Blossoming Baby Church

Tonight I ministered for the first time in a new church started only 3 years ago in Merlo (a suburb of Buenos Aires) in a rented building.  It is only 10 blocks from another church I helped to plant with much blood and sweat, working alongside the pastor building a sanctuary during a 20 month nightly tent meeting.  That was 34 years ago.  Ten blocks apart and both churches are doing great! 

This new work is a granddaughter church of the one we planted in 1973-76 in the ghetto called La Boca.  That mother church probably has no more than 500 members, but it has many daughter churches since over 87 pastors and wives have gone out from that church into the work.  Truth is that 87 was the number 5 years ago and the pastor quit counting.  Several of the many daughter churches have grown into mega-churches with tens of thousands and now these daughter churches have started many granddaughter churches all over the country and in several foreign countries.  I will be ministering in two other granddaughter churches and at least one daughter mega-church in the next few days.

It's “Father’s Day” and Pastor Eduardo Kacheski presented me to his new congregation as a “Father of Churches” and gave me a beautiful plaque. 

Last night at another church the pastor told me privately that my ministry was “apostolic.”  I asked him please to never to say that in public.  I don’t want to be called an “apostle.”  I feel that the titles "apostle" and "prophet" are tossed around too lightly these days.  I need no titles since I’m not writing Holy Scripture.  The honest truth is that I don’t deserve all the hoop-ala that people here give me.  The rewards will be distributed correctly by King Jesus one day soon.  And the first shall be last.  That probably means the more titles, plaques and applause we get down here, the less we will get at Jesus feet.  Besides Frances and I already have more plaques expressing love and appreciation than can fit on my office walls… ha.

The little kids were adorable.  During the sermon some workers entertained them in one corner of the sanctuary “taking notes” on my sermon.  (Actually drawing pictures I think.)

One little guy enjoys a cookie-break.

11 new people responded to the altar call for salvation.  It is so beautiful to see God doing His “rescue work” in new lives. 

Later I gave an altar call for Christians that wanted to surrender their desires for the future to God’s will, whatever that might be. 

Hey, I get to do this almost every day.  Doesn’t that make all you USA preachers wish you were retired, too?

Ralph