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New Space for One Ancient Hope

Mon, 3 Nov 2008 14:49:22 -0600

Good afternoon world! In case you were wondering…YES, I am still alive and in Iowa City. The transition from part time St. Louis guy / part-time Iowa City guy, to full time Iowa City guy has been a crazy ride. It feels like I just got thrown into the deep end of the pool and told – swim!" Whew.

We have now outgrown all of our available living rooms…and space in Iowa City is not easy to find. But we were "UBER-blessed" with some very inexpensive space at the Preucil School of Music (see photo). Even though it is not in the center of the city as we hope to be, it is certainly connected to the "main vein" of culture in Iowa City – which is awesome.

Yesterday was our first time in the new space. We had our biggest group ever: 24 adults + 13 kids = 37 people. It was fantastic and scary! We had great music and a good time of teaching, plus lots of time to chat and connect with each other. The space is large, and we have access to a kitchen, and a playground. Plus, the acoustics are excellent!

We are still working our way through the Book of Acts and seeking to use find out what it means to plant a church that seeks to transform the culture of its city by creating a new city within the city while keeping Jesus as the center.

Tomorrow we are having another community building event, a "Picking POTUS Party" at a local restaurant. It should certainly be a LIVELY evening. To say that many in Iowa City believe they will be electing their savior tomorrow (on both sides) would be an understatement. – see Col 1:25-20. In a few weeks we will be distributing 20 Christmas wreaths to local families whose houses were worked on over the past several months doing flood relief in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids.

One Ancient Hope has now taken over the day-to-day management of flood relief in Eastern Iowa and will be continuing with rebuilding efforts all winter. There are hundreds of homes in the rebuilding stage, and we hope to continue relationships that we have begun with many of the homeowners that we have already assisted. This month, FIVE families that we have been assisting moved back home! Cedar Rapids has now wiped away nearly every obstacle to volunteer assistance and we can now do electrical and even plumbing work as long as we have licensed volunteers. I am in the process of getting out all of the THANK YOUs to the many teams who have come, even while recruiting new ones (trying to coordinate disaster relief and church planting has exposed some holes in my administrative abilities!). We are still looking for a Disaster Recovery Director – a one-year position for which we have received funding from an outside source.

Our family is still settling in to living with Tess' parents in Cedar Rapids (about 25 miles form Iowa City). We are so thankful for a place to stay while we continue to wait for our house to sell in St. Louis. But, we do have great renters in our house…which relieves some of the burden. I am commuting to Iowa City every day, and continuing to make connections in the community.

This weekend Tess and I will be heading to Naperville Presbyterian Church where we will be meeting with many members of the church about solidifying a long-term relationship of support with a church that has been out to Iowa City twice already to work on behalf of Jesus. Their pastor, Chris Hodge, has a heart for church planting and understands how difficult a "scratch plant" can be.

Praises
The LORD continues to grow One Ancient Hope. What a blessing. We now have a great space with plenty of room to grow – and one that we can afford.

For all of the disaster relief teams that have traveled from across the country to live out the gospel n the homes of people that they do not know so that they might believe the gospel and find a seat at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

For my wonderful family - without whom all of this would be impossible and not half as fun!

For my ministry partner, Josh Vahle, and his wife Julie, without whom this would be far harder and lonelier. They are awesome!

For a network of friends, family, and pastors that I have been leaning on a lot lately as I try to figure out how to do this whole church planting thing...and for their prayers and financial support.

Prayer
For a fruitful and refreshing time in Naperville with the people of NPC.

I had a meeting today with the director of Shelter House homeless shelter about how One Ancient Hope can serve them. We are considering a tutoring ministry for the children of the homeless in Iowa City and have two individuals very excited to lead that ministry.

For continued and much need progress in our fundraising efforts.

For time to do all of the paperwork that apparently is created by planting a church. I really thought I left that all behind when I left the business world…boy was I mistaken.

For a house to sell in St. Louis, and a home to buy in Iowa City. While it is not insurmountable, it does make progress with the church plant more difficult when we do not live in Iowa City.

For more time for me to spend with my family and with the Word. Everyday is a day in the "Tyranny of the Urgent".

For more opportunities to serve the city of Iowa City.

Welcoming St. Louis to Cedar Rapids...again.

Thu, 2 Oct 2008 16:34:27 -0500

This weekend, a team from my old stomping ground, St. Louis, has made their way to Eastern Iowa. A group of 15 men and women of all ages arrived from Covenant Presbyterian church to live out the gospel in front of a hurting community.

Friday they will be gutting 3 houses in the “Rompot” neighborhood of Cedar Rapids. We met Thursday morning with one of the homeowners, Betty, who is struggling with Parkinson’s and has a son on dialysis. Her home needs to have the flooring removed to the sub-floor, and to be sprayed for mold. I met Betty earlier in the week sitting outside her home on the front stoop, waiting...

Waiting for someone to drive by an offer her help, literally - and it arrived. The team will also be working on two other properties in the neighborhood that need various levels of tear-out done. Walking in these houses is so crushing. Most of these homes are ones that most of us would never live in. But they are home. Memories were created in them. One of the houses we assessed this week had garbage piled 6 feet high on the curb outside and it went on for 25 feet. Everything that you can imagine...the house had been completely gutted. And lying on the floor inside the house, just under the window, were a pile of old black & white family photos from the 40’s and 50’s...untouched by the flood. Everyone in the pictures was happy, and smiling. But that was so long ago...

On Saturday, the team will be in Iowa City working at Lynn’s house. Lynn has a child with CP, and she is in the rebuilding stage. They will be the third PCA team to help Lynn rebuild. There is siding to put up, sub-flooring to put down, and primer to put on. Seeing her son Eli, who is confined to a wheelchair, and knowing that we are working against the clock (October 31) is a real motivator.

But the true motivation for all of the work that the team from Covenant will be doing is the gospel of the risen King - Jesus Christ…the gospel that Jesus talked about in Luke 4 when he taught in the synagogue. The gospel, lived out not in acts of religious ceremony, but in the acts of justice and mercy as the prophet Isaiah called God’s people to chose:

Isaiah 58:5-8 5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? 6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

I have come to believe more and more that if people SEE the gospel lived out in front of them...they are more open to receiving the gospel as explained to them...that there is hope, and mercy...and that it is offered to all who would be willing to say, “I need it.”

Prayer Update for October 1

Thu, 2 Oct 2008 16:19:14 -0500

Good afternoon everyone! We are in Iowa City for good!!!

First of all let me say thank you. Thank you for all your support during my time at Grace PCA in St. Charles as I completed my church planting apprenticeship. What a blessing it was to know that so many of you were praying for Tess and our family during the prelude to planting a church in Iowa City.

On Saturday, Grace held its second annual Fall Festival. This year we had three great bluegrass/folk bands, fantastic food, and…wait for it…beautiful weather! There were lots of visitors, and many stayed for quite a while – connecting with people from Grace.

Sunday was a sad day. I preached my farewell sermon twice, and after receiving a wonderful pastoral prayer from our Senior Pastor, Dan Perrin, and enjoying a tear-filled reception, we headed home to pack the rest van and car full and head out of STL for the last time. We made it to Iowa City by 6:30pm…just in time for the One Ancient Hope bible study.

It was a roller-coaster week, for our entire family. I miss my Grace family, and am constantly reminded of the formative role that my brothers and sisters there played in preparing me for the work the work that is now before me in Iowa City.

Update on the house in STL - it did not sell. The couple made us two insanely low-ball offers, which we rejected. God has blessed us with renters for our home, and we are not paying rent to Tess’ parents in Cedar Rapids – so we are not desperate, and do not need to dump our home. It actually will allow us to get some of our debts paid down.

Iowa City update
Disaster relief continues. This week (Thursday) a team for Covenant PCA in STL will arrive and work through the weekend in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. On the 17th, Mission to North America, will end their management of the relief efforts, and the One Ancient Hope project (partnering with Hope Evangelical Church in North Liberty) will assume long-term management responsibility. We are planning for at least another 12 months of work, and are transitioning to reconstruction this month.

Our bible study is now meeting weekly on Sunday nights. We are still working through a study on Acts and the Missional Church. On Sunday we had 15 adults and 4 children (all mine…the children, that is). We had an extended time of sharing, and I was thrilled to see the openness with which the group proceeded, including a woman who was visiting.

If everything works out, I will receive my first paycheck, from One Ancient Hope this week. It is hard to imaging the amount of paperwork involved in getting a church plant off the ground. I am thankful for MNA, Ted Powers, and several in the church plant for helping me work through all of particulars.

Praises
For a wonderful church family at Grace and a very successful Fall Festival.

For a smooth transition to Iowa City.

For renters for our home in St. Louis.

For my wonderful family – they are a joy, and the greatest blessing in my life.

Prayer
For our home to sell in STL.

For opportunities to connect with people in Iowa City and increased opportunities to minister to the city.

For Tess as she reintegrates me into our family after 3 months of ‘part-time’ presence.

For the students who are in the middle of mid-terms.

For the transition to long-term disaster response management.

For our continued need for support for OAH – both in prayer and financial.
to support the One Ancient Hope project you can download a support from from the website: www.oneancienthope.com or contact:

Mission To North America
1700 North Brown Road, Suite 101
Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8143
c/o One Ancient Hope / Iowa City

The Long goodbye...to a new friend.

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 18:26:43 -0500

This morning, I had breakfast with a dear friend who lives in St. Louis. We had not seen each other for almost 3 months, mainly because of the amount of time I have been spending in Iowa City working on the church plant and on coordinating flood relief.

I sat waiting, looking out the window of Third Watch for my friend. Then I saw his car, and as soon as he came through the door of the restaurant we smiled and then grabbed each other in a long embrace. We talked for an hour, catching-up, and dancing around the topic neither of us wanted to address...at the end of the month I will be gone and our opportunities to see each other will be limited. This was the beginning of ‘good-bye’ to a friend who has eaten in our home, joined us for Christmas dinner, and who I love dearly.

I met “Joe” just over a year ago. He was coming out of a McDonalds and was looking for a phone - I offered him mine and we struck up a conversation. Joe was homeless, new to St. Louis, estranged from his family, saddened by the murder of his brother, and the deep, deep, hole he viewed himself to be in. Joe spent much of 2006 and 2007 homeless in Boston. Joe had come to St Louis to start over - it didn’t work as he had planned. He had no money, no car, and no friends. He was working as a temporary laborer for a local company, but had just lost his ride to work. Within a couple weeks Joe was in the hospital for severe depression. When I talked to several of my pastor friends about the spiral that Joe’s life had become despite my best efforts to assist many said...its okay to try, but these things usually work out bad...whatever you do, don’t get emotionally involved.

I though about that advice the night Joe went to the hospital. I though about it for about an hour.

Is that the gospel...don’t get emotionally involved in the lives of the hurting? Don’t get emotionally involved in the lives of the needy? of those prone to cyclical misery? of those who frequently wander from the path because their life experiences? of those who make bad decisions because because those decisions look relatively good?

When I was done thinking about it, I got in my car to visit Joe in the hospital.

Over the coming months Joe and I became good friends. Our church helped Joe with a couple weeks rent at an extended stay hotel. With his job he was soon able to take over paying his room charges by himself. A number of men in our church took turns taking him to and from work for several months while he saved up money for a car - and, just before winter last year he found a car. After paying for the vehicle, the family later returned his money to help him get back on his feet. Last Christmas ,Joe bought his two children Christmas presents for the first time in many years. Over the winter and spring Joe got a vacation and visited his children in Boston, and even had them come to visit in St. Louis. We had them all over for dinner one night and the kids had a blast together.

Joe has been at his job for over a year. He has gotten a couple of raises, and now has another part time job. He pays his child support and car insurance on time every month. He is eating healthy and has a steady roof over his head. And, he is about the friendliest, most thankful person that I have ever met - despite the fact that his life is “crap” from a worldly perspective.

Joe is still struggling with family issues, and finding his place in the body of Christ - but he calls Christ “King” now, and understands that suffering will be with us until the Lord returns. He also knows that Christ created community in order to assist the church - to bring people along side him who will laugh with him when he laughs, cry when he cries... and teach him how to buy airline tickets on 14 day advance notice instead of at the ticket window.

Joe didn’t just need money, he needed a friend. Someone who would love him ,and be willing to teach him the things that you don’t learn when you live a cash only existence on the streets of Boston. Joe needed someone to speak into his life the truth that he was valuable, even though everyone in his life had told him otherwise - and that his value didn’t come from others but came from a God who created him in His image. A God who wanted to call him “son”, and bring Joe into a new family. A God who desires to call Joe a “royal priest, and a holy nation”. A God who so loved him that His only so Son, so that Joe might have eternal life.

Joe calls me his “brother from another mother” - I am honored. But in reality, I am Joe’s “brother from another Father”. What a wonderful Savior we serve. I love Joe deeply, and will miss him. And I thank God that he brought me to St. Louis so that I could become friends with a man who was looking for a phone.

This is the gospel! Love that keeps coming at you no matter how much you resist. No matter how unlikely you are. Now matter how little you have to offer.

Iowa City has a large homeless population...I am looking forward to meeting new friends.

Well, here we are...

Tue, 2 Sep 2008 13:35:44 -0500

As always, additional updates can be found on the website www.oneancienthope.com or at the Facebook group "One Ancient Hope"

Good afternoon everyone - a couple of housekeeping issues. First, if you are receiving this as a forward, would you please e-mail me directly so I can add your name to the distribution list. I try to send out all my e-mails as a "bcc" – so no one will be able to glean your address.
Secondly, if you would like to be deleted from the distribution list, please let me know and I will remove you ASAP.

Four years ago, to the day, Tess and I took our four children to St. Louis so I could attend seminary. We never thought we would be back in Iowa planting a church. When we moved to St. Louis, God remarkably sold our house for cash to some friends within just a few hours of deciding to attend seminary. Now, we are living with Tess' parents in Cedar Rapids while we wait for someone to buy our home in St. Louis. When we began planning on church planting, our ministry focus had no place for flood relief – now, teams are coming to Iowa each week from around the country. At times I fall into the "how is this ever going to work" pity party – but I am quickly reminded that we serve a faithful God who cares for us more than we can possibly imagine. This is the truth I have been taught over the last few weeks...life is for learning how to trust and follow Jesus.

Iowa City update
As of Sunday, our family is now living in Cedar Rapids (about 20 miles for Iowa City), while we wait for our house to sell. Libby and Phoebe have their first soccer practices tonight in Iowa City. We are getting settled, and will be working hard to build connections in Iowa City.

Last night we had over 20 people show up for a "Meet the Langers" dinner reception at the home of one of our attenders - see above. There was a great mix of folks from all ages and backgrounds – students, professors, and business professionals. All of them have been involved with One Ancient Hope stuff in some form or another for the last couple months.

The Bible study averages about 15 folks and we are continuing to work through the book of Acts with a study that I wrote last year. . The plan is to begin weekly studies the first week of October.

Disaster response teams continue to come, and are still needed, to Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. What a blessing this has been! Hope Evangelical church in North Liberty is continuing to house the volunteers, and we are forging a wonderful spirit of cooperation with each other. To date, almost 200 people have been through Iowa City from around the country to support the relief efforts. We have now been given the green light to begin doing limited reconstruction of flood-damaged homes – this is a huge answer to prayer.

A few weeks ago, we "mucked-out" the house of a man who has been the head door man for 20 years at a local exotic dance club. Question: when, in the course of normal events, does that man, invite 10 Christians into his home for two days and then ask, "Why are you doing this?" Unbelievable!

Josh Vahle, the RUF Campus Minister, has been a huge help, and I have been thrilled to see the way that group is growing.

Finally, earlier in August I officially transferred my ordination credentials to the Iowa Presbytery - who would have ever thought...

St. Louis update
Currently, about the only thing on my plate in St. Louis is the Fall Festival on September 27th. Fortunately, we are not trying to invent the wheel this yea and all of the subcommittees are functioning brilliantly. We are having a Men's Retreat this weekend, which I am very excited about, as it should be a great opportunity for lots of new men in the church to connect with each other. The men's bible study, which I was leading, is now being led by one of the other members – which is a great encouragement. I am still commuting between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids until the end of the month when my final obligations to Grace will be complete.

Prayer requests
• For more workers for flood relief - we need them badly
• For continued progress with the city on rebuilding efforts
• For continued healing and mercy for those whose lives have been turned upside down
• For the sale of our home in St. Louis – we cannot afford to buy a home in Iowa City until our house sells. This means no hosting dinners for seekers, no open-house get togethers, and limited connection opportunities until the house sells.
• For our children as they struggle to say goodbye to good friends in St. Louis
• For continued blessings in meeting new people in Iowa City and opportunities to build relationships with skeptics and seekers.
• For funding for the One Ancient Hope project – we are making headway, but have miles to go before we sleep on the $325,000 budget.

Thanksgiving
• For a home to live in near Iowa City that is ALMOST rent free
• For a wonderful wife and kids who are a church planters dream come true
• For unbelievable connections, and for those who are committing themselves to the One Ancient Hope project.
• For blessings of financial and prayer support.