As we close out the first month of the new year, we’d like to share another installment of our Preview Series (akin to 2024 and 2023). It’s fascinating to see the growth of the publication and the development of our content over the years. Reflecting on current events, sharing our niche interests, and weighing out measured theological meditations and social commentary regarding the intersection of faith and culture.
We’ll preview some upcoming content that’s brewing and new ideas that are percolating by looking at the Top 10 articles of 2024. This will give us a good sense of the content many of you are interested in while we look to expand and explore new branches and routes of related substance.
THANK YOU for standing with us and taking the time to open the emails and links on social media, send email replies, leave comments, and engage with the Along The Way community. Our primary goal this year is to turn the dial up and increase the output while introducing a broadened scope of coverage that is both encouraging and challenging.
10
Music & Ministering
"It’s been a little over a year since dusting off my classical nylon string guitar to debut as a worship leader in the UK context. I was scheduled to play on Pentecost Sunday—the birthday of the Church. I recall how rusty I felt with remembering lyrics, singing melodies, playing rhythm, and lacking the finger strength to fret chords for extended periods of time."
Leading worship has steadily become a second love in our ministry. We saw a year of venturing out in creativity, building synergy with different iterations of the band, and further honing fundamental musical elements as musicians. Our church recently commissioned a team to the neighboring area of West Bromwich to plant a new church and start a new work in that community. During this first rota, I have been positioned to increase capacity, specifically to lead worship more regularly, with an aim to raise up, encourage, and develop other musicians rotating into the band this year.
9
Multiple Hats & Spinning Plates
"We’re at the tail end of Autumn as the frost tinges the air with promises of winter. We were fortunate to get some light snowfall for a few days, which was a pleasant surprise for the kids as we transitioned from Thanksgiving to the Advent season. Shilo was especially intrigued by the white icy substance that was falling from the sky as his two older siblings yelped with gleeful excitement."
This year has been uniquely challenging, but we remain steadfast in trusting the Lord with our present and future. Thank you to all of those who have sent encouraging messages to Steph and me during this time and have covered us in a multitude of prayers. It’s easy to feel lonely and isolated out on the mission field, especially on an island (🇬🇧), but we do feel the tangible love and support many of you have expressed. I suppose not many can empathize with the experiences that we are currently enduring, but many of you have reminded us of the goodness and faithfulness of God amid the raging storms and the dense fog of exceedingly difficult circumstances.
8
Still Beaming Over Baptism Sunday!
It’s been over a month since Christ Church Birmingham’s first Baptism Service, and we’re still beaming over the 5 public professions of faith and commitment to the Lord. It was an honor to witness each of their testimonies and be an active part of God’s redemptive and restorative work in each of their lives. Many tears of joy were streaming from all those looking on as the buzz of excitement and exuberant shouts of joy filled every square inch of the church hall! For each of these fab-5, this is just the beginning of the life-long adventure we call Christianity. As with any extended journey, one’s commitment will be tested and tried, but our prayer is that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
We’re so grateful for how God has been actively moving in our context. One chance encounter, one offer of prayer, and one presentation of the Gospel could change everything! We can’t wait to share more stories of redemption, restoration, and healing this year. Christ Church Birmingham has another Baptism Sunday scheduled for February, and we’re excited to see more people publicly declare their faith and commitment to Christ and start anew.
7
Day-to-day in The Life
"Some unusual intermittent weather has affected our stateside friends, with reports of flooding in parts of San Diego, a city we consider our second home. We’ve been shocked to see news footage of familiar streets submerged in raging waters strong enough to move cars around like toys. Locally, we’ve seen some plunging temperatures and snow appearing regularly on the forecast while freezing rain and storms like Isha hit various coastal areas in the UK. It’s the type of weather that makes you stop what you’re doing and marvel at His sovereignty."
In this expansive quarterly newsletter, we re-examine the settling process and share insights into what missionaries do on a daily basis, much of which is rarely seen or considered. Those interested in engaging in cross-cultural ministry abroad on a short or long-term basis should consider this an insider look into life in the mission field. I also include links to a 4-part series that we have shared many times over with prospective missionaries praying about going to another country and co-participating in God’s activity there.
6
Christmas with The Espinelis
"This year, we decided to go with a potted Christmas tree for the first time. The kids really dug the notion of keeping the tree alive and placing it out in the garden after the holidays are over. We weren’t able to add to our collection of bobbles and ornaments this year, but it’s always a treat to see their little hands hanging them up one by one, each one with a story to tell.
We arranged a myriad of Christmas decorations around the house and placed Advent candles on the fireplace. We also made use of battery-powered lights wrapped around the tree, atop the fireplace, accenting the garlands, and outlining one of the front windows from the inside."
This last Christmas was filled with much gratitude, not just for the Advent Season and for the exchange of gifts but for those continuing to support our work financially. It was also a time to dive into festive activities and share family traditions with our readers, which most notably included charitable work in the form of a Toy Drive at our local food pantry. There’s nothing like seeing less fortunate families pick out toys for their children. Zo and AJ have begun inquiring about why we help these people and why they can’t buy toys for their children.
5
"Is That In The Bible?" Pt. I
"As a long-planned follow-up to the Preaching in Birmingham article, I will develop a string of articles based on recent sermons I’ve had the honor of preaching in our local context. Moving forward, the “SERMON” subtitle will mark out a mixture and variety of past and present messages converted to long or short-form content. This will provide ample opportunity to share what may not have shown up in a sermon, as well as further elucidate and develop points that were made. I will continue to release installments until I am up-to-date."
My first love in ministry is preaching and teaching God’s word. It’s been a great honor to not only stand at the pulpit but also to do the legwork of developing several sermon series throughout the year. One series the Lord prompted me to create was designed to address the lack of biblical literacy, which is one of, if not the greatest, opportunities for growth in our context. As a community, we asked the question, “Is That In The Bible?” as a way to deconstruct the misconceptions our culture and society have about the Bible. Thankfully, the sermons were well received. In fact, as we were wrapping up the 8-week series, a church leader in London messaged me directly to ask for the series plan so that he and the elders could tackle the same issue in their context.
4
Separated by a Common Language
"Our third culture kids are beginning to form a subtle English accent with particular words and phrases. For example, when they aren’t able to do something or are unwilling to try, they often use the phrase “I can’t” but pronounce “can’t” with a long ahh sound (ɑː). Our daughter pronounces the word “bath” with the same long ahh (ɑː) sound instead of a short aye (æ), like in the word “cat.” Another amusing example is our son pronouncing the word, scone, as in the baked good, like scawn instead of cone with an “s” at the beginning. Sometimes, when they say “daddy,” I feel like I’m in a live-action Paddington movie or off gallivanting into the hundred-acre wood à la Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh."
Ever since our initial trip to England in 2017, I have kept a log of all the differences I have learned or humorously encountered between American and British English, especially when it comes to spelling and vocabulary. Just this past weekend, I was introduced to the successor of the leader of our church network, Fusi Mokoena, who will be formally taking up the role at our annual conference later this year. After an exchange of greetings, he asked me if I spoke other languages. Steve answered for me and quipped, “Yes, he speaks English and American.” 😂
3
New Interactions & Updates
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31
Charitable and humanitarian work is a fundamental part of our mission here in the UK. I have had the honor of meeting and continuing to interact with a diverse range of people, such as fellow migrants, asylum seekers, and those from different social classes. I have also encountered those with rugged pasts (sometimes criminal backgrounds) who are opening up and seeking local resources, pastoral care, and other assistance.
2
UK Riots & unRest
"We have seen firsthand and have also spoken to various people who have been affected by the rioting, protests, and counterprotests that have sprung up all across the UK. I’ve spoken to neighbors and locals in the Aston area, as well as fellow ministers who have been at the forefront advocating for peace. People have strong opinions and have never been reluctant to share their perspectives with us. A fellow leader from Christ Church Birmingham (CCB) of African descent was so concerned about his safety that he took a few days off of work to stay indoors with his family."
I’ve had some fruitful dialogue with people on both sides of the pond who have been concerned about the sociopolitical climate here in the UK. People are particularly interested in the political parallels and cultural contrasts between both nations. An example of how both intersect is the issue of diversity and the increasing clarity regarding the ideal of multiculturalism, which has revealed a blemished and less-than-flattering visage. Keeping up with the news of the day and discerning the spiritual dimensions of our current context gives us more opportunity to both seek and speak the truth about these dark principalities and authorities that have a pervasive influence.
1
Where is Jesus right now?
"Amanda Torre is a wife, mother, and full-time counselor for individuals, couples, and families. In 2020, before we set out on our mission to the UK, Gino and I were privileged to be one of those couples she counseled as part of our pre-field preparation. We were greatly impacted by our time with her and continue to utilize the tools she shared to this day. I recently had the honor of reading her book (twice, actually, as I loved it that much)."
Taking the top spot on our list is a review of our friend’s immensely helpful book, ‘Where is Jesus Right Now?’ Check it out here! In the article, Steph shares a bit of her own journey and perspective on mindfulness and cognitive therapy while providing an overview of the book’s contents. We hope to provide more reviews this year for a range of recommended books from a variety of different genres beyond Christian Living, Mental Health, and Discipleship. Steph has really gotten into classic British literature and historical fiction (circa WWII), which has led to profitable discussions in the Espineli household.