Here are some pictures from the Conference:

Sunday Service

Children's Choir performed on Sunday

Alma Tabora (center) flanked by Javier and Kelly Amaya

All-Christian Folk Dance Group opened the Sunday service

Saturday had been mostly a day for great fellowship. We started the day at 7 AM with a communion service led by Guatemala City evangelist Alex Paiz. Several singers raised their beautiful voices to heaven and inspired us as we reflected on the Lord’s sacrifice on the cross. The rest of the day was full of activities: a tour of the city’s museum and neighboring Valle de Angeles, a soccer tournament (won by San Pedro Sula in both men’s and women’s categories), and an evening Talent Show.

Sunday again opened with powerful singing and a parade of the flags of the nations. This time, however, the flagbearers were children and they were accompanied by an inspiring children’s choir!  Henry Gomez, director of HOPE worldwide Honduras, showed a video about HOPE programs in Central America and called us to remember the poor.

The day’s sermon, entitled Consumed by Fire,  was delivered by evangelist Josue Ortega, who with his wife Veronica lead the church in San Salvador. Josue challenged us to remove the ashes of apathy, resentment, and faithlessness that tend to quench the fire of God’s Spirit in our hearts. He also called us to pull up close to God’s cleansing fire, and not just stay distant and uncommitted, settling for a little warmth.

Thanks to the Tegucigalpa Church for their excellent work and warm hospitality! Next year, the Central American Conference will be hosted by the Guatemala City Church.

J De Anda

The Conference began Thursday evening (June 3) with impressive multimedia presentations, a flags of the nations parade, and singing led by musicians and singers from several churches. Javier Amaya from the Los Angeles church delivered the lesson, Fan the Flames. In his lesson, Javier reminded the audience that, just like fire needs to be sustained by fuel and oxygen, the Spirit’s fire must be sustained by faith and devotion. He then proceeded to challenge us to make sure the fires of faith, devotion and unity are burning in our lives.

 Day 2, on Friday, began with three class sessions in the morning. There were lessons for marrieds, singles, college students and teens. After a free afternoon, participants convened again in the evening. Following another powerful worship time, we heard from Alma Tabora. Alma was converted as a young exchange student in Boston in the 1980′s and then had to return to Honduras. She waited patiently for many years until a discipling church could be planted in Honduras. She remained faithful to her convictions, and she continued sharing her faith with family and friends. God has rewarded her faith, allowing her to see and participate in the planting of two churches in Honduras, and also with the baptism of her sister, niece, brother-in-law and many other friends here in Tegucigalpa. 

The evening’s  lesson, Forged by Fire, was delivered by Jaime De Anda of the Los Angeles Church. Jaime called us to consider the sources of suffering in our lives, and how to develop a new perspective of suffering, viewing it as the fire of purification, through which God cleanses us and allows us to be like pure silver and reflect the image of Christ.

The Honduran disciples have been splendid in their hospitality, and the event’s organization and staging have been excellent. We are looking forward to a powerful evangelistic Sunday service!

J De Anda

J De Anda

J De Anda

A well-known UCI professor, Francisco Ayala, received an award for his scientific work on evolution and for his efforts to bring into dialogue the opposing camps of science and religion. Professor Ayala is a distinguished scientist, so I imagine that many people would listen to what he says and give it plenty of credibility. Unfortunately, in the newspaper interview Professor Ayala commits what my fellow blogger Brian Colon calls “the straw man fallacy“. Read along if you’re interested…

Here is a statement in Professor Ayala’s interview:

“When one thinks about the implications of intelligent design, they are very anti-religious, at least for people who believe in an omnipotent and benevolent God. Our jaw is not big enough for our teeth, so we have wisdom teeth removed. Any engineer who designed the human jaw would be fired the next day.”

In other words, if God created the universe, then the universe should be perfect. Since the universe is not perfect, then it cannot have been created by a perfect God. Therefore, those who propose creation (or its derivatives) are actually advocating belief in a God that is nether perfect nor omnipotent! However, evolution is right because it provides an explanation for these and other “design imperfections”.

Here is the straw man fallacy according to Brian Colon. “One commits the straw man fallacy when they alter the argument of an opponent and then proceed to attack the altered argument. If you succeed in defeating a position that your opponent is not defending, it doesn’t mean you win!”

Professor Ayala is attacking a position that is NOT held by those who propose creation or intelligent design. Well, at least it’s a position that I don’t hold. The Bible indicates in Genesis 3:16-19 that a change happened in the world after man sinned. The land that had produced fruit-bearing trees in Genesis 1, was now cursed to produced thorns and thistles. Paul says in Romans 8:20-21 that creation itself is seeking to be liberated from bondage and decay. In other words, the sin of man had a profound change in the universe. The universe that we experience today is NOT the one that God created. It is a universe that was altered due to the sin of man. Therefore, the so-called flaws in design are not indicators of a flawed creation; they are the result of a catastrophic event.

Some may argue that how could something like a simple act of disobedience have such drastic consequences. Well, that is the whole point of the Bible, that sin IS powerful and has serious consequences. And because sin is so powerful, the only thing that could overcome its power was the atoning sacrifice of Christ. God DID make a perfect universe. And, because in his omiscient mind He fore-knew that man would fail, God designed the PERFECT solution. Thanks be to Christ, in whom and through whom we can have access to a future world where everything will again be perfect!

J De Anda

The retreat began on Friday evening with a meeting with the Guatemala City Church’s Board of Directors. It was a great time of learning about the development of such governance structure, and about the healthy interaction between the Board and the ministry staff.

Saturday morning the group received J De Anda from Los Angeles, who led them in a study about God’s guidance through dark times, based mostly on Job 23. It was a great bonding time as all had a chance to share about their experiences, struggles and victories in recent years. The rest of the day was devoted to discussions about strategic and tactical aspects of administration.

On Sunday morning the group joined one of the Guatemala City Church’s three regional groups for worship. David Pineda, the administrator for the Panama Church, led the church in that day’s Lord’s Supper. J De Anda then preached on the theme, “This Is A Hard Teaching. Who Can Accept It?” from John 6:60. The church was encouraged to hold on to our convictions and never compromise on Jesus’ teachings, even though they are challenging and difficult. The meeting hall was full. The Bible Talk group led by evangelist Alex Paiz had 12 visitors!

The retreat concluded with a lunch and round-table discussion after church, and everyone agreed that we should meet at least once a year, even if by web conference.

J De Anda

J De Anda

J De Anda