Guest Blog

Travis is the Pastor of Faith Christian Outreach in Shawnee, Ok. He is a good friend, and great Pastor/Leader

Don’t Demas (dee’ mus)
July 13, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Demas was a companion and fellow-laborer of the Apostle Paul during his first imprisonment at Rome and joins Paul in sending greetings to Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus (Philemon 1:24; Col. 4:14).

Later on, Paul wrote this note to Timothy:

“Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone…” 2 Timothy 4:10

It appears that the love of the world mastered Demas, and he deserted the apostle.

I think of Demas a lot since I read this story. Many of the people who will read this have never heard of Demas. Why? Could it be because he forsook his calling and exchanged it for the things of this world? Demas could have been one of the greatest men of the New Testament, but all we know about him is that he served with Paul for a season, and deserted the Apostle for questionable reasons.

Sunday night I sat with a mission’s team from Church of the Harvest- www.Harvestokc.com. As we began to discuss the many aspects of the trip, excitement began to fill the room. Thinking of the differences we will be making in the lives of so many people is as exciting as it is humbling. I think I can speak for the whole group when I say, “We can’t -not do this. We are called to this mission work”

The only thing that could keep us from doing such a great work in this life… is life itself. We can’t let life, or the love of this present world get in the way of what God has called us to do.

Most church members will live their whole lives without ever experiencing what it is like to go on a mission trip. Why? Is it because we are too busy? Is it because we think we don’t have the money? Is it because we are in love with our world, just like Demas?

Trust me, I’ve had some thoughts: I am about to travel half way across the world to Cambodia with a team of people of whom I just met. I will leave my family for 17 days (my wife and I have never been apart for more than 7 days). I will not be at the first 10 days of my son’s football practices (I am his coach). I will not be preaching in my own pulpit for 2-3 weekends, and I will be missing my wife’s 40th birthday. I could go on, but you get the point.

Why am I doing this? Because He has called me to do this –life happens to us all but we cannot let life stop us from fulfilling our calling.

Don’t Demas.

Now Go………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Are you still sitting here?

Check out Travis’ blog….http://travishurst.wordpress.com

harvest summer so far…

WOW! we are having a great summer so far. The ministry and outreach that has happened sense June at harvest is incredible. I am so thankful that God has challenged us to reach out, and count it an honor to serve God in this way. GFC, impacted many ladies lives from around the region, our Rwanda trip, became more than we ever hoped, Royal family Kids camp was phenomenal and Kids camp was off the charts. We have now completed our first week of Youth America Camp.

As I stood by the stage last night and watched as our young adult staffers prayed for the young people. I felt such pride, such passion, excited that we have a church that promotes, embraces, and empowers the next generation. Janae and I stood in that room watching as our young adults rose to the occasion in their worship, and passion for God, and for the church. We have so much to be thankful for, but the one thing today, I am thankful for is that my girls are growing up in a culture that lets young people see, there is room in the church for them, and the future of the church is in their hands.

The recording was powerful. We truly captured a night with God! Its been a great summer.

I love summers at harvest. Stay tuned, two more weeks of Camp and then we leave for Cambodia. Can’t wait.

David

No place like Home…

Something happened when we were in Rwanda. Something that caught us all off guard. It was so surprising, it evoked emotion immediately and unexpectedly. It made us all so proud, and so inspired. It was truly a great moment.

When we were at the university of technology in Kigali, and had the night with the next generation, where we thought about 300 hundred would gather and over a thousand showed up. It was an inspiring night in itself. The passion with which these young men and women worshiped, the talent of the singers and dancers. The response to the challenging word I spoke on the responsibility and hope of Rwanda. There was one thing however that happened, so spontaneous, so completely unexpected that it blew us away.

The night was an all night event, so because we had a leadership conference to finish the next morning we left about 1:30 a.m. Before we left I wanted to introduce the entire team to all the young people. As i was going down the list, telling who these people were and what they did, and what it took for them to come, they were so receptive, and cheered and clapped. It was great. Then it happened. I got to Sam Laymen, who is an airplane electronics engineer, and in the U.S military. I introduced him, and what he did, then I said, he is in the Air force, he is in the U.S. Military. That placed erupted! They cheered and clapped and cheered and clapped, it was so unexpected that I got emotional, pride swelled in me. The thought came to my head. The world does not hate America, no matter what the media says, not matter what some in America think. That place went crazy when we said he was in the military. We all teared up, and I explained to them, why that would mean so much to us, and i told them thank you for loving America, and America’s military.

I left there conflicted. Realizing that I had not known how effected I was by the constant bombardment of negative reports about our nation. I realized that it wasn’t true. I realized how proud I am to be an American. We were all just blown away.

I thank God that He is using us to help other nations and other peoples around the globe. I thank God for placing me and my family in the United States of America, so we could have the mindset and the prosperity to be able to do what we do. When we go, we are not trying to turn other nations into the western world. I train our people that is not what we are doing, we are helping and sharing the Gospel, but at the same time we are not ashamed of America, we are thankful and proud of our nation and what it stands for. Lets not lose that.

God bless America! There is no place like home.

David

another great day

Today was simply incredible. Our leadership conference continued. Our friends from Uganda led some music, they are a powerful team, the sing beautifully and dance? Wow! Cory Redinger gave a great word. I taught the leaders on the idea that Excellence in leadership requires wisdom. Wisdom is very important. It’s the practical application of the knowledge we have. We looked at the life of Joseph and how the leadership principles he practiced were based on wisdom, and if applied to our own lives will bring huge success.

After conference we had some lunch at a nice little African restaurant, it was very good. The team is doing great, they are so flexible and are going with the flow. God is changing all of us in different ways.

We then went out to an orphanage and tested kids for glasses and fitted many with new glasses. What a great opportunity for ministry. We played with the kids. We used crafts, games, We pulled all the girls together and I told them the story of Esther and how God really loves them and wants them to be great leaders as well, and that they are important and God values them highly.

It was great experience; it has given us many thoughts about how to bring some solutions to some of the problems Rwanda is having.

The weather has been excellent. We are now getting something to drink at a restaurant and meeting with our team, then we are going to the next generation all nighters’. That’s right unknown to us they turned it into an all night worship fest with me speaking and our Uganda team doing music and many others singing and dancing. I am hearing that groups from all over Kigali are coming. It should be fun. We won’t stay all night because we have the leaders meeting tomorrow for one last day, morning and afternoon sessions.

More to come, we are loving it and have had great impact, and it has changed us as well as them. It is amazing, when you can see leaders grow and develop and feed and care for orphans all in the same day. What a life? The global reach for 2009 is going strong.

God Bless
David

Its a dark and rainy day….

I love days like this, I don’t know why but they slow me down. They cause me to think. To reflect and to meditate on things to come. I am thinking of the true possibilities of our Global Reach for Justice in Rwanda. We are leaving on June the 8th. I was meeting with the team just days ago, and we ask the question, “why do you think you are supposed to go on this trip?” There were many different answers. Some said, “I want to help the children,” while others said, “I’m not sure what I can do but I want to help change things for the people of Rwanda.” They all truly gave good answers.

I think we all should take time to ask that question about our lives in General, as to why we do what we do. Why are you involved in this or that? Where are you serving and why? It should bring perspective and clarity.

I asked myself, why are you going to Rwanda this year? My response is simple. To produce potential in people. I see this as one of the main reasons for my life. I have a vision for the potential in people and I feel my assigment in life is to help people realize that potential.

I know when we look at places like Rwanda, we see all the bad things that have happened. After having been there and built so many great relationships, especially with young Men and women who want to lead their country to health, I see a lot of promise and unending wells of potential.

My purpose in going this year, is not to just give a fish, but to teach them how to fish. I have kept relationships going through the web as much as possible, and we are planning a major connection with young leaders when we go. I believe that interaction and teaching, and relationship time is going to make a real difference in the lives of these young Rwandans, and in the life of the future of their country. We are going to help them in humanitarian ways, and in leadership.

How do you change the world, by seeing the potential of change, and producing it.

That’s why I am going to Rwanda. Why do you do what you do? Please share.

“Recieve”

“Receive”….blog I wrote in 2006

If we’ll notice there are times in life that we’re more receptive than others. This should really be a lesson for us. It seems that all people are more receptive when life is brought to its basic simple reality. We live and we die, and then life after death. When people are brought face to face with mortality it’s amazing how receptive we become. I have very distinct memories when I was 20 years old, watching George Bush Sr. Declare war in the gulf coast to save Kuwait from its impending doom at the hands of Saddam Hussein and Iraq. The very next weekend our church which already had great attendance was at full capacity. In our church we could seat about 700 people including the balcony. We usually ran in attendance around 400 adults. That weekend every seat was full including the balcony, it was amazing. People we hadn’t seen in a while were at church, we had many first time guest and they were there to connect with God. People who were once a month or twice a month people all of a sudden became faithful attendees. It was a moment where we were faced with our mortality. Faced with the fact that our lives could change drastically, faced with the question are we safe? The sad part is that although we did grow overall, after a few weeks, slowly but surely people began to go back to their normal routines, God was no longer as important as He was in those moments that we desperately needed Him. I see this every time I preside over a funeral, every time I counsel someone who is in a moment of reality. I saw this Friday night, as I stood on the front lawn of Mitchell Hall on the University of Central Oklahoma Campus, as we honored the memory of an incredible young woman who was a member of our church, Hannah McCarty. They were unveiling a beautiful piece of art in her memory and to honor the scholarship that has been established in her name. What a great honor it was for me to be able to share in that moment. The head of the arts department Dr. Clinton presided over the ceremony, The president of the College, Dr. Webb was there and addressed the crowd, Jack and Pam sent out a clear message with their speech that Hannah’s life was so meaningful and continues to have meaning because of her relationship with Jesus Christ, as they say and I’m sure you’ve seen on city buses, “when you know Jesus the dance never ends.” Hannah was a prolific dancer, more importantly though she was a prolific Christian. I had the wonderful privilege of being the last speaker and had the opportunity to close in prayer. I hope that I represented Hannah and the McCarty’s and our church well in that moment, but most importantly I hope that I represented Jesus well. I simply told the truth. I told the crowd of it seemed like a couple of hundred people, how Hannah lived. She lived life with Passion and on purpose. I said to them she lived life to the full. “Many of us thinking living life to the full is filling our lives up with busyness and things, but she superseded that by living her life as busy as it was, with purpose. It wasn’t just about doing things but it was doing things on purpose.” I said.
I told them, “she looked her obstacles and problems and sickness in the eye, without complaint and simply said, I’m going to live anyway. The reason she had this Joy, the reason she had this peace, the reason she had this purpose, was her relationship with Jesus.” It was a great moment.
The context of this event was interesting, I’m sure that there were several Christians there, but there were also many very secular people there, but it was amazing how receptive everyone was. I didn’t feel a resistance at all as I spoke very clearly about Jesus Christ, I looked out on the crowd, and saw some smiling faces, some somber faces, and some faces caught in the act of introspection. Thinking over their lives, seemingly asking “am I living, really living?” It was a great moment. I am very proud for Jack and Pam, that Hannah was recognized in this way, but more importantly that they have taken a personal tragedy for them and turned it into a day to day ongoing outreach to people, who are getting saved and their lives changed. Pam told me that Hannah always said, I want to be responsible for at least one person going to heaven, and as Pam says, she has impacted many more than that.
It is very telling on us as humans that we are receptive at certain times more than others. It is very revealing when things are going well how easily we forget, how much we need Jesus and how unreceptive we become to His desires for us, and His purposes for our lives. If we could only find a way to tap into those moments of decision and understand how important it is for us to constantly and consistently be receptive to His spirit and His word.
We have been taught to be so cynical. Question everything, don’t believe anything, or believe everything. I don’t suggest that anyone go around blindly following others with no discernment. I think everything we see and hear and are a part of should be ratified by the word of God in us. Let us today make a commitment to God and to ourselves and to our church that we will be receptive. Receptive to the voice of God to His word and to His purpose for our lives. Why do we need to go about our own way until forced by circumstances to change our perspective, lets just keep a holy perspective and reverence for the things of God and watch Him use us to profoundly change our world. I am so grateful that even in our inconsistency and wavering God’s grace is sufficient, and He is not angry with us but longing for an close relationship with each of us.

American Christian…

After our trip to Cambodia last august, where we witnessed an extraordinary group of Christians who live their entire life for Christ.  He is truly the center of their existence.  They don’t have him i a compartment or say this is my “God Life” and “this is the rest of my life.”  It really challenged us as Christians to ask ourselves are we truly committed to the cause of Jesus Christ.  To His love, His grace, and to His Gospel?

A young Friend of mine, made this statement to me after we returned home.  He said, “I have realized that American Christians are more American than Christian.”  What a profound thought.  Have we allowed our culture as Americans to become more important to us than our Christianity, have we become the epitome of the Christ words when he said the Gospel could be choked out of our lives as a result of the deceitfulness of riches and the cares of this life?  I Know that some have, many for that matter, but I believe that God is raising up a new breed of believer, who really cares more for the cause of Christ than any other thing in their lives, and its this Cause that informs and influences every other area of life.  Jesus, let us be as Christians what you intended, that is my prayer.

David

Getting older and excited about it….

I have a great life!  I hear people my age so often say, “I wish I could be young again.”  I’m not very old, i’m actually only 39, but that is almost 40 and to many that seems old.  My wife Janae and I have decided we don’t want to be that young again.  Not that we didn’t love every minute of it, but truthfully I love being married 20 years.  I think its great to have the passion of new ideas and also some experience to go with it.  I love Knowing the excitement of risk, and what it truly means to take one.  I like having fun with my friends and have serious conversations but at the same time, knowing not to take myself to seriously.  I wouldn’t go back, but I am doing my best to keep the best elements of being young in my life.

I do that by dreaming, keeping the dreams passionately stirred up inside me and my family.  I told my wife two years ago, because I’ve had several friends go through some devastating mid life crisis.  I said I will not allow myself to be kicked off course.  So two years ago I set some goals.  Spiritually, mentally, and physically, and relationally.  I have kept myself aiming for those goals, and have seen my life improve in every area, and not allowed myself to become disallusioned by insecurity.  I’ve had my moments and mental battles, and Im sure will still have but this has truly helped me.

I told myself I would run a marathon before 40  which is quite a challenge because at the time i was way over weight.  5′9  250 way to heavy.  In this time i have lost over 50 lbs and and last monday i ran 9 miles without stopping at a decent pace.  My marathon on November 16th, so I will be meeting a personal goal and a spiritual goal at once.  I am using my race to raise money for our global reach efforts to stop human trafficking.

I love my life, I don’t want out, I don’t want to go back, I don’t regret.  I am doing my best to become what God created me to be, and loving every minute of it.

what are you doing to work this time in your life…i’d love to hear about it.

David

The week that changed our lives…update from Cambodia…

I don’t want this to be long so I will try to be concise.  However, it is hard to describe all that we’ve done in the last week.  I haven’t written sense last Sunday before we left the capital City to go to the province.  What a great trip it was.  It has been non-stop action.  We planned this trip well and it has gone according to plan.

I don’t need to review what we did last week because you can read the previous blog and it will get you up to speed.   We left Phnom Penh last Monday morning and headed to the Kampong Cham.  Last year our team held a huge festival in Kampong Cham, and thousands of people came, we also built a hope center.  The hope center is headed by a wonderful Pastoral Couple, who love God, people, and children.  They have a church they pastor, and oversee several others equalling about 400 people.  Last year his home was functioning as house, church, and orphanage, and there was not near enough room.  So we built the hope center to house the orphans.  He has taken in 15 so far.  15 little cambodian children, who would otherwise be on the streets, prey to all kinds of vulchers.  Instead they are receiving love and care.  They are being educated, their medical care taken care of, and the spiritual lives are being encouraged.  We went to the hope center and really didn’t know what to expect.  I wondered if it would be as nice as we left it or would it be worn down over the year.  We were pleasently suprised they had taken great care to finish it out and make it a wonderful place to live.   They had recently put a playground with swings in the back yard, however it gets very hot and certain parts of the day the kids can’t go out and play because of the heat.  So we built them a nice overhang shade.  They were so excited, and we had a great time with them.  We bought the materials and built the shade, it looked great and was fully functional when we left.  We also saw that they needed a walk way between the buildings so we built one and it is beautiful.  We also landscaped the back and front of the buildings and truly made the place beautiful.  We took each orphan a back pack and filled them full with school supplies.  We gave them painting sets, and coloring books, and instruments and soccer balls.  It was truly a blessing to them.  We also were able to get them several bibles that Pastor Hong could give to believers in the church that cant afford to buy a bible of their own.  Once our mission was complete there, we had dinner and invited pastor Hong and his wife, and lavished them with gifts and appreciation for the hard work they do in the ministry and watching over these kids.

After a good nights rest, we got up, and began our journey to Kampong Thom.  We arrived just in time to meet with Pastor Sochan and Esther and their brand new baby girl Christina Joy, and went out to one of their feeding sites.  Pastor Sochan is a young pastor who has a real heart for orphans or impoverished kids.  He has 5 Churches that he oversees.  each of them have orphans and each of them have a feeding program.  We went with him out to the feeding program.  The way it works is they feed the kids, while they are there they tell them bible stories and then sing Christian songs with them so they are learning the word of God constatnly.  They also teach them a practical health lesson.  How to clean up, how to brush their teeth, etc.  The reason he does the feeding programs, is because many of these poor village kids, would like to get an education but they can’t because their parents need them to work on the farm or as a vendor, they need the kids to work to make enough money to be able to eat.  So if Sochan feeds them for free then they don’t have to go to work with their families because they don’t need them for extra money, so the kids can go to school and get their education.

We fed them, gave them stickers, they love that, and sang songs and told them stories.  They were beautiful kids, and extremely poor.  Sochan is doing a great work.  We then went back to the hope center and met with the orphans there.  We gave them all their presents (back packs, school supplies, and toys) The older kids led us in praise and worship and then we presented Pastor Sochan and Esther with a gift basket that was put together just for them.  We were also able to resource them to help finish some construction that need to be finished.  They want the kids to be able to play out in front, and Destiny Church in st louis brought a team and built them a beautiful fence, but they needed a secure gate, so we were able to help with that.

After we left the Hope Center, we met with Jenn Garrett, Our International Crisis Aid representative and great friend, she introduced us to the coordinators of the after care program for Hagar.  We went through an orientation to preapare to minister to these precious girls who have come through such extreme abuse.  They are great women, doing a great thing for the Cause of Christ. I will blog about hagar later and about what is being done about the sex trade.

We went to the home, and because they knew we were coming they were so excited and prepared a dance for us.  It was incredible, it was a formal, traditional Khmer dance, we were very impressed and moved that they were so talented.  We met them and intereacted and then went back to our hotel. We met them in the market and bought each of them a new set of clothes, they were so happy and excited, it was a beautiful thing to see. The next day we all got up and headed to Siem Reip, where we took the girls to the “cultural village”, this is a great place where they do several programs that show you how different cultures do different things.  It was a lot of fun and the girls really warmed up to us. Many of them had never been able to go to anything like this, it was a huge blessing for them.  Next day was angkor wat, one of the 8 wonders of the world.  It was amazing and the girls and the team loved it and continued to cultivate a relationship.  We truly were having a week for a princess.  After this day, we came back and a banquet with different dishes that the girls never get to eat because of budget.  At the end of the banquet several girls wanted to tell us thanks so they thanked us for the trips and for the clothes and for all the food.  They were so grateful, so precious, it really was a great moment.  The last girl said, I would like to give my testimoney.  She talked about  how her life used to be really bad, the story is that she was sold into the sex trade by her aunt, and was severely abused, she went on to say that she had the opportunity to join Hagar and get an education and food and medical care.  While she was at hagar she was introduced to Jesus Christ, and she said that becuase of her past at that time she was unable to trust people, but after knowing Jesus she said God changed her and she knew that God is always there for her, it was so sincere and so powerful it left us in tears.

The girls stayed at the hotel and ate ice cream and the team went to prepare to receive hem.  When they were finished they came to the house.  When the bus pulled up, our team was out on the porch with glow sticks and balloons and crowns to put on them.  The house was decked out for a princess party.  We had several stations, one to fix hair, one to do nails, one to make crafts and one to color.  The girls and staff got off the bus and literally ran into the party, it was one of the greatest moments of my life.  It may not seem like a big deal, but if you knew the circumstances these girls have come out of, and the fact that they rarely would get any of the things that we did for them it was a huge deal.  They sang and danced and enjoyed all of the stations and we had a grand time.  After the party settled down, we all took a picture together, and then sang some songs, after the songs we sat down, and I told them the story of Esther, and then prayed with them.  They prayed for us, and we for them.  It is hard to explain what a bond was made in those few days, but it was heart wrenching for them and us to part ways.  I can honestly say that we truly made an impact and i believe that God is going to raise these girls up and bring beauty from their pain.  They will be great leaders in the future.

Be watching for a future blog about sex trafficking and what is being done about it.  Thank God that there are many organizations attacking this problem.

David