By Dan Franklin, Pastor of Teaching
I once heard someone comment that the Trinity of evangelical Christianity is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Scripture. Their point was that, while we may have correct beliefs concerning a number of things from God’s Word, we tend to forget about a very
important person: The Holy Spirit. If we’re honest, many of us would admit that He scares us a little. He seems unpredictable, and people who emphasize the Holy Spirit sometimes have practices that seem strange to us. It seems easier just to acknowledge the existence of the Holy Spirit, but to leave it at that.
As we have walked through Galatians, however, ignoring the Holy Spirit has seemed like less and less of an option.
Paul says that it is the Holy Spirit who leads us to freedom and victory when it comes to our battle against our destructive impulses. We are told to “walk by the Spirit” (5:16), to be “led by the Spirit” (5:18), to “live by the Spirit” (5:24), to “keep in step with the Spirit” (5:25), and to “sow to please the Spirit” (6:8). When Paul gets
practical about freedom, the Holy Spirit takes center stage.
According to Paul, if we walk by the Spirit then we will stop gratifying our destructive and deceitful impulses. Most of us want to take Paul up on this offer, but the command to walk by the Spirit seems vague and unattainable. In order to help with this, I want to talk briefly about three practical ways that we can walk by the Spirit.
The Sword of the Spirit. In Ephesians 6:17 the Apostle Paul calls the Word of God the “sword of the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is seen as the voice behind all of Scripture and all prophecies
(2 Peter 1:20-21). There is a strong connection between the Spirit of God and the Word of God. If we want to hear the voice of the Spirit, we should pay close attention to what the Spirit has said through Scripture.
Reading the Bible is a vital part of the life of believers. When you read, don’t do so simply to say that you did. Read to listen to the voice of God. Scripture
exposes us to God and the world as God has presented it. It brings us teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction. Read, learn, listen, reflect. If you want to hear the voice of the Spirit, dive into God’s Word.
Pray in the Spirit. In Ephesians 6:18 Paul says, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” If we want to sow to the Spirit, we must pray. We must be engaged. We must bring our hearts to Him and allow Him to lead us. We must confess our sins and weaknesses, and plead with Him to bring us power and victory. We must ask Him to
remind us of Jesus’ words and help
us to understand them.
When we approach the Spirit, it is for the purpose of being empowered and led. In order to be led, we must humble ourselves. There is no activity that is more humbling than prayer. It is our conscious admission of absolute dependence. We open ourselves up to the leading of the Spirit when we yield to Him and pray.
Be Faithful with the Little. Jesus said in Luke 16:10, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” When we think of the Spirit empowering us, we often mistakenly think of the big things in life. We think of the Spirit leading us to the mission field or empowering us to perform a miracle or emboldening us to evangelize an entire campus. It is wonderful if we want to see the Spirit work through us in such big ways.
But walking by the Spirit is not simply made up of following His lead in the big decisions. It is made up of following His lead in the “little” decisions of life. If we are faithful to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in the little decisions of life, we will be faithful to follow His lead in the big decisions of life. We must follow the lead of the Spirit when we sense Him calling us to pause and
pray with someone, when He calls us to turn off the television and pick up our Bible, when He calls us to say a kind and encouraging word (or a bold word of reproof) to someone, or when He calls us to give some of our money to someone in need. If we listen in the “little” decisions of life, we are likely to be more attuned to the voice and leading of the Spirit, and we will be entrusted with greater tasks in the
work of God.
The Holy Spirit is an amazing gift from God. He is God’s very presence living within us. He endows us with power and boldness in order that we can be free to follow Christ in new and powerful ways. The Spirit is leading believers forward. Let’s keep in step with Him and follow His lead.
Check out the video from our Deeper event on August 4, 2013 that talked more in-depth about the Holy Spirit. You can download the notes and bonus Spiritual Gifts resource here as well.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
This Weekend's Message: Missions Sunday
May 8, 1945 – a day of celebration that echoed around the world. Nazi Germany had surrendered. VE (Victory in Europe) Day will go down as one of the greatest parties in history. You’ve probably seen some of the iconic images painting a powerful picture of millions who gathered in Time Square, London, and the Soviet Union. May 8 was a very different day than May 7, because something had happened, life had changed, the war was over! And this good news spread through the neighborhoods, towns, cities, and nations as people told other people, who told other people, who told other people. This great news compelled people. The same could be said about the early church in the Book of Acts… and even our church today! Join us this Sunday as we recap our Summer Missions Teams and are challenged to embrace the mission of the Gospel.
Russ
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Summer Missions Wrap-up
By Carol Hawkins, Missions Coordinator
Thank you LBF for your prayers, financial support, and encouragement to each of our teams and team members who went on summer mission trips this year. Your support means a great deal and you are standing in the gap with your prayers, helping to minister to others.
Both short-term teams that went to Japan and Nicaragua are home and reflecting on their time abroad. (Here is a more detailed run-down of the Japan trip and thoughts.) Check out next month’s issue of The Scroll for a closer look at the trip to Nicaragua.
I returned from Sri Lanka early last month and am so encouraged to have met some believers in that country who are making a difference in caring for the needs of widows and orphans, as well as others in need. It was a privilege to spend time with those precious people and help to paint a room (inside and out) that will be used for art therapy and an all-day seminar with approximately 70 attending women. I keep smiling as I see the faces of those widows and orphans and the joy that our visit brought.
Through experiences like this, the Lord reminds me that He is working in the hearts of men and women around the world. The Spirit of the Lord is moving
mightily in the hearts of those who seek Him. He is not just God of the U.S., but of the whole world.
Thank you LBF for your prayers, financial support, and encouragement to each of our teams and team members who went on summer mission trips this year. Your support means a great deal and you are standing in the gap with your prayers, helping to minister to others.
Both short-term teams that went to Japan and Nicaragua are home and reflecting on their time abroad. (Here is a more detailed run-down of the Japan trip and thoughts.) Check out next month’s issue of The Scroll for a closer look at the trip to Nicaragua.
I returned from Sri Lanka early last month and am so encouraged to have met some believers in that country who are making a difference in caring for the needs of widows and orphans, as well as others in need. It was a privilege to spend time with those precious people and help to paint a room (inside and out) that will be used for art therapy and an all-day seminar with approximately 70 attending women. I keep smiling as I see the faces of those widows and orphans and the joy that our visit brought.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Anger: Is it Controlling Us or Are We Managing Control Over it?
By Bob Myers, MFT, Leader of Anger Management
Genesis teaches that human beings were created by God “in His own image, according to His own likeness.” In creating us according to His likeness, we feel emotions – anger being one of many. Yet another way that we as humans share in God’s likeness is that He has given us personal power to make choices. Unfortunately, we tend to believe that we have power over everything we face in life and over everyone in our life. But life soon teaches us that this is not what our personal power is about.
The longer we live, the more we tend to realize how powerless we really are over life events, and eventually we recognize our need for a “higher power” and a Savior – Jesus Christ. But even with Christ, some life events can still cause us to feel powerless and/or confused. The personal power that God has given us is the power to make choices – choices over 1) what we believe and our thoughts, 2) our emotions and attitudes, 3) our actions and behaviors, 4) our likes and dislikes, and 5) how we are going to let negative life experiences affect us.
When we choose to take out our anger on others, we cripple ourselves, destroy relationships, and make our situation worse, which increases our emotional pain. It’s like pouring gasoline onto a raging fire! While we may momentarily feel empowered by our acting out anger, the collateral damage is significant and destructive.
An alternative to acting out anger is to learn how to manage the anger we feel. Ephesians 4:26 teaches, “Be angry, and yet do not sin.” It is normal to feel angry, but when we choose to act out in our anger, we sin because we fail the great commandment of Jesus: “Love your enemies” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 5:44 & 22:39). As we learn how to respond to things that anger us without reacting to it, we begin to feel a new sense of selfempowerment.
I have had the privilege of witnessing lives transformed as individuals experience their new freedom from the control of anger over their lives. You can too! Anger Management begins again on Monday, September 9, and meets from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Care & Counseling Office. Our textbook is Anger Management Sourcebook by Glenn Schiraldi & Melissa Kerr. Contact Bob Myers for more information at 982-9275 or myersbe@aol.com.
Genesis teaches that human beings were created by God “in His own image, according to His own likeness.” In creating us according to His likeness, we feel emotions – anger being one of many. Yet another way that we as humans share in God’s likeness is that He has given us personal power to make choices. Unfortunately, we tend to believe that we have power over everything we face in life and over everyone in our life. But life soon teaches us that this is not what our personal power is about.
The longer we live, the more we tend to realize how powerless we really are over life events, and eventually we recognize our need for a “higher power” and a Savior – Jesus Christ. But even with Christ, some life events can still cause us to feel powerless and/or confused. The personal power that God has given us is the power to make choices – choices over 1) what we believe and our thoughts, 2) our emotions and attitudes, 3) our actions and behaviors, 4) our likes and dislikes, and 5) how we are going to let negative life experiences affect us.
When we choose to take out our anger on others, we cripple ourselves, destroy relationships, and make our situation worse, which increases our emotional pain. It’s like pouring gasoline onto a raging fire! While we may momentarily feel empowered by our acting out anger, the collateral damage is significant and destructive.
An alternative to acting out anger is to learn how to manage the anger we feel. Ephesians 4:26 teaches, “Be angry, and yet do not sin.” It is normal to feel angry, but when we choose to act out in our anger, we sin because we fail the great commandment of Jesus: “Love your enemies” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 5:44 & 22:39). As we learn how to respond to things that anger us without reacting to it, we begin to feel a new sense of selfempowerment.
I have had the privilege of witnessing lives transformed as individuals experience their new freedom from the control of anger over their lives. You can too! Anger Management begins again on Monday, September 9, and meets from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Care & Counseling Office. Our textbook is Anger Management Sourcebook by Glenn Schiraldi & Melissa Kerr. Contact Bob Myers for more information at 982-9275 or myersbe@aol.com.
This Weekend's Message: Back to Church
People want life! People everywhere are searching for what makes life the best it can be. And each of us search for life and its meaning in all sorts of ways. And when we think we have found the answers to our questions, we will do almost anything to pursue those things we believe will bring us life.
Well, for the follower of Jesus the things that bring life are all wrapped up in that growing relationship with Him. But we still ask ourselves what does that look like? What does it mean to follow Jesus? Does it mean I go to church every Sunday? Does it mean I read my Bible every day? Does it mean I join a LIFE Group? Does it mean I serve my church and our people in need? Is that it?
For the last year we have said we want to be a church that "passionately pursues LIFE in Jesus and leads our neighbors to do the same." But what does that really look like?
This Sunday, as people are back from their summer vacations, we will lay out some answers to that very question. And we will see how some people in our church have responded and the kind of difference it's making in their lives. This will be an exciting Sunday – you won't want to miss it! See you at 8, 9:15, or 10:45 a.m. – our new service times.
Pastor Gary
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
It’s Really Quite Simple
By Matt Sasso, Pastor of Student Ministries
In spite of what you may have heard or thought, the message of Jesus is really quite simple. Unfortunately, that is not most people’s experience. As I have talked with people about what it means to follow Jesus, there are always those that believe following Jesus is complicated. Many feel confused about their relationship with God. But as I read the gospel, I find a totally different message. When Jesus arrived, He spoke to a group of people that thought knowing God came with a large list of “dos and don’ts.” In reality, Jesus’ message was quite simple: He came that we might know the Father.
Over the next several weeks at Exit 83, we will unpack the simplicity of Jesus’ message, in one word, so that students can understand how simple Jesus’ message really is. We will look at the amazing invitation to “follow” Him. Since Jesus gave this invitation to His disciples thousands of years ago, the church has been giving the same invitation to the world. While many people are confused about their relationship with God, Jesus
invites every person to just follow. You don’t have to clean yourself up first. The invitation that Jesus offers every person begins with the simple act of following. During this series
we hope that your student will see
the simplicity of following Jesus.
In spite of what you may have heard or thought, the message of Jesus is really quite simple. Unfortunately, that is not most people’s experience. As I have talked with people about what it means to follow Jesus, there are always those that believe following Jesus is complicated. Many feel confused about their relationship with God. But as I read the gospel, I find a totally different message. When Jesus arrived, He spoke to a group of people that thought knowing God came with a large list of “dos and don’ts.” In reality, Jesus’ message was quite simple: He came that we might know the Father.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
VBS Reaches Kids...Here and in Kenya
By Lauria Baiz, Director of Life Kids Children’s Ministry
At the end of June we invited our kids to come to VBS and travel to Athens, where they would learn about Paul’s dangerous journey to share the truth.
I am so pleased to share with you that the kids definitely said yes to the invite and brought their friends too! This year we had 180 kids join us for a powerful
week. They went to Paul’s theater and learned about his story of sharing Jesus with others. They participated in arena games as though they where in the Olympics. They made crafts, enjoyed food, had small group discussions, and celebrated Jesus through worship. It truly was an amazing time, proved by the smiles on their faces.
As fun as VBS was, it was also a time where 20 children made the decision to receive Christ for the first time. We also raised money for Empowering Lives International (ELI), an organization that supports
children’s homes for the orphans in Kenya. ELI said that if we could raise $2,300, they would be able to purchase shoes for all of the 103 children
in the village. So we set the goal before our kids and asked them to collect
change and bring it back each night.
And every night was truly a blessing.
I am excited to share with you that they raised $5,005.07! God provided all that through the parents and children that partnered with us that week.
Through all of the wonderful things that happened during VBS, I owe all the volunteers a great big thank you! We had more than 60 people that got involved and helped throughout the week and this event could not have happened without all of their time, energy, patience, and excitement to be with the kids and share the love of Jesus.
At the end of June we invited our kids to come to VBS and travel to Athens, where they would learn about Paul’s dangerous journey to share the truth.
I am so pleased to share with you that the kids definitely said yes to the invite and brought their friends too! This year we had 180 kids join us for a powerful
week. They went to Paul’s theater and learned about his story of sharing Jesus with others. They participated in arena games as though they where in the Olympics. They made crafts, enjoyed food, had small group discussions, and celebrated Jesus through worship. It truly was an amazing time, proved by the smiles on their faces.
Through all of the wonderful things that happened during VBS, I owe all the volunteers a great big thank you! We had more than 60 people that got involved and helped throughout the week and this event could not have happened without all of their time, energy, patience, and excitement to be with the kids and share the love of Jesus.
This Weekend's Message: Bragging Rights
A strong young man at a construction site was bragging that he could outdo anyone in a feat of strength. He made a special case of making fun of one of the older workmen.
After several minutes, the older worker had had enough.
"Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?" he said. "I'll bet a week's wages that I can haul something in a wheelbarrow over to that building that you won't be able to wheel back."
"You're on, old man," the young worker replied.
The old man reached out and grabbed the wheelbarrow by the handles. Then he turned to the young man and said, "All right. Get in."
It seems like people will brag about everything and anything. There is nothing off limits once we start trying to make a good impression. The truth is that the question isn’t whether or not we will choose to brag, but what will we choose to brag about?
Hope to see you this Sunday!
Matt Sasso
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Team Japan Reports: God is at Work in Japan
By Jeff Taylor, Pastor of Worship
Planning for a July trip to Japan began in March – a much shorter timeframe than is usually needed for a trip of this magnitude. Yet, as pieces fell into place it was clear that this was a trip that was already on God’s agenda for us. So six members of the worship ministry at LBF, along with my wife and I, prayed hard for the Holy Spirit to empower us, guide us, and reveal more of Himself to us as we headed to Tokyo for 10 days of ministry that none of us will ever forget.
Initially, we knew we would be doing some ministry through music, though the venues and opportunities were not specifically defined. We hoped to do some worship on the streets to stimulate discussions with people who heard us sing about Jesus. We also hoped we would get to do something at a school or church. But as I said, none of this was defined ahead of time. Our prayer was just that God would have His way and that our lives and the lives of people we encountered would be changed by His Holy Spirit.
After more than 12 hours on a plane – first to Seattle and then to Narita, Japan – and then three hours on a bus to Tokorozawa, we finally arrived at the YWAM house in the city of Kiyose, where we stayed. From the bus stop in Kiyose, it was about a 10-minute walk to the house – a walk we became very familiar with. We took Monday to get acclimated and introduced to the people we stayed and ministered with, and then we were ready to begin a packed schedule of ministry opportunities.
We spent Tuesday and Wednesday at Yoyogi school (a K-12 private school for kids who have not succeeded in traditional Japanese schools). These kids were amazing, and we really felt a bond with them as we were paired up with teachers and got to visit their classrooms. We also had the opportunity to lead three extended times of worship through music with them over the course of two days.
Tuesday evening we attended a service called “The Living Room,” which is led by our host David McDaniel, and is a time of “hanging out in God’s house and just letting Him do what He wants to do.” It was a powerful night of worship and ministry. It was one of the many times in this trip that God had things He wanted to work IN us, not just through us.
After lots of travel and then two 16-hour days of ministry, we took some time on Thursday to see the beautiful country of Japan. David took us to many of the significant locations in and around Tokyo, including Shibuya crossing, a three-story Disney store, and a five-story Forever 21. We also visited Buddhist shrines and temples, which gave us an incredible opportunity to walk through praying for the lost and deceived and inviting the Holy Spirit to move.
Friday we went to Rikkyo University where we participated in cultural discussions with the English club. This was a great opportunity to talk with young Japanese people about our lives in America, their lives in Japan, and why we were there. After the club meeting, several joined us for lunch and we continued our discussions about life.
Later that evening we went to a park in Ikebukuro where we went up on a stage in the middle of a courtyard and began singing and praying over the people, the park, and Japan. It was a powerful time of worship as those who were in the park heard us and began to approach. Along with the Discipleship Training School from YWAM Tokyo, we were able to have great discussions with those of various faiths, and many with no faith at all. God was definitely softening hearts as we continued to sing
and invite the Holy Spirit to do His work.
Saturday morning we got up really early to walk to the bus station, to catch the first bus of the day and then a train that would take us to Yoyogi Park to work again with the YWAM team to feed the homeless. This was
a meaningful time of ministry as we
prepared food bags, passed out cups of coffee, and assisted the YWAM team as they ministered through
testimonies and small group sharing. We got to participate with a couple
of songs as well. Later that evening
we went home and got to celebrate one of our team member’s,
Amanda’s birthday.
Sunday morning we took another long train ride to a Japanese church. The service was in Japanese and afterward everyone had lunch together. We made new friends and enjoyed connecting with a local church community. After church our group gathered at David and his wife, Maria’s house for a time of prayer, worship, and ministry with one another. Once again, the Holy Spirit was at work in each of us and our hearts were greatly encouraged by all we saw God doing.
Monday was a meaningful day of debriefing with our team and the McDaniels before another full day of travel on Tuesday.
That was a general overview of the trip, but I would love for you to hear from the rest of the team. So here are a few highlights from each person from Team Japan 2013.
Erin Methvin: I am so thankful for the unique worship experience with Dave and the other missionaries at the Living Room. There was something so beautiful and genuine about their charismatic praise. It was an outward expression I was reluctant to express myself at first, but I was humbled by their hearts’ desire to simply meet with God. It gave my heart a new passion to chase after God, not only in times of worship, but in every part of my life.
Laura Taylor: For 18 years my heart has longed to return oversees on a mission trip. My time in Japan refreshed my spirit, gave me a longing to chase God desperately, and renewed my desire to see the lost and broken restored. The Japanese people have hearts that long for relationship and hope. My interactions with them in turn taught me to approach Christ with that same need for hope and relationship with Him! God is at work in Japan and my heart was impacted forever because of my time there.
Andrew Bixler: One of the many ministry times I enjoyed was playing music in the middle of a city park in Tokyo, right outside the second busiest train station in the world. Seeing people drawn to the love of Jesus through the music, even if only slowing down enough to enjoy the warmth, showed me that God’s Word never returns void (Isaiah 55:11). The music created space for conversations and prayers. Songs from our spirits released God’s freedom and love into Tokyo.
Nick Scholz: “Coffee In The Park”
I passed out coffee in the park.
They were happy to get it.
I didn’t say anything, coffee pot
in hand, filling cup after cup
full of the stuff.
I couldn’t say anything.
I don’t know how to speak Japanese,
But that isn’t what kept me silent.
I couldn’t say anything to them.
Some were ashamed–
Too ashamed to look at me.
Others, so grateful, proudly thanked
Me in heartbroken English.
All they could say was “Thank
You,” and they said it.
Again and
Again.
I left, saying nothing, humbled by cups
of coffee
In the park.
Amanda Bixler: While no singular event jumps out in my mind (each day was pretty amazing), one of the things that God really stirred in my heart throughout this trip was to trust His voice. I’ve always believed that God wants to – and does – speak to each one of us, but often there is a hesitation to act on His promptings. While in Japan, this was something I was really challenged with – to trust the voice and heart of God, that He truly wants to use each one of us in very real and practical ways to make a huge impact for the kingdom.
Paul Casequin: God really loves His creation, the most of which is us, mankind. On this mission trip, I saw our team share this awesome love to people in Japan. I actually felt that we were sharing “spiritual love letters” through our conversations to school kids, the university’s English club, and various adults at two public park events. Even while we were singing our “spiritual love letters” to God, I marveled at how He used our worship songs to woo His unsaved creation and open doors to share Jesus Christ and our personal testimonies.
Jenn Casequin: I was blessed to meet a young lady named Mileina. She is a respectful and loving young girl, searching for love wherever she can find it. I felt a connection to her immediately and spent a lot of time chatting with her, listening to her, and answering all of her questions. I know I met her for a specific reason. God has put her on my heart to continue praying for her and communicating with her long after this trip. Meeting Mileina reminded me that no matter how broken we are, we are still God’s children and He loves us, wants us, and wants to use us for great and mighty things.
This trip was full of evidence that God is alive and His Spirit is moving in the hearts of people. One of the most impacting things for me on this trip was a statement made by David McDaniel as he was encouraging us in our pursuit of God, “Many times we want God to bring the fire, but we don’t put out any wood.” This imagery was encouraging to me and something we can all be challenged by. How often do we say that we want the things of God, or for God to use us (and expect the fire), but never do any of the pursuing of God? Certainly God is able to work in spite of us and our lack of pursuit, but how much more of Him would we receive if our passion drove us to seek Him in all we do?
It was my pleasure to be with this team on this trip. And we want to thank all of you for the prayer and financial support that you put into this trip! God used you in Japan!
Planning for a July trip to Japan began in March – a much shorter timeframe than is usually needed for a trip of this magnitude. Yet, as pieces fell into place it was clear that this was a trip that was already on God’s agenda for us. So six members of the worship ministry at LBF, along with my wife and I, prayed hard for the Holy Spirit to empower us, guide us, and reveal more of Himself to us as we headed to Tokyo for 10 days of ministry that none of us will ever forget.
Initially, we knew we would be doing some ministry through music, though the venues and opportunities were not specifically defined. We hoped to do some worship on the streets to stimulate discussions with people who heard us sing about Jesus. We also hoped we would get to do something at a school or church. But as I said, none of this was defined ahead of time. Our prayer was just that God would have His way and that our lives and the lives of people we encountered would be changed by His Holy Spirit.
After more than 12 hours on a plane – first to Seattle and then to Narita, Japan – and then three hours on a bus to Tokorozawa, we finally arrived at the YWAM house in the city of Kiyose, where we stayed. From the bus stop in Kiyose, it was about a 10-minute walk to the house – a walk we became very familiar with. We took Monday to get acclimated and introduced to the people we stayed and ministered with, and then we were ready to begin a packed schedule of ministry opportunities.
We spent Tuesday and Wednesday at Yoyogi school (a K-12 private school for kids who have not succeeded in traditional Japanese schools). These kids were amazing, and we really felt a bond with them as we were paired up with teachers and got to visit their classrooms. We also had the opportunity to lead three extended times of worship through music with them over the course of two days.
Tuesday evening we attended a service called “The Living Room,” which is led by our host David McDaniel, and is a time of “hanging out in God’s house and just letting Him do what He wants to do.” It was a powerful night of worship and ministry. It was one of the many times in this trip that God had things He wanted to work IN us, not just through us.
After lots of travel and then two 16-hour days of ministry, we took some time on Thursday to see the beautiful country of Japan. David took us to many of the significant locations in and around Tokyo, including Shibuya crossing, a three-story Disney store, and a five-story Forever 21. We also visited Buddhist shrines and temples, which gave us an incredible opportunity to walk through praying for the lost and deceived and inviting the Holy Spirit to move.
Friday we went to Rikkyo University where we participated in cultural discussions with the English club. This was a great opportunity to talk with young Japanese people about our lives in America, their lives in Japan, and why we were there. After the club meeting, several joined us for lunch and we continued our discussions about life.
Saturday morning we got up really early to walk to the bus station, to catch the first bus of the day and then a train that would take us to Yoyogi Park to work again with the YWAM team to feed the homeless. This was
a meaningful time of ministry as we
prepared food bags, passed out cups of coffee, and assisted the YWAM team as they ministered through
testimonies and small group sharing. We got to participate with a couple
of songs as well. Later that evening
we went home and got to celebrate one of our team member’s,
Amanda’s birthday.Sunday morning we took another long train ride to a Japanese church. The service was in Japanese and afterward everyone had lunch together. We made new friends and enjoyed connecting with a local church community. After church our group gathered at David and his wife, Maria’s house for a time of prayer, worship, and ministry with one another. Once again, the Holy Spirit was at work in each of us and our hearts were greatly encouraged by all we saw God doing.
Monday was a meaningful day of debriefing with our team and the McDaniels before another full day of travel on Tuesday.
That was a general overview of the trip, but I would love for you to hear from the rest of the team. So here are a few highlights from each person from Team Japan 2013.
Erin Methvin: I am so thankful for the unique worship experience with Dave and the other missionaries at the Living Room. There was something so beautiful and genuine about their charismatic praise. It was an outward expression I was reluctant to express myself at first, but I was humbled by their hearts’ desire to simply meet with God. It gave my heart a new passion to chase after God, not only in times of worship, but in every part of my life.
Laura Taylor: For 18 years my heart has longed to return oversees on a mission trip. My time in Japan refreshed my spirit, gave me a longing to chase God desperately, and renewed my desire to see the lost and broken restored. The Japanese people have hearts that long for relationship and hope. My interactions with them in turn taught me to approach Christ with that same need for hope and relationship with Him! God is at work in Japan and my heart was impacted forever because of my time there.
Andrew Bixler: One of the many ministry times I enjoyed was playing music in the middle of a city park in Tokyo, right outside the second busiest train station in the world. Seeing people drawn to the love of Jesus through the music, even if only slowing down enough to enjoy the warmth, showed me that God’s Word never returns void (Isaiah 55:11). The music created space for conversations and prayers. Songs from our spirits released God’s freedom and love into Tokyo.
Nick Scholz: “Coffee In The Park”
I passed out coffee in the park.
They were happy to get it.
I didn’t say anything, coffee pot
in hand, filling cup after cup
full of the stuff.
I couldn’t say anything.
I don’t know how to speak Japanese,
But that isn’t what kept me silent.
I couldn’t say anything to them.
Some were ashamed–
Too ashamed to look at me.
Others, so grateful, proudly thanked
Me in heartbroken English.
All they could say was “Thank
You,” and they said it.
Again and
Again.
I left, saying nothing, humbled by cups
of coffee
In the park.
Amanda Bixler: While no singular event jumps out in my mind (each day was pretty amazing), one of the things that God really stirred in my heart throughout this trip was to trust His voice. I’ve always believed that God wants to – and does – speak to each one of us, but often there is a hesitation to act on His promptings. While in Japan, this was something I was really challenged with – to trust the voice and heart of God, that He truly wants to use each one of us in very real and practical ways to make a huge impact for the kingdom.
Paul Casequin: God really loves His creation, the most of which is us, mankind. On this mission trip, I saw our team share this awesome love to people in Japan. I actually felt that we were sharing “spiritual love letters” through our conversations to school kids, the university’s English club, and various adults at two public park events. Even while we were singing our “spiritual love letters” to God, I marveled at how He used our worship songs to woo His unsaved creation and open doors to share Jesus Christ and our personal testimonies.
Jenn Casequin: I was blessed to meet a young lady named Mileina. She is a respectful and loving young girl, searching for love wherever she can find it. I felt a connection to her immediately and spent a lot of time chatting with her, listening to her, and answering all of her questions. I know I met her for a specific reason. God has put her on my heart to continue praying for her and communicating with her long after this trip. Meeting Mileina reminded me that no matter how broken we are, we are still God’s children and He loves us, wants us, and wants to use us for great and mighty things.
This trip was full of evidence that God is alive and His Spirit is moving in the hearts of people. One of the most impacting things for me on this trip was a statement made by David McDaniel as he was encouraging us in our pursuit of God, “Many times we want God to bring the fire, but we don’t put out any wood.” This imagery was encouraging to me and something we can all be challenged by. How often do we say that we want the things of God, or for God to use us (and expect the fire), but never do any of the pursuing of God? Certainly God is able to work in spite of us and our lack of pursuit, but how much more of Him would we receive if our passion drove us to seek Him in all we do?
It was my pleasure to be with this team on this trip. And we want to thank all of you for the prayer and financial support that you put into this trip! God used you in Japan!
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Responding to Same-Sex Marriage
By Dan Franklin, Pastor of Teaching
In the aftermath of the Supreme Court striking down DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act), same-sex marriage now appears to be on its way to full acceptance in the United States. Many of us feel conflicted or confused about how to respond to this. Many of us believe that the Bible teaches that homosexual activity is sinful, and we treasure the beauty and purity of marriage between a man and a woman. At the same time, we want to show love and compassion to others, and we are hesitant about the role of politics in the Christian life.
This brief article will by no means cover everything that can be said on this subject. Much has been said and there is much to say, but this article will present three core statements about how Christians are called to think and act in light of this significant issue facing our nation. It covers three things that Christians must do if we are to respond in a way that will truly allow us to be witnesses of Jesus in our world.
1. We must not adopt an attitude of entitlement when our society opposes God’s ways.
In the aftermath of the Supreme Court striking down DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act), same-sex marriage now appears to be on its way to full acceptance in the United States. Many of us feel conflicted or confused about how to respond to this. Many of us believe that the Bible teaches that homosexual activity is sinful, and we treasure the beauty and purity of marriage between a man and a woman. At the same time, we want to show love and compassion to others, and we are hesitant about the role of politics in the Christian life.
This brief article will by no means cover everything that can be said on this subject. Much has been said and there is much to say, but this article will present three core statements about how Christians are called to think and act in light of this significant issue facing our nation. It covers three things that Christians must do if we are to respond in a way that will truly allow us to be witnesses of Jesus in our world.
1. We must not adopt an attitude of entitlement when our society opposes God’s ways.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
This Weekend's Message: Delayed Gratification
When college graduates land their first career-oriented job, they are encouraged to begin saving for retirement. The reason, of course, is that the sooner a person starts saving for retirement, the further the money goes. A small sacrifice early on compounds interest and yields a significant pay-out. Even significant contributions later in life cannot catch up to what is accumulated if a person begins saving for retirement at a young age.
If, then, this is a proven fact, why don’t more people start saving for retirement in their twenties? The answer is that it is a hard sell for a young person to sacrifice some of their income in the short-term in order to provide for themselves in the long-run. Why give up money that could be used for nice clothes, nice restaurants, nice cars, or nice furnishings? In order to experience the benefits of retirement later on, a person has to have a perspective that allows them to practice delayed gratification.
On Sunday, we will talk about our desperate need--and our struggle to--embrace delayed gratification. We will look at a passage in which the Apostle Paul urges us to keep the future in mind so that we do not miss out on the live that Jesus brings.
Dan
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
What I Want to Want
By Gary Keith, Lead Pastor
All Jesus’ followers start with a “What’s in it for me” mentality. Before you get mad at me, I’m not trying to undermine the work of God’s Holy Spirit. But think about it – we all started following Jesus because we want what Jesus has. We want eternal life. We want to experience fullness of life today. We want to be forgiven. We want the mercy and grace Jesus offers even though we don’t fully understand it. We start out by following Jesus for what we get out of it.
But let me suggest that the more we learn about Jesus and understand the truth of what is offered, we can begin to put away our own agenda and think differently. We can think less about what’s in it for me and start thinking about the agenda Jesus has for our life. We start thinking this way because we learn to trust the agenda that Jesus has as being a better agenda. Over time we move away from “What’s in it for me?” to “I want what You (Jesus) want more than what I want.”
I know that was a little hard to say, so read it again slowly: “I want what You (Jesus) want more than what I want.” And when that happens we can better embrace all that Jesus has for us and trust Him.
All of this fits so very well with our mission statement introduced last August:
We exist to passionately pursue LIFE in Jesus and to lead our neighbors to do the same.
Now this statement sounds great and it’s something that has been well received in our church, but let me ask a couple of questions: How do we embrace this mission so that it is more than just words printed in our lobby? How do we go from “What’s in it for me?” to “I want what You want more than what I want?” How do we grow in our passion to pursue LIFE in Jesus?
For the last year we have been focusing on three major areas of response. First, we engaged our church family in a Bible reading plan that also involved a time of reflection. I believe that reading and reflecting on the Bible will make a difference in our lives so we ought to give time to God’s written word. Second, we stressed the importance of being part of a LIFE Group. We believe that being part of a LIFE Group provides the community everyone needs to grow in a passionate pursuit of LIFE in Jesus. And lastly we challenged ourselves to get involved in serving here at church and in our community. To follow the LIFE of Jesus is to serve others.
So here we go into August 2013, the month we gear up to start a new season of ministry at LBF. People are coming back from vacations and children are starting school again. Life gets back to a routine – sort of. So let me ask you, how are you going to be passionately pursuing LIFE in Jesus during the last few months of 2013? What will you say “yes” to and what will you say “no” to in order to make sure you are moving in a direction of spiritual growth?
These are important questions. Life is about much more than simply going to work Monday through Friday, receiving a paycheck, buying a home, paying the bills, enjoying the weekends, preparing for retirement, driving your kids to all sorts of activities, and fitting in some time for church. God has given each one of us a bigger purpose. Part of our greater purpose involves asking ourselves: How can we take this passionate pursuit into our jobs, into our families, into our activities, into our kids’ activities, and into our church life?
As I personally reflect on that for myself there are some obvious responses, like how much do I allow the Bible to influence my decisions? How much time am I giving to developing meaningful relationships within this church family? How am I reflecting Jesus by serving others?
Let me challenge you as I challenge myself to start this new season of our calendar by asking and answering those questions for yourself. And let me challenge you to make passionately pursuing LIFE in Jesus the main focus of your life between now and the end of the year. Set that as a short-term goal, make some lifestyle changes, be an example to your kids – pursue LIFE in Jesus.
I can guarantee that if you do, your life will be filled with a meaning and purpose and fullness that can only come from passionately pursuing LIFE in Jesus! I want to be able to say at the end of the year that I have grown in wanting what Jesus wants more than what I want. Let’s do it and let’s do it together!
All Jesus’ followers start with a “What’s in it for me” mentality. Before you get mad at me, I’m not trying to undermine the work of God’s Holy Spirit. But think about it – we all started following Jesus because we want what Jesus has. We want eternal life. We want to experience fullness of life today. We want to be forgiven. We want the mercy and grace Jesus offers even though we don’t fully understand it. We start out by following Jesus for what we get out of it.
But let me suggest that the more we learn about Jesus and understand the truth of what is offered, we can begin to put away our own agenda and think differently. We can think less about what’s in it for me and start thinking about the agenda Jesus has for our life. We start thinking this way because we learn to trust the agenda that Jesus has as being a better agenda. Over time we move away from “What’s in it for me?” to “I want what You (Jesus) want more than what I want.”
I know that was a little hard to say, so read it again slowly: “I want what You (Jesus) want more than what I want.” And when that happens we can better embrace all that Jesus has for us and trust Him.
All of this fits so very well with our mission statement introduced last August:
We exist to passionately pursue LIFE in Jesus and to lead our neighbors to do the same.
Now this statement sounds great and it’s something that has been well received in our church, but let me ask a couple of questions: How do we embrace this mission so that it is more than just words printed in our lobby? How do we go from “What’s in it for me?” to “I want what You want more than what I want?” How do we grow in our passion to pursue LIFE in Jesus?
For the last year we have been focusing on three major areas of response. First, we engaged our church family in a Bible reading plan that also involved a time of reflection. I believe that reading and reflecting on the Bible will make a difference in our lives so we ought to give time to God’s written word. Second, we stressed the importance of being part of a LIFE Group. We believe that being part of a LIFE Group provides the community everyone needs to grow in a passionate pursuit of LIFE in Jesus. And lastly we challenged ourselves to get involved in serving here at church and in our community. To follow the LIFE of Jesus is to serve others.
So here we go into August 2013, the month we gear up to start a new season of ministry at LBF. People are coming back from vacations and children are starting school again. Life gets back to a routine – sort of. So let me ask you, how are you going to be passionately pursuing LIFE in Jesus during the last few months of 2013? What will you say “yes” to and what will you say “no” to in order to make sure you are moving in a direction of spiritual growth?
These are important questions. Life is about much more than simply going to work Monday through Friday, receiving a paycheck, buying a home, paying the bills, enjoying the weekends, preparing for retirement, driving your kids to all sorts of activities, and fitting in some time for church. God has given each one of us a bigger purpose. Part of our greater purpose involves asking ourselves: How can we take this passionate pursuit into our jobs, into our families, into our activities, into our kids’ activities, and into our church life?
As I personally reflect on that for myself there are some obvious responses, like how much do I allow the Bible to influence my decisions? How much time am I giving to developing meaningful relationships within this church family? How am I reflecting Jesus by serving others?
Let me challenge you as I challenge myself to start this new season of our calendar by asking and answering those questions for yourself. And let me challenge you to make passionately pursuing LIFE in Jesus the main focus of your life between now and the end of the year. Set that as a short-term goal, make some lifestyle changes, be an example to your kids – pursue LIFE in Jesus.
I can guarantee that if you do, your life will be filled with a meaning and purpose and fullness that can only come from passionately pursuing LIFE in Jesus! I want to be able to say at the end of the year that I have grown in wanting what Jesus wants more than what I want. Let’s do it and let’s do it together!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
This Weekend's Message: Pull Yourselves Together
When we think about being spiritual, we usually think about being alone. We think of someone in the dessert meditating, in total silence and isolation. And so we think of our own "spirituality" being dependent on us being alone, away from the distractions of other people.
While there is certainly a value on reflection and solitude in the Bible (Jesus Himself practiced it), Christian spirituality is not something that is primarily practiced in private. Instead, the Holy Spirit is always leading us toward one another, in renewed and transformed relationships.
This Sunday we will walk through a passage in Galatians in which the Apostle Paul paints of picture of what it looks like when we keep in step with the Holy Spirit as He leads us into transformed relationships with one another.
Dan
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