Pan American Lectures 2015The Caribbean

What are the purposes of the Pan American Lectures?• To give encouragement and

fellowship to missionaries in Latin America• To give opportunities to discuss

successes and challenges in Latin American missions• To allow Christians who may not

be “located missionaries” to gain understanding of LA activities and to offer encouragement

What do you mean, “Latin America?”

Three tests:

1. Distinct boundaries2. Sovereign government3. A Romance or Latin-derived principal

language—Spanish, Portuguese, French, or Italian.

4. Latin American is not automatically “South American.”

What have Pan American Lectures typically been like?

1. Week in length2. Alternated

between countries3. Lectures, songs,

prayers, reports, cultural events.

4. This was the first cruise. Finances and logistics dictated a change from the past 50 years.

Networking (1)

• Randy and Cathy Short, Recife, Brazil.• Randy is from eastern Tennessee• Congregations in the

Northeastern states of Brazil have grown from 50 in 1998 to 160 in 2015

Networking (2)

• Tim and Connie Lewis, Oklahoma City, OK• Invited speaker for this lecture

Networking (3)

• Russell Bell, missionary to India and author of a book on Indian missions• P.A.L. wasn’t planned for Russell

and his wife. They were just taking a cruise and found themselves in the middle of a hundred Christians• Useful pointers about missions in

India.• He and his wife now live in Kansas

Networking (4) Paul and Bo Shero of Texas

Networking (5)

• Allen Dutton from Brazil.• Parents gave the land and most

of the facilities for the LAR, the children’s home which grew under the sponsorship of Southern Christian Home.

What do “super Christians” do when it’s “Just them?”

• Enjoy good solid Gospel preaching . . . Just like us, here in the States.• Partake of a cappela singing in praise to our Lord . . . Just like us.• Pray together . . . Just like us.• Fellowship and network . . . Just like us.• Are you getting the idea that “located missionaries” are real people,

real Christians, just like you and me?• ?? “Located missionaries?” in the New Testament?• They needed Jesus Christ to live and to die for them . . . Just like you

and me.

Notable lectures this year• The theme was “rivers.” This

was especially appropriate this time since we had several days at sea in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.• One lecture was about the river

of life in Heaven. What does the Bible say Heaven will be like? • Not sitting on fluffy clouds. Not

in a worship service 24/7. Street of gold, not streets of gold. And not overcrowded with loads of people.

Rivers of Grief

• Dr. Allen Martin, Christian psychologist and licensed marriage and family therapist.• Christians can do much to ease

the pain of others around them in a lost and dying world.• Here Dr. Martin visits with Dr.

Howard Norton of Harding.

Keys to Understanding Latin America—Dr. Howard Norton (1 of 2)• Some would be offended to be

referred to as “Mexicans.” Heterogeneous groups of people who have real differences between nation-states.• Different Independence Days. Not

all Cinco de Mayo. Independence Day is September 18 in certain Central American countries.• They don’t speak identical Spanish,

any more than we speak identical English in our various states.

• Except for Uruguay, they believe in God and the unseen world.• They love sports. But “futabol”

is soccer, not football.• Confused attitude toward the U.

S. They love us as individuals but do not like our government. Historical dislikes– (1) Monroe Doctrine (2) Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders.

Keys to Understanding Latin America—Dr. Howard Norton (2 of 2)• Latin American countries have

been cursed by dishonest and corrupt leadership. Embezzlement and broken promises have become a way of life. It is now expected and not just tolerated from leaders. “it’s how they get things done.”• Ostentatious wealth and abject

poverty live next door to each other.

• Those who have become wealthy do not share with the poor. No private philanthropy in Latin America.• Limited middle class, small but

powerful upper class, pervasive lower class. This sets the stage for socialism and communism. • High premium on family.• Little interest in time and time

accuracy. Expect people to arrive at least 30 minutes late.

How to succeed in Latin American missions—Howard Norton

• Pleasing personality.• Be respectful. Not the typical

Gringo attitude.• Be bold, in the right ways.• Teach through emotions. Not all

facts, like we tend to do things in the States. Straight facts about the Bible hit Latin Americans as being overly cold.• We need help from friendly natives.• Use credentials, but use them

wisely. Karen and Dot visit with Sarah Meadows

First port of call – Georgetown, Grand Cayman Island

• Great surprise – not just one congregation of the church of Christ on this 23 mile wide island, but three. We heard reports from all three pulpit ministers.

Georgetown, Grand Cayman—modern settings, strong economics

Costa Maya

• Cultural, not necessarily religious, excursion.• Four hours by bus, one hour

inland on Yucatan to ancient Mayan ruins.• Place of pagan sacrifices years

ago. They sacrificed their strongest warrior.• Right – Karen and Gaynelle

prepare to climb a Mayan pyramid

Cozumel• Some went to an orphans’ home • Some went sight seeing. Karen

and I rode a submarine.• The dive went to 112 feet

around a coral reef with abundant wild life.

What can we reflect about and recommend regarding the annual

Pan American Lectures?• Our attendance can be a huge motivational boost to missionaries who are

spending considerable portions of their lives evangelizing Latin America.• This can be a way for Stateside Christians with certain limitations on travel

to support foreign missions. P.A.L. isn’t a “boots on the ground” effort – we will always need those -- but we can help, encourage, and validate the efforts of those who are directly engaged in Latin American missions.• Going to visit a Latin American country isn’t automatically synonymous

with going to a Third World Country. It depends on where you are going. There are shopping malls in Brazil, for instance, that are more advanced and more opulent than those in the U. S. It is a mistake to think that we are still the wealthiest country on the planet by any and all measures. On economic freedom, we are ranked 26th.

Attending the Pan American Lectures

• For the family that is looking for ways to participate in mission work AND have a family vacation, this could be a way to do both.• PAL is usually in early November.