God works in His own way and His own time, but He will surely perform His wonders. In February of 2005, I met with the leaders of the Evangelical Church in Peru(IEP). This is the largest evangelical and 2nd oldest (Methodists beat them by 2 years!)founded in 1893, evangelical Church in the country. For many years the terrorists, cults, extreme poverty and difficulty in travel have been attacking the church and it is now down to a membership of around 300,000. (Which still ain't chicken feed!)
They knew that they had many problems, not the least of which was training pastors for the countryside. Only 1 out of 16 churches have a real pastor. Many country churches have shrunken, closed or even become cults.
We at Believers Bridge have been working with them since our inception to try to help train pastors and leaders for the thousands of churches in the countryside. However, there had been one serious road block. Years ago, a mission from another country working with the IEP, decided that they wanted to change all of the churches that they were working with to their denomination. This caused a serious breach in the IEP and a distrust of foreign missions.
So, the IEP decided that they would only work with missions with whom they could and would sign a convenio (pact of operations). As you might guess this has not proven easy for either foreign missions or for the IEP. BUT, after 4-1/2 years of work with them, they decided last week to sign a convenio with Believers Bridge. We will be working, initially, in our same area of the Andes. Now we will be giving accredited degrees, and producing pastors who are capable of going to work in the many pastorless churches in the IEP.
Not only this, but they have allowed us to admit students from ALL evangelical churches.
Brothers, this is an unparalleled example of God's grace. Of course now we need - more than ever - more qualified teachers, and the funding for them and for the materials. But what God has begun, I am sure He will finish. Will you pray with us for His provision in these areas of need,
God Bless,
Mike
Mike & Tammy Riggs - Missionaries in Peru - Join the team going into the world and making disciples!
Is it already October?
Time flies by sometimes. Just a quick recap of what has been going on:
At the end of August we moved both house and office to the nearby town of Talavera. It is much less cold there and the rent is more economical for a house with more conveniences. Talavera is a very short taxi ride from Andahuaylas.
Of course that made getting telephone and internet installed all over again.
We also began teaching a Bible Institute in the church in Andahuaylas, and will start up a second in Talavera this month.
At the end of September we made a trip to Chile for visa reasons. Mike´s sciatica fired up badly and we had to stay in the city of Tacna for a week.
We are in Lima right now getting ready to go back to Andahuaylas.
At the end of August we moved both house and office to the nearby town of Talavera. It is much less cold there and the rent is more economical for a house with more conveniences. Talavera is a very short taxi ride from Andahuaylas.
Of course that made getting telephone and internet installed all over again.
We also began teaching a Bible Institute in the church in Andahuaylas, and will start up a second in Talavera this month.
At the end of September we made a trip to Chile for visa reasons. Mike´s sciatica fired up badly and we had to stay in the city of Tacna for a week.
We are in Lima right now getting ready to go back to Andahuaylas.
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