Welcome!

For 5 years I was the pastor of Trinity International Church in Strasbourg, France. I created this blog with those people in mind. In mid-November 2018 I will become the Senior Pastor of Word of Life Church in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. The focus of this blog will therefore shift, but I pray that people from the blogosphere will continue to find it helpful wherever they might be found.
The churches' websites includes recorded sermons for those who are interested. Click the links below to access them.

Friday, August 31, 2018

Praying Through Transitions

Transition: (1) the process or period of changing from one state or condition to another; (2) a time of adventure and new horizons; (3) a time of terror and insecurity.

Whatever your definition of transition is, we are all familiar with its challenges. We transition through different life stages: Infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, parents, etc. As an international church, we are filled with people who are transitioning from one place to another. Some are coming to Strasbourg for a few months or a few years. Others are here as refugees. We have more people in transition than most churches! It is an exciting place to be. 
But at the moment we are in transition as a church. When a pastor leaves, it puts the church in a period of change that provides all of the challenges that other transitions in life bring with them. The elders of the church have wisely called us to a time of prayer and fasting as we enter this time of change. 
I want to share with you some key ideas to guide our praying during this time of change.

Characteristics of Transitions:

Times of transition have several significant characteristics:
They are times of change and uncertainty that bring stress.
By their nature, transitions are times that remove familiar surroundings and ways of doing things. This disorientation can be stressful. When a church transitions from one pastor to the next, there are questions about what is going to happen that can cause anxiety and fear. It can bring out the best and worst of churches.
They are opportunities for new things to happen.
Transitions bring us to a new place. Some are eager for new things and find transitions exciting. Others want to hold on to the old and cherished ways of doing things and find transitions threatening. Often in churches people think that the transition is a time to “fix everything that I don’t like” about the church.
They are a season when God can work deeply.
Transitions break up our routines. As a result, the Lord has an opportunity to work deeply and bring healing, repentance, growth, and lasting fruit. When a church goes through pastoral change, it often finds that its people are praying more, serving more, and drawing closer together. Transitions can be times that bring renewal to the church.


Keys to praying during times of transition:

The goal is glorifying God and bearing fruit.
Times of transition can be disorienting. As a result, it is important to have the correct fixed points to maintain the right perspective. As a followers of Christ, we need to keep our relationship with him as the firm foundation of our lives. We want to move through times of transition in a way glorifies God and bears fruit in our lives. So with our eyes fixed on Jesus, we seek to understand how to act in a way that achieves these goals, rather than simply trying to lessen the trials that times of transition normally bring. 
Psalm 23 tells us that our shepherd leads us in paths of righteousness and beside still waters. But at times we also walk through the valley of the shadow of death. In that dark valley we discover that we can have peace (a fruit of the Spirit) because we know that he is with us and has his rod and staff in his hand. Courage and tranquility are possible because we have focused our attention on the shepherd and his ability to lead us rather than on our circumstances.
We need to pray that we glorify God both as individuals and as a church. Here is a sample prayer that you can use. Pray it for both yourself and TICOS.
Lord, I ask that you would show me how to glorify you. My circumstances are upsetting my normal routines and it is difficult to see the future clearly. Sometimes what I see confuses and discourages me. At other times I am filled with exhilarating hope but I am afraid that it won’t last. 
I pray that you would develop the fruit of the Spirit in my life during this time of transition. 
Replace apathy toward others with love.
Replace despair with joy.
Replace anxiety with peace.
Replace frustration with patience.
Replace harshness with kindness.
Replace cruelty with goodness.
Replace unreliability with faithfulness.
Replace hardness with gentleness.
Replace self-indulgence with self-control.
May the fruit of the Spirit in my life bring you glory and lead others to knowing you. Amen.

Honesty and Authenticity.
Once we set our hearts on glorifying God and bearing fruit for him, there is another danger that lurks in the shadows of transition and threatens to capsize our boat: hypocrisy. The origin of the term is tied to the theatre and described an actor who played a role. Often they wore masks, but the important idea is that they were pretending to be someone who they really weren’t. 
Sometimes we do this in our relationship with God. We are afraid to tell God how we really feel and we pray prayers that don’t really express what we think. It is as if we think that God cannot handle it. That somehow we will be rejected by him if he discovers that we are upset, hurting, or mad at him because of our circumstances. 
It is okay to tell God how we feel and what we want. He won’t break. He knows it anyway. Remember: the Lord is interested in having a relationship with you. 
Authenticity is important in our relationship with God. Jesus modelled this for us when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. As the cross was drawing closer, he prayed to his Father “Lord, is there any way that I don’t have to go through this?” His internal agony was great and he brought it before his Father in prayer. We can do the same. 
As we express our desires to the Lord, it is also important to listen to his response. He knows best. He knows the way through the transition. He knows where there is cool water and where there are only mirages. He leads us for our good and his glory! So we can trust him. Jesus modelled this, too, in the Garden of Gethsemane. He bowed to his Father’s will and for the joy set before him endured the cross. 
 Father, help me to be honest with you about how I am doing. Help me to tell you about my struggles with the openness that comes from deep trust that you are interested in my good. Give me the words to say what I think, but the ears to listen to your will. Like Jesus, may I endure difficult things for your glory. Help me to be open with trusted friends about how things are going in my life. May I realise that deception does not come from you but from the evil one. May truth bear fruit in my relationship with you and others. Amen. 

Deal with sin in our lives.
Transitions have a way of bringing sin to the forefront of our lives. 
The security of our normal routines are stripped away and our sinful tendencies some to “rescue” us. We lie, gossip, form divisive alliances, become jealous or greedy, escape into sexual sin or self-medicate with alcohol or drugs. These are real threats to our walk with the Lord.
In fact, they may be the very reason God has led us into a time of transition. These weeds were there in the garden, and the master gardener wants to pull them out of our lives. The transition did not cause the weeds to grow. They were hidden beneath the surface of what had been our “normal” life and were inhibiting our relationships with God and others. So the Lord brought us into a time of transition in order to deal with these noxious weeds that were poisoning our lives all along.
The apostle Paul was a talented man, but the Lord brought him through a time of difficulty because he had a tendency to rely on himself rather than God (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). In the same way, the Lord will bring us into times of transition in order to remove sin in our lives. So we need to continually ask the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin and to confess our sin to the Lord seeking his forgiveness. 
Lord, the stress of transition is shining a spotlight on my sinfulness. Use this time to purify me. I invite the Holy Spirit to convict me of sin and may I not become defensive. I am a sinner. Show me the weeds in the garden that they might be removed. I commit myself to the hard work of growing in holiness during this time of transition. May I not hide my sin from you, but bring it to you for removal, that I might be forgiven and cleansed of all unrighteousness.

How we and others deal with uncertainty.
We all have preferred ways of acting when we are under stress. One study groups people into three basic responses. Some set a goal and move into “take the mountain” mode. Others become hyper-organized and meticulously plan their way out of the stress. Still others become completely concerned with relationships. Each of these responses is normal, but can have negative impacts. 
Other studies group Christians into “logical” or “spiritual” categories. People in the first category tend to become extremely rational about the situation that they are in and try to reason their way through the transition. People in the second category insist that “waiting on the Lord” and “hearing a word from God” are the best ways forward. 
Both of these are good, but taken to an extreme can have harmful consequences.
It is important to know our tendencies and their strengths and weaknesses. But it is perhaps just as important to remember that the Lord has called us to be in a church connected to other people. He has placed these people in our lives for a reason. We are to minister them and they are to minister to us. When we are in transition, we need to be open to the Lord working though the body of Christ, often bringing strength where we are weak. 
Lord, as I go through this time of transition, help me to listen to others. You are working in their lives as well as mine and I want to be able to see that more clearly. Thank you that you have gifted people in ways that are different than you have gifted me. Help me to appreciate them. Give me ears to hear what you might say and do through them. I acknowledge that my way of doing things is not the only way and that others may even have better ways of approaching things than I do. So help me to watch for the way you are are working rather than simply assuming that my way is best. Keep me from demanding that others do things the way that I would do them.

A Final Thought:

Times of pastoral transition are particularly difficult for church leaders. These leaders typically carry a lot of responsibility even when the church is not in transition. The pastoral search process requires a significant increase in their time commitment. There are Sunday mornings to plan, interim pastors to schedule and host, the search for the next permanent pastor to conduct, as well as all of the duties they normally carry. 
We need to be in prayer for them so that they have the strength and grace to do what God is calling them to do. It is also a time when each member of the body needs to roll up their sleeves and say, “What can I do to help?” Ask the leaders, or simply volunteer to do something! Whatever you do to lessen their load will be a blessing to them and a benefit to you as well. 

Friday, August 24, 2018

How Do We Read the Bible?

How do we view the authority of the Bible? Do we allow what it says to transform our thinking or do we transform what it says to match our thinking? 

This question is increasingly important today because people have a low view of God and of the Bible. They doubt the ability of God to inspire the writers of the Bible in a way that is authoritative for the Christian life through all time and all cultures. Instead, people view the Bible as a document of ancient history which contains some valuable truth which needs to be understood and applied in our context. The question then becomes how we determine what is “merely cultural” and what is “timeless truth”.   

Of course, the Bible was written over the course of many centuries in a variety of cultures by people of different backgrounds. But they were inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is "God-breathed." God's intent is for his Word to transform culture. Therefore, we must understand that correct application will often be opposed to our culture. Romans 12:2 says that we are not to be conformed to the pattern of this world instead we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This verse tells us that we need to allow the scripture to speak to us for itself and bring correction to the way of thinking that we learned from our culture.

The danger is that we may dismiss things that we do not like or agree with as being “merely cultural" and therefore feel free to ignore them. Any time there is a conflict between the way we think and the things that our culture values, we will tend to rationalise away the clear meaning of the text. Let me give you an example.

 Let us imagine that someone is living in a culture where being in a violent gang is normal. In this imaginary culture their parents, their relatives, and all of their friends belong to one of these gangs. As a member of the gang they have territory that must be defended. Both gang and personal honor must be upheld. There is frequent violence against other gangs. Because other gangs have frequently attacked and even killed members of their gang, they have responded in kind. Sometimes they even launch preemptive strikes. It is normal. It seems right and logical. At times it is encouraged and even celebrated. 
Then someone shares the gospel with them. They learn that they can be forgiven of all their sins and that Jesus loves them. They become Christians. They pick up the Bible and enjoy it but there are some troubling passages. For example, it says “Do not murder.” When they read the Bible it seems impossible to apply. It is directly opposed to the things that their families taught them and that they learned from the world around them. It seems wrong.
As a result, they search for a way to reinterpret the command. For example, they might say that the command "Do not murder" cannot possibly apply today because they it is "loving" to protect family...even if it means killing someone long before they attack! Not only that, but Micah 6:8 tells them to "do justice" and many of the heroes of Hebrews 11 were warriors! So the loving and godly thing to do is murder.

You probably thought that example was preposterous. But why? 
I think there are several reasons. 
First, it completely violates what the command explicitly says. 
Second, there are many passages in the New Testament that support the idea that we should not murder. Love=Murder goes against the entire tenor of Scripture. 
Third, it seems ridiculous because our culture has taught us that murder is wrong. 
In other words, our culture and the teaching of the Bible are in agreement and so it is easy to see that the gang members’ interpretation is horribly wrong. But notice the motivation of the gang member: to do what they were taught was right by their family/culture. When confronted with a passage that conflicted with their customs, they sought ways to reinterpret the passage so they could do what they wanted.

This is the temptation that we face every time we study the Bible. Do we allow the Scriptures to transform our thinking or do we seek to mold what the Bible says to be more palatable? Which is more important: what the Bible says or what our culture values?  

Going back to the example "do not murder", the gang member reinterprets the command by saying that it is loving to defend the gang and avenge wrongs done to it by murdering the members of opposing gangs. Thus, the nebulous idea of love was used to twist what the Bible says in order to justify what the gang member wants to do.

This is where the battle is being fought today.

This is most clearly seen today in the area of sexual ethics. The Bible clearly teaches that sex is reserved for marriage and that marriage is only between a man and woman. This is the teaching of both the Old and New Testament. There are clear and explicit warnings about the dangers of sexual immorality. In fact, it clearly states that sexual immorality is one of the reasons for the wrath of God. Today more and more churches are rejecting this teaching. Not only are they tolerating and supporting heterosexual immorality but they are actively supporting homosexual behaviour. They have deemed the prohibitions against sexual immorality as being a reflection of an ancient culture’s biases rather than truth meant to transform culture. And they have done it in the name of “God” and “love” even though the Bible clearly says that those who practice such things will suffer eternal judgement and that his followers MUST turn away from these sins. 

This is no less absurd than the gang member reinterpreting "you shall not murder."

 We must determine once and for all that the Bible will be allowed to transform our thinking. The Bible teaches a way of life that will often be opposed to contemporary culture. This was true then and it is now. 

We must allow the Bible to transform our thinking. Whether it comes to sexual ethics, finances, murder, or any other area of our life, the Bible has much to teach us. If we claim to be followers of Christ then we must seek to understand what the word of Christ says and to apply it to our lives. 

Will you allow the Bible to transform your thinking? 

Say yes.


For a more technical article about some of these issuesclick here.

Friday, August 17, 2018

His Return - How Close Are We?

How Close Are We? 

There are many who shy away from studying the end times. For some it seems too intimidating. After all, there are over 150 chapters in the Bible that relate to the end times! Others have been put off by those who have predicted a date and have always been wrong. Still others quote Jesus as saying that “no one knows the day or hour” and reason that it is pointless to study the end times. 
Each of these positions are mistaken. First, it is dangerous to ignore 150 chapters of the Bible that were given for our instruction so that we can be equipped for the works we are called to do (2 Timothy 3:16-17). While they will apply most dramatically to the generation that actually experiences the return of Christ, they contain a great deal of insight into how believers of every age are to live. 
While it is true that no one knows the day or hour of his return, Jesus did tell us that there were signs that would precede his coming and that we should be ready. In fact, the Bible tells us that we will NOT be surprised by his return (1 Thessalonians 5:1-4)! Of course, if we ignore the study of the last days, we will be surprised. In fact, we will be offended. We might even fall away (Matthew 24:9-13).
Personally, I feel that the signs of his return are becoming more and more unmistakable. It
would not surprise me at all if the the generation that will experience his coming is already on the earth today. We are living in unique times and the sound of hoofbeats of the horsemen can be heard in the distance. 

So what are some of these signs?

The Gospel to the Nations

The Lord desires to see people from every nation gathered around his throne. This is a key reason we are to be make disciples of all nations and be witnesses of Jesus to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). Jesus gave a very specific sign in Matthew 24:14. He said that the gospel will be taken to every nation and thenthe end would come. In recent decades there has been a dramatic missionary movement that has spread the gospel around the world. Missionaries are now targeting the the “least reached” within nations and working with ever-tighter definitions of what defines a group of people in order to reach those who may have not heard the gospel. 
In fact, the most recent edition of Operation World reports that most of the “unreached” peoples already have at least one believer (Operation World 2010, p. 27). This key already be in the lock ready to be turned to open the door for his return!



The Beginnings of The Last Days Outpouring the Spirit

The Holy Spirit has always empowered the church. At times, his presence has been assumed rather than actively recognised. Often, the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit has been ignored and the church has been relatively powerless. The Scriptures tell us that in the last days there will be a great outpouring of the Spirit. This will result in prophecy, visions, and dreams being common. It will empower the believers to boldly witness resulting in a great revival. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Joel 2:28-32).
In the last hundred years there has been a massive move of the Holy Spirit in the church worldwide. While there have been excesses, this openness to the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit is an indication of the power that will be manifested in the church as it moves through the last days. 


Economic Trends

In the last days there will be a worldwide interconnected financial system in place that will require a mark of loyalty to the government for participation. If you do not have the mark, you will be unable to buy or sell anything. Such a global system was unthinkable until the invention of modern computer-based technology (Revelation 13:16-18). 
Some governments are already planning to become cashless. All transactions will be electronic. You will have to be in the system to buy or sell anything. This trend is not evil in itself and is probably irreversible. It is convenient and secure. Governments and law enforcement like the ability to track criminal activity and will promote it. 
However, there will come a day when a pledge of allegiance will be required to be part of the system. This allegiance will be to the leader of a economic, political, and religious system. Only those who make this pledge will be given a mark that will allow them to buy and sell. This is the mark of the Beast. True followers of Christ will not participate and will be persecuted.

The March Toward a One-World Government

History is filled with groups of people forming institutions for mutual benefit and strength. This always involves people submitting to the authority of the institution. For example, the United States were formed by separate colonies/states submitting themselves to a united federal government. History also tells us that these institutions will compete economically and militarily for control fo people and resources. Wars are the common result. 
In the last century two global wars and the development of nuclear weapons made international cooperation paramount and led to the development of the United Nations. While nations continue to jockey for position, the trend toward a global government is relentless. Technology has made the world smaller. This has made it possible to centralise global power in a single place. The desire for peace and security will make the establishment of a world-wide government inevitable. Every wave of international conflict simply pushes us closer to the day we will have an international peace accord (Daniel 9:27).
The Bible speaks of the reestablishment of a city like ancient Babylon, which combined economic, military, political and religious power in a single city with a single head. It persuaded people cooperate and punished severely those who did not. The pieces necessary for the development of this truly global city are falling into place. Where and when remain a mystery, but the masses cry out for unity and peace on earth (Revelation 13).


Increasing Governmental Power to Monitor

Civil governments are necessary to restrain evil. Police arrest criminals. Military units keep us safe from invasion. Governments often work hard to identify threats in the earliest stages. One of the facts of governmental systems is that they seek to protect themselves. In the time of kings and queens, loyalty to the crown was demanded and the king used whatever means necessary to ensure his “divine right” to rule was not questioned and the laws that emanated from it were followed. Often these kings were abusive in their authority. In the West, various democratic constitutions create the government. The idea was that government of the by the people rather than a king would protect what were seen as God-given rights that belonged to each person. The officials of the government, elected and appointed, are expected to protect and defend the Constitution from all threats whether foreign or domestic.

This inherent desire of governments to protect themselves, coupled with the desire for people to live in safety, opens the door to abuse. Today governments install cameras in almost all public places. Our cell phones track our every movement and are often listening in on our everyday lives. Siri is alway listening in case you have a question. The use of debit cards and electronic funds transfers means we don’t have to carry lots of cash around. It also leaves a trail of what we spend our money on. Social networks highlight who knows who and our likes and dislikes. All of this reduces our privacy. 
We often react by saying, “Don’t care because I am not doing anything wrong.” Which is true…today. But remember that Adolph Hitler quickly rose to power. Imagine the terror he could have caused using today’s technology. The Bible speaks of a time of great tribulation when all who do not worship the Antichrist will be hunted down and killed. The tools that will be used in this evil campaign are already being refined in the name of safety and security. 

 The Existence of the Nation of Israel

Without a doubt, one of the most amazing events of the last hundred years is the migration of Jewish people back to the Promised Land and the sudden appearance of the nation of Israel in 1948. This, too, is a fulfilment of Biblical prophecy and begins to set the stage for the events of the last days. 
Just as amazing, but receiving less attention is the fact that Jewish people are beginning to discover that Jesus is their Messiah. There are over 250 Messianic Jewish congregations in Israel. This is likely to be the first-fruits of a great ingathering of Jews in the last days. The Bible tells us that one day every living Jew will have received the Jesus as their Messiah (Romans 11;25-26).


So What?

The generation that experiences the Lord’s return is the most-written about generation in the Bible. The Bible tells us that the days will be dark with sin and persecution and we need to be prepared. At the same time, the Bible also tells that it will be a time of great spiritual power and the contrast between the followers of Christ and the rest of society will be incredible. The closest parallel is the escape from Egypt. As the Lord brought Israel out of captivity, his judgements were poured out on the Egyptians, but the people of Israel experienced great victory. Studying the end times will prepare us to live with the power of the Spirit in difficult circumstances even if we are not a part of the generation that experiences his return.


Study the Scriptures

There are a lot of books out there, but it is the Bible that needs to form the foundation of our walk with the Lord. His Word is our guide. So study what it says. 150 chapters will take time to digest. Start with Matthew 24. It lays out the basic timeline. Then read the other chapters in the New Testament. Then turn to the Old Testament. 
What you will discover is that Jesus is coming back. He will come back in a paradoxical time. The world will have become dark. Wickedness will be everywhere. Yet his bride, the church is praying and operating with great power. The contrast between believers and unbelievers will be dramatic. 

Pray

1 Peter 4:7 tells us that end of all things is near. Therefore, we are to be alert and self-controlled so that we can pray. As we see the day of his return drawing close, we must give ourselves to prayer, much as Daniel did. When he understood from prophecy that the times of the Babylonian exile were coming to an end he gave himself to prayer and fasting (Daniel 9:1-3). This is the way God typically operates in the world. He seeks to respond to our prayers because he wants to be in relationship with us. This is why Jesus tells us to pray for his kingdom to come. 
The end times will see the church crying out for the Lord to fulfil his promises. And he will.  


Live with a Sense of Urgency

If the days of the return of Christ are at hand, then we must live with a sense of urgency. People need to hear the gospel. We need to prepare ourselves for days of persecution so that we will stand. We need live with eternity’s values in mind rather than chasing after the baubles of the world. 

We should be doing these three things anyway! 

Les décisions difficiles et la volonté de Dieu

La semaine dernière, nous avons annoncé que nous allions quitter Strasbourg et retourner aux Etats-Unis en Octobre. Je vais devenir le pasteur principal de l'église “Word of Life” à Coon Rapids, situé dans la périphérie de Minneapolis au Minnesota. 

J'ai pensé qu'il serait utile pour nos amis qui sont ici de comprendre ce qui nous a conduit à cette décision. Si vous recherchez un article sur des problèmes d'église ou de croustillantes histoires de commérages, vous allez être déçus ! La vie et le ministère ont tous deux été bons ici. 

Nous ne partons pas en raison de problèmes d'église ou de conflits. En réalité, les gens de l'église ici sont fantastiques, la mission de l'église est incroyable, et Strasbourg a cette manière de captiver le coeur de ceux qui s'y arrêtent un certain temps. 

Les responsables de l'église, qu'ils soient formels ou informels, sont des disciples du Christ passionnés que je suis heureux d'appeler mes amis. Ils conduisent une église locale d'impact mondial. 

Nous partons car nous croyons que le Seigneur nous appelle à servir dans un autre endroit. Comment en sommes-nous arrivés à cette conclusion? Laissez-moi vous donner quelques-uns des principes que nous avons utilisés et ensuite vous dire comment ils ont fonctionné pour nos vies. 

Peut-être vous aideront-ils à comprendre notre décision et, plus important encore, peut-être vous seront-ils aussi utiles pour prendre des décisions dans votre propre vie. 

Principes clés pour trouver la volonté de Dieu

Principe 1 : Abandon absolu à Jésus

Quand nous essayons de discerner quelle est la volonté de Dieu pour nos vies, c'est important de commencer par une bonne et solide fondation. Nous ne pouvons pas considérer les principes fondamentaux comme acquis. 

Jésus a enseigné que le plus grand commandement était “Tu aimeras le Seigneur, ton Dieu, de tout ton coeur, de toute ton âme, de toute ta pensée, et de toute ta force” (Marc 12:28-30). C'est la première étape dans la recherche de la volonté de Dieu. Il veut que nous l'aimions avec tout ce que nous avons. 

Aimer le Seigneur de cette façon requiert l'abandon de toute autre chose. Jésus a indiqué clairement que l'on ne peut pas servir Dieu et l'argent. De ce fait, les considérations financières doivent être écartées lorsque nous cherchons la volonté de Dieu. Il pourvoira à tout ce qui est nécessaire pour que nous accomplissions sa volonté (Matthieu 6:24-33). 

Aimer le Seigneur nous demande de mettre la famille de côté. Jésus l'a fait clairement savoir à de multiples reprises. “Si quelqu’un vient à moi, et s’il ne hait pas son père, sa mère, sa femme, ses enfants, ses frères et ses sœurs, et même sa propre vie, il ne peut être mon disciple. Et quiconque ne porte pas sa croix et ne me suit pas, ne peut être mon disciple” (Luc 14:26-27). 

Nous avons naturellement une grande affection pour nos familles et il se peut que nous ressentions une responsabilité à l'égard de leur bien-être. Mais le Seigneur demande la première place. Lui seul sait ce qui est le mieux pour nos familles.

Principe 2 : L'autorité de la Bible

Si nous voulons connaître la volonté de Dieu pour nos vies, il est insensé d'ignorer la Bible. Elle est, après tout, la révélation inhérente de sa volonté (2 Timothée 3:16-17; Psaume 199:105)! Il est important que nous comprenions que le Seigneur nous a déjà parlé au travers de sa Parole. Quelles que soient nos circonstances, la Parole de Dieu fournit le conseil le plus sage que nous puissions imaginer. 

Nous devons être des étudiants de la Parole si nous sommes sérieux à l'idée de connaître sa volonté. Ceci prend du temps et de l’application afin que notre pensée soit renouvelée (Romains 12:1-2) et que nous puissions comprendre ce qu'il veut que nous fassions. 

Les gens qui disent vouloir connaître la volonté de Dieu mais qui ne sont pas intéressés à l'idée de suivre ce que la Bible enseigne se trompent. Elle répond à la plupart des questions concernant la manière dont nous devons vivre et ce que nous devons faire. Bien entendu, la vie chrétienne ce n'est pas suivre des règles en dehors d'une relation avec Jésus (John 5:39-40), mais la Bible est claire sur le fait que la relation sera marquée par l'obéissance à sa parole (1 John 2:3-6). 

Et suivre la Bible signifie plus que trouver simplement un verset qui justifie ce que nous voulons faire. Au contraire, cela signifie appliquer à notre situation la gamme complète de l'enseignement biblique. 

Principe 3 : Aptitude au poste

Dieu nous a destinés à faire partie de son corps. Chacun de nous a un rôle différent à jouer et Dieu nous a donné divers dons, personnalités, et désirs qui concorderont avec le rôle qu'il a pour nous (1 Corinthiens 12:12-31; Romains 12:3-9). Il nous a préparé d'avance des choses à faire et les choses seront en adéquation avec nos capacités. (Ephésiens 2:10). 

Ceci ne veut pas dire qu'il nous appellera uniquement à faire des choses pour lesquelles nous sommes à l’aise ou bien que nous ne nous sentirons jamais inadéquats. Quelquefois il nous appellera à lui faire confiance au sujet du fait qu'il nous utilisera en dépit de notre manque de talents dans un domaine. Cependant, en général, l'appel de Dieu à long terme est en adéquation avec ce pour quoi il nous a créé.

Principe 4 : L'avis de sages conseillers'

La Bible parle de l'importance des conseillers (Proverbs 11:14; 12:15; 13:10; 15:22; 20:18). Nous devons chercher le conseil d'autres qui peuvent nous donner leur point de vue et leur expérience sur notre situation. Ces personnes doivent être ancrées dans la Bible, qui est une source de vraie sagesse. 

Ils doivent être premièrement soucieux de nous aider à trouver la volonté de Dieu pour nos vies. Ils doivent être le genre de personne qui nous confronte lorsque nous avons besoin de correction. Nous devons veiller à ne pas chercher le conseil uniquement de ceux qui confirment ce que nous voulons déjà faire. Ils doivent dire la vérité de Dieu avec amour même si nous ne voulons pas l'entendre. 

Principe 5 : Une voix familière

Suivre le Seigneur est une question de relation. Jésus nous a dit que ses brebis entendraient sa voix (John 10:3-4). Les conseillers ne sont pas un substitut à l'écoute du Seigneur par nous-mêmes. 

Nous devons chercher à cultiver activement sa présence dans nos vies. Quelquefois ce sera son murmure doux et léger ou bien l'Esprit nous parlant à travers la parole. Dans tous les cas, quand nous nous soumettons à l'idée de faire sa volonté, sa voix ajoutera à cela un sentiment profond de paix (Philippians 4:4-7).

Comment les principes ont fonctionné dans nos vies

Quand nous étions en train de nous préparer à déménager à Strasbourg, nos amis aux Etats-Unis nous ont demandé combien de temps nous allions rester en France. Leur question était logique mais nous n‘avions pas de réponse.

J’avais accepté une mission à durée indéterminée. Notre dénomination ne change pas les pasteurs très souvent. Mon premier pastorat a duré 14 ans. Nous avons expliqué aux gens que nous ne savions pas quand et si nous allions revenir aux Etats-Unis. Nous reviendrions en vacances chaque année mais n’avions aucune idée de combien de temps nous serions partis.

Cependant, nous avions bien pris un engagement : nous resterions au moins trois ans quoi qu’il arrive. J’avais parlé  à assez de missionnaires et lu assez de biographies pour savoir que les trois premières années seraient difficiles. Par conséquent, nous nous sommes promis à nous-mêmes que notre moment de réflexion viendrait après le cap des 3 ans.

Je n’avais pas idée de combien des trois années seraient difficiles. Ceux d’entre vous qui l’ont fait vont secouer la tête en signe d’approbation. Si vous n’avez jamais fait cela, je ne peux probablement pas mieux vous expliquer qu’en comparant cela à courir un marathon (j’en ai couru trois) pour vous faire comprendre ce que c’est. Visiter un autre pays n’a rien de comparable. On peut s’accommoder de tout l’espace de quelques semaines ou un mois.

L’érosion quotidienne de la vie dans un pays étranger vous use d’une manière inimaginable. La fascination et le côté exotique disparaît après quelques mois. Les difficultés du langage et les faux-pas culturels s’empilent et semblent vous écraser. Parfois on se sent comme un plongeur en eaux profondes, et quelqu’un pince votre tube à oxygène. Pendant ces trois premières années nous avons parlé à d’autres missionnaires et ils ont acquiescé en connaissance de cause.

Et soudain c’est fini. Comme Jonas après avoir été craché par le gros poisson, nous nous retrouvons sur la plage. La France est devenue notre chez nous. La vie en Amérique a l’air étrange alors que la vie en France fait du bien. Un regard sur le calendrier nous dit que nous avons passé le cap des trois ans. Nous l’avons fait! Nous avons survécu à la période de transition.

En même temps, alors que nous regardions vers le futur, il y avait des questions dans nos cœurs. Est-ce que nous étions sensés rester à Strasbourg jusqu’à la retraite? Bien que nous aimions l’église et nos amis ici, il y avait une agitation dans nos esprits. Nous savions qu’il était temps de rechercher une confirmation de Dieu sur ce que nous devions faire. Notre famille nous manquait mais nous aimions beaucoup notre vie ici. Nous avons prié pour que Dieu nous guide et avons tout mis devant Lui. Notre famille, nos finances, notre futur et notre vie française, tout au pied de la croix à nouveau.

J’ai essayé dans mes lectures bibliques quotidiennes de faire attention à ce que Dieu pourrait dire à ce sujet. Le problème est qu’il y a des choses dont la Bible ne parle pas spécifiquement. Elle ne vous dira pas s’il faut acheter un PC ou un Mac. Il n’y a pas de verset qui vous dira quel boulot choisir. Il y a des principes mais souvent il s’agit plus de marcher en relation avec Jésus et de la sagesse qui vient de Son esprit.

Je savais de la Bible que ma vie devait être raccordée à la grande mission de sauver des âmes (Mathieu 28, 18-20). Notre église était évidement impliqué dans la formation de disciple  de toutes les nations. Mais était-ce l’endroit où je devais passer les dix ou quinze prochaines années? Ou est-ce que mon ministère était d’emmener l’église ici vers une certaine maturité et ensuite partir pour une autre mission? Si tel était le cas, le fait de rester desservirait le ministère de l’église. Il n’y avait pas de chapitre dans la Bible pour me guider.Il y avait la voix de l’Esprit, mais elle était étrangement silencieuse. Je savais seulement qu’il y avait une légère agitation en mon fort intérieur. Que se passait-il?

Comme la plupart des pasteurs, au long de mon ministère , j’ai eu de sages conseiller en dehors de l’église où je servais, à qui je pouvais parler de ce que je traversais. Ces hommes nous connaissaient bien et avaient vécu beaucoup de choses autant dans les églises qu’en tant que missionnaires. En mai 2017, nous sommes allés en vacances aux Etats-Unis. Là-bas, j’avais pris des rendez-vous avec plusieurs de ces hommes. Par le passé, ils m’avaient encouragés, donné des conseils, et nous avaient rassurés sur le fait que nous étions au beau milieu de ce que Dieu voulait qu’on fasse. J’avais hâte de leur parler.

Nous étions à l’aéroport quand j’ai reçu un e-mail d’une provenance inattendue : un ancien partenaire de prière. Son message était simple. Le Seigneur lui avait parlé et voulait qu’il me dise quelque chose : “Dieu pourrait te rappeler aux Etats-Unis et quand il le fera, n’hésite pas et n’aie pas peur.” Il n’avait aucun moyen de savoir que nous nous posions des questions sur notre futur.

Dans mes rendez-vous avec avec chacun de mes hommes sages, Je reprenais des notes que j’avais notées :
- Je pensais que nous avions passé les années de transition. Dieu faisait de bonnes choses dans l’église.
- Des leaders étaient en cours de développement
- Les cultes étaient remplis
- Dieu touchait des gens de beaucoup de nations
- Mais personnellement nous ressentions comme un sentiment d’inefficacité. Comme si on arrivait pas à passer la seconde vitesse.
- J’avais beaucoup de mal avec la langue. Si une personne me parlait doucement, je pouvais comprendre mais parler était un désastre. Beaucoup des conversations à l’église sont en français, j’étais quelqu’un qui écoute et qui se tait.
- J’avais du mal avec la vision. Ce qui se passait à l’église était bien mais quel était la prochaine étape ?
- Les arrivées et départ constants de gens nous usait
- J’étais inquiet car Janet ne pouvait pas utiliser toutes ces compétences dans un contexte étranger.

Etonnament, chacun de mes conseillers m’a donné le même conseil. Dans le passé, ils parlaient des difficultés des missions outre-mers et de comment les travailleurs à l’étranger luttent avec ce sentiment d’inefficacité pendant des années et ils me disaient comment gérer cela. Cette fois-ci, ils m’ont tous parlé “d’adéquation avec le ministère.” 

Ils m’ont expliqué qu’en général, un ministère fructueux sur le long terme découle d’une adéquation entre les besoins et les dons. Parfois Dieu nous appelle à combler des besoins pour lesquels nous ne sommes pas doués. Il le fait pour combler un besoin particulier ou pour nous enseigner des choses. Cependant, servir en dehors de notre zone de talents pendant longtemps amène à un burn-out, à l’inefficacité, et une église en mauvaise santé. Dans chaque réunion, ils ont senti que le Seigneur pourrait nous rappeler aux Etats-Unis. Ils pensaient que c’était de là que venait mon sentiment d’agitation intérieure.

Deux des conseillers avaient la même suggestion: candidater pour un poste de pasteur qui s’ouvrait. Le fait qu’ils aient même considéré cela nous a montré que notre place à long terme n’était pas à Strasbourg. Ce serait autre part, mais où? Et quand? Et comment?

Cela nous était déjà arrivé dans notre église précédente. Nous avions réalisé que nous ne continuerions pas sur place jusqu’à notre retraite mais nous ne savions pas où nous irions ni quand.

Avance rapide vers 2017 et nous étions dans une situation similaire où nous aimions notre ministère du moment et notre église, tout en sachant qu’à un moment une porte s’ouvrirait et nous devrions la franchir. Où, quand ou comment, cela restait un mystère.

En mars 2018, dix mois après mes rendez-vous avec nos hommes sages, notre ancien Super-intendant de District au Minnesota nous a parlé d’une église dans un faubourg de Minneapolis qui s’appelle Coon Rapids qui recherchait un pasteur. Il pensait que nous serions à notre place là-bas. Intrigués, nous avons prié et décidé d’envoyer mon CV sur la pile. Nous n’avons pas eu de nouvelles pendant deux mois et supposions qu’ils n’étaient pas intéressés. C’était OK pour nous, nous avions plein de choses à faire à Strasbourg.  

En mai, nous sommes partis pour des vacances de randonnée. C’est un ancien chemin de pèlerinage appelé “The Camino” (le chemin). Nous avions tout le temps pour prier et réfléchir sur les 270 kilomètres que nous avons parcourus en marchant de Porto au Portugal à Santiago en Espagne. Alors que nous nous demandions ce que Dieu avait prévu, Janet lisait un blog à propos du Camino. Une question avait été posée par quelqu’un qui avait peur de se perdre. Quelqu’un avait répondu, « Ne t’inquiète pas de trouver le Camino, le Camino te trouvera. » A ce moment, nous avons senti que le Seigneur avait tout sous son contrôle. Nous devions juste nous attendre à lui. Cela pourrait être pendant des mois ou des années. Nous aurions simplement continué de servir du mieux que nous pouvions là où il nous avait placé jusqu’à il nous montre une nouvelle voie.

Quelques jours plus tard, j’ai regardé mes e-mails pendant une pause repos sur le chemin. Il y avait un e-mail de l’église à Coon Rapids. Ils voulaient me voir pour un entretien le 9 juin. Est-ce que j’étais disponible pour une conversation Skype ? Nous avons dit oui. Deux jours après l’entretien J’ai reçu un e-mail qui disait qu’il avait voté et qu’à l’unanimité ils souhaitaient me faire venir et défendre ma candidature le week-end du 15 juillet. Est-ce que j’étais disponible ? En fait je devais être à Minneapolis en vacances, des vacances planifiées bien avant ! Alors il nous a semblé que peut-être « le Camino venait  à nous », donc j’ai dit oui.

J’étais toujours un peu inquiet. Bien que je pensais que le Seigneur m’appellerait à quitter Strasbourg un jour, l’idée de retourner aux Etats-Unis m’embêtait un peu. L’église de Strasbourg est unique. Elle est faite d’un groupe de personnes originaires de plus de 30 pays différents qui change constamment. La ville est culturellement riche et a une histoire fascinante. J’avais peur de e retrouver dans un endroit « ordinaire ».

Par « chance », il s’est trouvé qu’avant le week-end de candidature, j’avais un autre rendez-vous de prévu avec un des ces sages vétérans du ministère. A un moment il avait servi dans une église internationale. Alors que j’expliquais ce que je ressentais il acquiesça de la tête. Il me rappela ensuite que je devais me concentrer sur le fait de faire le volonté de Dieu et non sur le contexte extérieur. « A la fin du week-end tu sauras si c’est la prochaine mission de Dieu pour toi. Relax ! » Il aurait aussi bien pu dire « ne t’inquiète pas de trouver le Camino, le Camino te trouvera ».

Le week-end de candidature en lui-même s’est bien passé. Nous collons avec la personnalité de l’église. Elle est dans un faubourg qui devient très multiculturel. Elle a un ministère actif dans le domaine de désintoxication / le traitement des addictions, une action dans les quartiers à logement sociaux, et un potentiel énorme. Tout cela nous semblait bien. C’était l’endroit où Dieu nous appelait à servir. Tout comme il nous avait appelés à Nashwauk, tout comme il nous avait appelés à Strasbourg. Maintenant il nous appelait à Coon Rapids. Cela a été confirmé quelques jours plus tard après qu’ils aient (ont) prié et voté à l’unanimité pour que je sois leur pasteur. Après avoir prié à ce sujet, nous avons dit oui.

Il y a de la paix dans nos cœurs, l’agitation a disparu. Aujourd’hui nous sommes certains que nous faisons la volonté de Dieu en retournant aux Etats-Unis. Cela ne veut pas dire que ça va être facile. En fait, alors que nous nous imaginons quitter nos amis et notre vie en France, nous sommes en deuil. Notre consolation est de savoir que le Seigneur à le contrôle.

Tout comme quand nous avons quitté Nashwauk, Dieu est déjà en train de préparer la personne qui deviendra pasteur de Trinity. On accueillera chaleureusement cette personne et sa famille. Ils découvriront les joies et les challenges liés à la fonction de pasteur d’une église de gens du monde entier. Comme nous, ils seront ébahis de ce que Dieu fait dans une église locale avec un impact mondial.