Chaplain Transition

For the past 5 years I have served as a volunteer chaplain for the Chilliwack Bruins.  I was working with Hockey Ministries International and was part of a team of chaplains that served hockey teams throughout BC.  It was a good fit for that time.  Heartland, the church I serve as pastor,  gave me the freedom and time to provide chaplain services to the team.  The church was involved as they adopted players, provided meals for chapels, helped organize faith nights and made Christmas hampers for the team.

When the Bruins moved to Victoria (now the Royals) and the Chilliwack Chiefs moved in, I was approached by the team to be the chaplain for the Chiefs.  I asked the council what their discernment was if it would be wise for me to start again with the new team. After prayer and discussion we all felt that it was time to step away from the chaplaincy role. The church has grown in 5 years and now more than every the church needs my full attention.  The church council will continue to discuss what areas they want me to focus on more within Heartland or what new ventures they want me to pursue for Heartland.      

I just informed Hockey Ministries and the Chilliwack Chiefs about this decision.  Hockey Ministries assured me they are committed to finding a new Chaplain to serve the Chiefs.

Jim Hiller, the first Bruins coach had a saying: Once a Bruin always a Bruin.  I like to say: Once your chaplain, always your chaplain. Even though I won't be involved in the future with the Chiefs,  I hope to keep in contact with the past players, office staff and coaches.

I want to thank Heartland for the support they have given me and to the hockey community within Chilliwack for embracing me over the years.

Sabbatical: Books Read

I had high hopes of reading all the books on my pile during the sabbatical, but I only got part way.  Here is a list of some of the reading I was able to read.

On Leadership and The Internal Life Of The Leader

1. Generation to Generation, Edwin Friedman
This is the bedrock work that shows the emotional dynamics of families, relationships, groups and organizations.
2. Failure of Nerve: Leadership In The Age Of The Quick Fix.  Edwin Friedman
This is a watershed book that explores the emotional process of families, churches and organizations and outlines the need for well differentiated leaders who are emotionally healthy to meet the diverse leadership challenges of today’s world.  It draws on his previous work, Generation to Generation.  Best book on leadership I have read in 10 years.
3. Friedman’s Fables, Edwin Friedman
Short stories that are filled with paradox and pathology that gives material to apply some of Friedman’s thinking.
4. What Are You Going To Do With Your Life, Edwin Friedman
Friedman was a Jewish Rabbi, therapist and corporate consultant before he passed away 10 years ago.  This book contains many of his journal entries and unpublished material.

Community Development and Missions

1. When Helping Hurts, Brian Fikkert
Brian Fikkert is a friend from my Dordt College days and is one of the top 5 smartest people I have ever met.  The Lord is using him in the world of macro and micro economics to help developing countries.  He has written with conviction some things many of us have suspected from some time - that giving handouts and helping people in certain ways actually does more harm than good.  Rob Wall, from One Life Once Chance recently referenced this book when he explained how some helping actually hurt an entire community near San Quintin.  An important read.  I’d recommend reading this book along with Compassion, Justice And the Christian Life.
2. Compassion, Justice And The Christian Life: Rethinking Ministry To The Poor, Robert D. Lupton
Some friends who are involved in urban community development recommended this book to me and it has become a practical book on community development – a topic that I want to learn more about.  When Helping Hurts shows the negative side of misguided helping, whereas Compassion provides a positive model and approach to helping.  

On Prayer

1. Living Prayer: The Lords Prayer Alive In You. Dennis Fuqua
I met Dennis two years ago at a pastor’s prayer summit.  I immediately enjoyed his approach to prayer.  Living Prayer is about the Lord’s prayer and has opened this wonderful prayer up to me in profound ways.  I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to pray the Lord’s prayer
2. Praying God's Heart: Prayers That Make A Difference.  Alvin VanderGriend.
I heard about Alvin before I met him.  Alvin has provided significant prayer resources for the church.  Praying God’s Heart is the best practical theology book I have read on prayer.  A must read for all believers.
3. Love To Pray: A 40 day Devotional for Deepening Your Prayer Life. Alvin VanderGriend.
Love To Pray is a wonderful devotional that inspires one to pray and to pray with more joy and conviction.
4. Prayzing, Daniel Henderson
Prayzing is a resource book for creative ways to lead groups in prayer.
5. Fresh Encounters, Daniel Henderson
Henderson writes about his approach to leading groups in prayer.  Practical and helpful.
6. 24/7 Prayer Manual, Craig & Blackwell.
Before reading 24/7 I didn’t know there was a worldwide movement to pray for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This is book is a very helpful resources for anyone who wants to empower a church to pray for 24/7.  More to come.
7. And The Place Was Shaken, How To Lead Powerful Prayer Meetings, John Franklin
Another book on leading group prayer meetings.  Loved it.
8. The Bible.  Read through Genesis to Revelation.
The Bible I have is about 1050 pages long and I realized if I read 25 pages a day I could finish it in less than 2 months.  This is the second time this year that I have read it cover to cover.   It is so rewarding and helpful.  I also read it in the ESV version, prior to that the NIV.  I have come to love and appreciate the ESV version.  

Sabbatical: Now That It Is Over

This past spring I was given the gift of a 3 month sabbatical from ministry responsibilities and concerns from Heartland Fellowship.  This time has created a context for me to experience a measure of inner renewal and mental focus.

I’ve been in pastoral ministry for 18 years and I realize that at the age of 47 I am half way (if I retire at age 65).  The Lord willing, I have another 18 years in pastoral ministry.

This sabbatical has been about preparing myself to enter into the next 18 years.  I want to be focused and principled but also emotionally and spiritually healthier – to pay attention to not only my mind but also my heart and soul.  I want to be prepared to grow into each new phase of life and understand what an effective pastor is when he is 47, 55, and 65.  I hope to mature and understand what I have to offer the Kingdom of God in the next 18 years.  I am in it for the long haul.

There is widespread concern over the longevity of pastors these days.  Our denomination recently had this on it’s web site:

“There is increasing discussion in churches about the value of sabbaticals for pastors—and for good reason. The pastoral vocation seems to be more demanding than ever.  

Years ago, pastors’ duties were simpler and more focused. Today, pastors are expected not only to preach the Word, visit their congregants, and teach some catechism classes but to lead dynamic churches, sustain creative evangelism programs, excel in administrative skills, plan meaningful worship, possibly manage multiple staff positions, and more.   Pastors are expected to accomplish all of this during their normal work week—a week that can be 60-plus hours long. James O. Davis, president of Global Pastors Network, has stated that: 

•  1,600 pastors in US churches quit or resign from their jobs every month
•  nearly 20 percent of pastors suffer stress or burnout
•  50 percent of pastors become divorced 

A sabbatical is a change or a break from the normal routine. It’s an opportunity to step back, reflect, relax, recharge, and renew. Here are some opportunities to do just that."

Wow, 1600 pastors a month leaving the ministry.  I don’t only want to survive for the next 18 years but I hope they will be the most fruitful and joy filled time of my life.

I recognize that much of life is about patterns and routines.  I am learning to insert the type of disciplines into my everyday routine that will nurture my soul/spirit and provide increasing measures of emotional and spiritual health.

I’m also thankful for the extra time I could spend with my family.  Each of my kids have gone through significant events (car accident, death of a friend, recovery from surgery etc.) and transitions during this time.  I am thankful that I could have the undivided time with them.

So, I am thankful for the release from ministry this past 3 months and I am eager to step forward and enter the next 18 years. Let's go!

One Life One Chance #7 - Rob's Prayer

Rob recently wrote the following on his blog.  Please pray for the work of One Life One Chance,  for the San Quintin Valley and for Rob and Brenda Wall.  

The God of Judges

07/31/2011     Posted by Rob Wall

I have been spending some time in Judges lately. As my faith grows I am quite consumed in the Old Testament.

On Friday Ed left Los Olivos and Saturday Justin flew home. Change is in the air. Interestingly, God has already started some threads and we are praying forward.

This summer I have met more Pastors than I can remember names. Respectfully, Brenda and I have begun friendships that will last a lifetime. We are blessed to be next to a community of Pastors that only want Jesus. We leave in two weeks and so much seems undone.

Los Olivos continues to be a battle ground. Strange things happen that defy anything back home and would take to much time to describe. Yet, they are common for our situation…local churches affirm the push-back. Our neighboring churches have been wrestling this for years and pushing back darkness is nothing new.

Last week I was speaking to a Pastor that was describing the situation around the base. He said;

“the area beyond San Quintin is filled with witchcraft. Our church walked around our town in prayer; because the enemy placed four hooded figures at the corners of our community…they were praying to the enemy against us.”

The enemy is so real down here that he manifests himself physically and produces spiritual road-blocks at every turn. Positively, God is making inroads to almost every community we work in and is changing lives! Our God will not be undone…please continue to pray!

Back to the God of Judges (Chapter 13):

“17 Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the LORD, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?” 18 He replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.”

Personally, I come against an enemy that can bring the ruin of me, but I serve a God that has a name beyond understanding! OL is weak by itself, but we serve in His strength. Together; the Mexican Pastors, Board, Staff, and I claim victory through what our Lord did on the cross and resurrection. Our God has already won!

Gracias a Dios 

Rob Wall's Blog

Where The Forest Songs Are

Yesterday was "Where the Forest Songs Are" music festival at Island 22 in Chilliwack.  Bands like  State of Bliss, Kingdom Cloud, 41st and Home, Oh No! Yoko, We Are The City and Teen Daze.  

I have been introduced to Canadian Indie music through my kids, Matt and Levi (and their friends) and I love it!  The crowd at Where The Forest Songs Are was young, hip and clean.  Lots of good fun and great music.  A huge thanks to Rob Dunning who organized the event.

One Life One Chance #6 - Midweek Outreach

We knew the outreach was coming as Rob mentioned it at Orientation.   I've been on them before.  The experience is so unique that it gets seared into your conscience.

We loaded up the van with food and good-will and headed out first on the main road then off onto the bumpy back roads.  The unpaved roads are in whatever state they are after the last rain fall.  It rains, the road gets soupy,  people still try to use them, and then they dry ready for your driving pleasure.

Twenty minutes of driving and some lefts and rights and we enter the neighbourhood.  We bypass a compound surrounded with a tall chain link fence topped with barbwire hangers slanting in.  Normally when you try to keep people out of an area you put the barbwire hangers facing out to deter anyone from climbing the fence and jumping in.  Unless you are in a prison and the hangers are facing in - to keep people from climbing out.  This was a compound with some shacks where farm workers lived.  The conditions horrid.  Apparantly the farmer doesn't want to loose his, assets - his workers.

We coast into a dusty side street lined on either side with various structures: pallets and cardboard or unfinished block construction with vertical protruding rebar  or simple rectangle wood houses.   The van pulls over driver opens the door and immediately you hear a dull roar that sounds like a pack of moving, yelling, and happy kids.  A few seconds of sound and then the swarm.  Kids everywhere wanting hugs and piggy backs.

I follow Rob into a dirt yard, around a corner into a narrow ally that leads into an open room.  Rob says that is the neighbour church as he points to a lady who is about 4'10".  She is the pastor, 23 year old local.

We all gathered inside the church room.  The room was maybe 30x3 with a step up stage in the front and the walls and ceiling were unfinished drywall.  Folding chairs on a dusty floor. There were announcements pinned to the wall with some pictures.  There was a guy on the stage playing an electric guitar who led the songs, another lady behind the podium giving annoucments and lead us in prayer.  The room was full of peoeple with standing room only.  Our team was standing against the back wall, various families and lots of kids sat on the metal folding chairs.

The pastor went up and tried the microphone, but it didn't work.  So she followed the cable into the sound board, fixed the problem, tested the mic and started to preach.  All 4'10" of her delivered a power message on giving that challenged us all.  She had fire in her eyes and clearly had the support of the people.   They were enthusiastic and welcoming.

It's amazing to me everytime I run into someone who is holding up a corner of fragile society.   Working hard to keep out the chaos and provide care and nurioushment for the soul.  The church was the lighthouse for the neighborhood.  It was the reason there was hope there.  People could come, be prayed for, find friends and receive food and support.

When the service was over, we set up tables in the dirt yard and we quickly got into place as a long enthusiastic line of kids and parents formed.  There was soup, tortilla's with toppings ready to serve.  And serve we did.  Kids coming back for 2nds and 3rds either eating themselves or bring a serving home and then rushing back to get more.

We came to the neighborhood with food and good-will for the community outreach, but when we were driving home, I realize that I was being reached myself.  I came to give, but actually received.  I was inspired by the 4'10" woman pastor, by Rob showing up again and again at the same neighbourhood, by One Life One Chance and their long term commitment in a dusty needy neighbourhood.

One Life One Chance #5 - Nothing Is Easy

Part 1 - The Trip |  Part 2 - Orientation | Part 3 - The Empty Lot | Part 4 - New Home Owners

We have a fascination with making things faster, easier, and more convenient.  The iphone, android platform, blackberry exist to satisfy the human cravings for more and faster.   Interfaces must be user friendly, customer support needs to be like your talking to a best friend, and we must, must not ever wait - wait for a file to download, a video to render,  or a text to arrive.   Somehow that fast changing reality with the promise for more has fully captivated the modern life.  Whether all the red bull buzz is actually making our lives better or worse time will decide.  But what is uncontested is that ease and convenience are highly sought after values.

Yet, Rob and Brenda run towards inconvenience, chaos and hardship.  Why?  Because, what they find there is the purpose they exist - to help people. People whose life is poverty, survival is not a tv show, where the very basics of life is in scarce supply - safety,  water,  health and certainty.

Nothing seems easy in the Baja.  Life is on the edge, and it often feels only one small step from chaos stepping in.  It's easy to get sick,  car accidents are frequent,  and bank lineups are measured in hours. There is no couch with big screen to retreat to.

There are local pastors to help,  missing tools, food needs to be delivered, the bus breaking down again and there might be a hurricane coming through in a couple days.   Things break, staff retire, funds are tight, constantly under staffed and there is another knock on the door - a local pastor needs some support for his church member.   Balance that with being gracious and generous hosts at Los Olivos to the various teams that cycle in and out all summer long for single week short-term missions.

Nothing is easy or straightforward.  There is the language barrier.  It's not just the spanish english thing, its all the different dialects of spanish that needs to be stickhandled.  You can have a spanish conversation with one person and understand  them, but it all changes when another comes with a different dialect and tries to explain something urgent and you are missing each other by a million miles.

Some local helpers on the job site. 

When you are 6 hours south of the US border and you remotely run a business back home and you may have to submit bids for a large job in BC, you will need to keep your nose above the chaos of the Baja.  You can make the bid, but what if the power goes off or the internet decides to take a vacation and the bid needs to be in an hour?  Stress and chaos are normal. Must keep things going at home, yet life and death needs are right at your door step that need attention now.   Constant juggle of priorities and survival may mean developing both a deep compassion and then being able to suppress  it for a time when life back home needs your immediate attention.

The problems in the Baja are complex.  All the systems have some level of flaws.  Roads are sketchy, banking is uncertain,  policing and government are distrusted,  there is little social safety net outside of the churches, education is unavailable to many, health care is unaffordable by many.  Infrastructure that we take for granted like water, sewer, electricity, roads, bridges,  are patchy or nonexistant.

Bring your iphone apps, your western linear mind, and an overestimation of yourself to try and "make a difference" and you will be humbled.  There are no easy answers.  No quick fixes and no single development model that will fix it all.

What is needed is a long term investment of one life to others.  There are plenty of books that are all about 150 pages with endorsements that string together glowing reports announcing systemic, sustainable approaches to fixing other people's problems - I have about 10 on my shelf.  But nothing is easy that really matters.  Not raising your own kids nor helping people in a 3rd world country.

Life for Rob and Brenda is complex.  They are at peace and content in the middle of brokenness and chaos.   They have made a life out of doing what God has been doing for centuries: repairing, reclaiming, and restoring people. And they are seeing a difference, they are seeing change.  Keep going Rob and Brenda, you are an inspiration.

One Life One Chance #4 - New Home Owners

Part 1 - The Trip |  Part 2 - Orientation | Part 3 - The Empty Lot

Part 4 - New Home Owners

Framing begins

Wall with siding is up

Connecting the walls and making sure they are straight

Cutting out the windows and door

Framing inside support wall

Video of a roof panel going up

Putting the roof panel in place

Getting the trim ready

Playing with paint

Side of the house trimmed and painted

Finish carpenters at work putting in the rough kitchen 

New home owners!  Hosea (blind) and wife Filomena

The build team with the Hosea and Filomena

House was dedicated on July 28, 2011

Thank-you Hockey Ministries International (HMI),

Heartland Fellowship and 

One Life One Chance.

One Life One Chance #3 - The Empty Lot

Part 1 - The Trip |  Part 2 - Orientation



We drove to the empty lot and arrrived at the same time as the delivery truck - which was dropping off the construction material.  Getting out of the van we were hit with the hot sun - it was dusty and dry.  Not the oh it's hot nice weather at the beach type hot, but oh this is going to be a relentlessly hot day - better drink plenty of water.  There was a mild lingering outhouse smell in the air.  No services to the lot, no electricity, no plumbing, just a pad in the middle of a dust bowl.  This would soon become the home of a family that needs a house.  It was their lot, they bought it and now we were going to do a push up and build a roof over their heads.  It will provide safety and security in a sketchy and unsettling part of the world.

The pad of concrete was poured the previous week by a previous team. The fresh concrete and pile of new 2x4's and plywood lay there in contrast to the neighbour's which was made of pallets and plastic - the standard accommodations for thousands of people in that area.

There is a housing shortage that has been compounded since the government outlawed camps for migrant farm workers - they all had to move from their camps to town.  Many people don't own land and just find a place to squat for a time.  There is this law in Mexico that if you squat on a piece of land for 5 years, it's now yours.  So, many are trying to hold on to their little piece of residence trying to make it to 5 years.  The actual land owners are kept on their toes trying to dislodge squaters.  The lot we were going to build on was bought and paid for by the family we were building for.

One Life One Chance #2 - Orientation

Part 1 - The Trip

Part 2 - Orientation

After a good night sleep in our tent, b-fast was at 8am with orientation for the 3 groups at 10am.  Patti and I found out what we would be working on for the week.  It was a bit of a question for us and we didn't have any expectation since we primarily wanted to support Rob and Brenda.  Rob let us know that the cement pad was poured and the HMI house was ready to be built.  He wanted Patti and I (with James - our 10 yr old) to work with another team to do the build.   I was excited since not only would we see the HMI house but we would help build it.

Rob began his orientation by letting us know that one of his compelling goals was that everyone, once in their lifetime would be able to do short term missions.  When you walk through the door of missions, you will never be the same.  He doesn't want OL to be another ministry in San Quintin but to be a support to the local churches there.  He currently is working with 28 different churches.  San Quintin, location wise is the last stop for mission organizations.  There are plenty north but in the valley,  OL is the last one.  That means south of them, the forgotten area,  there are many people where poverty is their lifestyle - without much support.

The churches in the area don't have a unifying force so OL decided to invite as many pastors as they could to a hamburger lunch.  There were 120 people that came, some as far as 300 kms.  All local pastors who not only loved the hamburgers but also began to meet each other and network as a first step towards working together.  There is renewal in the air.

Rob's long term plan is to begin a Christian School to help educate the next generation - K through 12.  They want to start a school of theology to train pastors and build a multipurpose facility for churches to use as a resource.

Rob and Brenda have been working in this area for 20 years and it sound like they are just getting started.

One Life One Chance #1 - The Trip

While laying down plans for my 3 month sabbatical, one of the first things I calendared was a trip to Los Olivos to work along side of Rob Wall and One Life One Chance in the San Quintin Valley of the Mexico Baja.

The purpose was two fold.  The first was to check on the house build for a homeless mexican family that Hockey Ministries International raised $1800 for at a recent Faith Night.  The house build was a project funded with the money raised with ticket sales at Faith Night.     I had been in the Baja a few years earlier and helped build a house with Heartland's youth group and I was itching to help another family who needed a home.

The other purpose was to support Rob and Brenda wall and to be with them for a week.  This was important to me because as a friend I know that Rob has been going to the Baja and helping the poor there for over 20 years.  He recently made a bold step in establishing a permanent base in the San Quintin valley that he runs all of his service/mission work from.  Patti and I wanted to support them and want to be on the ground with them for a week.

We flew into LAX, rented a car, visited with some friends for a couple of days  in LA then drove to San Diego airport where Rob and the One Life bus pick us and two other teams up.  We were on site from July 24-30th.

It was an unforgettable week.

Part 2 Coming

Sustaining Pastoral Excellence In The CRC: Sabbaticals

Here is a helpful resource for understanding sabbaticals. It comes from the sustaining pastoral excellence page on our denominations web site.

There is increasing discussion in churches about the value of sabbaticals for pastors—and for good reason. The pastoral vocation seems to be more demanding than ever. Years ago, pastors’ duties were simpler and more focused. Today, pastors are expected not only to preach the Word, visit their congregants, and teach some catechism classes but to lead dynamic churches, sustain creative evangelism programs, excel in administrative skills, plan meaningful worship, possibly manage multiple staff positions, and more. Pastors are expected to accomplish all of this during their normal work week—a week that can be 60-plus hours long. James O. Davis, president of Global Pastors Network, has stated that:

• 1,600 pastors in US churches quit or resign from their jobs every month

• nearly 20 percent of pastors suffer stress or burnout

• 50 percent of pastors become divorced

A sabbatical is a change or a break from the normal routine. It’s an opportunity to step back, reflect, relax, recharge, and renew. Here are some opportunities to do just that. 

More here. 

Sabbatical Grant Request

This spring I heard about an institute that gave grants to pastors who are planning a sabbatical.  It's called the Louisville Institute.

I put together all the paper work and submitted the grant request.  They required a 12 week schedule for the sabbatical and a detail of what I felt would be the outcomes.  It was a very good exercise, it forced me to think things through and to ask some new questions.

Well I just found out I didn't get the grant.  I was a little down after I got the news. I had some great things planned if I got the grant (study trip to Israel with Ray VanderLaan) but now that is all up in the air.

But today I asked my son if he thought it was a good thing or a bad thing that I didn't get the grant.  He replied without hesitating, "Dad, I think it's a good thing.  You won't have all the expectations associated with receiving a grant."  After he said that I felt a weight being lifted and some new ideas came about what the 12 weeks could entail.  More to come.

Sabbatical Resources

A blogger friend (someone I haven't met but have read his blog - Darryl Dash) announced this spring that he was starting a Sabbatical and he made an excellent blog post about Sabbatical Resources.  I flagged the post and have turned to it a few times as I am preparing for my own Sabbatical.  I like his post so much I copy and pasted it here:  

The countdown is on. I’m starting a sabbatical in just two weeks. I can’t wait.

I wish that I had known about some resources a little earlier. I thought I should pass them on. Learn from my mistakes.

For pastors in the United States, the Lily Foundation provides grants of up to $45,000. It’s definitely worth looking into. Even if you’re not in the States, their application guidelines (PDF) are worth reading. The question on the front cover is a good one: “What will make your heart sing?”

The Louisville Institute provides sabbatical grants of up to $15,000. It’s open to pastors in the United States and Canada. It’s really nice to see that Canadian pastors are eligible for this one!

For both of these, take note of the deadlines. I learned about the Louisville Institute two weeks after their deadline last year, and it’s a hard deadline.

There are lots of places that provide places for pastors to spend some time away. Here’s one:

Founded in 1997, Pastors Retreat Network offers five-day retreats to pastors and pastor couples. Our programs balance solitude and community time. Scripture reading and meditation are at the heart of the experience.

I’ve heard good things about them. You only need five days, so you can take advantage of one of these even if you don’t have much time.

One of the best articles I’ve read on sabbaticals is “Sabbatical is not Study Leave” by Eugene Peterson. It’s from the Winter 1988 edition of Leadership Journal. Here’s a sample:

If the life of faith is reduced to a church program or into jargon, the gospel is betrayed and the spirit dulled. Yet churches make little provision for renewal of spirit in those they set as overseers for the renewal of their spirits.

The omission impoverishes the church’s spiritual vitality. Pastors enter their ordained work centered in prayer and alive to grace; after ten, twelve, thirteen years they find they simply don’t have the energy for a life of prayer, of spirit. One after another and year after year, they abandon the terms of their ordination and settle for running churches.

Peterson argues that universities stole the idea of sabbaticals from churches. Churches stole the idea back, but turned them into study leaves. Peterson says that this is a mistake:

The all-but-universal practice is for pastors to go to universities and seminaries for these bastard sabbaticals and take academic courses. They return to their congregations with starched and in-fashion ideas, but their spirits as baggy as ever.

If we are going to take sabbaticals, let them be real sabbaticals: a willed passivity in order to be restored to alert receptivity to spirit-prayer, silence, solitude, worship…The original intent of sabbath is a time to be silent and listen to God, not attend lectures; a time to be in solitude and be with God, not “interact” with fatigued peers. If help is to be given to the pastor in midcourse, it is not going to come by infusion of intellect but by renewal of spirit.

If you know of any other good resources, leave me a note in the comments.

Sabbatical - Seventh Year

Did you know that Heartland Council gave me a 12 week sabbatical?  

No, nothing is wrong - I'm not sick,  burned out or have a doctor's note in hand or anything like that.   

When I came to Heartland 6 years ago, Council wrote a personnel policy that outline issues like vacation time, sick time, stat holidays etc.  One area they also addressed was ongoing education and time for a sabbatical - that after 6 years of service in his seven year,  the Pastor would be eligible for a 12 week sabbatical (2 weeks for each year of service).   

Since I am in my seventh year of service at Heartland,  Council last spring approved a Sabbatical for me that would begin this spring (2011).  

What is a Sabbatical?  Simply put, a sabbatical is a time of study and rest.  It's a time to recharge the batteries for the future.  One person described it this way:  a vacation or long weekend would be like a quick re-charge, but a sabbatical would be like a slow, deep recharge.  

If you have any questions about the sabbatical, we will have a Q and A section in the connector where I or a council member can answer your questions.  

You can email me your questions.

I'll try and post here as often as I can about the Sabbatical.

The Expulsive Power of a New Affection - Thomas Chalmers Quote

Thomas Chalmers quote from one of his sermons entitled "The Expulsive Power of a New Affection" (Chalmers was a 19th century Scottish theologian) has me thinking about modern idols

"It is seldom that any of our bad habits or flaws disappear by a mere process of natural extinction at least it is very seldom that this is done by the instrumentality of reasoning, or by the force of mental determination, but what cannot be destroyed may be dispossessed, and one taste may be made to give way to another and to lose its power entirely as the reigning affection of the mind. The boy, who ceases at length to be a slave to his appetite does so because a more mature taste has brought it into subordination. The young man may cease to idolize sensual pleasure, but it is because the idol of wealth has gotten the ascendancy, so the love of money can cast out the love of sloth. However, even the love of money can cease to have mastery over the heart if it is drawn into the world of ideology and politics and he is now lorded over by a love of power and moral superiority. But there is not one of these transformations in which the heart is left without an object. The heart's desire for an ultimate object may be conquered, but it's desire to have SOME object is unconquerable. The only way to dispossess the heart of an old affection is through the expulsive power of a new one. It is therefore only when admitted into the number of God's children through faith in Jesus Christ that the spirit of adoption is poured out on us -- it is then that the heart, brought under the mastery of one great, predominate, and supreme affection is delivered from the tyranny of all its former desires and the only way that deliverance is possible. Therefore, it is not enough to hold out to your people the mirror of their own imperfections. It is not enough to come forth with a demonstration of the effanecent character of their enjoyments, or to speak to their consciences of their follies. Rather, make every legitimate method of finding access to their hearts for the love of him who is greater than the world."

Trying To Make Church Safe

Have you ever heard of someone being hurt by a church or church leader? Most, if not all of you that read this will probably answer yes.

We hear news stories about how church leaders have violated their parishioners and how churches respond to the allegations.  I feel sick to my stomach when I hear these stories.  Churches are made of God's people and our mission is to bring healing and renewal to people and this earth.  We pray about this, we teach about this, we apply it to our lives - but every once in a while the mission goes sideways.

People hurt each other.  Sometimes its hurt feelings, people get slighted and offended.  Sometimes people have expectations of the church and they aren't met "the pastor didn't call me when I had this ______  was going on in my life."  Other times during intense times of conflict people say things that hurt deeply.  In my 17 years of church leadership I have been on the giving and the receiving end of this type of church hurt.  Not the type that makes the news, but the type that makes me aware enough to not discount the reality that some churches and or church leaders are not safe.

Then there are the more violent ways people abuse each other.  Abuse of power, abuse of position, abuse of trust that results in someone being violated.  The types of abuse that scar people deeply and ruin lives.  The types of abuse that makes the news.  And this does occur occasionally within the family of God.  More stories come to the surface as it becomes safer to come out.

Dr. Seuss wrote a book called "Yertle The Turtle" that shows in epic Seuss fashion, how power can corrupt and lead to abuse of others.

Within the circle of churches that Heartland is a part of (Classis BCSE - Christian Reformed Church) there have been cases of this type of abuse.   A friend of mine, John Stellingwerff is the Safe Church co-ordinator for the churches in our province.   We interviewed John at Heartland a few weeks ago during our Dangerous Lives series as he talked about abuse and abuse prevention. He trains churches in abuse awareness and prevention and is on the front lines when there are allegations of abuse. He recently was part of an intensive restorative justice process for a local church.  It was powerful and led to the promotion of healing in the lives of people who were abused by a church leader years ago - scores of people were affected - some still coming forward.

One of the important initiatives that Heartland has taken on in the past year is becoming a Safe Church.  That means we receive training and have policies and practices in place that promote safety (police checks, moral codes of conduct contracts etc.)  We are at the front end of this process.  The amount of work needed is dizzying.  We have a new Safe Church advocate within Heartland that is going to guide us through the process. Our council went to a training session over a month ago on the issue of leaders and boundaries and we need more training.

One of the questions is where to start?  Each church has to answer that question themselves, but for Heartland where this is hitting the pavement first is our youth ministry.  We are creating safe church practices for our youth ministry which includes moral code of conduct, police checks among other things.  And it is taking much longer to get this started and to make progress than we originally thought.  Our youth ministry isn't even up and running yet because we are still working on safe church practices for our volunteers.

It's not only a long process but a difficult one too.   A few years ago everyone knew everyone at Heartland, but now with new people and more volunteers for ministries we need to be intentional in who we invite to be leaders and mentors of our youth.  We need to be intentional in what we ask of volunteers. This means we need to write out in detail what we are looking for in the conduct of volunteer leaders and what practices we are asking them to be a part of.  All of us are in process and sometimes it feels like trying to train patients in the ER room to also be doctors.

We feel it's all worth it because we want Heartland to be a safe place of healing, restoration and renewal.

Surfing By An Island

Sunset Beach - North Shore Oahu

Picture a 7 year old in northern BC during winter sitting in the living room and watching slide after slide of his parents recent get away trip to Hawaii.  "Here is a palm tree, here is some coral, here is diamond head - it's really nice and oh the pineapple there is really good ..." 

What goes through his head?  "It's looks really cool there.  Will I ever see that myself?"

Now picture a 40 something watching surf documentaries from the North Shore of the island of Oahu - the birthplace of surfing, the mecca, the proving grounds for any surfer wanting to enter the upper echelon of the surfing pecking order.  

What goes through his head watching warm water surfers paddling out in board shorts and a rash guard?  No wetsuit, no booties, just sun screen and melting into the laid back surf culture?  "What would that be like?" 

Last week I was there.  A week of exploring the island of Oahu and surfing everyday.  We snorkeled, hiked, and played in the warm tropical fish filled water.  I think I sat in a beach chair once for 5 minutes just to catch my breath.  We staying away mostly from the overly crowed vacation destinations and went to the next look-out, the next beach, and the next road side eateries. 

About 4 months ago a friend and I started throwing the idea of a trip around.  He said he had air miles so we could fly pretty cheap.  I said I have a friend who lived in Oahu and we could probably stay at his place.  Situation = cheap trip.  Heartland Church council gave me vacation time and Patti was more than supportive.  Then the tickets were purchased.  And soon enough we were airborne and heading south over the pacific. 

The vacation pictures of my parents and the surf documentaries all came to real life.  There were many times when I was just standing somewhere in awe or in the water thinking is this really happening?  I didn't deserve such a trip.  I wondered aloud at a recent elders meeting what the trip would mean and if there was some purpose in me going so far away.  One elder responded with, "Have fun, enjoy yourself."

At times I was overwhelmed with the reality that I was there, in Oahu - the north shore and paddling out in the same waters over the same coral as some of the surfing legends.  It felt like lacing up the skates and playing a game of pickup in Rogers Arena, the home of the Vancouver Canucks.  Same ice surface where so much drama, passion has played out.  Same place as some of the worlds best talent have been.  Surfing in Oahu was like stepping into a historical stream that has influenced me for many years. 

I'm home now, back to reality and some of the mystique of the north shore has somewhat been drained for me.  I've been there, came, saw, and experienced.  All the build up is over, just pictures, memories and some dings from the coral reef are left. It's just a place with roads and water and people.  Nice place yes, but just a place. 

This morning I returned to the question of what is the purpose or meaning of the trip?  And yes I did have a lot of fun.  But as I thought of the build up I began to ask myself the question, what will it be like when our hope in this life is fully realized?  When we see our Saviour face to face?  This life is the build up for the time when there is no more suffering, no more tears and we are standing in awe of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.  That will be a time that we all long for when our dreams and desires of the Kingdom of God will be real.  We will be there.  We will experience it. 

Know what I find is cool? There is no return ticket then, no back to reality.  It will be the new reality. 

Family Friendly Farms

I’m not a farmer nor do I profess to have much knowledge about farms.  But as a Pastor I do know about families.   I do know that families and farms go together and that a farm is a great place to raise a family.  

A farm can also be a dangerous place for a family.  There is risk created by heavy equipment, augers, and large animals just to name a few.  Unfortunately accidents do happen on farms, and when it’s the family running the farm, the family is personally affected. 

I learned this on May 23, 2009.   On that day, the phone rang and on the other end a weak voice said,  “Can you come to the farm, there was an accident and Scott has been killed.”   Fifteen minutes later, I turned into the farmyard and saw the ambulance, yellow police tape circling the accident scene and a devastated farm family.   

What happened?  It was harvest time and Scott was packing silage.  The job was almost finished.  The bunker was just full, there was maybe a few more minutes needed on the pile.  When Scott was backing up, the tractor’s back wheel rode over the edge of the concrete bunker wall, causing the tractor to tumble down the side of the bunker to the ground.  It landed on its side.  Scott was underneath the back tire.   He was 18. 

He died instantly and in that moment a farm family was forever changed.  The farm, on that day, was not a safe place for the family.  

There was a display of compassion and concern that followed from neighbors, family, friends and church members. There were around 1300 people at Scott’s celebration of life service.  People volunteered to milk and help on the farm.  Even today, over a year later, people still stop at the farm and visit knowing how much it means to the family.  The family is doing as good as can be expected considering their enormous loss. 

Recently I happened to be on the farm when Scott’s dad was packing silage.  He invited me into the cab of the tractor and before he put it in gear he made extra effort to make sure the door was shut tight.   As he worked the bunker, he talked about safety and farm practices.  He is a grandfather now with 3 grandkids all under 1 year old.  Family and farm safety has deep meaning to him not just for his family but his thoughts go to other farm families as well.  “I wonder how other farm families are doing during harvest. Harvest time is busy and safety is too often second place to getting the job done,” he said with concern.

When I drive by farms now I find myself looking for the bunkers and I’m prompted to say a prayer for the farm workers.  I drove by a farm recently and got a horrible cringing feeling when I saw a concrete bunker filled to the very top with the top crest much higher than the concrete sidewalls. 

My request to the farm community is, “Please do everything you can to make farms a good place for families – even during harvest.” 

(If you have changed any farm practices to increase safety since Scott’s death, we want to hear from you.  Contact Pastor Mike VanderKwaak mikevkshema@yahoo.com)

Chilliwack Connect Experience

The sign said, “Buggy Check-in.”  “Odd,” I thought.  Then my eyes saw the shopping carts filled with plastic bags, sleeping bags and odds and ends.  Next to them were at least 50 bikes. And close by were the watchful eyes of friendly security.

Welcome to the first impression of Chilliwack Connect – they thought of everything.  If you are homeless all your processions are either in a backpack or shopping cart.  The buggy check-in was a symbol of trust.  Come to Chilliwack connect, you can trust us we want to help.

I walked into the building, saw Pastor Jay from 1st Avenue Church, and was immediately greeted by at least 6 people.  All trained, helpful and disarming.  I walked in and there was a buzz.  I saw what could be described as a cross between a missions festival, barber shop, doctor’s examining room and high school cafeteria. 

People were eating, drinking coffee and shopping at the free clothes section.  There must of have been a hundred people in the gym alone and it wasn’t lunch time yet.   

There were agencies setup in rooms and hallways.  They had displays that had brochures, free things (free dog food) and cardboard standup trifolds with the names and services described.  Every table had someone asking about services.   Talked to Bobbi Jacob from Ann Davis Transition, Kim Lloyd from HIV Prevention, and Tom McMahon from Fraser Health - they all had smiles on their faces. 

Chills were going up and down my back and I kept thinking, “It’s working, it’s working.”  Homeless and at risk friends are getting connected to people and services.  They are meeting caring professional people and they are not alone.  They are getting help.

Service Learning Issue 8 - Hope In The Warehouse

Thursday, March 11^th - pm

The vans were loaded and on the LA freeways again.   We were determined and 6 lanes of criss-crossing traffic during rush hour (with a bathroom break) was not going to stop us.  We did miss a turn off however and got a nice tour of East LA.  Left here, right there, and then park.  Okay.  Lookup and a long warehouse stretching into the horizon.  40,000 square feet of converted warehouse. 

We were greeted outside by our host who gave us a tour of this unique community.   He tells us that the Shelter opened in January 1988 with help from Judge Harry Pregerson, who recognized a critical need for emergency shelter who arranged for the shelter to be sold for $1.  It is the only program of its kind in California to fulfill the objectives of the 1987 Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, which encouraged the use of vacant Federal facilities as homeless shelters.

The place is a community.  It offers transitional care for 350 homeless men and women as well as vocational assistance, substance abuse rehab, case management, counseling, on-site health care & medical referrals, ESL classes, HIV/AIDS education, 12-step substance abuse recovery program, computer training, job training and referrals and life skills classes. The goal is to provide a one-stop solution to the homeless condition by addressing the problems and barriers that keep homeless men and women from achieving self-sufficiency. 

In a word, my response was WOW. 

At one point in the tour we were told that a person who comes through this program can have a guaranteed job.  My engineering mind saw the process of entry to graduation and all the steps in between.  I observed the security of the place, the video cameras, the staff, the professionalism and most importantly the hope that was in the air.  I noticed the 10 million dollar renovations, the clean floors, and the various classrooms, medical offices, and I could hear the music lessons in the background.   It was a village whose purpose was to address and provide solutions towards self-sufficiency and dignity. 

It was all based on process.  Get sober and you’ll get help with 12 step recovery.  Find the right meds to help your mental health issues and you can take a computer class.  Be sober and healthy and you can learn a trade – how about as a hairdresser?  When you are making progress within the warehouse living, you can move to a mobile home on the edge of the property – you can be there for up to 3 years to get further stablized.

Doesn’t matter if you were an addict, street worker, heroin dealer, or bi-polar, you have hope at the shelter.  Just get there (Jeff will give you a ride) and stick with it.  

The power of cross is evident and at work in the warehouse.  

Service Learning Issue 7 - The Three Crosses

Thursday, March 11, 2010

A later start to the day, meet Jeff at 10:30am at the school.  We are all going to a special place called the center that cares and trains people with mental illnesses.  Once a month they have an outdoor barbeque and today is the day. 

We are all getting pretty good at cooking hotdogs.  So far on this trip we have cooked about 250 of them, today would be another 150 with same amount of hamburgers. 

The setup and food was all taken care of by Jeff’s students and the center.  We had the opportunity to serve the food.  On the long table was condiments, trays of fruit, coolers of pop and bags of chips.   Don’t tell anyone I had the best hotdog of the trip right there.  Yumm.

The clients were out on the lawn eating, milling about.  They had looked forward to this day for a couple of weeks.  Most were interested in conversation.  I was drawn to guy who I’ll call Bill. 

Bill had the vibe of a biker and brawler and the conversation started with me saying, “Nice tattys.”   He had a sleeve and a few random ones here and there.  I probably could see only 50% of them.  Conversation at first was mostly about the occasions and story behind each tattoo until we got to the cross ones.  He hesitated a bit and began with, I don’t tell many about this, but when I was in the service, they gave us the wrong address and I killed the wrong people.  Each cross on my arm is for one of them.

He said that was the beginning of his problems, he started to drink and use to mask the pain.  He was eventually discharged because of his drinking and drug use even though he was special ops.  He entered civilian life confused and hurt and continuing to mask the pain of what he had to do as a soldier.  He is a big dude with a love for adrenaline, fighting was a daily occurrence.  Biker scene, surfing and partying was his life.  And it was taking him nowhere except down.  He is now on disability, with mental health struggles.  He hasn’t touched a drink in 10 years. 

I could see myself in him.  I resonated with him and his story and wanted to talk more.  He was in a place that I couldn’t help him except to listen and care and be next to him for a bit.  He talked about his hurt accumulated from churches that misunderstood him.  We talked briefly about the power of the cross for forgiveness. 

Jeff reminded us before we came to the center, that we are all a bit crazy, all a little damaged and disturbed and in that sense not much different than the people at the center.  We can be the Christ presence for people and bring hope and value to them. 

I’m sure glad we came that morning.  Bill did all that for me.  

Service Learning Issue 6 - Being Rescued

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 pm

We are getting used to the routine by now - meeting Jeff at the school, loading up the vans and driving as a caravan to our next place of learning and service.   And tonight we were on our way to a rescue mission -  a place that offers food, shelter and spiritual guidance to homeless men, women and children.  

We arrive safely and Jeff is greeted at the front desk like a long time long awaited friend.  He and his students have favor there, if not all over the city.  Our role with his students is to help the kitchen staff get ready for supper, take part in a chapel service, and most importantly mingle with the people who call the shelter their home, their refuge.

I enter the atrium and realize there are two groups of people, those off the street looking for a meal and those in the one year program.  The people in the program are open for conversation.  They were once living on the street, addicted, alone, but now are in a community of believers and are entering a new life of freedom and purpose – the program is even called New Life.

This is a well run shelter.  There is order, routine, purpose and a sense of being in an oasis.  There exists a delicate balance between structure and grace.  High structure and direction is needed in shelters to keep order and accountability, but it’s the grace and love that takes people toward the new life. 

Jeff comes to a place like this to learn.  Here is a seasoned teacher, with multiple degrees, above average intelligence, reads at least 5 books a month and comes to learn from people on the street.  It shows in his ability to listen and value anyone.  He is asked to lead the chapel talk and instead of giving a 10-15 talk, he engages the street people people.  Asking questions, clarify answers, drawing connections, and affirming the profoundness of the moment. 

You get the sense if you are sitting there that you are valued and valuable.   And to Jeff that is the whole point.   The learning for me continues.

Service Learning Issue 5 - 8 Foot Burrito

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

I’ve known Ryan for a number of years and he has always stuck to one thing – helping marginalized people.  At first, when he moved into town, there was a job here and a job here, but the same heart.  Now he has roots planted and the agency he runs is favored in the city and he is making some wonderful progress building partnerships with others.  Our group was just one group that was going to partner with him.

We met at his strip mall office called the “Community Resource Center.”  I know Ryan is busy, short staffed, and short on budget so I was reluctant to have us take up his time.  But he seemed genuinely grateful to have us.  He gave an orientation to what their stragedy is:  building relationships with food distribution and service projects; with that trust work towards community development by helping people retool for work (good soil), address housing needs, and the latest is starting a school. 

I wanted our team to hear his heart and how he was putting his vision into action.  I wanted us to be exposed to the sacrifices needed to help people, the intentionality and the creative thinking required to truly make a difference in a community.  He was about helping people yes, but more than that developing a community.  And that takes careful thinking and planning. 

He had a project for us.  I told him we want to leave town broke and tired so put us to work.  There was a lady who has made wonderful progress from living in a garage, one step from homelessness, to now living in a donated trailer in a trailer park.  The trailer has had a lot of work done to it, and needed some more.  The lady loved to cook.  She lived on food stamps, designed to feed one person, but she learned to be resourceful enough that she often fed her trailer park neighbors meals too. 

Her trailer had an old condenser on the roof that was chronically leaking and needed to be removed and the hole patched.  Ryan also suggested a raised garden bed so she could grow peppers and vegetables. 

We got to work.  Materials list in hand we went to Home Depot and returned with bags of soil, bucket of tar, lumber and some lovely plants.  We had our mandate.  Fix the roof and make the garden.  It was fun work and the team had a blast.

We decided to put together lunch for the lady and the team, but Ryan knew a place that made killer Burritos.  Then someone had the idea of getting enough food to feed the whole trailer park.  We made a plan and Ryan ordered an 8 foot burrito, 5 gallons of lemon aid,  some salsa and corn chips.  It was awesome.  The lady went around the trailer park and knocked on people’s doors inviting them over for lunch.  And they came.  We all ate and laughed and had good conversation with some new friends.  

Hopefully one day we can see them again and check in on the peppers.