Final Reflection

It seems crazy, but it's been about three and a half weeks since I returned from Ireland. Since then, I have traveled a great deal doing different things in America, spent time in Illinois, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Alabama and I'm currently writing from Mississippi (adding Kentucky and Indiana to that list next week). So reflecting on my time in Ireland has been difficult, mostly while driving.

People ask me about Ireland, and it's hard to put it into a few sentences, so I usually just say that it was awesome. It really was everything I could have hoped it would be. I saw a soul saved and as Luke 15:7 says, "there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance." God also gave me grace to see other seeds begin to grow, though not to fruition yet. I have heard from Brian that a couple of the men we talked to at the pub have come back and are asking more questions. For all the good works in which God prepared beforehand (Eph. 2:10) to involve me, seen and unseen, I am thankful.

I am a different person as well. When people ask me what I did there, I tell them things like, "I preached, taught Bible study, visited church members, discipled individuals, did outreach at pubs, etc." Then I realize that I basically had all the responsibilities of a pastor. I suppose was a sort of interim co-pastor. This is a great experience to have prior to seminary. Probably the most important thing was that I've come under a conviction that you just can't talk about the cross enough. It has changed the way I see American Christianity as well. There are far fewer Christians in Ireland, but the average Christian there understands the gospel at a much deeper level than the average person who would label themself a Christian here in the States. In fact, I have been so burdened the last couple weeks at how little American youth understands the gospel. It seems most have centered their theology not on the Bible, but on a non-Biblical cliche phrase.

People have also asked me if I grew spiritually while in Ireland. It's becoming increasing difficult to answer this question. I didn't go to Ireland for me, but I suppose I did "grow spiritually." I once heard a sermon by Miles explaining that the apostle Paul referred to himself lower and lower in his later letters to churches. Certainly, we imagine he was being conformed to the image of Christ, but for him it didn't feel that way. I suppose when we are conformed of the image of Christ, we think less and less of ourselves, as Christ considered Himself nothing (see Philippians 2:5-11). In the last few months, God has revealed more fully his character and holiness. When I see how big and beautiful God is, I come face to face with the reality of how small and ugly I am. But this also leads to a greater and greater appreciation that through Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross, God sees me as holy, blameless, beautiful. Then I am able to worship Him more and more as I ought. Spiritual growth doesn't feel like you want it to. I think of the Derek Webb quote here: "When what is true looks more like a knife; it looks like you're killing me, but you're saving my life" (the song What Is Not Love) And the great hymn by John Newton, I Asked The Lord (read). God's uncomfortable grace has laid bare to me my pride, false motives and idolatry over the last few months. For this, I am thankful. He has glorified His name through me in Ireland and He will continue to sovereignly glorify Himself there and everywhere. "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." (Habbakuk 2:14)

Fruit in my final week

It hasn’t quite hit me yet that I’m gone. But then, I haven’t quite left yet. Right now, I’m sitting on the airplane looking at the green hills of western Ireland out the window to my left. I plan on writing another post after I’ve had more time to reflect (in a few days or a week). For now, I’m not processing the whole of the trip, but just the last week or so.

I know as a minister of the gospel, especially in a place like Ireland, you can labor and labor and not see any fruit. Fortunately, by the grace of God, that has not been the case for me. Now I haven’t seen a mass of converts or new church members, but God has been gracious in allowing me to see progress and fruition, especially this last week. As I’ve said before, it wasn’t what I had expected going in, but Aslan is not a tame lion (and God is not a predictable God).

On Tuesday, ten or twelve of us met in the community center in New Ross to discuss Jesus’ statement, “I am the light of the world” in John 8. I lead the study, looking at what this means in a Biblical context. The discussion was brilliant; every one, regardless of whether they were from Ireland, Africa or America, was on the same page. We all came together and prayed for the power to be reflectors of God’s light to New Ross. A few weeks ago, this Bible study felt like a thorn in my side. It should have started long before it did, but I was having to rely on others to coordinate reserving the room. At one point (and you faithful readers may recall), I was ready to teach and was waiting with Sandra and Patrick, and no one showed up (not until after we left). But these last couple weeks, especially this week, have been so fruitful in unifying the few Christians in New Ross and sharing the gospel.

Friday, I made some rounds to say goodbye. Everyone I met with was very encouraging, especially a man named John Barry, who I’ve mentioned before. John is the husband of an elderly woman at Grace Church, but calls himself non-religious. He’s a self-proclaimed literature intellectual and I’m good at fooling people that I know what I’m talking about, so we get on well. He told me Friday that he admires me, that I make him think more about religion. I told him it’s not religion, but something that I want to do. I have shared the gospel with him in a careful way and he hasn’t accepted it yet, but his words Friday showed the first signs that he’s considering it more.

Saturday, Brian and I went to Pondsfield (the neighborhood where we meet on Sundays) to try to hang out with the children there. We were immediately met by Aaron, one of the twins (see photo below), who told us they were leaving for his hurling match. (I think I talked about hurling before; it’s one of the big sports played here and is kind of like field hockey.) So he invited us to follow his dad to the pitch (field) and we did. It was fun to watch the boys, but also great to talk with his father, who had heard all about us from the boys. His dad was very friendly and more than willing to let us continue to hang out with the boys. He also seemed open to hearing about Grace Church and find with the boys coming. Adam has now been three weeks in a row, and everyone there has handled it great! He is hearing the gospel every week, and we are praying he will understand it and bring it to the rest of his large family (eleven brothers and sisters), or bring them to come and see for themselves.

Tom is doing very well, learning and growing in the Word and as a man. He and Brian will continue to go through Acts chapter by chapter. He has a good web of support to build him up.

The unity within the house I lived has also improved dramatically in the last few weeks. One morning last week, I had to talk and pray with two individuals separately in the hopes they would reconcile with each other. As far as I can tell, they truly did. In John 17, Jesus prayed for his sheep that they would be one as He and the Father are one. We haven’t achieved that, but I could not leave without seeing some of the unity restored.

God has given me several relationships with non-Christians which I have fostered and enjoyed over the last few months. Other than Tom, none of these have lead to an embracing of the gospel (as far as I know). But, God has given me the grace to see progress where it is not easily measurable. I can see individuals who are much more open to the gospel now than they were when we met. This is not my doing, but God’s.

Lastly, my last full day there was amazing. I preached and the Spirit showed up and it went very well. Then the leaders in the church laid hands and prayed for me. Sandra cooked a final Irish meal and they hosted a party for me. Then James and Sandra drove me, along with Brian and Tom, up to Dublin to see me off. I said warm goodbyes to the five of them just hours ago.

For all of these things and more, I don’t take credit. Instead, I just feel privileged that God would include me in His plan to glorify His name. I don’t deserve to see any fruit before leaving Ireland (or ever, really), but God is gracious to show it to me to bless and encourage me before returning to the States.

A Few Photos

Myself, Brandon, Brian, Tom and Phillip out for Tom's birthday

Abraham and I outside the rectory

Aaron and Adam at Grace Church being goofy

Tom's baptism

Tom's Baptism and the Beignning of the End

I have already started saying goodbye to people here. Throughout this, my last, week, the goodbyes will be increasingly emotional. I have been telling people that I will see them again. In the past, this has been a way to downplay the goodbye, but I do plan on returning to Ireland at some point for some duration, though I can't say when or how long.

This Sunday was not my last, but it would have been a good one to end on. Eight-year-old Adam came back to church and this time brought his brother (I told him he was like the disciple Andrew, who went back to get his brother, Simon Peter). During Brian's sermon, I took the boys, along with two little girls whose parents sometimes come, out for a separate teaching. We talked about the miraculous catch and being fishers of men, which is the passage that Brian was preaching on. After the service, we presented a rugby ball and a soccer ball to the boys and they were thrilled. It was Brian's idea to get them these. The balls they were using were pretty bad, and he thought it a good way to help the family without a strong insinuation that they need help.

In the afternoon, everyone was invited down to Black Hall Strand (beach) for Tom's baptism. Tom and I had discussed throughout the week what baptism meant and did not mean. I asked him to be thinking about what to share before his baptism, about what Jesus had done for him. Though we had talked about what he would say, when it came time he got choked up and could hardly speak. He then shared that Jesus had done everything for him, taken his punishment and given him life, and that he was being baptized to publicly show this. It was beautiful to see him so moved by the gospel. His dad is not a believer and was there in the crowd. Then James and I took him out in the freezing cold water, between two rocks, and I baptized him. Afterwards followed a barbecue to celebrate. On the way home, Tom told me he would always remember that day.

Earlier in the week, I had the privilege to meet up with Garrett Gross and his brother Justin in Dublin. I also was able to hang out with Johnny one final time (it has been such a pleasure to become his friend). With the Gross brothers, I did most of what I hadn't yet done in Dublin, which included seeing the 4th century Book of Kells in the Trinity University library, seeing Christ Church Cathedral and the adjoined museum and seeing Kilmainham Gaol (jail), which has a prominent place in Irish independence. On Tuesday I came down and we finally had Bible study with three individuals: Rachel from Nigeria, Abraham from Ethiopia and Joshua from Ghana. I lead the study on Jesus' statement, "I am the bread of life". It was a good discussion and reinforcement of the gospel, and also served to promote unity amongst different Christians in New Ross. We have a lot we can learn from these individuals. Abraham, for example, has been in prison for professing to be "a born-again Christian". We are meeting again this Tuesday night, and I believe my friends Phillip and Brandon from Nashville are planning to be there.

On Friday, after watching Braveheart in the morning, I went in New Ross with the Gross brothers and Brian. On the streets there, Garrett played songs in his guitar, songs by the Rolling Stones and Bob Marley to draw attention, and also worship songs. Not many people stopped to talk to us, but an English-speaking Romanian street musician did stop and I was able to share the gospel with him. He said he would try to make it to church one week. It took a lot of courage for Garrett and Justin to do this, and I appreciate their willingness to serve as well as have fun.

That afternoon, the four of us, plus Tom, drove up to the Wicklow Mountains. This was my third time at Glendalough, but I could never get sick of it. We hiked on some different trails than I had before, so it was a bit of a new experience anyway. Then we drove along where Braveheart was filmed (which is why we had watched the movie in the morning) and drove to Johnnie Fox's Pub (again, my third time). The drive there, as the sun was setting, was insanely beautiful, I can't put it into words, nor do the photos on facebook capture it. We stayed that night in the hostel in Dun Laoghaire (just south of Dublin) where we had stayed on Monday night, a great deal. The Gross brothers left for the airport early in the morning, but Brian, Tom and I slept in and then enjoyed a beautiful day by the sea before heading back on the train. I've been told by several people that this is the first time Tom has ever had a true friend. I know it will be especially hard on him when I leave, but he and Brian have connected well and I know their friendship will continue to flourish. More importantly, Tom knows the Lord now.

With Two Weeks Left

So here's a wild thought: my return flight is two weeks from tomorrow. Two and a half months have flown by. As I near the end, I seek to have no regrets (as some of you have prayed for me, and I am especially mindful of now). A month ago, I was praying that the work God would do through me would not just grow continually, but exponentially, and I have felt this way over especially the last week or so.

Brian

The week my parents were here, Brian Hill, a 24-year-old seminary student from Florida arrived here. He will be here two more months and will continue much of the work I started. He and I have had great conversations as we are like-minded in so many things. In really just a week of doing ministry together, the two of us have entered into a valuable friendship. It's always hard to walk out on any ministry work, but it feels so much better knowing that God has provided a theologically sound, passionate and competent person to take my place. He has already developed a good way with Tom and with the children in the neighborhood (more on that later).

Tuesday Night Bible Study

I've talked about it before, but the doors God has opened for Grace Church is not what I or anyone else but God expected. I have continued to meet with several of the political exiles from Africa, and we are meeting Tuesday night at 7:30 to discuss the "I Am"s of John's gospel, a study that Brian will continue when I'm gone.

The Children of Pondsfield

The other open door has been with the children and youth in the neighborhood surrounding where we meet. I have continued to seek relationships with the Kinsler children (I was previously misinformed that the last name was Kennedy), especially the twins Adam and Aaron. These are the children who came to the BBQ with some of their friends. Since then, I've played hurling and Gaelic football with them. I have met their mother and she is not suspicious of us (Brian and I), but very touched that we want to play with kids and be positive role models. The kids are actually hilarious, so it's quite fun being with them. This morning, Adam showed up at church with his black vest and slacks on. I took him out during communion and we talked about the story of Zaccheus. When I asked him later to tell the others about Zaccheus, he said instead, "Jesus died on the cross for us." This is another that we had talked about, both after playing (Gaelic) football on Saturday and earlier that morning. Adam said he would come back to church next week. He has eleven brothers and sisters, most of whom I would imagine don't know why Jesus died on the cross (as Adam and Aaron didn't). As I write this, I am fighting back tears. I am realizing that the BBQ was certainly not in vain, and that the numbers were low so that we could talk more with the children. I am hopeful that Adam's whole family will be saved, starting with Adam. I may not see this, but seeds have certainly been planted and God is gracious to allow me to see some growth before I depart from Ireland. They are tentative plans for a kids camp week, kind of a VBS-type thing (but only for an hour and a half, not a full day) in early August. Brian and I met with a woman named Joanna, who works for Child Evangelism Fellowship, about the possibility of doing a club. Her organization could provide guarda (police) clearance to allow us to legally be around children and could also provide insurance. The police clearance takes at least six weeks to obtain, so we're looking at later this summer, after I've gone. Still, it's comforting to know that we are doing something for these children, as I believe that's where the Lord is leading us.

Tom's Baptism

Tom has continued to grow in confidence and understanding of the gospel through the study of the Bible. His understanding has exceeded what I thought possible a couple months ago, not because of me, but because of God at work in him. Last night, he went to a pub with Brian and I to discuss the final chapter of John's gospel. While we were talking, we were approached by a man named Francis, who listened for a while, then argued, then considered the gospel. He told me he would call me to get together and talk this week. Anyway, Tom and Brian and I have made quite a trio. Tom prayed yesterday and thanked God for his best friends. It will be hard to leave, but I know I will see him again and Tom desperately wants to visit America. His baptism is next Sunday in the sea about 15 miles south of New Ross. They have asked me to do the baptism, and I am honored to take part.

Vision

This week, there have been several much needed talk about vision. Everyone involved in Grace Church has the same heart, and that is to glorify God and see lost people saved. However, there are differing ideas about how to go about this. Not everyone needs to have the same role, but everyone needs to be united under the same vision. Conversations with my family helped me to take initiative in having these discussions this week. After these months, I don't claim to be an expert in church planting, and every church and situation is different, but there are a few things I have learned in working with the Lord to build Grace Church. First, to repeat my mother, find where God is working and join Him. Try to build relationships wherever you go in a number of different ways. Then constantly be following up with those contacts/relationships, even when they shaft you. If one wrongs you, that's a great opportunity to forgive them and thus show the gospel. I believe ten conversations with the same person is better than a hundred conversations with a hundred people. I believe one relationship made for the glory of God is better than handing out a hundred tracts. Not everyone here sees things the same way I do, but we can still work together in different roles to lift up the name of Christ. Brian does see things the same way, and he has met a lot of the contacts I have here and will continue to meet more next week. It's good that he came before I left, so I can introduce him to people and then he can follow up, having met them. The last thing about church planting, don't give up when you don't see measurable progress. Trust that God is working and you should too. No regrets.

The Family in Ireland, Wales and England

A day after Nathan, Joanna and Ayla flew back to France, my parents and my sister Sabrina arrived in Dublin. After church last Sunday, I drove up to meet them in Dublin. After an overnight flight and having toured Dublin and visited several of its attractions, they were pretty exhausted. Still, they were willing to meet James and Sandra, who were also in Dublin (coincidentally staying in the same hotel, preparing to fly to London for a funeral) for a dinner. The next day, we slept in and then headed for “the west of Ireland”. We saw Galway and the famous (and for good reason) Cliffs of Moher. The next day, we covered a lot of ground, driving from County Clare down to the Dingle Peninsula, Killarney and eating dinner in Cork. The Dingle Peninsula had to have been the most memorable spot. Within literally twenty minutes, we went from being in mountains to green sheep-raising pastures to a nice beach.

The next morning, we awoke early and made the morning ferry across to Wales. We travelled through Wales and much of England and stayed near London that night. The next day was packed with seeing London via the underground. Buckingham Palace, Westminster, Big Ben, etc. That evening, we saw the musical Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, and we all enjoyed ourselves. The next morning we drove to Stonehenge and checked out the area where some Harry Potter scenes were (allegedly) filmed. By that afternoon, we were back on the ferry to Ireland.

Though I was skeptical of the plan to take it easy on Saturday, it was definitely a good idea and arguably one of the most memorable days of the trip. We really didn’t do a lot on Saturday, but that night, Sabrina played praise songs on her guitar and James played his bowron. The next morning, I preached and Brina led the music at Grace Church. She did a phenomenal job and it was an extremely powerful service. If it lacked in any way, it was due to my scatterbrained teaching, though it’s not about me and I’m not beating myself up over it. My friend Abraham, originally from Ethiopia, came to the service for the first time, which was a blessing for me and for the church.

With the last day, we headed up to the Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough(second time for me) and stayed at a B&B there to be closer to Dublin. It was my parents’ first time traveling out of North America, my sister’s first time in Europe and my first time to Wales or England. It wasn’t completely free from its stressful moments, but I know it’s through moments like those that bring families together. Nathan was telling me the week before about a book in which the premise is that the family that travels together stays together. It’s beneficial to travel together, but to worship together and discuss the Bible and church planting was invaluable. Hopefully my parents and sister know how highly I esteem their ideas, and if not, hopefully they read this.

The Michaels Come to Ireland

Earlier today, I said goodbye to two of my favorite people in the world, Joanna and Ayla Michael; also, their huband/father Nathan Michael. I'm just slagging Nathan of course. I described the lifelong friendship between Nathan and I in my post about visiting France and Switzerland. In all seriousness, the reality that sank in on the train back from Dublin is that I don't know when I will see the Michaels again, as they are leaving France this winter to do Bible translation work in Cameroon. Ayla (now 16 mos.) could be five years or older. (Not that I wouldn't want to visit them in Africa, but this is a difficult commitment to make.) Anyway, there's no better way to say goodbye than a week-long tour of Ireland! I could write a short book about the past week, but I will refrain and just list the highlights.
The Food
We really ate good food (and that includes drinks) all week. The Irish love all kinds of meat and they're good at preparing it...good bacon and sausage, good fish, beef stew, etc. The Guinness is also incomparable to the same in the States, as beer nerd Nathan has now confirmed.
The Scenery
Most everywhere we went on this trip was new to me as it was my first visit to Northern Ireland (or, as they pronounce it per Patrick, Norn Iron). After staying Monday night on the border, we drove through the Mountains of Mourne on Tuesday morning to Belfast. We had lunch there and drove through to see the murals to remember (and perhaps prolong) the Troubles. From there, we took the A2 along the Antrim coast, which was absolutely beautiful, the kind of drive that reinforces one's view in a loving God. Nate and I ended the day by walking across the Carrickarede rope bridge from a mainland cliff across to a small island.
The next day, we continued along the coast and came to Giant's Causeway, one of the most famous scenic places in Ireland and for good reason. Then we took the ferry across to the Inishowen peninsula of Donegal, the region in which my ancestors once dealt. (Therefore, I claim it as my peninsula). We stopped so Nate and I (and Ayla tried to follow) could take a freezing cold swim in the North Sea , and it was totally worth it. Then we went to Malin Head, the northernmost point of the island, which was beautiful.
On Friday, we journeyed through the Wicklow Mountains, the area where Braveheart was filmed (to clear up any confusion, it is set in Scotland, but filmed in Ireland). We saw the peaceful "meeting of the waters" that Thomas Moore wrote a poem about and the well-known
Glendalough valley. It was the warmest day we've had since I've been here, 75 but felt like 90. After that, we drove to Johnnie Fox's, which I was taken to my first day in Ireland. It is the highest pub in Ireland (highest elevation), so we saw some breathtaking views (and lots of sheep) on our drive to and from. I took a lot of pictures and will put them on Facebook (and maybe a couple on the blog) as soon as I can.
The People
If you stereotype the Irish people as funny and friendly, you would be spot on (with the possible exception of Armagh), though you probably wouldn't believe the extent of it. I think the collective favorite stranger we met was the man running the Sheep Island View Hostel on the Antrim coast, Seamus McShane, who I've asked to be in my wedding (just kidding). I suppose he was representative of the Irish people everywhere we went who cracked jokes and talked to Ayla and went out of their way to be helpful.
Also, I was able to connect Nathan and Joanna with Nchedo, a Nigerian native. Nathan had plenty of questions about African culture and politics and Nchedo was more than happy to provide answers as we walked through beautiful John F. Kennedy park (my first visit there despite it being only a few miles away from where I live).
The Music
It was a childhood dream of Joanna's to come to Ireland and hear traditional Irish music. That dream was fulfilled on Thursday night at Corcoran's in New Ross. James and Sandy found a babysitter for Ayla and joined us for a fun night of singing and cutting up.
I'm leaving out quite a bit. It's not all fun and games when you have a teething one-year-old with you, but when she's happy, everyone's happy. She really does bring joy (hence her middle name) to everyone around her: family, friends, strangers. This post doesn't do the trip justice and as Nate pointed out, no matter how good the photos are, they won't do the scenery justice either. There are friends I may not see for years and some I might never see again, but good memories remain, and we created so many new ones this week.
Round two next week as my parents and younger sister visit. Pray for safety as they travel and as we travel to the west of Ireland and hopefully over to Wales and England. More good times and rich fellowship to come!

Unpredictability

Preparing for my next sermon, I came across this Charles Spurgeon quote: “It is often the most unlikely persons who are saved. Those who seem to you not likely to be influenced by Divine Truth are the very people who yield to it! Many whom you have set down as quite incorrigible have been renewed by Sovereign Grace. Why it is so, is not for us to know; we can only say, Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in your sight.”

That evening, Tom and I went out for a pint and a discussion over John 13. We went to a restaurant that has a deck with seating overlooking the river in New Ross. Since it was a pleasant evening, we sat outside. We weren't far into our discussion when a group of four men, probably in their early thirties, came out to smoke. We later found out they had all grown up together in New Ross, and this made sense considering their different appearances. Two of them were clean-cut and dressed nice, one was (for lack of a better term) blue-collar, and the other one had long black hair, dressed in black, multiple piercings and tattoos. All four of them were friendly at first and engaged us in casual conversation. When they asked what we were reading and we said he Bible, their reactions were very different. One of the more clean-cut guys immediately walked off, seemingly angry. The blue collar guy actually took Tom's Bible and began reading aloud from a random page. He then proceeded to make jokes, not at our expense, but likely because he felt uncomfortable with the subject matter. The other clean-cut guy wanted to tell us his views: that he was agnostic, that he believed in God but not organized religion (this is probably the most common religious view of my generation in Ireland), that he knew a guy sexually abused by a priest, that he didn't understand why God would let bad things happen to good people. When I would try and talk with him about any of this, he would just cut me off; he wanted to talk, but didn't want to listen. The gothic guy stayed and talked with us after everyone else left. I have to admit he was scary-looking and it took something beyond myself to even have the courage to say to him we were reading the Bible. He openly shared his views that we're all composed of eternal energy, but he also listened to what we were saying. He actually knew parts of the Bible very well. He told us he'd done terrible things in his life and he didn't see how God could ever forgive him. He listened as Tom and I shared the beautiful part of the gospel with him (as he didn't have to be told he was a sinner, he'd already acknowledged that much). The three that stayed all heard the gospel in different ways and varying degrees, and I thank God for that opportunity. The gothic one, Shane, gladly took information about Grace Church and also took my number (though I haven't heard from him yet). It is certainly true that a book should not be judged by its cover, and that it is often the most "unlikely" people that will have their hearts softened by the gospel.

As we've reflected and prayed over last weekend's barbeque, I've been thinking that God did not give us what we expected, but gave us exactly as he ordained. He brought those children and teenagers there for a reason. They thought it was to eat free food, but God has a reason. On Saturday, I went to the neighborhood near the center where Grace Church meets. I heard my name being shouted almost immediately after exiting the car. There were four brothers, the 8-year-old twins, a 13-year old and a 17-year-old, all ones I knew from the BBQ, trying to figure out how to get their ball of a roof. With my help, we got it done. Then they got me a hurl and taught me how to play hurling (watch this video, it's pretty cool), a game almost every boy in Ireland plays. We are now considering how to reach out to the children and teenager in the neighborhood, possibly looking at organizing some active and messy games with a Bible teaching. Regarding this situation, reaching youth his parents would most likely not allow them to come to our Sunday service, I would welcome any suggestions/feedback. We may work our way up to a VBS-like week, which would include a parents' night (though that would likely be after I've left Ireland, there's a group of five young men coming in August). God doesn't work as we expect Him to work; we can put Him in a box. Said differently, "the wind blows where it wills, and no one knows where it comes from or where it goes" (John 3:8). But we know that His plan is always ultimately for our good and for His glory.

Persistence

This trip isn't about me, the experience I'll gain and the lessons I'll learn. It's about proclaiming the glory of God to this beautiful yet barren land called Ireland. That being said, I am learning some lessons about church planting. I think the primary lesson would be one of persistence, how to deal with disappointments without being disappointed and giving up. I know God has ordained Grace Church and my involvement. I have seen reasons why and know there are reasons invisible to me at the moment.

The BBQ

The weather could not have been any better for a spring day in Ireland. As we pulled up to the community center where we have church (and the BBQ), kids on bikes came up and asked us when it started. They said they were coming and their parents too. As I heard this, my hopes went up, thinking about having a hundred non-believers fellowship with us and hear the gospel. But it ended up being more like ten non-believers, seven of which were children or teenagers. Now, don't get me wrong, I am thankful that they came (even if most of them only used us to get a burger and dessert) and that they heard the gospel, but I was hoping for more. The few adults there that weren't part of the church were friends/neighbors of church members. Apparently, in Ireland, if you even mention that you're part of a church that's not theirs, people aren't apt to voluntarily come no matter what you give them. Plenty of good has come out of the BBQ and probably more good that I can't see yet. 1) Like I said, at least ten, maybe a dozen, who don't believe the true gospel heard it (some of them likely for the first time). 2) The neighborhood knows that we're here and can't accuse us of not reaching out. 3) We have had plenty of meat to grill with here over the last week. 4) We made some good contacts with the local children. As we were setting up, a pair of 8-year-old twins kept yelling for me to let them in the gate. I couldn't, as I didn't want to be responsible for them, but I was friendly to them and told them they could have the first burgers. When it started, they really latched onto me. They told me all about their family (12 children including 3 sets of twins and a newborn). Two of their older brothers came to the BBQ. When it was all over, the twins stayed and helped us clean up. They were so proud of being able to help. So I am going back to the neighborhood tomorrow, hoping to meet them again and make contact with their family, maybe see if there is anything Grace Church can do to help them out. Pray for that family, the Kennedys.

Bible Study

I met with a couple of the African guys earlier this week and we finalized plans to meet at 5:30 Thursday evening in the Community Development Project. It was in writing on the flyers I made to advertise the study in the Rectory, where they live. I prepared my teaching on "I am the bread of life" from John 6 and was ready to go. Sandra and Patrick came along with me (James had to work late). We got there and waited and waited. We ended up leaving about 5:50 as I could not get a hold of Abraham (I got a hold of Nchedo to find out that he was in Dublin). It wasn't until later in the evening that I heard from Abraham, saying he was having some equipment dropped off and the guy came late. He said when he went there, he was told that we had left. He explained he hadn't called because he didn't have any credits left on his phone. He was the only one coming as the other guys were out of town (a lot of them go back and forth between New Ross and Dublin). So that was disappointing, but Abraham said they discovered they could have the room and the CDP every Tuesday night at 7pm, which is a much better time. I'll be gone this next week, but will plan to start the Bible study (God-willing) the following Tuesday. I already have my teaching prepared.

Advanced Preparation

My friends coming next week and my parents and sister the week after leaves me with only the time this week to prepare multiple Bible studies and a sermon. So I've been doing a lot of that this week and I'm pleased to say that I'm done (at least have a rough draft for the sermon) and wouldn't be blogging if I wasn't.

The Tom Report

Also, I have spent more time discipling Tom this week. We visited Kilkenny, a highly-praised old town just less than an hour away. We had a good conversation about John 11 over lunch and a woman came up to us as she left and said, "I am a follower of Jesus, God bless you both." This was a rare treat and I wish we could have talked more, but she took off pretty quick. It was encouraging to think that many of our conversations in public are being overheard (even eavesdropped on) and those people are hopefully hearing the gospel. Tom and I talked about baptism for the first time. He has a proper Biblical understanding of it and I've asked him to think/pray about it and let me know when he's ready. When he is, he'll be baptized in the public (indoor) swimming pool in New Ross. It will be a good witness to his parents, who have been around a good deal lately. His dad hasn't gone to church for years, his step-mom goes to a Baptist (more or less) church in Wexford, but Tom told me he's not sure she's saved. It seems to be more of a social gathering for her. Tom has been teaching her the stuff he and we talk about.

Getting Busy

This past week has easily been the busiest week I've had. Until now, I've easily found time to exercise and read. The last two mornings, though, I've been up before 6:30 just to have time to exercise. Besides meeting with Tom and preparing to teach, I've been doing some work outside the house to prepare for a mobile home to be put on the land (I think I explained this before). It's here now, so there is a place for guests to stay and there's a group of five Floridians coming in August. Also, there is an elderly woman in the church who has an unbelieving husband. I met him a few weeks ago at James' birthday party and he told his wife "we got on well." He's an Englishman, very intellectual, but insecure. His wife invited me over for tea so he and I could talk more. We talked mostly about literature (what little I know) and we're planning to meet again. Pray that it's an in to the gospel. I also met with a group of ministers in County Wexford for a morning prayer meeting, everything from Church of Ireland (Anglican) to Pentecostal. It was encouraging to see unification on the gospel (for the most part).

A Good Report From Nashville

I recently got a message from Gillian and Georgina's sister Sinead, who lives in Bellvue, TN. As many of you know, this was the area hit worst by the Nashville flooding. I had met Sinead once when visiting Miles and Gillian one night. She asked if West End Community Church was my church. She asked because a team from West End has helped restore her house. She was so grateful and moved by this act of compassion. I was proud to call West End my church home. I know Miles and Gillian have prayed for her, and I truly believe God is not done saving members of that family, perhaps by using a natural disaster and resulting act of service.

Saving Grace at Work and Preparing for More

This week has been filled with preparation, preparation for the barbeque, for preaching on Sunday and, to a lesser degree, for having guests. In about a week and a half, the Michaels, my missionary friends currently in France, will be visiting me here. The day after they leave, my parents and my younger sister, Brina, will be arriving. Also, there is a 24-year old young man named Brian Hill coming from Florida on May 25th to help with Grace Church for over two months. To prepare for his arrival, the Buckleys have decided to buy a mobile home and put it on a fenced area of the property. Tom and I spent yesterday preparing this area for the mobile home, which included breaking up concrete with a sledge hammer (that part was fun, until today when my shoulder is sore), cutting off branches from the overgrown hedges and moving all kinds of rubbish. It felt good to do some physical labor for a change.

Young Tom

But most importantly...and I have been meaning to write about him for a while...When I came to Grace Church, Tom had just started coming and I was told at first (and wrote on the blog) that he was a brand new believer). This was perhaps partially true, but I was soon after told by James and Sandra that they weren't sure if he really understood the gospel. Tom is 32, taking college courses part-time and lives with his dad and step-mom. He is knows by the church members as "Young Tom" since there are two Toms usually there, and sometimes a third (one was known as "Old Tom" though he's only 45 or so, but it's now been improved to "Wise Tom"; the other is "Big Tom" as he is about 6'5, 280). At first, I thought Young Tom was just extremely quiet, but I later found out he has learning disabilities. He lived with his mom until age 18, when she took him to his dad and said, "You take him, I can't deal with him anymore." She said this in front of Tom, so you can imagine how things like this affected his confidence. I don't know what to call Tom's learning disability, but I would say he has the learning capacity and social maturity of a young high school boy. He is quiet, but we've seen him really come out of his shell lately. He'll get the room laughing by on off-the-wall joke.

He and I have meetings which we read and discuss a chapter from the gospel of John. We are currently through the first 10 chapters, and have covered 5 in the 6 days since I've been back from France. We've met at pubs, cafes, at the Buckleys' house and outside of his house for our discussions, sometimes during the day and sometimes in the evenings. We've also spent time together just doing things, hanging out, seeing local attractions, watching movies. When we first started discussing John's gospel, I asked him to explain what it meant to be saved, the reason he would give on why he should be in heaven. He struggled with this and ended up saying that he shouldn't be allowed in heaven, but he was working towards that by reading the Bible, praying and going to church. I explained the gospel to him again, slightly surprised at his answer considering the teaching he'd been hearing at Grace Church and his boldness to talk to non-Christians about the church. This just shows that our natural inclination is to think that we must earn salvation and that only when regenerated by the Spirit can we grasp the gospel truth. At that point, I came to the conclusion that Tom's primary motivation for being so active in the church was that he had found a place of acceptance. If were to have moved and some zealous Jehovah's Witnesses would have befriended him, he would have gone along with them, accepted their denial of the deity of Christ. However, in the past several weeks, I have seen remarkable improvement in his understanding of the Scriptures and he is so hunger to learn the Scriptures and his teachability is a blessing to me. The other night, I asked him again and he clearly and correctly explained that only by faith in Christ was he saved. I believe Tom is saved and he'll be baptized soon. I take no credit for this; the Spirit revealed the truth, but I'm glad I got to be a co-laborer of the work God is doing. I now believe that if Tom were to move and was befriended by a group who believed a false gospel that he would not be misled and would stand up for the true gospel. Thanks be to the God who saves and answers prayer!

The Barbeque

It is set for Saturday from 4-6pm. We have gathered the food and necessities for it this week and I have been inviting friends, acquaintances and the neighborhood right around the community center where we meet for church (and where the bbq will take place). At some point about halfway through, I will call for everyone's attention, introduce myself and tell them what Grace Church is about. By this, I mean I will share the basic gospel message in no more than 5-7 minutes, with Ephesians 2:1-10 as my guide. Please pray that I can briefly, clearly, lovingly and powerfully communicate the gospel, hopefully to many who have never heard it before. Today, the weight of this hit me and I feel like any training in the Bible and public speaking, plus any gifts God has given me will be used for His glory in these five minutes. This doesn't make me nervous as I am resting in God's promise that he saves, not me, but it is an exciting time. After my brief talk, we are going to sing a few songs being led by a man sort of a sister congregation nearby. We will, of course, invite people to ask questions or visit us on Sunday mornings and/or Wednesday evenings.

Preaching and Teaching Schedule

The Bible Study I was hoping to start on Thursday evening with the political exiles had to be postponed as there is a group meeting in the facility they had suggested on Thursday evenings. So we are soon going to discuss other possibilities for day, time and/or place. The study will be "What Did Jesus Say About Himself: The "I AMs" of John's Gospel". That's how I have it written out on the flyers they are going to post at the Rectory. For example, one week will discuss what it means that Jesus said in John 6, "I am the bread of life", another week "I am the good shepherd." Counting "Before Abraham was, I am" in chapter 8, there are eight "I Am"s in John's gospel. This will be a challenging thing to teach on, but each "I am" illustrates different aspects of the gospel, so it should be an interesting and beneficial study. I will do all in my power to see that this gets off the ground next week.

I am preaching this Sunday on Luke 4:15-21, where Jesus claims the prophecy from Isaiah 61 for himself. I am going to look at how this prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus' life as a moral example for his Church to follow, and how it was fulfilled by his death to save us from spiritual poverty, blindness and captivity.

I am also preaching on Sunday, May 23rd and May 30th (my family will be here for the latter), so I will be d0ing some preparation next week so I'll have less to do when my guests are here. Also, I'm apparently training for a marathon (but not really). I went on a 7-mile run on Monday, which is the most I've run at one time in a LONG time. Took a couple days off and went for what was supposed to be a 4-mile run. But I was running on unfamiliar roads and received some bad directions. Ended up running 9 miles, possibly the most I've ever run at one time. I'm hurting, but I'm feeling fit anyway.

Thank you for your support!

Photos from the trip to France & Switzerland

I took over 250 photos on the trip and they can be seen on Facebook. For those of you who don't have Facebook, here are a few. The first one needs no explanation. The second is the famous Raft of the Medusa, a huge painting displayed in the Louvre. You may not notice me and the lower left hand corner. Next is the beautiful fountain in Geneva. Then you see me standing in front of the UN headquarters. Jon Mark and I are holding are wallets in front of us in the next photo, happy to still have those after the mugging incident described in the previous post. The next one I added just so you can see how cute Ayla was on the bike ride with her daddy. Lastly is Nathan, Joanna, Ayla and I in front of Sacre Coeur in Paris.

Adventures in France and Switzerland

First, I hope everyone in Nashville is all right after the flooding, which I was just made aware of today. I know you have prayed for me, so know that I am now praying for you.

I was so blessed to have many memorable experiences this week in France and Switzerland, but most of all, I was blessed to have spent time with old friends. These are the kind of friends who, even if you haven't really talked in a while, you can pick up a conversation like there was never a gap. I am thankful for these friends, and thankful they live in such exciting places!

Last Sunday was James' birthday. We had a wonderful service and then a surprise bbq birthday party for him, a great time had by all. Early that evening, I took the train to Dublin and hung out with my friends Johnny and Georgina. I am continuing to build strong friendships with both of them, and am thankful also to have friends in Dublin.

Some Background

I flew into Lyon, France, and was met at the airport by Nathan and his 16-month daughter, Ayla. Nathan and I have literally been best friends since we were infants, as I'm two months older. We went to church together and lived in the same neighborhood. In fact, we used to meet up and walk to school together. Then in 3rd grade, both our families moved to the same neighborhood in a different school district just outside of town. We went to different high schools, but we both went to Union University for college. After college, I moved back to Bloomington (my hometown) while Nate moved to Dallas with his new bride, Joanna. However, after I lived in Nashville a few months, they also moved there. Now they're in Europe and so am I. Nathan and Joanna are with Wycliffe Bible Translators, preparing to go from France to Cameroon, to translate the Bible there for an unreached people group. Anyways, there's the background.

Day 1 in Paris

The first night, tired from traveling, we relaxed, had dinner and talked. We got up early the next morning to catch the train to Paris. Joanna has more detail on her blog about the time in Paris (click here); I'll just give you the very basics. The first day, we went to Sacre Coeur, one of the most amazing cathedrals in the world, inside and out (no pictures allowed inside). We then got on a bus to see the famed Louvre art museum, only to find upon our arrival that it is closed on Tuesdays. The plan was to see the Eiffel Tower that evening, and we could see it from the Louvre, so we just decided to start walking towards it. Well, it's obviously a very large construction, so it was further than originally appeared. But, I think that walk was my favorite part of the entire trip. The majority of the walk was through a park, filled with statues, gardens and fountains. It was a perfect day and everyone was outside enjoying the beautiful city. We got glances at other famous pieces of architecture like the Arc de Triomph and other things I can't name. The Eiffel Tower was slam-packed and Joanna had seen it before so she stayed with Ayla and Nate and I went up to see the phenomenal views. After dinner, we returned to our tiny hotel room. Nate and I sat out on the balcony and talked for a while. We have been talking via Skype, but it was really good to catch up face to face and talk about what the Lord's doing in our lives.

Day 2 in Paris

The next day, we gave ourselves plenty of time to see the Louvre and it was well worth it. We could have spent hour more in there to see all the art and the ornate ceilings and walls. That place is so massive! After lunch, I hopped on a train to Geneva, Switzerland.

Day 1 in Geneva

My friend and former college roommate, Jon Mark Walls, is living there. He is getting a Masters in International Relations at a school with close ties to the UN. He is also working for the Spanish Ambassador the UN, doing translating. His is also fluent in French and a stud. He met me at the train station and we walked down to the non-touristy part of Geneva to have dinner on a dock. Again, the weather was perfect and the city was amazing with its massive fountain displaying rainbow colors. He waited until my last bite to tell me he had ordered me horse meat, at which point I had to confess it was very good. He and I then went and sat on the pier and talked about Jesus, politics, Christianity and everything in between. Conversations like that change people and change the world. The sun went down and the full moon was coming up when we walked to meet up with his friends.

The Mugging and Chase

On the way, a man approached and asked what time it was in French. Jon Mark handled the man, who continued to ask questions about soccer and where we were from. He held out his hand to me to shake and when I grabbed it pulled me in close. He then started kicking back and forth between my feet and saying "Futbol Americano". I backed off and Jon Mark yelled at him to stop. I started walking away very confused. After only a couple steps it hit me why he would do such a thing. I felt for my wallet and it was gone. Sheer adrenaline then pumped through me to the point where I honestly don't remember what happened immediately after that. I know I exclaimed, "my wallet!" and Jon Mark and I turned around and ran after the two men. We hadn't gone very far when we rounded a corner and I saw the man stopped holding my wallet out in front of him. I snatched it out of his hand and immediately checked the inside. To my surprise all my cash was in there, along with my debit card and my license. The other man, who I hadn't really noticed, was running across the busy street, dodging cars and all, and Jon Mark was more focused on him. Apparently, the guy with the wallet didn't think it was worth trying to cross the street and knew he couldn't take us on alone, so he just concede and gave it back. Needless to say, I was thankful. I felt like I had just been given an amazing gift, even though I hadn't actually gained anything. JM and I walked around for a while with a feeling of "What just happened?" and examined it more closely. We met up with his friends and it was great to talk to people from different countries like England, Germany, Hungary and Seattle.

Day 2 in Geneva

The next day was a lot more walking, which was fine by me considering the weather and the beauty of the city. We saw the church where Calvin preached, the Reformation museum, the Red Cross museum, walked by the UN and the WHO, went out and enjoyed the view from Jon Mark's school (an old Chateau), enjoyed a couple meals outside and some gelato, met an American pastoring a small church who eavesdropped on our dinner conversation and just really enjoyed Geneva. I enjoyed it so much I bought a Swiss flag and a Swiss Army knife (which Nathan is going to bring to me because I didn't check a bag). The flag is a big deal considering the only other flag I own is of Ireland.

Last Days in France

I got back to Chambrey late that night, but not too late to talk with Nate and Joanna a little. The next day, I had some downtime for the first time in a while; Nate was in class and Joanna with a tutor. It was then that perhaps the funniest incident on the trip occurred. Ayla is amazingly cute. In fact, I confessed to her that I'll never have a child as cute as her. Joanna calls me her boyfriend and we get along great except when I try to hold her when her parents aren't there or change her. That morning, I changed her and she screamed bloody murder the entire time, but when it was over, Joanna picked her up and told her to kiss me and she instantly ceased crying and happily obliged. I guess you had to be there, but it was like that all week with her. That afternoon, we rented bikes and Nate, Ayla and I biked around Chambrey and up to get a good view of the Alps. We picked up some bread and cheese for dinner and I was happy to relax at their place my last evening there. The next day, we went to Lyon, walked through the extensive market and walked around. I loved the city, though it doesn't have the famous monuments of Paris. It is, however, known for its cuisine, which was magnifique (see, I learned some French).

The week was a blast and was encouraging to me and I know to Nathan, Joanna and Jon Mark, who are exactly where God wants them to be. I know He is and will continue to use them in mighty ways!

As for me, I will post again soon as there is a lot going on here. Au revoir! (Or-riv-wah)

A Brilliant Week

First, I am feeling much better. I felt like death for a day, but the next day I was fine. Too easily, I could call it a 24-hour bug and move on, but I don't want to dismiss the possibility that God miraculously healed me from something much worse. Either way, praise God that I am feeling better. For those of you who prayed for my health, thank you!

As I wrote in my last post, I had plans to visit friends in France and Switzerland this week. The volcanic ash from Iceland prevented any flights to or from Ireland and the UK until Wednesday/Thursday, so I moved my plans back a week. Fortunately, neither Nathan and Joanna Michael in Chambrey, France nor Jon Mark Walls in Geneva, Switzerland had any conflicts. So all plans were just postponed a week, and I am looking forward to visiting them and seeing more of Europe next week.

And it's certainly been easy to see why I was in Ireland this week. I am more strongly feeling a sense of purpose and building important relationships for the glory of God. I will try to keep this fairly short, but here are a few highlights from the past week.

On Monday and Tuesday nights, I met with believers in Wexford and Gorey (Google-map it) respectively. Wednesday night, Miles led our Bible study here via Skype.

Last Sunday at church, I met a man named Nchedo (That's how he wrote it out; right or wrong, I pronounce it en-chee-doh and he hasn't corrected me). He is in Ireland as a political exile from Nigeria. On Tuesday we met for lunch and tea at a place where I have befriended the bar manager. I asked him a lot of questions and he was very willing to answer them all in great detail, so we ended up talking for several hours. I asked him his age and thought it was interesting that he didn't know, explaining his culture doesn't count age. I would guess he is in his late thirties or early forties. Nchedo calls himself a human rights activist and also a political activist. He worked with refugees when he was in Nigeria from nearby countries Sierra Leone and Liberia, but he also mentioned refugees from Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Nchedo was forced to leave Nigeria because he was vocal in speaking out against the government there. He explained to me how Nigeria is listed as a democracy so that the U.N. and other peacekeeping organizations will neglect to pay attention to what is going on there, but the government is actually controlled by the military. The elected officials are all former military officers who are all muslims and give certain rights only to muslims (which is about 50% of the population). They don't tolerate any opposition or questioning, thus Nchedo's options after vocally opposing the government was to flee to another country or be thrown in a lake and have the government report that he drowned accidentally, so he came to Ireland five years ago.

Nchedo's says that his views on human rights all come from Jesus' teaching. His church in Nigeria was Roman Catholic but he stated it is far different from the Roman Catholic churches in Ireland. He stated in teaching, style and community, Grace Church more resembles Catholic churches in Nigeria. I asked him when he became a Christian and he said he has been one since birth, so I think there are some Biblical concepts he doesn't understand, such as that of regeneration. I have explained to him the gospel and he seems to agree, but I will continue to share it with him conversationally as we meet.

This morning (Saturday), he and I met again, this time at the Rectory where he and the other political exiles (mostly from African countries) are housed by the Irish government. He introduced me to two other Christians that live there and have been meeting on Sunday mornings in a group of 6 or 8, all from the Rectory. Both men seemed to understand the gospel very well. The four of us talked about how to unify our separate groups in order to best reach people for Christ. One of the men, Abraham (pronounced Ah-brah-hahm) from Ethiopia, really had a strong vision to fellowship together for the glory of Christ. We talked for a while and came to the conclusion that we would do a Bible study in a place close the Rectory (the Buckleys' house is outside of New Ross, 15-20 minutes from the Rectory) on Thursday nights. I will be leading the discussion, and I will be thinking and praying this next week about the format of the Bible study. I left the Rectory so encouraged by these men and the breakthrough of meeting together.

During the day on Wednesday, two women came and talked to me about Children's Evangelism Fellowship, an organization that puts on clubs from children of different ages, from age 4 to 16. On Thursday evening, I went to one of these Bible clubs and helped out. There were children from ages 4 to 12 learning about the Bible through songs, games and a lesson. Afterwards, the family who had hosted the club at their home invited me to stay for dinner. The family was originally from Uzbekistan. Before dinner, Dimitri, the father, played a song of praise on his guitar and sang. Then he asked the five children, "What do we say to our guests?" They all became very quiet before shouting in unison, "Welcome Matt and Joanna to our table!" They were a very fun and loving family and I hope to see them again. Dimitri and I really connected when discussing Christianity and the church after dinner. He is very grounded in the gospel, so it was good to fellowship and mutually encourage each other.

Last night, I went out with Keith, who lives next door (who I was staying with when I first lived here). Keith claims to be an atheist and is pretty wild. Yet, I was able to share the gospel when some girls he knew asked what I was doing in Ireland. It was one of the harshest receptions to the gospel I've had since I've been here; one girl kept saying to Keith that I was "brainwashed". Nonetheless, I claim the promise that God's word will not return void.

Today, I met a guy in his mid-twenties named Danny who is one of James' patients. (James is a myopractor, sort of a specialized form of physical therapy.) He invited me to play Gaelic Football (what's that?) with his team and said they are looking for "more lads to play". This is an answer to prayer in several ways as I was hoping to play a sport for enjoyment and to build relationships with teammates. He is going to let me know the next time they play, which will be a couple weeks away.

I have continued to meet with Tom and go through the gospel of John. We have now gone through the first 5 chapters and he is asking great questions. I will soon devote a post to Tom and our interactions.

Earlier tonight, the four of us in the house, plus Tom, went to see a local secondary (high) school production of Les Miserables. It was absolutely brilliant! I love the story and own the movie (the Liam Neeson version), but the music added a different element to it and we all really enjoyed it. I've always wanted to see it and it was great timing as I am preparing to go to France on Monday.

Thanks for reading!

What's Happening And What's Next

What's happening right now is I'm laid up sick in bed. Fever, headache, stomach ache. I'm not complaining, these things happen, I just want to get back outside soon. So please pray for that.

So I thought I'd take this time to update you all. The last couple days have been kind of random.

Reaching Out

I've been trying to build relationships in New Ross. Sometimes I just go into a store or a pub in a time when I know it will be empty. The people here are usually more than willing to have a conversation with me, ask me where I'm from and what I'm doing in Ireland, etc. This is a much more natural way to tell them about Grace Church and what we believe than approaching someone on the street. I'm not saying God can't use street evangelism or that it shouldn't be done at all, but I haven't seen the fruit of it so far. Additionally, the vast majority of people here who been saved as adults have a story of getting to know another Christian who took the time to build a relationship with them. So this is my approach, and I am always looking for and thinking of new opportunities to meet people. I am open to any suggestions...

The last couple weeks, we have seen great weather (I maybe pretended it was too great, which might be why I'm sick). We have enjoyed this weather by grilling out at the Buckleys. One morning, it hit me that pretty much everyone everywhere loves barbecues. So I suggested Grace Church have one and it is now set for May 8th. We are inviting the neighborhood surrounding the community center where we meet, and also people we've built relationships with who wouldn't be comfortable going to a church service on Sunday morning, but would be willing to meet the members of the church on a Saturday afternoon barbecue. Those of you who are supporting me financially should know that your contributions will help fund this event. We will have live music and I will talk for ten minutes about what Grace Church believes (the gospel), but the rest of the time will just be hanging out and getting to know people. If it goes well, we're hoping to have another one, possibly when my family is here so my little sister can lead the music. Please pray for this as we continue to plan and invite people in the upcoming weeks.

A Pharisee in New Ross?

When Miles was still here, he told me about a street preacher (megaphone and all) named Lee who preaches condemnation to non-believers in the towns in this area. The other man who lives with the Buckleys, Patrick, loyally supports this man. I haven't seen or heard him, but I've heard Miles' and James' opinion, and formed my own general opinion of street preachers. When Patrick told James and I yesterday that Lee would be in New Ross, I told him that I would come and if he was hindering people from believing the gospel, I would shut him down by whatever means necessary. We have been sewing seeds in New Ross, and I don't want people associating this guy with Grace Church. James told Patrick to call Lee and tell him not to come to New Ross, so Patrick did, and instead went to hear him preach on the street in Wexford. Unfortunately, Patrick and Lee are attracted to the "Us vs. Them" mentality, which just infuriates me. Some people just have to feel powerful and better than others, and they put others down to feel this. Certainly, this is not the way of Jesus. Jesus was harsh on Pharisees, those who boast their own righteousness, like Lee, but never on those who knew they were sinful or not in the church (See 1 Corinthians 5:9-13). The one time that Jesus actually gets violent is against people hindering people from worshipping God (at the end of John 2). He is righteously defending the poor and oppressed, thus He did not sin. And what was oppressing the people? Religion! I went into town just to make sure that Lee didn't change his mind. He didn't come today. Not in our town, at least not while I'm here. Pray for wisdom for me as I address these religious tendencies in Patrick.

Matt the Techie

Because I'm younger than most of the members of Grace Church, I tend to know more about computers. Thus, I tend to be the one people go to when they need something down involving computers. This is a new experience for me, not that I'm clueless regarding computers, but I've never been the authority. James took me down to see the man who runs the Grace Church website the other day and he taught me how to update it. I have done a little bit of work on it, mostly deleting info on events that have come and gone. There is probably some more work to be done, but I don't want to completely overhaul the work they've put in so far. Anyway, check out the website if you get a chance: www.thegracechurch.ie

Heading to France & Switzerland

On Monday (hopefully I'll be feeling better), I am flying from Dublin to Lyon, France to see my dear friends Nathan, Joanna & little Ayla Michael, who are missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators. They are in France until at least October, but hoping to soon be working with a people group in Cameroon (Africa). I am trusting my visit will be mutually encouraging and fun. On Wednesday evening, I am taking a short train ride to visit my friend and former college roommate John Mark Walls in Geneva, Switzerland. We are possibly taking a day trip somewhere on Thursday (I'm hoping Italy), before I return to Nate & Jo's. I am flying back to Ireland on Saturday in order to be at church that next Sunday.

Well, I suppose that's sufficient for now. All the best!

Coming Alive

Those of you who were in Men's Fraternity with me will recognize that phrase almost as much as Carter's trademark "you young pups/us old dogs". One of the purposes of Men's Fraternity, the Biblical study of masculinity at my church, was to help men find what makes them come alive.

I am pleased to say that I have found one thing that makes me come alive and that is telling people about the gospel. I taught the Grace Church Bible study on Wednesday night on the new birth, John 3:1-7, and thanks be to God! it went very well. I also preached on "repenting from religion" out of Luke 3 and by God's grace, and was told it served as an important reminder from those present. I loved both delivering the messages and doing the research to prepare for them. It helps to have online resources (Desiring God and Spurgeon's Gems).

But I think I am most excited about the messages given on Saturday in Enniscorthy, a town about 45 minutes away. There, I met up with my friends Johnny and Georgina from Dublin, along with their friends Brian and Celine, who were delightful. They all were there celebrating Celine's 27th birthday, and mine. We walked around the city and saw an old castle and cathedral, but not much was planned out, so that didn't last too long. We spent a good amount of time talking at the hotel bar (and watching a rugby game there) and at the Italian restaurant.

When you pray for opportunities to share the gospel, it's no coincidence that they actually will occur. At one point, both of the girls and Johnny went to change clothes and get ready for dinner. I had no clothes to change into, so I stayed down at the hotel bar and Brian stayed with me. I asked him a lot of questions about rugby, and then he started asking me questions about Grace Church. He said something to the effect of, "I'm not religious and not familiar with the terminology...what exactly does grace mean?" In other words, please explain to me the gospel. So I did. I explained (in summary) that so many teach that following certain practices or doing certain things make you ok before God, but the Bible really teaches that only Jesus makes us right before God. He said this was a refreshing teaching, but then asked, "but what's the catch?" I told him it wasn't a gimmick, it is called free grace. It is free for us because Jesus paid the full price. Those who truly understand this will willingly submit their lives to Christ because He will be their treasure.

While he and I were still talking, Celine came down and heard some of what I was saying. Brian then left to get ready and she and I began talking. She started with, "I believe in God, but lost a little faith when my sister-in-law died of cancer last year." I told her how very sorry I am for her loss and comforted her by explaining that death, disease, pain and suffering were not God's ideal for the world, but entered the world when man sought to become his own god. The good news is, though, pain and sorrow only exists for a short time (in the grand scheme of eternity) for those who are in Christ. Because Christ defeated death on the cross, it reversed man's transgression, so that all who trust Jesus will see the glory of God's ideal world, His perfect Kingdom, everlasting joy. While we were still talking, Georgina came and sat and heard what I was saying. She praised me (though it was surely the Spirit working through me) and said they really wanted to hear me preach. I suppose she didn't consider that she just had. Johnny and I spent a day together a couple weeks ago in which we were able to talk about Jesus a good bit (see the previous post).

No one there was ready at that moment to trust Christ as their Savior (nor did I push it), but they all heard the gospel truth and they all received it somewhat openly. Thank God for knocking down barriers to the gospel. By God's grace, these Irish young people like, respect and are willing to listen to me.

Johnny and Georgina had talked about coming to hear me preach on Sunday morning, though they didn't make any commitments. They apparently stayed in bed as opposed to getting up for a 10:30 service 40 minutes or so away from where they were staying. I was praying all week that they would come to church to hear the gospel preached. But God knew they didn't need to come to church to hear it preached; he allowed me to take it to them, and their friends. He allowed this to happen in a natural, conversational manner, to which they are likely to respond more favorably than hearing a sermon preached. Please pray for God to continue to give me opportunities to share the gospel with young people, especially those around New Ross. Pray that God would ordain relationships for His glory. Thank you!

Johnny and I in front of the Enniscorthy Cathedral

Scenery, History and Sermon Preparation

Dublin & Bray

On Tuesday, I took a train to Dublin with Gillian. That afternoon, along with her family, we toured the seven-story Guinness brewhouse, which was fascinating on many levels. Then we took a bus to Trinity College. We got to see the beautiful and historic campus, but Trinity is most famous for the Book of Kells, a 3rd or 4th century manuscript of the gospels. This exhibit closed at 5:00 and we were 15 minutes late. That night, we went to Gillian's dad's local watering hole, the Graduate, on the night of its reopening after a fire forced it closed. We stayed at Gillian's sister Georgina's that night in Bray (just south of Dublin).

The next day, Georgina's (boy)friend Johnny took me up on Brayhead, a mountain/large hill/cliff overlooking Dublin, Wicklow and the sea. I liked Johnny as soon as I met him at dinner the night before. He's very authentic and willing to learn and talk about interesting things. I think Johnny and I developed a mutual admiration for one another, though we come from completely different worlds. He grew up Catholic in Belfast, Northern Ireland in the middle of "the Troubles". His house was next to a peace wall, separating it from a Protestant neighborhood; his bedroom had reinforced glass windows to protect him rocks that were thrown over. He shared with me other reasons he has to hate Protestants which I don't think he would appreciate me sharing. But he doesn't hate Protestants. It's fair to say he used to. It's for this reason that I don't wave the banner of Protestant or Presbyterian or Baptist over myself to easily. Those are easy labels, but they can hinder openness to the gospel. It is far better to talk about Jesus, thus going straight to the gospel. This is what I did with Johnny, and he was very interested in and open to what I believed. In fact, he volunteered he and Georgina to come watch my first sermon at Grace Church (which will be Sunday). Georgina also stated they would come. I'm not getting my hopes up, but I certainly developed a strong fraternal bond with Johnny as we spend several hours talking while climbing toward the cross at the summit of Brayhead (the first photo was taken from the top). We talked about Irish history, which I was very eager to hear about, Irish and American politics (Johnny is studying law and hoping to one day go into politics--he has tattoos of Che Guevara and Patsy O'Hara if that tells you anything about his political views), sports, relationships, Catholicism and Jesus.

Easter Sunday

We had a small service, no unexpected visitors and several members out of town, but the Lord showed up in power and softened hearts, at least mine. I lead the communion part of the service. After that, James and Sandra took Tom and I (see right) to lunch, then we all went to Hook Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse in Ireland (or England), 4th oldest in the world. It was built in the 12th century when the Anglo-Normans first came to southeast Ireland. It had a beautiful view of the sea. They say you can see whales, dolphins and seals if on certain days. We didn't see any, and it was so windy it was hard to stay up there long.

Easter Monday

Today was a "bank holiday" in Ireland; most people get a four-day weekend for Easter. James and Sandra took me to Cashel, an hour or so away. The Rock of Cashel (seen below) is the castle where St. Patrick taught Christianity and baptized an Irish lord in the fifth century. It has been a part of great history through the centuries. On the way back, we passed probably a half-dozen castles that had not been preserved like Cashel. Everywhere you look in Ireland, you are reminded of the ancient past, which I love as a history-lover.

Preparing to Teach

Miles asked me to teach the Wednesday night Bible study in his stead (he usually leads via Skype). I will be looking at the idea of new birth from the first part of John 3. On Sunday, I will be preaching for the first time here. When I found out Johnny and Georgina may be coming, I had intended to preach on Ephesians 2:1-10, but have since changed my mind and will return to the gospel of Luke, in which James was preaching before Miles' coming and Easter. I will be at

the start of chapter 3 in Luke, looking at John the Baptizer preparing the way for Christ. So it looks to be a busy week of preparation. I taught the house here Friday morning about the Biblical concept of redemption. When we think of redemption, we usually think of self-redemption, how we fail and need to redeem ourselves. The Biblical definition is much different; throughout the Bible, it means to take something lacking value, give it value and escalate it to a place of loving care. We see this in the story of Boaz and Ruth, in Exodus 6:6 where God promises to redeem Israel from slavery into a land of promise and of course on the cross where Jesus redeems His people out of slavery to adoption as sons and daughters (see Galatians 4:4-7). Please pray for me as I prepare to preach God's Word.

A Car Accident & the True Gospel

Miles and Gillian flew back to Tennessee on Thursday. I hated to see them go as they are fun and encouraging friends, but it did provide me a vehicle for the first time. As I was pulling into the driveway yesterday, I scraped the left corner on their gate, knocking out the headlight and putting a dent in the bumper. I am obviously not used to driving on the opposite side of the road and sitting on the opposite side of the car. But I am not making excuses; I misjudged how much room I had. It was a minor accident, but enough to make me feel terrible. The last thing I want to do, after all the Buckleys have given me, is cause them any inconvenience.

James and Sandra were very gracious in the way they treated me, explaining that accidents happen and we move on. My natural tendency after something like that, though, is to feel like I need to earn their forgiveness. In the back of my mind, I can't help but think they are annoyed with me after something like that and I am required to restore their fondness toward me by doing nice things for them. I also naturally feel that I should avoid troubling them in any way, that I should just go hide somewhere out of the way.

But the truth is, James and Sandra are not annoyed with me at all; they see me no differently now than they did before I messed up. I am the one who puts that burden on myself.

Last night, I realized this is so often how we think of God. When we fail, we often feel like we need to do something to earn value again in God's eyes. We hate this feeling and so often we just give up and think that we can just hide from God. So we don't come before Him in prayer because we feel undeserving. If you feel undeserving, that's a good thing...because you are! And there's nothing you can do to earn His love. But, the Easter message tells us that you don't need to try to pay for His love by works; He has paid it all on the cross! For this reason, those who are in Christ are to go boldly before the throne of grace (Heb 4:16), not try to suck up to Him by good works or hide from Him because we don't measure up. We are to believe that our sins have been taken away and our just and holy God sees us as perfect through the blood of Jesus Christ! If James and Sandra, imperfect people that they are, know how to forgive me, how much more will our loving Father!

The True Gospel

At this point, though I have already been writing of it, I wish to clarify what I am calling the true gospel. It is what the Bible teaches has the power to save sinners, and it is this: Justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Justification merely means that we have a right standing and are accepted before God. Grace means unmerited favor; God giving us something we haven't earned. Faith is more than a mere belief that God exists, but trusting and treasuring the work of Jesus on the cross. When one does trust and treasure Christ, his/her life and actions will be different as a result of the grateful love that will come for and from Jesus, but the actions themselves do nothing to earn God's love. Men naturally believe we should add onto this gospel, that's why the "alones" are important. But when works or any sacraments or the church is added to the gospel, we are no longer trusting in Christ alone, but in Christ and whatever else we add, thus claiming that the cross merely began a process in which we save ourselves and robbing the cross of its real significance. So anyone who adds anything to this gospel is not preaching the true gospel. The true gospel is given in a clear and concise manner in Ephesians 2:1-10, the passage on which I will likely preach next Sunday (Apr 11). Paul wrote in Galatians 1:9 that anyone who preaches a gospel other than this shall be accursed.

It can be so hard to believe that we can't add anything to Christ's work in saving us. This is why even those of us that believe this need to be reminded of it repeatedly. Our "self-exalting theology" (as J. Piper calls it) would tell us that we must have some control or power to save ourselves. This is what every other religion in the world believes...that it's up to us. But the Scriptures show us that Christ has done what's necessary to save us in spite of us (read Eph 2:1-10 or Romans 8 or anywhere!) and that is great news! It is only through Scripture that we can understand the true gospel, and that's why "Christian" groups that neglect the Bible or elevate other sources of authority to the same level tend to add on to it. This is sad because, again, it is good news only when we don't have to add anything, and it's the reason I've come to Ireland! So I will share this gospel indiscriminately with atheists, Protestants, Catholics and whoever else. This Easter, I hope you believe this gospel because, as Gal 1:6-9 tells us, there is no other one.

A photos of my gracious hosts, James and Sandra Buckley

"I will glorify my Name"

On Sunday evening, as the second hand moved closer and closer to 12, I found eagerness turning into disappointment. I could hear "In Christ Alone" being played in the conference room as I waited to greet people by the front door of the Brandon House Hotel in New Ross. I had to face the realization that, though we had a decent turnout, not a single person I prayed would be there had shown up. The individuals in my mind that I had laughed and talked with multiple times throughout the week, some that told me they would be there, the individuals I had interesting conversations with on the street, not one of them had come.

It was at this moment that I realized that God certainly knows better how to glorify His Name than I do. That is an obvious statement, but sometimes we forget it; we think that He's not interested in doing so. Yet, within the Trinity, this has been priority #1 for God from eternity. I, on the other hand, rarely throughout the day seek first the glory of the Lord. God has revealed to me recently how much I do indeed struggle with this. Even as I write this, I confess that I want you, the reader, to think me intelligent, insightful, courageous and caring. Even in wanting people to come Sunday night, there lies the ulterior motive that I look good if they come, better if they get saved and join the church. To be fair, this was not the primary reason I wanted them to be there, but it does show that God is infinitely better at seeking His glory than I.

Peter must have thought Jesus didn't have the Father's glory in mind when He explained to the disciples that he would suffer many things. But, then, nothing could have been further from the truth. Of course, Peter and the other disciples didn't see the full glory of Jesus until after they'd already thought he'd be

en defeated.

When I talked with James and others after the meeting, it helped me view the event in a more encouraging light, though I know great things happened that I may not see until I am with the Lord. There were 154 chairs set up and my estimate is that just over half of them had bums in them. The eighty or so people that were there attended the largest gathering at which the true gospel was preached in County Wexford in probably hundreds of years. (I pray that statement does not come off as arrogant, I will soon devote an entire blog post to defining the true gospel.) I know of at least two men who were greatly inspired by the meeting and expressed that they want to be part of what the Lord is doing at Grace Church. Both men call themselves believers, but hearing Miles preach the gospel had a great effect on them last night.

One of the men has a wife and two children. I touched base with a man from Ethiopia named Abraham who told me there are six or eight African Christians meeting on Sunday mornings. I got his e-mail and am hoping to start a partnership with these men. There may be differences in our theology and styles, but I believe, especially in this town, that true believers need to be unified. Most everyone I talked with afterwards called the meeting "a great success". Indeed it was, as the gospel was preached and hearts were moved. The Lord glorified His Name and I was reminded that He always will.