The Cogitating Christian

The Lord is Faith-E-Ful

2011-05-28T10:10:00.000-07:00

One of the common songs sung here is about God's faithfulness. Picture if you will, a large gathering of African believers singing in an accent - "The Lord is Faith--E--Ful." It has a sense of present distress and a longing for God knowing that He is faithful to His children.

This thought has stuck with me through this trip. I am sitting here thinking back on a whirlwind of a trip and what keeps running through my mind is this song I heard on Sunday. The first line keeps popping up - "Every day and every hour, you are Faith-e-Ful oh Lord." I have seen this faithfulness time and time again on this trip. As I finished up with my teaching, I was overwhelmed by how many people came up and thanked me for being here. They even wanted me to thank my family for letting me come. Over and over again they told us how much we impacted them and how the Bible just opened up to them. I am so thankful to have been a part of that training and I look forward to seeing how God will use Thomas.

One thing I am certain of is that the Lord is Faith--E--Ful to complete the work He has started in them.

I'll probably post one more time when I get back with a summary of thoughts. Thanks for reading and praying. Continue to pray for us as we travel some 36 hours back home.

When the Lights Go out

2011-05-27T10:08:00.000-07:00

We have had a very busy schedule of teaching, each one of us averaging about 6-9 hours of teaching a day. The way this training conference is set up is about 90 or so people divided into three groups. I teach each of these groups 4 times for 3 hour blocks of time. Today, I finished one group completely, walking them through the Gospel of Matthew. One of the biggest challenges of my day was teaching about the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit in Matthew 12 and Binding and Loosing in Matthew 16-18 to a group that primarily has pentecostal theology. Needless to say, it was a brain drain by the end of it. I was impressed by their teachability and their desire to learn. At the end of it, they were challenged to be able to back up what they believed with Scripture. I am so blessed to have this chance to work through that myself.

The last class of the day, the late afternoon class, we walked through Matthew 4-12 and looked at the temptations of Christ, Sermon on the Mount and the first part of chapter 12. It was a great class. An hour before class ended, the power went out and we were in darkness. Instead of stopping and leaving, they brought me a flashlight and all of them took out their cell phones to use to read the Bible. I was overwhelmed at seeing that. How many people would stick around in the dark to learn the Bible?

Another lesson learned. I am teaching them, yet feeling like the one being taught in so many ways.

Africa Day and a Long Post

2011-05-25T11:20:00.000-07:00

So today is Africa Day. We rode to the training center and it was noticeably different in terms of traffic and people. Not many were awake and out and about for this holiday. Yet here I was, headed to train for 9 hours. And even more than that, 70 plus pastors, wives and church leaders were getting ready to hear teaching on Matthew, John, Psalms and Genesis from 7:30 am -6:00 pm.

I am grateful for the opportunity but am exhausted after two days of 9 hours of teaching plus all of the other things we are doing. What makes this worth it all the more is watching this group soak up the teaching and want more. It is so exciting to teach people who are hungry for the Word. In fact, we had a break for "tea" while they were doing observations on a passage. My class stayed behind to finish discussing the passage rather than stop and get tea. I know me...I would be the first person getting that "tea" break. Yet there hunger and excitement for learning new things from the Word kept them in their seats...I am humbled by that.

Yesterday, I went through how to study the Bible, using the principles of observation, interpretation and application. One of the biggest challenges here is shallow, allegorical and out of context preaching. Many don't know better since that is what has been modeled for them. Recently on this trip, I heard a 40 minute message from the book of Job that was so out of context, it actually supported the exact opposite of how it was being taught. I am told that it is typical here and among those at the conference where we are teaching. So each trainer is taking the time to teaching on correct hermeneutical principles and how to use them on the book they are teaching. I can only imagine how challenging it must be to realize that you have been doing something wrong.

Yet these people are humbly taking in the teaching that is correcting what they have been doing for years... and for the most part, they are eating it up. Maybe tomorrow I will share some stories. Time and time again, I have had numerous people come to me and thank me repeatedly for taking the time to help them understand the Bible. They are so thankful and want more and more teaching. it reminds me of how blessed we are and how blessed I am for the privilege of studying the Word under Godly men, for having the privilege of attending seminary and for all of the resources that I have at my fingertips. Each one of these people would love to have even a small amount of what I have in theological training. And yet, I get the honor of investing in them.

Pray with me as I pray for them. Pray for me as I teach them. Pray for me as I learn from them.

The end of the Mini Conference

2011-05-23T12:32:00.001-07:00

There is nothing more exciting to me than to see people hungry for God’s Word. Watching these pastors , their wives and other church leaders be excited about God’s Word and eagerly writing notes has been a highlight. Today we covered topics like Man’s condition, Temptation, Jew and Gentile Salvation and Why Christians still sin. The last topic was mine and I took them through Romans 6-8, looking at the fact that the power of sin has been broken (Romans 6) but the presence of sin is still a battle (Romans 7) and ended with the provision for living a sanctified life found in the Holy Spirit (Romans 8). It si a great reminder to myself even as I preach to others.

Tomorrow starts the more difficult stuff in that we will be teaching about 9 hours each. I’ll be teaching on the Gospel of Matthew. Carl Hargrove will be teaching on the Gospel of John and Hermeneutics, Thomas will be teaching on Genesis and Eric Chou will be teaching on Psalms.

Each session is a 3 hour block of time and we have about 3 sessions each tomorrow. Looking forward to how God will again answer prayers…especially your prayers. Continue to pray with/for us. It definitely makes a difference. It is amazing to see so many of you praying and keeping up. I wanted to go to bed right away, but thought that I should give an update first. It makes it worth it when people read these. Until next time…

Preach Until You are Hungry

2011-05-22T10:04:00.000-07:00

"Preach until you are hungry, then we go to lunch." And with that, my day started.

I was scheduled to preach at a church in the morning, then I was the last speaker for a mini conference in the evening. Flexibility, that is the key word for missions. Well, I was told to preach, not given a time limit other than my own hunger pains and off to the races I went.

We first visited a school for orphans that was being built by a local pastor. They were making their own bricks. It was quite a sight to see. Plus, the school house they were using was very dilapidated. It reminded me of how blessed most of us are in terms of just our education.

Then we went to the church. It was a church plant, vibrant African worship and very friendly. I was told at the last minute that there would be translation, so I had to edit on the fly. Preaching and translation can be an interesting combination. Plus, it was a rural area with limited education...so, what I had prepared wasn't gonna fly the way I had structured it. So I had to make some last minute editorial changes. God is good and reminded me of prayer and dependence.

For you that read and pray, thank you! It was evident that people were praying for me.

Tonight went well. I spoke to a group of pastors and church leaders on Sin and the Gospel. It was a topic assigned to me as part of the conference theme. I took them through Romans 1-3 and highlighted 1) the problem of sin and 2) the provision for sin. It was a great reminder to me of the essentials of the Gospel and our need to keep the "essentials" the "essentials!"

Tomorrow, I am the last speaker in a long day. Please pray for all of us, including the pastors/church leaders as we all learn. My topic is "Why Christians Still Sin." It is an important topic so please pray with/for me.

A fun day in Africa

2011-05-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

Today was a down day before the crazy schedule starts. It was a sort of restful day, even though I am still very tired. I did get a decent night’s sleep. We went to a game park that was a mix between a safari and zoo. The first part, we drove in close to lions who were about 4 feet from us. They were huge and sleeping. It was cool to be that close with the window down.

Next we went to the zoo part which had all sorts of animals. My absolute favorite was playing with a couple of lion cubs that were 6 months old and about 120 pounds or so. I got to hold one. The male tried to bite me and the female swiped at me…no wonder the sign read “enter at your own risk!”

What amazed me was how awesome yet terrifying it was to be so close to a lion. It made me think of the “Lion of Judah!” How amazing it will be when He returns for those of us who know Him and yet how terrifying it will be for others who have rejected.

Tonight we will have a meeting with Harare Theological Seminary to discuss some potential partnerships with Thomas.

Tomorrow we will be splitting up and preaching at a couple of churches in the morning. Then we will get together for lunch. After lunch, our mini conference will start and we will be speaking on several topics. I’ll be speaking on the nature of Sin and Salvation. Please pray for us.

Back to Zim

2011-05-20T06:55:00.000-07:00

Well,
We made it safely to Zimbabwe. I was thankful to get off of planes. Sitting for that long drives me crazy but I was able to sleep a little. Funny moment on the plane. After two 11 hour flights, we boarded the third flight, a short 2 hour skip from Joburg to Harare. Before we actually got in the air, they handed us Customs forms. As I filled mine out, my pen decided to pour all over my hand, leaking everywhere. The lady next to me handed me a couple of wetwipes...boy am I glad those things were invented. So, I call the flight attendant over and said to him, "My pen just exploded..." And he just looked at me like I was a terrorist or something. Pretty soon, I was in an interogation room....okay, that part is not true. But his face was priceless as he looked at my pen. Then my face must have been something to see as I realized that there are some words you just don't say on a plane....ever! So I quickly backtracked and restated that my pen leaked on me.

On another note, the team is pretty tired. We have a dinner tonight, then we are headed to a Game Park. Maybe I'll see a Rhino!

Sunday, we start the mini conference. I just found out that not only am I teaching at the conference on Sunday, but will be speaking at a church that morning. Glad I packed a few sermons!

I am very thankful for this opportunity and am very thankful for your prayers. My prayer is that we would be a great encouragement to these men. See ya with another update soon

First Leg

2011-05-19T09:40:00.000-07:00

Well,
We made it to Munich. I got a little sleep on the flight. Now it is waiting for a 4 hour layover until our next 11 hour flight to South Africa. For some reason, my cell isn't working but I found an internet station. Gotta love the World Wide Web!

Thanks for keeping up with our journey. Hopefully I can update when we land.

The "Why" and "What" of Zimbabwe

2011-05-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

If you are reading this, then most likely you are interested in keeping up with my trip.....or are bored and saw a link from facebook.

So here is some info:

Our church is getting ready to send out a "home grown" missionary to Zimbabwe. I will be going with him to teach at a conference for pastors. He is looking to train pastors in his home country. I am humbled that I get to go and train 100 pastors who are hungry for God's Word. There will be four trainers all together.

We have a two day flight. 11 hours to Frankfurt. 11 hours to Joburg, South Africa. Then 2 hours to Harare. Long flights and I don't really agree all that much.

We will be doing a mini conference once there on Sunday and Monday. I will be speaking on two topics: "Sin and the Gospel" and "Why Christians still sin."

After that, we will have 5 days of training these pastors in various topics. I will be training for roughly 40 hours in this 5 day span. I will be teaching the book of Matthew.

Then after the training, I'm back on the plane again for a loooooong flight home!

Please pray for:
1. Saftey in Travel - Zimbabwe can be quite dangerous at times.
2. The pastors who will be trained. That they will be built up and edified.
3. The trainers. It is a rough schedule. We will definately need your prayers!
4. The effects of the preaching and teaching, that it would impact Zimbabwe for kingdom!

Headed back to Africa

2011-05-17T13:11:00.001-07:00

Well,
It has been way too long since I posted on this blog. Tons of things I've wanted to write about but not enough time. Seems like I am barely keeping up with real life =)

So I started this blog in April 2009 to update people while I was in Zimbabwe. Well, I'm going back and figured I'd use it again to do the same. So, if you are interested, I'll try and post on here during my trip - May 18th-30th. That is, if there is a decent internet connection.

If this is your first time here, Enjoy!

Thinking Biblically About Marijuanna - Part 2

2010-03-27T21:00:00.001-07:00

if you haven't read it, please read the post below before this one.

The last post discussed the issue with drugs that hinder sober thinking. Specifically, Worship is central to the conversation. When God created men and women, He created them to worship Him with a sound and sober mind. When people are brought into a relationship with Him through Christ, they are given the Holy Spirit, given everything they need to live godly lives (2 Peter 1:3) and this is through the “true knowledge” of Him. Since we are no longer our “own”, we have been bought with a price and we are to “glorify” God in our body (1 Cor 6:20). This touches on the stewardship aspect, but it also deals with what we worship. God desires for His people to be “filled” or controlled by the Spirit (Eph 5:18) rather than be controlled by anything else, including alcohol (and by association, drugs). We are commanded to use our bodies as instruments of righteousness (Romans 6) since we are no longer “our own” but are His.

This idea of not being controlled by anything even goes into the realm of our human appetites. For instance, in 1 Cor 6, Paul lists those who will not be in heaven with God. He shows that those who practice/do (ongoing, habitually, consistently) these evil and sinful actions like fornication, like idolatry, like homosexuality, like drunkenness are not God’s people (1 Cor 6:9-10). But in verse 11, he says that such were some of you, but they have been saved. So they are now Christians, who have Christ. Right after that, he describes how even the things that are lawful but not beneficial should not have control, “mastered by anything” (1 Cor 6:12). He even goes so far as to say that food will not master him, which in context would be the Jewish dietary laws. Because he has a new Master, he will not be mastered by anything. Addiction to alcohol and drugs definitely “master” those who use them. This is the same line of thinking in Romans 6 with sin not mastering you anymore because you are a slave no longer to sinful things but a slave of the most High King, and therefore a slave to righteousness. So one of the biggest reasons drugs are sinful are because of “control” they have (addiction) and the effect they have (altering your mind and thinking). Christ wants you to be a worshipper of Him, living with a sober mind (1 Thess 5:6, 8; 1 Peter 1:13, 4:7, 5:8). The command to be sober has to do with having clear thinking, right thinking which is ready for action and for worship.

One question that I have come across is a Christian telling me that drugs actually help them worship better! Since one has the Holy Spirit, why would one need drugs to help you spiritually? If one thinks that way, that person is saying in so many words that they need something better than the Holy Spirit to enable them to think and worship better. To be sober in spirit, in your thinking and actions is to worship God rightly, through the work of the Spirit. To be controlled by the Spirit, filled, under the influence of the Spirit is in stark contrast to being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The addictive nature of alcohol is one that makes you its slave rather than the slave of Christ.

As Christians, we need to realize that we are no longer our own but have been bought with a price, the very death of Christ. No one can serve two masters (Matt 6:24), you cannot be a slave of sin, serving money, sex, drugs, yourself and also be a slave of Christ’s, serving Him, using your body as an instrument of righteousness to bring Him glory while also using your body as an instrument of self gratification through drug use. So to re-summarize, drugs hinder your ability to think soberly, they control you, they impede your walk with God and they are show what you worship, yourself rather than God.

My hope is that as Christians, we would strive for “right” thinking. The effect of sin is a depraved mind (Romans 1:28). The impact of Christ is a mind that can now be transformed and renewed (Romans 12:1-2) but this is a process which is why we are to have sober thinking. Interestingly enough, from Romans 1-11, Paul outlines the wonderful news of the gospel that gives us the ability to have right thinking. As Christians we are now called to no longer live in the futility of our minds that is darkened in understanding (Ephesians 4:17-18) (which is a possibility for believers since Paul commands us not to). We are to live in a way that is constantly being renewed in our mind (Eph 4:23) which results in godly living of putting off sinful actions and putting on righteous actions (Eph 4:22-32).
Let me know what you think.

Thinking Biblically about Marijuanna - Part 1

2010-03-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

Last July, I posed a question as to how the Christian should view drugs in light of the potential legalization of marijuana. Well, that day may be as soon as November 2010.

A recent article states what I have known for a while now, that legalization of marijuana will be one way which raises funds for California’s never ending budget short fall. Voters will get a chance to decide this November. If it doesn’t pass, which I will be shocked if it doesn’t, it will at some point. And as California goes, so goes the country. In 1996 when California was the first state to legalize medicinal marijuana, 14 other states would follow. Who knows how this will all pan out and how this will interact with the Federal Law. One thing is certain, it is only a matter of time. So, how does one view this interesting issue biblically?

One of the challenges in this is the term drugs is not found in the Bible. But because something is not in the Bible does not mean that it is righteous and not sinful. Pornographic internet sites are not in the Bible either. Abortion is not in the Bible. Euthanasia, stem cell research, child molestation and other contemporary hot topics cannot be found in the Bible. Yet what we do find are principles found in Scripture that transcend culture that can apply to other situations. For instance, Abortion is not specifically in the Bible, but the concept of killing is. Leviticus discusses a situation where a woman is with child and is hurt by a man. Amos condemns the ripping open of wombs of those who are pregnant labeling this as wicked, sinful and appalling to God. So, there would be enough evidence from Scripture to show that God is concerned for the helpless, for the sanctity of life and so on. But what of drugs? Well, the Greek word “pharmakeia” from which we get our English word Pharmacy is found in Galatians 5:20, Revelation 9:21 and 18:23. It is often translated as “sorcery.” To be fair, this is in the context of drugs being used in the context of witchcraft and mind altering states that include deception among other things. So drug use was often linked to some type of witchcraft or pagan worship that would “enable the mind” to worship beings on a higher level. Maybe a good comparison could be drawn to Peyote use among Native Americans.

The Bible also has much to say about the abuse of alcohol and can legitimately apply to the use of drugs because both alter the state of thinking and motor skills. While I believe (though some fight'en Fundies would disagree) that drinking alcohol is not a sin issue, it can become one. The reason is the issue of affecting ones thinking, ability to control oneself, ect. Ephesians 5:18 compares being drunk with wine with being controlled by the Spirit. Drunkenness is compared to “dissipation” which is the same word translated in 1 Pet 4:4 as debauchery and really is summed up in two words…”reckless living.” The issue with alcohol is similar to drug use since it deals with being under the influence. That is why if you are driving under the influence of drugs, you get a similar penalty as if you were driving while drunk. Drugs, illegal drugs, in some form hinder or alter your thinking. Thinking, sound thinking is a pretty big deal in the Bible. In the same 1 Peter 4 passage, verse 7 shows that one needs to be sober, sound in thinking so that one can pray. In Titus 2, both older men, older women, younger men and younger women are called to be “sensible” literally sound of mind, thinking rightly and self controlled. Drugs hinder that.

More to follow.........

I'll be back....

2009-08-28T14:54:00.000-07:00

"Sorry", for those of you who read my blog...all two of you. It's been very busy lately. I'll try and post something of value in the next few days or so....unless it is equally busy =)

Marijuana, the Christian and California

2009-07-17T15:22:00.000-07:00

Why are drugs wrong or more pointedly, why is the use of illegal drugs(defining illegal drugs as “pot,” “lsd,” “crack”, “cocaine,” etc...) wrong for the Christian? Many Christians I talk with seem to point to the fact that drugs such as Marijuana are wrong for the Christian because it is illegal to use them and because it does damage to the body that is the “holy” Temple.

First and foremost, drug abuse is illegal. It is not just certain narcotics and other drugs that are off the streets that are illegal, but all drug abuse is. Taking certain drugs, even morphine can be legal with the prescription of a doctor. But taking morphine can also be illegal. So legality for a Christian is something that is not just a small thing to consider. We are called to obey, be in submission to and respect authority and even the government. Second, your body is a “temple” and it is important to be a good steward. But what if you live in the Netherlands and can go to a “café” and purchase what would be illegal here but is legal there like Marijuana? What if our society removes the illegal aspect? What would Christians do? What if there was some type of medical research that shows that marijuana and shrooms are good for the body, what would Christians do? What should we do?

Well that time may soon be approaching. There are already studies that show the medicinal purposes of drugs like marijuana, which is why California has selectively legalized it as a pain reliever. However, it soon will be a talking point politically again due to the ability to raise significant funds to balance our insanely out of whack budget in the great state of California. In fact, a recent article I read today quotes California tax officials stating that a state proposal to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol would generate nearly $1.4 billion in revenue. Do you really think that Crazy Californians will approve tax increases over legalized pot revenue? If the people in this state vote for and pass legistation for bigger crates for the comfort of chickens over issues such as abortion, well.... So if you remove the fact that it is illegal and it is harmful, then is it wrong? Though the bible contains references to “Mary” you won’t find “Mary Jane” or any other references to specific drugs. But I believe there are strong biblical reasons for the Christian to refrain from such drug use which I’ll post later. Let me know what you think.

Thinking of Zim

2009-06-30T14:53:00.000-07:00

Above is a picture I took on a country road in Zimbabwe. I've been thinking about Zim often lately. It's been pretty busy so I haven't posted recently and I am preparing to preach in our main service this upcoming Sunday, on Psalm 2. As I think through that wonderful Millennial Kingdom Psalm (guess you know my eschatological persuasion), I am reminded of the national, economic and spiritual instability of so many nations. People really do plot in vain and rebel against the Messiah thinking that Biblical standards are shackles and ropes that tie the hands. They think they can plan a sucessful coup but the One who is enthroned in heaven laughs mockingly at their feeble attempts. Yet the scary thing is that the King of Kings will rule with a rod of iron and will shatter them like clay pottery. The same "rod of iron" that is described in Psalm 2:9 is described in Revelation 19:15 when Christ returns. If you are rightly related to Christ, i.e. saving faith, then you can take shelter in him (Ps 2:9). If you do not have a relationship with Christ, then it truly is a scary thing to fall into the hands of an Angry God (2:12). One day every king shall bow to the King of Kings. One day every nation will be ruled by the Righteous King. One day all peoples everywhere will confess that He is King. No more terrorism, no more economic woes, no more genocide, no more tyranny. I look forward to the "Return of the King" who will be King over Zim and every other nation.

The Dollar That Traveled Ten Thousand Miles and Back Again

2009-06-19T11:57:00.001-07:00

The picture of the dollar bill is one that I got in Zimbabwe during my bartering time at a flea market. Zim’s economy is in shambles but has gotten slightly better since they switched from their own printed currency to that of the US Dollar. The high inflation rates eventually caused the Zim dollar to be worthless and everyone who had money in the bank or retirement funds lost everything in the switch. Yet I find it fascinating that another country can make the US dollar its own currency. Since it is obviously not printed there, people have to rely on others bringing in the dollar. When you go into a grocery store, you cannot get change in the form of coins. So if you buy a Coke and it costs $1.30, then you can give the exact price, find something else for 70 cents or pay $2. On one of my last days there, I bought a coke and a candy bar that totaled $1.90 and decided I didn’t want to look for something for 10 cents. Yet that 10 cents that I disregarded could buy a package of soup. I have seen people scour for things to add for 40 cents. This is even more humbling when you consider the average person in Zim makes $100 a month. So 10 cents is a lot. It was yet again another lesson for me, one that I have seen in other countries but it still hits hard.

I was reminded about this dollar a few days ago at the Burbank Airport on my way to San Jose for a few days. After clearing security for the 8th time in two weeks, I went to buy 2 Dr. Peppers. The guy at the register gave me a total for $6.56 and I laughed….but he was serious. Two sodas for that much, well I was at an airport and they are known for that. Well, I really wanted a DP so I pulled out my cash and there it was, starring at me….a dirty dollar bill that traveled 10,000 miles and back again.

Yesterday I read an article from a Zim online news site. It is called “Can I have a Dollar please?” If you want to read it, and I suggest that you do, you can find it at zimbabwejournalists.com. The gist of the story is that the writer looks at the hard times that everyone is feeling but especially in the rural areas. A cousin, who was only 37 years old dies. This brings a rare occasion for those in the city and those in the rural areas together. So the writer shares the story of how his uncle, who use to live in the village recognizes one of the grave diggers, a former classmate is elementary school. They catch up on old times and this man, aged and broken over the burdens of life in the rural areas asks for a dollar. The request makes him uncomfortable but he asks anyway. He only wanted one dollar. He had never even seen a dollar before. Why did he want a dollar? To process Maize-Meal so he could have Sadza, a thick doughy substance that is the staple food in Zim. Everyone eats Sadza. Yet he needed a dollar to process the maize meal so it could become Sadza. Since he couldn’t afford it, he and his family had been eating boiled maize meal. The only thing I can compare it to for us in the States is being used to eating mashed potatoes growing up and then having only the ability to eat raw potatoes because you lacked one thing to have it mashed. One dollar because his children want Sadza instead of boiled maize meal. Needless to say, that dollar that I looked at as I used other cash to pay for my DP’s makes me uncomfortable in my comfortable re-entry to the US.

The Long Journey Home

2009-06-15T06:50:00.001-07:00

Well, after two plus days of travel, I am finally home. Last night was a challenge in sleeping. "Lag" is a mild term describing what the Jets did to me. It was a great trip. I was sad to leave so many wonderful Christians. Zimbabweans are such a sweet people. Yet it was good to be home. I left on Saturday afternoon and didn't arrive home until Sunday afternoon which was really Monday early morning in Zim time. Today I'll spend some time putting thoughts to pen and paper. I'll also try and highlight several aspects in the next couple of weeks too. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. Continue to pray for Thomas, Dany and Sam.

Thanks for Praying

2009-06-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

Thomas is doing better. He had a fever, the chills, was dizzy and weak. The hospital checked for malaria and it came back negative. They think it was a virus and he is sleeping today. Thank you for praying. Continue to pray for him and for us.

Without him, we're kind of in a holding pattern. We went to a flea market and mall today. You can tell the economy has really impacted people here. Many shops were closed and Mrs Hodzi told me it use to be very busy here. The traffic lights don't even work in many places because there is no money to change the lights. They are using US currency but they don't print it and its hard for them to make change here. No banks and no ATM's. I actually found a 50 billion Zimbabwe dollar on the ground. It's worthless. The average income per month here is 100 US dollars a month.

Many are suffering but they are such a happy and friendly people too. If you know Thomas than you know Zimbabweans. Kind, sacrificial and very sweet. Even in the flea market where I was enjoying bartering, they were friendly and I never felt pushed (which is different for flea markets).

Well, its two more days here and I leave to come home. I am homesick but mostly I miss my wife. It will be a great Sunday! I'll try and update before I head out but I'll have much to say when I am home and able to post pictures.

Updates and Prayer Requests

2009-06-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

Right now, Thomas is at an emergency clinic so please pray for him. Last night, he was coughing and had a fever. Today, we tried to go to Victoria Falls but had to turn back because he got worse. So please pray for him. I'll update his condition as soon as I can.

As far as updates, we visited an Aids Hospital and then an orphanage for mentally handicapped children. Both were sobering. You could sense the fear that the Aids patients were going through. We prayed with a couple of them. At the orphanage, we spent some time playing with the children. Most have been abandoned and abused. One little boy is both physically and mentally handicapped. He was living in a chicken coup when the orphanage found him. His name is "Blessing" and followed us around in his wheelchair.

What often happens is because of the economic conditions, most people cannot even get food for themselves. Often, children are without both parents because they have died of Aids. Those who are mentally handicapped are at the bottom rung and often neglected among the orphans. There is much ministry here that includes social ministries along with equipping the church to do these outreaches. It has been insightful to see Thomas and a very real sense of compassion for these people, especially the mentally handicapped.

Well, I have so much to write but I'll do so later. Again, please be praying for Thomas and for the rest of us too.

HIV In/And the Church

2009-06-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, we spent some time in the rural areas. The economic conditions are even worse there. We drove on the major highway, which was like a rundown version of a paved country road in some parts. Then we drove for some time down a dirt road - really slow for a longtime.

The place we stayed at was a training center that many came to from a long ways away. Some even walked miles to this. It was humbling to be there. They were more on the charismatic side of life and I don't think they even knew expository preaching. In fact, a missionary I spoke with here says that he knows of only two people in the country who preach out of the Bible in an exposition fashion. So, for me, it was a reminder of how blessed I am to have studied at Masters and how blessed I am with Pastor Bob. I hope we were an encouragement. I spoke out of Romans 12 (Don't be conformed but transformed) and Colossians 1 (learning how to pray from Paul's prayer).

On Sunday, we went to church about an hour and a half away. At this church, we praised God, heard testimonies and Thomas preached from Romans 5 and the benefits of justification. During the testimony times, one lady stood up and shared that she was HIV positive and her children are positive too. Yet she praised God for how good He is to her and her children. I talked with the pastor and many in the churches are HIV positive. In fact, 1 in 4 are positive in Zimbabwe. This made me think of what would we do if someone in our own church stood up and shared about HIV. How would we treat them, how would we respond, how would we minister to them? This is a big problem here. It is not just ministry to those who are infected outside the church but many within. It will be a big issue for Thomas to think through too.

Today is a day of rest. God knew something when He instituted the Sabbath. It was much needed and we have had good fellowship with our host families.

Thank you for praying and for leaving comments. I enjoy reading them. Also, thanks to my wife for posting for me and for allowing me the opportunity to come here.

Updates from Steph via Last Phone Call with Jason

2009-06-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

Jason asked me to update his blog as he has limited access to Internet for the next few days.

Many thanks to all of you who are praying for him and the team. Both of us are most grateful for each one of your prayers. It's been a blessing to hear what's been going on. I believe God has a great plan for ministry in Zimbabwe! I'm so glad that Thomas wants to return home and that COC has a tremendous opportunity to be apart.

Here's the latest:

Friday night Jason preached last minute to 60 youths. He gave his testimony, had a Q & A and taught out of Romans 12:1-2 with the title "Two Decisions Every Christian Should Make". The main points were: 1) Decide to Be Committed to God & 2) Decide to be Changed by God's Word.
On Saturday morning the team will travel about 5 hours south of Harare into rural Zimbabwe to preach at a Pastors Conference. There will be about 70 - 90 pastors from around the country. They greatly desire Leadership training so Jason's messages will be geared around what Pastors should be and what Pastors should do.

That's all I have for now but I'll keep you updated as I get word of Team Z's activities. Sam Minyard should be leaving either today or tomorrow to join the group soon. Please remember him in your prayers this weekend.

Thanks again from a grateful wife!

-Steph Beals

A Brand New Day

2009-06-05T03:58:00.000-07:00

Well, thanks for your prayers. It is definately being seen. Getting on the net can be a bit challenging. Sometimes pages will load, other times after I have written an email or blog, it doesn't go through. So I will try and post this, not knowing if it goes through. I didn't even know that last post went through until right now.

So, I am feeling much better. I had a great nights sleep and have not had any issues at all today. I have a last minute "youth group" preaching event tonight and I'll be preaching on Romans 12 challenging the youth to be completely committed and continually changed.

So my funny story will also be a transparent story. One of the encouragments that I got from Dr. Halstead's updates in India was how he was struggling and what he was learning about himself and God. The same is true for me here. Zimbabwe is worse than I thought it would be. It really is devastated here. Sometimes I felt like I was in the movie Black Hawk down without the guns. However, although the country is in such terrible conditions, the people are sweet and generous. I enjoy them very much.

So, when we arrived in Zimbabwe it was late at night, we were tired and for Zimbabweans, it takes a really long time to do anything. Much different for us "go...go...go" Westerners. So it took forever just to leave the airport. We dropped Dany off at a wonderful older couples house. Then on the way to my place, we got lost, were in the "high density" areas which is what we would call a combination of Ghetto and Slum. On the way there, Thomas states that he thought it would be neat for me to stay here. In my mind I thought, "neat for who?" Then, he and the other people in the car mention that the place I will stay at got robbed last night. So I asked, what does that mean, robbed when they were home or away. The answer...while they slept?!?! Then, my stomach starts churning from something I ate in South Africa. I thought I was going to have an accident. By the time we arrive at my place, which they decided to change since the other place got robbed, I was in serious pain. As we approach this very torn down place, they also said the electricy had been shut off and didn't know when it would be turned on. I mentioned to Thomas that I had to use the restroom and it was an emergency. So I get into the bathroom, with no lights and the toilet doesn't work unless you pour water into the tank. So I get them to show me, finally use it and try to flush......no flush. So, with a red face I go out and ask for help. I finally am shown to my room, no light, bad stomach issues, fearful of getting robbed and now alone...to think. I start to wonder if I caught Cholera already and what would I do if I had it. Needless to say, it was a struggle but God reminded me of His control and that even though this was an extremely uncomfortable situation, I was in His plan. It also gave me time to think about how comfortable I am. Even when I have gone to places were they have serious issues, I've always stayed in decent places. Yet how fortunate we are to have so much, even a working toilet and light. The people I stayed with the first night were so kind, made sure I was okay, cooked me breakfast and will be at the pastor's conference on Saturday which is 5 hours away from them. THey have nothing yet the husband took off work and they were so kind.

So, that is my story of a difficult night. No sleep but plenty of time to think, pray, confess and praise the Lord. Why does it take things like that to be thankful?

I hope that was an encouragement. I am thankful for all of your prayers. I called Steph last night and she was such an encouragement to me. I am blessed to have such a wife. I am blessed to have great friends who will read this and pray. I am blessed to be here among people who have so little but give so much. There is much to do here, much ministry to plan out and I am thankful our church will partner here.

The first few days

2009-06-04T07:15:00.000-07:00

Well,
I am in Zimbabwe but am struggling a bit. Not sure how much I can write but I'll try to post quickly. We got in to Harare and the city is worse than I thought. There are some sweet Christians here though. Dany got to stay with a wonderful old couple in a really nice place. Thomas stayed with his mom. It was really cool to see their reunion after 7 years. I am having some stomach issues and will post more about my difficult evening later but boy are there some funny stories. I'm not feeling that well, missing my wife and am having trouble sleeping. Except for that, we have had some great meetings with people and today I was very encouraged as we met with a like minded national missionary who has been doing ministry in Harare for 20 years. Tonight are more meetings so please pray for us and I would especially like your prayers for me. It really does force you to remember how comfortable you are in the states when you are in challenging circumstances. It really is an honor to be here and I am excitied for what God has in store for Zimbabwe, Thomas and our church.

Sleeping in South Africa

2009-06-02T20:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all of your prayers. I had a good night's sleep and am now awake at about 5:30 a.m. I am very thankful for the common bond that believers have throughout the world. Yesterday, a former Master's college student picked us up from the airport and a family that doesn't even know us took us in, fed us and we stayed in great rooms. It reminds me of the apostle John's admonitions to be hospitable in 1-3 John. The host family, Wendy and Dunkin are great and we hit it off right away, chatting for a long time. It was a great time of fellowship and I felt like I had known them for years. They are a great example to me. I feel very rested for now, but know that later today I'll be tired. Everyone else is sleeping so it makes for a good time to study. Today we will be meeting with someone who might be partnering with Thomas in the future. He oversees the church planting in Africa and will take us to meet some church planters here in South Africa. Then its back on airplanes to Harare tonight.

Adventures In Africa....we are in South Africa

2009-06-02T01:57:00.000-07:00

Well,

I only have a few minutes to update but we arrived in Johannesburg and are waiting to fly to Durban. The trip was uneventful until we started to board in L.A. About 10 minutes before boarding, our flight was cancelled due to a door on the plane that wouldn't shut properly. They had to wait for a part to fix it and it would take 10 hours just for the part to arrive. All of the people were told that they would have to fly out the next day. Well, that was a problem for us since we are getting a connecting flight for a one day meeting in Durban. So, I spent about an hour to almost two hours trying to get us to South Africa and all the flights were booked. God was very good but He always is. We met up with a really helpful Ticket Agent that worked hard to get us on a different airline. So we had to fly to Boston, then London, then get on a different flight to South Africa. We had to recheck everything again and go through Security. When we arrrived in Boston, we had to go to another ticket counter and they didn't have us on the flight. Thankfully we got another great ticket counter person who worked hard to get us on the flight and made sure our bags got there too. Needless to say, it was a good experience to remind us that though we may plan our way, God directs our steps. Thank you for reading this and praying for us. Continue to pray for us, we have a busy schedule tomorrow morning, meeting with a potential ministry partner for Thomas.

I am thankful for my traveling buddies, Thomas and Dany. Both had great attitudes and were flexible. I do wish I had my best traveling companion...my wife, Love and miss you Steph. Right now I am sipping on a Rocky Mount Mocha??? I also had a shwarma for breakfast in the airport. How odd is that?

My goat meal - Nyama Choma

2009-05-31T08:03:00.000-07:00

Read below for the description

Today is the Day!!!

2009-05-31T07:59:00.000-07:00

There is always a love/hate relationship that I have with traveling. I love getting ready because it’s fun to prepare for the adventure. I also hate getting ready because it often becomes crazy and chaotic right up to leaving. Today is also a packed day with Church and our missionaries from India visiting. It will be good for the Church to visit with them and hear updates concerning the amazing ministry that have there.

Well, I haven’t had a chance to give you some insight into our African meal. We went to a restaurant in West L.A. called Ngoma. Funny thing is that when we walked up to the door, they had a banner out front that reads “Food from Obama’s Father’s House.” So my first thought was, did they ship it? I really did enjoy the food though so here is a blog shout out to Obama’s Dad…Thanks for the great food! Seriously though, I had Sambusa which is a fried pastry type thing with beef in it and it was GOOD. I also had for my main meal Nyama Choma which was roasted goat served with Sadza and collard greens. Sadza is Thomas’ favorite thing. When you look at the picture, its that doughy ball and it tastes like…..well it tastes like nothing. Thomas thought it a travesty that I put salt and pepper on it, but I’m a season kind of guy who likes things that have flavor. I really enjoyed the goat. Steph had a mix up with her meal and ended up with Mafe, which was lamb in a peanut sauce. It reminded me of Thai food. Overall, I hope the food in Zimbabwe was as tasty as Ngoma. I’d recommend trying the goat!

As far as an update on the trip, two days before we leave Thomas received a call to do a Pastor’s conference of about 70-90 pastors. So welcome to missions Thomas. We are excited. I’ll be doing Romans 12 (transformed thinking and living), Colossians 1:9-14 (Lessons from Paul’s prayer), and Galatians 5-6 (Spirit filled living). So please pray for us. I’ll update more as I can. Hopefully I can get on the Net. Ciao till then.

Food From Obama's Daddy's House

An African Airline Adventure

2009-05-22T11:09:00.000-07:00

9 Days until we “fly away.” It is crazy how fast this trip has come into focus. We first fly to South Africa, to a city named Durban on the East Coast to have a meeting. The next day we flight to Zimbabwe which is just to the north. So here is a rundown of the flights in case you are wondering what it takes to get to where we are going. We leave Sunday, May 31st around 8 p.m. on a 10 ½ hour flight to London. Then, we have a 6 hour layover until our next flight. Then we get on an 11 hour flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. We’ll arrive at 8:35 a.m. and need to get our bags, go through customs and then wait for our next flight. That layover time will be about 5 ½ hours. Our next flight will be at 1:55 p.m. and we will finally arrive in Durban at 3:00 p.m. I wonder if I’ll be tired at all. So my calculations (and I am no math major) suggest that our travel time including airport time is roughly a 36 hour trip.

So I have been planning to bring some work in order to be productive. The funny thing is that I’ll be studying eschatology, end times stuff and after this travel experience, I might think I am in the Tribulation! I’ll be wishing we were on the Rapture flying plan of a “twinkling of an eye.” In all seriousness, I am excited for what God has in store. I would ask for prayer for us as we seek to gather information on how best to plan for Thomas’ future in Zimbabwe.

Baba Beals - My new name from Zimbabwe

2009-05-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

The countdown to Zimbabwe is just two and a half weeks away. There are so many things to do in the meantime with little time to accomplish everything. Part of the preparation is trying to understand the culture. Years ago Dr. Mark Tatlock showed a diagram of one person going from one culture to the next. I’ll use the description of culture “A” going to those in culture “Z”. The person in “A” is a block head (fitting for Americans, especially the ones I see overseas). The people in “Z” are round heads. “A” will never become “Z” but he/she can round off some of the rough edges in their “block head” to become more of an octagon head which is reminiscent of Paul’s desire to not let culture get in the way of the gospel seen in the often quoted 1 Cor. 9:19-23. Yet Paul never lost his Jewishness. While I see the importance of not letting culture stand in the way of ministry, one need to be careful to not let the other culture dictate life either. So in honor of this “A” type personality becoming more “Z”, I have a new nickname… “Baba Beals!”

Here is a little history behind the new nickname. In learning some cultural things about Zimbabwe, there is a great deal of respect for both men and women. It is seen as disrespectful to call someone older by their first name. Several “honorable” names can be used in conjunction with the last name to show reverence and respect. When addressing the women, the term “Mai” or mother is used. For the man, the term “Baba” or father is used. From what I understand, this is used for those older than you even if they do not have children. So, I am now “Baba Beals” and I kinda dig it. Soon I’ll give some insight into some African Cuisine or “chikafu” (food) because we’ll be going to an African restaurant in Hollywood.

End Times or Last Thing On My Mind?

2009-05-07T16:08:00.000-07:00

I have been studying Isaiah and Romans this last semester as well as going through 1 and 2 Peter on Wednesday night Bible Study and have been hit with this reoccurring theme of the End Times. Isaiah is filled with Millennial Kingdom references. Romans deals significantly with God’s plan for Israel in the future. 2 Peter, well if you haven’t read chapter 3, then you have missed an amazing account of God’s future plan. All of this has pushed, or maybe even shoved me, into an End Times study, which we will do as a series in the Wednesday Bible Study in the summer.

In part of my reading, I came across this quote by Paul Benware in his book, Understanding End Times Prophecy. He states, “The attitude exists among many of God’s people that, ‘when Jesus and the end times come, they will come, but in the meantime I have to live my life in the real world.’” I quickly thought of myself and said…sad but how true is that of me! Why do you think that is? Why do we go about our own things, in our own little world with the End Times the last thing on our minds?

Rightly quoted or Wrongly referenced - the context conundrum

2009-05-01T16:27:00.000-07:00

The other day, Stephanie and I went to the movies and were given free popcorn. I am not much of the popcorn type, usually preferring something chocolate but it was free. One of my dislikes of popcorn is that it gets caught in my teeth and I have to use my tongue to work it out. It’s just stuck there, annoying me, not going away. This blog entry, which is a departure from my thoughts on thinking, is just that….something caught in my own thinking, irritating me a tad but wondering what others think.

So here it goes. Is it okay to misquote Scripture but in misquoting you actually discuss sound biblical teaching, just not from that section of the Bible? I would assume that most in conservative Christian circles would think that misquoting the Bible is frowned upon, even joked about. Remember the old saying, “Judas hung himself”, strung along with “go and do likewise” and “what you do, do quickly”. One of the most obvious out of context verses is the reference in Matthew 18:20, “where two or three are gathered in My name, I am there in the midst” and refer to it in prayer but in reality it is in the context of Church discipline, not prayer. At least those were the ones I remember being the talked about ones in college. Most would rail against such inappropriate use of God’s Word, especially since the most often misquoted scriptural references tend to go against biblical teaching. But what about quoting Scripture that is done out of context but reflects biblically sound ideas? You are probably wanting examples, so I’ll give one from Romans and if you want more, just ask.

Romans 10:9-15 is probably one of the most “evangelistic” passages that most turn to in order to show the gospel and the need for “preachers to be sent.” How many times have you heard the old saying, whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, but how will they call unless they hear, and how will they hear unless there is a preacher and how will they preach unless they are sent? Sound familiar? It sounds good and is biblical when you remember Jesus’ words of in Matthew 9:37-38 which in summary state that the workers are few, the harvest is ripe so pray for more workers. But is this what Paul is saying? Not if you read the whole chapter! Romans 9-11 deal primarily with Israel and God’s future plan. Currently Israel has rejected Christ, they have “stumbled over the stumbling stone” (9:32-33). Paul desires for them to be saved but Israel tries to get to God on their own righteousness (10:1-3). Paul then quotes Deuteronomy to show that even that generation had the message (v8 – Word is near you, in your mouth) and they could respond by faith (v8 – in your heart). Moses’ generation had God’s Word and could respond to it, obey it and did not need for it to be brought down to them for they had it. Then comes our section, Romans 10:9-15 showing the content of the message that God has given in Christ, namely those who believe and confess will be saved. When Paul says, how will they call on Him in whom they have not believed (v 14) he is pointing to Israel who has rejected. Remember the context of chapters 9-11. The point that Paul makes is that they have been sent messengers with the message and Israel has failed to believe! Look at Romans 10:16-18, they did not all heed the good news. Paul then quotes Isaiah 53:1. In verse 18 Paul asks a question, they (Israel) have never heard have they? Then he answers, “Indeed they have.” The rest of chapter 10 show that even Moses predicted that God would save the Gentiles and make Israel jealous.

So what is my point, my point is that Romans 10:9-15 is not a request for missions. It is not a section that deals with commissioning preachers to be sent to far off lands with the gospel. It deals exclusively with the fact that Israel had the message preached to them and they rejected that message. Good news were brought to them and they stumbled over Christ, refusing to believe. Messengers have been sent and they were rebuffed.

So is it right to quote, clearly out of context, Romans 10:9-15 and apply it to missions? I’ve done it! This is what I have been struggling with because clearly missions and sending those to preach the good news is a biblical concept. But is it right to use sections of Scripture for things that are true biblically but not according to the specific context. What do you think, all two of you who read this? Please comment, I’m interested in hearing from you.

The battle for the Mind - pt 1

2009-04-28T00:53:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those moments where a similar item, word, song or thought continued to pop up everywhere you went? Some call it Deja Vu to explain the reocurrence. I've had one of those things in my own personal studies through Scripture dealing with the Mind. It just keeps popping up no matter where I am or what I am studying. I've even considered it for a topic as a ThM Thesis. It started with a sermon (as most things with me start) on Romans 12:1-8. In fact, I first preached the typical "Don't be conformed but be transformed" message that is found in Romans 12:1-2. However, I started to dig a little further, continuing to verses 3-8. I had never heard a sermon on the rest of the section and was curious as to how 12:3-8 which dealt with the body and using gifts fit in with 12:1-2 and the transformed mind. It was through this study that I found my friend...phroneo, a Greek term meaning "to think, be concerned with, set your mind on."

Romans is an amazing book and I am currently preaching through it right now but the sermon on Romans 12 was done several years ago. The context of Romans gives so much to the idea of "right thinking" that I had missed previously. It all goes back to chapter 1 in which Paul says that salvation is available to both Jew and Gentile (1:16-17) because both are sinners deserving God's wrath (1:18-3:20). The Gentiles, seen in chapter 1, have refused to worship God, did not honor Him or give Him thanks (1:24) so God gave them over. Most would fill the rest in by stating that God gave them over to do sexually perverted things. Yet it is often missed that God also gives them over to a "depraved mind." The word for depraved mind (adokimos) and means "failing the test." The mind is no longer fit, no longer fully functional and "fails" the test due to sin. In chapter 8, Paul uses our word - phroneo - to show that those in the flesh "think, set their minds on" the things of the flesh but those in the Spirit "think, set their minds on" the things of the Spirit (Rom 8:5). By the time one gets to Romans 12, Paul has shown a great deal regarding salvation that also includes the mind, once "failing the test" - adokimos.

In Romans 12:1-2, because of God's mercies in salvation, the Christian is now to no longer let the world conform (used in the passive showing the action being done to you) but to let the mind be transformed, to be renewed. Why, because of Romans 1:28 - It has been impacted by sin and continues to be impacted by the world, which is trying to conform and mold the mind. Yet something pretty cool is seen in the next phrase in verse 2 - "so that you may prove what the will of God is." The word for "prove" (dokimozo) is the exact opposite of Romans 1:28, which is a mind that is (adokimos). The idea is that through the transformation of the mind, the renewing by the Spirit through Scripture, the mind is "renewed" put back into shape so that one may "test and pass" rather than "have a failed mind." So then, what does the mind have to do with 12:3-8?

Another play on words. Paul moves from having your once "depraved mind" be transformed by the renewal of it so that you can test and approve of what is good, what is God's will. And then he continues with the idea of -phroneo- to think, consider, set your mind on. The NASB has the idea in verse 3 of 'not thinking highly but thinking with sound judgment.' The play on words is something like this - Do not (huperphroneo) "overthink" when you (phroneo) "think" but when you (phroneo) "think", think with (sophroneo) "sound or right thinking." All of this thinking is in the context of serving the local church, using your God given gifts to build up the body. God gives you His Spirit and transforms your thinking so you can think rightly, knowing God's will and serving the church with humility. Right thinking leads to committed Christians employing their gifts for the building up of the body, namely the local church.

Have you ever wondered why so many people in the church don't get involved? Its because we are all a bunch of huperphroneo's, thinking too much of ourselves, our own agendas, our own time issues, our own plans and goals that we forget that the God who transforms and renews our mind wants us to think rightly about ourselves in light of serving His church.

Well, that's all for part 1 - gotta get to bed.

2009-04-27T15:19:00.001-07:00

Testing the mobile function

Starting the blog thing

2009-04-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

Well,
I've tried to avoid this but here I am, venturing into the blog world as the craze has moved on to twitter. So maybe it is safe to step into the waters of blogging now. Actually, I am doing this so I can update people while in Zimbabwe in June but maybe it will grow into something more.