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A Road Less Traveled

May 30, 2012 in Belgium, church planting, LifePoint Church, missional, Sending Church with 0 Comments

LifePoint Brussels is a unique community of faith in the city. We are choosing a road less traveled in our city.

We have people in our community who speak English and French. Some of the people in our gatherings are bi-lingual and some are not. Many of the people who attend are English speakers only or French speakers only in their communication. So, living in a city that is multi-lingual we decide to utilize both languages in our gatherings on Sunday. We sing in English and French. We pray in English and French. We teach in English and French. We have discussion groups in English and French. You get the picture I think.

When words are projected on the screen they are in both languages. We have Bibles in both languages. We will sing a song or two in English and then sing a song in French. Each of the songs are translated so everyone knows what we are singing about and who we are singing to.

We do not translate prayers typically. We let the person who is praying speak in their heart language and then we join them by agreeing our heart language.

The only thing today we directly translate is the teaching time. We attempt to have “dynamic translation.”  We will give the teaching material to the translator early in the week so they will have time to read and understand the path we will walk on Sunday. We follow the path pretty closely but take the opportunity to stray from the notes when needed. So, we do not speak or read from a manuscript.

So far things have gone smoothly. We are seeking to reach people who speak French as their “mother tongue” through those who are bi-lingual. These people will tell their friends what they are learning and experiencing and then invite their French-speaking family and friends to join them in the exploration of community and faith.

The reason I commented that we are taking a road less traveled is because most churches in the city I am aware of utilize only one language. They will typically chose French, Dutch, the language of their home country or the international expat language, English. We are attempting to utilize 2 of these languages, English and French, in our gathers. It’s challenging at times, but we know we are led by the Spirit today to move in this direction.

How Did You Get There?

August 29, 2011 in Belgium, church planting, Family, LifePoint Church, missional, Sending Church with 0 Comments

Some of you have asked, “How did you end up in Belgium?” Here are a few posts that will give you a small glimpse into the who, what, where, when and how of the process.

How Did This Happen?

How Did This Happen? pt.2

The Whole Story (video)

From Here To There

I hope this helps you process what He is saying to you.

Assumption Day

August 15, 2011 in Belgium, Brussels Life, missional, Sending Church with 1 Comment

Today in Belgium we observe a national holiday called Assumption Day. It is the day Catholics around the world remember Mary, the mother of Jesus, who was taken into heaven. Catholic tradition states Mary never died. They believe she was assumed into heaven and escaped the physical death know to the rest of us. I don’t believe the Bible supports this particular doctrine.

Jesus ascended Scripture tells us in Acts 1:9.

Here’s an excerpt from Wikipedia concerning Assumption Day.

Although the Assumption (Latin: assūmptiō, “taken up”) was only relatively recently defined as infallible dogma by the Catholic Church, and in spite of a statement by Saint Epiphanius of Salamis in AD 377 that no one knew whether Mary had died or not, apocryphal accounts of the assumption of Mary into heaven have circulated since at least the 4th century. The Catholic Church itself interprets chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation as referring to it.The earliest known narrative is the so-called Liber Requiei Mariae (The Book of Mary’s Repose), which survives intact only in an Ethiopic translation.  Probably composed by the 4th century, this Christian apocryphal narrative may be as early as the 3rd century.

On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII solemnly declared:

By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory

Roman Catholic theologians consider this declaration by Pius XII to be an ex cathedra use of Papal Infallibility.  Although Pope Pius XII deliberately left open the question of whether Mary died before her Assumption, the more common teaching of the early Fathers is that she did.

I need Scripture passages that support this belief and doctrine for me to accept this teaching.

Living in Belgium does afford us many public holidays based on the religious traditions of the Catholic Church.

Easter Monday

Ascension Day

Pentecost Monday

Assumption Day

All Saints Day

Feed Trough or Mount Joy

April 4, 2011 in Belgium, church planting, missional, Sending Church with 1 Comment

Language learning is an exercise in perseverance for me. It is difficult (tres difficile) and frustrating, yet it is also very gratifying to know you are making progress, all be it ever so slightly.

This past week when meeting with one of my language partners, yes that’s right I said one of my partners, I had a hilarious happening. Well, it was hilarious after I had time to reflect on it. I laughed with the man and his wife but inside it was painful. My slow southern and East Texas accent made a mockery of the elegant and melodic French language. In fact, the melody I was speaking had a country twang that resembled an old Merle Haggard tune about a drunken fool. But I digress from the story at hand.

I was explaining to my partner that my kids attend a school named “Montjoie.” The man and his wife looked at me wide-eyed and his wife began to snicker which quickly moved to an all out belly laugh. He tried to hush her and asked me again what I said, which I replied “Montjoie.” At that moment he fell over laughing and explained with many hand gestures, because we are “en français,” that the kids would never attend a school called “feeding trough.”

I tried to explain what I said meant Mount Joy. At which point he asked me to spell the name of the school. So I began, M-O-N-T-J-O-I-E. They both were leaning across the table watching me write out each letter. All of a sudden they both fell back into their chairs and laughed even harder realizing I had not meant M-A-N-G-E-O-I-R-E which means a “feeding trough.” We began at that moment to practice pronouncing words more succinctly and quickly. Basically, I had to adjust the speed of my country album to 78 rpm up from 33 rpm.

Needless to say, my family has received a great laugh out of this story. Today, while meeting with the man and his wife we laughed again at my pronunciation and my “Southern” Belgium accent. I hear that French people make fun of people from Belgium for the way they speak the French language. Well, I am in “deep you-know-what” then.

LifePoint Brussels Begins

April 3, 2011 in Belgium, church planting, LifePoint Church, missional, Sending Church with 2 Comments

Here is a short video of LifePoint Brussels first worship together. This is the beginning of many great things the Lord has in store. Tonight was also the answer to many prayers that have been offered to see a work planted in Brussels. There is so much work to be done but tonight we experienced prayers being answered.

Where Has the Time Gone?

March 13, 2011 in Belgium, Family, Sending Church with 1 Comment

It is time change weekend in the USA, but in Belgium we won’t “spring forward” for a couple of weeks.

With that in mind, I wanted to update you on the “times” that are happening in our world. I’m going to use a bullet statement format since there is limited time and space to adequately expound on each happening.

  • Amy and I are still in language school. It is going as well as can be expected three months in country. Slow. Difficult. Challenging. Opportunities. Friendships starting.
  • The kids begin going to Belgian schools (french speaking) everyday this week. They will attend each day until 1 pm and work on their American studies in the afternoon. Acclimating. Language. Friends. Influence.
  • It is starting to get warmer and the days are getting longer, which is a wonderful occurrence for our family. We are able to get out and move easier. We don’t let the weather hinder us too much. But, it is nice to have good weather since we walk a lot. Easier. Warmer. Less layers. Daylight.
  • The Christensen’s have arrived. Our next set of partners from LifePoint have landed in Brussels. We now have another family to work alongside and to do life with in the city. Vision. Friends. Partners. Sending Church.

The time is flying. It has been three months since we lived in the States and everything seems to be moving so fast.

 

Friday Fun Nights

January 30, 2011 in Belgium, Brussels Life, Family, Sending Church with 2 Comments

What does a family on a limited income and new to a city do for fun? This is a good question to ask.

We have been in Brussels for a short period of time (60 days) but we have tried to find inexpensive things to do on Friday evenings as a family. We have set ourselves a budget of 10 euros or less. Our family prefers free these days, but we know getting out and having a Coke or a coffee cost euros.

Here are a couple of the Friday night fun times we have had together.

Go to a local Christmas fair and walk around observing new cultural goods.

Going to IKEA and having .50 euro hotdogs and looking at all the compact living paraphernalia.

Ride the Metro to see local attractions at night. This trip was to see the Atomium.

Eating frites at a local stand is a hit with the family. (My mouth is full.)

Getting 2 desserts and a large bottle of water and sharing between 5 people. (I caught Peyton off guard.)

All in all, it is about our family being together and moving around the city that is the most fun. Friday night has already become a favorite time and something to look forward to after a hard week of language study.

What does your family do together that is inexpensive and leads to great memories?

Belgians Losing Faith

December 12, 2010 in Belgium, church planting, missional, Sending Church with 1 Comment

At the current rate of decline, no one will be attending Sunday mass in Flanders by 2016, according to a report by the Catholic University of Leuven (KUL).

Thank you God for sending us here.

Around Town

December 11, 2010 in Belgium, Photos, Sending Church with 4 Comments

No Keys

December 11, 2010 in Belgium, church planting, missional, Sending Church with 6 Comments

Luke 12:15 “…for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Over the past several months I have been trying to process several emotions as our family walks through a transition in our living arrangements. We began this transition a few months ago but the full force of it has really hit me over the last few weeks.

At the beginning of November as we were closing life in the United States my wife and I listed our vehicles for sale. With the help of some friends this process only lasted a week. Imagine, two vehicles sold within a week of one another. As a result I removed two keys from my keyring. The new owners were glad that I no longer had keys to vehicles I didn’t own.

My last day of work as the Exec. Pastor at LifePoint Church I returned the key to the church building and my office. I would not need a key for an office in the US that I would no longer occupy. The next person to work in that office will be glad of that also.

The very next day my family moved from the transitional apartment we had rented for the previous year. Before we left for a visit with extended-family I returned the keys to our apartment. I would no longer need keys to an apartment in the United States I would not reside in any longer. The new residents will appreciate that I am not able to walk into their apartment unannounced.

The keys for me symbolized “place” or “belonging”. I knew where I was going and what I was doing. The feeling of where I needed to be and where my “stuff” was located provided meaning to my life. So, to hold out my hand on Nov. 12 and have no keys on my keyring brought a weird feeling to my heart. I have heard often that we do not own anything and it is all on loan from God. But, to be sitting in a borrowed vehicle (thanks Alleys) that is fully loaded (think Clampetts) with what you have left is very humbling and eye opening to say the least. I had waited for and looked forward to that day. But, the full force of the feelings were extremely strong.

Yes, it is very freeing now that I have had a few weeks to process through some of the emotions. I realize there many miles to go in the journey but it is an interesting range of emotions from sadness, elation, freedom and even mourning in relation to things and stuff being removed.

But, I have to recommend removing some of your keys. It is emotional at times, but well worth it.
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