[This is part of the Finish What You Started Series]

As technology has advanced, a strange thing has happened. The things that were supposed to make our life easier are in fact making them busier. Email, text messaging, blogging, social media, the list goes on.

Rather than accomplishing a task and using the time we saved to relax with friends and family, we decide to use that time to get more things done. As we send more info out through the channels I’ve mentioned, we now have more coming back. This requires more time from us and before we know it our schedule is slammed full.

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[This is part of the Finish What You Started Series]
Why do some people last in ministry, while others don’t? What separates them? Is it Resources? Giftedness? Anointing? In my experience, one big difference between those that last and those that don’t is this: They know their calling!

While many things contribute to our endurance in ministry, none may be as important as this. Think about it. How can we possibly finish a task if we aren’t even sure where or why it began? Before we can serve the Lord effectively, we must ask ourselves, “What is God Calling me to do?”

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My family and I have been living on the mission field since 2005. That may not seem like long, but it is long enough to see many people come and go. Some have come and gone simply because their commitment was fulfilled, others because the Lord moved them to new ministries. Still others have left for more difficult reasons.

But, all of the missionaries I’ve met shared one thing in common, we’ve all contemplated quitting at some point. I have seen and learned a lot since 2005. It has been well said that experience can be one of our greatest teachers. Here are some of the things that will make it easier for someone to not only survive but thrive in your ministry and on the mission field.

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This month, Calvary Chapel Jaco celebrated it’s 6 year anniversary. It amazes me how fast time has gone by and how much God has done. It seems like yesterday that we were just landing in Costa Rica.

As I think back upon the last six years, I think of all the things we have been through as a church. For a small fellowship, in a small town, we have surely seen our share of trials and successes! It has been an adventurous ride to say the least. It has also been a learning experience. While there have been many things that we have learned, there are still many more lessons to be learned for sure. Of course, there are also the lessons that we must re-learn from time to time as well. But as I reflect, I think of three major lessons that have brought us to this point. I shared these with the church and I would like to share them here as well. You see, not only have these three things been critical in regards to making it this far, but I believe that they will also be critical moving forward. So, without further delay, here they are:

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In John 14:6 Jesus makes an astounding claim. He claims to be the only way in which man can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Later in Acts 4:12, Peter also says that Jesus is the only way of salvation. So, there is no other way for any human being to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life, than through Jesus Christ.

Think about that for a minute…

The ONLY Way?

Throughout history people have struggled with this. They often ask questions like, “what about all the people that have never heard the gospel?” “The people that have never heard of the name Jesus Christ” “What if they desire God but were raised in another religion?” “Would God send those people to hell just because they didn’t know about Jesus?” These are hard questions! Continue Reading…