Leadership Training

This past Thursday and Friday, August 21 and 22, I attended a leadership training seminar led by Dr. Dean Radtke of The Institute of Ministry Management and Leadership. Dr. Radtke travels all over the world holding workshops for pastors and ministry leaders to help them develop their overall leadership skills. In the past I have attended this same "CEO and Leaders Workshop", as Dr. Radtke calls it, but I believe that teaching about leadership and effectively working with people is something that needs to be heard over and over again. As a minister and a missionary I strongly believe in continued training and education along the lines of ministry and leadership to help me stay sharp and so that I can continue to grow and develop in these areas.

On the left is a picture from the workshop that just took place here. Approximately 85 people from Germany, France, The Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, and The United Kingdom participated in these meetings that we at RHEMA Germany hosted for Dr. Radtke. There is a lot of work that goes into holding a series of meetings like this but it is well worth the effort. This leadership seminar was a benefit to me personally and by being involved with the work of hosting this seminar, and in that way having a small part in helping train and develop pastors and leaders, this also helps me fulfill the calling that God has for my life.

If you are a pastor or ministry leader I would definitely recommend attending one of these workshops. More information about Dr. Radtke's ministry can be found on his website at http://www.ministryinstitute.org/ and you can also find a schedule of his upcoming meetings there.

Just Not My Day

The other day I was at a grocery store and as I was going to pay for my purchase I got mixed up trying to get the correct amount of change to the cashier. I was about to hand her some money when I realized my mistake and then recounted my money to give her what was needed. As the girl working the register saw my mix up she said, "It hasn't been my day either". I just smiled at her, trying to be nice and not really able to think up a good response in German. But I thought to myself, "Every day is my day because God is on my side" and as I took my things and walked away I got thinking about what she said.

Sometimes we have a day where it seems like we run into problem after problem. Often when this happens we say something like this girl said to me, "I guess it's just not my day!" But if today is not my day then when will I have my day and how will I know when it is my day? The problem is that the standard we use to determine when we are having a good day or a bad day is our circumstances. Instead of checking my circumstances to gauge if today is my day I have decided to make every day my day and believe that God will help me to deal with whatever comes my way.

Part of this for me is getting my thinking straight and part of it is getting what I say lined up with what God says about me. I choose to take God's side in my day and He has said He would help me (Hebrews 13:6), He is on my side (Psalm 118:6), He is for me and not against me (Romans 8:31), no weapon formed against me can succeed (Isaiah 54:17), and He will guide me in my life (Psalm 32:8). By focusing on what God has said about me and what He will do for me I find that my days are better and even when I face a difficult situation God always helps me to overcome it. So, if it seems like you are having one of those days that is just not your day then focus on God and what He has to say about your life and every day can be a great day!

Actions Or Reactions

This blog is from another one of my adventures at an airport. Traveling on an airplane is normally a very fast way to go from one place to another and usually the place that you are traveling to is one you want to get to so it is generally a pleasant experience, but not always.

This picture on the left is one I took at the Chicago O'Hare airport back in January after a crazy day of flight cancellations and delays. The line that these people are standing in was going to the United Airlines customer service center where a person would have the opportunity to try and reschedule their travel plans. I stood in this line earlier for just over an hour to find out that I had to wait two days before I could actually get on another flight to go back to Germany. When I was in the line it was actually much shorter than it is in this picture. My connecting flight arrived late in Chicago so I missed the plane I should have been on to Germany. But upon my arrival I found out that I was not alone in missing a flight and due to some severe weather conditions many, many flights were canceled.

This whole incident was not one that I would like to relive but things like this can and do happen. What I noticed about all of this was how the people involved in this unhappy mess were acting and reacting. Many people were very upset and yelling at anyone from the airlines who was standing still long enough to listen. I had to work my way around a couple of irate people just to be able to speak to someone from United Airlines and find out what my options were after missing my flight. I will have to say that everyone I talked with from United were very helpful and since they did not cause the tornadoes that caused my flight delay I was not mad at any of them, but that could not be said for everyone in the airport that day.

For me this whole incident was a lesson in actions and reactions. In any negative situation we can either react to the problem and be upset and take it out on whoever or whatever happens to be around us or we can see what has to be done to solve the problem and take the appropriate action. Although I was not happy about missing my flight back to Germany I realized that if I yelled at the United Airlines people that they would be less likely to even want to help me. Besides that, my being upset would not do anything to first of all change the weather (or what had already happened) and second of all it would not make me or anyone else happy. So my thought for this whole thing is that it is better to take a moment to look at a situation and find out the proper course of action instead of reacting to the problem and possibly making it even worse. Sooner or later in life we will all face a problem and how we act or react will make a big difference, for us and everyone around us.

Making Changes

For over two years now I have had a blog site. This blog site is actually my second, the first one I was using crashed. Then, to make things worse, the company running the site did not have things in place to back up the site and restore everything so I moved on to a new site. Just the other day I was looking at my blog site and I decided to make some minor changes to the way the site looks. That got me thinking about some other related things.

Throughout our lives we are making changes. In fact, the only thing that does not change is that things change! Most people are like me where the things that are familiar are what we like best and we don't always want to make the changes and adjustments that we should. Recently I have been looking at some things in my own life and making some changes. Nothing radical, just some small adjustments that I believe will make things better for me.

My belief is that since none of us are prefect we need to be ready and willing to make changes when we find an area of our life that needs it. As a Christian and a minister I want to follow God's plan and purpose in my life and that sometimes leads to a change or two. What I have found is that there are times I resist the change from something familiar to something new, but when I make the changes that God leads me into it always pays off! Keep an eye on your life, and keep your spiritual ears tuned in to God and be ready to make any necessary changes; it will always be worth it.

RHEMA Germany Graduation 2008

Last month I posted a blog about our school graduation ceremony and the alumni luncheon that was held on the same day. At that time I only had some pictures that I took at the luncheon but none of the actual graduation ceremony itself. I now have some pictures and I have finally gotten around to making another post using these pictures to show what our graduation was like. This first picture shows the graduates from RHEMA Germany with Pastor and Mrs. Hagin and the school instructors.

Pastor Hagin was the featured speaker for the ceremony itself and here are some pictures from the ceremony showing Pastor Hagin and also one of the audience.

At the end of the graduation ceremony the students received their diplomas to signify their completion of the two years of training that they received at RHEMA Bible Training Center Germany. Here are one of our students from Germany and another from The Netherlands receiving their diplomas.

The graduation ceremony was a complete success. Many of these graduates are already involved in one area of ministry or another. We believe that the training that all of these graduates have received has helped to prepare them to continue on in the plan of God in their life and we expect them all to be a great benefit to the Kingdom of God!

Playing Softball In Germany

Yesterday we had our annual church picnic. It was a really great time of fun and fellowship with the usual cookout on the grill and lots and lots of good food. One thing we did here for the first time was to have a softball game. For most Americans that does not sound like a big deal but in Germany most people have never played any kind of baseball. So what we ended up with was quite a few people doing their best to play a game they had only seen in a movie.

We divided up those who wanted to play into two teams. But when the teams consist of a few Americans and people from Germany, Croatia, Russia, and South Africa then as you can imagine the skill level is not too high. Besides that we had adults and kids playing so that also had an effect on how much we bent the rules in order to just have fun and not really count who was winning or losing. Some of the kids ended up having about five strikes before they hit the ball and many of us who were playing the field were suspiciously inept at being able to make an easy throw to first base or something similar. However, everyone had a lot of fun (myself included) and we all found out that just playing for the fun of it is alright sometimes.

One thing that I did get thinking about was the differences between different countries and how something that people are so used to in one place is so strange to people from another place. Softball is one such example of that. I thought it was really great for so many people who had never swung a bat or put on a baseball glove to go out and try this strange game and how most of them did surprising well at it. We may or may not play softball at our church picnic next year but I am sure the memories from this year's game will last a long time.

RHEMA Germany Promotional Video

At our graduation ceremony last week we showed a video that we are using as a way to promote our school and the overall ministry of RHEMA Germany. The video is about four minutes long and it gives some information about what we are doing at RHEMA Germany. The video also includes some statistics about Europe, RHEMA around the world, and there are some testimonies from past and present students. I hope you enjoy the video and it helps you to have a better idea about what we are doing here in Germany and Europe.

This video was originally posted on the RHEMA Germany channel on YouTube with some other videos from the ministry here. If you would like to view this video on YouTube you can see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbpAEnQ2RHg.

Graduation And Alumni Meeting

Last week we held the graduation ceremony for RHEMA Bible Training Center Germany and an alumni luncheon on the same day. Although we have students who complete the school program each year we only have the actual graduation ceremony every two years. There are a couple of reasons that we do it this way and one of those reasons is so that we are able to have Pastor Kenneth and Lynette Hagin come as our featured speakers for this event. The graduation ceremony is a wonderful time for the students to have a public recognition of their completing the two year school program and a time for others to celebrate this occasion with them.

One other thing we always like to include with our graduation is an alumni meeting. Because Pastor and Mrs. Hagin are already here for the graduation ceremony we like to hold an alumni meeting with them as well. Here is a picture of the Hagins addressing the alumni and a couple of pictures I took of some of the alumni who attended the event.

There were approximately 90 alumni from four different RHEMA schools who attended this meeting. The Hagins expressed their joy at being able to see so many graduates and they also encouraged each person to fulfill the plan that God has for their life. Graduations and alumni meetings are not something we do here every day but when we do have them they are always special events.

Let Go Of The Can!

In February, after returning from my last trip to the states, I was in the Frankfurt airport waiting for my luggage. As I waited for my bags to come down the conveyor belt I saw another man doing the same thing. However there was one difference between him and me, he was holding a can of some type of drink in one hand. I noticed the drink and thought to myself about how after a long trans-Atlantic flight it is nice to have something to drink.

Then, before my bags came along the man with the can spotted one of his bags. Like many people he had a large bag that was packed pretty good and when it came by him he grabbed it, but he didn't let go of the can! I watched in amazement as he struggled to get his one bag off of the conveyor belt with only one hand. He did it but it took a lot of effort and certainly much more than he would have needed had he used both hands. Then something even more amazing happened, his second bag arrived and he did the same thing! This man was on the opposite side of the baggage pick up area from where I was and too far away for me to help him but I wanted to yell at him, "Hey, let go of the can!" It would seem like an obvious thing to do, but rather than drop the can he struggled to get his two bags with only his one free hand.

Shortly after this incident my luggage arrived and I left the baggage claim area. As I walked away I thought about how hard it was for this man to do what he needed to do because he would not let go of the can he was holding. This was an example to me of how so many people go through life hanging on to things that although they are not wrong, what they are holding on to makes what they need to do in life more difficult than it has to be.

This reminded me of what it says in Hebrews 12:1 where it tells us to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Often times it is not the sin that becomes a problem but it is the extra weight that holds us back from "running our race" for God as Hebrews 12 goes on to say. We need to keep an eye on the things we hold on to in life, like that man did with the can, and let go of anything that might hinder us from being as effective as we ought to be. God has a great plan for each and every person and by putting aside the things that hinder us we can be more productive in the things that we do.

Teaching AND Translating

On Thursday nights I lead a Bible study in the city of Cologne. The group is made up of people from several different nations and normally we do the meeting entirely in English. That may sound strange to lead a group in English while living in Germany. But there are a number of people here who speak English and it is simpler to lead a group in one language. Occasionally we do have some people who do not speak English at the Bible study so someone translates for me. This group has been going for over two years now and it is always something I look forward to.

Last night was a different meeting than normal. I did my usual part of leading the group and teaching the lesson but I had an extra job to do last night, I was the translator too! This is actually the second time this happened. Last night there were two people at the meeting who did not speak enough English to be able to understand the lesson without translation. The only problem was that no one was present who could translate. One young man in the group volunteered to try to do it but he did have a few moments where he got stuck and so for some of the group I would say something in German and then translate it myself into English. The other time this happened I did the whole thing on my own.

My German language skills are not at the level where I would consider myself a fluent speaker of the language but I can get by and have some conversations with people solely in German. But, translating yourself from German into English is another thing! And because my German is not as good as it could be there were a few funny moments as I mixed up some words or used a completely wrong word and had to have someone else help me out. It certainly made the evening a very interesting and memorable one.

Now, I am by no means trying to drum up sympathy here. I am willing to do whatever it takes to do what I am supposed to do. The first time I did this it was harder because I had never done it before. But, it did work so when faced with the situation the second time I was more prepared to jump in since I had been down the road before. This whole thing motivates me to improve my German language skills more but it also shows the importance of being ready for anything and being willing to do whatever it takes, even if it sometimes means doing double duty.

A Different Kind Of Memorial

One of the things that the city of Bonn is known for is the fact that Beethoven was born here. The house he was born in has been turned into a museum and they have placed a statue in the center of the city as a way to remember and honor Beethoven. While I was in Bonn the other day I took this picture of Beethoven’s statue.

As I was riding the train home I got to thinking about this statue of Beethoven that was set up as a memorial to remind people of who Beethoven was and that he once lived in Bonn. This got me thinking about Good Friday and Easter, which were only a few days away at the time, and how these days are used to remember Jesus, who He was and how He died and rose again. Today Beethoven is dead and you can listen to some music that he wrote. Today Jesus is alive and He gave us more than just some music; Jesus came to die on the cross for us and to bring us into a new covenant relationship with God.

As Christians we are the temple of God and living stones in the spiritual house of God, which is the church, the Body of Christ on the earth (1 Corinthians 3:16; 12:27; 1 Peter 2:5). To me this is an amazing thing and it is what makes Christianity different than every other belief system in the world. We are a different kind of memorial, a living representative of Jesus on the earth here to show the world who He is and what His life meant for us and everyone else. Easter is a special time to remember Jesus but we need to keep in mind that we are ambassadors for Christ everyday and we all have a “mission field” to work in. From now on when I am in Bonn and I look at this statue it will make me think of more than just a great composer; it will remind me that I am a different kind of memorial.

Traveling, Traveling, Traveling

This past year I have done a lot of traveling. In fact, I just returned to Germany from a two week trip to the USA to speak in some churches and to attend the Winter Bible Seminar at RHEMA USA in Tulsa, Oklahoma. When I look back at the past twelve months I realize that I have done quite a bit of traveling.

In the past 12 months I have taken 3 trips back to the states as well as several trips inside of Germany and Europe. I have traveled in cars, trains, and airplanes through 4 different countries and in 6 different states. During my travels I have spoken in 12 churches and shared about my missionary work at 2 others. I have spoken in 4 different Bible schools, including our regular weekly Bible school here in Bonn, on 9 different subjects. I have also been through 14 different airports and I have flown on 7 different airlines.

Not every trip was as smooth as I would have liked it to be but I was satisfied with what I was able to accomplish on these trips. My first goal is of course to teach people about the Word of God. Many of my trips also included times of me telling people about my ministry to give them the chance to get involved with what I do through their financial support. I do like to travel but after a few delayed flights and several different hotel rooms it does not seem so glamorous any more. But don't get me wrong, I think what I do is the greatest "job" in the world even though it isn't always the easiest thing to do.

One other aspect I like about traveling is that it gives me the opportunity to see what God is doing in other churches and through other people. As I travel I also have the chance to visit with many people that I have been friends with for several years and even to make a new friend or two along the way. Besides all that, just with all the traveling and interacting with other people you end up with a lot of stories to tell. I already have a few ideas about some blogs I could write about some of these stories so that is coming up. Traveling can be a busy and tiring experience but it can also be very rewarding. This time next year I suppose I will have to look back again and see if I traveled more or less than these past twelve busy months.

The Rhine River

One of the things I like about where I live in Germany is that I am close to the Rhine River. I am fortunate to have a view of the Rhine River from my apartment. These first two pictures were taken by me from my balcony looking towards the river. The first was obviously on a sunny day while the second I took after a storm had passed through.

The Rhine River is about 700 miles long and it is the most important inland waterway in Europe. The Rhine flows from the Swiss Alps northward to where it empties into the North Sea. Here are two more pictures that I took of the Rhine that show some of the river traffic.

In case you are wondering if I rented an airplane to take those pictures I have to say no, I just climbed a hill that lies to the west of the Rhine. On this hill there is an old castle ruins, which you can see in this picture below.

On the very top left-hand side of the picture you can see the castle ruins I mentioned before. The castle on the right hand side of the picture is the same one I mentioned in a previous blog titled "Amazing or Ordinary" from last July.

The Rhine River is quite a sight to see and I feel very fortunate to live so close to it. In fact, the advertisement for my apartment listed a view of the Rhine River as one of the apartment benefits. However, what was not listed is that on the side of my apartment where the Rhine is I also have a nice "view" of a very busy road and on the other side I have a nice "view" of the train. If you look carefully in the fourth picture you can see both the road and the tracks for the train. In spite of all that it is still a great place to live and I really enjoy being able to look out my window and have a view of the Rhine River.

The Most Important Thing

It seems like I just made my last posting here but it has actually been one month ago! Normally I have been adding something to my blog site twice a month. But since returning from my trip back to the states in December I have been busy catching up with some things here so my blog had to wait.

Like most people it seems that I can always find something to stay busy with. One thing I have learned is that we need to keep things in the proper perspective and to set priorities. Because people do not do that they often have difficulties in life. Too many times we just run from project to project trying to put out all of the fires that come up and we never really seem to get caught up. Besides that, the most important thing in life gets neglected - our relationship with God. We should realize that if we put our relationship with God first then everything else in life will fall into place; getting God more involved in our life will only help us!

My main goal is to be sure that I take time to keep my relationship with God strong through reading and studying the Bible and by spending time with God in prayer. If I do that, then I am better prepared to do the things that God wants me to do in my life and ministry and everything else in my life seems to work out better. If we don't keep our relationship with God strong then we cheat ourselves and everyone around us out of the best that we can be. The most important thing in life is to have a strong relationship with God and with that as our main goal everything else in life will be much better for us and everyone else too.

2008 Can Be Great

New Year's Eve 2007 is here and so 2008 is right around the corner. I don't think anyone looks at a New Year and says, "I hope my life gets worse this year" or "I really want to make some big mistakes this next year". Although I don't believe that is what people really want that is often what actually happens; 2008 can be great and a lot of that has to do with us.

With this blog post I just want to mention a few things that can help us to have success in the New Year. First of all we can't live in the past. No matter what failures, or success, we have had in 2007 we need to keep on moving and not get stuck with what happened yesterday; it's hard to go very far forward when you are constantly looking in the rear view mirror.

Secondly, if we want 2008 to really be great we need to make the commitment to develop spiritually. We need to spend time getting to know God's Word and we need to spend time fellowshipping with God in prayer. Getting to know God and His Word better will help us to grow and develop spiritually. If we live our lives like spiritually mature Christians it will have nothing but positive results for us, and others, in the coming year.

Third and last if we want to have a better year this year than last year we need to do something outside ourselves. We can get so focused on our own lives and what is happening with us that we never do anything for other people and we don't get involved with anything in God's Kingdom. If we get involved in what God is doing in our church and we get involved in helping other people it is pretty hard to be self centered and selfish.

My desire is that each and everyone will have a great 2008, but it really depends on what we do with the opportunities we have. Make the most of this next year by continuing to move forward in life, growing spiritually, and getting involved. I believe if you do these three things in the coming year then at this time next year you will be able to look back and say that 2008 really was great!