Todays Sermon

I preached Psalms 103 today.

"The Benefits of Being a Believer."

1 Personal Benefits

2 Public Benefits,

3Their Magnitude &

4Their Administration.

Then after church we got out the puppets & practiced for Vacation Bible School, which starts Tuesday.

Got an outline or illustration you like? Object lesson? Share them with me & we might just put them to work down here in Puerto Rico.

Showers of Blessing?

We are having record breaking rainfall. That is saying a lot, coming from Puerto Rico!

The good part:

The rains have cooled us from the 90-100 range into the mid-80s. Hurray! We can save on air-conditioning. Our new house has a 5500 watt power generator installed in the car-port. Now, when the rains cut off our electricity, we can save our food and have light during the frequent blackouts.

The not so good part:

These rains revealed a leaky roof plus faulty water reserve and pump system that we had to fix (three thousand dollars). The humid weather has really aggravated Tina’s allergy to mildew. Rainy days put a damper on our door to door visitation and Vacation Bible School is just around the corner. Though we love the convenience of our power generator , it’s loud and smelly and our neighbors don’t like it.

The bottom Line:

We will keep serving in the bad weather as well as the good and hope for blessings as we serve. These blessing often come from people who care, pray and give. We will keep plugging away, doing our part.

Please consider how you might share in our good times and not so good times and be an encouragement to the work and workers of missions.

Boy Saved by Ears (maybe we can be too...!)

I came across this article (see below) today and it reminded me of the verse:

"James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath"

Using your ears can keep you out of all kinds of trouble! Remember to use them.

PS. Use your ears to listen to your missionaries and your eyes to read our missionary updates!

Our Missionary updates (almost weekly): Prelgovisk.Blogspot.com

Family, a general overview and missionary information: OverlookedFields.com

The Article:

“Saved by his ears.

A six-year-old boy was saved from certain death by his ears, which prevented him from falling from a high-rise apartment block. Adventurous Ming Ming managed to get his head stuck in window bars of his home in Yinchang, China. Crowds gathered after hearing his screams and rescuers moved into saving the child from an eight storey drop. An onlooker said: 'The only thing stopping him from plunging to the ground below was the fact his head was trapped between two window bars. 'Once inside the flat firefighters quickly used a hydraulic pressure expander to force the bars apart and pulled Ming Ming back into the apartment.”

Catching up on the paperwork!

Paperwork, the unglamorous part of missionary life: Doing quarterly taxes for Puerto Rico, writing schedules for Vacation Bible School, creating a syllabus for classes at the Bible college, writing a review of a couple of Spanish " Intro to Physics" book for use in our Christian Ed classes, etc

It is not all fun, but like the farmer, the hard work and the sweat of the brow come before the harvest. We are getting fruit, but paperwork is still paperwork.

Fading! Order more ink!

VBS (Vacation Bible School) is coming & we must print out a lot of invitations, craft instructions and Bible material. Ink runs $79 for a package of the six cartridges our Epson Artisan 710 printer uses. I do try and get the ink on eBay and by refilling the cartridges, but it is still expensive to print out all of what we need.

Sometimes I want to "economize" (get stingy with) our ink. But then I tell myself something like this: "Why do we even have ink? To use! That's what it's there for! We use ink to print out invitations and Sunday school material for our church. The more we use, the more invitations we can put in the hands of people we invite to church. So, don't get to stingy! Use up that ink and get the job done!"

I feel real good about it for a while. Then a few weeks go by and ...time to re-order. Ouch.

Care to keep us in the ink? About $20 a week would keep our printer fed and insure we have the tools we need to get the job done and give us material to hand out and use in our Sunday school. Or $20 a month would keep us in black ink.

We don't want to fade away in this area, so give us hand if you can.

Embarrased by a New Idea: Give Me One of Yours!

I was embarrassed a little bit recently, by not living up to a high reputation someone had for me.

Our head deacon said, “My friend’s pastor is sending text messages to his church member’s cell phones every week. He reminds them to think of spiritual things during the week. It also reminds them to come to church Sunday. Shouldn’t we do that too? You know a lot about computers Pastor; don’t you think that is a good idea?”

I do! I just never thought about it before. I had looked down on using text messaging in the past so I never gave it much thought. But, I had to admit, that the other pastor had a great Idea. After all, it seems tons of people are text messaging each other. Shouldn’t the church have a part in the content they are receiving every day?

I am usually the idea guy, ahead of the curve in technology. You have to be if you want to teach young college students computer skills they don’t already know. When I heard of the use of text messaging in ministry, it caught me off guard, and I had a “Duh! Why didn’t I think of that?” moment.

I give a class lecture or two on the use of computers in the ministry, but I can see now I need to devote a lot more time to the subject and include more than just teaching on the use of Bible programs.

After considering the cell phones and texting idea, it made sense to examine how all social media could be used in ministry. In my research, I found a chart that supposedly clarifies how to connect with people, but it’s complexity really convinced me there is a need for an entire course on the subject.

An entire course on this makes perfect sense, using Social Media to connect and to minister to a societies of people, such as: Church members, supporting churches, and Bible college students for example.

Now for making the course: I NEED YOUR INPUT!

Do you have any ideas or have heard any stories of how churches, pastors and schools are using social media in their ministries? Please drop us a line at Prelgovisk@yahoo.com or “friend” us on Facebook and help us train a new generation of pastors using the newest and best tools available.

Learning to Be Quiet: Important Discipleship Skill

Last Sunday I asked a church member to preach. His name is Wilfredo Negron. Wilfredo is in his late forties, is married, has three college age kids at home and is employed making contact lenses in a local factory. I asked another man, Luis Lopez, to teach the Adult Sunday School class. Luis is an air-conditioner repairman for the University of Puerto Rico school campuses.

While they were employing their gifts for the good of the church, I went downstairs and substituted for a missing Sunday school teacher. I think I had the hardest job that morning!

I am learning something: the missionary or pastor can become a one-man show. It is easy to justify: after all, if you think you do every job in the church better than the members , why not do it all yourself? This feels right at times. Who wants a second rate service when it can be first rate? But there is a better way. More often than not, it is a better policy to shut up and let others use and develop their gifts.

Wilfredo and Luis both did a great job. The congregation was blessed. I got to thank them and see them leave the church happy. I felt like I was doing my job as a missionary. That is a win-win-win situation.

It really doesn’t take some of them very long to surpass us in skills, or at least in being a more enduring blessing to the church. After all, if we never shut up and let them serve, how will they ever mature to the point where they can do the work themselves, without our help? It is not easy, but as I see them grow, it certainly is very satisfying!

Time to Get a Big Piece

I just read this in the news this morning. The news article reports on a trend we are addressing in our ministry: the increasing stream of immigration and it's expanding influence in America.

U.S. Childlessness Up Amid Demographic Shift

Government Projects that U.S. Minorities Will Become Majority by Mid-Century (CBS )‎ Saturday, ‎June ‎26, ‎2010

After reaching a high of 3.7 children per woman during the baby boom, the U.S. fertility rate dropped to a historic low of 1.7 during the mid-1970s and stands at about 2. The findings also come amid a historic demographic shift in which blacks, Hispanics, Asians and multiracial people are growing rapidly in the U.S. population and wielding more influence in politics and society. Minority babies now make up nearly half of all U.S. births.

© MMX, The Associated Press.

___

I once worked with church in California in the LA area that was the center of an increasing urban minority growth. But their ministry focus stayed fixed on reaching suburban whites. That church died.

I presented a parable to one of the church members:

I asked: "If your church had two cakes at a potluck dinner, one angel-food and the other chocolate, and 100 people got in line trying to get a piece of the angel-food cake, how would that work out?"

Answer: "Well, most people would lose out, or they would only get a tiny bit each."

I said, "So, how could anyone get a big enough piece of cake then?"

Answer: "Learn to like chocolate and get in the line that has the most cake at the end !"

I asked: "Your city is like those cakes, and all the churches are competing for ever decreasing portions of the white population, but the minority part of the city is growing. Why not get in line for a slice of that?"

He smiled sadly and said, "Well, there are problems."

Yeah, I guess. But it is a problem also when your church dies! Are there reasons or problems that hinder us from ministering to minorities? Well, let's solve those problems and get on with the work. We will have bigger problems if we don't.

People, the population "cake" or composition of America is changing. We as pastors, missionaries and church planters need to learn to like the new mix and line up our ministries accordingly. If not, we will have smaller and smaller portions of a declining group, until there is not enough left to sustain the ministry, and then it will fail.

Let us reach the minorities among us. It is good for them, it will keep our ministries alive and besides that, soon we will be a minority ourselves.

Time for a (Work) Break

My missionary life has a lot of variety to it: studying, preaching, counseling, weddings, evangelism, teaching, baptisms, funerals, summer camps, etc. But most of this involves reading or talking to people.

Things are about to change.

This Summer, I have about eight weeks until our teaching begins again. Our new home is providing the agenda for our summertime. We will be fixing the leaking roof, scraping and painting the interior of the house, doing hurricane preparation and the 101 other things a house needs when you move in.

Part of me welcomes the change, but another part longs for some quiet hours in a nice cool study. But that is what they say vacations are all about: making you happy to return to your other work.

Projects like this require time, but all of this costs money as well, money that we don't have right now. We have some time now to work on our house. But we could use some help getting the materials we need to do the work. Please consider giving us a hand.

If you are vacationing in the Caribbean this year, let us know and we will meet you and show you around a bit. We want to get in on the fun stuff too you know!

Missionary Wife Month!

May turns out to be the month I get to celebrate Tina, my lovely and talented wife. I call it Tina's Month - our anniversary is the 7th, then there is Mom's Day & her birthday is the 31st.

This usually means a couple of nice nights out to some nicer than usual restaurants, a couple of funny presents, some earrings and a new something for the house or a lemon tree, etc. for the garden.

This year our daughter Bethany and her husband Abe are going to St Croix, US Virgin Islands as missionaries, and Tina wants to go visit them. I do too, but even though it is a neighboring island, it is more than a bit tight around here, coming soon after our new house purchase, termite adventure & kitchen rebuild.

But... I really want to keep the wife happy, so we are going to try and make it happen.

Hint: I could use some help!

Getting our hands dirty: Car Trouble

Last night the bumper fell off of our 2002 Honda Odyssey and our 1999 Toyota Previa wouldn't start. Our girls were stranded at the church and had to find a ride home with the Aunt of a friend of theirs. Tina and I have been working on attaching the bumper today.

The check engine light came on and I took the Honda to Pep Boys for a computer scan. They said it was the transmission and I could be looking at about $4000 for parts and labor.

We don't have the time or money to get this fixed right now. So for the immediate future I am just keeping the fluids filled and driving carefully.

The drive to church tomorrow will have my full attention.

Big Plans for the Future

The school year is slowly coming to a close. We are making plans for some big projects down the road. Some of our upcoming projects are:

1. Vacation Bible School this Summer

2. Finding and training Sunday School teachers

3. Beginning an AWANA/Youth program in Spanish

4. Going the next few steps toward starting Caribbean Baptist Seminary.

There are some big jobs out there waiting for us. Pray for us, please. We need grace, encouragement and empowerment from God. We also could use some help from you!

Too Calm and Too Cool, & Maybe, Too Crazy

This picture eminds me of the response we get when we try to help people.

I have dealt with people with AIDS, people dying from alcohol poisoning and people losing homes and family. Some of them take the "What, Me worry?" attitude.

I spoke with a man dying from AIDS. He was pathetic looking, with legs like toothpicks. He glared at me and said, "You are just trying to wreck my fun!" Well, he didn't look like he was having all that much fun to me, sitting in his mothers house and wasting away.

Ten days later he died. A week later his older sister died of the same disease. They left behind the mother that cared for them. Someone told me that she was going to lose her government housing for allowing drug her kids to use drugs in her apartment.

Some fun.

Working with what we have

I saw this great idea today - someone made a hanging chair out of an old shipping pallet and parachord. It is comfortable and just about free, but it does take a while to get it all put together and strung up just right.

This is a great idea, if you have tons of time. If not, you need either some people to help, or the funds to just go and buy a chair.

We have been able to get a lot done too on a tight budget. But like the project above, the less funding we have, the more time it takes to get the job done.

Our ministry is going well, but we have soooo much work to get done. Please pray with us about either getting some help or some increase in support. We need one or the other so we can get the work done in a timely manner.

Family Pride

We flew to Pensacola this last week to have a special family time and share in an important event with our daughters.

Our daughter Bethany is getting her Masters degree in art and held her " Masters Art Show."

It was the culmination of her 6 years of college and grad school.

It was a fancy, formal and fun affair. It was fun because I heard many people say great things about her work. She even sold three paintings for $750!

Our daughter Rachel had our first grandbaby and I finally got to see and play with little 10 month old Hannah.

I had to leave to come back for our ministry, but I left Tina and the Twins behind so they could enjoy another week of family time together.

Handful of Pills

"Pastor, last night I had a handful of pills and I was about to take them and kill myself, but something stopped me."

Mike was shaking as he told his story. Mike is a Puerto Rican from New York, who moved back to the island. He came to our church after much witnessing and many invitations. My visiting in-laws also witnessed to him a few weeks ago during their visit to our church.

He said, "I remember what you said to me about the Lord and my soul. I looked at the pills in my hand and tried to take them again, but something stopped me. I saw a bright light and heard a voice saying, "Don't do it. Don’t do it!” so, I put the pills down and said, “OK, Lord, I’ll wait.”

I talked to Mike , expressed my concern for his situation, and that Sunday, presented him with a new bible during our morning service because he had attended four Sundays.

Mike came to church Sunday with a shaken and grave look about him He left with a face all aglow with happiness.

I do not know how it will turn out for Mike, but I do know that for right know, he is in a much better place than he was a month ago. And I am glad I work for the One who made it happen.

Unexpected Fun

In spite of a very rainy night, we had a nice international/missions night last week. I helped these Puerto Rican 8th graders raise funds at their booth for their future activities.

I love our work: starting churches in Puerto Rico, teaching in a Bible college, but I never thought I would like working with Junior High Kids. Maybe it's just that these kids are great kids. But whatever the reason, we are not just doing ministry, we are enjoying ministry!

Come on down here and help us and get in on the fun!

A Big THANK YOU to a faithful supporter

Pastor David Pestel of Bethel Baptist Church in Kalispell, Montana just sent us a very encouraging note. At their annual meeting, the church voted to increase their support for our ministry by the amount of $50.00 per month.

What makes this especial welcome news is:

1. We just moved and have a lot of additional expenses,

2. The church is reading our prayer letters and blog. Also,

3. They are praying that God might bless and give us the strength and stamina we need for the ministry.

Isn't great when you get just what you need?

Thanks so much Bethel Baptist! We appreciate you!

If you're too busy for this...maybe you're too busy.

I saw this picture titled "One sec.." yesterday.

I thought, "Technology is great and multitasking has its charms...but sometimes we need to put it away and concentrate on what is really important."

Monday I am taking time to take my girls out for dinner.

Getting Things Done

Starting a church, teaching at Puerto Bible College, initiating plans for a Seminary, fighting termites and remodeling our new home...so many jobs at once!

How can we do a good job at all of these things and still manage to have a good family life and not burn out in the process?

Well, there are THREE things that help make it happen:

1. Reading and putting into practice sound productivity principles. (Right now I am reading "Getting Things Done" by David Allen).

2. Your prayers and support! Yep, the more of these we get, the more gets done!

3. Your personal visit! You know all those references about being a "Servant" or a "Slave" for Christ? Some people take that literally and actually come out here and help us for a week or even a month or so.

Have you every considered slavery as a career option? Well, if you do, we can keep the right kind of people doing the right kind of things down here for quit a while.

The Haitian Tragedy and Puerto Rico.

It is 405 miles from our house to the devastation you see every night on the news in Haiti. We did not feel the earthquake directly. But being so close to Haiti has given the tragedy an extra emotional impact among our people. Last Saturday we had a pastors’ fellowship. One of the first items we discussed was how to help our near neighbors, the Haitians, in their moments of desperate need.

We sympathize with them greatly. Puerto Rico is no stranger to natural disasters. We ourselves have suffered loss in the floods and hurricanes that strike hard here in the Caribbean. Other situations are looming as well: We are 285 miles from a volcano that is erupting on the island of Montserrat. Earthquakes to the west and volcanoes to the south-east, people are getting nervous.

In order to help people in trouble, like the Haitians, and to help our own people, We have decided to take some measures to equip ourselves to respond and offer some kind of aid and services. I have acquired a Ham radio license. This qualifies me to participate in emergency disaster drills. Besides being able to provide aid during an actual emergency, I think just being able to participate in the drills would be a great asset to our evangelism here. We could be a witness to the other emergency care providers and also be identified as a valuable resource by the people of our community.

But…in order to participate I need a radio: a Ham radio capable of being set up quickly in the field. Ideally, it would be something like the radio in this link (http://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/hamhf/3450.html). The radio and accessories to make it useful for field and rescue work run about $1,200.

I know it's not cheap. It is expensive to be prepared for an emergency. But what other people tell me is, it can be even more expensive to NOT be prepared for an emergency.

Pictures of our new home

The move was a real grunt. We switched houses with the previous owners, so we could move in faster. But that meant we had to get everything moved and leave the house completely clean in one day. We never could have done it without the help of three hard working college students, Nancy, Christian, Bairo and Sarah's boyfriend Mario all of whom worked all day Monday.

We left our home clean but found a LOT to do in the new house. The house was all empty except for quite a bit of dust and grime.Tina said that she had heard of "Dust Bunnies" before, but she encountered a "Dust Monster" left under the bed by the previous owners. The first couple of days we lived among the boxes. The twins slept on mattresses on the floor until we got their bunk beds put together. The animals (two cats and a dog) made the trip fine and did not get lost. The cats helped by sleeping on the new boxes to mark where we had to unpack next.

The house came with some unexpected pluses. The owners left behind an installed video projector, some nice furniture, an above ground pool, and a 750 watt power generator for those days when the power goes out. We have a banana tree and some nice flowers in the back yard too. Very nice.

Christmas Eve came and we had our bathroom, living room and two bedrooms set up. We got a tree and Tina and the girls decorated it nice late last night on Christmas Eve.

Horray! We are celebrating Chistmas today, a bit worn out, but very happily from our new home.

We are IN!

We are in our new house! We moved! What a day!

Two college guys, a high school student and a college girl helped us pack up two minivans and move all our furniture, boxes and odd things into our new house. After ten hours and many multiple trips, we called it a day. We were exhausted and treated the crew to a Taco Bell feast.

Tina gave me some Ibuprofen for my back, but besides a lot of sore muscles, I think we didn't suffer any major damage to anybody or anything.

Now for the fun of unpacking and trying to find the coffee...

The Big Move is Underway!

We are living among and out of our moving boxes in our old house, waiting for the people in our new house to leave. They were having trouble doing this, so we offered to switch houses. They liked the idea. So today, we took the first load of boxes over to our new house. I got some help from some of our Bible college guys, to help them and to speed things along for us. We hope to finish up Monday, the 21.

I don't think the reality of owning a house has sunk in yet. But it does feel pretty good seeing those boxes finally move out the door.

Our new address is:

Steve & Tina Prelgovisk
URB SIERRA BAYAMON
33-15 CALLE 31
BAYAMON, PR 00961-4365