Fire Starter

Recently I congratulated a co-worker for an important step she took in her life towards her passion. She quickly returned a word of gratitude for helping her along towards this step. Interestingly, there was no formal coaching relationship between me and my co-worker, but somehow I’ve fallen into the role by default. Beyond her words of gratitude it was what followed that stopped me and caused me to ponder on these words: “Javier you are a fire starter.”

Several years ago I found myself meeting in the middle of a cold winter day in a badly insulated church building in Gallup New Mexico. As part of the Ethnic Ministry Council, we were to meet in our areas of service. This particular set of meetings were held in an area where a large number of Navajo Native Americans lived.

I remember breaking into groups where my colleague and I struggled to find the right phrasing in which to house our council’s mission and mandate. We threw words, ideas, and concepts to hoping for the right choice of words when I noticed our host’s efforts to keep the wood burner going thus hopefully keeping us warm. The expected fire seemed not to appear despite his determined efforts until he resorted to fanning the embers bringing about the fire needed to consume the newly introduced logs. I turned to my colleague and yelled “fanning the fires that’s our mandate.” That eureka moment gave way to “fanning the fire of multi-culturalism.” We clearly understood that we were too small, too under-resourced, and plainly incapable of starting the fire of a multicultural value in others.

Being a person of faith, I tend to go to Scripture for inspiration and understanding. The Apostle Paul reminds his mentee, Timothy, that although he had a gift from God within him, it was necessary to fan the embers into flames. (2 Timothy 1:6)

On November 24, 1992, after a difficult year for the British monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II declared it an “Annus Horribilis,” a horrible year. Certainly it was a year of significant losses for the Monarch, and although her followers were surprised by such expression from the careful queen, I think most understood the cause for the statement.

I, like you, have had years that one would like to turn the page as soon as possible. Mentally we hear ourselves saying, “Next” out loud. I remember December 1999, after being left to care for my children on my own, God called my best friend and father home. That was a year to remember. How about a year after that where we had a major fire in our house or 2001 or when doctors told me that I had to undergo open-heart surgery. Difficult years for sure!

Here we are 2014, a trying year but not “Annus Horribilis.” Four weeks ago we were certain that we would have to close Five Star Christian Academy. I called many partners and foundations to no avail. We have been blessed by the giving of individuals, mostly family members. I have been difficult for us to persuade churches into seeing education as a ministry. Here were our challenges in a nutshell.

• We had to restart the school from scratch after a former employee campaigned against the school and our new administration. We never had a chance to make mistakes. • We were strapped with a 5-year lease of $3,500/month that would increase to $4000 in two years. The school was already $15,000 in back rent. Our electric bill ran an average of about $1000 a month with other expenses that did not include a salary for any us. In the end, we were looking at a cost of $13K a month. We did not raise tuition because most of our students come from broken homes and high-needs families. • My funding from Home Missions came to an end in December. I am so grateful for this as it was the only income we had. • I spent over all my life’s savings. • Became ill and ended up in the hospital. • No Christmas gifts or decorations this year, but an impressive Christmas spirit in my house.

I know that this may sound like an Annus Horribilis, but it isn’t. Our children are excited just to be here with us. We have decided to do for others. Here are some things God has been doing.

• We were able to negotiate with our great landlord and get from under the lease. We brought the debt down from $15K to $10K, to be paid in installments. • We found a great building for $1500/month bringing all expenses down. • Despite all the financial challenges in the island our school continues to grow and we are larger than many other schools our size in the area. • We found the funding to get into the building. • I was offered a job in Orlando with full benefits. • We gave equipment to a young hardworking man in our neighborhood where he will be able to start his own business in January. Are we over the hump? Not yet but we see the light on the other side. If we’re able to raise about $5000.00 this month, we will be good till the end of January 2015 and should be back in the black. Wow!!!! Never thought that possible just a couple of weeks ago.

Many people don’t give to causes such as this because they believe that $50 or $100 can’t help. If 100 people give $50, we will meet our goal. You do the math. I would not ask if I didn’t practice this myself. I am continuously in awe of God’s ability to touch the hearts of his people. I believe in this ministry in such a way that I have no problem asking you to invest in the Kingdom’s work.

I don’t sell miracles other than the difference your gift means to the single mothers, parents who sell food in the streets, and grandparents raising their grandchildren, knowing that their children is being taught in a Christian environment. I challenge you with love to say “Yes.” You can make your end-of-year gift to:

Oasis Community Church P.O. Box 784329 Winter Garden, FL 34787

On the memo section of the check write: Five Star Christian Academy

Oasis Community Church is a 501 3(c) so all donations are tax-deductible.

Be blessed,

Javier and Bertaliz

Refining our ears to the silent cry

  Acts 16

New International Version (NIV)

Timothy Joins Paul and Silas

16 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia

6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

    Introduction

  Recently I sat in a meeting where the subject at hand was the weeping of the Church, the wants of the Church, the needs of the church and how here should be a posture towards relieving that pain.

  Although I believe that there is a special need for pastoral care of God’s flock and coming together to make it stronger while creating an environment of interdependence and where love flows, I also believe that there can be an inherent danger when the church becomes more about the itself and its survival rather than on the purposes of its existence. The Church is a worshipping community worshipping God in song, Psalms, sermons, activities, community involvement and  sharing the good news of the Gospel to its community that cries out sometimes loudly but many times in silence, at least to our busy ears.

  We may ask ourselves, how does the cry of community sound like? The cries are sometimes subtle, a whimper. Yet demographics keys us into some the causes; Poverty, drug abuse, immigration issues, education, crime, divorce rates and some times the cries are hidden behind faces that strive to fake it till they make it.

  And yet out of that darkness grows the purpose of the church to be carriers of the light of Jesus and to engage in the mission of God that is to bring people, communities, villages, cities, states, provinces, nations and the world to himself.

  Yet this mandate can and does get loss at times in theological speak or the historical preferred future of congregations and individuals. At times it is our own individualistic processes and priorities or fear itself that keep us from listening to God and reacting to his call.

  Today’s reading gives us a glimpse of how sometimes God interferes with men’s plan for the greater mission, and Paul’s sensibility to the call of the Spirit and willingness to curve his plans in order to allow God to do his.

  Chapter 16 begins with Paul and Silas’ initial top from Derbe to Lystra a Roman province with very strong links to the Greek traditions and in fact worshipped Zeus. Paul goes there to add to his ministry team a young man whose Mom and Grandma where followers of Christ and had raised Timothy in the ways of Christ. Timothy had a father who was probably not a believer and was Greek, and who knows if he worshipped Zeus as well.

  After circumcising (credentialing) Timothy he added him to the team that included him and Silas and the three headed to do God’s work and answer his calling. 

  It is important to note here that being missional does not mean that the work of the Church is ignored. We that work in church organizations at times believe and/or act as if doing one will hurt the other but both are faces of the same coin. Paul’s mission had two goals 1) Strengthening churches of the region 2) Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

  4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

  As they continued with their missional itinerary they try to enter Bithynia (which would be to the east of Mysia), but scriptures tell us that the “Spirit of Jesus” or the Holy Spirit, “Would not allow them to.” God stopped them at the border.

  Sometimes we think that we have it all figured out when all of a sudden God interrupts our plans right in the middle. Why does he do that? Frankly, I don’t know but be assured that it has to do more with his dealing with us as individuals than with changing his mind.

  As they camp down in Troas Paul has a vision of a Macedonian man (Macedonia was Northwest from Troas) who is begging him “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

  Paul does not take an inventory of his resources to see if this can be done.  He does not create a committee for research and development. Now don’t misunderstand me, I believe all in good order but good order responds to the calling of God. The mission and vision does not follow resources but resources follow mission and vision.

  Scripture tells us that immediately after seeing the vision they “got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

  The groups missionary trip was bless with people coming to know the goodness of Jesus, but don’t be mistaken they also face much persecution.

  Today we as individuals and a congregation must ask ourselves:

  What is God asking of me?

  Am I willing to surrender it all to him and go on a journey of obedience?

  Who is the Macedonian crying out and begging for my/our help?