More Local Connections

Much of today was spent being attached at the hip to a Lt. Colonel Chaplain at Nellis Air Force Base, which neighbors us just four miles down the road. We have been looking to discover how we can best minister the gospel as good neighbors to this unique community of men and women who serve in the Armed Forces. Thanks to our gracious host, we were able to gain some insight (the unclassified version, of course) into the kinds of stresses and struggles present in today's military. Additionally, our host made us his guests at Memphis BBQ, a restaurant just outside the main gate. What a bonus!

For some time I have also been praying for a good contact in a gated apartment complex that stands adjacent to our neighborhood. Today we found that two of the chaplain's assistants stationed at Nellis live there. We hope to have a meal with one of them soon. Perhaps God will open a door for us soon to minister to folks in this apartment complex. I'll keep you posted.

Thanksgiving

If you would have asked me a few months ago where I'd be spending Thanksgiving dinner I would not have imagined it like this. Yesterday we were invited to join our neighbors who live two doors down from our house. We were made to feel so very welcome, as welcome as their other twenty or so family members from around the city who joined the festivities. Carlos deep fried a couple of turkeys that headlined an incredible spread of other great food.

Without a doubt, the friendships that we've made here in this little community are on the top of our list of things for which we are giving thanks to our God and Father. We continue to experience the warm welcome of our neighbors and hope that they are experiencing the same from us as we seek to love others in Jesus' name.

Gospel Values

Greetings to all of you who are keeping up with us on our journey! I apologize for the distance between my last post and this one.

We have begun weekly meetings with two groups of families spread across the North Las Vegas area. The content of our discussion centers around the vision and values that will guide us as this local community of believers takes on its own God-given shape and personality. We have been encouraged to see and hear the responses of the people God has been bringing to these gatherings. What most encourages us is recognizing that they are not responding to any creative genius on our part (as if you were really thinking that anyway). Rather, we are all responding to the gospel.

We are responding to God's unique message in the person of Christ Jesus for the redemption and transformation of Las Vegas and cities like it around the world. As the gospel comes alive in our own hearts we experience further life transformation (sanctification) and we have a realistic hope to see our families and communities take on new life as well. We begin to embrace classes of people with whom we might not have imaged the possibility of any mutual love and care. We begin to take our calling as kingdom servants seriously, actively becoming equipped for the works God has uniquely designed for each of us. We serve others sacrificially without any expectation of receiving something in return. We take on all of life's activities with a renewed dependence upon Jesus, and a proper confidence that we will see him work. We start to see that God's advancing kingdom is bigger than us, our church, or our denomination. In sum, we become mature disciples, rooted in the grace of the gospel, who live our lives for others and remember that it is God's kindness that leads us to repentance. These are the biblical convictions that will guide us as we move forward.

Additional Note: Within the next few weeks we plan to have another web site up and running that will do a better job of communicating who we are to people living in Las Vegas.

We humbly ask that you will continue to keep us in your prayers as our Lord brings us to mind. Please pray that God will continue to provide financially for this project. Give if God is prompting you to sacrifice for the Kingdom in Las Vegas. (Information on how to give can be found on our current web page: http://www.missionnorthlasvegas.squarespace.com/)

Please pray also for the many contacts that are presently wrestling with the gospel. Pray that their eyes will be opened to the truth of their need to be reconciled with their Creator and that they will be given faith to trust Jesus as their Reconciler, their Savior.

Who do You Know? Who Knows You?

Today I spent time with a man I met a few weeks ago. We'll spend time together again next week. Until today, though I didn't realize who he is. He is well known around the world.

From the moment I met this man I have felt an affinity towards him. It wasn't based on any knowledge about his fame or accomplishments. But this afternoon I was pondering why it is that we become further excited to meet someone we admire and someone admired by the masses. I think that most of us, given the opportunity, would spend a weekend fishing with Payton Manning (no, I'm not a Colts fan) before taking the same fishing trip with our "average" neighbor. Why is this? I don't know for sure except to say that we all seem to clamor towards the opportunity to be known by the well known, to have a private audience with the popular one, the beautiful one, or the famous one. We wonder how it is that this new relationship might give us some advantage, more security, or a higher profile in our various spheres of life.

As I thought this through my mind wandered to John 17:3 where Jesus defines eternal life. "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." To have eternal life is to be in relationship with the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, to be known by The Famous One.

Guess what! Remembering that I am intimately known by the only true God frees me up to run in love to the "average" neighbor nearby who is longing for relationship himself. It was intimacy with the Father that freed Jesus to live not in order to be noticed by the famous ones of his day, but instead to notice the least of these, his brethren.

Why don't you join me tomorrow in reading the Creation account in Genesis, the Exodus account summed up in Psalm 105, and the gospel texts telling of Christ's resurrection. Behold the majesty, power, love, and fame of your God and then remember that he knows you, and that you know him. I have a feeling that it just might change the way you approach your other relationships this week.

Live On the Air in 5..4..3..

What do you do when a local talk show host approaches you and says, "What are you doing at 2:00 today? Why don't you meet me at our station so that I can interview you for an hour?" You go. You go scared and wondering why on earth God decided before enternity that this would be a good thing for you to experience, but you go none-the-less.

So, when I was asked that very question today at 1:28 in the afternoon I went. What a unique experience! Dale Davidson, host of an afternoon show on 1060 AM KKVV was a delight as he asked me questions covering a range of topics related to our work in Las Vegas, and my own family's journey to get here.

As I was driving over to the studio I called Angie in order to invite the children to hear their goofy dad on the radio. Then I prayed. I prayed that I would indeed be ready to speak with clarity and conviction about the gospel of Jesus, in season and out of season, when I would expect it, and even now when the opportunity came as unexpectedly as a fly in your mouth when you drive with the window open.

Of course I have no idea who may have been listening and who may have been prompted by God's Spirit to respond to the gospel, but I trust a local friend and resident of Las Vegas who heard the interview and said that the gospel was clear. I was relieved and thankful to hear that.

Please continue to pray for the people of this city. Pray that God's Spirit will lead us to those in whom he has already been at work to bring about new life in Jesus. Please also pray that we will be ready at all times to love people in this place with the truth and richness of the gospel.

Services of Worship Update

The search continues for a place we can call home on Sunday mornings. I was able to meet with a school administrator this week and it seems as though a door might be opening for us to use the theatre and adjoining rooms at a local middle school. The theatre space seats about 100 with a very good seating arrangement. Once we go through the process of applying with the school district, if approved to use the facility, we are being told by the school administrator that they would allow us use for approximately 8-10 weeks. This isn't very long, but it's a start. It sounds like walking by faith to me. I'll update further when more information is available.

This Sunday we will begin a series of weekly home meetings at a couple of locations across northern Las Vegas. These meetings will serve as a place for prayer over God's word for this mission work, and will also provide the context for sharing our vision, values, and ministry design for City-Wide Redeemer.

I think that I mentioned earlier this month that we are also going to be hosting an investigation Bible study at our home. We are still pulling this together and gathering a few more committed souls.

On another night of the week we will also begin hosting a community group for committed Christians in our neighborhood. Pray that our Lord will lead me in determining the course of our study for the remaining weeks of this calendar year.

Our family remains very encouraged as we move along through each day and discover what the Lord has for us. We are regularly surprised and try to remain faithful with what is put in front of us, even if it wasn't on the radar screen when we woke up. I can't wait to see what happens tomorrow!

It is the Spirit who Gives Life

His disciples were struggling with all that Jesus had just said concerning himself. He had been explaining that he is the bread of life, that he is the bread come down from heaven, that unless the Father draws someone they can't come to God, to feed upon Christ as it were.

Then, knowing that his disciples were grumbling about this, he said, "Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe," John 6:61-64.

We are sharing the gospel regularly with folks, speaking with them at different levels depending on where they are or what they've already been exposed to. Next week, Lord willing, I will begin hosting a six week study on the life of Christ. I feel a tremendous amount of anxiety. I long to say things well, to communicate the truth and facilitate genuine investigation. I want to see folks that I already care for experience the freedom that comes when we are reconciled to God and begin living life the way God designed.

As I read this portion of John's gospel this morning I was struck afresh to realize that when Jesus led bible studies there were some who did not believe. Why? How could this be? It is the Spirit who gives life.

Being mindful of this truth frees us up to take risks of love for others. It frees us up to be ourselves as we share the gospel with those around us. It frees us up to continue to share with others in the future if we don't see the response that we hope for. Certainly it is true that we must do all that we can to remove every barrier in our communication of the gospel. But it is also true that the Spirit gives life; the flesh is of no avail.

I'm going to pray right now that God's Spirit will lead me to those people in whom he is working to give new life. Will you join me in praying for that as well?