07/13/04: Tribal update: Disqualified for Ministry?

Hello Folks:

Hunger can be a tough thing, especially when it has to do with our kids not getting enough to eat. But then, we here in the States and Canada don't really know anything about this, do we? But the Tribal people sure do. They usually eat one meal a day. As a rule, they wake up each morning with no food in their little palm huts. They have to get out and hit the woods and lakes and creeks to do their "shopping". It could be anything from fish to wild roots, alligator to palm fruit, turtles to venison. But if they come back empty-handed that day, or with very little, that makes for a rough evening and night with the crying children. But should someone suddenly show up with pig meat, well, it would be a welcome sight.

Just recently we got word that Hernan, one of the principal Bible teaches in the one Tribal church, arrived at the leaders meeting and said that he wasn't qualified to teach the scriptures any more. He shared about how his brother had shot a pig that belonged to a Venezuelan rancher and how he had sent some of it over to him. And so now, he had to pull back from the teaching.

I haven't had any direct correspondence with Hernan but have heard about the situation through our Venezuelan partners. Not sure just what might be going on in Hernan's heart here but one possible scenario comes to mind. The qualification for leadership from I Timothy that says that an elder must be above reproach may be heavy on Hernan's mind and he may just feel at this point that he has totally blown it and has disqualified himself because of his bad example. I would guess too that Satan is doing all he can to discourage this key leader from his teaching ministry.

Would you please pray for Hernan? Pray that he will see God's grace, confess his sin as needed, and continue on teaching the scriptures. Pray that he won't be burdened needlessly by condemnation....for he is "in the place of no judging and no casting out". Again, I'm sure the enemy is doing all in his power to put him on a total guilt trip and make him feel completely inadequate for the job. Pray that he will revel in God's forgiveness and acceptance, and go on in the sufficiency of the true trunk (Vine).

Enjoying the adventure in Christ,
Merrill and Teresa