It Doesn't Take Much

During the 1990's I visited five times and ministered at the Mendies Haven Children's Home in Nepal. The home was founded by "Mummy" Elizabeth Mendies. Mummy was an awesome woman of God from Canada. She went on to be with Jesus this past fall at ninety years old. She took in children for over forty years and raised hundreds of children during that time. The home is still operating and you can visit the website at www.mendieshaven.org.

Twenty-two wonderful children were being raised at the home during our visits. The children had devotion time every morning and evening. We would join them during our visits and teach the children fun songs about Jesus. They loved the songs! We also taught Bible stories in our usual fun and relevant ways. It did not seem like much at the time, but it was fun and the children were loving.

This past Saturday I was able to get with two of the boys from the home, Rajaram and Krisna, in Washington D.C. They were brought to the States to visit supporters of the home, complete internships with Christian politicians and learn leadership skills to take back to Nepal. The boys were now young men at twenty-five and twenty-four years old. It was so awesome to be with them again and hear about their lives and the lives of the other children from the home. I was overjoyed to hear that twenty of the children were now serving the Lord. The other two they were not sure of as they had lost touch with them.

Rajaram and Krisna sang all the songs that we had taught them. I was amazed that they remembered them! They excitedly shared that the reason they were Christians and walking with Jesus today is because of our devotion times with them. They shared how many people visited but we were some of the only ones that spent the time sharing Jesus with them in ways kids like to learn.

I was overwhelmed with emotion. I told the boys that I was so happy to have a small part in where they were. They objected and said "No Ka Ka B (Uncle B, my title in Nepal), It is because of you and the teams that you brought that helped us follow Jesus!"

I continually pray for lasting fruit from our ministry. I look back and it really did not take much to impact twenty-two of most wonderful kids I ever met!

Just Be Ben

I love this quote from James Farrior when asked what were you thinking after Larry Fitzgerald scored the touchdown as the Cardinals took the lead? "All I was thinking was, "Just be Ben". James Farrior's hope was that if Ben Roethlisberger just did what he had done all year, if he just played his game, if he would just "Be Ben" the Steelers would win their sixth superbowl.

Only a born and raised "Younzer" who grew up with watching Franco Harris, Terry Bradshaw and Lynn Swann could relate this to Jesus, so here goes!

I believe we are in the fourth quarter in the reality of life. The game is almost over and it appears the other team is winning. My hope and my faith is that when all is said and done, we win!!! All I am thinking as the clock ticks down is "Just Be Jesus!"

Missional Churches (Part Two)

What does it mean to be a church in this time? Are we the "come to" model or are we crossing over and becoming churches that are missional, relational and incarnational? I believe to be effective in the coming days the church has to be actively engaged in the life of its communities and neighborhoods. To be "incarnational" we have to declare to our neighborhoods that we are here for you. Our values have to stay shaped by the Gospel but we have to come out of our walls and let God work through us in our communities. This is not going to be easy for the church who for the last decade has developed programs and attractions to bring them in. Not that this was wrong, it was what it needed to be for the season we were in. But it is a new day, we have crossed over. The past season had it's successes and people came to Christ and the Church grew. We also learned how to make the Gospel relevant to our changing cultures. But in this current day we must see our neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces as places for us to bring an incarnational presence, Bringing Jesus into our everyday lives.

My reflections are being influenced by a book called "Borderland Churches' by Gary Nelson. I highly recommend the book especially to pastors and leaders of churches.

We 'Crossed Over" Today

There is a Hebrew word in the Old Testament of the Bible, 'abar'. The word means to crossover, or to go across and not be able to go back. The first time it is used is when Joshua and the children of Israel stand of the bank of the swollen Jordan River. The have been wondering through the wilderness for forty years under Moses' leadership. Moses is gone and Joshua is appointed to lead Israel to 'abar' the Jordan River and enter into the Promised land. Once they cross there is no going back. It is unfamiliar. It is unknown. The only thing they can rely on is that God goes on before them.

Today, we have had an 'abar' experience thrust upon us. We have crossed over and we cannot go back. The path in front of us is not clear. Some believe it is the Promise Land. Others believer we are heading into a wilderness experience. The comforting thought to me is that God goes before us and is with us. Faith is required at every 'abar' in our lives.

Inauguration And The Need For A Father

With the inauguration happening tomorrow I am hoping with the rest of the country that President Elect Obama will be what he said he will be for our nation. My greatest hope is that he will remain to be the good father that he showed forth during the campaign. There has been a war against families for decades now, more specifically fathers. My prayer for President Elect Obama is that the pressures of leading the greatest nation on earth will not distract him from who he needs to be as a dad and husband.

The lack of fathers in our inner city neighborhoods is overwhelming. I ministered to over 200 children in an inner city in Hampton, Virginia. We visited the children in their homes extensively. It was a shock when I realized that only two fathers were present in the homes amongst all those children! John Elderedge writes in his book "Wild at Heart", "Every boy in his journey to become a man, takes an arrow in his heart, in the place of his strength. Because the wound is rarely discussed and even more rarely healed, every man carries a wound. And the would is nearly always given by his father."

Multitudes of young men from urban and suburban streets of our cities and towns are walking wounded. They need an example of strong father. President Obama, please above all else speak to these walking wounded, give them a deep voice and a Godly example to follow. You are in my prayers.

Missional Churches

I am reading a book called "Borderland Churches" by Gary Nelson. It is confirming ideas and feelings that I have had about the Church (The worldwide Body of Christ) for some years now.

In the introduction the author says, "...it is impossible to be effective as the church without crossing boundaries of comfort, culture, and convenience." I believe those who have been ministering and laboring in inner city communities have learned this truth long before this recent awareness by churches seeking to be relevant in these changing times. It has been my observation that most people today are brought to faith in Jesus Christ through relationships nurtured outside the walls of the church. Seeking and developing these relationships require a commitment to cross those boundaries of comfort, culture and convenience.

It brings us back to what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2 Cor 5:20

"Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God."

In these changing times we must come to that realization we are ambassadors in a time and place where people are asking questions and seeking answers. Every believer is being called to be a missionary to their world.

The January Fast

Every January since 1998 I fast. It started when I was on staff at a church and it was required of all pastoral staff to fast through January. My rebellious nature resisted being forced to fast but I was submissive, even though I fussed everyday. Three years later I left the staff position and January came. I looked back and reflected about the past three years of fasting January and started to really value the physical and spiritual benefits. I have kept the January fast ever since and most of my family have joined in.

We spent New Year and the first week of January with my daughter and her family in Oceanside, California. My son-in-law, Shannon Kapp, is a pastor and he is encouraging his church to fast for the first twenty-one days of January. Chandler, my ten year old grandson has voluntarily decided to fast lunch and video games! Lunch for any ten year old is a sacrifice, but video games!

A spiritual principle we live by is "Whatever you give up for Jesus, He always gives back something better." I have witnessed the incredible results in my life of this time set apart for God. I can not wait to see what happens to this incredible grandson of mine as he sets himself apart for those twenty-one days.

Bible Lessons, Telling His Stories (Part Two)

I have written a blog and have a sermon series on “Keys Ingredients to Successful Ministry.” The three keys are: 1. Keep it relevant. 2. Keep it relational. 3. Keep it reverent. I believe if we use these keys in telling and teaching the Bible stories to children we will keep their interest, challenge their behavior and minister to their soul.

Let’s start off with keeping it relevant. As you share the stories of the Bible, the children need to be able to visualize it. It helps to be somewhat dramatic in the presentation but the key is bringing the situations in the stories up to date with what the children will relate to. Apart from maybe Shaquille Oneal or other NBA centers, the children have never seen a giant. So now we have Goliath against little David. “Alright kids, who is the biggest person you ever saw?” Allow interaction as you teach. In urban settings most kids know who Shaq is. Other kids may give you answers like a football player, their dad, a neighborhood bully. “Now kids, imagine someone this much bigger than that person. (Your hands are stretched to another three feet) That is how big this giant Goliath was that David went out to fight.

So, David killed this giant with the Lord’s help. How does that relate to me, little kid in 2009 suburb of America? Explain to the children that we all have giants in our lives that we have fight with the Lord’s help. Have you ever fought the giant called, “Afraid of the dark?” How about the giant called “Bad Report Card”? All of us have things in our lives that we struggle or fight with, but if we trust Jesus to help us like David did we can overcome these giants.

Keys to keeping it relevant are: be dramatic, bring the stories up to date and relate them to situations that are current in the children’s lives.