
God is Actively at work in our broken lives. He is faithful and merciful. Our God is mighty. Our God is sovereign.
The Lord provided for Monte to make it to the Society of Pentecostal Studies conference in Kirkland, Washington. We are grateful that he can also visit our family and friends in Fresno, California.
We can never outgive the Lord. He reminds us daily that He is our sole supplier. He encourages and strengthens us daily. His mercies are new every morning.
When we were planning for this some months ahead, we prayed for God's miraculously provision. He is the prayer answering God. He meets our every need.
We thank family and friends for making this trip possible. Thank You for journeying with us. Thank you for believing in us. Thank you for praying with us. Thank you for supporting us. Thank You for encouraging us. Thank you for sowing into our ministry. We would not be where we are today without each of your involvement. We are thankful.
Lord, we are eternally grateful to You, our Maker. Thank You for spurring us on when we do not know where we should go. We will follow You to the ends of the earth. Thank You for keeping the fire in us burning brighter and stronger. Thank You for putting eternity in our hearts.
Here is Monte's Facebook post on 10 March 2025
"Friends, we’re now at Changi Airport for my eve flight to USA; will be back 24 March!
First I’m off to Seattle, Washington to attend this year’s annual meeting for the Society of Pentecostal Studies at Northwest University, where I will give a presentation from the final chapter of my book, thus titled, “’On the Altar, Catching Fire!’ Toward a Pentecostal Theology of the Altar.” Then 18-22 March I will be in Fresno, California to see my remaining family.
What I must stress here is—
Thank God for 100% gracing with this trip, through the generous support of several good friends who together through their respective roles—covered its total expense. Jee Fong and I thank God for the grace of sacrifice they have laboured towards for the cause of his kingdom.
Though for years we have steadfastly looked to the Lord for pathways past our experienced lack, still we forward move without regular income; often literally praying in what we need. The Lord is faithful. In him we trust, and entrust our life, for he entrusted us with the faith of our forefathers for cause of Pentecostal fires worldwide. The Word is Gift; most of whatever we have at this moment, has been freely given to us. I live in deep debt to many people.” So I often pray, “Help me Lord, pay it forward.”
What we’ve gained
Is the life of prayer, knowledge of God’s Word, and never-diminishing passion to discharge the priestly duty entrusted to me: to preach the Full Gospel of Pentecost, for discipling the church into the charismatic fullness of Christ for healing the world; hastening the soon coming of the Lord.
This year’s SPS theme is focused on Pentecostal worship theology. So besides my talk towards a Pentecostal theology of the altar event, I have been roped in to respond two other presentations brought together: one on insights from African Pentecostal worship experience towards Pentecostal theologizing, and the other on exploring Pentecostal approaches to “hybrid worship”. So I look forward to some highly fruitful engagements through these sessions.
In preparation, I am re-reading my book, Pentecostal Liturgical Theology: On the Altar, Willed to Pentecost, particularly of the course the last chapter on this Pentecostal theology of the altar. There I notice I raise the theme of thanksgiving, calling to mind the exhortation of Hebrews 13.15-16:
“Let us continuously offer a sacrifice of praise to God,” and let us neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
So in the book I wrote (pp. 190-191):
“For on the altar, worshippers have thus pivotally placed themselves within the flow of salvation history, becoming the fuel that forwards its movement . . . .
in that healing empowering moment . . . these sacrifices become gifts for fuelling the gift-economy that flourishes God’s household and his saving mission for the world’s healing.
As the Spirit-baptized temple, we thus discharge our priestly work (leitourgia) at invoking Holy Spirit outpouring on these offerings of thanksgiving to Christ our king, who commissions us for the saving mission of God.”
With Jee Fong Tan-Rice"