Cusco, Peru

Lessons from Cusco

Last week, six of us from Hollywood Community Church traveled to Cusco, Peru to visit and minister with Rudy and Lorraine Johnson.   Having spent ten years in Mexico City as a missionary and having traveled to more than 15 different countries on missions trips I have had many missionary experiences.  This past week, I flew out of Miami with the thought that this was going to be just another trip. Little did I know that God had some very special lessons that He wanted me to learn. 

The purpose of this trip was to help the Johnsons with the preparation for the eighth anniversary celebration of Tambo de Gozo.  Eight years ago Rudy and Lorraine founded Tambo de Gozo which is a camp and retreat center an hour outside of Cusco.  Actually located in the small town of Pisac, Tambo de Gozo has been a rest haven for missionaries and pastors in the country of Peru.  In addition, to operating the camp, the Johnsons have a desire to reach the town of Pisac with the Gospel.  That has proven to be a challenge.  With the majority of the town being of Quechua Indian descent, that task has proven difficult even for experienced and successful missionaries like the Johnsons.

Spending five days in the high altitude environment of Pisac was therapeutic for me in a variety of ways.  Here are a few of the lessons that God taught me during my short stay.

1.  Ministry passion is not dependent upon ministry success -  After seven years of ministry in Pisac, the Johnsons have just a handful of believers that are meeting on a regular basis.  For many pastors and missionaries, including me, that just might be an enthusiasm buster and a passion popper.  But not for Rudy and Lorraine, their passion for the people of Pisac seems just as strong as when they arrived.  I will never forget setting across the table from Rudy and seeing him express his burden for the people of Pisac with a broken heart.  At eighty-years old he still has a God-given burden to reach his town with the Gospel.  

2. The Gospel message must be planted and watered before there is any chance of a harvest.  After 40 years of success in city of Lima, the Johnsons are now ministering in an area where there has been very little evangelistic effort.  As a result, the spiritual fruit will not be reaped as quickly nor as abundantly as in other areas of Peru.  The present work of the Johnsons is one of planting, watering and cultivating the hearts of the residents of their small town.  That is a process that could take months or even years.  Yet, the harvest will never be reaped until the planting and watering work is done.

The apostle Paul made reference to that truth in I Corinthians 3:6 - I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.  I am determined to fervently pray that God blesses the preaching of the Gospel in Pisac and that soon there will be a stable and growing body of believers.

3.  God fulfills his promise to send laborers into the harvest.  Several years ago while in their late seventies, the Johnsons prayed Luke 10:2 asking God to send another missionary family to Pisac who could carry on the work that they had begun.  God did just that by sending the Duke family.  Daniel, his wife Laura and their three kids answered the call to Pisac four years ago.  In a short period of time they have adjusted to the culture, learned the language, jumped into the work and even started a growing church in the city of Cusco.  Our group was greatly impressed with the passion and dedication of Daniel and his family.  We are excited about the possibility of working for years to come with the Duke family.

There are so many lessons to be learned on the mission field.  Why don't you travel with us?  I am confident that God will do a work in your heart as He did in mine!

Cuzco, here we come!

This week our Peru Mission's team leaves for the city of Cuzco.  Our Peru team is made up of Jim & Bev Russell, Donna Anderson, Tara Hahr, Steve Shirley, Cathy Humphrey and me.  The team will be traveling in several shifts.  Five of the team members leave from Miami International Airport Sunday night at midnight; Mrs. Cathy Humphrey joins them on Monday and I will be flying out late Tuesday night. 

The city of Cuzco is located in southeastern Peru.  The city is nestled in the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range.  The elevation is around 11,000 feet, and it is most known for being the historic capital of the Inca Empire.  Although the city is close to 1,000 years old, it is still considered one of the most fascinating cities in the world.

We will be working with missionaries Rudy and Lorraine Johnson.  The Johnsons have been missionaries in Peru since of May of 1958.   After spending many years in Lima, the capital of Peru, God has now called them to Cusco...and specifically the town of Pisac.   God has used them in a mighty way in their seven years in Cuzco.  During that time they have been able to start several churches, Open Doors community outreach, a bi-lingual school k4-4th grade, and an Upward Sports program.  You can check out their web site if you would like further information - http://www.cuscoperu.org/CuscoPeru/CuscoPeru.org.html

Our team will be helping to prepare and lead a large city-wide evangelistic event that will take place on Saturday, April 14th.  According to Rudy, hundreds of people from the surrounding community will participate in activities for both children as well as adults.  In addition, there will be an evangelistic service in which the Gospel will be presented to all of the guests.

Here is how you can pray for us

1. Pray for our health.  Anytime you travel to another country, eat new food and adjust to an new environment there is a possibility of sickness.  Specifically pray that our bodies will quickly adapt to the high altitude.

2. Pray that we can be a blessing to the Johnsons as well as the other missionaries in Cuzco.

3. Pray that the Saturday's evangelistic event will produce fruit.  As with any missions trip, our primary purpose is to share the Gospel with those to whom we will minister.

4. Pray that the Lord speaks to our hearts.  Our desire is that this trip will produce in our hearts a greater burden for missions and a greater willingness to serve the Lord at HCC.

5. Pray for our families during our absence.

Lord willing, we will be able to give you some updates from Cuzco.  I am so thankful to be part of a church with a heart for the world.  Thank you for partnering with us in prayer! 

Preparing for Easter at Hollywood Community Church



This weekend, we  remember and celebrate the fact that our Lord is alive.  That truth is the foundation of the Christian faith.  Theologian Gerald O’Collins said it this way:  “In a profound sense, Christianity without the resurrection is not simply Christianity without its final chapter.  It is not Christianity at all.”   Theologian Brian Burkholder would say it a different way, “Christianity without the resurrection is like apple pie without the apples.  It's like Raisin Bran without the raisins.  Why, it is like black beans without the rice."   

You get the idea.  The resurrection of Christ is vital to everything that we believe.  Jesus Himself stated in John 11:25. “… I am the resurrection and the life.  Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying."   What a tremendous thought.  Because Jesus rose from the dead, we do not have to fear death.  As Paul says in I Corinthians 15, death has lost its sting.  We are now completely victorious in Jesus Christ.

Let me remind you that there are three tremendous opportunities to worship at HCC this Easter weekend.

Good Friday

Communion Service - 12:00 pm

Easter Sunday

Encuentro - 9:00 am

Easter Celebration - 10:00 am

Let me challenge you to do the following things in preparation for this glorious weekend...

1. Plan on attending both Friday and Sunday - The Good Friday service will be powerful, contemplative and worshipful.  You will be given a unique opportunity to take the Lord's supper in an initmate and memorable way with your family.

2. Fast and pray -  Fasting is not a way to manipulate God to do something. It is not our trying to prove to God how much we love Him, as if He would be motivated by our commitment. Fasting simply reminds us of our complete dependence on God. In the same way that our bodies hunger and thirst for food and drink, our souls long for God. Fasting gives us an opportunity to focus on that hunger and thirst, then to seek after the presence of God that satisfies us and fills us with joy.

I want to challenge our church family to take either a lunch hour or dinner time to fast and pray. Use the time to pray for revival in yourself and your family, in our church, in our city, and beyond.   Pray that God's Word would convict hearts and show them their need of Jesus Christ. 

3. Invite a guest - 96% of South Florida is unchurched.  Yet, many of those unchurched people will be looking for a place to worship this weekend. Let me encourage you to invite your family, friends and neighbors.  Who knows? They just might accept your invitation, come to church and give their life to Christ!

4. Come expecting a blessing!  Come with a sense of anticipation, expecting God to do something in your heart and in the lives of others.

He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.

He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.