Category: Bruce Posts (Page 94 of 211)

Every one of our kids enjoyed playing with puzzle boards.  The template of shapes varied from letters, to farmyard animals.  A shapes fit to the A board.  Chicken shapes, no matter how much focused twisting occurred, never quite fit to the Cow template.

When I look upon the cultures of our day, and the Christians wrestling to find it’s place within it, I think of my kids puzzle board.  Specifically in the west, the culture decaying around us.   Christianity is losing it’s influence, fading into the backdrop – all the while the Church focuses energy on becoming more culturally relevant.  Christianity of our day has become the kid nobody wanted to pick on the soccer team at recess – but we have cool shoes.

Have we forgotten that this world is broken?  This cultures shapes and contours are broken, harsh, evil.  There isn’t a single sanctified culture of our day – the entire world is under the influence of the evil one.

For everything in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–comes not from the Father but from the world.   1 John 2:16

We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.   1 John 5:19

As believers, we recognize we all fit into this broken board at one time.  Oblivious to it’s power, but bound by it nonetheless.  No physical or mental gymnastics could free us from Satan’s harsh grid.  We were enemies of God, stuck and formed by a fallen culture.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Romans 12:2

Through the mercy of God, Jesus came and provided a way of escape.  He came into this world, but He did not take on it’s shape.  He lived a perfect life, showed us the Father and was crucified for our rebellion.

God, through Jesus, shows us a new Kingdom, not of this world – the perfect board, made by a loving and Holy God.

God’s people were never intended to be ‘culturally relevant’ – we were made for His Kingdom first.  By looking to Jesus, we become shaped by Him (2 Cor 3:18). God’s intention is for His people to be re-inserted back into the board of our present day culture.  A people reflecting the Light of Christ in a world of ignorance.  A preserving salt in a decaying world.

A grid on top of a grid.  Our lives are now hid with Christ.  We are not our own.  We belong not to the broken grid of this world. 

We are beloved, cherished, cleansed and righteous through faith.  Embrace that the world rejects Kingdom relevant Christianity – it rejected God Himself and I’m pretty sure there’s nothing more relevant than the Creator of all things.

God has re-inserted His Kingdom board over top of the grid of this world.  Many of our new shapes simply won’t fit into the broken board anymore.  I’m good with that.  This world is passing away.

The message of hope in Christ is the only hope to pull humanity from the clutches of sin.  Mask the message too deep in culture and it loses it’s power.  The Gospel is great news for tiny life boats without a chance in the coming storm.  Hope in Christ is the only truly relevant thing we have to offer.   The power of this message is not something engineered by cultural coolness.

We’re not the sorry kid left unpicked by the cool kids, we’re the superhero’s of eternity – armed with the Love of Christ.  The world can have their soccer.  We’re not to intentionally be weird or persecuted, that’s just going happen naturally as we care and become formed to God’s eternal grid.  The cool thing?  By focusing on His grid, we become fishers of men and enter the revolution that is called Christianity.  That is cool.

Christians out there – Live the grid!  Press into Christ.  Allow Him to reshape and empower you to live on mission.  Your friends, your neighbors, your churches – they need Kingdom ambassadors now!

Grow your long beards, smoke your pipes and sip your fresh coffee, but for the love of God and humanity, be Kingdom relevant – live the Kingdom grid.  Start by giving a rip about someone that doesn’t have your name.

“You can take nothing greater to the heathen world than the impress and the reflection of the love of God upon your character.  That is the universal language.    – Henry Drummond

This little cutey has loved Canada but asks regularly about returning to Ukraine – sweet:)

In Canada for our last weekend.  We will fly out Tuesday, arriving on Wednesday in Ukraine.  It’s been a wonderful trip, we feel extremely blessed to be able to come back now three Christmas’s in a row.

Our hearts (and bellies) are full as we pack, and wrap up final details.  Traveling with one less on our return – Broderic seems to be doing well into his 3rd week of college in Texas.

Last few days I’ve played Hockey and it’s been SO fun! I really miss the game.

I’ve been working on a blog that highlights some of the things the Lord has encouraged us with, and general observations in the area of mission and church.  It’s turned into a novel and might be too sobering and theological for our blog readers – but I intend to publish it soon.  God has been gracious to help us begin to form, through pastor friends, books and His leading a missional template for the next few years.

Over the past few weeks several surprise donations have been received.  Thank you!  It’s been so encouraging to see how God has put our ministry and family on various hearts.  We didn’t do any fundraising this trip, but entrusted this coming year to the Lord and see Him provide for some ministry growth – will share more soon!

Flying around the US last week – such perspective from 30k feet!

Been busy preparing to teach the Gospel of John the week of Feb 15 in Minsk, Belarus.  It’s an intense week teaching 19 classes in 5 days!  I’m feeling pretty good about it, but honestly never attempted anything like this before – I feel bad for the Belorussian students though, have to listen to me for 1,500 minutes – Pray for us all!

My Grandma – she’s an amazing woman, runs the books for 2 family businesses, and serves at youth ministry 2x per week.

The Gospel of John is so incredible – written that we may know that Jesus was the Messiah of the world and that we would experience life in Him.  Thank you Jesus for life in Christ.

On the heels of the Minsk teaching trip we have a team of 15 joining us from Texas, joining up with some from Minsk and our own youth as we host a week of Awaken Creative Workshops and Worship Nights.

Pray as well for us as we need to hit the road running in Ukraine when we return – talking to colleges, forming up some teams for logistics, food, housing and everything else.  Pray for the week of March 4-12 specifically that the Holy Spirit will move mightily in hearts, awaken us all to your reality and presence Lord!

On the heels of the Awaken week, a few of us will head to Vladivostok, Russia – Far East Russia.   I’ll be (if I can find tickets!!) teaching a DTS week on the Kingdom of God and a cool side group of part time students who want to dig into scripture more but work full time and can only meet at nights and weekends.   God is working.

God is working all around us isn’t He?  Open your heart to the presence of God, care for others, listen and enter His harvest – He’s the Lord of it!

Thanks for staying in touch – please don’t hesitate to drop us a comment or email anytime as well!  It’s so cool to hear from friends, family and even random folks that come across our blog.

Bruce & Deb

We have arrived safely in Canada for Christmas.  This past weekend Deb and I drove down to Harrisburg, PA.  We enjoyed fellowship with some dear friends and picked Collins for Christmas.

Great catching up with the Myers family – they are roasting coffee and hoping to use funds from this to continue doing foreign ministry. Leigh is still learning Russian too, go Leigh!

Haven’t had too much time to rest yet, but it’s on the list.  We have an incredible January planned, and won’t have much time to blog.  We will be visiting friends and churches in the following US Cities:

• Longview, Texas
• Jacksonville, Florida
• Memphis, TN
• Birmingham, AL

This weekend we are looking forward to visiting with our friends at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Bloomfield, Ontario.  We’ll be giving an update on Ukraine as well as introducing Collins to the good folks.   I grew up here, I’m related to half of those in the congregation, so it’s always a treat to share.

Our hope for the next month is to strengthen relationships, particularly those we renewed or started last year during our crazy road trip.  This past year was filled with new growth, new hope in our efforts in Ukraine.   Our faith was strengthened to believe Him for more of His presence and reality.

He blessed us and the Lighthouse Ukraine ministry this past year in so many unexpected ways – we pray this unplanned (we thought we were staying in Ukraine for Christmas this year) visit unveils more of His plan.

This year is filling up already with many exciting and new things.  We will be teaching at Christ For The Nations in Belarus in Feb, and we have a team of 20 creative believers coming from (mostly) Texas in March for an intense Awaken Week.  We also have been invited to teach in Far East Russia this spring but praying about that – the air travel costs have tripled due to the intensified relations with Russia and Ukraine.  We also have a June group from Florida praying about coming – part of the reason we are visiting Florida for a few days in January.

Collins has been adopted by our family in Canada. He’s been here one day, but already out with 15 of them to watch Star Wars.  

The coolest part of heading into this new year is the core of young people God has blessed us with.  We’ve been getting little texts from some of them, and our heart is with them.  We have been encouraging them with scripture while away, and praying this coming spring brings amazing growth in their relationship with their Father.

A view from our security camera – folks getting ready for the concert last Saturday night.

None of this activity and opportunity means anything without our amazing God blessing these efforts with his presence.

Please pray for our family, our plans, resources and for added wisdom as we seek to follow His will into 2016.  We hope this new year is also filled with new opportunities and growth in your journey with Christ.  Life is so short, we’re amazed how quickly the years are flying by.  Soon we will all be rejoicing around His throne!

Crazy cute kids today out at Lake Ontario.

We have an amazing team at the Lighthouse Cafe, they are learning how to manage and being stretched while we are away.  We return to Ukraine Feb 3.  Please pray for them as well!  We had a full house last weekend with a concert at the Cafe.   It’s SO satisfying to see Ukrainians growing in leadership, and new ministries grow – but we need prayer!

Life Center Church in PA – we really appreciate Charles and Anne Stock and their counsel and care!

The new widow ministry is underway and today I heard of some really cool testimonies – one widow was met with a care package and began to cry on the spot, she had no money and had just returned from the local market asking for an IOU for bread and being turned down.

To make an end of year donation please click here – thank you!

Have a blessed and Merry Christmas out there – we do hope to see you during our travels next month.

Bruce & Deb

I just returned from the Cafe.  I can’t tell you how fulfilling it is to see families and students enjoying the warm, festive atmosphere.

It gets dark around 4pm here, and only a handful of buildings have heat on – everyone is conserving because the costs have escalated since the relations with Russia have been fractured.  Ukraine is beat up, still at war, the economy devastated from years of corruption.  Now it’s feeling the effects of not snuggling up with the Russian bear.  It’s a cold reality for many.

We have installed electric heating units for the second floor, as well as new triple pane windows for additional warmth.  Tomorrow our pellet burning stove arrives, it was our families Christmas present to our customers.  We are really excited about it – it will be installed  in our main dining room, with the hopes of providing enough heat for guests (and staff!) to take off their coats in the coming blistery winter days.  It won’t however be enough for the 2nd floor – we’ll have to keep running electric as well.

Heating is taken for granted outside of Ukraine.  We see this when we visit North America.  We go through culture shock how stable and prosperous everything is.  For us, and the Lighthouse Cafe, heat means open doors, and continued customers.  It means English Clubs continue to meet, and youth gather in the evenings.  Heat means families gather, and relationships evolve.  Heat brings hope, love, and joy.   In a cold and dark atmosphere, this Lighthouse has another incredible opportunity this winter.

Our Appeal!

Help us heat the Lighthouse this winter!  Last year a handful of friends and family blessed the Cafe with enough to get us through.  This winter, we now have 2 floors active, essentially doubling our costs to stay warm.  This is exciting because we’re growing, but so are our needs.

Jr. English Club

A donation of $25 is a huge blessing.  Please don’t consider any amount too small.  Our monthly heating costs will easily exceed $700 each of the next three months.   We don’t have this additional money as the Cafe already takes up to 50% of our personal support. We need outside help.

Please consider  a gift to help us stay warm!  Our family (thanks to some generous grandparents) will be traveling next week to Canada for Christmas, then to the US to visit many of you.  The staff here is ready and ministries will continue while we are gone.

Click Here to Donate!

Thank you in advance!

Bruce & Deb