May 7, 2012

Multiplying My Blogging Ministry

by Sus in Our Ministry, Our Newsletters Tags: blogging, ministry

"Thanks, as always, for your time and commitment to helping others. You are doing that!" ~ Andrea Buczynski, CCC VP, Global LDHR

“You’ve multiplied yourself,” Andrea said.  She was telling me about another staff member, Bob, who began blogging after I had helped Andrea start her blog two weeks before; she then encouraged Bob to consider writing about his leadership tips (see Bob’s blog, Leading with Questions).

Those words struck a chord in me.   In 2009, I began working in Judy Douglass’ office to help women use technology for ministry.  One of my motivations has been to “multiply” myself.  That is, I wanted to help others to learn technology so they could use these tools in ministry.  Since then, I’ve had the privilege of offering training in a variety of new skills to many of our Campus Crusade for Christ staff.

Andrea Buczynski, Campus Crusade’s Vice President for Global Leadership Development, is one of these. (She’s also a Penn State alum, by the way.)  Andrea explained the focus of her work to me as “developing effective leaders who are growing people and building healthy teams.”  In 2010, the Leadership Development and Human Resources office trained 195 teams globally under her leadership.

She had been considering how to minister more effectively and asked me to meet with her.  In our first meeting, she decided that a blog would be one of the tools she’d like to use, so she started AB Reflections.  I also explained how she should link her blog to her Facebook and Twitter accounts.  She wasn’t using Twitter very often, so I explained about a tool called Hootsuite to help her manage the time she would spend on social networks.

When I met with her again last week, she was very enthusiastic about “blogging and tweeting.”  In just the first two months of the blog, she’s had over 2,300 page views from people in 47 countries.  Her statistics indicate she’s reaching between 1,300 to 1,500 people. These are very good numbers for a brand new blog. She was also invited to an “invitation only” leadership group on Twitter and was asked to write a monthly blog post for this group of 9,000 people.  We both agreed that God was helping her reach more people through these internet tools… and in a very short time.

You might enjoy following Andrea’s blog, AB Reflections. She writes about Jesus, living life, and leadership.

February 2, 2012

Exodus out of Egypt

by Sus in Our Ministry, Our Newsletters Tags: airport, Alexandria, Arab Spring, Cairo, California, Egypt, Faith Lessons, flight, international, Islam, ministry, Muslim, Penn State, Pennsylvania, police, riot, tanks, train, true stories, world news

After twenty-four years of serving with Campus Crusade for Christ in Alexandria, Egypt, Ray and Gail planned to relocate to the United States, returning on January 31, 2011.  They had no idea that their plans would coincide with an uprising, part of the “Arab Spring” sweeping the Middle East.

Demonstrations began in Egypt on Tuesday, January 25th.  More unrest was expected after the Islamic call to prayer on the 28th, so the government cut off all internet and cell phone service Friday morning.  From their apartment, Ray and Gail heard the call to prayer, and later, the sounds of a massive crowd mixed with the pop and swoosh of rubber bullets and tear gas canisters.  When the police ran out of ammunition, the crowd turned on them, killing and injuring hundreds of officers.

Alexandria, Egypt

By Saturday, the protestors had destroyed all 200 police stations in Alexandria, broken into their armories, and released all prisoners.  Trains were attacked and the road to Cairo was unsafe because of car-jackings and shootings; no drivers were willing to risk their lives to take Ray and Gail to Cairo.  Ray and Gail continued to trust that God would keep them safe and open a way out for them on Sunday so they could catch their flight.

The next day, their travel agent called and urged them to get into a van waiting outside.  They had ten minutes to re-pack seven suitcases and then had no idea where the driver was taking them as he drove through the streets crowded with people.  They were astounded that the driver was going to the train station which had been attacked the day before; however, when they pulled up, they saw the station was surrounded by army tanks.  (They found out later they boarded the last train out of Alexandria.)  Looking through the train’s windows, they were sad to see many small towns destroyed in this country they had come to love.

Ray and Gail stayed that night with Egyptian friends who insisted on a lavish breakfast the next morning despite Cairo’s food shortages.  Also, their flight’s departure had been moved up by two hours earlier that morning, so they tried to be as patient as possible during the leisurely meal and later when they saw a huge traffic jam barely crawling toward the airport.  Their driver knew a shortcut, but as their departure time drew near Ray and Gail still weren’t close enough.  They finally made their flight, but didn’t know if any of their luggage was on board because of the chaotic conditions.  When they were airborne everyone on the plane let out an audible sigh of relief.  It wasn’t until they landed in the U.S. several days later that they learned all seven suitcases made it safely.

Ray and Gail now live in Pennsylvania and help distribute the JESUS film to immigrants in the Northeastern United States and into Canada.  They were glad to share with us about God’s protection and provision for their “Exodus”.  God proved faithful in every detail to return them home safely a year ago.  Please also join us in praying for our staff and fellow believers in Middle Eastern countries, like Egypt, who are going through times of great upheaval.

We’re thankful that God watches over us all!

Alexandria on the Mediterranean Sea

NOTE:

God used Ray to help Mike get started in a Campus Crusade Bible study thirty-four years ago while both were students at Penn State. Ray and Gail were also a part of the computer department in California with us before moving overseas.

Ray’s varied responsibilities while living in Egypt included working with the campus ministry in Cairo.  Gail raised their four children and also led Bible studies and outreaches with non-Egyptian women who were married to non-Christians

December 23, 2011

Responding to God’s Plan for Us

by Sus in Our Ministry, Our Newsletters Tags: Bible quotes, Christmas, faith, Faith Lessons, Jesus, Prayer

“Your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you shall call his name John” ~ Luke 1:13b NIV

Join us as we examine the events surrounding the first Christmas over 2000 years ago.  Please grab your Bible, read Luke chapter one, and let’s begin.

The nation of Israel was under Roman rule at the time of Jesus’ first coming and had actually been an occupied country for six centuries.  The last word from God was given over 400 years before when God promised a messenger would be sent (Malachi 3:1) and that Elijah would come (Malachi 4:5).

In verses 5-7, Luke introduces Zacharias and Elizabeth, both of the priestly line of Aaron.  They walked righteously before God, but they were very elderly and had suffered from the social stigma of barrenness.

One special day, Zacharias was chosen by lot to burn incense in the Temple (probably the only time in his life he would have this privilege because he was only one of Aaron’s many descendants). A large crowd prayed outside as Zacharias burned incense, and prayed, in the room called the “Holy Place” of the Temple.  Suddenly, the angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias and told him that God was answering his prayer (verse 13).

What was that prayer?  Zacharias may have been praying that day, representing the people of Israel, for the coming of the Messiah and for Israel’s deliverance from foreign rule.  Zacharias and Elizabeth had probably given up long ago praying for a baby!  God told Zacharias through Gabriel that both his prayers for a child and for the Messiah were going to be answered.

Faith Lesson #1: God doesn’t forget our prayers, but answers in His timing.
Faith Lesson #2: God chose to reveal the coming of His Son to the simple and common people.  God didn’t send an angel to Caesar, Herod the king, or the Jewish High Priest.  Rather, He chose people who walked humbly and righteously before Him, like Zacharias, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds.

Gabriel announced the birth of John the Baptist and prophesied about his life and ministry (verses 14 – 17).  He said John would be the fulfillment of the prophecies in Malachi and would prepare the way for the Messiah in the “spirit of Elijah” (see also the Lord’s comments in Matthew 11:7-14).

Faith Lesson #3:Throughout the Christmas story, we see how God fulfilled His plans and the prophecies given hundreds of years earlier.  God worked out events to carry out His sovereign plan.  In looking forward to the return of Christ, we should anticipate how God might also work in our generation.

Zacharias doubted and asked for a sign (verse 18).  This very human reaction was not a good idea!  Gabriel reminded him that he was a special messenger from the very throne of God.  Zacharias was given a sign: he wouldn’t be able to speak (and possibly not hear as well, see verse 62).

After 400 years of silence from God, he could’ve been the first person to tell God’s people that the Messiah was coming soon.  He would have even been able to announce the Good News in the Temple to those gathered for prayer.  He should’ve remembered when God promised a son to Abraham and Sarah, who were also past childbearing age.  He couldn’t communicate God’s message until John was born and he was miraculously restored.

Faith Lesson #4: When God reveals His plan to us, He expects us to respond in faith based on the knowledge He has already shown us. Yet, even though Zacharias doubted, God still used him later, at John’s birth, to announce the coming of the Messiah (verses 63 – 79).

We hope that these “faith lessons” from the announcement and birth of John the Baptist are helpful as you reflect on Christmas and on God’s plans for you.  God has a plan and He will do it!

We hope that during this season, you will come to know God in a deeper way as Immanuel, “God with us”!

This painting of the infant John by Sir Joshua Reynolds was printed in the Bowyer’s Bible.