Trash City - Imagine the Un-Imaginable

"Trash City" is a city dump in the middle of Cairo, Egypt which is where the largest gathering of Coptic Christians live. It is a city within a city where people live to dig through trash to sort and gather the different types of recyclable materials. In a Muslim country where Islam rules, and Christianity is frowned upon, this area becomes the place where Muslims dare not go. Our guide said that it is one of the few places where you can buy and eat pork, because it is considered unclean. (Personally speaking, I think everything in "Trash City" is unclean, but we did not stay long enough to find out).
Coptic Christians are the oldest group of Christians around. "Coptic" simply means "Egyptian". They can trace their roots back to the days when Jesus, Mary and Joseph fled Bethlehem to Egypt to flee persecution by Herod. They have lived and stayed in Egypt. Their practices are similar to "Catholic" practices, having many relics and reciting an ancient from of the "Mass" in Arabic. They have a priestly order, but are totally independent of the Roman Catholic Pope and priesthood. In their view they have a closer relationship to Christ because they followed him since he was a baby, not as an adult when John the Baptist revealed him to mankind. They do not do a good job of relating to the outside world of Christianity. They know nothing of Martin Luther's reformation, are not interested in hearing what Evangelicals have to say about anything. Still, I could not help to be appreciative of their knowledge of the biblical narrative or Jesus and reverence for His Son. Anything having to do with Jesus was a site for sore eyes for me.
Deep in the bowels of "Trash City", the Coptic Christians built a twenty thousand seat auditorium for their followers to gather and hear their mass. the artwork carved into the walls was breathtaking and quite a testimony to what Christianity stands for in the Middle East. The message of the Gospel paints the story of a redemptive religion, where God himself comes down to live with and serve the poorest of the poor. Surely, Christ wouldn't associate himself which such unclean people who live in a "Trash City", but surely He does! Islam (and Judaism for that matter) by contrast teaches a religion which must separate itself from everything that is unclean and unfortunately, that means most of the human population. Jesus spoke often about declaring that which was unclean to be clean. I think that it is quite a challenge for us as Christians to not reject the people whom are unclean.
It was beautiful to see the story of Christ carved in stone. However, the beauty of this place was hidden from the majority of the Muslim world who would never venture into such a place. "Christ", if you look for Him, is certainly revealed in this place. One of my favorite images carved in the stone was the resurrection scene with the Angel sitting on the stone and declaring to the women that "He is not here, He is arisen."

A drive through the streets of "Trash City"

Unfortunately, the Coptic Christians I spoke with did not fully understand what Christianity was about. They had fashioned a system of works to tie itself to a failed system because it tied itself to the goodness of man, rather than the grace of God. "Saved" and "Salvation" were not words which the Coptic Christians used nor understood. It was a joy to freely share the message with them, although I could tell that they were very ignorant of the what the Bible teaches, although they knew the stories of Jesus quite well. We were well received by them as friends, however, they really did not accept us as pastors or spiritual leaders. I was not really quite sure what they thought of the band of Hispanic Pastors from the United States who came to visit them. But the visit was quite a blessing for me to experience.
We owe a debt of gratitude to ancient Egypt for the preservation of the scriptures. The oldest known manuscripts of the New Testament were preserved in the desserts of Egypt. The dry climate and the abundance of Papyri (from which we get our word 'paper') allowed the early Christians to copy and preserve the Bible for centuries to come. Many of these ancient Christian monasteries are still present outside of Alexandria, named after the great Roman Emperor "Alexander". I could not help but feel like we were in a scene from "Planet of the Apes", where modern people come back to find that their world had changed and new people were in charge. Sadly, a country once over run with Christians has now been reduced to the descendants of the Christian people, now living in the worst of conditions because they had lost track of their original calling, "to go unto all the world (Matthew 28:19)".

Our Visit with Safwat Nageeb El-Baiady, President of Protestant Churches of Egypt

During our recent trip to Egypt, we had an opportunity to learn more about how we can continue to minister in the Middle East After our trip ends and we return to the United States. In this Video, Dr. Albert Reyes explains about our trip and introduces us to the man through whom all Evangelical church work must be done through before the Egyptian government. Because of the strict control of Government over Christian activities, there must be one person who knows what is going on in the country and who is accountable to the Muslim favored Government. That man would be: " Safwat Nageeb El-Baiady", President of Protestant Churches of Egypt.

His office was a blessing to see, well decorated and functional for meetings and conferences. His hospitality was superb! If Hispanics are to have an impact there in future work, it would be through Buckner International networking it's connections there, and also through President El-Baiady. This meeting between the two men was a great privilege for me to witness. As an outcome of this meeting, we determined that education was the best way for us to help as the greatest witness right now to this closed culture was to help educate the educational system of Egypt. President El-Baiady suggested that we send teachers, or provide teacher training seminars. The Egyptian government would smile better upon our efforts if we could help them in a tangible way as assisting in their educational system. So, who wants to go to Egypt as a teacher out there?



The Presidents Remarks

New Shoes for Our Egyptian Young Men

The view from the bus ride left us asking: "Now where exactly do these boys live?" We searched for the location and found a great group of eager boys waiting our arrival. Shoes for Orphan Souls is a great program that Buckner International does to open doors for the Gospel all over the world. It is hard to imagine how a child feels to have a stranger from another part of the world travel to their land just to put a pair of shoes on their little feet. That was our experience in Cairo, Egypt. It really puts meaning into the phrase: "It is better to give than to receive." As we placed the feet on these little guys feet, we felt like we were 300 ft. tall. Below you can see a video of us doing this to our little friends in a Boys home during our visit.
As we played soccer with the boys and listened to their stories, we were told that the national policy of Egypt is that adoption, especially international adoption is not an option. This teaching goes way back to the days of Islamic law to Mohammed's day, where adoption is frowned upon by society. So, children without parents are usually passed from family to family, or else they hit the street. These boys have an opportunity to receive love and attention until the time they are released into society. So while these are with them, the directors have an opportunity to teach the message of Christ in the Bible until the day they decide to go on their own. The staff were wonderful people and really had a heart for the Lord. While we were not their very long, the memories we made will last a lifetime.

Proverbs 25:25 says: "Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land. " What a great opportunity to bear the good news of Christ love across the globe!
Some of the Pastors had an opportunity to play soccer with these young men. Most played in their bare feet. Even Pastor Rolando Rodriguez who was wearing dress shoes at the time, took off his shoes to play with them. They nick-named him "Reynaldo" after the famous Brazilian player, but he didn't bother to correct them. I think "Renaldo" told his congregation that he now does international soccer exhibitions for Christ (Oh brother!). Nevertheless, the boys wanted a rematch once they had their new tennis shoes. But, unfortunately it was time to go. I couldn't help but feel that our lack of communication skills in Arabic, was superseded by the love and encouragement we brought in Christ to these young men.

Transforming Egypt through Micro-economics

Along our trip through Egypt we had an opportunity to encourage a small Christian economic ministry called
"Shepherds Community Ministry". This ministry provides job education and job skills development to women who are unskilled and are in need of economic opportunity. The women in this organization receive computer training, and other opportunities for economic advancement. Some learn crafts, others software and others learn to set up their own store. The thing which impacted me was that you saw Muslim women, Coptic Christian women and extreme Muslim women who only expose their eyes all working together. This never happens in open society. Their testimony was that this center was more than a training center, it was like "church", because they studied the Bible, prayed and brought their needs to the group together. Below is a video of the testimonies of two women being assisted through a translator. It was amazing to see Christ being shared under the radar of the culture directly to points of need. I was are reminded of the scripture in 1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." God's light indeed show down upon that place. We had the privilege of handing out diplomas of completion for the first graduating class of those who received their training. We also handed them an envelope with a little bit of cash to start their new business. I think that we were more excited than the students were to be part of the celebration and excitement of their new endeavor into micro-economics.
Pastor Jesse Rincones also shared some thoughts about his visit to the Shepherds center.


There are a lot of things that we can learn from a trip like this. For one, a center like this is highly unlikely in light of all the obstacles Christians face in Egypt. However, it did challenge me to think how we could do something similar to this ministry here in the states where we do not have the obstacles which these brethren face in their country. Wow, that gives us something to think about doesn't it?

My First Day in Egypt - When Muslims call Mexicans "Cousins".

I was sharing with a friend of mine about my trip to Egypt and he said, "you know, it is going to take you a while to mentally process everything, the more you talk about it, the more you will be able to digest everything the Lord was showing you during that trip." Indeed, that was good advice. And so, I am going to try and write down some major impressions about the people places and experiences I had, not just to write a blog, but to really go through and re-live some of the experiences I had there. I hope that you enjoy reading, as I enjoy recalling some events that were really quite impactful on my life. I want to thank my brother Frank, who said that he had something for me for my trip. Actually, it was a small hand held flip video camera that help up to four hours of video. I was able to capture some awesome moments that I think will bless you and also give you a deeper perspective on what the Lord was showing us during our trip. Thanks to the miracle of modern technology, I can share some of these moments with you.
Upon our arrival in Egypt, we were greeted by a former Egyptian Ambassador to the United States. A born again believer, now living in the states. Being raised in Cairo, and still maintaining an apartment there, he travels between the two countries helping and serving wherever he can. He was a fascinating man to get to know and his experience and expertise was invaluable as we moved in and around the city. As we arrived in the Cairo airport, he greeted us, prayed with us, and thank God for our safe arrival.
The trip was organized by Dr. Albert Reyes, President of Buckner International and his assistant Aracely Perez. Also on the trip was Pastor Carlos Alcina of Primera Austin, Ed Alvarado of Hispanic Texas Baptist Men, Pastor Rueben Elizondo of New Life Robstown, Pastor Jesse Rincones of Alianza Lubbock, Pastor Rolando Rodriguez, Director of Hispanic Ministries for the Baptists of Texas, Pastor Rueben and Gail Ortega of Sierra Vista Community Church of New Mexico, and Pastor Jose Gamez of Primera Alfa, Dallas, Texas. This is the group of men God used to help us grow together and experience first hand what the Lord is doing in Muslim countries and how in particular how he is still not done with one of the most famous countries in Biblical history. Here is a short video of our arrival. More will follow, but let me share with you this verse as we get started: "You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices." Leviticus 18:3. Little did we know God was calling to observe, be thankful and appreciate the good old US of A, and learn how we can be a blessing to this Land. Egypt is by far the United States greatest Ali next to Israel in the middle east, but even still, we needed to be cautious. Being Hispanic, we were eagerly accepted and welcomed in this country. When we were introduced to the Arab people, they saw our faces and said "Where are you from?". We responded we are Hispanic Americans. "Hispanic Americans?" We replied: "Yes, you know, Mexicans." "Mexicans? Then you must be our cousins." And so, our middle east experience began. Stay tuned for more, and enjoy the video.

Faith, Hope and Love - Foundations for a strong church

While studying for my new sermon series I discovered that Faith, Hope and Love are essential to a healthy vibrant church that is tuned in to meeting the needs of its congregation. If you looking for a church home that is built upon these principles I pray that you would consider joining our church. We would love to be your family and build into your faith, with hope and in the love of Christ. Visit us this Sunday morning as we continue to explore these concepts together. May God richly bless you as you press on to the mark we have in heaven in Christ Jesus.

Pastor Vince Gonzales

Starting Over Again - A Study in the Gospel of John

"In the beginning was the Word..." so starts the book of the Gospel Of John. Are you feeling like you need to start your career over again? Your family over again? Your life over again? The good news is that God allows you to start all over again when you are in the midst of difficult circumstances. Through this study we are seeing how God has given us a new opportunity to start over again by:

A new prophet - "John the Baptist"
A new party - "The wedding at Cana"
A new religion - "Overturning the Temple marketplace"
A new birth - "The Visit of Nicodemas"

Newness is the thought as we explore how God wants to come in a change every element of our relationship to Him and to each other. Joining us this Sunday morning as we engage the author of Life as He re-writes our life story again with Christ in the middle of it.

We look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

We are ready for VBS!

VBS (Vacation Bible School) has long been a tradition of our church as a time to generate excitement for the Lord and make new friends in the process. Years ago, when we met at Northway Baptist Church, we spent a lot of time and money to make VBS a success. When Northway asked us to vacate their property, we tried our best to make VBS work at Northwest Bible Church when we met there temporarily. It was difficult to do so because of space. Over this past year because of having to move to two different locations within a 12 month time, we lost some members and also our finances dwindled. We continued to pray and would not cease to believe that God has called us to the community we were planted in, which was North Dallas.As we begin our fourth month of meeting in our new location: "Royal Haven Baptist Church", we are excited about this years vacation Bible school. Having a few less people and a little less budget, God has provided everything that we need to reach a new community of bilingual people in our new neighborhood. To date, we have received the following items for VBS:

A freezer full of pork, chicken and beef for tacos from Chipotle restaurant.
A case of Jalapenos, tomatoes and onions from Super Plaza supermarket.
Pizzas from Pizza Hut
Sweet breads from Starbucks
Tortillas and chips from Rudys Tortillas
$ 780.00 from Royal Haven Baptist Church
$ 275.00 from Twin Media.
A 100 man tent from FBC Dallas.
A snow cone machine from Village Church Northway.

And also, many neighborhood businesses have allowed us to place posters in their store windows. Stores such as:
Big D Barbers
Donut Palace
Family Dollar
Chihuahua Party Supply
Cristina's restaurant
Access Dental
A plus uniform
Jack in the Box
CiCi's pizza
Starbucks and others.

So we have our teachers, food, materials and supplies ready for this years vbs. We are excited to put it on for you and we hope that you are making plans to attend. June 7-11th, 2010 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm every night. There is something for everyone of all ages.

Thank you Lord for your faithfulness and provision.
Thanks you North Dallas Family for believing that God has great things for us to do.

We will see you there!

Pastor Vince Gonzales
North Dallas Family Church

Starting over - Begining Again!

We have begun our new series on the gospel of John: "Starting Over - Beginning Again". Many people want to start their life over in one way or another. The new chapters of our lives encourage us to start over. Have you ever wiped out in life and wanted to start over again? The Gospel of John encourages us over again, but to start again from the beginning. Not where we are, but back to the beginning. John says that "In the beginning was the Word..." That is where we are to start, in the beginning, with the Word. The word is communication from God, it is getting back on track with God and His word. So understand that to start again, we have to go back to the beginning. There is no compromise there, it was our way of thinking that got us into trouble in the first place. We need to change the way we think about the former things and not carry them into the future that we are wanting to achieve. As we study this book, we find that Christ is inviting us to think differently about how we thought before. He challenges the Bridegroom to re-think what a real party is going to be. He challenges Nicodemus to re-think what it is to be "born again". He challenges the woman at the well to re-think her relationship with God and men. Quite an interesting perspective. So make plans to be with us this summer as we start all over again.

Men's Retreat 2010

The Men's retreat was a great blessing to us all! It was the first time that our men had a specific time to themselves. We went to Lakeview Camp in Waxahachie which gave us an opportunity to enjoy fishing, basketball, volleyball and great food. Pastor Amado Lozano, missions staff from Northwest Bible Church brought a great message to us friday night challenging us to be men who were aware that we are living in the times of great opportunity to serve Christ in a real way. We then enjoyed a bonfire in which we worshipped and Marcos Dean brought us a challenge on helping pastor serve the church. The next morning, brother Jeremy Strauss brought the devotion on God's amazing grace. We look forward to the next time that we will be together. See you then.
You may see more pictures from the retreat here.

Song of Solomon

I hope you have been enjoying the Series "Song of Solomon - what everybody needs to know". It has been a joy sharing this remarkable book with you. I have been receiving great testimonies about how the book has caused some couples to speak to each other on whole new levels as they learn what true intimacy is all about.
If you are hurting in your marriage, do not be discouraged. If ever you have had a thorn or splinter in your finger you remember how much it hurt to try to dislodge it. It often hurt tremendously but afterwords it was quite healing. What a joy to have your feelings back and working. We find that marital conflict is often painful but once you dislodge what is hurting, only then can the healing begin.
The book covers everything from dating, courting, romance, sex and even what to do when the honeymoon is over. I pray that you will put into practice the principles we uncover from God's gift to us, "The book of Romance".

Libro de Jonas

Cada miercoles a las siete en la tarde tendremos nuevo serie de sermones para nuestro adoracion del medio semana. Vamos a aprender de estar en la voluntad de Dios por medio del libro de Jonas. Jonas no solo es una historia de un pescado grande, es una historia de a la maravillosa gracia de Dios. Ven y estar con nosotros a las siete en la tarde cada Miercoles. Nos Vemos!