Zickmunds in Belgium

Trip to the U.S.

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 12:45:00 +0000

You may have heard that I am planning a trip home for the month of September to bolster support for our ministry here in Namur, Belgium. Robyn will remain in Belgium to continue learning French and developing relationships. Our committment is to continue the work we have started in Belgium, so that many will come to know that God is real, relevant and accessible to us all. Prayerfully, I will be able to meet with many of you over the coming month to share what God is doing in Belgium. Following is an update on our ministry as well as further details concerning our financial needs. As always, thank you for your continued prayers.

As UWM’s first missionaries in Namur, our focus is to partner with the few existing churches surrounding the city to establish creative ministries which target the high school and college age groups while also developing a community of faith in the old heart of this urban area. As we continue to learn language and culture, we are building meaningful relationships that will prayerfully open doors to ministry on the campus of the University of Namur. Additionally, we are developing plans with a Belgian national partner to open a coffee house ministry to create a greater presence in the community and to be the place of a church plant.

In order to accomplish the ministry God has placed before us, we need the ongoing support and partnership of the Church body, both in prayers and finances. We are grateful for those of you who have come along side of us and for the sacrifices that you have made in order to support this ministry. However, this past year has been difficult for us in the financial arena, as it has been for many missionaries. We have seen a slow decline in regular monthly support of this ministry, so much so that we have been on a reduced salary for the past three months. Yet, our vision and calling to be in ministry here has not waned. I would enjoy talking with you in more detail about how you can partner with us in God’s ministry in Belgium. I will be in the U.S. from August 28th through October 1st and I would be blessed by the opportunity to stop by and share with you during this time. Please contact me at zickmundsbe @ hotmail.com to set up a time.

In His Service,

Chris

George Müller

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 10:34:00 +0000

In the past few weeks our hearts have truly been burdened for the people here. There is a deep spiritual void and we know that God has placed us here so that we can point others to Him. However, our ministry is not based on just the two of us. We rely on others to pray for us and to support our work financially. We have been asking God how we can best share our life and ministry with others, so that they may come to share in this burden. God led us to the story of George Müller who was a Christian Evangelist who lived and worked in England during the 1800s. He is best known for his work with orphans. He and his wife began their ministry in their own home, providing what they could, when they could, from food to education. What is remarkable about their story is that they never asked for financial support of their work. And yet, they were able to reach over 10,000 orphans and raised nearly $3 million (in today's terms).

They constantly thanked God for providing for their needs, even before they had been met. One account that I read recently, stated that one morning as they gathered for breakfast and prayed to thank God for His provision, even though they had no food to eat, the local baker knocked on the door with bread for everyone. A few moments later the milk man's truck broke down in front of their home, and so he gave all of his milk to the orphans. God provided.

Their ministry was so well provided for, at times, that Müller was actually criticized for treating the orphans too well-- according to those who felt poverty and being in orphan was an acceptable social class. But, he continued his work and remarkably never went into debt, even while caring for nearly 2,000 children at the same time. Müller recognized that it is ultimately God who provides. Yes, often times He uses other people-- say a milk man with an inoperable truck full of milk, or a baker who is just passing by-- but it is still He who does the providing.

So what else do we learn from Müller? He simply prayed. He asked God to burden people's hearts for the orphans of England-- and He did. In the same way, we are trusting God to provide for our needs in Belgium so that we can continue to serve Him here. We are asking God to break our own hearts for those who do not know Him here. Less than 1% of the people here are Christians (Protestant), that's roughly 10,000 people in a country that's the size of Maryland. There are many seeds to plant, and some that we hope we are blessed to harvest. We are here, waiting expectantly on God, praying that He burdens the hearts of others for the people of Belgium. Will you pray with us?

Counting down...

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:53:00 +0000

I am starting to countdown the days to our one year anniversary in Belgium... just a little over a month to go. It feels very much like an arriving point, and we are thankful that we've made it through our first year here. And yet, at the same time I look to it as a turning point, another new beginning. An opportunity to take all that we've learned about language and culture and to build on it and to really ask God to give us opportunities to speak into the lives of others.

We recently had the opportunity to attend a spiritual retreat and to meet other UWM missionaries in ministry throughout Western Europe. The time renewed our souls and it has been good for our hearts to connect with others who are walking a similar journey. It was refreshing to spend time with others who can relate to the ups and downs of being an American living in Europe, as well as a Christian living in a post-modern, post-Christian society. We are thankful to those who are praying specifically for us to find these friendships, your prayers are being answered!

We are also continuing to build relationships with others through our conversation groups and beginning to feel like we have friends here. It has been a wonderful experience for us both to meet with people and to learn different perspectives of world events, as well as to learn how similar we all are. Also, a local pastor (at one of the churches that we have attended many times) has offered to help us connect with people to practice our French as well as for people to get to know us. We are grateful for this opportunity and are looking forward to getting to know more people.

If you haven't already seen it, we have added a new page to our blog entitled, "Prayers for the Journey". We hope that this will help you to get to know our home better and to "see" the work that we are doing here.

We continue to thank God for you, for your love and support!

Identity.

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:24:00 +0000

It's pretty safe to say that we've both changed a lot in our first 9 months in Belgium. In many ways we've really just begun, but we choose to claim the victories where we can--whether it's a language/communication success or realizing our comfort to just get on the bus and let it take us somewhere new. And while these things may not seem so significant on the surface, they are the cornerstones that will enable us to have a full life here.

We all, where ever we are, desire to be known, to have people understand us, to be with those who "get" us. And as much as we realize that we are changing, the very core of who we each are remains the same, and the desire to be known is that much more real.

But when you land in a country, where at first, you can not understand the conversations that are happening around you and you can not begin to explain what you want or what you need-- how would you even begin to let someone get to know you on any level? At moments, there is a sense of freedom, a new found anonymity-- I can be someone new, Me 2.0. But what it comes down to, if I'm being honest, I don't want to totally reinvent myself, but so much of me has to change... so there have been moments here in there where it's become nothing more than an identity crisis. On the inside I am still me. But who "I" am on the outside feels very fluid at times. Now, I walk to the grocery store, now I take a city bus or a train to attend church on Sundays, now I order produce and cheese in grams and kilograms (while secretly mentally calculating- how many pounds is that?), and I do it all in French. Not 100% grammatically correct, but French nonetheless.

In Christianity, we often talk about transformation from the old to the new creation. I think, perhaps mistakenly, we envision this fuzzy caterpillar that all of a sudden is a magnificent butterfly. What I've come to realize is the significance that, just as becoming a butterfly is not instantaneous, our spiritual transformation is also a process. Justification, our salvation, absolutely instantaneous, but this business of sanctification--being made Holy, becoming more like Christ is absolutely a process. And as we continue to adjust to our life in Western Europe, we recognize that this is all part of our faith process. Who we are today is a little different than when we first arrived and our "old" identities will continue to be stripped away as God sees fit in order for us to best be used by Him. A good friend, who's walked this road before, reminded me that this is God's intentional doing, just as He does with our faith journey. He is encouraging us to trust, to surrender and to build our character and identity all the more in Him. Robyn

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:05:00 +0000

Bonjour, tout le monde!

Yes, it has been a long time since our last post and for that we are sorry, but such is the life sometimes when you are concentrating on the things God places before you. We are continuing to adjust to our life and ministry in Belgium, concentrating primarily on learning our new culture and language. We recently took the plunge into our third level of French and are glad to be improving little by little. We realize that each day begins with a new commitment to apply ourselves to learn the language, so that we can not only function in the simple everyday tasks, but truly begin to thrive in what God has called us to do.

A cafe in Place d'Armes, near the center of Namur

We do miss our family and friends and are so thankful that today's technology allows for regular contact so easily. At times, though it can be difficult not being physically present in the lives of those that are back home. However, our focus remains here as we are constantly looking for ways to get to know those around us and to develop relationships such that we can be part of other people's lives. We are eager to improve our ability to communicate in French, so that building these relationships will become a greater possibility.

Over the last few months we have visited a few cafe projects to see how they are set up and to learn from them regarding the highs and lows of this type of ministry. Additionally, we are expanding our network with other missionaries who are embarking on similar projects in other Western European countries. As we pray and seek God's vision for our work here, we are continuing to develop conversation groups and beginning to organize a Bible reading group. In a sense we are beginning with smaller groups of people which we hope will eventually network into a larger community of faith. The plan is that eventually all of this will be based out of our team's cafe, which will be our place of connection with people in Namur each and every day. A place to have intentional conversations, to create a community, and to ultimately have a church impacting the city with the Gospel.

Discussion about opening a ministry cafe in Western Europe.

Please continue to lift us up in prayer, especially for our strength to overcome the obstacles which we face in the differences of culture and language. This is one of our daily prayers, because it can be surprisingly difficult sometimes! We have been blessed to avoid any sickness this winter, thank you for covering us with prayers for continued good health. Our appreciation is immeasurable for your continued prayer and financial partnership with us in His ministry.

For additional information about our ministry,

check out the following link!

www.lecoracle.be

Back Online...

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:20:00 +0000

We've had an incredibly full past two months and would love to take a moment to share the highlights!

We signed a lease for our apartment at the beginning of August-- we love our location, its proximity to everything and just the character of the old building. We've slowly but surely been able to make it our home. Our boxes arrived from the states, in tact and everything was just as we had packed it.

In mid-August we were able to participate in youth camp with several of the churches from the region. There were just under 100 students there, ranging in age from 13-18. We served as "Tâche-mats" for the week, helping to clean the camp and assist the kitchen crew in getting meals served and cleaned up. The week finished up with the topic of purity. It was interesting to see how shocked the teenagers were when the idea of making a commitment for purity was suggested. But, in the end several students did choose to commit to guard their purity until marriage.

As September began, thousands of students descended upon Namur to prepare for the start of the new school year. It truly is incredible how many people are here under the age of 25! With the start of the school year, also means the beginning of language school for us. We have been in class now for about 3 weeks, learning French for 3 1/2 hours a day. Since the class is for individuals who are not native French speakers, we have quite the diverse group. There are students from Kosovo, Rwanda, Ukraine, Russia, Venezuela, Romania, Afghanistan, Armenia, and Brazil.-- and we range in age from 19-62! It has been fun learning together and getting to know people as we find a common language in French.

We have also begun meeting with our team in Namur to make plans for the café, which we hope to open in the next year. In the meantime we are looking for ways to connect with people and to just become part of our community. One of these ways is by creating English conversation groups. These groups are for people with some spoken English, but who wish to improve. This allows us to meet local people without having to be fluent in French (yet!) and to see our ability to speak English as an asset.

The weekend of the 17th was 'Fête de Wallonie' which, this year, celebrated the 600th birthday of Namur. One of the highlights of the Fete are the Echausseurs, or stilt walkers. They march down the street to a fife and drum and then have "combat"; the last man standing wins'!

We also celebrated Robyn's 30th birthday with a day trip to Mini-Europe, in Brussels.

Please continue to pray for us as we take on the daily task of cultural adjustment and learning French.

Lift up our team in Namur as we continue to follow through on God’s plans for the café, through which, we hope to reach those who may not find God otherwise.

We continue to thank God for your role in this ministry and pray that you are encouraged that God is moving in Belgium!

Our First Two Weeks in Belgium!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 18:18:00 +0000

We arrived June 30th, on time, and with all of our luggage- VISAs were stamped one day before they expired--- such a relief! Our first stop was registering our arrival at town hall in the community where we are temporarily staying. Once we get an apartment we will be able to apply for our resident card.

On our second day, Chris was able to work on a tiling project at the new church building. That afternoon we went with Pastor Daniel to a small town, Hampteau, for an auction at an old hotel and restaurant to see if we could find anything needed for the church building. Someone ended up bidding on the whole collection, so we didn't end up with anything that we bid on. The plus side was we got a crash course in our French listening skills!

The next several days were spent getting acquainted with Huy: the market, le grande place, attending church, and meeting many new people who only speak French, but very much wanted to speak with us. We also took two trips to Namur, where we will eventually be living and helping with a new church plant. We are looking forward to getting to know the other two families that are collaborating on this new venture and have been in Belgium for a while.

We are both feeling good about things here so far. There have been a few days where we have just been exhausted physically (we walked probably 35-40 miles our first week), and mentally as we are trying to process everything that is coming at us in French. Belgium is a fairly laid back place and we have been enjoying the new experiences of taking the bus and the train, tasting new foods, and worshiping with our French-speaking brothers and sisters.

Sunday (7/10), we moved to a new host family where we will stay until we find our own apartment. It has been a fun experience and a challenge as they only speak French and Spanish! We are being forced to stretch, although not always easy, it will be very beneficial to our language learning. We both feel that we are understanding more and more each day. So for now, we are tucked away in our attic bedroom, knowing that for the next couple of weeks we will have good company, good food, clean clothes, and internet .... Tres bien!

We are looking forward to sharing this journey with you! Keep us lifted up in your prayers!

We're Moving to Belgium!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:50:00 +0000

We have been making steady progress on support and were approved to buy our airline tickets. We fly out on June 29th! We have spent the past two weeks visiting more churches, working diligently to finalize our support. We are now within $400 a month of having our first term (2 years) funded. God is good!

We head back out this weekend to one more church and meanwhile are trying to finalize wills, bills, and shipping (oh my!).

If you're in the area, or nearby, and would like to join us we are being commissioned at our church on Sunday, June 26th at the 11:00 service. We are also hoping to have a small send-off reception after the service.

We're planning to update this blog more regularly as we move and begin settling into life and ministry in Belgium. Thanks for your love and support!

Casting Vision

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Mon, 02 May 2011 21:23:00 +0000

Just a quick update as to where we are on our journey towards Belgium:

We are continuing to meet people and share the vision that God has placed before us to share Him with the people of Belgium. This weekend we had the opportunity to have a fundraiser hosted by two of our friends who are donating their proceeds to our ministry fund. Sunday we spent the morning at our home church doing a "meet and greet" in the cafe. It was a great opportunity to meet some new people and we have a few new families that are prayerfully going to partner with us in the coming weeks!

We have been emailing with another missionary couple for a few of months now. They have been in Belgium for about 15 years and we are praying about partnering with them to start a church plant in a college town. Please pray for this project as they are looking for a good location and for us as we consider making this a focus of our ministry.

Please pray for us as we diligently continue to cast the vision for ministry in Belgium, while we are yet so anxious to begin ministry in Belgium. Let us not lose sight of what the Lord is doing through us now and how He is preparing us to serve those who don't yet know Him.

February Update

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:27:00 +0000

We've had a busy month visiting several churches, small groups, friends and family to share about what God is doing Belgium. We had a great time visiting The Bridge Community along with Open House, in Elizabethtown, and are so grateful for the hospitality that was shown to us there.

The most recent news is that just last week we traveled to the Belgian Consulate where we picked up our VISAs allowing us to live in Belgium! We are very excited to have this step complete and to have an official window in which we will have to travel to Belgium (April 1- June 30).

We are diligently seeking additional partners and continue to thank God for those that have joined with us, while trusting that the final 15% is within reach. Please continue to pray for us as we anticipate the beginning of a new chapter in our lives!

Looking Forward

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:28:00 +0000

Recently, we were encouraged to think of three words to describe 2010 and then three words that we hope for 2011 to be. A simple exercise, really, but a great way to kick off the new year. Most of us have made a New Year's resolution at some point, with specific, tangible goals in mind and with good intention to succeed.
Three words, while measurable-- not pass/fail, just introspection and hope for what is to come. We wanted to share our words with you and encourage you to approach 2011 with a fresh start.

2010
Faith-Strengthening: As we continue on this path to full-time ministry we have had to change how we approach many aspects of our daily lives, from finances to relationships. We have had to trust God fully and be obedient to this call, trusting that we are walking in His will.

Blessed: It has now been a year since either of us have worked full-time and six months since unemployment compensation has ended. Apart from a small stipend from our ministry account, we have not had a steady income. Yet, God has provided for our every need. Chris has picked up several handy-man jobs for friends and family and Robyn has been able to substitute teach as we are in town and those opportunities become available.

Simple: Having sold the majority of our belongings and putting our home on the market, we are now living in a borrowed house, with borrowed furniture. We don't watch much TV except for a few shows online. We have decluttered our lives to the fullest extent possible. We have given up the need for STUFF and life is good.

2011
Provision: As it says in Matthew 6:32-38, ...your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. God is Jehovah Jireh- our provider and we are trusting that He will continue to provide for our daily needs and all that is necessary to bring us to Belgium.

Growth: Support raising and preparing for full-time ministry is a learning experience. As we anticipate moving to Europe soon, we know that we will be challenged to grow in many more ways as we adjust to a new culture and a new language.

Belgium: Our Visa applications were approved just a few days before Christmas! This step makes Belgium feel so close. Now all that is left is finding additional ministry partners who can provide the remaining $1,800 in monthly support and a trip to Atlanta to get our Visas stamped into our passports. After two years of planning, learning, and growing; with your help, 2011 is the year we will begin God's work for us Belgium.

Would You Join Us?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 15:15:00 +0000

We Are UWM from Go2819 on Vimeo.

Generation iY

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 15:25:00 +0000

On Friday, we attended a summit for pastors and church leaders that focused on reaching the next generation. The next generation (of Americans) is one that has grown up with computers and internet access. They are the most connected generation technologically speaking, but perhaps the most disconnected on an interpersonal level. Questions and answers on nearly every topic are readily available via the internet. "Friends" are those we connect with on Facebook, some we know in real life, others just through our computer screens. The number of close friends can be counted on one hand. Life is busy, fast-paced, and made to order. Everything that one needs is available, accessible on some level.

From what we've learned, life in Belgium is not all that different. As a "first world" country, poverty exists, but does not affect the majority. We will not see images of Belgian children with distended bellies on our television or computer screens. We will not encounter an AIDS epidemic. We will not bring water to a village for the first time. What we will see is a spiritual poverty that exists in a nation that has their physical needs met, much like in America, and has lost sight of their need for God. We do not make light of physical poverty. God cares for all of us. The reality in Belgium is an epidemic of faithlessness in a generation that is looking for real, genuine, relationships. Our desire is to form these relationships in Belgium, and that through our lives others will see that God is real, relevant and accessible. That one day Belgium could be known as a beacon of hope for Europe, filled with a passion to know and love a living God.

Where in the World are Chris and Robyn?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 00:24:00 +0000

Everything is ready to go!

Some of you may be wondering what are we up to and just where exactly are we? This week we are in southern Indiana. After completing our training this summer, we headed home to Concord for about a week. That week was a busy one, reconnecting with friends and our church family and getting the last of our things out of our townhouse and prepared for our renter to move in.

We were blessed to have our realtor call us (the day before training was over) telling us that she had a renter for our townhouse. Our house is still listed, and prayerfully we will sell it. But for now we are thankful to have the mortgage covered and to have great renters!

We have spent the last month traveling, visiting family, friends, and churches sharing our story and making many great connections with others who are excited to share in the work that God is doing in Belgium.

We are nearing 70% of our monthly support pledges and are preparing the last of our paperwork in order to file our Visa application. Friday we got word that Robyn's medical clearance has been notarized and is in the mail. Praise the Lord!

Please pray with us as we gather the proper documentation and that there will be no delays with approval, as the government does not have a set length of time to respond. Continue to cover us in prayer as we are on the road, traveling somewhere on a daily basis. We are also asking God to give us wisdom as we share with others--to connect with those who will join our support team providing the remaining $2,000 in monthly support that is needed. Please feel free to call or email us with any questions you may have or if you or someone you know would be interested in partnering with us.

Thank you for your love and support!

Missionaries in Training

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 02:23:00 +0000

On Monday, we will have been at CIT for two weeks! It has been a great time of learning and getting to know all of the other families that are in this journey with us. Chris and I are now the residents of a 500 square foot apartment and are adjusting to having furniture again.... which I realize may sound odd, but coming from a house that was three times bigger and didn't have any furniture--trust me it is an adjustment and I have the bruises to prove it! We really are thankful though for all that has been provided to this campus in order to help missionaries feel at home while they are here.

This month our classes are focusing on cross-cultural life and ministry. So far we have evaluated our own personalities and how we interact with others, we've discussed transitions- not only for us- but for our friends and family that we are "leaving behind", and our worldview and how we define and learn about other cultures. It's been good stuff, although a bit like trying to take a drink from a fire hydrant! Thankfully, we are sharing this experience with new friends and are surrounded by God's handiwork in the NC mountains.

If you'd like to send us any mail while we're here- we'd love that! It's always nice to know that someone is praying for us and to get a note of encouragement from a friend.

Chris and Robyn

C/O CIT

P.O. BOX 250

Union Mills, NC 28167

Our Empty House

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 20:31:00 +0000

Today Chris and I were talking about our desire to sell our house soon... what a blessing that would be to see another family eager to enjoy our home and for us to remove the burden of a mortgage payment. We've had four showings over the weekend, despite it being Easter, and are hopeful that someone will make us an offer soon. I was thinking about how empty our house is at this point- an air mattress, a couple book shelves, a TV, a chair and a giant bean bag are all the "furniture" that we have. Oddly enough, after five months we rarely even notice how empty the house is... we sometimes miss sitting at a table for meals or relaxing on the couch in the evenings, but the emptiness doesn't bother us. That got me thinking how that is true of so many hearts in Europe. How many people's hearts sit empty, unfilled and unchanged by the love of Christ and they don't even notice the emptiness? Not that there aren't wonderfully compassionate and caring hearts in Europe-- there are, just many that don't realize how much fuller their lives would be with Christ.
As we anticipate the life that is ahead of us in Belgium, we are excited to share the fullness and freedom that salvation in Christ brings us. We are excited to demonstrate a life that is filled with faith and a desire to serve God because of that faith. Please pray with us this week, for the opportunity to sell our house, but more importantly pray for the hearts of those in Belgium, pray that they will experience their emptiness in such a way that they know only God can fill it. Pray that God will use the members of the UWM team that are already there and for others to join us in support of this work that God has called us to.

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

Why Belgium?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:47:00 +0000

Simply stated, Europe is lost. As the number of Europeans who adopt a postmodern worldview increases, more and more people begin to question the existence of an absolute truth. As a result, fewer people are participating in religion and more and more Belgian churches sit relatively empty. They remain as symbols of past traditions instead of a present and vibrant faith. As a result, there is an entire generation of young people in Belgium who remain relatively un-reached by the Gospel. This is why we have chosen to go to Belgium and why we are all called to share our faith-- so that everyone has the opportunity to know God the way that we do. Our goal is not to fill church pews, but to fill hearts and minds with the knowledge of God and to transform the nation of Belgium for the Kingdom.

We have spent the past month traveling throughout Virginia and Indiana visiting family, friends, and the churches that have all had a role in shaping the faith that we have today. The purpose of our trip was to thank them for the impact that they have had in our lives and to ask them to continue supporting us as we move forward on this path that God has led us to. We were blessed to share with them the vision for Belgium and what we believe is God's heart for all of us. We were also encouraged by the excitment that was returned to us to share in our ministry through prayers and new financial supporters.

As a result of our trip, we are just shy of 50% of our monthly support being pledged. In order to accomplish our goal to be in Belgium by the end of September, we need to develop $3,500 in new monthly supporters. While this may seem overwhelming, it breaks down to only 35 partners at $100 per month or 100 partners at $35 per month and will allow many people to be an ongoing part of the ministry in Belgium. Would you prayerfully consider joining with us in financial support of any amount on a monthly basis?

To partner with us or for more information, contact us at zickmundsbe@hotmail.com.

Next Steps

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:46:00 +0000

As Robyn and I reflect on 2009, we are thankful for God’s faithfulness in providing for all of our needs and for bringing our family and friends, happy and healthy, through another year. We are thankful for the ways that God has stretched both of us as we seek to answer His call into full-time ministry. We are especially thankful for those that have come alongside to support us through this time of transition and change.

The most recent change in our lives is that we are now raising support for our ministry on a FULL-TIME basis. The economic down-turn of the past year has had its impact on many industries, including in construction. Several months ago as things began slowing down and it became unclear how long I would be able to stay working, I met with my boss regarding our plans for Belgium. I asked him, when the time came, to consider letting me go rather than a fellow employee. At the close of the year, work had slowed to the point where the company had to lay off about 1/3 of its employees, including myself.

As we begin 2010, I look at being laid-off as a blessing, for Robyn and I are still working diligently to build ministry partnerships. I now have more time to pursue every avenue of sharing our ministry with others. We are currently at approximately 35% of our needed monthly support for the field. United World Mission requires its missionary appointees to raise 60-70% of their monthly support before going to training and 100% of their monthly support before going to the field.

At this time, we need you to prayerfully consider partnering with us financially on a monthly basis. We are committing a minimum of five years of our lives to building the kingdom in Belguim, as God has called us to do, but we will not be able to sustain a strong ministry without your support. It does not matter what the size of your gift may be, each month it will be an important part of sharing the gospel with the people of Belgium.

To begin supporting us go to http://www.uwm.org/and click 'Donate'. Or you can mail a check to the address on the right. Either way please include our account number (31377) and the frequency of your gift (Monthly, Quarterly, etc). You may choose the date to start your donation--today, or a date in the near future. UWM will look at your pledge as a commitment to support our ministry. Again, once the donations and pledges reach 60-70% of our needed monthly support we will be able to attend training and once the donations reach 100% we will begin our ministry in Belgium.

An additional way that you can support our ministry is to help us to expand our network of supporters. Please share our newsletters with others, become our 'fan' on Facebook, invite us to speak to your church group or introduce us to your friends. We pray that you will join us as we share our passion for the people of Belgium with the body of Christ.

Partners in Ministry

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:04:00 +0000

In a recent radio broadcast, Pastor Charles Stanley shared the value of having partners in ministry. He used the example of the Apostle Paul who, in each of his letters, continually thanked those who were providing for his ministry, whether through prayers, words of encouragement, or providing the material resources necessary for his ministry. Like Paul, we are encouraged by you as you read our newsletters, respond to our blogs, give financial support, or just check in with us. We value you and the role that you have in our ministry and take comfort that we are not alone in ministry.

The Body of Christ is called to share the Gospel, but it is made up of unique people; from our personalities to our spiritual gifts there are none that are alike. We cannot all participate the same way in the work of the Gospel because we are each called to do different things according to our gifts. Therefore, the Body of Christ is most effective when we realize our need for each other. Stanley also says that all too often we ask the wrong question- “what can I do?”. The correct question is “what can we do?”. When we partner together our potential and ability to accomplish things is increased.

Stanley gives three avenues to partner in ministry, all of which are necessary to make our ministry in Belgium possible. The first avenue is prayer. By committing to pray, you become a partner in our lives. Secondly through personal service- serving in the way you can. Stanley invites us to consider the importance of Paul’s messenger who delivered each letter- that was his contribution to the Gospel and its value is evident. There is no such thing as an unimportant person or job in the kingdom of God. The third avenue is through the giving of finances and the material items needed to help those in ministry. We ask that you consider how you have been blessed spiritually and to respond through partnership in ministry with us in whatever way God may ask of you. Lastly, trust that God can use you in the work of spreading the Gospel. By partnering with us in ministry you are not just sending us, but you are going with us.

To listen to this message visit www.intouch.org and look under Audio Archives for ‘Partners in Ministry’ from October 7, 2009. You may also find Charles Stanley in iTunes podcasts.

God's Perfect Timing

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:13:00 +0000

We have been raising support for one year now. Many of you have been with us since we began this process and we are thankful for your commitment to us and to the plans that God has for us. Monthly support pledges have been coming in at a fairly steady pace over the summer. Monthly support is CRITICAL to making a ministry and life in Belgium possible. Our heart is to move to Belgium, to have a life there, to share in the work of the local church as a beacon to God's unfailing mercy and grace. We can not go without senders. We are thankful for the many opportunities that God has given us to share this journey with you and pray that others will come along side of us.

The next leg of our journey is CIT, however at this time we do not have the monthly pledges that we need in order to attend the next training session which begins in two weeks. United World Mission wants their missionaries to be prepared when they hit the field- not only financially, but spiritually and mentally as well. This is why they have such a strong commitment to training. In order to focus fully on our training, they would like us to be further along in our support raising. We are in agreement with them that it would be better to wait until we are able to find additional ministry partners and build up our team. Our next opportunity for training will be mid-February. In the mean time we will continue sharing our ministry with others, as well as minimizing our belongings and the task of selling our home. Please continue to pray for us for wisdom and perseverance in this time and that we will continue to seek God in all that is before us, knowing that His timing is perfect.

Countdown to Training

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 01:49:00 +0000

September 9th marks the next start for CIT (Center for Intercultural Training) .We will spend just under three months going through a series of classes to prepare us for the mission field. We will learn about cross-cultural life and ministry, language acquisition, interpersonal skills, equipping ministry teams and leaders, church planting movements and spiritual formation. We are excited to continue on the path that God has laid before us and for all the we will learn about Him, ourselves, and what life will be like as missionaries.

We are still working diligently to raise up our support team. We are so thankful for those who have been praying with us as we seek each day to be closer to this calling that God has placed before us. We are also thankful for our friends, family, and the churches that have prayerfully decided to support us with their finances. Your monthly support is an encouragement to us and helps us to know that we will have a sustainable ministry in Belgium.

Please be with us in prayer:
*Pray for the church body in Huy
*Pray for the Expedition 237 team in Belgium (this is the group we will be mentoring)
*Pray for divine appointments to share our ministry and to raise the additional $1500 in monthly support needed to attend training in September.
*Pray for the sale of our townhome

Our House... is a Very Very Fine House

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:46:00 +0000

Just a quick update on our Open House. We did not get the turn out that we had hoped for this weekend, but we are pressing forward in faith that God will provide a buyer for us.

So, if you know of anyone who is in the market for a new house in Concord, please let them know about us!

Here are the details:

Built in 2004, 3BR/2 BA Approximately 1500 Square Feet with 1 Car Garage, Greenway Access

City of Concord Utilities, Homeowners Association covers Exterior Maintenance and Lawncare (dues $97 per month)

Master Bedroom on First Floor, Walk-in Closet, Bedroom 2- Second Floor, Sitting Area, Bedroom 3- Second Floor Loft overlooking Great Room

Great Room- Vaulted Ceiling with Ceiling Fan, French Doors to Patio
Dining Area with Bay Window
Kitchen- Includes ALL Appliances- (Electric)
For Additional Info or to Set Up an Appointment Call: 704-886-7403

Thank You!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:21:00 +0000

We would like to thank everyone who supported us during our Moving Sale, through your thoughts, prayers, and to those who stopped by.

We were able to part with many household items, however, we still have bedroom and living room furniture that we need to sell. Please contact us if you or someone you know is interested. We are continuing to move forward in preparation for pre-field training in September. Our next step is having an open-house this weekend for the purpose of selling our townhouse by Sunday night. Please continue to be in prayer for us as we continue to follow God's leading.

Trust God for Things Unknown

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:38:00 +0000

In what has no doubt been some of the toughest times in recent economic history, we have also been given the opportunity to trust God to continue to provide for our needs as he always has. This is certainly not the first time in history, nor the last that some will wonder how to make ends meet. Our responsibility as Christians is not to point fingers nor to look to others for our hope. Instead we are to trust in God for the things that are unknown.
We are also reminded of the parable of the woman who gave what may have been her last two coins as a temple offering. In Mark 12:41-44, Jesus and his disciples are observing people at the temple. Jesus notes that many of the rich people were dropping in large sums of money, while the widow gave very little. His challenge to the disciples was that this woman actually gave more than everyone else who had given because she gave all that she had to live on, rather than from a surplus.
We share this story to encourage you and to challenge you in a way that we all need to be challenged. Do we give to God when we have a “surplus”— after we pay our bills and balance the checkbook? Or do we give when we sense that he says to give? We want to be like the widow— willing to give all that we have so that others may have an opportunity to see who God is.
We are thankful for those who are already praying for us as well as those who are giving financially. We ask that you continue to pray for us to trust in God for His unknown provision. In the next six weeks our need is to partner with 43 additional supporters at the $65 per month level. These additional partners will allow us to attend our pre-field training beginning September 8th. We hope that you will continue to be in prayer seeking how God would ask you to support us.

Being a Light!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris and Robyn) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:02:00 +0000

Robyn and I had the pleasure of sharing dinner the other night with three “kids” that were part of my very first youth ministry group, their spouses, children and the dear friend and pastor that gave me that opportunity of leadership. It is truly amazing that God has placed us all in the same region of North Carolina nearly twenty years after bringing us together in that small congregation in southwest Indiana.

Now being married and starting families of their own, we sat around the table remembering family, friends, the antics of their youth and the silliness of their leader and pastor. But the one unspoken thing I heard in each and every one of them was a strong foundation of belief and reliance on their faith. Though there are many factors that led to the growth of this faith, I know that providing the opportunities to experience the love of God first hand and to see the example of other people in their lives being “lights”, gave the fertile environment for the seed to grow.

As Robyn and I continue into full time ministry in the mission field, our purpose is to be “a light” for those investigating missionary work on a short term basis in Belgium. We will be working with and providing a firm base for teams of 20something - 30something missionaries. We will be facilitating their immersion into a new culture and giving support in the development of their ministry so that it may be effective in the growth of the church.

This ministry in Belgium has its first teams of missionaries nearing completion of their terms and is looking to expand the number of teams in September. However, without the proper leadership joining the teams it may be impossible. Robyn and I have as our goal to join the teams in September, but in order to do this we need to attend required pre-field training in June, which requires us to have 70-80% of our monthly support raised by the end of May. Then to move to the field, we need to have 100% of our total monthly support and 100% of our outgoing expenses raised by mid-August.

God has given us the gifts, abilities, and life experiences, as well as desire, for the task. Now we trust He will also provide the partners we need to come alongside financially for this ministry. We currently have approximately 15% of our support raised and we thank each and every one of you that have provided that blessing. To those of you that are considering partnering with us in this ministry, an investment of $62 a month would meet 1% of our total monthly support need for Belgium. This includes salary, insurance, taxes, ministry expenses, local travel and other related costs. In addition, we need in excess of $45,000 in one-time contributions to cover outgoing expenses such as pre-field physicals and immunizations, required pre-field training, airfare, documentation, shipping and customs, language & cultural acquisition, household setup and other related costs.

We are not only asking for you to commit to us, but we are making a commitment in return to inform you about our ministry by sharing our challenges and our successes. Enclosed you will find a commitment card for you to prayerfully consider supporting our ministry. Thank you for your prayers of support as we continue down the path God has led us on. We look forward to discussing our ministry with you in the near future.