Recently, our church went through the Book of Acts together, and several times it mentions they gathered the church together and reported all the things God had done. I haven’t shared a “report” in a long time but we want you to join us in praising God for His goodness.
Deb and I are still living in San Antonio. We’ve been here over 12 years now. We spent two and a half years renting a place in the middle of the city. Deb’s folks rented the duplex right next to us. Then we moved to the Southside of San Antonio, which everyone tells you not to do. We spent a year there and sharing the gospel with our neighbors. We affectionately called that time our tour in “Antoniostan.” Now, we’ve been living in a house for eight and a half years, and it’s the longest either of us has stayed in one house in our lives. It’s fully handicapped accessible and more than we ever deserve. One of our dear friends nicknamed it the “fancy pants house,” and that name has stuck to this day.
Chuck, our oldest son, and Jessica are in Dallas. Chuck is a systems engineer for a big company and has really come into his own as a valued asset. Jessica is a talented artist and has sold some of her pieces. Blake is in Middle School, while Charles and Ava are in Elementary School.
Wes and Tina are in Alaska. Wes is a Major working in Military Intelligence, and Tina is a talented photographer. Calvin, Addie, and Owen are being homeschooled. Samuel enjoys getting in the mix, acting like he’s in school too. (Your time will come, little one, your time will come.) They enjoy being the church in their home with their neighbors and making disciples for Jesus.
For the past 12 years, we’ve been working both locally and globally, making disciples of Jesus. Some have coined this approach as “Glocal.” Throughout these years, we’ve experienced seasons where one emphasis was stronger than the other, but now we’re about 50/50.
We host a church in our home, and everyone actively participates in making disciples. Additionally, we’re involved in planting churches that prioritize multiplying disciples for Jesus. Our goal is to see multiple spiritual generations in different relational streams. We like to say, “We seek out 4th Soil people to the 4th generation and beyond.”
Our ministry extends beyond borders. We mentor leaders on Zoom who have their own ministries across the world. These leaders have established networks of multiplying churches in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and, of course, North America. It’s truly an amazing answer to our prayers, especially during our early years when we were asking God to use us to spread the gospel globally.
If you’re interested, I’ve put links at the bottom you can click on for our Top 12 Lessons we’ve learned during this remarkable journey over the past 12 years. I’ll be updating this list in weeks to come so stay tuned. If you’re listening, the Lessons Learned link is in the video description below. I will also be posting each of these on my Blog.
Most of you know that Chuck has been dealing with a disease called Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS). We’re happy to report that after our last visit to the neurologist, his lung capacity has improved by 50%, and he’s grown stronger since last year’s visit. This is very good news. Our neurologist, who is also a believer, said, “You’re a miracle! Keep praying!” So all glory to God, and thanks to all of you who have been praying all these years. God is hearing your prayers. Life is still challenging, but it’s become a very manageable rhythm and has opened many doors for the gospel.
Deb has recently struggled with chronic laryngitis. For four months, she could barely talk above a whisper. She underwent a procedure by an ENT for a temporary fix, but unfortunately, it only lasted a few weeks. There may be a more extensive surgery in her future. Please keep her in your prayers.
We’ve slowed down quite a bit. Our travels are mostly to see family, and we’re off the training and conference circuit. Chuck even takes a nap every day. So, we’re trying to act our age (and our disease).
As we look to the future, there is a promise from God that He will “Fill our living room, it will multiply, and you will see My hand.” So it’s from our Living Room to the Nations. This has already been happening. We have one single woman headed to Egypt in March, a couple headed to St Louis in July, and a young couple possibly headed to Pakistan in a couple of years. And of course, we’ll keep plugging away at our city. We don’t see any major changes for the two of us but want to keep Jesus’ Great Commission in front of us and finish well. We want to keep pressing disciple-makers into the harvest every step of the way. We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing; loving Jesus and His people.
All for Jesus,
Chuck & Deb
Top 12 Lessons Learned Over the Last 12 Years (Click the Link)
- The Jesus Filter (27 March 24)
- Starting Your Own Movement — A Recipe for Burnout (28 March 24)
- How to Recover from Burnout (Working)
- The Dynamics of Social Networks in Ministry (31 March 24)
- How We Go about “Churching” (Working)
- Regular Mentoring Makes All the Difference (Working)
- Context Matters (Working)
- Principles and Methods (Working)
- Simplicity is Key to Reproduction (Working)
- The Gospel Changes Everything (Working)
- Trusting the Word and Holy Spirit (Working)
- Investing in 4th Soil People (Working)
ToBeLikeJesus 
You’re both a model of faithfulness and finishing well as you live before the eyes of Jesus. Praying for the promise God gave you to continue to unfold!