Be Merciful to Me, the Sinner

Be Merciful to Me, the Sinner

There is something about overseas ministry that is very humbling. As missionaries in a different world culture with more changes than a new baby fresh out of the womb, the sin nature can find a way to rear it’s ugly head quick. Add that you are surrounded by other sinners whose sin always looks worse than yours, it is tempting to judge others more harshly than yourself. Instead of being like the tax collector, who humbled himself, unwilling to even lift his head because of his own sin, we can sometimes be more like the Pharisee, thanking God that we are not as bad as all the other sinners are!

Recently, I have been reading the book, The Prodigal God, by Tim Keller. Keller points out that in our reading of the prodigal son parable, we often miss the story of the elder brother… Christ was telling his story to the Pharisees… He heart was for them to hear the elder brother’s self-righteousness and be convicted by their own pride.

The elder brother was consumed with his brother’s sin and was unable to see his own. The elder brother could not fathom the grace of his father in light of his brother’s licentious and ungodly choices. He was so ready to judge others sin, he was unable to see the enormity of his pride. The result is he could not join his father in rejoicing over a sinner who’d turned from his sinful ways…his own brother.

Keller says, “Elder brother self-righteousness creates an unforgiving, judgmental spirit… If people wrong them, elder brothers feel their spotless record gives them the right to be highly offended and to perpetually remind the wrongdoer of his or her failure.” What can we learn from the elder brother’s poor example?

The gospel may be more grievously hindered by our own self-righteousness than it is by other’s blatant sin. As well, “It is the lovingkindness of God that leads us to repentance.” Mercy is equally sweet for all of us… and grace, well it’s good. Really good… amazingly good.

Where God leans, we lean… the famous town of Pisa

Recently, we got to travel to the Toscana region to pray and seek God about the possibility of a new church in this area. We looked at 6 or 7 cities both south and north of Pisa, the famous city where the leaning tower resides. Thousands of tourists travel to Pisa every year to see the funny looking tower and to position themselves in such a way that it seems they are literally holding it up!

In the last few months, God has offered us the possibility of going and being a part of starting a new church in this region. There are several towns of 60,000 and more in this area that have no evangelical church whatsoever! Imagine. Two of the cities we looked at were Grosetto (pop. 67,000), to the very south, about 2 1/2 hours north of Rome and to the far north end of Toscana, Massa, a town of about 69,000, about 2 1/2 hours south of Genova, Italy.

The important thing to note is that almost anywhere in this northern region, the number of evangelicals or evangelical churches is extremely small. There are only about .06% Christians...so in Massa, that means about 414 Christians (in a town of 69,000). Also, there is on average about 1 church for every 60,000 people. So in Massa, again, we found there is just one church (Brethren) and that's it...nothing else for the entire town.

Last week, we traveled to the area for a vision trip of sorts to see how God might lead. We, of course, were not sure how God would lead and we just want so much to be in the center of God's will, seeking His pleasure and at His disposal to reach Italians for Christ. There is a young couple, Andrea and McKenzie, with another ministry, Pioneers (who we already love) who went with us to research this opportunity. Andrea and McKenzie are the first couple with Pioneers in all of Italy.

Like S.E.E., Pioneers is committed to reaching Italians through evangelism and church planting. But unlike S.E.E., Pioneers has no established church or ongoing ministry in Italy. The positive aspect of this opportunity is that the possibilities are wide-open, the first team would be developing a country-wide strategy for the entire country and there are no “bad” ideas. The negative side is the challenge of a transition and the lack of experience of all of us involved! :-)

If we were to take advantage of this opportunity, it could be as quick as the end of February when we make a transition. From the beginning with S.E.E., the plan was not for us to stay in Udine but by summer of 2010, to move to Bologna and lead a church-planting effort there. But recent developments including the other couple who will be delayed in arriving in Italy until summer of 2011 has us considering other possibilities. This vision trip for 4 days in early February will be a huge factor. Please pray for God’s wisdom!!!

Teaching English as a Second Language

If you weren’t able to speak English, what would you do? Well, in Europe, the default language is quickly becoming English and Italy is being left behind. Because Italians get their movies dubbed, watch TV only in Italian and rarely read or hear any English, they are wanting to catch up with their European countrymen.

Jeannette and I had the privilege of teaching English as a second language this last semester, finishing in December. We started with about 57 students and finished with about 32 graduates (others attended less frequently).

What is really amazing is how, though slow at first, after learning English, the Italians want to share all about their lives, problems, relationship issues, etc. Though we are not to present the gospel during the classes, we had regular opportunities to share about a relationship with Jesus at various activities.

We started with an official “American Breakfast,” which went over well with our Italian friends. Afterwards, we went around and shared one thing that most everyone would know about them and one thing that hardly anyone knows about them. What a conversation starter! And when of our new converts began sharing the one thing that virtually no one knew yet, it turned into an opportunity for the Italians to ask about the difference between Catholicism and Protestantism, why grace is different with Evangelicals and how it figures in to salvation.

We also had a great craft night for the ladies, a bowling night, a Christmas caroling night, and a wonderful Thanksgiving meal dinner (most Italians have never experienced this). Many conversations later about Jesus with our students, we ask you to pray along with us that God would harvest these many seeds.

A rare day trip as a family: a Film in English in Slovenia!

For most, watching a film in English is an everyday occurrence. Yet for our family, it’s impossible. You must go to a nearby country to be able to view a real film in a real theatre and all in English! (of course, there are Slovenian subtitles!)

So it was quite the treat for our family recently when we got to go to Slovenia (only an hour away) to see the Disney 3D movie, “The Christmas Carol.” We laughed, goofed off (esp. with those 3d glasses) and even got to let the kids ride some bumper cars afterwards (only 2 Euros each!). With Italian school for the kids six days a week, we thank God for times like this for our family to get away...and we’re thankful to you.