Sunday Morning #wa2011 - STUDENT DAY Bible Engagement liveblog

The auditorium starts to fill up this morning, the band is rocking a reggae beat inviting us to worship God together.  The students at WOrld Assembly are sat near the front together. Today is student day - they have shaped and will lead. They are AWAKE - adrenelin ahead of their big role in leading today and fellowship together feeding their wakefulness. It is infectious - they are even lifting the energy of the worship band further.  As we move to sing an African song the energy levels lift EVEN higher - a student is brought out of the crowd, unscriptied, to teach actions.  Whoops and claps, joy hits the those still coming into the auditorium.  This morning coming into the auditorium I was seriously tired but this energy, joy and depth of fellowship is truly lifting.

Jesus, we are here          Jesu, Tawa pano

Jesus, we are here         Jesu, Tawa pano

Jesus, we are here         Jesu, Tawa pano

We are here, for You.     Tawa pano mu zita pawu

Nigel comes to the stage wearing his New Zealand shirt.  He gives us a precie of the news that we might pray together.  We pray for Egypt, Norway, Japan and other nations in the light of events of the last weeks.

The students take to the stage.  Tiffany speaks of her visit to Auschwitz and she was struggling with the idea of the goodness of God.  We will sing "God is So Good" in 5 languages. 

Chaos breaks out as we sing the song in our own languages - hundreds of languages break out across the room: a true taste and experience of Pentecost, unity in praising God in the midst of our diversity.

John Godson (1st black member of Polish parliament) comes to the stage.  John speaks of being a student in Nigeria and being challenged to live for Jesus - John was challenged by what has happening in Eastern Europe in the Soviet era.  IFES offered John a place when no other missionary agency would.  He came to Poland on Aug 2nd 1993, after the Iron Curtain had already fallen.  In 1998 the time with IFES came to an end and John's focus came to focus on praying for the nation of Poland.  In 2003 he took up a call to politics, elected to parliament in 2010.  In all of this he has experienced that his life has followed the direction of his prays.    "Wherever you are, God wants to use you - it is not about position but it is about availability"

Now a brother from Zimbabwe comes to the stage.    There are good things coming out of Zim.  There is a young woman who had come to university from a disrupted background - having aborted a baby, been under the power of her boyfriend.  She came to Christ, but worried that she was beyond God's power to really change her life.  She met young man in her group, they eventually got married and she is now leading a creche and her husband is in ministry and church leadership.  A young man trained in leadership in a group context and is now leading NGOs and eventually went to jail, like so many others, but is living faithfully.  There are issues of poverty, consistency and opportunity which are both a challenge and a blessing.

The work in Mexico - Pizza and Internet/God.  The Compa group wanted to know - if you could ask God anything what would it be.  They offered pizza and information in return for student's questions.  The questions were varied and many asked for answers - Facebook and email are being used in responding to the questions: digital media is being used in responding to the questions and the meetings are also being held.  The last meeting was really special - this has led to a greater understanding of the issues on campus and has also equipped and emboldened the Christian students. 

We come again to think about scripture - to think about the cross.

Two drama's will follow ahead of Femi Adeleya speaking.  The passage is John 12:20-36

²⁰ Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. ²¹They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
 ²³ Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.   ²⁷ “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name!”   Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ²⁹ The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
 ³⁰ Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. ³¹ Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. ³² And I, when I am lifted up^[a] from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” ³³ He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
 ³⁴ The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”
 ³⁵ Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. ³⁶ Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
Footnotes:

1. John 12:32
 The Greek for lifted up also means exalted.

The students passage is read by the students powerfully.  The band come to lead us in a reflective song in English and French.  The stage darkens.  Again the sound of grinding - as in the drama yesterday. The stage is cleared and the band leave.   A window is placed centre stage.  The sound of birdsong. a woman in kitchen clothes stands 'within' behind the window.  She opens the window and mimes planting something.  There is joy in her face. Love in her actions.  Wonder as she takes a seed and plants it.  The stage lights change and we see a seed germinating.  The scene changes back and forth - we see the seed drown and die.  Then we see growth and life and beauty emerge.  It is again a simple and powerful presentation.

  

Femi takes to the stage.

Today many people really want to see Jesus. Many have been to churches, some have even come to campus groups but are dissatisfied with their experiences - they really want to see Jesus.  Jesus pointed to the reason he has come to the world: Scripture read and drama have introduced this to us. 

In Jn 12 there was a world assembly in Jerusalem around passover.  The gentiles wanted to meet Jesus, in the midst of the religious experience.  Compare the gentiles with the Pharisees and religious leaders.  Today there are many who come to religion but not wanting to see Jesus: they come for miracles, for experiences and even for health and wealth.  Some so called miracles are neither possible or necessary.  When I was younger my hair looked like an Afro - when my hair began to recede I did not want to look hairless, so humanly speaking I started wearing hats until it became a hat BECAUSE I saw that to seek a miracle in trying to avoid the unavoidable was foolishness.  People waste so much time in seeking the miraculous in order to shortcut work or avoid age.  Foolishness.  Jesus has greater priorities in his ministry. 

The gentiles seek Jesus and so they come to Phillip who takes them to Andrew who goes to Jesus.  Seed and fruit are always linked. When a seed dies it produces growth, leaves, flowers, fruit - the seed that dies must die to germinate and die.  In the NIV it speaks not about fruit but about many seeds - we all too often focus on the fruit but Jesus focusses on the seeds, which produces more and more.  Life for others only comes through the death of the first seed.  The life of Christ through his death comes to us in power.
To love my life means that I am so caught up in my comfort that I lose my focus on His plan and His people.  For instance we live in an age where celebrity culture, plastic surgery, accumulating wealth, seeking comfort are pursuits which illustrate that life in our selves is life away from God.  Jesus says do not even worry because your heavenly father loves you: we must not make an idol of our own lives.  There is a call for those who would follow him.  IN the context when Jesus says 'whomever' it really means all are invited, but not an indication that all will be saved. 

Jesus speaks of God's glory being made real in His life.  The cross is the path of God's glory - The Father speaks: His glory has been made plain in Jesus.  The Father points to the cross - the Son speaks of the Father.  Jesus speaks of judgement and the destruction of the evil one.  Jesus will be lifted up in order to bring people to know God.  Jesus points the crowd to the cross - because this is the height of His ministry. Darkness will look like it is winning but in the ultimate victory of darkness over the Light of the World, The Lamb to be slain, will be founded the final destruction of darkness itself.

 What should this passage mean to us today?  Philip and Andrew present these gentiles to Jesus.  What do we emphasise when we speak about our ministry, our work?  This ministry is the pathway to the cross.  No resolutions, no moral codes, no philosophical commitments can change people - only, ONLY, the Lord Jesus: it is only the cross that Jesus unites us with God, unites us to one another. At the foot of the cross of Christ the ground is level and we stand equalled under the grace of God - no rank or privilege under the cross.  There are many who have died in the work and under the work, they have been like this seed producing more seeds.  The traditions of the death of the first Apostles speak volumes of the pathway of suffering: if we will follow Jesus, we must not edit the cross out of Christian discipleship.  The Cross is inescapable, essential, relevant and powerful.  A student from an islamic home had a dream of a light from her pillow to the heavens, it frightened her.  The second time she had the dream the light split into a cross. On the third day the light split into the cross and had an Arabic inscription "Jesus Christ is the Son of God". This is how she came to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.  We have all been called to follow the Lord Jesus, if he is to be Lord then there can be no compromise in our commitment to the cross.

 Daniel Bourdanne comes to pray that we will not forget the power of the cross - but that we will focus on the power and the beauty of the cross; that we will remain faithful to the message of the cross and resurrection. That we will live out the implications in our lives, families, groups, societies: suffering is hard but by God's Holy Spirit we can endure and even die should we be called to it. Asking God to help us to see a glimpse of the glory that we are going to live in and  now live for.

We close the evening with a view of a postcard from Krakow - a summary of the walking tours taken by the delegates yesterday afternoon


Postcard from Kraków from IFES World on Vimeo.

Saturday Night #wa2011 - Liveblog Living Stones: stories and testimonies

Many have walked the streets of Krakow today - seeing the Jewish quarter, the Schindler tour, the castle, shopping some have been to the Aquapark and a fair number went to Auschwitz.  I will blog about the day at Auschwitz Birkenau another time - I need time to think and process before sharing.  Whether we are wearied by walking or by the emotional confrontations of the day we are all worn out. I hope this evening is full of energy and joy.


The band strike up after another amazing video.

World Assembly 2011 Daily Impression - 30/07 from IFES World on Vimeo.

Saviour, He can move the mountains

My God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save...

Jesus conquered the grave!

That is a real conviction here - Jesus is mighty to save: really SAVE men and women from all over the world.  He has changed lives - talking to breothers and sisters from countries where their lives are in danger because of the work they do, the lives they live.  It is a privilege beyond expression to be able to share in that.  I am moved and challenged in almost every conversation: I feel like I am trading in the international gold markets - wealth is taken for granted.

Tonight we will be hearing different stories from around the world.

Now a man shares the awful details of a country who is greatly oppressing the people and the church.  The IFES movement is operating underground. Students are being arrested and persecuted.  In the midst of this suffering God is shaping leaders who are fully committed to their nation's transformation under the gospel; even though they have to meet for Bible Study and prayer in small groups in total secrecy.  There are many hundreds of students involved.  The staff, under these circumstances, arrange 3 leaders conferences - the content of which is shared back on campus by the students.  The staffworker's house is  the centre of the movement. The students have to be confused in coming in so they do not know where they are going, they cannot share their full names or their place of study, there is always a guard, the neighbours do not know what is happening and the students must make no noise.  In leaving the same risk in taking the students in and out, the same effort in making them confused.  They have a great hope that one day they will see the end of this terrible situation but not the end of the growth of the movement.  Pray for the govt of this nation. Pray for the students. Pray for the staff-worker and then board.  The person who is the chair of the board comes forward and is prayed for by the IFES secretary.  I'm weeping, brothers and sisters in prison for work that I sometimes get frustrated by, student leaders suffering, staff in hiding... it's been an emotional day and this is hitting hard. God have mercy and give your family under pressure real joy and strength in hard days.

Now students from Brazil arise to speak of the work of the gospel in Brazil.  The students of Brazil are engaging the youth of Brazil in ministry.  They are actively participating in programmes for youth who are at risk, raising awareness, teaching, praying: contributing to the National Youth Council.  ABUB are in dialogue with others: improbable conversations.  These improbably dialogues are engaging those who are on the edge of society - not conforming to society but seeking to be a prophetic voice.

A man walks to the stage and has a bottle of wine in his hand.  John Neall - spoke about how the Iron Curtain of the Soviet Union fell across Europe the day after he was born.  He would become an IFES pioneer behind the Iron Curtain.  In 1980 he came to Katowice, Poland and met a family who would become a powerful influence in Europe.  Then visits to Hungary, meeting a Nigerian who had been sent to Europe to be indoctrinated but rather he found Christ Jesus because he was loved by Christians.  Also in Hungary, John was asked to buy something for the doctor (wine) to help get medicine for the child.  Believers made it a principle to share bread, companions sharing bread and sharing life and hope and work.  The workers multiplied and the work grew.  John screws in a 'wing' wine opener and speaks of how it reminds him of Jesus - the living bread, true wine.


Desmond Rogers (IFES Secretary for the Caribbean) speaks about some who comment that he must have the best job in the world.  ISCCF Antigua - est. in 1960s by Brigit Harris, who returned from overseas and wanted to establish IFES work in the islands.  The story is also a story of partnership - staff and grads from over the Caribbean; also a Norwegian, a student grad from Canada, seeking to strengthen partnership in IVCF USA.  Also a story of student vitality - making a difference in lives. There have been days of great growth recently. A video plays detailing the context and work of the pacific - it is predictably joyful and full of music and love and it is shows a DEEP work of God going on in Antigua and Barbada.   Leon Harris, an older brother, who has served on the board of 5 different boards in the region, prays for ISCCF: "in all the joys and sorrows, we submit to you the Lord of the Universe... God we commit to you those who will lead... for a renewal of vision... for resources... thank you Lord for the answers, for the provision, lead the leaders as they follow you  in close relationship"

Again another movement working and founded in a social and official persecution. Churches are suspicious of the student movement - but still the movement seeks to engage the whole of life and the taboo subjects of the society.  A student is exploring Christian faith and she knows the seriousness of the call and the cost - at the moment the cost is hindering her but Christ is at work.

Now Nick from the USA takes the stage.  Opposites attract - a Polish American working among Latin  students right on the Southern Border of the USA.  On his first day he prayed in the University chapel - there was a student there and he chatted to that student, that gave the opening to the work.  10 students within the week.  20-25 students by the end of the first semester.  The work is hard and rocky - it feels like the work has had to be restarted and regrown. Rick has struggled with frustration and wanting to be successful over faithful.  The work sees God's work in the face of these circumstances and the work grows - God reigns and rules.  All the Universities belong to God - and God's work is growing and developing.  Rick's energy and warmth is amazingly refreshing.  We prayed together earlier this week - I knew he was cool then, I think he's even more cool now.


Sem Thomas stands and tells the story of the Mark drama He looks very cool - my camera isn't here but I'll try and post pics later - a 90 minute drama by 15 actors.  The drama took Sem by suprise when he saw it, worshipping in tears of joy and sorrow as he watched.  The students in Belgium put it on - they only expected 50 students but 250 came. At least 100 non-Christian students came, some read the gospel and came back asking for information.  One student was invited to share a part of the drama in a lecture and he performed the parable of the sower and it had a powerful effect.

Sem ends by saying Praise God - so the band come and we sing an African song expressing thanks.

Ricardo Borges comes and speaks of the work in Uruguay.  The student response was at first negative.  The work is growing through international partnerships, feeding and growing the work on campuses.  14 students recently applied for training as Bible study leaders after a GBU France visit.  There has been progress but only 1 conversion.  However that is not discouraging because the seeds have been sound and the work is growing and there are now many students of vision in Uruguay and the work has been reborn.

A man stands and speaks of 65 students attending a meeting in a totally closed nation, seven years ago. Seven years, on the student who helped to lead the conference is now pastoring a church. Seven years on 75 students gathered, even from opposed ethnic groups.  Do not lose heart - invest in students lives, they are student leaders.  Next week there will be 85 students at a conference.   In another country in the same region - 3 women prayed for three years.  One believing man was left in the university.  A church leader heard and offered his church hall very close to the university.  After an outreach a meetign started - 12 of the 30 attending the group have come to faith in the ministry of the group.  Do not lose hope - God is never out of business.

Yando from TSCF Papua New Guinea, speaks of the invite to the 2008 climate change consultation.  The issues of climate change are LIVE for the South Pacific.  TSCF PNG is trying to take it on board and to engage graduates in the issues.  The graduate network has just formed a political party, TSCF PNG is seeing to have Christian education to be part of the Uni and Colleges curriculum.  We need to go back to God, they are thankful for AFES and TSCFNZ too.  TSCF PNG are seeking to be faithful in the context of difficult days of climate change.  A video plays and begins with the words - 'the see is like a mother to my people... we know one day our island will sink... most of our culture will have to live on in memory... if we have to move, I will be the last man to have my feet on this island.


Timothee Joset (French Swiss) French was once the language of Kings and Queens so I will switch to French so please put on your headsets... now you are all Kings and Queens.  He reads the story of the the calming of the storm.  The boat is rocked - by secularism, atheism - Jesus is on the boat though, the boat may sink.  Jesus is asleep??? How often do we risk, even in IFES.  We think this is really urgent, that the Lord should intervene NOW in our lives, movements, circumstances.  BUT let us not forget that Jesus is on board, in our lives, in our ministries, in the Church, in History.  Daniel reminded us this morning that we are often afraid.  Do not misunderstand me - I feel very small as I hear stories from the countries under pressure - I am small.  Maybe fear has entered into our lives?  Where will we start.  Jesus asks 'why are you so afraid'.  The disciples witness his silencing.  He then asks them if they have any faith.  The stories tonight are stories which show that we are fragile, vulnerable, weak, and under pressure. Yet, without many answers, the answer to the question 'who is this that the winds and waves obey him' We must bne encouraged that Jesus is Lord of the universe and Lord of the university and Lord of our hearts.


The prayer: "it is not about us it is about your glory"


Nigel Pollock walks on the stage and there is a buzz around the room. He has become a World Assembly celebrity.  Nigel does not begin with humour tonight, he invites us to talk to our neighbour and to pray.  Nigel calls us back together and makes us laugh about things I won't blog about but he is suggesting that Vinoth Ramachandra, the IFES Secretary for Dialogue and Engagement, might want to take romantic status of unmarried staff into his remit.  Nigel encourages us look after each other under God's care and closes with a Bon Nuit!

Saturday Morning #wa2011 - liveblog Scripture Engagement

Nigel comes to the stage this morning, after the opening singing, he is tired like the rest of us. Tired but no less enthusiastic.  There is some confusion about what day of the conference it is - he says day 3, but it's at least our fourth full day and our fifth day together.  He deflects it with humour - but we all recognise that none of us really 'get' what day it is.  We are fully immersed in the programme - conventional day counting doesn't matter. Today is excursion day and we will disperse to tourist destinations and walks around Krakow, or (like me) head off to Auschwitz memorial museum.  It will be an emotional day ahead - not looking forward to this, but anticipating it greatly.


Nigel asks us to share with our neighbour what we have been learning at the conference so far.  I share with my neighbour that the centrality of Christ has been a huge challenge to me and a great joy but also deeply wounding: there is little more challenging to our sense of the importance of ourselves than the importance of Jesus, who defies our sense of self-sufficiency.  He is the Lamb who was slain to win humanity for eternity - His wounds speak of our utter helplessness.  Yet, He who shows us our great need is the One who meets our EVERY need.  My friend shares how seeing the great potential for the work to grow, particularly in engaging with Scripture, around the world is a huge encouragement to her as she takes up a global responsibility for resourcing and encouraging movements, staff and students to find their anchor in God's Word.

Our voices are raised in worship - again, singing of and to the glory of our loving God lifts the veil of tiredness from the delegates.

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou Art!

The band now sing to us the Scripture of today's passage

Hear O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Love the Lord your God

with all your strength, and heart and mind

Teach my laws for life, impress them upon your children,

like foundations to your home...

...That you shall remember them

The stage is darkened, a sound like grinding grain comes over the sound system, noises of train and work and life, the voiceover read s the Shama - Love the Lord your God... there is no command greater than these - a trumpet call symbolises the passage.  We see two people on a train, a believer (a businessman) sits, hears the call but does not allow a pregnant worman to sit.  We now see a street beggar and a well to do woman, the woman shops and ignores the call.  Now a father watching football while his daughter tries to get his attention, he accidentally destroys her art in his anger and then ignores the call but sends her to her room.  Now the shopping woman from earlier comes home and is eating and trying to on her new purchases - she ignores the call and then kneels to vomit out the food she has just eaten.  The shopper is the wife of the father/businessman - an argument erupts over the daughters sadness and domestic violence breaks out.  Now a Cantor's voice cries out the Shama - the couple turn to their daughter, bend to show her love and comfort.  They come to the edge of the stage and confront us. Staring at us.  It is a powerful moment.  We have not been watching a drama.  We have been confronted with sin; our sin. Ignoring the call to love God.

The music group come again: "let us pause for a moment and reflect on how we have failed to hear and obey." We sing

I will not boast in anything

No gifts, no power, no wisdom,

But I will boast in Jesus Christ

His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward

I cannot give an answer

but this i know with all my heart

His wounds have paid my ransom.

The second piece of drama opens: a dramatic reading of the text.  Mark 12:28-34

 ²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”   ²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” ³² “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. ³³ To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
 ³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

Vinoth Ramachandra come to the lectern to speak.  Vinoth will be the only speaker this morning.

I recently came across some writing from Richard Hughes, a US writer.  Hughes lived close by the major events of the civil rights movement during his university years.  He writes that he missed the details of what was happening - in part due to the church educative environment he was in.
Teachers engage with Jesus.  One scribe is impressed and asks which is the chief command.  The Torah contains 613 commandments - many of the scholars ranked them and became - not in priority but in category.
Jesus is asked which of the commands takes the first rank.  Jesus answers with the Shama - recited daily.  It speaks of God's absolute Lordship over His people - the whole person and the whole community.  There is no hidden psychology here: it just means 'entire being' - everything we are, within our world.  Every thing is to be focussed on and attend to loving God for who He is and then in turn, loving the things that he loves.

In Loving God we do not then turn away from the world - we turn TO the world in order to find the context in which we love the Lord.   Jesus invited people, demanded even, that people orient their absolutely loyalty to Him as the way in which they demonstrate their love for God.  God who loves and judges all nations with perfect justice.  Richard Hughes... 'should have my professors... have encouraged my classmates and me.... could it have been their rightful role to encourage us to just the culture we were living in by the gospel'

 Are we discussing the great social issues, engaging with them and demanding thinking through them.  We face a huge challenge to apply the call to love God with force into the areas of every reality and this requires us to LOVE our neighbour.

To love God, to truly love God, is to love our neighbours - the vulnerable and the weak.  To link love for God with solidarity with the weak and the lowly is unique in the world, loving the other as an expression of (correct) love of self is a real anchoring of truth.  Every parent longs for their own child the best that is possible.  But to ask if EVERY CHILD should have the same access as our children is sometimes cast as a 'social gospel'.  Is there any other gospel than a social one - impacting our societies?  There is no other - it impacts our social relationships and social communities.

Jesus engages with these issues of justice and equality, society and social justice in the parable of the Samaritan.  Auschwitz represents the pinnacle of wickedness - medieval Europe had a sweep of pogroms and  persecutions; the church did not help and infact contributed to the fire of hatred: Luther included.  It is hard to ignore a connection between Luther's writings and the conduct of the Third Reich people and government in 1930s Germany. I think Vinoth draws too much of a direct line here - it is a complex story and too neat lines are wounding especially for the central europeans, but it is not ill meant.  WE must be self-critical in our admiration of heroes and to examine ourselves.  We are here to learn from one another.  When we hear a speaker which shocks and offends - we must engage.

It is often said that the early Christians out-thought and out-loved their early opponents.  Today that is a real challenge.  We need to examine the shallow-beliefs of our people - we are a university movement.  If we are not loving God with our minds then we fail the church and we fail in our calling - becoming a stumbling block to the people looking for intellectual rigour.  We also need to out-love the people who oppose us, to lay down our hypocrisy and take up our integrity: we need to hear the call to integrity even where it is disturbing and can look extreme because it will impact our ordinary living.

"We saw more in the cross than Gandhi and put it into operation less, Gandhi saw less in the cross than we and put it into practice more. We left the cross a doctrine, Gandhi left it a deed." E Stanley Jones, "Mahatma Gandhi: An interpretation". Full book here

 Vinoth closes with a Franciscan blessing which invites God to disturb us

May God bless you with a restless discomfortabout easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,
so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.

May God bless you with holy angerat injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
so that you may tirelessly work for justice, freedom, and peace among all people.

May God bless you with the gift of tearsto shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish,
so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.

May God bless you with enough foolishnessto believe that you really can make a difference in this world,
so that you are able, with God’s grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.

We sing a song I've not sung for nearly 20 years

Thumina Mina - Lead me Jesus - Fill me Jesus - Send me Jesus

Nigel and Daniel come to the paltform.  The discussion this morning centres on what it means to obey and love God.  Daniel speaks of being shaken - about how he, his wife, their children are challenged to live differently.  He speaks warmly of the challenge and how easy it is to react and pretend in the face of this challenge.  We need to come to the Lord and acknowledge that we need help - rescue in this.  We cannot force ourselves naturally, we need to come close to Him and ask for our hearts to be open - so that we can start reflect the light, His Love.  As Daniel as listening to the talk he thought of Muslim friends, these friends told him they trust Daniel more than their friends - asking for Daniel and his family to look after their daughter.  We try to protect ourselves because we are not able to do it.  Daniel encourages us to be open in our hearts and our lives to start to deeply reflect.

Nigel asks Daniel about how engaging the university and society is to be worked out.  Daniel responds that his vision is to see the power fo the redemption of Christ to truly shine in the universities through us.  It is not about physical or intellectual power - as a community of believers to bring the light of the gospel visibly into the universities, one of the challenges of our societies today.  The great challenge for us is to make the love of God tangible in the everyday.  Even the god-defying atheist has the imago dei in them - we are God's people, we cannot acheive this bold mission by ourselves, we must show the love of God as the community of God that he has called us to be.  We shall not fear and then we shall grow as light.

Nigel asks what would Daniel say to those who are struggling with feeling that they have lost or feel distant from God's love.  Daniel speaks and invites us to come to the Living Stone for life afresh.  Ask for renewel. We need to be open to ourself, honest with ourself, to listen to ourself in order to be present to God. God is welcoming to us - we will remain closed if we do not come to him.  When you know openly someone wants to kill you - are you able to love them: this is the love of Christ.

I love this man - he is a great saint. Daniel Bourdanne speaks with such love for Christ and such love for the work of Christ in the people of God.  His deep bass voice echoes with the tones of grace.

Heavenly Father, first I want to repent for not being always to be able to reflect who you are. Often I claim that you are my Lord, and I say no to the things that you call me to do and I know in my heart that it is impossible to say Lord and no at the same time. If you are my Lord, Lord, I should always say yes to you.  I pray you will forgive us all for not always obeying you.  I ask you Lord, to give us the strength.  I pray Lord that you will continue to build you character in us, because you want us to grow more and more and become like you.  When we fail Lord, help us to recover by your compassion and love.  We need you, we recognise that we cannot do it.  Even our heroes fail - help us not to be down because of our failure but to wake up again with you and continue on our journey.  help us to love our neighbours.  I pray for places of conflict: ethnic, racial - help the believers in those place to demonstrate that they are a new people because of your love.  Bless us together in this journey.

We are going to excursions today... no more live blogging until this evening.

 

Friday Evening #wa2011 - Liveblog Word and World session: Technology and New Media

Tonight I feel a particular frisson of tension - I'm not only liveblogging the session but taking part in it.  So the laptop will be going onto the platform too for some of the session. This is a first...

World Assembly 2011 Daily Impression - 29/07 from IFES World on Vimeo.

The evening begins with a video of yesterday's fun and games on Plish day - including a VERY funny section of black and white faux vintage film of a horse drawn carriage ride around Krakow.  It is a warm hearted video and really fun to watch.

Andy Moore takes the stage to introduce the session.

Welcome to the second of our Word and World sessions - looking at Technology and Social Media. It is great to be here together - to meet together face to face, to pray together, to laugh and be together.  There is something special about coming together in the same physical space.  Andy gets us to talk together about how special it is to meet with one another.
We meet here representing a gathering of 500,000 students worldwide - this place is not big enough to contain the work of IFES. We are reaching a wider audience through social media. Tonight we will explore the challenges. 

A video plays exploring the progression of media from print to the web.

Now on stage Andy asks Ale, Febe, Paul and Chau Nog about their expeiences of using social media. I'm stood here looking like a fool.

(c) Adam Jeske 

Febe - says that she is often criticised for using Facebook but she is engaging with her non-Christian friends.  But it is unfair when people critique her without knowing what she is doing. There is an ethusiastic round of applause.
Chau Nog speaks about the challenges of her own context.  Paul speaks about Uganda, internet use is ubiquitous.


The questions are now thrown toward me so I need to stop writing...


I sit down - nerves calming - but hoping that something that I've said has been helpful.


Anne-Marie Kool (Prof Of Missiology)

In the Hungarian model of intellectual engagement - quoting literature is important.  But I have many questions in this area.  I will speak of my experience - privacy is an issue and so I use it sparingly, I like the 'poke' function which I use to let people know that I'm praying for them, I find the 'like' and the 'friending' troublesome in the light of the biblical affirmation of relationships that build and strengthen one another, we are called to build authentic relationships - identity is not about what we do, or if people like us.

Social networks take a lot of our time - statistics speak of FB taking 55mins per day (2007). Maybe we need to refocus away from the the social media.  We need to turn to find rest in Jesus - to find an engagement in Christ rather than a focus on ourselves.  We ARE called to be in the world, to use social media, but not to be OF the world.  Lord help us to use social media to the extension of your kingdom. 

David Lyon

Technical history - the transistor was invented the year I was born.  He makes jokes about his age - about BEING history, disarming and funny: and his warmth and wit are very winsome. David has spoken on Tech and media in various contexts - on being interviewed he spoke with a journalist who fiddled with tech, "I love my tech"

Warnings - social media is not universal, asking some questions, and pushing some perspectives.

Are you a gadget? "You have to be somebody before you can share yourself" Jaron Lanier.   

Communication: between contact and content "Life in a media bubble now seems natural" Sherry Turkle - has moved from an optimistic to a pessimistic point of view.  David tells, with good humour, about frustrations with a group of students who came for dinner and spent their time and attention on their devices.  Why do people engage in gossip on line - is there contact rather than content: WHAT ARE WE SAYING

Communication: between connection and commitment.  "By the mid-20th century, love with robots will be as normal as love with other humans" David Levy Surely this should read 21st century?  A robot would be pretty good by many people's recognising - where are you is probably a better question these days than how are you?  Film, The Social Network - Zuckerberg is presented as a nerd who does not 'get' relationships.

Visibility: between control and care. Privacy is an illusion - our data is being used by others, regardless of our privacy uses.  On Facebook your friends betray you: categorising and sorting us into groups.  Do we care for those we interact.  How much to do take care of the people we are linked to.  The process in which we search presents to us edited media and information.  

David's presentation is challenging and fast paced - this is much better than I had hoped! Loving this session.  Lots to think through.  He poses a question and asks: Is mere contact, connecting and control inevitable?  The room is buzzing as the question is discussed.

The next question - will wifi be available in the New Jerusalem?  We treat this as a special focus on attention: will tech get to heaven?  Don't let yourselves be shaped by this present age - be transformed by the renewing of your minds (Romans 12:1)

By being discerning we can learn to be changed and transformed.  The wealth and riches will be in heaven - an act of worship and love: so wifi may well be there but not necessarily as a positive thing.

Rediscovering face-to-face - human contact is important; when the face is present it is significant.  How we can become focussed on the virtual rather than the actual.  Idols bind themselves to us and we to them.  They are empty - those who make them and those who trust them become like the idols they serve.

As Christians we are to seek the good of the other in our friendships, we are to be more concerned about how we engage in the world and how we engage impacts others.  We are not gadgets we are humans made for relationship with God and one another.  When we known by God then we may know who we are.  We must ask the right questions - and make Jesus is Lord the default in our lives.  Maybe we need to take a Sabbath from Technology.  I have decided (and putting it here makes me accountable) in the process of preparing this session to turn my phone off on Sundays and during mealtimes.  I will use my tech better in using it less.

 We can shape social media rather than be shaped by it.

Andy takes to the chair for a panel.
I cannot blog and take questions at the same time, sorry

Nigel takes the stage and people start laughing before he speaks... other people would deliver this information with not a hint of a smile but Nigel has the room in laughter to the point where some cannot move.

It's been a struggle to liveblog and tweet and speak in this session - I hope this is a helpful record.

Friday Morning #wa2011 - Liveblog Bible Engagement

As the delegates saunter in this morning people are looking tired but joyful.  We are singing in English, Spanish, one of the many languages of South Africa and the songs focus on the holiness and reign of God over all the earth.  "Who can match Your greatness... who can deny you are crowned Lord of all?"

Nigel Pollock comes to the stage to welcome delegates and to wish a student delegate from North Africa a very happy birthday.  We are singing again and sleepiness seems to be dispelled as the delegates sing.  People come in and great old and new friends - fellowship together as much apart of our appreciation of Jesus' Lordship as is our singing.


This morning I shared breakfast with believers from Israel as well as from a country in the Arab world - fellowship between us all was warm.  I felt more nourished and enlivened by the friendship in Christ than by the food and the coffee (food and coffee were good by the way!).

Filled with wonder,

awestruck wonder,

At the mention of Your Name.

Jesus, Your Name is power,

breath and living water:

Such a marvellous mystery..

Holy Holy Holy

is the Lord God Almighty

Who was and is and is to come

With all creation I sing praise

to the King of kings

You are my everything

and I will adore You

The love for and wonder in Jesus fills a stillness in the room.  We sing more of the certain hope that Jesus brings.

Delegates come to the stage from Puerto Rico - a poem is read by Aimar Maceira.  I speak no Spanish, but it is clear that this is talking about the sadness and challenges of life in everyday and the hope that Jesus brings.   Merceds Nakachi, a student, speaks of the opportunity she was given to share the gospel with her friend.  The first time she shared the gospel with her friend she was laughed at.  Mercedes took another opportunity and asked God to use her.  Stella, the friend, eventually admitted that she had been reading the Bible in secret.  Also the community work that the students are engaged in is building the work "we go to serve them but they end up ministering to us.

David, GBU France, comes to the stage

Imagine the scene, our office near the Sorbonne - the board are sat at a restaurant table and the document to be discussed is the 5 year vision.  How is the commitment to engaging the university to be worked out in France - some of the concepts is the Veritas forum: looking at truth.  More than one point of view given and so the lecture rooms become open.  Themes: freedom, faith and reason, caring about injustice, why do religions cause so much violence.  After presentations there are opportunities for discussion and engagement.  Veritas forums are the only context where these discussions are taking place in France.  Five months, 13000 flyers, 4 evening presentations - 570 attended: HUGE in France.  There are now around 500,000 Evangelical Churches in France and now through these forums Christians are making an impact on the intellectual life in France - including the most well known philosopher in France, Luc Perry.  We see a video advert - a careful and creative presentation.

We stand now to sing: Light of the World in English and French.

Nigel returns to the stage.  This morning's Bible engagement is about looking at how the story ends - and working out what it is to live in the light of the end.  There are two drama presentations, the second one in Spanish.  We have two people speaking on the same passage - one passage two perspectives.

The drama team come and read the passage Revelation 21:


1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place [1] of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, [2] and God himself will be with them as their God. [3]4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Ruth Borges comes (speaking in Spanish, listening to translation)

Revelation is a difficult book but it speaks about book.  John the author of this book, is given a vision and message about Jesus.  The book therefore speaks about hope.  There will be a new heavens and a new earth.  God will accomplish his promise, John says that he is an eye-witness that God will really deliver the Hope of His Promise.  The voice of God in the passage - says, this is where God lives.  The promise fulfilled reaches all peoples and all lanuages before God.  Vs 4 God announces that He is sat on the throne - he will dry our tears.  The Lamb knows what suffering is, as the image of a loving mother, when they take their children on their laps and dry their tears - this is the image: no more ethnic tension, economic problems, no family violence, no threats from the sea, no more visas - every nation will live in the New Jersalem as equals under God.  This is happening not just it will happen.

 I am making all things new - present tense - but 3-4 the tense is future, as in 6-7. The already and the not yet: in vs 5.  God is ON the throne and I make all things new - the present and powerful rule of God. God makes all things new. We therefore live in hope in action. The last word comes from the mouth of the resurrected Jesus.  New things will be created - nothing new under the sun BUT God makes all things new.  While we are here - we live under teh light of the lamb: we live with a new paradigm of life - we are recreated and to live, not under the sun of this world, but we are living under the Lamb's light.  John message is that Hope comes because there is a new dawn coming: when the things of darkness will be no more.  

So often we reduce salvation when in the text we are called and challenged to speak and live in the light of the overarching reach and rule of Christ in making all things new.  Universe, city and people are all made new.  John is talking into a broken reality and he speaks of hope. This messiness is addressed by this hope - hope promises transition to a place without the possibility of evil and suffering.  This hope is all defining - our ministry does not save us, our goods do not save us: Jesus saves us for all eternity.

Ruth Borges leaves the stage to warm applause.  A group of students come and read the passage in English prior to the second talk by Augustin Ahoga, who will speak in French (again listening in translation).

Augustine speaks:

The book of Revelation is often unknown by the African urban people - those who have grown up out of the oral traditions which focus on image and symbol.  The traditions of African religions find striking parralells here.  The New Jersualem is a contrast to the village of death (vague and unclear) for the believer.  The believer has strength to fight and live as a Christian.

First time and the restortation and the time.  Time is a spiral in African understanding - the future is the past.  In the African understanding the best is not simply ahead of us - the beautiful thing is behind us.  The major source of hope in Rev 21 is the recapturing of Eden - the recapturing of all that we have lost.  We see something fundamental here - the absence of the sea.  For many Africans, gods and spirits live in the sea, but too it will be the end of the unhappy memory of the slavery which enslaved Africa, entombed its people and carried away its resources.  The end of sea is a powerful image of the restoration of Justice.  

The new Jerusalem is so beautiful - God declares that God will have his dwellling among people.  Do we not have God now?  But God is promising a new humanity - equal in every aspect of their life: all issues of justice and equality will be made new.  We will all be released from the principle of sin and frailty.

God Himself will be their God as a unique ruler.  God will bring justice and end democracy and human government - this is an eternal and absolute reign. The world today is not going to win out over the world that will come.  There is a solemn warning to those who are not going to live for the New Heavens and the New Earth.  This remains a great warning to a wide number of people.  There will be no more sorcery - this is a message of hope for those in Afrcia.  Cowardice shows itself in compromise or disengagement - it is a warning to us.

There is an image of humanity coming home - there will be no temple, no palace, no problems of climate change, electricity will be no longer needed.   It is a whole new system of living - perfect harmony between Creator and creation.  In the past Eden had a gate in the New Jerusalem there is no gate - the barrier is removed.  

God will bring to end this human world of sin, Jesus will be the visa to the New Jerusalem. The chapter calls us not to simply live happily but to work toward the calling of many into heaven, beginning with our close relatives.  The work begins now, may the Lord bless you.

Nigel and Daniel come to the stage again this morning.

Daniel says he's joyful and wants to be in the beautiful place of Rev 21. But there is a current sadness - an elderly relative who is not in the Lord, the many students around the world who are lost and many of whom do not even get to campus because of their online lives.  We are here not simply to enjoy the vision of the new creation, we are here because we want our friends (and our enemies?) to have this vision for themselves.  How can we really be focussed on this new creation in our lives.  

Nigel: so we want to be there and we want to have as many people with us when we get there
Daniel: absolutely - God is taking his time so that we can bring as many with us as possible, there will be no visas, no malaria
Nigel: it is very beautiful, but we live now where there are visas, problems, illness, struggle, failure
Daniel: we need to live with corrupted governments and people, we have to go through physical persecution - the truth of the vision is it gives us courage.  The first missionaries to my people took seven years of humiliation and hard work before the first believer.  What kept them?  This vision of the New Creation - they gave their lives for it.  The first missionary's son was born in the bush in Chad - a Norwegian American - why? what would he gain to reach this people lost in a dark forest?  He loved Jesus and did that for Him.
Nigel asks Daniel to pray that the hope will make a huge impact in our lives and the lives of those that we live with:

Heavenly father this morning I want to pray for my uncle, who doesn't know you. I ask you to speak to him and to bring him to you through your love, byt the power of your Holy Spirit.  I pray as well for the millions  billions, of students who don't know your love, who may miss this beautiful place if they don't come to you.  Father visit them and bring them to your kingdom.  I pray for ourselves, strengthn us by  your Lordship: especially those suffering, persecuted and discouraged.  Grant strength, hope and courage in Jesus Name.

Thursday Evening #wa2011 - Liveblog Engaging the University

World Assembly 2011 Daily Impression - 28/07 from IFES World on Vimeo.
The evening opens with a great video summing up today's action.

We then meet one of the early Eastern European Pioneers - he speaks of how as a first year medical student he was captivated by the gospel vision for the campus: and that under soviet oppression.  "We are the dinosaurs... God did this through us.. you are now the next generation, the continuers..."

Another video plays telling stories of those in Poland.  I will post it here later - this is hugely so powerful: so ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. I am provoked and moved to tears again.


Vinoth Ramachandra takes the stage to lead the Engaging the University.
IFES is not just another young people's ministry. We are not even fundamentally a ministry to students.  We are a mission to the university world - in its full reality.  Christ takes us there not us taking Him.  They are places of idolatry and arrogance, snobbery, corruption, discrimination, loneliness, violence - this is where we are called to live out the incarnational call of Christ to the world.
We care for the wellbeing of the University - morally, intellectually, socially.

There are 2 presenters:  Charlie Hadjiev, Terry Halliday but first 4 videos.

The first video outlines the global context of how the universities of today found their roots and the role of faith.  The videos feel a bit lecture like and I wonder if this material could have been presented differently with more effect.  I will see if they are available for posting here - however copyright issues may prevent this.


Charlie Hadjiev comes to the stage.  Charlie works throughout Europe, is a biblical scholar and an academic.

Engaging the university is one of the possibly most confusing commitments of IFES.  There are things to be noted.  Research...

• ...is dangerous: you should follow the truth where it leads, not build toward a preconceived 'conclusion'. For example - Copernicus.  What will future research say about the things that we are discussing today: biblical historicity, humanity, sexuality...
• ...is pointless - it seems irrelevant to salvation. This is a theological poison - there are two big actions of God in our world - 1. creation 2. salvation. If you focus on only one then you will twist your theology.  God redeemed because He created.  A theology of creation that is good will lead us to value the university for what it is and not just a mission field; it will help us to see the limitations of humanity in the light of our failings and faultedness; take the risk to explore areas that we do not understand and to seek conclusions that we do not expect or anticipate. 

Terry Halliday is from New Zealand (HURRAY!) and an American academic who works around the world in sociology.

I offer a vision of IFES in the 21 century - last month I was meeting with leading human rights lawyers in a closed and oppressive regime.  Many of these are Christians and they are thinking clearly and with vision about transforming their society - they are trying to think Christianly and constitutionally.  Others, Christian students studying Law in the US are highly dualistic in their studies - Law and faith are separated.

Is this a fair comparison I wonder - the students have not matured.

I suggest IFES has done well in reaching students in the 20th century, it has not done well in engaging the university.  In the 21 Century the university must be engaged and IFES ministry must be completely reframed.  

Three models of ministry

• Pietistic model (a retreat within the university) spiritual ghettos: undergrad focus, limited engagement with faculty, a lack of engagement with the great debates, a lack of engagement with the other religious groups on campus.  A focus on internal Christian life is  important but not sufficient.  

• Apologetic model (a defence against the University) ideas are taken seriously, but seen as a threat - academics are engaged as guards and knights in the defeat of bad ideas.  Can be useful and effective.  But apologetic ministries fail to proactively take the edge of academic disciplines and lead, they do not celebrate the wonders of God's work in all the fulness. Apologetics is vital but is not sufficient.
• Dialogical model (conversation with the university) takes the university seriously on its own terms. 6 Priniciples: Christ to the university, nurtures the minds of Christians students and egnages Christian faculty, it respect intellectual gifts of the students and faculty, it is relevant, it listend as well as it speaks, it celebrates the intellectual community that is characteristic of great research uni's. This model identifies and utilises faculty, widens a conversation to all in the university, discerns how faith relates ot leading edges of scholarship and how we think about them Christianly, it engages the uni community on issues proximate to the classroom, seminars and labs.

 I wonder if the presentation of 2 'bad guys' and one 'good guy' in these models isn't the setting up of a 'Strawman' and slightly off target.  The challenge is real - if our student ministry retreats or attacks only and solely, if they are remote and disengaged then they will not I'm struggling to see and recognise the full gamut of IFES ministry clearly being in focus in a discussion/critique of how we do ministry. 

Halliday: where goes IFES in the 21 century - will it bring insight into intellectual struggles, will it allow the disciplines to test and refine our faith: pietistic and apologetic approaches will not make the change.  Will IFES be like previous pioneers: reaching faculty and students, joining the battle of the big ideas that alter imaginations and change the world, mould leaders who will become the hero's of faith? This is a great and a bold vision - may we be worthy of it.

The lights in the auditorium goes up and the floor is opened for comment, question and debate.

First question from the US.  "great presentation, in the real world the convergence from research and Biblical truth. we have all kinds of people saying all kinds of things that are challenging - what is a Christian to do in the face of conflicting research?"

Terry: That is a very good question.  Scientific periods are often in tension and conflict: scholars and Christians will debate and Christian Scholars will look for an engagement between the two.
Charlie: there is sometimes real tension between the outcome of research and the biblical witness.

Second question from Cameroon.  How do we deal with bringing Christian perspective when the context of Francophone tradition prevents agitated debate over religion because of the commitment to secularism.

Halliday: The demand to honestly deal with collaboration and the historical context.

Third question from the Ukraine.  There is a problem in Christians being unable to engage on a scientific level. Vinoth suggests he will give a reading list to remedy this.

Fourth question from Israel - how do we begin to equip students.
Charlie: We have big universities with few Christians, where the assumed resources in Terry's model just aren't available.

From Thailand - we come from very different contexts, there are many different levels of academic levels in different universities.
Terry: The focus of my suggestion was the 'great' universities of the world - research rather than teaching institutions.

Final question - there is laughter as 'the chinese lady at the back' is actually a woman from the US of Japanese descent: but it is a long way to the back. Can you please give more details.
Terry: speaks about a friend who is aware of people at 'major universities' where there are Christians among academics and the 'best' undergraduates.

Vinoth closes the meeting and Nigel Pollock takes the stage. Nigel delivers the most banal of details with humour - light relief at he end of a heavy evening.

Thursday Afternoon #wa2011 - Liveblog General Committee business meeting

I will comment on the business more than report it.  Financial reports etc can be accessed here when they are published: http://goo.gl/smi1y


Business meetings aren't really my thing: facts and figures tend to confuse and bore me. That's honesty for you!  However the facts and figures presented clearly represent the sacrificial living and giving of men  and women in the support and development of the work.  It also represents a significant amount of work within accountants and secretarial support.


We are encouraged to do more and not to accept budgets with planned deficits.  It is difficult as a member of a national movement to hear a call/direction to do more.  Staff work hard around the world communicating with supporters, living with the constant pressures of where daily income is coming from. The global context has been and continues to be a significant challenge.


Questions and comments come from around the world affirming God's faithfulness in the ongoing work.


For the first time I need to stop blogging as my battery is dying and I'm not near a power socket.  

Armenian Conversation #wa2011

Lilit (Armenia), Rick (USA) and Angela (Malawi) at the prayer meeting this morning

Lilit and I had met over the craziness of breakfast at the hostel all of the IFES World Assembly delegate, we walked to the prayer meeting together.  She said that she had recently joined staff in Armenia.

"What attracted you to the work, or rather how did God call you to the work?"

Lilit smiled,

"The second way is the better question. It was God's call that attracted me to the ministry of course. Well last year I had a traumatic events. My mother died in March and then in April I was in a kind of very bad car accident. I broke many things in my body and had to lay in bed absolutely still in for 40 days.  During that time I was praying and really examining what I was to be doing.  I thought I could not go back to the way I was living, to just working.  Then I had to started to walk again and was asking God what he was calling me to do.

During this time there was a vision for me and God said to me that I did not need to go looking but that some people would come with an offer that I should not refuse. And then two men came from the IFES movement and said that I was to be suggested at the General Secretary and I have been working since October in this position."

This woman, who did not look at all frail, was a walking miracle. I was humbled and encouraged to talk with her.  This gathering is full of these conversations and these stories because of the work of God.  Lilit spoke of her story with simplicity and humility. I felt a huge sense of privilege in talking with her.

We reached the packed prayer meeting and sat next to another couple of people.  As we prayed together with Rick and Angela I was impacted by the graciousness of God in building his work around the world.  There are hundreds of stories of grace.  I'm hoping to record more here over the coming days.