On the evening of January 11, 2011 I uploaded the video below. The next morning our family set out for Africa. 22 months later, we are heading back to visit family, with our season of living overseas far from over. These last two years have rocked our worlds and changed our lives forever. We are so excited for what is yet before us in spreading the glory of Jesus to the nations!
Our family is heading to the USA in 15 days!! Read about that HERE.
In order for us to return to and remain in Africa for this next 2 year term, we MUST raise additional funding. In fact, with rising costs in the US and here in South Africa, and the fact that we were slightly underfunded last term, we must raise another $2,000+ a month! As a result, our time home will be very intense as we search for new partners and meet with churches and donors.
We still have 2 Sundays available to speak at churches during our trip. November 25 and December 23 (which is really the purpose of this blog). And maybe a third (December 16)...waiting to hear. We would also have plenty of weekday opportunities to connect as well.
However, here's the deal...we need to spend those two Sundays with churches (not already partnering with us) that can take us on as new partners in mission starting in 2013 and beyond. We need churches that will not only partner with us in prayer and relationship, but will also commit to financially support our ministry.
Do you know of a church like this? One that loves mission and wants to partner with a family committed to see Africa and the Nations discipled toward Jesus?? Would you please help us?
PS- We are searching for PEOPLE too! Want to join in on what the Lord is doing? Email me at noah.ccf@gmail.com to become a regular partner or click HERE to donate now.
To differentiate between New Testament commands, apostolic practices and human customs has proven over the years to be most helpful, for settling church disputes, for ascertaining the level of authority for a church activity, and for making plans and establishing priorities. This method below is a simple one. I borrowed it from George Patterson and Brian Hogan. I find it helpful in my learning journey. I hope you do too.
The FIRST level of authority is New Testament commands of Jesus. We must obey them and must not hinder others doing them. These include Jesus' commands, which are foundational, and those of the apostles written in their epistles. The basic commands of Jesus, which were being obeyed by the 3000 new believers in Acts chapter 2 in their most basic form, include:
The SECOND level are the things the Apostles and the early church did as an example to us which we may or may not follow depending on local circumstances. We must not make universal laws of these, nor prohibit others' doing them. They include:
The THIRD level is Human traditions not mentioned in the New Testament. We can take them or leave them, and we can prohibit them if they hinder obedience to New Testament commands. Their only authority is our voluntary agreement with them. We cannot force them and we must prohibit them if they impeded obedience. They include:
Copyright © 2002 by George Patterson, Shared with permission
It's time for the Lily debut! Our family is coming to the states together for the first time since leaving home January 12, 2011!
We will be in the USA from November 16 until December 31.
Our goals for the trip:
Here is how you could help us in our preparation:
44 days and we depart! Looking forward to seeing you. Will you help us make the trip a success?
We all experience joys and pains as we walk with Jesus. Victories and Defeats. And we long to share them.
While listening to a teaching this morning, I encountered a brilliant reality that I desperately needed to hear. Here is the truth: The person to whom we take the first-fruits of our emotions to is the one we become intimate with. The first-fruits of our pain. The first-fruits of our joy.
I am convicted. Because I realize that countless times, I have taken the first-fruits of my emotions to people (wife, parents, co-worker, overseer, a friend). I will tell people in full color what I was feeling before ever talking to God for even a minute. Then, sometime the next day or so, I will talk to God about everything in 1 minute with no detail, because, after all, the Lord already knew (he must have heard the 45 minute version I gave my friend). However, the reality is that I gave my first fruits of emotions away to people instead of God.
The byproduct of this is: we build great horizontal relationships while we weaken our vertical one.
In Psalm 25:1, David was in a great deal of pain. He was really hurting. He could have gone to a lot of people. But he took his pain to the Lord. It says..."Unto thee, Oh Lord do I lift up my soul"! Then, BAM...he let's God have the first fruits. Not people.
I think this is a lesson I have been learning. A change I have been making. But now I see it much more clearly. And I intend to live this.
Jesus gets the first fruits. Not just financially, but emotionally.
Confession time. I've hesitated to go public with this, but I must now. The time has come. I am Starbucks lover. Have been for a while.
But....
I am ready to admit that there is something better here in South Africa. It's called Vida e Caffe. The coffee is right on!!! Fresh. And the perfect medium between strong and weak.
And guess what? It doesn't taste burnt!
So there. I said it. I like something better than Starbucks.
I'm a traitor.
The Lord has been imparting strong revelation into my life over the last month about the importance of living into my values.
Here is a little bit about what I'm hearing from the Lord:
And here is what I have done about it:
What about you?
Do you even know your values?
Are you living them?
Are you sure?
Join me.
I try to spend a few days a week walking, connecting and sowing into Masiphumelele, the poor community near our home. There is really no way to begin to transfer to you the many things we experience that touch our hearts, tug our hearts and grieve our hearts. But, I would like to share a quick story...
Last Friday, while walking in the community, a lady stopped me and asked me to pray for her. I asked her what made her think that I was a spiritual person or even believed in prayer. She said: "because you look like a Bishop"! (I was wearing a sweat suit--go figure.) Well, I told her it was her lucky day, that I not only believed in prayer, but that I would be happy to pray for her and believe in faith that God will grant what we ask. So, we did. Then, after I finished praying, I asked her this: "Do you have a personal friendship with Jesus?" To which she replied: "Yes, it's at St. John's Apostolic Church down that road there."
My heart sank. She understood my question, trust me. I get this all the time. Many "Christians" have no facility for a friendship or personal relationship with Jesus. They leave it at church every Sunday.
God, help us. Help us to know you, to love you and to stir the precious friendship you want with us.
Recently, I was listening to a friend of mine named Ken Primrose teach on intimacy with Jesus. He was talking about the importance of fascination with Jesus and spending time with him alone. He then spoke a bit about how we can get easily distracted in our personal times with the Lord.
He then made this statement:
Our mind follows our mouth. If you find yourself getting distracted or your mind wandering off during prayer or Bible reading, begin to pray of read out loud and your mind will follow your mouth.
So, I tried it. It worked!! I literally could not think of anything else other than what I was praying or reading aloud.
Then I told another friend about this discovery and he made this statement:
Your mind also follows your pen. If you find yourself distracted, you can also try writing your thoughts and prayers and you will stay focussed.
I tried it. It worked too!!
So, in my own times with Jesus for the last few weeks I have been going after the Lord with my mouth and my pen every day....and my mind is following! And it feels like a major victory, because oftentimes in the past, my mind has messed a lot of Jesus times up!
Perhaps this can help you too?
I am really excited about tomorrow when I will lead my first African Wedding-- tomorrow morning I am honored to officiate the wedding of Nomzamo and Darlington. Zamo is a Xhosa from the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Darlington is Zimbabwean. This couple has climbed deep into our hearts. Zamo served on our outreach team with us last year during CPx. I have been discipling Darlington for the last year and he just graduated from CPx last month.
Would you be willing to pray for this couple, for their day tomorrow and for their future together? They are a dynamite couple with major Kingdom call on their lives. They are both disciple makers with a calling to plant churches and bring the Kingdom in Africa. Pray for them and listen to the Lord. If you have a word for them or want to invest in them in any way, don't hesitate to act. They have many needs as they start a life together of service and mission.
For many years, I have failed at having daily time with Jesus. Personal quiet time has been the single hardest part of my faith journey. I have treated it like a diet. I go at it hard for a week or two and then fall off the wagon. I have heard the invitation to spend more time with God as far as 15 years back and STILL am not satisfied with how I have obeyed.
That said, the need for me to have time drinking from the living water is more significant and crucial for me now than it has ever been. I hear the Lord calling and I have promised him I am coming. I won't share here and now how that is looking....but I may someday.
But there is something that I do want to share...
I have many times told myself some of the following true lies:
1. I walk with Jesus all day, so it is ok if I don't spend specific time with him. He wants my whole day, not just 3o minutes.
2. Jesus is more interested in our devotion than our devotions.
3. I obey Jesus and live for him and do really important ministry, so he understands that I do not have lots of time for him.
While these things may have some truth, they are excuses that have been a part of the enemy's calculated prevention plan against me for over 10 years.
Here is the lesson I want you to share:
JESUS COULD NOT DO THAT! JESUS HAD TO HAVE TIME ALONE WITH THE FATHER! (Luke 5:16, John 17, Mark 1;35, and more)
THAT should settle it. Period.
If you or I think we are holy enough to pull off something that Jesus could not, then we are deceived.
The other day I was asked to speak to a group of Small Group Leaders. I offered them 20 tidbits of advice that flowed out of what we have learned in the last year and a half. I thought I would share them with you too:
Since arriving in America...
After a GREAT, fruit bearing trip to Kenya for our EMM retreat, we settled back in, did the laundry and got packed again. Had a great Mother's Day today with the girls and have now printed our boarding passes to leave tomorrow. Davis and I take off tomorrow at 1:50pm local time. We are so excited, though sad to leave the girls behind!
Davis and I will be in the USA from May 15 through June 4. The schedule is already quite full with some great things. But there is room for more time...perhaps with you.
The three goals of this trip are: 1. Strengthened Ministry Partnerships 2. Strengthened Personal Partnerships 3. Fundraising! (One time gifts, continued monthly donors, increasing monthly donors and new monthly donors.)
HERE is a post with where I will be sharing and when. Come. I would love to see you!
And HERE is a post with a tad more detail on some teaching events I will be leading for Pastors and Church Leaders. Come. I would love to see you.
Finally, if you are local in the DC area, PLEASE consider this your invitation to join Davis and I at Capital Christian Fellowship in Lanham on Sunday, May 20 for service at 10am or Friday, May 25 for a BBQ and sharing about our work at 6:30pm.
Love, The Kaye Family (especially the hunks in the photo above)
All was well. Other than Tricia falling down the stairs at 3 this morning (and not hurting herself), we had a smooth trip from Cape Town to Joburg. Then there's Joburg! Where we had to ride a bus way out to the tarmac where our Nairobi-bound plane sat. Then we were sent back to the terminal. Then back to the plane again. Then back to the terminal again. Then back to the plane again. Yup, that was three trips if you were counting with me. All while standing. And all with zero communication from any South African Airways staff. We thought we were on candid camera. The third trip was most enjoyable because this was the one were Tricia lost her balance and fell INTO the stroller. Yes, picture Tricia sitting on Lily's lap and you're with me. Again, no injuries. Just a screaming baby, a shaken up family and scared onlookers- who then were kind enough to surrender a seat for Tricia and Lily.
Stay with me. It gets better.
Why three trips to the plane? A broken windshield on the plane. That's why. That would have been a bad day had they missed that one in the checklist. So, after being assigned a new aircraft, we took the bus back to the Tarmac and boarded. Perfect flight up the road to Nairobi. Short four hour flight.
After landing, disembarking, getting Visas for all four of us, and collecting our luggage, we were met by a man holding a sign for us. A nice taxi driver named John. A Nairobi native.
On our way to the Mennonite Guest House where we are staying, I hear Lily let out a painful scream- one we have never heard! I knew something had happened. Tricia was holding Lily in the back seat with our stroller standing between Davis and she (the only place for it as the small trunk held all our suitcases). Here is what happened: Tricia went to pick Lily up to reposition her and and didn't know that her little arm had been caught between the stroller parts and it badly injured her.
Here is what we know: she could not move her arm. She screamed worse when we touched it. If we lifted it, it was limp. It felt odd and out of shape. We waited a bit and decided that she had likely broken her arm and we better try to find a hospital. So, here we are, less than 60 minutes in Kenya, Lily's arm is broken and we are checking in at a very questionable medical facility. We were calm, but deeply concerned.
Then, before going back up to the counter to finalize registration and pre-payment, I felt God tell me to pray over her and trust him in faith. I obeyed. When I touched her body, I felt something go through me. I thought I may be feeling God. Or my emotions surging. Something.
I walked off and went back to the counter. Less than a minute later, Davis is pulling on my shirt demanding that I return to Mommy. Tricia didn't wait. She came to me trembling and said "Look, I can move her arm! Look, Noah!" I excused myself from the counter, took Lily over to a hospital cot lying near the counter and inspected her. I pulled and pushed and twisted her little arm. Again and again. She laid there smiling and laughing like it was play time. She was healed!!!! God healed Lily! I know He did. Tricia knows he did!!
I was overcome by the holy spirit as I went back to the counter to fetch my stuff and cancel the registration. I looked at the lady and said "Miss, I am sorry for the trouble. Please cancel everything. All I can tell you is that our daughter's arm was broken or badly injured when we arrived here. And I prayed for her and God healed her!"
And we departed, found our driver (who had our bags, seeing as how we had just left the airport) and went on our way.
Now we are at peace in our lovely room at the Mennonite Guest House, had a great dinner and even snagged a wifi signal for this update.
What a story.
What a God!
He heals! We saw it today with our own eyes.
I have had a blast serving on the CPx staff team for the last 4 months. Read about our class in my post HERE. Well, CPx consists of 3 months of teaching followed by 2 months of full-time, cross-border outreach. The teaching phase just ended and the students were launched out into outreach over the past weekend.
Teams are headed to:
The teams are made up of awesome servants and world changers that I just got to spend the last 3 months with. Pray with us for them and follow their journeys at www.cpxoutreach.posterous.com.
Enjoy the picture of the class above looking nice. And the one below looking silly.
I love Greg Boyd. And I love the way that he explains the most harmful shift in the history of Christendom-- the biggest mistake the church ever made. Please listen to this video (http://youtu.be/YV64Mt7X2D4) and think about the major implications on you and your life.
Interested in this stream? You may want to read my posts on the book "Pagan Christianity" by Frank Viola.
Read an overview HERE. Read about church buildings HERE.
Read about order of service HERE.
Can I share something crazy with you? I love coffee. And I love Starbucks. I used to get a $1.68 regular Starbucks coffee almost every day when I lived in the states. But, as you know, I know longer live in the states. And there are no Starbucks in South Africa.
So, last October, while in Mozambique, a man gave me a big bag of whole bean dark roast Starbucks coffee. He did not like strong coffee. I thought, "really, Lord? You just wanted me to feel loved by you in the small things, huh?" I cannot tell you how deeply I felt God's love in that bag of coffee. Laugh if you want.
There are also these things called Starbucks VIAs which are little one cup packets of instant micro ground Starbucks coffee. They are actually the bomb and taste like the real deal. But there are not cheap. And somehow some friends from our home church decided to send us monthly packages throughout the least year....and every package contains Starbucks VIAs!
Well, last week I was running low, so I started limiting myself to one every few days. On Friday I was down to my last one, so I decided to save it for the weekend.
Then, I got the SMS below from Tricia Friday afternoon. A monthly package had arrived. With Starbucks VIAs! Just on time!!
It may seem shallow, but to me, it's deep. I feel God's love. I know it's just coffee, but it feels like he uses something as wild as coffee to remind me that he loves me, cares about my needs AND my wants, and likes to give good gifts to his kids. Not silly to me. It's actually very significant. And I am very thankful.
This has unquestionably been the most transformational year of my life. But one of the things that continues to amaze me is that I know less and less about what I will do when I grow up and have more and more peace about it all. It's wild. But, it's great.
I could see things going in several different directions. But, here is my growing sense and my growing passion these days. It is at least a peep-hole into where things may go.
I am growing passionate to inspire Christians in churches to become disciples of Jesus in the world! Those disciples will make disciples and bring the Kingdom of God on earth here and now! Mission will be at the core locally and globally, staying and launching.
Let me get this off my chest: I am PASSIONATE about the Nations! I want to see disciples take the name of Jesus to the unreached and unengaged people of the earth! I just am not hearing God call me to go to a UUPG region right now. Instead, I hear him calling me to equip, train, inspire, influence and launch within the church. And this is a fairly uncomfortable place. It is always uneasy to encourage people to do something you are not doing. But, at the end of the day, each of us have to hear and obey the lead of the Father. Some will stay at home. Some will go to the rural tribes. Many will head into the major cities. We all must hear and obey.
As for me, by developing and strengthening sense of calling is into the church...particularly established, traditional, stuck and frustrated ones. I dream every single day of walking with Pastors and churches who want to see their church move from broken and boring to bold and biblical. (Incidentally, I am NOT feeling called to journey with churches happy with the good work they are doing. Keep at it.) But, I think that the churches all over the west, as much as they have strayed from biblical church, have a HUGE role to play in the accomplishment of the great commission. And I would be willing to give my life to see them inspired and invited into passionate disciple making!
Anyway, I am busy writing quite a bit about this offline. I am busy preparing several resources for churches ready to start some graceful transitions toward some of the stuff in Acts and the early church. Craziness, I know.
I am getting stoked about doing some of this in May in America.
Note: I have so much to learn still.
Feel like I've had "Bloggers block" for the past few days, if there is such a thing. Not sure why. Probably because I have been doing other writing behind the scenes on some projects that we will be releasing soon. Anyway, miss it and I'll be back at it soon. Peace.
Lover & follower of Jesus, devoted to my wife Tricia & my kids, Davis, Lily & Graceson, serving & living in Africa as a man on mission for the Kingdom of God.
