Affirming Others in the Faith – Acts 18:18-28

Posted on November 2, 2014 by eig
Here is the audio recording for Acts 18:18-28 taught during our Sunday School hour at Village Bible Church.

This passage talks about Apollos. Here is a description of him:

1. He was Educated  v. 24

He was originally from Alexandria which was the second most important city in the Roman Empire. Egypt was the center of learning during this time. Alexandria contained one of the largest libraries. It was here where the Old Testament was translated by scholars into the Greek language. There is no doubt that he was a very educated man.

2. He was Eloquent in Speech v. 24b

Not only was he very educated but eloquent or competent in speech. There is no doubt that he was his education included training in rhetoric.

3. He was Skilled in the Scriptures v. 24c

Apollo was able to take Old Testament Scripture and prove that Christ was the Messiah. He was very skilled in doing this.

4. He was Instructed in the Way of the Lord v. 25a,c

We don’t know how he came to know about the Gospel but he was “catechized” or instructed in the way of the Lord. But not completely. He knew the facts about Jesus, that he died, was buried and rose from the grave but didn’t know about the application of the Gospel, specifically what Matthew 28:10 says regarding baptism. He didn’t know about Pentecost and the outpouring of the Spirit.

5. He was Fervent in Spirit v. 25b

This man was passionate about what he believed. He was not a man who was shy or calm about it.

6. He Spoke Boldly in the Synagogue v. 26 a

Apollos was bold in proclaiming in the synagogue that Jesus was the Messiah.

7. He was Affirmed by Aquilla and Priscilla v. 26b
Aquilla and Priscilla both explained the things he didn’t know. It is important to note both are involved and also how it was done in private.

This is a good precedent for both having couples serving the Lord and how we should approach others who need to be explained things they still don’t know.

8. He was Received in Corinth v. 27-28

We know he was well-received from 1 Corinthians 1-3 where we find that divisions had taken place based on personalities such as Apollos.

Apollos gifts came in handy. He was able to defend successfully the faith concerning Jesus the Messiah.

We need more men like Apollo. Men who are educated, trained, fervent and humble who can preach the Gospel and defend the faith.

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Hispanic Culture: Roles

Posted on October 28, 2014 by eig

Hispanic culture follows traditional roles (“roles” is spelled the same in Spanish but the “e”  [and s] is pronounced with the equivalent of the short sound in English). Normally, the father is the bread winner outside of the home. He works really hard to provide for his family. Usually, this involves long days and coming home tired.  Arriving at home he expects his wife, who is a homemaker, to greet him with a good “cena” (dinner). Evening will involve watching TV (e.g. “deportes” – sports or “noticias” – news) and relaxing. In his home he usually is the one who “lleva los pantalones,” the one who is in charge. This means that he is mostly involved in major decisions but delegates the running of the home to his wife. He is also involved in major discipline issues. The roles are clear cut and no inter mixing (e.g. men don’t do dishes, don’t cook, don’t do laundry).

The wife is involved in caring for the children, educating, and disciplining them. She runs the day to day operations of the home. She wears many hats including being the official cook. It is also the wife that also will make sure the children are following the traditional religion (Catholicism for the most part). She is often involved in church activities.

Traditionally, roles are tied with idea of respect both to parents, grandparents and any adult. Children are expected to respect parents and not question any decision. The same is the case with grand parents. Contradicting, raising your voice or yelling to parents or grand parents is strictly forbidden. This reminds me of the constant lectures to our children concerning how they (i.e., children their age) speak to parents today and what we got if we spoke back to our parents in the same manner when were were growing up. It usually starts with “Si you le hubiera hablado a mi mamá o papá como tu me hablas…” (“If I had spoken to my mom or dad the way you speak to me..”)

Changes are taking place the Hispanic culture, especially relating to family. With this follows the neglect in the basic values taught to children. Respect to parents and grand parents has eroded. Behavioral issues in children have become more prevalent (as a teacher in public schools this has been my observation as well) and in my opinion, much because of the lack of instruction and discipline in the home.

There are several implications for the Gospel relating to roles. First, we need to make sure that we engage males when sharing the Gospel. It is important to get them involved in spiritual things and help them become servant leaders, not just providers in their homes. This has been a struggle in many Hispanic churches. Male leadership is lacking and more needs to be done to engage the males in our Hispanic culture. Second, we need offer family training. We need to have clear and explicit Bible instruction concerning the roles of husbands, wives and children. Thirdly, we need to provide a structure in the church that helps affirm the traditional values which includes respect for everyone and especially for the things of God (Hispanics who attend a Catholic church show great respect for everything they encounter). Fourth, we need to show leadership ourselves. They understand the concept of leadership (most Latin American countries have been influenced by the idea of “caudillo,” one man who leads the way). American culture asks permission for everything to make sure they are not offending. Hispanics are not offended when a leader is forthright. Many times they won’t do anything unless they are “forced” to do it.

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Hispanic Culture: Aquí Se Habla Español

Posted on October 26, 2014 by eig

In Hispanic culture the Spanish language is considered just as important as all other values (This is true of other cultures as well)[1] in establishing their identity. Not speaking Spanish, which usually happens with grandkids incurs shaming them with the title of “Gringo” (a slang term for White American) and not fully embracing your own cultural (country of birth’s identity). The idea is that you are forgetting your roots and do not want to be associated with the Hispanic culture. Even though demographics seem to show that 78% of Hispanics say that speaking in Spanish is not necessary to be considered Hispanic[2] and that more Hispanics speak English, Speaking Spanish is not going away any time soon. About 75% of Hispanics (39.7 million in 2022)[3] speak Spanish and about 64% use Spanglish (a mix of Spanish and English).[4] Spanish in the US is considered the fourth largest speaking country.[5] Is estimated that by 2060, the US will the world’s “second largest Spanish speaking country”.[6]Spanish is an extension of the Hispanic culture. It is considered the “mother” tongue by which everyone is united, and values are communicated. Many parents (like mine and my wife’s) and grandparents are monolingual and only speak Spanish and everyone is expected to speak Spanish to them. It is the language of family. It is interesting that, in our case, where both English and Spanish are part of our daily lives, each has a different role. English is used for most day-to-day conversations and for work. Spanish is usually reserved for more personal communication. It is never used for disagreements or arguments. English is for that!

Spanish is not only spoken to interact with family members, but it is watched on TV. Spanish is the language of novelas (soap operas), news and sports (i.e. fútbol).  It is no wonder that Univisión has one of the best ratings in the United States.  Spanish is also used to listen to music such as your typical folk music mariachi and a variety of genres.

Will Spanish decrease as the first generation passes away and subsequent generations become monolingual? It is possible but current immigration seems to point otherwise. If Spanish will become less prominent, it won’t happen soon.

The implication for sharing the Gospel for those who don’t speak Spanish is to learn a few basic words to connect with them. Attendings social functions or services in Spanish is another way to engage them. Gospel presentation should be in both languages. Our churches need to offer services both in Spanish and English. Many churches today have an English service but nothing in Spanish. The fact is that while this seems adequate to reach English speakers, most English speaking Hispanics do not feel welcome in a church that is culturally distinct. They are the biggest non-reached group in the United States.

Then you have Spanish churches that have nothing in English services. They are able to reach the Spanish language speakers but are losing those whose English is their dominant language. I have observed that even those who speak Spanish are not literate in Spanish and often are not fluent readers or writers. Having one church with services in both languages seems to me the most effective way and a better way for those churches with limited resources. Having services in both languages reinforces the cultural distinctive of keeping family together. There is a great harvest to be reaped but it requires intentional and strategic steps to reach all generations of Spanish speakers.

[1] Ibid.

[2] https://www.pewresearch.org/race-ethnicity/2023/09/20/latinos-views-of-and-experiences-with-the-spanish-language/

[3] https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/09/22/key-facts-about-us-latinos-for-national-hispanic-heritage-month/#:~:text=Among%20the%20U.S.,to%2039.3%20million%20in%202021.

[4] Ibid.

[5] https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/us-worlds-fourth-largest-spanish-speaking-country

[6] Ibid.

Material is copyright by eigaldamez. Permission is given
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Statements made and opinions expressed on personal pages are strictly those of the author and not of any organization, church, or school.
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Hispanic Church planting, Hispanic churches, Hispanic Culture, Hispanic family, Hispanics, Multilingual Hispanic churches, spanish, Spanish language | Leave a comment

Hispanic Culture: Familia Es Familia – Staying Close

Posted on October 24, 2014 by eig

In Hispanic culture family is the most basic and important unit. Nothing is more important than family. Individualism is discouraged over the benefit of the whole family. It may not be a perfect family, but Hispanics have a saying, “Familia es familia.” This means that though the family experiences difficulties and problems, family is always there for you. Members in the family are expected to support each other and help each other. Children once grown up are encouraged to stay at home or close to home. Going far away for school is discouraged (I
tried). Even when married, parents expect their children to stay close. Some even encourage them to stay in the same home. Grandparents or “abuelitos” play a very important part after their children are married. Usually grandparents raise their grand kids while the parents are working (it happened in our case).

During special events, all of the family gathers together usually at the grandparents home or whoever are the patriarchs of the family. Food is plentiful (a matter for another post) and everyone enjoys the time together.

The implication when sharing the Gospel with Hispanics is that we have to address them as a unit and not as individuals. The family should be seen as a unit when presenting the Gospel. This means using their primary language to share, attending social functions to get to know them, and providing church events (including the church service in Spanish) that focus on the family as a unit is indispensable. This is key in church growth among Hispanics churches. Hispanics churches usually are made up of extended family units, this all a result of the unity that binds them together.

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Keep Speaking, Don’t Be Silent – A New Church In Corinth – Acts 18:1-17

Posted on October 21, 2014 by eig
Here is the audio recording for Acts 18:1-17 taught during our Sunday School hour at Village Bible Church.

It is easy for us believers to be quiet about our faith. We don’t want to offend people. We want to live quiet lives. But our calling is to proclaim the Gospel in good and bad times. God is with us. He always will. We should not be silent, we should keep speaking.  This was the case with Paul in Corinth.

From this passage we learn four things:

1. Ministry happens with others not in isolation. We learn from Paul that we need others to serve the Lord, especially in sharing the Gospel. Paul always had partners in ministry and were helpful in every aspect he was involved.

2. The church belongs to the Lord. We see how Paul never stayed in any church too long. The longest was between a year and a half to two years. He trained leaders and left them as shepherds of the church.

3.  The Lord is sovereign and he will use us until he accomplishes His will.

It is not about us, it is about doing the will of God. We may experience persecution but the Lord will be with us no matter what.

4. We are called to be steadfast in our service to the Lord.

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Statements made and opinions expressed on personal pages are strictly those of the author and not of any organization, church, or school.

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The Greatest Marriage Ever!

Posted on October 21, 2014 by eig
Saturday my son married a wonderful young lady. It was an amazing experience. I had the privilege of officiating the ceremony and it was such a privilege and joy at the same time. As a father, I am amazed what the Lord has done in his life in spite of my weaknesses. Of course, God has also used many other people to help him become who he is now. For this, I am grateful as well.

I used the passage in Ephesians 5:22-32 to speak of their roles in marriage. In this passage Paul speaks of the wife’s and husband’s role in marriage as a microcosm of the relationship between Christ and The Church. There was so much joy in my son’s wedding, this was so evident. It was a memorable event. All sorts of emotions were expressed, but all related to the joy of seeing two dear people getting married. Yet, this in no way will compare of the celebration Christ will have with his Church. Revelation 19:6-9 says:

6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
    the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
    and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
    and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
    with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” (ESV)
My finite mind cannot grasp what this event will be like but I know it will be the most splendorous. Who will be part of this? the Bride. This is The Church. Those who are believers, followers of Jesus. They have been made righteous by the blood of the Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ. How does one become a follower of Jesus? Let me share the words given to those present at the wedding:
“Dear Family and Friends, we are thankful for your presence this afternoon and for sharing this special moment with us. As you seat here I’d like to tell you about God’s plan for  you. His plan is not just for you to be here and witness the joining in marriage of Misael and Alex. God created you. He created you to have fellowship with Him. He created you so that you live for him and not for  your self nor for any other thing. Yet many of you here, know that you don’t have this relationship with him. You are very religious or not religious at all. The Bible says that we all have sinned and because of our sin we are separated from God. As sinners we deserve God’s judgment. Nothing that you do or do not do can change that. But God hasn’t left us hopeless. The Bible says that God loved us so much that he sent his Son Jesus Christ into the world to save us from our sins and  restore our relationship with Him. Most of you know that Jesus died, was buried and rose from the dead. Most of you believe this in your mind. What you must know is that this was done for you. For your sins. He died, was buried and rose from the dead so that you would not have to live separated from God ever again. He took your sins on the cross to free you from them and from the judgment of God. He did this so that you can now allow him to be the ruler of your life. How do you do this? you must repent of your sins. This means to turn away from your sins, from your way of living, from being the ruler of your life. You must turn to Christ in belief. When you turn to him in faith he grants you forgiveness and eternal life. He becomes the ruler of your life. He becomes your boss. You become his follower. This is what Misael and Alex and many of us here have done. We follow Jesus. We live for Him and in Him. It is our prayer that you would open your heart to the Good News of God today. Open your heart. Let Him in. He is calling you to come to Him today.”
If you are not certain you have been made righteous by the blood of the Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ, read the words over. Let God speak to your heart. Believe in the Good News today. Why would you not want to be part of the greatest wedding of all time?
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Disclaimer:
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Statements made and opinions expressed on personal pages are strictly those of the author and not of any organization, church, or school.

<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Ephesians 5:22-32, marriage, marriage supper of the Lamb, Revelation 19:6-9, the Good News | Leave a comment

A Wise Son

Posted on October 14, 2014 by eig

” A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.” – Proverbs 15:20

My 21 year old son is getting married this Saturday. This is the boy that we saw for the first time 21 years ago, prayed for, cared for and will soon release to become a husband and eventually a father. He has been a joy to raise, and we didn’t experience any heartache during teen years either. There were times, and still are, when we don’t see eye to eye but I know this is part of him becoming a man. I enjoy conversing with him on a range of topics, much of it about Scripture, Theology or our Christian walk. On a weekly basis we also Skype and talk about a book we are both reading. It brings me great joy to see him growing up to be a wise son. Today, his mom (my wife) and I spent some time sharing some of our experiences in our marriage (as well as offering advice), some that involved suffering and pain. We cried as we talked and yet we know that it is through our pain that we have learned about the wisdom and sovereignty of God. Our desire as we open our hearts is for him to become a wise son, husband and father. We are so grateful for him. He has brought joy and gladness to our lives (and to many others as well) and we couldn’t be more proud.

This week will pass quickly, Saturday will come (Lord willing) when I will have the privilege of performing their ceremony. It can’t get any better than that! He will stand before me, others and our God to become one with his bride. We will see him go with his dear bride as they begin their own marriage journey. We praise our God for his unmerited grace he has shed on us as we have raised a wise son.
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Tanto Amor – Juan 3:16

Posted on October 5, 2014 by eig
Sermón hoy en Village Bible Ministerio Hispano.  Cinco características del Amor de Dios. Puede encontrar las notas en PDF aquí

Village Bible Ministerio Hispano

Nuestros servicios se llevan a cabo los domingos a las 9:30 AM en el gimnacio. El servicio envuelve tiempo de adoración a Dios a través de cantos y alabanzas, estudio de la Biblia (el mismo tema que el servicio en Inglés) y tiempo de compañerismo. Los niños y jóvenes tienen sus clases en Inglés. A las 11:15 AM tenemos clases dominicales para todas las edades. 
El ministerio Village Bible Ministerio Hispano es parte de Village Bible Church en Garden Grove, CA. 

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Thoughts on Sharing the Gospel via Restoration Church in DC

Posted on September 30, 2014 by eig
Here are some thoughts on how to share the Gospel in our daily conversations.
Restoration Church is a young, healthy growing church who is reaching DC and abroad with the Gospel. They desire also to start a Hispanic church in Columbia Heights.   I am very thankful for the men who lead this church and for helping my son get rooted in the Gospel.

What God can do when we make ourselves available.
http://www.restorationchurchdc.com/2014/09/turn-conversation-pt-1/

http://www.restorationchurchdc.com/2014/09/turn-conversation-pt-2/

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The God Who is Close – Acts 17:16-34

Posted on September 28, 2014 by eig
Here is the audio recording for Acts 17:16-34 taught during our Sunday School hour at Village Bible Church.

Paul spoke to the Athenians. Four things he shared about God:

1. God is the Great Creator v. 24

Paul goes back to Genesis 1-2 where God creates everything, including all human beings. He is a transcendent God, beyond all of creation. He is so great that nothing can contain Him. The Lord Yahweh cannot be manipulated or contained by temples or humans or else He wouldn’t be God. See 1 Kings 8:27, Isaiah 66:1-2, Acts 7:48-50
The Athenians had it all wrong. God wasn’t in their temples.

What Paul said was against what the Athenians believed, specifically the Epicureans and Stoics.
There is a God who is the creator of everything and he is close.

2. God is the Good Provider and Sustainer of life v. 25
     God is self-sustaining and doesn’t need anyone or anything. God doesn’t need to be served. He doesn’t anyone to make him complete.
He doesn’t need sacrifices or anything else.
     God Gives Life and Sustains Everything

As the Creator he can give and take life but he also sustains it. Colossians 1:17  Greeks believed Zeus gave life, Paul said God gives “zoe”, life. He provides for us. We are not self-sustained.

3. God is the Sovereign Ruler v. 26-29

     A. He Created the Nations v. 26-27a

Out of Adam came all nations. When God confounded the languages in Genesis 11, He determined how long each would last and what their boundaries would be. He is sovereign over the nations. v. 26 see Daniel 4:35, Deuteronomy 32:8

The Greeks believed they originated from their own land, Attica. Paul said God created everyone out of one man.

   He Created the Nations so They Would Seek Him v. 27a

God has created all these nations so they would seek Him but most of them do not. They are rebellious and live in their own desires.

God’s desire is to unite all nations in Christ.

    B. He is Close (immanent) v. 27b-28

The sovereign God is not far. He has chosen to reveal Himself and to be close to us.
Paul points out that even their own poets (i.e. Epimenides, Aratus and Cleanthes) were able to see the truth that there is a God that exists, created and sustains everything and wants to be known.

    C.  He is Not a Created Being v. 29

God is the only non-cause cause. He is the only one who has no beginning and no end. He is the first and last, the Alpha and Omega.

God is not human. He is a spirit being (John 4:24) thus it cannot be represented visibly.

4. God is the Merciful Savior v. 30-31

     A.  He has Chosen Not to Punish Now v. 30a

God is merciful and has chosen not to execute judgment in spite of our ignorance and idolatry. The Athenians were no exceptions.

     B. He Commands All People Everywhere to Repent Now v. 30b

What is he commanding us to repent of? Of our ignorance in living as rulers instead of submitting to him. He wants us to repent of our sin of rebellion in having our own gods. He desires people to turn to the true and living God.

    C. He Has Appointed a Judgment Day v. 31

God has set a day when he will judge everyone based on Christ’s death and resurrection. God has shown his love, mercy and grace but giving his son to die on our behalf. We can avoid the judgment of God by believing in Christ as our savior who took our punishment on the cross. This requires that we repent of our sins and turn to Christ. If we choose not to, we will condemned by God.

How did they respond?

Some of the hearers ridiculed Paul.

People nowadays do the same. They ridicule the Gospel.

Some of the hearers wanted to know more. Many people are like that, but they just to expand their knowledge.

Dyonysius and Damaris, two hearers believe the Gospel along with others. God granted them repentance.

Athens was a philosophical city but it needed the Gospel. Even though not many believed, the Lord used Paul to bring some to faith.
In our times, we also have our Athens. We are called to share the Gospel. God will use us in spite of the hardness of hearts. He will use the foolishness of the cross to save.

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Disclaimer:
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