Encouraging Daily - S and C

S and C are leading a team in East Asia. This is not their picture but what came up on Google imagine search when I typed in their names. S and C were the directors at Yale University before going on STINT and their team is made of mostly Yalies. So their team is carrying on the tradition of Young Missionaries being sent out from the Ivy League: Adoniram Judson, The Haystack Revival of 1806, The Princeton Pledge, The Student Volunteer Movement, Borden of Yale, etc.

I first met S and C about 7 years ago. For several years I helped with a national project briefing for most of the projects going to East Asia. I think the Y's led a team for three summers in a row. I was always impressed by the humility and gentleness that was evident in S and C as leaders. It says a lot that once they said they were going on STINT a team instantly formed around them.

This doesn’t encompass all of the gifting of the Y’s by any means but one thing that is true of leaders others want to follow is an encouraging spirit. Encouragement is something we all need because we all face discouragement or lack of courage. How easy it is to follow leaders who we know love us, believe in us and speak words of life into us. We will go to the ends of earth with leaders like that.

The writer of Hebrews speaks a lot about encouragement. My personal speculation is that Hebrews is one of Paul’s sermons though maybe not the one where the guy fell asleep and fell out the window. Or perhaps it was written by Barnabas: the son of Encouragement. It would be like him not to put his name on it. Of course if it really mattered we would know. So I will move on.

In Hebrews 3:13, the writer exhorts us to “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.” Later among the salad passages of chapter 10 (‘let us…’) he writes, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Encouragement is to be a daily way of life for us as believers and especially as leaders. It is to be a natural part of our lives until His glorious appearing and even more so the closer we get to that Day. A day shouldn't go by where do not look to encourage someone else.

Encouragement gives life and picks people up. It says ‘come on, you can do it.’ It gives courage to the discouraged and heartens the faint of heart. It uplifts the crestfallen and gladdens the gloomy. It inspires the dispirited and motivates the morose. It emboldens those who are dismayed. It looks past the imperfections and sees the potential. It spurs people on to love and good deeds. I don’t think we would even think of giving up meeting together if every time we met we knew we would come away encouraged in our souls to keep fighting the flight.

Ironically as I was thinking and studying about this, I came across a post by Lil M another STINT leader in East Asia. M was writing about appreciation and criticism. He said this, “I thrive off of appreciation, and affirmation. I think we should encourage more often, I know it helps me. And yet, I also see that this can be crippling... We need to learn to love and serve and help others regardless of response. But we also need to learn to show appreciation and give compliments more often. I think it is ok to be critically minded at times, but not a critical spirit. And sure people should do their job, but we all appreciate appreciation. Have you ever been encouraged too much? Likely neither have other people.”

I will end as M ended: “I encourage you to encourage others!” And will add: "Know your sheep - find out what encourages them and do it as long as it’s called Today”.

Life without a Phone

On Thursday the 10th, two weeks ago I thought I lost my cell phone. It was found later in my house - not blaming them but probably one of the wonder twins picked it up and was playing with it. Mine was pretty old and the battery lasted a half a day anyway. I am on a plan through my office so one of our Ops guys, Dave, needed to call Sprint and get me another one.

So the following Monday or Tuesday (14th or 15th), we ordered a new one which after rebates and all it was pretty cheap. But day after day went by without it arriving. in the meantime, Sprint had shut off service to my old phone so even though Robin found it, I couldn't use it.

I was out of the office on Monday keeping the kids, but when I came in and realized still no phone, I had Dave call Sprint to see what was up.

Sprint gave us a tracking number and we saw it was in Orlando waiting for directions to an address that didn't exist. Seems Sprint had the right street address for our office but sent it to Orlando which is CCC's Int'l HQ. UPS sending out postcards to 5485 Conestoga Court, Orlando for directions. I thought about just sticking with my old one and getting Sprint to re-instate that number but Dave talked me out of it since I probably needing a new one anyway.

So Dave updates the address and I wait. Yesterday still no phone. Dave is out of town now for Memorial Day weekend. After seeing on-line that the tracking still has the package in Orlando, I call UPS. Talk to two people. The 2nd lady was helpful and apologetic and puts a tracer on it. It will take 10 days to 2 weeks she says to find out what happened.

I can't wait that long so I call Dave and fortunately he is still at the airport. He gives me our password and says I can call Sprint and say I am him. So I call.

Why in the world do they call it Customer Service? More like Customer Disservice. The first guy doesn't believe me and has to put me on hold to call UPS and finally comes back and says ' you are right. it does have a tracer and it will take up to 2 weeks." I tell him, I don't want to wait and since its Sprint's fault, can they send me a another phone to Colorado this time.

He tells me they can't do that I will have wait. After I tell him, "yes, you can. I already have waited." He tells me I will have to pay for both. After a few "No I won't" and "Yes, you will". I ask to speak with his supervisor.

Never take no for an answer unless you speak with a supervisor.

His supervisor, after hearing the explanation, the first thing he says is, "You haven't too long to wait two more weeks. We will send you a new phone." "Now, I am not going to have to pay for it am I?" "Of course, not I will send a pre-paid return with UPS in case it comes and I personally will track it." He said that Chris the customer-service guy should have suggested this right away. I let him know that the Chris said the exact opposite. Dude needs more training!

Not sure if it will come today. He said he would call me back with the UPS tracking number but remember I was "Dave" so I don't have it its on Dave's vm.

Fearing God - Eric

Eric Abbey, back row left, and three other men from the University of New Hampshire are nearing the conclusion of their STINT year. They are celebrating because they have reached the goal of our partnership in Astana, Kazakhstan. For years, they have been hoping to establish a nationally-owned and lead movement in Astana that is capable of multiplying itself but they have always lacked men. It’s so like God to raise up a STINT team of only men this year led by Eric.

Next year the Astana team will be all nationals! Eric writes, “We are excitedly celebrating a large and full team of both men and women. Now we are praying and thinking about how we can continue to partner with Astana in the future to reach other cities in the Northeast of Kazakhstan. We have two Summer Project teams coming in June and one team will seek to do pioneer work in a city where we are yet to have a movement. Also, one of the guys from our team, Brendan, will be leading a STINT team next year to another city that has a strong student-led movement, but no national staff as of yet. It is awesome to see the Lord moving to build His church in Central Asia!”

One spring at the University of Northern Colorado where I was the director, I had John Lamb, one of our RDs, come speak to the men. I had heard JL’s same talk dozens of times before then and since but one thing that stood out to me that night was that he said: “a man of God fears God.” I thought, “I intellectually know what it means to fear God but not sure I know what it means to fear Him.” That night sent me on a journey of studying countless passages on fearing God. Fearing God is not only an attribute of a man of God but a leader of God no matter the gender.

One of the first passage I studied that summer was Exodus 20:18-21. (see also Deut 5:23-27) The nation of Israel had just heard God audibly give the Ten Commandments declaring them dead. They heard thunder and trumpets; they saw lightening and Mount Sinai in fire and smoke and they were scared spitless. They had seen God’s glory and majesty and stayed at a distance. They said to Moses, “Old Leader Dude, you go and speak to God and tell us what he says and we will listen. We will die if we hear the voice of the living God. What mortal has ever heard his voice and survived?” Which makes me wonder if they thought Moses was immortal or they wanted him to die?

Moses tells them to “not be afraid. God has come to test you so that the fear of God will keep you from sinning.” So it leads to another good comparison/contrast between being afraid of God and fearing Him.

BEING AFRAID OF GOD
Response to seeing His glory
Tremble
Keeps you from transformation
Remain at a distance
Want to live, therefore you stay dead

FEARING GOD
Response to seeing His glory
Tremble (Ps 96:9 among others)
Keeps you from sinning
Approach God where He is
Willing to die, therefore you live

The bible is jam-packed with benefits of fearing God in addition it keeping you from sin. Just a few... He fulfills your desires. His eye is on you. His angel encamps around you. You lack nothing. His love is great toward you. You have wisdom and understanding. You are blessed. You have future hope. You are His.

Likewise, there are a boat-load of reasons to fear God. Most of these are in a response to who He is and what He has done. Everyone should fear Him. (Ps 67:7; 76:7-12; 86:7,8; 96:4-9; 99:1; 114:7) Learning to fear of the Lord enables us to live and lead wisely. May we declare and display His glory in a way that leads others to fear His name!

Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. - Ps 85:9

Bye-Bye Hot Air Ballon

We had an interesting event yesterday morning at breakfast. A hot-air ballon flew over our house, stopped and then floated back and landed accross the street (Arapahoe Ave) beyond the open-space behind our house.

As Jack and Drew said... "Bye Bye Ha Ah Ba Wu"

A Dirty Daddy Doggie

Jack and Drew's vocabulary increases every day. You can usually figure out what they are saying even though it might take a while. But sometimes I have no clue what they are talking about.

Take for instance the three words 'dirty' "daddy' and 'doggie'. "Daddy" which was one of their first words is pronounced 'Da -de' by Jack and 'Da-te' by Drew. Doggie which sometimes gets more play and exciting response is close 'Da-ge'. Now with our sand box/mud pit a new word is 'dirty' which is 'Duh-de' by Jack and 'Duh-te' by Drew.

Context helps but is not always that easy. Like if they are sitting in their eating chairs looking out the window. Are they looking at the sand box/mud pit in the backyard or did they someone walk a dog on the trail behind our fence?

If I am driving the van, are they asking for me or see a dog out the window?

I am very confused. Even more so when they use some 'twin language' word. For the life of me, I can't figure out how they understand each other's gibberish.

I wonder if dirty daddy dogs can?

Luke's First Baseball Game

Yesterday, I took to his first baseball game. We went with Eric Coe, his son Danya and dad Harris. it was an afternoon game and rather hot. Luke thought it was long.

The Rockies lost. You can't tell from this pic but the Jumbotron in the 9th inning was saying "Rally Time". I missed getting the actual pic but right before I took this the video above showed people leaving the stadium so you can tell that most people don't have much hope in the last place Rockies.

Loving Their Neighbors - Jon and Marisa

Jon and Marisa Foltz with their two cute little kids Collin and Summer are in their 2nd year of leading a team in Chiang Mai Thailand at Rajabhat University. Like several others, they attended the training in 05 but were unable to be there last summer.

The Foltz's and their team are preparing right now for the US summer project that will arrive in a week. Jon says, “We are excited to see how God will us them this summer. They will arrive just as our Thailand campuses are opening for the new school year so it'll be great to have them on campus sharing Christ with students right from the start.”

Around the first of last month, they had their own project. A group of 23 Americans, 30 Thais and many of the Mogen people worked together on a Tsunami Relief Project down on the island of Ranong. The Project was able to get a foundation for 7 homes on the island! It was the first time that Rajabhat University was able to have our own "mission trip" and the students were all able to put into action their faith.


On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. (Luke 10:25-37) Expert in the law? “I will take Levitical Code for 500, Alex.” Okay being an expert in law is not necessarily bad. Someone who loves the word and can rightly divide it is a good thing. Jesus was an expert in the law. But Luke points out the guy’s motives so he comes across as just one of those people who like to argue about the bible to show how much they know to make themselves look good. Note to self: want to quiz someone on the word of God, pick someone not named the Word of God. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

This expert has it down. He is able to summarize the whole OT in the same way Jesus did to another expert sent to test him. But this expert, wanting to justify himself, asks, “(Okay if I am to go from here and love my neighbor) Who is my neighbor?” Jesus tells a story that we all know. There are three key people in this parable. Okay, more if you count the wounded guy, robbers and innkeeper I guess. Jesus is setting the stage for a comparison/contrast. Either that or it was an opening to a joke, “Three men walked along a road, a priest, a Levite and a Samaritan…”

The first two: a priest and Levite were experts in the law. They knew that if they touched this guy and he died they would be ceremonially unclean. Perhaps they were going in the direction toward Jerusalem and this wasn't in their target area. Maybe they were afraid of getting attacked and left half dead themselves. But we do know that these two experts in the law passed on the other side. In avoiding to help the wounded man, they went out of their way.

Then there’s the Samaritan. One angle we can’t deny in this comparison/contrast is the ethnic difference. But I wonder if the point Jesus is really trying to make with this expert in the law is the theological difference. Samaritans were anything but experts in the Law. Theirs was a theological hodge-podge. The Samaritans worshipped what they didn’t know. He would have lost on Theological Jeopardy, baby.

But… he loved his neighbor as himself. He had compassion. In helping this guy, he went out of his way. He didn’t just stop, he stopped everything. He didn’t just give, he gave above and beyond. He loved his neighbor as himself.

Wilfred Grenfell who was a missionary to Iceland… oh a 100 years ago… said once, “I believe that the Good Samaritan went across the road to the wounded man just because he wanted to”. I think what old Wilfred was saying is that it wasn’t like some clarion call to go, it was just because he saw the need and was moved by compassion.

Dr. Martin Luther King in the powerful, prophetic speech he gave the day before he was assassinated points out that the “the first question the Levite (and priest) asked was, ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?’”

It wasn’t like he had some grand evangelistic strategy to run an inn along the road; he just was moved by compassion and showed mercy. He didn’t have it all together, he just responded in a love that is at the very heart of the gospel. God so loved the world that he gave... If you and I (I am mostly preaching to myself here) truly have been transformed by this life – this eternal life – of knowing this merciful all-giving God who sacrificially loves us and the whole world, should we not have mercy too? Should we not stop - even on our 'ministry' path we are heading down - and love our neighbor as we love ourselves? If my faith is not dead but alive, should I not be merciful and my faith be accompanied by action?

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

ArkAlmighty and Loving your Neighbor

Since The Passion of Christ, the marketing of movies to churches/believers has gotten a little out of hands in my opinion. But, I am impressed by the marketing strategy of Evan Almighty. Evan Almighty is the sequel to Bruce Almighty and stars Steve Carell of "Office" fame as a modern day Noah.

The marketing plan involves Ark Almighty where churches as challenged to acts of random kindness (ARK). The producers are actually giving Churches money to serve people!! They have this website that can link to your church's site and sort of in a Craig's list type of format link up people's needs with people in your church who have skills.

Our church - Cornerstone of Boulder Valley - is on board and we put an ad in Boulder Daily Camera asking people to submit needs. I went on this morning and read where people have already signed up with needs. people like a single mom of five whose car is completely falling apart. Another single parent who is 4 months behind in their mortgage a diabetic and needs a job.

I have been studying the story of Good Samaritian last few days. My son Luke asked me on Sunday to read him a story from my bible from the book with his name on it. So I choose that story and have been diving in a little deeper last few days and looking at lot at what James writes too on pure and undefiled religion as well as faith w/o works being dead. I will write on it tommorrow over at STINT Leaders. I want to be less like the priest and Levite who we went out of there way not to help and more like the Samartian who in helping went out of his way.

Now that's a way to change the world.

Cleaning out the Death trap

Our house has (now I should say had) a Koi Pond in the backyard. (You can't see it but its under the snow in this pic I took when i first looked at our house in Feb.) When we were looking at the house Robin said, "this thing is going to become the bane of our existence." We were afraid we would have to keep it because Luke saw it and talked about it. We could just see him telling his therapist 20 years from now that all his troubles started when his parents drained the pond in the backyard keeping him for a life of pleasure-filled days throwing rocks in the water and feeding the tranquil fish.

But after researching on the Internet and seeing what upkeep on this thing would cost us in time and money not to mention that there was no good answer of how to keep little boys from falling in, I knew we had to get rid of it. It would defeat the whole purpose of having a home with a backyard if we had to watch Jack and Drew like a hawk hoping they wouldn't fall in. Therapy is one thing but there was a potential far worse scenario. Besides I am certain Luke will have other things to tell his therapist of the angst we caused. You know like we made him brush his teeth or wear clothes to school or something.

I broke the news to Luke the other week that we were going to have to drain it. He took it well. It helps that he is pretty cautious of his brother's wandering off into dangerous situations. I guess its a first-born thing.

The day we closed one of the first things I did was stack a tarp around the pond. I knew this was the right call when I slipped in three times while stacking it down as the rocks were loose. For the last week, the three boys have been throwing rocks on top of the tarp and as it has rained it was almost like we didn't have a tarp because they almost sank that sucker. We watched the kids like a hawk the last couple of days when they were in the back.

So today I had Bill the pond guy come out for a couple of hours and help me clean it out. He stood in the middle of the pond in waders and dipped bucket-fulls of this black sledge of foul dead fish-smelling water into a wheel-barrow. I wheeled it to the grass and feed my lawn rich fertilized H2O. My grass came alive! I hope it didn't get addicted. Back and forth we went until we got to the bottom. I'd say it took 20 wheelbarrows or so.

We both then jumped in and filled the bucket up with leaves, sticks and carcases of dead crawdads or something. We racked the rocks evenly over the bottom to make like a big potted plant. Bill the pond guy measured the area and is going to get his contractor's price for sand delivered in the next day or two. This is going be the coolest sand box ever because it still has the cool Koi pond stuff around it: aspen trees, rocks and a miniature mine shaft. The tarp will serve to go over at nights to keep out the rain and the neighbors' cats. I don't want the coolest litter box ever.

Oh and I got to talk with Bill the pond guy a little about the Lord as we worked. He did most of the talking this morning but I think he has 'fire insurance' but has not made 'the wonderful discovery of the spirit-filled life'. I like Bill, he is a good guy. Pray that later this week when we finish the job and he helps me get my sprinkler system up and running that I will get another opportunity to talk with him.

Modeling Leadership - Melissa and Bart

No that’s not a pic of twins conjoined at the head. It’s Melissa and Bart Shadle who are conjoined at the heart and leading the STINTers on a team in Azerbaijan.

A really cool story in Azerbaijan is that Bart has been discipling a guy named Javid who became a believer a year ago. The team last year began praying that Javid would be unable to sleep until he had allowed the Lord into his life. Bart relates, “When Javid tells the story, he often has to fight back tears. ‘One week for three or four days I could not sleep at all. The last night I crawled out of bed and just prayed to God to forgive me of my sins and let me sleep. He did it!’”

Javid did not know until much later that the team was praying that he would be unable to sleep but he received the news joyfully. His growth since then has been awesome. Just last week he led a small group on Old Testament prophecy and he and Bart are currently starting a weekly bible study with believers and seekers that he will lead.

Speaking of Old Testaments prophets (okay do I have lamest transitions or what?), this week we look at Daniel as a leader to see if we can gleam any insights. I must say Daniel is little lofty on the pedestal of leaders though he didn't actually signed up for his STINT but sort of had it forced upon him. He was a handsome, strappin’ young buck who had the capacity for all kinds of knowledge. He learned the language and literature of the New World were he served. He ate right. He led by example. He was 10 X better than the Babylonian Criss Angel or David Blaine. He was the only one who could read the handwriting on the wall. He was totally trustworthy and blameless. He served God loyally. He respected those in authority above him and kept getting promoted. He was bold and defied King’s orders when they went against God. He chilled with lions. He was a visionary who saw the future. He saw Jesus twice (7:13-14; 10:4-6). He was much loved by God.

In other words Daniel set the bar stratospherically high. The results of his ministry (and the ministry of his three “Man, this Furnace is cool” friends) were that several times word went out to the peoples, nations and men of every language, who live in all the world that God is great, He is mighty and that His kingdom is an eternal kingdom. The gospel reached multiple nations and peoples.

King Darius the Mede even declared:
"I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions."

But one thing that really strikes me is that Daniel was a desperate pray-er. In fact he got thrown in the Lion’s den because instead abstaining prayer for a month, he throws open his shutters and prays publicly three times a day. He was just too busy not to pray.

In chapter 9 after he was mediating on scripture, Daniel breaks out into a desperate prayer. He shows his desperation by fasting, sitting in sackcloth and ashes and pouring his heart out to the Lord. He confesses his sin and the sin of his nation. He appeals to God’s righteousness and mercy. He asks God to turn away his anger, to hear, to look again on them with favor, to open His eyes and see the desolation, …to forgive. Daniel appeals to God to restore a place of worship so that His name – not Daniel’s name because its about Him and not about Daniel – would be glorified.

Gabriel shows up to tell Daniel that as soon as he began to pray, an answer was given, because he was highly esteemed by God. God gives Daniel a glimpse of the future day when the transgression will be complete, when sin will put to an end, when wickedness will be atoned for and when everlasting righteousness will come as the Most Holy One will be anointed.

I don’t know maybe Daniel is too perfect of a model but I think there are a few questions we can ask from his leadership lessons…

Do we lead by example?
Do we submit to and respect those in authority above us?
Are we loyal, trustworthy and innocent?
Are we humble?
Are we serious about sin?
Do we give glory to God?
Do we long for His name to be glorified among the nations? Does it grieve us that it is not so?
Do we dream of a future when one day all will see the Son of Man coming? A day when He will be given authority, glory and sovereign power and all peoples, nations and men and women of every language will worship him?

Fixing the Leak

One of the little projects we needed down when we moved besides replacing the water heater was getting a leak fixed. Because our home was a foreclosure it was bought 'as is' so its one of the several little things I needed to get done.

There was a huge water stain along the wall behind where the washing machine sits. You could tell the cold water value was leaking and the 'little white box' that the faucets and drain to the hose sits in was cracked. (I don't what you call it other than little white box - the pic to the side is not exactly like mine but close as I could find on a google imagine search)

So a week ago today after we closed, I went over to the house and the first thing I did was rip out the drywall that was stained by that water leak. It was worse than I thought as the drywall was anything but a 'dry' wall. It was soggy wet at the baseboard.

When Jack the Installer came, I had him look at the leak but according to Lowe's policy he couldn't do the work. He said it looked like it just needed a new washer and would be easy. He also said that the crack in the white box was no big deal because if I replaced the washer that would solve the leak from the valve and my washer's drain hose would hook below that.

So I thought, 'hey I can do this. I'll just get my boss, Kenny, who is handy with stuff to come out and help me.' So we moved in Wednesday and the guys just put my washer and dryer in the garage. I called Ken that night. He was busy on Thursday but came by on Friday. We tried to unscrew the valve so we could replace the washer but to no avail. It looked like it was a bigger job and we figured we might make it worse.

(While Ken couldn't solve my dilemma his wife Diane did make us a meal - Chicken Enchiladas - last night.)

Last night, I called a fix-it man, Dave Higerd, whose wife goes to our church. So Dave comes over this morning and works from 9-12. It was a bigger job. The whole thing was stripped and needed replacing. He had to cut out the old faucets and replace them along with the white box. While he was there, I just had him switch over the dryer outlet. It was an old 3-prong outlet and the new dryer's have 4-prongs. I could have done it but was glad I let him do it because when I turned off the breaker marked 'dryer' he was able to check it and see that we still had power. So my breaker box is not marked correctly. I could have shocked myself if I had done it!

Anyway, Dave helped me move in the dryer and washer from the garage. We attached them and made sure they both worked with no leaks. I still need to redo the drywall behind the washer but that will be a weekend project. Just glad to get that done so we can start to get some clothes washed. We all will be wearing clean underwear tomorrow! Except Jack and Drew they are still in diapers.

Two projects (Leak fixed and dryer outlet changed) down 10,000 or so more to go.

Moving in and Jack the Installer

No, not my son Jack.

Yesterday I had help from six guys from my office. We unloaded the two PODs in less than two hours. So our house is full of boxes and stuff but we did all sleep for the first night in our little home.

After taking the strappin' young bucks (and Bert who like me is in his 40's and no longer strappin' or young) who helped me out to brunch and then putting two cribs together, I hung around the house all afternoon as I had a hot water heater that I bought the other day at Lowe's installed. I must say my first impression of the installer, Jack, was that maybe he had smoked a few too many doobies in his day.

But actually we had several good conversations about life. Each time he totally stopped what he was doing. I kinda of was kicking myself after the first little discussion on life and values. I thought I totally blew any opportunity to talk about the Lord. I was silently praying for another chance as he went back to work.

Later I was able to bring up my faith. Actually he brought it up as he said in passing, "You are a Christian, right?" Now we hadn't moved in enough for him to see our cheesy Christian decoupage hung up - if we had cheesy Christian decoupage to hang. I would like to hope that he saw Christ in me. Maybe he just figured I wasn't cussing so I must be a Christian. Either way it was an answer to pray and I was glad I had another chance.

Turns out Jack was a believer but he had not been walking with the Lord of late - though not a doobie smoker as I had wrongly profiled. We ended up having some cool discussions. The longest was after he finished everything and I imagine normally might be anxious to get home. He talked about how the Lord had really shown Himself in many ways in his life. I was pretty impressed as he talked about times were he really listened to the Lord and even did plumbing stuff for free because he felt like the Lord was telling him too. Jack said he felt like the Lord had him come work at my house for a purpose to encourage him as he had been having a hard time of late.

I hope our home is always a place where we get to talk about the Lord and bless people; whether guys like Jack or anyone else the Lord brings our way. I hope we will seize every opportunity to talk of the life He desires all of us to experience. I also hope its because of our love for Him. Actually this is what my weekly post at STINT Leaders is about: not leaving our first love.

Remembering Their First Love - Garrick and Dziu

Serving in the land of Olive trees, Flamenco dancers, Don Quixote and the Alhambra, are Garrick and Dziu Roegner, who are pictured here with their daughter Evelyn. Actually there is fourth person in this pic with them because Dziu is expecting a baby boy in mid-August. While leading their STINT team to proclaim Christ in a post-modern context, the Roegner’s have found that in Spain one of their best witnessing opportunities has been to show their love and concern for the least of these. In fact, Garrick has a really good post on his blog about several trends affecting the world today and thus also affecting world Christianity and mission.

Another cool thing in Granada lately and one that Agape (Crusade in Spain) is partnering with is the church plant: Mosiaco. For the past two years they have been meeting in Alpha groups and small groups with the vision of connecting people to a Christian community that would grow into a missional church. Last Friday was the first ever official meeting of Mosiaco. The theme for the night was, ‘What does a Christian community look like in Granada, Spain?’

Speaking of churches, we continue this week in the Book of Revelation. In chapter two, John writes what Jesus wants to say to 7 churches in what is now Turkey. The first church up is Ephesus. Jesus gives them their props for hard work, defending the truth and perseverance.

Ephesus was a rockin’ Christian community. When there, Paul and his discs had daily discussions for two years in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. The results were that every spankin' person who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

They preserved through riots caused because so many people had been converted that the idol salesmen were losing their business. Paul showed them that by hard work we must help the weak. So evidently, they followed his model. Later he sent Timothy to focus on teaching the truth. So they must have gotten that too. All of these things are great: working hard, defending the truth of the gospel, and preserving and enduring hardships for Jesus’ name. Way to go… you get a gold star!

But there’s one little thing Jesus had against them. Actually it’s not that little – it’s a biggie. They had forsaken their first love. They were doing the deed but had left out the most important part. The crazy maker is that it’s so easy to do this. Chuck Swindall once said that the scary thing about ministry is that we can learn to do it.

When I read this passage I can’t help but think of Dr. Bright. I can’t begin to count how many times I heard him speak on this passage. And though he probably had something like 50 points to his talks, I have three. Actually, Shane Sebastian, the WSN RD in PSW, led a devo for all of us in WSN about five years ago on this passage and the points are his. They are burned in my brain; I wished they were burned in my heart.

Remember. Jesus tells them to remember the height from which had fallen. Do you remember what was it like when you were most in love with Jesus? When was it and what made you love him deeply?

Repent. Turn from your sin. Give yourself a time-out until your attitude changes.

Redo. Jesus tells them to do the things they did at first. Return to your first love. Fall in love with Jesus all over again.

When you most loved Jesus, did you long to spend time alone with Him or was it just something to check-off? Did you come to the Word more like reading a love letter or out of some theological pursuit? Did you love others because He first loved you or out of duty and the flesh? Did you want to talk about Him to others because you were deeply, passionately in love with Him or because you had to turn in stats? You do turn in your stats, don’t you?

You know it just occurred to me that the only person on staff who never had to turn in stats was Dr. Bright. Who was he going to report to? I bet he never once shared the little gold booklet that he wrote to check something off but solely out of a deep love for Jesus. In Blue like Jazz, Donald Miller recounts how a friend of his interviewed Dr. Bright. When his friend asks Dr. Bright what he thought about Jesus, Dr. Bright started weeping. Now that was a man who had not left his first love!

May we not make Jesus have to take away our lampstand. May we fall in love with Him all over again and lead our teams and movements to do likewise. May we continue the legacy of our founder.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. ~ Eph 3:14-21

Resident of Lafayette - It was only a Matter of Time

This week I became a resident of Lafayette, Colorado. When I moved to Colorado in 1993, I figured this day was only a matter of time. In 1985 and 1986, during my senior year at the University of Georgia, I wrote my Senior History Thesis on "Marquis de Lafayette as an Example of a Moderate in a Revolution".

Okay I realized I lost anyone who happened to be reading this. Hang with me. It's a long post but hopefully interesting.

So that fall quarter of 1985, I had a "French Revolution and Napoleon" class taught by Dr. Warren Spencer. Dr. Spencer, who the year before was awarded the department honor of History Professor of the year and was notoriously a difficult professor, was also my Senior Seminar Professor. Senior Seminar was a class I had all year where all the History majors would sit in a seminar room and discuss theories of history and research. We had to write this major thesis and then we would read everyone's and critique their scholarly worth. The thesis would be like a scale below a Master's Thesis but pretty major not like a normal term paper.

Anyway in the French Rev. class, I remember one day Dr. Spencer mentioned that Marquis de Lafayette, the hero of the American Revolution, had a role in some of the intial reforms that snowballed into the French Revolution and the chaos that followed. I was intrigued because somehow I wasn't aware of his role in the French Revolution so I wrote my term paper for that class on "Marquis de Lafayette's role in the French Revolution".

I got an "A" in the class... one of only three people, I might add. I went one day to Dr. Spencer's office to discuss a topic for my senior seminar thesis. I was thinking of writing on some obscure person who lead some reforms in England but he suggested I extend the paper I had already written. He went on to say that through reading my term paper that he had learned some things that he didn't know before about Lafayette's role in the French Revolution. I was floored. This top History professor at Georgia had learned something from my research. (Okay I realized this whole paragraph is boasting but its part of the story.)

So Dr. Spencer gives me this book by someone who I have long forgotten who theorized that all revolutions go through certain stages and basically that they begin when a moderate from the ruling class sides with the oppressed class. It transitions into a republican (people empowered) form of government but then radicals take over and the revolution can become chaotic. So for example someone like Gorbachev in Soviet Union would be a moderate. He brought about Perostroka (economic restructing) and Glasnost (political openness) but it snowballed and low and behold the Soviet Union broke up, Yeltsin took power etc.

Anyway I lived Lafayette my senior year. I read his memoirs (translated to English from French of course), and countless other books about him. Some books were only on microfiche or rare manuscripts. I skipped other classes to study Lafayette. I lived at the library. I wish I could remember all the reforms he helped bring about. I remember he was the first to speak for the emancipation of the black man in France, though a Catholic was the first to bring a Huguenot pastor before the Estates General (Congress) to pray, was the author of the French equivalent of the Declaration of Independence, etc.

So back to being a new residence of Lafayette, Colorado. As Gen. Black Jack Pershing
said when he landed in France in WWI, "Lafayette, Here I am!" A number of towns in America are named in his honor. Though inexplectiablly in Georgia they pronounce it wrong. I figured of course Lafayette, Colorado is named after him....

Nope. It was named after Lafayette Miller
- the dead husband of the town founder - Mary Miller. Turns out Lafayette, CO was named after a butcher not a marquis.

Oh well...