Honduras - November 2-11, 2007

DownLine Instructors Soup and Linda Campbell led a team from EIKON ministries along with a few DownLine students to train in discipleship in Honduras. This is the third team that Soup has led to Honduras for the purpose of discipleship training. All the teams have included DownLine students. This was a team of 12 with DownLine students PJ Scalf and Michael Gong; and DownLine alumni Marlon Brown. These teams have all slept in hammocks and eaten packed in food while staying in the rugged mountains in an area called Yoro.

This video gives pictures of the team along with commentary by the wife of our host missionary, Kim. Kim and her husband Rick are both from Memphis and have been serving in Honduras for over 5 years.

Upcoming Mission Trips

DownLine has trips coming up to the following places:
*November 2-11, 2007 HONDURAS We will be partnering again with Soup Campbell and Eikon Ministries to send a training team to teach Christian Foundations and Disciple-Making to leaders from four villages in one location.
*March 5-16, 2008 MADAGASCAR
*March 15-22, 2008 HONDURAS DownLine Ministries will be sending a training team back to the mountains of Honduras.
*April 16-29, 2008 PHILIPPINES Soup Campbell wIll be leading a team to teach disciple-making in the Philippines.
*May 30-June 8, 2008 EL SALVADOR Once again we are partnering with Global Health Outreach and will be training lay leaders in Santa Anna and area pastors. We will have both a men's and women's training team. GHO will have a team that addresses the dental needs of people in the area.
*August 29-September 7, 2008 HONDURAS
*September 6-14, 2008 PHILIPPINES DownLine Ministries will be training pastors.

*Other trips in development EL SALVADOR (early November)

Honduras

The trip was great and everyone has returned home safely. Comments from team members will be posted.

This is what Brian Kelsey had to say "The extreme rural poverty in the mountains showed me that you can still live a life pleasing to God with purpose and meaning without all the material conveniences to which we have grown accostumed. Yet at the same time the people’s material needs were real. The people were cognizant of their needs. And they sought help from us, their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

It was humbling to watch the kids after you had given them a cookie, turn around and break it into 8 pieces to share, especially given that that may be the only Oreo they ever taste in their lives.

The people living and working among the filth, vultures, and cows at the city dump was the most disturbing thing I have ever seen in my life. No one should have to live like that.

Teaching and listening to the lessons on discipleship brought home that making disciples is the only eternal thing in the world. It’s not my career that’s important but how I use it to teach others about and to glorify Christ.

The language and cultural barrier caused me to realize that I bring nothing to the table in serving the Lord. Only He can mature disciples. And only time will tell whether our teaching bears fruit. Yet we remain faithful to Him because He has been faithful to us."

Honduras - July 4-15

DownLine Ministries is joined by folks from EIKON Ministries and Reachlife Ministries to take four discipleship teams to the mountains of Honduras. We will be doing training in four different villages. Those going who have been a part of DownLine programs include Brian Kelsey, Michael Kitchens, Chris Boyd, LeCrae Moore, Ben Washer, Boyd Rhodes, Eric Perucca, Soup Campbell and Steve Winstead.

Unfortunately, we will not have computer access on this trip so please do expect blog updates.

Zambia - May 27-June 7

Some men from the DownLine Institute 2006-2007 (LeCrae Moore, BJ Thompson & Leonard Richardson) joined Steve Winstead and the Student Ministries of Christ Church as they traveled to Zambia to do disciple-training at Choma Secondary School and at David Livingstone College of Education.

Due to lack of computer access this trip was not chronicled on the blog.

Disciple-Making Training Day 4

On Wednesday morning we took a break from teaching and spent the day with the medical and dental teams at the clinic in La Magdalena. It’s an outdoor clinic. A large tent serves as the dentist office and patients sit in metal folding chairs while they have their teeth worked on. Most of the dental patients have so much tooth decay they have to have teeth pulled. The doctors treat a lot of stomach problems. The water here is very contaminated so a majority of people have parasites. It was great seeing how much the doctors can do, but we realized quickly how glad we were to be on the teaching team! The doctors and dentists have a tough job being out there all day long. The majority of those who can speak english are the youth, so students have been serving as translators. At noon they packed up the clinic and headed to the next location. They said that in 2 and half days, they treated roughly 1,000 people... and 50 of those accepted Christ afterwards during the counseling sessions. What a cool team we’ve been able to be a part of! Seeing Jesus meet their spiritual needs, and meet their physical needs.

Wednesday Night Discipleship Training #3
Brother Herb and Steve spoke Wednesday night, and once again, it was awesome. Herb urged the people to decide to take on the position of Paul as a disciple-maker, and begin to build into others. About 30 people came forward to sort of answer a call to build the “Christ in Them” into others. The people here have fallen in love with brother Herb. They gave him a gift before he left, and were telling Danny in Spanish that he has to come back soon!

Thursday, Steve and Kennon spoke to about 30 local business people on salvation and discipleship. Tonight Kennon and Danny will finish the training at the Oasis church in Santa Anna. It is the fourth largest church in El Salvador. Danny will teach Acts 1:8 “His last words, His last will” and Kennon will have a time of question and answer regarding discipleship.

Friday morning we will spend 3 hours with teachers from a Christian Day School, helping them understand the importance of seeing their kids come to the faith, and strengthening their faith.

A recap of the teaching:
1.) Pastors in Metapan (3 Hours)
2.) Discipleship Training #1 OASIS CHURCH (3 Hours)
3.) Pastors in Chalchuapa (3 Hours)
4.) Discipleship Training #2 OASIS CHURCH (3 Hours)
5.) Sharing the Gospel in the Clinic in Magdalena (1 Hour)
6.) Discipleship Training #3 OASIS CHURCH (3 Hours)
7.) Businessmen in Santa Anna (3 Hours Thurs. Morn)
8.) Discipleship Training #4 OASIS CHURCH (3 Hours Thu. Night)
9.) Day School Teachers (3 Hours Fri. Morn)

Important update:
Part of our teaching team (Kennon, Jeremy, Steve, and Danny) challenged the El Salvadorians to a USA vs. El Salvador Basketball Game. It was on their home court, so it was tough. They knew how to use their wooden plank backboard well. Here’s your Sports Center update:
Game 1: USA 12 El Salvador 6
Game 2: USA 12 El Salvador 5
Game 3: USA 13 El Salvador 11 (F/OT)

Disciple-Making Training Day 3

Last night we taught Part 2 of our discipleship training for the host church here - Oasis of Santa Anna. Herb Hodges (Great Commision), Jeremy Blythe (Vocab) and Danny Hinton (Acts 1:1) spoke and the people loved it. The people love Brother Herb! He is overflowing with knowledge, stories and wisdom. The people loved Jeremy - the illustration with the bucket and bottles continues to vividly bring the call to discipleship to life for people! Danny spoke to them in Spanish and they loved it! They were so excited the we could speak Spanish - they all wanted to talk with him when he had finished speaking. God really used all the speakers last night! The night was awesome!

Today we went to the medical/dental clinic and share the gospel with the kids as they wait to be treated. The dental team was incredibly busy, but JB and Michael did a great job of leading the team of dental students. KV shared the gospel with the 'waiting room' - it was tent. We talked with several people waiting in line to be treated. Tonight Steve and Herb will be teaching at the Wednesday service.

The trip has gone so well so far! God is so very good! Pastors within an hour radius of Santa Anna are getting to hear some of our teaching team and explore the idea of really intentionally building into leaders through life-transference and bible teaching. It seems like there truly is “something happening” here. Leaders are arising from these groups, and pastors seem to be “freed” by the idea that their job isn’t to go to battle alone, but to train the congregation to be able to fulfill the Great Commission individually!

Disciple-Making Training Day 2

Last night Herb and Kennon spoke - they did a great job of sharing the God's vision for disciple-making! Afterwards the senior pastor of the church, Maricio, confessed to the church how he had been trying to build the church and had not been amking disciples. He told them how our group was an answer from God for him because his vision for ministry and the church had been radically tranformed! Praise God!

This morning (Tuesday) Kennon (Great Commission), Jeremy (Vocab) and Herb (2 Tim 2:2) spoke to a group of pastors - we continue to be amazed at how God is using our group here in El Salvador. At the end of the teaching we saw a few with tears in their eyes and many spoke to us about how they had been enlightened to a vision for disciple-making! The team is doing great! God is good! Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

Disciple-Making Training Begins

MORNING: This morning we went to a town about an hour from Santa Anna to train a group of about 40 pastors from the surrounding areas. They were eager to learn. Kennon taught “Synthesis of the Great Commission”, Steve taught “Vocabulary of Discipleship” and Herb closed with 2 Timothy 2:2. It was great to watch it unfold. It’s funny how WORD PICTURES help to overcome the language barrier. It was a “one time” shot of 3 hours... so it was packed in, but we think they really started to understand some things we were teaching. Several of the pastors said afterwards on how impactful the training had been for them - some spoke of life change! God is good!

TONIGHT: Tonight begins a 4-Day Training Program we are doing in Santa Anna. We are most excited about this time because we will get to train them for more total hours, and give them a bigger idea on how to be strategic about MAKING DISCIPLES. We begin tonight with two messages on “Vision” taught by Herb Hodges and Kennon Vaughan.

PRAY: Pray for our teaching team to communicate clearly. Pray that the translators communicate the message clearly. Pray for our bros and sisters at the clinic working with tons of malnourished kids. Pray for a MOVEMENT of radical discipleship to happen... which leads to leaders rising up here to continue disciple-making on their own!

Sunday, March 18

CHURCH: This morning, we started with church at the host church and it was awesome. It was a 2 hour long service, but it flew by. Herb spoke at the second service of the host church and it was life changing for the congregation – many people made some decisions. The worship leader of the church said that his life was changed forever and that he had discovered his purpose for life! Wow! Herb again at the host church in the evening and blew the people away again – God is bringing massive illumination to the people at the host church through Herb. Also in the morning Kennon, JB and Danny taught at 4 different church plants in the area to speak. Danny went to Chalchuapa. I got the privilege to speak to their congregation. He spoke on Ephesians 2: We are God’s Workmanship! JB spoke (his first time to preach in church) and said it was incredible – the people responded powerfully. Kennon spoke on 1 Corinthians 5:20-21.

ARRIVAL: Jeremy made today and Steve’s luggage arrived today. Steve and Jeremy spent the entire dealing with the airport and traveling.

FOOD: Well, we’re getting a little taste of the El Salvador culture with the food. This morning we had breakfast here at the hotel restaurant. We had: Refried Beans, Rolls, Some Fruit, Eggs, Italian Sausage and Fried Bananas. Tonight we had Pizza Hut brought to the hotel!

THE CLINIC: the teaching team spent the afternoon setting up for medical and dental clinics in a place called “La Magdalena”. It is a very poor area where the dental and medical students will see roughly 1800 kids this week. We literally put poles into the ground, stretched long bamboo sticks across the poles, and strapped tarps to them to make little makeshift huts for the doctors and dentists to see people in.

THE PEOPLE: We met a handful of kids today, and that was exciting. The girls flock to Rachel and though Rachel cannot speak Spanish, her love for God is radiant and the girls just sit on her lap and play with her hair all day. They speak to her in Spanish, and Danny told them that Rachel doesn’t speak Spanish, but that doesn’t stop them. They love her. Kennon and Danny got the chance to walk a group of boys through the gospel. One kid had one one of those colored bracelets that is supposed to remind you of the process of salvation... well the boy didn’t know what it meant, but he was wearing it. They were surprisingly receptive to us just sitting down and teaching them. By then end, each boy in the group had a color that they knew what it meant: Black=Sin, Red=Blood of Jesus, White= white as snow, Blue= Water of Baptism, Green- Growing toward Christ, Yellow= Heaven. What a stupid, easy concept for us... we dismiss it so easily, yet this was EARTH-SHATTERING to these boys.

We Arrive in El Salvador

Well, we made it, and it has already been a crazy trip. Jeremy lost his passport during our layover in Atlanta and we were forced to leave without him. We made it to El Salvador at roughly noon, and had a lunch at a native restaurant. We ate with three teenagers who are serving as some of the interpreters. They have studied English since kindergarten and speak incredibly well. After lunch we headed to the host church where we were greeted with a huge warm welcome. We arrived with 50 medical students and 6 teachers. The church here wanted us to have a grand entrance. In groups of 4 we rode into the church in a buggy pulled by a donkey. About 70 church members there with cameras, balloons, and smiles to greet us. You would’ve thought we were celebrities! They held a worship service for us in which they sang some worship songs in Spanish and some in English. They prayed for us, we shared abit about the upcoming week of disciple-making traing (Herb had them rolling in laughter) and we were on our way. Tonight we’re settling in for dinner and a good night’s rest. Herb, Kennon, Steve and Danny preach at churches across the town of Santa Ana starting tomorrow morning. It’s apparent that the people are hungry to grow and connect with God. Pray that we will help them do just that.

El Salvador Team Leaves

Please pray for the El Salvador Disciple-Making Training Team that leaves on Saturday. The team consist of:

• Jeremy Blythe
• Danny Hinton
• Rachel Hinton
• Herb Hodges
• Michael Kitchens
• JB Selecman
• Kennon Vaughan
• Steve Winstead

Updates about the trip will be made when possible!

Disciple-Making Training Final Day

Being in India has been a truly amazing experience! God has used our team to convey disciple-making and start a movement of discipleship. The Operation Mobilization leadership has requested that we come back and do more training in disciple-making. They shared how powerfully it had been received.

Today Marlon taught - he has become a superstar here (most Indians are very short so he stands out big time). As much as the Indians love him - he loves them even more. Steve did a summary of all that had been taught on discipleship this week. We had a time of singing, prayer and sharing. The pastors shared how deeply they had been impacted by the training and how God had opened there eyes - praise God! One pastor shared how his friend had been killed for his faith and that he had been very discouraged - he said the disciple-making training had greatly encouraged him about continuing to serve the Lord!

Please pray for the oppressed and persecuted Dalit people of India - pray that as disciples are reproduced that God would reach the entire country bringing change for this deeply discriminated against people!

Disciple-Making Training Day 4

We continue to be amazed at the pastors hunger and desire to be disciple-makers! They are truly understanding multi-generational disciple-making. They continue to ask for materials and our teaching notes. We will definitely be emailing material to a large number of eager, willing to die Christ Indian pastors. It is mindblowing the number of pastors who have endured persecution. Our day started with Curt teaching on the "Master's Missing Money." Curt is becoming a very good communicator of God's truth! Steve taught "God's Multiplication Table" from 2 Timothy 2:2. The pastors loved image of Paul to Timothy to Faithful Men to Others.

Marlon did not teach today, but will tomorrow.Marlon stands out and is very popular in India - they love him - if he was smaller I think they might try to kidnap him! He already has had to have his Indian clothing made by a tailor because they do not have clothes big enough for him here. He plans to wear his Indian outfit when he ministers to his homeless guys - he actually hopes they will laugh at his crazy looking outfit so that he can tell them about India and what he experienced here!

We went to one of the saddest places I have ever been today - a Hindu temple! People came to worship idols made of rock and metal - they are so deceived! Marlon prayed that fire would come down from heaven and consume the place - the entire team felt the same. India has a lot of problems and only Jesus can fix them!

Disciple-Making Training Day 3

Wow!!! Today was amazing - the cummulative impact of teaching disciple-making was witnessed. Curt hit another home run teaching on "Rope Holder" from Acts. In the last teaching of the day, Steve taught on "The Vocabulary of a Disciple-Maker." The pastors were very alert and listening - however, when the example of most ministries being like a person trying to fill a group of bottles by throwing a bucket of water that direction verus taking your time and filling each bottle up individually a little bulb definitely turned on! Today many of the pastors caught the understanding of multiplicative disciple-making and it was amazing! Their eyes lit up and you could tell God had opened their understanding of Jesus command to make disciples. At the end of the talk the pastors came to their feet and clapped! Many spoke of how this had deeply impacted them, how they believed this was what God wanted them to be about, how they saw this impacting India, and how this was a big idea that had changed their view of ministry! Praise God- He is good! Several talked after about how they desired to understand discipleship more - we will be sending them more materials!

Earlier in the day we visited some of the poorest neighborhoods in Bangalore. It was very difficult to see people living in such poverty. We visited a small clinic in the slums. Also, we visited some schools - in one class the second grade kids sang Christian songs to us - it was moving!

We ate American food for the first time in India today - KFC for lunch and Pizza Hut for dinner - hopefully this will ease Marlon's stomach and Curt's nose!

Disciple-Making Training Day 2

Today started with Steve teaching on the Great Commission - pastors were very excited to learn about Jesus final instructions before leaving earth - a command to disciple-making! Curt taught on 'What's New for a Christian' from John 15:1-15. Curt did a great job communicating! Marlon taught 'His Last Words, His Last Will' from Acts 1:8 - the pastors are really listening to what is being taught. At one point the entire group was chanting 'Marlon Brown!' Curt taught a second time on 'Let's Go Fishing' from Matthew 4:18-22. Our team has been doing a great job of putting Jesus plan and command to disciple-making before the pastors - please pray that many will catch Jesus vision and plan and carry it into action.

After lunch we talked with many of the pastors - one pastor ministers to temple prostitutes. As we learned about the culture of temple prostitution we were very disturbed. Please pray that God will raise up servants to reach these women - only Jesus can heal them! Also, we talked with a pastor who was a former Hindu who had been rejected by all family and friends when he came to Christ. India has a cruel caste system that does not place proper value on all people. We are ministering to the Dalits - the untouchables - they are so low that they are beneath the caste system. Please pray that in Jesus Indians will realize there is neither Jew nor Greek. Pray that God will raise up multiplying disciples who will radically impact the culture of India for Jesus Christ.

Also, please pray for Curt as Marlon continues to eat spicy foods and dairy products (he is lactose intolerant) - this brings those special rooming issues!

Disciple-Making Training Day 1

Today we started the conference! Steve taught on Vision - seeing things the way that God sees them. Marlon taught on a vision lesson as well dealing with being led by the blind. The group is amazingly responsive to the teaching and eager to learn. Tomorrow we will dive into the Great Commission!

There are 80 pastors at the conference. There stories are amazing! One 24 year old pastor named Samson has been a Christian for 1 1/2 years - his parents, who are Hindu, kicked him out of the house when they discovered he had accepted Jesus Christ. Another pastor was a priest in a Hindu temple, he says that he used to worship many false gods, but now he has accepted Jesus Christ. Many of the pastors are young church planters in persecuted situations. We heard the story of a pastor who would have been at the conference, but had been killed - his name was Daniel and he was only 23. The pastors praised God that He has brought Daniel home. We also heard from another pastor whose church had been persecuted by Hindus. One pastor was a former gang member and Jesus Christ had changed his life - Marlon was excited to know that there are people in India who had gang, drug, and jail backgrounds, but had been transformed by the grace of God!

The Conference Begins Today

Today the Conference begins - Steve, Marlon and Truett will be teaching today! Please pray that the Lord will speak through us and that those in attendance will catch a vision for disciple-making!

Last night we ate at an Indian Chinese Restuarant - everytime we eat Marlon goes straight for the hottest food which causes him to break into a sweat and his eyes to water! He is trying to make us all eat the super hot food as well - so far only Curt has given in and he was sorry he did!

We are in India!

We are arrived in Bangalore, India early Sunday morning! We were graciously greeted at the airport by three Indian OM workers - Jack, Reuben and our driver Thompson. They told us that there were 270 new believers baptized on the day before we arrived - amazing!

We got into bed about 3:45 am on Sunday - India time. Everybody is doing well - our host have been very kind and we look forward to the conference starting on Monday. We are staying in a very comfortable place. Curt and Marlon are in one room and Steve and Truett are another.

Going to India

Steve Winstead, Marlon Brown and Curt Owen will be leaving for Bangalore, India on February 16 to train 80 pastors. We will be joined by Truett Nimmons from Georgia. DownLine greatly appreciates Christ Church in Memphis, TN for organizing this team. Please be in prayer for them as they prepare for this trip!

Upcoming DownLine Trips

Welcome to DownLine International!

We have the following disciple-making trips set:
India - February 16-24
El Salvador - March 17-24
Zambia - May 27-June 7
Honduras - July 6-13
South Asia - August 3-12