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Archive for the ‘Special Events’ Category

Please pray for the CDG Conference this week

Posted in Prayer Requests, Special Events on March 8, 2011| Leave a Comment »

On Thursday more than 800 people will be gathering for the 2011 Children Desiring God Conference in Bloomington.  I think nearly 100 are coming from outside the United States!

Please be in prayer for this conference.  We know the enemy of our faith hates the theme of this conference, Holding Fast to the Word of Truth, hates the leaders who are coming, and hates the idea of the next generation learning about the sovereignty of God in all things through the Word.

Yet, it is precisely because it is based on the Word that I have hope it will have lasting impact!  And when leaders (and families) soak in these truths, they are better equipped to deal positively and proactively with families dealing with disability.  So, this isn’t a small thing for us!

The CDG team sent this list of prayer requests for the conference.  Will you join me in praying?

  • Our Plenary Speakers (John Piper, Russell Moore, Kempton Turner, and David Michael) and 26 Seminar Leaders—that their messages will overflow from God’s work in their hearts, bringing honor to Him through His word of truth. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.—Psalm 19:14

  • CDG Team (David, Sally, Jill, Brian, Rachel, Jim, Beth, Sarah, and Karen)—for the Lord’s wisdom and guidance as we prepare, trusting that God can do anything and will provide for all of our needs. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.—2 Corinthians 12:9
  • Our Team of 150+ Volunteers—that the Lord will provide all that they need to serve well in the strength that that He provides. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.— 2 Corinthians 9:8
  • Staff at the Conference hotel and transportation providers—that we can work well together, giving honor to the Lord in all of our interactions before, during, and after the event so that they will be drawn to Him. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.—Matthew 5:16

  • Our Attendees—for those coming from around the U.S. and from other countries. And pray that all of our attendees will be encouraged and equipped to return to their churches and homes to bear kingdom fruit in the hearts of the next generations. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.–2 Corinthians 4:15

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Larry and Lisa’s story

Posted in Scripture, Special Events on February 3, 2011| 1 Comment »

Dianne is a fan of Lisa Jamieson (well, so am I, but Dianne has actually met Lisa) and recommended this 25 minute audio interview Lisa did with her husband, Larry.  I’m happy to recommend it to you.  You can also find it here.

It is a hard story. And one that points to trusting in a living, all-powerful God.

If you don’t have 25 minutes to listen to the entire interview, forward to the 20:09 mark.  Lisa and Larry deal with the question, were you angry with God?  Their answers are insightful, and they offer helpful scriptures!

Thank you, Lisa and Larry, for sharing your story with us, living ‘as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing (2 Corinthians 6:10)’ and pointing us to Jesus!

More resources can be found at their ministry, Walk Right In.

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The Real People of our Oregon Trip

Posted in Special Events on January 18, 2011| 3 Comments »

This feels a little self-indulgent but Dianne suggested we share some pictures from our trip, introducing you to some of these significant people.

So, of course, we’ll start with a house!

This little house in Salem, Oregon has served more than 1,500 women in just a few years, providing baby clothes, diapers – and most importantly – an introduction to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And these are the people God used to make it happen.

Susan Smith manages a whole team of volunteers and relies on God to provide the hundreds of items needed to serve the women in crisis situations.  Craig and Susan live kitty-corner to the Baby Boutique.  There are 378 pictures on the wall of this house, with hundreds more being prepared.  And Susan told us more than 150 of the women have professed Jesus as savior!

It was a joy to spend some time with them – we were already filled up with blessing before even heading for the retreat!

And here is Justin Reimer, Executive Director and Founder of The Elisha Foundation.  “We are eager to reach out to families affected by any disability, with particular emphasis on families with special needs children or adults. Our ultimate goal is to equip these special families for a more intimate faith in Christ, passionately lived out with love.” (From The Elisha Foundation mission)

And this is the young man God used to create The Elisha Foundation: Elisha (Eli) Reimer.

I had the chance to spend some time with Eli.  He is a fine young man who loves Jesus and he loves me as well.  It was a privilege to be with him.

And this very serious man is Greg Lucas, the author of Wrestling with an Angel and our teacher for the retreat.

But wouldn’t you know I don’t have a good picture of two of the most important people we met!  Bob and Marsha took care of us during the retreat, and spent a great deal of time with Paul.  We could not have been treated with more kindness or affection – and Paul clearly felt loved.  Paul is sitting on Bob’s lap in this photo.

Finally, Dianne said I should post this family video as well, as a thank you to all who made this retreat possible!

The music comes from Dana Dirksen’s CD, Questions with Answers, Volume 2.

Paul was whistling Jingle Bells, at his brother’s request (it’s a little hard to hear).

Finally, the little girls at the end belong to my nephew John and his wife Laura.  A few hours with them was a delightful way to close our trip.

God made the whole trip possible.  We are very glad (Psalm 126:3)!

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Pray that our leaders would know AND love the truth

Posted in commentary, Scripture, Special Events on November 18, 2010| Leave a Comment »

As I mentioned yesterday, the Evangelical Theological Society is having their annual meeting this week, focusing on the theme “justification by faith.”

Just a few hours after writing that post I came across an example of why Biblical scholarship with the perspective that God is both sovereign and good is so important.

In her article, “Biblical And Theological Perspectives On Disability: Implications On The Rights Of Persons With Disability In Kenya,” Pauline Otieno properly connects an understanding of the Bible with how people behave, including how that influences government systems.

One of the major root causes for the discriminatory acts against PWD (people with disabilities) in Kenya is religion-related. Theological interpretations of disability have significantly shaped the ways in which society relates to PWD. The Bible is intermingled with texts that have been interpreted in oppressive ways and together these continue to reinforce the marginalization and exclusion of PWD in the social, economic, political, and religious life of the society (emphasis mine).

She is correct; the Bible has been interpreted in oppressive ways.  I would contend those interpretations are inaccurate at best.

Unfortunately, she makes sweeping generalizations that are not accurate:

The New Testament also supports the link between sin and disability. This link is well illustrated in John 9:1-3. The disciples anticipated a connection between disability and sin with the question: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” This question implies that disability was the punishment meant for some unspecified sin. When Jesus healed the physically impaired man who lay by the pool of Bethesda, He said to him: “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse will happen to you” (Jn. 5:14). This clearly indicates that Jesus thought there was a connection between the man’s disability and some sin. In the portico lay a multitude of PWD and this comment applied to them as well (Jn. 5:3).

Neither Biblical account supports her conclusion!  Of course, Jesus himself answers the disciples’ question in John 9:3:

Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

And the “something worse” in John 5:14 is eternal punishment, not another disabling condition, as Pastor John helpfully articulates:

And yes, he warns him that, if he turns away, and mocks this gift, or makes an idol out of his health, and embraces sin as his way of life, he will perish. I take that—final judgment—to be the “worse thing” (in verse 14) that will happen because there aren’t many natural things worse than the 38 years this man endured, and because in verses 28–29, Jesus says, “An hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” (John Piper, Healed for the Sake of Holiness, August 23, 2009)

What is particularly frustrating about Dr. Otieno’s article is that it is very well written and she has clearly given this a great deal of thought.  This article is full of scriptural references, and she has looked directly at some of the most difficult passages on disability in the Bible.

But it is not written from the perspective that this is God’s story, that he is a holy God, that he has sovereign authority over his creation, that he is entirely good, that he is completely merciful, and that anything that draws us closer to him and into treasuring Jesus above all things is better than anything in this life.  Even a life full of suffering and exclusion because of disability – which he has ordained – does not compare to an eternity of increasing joy spent with Jesus.

And that is why we should pray for the gathering of the Evangelical Theological Society this week.  Disciplined, smart people write articles about the Bible all the time – and get it wrong.  It is God alone who gives new life, eyes to see, and a desire to make much of him.

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How we understand justification impacts how we respond to disability

Posted in News, Special Events on November 17, 2010| 3 Comments »

The Evangelical Theological Society is meeting this week from Wednesday through Friday.  Their theme this year is “Justification by Faith.”

Why should those of us dealing with disability care if a bunch of smart people get together to talk about these things?

Because how they reason together and think about this issue influences both this and the next generation of leaders in our colleges, seminaries and churches.  Issues discussed at this gathering will impact churches.

A right understanding of justification is immensely important to this issue of disability:

What makes radical, risk-taking, sacrificial, Christ-exalting works of love possible is the fact that Christ’s perfect obedience (counted as our righteousness) and Christ’s perfect sacrifice (counted as our punishment) secured completely the glorious reality that God is for us as an omnipotent Father who works all things together for our everlasting joy in him.  If we begin to deny or minimize the importance of the obedience of Christ, imputed to us through faith alone, our own works will begin to assume the role that should have been Christ’s. As that happens, over time (perhaps generations), the works of love themselves will be severed from their root in the Christ-secured assurance that God is totally for us.  In this way, for the sake of exalting the importance of love, we will undermine the very thing that makes them possible.

Yet the freedom and the courage to love is what the world desperately needs to see in the church and from the church. The world does not need to see strident, triumphalistic evangelicals laying claim on their rights.  The world needs to see the radical, risk-taking, Christ-exalting sacrifice of humble love that makes us willing to lay down our lives for the good of others, without the demand of reward on this earth. For the sake of this display of the glory of Christ, I plead for our allegiance to a robust, biblical, historical vision of Christ whose obedience is counted as ours through faith alone. John Piper, The Future of Justification: A Response to N.T. Wright, pp. 187-188.

Disability (usually) shatters the illusion of independence we probably lived under before God graciously removed that illusion from our lives.  We need God to call other people to get involved with us in our churches to make disability ministry happen; we need them to freely love without any anticipation of reward on this earth (but isn’t God good to frequently give them affections for us and for our children that feels like a reward to them!).  We need God to help them see that people with disabilities are gifts to the church and have gifts for the church.

Similarly, we should be very wary of the ‘hero’ status that some people want to confer on us for parenting children with disabilities.  It is God’s strength that allows us to continue every day; it is God’s grace that lets us see him for who he is – perfect in all his ways and all his works, and able to make ‘all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose’ (Romans 8:28).

This emphasis on justification would be reason enough for us to care about this gathering.  But in addition to that emphasis for the plenary sessions, there will be papers presented and discussed on issues of deep importance in the areas of bioethics and health.  For example, Catholic ethicist, philosopher and Baylor professor Francis Beckwith is presenting a paper, Recent Challenges to Fetal Personhood: A Critical Analysis.

So, please pray for this gathering of scholars and pastors and seminary students, that God would be given all the glory, and they would stay true to their doctrinal basis:

The Bible alone, and the Bible in its entirety, is the Word of God written and is therefore inerrant in the autographs. God is a Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each an uncreated person, one in essence, equal in power and glory.

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“Worth braving the weather” – Caryn Turner

Posted in Special Events on November 15, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Saturday morning brought winter back to Minnesota – more than 6 inches of wet, slushy snow.  But as Caryn Turner wrote in her blog yesterday (and Dianne confirmed), it was worth it to make the trek to Eden Prairie!

Here’s a sample of what they heard:

Depression often occurs because we listen to ourselves instead of talk to ourselves. We need to turn off the thoughts of anxiety, fear, & doubt and start preaching God’s truth to ourselves.

Thank you, Mary Horning, for encouraging many hearts!  You can read the entire post here.

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Some resources on God and Disability

Posted in commentary, Sermons, Special Events on November 13, 2010| 1 Comment »

We have some new folks following this blog and I thought it might be helpful to highlight a few resources.

My friend, work colleague and BCS seminary student Bryan DeWire gathered this list of resources for the seminary students David and I spoke to this past Monday. Thank you, Bryan, for compiling it!

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An opportunity to speak to the next generation of leaders

Posted in Prayer Requests, Special Events on November 6, 2010| 2 Comments »

One of my great joys at Bethlehem is getting to do almost anything with Pastor David Michael, the pastoral overseer of the disability ministry in his role as the Pastor for Parenting and Family Discipleship.  He’s a wonderful, God-honoring, wise, thoughtful, persistent leader who loves our children with disabilities and has worked very hard on behalf of this ministry BECAUSE he loves the Bible and its clear articulation of the sovereignty of God in all things.  God is very kind to give us men like David Michael!

He has asked me to join him on Monday, November 8, as he brings his vision of family discipleship to the first-year seminary students at The Bethlehem Seminary.  He wants me to talk about the sovereignty of God and disability.

Would you pray for both of us as we prepare?

My goal is not to convince them that they should care about disability through statistics or specific examples.

But in loving God and soaking in God’s word they would love God’s sovereignty over all things and cling to all his promises for them SO THAT when disability enters their lives – in their churches, their mission agencies, their seminaries or their own families – they will boldly and confidently and lovingly, with great anticipation and ‘as sorrowful yet always rejoicing’ rush to welcome families like ours, to serve these precious families he has given as gifts to them with the strength God provides with the wisdom he provides with the resources he provides.

And not just to serve those with disabilities, but to be served by those the world and the culture considers expendable, weak, and worthless.  To actually long for and seek out fellowship with those who are daily being destroyed and discounted because of disability.  To understand and enjoy and soak in the reality of God’s purposes: On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable (1 Corinthians 12:22).

I have about 30 minutes with them, and want to use the time well.  Your prayers are greatly appreciated!

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The high calling of marriage and parenting

Posted in commentary, Special Events on October 31, 2010| 1 Comment »

On this Reformation Day, celebrating Martin Luther’s posting of his 95 Theses, I found this word on marriage and parenting from the great Reformer.  Please notice two things in these two paragraphs:  the arguments from ‘natural reason’ that Luther is addressing on suffering and pleasure are exactly the ones we hear today; and, he is writing about (and to) fathers!

Now observe that when that clever harlot, our natural reason (which the pagans followed in trying to be most clever), takes a look at married life, she turns up her nose and says, “Alas, must I rock the baby, wash its diapers, make its bed, smell its stench, stay up nights with it, take care of it when it cries, heal its rashes and sores, and on top of that care for my wife, provide for her, labour at my trade, take care of this and take care of that, do this and do that, endure this and endure that, and whatever else of bitterness and drudgery married life involves? What, should I make such a prisoner of myself? O you poor, wretched fellow, have you taken a wife? Fie, fie upon such wretchedness and bitterness! It is better to remain free and lead a peaceful, carefree life; I will become a priest or a nun and compel my children to do likewise.”

What then does Christian faith say to this? It opens its eyes, looks upon all these insignificant, distasteful, and despised duties in the Spirit, and is aware that they are all adorned with divine approval as with the costliest gold and jewels. It says, “0 God, because I am certain that thou hast created me as a man and hast from my body begotten this child, I also know for a certainty that it meets with thy perfect pleasure. I confess to thee that I am not worthy to rock the little babe or wash its diapers or to be entrusted with the care of the child and its mother. How is it that I, without any merit, have come to this distinction of being certain that I am serving thy creature and thy most precious will? O how gladly will I do so, though the duties should be even more insignificant and despised. Neither frost nor heat, neither drudgery nor labour, will distress or dissuade me, for I am certain that it is thus pleasing in thy sight.”

From Martin Luther. The Estate of Marriage, 1522. (Translated by Walther I. Brandt)

Some of us are called to deal with soiled diapers for a few years – and some for a lifetime.  Some are called to care for a child for 18 years – and some for a lifetime.  Martin Luther was right in this respect: we men are not worthy.  Nor are we smart enough or strong enough or righteous enough to be given this responsibility.

Except for God who gives us strength!

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27

O, what a happy reality of life in Jesus!  Happy Reformation Day!

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Mary Horning to Speak at Grace Church Eden Prairie on November 13

Posted in News, Special Events on October 29, 2010| 1 Comment »

If you are anywhere near the Twin Cities in mid-November (and are a mom), please plan on attending a special event at Grace Church Eden Prairie.

Bethlehem’s own Mary Horning will be speaking on “Healing Through the Journey” and then participating in a special panel discussion with other mothers.

If a Horning (Mary, Bob or Krista) is speaking, I recommend it!

Special Mom’s Retreat
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Keynote speaker: Mary Horning, co-author of Just the Way I Am: God’s Good Design in Disability
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (lunch included)
Cost: $5.00 To register or for further information, contact Sue Hume at shume@q.com or 952-470-6181.

The registration deadline is November 5.

I know Mary would appreciate our prayers as she prepares for this event.

The Barnabas Disability Ministry at Grace Church is one of the best around.  Every one of their volunteers I’ve met (most of whom have a family member with a disability) loves Jesus, loves the families involved in their program, and want to proclaim the goodness of God.  I’m grateful for their friendship to Bethlehem, and for their making possible this opportunity for Mary to share her story of God’s sovereign goodness in her life through much difficulty and suffering.

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