Crucified Living

Ministry in Uganda

Andrew Biddinger — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 17:06:50 +0000

About month ago, Andrew and I got to the village of Wanenga in Africa after three flights and many hours of travel. It was SUCH a privilege for Susanna and I to go. Thank you so much for your support of us. We have so many stories to share and saw God do amazing things. Here are just a few and a little overview of our trip! The Basule Family My (Andrew’s) favorite part of our trip was living with the Basules. In a small village in Uganda – a village mostly made up of mud huts and a few brick and cement buildings – is a beautiful family who have passionately loved and served Wanenga for many years. Pastor Basule Paul was thrown out of his family as a kid for becoming a born-again Christian; he turned his becoming an “outcast” around and has embodied God’s heart for treating all like “family” – taking care of the poor, looking after widows, raising orphans, and lifting up so many with the love and mission of Jesus. When Art Thomas (the one leading our trip) first met Pastor Paul 14 years ago (before the orphanage or school were ever born!), Pastor Paul and his family had 16 orphans living with them and a man that they had found almost dead on the side of the road. They only lived in a small, cement home and were not rich, but they offered what they had and took responsibility to care for these lives. That gives you a little window into the hearts and love of this family. To see today many of those same orphans they cared for 14 years ago, loving and serving their community, having their own homes and families that they love and provide for, and living in relationship with Jesus and from his heart now themselves is truly, truly beautiful. The love of Jesus coming from the Basule family is so infectious. Susanna and I were deeply impacted by it, and we are very excited to see it continue to multiply – there, but also, by God’s grace, here. As we come home, our prayer is that we can bring a little of their bold, joy-filled faith, their radical generosity, and their laid-down love that we witnessed to America too. We have a lot to learn from these precious ones on the other side of the world. The Team and Events It was really amazing watching the team come together here from America. We are so thankful to have been able to minister along side each one of them! If I would give a theme to the team and our time in Africa, it would be “The Father’s Love.” First, we had Art Thomas bringing his two boys, Joey and JJ, and all the proud dad moments that he had with them. Then, we had Kevin who was given the nickname “Papa” while we were there and became a dad to so many! And then we had my beautiful wife, Susanna, and myself – 7 people in all. All the finances our team were able to raise not only paid for travel expenses but also to host the events below, rent tents and chairs, buy food, hire cooks, rent sound systems and generators, and to pay for transportation for those coming from distant villages. These were the main events we were a part of while being there: The Crusades and the Father’s Love We traveled to the village of Buswiriri with Pastor Paul during two of our last days there to partner with a new church and share the gospel, pray for healing, and deliver the oppressed. There was a stage in the village where we sang and danced for hours which brought many out to see what was happening! Art Thomas shared the gospel and Susanna and I shared our personal stories of how Jesus transformed our lives. When I (Andrew) first got there, I asked the Lord to give me His love for the people. As I was praying, I felt the love of a good father fill my heart for the people, and God changed how I was going to share my testimony. God put it in my heart to focus on his fatherly love for me and his present love for Buswiriri. I shared a personal story of how a love for American football as a kid and a need for a good father was met when God’s love transformed my heart. When God saved me, he became my Father who would walk alongside me, bring me into his family, and always be there for me. This loving Father, who created me and you, sent his only son to restore relationship with all who come to Him through his son! Although our sin has broken this relationship with God, Jesus’ death on the cross, burial, and His resurrection has made a way for all to enter his family and have a new dad who truly loves us. Over the two days that we were in Buswiriri, around 120 people testified to have put their faith in Jesus and wanting to follow Him. Praise God! Around 200 testified to being healed of something. Thank you, Jesus!! Isn’t that awesome?! One of our team members (Kevin) got to hear the village Mayor share that his back got healed. He was grinning from ear to ear. He previously had intense back pain for years that was now gone (and was still gone the next day when we came back!). He was a Christian and was so happy and thankful that this was happening in his village and for how the Lord healed him too. A COUPLE MORE FAVORITE MEMORIES So many of my (Susanna’s) favorite moments in Uganda were moments of connecting with the people. With not everyone knowing English and me not knowing Lusoga, 🙂 it was often hard to be able to communicate freely without a translator. Even so, over and over again many of my favorite moments were moments of deep connection: looking in someone’s eyes and saying “Jambo” (“hi”) and their face lighting up (mine too :)), warmly shaking someone’s hand, giving a hug, looking at your neighbor and letting out a Ugandan styled “whoop” when something was said or done that was amazing, talking as much a possible with the limited Lusoga or English phrases either of us knew, eating a meal together, praying over someone for their healing or encouragement, late night laughter and worship outside Pastor Paul’s home, hanging out with kiddos who wanted to play or be held or snuggled, conversations with Helen (Pastor Paul’s wife), and more were some of the moments most precious to me. There is something so, so beautiful about getting to meet your family on the other side of the world. It’s hard to describe in words. There was such comradery and joy in being together – and in celebrating that we have the same Jesus who binds us together and gives us both hope, no matter our location or circumstance. The phrase many of the Ugandans would say over and over again was, “Thank you for loving us, thank you for loving us. Thank you for being with us. Thank you for choosing us.” But we were the ones who felt honored and loved by them. One thing that deeply impacted me in the village especially was the joy that the Christians carried. Their joy was very palpable. It’s like they have a different view of life – the glass being half full instead of half empty, that Jesus really is enough for each day and each challenge (and they really know about challenges), that to lift their hands in worship, to know his love, to be together were things to so fully delight in. Most of them have been through such difficult circumstances and challenges in life that it would be difficult to grasp for many of us. And, yet there in the midst of the hard and seemingly impossible, God is for them. He is their good in the middle of everything and from Him comes all that is good. His presence sustains their souls and gives them new strength to make it through and to thrive even in the middle of, at times, seemingly impossible situations. Hearing their stories, seeing their lives, feeling their joy, being a recipient of their generosity felt like they deposited some of their beautiful faith inside of me. I’d like to carry just a bit of their joy-filled faith with me wherever I go. Thank you so much for partnering with us! We are forever changed by the people we had the privilege of meeting and the experiences we had. We are just so thankful. Thank you! Love in Jesus, – Andrew and Susanna Biddinger P.S. We can definitely commend the Uganda Project at Wildfire International for any future giving you feel led to do! The Basule family and staff in Uganda are working hard to love their community, raise orphans, train pastors, and reach people with the Gospel. I love that they are doing it in a self-sustainable way through farming and other sources of local income. I know Wildfire is currently raising funds to help them purchase another piece of land for more space for the school, orphanage, and additional farmland. So, feel free to continue giving! https://www.wildfiremin.org

The post Ministry in Uganda first appeared on Crucified Living.

Church Planting in Burton, MI

Andrew Biddinger — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:48:56 +0000

We started our house church July 3rd, 2024 partnering with Roots Church Network. Our first meeting was just with our kids where we explained what we were doing and got their input on doing it. They happily came up with ideas of what it could look like, who we should invite, what we needed (1st on their list, of course, was a trampoline because Art Thomas’ house church has a trampoline!). It was beautiful to dream together with our kids and share our heart for making disciples with them. Since then, we have had 6-8 beautiful people join us besides our family (the majority of the house church being kids!😊). We have prayed for several healings for those coming who have had long term pain or recent injuries and illnesses. We have focused our meetings on everyone bringing something from God to share. We have been seeking the Lord in prayer together on what he wants this church to be and how he wants to lead us to minister. We have been praying for power from on high to be his witnesses and gifts to demonstrate his love to each other. So far, we have had a potluck meal on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. and start sharing at 6:30 p.m. On August 14th (on our 7th meeting) we baptized our two oldest kids in our neighbor’s pool. They both got to share why they wanted to be baptized and share the gospel with everyone that came. Susanna got to share the spiritual meanings of their names that we gave them, like her late father did when he was a pastor and baptized her. This was a very special moment for us as parents seeing our kids want to follow Jesus. The event was also special as we had close friends to celebrate with us. Before partnering with Roots, we had served as youth leaders at a church in Grand Blanc and hosted a small group in our home. It has been a deep desire for us to make disciples that make disciples and establish simple house churches that multiply and network together. We are praying to see intimate communities of Jesus lovers, that are on mission together, where everyone is participating in the church and advancing the gospel with love in our Flint neighborhoods. When we read the book of Acts in the Bible (the story of the continuation of Jesus’ ministry after he ascended) it propels our deep desire to see the power and love of Jesus demonstrated today. We’ll keep you updated on our journey with Jesus and his family!

The post Church Planting in Burton, MI first appeared on Crucified Living.

Jesus is Better than the Bible

Andrew Biddinger — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 00:04:37 +0000

I tend to imagine that in every generation of Christianity, there comes a point when we stop following Jesus and start following our well-developed religion. And in some ways, we can even put the Bible above Jesus or think that Jesus is synonymous with the Bible. Jesus is not the Bible. I have gone through seasons of having great confidence (or pride) of my “perfected” wisdom, having things figured out, or had my focus on anything but the main thing. Jesus is the main thing. In the book of Hebrews, the writer compares Jesus with many different things. He concludes in all of them that Jesus is better. He even went as far to say that Jesus is better than Moses! To us that might not sound like that radical of a statement, but it would be to a Jew in that day. Moses wrote the first 5 books of the Bible (The Law) and his name was synonymous with the traditions that they were to follow (Mark 12:26). This is stepping on some religious toes! “Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. ‘Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,’ a bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” Hebrews 3:3–6 I am not putting down the Bible in any way. But, in comparing Jesus to the Bible, I am saying that Jesus is better than anything in this world. Jesus is better than church. Jesus is better than religion. Jesus is than America. Jesus is better than my wife (and that’s saying something)! 😉 We must turn our eyes to Jesus, the Son of God, worship him, love him, pray in him, serve him, listen to him, and follow him. Peter made the mistake of putting Jesus on the same plane as Moses and Elijah. These were two other figures that revealed more of the Bible to the Jews and they followed them. But, God the Father’s response was to listen to his Son! “And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”” Matthew 17:4–5 Now, don’t take this to mean you shouldn’t read the Bible. You should and we need it (2 Timothy 3:16)! But, read the Scriptures with a listening ear allowing Holy Spirit (another member of the Godhead) to reveal Jesus to you and how you are to follow him. ““You study the Scriptures carefully. You study them because you think they will give you eternal life. The Scriptures you study give witness about me.” John 5:39 Jesus is a real living person who is alive today, actively making intercession for us, ruling on his throne, actively speaking and leading through the Holy Spirit, answering prayers, actively saving people through the power of the Good News of his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. The Bible reveals Jesus to us, but is not Jesus himself. Don’t be content with a relationship with a book or religion. But, let the Book reveal the beauty of our possible relationship with Jesus himself. “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.” Hebrews 1:1–4

The post Jesus is Better than the Bible first appeared on Crucified Living.

His Life for Mine

Andrew Biddinger — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 04:58:50 +0000

Growing up in a Christian household and hearing a gospel presentation, my understanding at that time consisted of knowing that I was a sinner destined for hell and needed to ask Jesus for salvation. With childlike faith, I did so. Yet, it wasn’t until my teenage years, when I began to sense the weight of sin in my own life, that I realized there hadn’t been much visible change in me since my salvation (or so it seemed). Because I was being taught morals, I knew that I was still a sinner and felt secretly horrible about that. There had to be something more to Christianity than a ticket to Heaven. Wasn’t there? “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20, ESV At that time, I didn’t understand that all followers of Jesus are called to die. Christianity is more than a ticket out of hell. To follow Jesus means to follow him in his death. It’s scary. It costs us everything. However, by surrendering our lives completely to Jesus, we discover that he substitutes our flawed, sinful existence with his flawless, sinless life. During my teenage years, I began contemplating this Bible verse about being crucified with Christ. I by faith took on Jesus’ journey of death, burial, resurrection, and ascension as my own identity. When he died, I died. When he was buried, I with all my sin was buried. When he was resurrected, my new man was resurrected. When he ascended and sat at the throne in Heaven, I did as well. Complete union with Jesus is what Christianity is about. We live in him and he lives in us. This is how we change. Jesus changes us by giving us his already changed life! “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.” John 15:4–9, ESV Considerable time has passed since I was forever changed learning what it meant to live a crucified life. I can say that it has been totally worth it. The union with Christ has been sweet. Yet, the amazing part is that it was also not a one and done thing. It seems every new season Jesus delves deeper exposing more sin or healing more of my brokenness. It’s been a beautiful journey and I am so happy to be living a crucified life in Christ. Interested in knowing more? Let me know! Need prayer? I’d be happy to pray with you. Just leave a comment with your request!

The post His Life for Mine first appeared on Crucified Living.

Jesus Changed My Life

Andrew Biddinger — Sun, 12 Apr 2020 21:45:13 +0000

Is there meaning to this life? Why does life have to hurt so much? There is no easy answer to these questions. Our pain and challenges in life are personal. They often consume our thinking and emotions and end up defining who we are. If we are going to find ultimate meaning in life, it can’t be something made up. And it can’t be something un-personal or inauthentic to the real world with real world struggles. What does God have to say about all this? Thankfully, God has provided an answer to all the pain and suffering in the world. It is real, and it is really personal. How personal you may ask? God himself intervened in my own life. Jesus changed my life. Jesus brought meaning to my life and healing into my broken heart. How did he do this? Here’s just a few ways that Jesus changed my life: He has been big enough to handle my questions about life, and he listens to me when I talk with him. He has personally entered my heart affecting my thoughts, desires, and decisions. He took the guilt of the wrong things that I have done away and freed me from hating those who have wronged me. He showed me what was recorded in history about Jesus; he was completely pure, yet he took my sin upon himself and suffered and died. He showed me that he had power over life, death, pain, and suffering by not staying dead. As a human, he rose from the grave and defeated death and sin. He is there all the time. He speaks to me and reassures me of his presence. He has given me hope that I don’t have to stay the way I am, but can change by his strength into a person who looks like him. He has daily changed me to be able to selflessly love in my personal relationships. He has daily enabled me to no longer live in sin and no longer live for myself. He has given daily healing in the face of many personal pains and challenges in life. What Jesus did on Easter morning, actually rising from the grave, has changed so many lives in history and continues to change lives today. Jesus can bring meaning, hope, and healing into your life. Listen to what Peter (Jesus’ personal friend) said: “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:21–25

The post Jesus Changed My Life first appeared on Crucified Living.

“God Comed Alive”

Andrew Biddinger — Sun, 12 Apr 2020 21:01:24 +0000

Easter is a day for celebration! Jesus is alive! This morning, I got the joy of seeing our 3 year old son run down the stairs to exclaim his excitement to find Jesus (in our Play Easter Rock Garden) who had rose from the grave today. “But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”” Matthew 28:5–10

The post “God Comed Alive” first appeared on Crucified Living.

Suffering with Jesus

Andrew Biddinger — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 20:45:08 +0000

For years, I’ve avidly avoided this kind message of purposeful suffering. I’ve ran from suffering and pursued a life of no pain. But, this last year has had way more pain than I’d ever want to go through. I know a lot of other people are going through comparable or worse things. I pray that God would be so close to you through your own pain. That you would know him and his sufferings on your behalf. There is no pain that you can go through that Christ has not felt for eternity. In Jesus, suffering has purpose and a person to walk through it with. “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:21–25

The post Suffering with Jesus first appeared on Crucified Living.

COVID-19 is Freaking the World Out!

Andrew Biddinger — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 02:03:33 +0000

This is the first time I’ve seen in my adult life that most of the world has shuttered in fear. Whether we are someone who makes fun of it or someone who is filling the house with toilet paper, this COVID-19 outbreak is disrupting everyone’s humdrum lives. I was thinking about this question, “What is at the core of this global fear?” I’m sure we all have lots of answers, but entertain this one that I was thinking about: The virus is killing people, and we can’t control it. This virus is destabilizing our world and showing us how short and fragile life is. Death is freaking people out! And it’s totally understandable to be scared of dying. Death was never meant to be. We all hate death. We all want to control our own destinies. So, what hope do we have to offer? There was this man who once said that death wasn’t the end. He promised that anyone could live forever after death. He declared that he was eternal life. But, he said that the only way we could live forever was to give up control over our life and follow him. Crazy, right? Well, that would be crazy if he didn’t back up his claims by proving that he was truly eternal life. How did he do this? He did it by dying. Ooops. Sounds bad, right? It would have been…except this man who was dead as doornail revived himself back from the dead after three days. This man is Jesus, and he is alive today! He is coming back to raise those who have believed and followed Jesus from the dead and offers real hope that defies the fears of the coronavirus. You can have this hope! “Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” Titus 3:3–7

The post COVID-19 is Freaking the World Out! first appeared on Crucified Living.

Discipleship Takes Time

Andrew Biddinger — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 14:19:15 +0000

A sermon a week is not a good discipleship plan. If you are a follower of Jesus and only have an hour of discipleship once a week, then your knowledge and relationship with him is going to be filled with holes. Most of us need to rethink our priorities in life to allow true discipleship to happen. Yes, we are all busy with life and a lot of it is good. But, don’t let the busyness of life stop you from taking larger amounts of time to know and follow Jesus. What fills your weekends? What are the goals in your evenings? What are you doing with you vacation time? And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. (Mark 1:17–18, ESV)

The post Discipleship Takes Time first appeared on Crucified Living.

God’s Plan & Man’s Rebellion Against Him

Andrew Biddinger — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 00:31:20 +0000

From the very start of creation, God made man in his own image and gave him the privilege of having a personal relationship with him. Yet, through man’s own rebellion toward God (in Adam and Eve) and desire to live apart from him, this relationship has been cut off. But, there is great news for us! Although we deserve it, God hasn’t just wipe us out. Out of his own love he planned a story of redemption that would allow the his people to return to him. God’s Plan from Adam to Jesus Right in the story of humanity’s rebellion, we see that God is not caught off guard or powerless over his enemy. He tells the serpent that his time is fleeting. A child (offspring) of Eve would come and crush his head, mortally killing him. (Genesis 3:15). Man Rebels Against God Man becomes so evil over time and God deals with it in many ways including earth-wide floods, division, slavery, war, fire. And God used positive methods like, laws, traditions, prophetic voices speaking his words. Yet, all these only kept a cap on evil. Nothing ultimately could stop sinful people from sinning. “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.” (Genesis 6:5–7, ESV) God Makes Promises to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, and Judah (Israel) In the middle of man’s rebellion God continues to unfold his plan and promises a blessing that will bless all nations, redemption, a restored nation, an eternal kingdom, and one Savior who would fulfill all the promises, take the word’s sin upon him, and restore the world through him! Man’s Rebellion has not Stopped God’s plan God desires a personal relationship with man, yet man has rejected God and worship themselves as “god” in their lives. God is the creator of all and everything is accountable to God. God legislated his holy law to man, yet man is rebellious towards him and us not able and willing to keep it. God is patient and merciful to provide a way of restoration of man to himself. God has graciously saved those who have sought him by faith in him and trust in his promises. In each promise we see God’s desire to bless his people and to bless the world through his people. But time after time although God doesn’t fail, man does. So, God brings about a new promise wherein he himself fulfills all the previous promises. Every promise is kept in Jesus The Bible tells us a very real and amazing story where God keeps his promises to the his people. Just over 2,000 years ago a man came and fulfilled all the promises that God made. This man was Jesus Christ the Son of God our Lord and Savior. “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” (2 Corinthians 1:20–22, ESV) So, how should we respond? Jesus on earth shares a few parables (like illustrations) of how someone should respond when they hear the great news of God’s redemption. Here’s two of his parables: “The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man happens to find a treasure hidden in a field. He covers it up again, and is so happy that he goes and sells everything he has, and then goes back and buys that field. Also, the Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man is looking for fine pearls, and when he finds one that is unusually fine, he goes and sells everything he has, and buys that pearl.” (Matthew 13:44–46, GNB) Responding to God in faith will cost you everything, but what you will gain in Jesus is everything. “How happy I am because of your promises— as happy as someone who finds rich treasure.” (Psalm 119:162, GNB)

The post God’s Plan & Man’s Rebellion Against Him first appeared on Crucified Living.