Life Group Lighthouse Initiative

I've mentioned in other posts about the importance of small groups for Christians, so I won't do that here.  However, I did want to mention some of the initiatives that the Lighthouse Church, which is the English language congregation of the National Evangelical Church in Kuwait, is doing with life groups.

First of all, there will be a book series that all the life groups will be using for the next two years.  I think this is a great idea to have something in a book form that all life groups will be using.  The book is called Foundations for Living, and it's a series of four books written by Susan and Dick Driedger.  This will be exciting to have a clear method for all the life groups at the Lighthouse.

Second, these books are supposed to go through the Christian life, from being a non-Christian to having victory in the Christian life.  This is great because book one can be used to start new groups with those who are not Christians to introduce them to the gospel, and it can be used to help Christians get better at evangelizing and sharing the gospel.  The other books talk about who God is and basic Christian doctrine, having victory over patterns of sin in our lives, and how to live as a balanced and whole person.  These books go back to the basics of the gospel and what it means to be a Christian, and it can't be more emphasized or stressed to keep loving Jesus and what that means for us as believers.
 
Third, they flew the authors into Kuwait to conduct a  two-day training for all life group leaders and coordinators.  I thought this was a brilliant idea, to have the authors themselves explain how their books work and how to use them in a small group setting to maximize the impact they will have on ourselves and others.  The training was very successful, and there was a record turnout from all the other leaders.  There will be an additional training with the authors for those who could not make the initial weekend meeting.

Finally, there will be a life group presentation and an emphasis to for all the congregations to get involved in a group at all the Lighthouse services.  This will be Friday and Sunday on the 19th and 21st of September  There will be an encouragement from our senior pastor Warren about the importance of these life groups.  Additionally, there will be testimonies from different people who have been impacted personally and spiritually by being a part of a life group.  The pastor will also encourage people to join a life group, and there will be signups after every service for those who are interested to join a group.  The life group leaders will also be recognized, prayed for, and commissioned by the pastor of that service and the leaders will be available to help people sign up or answer any questions after the service. 

I believe this is the largest initiative that the Lighthouse church has done regarding small groups, so I want to encourage you to join one this year, or to get back together with your group from your summer holidays.  If you are not in Kuwait, please pray for our life groups this year, that the entire church would have deep relationships with one another and would grow in our love for Jesus!

Bringing God on Vacation: Maldives

My wife and I went to the Maldives several months ago on an amazing vacation.  It's hard to describe the beauty and the majesty of this place because each of the more than 2000 islands that make up this archipelago are right out of a movie.  The tiny islands have beautiful white sand beaches, trees and palms growing and producing fruit right off the shore, and water that is as clear as glass.  We were so grateful for the opportunity to go.

While we were staying on one of the particular islands, we met another couple who was also staying at the same guesthouse as us.  They both lived in Germany, and we decided to spend some time with them on the same excursions and eating some meals together.  I thought it would be a good opportunity to build a relationship with them.  The man even spoke Arabic, and it was a great chance to practice with him.

One night we had dinner together, and the woman asked about my wife's tattoo which she had on her wrist.  Stephanie shared that it meant hope, and even though she has gone through some struggles in her life, she trusted in Jesus who would carry her through whatever the trials she was going through. 

Did the couple come to faith in Christ right then and there?  No.  However, what my wife did was plant a seed of the gospel through her testimony.  She also was honest and authentic with them about some of her struggles and trials, which I think allows that seed to go deeper than just an explanation of the gospel without how it affects us personally.

We will invariably meet other people on our holidays or travels, whether it's a European vacation or to the state park right next door.  Of course, one of the expectations of a vacation is to spend time with family and unwind, which is reasonable. 

However, we will naturally and normally find ourselves interacting with other people, whether they are staying near or hotel or campsite or a clerk at a grocery store, or just meeting people in passing.  So, all these interactions are opportunities to build people into your lives, even if it's just for a few days.  As Christians, we know that only God and people will be forever, so investing in other people is guaranteed to be one of the best returns on our time on this Earth, even if it's short-lived.  After the week was over, we haven't talked to that couple since, but we were glad for the memories we created with them, and we may end up seeing them again. 

Second, we need to be ready to share the hope that is within us, as the Bible says.  We weren't expected to share the gospel the night the woman asked about my wife's tattoo.  However, she didn't shrink back from sharing her story of how Jesus loves her enough to carry her through all the trials she faces in this life. 

Finally, we need to try to be authentic with people.  I believe that sharing the gospel and the four spiritual laws is great, and the more we do that the better.  At the same time, we need to inject how Jesus has personally affected and has changed US.  The world is watching to see if there is anything different about us.  Do we just seek the same pleasures of money, power and pleasure and just use Jesus as our ticket, like another person may use social skills to get the same things?  Do we self-medicate or pretend like everything is fine when we are suffering, or do we acknowledge the truth of our difficulties, shattered dreams, and pain while leaning on Jesus?  If the world sees that we are different as Christians, they will respond.  If we are just using Christianity as the thing to get what we want, then they will think it as one of the many options people use.  Let's use the opportunities we have to share the joy and hope of God's Kingdom here on Earth.  

TLC Mishref Fall Outreach

The Lighthouse Church in Mishref is having the annual fall outreach this Friday on September12th, which is one of the biggest outreach events of the year.  For those of you who are wondering,  here are some questions and answers regarding this event.

What is TLC Mishref?

TLC stands for The Lighthouse Church, which is the the officially recognized English language Protestant church in Kuwait.  It has a legacy of over 100 years in Kuwait, and officially has been given land by the Kuwaiti government to operate.  This is part of God's grace to the church, because land is only given by the government, and even Kuwaiti citizens need to apply for a house.  The Lighthouse Church is the English speaking aspect of the National Evangelical Church in Kuwait, which consists of multiple language services that happen every week.  TLC Mishref is an offsite location located in the district of Mishref, but is part of the Lighthouse.

Why do you have an annual outreach?

When I came to Kuwait over six years ago, I had a very difficult time finding a church.  My wife and I didn't know what it's name was or it's location.  I had tried to call the church, but the numbers seemed to be down and I didn't receive a response to my emails.  I remember walking around for over two hours trying to find the church, and eventually stumbled upon a service that was being held in the evening.  A wonderful woman reached out to us after the service, and explained all the different services and even gave us several rides to church going before we had a car. 

I don't anyone else to have to go through that difficult experience to go to church, which is how this outreach was born.  By removing some of the barriers to entry by making church accessible via the outreach, it will allow more people to get involved in church.  I know there are many Christians from multiple nationalities that are interested in going to a church, so we want to make TLC Mishref available for them if they are interested.

How do you distribute information about the outreach?

Most people who live in Kuwait live in apartment buildings with other people of the same profession.  For example, there might be an apartment building full of McDonalds employees or a building for all the teachers who are working at an international school. 

Making the bags of candy and having snacks

Because of this unique setup, we decided to create an invitation to church on this particular day.  The invitation is wrapped in a little bag, along with some candy, because even if you're not interested in going to church, we thought the candy would at least be a small blessing in the name of Jesus.  Who doesn't like candy?  If people are interested in going to church, they can use the information provided.

Once the bags are made, people who are already attending service at TLC Mishref will pickup the bags before the outreach and distribute them to neighbors in their buildings, coworkers, or friends who are not currently attending a service.  This year, we have created and distributed around 350 invitations and candy to multiple buildings.

What do you do on the actual day of the outreach?

At TLC Mishref, we have church on Friday at 10:30, and we will roughly keep to that schedule.  We will have worship and a sermon by pastor Mark Ingram, who is the pastor of that service.  After the service, we will have some sort of icebreaker or game to get people to get to know each other, especially new people who are at the service.  Afterwards, we will have a lunch for everyone provided by the church as a way to serve people and allow them to get to know one another on a more intimate level. 

Now What?

Come to the outreach on September 12th and bring a friend and we will all enjoy a good meal and fun!  If you are not living in Kuwait, please pray that this would be an effective outreach and that people would be able to find a Christian oasis in the desert of Kuwait.  

Tips for Coming (back) to Kuwait

  For many people, the the end of August is when many people come back to Kuwait or start their first job.  The summers in the Middle East are extremely hot, often rising above 120 degrees, so people save up their vacation to go back to their own countries or to travel, and many teachers in Kuwait naturally get the summers off.  It can be difficult coming back to work and to the rigors of life in Kuwait, especially if you, like me, have been living out of a suitcase for the last couple months, or have shirked most professional and spiritual activities.  Also, if you are new to Kuwait, it can be a strange and disorienting experience as a Christian being totally immersed in a radically different world view.  Here are some tips to help people coming (back) to Kuwait.

1.  Go to church.  This cannot be stressed enough.  Getting involved in a bible-believing, God-glorifying church is critical to your spiritual health in Kuwait.  You will be blasted with radically different beliefs about God, Jesus, heaven and hell upon entry or re-entry into the country.  You will also generally be confronted with things that are just culturally or linguistically different, which can be unnerving.  Finally, there will be a host of activities to get involved with, all pulling you in different directions.  Going to church will allow you to be with other Christians, receive some teaching, have your spiritual gas tank refilled, and meet others who are feeling similarly to you.  And don't just go occasionally, but make it something you are committed to, because that is how you will benefit the most from it.

2.  Get in a small group.  Personally, this is as big as going to church.  Going to church is ground zero for getting spiritual revitalization, but it's rarely enough.  Many of the churches in the Arabian Gulf and Kuwait are at a minimum of 50 people or more, and there is no way you can connect to those people in an hour and a half meeting outside a general greeting, handshake or hug.  A small group allows you to go deeper with other Christians, and to get to know their passions and struggles, and they will get to know you, as you pray, study the bible, and apply that the sermon each week to your life.  This has made what could have been a terrible experience in Kuwait into a wonderful one for my wife and I. 

3.  Get to know people.  Yes, this was partially covered in the point above, but it's good to make friends and see people outside of church and life group.  Try to pick at least one other night of the week where you are hanging out with the people that you love and enjoy.  That will bring a lot of stability and peace to your life, and will allow you to build some roots in this country.  Befriend some of the people in your life group or church, and invite them to dinner, lunch or even a cup of tea at your or their place.  Kuwait can be a lonely place, but if you make the effort, you can develop lifelong friends here.

4.  Get in a routine.  This one is just as important.  For those of us who are still getting over jet-lag, we know how insane it is to be out of a normal sleeping routine.  This is true for all aspects of living internationally.  I try to make sure I am consistent when I get enough sleep and go to bed at the same time, when I work out, when I spend time with friends, when I have date night, and even when I take time to relax and read a book.  Of course there are things that interrupt that routine, which is completely normal and acceptable at times, but it's good to have the routine so you can at least have a sense of control over that aspect of your life.

5.  Don't overdo it.  Don't do too much.  I had a friend my first year in Kuwait who tutored for 4-5 hours every day, 5 days a week.  He made a lot of extra money.  Unfortunately, he died of a heart attack that summer, and I believe part of that was contributed to his hectic work schedule.  I'm not saying it's wrong to work hard or even to tutor a little bit, but make sure you have a balance in your life.  Even if you came here to make money, don't let that be the idol you serve, because you'll never get enough and you'll run yourself ragged pursuing it.  God has you here not just for yourself or your family, but to advance God's kingdom, and maintaining a balance of God, family, work, church and ministry is critical to being able to realize it.  

Advice for the family and friends of a returning expat

 A few weeks ago I posted some advice for expats who are either returning home for their summer holiday or returning home permanently.  Living overseas for over 6 years has taught me a lot about how to deal with reverse culture-shock and with family and friends back home.  If I may be so bold, I also want to give some tips for the families and friends of these individuals.  Seeing the way people back home interact with me has taught me a lot of what I really appreciate about people when I go back home. 

1.  Ask a ton of questions.  The initial temptation is to just pick up from where you left off as soon as you see them.  You might ask how their flight home was or how the year was, but you are eager to get back to normal.  However, while things may have been business as usual in your area, their life has probably been turned upside down.  Like riding a tidal wave, your loved one went through the thrill, terror and adjustment of adapting to a new country.  No, you probably don't really know what their experience is like, which is why you need to ask.  You may not get a full picture of their life, but I'm sure that he or she will completely appreciate and love that you are making an effort.  And this will also benefit your relationship, because you will understand a different part of his life.  Ask about what it was like the first couple weeks, ask who he made friends with, where did they travel to, what pictures can she show you, what was the church or local religion like, how has his or her perspective changed on that country or his home country, etc.  I'm sure your expat will be able to provide you with a variety of answers.

2.  Share your life.  Yes, it may seem like your life has not changed very much with the passing of a year or two, but he or she is probably excited and interested to hear all about them.  They want to feel integrated, and it can be a bit disconcerting trying to live life in two different worlds, so try to catch him or her up on everything that has been going on.  Even the little things like funny stories, interesting news, aspects of life that have been hard while he has

been gone, and introducing him to friends you have made are all important to your loved one who is spending some time back home.  This requires a level of intimacy, and this can become increasingly difficult as the years go on, which is why it is critically important to make those efforts to your friend or family member who has been gone a while.  He or she loves you just as much, if not more, even though he has been away for a while, so make sure you communicate that back by sharing your life.

3.  Make the first move.  Remember, your son/daughter/mom/best friend has been away for a long time, so it may be difficult to make the first move.  I often feel a little guilty just calling up old friends after I haven't talked to them in nine or ten months, because I feel like I did a lousy job keeping up with the people back home.  Because of this, you need to make that extra effort to keep your favorite returned foreigner feel like he or she is still loved, appreciated and thought about.  One of my good friends sent me an email a week or two before I returned home and asked me when I was returning.  After replying they said that they wanted to get together a few days after I returned home.  I totally appreciated this because I felt invited back into their lives and am clearly apart of his thoughts.  Your expat on vacation will also feel this love and appreciation. Because locations, businesses, and other information may have changed in the length of time he or she has been gone, in addition to the expat not necessarily having a "home" base, you are now the expert.

4.  Open up your home.  Yes, this seems like a lot.  For myself and many other expats at home, we live usually with our families.  By God's grace, both my parents and my in-laws have a spare bedroom that we can use freely, which is great.  However, not everyone has that luxury.  Some people have strained relationships with their families back home or maybe there is simply not enough room in the house for any more people.  Even for those who are comfortably living back home with their families, it is nice to occasionally change up the location, because it may give a little more privacy than being with family all the time.  Also, if you live in a different area than the expat's family, it would allow them a chance to travel to visit you and see a different location.  I've always appreciated the offers from my friends to stay at their place, even if I don't usually take them up on it.  

5.  Be available.  This is another difficult one.  While you or your family may be working or have a lot of plans in the summer, it is important to try to be available to spend time with people who are visiting.  They may only have a month or two, they have traveled a long way to get there, and it goes by really quickly.  This can often take a little bit of forward thinking, to find out when he or she will be  in your area, and make a plan to get together even if it's for a day or two a month later.  This can also be extended to vacations.  If you are planning a vacation with some friends and family, it would probably be nice to invite him or her to go with you.  I have some really good friends back home that are actually pretty busy in the summertime, but they are usually the first people to try to plan a weekend or a couple days together.  They have wisdom in booking something in advance with us because they know their summer will quickly fill up if they don't try to plan something with us, and I am grateful for them.  If you can, try to be available even during the week, because the weekdays can seem extra long when one spends them by herself. You can do something as simple as having your returned friend or family member pick up a pizza on their way to your house or meet for coffee.

I hope these hints will be helpful for you and the expat you get to spend time with this summer- or at any time of the year. Good relationships don't just happen, but we have to be intentional to cultivate them.

God is a Life-sustaining Scorching Fire

A few months ago I went to the Maldives with my wife for a week.  Needless to say, it was everything we could imagine; azure waters, amazing snorkeling and underwater life, palm trees swaying a few meters away from the shore and clear skies.  I never really saw anything like it and was so happy with the memories we made while there.

One event that was interesting was during our second day of the trip.  We decided to take a boat out to another local island and spend the day snorkeling and soaking up the sun.  It was a clear day and not too hot, allowing for a lot of fun playing in the water and relaxing. 

We lathered up sun-screen in order to keep our white, European skin from being burned.  We also went back a couple times throughout the day to reapply.  However, after snorkeling and enjoying the sun for several hours, we were unable to escape the power of the sun.  We didn't realize it at the time, but we were both significantly burnt by the end of the trip.  I did more snorkeling, so most of my backside was burned, along with my receding hairline.  My wife was more generally burned all over.  It was bad enough that we had to spend most of that evening and the next day inside or out of the sun because we didn't want to do any further damage to ourselves. 

I think this is so fascinating because the sun gives life to our planet.  It's rays warm the Earth, provides fuel for plants, allows for the water cycle and has many other life-giving usages.  Without the sun, no life could exist, and if the sun disappeared tomorrow, we would not be able to survive long.  Beyond that, the sun gives a lot of emotional life and health.  If my wife or I are out of the sun for too long, she can become sad and despondent.  Many people go through winter depression where the climate gets extremely cold because they are not getting enough sun.  The sun is absolutely essential to our life and happiness.

At the same time, the sun is so powerful that it can do damage to our bodies and cause at least temporary pain.  We loved being out in the sun, but there are consequences, like getting sunburned.  After the sunburn, we either begin to peel of our outer layers of skin, or become tan. 

I think this is a good illustration of our walk with God.  God gives us life and everything we need.  He breathed life into us, and in Him we move and have our being.  Like the sun, He gives us life and sustains life in us.  We are also redeemed by Jesus, who brings us into a right relationship with Him.  He gives us a desire for Him and for walking in His Light.  Similar to the sun, God makes us happy and gives us real joy.  Without Him our lives would be meaningless, and our lives find their true fulfillment in Him.

At the same time, God, like our sun-scorched skin in the Maldives, impacts, changes and even hurts us sometimes.  When God showed up in people's lives in the Bible, the would often fall down on their faces like they were dead.  God's glory is so powerful and penetrating that we would actually die if we beheld Him with our physical eyes.   When Peter saw Jesus and His miracle of Peter catching all the fish on the other side of the boat, he said, "Depart form me, for I am sinful man, O Lord."(Luke 5:8)  As we draw close to God, we see more and more how wonderful He is, and how unworthy we are. 

Being close to God also costs us something.  We need to submit ourselves to the discipline of the Lord.  There is no punishment for the Christian, but we do receive discipline from the Lord in order to grow us to become more like him.  Like the rays of the sun, as we get closer and want to be more near to the Lord, it will hurt us some.  We also need to discipline ourselves and say 'no' to the pleasures of sin in our lives, which does cost us something.  Jacob had a powerful experience with God, but he walked away with a limp, and so it is with us today. 

I would never trade my trip to the Maldives for having the comfort of sun-free skin.  How much more are we willing to behold the glory of God, no matter how much it changes or affects in the short term.  Let's look forward to the Day when we will have new bodies that can handle the beauty, majesty and glory of the Lord and we can see Him with unveiled faces!

Tips for the returning expat

By the time you are reading this post, I should be several thousand feet in the air, and returning back to America for the summer. It's always an interesting feeling going home for the summer, because it is full of excitement, hope, and anticipation about the summer along with feelings of fear of the unknown, whether my friends will still be available or will my friends and family change significantly. As I am going home for the sixth time for the summer living overseas, I thought I would post some tips for those who are planning on leaving now or eventually in the future.

1.  Realize that people back home won't understand your experience. This is probably the most important and critical thing to remember when you travel back home to see your family and friends. You had this amazing (or amazingly difficult) experience, and you've done things, traveled, and built a lot of new relationships that basically filled your time and energy while you were away. Those experiences are completely essential, important and valid while living overseas for any extended period of time. However, you also need to realize that no one from back home will understand or appreciate your experience well unless they've done something similar. That will be hard and will feel very disappointing initially, because you will want to tell everyone about everything that you did. Initially, your friends and family will dutifully listen, even though they won't understand. However, they can quickly become tired and bored because they cannot relate to your experiences. They can also become upset, jealous, or envious of other people enjoying your time. This is your classic case of reverse culture shock, and it can be quite emotional. So, the best tip is to share when you are asked, but don't recount every overseas experience you've ever had, and don't share too much when you are not asked to. 

2. Don't talk about yourself too much. This is related to the first point, but once you realize this, you will be able to focus on others more than on yourself and you'll be able to serve others. You were gone for 9 months, so you might forget that everything back home was not frozen in time. But the truth is, they have had their own experiences over the last year or more, and while it may not seem as exciting as your experience, it's important to validate theirs. So, ask questions and keep updated on what is going on in the lives of your friends and family back home.

3. Make new memories.  Again, this stems from the first point, but it's critical to understand that your friends and family are based on shared experiences, so make new ones in the summer.  You made a lot of new memories with people will being overseas for a year or more, so do the same things with the people back home.  That will allow them to feel appreciated and strengthen your relationships in new and exciting ways. 

4. Put down roots.  Yes, because expats usually get some sort of extended holiday to travel back home, many people only spend that time traveling.  I think traveling around your home country or other countries is fine, but God desires that we put down roots wherever we are.  We need people to speak into our lives, we need accountability, we need some routine and stability.  So, rebuild those lapsed relationships, commit yourself to going to church in the summer, and continue to read your bible and pray everyday so that you are listening to and receiving from the Lord.

5. Make the most of your investments.  Whether you have a month or three months off, use your time in the best possible way.  The vacation time will be over and you will be back to Kuwait or wherever you are sooner than you think.  So, don't waste it all watching TV and doing mindless activities, but push yourself to explore, grow and develop.  Start a project to help the family around the house, take an online course, listen to some inspiring talks or sermons, call up that acquaintance you haven't seen in years.  Make a plan for your summer and try to be faithful to it.  Also, use your money as your other investment.  Going out back home may cost more or less, but that's no reason not to see people.  Use your money to be a blessing to others.  Jesus said to use money as a tool to build relationships with others.  Everyone works hard for their money, but show that people are more important by spending it on them and with them.