Why go anywhere when there are so many lost people here?

Recently I’ve had the topic of “why go anywhere when people are so lost here?” come up in conversation a number of times. My opinion on this topic (and sometimes very hot) is that most of us are pretty comfortable in our own back yards. I have not many people are who evangelists on their own, the kind of people who can, just by nature, talk to people and gracefully tell them about faith in Jesus. If that were true then missions wouldn’t be needed, we’d all either be believing, or always talking about our faith. The truth is, this just isn’t how Jesus has made the church. Some people have it in them to move around, experience new cultures, and most of all, have a tendency to reach a different culture much easier than their own.

For me I have noticed that I have a much easier time talking to Poles about my faith than I do to other Christians here in my own workplace! Not to mention non-believers. We are all made different, some are feet, some are eyes, but we all have a job and a mission. The church was designed to function on interdependancy of its members. When this failes, the church does not move on, when it is working the church moves. It’s biblical, and it’s proven.

I don’t know what to say…

There is an Episcopal priest in Seattle claiming to be both Muslim and Christian… As I am a far cry from Episcopalian I have a hard time saying that she is a true believer in who Jesus is and what he did and does for us.

While I do believe that the extreme basics of Muslim and Christianity (in terms of the way of life and surrendering to God) are similar, the main issue (which many water down because the reality is too difficult to stomach) is the heaven and hell question. Hell is not what Hollywood pro trays, and it isn’t what we traditionally have made it, it is complete separation from everything, for eternity. That is the issue, and that is why Jesus made it simple, accept him and his sacrifice for us and our fallen nature, or deny him and live in a fallen state alone forever.

In the article she talks about how she was moved by the Muslim leader’s prayer, and kneeling to the floor and surrendering his entire prayer and body. This is not unheard of in Christianity, maybe in Episcopalian circles, but certainly not in the book of Acts and the first believers. At the church my wife and I attend this is completely accepted, and it is encouraged, while many don’t feel this need since our musical worship time allows us to express in many ways, within order, to surrender our entire lives to God as a daily walk. I could go on, but for me this is my life with God, it is complete surrender, and being reminded to do that… not as a works related issue, but as a lifestyle, and the blessings and relationship with God has been nothing short of stunningly amazing.

Actually I do know what to say, and I’ve said it.

The little things God provides.

Today at work, I went to open my lunch, and behold, I had no sandwich. I kind of laughed, thinking Alexis forgot, which was fine, I asked her in an instant message and she said that since we were running late she didn’t have time to make one. Okay, that’s fine. So I went to our break room and found instant “beef noodle” soup… yuck. It was okay, but, after about 3 min, it was yuck. Anyway, a co-worker asked me what I was eating and I told them what had happened, he came back a few minutes later and offered me half his sandwich… Awesome.

If God will provide my lunch through someone I really don’t know too well, who is a good man, not sure where he stands with Jesus, but none-the-less, he is my neighbor, then he’ll provide for the next $2,000 and much more for what he has called us to!

Mission fundraising update

About ten minutes ago I received an email from our travel agent, final payment for our airfare is due on May 18th (she says she can extend it, I would rather not). We’ll see what our faith in God looks like in the next week. We need about $2,050 more for the three of us. I am so happy to know that this is the last time we pay this much for airfare (since we’ll be going in the winter from now on), well maybe not the last time, but probably the last time we’ll have multiple destinations and an inflexible window. I know God will come through HE HAS ALWAYS come through. It’s my faith that is weak.

Father, give me the faith to believe in your provision. Give me the courage, and humble my pride, so that I may ask in your name for prayer from others. Thank you Lord for what you do, what you provide, and that we are 100% partners in all of this. In Jesus’ name – Amen.

3 Min Poland Update!

I actually timed that it takes just under 3 min to read this, please do 🙂

Hello Everyone,

A quick update on our Poland & France mission trip this summer; we are experiencing God’s financial provision in his amazing ways, last month we raised another $1000 towards the trip, we now need just $2,860 (donation information below). We praise God for his work in all of this, and for the past two trips we have made with East Hill to the U-Turn summer camp to serve and disciple youth. Our excitement grows stronger with each trip, and our love for Poland, her people, and God’s heart for them, grows stronger and more compassionate with each step we take.

This is, to date, the most expensive trip we have made, and in light of this we have done some praying and thinking about future trips. We are currently in the process of applying to be mission team leaders sent out of East Hill. This means that we will be leading teams to Poland on our own, giving us much more flexibility and allowing us to dig in deeper with the relationships we are building. Please pray for us through this process, for discernment in choosing team members, and in casting our vision and passion for our future in Poland. The most exciting part is that we are tentatively building up for a much less expensive trip (currently looks like $1,200 per person, verses the $3,000 per person for this trip) in February/March of 2008. As we plan out the details of this trip we hope to communicate a more focused vision for all of you to tangibly partner in.

Blessings and thanks for your prayerful support,

If you would like to financially support us:
Just $30 from each recipient of this email would pave the way for both of us.

Look to the right for “Poland Mission Information” and click on the PayPal donation button. Sorry not tax-deductible.

For tax deductible donations:
Send a check made out to

The secret to contentment?

Someone please tell me what the secret to contentment is? I consider myself pretty good at being content, and maybe this is just a venting session, which I think is allowed. I understand where I am, I am actually really happy with where I am, but when I think about where God is taking us, then I have this internal fire that gets frustrated. I think it’s actually motivation, if I didn’t have this drive then nothing would happen. So, I’m not really discontent, I’m just really excited about the future and want to be there. It isn’t because I think the grass is greener on the other side, because I know it isn’t, it’s because it’s an adventure!

Thank you Lord for calling us to such an adventure, for loving us in every detail, for limiting yourself so that you need us. Yes I get frustrated with seeing where I am and where I will be and I know that it is your will that will prevail. Lord grant me the patience, wisdom, and insight to take each moment and see it with your perspective, to see things that lead to my frustration, and to see frustration before it comes. Most of all I ask that in your name my heart be contending for contentment.

A possible second earth-like planet?

Yep, just click here. Wouldn’t it be interesting if we did find some kind of life on another planet? Not to mention actual intelligent life? What would that mean for the faiths of the world, not to mention my own!? What parts of scripture would the church try to figure out? What would fall apart? Very, very, interesting…

Ignorance is bliss and immaturity is personality.

That’s what a friend told me today. And boy doesn’t it seem true! When we were/are ignorant life seems “happy”, and when we are immature, we have more “personality”.

Of course we can be aware and not ignorant and still be in bliss, but it takes a lot of work to get there. And of course we can be mature and have personality, but again it takes a lot of work (a lot more). The truth is, awareness is true bliss, when we are aware of our short fallings and our blunders we can seek God’s truth, and be free of causing further harm to ourselves and others. The truth is, maturity brings strong, integral character, and that kind of character leads people into awareness.

Pillars of my faith

  • Jesus brings truth, and that truth sets me free
  • God the father is full of grace, that grace sets me free
  • The Holy Spirit guides me in authority and power, that authority and power sets me free
  • Who I am is not based on any one’s opinions, ideas, culture, etc – Who I am is what The Lord has made me
  • I am broken, but He is healing me, from glory to glory and one day I will see Him face to face in all of His glory and I’ll be in all of mine as well.
  • I worship the Lord my God will all my heart, soul, mind, and strength and His joy fills my heart
  • Sometimes there is not a “heeby jeeby” moment, sometimes there is, but at any time I hear his voice, feel his presence, or know that His Spirit has spoken, I obey, sometimes kicking and screaming, and at times ignoring, but when I obey I never regret and always am more amazed by his mercy and grace.