September 2, 2004

  • Essential 2004 -- Aug 12th - Aug 16th


    (note the folks standing in the towers ready to cause trouble)

    The Essentials Conference is a leadership conference for youth
    leaders serving in the English speaking ministry of Chinese churches
    around the UK. The Chinese church in England is at a critical
    juncture where there is a huge need for men like Bert and some of
    the kids at this conference to rise up, to teach and to shepherd this
    next generation of BBC's. I believe that God used this particular
    conference to take many of these leaders through a
    critical inflection point (a math term) to where they can be used
    mightily by God. There was a palpable sense of God's presence
    throughout the conference. With each message, I felt as if I couldn't
    go back to living life the same way again; and I suspect that others
    felt similarly. We went to Kidderminster as a missions team, to teach
    and minister to these young leaders, but God brought us on our knees
    and put us in the learner's position.

     
    (Bert was twice the "burly-man" that Alby and Alex imagined)

    I think that our team has a grand total of only 1-2 "normal"
    pictures with Bert. Luke and I shared with our team about Bert during
    our prep meetings (w/o physical descriptions) and somehow Alex and Alby
    had this mental image of this "burly-man". They were quite surprised by
    his stature when he came to greet us at the train station. What happens
    when one man chooses to give his life in whole-hearted
    obedience and follow God? What happens when one man chooses to
    listen to God's leading regularly?

    As we were going to liverpool, people on our team kept saying, "I
    miss Bert". We had the chance to walk with him, pray with him and serve
    with him. And we saw God answer prayers. We witnessed God's spirit
    working powerfully. We became agents of God's work. We tasted what
    ministry could be like when we're waiting upon the Lord. I have never
    witnessed such a time of genuine confession and such passionate prayer
    and revival among a large group of people. We were humbled. Why don't
    we see this more often in our own churches here in SD? Why don't we
    seek God daily and trust Him in our own lives? Do we secretly doubt
    that He is able? that His ways are better?


    (Alex and I with Debs and the Birmingham boyz)

    Last year I heard stories about Bert's transition from Sheffield to
    Birmingham. This year I got to visit his church in Birmingham and get
    to know some of his "kids". Alan, Tim, Nick and Josh, God has begun an
    awesome work in y'all. I think that there was a bit of divine
    providence in bringing only you four guys (and no girls) to Essentials
    this year. Stand by each other and challenge each other to attempt
    great things for God. Alex, thanks for co-leading the leadership
    training sessions with me. Debs, you are an inspiration to us. I was so
    encouraged by your humility and desire to learn. You have a good mentor
    and friend in Bert and Phan.

    Grace and Peace.

    p.s. Check out this CD called Give You My World, by Phil Wickham. My two favorite songs on this are Jesus, Lord of Heaven and You are everything.