Life Groups are the “Third Cup of Tea”
“Sharing Life—Connecting Journeys—Following Christ”
This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of this service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God……2 Corinthians 9:12-13a
Many of us have read Greg Mortenson’s book entitled “Three Cups of Tea”. It is an amazing story of a young American who is living a fairly experiential self absorbed life until he is lost while returning from a mountaineering expedition in Pakistan. In his wanderings he encounters the people of the steppes and mountains and they welcome him as the traveling stranger among them. The unwritten tribal code of conduct requires that strangers be welcomed and invited in. For the few days Greg resides in a particular village he observes the joys and challenges of their existence and shares the daily lives of these warm people. One glaring deficit that troubles and convicts him is that the children have no school and are limited to writing their studies in the dirt. After he is “rescued” he is haunted by the memories of the children he saw studying in the dirt with no school building. The conviction continues to weigh heavily upon him and he goes on to make it his life’s work to procure construction materials for buildings and learning materials for the children of both Pakistan and Afghanistan. Needless to say there is an entire book enfolded in the stories of his trials and failures, successes and struggles. He builds relationships with many village elders, tribal leaders and common people of the areas he connects with. Greg’s mission grows dramatically with support from many international agencies and private donations. He is recognized in many parts of both Pakistan and Afghanistan and can travel freely where most westerners could never safely go. He made it a personal priority to honor the traditions and customs of each area he visited and during one of those welcoming cultural exchanges of greeting he receives the explanation and title of what would become his first published book, “Three Cups of Tea”. In Greg Mortensons own words………, “Haji Ali spoke. If you want to thrive in Baltistan, you must respect our ways,” Ali said, blowing on his bowl. “The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family, and for our family, we are prepared to do anything,” he said, laying his hand warmly on Mortenson’s own. “Doctor Greg, you must make time to share three cups of tea. We may be uneducated. But we are not stupid. We have lived here for a long time.”
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Is There Room in Your Stable?
Is There Room in Your Stable?
Sharing Lives—Connecting Journeys—Following Christ
“And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the Inn.” Luke 2:6-7
As I read these words I forever will hear them in the voice of a child. The solitary figure of Linus standing on the stage in the “Peanuts Christmas Special” school performance. Overcome with the message and significance of the moment Linus articulates his epiphany before an adult audience with a passion that comes from his conviction that he has an important story to share.
As I read the narratives of the Bible I try to understand both the context of the person documenting the event as well as the person sharing the story. In the case of this story I have an image of Mary, the mother of Christ, the only directly involved person that we know of still alive on earth at the time of this documentation, sitting and talking with Luke, the reporter. What did she remember that she felt was important to share. What was important to the now mature and reflecting gentle lady of that moment of her teenage life when she gave birth to her first-born son. So much of those days we only know through her willingness to remember….the angel’s announcement, the coming of the Holy Spirit, her prayer and obedient response to the wonder of Gods choice. One comment that stands out in Luke’s narrative that she and he both felt was important to remember was that there was “no room in the inn”. An obscure fact perhaps to us two thousand years later but to the teenage girl in labor a very relevant issue. I remember well the birth of my own three children and the details of those events are strongly imbedded in my memory. The room, the table and gurneys, the infant warmer, the doctor and nurses, where they stood and how they moved. The process of the actual birth as I saw it, and the moment of the miracle….the first cry. But as Mary relates her story even in the emotion and celebration of that glorious memory, this fact still mattered to her, “there was no room in the Inn, and she had to lay him in a manger”. Location and welcome mattered to her as it does to all of us. As Life Group leaders we often find ourselves involved in the “labor” of others. Moments when they are doing the sometimes hard work of growing, healing and learning. What are the memories we will leave with them of those struggles. Do our ears work better than our mouths. Are our hearts open, or do the walls perhaps built in our own struggles keep them out. The challenge to all of us is to continue as the ministers we are called to be among the communities God has placed us in.
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:3-6
Sharing Lives—Connecting Journeys—Following Christ
“And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the Inn.” Luke 2:6-7
As I read these words I forever will hear them in the voice of a child. The solitary figure of Linus standing on the stage in the “Peanuts Christmas Special” school performance. Overcome with the message and significance of the moment Linus articulates his epiphany before an adult audience with a passion that comes from his conviction that he has an important story to share.
As I read the narratives of the Bible I try to understand both the context of the person documenting the event as well as the person sharing the story. In the case of this story I have an image of Mary, the mother of Christ, the only directly involved person that we know of still alive on earth at the time of this documentation, sitting and talking with Luke, the reporter. What did she remember that she felt was important to share. What was important to the now mature and reflecting gentle lady of that moment of her teenage life when she gave birth to her first-born son. So much of those days we only know through her willingness to remember….the angel’s announcement, the coming of the Holy Spirit, her prayer and obedient response to the wonder of Gods choice. One comment that stands out in Luke’s narrative that she and he both felt was important to remember was that there was “no room in the inn”. An obscure fact perhaps to us two thousand years later but to the teenage girl in labor a very relevant issue. I remember well the birth of my own three children and the details of those events are strongly imbedded in my memory. The room, the table and gurneys, the infant warmer, the doctor and nurses, where they stood and how they moved. The process of the actual birth as I saw it, and the moment of the miracle….the first cry. But as Mary relates her story even in the emotion and celebration of that glorious memory, this fact still mattered to her, “there was no room in the Inn, and she had to lay him in a manger”. Location and welcome mattered to her as it does to all of us. As Life Group leaders we often find ourselves involved in the “labor” of others. Moments when they are doing the sometimes hard work of growing, healing and learning. What are the memories we will leave with them of those struggles. Do our ears work better than our mouths. Are our hearts open, or do the walls perhaps built in our own struggles keep them out. The challenge to all of us is to continue as the ministers we are called to be among the communities God has placed us in.
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:3-6
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Who’s On Your Team?
Sharing Lives—Connecting Journeys—Following Christ
We love you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.
1 Thessalonians 2:18
During the mid 1990’s our son Nathan had the privilege of playing collegiate baseball for
YOU
Steve Bishop----Head cheerleader of a great team!!!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Have You Carried Someone Today???
Sharing Lives—Connecting Journeys—Following Christ
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ”. Galatians 6:2
In 1997 I had the privilege of serving in a short term mission team to the Rivne region of Ukraine. Our team was composed principally of medical providers and we were focusing on working with children in the rehabilitation camps and orphanages of the region.
As always when on a short term mission trip you never know when the “divine appointments” might happen when God teaches you a lesson that he may have brought you 7,000 miles to learn. I remember very well such a poignant moment while on our 1997 trip.
A small medical clinic was located on the perimeter of “Camp Elektronic” where we were billeting and providing care for the resident children and outpatient services for the community. As I was walking to the clinic one morning I saw a Lada (small Czech made communist era sedan) pull up close to the door of the clinic. Out from the driver’s side stepped a wiry weathered man of undeterminable age. I watched as he went around to the back door on the passenger side and opened it up to assist the passenger inside. As I paused and went over to also offer assistance if needed I realized that the passenger was a large young man who for some physical reason was quite flaccid and did not even have enough muscle tone to be able to sit up unaided; a woman somewhat hidden by the profile of the young man was sitting behind him and propping him up into a sitting position. I extended a hand to help and was politely directed to stand aside as this slightly built father demonstrated the proper way to carry someone at least half again his weight. He bent down with his back towards his son and crossed his son’s arms over his shoulders and onto his chest with his own arms gripping his son’s hands and crossed over his own chest. I watched in amazement a scene that was no doubt played out several times a day as the slight father would carry his much heavier adult son from place to place. When I asked them (through an interpreter) they shared with me they had no wheelchair plus the uneven steps of the apartment buildings rendered a wheelchair almost useless going up to their flat. When I asked them why they came they shared that they had heard the American doctors were in Camp Elektronic and they hoped to have their son seen. They were hoping for a miracle of some kind to help their son since they were getting older themselves and weren’t sure what would happen to him when they couldn’t care for him. I witnessed a wonderful example of what unconditional love looks like; Parents who did the hard work every day, day in and day out providing care for their son in a remarkable unselfish way.
Reflecting on the opportunities of that day in my journal I had written that I saw what God does for each one of us. Granted we are never too heavy for him to carry but the redundancy of the task must at times seem to never end. Same mistakes, same deaf ear, same idle tongue, same self centered worship. While the young man I saw may have issues with physical limitations how many of us have spiritual issues that if translated into physical representations would look flaccid and minimally developed as well. It was a moment of reflection that cause me to think about being more intentional in my role of being a disciple and being available as well to carry my spiritual brothers and sisters. All of us are different points of grace and sometimes we need to be carried and sometimes we are the ones who just have to do the hard work of carrying our brothers and sisters.
Thank you for serving as a life group leader and for being willing to carry others….may there always be someone to carry you when you need “God’s presence with a little skin on”.
YOU ARE APPRECIATED!!!!
Steve Bishop—Life Groups Director
Sharing Lives—Connecting Journeys—Following Christ
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ”. Galatians 6:2
In 1997 I had the privilege of serving in a short term mission team to the Rivne region of Ukraine. Our team was composed principally of medical providers and we were focusing on working with children in the rehabilitation camps and orphanages of the region.
As always when on a short term mission trip you never know when the “divine appointments” might happen when God teaches you a lesson that he may have brought you 7,000 miles to learn. I remember very well such a poignant moment while on our 1997 trip.
A small medical clinic was located on the perimeter of “Camp Elektronic” where we were billeting and providing care for the resident children and outpatient services for the community. As I was walking to the clinic one morning I saw a Lada (small Czech made communist era sedan) pull up close to the door of the clinic. Out from the driver’s side stepped a wiry weathered man of undeterminable age. I watched as he went around to the back door on the passenger side and opened it up to assist the passenger inside. As I paused and went over to also offer assistance if needed I realized that the passenger was a large young man who for some physical reason was quite flaccid and did not even have enough muscle tone to be able to sit up unaided; a woman somewhat hidden by the profile of the young man was sitting behind him and propping him up into a sitting position. I extended a hand to help and was politely directed to stand aside as this slightly built father demonstrated the proper way to carry someone at least half again his weight. He bent down with his back towards his son and crossed his son’s arms over his shoulders and onto his chest with his own arms gripping his son’s hands and crossed over his own chest. I watched in amazement a scene that was no doubt played out several times a day as the slight father would carry his much heavier adult son from place to place. When I asked them (through an interpreter) they shared with me they had no wheelchair plus the uneven steps of the apartment buildings rendered a wheelchair almost useless going up to their flat. When I asked them why they came they shared that they had heard the American doctors were in Camp Elektronic and they hoped to have their son seen. They were hoping for a miracle of some kind to help their son since they were getting older themselves and weren’t sure what would happen to him when they couldn’t care for him. I witnessed a wonderful example of what unconditional love looks like; Parents who did the hard work every day, day in and day out providing care for their son in a remarkable unselfish way.
Reflecting on the opportunities of that day in my journal I had written that I saw what God does for each one of us. Granted we are never too heavy for him to carry but the redundancy of the task must at times seem to never end. Same mistakes, same deaf ear, same idle tongue, same self centered worship. While the young man I saw may have issues with physical limitations how many of us have spiritual issues that if translated into physical representations would look flaccid and minimally developed as well. It was a moment of reflection that cause me to think about being more intentional in my role of being a disciple and being available as well to carry my spiritual brothers and sisters. All of us are different points of grace and sometimes we need to be carried and sometimes we are the ones who just have to do the hard work of carrying our brothers and sisters.
Thank you for serving as a life group leader and for being willing to carry others….may there always be someone to carry you when you need “God’s presence with a little skin on”.
YOU ARE APPRECIATED!!!!
Steve Bishop—Life Groups Director
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
So, Who is the Namo In Your Life?
Sharing Life—Connecting Journeys—Following Christ
Matthew 25:40 “The King Will Reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
One of my favorite authors is Phillip Yancey and as usual my favorite book is the one I just finished reading, or re-reading, or re-re-reading. One book in the last category that I make a point of reading at least once a year is the book entitled; Soul Survivor. It is an anthology of mentors that have impacted Philip Yancey in his own spiritual journey and in his personal interacting with both the world of the Church and the world at large. One of the mentors that he shares with the readers is the world renowned surgeon Dr. Paul Brand. Dr. Brand is one of the foremost medical researchers and experts in the treatments of Hanson’s disease more commonly known as leprosy. He was the son of medical/evangelist missionaries to India and while growing up in India encountered the devastating physical/social/emotional and spiritual impact of leprosy on almost a daily basis. He was so impacted by what he observed that he made research of the disease and the care of its victims his life work. He would go on to be recognized worldwide as a surgeon, research specialist, sought after speaker in medical circles and the author of several books including, “The Gift of Pain”. Philip Yancey would describe Dr. Brand on a personal level with the words, “humility and gratitude flowed from him naturally, and in our time together I sensed a desperate lack of these qualities in myself.” Yancey relates an account of traveling back to India with Dr. Brand to his childhood home in the Kolli Malai Mountains and the incredible witness of the ministry of his parents that is still there today. He also met a man named “Namo” who had been one of Dr. Brand’s first patients. A young university student when first diagnosed with leprosy (one of 4 million in India alone) Namo was forced out of the university and found his way to the only orthopedic surgeon willing to treat the deformities of the disease. Dr. Brand undertook treatments of Namos leprosy and was able medically to not only halt the disease progression but surgical reconstruct Namos hands that had been severely damaged in the course of his affliction. At the time of the writing of Yanceys book Namo had returned to the university and graduated and had gone on to become the Chief of Physical Therapy at the All-India Institute. When Yancey visited Namo’s home he saw on the wall a picture of Dr. Brand and underneath the picture the words; “May the Spirit that is in him live in me”. What an incredible witness of the fruit that comes from simply living as Christ would call us unto the “least of these”. Namo may not have been the epitome of a “desirable disciple” when he came to Dr. Brand but in the economy of heaven he is an ongoing witness to Christ ability to use ordinary people in extraordinary ways.
As a life group leader and a minister of the Gospel do you have sense of who the “Namo” might be in your Life? The “Namos” in our lives are not necessarily always obvious and you may have to look a little deeper than the polite surfaces we all have for each other.
Sharing Life—Connecting Journeys—Following Christ
Matthew 25:40 “The King Will Reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
One of my favorite authors is Phillip Yancey and as usual my favorite book is the one I just finished reading, or re-reading, or re-re-reading. One book in the last category that I make a point of reading at least once a year is the book entitled; Soul Survivor. It is an anthology of mentors that have impacted Philip Yancey in his own spiritual journey and in his personal interacting with both the world of the Church and the world at large. One of the mentors that he shares with the readers is the world renowned surgeon Dr. Paul Brand. Dr. Brand is one of the foremost medical researchers and experts in the treatments of Hanson’s disease more commonly known as leprosy. He was the son of medical/evangelist missionaries to India and while growing up in India encountered the devastating physical/social/emotional and spiritual impact of leprosy on almost a daily basis. He was so impacted by what he observed that he made research of the disease and the care of its victims his life work. He would go on to be recognized worldwide as a surgeon, research specialist, sought after speaker in medical circles and the author of several books including, “The Gift of Pain”. Philip Yancey would describe Dr. Brand on a personal level with the words, “humility and gratitude flowed from him naturally, and in our time together I sensed a desperate lack of these qualities in myself.” Yancey relates an account of traveling back to India with Dr. Brand to his childhood home in the Kolli Malai Mountains and the incredible witness of the ministry of his parents that is still there today. He also met a man named “Namo” who had been one of Dr. Brand’s first patients. A young university student when first diagnosed with leprosy (one of 4 million in India alone) Namo was forced out of the university and found his way to the only orthopedic surgeon willing to treat the deformities of the disease. Dr. Brand undertook treatments of Namos leprosy and was able medically to not only halt the disease progression but surgical reconstruct Namos hands that had been severely damaged in the course of his affliction. At the time of the writing of Yanceys book Namo had returned to the university and graduated and had gone on to become the Chief of Physical Therapy at the All-India Institute. When Yancey visited Namo’s home he saw on the wall a picture of Dr. Brand and underneath the picture the words; “May the Spirit that is in him live in me”. What an incredible witness of the fruit that comes from simply living as Christ would call us unto the “least of these”. Namo may not have been the epitome of a “desirable disciple” when he came to Dr. Brand but in the economy of heaven he is an ongoing witness to Christ ability to use ordinary people in extraordinary ways.
As a life group leader and a minister of the Gospel do you have sense of who the “Namo” might be in your Life? The “Namos” in our lives are not necessarily always obvious and you may have to look a little deeper than the polite surfaces we all have for each other.
Monday, October 26, 2009
So!! How Does God Speak to You?
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Psalm 119:105
In the early to mid 90’s a series of messages began to appear on billboards on the Ft. Lauderdale area. They were cryptic one liners that caught people’s attention as they would drive on the freeways and could be read in a simple glance. Various media outlets pursed intently information regarding the authorship of the billboards and no one seemed to be able to identify the unnamed donor funding the effort. The anonymous donor chose to remain unknown and let the attention remain on the Speaker. The billboard idea caught on and began to bloom in over 200 cities across the country. I encountered them on my first trip to Gulfport Mississippi as part of the Katrina rebuilding/relief effort in 2005. Especially poignant in that time of intense need for so many the messages were timely and impacting. Along I-10 just east of Gulfport was a row of billboards….stark black in appearance with large white letters they stood out and you could not miss them or their messages. Messages like;
Let’s Talk………..
That “Love Thy Neighbor” thing----I meant it……
Ok, Now I have Your Attention…
Let’s Meet at My House Sunday, before the Game
Have you read My #1 Bestseller? (there will be a test)
I Love you…..I Love you…..I Love You
God
Our God is not silent nor is He absent. He inhabits the praises of His people, and the heart of every individual who gives him permission. We are blessed at so many levels of our lives to be His people called by His name. But we are blessed to be a blessing as well and there are a couple of opportunities for service I wanted to make you aware of.
October 17th at 5:30 pm at our church will be a silent auction and dinner as a fundraiser for Devin and Bridget Myers as they prepare for their commitment to Nigeria as missionaries from our church. We have a chance to be part of their faith journey and bless them and their ministry.
October 31st our church will once again be providing the “Light the Night” opportunity….a fun evenings when folks can tailgate in our parking lot and bless some children in the process. Volunteers are still needed as hosts and for set-up and clean up. Several life groups have volunteered in the past in some really humorous and creative ways. You don’t have to be a parent to be involved.
As we are getting a great response from folks looking to be part of the life group experience it would be especially helpful if you would respond to this email with your attendance and if you have room for more folks.
Just hit reply type in the attendance for your group and indicate open or full.
Any other stories you have to share about what is happening in your life groups would also be appreciated.
Blessings in all you are doing!!!
YOU ARE APPRECIATED!!!
Stephen Bishop Interim Life Group Director
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Psalm 119:105
In the early to mid 90’s a series of messages began to appear on billboards on the Ft. Lauderdale area. They were cryptic one liners that caught people’s attention as they would drive on the freeways and could be read in a simple glance. Various media outlets pursed intently information regarding the authorship of the billboards and no one seemed to be able to identify the unnamed donor funding the effort. The anonymous donor chose to remain unknown and let the attention remain on the Speaker. The billboard idea caught on and began to bloom in over 200 cities across the country. I encountered them on my first trip to Gulfport Mississippi as part of the Katrina rebuilding/relief effort in 2005. Especially poignant in that time of intense need for so many the messages were timely and impacting. Along I-10 just east of Gulfport was a row of billboards….stark black in appearance with large white letters they stood out and you could not miss them or their messages. Messages like;
Let’s Talk………..
That “Love Thy Neighbor” thing----I meant it……
Ok, Now I have Your Attention…
Let’s Meet at My House Sunday, before the Game
Have you read My #1 Bestseller? (there will be a test)
I Love you…..I Love you…..I Love You
God
Our God is not silent nor is He absent. He inhabits the praises of His people, and the heart of every individual who gives him permission. We are blessed at so many levels of our lives to be His people called by His name. But we are blessed to be a blessing as well and there are a couple of opportunities for service I wanted to make you aware of.
October 17th at 5:30 pm at our church will be a silent auction and dinner as a fundraiser for Devin and Bridget Myers as they prepare for their commitment to Nigeria as missionaries from our church. We have a chance to be part of their faith journey and bless them and their ministry.
October 31st our church will once again be providing the “Light the Night” opportunity….a fun evenings when folks can tailgate in our parking lot and bless some children in the process. Volunteers are still needed as hosts and for set-up and clean up. Several life groups have volunteered in the past in some really humorous and creative ways. You don’t have to be a parent to be involved.
As we are getting a great response from folks looking to be part of the life group experience it would be especially helpful if you would respond to this email with your attendance and if you have room for more folks.
Just hit reply type in the attendance for your group and indicate open or full.
Any other stories you have to share about what is happening in your life groups would also be appreciated.
Blessings in all you are doing!!!
YOU ARE APPRECIATED!!!
Stephen Bishop Interim Life Group Director
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Hospitality 101
Sharing lives--Connecting journeys—Following Christ
Romans 12:13-16
Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn, live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position…….
In 1990 our church sent several teams in succession to do construction work in Chillian, Chile. Our purpose was to construct a multipurpose building in the city of Chillian in support of the ministry efforts of Pastor Sergio and Maria Loyola. The building would be utilized as a seminary, for worship gatherings and as a general community center. Our church sent 3 teams for periods of 3 weeks each for a total of nine weeks and for a bunch of gringos learning to build the “Chillian” way I thought we did pretty well. The local congregation in Chillian provided an incredible level of hospitality while we were there and made sure that nothing was lacking as much as possible in our “home away from home”. Meals were always incredible and I was especially impressed with eating watermelon and fresh fruit in January. Remember in the southern hemisphere our winter is their summer and vice versa. We enjoyed days of work under an incredible blue sky and warm evening walks with all the neighborhood kids. When our team finally came to saying goodbyes there were easily 400—500 people at the bus station from a congregation of about 200. We connected with so many neighborhood folks beyond the congregation we came to serve that many non-church attendees came to see us off. We experienced an incredible level of love and hospitality that truly humbled us all. I remember two instances of hospitality that really stood out for me; the first instance-- we were fed far more food that we could all eat and I remember asking myself where the extra food was going until one of our team members discovered the secret. He inadvertently stopped by our lodging place during the day and found a large number of children eating our leftovers. It turned out that what we had been leaving the hostesses had been passing on to the hungry kids from the barrio. The food we were getting was far more desirable than the usual Chillian fare. So quiet lesson to construction team…eat less, leave more. The other example came when I noticed that the furniture in our lodging place was very nice especially with the observable poverty all around us. When I asked one of the church members if this was typical of a chillian home and I will never forget his response, “oh no Stephen….the furniture in the place you are staying is the very best. Each of the families of our church brought their very best piece of furniture to the place you are staying so we could make you feel welcome. They had all brought their best for us to use…not their cast-offs, not their surplus, but their best. Their desire to bless us exceeded their concern for their “stuff” and they shared it willingly.
What a great witness to a bunch of gringos.
As we are welcoming our brothers and sisters into our homes and groups…lets give them our best.
Do you have stories you would like to share about what is happening in your group. Let us know about them and your attendance this week. Please hit reply type in your response then hit send.
Remember; YOU ARE APPRECIATED!!!!
Stephen Bishop---Interim Director of Life Groups
Sharing lives--Connecting journeys—Following Christ
Romans 12:13-16
Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn, live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position…….
In 1990 our church sent several teams in succession to do construction work in Chillian, Chile. Our purpose was to construct a multipurpose building in the city of Chillian in support of the ministry efforts of Pastor Sergio and Maria Loyola. The building would be utilized as a seminary, for worship gatherings and as a general community center. Our church sent 3 teams for periods of 3 weeks each for a total of nine weeks and for a bunch of gringos learning to build the “Chillian” way I thought we did pretty well. The local congregation in Chillian provided an incredible level of hospitality while we were there and made sure that nothing was lacking as much as possible in our “home away from home”. Meals were always incredible and I was especially impressed with eating watermelon and fresh fruit in January. Remember in the southern hemisphere our winter is their summer and vice versa. We enjoyed days of work under an incredible blue sky and warm evening walks with all the neighborhood kids. When our team finally came to saying goodbyes there were easily 400—500 people at the bus station from a congregation of about 200. We connected with so many neighborhood folks beyond the congregation we came to serve that many non-church attendees came to see us off. We experienced an incredible level of love and hospitality that truly humbled us all. I remember two instances of hospitality that really stood out for me; the first instance-- we were fed far more food that we could all eat and I remember asking myself where the extra food was going until one of our team members discovered the secret. He inadvertently stopped by our lodging place during the day and found a large number of children eating our leftovers. It turned out that what we had been leaving the hostesses had been passing on to the hungry kids from the barrio. The food we were getting was far more desirable than the usual Chillian fare. So quiet lesson to construction team…eat less, leave more. The other example came when I noticed that the furniture in our lodging place was very nice especially with the observable poverty all around us. When I asked one of the church members if this was typical of a chillian home and I will never forget his response, “oh no Stephen….the furniture in the place you are staying is the very best. Each of the families of our church brought their very best piece of furniture to the place you are staying so we could make you feel welcome. They had all brought their best for us to use…not their cast-offs, not their surplus, but their best. Their desire to bless us exceeded their concern for their “stuff” and they shared it willingly.
What a great witness to a bunch of gringos.
As we are welcoming our brothers and sisters into our homes and groups…lets give them our best.
Do you have stories you would like to share about what is happening in your group. Let us know about them and your attendance this week. Please hit reply type in your response then hit send.
Remember; YOU ARE APPRECIATED!!!!
Stephen Bishop---Interim Director of Life Groups
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