Recently, I’ve been toying around with the idea of picking this blog back up again. I love writing, I miss writing, and I enjoy the way God solidifies what He is teaching me through writing.
It’s like making jello. At first, what’s going on in my head is nothing short of a liquidy mess waiting to happen. But, when it is written down, when a little time is provided for things to settle, it actually becomes something. It becomes something edible, tasty, identifiable, substantial. I don’t presume that it becomes something as rich and impressive as crème brûlée (catch the My Best Friend’s Wedding reference?). Let’s be clear. This blog is just jello, the stuff of ordinary, everyday, hum drum life, but something tasty and hearty when God is infinitely in it and through it.
I’ve always had a dubious eye towards the thoughts and feelings that swirl up in me. I know myself, and I know they cannot always be trusted. They are like “chaff before the wind,” influenced by the news article I just read, the coworker I just chatted with, the way lunch is settling (or not settling). It’s almost as if they are not real, legitimate, or believable until I have sent them through the sifter of my mind and fingers. Writing refines them for me, and my hope with this blog would be that it refines them in some sort of meaningful, applicable way for one or two others as well.
Almost a year has passed since my last blog entry. So much has changed this year, I seriously doubt if God will ever again deliver so much change in such a short span of time (famous last words). Within the last twelve months, I’ve returned home to the States from a short stint teaching English and living the Great Commission in a predominantly Muslim immigrant community in inner-city Brussels, Belgium. [See below]. I am now not the only woman in sight without a scarf covering my head when I leave my house. Quite the shift from the previous adventure, I began my first “real” job in Human Resources with a bowling company. In so doing, my little humanitarian-minded, nonprofit-invested self has learned to appreciate the world of business (not love necessarily, but definitely appreciate). A month later, Jeromy and I found a church to call home. God led us to join Redemption Hill and has built a strong community there that we eagerly jumped into. On a more personal note, Jeromy and I got engaged, planned a wedding, sought God’s preparation for marriage, and got hitched in October! Now, I wake up next to my best friend every morning, have changed my name, and have added a new feature to my identity, that of a wife. Lastly, as part of the marital change, I also moved east of the city to a little neighborhood called Church Hill. I pay rent, buy groceries, decide at what temperature the thermostat will hover, send Christmas cards, and partake in other such “grown-up” activities that come with this new territory of life.
Despite all these changes, the title of this blog will remain unchanged. I’m not in Brussels any more, but the mission, the weaving thread connecting every step and breath, the overarching narrative- it’s all the same. I am still seeking and sent. God has first sought me and saved me from the full consequence of every past, current, and future intentional and unintentional mess-up, screw-up, and mistake. In grateful response, I am seeking Him, sometimes with fervor and at other points with a perplexed countenance. I am seeking Him in my marriage, in my work, over the phone catching up with a friend, at church on a Sunday morning, as I’m watching prime time TV, and in friendly banter with my neighbors. I am relentlessly seeking because I believe the promise that when I seek God with everything I’ve got, I will find him (Jeremiah 29:13). Consequently, I am sent. I’m sent bearing the peace, grace, and very image of our King to my neighbors, to my husband, to my coworkers, to myself. I am still seeking and sent, so the name of this blog will not change, because the narrative is the same.
11.30.2010
12.22.2009
HOME
After many hours spent waiting in Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport, my third try out of Europe was a success when I finally caught a flight home on Sunday. I met a lot of interesting characters and made a few new friends along the way, but am so thankful to finally be back. Although my journey home took a few days longer than expected, God sent so many helpful people my way that I was compelled to start making a list of all the kind things done for me. One family traveling to Italy helped me drag my two suitcases through a snowy overpass outside the airport while another man let me use his international phone to call the airline after I missed my first flight. I'm convinced a few airline personnel waived the overweight baggage fees I should have incurred and another waved me through although my carry-on bags were too heavy and too large. Not sure if I would even make it home before Christmas, my time spent in limbo Friday through Sunday was stressful and frustrating, but also worshipful as I received God's provision over and over again through many friendly and patient people.
The extra days spent in Paris allowed me to process my time in Brussels some before returning home, but I know there will be more processing necessary in the coming weeks. The experience was so different from what I expected, and my ability to adapt to those differences was certainly challenged along the way. Yet the people I met and whose stories I heard are what made that adaptation worthwhile. I'm thankful for the relationships made, for the experiences shared, and for the peek at a bigger picture of how God is at work in our world. I'm eager to share this processing time with some of you all in the coming weeks. Look for more posts to come!
The extra days spent in Paris allowed me to process my time in Brussels some before returning home, but I know there will be more processing necessary in the coming weeks. The experience was so different from what I expected, and my ability to adapt to those differences was certainly challenged along the way. Yet the people I met and whose stories I heard are what made that adaptation worthwhile. I'm thankful for the relationships made, for the experiences shared, and for the peek at a bigger picture of how God is at work in our world. I'm eager to share this processing time with some of you all in the coming weeks. Look for more posts to come!
12.14.2009
An Arab Au Revoir
The past week has been marked with a lot of "lasts." Monday and Tuesday held my last days of English classes as I proctored exams. Our "end of the year points party" on Wednesday was the last time for me to see many of my students. Saturday morning was my last time visiting a friend who lives a few towns away and that afternoon allowed for one last time serving with a local ministry to feed hundreds of Brussels' homeless under Garde-Midi train station. Yesterday marked my last Sunday attending Arab Church, and therefore my last time seeing many of the familiar faces who have slowly become friends. We hosted the youth and their families at our house after the service to retell, through pictures, videos, and stories, what the youth have learned and done this semester. It was a wonderful time for me to recognize the ways God has worked in this group and give thanks for being able to participate in that.
What was especially gratifying was identifying what God is doing with such humble offerings. I couldn't help thinking "a little sure goes a long way." Regular youth group meetings occur every other Friday night for 3 hours. We've enjoyed two weekend retreats together, a birthday weekend, and a couple outings with smaller groups of the kids. This is not the youth group of the West End that includes a research-led structure, printed t-shirts, a clever and concise mission statement, involved leadership council, and frequently updated blog site. But they love it.
It wasn't until June that this group had consistent youth group gatherings with good biblical teaching. At least two of these kids are living with unaddressed mental, emotional, and learning disabilities. Half come from divorced families. One has a Muslim father who competes with his Christian ex-wife for their daughter's faith. Another saw her biological father one day on the metro and walked in the other direction, knowing he wouldn't want to talk to her. One brother-sister pair are missing their older sister who ran away from home a year ago and a few more have changed schools and countries so much that friends and consistent standards of learning are both hard to come by. One can't study well at home with five people in a cramped two bedroom apartment and has failed her grade level multiple times. When I step back and reflect on where these kids are coming from, I realize why they love youth group so much. Little competition exists for it to be the best part of their week.
As I watched them crowd around my computer to laugh at our slideshow of pictures and eagerly grab their parents to tell corresponding stories, I couldn't help but smile. For them, it really doesn't take much. To have something fun to look forward to every other Friday; to walk into a place where they are accepted, loved, and safe; to have teaching and games planned just for them; to be reminded that they aren't alone in trying to follow Christ as a teenager in Brussels; to be told their gifts are useful, valued, and needed in the church... these are avenues by which God is growing these young people into men and women whose identity, treasure, and joy is in Him. I can't wait to see what God does in and through them in the coming years and am so thankful to have traveled with them on a part of their journey.
What was especially gratifying was identifying what God is doing with such humble offerings. I couldn't help thinking "a little sure goes a long way." Regular youth group meetings occur every other Friday night for 3 hours. We've enjoyed two weekend retreats together, a birthday weekend, and a couple outings with smaller groups of the kids. This is not the youth group of the West End that includes a research-led structure, printed t-shirts, a clever and concise mission statement, involved leadership council, and frequently updated blog site. But they love it.
It wasn't until June that this group had consistent youth group gatherings with good biblical teaching. At least two of these kids are living with unaddressed mental, emotional, and learning disabilities. Half come from divorced families. One has a Muslim father who competes with his Christian ex-wife for their daughter's faith. Another saw her biological father one day on the metro and walked in the other direction, knowing he wouldn't want to talk to her. One brother-sister pair are missing their older sister who ran away from home a year ago and a few more have changed schools and countries so much that friends and consistent standards of learning are both hard to come by. One can't study well at home with five people in a cramped two bedroom apartment and has failed her grade level multiple times. When I step back and reflect on where these kids are coming from, I realize why they love youth group so much. Little competition exists for it to be the best part of their week.
As I watched them crowd around my computer to laugh at our slideshow of pictures and eagerly grab their parents to tell corresponding stories, I couldn't help but smile. For them, it really doesn't take much. To have something fun to look forward to every other Friday; to walk into a place where they are accepted, loved, and safe; to have teaching and games planned just for them; to be reminded that they aren't alone in trying to follow Christ as a teenager in Brussels; to be told their gifts are useful, valued, and needed in the church... these are avenues by which God is growing these young people into men and women whose identity, treasure, and joy is in Him. I can't wait to see what God does in and through them in the coming years and am so thankful to have traveled with them on a part of their journey.
12.05.2009
Adventus
In Advent we celebrate, day by day, the eager anticipation and preparation for the arrival of Jesus on earth. Advent season is full of preparations. We prepare delicious dishes for holiday get-togethers with family, friends, and coworkers. Holiday decor is pulled down from the attic, up from the basement, and strewn about the house, workplace, and church to prepare for visitors. We may bake sweet treats for our friends "just because," and we raid the local malls to find just the right gifts for everyone. At church, we light candles and sing familiar hymns as we prepare for the culminating day that celebrates the coming of the Light of the World. The growing list of preparations can become a spiritless to-do list and rob us of the Advent joy God intended for us. But when we pause from preparations and acknowledge the broken places we need Jesus to enter into, who can resist reaching out for all the life and hope God intends for us in this season?
This year, my heart has resonated strongly with the Advent cry for Jesus to come. Like those living in the 400 empty years between the last Old Testament prophet and the arrival of the Christchild, I am hopefully waiting for a word, a sign from God, anything to hear from Him and know His presence. Like Abraham and Sarah waited for a child, David waited to become king, and Jacob waited for Rachel, I too am waiting and looking for the daily fulfillment of the promises made me: His peace, strength, wisdom, justice, counsel, power, and rest, to name a few.
This Advent season, I am desperate for Jesus' coming. I am desperate for Him to come into my heart and transform the disbelief I have found there. I long for him to come and direct my mind's thinking as I contemplate next steps after Brussels. I yearn for him to come and captivate my entire being to such an extent that every step I make here is one of submissive, worshipful obedience. I want Him to come into the Arab church and create committed disciples out of our congregation. I can't wait for Him to become the center of the families represented at church. I eagerly look for Him to come and reveal Himself as loving Father and irresistible Savior to my Muslim friends here. I've never yearned for Jesus to come like I have here.
We need Jesus to come. We need Him to come and dwell in our hearts and relationships just as He came and physically dwelt among people in the dusty Middle East years ago. Our families, communities, and churches desperately need the full and abundant life His coming offers.
Jesus wants to. He longs to teach and transform us as we ask for and await His coming. For me and for you, the question is whether we are ready for Him to come. Are we ready for Him to come into the hidden, disgraceful parts of us and set up camp there? Do we expect Him to come and take control of our relationships so they more fully display His love?
Have you been anticipating His arrival? Have we prepared a place to welcome Him in?
This year, my heart has resonated strongly with the Advent cry for Jesus to come. Like those living in the 400 empty years between the last Old Testament prophet and the arrival of the Christchild, I am hopefully waiting for a word, a sign from God, anything to hear from Him and know His presence. Like Abraham and Sarah waited for a child, David waited to become king, and Jacob waited for Rachel, I too am waiting and looking for the daily fulfillment of the promises made me: His peace, strength, wisdom, justice, counsel, power, and rest, to name a few.
This Advent season, I am desperate for Jesus' coming. I am desperate for Him to come into my heart and transform the disbelief I have found there. I long for him to come and direct my mind's thinking as I contemplate next steps after Brussels. I yearn for him to come and captivate my entire being to such an extent that every step I make here is one of submissive, worshipful obedience. I want Him to come into the Arab church and create committed disciples out of our congregation. I can't wait for Him to become the center of the families represented at church. I eagerly look for Him to come and reveal Himself as loving Father and irresistible Savior to my Muslim friends here. I've never yearned for Jesus to come like I have here.
We need Jesus to come. We need Him to come and dwell in our hearts and relationships just as He came and physically dwelt among people in the dusty Middle East years ago. Our families, communities, and churches desperately need the full and abundant life His coming offers.
Jesus wants to. He longs to teach and transform us as we ask for and await His coming. For me and for you, the question is whether we are ready for Him to come. Are we ready for Him to come into the hidden, disgraceful parts of us and set up camp there? Do we expect Him to come and take control of our relationships so they more fully display His love?
Have you been anticipating His arrival? Have we prepared a place to welcome Him in?
11.28.2009
When God Says Yes
Breathe deep. This will be one long (and overdue) blog entry...
The last few weeks have continued and even heightened my persistent struggle against feeling ineffectual and aimless here. To be honest, this experience has proven very different from my expectations when I excitedly stared out my plane window on September 3rd. For many known and unknown reasons, class sizes for English were smaller this year and remarkably inconsistent. The ages, language abilities, and genders of students in all my classes except for my one Moroccan friend in conversation class didn't allow for building relationships outside of class. I have wrestled with God a lot, questioning the process of making the decision to come here, and demanding an answer to why He led me here. Hours of thought have been devoted to conjuring up various possibilities.
Maybe I came to understand people's needs here and pray for them. Perhaps I was led here to spend lots of uninterrupted time alone with God every morning up in my room. Maybe God brought me here to help me discern if the life of an international missionary is a life I could ever live in the future. Maybe I needed to learn how to "do" Arab/Muslim/inner city/international ministry. Perhaps I came to learn how to survive in a foreign country, or maybe it was important for me to refine my cooking skills.
Whatever the reason(s), I've come to some confident conclusions in the midst of these ponderings. First, God has taught me that childlike trust in Him and His leadership is more fulfilling than answering the persistent question why. Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever (Psalm 125:1). My confidence and strength are born in obeying and trusting in our steadfast Lord more than understanding all the answers.
Second, God has painfully crushed my tendency of finding my identity in work. I am separate from what I do. I am separate from what I produce. I am God's. Work is necessary and important. However, my identity is first in the idea of belonging to Him, of whose I am, instead of my attachment to people, titles, programs, and results. But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you..."Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine" (Isaiah 43:1).
Third, I've learned what it means to survive not by bread alone, but by every word of God. A favorite verse of many and for good reason, Philippians 4:6 has been ever present on my mind for the last few months. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Although some days it has been a forceful act of the will to do so, I have thanked God every morning for this place and this experience. My time here has not been bad, but certainly challenging and faith-producing. After giving thanks, I have presented many requests to God for the people in the Arab Church, for Janee and Hary, for myself, and for my students. God answered some of these prayers and responded to my cry to verbally share about Him with a yes this week.
Tuesday before my Level 2 English class, I spent some time talking to an older Muslim male student about Eid al-Adha, the "Festival of Sacrifice" that was to begin Friday. This holiday commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac as an act of obedience to God. Muslims celebrate by sacrificing a lamb and sharing the food with family, friends, and the poor, feasting for the following three days. My student, "B," was happy to share about the feast, and I was happy to learn. Our conversation led to me introducing him to the idea of Jesus as our sacrificial lamb who took away the sins of the world. Because many Muslims love to talk about religion, English class was gladly postponed, and the next hour and a half, Hary, myself, "B," and another Turkish Muslim student preceded to talk about Christianity and Islam. Having experienced multitudes of these types of conversations, Hary posed many good questions to these students about truths they claim in Islam but have not yet critically evaluated.
Class ended with these three men still talking and debating downstairs, while I began conversation class upstairs with my female Moroccan Muslim friend, "Y," and a new student, a female Christian Iraqi refugee who is an old friend of Hary's. Our conversation in this class proved just as interesting as we jumped from the political situation in Iraq to the situation of Muslim women around the world, from this Iraqi woman's experience hiding under tables while bomb sirens rang out into the night in war-torn Baghdad, to Christianity's call to treat others with grace because of God's grace towards us. I ended the night elated, so thankful that God had provided opportunities to speak candidly about who He is and what He has done with these students that I have genuinely come to know and love.
I have been praying that my conversations with "Y" about Christianity would become more personal rather than informational, and in a quick and obvious answer to my prayer, Thursday's conversation class was filled with such conversation. I was able to ask more about this woman's family, what would happen if she became a Christian, and the idea that in contrast to inheriting religion in Islam through your family, in Christianity, faith begins when we choose to believe what Jesus has done for us and commit to a life of following Him. Please pray for that conversation with "Y" to be continued, and even more personally next class or when we spend time together on Sunday. "Y" is very interested in diversity, tolerance, and understanding other religions. Because of this and a desire to meet Arab Christians, she wants to come to the Arab Church with me next Sunday. Pray that she would come, and that her general curiosity would develop into a personal one that leads her to investigate Jesus for herself.
God has met and answered me in remarkably obvious ways this week, and I am so thankful! The hours of studying Islam, Arabic culture, and French seem well worth it. Please continue to pray for courage, hope, joy, and peace for me in these last three weeks in Brussels. Please also pray for these students as they begin to wrestle with Jesus, and that this wrestling would lead to one day knowing them as Christian brothers and sisters.
When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted. Psalm 138:3
The last few weeks have continued and even heightened my persistent struggle against feeling ineffectual and aimless here. To be honest, this experience has proven very different from my expectations when I excitedly stared out my plane window on September 3rd. For many known and unknown reasons, class sizes for English were smaller this year and remarkably inconsistent. The ages, language abilities, and genders of students in all my classes except for my one Moroccan friend in conversation class didn't allow for building relationships outside of class. I have wrestled with God a lot, questioning the process of making the decision to come here, and demanding an answer to why He led me here. Hours of thought have been devoted to conjuring up various possibilities.
Maybe I came to understand people's needs here and pray for them. Perhaps I was led here to spend lots of uninterrupted time alone with God every morning up in my room. Maybe God brought me here to help me discern if the life of an international missionary is a life I could ever live in the future. Maybe I needed to learn how to "do" Arab/Muslim/inner city/international ministry. Perhaps I came to learn how to survive in a foreign country, or maybe it was important for me to refine my cooking skills.
Whatever the reason(s), I've come to some confident conclusions in the midst of these ponderings. First, God has taught me that childlike trust in Him and His leadership is more fulfilling than answering the persistent question why. Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever (Psalm 125:1). My confidence and strength are born in obeying and trusting in our steadfast Lord more than understanding all the answers.
Second, God has painfully crushed my tendency of finding my identity in work. I am separate from what I do. I am separate from what I produce. I am God's. Work is necessary and important. However, my identity is first in the idea of belonging to Him, of whose I am, instead of my attachment to people, titles, programs, and results. But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you..."Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine" (Isaiah 43:1).
Third, I've learned what it means to survive not by bread alone, but by every word of God. A favorite verse of many and for good reason, Philippians 4:6 has been ever present on my mind for the last few months. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Although some days it has been a forceful act of the will to do so, I have thanked God every morning for this place and this experience. My time here has not been bad, but certainly challenging and faith-producing. After giving thanks, I have presented many requests to God for the people in the Arab Church, for Janee and Hary, for myself, and for my students. God answered some of these prayers and responded to my cry to verbally share about Him with a yes this week.
Tuesday before my Level 2 English class, I spent some time talking to an older Muslim male student about Eid al-Adha, the "Festival of Sacrifice" that was to begin Friday. This holiday commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac as an act of obedience to God. Muslims celebrate by sacrificing a lamb and sharing the food with family, friends, and the poor, feasting for the following three days. My student, "B," was happy to share about the feast, and I was happy to learn. Our conversation led to me introducing him to the idea of Jesus as our sacrificial lamb who took away the sins of the world. Because many Muslims love to talk about religion, English class was gladly postponed, and the next hour and a half, Hary, myself, "B," and another Turkish Muslim student preceded to talk about Christianity and Islam. Having experienced multitudes of these types of conversations, Hary posed many good questions to these students about truths they claim in Islam but have not yet critically evaluated.
Class ended with these three men still talking and debating downstairs, while I began conversation class upstairs with my female Moroccan Muslim friend, "Y," and a new student, a female Christian Iraqi refugee who is an old friend of Hary's. Our conversation in this class proved just as interesting as we jumped from the political situation in Iraq to the situation of Muslim women around the world, from this Iraqi woman's experience hiding under tables while bomb sirens rang out into the night in war-torn Baghdad, to Christianity's call to treat others with grace because of God's grace towards us. I ended the night elated, so thankful that God had provided opportunities to speak candidly about who He is and what He has done with these students that I have genuinely come to know and love.
I have been praying that my conversations with "Y" about Christianity would become more personal rather than informational, and in a quick and obvious answer to my prayer, Thursday's conversation class was filled with such conversation. I was able to ask more about this woman's family, what would happen if she became a Christian, and the idea that in contrast to inheriting religion in Islam through your family, in Christianity, faith begins when we choose to believe what Jesus has done for us and commit to a life of following Him. Please pray for that conversation with "Y" to be continued, and even more personally next class or when we spend time together on Sunday. "Y" is very interested in diversity, tolerance, and understanding other religions. Because of this and a desire to meet Arab Christians, she wants to come to the Arab Church with me next Sunday. Pray that she would come, and that her general curiosity would develop into a personal one that leads her to investigate Jesus for herself.
God has met and answered me in remarkably obvious ways this week, and I am so thankful! The hours of studying Islam, Arabic culture, and French seem well worth it. Please continue to pray for courage, hope, joy, and peace for me in these last three weeks in Brussels. Please also pray for these students as they begin to wrestle with Jesus, and that this wrestling would lead to one day knowing them as Christian brothers and sisters.
When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted. Psalm 138:3
11.15.2009
A Ministry Manifesto
I've been reading a lot of Paul lately. Have you heard of him? Authored half of the New Testament, missionary to many, and even served time for it. Ah yes, Paul.
Sometimes I forget he was a real person, and sometimes I catch myself adding my own little details to his life story. I picture him thoughtfully staring off into the distance, his head inquisitively turned slightly to the right, as he sails onward towards his next missionary destination. He smiles to himself as he remembers his friends throughout the empire that are thriving in new, flourishing home churches with too many members to count. He envisions the multitudes that have fallen on their faces before the Lord as a result of his ministry and confidently asks God for more, because naturally, he never ceases to pray.
For a few months now, I've been the missionary, and it's caused me to take some second looks at Paul. Who could better supply some helpful hints about this kind of life that I'm desperately trying to figure out?
Helpful Hint #1: Acknowledge the real deal. The valiant, calm pastor image I created in my head is probably not the reality of Paul's persona. Just because today we are privy to knowing the fruit of his ministry doesn't mean he could necessarily see it then, nor was he immune to disappointment along the way. Surely he felt despair when people and communities just didn't get it. With a fiery and fierce demeanor, he likely boiled with anger as he watched sin injure people and dishonor the name of God. For every individual who repented in order to follow The Way, there was likely another who rejected Paul's teaching as foolishness. He suffered disappointments in his ministry. And yet, God produced a growing first century church using Paul's efforts.
The more I experience church and ministry here, the more sentiments I think I share with Paul. I want to give the benefit of the doubt, but I also want to discover the truthful realities in people's lives here. Seeing brokenness is difficult, especially understanding the effects it wreaks on lives and successive generations. However, in order to tend to the brokenness, I've learned that we must first acknowledge the real deal of the situation. Often, the real deal is messy, ugly, and bleak. And we must question. What keeps individuals in the church from seeking growth? How can they complacently accept the emptiness of their current life? What kind of faith are men practicing if their wives can't tell the difference between their husbands as Muslims and now as Christians? How can women think faith is for men alone? Why bother with church and faith if it doesn't change your life? But we can't stop with questions and we can't accept the bleakness as the final word. We seek understanding only in order to herald the healing that comes through prayer, teaching, and the ministry of presence.
Helpful Hint #2: Build bridges. On a trip to Athens recorded in Acts 17, Paul exemplifies a concept Janee taught me my first week here as essential to Muslim ministry, and I think ministry in general. Although he was "greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols," Paul finds common ground with these polytheists in order to then share the love of Christ with them. In fact, he openly spoke the truth in the synagogue and the marketplace, discussing and reasoning with whoever happened to be listening. He spoke the truth boldly enough to cause people to curiously ask for more. "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange new ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." Paul stands up before a meeting of thinkers, and begins hammering nails into a bridge of common understanding between their worldviews. "I see that in every way you are very religious," he says. "For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you." Paul continues to build a case for the one true God, but using their terminology. He emphasizes what they agree on and then moves onto the person of Christ and His resurrection. (Check out the end of the story in Acts 17:24-34).
Likewise, I'm learning and implementing this proclamation model for sharing the Gospel. Whether with my Muslim friend or with a youth at church, painstakingly constructing a bridge of shared belief is powerful. It builds a foundation of trust and respect, and creates a context into which the story of Jesus can most clearly enter.
And even then, Paul likely suffered some disappointment in the midst of what we would deem a ministry success. The result of his brilliant and relevant presentation was that "some of them sneered, but others said, 'We want to hear you again on this subject'... A few men became followers of Paul and believed." That's the real deal.
Helpful Hint #3: Adapt. As the beloved mentor of so many diverse congregations and as a dearly loved discipler and friend of many, it seems like Paul mastered this concept. "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible... I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do this for the sake of the gospel." Whether it was becoming like Jews, Gentiles, or simply the weak, Paul understood the benefit of adapting the adaptable parts of his identity. Certainly there are fundamental features of our faith and uniqueness as our Father's children that we will refuse to touch, and rightly so, but for the rest, we must grip loosely.
I have and will continue to try adapt to the people and the world around me, if it means that somehow Christ looks better. I'm not a fan of organized group games. But, if it could lead to a richer community in our youth group that fosters honest discussion, I can enjoy a thumb war tournament or some fishbowl charades. Shopping wears me out and usually bores me to tears, but if that's my Muslim friend's suggestion for hanging out, shopping on Friday it is. I find dates and figs revolting, but if passing the bowl could impair a friendship or incur judgment that blocks one's sensitivity to God, then one or two never hurt anybody. In the end, becoming all things to all people becomes a lesson in freedom. Freedom can be found in such a self-emptying ideology. Jesus said so.
Sometimes I forget he was a real person, and sometimes I catch myself adding my own little details to his life story. I picture him thoughtfully staring off into the distance, his head inquisitively turned slightly to the right, as he sails onward towards his next missionary destination. He smiles to himself as he remembers his friends throughout the empire that are thriving in new, flourishing home churches with too many members to count. He envisions the multitudes that have fallen on their faces before the Lord as a result of his ministry and confidently asks God for more, because naturally, he never ceases to pray.
For a few months now, I've been the missionary, and it's caused me to take some second looks at Paul. Who could better supply some helpful hints about this kind of life that I'm desperately trying to figure out?
Helpful Hint #1: Acknowledge the real deal. The valiant, calm pastor image I created in my head is probably not the reality of Paul's persona. Just because today we are privy to knowing the fruit of his ministry doesn't mean he could necessarily see it then, nor was he immune to disappointment along the way. Surely he felt despair when people and communities just didn't get it. With a fiery and fierce demeanor, he likely boiled with anger as he watched sin injure people and dishonor the name of God. For every individual who repented in order to follow The Way, there was likely another who rejected Paul's teaching as foolishness. He suffered disappointments in his ministry. And yet, God produced a growing first century church using Paul's efforts.
The more I experience church and ministry here, the more sentiments I think I share with Paul. I want to give the benefit of the doubt, but I also want to discover the truthful realities in people's lives here. Seeing brokenness is difficult, especially understanding the effects it wreaks on lives and successive generations. However, in order to tend to the brokenness, I've learned that we must first acknowledge the real deal of the situation. Often, the real deal is messy, ugly, and bleak. And we must question. What keeps individuals in the church from seeking growth? How can they complacently accept the emptiness of their current life? What kind of faith are men practicing if their wives can't tell the difference between their husbands as Muslims and now as Christians? How can women think faith is for men alone? Why bother with church and faith if it doesn't change your life? But we can't stop with questions and we can't accept the bleakness as the final word. We seek understanding only in order to herald the healing that comes through prayer, teaching, and the ministry of presence.
Helpful Hint #2: Build bridges. On a trip to Athens recorded in Acts 17, Paul exemplifies a concept Janee taught me my first week here as essential to Muslim ministry, and I think ministry in general. Although he was "greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols," Paul finds common ground with these polytheists in order to then share the love of Christ with them. In fact, he openly spoke the truth in the synagogue and the marketplace, discussing and reasoning with whoever happened to be listening. He spoke the truth boldly enough to cause people to curiously ask for more. "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange new ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." Paul stands up before a meeting of thinkers, and begins hammering nails into a bridge of common understanding between their worldviews. "I see that in every way you are very religious," he says. "For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you." Paul continues to build a case for the one true God, but using their terminology. He emphasizes what they agree on and then moves onto the person of Christ and His resurrection. (Check out the end of the story in Acts 17:24-34).
Likewise, I'm learning and implementing this proclamation model for sharing the Gospel. Whether with my Muslim friend or with a youth at church, painstakingly constructing a bridge of shared belief is powerful. It builds a foundation of trust and respect, and creates a context into which the story of Jesus can most clearly enter.
And even then, Paul likely suffered some disappointment in the midst of what we would deem a ministry success. The result of his brilliant and relevant presentation was that "some of them sneered, but others said, 'We want to hear you again on this subject'... A few men became followers of Paul and believed." That's the real deal.
Helpful Hint #3: Adapt. As the beloved mentor of so many diverse congregations and as a dearly loved discipler and friend of many, it seems like Paul mastered this concept. "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible... I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do this for the sake of the gospel." Whether it was becoming like Jews, Gentiles, or simply the weak, Paul understood the benefit of adapting the adaptable parts of his identity. Certainly there are fundamental features of our faith and uniqueness as our Father's children that we will refuse to touch, and rightly so, but for the rest, we must grip loosely.
I have and will continue to try adapt to the people and the world around me, if it means that somehow Christ looks better. I'm not a fan of organized group games. But, if it could lead to a richer community in our youth group that fosters honest discussion, I can enjoy a thumb war tournament or some fishbowl charades. Shopping wears me out and usually bores me to tears, but if that's my Muslim friend's suggestion for hanging out, shopping on Friday it is. I find dates and figs revolting, but if passing the bowl could impair a friendship or incur judgment that blocks one's sensitivity to God, then one or two never hurt anybody. In the end, becoming all things to all people becomes a lesson in freedom. Freedom can be found in such a self-emptying ideology. Jesus said so.
11.07.2009
Weeks in Review
Now that I've experienced some "normal" weeks here in Brussels, I thought I'd fill you in on what I've been up to here instead of just my musings for the day. In an ironic twist from my last blog post about learning to be rather than filling my schedule with things to do, here are some brief snippets of what I've done over the last few weeks:
-embarked on a dumpster diving adventure to IKEA for giant boxes to be used to create scenery for the youth's Christmas play (that were then transported across the city via metro)
-visited an Italian widow from our church in her home, studied the Bible with her, and prayed with her
-helped a mother in the church host the youth for a weekend at her house to celebrate her son's 15th birthday
-studied English Church History with Janee in preparation for our trip to LONDON on Tuesday!!
-fed multitudes of homeless men, women, and children under a bridge in the center of the city
-spent the day with an Arab family, visited a farm, and learned how to make cheese from freshly pumped cow's milk
-learned how to correctly use the words "some" and "any" thanks to teaching Level 2 English
-concluded a study on a book called Honor And Shame by Roland Muller
-visited my Moroccan friend from my conversation "class," for her lunch break from work at the European Union
-traveled to Iran for the day by dressing as an Iranian woman, listening to Iranian radio, making Iranian food with Janee and Hary, and then praying together for the people of Iran
-prepped my English classes for their midterm exams last week
-hosted the youth for a "lock-in" type weekend at our apartment, which involved games, fall-inspired fun, teaching and singing French worship songs, and kicking off our semester purity study
-prayed with a Syrian woman from church and let her teach me how to spell my name in Arabic
-learned to make tortillas, Navajo flatbread, and a delicious feast all from scratch for a dinner party with 4 Arab couples
-continued the second installment of our purity study with the youth group at our usual every-other Friday night gathering
Below are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.
-embarked on a dumpster diving adventure to IKEA for giant boxes to be used to create scenery for the youth's Christmas play (that were then transported across the city via metro)
-visited an Italian widow from our church in her home, studied the Bible with her, and prayed with her
-helped a mother in the church host the youth for a weekend at her house to celebrate her son's 15th birthday
-studied English Church History with Janee in preparation for our trip to LONDON on Tuesday!!
-fed multitudes of homeless men, women, and children under a bridge in the center of the city
-spent the day with an Arab family, visited a farm, and learned how to make cheese from freshly pumped cow's milk
-learned how to correctly use the words "some" and "any" thanks to teaching Level 2 English
-concluded a study on a book called Honor And Shame by Roland Muller
-visited my Moroccan friend from my conversation "class," for her lunch break from work at the European Union
-traveled to Iran for the day by dressing as an Iranian woman, listening to Iranian radio, making Iranian food with Janee and Hary, and then praying together for the people of Iran
-prepped my English classes for their midterm exams last week
-hosted the youth for a "lock-in" type weekend at our apartment, which involved games, fall-inspired fun, teaching and singing French worship songs, and kicking off our semester purity study
-prayed with a Syrian woman from church and let her teach me how to spell my name in Arabic
-learned to make tortillas, Navajo flatbread, and a delicious feast all from scratch for a dinner party with 4 Arab couples
-continued the second installment of our purity study with the youth group at our usual every-other Friday night gathering
Below are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.
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