It has been awhile!

Hello All,

It has been awhile since the last post. So much is going on in Harlingen. We've been having revival here in this part of the valley. God has been helping us through his Holy Spirit. He truly is a faithful Creator.

Since last, we have had our Friday Night Fright Films, Haunted Play, Fall Harvest Carnival, Christmas Parade, Christmas BackStage Theater, and Christmas Carol Outreach. This Wednesday, the 22nd, We are having our Annual Christmas Service & Dinner. All of these events are geared toward evangelism.

Our Haunted Play and Fall Harvest Carnival was a fruitful time of people coming to us instead of the other way around. Despite our Haunted House being shut down due to safety and permit issues, we were allowed to have a play. So we converted the Hell House to a live theater production and had 16 souls respond to the Gospel. Our Carnival brought the crowd in to have free hot dogs and drinks as well as the free gift of the Salvation. We set up the balloon bounce, a number of games for the children and the projector featuring Christian Horror films such as the classic, M:10:28, The Visitation and Thr3e. We had a great turnout with people hearing the word of God and 2 giving there lives to Christ at the event. Also, for the month of October, we had our "Friday Night Fright Films", which were effective in bringing out people who were curious of the oxymoron of Christian Horror Movies. People were saved by the reality of Heaven and Hell, demonic activity and possession, and the possibility of death at any moment. I encourage anyone to use the Halloween season for a time of active evangelism.

If you would like some ideas for a successful Halloween event, feel free to contact me.

I will write about the other happenings at a later time. Till then, pray for us.

J.C.H.C.

Pastor Ray Felan

1st Annual 5K Run

Here are some pictures of our "First Annual 5K Walk/Run"

RGV Harvester's Homecoming

What a wonderful time we had at the 2010 Harvester's Homecoming in McAllen, TX. We were privileged to have Pastor Fred Rubi as the main speaker. He brought timely messages for all that attended.

One sermon that stood out was a sermon preached by Pastor Fred Rubi about how all of us, that are saved, have a story to tell. He said that we shouldn't be afraid to tell our story. That your testimony is one of the most powerful tools you have when it comes to winning souls. He explained that people love to hear stories, especially those that have a good ending.

All of us have a story to tell. So tell it! And to those who are saved, you know how the story ends . . . it ends with being with Jesus, happily ever after!

(Below are some picture of the Harvester's Homecoming)

JCHC

Pastor Ray

Wayman Mitchell Discipleship

We were so privileged to attend Pastor Mitchell's discipleship class at the mother church in San Antonio. Pastor Mitchell preached a sermon on how God hears when those who are desperate call out his name. In the book of Genesis, God heard the desperation of Hagar, Sarah's maid-servant. Pastor Mitchell stated that the dilemma your in, whether by your own doing or by things out of your control, that God will hear an honest cry for help. God is a God that hears.

JCHC

Pastor Ray

Happy Easter!

What a wonderful time we had during our Easter celebration! I will have pictures up from this event soon - Thanks.

Aftershocks continue across Mexicali

Aftershocks continue across Mexicali

Mat 24:7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.

7.2 magnitude quake rocks Mexico, U.S.

7.2 magnitude quake rocks Mexico, U.S.

Mat 24:7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.

Powerful China quake kills at least 400

Powerful China quake kills at least 400

Luke 21:11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

Volcanic ash cripples aviation

Volcanic ash cripples aviation

Mark 13:8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These [are] the beginnings of sorrows.

Must Read

"Disciplines of a Godly Man" by R. Kent Hughes

Our churches and homes need men willing to follow the path of godliness no matter what the cost. This inspiring book has been speaking to the hearts of men for the past 10 years, and its words are still relevant. Using engaging illustrations, scriptural wisdom, practical suggestions and study questions, Kent Hughes offers a frank biblical discussion on major areas of Christian manhood: family, godliness, leadership, ministry and more. This newly revised edition is for every man who wants to know what it means to be a Christian in today's world.

"We will never get anywhere in life without discipline, be it in the arts, business, athletics, or academics. This is doubly so in spiritual matters. In other areas we may be able to claim some innate advantage. An athlete may be born with a strong body, a musician with perfect pitch, or an artist with an eye for perspective. But none of us can claim an innate spiritual advantage. In reality, we are all equally disadvantaged. None of us naturally seeks after God, none is inherently righteous, none instinctively does good (cf. Romans 3:9-18). Therefore, as children of grace, our spiritual discipline is everything - everything!"

Revival w/Gahfoor

What an awesome visitation of the Spirit of God we had during the revival with Ashgar Gahfoor. Evangelist Gahfoor is truly a man of God that is in tune with what the Spirit wants to say to the people he is ministering to.

Pastor Gahfoor is a converted Muslim to Christianity and for a time had a Fatwa on his life. After a year that his wife had given her life to Jesus at the Potter's House in Killeen, TX and through much prayer, Evangelist Gahfoor gave his life to Jesus. Gahfoor speaks several languages, holds a Master Degree and was an officer in the U.S. Military. But with all these accomplishments, Ghafoor stated that he was empty and realized that Christ was truly the answer that he needed. Through the testimony of his wife and others in the Killeen church, he saw genuine faith and deliverance in the people of God.

There was a tremendous touch of the Spirit given by the evidence of those who were healed of infirmity and the "Baptism of the Holy Spirit" by speaking in tongues. People were challenged to trust God and to answer the call to be personal evangelist to the world. Pastor Gahfoor stated that you don't have to be an ordained evangelist to do the work of one per-se. He said that the great commission is for all believers in that we all have a responsibility to spread the Gospel.

It was truly a wonderful event and have kicked around the idea that for next year, we can have Gahfoor come and do a San Benito/Harlingen Healing Crusade followed by a week of revival with Gahfoor. It will truly be a site to behold. Amen.

J.C.H.C.

Pastor Felan

RVG Marriage Retreat

Here are some pictures that were taken during the marriage retreat in McAllen, Texas hosted by the The Door - McAllen featuring guest speaker Pastor Richard Rubi and his wife Yolanda from the mother church, The Door - San Antonio, Texas.

It was a wonderful time of ministry. God really spoke to the hearts of married couples in the issues of wives being the women that God wants and the husbands putting their wives on a pedestal. A place of security and honor. Pastor Rubi gave an excellent sermon on men to love your wives and don 't get bitter at them.

Sister Yolanda also had an opportunity to speak to the women in a separate session during this marriage retreat. According to my wife, Yolanda spoke to the women about the needs of their husbands. The need for the physical and the spiritual. Not as the covering when you think about the head of the marriage, but the covering and protection when it pertains to sexual needs and the respect that men so crave.

This marriage retreat was the first for me and my wife in the valley. It was a great time of refreshment. Everyone had a great time playing the "Not-So Newlywed Game" and others. Please keep the marriages of our saints in your prayers and for marriage in general.

J.C.H.C

Pastor Felan

Holy Matrimony

Praise God for those who God is the Lord!

In March I had the privilege in perform my first marriage in the Harlingen congregation where I Pastor. Two wonderful saints, Fillipe and Elsa Ortega were married in Holy Matrimony in 2010.

Our sister Elsa was the first to come to the church. She remembered our Christmas Float during the parade and the testimonies that were given over the bullhorn. She recalled that someone said "that God can change your life and that you don't have to continue on the road your living in." See said to a sister in church "that her life was a wreck and she needed to change course." She answered the alter call and gave her life to Jesus. From that day forward she has linked her heart with the people of God and has gone to several outreaches. There is a genuine conversion that has happen in her life.

After her spiritual re-birth, Fillipe came and gave his life to Jesus. He was amazed on how the saints were so genuinely friendly, kind, and were praying for him. He said that you can feel the sincerity in the church and you can see that these people really care. His conversion was prompted by the testimonies and openness of the people. Kindness, beloved, goes along way.

There was a sermon I preached on the "Sanctity of Marriage" that prompted them to come to me and confess that they were not legally married. Fillipe spoke to me and said that he wanted to do things right and said that Elsa and him were talking about getting married. I told him that I'm all for it and most importantly that God's all for it. I told him that if he is serious, to go down to the court house and get the marriage licence and I will perform the ceremony. Well, the pictures say it all! The people of God rose to the occasion and decorated the church to bless our brother and sister. It was truly amazing.

At the reception, Elsa made this statement to all present at her celebration, "God is a Good God and all this would not be possible without God and my church family." Isn't that awesome. Thank God for His people.

I hope, with permission, to post their full testimonies on our website or this blog. There testimonies are truly amazing and give evidence to the power of God that is still into changing lives. I'm very excited about what God is going to do in this couple and their family.

Please pray for the Ortega's and pray that God will give us more like them!

J.C.H.C.

Pastor Felan

The I - Team

Do you remember the 80's T.V. series the A-Team? The A-Team was an American action adventure T.V. series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces who work as soldiers of fortune while being on the run from the military for a crime they didn't commit.

Unlike the fictional characters on the T.V. series, The I-Team is the real deal! The I-Team (Invasion Team) are a group of faithful Harlingen Church saints that take evangelism very seriously. Soul-Winning is the #1 directive. They place high priority on one-on-one street witnessing and street preaching.

Two most recent I-Team missions were to help our cousin and brother in the coastal bend and San Antonio area. On Feb. 20th we went to help Pastor Richie of the Potter's House-Aransas Pass hand out flyer's for the upcoming revival with Oscar Jaime of The Door-Corpus Christi. We had a wonderful time infiltrating Aransas Pass for the Gospel. Their were 13 people who prayed the sinners prayer for salvation with a few members of our group. One of our I-Team members, Dahlia, witness to a women who was hooked on drugs and stated that she was going to a church but had stop attending for some reason or another. There are many lives in Aransas Pass that need Jesus. Pastor Richie was so appreciative of the The I-Team taking time on a Saturday and coming all the way from Harlingen to lend a hand.

Pastor Richie took our mercenaries for Christ to Pizza Hut for re-fueling and fellowship. It's been 5 years since Pastor Richie was sent out to this area and it is a great thing to see God working in this coastal town.

On the 27th of Feb., The I-Team also went to help Pastor Martinez-The Door/S.A., pass out flyer's for their church services. 19 people responded to the salvation message through the testimonies of the saints. It was a powerful time of evangelism in my hometown of S.A.

We were introduced to a man who happen to receive a flyer by the name of "House". And he was built like one. He was a biker dude with a spike helmet and a leather vest with a large patch of a skeletal hand throwing the figure. House sat with Pastor Martinez and had some food that the church provided for the I-Team. You could see that House really was interested in what we where doing. Pray for House that he will come and lock in the church.

We also had the opportunity to street preach while we where there. We learned a new strategy to get people's attention. "Wave at the Queen" and "Put on a big smile". It was great. One employee at the corner gas station stopped and talked with a member of our group. Street Preaching works!

Pray for us that God would bring in more recruits in the I-Team and for Harlingen as we take on the world for Jesus.

J.C.H.C.

Pastor Felan

Men's Discipleship Seminars

Six of us men went to San Antonio on the 22nd of February to hear Pastor Gabriel Alonso preach a powerful message on becoming a cynic. He dealt with much of what is transpiring in our world especially when it comes to the people of God. This happens sometimes in our lives when we have gone through issues in our walk with God. It is the attitude that says "Just wait... you'll see".

This world can make you cynical. People and what they do can make you cynical. And when you let this spirit take hold of you, it can hinder your walk with God. You give ear to the words of discontent and complaint. Like the people that Moses had to deal with in the desert. Always unhappy with circumstance, wishing for the onions and leeks of Egypt. This kind of complaining would where me down. But that's why we need for God to touch our lives and give us a fresh new breath of faith. To believe God. That God is able and able to do it time and again.

That He is still able to heal. That He can still make the blind see and the lame walk. That He can still change a life. Heal a marriage and transform a broken home into a family again. That we don"t have to burn out in the things of God. And that we can still trust our headship despite the moral failures of other that erode the creditability of the Gospel within pastoral ranks. Not all leaders fall. And God should never be blamed.

I thank God everyday for my Pastor, Pastor Richard Rubi. But I know that he is a man and that no matter what may or may not transpire, God will always be habitually righteous and holy. Man can fail you but God never will.

If your a man reading this and have never gone to a men's class you need to go. Or if your attitude has been, "Ah, another men's class. Been there, done that." Then you especially need to go. Don't be a cynic.

J.C.H.C.

Pastor Felan

Website Address

"Crucify Me" Officer Negative
"J.C.H.C." Officer Negative
"Lion of Judah" Our Corpse Destroyed

Please visit us at www.doorcfm.com

J.C.H.C

Pastor Felan

What a REVIVAL!

What a wonderful thing it is when God brings a man after His own heart to preach His word in due season. Pastor Marty Carnegie preached a wonderful revival for us. We had a packed out house every night! Hallelujah!

For this revival I prayed, God, bring in people who need to be saved. Bring those who need to be born again. The broken hearted, depressed, the messed up life. And when you bring them, God, I pray that they respond to the convictions of the Holy Spirit. And when they do, I want our church to be the church that they will continue to come. Basically God, I want CONVERTS! And you know what, He heard my prayer.

We went out before the revival to pass out flyers for this event because how many of us know that we need to do our part as well. Praying that God will bring the increase. We had a great response to our invitation with sinners and backsliders praying the prayer of salvation at our outreaches. This resulted in many of them coming to hear Pastor Carnegie preach.

At the revival, people were stirred, healed by the Holy Ghost, saved by responding to an alter call to pray for salvation and baptized with the Holy Spirit with the evidence in speaking in tongues . It was a glorious sight! Amen! We sent Marty Carnegie away blessed after the revival was over. Yes, what a blessed time we all had in the Lord.

Somewhere in 2011, we have tentatively set Evangelist Carnegie to come back a do a revival for us once again and this time he said that he will bring his wife Barbara. This will be a wonderful thing. Pastor Carnegie said that he wants to bring his wife to experience the awesome hospitality that he experienced. He told me “Pastor Ray, you truly are a blessed man.” And that I am.

Thank you Pastor Murillo and the Weslaco church for sending a guerilla team to help spread the word of this event and thank you Harlingen congregation for you tireless labors and sweet smelling prayers. As Pastor Marty Carnegie expressed, my wife and I, as well as my children are truly blessed.

J.C.H.C

Pastor Felan