Mas O Menos [More Or Less]

Here's what it looks like is going to happen, Lord willing: I'll finish FPO on the 19th (the day of our commissioning ceremony). Then, sometime over the following few weeks i'll be under the knife with ACL surgery. Then i'll rest for a month or two. Then we'll have the "Celebration" at Tanglewood. Then i'll go to Peru and tell folks about Jesus that doesn't stress my knee (for the first 3 months after surgery). Then i'll go into training with the Xtreme Team in February.

All these things are iffy and up in the air, so to speak, but it might give you an idea how to pray. I'm supposed to have a pretty important conversation with David Ford, the administrative guy for the South America Region. He gets back from Ecuador on Monday. We'll talk then.

Ruh Roh.

Corey, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

To my prayer partners who are scattered abroad: Greetings.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces patience. And let patience have its full effect, that you may be whole and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Some 1900 odd years later those words from the Letter of James (with changes in the opening greetings) still ring true today. As you probably know (if you've been reading my blog ), Dr. Dalton gave me the news that my left ACL is torn. This means that i won't be in Peru in August. After the surgery, i won't be able to do strenuous activity on my knee for the first 3 months, according to Dr. Dalton. The next Xtreme Team in-Peru-training won't start until February '07. So, it looks like February will be the earliest i'll be in Peru. That means Bobby and i won't be together, at least, until April '07 or so (after my training likely ends). And, even then, we're not guaranteed to be together since we will very likely will be sent to different people groups since Bobby will already have another partner.

As you may have guessed, it's been a stressful time, this week, and pretty confusing. I need to find out whether or not i can have a State-side assignment (job) with the IMB until February.

Jeremy and Susan Taliaferro, the leaders of the Xtreme Team, left to go to spend some time with some friends in California. After that, they'll go back to Peru to continue administrating the XT.

In other new, Bobby Lane has cut off his dreads he started 3 years ago. No, he was not asked to loose them, but he figured they'd be a hindrance to the Gospel in the Andes Mountains where long haired men are thought as sissies and they'd be a hindrance to comfort and hygiene in the Amazon Jungle where heat and bugs like to punish travelers.

Class has been intense this week. We had Church Planting Movements (cool and useful), Doctrines (useful but nothing new), and The Persecuted Church (wow!) classes. The Persecuted Church class was by far the best. We spent 9 hours within 2 days listing to Dr. Ken Perkins give testimony after testimony of his first hand persecution experiences and interviews with others who've experienced persecution. We heard these stories of beatings and imprisonment, torture of families and torture by families. Out of all this, we learned the worst kind of persecution anyone can do is to deny someone from hearing about Jesus. This persecution's ramifications are not just for this life, but it spills over into eternity. I'm humbled how "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." (a quote from Tertullian, 197 A.D.)

Also, the party at Tanglewood is being postponed. Most likely, the commissioning service at Mt. Vernon Church in Boone and this commissioning party at Tanglewood will happen in January or February '07. I'll let yall know when i find out something. However, the commissioning service at the MLC is still on since it's for all the missionaries about to leave this FPO on July 19 @ 1pm.

PrayeRequests:

• Please pray that God would give me His wisdom in all the many decisions i have to make about my next 7 or so months.
• My shoulder has been giving me trouble in my workouts. I don't know what's going on there. One thing at a time.
• Jon's Spanish is going steady but slow still. Pray that he would be encouraged. All 3 of us are currently learning the Creation story in Spanish. Jon is learning 15 other vocabulary nouns and 5 verbs every day.
• Pray for the travel safety of the Taliaferros.
• Praise God that He will glorify Himself in all this!

Love yall bros and sisses,

†il the whole world hears,

corey reid pendergrass

Acts 20:24 "But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. "

Dr. Dalton Called

My ACL is torn. I don't know much right now except it will need surgery and i won't be in Peru in August, but God is still awesome and in charge. Please pray. Please praise Him! Thanks.

†il the whole world hears,

corey reid pendergras

In God's Will

Dear prayer warriors,

It is a hope of mine for you to understand this: I am not better than you because i'm going to Peru.

Just because i'm going to share the Gospel with lost people groups doesn't mean i'm a better Christian. If you are called to go that's another story, but if it is God's Will for you to stay in NC (or wherever you live now) there is nothing you can do that is more Godly than stay in NC. Since God has willed for me to go overseas, there is nothing i can do that would be more Godly (in terms of going/staying) than go overseas. We are equally in God's Will in both those things. I want people to recognize that i have a Christ centered life, but i don't want people to think that if more people acted like "corey," (that'd be so weird) the world would be a better place. I do however, hope that you know that if more people acted like Jesus, the world would be a better place. Idolize and be proud of Him, not me! It is my goal that when people think of me, they would immediately think of Jesus, not the other way around.

The thing is, if you hold me to some superhuman standard, i will fail you. Jesus will not. We need more people to act like Him. We need people who are willing to loose their lives (socially, paternally, economocially, and physically) for the sake of the greatest message on the planet. When you buy that object of satisfaction (a meal, a piece of clothing, an ipod, a tatoo, a cd, a book, a concert ticket, new carpet, etc) ask how this will glorify God. If it takes you more than 3 seconds to come up with an answer i'd suggest putting that money towards something worthwhile. Live by faith tenaciously. When a physical danger arrises, whether it's talking for 3 hours with a person who has TB about Jesus or compromising your security in a closed-to-the-Gospel country so that more lost souls can hear about Jesus, don't reserve. I heard of a house church in Cambodia where the leader told the members to try to get arrested by sharing the Gospel! Where the government persecuted Christians, these people didn't care if they got arrested, or beat, or murdered. They had something better to live for. So do i. So do you. Now let us live.

To post a comment on any blog entry, click the link above the entry with the entry's title. In this case, you would click "In God's Will." Also, you can click the link below each entry. I will say "No Comments" or say "1 [or any number] Comment(s)

?

I still haven't heard from Dr. Dalton, the orthopedic doc that's looking at my MRI results of my knee. I'll post on here as soon as i find out something.

This is gonna be lengthy... Don't feel obligated to read it. If you do, bear with me.

The Med Clinic here at the MLC has revoked my medical clearance. That means if things stay like they are, i can't go to Peru. Now, if my MRI says that i don't have an ACL tear, then they may reinstate my medical clearance, or they might give me a conditional clearance. That means i'd have to do whatever they say i need to do to make sure this knee doesn't give problems down the road. Now, if the results say that i do have an ACL tear, then surgery will be necessary. This will mean that Peru will be postponed/delayed (until next season or indefinately). If so, i don't know if i will be expected to come to a later FPO or stay and finish this one. If they tell me to leave this FPO, i reckon i could reopen Teddy's Tasty Treats (my mobil ice cream service at SWO last year when i broke my foot). Obviously, i don't want to have to reopen TTT. I want Dr. Dalton to call me ASAP and tell me i don't have an ACL tear. But what does God want? Who knows?

I was asked yesterday if i am "accident prone." It was humorous because "accident prone" is an oxymoron. If someone is prone to be a certain way, it would dilute the opportunity for chance or accidents to happen. Nevertheless, i answered, "yes," because i have had a series of serious accidents throughout my life and i understood what they were implying. I have spent my share of time in the emeregency room. However, because accidents have happened before in my life, that doesn't necesarily mean that i will ever be in the emergency room again. That's the nature of chance and probability. If i roll a die 10 times and 9 times it lands on 4, the probablity that it will land on 4 again doesn't change. It is still a 1 out of 6 chance (because a die has 6 sides). However, i think my history of accidents may influence their desisions. Make sense?

Today, while doing push-ups, my shoulder shot with pain. Did my bone spurs regrow since my 2004 surgery? Will i need surgery for this too!? Should i tell the Med Clinic and make them even more scared of sending me? What if it's just nothing? How can i stay in shape without running and doing good push-ups? Am i missing something? A lesson from God? Is that why i keep getting hurt? Why do i keep thinking of questions to which i know there are no answers at this point?

It seems that my physical body won't keep up with God's call on my life. Nevertheless, i know that God's sovereignty over my body won't contradict His calling for me. It feels like God has been preparing me for the last 2.5 years for the Xtreme Team, showing me all the ways He's brought me against the current thus far, placing me on the Xtreme Team to reach unreached people with His message, and now the rug is being pulled out from under me. Who's pulling the rug? God? Satan? -Doesn't matter cause God is sovereign. He will do whatever pleases Him. He will receive His glory whether i go, or wait, or don't go. He cannot be robbed of that. If it is Satan, i know he has enslaved these areas and people where the Xtreme Team is going to since time began and is not willing to give them up now without a fight. Bring it on. My God will fight for me.

These things are those which i cannot control. I'm fine not being in control. It is nothing new for me.

Some may think, "Well, maybe these are things you can't know and understand." In this case i don't buy that. He's not going to put me (or allow me to be put, for that matter) through the fire and not refine me and teach me something. He will teach me in this, as in everything. I just need to listen. Nevertheless, i must wait. I will wait on God always. And today, i will wait on Dr. Dalton and his phone call.

Props to Tammie!

I just want to say thanks to Tammie Greene, who designed this site. It wouldn't have happened without her help. Everybody say thankyou to Tammie. Her company is Web Design Carolinas. Much love!

New Website Up and Running!

Dear faithful,

Teote.com is officially live and kicking! It is named after the phrase, The Ends Of The Earth, where we are going according to Acts 1:8 ( "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."). Please check it for these updates and more periodically, especially the blog section, since for the next couple months i'll probably update it more often than this email update. There you may read about our travels and experiences and know how to best pray for us and those we meet. I'm sending out about one email update per week right now, but once we are through with training (probably in October), including the training in Peru, we will be out in the communities of these lost people groups 2-3 months at a time. That means you'll hear from me (and i from you) about 4-6 times in a year (Don't worry, mom, i'll be sure to call you a bunch between outings.).

So, Monday evening we were playing soccer... aggressively. It was game point and i was right in front of the goal and the i shot, planting my foot, as the goalie landed on the outside of my left knee. The knee bent inward and made a loud popping sound. I thought i'd broke it but i can jog/walk on it and is a little swollen. I was able to jog on it yesterday, Wednesday, morning without pain, but it is very stiff from swelling. I got to see the doctor today, Thursday, and he suspects an ACL tear. My MRI is on Monday and i won't receive any results until Wednesday or Thursday next week. Please join with me and my fellow missionaries here at FPO in praying that God will miraculously heal my knee before the Monday appointment so that this will not keep the Gospel from these lost people's ears.

PrayeRequests:

-Please pray for the entire Xtreme Team. It seems that Satan has a history of injuring the Xtreme Teamers to keep them from getting to the villages. A list of their names can be found at the Xtreme Team's main website and at their Jungle website.

-Pray for Jon. His Spanish learning is still slow. He also was sick on his stomach starting about 5:30am this morning. It's coming out both ends and he's missing valuable class time.

-Pray for Bobby. As all of us, time management is wearing on him. There is so much to memorize and learn.

-Pray for Jeremy. He has an extremely large workload as the XT boss and it is by the grace of God that he can do it. Since working with the Xtreme Team, he has broke his back and arms by falling off a climbing wall, broke his femur, and has experienced many jungle parasites that like to make the digestive system act up. He currently has an ameba in his digestive track that makes things difficult for him.

-Pray for me. Of course pray that my foot would continue to hold together. Pray that God would heal my knee. Pray that i would be able to soak up this fire hydrant of useful information that i'm trying to take in here at the MLC.

-Give praise to God! Through all this, i am still confident that i am still in the center of His Will! What a wonderful place to be!

Also, if you need directions to the July 28th party at Tanglewood, you may find directions here by clicking "Driving Directions" on the right side in the red box.

Love yall bros and sisses,

†il the whole world hears,

corey reid pendergrass

TO POST COMMENTS, CLICK THE LINK BELOW. (It should say something about comments.)

Team Leaders? Us?

Dear praying friends and family,

Sorry, this will be long.

Who would have guessed it? Bobby Lane has been appointed the team leader for Extracurricular Activities at the MLC. That means he is in charge of organizing hands-on classes for missionaries to learn specialized skills they may use the field. Some of these are "How to kill and prepare a chicken," "Basics of auto maintenance," "How to drive a motorcycle," "Self defense." "Nutrition and water purification," and "Blogging." Not only have they appointed Bobby in charge of extracurricular activities but they've also made me the team leader of Recreation. That means i am in charge of organizing sports, fitness, games, and ice cream. Fun stuff.

Jeremy is here! Our boss of the Xtreme Team, Jeremy Taliaferro, and his wife Susan are here for about two weeks. They are hanging out with us, praying with us, testing our skills (Spanish, fitness, beliefs, etc), worshiping with us, answering questions, and encouraging us. What an awesome and exciting time this past week with them has been.

My parents are planning a going away party July 28th. As a show of appreciation for your prayer, i would like you to be able to come. If you cannot, it's okay, but if you are planning on attending, please RSVP to me or my mom ASAP. We will be sharing in the Lord's Supper and have a commissioning/prayer time.

The Xtreme Jungle Team has just redone their website. Please browse around pray for these men by name. Our TEOTE website should be up in a couple of weeks.

Also, if you are willing, i would love to be on your church's prayer list, if i'm not already. Please consider having them add me to it. If you would like me to send them my updates directly, i'd love to do that. Please let me know if i'm on their prayer list!

Prayer Requests:

-Please pray that God would begin to open the hearts of the people we will encounter with the Gospel in Peru. Relatively speaking, we will not have much time with them to plant a church. However, what takes a church plant years in the States, i believe God can and will do in a couple of months among the indigenous of Peru.

-Please continue to pray that Jon would supernaturally learn Spanish. Pray also for Bobby's and my Spanish to develop more.

-Please pray for the leaders of the IMB to continue to be wise and good stewards of time, money, and missionaries.

-Please pray as Paul instructed his prayer partners:

-1 Thes 5:2 "Brethren, pray for us."

-2 Thes 3:1-2 "Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as {it did} also with you; and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith."

-Heb 13:18 "Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things."

love ya bros and sisses,

†il the whole world hears,

corey reid pendergrass

PS. A quick story not about me: There is a woman who is in training here who's dad died this week from a stroke or heart attack (i can't remember) at the hospital. Later that day, the hospital sent him to the home in a hearse (since that's how they do it in their country) and her dad sat up in the back of the hearse and let the driver know he was alive and well. How great is that! I wonder if the driver was okay! That's about all i know about the situation. Sorry i can't give more details. Read Acts 3:8-13, 17. How great is our God! How easily God can restore a dead soul to life in Christ! Do you think it is any harder for God to restore a man's physical life than his spiritual life? No! This was no trouble for Him! God be praise!

PSS. "If God calls you to be a missionary, don't stoop to be a king." -Jordan Groom

Our First Week at FPO

As you probably already know, it is our first week at the Field Personnel Orientation (FPO) here at the Missionary Learning Center (MLC) in Rockville, VA (just outside of Richmond).

If you want to send me something, you may do so at:

corey reid pendergrass (Bobby Lane and Jon Marts also receive mail here)

Missionary Learning Center

16492 MLC Lane

Mail Box 8B

Rockville VA 23146

That is our temporary address until July 20th. If you want to send me something but don't know if it will make it in time or if you forget that address, just send it to my folks in Winston-Salem and they will forward it to me. They can forward things for you to me throughout my time in Peru.

corey reid pendergrass

1577 Attanook Rd

Winston-Salem NC 27106

Our blog website is not quite working yet. It should be unveiled within the next couple of weeks. To wet your appetite, i'll share a little about it. The name of it is TEOTE which stands for The End Of The Earth, taken from Acts 1:8. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth [that's where we're going]." There we will be able to blog and post pictures. I'm hoping to be able to play video from it to but that might be tricky. Also, unlike my old blog, Xanga, you will be able to reply to my posts without a membership, and this blog will not have annoying advertisements and what not. I'm plumb excited!

Bobby and i met Jon Marts, the third Xtreme Teamer, who is living with us. He is from South Dakota. He has a willing personality and loves the outdoors. I like him. More on him later.

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I went for a walk today in the woods. I was going to just go down to the river a few hundred yards from the MLC houses. I decided to follow the river upstream and crossed a few fences. I walked about 5 miles in the woods and it got dark and lightning so i ran back through the woods another way. I found a huge lake and some farms. All this exploring really got me thinking about our future trekking on the XT. I got back to MLC after jumping over a few pasture fences and creeks and poison ivy thickets and dog lots. I've spent the evening really excited about what lies in the future. I took a shower, pull 7 ticks off my legs, face, and back, and found an article in the latest Commission magazine*. It was a 6 page spread on the Xtreme Team. How great is that! I though how different my life will be 2 months from now, sharing the Gospel while on these outings, but it really won't be too different. I will still have the same purpose as today, in a completely different setting: to glorify God.

PrayeRequests:

-Pray for the lost people groups we will find in Peru. They need Jesus! Pray their hearts would be prepared.

-For my VISA. I don't have much time and it's getting processed which is slow. I think it's in the mail somewhere.

-For Jon's Spanish. He doesn't know any.

-For our physical health to increase while in training. All that hiking and running in the woods got me tired.

-For God to glorify Himself through us: Bobby, Jon, and i.

Thanks for praying,

Love yall bros and sisses,

†il the whole world hears,

corey reid pendergrass

*The Commission magazine can be found online here. However, i couldn't find the Xtreme Team article online. I suggest going to a local Southern Baptist Church and picking up a copy. They usually have them in the lobbies for free.