning and evening, a number of women gave praise to God for the ways He taught and blessed them during the retreat.

What a blessing it was to me to be there.  It may well be the last time I will be able to attend this event.  Who knows?  Maybe some of the women we’ve gotten to know down here will want to see something like this started here.

Do not confuse obscure preaching with deep preaching

The basic thought expressed above has been percolating in my mind on and off for months. Today I read an opinion piece in the Bangor Daily News by Stephen M. Walt. He is a Harvard professor and has been writing for decades. His article on poor academic writing included the phrase "many academics tend to confuse incomprehensibility with profundity". Aha! He is right, in academic circles and in religious circles. I believe I have benefited by this principle. I have preached a sermon that poorly presented a theological truth and been praised as "deep".

As I transitioned from a preaching ministry into a teaching ministry I considered what lessons learned from my own failings could be communicated to my future students. This is one of them. Do not confuse obscure preaching with deep preaching. Our job as preachers is to make clear the truths of the Scriptures, not obscure them. I know there are times when emergencies preclude us preparing as well as we want to. I know there are times when the passage we have chosen does not yield its fruit in due season. I know there will be a broad spectrum of doctrinal understanding in our congregations. My point is do not let this become a routine event!

“So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.” (Ne 8:8-9 AV)

Our job is to cause the people to understand the passage. Not always an easy task, but a needful one.

Our Last Day in Guatemala

I arose early this morning to pray and go over my notes for Sunday School.  The early morning sky was filled with low-hanging clouds that nestled into the nooks and crannies of the nearby hills.  The previous late night and early morning made it hard to feel alert, so a cup of instant coffee helped to wake up the brain.

I taught the ladies’ Sunday School class while Charlie taught the men’s.  During the morning worship service, Charlie preached while Giovanni interpreted.  About sixty people were in attendance.  Almost all of them had no idea of what it meant to be saved nine years ago when the church began.
 

Giovanni’s parents live in a nearby town and attend his church.  They invited us for lunch.  When we arrived, we women all disappeared into the outdoor kitchen while the men sat outside and talked.  The wood stove blazed, and the Indian woman, their maid, stood by the fire making tortillas.  Using only her hands to pat them into shape, she turned out a stack of uniform-sized tortillas in minutes.  I was amazed at her quickness and ability.  Laura re-washed the bowls and serving dishes, a necessity when insects wander over your dishes after they’ve been put away.  We gathered around a large table to enjoy the fellowship, hot tortillas, and steaming bowls of beef stew.

After lunch we headed over to the mission church for the afternoon service, only this service was different from usual.  Both churches were joining together for a baptismal service at the grounds of a Guatemalan resort, a block or so from the mission’s rented building.  When the people had arrived, Pastor Avendano gave instructions to the baptismal candidates and they donned their baptismal robes.  Photos were taken, and then the service began.



We sang hymns together, and Pastor Avendano taught on the meaning of baptism.  He explained the testimony of being baptized in front of others and the symbolism behind immersion.  He encouraged the candidates to hold true to their commitment to follow Jesus, and then the baptisms began. 

Roberto Avendano, Pastor Avendano’s father, was among the candidates.  What an answer to prayer that was!  Giovanni has prayed for his father to trust in Christ as his personal Savior for many years!  Then, to be the one who got to baptize him was an extra blessing.  Nine other candidates joined him – one young man, several women, and three teenage girls.  Charlie assisted in those baptisms.

When the baptismal service was over, it was time for a picnic, Guatemalan style.  Tamales, bread, and Pepsi were served, and people scattered across the lawns to eat and enjoy each others’ company and the good food.  Teenage boys clambered up the side of a hill to the tire swing that swung out into a wide expanse.

Eventually, even good things like baptisms must come to an end, and people packed up their things and headed for home. 

Dad introducing his daughter to a table of guests.

However, the day was far from over for us.
We headed back to the house where we were staying.  I found some ibuprophen to deal with the headache that was pounding at my forehead and lay down for a while.  Forty-five minutes later we headed out again, this time to the home of a young lady celebrating her Quinceanera, or 15th birthday, a big event for young ladies in Latin America.  We arrived just after the pinata had been broken open and were invited to sit down at one of the expansive tables that had been set up on the patio.  Once again, bread and tamales?? appeared, though a different flavor from the ones that afternoon.  Jamaica, a hibiscus tea, was served as well, or sweet black coffee, if you preferred.

Leaving there around 9:00, we headed home to pack.  Fortunately, that did not take too long and we sank into bed at about 10:00.  Charlie set his alarm clock for 2:45 a.m. and we quickly drifted off to sleep - a good thing too, since tomorrow will be another long day.