UnFinished by Richard Sterns

Richard Stearns, president of Christian relief organization World Vision, has spoken to countless people worldwide from all walks of life, and found that many express a common concern. In Unfinished: Believing is Only the Beginning(9780849948510, $24.99, Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins Christian Publishing), Stearns observes that believers want to be sure they are living out God’s calling for their lives.

The April 30 release is a book about “what it means to be a follower of Christ in the 21st century,” Stearns told Christian Retailing. 

The book’s title has a dual meaning, he said. It refers to the unfinished mission Jesus gave His disciples: to preach the gospel to the whole world. But it also refers to how many Christians “feel incomplete in our faith, that’s something’s missing.” 

More than evangelism, Stearns said the Great Commission is “really what Jesus always called the kingdom of God … going into the world and showing the world a different way to live, a different way to relate to one another, a different way to relate to God, caring for the poor and the vulnerable and the widow and the orphan, being people of integrity, people of compassion, people of justice.”

However, Stearns writes, with the endless details of everyday life, many believers have lost sight of God’s larger narrative. To help them recover what that is, Unfinished begins by investigating a big question, “What is Truth?” and then summarizes God’s grand story. 

Stearns describes what he calls the clash between “the magic kingdom”—the affluent Christian life—and “the tragic kingdom”—the Christian life shaped by poverty. He says neither reflects the true kingdom of God, which requires individuals submitting to God’s rule, communities governed by His values and people going into the world as His ambassadors. 

Among the examples he cites are Steve Reynolds, who introduced U2 frontman Bono to Ethiopia’s famine, and the Stu and Robin Phillips family, who sold their Wyoming ranch to build God’s kingdom. 

Stearns’ previous book, The Hole in Our Gospel, also from Thomas Nelson, won the 2010 Christian Book Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. 

Not your (MY) mothers Christian Film...

So tonight I watched a film that I had been really wanting to watch, but yet at the same time I was putting off seeing.

Now I know that is an oxymoron but it is truth.  And it is a great depiction of this film as well.

The movie was “Machine Gun Preacher” the story of Sam Childres.

You can read multiple different reviews on this film.  It was very controversial since it was a story of FAITH but rated R and filled with violence.

In the first 10 min’s the film would turn any Christian watching it for Christian Values (Or at least make them blush).  From the on screen, yet not visible, sex in a car to extreme profanity, violence and alcohol and Drug abuse scenes… yet all these items are in context and are used to build the Character of the man.

This man who was a biker gang member who upon getting out of jail finds his wife had gone ‘religious’.  Yet in a turn of events he realizes there has to be something more and in a non-dramatic scene we find him believing and being baptized.  There weren’t angels, there weren’t shouts from him but a sort of groggy sense of awe.

We again see that same feeling when he arrives back from a trip to Northern Uganda to help with construction of a mission.  He, unlike the other members, wanted to see the truth of the war.  And did he ever…  His soon to be friend Deng took him to a village where the children would come each night in order to not be abducted. 

Finally he senses God’s call to build an orphanage and a Church.  One in American and one in Sudan.  This is the story of the trials and floods that he goes against.  You will be pulled into the reality of this war that has been waged for 30+ years and that has taken the lives of over 400,000 people.  You will feel his anguish, his hurt, and his anger.

There were two parts of this movie that moved me the most outside of the general message of Orphan care that you all know is my passion. 

First: When he is arriving back in the states after his monumental first trip.  You see on his face the unspoken emotion of one whose world has just been changed.  I have been there.  From my first visit to a squatters village in Mexico, or a small tribal village in Guatemala; but most vividly in the post earthquake Haiti where orphans begged for water on every street corner; where bodies are still being found among the ruble…  I understood this vague look of heartache.

Second: we watch as Sam’s story progress’ and eventually we see what happens to most of us who become passionate about something.  We come up against opposition and we want to quit.  Sam didn’t; but once he kept going he began to see others who didn’t understand his passion, or share his passion as unworthy of being called Christians.  His passion became the only true passion of Christ instead of one means of showing God’s passion. 

I would HIGHLY recommend this film to all of you who wish to learn more about what one man is doing in Sudan/Uganda.  I do not recommend it for those who are easily offended.  This Machine Gun Preacher lives up to his name not only with his gun but with his mouth.

There is a quick note from the Real Sam at the end of the film in the credits that says in essence that I know that I may not have gone about this the best or right way at times… but  "If a madmen abducted your child or a family member and I said I could bring them home, does it matter how I bring them home?"

So to sum it all up: Don't watch it with the kids.  But don't watch it if you don't want your heart pulled out, trampled on cause you will finish asking yourself (I Hope) What on earth am I doing!!

This movie is not about Sam Childers. It’s about you. What are you going to do?

Love Without Walls by Laurie Beshore

"Love without walls" by Laurie Beshore.

I recently received an ebook copy of "love without walls" From Zondervan.    

This book is the story of Mariner's church and the process behind their development of a community based ministry module. Before I get too far into this review Here is what's the publisher had to say about this title:

We see it all around us: Poverty. Unemployment. Crime. Hopelessness. Anger. Disenchantment. Injustice. We want to help. We want to do something. But what? Good intentions are good, but often our efforts at helping others can actually make things worse. And in many communities the church is viewed with suspicion, if not downright hostility. So how can churches effectively serve the needs of their communities in ways that communicate the love and grace of God? According to author Laurie Beshore, churches need to step up and take action, but it all begins by learning. You must get to know the people in your community and establish relationships built on mutual trust and respect. This is the compelling twenty-five year story of how Mariner's Church, a growing mega-church in Irvine, CA, began reaching out to their community and how they made more than their fair share of mistakes along the way. But these hard-earned lessons are now of immense value to a new generation of church leaders trying to serve their own communities that are skeptical, if not understandably suspicious, of the intentions of the 21st century church. Laced with ultra-practical teachings and transferable principles for churches and ministries of all sizes and styles, this is a book filled with potent lessons and powerful stories both heartbreaking and inspiring. 

I am active in my church. I am on boards. I oversee and run missions trips and teams through our church to multiple locations and in fact am in route to Haiti as I write this. Our church actively seeks to be apart of the community and partners with the homeless and a pregnancy resource clinic.  But year after year we fail. We fail to energize new volunteers. We don't engage them long term. We have a group of folks that we can count on to do every ministry. This is faulty but we as leadership in the church have not been able to get at the core of the problem.

Last year while traveling to Mexico I was introduced to a book "When Helping Hurts"  this began a journey in my heart to ensure our teams had an understanding of what helped and hurt on a psychological level.  Yet taking the data and details of that book and transferring it to anyone else was difficult. It was a college course on the poor.

This book is the practical outcome of hand up not had out thinking. This is a book of stories that our team needs to see and hear. It is unfortunate that DC and California are so distant. I would love to see this church in action and watch the inner workings of their team.

I would give this book a five star our of five star rating. Now let me state that this really has not just to do with the book itself but also with the timing in which this book came to me. The very concept of sharing steps and a solid process to others of how they can start these community based ministries is much needed. But the beauty in this book is not all just sitting in the process but also in the honesty of the process and explanations or examples. When they have succeeded they shared the stories but where they failed or lost focus they shared these stories as well.

This book is written to all churches in spite of their size or lack of.  It is written for all Christians in spite of their passions. Not one takes presedince over another. No one story is better or is given prominence in this book. In fact if any are they were the stories of missing the mark. This added a level of resonation to the reader that we all can try and fail.

This book is my dream church. Ministering at the Community, city, state out to the world. I pray that readers will take this book and put it info action in their communities.

Thoughts on Haiti

I wrote this on my trip back from Haiti.

Haiti
The trip is over and I am sitting in the airport in Port au prince.
what now?  There is a beauty and resilliance to this people; yet also a deep anguish and depression/ possession.
the boys I met will be ingrained in my head
SHADRACH been with Tom the longest
Herson the pastor to be
Simpson the youth leader
Winkinson the sing leader
Deckenson the strong and caring
Or Jovan the blind yet adaptive
Robinson: the athletic yet cool.
Adriano the earnest and sincere
Kimberley the beautiful
Jonathan the shooter
To the river walk with
Blake the jumper
Jeanetta the quiet.

These and many more will be on my heart and prayers.
Yet above them is Tom and his love for HIS children
Dave and Sherry who gave up their homes to live in Haiti.

From cracked marbles that were a bit rough in spots to the faces all torn with loss.
That is what I want to remember.
not the heat that really wasn't bad.
Or the food which was great

Nor the smell of the river children gathered around in the same clothing maybe their only clothing.
The smell which could have over whelmed became a blessing. 

So many moments and thoughts that I will keep with me for a lifetime.  Yet none other then those small comments above can be expressed in words.  The other moments were too personal or private for sharing.  They are more mental pictures, feelings or emotions that are difficult to put in words. 
I have been to many countries, and led many missions trips.  This one, mid trip, dawned on me that I was not leading and I began to experience the country.  The hurts, the pains, and the children living in this land.
My heart was broken for these boys standing on the corner begging for water from us as we drove by, and the boys from the home handing them bottles of our half drank waters in order to satisfy them.
I will not soon forget this experience.
Nor do I want to........

Final Day Back2Back

There is no way to explain the last day to you. We worked some more in a new home where we were the first group to go to. Imperial De Amor. The man who runs this home used to help at Casa Hogar Douglas and had been around when Rodo lived in that home. He has a large plot of property that he built a home on for his family. He says the whole time he was building it he kept wondering why he was building it so large. Finally when it was completed God told him it was to be a home for kids. The goal for this home is over 100 kids. Right now they are at about 30.






We built some shelves in a room for the girls. Later after we finished, one of our ladies was with a group of young girls who walked in, and on seeing the shelves were jumping with excitement. OVER SHELVES!! Yet they were so grateful!

As well, earlier when we toured the site Rodo told us they had a need for chairs and tables in the kitchen as they only had 4 chairs and 2 tables. The kids all ate sitting on the floor. So we went to Sam's Club (yes they have those) and bought more tables and chairs then were needed. The kids again were so excited when they saw them. They sat down and didn't want to move. As well, they sang for us to thank us. If I can I'll get those photos up here.

We then took them to the zoo where I connected with Alejandro and Louis and spent the afternoon working on my Spanish for the animals. I am proud to say I only heard 'Loco Gringos' 1 time! I was improving. These kids were so excited to see us. It was hard to leave them, but I pray that the deposit made today will carry over in their lives for years to come.




As you have read these posts I pray for you:
I pray that God will touch you with the urgency to the need in orphan work today. Whether it be in Mexico, China or anywhere else.
I pray that you would pray for these ministries like the James Fund or Back2Back.
I pray you would consider financial support.
These kids need your deposits of time, love, prayer and support!
Remember these kids I talked about by name. Pray that God will show them the ultimate plan he has for them. Pray that they will be receptive to his will!
Thanks for sharing this experience with me!

Back2Back Homes

In my previous post I mentioned that I was working on the roof of a building and the Clinic. I wanted to explain briefly what these are and how they are being used.

As in many contries at a certain age the children are released from the homes to relatives who may only want them now for forced labor, prostitution etc... The homes that are being built on the property are sancuaries to save these kids. They are given a choice to live with a family in these homes. If they do they will be able to work towards earning a High School Education and a College Education all free. There are numerous homes that are working currently.




Finally The clinic is a facility that will be used to give preventative treatments to children from the different childrens homes as many of them only see a Docter or a Dentist if there is an issue. This clinic will be able to ensure they have normal shots needed to keep them from the measels etc...

I can't talk about these homes without talking about Rodo. Rodo was the first graduate from these homes. He grew up in Casa Hogar Douglas and now thanks to Back2Back knows 5 languages and could get a job anywhere. But he choose to work for at least 1 year with Back2Back helping others like him!
THAT IS GOD'S PLAN!! No one elses.

Back2Back April 9th

April 10th 2008

What a day yesterday. We worked here putting some cement blocks to the 2nd story roof. Of course, my not being afraid of heights or shaky scaffolding put me on the top lifting the pile up over my head. So needless to say my Back muscles are tight.



We then went to the Clinic building to put the thermal or a sealant on the roof. So there my neck got fried. But it was worth it. What do you expect? No sunblock can work on 110 degree direct sun.






Then after that we went to Rio 3. The rio’s are small squatters villages. The condidions are bad. Trash is everywhere. The kids are hungry etc… We walked through the lanes inviting people to the church... How crazy we must have looked. Some of these people have never seen an Americana before and we were knocking on their doors trying to talk to them in spanish...


But we feed the mothers and kids and I even played soccer with 2 boys whose father eventually came over and played some as well. That is huge. The men are very proud and when they are forced to live in these condiditions they do not like help. It is painful as hey feel as they are failures. Then in the evening we had a worship service with the other 3 groups on the campus at Back2Back. It was outstanding.

Today is going to be our final day and my heart is saddened. This has not been a mountaintop experience. Just a normal God one. I will not come down from this, I will continue this feeling of home or belonging to the cause.

Back2Back day 3

April 9th, 2008

Another morning, another sunrise.
Why is it that here I am an early riser? Yet at home I hate to get up? Why does my USA body need 8 hours of sleep when my exhausted Mexico body only needs 6 hours or less?

I am amazed every time I watch the sunrise. At first, there is nothing to see except a paling dark sky in front of me. Then suddenly what looked like dark sky becomes the faint out line of a range of the Sierra Madre Mountains. Then after a while of watching and anticipating they come completely into view.


One could stop there thinking that was the end and just stop looking. But it is not. What seemed like a large row of Mountains suddenly is dwarfed by a huge range with sheer rock cliffs that shine like Bronze in the sun light. Yet some don’t wait to see them.

Is that like God’s plan for us? We pray and pray for guidance and then we start to see a peak and we lung after it. “I knew that was God’s will…” we say. And after some failure we see it wasn’t right after all. So we pray some more and then God reveals the entire ridge and we jump. Yet again we fail as it wasn’t the entire plan. Very few of us finally get to see the final ‘story’ God has. Very few of us can ‘wait patiently on the Lord’ to reveal the entire mountain scheme, both small and large. And they miss out on Blessing that is beyond their wildest dreams.

On a more personal note: Here is my Mountain View I am watching… I went to China and fell in Love with the country and mainly the orphans. We even looked into Chinese Missions and applied. Yet that was just an outline to God’s final plan.

Then Last Year I came to Back2Back where I felt at home and again fell in Love with the Children. But that was still just the first ridge. I am waiting for God to reveal the mountains behind. The final plan. Is it that one day we may be coming back to Mexico with Back2Back to work? Only He knows, and I trust his hand of guidance and His timing.

Until then I resolve to: 1) Get out of debt in order to serve Him with my finances as well. 2) Bring my wife back down here 3) bring my church or other churches back here to share in the ministry 4) Help with whatever God wants…

Lord I trust and wait patiently on you. He who can remove any obstacle to us doing His will in a second. Yet who knows the timing of our hearts and when we are truly ready for it.

I praise you God, my Guide, my Provider, my Shelter, my Source, my Redeemer, My Father.
To You be all the Glory and all Honor and all Power.

Back2Back day 2

April 8th 2008

Today was another amazing day. We went to Rayitos de Luz (little Rays of lights) Yet the story didn’t start there.




Meme (another amazing story in herself) knew this couple from the Rio (a squatters village). She and her husband had taken the sleigh and horses to the store to get some items one Sunday afternoon. She saw this couple down in that area and felt God telling her to go speak to them. But it was her only day off… So she didn’t. After a little while at home she still felt God tugging at her to go back so she finally told her husband to hitch the horse back up so they could return.

When she returned she asked them what she could be praying for them for? The couple replied that they could not have children of their own and had felt God tell them they needed to start a children’s home. Thus they did and had 5 children at the time. They asked for prayer and help with the financials. Meme, who works with Back2Back was exstatic. She told them that she couldn’t help but knew some who could and put Back2 Back in touch with them. They now have 16-20 kids in their home. Yet their home is a 20’ x 30’ home with only 2 bedrooms. Many of these kids sleep 4 to a bed. Yet God has provided. We, at the James Fund, recently raised over $100,000 to give them to purchase land, with a yard a pool and a beautiful home that they are working on in order to relocate to this fall! All in God’s time.

So we did some work at this home. I helped to clean out a fridge and the kitchen. Then we took the kids to a local ball court to be able to ride their bikes. On the way there, one of our guys noted that night, a child was riding the bike with training wheels. Yet the training wheels were not tight and thus were turning and as well he wouldn’t stay on the pavement. Glenn thought that this was so true of our own walks with Christ. He supplies us with so much to help us, yet we don’t want to stay on the sidewalk with God’s plan but go our own way which is more difficult and full of more pain.







Juan, Sondra, Jonathan, Amy, Fanny, Brandon and so many other children we took to a real park. The smiles on their faces were spectacular as we ran and played all around the yard and on the swing sets. The joy those kids gave was more than we could give them. Imagine this: These kids played in the park for 4 hours in over 100 degree heat and NEVER complained. I don’t even think my own kids would have played for more than 45 min’s without complaining for a drink etc…

Back2Back trip

April 8th, 2008 Back to Back2Back

This morning I got up at 6:00 am after going to bed at midnight. The Sun has yet to rise over the horizon, which is just beginning to form a reddish/pinkish glow at the bottom most edge. The Roosters, what sounds like a massive choir of them, are welcoming a new day. There are a couple of peacock calls in there as well. I can’t help but feel like they are thanking and Praising God today.

I am sitting on a bench, my bench, where I spent my same mornings last year. This bench is on a sidewalk with a lamp post on my right and a beautiful purple flowering bush on my left. At this point, it would be hard to believe the mountains are just out of sight off the horizon to my left as they are yet to be revealed.



As I said, this is my Bench. Last year I spent each night and each morning here where I am pondering what God was trying to tell me. Here I am again.

Yesterday we arrived at the airport about noon and started our 45 min to an hour trek around the mountain lines to the South part of Monterrey. That strange peace, or familiarity you get when you go “home” hit me as soon as I stepped off the plane I knew God had things in store. But What?





After getting lunch we had a fast meeting to get to know everyone. Beth G. (The director of Back2Back) gave us the story of Back2Back and then we headed to Casa Hogar Douglas. On the Walk I prayed for God to continue to confirm the thoughts of my heart. Yet just like God, He waits…

In ‘God on Mute’ the book talks about how God was silent for 2 days after Christ’s death… No word, so signs, no knowledge, nothing… but… on the 3rd day in His timing He broke all silences.

As we were walking towards the house, we saw 3 boys at the edge of the property. Immediately upon seeing us they started jumping up and down yelling “AMERICANO’S!!” the Americans are here… They awaited us with anticipation and joy!



Our effort was to make a deposit not to try and talk to them about God as the Holy Spirit and Back2Back dies this. Not to tell them God has a plan for their screwed up life. He does speak and He does have a plan, but many of these children do NOT want to here it. They are modern agnostics due to the hurts and circumstances they are in. Let me tell you why we were there:

Beatrice

Monica

Esmeralda

Fernando

Pamela

and Alondra.

They are all children I met last year. I remembered them and though I may have butchered the pronunciation of some of their names when I walked up and said their names. Yet their faces lit up with joy. Why? Because I knew and remembered their names. And a few of them remembered me. My deposit of one day, or 4 hours, from 13 months ago made enough difference that one in particular remembered me. This was to be my confirmation, or beginning of one from God.

About an hour into our visit I saw her. Alondra. She had been my guide last year. She and Esmerelda walked me around the entire property teaching me the Spanish for each item. Her smile could brighten the darkest day. He giggle could make anyone laugh. I went up to her and said her name. Her eyes brightened up with a ‘How do you know me’ look. I then said, “El Mono Loco” or Crazy Monkey. Her eyes flashed with recognition. I don’t know who was more elated? Alondra that I remembered her or me that she remembered me.

Yet that was not confirmation #1.
2004. Zehong. China. Jamie the baby. These were those that started me on my path to help the orphans. Yet I have not done what I should have. I have not saved, I have squandered. I haven’t alleviated debt, I have increased it.
God Forgive me.

The next step of this has been coming as God has challenged my financials. Now starting last Sunday pastor is teaching this. I want to be free from my debt in order to serve, I pray. He will help me. For He owns it all and if it is in His desire, it will happen.

The call is getting stronger and louder. I can’t wait to see how it plays out.
“For I know the plans I have for you. DECLARES THE LORD.”
Today I choose to follow you. Today I choose to do my best for you.

JER. 1: 6
“I don’t know how to speak. I am only a child.” (will we speak for them?)

Jer. 1: 5 “Before I formed… I knew you… I set you apart… I appointed you.”

Jer. 1:17b “DO NOT be terrified by them or I WILL terrify you before them…”

Jer. 1:19 “They will fight against you, but will not overcome you for I am with you and will rescue you.” DECLARES THE LORD