Missiology Conference north of Chicago

I was one of the van drivers for a group of Asbury colleagues (18 in all) that drove to Bannockburn, Illinois yesterday to participate today in a 1-day missiology conference sponsored by the Evangelical Missiological Society. They have had a Spanish-language track this year, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I've heard several very interesting presentations, and I've been able to understand 85-90% of the Spanish (go God!). I have included a couple pictures with this post. One is of me with a pastor who was a missionary in Venezuela for about 12 years back in the 60s and 70s. It was great to meet him and hear about his ministry those many years ago. The other is of me with Tito Paredes, who trains hundreds of pastors in four Latin American countries through a ministry called FATELA, based in Peru. He gave a very good presentation about the good and bad points concerning short-term mission trips. I am thankful for this oppotunity to continue being equipped for God's work. Much Love, Dan

Wonderful 2 Days

God graced us with two wonderful days yesterday and today. I was able to complete all the revisions on my proposal chapter this morning and get it emailed to my dissertation mentor. This is a very important step in my dissertation process. Additionally, Nancy was able to bring a lot of our statistical analysis to a conclusion, which allowed me to put together a "short list" of churches to start contacting for my field research. I finished gathering all the contact information this afternoon, and will be able to start making phone calls tomorrow. On Friday I will go to Chicago with Asbury friends to participate in a conference with the Evangelical Missiological Society. We will return on Sunday. On Monday Nancy and I will make final preparations prior to leaving for Atlanta on Tuesday, for me to catch a flight to Venezuela on Wednesday. I'll keep you posted on that trip, so be sure to check the blog regularly. I'll be translating for Warren in the Seminary, plus we will have a Pastors' Conference for all the Venezuelan UMC pastors and spouses, plus be preaching in local churches. Just for fun, I've posted a photo of a recent sunrise taken from our kitchen window. Keep praying! Much Love, Dan (and Nancy)

Productive Day, plus Language School Possibility

I'm thankful for a very productive day yesterday with my proposal chapter revisions. I still have a lot to do, but have made excellent progress. My sinus congestion cleared up and my energy level was good. I was able to work from 8:30-6:30, with a chiropractice visit squeezed in, which my back greatly appreciated. Nancy and I are feeling a tug from the Lord to consider language school in Costa Rica this Fall, unless He leads in a different direction related to a teaching job somewhere. This would help me make another quantum leap toward fluency, and it would help her pick up a beginning level of Spanish that would be beneficial in our future ministry opportunities in Venezuela and Costa Rica. She is beginning to investigate the costs of the language school, so we can compare those costs to our current monthly expenditures, to determine how feasible it would be financially. I would need to finish my dissertation writing before the end of August, so that I would only have the editing/revisioning process left to do in the Fall, plus the defense in December. Please pray for continual discernment for us. Also please pray for John and Tara, as they seek guidance regarding job possibilities for John. Thanks, and Many Blessings, Dan

Ironically Productive Week

Last week was a little strange. On Monday I had one of my occasional low-energy days, and was unable to do much work on my review of material in preparation for re-writing the theoretical framework for my dissertation. I have learned through experience that I simply need to be patient during these times and rest, so that's what I did. On Tuesday my strength was back, and I had very productive days on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Friday morning, however, I started feeling the effects of the onset of a cold, with weakness and congestion. At the same time, my back was very uncomfortable due to a strained muscle that I suffered a couple weeks ago. So I rested again on Friday and Saturday and most of yesterday. I am thankful that several times while I was resting the Lord gave me some ideas for how to improve my theoretical framework, so I wrote them down and then was feeling strong enough yesterday afternoon to get them incorporated into the revisions. This morning I have good strength so far, praise the Lord, with a mild bout of sinus congestion, and my back is somewhat better. I will move now to other parts of my proposal chapter (such as Literature Review and Methodology/Data Collection), and then come back to the Theoretical Framework later this week. I need to finish the entire re-write on Thursday, because on Friday I head to Chicago for a conference with the Evangelical Missiological Society, and then next week we drive to Atlanta for me to catch a plane to Venezuela. Nancy has been continuing to help with the statistical analysis and information-gathering related to the field research component, plus other administrative tasks related to our ministry. We are thankful for God's provision and guidance, and for your continued prayer support during this phase of our ministry. Much Love, Dan (and Nancy)

Review Today, Re-Write Starts Tomorrow - Prayers Welcome!

After investing the past 6 weeks in a ton of reading, today I will review journal articles (about 20) and reading notes from books (17), in preparation for re-writing the theoretical framework section of my dissertation proposal chapter. I will start the re-write tomorrow, and hope to complete it within the next 2 weeks. After that, I will be going to Venezuela for two weeks to translate for Warren as he preaches and teaches, and depending on time available and invitations extended, I may preach some myself. I simply must complete my proposal chapter re-write before the Venezuelan trip. Therefore, please pray for clarity of mind and wisdom to know which insights to include in my re-write and which to leave out, and for clear guidance from the Holy Spirit as I write. I'm discovering that one of the hardest things in dissertation research is knowing how to sift through the enormous amount of material that has been written through the years. It's very easy to get trapped in chasing rabbits that are interesting and could be helpful, but aren't absolutely necessary. While I'm doing this work, Nancy is helping me with the statistical analysis that needs to be done in preparation for the field research portion of the project with local churches. Please pray for her wisdom regarding that work too. Thank you for your continued friendship and partnership with us in ministry. Much Love, Dan and Nancy

Reflections on Nehemiah 8

This morning as I read in the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, I came to Chapter 8, where Ezra read the Law to all the people who had gathered in one large assembly for that purpose, and the Levites assisted the people in understanding the Law: "They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading" (Nehemiah 8:8, ESV). I was particularly struck by the connection that is made between the understanding of the Law (and the worship that accompanied it, see verse 6), and the celebration of the goodness of life. "Then he said to them, 'Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord'....And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them" (Nehemiah 8:10,12, ESV).

Two things in particular strike me as important in these verses. the first is that the people were instructed to "send portions to anyone who has nothing ready." This is one of many examples in the Bible of the integral link between our experience of life as God intends and the experience of this God-intended life by other people. It is too easy in our culture for us to be self-focused and enjoy the "good life" at the expense of others. Biblically speaking, we cannot and do not enjoy the "God-intended good life" unless we are also helping other people experience it. This reminds us of the need for sharing, generosity, creation care, justice, and deep relationships. God created us as relational beings, and the life that God intends for all creation is designed to be mutually shared with others. Through the gracious gift of Jesus in our lives, we are intended to experience the God-intended good life, but this experience must always include our participation in helping other people experience that same life, and conversely must not exclude our experience of that life at the expense of someone else. I am reminded of John Wesley's recommendation to "do all the good you can" AND "do no harm."

The second thing that strikes me about this passage, though, is that there is a real sense in which there is a fullness of life which God intendes for those who acknowledge Him as God and follow His ways, and that this life is intended to be experienced here and now, on this earth, in our current physical situation. The people "went away to EAT and DRINK and to send portions and MAKE GREAT REJOICING." This reminds us that the salvation which God intends and which Christ makes possible is not limited to being a "spiritual" entity that is "way out there" somewhere and has no connection with our daily lives. Salvation has a variety of possible meanings in New Testament Greek, among which include healing, blessing, and wholeness. In this sense, I am suggesting that Christian living is intended to involve more than a simple (yet important) peace of mind about where we will go when we die. The "God-intended good life" is something which we experience here on earth, now, while we are still in our current bodies. It is to be a fleshly, earthly, real experience of full living. When we follow Jesus, we are able to live with things in their proper perspective, putting God first, and then our living can truly be full, and we can "make great rejoicing."

I am not suggesting a hedonistic lifestyle. Allow me to repeat: I am not suggesting a hedonistic lifestyle. This is why I FIRST mentioned that we cannot experience the God-intended good life at the expense of others. I do not recommend nor condone hedonism. However, neither do I recommend walking through life with our sights always set so far ahead on heaven that we fail to experience a fullness and vitality of living NOW. We are to live with a strong sense of ethics and morality, but we sometimes mistakenly equate ethical living with asceticism. If we are called by God to asceticism for a special purpose, I'm all for that. But if we are not so called, I am suggesting that it is both possible and intended by God for Christians to experience full, vital living now, on this earth, in all its physicality: as long as we follow God's guidelines for what this means.

This not only impacts us, but it impacts non-Christians with whom we live and relate. It impacts their understandings and impressions of what it means to be a Christian. It influences the message that we communicate about what following Christ means. Should people be invited to follow Christ? Yes! When we invite them to follow Christ, though, are we inviting them to give up all chance of expeiencing life in fullness and vitality on this earth, so that we are really only saying "become a Christian so you'll go to heaven when you die"? I suggest that it is possible to say something else: "I invite you follow Christ so that you can experience life to its fullest, so that you and others around you can thrive, and so that you can enjoy this kind of life forever, even after you die. I invite you to join me in the great adventure of the God-intended good life."

More the Same Blessings

We've been enjoying more of the same blessings that God has been showering upon us - last week Dan focused on his dissertation research, making good progress in his current reading related to the Kingdom of God - he also finished the translation project for the March session of the Wesleyan Seminary of Venezuela - Nancy did a lot of work related to household affairs, applied for another job (no luck there), and helped make plans for Dan's March trip to Venezuela - we enjoyed a restful weekend, with a lot of snow on the ground, old movies, good books, and worship on Sunday - this week Dan will meet with one of his dissertation committee professors to discuss progress thus far, then continue his studies - we were blessed by a gift of sky miles from a friend, so his March ticket to Venezuela has been provided for (thanks J!), plus two other friends have given some miles toward the August trip to VZ (thanks L and P!) - we are so grateful for God's faithfulness and provision, and for our friends and partners through whom God often works - Much Love, Dan and Nancy