One Man, One Stable, One Massive Paradigm Shift

It seems easy to classify the God of the Old Testament. He is the God who created the universe, who parted the Red Sea, who gave the Ten Commandments, and who scattered the inhabitants of the Tower of Babel. He is dramatic and violent, willing to wipe out thousands – even while protecting those He cares for and those who obey His commands.

And He views the world through only one prism: that of the law. A man or a nation obeys the law, and they are rewarded and blessed; the same person or nation disobeys, and they are punished. There are  a few notable exceptions – the books of Job and Song of Solomon come to mind – but for the most part, that paradigm seems to hold true.

One of the interesting facts about the nature of some of the books of kings in the Bible is that they do not seem to deal with the kings in a manner that we Americans would deal with them. There is little talk of whether the economy rose or fell or whether they had better diplomatic relations with other countries or whether the kings were able to be men of great intellect and learning. They all seem to be viewed along the single perspective of whether they feared the Lord, and by extension, whether they obeyed Him.

In the New Testament, the paradigm shifts. Suddenly, all of human history is about this one man born into this world in a smelly stable, itchy hay sticking to his neck, with a few annoyed cows probably mooing their displeasure on having their pleasant night of sleep interrupted by his cries. When Jesus quietly enters the world, it does not become about the ritual, about having done the right thing the whole time or not. It becomes about Him – about this one man, of no particular birth or wealth or status.

And in so doing, God did something unprecedented. The prince becomes the pauper. The boss goes undercover. The one at the top sees what it’s like for one at the bottom. Initially, this move looks like weakness. What is God doing associating with the lowest dregs of humanity? And yet, what looks like weakness turns out to be strength: God made Himself accessible to lowly human beings. By becoming human, God made himself one of us. And in so doing, He allowed us to have fellowship with Him.

To put it another way, God became a part of human culture, so that humans could be a part of God’s culture. Sounds a lot like a missionary, doesn’t it?

Merry Christmas!

Written by: John Michael Den Hartog

Q and A: Interview with a CFCI Partner - Shun Lee Fong

Most people would consider leaving a successful career as a lawyer - almost ready to become a partner at his firm, no less - one of the less-intelligent decisions of Shun Lee Fong's life. However, as the founder of a small Los Angeles-based ministry called The Greenhouse, having ministered to more than 6,000 people over the course of the past seven years, he would probably disagree. CFCI and Shun Lee were able to sit down recently and discuss his wild Hollywood ride, what God has taught him in the meantime, and what that might mean for the future.

How did God call you to Hollywood?

                      

I was from a very creative family and a lawyer at the time and half way through that… He called me. It was kind of a revelation that God was doing something in Hollywood. I’d been reading about how our job as Christians is to join God where He is working… and that was kind of the emphasis for me in terms of getting out there and examining what God was doing in Hollywood and realizing after a while that this was what God has calling me to do.

What about the Greenhouse? Was that part of the vision from beginning or did that come about later?

It was part of the vision from the beginning… I had an idea of reaching out to artists, helping out artists, mentoring them not only filming television, but music and all the other art disciplines.  That came into being about seven and a half years ago in 2007. We’ve been going pretty strong ever since.

Tell us a little bit about Greenhouse itself, its purpose, what you do in it. Obviously you help actors and others people try to make it in the business. How far does that extend?

It initially started with a handful of people meeting in the basement of a church that the pastor had given me the keys to. We got together and talked about what it means to be an artist… from a creative point of view, intellectually, physically - all the different aspects of life. And it was really a conversation about what we can do to keep moving forward with who we are as creative artists. About a month after that, people started coming out of the woodwork, they wanted to be part of that conversation. So we had to examine what it looks like from a broader scale. So over the years, we kept that same vision of what it means to be a holistic creative professional. What does it mean to be healthy in all those areas of life so we are actually growing, serving one another? It’s been going on for about seven and a half years now and we have outreached about 6,000 peoplein that amount of time.

Do you have any particular stories of individuals who have been touched by your ministry or that you feel like God has allowed you to touch during that time?

There have been a lot of people and there are a lot of different ways. One that comes to mind is a young man who came into my office about four years ago and was not doing well. He was sincerely and very seriously struggling with even being alive and didn’t believe in God, didn’t believe that God loved him. I let him come to my office every day. We would sit, talk a little. I’d listen to him, watch him cry a little bit, (and) give him some-thing to think about. This went on for about four years. He ended up moving to Texas and was running a film school for a high school. He just sent me his baptism photos a few weeks ago.

How has Greenhouse evolved over the years?

We are no longer meeting at that church. When we hit fifty people, we realized that we needed to find a bigger place, so we ended up at the Shakespeare club in Pasadena, which is a huge stone building they let us use very cheaply. And we outgrew that place too. Then we went to CBS studios, and they graciously allowed us some space there that we’ve been using ever since.

What do you see Greenhouse doing in the future? How do you see it continuing to grow and being a part of the work that God is doing there to do in Hollywood and in LA?

We have a lot of different programs. One of them is Hollywood Connect, which is geared for people in their first year of being in Hollywood. We help them with some of those early questions. We get them turned in the right direction, to make good decision - not only creatively, professionally but also personally, spiritually, etc. We’ve got a lot of workshops that we do every Saturday at CBS, looking for ways to help them get better at their craft. We don’t look at things just spiritually... All the other aspects are really important as well. We have mentoring (and) community events where people come in and hear some of the big-name artists of Hollywood talk about what it means to be a creative professional. We make film together. We are hoping to see a real culture shift because the Greenhouse approaches art from a different point of view. It takes a lot of work. Our focus is turning Hollywood upside down, saying that this is how Hollywood has been, but it is not necessarily healthy. How do we approach the art from a healthier point of view? We are hoping to see that spread in Los Angeles but also in other creative centers in the United States as well as the rest of the world.

Of the time that you got to spend in LA, what are you most proud of?

Of course the project, always being able to step into a project, lend in my creative talent - whether it’s as an actor, writer, (or) producer. I am tremendously grateful for having been a part of those. Also I am proud of cultivating healthy relationships between people and with myself as well. It’s a very alienating town. There are a lot of lonely people, so to be able to cultivate relationships, see community pulled together and serving each other, and serving the community as a whole, serving the city. In a lot of ways it’s pushing through an industry that has been a particular way for a hundred years or more, seeing a different way of doing it, an innovative way of doing it, and I’m very proud of being part of that process.

How do you see Christ for the City and the Greenhouse working together in the future?

A lot of that remains to be seen, but the thing that we love about Christ for the City is that they are very intentional about supporting other groups and being a part of providing resources and looking at new ways to see culture shifts, to be change agents. Obviously that’s very much where we are up to. We want to see things to be better. Hopefully there will be opportunities for the Greenhouse and Christ for the City to work on - artistic opportunities - to look for the stories that needs to be told, not only in the United States but around world because of what they are doing elsewhere. We see a lot of opportunities in the younger generations because there are very engaged into art, entertainment, (and) pop culture.

For more information about the Greenhouse, including how you can get connected, visit greenhouseproductions.com

Written by: John Michael Den Hartog

Missionary Interview - Carlos Mestayer

Country of Origin: Costa Rica

Country of Mission: Costa Rica

Age: 47 years young

Position: Translator/Short-Term Teams Director

On the side: Lead singer of Christian Rock band Sin Paredes (Without Walls) (Who is currently beginning work on a brand-new album)

I had the opportunity to sit down with Carlos Mestayer and talk to him about his adventures being in a Christian Spanish hard rock band, his ministry, and the ways those two overlap.

About the band 

It’s been a great adventure with the band. We’ve gone to so many places, and we’ve been able to spend so much time with kids and pray with them, encourage them, even disciple some of them. That’s the joy of ministry. People ask us sometimes when we have the opportunities to have interviews...whether we want to be famous or not. We are reaching a point where we are telling them, "Well, are like dinosaurs now - we are getting old - but yes, we want to be famous. Just because we want to hear the Word of God spread." The more people hear about us will hear about the Lord. We would really like to tell kids, especially in the Spanish-speaking world, that there is hope, there is healing. More than ever this generation is broken, needs role models. 

[In particular] there is such sexual brokenness. Sexual brokenness at this particular point has reached epidemic levels all over the world. There is so much need for guidance, for loving, for healing for the kids. And that is what we want to do for years to come. I don’t know how many more years we have to be relevant, culturally, as musicians, but we want to let people know that there is hope. Whenever God opens the door, we will use it. We would love to go and do some damage wherever we go.

About the new album with a new recording label 

It is one of the things that the Lord has for us, and I am excited about it. I am not extremely excited. Probably back in the day I would have been crazy about it, but at this particular point it’s, "Yeah, it’s going to be fun. Let’s see where the Lord takes all of this."

About working with the short-term missions department 

It’s really exciting, especially when you start seeing how God orchestrates things, how God has been moving and how God uses little details and the willingness of people to just go and do His work. Something I usually tell people when they want to go on a short-term mission trip is that they don’t need to be Bible scholars, they don’t need to be mission professionals, or experts in cross-cultural experiences; all God needs is available people. People that are willing to live simply and live dangerously in the hands of God. God will provide the words, even the skills at particular moments. And if people have natural skills, I usually encourage them to use them to bless other people. It’s something that I have been doing for 14 years now, and I am not tired of it. It’s just wonderful to be there as a facilitator and get to see and hear transformation taking place, not only in the lives of locals but also in the lives of short-termers going to serve. They go back home richer, with a different type of wealth that you don’t get to see often int he United States. It’s kingdom wealth, spiritual wealth, it’s growth. It is the result of living for a while out of your comfort zone and adventuring to do what God wants you to do. It’s really cool.

Interview Conducted and Written by: John Michael Den Hartog

How one man's holy dare transformed a few people's lives

What do you do when God calls you to do something extreme, something out of the box, something that most people would think of as crazy?

Scott Werlein had that exact question a few months ago, when he was being bothered by something that he thought might be from God. Little did he know...

The crazy part (that some of you, our dear readers, already know) is that Scott did in fact do the thing that God was calling him to do. He did give extravagantly. And he gave at the exact moment that it was needed.

The day after he committed to give to Tirrases, the property next door had a fire, in which the entire property was gutted. None of the surrounding buildings was hurt, but that entire building was little more than rubble crusted within a layer of soot. Since Esther and Horacio had been praying for that property, they went in search of the owner.

To make a long story short, because of Scott's gift, they were able to purchase that property (which had been a dangerous place before), and more importantly, they were able to be a part of bringing a woman to Christ that had long been running from him.

All because one man dared to live obediently.

Written By: John Michael Den Hartog

The Work In a Nutshell

The ministry of Christ For the City International is constantly growing. God has blessed us, and we are the grateful beneficiaries of his favor. Here is a short video to get a glimpse of the things that God is doing right now through us.

Beyond the Honeymoon Phase: Life as a Volunteer Overseas

In 2013, Adam went on a short-term missions trip to Bolivia. He considered the ten weeks he spent there as an individual among the most powerful of his life. Below is an adapted version of one of his reflections during his time there. 

So life as a volunteer is certainly not easy.  I realize most of my (previous communications) have just been about how awesome it is and how cute the kids are.  And that is true. Bolivia is awesome, and the kids are completely adorable.  But I have been realizing since I got here just how tough some of this is.

Being in a different culture long-term can be difficult.  It’s amazing how different absolutely everything can be. It’s not something you realize when you come on a short trip.  Working with people from other cultures is also challenging.  We do things a certain way in the US, and they do things a certain way here.  And most of the times both sides are convinced their way is right - they are both wrong, but they are convinced of it nonetheless.  Mediating and navigating these differences is not easy and can be incredibly draining.  It can also make you feel very alone when you are traveling by yourself in a completely different country with a completely different culture.  In the U.S. I always had friends or family I could call or spend time with.  Or there were hobbies, TV shows, or even food to fill up time and to bring some comfort.  But things are different here.

I pray often for guidance with how to handle these differences and for strength to deal with the loneliness that can sometimes feel so powerful.

I am still working at the daycare.  I know what I am doing is important there, and I know what a difference it is making in these kids lives.  Many of the children do not get a lot of attention or love, and so that is what I try to do.  I know that we are providing them with an amazing place to be during the day, that we are feeding them good healthy food, that they are getting lessons on letters and numbers.  I also know that many of these kids would be home alone or at work with their parents if the daycare was not there.

That said, working with them is very difficult.  Many of these kids are incredibly disobedient. They usually do not listen to anything I say.  They can be very violent.  I spend a decent portion of my day running around breaking up fights between kids and consoling the victims.  It's hard. My patience is tested every single day, and there are days when I have to take a 10 minute walk to calm down.

But God is good, and every day there is at least one moment, with one kid, that makes the day worthwhile.  It might be connecting with a kid I have never connected with before, it might be making one of the kids smile, it might be the kids doing something funny, or even just as simple as having a sick child fall asleep in my arms after crying for hours.  It is hard, and there are days I want to quit, but I have to look back on the day and find these moments and cherish them.  I have to seek those moments and remember that if I was not here this child would not have smiled in that moment, or that baby would not have fallen asleep.

I pray every morning for patience and love with these kids, that I would be able to show them some of His love.  And I pray for that moment that I can hold on to.

I do not want to sound like I am complaining; that is in no way my intention.  I am incredibly fortunate to be able to be here helping these kids.  I am so blessed to have so many friends that support me in this.  I am still amazed at times with how lucky I am to be able to spend time with some of these kids.  To even be here and be the one able to help and make a difference is amazing.  But I wanted to write about some of the difficulties with being here, and also the way God is supporting me through these challenges.

Edited by: John Michael Den Hartog

The Heart Behind Missions

By Roy González, Co-Director of CFCI-Panama 

Missions, for as long as it has been around, has been vitally important to the contemporary church. Why is that?

First, missions is important because of the cross of Christ. The cross has always been at the very center of our faith. At the cross God demonstrated His love for all humanity and provided a way for all to experience the forgiveness of sin. The Apostle John reminds us that Christ “is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2 ESV).  Since Christ died for the sins of the whole world, we as His followers should feel the divine burden to reach every individual with the Gospel.

Second, missions is important because of the command of Christ. In all four Gospels and also in the Book of Acts, Jesus Christ gives us the Great Commission. It is never presented as an option to be considered but always as a mandate to be obeyed. For nearly 2,000 years, the marching orders of the church have been, “Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation.” We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God. When God’s heart for the world becomes the heart of the church, then the church will surrender and do whatever needs to be done so “the whole creation” has the opportunity to hear the gospel.

Third, missions is important because of the coming of Christ. In Acts 1, as Jesus ascended up into heaven, two angels asked the disciples, “Why stand you looking up into heaven?” It’s as if the angels were saying, “Don’t you have something you need to be doing? You aren’t supposed to be gazing up into heaven; your mission is to go into the world.” Then there was the angelic reminder that there is limited time to accomplish the Great Commission because “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” If we truly believe in the imminent return of Jesus Christ, world evangelism will become an urgent priority in our churches.

Yes, missions is important to God, and therefore it must be important to every church in our age and the entire world.

Edited by: John Michael Den Hartog

Overseas Update: India cleans up a city (literally) and provides children's camp for migrants

The work of Christ For the City International has not simply been with children south of the border. We also have worked heavily with people on the other side of the globe, like Amos Humtsoe, the base director for CFCI-Nagaland--in India. Below he shares some of the (relatively) recent activities he and CFCI have been doing there to promote the transformation process.

Migrant Children’s Camp

July 5, 2014 Dimapur, Nagaland

This was a one-day camp for the migrant children in one of the migrant-inhabited places in Dimapur. Altogether, 33 children attended the camp. The children said that, in fact, a one-day camp was too short; however, since they are responsible children, they had to leave the camp to help their parents and do their chores. 

Dimapur Clean Drive Program

July 26, 2014

On July 26^th 2014 a mass social work project was conducted in Dimapur by CFCI-Nagaland in collaboration with District administration, Dimapur municipal council, Naga hoho (public organization) Dimapur, churches, and missions organization under the banner of “Jesus Christ in the marketplace.”  The whole city of Dimapur was divided into 25 areas, and each church (interdenominational) and some mission organizations took part in cleaning the city. The Clean Dimapur program is not just for one day; there is a commitment to continue for some years. This program will be followed by a mass educational program.

So clearly, God is at work in India.

Child Immigration Crisis: Dr. Anderson speaks out, Part 2

The child immigration crisis is a difficult and complicated problem, with many facets and strong implications, whatever your party affiliation. While it’s easy to focus on the situation in the United States, that situation is only a result of the poverty, violence, and gang activity that dominates these Central American countries. The sad truth is that either way, there seems to be little future for these children. If they stay with their home communities, they’ll become a sad footnote in the annals of gang life, doomed to a short and violent life. 

However, if they come to the United States illegally, they will have little opportunity of doing anything that will raise them above the poverty line.

The logical question, then, is what is being done in those Central American countries to change that situation.

Dr. Duane “Chip” Anderoson went on KCRO 660 AM to talk about how Christ For the City International has been in several of those countries for years, working with churches, government organizations, sometimes even gangs, to provide programs and ministries to improve the situation of these communities.

Sometimes even gang members feel the need to escape. Listen to the half-hour show with host David Clark.

What do you think about this whole situation? Comment below!

Child Immigration Crisis: Dr. Chip Anderson Speaks Out

Few stories have pricked our sensibilities in recent months more than that of children who have illegally immigrated to the United States from Central America. While this has been happening for a few years, the reason it has finally come into the national spotlight is the sheer numbers of these immigrants—more than 57,000. Those numbers do not appear to be diminishing in the near future. Naturally, this has prompted spirited debate from both the right and the left; the conservative right wants to take care of interests at home and are worried about the entrance of great numbers of children that our system is unprepared to handle and our economy unprepared to support; the liberal right is concerned about the fate of these children, fearing to return them to devastating poverty and unsanitary conditions.

However, what is often lost amidst the endless criticism of various political ideologies and their proponents is the simple fact that the children’s arrival in the United States is not the root of the situation; it is only a symptom. With that in mind, CFCI president Dr. Duane “Chip” Anderson appeared on Omaha’s Christian talk radio station, 660 KCRO. Though his full interview is below, here are some key points to give some perspective on the national immigrant children crisis.

·         There are two things that are driving this immigration:

o   The rumor that amnesty for illegals is on the horizon in the United States

o   The looming threat of gang-related violence to these kids or their families, especially if the child does not want to join a gang

·         Eighty-four percent of these immigrant children are teens

·         These families are in such desperation over their current situation that they are willing to pay enormous sums of money for the possibility that their child would enter the United States

·         By building a better, safer, stronger community, you can prevent these families from having to make these terrible decisions

·         Christ For the City International is directly involved in these dangerous Central American communities to provide safe havens for these teenagers through tutoring, soccer programs, medical clinics, and vocational training

·         In El Salvador alone, we CFCI is positively influencing about 450 kids and their families, probably about 3,000 people total


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Check back tomorrow for our second post about this important and challenging issue.

An Open Letter to Future Short-Term Missionaries with CFCI

Greetings Future STI’s!

I have spent over 2 months here in Cordoba and they have been some of the most challenging, refreshing, spiritually-growing, joyful and enriching days I have experienced in my life. Challenging in adjusting to a new culture, ways of life and communicating in a language that is not your own. Refreshing in that this culture is laid back, relaxed, go-with the-flow and relationally focused. Spiritually-growing in the vibrant atmosphere of the church, passionate prayers of the Christians, radical styles of worship and time for personal pursuit in running after the Lord. Finally, this time has been so joyful in getting to know the host family, other friends in Christ for the City, serving those who have a great need, and getting to have an adventure in Cordoba. The overall experience has been a blessing to me and I truly feel as if I have been given more than I gave.


My prayer before coming Cordoba was to have an open heart and to be ready to serve. Both of those are essential to your experience here as you will be challenged, but will grow through those challenges. There will be things you won’t want to do, times you don’t want to serve, think of better ways to do something or even have a lack of hope at times with the situations in which we serve. All those thoughts are normal, but will humble you as you go through them. Break through your pride and rest in being humbled. No one here knows of your accomplishments, accolades, or talents from your life in the United States- this is such a positively humbling bonus. You can only show people who you are through serving with your heart and through your actions.

Two verses that have given me great encouragement are as follows:

“Take delight in the Lord and He will give you your hearts desires.” (Psalm 37:4) 

Remember to run after Him during your time here and He will satisfy you. I pray you have late nights, early mornings and days full of prayer, scripture reading, and meditating on the Lord. Use this time to allow Him to fill you up!

“Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthews 20:26-28)

As you prepare for your trip and raise support and get your packing list together, make sure your prepare your heart (as this is the most important part to prepare). Be open to what the Lord is going to show you through the host family, CFCI, the church and being a servant. Your mission here is to spread the Gospel, but the greatest avenue to do so is through service. One STI had a talented voice, so she served through singing. One had a talent for making videos, so he made a promotional video. Serve with your actions in whatever way the Lord leads you!

Lastly, in regards to the language barrier, this can be difficult to deal with at times. Regardless of your speaking ability, unless you are fully fluent, you will experience some sort of frustration. I am an intermediate speaker, but times I lack being able to fully express my thoughts on a topic; this can be frustrating. During deep conversations, brainstorming sessions, or reflections, I desire to say one thing, but have to say something less eloquently because of the language difference. This is humbling and has shown me that my actions will always speak louder than my words. I have also been shown that the Spirit can speak through me without words and has caused me to lean even more on Him.

I pray that your trip here will be a great blessing to your life and also that you will make an impact here!

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring it’s own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6:33-34) 

Be encouraged by these verses and seek the Lord above all else as you prepare to serve with Christ for the City!

God bless,

-Justin Cardenas

Ps. I still don’t know what “STI” stands for, but that is what we are called so embrace it!

Note: STI stands for "Short-Term Individual" and is the phraseology used by the Central Office to distinguish between an individual and a team.

Edited by: John Michael Den Hartog

The Potter and the Clay - A Camp Testimony

By Krislyn Erickson, Summer Team 2014

Have you ever watched a potter sit down on the potter’s wheel and mold the clay into a piece of art? Have you looked closely at pottery? Each piece of art is made a little bit different…. from the strokes of the hand to the different artists making them.

Today, helping teach the middle school camp, called Masterpieces, the girls learned how to make origami hearts. We had each of the five girls pick out different colored pieces of construction paper and follow along to the bible study teacher for directions on how to make the origami.

Watching the girls fold their construction paper to make these hearts was interesting to see. Each were trying to make it a perfect heart shape. While the girls were folding their papers, I noticed that one girl gave up completely after messing up on folding the paper the wrong way. The girl sitting next to her was struggling to keep up with the teacher’s verbal instructions. After expressing her frustration to the counselors, she was shown visually step-by-step directions to finish her heart. Once the hearts were completed, we had the girls write bible verses on them.

The purpose of the heart origami was to lead into our discussion of God. We asked, “Who decided to make each fold and crease?” “Do all of your hearts look the same?” Even though the girls were following the same instructions, their hearts were folded differently, made from different colored papers, and were different sizes.

The point was to have each origami different; all hearts were unique.

The same goes with us.

God created and molded us to be what He wanted us to be. He made each of us different, not one of us are perfectly alike.

God made us exactly how He wanted us to be made. Every freckle, mole, even every hair on our head, God created because He wanted it there.

Sometimes we compare ourselves with others. wanting to be more like them, or look more like them. We have to keep in mind that we are all unique and that God molded us to be the perfect person He created us to be.

To have the middle school girls remember this powerful message, we asked them to memorize the following verse:

Isaiah 64:8. “Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter, we are all the work of your hand.”

Reprinted from a recent post from our friends at The Bridge of Storm Lake, 'Front Porch, Inspired.'

Meet Marie Fitts

Please meet Marie Fitts.

Marie was recently approved to be a CFCI Missionary to Anchorage, AK. She has been ministering in Wyoming for the last number of years but then began to sense that God was leading her northward - Really northward! She was here at our office last week going through some training and strategic planning. We developed a new brochure and PowerPoint for her so she can be presenting the ministry as she heads north. She is planning to drive from Wyoming to the Seattle area, catch a ferryboat to Haines, and then drive the remaining 800 miles into Anchorage. Please keep her in your prayers as she makes this trek. Marie hopes to arrive in mid-August and then get settled so she can begin to pursue the ministry God has led her there to do. At this time, she is still in the research phase of community development. What is happening? Who is doing what? What are some of the apparent needs of the various communities in the state? Would you like to be kept apprised of her activities? Drop us a line and we'll put you on her mailing list.

News: Urban Plunge welcomes Heather Miller into a new position

Urban Plunge is growing! And to help that growth along, we have invited Heather Miller to be a part of the executive team. Heather has been one of the Urban Plunge family members for a long time now, working as a facilitator in the Omaha area for more than four years.

Her task will be to create buzz about Urban Plunge by contacting media outlets closely affiliated with churches or groups that have gone on the Plunge, and informing them about the amazing experiences that people have had on the Plunge. She also will be doing some coordinating and facilitating in the meantime.

“I love the ministry,” Heather said.”I get to see what God does. I can see them (the Urban Plunge participants) experience life change. For many, it’s really eye opening, getting to work with the homeless for the first time. “

For her, it’s all about seeing people transformed, even in the few hours in which they do a Plunge.

Heather is a recent college grad, earning her degree in Missions from West Coast Bible College. She also recently completed an intense discipleship program called Masters Commision at her church.

And yes, we as Christ For the City are thrilled to have her on board.

Written by: John Michael Den Hartog

God's Healing and Provision

Our most recent guest post has been written by Angie Busch, our missions coach at the CFCI headquarters. (We were just so encouraged by it that we couldn't help but put share it with all of you.)

 Proverbs 3:8 
Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.

The last few years have been anything but easy for the Busch family. We have had a variety of struggles, particularly with our health and various family difficulties, but through it all, God has remained faithful. I wanted to give you a glimpse of the things God has been doing in our lives.

 Psalm 36:5 
Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.

God has provided for our family, even in little things like milk. While milk doesn’t sound like much, it is huge. A while ago, after we prayed and decided that we were supposed to take our nieces under our wings, our sweet neighbors started to supply us with two gallons of milk every week! That was six years ago, and we still get those two gallons every single week. Their simple faithfulness has been a huge blessing to us.

God has provided for our family by paying bills for us, providing meals for us, giving us an amazing group of Bible study friends, and showing us new ministry opportunities. And the list goes on! We are overwhelmed by all of the God’s blessings in our lives.

So, in October of 2012 I had neck surgery. Since then, I have had terrible neck pain and occasional migraines. The last few months, my migraines were almost daily, and my neck pain was severe.

 The amazing thing about working at CFCI is that they were always willing to pray for me. I was not healed instantly, but each time that I was prayed for, my head and neck felt better. I did also get put on medication. Friends at work and church continued to pray, and my migraines continued to lessen.

 Then I got an antibiotic-resistant staph infection (MRSA) on my arm. Then shingles. I thought things were getting better, and then suddenly, I was bedridden and in a lot more pain.

Yes, I was a discouraged! But through this whole situation, God was protecting me. Because I got MRSA, the doctors found the shingles right away; I was sick only for a little more than a week. I just required a lot of much-needed rest. Anyway, after all that, I didn’t have as many headaches.

Then today I woke up with a terrible migraine. I went into work, and Dick asked Sheila and Sandra to come and pray for me. After they prayed, my headache and neck ache instantly went away. God is the great Physician and I am forever grateful for the amazing things that he is doing in our lives!

This post originally appeared on jeffandangielivingbyfaith.blogspot.com.

The Role of Praise in the Christian Life

In the military, soldiers train to perfect Pre-Planned Responses. In the middle of battle, if a soldier is unable to respond according to his training, he will undoubtedly make ill-advised decisions. 

But if the opposite is true - if there is a habit that has been so ingrained through training and repetition - that same soldier will remain unfazed in the face of chaos, confusion, and destruction. 

The same is true for the army of the Living God. Our general, God, has developed a technique: in any and every situation, God calls us to praise Him. In the good times and the bad, in the sorrow and the struggle and the pain; in the celebration and the glory and the grace; when we feel Him and when we don't; when we've done well and when we haven't; when we're not feeling good or happy; when we feel like everything is coming to an end; in the middle of sin and shame and wretchedness; in the middle of joy and triumph and confidence; when we're poor and when we're rich; when the world is with us and when it's against us; when things are going our way and when nothing is; when we have all things, and when we have nothing. 

Philippians 4:6 declares, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Emphasis mine) 

It's easy to praise God in the good situations. And it's easy to praise God in the times when we feel good or had a good night's sleep or have just gotten good news. But what about the hard times, the times when it seems like He's failed to hear our prayer requests? Or the moments when the car breaks down? We seem to forget that even in those situations God is still sovereign. 

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose." God's sovereignty is not negated in the midst of negative situations. God doesn't miss things. He is not surprised by the things that happen and the ways that things go. He is still in control, and He knows what He's doing. 

In fact, it's not even about the situation. It's all about who He is. He is good. He is just. He is faithful. Since He does not change, our response to Him should not change. 

If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He has forgiven us. He has given us eternal life. 2 Peter 1:3 says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who has called us by his own glory and goodness." If, then, our eternal destiny is secure, why are we letting little things get us down? That is like a man who has won the lottery, then is depressed because it rained on his suit. He is missing the big picture. With his lottery winnings, he can buy 100 suits. 

We have won the spiritual lottery. Why, then, are we so worried about temporary things? Psalm 118:1 says, "Give thanks to The Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." So let's do that: let's choose to give thanks and praise and worship, even in the midst of difficulty. After all, "if God is for us, who can be against us?" 

God's Pre-Planned Response to us is love. So what will be ours to Him?

Written by: John Michael Den Hartog

Love God, Love People

Recently at a conference in Phoenix, I heard a speaker say something like this, “Your love for God is measured by your love for people.” In other words, how much you love people really demonstrates how much you really love God. It’s another way to describe the Great commandment – Love God, Love People. As I’ve been thinking about this, I thought about a legal proceeding. If we were charged with loving God, could they find enough evidence to convict us? James in the Bible talks about this same issue in the 2 chapter of his book. Some people say they have faith (love God), but where is the proof? I on the other hand have abundant proof, works (love people) which demonstrates my love and faith for Him. As I work with different churches and cities, I try to find what is working. How are churches demonstrating their love for God? Is there enough evidence in the community to convict them? I’m afraid to say that most would be acquitted due to the lack of evidence. What about your personal life, your good works? Is there enough to convict you? I challenge you to live your life in such a way that if they took one good look at your love for others, they would promptly lock you up and throw away the key.

Peace With God

I've started reading through Sarah Young's Jesus Calling, A 365- Day Devotional. Today's devotional (April 2) is all about God's Peace.

"I have promised to meet all your needs according to My glorious riches. Your deepest, most constant need is for My Peace. I have planted Peace in the garden of your heart, where I live; but there are weeds growing there too: pride, worry, selfishness, unbelief. I am the Gardner, and I am working to rid your heart of those weeds. I do My work in various ways. When you sit quietly with Me, I shine the Light of My Presence directly into your heart. In this heavenly Light, Peace grows abundantly and weeds shrivel up. I also send trials into your life. When you trust Me in the midst of trouble, Peace flourishes and weeds die away. Thank Me for troublesome situations; the Peace they can produce far outweighs the trials you endure."

God is trying to teach me a number of things right now. He keeps telling me to give everything over to Him. All my planning, stress, worry, does me no good. He wants me to give it over to Him because His plan is greater than anything I can imagine. I feel like in today's reading, God is telling me that when I give over my troubles and worries to Him, Peace will overcome me. Peace is already in my heart, but my worry, pride, selfishness tends to overtake His Peace. To me this is a good reminder to focus on Him and what He is doing because he will overtake the "weeds" in my heart.

Philippians 4: 19
"And the same God who takes care of me will supply all my needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus"

Greetings from Urban Plunge

2014 is looking to be a great year for Urban Plunge! We have 60 different churches and groups signed up to go on the Plunge in one of six cities. Our first group will be going on the Omaha Urban Plunge this upcoming weekend, February 21-23, 2014. We have a group from Urbandale, IA, coming to Omaha to visit 9 different ministries. The group will be able to see and learn about what these ministries our doing in Omaha. We hope that our Urban Plunge groups will be able to learn more about what God might be calling them to do back home in missions.

For more information on the Urban Plunge and how you can sign up a group, visit us at www.urbanplunge.com or send an email to up@cfci.org

Erendira

Erendira became a Christian when she was 13 years old. Erendira’s aunt invited her to go to Diana and Mirna’s bible studies with her. At the bible studies, Erendira heard about God’s love for her and that He had a purpose for her life. In response to His love, she gave her life to do His will. Since Erendira’s conversion her mom and sister have also come to the Lord. She has also led three of her cousins to the Lord as well. Today, Erendira is in her third year of dentistry school. Why? Because she wants to become a missionary just like Diana and Mirna and bring the good news of Jesus Christ to others. She wants to tell them that God loves them and has a purpose for their life. Your support for our missionaries changes lives – and they in turn change others. Thank you for helping us help people transform their cities for God.

North to Alaska

“Alaska” What comes to mind when you see that word? 49th state to join the union – just celebrated its 55th Birthday? Long days – long nights? Cold followed by more cold? Beautiful scenery, landscapes untouched by human development? Earthquake? There’s gold in them there hills? Cruise line destination? Well you get the idea. There are so many things about Alaska. It seems since Sarah Palin came on the political landscape, Alaska has gained a resurgence of interests. There has got to be at least a half-dozen reality shows covering some segment of society - high risk fisherman, crabbers, and survivalist. Alaska recently came to our attention when Marie stopped by last summer to ask if we had ever considered a CFCI Base for that state? Honestly, we had not since most of our ministry activities are south all the way to Argentina. But Marie got us thinking and we then asked the obvious question, “Do you want to go for us?” We just completed a new staff orientation here at our International office. We had candidates wanting to go to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Toronto, Iowa, and (wait for it) Alaska! Marie Fitts was released to begin the fundraising process to become a CFCI Missionary to Anchorage. She will also work in the rural areas with the indigenous people living there. Please keep Marie and CFCI in prayer as we work to find God’s will for Alaska, His timing, location, and ministries.