I have been meditating on Psalm 67 this week. Let me share a few thoughts with you on this wonderful prayer and song of thanksgiving.
"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah
that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you."
God made a covenant with Abraham that He would bless him and that Abraham and his family would be a blessing to all the nations. [Gen. 12:1-3] All who have trusted in Jesus as Savior are recipients of this promise. We are blessed in order to be a blessing to everyone else everywhere.
"May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. Selah
May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you."
People from every nation (people group) will rejoice and delight themselves in God when they experience the just and gracious rule of Christ over them. John Piper has said it well; “Mission is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is... Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal in missions...Missions begins and ends in worship.” [From ‘Let the Nations be Glad']
"Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him."
Abundant harvest is the result of God’s blessing. When people begin to walk in God’s ways, harvests tend to become more fruitful. Being able to sit down and enjoy a good meal with friends and family is something to give thanks to God about. We also anticipate from the Lord abundant spiritual harvest in and through our lives.
This beautiful Psalm begins with a prayer asking for God’s grace and blessing to be upon us so that people from many nations may come to know the Lord. It ends with a song of thanksgiving for this very thing; He will bless us and people everywhere; across the street and to the far reaches of the planet; will join us in worshiping Him.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Thoughts From Holland
I just returned from Holland where I spent several days last week with about 30 church leaders from around the world. All of us were related to the Newfrontiers family of churches. It was wonderful to hear of numerous unreached or nearly unreached people groups receiving the Good News about Jesus through people from our churches. In some of these places reproducing churches are multiplying. One of our friends shared how in his country 10 years ago they had 8 people in their church, today there are 1800 people gathering in seven different churches they have started.
Edward Buria, who serves the church in Kenya apostolically, told us of the terrible famine that has been going on in their nation for the last several years. Some of their own church members have perished in the famine. Churches are rallying together to help serve those most affected by this crisis in genuine compassion. Edward, however, went on to tell us how that even in face of these huge problems many new churches are being planted and many people are coming to faith in Christ.
Our good friend Scott Marques shared how in Southern Africa God is using the combination of the Biblical principles of Farming God’s Way (now called Foundations for Farming) to help pave the way for planting sustainable and reproducing churches. Scott made this statement, “As the church loves God, believes God, receives God and lives for God’s glory, the church has the power to bring a life-giving, ‘transformational’ effect, through the power of the Holy Spirit to the world around it.” We have plenty of evidence that this is actually happening through church after church around the world.
To sum up our time in Holland I want to mention something Terry Virgo shared with us that really impacted me. He said we must share clearly that as Christians we are a ‘new creation’ in Christ. We no longer fall under the category of ‘sinners’ but that of ‘saints’ (i.e. ‘holy ones’). In other words, we are not only freed from sins’ guilt, but from sins’ power through Christ. Therefore we should not expect to go on sinning but rather to see the fruit of the Spirit growing in our lives. This reality points up the need for each new believer to experience the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Living out, in this present life, what it means to be a ‘new creation’ in Christ requires the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. To be a ‘transformational’ people we must be a Spirit-filled people.
Edward Buria, who serves the church in Kenya apostolically, told us of the terrible famine that has been going on in their nation for the last several years. Some of their own church members have perished in the famine. Churches are rallying together to help serve those most affected by this crisis in genuine compassion. Edward, however, went on to tell us how that even in face of these huge problems many new churches are being planted and many people are coming to faith in Christ.
Our good friend Scott Marques shared how in Southern Africa God is using the combination of the Biblical principles of Farming God’s Way (now called Foundations for Farming) to help pave the way for planting sustainable and reproducing churches. Scott made this statement, “As the church loves God, believes God, receives God and lives for God’s glory, the church has the power to bring a life-giving, ‘transformational’ effect, through the power of the Holy Spirit to the world around it.” We have plenty of evidence that this is actually happening through church after church around the world.
To sum up our time in Holland I want to mention something Terry Virgo shared with us that really impacted me. He said we must share clearly that as Christians we are a ‘new creation’ in Christ. We no longer fall under the category of ‘sinners’ but that of ‘saints’ (i.e. ‘holy ones’). In other words, we are not only freed from sins’ guilt, but from sins’ power through Christ. Therefore we should not expect to go on sinning but rather to see the fruit of the Spirit growing in our lives. This reality points up the need for each new believer to experience the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Living out, in this present life, what it means to be a ‘new creation’ in Christ requires the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. To be a ‘transformational’ people we must be a Spirit-filled people.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Some thoughts from St. Louis
Marlene and I are in St. Louis, MO because I am here doing some video work and involved in some team meetings during these days. But here is the big news, today Marlene and I are celebrating our thirty-fourth wedding anniversary. We get the privilege of being with all our children and grandchildren for this special occasion.
I woke up in the early hours of the morning today and began to think about my life and the amazing blessing of God I am enjoying. I am so grateful for my wife, Marlene. She is an amazing gift from God to me. I love her heart of worship towards God. She has been willing to lay her life down for God’s glory and humbly serve behind the scenes as much as anyone I know. I can honestly say there is no one in this world I would rather pray together with than her. She is a great inspiration to me.
I am overjoyed to be here together with our three grown up children, Aaron, Andy and Abby along with our two beautiful daughters in law, Elisabeth and Eren. they have given us seven fantastic grandchildren. (By the way, these grandkids are all under nine years old and the energy level they produce is in itself a wonder. They are all asleep right now so things are pretty quiet.)
In these wee hours of the AM of this significant day of my life I have been meditating on Psalm 128 let me share it with you:
“Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children!
Peace be upon Israel!”
Because of God’s grace I am experiencing the blessing this Psalm proclaims and I want to thank the Lord for his faithfulness.
I woke up in the early hours of the morning today and began to think about my life and the amazing blessing of God I am enjoying. I am so grateful for my wife, Marlene. She is an amazing gift from God to me. I love her heart of worship towards God. She has been willing to lay her life down for God’s glory and humbly serve behind the scenes as much as anyone I know. I can honestly say there is no one in this world I would rather pray together with than her. She is a great inspiration to me.
I am overjoyed to be here together with our three grown up children, Aaron, Andy and Abby along with our two beautiful daughters in law, Elisabeth and Eren. they have given us seven fantastic grandchildren. (By the way, these grandkids are all under nine years old and the energy level they produce is in itself a wonder. They are all asleep right now so things are pretty quiet.)
In these wee hours of the AM of this significant day of my life I have been meditating on Psalm 128 let me share it with you:
“Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!
May you see your children’s children!
Peace be upon Israel!”
Because of God’s grace I am experiencing the blessing this Psalm proclaims and I want to thank the Lord for his faithfulness.
Friday, September 18, 2009
From the Nations To the Nations
New Community Church in Tacoma recently hosted ‘From the Nations To the Nations’ Cross Cultural Training Weekend. It was great to see about sixty people gathered from as far away as Missouri and Georgia. The teaching team was David Devenish, Lee Yarbrough and myself.
This was an important step for our church due to our vision of being a multicultural church where people from different cultures and races work together to see Jesus lifted up everywhere.
The Apostle Paul said that his calling to people of other cultures was “to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of (Christ’s) name among all the nations.” [Romans 1:5] Heaven is going to be filled with the wonderful diversity that is only possible when people of many cultures are joined together as one ‘New Community’ under Christ’s glorious and gracious rule. In his book ‘Let the Nations Be Glad’ John Piper says, “God’s great goal in all of history is to uphold and display the glory of his name for the enjoyment of his people from all the nations.” Our vision for this kind of cross-cultural training is fueled by this great goal of God’s heart.
This was an important step for our church due to our vision of being a multicultural church where people from different cultures and races work together to see Jesus lifted up everywhere.
The Apostle Paul said that his calling to people of other cultures was “to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of (Christ’s) name among all the nations.” [Romans 1:5] Heaven is going to be filled with the wonderful diversity that is only possible when people of many cultures are joined together as one ‘New Community’ under Christ’s glorious and gracious rule. In his book ‘Let the Nations Be Glad’ John Piper says, “God’s great goal in all of history is to uphold and display the glory of his name for the enjoyment of his people from all the nations.” Our vision for this kind of cross-cultural training is fueled by this great goal of God’s heart.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Can you say, 'Coeur d’Alene, Idaho'?
Marlene and I just returned from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. This may seem like a strange and exotic sounding name for a town. Actually it is a French term. Around here we pronounce the name of this city “Core-Dah-Lane”, however, for all you French speakers, this pronunciation may not sound quite right. The meaning of this name is said to be ‘the heart of the awl’ which at face value may not shed much light on the subject. However, as the story goes, French fur traders came into the area in the late 1700’s and when they began trading with the native peoples who lived in this beautiful place they said in their quaint way, “these people have the heart of the awl” which I guess in our present day speech means, “these guys are sharp as a tack when it come to doing business!”
Anyway the main reason I brought up this subject was to say it was great to join with Terry and Wendy Virgo from England and other friends from here in the Great Northwest at Prairie Avenue Christian Center, a church there led by our good friend, Ted Hoit. We had a couple of days together as a group of leaders, receiving great teaching from Terry and praying together. Wendy had a morning together with the ladies, which got rave reviews. We also ate some good food… always an extra bonus! Then on Sunday morning Prairie Avenue Christian Center was welcomed into the Newfrontiers family of churches. We are really grateful for God’s goodness reflected in how he joins our hearts together with those He chooses in fulfilling His great mission to bless the nations.
Anyway the main reason I brought up this subject was to say it was great to join with Terry and Wendy Virgo from England and other friends from here in the Great Northwest at Prairie Avenue Christian Center, a church there led by our good friend, Ted Hoit. We had a couple of days together as a group of leaders, receiving great teaching from Terry and praying together. Wendy had a morning together with the ladies, which got rave reviews. We also ate some good food… always an extra bonus! Then on Sunday morning Prairie Avenue Christian Center was welcomed into the Newfrontiers family of churches. We are really grateful for God’s goodness reflected in how he joins our hearts together with those He chooses in fulfilling His great mission to bless the nations.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Great Time in New England!
Last weekend Marlene and I had the privilege of Participating in Celebration Northeast held at Gordon College near Boston, MA. This was a great event for all the family attended by all the churches related to Newfrontiers in the Northeastern part of the USA.
I think one of the most moving and memorable moments during the Celebration was when we all prayed for two couples and their children who are making plans to make the move to two different nations in the Middle East where there are many who have never heard the Good News of God’s great Salvation through His Son, Jesus.
This was a historic moment for us. Clearly there is an increase among us of those taking specific steps toward going to other nations out from our own numbers here in the USA. I am convinced that this is just the beginning of a new dimension of our church planting vision. We have a great desire to see new churches planted right across our own nation. We are so thankful for those who have recently made moves to other cities here such as Chicago and Charlotte, NC. We are equally grateful for those God is releasing to go to other nations to see churches planted among the many who have never heard of the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
I think one of the most moving and memorable moments during the Celebration was when we all prayed for two couples and their children who are making plans to make the move to two different nations in the Middle East where there are many who have never heard the Good News of God’s great Salvation through His Son, Jesus.
This was a historic moment for us. Clearly there is an increase among us of those taking specific steps toward going to other nations out from our own numbers here in the USA. I am convinced that this is just the beginning of a new dimension of our church planting vision. We have a great desire to see new churches planted right across our own nation. We are so thankful for those who have recently made moves to other cities here such as Chicago and Charlotte, NC. We are equally grateful for those God is releasing to go to other nations to see churches planted among the many who have never heard of the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
Monday, July 13, 2009
A Note From John Bunyan's Hometown
We have just come through an amazing time at the Newfrontiers International Leadership Conference in Brighton, England. Terry Virgo, who leads the movement was our main speaker. God clearly used him to not only bring clear perspective regarding our past but also pointed the way forward into the future. I felt he wonderfully modeled for us how an apostolic leader of a movement can prepare that movement to move into the next generation. I heartily recommend downloading those talks from the Newfrontiers website at www.newfrontiers.xtn.org
Right now, Marlene and I are in Bedford, England. Bedford is especially famous for being the home of John Bunyan who wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress. Bunyan wrote this allegorical story while in prison in Bedford for holding church meetings that were not under the authority of the Church of England. This book is a wonderful example of the power of a narrative in conveying the ways of God in the life of a person. This allegory has had amazing appeal to those who are highly educated as well as to children. If you have never read this story that comes to us from the 17th Century let me recommend it to you.(If you don't like to read 17th Century English try the edition in today's English.)
Right now, Marlene and I are in Bedford, England. Bedford is especially famous for being the home of John Bunyan who wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress. Bunyan wrote this allegorical story while in prison in Bedford for holding church meetings that were not under the authority of the Church of England. This book is a wonderful example of the power of a narrative in conveying the ways of God in the life of a person. This allegory has had amazing appeal to those who are highly educated as well as to children. If you have never read this story that comes to us from the 17th Century let me recommend it to you.(If you don't like to read 17th Century English try the edition in today's English.)
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