Christian cooperation, an oxymoron?

The ultimate oxymoron?

When I share with someone that I am Protestant, their follow up question is often, "Do you ever have contact with people from other Protestant churches?"

Now you have to understand that I live in a city of 1/4 million people where there are only 5 Evangelical churches (yep, 1 church per 50,000 people). So we Evangelicals know each other well and have a city-wide Evangelical ministerium.

I share, therefore, "Yes, the pastors get together every other month to share news and pray." You can almost hear the unspoken, "Whew! or Wow! I thought all Protestants were fractious, sectarian isolationists!"

Paris' Sunday Night Gathering is a demonstration that "Christian cooperation" is not necessarily an oxymoron. A Baptist church (300 people), a Grace Brethren house group (15 people), and a full-time InterVarsity worker (1 person), are co-laboring together.

Our concerted efforts flow from a common heart and vision for the thousands of young church-less Parisians, who leave the city for the weekend and return late Sunday afternoon, to encounter Christ.

Students in Paris

Pastor Appéré of the rue de Sèvre Baptist church on Paris' rive gauche

Paul Appéré described the first Sunday Night Gathering (Jan. 21st) like this:

"Well, it has been a few years now that some of us have sought a Sunday night gathering. With the arrival of Dennis Martin and Edward Nelson, this project has finally materialized.

The first Sunday Night Gathering took place tonight, the fruit of long, careful preparation. And what we lived went beyond all that we could have dared hope for. More than 70 people were present, of which half were visitors…"

The Sunday Night Gathering is a missional attempt to honor Jesus who prayed to His Father that "they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.… I in them and you in me. Then they'll be mature in this oneness, and give the godless world evidence that you've sent me and loved them…."

Working on my team's teamwork: ET Family Conference

How is my team’s teamwork working? Ummm, less tautologically, how well are the members of my team working together? Er, one of my priorities for 2006-07 is working on teamwork principles.*

So teamwork was the theme of the GBIM Europe Team’s triennial Family Conference in Portimao, Portugal (December 28-January 2, 2007).

GBIM Europe Team - January 07
Why are we all smiling? Southern European sun!

Sharon and Dr. John
Nice STEELERS hat John!

I felt like Dr. John F. Smith was richly anointed by the Spirit of God as he led us to consider the non-negotiables of spiritual unity, brokenness, forgiveness and five qualities essential to teamwork: trust, encouragement, acceptance, missional harmony and submissiveness.

After each session we discussed concrete application of a spiritual principle for teamwork

Then we gathered back together to pool our thinking on teamwork applications

Fred - Charis Associate in Madrid
Rather than viewing musical worship as preparation for the Word, we concluded with praises to God as response and culmination

Fred, Phill (my son) and David helped guide us before the throne

Love that travel guitar David!

AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES

Could one ever cease to be awed?

God's handiwork
(A big thanks to Daniel Swain for this beautiful photo contribution!)

Man is capable of some amazing achievements as well

Two would-be pirates from Dublin

A paparazzi caught these mysterious men in a super secret meeting ;-)

We green-sensitive members of the ET visited "A Rocha," a Christian ecological community

Sue's shepherding cafe

Crafts and basket weaving

"I could really get used to this!"

EVENING ENJOYMENT

The older MKs led us in an all-evening murder mystery.
I think it was a conspiracy; the Regional Director's son (sunglasses) was the culprit!

Henry the Grif navigated us through an artistic evening…

… along with Queen Jessica (alias Catherine of Portugal)

The younger MKs worked together to prepare songs based on the 10 commandments

Dennis and the impromptu Gospel Choir

Helen, typically quite reserved, set her violin's strings on fire!

Claire "Cosby" goes to the dentist!!!

"Larry Boy" - the Return!

Alfredo (Charis Associate - Lisbon) as the insistent cafe customer

This event was cool that even Elvis decided to make a special guest appearance!

Midnight on the beach - New Year's Eve 2006

FOOD, FAMILY AND FRIENDS

"Kids? What kids?!"

A mega-MERCI! to the child care team from Martinsburg, PA GBC for their untiring, enthusiastic ministry to our children…

… and to the Strapellos. THANK YOU!

Kudos, appreciation and heartfelt love were extended to Marlin and Sue Weaver for faithfully serving their Lord for over two decades in France…

… and to Larry and Vicki DeArmey for over three decades of service in Europe.
Bravo to both of these dear couples!

John, our conference speaker, mentioned to me a number of times, "You have an awesome team!" I wholeheartedly agree and am honored to lead these missional men and women here in spiritually needy Europe.

All throughout the Europe Team Family Conference there was an ambiance of unity; I sensed team cohesion. Each and every person was challenged by the Word and Spirit of God toward spiritual unity, personal brokenness and forgiveness. We discussed together how to better promote trust, encouragement, submission, acceptance and missional harmony. I truly believe that succulent fruit will be forthcoming as a result of this conference that was graced by the presence of our missionary God.

So on behalf of the GBIM Europe Team, I would like to thank those of you who prayed for and made special gifts toward this time of resourcing. And I thank our loving God for this time of refreshment!
* For more thoughts on teamwork see June 21, 06 entry “The Trinity and Teamwork.”