Vol. XXI, No. 3 • Park Cities Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian Church in America) • AUGUST 2010
“Worthy are you,
Mystery of the Majesty through art?
our Lord and God,
Acclaimed artist Makoto Fujimura kicks off 2010 PCPC Arts Festival
to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created.” —Revelation 4:11
Comfort and joy at CJ’s Café
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Mayor serves God and the city
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Middle schoolers take summer plunge 4 Is your life working for you?
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World missions right under our noses
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The glorious, risky business of marriage
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Coming clean: bubbles galore at VBS carwash 8 Florida trip always new and different
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Russells catch great vision for West Africa 12 Loving the Land of the Rising Sun
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Unexpected answers to prayer—the best 16
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Frances Schaeffer wrote in his Art and the Bible, “For a Christian, redeemed by the work of Christ and living within the norms of scripture and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, the lordship of Christ should include an interest in the arts. A Christian should use these arts to the glory of God... as things of beauty to the praise of God. An art work can be a doxology in itself.” International artist Makoto Fujimura pointed to this idea during his presentation to almost 300 guests at PCPC on April 22. It was a stimulating beginning to the Arts Festival season that will culminate in an exhibition of juried pieces on November 13-21, expressing three rousing gospel themes of the Manger, the Magi, and the Majesty.
Makoto Fujimura is recognized worldwide also as a cultural influencer by both faithbased and secular media. A Presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts (2003-2009), Fujimura has contributed internationally as an advocate for the arts, advising governmental policies. His work is exhibited at galleries around the world. Fujimura often traverses the deeper divide between the art world and the church. As an artist and a Christian rather than a Christian artist, Fujimura easily speaks to believers and non-believers. In his book, Refractions: a journey of faith, art and culture, Fujimura notes that “All gifts of creativity, like the Magi’s stars, point straight to a stable in Bethlehem.” For the evening at PCPC, Fujimura expanded on this concept, focusing purposely on the “Mystery of the Majesty” using various works of art.
and then an artist as well. However, using the term ChrisPCPC tian as an adjective to the noun 2010 artist somehow dilutes the priority of what we are called to do. He stated that one can be a Christian and an artist simultaneously, and that this more gratifying position allows for us to transgress into other parts of society with a purpose of transforming individuals through Christ. Fujimura is currently working with Crossway Publishing to comprise illuminated manuscripts for the four Gospels, a project commemorating the 400year anniversary of The King James Bible. “It is an unprecedented marriage of a modern, usually secular art form with ancient scripture,” Fujimura says. The aim is to depict “the greater reality that the Bible speaks of... for the pure sake of integrating faith and art in our current pluralistic, multicultural world.” In the end, Frances Schaeffer said it best, “A What is a Christian artist? Christian life itself should Fujimura pointed out be our greatest work of art.” that one is first a Christian, —Lawan Glasscock
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Women’s Ministries
Tidings of comfort and joy
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Nancy Guthrie will be coming to PCPC from Nashville to speak at our women’s Fall Gathering, CJ’s Café, on October 7 and 8. She has been featured in Time Magazine and USA Today and is the author of eight books, including Holding on to Hope, which has been translated into nine languages around the world. Nancy’s life experience has forced her to dig deep into God’s Word in search of answers to hard questions about who God is, and what He is doing in the world. She often finds that her listeners have the same struggles and questions. And while she openly shares the deep hurts in her life, she also likes to laugh. She regularly speaks throughout the U.S. and internationally, and those who hear her often say that they appreciate that she is transparent and real. We asked Nancy to tell us a little bit about herself and what she’ll share with us at PCPC: Nancy, our theme for the evening dessert and morning coffee is comfort and joy. Where have you found comfort, and what brings you joy? C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, “Comfort is the one thing you cannot get by looking for it. If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth—only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair.” So many of us tend to go to the Bible in the midst of hard circumstances
looking primarily for verses that seem to promise what we want to get from God, and often, when things don’t turn out the way we had hoped for, we end up disillusioned and disappointed, feeling that God has not lived up to our expectations. But my greatest comfort in the losses that I have experienced has come from going to God’s Word, not to pluck out a verse here and there, but to dive in seeking to understand the big picture of what God is doing in the world, and therefore in my life.
What are you going to share with us when you come to PCPC? We’re going to talk about hope. Many people will say that they are “hopeful” in a certain situation or that they are “holding on to hope” as they deal with a difficult situation—problems in their marriage, financial setbacks, health issues, struggles with a child, or the death of someone they love. We’ll talk about what hope really is and what it means to hold on to it in the hard places of life.
I know that many women at PCPC will be inviting friends who don’t know Christ, In terms of and I want you to know what brings that I don’t take that me joy, I used trust you’re extending to to think that me lightly. I know what joy and sorit is like to think about row were muinviting my unbelieving tually excluneighbor to something sive. But now and wonder how the gosI know that pel will be presented— a person can nervous that it be heavyexperience handed or formulaic or deep sorrow just plain weird. and yet have Recently I spoke at a profound joy Nancy Guthrie luncheon in New York in the midst City and one woman told of it. In fact, I me afterward, “If I’d known you were think experiencing significant sorrow going to be so real and present Christ actually increases our capacity for joy. so clearly, there are about 10 friends I When we’re told in the New Testawould have brought with me.” I was ment to rejoice when we have trials, happy that she found my presentation we think to ourselves that this must of the goodness of the gospel winbe some sort of super-spiritual brand some, but sad that she had not invited of Christianity that is unrealistic for those 10 friends! So I would say to the us. But I’ve come to think that the real women at PCPC that I hope you will source of joy in the midst of struggle bring someone you know and love is discovering that the faith we’ve who does not know Christ. While I given lip-service to our whole lives is can’t guarantee that they won’t be the real deal. Faith shifts from being offended by the gospel—because the an intellectual exercise to a personal gospel is offensive in itself to those adventure. There is joy in sensing that who see themselves as good and with God is at work in us and through us no need for Christ—I can commit that in the midst of the most difficult of I will present Christ in as authentic circumstances. way as I know how.
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WorkPlace Ministries
Contributing to the general advantage The large lunch group included: above, Pat Hamner right, Ned Fleming
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When people consider ways they can glorify God with their lives, business and politics seldom come to mind. Not so with Tom Leppert. John Calvin wrote, “We know that men were created for the express purpose of being employed in labor of various kinds, and that no sacrifice is more pleasing to God than when every man applies diligently to his own calling, and endeavors to contribute to the general advantage.” At a recent PCPC Workplace luncheon, Mayor Tom Leppert explained how he has sought to serve and “endeavors to contribute to the general advantage” of the world where God has placed him—for 30 years in business, and now in government. Prior to becoming mayor of Dallas, Leppert headed up major corporations in the construction, financial services, and real estate industries. D CEO Magazine named him CEO of the year when he led Turner Construction Company, the nation’s largest commercial builder. To the surprise of many, Leppert talks openly about the importance of his faith—the role it plays in his life and the decisions he makes as mayor. But faith is no political trump card he plays for his advantage. Integrating faith into his work has always been his practice. Unlike many business leaders, Leppert doesn’t see faith and work as separate departments. When he trusted Christ as his Savior in college, he naturally
assumed Christ was Lord of every area of life—including work. He never considered his faith as something less than a 24/7 relationship. He believes Christ belongs at the center of life—His influence radiating out and permeating everything a believer does and every decision he or she makes. It is not surprising that when Leppert and his wife Laura began to consider their next assignment in life, they sought God’s guidance. As lifelong community volunteers, they envisioned stepping out of the business world into volunteer roles, serving the ministries and organizations they had grown to love and respect. But God had something different in mind. When he was approached about running for mayor of Dallas, Leppert
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went to his pastor, Jim Dennison, for advice. Pulling out his sermon notes for the next Sunday, Dennison pointed to the note he had written in the margin: “More Christians should seek public service.” Considering his leadership experience and God-given abilities, Leppert realized that running for public office could be an avenue of service he had never envisioned. Following what he and Laura believed to be God’s guidance, he decided to run for mayor and was elected in 2007. Since taking office, Mayor Leppert has pursued policies that have dramatically improved the quality of life in Dallas. His three priorities are public safety, education, and economic development for South Dallas, but he openly admits that government cannot do everything. He calls on business, church, and civic leaders to join in the effort to make Dallas a great community for all its citizens. Whether in government, business, or church, when godly men and women disadvantage themselves for the advantage of others, the community rejoices and prospers, and God is glorified (Proverbs 11:10-11). This is something all Christians can pursue, wherever God leads them to serve. —Bill Peel
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Mayor Tom Leppert
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middle school Ministry
Urban Plunge was a big success despite losing our leader, Ben Leonard, at the last minute. (It was an excused absence—he and wife Emily were at the hospital for the delivery of their second child.) Our PCPC kids met at the church on Friday afternoon, June 4, to pray and talk about the purpose of this two-day venture. Pastor Julian Russell explained that the goal was to expose West Dallas kids and PCPC kids to each other. We want them to see that even though they are growing up in different areas of Dallas, they are more alike than different. We are all God’s creation, all sinners in need of rescue, and we are created for relationships. After a time of prayer we headed to Voice of Hope to meet their kids. We partnered the kids up for the night and went out on the town for dinner, broom ball, and then back to Voice of Hope, where we spent the night on the gym floor. The following day we had breakfast together, then a devotional and discussion time with Pastor Russell. We talked about stereotypes they might have of each other. Then different kids from each community got up to address the untrue or true stereotypes. Then we all played basketball and painted before heading back to PCPC and home.
Above and below left: projects and play provided opportunities for PCPC and Voice of Hope middle schoolers to get to know each other.
Our kids loved the experience and learned a lot about West Dallas. ”We are more alike then different,” seventh grader Charlie O’Brian said on the way home. Charlie’s dad, Joe O’Brian, came to help, and it was a huge blessing having a parent model serving, spending time with his son, and just being supportive of the local church. Joe also teaches in the middle school class on Sunday, and he has been a huge blessing. Our middle school intern Mary Haberkorn has an amazing way of bringing the kids together to have fun and find unity in Christ. She also stepped up big time in the absence of Ben Leonard. God used this trip to really help our staff and kids unite in Christ and find joy in serving. We are more alike then different, and we need to spend time together. —Charlie Matter
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Urban Ministries
A front row seat for the greatest stories ever told
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“Is your life working for you?” “Do you know there’s another way to live?” “Have you heard how much God loves you?” These are questions burning in my heart when I lead a young woman into a counseling room at the Dallas Pregnancy Resource Center (DPRC). At the same time, my heart desperately requests, “Take over, Jesus. Use me, but get me out of the way and meet this woman with Your Presence. Here. Now.”
desire that night. My daughter, Avery, came home from college for the summer soon after and wanted to join us. None of us knew what to say or how to help. “Equip us,” we asked. DPRC has equipped us, and they continue to do so. We spent the summer of 2009 observing advocates in action at the DPRC and
generation. I have continued to serve at the DPRC. It is a front row seat for seeing Jesus touching hurting hearts. Each encounter seems divinely orchestrated. Each one is unique. Every person who comes through the door at the DPRC is never the same again, because each has been touched by God’s love. Each responds differently and many are warmed in the Light of the Greatest Lover and His love story for them. We offer our five loaves and two fish and He blesses.
And off we go together. I listen to her story, asking poignant questions and offering her an ear, understanding, hope, comfort, and possibilities.
I’m learning to be available. And not fearful.
Thursday afternoons can’t get any better for me.
Dallas Pregnancy Resource Center is a prolife, evangelical ministry that has been working with women in unplanned pregnancies for the past 27 years. It offers an alternative to abortion and empowers women and their partners to choose life in Christ for themselves and life for their unborn children. Last year 170 babies were saved from the fate of abortion and 80 of their clients became new followers of Christ. Visit one of their websites to learn more about the ministry and the volunteer opportunities available at www.friendsofdprc.com or www.dallasprc.com. —Nancy Briggs
What a privilege. What about you?
Late last spring, Bonner, my then 18-year-old daughter, and I went to The need for women to speak a training in the neighborhood about truth and grace to other women reaching women in unplanned pregnancies was in unplanned pregso apparent, and it tugged nancies. We were at us to learn more. curious, but both of our hearts were surNancy and Avery Briggs prisingly touched. The reviewing the great material they need for women to speak truth and provided. We received great training grace to other women in unplanned in a body of knowledge and insights pregnancies was so apparent, and it tugged at us to learn more. We knew which were ongoing and personal. we were clueless how to help should The girls went back to school that a woman in need cross our path. fall better equipped to speak to their “Train us” was both of our hearts’
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Changing the world right here in Dallas Finding one’s niche at a big church like PCPC is usually the result of finding one’s place(s) of service. Playing in the game is even more fun than cheering from the stands! Here are some testimonies from members who found just their right spots as they answered the Lord’s call upon their lives and discovered they reaped great rewards even as they began to give in the English-as-a-Second-Language program.
Volunteering through the PCPC ESL outreach
program, helping new immigrants to learn our language, has blessed me as no other volunteer opportunity ever has. The teachers are dedicated and caring individuals, and the students have been demonstrably appreciative. When Car-
I cannot think of another time when I have been more rewarded than in teaching ESL to the mostly Hispanic students who show up for class eager to learn English to improve their lives. Though it is not advertised, the added benefit they receive is exposure or re-exposure to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We simply integrate the gospel message in everyday conversation as we expose the students, all adults, to the basics and nuances of the English language. Another unadvertised benefit is the joy we feel when one of the students speaks to us in much improved English about how ESL is helping them in their lives and how God has blessed them by making ESL available to them. Blessings abounded because we ”gave it a go.” —Doug and Mryna Dunn, ESL Co-Teachers
(l to r) Ricardo Ortiz, ESL student and volunteer; Debby Lacy, ESL teacher; Fred Skidmore, chairman of the ESL committee
ol Baker asked me to step in as ESL Ministry Leader for the next year, I knew this was where God wanted me to serve. Missionaries travel all over the world teaching English as a means of sharing the Lord with the nations. We are privileged to be able to share His love as part of such a program facilitated right here at our home church! —Kathleen Dunn, Volunteer ESL Ministry Leader
Impulsively, my hand went up as the question
was asked, “Can we count on you to minister to our neighbors by volunteering in the ESL program at PCPC?” Then Myrna and I looked at one another, and she confirmed that this was a Why-not? moment. It was not as if either of us was trained to teach ESL, because we weren’t. It was not as if either or us had done it before, because we hadn’t. It was because, on that morning in Sunday School, God moved our hearts to take the challenge. PCPC WITNESS
When I first heard about the need for teachers
for ESL at church, I thought, Hey, that might be fun! This thought was quickly followed by, You’re not a teacher, leave it to someone more qualified to teach. But despite the doubts I had, God kept nudging me to volunteer. So, I signed up and showed up and taught. I was nervous at first, but the students I was standing before had such a sweet willingness to learn. They were so grateful for my efforts. I had good support from the ESL staff and it all just started rolling along. The more I taught, the more they learned, and the more rewarding it became. God is good to know what’s good for me and good to know where I can be good for other people. My students learn English; I learn much more. —Debby Lacy, ESL teacher
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What have you done for your marriage lately?
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Jeremy: In today’s society Christian marriages are ending at an alarming rate. In your opinion, what is to blame for this trend, and how can the church help these couples that are calling it quits? Dan: Most marriages know the death of hope well before they end in divorce. And it is terrifying to hope that someone could know my heart—in all its struggles and confusion—and still want to remain with me. Many marry with unacknowledged dreams that do not come to full term and simply learn to substitute love for financial success, parenting, Little League, Junior League, golf, and a tryst with food. The gospel calls us not merely to faithfulness, but also to the dream of redemption for the earth and for ourselves. Any marriage that has failed to suffer hope will suffer a mediocrity that too easily settles for silly idols that are counterfeit. And it is idolatry that starts our slow drift to divorce.
Through this interview conducted by Jeremy Ezell, formerly of Irving Bible Church, allow me to give you a closer look at the man who will be presenting the Intimate Mystery Conference at PCPC on September 10-11. Dr. Dan Allender, president of Mars Hill Graduate School, will helps us to move toward working through the glorious mess of marriage.
Jeremy: A transcendent theme throughout your work is an emphasis on the element of story. What makes it so difficult in marriage and in life to step into our own stories and the stories of our spouse? Dan: My story is a mess. And my wife’s story is a mess. We are a mess. The more I know her hurt and she knows mine, the more painful it is when we sin against each other. It is easier to harm a stranger or an enemy, than a friend whose story I carry as more compelling than my own. It is also far easier to forgive and reconcile with a friend whose story I know and embrace than an acquaintance with whom I merely exist within a functional relationship.
Think of all you do to keep your teeth from falling out, all the money you invest to keep your home comfortable and your car running smoothly, all the hours spent in the gym or even at church “doing ministry.” Consider how hard you work to keep your dream job or to build a college fund for the kids or a 401(k) for yourself. Noble efforts for sure, but what have you done for your marriage lately? When was the last time you intentionally took action to make your relationship with your spouse stronger and more authentic? Well, now is your chance.
Jeremy: Everywhere we look there is a new self-help book or marriage conference out there. What sets this conference apart from other Christian marriage conferences, and why should folks come to this one? Dan: This is a conference for people tired of conferences. And it isn’t a marriage seminar that offers a few go-do principles that you already know you ought to be doing but don’t. Instead, it is a compelling tale of stories that invites you to enter both the heartache and mystery of redemption especially designed just for your marriage. Jeremy: You have written a book called Leading with a Limp. Essentially, what does it mean to lead with a limp, and how do you lead with a limp in your marriage? Dan: Leading with a limp simply means letting the truth tell you how broken you are and allowing love to tell you how beautiful you will be and already are. The wonder of leading with a limp is that I don’t have to pretend, yet I can be seized by the wild truth of an extravagant God who relentlessly and recklessly seeks to win me for His good. AUGUST 2010
Jeremy: What effect is postmodernism having on our marriages? Dan: We live in an age of salacious cynicism and the need for taking vicarious extreme risks. Meaning—we love reality television. We are hip, cool, and edgy—we doubt everyone and believe without letting our convictions impinge on our choice. We want passion and novelty—but not at the cost of safety and power. This demand for safety and power leads to a refusal to be broken, humbled, and lifted up by God. When lived in a marriage, it enables a couple to be overwhelmingly busy in separate lives, to come together through diversion and entertainment, not through a shared story or the passion of the gospel. Want to begin making your marriage a shared story of passion for the gospel and each other? Are you single but hope to have this kind of marriage in the future? Come explore the glorious risk of marriage at PCPC’s Intimate Mystery Conference this fall. Go to www.pcpc.org for registration information. —Betty Montague
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high school ministry
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At the end of May, as most people were running from the oilinfested Gulf Coast, four buses full of high school students made their way across five states to spend a week in Panama City Beach. That probably sounds a little counterintuitive, but the PCPC Florida Trip has always been an adventure. The Lord gave us another incredible week of building relationships and having fun at the beach. The oil spill never reached Panama City Beach while we were there, so we were able to enjoy the beach and the ocean every day. Some students worked on their tan, some hid from the sun, and others became a testament to the importance of reapplying sunscreen. We bobbed in the ocean, played volleyball, and tossed the frisbee on the beach. We hung out by the pool and made runs to the snack shop. We had seminars in the morning and large group meetings at night. We went bowling and roller skating one night, and we had late night snacks on other nights. Whatever we were doing, our group just loved being together, kicking off the summer and relaxing in a beautiful place. In the evenings, our group learned from Jonathan McIntosh, planting pastor at Christ City Church in Midtown Memphis. Jonathan took us on a challenging journey through the lives of Peter and Judas in the later chapters of the Gospels. Students grappled with the reality that both of these men were close friends of Jesus and both seemed to have a genuine faith. While Peter and Judas both betrayed Jesus, their responses to their sin and failure were vastly different. In the end, Judas ran from Jesus. Not knowing how to deal with his sin, he ultimately took his own life. Peter, however, ran to Jesus in his sin and his shame. In his heart he seemed to know that Jesus loves sinners, and Peter believed that even though he had failed, Jesus would receive him. In our community, where so many claim to know Jesus, the lives of Peter and Judas challenge us to consider the nature of saving faith.
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Jonathan’s talks provoked some deep self-examination in our students and leaders. We wrestled hard with some of the ways cultural Christianity creeps into our lives and leads us away from the true gospel. As Jonathan pointed us to Christ, he helped us understand the transforming power of God’s grace in a believer’s life. The goal was not to give us a new checklist of things to do to be a better Christian. The goal was to help us see again that there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. We can only humble ourselves and cry to the Lord to help us believe, to help us hate our sin, and to give us a love for Him that conquers our love for other things. Many leaders were encouraged to hear students processing through this material during cabin times and in other conversations. When I told some friends that we were taking 200 high school students to Florida, I got some funny looks. They were relieved to hear that I wasn’t the only leader, but they just didn’t understand why we would want to do such a thing. So why do we keep doing the Florida Trip? The simple answer is that the Lord continues to use this trip in great ways. There are great challenges with any big trip, but when we take students out of town, we have some of the best opportunities to build relationships with them, to have fun with them, and to engage them with the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lord brings us all kinds of students, and it’s our joy and calling to love them all. I’m grateful for all your prayers for the youth ministry, and I’m especially thankful for our staff, volunteers, and parents who help to make this trip happen every year. While we don’t know what the Lord may have for us next year, we’re hopeful that he will continue to grow the seeds planted in Florida this year—and bring us back again next summer. —Robby Higginbottom
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Some of the 200 high school students and leaders who enjoyed the Florida beach in June
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Expanding the Kingdom in Africa Russells vist church plant in Senegal
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When I think of the churches in Senegal, I am immediately led to Psalm 18:32-22: “It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer.” I met men who are deeply committed to the spread of the gospel in their own country, and beyond. My prayer is that the Lord would grant those bold pastors swift and beautiful feet as they take the gospel throughout the nations of Senegal and Gambia. In the wise providence of God, my wife and I were commissioned to represent PCPC on a visit to Senegal March 18-27. While there, we visited four pastors supported by PCPC’s World Missions Ministry, as well as led a three-day seminar for all of the pastors who are affiliated with the work in that country. The focus of these seminars was to encourage both pastors and their wives in their efforts to plant healthy churches throughout that west African nation. Having met their project leader, Mamadou, when he visited Dallas, was very beneficial for the overall success of our ministry there. Senegal is predominantly Muslim—95% claim adherence to Islam. This gave me cause for much concern and prayer. However, while there, I soon realized that my concerns, though valid, paled in comparison to God’s desire to see His elect come to faith. This became increasingly evident as we soon realized that Americans are equated as Christians; so almost everyone expected us to speak and act as Christians. Further, Senegal has a vibrant tourist economy and seems to be opened to different ideas and world views.
The Lord used several key events and encounters to help shape my appreciation for the work of ministry within Senegal and Gambia. One key event was at a worship service at Fass Mbou. There, we witnessed firsthand the boldness and love for the Lord and His Word by the members of that small church. They worshipped with a sense of freedom that seemed to defy my thoughts of opposition to the gospel from their Islamic neighbors. However, I later learned that the church is very sensitive to that threat, and that is why the women
center of their efforts brought tears to my eyes. Despite the reality of the persecutions that all of them have experienced, those men hold the conviction that Almighty God wants to save His people in West Africa and beyond. By the way, the conference center is located at a place from where, historically, the announcement of a new king is made. It is the expressed prayer of the churches in Senegal that the proclamation of the King of Kings will go forth with power from that same location. What a vision!
Senegalese and Gambian Christian leaders gather at the seminar.
sit separately from the men. They are also sensitive to the fundamentalist views of Islam and reflect that in the women’s mode of dress. I was very encouraged by the zeal that the men exhibited during the seminars. My primary goal was to get the men to develop a long-term vision for their communities. They needed to able to see as far as 25 years into the future. Watching those men communicate a vision that is so big that it is bound to fail unless the Lord is at the
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Christiana and I thank God for those who so faithfully committed to prayers and financial support of this trip. Please pray earnestly for the work in Senegal. Those churches need all the support that they can get. Talk with anyone on our World Missions staff to help you develop a vision for the work in that country. By God’s grace, we can hope to witness an earth-shattering movement to transform an entire nation through the preaching of the gospel. —Julian Russell AUGUST 2010 PCPC WITNESS
Impressions of Senegal
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My husband and I had been hoping and praying that God would open the door for us to serve Him in Africa. My excitement began to heighten when I discovered the number of shots that I had to receive before traveling to West Africa! My primary mission was to support Julian in two areas: observing the work of several pastors who are directly supported by PCPC (through a World 50 church-planting project), and to encourage the pastors’ wives at a three-day seminar at the conference center in Djillas. We left DFW on a Friday morning and arrived at Dakkar around 5:30 pm the next day. Going through immigration and customs went very smoothly. However, once outside the baggage area, we suddenly realized that we were in a very different place. It was dark, and dozens of young men hawked their wares and offered their services. They aggressively came right up to us! They would make excellent salespersons here in the U.S. We got used to that as the week went on. Shortly thereafter, our host, Flavian, arrived and drove us to our hotel in Dakkar. There we met Mamadou later that morning. Before leaving Dallas, we were informed of the religious climate of Senegal—it is a predominantly Islamic country. We were always mindful of that reality. However, we saw the Lord’s hand at work in that place, and have every confidence that the gospel is being proclaimed and will continue to be proclaimed there. The people of Senegal seems to be so relational, and this allowed us to talk more openly about our faith.
Senegal
There are several Gambia things that have left an indelible impression on me. First, I don’t remember seeing the sky in Senegal. That’s because the Sahara Desert constantly blows onto that land. It follows then that the country is always dusty, with dirt everywhere. We did see a lot of modern amenities, but mostly we saw a country that is mainly rural and usually in the dry season. Second, we were amazed at the accepting attitudes that the general population displayed toward a group of young men whom we met almost everywhere we went—the Talibe Bayeh (Talibay). These boys, ranging between the ages of 8 and 18, were so dirty and unkempt. They are pitiable. We learned that their parents send them to school led by Marabous—teachers—where they study the Koran. These boys have to beg to support themselves, and they are unashamed. I wanted so badly to just take them and wash them, give them new clothes, then feed them around a table. Lord, please help these young men!
because of their faith. Yet, we were encouraged by their willingness to travel such great distances to participate in that seminar, and how attentive they were to both my husband and me. They expressed an amazing sense of hope in the gospel. We felt very much at home with the church at Senegal.
We thank God for PCPC and its World Missions staff! Everything was so well coordinated that I had a great sense of ease in being in a foreign country and in the presence of God’s people. We later learned that this was Mamadou’s first attempt to host I was mostly impressed at the exuberChristians from the U.S. We ranked ance of the pastors and wives whom him outstanding! Julian and I we met. These brothers and sisters deeply appreciated the quality of in Christ face some serious threats the partnership between our World Missions team and the Christiana takes church at Senegal.
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a turn preparing vegetables.
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Note: Senegal is one of 10 countries where PCPC is actively engaged in the 2020 Vision. On August 25, 1997, the PCPC Session adopted PCPC’s 2020 Vision to plant 100 churches by the year 2020, with 50 in the U.S., many with RUF chapters, and 50 worldwide. —Christiana Russell PCPC PCPC WITNESS WITNESS
World missions
Top: Brandon Nance, Jeff Williams, Andrew Key, Mary Batis Middle: Emily Wells, David Lott, Adam Cowdin Bottom: Debra Wagner, Kenley Estes, Foster Estes, Kristen King Not pictured: Shannon DeBoer
Sojourners return from Land of the Rising Sun
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2010 Chiba Team: “Jerry, hi. Just checking in. Yeah, listen, we’ve decided that we going to stay in Japan just a little bit longer—10-15 years MAX— so if you could just take care of all the necessary prayer support and fundraising, we’ll just stick around. That’s not a problem right?” ` Kidding aside, one trip to Chiba, Japan, and you would know why this has been our wish many times over. Most Christian Americans are unaware that in this very wealthy country, only 0.5% of its 127 million people claim any connection at all to Christ. In the space allowed for this update, we can barely give you even a small picture of the Lord’s work in Chiba. Hopefully, however, the following report will whet your appetite enough to seek out a team member or two to hear our individual stories. In the past, we have given you personal stories of friendships built, so this time we’ll give you a bird’s eye view of everything that is going on now. The young adult community of PCPC has sent teams to Chiba, (prefecture outside of Tokyo) for the past 12 years. In those 12 years, the Lord has grown the congregation at Oyumino to become a multi-site church, given them resources to purchase land and build Honda Chapel, and raised up Japanese laypersons and pastors to help bear the enormous task of reaching the hundreds of thousands who live in this prefecture alone. Makuhari Presbyterian Church, which PCPC helped plant as part of its 20/20 vision, has become self-sustaining and has grown to the point that it was able PCPC WITNESS
to recently plant a sister church. Some members of our team were able to meet Pastor Yoshinobu Hirohashi-San and his wife for the first time, which was a special treat. Additionally, we have been very fortunate on the past two trips to see the progress of Tokyo’s downtown church plant, which has been largely modeled after Redeemer Presbyterian in New York. Last year, the congregation had just decided on its permanent name, Grace City Church Tokyo. This year we were overjoyed to learn from Pastor Makoto Fukuda-San that they now have a worship location, and that they have approximately 45 worshippers per week. Amen. Despite all of this very encouraging growth we witnessed, there is yet so much that needs to be accomplished. Many Japanese people are very reluctant to embrace the gospel as their own for fear of rejection from their
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families. A large part of their tradition involves praying to their ancestors, and it is viewed by society at large that to cease doing this means abandoning one’s family in the afterlife. Additionally, long work hours in the working class make it a difficult segment of the population to reach on Sunday mornings. Nevertheless, we believe the promise that God’s Word will not return void. Who will overcome these obstacles and accomplish these things? As PCPC-sponsored missionary Dan Iverson answered, “Oh, you? Me? No.” Our Savior will accomplish it despite our brokenness, for He spoke these very words, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going” (John 14:2-4). AUGUST 2010
We thank all of you for supporting us with your prayers and finances. The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. As we return from the Land of the Rising Sun, we know that we’re not really coming home. Together with our brothers overseas, we are still sojourners. One day, when we see the risen
Circles of Prayer Halfway through my first mission trip to Japan in 2005, I sat down with three missionary women. Our team joined a monthly gathering of missionaries to pray for each other’s needs and the salvation of the Japanese people. At that time in my life, corporate prayer intimidated me. I dreaded that morning from the moment I saw it on our itinerary.
Lamb in glory, we will say in one language, as C.S. Lewis did say in The Chronicles of Narnia: I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now. The reason why we loved the old Narnia is that it sometimes looked a little like this… Come further up, and further in! —David Lott
Texas barbecue gets a four-star rating with this group.
But I had come to Japan to serve, so I bowed my head and asked the Lord to help me sit still and concentrate without distraction. We spent the morning rotating between prayer, singing praise songs, and reading scripture. Four hours never passed so quickly. Our PCPC team leaders emphasized prayer within our own team throughout the trip. And as the
week progressed, my prayers grew bolder and the Lord gave me confidence to pray aloud. Before departing for Dallas, a church-planting pastor asked our group to continue the practice of monthly prayer. We still meet every first Sunday of the month at 8:30 am in the Parlor to pray for the needs of our missionary brothers and sisters and the salvation of the Japanese. The Japanese are a society of people with little joy or hope—often they wonder why they exist. Imagine commuting to work on the subway two hours each way to a job you don’t particularly like—pure drudgery, worsened by feelings of isolation and lack of purpose. The country’s high suicide rate is indicative of this hopelessness. Our continued prayer is that the Lord would use the missionaries in Japan to reach out to these people in deep spiritual need. In an effort to spread awareness concerning Japan while the 2010 PCPC Japan Team was abroad, my husband and I thought a visual and wearable reminder would keep prayer at the forefront of our minds. We decided to share our passion for Japan by distributing several hundred bracelets and prayer cards to those in the PCPC community. Many of you wore your bracelets the entire week and continue to do so. Thank you for your prayer support. Once shy and unsettled by corporate prayer, my time in Japan showed me that I needed the Lord’s help to wear down the impediments in my heart. “Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.” (anon.) ~Anne Burns (Ed. note: The prayer bracelets have been so effective they have been distributed for other trips since the Japan trip.)
AUGUST 2010
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PCPC WITNESS
Urban Ministries
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So often we think that big numbers mean a successful event. That was not the case for the Voice of Hope Mother’s Day Luncheon that PCPC helped host in May. Don’t get me wrong—85 women and their daughters enjoyed the event, but as far as volunteers were concerned, PCPC had a low turnout. Initially, we were not even sure if we were going to be able to participate in the event at all. At the beginning of the year when Women’s Ministries tasked me with
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pcpc Vol. XXI, No. 3 • AUGUST 2010 Park Cities Presbyterian Church 4124 Oak Lawn Avenue Dallas, Texas 75219 www.pcpc.org
Initially, due to potential budget cuts, it appeared as if PCPC wouldn’t be able to host the event. The Lord
and received bags full of wonderful party favors. One fortunate person from each table got to take home the centerpiece—a basket full of useful household items.
Redefining Success the Mother’s Day event, we prayed that the Lord would raise up folks from West Dallas to take ownership
By the time PCPC was involved with planning the event, it was too late to get many PCPC volunteers to come help. God provided a faithful few from PCPC and a large number from National Charity League to serve and clean up. The PCPC folks who did come enjoyed themselves, and the ladies from the community certainly enjoyed having them there. The precious Case girls (daughters of Kit and Carri) were all hands on deck. They commented that they enjoyed hearing what God was doing in the lives of the people, seeing the colorful dresses the women wore, and feeling
worked it out and Urban Ministries was able to move forward in sponsoring the event. By the time we got with Voice of Hope “Ministry is not about doing a drive-by to let them know that with a bunch of volunteers who swoop PCPC would in for a couple of hours...” definitely be able to help host the event, it was already planned by in the luncheon. Ministry is not about Voice of Hope staff and volunteers! doing a drive-by with a bunch of volVOH valued the event so much, they unteers who swoop in for a couple of decided to proceed with or without hours to accomplish what they think PCPC’s help. needs to be done. It should be about Now our discovering what the community “Funny how the Lord is always answering members find meaningful and coming role was to come alongside their efforts to accomplish our prayer requests, just rarely in the way alongside their goals while building sustainable we anticipate them to be answered.” and suprelationships. In order for us ensure port the comthis would be a meaningful event for they were actually needed. Well, they them, we needed their participation in munity and leaders in charge. were! the planning. Lunch was an amazing chicken ParThe event was wonderful for all those mesan, fresh garlic involved: Voice of Hope employees, bread, strawberries volunteers, and the guests who were and angel food cake, served. Initially, I was disappointed all served on nice by the lack of PCPC volunteers and dishes by volunteers. support, but isn’t that exactly what I The women made prayed for? Funny how the Lord is beaded bookmarks, always answering our prayer requests, sang songs, heard just rarely in the way we anticipate the testimony of a them to be answered. Why do I ever mom whose prodigal doubt that my Father knows best? son had returned, —Ellen Porter This mom enjoyed a lunch with her son on Mother’s Day.