No Outreaches! (???)



Today I got up nice and early (4am) and went to Starbucks with my friend, Matt. So, we're talking and Matt (please, call him Daniel) says to me, "we oughta get the bbq's out front and bbq with the neighbors... like a block party..." typa talk.



And I get this really strong feeling that I definitely don't wanna do that. So I start to talk from that feeling. I say some pretty confusing (to me) stuff, trying to express what I feel about it...



But here's what it is, kinda:



I dig getting to know my neighbors and having redemptive relationships where I stand for the Gospel as a living letter--where I proclaim the truth in love and am "mailed" to them by Christ. I love that stuff dearly and love the way it pans out...



But I really don't dig "OUTREACH" as a concept of what we "oughta" do. I don't seehow that works. I know how many people's lives have been absolutely changed by a free bottle of water on a hot day from a group of Christians on "outreach". I hear the stories all the time, always told by the leaders of the "outreach", trying to get us to commit to more "outreach".



And I do that kind of stuff. I love to do just that kind of stuff. And I think that Jesus likes it when people do that kind of stuff. But there's a more 24/7 version of it that i'm getting sold out to. A 24/7 version that displaces my value for the good feelings and "beyond the comfort zone" satisfaction that "outreaches" give me.



And I'm hungry to see more people discover this 24/7 love lifestyle. To see HOMES become bases of Love and real life, keeping it real with Jesus. This is deep, and pushes out the concept of "outreach" on Saturday afternoon as satisfaction of the Great Commission.



That's it! Satisfaction of the Great Commission! It just so ISN'T "outreach". It's a life ablaze... And that's so not me. "Outreach" I can do, because it begins and ends at a certain hour and after, we all feel so good... And I will do that! I'm not quitting! And none of you should, either... But there's something so incredible that awaits us if we'll SEEK THE LORD in prayer.



We don't see this kind of "outreach" in the Bible. Instead, the book of Acts describes a COMMUNITY, ablaze with the bewildering power of God! It started with pursuit and waiting in prayer, and Galatians was written to keep it one.



Yep, a lot of what's going on there is Galatian. That is to say, flesh-inspired. Sorry. It's true.



So, we're committing to stoking up the prayer meeting and the community gathered instead of the BBQ.

Yesterday we had a Bible Study at 6am in the Clifton Starbucks. It was super to get into the Word deep with a few brothers... Let's keep that up! That's good stuff...



Sunday last week was intense! There was a serious word from Acts 6 and 7, and we spent the time after it in total worship and prayer... Some were filled for the first time. Some got word from the Father...



We're waiting in Jerusalem for the Promise. That's it.

Prayer this Saturday Night.

Arrivals between 8pm and 1am.

We pray till we're done!

This Saturday.

so john writing here from the lovely land o' kenya. yep, that's right....kenya. felt the Lord was calling me to pay a visit to our sister prari and the body down here on the equator and so i bought a ticket and shipped out. it's been one killer roller coaster and i've been loving ever bit of it. i guess the biggest things i'm learning about are just how deep our faith goes. like when jesus says we can ask for anything in his name, does he really mean that? can we still ask for stuff like healings and miracles? from what i've seen and experienced, it seems to me the answer is a definite yes. i've seen some amazing things happen here....stuff like aids victims being TOTALLY healed, money showing up just when we need it, and even dogs at the point of death being healed when we pray for them. it just amazes me how much our father really cares about even the little things in our lives.



so i'm planning on being here for about another 3 weeks, then it's back to the states to finish off school and continue being a little blob of light in a big inky world. i'm working on getting some pics up of africa, so keep checking the site. love ya'll, and keep latching on to the God who first latched on to us.

Shocking Revelation!!!!

Naah, not really. just an eyecatcher.



I've been remiss at posting because our life is too rich to describe... We live in the press of tensions that rock... There's all this really cool Jesus Life going on, and all this risk and peace...



Judy's dad is settling in after a month-plus vision quest in Holland. Mom's passing has left a void for us all, but he seems to be adjusting well. We're shucks... all of us--please pass the prayer--when it comes to Mom's passing... We function well all the time, but there are gut-wrenching moments...



Today I read Henri Nouwen's book IN MEMORIAM. It is a short read. It touched me about the passing of a mother... I'll pass it on.



Daily life here is interesting. Students from all over the world, Dad, Seth is always naked, Judy is working hard every day, Lew is preaching in coffee shops and skateparks.



Interesting stuff...



Hey, God loves you. Forget the hype. Check out the cross and get with Him. You won't be sorry. You won't be the same.

Even the cats love the turkmen hats!  

We got hats from Turkmenistan! I love them. They're for boys and they're really cool. Why don't we wear cool hats like these here? I think they're gonna be all the rage...  

Here are 'Zara and the boys in Eden Park. It's a beautiful view of the Ohio River.  

Hey Everybody, Meet 'Zara. She's our exchange student from Turkmenistan. That's in Central Asia/Eurasia. It's a former Soviet State. She'll spend the next ten months with us, learning about America and Rosses... She's sixteen and sharp as a pin! We love her very much.  

This is Qadamsho, my new friend from Tajikistan. As many of you know, Judy and I place foreign exchange students on the side. It's a very flexible schedule and a great way to share our love and lives with people from across the world.  

This is a poem from one of us:



Ears that don’t hear



Disillusioned by THE LIFE

Security void but present in body

Quiet and commanding at the same time

Unpredictable… moody

Never yelling but screaming

Messages not heard by the ear.

Consumed with analysis, moving with caution.

Using the senses to tell what was near.

Stifling desires to satisfy reason.

Keeping the peace or the illusion thereof.

Becoming whatever the time demanded.

What world are we in today?

What does our mouth have to say?

Hmmm…..haven’t heard that one before, but its ok.

Why did you wake up this morning?

It’s like taking off blinders and seeing what’s ahead

and finding you’re 5 miles high on a ledge

No one to catch you or even watch you falling…

But understanding….its our calling.

Do what you can to keep from fading away into a glaze of confusion and Incomprehensible rhythm,

Lying comforted by fear

Hearing the messages not heard by the ear.

Shut off your brain and make the world stop

Long enough to choose where you land