Sunday, December 26, 2010

White Christmas (and back safe in Sighi)


Location: In the passenger seat of P.'s VW van, right on the border of Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, about 3:30pm on Christmas Day, 2010.

We are driving pretty slow because of the snow, and we were even in a bit of a traffic jam as we went around Zurich. Can you imagine? A traffic jam on Christmas Day? Anyway, pretty is the right word as we drive through snow-covered Switzerland and toward the mountains of Germany and Austria. Peter was saying that it did not feel like Christmas because most of the snow had melted when we arrived, so he is pleased with the two days of constant snowfall we have had. I do not mind either. God made snow, and it reflects His beauty. Even if we must drive a bit slower, the roads are not too bad, and it feels good to be on the road toward home.

Let me tell you a bit about our Swiss visit. We knew from the start that it would be a short trip, and it became even shorter as we packed it full of visits. For example, we visited several persons from Peter's church, and we surprised his mom and brother who did not know he was home for Christmas! We met a ninety-plus-year-old couple who collect donations of clothing from their area for people all over the world; she is an official sock-knitting Swiss granny, and her husband created a contraption to wind wool thread into balls of yarn. We ate lunch with them at a senior center. We had tea and merengues with P.'s "boss" and dinner with his accountant, who lives in the house against which the grandstands for the ski competition have been built. Not only did we visit friends and supporters, but we also picked up donations of warm clothes and a few other items for Romania. In fact, our van is packed full of socks and sweaters and the like! Even today, we made three stops on our way out of Switzerland to pick up a few things, so only now does it seem like we are actually on the road.

Tuesday's drive from Romania was pretty uneventful. We had a Romanian friend from Munich with us, and we will probably stop for a coffee break at his house in a couple of hours as we pass through. With him along, I was freer to sleep, because he could keep P. awake at the wheel. I was thankful, because after being free of headaches for five or six weeks, I was nearly knocked flat by a terrible one that began in the wee hours of Monday and lasted all day. One of my collegues did my part of the program for me because I was so miserable, and then immediately afterward we left for our road trip. Thanks be to God, though, that after sleeping for two or three hours and taking another dose of pain killers, He healed my headache and I was eager to be a part of our Swiss adventure. We had good conversation, studied the letter of 1 Timothy together, and drove through rain instead of snow until we safely arrived at our destination 26 hours later.

In Adelboden, we stayed in the mountains with a (bio-)farm family. They have milk cows (maybe thirty or forty head) and around 500 chickens (for eggs). They were wonderful hosts, and we had fun with their three children. For example, one afternoon I buried the two boys in the snow after we had a bit of a snowball fight. A highlight was certainly Christmas Eve dinner, carefully prepared by mother and daughter, and then singing Christmas carols with a guitar around a Charlie Brown Christmas tree decked out with real candles. The six-year-old tore into the presents like my mom does on Christmas morning!

No, my vacation was not much of a vacation--three days of back-to-back rendez-vous sandwiched between two endless car trips. However, I knew it would be that way, and I do not regret it. It was good for me to get away from the timeless ministry world in Sighisoara, and the time with my friend P. is priceless. Besides, the whole trip has been full of answered prayers, such as my healed headache, or when I was indecisive about buying some second-hand ice skates, and God clearly showed me I should wait.

So now I have a yodelling Swiss man next to me telling me to "just relax" as we drive through a tunnel that will catapult us out into Germany. What does God have in store for us? Good question. I am guessing a full night and morning of open road, maybe some snow, and a week of intense Christmas outreaches as the second-in-command for my Belgian commandante. (I am exaggerating a bit, but my Belgian collegue has everything outlined for the coming week, and she emailed me my assignments yesterday. I respect her and enjoy working with her, which will make next week's circus more pleasant. Oh, and she assigned me to be the kitchen contact; I think I should have to taste the food before I can tell the team that it is ready!)

So, "Eastward, Ho!" The sun is going down somewhere in the clouds behind us, and we are following the Spirit forward. What does God have in store for you? You have followed my journey to Switzerland and back with this blog. If you are interested in following my spiritual journey a bit, take a look at God's instructions for His household, found in 1 Timothy (chapters 1 to 6). It relates very closely to God's letter to His household (via Paul) in Ephesians (which is where Timothy was when Paul wrote 1 Timothy to him), and it also relates to knowing God's will, which is outlined nicely in 1 Thessalonians 5. Isaiah 59 is a great chapter to read from a Christmas perspective, especially when you see how it is reflected in Paul's New Testament writings in Ephesians 6.

Dive into God's Word, and journey with me. I do not want to hear any complaining that God is not speaking to you, or that you are bored--now you have plenty of reading material, and I guarantee it will be instructive and edifying. As you read and journey with me, I bless you in the Name of our Jesus, the Christ. Merry Christmas from the European Front!
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A Rose From Home

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?