I’m writing this brief post as I sit on the 2nd leg of my journey, DC to Moscow. It’s both exciting and nerve racking as I sit next to a gentleman with whom I can’t communicate. He only speaks Russian, and my Rusian begins and ends with “hello.” It’s been a while sonce I’ve been at a loss for words abd the ability to clearly communicate. As you think of it, please join me in praying over this next week as we desire to bring reconciliation and the truth of Jesus to our friends just west of China.
Category: Updates
Summit Review
Acts 17:26-27
“From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”
Month in Review
As the last update left off, I was preparing for the upcoming EE Summit. Thank you for your prayers as they kept me calm as our Mission Fiji presentation was semi-disastrous. For whatever reason, we either had sound and no video, or video and text, but no sound. We scrambled to put another powerpoint together last minute, but to no avail. We decided to go with what we had and hoped for the best. When it was all said and done, our presentation was well received and people were challenged and encouraged by what God did while we were there. After that I figured I had nothing left to lose for the prayer devotion and threw out my notes and just shared what I knew to be true about prayer. People we very encouraging afterwards, and I feel like there is still “room for improvement” on my end.
After the Summit, Langdon Stewart (Oceania XEE Developer) and I had a chance to sit down and begin finalizing my plans for the future. For the next month / month and a half I am in charge of recruiting for our Mission Fiji trip this summer. We are praying for 10 students from the US to join us overseas for six and a half weeks. We are also looking for 12 students who have a heart for politics to join us for a week in Washington D.C. to reach out to the 10,000 interns on Capital Hill.
This afternoon I hope to finalize my trip to Australia. As it stands I will help facilitate the XEE launch in New Zealand April 10th and 11th, as well as run a youth clinic in the weeks to follow. After that I will head to Australia to work with Langdon before the summer. Tentatively I will be home the month before we head to Fiji to tie up any loose ends we have with our participants. June, July, and possibly August will be invested in students who join us this summer in Fiji.
My other role while in preparation for Fiji is to recruit two US churches to join us overseas this summer hosting clinics. Most churches I have contacted are really excited, but are not able to commit to anything before next summer. Please pray that we locate 2 US churches to join us this summer.
Answer to Prayer:
Last month I asked that you would pray for wisdom as to how best invest my time while in Crystal Lake. Two weekends ago Darrell Farney (my mentor) held a Share Your Faith Workshop at The Chapel. It is an abbreviated version of the EE outline taught in 6-8 hours. I was able to invite a couple friends to join me there. One of which, Jake, attended. As a result of the clinic Jake went and shared the Good News with his best friend and led him to faith in Jesus!
Please join me in prayer as we look to recruit 10 students for our Mission Intern to Fiji before I head to New Zealand the first of April.
Merry Christmas
Acts 17:26
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
Month in Review
The word of the month is preparation. All of our efforts this month are in light of the EE Summit, held in Fort Lauderdale Jan 21-26, where we will officially launch XEE.
During the summit I’ll lead Friday morning’s devotion and present Mission Fiji. In all honesty, I’m a little intimidated. I’ve spent many afternoons thinking, praying, and pondering what I’ll say in light of prayer and my generation. My focus will be how prayer has been the foundation of all major movement of God. Mission Fiji seems a little easier as our dessert parties have been a great proving ground for what people really want to hear.
Last week our materials director invited me to help re-write our “Partner’s in Growing” booklet. It’s been difficult writing in a style that not only fits my generation and also Gen X and Boomers.
Thanksgiving got me thinking; what am I thankful for? These last couple months I’ve been blown away to see the local church at work. God has provided free tire maintenance, teeth cleaning and adjustments, a motorcycle, more recently an antique dresser, and let’s not forget a free place to stay in Crystal Lake. I’ve been truly blessed to see God at work through His church.
Settling is going well. From my short time here, I have been able to quickly plug into The Chapel church. Mondays I attend their young adult program and Wednesday help out at their youth group called “The Edge”.
It’s never easy being the new guy, and God has been faithful and provided new friends. The Chapel itself is 30 minutes away and He has provided me with a friend who lives 1/2 mile from my house!
Rick Bond (Youth EE VP) and I are working out trips for this summer. Right now we have been invited to send trips to Romania and Swaziland. Currently Immanuel Bible church is potentially joining us for one of our trips.
Prayer Request:
Clarity as I finish preparing for the Summit devotional and Mission Fiji
Wisdom as to where my time is best invested while in Crystal Lake
Continued growth as I learn with Darrell
Support:
I received an email this afternoon informing me that if anyone wants their checks to be considered as a charitable donation for 2007, please have it mailed by Dec 31st.
For those who mail in a check once a year, please remember to write the checks out to EE and include the number 5810 on the memo line.
Merry Christmas!
Mission Fiji and Beyond!
What a fun last couple of months! I can’t tell you enough as to how much I enjoyed the dessert parties. I hope that they were an encouragement to you as well. This update is to map out what the next year looks like and put us all on the same page.
Depending on when we last spoke, it was thought that I would move to Fort Lauderdale, Fl or maybe even Asheville, NC. Wisdom proved herself right, and I have moved to Crystal Lake, IL. It is from here that we will launch our ministry. Chicago offers me the opportunity to be discipled by Darrell Farney, a retired pastor and EE Continental Director of the 16 Midwest states, proximity to 2 international airports, a free place to stay, as well as Generation X churches that we can launch XEE (XEE being our newest method of reaching out to people in generation x and y.) As Chicago is made a launch site for XEE, I will have personal connections to these churches and the possibility of taking them on trips in the near future. As the ball keeps rolling, we have set a schedule that will allow for me to beready by this time next year to have a full picture of what it takes to do my job.
Tentative Timeline:
Nov 5th – Jan 21st:
Meet with Chicago churches, establish connections and map out potential XEE
churches for the January 2008 launch / future EE trips
Identify 3 churches connected with EE to participate in our summer mission trips
and meet with and map out summer details
Jan 21st-Jan 26th:
Participate in the EE summit where I will present Mission Fiji, train in XEE, lead
Friday morning Devotions, and lead a breakout session on “Creative OJT”
Feb, March, and April 2008:
Fly to Wollongong, Australia and train with Langdon Stewart to learn the
ropes of my new role
Lay ground work for summer 2008 missions trips (tentatively Papa New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji)
Run a clinic in New Zealand
Gain hands on experience
May 2008:
Reconnect and finish prep work for summer missions trips
June-Aug 2008:
Attend and oversea summer short terms missions trips.
These last couple of weeks I’ve been blown away at how God has provided in unexpected ways and want to thank all of you for your prayers and continued support. At this point we have $270 / month to go. Please pray that God would prompt these last few people. For those who have been waiting to start support, today is that day as October 1st was my first official day working for EE. If you have any questions feel free to call or email.
Please join me in prayer as I get settled and find a church home in the area, button down details for upcoming trips, and prepare to speak at the Summit on prayer.
Excited to see God at work