Best Week of the Year

Well, here it is. The week before the Momentum conference--the largest annual FGBC event each year and everyone has a million things to do in the CE National office. Big picture things, little details...all of them important. I'm glad we have a staff that is not too busy to pray. That was a fun staff meeting this week--praying very specifically for God to work in this huge conference and ministry.

But while we have bunches of details--from displays, to We Care Dayton, to OB debriefing to getting OBers home, to speaking preparations--this is the best week of the year. It is a fabulous week to watch Operation Barnabas teens display that they "get it". There has been a long orientation, four weeks plus of ministry and now is the time when the adult leaders get to sit back and watch the teens do it--just about all on their own. If we adults have done our jobs well, then the adult leaders' (they are not chaperons) biggest responsibility is getting the bus and the luggage trucks where they need to be and getting out of the way and letting the teens serve and minister to people.

Of course, there are the nay-sayers. I guess I have become accustomed to the negative, unhappy people of this world having belittling comments talking about the exceptions to the rule I have just mentioned. First off, what a lousy way to live. Secondly, in my next blog I'll share a story of an OB gal who didn't maybe show she "got it" when she was on her OB tour--but her life is showing that she certainly got it and she continues to live that way...

But before I write my next blog, I'm just going to sit back and enjoy this "best week of the year" While I pack boxes and prepare for the busiest week of the year.

PS- I have been asked how we are doing with fuel budget for OB. I don't have exact figures yet--and won't until after the tours are over July 30. I do know that with some of the gifts that have been given it is going to be close! Appreciate the prayers and the gifts!

Givers and Takers

Simply enough, I believe that there are two kinds of people in the world: (If this were a joke, it would be that there are three kinds of people in the world--those who can count and those who can't... but I digress...;-)) The two kinds of people are givers and takers.

As I think back over the last few weeks of Operation Barnabas and the Mo West conference that CE National put on, I see people who give and invest of themselves and their resources for the benefit of others.

Ed Lewis probably leads the way as he thinks of himself last. He probably should think of himself first once in a while as he agrees to help just about anybody who needs it.

Tim and Janine Lansing make OB orientation a delight at Norwalk GBC. And they help get our family of four into Disneyland by their contacts and then meet us for dinner--and pay for it--the stinkers.

Nina and Stella--cooked for 110 people for over a week--during their vacation.

My grandmother Eve--hears that the OB fuel fund is hurting this summer as $4.99 a gallon for diesel has impacted the budget. She wasn't asked to give a financial gift. But she heard about the need and prayed what amount she should give. And then she did what the Spirit of God told her to do and wrote a check to help meet the need.

One particular church heard about this same need. I won't embarrass Western Reserve Grace Brethren Church in Ohio by telling you who it was--but they gave a generous financial gift to help too.

Our OB and OBI leaders are incredible. I wish more people would get to know these servants who are not chaperones. We don't need those as our OB teens are solid young men and women. But they do need good adult LEADERS and this set is unbelievable. They are GIVERS and could never be thanked enough by parents, teens, and churches.

Amy Kendrick is one of those OB leaders again this summer. Doing another great job. Her car is not being used when she is on tour--so she is allowing our family and CE National to use her car in So Cal at no cost while she is away.

Givers. Takers.

I have a statement I use all of the time: "The mark of a mature believer in Christ is that they have a thankful spirit." It is because it is about Jesus first, others second and then themselves last. I guess that is just another way of giving.

This Day has been Highlighted

As coach of an athletic team, you know that there are dates and games that are more significant than others for your team. As the Director of Operation Barnabas, there are certain days that are also "fixed" on the calendar. Today had the potential to be a great day or the potential to be disastrous. PTL, it has been a great day!

The Midwest Team was in San Diego for the Sunday am service at the Grace Brethren Church. That went well from the reports I heard and then they headed into the desert over some big mountains and into 113 degree heat. The Mexican border patrol stopped the team from crossing for a while, but that was prayed through and they are now in Mexicali getting ready for their two day s of ministry there at the seminary. (Anyone following the MW team and looking for photos and e-mails: Don't panic when you don't see any posts from them. The last team had a hard time getting any computer connection. So just figure that no news is good news for the next few days :-))

The Continental team had a terrific time with the Native American Fellowship Church this morning in Gallup NM and have now traveled past Albuquerque and are already on their way to Colorado Springs. They have had good weather, no bus issues, and should be in by midnight.

The Mid America team had the "toughest" drive today. Up route 17 from Phoenix to Flagstaff. This could have killed this teams summer ministry. But they made it while only having to pull over one time to let the bus cool down! They are on their way to Albuquerque, NM where the temp this afternoon was just 83 degrees.

SO we could have had disaster on three fronts. But people are praying, students are "getting it" ,and they are also being stretched.

It has been a day that has been "marked" on my calendar for a long time--and it has been a wonderful day. Looking forward to seeing how God uses these three domestic teams in incredible ways.

OBI Safely in Cameroon

Well it has been quite a day... All four Ob teams are now on the road. We have now heard the following news:

OBI made it all the way to Cameroon--relatively on time and with all of their luggage! Numbers of people praying about that. Let's pray that they have an incredible ministry there.

The real OBI excitement was a bit earlier in the week. Of the ten students and one leader, there were only 7 visas in hand. Not a good number. This was as of Thursday and the team was scheduled to leave on Friday night from Detroit. So lots of prayer went into that. And the team all had visas in hand by 11am for their 7pm flight. What may have been seen as a negative drove these students to their knees--and that is a positive. They didn't know who the four were who were "without" and that may have caused even more fervent prayer!

And now we have a domestic team in Gallup NM, one in Phoenix, and one in San Diego. Time to pray that much harder as these 89 teens and 15 adult leaders are set to travel some long miles in blazing Southwest heat. One to Colorado, one to Albequerque and one to Mexicali, Mexico. I may be between 110 and 120 tomorrow. Time to pray again.

Thanks for all prayers and they are appreciated! Pray that God would work in incredible ways in and through these teens!

Next post I'll share a couple incredible stories from when we were all at Skid Row in LA last Wednesday...

What a Great Week It Has Been

It is really enjoyable to work with great team of people who love Jesus and are diligent with regard to their responsibilities as well as building relationships with you. I am so thankful for a tremendous group of adult leaders on OB 2008.

It has been an outstanding week of orientation on Operation Barnabas and it is evident that many parents, siblings, and friends have been praying for these 105 teens and adult leaders. Teams have formed well as they were announced on Monday. That is always a fun time--where teens figure out on which team they will be serving. They also settle in a little more and are able to start developing relationships.

The first days of orientation focus upon choir practice, evangelism training, and spiritually challenging the teens. It was a growing experience as these teens have been hearing and applying God's truth. Neat to see people respond to the truth of God's Word.

Now is crunch time. Each team is learning a dozen puppet songs, a dozen dramas, six pantomimes and six clowning skits to learn by Friday night. And we really started working on this on Tuesday. So the pressure is on and this group is responding well!

In my last blog I asked people to pray for our teens. And I have been called, e-mailed, and had messages posted on this blog that we are being remembered diligently in prayer--not just for safety and health, but for spiritual renewal and impact. And it is working. thanks for all those participating with this ministry team in that way.

I still need everybody to pray about those diesel prices coming down or for generous contributions to take care of sending six vehicles back across the country...

Day One

What a fantastic start. Day one of Operation Barnabas each summer is always an exciting time as teens travel from all over the country and the world to be trained and practice ministry in hopes of going home and continuing this mind set.

We now have all of the teens (except for the four who are getting picked up in the next hour or so). Some of these teens have been up for over 24 hours and are now sound asleep--totally whooped. They have came with a great spirit and have been totally enjoyable to be around.

Operation Barnabas is the largest equipping ministry in the entire Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, no holds barred. People outside of the FGBC are now interested in participating in OB and I couldn't be more pleased. Ministry training and equipping does not know the bounds of denominations and it is needed now more than ever.

This is the 35th year of training OB teens and the total of young people involved through the years is now over 3,000. You can trace a lot of pastors, missionaries, para-church and church leaders to involvement in OB.

I honestly believe this is the greatest summer opportunity any teen who is seeking God could participate in. I credit families for their courage in allowing their teen to participate and be away from them for 7 weeks. And I feel sorry for too many people who think this is just a "nice thing" for some teens to do when the entire program is focused on ministry, servant-leadership, and evangelism--three concepts that most churches I know need desperately.

100 teens sharing their faith all summer and learning to put others before self? That deserves some attention and needs more press from those who can write and publish anything about it!

Bathed

Getting washed up every day on an OB tour is a big deal. 30 teens and the group of adult leaders are usually sweating like crazy most hours everyday they are on tour. So getting clean each day is a pretty high priority –even if it is more for the people with whom we coming in contact than for the team itself!

But the concept of “bathing” that runs through my mind today is of a completely different thought process. In the last week, I have received word that as we had seven adult leaders drive two school buses from Indiana to CA, we have been bathed in prayer—maybe more than at any time in the 35 year history of Operation Barnabas.

So what happened? Absolutely nothing. No breakdowns, no slow downs, no accidents, no illness. Nothing. Two buses and over 2200 miles each with six drivers. And they made it in 48 and a half hours. THAT is a HUGE answer to prayer. I should not be surprised with as many people praying for this as there were. But I always am!

So now I am starting another prayer campaign and I am asking for your help: we have three teams traveling from CA to Ohio the rest of this summer and we need all of the things to happen just like they did on the trip out.

Will you please join me and commit to praying for these teams, leaders, and their experiences? Post a comment, e-mail me, text me. Let me know you are praying and I will pass it on.

Many thanks! Next time I make a request for OB travel—it might be for a donation so that we can afford the diesel fuel to get to Ohio… ;-)