With much love,
The Downings
Tag: Downing
In the seventh chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus invites all who are thirsty to come to him and drink and he promises that everyone who accepts his invitation will see rivers of life flowing from them. Today we invite you to listen to a story of two rivers.
Gloria’s story is certainly encouraging. Even more encouraging; there are many more people who could have stories like Gloria’s, if the waters from the river of life reach them in time.
With love, 
The Downings
Folklore is an important part of understanding the historical underpinnings and thought processes of a culture. In today’s podcast we share the story of Kapak Urku, Mama Tungurahua and Taita Chimborazo. What cultural insight can you glean from the story?
With love, The Downings
Spiced pineapple drink
Serves 8-10 people
Chicha de piña is a spiced pineapple drink made by simmering the pineapple skins and core with spices and hard brown sugar. Seven out of seven members of the Downing family recommend this simple drink.
Ingredients
- Assorted spices: cinnamon sticks, allspice peppers, cloves, anise
- The skins and core of 1 pineapple, well washed
- ¾ lb of panela (unrefined sugar) or brown sugar, whole or in chunks – more or less to taste
- 10-12 cups of water
Instructions
First. Combine all of the ingredients in large saucepan or pot
Then. Bring to a boil and simmer partially covered for at about an hour, stirring occasionally.
Enjoy. You can drink it immediately or let it rest refrigerated to allow the spices and pineapple flavor to concentrate.
With love, The Downings
If you enjoyed this recipe podcast we encourage you to click here and check out this one!
What do old Roman military funeral rituals and people in purple robes and pointed hats have to do with Easter? Listen to today’s Ministry Story and find out!
Click here if you want to learn more about Catholic Syncretism!
Happy Easter, 
The Downings
What do the Inca, the Conquistadores, the cult of Pachamama and Mariolatry have in common? Find out by listening to today’s Cultural Insight podcast.
Rumicucho is one of the “high places” the Conquistadors destroyed.
with much love, the Downings
The Bible clearly names the Church “the body of Christ.” A broken, divided body is a body that needs help but a united body is one that can offer help to those who are lost and dying in this sin-sick world! Click play on the podcast below to learn more.
Excerpt from THE CHURCH OF GOD, WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT IS NOT by D.S. Warner.
The words church and churches occur in the New Testament 112 times, translated from the Greek word ekklesia, which would have been more correctly rendered “congregation.” Thus we would have read, “the congregation of God,” “the congregation of the firstborn,” Heb. 12:23 etc., denoting its divine Founder and Owner. And, “the congregation that was at Antioch,” Acts 13:1 “the congrega- tion of God which is at Corinth,” 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 1:1 “the congregations of Asia,” 1 Cor. 16:19 “the congregations of Galatia,” v.1; Gal. 1:2 etc., denoting the different geographical locations of the congregations of God. But whether we use the word church, as in common use, or con- gregation, the more correct appellation, we should only attach such meaning to it as agrees with the Word of God. To use a Bible word out of its biblical meaning is perverting the Bible.
What then is the Bible definition of the church?
Answer: “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the full- ness of him that filleth all in all.” Eph. 1:22-23 “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” Col. 1:18 “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.” v.24The church is the body of Christ. And being the body of Christ, it necessarily includes all His members. Therefore to call an earthly building the church is ridiculous, and to call an organized division the church is subverting the truth. No sect contains all the body of Christ, therefore, no sect is the church of God. Then as honest men, who expect to be judged by the Word of God, let us never call anything the church but the body of Christ; that is, all the saved, either universally, or in any given locality.
With much love, The Downings
God is reaching the lost not through programs but through individuals whose lives are so committed to Him that He uses them as vessels to anoint a lost world.
-K.P. Yohannan, Revolution in World Missions
Good programs and great vision draw the attention of many Christians. And as followers of Christ we do help the poor as described in Matthew 25, not because we are commissioned to but because something changes in our very nature when we become followers of Christ. But our divinely originated empathy for the downtrodden is no replacement for our divinely anointed mission.
God changes the world not through programs but through presence. Jesus gave us the ultimate example. He became flesh and dwelt among us. He preformed many miracles and taught the multitudes all great programs. But his lasting impact was carried forth by the eleven people who he successfully discipled.
May we be like Christ. May we live lives so committed to God that He uses us as vessels to anoint a lost and dying world.
With much love, The Downings
With love,
The Downings
Have you heard our Cultural Insight about food? If not click here!
With love,
The Downings
Have you heard our podcast “Example” yet? If not click here.
