Reflections from our missions trip to the Dominican Republic.

As it always seems, we tend to be overwhelmed by the Christianity of the indigenous people. We think that we will go there and minister when in fact the Lord uses them to minister to us. It is obvious that authentic Christianity seems to flourish where the spirit of Mammon has not totally usurped the church-world.

I will refrain from a detailed journal of the trip (and save that for another day), but give you my personal insight to the trip.

It can be categorized as a milestone in my walk with the Lord.

With that I must digress, you see, since 2002 I can safely say that I allowed my Gospel Plow to lay in the field untouched. The work for me had been abandoned, I think, rightfully so, for my ministry had to be rebirthed through relationships. Like most others in American “pyramid” Christianity, my work was segregated from relationships. In spite of being in the most relational “pyramid” at the time, I viewed my work as that alone, work for the Lord.

This approach never works and will, in a good sense, cause your inward flaws to eventually press their way outward. My flaws were and have been quite putrid to me among them, perverse, lustful, resentful, and totally resistant to the Body of Christ during this period of time. I must interject at this time if it wasn’t for my wife (of nearly 18 years) and my local body (relationships for nearly 20 years), I may have been providing a story with a horrible ending.

Over these 7 years (number of completion, Praise the Lord!), the Lord allowed my plow to go motionless but all the while chipping away at my stone defenses that I created. Many factors have applied positive pressure to create something and someone worth relating to. Christ’s power to keep me, my wife’s unending devotion to Christ, and the transformation of our local body from a pyramid structure to the house church model, provided the environment for my own transformation.

This trip to the Dominican literally stirred up something in me to go over to that Gospel Plow to assess my future.You see we visited a previously unknown work this time. It was led by a Brother Jose Martinez, a former Communist, and a current flame of fire along with his wife Dolores. They ministry is highlighted by the verse,(Prov 3:27 NLT) Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it's in your power to help them.

In this work, they have created an environment where drug and alcohol addicts can come and not only be set free from addiction but be prepared to go out and minister the Gospel to others in the same predicament. Now, in my view his work is especially impressive in that he has not himself fought addiction, nor is there some authority that restrains the men there. To stay, they must commit to 1 year on the premises and you must understand that life to really comprehend it. It takes the restraint of the Lord to just keep them there. God IS working there. Many are deported from the U.S. and other countries due to their crimes associated with addiction and they end up there at the center.

We stepped forward to begin supporting the work financially and most importantly spiritually.

Back to my connection here. It is quite simple. Years ago, I too had been totally overcome by addiction, without Christ, and headed for destruction. But, Christ! He found me. He changed me. He is transforming me. For many years, I worked with addicts in ministry to provide some way to be used by Him. Just one glimpse through this work, I saw the compassion and mercy of Christ once again. I saw the fire of God again through Brother Jose and Sister Dolores.

I am stirred to take the yoke of Christ again and begin plowing in those fields ripe for harvest. This time intending to do it biblically through loving caring relationships valuing the relationship over all other things.

Some may read this and think that this has not been the Russell that they know. I hope so. But also, I ask for their forgiveness for not being obedient to the heavenly vision and this is two-fold; the righteous live by faith in the Son of God and Go therefore and make disciples. The great thing about this, I don’t have to do this alone. The body of Christ is waiting for me so that they too can share in the spoils of Christ.

May my one word to you be one that I heard on our last night, “What are you waiting for?” Is Christ not worth laying down every excuse that you are carrying? Be a flame for Christ. Today!