Warms my heart~

O yea! The Bears just blocked a last second field goal attempt. Overtime. The fans and refs are dying though! It’s stinkin cold in Chicago. Thank you Jesus for a warm house, nice fireplace, family watching the game, and ready for Christmas.

In the ongoing fulfillment of the Great Commission at Westbrook~ as well as the ongoing passion to be a multi-ethnic church, we are preparing to start another Ethnic congregation.  I’m not sure when God will have us do this, but our vision includes an Indian church.  To learn the ropes a bit, I am blessed to serve on a management team with Orchard Group Church Planting in NYC as they prepare to a plant an Indian church concentrated in and around Yonkers , NY.

Did you know that Indians are the 2nd largest immigrant group in the US second only to people from Mexico?  The Orchard Group went to India to locate a church planter and his name is C.T. Abraham.  I was blessed to meet him recently and to spend time with him.  I think it is so amazing how for decades American churches sent missionaries to foreign lands to evangelize the people.  Now it is so much more effective for nationals to come to our land to evangelize their own  people.  The US is such a huge mission field.  Please join me in prayer for C.T. and the work in New York City as well as our efforts to do this same work in Chicagoland.

Even as we pray, I want Westbrook (and me) to be continually educating ourselves about the Indian culture, ministry needs and challenges.  Earlier this year I was invited to travel to India (Kerala State) to speak and share in a missions ministry there.  So on January 12-24 my son Tyler and I will be spending time in India with PV Alexander.  I will be speaking several times in the course of the week and Tyler plans to spend time at the large 200 bed hospital and medical ministry that they have.  Tyler is planning to enter Cornerstone University this fall where he will be studying Biology and seeking God’s will about possibly becoming a Missionary Doctor.  Please pray for us as well as prepare to make this journey.  I will be writing more about this trip in the days to come.

Here’s a good one: Ten secular atheists are suing Kentucky’s office of Homeland Security for thanking “Almighty God” for protecting the state from terrorists.  These Kentuckians charge that a law requiring the office to show it’s gratitude to God is ‘breathtakingly unconstitutional.”  The plaintiffs say they have suffered “anxiety” from realizing that “their very safety as residents of Kentucky may be in the hands of fanatics, traitors, or fools.” (The Week – December 12, 2008)

If I remember my scripture right, I seem to remember it saying something like  there will come a day when every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ as Lord.  I can only pray that these misguided souls come to a point of true realization before it’s too late.

* It is stinkin cold in Chicagoland this weekend. Thank you God for a heater that works. Please God, keep those who don’t have heat safe.

* Thanksgiving brought so many blessings. One of them has blown Christie and I away. Tyler recieved a full tuition scholarship from Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, MI. O my goodness. Thank you God.

* Fall soccer with the boys is over and only Reid is playing in an indoor league this winter. That makes for some very relaxing Saturdays. I even got to shop a bit yesterday afternoon. Escaped the last minute shopping rush.

* The spirit was alive at Westbrook this morning. The place was packed out in the 2nd & 3rd hours. First service was light… maybe that’s because of the cold. It was so amazing to worship with the amazing family of Westbrook. I hear that SM Velocity was lively this evening as well. PTL! A new Generation of musicians were born this AM also as a new KAWB (Kingdom Avenue Worship Band) led worship in KA.

* Finished up some Visa applications for a Mission Trip to India that Tyler and I will be on in January. I ‘ll talk more about this in the next few weeks.

* I am thrilled to be able to be with our entire staff tomorrow night for our annual Staff Christmas party.

* YEA! The Bears won big today

… But I’m grateful to serve alongside some great Elders at Westbrook Christian Church.  These men pictured with me are kind, compassionate, gracious, encouraging and on and on and on.  They lift me up when I am down and encourage me to stay in the battle for Jesus.  I am one blessed dude!