Is an International Mission Trip for You?

I don’t know.   It all depends upon what you want.   For instance in my life I want a comfortable safe home with some sort of a view for me and my family.   In order to achieve my “want” I must do what is necessary to obtain it.   In my case this means I need a job that will allow me to purchase the want, so I am working hard at a job that should lead to fulfilling my "want".    So what do you want?      

Do you want to be challenged in your faith?    Do you want to see Jesus working miracles before your very own eyes?   Do you want to know for a fact that Jesus is doing something far greater than anything you could do on your own?   Do you want to walk alongside modern saints willing to die for the cause of Christ?   Do you want to have your Spiritual vision broadened?   Do you want to get way outside your comfort zone and test God’s faithfulness?   Do you want to see a culture that only a few have ever experienced before? Or are you satisfied with the status quo? Is your Christian life just fine, and you don’t want to challenge it in any way? Is your church reaching all it needs to reach?      

Is a mission trip for you?   I don’t know.  What is it that you want? 

If you want the answer to any of the above questions, follow this link.      

When the Students Teach. . .

Jose Manuel Rojas Sosa sat in front of three missionaries.   One of whom he knew very well - me.   The others were a first and only time meeting for him, but they had sure heard of him.   You see Jose was a church planter.   He couldn't read or write, but he had started seven churches and was reaching for Christ those who most of the world would never see, and if they did then they would ignore.   Jose's name had been featured prominently in several of my reports, and some of his stories were being shared far and wide, so the International Mission Board sent a couple of researchers to interview him in order to gleam some insights into what made him so special and successful in the eyes of those who read the monthly reports.    They asked him question after question, and I sat there, a little too proudly, because every answer he gave was word for word what I had taught him, and then Jose began to teach me. . .

• Lesson 1: The researchers asked a simple question, "How many members do you have in your church?"    Jose responded by giving the testimony of his members one by one.    After listening to a couple of testimonies, the researchers stopped him and asked again.   "No. Thank you for stories.   They are very interesting, but we just need a number for our report." Jose again started telling the testimonies of those he had reached and baptized.   I could see that the researchers were smiling, but anxious to get off the mountain before dark, so I said to Jose, "Jose, they have this little box to fill in with just the number of people that are members of your church.   Can you just estimate the number of how many people you have reached and are worshipping in your churches?"   I could see the wheels turning in Jose's mind, and after a little while he said, "Why is that important?"  I said, "Yes, you're right numbers are not important, and I turned to the researchers and said, let's listen to a few more stories and then we'll just guess."

Yes, I know numbers are important.   The fourth book of the Bible is called numbers for goodness sakes, but I think Jose was completely right that day.   It's not about the numbers -- IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CHANGE.   It's about the relationship between God and His children.   Every individual who is searching for Jesus' story is what's important.   It's the story that changes the world. It's the story that heals a broken heart and finds a lost soul.  

• Lesson 2: The researchers continued with their questions, and again I was a little too prideful, because Jose was repeating everything I had taught word for word.   Then they asked this question, "What are the requirements of being a member of this church?"   Jose responded quickly, "I won't let anyone come who isn't willing  and doesn't share their testimony with others."    Wow, where did that come from?   It certainly didn't come from me.    As they continued with their questions, I was wracking my brain trying to figure out where that thought came from, because it certainly must not have come from me. I began thinking, "How do I fix that?"   "Where do I even begin?"   Then it dawned on me.  I remembered back to when Jose and I were drinking coffee and eating a cracker with butter on it and just chatting. I thought my teaching time was over, so I was just spouting random thoughts.  We talked about soccer.   We talked about dengue fever, and which mountain produced the best coffee beans.   Then I remembered mentioning right off the top of my head as a stray thought passed through the following, "I wonder what a church would look like if every member shared with everyone else what Jesus has done for them."   I smiled inwardly, you see I decided I wasn't going to fix Jose's thinking. He had it right.

Yes, I know our churches are filled with people who are completely content sitting in a pew.   We even count our success by the numbers of people who fill the empty spaces on a Sunday morning.   I believe Jose has it right.   If all the seats are taken and no one shares their testimony then who will fill those seats tomorrow?   I wonder what would a church look like who had only members who actively share their faith no matter the cost?   

• Lesson 3: Most of you know that I am no longer an IMB church planting missionary.   I serve Christ as a discipler with the IMFC - International Missionaries for Christ.    Discipling others is what we do. We do nothing without sharing our testimony and tying it together with the story of Nicodemus.   Our mission agency is not about starting churches, it's purpose is to facilitate and encourage a disciple making movement, and disciples we make.   A disciple is someone who has been changed by Jesus and is actively encouraging others to follow Jesus also.  As I was walking the streets with our guys and some of their guys in Kampala, I asked a man named Josef - I think it was his name, "Do you ever wish to see walls and roof around and over those that you meet with regularly?"   He asked me to clarify, so I asked, "Do you ever want to build a church building?"   Josef said, "Why would I want to limit what God can do?"   

It all became crystal clear.   You see, it's all about Jesus and our relationship to Him.   It's all about us sharing the Good News that Jesus did for us, when He changed our lives.   It's all about leaving the results completely up to HIM!   When we live as a disciple who disciples others, then church is the inevitable result.   Jesus' plan is just that simple, but it took three serious yet simple men to teach me those concepts.   

Enough said,

Steve D

It's Not About Me!

It's about Him!  And him.  And her.   And that person standing over there and the one sitting on the bus.  And that person right there - the one you can't see because of that house standing in the way.  When I think about it a little bit more, I guess it is also a little bit about me, but its not ALL about me - definitely not ALL about me.   I have heard it preached, said, read and I have even preached it myself that everyone has a hole in their soul that only Jesus can fill.   Nothing else will fit.   After almost 25 years of preaching that message, I still think that is very true.    Almost all of us at one time or another has tried to fill that void with something other than what really fits - Jesus.   On another but very related matter, our churches are even struggling right now with empty spaces, because many of those who are in my line of business see nothing but empty seats where younger faces ought to be.    We understand that if we don't fill those seats with younger faces then at some point in the future our church ceases to be.    It's simple math, and those empty seats are a weekly visual reminder of our church's lifespan, and it seems right now to us to be in serious jeopardy.    As we wonder what we did wrong, some of us do everything we can to make our churches attractional to the younger crowd, because we know of the dire consequences that face our churches if we do not do something.   I can recite a litany of the steps that many of us have taken, but I won't here and now - maybe later.    In some places the steps seem to be working.   Crowds - younger crowds - gather.   We see this and we scramble to do what looks to be working over there, but honestly, in most places though it doesn't work.

I read an article the other day, that said 82% of millennials don't attend church (Relevant Magazine).   I kind of figured it would be higher, because I don't see 18 percent of them in the chairs or standing around in the halls, and I'm in a lot of different churches.   I have also read maybe a hundred articles about why many don't attend.   To me, it really boils down to just a couple or three reasons.  In no particular order those reasons are:

    1) They are disgusted with church.
    2) They have no idea what Jesus through His church has to offer.
    3) They just don't want to!

I get that.   I understand that.   1. Honestly, I too am often disgusted with church.  No not really the church so much, it's the people in the church that bother me.    You see in my position I often see how "good" people treat each other, and my heart breaks for all involved.  That's not Jesus; it's never Jesus; it's just selfishness couched in righteousness.   2. Even though I do have a great idea of what Jesus offers through His church, it still often surprises me as to what extent and length that the church does for good in the world.   Just look at the church's response to Hurricane Harvey in Texas and now as it is getting geared up to tackle the consequences of Irma and the next one coming in called Maria. This response is nothing short of amazing.   In my position I am privileged to hear the stories of actual people giving up their comforts and sometimes their lives so that others may live and find Jesus.   This is just incredible.   But if you don't happen to be in the KNOW about what Jesus accomplishes through His church, it's incredibly hard to find out, so people - especially millennials don't know, and they are steamrolled with tons of information, disinformation, false information or just the lack of it.   3. Don't get me wrong here, because I love the church; I serve Jesus through the church, but sometimes I just don't feel like going to church - my warm cozy king sized bed and a cup of coffee is something hard to get away from on a brisk fall morning.   And if a church goer is reading this and gets upset with me for saying this truth, you can't lie to me, because I know that sometimes you too feel this way.   It's normal.   We're human.

So with all that said, what is the church going to do about "attracting" millennials to itself - to fill those empty spaces with smiling young faces?   My recommendation is - stop trying.    Instead of trying to attract millennials to something they don't deem important - invite them to Jesus.   In the church business we've been trying to sell an address for a very long time, when we are supposed to be giving away a person - Jesus.   Once someone understands that Jesus is the only thing that fills that void in their souls then the church may very well become important to them, but even if that bridge isn't quickly crossed then JESUS is important to them.   Instead of asking a millennial to come hear our band or see our show, invite them with you as you feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and love the unloveable.   Because it's about HIM.   It's about them; it's about me, and how all three interact.   You see what's really important are the real people with warm red blood and not brick and mortar or galvanized steel and glass.

Good day,
Steve

 

Africa or Bust

Years ago - about 40 years really - I said, “Yes Lord, I’ll follow you.”  About 20 years after making that commitment, I began trying to figure out what it actually meant for me and my family.    So I began a serious search to put a real meaning into that five word commitment.  I wanted to know what "Yes, Lord" means for the DuValls.  I knew "Yes, Lord" couldn't possibly mean sit in the pew; I wanted to put teeth to the phrase and make sense of my commitment.    So after several months of deep Bible study, prayer and thought, I wrote this simple purpose statement: “I will bring the world closer to Christ beginning with my family.”.  This purpose has guided my family through many decisions both big and small for all these years since.   This statement was written well before we felt called to overseas missions.   I didn't even consider the international portion of that statement when I wrote it; I just didn't feel like personally limiting what God might want to do with us.   The interesting thing is that when we finally felt that call to foriegn missions it made our decision to take our very young daughter and move to a place we had never seen so much easier.   For us it wasn't a leap into the unknown, but rather it was just a new turn in the adventure called “Following Jesus.”  That statement kept us overseas when it was rough being there.   There were times the language acquisition was extremely difficult and quite frustrating.   There were times when we felt terribly alone, but we stayed because that was the purpose of our lives.    We never questioned our decision.   That statement even brought us back to Georgia to care for aging parents when we really didn't want to come back to the states.    You see, Costa Rica was our home by then.   Our purpose has led us to places we never could have imagined nor dreamed possible.     

Recently that statement helped us make another decision.   As most of you know, both of my parents and Deb’s father have passed away.    It's been a long five years of mostly constant care, and as you might have guessed it has been a very hard few years for all of us both physically, mentally and spiritually, but it was worth every minute, not only because we loved our folks, but also because we were fulfilling that part of our lives’ purpose.   Right now we are getting our batteries recharged on the thirteenth floor in a condo in Panama city.   We are getting ready for the next adventure.  

A couple of months ago I was approached by Jimmy Barry, who is the president/CEO of International Missionaries for Christ.    Apparently, a mutual friend Mike Faulkner recommended me to serve alongside Jimmy with his mission agency.   I had never heard of this mission, nor did I know Jimmy Barry.   In fact, I wasn't looking to return overseas.  It was a shock when he called.   Honestly, I had figured in my mind that since the IMB was no longer looking to return us older guys back overseas, that my international adventures would be limited to leading the occasional mission trip, helping to plant ethnic churches here in the US and maybe influencing young men and women to consider a lifetime of service overseas.   I didn't even dare to hope that I would be able to again call myself a real live missionary.   Then out of the blue, Jimmy called and offered to buy my lunch.    We were scheduled to meet for an hour or so, but when we finally called it a meeting almost five hours had passed.   He asked me to consider working with him, and I said I would talk to Debbie and pray about it.    He asked for references and left our waitress a really big tip.   The next week  I did my research on him and his mission agency and came away very impressed.   At the same time he was contacting my references.   I think they exaggerated too much - probably just  to get rid of me - so they made me seem like a reasonable, well-intentioned adult, but whatever they said didn't scare him away.  

A week or so later he asked me to travel to Africa with him to see the work.   At first I hesitated partly because of family issues and partly to continue searching my heart and partly because it is 20 hours in the air.      My first thoughts were: “Why me God?   It's Africa.   What do I know about Africa?   I speak Spanish.”.  I did pray about it, but I found no peace.    I did find the thought exciting though, and it was nice for the old ego to be considered for the position.   When Barry called again, I suggested that there were better candidates.    In fact, I recommended a certain friend of mine.   I told Barry that my friend was fitter, faster, younger, and smarter.    Barry mostly ignored my recommendation and asked to meet face to face one more time.    He said, “I want you.   You were IMB trained.   This mission has continued IMB ministries that were abandoned.   I want you because you can work across the cultures.   I want you because you have been there and done that.  I want your contacts and your spirit.”.   (Actually, that's a pretty good paraphrase of what he said.).  After he said those nice things, I thought for a few moments, and my life’s purpose statement came flooding back into my mind, and I said, “Well then I guess I’m going to Africa.    I don't need to see the work, it's what I’m supposed to do.”.  

This past Sunday I stood in front of people I love with a letter of resignation in my pocket.    I decided not to read it, but rather share from my heart its contents while looking them in the eye.   You see, I love them too much to read a simple letter.   I’ll be with Macland Baptist Church until July 14 or so, and then I’m on a plane July 16 bound for Entebbe, Uganda, Africa.    I’ll work on two continents.   My missionary call and the purpose of our lives wil require me to be both in Africa and here in the US.   I'll let you know more as I know more, but thank you for taking the time to read this note.   Thank you for praying for us.   I'll even ask that you consider joining our efforts in East Central Africa.    I would love to host you - my friends - in your adventure of "FOLLOWING JESUS" overseas in Africa.   Come with me to Kenya or Uganda.   For us - it's Africa or bust.   

Where Have the Years All Gone?

Last Friday, we were listening to the Deans of all the individual schools that make up Shorter University in Rome intently.   Debbie and I wanted to know how they were planning to use our funds to educate our only child.   We didn’t want the work that we have done to be undone, and we were quite impressed with what we heard.  Later we toured the freshman dorms, and saw where our daughter was going to share a space with three other girls - one bathroom.   “That’s going to be interesting,” I thought.   Then Debbie and I sat together in the shade on a rock wall, eating what we lovingly called a $31,000 free BBQ sandwich, while watching a whole lot of university students playing on bouncy houses, volleyball and just chatting each other up.   You see the school brought in the party to give the kids a chance to blow off steam for FINALS week.    Sitting there we overheard some of their conversations.   Some were saying goodbye to each other.    Some for just the summer vacation, while others were graduating and heading off into the sunset on the next chapter of their lives.    One young man was bound for Colorado, another for New York.   We sat there for a little while holding each other’s hands.   We watched our daughter from afar walking around with her new friends and the free cotton candy.    I won’t say, but there may have been a little tear or two in the corners of our eyes.   Time moves on.   It does not stop for no one.   

Tuesday, the phone rang early.   I don’t know the time, but most likely it was way before fishermen even get their hooks wet.   Anyway, it was dark outside.    My mother in law was frantic.  “He’s fallen, and I can’t get him up.”   She said.   I grabbed my Bama baseball cap, threw my jeans on, and to their house I went.   It is just down the road, so it didn’t take me long to get there.   She met me at the door, and took me to him.   My father in law was in the floor.   She had covered him with a blanket and had given him a pillow.   I surveyed the scene and figured out the best course of action.   It didn’t take me long to get him up, so I looked around a bit.   I saw the familiar home where Debbie grew up.   I saw comfortable furniture.   I remembered sitting on that very couch while dating their daughter.   I remembered Christmases gathered around the tree in the den.   They all kind of run together now.   I remembered the picnics on the back porch or by the fire in the back yard.   I smiled remembering when I rebuilt his back deck when it was no longer safe to use.   Then I saw that I need to repair this deck.   It’s getting a bit old.   I looked around and there are quite a few things that I need to fix.   Ok, so I’ll just add all those items to my to-do list.   I finally remembered who I am, so I consoled my mother in law.   As I listened to her cry.  I thought to myself that this must be the first time that she put it together in her mind that things are different now.   I think she saw, that her husband is no longer the big strong man that she married when she was 17.   Yes, he cared for her that long, and time passes.   It does not stop for anyone.   

A couple of days later Debbie received another frantic call early in the morning, but this time the sun was already up.   The call from her mother didn’t really make sense.   She just said, “He needs an ambulance.   He can’t.”    We didn’t know what he couldn’t do, but we knew he needed an ambulance.   I called one on my phone, while Debbie was trying to calm her mother.   Of course the dispatcher wanted more information that I did not possess, so I gave Deb my phone, and off to the closet I went to grab my Bama baseball cap, jeans and tennis shoes.    Off to their house I went, while Debbie and Hannah were still getting ready and calling her sister.   I arrived just a bit after the ambulance and fire truck.  I love fire trucks.   They are so cool - red, shiny and big - what’s not to like I guess, but I digress.     Debbie’s sister had arrived just minutes before I did, and we watched as they carried my father in law to the ambulance from his bedroom.   My suggestion was that the sister get her mom ready while I follow the ambulance.   The EMTs strapped him in, connected some tubes, and pulled away.   As I was leaving behind my in-laws, Debbie and Hannah were arriving at their house.   I waved, and off I went to the ER at Kennestone.   I answered the questions that I could (Somehow I knew his middle name and birthdate -impressive right?).  They decided that the questions I couldn’t answer would not be a deal breaker, so they began working with him.   They began testing - took him for a cat scan.   They drew his blood.   They x-rayed his chest - took his temperature, connected him to the blood pressure machines.   They discovered that he is a good deal sicker than a man full of cancer should be.   You see he has also contracted pneumonia, and it has gone septic.   This big man who took care of so many things for so many people is moving on to a new world - sooner rather than later I suppose.   Then everyone began arriving to the ER.   I hugged my mother in law.    I took Debbie’s sister into the hall.   I told her, “You make the decisions.   Debbie will make sure everyone has something to eat.   If you have to make a decision that no one likes then blame things on me.   I am here for you and have been down this very road recently.”    I saw Debbie and of course she was feeding her dad ice chips.   What a girl!   God gave me a gift you know?   I don’t know what I did to deserve her.   I guess I just caught a break with God.   She looked at me with eyes that said everything, “I can’t go down this road again.   Why does everyone have to die on me?”    

Time moves on.   It does not stop or even slow down for anyone.    This means we as children of Christ have only a finite number of minutes to do the important things in life.   What are the important things?  You might ask.   Well, the important things are relationships.    First, the very most important relationship is the one with Jesus Christ the living Son of God.    Use these finite minutes to check your relationship to Him.   Are you secure in your salvation?   Are you sure?   Use the minutes you have been given to check your family’s, friends’, neighbors’, coworkers’ relationships to the ONE TRUE GOD.   There is no other way to heaven than through Jesus Christ.   If you don’t believe me check your Scriptures.   Or you can just trust me.   I know its’ there.      How about your relationship to others?   Do you really have time enough to spare to use in anger toward others.  Or perhaps in envy.   Wouldn’t it be a wiser use of our very limited time to be kind?   Loving?   Truthful?