MNA learning to pray! / Bob / May

Team,

This nice note came in from one of Phil Ryken's church planters when he was at 10th (before the presidency of Wheaton College). Adam Brice is now planting a Church near the Perdue campus and he came to the MNA conf last month in Naperville. 

Possible article idea: How Church Planters use PL (or POJ after the next two MNA conferences that Paul, Lyle and Drew are going to do.)

Bob,

We met at the MNA conference in Chicago.  Just wanted to send a quick note to tell you that your time with us has really helped my prayer life.  I’ve been using the system with the cards and trying to approach prayer with the teaching about the relational aspect of prayer in mind.  I feel like God is rejuvenating my prayer life somewhat as I’m praying more regularly, much more specifically, and more boldly.  I’ve already seen some surprising answers to smaller requests and I’m gaining confidence that God will do even greater things in my life, my family, and my church as I’m praying to him.  I also think I’m growing in my conviction about doing everything in life and ministry through prayer... though I still have much to learn along those lines.

Anyway, I mainly wanted to write to thank you for your ministry to me, and to encourage you to keep up the good work.

Warm regards,

Adam Brice, Church Planter

Two Cities Church (PCA)
Lafayette/West Lafayette, IN

A conversation/ Jonathan/June 23

Below is a transcript of a conversation I've been having with Travis Johnson, the WHM missionary in Bundibugyo, Uganda. I wasn't sure how the follow-up would go, but it seems like this could turn into something.  I'm encouraged to hear that Edward, the headmaster, is doing POJ with some students there at Christ School.

On May 31, 2011, at 4:52 PM, Jonathan Winfree wrote:
Hi Travis and Amy - We've arrived back in Florida (much hotter than Uganda, I might say!), and are pressing on with a new week. I wanted to send you a note of thanks for your hospitality and encouragement and generosity during our stay in Bundibugyo.  I was encouraged and excited about the work you are doing...and planning to do in the future. I wanted to also ask if you would give me some feedback on your thoughts regarding the Person of Jesus training. While I realize this was a small seed, it will take many more follow throughs.   As you think about future trainings with the teachers at Christ School, what would those look like? Do you think that would even be valuable or plausible?  My strategy would be for you to identify 3-5 Ugandans who are serious Christians, passionate about discipleship, and who you've seen take initiative in using the Person of Jesus with their students (doesn't have to be one of the teachers, but they are fresh in my mind).  Once we've identified those, we can spend more concentrated time with them, with the goal that they might begin discipling 3-5 others, and so forth.  The one thing that really struck me in thinking afterward about it was the opportunity with students. Modeling servant leadership to the next generation by looking at Jesus is a wonderful contribution toward the visibility of God's kingdom in Bundibugyo and beyond. I think these teachers have a tremendous harvest to reap in front of them, provided they are sowing.  I hope that we can work together in the future. I will certainly be praying for you all and hope we were some help to you in coming.  Let me know, at your convenience, what your thoughts are.  Thanks again for all your work in having us. What a blessing. 


"Thanks Jonathan,  Thanks for coming and for the encouragement you and your team brought us.  We would love to have you back anytime.  As far as future conferences, I agree with you that the focus could really be on teaching our teachers how to teach the material to the students.  They have commented several times how much they enjoyed the morning session and how much they appreciated seeing a 19 yo able to express the gospel so clearly.  Having a couple of days of going through the material in discussion groups during the morning and then have them model teach it in the afternoon would be great.  The idea of small group discipleship and multiplication of leaders through small groups is great.  It is not very cultural and will take time to see it expressed here.  Giving the teachers tools and time to try leading small groups is a start.  Our Headmaster is doing it with a few students.  Sadly, we have too many students and not enough mentors.  Pray for people that can lead small groups of teachers who then can lead small groups of students.  Thanks for your prayers.  Let us know how to pray for you.  I have been praying for direction for you with See Jesus ministries.

Travis

Rob Bell / Paul / June 8

Friends and Family,

My son John sent me this email of two interviews. The first is Martin Bashir interviewing Rob Bell on MSBC and the second is Bashir being interviewed about his interview. The first is just a few minutes and the second is 40 minutes. They are both well worth watching. John went to Bell's church when he went to Calvin College before Rob Bell was well known. John's comments below are very perceptive.

 

The interviw is about Rob's new book "Love Wins" which espouses universalism. Several things have struck me.

 

1. Rob Bell's lack of honesty. It really came through at multiple levels both in how he makes his case and in how he describes himself. The circle diagram I like to use to describe Judas in the Person of Jesus lesson "Symphony of Love" describes Rob well. Outside the circle he says he is not a universalist and inside the circle everything he says is.

 

2. How much the modern evangelical pulpit is preaching relationships (more hip) or theology (more conservative) to the exclusion of facing the hard issues of our age. They are frankly afraid to talk about hell. So the silence on hell leaves a vast untaught middle that is vulnerable to new ideas. The same is true of ordaining women for elder and pastor. Other than saying "no" quietly when it comes up, there is no defense made of the Biblical position so our flank is wide open. Interestingly, I saw in blogs about five years ago the Rob Bell had quietly, without bringing the congregation in on it, elected a woman as elder in his church. Notice the same pattern, of giving into the culture and doing it without integrity. We need to learn to speak to the post-Christian mind in bold but persusasive and winsome ways. For instance, I've been struck that cultures that deny hell are always the ones that create hell on earth. Marxism and Nazism are two clear examples.

 

3. Martin Bashir was brilliant. I often see if people who have grown up outside the Enlightenment West, that they are not as afraid of the spiritual.

Paul Miller
http://www.seejesus.net/

On Mon, Jun 6, 2011 at 3:42 PM, John Miller <jmiller@ezshield.com> wrote:

Dad, 

You have GOT to check this out.  It's entirely worth your time… Please trust me.  

My former paster Rob Bell put out a book that I'm sure you heard about, "Love Wins".   It made the cover of Time a couple weeks back.  Anyway, I read it this weekend and it's one of the best examples of postmodern theology gone wrong, very wrong, and betraying Jesus, the gospel and history in the same breath.  

Anyway, Robs first week this came out was on a liberal book tour of Good Morning American, Today, etc… Of people praising him for his work.  He went on this program and you have got to watch this… It's only 7 minutes.  Instead of worshiping the liberal theology, Martin Bashir from MSNBC, stands up to him beautifully.  Here it is: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg-qgmJ7nzA

Ok, so then, blogs are exploding about how awesome that interview was, so a Christian radio program interviewed Martin about the interview with Rob.  This is 45 minutes… But PLEASE listen to it.  It's, quite frankly, one of the best explanations and critiques of postmodern christianity that lacks… Well… Almost everything and looses Jesus in the process.  

http://www.godandculture.com/blog/msnbcs-martin-bashir-on-the-paul-edwards-program

John E. MillerDirector, Customer Experience

Jesus Prom / Paul / June 3

Jill and I went with Kim to a prom in Lancaster that I've called a Jesus Prom because it is just the kind of feast that Jesus tells us to have in Luke 14.

Friends at the banquet. Here's just a quick look at some of the guests.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvSSEfhRgrQ

Here's our table: Karen, Robin, Bob, Kari, Kim, Jill and myself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsHpO2YMtgQ

Kari leading the Kanga line. It wasn't this dark, but my iphone camera does do well in low light. You can just make our Kari leading the Kanga line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkwj03cY-tU

Kim and Jill doing the twist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI-Fl9uWh6k

Kim and Jill doing "Twist and Shout"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC0VGljUFTE

Karen helping Jill and Kim do the "Macarena". It is pretty dark, but you can see how good Karen is!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t1gT0Y_uSo

We got home late last night. Kim was exhausted, but we had a ton of fun.

Uganda / Jonathan / May 23

Today was the first day of the Jenga POJ training here in Mbale. We had about 35 participants from 17 different partner churches and ministries associated with Jenga. We started the day with Lesson 1 - it was clear that near the end of the lesson, when asked what stood out when they first read the parable vs. reading it after going through the Lesson together, they were blown away by Jesus' attention on the widow.  One person said afterward, 'I'd never even seen that there was a widow in that story before, my focus has always been on Jesus and the power of the miracle.' Praise God that Ugandans are seeing Jesus in new ways!
After a tea break, we split into groups of 5, and each prepared a section of Lesson 4, and then taught it around in the group.  Their small groups were buzzing through the entire process.  I made rounds and asked some questions - it was not so much about the mechanics (nothing to write on for each person, so the discussion of the lesson was just that - discussion), but more about the ideas Lesson 4 is trying to call attention to - 'How do we treat people like objects? Who do we treat that way? Who do you find it easy to judge?'  Important questions that we discussed as a large group when we re-convened.
After the small group training, we finished with Steve Firmin leading Lesson 6.  I felt like it was a good way to spend the day - focusing on the first unit, beginning with Compassion and then looking at two obstacles to our loving the way we see Jesus loving in Lesson 1.  And the best part is - they really seemed to enjoy it and 'catch' it! Thanks so much for praying.
Tomorrow, we plan to teach a lesson on Jesus' honesty, something on dependence, and maybe even faith.

Wednesday will be a day of visiting some work projects and Ugandan friends.
Grace and peace to you all - and please continue praying for us!

Uganda /Jonathan / May 20

 Last night, I led Lesson 1 with the group here ( Bundibugyo). It is a group of approximately 20 teachers from Christ School, which was formed by World Harvest's team many years ago. They were receptive, and seemed to enjoy the lesson. I introduced the Person of Jesus study and its uniqueness and talked about its usefulness.
Today, we started the day with small group leader training with Lesson 4. There were 5 groups each with 5 participants. They took a while to discuss (2 hrs).
Some of the comments after they finished were: "judge yourself before you think about others." "we need to feel compassion for others like Jesus did." "if each person did small things in showing compassion, and not judging, then Bundibugyo will be much better for the people. If do not judge our students, but try to help them all the time, they will be number one in their class."
More to come on the training with the Christ school teachers.
Tomorrow we fly back to Kampala, then we're on to Mbale. It's "coast to coast" Uganda style!

Uganda - Jonathan - May 19

Hi all - this is my first ever blog post, so I'm a little amazed that this is actually going to be on the Internet! Wow! Anyway - having to follow Richard's posts will be a challenge, but I'll do my best. We arrived Kampala yesterday, and had a great night's sleep (well, at least I did...haven't spoken to Wade or Steve yet) at the hotel, and we are off to Bundibugyo in Western Uganda in a few hours. We will tour the World Harvest team's work this afternoon, and have the first session of our training this evening from 5-7pm (approx 10am-noon your time). Steve and Wade did great on the trip, but it was obvious that two days of travel had taken it's toll by yesterday evening. Nevertheless, we are grateful for your prayers, and trust that this will be the first of many opportunities to see the gospel through the life of Jesus change the African church. Hopefully, I can be as faithful a blogger as Richard! Peace.

Peru / Richard / May 20

Over 40 people came to the Person of Jesus training in Tingo Maria. They were excited to learn how to show others the wonder of Jesus through an interactive Bible study. As they started to see Jesus loving others, they started to share. There was only one catch. I had one day to teach two lessons, train the participants to teach part a lesson that afternoon, and prepare them to teach a full lesson on Saturday. I also trained Gabe to lead the training and teaching evaluations on Saturday. I headed to the bus station to catch a Friday night ride at 7:45PM to arrive in Lima eleven hours later on Saturday morning.

Peru Summary / Richard

Monday, May 30, 2011

Training Group in Tingo María

I returned home from Peru a week ago Sunday, exhausted but satisfied. There were 134 leaders who attended the Person of Jesus trainings in Huancayo, La Merced, Pucallpa and Tingo María. It was exciting to watch 115 leaders teach a whole lesson. They now are prepared to lead Person of Jesus groups in their churches and neighborhoods, as well as in jails, hospitals, and schools. My pray is that many will begin new groups where friends and neighbors will see and reflect the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

If the 115 leaders start groups with 10 people in each group, there will be 1,150 people seeing Jesus in new ways. Their lives will be transformed by hanging out with Jesus. If each person from the groups start loving like Jesus in sacrificial ways, they will affect at least 10 other people in their communities. The impact of the Person of Jesus training has the potential of changing 11,500 people!

Discovering Jesus

Some ask me if it is worth going to a country like Peru to train leaders. Boy, I cannot think of anything better to do than to have 11,500 people seeing Jesus and loving others in new ways! Whole communities can be changed because of two weeks in Peru. This trip has been the hardest on me health-wise. I had altitude sickness, spent a night in the hospital with intestinal infection and returned home with a severe cold that still lingers on. I rode in planes, buses, vans, motorcycle taxis, and cars…sometimes all night long. But, I would do it all over again to have 115 leaders ready and willing to help others see and be like Jesus.

I finished the trip teaching in Tingo María with Gabe. There were 40 leaders who taught a full lesson. I led the training on Friday (May 20) and left that night by bus for Lima. Gabe observed and evaluated the leaders after they taught on Saturday in Tingo María, while I met with leaders in Lima setting up the next trip to Peru. I will return in September to train leaders in Lima, Chosica, Piura and Tacna.

Overnight Bus to Lima.

What is my biggest need to return to Peru in September? Some may say it is health. Certainly I want to be healthy and not have more infections, colds and altitude sickness on future trips. Ellen and I also want to continue to grow closer even while we are separated during the trips. It is hard on her as well as on me. The thing that hinders me the most in making more trips is financial support. If I was fully supported, I could make 6 or 7 trips each year to train more people to disciple others. My current support status is 69% with a monthly support need of $2,409.

Please pray that more people will become financial partners in training leaders around the world. We are helping them to be disciple makers so others will see and follow Jesus.

Thanks for sharing in this ministry,