Christmas, Advent, and Waiting

         I finally got a day off of work where I'm not sick and thought it might be a great time to blog and share some thoughts with ya'll.  You read that right that I now have a job again (I'm working for a hardscape company that builds patios, firepits, retaining walls, etc.).  God continues to provide everything I need in this time of waiting and wondering, just as He has the past three years.
         Speaking of waiting...my thoughts have been drawn back to reflect on waiting a lot recently as Advent comes around again (you see what I did there? :)).  If you're not familiar with the Christian season of Advent it is a word that literally means "coming" and is a time of reflection, repentance, and joyful expectation leading up to Christmas (there is a great Advent devotional book I've used the last two years called Watch for the Light).  One of the most important themes of Advent is that of waiting and expectation.  God's people waited long in anticipation of God's coming redemption.  Christians celebrate this coming each year at Christmas, but also continue to wait in hope for Christ's return (or Second Advent).
          Dennis Conner's sermon at Brooks Avenue Church of Christ this past Sunday really helped bring to the surface my ruminations on waiting (it is not that I haven't thought an awful lot about waiting in the last three years, but it sort of comes and goes over time).  He spoke about Simeon and Anna, two elderly Jews who had waited long to see God's Messiah come (Luke 2:25-38).  They both were overjoyed at baby Jesus' presentation at the Temple and knew that God was finally doing a great thing.  Yet it occurs to me that all we get to see is the end result, not all that led up to it.  They spent year upon year wondering, hoping, seeking the revelation of God's Anointed.  How tired and discouraged did they get?  How often did they think they were close, only to find out they were wrong?  What did they do to maintain hope in God and to really live throughout all this time?  One thing seems certain: if they had not been attentive to God, looking and watching and trusting in Him to act, they would probably have missed Jesus (being just another peasant baby at the Temple.  But they were! and so they saw something few others paid attention to.  How many things do we miss because we're not paying attention to God?  Waiting, if it does  nothing else (which of course it does) helps us pay attention to Him.
           I can't decide how similar my waiting is to that of Simeon and Anna.  Unfortunately I don't have much new to report in that regard as the year comes to an end (see the message I've included below from some of the folks in Newport).  But I am reminded and convinced anew that God is calling me to wait for His action, and to know that waiting on Him is worthwhile.  And this waiting is not passive or stagnant, but active and attentive.
          So as you look towards Christmas here in just a few days I want to encourage you to keep praying with me and also to wait: not just for me to leave the country, but to wait and watch for God.  He is still coming.
                                                                       Merry Christmas,
                                                                       Chris

"Hi Chris, thanks for the birthday greetings. As it was on a Sunday this year and also our usual monthly fellowship meal I was spoilt by everyone and it made my day extra special. I really thought that you would be here with us by now but the Lord obviously has other plans. I know how hard this is for you as your whole life is on hold. We just have to keep plugging away at the powers [that] be and hope they run out of questions soon and that the whole visa issue can be sorted out. Hope you and your family have a blessed and peaceful Christmas season and that 2015 will be the year that you finally get [to] join us in Newport. The younger generation have a desperate need right now and it would be great to have someone who can relate to that need. We continue to keep you in our prayers. With love in Him Ken And Annette"

9 Ways to Encourage the Church in the UK

Dear All,

I’m afraid I don’t have anything new to share about the immigration application with the British government.  I continue to covet your prayers for this and for the whole process of pursuing ministry in Newport.  However, as I mentioned at the end of my last blogpost, I want to offer some ways that you and I as Christians in the United States can help the Church in the United Kingdom grow and thrive.  I've put together a list of nine practical ways you can help, or can encourage help for the Church in the UK below.  Please prayerfully consider these and any other ideas you may have.  You never know what opportunities God might give you if you're paying attention.

As a quick footnote, I want to offer this article about some of the mistakes Americans can make when doing mission work or trying to support Christians in other countries.  We can easily make a mess of things and not even realize it if we don’t think critically about the context and unintended consequences of our work: http://dbouchelle.blogspot.com/2013/12/frequent-missteps-of-americans-in.html  (from the blog of Dan Bouchelle of Mission Resource Network)

“Of course, I don’t mean you should give so much that you suffer from having too little.  I only mean that there should be some equality.  Right now you have plenty and can help them.  Then at some other time they can share with you when you need it.  In this way, everyone’s needs will be met.  Do you remember what the Scriptures say about this?  ‘Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough.’”

                                                                                        -2^nd Corinthians 8:13-15 (NLT)

Top 9 Ways to Help (Practically)

9. Learn More

Take time to learn more about the British Church, their cultural context, and history.  You won’t know how best to serve until you learn a little more.  Here are a couple websites to start learning:

-The Christian Worker (like the Christian Chronicle for the UK; check out their directory of CofCs in the UK)

-Wikipedia (Wikipedia’s page on the UK; very informative)

-Current Events (story from the Telegraph about the decline of Christianity in the UK)

8. Meet Some British People

They are among us, lurking in the shadows….not really.  Actually, there are a large number of British visitors, students, and immigrants in the USA at any given time (about 680,000 this past year).  Look for opportunities to meet them and talk with them about their home and (where possible) about their faith.  You could learn a lot.

7. Trade Your Preacher

I know many of you have been looking for a way to ‘nicely’ get rid of your local preacher.  Well, here’s your opportunity! (just kidding, but really…). I have heard of a least one situation where a congregation in California and one in the UK swapped preachers for a 6 month to 1 year time period.  See if your preacher and his family would be interested in a temporary change of venue.  You never know, you might learn a lot from a British preacher as well.

6. Write a Letter of Encouragement

Find the address of a congregation in the UK (see Christian Worker website above) and write a letter of encouragement to them.  Tell them you are praying for them.  Ask about their worship, ministry, and outreach.  You never know what impact you might have (and postage is no more than about $2 for a regular letter sent to the UK from the US).

5. Take a Trip to the UK

Many of you have been looking for an opportunity to visit Europe on vacation.  Why not visit the UK, and add a Church of Christ to your list of places to visit (preferably when someone is there)?  Your presence would be a significant boost to many congregations in the UK and you never know what connections you might make.

4. Plant a Seed

Do you know a young person who is considering missions?  Or maybe someone who is retiring and looking for meaningful retirement work?  Or maybe someone who is looking to do a non-ministry job in a foreign country?  Talk with them about helping buildup the Church in the UK!  You might not be able to go yourself, but you could plant the seed in someone else’s heart with God’s help.

3. Plan a Mission Trip

Talk with your youth, college, or senior minister about a short-term mission trip to the UK.  It can be relatively inexpensive with some good planning (check out my favorite airline for Europe, Aer Lingus).  Remember that medical missions or building houses are probably not necessary in a highly developed country like the UK.

2. Give Money

This could be to a missionary or to a specific congregation in the UK.  There is a great need for this as it is quite expensive to live in the UK.  Ask me if you’d like some suggestions for missionaries or congregations to support in the UK.

1. Pray for the Church

Finally, make sure to pray for the Church in the UK.  They need our prayers so much and truly God is the One who can accomplish most there.  Make sure to pray specifically for things like: strength, unity, their relationships with outsiders, deeper knowledge of the Gospel, and encouragement.

Sincerely in Christ,

Chris

5 Reasons Not To Give Up On The United Kingdom

Ever since I started this journey towards sharing the Gospel with young people in the UK (and even before that), I've noticed something interesting about mission work in Europe: mainly that it is almost non-existent.  Perhaps non-existent is too strong a term, but in comparison to the vast numbers of missionaries and resources being expended to win people to Christ in places like Africa, India, and Central America, non-existent seems an appropriate word (I do know of a handful of people and Churches from the States working in the UK and Europe).  I believe there is a general assumption

St. Woolos Cathedral in Newport, Wales

that stands behind this within the minds and hearts of many American Christians: Christianity in Europe is a lost cause.  And after spending some time there and studying the culture I can understand the roots of this belief.  Europe is often called “Post-Christian” or “completely secular,” because many people there are not interested in Christianity or are even antagonistic towards it.  Hundreds of Church buildings stand empty, and hundreds more will soon as their congregations dwindle into the grave.  It is a fight just to survive for most congregations, and few converts have been seen over the last 15-20 years.  But has God given up on Europe?  Does He want us to give up on the soul and the people of Europe?  Let me humbly offer five reasons why I think we shouldn’t give up on United Kingdom or Europe.  But first, a brief update on immigration.

Unfortunately, the sponsorship certificate has not yet been approved for the Newport Church of Christ.  I heard recently from them that they continue to go back and forth with the immigration folks, particularly in the areas of hierarchy (which Churches of Christ are suspiciously lacking in the eyes of the UK government) and accounts.  Please continue to pray for me and for the Church in Newport as they try to sort things out and as they struggle with the financial burden of this process.

One of the things recently which inspired me to share these five reasons was a reflective piece in the Christian Chronicle newspaper entitled “The Faith I Have Found in ‘Post-Christian’ Europe” by Erik Tryggestad (check it out by clicking on the article title).  He speaks about a recent trip he made to

visit Christians in Brussels, Belgium and the way that he was encouraged not to give up on Europe.  In truth, I am not nearly as familiar with the rest of Europe as I am with the United Kingdom (I’ve briefly visited Spain, Ireland, and Italy) and so the five reasons I offer here going to be from a British

context (however, I think many if not most of these are transferable to other parts of Europe).  So here are my top five reasons not to give up on United Kingdom (or Europe):

1. Christianity is not dead, yet.  I am reminded of a quote from the very silly Monty Python’s “The Holy Grail” in which a character yells: “I’m not dead, yet!”  This is also true of Christianity in the UK.  It’s true that the Church has fallen on hard times here, but it’s not done-for yet.  I have been amazed by the resiliency of Churches in the UK and the way that they “soldier on”                                                                 despite great adversity.

2.  There is enormous potential for rebirth.  I believe that the Church in the UK shares a good deal of the blame for where it finds itself now.  Too many times throughout history the Church (I speak generally of the Christian Church) has chosen power over love, money over service, and cultural conformity over counter-cultural living.  Perhaps it is good that the Church here has been so humbled, because now it has the opportunity to become again what it is supposed to be.  God, I believe, wants to renew the Church in the UK if we will let Him.  It is from this place of deep humility that God will lift us up (the American Church has yet to learn this).

3.  The world is coming here.  If you want to reach those from the Middle East with the Gospel, come to the UK.  If you want to reach those from South and Central Asia, come to the UK.  If you want to reach those from Africa, come to the UK.  This may seem counter-intuitive, but so many immigrants are coming to the UK every day from these regions that the UK is becoming a great place to reach them.  Not only is the UK closer and safer than many of these countries, but you have the opportunity to share the Gospel openly with them instead of in secret (as you would have to in many countries).  And not only is this true in London, but more and more cities like Cardiff and Newport are receiving large numbers of immigrants.  The world is coming to the UK.

4. If we give up on the UK, we give up on the next generation in the US.  It is true that Europe and the US are two very different places and the US will probably not exactly follow the path that Europe has taken.  However, there are just too many similarities between the way teens and young adults in America are thinking and the general thought processes that dominate Europe to ignore.  The Church in the US needs to engage the very significant conversations going on in the UK right now (like “what is true?”, “who is God and what really matters to Him?”, “what does my faith have to do with my everyday life?”, and "why does the Church matter?" for example) so that it has something to say to teens and twenty-somethings in the States.  The Church can’t ignore this group forever and the UK has plenty to teach us about how to engage with our ever more post-modern culture.

5.  God has not given up on the UK.  If ever there was a nation God should have given up on it was Israel.  Yet we find these words of God spoken through Hosea to God’s people: “How can I give you up, Ephraim?  How can I hand you over, Israel?... My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.  I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim.  For I am God, and not man—the Holy One among you” (Hosea 11:8a, 8c-9).  God's heart is turned to compassion when He sees the brokenness of the people He loves (that is not to say that God's love excludes His judgment at times).  And God sees things that we don't see.  Again and again throughout history He turns evil into good, and the impossible into possible for the glory of His name.  I believe that God wants to do this in the UK, and His Spirit is at work if we will trust Him and seek Him.

Hope these five reasons encourage you not to give up on the UK either.  I don’t know what will ultimately come of my pursuit of doing youth ministry in the UK, but I am hopeful that God is at work there.  Next time I blog I hope to offer a few practical ways you can help the Church grow and thrive in the UK and Europe.  Until then…

Sincerely in Christ,

Chris

End of Summer Update

"A man's steps are directed by the LORD.  How then can anyone understand his own way?"                                                                                                                                                 -Proverbs 20:24

 Dear All,

The above verse has come to mind often as of late.  It helps me understand why I have so much trouble making sense of life and ministry sometimes.  Sorry it's been such a long time since I blogged on here.  I get to talk with some of you in person often, but I know for many of you this is one of the main ways you are able to keep up with me and ministry in Wales.  Still, I wanted to wait until I had something worth sharing before I blogged again.

For those who are wondering, I am still in the United States (Raleigh, NC to be specific).  It has been a busy summer working with the North Raleigh Church of Christ as their interim youth minister (they have finally found a replacement, so my last day is actually this Sunday).  On top of this I've spent a week at Carolina Bible Camp and attended two weddings in Texas (yes I went to another wedding in Texas).  Despite the busyness of my summer, I have had little to report in the way of immigration news.  It has been a very slow process, and unfortunately my communication with the Newport congregation has been very limited.  In fact, until recently I did not have much to report, because I did not know what there was to report.

But I am thankful to report that the work visa (or sponsorship) application has been made and paid.  I did not realize before, but apparently the application fee is a rather hefty 536 pounds (approximately $860).  All this has now been done and the Church is waiting to hear back from the immigration office (one of which happen to be in Newport).  This is, unfortunately, less progress than I would like to report.  Yet it is significant and important.  Once the sponsorship is approved, it will allow me to make my personal application for a religious worker visa (which can be good for up to 3 years).  I hope all will be approved before the end of 2014.

As many of you realize, this has been quite a lengthy process for me.  It was, in fact, two years ago this November that I first traveled over to Wales and Scotland to meet two churches (and subsequently broke my wrist in the process).  I admit that it has been far slower of a process than I would have liked, both because of raising support and because of immigration.  This has been especially frustrating with lack of communication over this summer and feeling like I have little to be doing in preparation while I wait.  Still, I believe it is something worth continuing to pursue and work towards.

However, in the midst of this waiting and wondering, I have decided to consider other ministry possibilities in the States this fall.  Over the last year and a half I have not looked into other opportunities because I believed that youth ministry in Wales was where God was calling me and I didn't think it fair to pursue other positions while preparing to go to Newport.  I still believe God can use me for His Kingdom in Newport (indeed He may use me there for years to come...), but I have decided to open myself up to consider other places God could use me in the meantime as I continue to pursue working with the Newport Church.  I want to allow God to tell me "yes" to Newport again, or to lead me elsewhere if He will.  I hope that this is truly faithful, though I admit I have doubts.

So I ask all of you to continue to pray earnestly for me.  I know God hears our prayers and will work through them according to His purpose and goodness.  Pray that God would give me discernment and that He would lead me into effective ministry in the right place, with the right people, at the right time.  Pray for me that I will have continued patience and perseverance.  Pray that God will bring about a speedy process in immigration and in my moving over to Newport.  And pray that I would prepare and be prepared well.

Thank you so much for your support and your prayers!

Sincerely in Christ,
Chris

P.S I welcome your thoughts or reflections on any or all of this.  Feel free to contact me in whichever form you think best.  Thanks!

Two Things

            Two things I'd like to share with you (my faithful readers) this week.  One is informative and one is reflective.  Most of all, I seem to have made a habit of this whole blogging thing and I find that I just keep doing it.  Strange...
            First the reflective.  A couple weeks ago I got to be a part of the wedding of two very close friends.  I've known Anne Weaver and Bob Kessler for almost 10 years now, and I have been so blessed by their friendship.  I don't really like the term "best friend," because it feels like I have to choose a winner for the "friendship contest."  But these two people are the closest I come to having "best friends."  I've gotten to walk with them through most of their long courtship; I've hurt with them and rejoiced with them all along the way, and was so excited to hear about their engagement last year.  Celebrating the beginning of their marriage and just being together with them is something I've been looking forward to all year, even if it meant cutting my possible time in Wales a little bit short.  It was such a blessed weekend as I not only got to rejoice with Bob and Anne, but also with so many friends I haven't seen in a long time.

                                                  Check out some more amazing pictures here!

             I'm sure Bob and Anne probably got tired of hearing the word "finally" during the weekend (it was a rather long courtship, after all), even as I got tired of hearing that I had "flown all the way from Wales to be at the wedding" (though, of course, there is some truth in that).  The long wait, along with the celebration, have gotten me thinking about something else.  Christ's return and the redemption of Heaven and Earth are described as a wedding in Revelation.  Jesus is the groom and the Church (His people) is the bride.  It is a powerful image to me, and the Kessler/Weaver wedding (among others) has given me deeper insight into what God is doing.  That wedding (God's with His people) will be the greatest party and the most satisfying feast.  And we're in it!  We are both bride and bridesmaid: bride because we are lovingly redeemed by Christ; bridesmaid because we also celebrate alongside others who are united with Christ.  I got to experience what it is like to be a friend of the bride/groom this past week and it has given me a much deeper appreciation of several different verses in Scripture (i.e. John 3:29-30).  It also has given me a better comprehension of what the wait for Jesus' return is all about.  In one sense our wait for Jesus' return is Him continuing the long courtship, or perhaps the extended engagement, for God has very much already decided on us.  Perhaps we are the ones who are still struggling somewhat with indecision.  Bob and Anne's courtship was long, but as I reflect on what I know of it, I can't see that it would have been better any other way.  Maybe God's (very) long courtship is the same way.
             Now for the informative bit.  As I mentioned, I am back from Newport and continuing to work towards a religious worker visa so that I can stay for a more extended time period.  Please continue to pray for me and for the Church as we try to work towards this together.  As I work and wait towards this end, I wanted to let you know what I'm doing this summer.  After a good bit of prayer and consideration I decided to rejoin North Raleigh Church of Christ for the summer.  I am continuing to work with them as an interim youth and family minister.  They are moving through a difficult time of transition (continuing to search for a youth minister and now with their pulpit minister retiring) and could probably use all the help they can get.  Please pray also for them in this time of transition: that they would trust God, seek renewal, and draw together in love.  Also pray for me as I seek to serve them well.
              Just thought I'd try to share with you from several different angles here as the summer begins.  I will try to continue posting to keep you updated and share what I'm contemplating.

Sincerely in Christ,
Chris

Back In The United States of America

         For those of you who don't already know, I arrived back in the States this past Wednesday.  It was a long trip back (as I knew it would be), but thankfully was shorter than it could have been (I did stand-by on an earlier flight back to Raleigh when my plane was delayed two hours).  I'm thankful to be safely back in Raleigh, which, as always, seems a more beautiful and vibrant city after I have been away for a while.  But I also miss the lush, ancient hills and ridges of Wales, with the nearly endless sea always close at hand.  Like when I would leave Abilene for Raleigh (or vice-versa), I always felt I was leaving one of my homes behind.
           A lot can happen in a year.  I was reminded the other day of a conversation I had with a friend last summer about relationships, marriage, and all that.  He was not dating anyone at the time and we mused about what the past had brought and what the future might bring.  Now a year later he's engaged and looking forward to marriage.  A lot can happen in a year.
           That being said, a lot can NOT happen in two months.  My parents can testify to my frustration the other day as we drove around Raleigh and I noticed that one of my "favorite" apartment developments in-progress had barely changed at all in the two months I was away in Wales (this is probably a bit of an exaggeration).  God and time change many things, but some slower and some faster than we would prefer.
            I say all of this, in part, as a reflection on my time in Wales and, in part, as an introduction to what may be next.  It appears that I will be back in the United States till at least September.  This is not exactly according to my plans or preferences.  Newport Church of Christ hosts their Holiday Bible School (HBS) at the end of July with the help of some Lipscomb students and then joins other churches for British Bible Camp (BBC) in early August.  I would really like to be back for these two important times, but I am persuaded that my visa paperwork will probably take longer than that.  Still, I am more and more looking forward to joining my brothers and sisters in Newport long-term.  There is a great deal of opportunity for God's Kingdom to grow and mature there, and I am looking forward to being a part of that in the ways God calls me.  I suppose I will have to wait a bit longer yet.  Hopefully I will let you know soon what I will be up to this summer, but I will just say for now that I trust God it will be good.

I think I'll close with five lessons I learned during my past two months in Wales:

1.  Listening to God is hard work, but it is one of the most important things we can do.  To really listen to God takes a lot more work than it sounds like.  There are so many things (in myself and outside) that get in the way.  Still it is worth the hard work to know God's heart and voice.
2.  The Gospel is the core of who we are as Christians.  It is both simple and incredibly complex.  I spent a lot of time thinking about and trying to understand the Gospel while I was in Wales.  It was hard to get beyond what "I already know."  But as I did get beyond this with God's help, I gained a better understanding, which I know will be essential to ministry wherever I am.
3.  God is faithful, and He expects us to be faithful.  God reminded me again and again during my time in Wales that He is faithful.  This was so important as I felt quite overwhelmed at times and didn't know what to do.  But as I continued to seek Him,  God also continued to pound into me that He expects me to be faithful where I am with what He has given me.
4.  Hospitality is huge.  Not only did I receive enormous hospitality from Christians in Newport/Cardiff, I also saw them extending "excessive" hospitality to others.  Surely this is an important part of what it means to live as a Christian, and one that we have not always honored within the American Church.
5.  Culture is cool.  I continue to be blessed and amazed by the opportunities I have been given to really dig into different cultures, comparing and contrasting their idiosyncrasies and personalities.  I look forward to doing this far more in the future.

Sincerely in Christ,
Chris

Second to Last Week in Wales

          I almost cannot believe that I have just finished my second to last week in Wales.  In a little over a week I will be back on a plane headed to for the United States.  I'm not particularly looking forward to the trip itself as it is quite wearisome and stressful (the trip back will be a few hours longer than the one over).  But I know that God will go with me in it and probably bless it in some ways that I do not expect.  It is certainly a good time of reflection, prayer, and reading.
           The weather this past week has been really nice.  It reached around 75 degrees Monday (hot for the UK), and the weekend was sunny and like a warm spring day back in North Carolina (they would call them summer days here).  It has been so sunny and warm that I commented to Ruth on our trip to London (more on that later), that England just doesn't feel like England in the sunshine.
           It has certainly been good weather for a number of trips around town this week.  Wednesday before our midweek gathering I took an hour or so to explore the neighborhoods and "lands" surrounding the church building.  The church building is located in a fairly unique place, with great access to the city center and neighborhoods.  It is about 10 minutes walk from the main business district on the other side of the river and in an area packed with homes.  From the main road you turn left and pass under the railroad to enter a "secluded" neighborhood of over 300 houses crammed together around a small park and bordered by the river.  The Church is right in the middle of all this and is in a great place for outreach and ministry.  After I explored this area I followed a path along the river which led me up to a fairly new primary school.  From there I explored some large parks (mostly soccer pitches) that stretch under the M4 motorway to the north.  It was a really neat area to explore and has given me a great idea of where to go running in town near the church building.
           Along with this trip I visited Mike over at Cardiff University on Friday.  He gave me a tour of the

buildings he is in most often, which are primarily bio-medical science buildings.  Unfortunately there was pretty restricted access to a lot of these buildings on the weekend, so I didn't get to see as much as Mike wanted to show me.  Still it was pretty interesting.  Cardiff University has over 27,000 students scattered around the center of Cardiff and is well known as a research university with a medical school, law school, and a number of other degrees.
           I mentioned I went to London, but this is probably a stretch.  I went with Ruth on Sunday when she went to pick up Heather (her daughter) at Heathrow airport.  She was returning from a month in China.  This is probably as close to London as I will get while I'm here, which is alright.  London is such a huge city and I'd rather explore areas around Wales and West England instead.
           Sunday was also the day we had a congregational meeting after Sunday morning service.  It was a bit nerve-racking to try and direct this meeting for the congregation, but I think it went well.  We spent time talking about where Newport CofC is at currently and where they would like to be "going."  There is a great desire to grow, to be more organized, and to do a better job of reaching out to their community.  I was pleased to hear this and believe that God has given me abilities that can help us in reaching out to young

people, families, and college students in the community.  However, there is a lot of growth in discipleship/fellowship that is needed at the same time and we will need to be seeking growth for the right reasons.  Growth simply for the sake of growth, or because we think this will make us a better church are the wrong reasons for growth and outreach.  Our outreach and growth need to be driven by a deep understanding of the Gospel and a desire to share the love, grace, and truth that we have come to know in Jesus Christ.  I also took some time to share my thoughts and ideas with the congregation so they could see what I'm thinking.  I shared with them that I think a possible process towards good growth and outreach would be as follows: 1)Growth in discipleship/fellowship/worship; 2) Increasing involvement and ministry of each member; 3)Prayerful study of our culture/city to see how we need to adjust to be more relevant and counter-cultural; 4) Begin sustainable outreach to young people, families, and college students in our community.  Obviously some of this will need to happen simultaneously and will probably not be all lined up in order (I wish things worked that way...).  But I hope this process will give us direction and better understanding of what is needed and where we are headed.
               Please continue to pray for me and for the Newport congregation in this time of transition and preparation.  Please also be praying about an attempt we're making at outreach this Wednesday.  We've invited some of the kids from the youth club to dinner and Bible study on Wednesday night and I hope this will be a good opportunity for me to meet some of the teens as well as connect them with the Church.  So please pray that God would bring the right people together and help us make connections that He can use over the long term.  Thanks!

Sincerely in Christ,
Chris

Fifth Week in Wales

This past week has been a little less eventful.  Actually, it depends on which part of the week you're talking about.  The first half of the week was pretty slow (which was really pretty good).  I took some time to listenCheck out this link for more about the book.

to several more lectures from ACU's 2013 Summit Bible Lectureship.  One particularly interesting lecture was a review/reflection of Tim Keller's recent book entitled "Center Church."  Keller is the lead minister of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC and I think the subtitle gives a great summary of what the book is about: "Doing balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City."  I've been thinking a lot this week about the principles that the book brings up and what it means for work with the Church here in Newport.  I'd love to get a copy and  read through the book myself (like I need another book to read!).
            The rest of the week got progressively busier and more full of activity.  Friday night I went out with Ruth Winstanley and another young adult from Newport (Mike) to a Lebanese restaurant in Cardiff.  It was certainly authentic (not that I really know much about Lebanese food) and is located in a part of Cardiff (City Road) that is home to hundreds of different ethnic restaurants and shops (from Iranian and Lebanese to

City Road, Cardiff (Not My Picture)

 Nigerian).  I found myself considering Friday night that I have had so many experiences here in Wales that I certainly would not have categorized as "British."  But these experiences reflect the rapidly changing ethnic landscape of Britain.  Even though Newport is still over 85% White, this is in comparison to it being around 95% White 10 years ago (a huge difference in 10 years time!).  The current statistics for Cardiff are quite similar, with over 90 foreign languages being spoken in the city (Urdu, Somali, Bengali, and Arabic being some of the most common).  I know now that along with learning to serve God in the traditional Welsh culture, I will increasingly need to learn to serve him in a very diverse culture.
             Saturday we had a church building "work day."  This was to mainly focus on cleaning up/out the teen room upstairs.  When the Church bought a new boiler over the winter they had to move a lot of stuff into the teen room and it had not been cleaned up since.  Much of the stuff was put up into the loft (aka. attic for Americans), which gave me an interesting opportunity to learn more about the congregations past (by looking around the loft).  There were all sorts of things up in the loft and it brought up good conversations about when those things were used and why.  There was a lot more that I'd like to have done on the work day (and many ideas popped into my head for the future), but it was probably good we only spent the morning on this task as it could be an overwhelming task.
              After worshiping with the congregation Sunday morning, I headed out for Bristol again to preach at

Roman Baths and Bath Abbey (Not My Picture)

their evening service (yes this is my third trip to Bristol since I arrived).  The evening service allowed me to get to know more people from the congregation there and I think the sermon went fairly well.  Afterwards, Jason's family and some of the young adults took me with them to get dinner in Bath.  For those who don't know, Bath is famous for a lot of things, most especially from Jane Austen's books and for the ancient Roman baths.  It is a really beautiful Georgian town which apparently is only about 20 minutes drive from Bristol (or 1 hour 10 minutes from Newport).  I might have to see if I can visit again some time.
             Real quickly before I finish, I want to encourage you to be praying about a meeting that's being planned for this Sunday after service.  I'm hoping to talk with the Newport congregation more about their expectations and desire for my work with them.  This is not easy as many times expectations are not conscious, but subconscious.  Also, I think the Newport congregation have not had a lot of time to consider "what's next" over the last few years (for numerous reasons).  Please pray that this will be a good time of discussion, consideration, reflection, and vision for the future.  I'm going to encourage the congregation to be thinking and praying about it beforehand as well.  I want to make sure that I'm moving and working in conjunction with them for the sake of God's Kingdom and glory.  I hope all of you are well and thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers!

Sincerely in Christ,
Chris

Fourth Week In Wales

              It has been another eventful week here across the sea.  Probably the most important note about this week is that I have now passed the halfway point of my time in Wales.  I can't believe that I've been here for just under a month now.  By the end of the month I will be back in the States.  While I will have a lot to reflect on from my time here (and already am reflecting on), I realized recently that in some ways this time is like a sabbatical for me.  Not that I've really been working long enough to have a sabbatical.  But many of the things I've been focusing on while here (prayer, journaling/reflection, "visioning," etc.) are sabbatical type activities.  This time is so important (as I've probably said before) as I prepare to enter a very different, long-term type of ministry and context in Newport.

Bristol Ship Building (Not My Picture)

 An important conversation I had this past week towards this preparation was with the preacher/evangelist of the Bristol Church of Christ (Jason Snethen) just down the road in England.  This was actually one of two trips I made to Bristol this past week, the other being a Friday night trip for their evening youth group.  Along with attending their "coffee morning" (a more-or-less social gathering in which they drink tea :)), I spent the day getting to know Jason, talking with him about my experiences in Newport, and his 10+ year work with the Bristol Church.  Among other things, the Church in Bristol has grown from 30 to about 90 in the last 10 years and has broadened their ministry leadership base (Jason worked with another evangelist named Trevor Williams until fairly recently).  It was really good to talk with Jason and hear how Bristol has grown and how that same growth could be possible in Newport.  That being said, I know Newport is not quite the same thing and I am sensing more and more that my role there will be different than Jason's in Bristol.  Still it was good to talk with a fellow American ministering in the UK (I forgot to mention that Jason is from Oklahoma).
              Thank you, by the way, for your prayers on behalf of my preaching this past Sunday.  I think it

Near Bristol University (Not My Picture)

went pretty well and I got generally positive feedback.  I've been invited to preach again this Sunday night in Bristol.  Please continue to pray for me as I try to decide what to preach there and what God wants to do with that.  I've decided that preaching is not an easy thing and is best done when God has placed something before  you to consider and then preach (which doesn't normally happen every week).  "What is the Gospel" is something God has had me considering since the time I got here, and so I felt pretty clearly from the outset that this is what I ought to preach.
             One more thing I've been reflecting on the last couple days.  I spent some time listening to a two part lecture from ACU's Summit lectures done by a preacher named Grady King entitled "When the Church Comes Between You and God" (dealing with disillusionment in Church).  While the title is intended to be provocative and it is addressed mainly towards ministers, it would certainly be worth a listen for anyone in a ministry leadership position (you can download it for free from iTunes U).  I don't feel like I'm in a place of disillusionment right now, but I know it is a real problem in ministry and something I will probably face at some point because of the unique challenges present in Newport.  Grady King makes the point that we need to focus on our own spiritual witness and growth, rather than be discouraged by the position a Church is in (1st Timothy 4).  He reminds ministers that they cannot change the Church on their own, but rather recognize that we serve Jesus as He works in His Church.  Finally, it is important that ministers don't blame themselves for the "failure" they may see in the Churches they serve, especially when you consider that so much is expected of ministers now (CEO, CFO, Vision Leader, Organizer, etc.).  Just some interesting food for thought.  Hope you are well and thank you for your prayers!

Sincerely in Christ,
Chris

Third Week in Wales

          It is strange to say that my third week in Wales has now passed, because it feels like I have been here a good bit longer.  I really feel like I am starting to adjust to the culture and people here, and have begun to find a good day-to-day rhythm.  Let me share a few things that have been happening this past week, and then some thoughts from my upcoming sermon at Newport Church of Christ this Sunday.
          This past week has been filled with visitors.  Last Wednesday (4/23) the Sharoon siblings came and stayed the night with us again which was great fun.  The next day we had lunch with them and then went with

Ken and Annette to visit Newport's own "country estate" called Tredegar House (pronounced Tre-deee-gar).  It is an old and unique mansion built for what was once the most powerful family in Monmouthshire (Newport area), the Morgan family (Baron and Baroness Tredegar).  It is now run by the National Trust and some of it's old lands have been turned into a city park.  Then on Friday through Sunday we had another family come stay with us.  This family is from El Salvador and has been living in the UK for 3-4 months seeking asylum.  They were worshiping with the Church in Newport up until recently (even though they speak little English) when the "powers that be" moved them to Plymouth as they await immigration hearings.  It was good to meet them and their 7 year old son.  It also gave me a chance to practice my neglected Spanish.  Then this past Sunday there was a great gathering of people from Church at the Winstanley's house for an afternoon meal (this was only after my impromptu song leading at church that morning).  We had 15 people in all I believe, including a couple from the Bristol Church of Christ who were visiting (Robert and Leanne Daniel).  We literally spent the entire day eating, talking, playing games, eating some more, and talking some

more.  I had some really great conversations and learned a lot from the people who were there.  It was a very good weekend.
         I've posted more pictures recently on my Facebook and the Facebook group "Serving Jesus In Newport, Wales" if you'd like to see more of what is going on.  There are pictures of Tredegar House, a Saturday trip into Cardiff City Centre, and some pictures of the Wales Coast Path which I have been enjoying since I got here.
         Now about this sermon on Sunday.  As many of you know, I have not preached much in my life and still have a lot to learn (including better presentation and how to keep my sermons concise).  However, the sermon this week is not just important so that I can learn how to preach better, but because of the topic I'm preaching on: "What is the Gospel?"  While this feels like it ought to be a "no brainer" for Christians, I'm not so sure.  I know for myself that even though I have grown up in church and understand the theoretical principles of the Gospel, I know I still have a lot to learn about the reality of it.  At the same time, many within the Church may "understand" the Gospel, but they may not comprehend the Gospel's place in who we are (i.e. the Gospel's centrality to our salvation, identity, life, and mission/purpose, both individually and collectively).  Still further, sometimes it is just good to be reminded of what you think you already know.  Paul said in 1st Corinthians 1:17: "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel---not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be

emptied of its power."
         So what is the Gospel?  There's an awful lot that could be said about the Gospel, but there are three main things I hoping to share this Sunday: 1)The Reality of Our Rebellion; 2)The Response of the Father (God); and 3)The Redemption through the Messiah.  I am planning to draw these thoughts from two main passages: Luke 15:11-32 (The Prodigal Sons) and Isaiah 53:1-6 (The Suffering Servant).  The Gospel is woven throughout Scripture, but I think these two passages will help me stay focused and communicate clearly and succinctly.  The Gospel is good news for all, especially because it meets us in the midst of the bad news of "things as they are".  It says that God's heart for us is love, not judgment.  It says that salvation and that real justification is found in Jesus, not in ourselves or anything our society says.  Finally, it says that Jesus takes our iniquities and our wickedness on Himself, giving us new, resurrection life in Him.  There is so much more I'd like to explore with the Church in Newport about the Gospel (and continue to explore myself about it), but I hope this will be a good starting place.  Please pray for me as I share this Sunday that God would be able to speak through me and speak to the hearts of those who are present by His Spirit.  And please continue to pray for me as I seek God's will and work while I'm here.  Thanks!

Week Two in Wales

             So it has been almost two full weeks since I arrived in Wales and I just want to point out that I'm writing this blog post from a pub called The Six Bells, just down the street from where I'm staying.  And just in case you're concerned, I have a nice hot cup of tea sitting in front of me.

             It has been a little bit slower week, but certainly no less full of activity.  I spent Wednesday afternoon wandering around Newport city centre (more on that in another blog post) and then led a class for the four teens we had at Church that night.  We were talking about prayer, but eventually wandered off into several other topics like the Trinity, etc.
             Good Friday I ended up taking an impromptu trip with the Winstanleys to Bowood Estate near Chippenham, England in Wiltshire.  We met some of the Winstanley's relatives there who were down for the weekend to attend a wedding nearby.  Two of those relatives were John and Margaret Griffiths.  John is the preacher/evangelist for Wembley Church of Christ (think Wembley Stadium), and has been for nearly 30 years.  Bowood is an elegant country estate built for and still run by the Marquess and Marchioness of Lansdowne.  Apparently part of the house was torn down about 50 years ago because it was in disrepair.  But the house is still very

beautiful and has such excellent gardens.  Easter Sunday we spent the afternoon with these same relatives and it was really good getting to know them and learning more about the history of Churches of Christ in London.
             Speaking of the history of the Churches of Christ in the U.K., I have become more and more aware since I've been here of the strong American influence within churches here.  American missionaries and congregations have played a huge part in the development (and sometimes un-development) of Churches of Christ here over the last 40-50 years.  In some ways there has been a good bit of dependence on American churches here, which is surprising since the U.K is obviously not an impoverished country.  That being said, I think there is more of a move towards a native, British Church and there are of course plenty of ways the churches are different here.  Just an interesting observation...
             One more thing I've been thinking about.  A couple things I'm trying to do while I'm here in these initial two months is listen to God and prepare for faithful work here.  Towards that end, I've been thinking about several questions to guide me in this "listening preparation":

              -What is Newport and what is it like?
              -What is God doing here/has God been doing here?
              -Why is God calling me to Newport and what does He want me to do here?
I'm hoping that these questions will help me listen better and in a more focused way figure out what I need to

be doing and preparing for.  Please continue praying for me that I can listen well to God and make the most of the time I have here.  Thank you so much!

Sincerely in Christ,
Chris

P.S Check out the new website I've been working on for Newport Church of Christ.  It is pretty basic and still a work in progress, but it's better than not having a website.
           

First Week in Wales

What a busy first week it has been here in Newport, Wales.  Actually, to be specific, the family I am staying with (the Winstanleys) lives in the small village of Peterstone, halfway between Newport and Cardiff.  I wasn't sure exactly what to do or where to start when I first arrived (other than sleep :)), but looking back over the past week I realize that God has already provided a lot of opportunities for me to get to know the Church and community here.

Sunday (April 13) was the first time I got to see the Newport congregation all together since I visited in November 2012.  It was good to be with them again, though it was a bit different since there were a number of visitors from other churches visiting with them.  Some families that had worshiped with them have left in the past year, while some others have joined.  There was a guest preacher with us on Sunday named Paddy Boyns who is the director of the British Bible School (BBS).  The BBS was, for many years, similar to a preaching school in the States, but in recent years has transitioned to focus on training and general equipping

of churches in the UK so that they can do better ministry.  Also, there were some young people visiting from the Bristol Church of Christ on Sunday (by young people I mean university students and just out of college).  It was good meeting all of the above and I had a great time getting to know them at a barbecue the Winstanleys hosted that afternoon at their house.

Sunday evening and Monday were a really good time to hang out with the folks from Bristol and the teens from Newport (which pretty much consist of the four Sharoon siblings: Sanober, Micha, Solomon, and Aaron).  We went to the Cardiff International Pool both Sunday and Monday evening to go swimming.  It is an amazing facility that I think was built in connection with the 2012 London Olympics.  Most of the day Monday we were at Roath Park in Cardiff.  We wandered around the park's lake, sat in the warm sunshine (we've had a lot of that the last few days), and they even tried to teach me how to play Cricket (with limited success).  It was a very enjoyable day.

I'm slowly starting to adjust to how things work here, but it is definitely going to take some time.  However, I am sort of thankful for this, because I think being "off-balance" keeps me more reliant on God and asking the question, "what do you want to do with me here?"  A verse that I have come back to a fair bit since I got here is 1st Corinthians 1:9: "God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful."  I still don't know exactly what God is wanting to do with me here, but I know He is faithful, and that He wants me to be faithful in trusting Him and surrendering to Him.  Please continue to pray for me in this.  More to come soon, I hope!

Sincerely in Christ,
Chris

P.S I have posted some more pictures on the Facebook group "Serving Jesus in Newport, Wales."

"Whale, here we go...."

Well, I leave for Wales tomorrow and I continue to be amazed at the barrage of bad jokes I've received.  "Have a whale of a time...", "Look out for whales...", "Whale be seeing you....", "Greet the Whalians for us...", etc.  However, it is "WALES" people, not "WHALES"!  As far as I know, there are no large, seafaring mammals inhabiting this region of the United Kingdom.  Your kindness is noted, but your spelling and sense of humor is highly questionable....

In all seriousness, I have been so blessed by the encouragement, support, and financial donations I have received as I prepare to leave for Wales.  It has been almost a year since I started fundraising, and longer than that since I began praying about how I could be used with the Newport Church of Christ.  God has brought me a LONG way and I am so thankful and amazed at His work in all of this.  Yet, I still am not entirely sure where this will go.  I trust that God will lead and provide according to His good pleasure as He has already done.

I want to also offer a special thank you to three congregations: North Raleigh Church of Christ, Brooks Avenue Church of Christ, and West-Ark Church of Christ.  The financial support you have provided has been essential in getting me to this point.  But even more so, I am thankful to you for how you are sending me out in the name of Jesus Christ for the sake of the Gospel.  I wish I knew all of what that meant, but what I do know is that your prayer and "ordination" for this work is so important.  Thank you!  It means more to me even than your financial gifts.

I will try to keep this blog updated as often as I can.  Hopefully, I will be able to let you know how things are going here in the next week or so.  Please pray for my long journey and "finding my feet" when I get there.  I love and appreciate all of you!

The Prelude

"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."
John 21:25

Every great story has a prelude.  This is at least true in my opinion, whether or not any other literary critic agrees.  The prelude sets the stage, provides the background, and gives a context into which the story moves.  Now many of you would argue with me, since many of the best stories you've read did not include a prelude before the first chapter at all, but simply jumped into the story.  But surely these stories have the best kind of preludes: one that is woven into the story itself, one that gives a depth and richness to the story by placing it within a history and a meta-narrative that is greater than the story.  Lord of the Rings is my favorite example of this (and one of my favorite books).  Tolkien does such a good job of weaving in the prelude (that is the history of Middle Earth) into his stories that you come to almost believe that Middle Earth is a real place.

Many of you are wondering whether you've mistakenly wandered into a literary blog instead of one about youth work in Wales.  I share these thoughts with you, because I think it is often most helpful to understand life in terms of a story.  Our lives are small stories in the greater story of God's work in the world.  Our lives have an enormous prelude, a great epic into which they are woven and in which they find their meaning.  Individual churches and congregations have a story too (albeit larger) fit within the same story into which our stories are placed.  These stories matter because they expand and deepen the story God is writing in and with us.

So again you're asking, what does this have to do with my upcoming work in Newport, Wales?  As many of you have heard, I have not yet worked through the "immigration dance" in order to be able to stay long-term in Wales.  Instead I am going for a shorter period of about 2 months under a tourist visa.  I am not legally allowed to work during this visit (even voluntary work with the church).  Initially this left me wondering what I was to do with 2 months in Newport under such limitations.  If I couldn't work, then what was the point of being there?

But I now believe that the opportunity I have during this initial time in Newport is to make a thorough study of the prelude.  I am looking forward to the story God will write together with our brothers and sisters in Newport, weaving it together with my story and His great story.  But before I can adequately engage in the "writing process" I have to learn the story God has already been writing with the Christians in Newport.  Where are they at in their story and how did they get there?  What great deeds has God done in their story?  What trials and sorrows have they faced together?  How do my gifts and how does my story fit in with theirs?  It is only after we work through these and other questions, that we can begin to write intelligently and faithfully.

I've done some of this work in other places before, but this will be a larger and deeper challenge than what I have been involved with before.  I deeply covet your prayers and encouragement as I enter into this season in April (I depart April 8th and will return May 28th).  Also, if you have any suggestions of how to do this or resources to help me with this (books, articles, etc.) I would appreciate them.  More to come soon on how this is going!

The Dance

I've never really liked dancing.  I mean, I have a great deal of respect for those who can dance (that is, those who can actually dance, not just shake their bodies in awkwardly).  And I suppose I can understand why they enjoy it.  But I've never really cared for dancing myself.

However, it turns out I'm going to be learning how to dance after all.  No I'm not planning on taking dance lessons, but I am learning to take part in another kind of dance.  Let's call it "the immigration dance."

Perhaps a few of you have participated in this dance before?  From what I can tell it is a very slow, tedious, and strange dance.  Many people who dance it just have one other partner to dance with (their friendly, neighborhood government of choice); but a few people like me have two partners to dance with.  It was while writing an e-mail to my third partner that it occurred to me that what I was learning and starting to participate in was a dance.  Now I knew why it was so difficult and felt so awkward...

As I work with the Newport Church of Christ, the British government, and my own twisted feet to find a way to legally minister and live in the United Kingdom, I am realizing that it is a very important, but very challenging dance.  My own part will require filling out a number of forms, proving I have sufficient funds, attesting to my English skills (hopefully the easiest part :)), and eventually interviewing at a British consulate.  But as with any dance, I am not the only person dancing.  The Newport congregation has a more daunting step to learn.  They must show the British government that they are a reputable Christian organization, apply for a certificate of sponsorship (to sponsor my work with them), and then fill out a bunch more forms as well.  This is made much more complicated by the fact that they must first register as a charitable trust before doing any of this (a step many churches of any size in the States have likely already had to do).

Add to this that the British government (like all governments) will most likely feel obligated to thwart the dance at every turn.  It's always tough when you have a dance partner that isn't sure they want this whole dancing thing to work.  Yet for the dance to work we must all move together, in the proper steps, and in the proper rhythm.  It is indeed daunting...

I would be pretty concerned about all of this dancing business if I hadn't already been learning to dance already.  True the immigration dance is quite new to me.  But when I surrendered my life to Jesus 10 years ago, I started learning to dance with Him.  He has served as both instructor and partner throughout all this time, despite my stubbornness, resistance, and total lack of skill.  And now as I learn this immigration dance I trust that He is directing our steps and showing us where to go next (even if the UK government doesn't realize or recognize it).  He will bring us together into our right places at the right times to accomplish His right purposes.

I dearly covet your prayers, insights, and encouragement as I begin this dance in earnest.  Strangely it is the prelude to Act 1, setting the stage for the story to begin.  Still it is enormously important.  Thank you for moving with me through this, even if just in spirit.