Mike’s Sea2sea Blog

This past weekend I visited Ottawa Chinese Alliance church. On Saturday night I got to be with the youth – whose time together included a Skype call with Jonathon Mikes in Mexico City!  I really enjoyed watching the youth gathered for games, friendship, learning to play instruments for worship, leaders committing their time…just great to be a part of it.

My challenge for them that night came out of the Matthew/Mark passage where the “rich young ruler”  comes to Jesus.  I’ve got a new favorite Bonhoeffer quote “And if we answer the call to discipleship, where will it lead us?” That’s where truly missional living begins – after we give our hearts to him, well,  all bets are off. Jesus is just saying “Trust me, leave those other loves, come follow me and see if my reward is not greater!”.

Sunday morning, I was able to worship freely before preaching at the English service at 9:30 am.  Great music team took care of planning things thoroughly and with depth. It was cool seing friend and colleague Dave Nguyen give leadership while the English pastor, Daniel Tjoe-a-long (another friend I highly respect!) was away. Pre-service, there was a prayer meeting people popped in and out of – I got to join in a prayer for their city…honestly, I realized I don’t often hear a prayer for a churches city. An elder showed me the property next door the church is purchasing in order to expand.

Then I had an incredible privilege – after all these years of participating in Chinese Mandarin services, and English ministry services – my first ever Cantonese service!

3 observations: 1) Beautiful, highly practiced choir and music. In the days of my youth at Hillsdale in Regina – this is what I was discipled in! 2) I was reminded by God through both services that the Cantonese congregation is representative of a remarkable group of people who since coming to Canada have had an incalculable impact on the C&MA and Global Ministry. 3)In speaking to an elder following the service, I learned that it is difficult for them to find a Cantonese speaking pastor and that poses a major obstacle as they look to the future.

I felt that brother’s weight of discouragement – where to from here?

I wanted to encourage him…it just seemed impossible to me that God did not have some wonderful future yet for the Cantonese congregation. They’ve planted numerous churches, sent and supported missionaries, launched Mandarin ministries…..Yet I cannot answer. This journey, however, is likely to drive them to prayer and seeking of God’s purpose for them….and that always leads to something beyond what we could ever imagine.

Having a Vietnamese lunch across the street afterwards with some of the 20 somethings from the English service – I have to wonder about their future as well. Socially smart, well-educated, world-travelled (scrolling through the Iphone for pictures from a recent trip to Asia) and likely well-taught through their years in church…what will God do with this crowd?

I actually think it will be the same for these communities as it for many others – that God has called them, with their talents and yes, with their brokeness (alas, we are all broken), to this place and to this time for a reason! It will be specific to them, and no one can discover it for them…it must be in their encounter with God.

Since the most significant thing happening anywhere is that God is reconciling the world to himself in Christ then it seems to me that our mission-minded stance should be: why us, why here, why now? (With everything we have and are on the table!)

What am I sure of? That they (both groups) do not see yet what God sees – all of the potential for incredible influence theycould have for the gospel. That is the condition of many of us today.

Like the advent passage this hope is glorious:  ”With God all things are possible”. I can’t wait to see what will come as God works through these brothers and sisters!

This week I got to be at Scarborough Community Alliance Church for a panel discussion with Pastor Timothy Quek, and then ended up having a meal with he and several young men from the church.

Good questions included; “How do we as leaders mobilize the people around us for missions?”, “How do the Canadian born children of immigrants find their way through the pressure to make a good living, as well serve Jesus wholeheartedly?”; “How do I keep my confidence when discussing my faith with an atheist?”. There were other good q’s as well, and I wish we had more time to go back and forth. I feel these young people represent a rising wave of change for the church. I am looking forward to their impact on the world!

That night, at Scarborough Chinese Alliance’s Missions Conference,  I heard Gerald Hogenbirk preach about “lighting a candle, instead of cursing the darkness”. Next day, in my home church we had a special guest Wally talk about the many ways believers were lighting candles to show God’s goodness and love in place where there is great darkness. Last evening, our church had prayer time focused on that Spice Island, as well as on Oshawa – praying that we will be a light in darkness here.

Imagine someone from the Globe and Mail/Vancouver Sun asking: What “darkness”?  How would you answer? Here’s a stab – “Wherever the redemptive, healing power of Jesus to free humanity from the hold of sin is unknown. It’s darkness because of the sad effects of sin in individuals and communities: hatred and conflict erupt frequently,  the weak  become exploited, the degradation of women and children becomes commonplace, hopelessness and broken trusts abound.” For scripture, we could use Paul writing to Timothy - telling him that Christ Jesus came into the world to ” ’save sinners – ‘and I am the worst of them all”. He told him in the same letter that God “wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity – the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message he gave to the world at just the right time”.

But at the end of the day in the eyes of many around us we may look crazy. Why do we believe so strongly in raising great amounts of money, or praying with regularity and intensity, or going to very dangerous places in order to bring the good news of Jesus to men and women?

A quick breeze through the New York Times shows that the early Alliance supporters piqued secular interest! Their firm commitment to the plan of making Christ known everywhere is absolutely amazing – but it was not always understood!  (1898FallMissionsConference, SimpsonPledges1902)  You can find lot’s of  reports of their massive gatherings, and massive offerings! (Why are they doing this? Is it the music, the emotion…)

I remember a story Bill Hybels told about a fairly new believer who was being challenged by his accountant about his generous giving to ministry. Later, talking with his pastor one on one, he asked “I’m not crazy, am I?”.

Do I worry about what the world around me (my neighbours, the Toronto Star, civic leaders) think? For sure I do! But our confidence – our lack of shame – comes from our own experience of His mercy to us, and that the gospel really is the remedy our world is crying out for, and it’s been entrusted to the church to dispense in those creative ways He enables us by His Spirit.

Some great words on the “Brown Blog“. I get to work with people like this!

“The Lord will march forth like a mighty hero…”

It’s been on my mind for a good long time, especially this year: why do does the concept of a great hero resonate so powerfully in our world?

Both Hollywood and television have always done well with hero-themed movies, and lately it seems the concept is everywhere. The “Heroes” show is just one more example, ordinary people (who are yet weak, and still struggle) who have special powers and can use them for good or evil. Our longing for this story extends to celebrity culture: people love to raise up their fellow humans on a pedestal. It might be because they are exceptionally quick with a stick and a puck, or have fine features and acting ability (or just fine features), or appeal to us as fresh answers to our political stalemates. Consider even the church (or a high school, a company, a university department), and you can probably learn within a day or a week who are the heroes. It may very likely be mythical virtues set upon them, but someone past or present in that community is the hero, and the one for whom people either strive to be or strive against. These particular heroes, if still living, wield extraordinary power to move people in one direction or another.

This longing fora real-life, just and powerful hero who would deliver us…well, it matches up with the promise and character of God himself. AND HIS CHOSEN WAY of bringing hope and justice to the nations is through the empowering of ordinary, broken people….the church.

 Isaiah 42 invites us to take a good long look at the hero anointed by God to bring justice:

“Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations.

He will not shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest read or put out a flickering candle.

He will bring justice to all who have been wronged….”

So in Jesus, the hero of heroes, we find our highest example. But His chosen way to fulfill his mission ….is us! He commissioned his disciples: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses…”

I’ll get to the point: Hollywood or any hero-building community can re-write the script a hundred times over but they are only adjusting  the fine points of a theme God built into the human condition. We are meant for great things, to bring mercy, justice, compassion, peace, complete with extraordinary power. Our sin (well recounted in so many versions of the “hero” story today) makes us a brittle race, destined for self-destruction. But in the self-sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, God demonstrated his love for men and women, making a new life possible, complete with the filling of His spirit in us. 

So every time you see a twist on theme of the hero, be reminded that all deepest longings in us and in our world for a true hero are met in the true character and mission of Jesus, who,  in turn, has selected you.

“You will be a light to guide the nations. You will open theyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.”

A year ago, I felt God really pushing me to see we could bring students from Ontario Alliance churches to Urbana.

Urbana is a student missions conference put on by Inter Varsity every 3 years, and has a long history of being very focused on challenging the next generation with a biblical and spiritually vital message of the power of the gospel, and the call for us to carry it into the world. Speakers throughout the years at Urbana have been evangelists like Billy Graham and Luis Palau, pastors and writers like John Stott and Rick Warren, and church leaders from around the world, like Ajith Fernando (Sri Lanka) and Ray Aldred (First Nations, Canada). And of course, many, many missionaries; Elisabeth Elliott (always challenging), David Adeney (China -wrote a great book), Samuel Zwemer (Middle East and the Muslim world) to name a few.

BUT SO WHAT!

“We are praying that this convention might be just the beginning of a mighty missionary movement on the part of thousands of Christian students throughout North America. We hope that we may be an instrument in God’s hands, not only as a home mission, preaching the Gospel to America’s college students, but also as a foreign missionary recruiting agency … supplying a stream of trained missionary candidates, a pool of consecrated manpower for the evangelization of the world.” (original founders of Urbana conference, 1947, following first Urbana)

The reason I am booking bus seats and hotel rooms, and sending emails, etc…is because, like these pioneers who had vision, I believe the gospel is the only remedy for what is destroying us.

Put yourself into the story found in the Toronto Star, September 5th (A27), about Dakota Hunter, who lived in Nelson House, a community in northern Manitoba. When Dakota was13, he started to take tae kwon do “and took to heart the message of his instructor…who told him to listen to his enemeies and let them be tough”. CBC came along and did a documentary about this young lad “trying to stay at peace with himself among the turbulence of growing up native in a northern Manitoba band”. He was known as a good kid, raised money for cancer research, part of a local group respecting traditions (Lance Runners), and trusted in the area to babysit or do odd jobs.

But bullying from increasingly aggressive teens could not be escaped. Gang life was too pervasive a force in the area. Two other young men (one of whom used to be a close friend) who wore the colours of a certain gang, showed up in the middle of the night to his house

“..they weren’t welcomed in. Dakota’s sister saw her younger brother’s reaction as he noticed the two boys and instinctively shrank from the doorway. A moment later he faced them directly..”What are you doing here”….the two young men suggested Dakota take a walk with them. He refused. One of them called him a [coward] but when he didn’t respond …they left….but less than 20 minutes later, her brother was heading out the door.

 ”I’m going for a walk”.

“An hour later his sister went looking for him, and instead found RCMP and other people. “How fast can you drive to Thompson?”. By the time Tiara made it to the regional hospital an hour away, her brother was dead, 2 days after his 17th birthday.

“…Tiara Hunter’s anger still festers…..”

Do you not feel that? Grief, pain, …. Lord, how must you feel about this?

I know that it’s complicated. But after you add up all that’s wrong, and you consider the best intentions of briliant minds, I have no confidence in the solutions that will be proposed. Who can bring healing to the hurt in this community? Who can bring real peace to Tiara Hunter? Who can bring reconciliation between teens at war, in places where opportunity is missing and despair abounds?

I am passionate for the church to get the picture of God’s love for the Hunters, and for the gang members who committed the crime, which comes from God’s word and the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Only Jesus can bring lasting real change, and he has chosen to do it (really, this is how he has chosen do it) through people who themselves were rescued from a disastrous past (and headed for a disastrous future) – you and I.

And so who will go? As teachers? As doctors? As servants? As friends?

Who will pray passionately, deliberately and with perseverence for God to do something new? 

Who will commit to a plan or project and see it through, no matter what the cost?

It may take a lifetime. It may take a life.

But He will equip that person (those people) with what they need to bring changes within hearts, and not only that, but will spark within those he loves the resolve to stand against the tide of hate, and inspire them to build tangible structures which demonstrate his love and mercy to all.

This is why I am excited to bring students to Urbana 2009 - the seemingly impossible places of pain in our world will become places where Jesus can demonstrate his redeeming love and mercy, through the unremarkable (to some), yet totally consecrated people that he calls his own.

Psalm 126:6  ”They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.”

One of the highlights of the summer for me this year was a friendship begun with a colleague in ministry from Paris, France. He attended a huge missions conference hosted by the Canadian Chinese Alliance churches (CCACA), held at Brock University from July 1st to 5th.

His name is Belkacem, and he does a couple of things in Paris: 1)pastors a French Chinese congregation, working with Dick Kaan, one of our C&MA International workers from Ottawa, and 2) leads an outreach to Arabic people in the Paris area (estimated 1.5 million). 

Belkacem’s a few years younger than myself, married with one child and another on the way. His story is quite amazing: he’s Algerian, Muslim background and came to Christ at 16 by hearing the gospel by radio. He later came to study in France and sensed God calling him to serve him full time. He made a connection with one of our people in Europe and ended up being partnered with Dick Kaan in Paris. He speaks Berber, Arabic, French and English. (And of course, he is discipling a community of 2nd generation Chinese young people, as part of the heart of a Chinese congregation in Europe!)

It turned out to be a lot of fun…he was with a delegation of 2G Chinese students and leaders. He and a few others came with me to escape to have a good coffee and see Niagra Falls. Under the Skylon tower, I was talking about the NBA in french and english (switching back and forth, if I recall – tres Canadien) with a chinese young adult, and talking with both he and Belkacem about cultural differences.

Yes, I have the coolest job in the world, OK, but let me get to the point. While it was cool to be with these people, worship with them, dialogue over tough questions in one of the conference panel discussions; what I still marvel at is the incredible potential we have (in Christ, in 2009) to enjoy new community….perhaps even participate in the creation of a new culture!

Was our community together European, or North African, or Chinese, or Irish Canadian? Yes it was. And it wasn’t that difficult. But though that is great on one level, perhaps the same level as the grandest dreams of the UN or CNN, that’s not what was groundbreaking. What is truly amazing is people from vastly different backgrounds who discover and enjoy a brand new culture because their common experience of having their lives turned upside down because of Jesus. What if people from diverse backgrounds love one another in that way provoked by the Spirit of the God whose plan it was to redeem the world through his son? Now that’s an apologetic of power for a world at war, full of ancient grievances and prejudice.

Yes, I have the most important job in the world as well! We all do: pressing toward one another in Christ across cultural boundaries.

(This Hezekiah story has been on my mind lately, so I recently wrote this for a family friend. I want to spend more time on this passage this fall).

My friend, I’d like to draw your attention to the story of a young king of Judah. His name is Hezekiah, and quite a bit is written about him. It says that he was 25 years old when he started as a king – that’s very young to lead people, or a government. He would have been surrounded by much older, more experienced people. And he grew up in a world where the previous ruler had rejected God in a severe and public way. In fact, the previous king actually broke some of the temple worship equipment into pieces, and shut the doors to the temple (the nicest one ever, the one Solomon built), so that no one could worship there, and finally set up little shrines to other gods (gods popular with neighbouring nations/empires)all over the capital city. When that king died, they didn’t even bury him with the other kings of Judah.

So Hezekiah shows up, and it’s obvious that someone taught him. Someone, maybe his mom, it doesn’t exactly say, trained him in the way of God. “In the very first month of the first year his reign, Hezekiah reopened the doors of the Temple of the Lord and repaired them.” And then, with the whole place no doubt still a mess, he called together the Levites (like worship leaders) and priests. At 25 years young, he got all those leaders together, and like a coach taking over a lousy football program, tells them things are going to be different from now on, and challenges them to do what God called them to do, and to “lead the people in worship and present offerings to him.” It’s a pretty stirring speech.

But the speech isn’t the main thing, friend. It’s the resolve – he marched in, and didn’t worry that others thought he was young, or that he was changing things. He took his place, and there’s a list of the actual names of the others who went to work with him. In 16 days, the people of that country were re-dedicating the Temple of the Lord, and worshipping with sacrifices and “cymbals, lyres, and harps”. You can read about the resolve of the whole country when they faced a massive invasion years later. (Hezekiah’s story starts in the 29th chapter of 2 Chronicles).

By following God he re-shaped the nation.

So – you’ve been trained, too. Like Timothy, a young man from Lystra in the earliest days of the church. Despite being raised in a corrupt world, this was God’s gift to you, and it will bless many others no doubt. Paul said to Timothy “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith and your purity. Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.” So I challenge you to remain steadfastly committed to what you’ve learned. When you live it out:

It will re-shape the church!

I look forward to seeing your adventure unfold. Maybe I will be one of those older people you’ll need call out and challenge some day.

You better let me have it, don’t hold back a bit.

Much love and grace,

Mike

Before Jesus (as the 24-7 Prayer people say) “wrecked my life”, I longed for real community and couldn’t find it.

And now I’m sitting in an airport with a friend and colleague, reflecting on 4 days with an incredible group of  C&MA international workers, all home for about a year or so of ministry in Alliance churches in whatever part of Canada they are from.

I could, (and will later), write about all kinds of interesting  conversations: about new kinds of internships young people and university grads can be involved in (Guinea, Africa; Mexico City; or Papua in Southeast Asia), or more about Lois Belsey (see last blog), or about  the vision and passion of Jim Foster, as he finished out a very long stretch of meetings with his leadership team still clearly painting a picture of what WE are hoping to accomplish to glorify God. And that only scratches the surface.

What stands out most to me is relationships. At this meeting, my former Youth Pastor, Warren Reeve, and his wife were there, working with me and encouraging me. The international worker who God used to show me his great love for Mexico City – Paul Ens – was there, and we got to enjoy a late night meal. Gerald and Dorothy Hogenbirk, who first received me 17 years ago in their house in Yamassoukro, Cote D’Ivoire, are now shoulder to shoulder with me in church ministry, including time spent with young adults and students. Former professors from my Bible College days were there, colleagues now in ministry. And my co-workers continue to be inspiring people:  fellow DMC’s, Ric and Ruth Ann Gilbertson from Converge, our GM support team…..on and on, so many that share the greater passion of God’s redeeming plan for the world, and through Christ become like brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts.

Paul Ens (Mex. City) and Harold Priebe (frmr Regional Director for Sun, now DMC in BC)

When I gave in to Jesus as a teen years ago,  it was in large part because of the witness of my grandfather. He was pouring out his life, telling me stories as he grieved the passing of my grandma (far too early). It was a whole series of conversations, but as he talked about the people he worked with at our seminary and college, preparing the next generation of leaders…..well, it sounded too good to be true. He said, “You know, Michael, I could go anywhere in the world…..and there would somebody who could take me in.”

Little did I know this was an understatement.

No matter how many ways we can develop great relationships with others, what can top the privilege of worshiping with one another?

So this morning I’m standing and singing beside my colleague, Vince Vetro (DMC for the Central/West Ontario), surrounded by 40 or so of our C&MA international workers. The song “In Christ Alone” comes up, which sketches the life of Christ and what he did for each of us. Then Lois Belsey, our worker in Papua, New Guinea, squeezes in between us (so she could get a better glimpse of the screen). The verse comes up: “In Christ alone, who took on flesh, fullness of God in helpless babe….” and suddenly,  the incarnation:

is not only God’s great love for me, coming into the world to rescue broken, prodigal sinners like me

but also it’s the model by which our workers live their lives — like Lois, who lives and works with people in the deepest jungles of Papua, so that God’s great love for the people there can be demonstrated by someone “in the flesh”….

All of that went through my heart and mind in a split second, and I experienced a real sense of common purpose with Lois, Vince (who is just crazy with passion for the idea of seeing the next generation catch God’s heart for the world, and especially for young people to get out there with Lois on internships), and all of these fellow workers. This week, we’ll be discussing lot’s of important business about having strong bonds between international workers and people in Canadian churches. But what about the simple bond that comes just from worshiping together? I hope this happens over and over again for these workers as they travel around to our churches.

I wonder if a missionary has ever been invited as a special guest to a youth service or worship service, or mid-week group of some sort, like this: “We’d love just for you to worship with us, take communion with us.” I dare someone to do that — just love Jesus together with them as an honoured guest, and then pray for one another.

Try it and tell me how it goes.

There’s a great message I downloaded full of beautiful stories of the life and youth of Luis Palau. He gave it to the students at Liberty University during their missions week, last February (09 – “By All Means”). A couple of examples: man by the name of Rogers, in Argentina as a president of a division of an oil company, led Palau’s mom to Christ by visiting door to door (before Palau was born), then later his father, in a remarkable way, believed. Also, a great story is told about the stubborn determination and faith of Cameron Townsend, founder/leader of Wycliff Bible Translators, as he met with the minster of Education in Peru.

He also talks about my grandparents generation: ”I think in Latin America we got the best missionaries.” He says that it was just after World War 2, and the people who came lived very simply, and preached the gospel and the Bible was their guide.  Luis also makes great points about the need for new methods (shares frankly about how strategies have changed for his ministry in Portland), but as a word to the wise, reminds us that evangelism is social action.

I had coffee earlier this year with Arnold Cook (one of the later post war missionaries Luis Palau is talking about, and former C&MA president), and he made the same points to me. We do well to pay attention, listen respectfully, learning like desperate men and women all we can from those who have gone ahead, suffered, and have seen God do amazing things. Just the legacy of Palau’s ministry (all that God has done through him) proves their point.

We still can gain so much from the simplicity and faith of those mid-century pioneers. Who was this oil man named Rogers, what motivated him to show up at the Palau residence? Did God ever use the fruits of his efforts!

Enjoy! If you have the Itunes program, here’s the link for the message “By All Means”:  http://deimos3.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/liberty-public.1387048689.01886738730.1947541949?i=1859139625