Wednesday, October 27, 2010

A Curious Year

The year 2010 has been curious at best for me personally. This year I have seen the gospel take root and grow in many of my friends lives. I have grown closer to my wife. I have had many incredible experiences pointing to the vastness of the grace of God. But, I have also had several encounters that I'm not even sure how to explain.

I've decided to give you all a peak into my life for fun. I hope you enjoy.

Interesting 2010 tidbits from the life of a 27 year old church-planter:

  • In Feb. I visited Honduras, Belize, and Mexico with my family on vacation. It barely peaked into the 70s a total of one day of the vacation while in Belize. I am thankful for the amazing opportunity. The rain and cold weather forced me to spend time with those I love.
  • In early 2010 I found a mass. It wasn't cancerous, but it wasn't in a good place either. Not fun.
  • While teaching at The Bridge one evening, someone broke into my car.
  • Also while teaching, volunteers found people having sex in a van I own. Yep, on church property while I was preaching.
  • On Good Friday I received a phone call about two kids needing a mommy and daddy for awhile. Becky and I took in a 3 day old and a two year old for two months. While this was an enjoyable experience, let's just say that I have tremendous respect now for foster parents.
  • I decided to go to Haiti to build homes in July and contracted some strange rash. It went away without harm, but it is not fun to have to wear jeans everywhere you go in Missouri humidity like a Mennonite.
  • While in Haiti I encountered my first voodoo priest and celebration. I have always believed in spiritual warfare, but now I have experienced it in a powerful way. I would share details but I do not want to sound like a charismaniac.
  • Did I mention that our team tents flooded the first night in Haiti? :-)
  • Also while in Haiti my wife got sick and was sent to the ER. I didn't find out until I got home. Becky ended up having surgery, is doing well, but we are not completely out in the clear.
  • The week after arriving home I was awakened to someone pounding on my front door. This was the beginning of strange letters, emails, and sightings of people.
  • After 57 years of marriage, I sat with my grandfather as he mourned the loss of his bride. A few days later I preached grandma's funeral.
  • In August I helped my brother tear up and burn down the house of my youth (in years previous our parents home was smacked by a tornado).
  • My oldest child began Kindergarten. My children are truly a blessing from the Lord.

    and finally....
  • In 2010, I received my first and second death threat.


It has been a curious year, but the book is still out for 2010. How will it end?

God's grace has continuously and consistently been poured out through all of the ups and downs. This year I have seen our faith community grow as the gospel spreads. There are new opportunities that await us as we pursue spreading to Jefferson County and following God's call. Becky and I have finally settled into a consistent devotional and prayer life together. My girls have fallen in love with "The Jesus Storybook Bible."

So, how will it end?

My plan is to end it passionately, while living fully for the sake of the gospel!

1 Corinthians 9:19-27
19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, [2] lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Fire. Certainty. Joy.



I stumbled across this while reading "Church Planter" by Darrin Patrick.

Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) was a French mathematician and theologian. At the age of thirty-one, he had an intense experience of God's presence. He never spoke of it to anyone, but he did write a short journal entry about it, which he then sewed into his coat so he would always be reminded of it.

Pascal's memoriam:

"In the year of grace 1654, Monday 23 November...
From about half-past ten in the evening till about half an hour after midnight.
FIRE.
God of Abraham. God of Isaac. God of Jacob.
Not of the philosophers and the learned.
Certainty. Joy. Certainty. Emotion. Sight. Joy.
Forgetfulness of the world and of all outside of God...
The world has not known thee, but I have known thee.
Joy! Joy! Joy! Tears of joy...
My God, will you leave me? Let me not ever be separated from you."


May this serve as an encouragement to seek God in this way.

Friday, October 8, 2010

The Gospel Story

How did it all begin?



The Gospel Story

Creation – In the beginning God created everything to be perfect.

The story began with God. God spoke and by His command all things exist. By God's design all of creation was in harmony and was exactly the way it was supposed to be. There was no pain, sickness, suffering, or death.

Genesis 1&2

What went wrong?

The Fall – man rebelled against a loving God and believed Satan’s lie. Sin entered the world and into every human heart. Everything is now distorted and broken. Everyone is guilty before God.

Genesis 3

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. – Romans 3:19

Is there any Hope?

Redemption – Jesus, who is God, came to rescue people by His death and resurrection. By faith alone in Him, all who are separated from God can have their sins forgiven and enjoy eternal life with him.

The whole Bible ultimately points to this one person, Jesus, as the focal point of all human history. Jesus defeated sin by dying on the cross, and He defeated death by rising from the dead.

Truth: Jesus loves us in spite of ourselves, but he does not leave us to fix ourselves, nor does he mislead us into believing we have our own answers. He is the answer.

Luke 19:10

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. – 1 Peter 3:18

Who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. - Galatians 1:4

Restoration- God will restore everything to the way that it was supposed to be, and those who trust in Jesus will get to enjoy eternity with God in the new heaven and new earth.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” – Revelations 21:1-4

For all of those that trust in Jesus alone, God has promised that He will make all things new. No more earthquakes, mudslides, tornadoes or tsunamis. No more pain, broken hearts, sickness or death. A new heaven and a new earth - friendship with God, others, and all creation.

C.S. Lewis compared the first step into this new world as,

"Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."

The Gospel Story is God's good news.