OMS Conference / Meetings & Ann's Birthday

We’ve been quiet with regard to the blog the last few weeks.   We recently returned to our idillic cabin in the woods after meetings at our mission headquarters.  I feel that I owe some sort of synopsis.  But before that, some updates:

• We continue to be on-track for leaving the States on August 6.  This was a bit later than we wanted but at the same time, it is largely a function of full planes this time of year.  
• We have sent our passports to the Mozambique Embassy to obtain the requisite visas we need to enter the country.  
• Our International Driver’s licenses just came in the mail with a three-year expiration date instead of the one-year you get with Triple A.  This links to our driver’s license expiration date, which makes more sense.
• We have been diligently packing up the few belongings we have in preparation of leaving the cabin.
• Ann is looking forward to attending the Women of the Harvest conference with her dear friend Jeannie in Denver.
• We are both looking forward to the ‘short’ airplane ride to Denver and Idaho to visit friends and family before departing.  It is all happening too fast!

Today is Ann’s birthday and yesterday was our anniversary - I’m not saying how many years, but it passes quickly.  Ann’s brother drove over yesterday to be with her on her birthday and was rather amazed at our place.  He wasn’t so sure about our five mile gravel driveway as he has had back surgery recently and is unable to turn his head to back up and wondered what he’d do if he met someone on the road!  But we didn’t.  We enjoyed talking and he had brought an article about Rob Bell’s recent book and wondered what we thought about it.  Ann’s brother is very well read and always interesting to talk to about most any subject.  

The meetings at OMS.  Well, not a lot to say actually.  The business part was a continuation, more or less, of the last couple of year’s meetings as the organization struggles with how to best function with a number of sending countries (Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, US, South Africa, Columbia, Philippines, South Korea) being empowered and independent yet all linked to an International organization.  (By sending countries, I am referring to countries that are currently sending missionaries under the OMS banner or OMS-related churches - OMS uses a slightly different definition that deals with the number of missionaries being send out)  Adding to the challenges are the self-sufficient OMS started churches that are now wanting their “place at the table” so-to-speak and wanting to send missionaries across the globe, either as their own missionaries or as a part of OMS.  Exciting problems and challenges to have, but also not easily addressed in such a strongly cross-cultural environment.  And then, in any given field, you may have missionaries from a number of dramatically different cultures serving in an even different culture; and additionally each sending country has different money accountability requirements, life-style expectations, medical expectations, and even worship expectations.  It gets very interesting and we must be full of grace, humility, acceptance, and  peace to deal with the very fluid dynamics - almost chaos theory!  So, we voted on some things, worked as a group on some recommendations for the board, and will see what comes of it all.   It is my prayer that God will move in wisdom in the hearts of leadership and the various board members as they lead OMS into the future in these uncertain times (but then again, aren’t all times really ‘uncertain times’?)  We truly need His presence in our lives, as individuals, as missionaries, as a mission organization, and as a nation truly.  We need to pray more and seek His face more.

When we weren’t in the business meetings, we received training on working cross-culturally.  The training was based on a great book I’ve written about previously and the training was done very well.  They call the teaching style “adult interactive learning” or some such nomenclature.  I’m not a big fan of the style as it takes a veeeeerrrrrryyyyyyyy loooooonnnnngggggg time to deliver a wee bit of information, but it is the current teaching rage I understand.  (Yup, just give me dat der slate and piece of chalk and a one-room school-house with a school-marm, now that’s teaching the way it was meant to be!  I’m sure that’s in the Bible somewhere....;-))  The interactive adult learning may be effective statistically, because it is certainly easy to remember a wee bit of information that is given over days and days in a various numbers of ways, but efficient? - don’t think so. The bruises on my head from banging it on the table are nearly healed..... However, I have to admit that we have used the technique with success in Mozambique, where group learning is highly valued, group dynamics are important and oral learning is key.  But for me as the Western student, I’d rather read the book, look at the chart, write a paper, take a written test, talk about how we apply the material in a practical way.  Do I sound like a visual learner to you?   Is that why I write too many words on the blog?  Is my cultural bias showing?  How about your own cultural bias?  This cross cultural stuff is hard, isn’t it?!

After the meetings, we moved into a several day conference which included more training on what is commonly called the doctrine of ‘holiness’.  I’d like to use a different term perhaps, because the word seems to invoke in people a whole host of preconceptions or misconceptions (more cross-cultural bias!) but we enjoyed the study and were privileged  to sit under the well-known and respected Asbury Seminary professor, Dr. John Oswalt.  He gave us much to ponder as we weave our way through the deep truths of the Bible.  While the gospel message itself is really quite simple, the Bible can also be as deep as the intellect desires to search and Dr. Oswalt’s teaching was deep, thought-provoking, and I thought quite strong.  I see such similarity in this doctrine with other teachings we've sat under; it just seems people use different terms and different experiences to try and explain an infinite and loving God's presence in our wee-little lives.  It is a journey, walking in the presence of Jesus, in the good times, in the bad times, but always with the peace that only He can bring.

The highlight for both of us was a session with Beth Coppedge, who is the daughter of Dennis Kinlaw, is the founder of Titus Women, and is a renowned and gifted speaker with a sweet spirit.  She took the teaching of Dr. Oswald and put a practical and real face to what he was teaching.  Ann has met her in times past and was overjoyed to get reacquainted with her.

We also enjoyed a time of fellowship with former missionaries to Mozambique and a couple serving in Africa with the Every Community for Christ church planting program.  We shared what was happening in Mozambique (although our information is becoming somewhat dated!), and enjoyed hearing about what is happening in other countries in Africa.  

Some fun statistics put together by fellow OMS missionary Valetta Crumley, that I thought I’d share with you: 

By our Lord’s grace many of the OMS goals for 2010 were exceeded and the OMS goals for 2011 are amazing.  We believe the Lord wants to do great things.  Please join us as we encourage many to pray more, give more and do more.  The harvest is truly ready.

Pray for:

            403,000 to make a decision to follow Jesus in 2011

            130,000 to be enrolled in follow-up programs

            125,000 to be baptized

              21,000 worshipping groups to be established

              12,000 new churches to be established

               27,000 LEADERS IN TRAINING

          1,750,000 attending services

You may ask, how can such a small missionary staff (OMS) propose such amazing goals? It is because the Lord called OMS to disciple and train multiplying disciple-makers.  Today OMS joins with 13,736 cross-culture co-workers in 53 nations.  Every day 275 people are baptized.  Last year 4,116 new churches were established.

Well put Valetta. Teaching National’s to evangelize their own countries - 2 Timothy 2:2

God Bless.  God with us - Immanuel.

Dave & Ann

Jesus-style greatness:  “...  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”  Mark 10:43-45