Oct. 1-2, Assembly of God, Odessa, Ukraine
Saturday morning: Greetings from Frankfurt. I survived the long flight just fine, and now have two short flights to get to Odessa via Vienna. Odessa is the first of three stops in Ukraine on this 11-day trip. This trip came together after I met a couple Ukrainian pastors who had come to an event in Sacramento, CA last year. They decided to co-sponsor this trip to Odessa and Poltava. And then I added a midweek stop in Kharkov, so we’ll be at three churches. I say “we” because pastor Erik Eskelund of Cape Cod is accompanying me on this trip. Erik’s gifts complement me well, he is a musician and worship leader, and also a teacher. And he has exceptional people skills. This will be our second international trip ministering together. Actually, Erik arrived a day before me, and already ministered in Friday night’s meeting. And he will be ministering this morning and afternoon as well. I will arrive in time to minister in tonight’s service, the Lord helping my travels.
In preparing for Odessa and Poltava, I found my heart drawn toward the cross of Christ. So that will be a common motif in the messages I bring.
Here’s my speaking schedule in Odessa, to the best of my knowledge:
-Saturday evening
-Sunday morning
-Sunday afternoon 4pm
-Monday morning pastors mtg
Please pray for the Ukraine.
Saturday midnight: Odessa is a charming city of 1 million on the Black Sea. There are evidences of both economic activity and stagnation in the city. Like anywhere else, you have the rich and the poor. The Ukraine carries a deep imprint from its years under Soviet-era Russia, and is straining to rise into its own identity. Russia’s economic boom of recent years has not been felt as strongly in Ukraine, perhaps because it doesn’t have Russia’s oil reserves.
Erik’s service last night went well, I heard good reports. As did tonight’s service. The Lord was moving on some people tonight who are not fully committed to the Lord, but who are drawing closer to the Lord. This church is small and the group is small, but there were 2-3 that came forward at the close to respond to the Lord, who were being visibly moved by the Holy Spirit, even though they are not surrendered to His Lordship yet. The Lord is drawing them! Wonderful.
After the service, we were treated to a traditional Ukrainian meal at a downtown restaurant. Very delightful. We were served some dishes I’ve never had in my life, although a couple of the dishes were distant cousins to foods I grew up with in my German home.
Tomorrow (Sunday) we’ll be collected at 10 a.m. for the 11 a.m. service.
Monday morning: It’s a lovely new day here, we’re enjoying perfect weather here. Yesterday’s two Sunday services went well. The group seemed sleepy in both services, so I felt like I was swimming upstream in that regard. But we pressed through, and the word of the Lord went forth. Today we will be collected at 11 a.m., and I will be speaking to a small group of pastors, after which we’ll have lunch and fellowship together.
Monday evening:
Today’s session with the pastors went well. The pastor asked me to speak on being a friend of the bridegroom. The sound system was very challenging, but we finally found a setting that seemed tolerable, and off we went. A great time of sharing and fellowship.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) we will be collected at noon, go to dinner, then go to the airport for our 5 pm departure to Kharkov. We have a Wednesday midweek service at Kharkov Christian Center. This is a strong church, and usually over 500 people attend the midweek service. This will be my second time to this church. We’re looking forward to being with them very much.
Sept. 24-25, Gateway Christian Fellowship, West Haven, CT
Saturday 10:30 pm: Tonight I spoke on chastening, and the group seemed to connect well with the message. They bought up all the copies of that title I had brought with me. The Lord’s help was evident. About 90 had gathered, they were eager to give themselves to the Lord.
Sunday afternoon: Thanks for praying me through, the Lord helped us all today, and the gathering was marvelous. Strong worship, strong anointing on the word. Afterwards, the congregation formed long lines to be anointed with oil and prayed for, so the time of ministry afterwards extended for quite some time. We were asking the Holy Spirit to anointing our understanding and give us eyes to see as God sees.
I will have four days at home this week, which I’m looking forward to very much. Maybe I’ll even find time to haul the chainsaw out, ha. Then on Friday I head for the Ukraine.
Sept. 23, Deeper Fellowship Church, Orlando, FL
Thursday: This afternoon I’m flying to Orlando, to prepare for a Friday morning session at a conference there called Habitation. The host is William McDowell, a fairly well-known songwriter and psalmist, who also pastors a church in Orlando. Habitation is an annual worship conference he hosts. As he has described the event to me, my excitement and anticipation has grown. They limit the event to 350 registrants, according to the seating capacity of their facility. I am expecting a room full of very eager worshipers. The message that has risen to the top of my heart, in prayer, is my message on Jacob. So that’s the direction I expect to take. I don’t know the exact time, but I’m speaking sometime Friday morning.
Friday 6:30 pm: I’ve been having a delightful day at Habitation Conference in Orlando today. This is very much a Presence-driven event, so much time is devoted to worship and to cultivating the presence of Jesus. The Lord enabled me to speak effectively on the life of Jacob, and the response of this eager crowd was very warm and heartfelt. I didn’t bring enough books—next time I’ll do better, smile. I feel like I’m with my people. I’ve had renewed fellowship with several friends (Jonathan Stockstill, David & Nicole Binion, Patrick Kitely, and others), and have been making new friends. I love the grace that’s on my host, William McDowell. I’ve been at the conference all day today and will be returning to take in tonight’s session as well.
And then in the morning I grab a flight for Hartford, CT (via Atlanta), and then by car to West Haven, CT. This is a return visit to Gateway Christian Fellowship (Lance Bane, pastor), and we’re having services Saturday night and Sunday morning. I’ve prepared my heart to speak on the Lord chastening Saturday night, and the power of perspective on Sunday.
Sept 17-18, Fellowship of Believers, Sarasota, FL
Sunday afternoon: Excellent meetings! The Lord has graced this time in a clear way, much appreciation has been expressed. I feel enriched to be renewed in affection with this family of saints that is dear to my heart. Afterwards, I had time to grab lunch at a Peruvian restaurant before heading for the airport, that was fun.
Sept. 16, Orlando House Of Prayer, Ocoee, FL
Tuesday 10:45 pm: I’m back from speaking at the Korean Pastors Intensive at IHOP. I spoke on being New Testament Levites, and Gatekeepers of God’s house. The sound system was challenging, especially for the translator, but we made it through. The connection with the group seemed good. Afterwards, as is so typical of the Koreans, everyone came forward at the end to receive prayer ministry. Such hungry, eager saints, I love it.
Friday morning: Today I’m flying to Orlando, to be (for the second time) at the Orlando House of Prayer. This HOP meets in a city west of Orlando called Ocoee. This is not a large group, I’m thinking around 75 give or take. The last time I was there, they were so easy to minister to, and very responsive to the word. So I’m looking forward to this time of reconnecting. I sensed a change of direction in the message, so have prepared to speak on the chastening of the Lord. Thanks for praying into that — for the wisdom and strength of the Holy Spirit to be with all of us.
Friday 11:00 p.m.: Excellent night. The Lord helped me to share, and the group received the message very warmly. Who would think that people would receive a message on the Lord’s chastening warmly? But when we understand His heart in it, we see His goodness and feel His love.
My driver, Omar, will collect me at 11 a.m. on Saturday, and drive me to Sarasota. This is something like my 8th visit to Fellowship of Believers in Sarasota, a connection originally made through my friend, Don Richter, who lives there. Since my last visit, the assistant has become the senior pastor, so it will be good to see how the work is doing after this significant transition.
Two meetings are planned: Saturday at 6 pm and Sunday at 10 a.m. I’ve prepared my heart to speak respectively on Illegal Prayers and The Power of Perspective.
Sept. 11, House of Bread Church, Sacramento, CA
Sunday 5:30 p.m.: Greetings from LAX. The only option for getting home tonight was to connect through LAX, which means an arrival home tonight close to 1 a.m. (And I add a sigh to that, because I have to be downtown KC at 8 a.m. Monday morning to report for jury duty.) This morning’s services went well. They were trying to cram a lot of talking into the services today, a carryover from the conference emphasis, so the time was limited especially in the first service, which was the Russian service. I had 45 minutes with translation, so used some scissors. I was able to do the entire message in second service, along with the Job film—that was the English service, so I wasn’t encumbered with a translator. This congregation is extremely reserved in responsiveness, so it was difficult to sense just how meaningful the message was for them. My confidence is in God and His word, so I’m trusting it will accomplish His purpose.
Sept. 9-10, Special Needs Conference, House of Bread Church, Sacramento, CA
Friday: Today I’m returning to House of Bread Church in Sacramento. This weekend’s event is quite unlike anything I’ve ever done before. It’s a weekend conference for Special Needs families — that is, families who have a member with special needs (such as a handicap, birth defect, chronic disorder, etc.). The event is being pulled together by a Russian brother at IHOP whose son died at age 16 from a congenital disorder, and who now has a passion to minister to families who have members with special needs. House of Bread is a largely Ukrainian congregation, and this conference is especially targeting the Slavic community (Sacramento has one of the strongest Slavic communities in the nation). Sessions will have a Russian translator. This conference is really a first of its kind for the brother organizing this, for the host church, and for the Slavic community. I think he would like this to become an annual conference, and he is hoping Joni Eareckson Tada would be a guest next year.
This is possibly the most challenging event for me this year. There are many tender issues that surround this area, with the potential to offend or alienate listeners or cause misunderstanding. I’m asking for your special prayer covering, please. I need the Lord’s help.
Tonight, in the opening meeting, I am planning to speak on the tension of Ps. 34:19, the tension between the Affliction Camp and the Deliverance Camp. (In my book The Fire of Delayed Answers, I used the language of Isa. 30:15, the Quietness Camp and the Confidence Camp.)
Saturday 1:30 pm: How do I tell you about this event? An event like this helps you step into the world of the disabled, and begin to understand what kind of a world the handicapped endure. An event like this stretches the heart, and challenges us to rise higher into the magnificent love of Christ. Someone like Renee Loux is a superhero in the kingdom, laying down and losing her life for the sake of the special needs children she has adopted. Wow. Last night I spoke on the dance of the two camps (Ps 34:19), applying it to the tension that exists in the body of Christ between those who value the journey and those whose eyes are on the destination. I closed with the Rom 14:3 tendencies on either side of the tension to either judge or despise those on the other side. We must not judge or despise but love one another. Then, in this Saturday morning’s session, I spoke for a short 30 minutes (with translator) about how the Lord evaluates our stewardship based upon how we handle the weak. Most everyone else who is speaking at this event has been speaking about their own personal story, which is great; I think my contribution has been in opening the Scriptures and preaching the word. So I’m glad I can play a small part.
In tonight’s 5:30 meeting I’m scheduled to speak for 30 minutes with translator, and I’m going to share briefly from James 1:2-4.
Saturday 9:30 pm: We’re back to the hotel after this evening’s meeting. While riding there in the car, during a conversation with Renee Loux I felt some inspiration on our conversation, so changed the direction of my message, and went with what we were talking about. (Jesus’ most common teaching.) The Lord seemed to be inspiring it, and I believe it was edifying to the group. Then Renee got up after me and shared her story, just marvelous.
The night went long, but now I’m settled in for the night and getting ready for tomorrow morning.