Movements Everywhere

Shaped into God’s Image by our Kids

Monday, April 30th, 2012 | Uncategorized | No Comments

As parents we have the responsibility to love, nurture, provide and train our children to become responsible, moral, hardworking, contributing, authentic adults.  Most of us try to do this, with varying degrees of competency and success.  But I’ve found that God also has an equally important role for our children in our lives: to help us learn to walk in the Spirit, build our character, and develop skills we need for life and ministry. Here are two truths I have learned from my girls.

DEBBIE: You are not in control.
Before Debbie was born, I was editor of Worldwide Challenge. I loved that we had a specific schedule for each month, week, day. The magazine was so compliant. Every month it came out on time, and it was beautiful.

I stepped away from that responsibility shortly before Debbie was born.  I knew I would need to learn to be a little more flexible about my schedule, but I was sure I could get her on a good routine.

Surprise! Debbie had colic. Not the evening kind. The always kind. Her tummy hurt. She cried. And cried. She didn’t sleep except a few hours each night—maybe 5 to 6 hours. But that was it. No naps.

My day went like this:  Up by 5 or 6 a.m. with a screaming baby.  An hour of nursing (no crying then). A few minutes of peace: quickly put some clothes on. Then carry her, entertain her, sing to her, anything to get her not to cry until the 2-hour mark when I could feed her again. Repeat. Until midnight. For four months.

I cried almost as much as Debbie. I was sure I would never be rested, dressed and presentable again, and sure I would never be in control of my life again. “Lord,” I said desperately, “this is not working. I am not the right mother for this child.”

His reply was gentle: Oh Judy, you are exactly right for Debbie—the one I created to love and comfort her in her great discomfort. But she is also just right for you. I created her to help you learn some important lessons:  You are not in control. Things will not happen according to your schedule. You need to learn to let go, to flex, to relax.

“But I don’t like not being in control.”

Exactly!

Then: Judy, I am in control. I know much better than you the what, when and how for your life—and for Debbie’s. Rest in Me. You won’t be disappointed. My plan and schedule and timing are perfect.

MICHELLE: Enjoy the journey.
From the day she was born, Michelle has not been in a hurry. She slept much of her first year. She cuddled, laughed, listened a lot, talked enough.

She played quietly, explored, created, painted, invented, rescued. But she never rushed.

I’m more of a destination person. She’s more of a journey person. I like to get there. She likes the getting there.

So often she heard:  “Hurry up, we’re late.” “We’ll be late to church, Michelle.” “Carpool is waiting, Michelle.” “Time for soccer practice, Michelle.”

Nothing hurried her. But I know I frustrated her, discouraged her, hurt her.

Over time, I began to hear the Lord whispering, What’s your hurry, Judy? He reminded me of those famous sisters, Mary and Martha.

Martha was focused on getting dinner ready. She rushed around, fretting that Mary wasn’t helping her. And Mary? She was  enjoying Jesus. Listening, learning, reflecting.

Slowly Michelle’s ability to live in the present, her not hurrying to the future, began to rub off on me. I still like to get things done, but I have learned to let things go, stop for people in my life, leave tasks for another day.

I don’t get as much done. But I enjoy the journey so much more.

“I am the LORD; in its time I will do this swiftly”
(Isaiah 60:22).

—Judy

World Wide Day of Prayer

Monday, April 9th, 2012 | Uncategorized | No Comments

Dear fellow staff,

Our next Worldwide Day of Prayer is April 24. Every six months it is our privilege to set aside our routine ministry activities in order to enjoy a special time of worshiping God and seeking closer fellowship with Him. Since the Fall in Genesis God has been seeking closer fellowship with the people He created. That is what the vast majority of the Bible is all about.

One passage that is very special in reflecting God’s desire is John 1:1-4, 14:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

I think we can safely say that God went out of His way to show His love for us and to communicate with us. So it is not too much for Him to expect from us dedicated times where we seek to communicate with Him. That is what we will be doing on April 24.

I look forward to seeing what God will do as we focus on Him together.

Yours in Christ,

Steve Douglass

P.S.—Your team can always submit prayer requests to global.prayer@ccci.org. A list of prayer points for the April 24 WDOP will be posted at www.globalprayermovement.org.

Support Low? Listen, Pray, Be Fruitful

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012 | Uncategorized | 6 Comments

One of the most enjoyable things I get to do is visit with staff around the world. Sometimes I am in homes, other times at more formal conference meetings, or occasionally in cars on the way to and from airports. I learn a lot from these interactions. Sometimes I get to share in the joy of ministry—hearing how some non-Christians came to Christ or how some disciples stepped out in faith.

At other times, the conversation topics are challenges we as staff face. Sometimes the challenges are sicknesses. Occasionally they concern the deaths of loved ones. But one I often hear is the need to raise more support because staff account balances fall short. I can identify with that need.  Last fall, Judy’s and my account balance was low.

So what actions can a supported staff member take in the middle of that kind of challenge?

Listen
First ask God if He is trying to get your attention. It might be some spiritual discipline you have ceased doing well. For example, are you really praying often throughout the day? Has your Bible study slipped some?

I don’t mean to suggest that lower account balances definitely imply sin in our lives. Most often there are other causes. But it’s good to listen for any possible caution from God. One of the primary advantages of raising support is that it helps keep us humble and dependent on God.

Pray
Having dealt with that, the next action I encourage people to take is to pray and claim the promise of John 15:7: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you.”

Sometimes my request is for God to supply more support. I suspect you have prayed that prayer many times as well.  But we need to make sure the first half of the verse is true of us. Then we have the invitation from Jesus Himself to ask for needed support.

Often support comes in absolutely miraculous ways. Judy and I sent out a general ask letter in the early years of our married life, praying God would have people commit $50 or $100 per month. When Judy opened one of the response letters, she was thrilled to see a couple who had not regularly supported us before decide to give  $600 per month.

Be Fruitful
After praying and claiming the promises in John 15:7, verse 8 is an expression of God’s intention for us: “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” There is a principle I have observed, “Fruitfulness attracts resources.” For example, volunteers are usually attracted to our ministry when they see us visibly bearing much fruit. The same is true with donors. When they see productive movements, they are more prone to give.

Now I don’t mention this to condemn a lack of visible fruitfulness. There are places where people’s hearts seem much less responsive—regardless of how hard we pray and work.  Yet I believe we can keep claiming John 15:8 by faith, that God will give us more opportunities to bear much fruit.  Some of that may be qualitative in people’s lives, rather than quantitative. Both can be ways God lets us bear more fruit.

A common need among us as staff is to raise more support. There are excellent trainings, tools, and other help available. Take full advantage of them.

But from time to time, take a step back and ask God what He wants you to learn and change. He may point out how you can walk with Him better. He may encourage you to ask Him more specifically. Or He may want you to find ways to be even more fruitful.

Discerning God’s Will

Monday, February 20th, 2012 | Uncategorized | 4 Comments

In December, I mentioned an opportunity God gave me to help a Christian woman know God’s will for her life. Many have asked what I said. Here is the process I took her through:

WALK – Walk with God closely and continually.

1. This helps assure we listen to God’s thoughts, not ours.
2. This allows us to receive ongoing and progressive leading from God. God’s plans for us don’t usually become clear and complete all at once.
3. This qualifies us to receive God’s opportunities and blessings (2 Chronicles 16:9).

ASK – Pray specifically for God to reveal His will.

We are promised in James 1:5 that if we ask for wisdom, God will give it to us generously. Years ago, God gave me a sense that I needed to become much more effective in doing evangelism. When I prayed that He would show me how, He brought me two tremendous learning opportunities. At the time, I was responsible for overall operations in CCC, so I might not have recognized the evangelistic opportunities as strategic if I had not prayed for and received a sense of God’s will and plan for me.

CONSIDER - Consider three factors: passions, strengths, and opportunities.

I have usually found I can see why God has a certain direction for me in light of these.

1. Passion (What am I already motivated to do?)
2. Strengths (Where do I have competencies which can be utilized well?)
3. Opportunities (Which doors has God seemed to open for me at this time?)

God showed me how the plan to be more effective in evangelism represented a confluence of all three in my life.

1. I had the passion to lead more people to Christ.
2. God gave me a strength in teaching, which could help make coming to Christ clearer and more compelling.
3. God led a group of students (at The International School of Theology) to invite me to the opportunity of teaching on personal development as a bridge to presenting the gospel.

Passion, strength and opportunity came together as a powerful confirmation of God’s plan for me to become more effective in evangelism.

PLAN FIRST STEPS
One barrier to pursuing God’s plan for us is that we tend to dream and wish, but often we don’t plan specifically and practically.
My fairly consistent experience is that I must be proactive in order to pursue God’s plan. He directs my thoughts and desires, but I have to cooperate with plans and action. In addition, I must find practical ways to start – to take the first step or two. Determining long-term direction is very important. Yet a crystal-clear vision often unfolds over time.

START THEN EVALUATE
The likelihood of making good long-term progress is usually directly proportional to how soon we take the first steps. If we start putting them off, we will find ways to continue doing so. I wonder how many New Year’s resolutions succumb to procrastination.
After starting, I evaluate my progress and ask God for more refinement on what I initially sensed He said.

HOW DID I LEAD THE WOMAN ON THE PLANE THROUGH THIS PROCESS?
First, we discussed how to convert her “occasional visit with God” prayer life into a constant conversation.

Second, we prayed God would give her a clear picture of His plan.

Third, we sought to discern her core motivation. Then we explored her strengths. Finally, we listed and prioritized the opportunities God had already given her. Although it took some thinking, we quickly saw how God had equipped her to pursue what He had put on her heart.

Fourth, we got very specific in planning things she could do the next week to get started.

Last, I asked her to commit to me that she would do something on this the next day. I also encouraged her to evaluate and adjust over time.

I hope this process is useful to you in helping people know what god wants them to do.

Changing Culture and Increased Fruitfulness

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 | Uncategorized | No Comments

As I write this, I am flying back from a meeting with many of our global leaders. Some of those leaders are focused on student-led movements. I had the privilege of talking with a number of them informally concerning university students today and how to minister to them.

Wanting to Know If the Christian Life Really Works

There were some trends we had all observed. One was that students are increasingly interested in what really works for us as Christians. They want to know the difference Christ can make in an individual life.

What does that mean in our witnessing? One thing is that we need to share our own experience with Christ in a more comprehensive way versus just giving a brief testimony. Over the last 20 years, I have found myself sharing more of how Christ gave me peace in tough circumstances, and how He gave me a sense of success and significance far beyond what worldly achievements ever brought.

I have also found that the impact of explaining how Christ has been real to me is multiplied if they express similar needs. This life-to-life connection motivates people to hear how they can have that same kind of relationship with God.

New Ways of Learning

A second thing some global campus leaders and I discussed is the change in how students prefer to learn. Today’s students seem to absorb more lessons from discussions with their friends than from listening to a lecture or reading a book. This “oral learning” trend has a major impact on how we can best disciple students. Lectures need to be shorter and have fewer points. Teaching sessions need to be frequently interspersed with times of discussion in small groups. We need to allow for “self-discovery.”

Pulling from the earlier point, students also want to see how what they are learning applies to their lives. It is more important than ever to have an “application time” in Bible studies and training sessions. It is also powerful to encourage students to share what they have learned with their friends. That ministers to their friends, but it also increases learning retained by the student who is sharing.

What Kind of Church Experience They Prefer

Another observation we noticed is that students want to see an enrichment of their church experience to include an abundance of relationships and opportunities to participate in the lives of the friends they have at church. Listening to a good sermon and singing some worship songs doesn’t seem to be quite enough.
I helped plant what started as a house church in Orlando, Florida. One of the most significant things we have done to cater to this intense need for relationship is to have one hour set aside for having supper together. (We meet on Sunday nights). Needs are shared more rapidly and candidly when just a few people are talking together over some food.

We also have “gospel communities” which meet in homes during the week. It is normal in these groups for there to be non-Christians present who want to see and hear what Christians really talk about and act like. Many of these non-Christians have come to Christ. Some of these new converts have become quite active in the church.

Final Reflection

It was interesting to reflect on how students have changed in the last 10 to 20 years. But what was even more exciting was to discuss new and better ways to minister to students in light of those trends.

Changes in the marketplace should never serve as gravestones for ministry, but rather as doorways to new fruitfulness. So when you run into tough challenges doing ministry, don’t give up and settle for less effectiveness. Instead, be inspired to develop new ways to be even more fruitful.

Using Life Experiences to Touch Others

Friday, December 16th, 2011 | Uncategorized | No Comments

On  a  recent trip, a friend and I were speaking by phone when he asked my advice concerning his future because he was thinking of a job change.

I was in the boarding area waiting for my flight back to Orlando.  As the conversation continued, I boarded the plane while still talking to my friend. Even as I took my seat in the plane, I was still talking to him about how he could discern God’s will for his life.  When the plane was ready to pull back from the terminal building, I had to hang up.

Apparently the woman in the seat next to me overheard my phone conversation. She was a Christian and also wanted to know God’s will for her life.  To be honest with you, I had planned to sleep on the flight because I had slept only a few hours the night before.  But I certainly didn’t want to pass on such an obvious divine appointment.

For the next hour and a half I had the privilege of leading her through a personal planning process that I have used and taught for 40 years.  She took careful notes, asked questions and wanted to see how this applied to certain current opportunities she had.  By the end of our time she had some specific action points.

Afterwards, it occurred to me that God used my specific experience to minister to her.  How many other people on that plane had an extensive background in teaching personal planning – especially from a Christian perspective?  It is interesting that God placed the two of us together and had me talking about the subject within her hearing.

I believe that God gives us concepts and experiences, in part, so that we can use them to minister to other people.  For example, in the area of comfort and encouragement, Paul says in II Corinthians 1:3-6:  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.  If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.

Think of what God gives us which can be useful in ministering to others: education and training, our life experiences, life experiences of friends (which we experience alongside them), and knowledge of the Bible from many years of daily personal devotional times.  We practically possess an arsenal of ministry capability waiting for deployment in the spiritual battle.

We shouldn’t be surprised when God causes our paths to cross with people who need what we have to offer.  In fact, we should expect that to happen.  As we meet and interact with people, we should look for “match ups” of their need with our experience and ability to minister.

As we see God orchestrate that week after week, each day becomes an adventure.  I believe we can pray, “Lord, lead me to people today whose lives I can touch with what You have given to me.”

Changed Lives, Relationship that Matter and Uncommon Opportunities

Monday, November 14th, 2011 | Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Recently, I was reflecting back on my two years of involvement with Campus Crusade for Christ when I was a graduate student at Harvard Business School. Why did those years have such a lasting impact on my life with God and my choice of career?

As many of you know, I made a commitment to Christ during the summer before graduate school. I saw how much Jesus had changed the lives of some students my age and concluded, “That’s what I want!”  What I don’t share as often in my testimony is the back story and those who were influential in it.

First, there was the Campus Crusade group in my hometown that summer. Then, there was a couple from the church I grew up in. They regularly opened their home to our Campus Crusade group after we played volleyball in a park nearby. All of these relationships mattered and made a difference in my spiritual growth.

I attended a basic training at the Campus Crusade headquarters later that summer. There I learned about the Spirit-filled life and how to explain my faith, and had the amazing opportunity to lead a young man to Christ on the day of outreach.

Soon after arriving at graduate school, a fellow student approached me about participating in a small group study for student leaders. Joining them quickly gave me relationships at school that were oriented toward God and ministry opportunities. Four of us from that group roomed together our second year in a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program. We became very involved in the Campus Crusade ministry in the Boston area, finding ways to invest our time strategically for the kingdom.

The four of us had the privilege of doing our MBA research project on the ministry, interviewing 100 staff members and spending double the normal time for such projects. The opportunity was enormous—a chance to be helpful to such a strategic ministry. We actually presented the results in a meeting with Bill Bright.

As I look back on those two years, I realized what got me started and kept me involved were three things: changed lives, relationships that mattered and uncommon opportunities to make my life count for God.

We recently hired a top research organization (Brand Trust) to interview people who have been involved in our ministry. They were trying to discover why people joined us, why they stayed, and why they increased their involvement. They discerned three main themes:

1 – Changed Lives
2 – Relationships that Matter
3 – Uncommon Opportunities

In light of my experience, I wasn’t at all shocked by these findings. That was why I joined, stayed, and increased my involvement with Campus Crusade. The same things motivated my roommates to be involved.

Think about your own experience. My guess is that you were motivated by some or all of the same things.

So why am I talking about this? Because those three elements must be present, in strength, in our ministry today if we hope to have people be involved with us as co-laborers and partners, let alone as staff members.

Therefore, here are some questions for you to think about:

1. Are you seeing God change lives in your ministry? Crucial to that is modeling and teaching the Spirit-filled life.

2. Are you seeing small groups of multiplying disciples form where the relationships involved have purpose beyond just being friends? Those kinds of groups have a profound impact on their members.

3. Are strategic, significant opportunities regularly offered to your disciples? Do they see specific opportunities to make their lives count?

If we hope to see movements of spiritual multiplication spread, people associated with us must see and experience those three important things. If they are not, what can we do about that?

God Can Use Us “Along the way”

Monday, October 17th, 2011 | Uncategorized | No Comments

In August I went to Korea to speak at the Global Mission Society’s 100th anniversary.  It was a wonderful chance to address many missionaries of the largest missionary sending agency in the country.

As I reflected on my trip, a number of personal encounters stood out as much as the actual speaking times.

For example, on the flight from Orlando to Atlanta, I sat next to a woman named Carmen.  She slept most of the trip, but as we were landing she awakened.  After a few minutes of conversation I asked her if she read very much.  She said “yes”, and I gave her a copy of an evangelistic book because I assumed she was not a Christian.

Then she said, “Thanks, God bless you.”  I asked if she was a Christian.  She said “yes.”  I asked if she was active in a local church.  She sheepishly said, “no.”  I suggested an excellent church near her in Orlando.  She said she would visit there soon and thanked me for taking the time to help her.

When Jerry, my assistant, and I arrived at the Incheon Airport, we were greeted by Hau and Choi, GMS missionaries in Southeast Asia.  They brought along their seven-year-old daughter Hwi, who reminded me of my grandchildren.

Over the course of the conference Jerry and I got to know their stories, dreams and challenges.  We arranged to arrive back at the Incheon Airport early to have coffee with them and pray.  On the ride there Hwi drew some pictures and gave them to me.  It is hard to adequately express in a few written words the depth of connection we experienced.

As we parted there were hugs, and they went down the escalator from the restaurant.  Jerry and I went to the balcony and waved good-bye as they walked through the ticket-counter area to the front door.  Several times Hwi looked back to see if we were still watching them.  We waved again and again until they were out of sight.

On the flight from Incheon to Atlanta, Jerry and I struck up a conversation about the talks I gave at the GMS conference.  That led to the topic of what it really means to be a missional Christian.  We concluded that Christians must live out the Christian life, love the people around them and take proactive steps to minister to others in ways consistent with the opportunities God gives each person.

Shortly after, a man came up from the row behind us. He had been listening to our conversation and said, “I am a Christian and am doing some things to serve God, but I am not fully surrendered to the will of God for my life.  I want to be, but I know I’m holding back.”

We must have talked for half an hour.  We found out the man was a highly skilled developer of business opportunities.  He could size up situations, arrange for needed resources and help drive new projects to implementation.  He also pastored a small local church part-time.

The conversation ranged from understanding the Lordship of Christ to maximizing the use of his gifts to help fulfill the Great Commission.  I gave him some materials to understand how the Spirit-filled life works practically.  Jerry shared some great insights he had learned.  At the end of the conversation we arranged to send him some more materials and talked about the possibility of his helping our ministry embark on new projects.

As I reflect back on the trip, I find myself thanking God for the privilege of touching lives “along the way”.  Oh, by the way, I did speak three times in plenary sessions at the GMS conference.  And I met with various leaders.

But I am so grateful that God kept me alert to divine appointments.  Jesus helped blind Bartimaeus “along the way” to somewhere else.  He touched the life of the woman who had been subject to bleeding “along the way” to helping Jairus’ daughter.

To be honest, I can easily get so focused on where I am going that I miss God’s “along the way” opportunities.  Maybe that happens to you sometimes as well.  Let’s commit together to ask God for special sensitivity to notice all that He has for us to do – even “along the way.”

Steve