May 14, 2009
By Dan and Melody Taube, serving in Argentina
Editor’s note: In their ministry through the Buenos Aries Professional Project (BAPP), Dan and Melody Taube are engaged in the delicate task of building relationships in hopes of introducing professionals to Jesus. The following excerpt from one of the Taubes’ newsletters highlights the spiritual fruit of longsuffering—an essential ingredient in winning these precious souls to Christ.
The highlights of each week for us are the Bible studies we hold in homes. These are times when we grow and see others grow in understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. As we teach, we trust that the Holy Spirit will take the Word and do the humanly impossible task of making Jesus and His teaching real and relevant to those who attend.
The conversation usually is lively with a great deal of participation. Porteños, as the inhabitants of Buenos Aires are known, are very expressive. Just imagine interacting with a room full of Italians, and you will have an idea of the group dynamics. It isn’t unusual for two or three people to talk at once, and the amazing thing about it is that Porteños can follow all three!
A recent Sunday wasn’t perhaps as lively as some, but a husband and wife who actively participate in the discussion made a couple of statements that stuck in our minds. At one point, “Rosa” (not her real name) looked around the room and said to the rest of the group, “Thank you for being patient with me. I don’t know if I ever would have come to Christ if you would have hurried me up.”
Later in the discussion Rosa’s husband expressed his burning desire that his brother come to Christ. He exclaimed with Argentine enthusiasm, “Every time I see him, I want to beat him over the head with the gospel!”
These two comments illustrate the internal battle we often face with those we desire to come to Christ. We want to move things along faster, but so many of our friends are slow to make the commitment. Pray that our zeal will never cool and our patience will outlast all the arguments raised against our Lord by people we love dearly.
Thanks for walking alongside us as we minister His grace.
What You Can Do
Praise God for those who found Jesus through the ministry of Dan and Melody and BAPP. Pray for continued fruit from this outreach.