FCP 2

Last weekend, the Foundations for Church Planting class came for their second trip to NYC. It was a great weekend. They came in Friday night (Nov. 30). We started by going to see the tree at Rockefeller Center (actually, it wasn't as big as I thought it would be).The next morning we got to hear from one of the staff members at Church of Park Slope here in Brooklyn. We were also joined by two great guys from Southeast CC in Louisville, KT. One is a big supporter of what Ozark is doing in bringing students to the city, and the other is a guy who grew up at Southeast and is now planning to plant a church in the northeast. I didn't know this before, but Southeast has a great heart for the northeast!
Next, we headed up to Queens to the neighborhood of Jackson Heights. An Indian church plant is scheduled for this area since it's the location of "little India." But we quickly found out that this area is the most diverse place in NYC! In just a few blocks, you could see Indians, Koreans, Colombians, Argentines, Thai, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Mexican, Korean, Filipino, Chinese, European American, Guatemalan, and Americans! That's a lot! All crammed into a small space. In many ways, NYC can be an cross-cultural mission ground! So, the students participated in a prayer walk for the nations in this diverse place. (I also got to try some Indian food for the first time. Wow. I had no idea what I was eating, and it looked really weird. I ate it, but I must say that it wasn't that great.)
After listening to a few more church planters, we had some free time for the night. Dave and I went with a group to the Rockefeller Center to the "Top of the Rock." At 70 stories up, we had a breathtaking view of the city. Now I don't know about you, but I think seeing the city like this is truly beautiful.
On Sunday morning we got to worship at two great churches. First at Redeemer Presbyterian Church with the traditional liturgy and preaching by Tim Keller, and second at Forefront Church with a band (where I go). It was nice to participate in some great liturgy with hundreds of people for a change.
After church, we got to hear from a guy doing some overseas mission work in NYC. That's right "overseas." Actually, he's working to reach the Albanian people. There are actually more Albanian people living in the US than live in Albania. He brought up the great point that sometimes we could use our resources better by supporting missions in the urban centers of the out own country rather than send people to other countries. Plus, when American missionaries "retire" and come back to America, they can be great resources for reaching the nations here! Great stuff.
As NYC continues to grow, most of the growth is non-Anglo, which means that if we want to reach the city we'll have to plant all kinds of churches speaking all kinds of languages and worshiping in all kinds of ways. There are so many possibilities to reach not just Americans, but truly the entire world through this one influential city. OK, less preaching. Last we got to hear from Paul Williams, the head of The Orchard Group. That night we got to eat at a great Italian place in Little Italy.
On Monday we heard from one of the church planting staff members at Redeemer Presbyterian. They are making a big impact in the city, by supporting and training church planters no matter what denomination they come from. They're doing great stuff. Last, we heard from the director of the local office of the "Jews for Jesus." Did you know that there are more Jews in America (5 mil.) than in Israel today (4 mil.) (though that's quickly changing). Of the 5 million, 2 million live in the NYC area and 1 million in the city. Now with 8 million people in the city, chances are that one our of every ten people you see is Jewish! When we plant churches, we've got be aware of what kinds of people are around us.
Once again, it was a great weekend with the class from Ozark. I am sooo glad that I'm able to be a part of it. If I was still at Ozark, I would take this class in a heartbeat. While there are many uncertain things in my life right now, I am certain that God has used me to be a part of shaping Ozark students for leadership in His kingdom this semester. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and prayed for me. Thanks guys!

Real NYC Pizza

There's a place close to where I live, J&V Pizza. Like so many places all over the city, they make great, large pieces for a great price. My favorite topping is sausage. And this is no tiny bits of sausage like big chain pizza places. These are real big toppings that are sliced and put on the pizza when you order. And as you can see they are so O delish!

That's actually two pieces there.

Chuck Norris

So, I'm not endorsing anyone, but this is about the most awesome political commercial I've ever seen. Tremble before Chuck!
Chuck Norris Approved. Talk about a way to reach that ever-elusive 20-30 something audience.

Lead/Team/People

So last week, the second class from Ozark came to the big city, and I was with them every step of the way. This class focused on Leadership/Teambuilding/People Development. They were able to hear from a number of various church planters who are doing ministry today in the city. It was a great class full of great future leaders. The only let-down was on Saturday night. We had tickets to go see Phantom of the Opera...on Broadway! But we discovered that afternoon that the backstage hands all over Broadway have gone on strike! Therefore, no show. I've seen the show before when it came to Tulsa, but this is Broadway! Oh well. Instead we were able to walk around the Times Square area in the freezing cold wind. It was probably a lot more fun for them.

On Sunday morning we went to two Orchard Group churches. Crossroads Christian Church is in Brooklyn, and has a more neighborhood focus for the people of Bay Ridge. The second church is where I go, Forefront Church in Midtown Manhattan. Both services were different in how they reached people with God's love, which fostered some great discussion about the methods of ministry. One great comment I heard a few times about both churches was the fact that the people were so excited to be there - it's like they really wanted to go to church. It's true that in the Midwest, there's an expectation that going to church is the right thing to do, so you do it every week whether you really want to or not. But in New York, Christianity is more of a minority, and healthy churches are hard to find. So when you do find one, you want to go and meet with other Christians! It's a wonderful thing. I remember when my family started going to Cedar Ridge. At first I hated it (mostly because I had a grudge against church in general). But when I let my guard down and started to become part of the community, I remember realizing one Sunday that I really wanted to go to church. It's a beautiful thing.

I was also able to produce and lead a team-building exercise on Sunday night for the class to hone their team-building skills. It was great seeing people work together and learn more about themselves in working as a team.
On Monday we were able to hear from a guy on staff at Redeemer Presbyterian here in New York. Redeemer had taken the lead in New York for planting churches wherever they can. Anyway, he talked about how in urban preaching, we cannot simply transplant more conservative, midwestern styles. People need to know how the gospel effects all of life an existence, more than three principles on how to have a healthy marriage. Sermons about a healthy marriage are great, and needed, but most people aren't asking those questions here. We must be "ruthless contextualizers" of the gospel to all of life. Actually, I think that applies to wherever you might preach.
Again I am so glad that God has blessed me to work with Dave and lead these classes as they learn in the city. Hopefully I'll see some of these students in the future working in New York City.

Survival vs. Love

I just watched the movie Crash. If you haven't seen it, it chronicles the experiences of various ethnic groups interacting in LA. It shows a raw picture of the feelings and outcomes of racism. It's a well-made, well thought out movie, and I highly recommend it. It will definitely stir your emotions.
However, by the end everything was not tied up in a nice bow. Characters learn some lessons, but in the last scene racism continues to manifest its ugly head yet again, as if to say "it will never end." It's a pessimistic ending. I hardly found any sense of honor or integrity either. Bending the rules was common place and any thought of forgiveness or reconciliation was hardly in the equation (Julia Roberts' character was a small exception). I think what I was searching for and found missing was love. Love. In the midst of racial tension and misunderstanding, no one humbled themselves, no one took the time to understand another's viewpoint, and no one tried to make amends. Instead, each character simply did their best to survive. There was a self-centered justification to their actions. Love. Where was love?
It makes me think about the way of Jesus. I sure hope that Jesus followers are known for their love - not just a lack of racism because they are trying to survive. Trying to survive because that's what society says is best, or because that's what makes them feel good. I sure hope that Jesus followers understand more than anyone else - really anyone else - how precious people are. We should understand that every person has been made by God in His image. And more than that, He showed how precious every life is when He died for them on a cross. Love.
Now in the end, everyone is a racist to a certain degree. I'm a racist. When I look at a stranger, I observe their skin tone, what they're wearing, their language, and body language, and then I make judgments. Stereotypes flow quickly. It's almost automatic. We all experience this. It's a survival technique. But we must go beyond just survival. We must own up to our stereotypes, and then chose the way of Jesus. Love. Every time. Is it hard? Yes. But that's what Jesus did for us...for you...for me.

"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility to all men. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved up through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. -- Titus 3:1-8

Learning from the Monks

I think that if I was born in the middle ages, I would be a monk in a monastery. I know they had their flaws. I'm not so much attracted to the simple life, but the focused one. Being a part of an entire community where everyone is seeking one kind of life together. When I look at American society, I often hate it. Each person must fight alone - against everyone else for the mighty dollar, or whatever else the individual wants. However, I know that every culture and society is imperfect with its flaws. But what about the church? Shouldn't it be the best society/culture - a different people living within a people? American/Western Christianity is still so individualistic to me. It's believers getting together as individuals - not as a community together focused on one kind of life together. That's what I want. That's the kind of church I look and strive towards.
And so here I am writing about it on my own, personal blog. Ironic?

Not from Brooklyn

So tonight I decided to get some pizza for dinner. I went to the local pizza place, Giovanni's, to enjoy some authentic New York sausage pizza. While I was waiting, the woman beside me was talking with they guy working about her cat that had been lost for a week and a half. I struck up a conversation with her, asking about the cat. We chatted a little, then she asked me where I was from. When I told her I was from Oklahoma, she responded with: "You're not from Brooklyn...so that's why you're talking." So I started a conversation with a stranger - guess I'm not from Brooklyn.
Actually Bensonhurst, my neighborhood, has been really inviting. When you start a conversation, people are really open to talking. It really is a great neighborhood. It's definitely a lot different from life back in Broken Arrow, OK. But like I often say, people are people. It's not like New Yorkers are from another planet or another people group. There are some differences, but in many ways, people are the same as back home.
So I guess the moral of the story (haha)...don't let your stereotypes of people get carried away.

Esther

So I just read the book of Esther in the Bible. It's such a great story. Whether or not you're a Christian or even religious, it is a must read. Today as I was reading it again on the subway, I thought of how fun it would be to read it to children at a library (in the children's version of course). There's love, humor, action, and lots of great irony. It's written like a great legend. I believe that it is.
One really interesting part I noticed this time came at the end(if you haven't read it yet, go and take 20 min. to read it right now!). When the Jews are able to defeat their enemies all over the kingdom, it says that they were given the plunder of their enemies (8:11), but they ended up not touching it (9:16)! What happened to all that plunder??? Well, when Mordecai tells all the Jews to celebrate the two days of relief from their enemies, he tells them to feast, give presents of food,...and to give gifts to the poor (9:22). Where did the poor enter the picture. I wasn't there and the story doesn't specifically say this, but it looks like they would celebrate by giving gifts to the poor, because that's what they did with all the plunder when they defeated their enemies. What would cause these exiles in a foreign land not to take advantage of all the plunder? The followed Yahweh. They were different. God cares about the poor, so they did too (so much that they gave gifts to the poor - others - as part of their celebration! That sounds like a really neat idea - give to the poor when you have a celebration). The Jews are painted as very different in Esther. Mordecai doesn't bow down to Haman. Before Haman's demise, his wife tells him: "Since Modecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him" (6:13). When the Jews were given permission to fight for themselves, "many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them" (8:17). Wow! When the day came for the showdown between the Jews and their enemies, people were afraid of them, and all the king's officers supported the Jews (9:2, 3). The Jews were different. Even though "God" isn't mentioned in the story, He's all over the place working for the favor of his people. I could go on, but what a great story of God's work through his people to ultimately bring our hope, Jesus.
What's your favorite part of the story? Go ahead, leave a comment!

Job

So I went through the arduous 2-interview process of trying to get a job at one of the apple retail stores here in the city and finally found out that I didn't get the job. So I'm still in the search for a part-time job. I know that I could find a job doing just about anything, but I want to be purposeful about what jobs I pursue. Please pray for me that God would provide where He desires, and if I need to, that he would make me swallow my pride.

Haircut

So on Wednesday I finally got a haircut - trim actually. I hadn't been to any places in Bensonhurst (the neighborhood in Brooklyn where I live). But I saw a sign for $10 mens' cuts at a place right by the subway entrance, so I tried it out. There were two women there and then three women working. Just a slight bit awkward. Anyway, while the woman was cutting my hair we had the small talk going on. She had an accent and would periodically speak in another language to the other women working, so I asked her where she was from. Albania! Not just Albania, but Dures, where I went last summer during my missions trip with CIY! They were really excited and so was I. My landlord is also from Albania. Who knows how God has been working and how he will use this for his glory. Please be praying for me that I will be able to make some relationships with people in my building and in my neighborhood here in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.

Ozark in New York City

On September 21-24, 26 Ozark students invaded the big apple. It was great! This was our first group of students to come the the city - Dave Smith's Foundations for Church Planting class.
I remember taking the class in the downstairs of the chapel accumulating Dave's many many many handouts. I remember the class when we talked about the northeast, New York City specifically, and the great influence it has in the world. That's when God first began to prick my heart to come here to plant churches. I hope that God pricked some students' hearts this past weekend again!
They got here late Friday night, and experienced a NY taxi ride from the airport to the mission house where they stayed. (random fact: about 80% of cab drivers speak English in NYC). Early the next morning, we made our way to midtown to the historic celebration of the Fulton St. Revival. Jack Hayford and Henry Blackaby spoke, and then we were able to go to a church planting workshop. That night, the students were able to take the Staten Island ferry and see the whole city. Dave organized a seaside dinner back in manhattan at a great Chinese restaurant. Finally, we heard from the church planter of Mosaic Manhattan church.
On Sunday we were able to go to a new campus of The River, a church on Wall St.! We heard about it at the Fulton St. conference. It was a great, externally focused church. That afternoon we went to the Empire State Building where we used a classroom from the King's College. The students heard from the church planter of a church in the Boston area. We ended the night by watching a Broadway show, Mamma Mia! (my first broadway show).
On Monday, we went to Crossroads Church in Brooklyn to hand out pop tarts to people. Then we heard from the church planter there. Finally, we made our way back to the Empire State Building to hear from the planters of Forefront Church and Church! of Park Slope. With that, they headed off to the SuperShuttle vans that took them back to the airport and back to Joplin, MO. Wow! What an experience.I'm so glad that I was able to help Dave make this trip a success. This class will come out one more time in November/December. Another class will be coming at the beginning of November. So, we'll be getting ready for them. I'm glad that God brought me back to the city to be involved in such a worthwhile and purposeful program. May the Lord of the harvest raise up his workers to bring Good News to this influential city. Ever thought about coming to the city?...

Free Time

The past few weeks I've had a lot of free time - mainly because I don't have a job yet. Yes, I am helping Dave Smith quite a bit, but that's a little more sporadic. But like I said, I've got a lot of "free time." It's really nice when there's a party or concert or baseball game, and I've got nothing to hold me back. Other times though, it drives me crazy. I hate not having something pressing to accomplish. Sure there are things to be done, but nothing extra to spring me out of bed in the morning with that much more gusto.
I remember a few summers ago in high school (wow, that was like 6 or 7 summers ago, I'm old!) when my pastor from my home church gave a devotion for the youth group. I think it was the last Wednesday night before summer. We had a tailgate party and volleyball game. He talked about how sometimes the most dangerous place we can be is in our "free time." Satan uses it to tempt us toward sin. It's true. So in the past few weeks, I've been having to practice the discipline of self-starting. I'd say that most of the time, it's better to be doing something rather than wondering if anything will happen.

Random New Yorkisms

I was going to put this in my newsletter, but I didn't. So here it is!
Living in New York: Here are some random and interesting things I’ve discovered about the Big Apple.
1. People aren’t jerks. Everyone is more direct here; no beating around the bush. But if you need directions, people are happy to give them. People aren’t cold-hearted, just intensely focused.
2. I feel safe. No, I haven’t been mugged, shot, or solicited. I never really feel threatened anywhere. Even at the dead of night, there are plenty of people on the streets (“city that never sleeps”). I guess we think of the 80’s and early 90’s when it was a little dangerous. I’m glad it’s better now.
3. The poor and homeless are everywhere. Everyday I see at least 5 homeless people, or people asking for money…and that’s if I’m not looking for them. Jesus came to preach good news to the poor (Lk. 4:18)…do I?
4. There is a heightened awareness of social issues…to an extent. People care about healthy foods, the environment, AIDS in Africa, and the Darfur, which are all great. But the awareness is limited to the socially popular issues.
5. It’s diverse. I hear people speaking various languages every day. I’ve seen Catholic priests, Buddhist monks, guys in Muslim garb (no they were not in a bar), and more ethnicities than I know. You really can find a flavor or everything in this city.
6. It’s expensive. I’ve heard it’s one of the most expensive places to live. I believe it from the cost of rent alone! Most things are a little more expensive, so you’ve got to be pretty savvy. However, a frappuccino at Starbucks is always the same price everywhere in America.

Crazy-Cool

So I found something interesting this week as I was reading through my journal. Last year on the first entry (July 06), I had just finished reading "If you want to walk on water you've got to get out of the boat" by Jon Ortberg. It's about living my faith. Ortberg asks a question at the end that I wrote down in my first entry: "If your God truly is a big God, and you could ask him to do any one thing in your life, what would it be?" I didn't know what to answer back in July 06. When I finished that journal on July 22, 07, I looked back at that question. Here's a part of my entry on July 22, 07: "Looking back @ the question at the 1st entry of this journal, I would say that the one thing would be to find a job & apartment in New York a week after I get back from vacation." Well, yesterday, on my 6th day back, I signed a lease on an apartment, and I already have a job lined up! Wow! God is crazy-cool!
It's the same apartment that I looked at on Wednesday. Thanks for your prayers. It's a big decision to sign a year-long lease. I'm really going to live in New York - definitely for a year. Now I just need to deal with the details of furnishing the place. All of my furniture is back in Oklahoma of course (I just couldn't fit my bed and dresser in the overhead bins on the plane). It's actually more normal here for people to buy the things they need here and then sell them whenever they move. However, I do still have lots of things back home that I would like to have here (like so many great books - a commentary set I just got for my birthday for one!). Pray that I'll be able to get the things I need whether buying for from home, and that I'll be content with what I have (Philippians 4:12; 1 Timothy 6:6-8).

I'm Back!

Well, I'm back in New York City. The past two weeks were wonderful! I got to be with my family, both in Oklahoma and in Kansas, and I got to see some friends from Ozark for a few days. I was also able to go to my home church for the first time in almost a year! Being away from home, or ministering at other places has kept me. Once again I was surprised by the weight of support from those at Cedar Ridge. It's not that I didn't think it was possible, but I didn't realize how much God has blessed me. So, to my supporters once again, THANK YOU!
Some of you probably know that I've been looking for an apartment with my roommate. Well, today I looked at one in Brooklyn where a couple at Forefront lives. It's going to be a really nice, new place once it is renovated, it's in a good community, and most important it's at a great price! After looking the place over, the landlord told me that I should let him know by tomorrow afternoon (thursday), because he would be showing it to other people. I'm glad I called him right away! So my roommate and I are going to sleep on it and decide in the morning. We really haven't heard or found of any other apartments like this one - good price, newly renovated, people from Forefront, great price. This really looks like God's provision right now. Over the summer, I've been living in Queens. I don't want to get too much ahead of myself, but how could God work through me with my landlord or with my neighbors if I went to this place in Brooklyn? To quit rambling, would you pray for me and my roommate, that God would give us wisdom about this? I know that some of you have already been praying about this. Perhaps this is the answer, or perhaps it will come later. Either way, I'm excited to see where God leads. Thanks.

Joy and Grief

I'm coming home on Tuesday! I'm super excited! I'm going to be in Broken Arrow for two weeks, form August 7-21. I'm looking forward to having a good break. I only had one week between graduation and moving to New York. Now I get to have a break from always having something pressing to do or someone to see. I'm hoping to go to Kansas this next weekend and to Joplin on the 20th to see friends from Ozark.
On a more serious tone, I just received an e-mail about a friend of mine, Patricia, who recently suffered a brain aneurysm. She played piano at 1st Christian in Miami, OK, where I preached during the spring semester. It has been a hard season for her recently anyway as her husband, Nate, passed away in the Fall. Every time I spoke with Patricia she encouraged me with her faithfulness to God. Whether wet or dry eyes, she was either praising God for his faithfulness to her in the midst of grief or she was concerned about others who didn't know God's love. It pains me to hear that she is having to undergo surgeries, and will probably not be able to live by herself again. But with Patricia's same spirit, I believe that God is faithful to his people. Soon I will be able to worship before the throne of the lamb with both Nate and Patricia where there will be no more sickness, pain, tears or death. How great is our God! Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Mike

So tonight, Tim invited me to eat dinner with a friend of his from church, Aaron, who is moving to Arizona tomorrow - a sort of "last hurrah." (Tim payed for me (thanks Tim!) so I happily went). We ate at a place called Dallas BBQ in Times Square. The craziest part was listening to Tim and our friend argue about computer operating systems (Windows vs. Mac), programing stuff, and binary code. They were getting pretty passionate, and I didn't understand a lick of it. They were definitely being nerds - but where would we be without the internet and their genius creating it?
Well, that was just for fun. Here's the really cool part of the night. On the way home from dinner, we met a guy named Mike on the subway. He was sitting beside us and heard our conversation. I guess he's a friendly guy, so he threw open the door and added a comment. We ended up starting a conversation about what we do and where we're from. Then Mike asked how we knew each other: from Forefront. He said that he was Lutheran and had been looking for a church. We told him about Forefront, and he asked for the address twice to make sure he got it. So, maybe he'll be there on a Sunday.
Earlier in the evening our friend Aaron used a phrase to speak of New York: "a community of strangers." That's really what New York City can be, a community of strangers. I really think that this can be the loneliest place on earth. With all our wealth, we don't need anyone and can fade into the crowds.
Pray for Mike, that he may get involved in a church. Pray for me that I would not become secluded, but would reach out to others.

The end is near

The summer is coming to an end. We had our last mission team with us this week from Plainview, IN. They are a great team, and have done a great job serving the city of New York. It's kind of neat that they have a diversity of ages from 20's to 60's!
Tomorrow is Forefront's first time in the new space at the Blender Theater. We had a "run-through" of all the setup on Thursday night, so that on Sunday it's not total chaos. There's a lot to do - set up all the chairs, the stage, communion tables, welcome stuff, coffee and bagels, all the kidstuf and nursery, and signs - to name a few. I'm pretty excited. We had 250 last week (a record I believe) and we're hoping that the momentum will continue into the move.
It's really starting to get to me that I'll be living in New York after the internship is over. A few days ago, Tim found a dresser on the sidewalk that was destined for the dumpster. It only has some minor things wrong with it, most of which can be fixed. And it matches the wooden wardrobe that Tim has let me use. (Yes, they're both Ikea)! It's exciting, but the only thing is that I still need to find enough work while I'm here. And of course, we're on the apartment hunt.
Moving to New York also makes me think about other things. I feel lonely sometimes. I really feel it as school is starting soon. College seems almost like a dream sometimes. I'm far from home and will have to continue to build relationships. But Jesus never said that following him would be easy or that everything would go my way! I know that what he has planned is best.
Thanks everybody for all your prayers.

Everyone needs to laugh sometimes

Feel'n "down"? Just watch this video!

Forefront Church Setup Video

Here's a video that the church made a while ago to encourage people to get involved. It makes me really excited when I watch it. Anyway, it's a snapshot of what happens before services every Sunday.

Forefront Church

Some of you may be wondering, "so what's church like there?" We start out each Sunday morning with coffee and bagels (I used to not like bagels, but New York bagels are the best in the world I'm told). There's also orange juice for all the non-coffee drinkers out there with me. Whenever the band starts playing, people start to go in the auditorium. I don't think that most Christians I know would be thrown for a loop by our service. It isn't crazy progressive or anything. We are definitely externally focused, communicating with relevance and without the "Christian-ease." Here's some pics of what the stage and service looks like.


(That's Jacob, the community outreach pastor, giving announcements!)

MMMmmm...coffee and bagels...and orange juice

So what are you doing after the internship?

This is the question I'm often asked. It's a bit reminiscent of "what are you doing after you graduate?" that I hated not too many months ago. Up until the past week the only answer I've given anyone is "I don't know...I'm looking for a ministry somewhere...I might go home for a while until I find something." Then I had a conversation with my roommate (shout-out to Tim for giving me a wonderful place to live for the summer!!!). He said something both obvious, but also pretty profound. He told me that since I'm already here and I have a heart for church planting in the northeast, why don't I just get a job, stay a little longer, and see where God will lead me. I mean, I'm already here. And coming from Tim it was even more powerful. Tim is one of the original people from the launch team that started Forefront Church. Right after graduating college, he followed God's call to move from Indiana to New York to help start a new church. His friends thought he was crazy, but he followed God's call.
So, I'm seriously considering staying in the city for like, 6 months or so after the internship is over on August 6. I'd have to get a job. I'd need to find a place to live (which might be with Tim). It would be quite an adjustment. It would also be super exciting! New York really is a great place to live and I have fallen in love with it. I highly recommend experiencing it sometime in your life. Maybe next summer your church could partner with Forefront by sending a team to serve the city.
Would you please pray that I would have wisdom as I decide whether to stay and what will go into all that (job, housing, etc.). You can also just pray for my future in general; where God will use me in a more full-time capacity (if that's what He wants). Thank you so much for all of your prayers. I truly do not realize how insignificant, but blessed that I am by all of you, my prayer supporters. Thank you!

Friends and Family Week - August 1-5, 07

So us three interns were looking at our calendar for the summer and realized that our last week at Forefront, we don't have a missions team coming in. So as you may guess, we decided to have a week where we do all the service projects with our family and friends who want to come and serve New York (see "What am I doing this summer?" post). If you're interested, let me know. Free housing may be available too. The suggested donation for supplies is $150. This would be an awesome way to finish up the summer. You'll be able to serve the people of New York as well as see some sights. Pray about it and let me know asap. Thanks!

Hermon

So today, we were working with the youth group team from Tri-Village Church in Columbus, OH. We had them make PB&J sandwiches and then go around and give them to the homeless. We encouraged them to talk with them as well. I see at least 5-10 homeless people every day, if not many more. I don't really count. Whether it was the loss of a job, a drug addiction, divorce, or something else, many people have lost hope and live as homeless, thinking that they can never recover. So they ask for money on the streets. They really are everywhere, so New Yorkers quickly learn to ignore them as best they can. They don't get looked at in the face, listened to, hugged, touched. They get used to being seen as insignificant. It reminds me of when the leper ran up to Jesus in Matthew 8. He was an outcast, untouchable, freak of society. But Jesus came close to him, looked him in the eye, and went so far as to touch him. And Jesus healed him. This morning we didn't want to just hand out sandwiches, but to help restore dignity to the homeless. They are people created in God's image too. They are loved by him too. God sent his Son to die for them too.
As the team from Tri-Village spend time with the homeless, I decided it would probably be good to practice what I preached. There was a man sitting at a picnic table close to where we were meeting, and he had been there for quite a long time - obviously he had no where to go. So I offered him a sandwich that we were giving away, and we had a nice conversation. He grew up in NYC, in Brooklyn. We talked about how apartment rent keeps going up. We talked about cars, and how no really needs them in NYC. His name is Hermon. He's in a program where he's staying in a shelter and recovering from a drug addiction. It sounds like things were going well for him. He even got one of the free newspapers that the previous team handed out two weeks ago!
Tomorrow, we are going to be feeding the homeless breakfast at "Father's Heart," a local soup kitchen. I invited Hermon, and I hope he can make it. I pray that Hermon will know that he is greatly loved by God. Are there any homeless people around where you live. I bet there are. They may not be asking for money on the streets like in NYC, but you will always have the poor with you. Help restore the dignity to those who have fallen on hard times by sharing a conversation, and even your possessions (Acts 4:32, 34).

What am I doing this summer?

Some of you may be wondering what exactly I'm doing this summer in New York City. I'm doing "some church thing, right?" Well, something like that.
I am one of the three interns at Forefront Church in Manhattan, NYC. I'm working directly under the community outreach pastor. Our main job is to lead several missions teams in service to the city that will be coming to the city throughout the summer. They come from various churches in the U.S. - some will be all adults, some will be high school students. We will lead each team on servant evangelism, service projects, and prayer walks in the city.
Servant Evangelism - this is a way of sharing the love of Jesus with someone by serving them (profound definition, huh?). Since many have preconceived ideas of Christians (that they are right-wing Republicans who love Bush, hate homosexuals, and love war), service is a way to break down those barriers. We pass out free bottles of water, granola bars, gum, or newspapers on the street - completely free. We also give a small card that says we hope that the gift brightens their day and lets them know that God loves them. On the back, it tells when and where Forefront meets. Most people are pleasantly surprised the it's completely free, though some are skeptical.
Service Projects - these are more specific ways to serve the city of New York. We take about an hour and pick up all the trash down 23rd St., or another street (with gloves of course). We partner with Father's Heart, a local mission, and help serve a free breakfast to those in need (this week 450 people showed up!). We make PB&J sandwiches for the homeless.
Prayer Walks - these are focused prayers for certain areas on location. We go to the United Nations building and pray for the flags of every nation, for the purpose of the UN (peace and human rights), and for Christ's message to be proclaimed to the nations. We go through Union Square Park (a popular hangout in midtown) and pray for the thousands of people there. We go to Wall Street and pray for the companies and our nation, that we would use our wealth for God's purposes. We pray where Forefront meets, that the church would "live by faith, be known by love, and be a voice of hope in the city."
We'll also do some other random stuff, but that's the bulk of it. There's a LOT of planning and preparation that obviously must go into all this. We also lead in some devotions and debriefings. Last week we had out first team from Connection Point Church in Indiana. They were a high school group, and they had great servant attitudes from the very beginning. They were effected as they brightened many peoples' day, learned humility, found a heart for the lose in the city, and prayed. One guy we gave a granola bar to was at church on Sunday. They were a great group to start out the summer with.
We'll be able to reach thousands in the city with a simply message - God loves them and there is hope. We're just doing this work as it seems to work in this context. We trust in God to bring the increase. Thank you to those who have been praying for me. I am only worthy as a servant of Christ. Thank you. To Him be the glory!
(Oh! I also put a bunch of pictures online. Just follow the link on the left of the blog)

Is Anyone Listening?

As a preacher, I sometimes think during a sermon, "Is anyone really listening?" - not just hearing my voice. I've seen my share of droopy eyes and the sounds of heavy breathing. But to those who are awake, am I really communicating with them? Since I've been in New York, I've seen quite a few evangelistic efforts by Christians. And you really can find just about every flavor in New York City. Yesterday I saw three.
First, walking down the sidewalk there was a man with the classic sandwich board over his shoulders. I don't remember exactly what it said. Something like "Repent Now." I know it said "repent." He was handing out tracts that were "miniature Bibles," the contents of which basically said: "you're a sinner and need to repent now or you're going to Hell", with a few KJV Bible verses thrown in. The man who handed it to me didn't have much of an expression, and I just kept on walking. Was anyone listening? (I didn't)
Second, I attended a small, old church for their evening Bible study. It seemed like a time/culture warp. The 15 of us sang out of hymn books, sat through a disjointed Bible lesson, and ended with prayer. I could tell pretty quickly that this church had been doing things the same way for a very long time. Was anyone listening? (I hardly listened)
Third, in the subway on the way home, two women stood up and sang a gospel song about victory in Jesus. People often sing or play instruments on trains for money, so that wasn't anything too unusual. But then a third woman stood up and started preaching to the people in the train! She told us that we needed to call on Jesus, and he would answer our prayers. She spoke as if she was in a black church. She was definitely not. My stop came before she was finished. Was anyone listening? (I tried to ignore her)
Now I don't want to say that these evangelistic efforts did not produce any fruit. God is the one who brings the increase. However, I doubt that many responded to these efforts, as they all were presented so poorly. I'm sure that there are a lot of opinions out there, and I encourage you to make a post if you want, but many of our evangelistic efforts completely ignore the people to whom we're speaking.
It makes me think of Jesus. How did he share the good news? I usually don't see him with a condemning attitude (unless he was speaking to the already "religious"). I see him giving sight to the blind, making the lame walk, casting out demons, and bringing good news to the poor. The crowds were drawn to him. Did Jesus speak of sin? Yes! But he also brought a kingdom of freedom from the effects of sin.
When Jesus spoke to people, he used idioms and illustrations that they could easily understand: a field, soils, a woman kneading dough, a vineyard, two sons, a rich man and a poor man. When the apostle Paul preached, he was strategic as well. He first went to the synagogue of a city, and if the Jews would not listen, he would move on to the Godfearers and Gentiles. In Athens he started his sermon by talking about creation, not exegeting scripture that his listeners didn't know or care about. He spoke in a way that people would understand and listen.
Those who I saw yesterday and many others in the city are my brothers and sisters in the Lord. We are all part of Christ's body, and He can use us all for his kingdom. Do some people need to be confronted with Hell? Yes. Do some people need the old church they remember? Yes. Do some people need to be preached at? Yes. But I believe that MOST won't even listen. I pray that we would be relevant in the way we speak. Let us communicate in a way so that people will really listen and understand.
The hardest part about writing this blog is that the three I saw yesterday were actively sharing their faith with boldness. For much of my life, evangelism has been my weakest discipline. Pray for me this summer, that I would grow in the area of evangelism. And pray that both of us would do it in a relevant way so that people will listen and truly understand the good news of Christ.

Homeless Guys

On Sunday night, I got to spend the evening with some homeless guys. I don't know a lot about the shelter, but Jacob (the outreach minister) often volunteers at the small shelter and spends the night there. There were about 1o homeless guys that showed up. Most of them were older and may have jobs, but either way they don't have a place to live. The cost of a place to rent is extremely high here. We had some sandwiches and cookies for dinner, and most went to sleep quickly. Most of them were easy-going guys. A few of us stayed up a little to watch some of the Yankees game. I didn't spend the night, but I'm hoping that I can go back a few times over the summer.
Jesus often hung out with the poor. I realize that I rarely do. I remember a sermon where the preacher talked about 1 Timothy 5:6-10.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
The preacher said to keep from falling into the trap of wealth, we must constantly be giving our wealth away, and we must constantly be around the poor.
I think that's good advice. I definitely need to spend more time with the poor and hopefully this summer will stretch me.

Chexican

So some of you may remember the short-lived restaurant in Joplin called "The Chexican." It included a combination of Chinese and Mexican buffet. It sounds like an amazing idea! I was never able to go though, because it was only open for a few months. Well, in Midtown Manhattan I have discovered a similar anomaly. Last night I ate dinner at "The Taco and Tortilla King," a Mexican restaurant run all by Chinese. Yes that's right, you didn't misread. A mexican place run completely by chinese. Well, it was actually pretty good, though I wonder how long it will stay open. Apparently there are various types of restaurants like these in the city, and I have only yet to find them.

The UN Building

Well, there it is: the United Nations Building. We were able to go to it yesterday to go on a prayer journey around it. It took forever to get there though. I don't think there are any trains close by. I recognized the building pretty quick, perhaps because it seems to be on the Simpsons so often. Anyway, were walked through and prayed for different nations. I hope that as we do this with teams that come in, they will be reminded of the global impact that the Forefront can have, especially in New York.
Across the street from the building was a stairway with an inscription in it from Isaiah 2:4. The whole verse is: "He [God] will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore."
Pretty powerful to have across from the building. In the end, I know that true peace will only come from the gospel of peace, but the UN can still be used by God to bring war, poverty, and violence to an end in many places. I pray that God will use the UN, corrupt as it can be, to bring peace, and open the way for the gospel in places all over the world.

Finally in New York

Well, I'm finally in New York City for the summer! I got in on Sunday afternoon at about 4:00. Both of the flights were no problem at all. I got to walk around the city some and see where the church offices are. When it was time to go back home, I got to make my way back all by myself on the train/subway. I was a little nervous, but made it alright. Getting around has been quite an experience since we have to walk everywhere. There are a lot of subway routes that you have to figure out. There are maps everywhere and people help you if you just ask. I've found that most New Yorkers are not "jerks" all the time. As people are walking down the street, they are focused on going somewhere. They have to drone out the constant advertisements, people handing out fliers, and crowds of people. In the subway, people stay pretty quiet and keep to themselves. It's just the culture. But people are friendly if you need help with something. They just don't want people in their faces trying to sell things. I'm really liking things so far.