It has been wonderful to get a move on things and really pour ourselves into our ministry and getting to the field. As we intend to go to Mexico this summer for training, and as we love the ministry of Spearhead (www.spearhead.org), I (Kevin) have been really intent on recruiting students for summer '09 in Mexico and have been developing networks that would be interested in partnering with us and Spearhead-Spain.
Networking and recruiting are some of my favorite things to do. I love to be able to put people in contact with things I believe in, such as Spearhead - Mexico and the ministry that God has called us to.
We obviously have a passion to see students grow in discipleship and Spearhead is the way to do it, so I've been looking for ways that Spearhead (both Mexico and Spain) can develop relationships with campus pastors, or leaders in student movement groups such as InterVarsity, Navigators or others. The best way we can serve our youth is by networking together. Student movements and Spearhead are a natural fit.
I've also been contacting friends who pastor churches or are on staff at churches seeking partnership with our ministry. We hope that these churches not only would support us in prayer or finances, but also that our relationship would provide their young adults with an opportunity to explore missions under Spearhead.
No ministry is an island, or at least no effective ministry is, especially on the mission field. Collaboration is key, both in-country and with contacts from the sending country. We've been so blessed to have a number of contacts and we look forward to how God is going to knit together hearts with our ministry.
At our current church, things have been going swimmingly. We have reconnected with a family friend who has such a passion for international students as well as missions. It is fun to have not only a friendly face, but somebody who shares our similar passions and advocates for our ministry. We look forward to helping partner with her in her own ministry to international students here in Northern California.
I (again, Kevin) have just had my membership from Foothill Community in Azusa transfered to Foothill Community in Oroville so that I can move forward in the ordination process. The ordination process for me, while tricky, has seen a lot of openness and flexibility from a number of Free Methodist pastors and missionaries. The normal process is pretty straight forward, doing Local Ministerial Candidate stuff in a particular church and then progressing to a Conference Ministerial Candidate and serving the conference. I on the other hand, began my process in a church in Southern California while in Mexico. I was their Local Ministerial Candidate in absentia. Then upon returning from Mexico, we chose to live by family, hours away from our supporting church, but the FM church in Oroville was quick to take me on with few reservations and will work with me desite a hectic travel schedule and our plans to move to Spain in early 2010. I knew I wanted to get ordained in the Free Methodist Church. They have been such a blessing and so encouraging. I like being a part of a church body that gives freedom to develop ministry, even if it means some chaos on their part.
Summer and Beyond is in our sights and we are heading at them both with our helmets down. It is fun times to be in ministry and to follow the call God has given us.
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