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)

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 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!

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.

My First Week

Daily Schedule this past week

Though it has felt like longer, I have now been here one week. It hasn't seemed like longer because time is dragging or because I am missing the U.S., but because so much has happened. I am starting to settle into a routine, though certain parts of that routine may change next week and after. Right now, there are four people living in the Buckley house (James and Sandra Buckley, Miles and Patrick--I will say something about each of them later) and I live in the house next door. The five of us meet for breakfast everyday at 8am, then we talk, sing, share scriptures and pray. James and Sandra then tend to their myopractic (it's like muscle physical therapy), Patrick and I then usually pick up Tom, who lives down the road and head to a cafe for a cup of tea or coffee, followed by getting the word out about Grace Church and the special meeting at a nice hotel on Sunday night. Miles is sometimes around on the streets and cafes and sometimes studying/preparing for sermons. After a couple hours of trying to get the word out, we return home and I read and/or go for a run. Then we have dinner, usually about 6:00. We may sit awhile after. Monday and Tuesday, they turned on the "tele" and I got online and did some work (blogging and photos). Wednesday, we had people over for Bible study, which Miles led. Then Miles and I went and saw some traditional Irish music in Wexford. Thursday night, James joined Miles and I as we went to hear some traditional Irish music at a pub in New Ross. These men play every Thursday night for free and they are phenomenal. One older gentleman that wasn't with the band sang a couple old Irish songs acapella. This night was one of the highlights from a pure fun standpoint. Those of you who visit will have to come on Thursday night to hear this.

Street Evangelism

If I have any reason to talk to a person, it is usually not too difficult for our conversation to naturally flow towards the church. As soon as I talk, no one mistakes me for anything but an American, so they usually ask where I'm from and I tell them. I usually ask where they're from and we have ourselves a normal conversation. At some point, they ask whether I'm in Ireland on holiday. I say, yes, I am here for three months and helping with Grace Church. I can then show them the information about the church or about the Sunday night meeting. And I usually ask them if they believe in Jesus. At this point, the conversation could turn several directions. They may simply say yes, at which point I ask them what they believe about him, and these have been the most encouraging conversations. They may say no or they may say they're not interested or they may say they have their own church and walk off. They may say they're not sure. Whatever the response I let them know they're welcome at Grace Church and wish them a good day. Lately, I have been asking people how I can pray for them. Today, I met a woman who had moved from Boston to Ireland nine years ago and was very open. We talked probably 30 minutes about different things. She asked me to pray for her as she had been feeling depressed lately. She was willing to let me place my hand on her and pray for her right there on the sidewalk. She gave me her phone number (I am using a pay-as-you-go cell phone that James gave me) and I am planning to meet her and her husband (and possibly her sister-in-law) for dinner sometime.

Building Relationships

Everywhere I go, I am trying to build relationships for the glory of God. I want to know and love people, and I also want them to know the Lord. If I can earn they right to be heard, then they will hear the gospel. Most days, I have gone to O'Brien's pub for tea. There, I've built a friendship with a woman named Laura, who said she wants to come to the church and bring her five-year-old son. On a street corner in New Ross, you will hear the accordion playing of a Romanian immigrant named Petravich. He speaks limited English, but motions to me that he prays to Yesu. He says he brother speaks English and can drive him to church. Whether he is there Sunday or not, I will continue to say hi to him whenever I can. Next week, Miles has recommended I take a break, maybe take a train to Dublin to hang out with his wife and her family, or try to see another part of the island. The big event Sunday night will be over and after this, I'm not sure how the routine will change. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give me guidance on the best use of my time to reach people.

Meeting with Tom

Tom and I went to O'Brien's pub last night and studied the first chapter of John's gospel. He is a brand new believer with a lot of enthusiasm, but he has never had any Biblical teaching, so he has a lot of questions. John 1 gets into some heavy concepts like the Trinity. Also, for him to understand the setting, he needed some explanation of the Old Testament. So we ended up talking for an hour and a half, and then we hung out for another hour and a half or so. It went really well as he could not be more hungry to understand God's Word. Right before we left, an Elvis impersonator took the stage and did his Elvis songs and dances. Kind of odd that I've lived in Tennessee and never saw an Elvis impersonator until I came to Ireland!

Area/Weather

I have gone for a run about every other day, and I am going to stretch and run right after this. They measure the temperature in celsius, so I don't know for sure, but it seems like it's in the upper 50's (fahrenheit) most days. Running in the afternoon with a long sleeve shirt and shorts is perfect. I am in the part of Ireland known as the "sunny Southeast". I'm finding out that means that the sun comes out everyday, but I don't think there's been a day yet when it hasn't rained. This is why it is so green, and I can tell it's getting greener by the day. Right now, I look outside and see the sun shining bright, but it could be raining in an hour and vice versa. The weather changes fast. I ran by several fields full of sheep and it is a magical thing to see the lambs playing. The Buckleys live just outside of town, so there is plenty of country roads on which to get lost. So I'm off to do just that.

I will write more when I have more time. God has been so faithful and I have been encouraged by the work God is doing here.

First Photos

This is where I stay.

This is where I go.

This is what I eat.

So I'm doing ok here in Ireland. For real, I do love it here, but not primarily because of these material things. I love the people I'm with (photos of them to come) and that helps. But most of all, I love doing the work of the Lord. It hasn't been all fun and games. I have walked around in New Ross and Wexford and tried to build relationships with people, especially young people, in pubs and shops and playing music on the street. Please pray for the Spirit's guidance as I pursue friendships with Laura, the bartender at O'Brien's pub, Petravich the Romanian immigrant street accordion player and the gaelic football player who practices down the road (I didn't catch his name). Sometimes there is no opportunity to build a relationship, so I tell these people about our church and ask them what they think about Jesus. I'm not really used to being this bold, but God has given me strength. Most people don't respond too enthusiastically. Still, I pray, and I would ask you to pray, that these people think about their need for a Savior and read the material Grace Church has published. Also, Tom (previously mentioned) is really hungry for the Word of God, so pray for our meetings as we go through the gospel of John. God is building and will continue to build His Church! Thank you all!

First Things

I'm here in New Ross! This is going to be kind of a choppy, raw and random post as I'm distracted and rushed. I promise to write a proper post soon and to post some picture as well.
The travel went smooth. I couldn't sleep other than dozing off for 15 minutes or so a few times. I did a good bit of reading and listened to a couple sermons on my iPod. The Swedish man next to me was friendly and interesting to talk with, but had his headphones on and his eyes closed most of the flight (to Amsterdam). The flight to Dublin was short and I had a very good conversation with an Irish man probably in his early thirties. He is living in NYC and returning to Ireland for his brother's wedding. He stated he had a friend from school who owned a pub in Wexford. He wrote down the man's name and the name of the pub (The Thirst Monk). He was very friendly and helpful.
I took a bus from the Dublin airport to south Dublin, where I met Gillian (Miles' wife) and her sister, Georgina. They took me to my first Irish pub, and a good one at that, a place called Johnny Fox's, the highest elevated pub in Ireland, and it had been there since 1798. There I had my first Guinness, which is, as they say, smoother and less bitter than the Guinness in America.
I went back a slept a little and their parents' house. Then Miles came in singing and dancing (he and James, the man putting me up had been up in Northern Ireland preaching) to wake me up to get ready to watch the Ireland vs Scotland rugby match and eat dinner. Ireland played awful and lost 20-17 which caused a lot of angry yelling. Then I rode with Miles and James down to New Ross. There is a lot of green rolling hills. It was dark, but to be honest, it didn't look too different from the countryside of middle Tennessee, just imagine a pub on every corner instead of a church.
James and his wife Sandra are delightful people. They have a sixty-nine year old gentleman named Patrick staying with them as well. So the five of us (Miles the other) had a time of prayer and praise last night before I retired. I am actually staying in a large house next to theirs with a man named Keith, who I have not met yet. I have a key and I sleep and shower in there, but that's been it. Keith has the upstairs, and I a room downstairs. There are probably six bedrooms or so. This morning, we had church at the community center of New Ross. On the way there, Patrick and I picked up a young man named Tom. He is 32, and a brand new believer. He is originally from England, though he has been in Ireland now nine years. I connected with Tom immediately and he has a desire to learn more about the Bible. It wouldn't have been any more obvious if he had said, "I want you to meet with and disciple me." Tom said he drinks a beer or two at times, so I asked if he'd want to meet in a pub somewhere in New Ross where young people go and discuss the gospel of John and of course he did. This is such an answer to prayer! I was never scared of coming over here, but I did think I would feel some loneliness in finding someone near my age to connect with. I know some of you prayed for this and God has answered right away!
After church, the five of us that are currently living at or near the house, plus Tom (who they call Young Tom) ate a delicious lunch (they call dinner) and drank wine. It was at this point that Miles and James really starting cutting up. They're both very witty and creative, they make rhyming poems and songs up on the spot and they were doing this and trying to get me to join in. Well, I'm not so creative, but I came up with this..."There once were two young Irishmen, one from the north (Miles) and one from the south (James), they made up their poems and songs and danced, but never once did they shut their big mouth." They cheered and laughed at this, so I felt Irish. I've finally decided to go by Matthew since Matt is so plain and American. So they call me "young Matthew" or Miles usually addresses me as "Matthew my boy."
I slept this afternoon and then went for a short run, the first time in my new running shoes. It is good area for running and I plan on going again tomorrow morning. Since the time I started writing, I had a Skype conversation with Nathan and Joanna Michael in France, looking to visit them hopefully in late April. They are saying they'll come here in early May. As I type this, I am drinking wine and sitting around with Miles and James. The TV is on, and they are watching some and talking. I am typing and talking. I am going in to New Ross tomorrow with Patrick and Tom to try and meet some people, invite them to church or to the hotel where Miles is speaking next Sunday night, and/or tell them about Jesus. I should get to bed soon, so this is it for now. If you've read all this, thank you! I appreciate your prayers! As I said, expect photos and a more cohesive blog soon.

Last Things

This weekend was my last weekend in Nashville until this summer, and things won't be the same when I do return to Nashville. Friday night, my friends threw me a going away party, which was a blast, and I said goodbye to several friends. I will likely see most of them again, but our friendships will probably never be the same. At the same time, some friends from Illinois came down to see me off, so I was reminded of (and thankful for) the permanence of some friendships. I am down to two days left at work. I can't say I'll miss the job too much, but there are several people I will miss. I had my last visit with Cory Edison, last visit while he is behind bars that is. He will be released Apr 27th and we are planning to meet when I return. Still, the consistency will never be the same.
Please don't think that I'm in a sad state; this is merely a recognition that things will never be the same, but change is never a bag thing when God is leading it. With each day, there is an increased excitement about going to Ireland. Now only four days away! So please pray that I would be hopeful for what God has ahead of me, not lamenting what is behind. Also, pray that I would find encouraging community and find it quickly in Ireland, even if it is only with one individual. I appreciate anyone who reads this and is praying. My next blog will likely be from the Emerald Isle!

Preparing for a Different Culture

A couple weeks ago, I was invited to have Irish tea at the home of a young woman from my church who has done ministry in Ireland with World Harvest. She also invited two friends who have served in Ireland, one with World Harvest and the other with Mission to the World (MTW). The four of us watched a short video on church planting in Ireland, and then they graciously answered my questions for about two hours. It was important for me to connect with local Christians who have a heart for Ireland and it was also huge in preparing me for what to expect culturally.
They described the Irish art of "slagging" (not to be confused with "snogging" from the Harry Potter books). Basically, slagging is extreme teasing which sometimes comes off as downright mean. One of the young women there told me she felt at first that none of the Irish young people liked her because they were so critical, but she later learned they were just giving her a hard time. She was told that if they didn't like her, they wouldn't talk to her. Because they liked her, they slagged her. They especially like to practice this on Americans, so I had better not be too sensitive to anything pertaining to myself. Apparently, they also respect those who can "slag back." So, I am left considering whether being a quick-witted smartass for the Lord can fall under the category of being all things to all people.
That night, I heard a story about a friend of theirs who is a pastor at an Evangelical church in Wexford (in the same county as New Ross). His church distributed 5,000 copies of a magazine about Christianity. The cover story was on a famous Irish surfer who has become a Christian. Each copy had information regarding who to contact regarding follow-up questions. The pastor received one call from someone who was really excited about Christianity. One response out of 5,000, and he rejoiced! This is the kind of trust in God that I need to have, a persistent faith that keeps me active in spreading the gospel even when "results" are scarce. Miles has told me before that he could not to ministry in Ireland if he did not believe God was sovereign over salvation. I was recently encouraged by a sermon by John Piper on John 10:16. The basic point was that God has sheep all over the world and they WILL come. This promise should not lead to inaction, but inspire confidence.
Another thing we talked about are the many Irish believers in this region who are so weary from the difficulties of ministry and the opposition they face. This thought has caused me to realize another part of my purpose at Grace Church, which is to be a shot of life to this congregation. Pray that my passion will be apparent and contagious.
All of this may have sounded dreadful to me if not for the fact that all three of these individuals want to return to Ireland to do ministry someday and, in fact, never wanted to leave in the first place. It is a different culture and sometimes a difficult one, but one which they all love. Pray that God would increase my heart for the Irish people.

Truth in Irish Hymns

This was going to be combined with the previous post, but I was too wordy and I don't want anyone to be discouraged by reading due to the length of a certain post. However, I would be remiss should I not mention on this blog the other collection of hymns I have been listening to lately, those of Keith and Kristyn Getty. The husband and wife duo are Irish, and most famous for writing "In Christ Alone", which has become a standard for modern hymns. It's not the only powerful song they've written however. Their newest CD has appropriately become a sort of soundtrack for my preparation to serve in Ireland. I was fortunate to see them last summer at Forrest Hills Baptist Church in Nashville, and they were phenomenal. I love rich hymns and I love Irish music, so since this combines both, it just makes sense. Here's some examples:

I turn to wisdom not my own, For every battle You have known. My confidence will rest in You; Your love endures; Your ways are good. Your love endures; Your ways are good. When I am weary with the cost, I see the triumph of the cross; So in its shadow I shall run, 'til You complete the work begun, 'til You complete the work begun. One day all things will be made new; I’ll see the hope You called me to, And in Your kingdom, paved with gold, I’ll praise Your faithfulness of old; I’ll praise Your faithfulness of old.

From "When Trials Come"

By faith the church was called to go, in the power of the Spirit to the lost, To deliver captives and to preach good news in every corner of the earth. We will stand as children of the promise; We will fix our eyes on Him our soul's reward, 'til the race is finished and the work is done; We'll walk by faith and not by sight. By faith this mountain shall be moved, And the power of the gospel shall prevail; For we know in Christ all things are possible for all who call upon His name.

From "By Faith".
Both of these hymns have been very personal for me as I prepare to go to a very lost place. I know that God is with me and He will make His name great. I hope you will enjoy these songs and allow them to enrich your worship.