vccm-th.org

To be sent like Jesus

norbert — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:39:09 +0000

I always appreciated the fact that when Jesus spoke after His resurrection, it was in the clear – no more parables and pictures.

We are well familiar with the Easter story, and understand its truth has set us apart from any other faith in this world, But did we ever consider what really happened later that day?

In John 20:19-23

That Sunday evening, the disciples were together behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jews. Jesus stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you!” When he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were glad to see the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” After he had said this, he breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whenever you forgive sins, they are forgiven. Whenever you don’t forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

WHAT DID JESUS MEAN BY THIS STATEMENT?

Was there a going away party in heaven? Did the Father weep? We don’t know…

This we do know:

The Father did not send Jesus as an adult, but as a helpless child.
The Father sent Him to be born through a woman.
The Father waited for Jesus to mature before letting Him fulfill His calling.

How does that apply to us?

Our calling has been on us before we were born.
It was activated the day we became born again.
Who was the woman that gave birth to us the second time? We were born by the Spirit into The Church!
When God sends us into this world we are like helpless babes – we are born into His Church where we are feed and trained.
When the right time has come we enter what we call “our ministry”, which is actually “His ministry”. Also called: convergence…

THE MYSTERY OF THIS STATEMENT

Jesus uses two different words for “sending”: apostello and pempo

Both have very similar meanings: to send, to send away or forth, to dispatch, to put, to set, to thrust something into… so why did Jesus use different words?

No Bible translation that I could find expressed any further meaning, but in Georg Autenrieth, A Homeric Dictionary, we find one further use of the word that makes a big difference:

send, dismiss, send or convey home, escort;

Jesus is escorting us as we go and fulfill our calling, just as He had the Father’s presence with Him (anyone who has seen me has seen the Father…)

Introduction

norbert — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 04:25:55 +0000

For all my 37 years as a follower of Jesus I had never paid much attention to my dreams. With very few exceptions I did not feel that this was a way the Lord wanted to communicate me – until this year!

Repeatedly I find myself waking up in the morning being deeply touched or disturbed by a dream, or part of a dream, that lingers in the back of my mind causing me to ask the obvious question: “God, what are you trying to tell me?”

Though I am quite excited and fascinated by the fact that God seems to have found a new avenue to share thoughts and concerns with me, I am at he same time frustrated by that development, since according to the prophet Joel (2:28) it is now official: I am turning into an old man!

Some of the dreams I’ve had recently led me to believe that they were not only for me personally, but for a broader audience, and I feel the urge to offer them to others to ponder – for whatever they are worth…

Another aspect that troubles me as well: It seems like these recent dreams carry a message that is more on the side of correction and judgment, and the last thing I want is to go down in history as a preacher and prophet of gloom and doom. But I’ll just have to take my chance on that, hoping and praying that some of the coming dreams will have more of a joyful and encouraging character.

Since I lack experience in the area of interpretation, especially when it come to dreams, I am very much interested in your comments and suggestions.

In His grip,

Norbert

Vineyard Community Chiang Mai

norbert — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 04:14:04 +0000

The Vineyard Community Chiang Mai consists of a group of people who have at least 3 things in common:

We are evangelical Christians with a living faith in Jesus Christ
We are (or have been in the past) part of the worldwide Affiliation of Vineyard Churches, or consider ourselves friends of the Vineyard.
We live and work in or near the city of Chiang Mai in Thailand.

Other than that we are a very diverse group of people from many parts of the world, doing a variety of things.

We are overwhelmed by the fact that the Lord has brought so many of us together in one place, and the numbers are still rising. All we know is that it is no coincidence that we are all here at this point in time, and because we are family, we want to act like one.

The first step was the formation of the Vineyard Community Chiang Mai which provides spiritual covering to the dtst-ASIA training school, as well as CHOP (Chiang Mai House Of Prayer). We meet for worship and prayer during the week, as well as on Sunday evenings.

Contact Norbert for more information.

Let the kingdom come…

Chiang Mai House Of Prayer

norbert — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 04:03:09 +0000

All over the world the Lord is calling His people to a whole new level of wholeheartedness that is expressed through a lifestyle of fasting and prayer. Houses of Prayer are springing up all over, and though some believe this to be just another fad, we are convinced it is a true move of God.

Here at the Vineyard Community Chiang Mai, we have always felt a special call to prayer and worship. Chiang Mai is a very strategic city, and has always been a spiritual center for the whole region. For years the church has prayed for revival, and the missionary community has lamented the low conversion rate among the Thai people. If our efforts and projects are going to bear fruit, we need to see a spiritual breakthrough that will usher in the greatest harvest this nation has ever seen.

Just as there is only one Church in the city in the eyes of God, there is only one House Of Prayer. By launching CHOP we want to be an inspiration, as well as create a model for other churches to follow, until the whole city is covered by a network of prayer cells that burn like fires that light up the darkness.

That is why the LORD says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Joel 2:12-13

dtst-ASIA

norbert — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 03:54:02 +0000

dtst-ASIA is a training program of the Vineyard Community Chiang Mai, Thailand, and is part of the “eachofus” network of Vineyard Discipleship Schools. VCCM is part of the worldwide Affiliation of Vineyard Churches, and is supported by the US Vineyard churches of the Thailand Partnership.

As cross-cultural ministry becomes more and more a focus in Vineyard Churches worldwide, we have the chance to impart the values God has entrusted us with throughout the world. We desire for dtst-ASIA to become a tool to help equip workers for the vast harvest in Asia, just doing the stuff.

dtst-intensive

Having run training schools for many years, we have discovered that there is nothing more transforming than leaving your comfort-zone, and making yourself vulnerable by immersing yourself in a culture different from your own.

Three months that will change your life!

Live, study and serve in one of the spiritual and cultural centers of Asia: Chiang Mai, in Northern Thailand. Surrounded by the hill tribes of the Golden Triangle, and new emerging churches and ministries, there will be lots of opportunity for hands-on training, and several weeks of outreach. Besides that, we will take an in-depth look at the following topics:

Relationship with God
The Church
The Kingdom of God
The Ministry of Jesus
Being a Missional Person
Embracing Diversity/Understanding Cultures
Growth and Change
Living as a leader
Stewardship of Life & Resources

The courses will be taught by international Vineyard leaders, as well as local teachers.

Next School:

September 4 to November 24, 2009

Cost: US$ 2700 (plus $100 non-refundable registration fee).
Includes accommodation, all training & outreach costs in Thailand.
For outreach to neighboring country, add airfare.

Outreach: 2 to 3 weeks in different parts of Thailand, and/or a neighboring country.

Language: English

Mature Christianity

norbert — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:47:34 +0000

Mature Christianity begins by knowing what God has done for you, and knowing who you are in Christ. We are never mature until we accept our responsibility to advance the Kingdom of God. We are here to fight, and the sooner we learn this, the sooner we move towards mature Christianity.

Many well-meaning folks give money, time, and efforts to improve man’s situation, but ignore the spiritual way to combat evil. They are more concerned with man’s condition than with God’s heart.

Ephesians 6:10-12

“A final word: Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.”

You say tribulations, I say transitions…

norbert — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:19:19 +0000

One of the stories in the New Testament that always puzzled me was the reaction of the disciples when Jesus was arrested – they all ran away, except for Peter who put up a fight, then denied the Lord, and then disappeared as well. How could they do that after all they had seen Jesus do and say?

This is a repetition of a story in the Old Testament. What? No water? No food? Moses what did you do – we should never have listened to you! Never mind the miracle of deliverance and the passing through the Red Sea…

Most likely we would have reacted the same way in both scenarios. We are easily intimidated, and the enemy knows that, and uses that as his main tactic.

As the Lord continues to prepare and train his army for the coming battle, He is looking for those willing to stay in rank, even in the face of the most intimidating threats of the enemy. Young David showed incredible courage facing the giant, putting to shame all the warriors of Israel. His secret? Having spent years alone in the fields, worshiping God and communing with Him had given him the heart of a lion – the Lion of Judah.

As the Apostle Paul shared with the churches in the first century, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (see Acts 14:22). This is a principle that we could interpret, “Through many transitions we must enter the kingdom of God.” Transitions will be tribulations. That’s why when the whole world makes the transition to the kingdom, it will be the greatest of all tribulations. We all want to get to the kingdom, but not many want to go through the door.

“Then at last the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will himself be Israel’s glorious crown. He will be the pride and joy of the remnant of his people. He will give a longing for justice to their judges. He will give great courage to their warriors who stand at the gates.” Isaiah 28:5-6

Sent to do what?

norbert — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:11:09 +0000

Working in a cross-cultural context is one of the most challenging work environments. Throw in some spiritual battles and confrontations, some personal needs and problems, and we all end up where we belong: on our knees, asking for mercy!

Most of us a wearing so many hats, we don’t even remember which one we are wearing at a given time. That’s when it is time to streamline things in our hearts and ask the Lord for the 1000th time, “tell me again why I am here?”

I love the way Paul was able to articulate his calling in front of both friends and enemies, without having to scratch his head and think twice. Though his “mission statement” reflects his personal calling, it also echoes our own:

“‘I’m sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. I’m sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living by believing in me.’ ” Acts 26:17-18 (The Message)

The Fishpond

norbert — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:53:07 +0000

No doubt, this dream was inspired by the beautiful gardens, parks, and ponds found here in Northern Thailand, but the story and the message in the dream was so strong that it left me deeply shaken.

I was walking down the path in the middle of a beautiful garden. Besides the lush trees and beautiful flowers, there was a cluster of fishponds on either side of the path. The group of ponds on the left was a work of art and design, with the ponds being of different sizes and levels, connected with each other with beautiful waterfalls and creeks. Looking in the ponds I saw the most beautiful and exotic species of fish in crystal clear water with colorful stones and water plants on the bottom. I remember recognizing some of my own fish in one of the ponds and was admiring them, when I heard the loud and booming voice from the owner of the garden announcing, “The water in the ponds on the right will be drained shortly!”

At first I was not too concerned by that announcement, since my fish were all safe on the other side. But then I began to worry that “my” ponds might be drained as well, and so I asked the owner about that. He assured me that only the other side would be drained. I felt drawn to go to the other side and look at those ponds that were just as beautiful, but their water level had already sunk, and I saw fish already dead, and others struggling for life. Panic gripped my heart and I knew something had to be done quickly in order to rescue the surviving fish. I looked for buckets and containers that could be filled with water and that would serve to transport the dying fish to the other side. Calling out for other people in the garden to come and help me met with a mixed response. Though some were eager to help right away, others were not interested, since they had no fish in the quickly draining ponds. Others were concerned that the safe ponds would end up being over-populated, endangering all the fish in the end.

The dream ended by some of us scrambling and rushing to carry the doomed fish into safety, but it seemed impossible to rescue them all, and there was a great sense of pain and loss associated with the reality that many, many would be lost…

INTERPRETATION:

Though this picture accurately describes the situation of this world, I felt that it referred manly to us here in Thailand. For hundreds of years the Spirit of God has pleaded with the Thai people to come into the safety of God’s Kingdom, but to a large extend they have remained resistant to the efforts of missionaries and local churches, resulting in less than 1% Christians among them.

The announcement of the owner to drain the ponds leads me to believe that the time of grace and God’s patience is running out, and that God is calling His children to make a combined effort to reach out to the lost working side by side – overcoming their differences for the sake of the lost and dying. The call for unity and harmony in His body here seems to grow with each passing day, since that seems to be the only way to bring in the harvest in this nation.

Anorexia

norbert — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:48:04 +0000

February – ANOREXIA

This was one of the first dreams that really made me think that something significant is happening in my dream-life, and that I should maybe begin to share it with others, since I had a strong sense that it was not for me alone.

I did not write it down right away, and can’t even remember the exact context of the setting. But I can still clearly remember seeing that word appear in large and bold letter spelling: ANOREXIA.

I remember waking up with that word just reverberating in my mind – anorexia. There was a sense that I had heard the word before, but all I could remember was that it had to be some medical term. As I walked our Labrador in the morning, I pondered the possible meaning of that word, coming up with several possibilities which turned out to be totally off when I checked it on google later on:

Though there are several types of anorexia, the basic meaning simply is ”a lack of desire to eat”, which can cause a person literally starve themselves to death! I knew that – or so I had thought – but what does it mean?

INTERPRETATION:

As a result of that dream I did an extensive study, and came up with the following sermon outline:

Anorexia is an eating disorder in which the afflicted person believes that they are fat – even when they are incredibly thin, and subsequently starves themselves.

In “spiritual anorexia” the individual believes that they have already taken in enough spiritual food and that they do not need any more “nourishment.”

Anorexia of the soul involves an inability to find spiritual fulfillment, a loss of appetite for the holy.

I. How do we take in spiritual nourishment?

Word of God (Scripture)
Word of God (other sources: books, teachings, spiritual gifts)

Jesus answered, “Scripture says, ‘A person cannot live on bread alone but on every word that God speaks.’ ” Matt.4:4

Doing the will of God

Jesus told them, “My food is to do what the one who sent me wants me to do and to finish the work he has given me.” John 4:34

II. But the real question is, how do we overcome the lack of desire (hunger)?

Hang out with those more hungry than yourself.
Read books and listen to stories that will wet your appetite.
Remember your spiritual heights.

“Remember how far you have fallen. Return to me and change the way you think and act, and do what you did at first.” Rev.2:5

Ask your Father in Heaven – can be dangerous… He may lead us through the desert and the night.
Ultimately even our desire comes from God, but we can position ourselves so that we can receive it.

“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” Jer.29:13