Seville and a Castle

International Partners and friends. But we did have a day off. Most of the STINTers went to Granada or Gibraltar. But my roomie that week, Bert, and I decided to make good use of our rental car and see more of Spain.



When I was in Spain, my 'dance card' was pretty full meeting with STINTers, STINT Team Leaders and
We drove several hours to Seville. Though it was a little disappointing. The whole way there from Malaga was nothing but olivegroves. Which were cool for about 5 minutes. Then when we got to Seville we realized that we didn't have a city map. We just figured we would find the city centre and there would be a plaza, museums and these fountains I heard Seville was famous for. We followed the signs to the city centre but suddenly found ourselves in a maze of narrow cobbled-stoned streets. We did see one little fountain and found a parking deck. But as we walked around we couldn't find one place open (it was around 1:30 pm) - even a cafe. The only places to eat seemed to be bars.

We saw one sign that we thought pointed to a palace so we turned down this narrow street, tried to avaiod the dog poop everywhere and finally found a pizza place. We ended up near the river a couple of hours later and decided we would be adventurous and try to find our way back another way. We ended up on the orginal street we were on and discovered when we turned off that we actually were only 3 or so blocks from Starbucks and some museums. DOH!

On the way back we decided to go the long route through the mountains and then along the coast. The coolest thing was that we saw a sign for this castle and pulled over a climbed around for a while.

Streams of Living Water - Jenn and Daryl

Jenn Davis and Daryl Swartzentruber are leading the Ekaterinburg, (or is it, Yekaterinburg?) Russia team. They are at the St. Petersburg Bible Conference as I write this. You may be like John, who at the STINT Team Leader gathering last week at Nerja, asked Daryl, “Now, who are you?” Daryl was at the training, he just arrived midway through. Despite being there just the second half he happens to be the first person able to correctly identify all six Jennifer’s. It helps I guess when one is your co-leader.

One night at the midyear, I had dinner with the Ruskies sitting between Daryl and Emily and across from Jenn. I was encouraged to hear from Jenn about what was happening in Ekat. They are at such a place in ministry that they only do ministry paired with a Russian believer. So if they are going on campus for an evangelistic appointment or following-up a new believer, they call one of their students to join them. Girls who trusted Christ just last year are now doing ministry alongside the STINTers and ICS.

While we talked about all the great things in Ekat, Jenn also relayed how lately she hasn't experienced real joy. She doesn’t feel like herself. We talked about how hard life is in Russia, how our enemy who wants to rob our joy and of the life that Christ desires us to experience. I imagine many of you can relate to how she is feeling. Maybe it’s the culture, maybe it’s leading an ungrateful team, maybe it’s just leading in general and being thrust into the battle as you help bring worshipers of every nation into His kingdom. The Lord desires something far greater for us that often we experience.

John 7:37-39 comes to my mind. This is when Jesus on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles cries out with a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." John adds the footnote that Jesus was referring to the Holy Spirit that would dwell in us as believers after Pentecost.

The Feast of the Tabernacles or Ingathering or Booths (Ex 23:16; Lev 23:33-43; Num 29:12-39; Dt 16:13-17) was a week-long celebration of the fall harvest and time to remember when the Israelites lived in booths. Sort of like a midyear after a fall semester except for the living in booths part. It was a seven days of BBQ and offerings. On the 8^th day there was an assembly.

Every seven years at this feast, the whole law was to be read. (Dt 31:9-13) This is total speculation on my part of course but I wonder if when Jesus cried out that this was one of those years of canceling debts. Jesus came to cancel the debt - so maybe. I like to imagine that when our Lord shouted out these words, the whole law had just been read. When I shared this yesterday as I led our weekly office prayer on this same topic, one of our RDs – John Lamb – said “The whole law? I got bored when you had Big read just that Leviticus 23 passage.”

Can you imagine if this were the case and this was one of those years? Maybe the assembly wouldn’t have been bored to death but they would be aware of their death. They might have wrung their hands like Paul at the end of Romans 7 of how wretched they were and that they were a prisoner of the law of sin.

Jesus offers a contrast just like Romans 8 is a complete contrast of Romans 7. Over and over again in chapter 8, Paul uses ‘life’ and ‘live’ when talking about the Spirit. The Spirit lives in us to give us life. To raise us from the dead the way He raises Jesus from the dead.

Jesus in John 7 is offering something great to those who are thirsty – refreshment, satisfaction, joy, life… abundant, exuberant, effervescent life!!! Not a life of striving, of doing, of going through the motions but fulfillment. Not circumstantial happiness, but joy, pure joy.

Come to Him. Keep coming to Him. Come no matter how you are feeling. Drink deeply. Keep drinking. Let the Spirit’s Streams of Living Water bring life to your soul.

Let's pray for each other that we all will experience the joy of the Lord today!

STINT Leaders group pic in Nerja

STINT Leaders lunch II - Nerja

STINT Leaders lunch - Nerja

Back from Spain

I returned from a week in Spain late Friday night -actually Saturday am. It was good to see my family again. While I was gone, Drew learned to ask for help ('Ep Me') which is handy when he wants help up on the sofa or out of a box. Jack is copying him ('Up e'). And of course while I was away Robin was saying this phrase a lot especially around bed time. But in general too since all three boys were sick all week.

Sorry the pics I took this morning are a little fuzzy. Robin was messing with my new camera. Or my eyes are still fuzzy from jetlag.

A Week in Spain

I head out to Spain on Saturday to visit our teams at a midyear conference on the Mediterranean coast in little town called Nerja.

I am looking for leaving 30 degree weather for mid 60's. I'm looking forward to seeing our teams, the stint team leaders, and friends in WSN and others serving internationally. I am looking forward to hear what the Lord is doing in Europe, former USSR and Muslim nations. I am looking forward to eating a little paella, too.

I am not looking forward to leaving my wife and three little boys. One of the bitter sweet sacrifices of this job. I will miss kisses from Drew, 'conversing' with Jack and playing 'go fish' nightly with Luke. I will miss my sweet wife and try not to think too much about her having to wrestle those boys down each night to put on pjs and brush their teeth. I will be asleep at that crazy hour of 6-7 pm MST anyway. ....Unless I am jet-laggin!

Ministering cross-culturally - Jennifer Edwards

Jennifer Edwards is leading the team in Nantes France which is the home of Jules Verne, French novelist and a pioneer of the science-fiction genre. While Jen and her team are not journeying to the center of the earth, traveling the world in 80 days nor going twenty thousand leagues under the sea, a lot is happening in their little corner of France.

Jen writes, “We have had some great events the last couple of months that have drawn non-Christians. At our Christmas party we had 37 people and 11 of those were non-believers. We have not seen anyone trust in Christ yet but are having some fun on-going good spiritual conversations. For instance one of my friends Camielle claims to be an atheist but still believes that there has to be something to have hope in, because life always disappoints you. We have been talking a lot about how we can experience hope and joy in a relationship with God.”

Jen and her team have found that students in Nantes claim atheism as truth, even without knowing what they really believe. Students there naturally do not talk about spiritual things at all with friends. So when Jen and her team talk about it there is usually some interest or at least curiosity.


Laurel Kehl, who you might remember helped coached the leaders from PSW and MA last summer, is our guest devo writer this week. Laurel served in Russia as ICS and before that STINTed in Poland. So she has a great deal of experience learning new worlds.

One of my favorite memories of my STINT year in Poland was the sound of the cuckoo birds! It wasn’t the harsh sound that sometimes comes out of cuckoo clocks, but was more of a haunting, yearning cry that would go on for a long time before becoming silent. I loved walking in the forest listening to that sound…until I found out what cuckoo birds are really like!

A cuckoo bird never builds a nest of its own, but sneaks up on other birds and lays eggs in their nests when their backs are turned. When the cuckoo egg hatches, it’s really an alien in the nest, but the unsuspecting mother feeds it. This alien proceeds to become the largest bird in the group and takes more and more of the food, so that the other babies get less and less. Eventually the cuckoo throws all the other birds out of the nest, so it’s the only one left!

Is this example from nature sounding a little too familiar? If you’re like me, your experience of cross-cultural living has brought out a lot of the ugliness that lies in all of our hearts. For me, at times during my STINT year, it would seem like there was some alien inside me that was hungrily devouring me and anyone else in her way…and I couldn’t stop her! I wanted to love God, love my team, launch a movement, and learn a new world, but that alien was making it very difficult!

What do we do when our flesh gets right in our face and we can’t do what we long to do, but instead do the very thing we don’t want to do? The options are: #1 ~ Ignore it and hope it somehow goes away (preferably before others notice!). #2 ~ Try to make the flesh more presentable and controllable (this would be trying to look better than you really know you are!). #3 ~ Cry out for help.

Now because I know that God has given you and me a “mother bird” (I hope the Holy Spirit doesn’t mind the analogy!) who is NOT unsuspecting, but very capable of recognizing and opening our eyes to see that we have a depravity problem, I can be assured that He is already teaching you how to cry out to Him for help! (And you’re probably getting lots of practice!) But let me encourage you to remind yourselves of two things when you encounter the flesh: #1 ~ You’re worse than you know (so don’t be surprised when you sin!) #2 ~ You’re more deeply loved than you can EVER imagine! Just look at the cross.

Have a great week (and watch out for the cuckoo!)

Killer Angels

I am rereading on of my favorite all-time books, The Killer Angels. I was first introduced to this book about 8 years ago when I was part of a leadership class one summer led by Jay Lorenzen.

Though Jay doesn't like being known for this one talk - he gave a great talk that I can't forget called "Care and Courage" where he shows clips from Gettysburg.

That talk and this book introduced me to Joshua Chamberlain who lead both with care and courage. Last night I read my favorite part where he holds the last line at Little Round Top and leads his men who were out of ammunition to fix bayonets and charge down the hill. AWESOME!!!

I think one day I'd like to take my three boys on a manhood excursion to Pennsylvania. We will talk about how being a man involves displaying courage but always caring for others sacrificially.

We would go to Gettysburg where men gave their lives to set men free. Maybe I will read Lincoln's eulogy. We will then go to the field where Flight 93 crashed - where Americans gave their lives for our nation.

And we will go to Pittsburgh where I proposed to their mother.

Final Thoughts on DCC

Well our kids are better now... It's a wonder Luke didn't getting sick hitting junk food all week in the WSN suite. Here he is polishing off cheese balls straight from Kamp Ed.

The last two nights Jaesan Ma spoke. God has his hand on this young man. Students all over the auditorium pledged to join The Burning Hearts Contract on the night of the 5th. And then the next night they pledged to help launch spiritual movements on places on their campuses where the gospel is not currently penetrating.

Multiplication - K and B

K and B are in East Asia. The pic was in a funny format which I can't upload - sorry. (They are in a city that I first scouted with a couple of other folks over 11 years ago.) B was at STINT Ldrs Trg. K is ICS. They both were in this same city last year but this is B’s first shot at leading. Actually their team merged with another team in their city at the beginning of the year. K says, “Its been really good for all of us -- our scope is a lot bigger, but God is really at work and we're enjoying having so many other people around.”

Last month like most of you I’m sure, they hosted a lot of evangelistic Christmas parties. They were praying for 15 new students to become Christian through these those outreaches. I haven’t heard it went but will edit this once I hear. Like Joel and Claire’s team which we highlighted last week, they are in the midst of focusing on raising up student leaders who will multiply themselves.

More changes are in the works this month for their team as well -- two ICS families will be returning from furloughs. It will be a big adjustment for their team, but they believe that God will help uthem as we blend with new team members. One of the ICS will be the Director instead of B; another change. So we need to hurry up and highlight B! Since B has heard the ‘Leadership Warning’, he knows that it’s not about him so it doesn’t matter that he is going to relinquish the title of 'Team Leader' this month.

It’s not a one-to-one analogy but its sort of like another 'B' who is one of heroes of the faith. Actually his name is Joseph but he was given a nickname by the apostles as Son of Encouragement or Barnabas. This 'B' was also about raising up spiritual multipliers that would rock the world. He had huge influence on two men who wrote most of the NT – Paul and John Mark. Without Barnabas believing in these guys when no one else did, we might not have heard of them. Then we would only have – what like 12 / 13 books in the New Testament.

Here are some highlights of his life and ministry…

• Nicknamed Son of Encouragement by apostles
• Sold a field and brought money and laid it at apostles feet.
• Believed in Saul/Paul when everyone else was scared of him.
• Sent to be pastor of the Antioch church plant - where the term "Christians" was first used.
• Went and got Saul/Paul so they could lead together in Antioch.
• One of the 5 leaders in Antioch. Was called out along with Saul/Paul by Holy Spirit to be first missionaries - first after Jesus, that is.
• Went with Saul/Paul to his home area of Cyprus and then Asia Minor (Turkey) launching movements along the way. They took his nephew John Mark as their Sherpa but he deserted them after Cyprus.
• In Lystra, people thought he was Zeus. (In art, Zeus was usually portrayed as a bearded, middle aged man with a youthful figure. He would look very regal and imposing. In other words… He looked like an older B - if you could see the picture of B!!!
• Along with Paul, in every city, appointed elders from among of these new believers and encouraged the disciples to remain true to the faith.
• Represented the ‘salvation by faith alone’ camp at the council in Jerusalem.
• Later was deceived by Peter’s hypocrisy.
• Split with Paul over an HR issue concerning John Mark.
• Took JM back to where he last served them – Cyprus. And though not in passage, I believed he helped restore JM who was later useful to Paul.

Here's the best description of Barnabas that makes him a great leadership example for us: "He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord." Acts 11:24

He was a good man. An encourager. Gave generously. There is also no indication from the author Luke that he cared that the order of leadership changed from "Barnabas and Saul" to "Paul and Barnabas". It wasn't about him anyway.

He was full of the Holy Spirit. He worshiped the Lord. Fasted and Prayed. Was sensitive to the Spirit's leading and calling. Went when sent by apostles and when sent by Spirit.

He was (full of) faith. Took risks. Took risks in people others thought were not worth taking risks in.

... a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Not only through his ministry but through those in whom he multiplied his life into.

Web-Album

Just uploaded a ton of pics on a web-album. Most of them were taken in December. A lot of snow pics.

More DCC updates

We had an incredible WSN World Tour night on the 4th in the main ballroom with almost 2000 students. We had highlights from around the world where we partner all tied together Google earthing us to each location.

Mexico - Video followed by a live report from Joe Cross our staff who helps lead Mexico Focus.

Chile- A phone call with Maggie Coyan who is leading the STINT team in Santiago alongside her husband.

Spain - Live update from Tyler Williams who led the team there last year and now is at CSU on staff.

Serbia - Short video followed by a student who went on project last two summers and is going back on STINT next year.

Russia - Interview with Misha Goz who is a National staff. And ironically was led to Christ in 1991 on a summer project I helped led. It was the first project to his campus where he later became the director and first Russian to be a Campus Director.

Thailand - Interview with our STOP-OUT team that will leave in a few weeks to help follow up Tsunami relief efforts and reach students in Muslim part of that nation.

CM 2007 and Africa - A report from our of staff who will lead a group to the first-ever worldwide Student leadership conference in Korea followed by our a short project to Uganda.

East Asia - Video of our partnership in Muslim part of this country and Interview with the regional director in a major city where we have another partnership. Followed by a testimony from 'Selena' (not her real name) who is a national staff in that country and who came to faith when some Americans visited her campus. This had to be the highlight of the evening.

Tifah ended the evening by leading us into worship.

The breakouts were students could hear about more opportunities to go where well attended!


Today I lead a seminar on "So You are Thinking about Missions" where I spoke on how to prepare now so you will thrive on the mission field. The room (at 4 pm on the last day of a full week) was packed.

Robin and boys went home today because both Jack and Drew are sick (throwing up and more). Pretty miserable week for her.

Oh yeah and we have this weird hippy cult hanging out in hotel trying to harass our students. I tried to talk with one guy. Very strange!

Passing the Baton - Joel and Claire

Happy New Year! We start 2007 by highlighting STINT Leaders Joel Shibata, alumnus of the Outback Bowl Champs Penn State, and Claire Seabright, alumnus of the Gator Bowl Champs WVU, who are on their 2nd STINT year in Karaganda, Kazakhstan. Claire has some big changes as she got engaged in November - not to Borat - but Caleb Bermudez.

The movement in Karaganda is only 3 years old. Joel and Claire’s little team of 4 are focusing on meshing an existing group of believers with the new believers they have seen trust Christ in the past 3 years. They are spending most of their time (apart of Claire planning a wedding) building into the many believers they have through discipleship and through our new leadership teams: Growth, Prayer, Community, and Outreach. One of the things they want to see happen this year is for their students to own evangelism for themselves, not as something they teach them and they forget about, but something they are burdened for. They are also working on how to make the things they do transferable for their students.

Claire says she has been encouraged by how their students have been faithful to discipleship and are eager to learn. They had an Evangelistic Retreat last month and 51 students come (including both believers and nonbelievers). With the team guiding them, their student leaders prepared the whole retreat which is a big step for them in eventually taking over the ministry. They are looking forward to their Winter Believer’s Conference in February and also to sending a few students to CM 2007 this summer.

What a great place to be seeing national students begin to lead and take the baton!

I am blogging from DCC. In the main sessions yesterday, we heard from pastor Bryon Loritts in the morning. Awesome. Dong Whan Kim, head of Korea Campus Crusade in Los Angles, was our main speaker in the evening. Powerful. After Dong Whan spoke, his wife, Jung Sun, led an optional prayer time. About 200 students of the 2000 conferees came to pray for two hours. Unreal.

Bryon also spoke to our staff in the afternoon from Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." With that and the desperate prayer in the evening, the Lord brought back to mind some of the things we talked about last summer about living and leading out of desperation. I didn’t take notes from Bryon’s talk to the staff other than mental so it’s a little sketchy. But he said something to the effect that God doesn’t need more gifted Christ-followers or leaders, gifted folks are a dime a dozen, He needs Christ-followers and leaders who are desperate, humble and dependent on him.

As we cried out to the Lord last night for Him to bring justice to our lives, our campuses, this generation, etc., I keep thinking, "This is where it happens - on our knees crying out to Him." One of the coolest things was we ended by singing I give you my heart. We sang it together. Then the guys alone sang it as we held up our hands before the Lord while the women got on their knees praying for us as men. Then the men got on their knees to pray for the women as they sang it holding their hands over their hearts.

So yesterday brought back a lot to my mind of what we talked about last summer in terms of living and leading out of desperation. I think about these young Christ-followers in Karaganda and in all of the places where you are serving. I think what Joel and Claire want to see happen for their students - that proclaiming Christ is not just some activity they learn but something they are burdened for - is a great prayer for all of our disciples. Our desire should be that our students have a burden for the lost around them. This burden and compassion for the lost can only come as they (and we) connect our hearts to God's heart. It comes as we lead our students to be poor in spirit, clinging in utter dependence to the Vine knowing that apart from Him we can do nothing.

If Christ-followers like that take up the baton and pass the same heart on the others... WOW!

DCC

I am blogging from DCC. Yesterday was a full day for me. We started with a breakfast to recruit for STINT, had a lunch meeting with our WSN project leaders and an afternoon mtg with staff attending CM 2007.

Tonight is our main session is our WSN World Tour followed by breakouts to learn even more about all of our international mission opportunities. We are praying that the Lord will more and many students will give a summer or at least a year of their lives to follow Him and help us launch movements all over the world.

Appreciate your prayers!