Missions: Refugees part 2

Now the honeymoon has gone away, but we are still very much excited to be a part of this precious family's life. Because of the language gap, we have been using google translate, biblegateway.com non-English versions, another person from their language group, made-up sign language, etc. And also because of that language gap, we have focused on activities rather than communication. 

So we went to the zoo, which they were not impressed with. We went coat shopping. We went to the biggest park in our city and played with styrofoam planes, rubber band planes, kites, sidewalk chalk, bubbles. We also played soccer.

Even though our communication is limited, we find ourselves very much in a caring, reciprocal relationship with this family. We could just sit back and enjoy that very much, but we also have to think of their spiritual need for relationship with God. It helps to talk to God throughout these relationships, because He keeps your focused on what is important.

But how can we communicate the message of the good news if we can't speak the language, yet? One of my friends called me and told me about how he had shared the story of Jesus in John 8 who defended and forgave a woman caught in adultery with someone from this people group and how it really blew their mind. I hope to print this story in their language and share it with them soon.

Missions: Refugees

Something that we've been working on for a while. We had been getting ready to welcome refugees to the United States and help them transition into life here. It's about love. Or at least it should be.

This particular group gets a lot of political flak, and I've even had to endure stern warnings from my family for working with them.

However, obedience to God is the most important action of a follower of Jesus. Loving the stranger, offering hospitality - those are commands. "A new command I give you," it says in 1 John, "Love one another."

Love is our most powerful spiritual weapon. It can overcome bad theology, idolatry, hardness of heart, etc. The Holy Spirit works in this heavenly love to open men's hearts and to give us favor before even the toughest of people.

Well, they arrived, a large family that did not speak a word of English. And although I had been studying their language in order to be able to communicate with them, I still only speak basics. We helped them get settled in, showed them their local supermarket, stocked their fridge (family of 7!!!), bought them some clothes, bought them some phones, showed them the bus service, started teaching them basic English. We took them to a restaurant and the owner comped the meal! For 10 people! We took them to the lake and to the zoo, too.

But the best was being able to start telling them that we follow Jesus, that Jesus loves them and that He is the reason we love them.

I'm in the middle of it right now, and it's turning my world upsidedown as I try to balance my work, my family and them.

One on One: Harsh Reality

Well, we almost finished the study of Luke, but tragedy struck one person and he had to drop out to grieve. The other just sort of went incommunicado for a while.

So, life just happened. I want to be honest in this blog, so I'll be honest. It was heartbreaking. It was heartbreaking not only to see the tragedy that fell on my brother, it was heartbreaking to stop seeing him (by his choice, not mine). I really did slump into a sadness, but I gave it God and just kind of numbed out for a while.

It was just such a stark transition from being elated, feeling like God was using us all together, seeing the "lights come on"... and then immediate separation and isolation from each other.

It hurts, people, it hurts. I deceived myself thinking I had found a golden opportunity that would be perfect. No, there will always be challenges, no matter what.

So, we keep asking God, begging God for His direction, mercy, and orders. Hopefully, we listen.

Until then, the encouragement is 2 Corinthians 4 and 2 Corinthians 1, wherein Paul details how much pain he endured spreading the good news. I will say this, if you care enough about God's word and people, it will hurt you a lot.

One on One: Foundations

So, every other week I am meeting for about 3 hours with 2 different people. One week I meet with one, and the other week I meet with the other.

It has been fantastic. Not only have we covered a lot of chapters of Luke faster than a Bible study, but we have spent our time applying it, empowering one another, teaching the simplicity of the good news, getting the elemental things right from the get go. It is refreshing to not have to pour into people who have already been indoctrinated. Now they can just develop in the wonder of God's vision for them and the world. That foundation is key. Everything else comes second. 

If the foundation is head knowledge, they will become intellectuals. If the foundation is rules, they will become religious. If the foundation is feelings, they will become emotion-driven puffballs. If the foundation is the living Jesus, they will walk with God.

That foundation is very difficult to make sure is laid right. I have had to ask some very penetrating questions about what they think the good news of Jesus is. Why is your salvation good? It starts at "I don't go to hell now." And that is a terrible way to think of salvation. The questions drive them to... you are now in relationship with God. Then the question is, why is that good? Because you were meant to be with Him. You were meant to be on good terms and in friendship with God. You were meant to walk with Him. You were meant to depend on Him. You were meant to be filled with His presence. It is the meaning of your existence...

I have to admit that even with this, I've given written to them a mini-class on Biblical interpretation so they can read the word for themselves and not have to depend on anyone but God to get the basics going. Obviously, I love group interpretation of the Bible, but you have to know the Bible to let it interpret itself to you as well...

I have to say, I feel like this is the entire purpose of my life at this point. My relationship with God has been overwhelmingly peaceful, and "I feel His pleasure," like that quote from Chariots of Fire.

What is even more exciting is that they both now feel very drawn to be leaders in the Church! My only warning has been that they should know what true Biblical ministry is before they are swallowed by church culture's ideas.

I think our next step will be finding a way to make our tiny one-on-one sessions something people can be invited into, a gathering for the people God is calling to Himself. I wonder what this will look like. So, I began asking them to just think about talking with their friends about Jesus and see what comes up in their minds. We will get into that later, but it's good to put that little bug in the mind...

One on One: Venturing into the Small

It has been heart-wrenching to think of taking a break from this group, but due to the summer vacations, attendance has been low. Not just attendance, but communication with one another has been low. If I am honest, I am concerned that we have not really taken to heart what it means to be the Church. Doubts are creeping in about the spiritual state of the group since we have become so insular.

So, I am taking a break from the group to focus on discipling one or two young Christ-followers, to try and develop together on the go and in real life, away from the church building. It's a bit unnerving to shift from what I know into something that could fail miserably. But, isn't that faith?

Discipleship Case Study: 2016

The past few months have been amazing. We finished Mark, and we are well on our way to finishing 1 and 2 Corinthians. I believe that we were lead by God to read in that order to first connect to Jesus.. and then to understand who we are to be as the Church and as ambassadors of the good news. God has truly taken over our men's group. It is no longer I that leads, but truly the Lord. I am now very comfortable that my men can read the Word for themselves and love one another.

I tell you what, it's been difficult to get to this point. It's an exercise in patience. I'm sure I've looked foolish, pushy, lackadaisical and everything in between at times to these Men of God. But in the end it was a lack of me that hopefully pushed the men towards seeking God first. As John said of his ministry, I must become lesser and He must become greater. I have intentionally been lazy in my leadership.

I think that one of the main points of leadership in the Church is to give that leadership away so God will be the greater and so people will go to the Source instead of an imitation like me. I want to disappoint them a bit so they will turn to the One who never disappoints.
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Here's what we've seen. Men are leading other men. They are opening up and teaching one another with experience and the Word. They are listening to rebukes in the Word. They are fed by encouragement from the Word. They are allowing the Holy Spirit to interrupt the "flow", and they are following the paths the Spirit is having them go down. They are eating with each other - always. They are praying for each other about the hard things in life.

I think they are at a stage where they are beginning to depend on the Lord in a way they didn't understand before. They are beginning to mature from being babies who only drink the milk that is predigested from the minister's mouth. Now they are eating the steak and potatoes (with a side salad) of the balanced Word of God, and they are relying on the Spirit to interpret and guide.

That is a very firm foundation, but we do lack some things. We are not mission-oriented, as we still have not hammered down what a vision of the church actually is. We are struggling so much with internal issues that we have no time for the outside. I look forward to the day when we can be healed from those hard things and go forward into the darkness to be the light. I believe it's coming soon. They also lack a dying desire for Christ. I'm waiting patiently for the Lord to move over His men so they will gain the strength to be willing to die for Christ, not just literally, but also emotionally and through the sometimes harsh times of godly discipline.

These things will be added to them, but it will take time, and there may be fewer men than when we started. However, such is the Kingdom. It's always marching forward.