Christmas and Weddings are for Uniting

Hello, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everybody! I hope you've been enjoying the holidays, and you're getting some great times to sit around a table with friends and loved ones, as you enjoy each other's company, and talk about what's on your heart...

For Alejandra and I there is nothing like doing that around the Lord's table, and part of the meaning of Christmas is just that: to celebrate that we have fellowship with God and with our family in Jesus; thanks to Emmanuel's incarnation, crucifiction, burial, resurrection, ascension, and outpouring of God's Spirit on all who believe.

Besides the precious times every week that Alejandra and I get to remember Jesus in such a way - there have also been some wonderful times to sit around tables with solid Christian leaders and consider how we can become more effective servants of Jesus.

Two of the main subjects that frequently arise as we're koinaniaing are what we believe, and how we can team up with other Christians in sharing those beliefs.

Even though the Refuge Church in Duitama has in many ways tried to show our desire to be unified with another Christian church in this same city - we were a bit discouraged when we realized that instead of unity, it seemed like what the other congregation is promoting is uniformity... More than working with us and helping us advance the gospel - it's as if the leaders of this other congregation wants to annex our church into theirs! (even though indubitably both local churches are of Christ).

By the way Venezuela - please don't try to invade and annex part of Guyana (are you kidding me?!?!).

...Annnyway though, a different, far more encouraging story took place a couple weeks ago, when a team of 10 Mexicans and 3 Americans contacted me because they had driven a van all the way from Mexico down Central America, and put their vehicle on a boat and crossed into Colombia... They wanted my advice in knowing what it would be like to travel inside of Venezuela - but before doing so, they offered to visit and help the Refuge Church in Cucuta.

I gave them as much information as I know about traveling inside Venezuela; and I put them in contact with the leaders of Cucuta's Refuge Church... The only thing I asked about their background was if they believed in God the Father, almighty maker of heaven and earth... In our Lord Jesus Christ, God's only Son, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary... That he suffered under Pontious Pilate, was crucified, died, buried, and rose again on the third day... That he ascended to heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, and that from there he will come to judge the living and the dead... I asked them if they believed in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting... Finally, I asked them if they believed that the Bible is the authoritative, inherent, inspired Word of God that contains everything we need to know to be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

They said yes, and so I was like, "Awesome! We welcome you in the name of the Lord!"

I wish it were always that easy, but sometimes my friends want to push certain Christians out of their made-up circles, by including other things into their creeds which often end up stifling God's Kingdom instead of furthering it... Granted, I believe in various other secondary and tertiary doctrines as well, but I don't ever want to marginalize other believers who disagree with me on those doctrines... I feel like if you get too dogmatic with stuff, in the end you deviate from one of the primary doctrines we're supposed to uphold anyway, which is the unity of Jesus's church at large, and the communion of saints.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On December the 8th Alejandra's twin sister Carolina got married to one of my best friends Daniel, which was so awesome. I always hope that our relationship as couples will be like Mary's relationship with Elizabeth (and perhaps by default - Zechariah's relationship with Joseph, and especially Jesus' relationship with John)... It was so cool to be with all kinds of great friends at the wedding, and know that we were united by love.

Sam and Alejandra Killins

30 Hour Flight Delay

Right before coming back to Colombia after an incredible time in Scotland and the Faroes, Alejandra and I had a 30 hour flight delay in London... We took advantage of the time by sharing the gospel to a couple other passengers, and we also walked around a bit. In quite an happenstance sort of way, we stumbled across a Bible Study on the book of Ecclesiastes at the iconic All Souls Church in the center of the city... Like every other gathering with Christians in October - being a part of this Bible study was awesome, and talking about the Scriptures with believers that received us without even knowing us at the culmination of our adventures was like the cherry on top of the fascinating and enriching shortbread of ministry and fellowship that we enjoyed everywhere we went (and yes, I know that nobody puts cherries on top of shortbread).

...We happened to be studying Ecclesiastes 8, and just like many other portions of this great piece of wisdom literature, a few of the themes that Solomon touches on are the execution of justice and the putting up with injustice... Both of these realities are on a lot of people's minds right now, and coupled with them come concepts like wisdom and authority...

Just about everywhere we turn, we're confronted with the terrible war in Gaza; and in the midst of all the bloodshed and agony going on - it's hard to comprehend its meaning. Just like the writer of Ecclesiastes says, "even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it" (8:17)... It seems like there are limits to our knowledge, even though there are a few things that are certainly true... One of those truths is found in verse 12 where it says, "Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him."

...I can definitely see how Benjamin Netanyahu's agressive response to the October 7 surpise attack by Hamas makes sense when I read verse 11: "When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong" ...But I can also definitely see the meaninglessness of the thousands of innocent Palestinians' deaths as their bodies are used as sheilds for the terrorist cowards hiding underground (verse 14).

What will happen in the next few weeks or months? Will the war escalate, or will it wind down? Will other nations get involved, or will the war be contained? Will the price of oil increase and inflation skyrocket, or will stability be restored? ...As verse 7 says... "Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come?

What is important to remember though, in the midst of all of this, is that, "As no one has power over the wind to contain it, so no one has power over the time of their death. As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it" (v.8)...

I can't emphasize enough, the importance of thinking seriously about eternity, and repenting from our evil ways, and turning to God who, "in his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for us, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:3-5). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I don't know what your take is on the current war in Gaza, but as you know, Alejandra and I are mostly interested in sharing the gospel and starting and strengthening Christ-centered churches... As has been hinted on in previous ocassions, Alejandra and I believe that women should not be disqualified from ministry oportunities because of their gender.

As a result of our stance on this issue, there are a couple churches as well as an individual who stopped financially supporting our missionary service for the time being... I (Sam) have been told that I am not welcome to share about our lives and ministry at a specific church that previously welcomed me. 3 of the churches that Alejandra and I started are not permitted to be a part of the denomination that I grew up in; and a close friend publicly called me out for encouraging women with good testimonies to share reflections from the Scriptures in our open breaking of bread services.

None of this surprises me very much, since I too, at one point in my life held some of the same biases that I see other very godly Christian men adhere to today. Especially those who disagree with me on this specific issue but have nevertheless continued to love Alejandra and I, as well as support and pray for our lives and ministry, I can't thank you enough... I feel like these friends are like those who support the Israeli Defence Forces even if they may disagree that the IDF includes women in the military draft and promotes them to any rank or office.

Especially when Alejandra and I were in the Faroe Islands, we were especially encouraged to visit thriving, solid, Bible-believing, Christian Brethren churches where women are defended from discrimination and encouraged to develop and employ all their gifts in the Holy Spirit without limiting the gender or age of those who can learn from them.

The way that I see it is that the days are evil, and so we need all hands on deck to make the most of every oportunity and understand what the Lord's will is. Giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, and being filled with the Holy Spirit at all times, let men and women everywhere just open up their mouths and speak (Ephesians 5:15-20). Sam and Ale Missionary Profile:

Don't Be Lukewarm

Hello from Turkey! (Next up UK) Alejandra and I very much enjoyed our time out here in what used to be Asia Minor, and it was so awesome to walk some of the same streets as the first disciples, and try to get a feel for what the early church looked like.

In Celçuk we actually did meet up with some Turkish disciples of Jesus at a Christian camp - and it was especially fun to connect with good friends Gary and Linda Kirst, and listen to Dr. Kirst's exposition of selected Scriptures from the New Testament pertaining to the early Ephesian church that would have met just a couple miles from where we were staying.

Obviously, we had to check out all the ruins from this city where Paul spent about 3 years pastoring, followed by Timothy, and later perhaps even John.

Next, Alejandra and I drove out to Laodicea with my old college roomate Michael where we walked around in the lukewarm pools of Pamukkale.

Pamukkale means "cotton castle" in Turkish, and that's exactly what this place looks like, as mineral-rich waters have dripped down the mountainside for thousands of years, forming a shimmering white colored travertine limestone surface that looks like snow.

Just about 7 miles away, on another mountain lies the ancient city of Laodicea, and it was to the church in this wealthy metropolis that John penned the words of Jesus telling them, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked (Revelation 3:15-17).

It was so amazing to feel the pages of the Bible jump out at us as we could see the white terrace pools of lukewarm water that we had just been in, from the very location where the Laodicean church used to meet...

You can just imagine how tremendous that message would have been to hear back then; and so I stood in what is considered the ancient Laodicean chapel of that city, and Alejandra took a picture of me as if I was preaching on that very passage 2000 years ago.

Even though being moderate at times is very important, when it comes to following Jesus - it's all or nothing. It's foolish to depend on your wealth and live for comfort if at any moment your life can be demanded from you (Luke 12:16-21).

...Just before traveling to Turkey, I decided to go help in the aftermath of the earthquake that took place in Morocco about a month ago...

None of the beautiful people that I met and befriended out in the village of Imeghlad could have known that when they went to bed on September 8th, some of their friends or family members would have their roofs cave in on top of them, and they would never wake up.

...And what happened in Morocco isn't even close to the devastation that took place here in Turkey on the 6th of February. Or what about the earthquake in Afghanistan or the flooding in Libya or the war in Israel? ...Don't think that all the people of these suffering nations are any worse sinners than we are... In Luke 13:1-5 Jesus talked about a couple terrible things that were happening in his own time, and he told his listeners that unless we repent - we too will all perish.

...Part of the rest of the passage in Revelation 3 says, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me" (v.19-20).

Both in Ephesus as well as in Laodicea, Alejandra and I could see indications of houses that were inhabited by Christians well into the Byzantine period.

May countries like Turkey and Morocco be transformed by the power of the gospel so that millions of its citizens may be victorious, and sit on the throne along with Jesus (Revelation 3:21).

Sam and Alejandra