 
• It’s good to be back home and to be speaking this weekend at Ginghamsburg. As a matter of fact I will be speaking here for the next five weekends. I have been busy on the road for most of February. Last week I spoke ten times to pastors and church leaders in The Republic of Korea. Ginghamsburg’s mission focus has inspired an international event on April 24-25 called Change The World Day. 11 million United Methodists will make the commitment to serve outside the walls of their church buildings in the communities where they are located. Click on the video for more information.
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• We must continue to hold Darfur in our prayers. I just got off the phone with the producer of the PBS program, Religion & Ethics Newsweekly. We were discussing the importance of not forgetting the ongoing crisis in Darfur just when there seems to be some hints of light at the end of a still very volatile tunnel. Just last week, Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir claimed in a speech “The war in Darfur is over. Darfur is now at peace.” His announcement was made the day after his government and the Justice and Equality (JEM) rebel group signed a ceasefire and agreed to work toward a lasting peace agreement. Yet, the Save Darfur coalition reports that just this past Monday, the Sudanese government launched a new military offensive in the Jebel Marra area of Darfur, leading to the death of more than 100 civilians and the displacement of 100,000 more from their homes. Internally displaced persons (IDP) camp leaders from six camps reported to Save Darfur representatives that Darfuris continue to fear greatly for their safety. Most refuse to go home because the insecurity is just too great. President Bashir, who has an arrest warrant against him from the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, is working urgently of course to position himself well for April’s elections—elections in which Darfur’s people feel largely unrepresented and silenced. As we continue to serve and pray for victims of the recent and terrible natural disasters like our Haiti sisters and brothers, we must remain unceasing in our prayer commitment in Darfur. We must also remain an urgent voice and presence for the marginalized children, women and men of Darfur, Sudan, who are still waiting for a real and lasting peace. PBS is planning on sending a film crew back to Tipp City to finish the program that we shot the first segment for in December with hopes of airing the program nationally the week before the Sudanese elections in April. • Due to a cancelled flight, I found myself stuck in Tokyo last weekend. Carolyn called me on Sunday morning and told me that a tsunami was due to hit the island within two hours. It was quite an experience waiting out the outcome in the gate area of the airport. There was minor damage with the reports of some small villages being flooded but otherwise gracefully uneventful. Does it seem like there has been an increase in global disasters in our lifetime? Jesus talked about these being the beginning of birth pains for the end of current times. We dare not fall into a sense of false security nor forget that we are waiting for the return of the King. Our waiting is not passive, however. We must sacrificially commit ourselves to do the work of God while it is yet day! God bless… 
If the occurrence of global disasters were studied scientifically, I doubt you’d see an increase compared to earlier times. As societies, we are better prepared and impacts have diminished somewhat. However, the real problem on earth has been and probably always will be hatred. We have no control over global disasters but we can address antipathy. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me….
Posted By: Rich B on Mar 08, 2010 10:02PM
 Coaching Staff at Suji Young Nak Presbyterian Church. | I spent the afternoon consulting with the staff of Suji Young Nak Presbyterian Church. The church is only ten years old and has grown to an adult weekend worship attendance of 2200. When I was last in Korea in 1994, the Korean church was among the three fastest growing churches in the world along with the church in Africa and South America. David Yonggi Cho founded Yoido Full Gospel Church here in Seoul in 1958. Today it is the largest church in the world with a weekend worship attendance of 253,000.
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I wrote UnLearning Church at the beginning of the new millennium because I recognized that something in the church growth model, practiced in the two previous decades, was no longer working (it was also published in Korean). We had achieved getting behinds in the seats, but I realized that for the most part, all we had really done was accumulate crowds of spectators who were not moving toward deeper faith in God but embodied the values of the dominant culture. These folks believe in God and profess faith in Jesus, but they place their trust in the materialistic values of secular culture. By 2007 some of the largest mega-churches in the USA began to plateau. The three largest (Willow Creek, Saddleback and Lakewood Church) showed decline. The under 35-year-old generation was just not relating to the mega-mall models of their boomer parents. Not only do they find the church models of the 90’s irrelevant, they see the people in the church as judgmental and hypocritical. Now the same process is being repeated in Korea. The church that was showing Pentecost type of exponential growth in the 90’s has plateaued, and the under 35 generation doesn’t relate. This is why I have been so graciously invited. I am teaching the principles from my new book, Change the World: Recovering the Message and Mission of Jesus . We are talking about the shift from being the attractional church (marketing strategies and programs to get people in) to the missional church (discipling strategies to get people in the church out into the world). Early tomorrow morning I fly to the south of the country for a one-day pastors’ conference. I fly back to Seoul on Friday evening and head back to the States on Saturday. I continue to hold you all in my prayers! God bless…
And we continue to hold you in our prayers as well, Mike.
Posted By: Shirley Dearing on Feb 25, 2010 02:40PM
I can say that after being under your leadership for 25 years, if someone were to ask me to describe you in one word as best I could I would use the word discipler. From the time you came to Ginghamsburg you were all about building a strong team and then going out and reaching the lost and building more disciples. It is a gift I believe that never stops giving. And in my 25 years I have never had to look far before finding a way to go out and serve. Thanks for challenging us in ways that never fail to stretch and is sometimes uncomfortable but always worth the ride!
Posted By: Debbie Cullen on Feb 25, 2010 05:25PM
I look around sometime at the attendance of my own church and lately have been wondering if this is an example of the road less traveled. I can remember when the new building was first built and it seemed packed and it just looks like there are more and more empty seats lately. I'm ashamed to say, If I am to tell the truth, I am guilty of being a beleiver who has been one of those filled seats, not really turning my faith into much action except a few extra dollars into the offering here and there. I'm really understanding, especially for an introvert, just how difficult walking this walk can be. I am trying hard to move from my own stagnate comfortable beleif and declaration of faith to truly walking in the way of Christ. I've known I needed to get moving for a long time. It's been eating at me and I don't want my faith to be that "spectator" sport any longer, but stepping out makes me question my heart. I'm almost forcing myself to do the right thing and shouldn't it be more an automatic and immediate desire? For instance, I'm now having my tithe taken directly out of my account so I don't have to struggle with it. If my faith were better, wouldn't it be easier to do the right thing? I feel at peace about doing it this way but I still question where I'm at with God. I'm signing up to do more things, such as I'm volunteering at the V.A. but it's not easy for me. More...
I'm literally "making" myself do the good things, making myself leave the comforts of my home and so I wonder how deep really is my love for Christ. I've said and I beleive I do beleive and I have accepted Christ as my Savior but what does that say about my faith if it's so hard for me to really step out? I've sort of feel like i've just been giving God breadcrumbs, I know that and I'm embarrased by it, I've been going to GUM for 23 years and still have only been giving him breadcrumbs. Argh! It's an inner struggle. A constant inner struggle. But I have to thank God for leading me in this walk, of which I'm sure GUM is a part of, because I don't know if I would have realized the void that has resulted in living a stagnate faith, without Him. Whenever I hear someone say how Christians are judgemental I think to myself "Oh Yeah, You bet they are" and often I think that's why I don't hang out with them, but I'm discovering that I can be as judgemental as any. In my sons latest letter from Afghanistan he wrote...I was driving next to the fense yesterday and all of a sudden looked over and saw some kid running with a shotgun. It was pretty crazy. I kept looking over waiting for him to point it at me thinking "God please don't make me shoot a kid". I guess alot of people will send their kids to do stuff like that because they want us to shoot them so they get money, and it makes us look really bad. Its so sad. There are such desperate people out here." and I caught myself looking down on the Afghan people, judging them, thinking what kind of "animals" are they? what kind of parents could do that? As i thought it I felt ashamed because I saw that I'm as much of a judger as anyone. I don't live that life and my perspective is definitely from a life of comfort and ease and not desperation. Those are Gods childen too. Who am I? Im the one with the plank in my eye. I've been remembering you and Carolyn in my prayers this week. I think I also need to start praying for the Korean people. As Tom Barnes used to say it's a process not an event. Thankfully! And thanks for sharing, it's a lesson in itself.
Posted By: Suzanne on Feb 26, 2010 09:50AM
Suzanne as I read your account of your walk with Christ it is something I could have written myself. It is so hard! I'm in First Place For Health and last week we saw a DVD by Beth Moore where she said First it's hard then it gets harder then it get easier then we put it under out feet. I am trying to call out the Jesus each time I'm tempted, at the moment of choice, that I make the choice that would please my Lord. I will pray for you as I pray for myself in this walk.
Posted By: Sandy on Feb 26, 2010 10:53AM
Since today was my day off, I decided to take the road less traveled. So I set out by foot and explored a very small part of the city. It is always an experience when you travel to unfamiliar cultures. I have eaten so many varieties of raw fish this week. I can’t even venture to guess the types or names. The salmon and squid I did recognize, however. I wandered into a side street restaurant and ordered a bowl of noodle soup, and the server brought it to my table with chopsticks. How in the world do you eat soup with chopsticks? As I observed those around me, I noticed that you eat the noodles with the chopsticks and then raise the bowl to your mouth and drink the soup. Imagine that, it is proper in the Asian culture to do what my mother corrected me for doing when I was growing up. If only she could see me now!”
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I love to wander off the well trodden path because you see and experience things that you wouldn’t ever get to experience in life otherwise. You meet new people like this man roasting a variety of nuts for sale. I even stumbled upon a Korean prayer meeting, one of those which are held in every church at a variety of hours every day. A kind woman sitting next to me wrote the points of the pastor’s teaching in English on her bulletin so that I could understand. It was an important word. “God helps us. Keep praying!” Many of us resist the challenge that comes with tackling the new and unfamiliar. We would rather live in the repetitive patterns of our comfort zones. Let me ask you a question. The restaurants at the hotel where I am staying serve many Westerners. They offer knives, forks and spoons at each place setting as well as chopsticks. Which would you choose? May I recommend the chopsticks? I know that it’s harder, and yes I have dropped food in my lap more than once. Thank the Lord for hotel laundry! But try going for the adventure. Life is incredibly brief, and you have to leave the familiar road that most people choose to discover it. The worst thing that could happen is that you might lose some weight. God bless…
What a strong word to our church culture and to my heart today. Thanks brother! Blessings on the rest of your time...
Posted By: Rob Turner on Feb 24, 2010 11:36AM
Never thought of using chopsticks as a part of a diet regimen, but it probably would be effective. My problem is that I've gotten fairly good at using chopsticks so I would probably still manage to kick back some cuisine:-I Blessings on the rest of the trip.
Posted By: Helen Combs on Feb 24, 2010 01:26PM
 Each of the red crosses identifies the location of a local church community | I had no trouble waking up at 4:45 this morning without an alarm. My body is still adjusting to the 14-hour time difference from home. Korea is 14 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. I took this picture from my hotel window at 5 a.m. I couldn’t help but notice the stark contrast between the skylines of Seoul, South Korea and Khartoum, Sudan. The towering minarets of the mosques dominate the view in every direction in Khartoum. They are too numerous to be counted. They represent the witness and influence of the Moslem missionaries who came to Sudan in the late 1800’s. Red crosses dominate the skyline of Seoul, which has a population in the greater area of 15 million people. These beacons of light are too numerous to be counted. They represent the witness and influence of Christian missionaries who came to Korea in the 1800’s. I was reminded of the importance of our continued work and witness in the Sudan. We have the opportunity to plant our first church in Southern Sudan after what will be six years of sacrificial commitment. We must not grow tired or weary in God’s work!
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I finished my first two-day pastors’ conference this afternoon and am looking forward to a day off tomorrow before I begin the next conference in the south of the country. God is moving in a powerful way. It is amazing to see pastors respond to the teaching when they have to listen twice, once through me and then through my translator. It is more laboring speaking in tandem, but the Spirit is proving fruitful! I so appreciate your prayers. I continue to pray for you! God bless…
Thank you for your updates, Mike. And we continue to pray for you.
Posted By: Shirley Dearing on Feb 23, 2010 12:12PM
Miss you! :)
Posted By: Carolyn on Feb 23, 2010 12:54PM
 Some pastors have driven for 5 hours to attend this 2-day conference. | I was up early this morning preparing for the first day of a two-day pastors’ conference by spending an hour and a half in the word, prayer and study. I spoke to a conference room full of cell group leaders on Sunday evening in Yehnung Presbyterian Church. Cell group “pastors” are the frontline leaders in the Korean church. The life of the body is in the cell! For all of you who are called by God to this ministry, I want to both thank you and remind you of the critical nature of your calling.
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After our evening meeting, Pastor Cho Gun Hoi and his wife Sung Yeob Han took me to a Japanese –Korean fusion restaurant for what seemed to be a 12-course meal. The Korean people show great hospitality and somehow food keeps appearing. Needless to say I spent another hour in the gym this evening. I am so impressed by the spiritual hunger that I see in the Korean church. To participate in congregational prayer (everyone earnestly praying verbally at the same time) is an experience of heaven’s power. I am humbled to be part of Ginghamsburg Church. God has used our church located in an obscure place with limited human resources to have a global influence. I am convinced that God is willing to use any church that is willing to take risks and sacrificially give themselves fully to reach the least and the lost. I continue to pray for you as you pray for me. God bless…
Thanks for these postings, Mike. It's funny to think of all the food you have to eat to show thanks for their hospitality. Praying for you to be strong in His Spirit. Really enjoyed the message this week at church - the road less traveled by. I took a walk after church at Taylorsville, on one of the back trails, to be alone and think more about the path I am on. Along the way, I spotted a cross formation that had been displayed in the hole of a tree. It made me feel that God was pleased with me being on His path. If you have a chance, take a look at the pictures from this walk - it's on my wall (Mary Reifsndyer) entitled "the road less traveled by".
Posted By: Mary on Feb 22, 2010 08:43PM
A 24-hour plane ride...that's just crazy:-D
Posted By: Helen Combs on Feb 23, 2010 06:05AM
I heard your visiting Yosu Sungkwang Presbyterian Church at this Sunday worship service. This unusual meeting like a foreign dedicate pastor will show and give another chance to look around not olny ourselves but a body of Jesus Christ. Anyway I am eagerly to meet your staffs and hear words from your messages pouring out this area. Plz come safely.
Posted By: Sangtae Kim on Feb 23, 2010 09:46AM
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