A BaaB of a Faith Journey

 

Missions is always about a leap of faith, at least it has been for me. My very first mission trip was in 1989 going to Kenya Africa. Since then and including that first trip I have never had the total resources available to just pay and go. I've always had to step out with desire and faith first and begin to trust, wait and lean on God's timing and provisions.

         I've now gone on 6 mission trips since that first one. The most recent one I am in the process of headed toward is by far the most adventuresome and challenging of all. It is also the most exciting one and most expensive in the hardest of economic times. Biker and a Backpack ( BaaB ) grabbed my hearts attention from day one back in February 2011.

   Since that date almost every dollar saved seemed to slip from my hands to a more immediate and pressing need in my family and ministry until the first deadline arrived in August. On that day I was able to put down 250.00 toward a roughly  $3,000 West African Ghana trip. I was one of first two people who signed up on time. The trip was delayed for lack of enough people until finally it was approved with 12 days before the deadline for balance due.

   It was within a few days of that deadline that God's provisions started to open. An unexpected 500.00 found me and I was shocked. As well, there were the kids In our church doing a “penny drive”. Yes a "penny drive "!  I did not have much hope of pennies providing the final breakthrough, but it was very emotional to think about canceling out on the kids “penny drive fund raiser” because the pastor could not “afford it” or “faith it” all the way through.  

       I was in a true dilemma and what was I going to do? Then a friend I was going to fly to Africa with backed out for reasons unrelated to my situation. This started making me wonder if my timing was wrong on the trip. I finally emailed a missionary friend about my situation (the lack of funds and my desire).  I ended my email with this exact P.S. sentence (I told the Lord I would be willing to sell my motorcycle to go, but the best price in its condition presently would be about 1500.00 and it breaks my heart to sell my only transportation joy and toy and stress reliever, but if God leads I will do it for souls in Africa without questioning Him.)

          The next day a gentleman from my church and I were eating lunch.
      During our conversation he asked me how much I would sell my motorcycle for. Needless to say I was stunned at the timing of his question, knowing he did not know what I had just written a missionary a few days before. I wondered if this was God leading the way to provide or was it just God confirming He heard me and revealing he was indeed my provider.

     It seemed weird that a pastor who likes to ride motorcycles would sell his bike to go on the first biker Jesus film trip and have to sell his to do it, but God knows what he is doing as I remained excited. After lunch I sent him away for the weekend with the keys to my bike and he was to let me know later. I was feeling pretty good that we both would end up pretty happy on this God ordained deal as odd as it seemed.

     That Sunday night he showed up at church with the bike and said , " sorry pastor my bike days are over and I can't do it with your bike or any bike." I said ok and went on my way wondering and still trusting God. I was also beginning to question and doubt a little as well. The next day my friend officially backed out of going on the trip that we had planned for several months to do together.  

      Monday was a hard day and everywhere I turned it seemed like canceling my trip made the most reasonable decision to make. Perhaps I could go another time to do a Jesus Film BaaB mission trip. When I looked up the prices again on flights to West Africa I was overwhelmed as I could not see a way to raise or get the needed $ 1500.00 for a ticket. On top of this my wife reminded me I needed to buy a ticket for my college daughter soon to get her home and back for Thanksgiving.

The next day I shared my dilemma with my volunteer church secretary who is also our mission president in our church. Even her comments were inclined that I might wait and maybe it just was not God's perfect timing yet. Then I glanced down and saw the two jars of pennies on the floor of my office that the kids had been saving. Yeah right I thought!

That same day my wife was not feeling well so I took my youngest daughter to the dentist. Along the way I learned that my associate pastor had given his motorcycle away that day, when I knew the night before it was for sale.  He ended up blessing a young man he hardly knew who had a need. That was so amazing to me and revealing the heart of a great man meeting a Spirit led need. I was so excited for both of them as I drove down the road. That alone was another entire story, but it was another story involving a motorcycle and provision happening around me.  Huum!

I decided to email the Executive Director of JFHP named Brian Helstrom and ask him to call me about Ghana. Not knowing when he would call me or what I was really going to ask him or even what to expect him to say,  but just wanting to get his opinion about flying alone to Africa and my dilemma.

     It was about 1:30 and we were eating at McDonald's after the dental appointment when one of my best friends who is also a pastor called me. We just started talking when I got another call and told him I was expecting a call from
 Kansas City and would he mind if I took the call and got back to him.  I took the call from Brian and he nailed me on my issues and boiled it down to, " Peter, either God wants you on this trip or He doesn't and we need people to get this equipment to Ghana or some people will die without a Savior before they see the film".
After that call I prayed and said to myself,” well I'm going to put action to my  willingness in faith and sell bike again”. I sent Brian a text that read [I will sell "my Bike" for "His souls" and put faith to this idea and list the bike on Craigslist when I get home. Thanks Brian]

     On the way home I remembered that I needed to call my pastor friend back. We both kept getting our calls dropped and finally he got me back and said, “so who called you from Kansas City anyway?" I proceeded to tell him who I called and about my situation and how I did not know what or how I was going to get the money for a plane ticket to Africa. Had he not asked me about the call I had no plan to discuss it with him.

  My friend said, “Peter that's a done deal. We got extra missions money that we can help by purchasing this ticket as this is so missions. Just give us a report after the trip so we know what happened with our investment in missions. Needless to say I was overwhelmed, shocked and extremely blessed.

     It was timing of so many interesting factors and calls that only God could have worked out so many details like this. On the way home I texted my NMI president the news and she was excited too. That same evening we had a local Missions council meeting and the last part of the agenda they voted to cover my Visa expenses. It was the icing on the Mission cake for sure.

What started out as an over $3000.00 trip has turned into an amazing story of grace for me, my family and our church. Granted, I have not even gone yet and more adventure is bound to happen, but truly God leads, delays and provides according to His plan. I wonder how many of His children never experience his amazing ways as I have time and time again because so many do not struggle through in faith up to the last hour. It was only when the Israelite priests actually stepped into the flood stage river waters of the Jordon headed to the promise land before the water parted. It was only when Abraham picked up the knife in willingness to slay his only son as a sacrifice, before God provided another means. It was only as those with leprosy went in obedience before they were healed on the way and it was only when Peter got out the boat before he would walk on water.

    Like Peter I started to tread water on this trip and when the waves of doubt hit me a few times I started to sink, but praise be to God I looked back up to Jesus and waited as He provided the rest of the means through his people and methods for one amazing journey even before leaving for Africa.

Be encouraged, walk in faith and find His heart and follow Him and see what the Master can do in your journey.

What Does A Pastor Do?

The pastor teaches, though he must solicit his own classes. He heals, though without pills or knife. He is sometimes a lawyer, often a social worker, something of an editor, a bit of a philosopher and entertainer; A salesman, a decorative piece for public functions, and he is suppose to be a scholar. He visits the sick, marries people, buries the dead, labors to console those who sorrow and to admonish those who sin, and tries to stay sweet when chided for not doing his duty. He plans programs, appoints committees when he can get them; spends considerable time in keeping people out of each other's hair; between times he prepares a sermon and preaches it on Sunday to those who don't happen to have any other engagement. Then on Monday he smiles when some jovial chap roars, "what a job- one a week!"

Author unknown 

911 & It's Subtle Effects in a Decade

How 9/11 changed me and challenges me to be a better witness for Christ.
I remember that day clearly as most do. I was in my church office and my wife called me after the first plane crashed into a tower. I came home for a few minutes to watch it on the TV. I really did not grasp the impact of it right then cause I did not know as much as I know now. I later left to go downtown that morning and being that we only lived 4 hours south of DC at the time the news was spreading fear and worry everywhere I went that morning.
I do recall how nice of a day it was and the strange calm i felt as I noticed no planes flying over ahead the remainder of that day.

Since then the security at out airports has changed drastically. I have also witnessed numerous times how TSA agents have lost their common sense and discernment with the American people in the name of security.
The biggest change I've noticed however is in me. Since that day I often find myself frozen when I see someone who appears to be Muslim and I get sort of spooked internally. This was never the case before 9/11.
In 1998 I witnessed to a Muslim in Africa for an hour and now I realize that I must look past 9-11 and share Christ again with the same pre 9/11 passion as a growing population of Muslims continue to grow around us. I know without Jesus all men are hopelessly and eternally lost.
I must admit the fear of men and the propaganda about Muslims effected me without truly realizing it until this past year.

In 2012 I have a missions trip planned to West Africa among Muslim people. I truly am looking forward to sharing Christ without fear and with His favor. I also know if I can feel that about them living there I can and need to be this way here at home.
What if the tragedy of 9/11 had been done by radical Catholics or Evangelicals or Jews or Hindu's ? Or radical democrats, republicans or socialist. I've learned over these past 10 years that I must love His way regardless of who does something wicked. I have to look to God to be filled with his power to be a witness to all men everywhere regardless of religion or creed.
Our hearts still go out to those who lost loved ones on that day, but may we learn to love more in the name of Jesus verses fear more.

Do You Rest Weekly?

  I recently returned from a week of teen mission camp. There were 15 of us in 3 vans driving 12 hours one way to make a difference in the city of Tuscaloosa, AL after the Tornado’s from April. The night we arrived we were excited and got settled and started off the time in the evening worship. What followed was very little sleep on a gym floor with over 100 other people. Each day was labor intense in the hot sun and each evening mixed with fun. Truly the event was life changing for many who attended for multiple reasons. We returned late Saturday night before dark. Teens and adults were tired and the adults probably more so from the extra drain of driving for 12 hours. Throughout the week I never slept more than 6 hours on any given night. Then when we got home, I had Sunday responsibilities to be prepared for and minister out of again. 

  I am observing today on the 9^th day that I went 8 days in a row of giving, going, working, driving and very little sleep. I am not complaining, but rather reflecting and observing my own schedule in this particular time frame. Please do not take this wrong, for the whole week was a "blast", but at the same time it was a full tilt schedule for 8 solid days in a row. As a pastor, Sunday is a day of worship and rest for the body of Christ which is a good thing. Attending worship services to learn, fellowship, sing, give and is to be a spiritually inspiring time every week. Yet for the shepherds and those who minister to the body of Christ it is technically a day of work to empower others to experience a great day of rest.  As a pastor, it is hard for me to take a total biblical day off and rest, renew and reflect without some demand requesting me and my time. It is hard for me to take a full day of rest without giving, but I know I have too in order to be biblically balanced.

         As I reflect back on my day off (Monday) I can see that I broke my schedule for rest. I broke a command for a rhythm of rest unintentionally. Thank you Jesus for the Grace to forgive and reveal your wisdom!   I drove and did ministry for at least 12 hours on what was my typical day off to rest last week. Please know I am not a legalist, as I do know and understand the grace of God.  I don’t "feel" like I sinned because all that I did for 8 days was ministry and good things, but technically I did not take a shut down day off with God like He commands all believers to do as he did after 6 days of creation Himself. 

“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he restedc from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” Genesis 2:1-3

 I also know that the law does not redeem me, but it’s the sacrifice of Christ which is my redemption. My intent was good and I am set free from the law, but the law still is there for my good and the good of others as well. I actually feel God’s grace in a refreshing way just writing the truth of this experience.

You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.  But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Galatians 5:4-6

So why am I writing about rest when I did not do so well this past week at it? Because I am observing in me how easy it is with totally good intentions to miss the mark of the cycles and rhythms of God’s perfect protective laws for our own good. If I took apart each of the last 8 days I probably could figure out a way to justify 8 days of work without rest, but the bottom line is, regardless of the reasons I feel very tired today and as I reflect back I can see I'm off sync. I can see 8 days of non-stop from my usual cycle and I am paying the price in my body if not in other areas.

    This recent lack of rest in the intent of ministry helped me see afresh the wonder of His love for me and how he designed me to rest in cycles and rhythms for a reason. The intent of the Sabbath was rest with renewing purpose and not rule adherence. It's just a rule of every 7th day that helps us stay in sync with Him and our design and others.

 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.” The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water?   Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”   When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.  Luke 13:14-17

     Each day requires its own rest and last week going to bed after midnight with teens in a gym and waking up by 6 a.m. was not a great cycle each day. The lack of daily rest compounded on top of the next. I tend to be a night owl way to often anyway and I can see better now how even that does not help my life very much. Not only has God instructed us to physically and spiritually rest and renew one day a week, but there is also the need for daily healthy cycles as well.

Do realize that observing a Sabbath rest is written in the list of commandments along with do not kill, do not steal and do not bear false witness? This reveals to me that to totally ignore the need to rest weekly is as much a violation to ourselves as much as it is to God and others who have to live with us. How much different would we all be if we keep this command weekly? 

If more professing believers observed a Sabbath rest the first day of the week before 6 full days of activity/work I wonder if we might also observe a lot less sin and other violations among each other. Does a lack of rest leave us less sensitive to the Holy Spirit in daily obedience? Does the lack of rest cause us to stumble more in sin against one another? Does the lack of rest cause us to run on empty and shorten our fuse with one another causing more quarreling and fighting? Does Rest Really matter?  I believe rest matters greatly. On one hand, not resting creates problems for us and on the other hand resting too much is defined as laziness and causes another set of problems as well. Bottom line is we need to work out of rest and rest weekly. If we do not do this, then the lack of rest creates disruptions in our lives and those around us.

In some regards rest is as meaningful to our bodies and minds and moods as food is the fuel for our bodies to live on. We need rest and we need it daily, weekly and for the remainder of our earthly lives. A weekly rest does not need to be a certain day of the week as much as it needs to be 1 day each weekly cycle which ever day that is for us, but when we can all be on the same day as a community / culture is makes it so much easier.

 Sunday in America had been a shut down rest observing day for the last couple centuries, but now as we live in a post Christian era the secularist time clock has taken over. 24/7 living and working is now the norm. The Sabbath is not reinforced culturally and therefore requires more personal discipline to accomplish then it ever has.

  Even the convenience store 711 has out grown its original objective of being open early at 7 a.m. and closing late at 11 p.m.  I see the scriptural reason, rhythm and benefits of observing and enjoying His law more then ever. He sure does love me and He loves you as well.
 

 

  As I Rest with Him each week I am discovering that it is also much more productive to Work out of Rest then it is to Rest from Work. When we mess the cycles up we mess ourselves up and when we mess ourselves up, we usual end up messing up others along the way too. What a great God we serve who loves us enough to set the example with us in Resting. May we rest daily and weekly and be extremely fruitful for His honor and glory.

Do You Rest Weekly?  do you have a rest area weekly with God and His People while on the Journey of life?