Tuesday, March 19, 2013

i'm loving this

paris has become quite a place of opportunity. this last weekend the opportunity expanded even further. connecting with jeff slaughter here in brussels we were invited to participate in a converge event.

converge is a worship teaching seminar. leading worship, teaching song writing, leading band members in practical aspects of worship, and fellowship are just some of the things that make up these wonderful all day meetings.

we held the event at assemblée chrétienne du bon berger. the turnout was fantastic with nearly 80 people in attendance. allyster and laetitia held a songwriters workshop while danny lankenau and myself took care of the band workshop. it was such a wonderful opportunity to teach the band practical ways of serving their worship leader and imparting just a few ideas on how they could make the worship less about them and more about leading people.

the day was packed from 9 in the morning til 11 in the night. with no room really to rest or have an official reflection on the days activities. the next day we kept it in high gear as we served the local church of the bridge in paris.

the bridge is an international church that meets in a hotel. this 75+ community was such a great experience for our team. meeting new faces and joining with people who literally are from around the world under one roof. one guy i met, named chris, is from australia, married a swedish woman and has a coffee shop in downtown paris! talk about reaching the world in one discussion. i was really impacted by the servants in this church. the situation of the church requires that they set up hours before and tear down moments after the completion of the service. it is not a job for those who are lacking commitment.

after a wonderful chipotle experience we headed home. thankfully we arrived home early enough to gain a great night of sleep. the next day was right back to the grind. meeting with a german pastor who is married to a dutch woman in antwerp. he has a heart to unite the churches in antwerp and it is a massive undertaking. he has connected with me and my friend here helping with the summons discipleship school. he has such a big vision for this, i can't say no to help him.

god is doing some amazing things in europe!
keep praying,
keep supporting, and
keep looking for what god is doing.

Monday, March 11, 2013

hey europe, watch out



this last week masters commission europe held their annual conference. it was especially exciting because it took place right here in brussels, belgium. i can recall the amazing presence of the lord last year, in rome, moving my spirit as i witnessed 200 young people opening their hearts and giving the lord everything they had during worship and intercession. this year it didn’t skip a beat!

young people all across europe and even beyond are recognizing that god is moving in this continent and they are overwhelmingly longing to be a part of it. i have such an opportunity to witness this unfolding right before me.

the students of the summons, were in participation. the great thing about their situation is they have the ability to make a vast impression upon leaders and their peers. many, if not all of the other programs have been functioning for well over 6 months already. the summons has been operating for nearly 3 months and yet the engagement, interaction, and response was a solid reflection of a seasoned individual. this was such an encouragement for me as their director.

there were a few times i witnessed them behave in such a way that only could have been prompted by the holy spirit. i remember sitting in the back observing their responses to the message and just weeping with joy as i knew god was touching them in a deep way.

many times i am excited to impart to young people and hold a special place of attention, it is important for them to lean on a leaders words. there are also moments when i must challenge them to let go of my attention and put into practice what they have been taught, this is biblical. the small request from one student to another for prayer was an awesome example of what god is doing in the student’s hearts. i witnessed them beginning to open up and tearing down the walls that have been built for security and comfort from the rest of the world. the fear of man is breaking!

there wasn’t anyone who got out of a wheel chair, or blind eyes opening, but i did get a glimpse of the potential of Europe and all that these young people are capable of when they completely abandon themselves to their maker.