Everybody puts their britches on one leg at a time...

Where do we get this stuff?

A precious, vivacious lady we've known for many years recently wrote to Phyllis:

Early in our ministry, the senior pastor's wife told me that I could never have friends; I would be lonely, and to NEVER tell anyone anything about what you are going through because they will use that against you. Go only go to GOD.

I lived with that fear for years...

Where does this kind of stuff come from (other than the pit!)?

It comes from our own insecurity and pride. Sure people will hurt you. But so what? Jesus kinda promised that in Matthew 5. Life is a lot of pain and disappointment even at it's best! But when we feel that no one can be trusted, we isolate ourselves. And blunt our ministry. When we see ministry as a "lonely road," we place ourselves in a vulnerable spot. And get ambushed by the enemy of our souls with no friends around. When we lack transparency and humility, we set ourselves up as "super spiritual," only to be broken by circumstances and exposed as frauds when we have a problem.

It's not about looking good. It's about being good. And I've learned that there really no such thing as good guys and bad guys; there's only bad guys and Jesus. And He's the only good one.

And then today someone asked on FB, "What qualities do dysfunctional families have? Or what makes a family dysfunctional?"

And I answered:

Psychologists talk about dysfunctional families where abuse - mental, emotional, verbal, physical - happens and develops a pattern of codependency where everybody covers things up...

Probably WAY too much info for a simple question on FB... (smile) But I couldn't help myself...

The Church becomes dysfunctional when it has something to hide, when codependency runs rampant and leadership has a masquerade to uphold.

Come on guys (that's a generic term, but how I follow-up will make it seem that it's not...) as my Daddy said, "Everybody puts their britches on one leg at a time." We are all subject to many of the same temptations, failures, pains and sorrows.

When we refuse to be "normal," admit our frailty and that we actually have a "treasure in an earthen vessel," the Kingdom of God suffers!

Where do we get this stuff?

To Russia With Love...

I'm planning a trip to Russia in a few days.

Now, I've been to Russia a bunch of times, but from Cyprus.  But this time I'm leaving from Pensacola-by-the-beaches and heading for Southern Russia near the Black Sea.

My Russian friend and “spiritual children,” Nicolai and Olga Markin, called and asked me to come especially to assist him and a group of Believers in establishing a house-church network in southern  Russia. We met when he and Olga lived in frozen (literally!) Siberia. We have been very close over the years and his heart is to see simple, organic churches established wherever he is!

And he wants my input in laying the foundations.

So I’m planning to go. And it's a big challenge in many ways. 

First... time.  With Globe's IGM going right now, finding a time away is a biggie.  But the schedule in the next few weeks permits me to be away.  thanks to the speakers - and Phyllis and Rebekah - for holding things while I'm away.

Second... money.  The two-week trip is around $4500 – above our regular expenses.  So, if you'd be interesting in supporting this venture, you can do so here at Globe International.  Just fill in all the blanks and put HATCHER in the "for."

Third... travel.  I'm flying and in airports for 28 hours going over and 25 returning.  Yikes!  I'm tired already, just thinking about it.  But I've arranged to fly into Sochi through Vienna rather than Moscow, so I'm thrilled.

Fourth... content.  But I also want to have the right "input" in Nick and Olga and "their people."  "Church" is such a delicate matter.  And laying foundations of freedom and structures of grace are so important.  And I would say especially so in Russia where so much has happened in the last decades.  Good, bad and ugly.

So pray for us...  I'm excited, but I go with fear and trembling.

Home from Saginaw

Phyllis and I are back in sunny Pensacola, FL after a great weekend in snowy Saginaw, Michigan.

Phyllis was the guest speaker/minister at New Life Christian Fellowship's Ladies' Retreat while Ken Cline - the NLCF pastor - and I watched snow come down in buckets!

Sunday morning I spoke at  NLCF to a great group of folks who seem to love us.  (Which is quite a task!)  You can listen here and you can see the PowerPoint here.

I love those wonderful people and Ken and Joan.  Ken is a true spiritual son, who listens when I talk.  And the whole church has a heart for those who do not know Jesus, for the nations and a great vision to grow leaders for the Kingdom!

Bravo!

(BTW, that's not really me in the photo.  Just in case you were confused...)

Accountants give answers to economic woes...

Sitting at the airport

When you sit waiting at the gate in an airport you can pretty much be assured that:

• there will be some guy who plugs in his computer or DVD player and lays down on the floor to watch it as if he were in his living room...
• a child will cry and whine and whine and cry for a reason that no one - not even the mother - can discern...
• some guy will be wearing shorts and flip-flops even though there is snow on the ground...
• someone will get angry at the gate attendant...
• something will get spilled...
• when you really want to hear what's being said on CNN, there will be a loud announcement on the PA about some flight departure in another part of the airport...
• someone will talk on their cell phone for 45 minutes in a loud voice...
• at least one woman will be wearing gold shoes...
• someone will be reading a Christian book...
• a deafening alarm will go off without any explanation...
• people will jump up and run to board even though the gate attendant said please remain seated...
• someone will have a new phone or gadget and you will really want one...
• at least one person will look like he/she just got out of bed and came directly to the airport...
• a guy in a tie will discuss business loudly over his cell phone...
• you will stand in front of the counter and at least three gate attendants will ignore you while telling a funny story or discussing the work schedule...
• at least one couple will be speaking excitedly to each other in a language you don't understand...

Why I twitter

As usual, my friend Bill Kinnon...

(I really do know this guy.  I mean really.  He's Canadian.  And I know him.  He's like famous and yes - it's true, I know him.  He like goes to the Sundance Film Festival and talks to famous people.  He makes documentaries.  And I know him.  I mean I've had breakfast with him.  Really. And like lunch too.  And I even tried on his glasses to see how I'd look.  I mean, really, I know this guy.  I mean we'd even stop on the street if hypothetically I was like walking down the street - in the snow - like in Toronto,  we'd stop and talk.  I know him.  Really.  I do.)

...nails it about Twitter and why some of us do it.  Right here.

The heart grows fonder...

This morning I woke up nostalgic.

I woke up missing things like:

• I miss the snow in Cyprus... I miss that we could get in the car, drive to the mountains along the curving narrow road and get to Troodos and the snow.  Not much snow, usually.  But a cold crisp place.
• I miss my friends in Egypt... Nathan called me yesterday.  He was in Los Angeles airport on his way to speak at a missions conference.  And just hearing his voice and making our usual jokes and laughing on the phone, made me miss Egypt and the great people I know there and even the Cairo traffic and the hustle and bustle.  When he asked me when I was coming, I got choked up.  I wish I was going soon...
• I miss the guys in Morocco... A few weeks ago, I chatted on Skype with one of the leaders.  Again, we laughed at jokes (even typing them and reading them I could hear the laughter!) and discussed family and what God was doing.  And his question, "When are you coming?"
• I miss Greek/Lebanese/Egyptian food... miss the smells, miss the flavor, miss the atmosphere.  Miss laughing with people over Middle Eastern kinda food...

But I'm going to Russia next month (!) and will be with my special friends, Nick and Olga!  We will spend time together and I'll do some teaching and training about simple church and see what value I can add - by God's grace - to what Nick and Olga (and maybe Jer and Kay)are doing there.