Keeping it simple

Sometimes we like to over-complicate the gospel. Other times we like to make a formula: to do it right as a Christian, you need to do: x, y and z. But I'm learning that the Bible doesn't teach that. It teaches something much more straightforward, but much more profound! I'm currently working my way through the Old Testament as a project for work, learning about the sphere of communications. The Old Testament is a wonderful foreshadow to the gospel. In fact, without reading the Old Testament, the New makes very little sense. What are we being saved from? What is sin that we are all condemned for? Why is sinning bad? All of this is answered in the wonderful words of the Old Testament writers.

Just this morning, I read:  “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. For I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy." Deuteronomy 30:15-16

That command hasn't changed. You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. Luke 10:27

The bit I think most of us find hard is the working out our salvation, as Paul describes it in Philippeans 2:12. It's the obeying, despite everything we see around us; the following whatever the cost.

I've come home today to rest in his presence and spend some time thinking on these things and seeing if I can take steps towards raw obedience. I think I've over-complicated my life!

Praying for Zimbabwe

The great thing about coming together in missions is that there is strength in community. I’ve been invited to come and share about communications at a leadership gathering in South Central Africa. We’re meeting in Livingstone (just near Victoria falls) and I’ve had the privilege of joining in all the sessions. The group has been exploring what God is doing in the region. We had a focus this morning on Zimbabwe. Historically many ministries and bases across southern and south-central Africa have been launched by YWAM volunteers coming out of Zimbabwe. However, in recent years this has suffered, and staff numbers have dwindled. The group came together to pray and intercede for the nation and ask for God’s heart for this nation. God spoke in wonderful ways: in words, in pictures, in Bible verses. And they all focused in on a love for this country. The first session this morning was concluded by a spontaneous worship session where we all sang together ‘akuna wakaita sa jesu’ – there’s no one like Jesus. What a wonderful experience.

Preparing for my next trip

You know that feeling when you're about to embark on a trip. Finances are (just about) there to buy the plane ticket and the last days are approaching before you leave.

I'm about to head off to Livingstone in Zambia to meet with leaders working across South Central Africa. I have met some of them before, but I've never been in a position to teach them...until now!

I'm nervous and keep staring at blank pieces of paper entitled: key messages that I want to give. Aaaargh. A few days to go and I'm really not ready. Please, Lord, help me now!

Learning to be more deliberate

Just watched a movie with my wife and a couple of friends, called About Time, late on a Friday night. I wasn't really in the mood for a movie, but I thought, oh well, let's give it a go. 

This film had me laughing and crying and - what's best about a good movie - it challenged me to think long and hard about my life. 

I love films that spark a discussion afterwards, where we really have to think about what we've just seen and provokes us into thinking about something deeper. The film, without giving away the plot, gets the audience to think seriously about what we value the most and how we live our everyday lives. It gave an insight into the beauty and depth of the mundane daily existence. It forces you to think: what if I lived my life in a more deliberate way!?

So, I am accepting the challenge. I'm asking God today, Saturday, to begin a new work in me that causes me to have my eyes open to the reality around me; to be aware of His presence in the small 'insignificant' things that usually pass us by. And, more importantly, to be present and purposeful in my family life and not squander what precious time this is, with the people whom I love and who love me the most. 

Missing the true leaders in our midst

Watching children is a very interesting activity. You see a crude reflection of adulthood. The kids are much more obvious with their selfishness, greed, anger and thoughtlessness. Yet when we look around us what do we see? Which leaders of nations do we elect? Which leaders of churches? Certainly not the most humble, selfless characters in our midst.

I'm currently processing how I teach my three year old son about the world. It is especially pronounced as he is such a gentle character. He loves sharing and giving. He is really out going and extroverted. However, to other kids who don't understand these virtues, he looks like a pushover. Rather than being admired by his peers, they push him around somewhat.

Then I look at the Christian communities around me and see that we admire the loud, extroverted, bold leaders who are confident and self assured. Meanwhile the humble, servant hearted people are overlooked and sometimes even mocked.

We want the 'go getters', the self-made fighters.

Yet what does the Bible say?

A friend wrote this on her Facebook wall today:

Jesus didn't choose scholars to be his first ambassadors. He chose social outcasts and despised criminals who were merely willing to abandon all they had to receive all he had to give.

The Bible doesn't promise us fame or fortune in this world. In fact the promises are so much greater, but they're not offered to the bold and braizen.

Blessed are you who are poor,
For yours will be the Kingdom of God
Blessed are you who hunger now for you will be satisfied
Blessed are you who weep now for you will laugh
Blessed are you when men hate you
When they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man.
Luke 6:20-22

Reading this list of beatitudes, I realise that I need not look at or lament what I see around me. The value that others put on my son and what people hold as valuable in a worldly sense is irrelevant compared to the value that God puts in those that just lay it all down for him, whatever our social standing.

Though it may be tough, Lord help me walk the right path to righteousness.

And help me to teach my son to do the same.

Amen.

Love feasts

When I first came into Youth With A Mission, just four years ago, there was this term Love Feast banded about. I wasn't sure what it meant and it certainly sounded a bit dodgy to me!

As I have travelled to different regions and operating locations, I find that the term exists widely but is used in a variety of contexts. It was odd to me that such a name exists but nobody really had a pure definition of what it meant. Some places it was a reward - a meal as a gift to a team returning from outreach. Other places it was used an excuse for a party. Yet I'd never been to one where the focus was on a sober, but intentional meal in preparation for the Sabbath.

It filled me with joy, therefore, today to receive the latest edition of the International YWAMer with an article from Tom Bloomer, entitled How Did YWAM Love Feasts Begin? explaining the history behind the concept. It appears that the name has travelled well, but the purpose and value behind why they're important hasn't.

This touched my heart, especially, as God has really been challenging me this year to step up as a man, husband and father (taking more responsibility) and taking the Sabbath more seriously. This is a year for really exploring what it means to rest in His presence. It's a year for developing, deepening and maturing. It's a year of preparation what God has instore for me.

I love this soaking in His presence. As charismatic as that may sound, for me that is manifest in reading my Bible and taking walks along the sea front, allowing him to speak to me in the quietness of the moment. It's also in group fellowship - meeting with friends, sharing coffee and asking them how God has impacted their lives and what we need to give thanks for.

I don't have my ministry all figured out. I don't even know how it's going to look in six months time. All I know is that He is true, trustworthy and someone I want to follow and spend time with.

What a joy it is to be serving Him in this way.

Measuring the Land

The word God gave to AfriCom as a ministry for this season is: measuring the land. This work is somewhat invisible. It's a research work that will take many months if not years. It's a time of taking stock and seeing what we've got.

I haven't even begun to scratch the surface on this. Yet I believe God will guide me in his timing as to how to build up the ministry of AfriCom to His Glory.

As far as I can see, this year is going to be about travelling. I already have plans to visit West Africa (Togo) and South Central Africa (Zambia) in the first half of this year. Please pray with me that I can raise the funds to travel and that I'm walking in obedience to where He is leading me.

Knowing God's timing

Sometimes our prayers are answered over a period of time, sometimes immediately. I've recently experienced an answering of a prayer that was quicker than expected!

As missionaries, we have certain domestic (i.e. from our home in the uk) financial matters to deal with. My brother-in-law does a fantastic job of opening our post and scanning it, sending it to us by email so that I can respond to all enquiries that come in.

However, there was an issue that didn't seem to have a solution remotely. It felt that, whilst email and phonecalls worked in some cases, here the matter just wasn't being resolved. So I prayed, "Lord, if you want me to go home to sort out this problem, then please guide me - and pay for my ticket!". Within a day, I had a relative call up and offer to provide money for this particular problem. Though she didn't say it, the money just so happened to be the price of a return ticket back home. So I booked the ticket and left for home!

Knowing that I've been praying about many things, particularly to do with mission work, that haven't been (apparently) answered in the past months and even years, I was keen to find out what God's purpose for this trip would be (over and above sorting out my personal issue).

So, I held it up to him. And he spoke. And what happened: he brought me to my knees. He reminded me of the things I'd said. He showed me how I had forgotten his promises in one area of my life and showed me how I had backtracked on my promises to him. I was broken. But I was free. I was free from the burden of having to carry this sin. God gave me an open door to confession and repentance. He even gave me a mechanism in which to begin. I am now walking that road of repentance and it feels really good.

Reading this, you might wonder: "what is it that he did?" If you really want to know the details, just email me and I'll tell you! But I think it's more important that I show you the impact of what hearing His voice and being obedient does:

Rather than raising me up to be great, he raised himself up, putting himself back in the position he should be - to be worshipped, adored and served. At the same time, I was humbled, as He showered his love, affection and forgiveness on me. Praise God.

Learning to preach

I was just reviewing my notes from slingshot which is a short leadership training course held by Youth with a Mission (YWAM). These notes are a bit scattered and following the trail of someone's thoughts but i found it an incredible help when thinking about sharing my faith especially as I often find it difficult talking about jesus to non believers who might well want to have their own living relationship with the Lord.

Please let me know your thoughts to add love to get some advice on this . Thank you.

What would you imagine, what comes to mind, if I were to tell you that I spent today preaching?

These passages look similar but are different. Mark 16:15 says preach. Preach means communicate. Make it understandable, make it clear. Ask questions. Get clarification. Build bridges in your communication...seek out culturally sensitive ways to enter into conversation and bring the gospel. There’s no virtue in being ‘right’ and alienating people from the Kingdom of God. Seek to have integrity with your communication (don’t lie or trick), but seek God’s wisdom in the way you communicate. Rarely do you win people into the Kingdom through theological arguments. Know your audience. This relates to the apostolic calling in missions.

Keys to reaching the lost/preaching the gospel:
Listen to God
Ask questions and listen to the person you’re speaking to.
Be sensitive, allow the spirit to move and speak into the situation.

For example: When people say they don’t believe in God, ask them to describe the god they don’t believe in.

Go is a command. It is outward focused.
Ref. Celtic church in Ireland. Small buildings just used for storage of precious documents. The congregation and the pulpit and alter were outside.

The church is the only institution that is created to serve non-members.

We have a commission to communicate the message of the gospel to every person. This is do-able in every generation. We have failed to fulfil his calling.

→ Reaching the masses. A message for everyone. Monogenerational (has to happen in one generation (those alive at this time)). Has to be done with great urgency.

Matthew 28:18-20
Matthew 28:18-20 says disciple, not preach. Disciple is a verb in this context. “To shape, form, change, mould, transform.” Imagine a blacksmith moulding metal under great heat.

Much longer process than preaching. Takes a lifetime to be effective.

→ The command is to disciple every nation. Corporate. Going deep. Multigenerational (takes place over several generations, as a nation spans more than one generation). It’s strategic.

Day 3
Leadership. Leaders should be “blameless” - Titus 1 explains how.

God says ‘no’ and he says ‘yes’. Allow him to do both and trust him. Believe in his character and nature when the ‘no’ doesn’t make sense. The first thing that God highlights yes is to hospitality.

Hospitality = welcome/love the stranger in your midst. This applies especially to those who are different to you.

We need to work in our different giftings. When we ‘flow’ in our giftings, we won’t necessarily appreciate it, because it is so natural for us to do.

God has multi-generational purposes. Most organisations don’t survive beyond the third generation because of the disobedience of the second generation. There is a mandate on the second generation to be sacrificial (not being ‘known’ or famous). Being obedient to investing the clear values and foundations as laid out by the first generation and passing it on faithfully to the third generation, teaching them the things of the foundation.

Loren & Darlene – ‘Abraham/first Generation’
David Hamilton et al – ‘Isaac/second Generation’
Slingshot – ‘Jacob/third generation’

There are lots of apostles around but they haven’t built anything. It’s the building of the team and ministry that gives something its apostolic calling, where the apostle passes his calling/giftings on to the corporate.

“We have not achieved the great commission because we haven’t aimed high enough. I would suggest we set a 6 year goal → aim to reach the entire world. Repeat the next 6 years. Repeat the next 6 years.”

Reasons:
3 x 6 = 18, therefore we can reach a generation over 18 years
It takes average of three times of presenting the gospel for someone to respond.

To make this happen, we need to be more purposeful, bolder, more intentional. It is do-able.

376 non believers, for every Christian on earth in John’s time
Now: 5 non believers, for every Christian on earth.

It is a great time to be positioned to bring the gospel to this generation. That is why God is raising up a Jacob generation.

Christian Magna Carta. Important to know and learn. Know that it came with God and Loren in partnership. Intentionally not included finances – money is just a tool, it doesn’t bring fulfilment in and of itself.

). These notes are a bit scattered and following the trail of someone's thoughts but i found it an incredible help when thinking about sharing my faith especially as I often find it difficult talking about jesus to non believers who might well want to have their own living relationship with the Lord.
Please let me know your thoughts to add love to get some advice on this . Thank you.

What would you imagine, what comes to mind, if I were to tell you that I spent today preaching?

These passages look similar but are different. Mark 16:15 says preach. Preach means communicate. Make it understandable, make it clear. Ask questions. Get clarification. Build bridges in your communication...seek out culturally sensitive ways to enter into conversation and bring the gospel. There’s no virtue in being ‘right’ and alienating people from the Kingdom of God. Seek to have integrity with your communication (don’t lie or trick), but seek God’s wisdom in the way you communicate. Rarely do you win people into the Kingdom through theological arguments. Know your audience. This relates to the apostolic calling in missions.

Keys to reaching the lost/preaching the gospel:
Listen to God
Ask questions and listen to the person you’re speaking to.
Be sensitive, allow the spirit to move and speak into the situation.

For example: When people say they don’t believe in God, ask them to describe the god they don’t believe in.

Go is a command. It is outward focused.
Ref. Celtic church in Ireland. Small buildings just used for storage of precious documents. The congregation and the pulpit and alter were outside.

The church is the only institution that is created to serve non-members.

We have a commission to communicate the message of the gospel to every person. This is do-able in every generation. We have failed to fulfil his calling.

→ Reaching the masses. A message for everyone. Monogenerational (has to happen in one generation (those alive at this time)). Has to be done with great urgency.

Matthew 28:18-20
Matthew 28:18-20 says disciple, not preach. Disciple is a verb in this context. “To shape, form, change, mould, transform.” Imagine a blacksmith moulding metal under great heat.

Much longer process than preaching. Takes a lifetime to be effective.

→ The command is to disciple every nation. Corporate. Going deep. Multigenerational (takes place over several generations, as a nation spans more than one generation). It’s strategic.

Day 3
Leadership. Leaders should be “blameless” - Titus 1 explains how.

God says ‘no’ and he says ‘yes’. Allow him to do both and trust him. Believe in his character and nature when the ‘no’ doesn’t make sense. The first thing that God highlights yes is to hospitality.

Hospitality = welcome/love the stranger in your midst. This applies especially to those who are different to you.

We need to work in our different giftings. When we ‘flow’ in our giftings, we won’t necessarily appreciate it, because it is so natural for us to do.

God has multi-generational purposes. Most organisations don’t survive beyond the third generation because of the disobedience of the second generation. There is a mandate on the second generation to be sacrificial (not being ‘known’ or famous). Being obedient to investing the clear values and foundations as laid out by the first generation and passing it on faithfully to the third generation, teaching them the things of the foundation.

Loren & Darlene – ‘Abraham/first Generation’
David Hamilton et al – ‘Isaac/second Generation’
Slingshot – ‘Jacob/third generation’

There are lots of apostles around but they haven’t built anything. It’s the building of the team and ministry that gives something its apostolic calling, where the apostle passes his calling/giftings on to the corporate.

“We have not achieved the great commission because we haven’t aimed high enough. I would suggest we set a 6 year goal → aim to reach the entire world. Repeat the next 6 years. Repeat the next 6 years.”

Reasons:
3 x 6 = 18, therefore we can reach a generation over 18 years
It takes average of three times of presenting the gospel for someone to respond.

To make this happen, we need to be more purposeful, bolder, more intentional. It is do-able.

376 non believers, for every Christian on earth in John’s time
Now: 5 non believers, for every Christian on earth.

It is a great time to be positioned to bring the gospel to this generation. That is why God is raising up a Jacob generation.

Christian Magna Carta. Important to know and learn. Know that it came with God and Loren in partnership. Intentionally not included finances – money is just a tool, it doesn’t bring fulfilment in and of itself.

Waiting on the Lord

God has given me immense guidance this year. Much of it has been a sense of peace, assurance and hope, as I wait on him.

As we come to the end of 2013, it's great to reflect on what God has been doing among us and how things have developed this year. Though it's been a busy year, much of it has been spent on my knees, before God, asking him what next. He's been pretty quiet on what I need to do to take steps forward in the ministry. However, the big words he has said to me are: "Trust me, wait on me...". In the time when my team has been decimated due to finances and other logistical problems, much of my time is spent alone, just seeking God and doing small steps towards the things he guides me to do. I know that there is a massive undertaking to be done on this continent if I am to complete the task I believe he has given me to do. However, I'm assured by Him that rushing ahead without first seeking Him and waiting on Him would be fruitless!

So it's a time to carry on with the everyday: paying the bills, taking small steps forward and daily bowing my knees before Him in adoration, thanks and praise; pleas for guidance and putting everything that I am doing today in His hands.

Thank you Lord for a blessed 2013. May You guide me into 2014.

Saying Goodbye to Madiba

It's strange being in a country when you're the foreigner at the best of times. But it's especially strange when the country, as a whole, is going through something very significant.

We arrived from a three month trip to the UK and within a week, Nelson Mandela had died. Though it was long anticipated, the nation went into a measured state of shock as they came to terms with the passing of such an influential and loved figure of this nation. Madiba, as he's affectionately known, is widely loved and, many say, is the reason that peace remained with no uprising or bloodshed following the fall of Apartheid nearly 20 years ago.

At YWAM, our leader has encouraged us - whatever country we come from - to be in touch with the state of the nation and be respectful of those around us who are mourning at this time. We, as a family, have chosen during the commemorative activities to hold back from parties or celebrations, to show respect to those around us. We have also spent time reading the local newspapers and watching the events on TV so that we can 'tune in' to what is being said about this great father-figure, so loved by the South African people.

We went down to the V&A Waterfront last week to pay respects at one of the many posts available to do so. There were many queueing to sign the book of remembrance and laying flowers at his statue which stands next to other Nobel Peace prize winners, Albert Luthuli, former president of the African National Congress, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and the last president of the old South Africa FW de Klerk. It was a sober occasion with many just taking a moment of quiet by his statue to respectfully say good-bye to Tata Madiba.

It is in this light that we have chosen not to enter into discussions on the web and elsewhere about Madiba's salvation, or political activities or anything controversial. Rather, being sensitive to the state of this sometimes fragile nation, pay our own respects to Nelson Mandela. He was, in so many ways, a great man. And though I won't attempt to analyse his own personal faith, I will say one thing: the fruit of what he has achieved, though diligence, discipline, a good work ethic, a listening hear, humility and forgiveness is something that should be greatly admired, and sought after. We have a lot to thank God for, that this man has achieved and we mourn his loss with the beautiful nation of South Africa.

Jesus take the wheel

We were discussing this morning in the office about what it means to fully submit to Jesus. We were observing how, in many cases, we have seen people fully embrace the Christian life and become famous as they go Holy Spirit 'crazy', but quickly stumble in their personal life through affairs, embezzling funds and other sinful activities in secret.

Giving up your will for his is not about willfully losing control or letting God do everything for us. It's just a simple re-allignment in our mental process to say: I am no longer submitting to my own authority, but to his. I must still walk on this earth and engage with the world as I see it, but I no longer allow it, or my own will, to determine what I do and how I do it.

The great piece of advise someone once gave to me when I am tempted by sinful thoughts, is to say: "I have permisson from my father not to do this act." Suddenly the thoughts and feeling dim down and I am able to think clearly again. That is willful submission to the authority that is my Father in Heaven.

In Carrie Underwood's song, Jesus Take The Wheel, she shows a wonderful abandonment to Jesus at the moment when it's vital to do it. She recognises that, a submission to God means that once she had hit back ice and the car was spinning out of control, and she needed a supernatural intervention, she knew that He was there to step in. There are times when we desperately need the Holy Spirit to act on our behalf, other times we just choose to submit to His wisdom and then act on that, submitting our minds, hearts and thoughts and will to His.

We still need to drive the car, though!

Daring to dream big

Dreaming big. What is that?

Noah trusted God

In our humdrum everyday lives (yes, even us in so-called 'missions' have those too), it's very easy to get caught in the mundane and lose track of what we are called to.

Today, in the staff meeting, the leader, Hans, encouraged us to remember (and ask God to help us remember) the great things that we should be thankful for this year. This was hard for many, who felt the negatives of the year so easily come to mind!

Yet, remembering is an important part of the Christian walk. God answers prayers daily, but we forget and still hold onto areas where we feel that He has been absent. Remembering the good things God has done for us helps us to have perspective on the present and have hope for the future.

There is a certain higher calling that we have when we know Jesus. It's not to (in our own strength) bring him into our workplaces, home lives, schools and social activities. He's not an 'add-on' or an extra app that we simply download daily and live towards. No, it's a radical calling to give up everything to follow him. It's turning our world upside down and saying, I am no longer my own, but His. This is a radical transforming of our very being from living for ourselves, to living for Christ. If we recognise this Sonship and the authority that it carries, then we will soon recognise the need to lay ourselves down, yes, even our own hopes and dreams, and drop everything to follow him, just as He did for us through the cross.

This, as we saw from the encounters with the first disciples, is a process. A process that we must be willing to go through, if we are to see communities around us transformed by His love; if we are to experience and know the inheritance for which He promises us.

God is calling me to dream big right now. To allow Him to speak into my life in a whole new way. The reality of what I see around me, does not match what He has promised. My job seems impossible - to connect missionaries across the continent to fulfil their calling. I'm not African, I cannot speak any African languages. There are many many other factors which I could list which say: I am not qualified or able to complete this job. However, I am willing to dream big and trust the His goodness, mercy and will are good and I can trust Him. I'm learning how to lay everything down for the sake of following him. But it starts by trusting the one who asks me to lay everything down: Jesus.

Do you trust Him enough to do this? I, myself, am a work in progress! It's a brave new world!

Back in Muizenberg

We've just returned from a trip to Europe (UK, Germany and Holland) to see supporters, friends and family. It was a busy trip which, any missionary will know, was far from a 'holiday'. It doesn't stop people from asking when (albeit exhausted) you return to the place of ministry (for us, South Africa) and people ask "Did you have a nice holiday?".

Nonetheless, we're back and ready to get going. I return to an office where the internet has dropped down to a crawl, the telephone doesn't work and there is a massive pile of messages/post/paperwork to go through. It looks like my work is cut out for me from now until Christmas just catching up on what I missed, paying bills, replying to emails and generally sorting stuff out! Here I am, pulling a selfie at the computer whilst writing this blog post!

Caring for missionaries

Did you know?
Many of God's people live with HIV/AIDS
Many of God's people suffer depression and suicidal thoughts
Many of God's people feel isolation and loneliness
There are God-fearing people in desperate need all over the world.
God's people suffer.

A harsh truth, hey!? We don't like to hear that on a bright Sunday morning from the pulpit. We especially don't want to know that the missionaries - the people who travel the world dedicated to preaching the gospel - are affected by these things.

The truth is, they are.

Missionary care is all about recognising that there are difficulties, issues and problems that can and do occur within the mission field. In fact up to 50 percent of those who venture into missions come back before the time that they have originally pledged to serve. They get burnt-out, exhausted, frustrated and disillusioned.

We are currently on the second part of a missionary care foundation course which will equip us to help ourselves and others to be aware of the dangers that we face in missions and look to support one other in handling the difficulties that life throws at us. In AfriCom we look to equip missionaries with what they need to communicate what they're doing to others. However, a lot of what hinders them is connected to circumstances and difficulties they're facing.

I'm hoping that the tools this course is equipping me with, will help me to fulfil what God is calling me to do in AfriCom. Please pray with me in this.