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With the PureLife Conference fast approaching, I thought it would be good to start my “to-do” list for a successful Dad weekend.

1. Make sure your wife is registered at purelifeconference.org.  Sooner you register, the better price you get!  (And save your money now, you’ll want it for kid activities during the weekend)

2. Start thinking about what you’re going to do.  20 hours without Mom can make for very bored kids if you’re not smart.

3. Go grocery shopping for the items below.

4. Friday night: Have dinner early with mom (and the mom-in law whose coming into town) before they head out to the conference.  Go by Redbox in advance to pick out a kid friendly movie that your kids haven’t seen and plan to do popcorn on the couch.

5. Saturday morning: I’m heading out to Duke Gardens around 10am and inviting any dad who wants to join me for games and a picnic lunch.

6. Saturday dinner: Mom will likely be busy with Pure Life afternoon activities, so this is your chance to impress her with a kid friendly dinner on your own.  Pickup a pre-made pizza crust (canned or Boboli), some sauce, and your favorite toppings and let the kids help you make homemade pizza.

7. Saturday after dinner: build a tent out of couch cushions and blankets and have cookies and milk with your kids, while reading a few books by the light of a flashlight.

8. Sunday morning: Pretend it’s Mother’s Day, plan breakfast in bed for Mom, and then head out to church to celebrate an awesome weekend and hear a word from Pastor Jim.

9. Sunday afternoon: Ask your wife to let you get a good nap and look ahead to Pure Life 2011!

Eric Syfrett is Children’s Pastor, Office Manager and Accountant for KPIC.

As we have recently sent a team with Ten Days Missions to Haiti to help with relief and spread the hope of the Gospel, we also have reports of recent relief begun on the ground with our partners. The Bataille Orphanage, a KPIC partner in Haiti relief, is also sponsored by RU4Children. The below story is from one of the RU4Children workers on the ground in Haiti since January 12th.

(Several photos in the update include Junior Bataille, Duke graduate and former King’s Park attendee, who has been partnering with us to bring resources and funding to their relief efforts on the ground in Haiti.)

Haiti Crisis Story

For the past 2,000 years, every so often the expansion of Christianity and global missions takes a dramatic turn.  Many factors contribute to these shifts, and since I am no expert, I will just focus on observations as it pertains to my recent participation in the Every Nation World Conference, called EN 2010.

Nearly 20,000 were in attendance at this year’s conference, hosted in Manila, Philippines, and well attended and supported by the Filipino delegates.  An estimated 3,000 were from other countries, representing around 60 different nations.

It is interesting to note that 100 years prior to EN 2010, a similar event took place in Edinburgh, Scotland called the 1910 World Missionary Conference.  This event defined much of what has happened for global missions over the past 100 years. According to historians it was significant beyond measure. Of the 1,200 dedicated delegates, nearly 1,000 were from Britain or the US.

Something happened at Edinburgh that could have been the start of the present day Geo-Ethnic Church shift. They changed the old motto of missions from “West to the Rest” to “Everyone to Everywhere.” They saw what was coming which is exactly what I experienced at EN 2010. It is a radical shift in who we are as a people and what our future is going to look like.  It is as if the world has turned.

Our Keynote speakers at EN 2010, with the exception of two of our founders (Pastors Rice and Steve) were not American or white. They were Indian, Filipino, Chinese, Iranian, African and Australian (okay, Darlene is white too, but definitely not American).
This really is a new world for us. And no one is complaining.  Actually, many of us can say, it is a relief to feel the force of faith rising from the Southern Hemisphere and I expect this is only the beginning.

Recently I have been riveted reading a book called, The Future Church: How Ten Trends are Revolutionizing the Catholic Church, by John Allen.  Although it is a book written for Catholics, I really think the trends are very similar to what the Protestant churches are facing as well.

In essence, one of the key trends is how the demographics of the church have gone through a significant change from vastly Northern Hemisphere (Europe and N. America) to mostly Southern. Allen anticipates the real possibility of a “third world Pope” on the near horizon.

The Southern Hemisphere is on the rise in Christ while Europe is having a “crisis of faith” (p.60).  In one sentence it’s summed up like this:  “The center of gravity shifted from the North to the South.” (p.17)

Also of note is the 2002 Pew Global Attitudes Project which surveyed people around the world regarding the importance of their faith. Indonesia, Nigeria, India and the Philippines ranked highest, while the Czech Republic, France, Russia and Germany ranked lowest.  The USA was somewhere in the middle, sort of in the balance right now. European nations, once the cradle of the Reformation and Renewal, have gone astray. Scholars have called this trend in Great Britain “radioactive decay.” (p. 61). Fortunately, Asians, N. Americans and Africans are sending missionaries there.

So what are the key takeaways from all of this?

1. Southern Hemisphere, this is your hour. It is your destiny to have and spread revival. It is your hour to provide much needed leadership for much of the world ripened unto harvest. Your outward focus is critical to help the global church get our eyes off ourselves. Your commitment to preach, teach and live the Gospel in a biblical framework has brought about so much good fruit for the Lord. Your expansion in the world will continue to grow brighter and brighter so that all may hear and we may go where the light is seen dim and His voice is heard small.

2. Northern Hemisphere/Global North, God is not finished with us yet. As we return to the basics of prayer, preaching the Gospel, and faithfulness to the Bible we can be restored to our rightful place of massive kingdom expansion. With a renewed faithfulness to the Word of God, we will reject the prevalent theology of self-helps, “church-lite”, and bogus emergent church stuff that has spread like kudzu. Let us simply pick up our cross and follow Him into spreading the Gospel and planting churches.  It is this simple.  Less attachment to this world and our “parish” and more attachment and affection for the world to come, will make all the difference.

3.  Finally, let us keep learning from each other. In the spirit of helping one another, living in a global learning lab and “flat world” as Friedman calls it, let’s provoke one another to love and good deeds. We have all been so blessed by the excellence of the South Africans, the passion of Asia, the fire from Africa and South America, the prayers of the Koreans, the music from Australia, the supernatural faith from China, and in fairness, the support from the West.  Not to leave out any nationalities, but the point is we all learn from each other as our many cultures unavoidably bring forth different aspects of the glory of God.

For many of us at EN 2010, we saw the world turn in Manila. It was awesome to observe the favor and delight of God evident on so many humble heroes. At the same time, we are all standing together “shoulder to shoulder” (Zephaniah 3:9) pursuing God and reaching for the Harvest as never before. As a result we all rejoice together, praise together and honor Him together knowing our best days for the Gospel are still ahead.

“Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder. Zeph. 3:9

Ron Lewis (“Pastor Ron”) is the founder and Senior Minister of KPIC. For more information, visit his official website at www.RonLewisMinistries.com.

Nathan Lewis is a KPIC missionary and assistant pastor at Centrepoint Church in Edinburgh, UK.

Since last summer’s outreach to Cables Wynd (a housing project community in Edinburgh) a group of children from this neighborhood have regularly attended our church.  After months of struggling to reach them with the regular Sunday service activities, we realized our conventional church service was simply not meeting their needs.

So a small team and I have started a Sunday afternoon service specifically targeting them.   This service is designed for the rough and rambunctious and each week draws a dozen children between 9 and 14 years old.

They typically show up early and smoke a cigarette before coming inside.  Week by week we preach the Gospel and tell them of God’s great love.  It seems that every time they look at us in disbelief, often expressing it, yet week after week they come back!

Many of these kids are from abusive homes; few have whole families.  Though young, they are familiar with alcohol, sex, and violence.  Often our service borders on chaos, but this is what it takes to reach children from this background.

Over the past few months we have seen dramatic and noted changes occur in many young lives. They are starting to understand God’s love starting to ask questions, and there is opportunity to pray and have real conversations about life and God.  A 14 year old named Bret came to our leaders with many questions about God and the pain in his life including multiple suicides in his family and a recent murder.  We were able to pray with him and counsel him.  Bret is very close to having a full understanding and faith in Jesus, please keep him in your prayers.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”  As we minister and reach out I am confident we are interacting with the very heart of God.  Please pray these children come to know Jesus and are delivered from the situations they face.

Thank you for supporting this work in Edinburgh!  Our church continues to grow, as does this new afternoon service for children.  I know God desires to do an amazing work through this humble effort.  Thank you for your prayers, they are effective and powerful in touching many lives!

Many blessings,

Nathan

If you missed the wisdom-packed Family Fare that took place a couple of Saturdays ago, you still get to partake of some of the wisdom shared from the morning. Check the podcast page as we periodically load some of the sessions at www.kpicpodcasts.com. Here, for all parents, guardians and mentors, we’re giving you notes from the “Options in Education” seminar, led by Merridith Cho, Beatrice Brown and Rebecca Jacobsen:

Choices in Educating our Children

Read more >

Interested in celebrating love this Sunday, but don’t have any ideas yet? Here are some ideas from the KPIC staff for all ages and stages of life.

Other ideas? Leave a comment with your idea!

January 2010

Dear KPIC Family,

I would like to begin this letter by thanking you for the privilege of allowing me to serve you.  As I look around the world, I never cease to be amazed by the faithfulness I see demonstrated at this church.  As you know, our country is still recovering from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.  Many non-profits across the nation had to make Draconian cuts due to the fact that their donations plummeted.  Furthermore, highly respected Christian ministries were forced to make massive layoffs in order to survive.  However, King’s Park did not have to lay off a single staff member; this is due to your faithful giving.  While donations to most non-profits were down in double digits, KPIC donations were only down 3% in 2008 and 2% in 2009.  I cannot tell you what a joy it is to pastor such a faithful people.

When I think of the trials many of you have endured, as well as the overall state of our economy, I am reminded of the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 8:2: “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity”.  Whether you gave out of abundance or out of poverty over the last year, I would like to highlight what exactly your giving was able to accomplish.  For the last two and a half years, we as a church have embraced the cause of the destitute and the forsaken like never before.  We gave more to the poor during this time than at any other point in our history.  Through your rich generosity ministries like the Mirembe House and Stop Child Trafficking Now were uniquely blessed.  Let me take a moment to highlight each of these strategic ministries.

Friends of Mirembe

“Mirembe House continues to be an enormous blessing financially, emotionally and spiritually to some of the neediest children in Africa. You are making a difference in the future leaders of Africa, and we at the African Children’s Choir are extremely grateful.”

Julia Barnhart Tracy, ACC Director

The Mirembe House provides a restful and healthy home for at-risk African orphans  within the African Children’s Choir.  This world famous choir has performed everywhere from the White House to American Idol.  They have been used to raise awareness for both HIV/Aids epidemic in Africa as well as the plight of orphans worldwide.  After seeing them travel across the United State without a home base, we decided to adopt them.  Over the past two and half years, we have had the privilege of giving $400,000 to the needs of the African Children’s Choir through our Friends of Mirembe Campaign.

Stop Child Trafficking Now

“Without the support of King’s Park International Church, SCTNow would not have made it off the ground.  From providing administrative offices and volunteers, to contributing significantly to the donor drive and the Walks, KPIC played an essential role in the success of our organization.”

Katy Bennett, National Campus Director for SCTNow

This year KPIC was also instrumental in the founding of a non-profit designed to bring freedom to some of the most oppressed humans in the world.  Stop Child Trafficking Now was used by God to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the purpose of raising awareness and funds to help eradicate sexual slavery in the United States and abroad.  Without your faithful giving this ministry would not exist today; without this ministry countless young boys and girls would continue to be enslaved in this contemptible trade.

As we look toward the next year, and the next decade, I want to assure you that the KPIC family will always be in the vanguard of those who are actively caring for the world’s hurting and broken.  As a family, KPIC is and will continue to be committed to alleviating the suffering of a broken world both at home and abroad.  However, we also realize that the greatest impoverishment is spiritual. Mother Teresa said, “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty.” This year I am praying that each and every one of you will be used by God to touch the hurting and the broken with the Gospel.  In closing, I would like to remind you of the amazing promises of God to those who give both their finances and their life to the poor.

Proverbs 19:17:

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.

Proverbs 11:25:

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.

Proverbs 28:27:

He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.

Thank you again for your amazing generosity.

Sincerely,

Ron Lewis

Senior Minister

This is what we remember.

We gave.
We continued our support for the world-famous African Children’s Choir through the Mirembe House and Mirembe Capital Campaign, to-date raising over $75,000. Stop Child Trafficking Now was birthed and broadcast in our midst. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were raised to help eradicate sexual slavery.

We grew.
The King’s Park average Sunday service grew 4%. Since their start in 2007, the Chinese and Hispanic congregations have been on the rise: the Chinese congregation is outgrowing their space in the World Prayer Center, and Celebracion Hispana attendance grew almost 50% in 2009, from around 60 to 100.

We went.
With missions to Jamaica, Taiwan, Uganda, New York City, Durham’s Cornwallis Community, the college campuses, our LIFE Groups, and Reality Youth, not only did we rack up on frequent flyer miles, we saw people say “yes” to following Jesus, the greatest miracle on earth.

We partied.
Celebrate the Nations, a Pentecost Sunday event, and our Re:Connect Friends and Family Reunion were added to our list of annual celebrations, including God Loves This City and Fiesta.

We built.
As much as we do, the aim is always to see lives changed for the Kingdom of God. And what a privilege it is to know we do that every day.

Thank you, King’s Park, for another great year.

Best Cookie 2009 goes to Rhonda Jeffers! Jeffers took the gold at our Annual Cookie Contest, coupled this year with a Family Christmas Movie night.

“No family secret or anything, just something I threw together yesterday,” says the cookie pro.

Want a taste? Here it is:

You’ll need:

• 1 package of sugar cookie mix
• 3 oz of cream cheese (softened)
• 1 stick of butter (softened)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of chopped pecans
• 1 can cream cheese icing
• finely chopped pecans for garnish

Cream the butter and cream cheese until fluffy, add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Add the cookie mix. Mix until soft dough forms, stir in the pecans. Bake in 350-degree oven 8-10 minutes or until edges start to brown and cookies are set.

Microwave the icing for a few seconds (until it’s kinda runny), drizzle over cookies and sprinkle finely chopped nuts over the icing. Voila!

Why are we making such a big deal about getting a tree from Green Acres of Cary this year?

Well, they’ve decided to give the African Children’s Choir (ACC) 10% of their profits. As a church, we have taken in these beautiful little treasures, and as a result, we take responsibility for their financial needs.

We launched the Mirembe Capital Campaign (named “Mirembe” after the house we have given to supporting the ACC) on November 8th, which was the beginning of our efforts to pay off remaining debt and garner monthly funds for the ACC.

Read more about the Mirembe Capital Campaign and its goals here.

Buy a tree. Support the choir. Help us help them and their cause to help the orphaned of Africa.