A new start at Rosarito Beach

We’ve been very busy getting started here in México so the blog went on an unplanned hiatus; thank you for your patience! There will once again be a new post every Wednesday..

Karen and I are amazed at the turn our lives have taken lately. We expected to be living in Chapala, near Guadalajara, but we’ve been moved to Rosarito Beach in Baja California instead.

We are now leading a church here called Baja Christian Church. It is a very young church that meets at the Rosarito Beach Hotel, a historic hotel that was first opened in 1925. The hotel used to be a favorite hangout spot for Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, as well as many of the Hollywood favorites. Rita Hayworth and the Shah of Iran rented a whole floor of the hotel during their stay in 1954, and a sign over the entrance says, “Through this door pass the most beautiful women of the world.”

Now the hotel is the base of our operations as we reach out to this growing community. Since the room where we meet is right on the main street, new people come in every week and share their stories with us. The people who come have as rich and varied histories as the hotel itself does. We have people in our church from Australia, Jamaica, Alaska, the Deep South, various parts of México and, now, even Scotland. Some of our people are deportees who spent most of their lives in the US but are currently stuck south of the border against their will, and others are people from America and other countries who are here by choice.

There is a great liveliness amongst the people as this church is already growing and experiencing vibrant new beginnings. Not only have the Sunday services experienced significant growth in our first four months here, we’ve also started Tuesday Bible studies in Spanish, 12-step recovery groups for people dealing with addictions, a food-bank program to help provide food for people who are hungry, and exciting classes for new and growing believers on Sunday mornings and nights. The church’s Wednesday night Bible study has grown so much that it’s already outgrowing the smaller Activity Center where it has been meeting.

Of course, the most exciting thing is not simply the growth in numbers. The most exciting thing is that we are seeing dramatic changes already happening in people’s lives right before our eyes. People who had all but given up on life have found new hope, and we can hardly wait to see what happens next as more and more people are finding that hope in Christ! One woman’s father experienced a dramatic healing in response to the people’s prayers, and his doctors are baffled by his recovery; other people who had spent their lives bound by the mistakes of their pasts are finding new starts; and even the mayor, Hugo Torres, has taken notice and come to speak to the church and express his support and gratitude for what is happening through this group that meets at the Rosarito Beach Hotel.

Karen and I will also still be involved in important work throughout México as we pursue various opportunities for evangelism, church planting, and the training of leaders and evangelists across the country. But, in addition to that, we’ve found a home in Rosarito where the potential for the miraculous is being converted into reality day after day before our eyes.

Thank you to all of you who are supporting this ministry both with your prayers and financial support! There is no doubt that God is blessing the part you are playing in the work here. Please continue to remember us in your prayers as we continue serving the Lord here and across México!

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If you are interested in visiting Baja Christian Church, our services are at the following times:

• In the Salon Las Americas at Rosarito Beach Hotel:
  Sunday Service in English — 11am
• In the Baja Christian Church Activity Center, Rosarito Beach Hotel:
  Christianity 201 — Sundays at 9:00am
• Christianity 101 (the basics of the Christian faith) — Sundays at 6:30pm
• 12 Steps Recovery Groups — Tuesdays at 2:00pm & Thursdays at 6:30pm
• Spanish Bible Study — Tuesdays at 6:30pm
• English Bible Study — Wednesdays at 6:30pm

I apologize on behalf of my Christian brothers and sisters

There is a certain brand of “Christianity” I have seen which makes me very, very sad. It’s a mindset held by some within certain church circles that is about as contrary to the mindset of Christ as one can come. It’s a mentality that basically says, without going so far as to use these words, “Jesus loves everyone, but he loves me most.” Another way of referring to it is to call it what it is: sheer racism.

I saw a comment recently from one American church-person saying that we need to get the blueprints for the Berlin Wall and build our own along the Mexican-American border. For him, this idea wasn’t simply born of a desire for better security at the borders but of the thought that all Mexican people should be banned from “his” country. Another church-person, in the same conversation, blamed all of America’s problems on “foreigners” and indicated that the “Christian” cause would best be served by kicking “them” out so that America can return to its “Christian roots.”

I can’t be too blunt in saying that — if we define Christian to mean “like Christ” — these people are not Christian in any way, shape or form when they maintain such attitudes. Now, “Christian” is usually defined as someone who has asked Christ into their hearts to be their Lord and Savior, thus it is true that those who utter racist comments in the name of “Christ” might be “saved,” but there is no way that viewpoint reflects Christ or gives Him glory.

A similar breed of racist religion existed in Jesus’ day. Jews tended to look down on Gentiles as somewhat inferior and, of course, Gentiles were anyone who were not Jews. But Paul made it clear several times in the New Testament that, in Christ, there is no distinction between Jews or Gentiles. He even said this:

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” — Galatians 3:28

In the world of the Jews during Jesus’ time, there was one group in particular that many of the Jewish religious people looked down on. They were called the Samaritans. Many of the Jews hated what they considered to be their false views on religion and they saw them as people who were of no real use to society. They looked down on them and refused to associate with them. As long as they stayed on “their side” of the border, there was no problem, but they did not want them in their midst.

That’s why Jesus told his story about a “good Samaritan,” because his audience found it hard to believe there could be any such thing. In his story about the man who was robbed and left at the side of the road, it was the good “religious” people who ignored him, and it was the member of his people’s hated race who rescued him. The story was specifically and unashamedly a statement against racist religiosity.

Alas, many who hold to a harsher form of Christianity appeal more to the Old Testament and feel they can justify their mindset from there. They are wrong, however, as even the Old Testament Law was very clear about God’s attitude towards people of other races. Here’s what God said to the Israelites:

“The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” — Leviticus 19:34

That’s why I apologize right now on behalf of so many of my Christian brothers and sisters who have placed their patriotism above their faith and treated so many as second-class citizens. They may be true to God in many things, but they do NOT represent Him in their attitudes toward those of various races or backgrounds.

Following Christ is about loving God, and it’s also all about loving the people He loves. And He loves EVERYONE equally. NOBODY is better or closer to God just because they speak English or have a certain color of skin. In God’s sight, we are all equal and unless we can learn to love one another — loving “the alien in our midst” as much as the “native-born” — we cannot begin to claim we are following the ways of Christ.

If you have been hurt by church people who have treated you as somehow inferior because you are of a different race, I know that I cannot make up for the wrong they’ve done you. Yet, I do apologize on behalf of the segments of the Church who are guilty of this sin as best I can and want you to know that I KNOW that race is IRRELEVANT in God’s eyes and must be equally irrelevant in the lives of any true Christ-follower.

On the other hand, if you are a Christian who has held this racist mindset, perhaps because of the influence of your background or teachings you received in your youth, I understand how you got there. You were influenced by others and, in a way, I don’t blame you. We are all products of our environments in many ways. However, I do call your attention to the Word of God and strongly urge you to repent.

We are ALL sinful people in need of forgiveness and grace. God has given us that forgiveness and grace and, just as He has done so for us, He has called us to do for one another. That love for one another is not intended to be only for those who are “like us.” It’s equally intended for those who are different from us. After all, in reality we are all the same. We are sinners in need of grace and, until we accept those who are different from us as equals in our midst, we can never honestly claim to be channels of that grace.

Our journey through 2009

When a new year begins, many of us review the year that lies behind us and also look forward to the year to come. We think about the things we have to be thankful for, as well as the things we wish we’d done differently. Then we resolve not to repeat the mistakes of the past year in the one to come. We make resolutions to start new things as we dream of fresh starts and opportunities.

As Karen and I look back at the year behind us, we certainly have plenty to look at. It’s been a very busy year, filled with major life-changes.

A year ago, we were both planning a wedding and living in Scotland. I was pastoring a church in Moodiesburn, Scotland and had a great circle of friends in the area.

Today, we’re looking forward to our first wedding anniversary and I’m getting ready to start pastoring a church in Rosarito, México. I miss my circle of friends in Scotland but am also excited about the endless possibilities that await us on this side of the world.

How did we get from there to here?

JANUARY

We had a lovely wedding in Dinuba, California and a fantastic honeymoon in Cancún, México. Even as we rested on the beach, though, something within us was restless. We already knew in our hearts that God was moving us to México eventually, but now God was stirring our hearts and telling us that we had to begin to make our move immediately.

We decided we would announce my resignation from the church in Moodiesburn upon our return to Scotland and leave at the end of April. It was not an easy decision, but to not do so would have been wrong because we were confident that this was what God was telling us to do.

FEBRUARY

We returned to Scotland and began to tell the church and our friends what was happening. To our surprise, many responded well to the news. One godly man told me that he knew God was getting ready to move us and that he could even see it was the right timing. He said, “You’ve done what you came here to do. You’re a church-planter, and you planted this church.” We knew that the people would miss us and that we would also miss them, but their sensitivity to the Holy Spirit helped them to see that it was God’s will.

MARCH

With less than two months remaining before our departure from Scotland, we took advantage of the opportunity to spend quality time with good friends whom we knew we were going to miss terribly. We also had opportunities to continue to share the Gospel. On the last Sunday of the month, we both forgot that clocks had changed and were an hour late for church! That was embarrassing!

APRIL

Our last month at the church in Scotland was difficult. We came under a lot of spiritual attack and it was hard to say goodbye to so many people we loved. Yet, God was faithful and kept us strong. We also had the opportunity to visit one of Karen’s best friends on the Isle of Jersey, which was a real joy for us both.

MAY

Our move to America was an amazing experience. Whereas we hadn’t even known how we were going to be able to afford plane tickets to the USA, somebody in the States gifted us our passage across on the Queen Mary II. This trip, which we could never have afforded ourselves, was something we took as a sign that we must have been listening rightly to God when He told us it was time for us to move.

One day we had actually wondered if we had heard God rightly because the finances just weren’t there. I said to somebody from the church, half-jokingly, “Pray that God gives us $2000 tomorrow so we can book tickets to America.” The next day, I heard from somebody in America who said they were taking care of our travel expenses. They covered our trip on the ship, which was a real blessing and which — interestingly enough — actually cost less than the plane tickets would have.

When we got to New York, we took a driving trip across the states, stopping at churches all along the way to tell people about our call to México. It was a fantastic experience and God used it to get our fund-raising started for the mission.

We got to California just in time to attend my cousin’s wedding. When we arrived at my parents’ house, family members from all over America were gathered together, so we really enjoyed the chance to meet up with so many family members we don’t often see.

JUNE — JULY

June and July were spent with my family. My dad’s health has gone downhill quite a lot, so we committed to spending most of those two months helping my mom with his care. Staying in my hometown gave us the opportunity to catch up with a lot of my old friends as well as a chance for me to speak at several churches in the area and share about the opportunities God is opening up for us. I also spent quite a bit of time preparing materials for our work in México, including the curriculum for a course I’ll be teaching to train up evangelists for the Church of the Nazarene.

AUGUST

August was a phenomenal month! We went to Africa with an amazing team of people. Some of us didn’t even know each other before arriving, but we all gelled together like family and had a great experience serving God together in Tanzania. 290 adults made decisions to follow Jesus Christ, and many children and youth responded too. We also got to see the fruits of many years’ work continuing both through practical compassionate ministries in the communities and the continuation of vibrant churches that had been started during previous visits.

Karen and I both got really sick while in Tanzania and were out of commission for the last two days of the campaign, but we had such an incredible team that the work continued and people continued to come to Christ. Ernie Bayton, with whom I had previously served in Kirkintilloch, Scotland, took over the preaching for those last two days and did a fantastic job. The rest of the team also stepped up and demonstrated marvelous resolve and unwavering faith in the midst of difficulties.

After the team went home, Karen and I had another test coming our way. We spent a few days in Nairobi, Kenya. One day, we took our laptops into a local coffee house, The Java House, which has long been one of my favorite haunts in that part of Africa. While we were there, somebody managed to take Karen’s rucksack without anybody — even the guard who was on duty — seeing what happened.

Among the items that were stolen were our passports, the adapter for Karen’s computer, our camera, and various other things. What followed was an interesting visit to the police station, which included having to fill out our own police reports and paying to have them signed by a policeman, and then we spent two days journeying back and forth to both the American and British embassies to get our passports replaced.

We did manage to get our passports replaced in time, however, and thankfully our spirits also remained strong throughout the ordeal. We knew God was taking care of us, so we just made the best of the situation and went with the flow. We were especially grateful that we got everything in order in time for our flight as we had yet more important work awaiting us at the next stop.

SEPTEMBER

We spent most of the month of September in Spain. I spoke at a retreat on the coast one week and at “each one win one” conferences for the next two weekends. We really enjoyed spending that time in the region of Catalunya, Spain. The scenery was breath-taking, the people were great, and God did some incredible things in people’s lives. For one of the most interesting stories from that time, see my post from the 6th of October.

OCTOBER

In October, we got some more time with my family in California and I spoke at churches throughout Central California. Then, at the end of the month, I preached at revival meetings in Vancouver, Washington. That was a great week as I got to catch up with several great friends and I got to introduce several of them to Karen for the first time.

NOVEMBER

We started November out by going to Loon Lake, Washington. It’s up in the hills of Eastern Washington and is right by a beautiful lake, surrounded by green trees and lots of deer. We had a wonderful time there. Once again, I caught up with old friends, introducing them to Karen, and God did good things in people’s lives at the revival meetings.

The rest of the month, we spent more time with family and friends, and I also spoke at a couple more churches in California. We had the privilege of spending Thanksgiving with my family before leaving for our new post in México. It was Karen’s first Thanksgiving ever, as it’s an American holiday, so I enjoyed introducing her to the tradition.

DECEMBER

Our new life in México finally began after almost a year of preparation. We arrived safely in Chapala, near Guadalajara, on the 5th of December and I preached the next day. The people are so welcoming and enjoyable to be around that our first day of ministry was a great experience. Two people came to faith in Christ, a father and daughter, and the day ended in the best possible way… with a bunch of us sitting by an outdoor taco stand eating carne asada tacos and enjoying each other’s company.

From the 9th to 16th, we went to Panama for an evangelistic campaign in the capital there. The heat was intense, especially with no air-conditioning, but the people were wonderful and the atmosphere beautiful and charming. 17 people responded to the call to trust Christ as their Lord and Savior during the meetings, and we had an incredible time with everyone there. We also got a chance to see the Panama Canal, which was a fascinating experience in itself.

We’re settled into México for the long-haul, though we’re still not at our main destination. Although we had originally planned to be based out of Chapala, we’ve been asked to relocate to Rosarito, just south of the California border. There’s a church there that needs our help so, in addition to my other duties, I will be pastoring that church as of the 17th of January.

Until then, we are enjoying this part of México. After a lovely Christmas in Chapala, we ended our year helping a mission team from America in Monteón, near Puerta Vallarta. Karen helped in the kitchen, serving meals to the team, and I translated for the English speakers and helped them teach the children.

Now, as I walk down the cobbled streets near the house where we are staying, I hear the sounds of México. Mexican music plays on people’s stereos, a horse is parked in the road, the smell of chiles is in the air. We sat down today at another taco stand and, as I ate my taco and drank my Coke, I couldn’t help but think of the journey God’s brought Karen and me on so far in our first year of marriage. We’ve come a long way and I can’t wait to see where God takes us in the years to come!

What makes Christmas “Christmas”?

It’s been hard to imagine this past week that Christmas is really near. Karen and I have been in Panama City for a week now, and the heat has been intense. Temperatures have only been about 90 degrees, but humidity has been so high that one feels constantly as if a sauna would be a good place to go to cool off. We’re enjoying it immensely, but it definitely doesn’t feel like Christmas.

Or, at least it doesn’t feel like what we think of as Christmas.

However, it has me thinking about the fact that what Americans and Europeans think of as Christmas is really just one of many expressions of the holiday. “I’m dreaming of a White Christmas” is a funny concept in a country where snow is just an abstract concept and Christmas dinner can easily be enjoyed outside at midnight in the relief of a slight breeze. In some countries, “I’m dreaming of a slight breeze” would be more appropriate.

So what makes Christmas “Christmas”? It’s not snow because millions celebrate it without ever seeing a snowflake. It’s also not mince pies, though I enjoy sharing them with my Scottish family as much as anyone. It’s not even turkey and stuffing.

In fact, Jesus himself is not likely ever to have seen a snowflake in Judea or to have eaten a turkey to celebrate his birthday. And he definitely never met Santa Claus or Father Christmas…

In the “Christian” world, Christmas is a holiday we’ve adopted to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. But it’s not Jesus’ birthday. He was more likely born closer to the end of September, though some would argue for April or October (but that’s another discussion for another time).

What is Christmas then? It’s a holiday that has many faces but which has been adapted as a Christian holiday on the church calendar. A “church calendar” was adopted by many in the Church many years ago, with days throughout the year set apart to remember various aspects of the life of Christ and the Christians. Easter Sunday is one of the days on the church calendar, as are Pentecost Sunday, Trinity Sunday, and a number of others that people in some church traditions have forgotten about in more recent times. On the Church Calendar, the four weeks before Christmas are called Advent, the Christmas season begins on December 25th and it lasts for 12 days.

Of course, none of these things are designed to coincide with the actual dates these events happened, but are used to help Christ-followers remember significant moments in the history of the Christian Church and to take times throughout the year to focus on the different aspects of their faith. So Christ-followers need to remember that Christmas is not actually Jesus’ birthday, but it is a time set aside to remember Jesus’ birth.

Christ wasn’t always a part of this holiday. Christians actually adopted a holiday that already existed in their culture and made the time their own. That’s one reason it’s kind of funny to me when people get upset about non-Christians celebrating the holiday without reference to Christ.

The reality is that we have no reason to be offended when people who don’t believe in Jesus don’t include Jesus in their celebration of the holiday. If they don’t believe in Him, we don’t do ourselves any favors by trying to force Him upon them. When Christians boycott non-Christian businesses for saying “happy holidays,” they do themselves and the cause of Christ a great disservice. They make Christians look insecure and make Christianity out to be some kind of political cause motivated by force rather than a lifestyle motivated by love.

Christmas has many faces but, for those of us who follow Christ, it should be a time to stop and remember God’s love for us. He sent His only Son to the world because He loved us all and, as we celebrate Christmas, we have an opportunity to focus on the greatest gift that anyone has ever given… the gift of Jesus. Instead of condemning people for not recognizing Him, we could use our time and energy a lot better by recognizing Him ourselves and sharing His love with others. Rather than fighting AGAINST others, we should be doing things like giving the gift of love to the poor and needy, exercising grace toward those who don’t know Him yet, and expressing His love in every way we possibly can — in other words, acting the way we should all year long if we are truly followers of Christ.

For non-Christians, the holiday may be more about giving presents and Santa Claus but that’s okay. They don’t know Jesus yet, so it’s really kind of silly for us to demand that they give him lip-service before they know Him. At least they’re taking a moment in their year to think about such things as the giving of gifts and the value of family and love. Maybe if we will stop condemning non-Christians for not thinking like Christians and just love each and every one, some will come to see for themselves that such values have their basis in the One who gave the ultimate Gift… the One who invites us all into His family and loves us with the Ultimate Love.

So what’s Christmas really about? It may seem like I’m just muddying the waters by saying it has many faces but, for those of us who know Christ, it really IS all about Christ. It’s just that being all about Christ should NEVER be about forcing others to do it our way. Being all about Christ should ALWAYS be about loving Him ourselves and then displaying His love by living it out in our relationships with the world around us.

On Sunday afternoon, we sat in a restaurant in Panama where an electronic Santa Claus was dancing in the corner. He was dressed in a big red coat with his well-known white beard flowing down to his chest. In the extreme heat, some of us were wondering why he didn’t change to Bermuda shorts before coming to Panama. I guess it just goes to show that certain symbols have found their way around the world.

What I pray, however, is that God’s love would also find its way around the world through us. Unlike Santa Claus, who sometimes doesn’t think to change his clothes before he dives into the heat, this love may change its clothes and change its expression in different circumstances and cultures. Yet, it always displays the love of Jesus. He left his throne in the heavens to put on our clothes and to live as one of us, and he eventually gave His very life as the Ultimate Gift of love.

May we remember this Christmas season that we, too, are called to give of ourselves for others. I guess that’s what I’m trying to say Christmas is really about for the Christ-follower. It’s a time to to be reminded that Jesus gave himself for us and that we are called by Him to pass the gift on as we give of ourselves to others.