The Forgotten Ways of Church

I was recently sent a review of a new book by Alan Hirsch, co-author of The Shaping of Things to Come. I found the review so stimulating that I had to pass it on to you.

The numbers tell the story: about 15% of the population in South Africa and the United States attends church, and are less than in other Western countries. More important, the church is no longer engaging the culture or a force for transformation in society. The church is irrelevant to most people. Those same people are interested in Jesus, pray and believe in a higher power. They have not said no to God but they are not attracted to the cultural way we package church. That says to me we need to re-imagine church, to seriously look at new ways of doing church, ways that get us out of the church bubble and into the world.

I think you will find this short summary of The Forgotten Ways inspiring if you are as concerned as I am about reaching un-churched and unreached people with the good news of Jesus.

Here is the review:

Alan Hirsch begins his new book, The Forgotten Ways, with a challenging question: why do some Christian movements grow so incredibly fast absent professional clergy, official leadership structures, central organization, and the ability to gather together in large group meetings? And what should this observation mean to us today? His answer is that they live out a radically different paradigm of 'church' - a missional-incarnational model, which he contends is the organic people movement Jesus initiated, rather than the hierarchical, religious, institutional model we have pursued during the last 17 hundred years.

This new paradigm of church cannot, in Hirsch's opinion, be merely a tag-on to what already exists. The system forces of church-as-usual disallow the co-existence of the emerging paradigm - when it is implemented as just another program to attract the younger generation. New wine has never performed well in old wineskins. A revival of the movement Jesus gave life insists on change at the very core of today's Christianity. Our systems story must be re-imagined - i.e. the very basis for how we feel, think and behave.

Hirsch believes that the key to fulfilling God's call to His church is based upon whether or not missional DNA is the basis of their re-creation in Christ. In the current church paradigm, religious institutions hold the template for what church ought to look like. Man is in control, measuring other men & women by their own interpretations of what is deemed sacred. Alternatively, when the Spirit dwells within a new born Christian, it is the God Himself who moves the individual, not a creed or institutional handbook. Fear of heresy has compelled centuries of church leadership to usurp the role of guide from the Spirit, thus installing clones of a man-made religion throughout the world, rather than reproducing a Spirit-led movement built on missional DNA.

The author presents six elegant features of a healthy Jesus Movement:

1. Jesus Is Lord - Everything having to do with life here on earth must be brought under the rule of God. When we live out a dualistic notion of existence - i.e. separating sacred space where God is found from secular space where God is considered absent - we end up with operational polytheism. God must rule in every aspect of life as the Alpha and Omega. Christians must continually assess whether other gods are leading in their lives - the god of consumerism, of power, of popularity, of financial security, etc. Be loyal to the One true God.

2. Disciple Making - Disciple making is one non-negotiable of any genuine expression of Christianity. Today's church has bought into the consumerism model which has unwittingly made 90% of our members passive spectators, thus - for all intents and purposes - pagans in sheep clothing. Jesus must be embodied within us enabling each one of us to become the gospel to those around us 24/7 - as living love letters. The notion that right ideas alone will transform people is erroneous. Discipleship is about living out kingdom principles on a daily basis, as spiritual practitioners, among those we seek to disciple.

3. Missional-Incarnational Impulse - This is the practical, centrifugal, seed-spreading, de-churchifying, contextualizing, outworking of the missio Dei. There are four dimensions to this: Presence - as God lives within us, we must be living in authentic relationship with others; Proximity - God, having brought us into various relationships, calls us to be regularly accessible to folks in the place where they live out their lives; Powerlessness - we live to serve with humility, not to rule or to pontificate; Proclamation - we are to invite others to follow Jesus. We are called, as the Christ incarnation archetypically exemplified, to exercise a genuine identification and affinity for all others.

4. Apostolic Environment - If we really want missional church, then we must have a missional leadership system to drive it. Apostolic ministry is a function, not an office; a calling and a gifting, not an earned DMin. Biblically, this is not about having a charismatic personality, CEO acumen, or the appropriate denominational pedigree. It is about having a persistent, Spirit-led influence that awakens the church to its true calling and identity. Apostolic environments are enticingly visionary, persevering stubborn despite opposition, alliance building among those of similar convictions, consistent mentors of the next generation, and tireless in their efforts to restructure church structure so that it can remain a dynamic movement rather than a static institution.

5. Organic Systems - God is both beyond his creation as well as fully present in even the smallest subatomic particle. Therein lies the basis of our confidence in organic systems - it is must always and entirely be seen as a God thing. When the Spirit indwells a believer, that person can be confidently sent out without the need of hierarchical control. Instead, the believer is networked with other believers while engaging in relationship building with non-believers. Movements are structure-lite and authority de-centralized because God is trusted to do as promised - to teach and guide each believer. Some have labeled this liquid church, meaning it is more immediately adaptive and responsive to the surrounding context because it takes seriously being both in Christ as well as part of the body of Christ. Christ is the undisputed, trusted head. Simultaneously we remain vitally and dependently connected to one another within the body. As in nature, organic systems intentionally reproduce (not clone) so that they maximize diversity, which - contrary to the thinking of the hierarchical model - actually decreases vulnerability.

6. Communitas, Not Community - Could middle-class culture actually be contrary to authentic gospel values? If our culture is preoccupied with safety and security, for ourselves and particularly for our children; if we are obsessed with comfort and convenience and thus the penchant for consumerism - then the pejorative and proverbial bourgeois shoe probably fits. How might this change? Hirsch posits that by leaving the context of security and entering the context of liminality (the initially disorienting arena at the margins of our expected community of comfort and safety) we are driven to develop bonds of communality - communitas - among others suffering similar life difficulties. Throughout history liminality and communitas have been the more normative existence of God's people when they were living at their spiritual best. Against this is the tendency of all living systems toward equilibrium, with a concurrent loss of adaptability and diversity. Stasis actually diminishes the possibility of survival because we become reluctant, even resistant, to change which is the one constant of life in this world. The Spirit is wisely and continuously moving the church to the edge of chaos where we must take risks and creatively rethink every aspect of being in order to continue as kingdom people.

I wholeheartedly invite you all to raid your piggy-banks in order to purchase this book. Alan is the co-author of The Shaping of Things to Come.

Only One...

Friend,

Do you ever feel overwhelmed and don't know how to respond to the masses of people in need? We find comfort in these amazing words. May they guide and strengthen you today as well,

Floyd and Sally

ONLY ONE...

My child...I've often heard you question...and this message is my
answer...hear Me well:
You're concerned about the hungry world, the millions who are
starving... and you ask,
"What can only one do?"

feed one

You grieve for all the unborn, children murdered,
every day...and you ask, "What can only one do?"

save one

You're haunted by the homeless souls who wander
city streets...and you ask, "What can only one do?"

shelter one

You weep for those who suffer pain, disease and hopelessness...
and you ask, "What can only one do?"

comfort one

Your heart aches for the lonely. the imprisoned, the abused...
and you ask, "What can only one do?'

love one

Remember this my Child...two thousand years ago,
the world was filled, just as it is today, with those in need...
and when the helpless and the hopeless cried out to me for mercy,
I sent a Saviour....

Hope Began...With Only One...

B. J. Hoff

Winter

It's winter here in the southern hemisphere.  Well, technically, it's still autumn - but we've had lots of "winter" (read cold!) days.  We've also had many pleasant, sunny days, so it's not all bad.  But the weather has turned, the nights are definitely cold, and my 'used to central heating' body is going through some major transition!

I've been told I'll be a true Cape Tonian when I've survived my first winter here!  I think I may need to increase the prayer support.  I'm used to living in cold climates (blizzards in Afghanistan, cold/wet weather in Amsterdam, snowy Colorado, ice storms in Kansas City), but the big difference for me here is the lack of heating.  I must confess that I puzzle over that concept.  I find it hard to function/work/be sweet when I'm shivering and watching my breath in the air.  I just want to curl up in a ball (like our dog Sossy) and try to keep warm.

Some homes have fireplaces.  Our home-to-be doesn't, but we would like to build one in.  Some people use electric heaters.  Many, I'd say most, don't.  I was with some friends recently in very cold weather.  We were all bundled up and the topic of conversation was how very cold it was.  As I walked through their home, almost every window and many outside doors were wide open.......now that's another concept I don't understand.  I'm told it's to have fresh air.  But, hey! that fresh air is freezing cold!!!

We're still house sitting for a friend here.  During the very first cold spell I was going to light her fireplace.  I wasn't quite sure how the flue worked, and Floyd wasn't home, so I decided I'd better wait.  When Floyd came home, he found a dead pigeon stuck in the flue.  Thankfully I escaped the aroma of roasted pigeon in the house!

Our winter clothes are still mostly packed away in our boxes (hopefully we'll unpack those in Aug.), so I'm keeping warm by layering.  Some days I look like a little roly-poly doll, but it works!  Floyd says I'm an angel when I tuck the hot water bottles in our beds at night.....I do miss my electric blanket!  I guess I've been pretty spoiled by some of these creature comforts.

All in all, I'm very blessed and can't complain.  I'm living in a lovely home, I have a roof over my head, I have clothes to wear and food to eat, and a dog and husband who love me.  I'm just praying my blood will quickly thicken up for the winter here!

"While the earth remains.....summer and winter......shall not cease."   Genesis 8:22

Anybody Can Be a Missionary!

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not a typical front line type person! I prefer to be in the background. I'm more practical. I enjoy helping to get things done by serving and working behind the scenes. You won't find me preaching on a street corner. I most likely won't be leading an outreach team.

And here I am, in South Africa, helping to pioneer and develop the ministry of All Nations in Cape Town. It could seem like a bad fit! Yet I'm happy, I'm challenged, I'm loving being here, and I'm finding what God has for me here. We've been here about 7 months, and I already feel very much at home. It seems like we've been here much longer!

One of the ways that I "fit" is by loving people one at a time. I find God has people for me to encourage and build friendship with all over the place - at the bank, at the post office, at the shops.......I don't even have to look for them. He has strategically placed them all around me. All I have to do is listen to that "still small voice" prompting me to say something, reach out in some way, to someone right in front of me.

The other day I was in a huge long queue (line) at the grocery store. I was joking with a couple in front of me, and then the husband left. I somehow knew I was to talk with the lady about Jesus - which we did for about 10 minutes while standing, waiting to check out. It was one of those moments when I knew God put me here in South Africa for that lady.

Small home groups are starting to be formed around contacts that different ones of our team are making. Soon U.S. summer teams will be joining us, so we hope to be meeting/ministering to even more people.

We can all talk. We can all be friendly. We can all share about the most important person in our lives - Jesus. So we can ALL do this! If I can do this, you can too!! Want to come join us in South Africa?

Floyd, Sossy (our Airedale Terrier) and I are doing well in our new homeland. Sossy communicates from the outside balcony with the whole neighborhood! We're all finding our place here!

Forty Years

Floyd and I recently took a couple days to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary.  Forty years.  Wow - that's a lifetime!  I have lots of friends that aren't even that old.  The children of Israel wandered in the desert for that long.  When we speak of it, we talk about how l-ooooo-n-g that was!!  And, now, we've been married that long!  Incredible.  How did that happen?! :}

Some days when I think about it - it seems like forever.  It's hard to remember not knowing Floyd.  At other times, it seems like we just got married last week.  However long or short it is, it's certainly been the best years of my life!

Every day, every week, every month, and, yes, every year has been an adventure!  I would have never, ever, in my wildest dreams have dreamed what my life with Floyd would be like.  Who, but God, could have known?!

We've seen the world.  We've had amazing adventures.  We've had highs and lows.  We've had "richer" and "poorer."  We've had "sickness" and "in health."  We've had "better" and "worse."  We've had "wither thou goest."  We've had it all, so to speak.

I wouldn't trade a day of it - even the hard ones! - for the way God has directed and interwoven our lives.  He has been so faithful to us.  We know each other in strengths and weaknesses, and love each other in spite of, or because of.  The good days have brightened our love - the hard days have deepened it.

I'm very grateful for the lifetime we've had together, and hope we have 40 more.  We'll be hobbling around by then, but it'll still be a fun adventure.  I'm thankful to God for giving me such a wonderful partner in life.

And now we find ourselves beginning a new life and adventure here in South Africa.  Some would say we should be relaxing, "retiring," slowing down.  Well, I do move slowly some days, but we're not slowing down.  We're at the outset of a new chapter in our life here on earth.  I wouldn't begin to imagine what all it will entail.  But I know there'll never be a dull day.  God is good!!

"The Lord your God is with you wherever you go."  Joshua 1:9    Amen!  He has been with us for 40 years!

My Favorite

I must confess that I don't like the kinds of questions that have to do with "biggest," "most," "best."  You know the kind I mean.  What is your most embarrassing moment?  What is the best.......?  What is your biggest.....?  I don't tend to think in those terms, and I always feel so put on the spot.......like I have to come up with a wonderful answer.

And yet the other day I found myself thinking along these lines......my favorite verse (see it quoted below).  I love II Cor. 12:9!  Probably because I've needed the truth it contains so much in my life!

I love the way the verse says His grace "is" sufficient.  It's present tense.  It wasn't just available yesterday.  It won't just be available in the future.  It's available right now, this very minute, if I need it.  I have only to call upon Him.  He doesn't always remove the problems from my life, but He does give me what I need to walk through the problem.  He helps me persevere and endure.

I like to be strong and up for the task, but this verse lets me know that in my weakness, if I'll lean into Him and receive His grace, He can more clearly shine through me in His power.  He gets the honor and glory - not me!  There have been so many times in my life when I KNEW I couldn't do something, couldn't persevere through something........but I knew He could through me.  He's given me the strength and courage to face things I couldn't have otherwise.

There are so many situations that I think back to:  living in Afghanistan, raising our children in the red light district of Amsterdam, living with physical pain, walking through conflict with friends, nursing our daughter in her illness, facing the possible loss of my daughter and grandson when he was born, leaving friends and family to move to a new land, trusting God for miraculous provision.......the list is endless.  If His grace hadn't been there, I couldn't have made it!!

In our life now in South Africa, I feel so inadequate in response to the need.  The problems, the needs, the numbers are so great.  I don't know if I have the wisdom, time, or energy to meet them.  It can be overwhelming if I focus on myself.  His grace is ministered to my heart when I think about His infinite power and might.

I must say that I feel my "age" as well.  At age 58, I just don't have the strength and energy that I had when I was 20 or 30.  I can't go as long and as hard.  I need my sleep, and even a nap now and then.  I have some aches and pains that I didn't use to have.  I do feel "weak."  How grateful I am that His power can be shown forth in spite of my age-related weaknesses.

The comfort and testimony of looking back to how He's helped me in the past gives me assurance in facing the new challenges of my present life.  I'm weak, inadequate......but He IS sufficient.  That's why I love this verse!  It is my "favorite."

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.........for when I am weak, then I am strong."  II Cor. 12:9, 10

We Will Succeed

We live near a township called Masiphumele, which means "we will succeed."  I love that!  The confidence, courage, statement of faith that the name reflects is wonderful.  The name is on a stone sign at the entrance to the neighborhood - proclaiming the desire and hope of success.

As we meet people from "Masi" and as we work there, you can see that some people believe the statement and others seem apathetic or defeated.  I'd love to drop a ray of hope and faith into all their hearts.  We're trusting God will give us the ability to help improve their lives and help them succeed.

Knowing what their name means.......and how the first people there chose it as their statement, has challenged me personally.  I've asked myself if I believe we will succeed in what God has called us to do here.  At times the needs seem so overwhelming, so impossible, so........just too much!!  I wonder if the little we are able to do can even make a dent in the big picture.  It seems like every day I learn of more needs.  Down the road from Masi is Ocean View, another community, a larger one with similar immense needs.

It's been a good opportunity for me to keep my focus on God.  If I focus on the needs, I do get overwhelmed.  It's too big.  But if I focus on God, I'm encouraged and strengthened.  I guess that's true for all of us wherever we live, and whatever the needs around us may be.

I was praying about this recently and was reminded of the loaves and fishes.  Wow - 5 loaves, 2 fish.......and 5000 men plus women and children (I'm sure there were lots!) were fed.  With seconds and left-overs!  You can't beat that.

I remember one Christmas in Amsterdam when we were feeding the homeless.  We had cooked for days - worked to have a wonderful meal.  Then Christmas eve. there was a problem, and all the food spoiled!!  All the stores were closed, people had been invited.....and no food.  We quickly gathered what food we could from our staff households and started cooking again.  When the day was over, we had fed everyone who came - hundreds of them........and we had food left over to send home with our staff.  We had our own miracle!

So, yes - with my eyes on God, my hope in Him, strengthened by my knowledge of who He is - I know we will succeed.  That's my hope, my prayer, and that's why we're here.

"We have only 5 loaves and 2 fish.  And he said, "Bring them here to me."  And they all ate and were satisfied."  Matthew 14:17, 18, 20

Led by a Cloud

When I've read the Old Testament story of the children of Israel being led by a cloud each day after they left Egypt, I've often wondered what that meant......or more specifically, what it might have looked like.  There are clouds every day.  What's to distinguish one from another?  What makes one more special?

When we lived in Holland, we saw lots of clouds.  They were massive - filling the whole sky.  There seemed to be more clouds than earth.  When you looked out the window, you saw a little bit of land, but most of the view would be clouds - great masses of them!  And they just hung there!  They didn't seem to move very quickly.  They stayed there and brought gray days and rain.  The sky was often very bleak and heavy looking.

Since moving to Cape Town, I have been fascinated by the clouds here!  They are huge, and move quickly through the valley where we live.  They may move east for awhile......and then later I'll look, and they're moving west.  Sometimes there are 2 types of clouds moving in opposite directions.  Some clouds hang low in the valley, others are high above us.  Sometimes the sun is shining through the clouds making them almost too bright to look at.  Very rarely do the clouds here stay still.  They seem to always be on the move.

The clouds and the ocean seem to have a distinct relationship - working together.  Sometimes clouds roll in from the ocean and disappear as they reach land.  On other days, it's the opposite - they roll from land out to the ocean and dissipate quickly.  It's fascinating and constantly changing.  I can see why people would be drawn to study them and learn from them.

I don't think I've been "led" by them yet, but I've certainly enjoyed watching them........and thinking of the one who created them!  How vast and awesome is He!!  Clouds are mentioned so often in the Word.  In the Old Testament, His presence was often in the cloud.......in the New Testament, He spoke out of the cloud at Christ's baptism.  I look out the window at these beautiful clouds and sense His nearness all around me!

"The Lord God went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way......and did not depart from before the people."  Exodus 13: 21, 22

Under His Wings

I don't usually think of a bird as something that I would feel safe and protected under!  When the Psalmist used the analogy of finding refuge "under his wings," that always sounded a little weak to me.

A while back we were with some friends at a restaurant in Pretoria called "The Blue Crane."  We sat on a deck overlooking a pond with a number of birds.  I heard the blue crane before I saw it.......a very loud squawking noise.......and then it swooped down.  Its body was large, not huge, but its wing span was HUGE.  I didn't run out with my tape measure, but my guess would be 2-3 yards/meters across.

This large, yes it was a blue/gray color, bird was watching out for and protecting a female that was nesting.  It was making lots of noise and flying down in attack at any other bird that got near the nest.  Its sole mission seemed to be to scare away predators.  One look at those huge wings coming in, and the other birds and ground animals took off.  Because of those large wings, as it flew it also cast a large shadow on the ground blocking out the bright mid-day sun.

The verses from Psalm 91 took on new meaning and significance with this very visual application of the promises written there.  You could see, and thus feel, the sense of protection.  It brought home a fresh reality of our protection under HIS wings and in HIS shadow.  I know right where I want to be!

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty.......under his wings you will find refuge." Psalm 91:1, 4

I Think I Need Translation!

I am still learning the "English" language here.  I've written before about wondering if we speak the same language.  So many words are new, different, or used differently.  Here are some more I've been learning:

• hoot: to honk the car horn

• rocket: a green leaf vegetable used in salads and cooking

• pudding: dessert

• rates: taxes

• tuck shop: a snack shop

• a flat: an apartment

• sweets: candy

• biscuits: cookies

• a "couple" biscuits: two of them

• a "few" biscuits: more than two of them

• panel beaters: car body shop

• plaster: a bandaid

• caravan: a camping trailer

• tekkies: sneakers, tennis shoes

• bring and braai: a potluck

• trolley: not the San Francisco cable car, but a grocery cart

I am constantly learning new ones!  One of my favorites was a newspaper ad I saw recently.  The advertisement was for beds - specifically a style of bed called a "sleigh" bed because of its shape.  Something was lost in the translation however, as they were advertising a "slave" bed.  I laughed for a long time over that one!!

"Now the whole earth had one language and few words."  - Genesis 11:1  Maybe it would have been more helpful if we'd stayed that way!!

Daily Life

I'm regularly asked what my daily life is like in South Africa.  In many ways it's the same.  There's still laundry to do, the house to clean, groceries to buy, errands to run.....the ordinary things of life don't change.  I guess the biggest difference in that area is that things seem to take longer.  There are many "conveniences" we live with in the U.S. that we take for granted and even consider them to sometimes be necessities.  A lot of those are missing in South Africa, so doing "life" takes longer.

I sometimes feel myself caught between a 1st and 3rd world country........a country in transition perhaps.  South Africa is a lovely country.  Many things are definitely modern, cutting edge, and "1st world."  And then there are other things that seem 3rd world.  I hesitate to even use those terms because they don't seem to do justice to the reality of life here.  Let's just say that there are areas that could do with some attention.

It's still in many ways a "paper society."  It seems strange to be helped by someone who is sitting by a computer, and yet they are writing everything out by hand with multiple copies being made by carbon paper.  Or they may be adding figures on paper by long hand when there is a calculator near by.

Because I handle all our finances and bookkeeping, I also do all our banking.  I think this has been one of the biggest adjustments for me.  It took us weeks and many, many trips to the bank before we could even get a bank account opened.  Getting checks to use this account took a while longer.  It took weeks for one and then months for the other to get the cards we needed for our financial business.  We use one card to get money from the bank and another card to make purchases.  Transactions that I'm used to taking care of at the bank in five minutes can take 60 - 90 minutes.  I constantly have to tell myself to slow down, relax, and be patient.

I see people, on a daily basis, getting irritated and rude because of these stresses of daily life.  I don't want to be like that or respond like that.  Smiling, chatting with people around me, praying, and thinking of ways to express appreciation helps!  I find myself constantly adjusting my expectations of time, and how much I can accomplish in a certain amount of time.  My "to do" list for each day never quite gets done.

There don't seem to be any 2 days alike.  I find myself each morning looking at what needs to be done, and asking the Lord for wisdom on which things to tackle that day.......not unlike what my life has always been like!  So daily life for me is much the same......but different.  Different people, a different country, a different culture, different ways of doing things.  But life still gets done!!

I'm happy here.  I'm grateful to be here.  I'm thankful for all the ways the Lord has helped us in being here.  It's home now........and becoming more precious to us day by day.

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."  Proverbs 16:3

Missing Out

Our grandson, Luke, just celebrated his 4th birthday.  We received the email invitation to his party at the zoo.  We sent our regrets.  We knew he wanted a bicycle.  We sent a check for his parents to buy that for him from us.  We called on his birthday to talk to him.  After 3 attempts, we managed to actually speak to him.  We assured him we loved him, and told him we wished we could come to his party when he asked if we would be there.  We watched the DVD sent by email of his party.  We wished we could have been there to join in the celebration.

These are the kinds of events that pull on my heartstrings now because I'm living half a world away from my 2 grandchildren.  I miss them!  I miss seeing the changes in them.  I miss watching them grow up.  I miss being close enough to talk to them any time I want for as long as I want.  I miss sending them surprise packages to remind them that I love them.

This was by FAR the biggest issue I had to process in moving to South Africa.  After a number of years of being very ill, our daughter was told by doctors that she would never be able to have children.  The Lord wonderfully healed her, but it was still uncertain if she would be able to conceive and carry children.  I never accepted the doctor's statements as fact, and prayed for years that we would have these little ones.  The story of each of their births is a miracle and testimony to God's goodness and power.  We are so grateful for their lives.  They are truly a gift from the Lord.

And now I'm so far away!  Overall I've had a great rest and peace about this.  In processing our decision to move here, I worked it through in my heart with the Lord, and it wasn't an "issue" any more.  But there are moments, like special celebrations, when I feel the distance.  I feel like I'm missing out.  Luke's birthday was one of those.

I had a good talk with the Lord about it!  I expressed my gratitude for the phone and internet that keeps us in good communication.  And I thanked the Lord again that we have these 2 dear ones.  Many medical experts said they weren't to be, but God's thoughts and ways were higher.  Near or far, they are a gift from Him.  I will enjoy and celebrate their lives.  I'm glad Luke had a 4th birthday!!

"David was greatly distressed.....he strengthened himself in the Lord his God."  I Samuel 30:6   I joined David in this.....my burden was lifted and my strength renewed.

Facing Fear

There seems to be one consistent, often discussed topic of conversation here - fear, and concern for safety.  Friends talk about it, shopkeepers talk about it, strangers talk about it........there's an article in almost every issue of the newspaper and it's a popular topic on the television news.  I am regularly asked why we came to South Africa.  People say to me that it's not safe here.  Why would I leave America?  Why would I choose to live here? Many are leaving South Africa and moving to other countries out of fear.  I happen to believe that God will bring others to replace them who are called to come out of love.  I think Floyd and I are part of the latter group.

Floyd has thought for years that we would probably live here someday, but I wasn't so sure.  I had my own reasons for that, but, yes, concern for safety was one of those.  It was something I needed to think and pray through in making our decision to move here.  Actually, when it came right down to it, it was pretty straight forward - being in God's will is the safest place to be!  I had a deep sense of calling that it was God's will for us to be here.  It doesn't mean there won't be problems, it just means He'll help us with whatever we have to face.

I remember when we lived in the Red Light District in Amsterdam, Holland.  It certainly wasn't your typical "safe" neighborhood!  People thought we were crazy to live there with our two young children.  Besides all the prostitution, there was drug dealing, fighting, crime, pornography, satanism......if you can think of an evil, it was probably there.  And, yet, we loved living there and felt safe!

We had a young Dutch woman who worked with us for a couple years, and then she made plans to move to England to study.  On her last evening in Amsterdam before taking the train to England, she came to say goodbye.  As she walked into our neighborhood that evening, she was consumed with fear!  She had lived and worked there boldly......not sensing fear........and now she was overwhelmed with it.  As she contemplated what was happening to her, she felt the Lord speak into her heart:  "During the years you lived and worked here, my grace was upon you.  Now you're coming in as a visitor.  I wanted you to see the difference so you can encourage the workers that I'm with them - even when they don't realize it."  I'll never forget her sharing that with us that evening........and I've remembered it all these years since. I am sure there are many instances in all of our lives when God has protected us, and we've not even been aware of it!  I'm so grateful for that.  My heart is increasingly consumed with a love for this country and the people here.  It's not something I can "work up."  I know it's from the Lord.  I can't think of anywhere else in the world that I'd rather be.  I'm careful.  I'm cautious.  I try to be wise.  But I don't live in fear.  I think that's a testimony to His grace!  For years now I've had a problem with sleep.  I've actually slept better since moving here than I have in a long time!  My mind and my heart are at rest in Him.  I think we can face fear, and come to a place of rest and peace.

"You will not fear the terror of the night, not the arrow that flies by the day.......For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways."  Psalms 91: 5

Hunting a "Dangerous Game"

I love all (or, mostly, all) of God's creatures......but I don't want them in my house!  Sossy, our Airedale Terrier, is the only one I really care to have living indoors with us.

We recently had one of these uninvited creatures in our house......a good sized black lizard.  Just thinking about it gives me the "heebie jeebies."  I really don't like them.  I saw this creature in the house one day, but it ran and I lost track of it.  We have a dear lady named Martha who works for us one day a week.  I heard an 'eek' one day when she was here, and then heard her quietly calling for me.  It turns out, she likes these creatures even less than me!  She's quite afraid of them.

So, between the two of us, we decided to help it get back outside where it belonged!  Martha tried to move it along towards the door with a dust pan, and I tried to sweep it out with a broom.  The poor thing was probably scared to death!  I had to make Sossy lay down in a different part of the room because she wanted to be in on whatever this was that was taking place.  It seemed so exciting to her.

This "dangerous game" lost it's tail, but we managed to get it outside.  It lay quietly for a long time, and then finally moved along.  Floyd, who was away traveling at the time, said he would have loved to have all this on video!  Such a helpful response!

Let's hope that we don't have any more creatures come visit!  I may be the one scared to death next time.

"God created every living creature that moves."  Gen. 1:20   Too bad He didn't tell them to stay outdoors!!

A Historical Note

I am contemplating the words of one of the first Europeans to land in Cape Colony, what is today South Africa, written on April 8, 1652. His lofty ideals were not to be lived out. I wonder what would have happened, in the history of the land, indeed in all of Africa, if they had been lived and practiced?

He gave this command to those serving under him: "Whoso, therefore, ill-treats or pushes any of the natives, whether he be right of wrong, shall, in their presence, be scourged with 50 lashes, in order that they shall perceive that such conduct is against our will, and that we are desirous to deal with them in love & friendship..."

I don't know if that is consistent with other things he wrote and believed, but in itself it is a powerful statement.

Fighting Fire... Literally!

We have been away for a retreat with our All Nations family here in South Africa for a few days. We were at a conference center in the mountains outside of Pretoria, in the northeast of the country. All during the weekend, we could see brush fires burning around us, but at a distance. Veld (brush) fires are not uncommon. They are usually left to burn, unless structures are threatened. Most times they burn themselves out. After lunch on Sunday, everyone said their goodbyes and were on their way. A few people stayed behind for a small meeting. During the afternoon, the fire edged closer to where we were.......until it was burning on two sides of the conference center!! Floyd and some of the other men rushed out to help fight the fire.......with hoses, buckets, wet blankets, and branches of green leaves that wouldn't catch fire. At one point the fire came within about 10-12 feet of the wooden cabin that we had been staying in and that I had just evacuated about 3 minutes before!

I've seen fire at a distance before, but never quite that close. It's exhilarating, and frightening! You realize how very quick and destructive it can be. Afterwards I noticed that Floyd's gray hair had been singed yellow in a few places. That's a little "too" close to the fire!!!

I've written before about all the unusual experiences we've had in our life here in Africa. This is yet one more! I wouldn't dare to imagine what might be next!

"As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze...." Psalms 83:14

A Word in Season

Many things have changed in South Africa in the last 13 years since apartheid was abolished. It's a new day, new season in many ways. And yet, I notice so many have a "downtrodden" spirit. You can feel it. It has grieved and saddened me. I've prayed and asked the Lord what I can do about it. It seems like such a big, overwhelming need.

The Lord has been challenging me to respond by encouraging and loving one person at a time. A smile, a kind word, an encouragement, an affirmation.......all can bless. It seems like such a small thing for a giant need. But I've realized if I'll do my part, then God can use it and do things I can't do. My small acts of kindness can begin to chip away and break down big walls of hurt, pain, anger, bitterness, and low self-esteem. It's what I can do. I can't change the past, but the seeds I sow now can affect the future.

I had a sweet, practical example of this a few days ago. I was sitting on a bench next to a lady. I could just feel her heavy spirit. My heart ached to reach out to her in some loving way. I looked over and smiled.......and noticed she was wearing a pretty wooden necklace. I told her how lovely it was. In response, she frowned and actually glared at me. I wasn't sure what else to do, so I sat there praying. A few minutes later she looked at me and smiled, and said, "You know I made it myself!" I immediately began to tell her how wonderful that was......how I can't do things like that.......and how I admired people with the ability to work with their hands. She told me how she'd seen one in a store, but it was too expensive. She went looking, found the beads, and made one. We talked for a few minutes, then she went on her way smiling.......with her step a little lighter!

It's just a small thing, but I have a feeling it's a big thing too. If enough people love in these small ways, it'll bring big change. I want to do my part! I ask the Lord daily now for sensitivity to His spirit to encourage those I come in contact with. I was thinking recently of a song we used to sing in church when I was growing up - "little is much when God is in it." I believe that's very true!

God created the universe by speaking things into existence. We can create good things in our world with our words too!

"A word in season, how good it is!" Proverbs 15:23

Our Furry Friend

Floyd loves dogs!  We've had a dog for most of our (soon-to-be 40!) years of being married.  Some I've liked, most I've tolerated....because I love Floyd. :}  Our current dog is "Sossy."  She's a sweet, fun, affectionate Airedale terrier.......not too big, but big enough so that Floyd doesn't think she's a "pretend" dog.  I think I like her almost as much as Floyd does.  She's a real sweetheart.

When we knew we were moving to South Africa, we faced the decision about what to do with Sossy.  She's only 3 years old, so she probably will live a good many years still.  Floyd has trained her well, so we hated to begin all over again with a puppy.  After much thought, discussion, and, yes, prayer......she came with us.  We're very happy about that.  She's like "family"......and is a sweet touch of "home."  Everyone loves her here, and she helps us meet new people.  There aren't many like her here, so people are always stopping us when we're out walking and asking us about her.

Unusual birds called guinea fowl roam the neighborhood here.  They can fly, but most of the time they walk around - in the street, in the yard.  They are funny shaped round birds with tiny little heads - very strange looking.  They can also be very annoying when they peck at your door, incessantly!!, wanting food.  A few times Sossy has been outside when they've been around and has chased them.  Now when they see her, they run. :}  It stopped the pecking on the door problem!!

Sossy loves to go for prayer walks with Floyd on the beach.  She treats the sand like snow.....getting her nose under it and flinging it in the air.  She also loves to run and run on the long beach.......as well as play with other dogs.  But she has stayed away from the water.

We were recently away for a few days, and some friends took care of Sossy.  One morning she fell into their swimming pool.  She was swimming, but crying........when they came out and rescued her.  She was really scared.  Needless to say, she's not a water dog!

She has become a protective, good watch dog too.  We hadn't seen that side of her before we moved here.  When Floyd is away, she steps this up a notch and feels she has to watch out for me!

Our sweet, furry friend is having her own African adventures!  If she could talk, I think she'd tell you that she loves living here.

"Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name."  Genesis 2:19   I wonder what Adam would have called Sossy!  Maybe something like, well, "dog." :}

Mourning What is Lost - Honoring What Has Been

We experienced a tragedy recently when a pastor, a dear man of God, was shot and killed by a distraught man he had been counseling.  In fact, this man had tried to take his own life a few weeks before, and the pastor had found him and saved his life.

This pastor was a wonderful elder in the whole community of Masiphumelele, a township near where we live.  He was a servant to the people, highly respected.  He had lived and served in "Masi" for 18 years.  When there was a need or crisis, he was often the first one on the scene to help and minister.  He had touched many lives in the community.  The loss was widely felt.  The community responded with a quiet dignity and mourning, a sense of honor and respect for the leader they lost.

These events have caused me to think about how we grieve what has been lost. God cannot comfort us if we yield to the temptation to "spiritualize, rationalize, or criticize" when there is a loss. Giving into any one of these temptations, as a way of trying to help others through their grief, is a huge mistake. I have learned in my journey to avoid these three pitfalls. Let me explain why.

1. Don't over-spiritualize the loss of a great person or something precious to us with Christian cliches and superficial jargon . It is better just to say, "It hurts. I'm sorry. I will miss him." Commonly used phrases like, "The Lord understands," or "It was God's time," or "all things work together for good," are not only hurtful to those close to the one that we've lost, but can also denigrate the wrong choices of others who caused someone's death. These cliches lose their meaning by repeating them without thinking. They often reflect bad theology. For example, "all things do not work together for good..," but "in all things God works for good." There is a world of difference.

2. Don't rationalize or intellectualize someone's loss. There is a great temptation to find answers, to understand with our minds what must be responded to with our hearts. I have struggled this last week with why God would allow a great man to be killed tragically. There are times we should not try to explain what is unexplainable. There are aspects of our life on earth that do not fit into neat theological boxes. Even if we have the correct insight, it can be profoundly insensitive to speak it out. Far better to hold those thoughts and ponder them in our hearts.

3. A third way to respond to loss is to blame it on the enemy. Some people don't feel happy unless they have someone or something to blame. But the blame game will definitely hinder grieving. I get the impression that people believe Satan has more power than God.  Satan cannot do anything that God does not allow him to do. He is a created, fallen, finite being. He is a liar. He is limited. God does not cause evil to happen. God is not responsible for people's sinful choices, but He is greater than evil and sin. He can take the evil of this world and bring good out of it. The Bible says that God will cause even the wrath of sinful men to praise Him (Psalm 76:10).

On a natural level my human mind can't help but ask, "why him, Lord? He was one of the really good ones!  We need him." Though we shouldn't rationalize with human reasoning a serious loss, God does give insight and revelation. My heart has ached for this pastor's family (he left a wife, children, grandchildren), his congregation, and the community.  The need is so great.  Losing a life is always tragic, but losing this man has had an even greater impact.

As I have pondered this for the last couple weeks...... I was reading in Job and was struck by the words in Job 32:8 - "It is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand."  When Job reached a depth of humility and surrender to the gracious sovereignty of God, he was able then to receive wisdom and insight. "I have heard of you with the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see you..." (Job 42:5). Spiritual wisdom is revealed to the lowly of heart, not the mighty of mind. While I don't think we will ever have all our questions answered here on earth, I do believe God wants to give revelation and understanding to our hearts when our motive is to understand His ways .  It's His spirit in us that does that......for all the questions we bring to Him.  I continue to pray and seek God's perspective on these recent events.  While my heart grieves with those who mourn, my prayer is to respond with God's heart and with Godly understanding.

I've also prayed that many will be raised up to take this dear man's place!  His ministry was deeply rooted in the community, and now his very life has been sown into it.  Although I didn't have the privilege of knowing him personally in the short time we've been here, I honor him for the spiritual foundations he laid in the community.  I pray that there will be an abundance of eternal fruit from Pastor Phillip Mokson's life.

A New Year

I can't believe we're already a month into a new year!  Where did 2006 go?  It seemed to fly by!  Of course, I guess making a big international move had a little something to do with that.

We've had major things happening in these few beginning weeks of the year - wind, heat, fire, death.  There haven't been many "quiet" days.  It's felt at times like living in a war zone - certainly spiritually, if not physically.  You can almost feel the battle raging for the hearts and minds of people.  The enemy is at work, but God is the victor.

When the year began, I found myself praying and asking the Lord about what this year held in store.  There seemed to be lots of possibilities, a few certainties, and many questions.  I felt He spoke the verse at the bottom into my heart.  What a comfort to know that He's with us, and He doesn't fail.

I am a detailed, organized person.  I like to have "my ducks in a row."  I like to know what's around the corner so I can get ready and be prepared.  The last two years have been full of change, new beginnings.......and uncertainty. Uncertainty is hard for me, but, through the years, I've learned to be more flexible.  And I can be secure because of trusting the one who is our Rock!

A whole new year with lots of possibilities - and one absolute certainty........He is with us!!

"It is the Lord who goes before you; he will be with you, he will not fail you."  Deut. 31:8

Sally McClung