Man A - "I have never seen anyone love like that before." Turning to the man next to him, "Have you?"
Man B - "No"
Rick - "Well, this is the kind of love God has for us and it is the kind of love He wants us to have for others - our wives, family and everyone."
Man B - "Well, no one I know loves like this."
Rick - "What would happen if you loved like this? And what would happen if your whole village loved like this?"
The conversation continued as we talked about how different life would be. They said many problems would be solved. They even talked about how contageous this kind of love would be.
Rick - "This love is very different than what we normally see."
Man A - "Yes, it would be like starting something completely new."
Rick - "Then let's start something complete new!"
Both men agreed and that is what we are working on. What started with some marriages in trouble has enabled Rick to ask some very direct questions of two men who wanted change. We watched the movie FireProof and are using it's book The Love Dare as a guide. God is teaching all of us (yes, me too) about the love He has for us and wants us to have for others.
The Nueva Vida church plants consistently have more women attenders than men. We have talked with the male believers about how to reach men for Christ, they have voiced their view that men are more spiritually closed than women. It is as if it is "easier" for a Dominican woman to follow Christ than for a Dominican man. This is frustrating.
In the United States, Becky and I asked a Colombian pastor for advice on how to reach Latin men. He shared "You need to go to the core. The Latin man wants to be respected, especially by his family and kids. But he has few examples and doesn't know how. Talk to him about this desire and help him see that God can help, and the Latin man will be reached." And with those words of advice, we have been trying just that. Most importantly, God is working. No strategy or program will have eternal significance without God's involvement. And so we are asking God to change the definitions of love, family, and marriage in this society to fit with His will, for His glory.
Please pray for this group!
