Small Churches are Important too.#3

Eating a meal in Paul's home

Shepherding A Small Flock
On this shepherding assignment Pablo pastors a small group that meets in what used to be a one-car garage built to the end of the building. Somewhere around 15 friendly adults attend. The Sunday we were there Pablo decided to show the Jesus Film for Children. That afternoon after services Paul and the boys hung a homemade white screen on the side of the building facing the small peoples park. My thought was that people walking through the park might stop briefly to see what was being shown. Sunday evening after prayer time the people picked up their white, plastic deck chairs and moved them into the park and set them facing the wall screen. After an hour tech-work they finally got the sound to blare forth from the speaker and using a power point projector a member had just that day given to Pablo, showed the one hour film. I was gratified to see numerous souls stopping out of curiously to view the film as they passed through on there way elsewhere. Since Paul’s house is on the Jardin at the corner of the walkway that stretches for five blocks between streets, he is located at a strategic crossroad.

On the day before we departed, Pablo and Niky decided to name the baby boy. It might seem strange to wait almost three weeks to name a child but that is not uncommon in Mexico. I think they have a month to pick a name and have the baby registered legally. Pablo and Niky named their boy Pablo Andres, a strong name. Our time with Paul, Niky, Jaci and baby was a restful, pleasant interlude in what was to be one hectic month of activity elsewhere.

Our next blog post will move us to the NE of Mexico City to the home of Hector.
Be prepared for some surprises.
And remember to tell a friend to “look in.”

Ruth holds baby Pablo Andras while a proud father looks on.

Celaya and Pastor Pablo #2

Sunny Celaya, where the sun is always shining

I had planned our trip in such a way that our exposure to the smog of Mexico City would be as brief as possible. After three days with Rosario and David, Ruth and I departed for Celaya, in the State of Guanajuato to visit Pablo and Niky.

Because of our luggage, Rosario flagged down a taxi and we rode to the bus station. Some of you might remember taking the all-night bus from Jerez to Mexico City. Upon arrival in M.C. you alighted at the North Bus Station and this is where we caught our bus north to Queretaro where we would turn west to Celaya.

Bus Service in Mexico:
My greatest concern as I traveled on a bus when I first came to Mexico in 1981 was finding a toilet when the bus stopped. In those early years bus travel was the pits. Third class busses will take you anywhere, even places you don’t want to go, just ask Dan and Eva. Over the years I had lowered the priority of cost saving and instead of economizing, inspected the bus lines for built in toilets. Sometimes they had the last laugh when the ticket agent assured me the bus had a toilet on board but later when I needed to use it, the driver, ”couldn’t find the key.”
Ya, right! I was having none of that on this trip, age justifying an upgrade. We decided to travel on Primera Plus Bus Line, executive coach style. And why not? There was only a few dollars between the prices.
Us Airways had frowned when I had asked for a free glass of water on the flight into M.C. from Charlotte but as we boarded our bus, Primera Plus loaded Ruth down with drinks of our choice, sandwiches, which I didn’t eat, and packs of snacks. The seats fit even a large fella like brother Don. Unfortunately this bus line does not travel throughout Mexico but where it does, it’s your best choice. Instead of crowding 52 passengers into the bus like Omnibus de Mexico does, our bus had 28. Large, seats with plenty of legroom. The bus was full and we enjoyed our 3-½ hour ride to Celaya.

Arriving, we waited in the executive lounge till we saw Pablo’s friendly face smiling at us as he walked across the station. Pablo’s friend, a taxi driver, had the family van waiting for us outside the station. Pablo informed me that thought he had, had an excellent Drivers Ed teacher, me, he still was reluctant to drive in downtown Celaya, a city about the size of Des Moines.
“Didn’t I teach you good enough?” I chided Paul. “Don’t you remember anything I taught you about driving the old Jeep in 1996 during your freshman year at the Bible school?”
“Yes I remember. But you taught me on the back roads around Jerez, not in Zacatecas City,” was his reply. He had a point.

A thirty-minute drive brought us to Colonia San. Juanico where Pablo and Niky live. In August 2008, they had been transferred from Huchinango, where it rains almost every day and the chill rain blew into their living quarters, to the home where Niky lived as a teenager with her family. Her father had since given the house to their church denomination but she said it was wonderful to be, “back home again,” even though her parents no longer lived in Celaya.
Niky and her children:
Niky was still confined to bed rest in their bedroom when we arrived. A baby boy had been delivered ten days before by cesarean section. Pablo had emailed us about the impending birth before we left Lancaster and Ruthie was eagerly waiting to hold the baby. Ruth always laughs at me saying I am afraid to hold a baby lest I let it fall. She’s right, I am. She wasn’t, and enjoyed every opportunity to do so over the next six days. Since then the poor chap had a hernia operation during the week of March 19th but thankfully is now doing fine. Isn’t it nice that God does not pull back the vale of time and allow us to see all the unpleasant moments we will need to pass through? Would you like to “know” the future, including them? I think not.

We found five-year old Jaci to be a friendly, talkative sprite, every ready to listen to a book or play a game. Not a restful child but an intelligent, pleasant one. Seldom grumpy, a mirror of what Niky must have been like as a child. Jaci delighted in having us walk the five blocks with her to school in the morning and “pick her up” at 1PM. Kinder, as they call Kindergarten in Mexico, is compulsory.

March 28,09 Highlights #1

Policemen on patrol in La Alameda, the large park in the center of Mexico City

Organ Grinder in front of Belles Artes, the famous art museum near La Alameda in Mexico City

Rosario and David's apartment

On February 10, we flew into Mexico City. Rosario met us at the airport and took us by taxi to the small apartment that she shares with her husband David. We used their apartment as our hub from which we spoked out 150 miles in different directions to visit friends. We spent Feb. 10-13, 17-20, and March 9-12 with them.

I have mixed emotions about Mexico City, always have.
The largest city on the planet, with a population of between 20 to 24 million people, depending on who you ask, the city is an anomaly. Towering skyscrapers, tower over buildings that were constructed 500 years ago. A downtown that boasts its wealth with fine shops, boutiques, upscale restaurants and La Alameda where thousands of people promenade daily, while at the Zocolo, the huge square in front of the National Cathedral, Indian peasant women sit on blankets trying to hawk the few handicraft they made. Streets are lined with small stalls where merchants sell Chinese junk articles like copy-cat, name brand merchandise. Some might ask," How do the Mexican people in such a large city make a living?" I would answer, "Anyway they can."

Crime
Another question people asked frequently is "How dangerous is it in Mexico city?"
It can be very dangerous. David has a job working for the Mexico City government. The city is doing a census on unregistered, small, street-side, businesses. David has 5 men working under him. These men are to interview the small merchants in their grid and make an accounting to the government. On numerous evenings David came home frustrated by the dangerous atmosphere in which he had to work. On one occasion his "man" as he called him, was jeopardized when he inadvertently was caught in gunfire between rival gangs. On another occasion another man was involved in a robbery that happened near one of the stalls he was registering. This all happened within 4-5 days.
Banks, government buildings and fine restaurants are all guarded by men with AK-47 and they are on the alert, ready to fire. Lounging on the job may cost them their life.
However, Ruth and I moved around the city on the Metro, by taxi, and by foot and saw no trouble. However we became aware that Rosario and David lived in a high crime area when the taxi driver we tried to hire refused to drive us to their section of the city. To enter their apartment one has to go through 3 locked doors so we felt safe while there.

Smog
The pollution in Mexico City is horrendous. I always get sick but this trip was an exception since I was only in the city for no longer than 3 days at a time. Many years ago Dr. Esparza asked me to be a member of the faculty at the Bible College in Mexico but I had to refuse because of the smog. When one flies in from Lancaster they are immediately met by trying to cope with altitude higher than a mile and the smog. Thousands of people who live in the city have serious respiratory illness. When I asked some of these people why they didn't move they would reply, "Where would I go, the jobs are here?" Each week thousands of people move to the city in search of a job. Many end up on the street.

Traffic and accidents
Yes, it is true, drivers all drive like Jehu! Major avenues are six lanes wide. Traffic lights and policemen control the intersections. We traveled extensively throughout the city weaving in and out, competing with busses and tractor-trailers.
But we did not see one accident, a miracle.
Metro ... Subway system
The Metro will take you anywhere for two pesos=to 15 cents. It is an excellent system, clean, fast and safe, unless you are traveling at night or over rush hour when it is packed. We rode during off hours. There are 12 lines that radiate across the city and we learned to use them years ago. Large, wall maps are in all Metro stations. One can now buy automatic 'swipe cards' that make entering quick. I like the Metro and have had trouble only on one occasion some years ago when we had to run to escape being robbed. But thats another story.

Fast Food Restaurants & Wal-Mart
If you are a fast food junkie, you can still visit McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut,Burger King and Dominos. You can also buy Ben and Jerrys and Haagan Daass ice cream at Wal-Mart but come prepared to pay $9.00 American for a half-gallon. I didn't.
Wal-Mart is very popular and full of customers in its downtown locations. Upscale restaurants have parking lots full of late model cars.
However, when one leaves center city one falls down the economic ladder into the basement. Here passersby stand at taco stands munching on spoiled meat tacos, drink off-brand pop and eat chicharones, a hard, deep-fried pig skin. If you never have tasted it, don't!
Surprisingly Mexico City, at least the downtown area, is clean. Street cleaners walk the sidewalks and parks picking up trash.
My opinion of Mexico City improved during this visit and if it were not for the all pervasive smog it wouldn't be so bad.
I hope this blog posting has answered some of your questions as to what the largest city on earth is like. If you have a specific question, post it in the comment box or drop me an email at noahsark747@yahoo.com

Mexican Ministry February-March, 2009

Rosario sits in her apartment with the birthday card and gift we gave to her on her thirty-fifth birthday.

Pablo and Niky and daughter Jaci are with Pauls mother and Ruth in their home in Celaya.

Pastor Hector Perez and "Papa Carlos" Hostetter stand on a mountain near where Hector lives in Necaxa, Puebla State.

God has brought Ruth and I home safely and we thank Him. We also thank each of you who have been praying for us while we were in Mexico. One can seldom use the word, "perfect" but because of the good hand of God upon us, we can say, "we had a 'perfect' trip." We did not get sick, Ruth had energy and strength, we were delivered from the evils around us, the weather was terrific, and because God was with us we accomplished all the goals we had set.
In the following blogs I want to detail some of the mighty works of God that we experienced during our trip.
I will begin with a brief character sketch of the important people we visited. In future blogs I will detail some of the activities we participated in. Let me introduce the important players in our one month odyssey to Mexico.

Pastors Hector and Maricela Perez:
Ruth and I first got to know Hector when he arrived at the Bible Institute in Jerez, Zacatecas in 1996 for his freshman year. We
became a spiritual "papa and mama" to an eighteen year old lad who had never known the love of a father. In 1999 Hector married Maricela who had already graduated from the Bible Institute. We attended their wedding in Mexico City. In 2004 their first child was born. They named the baby boy, Mairon and I had a namesake and a grandson. God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. In 2006 a daughter was born and they named her Betsi. After pastoring various churches, they were assigned to the church in Necaxa in August of 2008. Hector is also the national youth pastor for the denomination and tells me that at the last youth retreat held in Necaxa in December of 2008 there were 1,000+ youth. He also teaches at the Otomi Indian Bible School in the mountains of Hidalgo State. He and his family visited us in our home in June of 2008 and attended two Sunday meetings held on the farm of Matthew and Barbara Kniesly. Hector is 32 years old and Maricela is 34 years old.


Pastors Pablo and Niky Rimerez
Pablo was a "project" boy in Fresnillo before coming to the Bible Institute in 1996 for his freshman year. He was one of the boys that came to the feeding project sponsored by Lois Raser in Fresnillo. Paul was saved as a teenager by God's work through this project. Paul's father died while he was a boy. One evening after and English class held in our home on campus, Pablo asked me if I would be his father? I happily agreed and so acquired another son.
Niky was a classmate of Pablos in Jerez and they married after they graduated. They have a five -year old daughter named Jaci and a two month old son named Pablo Andras. Paul and Niky pastor a small church in Celaya. Paul is 34 years old.

Rosario Reyes

Rosario came from Rancho San Antonio, a desert village 50 miles north of Jerez. She was twenty years old when she arrived for her freshman year in 1996 at the Bible Institute in Jerez. Rosarios father abandoned the family while she was a child and later committed suicide. She quickly won our affection and when she asked to be considered as our daughter, we happily agreed. God had given us a spiritual daughter. After completing her five years of schooling she graduated and was ordained as a pastor in 2001. After serving at various churches she left the pastorate when she married David in 2001. Rosario and David live in Mexico City. We celebrated Rosarios 35th birthday with her on February 20.

Our three former students all refer privately and publicly to us as "Papa Carlos and Mama Ruth." We accept our titles with humility and gratitude. Neither of them knew a father who loved and encouraged them. Rosario explained it to me this way, "my father is the one who cares about me, encourages me, prays for me." Each one of our spiritual children have a natural Mexican mother who is a giant in faith and there natural mothers have accepted us as one of their family. We respect them and honor them for being Godly mothers.

Doctor Graciela Esparza
Dr. Esparza is a missionary, teacher, pastor and counselor without peer. She has a PHd in psychology from a Canadian University. Though she is a single lady age 81, she keeps a schedule that would tire someone half her age. She has 3 adopted children, She works throughtout Mexico, Central and South America. A close friend of Lois Racer, she is a former Director of Compassion International, Mexican bureau. When I think of Dr. Esparza I compare her to John Sauder in her zeal and commitment to God. Dr. Esparza invited me to teach my Death and Dying Counseling Course in 1990 and I have been teaching it since having taught in all three pastoral Bible Institutes of her denomination. We have enjoyed the hospitality of her home on numerous occasions and she has always respected the belief and practice of the Old Order River Brethren. It is because of her good graces that the OORB's have an open door to minister throughout the 400 churches of the Movimiento, as their denomination is referred to. We thank God for this open door, it is indeed a unique invitation and opportunity, one we value highly. Dr. Esparza has invited me to teach this October and hope to do so, Lord willing.

You will meet many more people in future blogs. Each one has their unique place in God's Kingdom. We are thrilled to know and serve God with our Mexican brothers and sisters. We all have our special role to play in our generation and as we fulfill it we are blessed.
Please communicate with us either by posting a comment on our blog or via email to: myron@oorb.org
And be sure and look for our next blog post next week.

Week #5 Meeting at Esther Shirk

We discussed the first three points on the "A World In Crisis" sheet.
* Cash Withdrawal from your bank unavailable
Ric... suggested that we keep perhaps $50.00 in coins in our home for emergencies
Luke 12 was discussed. "Are we responding in fear instead of trusting?
It was pointed out that this had been answered during our first meeting.
We need to prepare. The example of the talents was discussed especially the man who buried his talent.
Dan ... We should not 'hoard up' coins. prepare enough for a temporary need but do not 'hoard' to use for self like the rich
man who tore down his barns and built bigger.
Kathy ( Matt. 25:1-13 )
Ric ... where does self responsibility apply? ( Luke 21:8 )
* Food Shortages
*Housing Shortages
We spent an hour discussing what a "community" looks like, who makes up a community and what it does.
Ric suggested three categories as follows:
1. Family needs of the day
2. Reach out to neighbors in need
3. End times; at that time community is who you are with.
a. we are all engaged in some way in something. what community do we wang to be part of.
Myron challenged the group to get practical. What can we do NOW to begin community?
We could choose one or two people in need and help them by providing fresh vegetables from a
'community' garden.
Dan ... We need to develop personal, practical skills that we can share with others in need. Skills such as
canning, sewing, meat preservation, carpentry, mechanical, nursing, etc.
Since Myron and Ruth are leaving for Mexico on February 10 the group decided not to schedule weekly meetings
till February 19 when a meeting was scheduled in the home of Ric and Kathy Fogie. In the meantime there may
be a prayer meeting in the home of Jim and Kate Gurerra.
Those present in Esther's home were:
Myron and Ruth, Dee, David F, Dan M, and a new visitor, Michael Bomberger.

Picture taken in the home of Myron and Ruth doing the first meeting on January 8,09

Meeting #4, January 29,09

There were no notes taken for this meeting.
The meeting was held in the home of Esther Shirk. Those present were Ric and Kathy F, Myron and Ruth H, Dan Moyer and Esther.

Points 7-10 on your sheet titled 'Sovereignty of God' were discussed. Considerable time was spent on $10; Salvation for man, but no salvation for angels. Why? Was it fair for God not to make a plan of redemption for the fallen angels, and if not, why not?

The discussion on February 5 will be upon the points on the 'A World in Chaos' sheet.
The next meeting will be on February 5 in the home of Esther Shirk.

Meeting # 3

The group met in the home of Ric and Kathy Fogie for our third meeting. Those present were Jay and Rachel bowman, Esther Shirk, Dan Moyer and Myron and Ruth Hostetter
The evening discussion centered around Points 4-6 on the topic, "Sovereignty of God"

#4. The Place of your birth:
Dan ... Here in the USA we live in a society that values its comfort and leisure. We are spoiled and fearful to go where we do not have the "comforts of home."
The group spent some time discussing the words, 'comfort' and 'fearful' We decided that both are hindrances to mission work. Can we truly go to a mission field where we have little comfort? Would we be fearful to go somewhere where our lives would be in danger? Whit about our children on the mission field?
Ric... Some countries have a nationalized religion, for example, Muslim countries. Being born in one of these countries would force you to abandon the religion into which you were born and 'convert' to Christianity. This would be very offensive to the national religion. Russian Orthodox for example.
Dan ... Talked about Paul on his visit to Mars Hill where he explained the "Unknown God"

#5 & #6 Race and Social strata
We combined these two since in some aspects they relate to one another.
What does race have to do with your place of birth?
Where you are born often has to do with your race. The USA prides itself on being "the melting pot" of the world.
This is not typical of other countries.
Genocide between races in places like the Sudan would mean that if you were of a lesser or weaker tribe you would
be in jeopardy of loosing your life because you were in the 'wrong' tribe.
Rachel ... When witnessing we must stress the 'eternal rewards' of becoming a Christian.
A discussion followed on that point. How can we best 'sell' a trade so that we can earn the right to 'share' our
Christian beliefs?
Ric ... In some countries Christian missionaries must enter the country with a trade or business to share with the people.
If someone asks you about your religious beliefs you may share but you cannot proselytize.
We must meet physical or practical need of the people before we can proselytize.
Kathy ... What are our priorities? Here in the USA we are rich compared to the poorer nations of the world like
Haiti, the Sudan etc. There it is a matter of survival. Stealing is a way of life.
Myron ... before we condemn stealing in someone who is starving we need to provide work or food and then share
Jesus. How can we condemn a father or mother who steals a piece of bread to feed a starving child? Talked about
children living in the city dumps around the world and the terrible life they have.
Dan ... people who have a desperate physical need are more open to the gospel. Rich, intellectuals are often close minded.
Jesus Film discussio. Myron and Ruth want to show the film in Mexico.
* Question, which is more effective:
1. Enter a village where there has been no previous 'seed planting' to show the film.
This novelty will bring a general crowd of curious onlookers. You hand out tracts and do follow up work.
2. Have someone like Hector do some groundbraking and then show the Jesus Film.
When this happens, the local people might have already become biased against the person who has tried to
evangelize and stay away from the showing of the film. This would mean that the general population would
not come because it was only a 'religious' thing.
We had a lively discussion on the pro and con of the two approaches.
The meeting ended at 8:30 followed by 30 minutes of refreshment and social time.
Next Meeting for Thursday January 29 in the home of Esther Shirk.

Sovereignty of God / Week #2

“… for such a time as this!” … Responding to a World In Chaos
Sovereignty of God as it Relates to You
Uniquely You

You are special!
Esther 4:14 / Job 1:19-22

How God made you unique: Things you had no control over at your birth

1. The generation into which you were born ( date and time )
“In the fullness of time”….
Gal. 4:4 Acts 2:1, Rom. 11:25, Eph. 1:10;
On your specific date of birth, more than 200,000 others were born somewhere in the world
In your specific century of time, hundreds of millions will be born.
However, You will know only a small fraction of them.
You will only be intimate with a handful of that fraction.
These ‘intimate’ people will influence you greatly
However, famous people worldwide such as leaders, etc will also influence you, people like Hitler, Stalin, Jonas Salk ( polio vaccine ) the Beatles, President Obama
2. Your parents, and family heritage

Sarah and son Isaac, ( Gen. 21:1-8 )
Manoah & Wife -Sampson, ( Judges 13:1-25 )
Hannah / Samuel, ( I Samuel 1:1-11 )
Susannah and Charles and John Wesley
3. Your gender
To the guys, … ever wonder why you weren’t born a girl?
Differences: Think of what these differences mean to you….


Discussion On Points 1-3
1. Timing is important, indeed crucial
Time is based upon the circuit of the heavenly bodies of the cosmos
Myron posed the question: If you could chose, what generation would you like to be born?
Esther … In the time of Jesus or Job
Dan … Noah will be knows in heaven as the ark builder.
What will I be known for?
2. Family and Heritage
Dan … Moses and Family, Joseph and family
Heritage is vitally important because of God’s love. God chose the family into
which you would be born because He loved you and wanted you to part of
that heritage. Even when our heritage seems rotten, there is a good purpose in
where you are because of God’s love.
Dan shared openly about struggles with his father and how he found victory.
James … Romans 3:1
Myron … love is good but what about God’s love in a tragic situation?
Kathy … Romans 8:28-30, Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6,
Rom. 9:8-22, potter and the clay
Myron posed the following case study:
Two couples who each adopt 2 Russian boys ages 3-4
The boys of one couple are fine
The boys of the other couple are born with fetal alcohol syndrome
All of these boys have two heritages, their natural birth Russian heritage
and the heritage of their new parents.
But there is a vast difference.
Question: How can we as Christians help the boys with their dysfunctional
birth heritage?
Kathy: respite care, prayer against spiritual strongholds, need a mentor for the children.
James … deal with the sin of the birth parent
Dan … they must be bathed in love
3. Gender - cross gender dressing / sodomy
Jake … Today I saw a transvestite on the HACC campus. I felt revolsuion
Dan … we must love
James … I feel like throwing up when I see one
Myron posed this question: how are we going to love when we feel revolted?
Dan … we are all guilty of a sinisim,
Myron … so we all have our individual lust or craving or dissatisfaction
And God expects us to control it and live righteously anyway.
Conclusion: We are to love the sinner while we hate the sin
and try to convert thesinner to God’s truth. We must be wise and loving in our confrontation
but we cannot compromise God’s truth on the matter. This takes much grace and prayer.
A very good evening of discussion
Those present were:
James Strickler, Rick and Kathy Fogie, Esther Shirk, Dan Moyer, David Fry, Jacob diets and Myron and Ruth
Next meeting on January 22 in the home of Rick and Kathy

First Meeting of 2009

KFB Study January 8,09

The first Koinonia Fellowship Bible Study of 2009 met in the home of Myron and Ruth Hostetter on Thursday evening, January 8th.
Myron was the moderator for this session. He gave a brief monologue covering the purpose of why we were meeting. The goal, he said, was to make our Christianity practical in helpful ways to the community around us. He opened with Esther 4:14, … “for such a time as this”, challenging us with the fact that we have been chosen by God to serve in these chaotic times.
How are we to respond to a society in chaos? With fear? Instead he gave us Luke 21:28 as the antidote to fear mongering.
A copy of the following sheet was then given to everyone.

A World In Crisis – Chaos
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. (Lu 21:28)
Some Topics to be considered for Discussed in the Coming Weeks
• Cash withdrawal from your bank unavailable or severely regulated
• Food shortages
• Housing shortage
• Lawlessness on the rise
• Medications cost skyrocketing, or not available
• National I. D. Cards / tracking chip inserted at birth / personal I.D. number
• Oil prices of $5.00+ per gallon
• Religious freedom, Erosion of personal freedoms / marshal law
Christian and home-schooling choice severely regulated or illegal
• Suicides: increase in Anger, Depression, Hopelessness
• Technology … how will it change our lifestyle? Cell phones, ipod, etc.
• Other …Fill in YOUR topic of interest.

Discussion:
John Strickler opened with a relevant question. How specific should our preparation be?
Can we be specific? Should we not rather focus upon our relationship with Christ?
John gave the example of Daniel and the three Hebrew lads not knowing what their
challenge would be but nevertheless being able to respond to the lions den and
the fiery furnace.

This lead to a lively discussion. Trust John to be a catalyst!
Responses to John’s questions:
Rick / Kathy … salvation must come first, our relationship with Christ is all important, faith/works
go together … specifics come out of our relationship with Christ
Donald … Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
We should have an ability to plan, then adjust to our plan.
Dan … the ant prepares for winter, Noah built an ark for the coming flood, God gave us
Matthew 5,6,7, specific instructions for the end times, last day’s scenario,
Jesus said the laborers are few.
Myron ..What are laborers to do?
Jake … we need to help others when we see a need.

Donald then shifted the focus of the evening by zeroing in on the matter of a National I.D. card
or an implanted chip.
Ric gave information and examples of how National security or tracking technology is already
available and in some cases being used. Explained the difference between the Internet
and the Intranet. He explained it in the following way. The public uses Internet; Intranet is a governmental system that is closed and secret, used only by authorized personnel with a “need to know.”

Both Ric and Donald pointed out that information chips have already been implanted and are
being used for various purposes. Used for marketing purposes and inventory tracking.
Also used to track children as a security method.
Donald asserted that it’s already ‘global’.

Question? What is the mark of the beast?
If a chip is implanted in a baby at birth, is this the, ‘Mark’?
Must there be specific intent on the part of the implanter stating that this implant
is a sign that we have rejected our Christian faith?

Kathy … I.D. cards and implanted tracking chips o.k. However, if they’re specific reason is to
indicate we reject our Christian faith we cannot receive them.

Group consensus on global I.D. cards and chip implantation:

People must know and be able to chose or reject; card, implantation or mark, that is
issued by a controlling, anti God movement for the specific purpose of causing us to rejecting our belief In Christ. The avowed purpose for the I.D. chip or mark must be to receive the “mark of the beast.”
A believer must be able to say ‘no’ to card or chip. Thus a baby receiving one at birth
Cannot make a spiritual decision and is not accountable for having one implanted. Since this is true, a chip implanted at birth cannot be the ‘Mark’.

Though a global I.D. card or chip implantation may be invasive of our privacy, and may
be used for tracking purposes of some kind, this is not necessarily the mark of the beast
and as law-abiding citizens, we must obey the law.

Myron offers this dissenting viewpoint:
Since the Bible talks about being unable to ‘buy or sell’ without this ‘mark’, be it I.D. card
or chip implantation, does it not make any such device The Mark of the Beast by its very
nature?
Re 13:17* And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Perhaps more prayer and study need to be done before a decision is made about what the ‘Mark’ consists of.
It was certainly a very interesting evening with lively discussion of various viewpoints.

Discussion topic for week 2. / Myron handed out a sheet on the topic, “the Sovereignty of God”
Next meeting will be in the home of Myron and Ruth on January 15th, Lord willing.

Those attending this meeting were:
Ric and Kathy Fogie, David Fry, Dan Moyer, Esther Shirk, John Strickler, Donald Sauder, Jacob Dietz and Myron and Ruth Hostetter