Visionlife365

It's group season and intern season here in the Dominican Republic! Many of our full-time missionaries started as short-term interns or came in with a group. Consider taking a step of faith and coming to the Dominican Republic to see what God is doing through the ministry of DR Vision...and who knows, you may end up serving here alongside us full time!

Moms have a huge part in the making of a missionary! Long before a missionary arrives on the field, there have been years of careful and intentional investment in a child's life. In this episode, Gary and Jason talk about the importance of moms in preparing a missionary. Hats off to missionary moms! 

Every year we have the privilege of inviting summer interns to participate in the ministry of DR Vision. Because of COVID, we have not been able to host interns for a few years. Thankfully, this year we have been able to have our first interns for 2022, Ashtin and Stephanie. Listen as Ashtin and Stephanie open their hearts regarding their upbringing, their testimony, and how God has led them to be an intern in the Dominican Republic during the summer of 2022!

This podcast can be a touchy subject in the ministry world. Many people have strong preferences and convictions! How do we live in harmony with those that differ and their beliefs? Gary and Jason tackle this difficult subject in this episode. You will be challenged to think deeply about how you handle these delicate matters and how they ultimately affect your stewardship of the gospel! 

Temptation is a constant battle for every believer. Satan is always looking to derail and destroy our effectiveness with the gospel. Gary and Jason talk through this delicate subject and offer practical advice for both the minister and the ministry on how to set up protective measures. One wrong decision can potentially destroy a ministry, and nearly every time, it affects more than just one person. Listen to this practical and applicable conversation and set yourself and your ministry for long-term influence! 

What you see is not always what you get. Many times as we minister, there is a whole other level of spiritual things that are unseen to the naked eye. Gary and Jason talk about things they have been confronted with in ministry and how they keep a biblical perspective even when dealing with potentially dark spiritual things.

We have all been there at some point. When we have been tasked with sharing a sermon or a devotional, our message seemingly falls flat! What do we do? Thankfully, the ministry of the Holy Spirit impacts lives through the Word. What can we do to ensure we have been good stewards of God's message? Listen in as Gary and Jason talk about this important and pertinent subject! 

Be prepared to be stretched! Being a missionary has challenged so much traditional thinking for Gary and Jason. There are so many things that we as Americans assume should be done one specific way. One major challenge in the Dominican Republic is driving! If you have never driven in the Dominican Republic, we recommend hiring a driver if you come here for a short time. As you drive down the road, you are swarmed on every side by motorcycles and scooters. Sometimes you can be innocently going down a two-lane road, and there is a van barreling toward you at a high rate of speed! These moments don't always solicit the most sanctified responses! The real challenge is when things have to be dealt with within a body of believers. Do you assume that someone has a character problem if they arrive late to a planned activity?  What if that person doesn't have a car or motorcycle and depends on public transportation? All these scenarios make up the daily life of a missionary in the Dominican Republic. Listen to Gary and Jason as they talk very candidly about how they TRY to walk that fine line (and don't always succeed!). 

You spend your whole life studying the word of God. You feel pretty buttoned up in your theology. God calls you to the mission field, and you find yourself being a student all over again! Foreign culture is a great teacher. Both Gary and Jason have been challenged to dig deep into why they believe what they believe. While solid doctrine never changes, cultural elements often cause us to evaluate modes and methods.  There is no question that baptism is done by immersion, that it has no salvific value, and it is a testimony and example of dying to our old self and being raised again to walk in the newness of life. But, how often should you hold baptism services? Should you make someone take a class on baptism? How do you deal with the cultural aspects? Many people have very pentecostal or very catholic views of baptism. How do we handle those situations? Listen to Gary and Jason's conversation as they unpack this critical subject. This episode can be extremely valuable to fellow missionaries. It will challenge you to know why you believe what you believe and why you believe it!

It is always a good thing when God moves us toward spiritual growth. Often it is outside the scope of our comfort zone. Invariably, when He gives us these opportunities, they are designed to draw us closer to Him and give us new opportunities for the gospel. God has recently opened a new ministry opportunity for Gary. He has been taking a "walk alongside" role by helping in his wife's rescue ministry. Gary describes himself as the "silent partner" who is not there to take the lead, but to be there to serve. Listen how God has used this opportunity to grow Gary as well as minister to a group of women that is often marginalized, misunderstood, and avoided. We all stand in need of grace and this is a beautiful testimony of how this new opportunity has been used by God to grow Gary in his walk with God.