Missionary Update: Pottengers
January 31, 2009
POTTENGER FAMILY NEWS – ISSUE 9
JANUARY
Praise the Lord!
-For safe travels to Kenya and that
all our luggage made it!
-For helping us through this first
transition, and helping us settle!
-For providing a special lady (Joyce)
to help with Kenya Grace while we
are in school!
Please Pray For…
-Alert minds to absorb and retain
the language.
-The logistical items that need to be
attended to due to moving here.
-That we keep our eyes on the Lord
and not ourselves or circumstances.
“…I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
1 Corinthians 9: 22
Tunajifunza Kiswahili
(We are learning Kiswahili) Here we are with some of our
classmates, teachers, school staff & house help
As we write this newsletter for January we will
be completing our second week of language school here in
Limuru, Kenya. We are very impressed with the school, our
teachers, and the style of teaching. We can already give a
lengthy introduction about ourselves; have learned our numbers
and days of the week, as well as lots of vocabulary and
greetings. One of our teachers Peter is a local pastor here. In
addition to being encouraged in our progress in school, he has
encouraged our heart in the ministry as he shares a similar
vision. He has told us we have the heart of Kenyans and seems
excited about what the Lord is calling us to. It is exciting to hear
him talk about teaching the Word of God to his flock and then
addressing cultural things according to the Bible. An example
he shared was teaching about marriage and God’s design to
serve one another. Here in Kenya when a couple walks, the man
walks ahead of the woman and she walks a distance back. They
still converse but from a distance. In church men sit on one side
and women sit on the other. You will often see a woman
carrying a child on her back, on her front and things on her
head while the man walks beside her with nothing in hand.
Peter was encouraging the men to walk with their wives, to sit
with them and to even serve them by carrying things for them.
It was so wonderful to hear that men were understanding and
actually making changes. It was also so encouraging to hear
that it was the Kenyans who have kept the school open and
running. There was a time it was located at a Baptist
Conference Center nearby and when the center said they were
closing school, the Kenyans said, we need to keep this going
and they have. They truly see the value of learning language
and culture and have seen the fruit for God’s Kingdom.
FAMILY NEWS
We first want to praise the Lord that as we
write this we are all still healthy, have adjusted to the time and
the homesickness is mostly gone! It feels so wonderful to be
settled in our new house and unpacked! Kenya Grace has her
own room and is doing so well at night! She and her new sitter
Joyce are doing well together. It has been an adjustment for her
not having mommy and daddy around and realizing that this is a
regular thing, but Joyce is very good with Kenya Grace and we
can hear them through the walls laughing, and playing. Joyce and
KG come join us for our morning Chai break and then KG looks
for frogs with a man named Patrick who takes care of the yard
and maintenance. We then reunite for lunch and Peg then stays
with KG for the rest of the day. Kenya Grace wants you to know
that the banana’s here are really good and they are her favorite.
U.S. Mail Address: 5410 W. Pinehurst Dr. Banning, CA 92220 Kenyan Mail Address: P.O.Box 52-00217, Limuru, Kenya, Africa
Email: botts2potts@gmail.com Phone #: (805) 876-3239 Website: www.thep3inkisumu.blogspot.com
IN KENYA
“I Will Go Before You”
January 30, 2009
I really believe that Isaiah 45 is the Word for Today’s Church. If we will heed what it says I believe that God will do what His Word says.
Isaiah 45:2 I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron. 3 I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel.
God will go before us making the rough patches smooth and open doors that are shut all that we may know that He is God. The Key here is that He will go before us
vs. 5-6 I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other;
We must recognize that He is the only God. There are no other paths to Him except through His Son Jesus Christ.
Vs. 9 “ Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands’?
We must submit to Him. We aren’t to quarrel with God by questioning His work. He is in charge and in control.
Vs. 22-23 “ Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. 23 I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath
We must look to Him for your Salvation. This Salvation is spiritual and also physical. If we are in a hole cry out to God for only He can save you. In these times we must look in the right place for our solution.
Vs. 24-25 Surely in the LORD I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him. 25 In the LORD all the descendants of Israel Shall be justified, and shall glory.’”
We must Trust in Him. While the world attacks and mocks God we must find shelter and wait for Him to Glorify Himself. In Him is all righteousness and strength so wait on Him to give it. Don’t be impatient but reside in Him.
God is willing to go before us. If we believe that we must recognize that He is God by worshiping Him, We must submit to His leadership, We must look to him for our help, and then finally we must Trust Him to fulfill what He has said.
A Time to Lay Low
January 27, 2009
A Time to Lay Low
1 Peter 4:15 But let none of you suffer… as a busybody in other people’s matters
The word busybody means troublemaker or agitator. John MacArthur suggests that Christians who get too involved in politics fall under the premise of a busybody. As I mentioned on Sunday I think it is time that Christians lay low in the Political realm. This something God really impressed upon my heart this week. I think we are in a period where we need to lay low and allow God to do his work. One of the things that confirmed this in me were the number of emails and notices that I received on how many policies President Obama reversed that are near and dear to Christians. The church has little influence in political matters and honestly I think that is the way God wants it. This is a change in tactics for our church. We were very involved in Prop 8. We feel very passionate about this issue, but I feel we must heed God’s leading and that is to Lay Low.
1 Thess 4:11 says; aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands. Paul is telling us to be peaceful and go about the work of the Kingdom of God. The tendency of many Christians is to get overheated by the politics of today and forget the mission God put us on. We are no longer a Christian nation. We have abandoned our roots and we will eventually pay the price for it. So as Christians let’s step back and refocus our energies on Kingdom work. What is Kingdom work? First it is a commitment to the church. This is the entity that God has established for His work to be done. Too many people think they can get enough God without church. The result from that is Spiritual shallowness. Through the church you get the teaching of God’s Word, the Fellowship of God’s people, and the outreach to those in need.
The coming months and years are going to be tough on the church. Our tenets of faith will be attacked and mocked. Do we fight back or do we lay low and let God take care of it? Let’s lead quiet lives, minding the business of the Kingdom of God, and be hard workers. This will accomplish the mission God has called us to and solidfy our character.
Biblical Community
January 19, 2009
1 Peter 4: 7-8 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
Peter shows us what Biblical Community is, a Common Unity. What is our Common Unity? Jesus Christ. What connects the church to Christ? Three things; Prayer, Love, and Serving.
We are to be serious and watchful until the fulfillment of Christ’s return. This means that our prayers are shallow and unfocused but instead they are alert and directed toward the times. A church should be serious about its prayers. One prayer that should be consistently offered up is “Your kingdom come.” For Christ’s return to happen all things must be fulfilled. That means that everyone destined to be saved is.
We are also to be fervent in our love. This isn’t the sentimental feeling kind of love but instead a giving kind of love. That word fervent means to be maxed out like a runner running at full speed. True love is one that gives unselfishly. It is also a love that is quick to forgive. We should be people that give-forgive-give again.
Finally we are to be useful through serving one another. God has gifted each of us to edify, or build up, the church (vs. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another). If we aren’t using the gifts God has given us we are starving the church community. We are called to see the need and then meet it. Through this God will often help you discover your gifting.
Let me encourage you to do three things at the Village Chapel: Pray, Give, and Serve. In the midst of these you will discover true Biblical Community.
Join Team Village Chapel
January 15, 2009
Join Team Village Chapel
We have many outdoor and fitness minded people that call The Village Chapel their home. With this in mind we want to offer you a challenge. Sign up for the Santa Ynez Half Marathon or the Santa Maria YMCA Triathlon and be part of Team Village Chapel. Team Village Chapel will compete in both of these events as a team. What does that mean? We will train together and on race day we will dawn Team Village Chapel apparel. As an incentive if you compete and finish one of those races we will reimburse part of the registration fee.
This isn’t just about getting in shape. This is about finding like minded people in which you can get to know. From there the possibilities are endless. Can’t finish these events by yourself? Be part of a relay team. Can’t run? Then walk it. Join Pastor Chuck as he competes in both of these events.
If you are interested please email Pastor Chuck at chuck@vvchapel.com, reply to this message, or post it on the Village Chapel wall.
