Visionlife365

Gary and Jason are taking on a topic that is sometimes seen as a foreign concept in the church: the role of elders. In this podcast, they explore the importance of this leadership position and why it is often misunderstood. Many people believe that deacons should do the job of the elder, but Gary and Jason explain that deacons serve the pastor and the congregation. In contrast, elders provide spiritual accountability and protection for the pastor and the congregation. They delve into the...

Gary and Jason are tackling one of the most significant theological debates in the Christian faith: are salvation and discipleship one and the same or two separate entities? In this thought-provoking podcast, they explore the nuances of this complex topic and provide their unique perspectives. Neither Gary nor Jason wants to answer with a definite yes or no, but instead, they focus on the importance of tangible growth in the believer's life. They discuss the relationship between salvation...

Gary and Jason are taking you on a journey to explore the potential dangers of seeing foreign cultures only through American eyes. This podcast delves into how our perceptions can shape our understanding of other cultures and how wrong perceptions can lead to wrong conclusions. Gary and Jason share their experiences of traveling and engaging with different cultures, highlighting the importance of being culturally aware and sensitive. They discuss how misunderstanding a culture can have...

Within the realm of theology, there are varying positions on faith preceding regeneration or regeneration preceding faith. The position of our ministry is that faith precedes regeneration. Listen as Gary and Jason share why they believe a person must surrender to God's authority in repentance before being saved. Regardless of which side of the aisle you fall on, this theological discussion will challenge you and make you think!

The gospel is God's most important message entrusted to the believer as stewardship. Unfortunately, many Christians are not confident to share their faith and often seek out their pastor to "witness" to someone because they don't have the confidence to do it themselves. In February 2023 our seminary will be launching a class about understanding the gospel. Listen as Gary and Jason discuss what are the important aspects of a clear gospel message. This will encourage you in your faith and give...

San Pedro de Macoris is a unique city. Due to the influence of baseball, we are often blessed to have both Spanish-speaking and English-speaking visitors. This presents a unique opportunity for ministry. Listen as Gary and Jason talk through our ministry philosophy and how we operate our bilingual ministry.

Ministry presents you with some interesting choices at times. Christmas 2022 was one of those interesting times. Christmas fell on a Sunday. Praise the Lord that we had an excellent turnout for services, but what do you do when people don't attend a service that falls on a holiday? Often times it is easy to be very judgmental and jump to conclusions. Listen as Gary and Jason talk through this delicate subject and how they wade through the waters of discipling new believers towards...

Gary and Jason try to challenge themselves continually and expand through reading. This podcast is about their recommended reads. There are some great books that will help you in your personal and ministry growth. Listen in for some great suggestions for your personal reading!

2022 was a great year. Stepping out of COVID gave opportunities for ministry growth again. There is excitement in the air at our church. Listen in as Gary and Jason share the incredible things God has done as they close out 2022 and look toward 2023!

Being a missionary is fantastic and rewarding! When the holidays come sometimes there is a bit of homesickness. Listen as Gary and Jason discuss how to keep the holidays exciting and refreshing even when overseas.

Mantaining a testimony that is above reproach is essential for a healthy home, church, and ministry. It is wise to maintain strong accountability in every aspect of life because sometimes an unsubstantiated accusation alone can cause irreversible damage. Unfortunately in ministry not every situation is so perfectly black and white. Culture can also add some curve balls that are not so common in the United States. Listen as Gary and Jason talk about importance of maintaining a solid testimony...

Sometimes in ministry, there are times that you feel uncomfortable about something, but you can't seem to put your finger on it. Someone gives you a bad vibe, or you may feel unsettled. Listen as Gary recounts a situation at IBEM (Iglesia Bautista Evangelica de Marcoris) that unsettled Gary. Thanks to having a proper protocol in place and being sensitive to the Holy Spirit, IBEM was protected from a potentially harmful individual. Listen in on the conversation as Gary and Jason talk about...

So much to unpack in this episode. As a team, DR Vision builds organic relationships within our community centered around the gospel. Franciso is a fantastic example of the cohesive work of a mission team to see someone come to Christ and then be discipled! Listen as Gary and Jason talk about Francisco, an older gentleman God convicted through the Holy Spirit. Thanks to multiple people investing in Francisco, he decided to give his life to Jesus Christ and then follow in baptism. Francisco...

Driving is one of the most challenging parts of living in the Dominican Republic! Every day is a new adventure! Listen in as Gary and Jason share some of their driving experiences. Jason was in two car accidents in the same week! Thankfully no damage to the car or anyone involved. Get the inside scoop when you listen to this podcast!

Covert narcissism is a highly destructive force within the church. Sometimes it is hard to identify if you have never dealt with it before. Unfortunately, if you have been involved in ministry for any time, you have dealt with some form of covert narcissism. At its roots, it is when men get caught up in building their own kingdom instead of God's kingdom. Listen as Gary and Jason talk about their own experiences with covert narcissists. While each situation is different, the patterns are the...

How do we take new believers from the moment that they surrender their lives to Christ to being active participants in the gospel? While we can't force anyone to actively follow Jesus, do we have a clear-cut plan to help these new believers cross the bridge from just "being saved" to being a disciple of Jesus? Listen in as Gary and Jason discuss this very pertinent subject!

This podcast takes a slightly unplanned twist. While we had our theme planned out, we ended up digging deep into some personal issues and philosophies. You won't want to miss this episode!

It's been a little while since we've been able to podcast. Both Gary and Jason have been busy with various personal and ministry commitments. Listen in as they recap their summer activities and listen to how God has been working!

Have you ever been discouraged? Nearly everyone has dealt with discouragement at some time in their life. Thankfully, God is always faithful regardless of our mental or emotional state. Listen as Gary and Jason candidly talk about times they have been discouraged and things that were helpful to them to overcome their discouragement!

Suicide is never an easy subject to deal with. Further complicating this complex subject are unbiblical traditions and even superstitions from catholicism and pentecostalism. Gary dealt with this challenging subject through a sermon series called "questions," where he addressed questions from the congregation. Each week, he dealt with new questions and walked biblically through the question giving a biblical answer. Listen as Jason and Gary talk about this controversial subject and how they...