Who The Heck Am I Anyway??

I can't believe I got Wanda to marry me - I love a long americano with one pump of hazelnut and a dollop of real cream - I'm becoming more aware of the power of film to motivate people - I'm not sure if I like the Oilers or can't let go of the Gretzky era - I love soup - I think people who live in Downtown Vancouver and have questionable values and spend a lot of money on coffee and facials still deserve to hear about Jesus - I'm in love with my new iBook - I still feel like I'm from Kamloops - I read a lot because I'm afraid of being ignorant - I don't think I would vote for George Bush if given the chance - I think I like chocolate more than the average guy - I'm facinated with the idea of integrating the world and the church, believing that it is the way it was always supposed to be - I have great friends - Although I've been a pastor for ten years, I have never had business cards.

Show Me Your Back

Here's a meditation I heard from Leonard Sweet this past week. Hope it impacts you as much as it did me.



What was Paul of the New Testament like? What did he look like?

Below, Paul gives our imagination a working as he describes what he has been through and it may lead to what he may have looked like.

2 Corinthians 11:21
What anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I. 23Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

Erwin McManus when referring to this text asks the question “Tell me again that the safest place to be is at the center of GOD’s will!?”

The key verses are 24, 25, 26. Here we read that Paul received 39 lashes – FIVE TIMES! That has to be at least 195 scars on his BACK.

3 times he was beaten with rods by Romans…What was the crime? Paul was a Roman citizen. Was he beaten for insurrection or treason? Did he keep quiet and not let the authorities know that he was a Roman citizen? Or did he start riots? Did he consider himself a citizen of a higher kingdom? Those rods were not broom sticks they were probably baseball bat like. Imagine how Paul had to protect himself, wrapping his arms around his head, protecting the most sensitive parts of his body…so what was left exposed? His back.

How many bones of Paul’s body were broken after these beatings, not just once but many times? Especially his BACK!

He was even stoned once. This was the Jewish form of capital punishment… Was he really saying that he was killed? Because in Acts 14 they dragged Paul outside of the city and they thought he was dead. When people throw objects at you what do you do? You cover your head and go into a fetal position…what is exposed? Your BACK.

Now, try to think of Paul without thinking about his back and all the punishment that it took…

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit (the Paraclete) who is also our battle companion. And even when we have the presence of the Holy Spirit and good friends covering our back isn’t interesting that the whips, and the rods and the stones still get through, do they not? The rods, the whips and the stones…they still connect, they still scar.

As I read Acts 14 “They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.” I wonder…did Paul die? Did the disciples pray over him and he was raised from the dead? HEY, where were the disciples when Paul was being stoned? I thought they would have his back!!! Why did they gather around Paul outside of the city? Why did they not cover his back?

But look at what Paul did…He got up and went back into the city.
WOW…imagine that…they thought you were dead and then you show up again!

If you consider yourself a leader…show me your back. Is it a clean back? Or is it full of scars, bruises and broken bones?

Followers of Christ need people to “cover our back.” Nobody has made a difference for GOD without them having people “say we will cover your back.” I know this is true in my life and it has been conveyed to me over and over again by people who surround me. And that is a wonderful comfort. But even when our “backs are covered” the whips, rocks and rods still get through. So in spite of our pain and injury, can we still get up and walk right back into the face of the very thing that has caused our pain?

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Does this guy look like he's ready to be a daddy? Congratulations Josh and Carolyn on your exciting news!!! We love you!!!

FAQ #4 - Obstacles

4. WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES TO MINISTRY IN DOWNTOWN?

SPACE!!! Space is at a premium in this area. Real estate sells for around $400/sq ft. Retail is about $30/sq ft per year to lease. Although this may be an obstacle, we have chosen to see it as a challenge to be overcome. It has helped us embrace the home church model. This model will eliminate the space challenge because if you get too big for a living room, you start another home church. Inherent in this are some definite "must haves": leadership training and keeping church about the important things. The minute you start thinking in terms of programs for your church, then you need space.

LANGUAGE!!! The people of downtown Vancouver speak a different language, the two main languages being Manderin and Tolerance. Some speak both. By tolerance I mean the prevailing attitude of the day that "if it's right for you then it must be OK". The people that I've met downtown believe in absolutes but don't believe that I can tell THEM what absolutes are. There are things they believe in (look at the charities they support or the volunteer work they do) but there is no sense of "corporate absolutes". The challenge of ministering to Asians is something that is only hitting me recently. Obviously, we live so close to Chinatown that it must be taken into consideration. I have had the privilege of working at Delta Church and in doing so have been able to learn and understand a little bit about the Sikh culture, I am desiring to do the same about the Asian cultures in downtown.

Well, this ends my FAQ series of posts. If you have any other questions, drop me a line and I'll try to answer them.

FAQ #3 - The People Down Here

3. AREN'T CITY PEOPLE UNFRIENDLY OR ALL ADDICTED TO DRUGS OR WRAPPED UP IN THEMSELVES?

Our experience so far with the people we've gotten to know down here is that they're like everyone else I've ever met with a few exceptions.

The desire for true community down here is stronger than anywhere I've ever been. Yes people are quite career focused downtown but that doesn't prevent them from having significant contact with others.

Maybe the biggest obstacle to connection for us has been the fact that 80% of the people we meet have a degree or two. Very smart people, very well read. And if you don't keep up on current events, don't even think you can carry on a conversation down here.

So isn't this FUN?? Having all your questions answered about us?? Next post we'll deal with the obstacles to ministry in this area that we see.

FAQ #2 - $$$

2. HOW DO YOU GUYS SUPPORT YOURSELF LIVING IN SUPER EXPENSIVE DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER??

That part of our life is a constant adventure. We were able to buy a condo down here but it stretched us big time financially. BUT we wanted to "live amongst the people" we were ministering to. We didn't want to "parachute in" from the 'burbs to give 'em the gospel and then head back out in the HOV lane. It is a constant sacrifice but it has been, is, and will continue to be, worth it.

Our budget is a combination of jobs (Delta Pentecostal Church, The Well) and personal support (people whom we share our vision with support us monthly similar to an overseas missionary).

Our long term vision is to establish a coffee business in downtown which would become it's own stream of revenue.

Hope that clarifies some things. Next post, we will address the social climate in this area of Vancouver.

FAQ's

So Wanda and I thought it might be prudent to begin answering some of the questions that people have about our downtown ministry efforts. These next few posts will be an effort to answer some questions that church people have about what we're doing:

1. WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU GUYS DOING DOWN THERE??
Well, we believe down town Vancouver to be a place of incredible spiritual need. There is a severe lack of churches. This, coupled with the fact that we were wanting to live more in the community instead of in the four walls of the church, plus the encouragement of the PAOC BC District is what lead us to downtown Vancouver. So what are we doing? We are trying to live an authentically Christian life in the midst of people who don't know Christ. We have recently begun to worship together on Sunday nights with others who feel a similar call and affinity with downtown. Our vision is to see a small living room church in every condo building in downtown Vancouver.

Another question we get a lot is about how we support ourselves financially. We'll tackel that one in our next post.

Mmmmm... TURKEY!!

Hope everyone has an awesome weekend with your family and or friends celebrating Thanksgiving. I get to go back to Kamloops and celebrate with my family as well as celebrate my Dad's 60th birthday. It's gonna be fun.

Make sure to tell the people in your life how thankful you are for them. People need to know these things. It helps them keep going.

So.... I want to tell you all how thankful Wanda and I are for you in our lives. We feel so enriched by the friends we have and know that God has brought us to where we are in part because of the people He has chosen to reveal Himself through.

Don't eat too much turkey. Love your families. Spend time with people who don't go to church. Gobble, gobble gobble!!!