As most of you know, we have been in the process to go to Singapore with OMF International since April 2010. Before my father passed away in late April, the field leadership gave us a benchmark of mid May to see God bring our finances at least up to 80% for us to continue as candidates for the IT position in Singapore. We are now well past mid May and looking at our numbers and well . . . they just aren't where they need to be for us to continue as we have. So we are withdrawing our names. Paul said it best in this email he sent last week to our leadership:
It is with mixed personal feelings, but great confidence in the Lord, that I write to you to withdraw our names for the IT Manager role at IHQ; I would like to thank ... all those who have been so supportive and encouraging us to follow wherever God may be leading us.
I will say this: I am certain I do not wish to go anywhere that God is not paving the way for us to go! Please pray as we re-adjust our plans and seek again to know what God has for us next.
We are planning on taking the next 3 months to pray,talk, think, decompress, etc. in order that we can honestly seek after the Lord to confirm where he is leading us next. Right now we are kind of a mess in various mundane ways and for good reason. Our co-laborers at OMF have been very caring and understanding as we try to work out the kinks in our plans and dreams and what God is doing with them. And we do appreciate everyone's prayers for our family -- I believe we are doing as well as we are because of your prayers, make no mistake.
In the short term we will continue to work at the U.S. Headquarters as the IT Coordinator (Paul) and in Communications (Cat). I am actually kind of excited about this since giving up US Mobilization was something I was finding hard to do.(I can quit any time I want to.) These are both support-based positions, which mean we are still under-funded even though we aren't going anywhere. We are going to have to address that in the near future, but I think God will allow us to catch our breaths emotionally and spiritually before we continue to press on into the next great adventure. We'll see where we are in fall. I'll continue to write and post as things come to me, but I felt this needed to be said first before I can really start writing again.
In the meantime, you can help by praying for us as we adjust to the new new new reality of 2011.
Showing posts with label missions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label missions. Show all posts
5.28.2011
2.21.2011
schooled
[Shoot. I only had 8 days left in February and I blew it. I didn't post last night. I'll try posting twice today but...it's just not the same. ]
You meet all types of people. Believers who are just realizing that there is a great commission, folks who have been sending people for 30 years, God takes all kinds. Most of our partners are somewhere in between. But hardly any of them do missions as their main focus. It isn't their main thing - God is. Their church is. And that is the way it should be most of the time. Their lives are happening all around them and if I can bring missions to the front of their mind more often than not, I am communicating successfully.
I think I need to back up a step to explain my mind in regards to mobilizing for missions. Just as a church planter sees the people in their village as his or her flock (or constituents) I, as a mobilizer, see U.S. Christians as my focus. A church planter will ask their partners to pray for individuals and organizations in that village/region; I ask my partners to pray for individuals and organizations in the U.S. to become mobilized (I like to say on fire for missions, but that's just my wording.) The church planter wants you involved through prayer and financial support because it's God's plan and it's good for folks in the village; I want you involved through prayer and financial support because it's God's plan and it's good for you and for our existence as Christians in this country.
So I went into the event on Saturday with certain expectations. Our organization, like many faith-based, nonprofit organizations is feeling the economy crunch. (The exception there is we don't solicit or fund raise.) We just got a new national director. The world of missions is changing. We just released an excellent video series with Perspectives. So I kind of went into it with the attitude that "people will be changed by us knowledgeable experts." This attitude was reflected in my prayer request the night before, that "many people there will be led to respond to God's call on their lives in regards to missions and specifically to East Asia with [us]." It was going to be a learning event ... I just wouldn't be doing the learning, everyone else would. (/arrogance)
God totally schooled me. Though all those things I mentioned above are crucial and were pushed to the forefront of the evening, the real value of the event for me was hearing my friend's story and current walk in missions; about their church's take on missions, and how it's effecting their family -- both for the positive and the negative. I had forgotten (or God-forbid, ignored) this part of the equation. Behind every partner there is a network of others. Those others (and our partner) are believers and are seeking his face independently of us. If they are seeking his face, they will eventually come into an understanding of the great commission on their own. Missions is part of the DNA of a christian life. God can teach me about the great commission through you, just as much as you can learn from anything I've got to say. It is a work we are doing together, and it is often an equal exchange of peers, rather than teach to student.
You meet all types of people. Believers who are just realizing that there is a great commission, folks who have been sending people for 30 years, God takes all kinds. Most of our partners are somewhere in between. But hardly any of them do missions as their main focus. It isn't their main thing - God is. Their church is. And that is the way it should be most of the time. Their lives are happening all around them and if I can bring missions to the front of their mind more often than not, I am communicating successfully.
I think I need to back up a step to explain my mind in regards to mobilizing for missions. Just as a church planter sees the people in their village as his or her flock (or constituents) I, as a mobilizer, see U.S. Christians as my focus. A church planter will ask their partners to pray for individuals and organizations in that village/region; I ask my partners to pray for individuals and organizations in the U.S. to become mobilized (I like to say on fire for missions, but that's just my wording.) The church planter wants you involved through prayer and financial support because it's God's plan and it's good for folks in the village; I want you involved through prayer and financial support because it's God's plan and it's good for you and for our existence as Christians in this country.
So I went into the event on Saturday with certain expectations. Our organization, like many faith-based, nonprofit organizations is feeling the economy crunch. (The exception there is we don't solicit or fund raise.) We just got a new national director. The world of missions is changing. We just released an excellent video series with Perspectives. So I kind of went into it with the attitude that "people will be changed by us knowledgeable experts." This attitude was reflected in my prayer request the night before, that "many people there will be led to respond to God's call on their lives in regards to missions and specifically to East Asia with [us]." It was going to be a learning event ... I just wouldn't be doing the learning, everyone else would. (/arrogance)
God totally schooled me. Though all those things I mentioned above are crucial and were pushed to the forefront of the evening, the real value of the event for me was hearing my friend's story and current walk in missions; about their church's take on missions, and how it's effecting their family -- both for the positive and the negative. I had forgotten (or God-forbid, ignored) this part of the equation. Behind every partner there is a network of others. Those others (and our partner) are believers and are seeking his face independently of us. If they are seeking his face, they will eventually come into an understanding of the great commission on their own. Missions is part of the DNA of a christian life. God can teach me about the great commission through you, just as much as you can learn from anything I've got to say. It is a work we are doing together, and it is often an equal exchange of peers, rather than teach to student.
2.18.2011
discreet? Meet frank.
Blogging is complicated. Back in the day, I had a few friends that believed that you should blog everything. Not just every truth but every lie, every action, all of it, good and bad--the point being that you were honestly out there, for all to see. Ok given these folks were writers by trade so maybe honesty in type was kind of a big deal. I have struggled over the last few years because I don't always feel I can share my honest (and usually short-lived) reaction to stuff and then take the repercussions right in the face.
Some of that has to do with I don't own all of the secret, i.e. it involves someone else and I have not been given permission to share what I know no matter what my personal opinion is about the subject. I am unlike Paul. I have to work to keep secrets. I am not the black hole of knowledge; sucking in all information around me and compressing it to the point that even light can't escape the depths of my discretion. He has regularly not told me about a pregnancy or a engagement if he was told ahead of time until it is announced publicly. Like for months. It use to make me mad. Now... I can respect that I have a respectable husband.
The new twist is now we are a family of missionaries. Living out there with all our bumps and bruises for all to see. Sometimes it is really good to be honest and open about what I am struggling with but sometimes, its touchy. If I was out in the public forum under my own power, I would be watching my words vigilantly, waiting for the misstep. Fortunately, I am out here in the open not because I want to be but because God has lead me out here. I am constantly thanking God that I am following him, as he steers me around pitfalls and washed out bridges, and oh, volcanoes. And I just have to say, "Man, am I glad I was honest today. I'm glad I didn't take the low road, or take the cheap shot, Didn't act the small petty individual I can be at times. Because this could have completely derailed us." It's kind of a lightheaded feeling as you skate disaster. I would like to remind you that I have no formal bible training. I graduated from what is probably the anti-Moody. My vision for missions is basically "I will go where the pillar of smoke leads." If I happen to help the start of an indigenous biblical church movement of self-replicating churches on the way, all the better.
I'm slowly reading and watching dvds about how to connect with people. Mobilizing what I can only call my base is on my mind a lot, especially this week. And blogging about how I plan to mobilize my supporters (most of who read my blog) just feels kind of well ... meta. Like I'm plotting and scheming here in my dark corner of the interwebs instead of being a forthright child of God. I am often thinking and praying for individuals who are praying and thinking of me because I can't help it. Some of that stuff that I am praying about is personal and was given to me in private. Some folks are highly on my mind but I can't share it with anyone but Jesus. At times that is frustrating but most of the time it turns into a teaching opportunity about prayer. In the same way writing and talking about our partnership development isn't going to be for public consumption.
Some day I may get back to all honesty all the time. And maybe I will let the meta out the bag a bit more than I do with some forgiving souls who will take it with a grain of salt, but for now I think I need to continue to walk the line between frankness and discretion.
Some of that has to do with I don't own all of the secret, i.e. it involves someone else and I have not been given permission to share what I know no matter what my personal opinion is about the subject. I am unlike Paul. I have to work to keep secrets. I am not the black hole of knowledge; sucking in all information around me and compressing it to the point that even light can't escape the depths of my discretion. He has regularly not told me about a pregnancy or a engagement if he was told ahead of time until it is announced publicly. Like for months. It use to make me mad. Now... I can respect that I have a respectable husband.
The new twist is now we are a family of missionaries. Living out there with all our bumps and bruises for all to see. Sometimes it is really good to be honest and open about what I am struggling with but sometimes, its touchy. If I was out in the public forum under my own power, I would be watching my words vigilantly, waiting for the misstep. Fortunately, I am out here in the open not because I want to be but because God has lead me out here. I am constantly thanking God that I am following him, as he steers me around pitfalls and washed out bridges, and oh, volcanoes. And I just have to say, "Man, am I glad I was honest today. I'm glad I didn't take the low road, or take the cheap shot, Didn't act the small petty individual I can be at times. Because this could have completely derailed us." It's kind of a lightheaded feeling as you skate disaster. I would like to remind you that I have no formal bible training. I graduated from what is probably the anti-Moody. My vision for missions is basically "I will go where the pillar of smoke leads." If I happen to help the start of an indigenous biblical church movement of self-replicating churches on the way, all the better.
I'm slowly reading and watching dvds about how to connect with people. Mobilizing what I can only call my base is on my mind a lot, especially this week. And blogging about how I plan to mobilize my supporters (most of who read my blog) just feels kind of well ... meta. Like I'm plotting and scheming here in my dark corner of the interwebs instead of being a forthright child of God. I am often thinking and praying for individuals who are praying and thinking of me because I can't help it. Some of that stuff that I am praying about is personal and was given to me in private. Some folks are highly on my mind but I can't share it with anyone but Jesus. At times that is frustrating but most of the time it turns into a teaching opportunity about prayer. In the same way writing and talking about our partnership development isn't going to be for public consumption.
Some day I may get back to all honesty all the time. And maybe I will let the meta out the bag a bit more than I do with some forgiving souls who will take it with a grain of salt, but for now I think I need to continue to walk the line between frankness and discretion.
2.14.2011
logic problem
These days I feel like most of my life is a logic problem. I am in the middle of trying to plan a partnership trip to da'Burgh, while coordinating all the stuff that is life here in CO. If I'm not careful I get a bit overwhelmed. If it was just these things I could cope, but I kind of have to work on it in pockets, as time allows. I often feel like I am forgetting something.This all started because I agreed to helo help with an event in Lancaster, PA. I am so fortunate to have someone else planning that end of it.
I am excited about sharing the 6 ways's series with our friends. I am also hopeful that God is leading a number of different groups towards ministry partnership with us on our way to Singapore. I could of course be mistaken, but there have been entirely too many coincidences going on in the last week to ignore it. The good news is this trip basically came up out of the blue and all the pieces are falling into place, mostly without me having to do anything about them. Of course the vestry at our old haunt just went on a missions retreat and are all fired-up about mission work. Obviously my friends just rented a 6 person van and will just happen to be driving through Baltimore, MD the day I need a ride back to Pittsburgh with their family. Well, yeah. It's been stuff like that. When events happen like this, I find myself battling against my two natural tendencies of worrying and procrastination. If I don't rely on God to sort it all out, I become completely freaked or completely lazy, sometimes at the same time.
I did put today aside to work on some of this and while I did make headway, I still only got about half way down my list of tasks. Also, I want to figure out a better way to communicate our immediate needs and plans to our partners. It seems that if I dare to put off writing a prayer letter, it comes back to get me the next month. Like now, I have not really had a chance to share about our lives from January, but now it is urgent for me to be talking about this March trip, both from a prayer and logistical stand point.
So maybe more like a weekly email update? Or would that be over kill? How often do you like to hear from missionaries you have close ties to?
I am excited about sharing the 6 ways's series with our friends. I am also hopeful that God is leading a number of different groups towards ministry partnership with us on our way to Singapore. I could of course be mistaken, but there have been entirely too many coincidences going on in the last week to ignore it. The good news is this trip basically came up out of the blue and all the pieces are falling into place, mostly without me having to do anything about them. Of course the vestry at our old haunt just went on a missions retreat and are all fired-up about mission work. Obviously my friends just rented a 6 person van and will just happen to be driving through Baltimore, MD the day I need a ride back to Pittsburgh with their family. Well, yeah. It's been stuff like that. When events happen like this, I find myself battling against my two natural tendencies of worrying and procrastination. If I don't rely on God to sort it all out, I become completely freaked or completely lazy, sometimes at the same time.
I did put today aside to work on some of this and while I did make headway, I still only got about half way down my list of tasks. Also, I want to figure out a better way to communicate our immediate needs and plans to our partners. It seems that if I dare to put off writing a prayer letter, it comes back to get me the next month. Like now, I have not really had a chance to share about our lives from January, but now it is urgent for me to be talking about this March trip, both from a prayer and logistical stand point.
So maybe more like a weekly email update? Or would that be over kill? How often do you like to hear from missionaries you have close ties to?
2.11.2011
PA trip and MB thoughts
[Oops, missed posting by 3 minutes! So pretend you are reading this 3 minute ago...]
I am getting excited. It looks like we'll get a chance to travel to PA next month to participate in the Following Gods Call Together event. It's going to mean more traveling and more work, but the chance to really get out there and visit with folks we haven't seen in over a year sounds great. I feel we've been out of touch too long. We're not even really sure how it's all going to work out, but hopefully we get a few chances to eat meals with folks, share where God has been taking us over the last year, how that all ties in to our move Singapore and hear what's been going on with everyone else. We totally get that we are not the only game in town when it comes to missions and or God moving among his people.
I got a chance to hear a pretty cool presentation on Missional Business today at our organization. Basically there is a real need for javascript/php software engineers to review code for businesses that are set up overseas in areas that would be unreachable if the gospel wasn't going in with the business model. Language would be helpful but really they need skilled workers. The work can even be done back in the U.S. without even leaving the states. (fyi - if I just described you, and a small still voice is paging you on your internal intercom system, please email me and I will get you to the appropriate people). I love that God works through gifts. Not all of us are church planters, you know?
2.02.2011
Finding the well in this global village
I recently attended a mobilization conference at our organization in January. Beyond the amazing stories we heard of God's love for his children in East Asia, we also heard about how the world is changing and how that is effecting missions. We are no longer in a colonial model to world missions. (Thank God!) It's not about western Christians bringing religion to the heathen (i.e. anyone who is not from the west). Christianity is on the rise in Asia and often we in the west are languishing in post-christian countries. Who will lead? Who should follow? How do we honor Christ together?
Some of this came out in Lausanne (which Patrick Fung talked about how equilibrium, or a balancing between east and west is a bad way of looking at it). I've heard it described as everyone reaching out to everyone from everywhere. I think that's a bit nebulous.
But the tension of this change has been showing up internally in our missions organization as we see many home sides (sending countries) struggle to be relevant in a context that is increasingly hostile to the gospel. We are faced with changing "how we do business" to follow the great commission not because the commission has changed but because we have changed. Our culture has changed. What we are doing over seas has changed.
For instance, if you are of an American church tradition that originated somewhere else (Lutheran, Episcopal, etc.) how will your tradition adapt to be in communion with shop keeper churches in Taiwan or a Filipino Christian tradition that is as vibrant as your own? My favorite challenge to date: how does the organization I work for interface with the established African church (in the different African nations) to reach the estimated 750,000 Chinese who are in their communities but who do not know Jesus . . . or a lick of the native language? And then successfully include the American church, which at times is still stuck in the colonial mode of sending Missionaries (TM) to Save(!) them unbelievers.
I don't know the answer, but I do know that that is just crazy God stuff.
But it could mean that the organizations like ours may need "bringers" as well as "senders" For Paul and me, that would look like Singaporean Christians joining our ministry team (which would be freaking awesome!) Not to bring over our vast specialized knowledge (yeah right!) but maybe just to be there as a witness to the Spirit moving in his church. How much healthier and relevant would we be if we were prayed for by the people we came to serve with?
Some of this came out in Lausanne (which Patrick Fung talked about how equilibrium, or a balancing between east and west is a bad way of looking at it). I've heard it described as everyone reaching out to everyone from everywhere. I think that's a bit nebulous.
But the tension of this change has been showing up internally in our missions organization as we see many home sides (sending countries) struggle to be relevant in a context that is increasingly hostile to the gospel. We are faced with changing "how we do business" to follow the great commission not because the commission has changed but because we have changed. Our culture has changed. What we are doing over seas has changed.
For instance, if you are of an American church tradition that originated somewhere else (Lutheran, Episcopal, etc.) how will your tradition adapt to be in communion with shop keeper churches in Taiwan or a Filipino Christian tradition that is as vibrant as your own? My favorite challenge to date: how does the organization I work for interface with the established African church (in the different African nations) to reach the estimated 750,000 Chinese who are in their communities but who do not know Jesus . . . or a lick of the native language? And then successfully include the American church, which at times is still stuck in the colonial mode of sending Missionaries (TM) to Save(!) them unbelievers.
I don't know the answer, but I do know that that is just crazy God stuff.
But it could mean that the organizations like ours may need "bringers" as well as "senders" For Paul and me, that would look like Singaporean Christians joining our ministry team (which would be freaking awesome!) Not to bring over our vast specialized knowledge (yeah right!) but maybe just to be there as a witness to the Spirit moving in his church. How much healthier and relevant would we be if we were prayed for by the people we came to serve with?
11.02.2007
the next thing
We are now appointees for OMF in the US field. *YAY*
The board interview was _very_ reminiscent of oral comps at kzoo, even with me flubbing on at least one question, but we were given the news yesterday at about 2pm that we had been approved and would now be long term members of the fellowship. As I said to Paul, now the real work starts. There is a lot to do and think about (and pray over) in the next few weeks, but we are at least allowed to leave the starting gate and begin the race. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. More later as we get on to the next thing.
The board interview was _very_ reminiscent of oral comps at kzoo, even with me flubbing on at least one question, but we were given the news yesterday at about 2pm that we had been approved and would now be long term members of the fellowship. As I said to Paul, now the real work starts. There is a lot to do and think about (and pray over) in the next few weeks, but we are at least allowed to leave the starting gate and begin the race. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. More later as we get on to the next thing.
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