Momentum

Just when things begin to slow...the momentum picks back up and we are full speed ahead once again.

Saturday morning started with a grocery trip to Trader Joe's...love TJ's!  Our shopping trip was followed by a meeting with Richard from Christian Associates.  Richard lives in Charlotte and graciously agreed to meet with us to discuss more details about this organization.

Forbes and I have been narrowing our selection for organizations to travel with as missionaries.  Our pastor, Doug Vinez, introduced us to Christian Associates.  We have been researching the organization, talking with folks within CA, and now meeting face-to-face with CA and couldn't be more excited!

We strongly believe in the mission of Christian Associates, to engage all of culture with the life-transforming good news of Jesus.  As they put it, to REJESUS our world!  CA plants churches internationally, in Europe, South Africa, South America, and beyond.  Their church plants are done in a very intentional way, to identify the needs of the communities they serve and build around those needs.  No two of their projects look the same, and we respect this approach to mission work very highly.

I just finished a book called The Poisonwood Bible.  It is a fantastic book my dad recommended months ago, before we left for Zambia.  It follows the story of a family from Southern Georgia who traveled to the Congo to work at a Christian mission in Kilanga.  As the story unfolds you really begin to hate the father who brings the Christian Word to this village in very wrong ways.  Without regard to the people and their individual needs, he preaches "white man's" Gospel and turns many away from Christ, including his own family. 

When Forbes and I set out on the International mission field, I do not want to be ignorant to the needs of those we are serving.  I don't want to replace their basic needs with the Gospel, but rather serve them in a way that exemplifies Christ's role on earth.  I believe Christian Associates will allow us to serve in this way. 



Join The Movement from Christian Associates on Vimeo.

Tomorrow morning we have a Skype call with another representative of Christian Associates.  This call will allow us to ask all of the thousands of questions rummaging through our brains.  After this interaction we will decide if we want to move forward with CA, and then attend an Engage session to further assess if this organization is the right fit for us! 

Things may have slowed with the house, but they certainly are picking up in other areas!  I am excited for these next steps!  Forbes and I felt very confident after our meeting with Richard that this would be a good fit for us!