Shane Farmer - O P E N for new ways

I think the thing that struck me the most was hearing that East-Germany is the most atheistic place on earth. And it doesn't quite seem like it's gonna get better, and with better I mean more hope through faith, it rather looks like it's becoming worse.Think about it, let it sink in...

For me, growing up in church and a family that served God for generations and living in an area where there is a lot of churches, peaceful nature and religion, I always thought, 'Guys, we need to send more people to Africa or where ever, really, to preach the gospel!!'. Couldn't have been more wrong. Well I still think God calls people into other countries to serve there and bring another perspective or different things.

But I woke up from this sweet dream, that Germany is in no danger, a bit more than a year ago, when I was on my DTS hearing from my Leader about Missions, God was really speaking to me that week. Somehow Buddys Lectures really upset me, when he talked about Continents that didn't include the one that Germay is on. Telling us how they need Jesus sharing statistics and leading us into prayer for those. After the last day of lectures that week, I grabbed him and yelled at him (well thinking back, I must have yelled, but I probably didn't) how he thinks Europe and the western world doesn't need Jesus and that not everybody was called overseas and and and...he just laughed at me (ha! Buddy I'm ruining your image! Guys, Buddy is a great man, with a lot of wisdom, as you'll here just now: ) and said, 'Lena! I never said Europe doesn't need Jesus, it was just not in my statistics, and just in case you didn't notice I only talked about India and (.. not sure what else..). So I stood there, probably pretty red by now, thinking how could I've gotten this so wrong?? And then he added 'well usually, the place that you're so passionately worried about, is the place you're called to, just saying'.
Well that then didn't make sense to me, good old Germany wouldn't need missionarys, would it.. so I thought well well, some western country must be in great need of..Jesus..and me. haha.

Dang I'm totally getting lost in my story.

Well I finally realized that what I though about Germany was a pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty wrong picture. Yes, we had Martin Luther and yes we also had Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and they did change a lot here, but we also had some bad influences on our churches, politics and culture. What I'm saying simply is Germany needs Jesus more than ever, especially the youth! And I remembered all that this weekend when he told us the fact about East-Germay.

Back to what Shane Farmer was talking about. He pointed out that the church is not supposed to be in a defensive position. Gates are defensive. The church is to overcome the gates of hell!!
''WE SHOULD STORM THE GATES OF HELL AND TELL THE DEVIL TO GIVE US OUR GENERATION BACK!!'' We're not just meant to keep out of trouble, no, BE OFFENSIVE!
He then explained how important it is to be deeply rooted as christians, as leaders but also as followers!
In Psalm 1:1-3 It says that a tree rooted by water bears good fruit. We as christians are trees, but often we're watered by rain which in this picture are our circumstances. We need services and people to encourage us, then we bear fruit, but when that is gone, and we're in trouble and it's becoming dry around us, we're craving some rain and start drying up. FLIP! Get you roots deep!
If we as the church would understand that, it would change everything.
He said that spiritual growth is not first and foremost connected with church activities, but being close to Jesus will bring change, in our behavior, our character, it will simply change US. And they made a study he told us, where they tried to figure out how to be close to Jesus, what leads us right to the cross.
And it turned out to be, surprisingly (not really):
MEDITATION ON THE WORD OF GOD.

A short story :When Shane was younger him and his friend used to play rugby (or some other american sport) they would work out a lot and soon be pretty big. A boy comes along, a couple of years younger being amazed at Shanes muscles, asking what he did to become so big. Shane thinks, what a silly question to ask somebody that is older and does sports, and answers, well you know we eat grass, not just any grass, it needs to be i the shade, if possible of a tree', the boy doesn't really believe it. Then Shane says: Rick (his friend) and I found that out and it really works!' 'Rick does it too??' he asks, and that apparently really got him. So they find a shady patch of grass and the boy eats it, and Shane tells him the truth as soon as he swallowed the grass.

it's amazing what someone will eat if they think it's worth it.
GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE A VISION THAT'S WORTH IT!!!

He led or still leads a youthcamp from his church where the Kids or youth have to SOAP every morning.
Soap stands for:
S - Scripture (read)
O - Observe (understand)
A - Application (put it in your life)
P - Prayer (ask God to seal it)
It's teaching them how to meditate on the word, cause another statistic I heard this weekend is that i think it was 80% of youthgroupkids (in the US) turn away from God after graduating Highschool. He ran those camps for a while now and they encourage to SOAP not only when on holidays but always and he said from the Kids that did that and continued 50% are still full on walking with God. He related that to that simple principal.

IN SHORT:
- Germany needs Jesus!
- be deeply rooted!
- how? - meditate on the word
- flipping give young people a vision they can go for!
- and show them how to become as deeply rooted as (hopefully) you are.

Youthconference - Willow Creek

O P E N

This last weekend I attended my third Willow Creek Conference. This time it was in my neighborhood, Wetzlar. The topic was being open. 

Before I start sharing things I learned and God put on my heart, I want to tell you about the amazing people that so passionately shared their heart for Jesus and this generation with us. Those we learned so much from. Those we got challenged by simply listening and testifying that God is doing something in this nation and around the world! 

First there was Thorsten Hebel who is an incredible youth worker here in Germany and started the blu:boks which is a ministry for Kids in East-Germany. 

We also had Jefferson Bethke and I think most of you Guys know him from his 'Why I hate religion but love Jesus'-Video. 

Phil Dooley is an Australian bloke that moved to Kapstadt, South Africa a couple of years ago and started a Hillsong Church there, before that he did youth work at Hillsong in Sydney.

Shane Farmer led AXIS which is are young adults, at the Willow Creek Church in Chicago. And he heads the 'spiritual-growth-part' at Willow.

Then there was this incredible woman, Kara Powell which leads the Fuller Institute in Los Angeles.

Rob Mitchell (Wells Fargo) shared his testimony, how he grew up, found Jesus and the trasformation he took part in.

Worship led Brandon Grisson, which definitely was one of the highlights for me!

MORE TO COME!