VOL. XXV, NO. 1
Park Cities Presbyterian Church
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" —Isaiah 6:4b
FEBRUARY 2015
(Presbyterian Church in America)
J. Marty Cope leads the Chancel and Children's choirs at the Festival of Lessons and Carols Christmas concert.
Christmas concert brings joy to young and old........................................... 2
Braving the cold for Christ...........10 Beginning a new tradition Finishing well in the Kingdom in the Families Ministry.......................... 6 of Jesus Christ.............................................. 8 New eyes on Japan .............................11
Worshipping God with our hands and hearts.......................................4
New staff leaders expand PCPC partners with seminary Recruit discovers the error of ministry vision............................................... 7 to train young pastors.......................... 9 his self-talk.....................................................12
In 1880 E. W. Benson, Bishop of Truro, drew up a festival of nine lessons and carols, based on ancient sources, for use on Christmas Eve in the wooden shed which served as his cathedral. In 1918 this was adapted for use in the chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, by its dean, Eric Milner-White. The lessons and carols tell of the fall of man, the need for redemption, the prophetic promise of a Savior, the nativity, and the incarnation. With the exception of 1930, the BBC has broadcast a service of lessons and carols since 1928, including a period during World War II when the ancient glass had been removed from the unheated chapel and the name King’s College could not be broadcast for security reasons. The combination of prayers, liturgy, readings, and singing creates a solemnity that affirms the historic nature of the Christian faith as well as celebrating the fulfilled promise of redemption in Jesus Christ. —Adapted from Christmas Spirit by George Grant and Gregory Wilbur
The PCPC Christmas concert
We received warm feedback
All of the funds generously given in the concert offering ($25,542.69) will benefit the urban ministries that PCPC supports.
"I have a niece who is a little over two years old. Last night at Lessons and Carols was her first opportunity to go to 'big church.' She is a little sister to twins, so you can image her excitement to get to do what big girls do. As the lights dimmed and the large drums began playing, she was sitting in my brother’s lap and gasped...then she asked “Is God here?” as if the sounds being playing were to announce His entrance. Her dad was excited to tell her , “Yes, God is here.” The whole concert was filled with gasps and pointing whenever a
has become an annual tradition for many people in our church and in the community. Every other year, the concert features the Lessons and Carols format: and so it was the case this year on December 14. Readers from PCPC and our larger PCPC family (West Dallas Community Church and Cristo Rey Presbyterian) read the nine lessons, while our PCPC adult, youth, and children's choirs with symphony orchestra presented carols and other Christmas musical selections. The congregation joined in—heartily singing several favorite carols.
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from the event and here present two stories from those who attended.
FEBRUARY 2015 • PCPC WITNESS
new instrument started playing. She was beaming with excitement. "I have been thinking about it since I heard it. The excitement, wonder, and joy she felt last night in God’s house. I have to admit that I usually treat our Sanctuary as a place of comfort and familiarity— maybe no different than my home or my office. I don’t treat it like God’s house. I don't treat it with the excitement, wonder, and joy that my niece displayed last night...but I should."
And from another who attended: "From the moment of stillness in which the service began to the closing word of blessing, Emmanuel was celebrated and adored…. Lights dimmed, candles successfully lit, the choir rose for the final anthem. “Readers” hanging off my nose created a prism-like effect. Lights of individual candles dispersed into a continuous line of glowing flame. Holy, Holy, Holy...Singers took on the image of a “company of one” as worshippers before Christ’s throne. Tears filled my eyes, then fell unbidden—a welcome release from an overflowing heart, a wellspring of joy." —J. Marty Cope Left page: left, reader Emilie Miller right, reader Arrvel Wilson This page: above, the Children's Choir left, Mark Davis pronounces the benediction. Photography by Larry and Terri Sengbush
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2014 Boxes of Blessing
Spending Ourselves
S
ometimes a box is simply just a box, an empty vessel. However, when it is filled with sustenance and messages of Gospel hope prepared by worshipful hands and delivered by caring and invested individuals, it becomes a Box of Blessing. This year, without the arctic, icy roads, the
in need. Everyone arrived bright and early to begin packing boxes on five assembly lines at the BCW warehouse. They filled each box with 35 plus different food items, enough to feed a family of four for several days. The boxes also included freshly decorated nativity pictures and Gospel candy cane cards from the children’s craft tables as Christmas music streamed throughout the warehouse. Smiles, handshakes, hot coffee, and great conversation overflowed as everyone came alongside one another to serve as the hands and feet of Christ, worshiping God in the form of packing provisions and loving neighbors. Thousands of the Boxes of Blessing were distributed
“And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and outreach continued for its eighth year with more than 1,500 volunteers from PCPC, our Urban Ministry partners, area churches, and businesses coming together to assemble 8,200 plus boxes of food for families
to PCPC’s partner ministries, including Voice of Hope, New Friends New Life, Interfaith Housing Coalition, and Dallas Leadership Foundation. Boxes of Blessing is a substantial ministry that enables PCPC members to serve alongside our ministry partners and other organizations for
the purpose of extending the transforming presence of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus to the hungry and hurting in our midst. Dallas maintains a high rate of homelessness and hunger across all ages, races, and genders. In 2013, point-in-time surveys showed more than 3,300 homeless, including more than 500 unaccompanied children. In addition, many individuals (39% of households) in Dallas are financially vulnerable—an unexpected job loss or medical emergency away from homelessness and hunger. PCPC members and ministry partners use these boxes to enter into relationships with those who are vulnerable and in dark places, shining the light of the gospel in all its fullness. —Tracy DeBoer
Above, Drew Flowers hoists a box. Left, Mary Wood, Beverly Poston, and Lily Lipe lend a hand for this big project.
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FEBRUARY2015 2015•• PCPC WITNESS FEBRUARY
satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.”—Isaiah 58:10
Where do the boxes go?
Sharing the Blessing
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n November 20, PCPC hosted a luncheon for Ministry Partners and recipients to hear their stories surrounding Boxes of Blessing distribution. It was such a joy to share a meal with our friends in ministry. At Young Life West Dallas, students help deliver the boxes so they can experience the gift of giving and see God changing hearts by meeting needs of others. From ACT in West Dallas, Boxes help establish new relationships in a community where people can be skeptical. The boxes open previously closed doors and empower neighborhood leaders to build deeper relationships.
Action Team "coach" brought students to pack boxes and received 120 boxes the following week to feed hungry families. He serves because he knows he could be on the other side of the table, hungry. He desires to serve God by feeding the hungry. We were richly blessed by each participant’s heart-felt story and encouraged as we approached the final stretch toward Packing Day, 2014. Following Boxes of Blessing 2014, I travelled to West Dallas with PCPC Urban Missionary Annie Roberson as she distributed boxes door-to-door. Grateful smiles greeted us; Annie prayed over
the box with each thankful recipient. We also received many reply cards expressing gratitude for their boxes. One thankful recipient received the box from a neighbor, mentioning the possibility of losing her home due to a large increase in the mortgage; the box was a great encouragement. A widow on Social Security has been challenged with rising grocery prices and is now able to keep her pantry stocked when she can’t get out to buy food. Many mentioned the need for food at Christmas time and their thanks that prayers had been answered. A box can be simply a box, but with God’s aid, it becomes a Box of Blessing. —Charlotte Medley
The distribution team loads a truck.
Our friends at Thrive shared about a woman whose husband had lost his job, and she did not know how they would feed their children. The box provided hope and help at the exact time where both were desperately needed. At North Dallas High School, students are really hungry after school, especially homeless students. In 2013, the PCPC WITNESS • FEBRUARY 2015
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ha g s n c i o k me e h t Family Advent Service
a time to explore the greatest Miracle of all
The Season of Advent is always a special time for children. Their wonder, curiosity, and high expectancy can be an example for many adults on how to approach the time of Christ’s birth. Yet the struggle during the Christmas season can be that hearts, minds, and time are consumed by Christmas parties, hunting down last-minute Christmas gifts, and trying to figure out which side of the family to visit! The busyness can sometimes leave children without of the opportunity or time to explore the greatest miracle. With that in mind, the Children’s Ministry staff wanted to create a time for families and kids to share a meal with friends, read through and act out the nativity story, and have time for crafts, hot chocolate, and fellowship. The Family Advent Service, a first for PCPC and the Children’s Ministry, was, by all means, a success in these areas! The ministry’s hope is to have this service become part of the seasonal rhythm each year so that families can enjoy, share, and look forward with great expectation to our Savior’s birth. —Austin Ariail
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Meet
our new
Middle School Director
This fall we hired a new Middle School Director. After much prayer, searching, and deliberation, the Lord led us to one of our very own, Danny Stimson. Danny has been serving as a high school intern since May 2014 and has answered the calling to move into middle school ministry. Danny attended Texas A&M University where he met his wife, Andrea. They spent one year doing college ministry together before moving to Philadelphia, PA, where Andrea pursued a Master’s Degree in Biblical Counseling at Westminster Seminary while Danny worked in youth and young adult ministry at a church there. They moved back to Dallas in 2012 where he continued to do high school ministry. His daughter, Stella, was born in September of that year. Danny
is currently enrolled at Redeemer Seminary and hopes to one day complete a Masters in Divinity. Here are some thoughts from Danny on this new role: “When I think about middle school ministry, I remember back to all the selfless men and women who gave of their time and energy to hang out with me when I was in middle school and to point me to Christ at such a young, impressionable age. God has graciously been cultivating that heart in me over the past six years of ministry, which has led me to this awesome position as the Middle School Director at PCPC. I am thrilled, humbled, and terrified all at the same time to be called into this role as shepherd of middle school youth and families. My hope is to take
Meet
I am pleased to introduce Tracy DeBoer. She has served faithfully in several PCPC ministry areas and with various ministry partners. Although a native Houstonian, the Lord has brought Tracy to Dallas and made it her beloved home. She is married to Kirk DeBoer, who attends Redeemer Seminary, and they are expecting their first child in the spring, a daughter with the current nickname “Urbana”—the Urban Missions mascot. Tracy graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Communications
our new
cues from the true Shepherd and to point these youth and their parents to the power of the Gospel to transform their lives through this meandering maze we call middle school.” Please join me in welcoming Danny to our Middle School Ministry and in thanking God for this answer to prayer. —Brent Baker, Assistant Pastor of Youth Ministry
Urban Ministries Leader
and Spanish and worked in Mexico City and Santo Domingo. After serving with International Justice Mission in Washington, D.C., and Guatemala, she worked for World Vision, traveling to Kenya and Swaziland and partnering with many churches in Texas. After extensive international experiences, she worked for a Dallas consulting firm that specializes in local non-profit organizations and became more familiar with and passionate about the Dallas urban landscape and the many people who were looking to make a difference in the city. Tracy is our bilingual and bicultural bridge who is able to work in many contexts with a compassion and discernment.
ministry to one another, even with people who are in very different circumstances than we are. Second, I know that our God’s heart is close to those who are vulnerable; He is a defender of the broken and those who cannot defend themselves.
My desire is to see the Church grow in its love for our community, to enter into covenantal relationships, beyond just a checklist of projects, to experience mutually transforming connection, both for those ministering and being ministered to! It is my desire for all of us to understand why our God so often calls Himself the defender of the vulnerable and how we can actively engage our faith both Here are some thoughts from Tracy inside and outside our church herself on her new role: walls in word and deed to reflect the fullness of the Gospel and the “Whether in an international or local power of God’s grace to bind up context, I have first learned that the broken as well as set physical God is at work, transforming people and spiritual captives free.” and cities with the Gospel through —Julian Russell, relationships, and that our God Pastor of Urban Missions is profoundly relational as is our and Mercy Ministries
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the church and YOU
after 50
Tim Tinsley
Bobby Payne, Tom Faulkner, and Steve Williamson opened the evening with music in the style of Crosby Stills and Nash
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." —1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NIV)
Strategies for Kingdom Investment "We are all wealthy,"
Tim Tinsley immediately told the boomers-and-beyond crowd in Fellowship Hall on November 16 as he began to speak about their generation and the church. In comparison to most of the world, almost all Americans are wealthy, but particularly the generation over 50. After meeting with a financial advisor last year, Tim (a former PCPC pastor and its first called pastor!) and wife Laura had weighed the advice they were given to begin seeking to maintain their assets at their stage of life rather than to pursue further growth. 8
They realized that might be a good strategy for their financial future but certainly not for their spiritual future. Tim challenged empty nesters to re-engage in the work of the church— Kingdom building—prioritizing it over their new freedoms to travel, spend time with grandchildren, or relax at the lake house.
Boomers and seniors
often have more discrectionary income along with more discretionary time, which creates more Kingdom-building opportunities, he also noted. And building the Kingdom has its risks and rewards just as building
a financial future does. Tim and Laura took a risk when they left friends, family, and good jobs in Dallas to invest in another church, but they testify that it has been well worth it. The Lord has blessed their risk-taking.
Sponsored by PCPC's
Adult Ministry under the supervision of Director Pat Hobin, the gathering's stated purpose was "to circle back, almost as a family, in order to be reminded once again of whose we are, who we are, and of that to which we are called. Yes, there is a place for the church and you after 50." —Debbie Dunlap
FEBRUARY 2015 • PCPC WITNESS
Head, Heart... and Hands PCPC has been blessed with pastors who possess remarkable learning, skill, and godliness. Like me, I’m sure many of you have not only been impressed with our pastors from afar, but have been personally challenged and changed by them as God has used them to help conform us into the image of our Savior, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). And then perhaps, like me, you have also asked yourself, “How did they get that way?” None of our pastors were born learned, skilled, and godly; rather, over many years, God prepared and trained them to be who they are as pastors. So what does it look like to be prepared and trained to be a pastor? Most Christians agree that preparation for pastoral ministry should focus on three main areas: learning, skill, and godliness. But throughout church history, there has been a long-standing debate about the best way of training future pastors in those areas. Should they be trained by specialized scholars in accredited academic institutions, by experienced pastors through intentional mentoring relationships, or should the church offer something in between, like the rabbinical school where the Apostle Paul was trained? (Acts 22:3) This debate has been an issue in American Presbyterianism as well. In 1738, the Presbyterian Church took a strong stance in favor of institutional training and required pastors to have a theological degree from Harvard, Yale, or a university in Britain. Less formal institutions were accused of being academically and doctrinally loose. More recently, Dr. John Frame from Reformed Theological Seminary Orlando has, somewhat ironically, proposed a model in which seminaries close their doors and future pastors receive their training exclusively from the pastors and elders of their own local church in a way that prioritizes relationships and ministry activities over academics.
Jacob Waid, Matthew O'Hearn, Brandon Pridgen, Isaac Banegas, Erik Oldfather
church history, practical theology, and a range of courses on the Old Testament and New Testament. By God’s grace, there are several excellent seminaries to choose from throughout the U.S., including Redeemer Seminary here in Dallas. And while seminaries like Redeemer understand that their role is more than academic, they are far from being a “one-stop shop” for future pastors. The local church still has an important role to play in the lives of future pastors and has a responsibility to teach and shepherd them carefully as they consider a call to full-time ministry. So what is the church’s role in training future pastors? Of course, the Bible should be our starting point for answering that question, and Paul’s relationship with Timothy provides a good example of an experienced pastor training a younger pastor. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul tells Timothy, “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
Like Jesus’ model of evangelism and discipleship, the Bible’s model for training of future pastors is fairly simple: pass on to others what you have been taught and encourage them to do the same. While the model is simple, it isn’t easy. It requires a lot of time, effort, wisdom, and coordination between semWhile various models are worth consider- inaries and churches. In general, seming, our denomination, the Presbyterian inaries should help future pastors deChurch in America (PCA), requires minis- velop their learning and godliness (their terial candidates to have a college degree “head” and “heart”), and the church and a degree from a theological seminary should help them develop their skill and whose curriculum includes courses in godliness (their “hands” and “heart”). biblical languages, systematic theology, In a church the size of PCPC it is some-
PCPC PCPCWITNESS WITNESS •• FEBRUARY FEBRUARY2015 2015
times too easy to avoid attention—or get attention! This is no less true for the seminary students in our congregation. So to fulfill our responsibility to help these seminary students develop their skill for ministry and godliness in character, PCPC is developing a Seminary Internship Program. The Seminary Internship Program will provide current seminary students with practical ministry experience, oversight, and training in order to “entrust to faithful men” the message of the Gospel, as well as the particular mission and identity of our church. These interns' activities will center on the need for them to engage in real-life, practical ministry in a local church while also developing their heart and skill for ministry. While the primary focus will be on male students who are preparing for ordination as pastors in the PCA, the program will also welcome male and female students who are preparing to serve in non-ordained ministry. This spring, the Seminary Internship Program will welcome the five interns pictured above. They are all members of PCPC and in the first or second year of study at Redeemer Seminary. As they are introduced in your Sunday School Communities, small groups, Bible studies, and other ministries of our church, please welcome them and express how thankful we are for their pursuit of God’s unique calling on their life! Read more at pcpc.org/grow/ seminary-internship, or contact me at matt.fray@pcpc.org or 214-224-2570. —Matt Fray
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Living on a new edge PCPC family moving into "basically, a police state"
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hen Steve and Jennifer (not their real names) were called to East Asia in 2009, they were confident that the Lord was leading them to a major seaport city with a large international presence. So they went, along with their four young children, and spent five years there studying the language and discipling young house church leaders. The ministry produced great fruit, with ministry training, parenting studies, and a constant flow of young national friends in and out of their home. But sometimes, God’s plan can change direction. Steve and Jennifer had seen that the house church where they lived was growing. National believers were doing outreach independent of foreigners, and other cities in the area were planting churches that were entirely indigenous, preaching the Gospel and teaching sound doctrine. So, threeand-a-half years into their ministry, the family reevaluated. After much prayer and counsel, they came to the conclusion that they could be better used elsewhere. As he began his initial research on East Asia, a Google search led Steve to a baseball team started by a man from one of the minority people groups concentrated in the western part of the region. Steve began corresponding with the man, bringing him equipment and training videos, and in the process, learned more about the area. “I have had a heart for that region for a while but always felt like it was too much for our family—too cold, too unsafe, too undeveloped,” Steve said. “It’s basically a police state. People are oppressed; they’re angry.” One of several Muslim minorities in the area, this specific people group maintains its own language and 10
culture and is deeply suspicious of the mainstream national majority. This tension has led to frequent clashes between the two ethnic groups, including terrorist attacks and police crackdowns. In addition to the tense political climate, much of the region is a barren desert with temperatures below freezing for up to a month.
visas. Because there is no international school in the region, Steve and Jennifer’s teaching visas would no longer be valid. However, through a divinely appointed series of events, Steve’s sports background provided the solution to both the visa issue and the question of how to integrate into the minority people group’s society. Through mutual friends, Steve learned of an American family that was also moving to the same region to start a company that will use sports as a means of teaching English. Steve immediately hit it off with the family via Skype, and both recognized the potential value in working together. Steve’s sports experience will allow him a “foreign expert” certificate on his business visa, and his expert status will in turn lend credibility to the company.
“I talk a lot about unreached people groups and wanting to see the global church continue to be purposeful and engage those groups,” said Jerry Gibson, Senior Director of Missions and Church Planting at PCPC. “But it becomes a whole different story when it’s one of your members, particularly “We have seen the Lord provide in a young family you love and know every way and check all the boxes,” well. It’s a great theory to want your Jerry said. “There has been constant people to work in a Muslim context, direction, and we have every affirmabut when you tion that they should go— know that "It’s a great theory to want your people opportunities, desire, and family, it begiftedness. It’s been fun to to work in a Muslim context, but when watch the Lord work.” comes very real. Everyyou know that family, it becomes one knows While Steve works with the very real. Everyone knows the costs the costs of sports company, Jennifer of going to this part of [the world].” going to this will be a full-time mom, part of [the homeschooling her four chil—Jerry Gibson world].” dren and staying on top of the physical and emotional Jerry worked with Steve and Jenniwellbeing of the family. fer to set plans that would help them determine whether or not moving to “The area we’re going to is known this unstable region was part of God’s to be hard on families specifically,” plan for them. Jennifer said. “It’s hard for kids to make connections out there with other irst, Steve would seek out Muskids—very different family dynamics lims studying at the university in and family expectations that make the city where they were curit difficult for them to thrive socially. rently living and see if he met with For girls entering adolescence, being any ministry success. He began to in an environment that doesn’t value spend time at halal noodle shops and women can have some longer-term efbuild relationships with the Muslims fects. The kids are very aware of what who congregated there. And within a they’re facing. But by God’s grace, we short period of time, he saw incredible are all on the same page, and they’re doors opened, not only to these stuwilling to brave the cold and the social dents, but to the noodle shop owners isolation and their mom as teacher to and their families as well. see what the Lord has for us.”
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The second test was whether or not the family would be able to obtain
In addition to the emotional toll, foreign workers in this part of the FEBRUARY 2015 • PCPC WITNESS
world are also frequently expelled by the government, making for a high turnover rate among a people group that is notoriously hard to penetrate. Steve has already begun learning the language, which is very different from the one he has been using the past five years, and his first order of business upon arriving in their new location will be to secure a language tutor. The family also faces a challenging housing search—landlords are reluctant to take on the extra scrutiny that comes with renting to a foreigner, so apartment options are limited. “The scariest and the most rewarding part of this is putting ourselves in a place of utter dependence on the Lord,” Steve said. “If He doesn’t show up, we’re all going down. That’s terrifying, but also we get to see the Lord do amazing things and work in unusual ways that we otherwise wouldn’t experience.”
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s the family makes plans to • Fruit—relationships with both minority leave for their new home in and majority people in their region March, their vision extends • Family—a seamless transition and beyond the church with the friends for all four kids and successful hope to establish amongst homeschooling the minority people group. Rumors of an existing house “There’s a church in the area made “The scariest and the most rewarding high that up of believers from the comes from part of this is putting ourselves in a majority people group being part have reached Steve and place of utter dependence on the Lord. of taking Jennifer, and, they hope the Gospel If He doesn’t show up, we’re all going where it to disciple those believers and encourage them to isn’t,” Jendown." —Steve engage in cross-cultural nifer said. ministry with their Muslim neighbors. “We’re anticipating this being the most challenging thing we’ve ever done as a How can you support this family? family, and we’ve found that each time They are fully funded, but what they the Lord puts us in a place of greater need most is prayer. Please pray for: challenge, we get to see His hand at • Home—a large apartment in a good work in ways we haven’t seen before. location with a friendly landlord We’re anticipating a lot of wow mo• Language—quick acquisition for all ments, where we look at a situation and six family members say, ‘This can’t work, this is impossible,’ • Safety—wisdom and a hedge of and then He moves mountains to make protection around them things possible that shouldn’t be.” —Julia Schwarz
Japan ReVision On January 9, this group of PCPC members left for Japan to reevaluate and renew PCPC's vision and mission efforts for the ever-changing landscape of ministry in this country. Why go to Japan? Tim Keller answers, "Influence and need. Tokyo is one of the three or four most influential cities in the world. It's a key city, but spiritually, it is so needy." PCPC members could follow the group on their trip via the PCPC Missions & Church Planting Facebook page, and Kerry Gibson added personal posts to her own page as the trip progressed. Here are a few of them: Japan Day 1. They are definitely on to something with the heated toilet seats. In other news, we visited 2 church sites including where PCPC's partnership with Japan started 20+ years ago, got a quick to-go dinner at Mamimart, and then listened to a Japanese Black Gospel Choir. No that is not a typo. Japan Day 2: lots of learning, wowed by worship, filled with food and fellowship, jolted by jetlag. Japan Day 3: prayer walking, Shinto shrine, Shinkansen bullet train, Nagoya, learning about Nisshin team's ministry. Japan Day 4: attempted schoolwork in morning, Christ Bible Institute, Heart and Soul Cafe, the Rayls, the Martins, and Michael Oh. What a day!
front row: Lily and Jade Gibson second row: Jim and Patty Moody, Deborah Green, Kerry and Jerry Gibson third row: David Lott, John Paul Schultz, Mark Macatee, David Campbell (MTW staff member)
Japan Day 5: Currently riding on a bullet train back to Tokyo...averaging speeds of 300 kph (186 mph) The team traveled from Tokyo to Karuizawa to visit the Martin family and to Sendai, where there was such devastation in 2011 from the tsunami. After spending a few more days back in Tokyo, they headed for home.
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Reluctant recruit is happily surprised
Vol. XXV, No. 1 • FEBRUARY 2015 Park Cities Presbyterian Church 4124 Oak Lawn Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75219 www . pcpc . org
Periodical Postage Paid at Dallas, Texas
Mission and ministry with people from foreign places isn’t for me. I’ve never been on an international
mission trip or considered taking my family hundreds of miles away from our friends and family on a short- or long-term mission. I don’t speak other languages. The Lord has gifted me with the ability to talk to all types of people – in English. I enjoy participating in ministry, mission, and outreach activities; I just prefer to do them close to home. These are all things I told myself.
Then my friend Chris Morrison started RUF International at SMU. He started asking me to attend
events and dinners with SMU international students. Something happened. I actually enjoyed myself, and so did my family. I related to the students, and we were able to communicate just fine, albeit at times in broken English. The Lord was breaking down these notions of international student ministry that I had in my mind. So, when the opportunity arose to attend the Thanksgiving Pot Luck Dinner hosted by PCPC for international students, my family was excited to go. About a week before the Pot Luck, Chris mentioned to me that one of the students he was getting to know at SMU was interested in participating in service activities and asked if I knew of any. I told him that it just so happened that the day after the Pot Luck I was going to be delivering poinsettias to members of the church. He said, “Luiz will love that. I’ll introduce you at the Thanksgiving Pot Luck, and he’ll be excited "I pray to go with you!” Oh no, what had I gotten myself into! Group dinners with a good number of peothat ple is one thing. Multiple hours in a car, one-onone driving around Dallas is another. the
Lord will use me as He wants to use me, not as I want Him to use me."
I met Luiz at the Pot Luck, and we immediately hit it off. We are the same age (33). He’s studying English before hopefully getting his MBA at SMU. I have a master’s in finance. Luiz grew up on a farm in Brazil with cattle, and I grew up around livestock. He’s convinced he can cook a better steak than I can. I know I can cook a better steak than he can. And most importantly, he has fallen in love with the Cowboys and has even been to three games this year. Turns out, one of the only things we don’t have in common is our native language.
By the time we left the Thanksgiving Pot Luck, I was really looking forward to spending more time with Luiz the next morning. When my son, Lee, and I pulled up to his apartment complex that Saturday, he was waiting on us outside. He jumped in and off we went. We delivered the poinsettias and had great conversations with everyone we met. I’m sure we were an odd 12
threesome standing at the door; a three-year-old, a Brazilian with broken English, and me. But everyone we visited couldn’t have been happier to see both Luiz and Lee. I was definitely the least interesting person in our trio. We ended up staying with one particular couple in a retirement facility for more than an hour. They enjoyed asking Luiz questions about Brazil, telling us about their kids and grandkids, and letting Lee play with their cat. As we were leaving, the couple asked if we would come visit them again and made sure Luiz agreed to come back with us.
After that day, Luiz and I have continued to talk and trade text messages. We exchanged texts on
Thanksgiving with him wishing me a “Happy Turkey Day” even though he admits he doesn’t fully understand the holiday just yet. We have also texted back and forth during Cowboys games. I pray the Lord will allow this friendship to continue to build. The Lord presented multiple opportunities for us to discuss my faith and our church community at PCPC during our time together. Luiz is interested in learning more and is open to discussions about faith and Jesus. I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to work on Luiz’s heart so that he will one day say that Jesus Christ is his Lord and Savior.
The Lord has also been working on me. He has shown me that the limitations I thought I had in working with international students were only limitations I was placing on myself, not limitations of what He can do with me. Finally, I pray that the Lord will use me as He wants to use me, not as I want Him to use me. —Cole Robertson FEBRUARY 2015 • PCPC WITNESS