News Update from Schmidt’s January 29, 2009

First our family is wonderful.  We are so thankful to all of you who have responded to our update from a couple weeks ago and are excited with all that God is doing in our heart as a family.

After the news settled in, days went by, the kids shared their hearts, Mark and I prayed and talked and talked.  We felt chastised by the Lord.  We felt like He said, “Has your faith not grown at all in the past 3 years?”  ”I gave you the land, I built you the house, I have sustained you.  Don’t you think I can still sustain what is already mine AND provide for you to do what I ask?”   UHHHHHHHHHHH went our hearts.  We talked, we prayed.  Then all of our family and our friends freely shared their thoughts,  and each shared the same thread of, ” Can’t you do both?”   So that is what we are praying about now.

We KNOW God has enough resources to pay for this house and to provide for our travels.  WE KNOW He can do it and we want Him to do it for His praise.  Our family/friends who know Him are praying and waiting to see.  Many- in fact most of our contacts over the past 5 years here in Stbg think we are kinda nuts, but they are curious to see how this all plays out.  So not to us, but to Jesus name be the glory for the miracle others are waiting to see.  He will not disappoint- He will not be silent.  We will go through the fire, we will have to adjust, we will have to sacrifice, but we feel all the more blessed that we can add to our lives instead of shutting life down here and starting over AGAIN.

Although we are willing- we are not at peace of leaving here, yet.  So our first project seems to be partnering together with another ministry Equitas (www.equitas.cc ) and raising funds to build a well, and then going to Malawi,  Africa to experience firsthand the work that God is doing in that country.

You know how God works- next week there could be an entirely different plan.  We are kinda used to looking a little scattered- that’s okay because we know we are crazy anyway….:}

Love to you all,

The Schmidt’s

Converts to What? – by Ed Stetzer January 15, 2009

“We worry too much about reaching people,” explained a recent “missional” convert. He explained that he had read my book and a few others and he wanted to be more about the mission of God and less about nickels, noses, and numbers. “We have to show the love of Jesus, not just tell people about him.” He was a convert to missional but was not as focused on seeing converts to Christ. And he is not alone.

Converts to a Cause
I continue to see movements gaining traction among Christians that do not seem to have many converts. In other words, they have recruits to their cause, but few converts to Christ. And I am concerned. I am concerned that in the name of “fixing the Church” we are not proclaiming the Church’s gospel.

You’ve seen it, too, among others—the emerging church wants to rethink structures; the missional folks want more social justice; the charismatic folks want more of the Spirit; Baptists want to convert the Presbyterians; the house church people want more authentic community; and the Reformed folks just want, well, I am not sure since they never seem happy.

I must confess I have an affinity with some of these groups. But, a change movement that does not produce converts is as useless as a systematic theology text at Joel Osteen’s church. Even if and when the cause is important, that is not enough for the church and its mission. Central to our task is to display the glory of God through His redemptive work through the redemption of those far from Christ.

Let’s Talk
An argument of sorts has arisen among some friends of mine that helps illustrate the point. Mark Driscoll, in his oh-so-subtle way, said that many in the emerging church “don’t have any converts.” Dan Kimball has expressed his missional misgivings about missional churches without conversions. Several defenders have responded to the critics. But, the conversation can and should be much broader than “emerging” or “missional” conversations: I have heard it in charismatic, Calvinist, Baptist, and other settings. And, there are always defenders.

But, I believe defending is not the answer. It is never a good thing to be defending our lack of converts to Christ while we are busy converting people to our cause. To me, it is the difference between complaining and creating a new (and better) way.

For example, I have been identified with the missional conversation. I believe the church can and must identify with the missio dei and refocus its agenda around the purpose of God. Yet, I don’t want missional to mean attacks on mega and fast growing churches who are reaching people “wrongly,” while missional churches are reaching few “rightly.” (Now, take that last sentence and replace the word “missional” with the word “reformed”—still works. Now do it with “Baptist”—yep that’s 3 for 3. Need I go on?)

Now, I am not willing to say that a lack of converts is a sign of unfaithfulness. But, I am willing to say that too many change movements are not seeing lost people’s lives changed. And I think that is the wrong kind of change.

So, my Reformed friends, let’s not only read 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John (that is, John Calvin, John MacArthur, and John Piper), let’s go plant some more churches. My emerging church friends, let’s take a pause from the theological rethink and head into the neighborhood and to tell someone about Jesus. My missional friends, let’s speak of justice, but always tell others how God can be both “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” My house church friends, let’s have community, but let’s be sure it is focused on redemption. My Baptist friends, let’s focus more on convincing pagans than Presbyterians. And, my charismatic friends, let’s focus less on getting existing believers to speak in tongues and more on using our tongue to tell others about Jesus.

Now, I know the preceding paragraph will tick some of you off—and, I am trying to be a bit edgy while making a point. But, let me suggest you be less offended at my words and more focused on Jesus’ words: Go therefore and make disciples of nations.

If you are passionate about what you believe you will naturally want others to “get it” as you have. For example, you would not be a very good charismatic if you did not want me to be baptized in the Spirit. However, I think it is unhelpful that so many Reformed, emerging, missional, denominational, Baptist, house church, charismatic, and every other kind of Christian spends more energy persuading other believers than they do reaching non-believers.

So, let’s continue conversations about being “missional” or whatever, but let’s not do so if it distracts us from the mission. Instead let’s talk about these issues but not let them distract us from our main focus—showing and sharing the love of Jesus to a desperately lost world that needs a message of hope.

Showing a Better Way
If you want to convince me (and the body of Christ) to your cause, you must show me it is a better way. You must tell and show something different. You must not just protest what is, but you must show me what should be.

Ivan Illich was once asked if the way to societal change was best through revolution or through reform. He explained it was neither—at least if you wanted long term change. Instead, he said we need to tell an “alternative story” that is so compelling it draws others to the story.

So, tell your alternative story. Show me a way that is passionate about the cause and filled with new converts to Christ. If all you have are criticisms, concerns, or new ideas, but no new converts, that hardly seems a better path or an “alternative story.”

So, don’t defend your lack of converts, repent of it, weep over it, and resolve to change it.

Ed Stetzer is the President of LifeWay Research and co-author (with Philip Nation) of Compelled by Love: The Most Excellent Way to Missional Living. Ed is also an experienced pastor and frequent speaker. His other books include: Comeback Churches , Breaking the Missional Code , and Planting Missional Churches, and the forthcoming Lost and Found: The Younger Unchurched and Churches that Reach Them.

Excerpt from the book, “Wide Awake” January 15, 2009

My most recent read is “Wide Awake” by Erwin McManus and I’m sitting here now reading through a section titled EXPECT.  I remember when we were stirred from Florida to move to PA I was studying the Gospel of John as well as reading “Seizing Your Divine Moment”, another great book by same author.  Anyways, it is always exciting to me that God gives us truth at the perfect time, in His perfect timing.  Here are some of the points that he makes in this section as Abraham is used as a reference. 

“God was saying to Abraham, ‘I want you to give up everything you have, everything you know, and relinquish your security and certainty.  I want you to expect more.  And I want you to go with me on a journey to a place you have no idea where it is, no idea what it’s going to be like, and I want you to move from being a settler to becoming a stranger and a wanderer……….it’s really about leaving a life of security and certainty and expecting more from the life that God created you to live.  I wonder if for many of us, the only thing stopping us from living the life God created us to live – the life of our dreams – is to let go of a life so good that it betrays the great’.” 

Wow what a powerful statement.  “let go of a life so good that is betrays the great!”  In another section he points to how good our lives our and God asking us many times to give that up for a life we don’t know, but one that is better.  Here’s that section…

“The great challenge for many of us is that there will be times in our lives when God will say, “I have done all of this for you.  I have provided for you tremendously, but I want you now to give that up for the life you were created to live.   There’s more than this.”  It is very likely that the life God have given you as a gift today is the very thing he will ask of you as a sacrafice tomorrow.”

Just stop now and let it sink in.  Is God saying anything to you?

A Gathering Force – by Francis Chan January 15, 2009

I had to post this to our blog… one of the greatest articles I’ve read articulating how DeepStream feels about the church and what it should look like.

Is there any logic in believing that God started His Church as a Spirit-filled, loving body with the intention that it would evolve into entertaining, hour-long services? Was he hoping that one day people would be attracted to the Church not because they care for one another, not because they are devoted to Him, not because the supernatural occurs in their midst, but because of good music and entertainment?

Try to imagine what conclusions you would come to if you had no prior church experience. The things in church services might make sense to the American church-attendee, but they don’t make sense biblically.

Picture yourself on an island with only a Bible. You’ve never been to a church-you’ve never even heard of one. The only ideas you have about church are what you’ve read in your Bible. Then you enter a building labeled “church” for the first time. What would you expect to experience as you entered that building? Now compare that to what you actually experience when you attend church.

GANG RELATED
A while back, an ex-gang member got baptized at our church. He fell in love with Jesus and turned from his old lifestyle. But after several months at the church, he stopped attending. When we asked him why he stopped attending, he answered: “I had the wrong idea of what church was going to be like. When I joined the church, I thought it was going to be like joining a gang. You see, in the gangs we weren’t just nice to each other once a week-we were family.”

That killed me because I knew that what he expected is what the church was intended to be. It saddened me because I realized that the gangs paint a better picture of loyalty and family than the local church body does.

But what if the church looked like this?

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

That describes what the ex-gang member was looking for. It describes what the world is waiting for. I used to look at this passage as something that was wonderful but could never happen in the twenty-first century. There are just too many cultural obstacles for the Holy Spirit to overcome. He is powerful enough to raise the dead, but not powerful enough to form a sharing and loving body in our individualistic society. I doubted God’s ability to stir a body of believers to love tirelessly and give without restraint. I reasoned that this type of fellowship was probably not intended for our time. Besides, we don’t have time to love like this.

Looking back, I wonder if I came to those conclusions because there was a part of me that wasn’t sure I wanted it. It’s interesting how much our theology is driven by desire.

There came a point where the elders at our church concluded that there was no reason why God wouldn’t want the church to look like it did in the beginning. From there we reasoned that if God wants that, then we want it too. But the exciting part came when we resolved not to settle for anything less. We would pursue this for His Church regardless of how many would be turned off and move to other churches. If this is God’s standard, then we will one day give an account for how we led His people toward the biblical model.

But where do we go from here? The hard part is answering the question of how. There are probably many who want our churches to function like the early church, but how do we get there?

START WITH WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL
In other words, start with yourself. It’s wrong to blame others for the condition of the Church. And it’s silly for leaders to blame followers. God wasn’t satisfied when Adam blamed Eve or when Eve blamed the serpent.

Our elders started with what we could control. We can’t control other people. We can’t make the congregation “break bread in their homes” or “sell their possessions.” We also can’t control God. We can’t make Him do “wonders and miraculous signs” through us. I can, however, sell my possessions as people have needs. I do have control over that, so that became the first logical step. As we do our part, we trust God to bring about the “awe” and “wonders” in His time.

It was a beautiful time of sharing as our elders laid “everything” at each others’ feet. We surrendered the keys to our cars, homes, and bank accounts. I actually believed the elders who looked me in the eyes and said, “What’s mine is yours. If anything ever happens to you, I will support and care for your kids as much as I would care for my own. I will be your life insurance.” And because they had a history of genuine sacrifice for the sake of the gospel, I trusted what they said. From there, we began going to some of our friends in the congregation and expressing our commitment to them (something anyone can do).

And now this mentality is spreading. New life is permeating the church as individuals are backing up their words with sacrifice. Cars and homes are being sold or given away. Expensive vacations are joyfully replaced with spending on others. People are being taken into homes-not only for meals, but to live. It’s still the beginning of the process, and most people probably still come for the teaching or the music, but there’s a growing number at our church who are coming to be with their church family and they don’t care about who’s teaching or leading music.

THERE MUST BE MORE
Something real was happing in the early Church. It was something of the Spirit, too powerful to be replicated by human effort. Imagine taking a friend to one of their church gatherings. Your friend might not experience a smoothly run, professional service. But one thing he would experience: God. Do we even need to ask which is better? So much of church growth today has nothing to do with the Holy Spirit. The right team of talented people can make any church grow. When people sit through creative services, is it really God they’re experiencing?

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying that we shouldn’t give our best to God. If you’re a musician, work diligently at your music. If you’re a teacher, labor intensely over your messages. I’m just asking you to be willing to rethink what you’re doing and ask: How can we create a more biblical environment where people see and experience God?

I’m reminded of the story of Gideon in Judges 7. God tells Gideon, “You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, announce now to the people, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.” (Judges 7:2-3)

If you remember the story, God then reduced the army to 300 soldiers. God did not just defeat the Midianites-He was careful to do it in a way that gave Him all the glory. He did not want to allow Israel to boast “that her own strength has saved her.”

May people see our churches and know that mere human beings could not have created what they experienced. May we seek the priorities of the early church and trust God to once again produce the fruit of the early Church.

“And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47)

Francis Chan is the pastor of Cornerstone Church and the president of Eternity Bible College in Simi Valley. In addition to being a pastor, Francis speaks to thousands of youth throughout the U.S., challenging them to deeper commitment. He can be heard on his radio program “Truth Be Known.” Francis has a great sense of humor, a genuine love for Christ, and a commitment to teach straight from the Word of God. Francis and his wife Lisa have been married for twelve years and have three daughters and one son: Rachel, mercy, Eliana, and Ezekiel. He is a graduate of the Master’s College and Seminary.

Schmidt’s New Adventure January 7, 2009

Our family Christmas Eve

Dear Family, Dear Friends,

We want you each to know this information at the same time. Although cheesy, overused and impersonal,
e-mail is a great tool. We have been wanting to share but decided to wait until after the holidays. We are
broadening our horizons, exposing our children to a different way of life, taking a jump of faith in a new
location. To some of you, this is no surprise as we seem to relocate quite often throughout our marriage.
When we moved to Stroudsburg 5 years ago it was for several reasons:
*To adopt a slower pace of life where our family could choose our own schedule and have more time as a family.
*To get out from behind the church walls (we were a Pastoral/Ministerial family) and into the community by “being” the church instead of calling people into the church.
*To expose our children to a different culture- southerners to northerners- private school to public school etc…
*To reconnect with Gina’s family in PA, NJ, & NY.
*To follow through with the ministry(DeepStream) God grew in our hearts to encourage, strengthen, teach and support married couples and the family unit.
*To take a leap of faith and relocate without a job, place to live or firm plan of what to DO with DeepStream.

We feel reconnecting with family, organizing our time the way we see fit, exposing the children to a different culture, giving DeepStream a home base have all been accomplished by moving here. Part of the slower pace and exposing the children to another slice of life were necessary mature, to be able to grow in our faith and increase our burden to help people. By the moving of our hearts we relocated here trusting God would heal, encourage and help us grow closer to Him. He has and continues to do just that! Our desire has become deeper to be closer as a family, to minister together, to bring Jesus into the community, to take a leaps of faith often giving ourselves as we feel that is the best way to mature, help others and obtain inner peace. In our family time together as we talk, pray, read, share and listen we not only see the need for our family to venture to new places, but we also see the ministry of DeepStream broadening. Good strong marriages are important and so is a solid family, but as a family we are burdened for the people who have no family, whose marriages have crumbled, whose families have been torn apart. As the children have matured they have developed their own tender hearts- wanting to help people in Jesus’ name.
* Since the age of 9 Corinne has mentioned adopting a child. Through our support of IJM all the children but mostly Corinne have expressed remorse over the hardships children around the world face daily. She has consistently asked if we could adopt a child from one of these place to rescue them and bring them into a loving and happy family.
* Isaac has always talked about wanting to go to Africa. He is mesmerized by the culture, landscape, devastation due to famine and poverty.
* Compassionate tears fall from Bryn’s face when she sees someone disfigured. She comes up with a slew of ways people could help and how we should not talk bad about them because God made them special.  She likes to meet new people and learn about their ways.
* Eli wants our “homeless” friends to live with us, share his room. His 7 year old mind does not understand why these people have to live outside when there are so many houses and especially our big house. He wants to be friends with everyone he meets.
* Mark yearns to help people have clean water by building wells.
* Gina dreams of loving on people with a gentle, calming touch or a compassionate listening ear.
* Both Mark & Gina love the idea of spending more time together with the freedom of traveling, helping others,   exposing our children to the world and working side by side for a Higher Purpose.

Over the years we have given up our will to God and asked Him to take us wherever He wanted us to be for Him- from neighborhood to neighborhood, city to city, state to state, job to job. We have always been burdened to help people. We actually have hoped to move to another country and truly we never felt an impression to a specific place or a specific people. We have some dear friends who recently moved to Guatemala because they were burdened to help the poor specifically in that country. We thought, “Yes! this is a sign that we are supposed to go there- we’ve not had a clear leading of what to do or where to go, but this is perfect!” We are going to see them February 4th-11th and hope to help them with their overwhelming and beautiful work, but we are not called to stay there- at least not yet- it could change:)

Our plan and when we say “plan” it is in the loosest sense- its more like an idea that we hope to follow through with-is to follow the burdens of our heart and go and help people. Sounds like we could do that here in the USA and we might- we are willing to go wherever we feel nudged to go, but for starters we are “planning” to help others by working
*in orphanages *to relieve those who are already serving and need a “vacation.” *with the hungry *with those who are disabled, sickly *with those who need clean water *with those who need rest from the stresses of life

Since we don’t have a leading to a specific place as of yet, setting up camp for a 3- 6 month period to help organizations, groups, people already working at these capacities is where we hope to start. In order to do that, we will be freeing ourselves of commitments here and making changes in order to have the flexibility to relocate  requently:
*selling the house *selling most of our possessions *home educating the children

We have more questions than we do answers. Our hearts, our faith tells us it is time to go, although very sad about leaving our loved ones, we have followed Jesus’ calling in our lives in the past -we will do so in the present. A lot of emotions have been evoked but rest assured none of them have been fear or worry.
*Excitement! We love adventure!
*Thankful- for God hearing our prayers and providing a way for us as parents to teach our children to follow their hearts, to listen to their inner voice, to do good to all men.
*Humbled that we have been granted the privilege of being used of God in any small way as a united family.
*Grateful to enter another dimension of trust, freedom, and faith.
*Saddened- to know this way of life with this group of family & friends will be changing.
*Overwhelmed…just because of ……everything.

Truly God has proven Himself faithful and we trust He will continue to do so as we follow our purpose to:
*be used of God to minister to the needy, less fortunate, hurting, lonely, sickly, discouraged, outcasted, homeless, disabled, hungry, thirsty, sore, unloved, unwanted, unappreciated, tired.
*be a tool to connect man with his Maker- the one who is calling them (and you) to find Him, trust Him & believe in Him through Jesus.
*be a family to those who have none

So….as we stated we probably have more questions than answers. Talking about this together would be great- we entertain your comments, thoughts and ideas. As with any move there is much to be done! Our property will go up for sale late February. We see ourselves staying here through most of the summer, but we are not sure of that. We plan to come back to the states to re-group and visit our loved ones whenever possible.

Because of Jesus~ Love all. Worship One~
www.deepstreamcommunity.com
www.deepstreampa.com

Thank you for being part of our lives. By design, God had our paths cross either 20 years ago or 2 months ago, we count it a privilege to have such wonderful, sweet, understanding, loving and kind friends and family. What you have helped us create in our family & home we desire to share with others who may never have the opportunities that we have been given.