It's So Uncomfortable!

Two recent incidents are on my mind today. Both have served to impress an uncomfortable truth into my heart. The truth: we have developed the idea that part of our American heritage is the elimination of anything uncomfortable. If it's too hot, turn on the air conditioning; if it's too cold, turn up the heater. We live in a climate-controlled, acoustically stimulating, smell-good environment.

Let me tell you first about the incidents, then I'll get to the lesson I think God is trying to teach me. The first occurred almost two weeks ago. It was a typical early September Thursday. I was about to leave our office to work on a project in the quietness and high-speed internet of my home. Suddenly, the lights flickered and the power went out. The office was dark and quiet without the hum of the A/C in the background. Early September is HOT in Yuma and it was the hottest time of the day. We waited, expecting it to kick back on in a few minutes. We waited some more. I went home still waiting. Updates sent to my smartphone told me that this major outage started very near my house but had taken in everything all the way to San Diego and up the coast into Orange County. It might not be restored until the next day!

At home, using battery-powered lights, I watched a battery-powered thermometer record the gradual rise of the temperature in my living room. Fortunately, my house was cool when the power went off and I am blessed to live in a place that is very well insulated. I read, drank water and pondered the uncomfortable air as minutes turned to hours. I began to think about how tiny this problem was in the big scheme of things. My friends in the Dominican Republic suffer through blackouts like these almost every day. I have Haitian friends who almost never have tasted many of the comforts I enjoy every day without gratitude.

I admit that I am normally prone to nervous fretting during times like that evening, but for some reason I was able to give this one to God. It was near bedtime and I said to Cathy, "I'm tired; I think I will just go to bed and get back up when the power comes back on. Then I can reset everything." Right after that, a light flickered and our comfortable world was back.

The second incident was this past weekend. Cathy was away on a women's retreat with ladies from church. She called Saturday morning to give me an update. "How are you?" I asked.

"It's funny," she replied, "Everyone is asking me that this morning." Then she explained why. The dormitory she and some friends were assigned was infested with bedbugs. Cathy got the worst of them, ended up with hives from neck to feet and had a bad reaction to the antihistamine she took.

As we talked, we both pondered our insulation from so many nuisances that the rest of the world takes for granted. We admitted how easy it was to develop the attitude that we live above ever being uncomfortable. We also thanked God that it happened to her and not someone else. My wife is pretty mature in her walk with Christ. She endured this and saw it as what it was: interference that didn't have to tarnish the joy of God working the hearts of many women. By the way, they changed rooms, their clothing and bedding were washed by some wonderful ladies in the group, and they all returned home safely with anti-bedbug measures in place.

What about the lesson I'm learning? You have probably guessed it. If not, here it is: I have no right to live in comfort all the time! Paul, the Apostle who endured beatings, imprisonments and shipwrecks, put it thus way: Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. Philippians 4:11 (NASB)

Honestly, I haven't learned this lesson yet and I want to learn it. I don't look forward to the methods God may use to teach me, but I sure want to learn it!

How about you?



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Tears and Hope

I awoke to a full schedule in my calendar.  The night before, I had arrived in Phoenix hoping to get some rest.  I was preparing for an important meeting and a critical hospital visit.  I felt fortunate that our designated hotel happened to be right next door to St. Joseph's Hospital and Barrows Neurological Center.  Two days earlier a young man from our church had suffered a very serious accident on a mountain bike and I wanted to pray with him as soon as he was out of surgery.

Hoping to clear my brain and jumpstart my cardiovascular system, I stepped out of the hotel and down the street into the fashionable Encanto district for a brisk walk.  Rush hour was still almost two hours away.  Enjoying the cool September morning, the sound of birds and the view of the old, restored houses I strode along block after block.

Feeling refreshed, I stepped back through the front doors into the hotel lobby, surprised at the number of people gathered around the televisions near the breakfast area.  I looked over to see what they were staring at and saw the smoke pluming out of one of the World Trade Center towers.  "It would be horrible to be in there right now," I thought, not knowing what was happening.  I watched, heard the commentators on the TVs and the exclamations of concern around me.  By now, I needed to get back to my room to prepare for my morning meeting.  I went upstairs and turned on the television to hear the latest as I cleaned up.

I received a call from one of our daughters on my cell phone.  Now, things were beginning to rush out of control.  A plane was filmed flying into the second tower and we knew we were under attack.  How far did it extend?  Was every large city in danger?  Then, one at a time, the towers collapsed.

I made the hospital visit and attended the meeting that day, little understanding that 9/11/01 was the day that changed everything for this nation.  I was due to fly to Chicago the next morning; obviously the trip was cancelled.  Instead, I drove back to Yuma that afternoon, experiencing both tears and hope.

The hope came from a radio report where I heard members of congress; women and men, black and white and hispanic, often foes across the congressional aisle.  They shared a statement and together sang, "God Bless America."  I am crying as I remember it.  Another source of hope came from local reports in Phoenix, telling of long lines at blood banks with people wanting to do anything -- including giving their own lifeblood -- to help.

The tears were as I walked into the door of our home and took Cathy in my arms.  We were under attack, but that day...that day we and our family were safe.

Our hearts go out to every family touched by 9/11.  To the many Marines, Navy, Army, Air Force as well as the many law enforcement, firefighters and DHS personnel who are part of us, thank you!  We can't say it enough.

Gopher Holes

I figure that, if irrigation water had a brain, it would avoid gopher holes.  Let me explain.  One of my preferred boyhood chores was irrigating our orchard and field.  I liked the job because it set me free to drive the old pickup truck (I didn't have a license) the mile or so along country roads to open the gate that sent irrigation water streaming through a small system of ditches to provide the life-giving liquid to our fruit and pasture.  (For those of you from places where it rains more frequently, you can't imagine how necessary irrigation is when one lives in arid climes.)

For a time, my irrigation job included a small field on a neighbor's property just west of us.  It was there that I got a brief education about gophers and gopher holes.  At best, gophers are a nuisance.  At worst, they are destroyers of life as they tunnel under the surface of fertile soil and steal the life of otherwise good plants.

This cute little fella looks innocent, but believe me, he's a destroyer.  He's also a reminder about life, which brings me to the point concerning irrigation water.  Numerous times I watched perfectly good irrigation water completely change its course and plunge down a gopher hole.  Granted, the gopher tunnel could only hold so much water before it quit filling or surfaced some distance away.  The water sought its lowest natural point, the power of gravity pulling it toward the center of the earth (or the bottom of the hole).  If the water had brains, it surely would have avoided the hole altogether, but it didn't.  Stay with me; there's a lesson in this!

You see, I know a lot of people whose lives were once productive and full of joy.  They were like irrigation water, out on a mission to help someone else find life  Then, at some time they were pulled off course by the pain of betrayal; a person they loved hurt them so deeply that they don't notice the little gophers that are burrowing beneath the surface of their hearts.  Sometimes they are just glad that someone is noticing them, unaware that the affection they are receiving is just a setup for more destruction.  Their God-given life starts a downward run into holes of oblivion.  The places and the people they once avoided are allowed to steal their life from them.

We had a way of dealing with gophers back then.  If they surfaced, it took a quick smash from a shovel and they were permanently eliminated.  If the gophers of life are eating away at you, get a shovel.  Or find a helper who will.

 

 

Harold Camping Should Publicly Repent

For those of you who have heard the word, but aren't sure what it means, "repent" means simply to turn around, do a 180, and/or change your mind about something.

I checked again this morning and Harold Camping is described as "Bewildered" and "Mystified" after his May 21 Rapture prediction came and went.  That's a little like saying, "Oops!" after playing with matches next to a powder keg which blows up at the base of a dam, with the resulting deluge destroying the lives of thousands downstream.  Camping intentionally ignored the simple words of Jesus, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." (Matthew 24:36 NASB) Why do you think Jesus said this?  Isn't it probable that His followers back then wanted to know what was coming and when it would happen?  Jesus spoke graphically about the "what", but said clearly that even He didn't know when.

Early Christians thought of themselves as living in the "Last Days".  The Scripture was given in such a way as to make every generation wonder if this is the time.  For two thousand years, followers of Christ have wondered if His return would be in their lifetime.  My friends who don't follow Christ struggle with this side of Christianity.  We have become an age where many thinking people believe that we humans have complete control of our own destiny and that of our planet.  To them it is absurd that a God beyond our imagination created us and loves us.  The false prophecy of Harold Camping, coupled with the fierce loyalty of his flock, have only served to fortify the "no god is in control" position.

Harold Camping should publicly repent.  He has damaged the faith of many who fell under his elderly spell.  As someone who claims to preach the Gospel of Christ, he has damaged the name of the One who gave His life for us.

Luke 15:10 says that the angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner who repents.

I would rejoice with them.

When I Don't Understand

If you had asked me 48 hours ago, I would have told you I'd be leaving about now on a journey to California.  This trip has been planned for months and it was special; I was going there to perform a wedding.  My cousin's son (second cousin? first cousin once removed?) is marrying his beloved in the mountains southeast of Sacramento.  Shanna (my cousin) and I grew up together and I performed her wedding to Frank many years ago.  They have often shown love and encouragement to Cathy and me, so it was an honor to perform this ceremony for their son Billy and his bride.

How quickly things change!  Cathy departed early Wednesday to spend some time with her parents.  That night, just as I was falling asleep, I awoke to a feeling of sinus drainage way up inside my nose.  I got up to blow my nose in the semi-dark, then realized that it wasn't normal sinus fluid; it was blood.  Blood on the pillow case, blood dripping on the floor, a tissue full of blood.  I'm not prone to bloody noses, but I had one similar to this about two weeks before.  I mentally reviewed, then took the steps to stop the flow, waited a while, then checked; I was still bleeding.  I walked into the living room, typed with one finger (my other hand was holding my nose shut) and discovered on an internet site that I was responding correctly.  I waited awhile longer; still bleeding.

Finally, not knowing what else I had to do, I got my phone and dialed 9-1-1.  I had to repeat my address three times for the emergency dispatcher to understand me with my nose closed and covered with tissue.  The paramedics came, gave me further instructions, checked my vitals and, after a while, we still couldn't stop the bleeding.  They said I would need to go to the ER at the hospital.  They could call an ambulance, but I could ask a friend if I chose.  I called Tom from our staff and he came right over.  (Bless him!)

At the hospital, the physician told me I just need to apply more pressure.  The bleeding stopped about then and they had me lie there for over an hour, with them occasionally taking care of their normal tests.  The Dr. cauterized a small place just inside my nose and pronounced me ready to go home.  As I was being disconnected from their monitors, I suddenly started bleeding again from way up in my sinuses.  The Dr. returned and I explained to him it was just like the bleeding that woke me up.  He said, "I didn't want to have to do this.  You're not going to like me very much."  He then took a long, tight roll of absorbent material, coated it with saline and shoved it up my nose.  I thought it might just come out through the top of my head (not really!).  Jesus' words about getting the log out of your eye (except this was my nose) came to mind.

This is the way I looked.  I felt even uglier.

By the time I got through Wednesday night, I realized I had a problem.  I couldn't rest but a few minutes at a time.  I was also concerned about the trip scheduled for the next day.  Even before I called my Dr. for a follow-up, I called Shanna to tell her what was going on.  I was shaken by the suddenness of the bleeding as well as not being able to stop it.  I could imagine scenarios on a plane, in a rental car on the highway or in the wedding itself.

My Dr. concurred that I definitely shouldn't travel for 24 hours and that we didn't know if or when it would happen again.  He referred me to a specialist next week.  (I'm not worried about the long-term outcome, just the short-term uncertainty of a nose that might just start bleeding at a horrible time.)

I'm grateful that Shanna's family was able to find another local pastor who would step in and do the wedding.  I'm just sorry that I couldn't be there this weekend.  In questioning times like this, I am drawn back to the amazing relevance of the Scriptures: 5 Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. 6 Listen for GOD's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Proverbs 3:5-6 (THE MESSAGE)

Raise The Bar

I lifted my arm in a wave as I passed two women on the jogging path at a local park. "I wonder if they noticed how relaxed I am as I zoom past them," I wondered with a bit of pride. I was in fairly good shape and felt great as I glided along. Just after I went around them, I turned on a gravel road to exit the back side of the park and make my way to a canal bank on the way home.

There, blocking vehicle access from the road to the park, was a chain stretched out about a foot above the ground. "I'll just hop over that," I said to myself while taking long strides, "and head down the road. Almost home!"

SPLAT!

The next thing I knew, I was picking myself up from the gravel, road rash on hands, knees and one shoulder. I was still wondering about the people I passed just moments before. "I'm sure they are really impressed now!" I was also hearing a voice in my head say, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Some lesson!

Obviously I'm not the one to talk about today's subject. How can I speak about raising the bar if I can't even jump it when it's ridiculously low? Well, I hope I'm in a little better shape to speak of it as a value we hold at Stone Ridge Church. I'll be careful as I talk about it, though. I remember the thing about pride, destruction and falling.

Our church has sought ways to communicate to people, "Come as you are!" But we try to show the goodness of God not to leave us like we are. Many of us sought God because our lives were a mess. Following Jesus is far more than simply changing our eternal location; it's changing the way we live our lives every day. Most of us, if we are honest, desperately need God to make some changes in us.

Raising the spiritual bar is not God's way of increasing the requirements we must meet to experience His forgiveness. It is, however, a lifetime of spiritual stretching exercises that God Himself often orchestrates to conform us to the image of Christ (Romans 12:2). Inch by spiritual inch, He keeps developing our character, helping us live like the new creation He designed us to be.

Here's the problem and it's the reason we specifically stated "Raise the Bar" as a Stone Ridge value. Far too many churches get stuck in spiritual ruts. Communities that were once vibrant and growing have settled into the spiritual doldrums.

One reason, I believe, is that the requirements for spiritual leaders aren't much different than the requirements for church membership. A few outward signs of commitment (like attending, giving and serving) are enough to be a spiritual leader. No one stops to see if the character of Jesus is being formed in them. No one asks that Biblical requirements for leaders, listed in books like 1 Timothy and Titus, be present for one to lead.

If the leaders don't have spiritual passion, no wonder the church spends most of its time wounded on the gravel road rather than racing along a God-designed spiritual journey.

Don't Stay Where You Are

I knew him when he was in his middle years. The challenges of a growing family, the responsibilities of a high-demand job and the extra load of a side business seemed to occupy his time. His involvement in church was hit and miss, though I could sense that he had an earlier season when his heart burned bright with hope and vision of reaching his community with the love of Christ.

The metaphor of a siding off a major rail line comes to mind. At one time this man had obviously been going down the track with great joy, but the worries and cares of life (along, perhaps, with the deceitfulness of riches) had captured his attention and he chose to dwell on the siding.

The siding can be fine for very short stays. It's where we can be repaired so we can get back on the rail and into fully serving our purpose. But there is something insidious, even diabolical, about the siding as a permanent stop in our spiritual lives.

The ugliness of the siding was seen clearly by the time I knew the man. As he watched the trains of spiritual life roll past him, he used his considerable influence to discourage others around him from getting back on track. His long tenure in the place where he lived had given him the ear of many who, like him, had taken a respite along the side rail. Like him, they lingered there until they considered the siding the normal place for spiritual travelers and voiced their disdain for any and all who dared stay on the main tracks and move past them.

Tragically, the man I have described was real. Sadly I tell you that I believe his heart once burned with desire to keep moving as he followed Christ. With a broken heart, I tell you that I watched him slow (and sometimes stop) the spiritual progress of an entire church.

Unfortunately, he was also an Everyman of sorts. He represents a bloated and ever-growing number of people who have left their first love for an empty life on the side. The siding is deceptive; make sure it doesn't fool you.

"Don't Stay Where You Are." It's our second value at Stone Ridge Church.

Margin For We

Yesterday I wrote about margin for me. As a leader, though, I think much about margin in a corporate setting. The dynamics are far more complex.

When our church constructed the first stage of our new campus a few years ago, we thought we had the square footage configured appropriately. We failed to foresee how rapidly we would add young families and how quickly we would run out of space for children.

The obvious long-term solution was to start planning the next phase of the campus and include ample room to reach kids. We discovered, however, that we couldn't wait to raise the funds and build before we made some changes. We needed the ability to grow our children's ministry in order for the church to keep growing. We needed some "margin for we."

The need drove our staff to take a two-day "time out" and travel to an off-site destination where we could thoroughly explore possible options without the interruptions that are a natural part of busy church life. We initially considered six or seven possible solutions. We weighed the benefits and likely time/energy/money (the three available resources to accomplish work) cost of each. After many hours of conversation and prayer, we came up with a plan.

To say that any solution that changes life for a whole group of people is easy and painless would be laughable. One person might face every challenge by throwing money at it (isn't this what governments tend to do?). Another would avoid spending a dime and work themselves silly to get the job done. In the end, the best alternatives include some combination of all three resources, but that still doesn't make implementation a piece of cake.

In our case, the best short-term solution was a schedule change. Before we changed, we had three adult worship services, but only two of them included Children's Ministry. Our 8 a.m. service was too early for most young families to attend and the style of the service was more attractive to older attenders than those younger. We combined that service stylistically with a slightly more contemporary music sound and changed it to an hour later. We then launched an even more contemporary service on Saturday evenings.

To say that this change has been easy for everyone is far from the truth. People had to change their schedules, some choosing a completely different time-frame for worship attendance. Worship leaders have added practice hours so that they can lead two services Sunday morning and each service style is unique. We have been adding musicians and technical people to adult worship services and new teachers and aides to children's services.

We have the discomfort that the service that was largest in attendance is not always the largest anymore. The new schedule just changes how everything "feels."

But we effectively increased our children's square footage by 50%.

And all our services have room to grow.

It's "margin for we."

Always In The Bulls-Eye

As part of Sunday's sermon, I did a quick overview of the Old Testament's Esther. At Small Group on Monday night, two different group members told me they had gone home after the sermon and read the book. It was new territory for them both. And they both showed up at our group with the same question.

"Why do people always want to hurt the Jews?"

Why, indeed! From the day when a Pharaoh arose in Egypt who knew not Joseph (Exodus 1:8) through the battles with the Philistines and their giant Goliath. From the desperate attempt of Haman (Esther) to wipe them from the earth to a similar diabolical plan executed by Hitler. Now it's Iran who is promising their total destruction.

For centuries, the kings of the earth have looked lustingly at Jerusalem. And the Jews have seemed to always, in one way or another, be the obstacle that must be removed.

Always in the bulls-eye.

Defend or Decry?

Have you noticed how we tend to defend the indiscretions of those with whom we agree? And we decry the same indiscretions in people whose views are different than ours.

Two recent events, both involving people whose opinions are similar to mine, have given me a ray of hope. In each case, the leader took himself out of the picture because of his own weakness.

The first incident involved John Piper. Piper, a popular Christian author and pastor is currently on an eight-month Sabbatical from virtually all writing and ministry. Announcing his decision, he wrote, "I see several species of pride in my soul that, while they may not rise to the level of disqualifying me for ministry, grieve me, and have taken a toll on my relationship with [my wife] Noël and others who are dear to me." In other words, he wisely chose to pull away from the limelight and the rat race before more serious damage was done.

The second situation was unveiled just today. Indiana Republican Representative Mark Souder announced that he is resigning from Congress, effective Friday. He said that he has "sinned against God, my wife and my family by having a mutual relationship with a part-time member of my staff." Souder further explained his decision by stating, "As I leave public office, my plans are focused upon repairing my marriage, earning back the trust of my family and my community, and renewing my walk with my Lord."

We live in an era in which it is common for people to step over such weaknesses and fight on for the greater good. What's interesting is how we tend to evaluate indiscretions as large or small based on our perception of what the "greater good" actually is. If a certain politician was the swing vote in a cause we are passionate about, would we be tempted to overlook a moral failure? To put it differently, have we turned a blind eye to the past failures of leaders because we liked their public decisions?

Both Piper and Souder seem to be aware of that often forgotten characteristic of God: "Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7) Also, God is "no respecter of persons." (Acts 10:34) In other words, God wasn't looking on from heaven and thinking, "This guy is normally on my side. I ought to overlook this failure so he can continue to influence people in the direction I want to go."

The Bible says that it is time for "judgment to begin with the household of God." (1 Peter 4:17) The promise of God's Word is that God will hear from heaven and heal the land of His who people humble themselves and pray, turning from their wicked ways.(2 Chronicles 7:14) For that reason I find the actions of these two men refreshing.

If you pray, please pray for them and their families. From their individual statements, Piper has probably inflicted far less damage on those he loves than is the case with Souder. As one who has far too often sat across the counseling table and watched the tears stream down the face of a spouse whose husband or wife has cheated, I am painfully aware of the grief they must endure before the relationship is truly healed.

Storms, Perfect and Otherwise

My old friend Michael recently sent me an email about my absence on this blog: "Haven"t heard from you for awhile and hope that everything is going well. I want to think that you are OK, but that it's pretty difficult to write something every day, but it's been since February that you have written."

I'm grateful for the various, "Are you okay? Are you going to write again?" queries. I didn't step away from writing with the thought that I would be absent this long. I have continued to daily write and edit my other blog, Climbing Companions, but I have kept my distance from Dwell & Cultivate for several reasons:

1. I was at the bottom of my creative writing well. I felt as if I was on a writing Merry-go-round and we had circled a few too many times.

2. I have been using my time to read instead of write. I am leading a group of church leaders in a study of leadership (How many times can you count derivatives of "lead" in that sentence?). I have been gobbling up books, mostly to help me in my own leadership skills.

3. Our church is in a transition. In some ways, it is always in a transition, but this year has included a new Saturday night worship service as well as significant time working with staff to prepare us all to care for more people.

4. Storms of life have been battering my boat. Early in the year, it was three nephews in jail in Haiti. While their mission leader remains incarcerated down there, the charges against our family members have been dropped.

Now, another gale-force wind has been blowing. I received word early in April that Gary, a first cousin with whom I grew up, was experiencing harsh neurological symptoms and had to be hospitalized. Gary passed away on Wednesday afternoon. We are the same age, went all through school together and have maintained our family bond through the years.

More tomorrow.

Haiti: Learning From "Their" Experiences

I have been cautious about writing too much regarding the plight of ten American missionaries who are currently being held in Haiti under charges of kidnapping and abduction. My caution stems from two factors. First, the media is swimming with reports about the situation and those reports have frequently been speculative at best. The last thing I needed to do was to add my own speculations.

Second, my previously stated relationship with three of the missionaries has made this more than a casual observation for me. Members of our family have been emotionally shaken by this event in the same way that the 7.0 started it all. We have prayed endlessly. We have carried on literally hundreds of conversations in verbal and written form since it began. (Our daughter has written some excellent blog posts here.) The raw emotion of it has served to make me even more cautious about publicly committing my ruminations to print.

As we continue to wait and pray, I think it's time for me to talk about a few "take aways" which can be gleaned from the situation. Perhaps this can help someone else avoid the same predicament and subsequent pain.

We Americans are frequently the quickest to jump into the world's problems. This can be a good thing, like the rapidity with which some mercy organizations made it possible to text a certain number on our mobile phones and instantly donate $10 to the relief fund. It can be a bad thing, like the times we have stormed into countries where we were definitely unwelcome and been seen more as conquerors rather than as caregivers.

The Christians in my country are not immune to these passionate acts; in fact we are often instigating them. On many occasions, our quick action leads to saving lives and offering hope which otherwise might have been lost. Isaiah (chapter 6), when he "saw the Lord high and lifted up", quickly responded with "Here am I; send me!" If nothing else, our unrestrained activity is heartfelt.

Conversely, our passion can, at times be driven more by human emotion than by genuine encounters with God's Spirit. We are quick to quote the Great Commission ("Go ye therefore into all the world..."), but we fail to remember that what Jesus said in the original language was not so emphatic. What He really said was, "As you are going..." There's a huge difference. Jesus never put the command to go above the wisdom of whether it is the right time, place, and way to go. I once heard someone say that we should make sure what we are perceiving is truly the unction of God's Spirit and not just indigestion.

I am not questioning the missionary call to go places where people have not heard and which are inherent with danger. The Gospel has traveled from generation to generation for two thousand years. Every culture that has been touched by it was once hearing it for the first time. On the other hand, short-term missionaries (we number in the tens of thousands, just from the U.S.) are remiss if they don't take into account the work of those who went before them. The incarcerated missionaries in Haiti had scant, if any, contact with established mission organizations which were doing significant work in the region long before the quake happened. No doubt, those organizations could have used both the financial help and the labor of a group willing to work.

A pastor friend of mine spoke to me recently about the experience his church had following the 2004 tsunami. They rapidly deployed a team to the scene. They caught the attention of the local press and people outside their church gave generously to assist them. The original team sat on the ground with nothing to do...for five days! Then, with no real work accomplished, all but two of the team members had to come home to their regular jobs. How many thousands of dollars were wasted because their passion got ahead of their wisdom?

In Haiti, even more is at stake. First is the emotional toll being endured by the missionaries, their families, loved ones and churches. Second, there's the financial cost of their defense. Third, this is a distraction from the ongoing relief efforts. Finally, it is being used as an argument that we Christians need to keep our Gospel to ourselves.

The Truth? In Haiti

"What is truth?"

The query of Pontius Pilate to Jesus could just as easily be asked today. Truth seems to flitter and fluctuate like the "guaranteed lowest price" at the marketplace in the little Mexican town across the border from us. Indeed, the art of shaping "truth" is, in some places, not unlike the remolding of soft clay. If it doesn't produce the desired result, just ball it up and reshape it into something different.

David, the king of ancient Israel, was pondering the spiritual heart condition necessary to fully enjoy intimacy with God. His short list of requirements included "He swears to his own hurt and does not change." (Psalm 15:4 New American Standard Bible)

It strikes me that the Americans detained in Haiti today are consistently telling their story. Two elements of it have been repeated multiple times: "We were just trying to help," and "We now know that we didn't file the appropriate papers in Haiti."

They have "sworn" to their own hurt that they made a mistake. But were they attempting to traffic children or set up adoptions for sale? Their statements about that haven't changed.

For the three men I know, they won't. Such activity would be entirely inconsistent with the way they live their lives.

Locked Up In Haiti

I suppose it's inevitable that, in certain circumstances, right actions lead to painful consequences. According to Acts, chapter 21, it was certainly that way two millennia ago in the Roman-occupied city of Jerusalem. Paul, the man whose letters make up about half the New Testament, had traveled to Jerusalem on a mercy mission. He discovered that accusers there were trying to destroy his reputation among the Jews.

In an attempt to restore confidence in his integrity and gain hearers for his message, Paul joined some others in the observance and completion of a religious vow. His very presence in the Temple, it seems, caused such a stir that Paul was grabbed by an angry mob seeking to kill him. Paul's arrest led him ultimately to Rome, where he defended his actions (and shared about Jesus Christ) all along the way.

This weekend, as the world has brought aid to a tiny Caribbean nation, the actions of a group of modern-day Christ-followers have led to their own painful consequences. This group, comprised of church people from Idaho (along with one from Kansas and another from Texas) stepped into the chaos following a massive earthquake in Haiti. Their mission was to assist Haitian orphans by transporting them across the border to the Dominican Republic. There they would receive care, food, education and such acts of love that leaders could provide.

This ministry to orphans was actually conceived before the earthquake. The noble purpose was to help the children from this "poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere." Using the groundwork that had already been laid and seeing the emergency need of a Haitian pastor-leader who explained that his orphanage had been destroyed by the quake, the Christians flew into action.

Their first few days were to prepare the location in the DR for the arrival of children. They then set out into Haiti to attempt bringing the children across. They persevered through various challenges of culture and language to finally arrive at the border crossing on Friday night. With them on their small bus were 33 Haitian children. Upon discovering a paperwork difficulty on the Haiti side of the border, they stayed for the night with a group of soldiers who were assigned there. The plan was to go back into Port Au Prince on early Saturday, acquire the needed documentation and cross over. They already had their Dominican papers.

After a few hours at the border, the group was accused by officials of trying to smuggle the children across. They were detained and the children were removed to other aid workers.

In hindsight, it seems that this concerned group was unaware of a general alarm that has been sounded inside Haiti regarding the very issue of taking orphans from the country. The Haitian government has a growing fear that Haitian children who have been separated from their families by the disaster may be taken too quickly out of the country, then discover later that their family -- previously thought dead -- turn out to be alive. If this concern existed as has been expressed, the actions of these Christians provided the flashpoint to bring it to the world's attention.

I have been cautious in writing this post. First, I don't know all the facts. Some things I am writing, I can only glean from various sources. But there is another reason. My wife's oldest sister, Teri, was a wonderful Christian lady who went to be with Christ in 1997. She was just 47. The ten (five women and five men) Americans who have been detained include her son, her son-in-law and her grandson.

Our whole family are grateful for your prayers as they go before a Haitian judge on Monday.

Base Camps In Port Au Prince

I just received an update from missionary Sonia Burnett in Santiago, DR. Sonia's husband Barry is helping establish centers of operations inside Haiti. Here is an idea of the work as seen from up close...

Thanks for continuing to remember us in prayer. This last week has been busy with Barry coming and going from Haiti and good things are happening. The Dominican Baptist Convention has now assessed the needs and developed a plan of ministry much of which has already been put into action!

The goal is to provide for the immediate needs of the people as well as plan for the long-term reconstruction of the Baptist churches and people. Phase 1 of the plan is to use local Haitian Baptist churches as the centers for food kitchens and water distribution as well as providing tarps for shelter. (Sadly, the food that has been shipped by many organizations is still not being distributed effectively. I read in the news today that many of the larger organizations have divided up the city to make the distribution more organized and effective but until now food is scarce.) The Convention is providing stoves, generators, cooking utensils and food as well as water storage tanks to use to store and drinkable water. The local church members are involved in the cooking and distribution. Currently two churches are being set up with these supplies but tomorrow will be the second meeting with other church leaders to expand to other churches as soon as possible.

Phase 2 is to begin the process of rebuilding. The convention is going to provide sledge hammers and other materials needed for demolition that needs to be done prior to reconstruction. The goal is to enable the Haitian people to do as much as they can for themselves and those around them by providing them with the materials they need to do the work. Determining the best method of reconstruction that will be affordable, as well as hurricane and earthquake proof is also a priority.

Phase 3 is to develop bases in local Baptist churches where work teams can stay and work from as a center for ministry. The goal is to have either a Dominican national team or an international team on site each week for the next few months. The Convention has selected one coordinator to organize the scheduling.

It has been fun to work with the national convention and to see how they have really jumped in to help their neighbors during this time. The Dominican Baptist Churches alone have raised over $500,000.00 pesos for disaster relief.

On a personal note, Barry is going and coming every 3-5 days and right now is busy securing the buildings for safety and getting them ready for teams. He and the pastors with him have a tent, sleeping bags, and are staying in the back yard of Concorde church in Port Au Prince. This world we live in is amazing as cell phones from the DR still are not working but Vonage and internet are! He called me from the local Texaco station whose owner has Vonage!

Facing The Pain In Haiti

Sunday morning I looked into the eyes of a man who recently lost his dad. The man with whom I spoke is single and his dad was, in many ways, his best friend. He blinked back his tears as he spoke of facing life now.

Sunday afternoon I noticed two Facebook updates from Missionary Barry Burnett. First, he said "...back in Santiago after a few more days in Haiti... Things in Haiti are still critical, but stable. The food is getting to the people now, but water is scarce. Our Dominican brethren move in tomorrow with equipment to set up at Eglise Baptiste Siloe and Concord. These churches are the starting points."

After that bit of news, Barry added, "...waylaid in Santiago for a few days because of car problems. Please keep praying. The pastor of Siloe was killed in the earthquake, but his widow and the associate pastor are going strong in helping their community. The pastor of Concord is very organized and has also found four other Baptist churches and pastors with great needs."

The pain my friend here at home echoes the cries of tens of thousands Haitians tonight. Among them are a pastor's widow who labors on in the aftermath of disaster.

Please pray and ask God to open doors for the Gospel. Ask Him to comfort the injured and minister to the broken-hearted. Pray for the Dominican teams as they establish ministry points with Haitian brothers and sisters.

Finally, please pray for a little group from here in the U.S. who are in the Dominican preparing to cross into Haiti. They have permission to relocate a group of Haitians orphans into what once was a hotel in Cabarete, DR. That group of Americans includes our nephews Paul and Drew, as well as Paul's son, Silas.

Haiti: Shifting Gears

It seems that the ministry to Haiti is beginning to shift gears. The Dominican Baptist Convention has taken the lead to put "boots on the ground" and develop ongoing ministry to help with recovery and rebuilding. They are working through one or two churches in the Port Au Prince area. I'm sure that they will develop more partnerships in the days to come.

As they begin to take action, we have the privilege of continued prayer and giving support. It's very possible that the Stone Ridge spring mission trip will be diverted -- at least in part -- to help with the Haiti efforts. In the meantime, we hear of others who are giving and going. One of our (Cathy's and my) nephews left this morning to help with work through and orphanage down there. Paul is a pastor in Idaho and we appreciate your prayers for their team as they go.

I videoed a message this morning to Caveland Baptist Church in Kentucky. One of our Dominican partner churches, they are receiving an offering this week for the work. Other churches have already been giving. An RV Park here in Yuma has winter services and took up a generous offering last Sunday.

Last night I received two requests which I have passed on to the DR, hoping to find help. One was for the Grandfather of a student whom my daughter in Massachusetts teaches. The man has kidney failure and can't get dialysis because of the quake. He survived the earthquake but may not survive without dialysis. Another request was for translation of a Gospel tract into Creole -- it will be used by a team that is going. Please pray for these two needs.

I was praying with some men the other night and one of them admitted, "Lord, I confess that I grew tired of hearing about Haiti on the news. Please forgive and help me remember that this need is great." Perhaps his words echo your heart.

The people of Haiti don't have the privilege of saying, "Let's move on to something else."

Dominican Teams Take Action

Yesterday, the Dominican Baptist Convention established an action plan. This morning, Sonia Burnett wrote the following communique from the DR...

Barry is on his way to Haiti with 2 members of Germantown Baptist Church and a Dominican leadership group. He will be there at least until Monday but probably longer. The Dominican Baptist Convention is working on getting a “base” established in 1 church that was not damaged so teams can stay there starting next week. He also will be working on getting the water purification system going and the distribution set up. A truck is on its way from Pto. Rico and the mom of a friend of Gaby’s is donating huge tanks that have faucets at the bottom that can be used to distribute the water.

The rest of us that planned to go had to postpone our trip due to lack of lodging…

Thanks again for your prayers for protection and provision. God has been faithful. Some people did feel the aftershock here but we did not… We asked for vehicles to distribute the water, etc. and God is providing as we speak, we asked for tanks to store the water, He is providing, we asked for doctors to help with surgeries, almost 100 have come and gone since then, we asked for antibiotics, 1000 came in last night, we asked for funding, people are giving generously….Our God is a great God!

One or two things she mentions have changed since last evening. More may have changed today. We continue to pray.

For you Stone Ridgers who are considering going, our spring mission trip looks like it will stay scheduled from March 24-April 1. Most likely the focus of the trip will shift to rebuilding in Haiti. If you are interested and want more info, please contact Mark Flint. His address is mark[at]flintframe[dot]com.

Light In Haiti's Darkness

Just over one week ago, we started this communication journey as we turned our hearts toward Haiti. Here is what I wrote in that first post...

Would you pray tonight for Haiti? I am drawn to the following verses…
16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined."
17 From then on Jesus began to preach, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near."
Matthew 4:16-17 (New Living Translation)

This morning I received a message from Edward Veloz, a pastor friend of mine from Santo Domingo, DR. Here is what he wrote...

Hey brother.. check the post from a Pastor from Haiti... just talked with Pastor Vijonet from Haiti on the phone and he asked me to share this: "if anyone is sad about Haiti - tell them God is in control and now there is a spiritual movement... people are crying, worshipping, and praising God! There is hope, spiritually!"

Pastors To Haiti In North

I just received word from Jose that Pastors Wilme and Patricio from a Haitian village called Munoz (in the DR) have been able to cross the border at Dajabon.

These two brothers are tireless workers, pastoring several churches and leading what may be the first Christian School for Haitians in the DR. They just crossed and have requested prayer. They will try to locate family members of people in Munoz, including the family of Patricio's wife.

I am the personal and regular recipient of the prayers of these pastors and it is one of the greatest honors of my life.

Would you join me in praying for them?