broken.

First off, I am NOT feeling the Federalist Papers at the moment, so here we are again. God, You don't make sense to me. He has me stretched beyond anything I have ever known. Sunday night, I was at a dinner with the Global Connect officers at a sponsor's house when he began explaining his story to us. Out of the blue an aspiring pastor was in Romania. With such an oppressive government, few were able to receive a seminary degree, a highly compromised seminary degree. This man was blown away by the church service attendance: standing room only and every window packed with people so hungry to hear whatever they could of the gospel, no matter how compromised as if they even knew. Later, three pastors/leaders kept Robert in a room for three days with little food and no sleep. They were so hungry to be taught by an american. They were so hungry to know more about their Savior.

I was crushed. I've never wept about anything at a dinner table.. but apparently God was pricking something deep within me I didn't know was there. We don't see that in America. I don't see that in the mirror. Such a deeeeeeeeeeeepppp hunger and longing for the word of God. Such a radical desperation for knowledge of Him. Conviction city, right?

God has spoken three words over me in the last six months.. well.. i'll say four:
Nations.
Community.
Disciples.

...and teaching.

Nations has been the past six months or so and, never having been out of the states, I was a little confused as to what this would look like. Community happened when I spend the summer in Portland building missional community. Community was already established, but integrating the gospel in the already thriving community there was tough. When I got back from Portland, God began showing me He isn't at all after pastors or theologians or profound teachings or church services. God is after disciples who are making disciples, people who are carrying their cross in the shadow of Christ and showing others how to do the same. Within the last month or so, He's been leading me to the understanding that I will do more than preach, but I will teach as well. This blew my mind because I foam at the mouth over true teachers of the Word. For Him to tell me this was big for me.. one of those why me? moments. He's led me to multiple teaching opportunities and positions

...and now He's thrown it all together.

This is, for now, what I believe God has led me to, what I would love to do with my life for the cause of the Kingdom. Community development in nations all over the world, building physical community in countries that don't have it. Not just constructing buildings but having the people educated in farming animals and crops, clean their water, help them form a system of irrigation.. in short, better their world and physical community. Moreover, build relational community centered around the gospel. Through this, people come to know Christ and Acts 2 is formed, they begin to live as the church in community. As this begins to happen, I would train up pastors and leaders who would carry the torch to generations to come. "Go, make disciples of all nations, teaching them all I have commanded you." is it bad that i JUST made that connection? I long to train up pastors around the globe who can truly preach, teach, serve, and make disciples. They hunger for this more than I do. As rough as this dream looks, I'm excited to see where God directs the heart He's placed in me.

subject to change, but this is where i'm at currently. cool. cheers, mate!

grace.

all i can say is wow. four years ago i HATED God. HATED. once upon a time we all did, but look at where Christ has brought me: "by the grace of God I am what I am."

grace.

He's so good, yeah? the greatest understanding of this comes when people in your life show you such magnificent grace. i'm blown away at how powerful the love of Christ is. we love because He loved us first. we're so quick to judge, and, boy, was i wrong. God has a funny way of proving a point, we'll just say that.

grace.

Thank You so much for Grace which "trains us to reject worldly passions and teaches to live godly, self-controlled lives in the present age." Thank You for teaching others this personally to teach me. Jesus, thank You.

Pray for Global Connect.
Pray for Breakdown Ministries.
Pray for MERGE Pantego (Student Ministry).
Pray for Wimberly Crossing/Point.
Pray for revival at Dallas Baptist University.
Pray for Dallas.

God is WRECKING; tag along. Love you guys! (both of you that is)