What Does An Area Director Do?

This is a question many ask us which does not have one 'pat answer'.  We could list what our written job description states we do, but this would give but a glimpse into our day to day lives.  Over these next few posts we would like to share one aspect of our job description that is probably the most important aspect of our position - pastoral care.

Many of you who pastor a church know the importance of being available to your congregation.  Those under our care need to know we are accessible to them and to their families.  We presently have close to 170 (this includes missionaries, missionary associates, and their families) working alongside us in Southern Europe.  As a congregation this number may not be hard to care for as a pastor, but spread those 170 across 5 countries and 3 time zones and it becomes a bit more challenging.  Missionaries and their families need to know we are available when they are in crisis whether that be a ministry, physical or emotional need or to also visit and see the ministries they are involved that we may be a sounding board, give encouragement or counsel when needed.  Distance can be challenging in this regard especially while we are presently itinerating in the United States to raise our funds to return to the field.

Imagine being the pastor of a church and having to live an ocean away for one year while your church body needs you.  We are grateful to serve in an age which lends to us the tools of video calls which helps us to have face to face times of meeting and prayer with our colleagues as well.  Thankfully we have very capable missionaries in place on each of our fields who work closely with us to bridge the gap during our absence.  This also puts an added burden on those in these positions as they have full time ministry themselves, but regardless, they willingly to put the needs of others first.  We are indebted to them and thankful to work alongside a body of missionaries that are  kingdom minded.

We would ask you to pray for us that God would through his Spirit allow us to continue to minister to our missionary body as Paul writes in Romans 2:4 "..with a demonstration of the Spirit's power.."
What we do as we serve our missionary family as pastors cannot be done on our own strength nor guided by our own thoughts or emotion, it must be done with the Spirit's power.

Thank you for your prayers on our behalf as well as for our missionaries and their families in Southern Europe!

Blast From The Past

Although this video is five years old, it helps to give a little bit of perspective as to how we serve our missionary family as area directors.  Over these next few weeks our posts will be dealing with 'what we do' as well as to share some of the ministries that are going on in Southern Europe and how you can be involved.  Click below to watch:


What Is An Area Director?

Better Together

 Songwriter Jack Johnson wrote these lyrics to Better Together,

Love is the answer
At least for most of the questions in my heart ,
Like why are we here? And where do we go?
And how come it's so hard?
It's not always easy,
And sometimes life can be deceiving,
I'll tell you one thing, its always better when we're together

Yes, it is Valentine's Day, but these words apply to all of us as we 'do life'. It is always better when we're  together  We thank God for the missionary team in Southern Europe that we  'do life with'.  All of us strive to serve and seek God together so we can best share the love of Christ with a world that is asking the very same questions written above ~ why are we here? ~ where do we go? ~ how come it is so hard?

Our Europe Purpose Statement is :  

As missionaries to Europe, we accelerate the spread of the gospel, model biblical integrity, minister in the Spirit, and partner with those of like vision to see the church of Jesus Christ built.

It is our hope that as we work together hand in hand with our missionary body across Europe that the love of Christ will shine through our lives.  It is our prayer that as we love & serve one another, even through our differences, the cultures we live in will desire a relationship with Christ just by watching  us be better together. 

Freedom

As we are watching today's historic events unfold in Egypt where thousands upon thousands are in the streets the main word we hear is 'freedom'.  The joy on people's faces as they hug one another, tears streaming, smiles, chants.  Freedom - just the word brings a sense of calm. We pray today that calm will rest over those who have fought so diligently in this area of the world and that freedom will continue to reign.
Before watching today's news I was reading Romans 6:18 "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."  There is no greater freedom we can have than this and when we have it the calm we feel and live on a daily basis cannot be taken from us no matter what circumstances we live in.  
We would ask you to pray with us today for our missionaries in Southern Europe as they share Christ's freedom with those around them.

Time Our Enemy?

Psalm 119:164 "Seven times a day do I praise you." 

 How often do we look at time as our enemy?  We seem to be always rushing to beat the clock; to try and accomplish at times more than is physically possible.  Leighton Ford writes in regards to Psalm 119:164:

"In those long ago days time was measured by positions of heavenly bodies, not by mechanical devices.  The young poet marked the segments of his days by the seven times he stopped to lift praise to the Creator...so the hours became reminders to pay attention to God."

Do I measure my days in light of His presence - his calling me to himself?  Do I prioritize my hours in light of what the Holy Spirit is asking me to do or according to what myself or others insist is urgent?

May each hour, each minute of every day become 'reminders' to praise and be lead by our heavenly Father. 

Home Again

We began our itineration in September 2010 and settled into our new home in Bowie, Maryland where we have been blessed to be a part of Cornerstone
Assembly with Pastor Mark Lehman.  Thanks to each of you who have allowed us time during your Sunday services or taken part of your busy day to
share a cup of coffee with us so we could share our hearts and happenings in Southern Europe.