in country

Over the past six months I have not traveled overseas, met with the suffering church, or encountered those who would threaten my life. However, I have traveled across the United States to places like California and Oregon, Arkansas and Kansas, Colorado and Missouri, Yakima and Wenatchee (for many of you, just Google it). I have met with a Church who does suffer and hurt and, in many cases, is broken. I have met with those who have not threatened my life, but their life has wonderfully threatened my way of thinking and the filter through which I have looked at life. And all of this is good. Difficult at times, but good.

I spent the month of October in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dear friends allowed me to stay at their winter home and my Board said, “Go!” So I went.

Howard Hendricks said that the man who is always with people, in the end, would be no good for people. I am always with people. It’s what I do, it’s what I am about, and people are a passion. I have never met a stranger. But I do agree with Howard. In the end, I want to be good for people; the people God has intersected my life with. So being in Arizona was a blessing. It was not void of people, but it was a slower pace. It was a soul-rejuvenating pace.

“We must continually remind ourselves of the purpose of life. We are not destined to happiness, nor to health, but to holiness. At all costs, a person must have a right relationship with God. . .  God has only one intended destiny for mankind—holiness. His only goal is to produce saints.”

OSWALD CHAMBERS

On a Monday night (thanks to my friend Ryan Buskirk who leads Young Life at GCU), I spoke to 40 Grand Canyon University freshmen that all desired to be missional. What joy to see how engaged they were in what was being said and their questions were wise and thoughtful and their interest seemed to passionately grow.

On another day, I met with a local High School Football Coach who shared that during his first week of practice, 30 of his players made professions of faith. He related that since that time he has been hit with difficulties beyond measure. Oh, they were in the playoffs. The difficulties had nothing to do with what had happened on the football field, but in the hearts of each of those young men. I sent him this text:

In “All In,” pastor and bestselling author Mark Batterson asks, “When did we start believing that God wants to send us to safe places to do easy things? That faithfulness is holding the fort? That playing it safe is safe? That there is any greater privilege than sacrifice? That radical is anything but normal? Jesus didn’t die to keep us safe. He died to make us dangerous.”

Praying for you as you battle for these young men’s souls and for their future legacies…

While in Arizona I met with a man that I played college football with. He emailed me this: “Thinking back to my freshman year at PLU, I can remember you introducing me to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. There were so many other wonderful influences in my discovery of that relationship back then… but, you were the fella that got the ball rolling; and, for that I will always be grateful.”

I received this from another man/friend I met with while in Arizona:

“As I’ve gotten older I’ve really learned to love and appreciate those people that have had a positive impact on my life. You are certainly a member of that group. Thank you for today.” Over 30 years ago I had the privilege of baptizing this man.

Toward the end of my time in Scottsdale I received this email from a man whose life intersected mine some 38 years ago:

Dear Steve, I don’t know if you would remember me. My name is… and I was involved with the FCA in Hawaii on Hickam AFB held at Colonel Bethany’s home. I was on the Swim Team and Captain of the Tennis Team. I went to the International Baptist church. We did a couple projects together. I made a true connection with my faith a couple years ago. I’m happy and active in the office at Gateway Bible church where I attend. I was Baptized in March of 2016. I want to apologize to you as I never really understood the meaning of accepting Christ as my Lord and Savior. I followed the pack in ignorance of understanding the truth of my obligation of accepting Christ. You spent a lot of your time to help me when I was a teenager and I did learn from you. Your time with me prepared me to be a responsible adult. Respectfully, …

Oswald Chambers was right: Holiness and producing Saints. What’s really neat is that we get to participate with Him in His vision, His goal, and their destiny…

ALL of this is to simply remind you of this:

“The Bible is full of ordinary people who went to impossible places and did wondrous things simply because they decided to obey God. (But) it’s useless to think we can make a difference for Christ in some remote corner of the world if we can’t do it in our own neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces.” BROTHER ANDREW

“It may take an entire lifetime of preparation for one minute of supreme sevice.” Are you/we willing to engage that process of preparation? I think it is worth it and I believe that Jesus really is enough. TAKE RISKS…