Bethlehem Update

We have been really blessed so far during our time here in Bethlehem.  The conference that we did for the last few days went really well... we spent time with the teachers of JSB (Jersualem School at Bethlehem), some college students, and some of the students.  Both groups were very attentive and engaged during our teaching times and it was obvious in our conversations with them that God was moving.  We are praying that these teachers and students might grasp a vision and passion for disciple-making and that God would use them to radically transform Bethlehem, Israel, and the whole Middle East.

We went to an Arab church this morning and the Pastor was praying, "Lord, thank you for saving us, thank you for sending your Son to be born here in Bethlehem...."  It was striking to say the least, it is still amazing to think that we are in the same place Jesus once was, that we will walk the same streets he did.  Please continue to pray for our time here, for the teachers and students, and for the oppression of the Palestinians.  It has been eye-opening to talk with the students especially and hear what their experience is like living here under Israeli occupation.  So please continue to pray!

View from the top of the Herodium

The Herodium is a mountain built (yes, this crazy, evil man built a mountain) by King Herod in 24 BC. On top of this mountain was his summer palace and many believe the place where the wisemen would have visited him. This is also where Herod is buried.

David's Well

Just up the hill, less than a quarter mile from where we our hotel is David's Well. This is site where David's three mighty men broke through a Philistine garrison to bring him water. "Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem" (2 Sam. 23:15).

A Few Photos from Training in Bethlehem

Teaching in Bethlehem

For the past two days our team has been training two group here in Bethlehem. We have been training the teachers of the Jerusalem School of Bethlehem and the students in a separate meeting. The teachers are amazing and have mentioned that they would love for us to send some of our Emerging Leaders to teach here for a year (really cool opportunity). The teachers love learning about discipleship and are eager to apply what they are learning. The students are great and loving the teaching as well. Overall the team is doing great, please keep the teachers and students here in your prayer. One key prayer request for Larry Watkins (Director of Downline Northwest Arkansas) and his family. Larry's wife has been having some medical issues and Larry returned to Fayetteville yesterday. Please keep Larry in your prayers.

It's Go Time!

"We leave in 2 hours!  So sorry but it is go time.  I am 100% serious."  I sat on the couch in disbelief as I read Steve's text.  I just put laundry in 10 minutes ago which is now soaking wet, I haven't packed yet, I have assignments that are due, I need to print some lessons... my mind continued to run through my now shot to-do list.  Just 30 minutes earlier I had gotten a recording from United saying our flight from Memphis to Chicago for the next morning had been canceled due to weather.  I got on the phone to tell Steve just in case he hadn't heard, so he got on the horn with United to try and find us another flight... sure enough, the man, the myth, the legend did what he does and found an alternative fight.  Although the alternative flight left 12 hours earlier than we had planned.  So we got to work, and by the grace of God our whole team made it to the airport in about 45 minutes.  "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" takes on new meaning in that situation.  All the nice plans and to-do lists and preparations went out the window in about 30 seconds... slowly and surely replaced with confidence in the sovereignty and provision of God.  Looking back even now, the stress and anxiety seem so trivial... yet amidst even the smallest of concerns about all of the things that we probably forgot to bring or do, the Spirit brings rest and security in dependence on the provision and grace of the Father... knowing that "... the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  We are praising God for His sovereignty and provision in our travel, and the ways He is working and will work in our time here in Bethlehem.  Please continue to pray for our team as we begin teaching tonight, and will continue the next two days.

Bethlehem Team

Downline sent a team from both Fayetteville, Arkansas and Memphis, TN. The Memphis folks found out on Monday that their flight had been cancelled and that they would have to leave in one hour. The team rallied to meet at the airport in one hour and catch the flight. Everyone is now in Bethlehem staying at the Alexander Hotel (its on Manger Street). We start teaching at the Jerusalem School of Bethlehem today. Please pray for us as we will be teaching teachers and students in two separate conferences. Also, yesterday we visited the Church of the Nativity where it is believed that Jesus was born.

Cancun, Mexico (Dia Cuatro)

Pepper and Pastor Fransico

Buenos Dias!
Today started out a little differently, some of the group stayed back because of sickness, while others headed off to the beach with some of our hosts. We just can’t get over how generous our hosts have been, driving us to and from the church, breakfast and lunches and dinners, and even to the beach! They truly have servants hearts!
Buenos tardes!
Kenny and August spoke on the “10 How-To’s of Discipleship” tonight while Pepper taught on “Multiplication.”  It seems like the more we are focused and in accordance with one another, the more distractions are apparent. However, through the music blaring outside, dogs barking, and children getting sick, the Spirit was, as always, with us and the true Word was imparted into the hearts of many that were listening. It is so encouraging to see people learning the Bible! When you are watching someone’s face that is intently listening and taking in a new lesson you can almost see their lives transforming before your eyes. We hope that is the case for all that were in attendance during this conference, as we also hope that each of us on the team remains teachable, we all have a lot to learn.
Buenas Noches!
I leave you with something that brought most of all in attendance to tears. Since tonight was our last night holding the conference here in Cancun, some of the people in the congregation stayed after to say good-bye, but what we received was much more than a sweet “Adios”. Our team stood at the front of the sanctuary while the members stood and sat before us, if it wasn’t quiet outside (which it usually never was), I didn’t hear a peep outside those walls. One after another they stood up and thanked us for coming, that we had given them something they knew was important and desired to live out in their lives. One man, Hermano Jaime, even challenged us and the congregation by telling us to come back next year and ask them if they have been making disciples!!! They expressed their love for us, that they hope that God continues to bless us, and even a few children told us they hoped our journey was safe and expressed the importance it was to make disciples for Christ! Children!! It was so very lovely! And I don’t say it was lovely because they were telling us good things they appreciated about us, but because the Lord was being given the glory in everything and we were able to hear some testimonies about how the Lord had changed the hearts of some of those who heard His word! What a great blessing to know that if you allow God to use you as a vessel for His purpose, He is magnified and glorified!! Amen!

Cancun, Mexico (Dia Tres)

Becky, August, Tania (our translator), & Ashley Jo

Pepper with Jaime and his wife Katy. They were some of our wonderful hosts!

This is the church we held the conference in.

"Tres Amigos" Esteban became part of the brotherhood.

Buenos Tardes!
Our team had the great opportunity to walk around with some of the members of the church and evangelize to their neighborhood. An elderly lady, whose family attends the church, invited us over to hit the streets with her. One of her spiritual gifts is evangelism and she desires for her neighborhood to know the Lord. We split up into two teams and headed out, Katy (one of our hosts), made sure that not a single person walked by us without being stopped and spoken to even if for a moment. At one point a few of us walked up to a group of three people, part of a family, working on a roof of a home that looked as if most of it had burned down. 

There were two women and a man, the man was able to speak a little English. Kathy shared the gospel with them and we were able to pray with and for them. August exchanged jewelry with the girls, something they seemed to appreciate very much. It was an intimate moment that will forever stay in our hearts.
That evening Kenny and Ashley Jo spoke on the “10 Qualifications of a Disciple Maker” and Pepper taught on “The Master’s Plan to Make Disciples and Vocab of Disciple-making.”
It was encouraging to have people come up to us afterward to ask questions, and make sure they understood what was taught. There is such a passion in their hearts for the things of the Lord. A lady came up to me after the class and shared another passage of scripture and some examples with me that covers the same topic, it was a joy to learn from her.
Buenas Noches!
At our evening meeting one shared that they really enjoyed the night, having an opportunity to connect with more of the people there through non-verbal communication. Though there was a language barrier between her and the locals, but she was still able to serve by helping set up the snack table and by hanging out with the kids upstairs. That, I think, is a great example of loving the people of all nations.
It’s amazing to me that even though you have no idea what one another is saying, sometimes you just can’t stop talking, desiring to share whatever is on your heart with one another. Though we are different, we are the same. I leave you with Romans 1:5 

"through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations."

Cancun, Mexico (Dia Dos)

Waking up in another country doesn't always feel different, especially if you are in a hotel. But whenever you walk outside your door, or even crack open the window, the sights, the smell, the breeze (or lack of), all tell you "This is different."


We decided to go to Fonda Ixtapa again, for breakfast this time. The friendly exchange turned to more of a family feel as we shared stories and looked at pictures of our families. I know that if we come here again, our love will only grow deeper for them. After we had finished eating we headed to church for the morning services. Our team was introduced to the congregation, it was such a warm welcome, and then service began. Although as a group, not including Pepper, we hardly know Spanish, we were still able to sing praises to our Lord, just in a different language. I think that brings more of God's command to reality, at least for me, when you are in a group with people of different skin colors and culture, all worshiping the same God. It is a visible sign that God loves everyone. Before Pepper taught DJ had the pleasure of sharing a short testimony, and from the audience, you could tell he enjoyed sharing God's power in his life with everyone.


That evening the conference began. Pepper Horn taught the "Great Commission" while Becky Beavers and DJ Singfield taught on the "Profiles of a Disciple". Both were grateful to be a vessel for God's work and allowed His truth to speak through them. I know that those in the seats listening, including myself, learned applicable truth.


As we met together at the end of the evening it was so clear on my mind that though I was in a different country, and the people I am with do not share the same color of skin, we are all children of God. Though different, the same.

Cancun, Mexico (Dia Uno)

We made it!!! Those are some of the most often first used words when updating friends and family on your traveling, but boy do they have so much meaning and passion behind them! When our team left this morning from Memphis, at approximately 7:30 am, we were tired but ready to embark on our journey to serve and worship God with our brothers and sisters from another culture. About 9 hours or so later we were greeted with great warmth by Francisco, his wife Rita, their son Esteban, and another brother in Christ Jaime. And though a language barrier was assumed and proved evident for most, a love barrier had been broken upon the word "Hola".

We piled into two vehicles and set off to our hotel. Immediately we were able to see and feel some of the differences between Cancun and the United States. For one, the weather is AWESOME!! The warm, yet cool air was very inviting, and allowed us to take off a few of the layers we had needed in Memphis. The lines of buildings along the road were unpredictable, either across the street or right next to one another expensive looking buildings that were in use, lots of abandoned buildings, and then those that were in use but falling apart. Billboard after billboard lined the horizontal view and small groups of people were standing randomly along the roadside. They of course had their own purpose in being there, but I have no idea what that would be. There were visible speed limit signs, but most cars weren't obeying them or the few lane lines on the road.

Our gracious hosts, allowed us time to put our belongings in our rooms and freshen up before we left for dinner. We ate at a local family-owned Mexican restaurant, Fonda Ixtapa, and spent some time talking with the owner, Angel, and his wife. During dinner Francisco explained to us the beautiful history of the church we will be attending soon, which is where the conference will be held, "Estrella de Belen" (The "Star of Bethlehem"). It's had 23 years of life and from the stories that we heard, and the heart behind these people, I'm personally excited to worship alongside our fellow members of the body of Christ.

Before we went to bed our team headed up to the top of the hotel to spend time in worship, through prayer first and then song.

It was a lovely first day here in Mexico and as this post comes to a close please think on the sweetness of the words that flowed from our lips and offer your own heart to our God:
                  Jesus, be Jesus in me
                  Not me, but Thee,
                  Resurrection power,
                  Fill me this hour
                  Jesus, be Jesus in me

And be in prayer for us:
That God's words would flow from our lips as we teach the lessons and spend time talking with people. Our focus would remain on God and we would not be distracted by anything. The experience would not be taken for granted, but be fun as well as a time of growth. That the team would come closer together and nothing would come between us.
Thank you,
Love from Mexico!!