Black Friday

Today is Black Friday.  And while the name comes from retail businesses recognizing that it's the day in the year that they finally see black ink at the bottom of the page, it has also come to have a somewhat dark overtone, hasn't it?  The day after America "pauses to be thankful," millions of people "rush to be greedy." People wait in lines for hours overnight to be the first to push into the local retailer to get the best deal on a flat screen TV to replace the one they got last year.

This rather bleak opening to the "Christmas Season" has sadly spread around the globe like a viral pandemic. It is tragically indicative of the nearly-complete loss of the significance of the birth of Jesus Christ.

This year, I want to be different. Instead of craving more presents, I want to crave more PRESENCE.

When God told Moses in Exodus 33 to lead the children of Israel away from the base of mount Sinai, where He had dictated the Law to Moses, the Lord said, "Go to the land I have promised your fathers...I will send my angel ahead of you, and I will drive out the inhabitants of the land that I have promised to you...but I will not go with you, because if I am with you I will destroy you, because you are a stiff-necked people" (verses 1-3).

The promise of an angel going ahead, and all the enemies being driven out would have sounded pretty good to most all of us...but not Moses!  He said, "Lord, if you will not go with us, we will not leave this place. It is Your presence that makes all the difference!" (verse 16).

As we begin our journey toward Christmas, 2017, let's not go without God's presence. Of course He will be present - He is omnipresent, everywhere at all times. But there is a difference between God being present, and being in God's presence!  

A. W. Tozer wrote: "The world is perishing for lack of the knowledge of God, and the church is famishing for want of His presence. The instant cure of most of our religious ills would be to enter His Presence in spiritual experience, to become suddenly aware that we are in God and that God is in us. This would lift us out of our pitiful narrowness and cause our hearts to be enlarged. This would burn away the impurities from our lives as the bugs and weeds were burned away by the fire that dwelt in the bush."

This Christmas Season - Crave More Presence!

Winter 2016: Spiritual Generations

Winter 2016: Spiritual Generations

In Isaiah chapter 6, the prophet has a dramatic and overwhelming vision of God on His throne. He response is one of utter humiliation before the awesomeness of God. After His repentance and subsequent redemption, Isaiah hears God say, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” To which Isaiah responds, “Here am I, Lord, send me!”

Mission and ministry are all about people. In previous updates we have shared the stories of some of those whose lives we have seen God touch in amazing ways. In this update, we want to share how God us using those people to reach more people with the power of the gospel!

 

Xiannan - sharing the gospel with
fellow students in Darmstadt

We told the story of Xiannan in our Spring, 2015 update. He’s a PhD student in Material Science at the Technische Universität Darmstadt. After attending church services and Bible studies for more than a year, Xiannan accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior. A few months later, in a Bible study, he shared that he felt his purpose was “to return to China and tell others about Jesus.” But his chance has come before his return!  On a recent sightseeing bus trip with other Chinese students, and as they travelled, other students asked this bright, young, man to share with them why he had become a follower of Jesus…and he got a chance to share the gospel with them!  

Tianye - bringing the gospel to her mother in China

We told the story of Tianye in our August 2015 update. Tia and her husband Jason, a Chinese-American believer, attended the church regularly, came to a LIFE Group, and Tia met with some women at a Friday morning Bible study. But she was not a believer in Jesus. God was at work in her life, however! One evening at LIFE Group, Tia shared that she had given her life to Jesus, and had asked Him to be her Savior. Recently, Tia had a chance to fly back to Bejing and spend weeks with her mother who was being treated for cancer. Tia had a chance to read the Bible and explaining faith in Jesus. Her mother has not yet come to faith – please pray for her!

Imants - reaching the science community

Imants is a brilliant PhD student from Latvia, doing groundbreaking work in his field of material science, specializing in magnetics (we call him “Magneto!”).  Imants has a passion to bring the gospel to the largely atheistic world of science.  He has prepared papers and lectures with PowerPoint presentations to discuss topics like creation, supernatural miracles, and other theological topics with his colleagues. When the Lord asked, “Who will go for Me, to the science community?”  Imants answered, “Here am I, Lord, Send me!”

Diane reading the Bible to her
father in Taiwan.

Diane is a young believer, baptized at our church in September of last year. In August of this year, during a worship service, she asked us to pray as she went home to Taiwan to be with her father who was suffering from terminal cancer. She asked us to pray that she would be able to share the gospel with him, and that he would trust in Jesus. We gathered around her and prayed. A few weeks later, she sent a text message that he father had come to faith, and been baptized in the hospital. A few days Diane wrote, “Dear Bob, my father went to heaven already, he smiled, he’s happy.” Just this week she wrote, “I am writing an article about my father’s story. I will send my article to a Christian newspaper. I am so glad that my father became a Christian before he died, and now he is in heaven.” 

Thank you for your support of this amazing ministry to the international, English-speaking community in Darmstadt and the surrounding region. Your prayers, encouragement and financial support make you a vital partner in this work. These great stories of personal faith, and of faith shared with others, are part of YOUR faith story, too!  Rejoice with us as we marvel at all God has done and is doing in the lives of people from “every nation under heaven gathered in the city.” (Acts 2:5) 

San Jose, Costa Rica

IBC Annual Meeting. We were privileged to be able to attend the annual convention meeting of the International Baptist Convention in San Jose, Costa Rica in late October. It was the first time that the IBC has met outside of Europe for its annual meeting, and reflects the growing global impact the group is having. 

Part of our time in San Jose was committed to the Multiply Conference, a gathering of church planters, coaches, leaders and supporters. We spent the entire conference focusing on recruiting new church planters. We have no shortage of cities to reach with the gospel – from Lima, Peru, to Barcelona, Spain to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and, of course, Mannheim, Germany (our particular focus). The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few!

Will you join us in prayer for the Lord of the Harvest to raise up new church planters – to lead us to them, and them to us? Will you join us in recruiting new planters and pastors? If you know someone – a pastor friend, a family member who has a heart for missions, a student in your church who has a desire to serve the Lord – anyone God puts on your heart and in your mind – Please send their information along to us!  Or have them go directly to our Church Planting web connection. It’s called Catalyst, and the link is:

http://www.internationalchurchplanting.com/

Financial Update

We have entered our sixth year on the mission field, and there has been some attrition in our support over the years. About 60% of our monthly support is being met from our supporters back home. The church in Darmstadt has stepped up to meet the need, so far. But one of the dynamics of International Churches such as ours is that people leave after 1-3 years as they complete the studies or their job assignment changes. This can greatly impact the financial stability of the church.

Will you consider joining us in our efforts to reach the English-speaking International Community of Darmstadt, Central Europe and, as you have seen from this newsletter – the whole world? Please pray for God’s provision for us, and for His guidance for you and your family.  

Here’s How to Support our work:

By Check

Make checks payable to: Converge

In the memo line of the check, please note account # 133261.   Send checks to:

Converge Worldwide Attn: J. LoGalbo

2002 S. Arlington Heights Rd.

Arlington Heights, IL 60005

-OR-

Automatic Withdrawal

Set up an automatic withdrawal from your checking account for contributions.  Here’s how:

Contact Jennifer LoGalbo

Telephone: 1-800-323-4215

Email: Jennifer.LoGalbo@converge.org

-OR-

EASY Web-based support! Go to:

www.convergeworldwide.org/give/133261 to set up a one- time, or ongoing support from your debit or credit card.

Five Years in Germany

Today is the fifth anniversary of our arrival in Germany to plant a new English Language International Church in Darmstadt. This video is an expression of our thanks to God for His faithfulness and to our supporters for their prayerful participation in this mission.

To God be the Glory!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD6i8zuqaIw

Strengthening the Weak Protects the Strong.

“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” 

1 Corinthians 12:27

Recently we went to Felsenmeer, in the Odenwald.  It’s an amazing spot!  Large boulders seem to cascade down the side of a steep hill like a stone waterfall frozen in time.  Thousands of people go each year to climb the stones, or walk the trails along side.  Carol and I went with a couple of our university students to spend a sunny day enjoying God’s creation.

I had only climbed be a dozen or so of the large stones, when, as I pushed off with my leg to propel myself up to the next level, I heard a loud “pop” and felt a searing pain in my left knee. I thought I could wait a few moments and “shake it off,” continuing up the hill; but alas, I had to very slowly make my way down the hill along the side trail. My climbing for the day was over.

The trouble was – my left knee had been my “good knee” for years!  My right knee had been week and painful since a sports injury in the 1970’s.  I thought that I could overcome the weakness in that bad knee by putting the hard work on the good knee. In the end, the good knee was left injured and the whole body suffered.

Paul tells us that the church is like a body. Each member is meant to do its part. Sometimes there are members of the body that bear scars from old wounds, or are weak due to lack of use. Far too often, rather than working with the weak to strengthen and mature them, we simply put additional strain and tension on the stronger and healthier parts of the body. Sadly, this can lead to new strains, and fresh wounds. 

Ministry leaders need to be constantly searching for those who are weak and sidelined by pain; working with them to get them moving again, building strength and finding purpose within the body. Members who find themselves timid and resistant to ministry because of old pain or fear of injury, need to recognize their important role in the body, and do their part. They will not only be strengthened themselves, they will prevent others from injury, and strengthen the entire body!

Discontentment Says Something about You, Not Your Circumstances

This post by Philip Graham Ryken is adapted from the ESV Men's Devotional Bible.  From: Crossway

Grumble, Grumble

In Exodus 15, the Israelites camped by the springs of Elim for several weeks, lingering under the palm trees and taking long drinks of cool water. Then it was time to move on. They were on a spiritual journey—a pilgrimage that reveals the pattern of the Christian life.

The spiritual geography of Israel's exodus from Egypt can be mapped onto the experience of our own souls. Although there are times of refreshing, usually they do not last for long. Soon it is time to head back into the desert, which is a place of testing and spiritual growth.

The Israelites headed deeper into the wilderness. Soon they were tired and hungry, and once again they started to complain. Whining was Israel's besetting sin. It started when Moses first went to Pharaoh and people complained that he was making their job harder instead of easier (Ex. 5:21). They grumbled at the Red Sea, where they accused Moses of bringing them out into the desert to die. The grumbling continued more or less for 40 years, as they became a nation of malcontents.

Discontent With God

Our own complaints are not caused by our outward circumstances; rather, they reveal the inward condition of our hearts. Really, the Israelites had nothing to complain about. They were not running out of food, but were confusing what they wanted with what they needed. This is often the source of our discontent: thinking that our "greeds" are really our needs.

The Israelites also exaggerated the advantages of their former situation. "Remember the good old days?" They said. Looking back with longing on their time in Egypt, they imagined themselves bellying up to Pharaoh's buffet. Yet it is doubtful that, as slaves, they were ever treated so lavishly.

Israel's attitude is a warning against the great sin of complaining. Although they complained to Moses, they were really grumbling against God. By saying that it would have been better for God to let them die back in Egypt, they were really saying that they wished they had never been saved.

We need to be honest about the fact that all of our dissatisfaction is discontent with God. Usually we take out our frustrations on someone else. But God knows that when we grumble, we are finding fault with him. A complaining spirit indicates a problem in our relationship with God.

The irony, of course, is that God always gives us exactly what we need. For the Israelites, this meant manna in the wilderness. For us it means the true Bread of Life, Jesus Christ.

Philip Graham Ryken (DPhil, University of Oxford) is the eighth president of Wheaton College.

https://www.crossway.org/blog/2016/05/

Summer 2016 Update

Summer 2016

Carol with Sammy and quilt she made for her.

It has been one of the most demanding seasons of our time in Europe, and our communication to you has suffered as a result. We’re sorry this update is so late in coming! There has been a lot of activity in both our personal lives and in the ministry – we’ll try to give you a brief but full update.

Personal News: On 3 February at 7:00pm, our first grand-daughter, Samantha Rodman Marsh, was born.  She weighed 9 lbs., 7 oz. and was 19 inches long. She joins her big brother Levi, who was just 2 weeks shy of his first birthday.  Rachel and Andrew are understandably thrilled, as are we!  We had a chance to be at their home in Annapolis, Maryland, in May for a visit. At that time, Nicole and Eric, with their boys, Asher and Cayden, came to join us from New York; and John and his girlfriend Kefei came from Arizona for a full-family gathering!  It was the first time for everyone to be together!

Bob & Samantha

Just after Samantha was born, we received word that Bob’s dad was ill. He contracted a bad cold that developed into pneumonia, which severely weekend his heart.  Multiple body systems began to be strained, and fail. When told that he was not going to recover, and that he had only a few days to two weeks to live, he paused for just a moment, then said, “Well, ‘To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord!’ We should celebrate!”

We flew to West Virginia on 15 February, and were with dad and mom through dad’s last days on this earth.  He was in great spirits when we arrived, making jokes, sitting in his chair, and resting on his hospital bed in the living room of their apartment. But by Wednesday, he began to slip into more of a semi-conscious state, and in the early hours of Friday morning, 19 February, he went home to be with Jesus. Even in his semi-conscious state he quoted a verse of Scripture: “Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord…”  What a testimony! We are blessed to know dad is in heaven with Jesus!

Prayer Calendar:

June 7-10 – Feasibility Study Munich

July 4-14 – In New York to care for grandsons while Nicole & Eric minister in St. Louis.

July 17 – Visit and speak at church plant in Toulouse, France.

August 26-28 – Darmstadt church retreat in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse.

October 22-30 – IBC Annual Meeting in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Summer 2016 Ministry Update

Blake Nobles

Ministry: In January we welcomed Blake Nobles to Darmstadt. Blake is finishing his Masters of Divinity degree at Truett Seminary in Waco, Texas. He came to complete his final requirement for the degree – a six-month ministry internship. While here in Darmstadt, Blake has been working to firm up our ministry to Young Adults in the area – university students and young adults just entering the workplace.  It has been a great learning experience for us as church leaders as much as for Blake!  He’s made good progress in establishing the ministry, and developing leadership to continue when his time is completed in June.

In March we attended the annual Ministry Leadership Conference of the IBC in Malta. The meeting was filled with great teaching, fellowship and encouraging connections with other pastors and ministry leaders from around the world. The meetings were followed by the first Multiply Conference, a two day focus on church planting in the IBC. Bob lead a discussion outlining the growing opportunity to reach the world by planting English-language churches in global cities.  We had a great time visiting the beautiful sites around the island that was first evangelized by the Apostle Paul when he was shipwrecked there. It is, to this day, the most Christian nation in Europe!

Blue Grotto, Malta

St Paul's Bonfire Chapel in Malta

Hong Kong

In April, Carol remained in the US to spend additional time with the grandchildren, while Bob flew to Hong Kong to attend the Global Church for a Global World conference. The conference brought international church leaders from around the world to learn about networking and ministry opportunities as we seek to fulfill the great commission together! 

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong with Os Guinness & the IBC Team

In May, we completed a Feasibility Study of Mannheim, a large city just 45 minutes from Darmstadt. This city looks like a great opportunity for a sister-church to the Darmstadt work. In June we will do a study of Munich, and later this year in Strasbourg, France. Please pray with us about these opportunities!

Feasibility Study Team - Mannheim

Financial Update:

Financial Update:  We have entered our fifth year on the mission field, and there has been some attrition in our support over the years. About 60% of our monthly support is being met from our supporters back home. The church in Darmstadt has stepped up to meet the need, so far. That is good, but as the deficit grows, and as we face the loss of some critical members in the church due to graduation or new work assignment, the situation can quickly grow critical. Will you consider joining us in our efforts to reach the English-speaking International Community of Darmstadt, Central Europe and the world? Please pray for God’s provision for us, and for His guidance for you and your family.

Here’s How to Support our work:

By Check

Make checks payable to: Converge

In the memo line of the check, please note account # 133261.   Send checks to:

Converge Worldwide Attn: J. LoGalbo

2002 S. Arlington Heights Rd.

Arlington Heights, IL 60005

-OR-

Automatic Withdrawal

Set up an automatic withdrawal from your checking account for contributions.  Here’s how:

Contact Jennifer LoGalbo

Telephone: 1-800-323-4215

Email: Jennifer.LoGalbo@converge.org

-OR-

EASY Web-based support! Go to:

www.convergeworldwide.org/give/133261 to set up a one- time, or ongoing support from your debit or credit card.

Update: Mannheim, Germany Feasibility Study

Team Mannheim: Blake, Kim, Susanne, Bob & Carol,
Nathan and Jeremy

Thanks for your prayers for us last week as we traveled to Mannheim. With help from church leaders from Darmstadt, Ramstein and Frankfurt Oberursel, we had a very productive and exciting experience! 

In reviewing the overall results of the Feasibility Study, the single word that comes to mind most is “positive.” It seemed that each of the meetings had a positive tone. The people we talked to from the various student ministries, Studenten für Christus, Student Misison Deutschland, Katholischen Hochschulgemeinde, and the Stadtmission Mannheim were all very positive.

We met with pastors Andale Weber from Haus des Herrn, and Pastor Walter Clark from Rhine River Baptist, who were also generally positive, but seasoned with the recognition that the work is difficult and the commitments must be long-term and enduring through the difficult times that will inevitably be faced. We heard more than once of previous efforts to begin new works in the city that had failed to gain a foothold.

During our time in Mannheim, we were not able to include input from the professional/business side of the expatriate community. We simply were unable to make the vital connections necessary and set up appointments. We are going to follow up with supplemental visits to connect with the international business community. Some of those meetings will be through new leads we discovered last week, others will be "cold calls" to places of business and industry. If you know someone in Mannheim who works for SAP, John Deere, BASF Chemicals, Roche Pharmaceuticals, or another international company, please pass that information along!  This certainly needs to be completed and entered into the mix as we consider future steps in the city.

Our final evaluation after last week's visit gave the city a green light, but we recognize that this is only a preliminary result. The addition of information from the professional realm will certainly provide further insight, and may alter the conclusions.

One conclusion that seems evident is that it will not be possible for us (Bob & Carol) to do this new plant in Mannheim while still fully engaged in Darmstadt. We will need to seek a new church planter, or an associate to help in Darmstadt to free us for Mannheim.

Thanks for your prayers for us!