Day 1--It's about Family

The first day here was very relaxing.  Molong is used to hosting folks from out of the country, including the US, so he understands the need to take some time to adjust.  Life here is much more laid back anyhow, a much needed change.   We spent the day talking, eating, swimming in the ocean, and meeting family.  In his back yard he has a palm tree with fresh coconut.  They simply split it open and drink the coconut water.  Knowing I love coconut, they made a cocunut shake, also, that was simply wonderful!  We sat under the palm tree and ate Lanzones, a fruit that looks like a grape, but the skin isn't eaten, so you squeeze it, peel it, and eat the fruit out of it, which is like a whitish color and mildly sweet.  Quite good.  

     

Cebu is a beautiful place, with mountains and beaches.  We are headed for the mountains in the next day or so.  They are starting an apostolic hub there.  And apostolic  hub is a home, or several homes together where followers of Jesus spend time together, serving, learning about the life of a disciple of Jesus, and going out to make more disciples.  This is all very organic in nature, and looks and operates as a family, not an organizational business like structure.  After all, this is what the family of God is--A FAMILY!  That family is made up of all who follow Jesus.  

     Here, the older teach the younger.  In the Bible, the definition of an elder is an old person.  That's pretty simple, but profound.  In a family, how does it work?  The parents teach the children.  When you make a disciple, you "father" that disciple.  Paul said to the Corinthians, “For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you.”

1 Corinthians 4:15 NLT  Where are the fathers today?  Fathering takes time, money, and life investment.  Too often, we just want to teach someone somthing and go home.  Fathering means self denial and helping others to grow through the painful process of maturing.  I will write more on this later, as I get time, but I think it is a critical aspect of restoration that God is doing in the midst of His people today, especially those who are willing to shed the ways of man made, man-centered traditionalism.  Molong said that in all his years of pasoring,  and even doing house church, he didn't make any disciples, yet that was Jesus big command!  Most, today, can say the same.  If someone asked you how many disciples you were able to make, how many could you point to?  Not how many were in your class or church, or whatever, but true disciples of Jesus, who will grow up into maturity and make more disciples of Him.  When you read Paul's letters from the perspective of spiritual family, they make sense in ways they never did before.  Jesus gathered twelve men and lived with them taught them for three years, then LEFT THEM, and SENT THEM out to do likewise.  I'm not sure why that is so difficult of an example for us to follow and we would rather do things our way.  Even Billy Graham said once in retrospect to all he had done, that he wished he had done like Jesus.  

    In any case, I will write more on this topic, especially on my return as I am able to put my thoughts together in a more orderly fashion.  In the meantime, I am recuping from jet lag.  It hit me hard last night around seven or eight o'clock.  We still hadn't eaten, so I had to hold out, but by nine o'clock, I was done.  So, I went to bed, and woke up at 2:30 AM ready to go!  So, I imagine another day or so to get on schedule, but it gave me a chance to write this and to check in with a few folks back home. 

      Thanks for taking time to read this.  My trip is not just a vacation, and not a traditional missions trip, but a time to build family ties with those members of the Family of God, God's Kingdom, and to learn from and encourage one another.  The rest is in the Lord's hands.  I hear the roosters crowing, so the sun will soon be up.  Ready to start day 2.  

     Remember, this is a blog, so you are free to post responses and discussions at the bottom if you so desire.

  May the Lord's peace and joy be yours today!