To Honduras and Back

Bio-Notes

. . . Pat Enbody:

Pat accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior at the age of six. She had attended a revival service in Lawrence, Kansas, with her family, and her dad asked her if she wanted to go forward and make a declaration of her faith, and she did! She attended Friends Academy High School in Haviland, Kansas, completed two years of junior college, was a beauty school instructor, and taught HeadStart. Serving other people is Pat’s favorite use of free time - especially children. "Children have been my life. I adopted eight and had three of my own. I’ve been a guardian and foster parent many times, and have always wanted to do these things. He gives us the desires of our hearts."

Latest reading material: Jesus Manifesto by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola

The House: Our focus for the January newsletter is on "walking out our faith". Pastor Nick wanted to hear more about your trip to Honduras, as it certainly represents this aspect of spiritual discipline.

Pat: I sponsor Jensy, a girl at the Children’s Village, Tegucialpita, Honduras, a part of Worldwide Heart to Heart Ministries. Jensy is fifteen now, but our relationship began two years ago. We write letters to one another faithfully, and I promised her one day I would come to see her.

The House: Many of us sponsor children in other countries. How did you come to the decision to take this trip?

Pat: As I said, I had promised Jensey one day I would visit her. And then, last January a woman who takes teams on trip for WWH2H asked me, "Have you ever thought about going to visit Jansey?"

This was WAY out of my comfort zone! I had never done anything like this. I was shocked. But, I decided this was an invitation I couldn’t pass up. I began getting my shots, getting the paperwork done, and buying my plane ticket.

The House: What kind of impact has this had on you since your return?

Pat: I am so aware of how here at home we think our happiness is in our "stuff". We think we have to be surrounded by our possessions. The children of the Children’s Village are happy to have food and shelter. Two lane roads serve as their "freeways". Mechanics come along to broken-down vehicles on a bicycle, with their tools on their backs. Every day, electricity and water is only available half the time. And yet, these are happy people. No one I met has a car. They walk to church, but the church was full at worship time. We ate with the children every day. They ate beans, rice, soup, chicken and tortillas every day, but it was good!

Mothers who can’t feed their children bring them to the orphanage and beg them to take their children, so they will be fed and clothed. These mothers come after working all day to visit their children at the orphanage, go to church with them, and mother them as best they can even though they can’t afford to keep their children with them. All of this, we take as our privilege, without considering what a privilege it is to be able to do so.

The House: You returned after 10 days there this November. What was Thanksgiving like for you this year?

Pat: This was the most thankful Thanksgiving I’ve ever experienced. When Jansey and I were introduced, she was so amazed that I came to see her that she cried. I had told her I would make the trip, but she was still touched that I was really there.

While I was there, Nora, 13, another of the teenagers there, asked if she could sing for me. She sang, "Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord," and she meant it! She has inspired me to see people through the spiritual eyes of my heart, through God’s eyes.

The House: What was the greatest reward to your faith walk from the trip?

Pat: To see the work the Lord is doing. My team had the joy of leading a 13-year-old to know Him while I was there. I got to take part in his Kingdom while here on earth. We should be excited about what we get to do to participate with God in what he is doing while we’re here.

I’m convinced these children who are being saved from starvation and death have been saved for a special purpose the Lord has in mind for them. Their faith will be strong because of their struggle to survive. It’s a privilege to get to be part of ministry at this time in my life.

In two years I lost my mother, my husband, a son, 12, and a step-son, 32. This invitation to go to Honduras and meet Jensy was in God’s timing. I had been through a lot of grief. This was like a gift from Him to bring me out of my grief and give me purpose and direction again.

The House: What would you say to the people of EHA who might be interested in having this kind of experience?

Pat: Get involved in this ministry, or another like it! Contact WWH2H at wwh2h.org to sponsor a child. Support the Byrom family in Sarajevo/Bosnia. Find out how you can help someone locally. Try to give your life away! You can’t out-give God! You will get back more than you can ever give away!

I am so grateful to the people at EHA who prayed for me. I specifically asked for prayers that I would be able to keep up physically with my team, not get sick, and have the energy to do what we went to do. It is a twelve-hour flight to get there. We stayed at the orphanage. We were with the children all day, and had meetings every night, the seven of us, to sort 18 duffel bags of gifts into packages for the children for Christmas. It was hard, but so worth it. ALL those prayers were answered in abundance! Thank you!

The House: And the future?

Pat: I’m already planning my next trip! In November, 2011, I’ll be going back to teach 12 high school girls to sew. This will be a skill they will be able to use well.

I’m so blessed to have this opportunity. God is so good to me. I can see other people as He would want me to, because He has opened the eyes of my heart.

Walking Out Our Faith

These past three months, The House has focused on the spiritual practice of Solitude; Practicing the Presence; how to "be" with God. It has been a rich experience to hear from one another as we look for words to say what it means to have a lively relationship with God, exploring what it means to be in close communion with Him.

And now, it seems the Holy Spirit is reminding us that the natural response to that experience is "walking out our faith", "putting feet to our prayers", "walking the talk", and "making new resolutions".

"All Jesus' words and actions emerge from his intimate relationship with his Father. ‘ Do you not believe,’ Jesus says, ‘that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? What I say to you I do not speak of my own accord: it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his works. You must believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe it on the evidence of these works’ (John 14:10-11).

"Just as all Jesus' words and actions emerge from his communion with his Father, so all our words and actions must emerge from our communion with Jesus. ‘In all truth I tell you,’ he says, ‘whoever believes in me will perform the same works as I do myself, and will perform even greater works. ... Whatever you ask for in my name I will do’ (John 14:12-13). It is this profound truth that reveals the relationship between the spiritual life and the life of ministry."

Henri Nouwen

There are so many amazing ways we can make our lives available to God to "perform the same works" as Jesus did! The House will share the ideas and experiences of six ways; but YOUR story, YOUR path, is as unique as our God is! What direction will He lead YOU in this new year? Please consider the challenge of participating in something from one of these six, or following as the Holy Spirit leads you to another – and write to us to share where He takes you! Remember, the word "enthusiasm" means "God in us" and/or "belief in special revelations of the Holy Spirit"!

Love INC

One great way to follow Jesus’ leading in this adventure of faith is a very practical one. The good news is – YOU are already a part of it, because you are a part of East Hills!! East Hills decided many months ago to be one of several participating local churches in something called Love INC (Love In the Name of Christ). Love INC of Cowlitz County is a network of local churches, church volunteers, and community organizations coming together to help people in need.

Through a clearinghouse, Love INC will receive requests for help, screen the requests for extent of need and legitimacy, and refer the request to a local church ministry, church volunteer, or community agency. Love INC will follow up to ensure the need was met and to offer spiritual support.

The beautiful thing about Love INC is that it isn’t just another social service agency trying to meet needs – it’s meeting needs in the Name of Jesus. The church (us!) can take its rightful place in the front of the line James was talking about when He said, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress." –James 1:27

In the next few months, you will be invited to name ways you feel equipped to help people in need; given the opportunity to use your unique gifts and talents in specific, manageable ways to serve others. Perhaps you can begin now to pray about how God wants to use the abilities and interests He gave you in very real and practical ways, so that when the question comes, you will be ready to answer!

In this issue, we will also hear from Jason Hoover and Habitat for Humanity, an opportunity to challenge yourself in a hike into the mountains with Jason, Pat Enbody’s Honduras mission trip experience, Anna Milligan’s letter from Cambodia, and Pastor Nick’s article about A.W. Tozer’s "Five Resolutions to Make and Keep".

Where will YOU walk with God this year?!? God’s Blessings on your travels! Please write and tell us about your journey!

Send your thoughts, questions, ideas, book recommendations and experiences to: hagle54@gmail.com, or Mary Hagle c/o EHA, 1405 East Burcham Street, Kelso WA 98626.

We grow as we share . . .

Mary Hagle, Editor

The House

Habitat for Humanity

A little over a year ago our church was given the opportunity to partner with other churches in the region to build a house as part of a Habitat for Humanity (HFH) project. I was asked to coordinate the volunteers with the Habitat organization. I felt there were many benefits to working with Habitat.

• People of the Longview-Kelso area see the EHA name somewhere out in the community away from the church building.
• A family in need gets help through the use of our talents
• God's will is accomplished here on earth through serving
• God's name is glorified instead of reviled
• A sense of community both inside and outside the church is created through a shared serving experience
• A person can learn how to repair or remodel a house in a non-threatening way.
• Getting to know other people in our church and outside of our church

As you can read there were many benefits working on a Habitat home. Even if a person had no experience, a warm welcome was extended and the person was made to feel that he or she was involved as much as anyone else. A typical day started around 8:30 a.m. and began with a gathering of all who were there for a quiet time/devotional followed by a review of all safety procedures. No one is asked to perform a task that is unsafe or makes a person feel uncomfortable. Afterwards the Habitat co-ordinator started describing and assigning tasks based usually on ability and experience. Inexperienced people are usually paired up with a more knowledgeable person who guides the task. Around the noon lunch time, other volunteers show up with a fantastic lunch already prepared so the workers take a break to eat but do not have to take time for food preparation or cleanup. Providing lunches is another option for volunteering for those who feel they have no construction skills. Our EHA group always had someone ready to step in and provide a great lunch. Usually the work started winding down around 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. unless the day’s tasks were completed before that time.

The work is not always the "fun stuff". Many times there is menial work to be done, but the next big project cannot get started until the little stuff like preparation and clean up get done. But it is work that must be done. Menial work is well… menial, but many times this type of work provided for more time to interact with co-workers. Learning who had grandkids, where someone worked, or other little known facts about your co-workers can be a great menial job reliever. You find out that there is more to the someone when you spend an afternoon prepping window protection for upcoming texturing of the walls.

What if I make a mistake? Usually if you are not sure of what to do you will find a foreman and ask him or her. But mistakes still happen. On our project our team worked hard in the morning to prepare and install the trusses for the roof. Our goal was to get the trusses up and complete as much of the roof sheeting as possible. Our team was pumped and making good progress. But the truss installers noticed the measurements used to keep the trusses even were starting to vary from the expected measurements. The more trusses we installed, the larger the difference between actual and expected measurements. the installation stopped and the foreman was consulted. After 15 minutes of consultations and pouring over the blueprints, it was determined that the Habitat foreman made a mistake in the laying out of the truss measurements. Our team had to pull up 12 installed trusses (about half of what was to be installed) and start over with the corrected measurements. Our team could have complained and grumped and walked out. The team was frustrated and disappointed, but we did not feel as bad as the Habitat foreman. So we applied God’s grace, tried not to show our disappointment and reset the trusses with no grumbling. After all the hard work, we still were able to set all the trusses and get the first couple of sheets of roof underlayment on top of the trusses so the next crew could easily finish the roof. So our group had a great opportunity to practice God’s grace.

We are not involved as a church with a Habitat project at this point in time, but do not let that hold you back. The local Habitat organization is currently building a house in Kelso and is continually asking for volunteers to help in the construction. There are plans for another house in Longview probably starting next spring or summer, so there are current and future opportunities for ministry through Habitat. There have been inquiries into if EHA will be involved in another build. I cannot say one way or another at this point, but there may be some from the church involved on an informal basis.

I would definitely encourage you to consider working on a Habitat project if you have any inclination or feel God’s tug on your heart. There are so many ways to be involved that anyone can find a place to contribute. Feel free to ask me if have questions about Habitat or you are interested in becoming involved somehow.

--Jason Hoover

Weekend Warriors

Our day around the city was another wet one. We seem to have brought Washington's weather over this valley for as long as we are here! It was powerful to stand on top of the city's highest building and pray for this wonderful city. As I mentioned in another post, we continue to feel a spiritual heaviness when we go to pray. I literally feel a tightness in my stomach when we pray here in public places. I am the first to admit that I don't always sense spiritual dynamics, but something is going on in the spiritual realm here. On the one hand it is very exciting to enter into this through prayer, but on the other hand, it also feels discouraging. You know how in some places, you just feel like praying? I would say Sarajevo is the opposite! If feels like some force is preventing us from prayer. Please keep praying!

We enjoyed a meal together, and then went to a movie. It's a bit of trip watching a movie in English and then seeing all the Bosnian subtitles. Oh- and they have assigned seating! Better get there early.

Today I got to preach at two of the local churches. Having each sentence translated makes the flow of a message very difficult, but it was such a tremendous honor to preach here. I feel like God was at work in the messages- I believe He can communicate in any language. The one picture here is taken from the very back of the room- yes, it is very small!

One more day to go and visit Mostar tomorrow. If you want to know what we'll be experiencing, google "stari most" bridge. We should have some good photo ops there!

It won't be long and we'll be touching down in the States again. Can't wait to see you!

Nick

Camp Ends

Yesterday was the final day of our English Camp as well as the open house program in the evening. I can't imagine a better end to our week! We were truly overwhelmed by the response. Every kid and at least one parent came back to the program. It was evident in so many ways that this week had meant a great deal not only to the kids, but also to the parents. We had numerous families asking, "When will you be back? When will you do this again? Why are you leaving?" A few parents had even gotten together and bought us gifts! This week made a deep impact here and we believe it created many, many connections with Sarajevans that the Byroms and others will be able to follow-up on.

We also gave our high school helpers some gifts to thank them for all the time they spent translating for us. You would have loved to see their reactions. They exclaimed, "This is too much! Why would you do this for us?" They were shocked that we would have gifts for them. I think they felt that we were doing them a favor by letting them work with us on their English. But we would have been lost without all their translating help. I think our team has left a lasting impression with them that we hope will lead to spiritual fruit in their lives.

Today we are off to pray our way around the city. Please pray for me if you get a chance- I have been asked to preach at two services tomorrow. Pray that God will give me the right topic and the right words to encourage the believers here. I am honored by this opportunity!

Our trip is winding down, but God is still at work! Thanks for your partnership with us-

Nick

English Camp: Day 4

The English Camp continues to go incredibly well. The kids are having so much fun, and each day we see more and more joy on their faces. It will be difficult to say good-bye tomorrow! Today we handed out free shirts with the Center's new logo on them. Hopefully this will get the name out there and people will recognize the Cultural Center as a great place to go and learn English. Thanks for supporting our team- your support enabled us to bring these shirts!

One of the best parts of the camp has been having our team interact with four Bosnian teenage girls. They have been our translators in many situations and have been a huge help. Today I wanted to invite you to be praying for them. They are Bosnian Muslims who really want to see their country have a better future. We are hoping that they will see in us a true difference that might lead them to truth. Their names are Mary, Anni, Dina, Nelly.

Michelle and I did English speaking practice with two of them tonight. They are so great- we would love to bring them home with us as exchange students! Not going to happen, but we really connected well with them.

Tomorrow is the big day- connecting with parents in the evening will be very crucial for the Byroms and Eikosts. Please continue to pray for us!

Nick

English Camp: Day 3

We have successfully reached the mid-week point of the English Camp! Everything continues to go very well, and every single kid continues to come back. Each day, they seem more connected and open to us. It is such a joy to watch them get a little more animated each day.

We see a big part of our trip being our opportunity to encourage people here. Tonight, we "forced" Mark and Debbie to go out on a date while we hung out with their girls. Before you get too impressed with this 'sacrifice', you should realize that we spent the night playing card games and eating donuts! Their girls are great and we were glad to give Mark and Debbie a break from us. :-)

A big prayer request right now is the Friday night program. We are inviting all of the kids back with their parents to perform their drama and sing some of the songs. This is a new approach for the Byroms, so be praying that families feel compelled to come back. We are hopeful that this will lead to many, many open doors for future ministry.

Thanks for being a part of the team with us-

Nick

Why We Pray

One of the common themes we are running across in our time here, whether we are talking to missionaries or to local believers, is that this is a very difficult place for the gospel to advance. People are very unresponsive to the message of Jesus. While this issue prevails across much of modern Europe, Sarajevo is the first city with which I have had personal connection. I would like to share with you what I am sensing from God concerning this city.

From my perspective, the issue in this city is NOT a lack of missionaries. As I have said elsewhere, we've met as many missionaries as believers. There are Christ-followers on the University campus, Christ-followers working in the city, Christ-followers working with the poor. All report the same experience: little to no response. The issue in this city is NOT a lack of a clear message. The pastors here are passionate preachers of God's word, and they handle Scripture accurately and in ways accessible to anyone. The issue in this city is NOT a lack of passion. The believers here are crying out for their city. They want to see God change this city with the love of Christ. The worship is powerful. And these passionate people are making repeated, creative attempts to reach people. Yet the result is the same: little to no response.

From my perspective, the issue in this city is almost entirely spiritual. For whatever reason, Darkness has a grip on this city and for whatever reason the Light has not YET penetrated. And I know of only one way to enter into a spiritual battle: PRAYER. We could easily give more money, send more people, or offer more ideas and encouragement. But none of these are lacking. What is lacking is a true move of God's Spirit in the hearts and minds of the Bosnian people.

So, may I plead with you? Become a prayer warrior for Bosnia. If you give money, give as much prayer. Our money is needed, but until the spiritual battle is won, it will continue to have little return on our investment. How can you pray?
1)Pray that spiritual darkness and oppression in this city will lift.
2)Pray that the enemy will have no power to hold people in bondage and oppression.
3)Pray that hearts and eyes would be opened to the love of Jesus.
4)Pray that God would miraculously and supernaturally be revealing Himself.
5)Pray for spiritual breakthrough.
6)Pray that God would empower and strengthen His people here.
And finally...
7)Pray that the LIGHT of CHRIST would shine in this city and that God would win the victory!

May God convince each one of us deeply that prayer is not the prelude to the work, but that prayer in and of itself is the work we have been called to do.

Blessings-
Nick

Kid's Camp: Day 2

The second day of our English speaking camp went very well. The kids came back excited and with seeming anticipation for the fun they knew they would have. Everything has gone so smoothly and it really feels like everyone, kids, adults, and helpers alike, are all having a great week. So far, our energy levels are good and we are staying healthy. You can be praying for Jocelyn, Mark and Debbie's second daughter. She came down with something today and has felt rotten all day.

I will add another post of a spiritual perspective in a moment, but for now I thought you might like to see some of the fun moments of today!

1)The hokey pokey is popular here in Bosnia, too.

2) The kids work on their surfing drama.

3) Mark Byrom having a little too much fun.

4) Surfin' Sam. I do not know this man.

5) The river flowing through the middle of Sarajevo, swollen with rain that just won't stop. Ah, feels like home.

Thanks for all of your prayers! We can feel them-
Nick

Kid's Camp: Day 1

Today was the beginning of our long-anticipated English Camp for kids. We ended up having 19 kids show up today, which was a great size of group to work with. We divided them up into two groups for most of the day and rotated them through music, drama, crafts, and recreation. Everything seemed to go SO well- we are off to a great start. The kids seem interested, attentive, and enjoying themselves. They have been encouraged to invite friends, so we'll see how many show up tomorrow! Here's what the team had to say about today:

Michelle: My highlight was seeing how excited the kids got when Surfer Sam came into the room. (played by Nick in a long, blond wig.)

Mike: I was moved out of my comfort zone and had a great time with the kids today.

Caleb: I am the youngest member of the team. Still. Ha, ha, ha! It's exciting to be carrying the presence of God into this dark place. Our connection with the kids was capital.

Bob: The rain is wet here. But kids love playing games at the Center.

Chris: I enjoyed our high school helpers, who enjoyed the crafts as much as the kids did! (We have three Bosnians helping us.)

Jason: Just call me the little drummer boy. (Jason played a tupperware tub for acoustics during music time.) It was also fun to see some escargot in their natural habitat.

Nick: Teaching kids drama is difficult in English, and even more challenging when the kids speak Bosnian. But it is very satisfying to watch the kids have fun with us. Fun is a universal language. So is love.

Laura (Mark Byrom's daughter): My favorite part was EVERYTHING!

Take 4 minutes here and enjoy our day in a Slideshow.

Keep us in your prayers- tomorrow night we will begin taking turns at the cultural center as Bosnians come in to practice their English. The three guys go tomorrow night. (Jason, Mike, and Caleb)

Peace-
Nick

The Global Body

Yesterday was a time for us to visit some of the local Bosnian churches. In the morning, our group split into two and participated at two different locations. Michelle and I visited a church in the East part of the city that Mark and Debbie Byrom attend regularly. Caleb and Mike also join us. I had the privilege of preaching a "mini sermon" before the real sermon. Evidently, they do this every week. My message was 7 and 1/2 minutes long, and that's with translation. I know, most of you are shocked by this. Mike and Caleb helped Mark teach Sunday School for the older kids. All I know is that there were bagpipes involved.

Bob, Chris, and Jason attended a church in the West part of town that Mark and Kathy Eikost regularly attend. Jason played on the worship team and Bob was given an opportunity to share about our team. He took the opportunity to also share his testimony. Way to go, Bob!

In the evening, our whole group attended the Malta church, which is where the guys are staying in a dorm. This is a very hip church- they've made some worship CDs and have audio/visual equipment on par with churches 5 and 10 times their size. We enjoyed worshiping with them even in Bosnian. Jason played guitar (again) and Caleb helped out on drums. All 7 of us wore headphones to hear the sermon translated in real time. I didn't want to take a picture mid-sermon, but we were quite a sight.

The churches averaged 25-30 people, and that's being generous. Almost half of the attendance was foreign missionaries. It is stunning to think that we may have met half of all the believers in Sarajevo. The messages were all very powerful. God is definitely at work in these churches and in the hearts of these pastors, but for some reason they are making very little progress into this city. But I was very encouraged by their passion and their words of encouragement to live out our faith. I think in a city like this, the Bosnian believers are very aware that preaching the gospel won't be enough- the gospel must be seen in action!

Be praying for these churches! They are such a minority, but they are truly believing God for big things. In this place, 1 out of every 4,000 people are believers. Pray for Pastor Slavko, Pastor Zelko, and Pastor Sasha. They need our help!

Blessings-
Nick

Seeing the City, Catching God's Heart

We spent our first full day in Sarajevo taking a brief tour of the city and enjoying some local cuisine. The cevapi (small veal sausages in pita bread with creamy butter) is really excellent! A young couple from one of the local churches gave us a tour. They are both native Sarajevans (is that a word?) and have some unique perspective having lived in the city during the years of war and siege. (1992-1995) Unfortunately, we seemed to have brought the rain to Bosnia with us. We had our umbrellas up off and on all day. We stood on the spot where World War I began, visited a local mosque, and walked through numerous markets.

We also went up to the Cultural Center and saw the progress there. The place looks great- they have completely renovated it and are now opening it up to the public. The location is truly amazing- the street below is more like a courtyard. When we walked through yesterday, there were hundreds of people milling about at cafes, drinking coffee, and watching soccer. We canvased this area, as well as several other areas within walking distance, handing out fliers for the English Camp. Even though we spoke different languages, most people seemed very open to receiving the information. Please continue to pray for more registrations to the Camp!

As our team spends time around this great city, we are beginning to sense God's incredible love for this people. It is a very religious culture, with mosques, cathedrals, synagogues, and churches dotting the landscape. But for most, religion has actually become something that keeps them distant from God. Religion and culture are tied together, so to be Bosnian is to be Muslim, regardless of actual heart belief. Pray that God will continue to break through this barrier so that people can discover His true love for them.

Peace-
Nick

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On the Ground

We are in SARAJEVO!

Our lengthy 22.5 hour trip over here went off without a hitch and we are enjoying our first full day here in the capital of Bosnia.

Mark Byrom met us at the airport and ferried all of us and our bags to the various places where we are staying. After everyone was settled, we met up at the Byroms for a little Bosnian pizza and orientation. It was rather humorous to look around the room as Mark shared some material with us, because various team members kept nodding off. Pillows were thrown and legs kicked in order to keep everyone conscious. Most of us had been up over 28 hours at that point and fighting off sleep was a real challenge. But these mean missionaries forced us to stay awake until 9 PM so that we would be sure to get a full night's sleep.

I have to hand it to the Byroms- they are wise! After being forced to stay up until 9, I slept a full night. We'll get together with the rest of the team in a bit and hopefully their experience was the same. Today will be spent getting a feel for the city, visiting the cultural center, and then passing out advertisements for the English Camp tonight in old downtown Sarajevo.

Please continue to pray for group health. Also, pray for great responsiveness to the English Camp invitations. This is the first time the Bosnian team has done an English Camp in Sarajevo, and so it has been more challenging to get people interested. Pray that we could shine the Light of Christ in this place. Finally, pray that we would be a great encouragement to the Bosnian Team here.


Blessings!
Nick

(All the pictures are from Mark and Debbie Byrom's balcony)

European Travel

Howdy folks! So far, so good! We are sitting in Vienna, Austria, just a few short hours away from a departure to Sarajevo. It is hard to believe that by this evening we'll be sharing a meal with Mark and Debbie Byrom in their apartment.

If you're checking this blog, thanks for tracking with our team! Please take a moment and pray that God would use us to be a light in Sarajevo!

More to follow-
Nick

One Step Ahead

When Jesus said, "Come, follow me!" he was serious.

Too often, we hear this as an invitation to study and learn the historical life of Jesus in order to replicate how He lived. But I get the feeling that Jesus had more in mind. I think He actually wants us to follow Him now- to look ahead, get a sense of where He's going, and set our feet on the same path.

As I prepare for this journey to Bosnia, I can't help but feel that as a church, we are doing just this. From the first days of our partnership with Bosnia, we have sensed God at work. God has been orchestrating and arranging things in a divine way before we even become aware of it. I have had a strong feeling all along the way that He is always one step ahead of us.

And so this trip has at its source real inspiration from God. I have been mindful of this as I undertake the mammoth amount of tasks that go into a costly international expedition. Whenever I have been tempted to think the trip is too much work, or too much money, I remind myself of where God has been in this journey. Always a step ahead. We haven't been praying and asking God to bless our efforts- to join us where we are at. No, we have been asking God to give us the courage to follow Him!

He is leading us to Bosnia. Why? I am not exactly sure. And I'll bet that the first disciples of Jesus had similar feelings. They knew he was calling, they could see where he was leading, but they had no idea what was about to happen to them. It was a risk to follow into such unknowns, but their faith was rewarded as they walked with the King of Kings.

I hope that you, at least in some small way, can feel connected to our trip. It really isn't about us- God is going to use it for far more. We'll find out together exactly what that is!

May you find that on your journey, Jesus is always one step ahead of you. And may you have the courage and the strength to follow Him.

Peace-
Nick

Bosnia, not.

From my stay-at-home perspective, it is beginning to feel like I am missing the party. As the Bosnia missions team prepares to leave this Thursday, our offices have been buzzing with plans, meetings, and last minute to-do lists. I realized this weekend as we prayed for the team how much I love each of them and will miss them while they are gone.
So yes, I am feeling a little sorry for myself, staying home, holding the fort, lonely beacon remaining behind. My suitcase is still on the top shelf of the closet, my passport is non-existent, my day planner looks normal. So though I willingly chose to skip this trip, I don't want to miss the party.
I know that each of these guys and gals, who you will be hearing from on this blog format in the next ten days, are exactly the right people to be Bosnia-bound, that they will return full of new enthusiasm and vision, and that they will share it with all of us.
Is it too soon to begin planning the welcome home party?
~Pastor Ann

Are We Obligated to Obey the 10 Commandments?

What a great question! This gets us to the heart of the Old Testament/New Testament tension. Now that Jesus has come, we struggle to know if the Old Testament is irrelevant, or still applicable for us today.

I think a key to answering this question lies in our understanding of the word "obligated." Many believe that ancient Israel was "obligated" to obey the 10 commandments in order for God to love and accept them. This isn't quite true. God had already declared Abraham, and conversely Israel, righteous because of their faith. God had established a covenant with Israel, and much of the Old Testament law that we read was the parameters of this covenant. In other words, Israel didn't follow the 10 Commandments so that God would find them righteous; they followed the 10 Commandments because God had already declared them righteous. The 10 Commandments taught them how a righteous people would live. So, in this sense, even the people of Israel were not obligated to obey the 10 Commandments- they did so out of their relationship, their covenant, with God.

So, fast forward to the New Testament. Many statements of Jesus and the apostle Paul would suggest that the Old Testament and all its laws have been done away with. We are now under the law of love and the law of Christ. We are free from the Old Testament law! But, and this is key, we are still servants of Christ. If we are following Him, we have submitted our whole lives and our whole selves, all of our actions and activities to Him. We live to please Him. Which brings us to an obvious question- what does it look like to please Christ? How will someone who has devoted their whole selves to Jesus actually live? Ah, now we come to the purpose of the Old Testament in our lives. While the laws and regulations are no longer necessary to forgive sin or make us right with God, these commands do teach us how a Christ-follower will live.

So, when we turn to the Old Testament, and the 10 Commandments, we are no longer looking for a path to peace with God or to personal righteousness. This is only through the blood of Christ. But we do need to ask, "How will a person who loves Jesus express that love in their day to day life?" At this point, instructions such as "Do not lie", "Do not commit adultery", etc., can be tremendously helpful, because in them we come to understand how God views humanity and the world. When we know what is important to Him, we can't help but want to live that way.

You are free...free to do what pleases God. Scripture, the whole thing, offers a great guide for how to do just that. But it is always the relationship, not the laws, that must come first.

May you find incredible joy in that relationship today!

Nick

Do Animals Go to Heaven?

Although there are references to some specific animals in the Kingdom of God, there is nowhere in scripture that says that animals go to heaven when they die. This is because the Bible is written for human redemption, and not animals, and therefore is silent on this particular issue. There are segments of scripture that say that all of creation shall be redeemed. But these refer to the renewal that will take place when God creates a new heaven and a new earth. For an animal to die and then go to heaven it must have a soul. Souls are eternal, and they continue to exist after the passing of the physical body. And if an animal has a soul, then there must be a means of salvation for it to enter heaven, for every soul on earth is subject to sin. And if there is salvation, then pets must therefore have a choice in the matter; and no one wants to think about cute little fluffy being burned to nubbin in hell because she made the wrong choice. (I had a cat once that I'm pretty sure was possessed!)

1Cor 15:35,39 "But someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come? For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals..." Paul continues to say that man will be raised with a new body, one that is imperishable. The Bible doesn't speak of animals having a soul. And it is a man's soul that goes on into eternity when his body has died.

I know many people get attached to animals like they would a family member. And it is really hard to think about being separated from the pet. So it's a natural response to wonder if they will go to heaven when they die. What we must realize is that death is a part of this life, and separation with it. God gives us animals and pets in this life so we can enjoy this life here on earth. They are gifts for the "now" just as we will be given new gifts "then" in our ressurrected state.

The Bible does speak of animals being in heaven, however. And these are animals not ressurected from earth, but created by God for that realm. In Revelation 19, it tells how the armies of heaven ride out on horses following Jesus.

In the new Millenium, when we rule with Christ on earth, it speaks of

Isa 65:25 "The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain," says the LORD.

Ultimately, the Bible is silent on the issue. But if you are one of those tied to pets, I'm sure God has something even better in store for us when we enter our heavenly home than we could ever imagine.

Pastor Caleb

Ask Anything: What does the Bible say about reincarnation?

We all like a second chance, a do-over. Maybe that is why someone came up with the idea of reincarnation. This concept has been around for hundreds of years. It basically states that the human soul will progress through a series of lives (some think this will include plants and animals) and eventually will merge with God. Along with the belief in reincarnation comes the concept of karma, which teaches that how we live in this life will effect our future lives. Hindu and Buddhist belief systems embrace reincarnation as a central concept.

So, what does the Bible say about this? It is pretty straightforward that the Bible gives absolutely no room for such an idea. In Hebrews 9:27 we read, "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people."

Remember when Jesus was on the cross and the criminal who was crucified alongside Him said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus did not suggest that he live his next life better and therefore improve his chances to enter the kingdom. His answer was very simple: "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

The apostle Paul writes in a letter to the Corinthians (II Cor. 5:6-10) that being out of his body would mean being present with the Lord. And that is true for every Christian. We can be as confident as Paul in knowing that at the moment we take our last earthly breath, we will be in the presence of our Savior.

So our do-over does not come from a long string of reincarnations, but from the grace and sacrifice of Jesus. He provides our new life. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

The Mark of the Beast

A question was turned in for our Ask Anything series that simply stated, "What's the mark of the beast in Revelation 13 and 14?" While this topic has been debated (often badly) for centuries, I think we can make a few observations that are helpful.

First, it is useful to know more about the book of Revelation. As odd and foreign as some of the language sounds to our modern ears, this type of literature was quite common in the early centuries. It was a genre known as "apocalyptic" literature. This type of writing was known by its high use of imagery and symbolism. Often, apocalyptic literature was used as a method for criticizing the powers-that-be without directly using their names. Another feature of this genre is its "already/not yet" use of language. This simply means that apocalyptic literature had a dual purpose: it addressed a current situation, but also pointed forward to a coming time when similar events would occur or prophecies would be fulfilled.

This basic understanding of Revelation is useful because it helps us see that the author, John, was writing about a very real beast (Rome) in his day. And while we do believe that the words of Revelation give us great insight into what might be in the future (the "not yet"), Revelation is best understood in the context of 1st century Rome. The Mark of the Beast at that time was very likely (although this could be disputed) association with what was called "the emperor's cult". The emperor of Rome at that time would literally set himself up as a god and expect to be worshiped. Those who did could be said, in a sense, to be "marked" for the emperor and they enjoyed great freedom in the Roman empire. This is why Christians (and Jews for that matter) had so much trouble in that era- their system of belief put them in direct opposition to the ruling religion, which often resulted in persecution and even death.

A second helpful observation is the meaning and purpose of the mark. In Revelation 13, it is quite clear that the mark of the beast would set someone apart as having chosen to follow the beast and his rule. What this means for us is that the mark of the beast, should something like this occur in our lifetime, is not something you can get by accident. From time to time, I hear people warn about different products or technological innovations as being a potential mark of the beast. Don't buy that for a second. Using a credit card is not the sign of the beast. Owning an ipod is not the sign of the beast. Even if they begin inserting electronic chips into our hands as a way of doing banking faster, this will not be the sign of the beast! How can I make such a claim? Because Revelation 13 so clearly associates the mark with the beast himself- those who chose his mark knew clearly what they were doing. No one was tricked into being marked. Should we ever see a current "mark of the beast", it will be a clear decision to reject God and embrace a different rule in our life. Until I see that choice being forced, I won't worry about it!

So, what is the mark of the beast? I have no idea. But I do know that in Revelation 14, there is a whole different group of peope who don't have the mark of the beast. Rather than having the name of the beast on their forehead, they carry the name of the Father. They have set themselves apart for Him. As we watch our culture and wonder if the end times are near, this is the best thing we can do- to be "marked" by our love and devotion to the Father. If we continually bear this mark, we have no reason to fear the mark of the beast.

Blessings!
Nick

Ask Anything: Why Should I Go To Church?

OK, I know Pastor Nick said at the weekend services that we should not read our Bibles (If you want the context of that radical statement listen to the message online), but I am reading my Bible anyway. I have been reading through the book of Acts and it really speaks to this question. In the stories told in Acts we find the birth of community for God's people.

Acts 2 says, "They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles' teachings and fellowship, sharing in the Lord's Supper and in prayer." And after a difficult circumstance recounted in Acts 4 we read, "...Peter and John found the other believers...then all the believers were united as they lifted their voices in prayer."

It is evident that the followers of Christ were finding value in being in community, even as they were persecuted and began to scatter all over the world. I believe that being in community is not just a good idea, I believe it is God's good idea.

Why don't people go to church? Here are a few reasons we have all heard:

I'm too busy

My kids are in sports

My house/yard/garden needs work

It's my only day off...give me a break

Church isn't really for me

The bible is too hard to understand

I don't know anybody there

The church is full of hypocrites

Yeah, I know...I've heard them too. But when we focus on these reasons (or excuses!) we miss out on seeing what God has for us as we rub shoulders with other Christ-followers.

Church is not just another appointment; it is the time when we can learn truths that will transform our thinking. It is also a place to use our God-given talents and abilities to serve and bless others. And it is a place where we can find safe accountability. It is a way to acknowledge the power and importance of God in our lives and homes.

Looking for more? Looking for better? Make time, make room, make it a habit to go to church. And look back at how the believers in Acts are described: "A deep sense of awe came over them all..." Now wouldn't that be worth rearranging your schedule for?

Am I being too simplistic here? Am I missing something? What do you think?

BTW, I totally agree with Pastor Nick's statement about Bible reading and meditating on the word, just for the record!