Into 2012 we go...

Greetings from the Big Island:
A lot of things have been happening here at YWAM Kona, and it is an exciting time for all of us to be involved in the global harvest of souls God is conducting! The school I have been leading the past year has graduated, and the students have moved into different areas of ministry, where they will use their Biblical training to evangelize, disciple and equip more workers in the nations they are called to. I just returned from visiting some of the staff and students of the SBS who are on an outreach in Costa Rica, serving the local body of Christ there.

School in Tijuana, Mexico:
The first week in February found me for the first time in Mexico, teaching the book of Ezekiel in their class. I was really blessed to be a part of their school, and see the things God is doing in that location. Staff and students there are very involved in the community, facilitating teams who come to build houses for the poorest of the poor, and doing evangelism and prayer walks in some of Mexico's hardest neighborhoods. The SBS students pictured here are studying God's word for nine months with the intention to see it transform their mission field of Tijuana, Mexico.

students in the Tijuana SBS in their classroom

The main building of YWAM Tijuana Del Mar, equipped with
kitchen, cafeteria, campus worship room and cafe.

New dorms built on the YWAM campus to facilitate more missionaries!

Prayer for the Nations: Costa Rica.
I want to ask you to partner with me this month in praying for Costa Rica. Not only are my students on outreach there right now, but I believe this is a critical season for Costa Rica to rise up as a Christian nation, and begin discipling the other nations of Central America. Pray for the Bible distribution of the next months; that God's word would spark a desire for more and more Costa Ricans to know Him!

In my time with the SBS outreach, I was able to catch up with some friends serving in different areas of Costa Rica, among the youth, in churches and ministries across the country. It was a really great time of fellowship, both with the outreach team and with my "tico" and "tica" friends that I have met on past visits. Pray for unity among the believers in Costa Rica; that initiatives like the Bible distribution project with cross denominational and organizational barriers. Pray that those receiving the Bible for the first time will be drawn into communities that will nourish them and challenge them in their faith. We can also pray for Costa Rica's huge tourism industry: that travelers that make the trip to Costa Rica for physical rest and vacation will come to find rest for their soul as they are ministered to by the people of God in that nation.

SBS outreach team in prayer before a ministry time.

SBS student teaches a youth group about Ephesians and the armor of God.

With friends from Pura Vida Missions on an excursion to San Jose

Taking the bus...

Fellowship around the YWAM dinner table: Heredia, Costa Rica

Giving thanks in Kona

Happy Thanksgiving!

Aloha! November here on the big island looks a lot different than November at home. No fall foliage, not nearly as many pumpkins, but Thanksgiving, in any climate, is a great opportunity to count our blessings, and remember all of God's faithfulness in the past year. I'm so thankful for you and the partnership we share in God's kingdom, and the work He is doing around the world. As this quarter of training comes to an end at the U of N, around 500 students are preparing to leave on international outreaches to places like Cambodia, Thailand, China, Mozambique, South Africa, Colombia and many others. Most of these students are youth, who are giving up their holiday season, spending it away from friends and family, in foreign countries for the sake of the gospel. I feel privileged to have gotten to know them, and be part of many of their schools, and I hope you will join me in praying for God's protection over their teams, and for His power to minister through them as they leave for the nations. Also, I've put a video sideshow on youtube documenting some of this years travels with PhotogenX and you can view that here!

Use whatever language you know to thank the Lord for all his blessings!

SourceView™ Bible project

The past month I have been working with a team of editors, proof readers and publishers on a new Bible publication that I want to tell you about. The SourceView™ Bible is the first major innovation in the formatting of the Biblical text since the introduction of verses into the Scriptures nearly five hundred years ago! This breakthrough layout highlights the dramatic narrative of the original manuscripts and enhances the reader’s ability to follow the story. The reader can, at any given moment, clearly see who is speaking the words recorded in the Bible. The natural flow of the Biblical story comes to life as the drama unfolds with no artificial breaks. The multicolored text reads much like a movie script, engaging the reader in the page-turning interplay of those who form the speaking cast of God’s story. The format features a new reference system built on the natural dialogue found within the Biblical text, a new multicolored layout of the text and a left-hand column with character subtitles that inform the reader who the speaker is. Never again will you feel lost in the text with questions like “Who’s speaking?” or “What’s going on here?” It is set for an Easter release date from Tyndale House Publishers, and you can see a sample of the text and pre-order your own copy in the New Living translation at the link above.

sample cover of the SourceView Bible

Upcoming Events
This year I am excited to be spending the holidays (Christmas & New Year) at home in Pennsylvania, and for the chance to see many friends and family members in that time. From there I will be spending some time with some new Bible schools recently started in Costa Rica and Fiji, before returning to "home base" to prepare to lead the 9-month, School of Biblical Studies here in Kona. Already there are students accepted from places like China, Tanzania, Norway, and several other nations. I would like to see 25-30 students be part of this course, so we have the next 4 months to believe for 10-15 more students to apply. I guess a common theme from this newsletter could be summed up by Matthew 9:38 "Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Costa Rica: Trip one, with Josh, Jason, Michael and Nick doing building projects for Youth With A Mission.

Costa Rica trip two: With VCF youth group to Pura Vida ministries

Prayer for Nations: Fiji

This island nation has undergone unbelievable transformation in the last few decades, both religiously and economically. Recognized throughout the world as a coveted tourist destination, Fiji's religious roots, both past and present often go overlooked. Once a place where animism ruled supreme, and witch-doctors ruled by fear, and even cannibalism was practiced as a religious rite. God has been moving in Fiji however, and the blood, sweat and tears poured out by missionaries and intercessors over that land has borne a harvest, culminating in a nation wide revival several years ago.
Now, Fiji is considered an evangelized nation, but what is more exciting to me is that there is a deep longing in the Fijian church to become a sending force in the global harvest. YWAM has partnered with believers in Fiji to train and equip Fijian missionaries, who are willing to go to the ends of the earth. This February, I have the opportunity to be part of this movement, as I go to teach a School of Biblical Studies run on the island of Vunayasi. Please pray that the work that God is doing in Fiji will bear fruit for the Kingdom all over the world!

Students study God's word at YWAM, Fiji

students from YWAM Fiji at work on a community development project.

Farewell to summer

All good things come to an end

It's been a wonderful two months of summer. It is now time to wrap up vacation mode however. Next week I am returning to YWAM to begin work with another training course. I don't know where all the student's are coming from, but I am sure of the calling God has on their lives, so I am excited to be part of it. I will be teaching in the Discipleship Training school and the School of Biblical Studies, both of which focus on raising up young people, giving them skills and tools to help them succeed on the mission field, and sending them out to the nations. I will also be working on developing some courses for Bible study that we can do as mobile classes throughout the middle east.

VCF's youth group in Costa Rica
I had the opportunity to go with my home church's youth group to Costa Rica on their summer missions trip. What a great trip, amazing youth group, wonderful ministry and as for the country, well I don't think I've ever met anyone who complained about Costa Rica :-). Our group worked with youth groups from several other Vineyard east coast, churches, doing projects that ranged from open air ministry to construction, to community service. The most exciting part for me was to see the kids stepping out in faith, and seeing God meet them in unexpected and powerful ways. It was a huge blessing to be there with other groups; as iron sharpens iron, these youth groups really encouraged one another to press into God, and it reflected in our prayer and worship times as well as in our ministry there. I've posted a full photo album on my website's photo album page and a few photos here for you to view.

worship in the grove with the VCF youth group.

quiet time at the cross

Eric and AJ performing "el Champion!"

Indigenous wildlife

frogs of all colors

and the bluest of butterflies

Volcanoes tower over tropical rain forests

Return to my mission field...
Hawaii! That's right, I've tried a lot of places, and there just aren't any others challenging enough! Kidding, but I feel a peace about the Lord leading me back to Kona and, even though it was not the plan, (or so I thought) the biggest current need I can fill is to return there this coming year and lead the School of Biblical Studies. And God is beginning to really stir my faith up for the year ahead. Last year my students went to places like India, Egypt, Japan and China to use their Bible training in teaching and starting new Bible schools. I believe that God wants to see the same and more with this next school... and if it means I have to SUFFER in Hawaii... so be it :-). It's actually a wonderful town (Kona, Hawaii) and a great campus for studying the word, and God is doing amazing things in Kona, as well as sending missionaries out from there.

Prayer for Nations: Costa Rica:
A nation known for it's beautiful scenery, cascading waterfalls and pristine beaches; known for "pura vida" the "pure life," of simplicity, contentment and bliss. As the VCF youth group ministered in Costa Rica we discovered another side of this country, one that includes poverty, superstition and fear. Our mission, as followers of Christ, was to let our lights shine, to pierce the darkness, and let Jesus bring his kingdom through us. Our trip was short, but I believe our prayer mandate over Costa Rica continues on, and I hope you will join us in lifting up the missionaries we worked with there at PVM (Pura Vida Missions,) and to lift up the workers who are dedicating their lives to serving the Lord in this country. Pray that Costa Rica regains it's national identity of "the pure life" with Jesus Christ as the center of that identity. While we were there we saw several people make commitments to the Lord during our ministry times. Pray that the hearts that were touched by our testimonies, skits and dramas, will find Christian communities to strengthen them and help them grow.