Location: Basement of friends' house in Kronberg, Germany
C. and I are right at the halfway point of our time together, and things are going well!
Yesterday morning, we visited Providence Church in Heidelberg. There are many churches in the area (see the photo of the steeples), but sadly, there were only around fifty persons in attendance at what was described to us as one of only two Evangelical churches in Heidelberg, even with a guest choir present to share their voices. The service was very formal, almost liturgical, and the tone was serious. I understood very little of the German while C. followed most of it, but I tried my best at singing nonetheless! I do know that the sermon was based on John 16:23-28 and verse 33, with an Old Testament reading of the first part of Exodus 32. I studied that this morning, and there is some fascinating teaching therein; I wish I could have understood the sermon so that C. and I could have discussed it more thoroughly.
After church we wanted some authentic German food, so we had some Burger King at the train station. Then we caught the train to Frankfurt, and then the S-Bahn (local transit train) to Kronberg (a suberb of Frankfurt). On the S-Bahn, my puppet made its first appearance of the trip.
Many of you are probably familiar with the alligator-dinosaur-like green-and-pink puppet that used to live under the seat of my car. Well, he stowed away in my luggage, which explains some of the perplexed looks I observed on the faces of the security staff who were x-raying baggage at the airports. He finally popped out of my backpack yesterday on the S-Bahn, much to the delight of K. and K., two young children who were sitting across from us and asking their parents about our large bags. We had a fun time of play with the puppet for the twenty-minute train ride! We even learned that the little girl had slept with a plastic crocodile each night for a long time in the past, which is one reason she was particularly fond of Levi. By the way, after being alive for twenty-five odd years, I decided the puppet should have a name, and I thought "Levi" was appropriate, as it is short for Leviathan.
Puppets aside, we arrived in Kronberg and were welcomed by our friends, the B. family. They are particularly hospitable, and we enjoyed good discussion before a nice lunch at the tennis courts, followed by some lap-swim at the local pool. I had not anticipated such strenuous exercise, but it was good for my backpack-sore joints and muscles. Body-building C. picked up my pack yesterday for the first time and was amazed at how heavy it is--he now realized that my occasional whining was justified! Four-months of belongings weighs a bit more than 10-days' worth, though he has been buying books to try to balance things out! Nevertheless, I may be as well-muscled as him by the end of the summer!
I finally read through my emails last night, and I hope to respond some today. If you have been waiting for a reply, I apologize, because I have had virtually no opportunity to work online. Thanks for your patience!
I find (as I did years ago) that I feel very much at home among the Germans, despite the fact that my German-language skills are among my worst. So we are being spoiled here by the B. family, and we are looking forward to our few days here. We taught the boys the popular American slang word "chillax," which they liked because evidently "chill" is popular among young Germans. And we were helping the younger brother with his English pronunciation of "th." The practice sentence we came up with was "Practice this, that, and the other with your father, mother, and brother!" We may even get to go to his school with him tomorrow!
But for now, we are looking forward to our "chillax" day today. We are doing laundry (which will make us even better-received by the Germans), catching up on some online work, resting, and whatever else the LORD has in mind for us today. May you, too, rest in the LORD as you go about your day, as you give thanks for friends and their hospitality, and as you look forward to what might be in store for the near future! Resting is something we do not do well, yet we are to rest in the LORD, and sometimes it even takes practice. Remember, Church, practice this, that, and the other with your Father, mother, and brother!
This blog is your opportunity to travel with me wherever I am in the world, during both the mundane and exciting moments of life that I humbly recognize as holy. As I bare my life to you, may your reading take you beyond my words to the Word, beyond my life to the Life, beyond the chaos to the Truth, and beyond teachings to the Teacher--the Rabboni. I promise it will be an adventure, and by the end, may you, too, truly know the Way!
A Rose From Home
My Story (As prepared for my church congregation this spring--2009)
I have a story to tell you. I am the main character, but the story is not about me. I have traveled several parts of the world, but my adventure has been closer to home. I am twenty-six years old. My story begins like many of yours…
I grew up going to church. I had been born into a family who labeled themselves “Christian,” in a country that labels itself “Christian.” Every Sunday found me attending a worship service and Sunday school in a mainline denomination church. I served as an acolyte, attended Vacation Bible School, helped my dad count and record the offering money, sang in the youth choir, was a leader in the youth group, and occasionally served as liturgist. Baptized as an infant, I was confirmed at the age of twelve, thus becoming an “official” member of the church. Then, hurt by the church, my family left to find another.
Have you ever been hurt by the Church?
After months of searching, we settled into a very large independent church. Things were different there, and I was quickly welcomed and at home among new friends that truly had a passion for Jesus. The Word of God was taught boldly from the pulpit, and I was introduced to a missions-aware lifestyle. So it was with regret that I said goodbye only a couple of years later to move with my family to another church. I purposely remained aloof, not wanting to make new friendships before I left for college a year later. Besides, I was loosing my faith—or so I thought—and I didn’t want anyone to know. I was asking scary questions like “Is there really a God?” and, if so, “Is He the Christian God?” and “Would I be Christian if I had been born in another part of the world?”
Have you ever asked yourself unsettling questions about what you believe?
So I headed into college under a cloud of confusion that only worsened for the next two years. Though I didn’t know what I believed anymore, I continued to go to church every Sunday, and to help lead worship in chapel. Most importantly, even during this questioning, I continued my morning habit of daily study of the Bible. I had begun at age twelve, reading at first a chapter per day, then ten minutes each morning, then an half-hour, and so on. So, only by the grace of the very God I doubted, I remained anchored in His Word and in His community, though I felt like a fake most of the time. Since then I have learned that “fake” is the worst insult the world can give us; that is why the label of “hypocrite” is so offensive.
Have you ever felt like a fake?
Six weeks with missionaries in South Africa followed by a year in France began to teach me what life with God is all about. I began rebuilding my faith, this time it belonged to me, in contrast to me borrowing the faith of my parents, church, or anyone else. In my parent’s basement in 2003, on either Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve, I invited Jesus to live in me; perhaps I had done so before, but I didn’t recall—but since 2003, I have never forgotten that moment. Unfortunately, nothing changed. I continued to do my best to act like a Christian, as I had done for so long.
Have you ever found yourself “doing your best” to be a good person, or to act like a Christian?
Though I did not realize it at the time, I was quenching the Spirit, even though I had welcomed Him into my life. During the next few years, the LORD continued to nurture me, and slowly things began to change. Several tough months in Idaho birthed my prayer-life. I spent three years being humbled in a job that was my informal seminary training. In 2007, a short stint in Mexico helped me to see things as they were, and not long afterward, I was baptized by immersion. No baptism of any kind can save a lost soul—only Jesus can do that. However, this baptism was an important covenant between me and God, symbolizing not only my death and resurrection with Jesus and my public profession of faith, but it also my life change, the beginning of my bearing fruit. “For each tree is known by its own fruit…”according to Luke 6:44. During the past year and a half, the LORD has provided me with an informal pastoral internship in my church, teaching me every aspect of discipleship. Simultaneously, I have been studying unceasing prayer and worship. I am now very different than I was five years ago.
In the Book of Acts (which tells the story of the earliest years of the Church) every time a person decided to follow Christ, two things took place—though not always in the same order. Each person experienced a life change, which I call the “baptism of repentance,” as well as the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which I call the “baptism of the Spirit.” Looking back, I realize that the Holy Spirit was living in me in 2003, but it wasn’t until I surrendered everything to God, as represented by my immersion, that I allowed the Spirit to have His way in me and transform my life. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20)”
Have you invited Jesus to live in you? Have you allowed the Spirit to transform your life?
I tell you this story for two reasons. First, I tell this story in order to boast in the LORD! May God our Father get all praise and glory forever! Second, I tell this story because it is relevant to you. Likely you have heard that I am leaving the country: I have let my light shine before you; please let your light shine within the Church, too! This congregation is in revival, and as each of you allows the Spirit to revive you, the entire Church will be revived and utterly transformed, to the glory of the Most High God. And for His glory is the reason He created us; the reason He sent His only Son to reveal Himself to us; the reason He became Sin for us and died for us on the cross—while we were still sinners; and the reason that He conquered death and offered us eternal life with Him.
It will cost you a lot—in fact, it will cost you everything, your very life. But if you have never surrendered your life to Christ Jesus, if you have never invited Him to send His Spirit into you and to transform your life, then do it right now. Just let go of everything to which you are desperately clinging; stop trying to do it yourself! This is the very reason you are still breathing in this physical life—God has been delaying His judgment of this sinful world because He is waiting for you—2 Peter 3:9 says He wants none to perish!
If you have already invited the Spirit into your life, then live like it! Bear fruit! Anyone and everyone who meets you or knows you or sees you or hears you should know immediately and clearly that Jesus the Christ lives in you and loves them! That is how stark the contrast should be between your life and the world around you!
Have you immersed yourself in God’s Word and in prayer in the last twenty-four hours?
If you call yourself a follower of Christ, then there is no excuse for not communing with Him daily! Anchor yourself in the Word! God has revealed Himself to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Bible is a complete and accurate record of that revelation. And prayer is humbly letting Him love us. Let Him love you! God doesn’t need us, but He wants us! God doesn’t need us to live for Him—He wants to live in and through us! Let us love and fellowship with one another, even when you disagree! Pray for each other—the names in the church directory are a great place to start! Church, we are not only the Body of Christ, but we are the Bride of Christ. We have allowed ourselves to get bedraggled and stained—now let us stand to the glory of God! Let’s let Him purify us, restore us, and love us!
My dear Brothers and Sisters, if you have ever once been blessed by God our Father at work in me, then I urge you, please, take seriously His desire to love and work in you, beyond anything you can ask or imagine! I have told you the beginning of my story—may it end in glory to the Father, in the Name of Jesus, by way of His Spirit.
Now, what is your story?