Each Sunday morning, members of Greater Grace Medellin head to Poblado. We bring “Cornhole boards” for our weekly ministry – “Cornhole for Christ”. After taking a $3 taxi ride, we start at 9:00 and usually quit between 11:00 – 11:30. As you may know, Cornhole is a fun game that is very popular in the United States. And like us, several churches use cornhole in their ministry activities. The object is to toss a beanbag in the hole of a board about 20-30 feet away. And Pastor Brent is a master at cornhole!
To explain more, each Sunday, Poblado holds the”Ciclovia”. In this event, the Medellin city government shuts down the southbound side of Poblado Avenue to motorized traffic. Then, thousands of people bring kids, pets, skates, wagons, and bicycles for this weekly adventure. Due to all the traffic walking by, we set up our cornhole boards along the street. Most people here have never seen cornhole. So as they walk by, they see us playing the game and want to join in the fun. And we get to tell them about Greater Grace Medellin, the first English-speaking church. We invite them to church and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with those who are interested.
Poblado – The Place For English Speakers
Poblado is a large neighborhood in Medellin. It is very popular with foreign visitors, many of whom speak English. When Paulette and I moved to Medellin, our first apartment was in Poblado. And living so close, I used to get out every Sunday to walk the Ciclovia. Now, we have a lot of fun at this event, and the Holy Spirit draws us into “Divine Appointments” each week. God is definitely using Cornhole for Christ to draw people to His kingdom.
Come join us to help or just check us out. We are usually near the intersection of Avenida Poblado and Calle 5. See you there.
Each Saturday afternoon, the people of Greater Grace Medellin gather to celebrate our new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We started these weekly meetings in January, a few days after Pastor Brent and his wife Lucy arrived in Medellin. In our church gatherings, Pastor Brent always brings a message from God’s Word, The Bible. We also sing, pray and fellowship with one another in English. By the way, we call them gatherings because in the Bible, “church” is the people (body of Christ), not buildings or places.
Laureles-Estadio is just one of nearly 250 barrios in Medellin. (Barrio means neighborhood in Spanish). We have lived here since December 2019, and are hoping to establish our new church here. Why Laureles? First, it has the 2nd largest population of English-speaking ex-pats in Medellin. An ex-pat is someone who is a citizen of one country but who chooses to reside in a different country. We and many of our friends are citizens of the USA or Canada, but love living in Medellin.
Second, Laureles is almost perfectly flat. That flatness makes it very easy for us to walk. We walk to grocery stores, pharmacies, all sorts of shops, and at least 100 restaurants. We don’t need a car, and we don’t want a car. Consequently, we save a lot of money on transportation. This is part of the reason we can live so well on our Social Security alone.
So when it was time to find a place for the church to meet, I walked 7 blocks to a local hotel, and toured Hotel Casa Laureles. The conference room looked perfect, and they gave us a very good price. In fact, we had used them for several meetings in the past. But it turned out they had already reserved the room for 3 Saturdays per month, so we only got to have one meeting there. But they suggested another place that was only 3 blocks further.
That place was the Golden Palermo Hotel. At first, they said we could only have 30 people present due to local Covid rules. But after a couple of weeks, that rule was relaxed and the limit increased to 40 people. So that is where we have been meeting since January 8, 2022. And the hotel treats us very well, and they are generous with us regarding the price.
Why Do We Meet On Saturdays?
At first, our reason for meeting on Saturdays was simple. We had three missionary families that are part of our group and they had duties with their groups on Sundays. So we meet on Saturdays so they can join us. Another reason is that we are trying to talk with other churches about sharing their facility on Saturday. This is similar to many English-speaking churches in the US that rent out their facilities to other groups for times other than Sunday mornings. The problem is that we are the first English-speaking church here. So there is no history of them doing this.
But we are still praying for a more permanent location. And for the time being, we have everything we need – until we grow larger than 40 people. Stay tuned for an update and I’ll keep you posted about changes.
English and Spanish Speakers
Although we use American English in our meetings, we do not exclude anyone who wants to join us. Most of our meetings offer translation for Spanish speakers through their cell phone headsets. So please bring your phone and headset if you need a translation. ***
***Sin embargo, no excluimos a nadie que quiera unirse a nosotros. La mayoría de nuestras reuniones ofrecen traducción para hispanohablantes a través de los auriculares de sus teléfonos celulares conectados a una llamada de conferencia Zoom. Así que traiga su teléfono y auriculares si necesita traducción.
Come join us, meet new friends, and experience a blessing from God. It could change your life and eternal destination.
Steve Tuggle
Greater Grace Medellin is a Christian Evangelical Church. For more information about us and what we believe, please refer to our page “What We Believe“.
A revival is taking place here in Medellin. Medellin Colombia needs the gospel and workers for the harvest to share that gospel in this large city of over 4 million people. Missionaries from North America and other parts of the world are and have been serving all over the country. In Medellin, we have met many devoted Christian missionaries. One special couple, Mark and Barbara Stringer came to Colombia in 1966. And they are still faithfully serving the churches they started.
But as Jesus said in Matthew 9:37-38, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” One of the goals of Greater Grace Medellin is to encourage Christian expats from North America and elsewhere to consider relocating to Medellin, Colombia. The cost of living here is extraordinarily low, and you can find many ways to serve God while helping to fulfill the “Great Commission” Matthew 28:18-20
Despite the dominant influence of the Roman Catholic faith, Medellin Colombia still needs the gospel. Here in Medellin, I believe there are at least 100 Spanish Evangelical Christian churches. They preach and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Spanish. But there are thousands of foreigners living in Medellin who don’t speak Spanish. Who is there to share the gospel with them in a way they can understand? That’s why we are here.
Meet Pastor Brent Hillenga
Our new Pastor, Brent Hillenga, from Greater Grace World Outreach, and his wife Lucy moved to Medellin from Baltimore, Maryland. Prior to that date, several Christians were meeting in weekly online Bible studies, but it was difficult to hold regular church services without a facility and someone to preach and guide. So when Pastor Brent arrived, we joined with him in creating Greater Grace Medellin. He immediately started holding weekly church services in Laureles in English.
Pastor Brent has many talents, and Evangelism is at the top of his goals. He came because he believes in the title of this post, “Medellin Colombia Needs the Gospel”. He immediately instituted several outreach programs such as Cornhole for Christ on Sunday mornings in Poblado.
We’re currently meeting in the conference room at the Golden Palermo Hotel. But it appears we might soon outgrow that room. This Saturday at 3:00, we have a guest speaker. Pastor Kim Shibley is visiting from Greater Grace Community Fellowship in Silver Springs, Maryland. He and Pastor Brent went to Bible College many years ago. And they’ve been sharing their faith ever since, in many parts of the world.
We Believe The Bible
At Greater Grace Medellin, we believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. We believe that “All Scripture contained in the Old and New Testaments is verbally, plenarily, and inerrantly inspired by God. It is the authoritative guide for all Christian understanding, life, and ministry.”
We preach the Bible every week and regularly share our faith with other English speakers (and Spanish speakers as well). Please consider joining us tomorrow and every Saturday afternoon for Praise and Worship, a Bible message, and prayer, 100% in English. We are the first and only English-speaking Christian church in Medellin.
[July 2022 update: We now meet in a new permanent facility excellently located in Laureles where many of us live. Calle 33, 66B-147, Medellin, Colombia. More about that in our next post.]
Note: This article was first published on my old website, Grace Church Medellin in December 2019. In January 2022, we became part of a new church plant, Greater Grace Medellin. It is included here for historical purposes.
When we decided to retire outside the USA in January 2016, we researched destinations in Latin America, specifically looking to make sure there was a church we could attend. We believe Christians need a home church, and this post explains this in more detail. For us and many Christian retirees, not having a home church is a “deal-breaker”. Especially when you are so far from family and friends.
Why do Christians need a home church?” Because Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are a family. We will be together for all eternity. In this life, Christians need one another for encouragement, for teaching, for the worship of our Savior, and to grow in our faith. So Christians need a home church to support one another as we learn to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.
What Does The Bible Say?
The Bible says Christians need a home church.
Here is a great Bible verse that is directly on point. We are told in God’s Word, the Bible,
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
Hebrews 10:23-25
Greater Grace Medellin was formed for those purposes and also to spread the Gospel of Christ in accordance with “The Great Commission”.
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”
Matthew 28:18-20
We found excellent English-speaking churches in Roatan, Honduras (R Church), Boquete, Panama (Boquete Bible Fellowship), and Cuenca, Ecuador (Cuenca Christian Church). And you can easily find each of these churches here on Facebook and other places on the web.
Our Journey To Medellin
While living in Panama and looking for our next destination, we heard great things about Medellin, Colombia. But we also learned that there was a definite need for an English-speaking Christian church. We visited Medellin for 10 days in September 2017. And at the time, we didn’t feel equipped to start a church ourselves, not knowing anyone there and not knowing Spanish. But we soon learned that the Holy Spirit had a plan for us.
Still, it took another 7 months and some friends from Panama for us to be convinced to come to Medellin. During that time, we visited Peru, tried living in Cuenca, Ecuador, and San Jose, Costa Rica, and even spent 2 months traveling in the US. But at the end of that trip, we realized that God was calling us to come to Medellin, Colombia.
And what a terrific decision that has turned out to be. We now have multiple Bible studies on Zoom, live in-person fellowship lunches, and next month we start live, in-person church services. All of these meetings are 100% in English. Our group includes people from the USA, Canada, Venezuela, and Colombia.
We are excited to see what God is accomplishing through people who have said “Here I am, send me”. All God wants is people who are available. And He can definitely use you.
“The Holy Spirit doesn’t call the equipped. He equips those He calls”.
“I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.” Gen 9:13 NASB
We recently enjoyed another week with our new pastor, Brent Hillenga, from Baltimore, MD. Brent invited three guests from Greater Grace World Outreach to join him this week. This was Brent’s third visit to Medellin in 2021. And during the week, we announced a new name for our Medellin Church. In January, Grace Church Medellin will become Greater Grace Medellin, a new name, with the same goal. We believe God has called this man to be our first pastor. We will continue our mission to establish the first Christian Church for English speakers in Medellin, Colombia. Brent and his wife Lucy will relocate to Medellin in January 2022.
Our week with Pastor Brent included meetings with many of our people. We shared testimonies and prayer requests, prayed together, and read and studied the Bible together. We also enjoyed showing off Medellin to our guests. Of course, we consumed lots of delicious food, walked all over Laureles, and traveled around the city.
On Friday, Pastors Brent and Shibley took a quick trip to Guatape to visit family members of their church in Baltimore. A local Spanish-speaking Christian pastor picked them up and took them on an exciting drive. Later that day, we met with the pastors of another Spanish-speaking church around the corner from our apartment in Laureles. Laurelesis a barrio (neighborhood) of Medellin, which is where we live, and want to locate the church facility. We learned about the process of establishing a new church in Colombia. Our hosts showed us their church and talked with us about monthly costs. It was an encouraging time with Pastor Eduardo of Iglesia Redil Laureles.
Saturday Church Service
On Saturday afternoon, we enjoyed a delicious lunch. After lunch, we held our monthly church service which was special for several reasons. First, we had three terrific preachers, and we heard short messages from each of them. Second, we baptized two men from our group. I got in the baptistry with them and had the joy of participating in my first baptism in two years. While we were at lunch, my good friend, Michael Thayer filled the baptistry with a water hose. He also took a short video of his antics in adding ice cubes to the water!
The third reason it was so special was that we had a total of 23 people plus our 4 visitors from the US. Our normal attendance on Saturday afternoon is around 10-12, so we were overjoyed at the turnout. And everyone there heard the announcement about the new name for our Medellin church. By the way, the main reason we hold our church services on Saturday is that several of our group are missionaries and have responsibilities to their Spanish congregations on Sunday.
We Visited Friends in La Ceja.
On Sunday, we rented a 15-passenger van with a driver and took a trip to La Ceja to spend time with Luverne and Connie Shull. Luverne and Connie have been part of our group for about two years, and they recently moved to La Ceja, a small town in the highlands above Medellin. The bus ride to La Ceja takes an hour and 1/2, and we climbed 3,000 feet, so the road was anything but straight. However, the trip was very scenic, and on the way back we stopped at a beautiful waterfall called Tequendamita Falls.
During the trip, revisited with our guests, sang, laughed a lot, and saw the natural beauty of Colombia. In La Ceja, we visited with Luverne and Connie, and Pastor Brent led us in a rap session about the love of God. I think everyone contributed to the discussion. Then we went to the center of town, had a delicious meal, and boarded the bus for the trip back to Medellin.
Medellin needs Destiny Christian School
Pastora Barbara, Pastors Shibley and Brent, and Principal Marko at Destiny School
I want to mention one last item. For months, we have been praying for Destiny Christian School. Barbara Manderfield and her husband have been missionaries to Colombia for 31 years, and they started the school several years ago. But the Colombian authorities seem to have placed many obstacles in their path to obtaining a license and accreditation. And they also appear to be stalling in hopes they will just give up.
Two families from our church have enrolled their children in the school, and others are considering joining the school. In our meeting, Barbara mentioned 7 specific prayer requests. I know our visiting pastors will share these with their congregations back home, and you can also pray for the school. Here are her requests:
Approval of the license
Protection from fines
Publicity
More families and students
Help with their website and social media
Legal assistance with work visas for their teachers
More teachers
Please pray for these needs for this incredibly important school.
Medellin Has Many Advantages for Retirees
Tuesday, November 16, 2021, the group flew back to Maryland. We had a nice visit with them before they left and shared another time of prayer. We’re looking forward to Brent and Lucy returning in January. The Greater Grace Church is planning a conference here in Medellin from January 20-23 to officially start Greater Grace Medellin. You should definitely try to join us either then, or as soon as you can.
Medellin is a fantastic place, especially for Christian retirees. One of our messages is Couples and Singles can retire and live very inexpensively here while also having a heavenly purpose for the remainder of their lives. Here are a handful of reasons to consider relocating to Medellin, Colombia:
Colombia has the highest-rated healthcare system in Latin America. In fact, Medellin has 9 of the 58 top-rated hospitals in all of Latin America;
Medellin’s total cost of living is about one-third the cost in most places in North America and Western Europe.
With its world-class Metro and bus system and very low-cost taxis, Medellin provides excellent public transportation throughout the entire Aburra Valley. We don’t need or want to own a car, and that lowers our cost of living even more.
Medellin is known as “The City of Eternal Spring” because the daily temperatures year-round vary from 60 – 85 with very mild rainy seasons.
There is a growing number of direct flights between Medellin and major cities in the US and Canada.
Since retiring, Paulette and I have more friends than we had back home.
We know that many look back to the history of Colombia and the drug cartels and think “How can we be safe there?” But we have lived here for over 4 years and have never witnessed a crime. We walk all over our neighborhood to the many restaurants, stores, and modern malls, and we feel very safe.
And now, Medellin has a strong and growing Christian church for English speakers. There are many opportunities to serve and be a part of the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20.
Come visit and see for yourself. You can stay for 3 months with just your passport. No visa is required.
Steve Tuggle
Greater Grace Medellin (formerly Grace Church Medellin)
This is another of my historical posts prior to the start of Greater Grace Medellin. The original post date was March 7, 2020 – two weeks before the Covid shutdown.
What is the most modern city in Latin America? My wife and I believe Medellin, Colombia is the answer to that question.
You are probably asking something like “How can you think that the city of the notorious Pablo Escobar could possibly qualify?” In this post, I’ll share with you our reasons from our own personal experiences over the past 4 years living in Latin America. And since we have lived in four different countries in Latin America and visited two others, we know quite a bit about this subject. I’m going to explore this question in this article, so you can understand what our life is like here, and why you may want to come to check it out yourself.
Medellin has been our home for nearly two years (as of this writing, 3-7-2020). Since we retired over 4 years ago, we have lived in the following places:
Roatan, Honduras (3 months)
Boquete, Panama (17 months)
Peru (visited 1 month),
Cuenca, Ecuador (3 months)
San Jose, Costa Rica (1 month)
USA (visited for about 2 months).
Looking back, we feel the Holy Spirit used that time to train and help us see His leading to Medellin. We came to help start the first Christian church for English-Speakers in Medellin, and we enjoy that ministry very much.
Reasons Why I Think Medellin Is The Most Modern City in Latin America
Of course, these are my opinions, and many will say their city is the most modern. And opinions and experiences are why no one can definitively tell you the absolute best place to live in the world. But here are my reasons for why I suggest Medellin is the most modern city in Latin America.
Transportation
In Colombia and many other parts of Latin America, a car is much more expensive than in the U.S. But the good news is that you don’t need one here. In many parts of Medellin, we can easily walk to grocery stores, malls, restaurants, movie theaters, and special events. If you don’t want to walk, numerous buses are available to take you anywhere you need to go. They are safe, comfortable, and pretty easy to find. And there are also taxis and “Uber” style cars that generally cost under $3.00 for most trips. Many of our trips cost around $1.50. We never found a taxi in Houston for a price close to that.
The Metro
Metro Cable Connects the Lowest Income Areas to Line A.
But the best transportation option in Medellin is the Metro. Rides cost the equivalent of $0.75! The public transportation system in Medellin is anchored by the Metro, which is the only rail-based system in Colombia. And the Metro System in Medellin is much more than just rail. It includes:
Two rail lines – Line A, running north to south with 21 stations and Line B, running west from San Antonio Station with six stations. Line A is located at the bottom of the Aburrá Valley generally along the Medellin River.
Five Metrocable cable car lines. The elevation in Medellin rises quickly from 5,000 feet along the Medellin River to 7,000 feet and above. Some of Medellin’s poorest citizens live in the higher elevations where there were few transportation options. Metrocable was conceived to help these people get to/from work. It just shows the incredible forward-thinking of the leaders in Medellin.
One Tranvía tramcar line, running east into the center of the city.
Metro Tranvia Connects Inner City Neighborhoods with Line A for efficient, inexpensive commuting.
Two Metroplús elongated bus lines – special double and triple the length of regular buses with specially designed elevated boarding stations and protected routes exclusively for these buses.
80 “Zero Emission” electric buses for a new Line O.
Over 200 metro feeder buses that connect the metro stations with many neighborhoods in the Medellín metropolitan area.
Medellin’s Metro system carries more than 300 million passengers each year. And it was named one of the top transport systems in the world by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) in 2012.
Modern shopping malls with a twist
Medellin’s shopping malls are spectacular. They are large, beautiful, and very modern. Two brand new malls have opened in the past year. Each one tries to outdo the last. And they are especially attractive when decorated for Christmas. What makes them unique is they are all open-air. Medellin is known as “The City of Eternal Spring”. They all have special solutions to protect from rain. For example, Santa Fe Mall has 2 retractable roofs – one over the center court and the other over the giant food court.
Medellin’s shopping malls also offer some of the most breath-taking views of the city and surrounding mountains. Whenever we have visitors, we always include a trip to Tesoro Mall to see what we think is the best view of Medellin.
High Quality, Low-Cost Healthcare System
This may not sound like a distinguishing factor to determine “most modern”, but just wait. You will be asking yourself why it costs so much in the U.S. You will also wonder how a small South American country can be so far ahead.
The total cost of our health insurance is about $35 per month. That is the total for both of us. Most doctor visits cost $1. My prescriptions cost $1 for a 1-month supply. Many of our doctors are trained in North America. Sometimes, we choose to go outside our system to get faster service. For example, last month I was examined by a Dermatologist. During that appointment, she removed three sun-related lesions. And best of all, the total cost of the visit was only $45.88.
The most impressive story was one I just heard. A friend was in the hospital ICU for about 2 weeks and then had arthroscopic surgery. His total cost for the entire stay was zero! Because of the high quality and low cost, we made the decision to discontinue our Medicare coverage in the US. Including the cost of related supplemental insurance policies, we are saving roughly $500 per month. We would never dream of returning to the U.S. for a medical procedure. Even without insurance, the out of pocket cost here would be less than the deductibles and other uncovered costs back home in Houston.
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
You are invited to visit and see for yourself. I’m sure your visit will be both enjoyable and eye-opening. And while you are here, we would love to have you visit our church groups. If you decide Medellin is right for you, join us in our mission to establish a Christian church and Christian community for English-speaking residents and visitors to Medellin.
You will be excited to know that your Social Security benefits will most likely be enough to cover your living expenses. And I also feel that God will give you the opportunity to serve in a special ministry He has in mind for you.
Ephesians 2:10 says:
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Please leave a comment below and contact me if I can be of any assistance.
Last November, we hosted our second annual Thanksgiving Dinner since moving to Medellin, Colombia. Our apartment isn’t all that large, but we managed to fit 11 of us. We complied with all Covid restrictions. Just like Thanksgiving dinner at home, everyone brought something. Our friend Connie prepared a delicious turkey, and we had all of the standard trimmings. All who came are members of one of our small-group Bible studies for Grace Church Medellin. And since we are all members of the family of God, it was a true old-fashioned family dinner. (Although not nearly as much arguing as my sister, brothers and I used to do)!
Why not consider a visit? The airports are open; most no longer require a Covid test, and the low cost of the trip will be a pleasant surprise to your wallet. Perhaps you can come for our next Thanksgiving Dinner in 2021!
Better yet, while you’re already in South America, why not check out more of our amazing sites and destinations. One of our favorite trips was our 3-week visit to Peru. We started with a week in Cusco to see the amazing creations by the Incas. Then moved West and North to Lake Titicaca, Arequipa, and finally Lima. Another beautiful city to visit is Cuenca, Ecuador, where we lived for 3 months. The best time to visit Cuenca is at Christmas time. Here is a link to my post on the Christmas Parade.
Covid 19 For US Citizens Living In Colombia
The year 2020 was challenging for us. To protect its residents and visitors, the Colombian government instituted a massive shutdown and quarantine. For us, this started on March 20 and continued into September, when the government finally opened our airports for any travel at all. During the full quarantine, we had assigned shopping days based on our national ID card or passport. Only one family member at a time could leave the home or apartment. Many businesses closed, especially restaurants and mall shops. And since no tourists were allowed in or out, all of those businesses ceased all operations. Thankfully, we didn’t have any shortages, and the grocery stores were always full of fresh meat, fish, and produce.
After that total lockdown, we had various tries at easing restrictions. Inevitably, cases would rise and more quarantines would follow. As of June 2021, we are finally open with no curfews or lockdowns. But unlike other countries, we are required to wear masks. It is at least nice to shop when we want and for all businesses to be open again. The Colombian economy didn’t have the luxury of “printing money” so the massive unemployment benefits available in the US and some other countries were not available to most people here.
So What Have We Done This Year 2021?
Wow, it’s been over 8 months since my last post to this site. Some of you may have noticed and thought we quit our blog, but nothing could be further from the truth. Actually, we started relying much more on Facebook for updates and events. We created two new Facebook Groups:
Grace Church Medellin Group: Christian Church for English-Speakers – This is specifically for our ministry to start a Christian Church for English Speakers in Medellin, Colombia. The Laureles barrio (neighborhood) is now our home, and starting the church has become our primary focus.
Retire, Relocate, and Serve Christ in Latin America – This has become our vehicle for sharing all we have learned since leaving our home in Houston, Texas in January 2016. We believe there are thousands (or even tens of thousands) of Christian seniors in North America and other parts of the world who could find a new enriching and fruitful life living and serving Christ outside the USA. We have met them everywhere we have lived and visited in Central and South America.
Our God is an awesome God. Despite all of the lockdowns, Jesus continues to build His church for English speakers in Medellin, Colombia. I’ll cover more about that in my next post. Thanks for reading, and please comment or ask questions.
[The following is an email one of our leaders received from his former Pastor in Guatemala. It answers the question – Can You Be Spiritual But Not Religious. I added the title for purposes of publishing on this website. As a disclaimer, the views expressed herein do not necessarily express the views of Grace Church Medellin. All comments inside [] are the personal views of Steve Tuggle. Those comments also do not necessarily express the views of Grace Church Medellin.]
I think we have all heard the following statement, and perhaps used it ourselves. “I think of myself as spiritual and not religious.” Now, as a person of “religion”, I sometimes think of that statement negatively. It is an excuse people use to not participate in organized religion. One of my favorite books in high school was entitled “How to be a Christian without being Religious” by Fritz Ridenour, a Lutheran.
In Christianity, Can you be Spiritual But Not Religious? Is Christianity a “Religion”?
[We Christians don’t think of ourselves as religious – we think of ourselves as “forgiven”. Fritz Ridenour said in his book, “Christianity is not a “religion; it is a “relationship”. And according to the Books of Ephesians and Romans, God, the Father initiated that relationship through His Amazing Grace.]
If you read the Gospels carefully and critically, we see that Jesus’ incarnation, was not to start a new religion. His coming among us was not as most Christians think. It was actually to save all religions from the laws (Torah) that separated sincere people and kept them divided.
Why Did Jesus Come To Earth?
Jesus came among us to proclaim that “religion” had come to an end. His message was that all people could form one human family caring for each other and God’s Creation. [In the truest sense of the word, “religion” is man reaching out to satisfy God. Christians know from Romans 3:23 that we can never satisfy God’s standards. Therefore, the only way we can be reconciled to God is through His free gift of faith in Jesus.] In a sense, the critics are absolutely correct. The religions of the world are responsible for the world’s divisions and wars among people. The religions of the world have subtly left the intention of their founders. They adopted rules and ways of being that cut them off from others, rather than unite them with each other. Take Jesus’ words in the Gospel of John.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. [John 14:27]
How does “Religion” respond to the message of Jesus?
Humankind seeks peace as the world does, by uniting the “Us” against the “Them.” And religions, for the most part, have adopted the world’s way by making enough rules to make it difficult for many people on the “outside” to find a community within them. The Christian “religion” [not the Christian faith], knew full well that Jesus gave only two commands: Love God and neighbor and gather to celebrate Eucharist (thanksgiving) together. Nevertheless, they adopted so many rules “from biblical teaching” that effectively make it impossible to find unity. These rules, or disagreement with them, have led to countless divisions in Christianity alone. Instead of following Jesus’ commands and gathering together in thankfulness for Jesus’ presence in our midst, they make rules. And if I don’t like your rules, my friends and family will leave and make our own community and find rules (Torah) we can agree with.
And what was Jesus’ Response?
This is why Jesus, in his last talk with his disciples before going to the Cross, says
I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. [John 14:26]
Now over 2000 years later, the “cat is out of the bag.” There are thousands of religions and many divisions in each one. How are we ever going to heal or eliminate religious fervor/division and get back to our spiritual roots? I think the followers of Jesus are most responsible, guided by the Holy Spirit, to bring about a spiritual revival across all religious faiths, denominations, or people who are searching or even not-searching for God. The Holy Spirit reminds us again today of what Jesus said and taught. We need to end religion and gather in the Spirit with all people of goodwill. We must love Jesus. And since Jesus is no longer with us physically, we must let go of the fear that causes us to gather only with those we agree with or feel comfortable with.
Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, “I am going away, and I am coming to you.” If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. [John 14:1]
In Light of All This, How Should We Then Live?
The Holy Spirit, the Advocate, is the one “called alongside” (parakletos) to defend the accused or the victim of accusation. Anyone who seeks to bring down the barriers of religion and build unity will be victimized and accused of being anti-religious, disrespectful of holy laws, and being relativistic. This is not to say that “one religion is as good as any other,” but that all human beings are already related (ligament) to one another, the root meaning of the word religion. So: What would Jesus have us do now? I think Jesus wants us to do the following.
Begin to live the Gospel vision of unity seeing all people as our brothers and sisters in this world.
Love and affirm the good in them.
Forgive them when needed (as we have been forgiven).
Let go of the religious barriers we’ve grown up with.
This I think is living the life in the Spirit Jesus desires us to live. All human beings are invited to gather together in Eucharist: giving thanks for God’s love, the gift of life, and all of Creation.
Amen!
Rev. John Smith,
Antigua, Guatemala
[PS. Since all of the Bible verses quoted in this letter are from John Chapter 14, it would appear that there is much wisdom to be gained from studying this chapter. I therefore highly encourage everyone to study John Chapter 14. Our Grace Church Medellin Small Group Bible Studies are currently studying the entire Gospel of John. We invite you to join us in the group that is most convenient for you.]
This month, our friend Andrew shared with us the Bible study “40 Days of Walking With God”. This is the plan his church is working through. There are 40 passages of Scripture. We read the passage, and then follow some suggestions to make the study more meaningful. We then write out the answers to 4 questions. Here are the instructions and Bible passages.
Consider the following suggestions to get the most out of this 40-day Walking with God guide.
Choose a specific time and place to study the 40 days.
Keep this reading guide always at hand, try to have it accessible.
Each day, during your devotional time, read the biblical passage aloud and set your heart for God to work.
Pray out loud so you can focus on the requests you are making.
Finally, remember that our heavenly father wishes to speak to you. Ask God to help you be sensitive to being guided by the Holy Spirit and be attentive to the answers he sends to your life.
Questions to keep in mind when reading the daily readings. Using the “S-O-A-P” Acronym method.
It is important to answer the following questions and write the respective answers in a notebook. Andrew uses the acronym “SOAP”
Write out a prayer, reflecting what you are feeling during this time of meditating on the word of God.
“The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” Eph 6:17
Bible Passages For This Study
Luke 4:1-13 ❏
Hebrews 4:14-16❏
Philippians 4:4-7❏
Luke 10:38-42❏
John 8:1-11❏
Mark 9:17-27❏
John 14:1-4❏
John 14:26-28❏
Psalms 55:16-18❏
Psalms 57:1-6❏
2 Corinthians 4:7-11❏
1 Peter 5:6-11❏
Revelation 21:1-4❏
Hebrews 12:1-11❏
Mathew 26:36-46❏
Isaiah 53:3-8❏
Psalm 119:25-32❏
1 Peter 2:20-24❏
Ephesians 4:17-25❏
2 Corinthians 3:2-6❏
Mathew 28:18-20❏
Acts 1:4-5, 8❏
Psalms 91:1-7❏
2 Corinthians 12:7-10❏
Mathew 5:13-16❏
1 Corinthians 9:24-27❏
1 Corinthians 10:6-13❏
Psalms 46:1-7❏
John 11:17-27❏
Mathew 14:22-33❏
Psalms 16:7-11❏
Luke 9:10-17❏
Luke 8:43-48❏
Psalms 27:1-4❏
Luke 8:26-39❏
Psalms 23❏
Isaiah 43:1-5❏
Psalms 51:1-12❏
Exodus 23:20-25❏
Isaiah 40:26-31❏
Steve’s comments for one day
I’m getting a lot out of the study, so if you would permit, I want to share my notes on today’s lesson.
Scripture – John 14:1-4 14 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way where I am going.”
1 Which word or phrase was most important to you? “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places.”
2 What is God teaching you? He has always had a plan that includes every believer. Jesus is busy making preparations for us.
3 How do you apply what you read to your life? This is important information that needs to be shared with others. I need to evangelize and disciple.
4 Write out a prayer, reflecting what you are feeling during this time of meditating on the Word of God. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for these words of comfort to believers everywhere and for all time. And thank you for the promise of your return to receive us. I know you can’t break your promise, so I have total confidence in my eternal future.
Thanks for allowing me to share. Please consider this study – 40 Days of Walking With God. I know it can change your life. It is already changing mine.
This is a special report. I could not wait to share our story about God’s Eyes clinics in Medellín. God’s Eyes Chiriqui organizes Christian medical mission trips in which their teams provide free eye exams and free prescription eyeglasses together with prayer, and sharing salvation through Jesus Christ.
God’s Eyes International is part of the Christian medical mission worldwide outreach effort. This effort includes thousands of organizations all over the world fulfilling the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20. These organizations bring much needed medical help to people who can’t afford care, while at the same time ministering to their spiritual needs.
God’s Eyes Chiriqui Comes To Medellin
Our friends Steve and Paulette Tuggle and Dan and Carol Neuschwanger from our English Speaking Church (recently renamed Grace Church) and who previously lived in Boquete, Panama had worked with God’s Eyes Chiriqui. They shared their experiences working with this wonderful mission that gives away free eye exams and eyeglasses to those who can’t afford them.
Several months ago, we reached out to God’s Eyes Chiriqui to see if they could bring clinics into Colombia. We partnered with Iglesia Comunidad Cristiana de Adoracion, and we scheduled five clinics to give away 100 prescription glasses at each clinic following the plan.
Joy Catron and Mary Ironside worked together to organize the 5 days of clinics in Medellin.
Planning and Preparation
The first was to be held in Fredonia, two clinics were scheduled in Tablaza, one at Vizcaya mall in Poblado and the last one at our home church ICR in Barrio Colombia. The great thing about having the clinic at our location was that we are just two blocks from the metro system that connects all areas of the city.
We reached out to Andrew’s small groups in Nueva Jerusalem, Pastor Wilson’s group, and Pastor Fredy’s groups in La Estrella. We quickly filled the 100 spaces available and we had to turn down many. [At one point, Michael told me he wasn’t sure he could fill the 100 people. His fears were immediately removed when over 150 people signed up! – ST]
Preparing for the clinics was hard work. Team members attended many required meetings for training purposes. I worked one of the days in Tablaza to learn how it all works and yesterday the organizers assigned me to coordinate the clinic at our church. [Michael introduced his magician skills to entertain the children while they waited for their turn. It was incredibly effective – ST]
Workers and patients during the clinic at ICR.
The Clinics
So here is how it all works:
Once a person registers, the mission team sends an email and contacts the person by phone the week before to confirm their appointment.
The appointments are placed in half-hour segments, for example, 8 people were scheduled to be seen between 8:00 and 8:30.
If they miss their scheduled time, their appointment is canceled and walk-ins can fill their space.
If they show up later they are treated as a walk-in.
When the people show up for their appointments and check-in a member of the team asks if they have any prayer needs. Almost everyone that came did. Then they wait for the first exam which is an eye chart exam. The next station is extremely important and requires a very dark room. Sometimes this is a real challenge, especially in gymnasiums. The team brings a special and expensive machine that is crucial in making the correct prescription. Then the doctors manually check their prescription and modify it by using special equipment.
The Lord gives 30 people a surprise gift
The night before, they informed me that we could add 20 more to make a total of 120. Bryan Kaiser, God’s Eyes founder, and international director from Atlanta came and stayed with us a few days. Also, another optometrist, Ronald Wallie, who is from Ohio, had just joined the God’s Eyes Chiriqui team. He and his family (9 children!) recently moved to Boquete. He also stayed with us. We had a lot of fun hosting and showing them around our city, and we hope to partner with them again for future God’s Eyes clinics throughout Colombia.
100 people registered by mid-December. After calling everyone to confirm the week before, we had 10 cancellations. So Andrew contacted those who were not able to register originally due to space and filled those canceled positions. When I was notified the night before that we could add 20 more people, phone calls went out again.
Ministry
There are cases and cases of pre-cut lenses sorted by power strength. The frames are all the same. Team members make the glasses according to the prescription, while the patients receive prayer, free Bibles and literature if wanted. [Christian medical mission trips are always designed to meet the needs – both physical and spiritual of “unreached people groups”. This is what the Great Commission is all about. – ST]
Andrew Baptizes Jose During the Clinic.
During one of these ministry opportunities, Jose Yepes accepted Christ as his Savior and wanted to be baptized right away. Andrew filled the baptistry and baptized him in front of everyone at the clinic. Praise the Lord!
The people receive their new glasses
When the eyeglasses are completed, a member of the distribution team calls the patient’s name to come to try out their new glasses. You should see all the smiles! Natalia worked at that station. She said “That was the best job in the clinic to be there when people are given sight!!
Those patients who work outside also received very cool-looking sunglasses. Some people just needed readers and there were plenty of Foster Grant readers available for them.
Bible Application for Christian Medical Mission Trips
This reminds me of the parable of the great feast in Luke 14. Luke 14:15-24 New International Version (NIV)
The Parable of the Great Banquet
15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet, he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”
Luke 14. Luke 14:15-24 New International Version (NIV)
Luke 14. Luke 14:15-24 New International Version (NIV)
End of the Day
The clinic was open from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm. About 3:30 pm I advised Andrew that we had space for about 10 more people before the clinic closed. He promptly went down into the streets and brought to the clinic mechanics who were working outside. Also two workers from the restaurant down below the church. They were all seen for a total of 120!
We closed up shop at 4:15 pm and began packing up supplies and equipment for their next clinic. We had 120 people go through the process for glasses. Not all could be helped but most were. I think God’s Eyes clinics are amazing and I want to help with future clinics throughout the world.
In closing, we just wanted to say THANK YOU to all the many volunteers who helped with the clinics. Without them, the clinics would not have been possible.
Some of the Volunteers at the God’s Eyes Clinic at Iglesia Cristiana de Restauracion (“ICR”)
Carlos and his fellow worker, Luis worked well before sunup to long after sundown to make these clinics so successful. He definitely earned this new pair of glasses!
Another very happy volunteer.
One of the many happy (and tired) volunteers who made these clinics such a huge success.
Quote of the month: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe