Nicaragua - There and Back Again

It will be 6 1/2 weeks for me between the two trips to Nicaragua.  I am taking 9 students from Virginia Wesleyan College (VWC), for Spring Break, March 11 - 18!  We will be working with the same groups that my family worked with while in Managua.  Please pray for Devon, Wayne, Kala, Katerina, Clancey, Alan, Amber, Andrea & Brandon.  Pray that their hearts would be receptive to all that God wants to share as they move outside of their comfort zones to serve.  I welcome your prayers as I lead this team.  

Evangelical Methodist Church of Nicaragua Pastors and  Leaders

While we were in Managua in January, I met with Pastors from the Evangelical Methodist Church.  20 years ago a Pastor from Argentina started the Methodist Church in Nicaragua. They have 15 congregations and are eager for partnerships with churches from the USA.  I hope to help them make some of those connections.  

House of Hope - Making Jewelry and Greeting Cards

One of the ministries in Nicaragua that affected Eileen and I deeply is the House of Hope or Casa Esperanza. Mike and April Havelin of Washington, NC started the ministry to prostitutes in 2001.  They thought they would be working with 50 women.  Today they are working with 500, including children who have been forced into the darkness of sex trafficking.  There is a video on the homepage of their website that tells their story and is well worth seeing:  http://www.houseofhopenicaragua.com/ The human trafficking and sex trafficking industries are on the increase and the body of Christ must stand for justice and be available to lift the oppressed.  

We worshiped with the women of this ministry and watched as they transformed the worship space into a jewelry and greeting card factory!  Eileen and I brought back $4,000 worth of jewelry and greeting cards to sell here in the USA for the House of Hope.  The jewelry and cards make great gifts and can open up  fantastic conversations about the problems of the world and the answers found in the person of Jesus along with his people alleviating and confronting the suffering in His Name. 

Evangelism and Discipleship 

On a recent Monday night I went into the Portsmouth Jail with the men from Southeastern Correctional Ministries http://www.secorrmin.org/ including Chaplain Gary Tingwald, a great friend and brother in Christ.  I went to the 5th floor and met with 2 cell blocks over the course of 2 hours.  Some of the guys 'circle up' when they see one of the volunteers and we invite others to join in and some do.  We share along the lines of the intersection of life and the Scriptures.  How do the teachings of Jesus become a reality in our lives?  This night I met with 15 guys total within the 2 cell blocks.  I asked both groups, "How many of you grew up in the Church?"  Can you guess the answer?  100%!  All 15 of these men now behind bars went to church as children and youth.  On my drive home I was troubled; and I still am.  How is it that we the Church are unable to disciple children and youth?  And Men?  And women?  

Something is terribly wrong with our methods and quite possibly the spirit in which we operate!  There are too many places in which evangelism and discipleship are not happening!  So we must go back to the Scriptures and seek God with all our heart and strength, crying out for the wisdom and understanding that we so desperately need; And then pray for the courage and conviction to follow through.  Really, our greatest need is to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  For the Spirit gives us the wisdom, power and guidance necessary for life.  And how does this happen?  Jesus says:

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?  Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?  If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”  Luke 11:11-13 

I'm going to be leading some seminars in the near future dealing with all of these realities.  If you would like to attend, let me know.  I am longing that the body of Christ would be revived (including me) and then minister this revival, renewal, re-formation to others!  In short, a movement of God.

Upcoming Seminars
March 5, Saturday ~ "Wanting the World to Know" Seminar - 9am - 4pm Christ UMC, VA Beach, Pastor Dan Abbot 
March 23, 30; April 6, 13 (Wednesday evenings) ~ "The Method of Jesus" Evangelism & Discipleship - Memorial UMC, VA Beach, Pastor John Cole 
April 9, Saturday ~ Rethinking the Theology of the Bible, Ben Witherington III - Discovery UMC, Richmond, VA  This is going to be an excellent seminar given by a scholar and great communicator of the Scriptures and the challenges facing us.  I will be there.  Take a look at this link for all of the information:  http://www.efumcva.org/events.html  
May 21, Saturday ~ "The Method of Jesus" Evangelism & Discipleship Seminar - Monumental Ministries - Portsmouth, Pastor Bob Friend & Pastor Hank Teague (*times and location to be announced)
I am aware of God at work within me and I am grateful.  There are times of great rejoicing simply because God is with us and for us!  I will leave you with this great quote from Oswald Chambers: 

"When a man’s heart is right with God the mysterious utterances of the Bible are spirit and life to him. Spiritual truth is discernible only to a pure heart, not to a keen intellect. It is not a question of profundity of intellect, but of purity of heart."        Bringing Sons Unto Glory, 231 

I am so grateful for the friendships and partnerships in the Gospel that make possible my serving in the role of Evangelist.  Thank you for your support.

"My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen."  1 Corinthians 16:24

Greg West, Evangelist

Opening Prayer in the Senate - February 11, 2011 - Richmond, VA

O God Almighty, we need Your help –

Today we acknowledge and rejoice in Your greatness, Your power and Your love . . . and in the same breath we admit our sins and are sorry for them.  God, please forgive us and change our selfish hearts.  

O God Almighty, we need Your help here in Virginia –

We need your peace to overcome our anxieties and our violence, Your love to conquer our lusts and our hate, Your truth to free us from our errors and we need a humility that keeps You in first place.

Arise, O God and help us!  Come to our rescue because of your unfailing love.  We know You are able, for nothing is too difficult for You.

Would You give us glimpses of Your desire for planet earth, for this nation and for Virginia, for our cities, towns and our families – even Your will for our lives.  And let Your desire become ours and impart in us the courage to pursue these desires with all our strength so that we, the people of Virginia would act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with You.

O God, we pray for these men and women of our Senate.  Give them wisdom and grace from above to lead us.  Give them health and friendships, vision and conviction.  Please break all divisions and rivalries that hinder real progress; granting them a unity in solutions that transcend all lesser loyalties.

We pray also for their families: for their spouses, children and grandchildren – bless them, O God, to be a blessing.  Protect and bless their marriages with joy and faithfulness that their children and grandchildren will receive and pass on a legacy of love and integrity.

Awake the all of us in these chambers and awake the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia just as You awoke Jacob . . . to the reality of Your Presence and let us say with him: “Surely the LORD is in this place and I knew it not.”  With this awareness, what we do and say will work for and not against the coming of Your blessed Kingdom.

We pray together for the Commonwealth . . . that it would be just that . . . a shared prosperity, a shared blessing and peace; a true equality of opportunity and justice, all flowing from Your goodness and abundance, O God.  Above all let us be a people that love You, and love our neighbors as ourselves.

So LORD, with respect for people of all faiths, I submit this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ.  

Amen.