The advantage to marrying "ethnic."

You marry an Arab; you get good food (even in Kosova!). We hosted a dinner party for mostly church folks, and my wife outdid herself. It was delicious! My personal favorite is the raw kibbe.

Homeward Bound

Our friend from Pakistan has returned home. He had planned to stay till July (six months more than originally expected), but pressing family business forced his departure.

While he was with us, this brave, young man was tutored by Don, Wes, and I. Our goal was to give him the elementary tools needed to start ministering in his hometown. While he is a relatively new disciple, he's very bright. He possesses advanced degrees in two disciplines, and he was willing to learn. He was able to teach me a thing or two!

Again we don't wish to be melodramatic, but publishing names can cause problems. Pakistan is our ally; its government is secular. It is not against the law to be a Christian there. Still, it is an ancient nation with very strong traditions. Our friend will find strong opposition and he will have to be careful. He is not without friends. There is a circle of believers in his town, and he'll have the best advice and prayer support we can offer. May God bless him.

I also want to thank his sponsor. There is a generous doctor in America that met our Pakistani friend via the internet. They wrote back and forth for a long time. This faithful believer saw a need for further training, and he sponsored his entire stay with us. I want to thank him publicly, howbeit anonymously.

"And the Lord added..."

We are happy to report that a wonderful lady and wife of one of our members was baptized. This decision was months in the making, but as soon as she was convinced, she obeyed. Her husband didn't even know it was going to happen till she started filling the bathtub! Here's a picture of Don doing the honors. We’re not trying to be melodramatic, but giving details like a name causes some security concerns.

Tony & Sarah

Let me tell you of our good friends. Tony and Sarah live in Cincinnati. Enise and I have known them for a long time; I did their wedding in Skagway, Alaska six years ago. Next Satuday, I'll do Tony's funeral.

I baptized Tony last year while he was in the hospital just before his first brain cancer surgury. It wasn't a rash decision. Tony had been thinking about it for quite some time. Then, suddenly, the awful headaches started, the scans were done, and the tumor was found. Tony finally decided it was time to act.

As frustrating as it was to see Tony delay this act of faith, it was just as rewarding to see how strong his faith was really was after he found out about his illness. How can relatively new Christians find such strenght in God? For the whole time he knew he was sick, Tony's courage did not waver (at least not outwardly). His thinking was like this; that if he was able to defeat his cancer, he wins. But even if he dies from his cancer, he still wins. Tony wanted to live. He loved his wife very much, and he wanted a longer life with her. He also wanted to do more for God's Kingdom.

But he also realized, like Paul, that "to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

Frankly, I would expect such strong resolve from Sarah. She's been a Christian her whole life; she is rock-solid in the Faith. I've met most of her family, and they're all this way. I think she's one of God's favorites. When trouble comes my way, she'd be a good example to follow.

But how about Tony? Who would have thought that a brand-new believer like him could inspire an old-timer like me? I just finished writing Tony's funeral message while sitting here at a Starbucks in Istanbul. One of his requests was that I come back to do his service. Enise and I are sorry that Tony is dead. We feel so badly for Sarah, but we know her faith is strong. We rejoice in knowing that Tony is with God.

Tony and Sarah have taught us a lot.

Expelled, no intelligence allowed

I found watching Ben Stein's "Expelled" to be a bitter-sweet experience. I had to catch it on opening night, since I was leaving the country the following Sunday, and I had to go to the late-night show because of grandparent duties. In spite of the late hour, the theater was half-full. It was the "rowdy-Christian" bunch, if you know what I mean.

I'm a Ben Stein fan, and I'm pretty sure this movie is a labor of love. Ben wants to defend God, and he wants to make a statement about academia. While I think he did a great job, I had a nagging, uncomfortable feeling all the way through.

The movie's strength is its narrow aim. Ben doesn't take on all that is wrong with the world. He just wants to show that scientists who believe in Intelligent Design experience professional persecution in an arena that claims to be open-minded and free. He hints and tantalizes about the inevitable conclusions such thinking has (like the inescapable denial of free-will), but these are only side-lines. He concentrates on how our scientific institutions are filled with as much prejudice as any other segment of society.

This is where the uncomfortable feeling arose in my mind. As I sat there watching sincere men and women tell of the abuse they suffered for trying to be honest and fair, I kept thinking of parallels I've seen in churches. For every example in the movie, I could think of several examples in church life. What made me sad is that the "bad guys" in science are not that much different from the "bad guys" in local congregations. It's even worse with Christian bad guys, because they do their dirty work while using the name of God.

I guess the lesson is that wherever there are people, there will be crummy people.

The movie ended to a round of applause from the rowdy church crowd (even though Stein is Jewish, I assume). I'm pretty sure that most of the people that will see this movie will be Christians. It's a good documentary, and I recommend it. I am hoping hope there will be a beneficial, unintended consequence. Maybe the Christians will see themselves as they boo the bad guys. Perhaps it will make them think.

Easter

Just in case you wondered...

The first Sunday, after the first full moon, after the vernal equinox, that's how Easter's date is figured. This year is an example of the earliest Easter can possibly be. (Apologies to all you Quatrodecimanians out there.)

Guest Speaking

Like Dude, I got my first gig last week (note the 90's vernacular for purposes of emphasis).

Well, it really wasn't a "gig" per se; I wasn't paid or anything. It's just that I got to preach at another church. Their services are held on Saturday night, so I was free. I'm the kind of guy that immediately agrees whenever ANYONE invites me to speak. Before Besim got the last sylable out, I said "yes." About a dozen members gathered in Besim's living room, and I spoke from Mark 8.

Besim is typical of the majority of Kosovars who are Ministers. He's a first generation Christian who's only a few years old in the faith. His theological education comes from reading books and a very few seminars. His ministerial education comes from emulating foriegn missionaries and preachers. Here's what I've noticed about most of the Kosovar Christians I've met...they really know their Bibles (at least the New Testament). Most of them would put our American counterparts to shame. They are like sponges, soaking up everything they can. I admire Besim and his church. His taste in choosing guest preachers remains suspect though.