WITNESS: May 1, 2012

VOL. XXII, NO. 2

Park Cities Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian Church in America)

MAY 2012

I ”If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well.”

James 2:8

Easter isn’t over; the celebration continues 2 Translating the gospel into love language

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Giving ourselves away to gain everything

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Bridging ages and stages through personal stories 6 The radial reach of PCPC into area apartments

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Moving out of our own little worlds

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Children taught how to remember the nations

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Caring for the feet of good news bearers

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Counseling ministry to take on new look

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The Call to Artists

n order to transport PCPC’s Arts Festival from its basic themes into a full blown exhibit, a certain process takes place. Artists hear the call and respond.

By the time the formal Call to Artists goes out via email and mail, many works are already taking shape in the eyes, minds, and hearts of the artists. This year’s theme was The Passion and the Promise.

Delivery Day, February 25, was bright and beautiful. Artists entrusted two hundred entries to whitegloved volunteers to be judged. In private interviews, I asked each artist one question: “At what point in time did you hear and respond to the Call for Artists?” What a blessed visual emerged as I heard answers such as: “The title was the inspiration,” or, “I answered the call right after seeing the topic.” One artist reported searching the internet for a Christian art show. (He eventually won a special award ribbon for his work.)

One artist had been on the PCPC mailing list for three years before responding to the call for the 2012 Festival. Another artist said that through attending the Art + Spirit classes last fall

she experienced a personal accountability to use her artistic talents for the glory of God. Others reported personal invitations came to them one-on-one, such as e-mails from friends urging them to investigate. One artist returned from a trip to Europe with renewed inspiration after seeing several cathedrals there. Through various ways, artists were drawn into the process of transferring observations onto canvas, clay, wood, paper, glass, and film.

Several artists reported they were unable to put on canvas what they were trying to convey because they were working under their own power. They stopped their work and gave God the glory—and their frustration. After they turned their work over to the Lord, the creativity flowed and became a living entity.

During his guest appearance on March 1, Bruce Herman, a festival juror, related having a similar experience when he was painting the face of Christ.

All the artists conveyed appreciation, even awe, that they actually had this opportunity to create for the festival and explore the

depths of the passages in John 12, Mark 14-15, and Matthew 28.

For me, the artwork displayed at PCPC’s gallery became living, breathing reminders of the lives and stories of the artists behind them. May our Lord receive all the glory continuously for these artists’ amazing gifts portraying our Lord’s Triumphal Entry, His Glorious Cross, and His Victorious Resurrection.

—Helen May Nichols

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in music means forte, “strong.”

Generally the loudest dynamic marking one will see is ff, fortissimo, “very strong.” Occasionally, when a composer wants something incredibly loud and dramatic, he or she will indicate fff, “very, very strong!”

Nothing is held back; the instrument is stretched to the very limit of what it is intended to do. As a church this time of year, the Easter Sunday shouts of “Alleluia, Alleluia! ALLELUIA!” still resound in our ears. The subdued tones of Holy Week and the contemplation of Christ crucified burst forth into the loudest songs, the highest praise. And well it should. Christ’s resurrection is the Divine affirmation of all that Jesus has accomplished as our Redeemer, the very fulfillment of so many Old Testament types and promises.

At the same time, Easter Sunday strikes a chord that sustains, and if anything, continues to crescendo to fff or even ffff, if that’s even possible!

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the first of four historic events which the writers of our Confession of Faith call “Christ’s exaltation.” For this reason, the church throughout its history has thought of Easter as a season and not simply a Sunday. The “Great 50 days” is a season during which we remember Jesus’ appearances to the disciples, the giving of the Great Commission, His ascension into heaven, and His sending the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Simply put, Jesus’ resurrection from the dead not only fulfills numerous Old Testament types, but it inaugurates a whole new era. In the resurrection, Christ stands as our conquering hero; in the ascension, the session at God’s right hand, and the promise that He will one day return is His coronation and the commencement of His reign as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

The Ascension is probably the

lost feast of the church. We often hear of it only as a postscript to the Great Commission or a prelude to the Day of Pentecost. It occurs 40 days after MAY 2012

The 50 Days of

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place for us, gathers and defends His church, furnishes His ministers and people with gifts and graces, makes intercession for them, and sends His Spirit to us (Larger Catechism answers 53-54, Heidelberg Catechism answer 49). A document from the fifteenth century captures something of the mystery of the ascension when it says, “This Ascension Day is properly the most solemn feast of our Lord Jesus; for this day first in His manhood He began to sit on the Father’s right hand in bliss and took full rest of all His pilgrimage before. Also this is properly the feast of all the blessed spirits in heaven: for this day they had a new joy of their Lord whom they saw never before there in His manhood.” (The Mirror of the Blessed Life of Jesus Christ, c.1490)

Pentecost was the Old Testament

Easter. The number 40 in scripture often indicates the time period for a Divine work: the rains of the flood lasted 40 days; Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah to be his wife; the people of Israel wandered in the wilderness and ate manna 40 years; Moses was on the mountain for 40 days receiving the law at Sinai; Jesus fasted 40 days while being tempted in the wilderness. The Westminster and Heidelberg Catechisms teach us that the ascended Christ prepares a

Feast of Weeks. It commenced 50 days (7 weeks) after Passover and celebrated by the giving of first fruits from the harvest. The vivid imagery of the Bible describes the death and resurrection of Christ and the subsequent resurrection of believers as the fulfillment of this Old Testament feast: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). It is wonderful that on the day of Pentecost Luke records in the book of Acts that upon receiving the Spirit from the ascended Christ, Peter sowed the seed of the Word upon the people and “those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls” (Acts 2.41).

May God grant us grace these 50 days to see more and more of Christ, that our worship would be ever increasing in love and fervor!

—Colin Howland

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While their parents are in class, children ages 6-12 learn their way around the Bible with catechisms from the Westminster Confession, guided by PCPC members Winsome Thomas and Marc Redus.

Can you speak another language?

I know that there are many people who can, but I am certainly not one of them. In fact, the thought of trying to learn another language at my (rapidly advancing) age is very intimidating to me, and I purposefully avoid situations where I will find myself unable to communicate because of language differences. So when my languageloving daughter became the ministry leader for ESL this fall, I had absolutely no intention of getting involved.

However, I was curious to see what ESL was all about, so I went to visit her at work one evening.

What did I observe?

There were three large rooms filled with mostly young parents working hard to learn to communicate in English, many of them with small children on their laps. Can you imagine? I was filled with admiration and respect for their diligence and dedication in spite of their busy lives of work and family. I suddenly wanted to help, but I didn’t feel up to being an ESL teacher.

So I volunteered to play with the children while their parents studied. I forgot momentarily that the children came from mostly Spanish-speaking homes. I had to try to communicate in spite of language differences, not with adults—with children ages one to five. But, as is His way, God provided PCPC WITNESS

exactly what I needed to do the job he called me to do. He provided a wonderful, Spanish-speaking coworker and just enough children who spoke a little English to help me get along.

What did I learn?

Well, amazingly, I did learn a few Spanish words (but only a few, since language-learning is not my gift).

Mostly, I learned that there is a wideopen, multi-cultural mission field in our city. People who need to know the love of Jesus come to our church every week for the purpose of learning English. We don’t have to go find them; God is bringing them—and their children—to us!

It seems small, yet I pray expectantly that God will bring these small seeds to fruition for His purpose and His glory.

Will you pray with me?

—Lisa Fulmer

Genesis and her mom both hear the gospel twice each week when they come to ESL, Genesis while she plays and her mother while she studies.

So, I have had the opportunity to serve the parents by caring for their children. I have also had the privilege of participating in telling 20 preschool children of God’s great love for them.

They have learned to respond, “Jesus loves me” when asked, “Who does Jesus love?” They have learned to fold their hands and close their eyes during prayers. And their favorite moment of the evening is a song in Spanish (sung with much gusto) declaring Jesus’ love for them.

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hat should be the role of churches like PCPC in the city? How can this reformed, evangelical, suburban church impact the city of Dallas? What message can PCPC bring to the city of Dallas that would bring hope, healing, and transformation?

Dallas is a very diverse city. This diversity cuts across social, economic,

heighten these concerns. C. J. Vergara observes: “Lacking a shared vision of the value of our cities, we accept their destruction and fragmentation as inevitable.”

In Acts 1:4, Jesus commanded His disciples to wait for His Holy Spirit in the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, if one recalls, was a place that almost all of Jesus’ disciples would have loved to keep in their “rear-view mirrors.” It was

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had become a respite for so many, through its worship, work, and witness—and ultimately the healer of the city. Thousands throughout Jerusalem joined together to minister to the whole person and the entire community. This same church became a model for all future congregations as it became the organizing agent for the overall well-being of the city.

THE CHURCH: BAN MINISTRIE C UR S PCP

organizing agent for the ethnic, religious, and cultural lines. There is evidence of inner-city life in places such as East Dallas, the Bottoms in South Dallas, West Dallas, the projects as near as Cedar Springs, and other areas that many would tend to avoid.

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While there are indicators that many residents are returning to the urban areas of this vast city, there are others who view urban Dallas in a skeptical light.

These Metro dwellers tend to accentuate the crime statistics, the amount of homelessness, the hurried pace of urban life, and other factors that would paint the city as a place from which to flee.

For many Americans, the density and diversity of city-life pose a major challenge to the ideal of suburban life. The reported social ills of the city, especially the inner-city, only seem to MAY 2012

here where Judas betrayed Jesus and took his own life; Peter publicly denied knowing Jesus on three successive occasions; and the others fled when Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane.

In the history of the New Testament, from Pentecost on and with the enabling of the Holy Spirit, this place of hurt and shame, Jerusalem, became the place of healing. At the end of Acts 2, Luke records how the young church

The message that the Lord has entrusted to His church is the very one that He delivered in Luke 4:18-19, a citation from the Jubilee message in Isaiah 61:1-4. Note verse 4, “They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.” Here, Jesus links this Good News to the poor with the promise of urban renewal. This gospel empowers the least, the lost, and the

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Urban Ministries

lonely ones among us to actively participate in God’s redemption of a city like Dallas.

We in Urban Ministries challenge you, our members and friends, to submit your lives to our Savior and abide in His work within the lives of so many in our city. We invite each of you to prayerfully consider how you can embrace the mission and vision of PCPC, so that as one healing agent, together we could extend the transforming presence of the Kingdom of God to the many diverse communities throughout the city of Dallas.

May God the Holy Spirit revive His great works within us, among us, and through us, and all for the glory of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

—Julian Russell

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unday, April 15, was a memorable day for PCPC. Led by volunteers and staff, PCPC hosted Urban Ministries annual Expo—a diverse group of Christians celebrating God’s mighty works within the city of Dallas. There were representatives from all 17 of PCPC’s partners in the gospel ministry. This year’s theme was Giving Ourselves Away.

To the glory of God, Pastor Mark Davis’s sermon fittingly challenged all to seriously consider what each of us treasure most. Our ministry partners amplified this challenge as they spoke to hundreds of PCPC members while they visited the exhibits at Fellowship Hall.

The highlight of the day was hearing stories of rescue from each ministry over lunch. The audience was transfixed as each representative expressed their thanks to God for the numerous ways that He is touching the lives of so many throughout the city of Dallas.

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The immediate response to that afternoon has been amazing. Scores of individuals have already begun to come forward, giving what they treasure to the extending of God’s transforming presence in Dallas. The Urban Ministries staff, committee, and ministry coordinators have been deeply touched by the warm regards from all who visited the Expo.

—Julian Russell

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5 1 Mark Davis visits with (l) Trey Hill (Mercy Street), and Ed Franklin (Voice

of Hope).

2 Gathering before the Expo are: Mindy Smith (Mercy Street) holding Hattie-Bell, Bill Thompson (Union Gospel Mission), Kaylee Vickers (student at Skyline High School), Julian Russell, Garrett Smith (Mercy Street), and Bill Farrell.

3 Buster Brown, Raelen Lampier (West Dallas Community School), and Laney Koenig man the school’s booth.

4 John Vanderweld and Imelda Martinez greet Margi Taylor (Golden Gate Missionary Baptist Church).

5 Judy Hearst meets Oby Bussey (ARM).

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here is great power in a personal story. I find them most effective when I am feeling a certain hopelessness clutching at me in my circumstances—and then suddenly someone grabs me by the hand and gently says, “I’ve been there, too. God sustains.” So, I suppose you could also say that there is great power in relating to another’s personal stories. Once we have heard it, we are careful not to forget it.

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God also seems to reveal Himself to us through personal stories.

No matter the memory I pull from my pocket, I cannot help but see God in and throughout the midst of it. We know from His Word that He has a plan for us (Jeremiah 29:11) and that His hand moves continually along it (Proverbs 16:9). There is deep camaraderie in that knowledge as well, because with that understanding we see the Lord’s merciful love falling on each one of us in unique ways.

When I walk into the event known as The Bridge, I am always reminded of that merciful love of the Lord.

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Women from all ages and stages sit and stand among one another. There is always something delightful to savor and a new person to meet. There is no set attire; women come from working out or leaving their strenuous jobs or simply from home. We are all present with one similar purpose: to hear of God’s power through a personal story and to deepen our own relationships with one another.

Actually, the last time I attended I found myself praying with two women at the end. We were all in different life stages, but when we shared our prayer requests with one another, we found that there was nothing dissimilar concerning our fears, joys, and hopes. I left that evening feeling encouraged, because through a large group testimony and small group prayer time, I had been reminded that God sustains—no matter what.

Friends, we have been called out of the incurvature of self to lift up one another through our personal experiences. Do not miss the chance to know and be known well.

—Mary Haberkorn

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Top down: (l to r) 1. Haley Morgan, Anna Lee 2. Shauna Redwine, Paige Redwine, Sarah Harrington 3. LeeAnn Gatlin, Stephanie Smith 4. Lauris Massa, Leslie Merrick, Kendall Hines

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he word neighbor appears 150 times in the English Standard Version of the Bible. Throughout the Word, our neighbors are people we are to respect, love, serve, point to Jesus, and share our lives. The familiar story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 describes a neighbor as one who has mercy on someone in their time of need. What need is greater than the need of salvation?

Who is PCPC’s neighbor? If driving most directions out of the church, you quickly find yourself surrounded by apartment communities. In fact, 56% of people living in a five-mile radius around PCPC live in apartments—over 55,000 people right in our backyard. Statistically, 95% of individuals living in apartment communities are unchurched, and 50% do not have a friend in their community.

Apartment Life and the CARES program seeks to bring the transforming presence of Christ into these unreached neighborhoods by unlocking the doors and giving the local church access into these communities.

Missionary teams of two (married couples, families, roommates) live on-site and provide resident retention services (welcoming new residents, planning monthly community-building events, caring for residents and staff, and gauging living satisfaction). This platform provides both a reason and a means to get to know their neighbors, build relationships, and open up doors to the gospel.

Currently, there are four PCPC CARES teams. Ruth and Stephen Meek have been serving as a team for over a year. As an urban developer, Stephen has spent his career in the apartment industry focusing on the buildings and public spaces as gathering places to promote community. He says, “While I have always focused on the built

WHO is my neighbor? environment, I have never taken into account the idea of community at the personal level of ministry, and more importantly, the spiritual level.” Financial reversals, newly-found time, and the opportunity to serve as missionaries without having to leave the area drew them to become a CARES team.

The Lord has used this willingness to serve. Ruth and Stephen related, “We feel that we are practicing what James calls ‘true religion,’ caring for widows and orphans in their distress. We have prayed with widows who have lost their husbands; gotten to know single mothers (who are like widows) and brought them encouragement; listened to staff share problems; delivered food; invited people to worship with us; handed out Bibles; hosted a Bible study; talked to Hindu and Muslim doctors about what they believe; prayed through the rent roll; told people about the hope of the gospel of grace.

Mainly, we have listened and developed friendships and planted seeds that one day may produce a crop that, as Jesus said could become a hundredfold—a great investment indeed!”

Recently they met two residents who had just moved to Dallas from Australia with their teenage son. The Meeks invited them to attend PCPC with them the next day, and they did! The husband had never been to church before though his wife had been trying to get him to go for years. They met numerous friends of the Meeks at church and are excited to attend again! Another couple that they brought to PCPC has actually now completed the new member class and is an active part of the church body.

Another PCPC team, Andrew and Stephanie Russell, decided to become a

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CARES Team when they moved to Dallas for seminary. They felt that CARES would give them a great opportunity to love on their neighbors and engage in ministry to the city.

The Lord has been at work changing lives within their community. Andrew says, “We truly desire to be able to embody Christ’s incarnational love.

We want to be more than just event planners, but also missionaries. We met a young man at one of our events who described himself as an atheist. We invited him into our home and shared the gospel with him. We pray that the light of Christ in us would be revealed to him, and that he in turn might come to a saving knowledge of Christ.”

As the Lord is working in the lives of apartment residents, He is also at work in the lives of the Russells. Andrew and Stephanie shared, “God is changing our focus to be God-centered rather than me-centered. It is tempting to get in the mindset of performance: How many people are showing up to our events? Will they come back? Does the manager think we are contributing to her bottom line? We are realizing that it is not up to us how many people show up or how popular we seem to be in our community. Our focus is on how God can use us in the little things to do big things for His glory. We are depending on Him to bring the right people, guide our discussions, and give us opportunities to share the gospel.”

What would it take to hear all of our 55,000 apartment dwelling neighbors share similar stories? Let us pray boldly that the Lord would go before us to prepare hearts for Truth and open doors into this community.

Would you pray that 10,000 would hear the gospel in the next 10 years? Get involved by partnering with the PCPC CARES teams or becoming one. Help by providing services or expertise or even just baking cookies for teams to bring when welcoming new residents. Join us in loving the neighbors that the Lord has strategically placed around us.

—Sarah Morrison

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Remember the Nations Sunday In my own little world It hardly ever rains, I’ve never gone hungry, I’ve always felt safe, In my own little world, Population Me.

eight million gods, but so very few worship the One, True God. I can be involved in missions in Japan right here, right now, by praying diligently for a high profile sports figure to influence his countrymen for Christ.

his verse from a Matthew West song convicts me of how small my world can get at times. PCPC received a blessing in hosting Dr. Michael Oh on January 22 for our Remember the Nations Conference.

Sunday morning and evening, Michael enlarged our vision and broadened our minds to the things of this world that concern our Lord and what it looks like to put His Kingdom first.

Michael challenged us to be ready for suffering that comes from being in this world, being of the flesh, and belonging to Christ. As Christians, we miss the whole meaning of Christian faith by seeking to avoid suffering, seeking to be comfortable, seeking to live pain-free. God did not only allow suffering to exist, He

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for our child to be a somebody. Christians very often have all those goals plus go to church on Sundays and Bible study during the week.

Is this why Christ came to this earth?

If Christ’s goal was to be physically, emotionally, and spiritually comfortable, He would have never left His Father’s side. Could He be asking more of me? Do I dream of Christ’s name being exalted and adored rather than the pursuit of the American Dream?

Left: The parade of flags carried by many of our missionaries into the service was moving and gave worshippers a better grasp of the many countries they represented.

Michael challenged us to ask: • Does my life have impact for His Kingdom, or is my life so hidden, so inconspicuous that it does not even bother Satan?

• Do I know anything of what it means to suffer for Christ?

• Am I bothered by the fact that 2.5 billion people have little or no exposure to the gospel?

• Lord, in light of the gospel, what would you have me do individually and as a member of the church?

ordained it so that Christ could suffer to display His amazing love for us.

How can I complain about my little suffering in comparison to what Christ endured on my behalf?

Why isn’t it easy?

At the evening service, Michael challenged us to be a nobody for Christ.

Americans are raised to be somebody— to do well in school, go to a good college, get a good job that pays a good salary, buy a good house and a good car, and then provide opportunities

Michael Oh asked us to pray that Yu Darvish, the new Texas Ranger pitcher from Japan, become a Christian. What a witness to Christ Darvish could be to the largest unreached nation in the world. The Japanese people worship MAY 2012

Our suffering is not just for our own sanctification; it is preparation for the proclamation of both the difficulty of life in a fallen world and of God’s grace that sustains and ultimately rescues us in it.

Let your money flow like blood

Michael challenged us to give a tithe or more to the church and a tithe or more to the unreached. It is hard in our capitalistic, consumer-focused world to give sacrificially, but Michael gave us some unforgettable statistics: If you earn just $2,500 a year, you are in the richest 15% of this world. At $25,000 a year, you are in the richest 10%. At $50,000 a year, you are in the richest 1%.

Oh thinks we value money too little, not too much. Money is like blood—it is meant to flow through the body to cleanse, bless, support, and give life.

To receive money from God and then to give it back to Him causes us to be doubly blessed. We die when blood does not flow, so give sacrificially and generously to the whole body of Christ around the world.

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Give your life away

Your life is not your own, either. Being a missionary means doing what God has gifted you to do where there are few or no Christians; therefore, you can be a missionary anywhere.

Oh challenged young people in our congregation to prayerfully consider giving a tithe or more of their lives– that’s six years out of 80. Give the best 6 years—young, strong, and healthy ones. Take your God-given skills and talents and use them as you would in America in the mission field. I am compelled to pray that my son would be used by the Lord in missions and

that I would encourage him to be mission-minded.

Oh reminded us how brief our life is, and that the measure of our lives is the glory that Christ receives through us globally and eternally. Our lives are not about us nor the unsaved; they are about God. He is globally, cosmically, worthy of all praise and glory.

I am expecting the Lord to do big things as a result of Remember The Nations. Pray boldly that we might learn, pray, go, send, welcome, mobilize as individuals and the church.

Go to www.pcpcmissions.org to explore all ways God could use you to advance the gospel in Dallas and the world.

“But He died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:15).

—Christy Gehlbach

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uring PCPC’s mission’s conference, Remember the Nations, speaker Michael Oh, a Korean American, shared the hardships and challenges his family endured under Japanese occupation of Korea during World War II. With humiliating intent, the Japanese imperial army stripped them of their Korean name and branded them with a Japanese name. They were told that they would be beaten if they spoke their native tongue—a way to dehumanize their captives.

Later, during Michael’s graduate studies, he came to grips with the full force of the atrocities committed against the Korean people and other Asians. Instead of responding with vengeance and hatred, he shared, “The Lord allowed me to view and understand these things in light of His grace and my own former enmity in my relationship with God before Christ.” In fact, he moved his family to Japan and began ministry work there.

This testimony resonates with me. Being of Chinese descent, I understand the legacy of animosity and hatred that came out of Japan’s wartime occupation of Asia. Unlike Even though my background Michael, I did not come from a Christian family. I remember should have prepared me for distinctly that my grandfather this ministry, I realized that did not have a civil word to say about the Japanese. My father my heart does not naturally refused to buy a Japanese car for that same reason. That is love my own people group. what makes Michael’s present ministry and love for the Japanese so remarkable and Pauline in nature. It really is like a Damascus road transformation and a strong reminder of God’s piercing work of reconciliation through the sacrifice of His Son on the cross.

A few months ago, Jerry Gibson approached me about serving on the World Missions committee. This began my introduction into the working mechanics of PCPC missions. I remarked to my wife that I would be focusing on Southeast Asia. I was excited to serve, but my heart had reservations. Even though my background should have prepared me for this ministry, I realized that my heart does not naturally love my own people group.

Why this hardened heart and callousness? Both my wife and I come from immigrant families and have dealt with the tensions that come from living in two cultures; one that our parents prefer to maintain, and one that we live and breathe everyday. As we have gotten older and grown in our faith, then tension within our families has grown. We disagree over career decisions and the best approach to raising our daughters. In a very subtle way, I have developed a bias and prejudice against the people group into which I was born.

My exposure to missions has brought the light of the gospel into my pharisaical heart. My frustrations of finding the right balance in honoring my parents and following Christ has led to an ambivalence of His command to proclaim the gospel to the people of Asia. What other groups do I have a bias against? Perhaps my biases are not only along racial lines, but socioeconomic differences as well.

Looking back over the years, I can see how God has been bringing about a paradigm shift in my life; from an identity rooted in Asian culture and family to my true identity in Christ. I am sure He will continue to change my heart as He peels away the layers of my experiences and attitudes. I pray that God will renew my mind through His ministry of reconciliation, filling my heart with love for the people of Southeast Asia, that all tribes, nations, and tongues will one day praise Him. —Brian Wong 9 9

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Kids’ Missions Adventure-

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hile the grown-ups heard from Michael Oh the evening of Remember the Nations Sunday on January 22, the kids went downstairs for a mission adventure of their own. The elementary wing welcomed our PCPC kindergarteners through fifth graders with festive multicultural flair. Our hard working high school volunteers had decked the halls from ceiling to floor with all kinds of interesting lanterns, textiles, and souvenirs from around the world.

“What is the 10/40 window?” you might ask. It includes nations within 10 to 40 degrees north latitude stretching from Japan through China, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, and ending in northwest Africa. This window encompasses nearly four billion people, 95% of whom have never heard the gospel. Most of the followers of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, as well as tribal religions live in this window and are in desperate need of hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Kids’ Adventure in Missions started off with the children dressing up in global attire to remember the nations. The high school China mission trip applicants and interns were an amazing help at transforming dozens of little Americans into a variety of nationalities. When they all piled into one room for an ethnic feast of pizza and fortune cookies, it was a colorful sight to behold. Imagine a swirl of Peruvian ponchos, Mexican dresses, African patterns, Japanese kimonos, and Indian saris. Many countries were represented, several intentionally from the 10/40 Window. The costume soirée was a fun way to celebrate God’s glorious work gathering His church from all four corners of the earth.

The kids were introduced to the 10/40 Window with games and maps to color that showed where our PCPC missionaries are at work. Some of the children had made life-size paper dolls representing different religions that were used to teach about what’s being worshipped and why missions is such an urgent task. They also heard about the over two billion people in the world who are considered unreached. Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few, therefore pray earnestly to Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38). We prayed and

praised our Lord of the harvest singing “Mighty to Save” with the high school worship band.

Jesus asked His disciples to pray for the harvest and then immediately called them to go and proclaim His Kingdom to the lost sheep. As parents, praying for the harvest might mean your child will be called to go someday. Do we pray that our children will hear the missionary call? Do we long for them to be part of God’s glorious plan and His great victory wherever that may lead them? It can be a hard prayer to pray. Fears can swarm in and make us shrink towards a safer, more comfortable life for our children; like the life that Michael Oh spoke about, in which we instill the pursuit of good schools, good jobs, and making lots of money—the American dream. Are we willing to allow our children to be “nobodys” for Jesus’ sake?

What if Christ had never left the comforts and riches of heaven for us? By His blood He purchased men, women, and children for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation. Is He not worthy of our most precious gifts?

By God’s grace, may the children of our church remember the nations and go someday filled with mighty power to proclaim salvation in Jesus’ name.

—D’Ann Moxley Far left, Caroline Flowers; left, Kay Kay Moxley, Brent Baker; below, Jane and Sarah Vandercook, Mason Prather, Adah Morris, Lily Gibson

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A new kind of short-term mission trip And it’s perfect for PCPC families

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t’s hard to believe that it’s been three months since our team, made up of five PCPC members and four members of Northwest Bible Church, returned from Thailand on Super Bowl Sunday. We had our own Super Bowl contest against jet lag upon our return. Our game plan: stay awake during the game! However, like the New England Patriots, the Gibsons were not victorious and slept right through it.

Jerry reads the story of Jonah

This short-term mission endeavor was the first of its kind for PCPC, but we pray it won’t be the last. We traveled from Dallas to Thailand to serve missionaries. A PCPC missionary family serving in East Asia invited (well, more like begged) us to help with the childcare for their agency’s annual missionary retreat.

God’s Word and strategic planning for their ministry. Some even benefited from marriage and family counseling and talking through team stresses. None of this would have happened as effectively without someone to care for their children. We feel like God used us well.

Giving spiritual pedicures

Maybe the most rewarding part of the trip for my wife Kerry and me was getting to know the missionaries on a deeper level. Two portions of scripture kept popping into our minds while we were in Thailand: first, John 13:1-7, where Jesus washed His disciple’s feet. This was to be our attitude. We weren’t in Thailand just to have fun or experience another culture as a family. We were there to wash people’s feet.

The other verse was Romans 10:15, where Paul quotes Isaiah 52:7: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news,” a metaphor referring to missionaries.

Missionaries’ feet aren’t more beautiful than anyone else’s.

In fact, their feet are often pretty worn and blistered from their journey. It’s the Good News that they carry with them that is so beautiful. As the week progressed, we began to see more and more why this 10-day ministry was very strategic for the Kingdom. If we are going to wash feet, these missionaries’ feet are important ones to wash.

We pray that these missionaries left Thailand with freshly pedicured feet, strong for the journey ahead, and that many PCPC families will join similar efforts all around the world. We’re collecting a list of opportunities now that are unique, yet extremely Kingdom-strategic ways for American Christians to serve through short-term missions and have a long-term impact. Watch for news about these trips!

—Jerry Gibson

PCPC parents might be wondering how family-friendly this mission trip was. We can say emphatically that our girls, Lily (7) and Jade (4), were amazing little travelers. This was our biggest concern before leaving, but it turned out to be a joy watching Lily and Jade discover new sights, sounds, and gadgets, like drop-down food trays. Their main ministry role was to play with and befriend the missionary kids.

Needless to say, they didn’t have any problem fulfilling that calling. Besides playing, they were a great help with set-up, clean-up, and other random needs we adults had.

They liked the food, too!

The missionaries’ children enjoyed structured and unstructured fun centered on God’s Word each day.

Most of all, they enjoyed the grass and room to run and play uninhibited (with some supervision of course). That’s a significant change of pace from the country where they serve. We were encouraged to hear stories from the missionaries each day about the productivity of their childfree time. The parents were able to focus on refreshing in PCPC WITNESS WITNESS

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Jade (l) helps care for a little one

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MAY 2012 2012 MAY

Counseling Ministry expanding services

Periodical Postage Paid at Dallas, Texas

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Vol. XXII, No. 2 • MAY 2012 Park Cities Presbyterian Church 4124 Oak Lawn Avenue Dallas, Texas 75219 www.pcpc.org

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he Counseling Ministry at PCPC is excited about the direction that God has given us. When we first began this ministry several years ago, we planned to spend the first few years developing an external network of Christian counselors and then seeking to connect our people with counseling needs with members of the network.

This has been helpful in giving our counseling ministry a strong sense of who is already available in the network of Christian counselors in the Dallas area, however it has not allowed us to provide counseling services directly. The session has determined that God is now calling PCPC to expand its counseling ministry in order to respond to the deep hunger that our people have for counseling provided by counselors who know God and apply His Word to life.

selor Dr. Lee Jagers to its team. Lee is a member of PCPC and has been in practice in the Dallas area for over 30 years. He was involved in the development of this ministry at our church and is very glad to be joining our staff.

Both Lee and I specialize in working with individuals, couples, and families around marriage and family issues.

(Go to counseling.pcpc.org) to see full biographies for both Lee and myself.)

Our services will be fee-based with a standard rate of $150 per 50-minute session. We will also offer a complementary consultation for those needing external counseling referrals or for those who need to discuss a reduced fee. To set up an appointment, please call us at 214224-2683.

—Jeff White

The church needs counselors who Dr. Lee Jagers have garnered experience in counseling skill and who have learned specific ways of addressing specific problems. Another benefit is the use of a specific time and place in which to deliver counseling services. Our problems are often complex and take a significant amount of time that genhe weekend of March 22-24, PCPC erally pastors do not have. Additionhosted Dr. Dan Allender, Dr. Steve ally, counselors usually have more Call, and their counseling team for experience in successfully helping an intensive marriage workshop that counselees with specialized issues or focused on fostering a deeper intimacy problems. between the participating couples.

Over three days, couples were enThe PCPC Counseling Ministry has gaged in large group teaching, small also added veteran Christian coungroup experiences for couples, as well

The Intimate Mystery Workshop

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as one-on-one time with one of Dr. Allender’s counseling team.

During the last sessions, couples reflected on their weekend. One husband said that he could look back and see how the Lord had been preparing him for the weekend for the last four years of his life. And this workshop experience will act as a foundation for change for the next 20 years in his marriage, which will never be the same. Men admitted to being resistant to attending, but through tears, shared stories of hearts being transformed through the letter writing and group sharing exercises. One particpant reported, “It was encouraging to hear about marriages being changed in a matter of days!”

Sixteen couples participated in this event, many from PCPC, the rest from other parts of the country.

Ministry in Singapore

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eff White was invited to teach at Singapore Bible College (SBC) in March. The counseling program at SBC is one of the first Christian counseling programs accredited in Singapore and attracts students from all over Asia who feel called to bring counseling ministries back to their home countries. There are currently over 24 countries represented in their counseling program. During his time there, Jeff lectured to over 50 students at the college. His talks focused upon couples counseling and the integration of theology and psychology.

—Betty Montague