Pastor David's Blog

I took a few vacation days this past week and Lynne and I flew to Phoenix. (Okay, the pilot and the plane did the flying!) We made four stops to visit with some dear friends in the city. Then we headed to Yuma to spend the bulk of the time visiting my parents.

I was somewhat surprised that after only 10 ½ months away, I felt like a complete stranger. The time with precious friends and former colleagues was an incredible blessing. The hugs were awesome. But, it wasn’t the same. I’ve changed teams. I still love them dearly and I care for them deeply, but it’s just not the same.

We drove by our two rental properties to check on their condition. One of these is the house that we lived in while ministering in Phoenix. It looked the same (that’s good . . . the renters are taking care of it!), but there was no “feeling.” That’s because it is not our HOME anymore.

There was no “great longing.” In fact, there was absolutely no “longing” at all. There were absolutely no regrets, not even as my dear mother clung to me as we said good-bye. (I do miss her, she’s my mom!)

So, in case any of you have been wondering (and with apologies to Tony Bennett), I did NOT leave my heart in Phoenix, Arizona.

My heart is in Michigan. My heart is at Crossroads Community Baptist Church, Ann Arbor. MY HEART IS GOD’S.

We are waiting to board our plane in New Orleans, where we just witnessed and celebrated the graduation of our son Joshua from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) with a Doctor of Ministry degree.

I knew the day was coming. As Josh left for the mission field in 1999 (Botswana for 2 years through the International Mission Board), he warned me: “Dad, you better get started on your doctorate. I’m going to be pushing hard to get my masters and my doctorate as soon as I get back from Africa.” Challenged by our youngest twin, I did indeed “get after it” and earned my doctorate in 2001.

Today was Josh’s day. My heart soared with fatherly pride as I watched our son stride across the stage at Leavell Chapel to receive his diploma. (I also was blessed to be a “platform guest” and led the invocation at the graduation ceremony. This enabled me the unusual benefit of walking a few steps to stand next to Josh as the “doctoral hood” was lowered over his head and upon his shoulders . . . and to give him a quick hug.)

It’s a privilege to be Josh’s dad every single day. Today, was no different . . . but it also was an incredible moment I will never forget.

And now amidst the Daffern family we have to earned doctorates. This means that Josh and I are truly “a family ‘paradox”

Lynne and I had the opportunity this week to preview Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus, the new exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Arts. The exhibition was organized by the DIA, the Musée du Louvre, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It opens to the public today, and runs through February 12.

The presentation took me back in time to 17th century Amsterdam, where Rembrandt lived and painted. It also took me back to the first century Holy Land, as the various scenes from Jesus’ life were depicted in etchings, drawings, and paintings. The artwork, borrowed from museums throughout the U.S. and the world (including the Louvre), was absolutely incredible.

I’ve seen a lot of pictures of Jesus in my life that showed Jesus as a blue-eyed blond. Thus, I was pleased to learn that Rembrandt was a pioneer in depicting Jesus with Jewish facial features and coloring. The exhibition of 64 works includes approximately 52 small, intimate paintings, prints and drawings by Rembrandt and his students that illustrate how Rembrandt broke from traditional 17th-century representations of Jesus.

The piece that impacted me the most was the oil painting entitled The Visitation. It depicts the moment that a pregnant Mary arrived to visit her pregnant cousin Elizabeth, and the baby “leaped for joy” in Elizabeth’s womb (Luke 1:39-45). As I gazed at the painting, I was transported back it time.

What an awesome experience!

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” – Isaiah 6:3.

Lynne and I recently returned from a four-day vacation in which we began our personal exploration of our new home state. Here are a few highlights . . .

• Flashbacks to a simpler time with a more easy-going pace on Mackinac Island;
• The awesome experience in dipping my hand in the waters of three of the Great Lakes;
• The gentle lapping of the waves stilling my soul;
• The natural, almost unspoiled grandeur of the U.P.;
• Quiet in the forest so loud that you can hear it;
• The steady, almost mesmerizing roar of Tahquamenon Falls;
• The cornucopia of colors as God’s creation changes seasons;
• The haunting strains of The Edmund Fitzgerald as we viewed remains of shipwrecks; and,
• Beacons of history as we climb the steps to the towers of lighthouses that dot the shorelines like exclamation points.

As great as it was, the best part was being able to come back to a place called “home” on Stratford Rd, and to a family to love and serve at Crossroads Community Baptist Church in Ann Arbor.

Last week was bittersweet. It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.

Last week my sister Judy died.

The word came on Saturday afternoon like a kick in the gut: “Judy passed away.” The text message came from my oldest brother, Larry. Judy, age 50, experienced her first stroke several months ago, and they just kept coming. The doctors said her life was now measured in weeks, or days . . . and they were right.

The pain of loss is greater because what we had gained was still so wondrously new. It was just seven years ago that I met my sister for the first time. Separated by the dysfunctional dynamics of divorce and remarriage, the Texas and California offspring of Raymon Lawrence Daffern have cautiously, yet steadily, built familial bridges in recent years. Larry, still in our “ancestral” home in California, and Judy, in Wichita Falls, TX, were the two who have led the re-merging of the family.

Over these last few years, and again in the last two months, I’ve watched Larry quietly and gently give leadership to our generation of the family. In the midst of sorrow, I’ve see yet again that he will be a very good “patriarch” when his turn comes. I take great comfort in knowing that Larry is more than ready for this familial leadership role.

Last week I learned that grandchild #6 is on the way!

The ultrasound this week told us Joshua and Robin are now 5 ½ weeks pregnant. I am still laughing, crying, and praising God.

Conception, the gift of life, is always a miracle. While they are not exactly Abraham and Sarah, and knowing that this was nowhere near an “immaculate conception,” I do know that after nine-plus years of marriage this pregnancy is truly a miracle.

I look forward to the time in about 33 ½ weeks when I can hold this miracle in my arms. This miracle will take his/her place alongside Ezekiel and Shepherd, who arrived in 2007 and 2009 via miraculous adoption experiences.

Truly, the God of miracles has His hand and His favor upon this family.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven; a time to be born and a time to die . . . (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a).

The past few months I’ve been doing a lot of praying, reading, and thinking about what it means to truly be a follower of Jesus Christ.  Most of us Christians know we are to be disciples and make disciples.  But, how does it happen . . . and at what cost?

One of the many books that I have read (or re-read) in the past three months is a little 96-page book written three decades ago by William L. Hendricks.  Deepening Discipleship was a book Hendricks wrote for teens (under the auspices of the old Baptist Sunday School Board).

It was a simple book, but the five chapter titles really struck a nerve:

1. Welcome to Discipleship! (because you are now on a “life or death” team)
2. How Much Did It Cost God (everything)
3. Your Part Costs a Lot, Too! (praying, staying, watching, broadcasting, risking)
4. And It’s Going to Continue to Cost! (discipleship is your Christian life – all of you)
5. But It’s Worth It (Holy Spirit power and a place to go)

What I loved is that Hendricks said it plain . . . without any sugar-coating.

Fast-forward 30 years to 2011.  The church in America is overwhelmed by those who really don’t want the “real deal.”  They are very content with “Dollar Store discipleship.”

I don’t want to settle for the cheap imitation.  I don’t want those whom I influence (including those in the church I pastor) to settle for Dollar Store discipleship.  Let’s be willing to pay the full price and attain authentic discipleship.

My first thought was that I had stumbled on the book by accident.  The reality is that God directed me to it.

Like far too many, I struggled for years with any kind of positive relationship with my father.  I was in my early 30′s  when I first said “I forgive you” to my step-dad.  (Actually, I wrote it in a Father’s Day letter.)  To say/write this, I had to choose to let go of the ugliness of the past.

I had decided that I no longer wanted to live in “yesterday,” because that kept me a slave to bitterness and anger.  To let go, I had to apply the Bible in an area of my life that I really preferred to exempt from God’s prying eyes.

• For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.  (Matthew 6:14-15)
• When you pray, say ” . . . . Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us . . . ” (Luke 11:2,4)
• Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  (Colossians 3:13)
• Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”  (Luke 23:34

Fast-forward to three weeks ago: I was wandering among the stacks at the public library.  The title jumped out at me:  Our Father’s War, by Tom Matthews.  The subtitle intrigued me:  Growing Up in the Shadow of the Greatest Generation. 

Matthews, an award-winning journalist, is one of the countless men who had struggled for decades to have any kind of positive relationship with his dad.  One day he set out on a quest to discover “why?”  Half a century later, he also wanted to figure out who was this strange and haunted man who came home from World War II, a decorated member of the fabled 10th Mountain Division.  Matthew’s own journey of discovery led him to research and share the stories of generational strife between ten World War II veterans and their “baby boomer” sons.

The stories are real.  They are riveting.  For any son who still can’t figure out his aging father, it’s a must read.

There are some wonderful advantages to being middle-aged . . .

• There’s a wonderful freedom that comes with the “empty-nest” years.
• I’ve lived long enough to have attained some usable wisdom and experience.
• I’ve walked with Christ long enough to desire for the sanctification process to have stripped away a lot of the junk (pride, selfishness, etc.).

 However, there are some things about being middle-aged that really stink.

• The hair is so far gone that I can’t even say I have a receding hairline . . . it’s better described as “missing in action.”
• The aches and pains grow each year . . . bad knees, bad back, etc.
• As the metabolism slows down I eat less and weigh more.

 It’s this last point that I really want to talk about.  Despite what I thought were my best efforts, I have been overweight for about 10 years.  (Don’t laugh.  No, really . . . don’t laugh!  Yes, God made me skinny.  But, I have been packing a little extra upholstery around the middle for quite some time.)

 When some very heavy lifting about 12 years ago resulted in two herniated  discs in my back, Dr. Lee, my primary care physician, told me the best relief for back pain was to lose a few pounds.  He set a target for me based on my height, body type, etc.  The target was 153 pounds.  I lost about 7 pounds and got on track . . . but a few years later I started slowly putting it back on.

 Last fall I was up to 170 pounds and I had to buy “fat” clothes.  Okay, it wasn’t that drastic.  But after years of wearing a 32 waist, I had to go buy a new “lower” wardrobe with a 34 waist.  I wasn’t happy about it (partly because I’m cheap and hate to spend money), but I consoled myself with the thought that it was an inevitable part of growing old.  I gave my good “32’s” to my son Aaron, and gave the well-worn “32’s” to the Salvation Army.

 But, in January I got sick.  For the second time in four years I had “shingles.”  Besides being incredibly miserable from the illness, the needed medications didn’t agree with my stomach.  I ate nothing but chicken noodle soup and saltines for a week, and couldn’t always keep those down.  It was like having a free weight-loss clinic!  I think I dropped 5 to 7 pounds in the week.

 By the time I recovered and began eating real food, my stomach had shrunk.  That’s when I decided to try to keep it shrunk.  I reduced the size of my portions, and have kept them reduced.

 Two weeks ago I had to go out and start buying new pants . . . in a size 32 waist.

 Two days ago it finally happened.  I stepped on the bathroom scale and it reported . . . 153!!!! 

 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

It was 15 summers ago that the Lord spoke: “There goes the greatest ministry you will ever do.”

I had already served three wonderful churches in “associate” positions (Hayward, Livermore, and Hemet, CA). God was in the process of calling me to my first pastorate in Winslow, AZ. After also serving in Phoenix, AZ, I’ve just begun serving the Lord and His people in my third pastorate in Ann Arbor, MI. It is an awesome calling to serve the Lord as a minister. I have felt God’s pleasure in each ministry setting, and He has faithfully and abundantly blessed the work.

Nevertheless, my ministry through the Lord’s church has not been, nor ever will be, my “greatest ministry.” God’s made that very clear 15 summers ago.

Our identical twin sons, Aaron and Joshua, were leaving for college that day. As their cars pulled away from our house, and even as my wife and I wept with both joy and sadness, the Lord spoke: “There goes the greatest ministry you will ever do.”

The memories come flooding back as I write in the cool of this early morning. The windows are open and the sights and sounds are incredible. The birds are nibbling at the feeder outside the window just 15 feet away.

In the background I can hear the stirrings as our oldest son and his family begins to rise and get ready to leave. They arrived last week, making the long drive from Fort Worth, TX. It’s been so incredible to spend time with Aaron, his wife (Heather), and their children (Dave, Drew, and Desi).

Most of all, I’m just grateful to God. My wife and I poured our very hearts into our sons in those “growing up” years. Lynne began praying for their future wives when the boys were only a few years old. (God truly answered the consistent prayers of a mother, because both Heather and Robin are awesome wives and moms who love the Lord.)

I never was a perfect dad. I’ve always been too “picky.” I had to work hard to learn how to first control my temper, and then rid myself of that temper. Truly, I made a lot of mistakes along the way.

But, somehow God worked in a mighty way despite my imperfections. God did a great work through me (and Lynne), and I sit here this morning just incredibly humbled.

Our sons are men of God. They have been and always will be my “greatest ministry.”

One-hundred thirty:  that’s how many pictures I took yesterday.  It was Friday afternoon, and my wife and I went on an adventure at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor.

We took our time and enjoyed being outside as we roamed along the trails.  What a joy it was to meander along the creek and see the beauty of Spring.  All the varieties of trees joined together to display a beautiful rainbow of green leaves.

The wildflowers were beginning to bloom.  I can’t even begin to name them as I begin life in a completely different climate and geographical zone.  But, I can definitely identify them all as “beautiful.”

The Canadian geese were everywhere, with parents cautiously protecting their goslings from predators . . . and “shutterbugs” that got too close.

The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good (Genesis 1:12). 

Harold Camping has prophesied that Jesus will return at 6 p.m. today. Apparently, this will be a “progressive” return and rapture, with the Lord arriving precisely at 6 p.m. in each time zone.

I happen to think that Harold Camping is wrong. That’s because Jesus said . . . So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. If Camping is “expecting” the Lord’s return, that’s almost a guarantee that Camping is wrong . . . again.

There’s another reason that I’m hoping that Camping is wrong. (No, it’s not that I want him to look like a fool before all the people whom he has manipulated and misled . . . although he will.)

I have a much better reason: There are a lot of people I care about that would be “left behind” if Jesus returned right now. There are people in my own extended family. I’m praying that the Lord tarries, so that they have more time to repent of their sins and trust Jesus as Lord and Savior. There are people I know in Kenya and Mexico that I want to be “saved” before it is too late. There are people all over the world in places like Botswana, Myanmar, Viet Nam, Japan, Afghanistan, and England who need to truly know the Lord.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

Come later, Lord Jesus!

My wife and I went to a 3-day conference this past week. It was hosted by the International Mission Board in Holt, MI. “Impact Your World” was part inspiration, part pep-rally, part guilt trip, part instruction, and overall very challenging.

Here are some highlights . . .

• We were reminded that The Great Commission is given to every Christ-follower, not just the “professional” missionaries.

• The instruction of Scripture is to reach all “people groups.” Of the 11,700 “people groups” in the world, 6,734 are “unreached” (less than 2% of the “people group” are born-again followers of Christ). Of those 6,734 groups who are “unreached,” 3,800 are “unengaged” (no church planting movement exists) and 2,650 have no known evangelical Christian.

• Seventy-five percent of unreached peoples cannot read or write.

• Fifty-two percent of the world is now under the age of 30.

• From 1780 to 1924, 35 million legal immigrants came to the USA from Europe. This happened over 144 years. Since the “loosening” of immigration laws in 1970, 35 million have come from around the world. This has happened in just 40 years.

• Seventy percent of Americas 100 largest cities have a majority of “ethnic” people.

• Every “ethnic” on my street, in my city, in my county, in my country, and in my world is my responsibility according to Matthew 28:18-20.

• Only USA, Canada, and Australia are growing in population . . . and it’s by immigration.

• Based on 2000 census data, only 6.5% of Washtenaw County are part of an evangelical church.

Jesus gave the command almost 2,000 years ago. He has not changed His mind. The task seems daunting, but if every born-again believer shared the gospel with nine different people, the task would be finished.

I have now been a Michigander for one week, and I’ve learned a few things . . .

• Before we came, everyone asked if we could handle the cold weather in Michigan.  My answer was “weather is a state of mind.”  After one week, my mind is very cold!
• I already love the church staff.  I already love the great hearts of all the people.  There is a great eagerness to move ahead with God, and that really excites me.
• There is at least one state that has not yet been conquered by Wal-Mart.  It’s Michigan!
• I can tell that we will be blessed with great friends.  I know this because already have made some!
• Michigan roads have a lot more potholes.  I repent of all my past complaints about the condition of the roads in Arizona and California
• The Lord’s work is not easy here.  But, God is able and I am confident that He can and will overcome the powers of darkness.  ( . . . . He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world – 1 John 4:4, NKJV)
• I still love my Prius.  I know that driving a foreign-made car is something I should not brag about in Michigan, especially since I live only 41 miles from the “Motor City.”  But, the overriding factor is 48.02.  That was my MPG on the 2,078 mile drive from Phoenix to Ann Arbor.  I used 43.27 gallons of gas, at a cost of $164.58.  (FYI:  Our Nissan Frontier achieved 25.19 MPG on the trip!)
• The toilet seats are much colder in Ann Arbor than they were in Phoenix.  Therefore, one does not need hot tea (or hot coffee) to wake up in the morning!

Actually, there are TWO boxes!!!

On April 1, we loaded just about all of our worldly possessions into two boxes (PODS), each 8′ high, 8′ wide, and 16′ deep.  The thing is, we need our stuff.  Certainly, I need my stuff!  I’m sure I can’t live without this stuff.  After all, if it wasn’t important, I would not have bought it, kept it, and packed it.

The two PODS will arrive in Ann Arbor in another  week.  But, it will be 6-7 weeks before we move into our house.  So, with nowhere to unload them, that status quo remains:  my life is in a box (okay, two boxes).

How will I live without my stuff? 

1. I/we will depend upon the graciousness of new Christian friends, who will provide for some of our needs in temporary housing.
2. I/we will relearn how to live a simpler lifestyle.
3. I/we will relearn the simple truth that my life should not be defined by my/our stuff.
4. I/we will relearn the great truth that Jesus expressed in Matthew 6:19 . . . Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.   Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:37-39, NIV)

We gathered at mom’s house in Yuma the last two days:  Mom & dad, my brother and his wife (Larry & Kim), uncles & aunts (Bill & Carol, Harold & Marsha, Steve and Lana), my nephew (Michael) and his children (Ethan and Lizabella), and my cousin (Michelle).

Just a week before we leave for Michigan, many were able to come for the “big good-bye.”  They traveled from Las Vegas, NV, and San Diego, Lakewood, and Temecula, CA.   All who could make the trip did so.

We laughed, told stories, played cards, complained about taxes, and ate a lot of food.  We hugged, we kissed, we laughed, and we cried.  I installed a web cam and downloaded Skype onto my mom’s computer so she can still see my face when I am 2,015 miles away in Ann Arbor, MI.

A stranger who watched and listened would notice our imperfections.  A stranger might even think we are weird.  But, we are family.  We are there for one another.  I am so blessed to be a part of such a big and loving extended family.

I have absolutely no doubts or second thoughts about following the call of God to Michigan.  But, I still cried like a baby as we left.  I hugged my mom, and neither one of us wanted to let go.  It’s because I will miss my family.  I LOVE MY FAMILY!

Everyone is asking the question: Why are you moving to Michigan? I’d love to be able to write a long and coherent narrative that explains it all. But, I can’t! So, instead my slightly “scattered” thoughts are listed below.

Why Michigan?

• I have a very clear call from God to be the next pastor of Crossroads Community Baptist Church in Ann Arbor, MI.
• My “one flesh,” my wife, shares in hearing and agreeing with this calling.
• A very wise person shared with me/us this great truth: “There is no such thing as bad weather . . . just bad clothing choices!” This truth is very important because my brother and many others have asked me “has anyone told you it snows there?”
• I first read about Crossroads just a few days after I had my first clue from the Lord that He was going to move me to a new place of ministry. Looking back, I think it was “love at first read.” The first résumé I sent was to Ann Arbor, and it was always #1 in my heart.
• From a human standpoint, I/we couldn’t help but notice that my experience, education, and strengths are an excellent match for the opportunities before us at Crossroads.
• I’ve been researching the city and the state (Google is a wonderful tool!) for months. I can’t wait to experience the beauty and awesomeness of God’s creation and God’s people in the city, the state, and the Midwest.
• God has already given me/us a tremendous love for the people, the church, and the community. I know that this love will only grow in the days, weeks, months, and years to come.

But most importantly, we are going to Michigan because we want to be obedient to God.

Sometimes it takes months – or even years – to fully understand “why.”  However, I do clearly know “what” God is saying.  The Lord is telling me “let us go somewhere else” (Mark 1:38).  So, at the close of the morning worship service today, I announced my resignation as pastor. 

This is the what I said to the church I have served for almost 7 years. . .

This morning it is my duty to share with you that I have informed the Personnel Committee of my resignation.  The effective date has not yet been finalized.  By faith, I expect it will be in early April.  However, it will be no later than May 31.

It has been a great privilege to serve both you and the Lord as pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church of Phoenix.  My personal preference and my “plan A” were to serve here until the year 2026 and retire at age 70.  However, God has shown me that my time of greatest effectiveness is now behind me in this ministry setting.  The Lord also has revealed that He has another place of service for me where I can continue to make a Kingdom difference.

I have been in serious discussions with a church that is located outside of Arizona.  Although that opportunity has not yet been finalized, God has made it clear that now, today, is the time for me to publicly share with you my resignation.

Truly, I covet your prayers as I do my best to follow in the footsteps of Christ.

We were challenged by Dr. Bryant Wright, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, and a host of other Baptist leaders, to have a “solemn assembly” on January 30.  The Old Testament prophecy of Joel records these words:  Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.  (Joel 1:14-15, KJV).

Indeed, we had a “Day of Prayer” at First Southern Baptist Church on the 30th.  I “participated” in this service.  I did not “lead” it.  I allowed the other four members of the ministerial staff to “lead” it (David Jakes, Tim Franks, Pam Hill, and Juan Hernandez). 

Here is some of what God impressed upon my heart as we prayed for the SBC, our homes and families, the spiritually lost, and for the ministries of our church.

• God has a delightful sense of timing.  I had “scheduled” this day last November.  We sketched out the broad outlines of it in a ministerial staff meeting on January 3.  It was then that I asked my four fellow ministers to take the lead.  It was on Monday the 24th that I was hit with an attack of “shingles.”  I was not at 100% on Sunday.  But, my fellow ministers were at 100%.  They did a tremendous job of leading us in our Day of Prayer.
• It was a blessing to pray for the direction of our Convention.  We are in the midst of great changes in leadership, structure, and strategy.  Because we are not perfect, I know that our former structure and strategy was not perfect.  I am praying fervently that these new changes will help us to stop doing good things to focus on the best things.  I am praying that the new strategies will help us to be more effective for the Kingdom with every dollar and with co-laborer in Christ.  Oh, the opportunities before us are great.  Let us seize the moment!  Thank you, David & Nancy Jakes, for leading us in this time of prayer.
• Pam Hill really made me stop and think.  She challenged us not to pray that we will have Christian homes, but pray that we will have Christ-like homes.  One is a nice label.  The latter is a lifestyle that truly changes everything!
• As Tim Franks led us in prayer for the lost, I was overwhelmed again with a challenge from the Lord to be “light,” boldly and intentionally.
• Juan Hernandez was masterful as he led us in prayer for our church and our ministries.  We prayed for many areas of the church, but I was especially humbled as we prayed for those who take care of the facilities.  What a joy it was to praise God for the ministry of Patrice, Augustin, Roger, Bill, and Roger.
• It was awesome to join hearts with everyone in thanking God for his faithfulness to this local church for 90 years,
• The roof didn’t collapse.  There was no sermon — just music and prayer.   IT WAS A GREAT DAY OF WORSHIP, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS PRESENT!!!

Several weeks ago I appointed Neph Ahimera, who already serves the First Family as a Deacon, as our “Director of Burundi Ministries.”  There were several big reasons for this appointment.

1. We badly needed clear and consistent leadership in this vital area of ministry.
2. To paraphrase John 1:47 – In Neph, we have a man “in whom there is nothing false.”

Neph takes the mantle of leadership humbly, reluctantly, and graciously.  He didn’t seek the job, the job sought him.  He doesn’t have a hidden agenda and he is not a power trip.   Neph simply loves the Lord, love his church, and loves his fellow Burundians.

In making the appointment, I couldn’t help notice several comparisons between Neph . . . and a man named Moses.

• Moses wasn’t always accepted by his own people, primarily because he never lived with them in the slave camps of Egypt.
  • Neph hasn’t always been accepted by his fellow Burundians, primarily because he never lived in the refugee camps. (Neph came to America some 20 years ago on a student visa.)
• Moses wound up living in the desert for 40 years.  While there he learned desert survival tactics.  Later, that knowledge was important when God delivered the Hebrew people from the slave camps into that very desert.
  • Seven years ago God brought Neph from Texas to Arizona.  Both in Texas, and in the desert of Arizona, Neph has learned how to survive and thrive in America.  When God delivered the Burundi from the refugee camps, He again had provided for His people by preparing a man.

I ask everyone to join with me in praying for Neph Ahimera as he gives leadership to our Burundi Ministries.

Tuesday morning’s front-page headline in the Arizona Republic exclaimed Arizona Recession Over.  The first paragraph of the lead story said, “The longest recession since the Great Depression is officially over – across the United States and, by many economists’ accounts, in Arizona.”

Minutes after reading the headline, I was on my way to the Arizona Biltmore, where I had the privilege of attending the “SRP Economic Forecast 2011” at the Arizona Biltmore, co-sponsored by the Phoenix Business Journal.  Eight hundred-plus attendees laughed together as we gathered for the early breakfast meeting.  That’s because having all read the headline, we laughingly wondered what else we could learn in the next 2 ½ hours.

As it turns out, we learned a lot.

Stephen K. Happel, Professor of Economics at Arizona State University shared . . .

• 360,000 jobs have been lost in Arizona since December 2007
• Arizona’s current 9.7% unemployment rate is the highest in 25 years
• Arizona’s poverty rate is now at 21%, second highest in the nation

 Nevertheless, Happel makes the following projects for Arizona’s 2011 economy . . .

• 5.7% retail growth
• 1.7% wage growth
• 1.5% population growth
• 28.9% growth in new single family housing starts

The uncertainties that still “hang” over Arizona’s economy include . . .

• SB1070, and the fallout won’t be finished until the Supreme Court makes a decision
• Will the national economy improve?
• Will the “Bush tax cuts” be allowed to expire
• The state still has a $1.2 billion structural deficit
• Will the AZ legislature make the right cuts, or will they wreck the economy?

Don Reynolds, Global Economist and Futurist, offered his views on the unsettled national and global economic picture.  His observations included . . .

• We are in a recovery.  It’s not as fast as you want.  But it’s a real genuine recovery.
• The trend is up and the worst is over.
• There will not be a “double dip” recession.
  • Global economic growth is 5%
  • It appears the “Bush tax cuts” will no be rescinded.
  • The sovereign debt crisis is being managed.
  • The Supreme Court appears to have answered the question of the “carbon tax.”  We may not like the answer, but now we know what it is.

Corporate America is sitting on $2 trillion in cash, and it’s not doing anything because of too many uncertainties, including . . .

• Hyper partisanship in politics
• The undiscovered costs of the Obama health care bill
• The $11 trillion national budget deficit
• The unfunded liability of social security and Medicare

His other observations included . . .

• Bernanke is fighting the wrong war.  He’s trying to create liquidity.  It should be to stimulate the economy.
• There will be real national economic growth of 2% in 2011.
• We are looking at structurally higher unemployment for many years.  It would take 300,000 new jobs per month for 5 consecutive years to get the unemployment rate back to 5%, and that won’t happen.