There was a marathon this morning in Lima, Peru. 26.2 miles of running. Part of the marathon went through the rotary where the cinema is located & where we have FRC-Lima. Normally this is not a good thing for us, as it normally means closed streets all around us & extreme difficulty for many people to arrive @ church. But today, thankfully, we had large, energetic crowds in both of our services, so it appears that not too many folks had to deal w/ closed streets & hundreds of marathoners on their way to church.
I grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, in the USA, & every April I'd watch the running of the Boston Marathon. Every year I'd see the winner of the Boston Marathon conquer Heartbreak Hill & then burst across the finish line, dog-tired, sometimes limping, sometimes vomiting, but always full of the pride & the glory & the unequaled thrill of winning the race.
I also always noticed that the runner who was ahead early in the marathon never was the winner @ the end.
Ministry is the same way.
There are those in ministry - pastors, church leaders, denomination leaders, etc. - who may flash on the ministerial stage for a season or two, but then they flame out quickly. Ministry is a marathon. Ministry is 26.2 miles, not 100 meters. To win in ministry, you have to pace yourself, keep your eyes on the prize, & persevere.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24 (NIV), Paul says, "Run in such a way as to get the prize."
In James 1:3-4 (NIV), James writes, "... the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature & complete, not lacking anything."
You & I are running a marathon, not a sprint. Your feet may be bloody & blistered, your stomach may be weak, & you may be ready to throw in the towel, but hang on. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Pace yourself. Don't burn out too quickly. Don't flame out too quickly. Don't sprint. Keep an appropriate pace.
Persevere.
In doing so, you'll finish the marathon, & you'll get your God-blessed prize @ the finish line.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Blessing In Prison
Yesterday a team of 7 of us visited the men's maximum security prison in San Juan de Lurigancho, Peru, about an hour away from FRC-Lima.
San Juan de Lurigancho holds 11,000 prisoners in a space meant to hold 1,500. The majority of the prisoners there are former terrorists, serial killers, & narcotraffickers. It is a place of violence, mayhem, grit, grime, & disease. It is estimated that more than half of the prison population @ San Juan de Lurigancho is suffering from AIDS, HIV, or tuberculosis.
In the midst of this scene, yesterday we held an evangelistic outreach in Pavilion # 11 at San Juan de Lurigancho. About 300 prisoners attended the outreach, & about 60 accepted Christ as Savior & were ready to be baptized right away.
In Matthew 25:36 (NIV), as Jesus is talking about how He will separate the sheep from the goats, He mentions how visiting those in prison, among other things, is an example of doing something directly for Him, & worthy of a divine blessing & inheritance.
If you have never ministered in a prison, then try it. It is an unforgettable experience, & shows obedience to Jesus' words in Matthew 25:36. If you do it, you will see how, in a place full of violence, mayhem, grit, grime, & disease, the light of Jesus can shine forth in a brilliant way. You will bless many prisoners, but you will be blessed even more.
San Juan de Lurigancho holds 11,000 prisoners in a space meant to hold 1,500. The majority of the prisoners there are former terrorists, serial killers, & narcotraffickers. It is a place of violence, mayhem, grit, grime, & disease. It is estimated that more than half of the prison population @ San Juan de Lurigancho is suffering from AIDS, HIV, or tuberculosis.
In the midst of this scene, yesterday we held an evangelistic outreach in Pavilion # 11 at San Juan de Lurigancho. About 300 prisoners attended the outreach, & about 60 accepted Christ as Savior & were ready to be baptized right away.
In Matthew 25:36 (NIV), as Jesus is talking about how He will separate the sheep from the goats, He mentions how visiting those in prison, among other things, is an example of doing something directly for Him, & worthy of a divine blessing & inheritance.
If you have never ministered in a prison, then try it. It is an unforgettable experience, & shows obedience to Jesus' words in Matthew 25:36. If you do it, you will see how, in a place full of violence, mayhem, grit, grime, & disease, the light of Jesus can shine forth in a brilliant way. You will bless many prisoners, but you will be blessed even more.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Lima Street Children
There are tens of thousands of street children all over Lima. It's impossible to avoid them. They come up to you on the street, sometimes to try to sell you a piece of candy, other times w/ nothing more than an outstretched hand. They're also at the intersections, juggling balls or doing somersaults or offering to wash your front windshield, then looking for a tip. Other times street children are accompanied by an adult woman who claims to be their mother, & who begs for assistance for her "children." Recent news reports in Lima, however, have shown that frequently this is a scam, & the women & children are not at all related, but are posing as mother and child(ren) in order to collect money for a third party who gives them room & board & little else.
There is a movement afoot in many municipal districts in Lima to discourage people, & particularly tourists, from giving money to street children. The belief is that little, if any, of the money stays w/ the children, & that almost all of it goes to adults who are using the children for exploitative purposes only.
Locals & tourists are split on this. Some feel that it's almost impossible to say no to a child who is begging you for a coin, while others are wise to the fact that whatever money is given to a child will quickly be turned over to an adult somewhere around the corner.
How do you handle this issue in your corner of the world? How do you show the love of Christ to others, including to street children & even to their adult handlers, while at the same time not being manipulated by them, or by not serving to enable a system which exploits children?
There is a movement afoot in many municipal districts in Lima to discourage people, & particularly tourists, from giving money to street children. The belief is that little, if any, of the money stays w/ the children, & that almost all of it goes to adults who are using the children for exploitative purposes only.
Locals & tourists are split on this. Some feel that it's almost impossible to say no to a child who is begging you for a coin, while others are wise to the fact that whatever money is given to a child will quickly be turned over to an adult somewhere around the corner.
How do you handle this issue in your corner of the world? How do you show the love of Christ to others, including to street children & even to their adult handlers, while at the same time not being manipulated by them, or by not serving to enable a system which exploits children?
Monday, May 25, 2009
By The Way
We arrive every Sunday morning @ 7:00 AM @ the cinema where we have FRC-Lima in order to set everything up & to have everything ready for the first service which starts @ 9:00 AM.
When we arrive @ 7:00 AM, there are always one or two members of the cinema cleaning crew there w/ us. They clean the cinemas for us as we set up.
We have services @ 9:00 AM & @ 10:30 AM in the cinema. Usually the second service is done prior to 12:00 PM. The cinema management, however, generously gives us another hour or two to tear down & store all of our items & equipment, & also to use the cinemas for any after-service meetings, band rehearsals, or auditions that we may have. We're usually out of the cinema entirely by 2:00 PM.
Yesterday, well after the end of the English service, one of the cinema workers came up to me & casually informed me that, by the way, the cinema had booked a movie in the cinema where we have our worship services, & that the movie was scheduled to start right away @ 1:00 PM.
The cinema worker told me this @ 12:55 PM.
Incredibly, the cinema worker had been w/ us since 7:00 AM! He had been w/ us for 6 hours, & had never said a word to us about a 1:00 PM movie.
I asked him how this was possible.
He just shrugged his shoulders.
I told him that we need much more than another five minutes for tear-down & storage, & that I needed to speak to his manager right away. At this point he became a little nervous.
I went back inside the cinema & told our team to do the tear-down & storage as quickly as possible, & I also informed the cinema manager about how we had just received the news of the 1:00 PM movie @ 12:55 PM. The manager was very apologetic, & our team worked @ a lightning-like speed, & the movie started only about 10-15 minutes late.
What's the lesson for today, everyone?
C-O-M-M-U-N-I-C-A-T-I-O-N.
And be sure to do it w/ more than 5 minutes to go before a deadline!
When we arrive @ 7:00 AM, there are always one or two members of the cinema cleaning crew there w/ us. They clean the cinemas for us as we set up.
We have services @ 9:00 AM & @ 10:30 AM in the cinema. Usually the second service is done prior to 12:00 PM. The cinema management, however, generously gives us another hour or two to tear down & store all of our items & equipment, & also to use the cinemas for any after-service meetings, band rehearsals, or auditions that we may have. We're usually out of the cinema entirely by 2:00 PM.
Yesterday, well after the end of the English service, one of the cinema workers came up to me & casually informed me that, by the way, the cinema had booked a movie in the cinema where we have our worship services, & that the movie was scheduled to start right away @ 1:00 PM.
The cinema worker told me this @ 12:55 PM.
Incredibly, the cinema worker had been w/ us since 7:00 AM! He had been w/ us for 6 hours, & had never said a word to us about a 1:00 PM movie.
I asked him how this was possible.
He just shrugged his shoulders.
I told him that we need much more than another five minutes for tear-down & storage, & that I needed to speak to his manager right away. At this point he became a little nervous.
I went back inside the cinema & told our team to do the tear-down & storage as quickly as possible, & I also informed the cinema manager about how we had just received the news of the 1:00 PM movie @ 12:55 PM. The manager was very apologetic, & our team worked @ a lightning-like speed, & the movie started only about 10-15 minutes late.
What's the lesson for today, everyone?
C-O-M-M-U-N-I-C-A-T-I-O-N.
And be sure to do it w/ more than 5 minutes to go before a deadline!
Friday, May 22, 2009
The Weakening Dollar
The economic crisis which began in the USA, and which now is worldwide, has caused the US Dollar to decline in value.
Has the weakened US Dollar affected your church or ministry?
It has for us here in Peru.
We pay some of our church bills & accounts in Peruvian currency (known as the Peruvian Sol), while others we pay in US Dollars. As the value of the US Dollar has declined, however, more & more of our vendors have requested that we pay them in Peruvian Soles instead of in US Dollars. This, of course, means that the price of doing church here in Lima has risen for us as the US Dollar has declined.
When the US Dollar is strong & healthy, everyone wants to receive it.
When the US Dollar is weakening & in decline, as it is now, nobody wants it.
How has this affected your church or ministry? If it has not yet had any affect, it probably will at some point in the near future. Many economic analysts predict that higher inflation is coming soon to the USA, which of course will only serve to devalue the US Dollar even more. Given the role of the US Dollar, at least at the moment, as the prime currency of choice worldwide, a further devalued US Dollar will affect much day-to-day business & ministry, no matter where you are in the world.
I don't know what the currency of heaven is, but I doubt that God is panicking & running to the Bank of Heaven today to change His US Dollars into Euros.
You & I, however, as stewards of His money here on Earth, need to be cognizant of how a continually weakening US Dollar may affect our churches & ministries & plans & projects, & what we need to do about it.
Has the weakened US Dollar affected your church or ministry?
It has for us here in Peru.
We pay some of our church bills & accounts in Peruvian currency (known as the Peruvian Sol), while others we pay in US Dollars. As the value of the US Dollar has declined, however, more & more of our vendors have requested that we pay them in Peruvian Soles instead of in US Dollars. This, of course, means that the price of doing church here in Lima has risen for us as the US Dollar has declined.
When the US Dollar is strong & healthy, everyone wants to receive it.
When the US Dollar is weakening & in decline, as it is now, nobody wants it.
How has this affected your church or ministry? If it has not yet had any affect, it probably will at some point in the near future. Many economic analysts predict that higher inflation is coming soon to the USA, which of course will only serve to devalue the US Dollar even more. Given the role of the US Dollar, at least at the moment, as the prime currency of choice worldwide, a further devalued US Dollar will affect much day-to-day business & ministry, no matter where you are in the world.
I don't know what the currency of heaven is, but I doubt that God is panicking & running to the Bank of Heaven today to change His US Dollars into Euros.
You & I, however, as stewards of His money here on Earth, need to be cognizant of how a continually weakening US Dollar may affect our churches & ministries & plans & projects, & what we need to do about it.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Swine Flu: Precaution Or Panic?
The swine flu has arrived in Peru.
There are already two verified cases of the swine flu in the country, & at least four more probable cases. The infected people are Peruvians who brought the virus back w/ them from the Dominican Republic & the USA.
Churches & ministries here in Peru are reacting to this news in varying ways. Some churches are closing children's ministries. Other churches are closely inspecting any children that arrive on Sundays, to be sure that they do not appear to have any flu-like symptoms. Other churches are also inspecting adults on Sundays. Other churches have doctors &/0r nurses stationed on Sundays. Other churches are telling people to stay home on Sundays if they feel even an iota of sickness or flu-like symptoms in them.
I'm not here to tell you what you should do in your case, or in your church, or in your ministry, or in your part of the world.
But I am here to tell you to seek God's wisdom & discernment before making any decisions.
Take precaution, but do not panic.
In Deuteronomy 20:3 (NIV), God is addressing Israel before they go to war against an army greater than theirs. God says to Israel, "Do not be faint-hearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic ...."
Keep the same counsel.
Don't give the enemy a foothold in your church or ministry by panicking in the face of the swine flu. Others will be watching to see how you & your church or ministry react. Will they see panic, or will they see a person or a church or a ministry that clearly believes - and that clearly demonstrates - that God is in control.
Precaution before panic.
That's the best antidote you have against this swine flu pandemic.
There are already two verified cases of the swine flu in the country, & at least four more probable cases. The infected people are Peruvians who brought the virus back w/ them from the Dominican Republic & the USA.
Churches & ministries here in Peru are reacting to this news in varying ways. Some churches are closing children's ministries. Other churches are closely inspecting any children that arrive on Sundays, to be sure that they do not appear to have any flu-like symptoms. Other churches are also inspecting adults on Sundays. Other churches have doctors &/0r nurses stationed on Sundays. Other churches are telling people to stay home on Sundays if they feel even an iota of sickness or flu-like symptoms in them.
I'm not here to tell you what you should do in your case, or in your church, or in your ministry, or in your part of the world.
But I am here to tell you to seek God's wisdom & discernment before making any decisions.
Take precaution, but do not panic.
In Deuteronomy 20:3 (NIV), God is addressing Israel before they go to war against an army greater than theirs. God says to Israel, "Do not be faint-hearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic ...."
Keep the same counsel.
Don't give the enemy a foothold in your church or ministry by panicking in the face of the swine flu. Others will be watching to see how you & your church or ministry react. Will they see panic, or will they see a person or a church or a ministry that clearly believes - and that clearly demonstrates - that God is in control.
Precaution before panic.
That's the best antidote you have against this swine flu pandemic.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Impossible Is Nothing
Dorcas & I work out @ a Gold's Gym in Lima. We were there this morning. As we were leaving the gym, I noticed a promotional poster for a marathon in Lima on May 31 that Adidas is sponsoring. The slogan used by Adidas for the marathon is: "Impossible Is Nothing."
"Impossible is nothing."
It's the mirror image of "Nothing is impossible." It has the same meaning.
What seems impossible for you right now in your church or ministry? What challenge is out there for you right now, & you don't think that there's any way in the world that you can accomplish it?
Remember what God asked Abraham & Sarah in Genesis 18:14 (NIV): "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" God asked them this question right before He made Sarah a mother when she was around 90 years old.
The angel Gabriel echoed the same thought to Mary in Luke 1:37 (NIV) when he foretold the miraculous virginal birth of Jesus: "For nothing is impossible with God."
And Jesus told his disciples in Luke 18:27 (NIV): "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
What seems impossible to you today in your church or ministry, wherever you are in the world? Remember that we serve a big God, & He has limitless plans & limitless resources & limitless possibilities for you & your church or ministry to reach the world.
Because "impossible is nothing" for Him.
"Impossible is nothing."
It's the mirror image of "Nothing is impossible." It has the same meaning.
What seems impossible for you right now in your church or ministry? What challenge is out there for you right now, & you don't think that there's any way in the world that you can accomplish it?
Remember what God asked Abraham & Sarah in Genesis 18:14 (NIV): "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" God asked them this question right before He made Sarah a mother when she was around 90 years old.
The angel Gabriel echoed the same thought to Mary in Luke 1:37 (NIV) when he foretold the miraculous virginal birth of Jesus: "For nothing is impossible with God."
And Jesus told his disciples in Luke 18:27 (NIV): "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
What seems impossible to you today in your church or ministry, wherever you are in the world? Remember that we serve a big God, & He has limitless plans & limitless resources & limitless possibilities for you & your church or ministry to reach the world.
Because "impossible is nothing" for Him.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Stinketh!
Lima, Peru, is located right on the Pacific Ocean, and in the port of Lima there are many factories and processing plants which produce fish meal.
Fish meal smells terrible.
And that's an understatement.
For a few days every month in Lima, the horrible smell of fish meal permeates the entire city. I'm not sure why it happens, but it makes the whole city smell just awful.
What sort of aroma does your church or ministry give off to those around you?
Is it "the aroma of Christ" or "the fragrance of life" as Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 (NIV)?
Is the reputation and are the works of your church or ministry sweet-smelling?
Or is the reputation and are the works of your church or ministry more like the decayed corpse of Lazarus, which his sister, Martha, described in John 11:39 (KJV) as something that "stinketh!"
Does your church or ministry "stinketh"?
Almost no one is going to answer "yes" to that question, but take a good look around you. Is your church or ministry making a difference in your corner of the world? Are you serving others, loving others, & leading others to the feet of Christ? Are you bearing "much fruit", as Jesus commands in John 15?
Or does your fruit "stinketh"?
Too many ministries do too little & reach too few. Instead they focus on pettiness, criticism, & competition. These types of ministries "stinketh."
Just like Lima does a few days each month.
Take stock of your church or ministry. Weigh your fruit & examine it closely.
Make sure it has "the aroma of Christ" & "the fragrance of life" around it.
Make sure it does not "stinketh."
Fish meal smells terrible.
And that's an understatement.
For a few days every month in Lima, the horrible smell of fish meal permeates the entire city. I'm not sure why it happens, but it makes the whole city smell just awful.
What sort of aroma does your church or ministry give off to those around you?
Is it "the aroma of Christ" or "the fragrance of life" as Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 (NIV)?
Is the reputation and are the works of your church or ministry sweet-smelling?
Or is the reputation and are the works of your church or ministry more like the decayed corpse of Lazarus, which his sister, Martha, described in John 11:39 (KJV) as something that "stinketh!"
Does your church or ministry "stinketh"?
Almost no one is going to answer "yes" to that question, but take a good look around you. Is your church or ministry making a difference in your corner of the world? Are you serving others, loving others, & leading others to the feet of Christ? Are you bearing "much fruit", as Jesus commands in John 15?
Or does your fruit "stinketh"?
Too many ministries do too little & reach too few. Instead they focus on pettiness, criticism, & competition. These types of ministries "stinketh."
Just like Lima does a few days each month.
Take stock of your church or ministry. Weigh your fruit & examine it closely.
Make sure it has "the aroma of Christ" & "the fragrance of life" around it.
Make sure it does not "stinketh."
Thursday, May 14, 2009
An Offer You Can't Refuse
As a Christ follower & church leader or ministry leader, the best advice you can follow is that of a Mafia boss.
Huh?
When did Don Corleone & John Gotti & Tony Soprano become church leaders?
I just finished reading a book called "I'll Make You An Offer You Can't Refuse: Insider Business Tips From A Former Mob Boss." The author is Michael Franzese. He was a capo (like a vice president) in the Colombo crime family. He is now a Christ follower, and speaks frequently @ churches & conferences.
While Franzese's book is not written from a specifically Christian standpoint, & is more business-oriented in nature, he does liberally quote from Solomon & the Book of Proverbs, & he offers many lessons in leadership that will benefit you as you lead your church or ministry.
Some of the points that Franzese makes are:
1. Get a plan
2. Work it hard
3. Work it smart
4. Surround yourself w/ people who know how to help you reach your goals
Franzese also offers the following advice:
1. Nail down the basics
2. Lead w/ your brain, not your mouth
3. Master the art of the sit-down
4. Keep your eyes on the bookies
5. Learn from your failures
6. Pick your philosopher: Machiavelli or Solomon
Franzese's book is a fascinating read, & I highly recommend that you pick it up. It's an offer that you can't refuse!
Huh?
When did Don Corleone & John Gotti & Tony Soprano become church leaders?
I just finished reading a book called "I'll Make You An Offer You Can't Refuse: Insider Business Tips From A Former Mob Boss." The author is Michael Franzese. He was a capo (like a vice president) in the Colombo crime family. He is now a Christ follower, and speaks frequently @ churches & conferences.
While Franzese's book is not written from a specifically Christian standpoint, & is more business-oriented in nature, he does liberally quote from Solomon & the Book of Proverbs, & he offers many lessons in leadership that will benefit you as you lead your church or ministry.
Some of the points that Franzese makes are:
1. Get a plan
2. Work it hard
3. Work it smart
4. Surround yourself w/ people who know how to help you reach your goals
Franzese also offers the following advice:
1. Nail down the basics
2. Lead w/ your brain, not your mouth
3. Master the art of the sit-down
4. Keep your eyes on the bookies
5. Learn from your failures
6. Pick your philosopher: Machiavelli or Solomon
Franzese's book is a fascinating read, & I highly recommend that you pick it up. It's an offer that you can't refuse!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
... find out what it means to me!
Last week our FRC-Lima band was invited to be the main event at a large, citywide youth rally. It was cool to receive the invitation from the Peruvian Christian radio station that was sponsoring the event, but unfortunately the event production fell far short of the mark in various areas, including R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
First off, in the weeks before the concert, the radio station rep who was in charge of managing the event made about 1,000 promises to our band about different equipment & items that he would provide so that we wouldn't have to bring all of ours all the way across the city. He delivered on exactly zero of his promises, & only informed us about it a couple of hours before the concert, causing us to have to back-track & scramble to make sure that we had everything that we'd need for the concert.
During the concert, the audio system continually faltered. I think it consisted of a megaphone, tin foil, & bakery string. Our band just played on, as if they were performing in front of 20,000 people at Madison Square Garden in NYC.
After the concert, our guitar cables were stolen. The crack security staff promised by the radio station rep was either sleeping, looking the other way, or watching an old re-run of "I Love Lucy." The main suspect right now, ironically enough, is another Christian band!
When I brought the theft to the attention of the radio station rep, he seemd about as interested in the theft as he would be in belly button lint or toe jam. He mumbled something about looking into it. Today, four days after the event, he has yet to call us with any more information. We have had to call him to find out if he has been able to locate the cables but, again, his tone & attitude on the phone suggest an interest level that is less than zero.
Of course, this is very frustrating for us. We were invited to play the radio station event, received nothing that we were promised, and had our guitar cables stolen as well, with nary a bit of interest shown in trying to help us to recover them. Unfortunately, we will now have to go over the radio station rep's head & deal directly with his boss. It is an unpleasant but necessary choice.
This all has happened because of a great lack of R-E-S-P-E-C-T on the part of the radio station rep. He's not being asked to kiss anybody's ring, but to merely help us out after we suffered a loss due to his negligence. He's seems totally uninterested in doing this.
This unfortunate episode is also a lesson for us, in how to treat other people. Normally when you treat someone with R-E-S-P-E-C-T, it is reciprocated. This is an important thing to consider in your church & ministry. How is R-E-S-P-E-C-T shown in the culture where you are doing church or ministry? How is it shown individually & corporately? Make sure you know how to show R-E-S-P-E-C-T wherever in the world that you are doing church or international ministry, & hopefully R-E-S-P-E-C-T will be shown right back to you.
Last week our FRC-Lima band was invited to be the main event at a large, citywide youth rally. It was cool to receive the invitation from the Peruvian Christian radio station that was sponsoring the event, but unfortunately the event production fell far short of the mark in various areas, including R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
First off, in the weeks before the concert, the radio station rep who was in charge of managing the event made about 1,000 promises to our band about different equipment & items that he would provide so that we wouldn't have to bring all of ours all the way across the city. He delivered on exactly zero of his promises, & only informed us about it a couple of hours before the concert, causing us to have to back-track & scramble to make sure that we had everything that we'd need for the concert.
During the concert, the audio system continually faltered. I think it consisted of a megaphone, tin foil, & bakery string. Our band just played on, as if they were performing in front of 20,000 people at Madison Square Garden in NYC.
After the concert, our guitar cables were stolen. The crack security staff promised by the radio station rep was either sleeping, looking the other way, or watching an old re-run of "I Love Lucy." The main suspect right now, ironically enough, is another Christian band!
When I brought the theft to the attention of the radio station rep, he seemd about as interested in the theft as he would be in belly button lint or toe jam. He mumbled something about looking into it. Today, four days after the event, he has yet to call us with any more information. We have had to call him to find out if he has been able to locate the cables but, again, his tone & attitude on the phone suggest an interest level that is less than zero.
Of course, this is very frustrating for us. We were invited to play the radio station event, received nothing that we were promised, and had our guitar cables stolen as well, with nary a bit of interest shown in trying to help us to recover them. Unfortunately, we will now have to go over the radio station rep's head & deal directly with his boss. It is an unpleasant but necessary choice.
This all has happened because of a great lack of R-E-S-P-E-C-T on the part of the radio station rep. He's not being asked to kiss anybody's ring, but to merely help us out after we suffered a loss due to his negligence. He's seems totally uninterested in doing this.
This unfortunate episode is also a lesson for us, in how to treat other people. Normally when you treat someone with R-E-S-P-E-C-T, it is reciprocated. This is an important thing to consider in your church & ministry. How is R-E-S-P-E-C-T shown in the culture where you are doing church or ministry? How is it shown individually & corporately? Make sure you know how to show R-E-S-P-E-C-T wherever in the world that you are doing church or international ministry, & hopefully R-E-S-P-E-C-T will be shown right back to you.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Heavy Fog
Summer has turned to fall here in Lima, Peru, & winter will be here soon.
Fall in Lima means heavy fog. Every day @ 6:00 AM, as the first morning light appears in Lima, it is impossible to even see across the street because of the heavy fog blanket which covers much of the city. Last week when Dorcas & I travelled to Florida for a few days, our outbound flight from Lima to Miami was delayed by 6 hours because of heavy fog at the airport. Every single flight was delayed or cancelled, & thousands of travellers spent several additional hours at the airport, sleeping on the floor or slowly nursing a Peruvian coffee @ the Food Court.
Fog can also cover our lives & our ministries.
Is there a heavy, fog-like canvas that is covering you or your ministry right now? How does the fog present itself? Is the fog financial in nature? Relational? Cultural? Denominational? Spiritual? What is this fog preventing you from doing in your life or in your church or in your ministry? At the Lima airport, the fog prevented us from travelling & reaching our destination. What is the fog that blankets you or your ministry, & what type of destination is it preventing you from reaching?
Fall is the season of fog here in Lima. We all have seasons of fog in our lives & ministries. If now is a season of fog for you or your ministry, then pray that God lifts it from you & allows you to reach your ministerial destination. Habakkuk 3:4 (NIV) tells us that God's "splendor was like the sunrise ...." His splendor, like the sunrise, is just what you need to burn away the fog that blankets your life or your ministry today.
Fall in Lima means heavy fog. Every day @ 6:00 AM, as the first morning light appears in Lima, it is impossible to even see across the street because of the heavy fog blanket which covers much of the city. Last week when Dorcas & I travelled to Florida for a few days, our outbound flight from Lima to Miami was delayed by 6 hours because of heavy fog at the airport. Every single flight was delayed or cancelled, & thousands of travellers spent several additional hours at the airport, sleeping on the floor or slowly nursing a Peruvian coffee @ the Food Court.
Fog can also cover our lives & our ministries.
Is there a heavy, fog-like canvas that is covering you or your ministry right now? How does the fog present itself? Is the fog financial in nature? Relational? Cultural? Denominational? Spiritual? What is this fog preventing you from doing in your life or in your church or in your ministry? At the Lima airport, the fog prevented us from travelling & reaching our destination. What is the fog that blankets you or your ministry, & what type of destination is it preventing you from reaching?
Fall is the season of fog here in Lima. We all have seasons of fog in our lives & ministries. If now is a season of fog for you or your ministry, then pray that God lifts it from you & allows you to reach your ministerial destination. Habakkuk 3:4 (NIV) tells us that God's "splendor was like the sunrise ...." His splendor, like the sunrise, is just what you need to burn away the fog that blankets your life or your ministry today.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
An Angel Under Attack
Our keyboard player @ FRC-Lima is a young man named Angel. He is very bright & can bang the keyboard better than Jerry Lee Lewis.
Last night two punks tried to mug Angel a block away from his home.
Angel is not exactly the biggest guy in the world, but he managed to fight off the two attackers. They didn't get as much as one dollar or one Peruvian sol from him. God gave Angel the strength of Jackie Chan last night.
We are all under attack these days.
Here @ FRC-Lima, it seems that all of our leaders & key volunteers are under attack in one way or another. There have been physical attacks (like Angel), financial attacks, & relational attacks. There have been attacks @ home, @ school, & in the workplace. People have been fighting w/ parents, children, relatives, in-laws, bosses, co-workers, & neighbors. People have suffered from anxiety, depression, anger, & frustration. People have suffered from substance abuse & addiction, both in the forms of temptation & relapse.
The enemy knows each of our weak areas, & these days he's working overtime @ FRC-Lima to go right at them.
However, as we always say here @ FRC-Lima, if the enemy is attacking you, then you must be doing something right.
If you weren't doing anything big for God, then the enemy would leave you alone.
In Angel's case, he was part of a huge concert that our FRC-Lima band performed on Friday night in front of several hundred youth in the city. After the concert, the band's guitar cables were stolen (possibly by another "Christian" band!), & then on Saturday night Angel was attacked.
If you're doing big things for God in your church or international ministry, then the attacks are going to come.
Rejoice.
It means that you're doing something right!
Last night two punks tried to mug Angel a block away from his home.
Angel is not exactly the biggest guy in the world, but he managed to fight off the two attackers. They didn't get as much as one dollar or one Peruvian sol from him. God gave Angel the strength of Jackie Chan last night.
We are all under attack these days.
Here @ FRC-Lima, it seems that all of our leaders & key volunteers are under attack in one way or another. There have been physical attacks (like Angel), financial attacks, & relational attacks. There have been attacks @ home, @ school, & in the workplace. People have been fighting w/ parents, children, relatives, in-laws, bosses, co-workers, & neighbors. People have suffered from anxiety, depression, anger, & frustration. People have suffered from substance abuse & addiction, both in the forms of temptation & relapse.
The enemy knows each of our weak areas, & these days he's working overtime @ FRC-Lima to go right at them.
However, as we always say here @ FRC-Lima, if the enemy is attacking you, then you must be doing something right.
If you weren't doing anything big for God, then the enemy would leave you alone.
In Angel's case, he was part of a huge concert that our FRC-Lima band performed on Friday night in front of several hundred youth in the city. After the concert, the band's guitar cables were stolen (possibly by another "Christian" band!), & then on Saturday night Angel was attacked.
If you're doing big things for God in your church or international ministry, then the attacks are going to come.
Rejoice.
It means that you're doing something right!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Keeping Out The Swine Flu
Dorcas & I returned to Lima, Peru, very late Thursday night from Miami, Florida. As we left the plane, a team of doctors & nurses were reviewing every single passenger, to see if anyone appeared to have the symptoms of the swine flu. They pulled a few people aside for further observation, as well as to decide whether or not to take them to a local hospital for further tests and possible quarantine until the test results were known.
Later on, while waiting to go through Immigration, all arriving passengers were given a brochure prepared by the Peru Ministry of Health, entitled "Enjoy Peru - A Healthy Country", & detailing how to stay healthy & how to avoid the swine flu while in the country. The government brochure detailed how one should always sneeze or cough into a handkerchief or tissue, & even showed photos for anyone who wasn't exactly sure how to do it. If no handkerchief or tissue is available when you sneeze or cough, then sneeze or cough onto your upper arm instead of into your hands. Makes sense, since most flu transmission will be from personal contact, such as shaking hands. The brochure also said to wash your hands with soap & water after every sneeze or cough.
There is now an international debate going on as to whether this swine flu pandemic will be as bad as many experts have predicted. Nonetheless, taking the appropriate health precautions in your church or ministry, in order to guard against it, is a very wise thing to do. For those of you involved in international ministry, be sure to inform your leaders & teams about these measures, so as to keep your team, as well as those you serve, healthy & flu-less.
Later on, while waiting to go through Immigration, all arriving passengers were given a brochure prepared by the Peru Ministry of Health, entitled "Enjoy Peru - A Healthy Country", & detailing how to stay healthy & how to avoid the swine flu while in the country. The government brochure detailed how one should always sneeze or cough into a handkerchief or tissue, & even showed photos for anyone who wasn't exactly sure how to do it. If no handkerchief or tissue is available when you sneeze or cough, then sneeze or cough onto your upper arm instead of into your hands. Makes sense, since most flu transmission will be from personal contact, such as shaking hands. The brochure also said to wash your hands with soap & water after every sneeze or cough.
There is now an international debate going on as to whether this swine flu pandemic will be as bad as many experts have predicted. Nonetheless, taking the appropriate health precautions in your church or ministry, in order to guard against it, is a very wise thing to do. For those of you involved in international ministry, be sure to inform your leaders & teams about these measures, so as to keep your team, as well as those you serve, healthy & flu-less.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Have Mask, Will Travel
Dorcas & I travelled from Lima to Miami on Monday. Our flight was delayed 6 hours due to a pea-soup-thick fog that covered the Peruvian capital. When we finally boarded our American Airlines flight, about half of the passengers put on surgical-style masks in order to ward off the swine flu. Everyone got uncomfortable anytime that anyone coughed or sneezed. Doctors & nurses greeted us when we arrived in Miami, & they took a close look @ anyone who looked a little under the weather. It was all a bit Twilight Zone-ish.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Swine Flu Travel
Dorcas & I are heading up to Florida on Monday morning. It'll be our first air travel since the outbreak of the swine flu pandemic. We've already been advised to wear surgical masks & to be prepared to be examined by a doctor or nurse when we arrive in Miami, & then again when we return to Lima. Peru has banned flights from Mexico, & is checking everyone that arrives on flights from the USA. We'll keep you posted as to what it is like to travel by air internationally in the midst of this swine flu pandemic.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Workers' Day
Today is "Dia Del Trabajo" here in Peru. It is a national holiday, as it is in many other countries around the world, where it also is called May Day or Workers' Day. It is more or less the equivalent of the Labor Day holiday celebrated the first Monday in September in the USA.
Because it is a national holiday, nobody works on Workers' Day in Peru. This year, however, due to the worldwide economic crisis that swirls around us all (as well as the swine flu pandemic), there are a lot of nervous workers here in Peru on Workers' Day. Many people already have lost their jobs or have had their pay & hours & benefits cut, & many others are fearful that a pink slip is coming soon. It is no different here in Peru than it is in the USA or anywhere else in the world. Workers & their families, both ministerial & secular, are living lives of high anxiety right now, hoping & praying that things will get better soon, but secretly wondering how bad it could become.
Remember on this Workers' Day 2009 that God is in control. God is not shocked or surprised if the stock market falls or if the price of oil goes through the ceiling. He knows commodity prices & interest rates. Nothing is outside of His realm or His knowledge.
For those of us in ministry, this economic crisis, & ensuing workers' anxiety, presents us w/ a marvelous opportunity to show Christ's love, compassion, grace, mercy, & understanding to a hurting world. Perhaps it is time for you & your church or ministry to ramp up your social & charitable efforts, instead of cutting back on them. Perhaps you can start a job bank or an employment counseling session or a job skills class as part of your church or ministry.
Unemployment and underemployment are both way up here on Workers' Day 2009, & they may go higher. Take advantage of this God-given opportunity in your church or ministry to reach out to those who are hurting right now. It will pay off for you in divine dividends.
Because it is a national holiday, nobody works on Workers' Day in Peru. This year, however, due to the worldwide economic crisis that swirls around us all (as well as the swine flu pandemic), there are a lot of nervous workers here in Peru on Workers' Day. Many people already have lost their jobs or have had their pay & hours & benefits cut, & many others are fearful that a pink slip is coming soon. It is no different here in Peru than it is in the USA or anywhere else in the world. Workers & their families, both ministerial & secular, are living lives of high anxiety right now, hoping & praying that things will get better soon, but secretly wondering how bad it could become.
Remember on this Workers' Day 2009 that God is in control. God is not shocked or surprised if the stock market falls or if the price of oil goes through the ceiling. He knows commodity prices & interest rates. Nothing is outside of His realm or His knowledge.
For those of us in ministry, this economic crisis, & ensuing workers' anxiety, presents us w/ a marvelous opportunity to show Christ's love, compassion, grace, mercy, & understanding to a hurting world. Perhaps it is time for you & your church or ministry to ramp up your social & charitable efforts, instead of cutting back on them. Perhaps you can start a job bank or an employment counseling session or a job skills class as part of your church or ministry.
Unemployment and underemployment are both way up here on Workers' Day 2009, & they may go higher. Take advantage of this God-given opportunity in your church or ministry to reach out to those who are hurting right now. It will pay off for you in divine dividends.
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