The Week in Review 25 Nov 2011

Looking at my calendar, this has been an interesting week. But one that I like a lot. The previous weeks have been on the road, meeting new people, and having deep conversations over important issues. The role I find myself in is enjoyable to me and I think I'm well suited for it (by God's grace).

This week had many of the same elements as earlier weeks, but without the travel. Here's the report:

• Monday morning was a great conversation on anti-trafficking ministry, while that afternoon was a quick call on Roma ministry.
• Tuesday involved a call helping a young missionary sort through his calling/role.
• Wednesday was a call with a Lithuanian lady living in England working to develope a partnership between English and Polish churches to reach the Polish immigrants in England.
• Thursday was Thanksgiving (for which I'm thankful).
• Today was a call about developing a Christian community center in Kiev, Ukraine and helping an Albanian church planter think through how to refresh his relationship with God.
• Every day I'm facilitating an online course 'Intentional Living' through EQUIP, so I get to interact with new missionaries and pastors in the US on issues related to living with purpose

When I look at that list I'm excited that I get to be a small part of what God is doing in so many different locations, contexts, and lives. I'm thankful for the training I'm getting in coaching and how these people are being helped through that. I'm also thankful that I get to drive kids to practices and friend's houses and that I'm home each night.

Coaching

This has been a great week of training in coaching. Over the past few years I've found myself in situations where I was able to ask questions of pastors or missionaries that seemed to unlock ideas for them that neither of us had thought of previously. More than one person has said, 'Wow, you ask great questions." The problem was that I had no idea where they came from or why they were good questions. This week helped me to see how I can intentionally ask good questions and how those questions can lead to concrete change. I'm looking forward to how God is going to use that in the future in Europe.
Now I just need to get back there. =)


-it's about the glory of God

Location:Peña Blvd,Denver,United States

Two false notions American churches should reject about global ministry

Pastor Chris Brauns gets the hat tip for this post. Seriously good stuff to keep in mind as you are partnering with the Church in Europe or anywhere for that matter. Thanks Chris!

Albania

I spent ten days in the Balkans in the beginning of February. It was a great time with some great people. I didn't take any pictures of note with a camera, but I have a couple in my mind. Here's one:

We were in a country neighboring Albania. The guy I was staying with asked if we could stop buy a friend's place for a while. Seems like his friend doesn't have too many friends where he lives, so my buddy likes to stop out to see him as often as he can. We drove out into the hills. The road was kind of paved, but not much. It was a grey, chilly, dark afternoon and it didn't take too long to decide a GPS would be a joke where we were headed. Rickety bridges, hairpin turns, interesting 'houses,' and after a while we were there. This guy lived alone. His two sons were grown and living in another country. His wife had left him to move back to her home country. All of them had returned last summer to see him be baptized in his village. After he did that, the neighbors killed his dog. Lots of family in the area, but not friends now. My buddy would spend a few hours with him talking about Bible stories and what they meant. This guy doesn't read. He's got God and my buddy.

The picture in my mind is this guy alone. Working in the field, splitting firewood, or puttering around the house...alone. How does he get any food for his soul? How does he stay alive?

I know I don't have the whole picture, but that's the piece that's stuck in my mind.

Stakeholders in my life

Stakeholder (corporate) - a person, group, organization, or system who affects or can be affected by an organization's actions

I'm working through some material with a few other men called the Life Development Planner. This is a tool to help gain better perspective of God's purposes in the world and how we can be involved in His plans. We look at how everything in our individual background has been purposefully arranged by God to make us the people we are. We create a timeline of what God has done in our lives and look for developmental gaps in our knowledge, character and skills. Then we are to design plans to address those gaps. I'm loving it. I'm pretty sure that God made me for doing this kind of stuff with people.

This morning, as I was working on one of the exercises, I took off on a tangent. I started to make a list of all the 'stakeholders' in my life - the people who affect me or are directly affected by my actions. My decisions (or lack of action) impact their lives. Many of them did not ask for this, they were born into it or someone else made a decision which put me in this position. It was sobering for me to think about my influence in their lives. What message am I sending them?

The people on that list will be affected by my personal develpment. This is no trite exercise. Paul talks about it his letter to Timothy (1 Tim 4:16 Pay close attention to yourself...).

Here's what I learned:
1) You influence more people than you think, so consider the message you're sending.
2) You are here for the benefit of others, so do not neglect sharpening yourself into an effective tool for their blessing.

Why I Believe Berlin Is the Most Important City In Europe

This idea has been in the back of my mind for a couple years . . . and now it's in the front. Berlin is the most important city in Europe. I believe that this is the place where God must be displayed as glorious if Europe is going to be influenced for the Gospel. Here's why in broad strokes:

Berlin is the leading city in Europe politically, economically and socially.

Berlin is a city of global influence.
One third of Berlin's 3.4 million people have only just arrived within the last ten years, matching the one third which have moved out to other influential cites. There is a large international community in Berlin, which can be said about many cities in Europe, but Berlin is 20% immigrants. There is a large student population at Berlin's many universities. Berlin is home to the third largest homosexual community in the world and the mayor openly promotes a very tolerant world view (maybe the most open-minded in all of Europe).

Berlin is beginning to show signs of life spiritually.
This city is the spiritual connection between east and west Europe (post-communist and post-Christian respectively) making it a laboratory for understanding spiritual Europe. While the evangelical population has gone from 0.5% to 1.4% over the past ten years, there is still plenty of room for growth.

'The nation that once embodied Europe's division is once again das land in der mitte--both geopolitical pivot and central catalyst to the continent's economical and political integration.'
The Spirit of the Berlin Republic, by Dieter Dettke

Conversations are in full bloom as we learn what we can about Berlin. I'll try to keep adding to these thoughts over the next couple of days, but now it's time for a currywurst.

An Afternoon in Berlin

We had an easy ride up to Berlin from Budapest (EasyJet). It was a bit rainy when we first arrived, so we got an overview of what's happening around Berlin as well as a bit of history/geography in preparation for our tour. We got to see some of the area around the Brandenburg gate, which was cool. The more I'm around this city, the more I'm convinced that this is one of the most important cities in Europe. I am amazed at what Mike has been able to do here since arriving and I'm excited about what God is bringing together. Tomorrow will be some more touring and meeting one of the church planters who is mentoring other church planters in the area. God is working here.