Does God really need us?

I have thought a lot over the years about how we think that God is depending on us and that His work depends on our skills and talents. Now I realize that He has given us the great privilige of working in His vineyard, but sometimes we get a little puffed up and think that we are something. I think back of a story that keeps me in line.

1991 found Ruth and I in Antigua, Guatemala enrolled in a language school where we were studying Spanish. We had the privilige of rubbing shoulders with all kinds of people most of whom were missionsries, or aspiring missionaries.

We had met a young couple who had recently joined Wycliffe Bible Translators and were studying Spanish before going out into the field. One morning during coffee break he told us this story.

Back in the 70's and 80's it was a terrifying time in Central America. Fidel was busy propagating his gospel of communisn throughout those countries and it was a bloody time. Some of the Catholic priests had bought into his doctrine and were propagating their solution to the poverty which they called "Liberation Theology." In a good sized town in the highlands of Guatemala the government realized that in order to stem the spreading of this doctrine they declared "Martial Law." This meant that there were to be no gatherings of more than 6 people. This in effect put the church out of business. Before it went into effect the wise leaders of the church suggested that the people meet in homes and study the Bible together. Shortly after the declaration of "Martial Law" the priest dissapeared and was never heard from again.

As time went on some strange things began to happen. It was noticed that down at the river, small groups gathered from time to time and baptism services were being held. Seemingly incredible testimories were being spread about miricles taking place.

Some time later the government got a handle on things and lifted "MartialLaw." The church decided to open for business again and imported a high powered priest from Italy. Something needed to be done about the direction that the people had taken.

The first Sunday back in church the priest layed down an ultimatum, "Some unauthorized activities are going on with you people, now either change your ways, come back and embrace the theology that we teach, or GET OUT."

1500 people got up and "Got out." They left and formed their oun church. It was called "Jesus saves and heals Church." The church grew rapidly and they had to split into another church body so they called it "Jesus saves and heals church #2."

That civil rebellion in the 70's unknowly provided the fertile conditions for a revival that is going on to this day in Central America. It has been reported that in Guatemala 40% of the people are Evangelical Christians. I remember when our son Jeff and his wife Lisa came to visit us, we took a bus trip to a small villiage near Antigua. While talking to one of the shopkeepers I asked, "Where is the Evangelical Church in this villiage?" She answered, "Which one, we have 6 of them?"

Ruth and I have been in Honduras and El Salvador as well and the church is growing. It has been said that in El Salvador 45% of the population is Evalgelical Christian. El Salvador is the smallest of the Central American countries, but while we were there this past winter we met several people who attend a church where seven to eight thousand people meet every Sunday, and that was just one of the big churches.

While working in Tegucigulpa, the capital of Honduras this past winter, there was a big church about a block away from where we were staying. This church had planted a church in every one of the capital's districts and there are over 1000 districts in the city. They have planted churches in other areas of the country as well.

If your faith needs a jump start, maybe you want to vist Central America, but be careful, you can't visit one of these churchs and keep your hands in your pockets during worship, they will refuse to stay there.