YFC News from The Front

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE USA 2008 (!) PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION...

2007-10-02T10:54:00.000+01:00

2008 Election

BIKE RIDE UPDATE

2007-09-27T12:37:00.000+01:00

Haven't been on this blog for ages, but I thought I'd better bring you up to speed with progress on the Bike Ride, and my intensive (?) ride preparations. As you may know, our Area of YFC is organising a big Ride Across America next June - August, aiming to raise $30,000 for each of six key projects in the Area. I'm not planning to do the whole eight weeks, as I don't think it would be fair to Maisie to leave her to cope with Sarah for that long on her own, but I do want to show solidarity with the riders, so am planning on doing two weeks at the start (mostly over The Rockies, I'm told!) and a week at the end.

If you'd like to sponsor me, this link will take you straight to my JustGiving Page. This link http://www.yfcbikeride.org/index.html will take you to the Bike Ride website.

RIDE ACROSS THE USA - website now live!

2007-02-08T13:47:00.000Z

"Sea to See", Youth for Christ Europe, Middle-East & North Africa's mega-adventure for 2008, is underway. The website is now live, and you can check it out here
Registration is now available, the first rider is already signed in, and whilst we will be making some selection of riders, the order in which applications are received will have a major bearing on who gets to be among the elite sixty who ride. So get writing, and get training! 83 miles a day for 8 weeks will be a doddle as long as you are reasonably fit.....won't it??

NEW DIRECTOR FOR YFC NORTHERN IRELAND

2007-01-19T17:00:00.000Z

By now you may know that after a wait of six months YFC NI has announced the appointment of Steven McCready as their new National Director. In line with our desire to see younger leaders coming on in YFC, Steven is just 27, but he has a great record behind him of working with a team to build up a great work in a local drop-in centre in Dromore, about 15 miles SW of Belfast. Check out his blog here and a few photos, and check YFC Dromore here

HE'S MY KING!

2006-12-05T09:48:00.000Z

Our International Prayer Director just sent through this great link to the famous prayer by Dr S M Lockridge which has become known as "He's my King!" Dr. Lockridge was the Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, San Diego California from 1953 - 1993. He went home to heaven in 2000. A guy called Mark Barnes from Wales put some great images to his words. This is something you could easily use in your church. Check it out at http://www.4-14.org.uk/index.php/archives/54-thats-my-king-s-m-lockeridge

SIN, GRACE AND FORGIVENESS

2006-12-04T16:37:00.000Z

Another beaut meditation from A W Tozer - this one from his book, Faith Beyond Reason.

"I do not know all of the Savior's reasons for choosing the woman at the well. I know that His revelation of Himself to her constituted an everlasting rebuke to human self-righteousness. I know that every smug woman who walks down the street in pride and status ought to be ashamed of herself. I know that every self-righteous man who looks into his mirror each morning to shave what he believes to be an honest face ought to be ashamed of himself . . .

Jesus was able to see potential in the woman at the well that we could never have sensed. What a gracious thing for us that Jesus Christ never thinks about what we have been! He always thinks about what we are going to be. You and I are slaves to time and space and records and reputations and publicity and the past-all that we call the case history. Jesus Christ cares absolutely nothing about anyone's moral case history. He forgives it and starts from there as though the person had been born one minute before."

GERMAN COASTGUARD SKETCH

2006-11-15T16:11:00.000Z

This clip is one of the favourites of a lot of our staff in Europe.

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006/sinking-p1.php

IRRECONCILABLE HOSTILITY

2006-11-09T15:06:00.000Z

Sorry to be blogging so much at the moment, but being just back from a trip I'm trying to catch up on mail, and there is so much good stuff in here to share. This is another brilliant quote from A W Tozer. Forgive the American reference - it's equally-applicable across the world, in my view. What do you think?

"In the early days, when Christianity exercised a dominant influence over American thinking, men and women conceived the world to be a battleground. Our fathers believed in sin and the devil and hell as constituting one force, and they believed in God and righteousness and heaven as the other. By their very nature, these forces were opposed to each other forever in deep, grave, irreconcilable hostility. Humans, our fathers held, had to choose sides-they could not be neutral. For them it must be life or death, heaven or hell, and if they chose to come out on God's side they could expect open war with God's enemies. The fight would be real and deadly and would last as long as life continued here below. People looked forward to heaven as a return from the wars, a laying down of the sword to enjoy in peace the home prepared for them . . .

How different today. The fact remains the same, but the interpretation has changed completely. People think of the world, not as a battleground, but as a playground. We are not here to fight; we are here to frolic. We are not in a foreign land; we are at home. We are not getting ready to live, but we are already living, and the best we can do is rid ourselves of our inhibitions and our frustrations and live this life to the full."

NO COWBOYS YET?

2006-11-09T14:55:00.000Z

This is what the new camp facility at Ranch Svarin in Slovakia looks like.

"TIMOTHY" TRAINING SCHOOL IN SLOVAKIA

2006-11-09T14:50:00.000Z

YFC Slovakia held a youth leader training event at their new ranch facility at Svarin, 28 September - 1 October. Jean-Jacques Weiler, Chaplain to the Eastern Europe Region, Jozef Gabor, new Regional Director for Europe Central, and Marian Lipovsky, National Director of YFC Slovakia, were among the teachers.

EUROPEAN COUNCIL MEETING IN GERMANY

2006-11-09T10:01:00.000Z

This is what the bunch of us look like! There are National Directors or National Co-ordinators here from Ireland, Britain, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Poland and Serbia, together with Area staff and the International Director of Youth Alpha, with whom we are having discussions.

NEW REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR CENTRAL EUROPE

2006-11-09T09:51:00.000Z

Regionalisation, one of the biggest shake-ups in the way YFC works in this Area of Europe, North-Africa & The Middle-East, has been in the drafting and consultation process for most of this year, and, having received the assent of almost all our active programmes, our European Council meetings in Germany last week were examining what the implementation will look like. The plan calls for seven Regions within the Area, each one served by a Regional Director, and I am delighted to report that Jozef Gabor, Chairman of YFC Slovakia, a resident of Vienna in Austria, former staffer with Trans World Radio (which grew out of YFC), lecturer in Media, and speaker of seven or eight European languages, has accepted the position of Director of the Central Europe Region, which comprises Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia and Croatia. I hope that Jozef will be able to start in January.

BIKE ACROSS THE USA - IT'S ON!

2006-11-05T19:42:00.000Z

We have been talking about it for a while. Now we are committed. No doubt almost everyone has dreamed of climbing aboard a bicycle at one side of the United States and getting off, sweating only lightly, a mere 4,250 miles later at the other side. No - not everyone?
Well, if you are one of the possibly-certifiable people who have, this is good news. The European, Middle-East & North Africa Area of Youth For Christ (YFC EMENA) is planning a sponsored ride starting June 17 2008 from Anacortes, Washington, finishing August 15 (hopefully still 2008) in Bar Harbour Maine.

More details will be available soon on our website, but basically, once you get yourself to the start line with your bike and sponsorship money, we will organise all the logistics of food, accommodation and bike repairs, etc, and aim to get you to the finish line in one piece. Single bikes and tandems will be accepted, but only riders aiming to ride the full distance. We are accepting no more than 60 registrations, from people between 16 and 70 years, with two-thirds of the places reserved for people from the EMENA Area, and the remaining one-third for riders from the other three YFC Areas.

If you like you can register an interest now by commenting on this blog, and we will get in touch with you as soon as we have a registration form. At that point we will ask for a reg fee of $250, which will be your commitment, and which, if you are accepted, will be non-refundable except in circumstances so remote that we can't even imagine them! This will be a huge project for us, so we need to know that people will be totally committed to following through on it.

But exciting or what?? Let us know ASAP if you are interested.

FAILURE AND SUCCESS: GREATNESS HAS ITS PRICE

2006-10-20T12:46:00.000+01:00

Passing on today another great quote from our International Prayer Director from the works of A W Tozer. How most of us can identify with this, I am sure!

"The laws of success operate also in the higher field of the soul-- spiritual greatness has its price. Eminence in the things of the Spirit demands a devotion to these things more complete than most of us are willing to give. But the law cannot be escaped. If we would be holy we know the way; the law of holy living is before us. The prophets of the Old Testament, the apostles of the New and, more than all, the sublime teachings of Christ are there to tell us how to succeed . . .

The amount of loafing practiced by the average Christian in spiritual things would ruin a concert pianist if he allowed himself to do the same thing in the field of music. The idle puttering around that we see in church circles would end the career of a big league pitcher in one week. No scientist could solve his exacting problem if he took as little interest in it as the rank and file of Christians take in the art of being holy. The nation whose soldiers were as soft and undisciplined as the soldiers of the churches would be conquered by the first enemy that attacked it. Triumphs are not won by men in easy chairs. Success is costly."

LIFE FOR BIKERS?

2006-10-19T16:37:00.000+01:00

Okay - this is something more spiritual. As I was browsing round the internet for a talk I am preparing I came across this church in Springfield, Tenessee. Have a look.

http://www.covenantconfirmers.org/

BITS 'N PIECES!

2006-10-19T15:46:00.000+01:00

No spiritual content at all, but if you like motorbikes (or perhaps even more if you don't!) this will give you a good laugh.

http://www.nardonardo.it/img/follie_web/caduta_in_moto.html

ALMIGHTY CONSULTANTS

2006-10-17T11:27:00.000+01:00

Just came across this great series of cartoons on a friend's blogspot. Mark Dowds saw them on another mutual friend's blog. Reminded me of a sad conversation I had with a mate last week who was being made redundant, along with his entire Northern-Irish based team, because his English parent company had brought in consultants who had concluded that they could handle all the Irish operation better from England. Eight people with a total experience to the company of over 100 years are out, including him with 30 years. Don't companies trust themselves to make right decisions? Have a look. Not sure how to bring the pictures up on this blog (any advice welcome) but you can see them here: Casual Friday

REVIVAL: NOT JUST INTENSITY OF PRAYER

2006-09-28T10:24:00.000+01:00

Another great quote from A W Tozer from his book: "The Size of the Soul"

"Intensity of prayer is no criterion of its effectiveness. A man may throw himself on his face and sob out his troubles to the Lord and yet have no intention to obey the commandments of Christ.
Strong emotion and tears may be no more than the outcropping of a vexed spirit, evidence of stubborn resistance to God's known will . . .

No matter what I write here, thousands of pastors will continue to call their people to prayer in the forlorn hope that God will finally relent and send revival if only His people wear themselves out in intercession. To such people God must indeed appear to be a hard taskmaster, for the years pass and the young get old and the aged die and still no help comes. The prayer meeting room becomes a wailing wall and the lights burn long, and still the rains tarry.

Has God forgotten to be gracious? Let any reader begin to obey and he will have the answer. "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him" (John 14:21).

Isn't that what we want after all?"

REVIVAL: NOT JUST INTENSITY OF PRAYER

2006-09-28T10:16:00.000+01:00

Intensity of prayer is no criterion of its effectiveness. A man may throw himself on his face and sob out his troubles to the Lord and yet have no intention to obey the commandments of Christ.
Another great quote from A W Tozer in "The Size of The Soul"
"Strong emotion and tears may be no more than the outcropping of a vexed spirit, evidence of stubborn resistance to God's known will . . .

No matter what I write here, thousands of pastors will continue to call their people to prayer in the forlorn hope that God will finally relent and send revival if only His people wear themselves out in intercession. To such people God must indeed appear to be a hard taskmaster, for the years pass and the young get old and the aged die and still no help comes. The prayer meeting room becomes a wailing wall and the lights burn long, and still the rains tarry.

Has God forgotten to be gracious? Let any reader begin to obey and he will have the answer. "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him" (John 14:21).

Isn't that what we want after all?"

z97620004

2006-09-12T11:17:00.000+01:00

z97620004
Originally uploaded by re-Verse.

We're in the last days of Summer (great Blue Rodeo song!) here in NI and just starting to think about Autumn, and I came across this beautiful, evocative photo from a guy called re-Verse. Thought I'd share it. No spiritual significance other than the sense of pride I feel, once again, that my Father can create such awesome colours and blend them together so well. I defy anyone to suggest an improvement.

REVIVAL: A PURIFIED CHURCH

2006-09-12T10:39:00.000+01:00

Our International Prayer Co-Ordinator just put out this terrific quotation from AW Tozer in his book, "The Set of The Sail". This should make us evaluate every aspect of what we do as church and as YFC.

"Our most pressing obligation today is to do all in our power to obtain a revival that will result in a reformed, revitalized, purified church. It is of far greater importance that we have better Christians than that we have more of them. Each generation of Christians is the seed of the next, and degenerate seed is sure to produce a degenerate harvest not a little better than but a little worse than the seed from which it sprang. Thus the direction will be down until vigorous, effective means are taken to improve the seed . . .

To carry on these activities [evangelism, missions] scripturally the church should be walking in fullness of power, separated, purified and ready at any moment to give up everything, even life itself, for the greater glory of Christ. For a worldly, weak, decadent church to make converts is but to bring forth after her own kind and extend her weakness and decadence a bit further out...

So vitally important is spiritual quality that it is hardly too much to suggest that attempts to grow larger might well be suspended until we have become better."

Is he right??

EVANGELISM: MODERN SALESMANSHIP

2006-08-30T15:40:00.000+01:00

Good quote in today from A W Tozer's book, "That Incredible Christian".
In our eagerness to make converts I am afraid we have lately been guilty of using the technique of modern salesmanship, which is of course to present only the desirable qualities in a product and ignore the rest. We go to men and offer them a cozy home on the sunny side of the brae. If they will but accept Christ He will give them peace of mind, solve their problems, prosper their business, protect their families and keep them happy all day long. They believe us and come, and the first cold wind sends them shivering to some counselor to find out what has gone wrong; and that is the last we hear of many of them . . .

By offering our hearers a sweetness-and-light gospel and promising every taker a place on the sunny side of the brae, we not only cruelly deceive them, we guarantee also a high casualty rate among the converts won on such terms. On certain foreign fields the expression "rice Christians" has been coined to describe those who adopt Christianity for profit. The experienced missionary knows that the convert that must pay a heavy price for his faith in Christ is the one that will persevere to the end. He begins with the wind in his face, and should the storm grow in strength he will not turn back for he has been conditioned to endure it.

By playing down the cost of discipleship we are producing rice Christians by the tens of thousands right here on the North American continent.

I guess it's not too much different on this side of the Atlantic either.

THOUGHT IT WAS TIME FOR A CHANGE OF LOOK

2006-08-19T22:29:00.000+01:00

What do you think? Any other suggestions for templates?

JAY HOME, CEASEFIRE HOLDING

2006-08-17T09:32:00.000+01:00

No connection between those two, but both matters for praise as far as Lebanon is concerned. Re Jay, his father wrote me yesterday: "Jay had a long day yesterday, but made it to Damascus with no problems. A man from our church, who needed to come to Beirut, was waiting and Jay immediately joined him in a taxi to Beirut. He arrived here safely yesterday evening at 6:40PM."

Re the ceasefire, keep praying as the Israelis move out of the south, the Lebanese army moves in, and Hezbollah doesn't go anywhere. Not a great recipe for stability, but I guess better than any of the achievable alternatives.

SOME HOPE FOR LEBANON

2006-08-14T22:29:00.000+01:00

Our staff in Beirut are safe and well, and ask us to join them in praying that the ceasefire brought about by the UN resolution will hold. Jay Sagherian, son of John, our National Director there and his wife Nancy, has finished his year with YFC Northern Ireland's Y-One programme and will be trying tomorrow (Tuesday 15th) to get from London to Damascus by air, then home by road. This will be a far-from-straightforward journey because almost every bridge on his route home has been taken out by Israeli air strikes, so they also ask for prayer for that.

BIG POWERS PLAY ON A LITTLE BOARD

2006-07-29T15:59:00.000+01:00

Whilst there is stuff going on all across our Area at the moment – camps, teams, festivals, routine meetings and work – I know that the thoughts of most of us are with our staff in Lebanon and with the young people and families that they minister to. Many are praying, so the following, which came in from John Sagherian (our National Director) on Wednesday, will help to inform your prayers. Feel free to share this with your church and any prayer groups you are involved in.

“26 July 2006The 15th day of the war on Lebanon...The last day of our scheduled camp – right now we would be praising God for all the new Christians – for now we’ve only postponed the camp, not canceled it...The last day of evacuating Americans from Lebanon ...And still no sight of a cease fire!It’s been relatively quiet where we live, yet yesterday as a group of our volunteers were meeting in our center to plan how we can do something for the refugees, Israel bombed the southern suburbs, again. We jumped, windows rattled, car alarms went off; I wonder what it does to people much closer.Over the weekend Israel bombed four telecommunications relay stations for TV and the cellular phone system. One of them where a technician was killed, is located right next to a conference center which lost all its windows and its doors were blown out. Was it only a few weeks ago that YFC staff were there? We led some sessions in a leadership training weekend sponsored by World Vision. There is a good chance that Israel will cut off all TV, telephone and internet communications.Also, over the weekend, the Israelis bombed more bridges. The highest bridge in the Middle East just completed last year is on the road from Beirut to the Beqaa valley in the east. It’s a beautiful construction that we were proud of and which helped make our trip faster to the school where Scott has a club and we both do assemblies. Last week they bombed it and made it useless. This weekend they hit it again, and again, until one side fell into the valley. Why? Did the pilots need target practice?It is reported that there are 700,000 displaced people (out of our population of 4 million). Refugees who have escaped their homes in the suburbs of Beirut or the south of the country have fled further into Beirut or up into the mountains. They are being put up in schools, underground parking lots, breaking into empty apartments, wherever they can find space. The humanitarian problems are only just beginning. High humidity, tension, fear and boredom are not a good combination. Our staff want to do something for some of the young people in some of these shelters. Our contacts in some of these places forbid us to talk about Christ – they’re Shiites. May they see Christ in us, our attitudes, our smiles.The fighting is intense in the south of the country so it’s been relatively quiet where we live. We suspect though that there may be some kind of agreement until the evacuation of thousands has been completed. The death count in Lebanon is at 410, most of them civilians. Our seas are polluted because of the oil from the electricity power plant that was bombed south of Beirut. Hizbullah continues to send their rockets into Israel and neither side is inclined to stop. Lebanon continues to burn, and is on a steep slippery slope to economic ruin. Today’s Beirut daily, “The Daily Star” had as it’s headline, “Light at the End of the Tunnel?” The question mark at the end is the most significant part of the headline. We heard that Israel is getting a new supply of what they term smart bombs, I guess so far we’ve been hit by stupid ones!People are scared. Streets empty by mid-afternoon. Canned food is disappearing from supermarket shelves, prices are slowly climbing and some medicine is hard to find. For many it’s the unknown that is unnerving. We are preparing based on our experience of the war of the 80’s. Things are different this time. You could shelter in the basement or heavily sandbag a room. F-16 fighter jets do the kind of damage that keeps people from heading for the basement. It would be like going to the basement at the beginning of an earthquake. I hate that little kids are going through this. I hate that teenagers have had confirmed some of the hopelessness for their future here. And yet, God is sovereign and in control. On Monday 15 people from our church gathered in our home to pray, for the leaders, for Lebanon, for ourselves, our feelings, thoughts. Everybody was so blessed we’re getting together again on Thursday. “I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock in whom I take refuge.” (Psalm 18: 1,2) So please pray with us:
1. Continue to thank God for our safety, for the continued possibility to communicate by phone and internet, for water and electricity;
2. For all the leaders involved. As I said before may they make peace and justice their priority;
3. For the thousands of refugees. May they be comforted, not be filled with hatred and bitterness;
4. For the Christians, the churches. May we be able to reach out to the refugees with tangible expressions of God’s love;
5. For the southern Christian village of Rmeish. It’s cut off from everybody, it’s 5,000 population has quadrupled by refugees from neighboring Muslim villages, and they have little water and very little food left. Maher from our staff comes from Rmeish and last year YFC volunteers went down there on a Project Serve and painted the homes of three very poor families;
6. For the group going to the States to attend DCLA. Seven of the 10 teenagers are still here and with Scott and Karen they need to leave for Damascus to fly out of there; one is in Jordan, another in Dubai and a third in Holland. Since it was originally a group fare, the orders and new arrangements need to come out of United Airlines headquarters in Chicago (know anyone there?)
Thank you for your prayers for Jay. It has helped him focus on his responsibilities with N. Ireland YFC. He says it’s going very well.In His palm,John, Nancy and Thia”

WHEN ONE PART OF THE BODY SUFFERS...

2006-07-17T17:25:00.000+01:00

“Every part suffers with it”.

So it is with us as we witness our dear brothers and sisters in the Middle-East going through most painful and stressful times at the moment. The list of nations with an interest in the latest flare-up of this age-old conflict between Ishmael and Isaac suggests that it would not take much to escalate into all-out war, and one UK newspaper has even used the term ‘Armageddon’ for what might happen. Our brothers and sisters in Beirut, John, Nancy & Thia, Karen, Maher and Scott, and their young people and Board members are safe and well at this point, but fearful, angry and depressed at the prospect of war again after all the country went through in the civil war of 1975-1990. I spoke to John yesterday, and his most urgent request, after asking for all of us to pray for them, is for the international community to bring urgent and heavy pressure on all sides to negotiate a cease-fire without delay. Every day that passes means it is too late for someone who is caught in the rocket-fire or bombing. This is what John wrote yesterday evening:

“The bombing continued all day Saturday, Saturday night and today, Sunday. The destruction is terrible, with more than 100 people, mostly civilians, killed. Villages, regions, have been isolated from each other because major roads and more than 20 major bridges have been destroyed. The airport is closed and the ports have been hit. Foreigners rushed to Syria, before the roads to Syria were bombed and cut, to find flights home, and embassies are trying to find ways to evacuate their citizens.The rhetoric on both sides has been escalating. Israel will not stop its aggression. Hizbullah says they have only just begun. The government is powerless to do anything and yet is blamed for everything. Meanwhile the Lebanese people suffer.So far, the area where we live and where our YFC office is located, has remained safe. Explosions set off car alarms. We check to see where the smoke is this time. We have electricity (though only half the time.) There is water, food, bottled gas for the stove and gas for the car so far.Life goes on – I know of at least three weddings that took place this weekend. We went to church this morning and had our service, though we had fewer people than usual. We spent the rest of the day watching the news, looking at the map to see where villages are that have been hit and trying to contact people we know are in un-safe areas.Having our camp next Friday, is highly unlikely. We’ll be discussing plans to postpone it.Please continue to pray for us:
1. For humility and wisdom for the leaders – may they make peace their priority;
2. For continued safety and wisdom as we move around;
3. For plans for our camp: when, where?
4. For Scott and Karen who were to lead a group of teenagers to the States on August 6;
5. That the Lord would be glorified in our lives and our conversation as we, along with our neighbors and friends, struggle with anger, discouragement and depression; and,
6. For our son, Jay, who’s in N. Ireland getting ready for the three weeks of SummerServe where he’s a group leader. He so much wants to be back here with us. May he be able to focus on his responsibilities and be a blessing for the Lord.”

I know you will not need encouragement to pray for these folks, and for our brothers and sisters in neighbouring countries who are suffering, or who are fearful of what is to come. May the whole of Psalm 46 (“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble…”) be of great comfort and help to all of them.

SPURGEON ON "ORDINARY" JOBS

2006-06-27T09:13:00.000+01:00

Am in Poland at the moment, visiting YFC here, and was reflecting this morning on what an immense privilege it is to be involved in this kind of work. I know many people who would love to do Christian work "full-time." I read this in Spurgeon's notes for today: (the language and images are 19th century, but the sentiment applies equally today)

"Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called."
- 1Co_7:20
Some persons have the foolish notion that the only way in which they can live for God is by becoming ministers, missionaries, or Bible women. Alas! how many would be shut out from any opportunity of magnifying the Most High if this were the case. Beloved, it is not office, it is earnestness; it is not position, it is grace which will enable us to glorify God. God is most surely glorified in that cobbler’s stall, where the godly worker, as he plies the awl, sings of the Saviour’s love, aye, glorified far more than in many a prebendal stall where official religiousness performs its scanty duties. The name of Jesus is glorified by the poor unlearned carter as he drives his horse, and blesses his God, or speaks to his fellow labourer by the roadside, as much as by the popular divine who, throughout the country, like Boanerges, is thundering out the gospel. God is glorified by our serving him in our proper vocations. Take care, dear reader, that you do not forsake the path of duty by leaving your occupation, and take care you do not dishonour your profession while in it. Think little of yourselves, but do not think too little of your callings. Every lawful trade may be sanctified by the gospel to noblest ends. Turn to the Bible, and you will find the most menial forms of labour connected either with most daring deeds of faith, or with persons whose lives have been illustrious for holiness. Therefore be not discontented with your calling. Whatever God has made your position, or your work, abide in that, unless you are quite sure that he calls you to something else. Let your first care be to glorify God to the utmost of your power where you are. Fill your present sphere to his praise, and if he needs you in another he will show it you. This evening lay aside vexatious ambition, and embrace peaceful content."

GROWTH IN THE BALKANS

2006-06-11T08:28:00.000+01:00

Just leaving Rijeka today towards the end of a visit to Serbia and Croatia, (with quick visits to Hungary at both ends). Very encouraging to see how YFC is growing in both of these countries, which so recently have been at war with each other. The evangelical church in Serbia, which is a mainly-Lutheran country, with a strong Orthodox church also, is quite small, with perhaps only about a dozen congregations south of Belgrade, which is where the main population lives. YFC, led by Zvonko Valentini, has mostly concentrated on the northern, more Slovakian-dominated northern part of the country, with a centre in Pivnice, training for youth leaders, prayer events and a youth magazine. Whilst I was there we went down to the south to talk to someone who has been working with us as a volunteer, but who may now come on staff for that area, if we can find the finances.

In Croatia, a mainly-Catholic country, we have three full-time, very-creative staff led by Irena Dragas, with brothers Ruben and Mihael Secen, who are using to great effect the Labyrinth model of reflective prayer and meditation, Daniel Generation youth leader training, and alternative-worship youth services. They have just appointed as the National Board chairman a young female Lutheran pastor, Melanie Ivanovic, who studied with Ruben and his wife Daniella at Osijek Theological Seminary, and seem set for even greater things to come.

In both countries prayer was requested for the churches, who suffer a lot from politicing, infighting and jealousy.

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW ME?

2006-05-31T10:32:00.000+01:00

Suzie Rowan, our National Director in the Republic of Ireland, wrote this at the start of the week - a heartfelt cry of pain for one of her young people that every youth leader can identify with.

"I gave in at last !!! I joined Bebo (an internet site you join for free and can connect to loads of people). I've been determined not to join until Wednesday when I got a regular "how well do you know me?" quiz from Bebo on one of the young people that I've worked with over the past few years when she was a teenager (she is now an adult now). Her questions intrigued me and I had to join in order to find out what her answers were - so I gave in. However, I'm sorry I did now! Sometimes it's better not knowing the answers to some questions. One question and answer in particular left me feeling numb and ill at the same time. It read, "when did I lose my virginity?" and because she's a lovely Christian girl (now), who attended girls bible studies that I led on and off when she was a teenager, I felt the answer would obviously be "not yet" - since we spent many studies looking at purity and I felt sure that she was wise enough not to mess around with herself in this way. Anyway, the answer was 15 !!!!! I felt sick. What is going wrong in this world? I've always known statistics of promiscuity in Ireland, especially among youth, but it's not until the statistic moves onto a person that you care about that it hits home. It made me wonder if things would be different if I'd had more contact with her during that phase in her life. Our teenagers need so much prayer, as satan prowls around looking for those he can devour and our churches and towns need so many more youth workers, who can instill and model values that are no longer common in Ireland. We need a movement of God. Please pray."

THE GOSPEL - DILUTE TO TASTE?

2006-05-22T15:56:00.000+01:00

This snippet from A W Tozer just came in today from our International Prayer Co-ordinator, and I thought it was worth sharing. There is unfathomable power in the Word of God, but not so much in our thoughts on it. Last night in church one of my colleagues in YFC read two passages from Isaiah, from Chapters 61 and 58, and the words were like the voice of God speaking directly to our hearts.

From the works of A.W. Tozer
I Talk Back to the Devil, pgs. 30-31.

Preaching: Nibbling at the Truth

This is one of the marks of our modern time--that many are guilty of merely "nibbling" at the truth of the Christian gospel.

I wonder if you realize that in many ways the preaching of the Word of God is being pulled down to the level of the ignorant and spiritually obtuse; that we must tell stories and jokes and entertain and amuse in order to have a few people in the audience? We do these things that we may have some reputation and that there may be money in the treasury to meet the church bills . . .

In many churches Christianity has been watered down until the solution is so weak that if it were poison it would not hurt anyone, and if it were medicine it would not cure anyone!

CONVERSANT WITH THE EMERGENT

2006-05-05T14:03:00.000+01:00

If you are at all interested in reaching this generation for Jesus Christ you are probably familiar with the "emregent church" movement, and the writings of people like Brian McLaren. They attempt to analyse western culture today and provide suggestions for how the traditional evangelical churches should change to impact the changing culture, and I can agree with quite a bit of what they say.
However, on the plane yesterday on the way to another Middle-eastern country I was reading a superb book by respected Canadian author D A Carson, called "Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church", which offers what seems like a most balanced critique of the movement - noting its many good points but taking issue with many others, in particular, their assertion that western culture has changed so profoundly that an equally-tectonic shift must take place in the way we do church and practice evangelism.
"Granted that the emerging church movement is driven by its widespread perception of cultural changes, its own proposals for the way ahead must be assessed for their biblical fidelity. In other words, we must not only try to evaluate the accuracy of the emerging church's cultural analysis, but also the extent to which its proposals spring from, or can at least be squared with, the Scriptures. To put the matter differently: is there at least some danger that what is being advocated is not so much a new kind of Christian in a new emerging church, but a church that it so submerging itself in the culture that it risks hopeless compromise?"
Dr Carson does find some things to praise, such as the renewed emphasis on authenticity (although sometimes it sounds like what the emergent folks mean by authenticity is not so much to do with holiness as with "being real") and says that "when emerging church leaders foster the kind of authenticity that builds a contagious church, thoughtful Christians will be grateful with their unease with the superficial and their passion for what is real."
However, he's totally unconvinced by their premise.
"I see the analysis of modernism itself within the emerging church movement so stylized and reductionistic as to represent a major historical distortion."
Further, "the almost-universal condemnation of modernism, and of Christianity under modernism, is not only historically skewed and ethically ungrateful, but is frequently theologically shallow and intellectually incoherent."
He illustrates the last point by summarising what tolerance is - putting up with someone or something even though you fundamentally disagree with them or it. "But in our post-modern world, tolerance is increasingly understood to be the virtue that refuses to think that any opinion is bad or evil or stupid. One "tolerates" everything because nothing is beyond the pale - except the view that rejects this view of tolerance: for that, there is no tolerance at all."

Anybody got any opinions on the above? Have you read this book, and if so, what did you think?

I'll finish with another review of one of Brian McLaren's books, ("The Church on the other Side") quoted by D A Carson, as it says brilliantly what I sense many young people I know are saying on this subject. This was written by a guy called Greg Gilbert.
"I'm tired of being told that we've never seen anything like this; I'm tired of all these excitable authors trying to one-up each other with their cataclysmic descriptions of how much the world has changed. On top of it all, I'm tired of being told that the church is on the edge of extinction if it doesn't have a complete overhaul to deal with these "tectonic" changes. I just don't believe it. And that's not because I'm an old codger who can't bring himself to embrace this brave new world. I'm 24 years old; I live this brave new world. Change is not a problem for me; I love it! I look forward to moving to a new city, meeting new people, seeing new cultures, learning new things. I relish the thought of casting off into the world and ministering to people who are not firmly grounded in, or even convinced of, truth. In that, Brian McLaren and I are on the same page. I like his chutzpah. But unlike McLaren, I'm also convinced that ministering to postmoderns does not mean diving head-first into their ocean of uncertainty. I don't want to commiserate with them; I want to offer them something different - something like Truth!"

COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS IN PRACTICE

2006-05-02T16:40:00.000+01:00

As an illustration of how cheaply life is held in some of the places where we work, the following story was pretty shocking to me. I was in a Middle-Eastern country last week and one of our staff told me how, some years ago, his father was talking to a man who had shot another man dead for the equivalent of about one pound sterling/$1.75. "How on earth could you shoot a man in order to get one pound?" he asked. The man looked surprised. "But the bullet only cost me three pence," he said. (About 5 cents.)

2006-04-24T14:17:00.000+01:00

Dear Colleagues:

By now all of us will have celebrated Easter – those in the West on April 16, in the East on April 23 – and now we can, and we need to, live in the power of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This is the glorious proof of our faith – we follow someone who said that He was God, and incidentally, that he could be killed and would be raised again – and was. If the second part was true, the first part must be also!

WELCOME
The new National Director of YFC Denmark took up his post on 1 April, and we give a warm welcome to Harm Jan Kjaer Feijer. If you wish to contact him, you can do so on harmjan@yfc.dk

WELCOME BACK
Although he never really left (as he is still heavily engaged in YFC through his work with The Alumni Association) we are delighted to have Jean-Jacques Weiler back working in the Area. He has accepted an offer from the Eastern Europe Region to become their chaplain, giving around 9 weeks a year to visiting the EE countries, spending time with the staff and bringing encouragement and the wisdom of his more than forty years’ experience with YFC.

LOOKING AHEAD
If you’re a soccer fan you’ll know that the biggest thing this year is the World Cup, starting in approximately 46 days, 3 hours and 40 minutes at the time of writing, according to the FIFA official site, http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/ YFC Germany, along with many other Christian organisations, is gearing up for a huge effort to reach the millions of spectators and fans who will be flocking to Germany. Today, 24th April, the state of Hessen will hold a gala for representatives of all 32 countries which will take part in the World Cup in Wiesbaden. Daniela Sudmeier, in charge of their preparations, says that around 400-500 people are expected, and that iThemba, the YFC dance and drama team from South Africa, (who will be the next hosts of the Cup in 2010) will do the final presentation of the evening with 3 dances, an introduction of their ministry and a personal testimony. What an excellent opportunity to have the Gospel right at the heart of this completely-secular competition!

In an additional blessing, the official who set up this engagement, who is in charge of all projects around the World Cup, was so impressed when he saw iThemba perform recently and heard what they did that he wants to introduce them to the Ministry of Education in the State of Hessen, as he believes their message of peace and reconciliation can play a vital role in the prevention of violence and in the strengthening of the self-image of students, especially immigrant students.

Pray that the Gala Evening tonight will go well, and that iThemba will give the performance of their lives, with no problems with the sound, backing-music, forgetting of lines or moves, or nervousness, and that people will be deeply moved.

OUTSIDE OUR AREA
In Asia-Pacific, the country of Nepal is teetering on the edge of what may be a cataclysmic social and political upheaval, as the king tries to hold onto his absolute power and the people demonstrate for democracy. Yesterday at least 35 people were hurt in clashes with police as an estimated 100,000 people demonstrated on the streets of Kathmandu, there is a daytime as well as night-time curfew in certain areas of the capital, and great uncertainty about the future. ABC Radio in Australia put out the following this morning on their AM programme: “King Gyanendra's offer of a partial return to democracy was soundly rejected by opposition groups at the weekend. The King had asked the Opposition to recommend a new Prime Minister; he said elections should be held as soon as possible, to return power to the people. But the Opposition leaders said the King's offer was inadequate - a view seemingly shared by many of the protestors on the streets of the capital. They are planning another coordinated march tomorrow, Tuesday. The King's statement was meant to be a chance to end the strike and protests that have crippled the capital over two weeks. International observers including the US, the UN, China and, importantly, India, had welcomed the King's statement as a step in the right direction. But others believe it may have come too late. Two weeks ago this was a political protest. But with each day that passes it is becoming a popular movement - one that may not be satisfied without significant change.”

Much prayer needed by Christians throughout the world - not least for our YFC workers there led by Nico T - that the needed changes will come peacefully and without further bloodshed and death.

PRAYER THIS WEEK
Monday - Turkey, and Iran
Tuesday - Slovakia, Albania, and Italy
Wednesday - Ukraine, Belarus, and Armenia
Thursday - Latvia, and Jordan
Friday - Tunisia, and Libya

In His grip and grace.

BOOK OF CONDOLENCES OPENED FOR GEORGE

2006-04-19T12:58:00.000+01:00

YFC Netherlands has now opened a Book of Condolences, where those who wish may leave a message for Reina, the widow of George Brucks, and his family. Go to their web-site, www.yfc.nl then click on the link at the bottom and go into the book. You will see other posts there.

George's funeral will be at 2.30pm on Friday 21st April in the town of Zeist. I hope to be present representing YFC International, accompanied by M. Jean-Jacques Weiler, former World President. If you wish to go in person contact YFC Netherlands for directions - info@yfc.nl . If you cannot go you may wish to remember the proceedings in prayer, that God may be glorified by all that is said and done.

GEORGE BRUCKS TO HAVE BEEN HONOURED BY THE QUEEN NEXT WEEK

2006-04-18T20:18:00.000+01:00

George, former European Area Director, who died yesterday, was to have been honoured on April 28th by Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands. The Queen, who is also Princess of Orange-Nassau, was to award him with the title of "Ridder in de orde van Oranje Nassau", given to people "with a remarkable value for society". But as Edward de Kam, Dutch National Director of YFC remarked: "George would have been honored next week. But the Lord did it already I think!"

FORMER AREA DIRECTOR DIES

2006-04-18T14:12:00.000+01:00

I was in the office briefly this morning and took a call from Edward de Kam, National Director of YFC Netherlands. It was to say that my predeccessor-but-one as European Area Director, George Brucks, had died at his home in Zeist last night, Monday. George was eighty, and yesterday had held court in a tent dedicated to him at the 60th anniversary celebrations of the founding of YFC Netherlands (of which he had also been National Director). About 1200 people were in attendance at Den Lindenhorst, the YFC Holland HQ in Driebergen, and George had given no sign of any illness.

George was the Area Director from around 1974-1989, and since his retirement from that position he continued to write, speak and maintain his interest in humanitarian work in Romania. When we began MANNAFEST in Belfast in 1987 he was one of the first speakers we had (perhaps March or April of that year) and he came back perhaps twice more - always to very appreciative audiences. He had a quirky, sideways way of looking at The Word and the world which appealed strongly to young people.

He held strong, forthright opinions on all matters, and liked nothing better than to shock people - always in his view for constructive reasons. I last saw him when I paid him a visit in his apartment in November 2004, but ironically, in my mailbox this morning was an e-mail from him sent yesterday morning at 8.19am.

The funeral will be on Friday in Zeist, but I don't yet know the time. I will post the arrangements as soon as I know them.

MEN WHO DO NOT PRAY

2006-04-11T15:38:00.000+01:00

Read a great article yesterday from our International Prayer Co-ordinator written by A W Tozer entitled: MEN WHO DO NOT PRAY. Here it is:

“Let us watch that we do not slide imperceptibly to a state where the women do the praying and the men run the churches. Men who do not pray have no right to direct church affairs. We believe in the leadership of men within the spiritual community of the saints, but that leadership should be won by spiritual worth.

Leadership requires vision, and whence will vision come except from hours spent in the presence of God in humble and fervent prayer? All things else being equal, a praying woman will know the will of God for the church far better than a prayerless man.

We do not here advocate the turning of the churches over to the women, but we do advocate a recognition of proper spiritual qualifications for leadership among the men if they are to continue to decide the direction the churches shall take. The accident of being a man is not enough. Spiritual manhood alone qualifies.”

MONDAY LETTER, 10 April 2006

2006-04-10T11:04:00.000+01:00

Dear Colleagues:

Greetings at the start of what for us in Western Europe is “Holy Week”, when we remember and focus on the last few days of Jesus’ ministry before His crucifixion. Amazing that someone who lived 2,000 years ago, only lived to the age of about 33, who spent most of his life in an obscure village in a small country in the Middle-East, and who was crucified as a criminal, should still be the object of worship of millions in the world of the 21st century. People still die for him in their thousands every year as totalitarian governments imprison, torture and kill His followers – the man of peace, who preached that we should love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us. More books have been written about Him than about any other person in history (apparently Napoleon of France comes a distant second), and this Friday crosses will be carried through towns and villages to commemorate His death – before Sunday comes, and glorious and triumphant church services will celebrate the fact that, as He said He would, He rose from the dead – indisputably and without a doubt, with no other explanation for the empty tomb or His subsequent appearances to eye-witnesses ever having stood the test of forensic examination. This is my favourite week of the year!

LAST WEEK
Two major initiatives, both designed to improve the quality of our support to you in the field.

The first was that we sent out from this office probably the most important document to have come from here in my time as Area Director – a proposal for the radical re-structuring of the Area into six Regions, each with a Regional Director, and each RD looking after 5-6 nations. There’s a lot of detail behind that, but hopefully this will greatly and significantly improve the level of support and close-in care that we are able to offer to existing national programmes, as well as increase our capacity to pioneer into new nations. There are many opportunities to do this, and thus the proposal paper is entitled: “Through Open Doors”. If you are interested in seeing the proposals in detail, ask your National Director for a copy. (National Directors: if for any reason your copy has not come through, let me know right away. It was sent last Thursday.)

If you are reading this here, you will know that the second, more modest initiative was to set up our own blog-spot, to make our communication with the field much more immediate and current. Blogs have some advantages over websites, including, for the owner, very simple updating of news, and for the user, the ability to post comments very easily. Ours is at http://yfcemena.blogspot.com and I encourage you to check it out regularly. I will update it as often as there is anything newsworthy to report, or urgent stuff to pray about. We won’t be putting on there anything of a politically-or-geographically-sensitive nature, and people leaving comments should be similarly careful. We will also get around to putting on links to national YFC websites, so if you would prefer us not to do that for your nation, let me know.

NEW INTERNATIONAL BOARD MEMBER REPRESENTS OUR AREA

It was great to hear that at the meetings of our International Board in Rwanda the week before last, the nomination of Maarten van Helden from The Netherlands as our Lay Trustee was accepted. Maarten is one of the three Directors of the City of Zwolle, Chairman of the Council of his church, and he served on the National Board of YFC Netherlands for ten years. At the Board meeting he also agreed to head the newly-formed Audit Committee. Maarten came with strong recommendation from Marius Blom, Treasurer of the International Board, and Edward de Kam, YFC Netherlands National Director, both of whom have known him for many years. I too was highly-impressed when we met for a chat back in January. Pray for this man, and continue to remember also Alfons Hildebrandt, Field Representative, and Martin Homann, representing the newly-formed Alumni Association of YFC. Keeping these and other equally-talented and strong-minded characters in order is the job of Board Chairman Sam Wolgemuth, so make sure he also appears somewhere on your prayer-list.

PRAYER THIS WEEK
Monday - Cyprus, and Hungary
Tuesday - Arabian Gulf, and Finland
Wednesday - Northern Ireland, and the Area office
Thursday - Moldova, and France
Friday - Netherlands, and Germany

CONGRATULATIONS THIS WEEK

Eileen Bidwell (africanmom@aol.com) heavily involved in the YFC Africa Area for many years, celebrates her birthday on Wednesday. Her husband David, (dbidwell@yfc.net) Ministry Resources and Partnerships Director for the YFC Africa Area, celebrated his yesterday.

That’s all for the moment. Let us hear from you if you have news or special prayer requests, or anything else that you want to share with the whole Area family.

In the meantime, kindest regards, and let’s rejoice mightily in this special week.

In His grip and grace.

John Duncan
Area Director.

2006-04-07T18:21:00.000+01:00

Just before I head home for a quiet weekend of engineering, wood-chopping, food with friends etc, anybody who needs a Bible or ten on their PC or PDA should check out a site where you can download them free. It's http://www.e-sword.net/ There are Bibles in loads of different languages, as well as Commentaries, Daily Devotionals, Bible maps, Bible dictionaries - all "on the house".

You can cut-and-paste, search by key words or phrases, set up a Bible-reading plan - the possibilities are nearly endless.

My daily reading verse for today was Psalm 119:11 - "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." Crucial that we keep The Word always before us, beside us, around us, in us.

Happy down-loading!

2006-04-07T15:20:00.000+01:00

After lots of consultation, refining, etc, yesterday I sent out to all our National Directors the document setting out my vision of a new structure for the Europe, Middle-East & North Africa Area of Youth For Christ, with a request for comments, and a time-scale for implementation once we agree on the exact look of the new structure.

Would appreciate prayer for the process. This is probably the single most important document I have ever sent from this office, with the potential to radically re-position YFC EMENA for ministry in the interesting, opportunity-filled, uncertain, scary times we expect to be living in for the foreseeable future. I have called the doc: "Through Open Doors" as it feels like we have wide-open doors all over the Area, just not the capacity to go through them as we are currently organised. The new proposals would give us more Regional Directors, each one looking after just a few nations, and thus able to give each one far more attention.

If they are accepted, we will be looking for some absolutely-exceptional people. Watch this space.

2006-04-07T15:14:00.000+01:00

Attended a great meeting of the Eastern Europe Leadership Team this morning, reviewing the amazing EE Staff Conference held the week before last in Kyiv, Ukraine and looking ahead to further plans, particularly the establishment of Resource Centres in the Region to service the growing work.

One description of us that was fairly colourful, and pretty accurate whatever way you look at it, was: "Tubes for Christ." Jesus has the plans and the power; all we need to do is to be clean tubes through which His power can flow. Sounds easy, except that sometimes, instead of being nice clean water-pipes, we're more like sewers. Am I right? Any easy answers out there?

MONDAY LETTER for 3 April 2006

2006-04-05T16:22:00.000+01:00

Dear Beloved Colleagues:

Praise God for the start of a new week, and for new opportunities to tell people about the greatest news ever given to mankind. What an awesome responsibility to stand between people and judgement and, just possibly, help to change their eternal destiny!

I am in or around the office all of this week, hoping to make good progress on our “Gift-aid” claim – the recovery of tax on certain gifts that our government allows to charities like us. This morning I have a meeting of that charity’s Trustees.
John S’s wife Nancy returns to Lebanon today after almost a week here with her son Jay, one of the participants on YFC Northern Ireland’s Y-One program

ADVANCE NOTICE TO NATIONAL DIRECTORS
As you know, I have been working on a revision of the whole way that our Area is structured, and after putting out a number of drafts of the documents to the Regional Leadership Teams I am about to send the final document to all the National Directors. This reorganisation will affect every country – hopefully for good. Look out for the documents later this week.

Thank you to those National Directors who have sent us their Ministry Report forms. So far three have been received, but “Bono on Bono”, the book, is still waiting for Returns number 4. Will it be your nation?? Deadline is 15 April, i.e. the end of next week….

YFC DENMARK
This nation is pleased to announce the appointment of HarmJan Feijer as their new National Director to replace Leif Johanson, who is stepping down this month. HarmJan has been involved in YFC school ministry for 3 years, and we welcome him into this new and demanding role.

YFC GENEVA
Executive Director Josh Case writes:
“We are recruiting full-time for interns for 2006-07 year. If there is anyone interested from the region, they can visit the web at: www.yfc.ch/altitude, or email me directly at: josh@interyouth.ch. We are truly hoping to diversify our team and are excited about the development opportunities we give to interns who come through our program.”

OTHER NEWS
A Canadian band, Sunday Night Cruise, who have done some work with YFC Denmark are keen to work with other YFC programmes in our Area. This is what they say:
“Hi John,

Great to hear back from you! Last year (2005) we toured with YFC Denmark for a month throughout the whole country. We were set up with a Danish road manager, a Volkswagen LT35 and Room/Board for the duration of the trip. We played at schools, churches, youth groups (Rocksolid) and other gatherings of youth during our stay. YFC Denmark runs a school tours program whereby foreign bands are invited to play their own material and speak about good life choices and, where permissible, the gospel.

As for us, we're a band based out of Thunder Bay (which you know already). In Canada, we tour primarily non-christian venues with an emphasis on reaching the unreached. We follow an altogether unreligious way of operating: Wherever God leads us, we'll go. Sometimes this means getting in a van and driving 4500 km (like we did in October) to tour public schools (or bars) on the east coast of Canada. Our show doesn't include altar calls or anything beyond testimonies of our personal faith, but those testimonies can go a long way. Some of us have struggled with drugs, alcoholism, etc and are quite willing to talk about it because we feel it helps to relate to students. Through this we are able to show how God has changed our lives, which is really our primary goal. I guess what I'm trying to communicate is that we are not a Christian Band, but a band of Christians.

It looks like we're going to be touring again in Europe (Denmark, Sweden, & the Faroe Islands) between September 15th - October 15th (thereabouts) with YFC Denmark and then heading to other parts of Europe for vacation from Nov 1 to Nov 15. This means that we'll likely be free to tour more European countries either in the last half of October or beginning in the second half of November.

We would really enjoy spending more time with the youth in other countries and with YFC in general! Travel expenses to the destination country would be minimal (i.e. train, RyanAir, easyJet) as we will likely already be in Europe. All we really need on the road is food (some of us are vegetarians) and housing. YFC Denmark has also provided us with an honourarium to perform. Schools in Denmark have funded this ministry primarily because they pay to have the concert come through and talk (or ROCK!) to students. I have to say we are quite impressed with the results of this program.

We look forward to heaing back from you and we can send you a presspack if you'd like.

Thanks so much for your time, John!

Blessings,

Dave Janzen (bass, screaming)
Sunday Night Cruise http://sundaynightcruise.com/
427 Norah Street S
Thunder Bay, ON
P7E 1P1 Canada

Their e-mail is sundaynightcruise@gmail.com

YFC/USA PROJECT SERVE TEAMS
This week is the absolute deadline for the very kind offer by David Schultz, Director of Project Serve, to fully sponsor two people to go on teams in this Area – accommodation, travel and food all included. To be eligible you need to be considering setting up some kind of Summer evangelism or work team in your own country. This is a great offer, which would give you tremendous experience. Contact me this week if you are interested.

WERNER BURKLIN
Werner was the European Area Director for YFC when I first joined the organisation back in 1972, and he had quite an influence on my life. He is still serving the Lord with all his energy, today as Founder and President-Emeritus of an organisation called China Partner, Inc, working out of Boca Raton, Florida, USA. He sends warm greetings to all of our YFC staff today and particularly to anyone who remembers him from his time in YFC.

PRAYER THIS WEEK
Monday - Britain
Tuesday - Oman, and Croatia
Wednesday - Lebanon, and Denmark
Thursday - Serbia, and Jordan
Friday - Israel & The Palestinian Territories

That’s all for today, as I want to get this to you before I leave the office. Be encouraged: we are around 400 full-time staff and several thousand volunteers working in almost 170 locations in 24 countries in our Area – between us all and with God’s All-mighty power we can make a significant difference!

In His grip and grace.
John
Area Director for Europe, the Middle-East & North Africa

2006-04-05T16:08:00.000+01:00

Dear Beloved Colleagues:

Just returned from the Staff Conference of the Eastern Europe Region of YFC, and I am still basking in the glow of the blessed time that God, and good organisation, gave us. Almost 150 people came together in Kiev, Ukraine, Wednesday to Saturday, from Moldova, Slovakia, three regions of Russia (St Petersburg, Moscow and Volga), Northern Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Holland and Ukraine itself. Past World President of YFCI Jean-Jacques Weiler was the special guest, and Bob Tanner, ex-YFC and now with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, who was instrumental in starting YFC Slovakia, happened to be in town on BGEA business and came along on several occasions. Some people spent 48 hours on a train to get there, and 24 hours wasn’t at all uncommon. Bas Huibregtse from The Netherlands kindly came and gave two excellent seminars, and Jean-Jacques and Jozef Gabor, Chairman of the Board of YFC Slovakia, led the morning devotions. Each day started with prayer from 6.00-8.00am….

Praise band “Timothy” from Slovakia led the times of worship, which were very special, and each nation or region had time to report in detail on the progress of their work. Other seminars helped to equip people in specialised skills, and Regional Director Malcolm Johnston gave more details on the launch of the Resource Centres for Children At Risk (to be based in Moldova), Leadership Training (to be based in Ukraine) and Prayer (ditto). Andrey Kostishin was commissioned onto the Eastern Europe Regional Leadership Team, and was prayed for along with his wife Valya and their children.

The Russian translation of the “Three-story Evangelism” book was launched, published by YFC Ukraine. It looks great, seems to be very well done and should be a great addition to their list of resources.

Whether by accident or design, someone mentioned from the stage a phrase that has stuck with me since as a great description of who we are and the kind of young people we are seeking to produce: “People led by Jesus, who lead like Jesus and lead others to Jesus.” If we ever need a summary phrase for our Strategic Focus, we could do a lot worse. There were plenty of people there who answered that description, and it was humbling to listen to their stories.

THIS WEEK
One joy for us will be that Nancy Sagherian from Lebanon will be arriving in Northern Ireland tomorrow to visit her son Jay who is on the YFC NI Y-One programme.

National Director of YFC Ireland, Suzie Rowan, will be interviewing someone by phone on Wednesday who has applied to work with them for a year. Wisdom and discernment required.

YFC Spain has the second in their series of inter-church big events in Barcelona this Sunday.

On Wednesday and Thursday, God willing, I’ll be in Bristol, England, visiting our daughter Emma.

QUICK REMINDER
The deadline for the return of the Ministry report forms is fast approaching (15 April), and unusually, our Area is quite slow this year. To date only two lots of forms have made it through. We need to be professional and efficient in fulfilling what we agree to when we receive Charter status, so National Directors, please get moving. There is still a copy of U2-frontman Bono’s book, “Bono on Bono” waiting to go to the fourth nation to get their returns to this office.

PRAYER THIS WEEK
Monday - Spain
Tuesday - Tunisia, and Libya
Wednesday - Turkey, and Iran
Thursday - Albania, and Italy, and Sam Wolgemuth, Chairman of the International Board
Friday - Belarus, and Armenia

CONGRATULATIONS
Best wishes to Yana Mospanenko, YFC Ukraine’s Head of their Drama Department, who celebrates her birthday on Friday.

In view of the pile of paper sitting at my right hand, that has to be all for the moment. May God bless you and continue to challenge you, and let’s work, not because we know we ought to, but from devoted and loving hearts.

In His grip and grace.
John
Area Director
YFC Europe, Middle-East & North Africa