Cedar Church Life

2010 Haiti Mission Trip

2010-01-23T20:02:00.009-05:00

Hope for the Depressed

2010-01-21T14:27:00.000-05:00

The following article was written by Ed Welsh from Restoring Christ to Counseling & Counseling to the Church

Never has so much been crammed into one word. Depression feels terrifying—your world is dark, heavy, painful. Some days you think that physical pain might be easier to endure; at least the pain would be localized. Instead, depression goes to your very soul, corrupting everything in its path. Dead but walking is one way to describe it. You feel numb, but you still remember when you actually felt something. Somehow that makes it harder to bear.

So many things about your life are difficult right now. Things you used to take for granted—a good night’s sleep, having goals, looking forward to the future—now seem beyond your reach. Your relationships are also affected. The people who love you are looking for some emotional response from you, but you feel empty. Sometimes you are cranky and doubt their love, and then relationships are even more strained.

You aren’t alone, of course. Depression affects as much as 25% of the population. But statistics offer little comfort. In fact, a depressive spin on them can make you feel worse: You wonder why so many people are depressed, and you’re afraid that means there is no solution to the problem. Yet there is another perspective. God tells us that he cares about one wandering sheep in a hundred (Matthew 18:10–14) and counts the hairs on individual heads. If he has this much compassion for a solitary, lost individual, he certainly cares for you and such a large group of suffering people. You may not understand how he cares for you, but you can be certain that he is.

SUFFERING MAKES US AWARE OF GOD

You are suffering, and suffering brings God into view. That’s the way it always happens. The soldier who escapes from a treacherous battle will instinctively thank God. The stock broker who just lost a fortune might instinctively curse him. When hardships come we either cry out to God for help, shake our fist at him, or do both. There is actually a picture of this in the Bible: throughout history God has taken his people out into the wilderness, and you are certainly in the wilderness.

The journey in the wilderness is intended, in part, to reveal what is in our hearts, and to teach us to trust God in both good times and hard times. Why does he do this? To show us those things that are most important. Don’t forget that God takes his children into the wilderness. He even led his only Son into the wilderness. We shouldn’t be surprised if he takes us there as well.

While you are in the wilderness what are you seeing in your own heart? How are you relating to God? Do you avoid him? Ignore him? Get angry at him? Do you act as though he is very far away and too busy with everything else to attend to your suffering? Are you frustrated that God is powerful enough to end your suffering but he hasn’t? In your depression, let God reveal your heart. You might find spiritual issues that contribute to or even cause your depression.

WHICH PATH WILL YOU CHOOSE?

You are on one of two roads: faith or isolated independence. On the road of faith you are seeking and following God. You are calling out to him. You don’t understand what is happening, but you have not lost sight of how the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ assure you that he is good. You feel like you are walking in the dark, but in your best moments you are putting one foot in front of the other as an expression of your trust in God. Whether you know it or not you are being heroic. On this path, although you are suffering, you are still able to notice and marvel that God’s Spirit is empowering you to trust him through darkness and pain.

The other path is the more common one, even among Christians. Even if you believe that God has revealed himself to you in Jesus Christ, it doesn’t seem to make much difference. You don’t feel as though you are consciously avoiding God. You are just trying to survive. But if you look closely you will notice that you are pushing God away. Look at the tell-tale signs:

You have no hope, even though Scripture, God’s words to you, offers hope on almost every page. Here’s just one example, “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:21–23).

You think life is meaningless, even though you are a servant of the King and every small step of obedience resonates throughout eternity. This is God’s purpose for you today, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Galatians 5:6).

You think God doesn’t care, even though Scripture makes it clear that we run from God, not vice versa. Listen to what God says to you, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6–7).

In the News

2010-01-20T15:19:00.000-05:00

Hudsonville Rev. Stephen Igo says Haitian earthquake aftermath 'made my soul tremble'

By John Agar | The Grand Rapids Press

January 19, 2010, 8:21PM

Rex Larsen | The Grand Rapids PressHudsonville pastor Stephen Igo was in Haiti at the time of the earthquake.
HUDSONVILLE -- In the hours after the earthquake in Haiti, Pastor Stephen Igo wasn't prepared for the loss and the profound grief of survivors he and others encountered on their way to the devastated capital, Port-Au-Prince.

Outside a collapsed school were the bodies of 15 girls. Some were found seated at desks, pens still in their hands. Igo saw families that were destroyed and heard the wailing of parents.

In silence, he walked to the girls' bodies. He raised his hand and said a prayer.

"It made my soul tremble," he said Tuesday.
Courtesy Photo | Stephen IgoA female high school student is rescued from a collapsed four-story school building in Port-au-Prince Haiti. She was one of ten saved. Forty to fifty were reported at the time to have been killed. The Rev. Stephen Igo from Hudsonville helped in the rescue efforts.
Igo, pastor at Cedar Presbyterian Church, returned home on Sunday. He said he will never forget the "profound sorrow" of so many, but he won't forget the spirit, either, of the Haitian people, who struggled with daily life even before the Jan. 12 earthquake.

Just moments after he blessed the victims of the four-story school collapse, his group, which brought power tools, shovels and a jackhammer, helped Haitians -- who had dug overnight with their hands -- rescue 10 girls trapped in the rubble.

In an e-mail, he wrote: "The Haitian men rallied. All morning, we listened for voices, drilled holes, sent workers down into the belly of death and the grave, and lifted young girls to the light of God's new day for their lives. In mercy and grace, God gave these exhausted, dust-covered girls a second chance."

Igo, and his 16-year-old son, Jon, were staying with friends outside of Port-Au-Prince. His son and others left the night before the earthquake. Igo recalled he was swimming in a pool, when he felt dizzy and the water started sloshing. He soon got a message from a friend in the capital that a massive earthquake had hit.

"They thought the world was coming to an end," he said.

Early the next morning, Igo and others went to Port-Au-Prince. In the immediate aftermath, faith-based and nonprofit groups act as first responders, but after professionals showed up from other countries in the following days, Igo said he and others were no longer considered essential.

But the decision to leave was not easy, he said. No one wanted to abandon the Haitians.

Igo and others were flown out by NASCAR's Hendricks Motorsports and greeted by a crowd at a Florida airport. He needed a ride to Fort Lauderdale, two hours away. A woman approached and said her husband would take him.

"It's just the power of the community of faith," Igo said.

Igo said he was stunned that so many want to help Haiti. People want to help with the immediate response, but long-range support of organizations that know the community create "micro-ministries" that will prove crucial, he said.

Rebuilding New Orleans after the hurricane pales to the task ahead in Haiti, Igo said.

"(New Orleans is) an American city," he said. "I can only estimate that in Port-Au-Prince, it'll be a five-, seven-, 10-year rebuilding project. After a period of time, people lose that passion, zeal."

He said he is also concerned because the Haitian government is "historically fiscally unreliable."

Igo said he couldn't help but feel humbled by his experience.

"I realize the frailty of human life," he said. "We all know it, but sometimes Americans and Christian people, in a way, need to be reminded."

Pastor Steve in Haiti

2010-01-16T11:24:00.011-05:00

16 January 2010

Steve Igo & the Hopps are flying on Geoff Jordan and Jimmy Johnson's jet from the Bahamas to Ft. Pierce, Florida. Thank you for all of your prayers! Everything went very smoothly! Port Au Prince seemed like it was under control. There were no signs of unrest. Thank you God for His mercies and grace. Keep praying for the country of Haiti!

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16 January 2010

Steve Igo is departing for the airport early this morning with hopes of catching (1) a Missionary Flight International DC-3 back to US soil or (2) as a backup plan, a military transport. You won't hear from us for most of the day. Please pray for safety and God's will to be done!

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15 January 2010 - 8:30PM

Steve Igo is still stuck in Haiti with dear missionary friends, the Hopps. Many people working and praying to get us out, but still at a stand still. Please know, we are VERY VERY safe 15 miles north of Port au Prince. We have water, food, electricity, enough gasoline to drive to the airport when we get the "phone call". We ...are just hot, tired, and a little on edge. God bless you dear friends!

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How Things are Going for Us in Haiti Today - 15 January 2010 - 10:47AM

We thank you again for your continued notes of encouragement and support as well as your prayers. We know God's people are praying for us. We are all fine here at the Hopp home in Kaliko, 15 miles north of Port au Prince. We continue to have power from the Kaliko resort each night. They are beginning to ration but we are grateful to have power as it allows us to stay in close communication. We have plenty of food and water. The problem currently is the lack of fuel. Ben and I traveled out to Cabaret yesterday to try and find diesel for the truck. The gas stations were empty.

At the present time we are still making plans to get out of Haiti. We have several options including flying out on a US National Guard aircraft (today perhaps) or possibly flying out with Missionary Flights International tomorrow. Pray that we would soon have concrete plans so we can make our way down to the Port-au-Prince airport. This is a difficult decision and it will be difficult to leave people behind. But we know it is important that we not become a liability ourselves. Ben would like to return as soon as practical.

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15 January 2010 - 9AM
Some of you have been asking about how best to contribute to the relief effort. Always remember that Haiti is one of the top 10 most corrupt nations in the world. The Haitian government will find ways to skim money and much will go to waste. That being said, the US and Canadian governments are working through the military to get the first round of aid here. Our recommendation would be to hold off giving until a good assessment can be made of the situation. The Orthodox Presbyterian Church Relief Fund is one option (www.opc.org). Ben Hopp will disburse it after he returns to Haiti and can determine how we can best steward those funds. But we leave this matter to your own conscience.

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Packing Our Bags - 14 January 2010 - 5:07PM

Packed his bags last night with his missionary friends, the Hopps. We are safely and quietly waiting on our compound (15 miles north of Port au Prince) to see which flight opportunity will materialize. Several dear friends are trying to help us get out as quickly and safely as possible. Please pray, and we will keep you posted as events unfold.

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Steve is hoping to evacuate Haiti with our missionaries soon. We believe our work is now done, and the climate will grow unstable before it gets better. Pray that we secure a timely flight out of Haiti in the next 24 hours. My regularly scheduled flight is not until next Tuesday, a bit late for our liking.

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Watching God “Roll the Stone Away” in Haiti - 13 January 2010 - 10:46PM

The Bible tells us that God raises the dead! Do you believe that? I do! On the third day, he raised Jesus from the grave so sins could be forgiven. And one day, he will raise all those who are in Christ to their eternal home in heaven. But today, I watched the Lord “roll the stone away” for ten high school girls at a high school called Ecole Normale de Delmas in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. And with “Easter-like” emotion I can say to you, “They are alive!”

God began his rescue mission by stranding our missionary friend, Chris, in Port-au-Prince on the day of the earthquake. He was so overwhelmed, especially when he came upon a four story school building that had completely collapsed. Cries called to him from the building. Feeling so alone, he did all he could to free them with his bare hands. It worked. Slowly, students were extracted from the ruins. As darkness settled upon the scene, it soon came time for Chris to leave for home. But he could still hear voices within the ruins as he began his 15 mile hike and hitch-hike up to our missionary compound. And he was haunted by those voices.

When he knocked on our door that night, our dust covered friend looked exhausted. He asked missionary Ben Hopp and me to join him at 6:30 AM the next morning on a mission to free more students. The next morning, we joined a two truck caravan of 15 rescue workers, a combination of missionaries and Haitian nationals. Racing the clock down the newly paved Haitian highway, we arrived to a scene of utter exhaustion. Fifty Haitian men had labored all night to free as many students as they could, but they had reached the limit that bare hands could accomplish. By God’s mercy, we surged upon the building with a generator, power tools, shovels, sledge hammers and fresh bodies. The Haitian men rallied. All morning, we listened for voices, drilled holes, sent workers down into the belly of death and the grave, and lifted young girls to the light of God’s new day for their lives. In mercy and grace, God gave these exhausted, dust-covered girls a second chance. Praise His good name! How will God use them in days to come, I can only wonder. But how will we who witnessed these ‘resurrections’ allow God to use us?

These ten female students escaped with minor injuries, or none at all. But sadly, we also lifted a dozen bodies whom God in his wisdom has seen fit to send ahead to the next world. Several of them were still sitting in their desks with pen and notebook in hand. How sudden God can take any of us home. Are you ready to meet God today? Christ will prepare you if you turn from self and embrace him by faith.

The death toll is mounting in Port-au-Prince. Personally, I think it will hover at about ten thousand. But I cannot speak for other cities. I fear that tomorrow will permit us to rescue few - if any - from the rubble. The building infrastructure is woefully unsafe in Haiti. When buildings collapse, they “really” collapse – cement is low grade and metal reinforcement scandalously thin. I don’t expect many stories of 3 and 4 day rubble survivors like we sometimes hear of in the US. I hope I am wrong.

Please pray for missionary Ben Hopp and me as we travel to Port-au-Prince in the morning to work with a fellow missionary’s medical team on site near the international airport. I expect we will do much listening, praying, and scripture reading with the many casualties suffering in great pain from injuries and awaiting appropriate medical attention. Pray that we can comfort them with the resurrection hope that Christ offers to all who trust in Him.

I have included several photographs of the rescue efforts at the school. Any victims you see in the photos are “survivors”, Praise God! We have been careful to honor the fallen by not posting photos of the deceased.

Grateful for your prayers,

Pastor Steve Igo
Cedar Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Hudsonville, MI USA

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Need Your Prayers for Disaster Relief in Haiti - 12 January 2010 - 11:53PM

Dear Friends,

I am sad to say that the reports from Port-au-Prince get worse by the hour. On the positive side, all of our missionary friends and area pastors are reporting that they are unharmed - so far! Praise the Lord! But the stories they send by email about injury, death and destruction is almost overwhelming. One missionary couple watched their 3 story school building in Port-au-Prince collapse to the ground. Praise God it occurred at 4:53 PM when all the children were gone. Another missionary couple has many injured and dead lying in their front yard, while they try to get some sleep on the bottom floor of their home with neighbors and a visiting mission teams tonight. A mission team of American doctors and nurses who “happened” to be in Haiti this week are busy working with the sick and injured. I am 15 miles north of this devastation with missionaries Ben and Heather Hopp, and I can only imagine how sleepless and distressing the night in Port-au-Prince will be. We were on pins and needles, especially when after-shocks began to intensify between 8 and 9 PM in the evening. Were people shouting and panicking in Port-au-Prince when the earth rumbled yet again?

Some missionaries are stopping by our compound tomorrow morning at 6 AM to pick up missionary Ben Hopp and me to join their team of disaster relief workers. One of them was in Port-au-Prince during the earthquake, helped as many as he could during the daylight hours, and then made his way back north to our community in the dark. He was soot and dust covered when he knocked on Ben and Heather’s door for a ride home. Since UN workers are limited and government services are in disarray, it really appears that the first stage of relief will only come from civilian and faith-based workers. So God willing, here we come!

Please pray for the many civilians, church workers and people of faith who will clearly have their work cut out for them during the daylight hours tomorrow. In God’s providence, our church sent me with a team of disaster relief workers to New Orleans 5 years ago - 3 weeks after Hurricane Katrina. The church has also sent me on many disaster relief trips since then to Bay St. Louis, MS. That experience has taught me that God works powerfully among his people during times of disaster. No doubt, tomorrow we will dig people out of the debris and help transport people to places of help. But in the midst of the overwhelming physical work, the most important thing we will do for the people of Haiti is profoundly spiritual. We will pray with them. We will listen to their stories. We will weep when they weep, and rejoice when they rejoice. And we will urge every one we meet to lift up their eyes to the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. Jesus Christ will be present with us tomorrow, and we fully expect him to make himself known among the people we serve in His name.

Thanking you in advance for your prayers,

Pastor Steve Igo
Cedar Presbyterian Church (OPC)
Hudsonville, MI USA

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We Are Safe in Haiti - 12 January 2010 - 7:23pm

A few hours ago, Port au Prince suffered a 7.3 earthquake which collapsed a hospital and several buildings. We are still waiting on reports, but the cell phone network is completely down in Haiti. So we can only watch the news on the internet like you can.

When the earthquake hit, I was with missionary Ben Hopp 20 miles north of Port au Prince at his home. We were out swimming with his kids when the earthquake hit for about 20 seconds. At first, I thought I was just dizzy from playing games with the Hopp kids, but then as we stood in the water and saw everything shaking, we stumbled out of the pool and stood together until it was over. Two aftershocks hit a few moments later, but now we are just feeling slight vibrations. Other than being scared a bit, we are OK. My 16 year old son, Jonathan, is already back in the United States with the rest of our team, so he is OK. I will be here for one more week working with churches and teaching pastors on the Haitian Island of LaGonave.

Please pray for the people of Port au Prince. We expect to hear more news over the next day, but it may not be good. The buildings are very poorly constructed in Haiti, and they rarely get earthquakes, so it could be significant. Our fellow missionaries up in the Central Plateau reported shaking for 2 or 3 minutes, and the rural villages are in an uproar. Their huts & small homes can easily collapse, since many of them are slightly constructed. We will have to wait and see.

May the God of hope fill us with joy and peace as we trust in him, so that we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Grand Rapids Press

2010-01-14T21:28:00.000-05:00

Hudsonville pastor Steve Igo's e-mail details rescue, heartache in Haiti

By John Agar | The Grand Rapids Press

January 14, 2010, 7:24PM

Rev. Steve IgoHUDSONVILLE -- Hudsonville pastor Steve Igo likely thought his trip to visit missionary friends in Haiti would be more lighthearted.

But hours after this week's devastating earthquake, Igo was working with his bare hands alongside other exhausted rescuers at the site of a collapsed four-story school in Port-au-Prince.

"By God's mercy, we surged upon the building with a generator, power tools, shovels, sledge hammers and fresh bodies," Igo wrote in an e-mail to a fellow pastor, who forwarded it to members of Igo's Hudsonville's Cedar Presbyterian Church.

"The Haitian men rallied. All morning, we listened for voices, drilled holes, sent workers down into the belly of death and the grave, and lifted young girls to the light of God's new day for their lives. In mercy and grace, God gave these exhausted, dust-covered girls a second chance."

Igo and his son, Jon, 16, went to the island as part of the Haitian American Friendship Foundation, led by Eric Hausler, the pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Grand Rapids. Hausler brought his boys, Joey, 16, and Daniel, 15. All but Steve Igo left Haiti on Monday. He decided to stay another week.

Now it's unclear when Igo will return.

"It turned from a mission trip into a relief effort," said Donna Hausler, Eric Hausler's wife.

Igo wrote of the rescuer's joy in rescuing 10 girls from the school's rubble, but it was tempered by the deaths of 12 others. Some were found sitting at their desks, with pens and notepads still in their hands.

"How sudden God can take any of us home," Igo wrote.

As the death toll mounted in the crumbling capital city, Igo had a dim view of the number of survivors that will be found in coming days.

"I fear that (Thursday) will permit us to rescue few -- if any -- from the rubble. The building infrastructure is woefully unsafe in Haiti. When buildings collapse, they 'really' collapse. Cement is low-grade, and metal reinforcement scandalously thin.

HOW TO HELP

• Helping Haiti: West Michigan charities providing earthquake relief

• Photos from Haiti

• Complete coverage

"I don't expect many stories of 3- and 4-day rubble survivors like we sometimes hear of in the U.S. I hope I am wrong."

In the first hours after the earthquake, Igo -- staying 20 miles north of Port-au-Prince -- could not imagine the destruction under way in the cramped city.

He felt the ground shake, but didn't think it was a harbinger of disaster. "Other than being scared a bit, we are OK," he wrote in an early e-mail to his Hudsonville church.

But Igo, staying with missionaries Ben and Heather Hopp and their children, soon began receiving e-mailed reports of death, injury and destruction that were overwhelming.

"I am sad to say that the reports from Port-au-Prince get worse by the hour," he said.

It's not Igo's first rescue experience. He traveled to New Orleans to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Happy Reformation Day!

2009-10-31T07:07:00.000-04:00

Four Tenors Sing Inside the Roman Coliseum

2009-10-23T08:29:00.001-04:00

Special Offer: October 21-22

2009-10-20T12:12:00.012-04:00

With the upcoming celebration of Reformation Day, Ligonier Ministries is making several special offers avaialable for a gift of any amount for the next week. For today, through the twenty-second, they are making available the hard cover book, Living for God's Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism by Joel Beeke.

In this work, "Dr. Joel R. Beeke aims to 'cover the intellectual and spiritual emphases of Calvinism, the way it influences the church and everyday living, and its ethical and cultural implications' in his latest book, Living for God’s Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism. In this comprehensive survey of Reformed Christianity, Dr. Beeke and eight fellow contributors offer twenty-eight chapters that trace the history of Calvinism; explore its key doctrinal tenets, such as the so-called five points of Calvinism and the solas of the Protestant Reformation; reveal how Calvinists have sought to live in devotion to God; and survey Calvinism’s influence in the church and in the world at large. In the end, the book asserts that the overriding goal of Calvinism is the glory of God. Saturated with Scripture citations and sprinkled with quotations from wise giants of church history, this book presents Calvinism in a winsome and wondrous fashion."

You may purchase this book here, by giving a gift of any amount to this wonderful ministry.

An Evening of Eschatology

2009-10-07T13:11:00.002-04:00

OPC Church Planter Swims the Sea of Galilee

2009-10-05T13:19:00.000-04:00

Friends,

My son Billy and I flew out of Key West via Atlanta to Tel Aviv on August 31st as planned. All went well with out travels. In fact, we landed about an hour earlier than expected. We got our rental car and drove to Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee. My good friends John and Judy Pex were there at the Beit Bracha Guesthouse to greet us at our arrival at about 9:00PM. We were pretty tired because it was now Tuesday, September 1. There is a 7 hour time difference Israel and Florid a. We managed to sleep pretty well that night. The next afternoon we went to find a boat that would escort me the distance of the Sea of Galilee. We checked a few options and settled with a fisherman named Amnon.

The plan was to meet him at 5:30AM at the dock and ride in his boat to the northern shore of the lake. We were there on time but both Billy and I had not one wink of sleep the night before. I don't attribute my sleepless to jitters as much as to jet lag. Certainly Billy wasn't nervous about my swim. I listened to him toss and turn the full night. I just tried to lay still and get some rest, hoping for the sleep that never came. At 5:00AM John knocked on our door and we were on our way 15 minutes later. I knew what I need for the challenge from all my swims around Key West. I had two sport bottles and several litres of water and my Hammer Perpetuum in a plastic bag with the scoop. I had plenty of gel shots and some Cliff bars in snack baggies. I had all I need in a sport bag. I didn't feel tired and trusted that will power and adrenaline in addition to all the prayers of God's people would carry me through. I explained to John and Judy everything in my bag and what to expect as to my needs and we slowly putted to the start location. As we neared the start the sun was just coming over the eastern mountains. It was a very hazy morning and the Sea was very calm, like glass. We started just to the east of the Jordan River, the river which feeds into the Kinneret (Galilee). Judy lathered me up with my zinc oxid e, for protection from the sun.

In addition to my zinc I only wore a Speedo swim suit and goggles. I got out in about a foot of water on the soft delta sands. I was just after 7:00AM that I took my first stroke. The first of many. The water was sweet. I was used to salt. The water was warm, about 83 degrees and very still, calm, tranquil. I didn't notice being heavier but I did notice after about an hour's time that the area opposite my Achilles tendon, where my leg meet my foot was becoming very sore. I am sure it was because I had to kick more than in the salt. I kept taking inventory wondering if my lack of sleep was going to play a part. I figured I better just settle into the task at hand. I stopped to drink my Perpetuum on an average of once an hour. Every other feeding I had a gel pack. I never ate any Cliff bars.

At the start I didn't know how we would work the logistics with the escort boat (the fishing boat), but that worked out fine. Captain Amnon would speed up ahead and I would swim swim to the boat. When I was hungry I would shout out "Drink!" and the boat would wait for me and I would get my sustenance. John mixed my drinks and Billy would hand me my bottles and gel packs. Amnon gave us some string to tie on the bottles in case we lost one with an over toss. I treaded water in taking my food never touching the boat as I drank.

I could see Tiberias on my right and at first I thought I was making very good time but then it never seemed to arrive. Maybe it was an optical illusion but I seemed to be swimming in place. Later Amnon told me that there was a current that ran across the area and that I was swimming against it. He also told me that since it was a full moon, it was even stronger. That is so odd to my thinking as this is a fresh water lake and I had never imagined such a thing. If any one can add some light to this I would love to hear more.

I was amazed to be swimming in this particular body of water. Up north I most likely swam over the area that Jesus came walking to His apostles as they struggled against a storm in the middle of the night. I tried to imagine Him in a boat with his disciples and absorbed looking at the mountains on both sides of me. I was an unreal feeling, beyond my wildest dream. Amnon told us of several individual who swam the width but he sad he had never known anyone to attempt the length.

John decided we needed to get some news coverage on the swim. He called his son, Joshua who just passed his bar exam and works for a law firm that caters to human rights cases. Joshua told his dad that if I had a cause I would fair better. He suggested I swim for civil marriages. Since I have always believed in civility between spouses, I thought that was a good cause. Actually, civil marriage (state recognized marriage for non Jewish religious marriages) in Israel is not of any legal standing. For example two Christians cannot marry in Israel. They must leave the country to legally marry.

We were just passing the center of Tiberias and a speed boat came whizzing out with a camera man and a big camera in it. The boat circled me several times and then stopped to speak to Amnon and the crew in his boat. I paid little attention to all of that and just kept on swimming. Later that night some footage appeared on the channel 10 national news just before 9:00PM. I didn't see it but was told that my name was mentioned and the cause.

I checked my watch periodically. I did so not only to check the time but to keep track of my need to for food. I needed to stay fueled, to feed my muscles.

I initially thought this swim would take 8 hours at top end. Boy was I surprised when 8 hours came and went and I was still swimming. I felt my muscles aching, especially in my lower back on the left side, in the kidney area. At about the 5 hours mark I hit the doldrums. Judy had jumped in and began to swim next to me. That had an exhilarating effect on me. I tried to match her pace. Then I began to push my head and chest below the surface. It made me feel like I was swimming down hill. It seemed to take pressure off my shoulders and lower back. It seemed as though I had gotten a second wind. It was a joy to have passed Tiberias. At about 4:00PM the wind began to pick up.&nb sp; It came out of the west and things got choppy. I wondered how far to the end. The haze never totally went away and judging distance in the water is very hard. I asked my support crew how far unto the finish. I was told about an hour. An hour later I asked the same question. This time they didn't even want to offer a guess. I had to reconcile myself that every stroke I was one closer. I couldn't give up now. My body was aching. I prayed fervently and continued to stroke.

As we approached the Jordan in the south of the Galilee Amnon directed me to the shore. It was very difficult because I swam directly into the wind. I would be happy to see the bottom. I swam until the water was too shallow and my fingers dragged on the bottom. The bottom was somewhat rocky and when I tried to stand I lost my balance. I looked at my watch. I had been swimming for 10 hours, 25 minutes, 34 seconds. I couldn't believe it. John came to help steady me until I got my "land legs" back. Praise God, I had completed the swim!

When I finally got on shore I asked where our captain had gone. John and Judy told me he went to look for cigarettes. When he returned he informed me that I had swum 23 kilometers. By God's grace I had made it. Thanks to all who prayed and to John and Judy and my son Billy for their encouragement during this great day of my life! I am sore but no damage for the wear.

The staff and guests at Beit Bracha gave me a hero's welcome when we returned. They held dinner for us and though I had no appetite I ate anyway knowing that my body need the nourishment. I was light headed, somewhat dizzy and dead tired. I had found the remedy for jet lag. I went to bed at 9:15 and slept until just before 8:00AM. I slept deep.

I am writing this from the home of John and Judy Pex in Eilat. Eilat is located at the southernmost point of Israel. Billy and I left Beit Bracha in Tiberias at Friday noon. We drove up to Capernaum and saw the ruins and then up to Bethsaida. We then drove around the Sea of Galilee, through the Golan Heights and south. From the southern point of the Sea of Galilee we continued south passed Jericho passed the Dead Sea and here to Eilat. John oversees the congregation of Jewish believers in Jesus Christ here in Eilat. I gave one of my easel message on Friday evening and this morning I gave the message in the mor ning Shabbat service. We had a wonderful time of worship with believers from around the world who now lived in Eilat. The service was variously translated in Russian, Spanish, English, Hebrew and Arabic.

In the late afternoon we went swimming in the Gulf of Aqaba (near the Egyptian border). Honestly, it was like swimming in an aquarium. The deep blue crystal clear water, the coral heads and the exotic fish were breathtaking. It was also good to stretch the swimming muscles and try to get rid of some the lactic acid. The swim is over and now it is time for a little vacation. Billy and I hope to be back home, in Key West, Fl. on Wednesday, September 16th. Blessings!!

In the Loving Arms of My Great Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Bill "Ciastko" Welzien

A Conversation, Part VI

2009-08-29T12:41:00.000-04:00

A Conversation, Part V

2009-08-28T12:40:00.000-04:00

A Conversation, Part IV

2009-08-27T12:40:00.000-04:00

A Conversation, Part III

2009-08-26T12:39:00.000-04:00

A Conversation, Part II

2009-08-25T12:38:00.000-04:00

A Conversation, Part I

2009-08-24T08:36:00.000-04:00

What is the Bible Basically About?

2009-08-22T10:43:00.000-04:00

Why We Love Church

2009-08-04T12:37:00.000-04:00

Cedar Church to Host Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University!

2009-08-01T18:03:00.000-04:00

Beginning Wednesday, September 16th, Cedar Church will host Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University every Wednesday from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Childcare & refreshments will be provided. You are invited to attend a free preview @ the teacher's lounge of Hudsonville Christian Elementary School, 3435 Oak Street in Hudsonville, on either:

Sunday, August 16th, 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Sunday, August 30th, 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Wednesday, September 2nd, 7:00 PM - 7:45 PM

For more information, please contact the church office at 616.669.9151 or send us an email by clicking here.

What is Financial Peace University? Financial Peace University (FPU) is a 13-week life-changing program that empowers and teaches you how to make the right money decisions to achieve your financial goals and experience a total money makeover. It meets one night a week for two exciting hours. FPU will be an important step to changing your financial future! It takes the head knowledge from the books and and turns it into real action.

Who is FPU for? It's for everyone! FPU provides Biblically based common sense education and empowerment which gives HOPE to everyone from the financially secure to the financially distressed. It is not just for those who are in debt. Over 300,000 families in over 11,000 churches have attended Financial Peace University classes and found a new freedom in managing the resources that God has provided. On average these families have paid off over $5,300 in debt and saved $2,700 during this 91-day program! Where else can you get that kind of return on a small investment?

How do I get involved? Our church will be having a couple of orientations for those who will take the time to attend. Just because you attend an orientation doesn't mean you've committed to the class. Come and find out what FPU is all about.

What do I get with my FPU Membership? Your lifetime membership comes with a FPU kit for your entire family to FPU, anywhere, anytime. You will receive a workbook, all the lessons on CD, a starter envelope system, a copy of Dave's book Financial Peace, and budgeting tools on CD-ROM.

Neon Reformed Presbyterian Church

2009-05-28T06:18:00.000-04:00

NEON REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

A Congregation of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church

P.O. Box 11, Neon, Kentucky 41840

April 21, 2009

Dear brothers and sisters,

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ from Pastor Belden and the congregation of Neon Reformed Presbyterian Church.

I’m tempted to give up date setting when it comes to predicting when we will be in the new building. I’m afraid I’m starting to lose credibility. But I really think we’re close this time. We decided to hold off on renovating the storefront and replacing the windows until later this year. This means we can move in as soon as the carpet is installed. The carpet could take anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks. The good news is, this has given me more time to work on preparations. I talked to one local newspaper and they would like to do a story on our building, including before and after pictures. I have arranged for an advertisement in another local paper to invite people to an open house. I will also be running outreach articles in both papers during this time. I’m still planning on preaching a series of evangelistic sermons for the first few months. Please pray that God would cause His word to run and be glorified.

Moving into the building means we’re in the market for sound and recording equipment. If anyone out there has expertise in this area and is willing to give us some advice, we would greatly appreciate it.

We continue to receive good feedback from the gospel tract. More local individuals and churches have ordered copies to distribute. I may even have opportunities to present the material in the tract to some of these churches. Please pray that God would open that door and bless these labors.

We recently had an encouraging visit from a family living in Hindman Kentucky, a community within 35 minutes of Neon. Richard and Beth Ann Bowers and their three daughters have been attending our evening worship services. It turns out that Richard grew up in Hindman. His parents worked for a Christian summer camp. While in college he came to the reformed faith. After attending a PCA congregation in Atlanta for about a year, he and his family moved back to the mountains. Richard’s desire is to see reformed theology and practice take root in the community he grew up in. He is very active among the churches in his area promoting male leadership in families and covenant nurture. Richard is also distributing the gospel tract. He is talking to the churches in his area about having me come in and do presentations. We don’t know what God plans to do with all this. Please pray that God would guild Richard and his family. Pray also that God would bless the use of the gospel tract in outreach.

Doug Brink continues to struggle with on-going health issues. He is also dealing with continuing back pain. Please pray for healing and encouragement.

Until very recently, Morgan Madison had been attending morning worship faithfully for about the last six months. He asked for prayer with his addictions to drugs. All this was very encouraging. But he hasn’t been back for a few weeks. Please pray that Morgan would return and that God would open his heart to the gospel and break the bondage of his sin.

Grace Ann celebrated her first birthday on February 7th. This is a milestone for children with her condition. Only 10% of children with Trisomy 13 make it to their first birthday. During her latest visit to UK Medical Center, all her doctors were very pleased with her improvement. Sheryl has commented on how encouraging it is to visit the doctors for checkups. It’s not uncommon for them to say things like, "How’s our little miracle baby doing?" The doctors did not expect Grace to improve this much. For instance, her eye doctor said that if she had not measured Grace’s eyes herself, she wouldn’t have believed it was the same child. This gives Seth and Sheryl opportunities to witness to God’s goodness. The Longs are thankful for all your prayers. Please pray for Grace as she begins the process of switching from baby food to more substantial food. Pray also for the family as they continue to care for her.

May God Bless you and keep you,

Pastor John Belden

2009 Soccer Camp Mission Trip

2009-05-23T09:24:00.000-04:00

The OPC Hispanic Bible Ministry in Chicago, IL would like to invite youth and adults (11th grade and up) from across our presbytery to serve in their first annual Bible Soccer Camp Outreach on June 22-26, 2009 in Cicero, IL. OPC Pastor Chris Sandoval expects about 100 hundred boys and girls in the 4th – 6th grades to participate in the OPC’s first major evangelistic outreach event to Hispanics in the greater Chicago area. Volunteers do not need to speak Spanish or be experienced in soccer. Approximately 20 volunteers will be needed to serve as counselors, chaperones, and support staff with Pastor Chris, Coach Jose Dominguez (Trinity Christian College Soccer Coach) and the Trinity soccer team. Housing, breakfast and lunch will be provided free of charge. Teams from the Presbytery of Michigan and Ontario can arrange transportation with Pastor Steve Igo. Teams will need to provide their own spending money for evening social activities in downtown Chicago.

To register for this camp, please print out and fill out the (a) Volunteer Application and the (b) Medical Release Form and fax or mail them to Pastor Chris Sandoval at the number listed on the forms.

To register for transportation from Grand Rapids, MI to Chicago, contact Pastor Steve by clicking here.

The Shack: A Review

2009-05-22T06:37:00.001-04:00

William Paul Young's theological novel The Shack is a contemporary phenomenon that pastors, elders, and deacons must reckon with. Why? One reason is that—like it or not—so many people (church people and those outside the church) are reading the book.

Here are some of the specifics: The Shack was number one on the New York Times bestseller list, and since its original publication in 2007 (in spite of being self-published by an unknown author through an unknown publisher) it has sold two million copies. At the time this review was written, The Shack had received a total of over two thousand customer reviews on Amazon.com (most books get only half a dozen or fewer customer reviews). Two-thirds of the reviews of The Shack give the book the highest rating (five stars), many of the reviewers testifying "the book changed my life."

It is important to recognize that the positive responses (on and off Amazon) are coming not only from those outside the Christian faith, but also from those who profess to be evangelical Christians. One oft-quoted example is Eugene Peterson, professor emeritus of spiritual theology, Regent College. Here is Peterson's praise (which can be found on the front cover of the book):

When the imagination of a writer and the passion of a theologian cross-fertilize, the result is a novel on the order of The Shack. This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress did for his. It's that good!

But is The Shack that good? And is the teaching of The Shack in line with Bunyan and the Bible? Lane Keister, author of the Green Baggins blog on the Web, doesn't think so. He has this to say:

The Shack is the story of a man ["Mack"] whose [youngest] daughter is brutally murdered. The man ... receive[s] a message from God [four years later] to meet him at the shack, the very place where his daughter was murdered. He then meets God....

The upshot of the plot is that God explains to the main character the why's and the wherefore's, and the man is healed. The theological upshot is that God is good, but not all-powerful....

Contrast Job. Job lost much more than the man in the story.... He had much more to complain about than the man in The Shack. He too wanted God to explain.... But when God finally has His say, He tells Job that He does not have to come to the bar of human reason. Humans have to come to the bar of God.

In [C. S. Lewis's] brilliant essay entitled "God in the Dock," he makes the point that the really important thing for autonomous man is that he is the judge, and that God is in the dock. The man may very well be a kindly judge and acquit God of wrong-doing, if God shows Himself up to the task of defending himself. But the really important thing is that man is the judge, and God is in the dock (on trial). Job shows us that the reverse is true. God is the judge, and man is in the dock.

The author of The Shack is a typical example of "modern man": From Young's perspective, God is in the dock and God (through the author of The Shack) must present "a reasonable case for being the god who permits war, poverty and disease." Young ignores Lewis's rebuke and—with tongue in cheek—titles chapter 7 of The Shack "God on the Dock," making an allusion to Lewis's essay and his own rejection of it (104-114).

Young's approach is far different from that which we see in John Bunyan and in Job in the Bible, as Keister explains:

Bunyan and Young go in fundamentally different directions. Christian's journey is to the bar of judgment as a defendant whom God will acquit based on the spotless righteousness of Christ imputed to him. The man's journey in The Shack is to the bench, where he magnanimously acquits God of wrong-doing, once it becomes evident that God is really powerless to stop it....

... [O]ne of my friends ... . noted the contrast between the way in which God is portrayed in the Bible as opposed to how God is portrayed in The Shack. The God of The Shack is hardly a God with the least little hint of awe and majesty. He is not the God of the whirlwind, which is how God treated Job. He is not the God before whom all bow their faces to the ground.

In chapter 6 of The Shack, Mack meets God, and we as well are introduced to a very different view of the Triune God from that found in Scripture:

The door flew open, and he was looking directly into the face of a large beaming African American woman ... . Just as she turned to enter the cabin, a small distinctly Asian woman emerged from behind her ... . He [Mack] then glanced past her and noticed that a third person had emerged from the cabin, this one a man. He appeared Middle Eastern and was dressed like a laborer, complete with tool belt and gloves (82-84).

All three are "down to earth," humanized to such an extent that any sense of awe seems to be excluded:

Mack tried again to look at the Asian woman ... . From her attire, Mack assumed that she was a groundskeeper or gardener ... . [T]he large woman put her arm around Mack's shoulders, drew him to her, and said, "Okay, we should probably introduce ourselves to you. I am the housekeeper and cook"... . "And I," interrupted the man who looked to be in his thirties and stood a little shorter than Mack himself, "I try to keep things fixed up around here. I enjoy working with my hands, although, as these two will tell you, I take pleasure in cooking and gardening as much as they do" (85-86).

We learn that these three represent the Persons of the Triune God: " 'Then,' Mack struggled to ask, 'which one of you is God?' 'I am,' said all three in unison" (87).

It is difficult to see the portrayal of the Trinity in The Shack as other than a violation of the second commandment (the commandment against creating images of God), even if Young creates his images with words rather than pictures.

We move from Young's treatment of God to his treatment of the Word of God. While the Westminster Shorter Catechism states, "The scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man," Young seems to see the Scriptures as rather unimportant or uninspiring (especially when compared with The Shack?). Here, for example, is how Mack sees his experience of family devotions:

Images of family devotions from his childhood came spilling into [Mack's] mind, not exactly good memories. Often, it was a tedious and boring exercise in coming up with the right answers, or rather, the same old answers to the same old Bible story questions (102).

USA Today notes not only that The Shack "slams 'legalistic' religions, denominations and doctrines, [but also that it] barely even mentions the Bible." That may be one reason why the discussions in The Shack seem often to open the way for theological error.

For example, here's one passage in The Shack which seems to leave the door open to universalism. In chapter 6 we are introduced to God:

"You seem to be especially fond of a lot of people," Mack observed ... . "Are there any who you are not especially fond of?" She [God] lifted her head and rolled her eyes as if she were mentally going through the catalog of every being ever created. "Nope. I haven't been able to find any. Guess that's jes' the way I is." Mack was interested. "Do you ever get mad at any of them?" "Sho' 'nuff! What parent doesn't? There is a lot to be mad about in the mess my kids have made and in the mess they're in. I don't like a lot of choices they make, but that anger ... is an expression of love all the same. I love the ones I am angry with as much as those I'm not." "But," Mark paused, "What about your wrath? It seems to me that if you're going to pretend to be God Almighty, you need to be a lot angrier." [She replied,] "Do I now? [Mack said,] "That's what I'd think. Weren't you always running around killing people in the Bible?" (118-119)

Susan Olasky wrote a review of The Shack for World Magazine, a review which contains some interesting background on Young's attitude toward the Church:

Young is no longer a member of a church, nor are his publishing partners, both former pastors. They are a part of a movement that rejects the institutional church.... His hostility ... shows up in The Shack.

Young has praise for "relationships" but disdain for "institutions," a disdain shared by the Jesus portrayed in The Shack (who also shares Young's sarcasm):

"You're not too fond of institutions and religions?" Mack said.... "I don't create institutions—never have, never will" [replied Jesus]. "What about the institution of marriage?" "Marriage is not an institution. It's a relationship.... Like I said I don't create institutions; that's an occupation for those who want to play God. So, no, I'm not too big on religion," Jesus said, a little sarcastically (179).

Enough examples have already been provided, I think, to suggest that one problem with the book is that it promotes "relationships," "love," "acceptance," "hugs," etc. at the expense of the Word of God, the Church, traditional historic Christianity, authority, doctrine, the fear of God, etc. Some feel that the book (more than) runs the risk of actual heresy (in the treatment of the Trinity, for example, especially in light of the second commandment).

To those who would suggest that The Shack may be bad theology but good literature, I offer two brief comments: (1) the book is poorly written (I've not found any fans of the book who regard it as well-written fiction or literature) and (2) it is really impossible to extricate the theology from the fiction (The Shack ceases to be The Shack if you ignore the book's subtitle, "Where Suffering Confronts Eternity").

I hope that I've been successful in setting forth what you need to know about The Shack. If so, I hope you'll spend your time on better books, including what is—although neglected by Young—the best book of all, God's Word.

The author, Barry Traver, is a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, and the Web Design and Technical Associate for OPC.ORG. Ordained Servant, April 2009.

Spring Missions Offering

2009-05-21T16:41:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, we received a letter from the OPC alerting us to some financial struggles faced by OPC Worldwide Outreach ministries. In light of this informative letter and earnest request, the session of Cedar Church has called for a special Spring Missions Offering to be taken on Sunday morning, May 31st, during our morning worship service with visiting commissioners from the OPC General Assembly in Grand Rapids. We cordially invite you to prayerfully consider giving a special gift to OPC Worldwide Outreach on that day. Our missionaries and church planters especially need our support during these difficult days. Now unto him who is able to do exceedingly abundently above all that we ask or think, according to the power that is in us (Eph 3:20).

To read the letter in its entirety, please click here.

Time is Running Out for Family Camp Registration!

2009-05-12T16:21:00.007-04:00

Family Camp registration is going well. Currently, we have 26 families registered, and only 1 or 2 cabins left. Campsite are still available! If you plan on registering for camp, please do so this week. We don't want anyone getting shut out if they wish to come. This year’s camp is scheduled for August 10-14 at Camp Concordia, in Gowen, MI. We are excited to welcome back Pastor Kevin De Young and his family to camp as he speaks on the topic of "The Church" - using material from his new book - Why We Love the Church - which is due to be released this summer.

If you would like to download a form, please click here.

Collision: Is Christianity Good For The World?

2009-05-08T12:30:00.008-04:00

Below is a preview of the first 13 minutes of the forthcoming documentary film "Collision". The film follows renowned author and anti-theist Christopher Hitchens and Pastor Douglas Wilson as they debate the topic: "Is Christianity Good For The World?"