How to Begin(?)

I've returned from Charlotte, NC. All day long as I was driving home and into the evening, I've contemplated this new phase of life. I'm about to embark on an adventure that I've yet to encounter in missions--raising my own support. My job has been clarified. I will serve as a facilitator for partnerships for churches who wish to enter into the church planting ventures of missionaries and nationals around the world, working with United World Mission. My first project is Northern Europe, specifically including Sweden and the Baltics (Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia). I will begin on a volunteer status, traveling and meeting with church leadership, coaching new churches in missions strategies, and pointing them in the direction of working with new church starts overseas. My prayer is that I meet with churches, I will be able to convey the need to raise support and they will respond.

My heart is very much in this venture because of my close connection with Northern Europe. I had six years of experience in relating to the people from this region, learning their culture as well as the Latvian language. The need for evangelization by means of multiplying churches is critical at this point and time. Sweden, Estonia, and Latvia have particularly asked for help in church planting ventures. Churches in the U.S. are looking for hands-on experience in becoming involved in the multiplication of themselves. Sometimes they just need to know where to turn and the ways in which they are needed. This will be my job. I need prayer support as well as financial support as I begin this critical work in a part of the world that needs a witness of Jesus Christ. I need to know the Lord's direction in this and see His hand at work in the days ahead.

Thinking Back

This evening I had the opportunity to sit across from a young couple who are looking at the prospects of going overseas and planting churches in Bangkok, Thailand. Their children are somewhat the age of our two boys when we left for Latvia. I had the opportunity to share with them some of our initial experiences in Latvia, dealing with culture shock, and discovering early on the blessing of encouragement the Lord had to provide. After hearing some of the things they have been doing in ministry, it's easy to see that they are taking some natural steps into this next phase of their lives. All-in-all, it was good for me to sit and reminisce. I realized that I am entering into a new phase of missions, also. I won't be living overseas, but I will have a hand in ministry that is taking place in so many different parts of the world, including Northern Europe and the Baltics, which is where my heart is. But who knows what God is going to do and the places around the world where He will ignite a passion in me.

Tomorrow I will have the opportunity to talk with the leadership of UWM about the specifics of my new position, how it will begin, and what my responsibilities will be.

I will be sharing more.

Headed to North Carolina

Tomorrow morning, Friday October 5, I am headed to Charlotte, North Carolina to meet with leadership and several other missionary candidates at the United World Mission headquarters. We will be discussing all that will be involved in being appointed and working with UWM in our respective fields. I am more than excited. My job with UWM will allow my family to remain in Birmingham, but I will develop a travel schedule that will have me meeting with churches in the States as well as traveling outside the U.S. I will have more details after I return. I appreciate your prayer support in this venture.

The Next Step

Two crucial steps are coming up soon as I make steps towards beginning my mission work with United World Mission: 1) My position will be approved by the Developing Churches Network on Friday September 21st here in Birmingham. This is a church planting network that has asked that I facilitate their churches by providing coaching in the development of missional strategies, as well as linking them to viable partnerships where they could be involved in the process of planting new churches overseas. This facilitating role will be approved at DCN's board meeting on the 21st. 2) I will be attending a conference in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 5-7 to meet with others who are looking at appointment, as well as meeting with UWM staff and talking about my position, specifically.

I would appreciate your prayer support in both of these steps. I'll be in touch to provide more details afterwards.

Moving Into Position

I'm embarking on a new adventure that's taking me to a totally new level. I've been a missionary, I am a missionary, but the kind of missionary I'm going to be I've never known or been before.

My life and that of my family has taken many twists and turns over the course of the last five years. Some aspects have been more than just a little difficult--the moves, especially. We have been through more stages of grief than we care to describe in words. But we have to believe that the Lord has been at work, conditioning us and making us into something we've never "been there, done that" before.

As I move forward in this experience, you will start to see this blog evolve and take more of the shape to tell the story of the transitions I am going through, personally, and collectively. I'm moving into position to become a missionary again. Welcome to my world: The Making of a Missionary.