R e V o L u T i O n A r Y T e N d E n C i E s

Resources for Training Short-Term Mission Teams

2012-02-09T17:16:00.001-08:00

One of the most important ways to ensure a peaceful and fruitful short-term mission trip is to train and prepare your team well. Here are four helpful resources for preparing your team:

This Bible study will help your team put their brief mission trip in the context of God’s big mission. It combines passages from the Bible with challenging questions that demonstrate God’s heart for the nations and His passion for his glory. It also includes verses to memorize, people groups to pray for, and help in applying the biblical themes to everyday life.

Lesson outline:

Introduction – Before You Get Started
Lesson One: For the Glory of God
Lesson Two: God’s Blessing and Purpose
Lesson Three: God Impacts the Nations as He Blesses His People
Lesson Four: The Psalms and Prophets Reveal God’s Heart for the Nations
Lesson Five: Savior of the World
Lesson Six: His Call to the Nations
Lesson Seven: To the Ends of the Earth
Lesson Eight: Personal Application
Your Next Steps: Roles to Accomplish His Global Purposes

Foreign to Famliar: A Guide to Understanding Hot- and Cold-Climate Cultures

This short (128 small pages with large font) little book divides the world into two groups: “hot-climate” (relationship-based) cultures and “cold-climate” (task-oriented) cultures. This book may not give you information on the specific culture you are going to visit, but it will help your team begin to think through the basics of cultural difference. It is filled with helpful anecdotes and contrasts, and will prepare your team to be more flexible—something that should be a primary goal for every team from the United States.

Chapters:

Hot- Versus Cold-Climate Cultures
Relationship Versus Task Orientation
Direct Versus Indirect Communication
Individualism Versus Group Identity
Inclusion Versus Privacy
Different Concepts of Hospitality
High-Context Versus Low-Context Cultures
Different Concepts of Time and Planning
Practical Next Steps
In Conclusion

Short-Term “Preparation Guide”

This free PDF is targeted mainly at teams going with the International Mission Board (IMB), but there is a lot of stuff that will be helpful to all teams, including:

A 30-day “Spiritual Preparation” devotional guide
Tips for raising prayer and financial support
A guide for prayer walking
Packing lists
Ideas for what to do when you return home

Trip Stuff: Stuff You Need to Know About Doing Mission Trips in Your Church

This is a collection of more than 200 documents developed or used by local churches for doing mission trips. This includes some stuff that will help you in training your team, but it is even more helpful in providing ideas, forms, and guidelines for administering and organizing your trip. Why re-invent the wheel? This CD provides samples, forms, procedures, policies, tips and hints – all in Word documents. For a full list of materials included, see here.

Mark Rogers is a Ph.D. student in historical theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL. A former college pastor and associate pastor, Mark is the editor of "Glimpses of Christian History."

A man in a White Robe

2012-02-09T09:36:00.000-08:00

The following story can be found on page 60 of Beth Moore's book "Voices of the Faithful".

Did you ever wake up remembering a dream? It's interesting how sometimes we forget our dreams, while other times they seem so real. The Bible speaks of dreams and visions; but in our sophisticated world, many dismiss the idea that God still speaks to us this way!
In South Asia, people are open to the idea of receiving messages from God in dreams. While walking in a rural area of my country with volunteers, an old lady, bent with age, started yelling at us. She was very excited! She told us that a man in a white robe appeared to her in a dream and told her that if she came to the river that day, she would find men who would give her God's Word. She repeatedly yelled, "are you the men?" We gave her a Bible in her language. She hugged it and said that all her life she had been seeking God's Word and that she would read it to her children and grandchildren. When they knew God's Word, she said, she could then die in peace.
An hour later, we saw a man running toward us. We learned that he also had a dream telling him where he would find strangers that day with God's Word. When we gave him the Bible, he held it up over his head ans shouted, "Thank You, God, for sending me Your Truth today. May I be worthy to read and understand it."
Does God still speak to people in dreams? God often speaks to unreached people groups by this method.
-A worker in South Asia

John Piper and Culture

2012-02-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

Grabbing the closest visual aid he could, he declared in a stentorian voice that I’m sure could be heard by everyone in the room, “This looks ridiculous.” The giggles from the bystanders drowned out his softening explanation: “On me it would never work, but on you, as part of the whole package, it works great.” He then went on to say that because every preacher is himself inevitably a product of the culture from which he comes, there is no need to try to be relevant or use artificial additives to make one’s ministry seem more relevant.
HERE

Love Costs EVERYTHING

2012-01-21T05:50:00.001-08:00

"Love Costs Every Thing" Trailer from CIY Move on Vimeo.

Why Then Must We Still Do Good?

2011-12-24T08:36:00.000-08:00

Why Then Must We Still Do Good?

RIGHT NOW! - Van Halen

2011-12-21T06:06:00.000-08:00

Discipleship 2012

2011-12-21T05:47:00.001-08:00

HoMeLeSsNeSs

2011-12-21T05:47:00.000-08:00

This is a quick link to the "My Friend" series of posts that I have written.

ht: to An Cathach there are some amazing photos at this blog.

Silent Night

2011-10-21T07:07:00.001-07:00

Losing My Religion

2011-10-12T05:43:00.000-07:00

What role have I left for religion? None. And I have left none because the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ leaves none. Christianity is not a religion; it is the announcement of the end of religion.

Religion consists of all the things (believing, behaving, worshiping, sacrificing) the human race has ever thought it had to do to get right with God. About those things, Christianity has only two comments to make. The first is that none of them ever had the least chance of doing the trick: the blood of bulls and goats can never take away sins (see the Epistle to the Hebrews) and no effort of ours to keep the law of God can ever finally succeed (see the Epistle to the Romans). The second is that everything religion tried (and failed) to do has been perfectly done, once and for all, by Jesus in his death and resurrection. For Christians, therefore, the entire religion shop has been closed, boarded up, and forgotten. The church is not in the religion business. It never has been and it never will be, in spite of all the ecclesiastical turkeys through two thousand years who have acted as if religion was their stock in trade. The church, instead, is in the Gospel-proclaiming business. It is not here to bring the world the bad news that God will think kindly about us only after we have gone through certain creedal, liturgical and ethical wickets; it is here to bring the world the Good News that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.” It is here, in short, for no religious purpose at all, only to announce the Gospel of free grace. - Robert Farrar Capon

Pg. 252-253

ht: Tullian Tchividjian

It's Not About You

2011-09-07T06:43:00.000-07:00

It's not about you.
The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It's far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for His purpose.
-Rick Warren

Which Way?

2011-09-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

I already knew I was dumber
than the fifth graders...
But now it's the
preschoolers!!
A PRE-SCHOOL TEST FOR YOU
Which way is the bus below traveling?
To the left or to the right?

Can't make up your mind?

Look carefully at the picture again.

Still don't know?

Pre-schoolers all over the United States
were shown this picture and asked
the same question.

92% of the pre-schooler's gave this answer.

"The bus is traveling to the left."

When asked, "Why do you think the bus is traveling to the left?"
they answered:

"Because you can't see the door to get on the bus."

How do you feel now???

More Language Learning

2011-08-25T18:58:00.000-07:00

The Gospel and Poverty

2011-08-25T18:51:00.000-07:00

It is past time to admit a very hard truth: America’s poverty problem is also a depravity problem. It is simply a fact that people who work hard, finish their education, get married, and stay married are rarely — very rarely — poor. There is no other proven formula for lifting Americans out of poverty. None. Food stamps don’t do it. Medicaid doesn’t do it. Soup kitchens don’t do it. Good intentions don’t do it. Hundreds of billions of dollars of transfer payments have not budged the poverty rate. Simply put, any anti-poverty efforts not aimed at getting kids to complete an education, get married, and stay married are a waste of time. They may ameliorate immediate physical needs, but the very act of... click HERE

A Man to be Admired!

2011-08-25T18:49:00.001-07:00

My Friend Kelley...

2011-07-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

My Friend Kelly
Mike-
Sadly, since we have been here I have not had a lot of opportunities to talk with people. As well, since we have now lived in 6 different houses (one of the houses 2 different times) I have not had the opportunity to build any relationships. Of course this is somewhat discouraging for me since I really enjoy getting to know people. That is not to say that I have not met people here who have impacted me greatly. I want to share with you four different people who have crossed my path here in the Northwest over the next 4 blog posts. I will go in order of when I met them.

Today I will begin with Kelly. Kelly is a man of about 45 or so. I met him soon after arriving here in the Seattle area. One Sunday after church services I was leaving Soma Communities and I struck up a conversation with a young man who was holding the door open for me. In our conversation I discovered that he lived "on the hill". Because of the way that he said "on the hill" made me ask him why he said it like that. He told me that "the hill", 10 years before, was one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in all of the U.S. However much change has taken place in that sector of the city and it is no longer one of the most dangerous in the U.S.
Being interested in where this neighborhood was I asked him how to get there. He said that I was on the edge of 'the hill' now and that all I needed to do was, as he pointed up a street, to go up that hill.
So I hopped in the truck and proceeded up the hill. As I got close to the top I turned down a main street. Not long after turning, I noticed a guy having a yard sale on the sidewalk so I looked to see what he was selling as I drove buy. Seeing some old toys that were from back in the day (yes Im still very much a kid) I turned around a couple of blocks up the street and headed back so that I could stop and peruse his goods.
This man introduced himself to me as Kelly. I quickly determined that he was a crack head from the burns on his lips and fingers and that he was homeless. He told me that he was selling items for some friends who lived in the house that we were standing in front of.
After much conversation I also found out that he was a regular kid at one time. In the early and mid 80's he told me that he was one of the best baseball players in all of the Northwest and that he had been drafted by a major league team. He said that he wasn't good enough to play in the big leagues at that time so he had to play minor league ball until he was able to move up.
I asked him what happened that prevented him from moving up.
He said that during his minor league days he discovered crack along with other drugs and from that point his new life style quickly led him to the streets. Kelly shared some stories with me that had occurred in the last 25+ years that would make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.
His stories were never prideful nor bragging, just very sad... even hopeless.
When a bridge to sharing Jesus opened up, I began to talk to him beginning in Genesis. As the story progressed he began to quietly cry. His started to slowly rock his head to the left and to the right. By the time I got to Abraham he was holding his head in his hands as he continued to rock his head.
-It was clear that the Spirit was moving-
When I got to Jesus' birth he was squatting, holding his head and rocking back and forth and crying. He continued doing this as I went through the New Testament. By the time I reached the crucifixion, he was still in the squatting position, holding his head, only now he would make sounds, sort of like short, brief moans.
Finally when I had finished, I asked him if he felt God calling him to Himself.
Kelly responded, "Feel Him? I am overwhelmed with Him!... I am consumed in Him... I feel Him everywhere."
I then asked Kelly if he was ready to ask for forgiveness and submit to the One who was overwhelming him.
Kelly's response was enough to make any Calvinist rethink his theology.
My friend said... "no".
After much more discussion regarding Kelly's condition and what needed to be done to alleviate it I discovered that just a few minutes before I pulled up, Kelly told me that he was in such a bad place, that he had just prayed asking God to save him (from his homelessness). He said that as he prayed, he was looking down the street (the direction that I had come) "knowing" that God's answer would come from that direction.

Here was God, desiring to restore Kelly not only from his homeless condition, but infinitely more, to restore his spiritual condition. And here was Kelly, unquestionably overwhelmed with God's presence knowing that God would save him, however rejecting Him, wanting to continue to submit to his god - crack cocaine.

Please pray for Kelly. Even after two months I am still deeply disturbed and burdened for him. Pray that God continues to pursue him and that Kelly responds in repentance.

World View Change -Be aware this clip contains offensive language

2011-07-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

My Santa Muerte Friend

2011-05-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

I decided to visit a part of the city that I have not been to many times. This area is only about 5-10 minutes from my house and is a very impoverished area. As I drove through this neighborhood I noticed that there were a lot of people who varied in "wealth". Some were living in shacks where as others who either had more money or possibly more time to build (maybe both) had homes that were considerably nicer despite the fact that the area I was in was filled with dirt roads full of chug holes, trash and stray dogs. The wind was blowing pretty hard and being that I live in very semi-arid region south of the border the dust was terrible. After taking about 20 minutes to talk to a very kind gentleman and his wife who were in their late 50's, I drove to a tienda (a tienda is basically a house that has a room that sells sodas, candy, bread etc...) to buy a Coke. I picked this particular one because there was not any people around which would provide me more time to visit with the owner of the tienda so that I could ask questions and learn about that barrio.

I had not been inside more than a couple of minutes when I heard a derogatory word used to describe a white guy from the U.S. When I turned around there were three men at the front of the store. Not thinking too much about it nor being too worried about it I turned around and bought what I went in for and turned around to leave.

Because the lighting was not real good (many Mexican people do not use lights during the day time in order to save on their electric bill) when I saw the three men the first time, I was taken aback somewhat when I could see them a little more clearly as I was heading for the door. One of the men (about 35) had a pint bottle of beer in his hand and was clearly intoxicated. Another who appeared to be the youngest (maybe 20) had a black shirt with a bright green marijuana leaf on his shirt. The last, was the one who was concerning. He had a Santa Muerte tattoo on each of his arms as well as various other demonic tattoos and a scattering of Aztec tattoos. However, the tattoos were not what had shocked me since we have lived in both Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle. What had shocked me was the angry red and purple scar that went from one of his ears to the other. Someone had slit this young man's throat and some how, by the grace of God, he had survived.

Immediately I started asking this guy about his tattoos because I knew that he took great pride in them. He was NOT friendly at first at all. However, I persisted. He briefly answered a question when the drunk man started talking to me. He talked to me for several minutes about basically nothing.

As many of you know, I love to do "magic" tricks by making coins disappear as well as other silly little tricks. I can not remember what my bridge was in order to show the guys how I can "make" a coin go from one hand to another but the drunk guy said something that allowed me to show them the trick. The cool thing was, as it usually does, the guys relaxed and actually laughed and wanted me to do it again. I repeated the trick and showed them a few more that allowed me to ask deeper questions of these guys.

I found out what I already knew about Santa Muerte and why he had the tattoos. I also found out a little about his Aztec tattoos. Heck before I left, the guy had raised his wife beater so that I could see a tattoo on his stomach/chest, which lol I was not really that interested in seeing for obvious reasons.

The opportunity to tell the guys about how Levi (Matthew) had become a follower of Jesus and what his response was to Jesus calling him (banquet) came and as I told the story, you could see my friend with the tattoos was keenly listening. It seemed that the idea that Jesus would call someone of Levi's (Matthew's) character and then to eat with him was a revolutionary understanding of just who Jesus was/is.

Later, the drunk guy had to pull up his shirt and show me his eagle tattoo. He went on and on how the eagle represented freedom. I then asked him about that freedom and he told me that the eagle represented being set free from slavery. Soon after he wandered off and my tattoo friend asked me what freedom meant for me.

I happily shared that true freedom was being set free from one's sins and that God had set me free. I was free. Again, he paid close attention to what I said. I then handed him a tract and as he read it he would say, "This is good.", "Yes" and would look up and look me in the eye. Then he would go back to reading. When he had finished he tried to hand the tract back to me but I told him that it was for him. In a very humble manner he thanked me. He looked me in the eye and said in broken English, "Thank you. Thank you VERY much".

The Church I Pastor: The Missional Triad

2011-05-06T12:18:00.001-07:00

Missional Triad

Here is what I call The Missional Triad (a tweaked version of this by Joe Thorn and this that Joe and I fleshed out together). Forgive the handwritten sloppiness, but it's what I have for now. It's essentially a missional paradigm for our church to think through what we do and where we do it. The mission is a very central part of the paradigm. (Click the diagram for a larger version.)

If you are familiar with Joe's paradigm the next few points will help you see the changes I've made for my version, as well as explain a few things I thought you might have questions about.

1. The order of the shapes is different. I changed them to a left to right flow for unbelievers and right to left for believers.
2. I've changed the titles of each shape. I have included something of each shape in the name (example: tri-formed discipleship). I can still use "table, pulpit and square" as designations, and have done that, but I felt it helpful to give each a name that is slightly more descriptive. That also allows my "table" to lose the Lord's Supper confusion.
3. The "Circles of Friendship" is fleshed out so that hospitality is seen in three different spheres:
neutral >> semi-private >> to private
It also moves beyond the home into third places (why?).
4. Under Tri-Formed Discipleship I have used "Equipping Ministries" to explain all discipleship, from one-on-one to seminars, short-term classes, membership class, leadership training, etc.
5. Our small groups are transitioning toward being "Missional Communities." These will be more than small groups but less than house churches.

If you want to know something more, let me know. It's basically still the same three shapes, the same basic approach, the same goal of simplicity.

A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, and Mission around the Table

2011-05-04T20:09:00.000-07:00

The full article can be found HERE

The Crossway blog has a fascinating interview (reprinted below) with Tim Chester about his new book, A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, and Mission Around the Table.

You can read the introduction to the book online.

What does food have to do with grace, church, and mission?

Everything! Just think about how often food figures in the Bible story or how much of church life involves meals. I don’t think this is incidental.

Food expresses our dependence on God and on other people.

Meals embody friendship and welcome.

So food is a powerful way of doing mission and community. The Son of Man, Jesus says in Luke 7, came eating and drinking—this was the way Jesus did mission.

What do you mean when you say the way Jesus did meals was “radically subversive?”

Meals in Jesus’ day were highly stratified.

Roman meals expressed the social order Jewish meals were similar (think of the jockeying for position in Luke 14) with the added twist that Levitical food laws made it all but impossible for Jews to eat with Gentiles. So meals expressed who were the insiders and who were the outsiders.

Jesus turns all of this upside down or, perhaps I should say, inside out! Outsiders become insiders around the table with Jesus.

How do the meals of Jesus image the gospel?

Let’s take one example. Jesus ate with tax collectors. Tax collectors were collaborators with the Romans, the people who were occupying God’s promised land. This meant they were not only betraying the nation, but they were enemies of God. God sits and eats with his enemies. That’s what happening in the meals of Jesus. It’s an amazing expression of gospel grace.

You would not believe it if it were not in the Scriptures. The Pharisees certainly could not believe it. And that is without considering how the feeding of the 5,000 points to the messianic banquet of the future or how the last supper points to the cross.

How would you practically encourage readers to begin associating with the marginalized?

No doubt there are lots of ways to begin, but in the book I highlight the importance of eating with people.

There is a danger that if we only “do” things “for” people then we communicate by our actions “I am able and you are unable.” Then the message we convey is not the welcome of God, but the message “become like me.” We may talk of grace with our words, but our actions communicate the need for social or moral improvement. But when we sit and eat with one another then we are together round the table. Then we can speak of grace as fellow sinners.

You say that our meals actually express our doctrine of justification. Can you explain that?

Paul’s great exposition of the doctrine of justification in the letter to the Galatians is sparked by a meal, by Peter’s refusal to eat with Gentiles. This is where a false doctrine of justification led: to broken table fellowship. Why? Because meals are such a central and powerful expression of community (and the withdrawal of community).

It was the same with the meals of the Pharisees. Their sense of how we are made right with God was reflected in their meals; their meals expressed who were insiders and outsiders on the basis of moral and religious respectability. The ladder of self-righteousness was represented in the positions of honor around the table.

But Jesus freely eats with tax collectors and sinners. He expresses God’s grace through his willingness to eat with everyone—even self-righteous Pharisees!

I’m not saying justification is merely about who we eat with. It is about how we are made right with God through faith in the finished work of Christ. But this will then be reflected who we associate with and on what basis. Our meals will mirror our doctrine.

How do your “missional communities” work?

That’s a big question! Our meetings always involve a meal. Plus we encourage people to share lives throughout the week as well as involving unbelievers in that shared life—and that often involves sharing food.

But meals don’t make community. They embody or express it . . . and I can’t imagine doing community without meals. But it’s the gospel that creates community. This is what makes communities “work.”So in fact we called our missional communities “gospel communities.” (But then you can’t talk about the gospel story for long without bumping into a meal!)

Do you have practical steps readers can take to encourage them to grow in initiating missional meals?

The great thing about using meals to do community and mission is that it doesn’t add anything to your busy schedule. We already have 21 ready-made opportunities each week. Nor do you have some kind to special missiological training. You just need to love Jesus, love people and enjoy eating!

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Sometimes you may want to make a special effort and celebrate the goodness of creation in a fancy meal. But most of the time it is just a question of sharing an ordinary meal with people.

Invite members of your Christian community for your evening meal.

Meet up for breakfast with someone on the way yo work.

Use lunch in the canteen to get to know your colleagues.

If you’re single, then entertaining families might be difficult, but invite them for dessert or cake.

Try to invite unbelievers together with believers so your unbelieving friends are introduced to the Christian community and get to see how Christians relate.

How can meals express a vision of the kingdom of God?

Once you start looking for it, it’s amazing how often food is used to express both judgment and salvation.

A meal in the presence of God is the goal of salvation.

The first thing God does for Adam and Eve in the garden is given them a menu, the fruit of every tree (except one).

The climax of the exodus (an act of salvation commemorated in a meal) is when the elders of Israel eat with God on the mountain in Exodus 24.

Isaiah promises a messianic banquet of rich foods that will never end in Isaiah 25 and Jesus anticipates this perpetual meal with God in the feeding of the 5,000, a meal with more food at the end than at the beginning.

The last supper looks forward to the time when Jesus will eat with his disciples in the kingdom of God.

And the Bible story ends with a meal as we celebrate the wedding supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19.

Every time we eat together as Christians we are anticipating this hope.

How to evangelize according to Joe Thorn

2011-05-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

Expresses urgency, but be willing to take your time; preach the law and gospel; know what parts of the law, or what blessing of the gospel they most need to hear; share your life with the person you are trying to reach.

But here it is in a bit more detail.

1. Evangelism should include law & gospel.
Most of you know this, but much of our evangelism in the twentieth century dropped the Law of God as the means by which sinful men and women are made aware of their spiritual condition. Instead of beginning with who God is in nature - Holy, or who we are - sinful, we have begun with “God’s wonderful plan” for our lives, his offer of help and hope, or Jesus as the solution to problems people are no longer asking. I wont spend time here, for once we believe souls must be prepared through humility to embrace the Gospel, the preaching of the Law is the only way to go.

2. Evangelism should be dialogical.
The church has excelled at the canned, gospel presentation. We memorize diagnostic questions, and treat every mark the same, presuming that people all have the same struggles and questions. I am convinced the canned approach to evangelism became necessary as our churches lost their grasp on theology and discipleship. They are helpful in that they can move people forward to do something, but if often leaves people ill-equipped to actually engage a person who doesn’t fit the profile their curriculum has trained them to reach.

Dialogical evangelism is a real conversation. It’s verbal give-and-take that most people, when they have the time, are willing to step into. Dialogue will prove to be your friend because it can establish the next two things that are needed: a foundation on which to build a relationship and grounds upon which you can begin to assess one’s spiritual condition.

3. Evangelism should be relational.
Though I prefer other models, I do believe in evangelism that begins and ends (at least on the evangelist’s part) in a one-time encounter. Can a relationship be established in that context? It can, and it should, even if it is only the beginning of a rapport. By relational I mean we care about the person more than the ministry, we want to listen to them as much as we want them to listen to us, and we seek to understand where they are coming from. The sooner we can see the world from their perspective, the more quickly and ably we can apply the Gospel to their unique life. Again, this is why dialogue/relationship is so important – it helps us with a proper diagnosis.

4. Evangelism requires a spiritual diagnosis.
It seems that most evangelical churches have grown content simply determining if someone is “in” or “outside of” the kingdom of God. While this is the most critical assessment, the example of Jesus, and many of the preachers/pastors who have gone before us, gives us a better example to follow. What is it specifically that holds a person back? What issue is driving them away from the church? What do they value more than God? Why don’t they believe in a need for redemption, or how do they believe they will find it? That Jesus practiced this and spoke to people in response to a spiritual diagnosis is seen in the variety of ways he preached the Gospel to different groups and individuals. To one he says, “believe.” To another, “repent for the Kingdom is here.” To another he says, “You must be born again.” And to another, “Sell all you have and give it to the poor.” Why such radically different approaches? Jesus didn’t change it all up for variety’s sake, but because each individual needed the law/gospel to be applied in a unique way. Here the Puritans are most helpful for they actually guide us in this discipline, which for most of us is new. Pastors used to be thought of as surgeons of the soul, men who could do more than determine a man to be “dead” or “alive,” but who knew precisely what must be done for a person to find salvation. We must become surgeons once again. Of course, this generally requires what has been explained above in numbers 1-3.

5. Put them in “the way of the cross.”
Laying out the “Romans Road,” and telling someone to go to church is not enough. God works through means to draw people to himself, and one of the best things we can do in evangelism is connect people to those means of grace. Give them a Bible, and a passage to begin reading through. Teach them to pray, specifically that God would draw them, convict them, and lead them to trust in Christ. Ask them to join you at church, or even better, to come to small group gatherings at your home where they can see and hear of God’s work in your life. Give them books to read. Invite them to seek God with you. The more means they are using, the more avenues God has to bring the gospel into their lives.

6. Let God give them assurance of salvation.
If we lead someone to pray a prayer to “receive Jesus,” what do we tell him or her afterwards? I have yet to find a situation like this when the evangelist does not give the praying person assurance of salvation. “Did you pray that prayer, and mean it in your heart? If you did, then your sins are forgiven and you now have eternal life.” Such false assurances do far more damage than good, and I believe this is why so many of our membership rolls are bloated with the names of people who have never been converted. Our practice at Grace is to let God give the assurance of salvation. But this means we have to not only be able to diagnose a person’s spiritual condition, but also help them see where they are. Of course there is often an in-between time when such a call is hard to make for either person. In those cases I have encouraged people to continue seeking God, faith and assurance. I get a lot of questions on this one, so in the next post I will include a diagram that we sketch out for people to help them figure out where they are at spiritually. I will also include examples of individuals who have gone through this process, while I explain what I mean in a bit more detail.

These are the things we keep in mind at Grace when encouraging people to seek Christ. We preach law/gospel dialogically in the context of a relationship and encourage people to put themselves in the way of the cross as they seek the salvation that can only be found in Christ.

Crushing our Gods

2011-05-02T17:27:00.001-07:00

Dining Culture

2011-05-02T06:50:00.000-07:00

What can we learn from this video?

Cultural Illusions

2011-04-29T10:17:00.000-07:00

Cultural Illusions- The illusions below have nothing to do with culture other than they are devices/tools to show that just because our brain perceives something as true it doesn't always mean that it is true. So when we enter into a foreign culture, we need to be very aware that what we are perceiving to be true, is true.

Missional Church Done The Right Way

2011-04-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

Soma Communities - Tacoma, WA from Verge Network on Vimeo.

Under Pressure? Here is how you can relieve that tension.

2011-04-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

How to be a Praying Church

2011-04-27T06:47:00.000-07:00

"How important is intercessory prayer in a local church's engagement in global missions?Without fail, people from all parts of the missions community respond: “It‟s absolutely essential!... Yet when I asked missions mobilizers to identify churches they thought were doing a good job of engaging their people in praying for the world... "

Part I HERE

Part II HERE

Something To Think About...

2011-04-21T17:21:00.000-07:00

A 15 year old girl holds her 1 year old son; people call her a slut. But no one knows she was raped at 13. People call a girl fat; no one knows she has a serious disease that causes her to be overweight. People call an old man ugly; no one knows he had a serious injury to his face while serving our country in Vietnam.

What color is this car?... Are you sure?

2011-04-21T06:28:00.000-07:00

What color is this car? Is it white? Are you sure?... Watch closely. After the car comes out from behind the large cluster of trees you will be able to see what color the car actually is. Get ready, you WILL be surprised!

After you have determined the true color of this car, go to comments and read the follow up.

Language Quotes

2011-04-21T06:00:00.001-07:00

Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.

If you can speak three languages you're trilingual. If you can speak two languages you're bilingual. If you can speak only one language you're an American.

Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.

Through learning language, we learn about culture.

Through learning about culture, we learn respect for others.

It Sure Is Hot Down Here!

2011-04-20T18:49:00.000-07:00

The importance of clear communication is imperative. Take for example the following story about a man who simply left off one letter in his wife's email address. Here is what happened:

A couple from Minneapolis decided to go to Florida for a long weekend to thaw out during one particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the very hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years ago. Because both had jobs, they found it difficult coordinating their travel schedules. It was decided that the husband would fly to Florida on a Thursday; and, his wife would follow him the next day.

Upon arriving as planned, the husband checked into the hotel. In his room there was a computer, so he decided to send his wife an e-mail back in Minneapolis. However, he accidentally left out one letter in her address, and sent the e-mail without realizing his error.

In Houston, a widow has just returned from her husband’s funeral. The dearly departed was a minister of many years who had been called home to glory following a heart attack. The widow checked her e-mail, expecting messages from relatives and friends.

Upon reading the first message she fainted. The widow’s son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read:

To: My Loving Wife

Subject: I’ve arrived. I know you are surprised to hear from me. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send e-mails to your loved ones. I’ve just arrived and have been checked in. I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you.

Your Loving Husband

P.S. It sure is hot down here.

Bears in our Midst

2011-04-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

After you have watched the video and counted the number of passes (remember it is VERY important that you count ALL the passes) made between the people dressed in WHITE in this video, click on comments in order to better understand why we have looked at this clip.
And, lol, NO this is NOT one of the clips where someone in a mask jumps in front of the screen and scares the living daylights out of you! So don't worry! :) Sit back, relax and count. Again it is very important for you to get the right number, otherwise you will not be able to proceed through the exercise, so concentrate!

Please watch the clip before reading the comments. Have fun!!!! :)

Basotho Culture 101…

2011-04-07T14:03:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would let you in on just a few things our Basotho friends have told us in the past couple of weeks about what they believe…

1. The Basotho bathe in the morning, because if you abthe at night, you will throw the water out, and if you throw the water out, the witches will come by and have something with which they can ”witch you.”

2. You must not leave you clothes hanging out on the line overnight. If you do... Click HERE

Narrative or Doctrine- What Should You Teach? Walter Wangerin on the art of storytelling and why doctrine still matters. by Brandon O'Brien

2011-04-06T14:05:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I attended Spark, a children's ministry conference near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The theme of the conference was "The Art of Storytelling." I think you'd be hard pressed to find a keynote speaker better suited to speak on that topic than Walter Wangerin. Pastor for 16 years in inner-city Chicago, father of four, grandfather of eight or so, and author of more than 40 books, Wangerin has lots of experience telling stories. And he's good at it—really good. In his two plenary sessions, he touched on a good many things that concern me—the role of the teacher, the power of stories, and the nature of the relationship between art and truth. What I appreciated most was his sense of balance.

You might expect (as I did) that when speaking to a room full of ministers, a person who makes his living telling stories would emphasize how story telling is superior to other forms of teaching, such as catechism or object lessons or memorizing facts. In fact, I've come to expect that perspective at ministry conferences in general. It's become very popular to claim that narrative is more important that systematic theology; after all (the argument goes) Jesus spoke in parables not doctrines, and the Gospels are narratives not bullet points. Fair enough. But ... Click HERE to finish this article.

Language Learning Can Be Difficult

2011-03-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

Ten Characteristics of a Disciple

2011-03-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

I remember being in a Bible study once when the teacher pulled out a book about discipleship and read ten or so characteristics of a disciple. They were things like being holy and devoted and knowledgeable and all that. They sounded nothing like the characteristics of the disciples in the Bible. The author was well meaning, of course, but it’s no doubt tempting to hang a carrot in front of people telling them they have to “become” in order to be used by God rather than admitting they actually “become” while they are in the process of being used by God. It’s an important paradigm shift for all of us because otherwise... HERE

Evangelism vs. Disciple Making

2011-03-06T18:34:00.000-08:00

Joshua Project

Jesus commanded his Church to (a) proclaim the Gospel message (evangelize), and (b) to make disciples. Evangelism and the making of disciples, two complementary tasks

Mark 16:15 "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation"

Matt 28:19 "Therefore go, and make disciples of all nations [ethne]"

Evangelism

Often broad in focus, communicating to many individuals
Generally precedes the making of disciples
Focuses on the essence of the Gospel message
Anticipates little prior knowledge of the Gospel
Anticipates both a receptive, open audience and a skeptical, questioning audience
Can be large-scale and somewhat impersonal or very direct and personal
May be brief
Utilizes communication tools developed specifically for the task
May be difficult to measure the effectiveness

Disciple Making

Narrow in focus, dealing with a relatively few individuals
Generally is a result of evangelism
Often personal, mentor to disciple
Emphasizes depth of understanding, and application of understanding
Requires commitment from the disciple, and from the mentor
Requires substantial amounts of time
Utilizes communication tools developed specifically for the task
Results are somewhat measurable

Implications to the fulfillment of the Great Commission

The "Great Commission" may be understood to include both evangelization and the making of disciples.
The world may conceivably be completely evangelized before disciples are made from all ethne.
Conversely, disciples may be made from among all ethne before the world is completely evangelized.
Only the Lord knows when the Great Commission will be fulfilled, but Matthew 24:14 suggests the critical factor may be world evangelization. However, the implication in Matthew 28: 19-20 is that disciples will in fact be made among all ethne. They are complementary tasks.

The Gospel isn't just another good idea...

2011-03-06T14:30:00.000-08:00

The following is a response that someone made to a question that had been asked about "how the best way is to show people that the Gospel isn't just another good idea that we can choose from, but the idea of all time".

Just recently, I was confronted with this question in my own life, and going through Porterbrook. I think, quite honestly, the best way to show people that the gospel isn't just another good idea that we can choose from, but THE idea of all time, is to show how glorious the gospel is for them specifically. An example of this would be someone whoseeks the approval of their boss, in a sense, worshipping their employer. Getting them to see that could be easy or hard, but lets pretend it's easy. "Of course I'm constantly seeking their approval. This person holds my entire career in their hands. If I don't kiss the ground the walk on, I'm done. My family is a wreck, I'll be broke, and there will be no hope for me. My boss controls my life, and isn't very charitable. What's wrong with just trying to put food on the table?" How could we respond to that? One way could be the miraculous, and I don't doubt that many people have met Jesus through that. But I believe the most glorifying way would be to show how much GREATER it is to worship God rather than their boss. "Look, you're in ontant worry and fear, your boss rules over you, you hate it, you feel like a slave, and you're in constant anxiety because if you don't perform perfectly, your slavemaster may throw you out on the streets an d leave you there to die. But the GOOD news is that, you have a God who sees your suffering, who knows your struggles, and who cares infinitely more about you and your family than you do. He can deliver you from slavery. The way he does this is through Jesus, who reconciles us to God, so that we may worship and trust him! And when you do that, your worry goes out the door because you know that ultimately, a good holy perfect righteous God who loves you is in control. You don't have to be perfect because Jesus was perfect for you and you don't have to earn your favor with him. You don't have to feel like a slave, because Jesus has set you free from the guilt of not being good enough! Brother, the gospel is good news!" Each person has their idol. What we do is expose those idols and show how terrible gods they make, but we can't leave it there. We then have to show them how much more glorious the real God is. How much joy, freedom, peace, and love there is when we worship him instead of others. The fun, but also the hard work comes when doing that in each individual person's story. This requires us knowing them serving them, lovimg them, and being their friend to know what is going on in their heart. Ultimately the Holy Spirit will work in their hearts and use you to let them see how much more beautiful and glorious Jesus is to them. Pray for that, and for wisdom. I pray this helps brother. (Though this, I feel, is the best way to present the glory of the gospel, I do believe it's best for you to adapt and "become all things to all people" to your friends of different religious and political backgrounds. Learn about it, and adapt and contextualize the gospel to them so as not to create any barriers for them accepting the gospel. A good example would be not to eat bacon in front of Muslims, so as not to be a hindrance.) God bless your family and your ministry

Now That is My King!

2011-03-05T14:28:00.000-08:00

The greatest sermon on the person of Christ... ever!

Rejoice! God's Word has Arrived!!!

2011-03-04T07:02:00.000-08:00

Justin Taylor writes: "Take ten minutes and let your heart break and burn, weeping with joy along with brothers and sisters you will only meet in heaven".
For, us Americans, a people who have at least 2-3 Bibles in their homes, just how hard is it for us to understand the joy of these people who receive the New Testament for the first time?
I remember reading Marilyn Lazlo's book where she told of the New Testament being brought up the river to the people she had been living with for numerous years. While living with them, she translated the Bible into their language and taught them how to read and write.
She told of the great joy the people felt and expressed as God's Word was being brought to them. The people lined the banks and shouted with joy! Because a treasure far beyond anything that money could buy was about to be handed to them for the first time."

My friend A.R... "God Changed My Eyes"

2011-03-02T18:14:00.000-08:00

“God changed my eyes”

UPDATED 03-02-11

Though we are still learning the language, God has allowed us to be a part of His plan here mostly through a friend who is a new believer. I will call him A.R. for possible safety reasons. A.R. came to know Christ 4 months ago. Though I did not know him prior to his conversion, I have heard stories of what he was like both from him and others, and can tell you that his conversion is the most dramatic of anyone I have ever personally been around. From what I understand, A.R. was basically a gangster. He did drugs. He sold drugs. He was an alcoholic. He carried a gun everywhere he went, both for protection from other “bad guys” and so that he could rob people.

In fact, after speaking to our pastor, the man who brought A.R. to the Lord, I found out that A.R. is a "living legend" on the streets of our city but not a good legend.
He is seen here in our city as the character in Jim Croce's song from back in the 70's, "Bad Lee Roy Brown". However, t
he difference between my friend A.R. and "Lee Roy Brown" is that God had mercy on A.R. before he was made to look like a "jigsaw puzzle with a couple of pieces gone".

He was separated from his wife because he was continually unfaithful to her and because she feared for her life. When this occurred, their two children went to live with her parents in another state. Because he was unfaithful to her, she decided to do the same to him. And as a result, she became pregnant.
As I said, A.R. came to know the Lord four months ago. Three months after his conversion his wife gave birth(this past January) to two beautiful girls.

Our family has been able to be witnesses to one of the most incredibly beautiful pictures of what Christ did for us through A.R.’s changed life. He is desperately seeking to restore his marriage. His wife has seen the dramatic change in him and wanted what he had. She now is a follower of Jesus Christ! He has also taken these two little girls in as his own. When he takes them into his arms and looks at them, the look of adoration, love and compassion is incredible.

Here is a man who was probably as bad as most of us can possibly imagine and today we see a man who is filled with joy. A man who understands his depravity and the grace that was shown him. Here is a man who probably understands grace better than most of us will ever be able to understand in this life.

I have also been building a relationship with another young man who is an Atheist who works near our home. This man is a chef and owns a small restaurant that I frequent. Yesterday I met with A.R. at my Atheist friend's restaurant in order to discuss penetrating a small town of a couple thousand people near my house which has essentially no Evangelical presence.

After our meeting I gave my chef friend a book by Josh McDowel hoping that it might be able to answer some of his questions. He graciously accepted it and then asked A.R. a question. That opened the door wide open for A.R. to speak Truth to my Atheist friend. A.R. talked to him for over an hour about who he was prior to conversion and who he is now.

The joy, the seriousness, the passion, the boldness that A.R. spoke to this man with about Christ was incredible. It was far beyond his years and far beyond his time as a Christ follower. My chef friend was stunned to find out that A.R. was only 28, and was even more astounded that A.R. had only been a believer for 4 months. He kept saying that he couldnt believe that A.R. was younger than him and kept saying that he thought that A.R. had been a believer for 4 years, not 4 months.

After our meeting I took A.R. to his apartment and he gave me a picture. It was a picture of him sitting in a Ferrari. Initially I did not realize that it was A.R. I thought it was another man because the face of the man who was sitting in that car looked nothing like him. It was mean and full of hate.

I told our pastor about the picture and he said 'yes, A.R. was a man full of rage and hatred. When I would talk to him he would turn red and every muscle in his body would tighten and he would shake. He was full of hate."

I asked A.R. about his eyes in that picture because they were wicked and he smiled and replied, “God changed my eyes”.

The hardness, the rage, the evilness has been replaced with joy, hope and love.

Please pray not only for A.R. and his restored family but for my chef friend. Pray that Christ would shine His grace on him in the same manner that He displayed His grace to A.R.

UPDATE:
Sunday I was witness to one of the most beautiful scenes. I was able to not only witness the baptism of both A.R. and his wife but I had the great honor of being the one who baptized them.

What a beautiful picture of God's grace! Thank you Jesus!

Functional Savior II

2011-03-02T17:41:00.000-08:00

When I listen to popular music I love to listen to see who or what is the functional savior or to listen to the singer sing about searching for the functional savior.

For example, the song Piano Man by Billy Joel is an excellent example. See if you can find the functional savior of each person listed. Don't forget to see if you can see who is the functional savior of Billy Joel.

After you have read the lyrics to this song, read Acts 17. As you read, contemplate the lives of those who have gathered at the bar.

How do you think they are?

How do you feel to see such a gathering of people like this?

How can we be the church to people like this?

How can we best speak Truth to them?

PIANO MAN

It's nine o'clock on a Saturday

The Regular crowd shuffles in

There's an old man sitting next

to me Makin' love to his tonic

and gin He says, "Son, can you

play me a memory I'm not

really sure how it goes But it's

sad and it's sweet and I knew it

complete When I wore

younger man's clothes."

La la la, di da da La la, di da da da dum

Chorus: Sing us a song, you're the piano man

Sing us a song tonight

Well, we're all in the mood for a melody

And you've got us feelin' alright

Now John at the bar is a friend of mine

He gets me my drinks for free

And he's quick with a joke or to light up your smoke

But there's someplace that he'd rather be

He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me."

As the smile ran away from his face

"Well I'm sure that I could be a movie star

If I could get out of this place"

Oh, la la la, di da da La la, di da da da dum

Now Paul is a real estate

novelist

Who never had time for a wife

And he's talkin' with Davy,

who's still in the Navy

And probably will be for life

And the waitress is practicing politics

As the businessmen slowly get stoned

Yes, they're sharing a drink they call loneliness

But it's better than drinkin' alone

Chorus: Sing us a song you're the piano man

Sing us a song tonight

Well we're all in the mood for a melody

And you got us feeling alright

It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday

And the manager gives me a smile

'Cause he knows that it's me

they've been comin' to see

To forget about life for a while

And the piano, it sounds like a carnival

And the microphone smells like a beer

And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar

And say, "Man, what are you doin' here?"

Oh, la la la, di da da La la, di da da da dum

Chorus: Sing us a song you're the piano man

Sing us a song tonight

Well we're all in the mood for a melody

And you got us feeling alright

______________________________________________

Now then, reread Acts 17.

How did Paul effectively communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those at Mars Hill?

How did he build bridges to communicate Jesus?

How could you communicate Jesus if you were at this bar that Billy is singing about?

Functional Savior I

2011-03-02T17:26:00.000-08:00

There are many“functional saviors” in which we often place our hope. Both Christians and Non-Christians have them. They are found throughout the world. The reality of functional saviors is that while they may bring relief for a time, they will ultimately disappoint us. Here is a list of questions to “help us uncover our functional saviors.”

Christians need to speak Truth to one another reminding each other of the Gospel. As well, Christ followers need to speak Truth to this dying world, telling of the hope that can be had in Jesus Christ.

Take a few minutes over the next few days and answer these questions. You’ll learn a lot about yourself and your “savior”:

What am I most afraid of?
What do I long for most passionately?
Where do I run for comfort?
What do I complain about the most?
What angers me most?
What makes me happiest?
How do I explain myself to other people?
What has caused me to be angry with God?
What do I brag about?
What do I want to have more than anything else?
What do I sacrifice the most for in my life?
If I could change one thing in my life what would that be?
Whose approval am I seeking?
What do I want to control/master?
What comfort do I treasure the most?

______________________________________________________________

Is this a biblical way to view God's church?

2011-03-02T11:06:00.001-08:00

How can we improve the following rhyme?

Here is the church,
Here is the steeple,
Open the doors,
See all the people

How does this sound?

Here is a building,

On top there's a steeple,

Open the doors,

The church is the people!

Preaching The Gospel To Ourselves

2011-02-24T05:33:00.001-08:00

The diagram can be viewed HERE.

Changing our Perspectives

2011-02-21T07:51:00.001-08:00

Is the way that we, the people from our culture, do things the correct way of doing things?

Is it possible that there is more than one way to do things?

Maybe we need to see the world with different eyes?

Maybe we need to see that just because people from other places do things differently than we do them that it is not necessarily wrong?

Is it possible that the way we do things might be wrong?

Based on this video, it seems that monkeys are one step ahead of us in the banana peeling department. Would you agree?

Many times those of us from the west, particularly the United States, think that the way we do things is the best way to do them. As a general rule, many of us will not even consider a different option when it comes to doing something in a way that is different than what we are accustomed to doing it. In fact, for what ever reason, many times we think that doing something differently is wrong.

Why do we think that way?

Why would we think that our way is the best way or that "their" way is wrong?

Maybe we need to consider why those who are doing things differently than us are doing them that way?

Maybe we need to realize that their way of doing things is not necessarily wrong, but just different?

What do you think?

Aaron Spiro's Angels

2011-02-10T14:31:00.000-08:00

Come and visit Soma Communitie's Story of God

HERE

The Gospel Driven People

2011-01-31T06:15:00.000-08:00

Promise-Driven Commission

During Mike Horton’s session this past Saturday at our inaugural “Gospel-Centered Life” conference at Coral Ridge, he asked the audience to say the words of the Great Commission from Matthew 28 out loud. As you can imagine, almost everybody said in unison the words, “Go therefore…”. Mike rightly pointed out that the Great Commission actually begins with the words, “All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me” (v. 18). It’s only after Jesus says that, that he says, “Go therefore…” (v.19).

This is a super-important, paradigm shattering observation. To miss it, is to miss the gospel. In fact, if we don’t see it, our entire understanding of the church’s mission will be wrong and weak.

In an article that Mike wrote for Modern Reformation magazine entitled The Great Announcement, he expands on this idea:

Just go. Just do it. “Get ‘er done,” as they say. Reflection slows you down.

The same thing can happen with the ... HERE

The Rhythm of the New Testament

2011-01-31T06:08:00.001-08:00

By Dane Ortlund

"I want to call people to holiness, as the new creatures they are, by bringing them into deeper and deeper awareness of the gospel of grace... I believe the gospel is central to sanctification, and that effort and action are neither central nor optional (optional = antinomianism) but integral."

The rhythm of the New Testament is “walk in love as a response to how deeply you are loved in Christ.” “Be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Eph 5:1). In a nutshell: if the imperatives of Scripture are extracted in preaching without being self-consciously placed within their (heart-transforming) indicative framework, then such bald imperatives will invariably devolve into a counterproductive reinforcement of the Pharisee lurking in every human heart—even the regenerate human heart.
For the regenerate, holiness has taken on a strangely attractive hue, for God is now our loving Father, not our wrathful judge. We now delight in the law in a way we never did (never could) before. But the law itself remains impotent to generate this holiness. The law can guide us, but not propel us. It is a steering wheel, not an engine.

Jesus Freaks

2011-01-26T19:14:00.000-08:00

Classic!

Missional Life in Suburbia... Maple Valley, Wa.

2011-01-26T06:28:00.001-08:00

Untitled from MVMC on Vimeo.

Things Are Not Always As They Seem...

2011-01-24T04:49:00.000-08:00

From the other perspective.

Storying

2011-01-22T08:34:00.000-08:00

Storying the Bible in North America

Chronological Bible Storying is changing Christian communication and training dramatically. Church planters that learn how to address oral learning preferences will ride what has been called by some “the next wave of missions advance.”

Mike Mohler, pastor of Trinity Point, a new church plant in an affluent part of Easley, SC, turned to Bible storying for their family small groups. They grew from one small adult Bible study to nine small groups with 90 participating that met in homes in a span of six months.

Cathy Palmer found that her work among refugees in Clarkston, Ga., was accelerated when she gathered women to sew quilts and casually introduced them to one Bible story at a time.

A Nehemiah Church planter in Louisville, Ky., found Bible Storying extremely effective in evangelizing and then discipling several Muslim-background and Catholic Iraqis.

It can be said that about half of...

Click HERE to read the rest of this article.

Culture

2011-01-22T07:31:00.000-08:00

What Is The Gospel?

2011-01-18T06:30:00.000-08:00

What is the Gospel? from Southern Seminary on Vimeo.

Help Even the Unrighteous Poor

2011-01-18T05:34:00.000-08:00

by Joel Brooks
My office is located in one of the poorer areas in the city of Birmingham, Alabama. Even as I am writing this, outside my window I can see two prostitutes standing across the street outside a hotel and a homeless man pushing a grocery cart full of cans. Confronted with scenes like this on a daily basis has made me think a lot about Jesus’ call to serve the least of these. What should this look like in my life? Over the years, I have far more failures than successes when it comes reaching out to these people.
It might not be easy, but our call to help the poor is a scriptural mandate that few would argue against. Deuteronomy 15:7-8 says:
If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.
This is just one of many passages in the Bible that show God’s concern for the least of these.
But any person who has actually spent time serving the poor realizes that... click -> HERE to read the rest.

Acts 28

2011-01-17T04:46:00.000-08:00

How I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in Acts 28 where Paul meets with the leader's of the Jews upon his arrival in Rome. He tells them why he has arrived in Rome from Jerusalem. He explains that back in Jerusalem, he had done nothing against his people or the customs of their fathers, yet he was delivered as a prisoner into their hands as a result of him appealing to Ceasar since the Jewish leaders back in Jerusalem wanted to put him to death. Paul told these leaders in Rome that he wanted to explain to them that it was because of the hope of Israel that he was bound and delivered to them in chains.

Because they had heard of this "sect" and how it was spoken against everywhere, their curiosity in knowing about it (the hope of Israel) made them schedule a time where all could meet and hear what Paul had to say.

Some days later, when they were able to meet with Paul, they met in the residence that he was staying at (he was under house arrest). Upon their arrival, there was an even greater number of the Jewish leaders who came to hear what Paul had to say. From that morning until evening Paul expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God. He tried to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets and as time wore on, the Word of God, the Gospel, the Good News changed their hearts. Many of these men became convinced. The scales were removed from their eyes. They heard and understood. They saw and perceived. God opened their eyes and their ears. And their hearts understood. They turned and God healed them.

The part that I would loved to have seen is the process they went through during this period of time. I would have loved to have see the demeanor of the leaders in the morning and then watched them change as the day wore on. I would have loved to have seen their faces and their physical posture (from defiance or possibly skepticism to faithful acceptance) change over the course of that time. How wonderful it would have been to see it dawn on them that they had been "missing it", as their fathers had "missed it" all along, and all of a sudden see them "get it". They understood that God's Word, what Paul persuaded them with, had been pointing to Jesus from the very beginning of time. How wonderful it would have been to see them go home and tell their wives that they had been wrong all along, to tell their friends that they had been teaching them in the wrong way, and to see them begin to start to teach their family and friends about the Hope of Israel, the only Way, the Way of Truth

Ashley’s Mission Theology

2011-01-15T05:35:00.000-08:00

The following was found at Dr. Mike Stroope's blog. It is the theology of missions that one of Dr. Mike Stroope's students has. I was so impressed with it that I thought through it and have added in italics my thoughts and expansions to better describe my own theology of missions.

The collective blessed ones, the people of God, are known as the church. (Amen!)
The mission (which is to display the Light, the glory of God, through both word and deed, to a fallen world which was given to the collection of blessed ones) cannot be separated from the identity of God’s people.
Mission is who the church is (as in what we, the collective blessed ones, are to naturally do), not what the church does (mission is what the church does if the church is being sanctified and made more like God).
It is God’s mission, however, and not the church’s mission (It is God's mission first. And because it is God's mission, then and only then, can it be the church's mission).
The mission of church is to actively and faithfully bear witness (through overflowing actions and proclamations) to who they are and to their God.
God has a church for his mission, and not a mission for the church (Because God has a mission, He has chosen a collection of blessed ones as His instruments, to tell of His greatness, to display His glory through, which is the mission of the church).
Through the participation in God’s redemptive and restorative mission, both the church and the world are changed. (Amen!)
Found HERE

When Dogs Meow by Dr. Mike Stroop

2011-01-15T05:22:00.000-08:00

In a meeting this week, a man gave a group of us a nugget of profound wisdom - ‘A dog does not bark to be a dog, but barks because he is a dog.’ In a folksy way, he was simply saying that being and doing belong together; one is not separate from the other. Dogs bark because that is what dogs do. They are not trying to be dogs by barking, but barking is part of what it means to be a dog.

In the same way, followers of Jesus do certain things because that is what they do. When a woman surrenders to Jesus, she becomes a new kind of person. John says she is born again of the Spirit. She performs acts of love not to become a Jesus follower; she loves because of a changed nature.

James, the brother of Jesus, talks about this truth in terms of faith and works. He asks, “What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but has no works?” The answer is that talk of faith is useless - unless there are works. A bit later he says, “someone may well say, ‘You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works’.” In other words, works are not imperative for faith, works are indicative of faith.

Thus far, this is straightforward and clear, and yet, there is an uneasy question – What does it mean when a dog meows? Well, if a true dog meows, then... click HERE to read the rest of this article.

A New Word

2011-01-05T06:56:00.002-08:00

one·an·oth·er·ing (wun-e-nuth’er-ing) v.

1. To fulfill New Testament Biblical instructions for Christians regarding activities to be done to, for, and with one another. –one·an·oth·ers n.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Jn 13:34-35

Loving one another (John 13:34)
Forgiving one another ((Ephesians 4:32)
Accepting one another (Romans 15:7)
Bearing with one another (Ephesians 4:2
Being devoted to one another (Romans 12:10)
Honoring one another (Romans 12:10)
Greeting one another (2 Corinthians 13:12)
Being hospitable to one another (1 Peter 4:9)
Being kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32)
Sharing with one another (Hebrews 13:16)
Serving one another (Galatians 5:13)
Carrying one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
Building up one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Encouraging one another daily (Hebrews 3:13)
Comforting one another (1 Thessalonians)
Stimulating one another to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24)
Instructing one another (Romans 15:14)
Admonishing one another (Colossians 3:16)
Praying for one another (James 5:16)
Confessing your sins to one another (James 5:16)
Being of the same mind toward one another (Romans 12:16)
Submitting to one another (Ephesians 5:21)

101 things about Queretaro

2010-12-27T16:15:00.000-08:00

Actually the following post was found HERE at the Poulette Family's blog. It was actually titled "101 things about Mexico City". Since Queretaro and Mexico City are relatively close (2 hours away from each other), many, if not all of the "things" listed are similar. Where there might be differences or where I felt I needed to add a little more information, I added my comments in italics.

101 things about Mexico City

By Dennis on March 22nd, 2007

We were taught to be students of the culture in order to effectively minister. Here are 101 things about Mexico City that we have observed since getting here. They aren’t good things or bad things. Many are just different.

There are 31 speed bumps between my house and my work. Actually there are 31 speed bumps (topes) between any two points.
You will get stood up. Bank on it.
If someone talks about “your house,” they are really talking about “their” house. (My house is your house)
The banks will be packed on the 15th and the 1st of the month.
If you don’t know what it is, don’t eat it. La VERDAD!
Brain can be served in a tortilla.
Stomach can be served in a tortilla.
There are many different types of mole (a typical salsa). It takes a while to find one that you like.
There is no Taco Bell. Taco Bell is Mexican food?
There are more people in the city at night. This is not true of Queretaro. Queretaro becomes a ghost town around 11 p.m.

Asking, how long will it take to get there is considered a stupid question. This is not true of Queretaro. Traveling around the city is very simple and quick.
Never say, just follow the green taxi. Especially here in QRO because we do not have "green taxis".
Motorcycles don’t have to stay in a lane. And they can pass you going 100 miles an hour and no one blinks an eye.
Car alarms are ignored. Always. Car alarms are not a common sound around our area.
You can get your side view mirrors stolen off your car.
You might see cows in your front yard. YES!!! AND HORSES AND SHEEP AND GOATS. One time we had a bull standing in the middle of the street and was not letting cars pass. YES! This happened in the city! :)
Dog poop happens. Yes but not as bad as San Jose, Costa Rica!
Bus drivers are not afraid to hit you. I dont think they know that that cars exist.
If you get there on time, you’re early.
The electricity can go out for no apparent reason. AND the water (as it is right now).
You can buy almost anything on the side of the road.
Dogs are used as a house alarm.
Dogs bark at all hours.
There will be someone trying to give you a flyer at a speed bump. Or at a stop sign or at a stop light or in the parking lot or in the...
You will tip someone everyday. True but this is good because it is the only income that some people make.
Clowns juggle at intersections. They juggle everything from balls to toys to torches... for tips.
Stores might be open at the time they say they are open, but probably not.
Nobody will leave a message on your answering machine.
Nothing ends on time. Time what is that?
You can get knock offs of just about everything.
Electronics are expensive. Mac is 2x as expensive!
Fruit is cheap.
If you miss your exit, you change your plans (usually). This is not true for QRO.
The map book has over 200 pages (for the city). QRO has 40.
If you ask for directions, chances are the person doesn’t know. So their answer is just go straight down the road.
There’s one gas company…government owned pemex…no competition there.
The gas guy for your house may try to rip you off. YUP.
They paint lines on the street by hand.
McDonald’s has gigantic playgrounds.
Lunch is at 2 or 3 pm.
Customer service…what customer service?
Pizza has very little sauce (if any).
Movies are mostly in English with subtitles.
You should really only plan to get one thing done in a day.
If someone will be late or not show up to a meeting, they will probably not call you to tell you about it.
Stopping at a red light most of the time is optional.
There might be a pothole big enough to eat your car in your lane at any time.
The pedestrian does not have the right of way.
You will be offered just about any type of “fruit water.”
Smog (cough, cough) what smog?
You should get your car washed everyday like everyone else.
If someone thanks you by showing the back of their hand (in a sort of obscene way), it’s normal. LOL!!!
Don’t pronounce English words with an English accent or nobody will understand you. For example, you must pronounce “hot dog” with a Spanish accent.
By the way, a hot dog is the full thing (dog, bun, ketchup, etc). A salchicha is just the hot dog and can be used as a pizza topping.
Ketchup goes on pizza.
Music can never be played too loud.
Stores hire dancing girls to promote their products.
The best way to park your car is backing it in.
A money loan to a friend should be seen as a gift.
You can get a piñata of whatever cartoon character you can imagine.
The word translated right now can mean anytime in the (maybe) future.
Cake can have the milk IN IT (and it’s good).
You can watch soccer 24 hours a day.
If you need to change lanes, just stick your arm out the window and the other person is obligated to let you in.
You can back up in your car even if there are people coming up behind you.
You can do just about anything in your car if you put on your flashers... like backing down the middle of the "interstate" because you missed your exit 500 yards behind you.
If you need windshield wipers, the best place to buy them is on the side of the road.
Hardly anything is open on Mondays.
You can get stuck in traffic going to the grocery store. Not true here.
If you see traffic in an unusual spot, chances are there’s a traffic cop directing (creating) it.
Pretty much everyone has a cell phone.
If you call a cell phone, you pay for the call.
You get 100 outgoing calls per month on your home phone.
Traffic roundabouts are dangerous. You could get stuck in one all day.
You can get a pre-paid minutes card for your cell phone while waiting at an intersection.
In just about every parking lot, someone will ask you if you want your car washed, whether it needs it or not.
Parking is almost never free.
I hope you like mayonnaise. It will be loaded on your sandwich.
Left turns are usually a no-no. You must make a u-turn.
You better know how to parallel park.
You don’t walk on the sidewalk. You walk on the road... because of uneven sidewalks and dog poop.
Uneven pavement is a fact of life.
You can buy corn on the cob smothered with mayonnaise and chili powder.
Popcorn at the movies must be accompanied by hot salsa.
Japanese peanuts aren’t really from Japan (or are they?)
Lots of people wear suits and ties.
Pizza is 2 for 1 on Tuesday.
Movies are 2 for 1 on Wednesday.
Everything is “straight ahead” if you ask for directions.
The trunks of trees should be painted white…I think it has something to do with bugs.
If you see a cop with his lights on, it just means he’s patrolling the neighborhood. It’s not because you did something wrong. Yes they have scared the pants off of me more than once!
You might get a receipt for the slip of toilet paper you buy at a public restroom.
Babies should be covered all the way pretty much at all times.
Children are not allowed to drink cold drinks or they will get sick.
Baby car seats are optional.
A traveling market can take up a whole street (and cause more traffic).
Coca Cola from a bottle goes great with tacos. Yes this is true!
Grasshoppers can be eaten live.
You should sweep the street in front of your house everyday like everyone else. With a thing that resembles a broom but looks more like 3 dozen sticks jutting out of a broom handle.
The garbage men sit in the back of the truck and sort the trash.
Personal space doesn’t exist.
You can fit 15 people in a Volkswagen beetle

Jesus came...

2010-12-26T05:14:00.000-08:00

Who Is Christmas For?

Matt B. Redmond:

Jesus came for those who look in the mirror and see ugliness.
Jesus came for daughters whose fathers never told them they were beautiful.
Christmas is for those who go to “wing night” alone.
Christmas is for those whose lives have been wrecked by cancer, and the thought of another Christmas seems like an impossible dream.
Christmas is for those who would be nothing but lonely if not for social media.
Christmas is for those whose marriages have careened against the retaining wall and are threatening to flip over the edge.
Christmas is for the son whose father keeps giving him hunting gear when he wants art materials.
Christmas is for smokers who cannot quit even in the face of a death sentence.
Christmas is for prostitutes, adulterers, and porn stars who long for love in every wrong place.
Christmas is for college students who are sitting in the midst of the family and already cannot wait to get out for another drink.
Christmas is for those who traffic in failed dreams.
Christmas is for those who have squandered the family name and fortune—they want “home” but cannot imagine a gracious reception.
Christmas is for parents watching their children’s marriage fall into disarray.

You can read the whole thing

here.

Thai Torture

2010-12-11T09:58:00.000-08:00

I came up against a 4'6", 90 pound, Thai lady who could have destroyed Brock Lesner. She was our waitress at Ma Tai's. I asked her about the spiciness of a particular plate and she said that the plate was a 4 out of 5 stars in hotness and that I would like it. Thinking that it was probably too hot for me and that I should probably choose a 2 1/2 or 3 star plate, I asked her what she usually ate. She politely said, "oh you Americans cant eat like us. I eat a 20 in hotness".
So my machismo took over and thought, "If this little lady can eat a 20, there is NO WAY that I am going to order less than a 4. And what does she mean "you Americans"."
Three bites into it I started crying like a little girl... And it only got worse. Though I wanted to stop eating, it tasted so good I couldn't stop... Besides I was not going to let her see me not eat it, even if she could make Lesner tap out.
It was so good I had what I couldnt finish at lunch, for supper, and I cried again. Except this time I was able to do it in the privacy of my home.
Brock, you may be bad by UFC standards but you BETTER NOT cross Ma Tai.
Boy oh boy! does my stomach hurt this morning.

Tim Keller: Urban Plant Life PDFs

2010-11-28T16:51:00.000-08:00

Here are PDF's of talks Tim Keller gave at the Urban Plant Life conference in London a couple of years ago. You can also check out the audio/video or grab the podcast. But having documents you can print and search is very helpful. Thanks to@BradAndrews for the heads-up.

1. Gospel Renewal
2. Church & Culture
3. Contextual & Missional
4. Gospel Theology
5. Integrative Ministry
6. Gospel Preaching
7. Gospel Theology
8. Movement Dynamics
9. Church Planting

(original location

HT: REFORMISSIONARY

My Friend... A Tragic Life

2010-10-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

My wife, kids and a family friend had just left Pikes Place Market and we had walked to the pickup so that we could leave and see more of Seattle. Little did I know that I was about to see a part of Seattle that most do not get to see up close.

I had just climbed into the driver's seat and was waiting for my wife, the kids and our friend to get into the pick up on the passenger side when Megan opened the door and stated in an urgent manner that I needed to come to the back of the truck quickly. Thinking that a cop was about to give us a parking ticket I hurried to the back of the truck. What I found was a homeless man asking for help.

Immediately my defenses went up and I became a little roused. I was having a type of mini flash back to Vancouver when another homeless man had approached Megan asking for financial assistance. When she told him that she did not have money he became increasingly agitated towards her and gave threatening hints that it would be in her best interest that she needed to donate to "his cause". Luckily I walked up and nothing transpired from that point.

I dont mind people coming to me and asking for assistance nor do I mind it when they become upset when I do not give them the assistance they ask for (I am happy to give food, help or whatever but am not willing to always give money for obvious reasons). When it comes to my wife, that is a different story. One can ask her for help, and if she is able to help, I know that she will. Becoming agitated and threatening becomes totally different and a line is crossed.

Thankfully as I approached the back of the truck I was able to contain my concern and express respect toward this man who would quickly become my friend. When I approached him, his back was to me. Our friend who was with us looked over this man's shoulder and when she did he quickly turned to see who was behind him. Upon seeing me he introduced himself and asked for help. As he did he handed me a card, a card that I was somewhat familiar with. I knew that the card was from a Evangelical organization who's aim was to minister to the homeless.

This organization provides a place to stay for the night, a shower and food for just a handful of dollars. He expressed his desire to stay there. No... it was more than a desire, it was an urgency or even a type of desperation. But it was not the same as the man in Vancouver's desperation. This man's was a desire of escape from the streets to a safe place whereas the man in Vancouver's desire was a desire to escape from reality to where ever the poison that he would buy, with the money we contributed to his "cause", would lead him.

This man I had just met had a very humble manner to him. His manner was that of a dog that had been kicked which I would soon learn as to why. But he also displayed a sense of godliness. I asked him if he knew Jesus, expecting his answer to be what most people who are begging is, "yes I know Jesus". And that is the answer that he gave me. Except this man said, "Yes I know Jesus." Chris then began to humbly quote scripture; not just John 3:16 but other passages. Lots of other passages. Passages that the average person wouldn't know.

I asked Megan and our friend to take the kids shopping at the antique store while I visited with this man who was about to become a friend. Megan graciously said OK and they headed into the store.

Chris, my new friend, climbed into the truck with me and we began to talk. God really began to give me new eyes to those in need. My understanding of people's pain began to grow. Chris shared that 3 years ago he had a happy marriage, they had a new baby and were regular church attenders.

That all changed in a wink of an eye.

Their baby girl died.

His wife couldn't handle it and committed suicide shortly after.

Chris went off the deep end.

He said that he started drinking and using drugs to escape the pain. He said that in just a short time he had lost his child, wife, job and home and found himself 2 hours away on the cold wet streets of downtown Seattle, making camp under a bridge, a bridge that a hundred thousand cars cross over everyday.

I couldn't keep the tears from welling up... even now they return.

I was able to encourage Chris by reminding him of various Scriptures; Scriptures that tell of God's love for His children and how He will take care of, and care for, those who are His and that he, being a child of God, is certainly cared for by Him. I told him of a new church plant in the Belltown area and he told me that he attended another church in the Belltown area. I encouraged him to really get involved with that church and to continue to seek the Lord and His will for his life.

During our conversation (Im not sure at what point he told me this story) Chris told me that when he had attended church with his family in Yakima that he hardly ever listened to the sermons. He said that he would fade off to other things of life. Amazed he told me that after he had been living on the streets that God continually brought Scripture to his mind. He said that he was able to recall complete passages though he had never taken the time to sit down and memorize them. He said that God's Word was what was helping him to come back to reality and get a grip on things.

I found myself digging in my pockets, in my back pack and in the cigarette tray trying to dig up all the money I had. Upon giving the money, as well as various other goodies like a stash of Power Bars to Chris, I made him promise that he would spend it wisely. He said he would.

I trusted him.

I told him that I would lovingly hold him accountable since I had obtained his email just prior to me giving him these things. Instead of being offended, he was thankful, thankful not just because I gave him money but that I would hold him accountable.

Before we departed company we were able to pray for one another. What a blessing it was to have met him. God showed me things about who He is in our encounter as well as things about myself. I look forward to the day that he and I will be able to rejoice together when we get to heaven.

No I do not understand why Chris' life has been so tragic. Nor will I pretend to do so. Knowing that God is sovereign and that He dearly loves His children, I will have to rest in the fact that though I do not see the sense in what has transpired in Chris life, that God's purposes are being played out.

I will have to trust that God know's what is best. All the time. In all circumstances.

-------------------------

I heard back from Chris a week later. He wrote me saying that he had indeed spent the money wisely. He said that he was able to stay in the shelter mentioned above for several days and that he was able to buy some good socks. Socks that would keep his feet in good shape, dry and warm for the coming winter months.

Socks.

Socks to keep one's feet healthy, dry and warm.

What a horrible life Chris must live right now.

When good socks are a priority to survival...

Two months later I am still not able to get my mind around this engagement. At the same time I am still numbed with the horror that has transpired in Chris' life while joyed in being able to see God's provision for Chris through blessing him with the nourishment of His Word through the miraculous ability to recall passages that had never really been studied. Too I am humbly grateful in knowing that I have not had to live a life such as the one that Chris has led.

I think that I will stop here. Right now I cant think about it anymore.

If you have stumbled onto this page I pray that this story haunts you as it has me. I pray that Chris' story will stay burned into your memory as he has mine so that you will pray for him as well as those who live on the streets who have stories similar to his.

My Friend.... Engaging in Story-Life Inside a Story

2010-10-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

Engaging in Story

Downloadby Jeff Vanderstelt May 6, 2010

Life Inside a Story

Everyone Has a Dominant Story

Every person you encounter, every community you enter into and every culture you engage has a dominant Story with many sub-stories. The Dominant Story is the most prominent, compelling and controlling informant for how people perceive God, others and the world. Some call this a worldview because it is the lens through which they view the world. One’s worldview shapes how they receive and process information, engage in relationships, make decisions and shape their philosophy and beliefs. You can discover a person’s dominant story by asking questions.

Complete this sentence with the first 3-5 descriptions that come to your mind “God is…”

Write down the three words that come to your mind when you hear the word “Father”:

How you responded reveals part of your Story…How you describe God is connected to your dominant Story…What you think of Father comes from your dominant Story…

IN GROUPS: Discuss how you believe Your Story shapes your response…

______________________________________

When I read the above exercise it came at a very amazing time. It was clear that God was showing me a new way to think about people as well as myself.

I had worked for many hours on this video. It is a video about homeless women. Though I was not able to capture all the aspects of homelessness well, the intent was to show that drugs are a huge contributor to homelessness. It really gave me new insight into the plight that many, not only women but me as well, have in regards to homelessness. This video, even after making it, continued to disturb me.

Little did I know what God was preparing me for.

Since we had arrived in the Seattle area some 2 - 2 1/2 months prior, I had been dying to go downtown Seattle in order to take pictures as well as to observe the people. Interestingly the day that I had scheduled to go downtown happened to be the same day that a pastor from Mars Hill agreed to meet with me. This pastor at one time had been a homeless addict who had been saved by the grace of God. Unfortunately the meeting was canceled and I was never able to visit with him.

During my time downtown I took hundreds of photos; photos of buildings, photos of alleys; photos of people; photos of posters; photos of gum wall, you name it. If it was interesting, I took a picture of it.

Having never ridden the light rail system here in Seattle, I decided that since my feet were killing me from walking who knows how many miles, I would hop aboard and ride out to the airport and back. We had traveled no more than two stops when a rough looking lady came and sat by me. You could tell that she had lived a life that no father would ever want his daughter to live. Some of her front teeth were gone. Her hair was dry and brittle. Her skin was weathered. Her hands did not look like the hands of one who has spent the majority of their time in-doors.

Soon after sitting she pulled out a hard back, black Bible and opened to Romans chapter 8. When I noticed what book she was reading I told her that Romans was my favorite book of the Bible. She smiled and said, "ya me too". She then stated that though she loved the God's Word, there was a lot that she still did not understand. She asked me if I would help explain to her what a particular section in the Bible was saying.

I joyfully went through these verses explaining to the best of my ability what Paul was saying as he wrote this.

I do not remember exactly how but we got on the topic of how she came to Christ. She told me that a year before, she had been homeless, a drug addict and a lesbian but God had delivered her from her life style (from her sin). She was now sharing her love for Jesus with all her old friends, as well as all who would listen to her, both friends or strangers.

She shared that as a little girl, her father had molested her often and that her view of what a father was, made her want to have NOTHING to do with God the Father.

She said, "The only understanding I had of what a father was... was horrible. I did not want to even get close to God because I was afraid of Him. I was afraid that if I let Him get too close to me, He would do horrible things to me. I was afraid of Him and did not want to have anything to do with Him."

She went on to tell me how a year ago she came to know her heavenly Father and was amazed that He was nothing like the father who had molested her as a little girl! She said that her heavenly Father loved her. She said that she could not get over the love that He had for her. She was truly amazed.

Not long after meeting my friend Colleen I came across "Engaging in Story-Life Inside a Story". I saw how Colleen's story is a perfect example of this exercise. Her whole worldview was affected by how her earthly father had treated her. Her understanding of who God is had been so distorted that it caused her to run from Him.

Jeff Vanderstelt wrote in this exercise, "How you responded reveals part of your Story…How you describe God is connected to your dominant Story…What you think of Father comes from your dominant Story…" hit the nail on the head. Jeff went on to write, "His Story precedes, finishes, corrects and ultimately makes sense of all other stories. " and I was privileged to be able to hear how He had worked in her life to correct it and how He was making sense of it.

To see God's hand in this is humbling. To have been able to be a part of her God story, of having the great honor of explaining the text that she was inquiring about makes me wonder if He had sent an angel to sit by me on my way to the airport. :) The reason I say this is because of the passage that she asked me to explain to her. My time here in Seattle, the relationships I have made, the things I have learned, the materials I have "stumbled" upon, the teachers I have come across has been too perfect, too perfect to be just "coincidence". It is clear that God's providence is clearly being played out.

The two pictures in this post are of her. Unfortunately neither are very good but they did capture the time with her well. One is of her pointing to the passage in question and the other is after she had gotten off the train and as the train was passing, she was waving to say good bye not knowing for sure which car I was on.

As I type this I praise God for the work He has done in my life as my 5 year old daughter climbs on me kissing me, squeezing me and telling me that she loves me.

God is good.

My Friend: The man with no hope

2010-10-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

I met a man a couple of months ago who had no hope. I have wracked my brain trying to remember his name but am not able to recall it. He is about 60, grey hair, beard, very intelligent, drives an old beat up Suburban from the late 70's but has an engine in it that would smoke a Vett. I know this because I saw it and talked to him about his Suburban at length.

My friend, who I met at the state park on Camano Island, was putting his fishing gear in the back when I asked him about the tires on his Suburban. You see this Suburban was not just any Suburban. This Suburban was old. I mean real old. There were more holes around the fender wells from rust than there were not. The interior was rotted and the cloth thing that is on the ceiling of the Suburban was hanging down in several spots. That is why I asked him about his tires. His tires were racing tires. The back tires were easily 4 inches wider than normal. They just looked fast. Fast like the cars you see when you go to a drag race.

My friend's eyes lit up. He immediately started telling me about his "truck". He told me how he had been fixing it up for several years now. He told me how he had to rebuild the engine 2x because he had blown something up in it (Im not a mechanic otherwise I might be able to remember what blew). He told me how he had to do something to the transmission because the transmission he had in it would not be able to keep up with the engine that was now in it.

I asked him if he had raced anyone and he just smiled and said "no". When I asked him if he was crazy he just smiled and once again said "no". So I asked him if anyone had ever come up beside him who had a fast car and if he had revved the engine trying to get them to race. He said that he hadnt but that he did have some "punk kid" fly up on his back bumper on the interstate one time and that it had "pissed" him off. He said that when the kid got up beside him as he was trying to pass, my friend said that he looked at the kid, made eye contact and punched it. All that was left was a cloud of dust. He said the kid tried to keep up with him but that he blew the doors of the "little Jap" car. Several minutes later after he had slowed down to a safer speed, the kid pulled up beside him. Laughing, my friend said that the kids eyes were as big as saucers. He said the kid never knew what hit him.

As we talked I was able to ask him some probing questions about his life. I found out that his wife, who was almost 20 years his senior, had recently passed. She was his world. She was his only friend. He was a loner. He said that he didnt know how to make friends. He was lost with out her.

Since he had retired about 5 years ago from Microsoft due to medical reasons (my friends health was not so good) he said that he only had time to think about her. He said that was why he was out fishing. He had gone and bought brand new fishing equipment so that he would make himself get out of his house so that he could stop thinking about his wife and try to leave his loneliness for a time.

I tried to express my concern for him. I asked him if he would like to meet at another time so that we could fish together. He replied "no... I dont like fishing. I think that Ill just go home. My dog needs me".

I asked him about his dog.

He told me that he loved his dog. He said with a faint grin that his dog loved it when he came home. Drifting off he added, "when my dog is gone... Ill have nothing. Ya when my dog is gone, I will too".

Knowing what he meant I still asked him what he was talking about.

With little strength he looked at the ground and said, "when my dog dies I will have no reason to go on living. When he dies I will take my life. Nothing can take away my loneliness."

I knew that I had little time to share Jesus with him so I started asking him what he understood about the Bible, who Jesus was etc...

He knew.

He knew all the right answers.

However he didnt know Jesus and he didnt want to know Him.

My friend opened his car door and climbed in.

I tried to keep the conversation going.

He didnt want to talk.

I asked him to wait just a minute while I grabbed something out of my car.

I grabbed a tract that was in the glove box.

It was my last chance to...

He kindly waited.

I handed it to him and asked him again if I could meet him at that park in the future so that we could go fishing together.

He never answered. He smiled and drove off...

Detroit Lives

2010-10-03T09:21:00.000-07:00

A really great look at Detroit. Anyone interested in cities, suburban sprawl, culture, art and creativity needs to watch all three parts. One of the coolest things I've ever seen on these topics.

Steve McCoy

HERE

My Friend: J_____

2010-09-28T16:16:00.001-07:00

I met J on a beach on Lopez Island north of Seattle, Wa. I will not give all the details that I learned about him, just the ones that hopefully will express and remind us of man's depravity.

This 20 something young man was a talented, young photographer and was one of the brightest kids I had ever met. Being a wanna be photographer who is one step above a point and shoot photographer, I had to ask him all kinds of questions regarding taking great photos. Soon the conversation came around to religion. As the evening wore on, it grew dark. Because he was so bright and was coming up with some great questions as well as objections to religion (Christianity more specifically), I offered to give him a ride to where he was staying that night because his friends had already come by and told him they were ready to leave about 30 minutes prior. On the way to where he was staying, the conversation continued to go deeper and deeper regarding Christianity... My friend soon admitted to sexual sins that most parents shudder at. As well, this same sin causes many parents to disown their children when they discover their involvement in it. However my friend did not stop with sharing this information.

He continued.

I soon found out that this young man's sexual sins were far worse than the previous admitted sin and as a result, he was suicidal. I will stop and just say that I am not able to write about it at this time. I only write this in order to help paint a picture of J's lostness and man's depravity.

Even after several hours of one on one Scripture study, counseling with, loving on and encouraging, this young man only wanted to reject the Truth that I had been sharing with him. Though he really and truly understood how wrong his life was, he did not want to give up the desire to be loved and cared for that he had. He thought that the only way he could be truly loved and cared for was through a human relationship. The reason I know that he truly understood why his life choices were wrong again is not able to be discussed any further in this venue other than that he had suicidal thoughts as a direct result of his newest step downward into his sexual sin. Like Judas, J was remorseful as a result of his sin. Remorseful to the point of wanting to kill himself. However J, like Judas, did not want to submit to the Lord and repent of his sins.

I left my friend that night as I watched him walk to the boat that he was staying on for the night, praying that God would reveal Himself to him; praying that He would give J a new heart that would understand the depth of his depravity, not just because his sexual sin was great, but because even his most mundane sin is great. I prayed that seeing his depravity, J would repent and turn to the Lord, trusting in the Sacrifice that was made 2000 years before.

Sadly that night my new friend had no desire to bow to his Maker. His number one desire was to be loved; just not by God.

Somedays later, after being haunted by the discussion of this night, I began to wonder if the reason for my friends sexual sins was a result of his tyrant mother who I found out during our discussion was a mother who was vile and evil. She would constantly belittle him, embarrass him and abuse him in every way other than sexually. Sometimes as a little boy, J told me that his mother would come to him out of the blue and ask him how many times she was going to hit him in the face. He said that he knew that he had to answer her because if he didnt it would get real bad. He said that he learned that if he didnt guess a high enough number, her response would be bad as well. So he said that if he guessed 7 or 8 times she would usually accept that and begin hitting him. I wondered if the reason he was so mixed up in his sexual identity was because he did not see women as people capable of not only being trusted, but loved. Maybe that is the catalyst that sent this young man down such a lonely, dark, horrendous nightmare of a life. Because I do not wish to share my friends information further, you will have to trust that his life was, and at this time, is a sad, lonely, living nightmare.

Read John Bell's article on "Gay Village" HERE

Read Bob Thune's article HERE

UPDATE

I must share the following. It has now been several months since I met J. We are now Facebook friends so I am able to shoot him encouraging notes, letting him know that I am praying for him. Just this past week I was reading "Total Church" where they were explaining Pascal's Wager. Because J and I had discussed Pascal's Wager that night I wanted to share with him what Pascal's point was so I basically plagiarized a page from the book and sent it to him.

Please do not think that I am pointing to myself at all when you read J's response.

J-"Wow that was very enlightening thanks. I'd like you to know that your prayer has brought about change and I really honestly believe it's your prayer that has allowed God to be like ready or not here I come. My relationship with God was not self initiated it was not me saying God take control of my life. It was God through the holy spirit and reinforced by your prayer being like whether you like it or not you are wrong you know it and I know you know it so hearer I come. Thank you and please continue to pray for me, being a Christian is not easy for me, it does not make life easier, it's not all flowers and sunshine. It's a constant struggle in which my will is put to the challenge on a daily basis by the will of God. He broke my hip.

Thank you, J

P.S.- Maybe sometime when I'm in Texas again we can go get coffee or something, this Christmas I will be in Washington if you are to and want to get some food or something It would be an honor."

Only our God can change hearts of stone to hearts of flesh! Our God is great! He is a merciful God, a God who gives grace to underserving sinners like ourselves. Praises to our Lord and Savior!

Know Your City-Remember the Poor

2010-09-24T15:20:00.001-07:00

09/15/2010

Know Your City - Remember the Poor

When I moved to Woodstock I made an effort to get to know the city that I've come to love and serve. I still do. My basic approach is to keep up on local news through our papers and such, to spend time enjoying my city (eat the food, sit in the café, go to a concert or a high school football game), talk to businessmen and women, shop locally, read on city and county and region demographics, ask people questions about what good in the city and where the needs are, and so on.

I've come to see this isn't enough.

A couple of weeks ago...to finish click here -> Remember The Poor