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!

Christmas Markets

December in Germany means that it is time for Christmas Markets. Many towns and villages in Germany have Christmas Markets where different people set up booths to sell various items ranging from foods to gifts. There are also rides set up for children so Christmas Markets really become a family event.

Rather than try to explain more about what a Christmas Market looks like I have posted several pictures of the Christmas Market in Bonn. I hope you enjoy the pictures and I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

The Traffic Camera

Everyone likes to see themselves in photos, but there is one kind of camera here in Germany that you do not want to take your picture. In Germany there are traffic cameras placed in different locations to catch people who violate the traffic laws and these cameras take their picture to prove it; here is a photo of one of those cameras. The camera is on the right hand side of the picture by the tree.

These cameras are placed along the roadside to catch speeders and they are also located at some intersections to catch anyone who may run through a red light. I have seen the pictures that these cameras produce but I am glad to say I have never had my picture taken by one of them. In German these cameras are called "Blitzers" because of the flash of light that the camera makes when it takes the picture; the word Blitz in German means lightning or a flash of light. If you are caught by one of these cameras what will happen is that you will receive a letter in the mail with your picture from the traffic camera and the amount of your fine.

The one thing that does seem a bit odd to me about these cameras is that they are usually set up in one place and they stay there. There is a portable version of this type of camera that you can see being set up in different places from time to time to catch people. However, because most of these cameras are in a fixed place, people will drive over the speed limit until they get close to the camera and then they slow down. That seems to me like it defeats the purpose because once people know where the cameras are they watch out for them. I suppose the best thing to do is just to be careful how you drive since not every road in Germany is a part of the Autobahn!

International Ministry With The International Gospel

This past month I have been doing a lot of teaching in the Bible school and on Thursday evenings in my Bible study. Recently I got thinking about something in connection with all of this and I finally got around to posting a blog about it. Here is a picture of me teaching this year at RHEMA Bible Training Center Germany.

Although you can't tell just from looking at the picture, there are people in our school this year from Germany (of course), Brazil, Cameroon, Croatia, England, Italy, The Netherlands, Nigeria, Slovakia, the USA, and Vietnam. When you add in the people who attend the Bible study on Thursday night there are more Germans, as well as people from Eritrea, Ghana, Iran, Nigeria, Romania, the USA, and Zambia! Besides all this there are many people from other countries who attend our church and others who have been to our school in the past. So, from this one place I end up with a very international ministry that touches the lives of people from many different places.

The other thought I had about this was how, no matter where someone comes from, the Gospel message can have a positive affect on their life. Some people are so concerned about a person's natural identity and ethnic background, but not God. God is not considering where someone was born or the color of their skin. The Bible is just as valid in Europe as it is in North America and it is great to know that God's Word works for everyone everywhere who puts it into action. The Gospel is an international message of the Good News about what Jesus did for all mankind and I am glad to be able to tell so many people from so many places about it!

Message Multiplication

Just over a week ago we had one of our Bible Training Center alumni visit us at the church. Corina is originally from Germany and she now lives in South Africa where she works with children. Here below I have posted a picture of Corina sharing about her work at our church.

It was great to hear about the work that Corina is doing in South Africa. It was also very nice to listen to Corina and see how she has gone from a student in school to an alumnus who is out proclaiming the Good News to others.

At the bottom of every newsletter I have my "Mission Statement" of "Teaching the Word of God and training believers for greater service in the Body of Christ." It is one thing for me to know and understand the Bible so that I can teach and help others. But my desire is to go beyond my own personal development and to teach others to apply the Word of God to their own life and then also reach others with the truth.

When I see one of our graduates, or someone else I have worked with, sharing the life changing message of the Word of God it gives me great satisfaction. There are a lot of things that people use to measure their success. When I see someone I was able to help succeeding in life and the work that God has called them to, that is success to me!

RHEMA Bible Training Center Starts Its Ninth Year!

This month we are starting the ninth year of RHEMA Bible Training Center Germany! It does not seem like it was actually that long ago that we began the school here and welcomed our first students. This month we welcome a new group of first year students along with those students returning for their second year of school. Here is a picture from school where John Grunewald is teaching the students about the background and history of RHEMA. Because we deal with people from many different backgrounds and many different countries, everything at the ministry of RHEMA Germany is done in English and in German. The young lady to the left of John Grunewald is Simone who is a graduate of our school and one of our translators.

It is always great to get started with school again and to be able to teach and train people to fulfill the will of God for their lives. The beginning of school is a time of excitement and anticipation for the students as they come to learn about God and His Word. But with that there is also a bit of uncertainty as some students are not quite sure what to expect from us. However, as the school progresses and the new students get to know us they settle into the place of learning and growing through the truths that they are taught.

This is our ninth year of school and all of us on the staff are expecting great things. The students are very receptive and eager to learn. I have already done some teaching and in about a week I will start the class on Bible Interpretation. We have had eight wonderful years of school so far and I really believe that this year will be great as well.