Word Centered - Life Applied or Orthodoxy and Orthopraxy

It is 4 a.m. on Friday morning. I have been awake due to jet-lag since 2 a.m. I have been home about 26 hours and find my head and heart still swimming from Cape Town. A pull to get up so early this morning was a longing to be in the book of Ephesians - studying, praying, and reflecting on the book and how much it intersected with our discussions over the past 11 days in Cape Town.

I also find myself missing the fellowship and discussion with my table group at Cape Town as we wrestled with Ephesians together every morning.



The book of Ephesians was chosen by the Lausanne Theology working group to be the word centered focus of our gathering. For one year leading up to the Congress there was a monthly study guide on Ephesians that all participants were asked to do. Each morning the congress started with worship and the word. It was church on a grand scale. A chapter from Ephesians was dramatically read upfront. Also a drama team acted out the daily theme. Then at our tables we were to read again to ourselves and reflect upon or look for certain things like key words or repeated words/phrases. Once this was done we had a time of guided table group discussion usually centered around a grand daily theme of the congress. One of the themes was: Truth or Reconciliation. The rest of the day would be geared to that major theme.




Lastly, we heard an expository message from great pastors and theologians on the passage of the day. Those who spoke included Ajith Fernando from Sri Lanka, John Piper from the US, Ruth Padilla DeBorst from Costa Rica and Ramez Atollah from Egypt.

The goal was that we would be saturated in Scripture together and able to think biblically, critically, and theologically as we discussed and made decisions regarding 21st century challenges facing the global church. This way, for example, we would not respond emotionally to issues such as human trafficking or suffering but bring the word to bear on our theology so that our orthodoxy informed our orthopraxy! Very important!

It was incredibly rich to receive input from truly global biblical scholars who are practitioners like Piper, a pastor, or Ajith, the head of Sri Lankan Youth for Christ.

I think this is a glimpse of eternity where word and worship powerfully combine with every tribe, tongue, people and nation. Where we will gather around the Living Word to worship and know the Word - Jesus Christ. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1: 1).

More to come about Cape Town in the next few weeks. For know, I want to get back into Ephesians before Stephanie and the girls wake up!

Blessings

Mike

I have Eaten

In my travels over the years different cultures express how they are satisfied. Often the expression has food related stories.

For example, in East Central Africa the diet largely consists of Maize. When someone from Uganda or Kenya travels and returns the question is asked did they feed you? It means more than food. It means did they provide for you from a cultural context that is more hospitable than the west. It also means did they share their resources at the hosts expense in order to see their guest's needs meet. If they were not served Maize or taken care of they would respond "they did not feed me."

This week, we have been fed. Everyone feels full and satisfied. In fact, we feel so full we need to unbuckle our pants to have more room.
I am currently in the Cape Town International Airport waiting my flight. I came with others from my hotel. Others stated feelings of tiredness, a need to reflect and process, and also trying to discern where God would have them engage with one or more of the challenges we were presented with.

I too feel "full and satisfied." I need to have time to pray. I need time to reflect. I need time to interact with my board, staff, and others. I need time to determine what our role will be and pray over the opportunities presented. What would God have us do?

Please pray for these issues! Over the next two weeks I will share more challenges facing the global church, opportunities, stories from Cape Town, and how ANM may be involved.

Thanks so much for your prayers!

Mike

Final Evening

We just got into the hotel and it is now 10:50 p.m. The final evening was awesome. The service and communion was as close as we will ever get to Rev. 7 when a people from every tribe, tongue and nation is gathered around the Throne of Jesus for the marriage supper of the Lamb.

The service had a full orchestra, 200 voice choir, worship dance, video images of incredible art work from throughout church history of Christ or the Lamb woven with scripture related to the Lamb, Shepherd, sheep. Lots of responsive interaction in prayer, worship, reflection and so on. When it was time to serve the elements they were brought in with a formal dance and special way of being carried in.

It was indeed very special.

A Fire Hose of overwhelming challenges and opportunities!

Wow - what a week it has been. The days have been long. Each day has been challenging and rewarding. We have discussed, processed and learned. Tonight much of the evening was geared toward prayer but heads were nodding asleep everywhere.

Today much of the focus was on the Prosperity Gospel. It was revealed for it's theological errors, the damage it has caused, the underpinnings of it's rapid and widespread influence, and strongly renounced as a different gospel. It appears the Lusuanne working theology group will produce a document that will be a clear call to what the Gospel is and the errors of prosperity teachings.

I have seen firsthand the damage done by prosperity gospel teaching as a missionary and in my travels. It really demeans the poor and negates the theology of suffering.

Well it has been a fire hose of challenges that face the church as well as opportunities. I am still processing.

Tomorrow I have been asked to give a very brief presentation of our ministry in Liberia as part of Mission Africa. This will happen during a special lunch with ministry leaders including Lausanne leadership. There is a desire to see this model in other continents. It is still in the prayer and discussion stage. Please pray for wisdom as to what to share that exalts Christ and what the Lord will do!

I have had some incredible divine ministry appointments. There are some neat relationships and opportunities. Pray for wisdom to know how to proceed. Some of the opportunities are very significant. I cannot share at this point because this is early and it would premature to announce.

Blessings

Mike

Suffering and Reconciliation Part 2

Monday night we heard a report on the state of the church in Asia. We also had as part of the evening focus a report on persecution. Then it was personalized.

A young woman strolled out to the stage. She is 18 and from North Korea. When she was a girl her father worked as an assistant to Kim 'Il Jung. They had a good home and lacked nothing though her fellow countrymen lacked everything. Then her father fell in disfavor. They had to flee the country into China. They lost everything and her dad had to find menial work.

Soon, they were exposed to the Good News of Jesus Christ. Her family was converted. Within months of their conversion her pregnant mother died of TB. Despite more sorrow her dad started a bible study to teach others about Christ with a special burden for his people - the North Koreans. Not long after her dad was found out by the government authorities, arrested, and returned to North Korea where he was sentenced to three years in prison.

Now alone in the world, she was taken in by a Chinese Christian family. She was treated as a daughter. But, this also was short lived. This family immigrated to the US. Soon though her dad was released from prison. They were reunited in China. A South Korean family sponsored them to come to South Korea.

Upon arriving in South Korea her dad felt the strong call to return to North Korea to preach and teach about Jesus so they would be reconciled to God. Not long after he was arrested. She has not seen nor heard from him since. It is believed she reported that "he was shot to death under the false charged of espionage and sedition."

And then, through many tears she gave a passionate plea for the church to join her in taking Christ to North Korea. She then told us how one night as she was sleeping Jesus came to her in a dream. In her dream Jesus was crying. He said to her "whatever happened to you in the past was because I love you." She then knew she had a heavenly father and a mission from God.

It was very moving to hear her story as we reflected that evening on the scale of persecution and suffering. So far she is the only one that has received a standing ovation.

The ovation was for her in love out of what she has suffered. It was due to her bravery and courage. It was in solidarity with her that the global church recognizes the need for Jesus to be know and worshiped in North Korea.
It was due to the fact she chose to love, forgive and wants to be an instrument of reconciliation.

Blessings

Mike

For a photo of her, you may go to this link:

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You will have top copy and paste this whole address. Then scroll down to the bottom right.

Tears for China

As the Congress began there was excitement to meet the leaders of the Chinese church. We received word the first night that Chinese delegates were being stopped at the airports and having their passports removed until after the congress and were prevented from attending the congress.

The following night part of the evening focused on the persecuted church. Then the stage filled with the CT and Lausanne leadership team. We were informed that the Chinese delegation (over 100) was not allowed to leave the country and passports were taken. You could feel the air go out of the room - so many wanted to hear from them, learn from them, and have them join the global church. It was a great disappointment! One Asian leader said "to not have the Chinese church here is like not having Brazil at the World Cup." Obviously Brazil has been a dominant influence in soccer world wide.

Then the CT leadership read a moving letter from the Chinese church delegation to the participants at CT to encourage us - imagine that? We should be the ones encouraging them!

The letter read "we accept the decision quietly and with hope.". They sent their greetings with scriptures: Phil. 1:29; 2 Cor. 6: 3-10; Jas. 1:19; Job 6:10 and Ps. 42: 1 and 2.

Then they sent a recorded song for us. Some of the words were: "The withered trees revive in the Spring. The voice of the Cross is heard in the wilderness. With obedience they follow the footprints of the Lord."

At that point we were all asked to stand behind our chairs with the symbolism that the empty seats were for the Chinese and that they have a place at the table. It was also a show of solidarity that we were praying for them. Lastly, without being political, because the congress is being broadcast globally - the public statement upfront and in prayer was to the authorities that the global church means no harm to China but that we believe in religious freedom.

There were many tears for China.
Heavy night but also knowing that the Lord loves the Chinese church and will minister to His people.

On a personal level, I met a large ministry leader who has oversight of ministry in China. He and three others were able to get out of China due to the passports they have. But there is great concern now that they will not be allowed back into China. This ministry leader is the boss of dear life-long friends (couple) of Stephanie and me. They are all making contingency plans for evacuation of the families if they are refused entry because they were here at CT. Due to association, our friend and his family are also preparing in case they are forced to leave. We will pray and "station ourselves on the ramparts and wait and see" how the Lord responds.

Pray for China and our friends!

Mike

Suffering and Reconciliation Part 1

As I have met so many from around the globe it is clear that suffering in some form has been common. Around my daily discussion group table is an example of a wider picture of the 4100 church and ministry leaders.

I cannot share a couple of their names nor photos for security reasons. Our table leader is Serbian and grew up in Bosnia. During the protracted Balkan war in the mid-90's she and her family had to escape and flee to Serbia.
She was in her mid-teens. They lost everything. If you do not remember, genocide was taking place in the Balkans. It was through this painful experience she found peace in Christ.

One man at our table is a pastor in Gambia, West Africa. He lives in a context that is 90 percent Muslim.

Another man is from a country in SE Asia. He has experienced a couple wars, communism and persecution of the church.

The other woman at our table grew up under Apartheid in South Africa. She experienced the brutilization of people because of skin color and government policies.


Another man had to flee his home in Southeast Asia during war. He was seperated from his family and did not know if they had gotten out of the country nor if they were dead or alive. It was four years before he heard and was reunited.

I have met those who have been imprisoned, lost family, been brutalized physically, live in contexts hostile to the Gospel and so on. Everyone I have met has a significant story.

The grand theme of the congress is "God in Christ, reconciling the world." (2 Cor. 5: 18-20). For everyone I have met this week that has suffered profusely - this passage is lived out daily. They are church and ministry leaders who have chosen to forgive and be ministers of reconciliation to man and to God in Christ Jesus.

It is pretty inspiring to be around those who "have counted the cost and count it all loss.". "He gave us the ministry of reconciliation." (2 Cor. 5: 18-20).

Is there anyone you believe has unjustly hurt you? Is there someone you have suffered from? Have you chosen to forgive and try to reconcile?

Mike

Welcome!

Inside the Congress

Opening Ceremony

Opening Ceremony: Wow!

On Sunday afternoon the Cape Town 2010 Congress began with the official opening ceremony. It was incredible to walk into the Cape Town International Convention Center with so many people from all over the globe. So many were dressed in traditional formal costumes for the opening ceremony. This event is historic in that it is the largest gathering ever of Christians from around the world - literally about 200 nations. Never in history has this happened.

To enrich and maximize the experience they have everyone seated at tables of six for almost all sessions. By doing this the experience is more interactive, participatory, and relational. At my table we have a varied group from four continents. I will share later more about my group.

The opening ceremony was rich with colorful expressions of welcome from all over Africa. The music, dance, costumes, African drum group, video of sights and sounds of Africa was expressive, powerful and beautiful. Then we had a multi-ethnic global choir, orchestra, drama team and a multi-ethnic worship band.

The evening was a great delight as we lifted our voices and sang praises to the Lord in English, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, German, French, Zulu, etc..., etc... I honestly do not think I will taste again this side of eternity what is a reflection of Revelation 5 and 7 - "and I saw around the throne a people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation praising the Lord and saying..."

I am so humbled to be here! At the end of the day how do you express something so profoundly special, beautiful, meaningful, spiritual, personal?

All I can say is: WOW!

Blessings

Mike

Divine Apppointments

Yesterday I was able to head to the Cape Town International Convention Center to register for the CT 2010 Congress. Most of the delegates arrive today and tomorrow. That said, as I walked into the convention center I was immediately struck by the global nature of the event. I met young stewards there to help and delegates from Brazil, Australia, China, Finland, Sweden etc... Although I have spent time in some truly global cities such as London I do not think I have ever seen such diversity in such a compact place. Amazing!

Anyway, one of my prayer requests has been for divine appointments that would lead to future ministry. God is so funny in how He answers.

So right after I register I head to a empty table to put together all the congress paraphanalia they gave us. At the same time a young man joins me from a country in Asia. As we greeted one another and spoke I learned he was from the one country (not to be named) I do not like going to.

Sure enough we hit it off and his ministry has a very active outreach and pastoral training ministry to a border country that is unreached, closed and hostile to Christianity. As we finished our interaction he three times invited me to come to minister there! A little cross-cultural news is that in certain Asian contexts when something is said three times it is a strong affirmation either positive or negative so the invitation was a strong yes!

I left the interchange inwardly laughing. God knows I do not like this cultural setting and really struggle with it. But the first invitation and contact is from a place I do not like going to on a personal level. Yet, I promised the Lord when I first became a Christian that I would "go where ever, do whatever, no matter the cost." The cost of true discipleship requires this part of the cross.

Yet in American I hear far too often in the church "I am not wired that way." Or "that is not my gift, calling, expertise, etc, etc...".

Question: have you limited God's use of you because your not "comfortable" with what He has asked?

It appears I may again go where "I am not willing" at some point in the future because the love of Christ compels me. We shall see how the Lord develops this opportunity to an unreached people and a restricted access country in Asia.

Blessings

Mike

First Few Days in Cape Town

The first two days I have stayed at a hotel called the Parliament. It was a clean three star hotel near the SA Parliament and in the heart of the Cape Town city center. There is a photo posted below of the view from the Parliament Hotel in the center of the city. The view is part of the famous Table Mountain.

I spent the first day walking around the city - exploring different sites such as the botanical gardens first established in the late 1600's.

Another interesting site is St. Georges Cathedral. It was the church Archbishop Desmond Tutu led. Inside is a beautiful work of art commissioned in London by the famous Tate museum and these special commissioned works of art rarely ever leave London. The work is a black African Madonna (Mary with infant Christ) carved from a special wood.

It was from this church that Tutu, after an all night prayer vigil, sensed the Lord leading him to call for peaceful marches throughout South Africa to end Arparthied in 1989.

Shortly thereafter he and the mayor of Cape Town lead a march of 30,000. This march was soon repeated all over South Africa. Check out the photo of the plaque commemorating this historic event that eventually led to freedom and equality to all South Africans.

Amazing how the church and people with deep love for Christ are always at the beginning of movements that fight to change injustice. "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly before your God?" (Micah 6:8)

I felt that I could do more to speak up for injustice around the world - how about you in the community you live in? I was challenged by this and the memorial in the church!

Blessings

Mike

Thoughts from London

I am currently sitting in a British Airways lounge. It is a long day with a five hour layover in Seattle and a seven hour layover in London! It is so fascinating to walk around the airport since London is such an international global city. There are people from all corners of the globe reflecting various dress and languages.

Everywhere there are tv's tuned into the incredible rescue efforts of the Chilean miners. As I have people watched and even had brief conversations with folks caught up in the drama, heroic efforts and rescued lives I am amazed how people are in some fashion praying and thanking their version of a god or higher power.

As the historic rescue takes place I cannot help but think of the reason we are gathering in Cape Town - to launch a global church response to those trapped in "mines" - places of darkness, no light, lacking much (impoverished), in order to rescue those who Isaiah says are "hidden treasures in secret places."

Oh if only the global church would awaken and have the same intense effort at prayer and cooperation and then launch rescue efforts to those who have never heard. "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" who has come to set the "captives free", preaching and teaching the Good News and the Gospel of the Kingdom (ref. Mark 1).

Food for thought with approx. 2,300 unreached peoples left in darkness needing immediate rescue before they die and head into eternal darkness.

Mike
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Off to Cape Town 2010! Part 2

Well today I begin an incredible journey to attend Cape Town 2010. As Stephanie and I drove to the airport in Redmond we spent time in prayer. Stephanie prayed in a way that I had not thought about - that today, across the globe over 5000 people from 200 countries begin the journey to Cape Town. The significance of this gathering is immense.

As the participants fly in to discuss global evangelization and global challenges such as HIV/AIDS, human trafficking, and poverty it is clear that the enemy of all that is true and right and good in Christ Jesus, Satan, wants to thwart and disrupt and discourage.

Please pray for the enormous logistical, governmental, and logistical challenges the Executive Leadership Team faces. Pray for those coming from countries and areas of the world that are hostile to Christians. We are already hearing of delegates from parts of the world where their government is threatening them that they cannot leave.

Today I learned there will be two gatherings of all the US delegates - at the beginning and end of Cape Town 2010. It will be a time to intentionally network with US ministry leaders. It is also designed to help determine the US role at CT and after CT. There will also be a post-CT gathering in Orlando sometime in 2011 to determine the US church's response to US evengelization and global missions after reflection and time home for several months.

Today on the flight to Seattle I read a 26 page case for Redeemer Presbyterian Church's view of reaching the largest global cities of the world. They have planted almost 200 churches globally in cities such as London, Rio, Mexico City, Tokyo, etc. A dear friend and former roommate is on staff with Redeemer and oversees the church planting strategy. It is an inspiring work of God to claim the largest cities of the world for Christ. It is an effective means of church planting movements and seeing cities redeemed. If you think about it, these large urban cities of the world are the global influencers today - no longer nation states. In an era of globalization these large cities are the cultural centers for art, media, technology, finance, education and so forth.

I will be meeting my friend, Mark, in CT to learn more about this significant strategy that is being mightily used by the Lord and has possible opportunities for ANM. Consider this fact - 150,000 non-christians move to large cities every day around the globe. This is indeed fertile ground for evangelism and new church plants. And as you read the book of Acts and early church history, the early church targeted the major or capital cities of the Roman Empire. Food for thought and prayer!

Off to Cape Town 2010! Part 1

Tomorrow, Tuesday the 12th, I leave for Cape Town 2010 – The Third International Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization. This will truly be an historic gathering. Please join us in prayer. We have heard that the representatives from China are having trouble with leaving for Cape Town. They have done much to prepare, raise funds, book flights and get visas. There are other reports from around the globe that make it clear the enemy of souls and global evangelization wants to disrupt, discourage, and thwart those who go and the congress itself. Pray for the Lord’s clear guidance of His people, our every step, thought, action, discussion – that all would bring Him great glory and honor and blessing.

Pray for my family – it has been an unusually intense and painful year. Pray that the Lord would grant my wife, Stephanie, strength, peace, joy, and courage while I am gone. Pray for the Lord’s covering over my kids and home – it seems the enemy often attacks the home front while I am gone. This will be my longest trip since we have had kids. Pray that the Lord would sustain my physical health – my neck and also immune system. With over 5,000 people coming from 200 countries it is clearly an opportune time for bugs to be passed around. Pray that I would not be exposed nor get sick. Pray that God would clearly lead me with divine appointments, new life-long friendships and ministry partnership. Pray that the Lord would settle His presence on Cape Town and that the delegates would clearly hear His voice and leading for the future of the global church.

I will send updates as I can.