Pastor Joe's ZPV Blog

The End of Cute

2011-06-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

Cute isn’t what it used to be. Perspectives change. Five years ago, for example, raccoons looked like cute, furry guys with some nice Bible lesson to teach. Very cartoony and friendly. My dad’s friend had one as a pet (with claws removed). While living in the San Jose suburbs, we gathered around the window one night to see a “cute” little raccoon wash the beetle he caught in a puddle. So sweet! Last week, I shot one at point blank range. My only regret: I had to dig a hole deep enough to keep the dogs from finding him and preventing the smell. Why the perspective change? The latter raccoon killed six of my chickens. He tore five little chicks from their coop. Jerk. He later got one of the adult birds. I learned the carnage will stop once one of two things change: the raccoon dies or runs out of chickens. Some of you will think me cruel. Others get it. Come and raise your pets, invest time, invest money, and see how it is to have a pest (yes, a vermin) destroy over half in a few days. That changed my perspective.

In following Christ, our perspective often changes too. I do not mean so much in the area of core doctrine. I started following Jesus over thirty years ago. He has not changed, but my perspective in me certainly has. The truths are still there. I have always marveled at the blessings I have in Christ (read Eph. 1). I cannot get over how much I do NOT deserve. On top of that, as a believer, I receive honor far beyond comprehension and worth. If following Jesus meant only salvation from hell, I would take the deal in a heartbeat. We get more…way more than we deserve. This is true, but it’s not the end game. While we acknowledge the personal blessings, the perspective should change.

It’s all about Jesus. I do not receive all things from him just because. I need to shout it from the roof tops. I need to encourage those who already follow him. I need to tell those who don’t how great he is. The perspective changes from “Look what I got” to “Look who he is!” None of the truths change. Raccoon statues still make cute lawn ornaments. But, my life counts beyond me, myself, and I. I want to see people far from God discover new life in Jesus. Let him get all the credit. The Apostle Paul understood this when he wrote about his imprisonment, “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel” (Phil. 1:12). Regardless of his circumstances, he wanted Jesus to get top bill. That’s a life perspective.

What?! What happened?

2011-05-26T06:35:00.000-07:00

All kidding aside, I cannot get this end-of-the-world talk out of my mind. I have not said anything publically about it for a reason: I have felt a little embarrassed. I have friends and family who do not believe as I do in regards to Jesus and his return. I can understand someone saying, “Is THIS the kind of nonsense you believe?” Well…no…wait…yes, but I want to explain.

Let me provide an example first. Let’s say you were walking along the street and spotted a $50! How exciting. You head off to Walmart and purchase that new combination fishing pole & bottle opener. When the clerk checks the $50, she announces, “Sir…this is phony. I can’t accept it.” You blunder out an apology and explain that you found it and leave the store. How embarrassing! Out of frustration, you head to your bank, withdraw all your cash, and toss it in the trash…right? No. Just because you found one bad bill does not mean that all bills are bad. Frankly, sometimes we get it wrong in the church. It does not mean everything is wrong or even that a particular teacher is always wrong.

Fortunately for the church, we have Jesus on whom to fall back. He did not make mistakes. Really. Look it up. Find one. So, while one of his followers may say or do something bad, stupid, or crazy, it does not automatically mean Jesus is disqualified. We fail, but Jesus does not. This is not an excuse but a reality. I, and all who follow Jesus, am in process. Even the Apostle Paul said he was in process in becoming more and more like Jesus (check out Phil. 3). As much as it pains me, I wish my failures and mistakes did not reflect on Jesus. I can admit them and strive to do better with his help.

So, what does Jesus say about his return? By his own words, he said, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matt. 24:36). The angels don’t know. Jesus does not even know the day he returns. If we break down the expression “no one knows” in the original Greek text, it means, “NO ONE KNOWS!” I find it presumptuous to make claims on the day when Jesus did not know it himself.

Do I believe he is coming back? Absolutely! Read the last chapter in the Bible. Do I know when? No, but it could be today, next week, next summer, or a thousand years from now. I do wonder and hold the opinion that it may be sooner than later. But, I don’t know for sure. The question we need to answer is, “Will we be ready?” Do you know him? Will his return be joyful or horrible for you? If you know him, you look forward to that day. Please…listen to him even if we, his followers, sometimes open our mouths a little too much.

Getting through it all

2011-03-24T13:25:00.000-07:00

Over this past week, our Life Group members have been hit from all sides. Others within Zion face struggles and bad news too. Seeing Life Group members rise in support warms the soul. And for those hitting the struggles head on, you amaze me. Yes, these issues keep you up at night and weigh heavily. At times, you had no idea where to turn and what to do. Your “Why?” questions seem to echo unanswered. But, you know your God and persevere.

We often bring up Job at these times. After hearing his life and family are shattered and gone, we read, “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.’ In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing” (Job 1:20-22).

Notice that Job mourns (the robe and shaving part is mourning). Yes, there is pain, and it is no threat to God to acknowledge it. Then, he worships. In all his pain, he declares to all people and demonic kingdoms, “I will praise God.” And finally, Job does not use his hardship as an excuse for sin. He remains faithful. As we read the rest of the book, Job’s heart reveals his dedication to the Lord despite the arguments from his friends.

We often say that our purpose in life is to glorify God. When we worship and trust him in the darkest hours, it honors him.

Accept no substitutes.

2011-01-28T07:16:00.000-08:00

On one hand, we try to purchase the least expensive product. Many generics are just as good as the name brand. On the other hand, some substitutes don’t cut it. I buy a name brand garbage bag that maybe more up front, but I use only one bag instead of doubling or tripling the cheap ones. Sometimes, we go with the name brands because we must.

Paul writes a heartbreaking passage for him to write and us to read in Phil. 3:18-19, “For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.” Even in the early church (historically and geographically closer than us), people fell away. They became enemies of the cross of Christ. Time and space does not allow a discussion on losing salvation. So, regardless of one’s view, look at the description of those enemies. They have settled for a generic instead of the Name brand.

They traded down to a destiny of destruction. They replaced the God for another god: their stomach. Paul could easily be referring to their desires and not just food. God’s glory is replaced with shame. Earthly mindedness replaces the heavenly mind.

How? Why? The explanation can be found in the Parable of the soils. Some of the word just got choked out. Others had no root. Paul warns them in the previous verse to follow his example. Be diligent. It can happen. We can settle for cheap imitations. Chilling. I want the brand name when it comes to Jesus. I need to be on guard against cheap hucksters who over promise with cheap facsimiles.

Bunny travel

2011-01-19T07:12:00.000-08:00

Time to hippity hop down the bunny trails.

I continue my journey through Philippians. I love Paul’s not so subtle conclusion after he encourages to forget what lies behind and press on (persecute) to what lies ahead. He then writes, “All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you” (Phil 3:15). So, if I’m immature am I off the hook? Well, we like to think of ourselves as mature, so we had better agree. But, if you do not think accordingly, GOD WILL DEAL WITH YOU!

Here, my thoughts travel the bunny trails.

Trail one: God loves me enough to correct me on this issue. The underlying principle is that he loves me enough to correct me on all issues. He will make clear how I need to mature. Nice.

Trail two: Zion has been working on Generosity to start 2011. Just because one preaches a topic, does not mean one has “arrived” there. This series causes me to think hard about my own heart when it comes to generosity. I have thought differently before, but now God is making it clear. His grace inspires more generosity. I will reap what I sow, so why not sow all I can into God’s kingdom?

Trail three: How can I do that? Am I holding on to my time, abilities, and money where I should be generous? Where am I investing these resources that come from God in the first place? And most of all, will I stick my neck out, sow what I have knowing that there will be a harvest?

Pastor Joe

I want to persecute

2011-01-07T08:23:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know…what’s the point of having a blog if I never update it? Sorry…I will try to improve my diligence. But, I noticed something in my devotions this morning I thought challenging.

I’ve been on a tweezering through Philippians. In chapter three, Paul writes, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (3:14). He uses the same word for press on twice earlier in the chapter, but it is translated differently in one instance. He says in verse 12 that he presses on to take hold of what Jesus took hold of him. Ok, that fits. But the other time is in verse six: “…as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.”

What? Don’t see the expression press on in verse six? Paul is explaining his previous life before Jesus. He has quite a pedigree including persecuting the church. Wait, there it is: persecuting. In all three verses, Paul uses the same Greek word, dioko (dee-o-ko). It’s a very strong word. One does not persecute something half-heartedly. You go for it. You chase it down. You become obsessed.

Now, think of the two latter verses. “I persecute toward the goal…” and “I persecute to take hold…” Yes, it can be press on, but is Paul saying, “I now use all my energies to pursue after this prize with the same vigor I used to persecute the church”? Maybe.

I want that heart in my own life. I want to vigorously pursue the goal and prize that God has laid up for me. May it consume us with persecution vigor!

Pastor Joe
Zion of Petroleum Valley

PS Don't forget: The Generosity series starts this Sunday! We can see how to "perscute" after a generous heart!

ZPV November 2010 Prayer Letter

2010-12-01T11:27:00.000-08:00

November 20, 2010

Dear Zion of Petroleum Valley Prayer Team,

Over the past 40 Days (or so), we have been looking at Jesus’ commands: Love God and love your neighbor. This Sunday, we will put some legs on what we have been teaching. We are collecting Walmart cards for families within Zion, food and coats for our local community, toys for families at Christmas, shoes for the Philippines, and our Celebration Offering to help continue the ministry at Zion here and around the world. Phew! Later that night, we will gather to celebrate with all three campuses meeting together. That should be fun!

Please keep praying!
• Thank God for the people at Zion. Just this last week I heard, “There is something different here” and “The people were so nice and friendly.” Buildings and programs are just fine, but people bring others into the community. I really appreciate them.
• Our Third Annual Polish Christmas Dinner is December 4. Yes, we based a dinner on a Veggie Tale song about Polish food and made it into a potluck and outreach. Pray for new faces to come. We have tons of fun (good food too: Perogi, Gaumki, Kielbasa, Bigos, etc.).
• Continue to pray for the youth of the valley. There are many who are making some strong stands. Others are making poor and harmful choices. Pray that Zion can respond and support where needed.
• We have also had a rash of injuries and surgeries.
• Our planning for 2011 has begun. We need wisdom.

The Olkowski’s are doing well and always appreciate hearing from you. Our Christmas card will include a photo, so send me an address if you’ve not received one before.
Thank you!

Pastor Joe
Zion of Petroleum Valley

October 2010 Prayer Letter

2010-10-20T06:06:00.000-07:00

October 20, 2010

Dear Zion of Petroleum Valley Prayer Team,

Wow, what a great month. First, thank you for praying for Zion of Jefferson County. They are officially launched! You can see a great video explaining the morning at http://www.youtube.com/user/zionmedia#p/u/0/kJubosKyq9M. Second, our 5th Quarters after the Karns City High School football games have been successful. The students enjoyed themselves and heard a Gospel message. One young man even brought his parents to church the following Sunday (and they’ve returned). We have two more 5th Quarters (10/22 and 11/5).

But, there’s no rest in sight (I mean that in a good way!).

Please be praying for the following:
• Our 40 Day focus, Do you Love Me?, continues. We are studying the first and second great commandments Jesus explained in Matthew 22. Pray for new guests to attend as well as deeper understanding for all of Zion.
• Project Safe Kid happens on October 31. While we hand out tons of candy, we meet so many families in our area. Pray for good contacts and interest.
• At the end of the Do you Love Me? and 40 day focus, we have Celebration Sunday. This year, we plan to apply it immediately. This involves love towards one another and our community with some special projects.
• Zion has three values: Changed by God, connected in community, and committed to service. All three represent a process we are all in as Christ followers. Pray that we will be continually changed. Pray that we will be more and more connected as a church (we use something called “life groups”). Pray that we will commit to be part of what God is doing here locally and around the world.

On the family side, we plan to do some traveling over Thanksgiving weekend. We are looking forward to some time together.

Let me know how you are doing. You can reply by email, mail, or facebook.

Thanks!

Pastor Joe
Zion of Petroleum Valley

September 2010 ZPV Prayer Letter

2010-09-16T13:01:00.000-07:00

September 15, 2010
Dear Zion of Petroleum Valley Prayer Team,

This has been one of our busiest weekends…all good and fulfilling. However, I will start with the previous weekend just to update you on items I mentioned in last month’s letter.

• One Day on September 5. All three Zion campuses met only briefly for church and then head out into our communities. ZPV sent two teams to two nursing homes and one team to work on a youth center for an upcoming event. All three teams were fantastic! We just shared some time with the folks at the nursing homes. They were so lonely just to tell stories. At times, it felt like our ears were talked off, but it made a difference. The youth center work involved plumbing, painting, and cleaning. All done well.
• Fifth Quarter started on September 10. We opened up the main room of ZPV for dodgeball after the Karns City Varsity football game. It gave students something to do, a chance for us to present the gospel, and an opportunity to build relationships with them. We had 62 students in all.
• Save a Life on September 11. Our numbers are not confirmed, but we think about 250-300 students attended this community event which included area churches, groups, and individuals who want to communicate that there is hope instead suicide. The one man volleyball team, Bob Holmes, played about six games. He also spoke twice. We were able to establish contact with those students who may need help too.

So, what’s on the horizon?

• FUEL, our student Bible study group, starts on Thursday, September 16. We hope our previous contact with students yields some who want to go deeper.
• Zion’s third campus, Zion of Jefferson County, starts 10-10-10!
• I am also starting some new community contacts in the coming weeks. Furthermore, I have been praying about some new (possibly out of the box) ways for Zion to reach our valley. Please pray for wisdom and boldness.

Some of you know that I wrecked our van last week. After hitting a deer, I lost control, slid on the driver’s side, and popped back up again. The our now totaled van served the Olkowski’s well (222K miles!). But, we need a new vehicle and wisdom on what to buy (yes, I’m ok).

It means so much to know you are praying for us! Drop us an email (joe@zionlife.com) or find me on Facebook to let us know.

Thanks!

Pastor Joe
Zion of Petroleum Valley

ZPV August Prayer Letter

2010-08-19T08:49:00.000-07:00

August 19, 2010
Dear Zion of Petroleum Valley Prayer Team,

Thank you for all the prayers and support for Jessyca and me as we made our trip to Prague. Our team did well. This is a closed hearted place, so career missionaries spend months (even years) building relationships to see fruit. We will send out a report letter soon; let me know if you want one (you will automatically receive it if you responded to our initial prayer letter).

Another summer is coming to a close. With school starting, let’s focus on students:

• While the situation has improved, we may not start school on time (Sept. 1) due to labor negotiations. Pray for final contract issues to be resolved.
• 5th Quarters start on Sept. 10. ZPV is a fourth mile from the high school, so we open up the building after home varsity football games for fun, food, friendship, and some Bible. We build relationship with students by giving them something to do after the game.
• FUEL starts on Sept. 16. This is our small group study with students.
• Save a Life! If you recall, last spring I reported that a teen, whose mom attends Zion, committed suicide. It was a difficult time. But, our God raises amazing things from ashes. Save a Life starts as an event on 9/11 at the Petroleum Valley Youth Center – not far from ZPV. This is a community wide event with several organizations and churches involved. The goal is to provide students hope in Christ and life resources that they may not turn to suicide. Please be praying for the students to hear!
• I hear good things from students. Many reported stories to me of what God accomplished in their lives over the summer. They made commitments to living godly lives, making a difference on their campus, abandoning hypocrisy, sharing their faith, and considering the ministry as a career option. God is working in our next generation.

And, please pray for One Day on Sept. 5. All three Zion campuses will be out of the buildings and into the communities serving where we can. This includes projects for communities & individuals as well as visiting nursing homes.

One more…Zion of Jefferson County launches 10-10-10!

Feel free to send me a note of how I can pray for you at joe@zionlife.com or snail mail to the address below. Thank you for supporting Zion!

In Christ,

Pastor Joe
Zion of Petroleum Valley

Czech Log August 6

2010-08-06T10:33:00.000-07:00

August 6, 2010

Rain put a damper on ministry opportunities today, so not much to report on that front. We visited a castle, and I did get a chance to invite the tour guide to our English classes.

We (by “we” I include us all – not just this team) can start praying now for Steve, his family, and his team. These are solid people. Beg God for his Spirit to come upon Prague. Pray for their witness and the continual building of relationships. Pray for Bridge Community as they utilize their new facility.

Zion’s Prague Team will be back in PA Saturday night. We should see you Sunday.
Thank you for supporting and praying for us!

Pastor Joe

Czech Log August 5

2010-08-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

August 5, 2010

So Pilate asks Jesus, “What is truth?” Now Pilate did not know that his question would one day describe the people of Prague. We spent some time speaking with Maggie tonight as she showed us the city at night. What a beautiful place, and what a dark place! It used to be that we only had to answer the question, “What is true?” We would present the facts and apologetics of the Bible, Jesus, and creation, etc. and win the argument. Not so fast in Prague. Before we can even get to the place of figuring out what is true, we need to back up a step and convince them that truth actually exists. We can really know that we do NOT live in a computer generated matrix. Truth must become a reality before any progress can be made.

So, if this is the case in Prague (and it is), how effective is it to blitz a city with a bunch of Bible tracts and eager college students? If Prague citizens do not even accept truth, tracts and American style evangelism falls woefully short. Slowly, the blindness needs to erode away. Because of all this, I’ve learned three things this week.

1. It takes relationships. Months and years need to be invested into people here. Trust must be developed. And, you have to be happy with low levels of fruit. Many Muslim countries have higher conversion rates than Prague along with flourishing (albeit underground) churches.

2. The people of Prague have nothing. While their economic status has improved since I drove through the country in 1990, there is not even an inkling of Jesus as children grow up. No Bible stories. No Sunday schools. No prayers around the dinner table. Again, if they’ve rejected even the notion of truth, they cannot easily reach the truth of the Gospel. So, that leaves them with a whole lot of vanity: sex, humanism, materialism, hedonism. Not much hope with these idols.

3. I need to be praying for the missionaries here. Steve, his family, and his journeymen (and women!) run into this concrete wall everyday. How would you hold up as the months go by? After a week, I’m tired. All I got for my efforts is one young man saying today, “I reject Christianity.” But, God knows the hearts. When we present the survey questions, most of the respondents have never thought through them before. In the quietness of their hearts, they wonder if there is something more.

Pastor Joe

Czech Log August 4

2010-08-04T11:58:00.000-07:00

August 4, 2010

Let me tell you about the surveys. Most Czechs never give God a thought. The surveys put the thoughts in their minds by asking them their opinions about Jesus, the Bible, the church, and Christianity. There is also a section about their interest: would they like to discuss the Bible, attend a sports event, come to church, hear a lecture/debate, do something in nature? And, we ask them if they would like a Czech New Testament. Many just fill them out and hand them back. However, the key is that they start thinking about these questions. They’ve likely not done so before. Is there a God? Who is Jesus? What is the point of the church? And, what does this have to do with me? As with all people, they need to wrestle with these issues.

Here’s what happened today with the surveys.
• We completed a total of 30 (a good day!).
• One lady was in the park getting some fresh air. She wore a hospital band. She thought it was too late for her. We left her with a Bible and a promise to pray (which we did). Some tears welled up.
• A homeless man became very interested in coming to our services. He even stopped us late to make sure he had the time and date correct.
• A teen gave one of our workers a contact number to follow up with English classes.
• A man blinked in unbelief as we were able to hand him a Czech New Testament. After all, he indicated he would like one on his survey. He was excited about any volleyball games we would be playing.
• A college student from Holland wants a team to go to his home country.
• And, we distributed six Bibles…most days, no one wants one.

While we again did not have students for English classes tonight, God can work anyway he wants to work. We will hand out bottled water tomorrow as a promotion for the classes too.

Keep praying!
Pastor Joe

Czech Log August 3

2010-08-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

August 3, 2010

The rain fell today, so we took some time to learn about the Czech Republic and her history. From the Crusades to the Inquisition to Communism, the church has pushed Christ aside for simple (yet shallow) religion. While the cathedrals still stand and Huss is honored in the square, this nation has no room in her heart for God. Knowledge of the Bible is miniscule. Jesus, that cute baby, brings presents at Christmas, only. While I realize my comment is subjective, their faces reflect a vacuum of spirituality. Wake, work, come home, repeat. Just exist in purposelessness.

With the bad weather, we could not do any surveys or handout flyers for English classes. Sadly, we again had no students tonight. But, we will try again tomorrow. We will deliver more flyers, conduct more surveys, and pray for some students to come for English classes. We would appreciate your prayers too.

Pastor Joe

Czech trip, Day 2

2010-08-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

August 2, AM: This is our first day of many firsts. We will go out with the surveys for the first time. We are not the first group ever to do this, but it’s our first try at it. And, we will hopefully have some students for English classes today.

The team seems in good spirits and is adapting when and where they need to.

August 2, PM: In our morning meeting, we discussed how hard it is to reach the Czechs. In our survey when asked about church, some wrote it reminds them of the inquisition or harming children. Many have almost no thought of God…period. They simply go about their day making the most of it. There’s really no joy or even happiness – just existence. So, the goal is to show them Jesus and disassociate from poor examples in the past. As an example, reaching Prague is not just plowing in concrete but plowing concrete with a toothpick. It takes quite a bit of patience to work here.

In fact, we handed out 400 invitations for English classes today. No one showed. However, it is very common for first nights of English class to be like that. No one wants to be the first one there. We did get some firm contacts and look forward to tomorrow. We will hand out even more invitations too.

We also conducted spiritual surveys. Most went well. Kelly and I approached two young moms. Not only did they not speak English, they were deaf. The next couple we tried speaking to were obviously in the middle of a big fight. Pat, Maria, and Jessyca were more successful. We will have more chances later this week.

So, pray for students to come on Tuesday!
Pastor Joe

Czech Log, Day one

2010-08-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

So, for the next week, this is my new Czech blog. Check (hopefully daily) for updates.

August 1, AM: We arrived safely with very little travel setbacks. One of our boarding tickets would not scan, we received a bag of cookies instead of the lunch listed on our itinerary, and our eight hour layover was not that bad. We found some lounge chairs in one part of the airport that allowed us to sleep.

Our team met our missionary leader…Steve and his family. They are putting the long, hard days, weeks, months and years necessary to reach these people. They are so concerned for them. Over the generations, “church” has become something to be distrusted. It takes time to develop relationships so people will let their guard down and see what Jesus is all about. Our goal this week is to help start those relationships through our English classes and other interaction.
Today, we learn. We familiarize with the materials we will be using, learning more about the culture, and how we will work together.

August 1, PM: We saw a castle today. Amazing what man can build. Speaking of which, we did not have time to go inside (maybe Wednesday), but we stopped by St. Charles Cathedral. Breathe taking. I wonder if this is the kind of thing Jesus really wanted built. But, I heard an interesting presentation about architecture in the Bible years ago. The Tabernacle and the Temple were exquisite. God does love creativity. I just wonder about this tension though.

The strategy here is to build relationships. We will do this by starting with a survey about spiritual matters. We will then invite them over for English study in the evening. From there, the church can continue contact. The relationship and community is vital for a Czech. It often takes over a year before someone commits. We will be part of that chain.

We enjoyed the first service for Bridge Community at their new location (which also happens to be where we are staying). Most of the service was in English, but we sang some of the songs in Czech and the passage was read in Czech too. Since it is common to take one’s shoes off before entering a home, we had our church service in socks or bare feet. I’m going to try that some Sunday at Zion just to see what happens.

Finally, it was almost 8PM and our team had no supper yet. We head to the mall for a quick bite. We ate at a place called McDonalds. A big mac is a big mac is a big mac wherever you go. The mall has shops of the very expensive to the somewhat expensive. I drove through Eastern Europe (including Prague) twenty years ago. The change is drastic from a cold war era grey town to one filled with commerce and color. But overall in terms of Jesus, they are no better off. This is a tough place to work.

Pastor Joe

Are we there yet?

2010-06-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

“Are we there yet?” As a joke, my kids usually say that the moment we leave the driveway for a big trip. So cute. We want things now. We are suckers for get rich quick schemes because we don’t want to do the hard work. We would rather take the pill to shed 15lbs off in one week rather than the slow, steady, and wiser 3lbs a week with diet and exercise. Slow and steady does win the race, but we don’t have the patience. This is especially true for our walk with Christ. We are not there yet. And like the child who has no idea how long it takes to drive 1200 miles, we ask Jesus, “Are we there yet? This is hard. How about taking a break at the next rest stop? Or better yet, let’s check in at a nice hotel with a pool and finish the journey later.”

At Zion, we like to use the term “Christ follower” instead of “Christian.” It’s just a more descriptive word in our culture. I like it. It describes who I am and what I am doing (we also could use the term “disciple” too). So when I say I’m a Christ follower, I should mean that I will go where ever he goes and obey where ever he tells me. Much of the task is joyful and exciting. Sometimes, there are the long trips that take long hours that stretch into long days, months, even years. He has work he wants to do in me. And, he has work he wants me to do (Eph. 2:10). I like what the Apostle Paul said as he looked at his life journey. He wrote in Phil. 3:13-14, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” So, one of the great heroes of the New Testatment says, “I’m not there yet.”

Paul would often meld two ideas into one and make them inseparatable. He says there is one thing he does, but he lists two items. He takes them together like ham & eggs. He forgets the past and strains forward. That’s what a Christ follower does. We forget not only our past failures but our successes too. We also strain forward. Where does Jesus want us to go? Forward. How hard to we try? Strain. Yes, I know, it’s a work of the Holy Spirit. But following Christ is not passive like sitting in the back seat of the car.

Are we there yet? No, but watch out for the comfortable hotel stops. We can, however, keep straining forward no matter what. It’s what a Christ follower does. It’s what a disciple does.

ZPV June 2010 Prayer letter

2010-06-16T10:40:00.000-07:00

June 16, 2010
Dear Zion of Petroleum Valley Prayer Partners,
In high school, I attended a youth group that often had games and competitions. One week, we wanted to see who could eat the most bananas…blindfolded. Three of us went up front, but after the first banana, the other two guys were excused. I continued to allow bananas crammed in my mouth to the cheering crowd, “They’re catching up…keep going, Joe! Don’t let them beat you!” Little did I know I raced against no one. I swallowed large bites without chewing. But, when the blindfold came off, I saw it was all a game. It seemed real, but I made a herculean effort for nothing.

Why am I telling you this? When Christ-followers and churches talk about “discipleship,” it is really just a game. Performing. Educating. Doing. Busying. Often, we are about activities that are profitable, but sometimes we do not want to see the less comfortable side of following Christ. Just give me a Bible study and some good works to do, and I’m ok with that. As one author wrote, “We really just want a few friends and a sermon.” Being and making disciples is becoming like Jesus. Often, that road is not just hard, but it requires deep soul work well beyond the shell.
Zion has started probing into discipleship and what it means to follow Jesus. What does it mean to be a disciple? What does it mean to make disciples? God continues to solidify the answers in our minds and hearts. Clearly, the blindfold has come off, and we reject playing of the game. I do NOT mean that we have been failing at all. But, God is at work.

So, this makes our prayer list shorter than other months but not short in significance.
• Pray for all three of our Zion campuses (Zion of Jefferson County opens 10/10/10!) that we would continue to grow and be disciple making campuses.
• Last Sunday, we challenged our folks to listen to God for their Mt. Carmel moment (Read 1 Kings 18). Disciples follow Jesus to places where God just has to show up. We cannot rely upon ourselves.
• In July, we start an eight week series on discipleship.

There are other activities and ministries at Zion of Petroleum Valley worthy of prayer (Zone56, life groups, youth activities/outreach, camps, and Family Fun Fest). You can learn more about them on www.zionlife.com. But, for this month, please pray for this exciting time at Zion to focus on what Jesus left us to do, “Go, make disciples…”
Thanks!

Pastor Joe
Zion of Petroleum Valley

Lesson from the cat

2010-06-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

I have a cat. This shocks some of you who’ve known me for years. I generally don’t like cats, but I like Jazzy (aka, Fat Jazzy, Jasmine). I like Jazz because she is feisty…when she’s not napping. She likes me too. She’ll come up and say hello wanting her ears scratched (again, when she’s not napping). But, my previous history of cat teasing just has to come out. So, Jazz will be sleeping, and I poke her or tug on her whiskers. She gives me the I-really-hate-you-sometimes look but does nothing. Then, Jazz reaches her limit. The claws come out, she grabs my hand, and bites me. That’s kitty for, “Knock it off, jerk!” It is not in Jazz’ nature to put up with it forever or retreat. She will fight back.

Don’t strip any gears on this subject change, but if we want to advance the Jesus’ kingdom, become more like Christ, spread the mission, free the prisoners, and be filled with the Spirit (add your own cliché here), we will face opposition. Like Jazzy, Satan will fight back. The world will fight back. Our own flesh will fight back. None of those things are passive. In other words, there will be costs.

So, do we bag it? Will it be too hard? Stay comfortable? No way. We just cannot be surprised when it comes. Watch out for it. When we pull on Satan’s whiskers (or worse), he will respond with shocking ferocity. Since the world hates Jesus, it will hate his followers. Let’s go for it, but we cannot be surprised by opposition.

Ultimate apologetic

2010-04-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

I had a friend who’s car suddenly stopped dead. It ran perfectly moments earlier. He popped the hood and checked a number of possibilities. Others came to help and mentioned that their car did the same thing and it was this or that. Fill in the blank. None of it corrected the problem. Wait…could it be? Yes, he ran out of gas. Hours were spent on the possible solutions at the neglect of the obvious.

As Christ followers, we spend tremendous time on good things, but sometimes we forget the obvious. But, it’s a pleasure to see us account for the obvious. Last week was a tough week for the family. One of our members experienced a tragic loss. The body sprung into action and genuine concern. Not only did this begin the long journey of healing for one of us, it spoke to the community. They saw more than just activity or program. They saw what Jesus said they should see: By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35).

I support all we can do to minister to one another and reach our community. But, I am especially pleased to see when we don’t neglect the obvious. God is among you, Zion. Keep shining.

Too safe?

2010-03-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

“Wear a helmet!” “Buckle up!” “Make sure you have enough insurance!” “Wash your hands!”

I agree with these comments, but I admit cringing when I hear them. New cars have more and more air bags and trunk safety releases. I’m sure it’s happened, but I know of no one who’s ever been trapped in a trunk. Handrails, guardrails, and warning labels dot our landscapes and lives. Playgrounds have become so safe they’re almost no fun anymore. When I was growing up, the city oiled the streets (don’t ask me why). One kid wiped out his bicycle, gashed his knee, and went home crying. He was back in an hour bandaged up and out riding again. We survived.

Now, before someone leaves a comment that I’m advocating running with scissors and your shoes untied, I’m not. Please leave the lectures at the door; we know to be wise and safe. But, what bothers me is that I think we often carry our safety mentality to our faith. We want safe Christianity. We leave the mission’s trips to those who bungee jump on the weekends. Rather than speak to our neighbor about our faith, we leave that to the sky divers. We choose the path of comfort instead of writing that check to meet a need. Leaps of faith are little hops into wading pools instead of the deep end. Where are those Christ followers that the book of Hebrews describes as “…men of whom the world was not worthy” (11:38)?

I’m sure that these people did not stand in open fields during a lightning storm and made sure their saddles were well cinched on their horses. But when it came to faith, they lived dangerously. Read Hebrews 11 if you don’t believe me. I wish I lived more on the edge. Can we take those leaps of trust and faith? God has proved himself reliable over and over again. Maybe it means inviting that neighbor over. Or, it looks like getting in someone’s life who has a huge problem. It could take the form of being a better spouse. Or disciplining your kid, adopting a child, writing a missionary, keeping a commitment, or just praying and trusting that God works in someone’s life. Yes, our knees may get gashed, but our faith should work without a net.

Pastor Joe

February ZPV Prayer letter

2010-02-16T12:03:00.000-08:00

Dear Zion of Petroleum Valley Prayer Team,

Laser beam. Focus. Concentrate. Center. Hub. Focal point. These words describe Zion for the next few weeks. Starting March 14, our series EPIC will begin. God tells his story from Genesis to Revelation, and every person under creation has a part. We are looking beyond a single Easter service. We are telling God’s grand narrative that leads up to Easter and then beyond. If anyone is looking for an outreach push at Zion, this is it. We are putting our focus on the six weeks of EPIC. So, your specific prayers for EPIC would be appreciated!

• Pray for our clear communication. We want to be accurate and challenging story tellers. Personally, this type of presentation is outside my comfort zone, but I think it will be effective. Jesus used stories all the time. Now, we are telling the story of which he is the main character.
• We have laid out the challenge for each member of the Zion family to start praying for at least that one person who needs to hear. Pray for boldness and receptive hearts.
• Western PA is experiencing record snow fall this winter. While the start of EPIC is a month away, we are praying against excuses and reasons not to come.
• Pray that God prepares hearts. All that we do cannot change a heart; we need God to do that. We want to see his kingdom grow.

I am very excited about this! EPIC continues through Easter all the way to April 18, 2010. It stretches us on multiple levels, and we are trusting God. I look forward to writing you in April to report what God has done. Thanks for joining with us!

Pastor Joe
Zion of Petroleum Valley

Generations

2010-02-03T13:35:00.000-08:00

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been preparing and collecting old family documents for my family reunion last month. Included in this family history is my parents’ marriage certificate. In a twist of fate, I noticed that my wedding day was only one day before my parents’ wedding day. Since my mom died when I was young, I never really thought about when my parents were married. Trish and I picked the day only because it was available at the church we attended. I wonder what my dad was thinking that day? “Strange…close to this day I was starting my adult life with a new wife. Now, my son begins his…” Dad never mentioned anything, and he’s gone now so I can’t ask. Each generation goes through its firsts and lasts of significant events. Sometimes these memories bring pain, but they often bring good thoughts.

Zion of Petroleum Valley (while still young) is having a generational moment. This weekend, our new campus, Zion of Jefferson County, will join us for church and lunch afterwards. I remember getting our team together and wondering what the future holds. We received so much support from Zion in multiple venues. But now it’s time for us to pass on what we’ve received. This is another step in our growth as we have been sent, we now get to send along with Zion of Clarion County. This is fun! After a few more campuses, I may feel like a grampa.

Pastor Joe

The Voices in my Head

2010-01-18T12:36:00.001-08:00

Ok, this is the last time I’m telling the story. Everyone wants to know what happened to my eye. It looks like Trish slugged me. While innocent of that, I was trying to fix the garage door for her though. I noticed that one of the wheels was off track, but I needed to remove a part in order to correct the problem. Enter the voice in my head. It said, “Don’t do this alone…the part is attached to the spring…dangerous…get someone to help you keep the tension off the spring.” I did not listen to the voice; I thought I could do it myself. While I did remove most of the tension on the spring, once loose, the part flew out of my hands, smacked me right at the eyebrow, and left a gash. No stitches needed, but I did do some impressive bleeding. The swelling has gone down, but the blood has pooled into a nice bruise.

Last Sunday, we saw Jesus’ example in prayer. If the perfect human of all time needed to spend time in prayer, how much more do we? When we pray, we express our dependence on God. But like me and the garage door, we want to do it ourselves. By not praying, we show our arrogance. Asking, praying, and depending on God is a mark of maturity. And with garage doors, it’s less painful. We have this great gift of prayer available to us to help us in times of temptation, need, service, pain, and even in success. I encourage you to read the first part of Luke 11 for more insight directly from Jesus on prayer.

Repent

2010-01-05T09:40:00.000-08:00

I’ve been thinking about light switch and outlet covers lately. Yea…I know…I’m a deep thinker. I think about them because we painted almost every room before moving in two years ago. That means we removed the electrical covers. Two years later, there are still outlets and light switches without covers. Isn’t that pathetic? Come on, Joe…grab the screwdriver and put all the covers back on. After dinner last night, that’s just what I did. I repented of my electrical cover negligence. I took specific and measurable steps. I grabbed the screw driver, found the covers, found the screws, and checked all around the house. The job is not done. A few of the covers were cracked. The next step is to stop off at Lowes, purchase the remaining covers, and install them as soon as I get them home. See? It only took me two years to complete a twenty minute job. But, I did repent.

Jesus’ first sermon started with the word REPENT! It means to change one mind. Do a one-eighty. It’s an appropriate message for the start of the year. As the message began to take hold in my mind, I remembered many things that have yet to be finished. These things go far beyond household chores but extend to heart issues. Lessons have not sunk in yet. I need to be in a repeated state of repentance. God is working, and he gets all the credit. Over the years, the same projects seem to come up. They are just not getting done. I can wait until next year or take the steps I need to take. What needs to be done on my end? Is there anything I need to remove? Anything I need to start? Any bridge to burn? Any phone calls to make, sin to confess, attitude to adopt?

How about you? The good news is that repentance is a good thing. We shed the crud and become more like Jesus. The other good news is that he gives the grace, self-control, and power that we need. We need not rely on our flesh to do a spiritual thing. Those electrical covers have been off long enough.

Update on ZPV news

2009-12-15T08:12:00.000-08:00

As you know, the roads last Sunday morning were horrible. While we heard of a few spin outs, we have not heard that anyone was hurt. We discussed ways we could get the word out for mornings like last weekend. We could send out a phone tree message, email, website post, etc. What would work for you? Pastor Trent invites you to send him a note to trent@zionlife.com. For example, we could have postponed services until 4PM that day. The roads were safe by then. And so you know, we have snow plowing service for the white stuff, so our parking lot (at least) should be accessible.

Speaking of last Sunday, an audio version of the message is available online (from the Clarion campus), http://www.zionlife.com/media/message.aspx?messageID=74 as are all Zion messages. It's a good one, and I encourage you to take the time and check it out.
For the rest of December, the Olkowski, Gibson, and youth (FUEL) groups will not be meeting. No Garage December 20 or 27.
We still have invitations for the Christmas Eve Family Celebration service. Plan to bring your kids as there will be a special part for them. If you need invitations before Sunday, let me know. The ZPV service starts at 7PM. Clarion will have the same service at 5PM and 7PM. We may need help with childcare for the wee-little ones. Any volunteers?
Be sure to check the worship folder this Sunday about our next EQUIP course starting in January!

See you Sunday!

Pastor Joe
Zion of Petroleum Valley

In this case, one is two.

2009-12-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

Paradoxes are fun. There’s a “permanent press” setting on the clothes iron. Apartments are stuck together. The Greek Parthenon is actually curved to make it look straight. Funny, huh? The Apostle Paul writes about another paradox where he implies that two things are actually one: “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14).

In this chapter, Paul explains his impressive spiritual pedigree. In the end, he calls it garbage, and he admits that he still has so far to go to “gain Christ.” He is in process. But here is his one thing (but is it two?): forget what’s behind and strain towards what’s ahead. While he lists two things, they are so intertwined that they must be considered together. It’s futile to forget but not press forward, and insane to press forward without forgetting. They are like ham & eggs. They just go together.

If Paul had not reached the finish line, then I must be way back in the pack. But, I must do this one, two-part thing too. If I have any past victories or failures, forget them. Tis not the day to wallow or celebrate the past. But right on it’s heals, I press on. This is not a flesh thing I do on my own. I forget/press by what Christ has already given me. If the forget/press thing does not happen, that is truly a paradox, for I am missing what I most strongly desire: Jesus Christ.

Images: from head to heart

2009-11-20T12:56:00.000-08:00

Our past sermon series at Zion will go down as one of my favorites. We have covered God’s images of the church: Bride, Temple, Body, Priesthood, Flock, and Family. These are not inventions of the church itself. They are how God himself view us. To say they are profound truths smacks of gross understatement.

Like much truth, it’s not enough to know it. Our world thinks that if we just educate people, they will be better people. But, we post warning labels on cigarettes and fatty food and extension cords, but the information does not make people better. As the metaphor states, there is a huge difference between head and heart knowledge. These images of the church must be more than just facts. Their implications are galactic.

Besides what we have said on Sunday, each image conveys power and responsibility. Every church and every church member needs to see the significance of this power. We can always use a wake up call.
o We know that as the bride, Jesus is working in us to present us holy to himself.
o As a family, we should have trust and intimacy. Let them not be abused.
o We know that we are a body, so why treat others or act like cancerous cells?
o We know we are a Temple, so we cannot build outside of the foundation of Jesus. We can topple if we build structures, systems, and plans outside the footprint.
o We know we are a flock, so we should listen to the Good Shepherd instead of the thieves.
o And, we know we are priests, so why not open our mouths and be ambassadors for our God?

Too many churches and Christ followers can identify these images on a doctrine test. But, do they recognize the impact they have on a church or other Christ followers?

Pastor Joe

Faithful with the little things...

2009-10-15T05:59:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weeks, I have been plagued with things breaking…mainly computer issues but even my calculator broke. My frustration level has been rising, but God still speaks without a keyboard.

Matthew 25:21, “His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'”

I often hear this passage applied to financing and tithing. Those are accurate applications. But, in recent weeks, it keeps coming to mind with my attitude. If a computer glitch is going to ruin my day, I’m not very faithful when the little things are the problem. Yes, it’s frustrating to see the “blue screen of death,” but there are other things that should get my attention and fill my mind: daily concern for the church, the lost, hurting/struggling families and individuals. So, if my faith breaks under so-called glitches in my day, can I then be entrusted with the major stuff of life? The key is not just letting the little things get you down but recognizing what is a little thing and what’s not.

Pastor Joe

ZPV September Prayer Letter

2009-09-16T07:02:00.000-07:00

September 16, 2009

Dear Friends,

Thanks so much for praying for the Olkowski’s over Labor Day weekend. Jessyca moved in to Northeastern University with little trouble. She is settling in and becoming active on campus. Some of her classes are hard and others are review (so far!). I remain convinced that this is a good fit for her, and I look forward to seeing what God will be doing in her life.

Fall is a busy season for churches! Things are slow during the summer, but once school starts, look out! Zion of Petroleum Valley is no exception. Here are some things to pray for:

Workers! We can always use workers for our kids and youth. If our teams for Sunday morning were larger, we could have more rotate upstairs. Also, it would be good for us to turn over the teen duties. I like it, but there are those who connect better with students.
One day, we should not go to church so we can serve our community. Well, that day is Sunday, September 20 at both Zion campuses. It’s called One Day. We will spread out to various places in our community just for service in Jesus’ name. On one hand, we don’t want attention or fanfare, but on the other hand we would like people to see that our motivation is serving Jesus and them.
Our new EQUIP classes started on September 15.
Fifth Quarter begins on September 18 after the Karns City Varsity Football home game. We hope to fill ZPV with students after the game so they have some place to go and we can get to know them.
Keep praying for the men of the Petroleum Valley. For those who already know Christ, we need to be serious and active with our faith. For those who do not know him, they need to. These men are tough to reach.
And speaking of prayer, we need to see the value and participation of prayer raised in our community and churches.

Drop me a line or an email sometime, joe@zionlife.com. And, you can find me on Facebook too.

Pastor Joe
Zion of Petroleum Valley

Sermon titles

2009-08-25T12:52:00.001-07:00

One of these days, we should record our conversation about picking a sermon title. Usually, it's pretty straight forward. But, once in a while, we think of a title that's a little edgy or just too funny. This Sunday at ZPV, I will be preaching on grace. So, I thought of the following titles: Lavish Grace, Extravagant Grace, or Chocolate Covered Grace. So it's not a big surprise, I went with the first option. But consider this: Do we really live like we believe in God's grace when it comes to ourselves, our new life in Christ, our interaction with fellow Christ followers, and with a world that is not exactly laying out a red carpet for the church? So, let's start chewing on those ideas now.

And while the "Lavish Grace" title won out, there may be a treat this Sunday anyhow.

In Christ,
Pastor Joe

ZPV August Prayer Letter

2009-08-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

August 19, 2009

Dear Zion of Petroleum Valley Prayer Partners,

In just a few weeks, school opens, and we wrap up another summer. Continue to pray for ZPV as we are almost in the middle of our second year. And by the way, thank you for all the support as the Olkowski’s celebrated our second full year at Zion. God is working here, and it’s our privilege to be part of it.

Here are the prayer needs for ZPV:

Our combination meeting, DRIVE, with both campuses is August 30. Please pray for continued unity for both sites.
As school starts, so will our youth meetings at our home and after Friday night Karns City High home football games at the church. Pray for God to impact these students.
Our new EQUIP classes start on September 15. We will have two (yes, we’ve doubled our number of classes!) offerings this year for the adults: Bible story 201 (OT Testament with poetry and prophets) and a Beth Moore study on the fruits of the Spirit for the ladies.
On September 20, we won’t go to church (ok, we will for a bit). We have our first ever One Day event where we will go out and bless our community with work projects. Both Zion campuses will participate.
As a whole, Zion would like to see the commitment to pray rise in our church and in the area. We have some ideas, but the best way is for God to convince us! We want to trust Him to work and not just us doing things on our own. Pray for the mission and vision of Zion as a whole.
For the Olkowski’s, our first birdie leaves the nest over Labor Day weekend. Trish and I will take Jessyca to Boston while she attends Northeastern. Ally’s (sophomore) volleyball season will start soon as well as Mike (8th grade) in football. We are excited about the school year for all three kids.

You receive an update from me each month, but feel free to let me know how you are doing. You can email me at joe@zionlife.com or directly to ZPV’s address.

You are a blessing to us!

In Christ,

Pastor Joe
Zion of Petroleum Valley

HG Wells' fiction

2009-08-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

H.G. Wells cornered the market on new ideas. In terms of science fiction stories, aliens, time travel, mutations, and space travel are common themes. One could argue that Wells thought of these things first. Every sci-fi movie and book owes a nod to him. However, he also thought traditional ideas kept mankind primitive and from evolving (yes, Wells loved Darwin). Back in the early 1900’s, he shook the world with radical ideas of sexual freedom (he had an “open” marriage), birth control, and especially faith in mankind to grow and improve through education and technology. It sounded good until that pesky WWI started. Wells tried to preach his gospel again, but WWII and Hitler crimped his style. At the end of his life, he was frustrated that no one listened to him.

Wells offered a band-aid for terminal cancer. The cure is beyond ideas. Jesus offers a solution that touches our very nature. Since mankind hit the earth and abandoned God, he has tried new things, but he has needed a nature transplant all along. Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" So, rather than pass death along, we believe in Jesus, and he changes us at the source. We do not just live radically different or adopt a radical philosophy. New social rules or technology or education will not improve us personally or as a race. We become radically different only when our core nature changes. In fact it’s so different, we splash living water on everyone around us.

Pastor Joe

Just an update

2009-08-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

Hello ZPV,

Trish stunned me the other day when she mentioned that school starts this month. We are two-thirds done with summer! Where does time fly? Well, I'd better make sure we all know what's going on.

The Extreme Makeover Series continues this Sunday, August 9 with Pastor Paul.
Men@Millers continues every Saturday at 7AM for about an hour, guys. Some buy breakfast; some buy coffee. The only Saturdays we don't meet are the first Saturdays of the month.
Our next DRIVE meeting at the Clarion campus will be Aug. 30 at 6PM. Come hear what God is doing all around Zion!
The next ZPV BBQ will be Sept. 13 after church!
Also, later that day, we will have a DZ101 (Discovering Zion). If you've not attended one, this is where you can learn all you've ever wanted to learn about Zion. We meet from 4-6PM.
Say, why don't skip church one Sunday? Actually, on Sept. 20, Zion will participate in One Day. We are currently meeting with community leaders to see if there are opportunities for us to bless them in Jesus' name: park clean ups, fix ups, helping neighbors, etc. If you happen to see a need in your community, please let me know. We are not committing to anything yet, so please don't make any promises. Yes, we will meet briefly that morning, but the majority of our time will be in service.
And, there is always need for more prayer (frankly, we don't pray enough!). Trish is at ZPV at noon each Friday (during summer) with one agenda item: pray for Zion and our community. There are only a few meetings left.
For students, don't forget Thursday nights at our home. Until school starts, we meet from 7-9PM. Yes, we'll open the pool if the weather allows. Come for some fun, hanging with friends, and hearing from God.
And, also for students, we will open the church up for games and snacks after KCHS home football games. Details later.
Need to be baptized? What's stopping you? Let me know and we can set it up.

Wow, we often think of summer as a slow time! I'm begging God to work in our lives and in our community. It's so much more than activities; they provide the opportunities. I want to be on board with his plans.

See you Sunday.

Pastor Joe
Zion of Petroleum Valley

Check the plans

2009-07-28T09:20:00.000-07:00

Over our vacation last week, we visited the birthplace and homes of John Adams, our nation's second president. While there, I learned that Adams and Jefferson debated on the extent of the federal government's role. In fact, there was such sharp disagreement, they did not speak for years. I marvel how men like this can create a government almost from scratch and wrestle with issues so involved we still discuss them today. What did they use for a guide? How did they combine their various resources and philosophies of government to write our Constitution? The magnitude of the task is astounding. Since then, our form of government and founding documents have served as a blueprints for many others.

We need blueprints, but we also need a master architect in life to write the blueprint. Good thing we have one, huh? This is especially true when it comes to our families. As a husband and father, I often wish I had the write answer for every situation. It's not as easy as Ward Cleaver made it out to be. But, I do have blueprints written by my Master Architect. I can check the plans, see how the growth is going, make adjustments where needed, and correct any mistakes. But, checking the blueprint is not a passive activity but an active one.

Starting this weekend on August 2, we will start the Extreme Makeover: Your home edition. What does our Master Architect (God) say in his blueprints (the Bible) about our homes and families? While we all can admit areas to improve, this series may be especially relevant for friends and neighbors in need.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Joe

Stand certain

2009-07-14T14:13:00.000-07:00

I once had a cordial discussion with a friend from a denomination different from my own. We were discussing how we knew we were saved. She confidently asserted that she did this activity and that activity. Every religious check box had been marked complete. I told her that I believed differently. While I understand that good works are a result of my salvation, they don’t make me saved. When I see God work in me and through me, it further assures me I belong to him. My salvation is based on the work of Christ on the cross – not by anything I’ve done.

Well, my friend did not get it. It just seemed more concrete to her to have this objective standard of works than simply by faith. So, I asked, “How do you know you done enough?” After a long silence she said, “I don’t know.” I do know because I know God has already accepted what Jesus has done. The resurrection proved that.

So, on what do we depend? How well we perform religion? How good we are? How much I give? How often I go to church? Or, we can depend upon God’s claim: We are saved by his lavish grace (Eph. 2:8-9) and held there by his love (Rom. 8:38-39). This does not grant us a blank check to live anyway we want, but I can rest on Jesus’ perfect fulfillment rather than my own imperfect attempts.

Hearts of Mighty Men

2009-07-02T03:39:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite chapters in Scripture is 2 Samuel 23 which lists David’s mighty men. These were men of great valor, faith, and especially loyalty to David. At one point, David was out on the battlefield, and his hometown of Bethlehem was held by the enemy. Whimsically, David said, “How I wish to drink from the well at Bethlehem.” He was not commanding or dropping hints. However, out of their loyalty and affection for David, the three mighty men (Adino, Eleazar, and Shammah) broke through enemy lines, retrieved water from the Bethlehem well, and brought it to David. David was moved beyond words. He was overwhelmed not so much by the gift but by the bond these men held for him.

Someone showed this kind of love and affection to my family and me. No, they did not break through enemy lines or risk their lives, but their hearts beat similarly. Last Sunday, I mentioned (at the spur of the moment by the way) about God’s working in my life to live more contently and frugally. I briefly mentioned the repair of our wheelbarrow. So, what did I find later that day at ZPV? A brand new wheelbarrow! A nice metal one too that will not easily split like our old one. To the giver, thank you! While the gift itself is so appreciated, it’s the affection and care behind it that encourages us even more. The Zion family has always been so welcoming. My children experienced the true church. The heart attitude is greatest gift of all.

By the way, this illustrates the church in action: Kindness is never forced…it just happens. Thinking of others occurs first. Sacrifice and not seeking thanks is the norm. This is our testimony to the world, Zion (John 13:35). We treat each other based upon the fruit of the Spirit not by our own initiative but by God who works in us. Our community will see this authentic, organic, and spiritual fruit and want to experience it themselves. I do not mean simple material gain but being the church and not just attending the church.

And, thanks again.

Pastor Joe

ZPV June Prayer Letter

2009-06-23T09:43:00.001-07:00

Here is my monthly prayer letter. Let me know if you want to get a copy regularly...

Dear Zion of Petroleum Valley Prayer Warriors,

Summer begins in the valley while it does not look like it outside. It has been on the cold side. Trish continues to work on her yard and landscape. Jess is just returned from a two week trip to CA after graduation. Ally has returned from her Jamaica trip with the church as well as summer volleyball and basketball. Mike’s foot is healed from impaling it with a nail, and football workouts start soon. All three kids have done a fantastic job in school. For me, I know that someone has been praying for me especially regarding my severe allergies. Now, I only take the prescription medications, and I actually feel normal. I was concerned that it would be fall before I could go the day without congestion, itchiness, and sneezing. We all very much appreciate your prayers.

Here is the latest for us and Zion of Petroleum Valley:

Our summer program for kids is called Summer Fest, and it will meet June 29 to July 1 in the evenings. There will be lots of fun and games but especially a Gospel presentation. These kinds of events are very popular in our area, so please pray for our volunteers and those who come.
Throughout Zion, we have stressed becoming connected with one another. It’s the difference between going to church and being the church. Please pray for our connectivity especially over the summer with lots of plans and competing activities.
As I mentioned in our last letter, our series called Gravity has begun. We have covered the Bible, the Father, and the Son. There is still much weighty doctrine to cover and we want to be accurate.
For me personally, God has me working through some “character enhancing” times with me. Don’t worry – I’m fine. This is a good thing. But, I want to learn more than just the facts of following Christ, and the process is tough. Just keep praying.
We will be heading to Boston next month for vacation and Jess’ college orientation.

Appreciate you all so much! Let me know how we can be praying for you! And, check out my blog at http://www.pastorjoeszpvblog.blogspot.com/ for information and musings.

In Christ,

Pastor Joe
Zion of Petroleum Valley

Summer Fest

2009-06-16T07:31:00.001-07:00

Hello ZPV,
As you can see by driving along our roads and highways, it’s kid’s summer camp season. At Zion, we are pleased to see Summer Fest come to the Petroleum Valley campus. It is June 29 to July 1 (Monday to Wednesday) from 6-8PM. It’s a fun carnival for kids from 4 years to forth grade. And, they will hear the gospel message! This is a “Viral” kind of event to spread the Word around. Here are a few important bullet points:

We need workers. Drop me an email (joe@zionlife.com) or call 724-445-2142 or let me know Sunday. It’s easy stuff to run the games!
Spread the word. While we have posters up and postcards going out, nothing beats the word of mouth. If you have friends, neighbors, or co-workers with kids, this a great opportunity.
Start praying! Meet Trish on Fridays this summer at ZPV at noon to pray for not only Summer Fest but our church and community too.

Hope to hear from you.

Pastor Joe
Zion of Petroleum Valley

What's on my mind?

2009-06-09T06:57:00.000-07:00

If you’ve been part of the FaceBook thing, you know that people jot little notes like “I’m washing the dog” or “Watching the game…don’t bother me” or “I’m going on vacation!” I’ve been thinking about pollen. Try not to be overwhelmed by the depth of my thoughts. Actually, it’s all I can think about. As I write, I have burned through yet another tissue, and I have reached the point of wearing a dust mask. Every time I breathe, it fogs up my reading glasses. This year’s allergies are intense. Nothing seems to bring relief. A friend (who also suffers) said, “It’s like waking up sick everyday.” Yep. That’s it.

The other day, I had another sneezing fit which means ten to twelve sneezes right in a row. Yes, they hit me when I drive too. By the way, if you see me engage in multiple sneezes, it’s ok to wait till I’m done; you don’t need to say “Bless you” for each one. I launched into self-pity mode and asked God what is the point of allergies. How is this hyper-sensitivity to pollen making me a better Christ follower or bringing him glory? No word yet.

In WWII, Corrie ten Boom and her sister where thrown into a Nazi death camp. On top of all the abuse and starvation, they had lice. Corrie’s sister could not understand how lice help…until later. The sisters smuggled a pocket Bible into the camp, and they began to read it at night. However, they worried that they would be caught and punished. One of the more experienced prisoners reminded them that the guards would never enter the barrack. Why? They don’t want lice. There’s one good thing about the nasty little bugs.

Hebrews 11 lists the heroes of the faith. Near the end of the chapter, the author summarizes the victories and sufferings of the faithful. At verse 38, he writes, “…the world was not worthy of them…” That expression has always haunted me. They suffered such awful persecution and horrible deaths. I am sure they had their own “why” moments. Yet, their lives did bring honor and significance to God even in the confusing times. If they can take being sawn in two or prison or flogging, I suppose I can endure a few sneezes. I still don’t like and I still don’t understand. If I am ever told the why, I will let you know. And, I need the same grace I suppose they were granted.
Pastor Joe

Bearing Interest

2009-05-28T06:57:00.000-07:00

What grabs my interest? Penguins are in the playoffs, and Pastor Trent is a Detroit fan. Yep, that has my attention. The warning light on the dashboard turns my head. Phone calls, family schedules, to-do lists, meetings, the economy, and the status of lunch all interest me. Most people turn to a specific section of the newspaper, watch certain television shows, and involve themselves with various activities because that is what interests them. Yet, I am starting to see that while many of my interests may be good and noble, they are often short-sighted and selfish. Rather than what grabs my interest, I should ask, “What grabs Jesus’ interest? What’s important to him? If I am a Christ follower, do I bear the same interests he does?"

In Philippians 2, Paul writes about interests. He shows how Jesus laid aside his own interests for us. We are important to him. Paul explains that he strives to make Jesus’ interests his own. Then, he explains how Timothy and Epaphroditus also focus on Jesus.

So, where do I stand? Are my interests the same as Jesus’? If not, how can I realign them or at least admit I’m playing a game? If so, how does this flesh out in everyday life? What does this mean for me, the Christ follower? Join Zion of Petroleum Valley this Sunday, May 31, and we will look at Philippians 2 together on this message, Bearing Interest. See you at 10AM.

Pastor Joe

There go my socks

2009-05-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had your socks blown off? I did. Now, I just returned from a pastor’s conference where I heard many of today’s top leaders and authors. In fact, I intended to post about the things I learned. Their messages were beyond inspiring. I needed the input. As cool as that time was, I’m even more amazed by something else. It blew my socks off. It comes from the kindness of a dear lady who prays for me.

When I was a mere seventeen, I met Grandma Fess. Since I didn’t have grandparents nearby, she adopted me. Here’s the truly amazing part: Fess is still praying for me and my family. That’s thirty years of knee time, folks. She has an old picture we sent in a Christmas card from about a dozen years ago (yes, I owe her a new one big time).

A few lessons to be learned from Fess. As a body of believers, God gives us one another for support, encouragement, and prayer. Speaking of prayer, the prayers of the saints (especially the widows I think) are chunks of gold. Treasure them. Faithfulness is really illustrated over years and years. And, don’t think of prayer like it’s some religious thing. We enter God’s presence, worship at his feet, and he listens to our needs.

Thanks, Fess. I will get a new photo off to you soon.
Pastor Joe

Just a few reminders...

2009-05-14T06:20:00.001-07:00

Just a few reminders…

MEN: Don’t forget Men@Millers this Saturday at 7:00AM as we begin a study of discipleship. How did those New Testament men do it? What made it work?

And, after Men@Millers, everyone is welcome for Campus Care Day at 9:00AM at ZPV. We have some inside chores to make the place sparkle.

Still not sure about a Life Group? We have a fantastic opportunity for you: A four week Connect Group. We will meet on Tuesday nights at ZPV at 6:30PM. This group starts on June 9 and ends on June 30. This group will give a clear taste of what life groups are all about. Look for sign up sheets starting this Sunday, May 17 in the Worship Folder.

Questions? Drop me a line at joe@zionlife.com.

Pastor Joe

Picking a fight

2009-04-23T06:33:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed how wars start? Someone wants something and will use force to get it. This can be on a personal scale or a national scale. One hits. Another hits back. People debate the justification for a war all the time. Some reasons seem silly. Others are complex. Some seem justified. Other just look like someone wants to pick a fight. There is one sure war worth fighting.

Paul describes our armor in Ephesian six but he ends with "19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." The great apostle needs prayer. This part of the war is offence. Paul wants to make the message known, and he knows that it is a battle. Our enemy would be content if we just stayed in our own club. If we go out, he will fight back.

Don't be scared, but don't be naive either. He fights dirty. Our Commander has already won, so we don't need to worry there. But, if we want to see God work in our community and use us, watch for the push back.
Pastor Joe

Kingdom Clash

2009-04-01T17:39:00.000-07:00

I received the best present for Christmas: a gps. I get lost even with the clearest of directions. Now, I drive right to my destination (usually). Sometimes, I disagree with the gps. Patiently, it announces, "Recalculating." It should say, "Look, you didn't listen...now you're off course." Sure enough, gps was right and I was wrong. Yet some day soon, I will disregard it again because once in a rare while, it is wrong.

God gives us direction too. We find the primarily in his Word. He commands to love, serve, worship him, and speak truth. Many of our questions about direction in life can be answered by his Word. But, sometimes, we do not like the answer. It does not fit our plans. It is uncomfortable. It goes against the grain. It might even hurt. Then, like gps, we say, "No, I like this way instead." Unlike gps, God is never wrong. We just think he is because our kingdom clashes with his.

The word that comes to mind is faith. Two issues are in play. First, will I obey when his plans smack against mine? Obedience reflects invisible faith. I will follow him even if my own kingdom suffers. Second, will I trust despite what the circumstances say? Peter walked on water until he focused on the waves. Those waves said, "Panic!" Jesus said, "Come." So, we swallow hard, listen to Jesus, and refuse enslavement to circumstances.

Had a clash of wills lately with God? Ignored his direction? You and I both know he is never wrong. Let him do his "recalculation." He can always get us back on course.

Pastor Joe

Happy Anniversary ZPV!

2009-03-19T13:53:00.000-07:00

Here's a classic tune to celebrate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knp9-GY6fHE

Pastor Joe

Let us eat cake

2009-03-13T07:08:00.000-07:00

On March 22, 2008, Zion of Petroleum Valley opened its doors. We started on a Saturday night and continued through the summer and most of the fall, and then we moved to Sunday morning in November. While there is no end to the list of people to thank, please just pause a bit and thank God. He is always responsible for the victories and growth. And then, let's continue to pray for each other. Yes, pray all of Zion to be unified and focused and for the needs that creep into our lives. But, let's also model the Apostle Paul when he prayed for churches. He writes in Phil. 1:9-11, "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." He prays that their love may increase (assuming first towards God and then to one another) with the result that our insight is increased and we grow.

Growth? Yes. We need to be changed continually by God. And, we need to get the word out better to those who need to hear. Anyone is welcome, but what about those with no connection with Christ at all?

And what about Connection? The church is not our building. We just meet there regularly. We can continually become more connected the way God intends and designs us to be.

And, we should be committed. I can hardly bear the amazement when I think that God has called us to accomplish tasks with forever results. On board?

So, I do say thanks to all those who were there at the start and those who have recently arrived, and I say thanks to both campuses with all the support. Join us on 3/22 after church for a brief time to celebrate what God has done AND will do. We are just getting started. Oh yea, we will have cake!

Love you all,
Pastor Joe

Paul's heart

2009-03-04T13:14:00.000-08:00

I am tweezering (is that a word?) my way through the book of Philippians. I am noticing the intense feelings the apostle had to those he wrote. He uses words like trust, confidence, heart, and participant to describe his feelings and interactions with them. God left us his word, the Holy Spirit, and each other. No matter how small or supposedly great, all of us are critical to spreading the message. Thanks, folks. I have a long way to go to stand with a man like the Apostle Paul, but I'm glad that none of us are hanging out all by ourselves!

Here are a few news items:

Our second message of Green is this Sunday, March 8. See you at 10:00AM.
We have sign ups for the Easter Egg Celebration on April 4, but could always use more help. Let me know. We could also used donations for prizes (Walmart cards or cash works). Thanks! This outreach attracted tons of families last year.
DRIVE is coming March 29 at the Clarion Campus. It's a great time to gather, hear what God is doing at both our campuses, and gain some new insights. Let's reserve the time at 6:00PM!

See you soon.

Pastor Joe

It's not easy being green

2009-02-26T12:29:00.001-08:00

I have no idea how many messages I've preached or lessons I've taught. I have had my share of messages that preach to my own heart. But I have been wrestling with the Green messages. We wanted to simply present what the Bible says about our stewardship. In my study and preparation, I said (out loud), "No, God. I don't want this to be true." Then, the wrestling match started. I lost.

Green Starts this weekend at both campuses and runs for two Sundays (3/1 and 3/8). We are not going to tell you what to do and how to live or what light bulbs you can or cannot use. You will just hear what the word of God says about our responsibility over the earth and our own bodies.

Hope to see you there.

Pastor Joe

PS: Pastor Trent and our deacons are heading home from Jamaica today. Pray for their safe travel.

Need to wear out knees?

2009-02-17T11:09:00.000-08:00

Over this past year, a faithful group has been praying for Zion of Petroleum Valley. They have been fantastically faithful. I just sent them a note saying that their commitment is fulfilled and invited them to re-up. How about you? It just means that you will read my usually monthly prayer emails (or snail mail if you prefer) and pray. Pretty simple. Oh, I do need your email address though. Drop me a note at joe@zionlife.com so I can add you to the list.

Thanks!

Pastor Joe

180 Degrees

2009-02-11T14:58:00.000-08:00

As I write, the snow and ice are melting. Our parking lot was pretty slick for a while, but it's getting better. No more sliding around when you come into the lot! So, it's safe.

Speaking of safety, I would like you to consider doing something outside the safety zone. When we come to church, we see friends and family and want to connect. Yea, we even stress connecting with one another. But, we need to be aware of new guests and friends too. We have a team of folks who make it their job to greet people. That's good, but it cannot stop there. I would like to challenge us all to make 180 degree turns. NOT OUT OF CHURCH! I mean when we sit in our seats, turn around 180 degrees and meet someone new. This is outside our safety zone at times, but these opportunities help us maintain a warm and welcoming environment. Ask them out to lunch or downstairs while we have the Gibson life group there after church. So, let's make the turn!

Here are some activities coming up:

Next New Guest Reception is March 1 after church.
The Case for Creator EQUIP class is now over, but we start the Old Testament EQUIP class called Bible Story 101 starts Feb. 24 at ZPV at 6:30. We will trace the OT story and how it points to Jesus. Three more classes (Bible Story 201, Mentoring, and Relationships) start March 4 at ZCC too. See the worship folder for a sign up. Childcare is available on request.
The Easter Egg hunt is April 4 at the UAA ball fields in Karns City. This is a fantastic outreach for our community. We have eggs to fill and plans to make. We will also need helpers, registration table help, coffee & hot chocolate servers, face painters, etc. that day. We will be presenting the Easter story as well. Please let me know if you would like to help.
This is the last Sunday to get supplies to Pastor Trent for his trip to Jamaica. However, later in the year, we will be asking again for our youth team heading out in June.

I am really enjoying the Put Your Clothes on series with you! Please join us this Sunday as Pastor Brandon will bring the message.

Starting in March, we will have a short series called Green. What does the Bible say about the environment and our use of it?

See you then!

Pastor Joe

Jerry

2009-02-03T10:50:00.001-08:00

On Monday of this week, one of my good friends in CA went home to be with Jesus. The following post is long, but I want to pass on what I learned from Jerry...

While we all know in the back of our minds that this life ends, it still shocks. I was astounded as I read the news of Jerry’s passing. When we hear a news story of some unknown individual dying, we may feel sympathy for the survivors. Or, we may learn of someone we actually knew, and we sense an odd feeling. And while my loss cannot compare to Jerry’s family, this one hurts and the sense of loss is real. Even my daughter Ally, who interacted with Jerry often during childcare at Celebrate Recovery, felt the loss and shed many tears. “He was just so sweet!” she recalled.

Jerry was content to be a behind the scenes guy, but this does not mean he settled for second best. I think he understood where God placed him in life. Practically, he brought tremendous stability to our computer systems and helped us become more efficient. Sometimes, a bizarre computer glitch would arise, and Jerry would be stumped. After a while, we would just learn to live with it. Then usually early in the morning, I would find the problem solved. In my doorway stood Jerry with a goofy smirk on his face. “Yes,” he said, “we figured it out.” Often he would try and explain the complexities of some network address thing that usually floated over my head. He eagerly helped us with computer and network issues.

But Jerry’s influence did not end with computer hardware. He had a burden for a certain kind of person. I don’t want to sound insulting to the people he reached, so please take this the right way. Jerry looked for those on the fringe. He would often be frustrated that so much time and energy was spent on those who appeared to have all of life figured out and were rising stars. Jerry looked for those who were not often noticed. Especially with the junior high students at Los Gatos Christian, students could be found in his office after school lending him a hand. He would train and teach them about computers. However, he also would help them with problems at home or school. These boys admired Jerry simply because Jerry considered them valuable and loved them. I always admired this quality about him and have striven to include it in my own life.

Finally, as Celebrate Recovery began to grow, I knew I had to let my own guard down and become more transparent. The thought repulsed me, but Jerry modeled transparency for me. He trusted me with secrets he would not normally advertise. We all have things we are working on, and he gave me the courage to admit my own faults and sins. This not only helped me lead at CR, but the influence continues today.

To Deb and Family and Friends of Jerry Lee, I share your grief at our loss today. And of course, I am so happy for Jerry seeing Jesus as his is. Jerry has that goofy smirk on his face now too! He has left a legacy at Venture Christian Church and Los Gatos Christian School – two previous milestone places in my life. His legacy will not only continue there, but I strive to pass what I learned from him in my latest life milestone at Zion of Petroleum Valley in Western Pennsylvania. Godspeed, Jerry.

Pastor Joe

Lunatics

2009-01-28T08:39:00.000-08:00

Ok, I don’t get it. I am slowly picking my way through Philippians. Paul says in 1:14, “And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” So if Paul is in prison for preaching, how does that inspire boldness? When I see guys jump off ten foot ramps on bicycles, wipe out, and break bones, I don’t push my way to the top of the ramp to have my turn.

I don’t get it, but I do get it. My natural mind says, “Don’t get burned.” But my spiritual heart says, “Yea! Go for it!” There is something about the boldness of another believer that fires others up. It does not matter if the results do not fit the marketing plan. I do not imagine that imprisonment was in Paul’s yearly plan. But, he sees the how it fit perfectly in God’s plan. Paul’s desire was to see Christ preached. And then these lunatics are encouraged!

I do not know the names of these brothers Paul mentions. But, I think I want to be like them: crazy enough to keep speaking for Christ. I would like my confidence to speak (to individuals and to groups) to grow regardless of the outcomes. And, if Christ is honored, maybe my work for Christ will prompt others to work for Christ. Wow.

It’s not too late to sign up for Love & Respect on Feb. 6-7 at the Clarion campus. And, Feb. 1 is our New Guest Reception. Every Sunday is a good Sunday to bring friends, but we will have opportunity to welcome all those new to Zion. And, if you have not attended DZ101, please sign up this Sunday or send me a note at joe@zionlife.com. It will meet Sunday, Feb. 8 from 5-7 at ZPV.

Pastor Joe

Bad news for Petroleum Valley

2009-01-25T17:19:00.000-08:00

In the Butler Eagle today, we read the official news story that one of our three major refineries announced a shut down for a few months. My heart goes out to the families affected by this news. I relate to how you feel, for I’ve been on the edge of employment or loss of employment too. What will happen? How will ends meet? What are my options? What steps do I need to take? Wow, the list of unknowns grows and grows.

I would like to do or write something that would be helpful. I wish my actions and words could provide jobs. I fear that platitudes or verses could be viewed as a dry morsel in a famine. However, I would like to challenge with a thought (It may annoy some but please keep reading): There are more important things than a job. Yes, there is a huge reason to stay up late at night and worry. I in no way discount the stress and fear people may feel. But, we can use these times for an inventory. Our families, health, and future really do matter more in life. Protect and guard these even during a lay off. And, take stock of the relationship with Christ. Does one follow him just when things are going well? Can we trust him now even if the evidence does not fit?

Jesus is the Lord not just of Good Friday. One of the best sermons I ever heard was called “Sunday’s comin.’” Today may look like that Friday when Jesus died and all hope was gone, but Sunday’s comin’. Don’t make bargains with God like, “If I start going to church, he’ll give me a job.” When we get our lives right with God, the storms don’t seem to matter as much. Yes, the storms are still there and seem like they will tear the roof off, but they can howl all they want. Jesus challenged us to love him more than anything because he really is all that matters.

If someone thinks I have this down and all figured out, think again. I wish I did. I am sure there are so called pillars of strength I rely on instead of Christ. But I have seen it and heard it when people better than us have abandoned such pillars one by one only to find trusting in Christ the only unshakable foundation.

Pastor Joe

Blog Metamorphosis

2009-01-21T07:33:00.000-08:00

Originally, I kept this journal for my trip to Africa last year. I've been meaning to change it over to a Zion of Petroleum Valley log for some time. It looks like today is the day. I appreciate your comments and feedback (yes, let me know you're out there)!

As we enter a new political era, I wrestle with myself on getting too wrapped up in the political process. Since high school, politics interest me. Whether you like the new administration or not, its power and influence is minor compared to what God is doing. I’ve been in Philippians one for a while in my personal time with God. Paul writes that some are preaching Christ just to annoy him. But Paul does not care. He is just pleased that Christ is preached! I want that same burning desire that no matter what our national leaders do. Our life circumstances may improve or not. It does not matter. Am I preaching Christ? Are people coming to him? This life is not about my comfort, success, or fame. It is about Jesus getting the attention.

Don’t forget the Love and Respect conference at Zion of Clarion the first weekend of February! And, we are starting to gear up for the Easter Egg hunt on both campuses. We could use your help!

Pastor Joe

Home

2008-08-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

I am now sitting at my desk in good old western PA. I made all my connections, but the airlines made it a tight squeeze. I arrived at the departure gate in JFK just as they were calling out for boarding. The arriving plane was late from London, and JFK was my first stop in the US. I had to get through immigration, retrieve my bag, pass customs, re-entry through security, and find my gate. After all that, we waited in the plane for an hour. But before I knew it, I arrived in Pittsburgh. Trish picked me up.

I am trying to dig out from mail, messages, receipts, and laundry. I should be reorganized soon. The trip was very rewarding. The reports I've received have been encouraging and showed it to be well worth it (see the earlier posts). I find these kind of trips to multiply in terms of influence. While we were able to pour into these leaders, they can then take it to their respective churches. Yet, there is much to do and so much more training is needed. Maybe some day, the opportunity I will be able to go back or for one of you to go!

Thank you again for all the faithful support!
Pastor Joe

Leaving

2008-08-13T09:11:00.000-07:00

August 11, 2008

We have made it out of Goma. It was to be the most difficult part on the way home, but we had no problems. Now, we have a nice leisurely nine hour lay over in Nairobi airport. I have window shopped every store. I think I will read some.

On our way to the airport, our translator, Simeon, reported feedback from some of the pastors who attended our Goma institute. Many of our lessons addressed forgiveness. One pastor said he had bitter relationships with several people in his church. He was able to reconcile with all of them. I taught on the qualifications of an elder in First Timothy 3. I applied it to all of us. Simeon said they had no idea of the high standards set for leaders. They were not discouraged but challenged to grow. They especially mentioned being above reproach and husbands of one wife. I explained to them that this is beyond the issue of divorce. It means that we are to be a “one woman man.” Many men may have only been married once, but they have wandering eyes and are not one women men. When I heard these stories, I felt ragged around the edges – just tired out. But, they made me feel that all the time, expense, and effort was more than worth it.

Thank you to all who prayed and supported me here in Africa. You have just as much stake in this as I do. I just got on the plane. You did the support and battle in prayer.

Pastor Joe

Leaving soon

2008-08-10T11:51:00.000-07:00

August 10, 2008

I am about to finish my last full day in Africa. We had trouble getting to our respective churches to preach, but I made it in time. I spoke in a church led by one of the Institute leaders and preached on the believer’s uniform: love, from John 13. It went well except that my translator had some difficulties. I had to repeat myself more than half the time or speak very slowly and clearly. I have become spoiled by the translator at the Institute. His name is Simeon, and he is very skilled. One of the church members spoke English with me later. He sensed that I did not think the message went out clearly, but he assured me that the church understood the main point.

As I head down to dinner tonight, it became clear that God has been answering many prayers and has helped me the whole time through. Adjustments and frustrations have been minimal in terms of culture. We all have been well taken care of by the national pastors.

I will make one or two more entries until I get back to Pennsylvania. The most stressful part of the trip should be the Goma airport itself. Once the wheels are up, the rest of the trip should be downhill. I will be in Nairobi most of tomorrow waiting for my flight to London. From there I will go to New York and then to Pittsburgh. Oh, I did have two moments that were “just like home.” The other night, a thunder storm blew through that looked just like the ones in PA. And about 3:20 in the morning, I happen to wake up to hear a rumble. Yes, we had an earthquake just like in CA. It was minor and short – no damage.

Take care,

Pastor Joe

Last day of teaching

2008-08-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

August 9, 2008

Last day for the Goma institute. Everyone is feeling better, but my throat is still sore. I have no fever, congestion, or any other symptoms. I should be OK.

THE NEXT PARAGRAPH WILL DESCRIBE CONDITIONS AND STORIES FROM AN ORPHANAGE. IT MAY BE HARD FOR SOME TO READ.

While I taught yesterday, our other team members visited an orphanage. The violence in the outlying areas has left many children without parents. The woman leading the orphanage started it when she had a three month old herself. An injured baby was brought to her. The baby was found trying to nurse from his mother who was killed earlier in the day. The orphanage houses around 140 children. Two teenage girls live there with their own children (one had triplets). They had been repeatedly raped over months. They were able to escape, but struggled with having children of rape. They were able to receive counseling to accept and love their children. Another young boy bears a scar from his mouth to ear. He was maimed by a rebel with a machete as a baby. He also lost his hand. While the political structure has calmed down, there is tension. It is like a feud. No one knows how the conflicts have started; they just know they are to fight one another. The orphanage children simply live there with no plans for adoption. There is not even a procedure to find them homes. And, governments (US included) complicate the process or make it prohibitive. Over the past two weeks, I have taught on the depravity of man. We really are wicked. When we see our depravity more fully, we see how amazing the redemption of Christ really is.

I just finished the last institute course. We covered the doctrines of the church and end times. Throughout this week, we have stressed the personal lives of the pastors. We did not do this by design – it just happened. So, part of church doctrine is church leadership. We went through the list of elder qualifications in First Timothy 3. The concepts of being above reproach and managing your household well hit home. I give them a real life example of a pastor who did not keep his life above reproach. It cost him almost everything. Then I gave some practical ways to keep our lives that way. It’s been a good week, but we are only starting to just now to bond with the students. I think the language barrier has contributed to this.

One of our teachers, Doug, brought his college age son, John Michael. Some of the pastors brought their daughters. They gathered their courage, made a line, and each had their picture taken with John Michael. Very cute. None of them wanted to have their pictures taken with us old guys. Go figure.

I handed out some candy to my little friends who entertained me this week. I was very popular for a few moments. Most of the same kids were not there, but I had to take the opportunity. I had our translator teach me how to say, “Be kind” in Swahili. Go “mooa-wamah” one to another.

Pastor Joe

Dragging along!

2008-08-08T08:46:00.001-07:00

August 8, 2008

We are starting to drag. Some of our team is sick but ok to continue. Overall, we are just tiring out. There are two days left of the institute, we preach on Sunday, and fly out on Monday morning. We have an eight hour layover in Nairobi. We are considering seeing some of the town, but it may not be worth it once we pay for a transit visa and a taxi. We will likely hang out at the airport.

If you see Trish, wish her a happy anniversary. We’ve been married for 21 years today. And, it’s a double anniversary. One year ago, the Olkowski’s arrived in Pennsylvania. We are grateful for our new friends and church family at Zion. Our launch team has been a blessing to us. And, we miss and appreciate our friends and family in California too.

Our doctrine studies included man, sin, and salvation. I did not cover this next point in Zambia, but I addressed the idea of our value just as a creation of God in his image. Everyone has intrinsic value. Doug followed up in his lesson as well along the similar lines. It was a good one-two punch. We also were able to discuss temptation and avoiding sin.

I briefly taught the ideas of free will and election. No problem! We did enjoy looking at all the accomplishments of the cross and what it did for us. Part of me does not understand why someone rejects all that God has done for us through Christ. But another part remembers how my excuses seem to make sense. I have not desire to go back to the old way of life. The pastors took detailed notes to study later.

Our illnesses are percolating. Our leader, John, is back at the hotel with some anti-biotic with some kind of flu. John Michael was sick yesterday. My throat is getting sore (it might be from dust and pollution). We are almost done though.

I’m so glad I’ve come, but I’m missing home too. Hope you all are well.

Pastor Joe

Goma continues

2008-08-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

August 7, 2008

We are now in day three of the institute. Yesterday, I was able to send out an emergency email. There is a cultural and spiritual resistance to renouncing the idolatry in Africa. There was quite a stir. We will see how things go today.

A huge thunder storm came through last night. Lots of thunder, lightning, and heavy rain. I was warm and dry, but I had to wonder how the residents living in shacks and lean-tos faired.

I will teach on the Holy Spirit and angels & satan (hopefully). Besides the doctrines themselves (deity, work in believer’s lives, gifting, etc.), I want to apply the truths themselves. I will record later how it goes. (Later) The lessons went very well. I was able to discuss at length the concept of begin filled with the Spirit. There are quite a few questions about sanctification and when a believer sins. They understood how we cannot live the life on our own. We need the Spirit to live the life. I also covered angels and demons and how to be aware of satan’s schemes.

We are challenging them to formally renounce practices of the old life. We actually burned some cult books that some of the leaders were involved with. The pride among the leadership is thick, so it means much for them to take a stand. What will others think? Sounds just like home! It seems like this resistance is cracking though.

Hope you all are well.

Pastor Joe

Second day teaching in Goma

2008-08-06T08:58:00.001-07:00

August 6, 2008

Second day at Goma! Many like to hear about the weather. I was expecting hot and dry climate in both cities. But, since I’m in a different hemisphere, it’s winter here and dark by 6:00PM. Both cities have been cool and unusually dry. I was comfortable in short sleeves, but the nights have been cooler. Yesterday, it rained quite a bit. It hope it’s dry today, for my laundry is hanging on a clothesline. So far, so good, but it’s overcast.

There is a contingent of children who meet us every day at the institute. I have no idea what they are saying. They love having their picture taken. I video taped them being silly and then replayed the tape – big hit. They enjoyed what I call “Stupid finger tricks.” Ask my kids if you don’t know what they are. At least the African children liked them. They also like shaking hands. They have runny noses, filthy hands, and often have them in their mouths. Jesus touched lepers, so I suppose dirt, snot, and spit won’t hurt.

Your emails and blog comments have been very encouraging. It makes me wonder how many missionaries I can write but don’t. The contact relieves our minds of what is happening at home. Drop those missionaries an email!

Our teaching time has been cut. They are starting later and ending earlier than planned. This means I have not had a chance to teach Romans. We will see. I may just give an overview. And don’t forget that we need to be translated. That takes more time too.

Today, I covered Jesus in Theology. We started with his deity & humanity, his laying aside of his glory, his death & resurrection, and his return. Besides the teaching, there was some good application moments. When I discussed the kingship of Christ, I mentioned how the kings of Israel were to be spiritual leaders primarily. If the king followed God, the people followed God (and visa-versa). Church leaders bear the same responsibility. When a leader falls, it hurts more than just the leader. The other point to bring home is the home we have from the resurrection. The disciples were crushed, broken, and scarred the Friday of Jesus’ death. But God is the God of Sunday morning. Not only does the resurrection give us assurance of future life, it gives hope in difficult situations. If God can turn Jesus’ death into life, just think what he can do in the struggles of our lives.

We had a battle today in Doug’s spiritual warfare section. He challenged the pastors to abandon the idolatry that still exists in DRC. Many have kept practices from the animist ways. It causes a stir. A group of pastors finally came forward to express their commitment to renounce the idolatry from Satan’s kingdom. Some cracks were made, but there is much work to do. Keep praying.

By the way, add six hours to EST (nine for PST) if you’re curious what time it is for me. Our institute meets from 9:00AM to 4:00PM. Do the math.

Pastor Joe

Now in DRC!

2008-08-05T13:17:00.000-07:00

August 2, 2008

Today is Saturday, our day of rest. We have the day to shop for souvenirs, check the internet, and just catch a breath. On institute days, we leave by eight and are back in our rooms around 7:00PM. So, the days are pretty full. We shopped in what used to be the oldest standing village in Lusaka, Zambia. While it has the old, thatched roofs, it is now a market that features Zambian arts and crafts. It was interesting just to look around. The clerks say, “Sir…look at this elephant…good deal for you today! Look! Bracelets, drum, bowl, mask?” With our local leader, Pastor Mutali, we had little trouble finding good deals.

I appreciate the emails and the blog comments! They have been a huge encouragement.

Pastor Joe

August 3, 2008

This morning, I preached twice in Pastor Mutali’s church. He is the regional director for our training institute. These believers do not lack for enthusiasm. I had planned a sermon on overcoming difficulties, but the more I thought of it, it just did not sit right. So, I spoke both services on John 13:34-35 which is Jesus’ command to love one another. It seemed to hit home. I preached in English, and Pastor Mutali translated into the Bemba language. During the service, there was also a baby dedication. This is very similar to the dedications I have seen in the US. The pastor commissions the parents, lays his hands on each child, and prays for them. There must have been about 22 kids dedicated in the first service alone.

The church is in an area called Kuyama. It is the most densely populated area in Zambia. Most of the homes are squatters who just took over a plot of land, built a shanty home or concrete brick structure, and made it their own. There is no law here. Garbage is everywhere. No electricity. No plumbing. There were three cars in the parking area, but about 200 people were at church. All of them walk. There is no sewage except for the ditch that runs along the road. You can imagine the smell. These people give birth, live, and then die. Their lives do not amount to more than that. Yet, there are many that attend the church and have committed their lives to Christ. We do not need riches to have meaning, but the poverty is devastating.

Early the next morning, we will be on our way to Nairobi and then on to Goma, DRC. Our plan leaves at 2:30 in the morning. I’m glad that our institute does not start until Tuesday and will go to Saturday. This one will be in French, so we will use translators. This will make the challenge to fit everything in even greater.

Pastor Joe

August 4, 2008

We arrived in Goma, DRC today. We were dropped off early and spent some quality time in the Lusaka airport. I had a few Zambian dollars left, so I purchased some odds and ends and some cookie/cracker items not to mention bottled water. We flew for over three hours to Nairobi (there are no direct flights from Lusaka to Goma). We did not take a major airline. This is not to say that it was junky; it was just hard to find. We finally managed to find the gate where we should be. They confirmed our seats with cell phones and two-way radios. We verified our luggage and road a 50 seat jet. It rides just like a bigger jet until the descent and a roller coaster effect.

Goma is best described as chaotic. There is confusion in the airport and confusion in the town. Once we deplaned, we had no trouble getting through immigration except we could not understand that the clerk was asking if we were military. A nice, French speaking young man next to us translated. We were then surrounded by men who want to carry our luggage (for a fee of course), so we had to grab our bags and not let go. Our bags then needed “inspecting.” Half of the airport staff do not wear any kind of uniform. So, we funneled (and I mean “funneled”) into a narrow line. There was lots of screaming and yelling. They only wanted our main bags checked. Everyone else is trying to get their bags checked too. I was worried that the clerk would take the gift I received in Lusaka from the pastors – a clock to remind me of Zambia. I was able to communicate what it was without unpacking the whole thing. There was barely enough room for me to pass much less with my baggage. I just plowed through like everyone else did. Once in the lobby, we waited for almost two hours for our ride. There was some confusion when our flight arrived. While I watched the bags, John was able to use someone’s cell phone and call our contact, and our ride finally came. The airport is filthy and in terrible shape. It has constant noise. I watched the money changers work while everyone else kept an eye on this obvious stranger.

Our ride through Goma was not quite as adventurous. There are walls of people on both sides of the road. Make shift shanty markets sell just about everything. We needed the high profile car just to make it over the potholes. I was expecting a very low end place to stay. However, our hosts managed a very good price for nice rooms. I even have a view of the nearby lake. No suffering for Jesus here!

The pastor’s institute starts tomorrow. I have met our new fellow teachers, and we will work together well. With the translation, our time will be at a greater premium than in Lusaka, so we are making some tough choices.

Hey, if you made it this far, thanks for reading all of this. I very much appreciate the responses and emails.

Everyone be good!
Pastor Joe

August 5, 2008

We have officially started the Goma institute. As of this writing, I am sitting in the back while the first session is ongoing. I will stress the doctrine/theology portion of my lessons. With the time it takes to translate (English into French or Swahili), we are going to focus on one session each to do a complete job. I will then cover what I can in Romans.

The Goma facility is a little rougher around the edges, but it depends. On one hand, our power should be a little more dependable with a generator. And, we have a chalkboard with chalk. Both places have a sound system. On the other hand, we have no overhead lights here. The bathroom is an outhouse with a hole in the floor. The rest of the facility is more open. However, for both places, we have more than adequate facilities to teach. We make do. No complaints.

Our new team members are Doug Dorman and his son, John Michael. Doug leads a ministry called “Your Next Step Institute.” They do discipleship training. John Michael is a junior in college. He is accompanying his father, documenting their trip, and will work with some kids and teens while he is here. Doug will be teaching a course on Spiritual Warfare. They are good men. Be praying for them too. Thanks.

Ok…power update. The generator cut out and we don’t have power. Oh well. Again, we make do. I was able to get through a couple of sections in theology. We have a fantastic translator, Simeon. I threw out some pretty technical language, and he handled it well. It looks like he will translate for all of us the whole week. I hope his voice holds out!

Grace and peace to you.

Pastor Joe

Last entry from Zambia!

2008-08-02T05:30:00.000-07:00

Here is my last entry from Zambia. As it says below, I may not have internet in DRC. I will keep records until I get back. JO

August 1, 2008

One of my concerns traveling to another continent is that I would get sick especially by food poisoning. I’ve been on three prior trips and each time I became sick. However, at the last day of our first institute, I’m pleased to say that I feel great. I have one week to go. The only problem I have had is sleeping, but that was my fault. Some of you know that I like my coffee strong enough to stand up a fork. The Zambians know how to make coffee. A couple of nights at dinner, I had their coffee. It only took me two times to learn my lesson. It kept me up almost all night. But, the coffee is fantastic!

My last class in Romans is finished for this institute. I will teach it again in Goma, DRC. This last lesson covered the application section of Romans from chapter twelve forward. We examined the ideas of being living sacrifices and how that works out in life. I made sure we covered the part in chapter fourteen about disputed items. We decided not to get too specific so as not to cause a ruckus in the teaching session. So, I used other examples and stressed the ideas of accepting one another and not causing another to stumble. I feel ok about how the whole course went since the students asked excellent questions. I will make a few changes for the next institute since the material needs to tie together better.

The pastors seem so thankful. They come up and graciously shake our hands. Little do they know how much they have blessed us. They actively take notes and think through the issues.

I just finished my last course. I had about four hours of notes left and only one hour to teach. Fortunately, the student notes have detailed explanations with Scripture references. So, there was much for them to study later on. We did make it to the end times. I don’t even have a chalkboard to use; I would have liked to draw a timeline. However, I got the idea to use volunteers to illustrate the order of events. It worked really well. We did come up with even a better way to use the illustration when we get to Goma.

And, it broke my heart later when a pastor asked me if I had a Bible. The poverty is horrific.

The students graduated today. They were so appreciative and wanted to know when I could return. I have to wonder about the spiritual hunger in Zambia. If the pastors are this hungry, how do the rest of the believers feel?

We are leaving for Goma on Monday early. So, we are not sure if we will have internet access. Don’t worry if you do not hear from me for the week. We will start the next institute on Tuesday, August 5, and finish on Saturday. I should be home on the 12th.

Pastor Joe

institute continues

2008-07-31T09:19:00.000-07:00

July 30, 2008

Over the past few days, I have been concerned about two things. First, am I teaching at a level appropriate to these people? Should it be deeper or not? John and I spoke this morning and assured me that my teaching level is correct. Second, will the knowledge we are imparting result in pride? I fall into this trap too. I will address it at the end of Romans 11 where Paul just starts praising God from all the heavy doctrine he has just taught. Since Paul said he has not arrived, neither should we.

Yesterday, I received a couple of interesting questions. One was, if we are to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, why did Peter say in the “name of Jesus” in Acts 2:38? I think the reason is that there were other baptisms done at that time (like John’s in Acts 18). This baptism may be referred to as “Jesus’ baptism” opposed to other baptisms. The second question is why did Jesus say he had no place to lay his head but in John 1:38-39 he had a place to stay? I’ve never heard this question before! The answer is that Jesus said he had no place to lay his head to mean he did not own anything. He often stayed with friends, so he had a place to sleep. But, he did not own it.

The Romans section today covered the idea of sanctification (growing in our relationship with Christ). Paul starts off explaining that we do not need to serve the old master; we can say “No!” to sin. So, why give in to it? He then practically explains that there is a struggle the believer experiences between our internal desire to do right but the other desire is to do wrong. He wants to know who will set him free from this conflict. He answers his own question with Jesus Christ. The Spirit then provides us the power to live as we should. He reminds us that there is no condemnation in Christ and that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Frankly, while this material is very good, I had trouble keeping focus, and I’m not sure why.

I’ve been thinking and praying about Zion of Petroleum Valley today. As I write, one of the men covering for me is meeting right now with the group. I’m confident he will do well, but I’m also asking God to help him.

In the second session today, we flew through theology. In fact, I’m way behind where I should be. I am going to fly through the rest as much as possible without sacrificing content. I covered the rest of bibliology, Christology, and started the Holy Spirit. Not bad for ninety minutes. And while it was right after lunch, the students were much more engaged, and I felt better too. We all really enjoyed the lesson, and I had several come up with good questions later.

The worship is fantastic. Their zeal would put most of the US churches to shame. Dancing in the aisles is just fine!

Pastor Joe

July 31, 2008
People are usually curious about the living conditions in other nations. So, let me tell you about Zambian food and shelter. The food, pleasantly, has been ok. There are times when the meat would be better suited as shoe leather, but it has been good. Other food is standard rice, meat, and vegetables. There is a starch dish that is very popular called mnshea (sp?). It has the consistency of dense mash potatoes. It has virtually no taste. Our hotel is ok. It seems a little expensive for what we get, but it is far cheaper than other places. It is clean, but the hot water and electricity are sporadic. The staff is very polite and friendly. One of the guards escorted us a few blocks down the street to the internet café. He stayed with us the whole time. We draw too much attention on the street, so it’s nice to have a local keep the unscrupulous at bay.

I’ve told you about my courses, but these are not the only ones we are teaching. The students come for the entire day. Our missionary, John, works with TPI, Training Pastors International. He is teaching some courses on preaching style to make our messages more interesting and biblical. He is also teaching them a Walk Thru the Bible seminar on the New Testament. His wife, Jennifer, is teaching a course on Church Administration. The pastors really appreciate this. She is covering organization, planning, budgets, buildings, scheduling, and resources.

Today in Romans, we covered chapters 9-11. These explain Paul’s heart for his countrymen, the Israelites. It seemed to make an impact on the students to see that he would be willing to give up his salvation for their salvation. He then explains the plan God has for his people of the Old Testament (Israel) and his people of the New Testament (Church). We discussed his example of a grafted olive tree and our responsibility to spread the news about Christ.

In Theology, we finished the Holy Spirit, ran through angels & Satan, and started anthropology. Yes, we are moving fast and there is not enough time. Even though it was fast, we covered the spiritual warfare that all believers face. I wanted to assure them that while Satan is not one to take lightly, we have great victory available to us. When I finished, the pastor acting as MC, asked if I can stay a month to cover the material more completely. I don’t think I will have permission to do that.

One more day to go on this institute. We will finish with a graduation for the students as we hand out their certificates. They have been so thirsty, cooperative, inquisitive, and responsive. I gained far more than they have.

Pastor Joe

The latest from Zambia

2008-07-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

Hi, Sorry I've not posted sooner. It's tough to find the net around here.

July 26, 2008

As of this writing, I am sitting in the Johannesburg airport waiting for my final leg on the way in. I will be in Lusaka, Zambia for the first week. I will have been in a plane or in an airport for 24 hours by the time I get there. So far, it has been uneventful except that I did not know I would have a stop over in Darkar; we did not even de-plane though. All appears to be in order for my luggage to arrive with me in Lusaka. I figured out that this trip will take me to seven countries and three continents (ok, some are just lay overs).

Well, airports don’t make for exciting reports. Just keep praying. I start teaching on Monday, July 28. The only anxiety is not knowing what to expect in the teaching setting.
Pastor Joe

July 27, 2008 (Lusaka, Zambia)
It’s not even noon yet, and I’ve had a great Sunday. We visited Pastor Kenneth’s church for service. Services started at 6:00AM, but we did not have to be there until the 8:00AM service. John, the TPI leader, preached. I spoke just to give greetings from the church in the US and from Zion. They return greetings to you. (I should be able to preach next week). Lot’s of life and great music. Despite the jet lag, I had a wonderful time. We will take care of logistical needs today and then start teaching on Monday.

We drove through the street market which was full of people, but Pastor Kenneth said it was not crowded at all. He told us about the crime and poverty issues in the area. We had to make sure we did not hold our cameras out of the car window as they could easily be grabbed. The area was filled with squatters: people who would just build on a stake of land. That was home – no plumbing or electricity. There is a ditch in front of the house to dump waste. They just make do. The children, of course, are very cute and play with whatever they can find. At church, a group of kids wanted just to come over and shake hands.

All luggage and supplies have arrived with me!
Pastor Joe

July 28, 2008

I taught for the first day today. We had about 176 pastors and other visitors. We got a late start with registrations and setup and our lunch plans hit a snag. But, we made through our day well. The students are very responsive, appreciative, and interested.

My first teaching session is in Romans (1:1-3:20). I covered introductory material on the book, and then we dove right in. We examined Paul’s three purposes for his letter: Announce his visit, present the complete Gospel message, and address the Jew/Gentile conflict. He then states his thesis that we need God’s righteousness and can only access it by faith. We start with the bad news: we are horribly in need of a savior. Not only are people sinful, we revel in it. We would rather look to idols rather than our Creator. There is no excuse, and there is no hope for us on our own. Indeed, our situation is dire. I left them with the “bad news” of Romans (up to chapter 3). Tomorrow, we start the “Good News” of the rest of the book. I’m looking forward to it.

The second teaching session is in theology. Due to scheduling issues, I did not have a whole ninety minutes. As with Romans, we started with introductory material including various theological points of view and various types of theological study. Continuing, we discuss bias and interpretation/linguistic issues. Time ran out! I should have opportunity to catch up.

Keep praying!
Pastor Joe

July 29, 2008

Perspective is everything. I woke up this morning to find I had no hot water. It’s not that the water was not hot, no water came out. The frustration is not the water but the cost of the hotel does not match the level we should get. And, this place is considered a bargain. Then, later on, we were reminded that many of the pastors left for the training institute today at 5:00AM so they can get there by 8:30AM. It took so long because they had to walk. It’s hard to gripe about cold water now!

We received a great letter today from one of our attendees. He mentioned that he has attended other Bible conferences. He complained that they are more about the accomplishments or testimony of the speaker or that many go just to get a gift at the end or a free Bible. He appreciated that they are getting actual help for their ministries. Cool.

In Romans today, we covered 3:21 to 5:21. I was glad to leave the bad news section and give them the good news. We discussed how we are justified by the work of Christ. He has paid for our sins. Our original state is utterly hopeless by ourselves. Because of all this, we have reason to rejoice even in hard times. We discussed the terms justification, redemption, atonement, propitiation, and reconciliation. After the session, one of the men asked me about when a believer sins and confession. He also asked about this in relation to Romans 8:1, “There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” It seems to be a hot issue here. I discussed it individually, but I will cover it when we get to that passage (Wednesday).

For the Theology class, we finished some preliminary thoughts and then moved to Theology Proper, the study of God. We discussed his attributes and how they relate to our lives. With that, I like to tell people about the infiniteness of God. It applies to all the attributes. While we say that God is loving, he is infinitely loving. While he is wise, he is infinitely wise. He is not just powerful, but infinitely powerful. We also tackled the Trinity. It’s a difficult subject, but we made it through. And, since we are behind a bit, we were able to catch up a bit and get to the Bible. We started with inspiration and how that works.

I am very blessed by the influence of these people. It’s true that we get more from those we serve than we give to them.

Pastor Joe

The day before departure

2008-07-24T06:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
I think everything is set. I have my passport, tickets, visas, etc. I just need to pack up today. Once in a while, I think, "What do I have to say to these pastors?" God reminds me: Just stick with My Word. So, as you pray, please remember 1 Cor. 2:4-5, "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."

I will keep you posted...keep checking back or subscribe.
Pastor Joe

Just Preparing

2008-07-08T11:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
It is odd to realize that I will be getting on a plane this month for Africa. I will leave on July 25th and be gone until August 13. Until I leave, I am preparing for my lessons in theology and the book of Romans. I continue to build a prayer and support base. There is much to do.

If you are not familiar with the details, I will be teaching both classes in one week sessions. My students will have a curriculum to follow. Due to the concentrated nature of the courses, the format will be lecture.

Please drop me an email if you have any questions or want to let me know you'll be praying. I will try to make entries while in country, so you can keep track.
Thanks.
Pastor Joe