The Castner Family
Mies. to Chile
           

Lehigh Valley Baptist Church

4702 Colebrook Avenue
Emmaus, PA 18049
www.lvbaptist.org

Castner Cell Phone in US: 610.aaa.aaaa
E-mail: gcastner@lvbaptist.org
www.lvbaptist.org/missions/castner-update.htm

Phone: 610.aaa.aaaa

The Man - Baptist by Conversion

  • USMC, 80 - 84
  • Saved, TB Church, Lebanon, MO,
    March 1981
  • Baptized, KB Church, Kaneohe, HI
    1983
  • Called to Preach, 1983
  • Surrendered to Missions, 1984
  • Bible College, MBBC, Watertown, WI, 84 - 88
  • Married, July 19, 19yy
  • Called to LVBC, Emmaus, PA, August, 1988
  • Christian School Teacher, S.S. Teacher, Youth
    Director, Sports Director, VBS Director, Bible Insti-
    tute Student, Preacher, etc. 88 - 90
  • Baptist Bible Translator's Institute 90 - 91
  • Deputation for Field of Chile 91 - 92
  • Arrived on Field, February 1993
  • Language School, Santiago, 1994
    Start of My. Work, IX Region, Chile 95 - 07

The Message - Baptist by Conviction

Salvation - I believe that salvation is accom-
plished by repentance from sin, (Acts [3:19] and
belief in and a receiving of Jesus Christ as an indi-
vidual's personal Lord and Saviour (Acts 16:31;
Jn. 1:12).   I believe that at the point of salvation
several divine works take place.   Regeneration -
being "born again" by God through the agency of
the Holy Spirit and the instrument of the Word of
God.   (Titus 3:5; John 1:12-13; 3:8; 5:21[;] I Peter
1:23).   Justification - the judicial act by which God
declares a man to be righteous, and extends to
him the imparted righteousness of Jesus Christ.
(Rom. 3:22, 24-26; 5:1, 9, 18-19).   Sanctification -
to be "set apart" from sin and unto Christ.   He has
been sanctified in the past (I Cor. 1:2; Heb.
10:10, 14; 13:12); he is sanctified presently
(John 17:17; Rom. 12:1, 2; II Cor. 3:18; Eph. 5:26);
he will be completely sanctified in the future glory
(Phil. 1:6; I Thess. 3:12, 13; I John 3:2).   Adoption -
becoming a son of God with all the rights and
privileges of a legal son.   (John 1:12; Rom. 8:15-
17; Gal. 4:4-7).   I believe that God secures the
final salvation of all those who believe (eternal
security).   (Jude 24; Heb. 7:25; John 3:16, 18;
John 10:28-29; Phil[.] 1:6; Rom. 8:1)

Scriptures - The Bible is the revealed Word of
God, fully and verbally inspired (II Tim. 3:15-17).   The
Scriptures are the inerrant, infallible Word of God, as
found within the 66 books from Genesis to Revel-
tion.   I believe that God preserved His Word through
the Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Greek Textus
Receptus
.   God has preserved His very words through
the ages (Psa. 12:6-7; I Pet. 1:23-25; II Pet. 1:19-21).
The King James Version is the preserved Word of
God for the English-speaking people.

Assembly - The local New Testament Baptist
church is composed of members who have been
saved and baptized according to the commands of
Christ, and have voluntarily united together for the
purposes of worship, fellowship, service, and obser-
vance of the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's
table, and are actively engaged in carrying out the
Great Commission (Matt. 16:16-18; Acts 1:15; Acts
2:41-43; Acts 11:15; Acts 20:28).   The church is the
Body and Bride of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-30).   The
Lord Jesus Christ started His church during His
earthly ministry with the twelve apostles (Mk. 3:14; I
Cor. 12:28) and the church was empowered on the
day of Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 2:1-4).   The church is
God's only institution to carry out His work today,
hence, the Biblical authority of the local, autono-
mous, independent church, from which all mis.-
ies are commissioned and sent forth (Matt. 28:19-
20; Acts 13:1-5).   For a New Testament Christian to
be obedient, he must be a member of, and work
through his local church (II Tim. 2:5; Acts 2:41, 47;
Matt. 28:19-20).   There exist only two Scriptural ordi-
nances: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.   Baptism is
the burial of a believer in water by the authority and
instruction of the local Baptist church (Acts 2:41, 47;
Rom. 6:4).   The Lord's Supper is a memorial act and
administered by the authority and instruction of the
local Baptist church.   These ordinances are not sacra-
ments, but are sacred symbols, pointing to the
world's only Saviour (I Cor. 11:23-24; 11:24-25;
11:26).

Second Coming - The return of Christ is immi-
nent and He is coming in the air to rapture the
saints.   (Rev. 4:1; I Cor. 15:51-54; Titus 2:13; Matt.
24).   Those who have died in the Lord will be raised
first, and then those saints which are alive will be
taken up with them (I Thess. 4:16-17).   Following the

rapture, the saints will appear before the judgment
seat of Christ to receive rewards according to their
works.   (I Cor. 3:13-15; 4:5; II Cor. 5:10).   The judg-
ment seat of Christ will be followed by the Marriage
Supper of the Lamb.   (Rev. 19:7-10).   Following the
rapture, the seven year Tribulation will take place
(Daniel's 70th week) during which time God will
pour out His wrath upon the unbelieving.   (Dan. 9:24-
27; Rev. 14:14-19).   The Tribulation will be termi-
nated by the return of Christ to the earth when He
defeats the armies of the world at Armageddon.
(Zech. 14:1-4; Rev. 16:16; 19:11-21).   God's Millen-
nial Kingdom will be literally established at this time,
Christ will rule and reign as King along with His
saints, and this will be a time of great blessing.
(Dan. 2:44; Luke 21:31; Zech. 14:9; Isaiah 11; 32;
Rev. 5:10).

Separation - All believers are called into a life of
separation from all worldly practices, places, and
alliances, unto a life wholly sanctified to the service
of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 12:1-2, I Jn. 2:15-17, II
Cor. 6:14).   I am opposed to Neo- Evangelicalism, Lib-
eralism
, Ecumenism and the Charismatic move-
ment.   (I Cor. 5:11; II Cor. 6:17; Eph. 5:11)   I am op-
posed to divorce and remarriage.   (Mal. 3:15-16;
Gen. 2:23-24; Rom. 7:1-3; Mark 10:9).   I am op-
posed to the use of alcoholic beverages, even in
moderation.   (Prov. 20:1; 23:31; Hab. 2:15; Eph.
5:18).   I am opposed to the modern "healing" move-
ment.   (Acts 3:12; I Cor. 10:31; Eph. 5:11; James
5:14-16).   I am opposed to the modern seeker-
sensitive
movement and the contemporary Christian
music
movement (Rom. 16:17; I Cor. 10:31;
Eph. 5:11; 5:19).

THE METHOD - BAPTIST CHURCHES
                              BY COMMISSION

THE PRIORITY: "Teach (make disciples of)
                                 all Nations"
.

The Lord commands us to make disciples of all na-
tions (Matt. 28:19).   In order to make disciples we
must be true disciples as the Lord commands in the
following passages (Lk. 6:40; 14:26-27, 33; Jn. 8:31-
32; 13:34-35; Jn. 15:8, 16).

THE PROCESS: Going,
                               Baptizing,
                                      Teaching

GOING is the first aspect of the disciple mak-
ing process.   The command is to go to all na-
tions
(ethnos - every tribe, tongue, people
group), not simply the Jews (Mat. 10:5-6).

BAPTIZING them is the second aspect of the
disciple making process.   Those who become
disciples are to be baptized.   The pattern to be
followed was established by John the Bap-
tist and the Lord Jesus Christ (Mat. 3:6-8;
Jn. 4:1-2).   John baptized with authority from
Heaven (Mt. 21:25; Mr. 11:30; Lu. 7:29-30[;] 20:4;
Jn. 1:33), and the church Jesus built, made up
of those converted and baptized by John, also
baptized with His divine authority.

TEACHING them is the third aspect of the dis-
ciple making process.   Those baptized were
then to be taught to observe all things whatso-
ever the Lord had commanded.   We are to teach
them Biblical doctrine, so that they in turn may
grow to effectively assist in the process of mak-
ing other disciples.

THE PROMISE: "I am with you alway, even
unto the end of the world"
.
The Lord promised the body receiving the Com-
mission He would be with it alway, even to the
end of the world, which eliminates all possibili-
ties other than an institutional church commis-
sion.   The apostles, as well as all the believers
of the first century, have long since departed to
be with their Master, but the end of the age is
still in the future.   Both the discipler and the one
receiving the instruction, may take heart in the
promise of their Lord, that He would be with
them alway, even unto the end of the world.
This is a powerful incentive to the fullest en-
deavor to press on to the farthest limits of the
world that all the nations may know Christ and
the power of His Risen Life.

THE PLAN: Our plan involves three basic steps:
Evangelize the Sinner; Enlist the Saved;
Equip the Saints.
  We are involved in large scale
tract distribution, Evangelistic tent meetings, Bible
correspondence courses, personal and group Salva-
tion Bible studies to see the lost come to Christ.   As
souls are converted we begin an intensive disciple-
ship training course which involves Biblical baptism
as the first step of obedience.   Obedience in baptism
is essential to further growth, especially since the
believer is added to the church by baptism.   Our goal
in discipleship is to train new believers in the areas
of personal Bible study and prayer, faithfulness to
the local church, and the fulfillment of the Great
Commission through the church.   At the same time,
we are extensively involved in training national men
for the ministry through a full fledged Bible Institute
program and more importantly a personal, one-on-
one training course on how to effectively minister to
others and build churches for the glory of God
(Eph. 4:11-12; Col. 1:28-29; II Tim. 2:2).

THE MINISTRY: BAPTIST CHURCHES
                                    IN
CHILE

    Organization of the Bible Baptist Church of
    Temuco, 1994 - 2004

    Training of Disciples and Men for the Ministry,
    1994 - 2004

    Establishment of the Mission in Fundo el Carmen,
    2000 - 2004

    Training and Ordination of Jamie Cid to the Minis-
    try and call to Pastor Bible Baptist of Temuco,
    2000 - 2004

    Restoration of Bible Baptist Church of Loncoche
    and training of Carlos Cifuentes for the ministry,
    2004 - 2006

    Establishment of Mission works in the towns of
    Pucon and Lastarria, training of Disciples for the
    ministry, 2004 - 2006

FUTURE GOALS: Training of men for ministry
(Carlos Cifuentes, Juan Duran, and Pablo Martinez,
along with many teenagers surrendered to preach);
establishment of 1st Mapuche tribe independent
Baptist Church in the mountains of the IX Region.

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