A POINT OF CLARIFICATION

Some have told me that it is a bit hard to get their minds around what I will be doing. Well, that's quite alright. This is a journey that hasn't been fully defined yet - I'm still wondering at times all that God is calling me to do.

But what I can do is clarify what I do know as of this posting:

• I will be working primarily with leaders and missionaries in other countries. This doesn't mean I'll be travelling 365 days a year. We will be based here in Silicon Valley (at least for now) and travelling as opportunities arise.
• I won't be starting my own ministries overseas, but instead I will be coming alongside of already established ministries/missionaries/church leaders. This could mean being with them a week or a month or longer. Ministry could happen as a time of training or a seminar or being available to pray and/or counsel with leaders and their families. I might be called in to help with reconciliation for a ministry or team.
• How will I find these opportunities to serve overseas? Well, God has partnered me with a few ministries already - Iranian house church leaders and training pastors/churches in Baja are the most established relationships. Beyond that, I've found that the world of international ministries/missions is really a very small world. Leaders and missionaries network and work with one another. As one finds a great resource, they tell others about it. This has already begun for me. I have had several approaches by ministry leaders (one in India, another with a worldwide ministry) who have heard about what I offer. I suspect that contacts will come in a variety of ways - and God will direct which ones I must work alongside.
• What will I do when I'm here in the U.S.? Well, first of all I have to raise my support. That is a full-time job in itself - talking with individuals, groups, churches, pastors, foundations, etc. I also have an ongoing ministry through Skype (a secure internet chat program) with house church leaders in Iran. That will continue and increase. I will be available to preach in churches, teach seminars, speak at retreats, etc. One dream I have is to help bring reconciliation for churches going through conflict. I will be putting together the seminars and lessons I will teach here and overseas. I will be contacting international ministries to set up future travel. So, you can see, it won't be boring! (Oh, yeah, one more - Carolyn and I are committed to learning Farsi.)
• Finally, how available am I for ministry/counseling with individuals here in Silicon Valley? Frankly, I'm not sure about this one yet. There are many dear people at South Hills and elsewhere that have asked about one-on-one counseling and prayer. Initially, I will be taking some time away from this. But who knows where God will lead in the future?

Hope this helps! Please send an email or post a comment on this blog if you have any questions. I'd love to hear from you. Doostet daram (I love you), Mike

ALL IS FORGIVEN

Here is a story that speaks of Grace and our longing for a father’s love and forgiveness. May it bless you!

Grace teaches us that God loves us because of who God is, not because of who we are. Grace appeals to us; it beckons us…calls to us…pleads for us…

Ernest Hemingway tells a story about a Spanish father whose relationship with his son Paco had become strained & eventually shattered. When his rebellious son ran away, his father began a long and difficult search to find him. As a last resort the exhausted father placed an ad in the Madrid newspaper, hoping that his son would see it and respond. The ad read, "Dear Paco, Please meet me in front of the Hotel Montana Noon Tuesday. All is forgiven. Papa.” Paco is a common name in Spain, and when the father goes to the square he finds 800 young men named Paco waiting for their father.

I believe that everyone is a “Paco”. They don’t know how but they long to experience the grace of God. We all have a longing, a need for a true home, where we can be accepted & cherished. We have this longing because God’s Spirit whispers to us to come home. Whatever you have done can be forgiven through Jesus’ death for you. No matter what you have become, you can be made new through the grace & power of God.

DEEPLY ROOTED

Our small group last night was studying about forgiveness. I found a nugget in the book I want to share with you.

Psalm 92:13 - Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God."

When a fruit tree is put in the ground it has to face rainstorms, hot sun, and wind. If a young tree could talk, it might say, "Please get me out of here! Put me in a place where there is no sweltering heat or windy storms!"

If the gardener listened to the tree, he would actually harm it. Trees endure the hot sun and rainstorms by sending their roots down deeper. The adversity they face is eventually the source of great stability. The harshness of the elements surrounding them causes them to seek another source of life. They will one day come to the place where even the greatest of windstorms cannot affect their ability to produce fruit.

One of the hardest things to do in this life is stay where you are planted. I like to run, to withdraw, to fight back when adversity or accusation or attack comes my way. I have prayed a LOT of "Please get me out of here!" type prayers. But all I'm doing is resisting the very thing God has sent to grow me, to mature me.

The last few months for me have been a back and forth tug-of-war with God, trying to stay planted in quite a bit of adversity - spiritual, relational, you name it. But through it all, God has been guiding us and strengthening us for what is about to come. Hard lessons learned; God's severe mercy. But necessary.

So in 1 week God will move this big old tree to a new garden in the "house of the Lord," a new place of ministry. My prayer is that the roots will begin deepening again, able to withstand a new type of challenge, of adversity. Thank you for joining me in this journey.

WHERE DO THE LEADERS GO FOR HELP?

Have you ever asked that question? Where do Christian leaders go for help?

• When their family is struggling?
• When they have doubts about their calling, their faith or their God?
• When they are struggling with a secret sin?
• When they are so tired and dry that they can't imagine preaching one more sermon, talking to one more person, hearing one more problem?

Where do they go? It's tough being someone that everyone comes to for help and feeling like you have nowhere to turn yourself. You're expected to have answers, creative solutions, godly counsel - what will your flock think if they find out you need these as much as (or more than) they do?

These are the issues that haunt so many leaders. But with nowhere to go, they often just live with the discouragement or fears or doubts or emptiness or loneliness or etc. And that is a most certain path to defeat.

Being one of these leaders for over 25 years now, I know firsthand these feelings and defeats. But God has a different way, a healing and cleansing way. And that is what burns in my heart to do for and with these chosen, precious children of God - to help them personally find the same freedom they bring to so many others! And if such help is needed here, with all our resources, imagine what it is like on the international field - where so many leaders have so little support and help. Please help me with your prayers and your gifts!

And think about the Christian leaders in your life. Have you encouraged them lately? Have you prayed for them? Given them a little gift - even if it's a simple email or note? In 1 Timothy 5:17, Paul commands the early Christians:

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

How often have you given your leader even a single honor? Pray about it this week! And then step out and do something about it! Find a way to honor your leaders. You may be their one positive encounter all week. So don't delay! We need you!

BUSY, BUSY

I forgot the time and energy it takes to get a house ready to sell! Carolyn is bearing the brunt of the load right now as my schedule at church is still very full. She is re-landscaping the front of the house. Lookin' good! There are also contractors in here fixing up some of those annoying little things you just get used to - like leaky showers, peeling linoleum, etc. We should be done by the end of the week.

My ministry overseas continues as well. Counseling, teaching, encouraging - even helping one young man learn English. We just covered nouns and contractions.

Exciting experience at church on Sunday. One of our members asked me how I was going to network with people around the world to offer my ministry. Just as I was about to answer, another member (who lives 6 months here, 6 months in India) came up to me and asked: "So, when are you coming to India? We need you there to help our leaders. I have a room for you and will take care of your needs once you get there." I turned to the other fellow and answered him: "I guess this is how the networking begins!"

So please keep praying! God only knows where all this is leading. So we're in great hands!