Issuu

itness W

Presbyterian Church in America

pcpc

Vol. XVI, No. 4 • Park Cities Presbyterian Church • NOV 2006

Magnifying the Lord together New worship service for all the family

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on earth, Your saving power

Tim Tinsley will initiate the preaching in this service with a series on the life of David, “A Great Sinner, A Great Saint.” Other PCPC pastors will preach during this time in the future.

among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!” —Psalm 67:1-3

INSIDE Women start year with color and depth

Men still come on cold gray dawns

Words from a wounded healer

Tsunami aid brings hope in Indonesia

Bible truth and barbecue go to the Philippines

Thy Kingdom come: in Asia and at home

Youth ministry: more than fun and games

PCPC begins a new worship service on Sunday evenings this month. Every week at 6:00 pm worshippers will gather in Fellowship Hall as God’s children to offer Him our love and adoration and to participate in the means of grace.

Tim says of this service: “Martin Luther said, ‘To know God is to worship Him.’ God reveals Himself to us, and our Spirit-led response to Him is worship. Worship is man’s ‘awe-full’ response to our magnificent God’s revelation of Himself. We ‘speak well’ of Him during our worship services as we understand that His love for us is our greatest delight in life. Worshippers find that serving Him is the most fulfilling activity of our life. Starting November 5 we are offering the people of God another opportunity

to worship our God—this time on Sunday evenings. All of our services, both morning and evening, offer wonderful opportunities for us as God’s people to bring our family, friends, and associates to a place of seeing God for who He really is; so please continue to bring someone along with you when

attending our services. Our Sunday evening service will center on biblical exposition and will also have a new musical language as we sing prayers to and about our awesome God.” Families are encouraged to bring children of all ages to the service. Little ones will begin to learn early about worshipping our Holy God as they watch and participate with their parents. (There is no childcare offered on Sunday evenings.) Youth Pastor Mark Davis comments on this service:

“One of the great joys of being a Christian is coming together with other believers to worship the one true God. In Psalm 34 David says, ‘Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together!’ I am looking forward to having another opportunity on Sunday for my family to join our “Family” in a time of worship. There is no higher calling or privilege that we know. God has created us and called us His own for this purpose. “The world offers many things that compete against this call to worship our Father, but none compare. David says, ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good!’ He is good! I look forward to another opportunity to be reminded of just how good He is, and to respond as He has made me to respond—in praise.” Come join us as we reach out to the communities around us, sing a new song to our Lord and Savior, listen to the richness of His Word, and worship Him in beauty and holiness. ?

“Rejoicing around the Word” women kick off year of “life together” P

need for quiet and stillness to hear are again partnering with Northwest CPC Bible and Watermark Community Women’s God in the midst of a tremendously Church’s women. busy culture. With that in mind, Ministries With leadership in place, events on Women’s Ministries announced its began its the calendar, and women well trained new event this year, reflective retreats, year on Septemand “kicked-off” and prayed for over which will be held November 10 and ber 7 with its annual kickoff luncheon and over again, Women’s Ministries 11 and March 23 and 24 for the purand dinner. Priscilla Horn and her announces that over 500 women are pose of quietly studying God’s Word enthusiastic team of women put toattending weekly Bible studies ofand restoring tired souls. gether an event that hosted more than fered at our church. In a year that has 300 women for a time of fellowship, started without a senior pastor, we are Just getting started encouragement, and gospel music so grateful to see the largest number of Other events for the year include entertainment by Russ Whitfield and the February 23 and 24 women ever sign up for Bible studBrian Piper. Breakaway, back by ies. It is a deeply encouraging Under the leadership of moderator popular demand, a demonstration of the faithfulCarroll Turpin, Women’s Ministries service weekend ness of the Lord, who is chose the theme for the year “Life Toin West Dallas head of our church and gether: Growing in Community” and under the our people in more ways invited Kathleen Nielson, longtime enthusiastic than we can imagine. friend of PCPC and daughter-in-law of leadership —Laurie Butterfield our own Lois Nielson, to be our Kickof Denise Off speaker. Kathleen is the author of Nixon. Adnumerous Bible studies we have used, vent Prayer including this year’s study of the book will be held of Isaiah taught by Kay Gabrysch. Friday mornKathleen’s talk, “Rejoicing around ing, Decemthe Word,” focused ber 1, and the on Nehemiah spring’s outreach 8 and 9 and event, Growing taught us Together through Learnhow God ing, will feature Lauren used the Winner, the author of Real reading Sex: The Naked Truth about of the Chastity. Lauren will be with us on May 10, and we Word of God by Ezra. Their conviction as they heard it and their submission to it brought God’s people to great joy and worship. And in this, there was unity for the entire community of God. Top in circle: Alice Wilcox and The women Louise Bruton also viewed a DVD Above: Kathleen Nielson teaches by Rod Bell titled from Nehemiah. “Noise” that empha(l to r) Deanna Davis, Kathy Zerangue, Kay Gabrysch sized the enormous 2 • PCPC WITNESS

NOVEMBER 2006

All things were orange! At least, the prizes were. Elaine Bell’s name was drawn to win this decorative pumpkin.

Below: Elizabeth Thrash, Theresa Thrash, Neely Thrash

Below: Eun-Sang Covin, Andrea Davis, Amy Wheeler Bottom: Sandy Haughton, Mary Ellen Ford, Dot Shadrach, Benny Newman Bottom left circle: Vicki Ford

Left, Linda Dixon, Nancy Moss, Jennifer Rogers, Barbara Adams Anne Brown (seated) Right in circle: Barb Mullins

A Bible study teacher reports

Right: Mollie Halpin was the winner of the centerpiece at her table. Every table had a winner.

NOVEMBER 2006

Kathleen Nielson proved to be a great treat, especially for those of us who love studying the Word of God. She spoke about how the people of God received the Word of the Law from Nehemiah. What intrigued me most was the fact that this gifted writer and speaker had the whole room spellbound as she took us back in time to the Old Testament period just after Judah’s return from the Babylonian captivity. As she spoke, I looked around the room and saw women carefully taking notes as they began to sense her love for the richness of the Old Testament. In addition, Kathleen Nielson helped to unify our women and build community by training all of the women’s small group leaders,

teachers, and ministry team members while she was in town. It was a real gift to me. I was able to use everything that she taught us for the opening day of the Bible study that I am teaching this fall. This was particularly special for me as Kathleen loves the Old Testament as much as I do and feels that believers need to know the Old Testament to completely understand the New Testament. Her time with us was so meaningful to me and others present at the beginning of our year. We welcomed her as family, and now I can say that I have the privilege of knowing her as my friend. —Susan Keyes PCPC WITNESS • 3

Men’s Fraternity: Becoming a Man Dawn gathering drawing hundreds

One man says, “I just don’t

think I can hold my marriage together much longer.” Another man says, “I don’t know why I can’t seem to connect with my children.” Another says, “I feel so guilty about a business deal that I was involved in.” Another says, “I don’t know why I keep doing things that I’m so ashamed of.” Suppose the men in your life (husbands, fathers, sons, and grandsons) had a place to go where they could join a small group of other men and honestly examine their lives with the goal of becoming better men. Suppose these men were able to courageously unpack the baggage of the past, perhaps some very painful experiences that they carry around every day of their lives, with the

4 • PCPC WITNESS

goal of ending the negative effect these things are still having on the people they love. Suppose there was a safe place where these men could go and talk about their lives with other men who were dedicated to being there for them, because they too needed help. That’s Men’s Fraternity. Men’s Fraternity is a three-year program. We are currently working through the first year’s program, “The Quest for Authentic Manhood.” This 24-week process, led by Tim Tinsley, helps men deal with past wounds, adopt a biblical definition of manhood, and develop a personal plan for achieving authentic manhood goals. Men’s Fraternity is not a traditional Bible study, but a man’s relationship with the Lord is a big part of it. It is not an “event,” like something we go to and respond, “Well, that was fun.” Rather, it is a series of sessions, and the most likely response after each one is, “Wow, that was tough.” It is not a series of feel-good sessions, although we often laugh together. Rather, it is a series of working sessions, and tears sometimes flow as men work through very painful experiences together. Small group power The life-changing power of Men’s Fraternity is in the small groups. The groups are a safe place where men come to know that they are not alone, they are welcome, and they are understood. Here they have male cheerleaders, men who are eager to tell them, “You can do it!” “I’m behind you.” “Let me tell you how I dealt with that.” The level of trust achieved in these small groups encourages men to share things that have been suppressed deep in their souls for years. It is not uncommon to hear a man say, “I’ve never told anyone about that. My wife doesn’t even know that about me.” And the growth begins; the healing begins. Men stand shoulder-to-shoulder with each other, holding each other up, providing encouragement and a lifeline. It is not just about making new friends. These friendships are strongly bonded and God-centered, tem-

pered like steel in the fire of our small group experiences as we embrace together a godly view of what it means to be a man. When men connect in this way, lives are changed. This is a change that affects families, the workplace, the church, everywhere these men go. One wife said, “I don’t know what you’ve done to my husband, but I want some of it.” Pete Deison is starting a similar program for women. One wife sent her husband back to do it again. He reported that she had said, “You’re making great progress, but you still have a long way to go; keep going.” Can’t I miss just once? Men’s Fraternity requires a dedication to the process, a willingness to step up to the challenge, an inner strength, a dedication to sticking it out. It’s not easy. Six-thirty am comes very early, especially when it’s still dark. On a cold, rainy morning, it is so easy to find an excuse to miss “just this once,” even knowing that Starbucks coffee is waiting. It requires courage to face some very difficult things. If the previous session was painful, it gets easier to make excuses for missing one or two. How does a man find the tenacity to stick to this process? Some keep the end in mind, just wanting to be better men. One man reported that he asked his wife for help: “Just make me go every Monday morning, no matter what,” he told her. Another man said, “Sticking with Men’s Fraternity is the top item on my prayer list. I say ‘Please God, don’t let me make excuses.’” Men’s Fraternity changes lives. The man who sticks with it is promised this: 1)With a clear definition of manhood, he will be unable to say, “I didn’t have a father, so I don’t even know what it means to be a man.” He will know. That’s a promise. 2)He will make significant personal discoveries about himself. That’s a promise. 3)He will discover the power to change. He won’t be able to say, “I just don’t know why I can’t stop_____.” He will be able to stop. That’s a promise. That’s Men’s Fraternity. —George Jackson

NOVEMBER 2006

“For my sighing comes instead of my bread, and my groaning are poured out like water. For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes.” Job 3:24-26

“The thing that I fear comes upon me,” writes Job. Fear comes to us in many ways: “You’re fired.” “The CAT scan is not normal.” “You’re HIV positive.” “Your child will not live.” Suddenly your world is reeling. In an instant you realize that you are not in control. Your former life is over. Your new life has begun. But all you want to do is cry, or flee, or fight, or get a second opinion. But the second opinion brings no comfort, so you are brought up short again, feeling alone and out-of-breath. You must begin the process of coming to terms with the new configuration of the pieces of your life. But how? Weep Tears are a good and appropriate place to start. Fiery ordeals and tribulations are to be expected (1 Pet. 4:12, John 16:33), but that does not mean we are not to grieve when they come. Christians must never forget that they live in a fallen world and are invited to share in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings (Phil. 3:10). Nevertheless, these things are grievous both to us and the Lord. Jesus Himself wept (John 11:35). As humans we seek to avoid pain, and as spiritual beings we wish to do no less. But when pain comes from the sovereign hand of God, we must let ourselves be human. We weep. But we don’t weep as those who have no hope, but as those who have a sure and steadfast hope (1 Thess. 4:13, Heb. 6:18-20). Remember You are a pilgrim. This life is a mere shadow of the life to come. Here we struggle on the practice field of life; there we will shine as heirs of the grace of life (Heb. 11:13-16). Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God (Rom. 8:39). For this slight, momentary affliction (it doesn’t feel NOVEMBER 2006

Responding to life’s blows slight or momentary!) is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Cor. 4:17a). In our human frame we are limited in our comprehension of these truths, but one day we shall understand fully, just as we have been understood (1 Cor. 13:12). “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Isaiah 43:1b, 2

Pray Pray honest prayers and think honest thoughts of God. He will be with us, even when we question His goodness and our prayers turn to groanings and sighs too deep for words (Rom. 8:22, 26). Come as a child and tell Him how you feel and what you want. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will sympathize with you in your weakness, and your loving Heavenly Father will give you what you need, although it is not always what you want. At a minimum He will give you grace sufficient for each hour. (See Heb. 4:14-16, Phil. 4:19, 2 Cor. 12:9.) Feed The Word of God feeds our faith. As we fortify ourselves on it daily (Jude 20), faith becomes our shield against the flaming darts of the evil one (Eph. 6:16). The devil’s specialty is to whisper words of doubt and sow seeds of bitterness in our hearts. Against him we must be on constant guard (1 Pet. 5:8). Forgive Many close friends and associates will not know what to say. Do not take it personally. Pursue them in love as soon as you can. Most friends want to share your pain but simply don’t know how.

They do not realize they are hurting you more by their silence than by their inept attempts to comfort. Wait Don’t be in a hurry to have it all together. As you pass through the stages of shock and grief there are lessons to be learned and daily manna to gather. Take time to listen to the Lord as He leads you through your pain. Weeping may last for the (long, dark) night, but joy comes in the morning (Ps. 30:5). Give As soon as you are able, begin to give and live again. By God’s grace you will be given sustaining words to share with others. Isaiah said, “The Lord has given me the tongue of one who is taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him that is weary,” (Isa. 50:4). And Paul said: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor. 1:3,4). There is in this life a sweet foretaste of heaven. Perhaps it is experienced most deeply when one “broken” person shares the burden of another “broken” person (Gal. 6:2). “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!” (Ps. 126:5). Flowing out of that brokenness is a redeeming love for our fellow pilgrims. Be mindful that “unless a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). So take your time after life has dealt you a blow. God is still in control, and He allows only “faithful” wounds to befall His people (Prov. 27:61). Be still for a season. Feed your soul. As soon as you are able, pray that by His grace you may reach out and become a wounded healer. —Barbara Ryan, 1999 PCPC WITNESS • 5

Bringing Comfort and Hope to the Acehnese

PCPC’s tsunami outreach Last year PCPC members gave over $170,900 for relief following the December 2004 tsunami (and $822,737 to Katrina relief!). Over $67,000 of that was given to Partners International for aid to Indonesia. Here is a report from this ministry on how the funds were used to relieve suffering in the Indonesian province of Aceh.

When the 9.3 magnitude earthquake off the coast of northwest Sumatra unleashed a devastating tsunami last year, it took the lives of an estimated 270,000 people. This horrendous event called God’s people into action. Thankfully, Park Cities Presbyterian Church responded. Because of your support, our indigenous partner ministry, Cahaya Suku, was able to tangibly share the love of Christ with many survivors in the immediate aftermath of the tsunami and quickly identified several villages to help rebuild. Partners International is grateful for your financial and prayerful support of our indigenous ministry partners working in this region. 6 • PCPC WITNESS

Remnants of a town on Aceh’s west coast

Today, our ministries are in the final stages of completing restoration projects. Over these past 16 months they have demonstrated the love of Christ in their interactions with the Acehnese and have taken advantage of opportunities to share the gospel. Our partners can see that God is working to save the people of Aceh. They have seen the sincere love of Christians helping them, and our compassion has changed their view about Christianity. Now, they want to know more about “Isa” (Jesus) and to start reading the Bibles we gave them. Relationships before homes Last fall, Partners International’s Director of International Operations visited the villages to evaluate the work for himself. What he learned about the ministry team and its ability to work with the staunch Muslims of Aceh pleased him. He shared, “Compared to the other nonprofit organizations that came to help Aceh, our church-

planting ministry should probably have been the least effective. After all, it is not a relief and development organization, and before the tsunami, most of the church planters had never built a house or clinic or pond. Yet our team has become known as having its projects move ahead of the other NGOs working in Aceh.” Our ministry leader attributes this success to its relational approach. He said, “Most organizations came in focused on getting the projects done: how many houses to build, on what schedule, and so forth. We, on the other hand—as a church planting agency—did what we do naturally. We started building relationships with the people. We sat down with the recipients and villagers like a family and decided together what to do.” This whole process of consensus building and negotiation, which is the way things are done in Indonesia, set the stage for things to move ahead with fewer problems later on. NOVEMBER 2006

Different kinds of help Homes replaced—Together with other Christian agencies, we will have restored 449 families with homes of their own. Boats built—Our partner, again with help from others, has constructed 128 boats for villagers in Samaria. The families who have received this new lifeline to the sea have gratefully returned to their occupation. Not only is assistance provided in the form of a replacement boat for the fishermen, but at the same time a sense of responsibility is being established. Boat owners must repay 30 percent of the cost of the boat, which is then reused for loans to women to set up small businesses. In Bethel, a new project is being reviewed to rebuild around 40 fishing boats. Shrimp ponds—Our ministry partner rented and repaired several six-acre shrimp ponds as a demonstration project to teach sustainable aquaculture techniques to the whole community. Education at community centers—In the village of Lamnga, the educational level is a great concern because most people are functionally illiterate. Although there is a national language, many drop out of school before they learn it. Cinta Baca, which means “love of reading,” is the name of our education work in Indonesia. It provides us with a network for long-term efforts in areas like Aceh. The community center with its library that opened

last September is a great place for our ministry partner to implement the reading program. Interest in the community center is so high that we are often “forced” to open it during the off hours because the kids want to get in! Reading activities also teach children ethics and values. The weekly storytelling time introduces different values that help build character. Both the stories and visual aids are contextualized to the Acehnese culture. A second community center was opened in another village in January. It was built in one of the camps since the permanent houses there have not yet been rebuilt. Besides teaching children, the ministry staff teaches skills to women, many of whom desire to work and earn income but currently have no skills. School construction—We have broken ground and begun the foundation for a new school in one of the villages where we already helped to build new homes. We expect the school to be ready for the start of the new school year in July. Last December, the principal of a school near our village library approached us for help. His school was rebuilt by another organization, but it did not provide any desks or chairs, so students were sitting on the floor during their classes. After seeing the situation, our ministry partner ordered desks and chairs for the two classrooms. We thank the Lord for opening a new relationship with this school. The principal and teachers now want us to help them develop the children’s interest in reading. New life in Christ The church planting team is always looking for opportunities to share their faith. Our prayer is that many will come to salvation through Christ Jesus. The following story is an example of how the Lord is working through our ministry partner.

x NOVEMBER 2006 Homes built by Partners International and other ministries

The team became close to a young Acehnese lady, about 20 years old, whose hair has fallen out. As the relationship developed, we took her to see a doctor in another city. He was unable to help, but her family noticed how different we were from the others in her village. On one of the mentoring visits, our church planting team shared Bible stories with the girl, her 30-year-old brother and her mother. When asked if they wanted to believe in Christ, the mother and brother said they did. Praise God that they were led in prayer to accept Christ and are now being discipled. Prayer requests • Good health and strength for the ministry teams as they continue work among tsunami victims in Aceh. • Good relationships with the villagers to continue developing. • More opportunities to share about the love of Christ. • Softened hearts for villagers to hear the gospel. Our heartfelt thanks to PCPC Partners International is grateful to God for the work He is doing through our indigenous ministry partners to reach the Acehnese people. You have helped bring renewal to a devastated land and healing to a broken people. The funds you donated were used to support 25 church planters who are focused on reaching out to the Acehnese. Last year they presented the gospel to 760 Acehnese Muslims, and 166 of them were willing to meet further with the church planters. Four people responded to Christ. Thank you for your commitment and compassion to see the lost find hope in Jesus Christ. May God bless you abundantly. ?

PCPC WITNESS PCPC WITNESS • • 7 7

The cure for dull prayers:

A church truly in the world After arriving on a Saturday night, we celebrated our first Sabbath in the Philippines at the Jesus Cares Presbyave your prayers for our a team, our group bonded instantaterian Church. It was a joy to worship PCPC missionaries become neously once we set out for Manila. with these brothers and sisters, singlifeless, dull, and perfuncThe Lord stretched and used each ing with them in English, humming tory? The solution is to go on a shortone of us in different and sometimes along with their joyful songs in Tagaterm mission trip! After eight days in surprising ways. Behind our team was log, and hearing the gospel ardently the Philippines this past August, the a multitude of supporters who upheld proclaimed in both languages. eight members of our mission team us in prayer and sent us out with their After the service we went downreturned home with hearts filled with financial gifts. stairs to the girls’ home that is part of Our misthe Street Kids Ministry sponsored by sion was to MTW. Twenty-three girls currently help and live in the home; they are precious, encourage well-behaved, and so very hungry for the Filiaffection. Ten-year-old Michelle and I pino church sat together on a sofa, singing songs planters about our Lord. “Do you know this who are part one?” we asked each other back and of the Batan- forth. Then she began to tell me her gas Project, story. She said she used to be mean an effort to and selfish and always fighting until plant ten Jesus came into her heart and changed churches in her. “Now I don’t fight any more, and the Batangas I don’t even want to, and I have a lot of Province best friends and food, and I know that south of Jesus will take care of me.” It was hard Manila. We to leave the girls, but we came away spent a day amazed at the testimony they are to with each the power of Christ’s love. of the four Sunday evening we attended an pastors sup- installation service for Pastor Larry ported by Malabayabas at the church plant in Girls at the Street Kids Ministry are fascinated by Luke’s laptop. PCPC and Calamba City. The congregation meets the faces and voices of our Batangas MTW (Mission to the World) in collab- in an attractive, open-aired space unProject church planters and their fami- oration with the PCP (the Presbyterian der a thatched roof; it is a third-floor lies. We saw the difficult circumstancChurch in the Philippines); they were bar—just where the church should es under which they and their flocks located in four different small towns. be! Rob and Marcelo Ramirez worked pour out their lives to make Christ They had planned together seamlessly, Rob known. Now that we hold them in our various tasks for preaching and Celo trans“It is considered a mortal hearts as our own brothers and sisters us, primarily lating. Rob remarked that it sin for a Filipino to attend in Christ, the privilege of praying for designed to make was his first time to preach a Protestant service.” them has become a treasure. contacts for the in a bar, and we wondered Our team of eight was strongly pastors in their lohow the participants in led by Luke Le Duc, a Westminster cal areas. One of the the “Beer Drinking Contest” seminary student and pastoral intern difficulties they face is that, in an over- advertised on posters would descend at Cristo Rey, and Jahaziel Cantu, whelmingly Roman Catholic culture, the two flights of steep, short, spiralalso a member of Cristo Rey and a evangelical Christianity is viewed as a ing steps. Westminster seminary student. There cult; it is considered a mortal sin for a were six other members of PCPC on Filipino to attend a Protestant worA quick jump from Plan A to Plan C the team: Bobby Holland, a young acship service. Americans are admired, The next day we paired up with memcountant; Julia Londis, a fourth-grade though, so our visible support for their bers of their church and shared the teacher; Rob Sayles, a new law school efforts helps these pastors build credgospel with neighbors who had shown graduate; Shawn Newsome, another ibility in their communities. We also interest. In the afternoon the guys on Westminster student; my husband, desired to get to know them and their our team conducted a basketball clinic, Rob Allen; and myself. Rob and I were families, and to refresh and strengthen where Rob Sayles shared his testidefinitely the “Mom and Pop” of the them in the Lord by ministering His mony. Our team then served a Texas outfit. Strangers before we became care to them. barbecue to the church members and

A short-term missions trip

8 • PCPC WITNESS

NOVEMBER 2006

a number of guests. It would be the one hundred students. Upon arrival gram, after which we went downtown first of four such culinary offerings. at the school and learning that all 625 to meet the Mayor and Vice Mayor (We had brought along a trunkful of students would attend, Coach Sayles and were treated as visiting dignitarDickey’s barbecue sauce!) implemented Plan C, working with ies. More Texas barbecue, preaching On Tuesday we traveled to Santo the varsity boys’ by Rob Allen, and Tomas, where we helped announce in basketball team bingo wound up classrooms of the Polytechnic Univerwhile explainthe day. sity of the Philippines the opening of ing the drills and a Christian Student Center. It is one of giving tips to the From guests to several outreach programs begun by large, enthusihosts Pastor Noli Hugo and his wife, Mayet. astic audience. Our team had I was thrilled to be able to help Mayet While the players the privilege of with materials for English lessons givtook a break, hosting the church en as an outreach, and I look forward Bobby Holland planters and their to corresponding with her about that. preached the gosfamilies, as well as Wednesday found us in the town pel clearly and some of the other of Rosario, where Pastor Alex Mencompellingly to MTW missionardoza and his wife Linda minister. the well-groomed ies, at a country In a local public school, Julia taught and mannerly retreat all day preschoolers the gospel story using student body Friday and SaturMaster bingo caller Rob Allen “The Wordless Book,” and we all and their teachday morning. The helped the children make a craft they ers. It was the first time he had ever setting was tropical and ideal. Most of could use in telling the story to others. addressed a group about his faith. the team entertained and cared for the During the afternoon there was to be The Lord empowered him, and many children, which was a wonderful treat another basketball clinic at a large seeds were planted. Another Texas for parents and kids alike. Rob taught private high school, a barbecue followed in on servant leadership from John 7 Catholic nonsectarian the restaurant where and 13. Then he and Luke passed out “The congregation meets in an school. Rob Sayles the church holds Bible commentaries as gifts for the attractive, open-aired space had prepared for 30 worship services, men. Julia and I distributed books we under a thatched roof; it is a students, as comafter which Rob Allen had chosen for the women. The night third-floor bar—just where munication with the preached the Word to before, we had carefully wrapped the church should be!” school had indicated, an eager crowd. them in bright paper and tied them but after hearing that We spent Thurswith ribbon, while the guys watched afternoon classes had been canceled day in Batangas City where Pastor and shook their heads at what they for the clinic, he and his coaching staff Nilo and his wife Viola are beginning deemed a waste of time. The delight worked out a Plan B to handle up to a new work. Julia led a children’s pro- on the faces of our sisters upon receiving their gifts confirmed that our efforts toward “the lovely presentation” (à la Edith Schaeffer) were much appreciated. They were thrilled with the second part of the present (the books!) also. It was a rich time of fellowship. Our second Sabbath in the Philippines we worshipped with the Covenant of Grace Church in Lipa City, where Pastor Nong had invited Rob Allen to preach. It was a joy to share the Lord’s Supper with this congregation. Knowing we would leave at dawn the next morning, we said goodbye with thankful hearts for the Lord’s great mercy and grace in allowing us to be there to receive and give His blessing and encouragement, for His protection from illness during our stay, and for His provision for our trip through the prayers and gifts of our senders. Soli Deo Gloria! —Carrye Allen The basketball clinic at a Catholic school was a huge success. NOVEMBER 2006

PCPC WITNESS • 9

Learning to imagine and ask more Finding hope in Asia

My friend Luke Le Duc and I recently spent a week teaching Reformation thought and history in Cambodia, and we came back the richer for it. Already I feel squeamish. It’s so cliché to do ministry like this and then to insist at the end, “We received far more than we gave.” Even if it’s true, the sentiment seems to focus on the ministering parties and their subjective experience instead of the people they’ve ministered to, and that’s annoying. But I don’t know how to avoid it. Who can measure what others received? Did a little group of Vietnamese and Cambodian Christians profit from hearing, for example, a single guy hold forth on marriage and sexuality? Only Sokly and Thien and Huyen and the rest could tell you. (I can tell you Luke’s quip at the start of the next lecture: “Disregard everything Paul just said. He has no idea what he’s talking about.” It was one attempt at humor that survived the syntactical maelstrom that is translation.) The students were mostly laypeople aspiring to leadership and service in the church. Between us, Luke and I loaded them with four hour-and-a-half lectures a day. And when we spoke, their pens moved like dervishes across the pages of their notebooks. “Thank you for teaching me these days,” one of the Cambodians wrote on a card. “I can catch many good lessons and understand God’s Word. After this day I will serve God and share this to other people in my church.” The Cambodians and especially the Vietnamese serve God in circumstances less comfortable than ours. One night I asked Huyen, a college student, what part of the Christian

10 • PCPC WITNESS

life she struggled Thy Kingdom with most. “That I come. That’s a “Part of our problem as cannot speak of plea. But it goes pray-ers is a staggering Jesus as openly as by so fast that few failure of imagination. I want in Vietnam,” of us experience it We can’t imagine, and she said. She sang as more than pretwe often don’t even try to a song for me: ty words until we “Pray for Vietget some heartfelt imagine, how the coming nam.” A Cambosense of the presof the Father’s reign dian sang another: ent disjointedness might change things in “Pray for Cambobetween heaven our lives, relationships, dia.” and earth. We’ve communities, and beyond.” Before dingot to feel in our ner each night, gut, as Hamlet did we met for a after that horservice. We sang. ripilating midnight We prayed. We interview with the heard the Scripghost, that “the tures opened. time is out of joint.” And each night, We’ve got to feel someone stood to the pinch. My tell his or her story. brothers and sisters Without fail, their stories abounded in Asia—your brothers and sisters—feel in thanksgiving, never mind circumit more than most of us in the West do. stances. They were thankful for time Having been with them makes me together in God’s Word, thankful for want to see the Father’s reign—His the encouragement of fellow disciples, healing, restoring, all-things-reconciling, thankful for—this above all—the sheer true-sons-vindicating, death-defeating grace of God in Christ. A number of reign—brought more and more to bear these believers come from non-Chrisin His world. tian backgrounds, and they have a What on earth does all that look keen sense of gratitude to the God like? Who knows, really? Part of our who drew them out of paganism. problem as pray-ers is a staggering failure of imagination. We can’t imagine, Thy Kingdom come and we often don’t even try to imagBack home, the Vietnamese gather ine, how the coming of the Father’s every morning to pray for an hour. For reign might change things—in our me, this was the week’s most striking lives, relationships, communities, and lesson, and the most humbling. Picturbeyond. It’s good to have the apostle ing these lovely human beings making Paul’s consolation (in Eph. 3:20) that their way to church in the dark before the Father can do more than we ask dawn, I thought back to Huyen’s or think. But surely Paul means not just frustration, and back to a prayer we to console, but also to prod: enough of all prayed together, each in his the shriveled imaginations. Ask more. own tongue: Imagine more. “Thy KingThat’s what a few beleaguered dom come.” Asian Christians have prompted me to do. They preached the gospel to me, not so much by what they said as by how they are, especially on their knees. Paul Buckley teaches Kingdom They taught me hope. truths. —Paul Buckley NOVEMBER 2006

Job Description: Youth Staffer More than fun and games Front: Johnny Flores, Kim Mathews, Caroline Lamberth Back: Russ Whitfield, Brent Baker, Mark Davis, Robby Higginbottom

When you think of a member of the youth staff, do you think of silly costumes and maniacal skits? Of course there’s some of that (everyone wears silly costumes from time to time), but the first responsibility listed on a PCPC youth staff’s job description is prayer. Mark Davis, Assistant Minister to Youth, knows how important it is for his staff to have a growing relationship with Christ in order to model Christian love to the young men and women they work with. After seeking God’s guidance daily and developing a deeper and richer prayer life, the next item on the job description is

“pursue personal growth, theological understanding, and ministry assessment.” The next item is developing a team of lay leaders, and eventually the job description mentions the contact work with students, the work that is most visible to the church. PCPC has an intense youth intern program that prepares young men and women to fulfill these roles. The youth intern program began in 2004. Jared Fuson, the first intern to be hired, is now the Middle School Director. Three other current full-time staff members, Russ Whitfield, Robby Higginbottom, and Caroline Lamberth, also began working for PCPC as interns. Other former interns have moved A typical day for a youth staffer on to minister either in Wednesday, October 4 West Dallas or China 9:30-11:30 am: youth staff meeting (as if those were the 11:30 am-12:30 pm: lunch with student only two options). 1:00-2:00 pm: office hours—return e-mails, Currently there prep Bible studies are seven two-year 2:00-4:00 pm: staff girls’ Bible study and interns: Brent Baker, prayer Lily Bambrick, Johnny 4:00-5:00 pm: work out Flores, Ben Leonard, 5:00-6:30 pm: prep Bible study, pray Emily Leonard, Kim 6:30-7:30 pm: dinner with student Mathews, and Amanda 7:30-9:30 pm: Bible study Owens, from locations 9:30-11:00 pm: meet with student such as Wichita Falls,

NOVEMBER 2006

Houston, Highland Park, the Philippines, Minnesota, and Nacogdoches. The missional approach The youth staff meets twice a week for prayer, training, and support. Mark is leading them through a study of J. C. Ryle’s Holiness on Tuesdays in addition to their weekly staff meeting on Wednesdays. They pray for an hour together before Sunday morning worship services and Sunday school, plus other times during the week in smaller groups. “We’re very unified. We’re like a family,” says Kim. “We hang out outside of work.” Most of the interns lead or teamlead two or three Bible studies, ranging from 4 to 30 students. Not all the students go to PCPC. In fact, about two-thirds of the senior girls in Kim’s study on Ecclesiastes don’t. Interns are charged to pursue relationships with non-Christians as well as Christians. None of the Bible studies meet at the church. Most meet in homes; one group gathers in the gazebo at Goar Park. Mark’s philosophy of ministry is to focus on Bible studies and personal continued on next page PCPC WITNESS • 11

Youth staff

cont. from p. 11

relationships more than on events. The interns describe it as a “missional” rather than an “attractional” ministry. “You’re the pursuer,” Amanda says. “Though we have a large Sunday school class and hundreds of kids in small groups, we do not think numbers are the primary measure of success,” says Mark. With large numbers, PCPC’s youth interns still try to form deep relationships with individual young men and women. “You will never see Mark count, period,” says Brent. “I never feel pressured.” Mark would like to see several adults involved in the life of each student, in faithfulness to the congregation’s baptismal vows. Brian Zerangue is a volunteer with the youth ministry who has been leading Bible studies for five years. He says the interns have been an encouragement to him in working with high school boys. “It is definitely a blessing to have those guys there, because their focus is pouring into the kids, but also, along with that, they’re partnering up with other adult leaders to help us get involved in those kids’ lives.” This year Brian and Brent are patterning a study for junior boys after Mark’s Sunday school study on “Belief versus Behavior.” Brian says, “We quickly focus on our behavior, but we should be focusing on our belief, because if our belief’s in the right place our behavior will follow.” Above all, he emphasizes, “our main focus is teaching them how to read and study the Bible.” A sampling of the interns’ Bible study topics includes James, Revelation, the life of Jesus, spiritual formation, the Old Testament, the Sermon on the Mount, identity in Christ, parables, Judges, Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology, and Ecclesiastes. The flexible and self-directed life of the interns has special challenges. They must balance overwhelming demands—working 40-50 hours a week, meeting with students one-onone, leading Bible studies, maintaining a team of volunteers, and visiting the students on their own turf at sports games and school events—with their personal spiritual lives and friend-

ships with people their own age. Emily and Ben Leonard have their marriage to nurture and protect. “You learn a lot about yourself because you have to motivate yourself,” says Amanda. Personal discipline is essential. Caroline is grateful for Mark’s emphasis on protecting personal time with the Lord: “It’s a blessing to be under a boss who respects that and models that.” He also encourages everyone to take a two-day sabbatical twice a year. It’s a wise policy. So much social activity takes its toll, even on an extrovert like Johnny. “As much fun as it is,” he says, “it’s discouraging sometimes, and it’s hard.” “You’re constantly humbled,” says Amanda. Johnny finds inspiration from the apostle Paul. “I do this labor out of love,” he says. Ben is also motivated by compassion for the students, who are often materially rich and spiritually poor. “I’m called here,” he says. “These kids are hurting.” The youth interns meet monthly with a group of elders who volunteer with the youth: David Newman, Paul Flowers, and Tommy

pcpc NOVEMBER 2006 • Vol. XVI, No. 4 Park Cities Presbyterian Church 4124 Oak Lawn Dallas, Texas 75219 www.pcpc.org

Bain. Johnny calls them “genuine and welcoming.” He expresses gratitude for the concern the church has shown for the interns’ personal well-being. “We are thankful that you do pray for us, and we need prayer,” Johnny says. “I feel very well supported by the church,” Brent says. They’ve just gotten back from the Desiring God conference in Minneapolis, which is just one of the ways the church supports them by equipping them for ministry. When PCPC first began offering youth internships, Mark’s plan was to focus not on what the intern could do for the church, but what the intern could do for the Kingdom. The focus on the interns’ personal relationship with Christ is critical as they model Christ’s love to the kids. Brian sums it up: “As Christ does with us—He pursues us—those interns pursue their kids.” Oh, and they do have a lot of fun! —Stephanie Barker

Middle School Director Jared Fuson, the first youth intern PCPC hired

Periodical Postage Paid at Dallas, Texas