Church Planters in Action

Tonight, the Thursday before Good Friday, I ministered in the city of Jesus Maria about 50 kilometers north of Cordoba with a pastor that served as my right hand when he was a teen-age kid. Samuel Daniele was a PK who played the accordion well at 15 years old. Together we did street meetings in the city of Cordoba. Later he found his wife, Lidia, at IBRP our Bible Institute in Buenos Aires. They graduated and immediately entered full-time ministry. Samuel and Lidia have started several churches and tonight I ministered at their most recent church plant. They are still worshiping in a rented hall. (Photo)

Recently they purchased a lot and will soon begin building a church. Tonight they are doing an all-night vigil. I was asked to launch it with my message. It was also Lidia’s birthday. I shot this photo of them as the people were singing Happy Birthday to her. This congregation obviously loves their pastors. For weeks I have been ministering late into the night and getting very little sleep so I did not stay for the all night vigil. The church will continue in prayer and worship until 3 or 4 AM.

My ministry part is finished at the IBM (Mediterranean Bible Institute) at least for now. I will continue to live here while ministering four more times in this area. Monday I fly to Buenos Aires to continue ministry there. Tomorrow night I will minister in an unusual “foot washing service” at a church planted by Pancho Buono. Pancho was saved as a teenager here one night in 1966 when I was preaching. A teenage girl invited this lost kid, who had a wild reputation in his neighborhood, to come hear the Hawaiian guitar. He came. He reminded me recently that I preached on John 12:24 that night. He responded to the altar call and gave his life to Christ. After graduating from IBRP he traveled as an evangelist to Chile and to other countries including the United States. He learned English in his travels and made numerous trips ministering in the USA. He remains single. About 20 years ago he went back to his old neighborhood, where he had a previous bad reputation, and started a church. And it is a great church! Pancho calls me his spiritual father and says he wants the privilege of washing my feet. I agreed on one condition, that I may wash his. We never know who will come to Christ when we preach the Word! I probably won’t be around to see all that the Lord will do with the dedicated youth here at the IBM… but you can count on it. They will, like the apostles of old, invade Satan’s territory, plant new churches and steal the captives from the devil’s grip, freeing them into a life of victory.

This is destined to be an exciting weekend, Friday night with Pancho, Saturday night with a pastor I recently met, Samuel Medina, and Easter Sunday both morning and evening ministering with dear friends from long ago. I will need physical strength, a voice that keeps going and a special anointing from heaven. Did you see that picture (yesterday) of the IBM students praying for me? If I mess up this weekend it won’t be their fault. They prayed the power of God out of heaven down upon me!

Ralph