With this being my first “Sermon Notes” post I want to explain how these posts will work. Generally speaking, I take notes on all sermons that I hear and I will share those notes with you here every Monday, God willing. The post will not be from the sermon that took place on the previous day, but the Sunday directly preceding that Sunday, or to state it differently, eight days after the sermon was given. When available, I will include the audio version of the sermon that I am posting about. In addition to simply relaying my notes, I plan to comment and muse over the content of the sermon as well.

Today’s post is from August 24, 2008. Ironically, there was no sermon on this Sunday. Rather, the mission team from our church that went to Playa Grande, Honduras this summer shared their experiences with the congregation. The mission trip was lead by out youth pastor, Alex Hooper. He took with him a handful of youths and some other adults. Before I relay some of the experiences that they shared, I would like to share about how God is working through our church in Honduras, and more specifically in Playa Grande.

Some years ago, about 5 (I should know this since I’m on the Missions Committee – if someone reading this knows this detail, please provide) a man named Phernando “Pher” Acosta was sent by our church to be a church planter beginning in Playa Grande, Honduras. Playa is described by those who go there as truly being the “ends of the earth” that are described in Acts 1:8. Our church is the only Christian influence in that town.

The spiritual attacks in the town come in the forms of abandonment, alcoholism, and worship of death. The task of building a church in this town is not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination.

One of the girls that shared was Vivien. She shared about meeting one of the boys in Playa named Pio. She also shared about the incredible worship that took place during the church services. On the last day of the trip there was a “game day” that was very fun, or “awesome” as she described many of the events surrounding the trip. It was bittersweet because they had to leave the next day. Vivien said that leaving Playa was the hardest part of the trip.

There were some other people that shared about their experiences as well. Please feel free to listen to the audio file if you are interested in hearing them. I hope to also have some of the video montages that the team put together for the congregation.