Archive for the ‘Ministry’ Category

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When churches change

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

I got a call about a week ago from a retired Spaniard who does most of the preaching for a small assembly here in Lausanne. He had heard of the preaching I’d done for a friend in a church that he’s just started. Wife and I invited the Spaniard and his wife over for a tea.

Years ago there was a huge Spanish immigrant population in Switzerland. They had come here during Franco’s time to do most of the service and construction jobs. Spanish speaking churches grew up in every town. But as families matured and retirement age approached, the parents headed back to Spain while many of the children were lost to the world. Those children who still had faith plugged into local French speaking churches. The Spanish churches shrunk, or died.

Years ago, they were about 60 meeting together. But now this couple meets with about 10 Christians every week, feeding the flock, encouraging members who are often poor or abused (several are illegal immigrants from South America), persevering in faith.

They are not sure what the future will bring. We prayed together. I promised to come and preach for them before the end of the year.

Posted in Ministry, Switzerland | 4 Comments »

God at work?

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

The days are longer, but are still flying by. I love this time of year. Achooo!

The challenge was to spend a week trying to see God at work. So I started listing the big events: A friend informed us she had breast cancer; A couple wants to come back to church; Another one pulled farther away; A family asked for prayers through struggles; A Christian couple married; 2 people want to read the Bible in English, a la Let’s Start Talking style; An estimate of over $3000 to repair the car’s AC; A discouraged relative; News of a baptism; Sharing the Gospel with a new friend; A party for a Christian turning 50; A new job for an unemployed executive…

Is God at work? Is it really just a question of perspective, of how you look at Life? (Like a glass that’s half full or a half empty?) Is He intervening, working his will through life… Through us?

If He is, then I do not want to miss Him. To miss it would be tragic.

Posted in Ministry | 1 Comment »

Trip to Marseilles

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

Wife and I caught an early morning train out of Lausanne on March 18, then transferred to the TGV in Geneva. 3.5 hours later we were in Marseilles, ready to surprise Daughter on her 19th birthday. It was great fun, and we not only surprised her, but also the 3 interns co-renters! The girls treated us to lunch the next two days, cooking for us in their very small, but almost tidy, apartment.

That afternoon we sang in a retirement home near the center of Marseilles. All of the chorus members (us included) went into the “crowd” and greeted each resident. They were waiting patiently for us to start singing and welcomed us warmly.

When all was over and we were “checking out” the place (hey, I’ll be 50 soon), the director for activities told us that this was the first time  a chorus had come and had mingled with the residents. No one had taken the time before to greet and talk and listen. She told the group they could come sing anytime, not just for their talent, but for their affection. Then she said: I’m Israeli, but I’d love for you to come and lead our residents in worship. Do you think you could do that?

We left that place abundantly blessed. 

Posted in Daughter, Ministry | 2 Comments »

Paris

Thursday, March 12th, 2009

My colleague from Geneva called me up a few months ago with a plan. He wanted to get two Paris churches together for a time of singing and worship. Emails were sent and commitments made. We headed off this last Saturday morning by bullet train to Paris.

Wife, colleague and I met with 23 "youth" on Saturday afternoon. The singing was beautiful and they kindly listened to the studies. We dove into a table full of snacks and caught up on what everyone was up to.

Our Saturday night hosts live on a hill 10 miles north-east of Paris. The view was spectacular and you could easily spend all evening gazing at the skyline with the dominating Arc de la Défense. But we chose something even better: good fellowship and food around a table, laughing and loving our spiritual family.

Sunday morning’s crowd was just over 160. I got to give a polished sermon full of truth AND stories. Well received. We waited for the other small church to arrive before starting a delicious potluck.

The singing was enthusiastic, with several sharing favorite hymns. I also introduced several songs that the youth know and that, sung all together (young and old), manage to move the spirit.

Sadly, after two hours it was time to call it quits. I taught a small English group that came for evening worship before we headed to the train station, arriving home before midnight, having been caught in a cold, heavy rain. All in all, to do again…

Posted in Ministry, Singing | 2 Comments »

24 years ago today

Thursday, January 8th, 2009

Today we celebrate 24 years in Lausanne. Yes, it was on January 8, 1985 that we came to Switzerland with the mission to bring people to Christ and to build up the local church. Our energy was high. Our hopes were higher. Our confidence… Well, that’s always been a tough one for me.

I was just thinking today of people I am thankful for who have supported us financially and spiritually every month since our arrival: Jack and Joyce, Steve and Donna, Guy and Holly, Dad and mom, Uncle Dick and Aunt Judy (not forgetting my other most favorites Uncle Doyle and Aunt Kathleen who started helping us later, but prayed for us from the beginning)… And I know I am missing some of you (but just wanted to remember those who have been there from Day 1).

Many who helped us in 1985 were only stopped by death. We have been loved by some amazing people.

Today, more than ever, we covet your prayers. We have been far from successful in reaching our goals. But we trust. And are thankful.

Posted in Ministry, Missions | 2 Comments »

1 John in 8 hours (encore)

Thursday, December 4th, 2008

When teaching 1 John, I normally tell two stories about the Apostle that Dr. Lemoine Lewis shared with us in his Church History back at ACU. Both are well known, both have been adapted, changed, and outright lied about by sincere preachers who were just trying to keep things interesting, I’m sure. The first is found in Irenaeus and deals with John’s love of the truth. Cerinthus is a heretic who has reduced Jesus to a Gnostic shadow of himself. Irenaeus writes: 

There are also those who heard from [Polycarp] that John, the disciple of the Lord, going to bathe at Ephesus, and perceiving Cerinthus within, rushed out of the bath-house without bathing, exclaiming, "Let us fly, lest even the bath-house fall down, because Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, is within" (Against heresies, Book III, chapter III, paragraph 4).

John’s zeal for Christ, and his hate of the lies that diminish the work of Christ and his sacrifice, are revealed in texts like 2 John 7-8:

Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.

The other story, which Greg mentioned in his comment, tells us simply that John never stopped exhorting his "little children" to continue in love:

His constantly repeated words of exhortation at the end of his life [were], "Little children, love one another" (Jerome, Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians, vi, 10).

There are those who elevate love at the expense of truth, and those whose apparent zeal for truth blind them to their own lack of love. In 1 John, we find consecration to both, revealing that love does not exclude orthodoxy, nor should orthodoxy exclude love.

BTW, here are the four students, full of life and joy. Blessings!


Posted in Ministry | 2 Comments »

1 John in 8 hours

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008

Each year we welcome to Lausanne those who are doing the spiritual internship in Marseilles, France. They normally arrive the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. We spend about 5 hours on 1 John on Thanksgiving Day, then they help get the room ready for the big evening meal. This year we were 21, far from a record, but a great group (once again), also Daughter was one of the interns! Friday, we finished up in two more hours, but then there was the test (which they did very well on).

I normally start the study with 3.23.

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

If we can just those two things across, we are in pretty good shape.

 

Posted in Ministry | 3 Comments »

Giving thanks

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008

Y. sat attentively during the entire study (40 minutes long), the only child present. From time to time she would turn to her dad and ask him a question, a definition of a word, a clarification of some idea.

She pulled me aside after the class and said something like this:

You know, I watch my parents as they prepare material to teach Sunday school classes and other events. They rack their brains trying to think of ideas and good things to share. And sometimes it drives them crazy.

So, I just want to thank you for all the teaching you do. It can’t be easy to prepare the lessons and think of all the ideas, but I am thankful for all you teach us.

The little girl can’t be more than 11 years old. And she is very tiny for her age. How can such a small body contain such a big and thankful heart?

I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. 

Posted in Ministry, Thanksgiving | 4 Comments »

Lille, France

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

We caught a mid-morning train to Geneva. The following train on to Lyon had been cancelled, with a bus had been scheduled instead. Since it wasn’t quite big enough, one angry, mid-fifty-ish, loud American just kept yelling (in French): “My ticket is for 10:58. My ticket is for 10:58.” I felt sorry for him until he became more and more disagreeable. He had to wait for the 11:10 bus. (And now he’s probably writing about the event on his blog. “Why wouldn’t anyone get up and give me their seat so they could be late to their appointment? Why?, I ask you…”)

We caught a TGV in Lyons (Part-Dieu station). TGV, as you know, stands for “Train Goes Vast”. In fact, it goes VERY vast.

P picked us up in Lille. We took the Metro to her place. She and her family hosted us the whole weekend. I could say a million things about this family, but just let me start with:

  1. P is the Director of the Teen Youth Camp;
  2. P, P’s husband, is a veterinarian yet finds time to teach and preach nearly every week at the local church where there is no full-time guy;
  3. P and P have 4 great kids who walk with God;
  4. P read a sermon when he was a new Christian entitled (no lie): How to welcome the visiting preacher. This is one lesson he learned well. However, I do not think there was a section in the sermon on keeping a cold beer in the fridge. They must have added that part.

The following afternoon, two wonderful meals later, we left for a short church retreat. I spoke 4 times on faith. They were very gracious, listened carefully, and encouraged us.

P. and P. are amazing people. They love the Lord dearly, carry the burdens of their brothers and sisters, and are one reason why a light is shining brightly in the city of Lille, way up there in the north of France.

Posted in Church life, Ministry | 3 Comments »

Dealing with defeat

Tuesday, June 10th, 2008

 

Stéphane Fournier wrote an article in the local paper and asked the question: Will a spirit of catastrophe threaten [Team Nati]? Bernard Challandes, wise coach of FC Zurich replied:

No. I don’t believe it will. What is essential for the players to do is to hold on to what is positive. There were some positive things shown by [the team’s] level of performance. I can imagine very well Michel Pont [assistant coach] making a highlight video of one-on-one actions where Swiss players excelled and other actions that offered opportunities for possible goals. In fact, I believe he’s already prepared it.

The other aspect is mental. [The players] have the ability to manage these events. Frei [injured in the first half, see picture above] will not announce tomorrow: I’m quitting football. They have the right to talk about bad luck and to express their frustration because of it, but they don’t have the right to wallow in it. They can even find in it their motivation. It’s just like everyday life.

I find his words refreshing and applicable to my own life. It’s just too easy for me to become cynical about stuff, about people, about ministry, about me…

So, excuse me for a minute, I’m off to work on my high-light video. 

Posted in Euro 2008, Ministry, Sports | 2 Comments »

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