Don't Forget! Latenight prayer! the 7th of August!
Sitting in downtown cinci. Just outside the University. At an old monastery with wi-fi... it's great to be able to write you from here. The sun is not quite hot yet and the breeze is cool.
I have to go soon to teach english, but I wanted to let you know about an experience I had yesterday.
I was with my two English students, Gulzar and Qadamsho, in Cincinnati, and they dragged me into a church for a noon service. They are both devout Muslims. They enjoyed their time there!
I taught them to sing from the Hymnal--all four stanzas of "How Firm a Foundation"!!!
the message from the pastor was about relief for refugees in the Sudan, with direct reference to the religious tensions there. It was a great experience!
For me, it was a sign of connection to the traditional church, and the traditions passed down to us from earlier generations.
I am also enjoying loving my muslim friends! I love them so much.
They gave me hats. Cool, muslim hats. I love hats. If I wear the hats, people will think I'm muslim. What if I wore the hats? what do you think? What might it mean if I did? What would it mean to God? What would it mean to you?
How about a fat suit?
Or if I went disguised as a black man?
Or if I used a wheelchair??
How do we view Muslim people? What do we Know about Islam? Do we see a difference between the teachings of Islam and the people who live in cultures under that influence?
What about us? And Christianity?
We have been honored to find out that Muslims are people. That they aren't all the same, and they have the same needs we do... And doesn't Christ make us brave to love and share our homes and hearts with everyone?
This year, we have two exchange daughters for ten months. They are both beautiful souls and we are honored to share Christ's love with them without reserve. One is from a Buddhist background. The other, Sunni Muslim.
What might this year mean to God? What might it mean to them? And how will this year change me?
So few of us know anything about the people we call Muslim. And less about the religion called Islam... And the difference between the two... And the similarity between those people and us...
I know that Jesus would be loving the people we call Muslim.
There's a lot to say about this. Why don't you email me or post a comment? We need to get real about loving these people, if they're in our lives...
Lew
Thursday, July 29, 2004
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
Just visited with some good friends. Had a time for about 3 hours while the kids velociraptored around. Seth and Aaron had a blast with their 2 kids. It's so good to share our lives!
We talked about all the stuff that's going on in their church experience, which includes some really difficult stuff for them. It looks like a real stand for the truth and probly get killed kind of thing.
Psalm 37 talks about forsaking wrath and not fretting when injustice prospers. Ephesians talks about being angry, but not sinning.
When church leaders commit to do evil things... When insanity seems to be the rule... We're not to go crazy, but tuck into Jesus and STAND for the truth.
We talked about all the stuff that's going on in their church experience, which includes some really difficult stuff for them. It looks like a real stand for the truth and probly get killed kind of thing.
Psalm 37 talks about forsaking wrath and not fretting when injustice prospers. Ephesians talks about being angry, but not sinning.
When church leaders commit to do evil things... When insanity seems to be the rule... We're not to go crazy, but tuck into Jesus and STAND for the truth.
LateNight Prayer: Sat.Aug. 7,
Arrive any time between 8pm and 1am. Backdoor.
A quick entry.
Note: by the end of this blog, I got really hot. so if it's boring, just hold on.
So much has happened in the last weeks that I've really had trouble posting. Our First exchange daughter has arrived. Her name is Gulzar Haitmuradova, and she's from Turkmenistan. That's in Central Asia, also known as Eurasia!
We are so honored to have Gulzar as part of our home life for the next ten months and can't wait for her exchange sister, Piyanan, to arrive from Thailand. We love our work with the students, and It's a privilege to have two in our home for the year!
As many of you know, JP has been in Mexico finishing up his minor in Spanish, but he came back on Saturday night, just in time for Late-Night Prayer (none of us are hardcore enough to make it for the whole night, so we just call it Latenight...). He was here for about 30 hours, and left for Kenya yesterday afternoon. He'll be there, helping Pastor Moses and Sylvia Suhr, and our friend Prari, for the next 6 weeks.
Prari and JP will be back in September. We are all looking forward to their return and the next steps, here in Cinci...
There's been a bit of a storm over the area, lately. We've had lots of lightning and cloudy/cool weather. Fitting for some of the stuff that's broken loose in the lives of some of our friends. Adam and Corrie, whom some of you know, are in a huge transition after being fired and summarily cut off from relationship with their church of over four years.
I have letters, emails and live conversations every year with people who have this happen, and I have yet to be satisfied that it is handled in a Kingdom way. Even if the ending is the same, the PROCESS is important! Not to me. To the Lord.
In this case, the details are pretty typical. adam got uppity about Godliness and Passion for Christ, among the leadership of his church. So, while the pastor was on vacation, the elders decided to fire him. He was given two days to clear out his office. He was forbidden to phone anyone in the church. He was given ten minutes to try to say goodbye to the youth group. Classic.
Well, I know that Jesus will sort it all out. But until then, I feel grief that this stuff happens this way. It's like, we know about confronting sin, but often don't do it. But when someone disagrees, or pokes us in the ribs about righteousness and zeal and devotion to prayer and the Word, we see them out the door...
And being fired means moving! Selling a house and moving! Yet I have seen this kind of decision arrived at in haste TWICE with my own eyes! both times, the leaders admitted that it was a Spur of the moment, or overnight, decision! These are firsthand accounts. Think of all the ones I've heard one side of on the phone!!
Most of the time, the leaders regret the decision almost immediately, but feel powerless to do anything about it. And they do nothing. They weather it out.
And the community hardens, grows stupid, stays quiet, and lowers its sensitivity to Prayer and the Word...
"because of the increase of wickedness (greek:"scandalon"), the love of many will grow cold." Jesus (Mt.24)
SCANDAL. It's more than prostitutes and cooked books. It's the refusal to live out obedience to the Word in the way we live as communities of devotion to Jesus... Firing fairly godly men... Saints of God who have put in time and shed blood! Without spending time in trying to work it out.
Without working out a solution!
One month's severance?
Craziness! Mercy!!! Latenight Prayer again on Saturday, Aug. 7!! Jer.8:11
Arrive any time between 8pm and 1am. Backdoor.
A quick entry.
Note: by the end of this blog, I got really hot. so if it's boring, just hold on.
So much has happened in the last weeks that I've really had trouble posting. Our First exchange daughter has arrived. Her name is Gulzar Haitmuradova, and she's from Turkmenistan. That's in Central Asia, also known as Eurasia!
We are so honored to have Gulzar as part of our home life for the next ten months and can't wait for her exchange sister, Piyanan, to arrive from Thailand. We love our work with the students, and It's a privilege to have two in our home for the year!
As many of you know, JP has been in Mexico finishing up his minor in Spanish, but he came back on Saturday night, just in time for Late-Night Prayer (none of us are hardcore enough to make it for the whole night, so we just call it Latenight...). He was here for about 30 hours, and left for Kenya yesterday afternoon. He'll be there, helping Pastor Moses and Sylvia Suhr, and our friend Prari, for the next 6 weeks.
Prari and JP will be back in September. We are all looking forward to their return and the next steps, here in Cinci...
There's been a bit of a storm over the area, lately. We've had lots of lightning and cloudy/cool weather. Fitting for some of the stuff that's broken loose in the lives of some of our friends. Adam and Corrie, whom some of you know, are in a huge transition after being fired and summarily cut off from relationship with their church of over four years.
I have letters, emails and live conversations every year with people who have this happen, and I have yet to be satisfied that it is handled in a Kingdom way. Even if the ending is the same, the PROCESS is important! Not to me. To the Lord.
In this case, the details are pretty typical. adam got uppity about Godliness and Passion for Christ, among the leadership of his church. So, while the pastor was on vacation, the elders decided to fire him. He was given two days to clear out his office. He was forbidden to phone anyone in the church. He was given ten minutes to try to say goodbye to the youth group. Classic.
Well, I know that Jesus will sort it all out. But until then, I feel grief that this stuff happens this way. It's like, we know about confronting sin, but often don't do it. But when someone disagrees, or pokes us in the ribs about righteousness and zeal and devotion to prayer and the Word, we see them out the door...
And being fired means moving! Selling a house and moving! Yet I have seen this kind of decision arrived at in haste TWICE with my own eyes! both times, the leaders admitted that it was a Spur of the moment, or overnight, decision! These are firsthand accounts. Think of all the ones I've heard one side of on the phone!!
Most of the time, the leaders regret the decision almost immediately, but feel powerless to do anything about it. And they do nothing. They weather it out.
And the community hardens, grows stupid, stays quiet, and lowers its sensitivity to Prayer and the Word...
"because of the increase of wickedness (greek:"scandalon"), the love of many will grow cold." Jesus (Mt.24)
SCANDAL. It's more than prostitutes and cooked books. It's the refusal to live out obedience to the Word in the way we live as communities of devotion to Jesus... Firing fairly godly men... Saints of God who have put in time and shed blood! Without spending time in trying to work it out.
Without working out a solution!
One month's severance?
Craziness! Mercy!!! Latenight Prayer again on Saturday, Aug. 7!! Jer.8:11
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
All-Night Prayer was really great last Saturday night. It's so great to have those. We'll keep them up--every other Saturday is the initial plan. I'll put the notice on the Blog each time. This Sat, there isn't one. It'll be the Next one, like the 25th, right?
Good news about that, our prodigal son, JP, will have returned from his six weeks in Mexico. He'll be here that saturday night, and the following Sunday Night Gathering! He will leave EARLY on Monday for Kenya, though, so you'll have to catch him quickly!
This week, I've had conversations that have really made me think. I've been telling people that I'm a pastor of a church that doesn't have a building--that it's a church where you become the church, not go to one. Our gathering is not a reflection of our selves, but our desire to obey and know Christ.
I've also been thinking about prayer. You know, people will show up at all kinds of meetings. But who comes to a meeting where the only attraction is to talk with Jesus. Where he's the only reason to show up?
How does corporate prayer factor into the command of 2 Cor. 13:5
Basically, it tells us to examine ourselves (corporately) to see if we're really in the faith! It encourages us to question our standing in faith! That's radical. A lot of religious activity is geared to calm our fears about our standing. This scripture encourages us to explore them thoroughly.
Then, it says that it's possible to fail the test!! Check out that scripture!
The joy of it is found in this: that if we fail the test, there's HOPE! We can turn around today and seek Him. He can change it. He can lead us in repentance.
You know, with a 50+ percent divorce rate, 37% porn issues among PASTORS, abortion, dishonesty and all the other stuff going on IN THE CHURCHES today, it would be very appropriate to CANCEL EVERYTHING and go to prayer as a huge group.
Are we defeated enough before the system of the world to DROP IT ALL and drop to our knees, together? There are a lot of voices offering hope in other alternatives, But that's where we have to go. Church Growth schemes are going to fail. Only seeking to please the Lord will work, when it comes to really pleasing the Lord. And that'll start by humbling ourselves before Him.
Lew
Good news about that, our prodigal son, JP, will have returned from his six weeks in Mexico. He'll be here that saturday night, and the following Sunday Night Gathering! He will leave EARLY on Monday for Kenya, though, so you'll have to catch him quickly!
This week, I've had conversations that have really made me think. I've been telling people that I'm a pastor of a church that doesn't have a building--that it's a church where you become the church, not go to one. Our gathering is not a reflection of our selves, but our desire to obey and know Christ.
I've also been thinking about prayer. You know, people will show up at all kinds of meetings. But who comes to a meeting where the only attraction is to talk with Jesus. Where he's the only reason to show up?
How does corporate prayer factor into the command of 2 Cor. 13:5
Basically, it tells us to examine ourselves (corporately) to see if we're really in the faith! It encourages us to question our standing in faith! That's radical. A lot of religious activity is geared to calm our fears about our standing. This scripture encourages us to explore them thoroughly.
Then, it says that it's possible to fail the test!! Check out that scripture!
The joy of it is found in this: that if we fail the test, there's HOPE! We can turn around today and seek Him. He can change it. He can lead us in repentance.
You know, with a 50+ percent divorce rate, 37% porn issues among PASTORS, abortion, dishonesty and all the other stuff going on IN THE CHURCHES today, it would be very appropriate to CANCEL EVERYTHING and go to prayer as a huge group.
Are we defeated enough before the system of the world to DROP IT ALL and drop to our knees, together? There are a lot of voices offering hope in other alternatives, But that's where we have to go. Church Growth schemes are going to fail. Only seeking to please the Lord will work, when it comes to really pleasing the Lord. And that'll start by humbling ourselves before Him.
Lew
Tuesday, July 6, 2004
There is PRAYER this SATURDAY from 8PM until we're done. Come as late as 1am. Knock on the back door after parking in the lot.
This is where we're at. What we do as Christians MUST come out of our face-to-face with God. We have the choice to seek Him now, or just think up stuff.
Check out Isaiah 50:10-11
"Who among you fears the LORD and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God. But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon lie down in great torment."
This refers to things that are eternal that have to do with relying on our own efforts, rather than Him. Let's not make the mistake of just trying to work it out! Let's be a people who seek Him!
Lew
This is where we're at. What we do as Christians MUST come out of our face-to-face with God. We have the choice to seek Him now, or just think up stuff.
Check out Isaiah 50:10-11
"Who among you fears the LORD and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God. But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon lie down in great torment."
This refers to things that are eternal that have to do with relying on our own efforts, rather than Him. Let's not make the mistake of just trying to work it out! Let's be a people who seek Him!
Lew
There is PRAYER this SATURDAY from 8PM until we're done. Come as late as 1am. Knock on the back door after parking in the lot.
This is where we're at. What we do as Christians MUST come out of our face-to-face with God. We have the choice to seek Him now, or just think up stuff.
Check out Isaiah 50:10-11
"Who among you fears the LORD and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God. But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon lie down in great torment."
This refers to things that are eternal that have to do with relying on our own efforts, rather than Him. Let's not make the mistake of just trying to work it out! Let's be a people who seek Him!
Lew
This is where we're at. What we do as Christians MUST come out of our face-to-face with God. We have the choice to seek Him now, or just think up stuff.
Check out Isaiah 50:10-11
"Who among you fears the LORD and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God. But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon lie down in great torment."
This refers to things that are eternal that have to do with relying on our own efforts, rather than Him. Let's not make the mistake of just trying to work it out! Let's be a people who seek Him!
Lew
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