The internet connection at our home, Kingdom House, has been disconnected. We’re sorry that you have been unable to hear from us for the last couple of days. The loss of connection has been felt on both sides of the Atlantic- we have missed the encouragement of the comments and the knowledge of your prayers.
We are now on a ferry traveling between Scotland and Ireland. Of course they have internet access, even though we are floating!
The Homecoming Service after camp was amazing. We asked Gary, the pastor, to get us two student testimonies and when we arrived, SIX students had signed up. We allowed them all to speak and it was beautiful. One girl said “I felt the love of 5 million people and then I realized it was God.” Wow. Jane, the student who you prayed for specifically, also spoke. She talked about how she had felt like she had a blindfold on and God had removed it. Jane’s family are not Christians and her mother was not pleased with Jane’s choice, but we are trusting God to use Jane to bring salvation to that home!
The entire service was blessed- many adults came forward for prayer at the end and much of the prayer was focused on healing. It was great to get to experience these things with the students AND their families.
Tom’s ear is feeling almost 100% better! Thank you for your continued prayers. Many of our team is feeling sick- “upper respiratory infection” is the diagnosis of choice. Yesterday, in one of the vehicles, the common chant was “1-2-3-cough!” (with the windows rolled down, of course). So please pray that as we travel tomorrow that we would be able to rest on the plane and in the airports. Traveling sick is not fun at all.
Though camp is over, we are still strongly feeling the battle that the enemy is waging. We are seeing and experiencing things that show us that he will not give up on territory that has been his. We know that we have the victory and that what God did in our lives and the lives of the campers and counselors at camp is SEALED by the Holy Spirit. We are claiming that in the name of Jesus! Continue to fight for us in prayers!
Also continue to pray for our team unity and joy. When we get home from Ireland tonight at 2am, we then have to pack and get ready to leave for the airport at 6am, so the chance for sleep is probably slim. Cramped quarters + packing + cleaning up the Kingdom House + no sleep (could) = not fun times. So pray that we would find JOY and LAUGHTER in our last few hours together.
Our flight leaves at 9am from Glasgow and we then leave London at 12pm. We will arrive in Atlanta on Wednesday afternoon at 4:30pm.
Thank you again for your commitment to pray and continually lift us up to the Father. Your letters of encouragement that many of you wrote have been uplifting to us. You will never know the long-stretching effects of your prayers and encouragement- may the Lord repay you ten fold for the time and energy that you put towards us. We are eternally grateful.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Camp recap.
**This blog was written on Sunday afternoon with the thoughts that posting would be an option that day.**
I’m sorry that it has taken us a couple of days to write a blog for you. When we returned to the Kingdom House yesterday afternoon after cleaning camp and saying goodbye to “our” students, we pretty much were one of two things- asleep or loopy from being tired. ☺ Those were the only two options.
We spent the afternoon in Paisley, just walking around and buying some last souvenirs. Lance made us his famous macaroni and cheese with bacon for dinner and then we spent the rest of the evening either working on the camp highlight video or watching “Lord of the Rings”. The video was a huge success, even though 1/3 of it was deleted by the computer at 1:45am, which meant a redo that lasted a bit longer. Scotland is beautiful at 2:30am.
At the end of camp, we could not have been happier with the results. Gary and his adult church members are thrilled. His exact words were “You met and exceeded our expectations in every area that we could have thought of. The programs [games, etc.] were great, but the power of God was what made the difference.”
Thank you for praying for the students, specifically Andrew and Jane. We are thrilled to tell you that they BOTH gave their lives to Christ on Friday. You’re prayers are powerful and effective!
You should have seen the students as camp came to an end- broken hearts and crying eyes all over the place! Apparently it is tough to leave being with us for a week- who knew? The high school boys laid in their room singing “Your majesty, your majesty, is why I sing” and bawling with each other. It was hilarious and tender all at the same time. Maybe our delirium made it more funny than it really is. Not sure.
We are on the way to our Homecoming Service- 2 of the Scottish students will be giving their testimonies, 1 Scottish adult will also be sharing, and Ian Smith will be giving his testimony as well. Tom will be speaking on how to fan the flame in the hearts of the students.
For the last 2 days, we will be touring around Scotland and Ireland. We are very excited, but it is two long days of travel in tight quarters. Though the main spiritual purpose of our trip is finished, we still need your prayers. Thank you for committing to pray us all the way back in to the United States on Wednesday afternoon.
Please continue to pray for Tom’s ear and Cheryl’s health. Also pray for us- that we would enjoy each other’s company and continue to laugh a lot as we travel around and spend time together. It’s funny- this leg of the trip requires as much patience as the rest- just with each other instead of 11 year old boys! ☺ We consider ourselves very blessed to have this time together to rest and recover and enjoy the beauty of Scotland. We are SO grateful for God’s presence and blessing at camp- we are praying the same for the last couple of days!
We just finished our camp highlight video and we will be posting that as soon as possible. Remember that with each picture you see, that camper was affected by God because of the time and effort you put in to our trip. Your prayers are the glue that held us together and we are so deeply grateful. Continue to cover us as we travel and pack to come home.
I’m sorry that it has taken us a couple of days to write a blog for you. When we returned to the Kingdom House yesterday afternoon after cleaning camp and saying goodbye to “our” students, we pretty much were one of two things- asleep or loopy from being tired. ☺ Those were the only two options.
We spent the afternoon in Paisley, just walking around and buying some last souvenirs. Lance made us his famous macaroni and cheese with bacon for dinner and then we spent the rest of the evening either working on the camp highlight video or watching “Lord of the Rings”. The video was a huge success, even though 1/3 of it was deleted by the computer at 1:45am, which meant a redo that lasted a bit longer. Scotland is beautiful at 2:30am.
At the end of camp, we could not have been happier with the results. Gary and his adult church members are thrilled. His exact words were “You met and exceeded our expectations in every area that we could have thought of. The programs [games, etc.] were great, but the power of God was what made the difference.”
Thank you for praying for the students, specifically Andrew and Jane. We are thrilled to tell you that they BOTH gave their lives to Christ on Friday. You’re prayers are powerful and effective!
You should have seen the students as camp came to an end- broken hearts and crying eyes all over the place! Apparently it is tough to leave being with us for a week- who knew? The high school boys laid in their room singing “Your majesty, your majesty, is why I sing” and bawling with each other. It was hilarious and tender all at the same time. Maybe our delirium made it more funny than it really is. Not sure.
We are on the way to our Homecoming Service- 2 of the Scottish students will be giving their testimonies, 1 Scottish adult will also be sharing, and Ian Smith will be giving his testimony as well. Tom will be speaking on how to fan the flame in the hearts of the students.
For the last 2 days, we will be touring around Scotland and Ireland. We are very excited, but it is two long days of travel in tight quarters. Though the main spiritual purpose of our trip is finished, we still need your prayers. Thank you for committing to pray us all the way back in to the United States on Wednesday afternoon.
Please continue to pray for Tom’s ear and Cheryl’s health. Also pray for us- that we would enjoy each other’s company and continue to laugh a lot as we travel around and spend time together. It’s funny- this leg of the trip requires as much patience as the rest- just with each other instead of 11 year old boys! ☺ We consider ourselves very blessed to have this time together to rest and recover and enjoy the beauty of Scotland. We are SO grateful for God’s presence and blessing at camp- we are praying the same for the last couple of days!
We just finished our camp highlight video and we will be posting that as soon as possible. Remember that with each picture you see, that camper was affected by God because of the time and effort you put in to our trip. Your prayers are the glue that held us together and we are so deeply grateful. Continue to cover us as we travel and pack to come home.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Thursday at Camp
After four days and four nights at camp, we are exhausted and energized, all at the same time. It has been a stretching and beautiful experience. The students have fully embraced us- again, the lower numbers of students make it possible for us each to have a personal relationship with each of them. It’s been great. We love each of them.
Annie spoke on Tuesday night about faith. The Lord showed up in a big way and about 80% of the students responded to the invitation to grow in faith.
Tom spoke on Wednesday about the life of Jesus and what it looks like to live like Him. Many students also responded to this message, as was evident in the small groups this afternoon- many of them spoke about Jesus and His life and what that meant to them.
The small groups have gone well. The students have opened up to our counselors and we are truly seeing lives changed before our eyes.
Tonight the talk was on worship and how to live a lifestyle of worship. For the first time this week, we really are seeing the students embrace worship. Even as I type right now, it is 11:35pm, and the students have been worshipping for over an hour. Which is HUGE because for the last couple of nights the students have “survived” through 2 songs after the message then scooted. So for them to somewhat grasp the goodness of God and decide that He is worthy of worship FOR AN HOUR! is amazing.
Be certain, though, that all of this fruit is coming at a cost- we are fighting spiritually constantly. Our prayer shield is more important to us now than ever. Please press in for us for the rest of camp and the rest of our trip. The enemy does not give up, and neither will we! We see God moving and we hang on tight to Him to be our Defender and our Protector, as well as the Victor in this battle for these students!
Here are our specific prayer requests:
Tom’s left ear is stopped up. It doesn’t hurt, he just can’t hear out of it. He says, “maybe God is trying to teach me how to listen”. ☺ We’ll see. Please continue to pray for him- he speaks tomorrow night here at camp and again Sunday morning at the church where the majority of students come from (Gary’s church). Pray specifically that the blockage will break up and his hearing will be fully restored.
Cheryl is still sick.
Our team, as a whole, is tired. We are pressing on and pressing in as much as possible, but we need your support to hold us up and help us complete the race we have run so far.
We have one more full day at camp and then the students leave around 11:30am. Pray that we will be creative tomorrow, as creative as we were on our first day! That we would be as enthusiastic as we end as we were in the beginning!
Tom is speaking tomorrow (Friday) night on Real Love, but at the students’ request (fantastic!), he will also be including how to hear the voice of God.
Our heart, above all else, is that God would make these PERMANENT changes in the students’ lives. That this wouldn’t be a temporary change, but a God-ordained life change. That God would seal the work that He has begun and that the church we are working with would foster and grow what God has begun here in these hearts.
There are two specific students we would ask that you pray for: Andrew and Jane. I don’t think it is appropriate to give you details, but they both desperately need the Lord’s touch. And maybe I can just say that our patience is near spent on Andrew, though our hearts break for him at the same time. PRAY for them.
And of course, continue to pray however the Lord leads you. Hopefully by the weekend we will be able to post more pictures and give you an overall report.
We have seen God move. And we love Him for it. And want MORE!
Annie spoke on Tuesday night about faith. The Lord showed up in a big way and about 80% of the students responded to the invitation to grow in faith.
Tom spoke on Wednesday about the life of Jesus and what it looks like to live like Him. Many students also responded to this message, as was evident in the small groups this afternoon- many of them spoke about Jesus and His life and what that meant to them.
The small groups have gone well. The students have opened up to our counselors and we are truly seeing lives changed before our eyes.
Tonight the talk was on worship and how to live a lifestyle of worship. For the first time this week, we really are seeing the students embrace worship. Even as I type right now, it is 11:35pm, and the students have been worshipping for over an hour. Which is HUGE because for the last couple of nights the students have “survived” through 2 songs after the message then scooted. So for them to somewhat grasp the goodness of God and decide that He is worthy of worship FOR AN HOUR! is amazing.
Be certain, though, that all of this fruit is coming at a cost- we are fighting spiritually constantly. Our prayer shield is more important to us now than ever. Please press in for us for the rest of camp and the rest of our trip. The enemy does not give up, and neither will we! We see God moving and we hang on tight to Him to be our Defender and our Protector, as well as the Victor in this battle for these students!
Here are our specific prayer requests:
Tom’s left ear is stopped up. It doesn’t hurt, he just can’t hear out of it. He says, “maybe God is trying to teach me how to listen”. ☺ We’ll see. Please continue to pray for him- he speaks tomorrow night here at camp and again Sunday morning at the church where the majority of students come from (Gary’s church). Pray specifically that the blockage will break up and his hearing will be fully restored.
Cheryl is still sick.
Our team, as a whole, is tired. We are pressing on and pressing in as much as possible, but we need your support to hold us up and help us complete the race we have run so far.
We have one more full day at camp and then the students leave around 11:30am. Pray that we will be creative tomorrow, as creative as we were on our first day! That we would be as enthusiastic as we end as we were in the beginning!
Tom is speaking tomorrow (Friday) night on Real Love, but at the students’ request (fantastic!), he will also be including how to hear the voice of God.
Our heart, above all else, is that God would make these PERMANENT changes in the students’ lives. That this wouldn’t be a temporary change, but a God-ordained life change. That God would seal the work that He has begun and that the church we are working with would foster and grow what God has begun here in these hearts.
There are two specific students we would ask that you pray for: Andrew and Jane. I don’t think it is appropriate to give you details, but they both desperately need the Lord’s touch. And maybe I can just say that our patience is near spent on Andrew, though our hearts break for him at the same time. PRAY for them.
And of course, continue to pray however the Lord leads you. Hopefully by the weekend we will be able to post more pictures and give you an overall report.
We have seen God move. And we love Him for it. And want MORE!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Camp photo.
We have a bunch of great photos for you, but it takes so much time and our internet time is so limited, that for now, this will have to suffice. This is most everyone. On the bottom right is Gary- the pastor of the church we are working with. Next to him is Cheryl, our fearless, yet under-the-weather, leader. About 1/2 up towards the left you see Heather and Lance, the missionaries that our teams have also worked with in the past (they are holding their two youngest children).
Hopefully we'll get some more pictures available to you soon!
Day 2 of Camp Scotland!! :)
Our first day of camp has come and gone and to be honest, we are already tired! But it’s a good tired- a “these kids are having a blast and it’s hard to keep up with them” tired.
We have 24 campers (including the four from Kingdom House- Praise God!) and then about 7 Scottish adults. 4 of the adults are here just to work in the kitchen. It’s unbelievable how much they are serving our team and the students. It is a real blessing. There are 3 students who are unsaved (that we know of)- pray that God would call to their hearts and they would respond!
The students jumped right in to the games and activities as soon as they got here. The Scottish people by nature are far more reserved than Americans- so where our students at home would jump around and holler and act insane, these kids do about 15% of that, but enjoy it just as much. It is amazing how receptive they are to us and to each other. One HUGE benefit of such a small camp is that it is fairly easy to remember names, so they have learned us and we, for the most part, have learned them.
The service last night went well. The students worshipped and were attentive through the talk. We sense and believe that God is stirring things in their hearts and speaking to them in the deep places.
We played a few team games including running the obstacle course (which they call an “assault course” here). We made about 60 water balloons just to make the course more difficult- each team had to carry 10 balloons safely through the course. And then, as boys will do, it became a water bomb throwing game. Which was fine with us. ☺
Tom arrived today, safely with all of his luggage! Another praise! He will rest tonight and then speak tomorrow night to the students. It will be very nice to have another male counselor here- there are a lot of boys who need (and deserve!) personal attention and love, so it will be nice to add another adult to the pack.
As far as prayer needs, there are many. To be totally honest, we are feeling a bit overwhelmed. The students did not go to sleep until far after midnight and were up running the hall (that we ALL sleep on!) by 6:30am. It’s one thing for their little bodies to survive that, it’s quite another for ours to go with that little sleep AND try to plan a fun-filled day for the students. We are spending some time today trying to figure out how best to solve this sleeping situation- there has got to be a solution besides making them run laps for a couple of hours each evening!! ☺
Cheryl is quite sick. It seems to be a cold/flu type thing, but she is coughing through the night and just feeling miserable during the day. Elizabeth also has some sort of cold that is hindering her ability to help lead worship. And if you haven’t heard, we’ve already made our first trip to the emergency room. Ian was bounding down the stairs at the Kingdom House on Sunday night and apparently is unaware of his own hopping ability and hopped his head right into the cement sloping ceiling. 3 stitches later and a sweet bald spot, he’s feeling better. But our team, aside from being tired, is experiencing quite a few health issues. PLEASE pray for healing and strength. We are looking at some other sleeping arrangements for Cheryl (11 year old boys are not all that sympathetic to her pleas for sleep), and hoping that some of the medicine she is taking will make her better quickly.
We are also finding that there is more down time than we expected- for example, breakfast was supposed to be at 9am and the students were eating by 8:15am. So what in the world are we supposed to do until 10am?!!? It’s a frightening thought! ☺ Pray that our minds would be filled with creative and fun ideas to fill in the small blank areas that are popping up.
It is interesting that it only took one day of camp for our personal strength to run out. Our own ability, our own enthusiasm and excitement, has apparently been zapped. At our own Summer Camp, the first day is always the most difficult and then it eases up as you go. We keep reminding each other of that, hoping that the week will continue to get easier. But it is hard. We are fighting for our joy.
Please pray- we KNOW that in our weakness God is made strong! And we want to see Him show up for these students- in the fun times and in the serious times. We need HIM!
So, to recap, please pray:
-for salvation for the lost
-for sleep/rest
-for strength
-for creativity
-for healing
And honestly anything else that comes to your mind. We are relying, FULLY, on the power of God today.
We have 24 campers (including the four from Kingdom House- Praise God!) and then about 7 Scottish adults. 4 of the adults are here just to work in the kitchen. It’s unbelievable how much they are serving our team and the students. It is a real blessing. There are 3 students who are unsaved (that we know of)- pray that God would call to their hearts and they would respond!
The students jumped right in to the games and activities as soon as they got here. The Scottish people by nature are far more reserved than Americans- so where our students at home would jump around and holler and act insane, these kids do about 15% of that, but enjoy it just as much. It is amazing how receptive they are to us and to each other. One HUGE benefit of such a small camp is that it is fairly easy to remember names, so they have learned us and we, for the most part, have learned them.
The service last night went well. The students worshipped and were attentive through the talk. We sense and believe that God is stirring things in their hearts and speaking to them in the deep places.
We played a few team games including running the obstacle course (which they call an “assault course” here). We made about 60 water balloons just to make the course more difficult- each team had to carry 10 balloons safely through the course. And then, as boys will do, it became a water bomb throwing game. Which was fine with us. ☺
Tom arrived today, safely with all of his luggage! Another praise! He will rest tonight and then speak tomorrow night to the students. It will be very nice to have another male counselor here- there are a lot of boys who need (and deserve!) personal attention and love, so it will be nice to add another adult to the pack.
As far as prayer needs, there are many. To be totally honest, we are feeling a bit overwhelmed. The students did not go to sleep until far after midnight and were up running the hall (that we ALL sleep on!) by 6:30am. It’s one thing for their little bodies to survive that, it’s quite another for ours to go with that little sleep AND try to plan a fun-filled day for the students. We are spending some time today trying to figure out how best to solve this sleeping situation- there has got to be a solution besides making them run laps for a couple of hours each evening!! ☺
Cheryl is quite sick. It seems to be a cold/flu type thing, but she is coughing through the night and just feeling miserable during the day. Elizabeth also has some sort of cold that is hindering her ability to help lead worship. And if you haven’t heard, we’ve already made our first trip to the emergency room. Ian was bounding down the stairs at the Kingdom House on Sunday night and apparently is unaware of his own hopping ability and hopped his head right into the cement sloping ceiling. 3 stitches later and a sweet bald spot, he’s feeling better. But our team, aside from being tired, is experiencing quite a few health issues. PLEASE pray for healing and strength. We are looking at some other sleeping arrangements for Cheryl (11 year old boys are not all that sympathetic to her pleas for sleep), and hoping that some of the medicine she is taking will make her better quickly.
We are also finding that there is more down time than we expected- for example, breakfast was supposed to be at 9am and the students were eating by 8:15am. So what in the world are we supposed to do until 10am?!!? It’s a frightening thought! ☺ Pray that our minds would be filled with creative and fun ideas to fill in the small blank areas that are popping up.
It is interesting that it only took one day of camp for our personal strength to run out. Our own ability, our own enthusiasm and excitement, has apparently been zapped. At our own Summer Camp, the first day is always the most difficult and then it eases up as you go. We keep reminding each other of that, hoping that the week will continue to get easier. But it is hard. We are fighting for our joy.
Please pray- we KNOW that in our weakness God is made strong! And we want to see Him show up for these students- in the fun times and in the serious times. We need HIM!
So, to recap, please pray:
-for salvation for the lost
-for sleep/rest
-for strength
-for creativity
-for healing
And honestly anything else that comes to your mind. We are relying, FULLY, on the power of God today.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Camp- here we come!!
We leave in about an hour to begin set-up of camp. That's 11am our time. The campers start arriving at 3pm.
Please pray today. For the students to be open to receiving our friendship, for registration and set-up to go smoothly, and for the evening service- the band and the speaking.
We'll update as soon as possible. This is where the rubber really meets the road and your prayers become our lifeline.
Please pray today. For the students to be open to receiving our friendship, for registration and set-up to go smoothly, and for the evening service- the band and the speaking.
We'll update as soon as possible. This is where the rubber really meets the road and your prayers become our lifeline.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Edinburgh called. We answered.
As seems to be the case, we again have lost internet connection at our house. For some reason, the only wireless network in our house today is called “Omneechka”, and being that none of us are Russian, we have no idea what that means. If only we knew more Russian passwords to try….
So we have come into Edinburgh today. What an exciting and unexpected day trip! Our schedule, as is the situation on most mission trips, is constantly changing. We originally believed that we would be spending today in Glasgow and tomorrow setting up for camp at the Scout camp facility. We are unable to get in to the camp tomorrow, so we went this morning to let the team see the rooms and area to get an idea of where we will be. Then we hurried to the airport to pick up our long-awaited team member Katie B.! What fun to have her here finally. Thank you for your continued prayers- she and her gear arrived here safely.
Now we are in Edinburgh. We are hoping that while we are gone from the Kingdom House, someone will be able to figure out how to repair the ole internet- our elusive companion. If not, we will again go on a search throughout the local area to attempt to find some sort of connection. Honestly, our only purpose for internet is this blog- we want to keep our much appreciated (and MUCH needed!) prayer warriors updated on things here. So take some time today to pray that God would provide connection for us so that we can let you know specific ways to pray.
We had an amazing time of worship and prayer last night with the family who runs the Kingdom House. It was one of those times when God’s hand is so apparent- what are the chances that the family would be YWAMers who are living out the dream that God has placed in their hearts? It was amazing to hear their testimony of God’s faithfulness that led them to this place. Their heart for this country, and the Kingdom House specifically, was inspiring, to say the least. We as a team are constantly amazed at the way God moves around us- He just keeps reminding me that He is the same God- yesterday, today, and forever- in Georgia and in Scotland. He is God. And He loves to move.
As we prepare for camp these next couple of days, we are sensing God’s excitement and power. We feel certain (in our own hearts and in prophetic words spoken over us- from here and from some of you at home) that God has very BIG plans for this week. That this is only the beginning of what He is doing. And we could not be more honored to be vessels in that. What a pleasure to join with God in what He is already doing in the hearts of youth in Scotland!
Lance gave us a quick rundown of the young culture here in Scotland last night- and it is heartbreaking. There are only 2 schools here- elementary and high school. At the age of 11, students are sent to “high school”- can you even imagine what it would be like for a 6th grader to be in the same school as a senior? That’s exactly the case here. Needless to say, that leads to some QUICK maturing of young children. And being that most people use public transportation, that is about the same age that parents let their kids ride the trains to different towns to hang out with friends. So what we would consider appropriate for maybe a 14 year old (going to the mall alone with friends) is common for 11 year olds. Think of characteristics of a common 16 year old in America and you can contribute that to a 12-13 year old here. All over the world, children are no longer being allowed to grow up slowly. Sink or swim, as the case may be.
For those who swim here, they end up going to school until they are 18 and then going to University. For those who sink, they are called “NEDs”. That stands for Non Educated Delinquents. And what we would consider a condescending term is what everyone here considers normal- this is even what the GOVERNMENT calls these kids! They drop out of school and then live up to their name- delinquents. We actually got to meet a couple of boys yesterday and they made sure that we knew that was who they were. It was sad. Scotland has created a sub-culture that is nothing more than a self-fulfilled prophesy. We speak LIFE into those kids and pray that God would tell them who they REALLY are!
For our camp, we will not have many (if any) NEDs. Most of these kids are from a living church that seeks God’s heart. Though we were originally somewhat discouraged by our numbers (around 20ish kids and 6 Scottish adults), we now see God’s hand on it. With the students we have coming, and their already blooming hearts for the Lord, what they experience at camp will be fostered by their home church and they will be able to fan the flame of God in the students’ hearts. Then they will be able to go back in to their community, culture, and schools (which are full of NEDs and other students who need the love and salvation that Jesus brings) and be a light to others.
Here are the things we are specifically praying:
-Wisdom. Scotland has ridiculously strict rules about child safety and child protection. Though that is not a bad thing, is does not leave a lot of room for the physical touch of a hug, etc. that these kids need. One of the greatest prayer requests from the church here is that these kids would experience the LOVE of God. Pray that we would be wise in how we show it- that God would open doors for us to express His love for these kids.
- We are still praying that the 4 youth that live at the Kingdom House would want to come to camp. What we originally thought was 2 boys are actually 1 boy and 3 girls (sorry bout that!). Please pray that God would draw their hearts towards Him and they would want to be at camp! Pray that as we interact with them here, they would feel a connection with us and want to spend more time with us.
- Finally, just pray that in the next 36 hours, we would be able to remember every detail to pull camp together. We are asking God to be bigger than our memory! We want these students to have a genuine experience with God, but things also need to be organized and ready when they get there so their focus can be Him, not us.
- Weather. Umm....did anyone mention that it is COLD here? And RAINY? Cause it is. And many of our best laid plans will not work out so well if it rains daily at camp. PLEASE pray for a super-natural warming outside and a rain free (or little rain) week.
We will, God willing, be able to blog again soon. Who even knows at this point? I've never experienced so many random internet connections. Entertaining, to say the least.
We are off to see the Royal Mile and have fish and chips! Delicious! Praise the Lord for how He has provided for us so far- with provision, safety, and most important- HIS PRESENCE.
We love y'all and depend/rest in your prayers. Please continue to lift us up to our Father as we seek to join in the work that HE is doing here. All power and honor to Him.
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory because of Your LOVE and FAITHFULNESS."
-Psalm 115:1
So we have come into Edinburgh today. What an exciting and unexpected day trip! Our schedule, as is the situation on most mission trips, is constantly changing. We originally believed that we would be spending today in Glasgow and tomorrow setting up for camp at the Scout camp facility. We are unable to get in to the camp tomorrow, so we went this morning to let the team see the rooms and area to get an idea of where we will be. Then we hurried to the airport to pick up our long-awaited team member Katie B.! What fun to have her here finally. Thank you for your continued prayers- she and her gear arrived here safely.
Now we are in Edinburgh. We are hoping that while we are gone from the Kingdom House, someone will be able to figure out how to repair the ole internet- our elusive companion. If not, we will again go on a search throughout the local area to attempt to find some sort of connection. Honestly, our only purpose for internet is this blog- we want to keep our much appreciated (and MUCH needed!) prayer warriors updated on things here. So take some time today to pray that God would provide connection for us so that we can let you know specific ways to pray.
We had an amazing time of worship and prayer last night with the family who runs the Kingdom House. It was one of those times when God’s hand is so apparent- what are the chances that the family would be YWAMers who are living out the dream that God has placed in their hearts? It was amazing to hear their testimony of God’s faithfulness that led them to this place. Their heart for this country, and the Kingdom House specifically, was inspiring, to say the least. We as a team are constantly amazed at the way God moves around us- He just keeps reminding me that He is the same God- yesterday, today, and forever- in Georgia and in Scotland. He is God. And He loves to move.
As we prepare for camp these next couple of days, we are sensing God’s excitement and power. We feel certain (in our own hearts and in prophetic words spoken over us- from here and from some of you at home) that God has very BIG plans for this week. That this is only the beginning of what He is doing. And we could not be more honored to be vessels in that. What a pleasure to join with God in what He is already doing in the hearts of youth in Scotland!
Lance gave us a quick rundown of the young culture here in Scotland last night- and it is heartbreaking. There are only 2 schools here- elementary and high school. At the age of 11, students are sent to “high school”- can you even imagine what it would be like for a 6th grader to be in the same school as a senior? That’s exactly the case here. Needless to say, that leads to some QUICK maturing of young children. And being that most people use public transportation, that is about the same age that parents let their kids ride the trains to different towns to hang out with friends. So what we would consider appropriate for maybe a 14 year old (going to the mall alone with friends) is common for 11 year olds. Think of characteristics of a common 16 year old in America and you can contribute that to a 12-13 year old here. All over the world, children are no longer being allowed to grow up slowly. Sink or swim, as the case may be.
For those who swim here, they end up going to school until they are 18 and then going to University. For those who sink, they are called “NEDs”. That stands for Non Educated Delinquents. And what we would consider a condescending term is what everyone here considers normal- this is even what the GOVERNMENT calls these kids! They drop out of school and then live up to their name- delinquents. We actually got to meet a couple of boys yesterday and they made sure that we knew that was who they were. It was sad. Scotland has created a sub-culture that is nothing more than a self-fulfilled prophesy. We speak LIFE into those kids and pray that God would tell them who they REALLY are!
For our camp, we will not have many (if any) NEDs. Most of these kids are from a living church that seeks God’s heart. Though we were originally somewhat discouraged by our numbers (around 20ish kids and 6 Scottish adults), we now see God’s hand on it. With the students we have coming, and their already blooming hearts for the Lord, what they experience at camp will be fostered by their home church and they will be able to fan the flame of God in the students’ hearts. Then they will be able to go back in to their community, culture, and schools (which are full of NEDs and other students who need the love and salvation that Jesus brings) and be a light to others.
Here are the things we are specifically praying:
-Wisdom. Scotland has ridiculously strict rules about child safety and child protection. Though that is not a bad thing, is does not leave a lot of room for the physical touch of a hug, etc. that these kids need. One of the greatest prayer requests from the church here is that these kids would experience the LOVE of God. Pray that we would be wise in how we show it- that God would open doors for us to express His love for these kids.
- We are still praying that the 4 youth that live at the Kingdom House would want to come to camp. What we originally thought was 2 boys are actually 1 boy and 3 girls (sorry bout that!). Please pray that God would draw their hearts towards Him and they would want to be at camp! Pray that as we interact with them here, they would feel a connection with us and want to spend more time with us.
- Finally, just pray that in the next 36 hours, we would be able to remember every detail to pull camp together. We are asking God to be bigger than our memory! We want these students to have a genuine experience with God, but things also need to be organized and ready when they get there so their focus can be Him, not us.
- Weather. Umm....did anyone mention that it is COLD here? And RAINY? Cause it is. And many of our best laid plans will not work out so well if it rains daily at camp. PLEASE pray for a super-natural warming outside and a rain free (or little rain) week.
We will, God willing, be able to blog again soon. Who even knows at this point? I've never experienced so many random internet connections. Entertaining, to say the least.
We are off to see the Royal Mile and have fish and chips! Delicious! Praise the Lord for how He has provided for us so far- with provision, safety, and most important- HIS PRESENCE.
We love y'all and depend/rest in your prayers. Please continue to lift us up to our Father as we seek to join in the work that HE is doing here. All power and honor to Him.
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory because of Your LOVE and FAITHFULNESS."
-Psalm 115:1
Friday, July 13, 2007
Katie B. coming to Scotland!
WHOO HOO! Katie B.'s passport should be in her hands in 15 minutes! She flys out of ATL at 6pm today (US time) and will arrive here tomorrow.
Please pray for her- her luggage, her safety, her jetlag, and anything else that the Lord brings to your mind. Don't tell her this- but she definitely won't have a lot of downtime when she arrives- she'll hit the ground and start working at the campground. We'll feel great- she'll be exhausted!
There is a chance that 2 more students (who are members of the family that runs the Kingdom House) may come to camp. We are having coffee with them tonight. Please PRAY that God would open EVERY door and these boys would be unable to resist the good times that await them at camp!! :) Also pray that if there are any other students that should attend, the Lord will make it happen.
P.S- Bill and Nelson- we had 2 suitcases and 2 tubs that decided they wanted to travel to another British city to see a soccer game (that's all we can figure?). Can you guess what city? :) They arrived this morning- they gave no reports of Rooney sightings nor did they bring you any souvenirs. Sorry. At least they're here now, right?
Please pray for her- her luggage, her safety, her jetlag, and anything else that the Lord brings to your mind. Don't tell her this- but she definitely won't have a lot of downtime when she arrives- she'll hit the ground and start working at the campground. We'll feel great- she'll be exhausted!
There is a chance that 2 more students (who are members of the family that runs the Kingdom House) may come to camp. We are having coffee with them tonight. Please PRAY that God would open EVERY door and these boys would be unable to resist the good times that await them at camp!! :) Also pray that if there are any other students that should attend, the Lord will make it happen.
P.S- Bill and Nelson- we had 2 suitcases and 2 tubs that decided they wanted to travel to another British city to see a soccer game (that's all we can figure?). Can you guess what city? :) They arrived this morning- they gave no reports of Rooney sightings nor did they bring you any souvenirs. Sorry. At least they're here now, right?
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Can you believe?!?
That after HOURS of driving around and all the hilarity of the experience of attempting to upload a blog, I am now blogging from my BEDROOM in the Kingdom House. Apparently there IS wireless in our house- just in certain rooms. God is funny. And awesome.
You people can PRAY! Keep it up! We'll be able to write more soon.
This calls for a big WAY TO GO LORD and BOOYAH!
You people can PRAY! Keep it up! We'll be able to write more soon.
This calls for a big WAY TO GO LORD and BOOYAH!
In Scotland!!
We’ve arrived!
Our experience at the Glasgow airport was significantly simpler than our nightmare in London. Thank you for your quick and powerful prayers! If we’ve learned anything in this first 24 hours, it is that God has GREAT plans for the students here and we want to be a part of it- anything that is worth this much work from the enemy’s side must be worth MUCH to our Father!
It is almost 7pm here- we are getting ready for dinner. Many eyes are droopy and heads are hanging from exhaustion, but we have a lazy day tomorrow of just recovery and some planning time.
We are having a HARD time finding internet connection, but we are hoping and praying that more connections will appear so that we can keep you up to date on the things to pray.
For now:
- We PRAISE God for getting us all here safely and making it possible for us to come. We are excited to be a part of what He is doing in Scotland. We met with another YWAM missionary today and he had some very prophetic words for us about the GREAT impact that God will have through this week.
- Pray that Katie Bedingfield would get here quickly and safely- no hitches in the luggage or passport or anything. NO weapon formed against her shall prosper!
- Pray that God would continue to fill us to overflowing with His love for these students and His heart for them.
- Pray that He would give us His creativity and His mind for these students as we finish planning camp.
- Pray that God would remove all exhaustion and fill us with His energy and His power- that we would all sleep well (remember daylight lasts from 4:30am to 10:30pm- a little different than Marietta!) and we would be ready for all that God has for us this weekend before camp starts.
- We had such an amazing week at RiversStone’s summer camp last week- God showed up in a deep and meaningful way in the hearts of our students. We KNOW that there is one God and that same God inhabits the praises of His people, no matter what country. We are asking God to show His same saving power, His same presence in worship, and His same full expression of His love for His children. We want to see Him!!
I just need you to appreciate the situation right now- Cheryl is talking to a sweet Scottish man at the camp, who keeps reminding us that the “techy geeks” at camp are unable to connect the internet. Justin is in the driver’s seat (the steering wheel is on the wrong side and the car drives on the wrong side of the road!) and just now a lady has come out and told us to follow her to the closest internet café. This is hilarious- I’m typing a blog in the backseat of a car!
This is our first view of the camp and it is going to be interesting, to say the least.
We are now following the lady to the internet café, but for some reason she has us going through a pasture on a one-way road- we have made so many turns and the three of us are so lost that Justin just asked, “Are we still in Scotland?” I wish y’all were here to experience this with us- apparently when a Scot tells you it’s just ‘down the hill’, that means you are lost and are never going to be found again.
And now we are in the internet café (for 25s and under? What is THAT about?) and the nice man is trying to help us out. Ok, so it will TRULY be a miracle if we get to blog again soon- add that to your prayer list!!
Our experience at the Glasgow airport was significantly simpler than our nightmare in London. Thank you for your quick and powerful prayers! If we’ve learned anything in this first 24 hours, it is that God has GREAT plans for the students here and we want to be a part of it- anything that is worth this much work from the enemy’s side must be worth MUCH to our Father!
It is almost 7pm here- we are getting ready for dinner. Many eyes are droopy and heads are hanging from exhaustion, but we have a lazy day tomorrow of just recovery and some planning time.
We are having a HARD time finding internet connection, but we are hoping and praying that more connections will appear so that we can keep you up to date on the things to pray.
For now:
- We PRAISE God for getting us all here safely and making it possible for us to come. We are excited to be a part of what He is doing in Scotland. We met with another YWAM missionary today and he had some very prophetic words for us about the GREAT impact that God will have through this week.
- Pray that Katie Bedingfield would get here quickly and safely- no hitches in the luggage or passport or anything. NO weapon formed against her shall prosper!
- Pray that God would continue to fill us to overflowing with His love for these students and His heart for them.
- Pray that He would give us His creativity and His mind for these students as we finish planning camp.
- Pray that God would remove all exhaustion and fill us with His energy and His power- that we would all sleep well (remember daylight lasts from 4:30am to 10:30pm- a little different than Marietta!) and we would be ready for all that God has for us this weekend before camp starts.
- We had such an amazing week at RiversStone’s summer camp last week- God showed up in a deep and meaningful way in the hearts of our students. We KNOW that there is one God and that same God inhabits the praises of His people, no matter what country. We are asking God to show His same saving power, His same presence in worship, and His same full expression of His love for His children. We want to see Him!!
I just need you to appreciate the situation right now- Cheryl is talking to a sweet Scottish man at the camp, who keeps reminding us that the “techy geeks” at camp are unable to connect the internet. Justin is in the driver’s seat (the steering wheel is on the wrong side and the car drives on the wrong side of the road!) and just now a lady has come out and told us to follow her to the closest internet café. This is hilarious- I’m typing a blog in the backseat of a car!
This is our first view of the camp and it is going to be interesting, to say the least.
We are now following the lady to the internet café, but for some reason she has us going through a pasture on a one-way road- we have made so many turns and the three of us are so lost that Justin just asked, “Are we still in Scotland?” I wish y’all were here to experience this with us- apparently when a Scot tells you it’s just ‘down the hill’, that means you are lost and are never going to be found again.
And now we are in the internet café (for 25s and under? What is THAT about?) and the nice man is trying to help us out. Ok, so it will TRULY be a miracle if we get to blog again soon- add that to your prayer list!!
In London!!
What feels like 5:11am to you feels like.....well....5:11am to us also, but it is 10:11am here.
We have faced our fair share of struggles already- from being allowed 2 carry on bags in Atlanta to being allowed one in London (riddle me that one?), Cheryl losing her boarding pass, and the video camera getting left of the plane.... it has all made us abundantly aware of the battle that is going on around us.
Ephesians 6:10-13
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Please continue to pray for us as we finish our last leg of travel. We will go through Customs in Glasgow this afternoon and we are praying that God would go before us and prepare the way. That by His mercy He will display His power in our circumstances.
We are excited to be here... but will be more excited when we are with Lance and Heather and are settled.
Update on Katie B.- she'll be flying in on Saturday morning, so pray the same provisions for her.
THANK YOU for your prayers. We are asking God to keep us on the forefront of your minds, especially as we travel and get settled.
We will hopefully be able to blog again once we are "home" in Glasgow.
The team members around me are really putting on the pressure to be funny and write a haiku, which is difficult to me with no sleep, but what the people want, the people get.
Cheryl arrives safe.
She needs to potty real bad.
She picked the wrong door.
Can you say, "Hello fellas!" Whoopsie- party foul #1 goes to Cheryl for not realizing the symbol of a person with pants on is for MEN and the dress is for WOMEN.
We have faced our fair share of struggles already- from being allowed 2 carry on bags in Atlanta to being allowed one in London (riddle me that one?), Cheryl losing her boarding pass, and the video camera getting left of the plane.... it has all made us abundantly aware of the battle that is going on around us.
Ephesians 6:10-13
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Please continue to pray for us as we finish our last leg of travel. We will go through Customs in Glasgow this afternoon and we are praying that God would go before us and prepare the way. That by His mercy He will display His power in our circumstances.
We are excited to be here... but will be more excited when we are with Lance and Heather and are settled.
Update on Katie B.- she'll be flying in on Saturday morning, so pray the same provisions for her.
THANK YOU for your prayers. We are asking God to keep us on the forefront of your minds, especially as we travel and get settled.
We will hopefully be able to blog again once we are "home" in Glasgow.
The team members around me are really putting on the pressure to be funny and write a haiku, which is difficult to me with no sleep, but what the people want, the people get.
Cheryl arrives safe.
She needs to potty real bad.
She picked the wrong door.
Can you say, "Hello fellas!" Whoopsie- party foul #1 goes to Cheryl for not realizing the symbol of a person with pants on is for MEN and the dress is for WOMEN.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
24 hours!!
“Prayer is action. By it we step out in advance of all other results….Praying is an activity upon which all others depend. By prayer we establish a beachhead for the kingdom among peoples where it has never been before. Prayer strikes the winning blow. All other missionary efforts simply gather up the fruits of our praying. ” David Bryant
Please lift these requests before the Throne of Grace:
- Katie Bedingfield STILL does not have her passport and we leave in 24 hours! Please pray for divine intervention and a miraculous delivery
- Continue to pray for healing for Justin Bogg’s grandfather and that Justin would be able to go to Scotland with confidence
- That the Lord would bring to our remembrance everything we need to pack
- That we would have a good night’s sleep tonight.
- For protection for the team’s health and safety especially when traveling - by plane, ferry or van.
- That we each will be consistently filled with the Holy Spirit, and seek the Lord with our whole hearts
- That we will lay down our agendas and be empty pliable vessels for the Lord to fill and use at His discretion.
- That our team will demonstrate a supernatural love, patience, unity, kindness, and flexibility among ourselves and with the campers.
- That Satan's strongholds will be broken, that the spiritually blinded will have their eyes opened, and that hearts will be softened to experience Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
The following is a list of the campers who have signed up so far….I would ask that you please pray for them specifically by name.
GIRLS
Lydia
Prscilla
Jane
Sarah A
Sarah M
Lisa
Lois
Amy
Jordan Hope
BOYS
Elliot
Ian
Graeme
Matthew
Alistair
Nathanael
Nathan
Stephen
Andrew
Josh
Andy
Thank you for your sacrifice… .may our Lord draw you close and bless you!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Glasgow airport.
Dear prayer partners,
I do not want to buy into any hysteria or dramatize the news...but after the bomb threats yesterday in London and the car ramming into the front of the Glasgow airport today....I feel that we need to "press-in" in prayer for our safety. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind....so we do not fear...but call on the body of Christ to petition our Father to cut off the plans of our enemy who is prowling about seeking who he can kill,steal or destroy.
Please pray that God will be our shield, that He will guard our course and protect us from any attacks...(accidents, illnesses or stumbling blocks in travel or camp)
In this last week and half please pray that God will continue to increase our passion for Him, that He would fill us with the knowledge of His will, that He would give us Spirit of wisdom and revelations so they might know Him better.
Thank you,
Cheryl for the Scotland team
I do not want to buy into any hysteria or dramatize the news...but after the bomb threats yesterday in London and the car ramming into the front of the Glasgow airport today....I feel that we need to "press-in" in prayer for our safety. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind....so we do not fear...but call on the body of Christ to petition our Father to cut off the plans of our enemy who is prowling about seeking who he can kill,steal or destroy.
Please pray that God will be our shield, that He will guard our course and protect us from any attacks...(accidents, illnesses or stumbling blocks in travel or camp)
In this last week and half please pray that God will continue to increase our passion for Him, that He would fill us with the knowledge of His will, that He would give us Spirit of wisdom and revelations so they might know Him better.
Thank you,
Cheryl for the Scotland team
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Pictures from our retreat!!
This pictures are from our team retreat a few months ago. We had a blast- we got to know each other better as well as getting to spend significant time in prayer for our trip. We planned and played and ate and laughed and loved being together!
2 1/2 weeks until we leave!! Keep praying!!
2 1/2 weeks until we leave!! Keep praying!!
Scotland prayer email #2
To our wonderful prayer partners....
Yesterday was the Summer Solstice; a day (night) when activity of the demonic intensify, as we discovered last year. [and we are definitely feeling them this year] Briefly, pagan, neo-pagans, wiccans, and druids worship and watch the moon rise (symbolic of birth, death and rebirth) through the circle of standing stones or other ancient sacred spaces. They believe that there are ley lines of power – sources of energy – potent energy that circle the earth and affects consciousness and that this energy can also be influenced and tapped into. These lines also are means that spirits may use to travel quickly from one place to another. It has also been suggested that where two ley lines cross there is a possible chance of a portal opening to other dimensions. Experiences with these ley lines has been described as "energizing, white/fuzziness.", "light, see a glowing line that goes with the direction of flow.", "began to feel like I was weaving.", "faint smooth energy."
Yesterday was the Summer Solstice; a day (night) when activity of the demonic intensify, as we discovered last year. [and we are definitely feeling them this year] Briefly, pagan, neo-pagans, wiccans, and druids worship and watch the moon rise (symbolic of birth, death and rebirth) through the circle of standing stones or other ancient sacred spaces. They believe that there are ley lines of power – sources of energy – potent energy that circle the earth and affects consciousness and that this energy can also be influenced and tapped into. These lines also are means that spirits may use to travel quickly from one place to another. It has also been suggested that where two ley lines cross there is a possible chance of a portal opening to other dimensions. Experiences with these ley lines has been described as "energizing, white/fuzziness.", "light, see a glowing line that goes with the direction of flow.", "began to feel like I was weaving.", "faint smooth energy."
Ok….I know you are thinking….this is phooey….but last year God gave us a crash course that the enemy, the prince of this world, is very much involved in all of this….that all of this stuff is one of the reasons Scotland is so bound up in darkness. Lance, the YWAM missionary we worked with, felt that God told him that we were sent there with all spiritual authority to destroy the plans of the enemy....that we had to tear down all that junk in the heavenlies and fight that battle in order for our evangelism to have any success.
The Highlands, in particular, for the last two thousand years have not lifted Jesus on high, the first thousand years Jesus was never worshipped….it was Celtic worship. The last thousand years there has literally been a state church of Scotland and it has brought about a massive stronghold of tradition, religiosity, and legalism. So we not only battle against strongholds of the demonic and occult, but also against a church that is held in bondage. This outreach is as much about spiritual warfare as it is reaching the youth. However, reaching the youth, we believe, is instrumental in unlocking and dismantling some of these strongholds.
In Scripture Hosea tell us “that my people perish for a lack of knowledge”. I tell you all this to explain exactly what we are up against and to beseech you to press in with and for us in prayer.
With all that being said…..here are some areas to begin praying into:
- Breaking strongholds of witchcraft, worship of false gods, alcoholism, traditions of man, religiosity and legalism.
- Come against any assignment the enemy would have against any of the team members, any of the youth that are coming and any staff that will be helping us in Scotland.
- That God would stir the hearts of the youth coming with an anticipation to experience Him
- That God would bring each youth He desires to be there.
- That the Holy Spirit who has been neglected, rejected and denied for so long would be released to infill these youths.
- That God would place His anointing on each of the team members for whatever purpose He would have for us to fulfill….speaking, worship, relating, administrating…ect.
- That God would go before us and make straight any crooked pathways, raise up any valleys and tear down any mountains that would attempt to thwart His plan.
- That Katie Bedingfield’s passport would arrive (it’s been 10 weeks)
- for travelling mercies and protection
- That there would be no lost luggage….that all of our luggage and supply tubs would arrive with us and would clear customs without any problems
- That the team would be unified as one…..that we would be of one mind and in one accord.
- That God would give us fresh creativity, a double portion of energy, His heart and love for these youth, words of knowledge and revelation into each child there.
Blessings on each of you!
For His Glory alone,
Cheryl for the Scotland team
Friday, June 22, 2007
WHY SCOTLAND?
Often times we get the question…why Scotland? Few know….but Scotland is one of the darkest countries as far as the Gospel is concerned. There is a revival of old pagan spirituality along with withcraft, often called New Spirituality. Why? Because the Church is as dead as the graveyards that are oftentimes beside them. This new Spirituality is much more attractive and resonates with Europe's pre-Christian past.
If you look through the magazine rack or on the book shelf in a bookstore or movies/television shows and you will see how many articles/shows reflect a growing interest in spirituality. But they are not finding The Truth…. Instead they find the counterfeit…..mediums, fortune-telling, ghosts, angels and witches.
I know this is long….but read the following article by Jeff Fountain…a YWAMer in Holland, I believe.
Europe: the Prodigal Continent
Over two millennia, Europe´s ´Christian´ identity has been forged by apostolic bands, wandering monks, scholars, reformers, revivalists, social reformers and countless anonymous witnesses to the transforming power of Jesus Christ.
Today, at the start of the third millennium, this ´Christian´ identity is becoming obsolete. In short, Europe is becoming a mission field of neo-pagans. The centre of gravity of the worldwide church has moved from Europe and the West over the past two decades to the Third World countries.
Did you know..
1. that believers in China outnumber the whole population of Germany?! (80 million)
2. that there are more Anglicans in Nigeria than in the UK and the US combined?!
3. that one church in Korea has a membership equal to the whole population of Amsterdam?!
4. that there are more members of the Assemblies of God denomination in Brazil than there are evangelicals in the whole of Europe?!
5. that in France today there are more spiritist healers than doctors, lawyers and priests combined?!
Today, at the start of the third millennium, this ´Christian´ identity is becoming obsolete. In short, Europe is becoming a mission field of neo-pagans. The centre of gravity of the worldwide church has moved from Europe and the West over the past two decades to the Third World countries.
Did you know..
1. that believers in China outnumber the whole population of Germany?! (80 million)
2. that there are more Anglicans in Nigeria than in the UK and the US combined?!
3. that one church in Korea has a membership equal to the whole population of Amsterdam?!
4. that there are more members of the Assemblies of God denomination in Brazil than there are evangelicals in the whole of Europe?!
5. that in France today there are more spiritist healers than doctors, lawyers and priests combined?!
Europe has become the prodigal continent, squandering its Judeo-Christian heritage. It needs to "come to its senses" and decide to return to the Father.
Europe is the New "Unreached Tribes"
Upheavals in Europe´s politics and society over the past decade have created large new social "tribes" alienated from the gospel. New strategies and paradigms are needed for the mission field of 21st century Europe. These include the following four social groupings: Post-Christian Europeans -- reject the Christian worldview and its values as old-fashioned, irrelevant and inhibiting. Modernity (the summation of those forces shaping today’s society like urbanization, science, technology and industrialization) has marginalized faith in many European minds. Traditional churches are losing members rapidly in both Catholic and Protestant lands.
Initiatives from renewed traditional churches, like the Alpha Course are proving to be effective tools for introducing post-Christian Europeans to the gospel message. Post-Communist Europeans -- have rejected the Marxist gospel that science and the state are the saviors of the human race. Communism’s collapse left a great spiritual, psychological and ideological vacuum. From gun-toting Albanian rebels to Moscow’s nouveau-rich, post-Communists share a common mistrust for authority figures, an aversion to accepting responsibility or to think for oneself, and a generally hopeless outlook on the future. Openings abound for ministry among the millions of Post-Communist Europeans, but strategies need to be long-term and impacting the whole person.
Europe is the New "Unreached Tribes"
Upheavals in Europe´s politics and society over the past decade have created large new social "tribes" alienated from the gospel. New strategies and paradigms are needed for the mission field of 21st century Europe. These include the following four social groupings: Post-Christian Europeans -- reject the Christian worldview and its values as old-fashioned, irrelevant and inhibiting. Modernity (the summation of those forces shaping today’s society like urbanization, science, technology and industrialization) has marginalized faith in many European minds. Traditional churches are losing members rapidly in both Catholic and Protestant lands.
Initiatives from renewed traditional churches, like the Alpha Course are proving to be effective tools for introducing post-Christian Europeans to the gospel message. Post-Communist Europeans -- have rejected the Marxist gospel that science and the state are the saviors of the human race. Communism’s collapse left a great spiritual, psychological and ideological vacuum. From gun-toting Albanian rebels to Moscow’s nouveau-rich, post-Communists share a common mistrust for authority figures, an aversion to accepting responsibility or to think for oneself, and a generally hopeless outlook on the future. Openings abound for ministry among the millions of Post-Communist Europeans, but strategies need to be long-term and impacting the whole person.
Post-Modern Europeans -- mainly want to create a better future, in favor of hopelessness,
cynicism and nihilism. Post-modernity is a chaos of irrational and contradictory beliefs in which there is no ultimate meaning or direction. The goal of this Generation X is simply survival -- and fun -- in a godless, mindless universe. Post-modern Europeans are open to spirituality and even to the Spirit. They reject the materialism of their post-Christian parents, and are in search of authentic community.
Post-Migrant Europeans -- are the children of (mainly Muslim) immigrants to Europe´s cities, who reject their parents´ national identity and faith in favour of European youth culture. They comprise a significant proportion of many urban populations. In Amsterdam, 60% of those under 20 years are post-migrants. They have no Christian heritage, but will greatly influence the city´s future for better or for worse. A new breed of missionary is needed to engage in friendship evangelism among post-migrants, with such strategies as street sports, social centers and job creation.
And After the ´Post´?
Anything named ´post-´ is temporary. Because it has no clear identity of its own yet, it is defined by what preceded it. The terms post-Christian, post-communist, post-modern and post-migrant describe many of today’s Europeans. But what will follow in ten years? or twenty?
When Roman order collapsed across Europe, chaos and fragmentation reigned, until messengers of the Gospel came telling their Story. The communities they established in time became the building blocks of the new order, western civilization.
With the current rejection of the modern order, today’s messengers of the Gospel may have a new opportunity to lay fresh foundations for tomorrow’s Europe.
cynicism and nihilism. Post-modernity is a chaos of irrational and contradictory beliefs in which there is no ultimate meaning or direction. The goal of this Generation X is simply survival -- and fun -- in a godless, mindless universe. Post-modern Europeans are open to spirituality and even to the Spirit. They reject the materialism of their post-Christian parents, and are in search of authentic community.
Post-Migrant Europeans -- are the children of (mainly Muslim) immigrants to Europe´s cities, who reject their parents´ national identity and faith in favour of European youth culture. They comprise a significant proportion of many urban populations. In Amsterdam, 60% of those under 20 years are post-migrants. They have no Christian heritage, but will greatly influence the city´s future for better or for worse. A new breed of missionary is needed to engage in friendship evangelism among post-migrants, with such strategies as street sports, social centers and job creation.
And After the ´Post´?
Anything named ´post-´ is temporary. Because it has no clear identity of its own yet, it is defined by what preceded it. The terms post-Christian, post-communist, post-modern and post-migrant describe many of today’s Europeans. But what will follow in ten years? or twenty?
When Roman order collapsed across Europe, chaos and fragmentation reigned, until messengers of the Gospel came telling their Story. The communities they established in time became the building blocks of the new order, western civilization.
With the current rejection of the modern order, today’s messengers of the Gospel may have a new opportunity to lay fresh foundations for tomorrow’s Europe.
So why Scotland?….because only 2 ½ % of the population are born again believers. Many villages have no church…oh, there might be an empty building, but no church. We truly feel God’s prompting that revival will come to Scotland and come through the youth… IF……
Roman 10:14-15 says … “But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
We need to be that new breed of missionaries…and engage in fellowship evangelism. We are being sent…..God planted the vision for a youth camp two years ago. We have interceded over the land and the youth of Scotland for two years. The enemy, of course, does not want the light of God’s Glory and Jesus’ love to shine through us; so consequently he has tried to intimidate us, discourage us, scare us, put every stumbling block he could in our way……therefore we are in need of major prayer in to order to stand in the battlefield….and to march forward singing of Jesus’ redemptive power. Scripture tells us that some things will not be broken without fasting along with praying. As a result, we have begun a fast (each fasting as God leads) until our commissioning on July 8th in order to press-in in prayer. Thank you for committing to join us and cover us.
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