Ministering Around The World VI- Europe

Wow! I really had my handful this month! Europe is a large region, and while they aren't abundant missionaries I was able to locate a couple in most places and interview some of those. I was able to talk to people in Spain, France, Romania, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Italy & Croatia. While we have all heard these country names before, the truth is most people know very little about them and most definitely understand ministering there.

 

They all have their own unique differences but I have definitely found many common threads that run throughout Europe. Economies vary, some places will be extremely modern and educated while others are only attempting to catch up to the Europe First World norm. Croatia endured a brutal war with Yugoslavia in the 90s that they are still desperately trying to recover. Many are jobless and have left the country for work. And those that remain many times work and are never paid. In Bulgaria, there is a large gypsy population that the missionary works with there. Bulgaria is a poor country but the people work hard to appear that they have more. In Spain they love to party. In France they are very family oriented. Spending as much time with family, enjoying life and food.

 

None of the countries, save maybe Romania, are full of dedicated believers in any religious sector but all are deeply affected by their Historcial form of religion that weaves its threads of doubt, fear and feelings of spirituality throughout their hearts and minds. Most have claimed either Catholicism or Orthodox as the counties religion on paper, while most say Atheism is the religion of the day. In the Netherlands only 17% even claimed believing in God at all!

Another heart breaking statistic that they all have in common is that only 1% or less of all the countries follow Bible believing Christianity. What a great mission field! Every country is dealing with people that take years of sowing the gospel seed before they even consider taking a step of belief. In Spain, Mrs. Kaiser mentioned that Catholics in their area need to here the gospel 50 times to understand the gospel. Did you notice she said, understand the gospel not choose to believe the gospel. It can be so difficult for people from Biblical Christian backgrounds to even grasp this thought but it is definitely true. Those that have been inundated with false doctrine for years can be at a loss to understand the simplicity and the new truths that the gospel presents. They are truly perplexed by these new things that are so drastically different than everything they have heard from a child.

Try to think of a truth that you have believed since a child. Something that is commonly accepted by most everyone around you. Something that in your mind has been proven and is completely believable. Let's say the earth is round. Can you imagine a foreigner coming to your town and trying to convince you that it wasn't. It would take a lot of evidence and discussion for you to even consider such a thought and you would be highly skeptical. I recall years of witnessing in Asia, when you would share anything from the Bible people would just stare at you in perplexity; not indignant, not indifferent, not argumentative, just simply perplexed by these new words and thoughts. Now people in Europe may get a different attitude of response when they share the truth but the lack of understanding is the same.

What a great challenge to us Christians, worldwide, to be consistent faithful wittness' to those who need us to go the extra mile.

Isn't that the essence of Christianity. Someone who would care enough to consistently share the Love of Christ no matter whether it was accepted, understood or appreciated. Sometimes we are so quick to clear our conscience that we have tried once or twice to share the gospel with someone. However we are also so quick to forget how much was invested in our own salvation. Most accepted Christ after hearing the gospel many many times. Even if you were saved as a child, how many Bible stories did you hear from parents, how many Sunday schools did you attend and sermons did you listen to before accepting Christ!

I discussed with the ladies how long they generally had to witness to someone to see them come to salvation. The average numbers between all the countries was 5-10 years. You can see how the fight against discouragement would be strong. The fight for each soul is a mighty battle. It was mentioned multiple times to me that Europe is known as the "graveyard of missionaries" Many missionaries have lost the battle with discouragement. This a great reminder for us to faithfully lift up our missionaries in our prayers and allow the Lord to lead us in how we can encourage those who are seeking out the one lamb.

The Netherlands, Italy and Croatia rated in with the least amount of missionaries. The ladies said there would be between 11-20. While France, Spain and Romania claim to have between 20-50. Keep in mine there is at least 20-25 other countries in Europe that I wasn't even able to get in contact with. Most have very few missionaries serving there.

I asked the ladies what was one of their greatest struggles ministering where they are. The biggest response was dealing with the Catholic Church, Orthodox or Charismatics. Some of those situations are just getting the people to overcome the teachings of these religions but in Romania it is even a step beyond. The Romanian Orthodox clergy actively tells lies about the Baptist Churches. Trying to scare their people with crazy and immoral stories they have fabricated about the Baptist Church and telling them that the biggest sin is leaving the church. This is obviously an obstacle to overcome. Thankfully we know that we fight not against flesh and blood. The devil is the one that connives the plans to attack the church and hinder the spreading of the gospel. Thankfully we serve a God who is Omnipotent and can give victory over all.

The second most used answer about their biggest struggle was dealing with the apathy of the regligious and the atheistic. So many have become harden and calloused to anything religious and show no feeling towards things of Christ. It can be a definite battle witnessing consistently and getting very little response. If you see some spark of interest, it spurs you on to faithfully share the truth but when you are dismissed regularly it can cause all kinds of doubts and discouragement. I remember our first few years on the mission field, this was a perplexing topic in our hearts. Serving in heathen countries and countries over-run with false religion tests all you believe and your faith in the Bible.

Thankfully if you allow it, God will use this to further confirm and convince you of the truth of the Bible no matter where you find yourself in this world!

And the truth that the Lord concreted in my heart was the fact that,

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Heb. 4:12

When you doubt everything you see and everything you know, you can have faith in Gods Word. And when those around react to Gods word like they don't care, don't believe and wish you would just go away, you can count on this promise!

God IS working in their hearts!

Many times this may be the only thing that keeps missionaries going. Because faith in others, conversions nor joys of success will give you the same endurance as believing in Gods constant Omniscient working in EVERY SINGLE person's heart, including our own.

Also Mrs. Susan Abbot mentioned one struggle being the time it takes to make the relationships needed to witness to people in France. It takes a lot of time and patience to forge friendships with the French people. Which is one of the reasons people use so many different forms of outreach. Many of the ladies mentioned doing VBS, English classes, bible studies, tract distribution and camps as outreach in their areas. In Italy, Mrs. Rice, said they have a weekly booth in their market where they pass out tracts. In the Netherlands, street preaching is often done. Mrs. Susan Abbet in France said she has joined a craft club to meet some ladies and her children are involved in some sports teams, where they are able to meet and witness to other young people.

All of the missionaries I spoke to have either started a church where they are and seen some people saved or are working in a local church where they are. What a blessing to see that amidst all the difficulties these faithful servants and their families have seen victory in Christ in these challenging areas. Please continue to uplift them in prayer as they serve with their families in Europe. Pray for patience. Pray for wisdom. And also pray for national leadership. I was told by at least one lady that all the churches in the country were missionary led because of lack of male national leadership. It is a big need and a big prayer request.

Pray for Europe

Suzy Crocket-Romania

Kessler children- Bulgaria

Geigers-Spain

Keisers-Spain

 

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The Road Less Traveled... for a Reason

People love to ask us questions about our field.

And I love to share about our field!

But sometimes they ask questions that are difficult to answer. They seem like simple questions, but in fact they are quite complicated and have a "long story" explanation.

Take, for example, this simple question:

"How long does it take you to get to church?"

Of course the person who asks this question is expecting me to give a simple time answer ( hours and/or minutes.)

If you are wanting a simple answer, the best I can do is to tell you it takes us anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour and a half... and there have been a couple of occasions where we never made it there at all.

For those who enjoy the "long story," just keep reading.

Here is how it works in a third-world country: We must have plan A, plan B, plan C... and so on. And it isn't necessary to go in alphabetical order either. Our family has found life more exciting when we skip to plan F and come back to plan D if plan F fails. It keeps things lively and fresh.

On the way to church, we may encounter a plethora of obstacles. We have learned how to skillfully navigate those obstacles with a laugh and a Facebook post.

Some of these obstacles are nature. Cows, chickens, ducks, dogs, goats... usually these are pretty easy to get around. Occasionally the cows take a little more effort to dodge. If the chicken decides to cross the road (for whatever reason) and we hit it, it costs us 1000 rupees. That's about $10 USD. Ducks are $14 USD. 

Monsoon season brings its own road adventures and obstacles such as washed-away, slippery, or soupy roads.

Then there is the construction. Construction is never announced. There are no signs or cones in the road. We just come upon it and deal with it. Either we find a way to remove the obstacle, or we must turn around and try plan N. Plan N is not that fun, but it is better than plan Q.

On many occasions, the men have had to remove large rocks where construction crews decided the best place to dump the rocks was right in the middle of the road. Sometimes the construction crew helps. Other times they stand and watch in awe that the foreigner is willing to get dirty by picking up these rocks.

 A few times this dumping practice has forced us to park the car and walk.

Sometimes the obstacle is people, political demonstrations, or festivals held in the streets. We just have to wait until they move on or some kind person clears the way for us to pass through.

Often there are traffic jams caused by narrow road ways and impatient drivers.

All these adventures remind me of another road:

Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

It's not the easiest road to navigate, but it is the only one that takes us to the place we want to go. Yes, there is an easy road, but destruction isn't the destination I prefer. That's where the easy road leads.

So as you think about all our physical road adventures, stop and think about those who are on the wrong road spiritually. What are you doing to get them on the right road?

Cinnamon Amish Bread

 

I live this recipe. It's simple. It's fast and super yummy. Whenever in a pinch and I need to throw together a goody for breakfast, snack or desert I almost always have these ingredients in the house.

Cinnamon Amish Bread

Makes 2 loaves

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk or 2 cups milk plus 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

Cinnamon/sugar mixture:

2/3 cups sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cream together butter, 2 cups of sugar, and eggs.

Add milk, flour, and baking soda.

Put 1/2 of batter (or a little less) into greased loaf pans (1/4 in each pan).

Mix in separate bowl the 2/3 c sugar and cinnamon.

Sprinkle 3/4 of cinnamon mixture on top of the 1/2 batter in each pan.

Add remaining batter to pans; sprinkle with last of cinnamon topping. Swirl with a knife.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min. or until toothpick tester come clean.

Cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

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Abide

My eyes open with the morning light.

A fresh, new day.

I rise and start on the plans for the day.

The list is long, but my strength seems enough.

Breakfast, dishes, chores.

My strength begins to fade.

I hear Him call.

"Abide."

Language class, homeschooling the children, cleaning.

I feel it in my muscles... in my bones.

A quick break for lunch. My eyes are heavy, but I must press on.

Visit a neighbor. I struggle to understand her. I feel like a failure in my language skills again. I walk home with my shoulders slumped.

Then I hear Him call.

"Abide."

Prepare my children's class lesson. Walk to the store for dinner supplies. My strength is almost gone, but the day is still hovering over me like the blazing sun.

Dinner prepared. Dishes washed. Clothes ironed for the next day. Children tucked in bed. Nothing left to give... nothing left... I wasn't strong enough...

I hear Him call... "Abide."

Rewind the day and start it again...

My eyes open with the morning light.

A fresh, new day.

I rise and get alone with Him. I open the Book. He speaks to me.

John 15:5 "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

My strength will not be enough, so I must abide.

Breakfast, dishes, chores.

I rest in Him... I abide.

I hear Him call, "My grace is sufficient for thee."

Language class, homeschooling the children, cleaning.

A joy. A peace. A strength not my own.

A quick break for lunch. A prayer to focus on the tasks still before me.

Visit a neighbor. I struggle to understand her, but I know that He can do things I cannot do. A hug. A smile. We may struggle to understand each other, but she can see Christ loving her through me. His love has no language barrier. I walk home trusting Him to work.

Prepare my children's class lesson. Walk to the store for dinner supplies. My strength is almost gone, but His strength sustains me. His Word guides my steps.

Dinner prepared. Dishes washed. Clothes ironed for the next day. Children tucked in bed. A loving home. A peaceful evening. I lay down upon my bed and whisper a prayer of thanksgiving. He did it. He used me again. He sustained me.

I hear Him whisper, "My strength is made perfect in weakness... Abide."

Stages in Ministry: When You're Not Doing What You Thought You'd Be Doing

It’s kind of funny when you're as old as I am and you look back over your life. My husband and I have been on the field of Spain for nearly thirty-three years, and almost none of that time was spent doing what I envisioned.

Every field is different, and every missionary woman is different. So are our ministry purposes (schools, church planting, Bible translation, children’s homes, medical missions, etc.). We are singles, wives, and moms.

I don’t pretend to have the answers for every missionary woman. But, I thought you might learn through some of my own history. I hope you’ll smile with my memories and see how God was in it all—even when I had absolutely no idea what was going on.

We arrived in Spain with a baby in our arms—a screamer, who was quickly nicknamed “Comanche.” We knew nothing: no Spanish, nothing about the culture, zero. We were homeless, carless, and clueless. Thankfully, our co-workers were helpful and patient. They searched for an apartment for us, and they helped us to clean it, buy a car, and start paperwork for Spanish residency. They also got us enrolled in language school.

Eight months later, they left on furlough. We quickly found out that total immersion was somewhat close to drowning. We worked with the Spanish pastor and his wife, who spoke no English. To say the least, our conversations were “interesting,” like point, gesture, and grunt. Our private prayer meetings were bilingual. Our missionary co-workers experienced some health issues and remained in the States about two years instead of one. In the meantime, the Spanish pastor became discouraged and threatened to quit. We encouraged him to hang on at least until our co-worker returned. Can you imagine?!!!

By the time our co-worker got back, thankfully, the Spanish pastor was doing better. We also had a nice-sized group of young people, and my husband and I took the reins with them. My husband was barely able to read the devotionals, but we were making friends and having some kind of an impact in lives. I had our second baby, and we took both children everywhere with our young people.

Soon, it was time for us to leave on furlough. We had been in Spain for five years. Our furlough was longer, also, as we needed more support. Then, I found out I needed surgery. Our visas expired, and it took six months to get new ones. It was a long, painful—literally—time at home, filled with misdiagnoses and frustration. But also, God was giving us some new supporting churches, and they have stuck with us all these years.

When we arrived back in Spain, we were ready to start the new church—the reason we went in the first place. This was our vision. But, things didn’t work out that way. There were problems in the first church, and all of us were needed there. We were able, though, to find and buy a storefront in our target area. We applied for a building permit. (The storefront was rough brick on the outside and not even a finished floor inside. There were no walls or divisions.) We waited for permission to start building while holding weekly prayer meetings with our co-workers. God blessed! In fact, one of our supporting churches sent us nearly enough money to supply all the materials for finishing the inside. We hadn’t asked for anything, but God supplied. Our co-worker is a skilled carpenter and bricklayer, and my husband is a good electrician. They learned tiling together and did a beautiful job on the church. The two of them finished it in a year.

During that time, with our little ones, we continued to help out wherever we could in the first church, especially with young people. In 1994, we were able to open the new church. (It was ten years after we arrived on the field.) We had a wonderful opening service on a Saturday evening. I believe there were over eighty people present—many from sister churches. The next morning, a handful of people from our target area, our co-workers, and us attended. Soon, we held our first baptismal service. The new church had begun!

We did tract distribution on Saturdays and personal evangelism whenever we could. At that time, we got an average of one response for every 2,000 tracts that we distributed in mailboxes in our target area. Some people accepted Christ as a result, and we had other opportunities for personal testimony and witness. The church began to grow with baby Christians and non-believers attending as well. There were times when I had the opportunity to teach a children’s class and other times when we had no children. People moved out of the area in search of work. Our church attendance went up and down, and we tried to be faithful in outreach while ministering to those who attended.

Then, there were a couple of church splits in the first church. Some of those people came to our services. I began to teach the young women for a while. The pastor of that church resigned, and our co-worker was called back to take over. It was only natural that the families that had come to our church from that town would go back to their local church.

We were left with a “geriatric church.” My husband and I—with one teenager still at home—were easily the youngest people in the church. Soon, two of our women passed away and one moved away. We had no couples, no children, and everyone was up in years. It was almost funny! People would visit—and stay for one service. Did we scare them? Truly, it’s hard to attract families when you don’t have any. It’s hard to attract children when there aren’t other children or teens in the church. Some did come, though, and a young man our son’s age began attending.

I did weekly Bible studies with several different women. One of them has learned to read during our studies, and she came to know the Lord, too. Talk about a transformed life! She’s a new person!

We also experienced threats, harassment, and hostility.

What did I think I was going to be doing on the mission field?

• Mentoring groups of eager women—being a Titus 2 teacher
• Having a children’s ministry

What did I end up doing?

• Camp ministry
• Homeschooling for sixteen years and mentoring my own children
• Bible studies with those who wanted them, when they wanted them
• Teaching those few children we had in our church at different times
• I invented other areas of outreach. I wrote my book, began blogging, wrote a second book, and I counsel and mentor women by telephone, online, etc.

What have I learned?

1. My ideas and God’s are often poles apart. I need to be doing what He has in mind.
2. There are stages in everyone’s ministry.
3. You do what needs done, when and where it needs to be done.
4. For married women: ask your husband what his priorities are for you. This will quickly help you sort out your own. Someone gave me this advice years ago, and it has been very helpful!
5. If God doesn’t open a door, don’t push.
6. Cleaning the restrooms, mopping floors, keeping the nursery, and aiding a drug addict are just as spiritual as teaching, if they’re done in joyful service to the Lord.
7. It’s okay to ask God to show you ways you can do personal outreach. He will show you!
8. When God opens the door, go through it! God will give you the ministry He wants you to have and empower you to do it.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable,

always abounding in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

 (1 Corinthians 15:58)

May God bless you in whatever He’s put on your plate today!

  

Do You Crunch & Munch?

Devotion:
de-vo-shun
noun
Loyalty, love, and enthusiasm for a person.

I remember when I first started going to a Baptist church when I was in high school It was the first time I remember hearing the term "devotions." The pastor or the Sunday school teacher would say something about doing "personal devotions." I had no idea what they were talking about! Apparently, though, it was important to do this thing called devotions.

At some point I finally figured out that they were speaking about having private time in prayer and in God's Word. Although I finally knew what they were talking about, I still had no idea how to do devotions. No one really ever pulled me aside and discipled me to teach me practical things like that. I just kind of flubbed through it. Consistency was difficult at best. Over the years I kept trying and fine tuning my devotional time. I found things that worked for me and got me in the Word. Consistency came with hunger for God's Word and self-discipline.

Today my quiet time has blossomed into a beautiful quilt of memories and styles. I wish someone had taken the time to teach me about devotions so that this quilt could have been made much sooner and with less struggle. It makes me wonder if there are other women out there looking for that kind of help. Maybe there are women looking to freshen up their devotional time that has become stale. That happens occasionally, too.

I hope I can give some simple insights and ideas so that you can glean the most possible out of this precious time called "devotions."

Here's the key to it all: There is no set-in-stone way to do devotions. It is as individual as we are. There are three things required for devotions: prayer, God's Word, and you.

I have come across or used six different styles of devotions (or some variation of these six) over several years. There are times when I found one to be better than another. I simply change up my style depending on the need, where God leads, the Bible passage, etc.

Through the Bible

I chose the "Through the Bible in Six Months" plan, but many people do the one year plan. I recommend everyone to read through the Bible at some point (if not several times.) There are schedules that go straight through the Bible and others that go chronologically.

One Year Reading Plan
Six Month Reading Plan

Pros: You get a great overview of the Bible as a whole. You will read passages you usually neglect. You will build endurance and discipline.

Cons: It's difficult to call ANY form of Bible reading a "con." Any time we get in the Book it is a good thing! But for practical purposes, reading through the Bible at a specifically scheduled pace can feel overwhelming. If you like to dig into the Word, sometimes it can feel rushed. It is easy to begin treating the Bible more like a textbook, and it is tempting to treat devotion time as something to be marked off the "to-do" list. To overcome these "cons," don't feel bound to the schedule. If something catches your eye, park on it. No one says you must finish in a year or you fail at Devotions 101.

Crunch and Munch

In this method, you pick a book in the Bible, and you read until God points something out to you. You basically read until you get something to meditate on (munch on) all day long.

Pros: This method is great for when your time is limited. As a mother with young children, I thrived with this method. It also helped me with my struggle with consistency. It trained me to think throughout the day on what I read. It was easier to digest smaller portions.

Cons: It is very easy to pull passages out of context with this method. Be sure to read enough to get the context of the passage.

Apple Tree

Imagine walking past an apple tree full of apple. You decide to get some apples. The first time you do it, you grab the apples that are easy to reach from the ground. The second time, you have to stretch and reach a little farther. The third time, you have to grab a ladder and get up in the tree to reach more apples. You get a little deeper in the tree each time. 

Just like that, you pick a book in the Bible. You go through that book at a quick pace the first time, maybe a chapter or two a day. You glean the easy and quick to spot truths. The second time you go through, you slow down and look for new things you didn't see the first time through the book. The third time, you go verse by verse, taking time to look up words, meanings of people's names, cultural references, etc.

Pros: This method easily develops into Bible studies because your curiosity gets you! It gives you a good grasp on the book as a whole. It is easier to maintain context and good interpretation habits.

Cons: It is a little more difficult with larger books.

Devotional Book

This method is self explanatory. You use a scheduled devotional book as a guide.

Pros: This method can be very beneficial for those who struggle with consistency. It is easy to do because everything is laid out for you.

Cons: It is easy to create a dependency on being "spoon fed" instead of listening for God to speak to your heart directly from His Word. It can encourage laziness in building endurance and discipline. Many devotional books are shallow in their content. The reader can be at the mercy of the doctrinal accuracy of the writer if the reader doesn't do the research.

Gleanings from the Fields Devotional Book (PDF written by Baptist Missionary Women from around the world.)
Apples for Teachers by Frank Hamrick (written for Christian school teachers, but I gleaned a ton as a homeschool mom and a Sunday school teacher.)
A Word to the Wise by Paul Chappell (Goes through Proverbs. Has more "meat" to it than most devotional books.)

25 and Zoom

This is my favorite method. You pick a book of the Bible and read through it at a fast pace several times... as many as 25 times. (Obviously not in one sitting! It can take several weeks depending on the book and your reading pace.) Then after that, slow down and "zoom in" verse by verse. 

Pros: This method is amazing at helping you keep passages in context as well as understanding the book as a whole. When you go through the book slowly that last time, you will be shocked at how much "jumps out" at you.

Cons: More difficult to do with larger books.

PPON (Psalm, Proverb, Old Testament, New Testament)

Pick a book in the Old Testament to work through as well as one in the New Testament. Read one chapter in each every day. Also read a Psalm and a chapter in Proverbs every day.

Pros: Gives a well-rounded diet of wisdom, encouragement, and knowledge everyday!

Cons: If time is limited it can be more difficult to do. It can sometimes feel overwhelming if there are too many thoughts to meditate on for the day.


Other tips for devotion time:

1. Journaling your devotion and prayer time is very effective in aiding growth. For some people, journaling can feel distracting or cumbersome and interfere with developing consistency. For others, journaling helps them to focus and helps them to retain truths to meditate on throughout the day.
2. Pray before and after reading the Bible.
3. Have a plan and have your supplies ready.
4. Reevaluate occasionally and don't be afraid to adapt your style to the need.
5. Fast food is better than no food, so if for some reason you are cut short on time, commit to praying and reading something in God's Word everyday even if it is just for a few minutes. Check out this blog post: Yesterday's Lunch by Jamie. It will encourage you!

by Charity, Southern Asia

Author of Heart-at-Home Mom