Charlie Wilson's War

I just finished watching Charlie Wilson's War with Jayme and David. At the end of the movie, Charlie Wilson, who is played by Tom Hanks, makes a very interesting statement about the legacy of America's foreign affairs. He said that America goes around the world, and we change the world and then we leave. At the end of the movie, there is this quote, "These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world...and then we f***ed up the end game." Now this refers to America and how America waltzes into other countries seeking reform, trying to give them freedom and democracy, and then when we clear out all of the obstacles, and we leave without teaching them and helping them learn how to live as free people, and new obstacles rise up in there way, or the old ones re-emerge.

Now I am not trying to argue politics and what should have/should be done overseas, because for one I am no longer very politically minded. Secondly, I am not sure that America is the proper actor of any of this anyway. However, I think what Charlie Wilson said offers a valid critique on Christians and how a lot of us evangelize. We seek to change the world, and we preach a message that claims transformation and redemption, and then we leave. This is most prevalent in a lot of street evangelism, but not all. We go out and proclaim His name, without realizing the commitment and time that is needed to see this work come to fruition. I think all to often we fall back onto a planting seed mentality, that we forget to see that, that seed needs to be watered, planted, pruned and taken care of, and that takes time. Evangelism cannot be a drive by giving of the gospel, but needs to be a consistent and constant teaching.

I mean we are giving a message that promises eternity, so why do we think eternity can be sown in a few minutes, or even a few hours, days, or months. If we hope to save those for eternity we must be willing to give our very lives for eternity. Street evangelism cannot be a daily/weekly event where you go out for two hours and then are done. That type of evangelism is too clean, it is too safe, and there is nothing clean or safe about the love that Christ has given us. Rather, when we go out for a few hours, we must be willing to give our lives and time for those we come into contact with. We must be willing to see our work through until the end. Now maybe God will not always call us to see every work we begin to the end, but what if he does. Isn't better to error on the side of too much love than too little. We must learn to live, laugh, love, and hurt with the people we are reaching out to not just simply talk to them and then leave.

Now this is a radical call. It means our schedules will be messed up. It means our lives will change. It means we will become vulnerable. It means at time our faith will be put on center stage. It means we risk being hurt, humiliated, and betrayed. Drive-by evangelism is much easier and it is a lot safer, and at times may seem more appealing, but drive-by evangelism will never build the Kingdom. It is too easy, and it does not require your life. But the call of Christ requires your life, so why do we so often try and find ways to take it back. He demands our life, and those whom we live with that are dying need it. Are we so selfish that we choose to selfishly hold our lives while others die? Are we messing up the end game? I want to see the world change for real. God desires the world to change for real? So, let us be willing to change the world for real. Let us see it through to the end. Let's get dirty. Let us give our lives for eternity!

The Journey Begins

So, I have been in Kansas City for about 24 hours, and it has been fantastic. I spent the day yesterday helping some of my friend David's friends move into their new house, and had the opportunity of getting to meet some real good people. This morning I was able to go to church at both Jayme and David's (friends my trip to Thailand last year) churches. Both messages were really good, and God was really clear in His message to me. He desires for His people to go into the world with the power of His Spirit, in order to proclaim His Kingdom, and by doing that receive our inheritance, the nations. So, the question became for me, am I ready to go? Little by little I am getting there, and I am beginning to see not only an excitement of what He is going to do from in my heart, but also an expectation that He is about to do something great through His people, as long as we are open and willing for Him to act. This has actually been a message that He has been forming in my heart for the past few weeks, and I cannot wait to see where this takes me!

I do not have too much of a set agenda for the rest of the week. I am just going to play it by ear and leave it up to Spirit. I know today David and I are going to play a game that his friends came up with called field crumpets, which is a mix between field hockey and soccer with wiffle ball bats, so that should be an interesting experience. And then tomorrow I am going to meet with David's pastor to talk about my trip and what God is doing in my life as well as the MST project, and its vision and hopes, so that should be a really good experience.

Besides for that I hope to go and see the International House of Prayer, and have a great time of worship. At some point I plan to go to school with Jayme to go to the library to do some studying. For those of you who have been in contact with me for the past few weeks, know that I have been talking with a gentleman who is a devout atheist, and I have been talking with him trying to work through his disbelief, which he believes stems from a lack of logical evidence that can be used to prove the faith. In our conversation I have realized my inadequacy to provide him with the answers that I know are there, so I plan to do some studying in the library looking for answers and evidence to provide him with, to help in his journey for the truth. Your prayers in that would be extremely appreciated, actually a two-fold prayer would be great. First, that his heart would be opened to the calling and leading of the Holy Spirit, because it is really hardened to the possibility of God and His love. Second, that you would pray that God would give me the wisdom and insight necessary to help me guide him back to God. But, that is why I want to go to the library to study, because there a bunch of books that I want to look at that I do not currently own. If you have any suggestions, just let me know. So, that is pretty much the flow of the week.

I will leave Kansas City on Friday to fly to Denver, and will meet with the Pastor Allen from Christ's Church International, and will also stay with him until I check into DTS on Monday, October 5th. But I will write about all that later.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and encouragement. God Bless and if there is ever anything I can do for you or pray about please let me know.

Do you LOVE me? -Jesus-

I have less than a week before I leave for my DTS in Denver. I have less than a week left before God prepares me to go into the world to retrieve His people for Him. I will be sent in order to save His creation through His word and example from death and ultimately Hell, which is a daunting task. As I have been getting ready to leave, Christ has posed this simple question, "Do you love me?" He asked this question to Peter, and like Peter, with each of my responses He has told me, "then tend my flock and follow me." So, do we love Him? How are we showing it? Are we going to His flock, reaching out to His sheep? This is our call. In fact, this is the Christian's life. In the past two weeks I have seen two videos that I think powerfully proclaim this message. This giving our lives for others is not a death sentence, but a privilege to answer to the call, which these videos will show. So please watch them. God will rock your world I promise. If you watch them please leave your comments for everyone to read.

A New Beginning-The Reason for this Blog

It was two months ago! I was sitting in a dimly lit room, bible by my side, praying to God, struggling with the question, should I stay or should I go. A week before that I believed I had heard God tell me to go, to leave my home, my church, my scholarship, and my seminary behind. In that room that night I was confused, nervous, and above all scared. I wondered did I really hear God, or is this just what I want. I was scared that I would choose the wrong path. I was scared to leave it all behind. So I sat there, praying, meditating, searching, and evening crying, wondering what to do next. Then in a moment of anguish and utter desperation I cried out to my Lord, "God, I know you hear me, so if you are there tell me something!" With that declaration, I did all that I knew to do, and I opened by bible randomly to Acts, and on that page there was a set of red letters Acts 18: 9-10, and they read like this:

And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, "Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people."

As I read that passage it spoke right to my heart and in them I heard God tell me to go and preach His gospel to the nations, and to not be afraid because He was with me. So, that night I decided to go, fresh out of college, about to start seminary on a full ride, I decided to go to the nations and leave all that behind. I decided to embark on a new beginning, the next chapter in my God written story.

That is what this blog is all about. This my love story between God and me. In here I will chronicle all that is going on in my life. All of the pains, all of cheers, all of joys, and all of the tears. This blog will let you know what I am doing, and what I am thinking, which at times can be very dangerous. I would ask that as you read, you would leave your comments, along with prayers and encouragement, and at same time leave prayer requests as you see fit.

My journey will to Youth With A Mission will begin in less than a month. On September 25th, I will leave Massillon, Ohio in route for Kansas City, Kansas, where I will reunite with two friends from the mission trip to Thailand that I went on with the Xtreme Team last summer. After spending time there and speaking at an area church I will depart to Denver, where I hope to speak at a local church before beginning my Discipleship Training School (DTS) with Youth With A Mission. At my DTS I will not learn about God, but will fall deeper in love with Him as I am led into a deeper relationship with Him. If you would like more information on YWAM visit www.ywam.org, that I have linked to this blog, or if you would like more info on my DTS visit www.ywamdenver.org.

Right now, there are others that God is calling, and you are sitting there in fear afraid to leave, afraid to take that next step. Please let this blog be encouragement to you. You are not alone, and fear not for God is with you, and He will be with you no matter where you go. Not only do you have God who is more than enough, but you have His army to go with. So, please take that next with me!