On Mission | Nelson Paulino

Isn't it so good having our Dominican brothers

and sisters here today? I love them so much and

it's so good to have them here. If I don't know

you, my name is Bob. I am one of the pastors

here. And I want to tell you a little bit about

my connection with Dominican Republic. So the

first time I went on a missions trip there was

2012. And I went down there thinking, man, we're

going to help them and we're going to make an

impact on them. myself and that entire team left

there being more impacted by them than they possibly

could have been by us. And it was so good. And

at that time, I got to meet the man running the

mission that we went down to, which was Vision

Trust, Nelson Paulino. And Nelson, if I have

to say one thing, he is a man after God's heart.

And I have the privilege now of not just calling

him a brother in Christ, but a close friend.

And so as we continue to go down every year,

probably about five, six years ago, Nelson said,

I think God's giving me a new mission other than

vision trust. So what he started doing is he

started Casa Misionera. And what Casa does is

he will call churches and schools throughout

the country and say, hey. Give me a couple of

your students that are in love with Jesus Christ

and would love to go to college. And even if

they don't have the money, we're going to get

them to college. We'll take care of their college,

but they have to do a four -year leadership program

through Casa Misionera. And so we went down the

first time, and I got to witness what they're

doing with these students. And so far, about

20 have graduated after their four years, and

there's probably 40 more in the program. but

had the privilege of watching him lead these

students. And Nelson's goal is this. He wants

to raise the Christian leaders of tomorrow today.

That is their vision. And with that, he hopes

to change an entire country. And so it is exciting

to watch what they're doing and how he quickly

changed what he was doing and went on a new mission

for God. So we are in a collection of talks right

now. called Snapshots. So would you give a big

hand for mi hermano y mi amigo, Nelson Paulino.

Gracias. Muy buenos dias. Yes, we can do this

in Spanish, right? I know, I know. Thank you

so much. What an amazing opportunity for our

students in Casa Misionera, for myself. Thank

you, High Church, all your leadership. I praise

the Lord because I had no idea five years ago

when we started Casa Misionera, no idea that

this day I was going to be here speaking to you.

So the Lord has been really good and I praise

him for each and every one of you. Amen. And

he brought me today in his will to challenge

somebody in this room. Might be one person, might

be 10. Challenge you because you have been given

talents. You have been given opportunities, experiences.

You have studies. You've been working. You have

a level of influence. You know people. You have

friends. You have family. You've been trained

in so many different ways. Just like the man

that we're going to be reading about in a minute

in the book of Acts chapter 9. You are equipped

Acts 9 · chapter mention

to do God's work. In the book of Acts chapter

Acts 9:1

9, verse 1 and 2, we will begin to read about

this man whose name at the moment is Saul. And

the Bible says, meanwhile, I got to say before

I read this, English is not my first language.

So if I mispronounce... One or two words here.

I will just say it in Spanish and you need just

to follow me on that, okay? Okay. So, meanwhile,

Saul was still breathing out murderous threats

against the Lord's disciples. He went to the

high priest and asked him for letters to the

synagogues in Damascus so that if he found any

there who belongs to the way, whether men or

women, he might take them as prisoners. To Jerusalem.

Okay. That's the end of verse 2. I'm sorry. And

so this is the mission that this man has. And

he's a very equipped, very educated man that

has been trained for years. And he had all kinds

of credentials. And he has all kinds of access.

If you think about it, he had an appointment

with a high priest. He had doors open to talk

to such level of authority, which I believe was

not only a religious authority, but it's also

a very high in politician authority. So in Dominicans,

we will say Paul, in this case Saul, he had all

of his problems resolved. He had probably a nice

job, good access of information and people that

he can talk to. Doors open everywhere to the

point that he can actually meet to this level

of people by the high priest and get letters

signed from them. to do this that he calls his

mission. Later in life, when he's already a Christian

and he's trying to testify about what happened

to him, he gives a little bit more details about

his credentials, about the things that he's been

through, the things that he has learned, and

who he really is. And it's interesting to see

all of those details. So I'd like to invite you

to read with me in the book of Philippians chapter

Philippians 3:4

3, verse 4, 5, and 6, some of the things that

he was... testifying as part of his gift and

talents that he had. So I myself have reasons

for such confidence. If someone else thinks they

have reasons to put confidence in the flesh,

I have more. Circumcised on the eighth day, on

the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin

and Hebrew of Hebrews, in regards to the law,

a Pharisee. As for seal, persecuting the church,

as for righteousness, Based on the law, faultless.

And we read more of that description that he

gives in another chapter in the Bible, in the

book of Acts, chapter 22, and verse 3. He elaborates

Acts 22 · chapter mention

a little bit more about his qualifications. Verse

number 3. I'm a Jew born in Tarsus of Sicilia,

but brought up in this city. I study under Gamaliel

and was truly trained in the law of the ancestors.

So this is the man who, of all of these qualifications

that he has and all of this background that he

can exhibit and all the influence that he had,

the studies and all the resources, he got himself

on a mission. Can you repeat that word? Mission.

Mission. He was determined to get that work done.

He had all the tools and access to do it and

the possibilities of doing it. One day, everything

changed for him. The day that he's doing this

mission, he's on his way to accomplish, in verse

number 3 of chapter 9 of Acts, he then declares

what happened. He said, you know, I was on my

way to Damascus, and in that journey, suddenly,

and maybe you want to repeat that word with me,

suddenly, a light came all around him. And now

he is in the dirt, and he can't see, and he hears

his voice, soul, soul, why do you persecute me?

That day, the life of Saul changed forever. That

was the moment everything begins to change for

him. Something happened to me also in my life

when I was 20 years old. If you, well, that's

29 years ago. I know I look like 35, but I'm

49. But when I was 20 years old, I was involved

in every possible ministry opportunity in my

local church. Since I grew up in my church, since

I was a kid, I was involved with the kids' ministry,

the youth, the worship team. I was outside in

the evangelization work that we were doing. I

was never involved in the women's ministry. That's

not the one I did. But in every other ministry

possible, I was involved in everything. I had

the blessing to be registered in college, which

in my family, that was a miracle. Just to give

you an example, all the way from Adam and Eve

history, all the way to my father, I was the

very first one to go to college. And on my mother's

side, I was the third one to go to college. So

if you were to ask me, Nelson, where are you

going? What is your future? What do you think

to do? I would probably never verbalize, never

say it out of my mouth. I'll be doing ministry

full time because that was not part of my vocabulary.

But something happened on the evening of October

30, 1996. It was a Wednesday night. And if you

want to hear the whole testimony, you have to

come to the Dominican and give me three hours.

So that night, two guys tried to kill me because

they wanted my scooter that I was driving. And

as they tried to kill me, it was a very difficult

moment. I was taken to three different hospitals.

Everybody thought I was going to die. But the

Lord spared my life. And six days later, I was

declared completely healed. And as that happened,

now I'm just a guy in my local church being invited

to share my story. Services after services around

the country, so many youth groups, so many churches.

And then my pastors and my mentors and my friends

were like, Nelson, you know, I don't think you're

going to be doing computer coding anymore. I

think you need to think about other ideas, other

choices for you. Maybe you're going to become

a preacher or an evangelist. You know, we need

to think about ministry. And that was the moment

that everything changed for me when I was 20

years old. I think that the Lord brought me out

today to give you that moment, to give you that

suddenly moment. It might be that you realize

you read something on the Bible recently that

is like, this is the moment that I was speaking

to me. Maybe watch a movie, maybe watch a video

on YouTube or Facebook, or you just listen to

a crazy Dominican preacher on Sunday morning.

And then you get inspired to change something

in your life and ask the Lord. The same questions

that Saul asked when he was in his mission. Now,

remember, Saul had a mission. Can you say with

me, mission? Now, we are Dominicans, and you

have to shout out loud, mission. There you go.

He had a mission, but the moment that Jesus comes

into the scene for him in that way to Damascus,

His mission changed to a submission. Because

now the guy who was so powerful, he had all this

influence, all these resources, is now in the

dirt. And his posture has changed. He's now speaking

from a different position. He recognized that

he's not on top. He's now in a very humble situation.

Not only his posture has changed, but it's also

his perspective changed. Now every time he talks

to this light that he doesn't know who it is,

he says, Lord. Who are you? Lord, what do you

want me to do? I think those are very important

questions that we all have to ask. Lord, what

do you want me to do? And his priorities changed

because from there on, everything that he had

in mind was completely changed. Now he's taken

to the city by people that he didn't know. Everything

is new for him. I think this is the kind of things

that we have to consider in our life today with

the resources that we have. and the influence

that we've been given, and the gifts and talents.

Lord, what is this that you want me to do? You

see, Saul was a very, very self -sufficient and

self -oriented man. You can imagine, because

of all of his resources, that he was very determined

in the things that he was doing. But in this

moment, when he has this suddenly situation,

his mission, can you repeat the word mission?

His mission. Hey, you did it right this time.

His mission changed to an admission. And now

he is in the middle of a situation where he has

said many, many times, you know, I can see for

myself. But now he can't see. He's blind. He

can't see anything unless somebody guides him.

And he will say many times, you know, I can do

it. I can steer myself wherever I want to go.

But now he's found himself in a situation where

he can't go unless somebody takes him. He could

have said many times, no, I can go, I can lead,

I can do things the way I want. But he's in a

very humble moment where he can do much of that

but follow this voice. He's sitting in the dark.

He's in what we would call a solitary confinement.

He's being broken. This man, this powerful man

is being broken so he can be used. And all of

these gifts and talents that he has received

now be used for the glory of God. Jesus teaches

a lot about this self -dependency and all this

auto, I can do myself things. And how he gives

us an example. So I want you to read with me

in the book of John chapter 5, verse 19 and 20

John 5:19

and verse 30. How Jesus himself, the man, our

Lord with all the power, how he says about himself.

Jesus gave them this answer. Very truly I tell

you. The son can do nothing by himself. He can

do only what he sees his father doing because

whatever his father does, he, the son, also does.

Verse 20, for the father loved the son and chose

him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even

greater works than this so that you will be amazed.

Verse 30, by myself, I can do nothing. I judge

only as I hear and my judgment is judged. For

I seek not to please myself, but him who sent

me. Wow, I think those are great examples of

all of us to consider how do we make decisions

and what do we do? Are we doing something that

is what I want to do? Or Jesus, what do you want

me to do? Can you repeat one more time? Mission.

Mission. Saul was in a mission, but then suddenly...

Jesus comes in the scene and now his mission

is changed to a co -mission. Let's read one more

time what was his mission and we will make a

comparison about his mission and now this new

co -mission that he has found in Christ. Let's

read again one more time, verse 1 and 2 of Acts

Acts 9 · chapter mention

chapter 9. Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing

out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples.

He went to the high priest. and asked him for

letters to the synagogues in Damascus so that

if he found any of these who belong to the way,

whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners

to Jerusalem. What a mission he had. But now

with Jesus, he has a co -mission. And let's read

what that co -mission is that he has and also

that you and I both has. Matthew chapter 28,

Matthew 28:18

verse 18, 19, and 20. Then Jesus comes to them

and said, All authority in heaven and on earth

has been given to me. Therefore, go and make

disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the

name of the Father and of the Son and of the

Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything

I have commanded you. And surely I'm with you

always to the very end of the age. Wow. The mission

is changed to this commission, and now his authority

is changed. He has now a higher authority before

he was submitted to the corrupt and anti -high

priest, and now he is submitted to the holy Jesus

Christ himself. First, he was committed to a

broader scope that was about Damascus, but now

he's more wide open. Now he's sent to the whole

world, which is better. He has a much better

purpose because before he was in the mission

of introducing Christians. to the prison, but

now he's introducing prisoners to Jesus Christ

and be free. What is better? He had a mission

to go into the city of Damascus, but now he,

I mean, into Jerusalem, bring those prisoners

to Jerusalem, but now he's bringing people to

the new Jerusalem. You see, Jesus has much better

plans than your own plans. And I encourage you

today to ask, Lord, what is this that you want

me to do? In the Dominican Republic, we are training

the Christian leaders of tomorrow. And I'd like

to introduce you to two of our students who will

share their stories about how they, at their

own age, have been determined now to say, Lord,

use me with the gifts and talents that you have

given me. I'd like to introduce you to my friend,

Cesar, who is coming this way. I met Cesar in

a very unique way. He was helping in one of our

dynamics distributing food. But he was in every

picture that I was taking that night. And I was

like, who is this big guy in every picture we

take? And he was very close to one of the girls.

And I asked, is he trying to be her boyfriend

or what? Great. God bless you, church. It is

so awesome to be here. And thank you very much

for the warm welcome that you have given us so

far. So, well, as Nelson was saying, I joined

the ministry in 2023. And the story of how I

became a student is kind of funny. Because in

2022, some of the students from the first class

of the ministry, they went over to my community

to do some food distribution. And as they were

there, they needed help and I was there. So,

and as we were like visiting different churches,

they were taking pictures of the dynamic. And

so in every picture that they were taking, I

was like in each one of them. It was like uncomfortable

at the moment, you know, like you'd be like,

yeah, why are they taking pictures? So, but I

was cool with it. And so a couple of days later,

I had a meeting with Nelson and my pastors. And

so I was sure everything about the ministry.

And so that's how I got to become a student of

the ministry. So this has been a life changing

ministry. So it's only been three years. since

I joined. And so I can tell that my life is not

the same as it was in 2022. And people around

me actually tell me that. So my relationship

with the Lord has grown and has gone deeper.

I mean, in some ways that I could have never

imagined before joining the ministry. And I find

myself now doing things that I never would have

imagined before joining the ministry. Like being

here in Arizona, speaking in public in front

of all of you, that was a challenge for me, especially

speaking in English. So it's a big testimony

of how my life has been changing so far. And

so. So this ministry has encouraged me to do

things. I mean, like I said, that I've never

thought I was going to be doing. So like, for

example. We in the Dominican, we don't have such

a thing as a reading culture. And so now I find

myself reading a book every month, which is one

of the dynamics of the mission house. So that

is something that has helped me in my walk in

Christ. And also it has encouraged me to now

mentor guys in my church and help them keep faithful

in the walk of the Lord. So, for example, early

this year, I told Nelson at the beginning, that

I wanted to be used translating stuff for the

ministry. And so a couple months later, we had

a ministry that visited the mission house. And

so all of a sudden, Nelson just asked me, like,

Cesar, stand up and translate. It was challenging

at that moment, but I did it. So then a couple

months later, that ministry, they reached out

to me and they asked me to go with them to Puerto

Plata, which is in the north of the country,

about five hours from my house. And so I was

with them for like two weeks, helping translating.

And that was awesome. It was life changing. And

so I'm really thankful for the opportunity that

the Lord gave me to be part of this ministry.

Because it was something that I cannot expect

in my life. And it's proof that when we trust

the Lord, He shifts our plans towards His will.

Amen. Amen. Thank you. Very, very proud of this

young man. The next student is actually a graduate

student. Her name is Chris Bell, and she might

be coming up this way. She and I met when she

was only 17 years old. She was a tiny little

girl in the middle of her congregation, but her

pastor's thoughts, Pastor Tom Nelson, this girl

has a fire inside her. Let's find out what that

is. Let's hear her story. Hello, everyone. My

name is Chris Spell. I'm very happy I came with

the team last year as well, and I'm very happy

to be again and now sharing my testimony with

all of you. So I come from a small town in the

Dominican Republic called Nagua, which is two

and a half hours away from the capital and also

the town where the Heights team got to serve

in. So praise the Lord for that. I come from

a family of five with me being the youngest.

And I came to Christ when I was 16. It was there.

I started to serve really quick in worship team

and also youth leadership team. And that's where

my pastor found me and said, hey, I have this

longtime friend that the Lord has called him

to create this ministry for young people. And

you will get to practice your English. with American

people, and I think it will be good for it. And

I was like, Pastor, hey, I don't know if this

is good for me. I don't know what you're talking

about. But if you say that it will be good for

me and that I'll learn a lot, then I will do

it. Late 2021, I got called by Nelson to go with

this mission team to translate. So you can imagine,

17 -year -old. I speak English, but I've never

translated for anyone at that point. And I was

a little bit like, hey, okay, Nelson, I will

go. It was a week long, but by day two, and that

experience has like something had like exploded

before my eyes. I went from not had like this

type of experience before to realize that this

was something I was being called by God to do,

that I wanted to be in mission, that I wanted

to be in ministry. Fast forward to 2022, I get

contacted by this organization in my country.

So now I'm traveling all over the country to

translate and also help with their mission teams.

And all of a sudden, I'm on a plane to Colombia

to serve with this same organization in the border

with Venezuela. That trip for me was another

confirmation that the Lord was calling me to

ministry. 2024 and I graduate from the program

so I'm not one of the students anymore but I

it became very clear to me that this was the

Lord's calling for my life that I wanted to be

in ministry I was I'm going to school to be an

English teacher and I was done with that um but

I could realize that the Lord had a bigger plan

for my life and at that point I like I knew that

this was something I wanted to do for my whole

life. 2025, January 2025 comes, and now I am

working with the ministry in the Dominican Republic.

I am supporting the ministry with short -term

mission teams logistics. And I'm convinced, and

I become more convinced every day that this is

the Lord's will for my life. That this is really

what He wants me to do, and it's serve the ministry.

I cannot tell you how proud I am of this young

lady who joined us as part of our family and

began to learn about her gifts and talents could

be used for the glory of God. And being a teacher

is great, but the Lord had a much greater plan

for her. And now we actually welcome in the Dominican

this year already 10 mission teams. It's a lot

of work, a lot of logistics that Chris Bell,

he was in charge of a lot of that. So I challenge

you this morning. You've been given all these

possibilities. And I know if you ask me, I don't

know, but I can see the country and people are

here. You had all this access, technology and

education and resources. Just ask yourself, Lord,

what is that you want me to do? I'd like to lead

us in a prayer and I will pray for you in the

Lord's first language, according to my version,

which is Spanish. So my angels know what I'm

saying. But I'll be praying for you so you have

that moment of understanding that you've been

given the opportunity to serve the Lord with

your gifts and talents full -time or part -time,

at least as a volunteer. So would you close your

eyes and pray with me? May the Lord bless you

and keep you. Have a wonderful day.