Open House: April 4, 2011

If you've ever considered joining the Go Internship or if you're interested in finding out what we're all about, join us at our next Open House Event. During Open House you can have a look around our offices, meet the founders, Greg and Christa Baca, the Staff, and this year's current Interns. This is the perfect time to have your questions about the program answered.

Open house begins at 4:00PM from 4:00-4:15pm tour the offices and take a look around. From 4:15-5:00PM Greg & Christa will be sharing about the program. Hear from current interns about the direct impact the program has made on their lives. Feel free to bring a friend or two, grab a starbucks on the way over, and come chill and hang out.

Go International Offices 12814 S. Memorial Ave, Suite 120 Bixby, OK. 74008

Speaker of the Week: T.L. Osborn

For T.L. Osborn’s second visit to Go International he decided to share a few principles and pieces of wisdom he learned throughout his lifetime. Although there were many things he shared (I’m sure there could have been many more), he repeatedly exclaimed the importance of this one truth: The power of God and his love is in the gospel- nothing on our part or our own actions, just simply the message of Jesus Christ. After he finished this key point, he cited a statement made by Gandhi: “If you have an idea, think about the poorest and most needy people you know about; if it will help them live a better quality of life, then it is a good idea.” I personally love this powerful observation about the purpose and potential of ideas. Many times we have dreams and ideas, but it’s easy to doubt whether or not it could really be useful. Gandhi put it well, “If it will help someone, it’s a good idea”.

Filled with conviction, Mr. Osborn began to explain the importance of remembering Jesus. “Jesus said, ‘Remember Me,’” he stated. “Many times we are hoping He remembers us, but it is we who need to remember Him.” Many people often desire the power of God, but they forget that it’s love that comes first. “You cannot have power without love,” he said. T.L. shared this example: Calvary = love, Pentecost = power. First Jesus gave love, and then He gave power. As I sat there and continued to listen to him speak, I was amazed by how much he stressed the importance of learning. Nearly 90 years old and he is still striving to grow, not only spiritually, but intellectually as well. For one of his final thoughts T.L. once again brought the discussion back to the importance of the gospel by saying: "The mission of every person who follows Jesus Christ is to be His witness. Remember, those who preach the gospel stand in the place of Jesus, and they are as He is. Ministry is not your own, you are simply a continuator of what Jesus did.”

Speaker of the Week: Barbara Arbo

“The beauty of casting your cares to the Lord is that it shows that you trust Him,” said Barbara Arbo. She followed up this statement with Isaiah 30:18 – “The Lord longs for those who look to Him”. Our heart is His desire and our trust in Him, a prized possession. Mrs. Arbo continued by boldly declaring her next point: “The fact is, we are born into this world with nothing and once we leave we take nothing. The Bible says that every good gift comes from above, so we have nothing on our own.” After that she made this powerful statement: “If we are going to have something to give to others, we must first come to God to receive it”.

Her words stayed with me for sometime that day. Recently, I’ve had to come to a place of honesty with myself. I’ve always wanted to do something for God that was bigger than me and I knew it would require that I grow in many areas of my life. So, in my pursuit of the God-given dreams for my life, I worked hard to grow in these areas- so much that I often forgot why, or rather, Who I was doing them for in the first place. I set my goals and dreams in the place of the God who gave them to me. Just like the Israelites in the Old Testament who turned to worshipping idols of metal and stone and in time, forgot their God. They worshipped the creation, not the creator. In my weakness and frustration I once again realized how much I missed intimacy with God and in His faithfulness He brought me back to Him again.

Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, extend to the skies, and Your faithfulness to the clouds. -Psalm 36:5-

Family Sticks Together

“God prepared my heart”, Kelly said. “I’ve always wanted to bless people with money to do traveling ministry, but I thought it would be years from now. God answered my heart’s desire and Hilary’s as well.”

Just two weeks before leaving, apprentice Kelly Drury decided to give her entire trip money to intern Hillary Patrick- months of work and planning gone with a single decision. For Kelly it wasn’t a challenge or even a questionable notion, she knew what God asked her do. More so, Kelly believed in the sacrifice she made because she believed in Hilary. She believed that family sticks together.

Another exciting miracle was soon to follow. Because of Kelly’s efforts, the other interns followed her example and quickly formed a strategy to raise the $2,500 that was needed for Andrew Hunt, the last intern without the trip money. With just 48 hours left before their departure date you wouldn’t think there was much hope, but it was just the opposite. Hope saturated the offices and the atmosphere was charged with possibility. It turns out that 48 hours was more than enough time for the interns. The money was raised. Following the announcement of his latest financial breakthrough, cries of celebration surrounded Andrew’s speechless face; he was coming with us. “I know they care about me; they are family.” –Andrew H.

Mystery Trip Update: Day 9

Today at 8 o'clock in the evening, the team will be leaving South Africa to return to the states. Although today is our final day in South Africa and the Mystery Trip is coming to a close, ministry is not over. The team spent the morning at a local church service, leading worship and preaching the message of God's love, the freedom we have in Him, and the plan He has for our lives. It was evident that the members of the church were encouraged by this message bringing hope. After the message, the team prayed with members of the congregation. Individuals came up for prayer for new jobs, healing in different parts of their bodies, and healing for HIV. As prayer was ending, the presence of God filled the tent as Ben Blount, a first year intern, started singing "Hallelujah". It was beautiful to see the body of Christ unite despite nationality, skin color, age, or language. The team said their goodbyes, and headed to Impact Kids, a project started by Rich Franzen, director of Impact Africa. Rich shared with the team the vision that he had for the organization, and the role that Impact Kids plays in the community. Rich explained to the team that Impact kids is strategically located between two squatter camps, both having approximately 15,000 families in their communities. Aids affects 80% of the camps, resulting in 1,000 deaths per a day, leaving 450 children as orphans. Rich explained that in addition to aids being one of the growing problems in these squatter camp communities is mothers abandoning their babies after birth. Mothers throw their helpless unwanted babies in the streets, in fields, and even in dumpsters. These ugly realities left the team in complete shock. Creating a burning desire to continue carrying out God's mandate: "Learn to do right! Seek Justice, encourage the oppressed, defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow" (Isaiah 1:17). So as the team heads out to share the love of God to those in the squatter camps one last time before they board a plane to come back to the States, the team's hearts will be aching with the desire to bring hope and light into these individual's lives.

Though the Mystery Trip is ending, the mystery continues. The need is great and the yearning for a savior is still burning in hearts. The Lord is in search for those who are fully committed to Him and sharing His great love to those who are lost. To those of you who have partnered with us on Mystery Trip 2011, Go International thanks you for helping send us and for your prayers. Much was accomplished in our short time here, there is still more work to be done in South Africa, however we can be assured of this:  "The people walking in darkness have seen the light; and those living in the land of the deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation, you have increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest." (Isaiah 9.2-3).

The mystery continues, tomorrow.

Sunday Church Service from Go International on Vimeo.

Mystery Trip Update: Day 8

Throughout this entire trip we have seen many facets of God’s love. Through the Dream Campaign we saw His passion for purpose in the lives of people. For the Forgiven Movement, we witnessed His forgiveness impact the lives of those we encountered. During the hand full of other ministry opportunities, we saw His grace and loving kindness turn a few short moments into appointments of destiny. This evening, we caught a glimpse of another side of God’s love- His power. Throughout the day and into the evening the team took part in a powerful crusade that affected the lives of many S. Africans. In the midst of all the laughter and dancing, a simple message of love and healing was presented to the locals and following that people came forward to be healed. God’s mercy is always humbling and His love doesn’t disappoint. Many individuals came forward to praise God for their healing and thanked Him for His grace. Among all these healing miracles was another one, a different one. It was the team rediscovering the compassion that God birthed in them long ago. Throughout this trip, one step at a time, God has slowly unveiled His love in us. As we opened up our lives to the people of S. Africa we no longer kept a “safe distance” from those around us. We were exposed and broken- to be built again. Staring Need in the face the team extended their hand in love instead of letting fear pull it back. The process of love once again amazes us and we thank God for it.

Johannesburg Ministry from Go International on Vimeo.

Mystery Trip Update: Day 7

What is our calling? Despite our age, ethnicity, culture, occupation or whatever else you may want to throw into the mix, our calling as Christians is to "proclaim the mystery of Christ".

The Mystery Trip. How did it get its name? To start, the destination is a mystery. But more importantly, on this trip we get the opportunity to "proclaim the mystery of Christ".

In Colossians 4:3 Paul writes, "And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ." The interns were given an opportunity, or as the Apostle Paul would say, "an open door" to share the message of Christ with a group of people who are in desperate need of the love of God. The interns returned to the squatter camps to minister to the people of Cape Town. However, this time, the interns had a chance to go perform powerful dramas at the local community center. Armed with a microphone and speakers, the interns dispersed throughout the community to invite people to come to watch a "presentation". It wasn't long until the community center was filled with adults, teenagers, and little kids who were eagerly waiting for the dramas that were about to be performed. The team, performed skits that shared the simple message of Jesus, showing that because of his deep love for us he came to save us by breaking off the chains of bondage, so that we could live freely. Moved by the dramas, many of the those in the audience accepted Christ into their hearts. As the interns, went around praying for people, one could sense the presence of God was truly in that community center. Light was being shined in the darkness. The interns continued their ministry as they spent time loving on the children, holding and dancing with them. Laughter filled the room, as the music blared out of the speakers, and everyone danced in a circle. The children clung to the members of the team, just wanting to be held and know that they were loved. Their faces were filled with the most beautiful smiles, as the team gave them their undivided attention. Though our ministry in the camps were nothing extravagent, realities were being changed. The people of Cape Town were coming to know the love of God. In this squatter camp, a place where most of South Africa finds unlovely, the mystery of Christ was being proclaimed.

Several things went on while the team was at the little center : Callings were being fulfilled. The mystery of Christ was proclaimed. And the kingdom of God was being expanded. Beauty was filling an area that had been deemed as "unlovely."

The story of the mystery continues, tomorrow.

Last Day in Cape Town from Go International on Vimeo.

Mystery Trip Update: Day 6

Boulder Beach:

Lions, giraffes, zebra and… penguins? Yes, there are penguins in S. Africa too! If one word could describe this beautiful nation, I believe it would be diverse. In what other country could you find such contrasting habitats and the animals that follow? For this once-in-a-lifetime experience the interns spent their afternoon on Boulder Beach, surrounded by a vast ensemble of spirited penguins. It’s almost a surreal moment as you see yourself walking along the beach and jumping into the water with these curious, buoyant birds. These lively, little creatures are just another reminder of God’s overwhelming creativity.

Love from Above:

Beginning with prayer, the team of expectant interns began to seek God for His direction. Discussing their ideas back and forth, they narrowed down the options and followed what they believed to be the best course of action and hit the streets. Armed with just 120 Rand ($20) and their personal creativity, they put their plan into action. A variety of options set into motion, but one purpose was set in their hearts- show the love of God. After they finished their day of ministry the team got together to talk about what had come about from the Love From Above ministry challenge. It’s amazing what you can do with a few bucks and a willing heart. The stories were simple and nothing seemingly amazing, but they were heart-felt and sincere. The heart of God was portrayed wonderfully as they began to explain how they spent their time with the homeless and the children that were scattered across the streets. Throughout the emotional conversation, the point of this challenge was slowly unveiled- everyday life is an opportunity. Ministry is how you live your life and how you spend your time, whether in another country or in your own hometown.

Cape Town Ministry from Go International on Vimeo.

Mystery Trip Update: Day 5

There are stories all around us. Stories waiting to be discovered, waiting to be told, and waiting to be written.

Today, the Go Interns hit the streets of Cape Town and transformed themselves from individuals to a collective live art piece. Dressed in white shirts with a black blindfold covering their eyes, the interns stood in a still line becoming a "scene" that sparked curiosity to those who passed by. Through this eye-catching display, the interns were able to speak to people about having vision for their lives. They passed out "Vision Cards" to the individuals that approached them, and asked them the question "What is your vision?" "If you had all the money in the world- and knew you could not fail, what would you do?" These questions uncovered stories, stories that were hidden, stories that were waiting to be pushed along. One of the individuals that Jon Adams, an apprentice, encountered was a local business man in Cape Town, who had been working on a project, but along the way had lost motivation and vision for the project. As the business man left his house this morning, he considered tossing the project to the sea and told God that he needed a "sign" if he ought to continue on the project. As this man talked with the Go Team, light filled his eyes, as he remembered why he first started working on this project. Vision had been restored. Throughout the Vision Challenge, many of the interns had conversations similar to the one between Jon and the businessman. These conversations revealed stories that were waiting to be pushed along and written.  Individuals who passed the live art exhibit woke up that morning, and for some it may have seemed like just another ordinary day, however, for those who stopped to talk with the interns, their lives will be forever changed. "We interrupted their day, but we may have interrupted their life.", stated Kelly Drury. Today marks a day that the locals of Cape Town were encouraged, inspired, and refreshed. Many of the locals left the live art exhibit with a feeling of hope that their story was going to be beautiful, and perhaps even a masterpiece.

The interns continued discovering the stories of Cape Town's locals as they visited a squatter camp on the outskirts of Cape Town. The squatter camp is an area that is home to 15,000 familes, 80% of these families are affected by HIV. A majority of the families migrated from Zimbabwe and Malawi in hopes to provide their families with a better life. However, these families live in the some of the worst living conditions that one could imagine. Their small houses are merely four walls covered by a roof. Unfortunately, the children who live in the squatter camps have been deprived of a normal childhood. In order to aid this problem, a group of individuals created "Homes of Hope", an organization that provides after school care to children belonging to the squatter camp. The organization provides the children tutoring and classes to further their education in English, as well as a safe environment to play in. The interns spent the afternoon loving on the children, singing American pop songs, playing on the jungle gym, giving piggy back rides, snapping photos, and even making beats on the jimbae and having a dance party. The children and the team's face were filled with light and smiles as the afternoon pasted by. This afternoon will be ingrained in the the hearts of not only the children, but also the Go team. It was a day, where joy was brought into these children's world.

The story of the mystery continues, tomorrow.

Mystery Trip Update: Day 4

“I’m able to look beyond my own judgments of others now.” “You brought me relief. Now I can move on and I know there are people that care about me.” "I’m so proud to be a part of what we’re doing.” These few quotes are just a glimpse into the everyday endeavors of the Go intern team while in South Africa. This Tuesday, ministry was redefined as the interns made their way through the streets of Cape Town, one of the most influential cities in South Africa. Bringing the Dream Campaign to new terrain, the Go team once again spread the love of Jesus in a new and refreshing way. Smiling faces flocked around the cameras as the locals had their dreams reawakened while participating in this powerful campaign. Just getting started, they finished their work to continue with a brand new ministry project entitled: The Forgiven Movement. The movement was designed to create an opportunity to share God's message of love and forgiveness in a unique way. Micah 7:19 states that because of His mercy God will "cast all our sins into the bottom of the sea". The Go Team, invited individuals to put pen to paper, and write down what they needed forgiveness for or who they needed to forgive, and then put the message in a bottle which would be emptied and tossed into the sea. Walking along the boardwalk of the V&A Waterfront, Go Interns invited the people they encountered to join in this movement. Once complete strangers, the Cape Town natives opened up their lives and expressed their desire for forgiveness. Many powerful stories were created during this new ministry. Revisiting the Dream Campaign on the V&A Waterfront, the team opened up the hearts of many new faces while they expressed their dreams. The clock struck 9, but the night was not over for the interns. Go International strives to imitate Christ in all areas of our lives, including the way we do ministry. If one were to look at the patterns of Christ's ministry while on earth, one would discover that Jesus spent time in the "unexpected" places, building relationships with those who were in need of His love and grace. The interns were given an opportunity to do ministry just as Jesus did through a new ministry project, Light the Night. The interns headed out for the night to a local pool hall to hang out with the young locals and build relationships. Over a few games of pool and one or two cokes, the interns were able to breathe life into those that they met. Arriving back to "home base", the interns were chatting about not only how much fun they had, but also about the divine conversations they had throughout the night. God only knows who will be impacted in these next few days, but if today is any sign of the upcoming future, we consider ourselves to be very fortunate.

The story of the mystery continues, tomorrow.

Mystery Trip Update: Day 3

At Go International, it's safe to say that "seeing" is never enough, our team is always desiring to be "hands on". This "hands on" mentality trickles into every area of their lives, and that includes whenever an adventure presents itself. Yesterday, the team went on a Safari and saw wild animals from a safe distance, however, they decided to take this wild animal adventure to the next level and visit the Lion Park in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The team got "hands on" as they interacted with young lion cubs and fed giraffes. This was an experience of a lifetime and left the interns wondering if it could get any better. Little did they know, that a clue would be coming around the corner to reveal another adventure.

Life on the Mystery Trip can be described as fluid or perhaps even spontaneous. One moment you can be hanging out with lion cubs in Jo-burg, and the next moment you may be on the edge of your seat discovering that you are about embark on a new adventure. As the days continue, the interns are quickly grasping this way of life. Exiting the park, the interns stumbled upon Greg Baca, director of Go International, sitting on a park bench. Set up next to him was a computer with a video ready and waiting for the interns. Running with excitement, the interns huddled around the video as it started. It wasn't long before their faces were lit up and filled with shock as the video announced that Johannesburg was not the final destination. The video revealed another part of the mystery: Cape Town was waiting to be impacted by Go International. Revealing Cape Town as a second destination caught the interns completely off guard, however, no group of 9 people could be more excited than this group. As they took of running for the vans with excitement, they turned and yelled to the rest of the staff "Hurry up guys! We gotta get to Cape Town!"

So tonight, the Mystery leads the Go International's team to Cape Town, South Africa. Tomorrow, Cape Town will wake up with some visitors who are ecstatic to start ministering.

The story of the mystery continues, tomorrow.

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Safari & Cape Town Reveal from Go International on Vimeo.

Mystery Trip Update: Day 2

It was once said that "We must travel. If we don't offer ourselves to the unknown, our senses dull."

Africa.

To a majority of the staff and interns of Go International, Africa is a territory that has not yet been discovered. After a full day of traveling, it was time to DISCOVER Africa. What better way to do that than a Safari?!?

The interns were called into the dining hall for an announcement, although they were unsure of what that announcement was, they filled the room with their enthusiasm. Gathered around a small computer screen, the interns watched a video as it described what they would be doing for the next 24 hours. It wasn't long into the video until you could hear the interns screaming as the word Safari was spelled out on the screen. After a few minutes of jumping up and down, hugging each other, and saying "OH MY GOSH WE'RE GOING ON A SAFARI!!", the interns hustled to their rooms to pack their bags. After all, they'd be sleeping outside with the lions that night. Okay, well maybe not exactly with the lions, but they'd be sleeping on the reserve.

The team arrived to the reserve ready to discover Africa. Loading on the Safari bus, the team discovered a few things. One, several of the interns had never been to zoo, therefore they were about to be blown away. Two, that the lions were not the kings of the jungle. Although, this information did not keep the team from wanting to see wild lions in action. After encountering zebras, impala, rhinos, giraffes, and more the team got word that lions were in action not to far away from their location. The driver got the team to the siting of the lions in the nick of time allowing, the team to see a rare confrontation between a few rhinos and a male lion.

After adventuring on the wild safari, the team ended the night with a African barbeque. In five words, staff and interns would describe today as "an adventure of a lifetime". This adventure is only beginning, it is very apparent that the interns as coming alive as they discover the unknown and embrace uncertainty with open arms as they follow the mystery.

Mystery Trip Update: Day 1

After 27 hours of traveling, three plane rides, and a stamp in our passports, We, Go International's staff and interns, have safely arrived in johannesburg, South Africa.

Although, it was a long journey to South Africa, the interns are ecstatic to be here. In fact if it was up to them, we'd probably start ministry right this second. Listening closely to the chattering going on amongst the interns, one can gather that they have high expectations for what is going to happen in the city of Johannesburg.

Tomorrow is a new day, full of possibilities. With passion in their hearts, the interns will face tomorrow, as the apostle Paul did in Acts 6:9, when the Lord said, "Go into the city, and I will tell you what you must do." As Paul did, the interns are trusting that the mystery is going to unfold in a beautiful and adventurous way.

The story of the mystery will be continued. Tomorrow.

Mystery Trip: REVEAL!

With an arrival time of 5 o'clock in the morning, the interns arrived with their suitcases in hand at the Go International offices anticipating the the long awaited reveal of the mystery. For months, the interns have been raising money for this mystery and guessing their destination. With their first clue received, the interns walked into the music room at the Go International offices to discover it had been transformed to South America. After a short "visit" to South America, the interns were escorted to their next continent, Antarctica, where they braved the cold weather and sifted through ice to discover their next clue. The journey continued, as the interns visited Asia, North America, Africa, Australia, and Europe. Although the journey through the seven continents riled up the interns with excitement, they were still clueless as to their destination. With 3 hours til the flight departure, the interns had one more stop to make before heading the the airport. After all, their destination was still unknown. After a series of challenges the interns were granted access to a to a key element, a video, that would reveal their destination. The interns watched the reveal video with wide eyes, hanging onto every word that appeared on the screen. The reveal announced that Go International would be going to a place home to 48 million people, with the highest number of people affected by aids in the world. The interns gasped as they clung to each other, tears began to fill their eyes as photographs of African orphans, African soil, and the South African Flag flashed across the screen. Jumping and screaming with excitement, the interns huddled in a circle as they cried with excitement for where they would be traveling to in less than 3 hours. Andrew Hunt, a first year intern, stated that he was "overwhelmed" and that this was the "greatest gift" he has ever received, his trip had just been paid for 48 prior to the reveal. As Kaylee, Hilary, and Lauren piled into the car to get to the airport, still in shock the girls eyes were still filled with tears as they continued repeating "We're going to Africa!!" The three girls explained that over the last few months, the Lord had heavily laid the continent on their hearts and that they had a burning desire to visit and work with the people there. For many of the Go Interns, Mystery Trip's journey to South Africa is the start of their dreams becoming a reality.

THE MYSTERY BEGINS NOW

Worship Night Update

Individuals throughout the community gathered together at the Go International offices to take part of our monthy Worship Night. The Go International Band, ushered everyone into the presence of God by singing the truth of God’s word. The presence of God was undeniable in the room as people came before the throne of God with a genuine hunger for more of Him. We appreciate everyone who came out to join us for the first Worship Night of the year, and we look forward to seeing everyone at the next one.

Speaker of the Week: Tim Redmond

Have you ever had a childhood memory when you were little and you were NOT excited to visit that certain annoying relative and your mother told you to, "fake it 'til you make it"? Well, she was on to something. Why have a bad attitude and ruin a good time for everyone else, simply because you're having a bad day? How you let your emotions affect you will determine the environment you are in. Our guest speaker, Tim Redmond, spoke to us about our mindset and how it affects others and us as well. He told us that there are two mindsets: Fixed mindset (disempowered), and the growth mindset (empowered). The fixed mindset is the belief that life is just how it is and there is absolutely nothing you or anyone else can do about it. That mindset states that change is simply impossible. On the other hand, the growth mindset states that anything is possible; it welcomes challenges, and puts its effort into everything it comes across.

He reminded us that we are leaders and as leaders, we are to create an environment for others to grow. Following this reminder, he shared a story about an experiment that a group of scientists tested. They gathered five different people.  Four of the people had neutral emotional states; they were generally happy. In addition to the four pleasant people, they included one extremely depressed person. They put the five of them into a small room and were told to not say a single word to each other. After an hour, they interviewed each participant to see how they were emotionally. Each neutral person had acknowledged that they had become slightly depressed and could not think of a single reason why. This study proved that the dominant emotional state will dominate the environment.

The world around us is subject to how we view it and how we act. Through your attitude you can influence those around you for the better. YOU can be the one that excites others and encourages them to live life with purpose.

Deuteronomy 30:15, 19 – (15)“See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. (19) …Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.

-Tim Redmond-

Written by Joy Wimer, Go Intern

Speaker of the Week: Keith Wheeler

"What is your passion," he asked. "What is your vision?" Each person in the room shared their passions such as worship, fashion, orphans, missions etc... "All of these things that you've shared are good," he replied to us. "You know what my passion is?" Silence filled the room as we all began to wonder… Was it carrying the cross just as he had been doing for over 25 years? Maybe it was his family? He glanced around the room a few times and smiled from ear-to-ear. "My passion is Jesus Christ."

He went on to tell us a simple concept: vision is what you see, what you see is what you look at, what you look at is what you focus on. When you make Jesus your vision you "take up the cross". He explained that taking up the cross means to sacrifice willingly, which brings glory to God, thus bringing redemption in the lives of others!

He shared a story with us about when he traveled to Guyana. As he continued his journey of carrying the cross, a man who had listened to him teach wished to speak to him, but he was timid because they were of different cultures and religions. Keith proceeded to ask him what religion he thought he was. He responded with, "Well, sir, you are carrying a cross, therefore you are a Christian!" Keith smiled and said, "No, I am a follower of Jesus." The man told him he had never heard of that before, so Keith decided to tell him all about Jesus and repentance. The man immediately fell to his knees and said, "I want to know this Jesus you speak of! I want to repentance!" Keith asked him a simple question. "If I was to walk down the road this way, and you were to walk down the road that way, would you say we know each other?" The man replied, "No, we would have only just met." Keith went on to explain that that is what a lot of Christians do. When they accept salvation, they first meet Jesus, but it’s something entirely different to know Him. It is not enough to find Jesus; we are commanded to follow Him.

Keith then challenged us: Do we really know the Jesus that we say we are following? Do we have a deep connection to Him? Are we committed to Him? Commitment looks like the object or person it's committed to. If you're not committed to him, then what are you committed to?

I feel that many times, we get so caught up in completing the goals and dreams that are placed in our hearts, that we forget about who gave them to us. True Christianity is about knowing and following Jesus, not just finding him.

Mark 1:17, “Come and follow me, and I will make you fishers of men!”

-Keith Wheeler-

Written by Joy Wimer, Go Intern

Speaker of the Week: Ed Gungor

Mark 4:26-27 – Jesus said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.”

Expectant eyes watched and eager ears listened as Pastor Ed Gungor began to speak to the interns. During his time here, he spoke to us about what he phrased, "The Dark Night of the Soul". He explained that this is a “wilderness” time during your life when your soul cannot grasp what is going on. A time when you go through the motions and monotony of life and generally feel a deep void in your heart. It can cause you to question the depth of your dreams or even your relationship with Jesus. He compared this time to winter. For a while it appears lifeless and dismal, but in reality true growth is being stored up and developed. The hidden strength of winter is that it sets you up for spring. It is during the winter when the roots of a tree grow to create the foundation for the next season of life. Just like the tree, we go through similar times where God is trying to make you grow up a little and exercise your faith. My sister, Christa, once told me that in order to fully follow after God, you must be willing to have these kinds of days, because worshiping and loving God is not about a feeling or hype, it’s about relationship and commitment.

Pastor Ed reminded us that faith is not an easy thing and that growing up requires wrestling with yourself. This message has meant a lot to me because I had been personally struggling with wondering where God was in my life. I later realized it's because God wants me to fully believe in Him and not rely on "feeling" His presence. He desires for us all to continue to follow after Him even if we were to know that we would never feel His presence another day in our lives.

God loves us and He is diligent to watch over the process of our lives. Maybe you feel like you are in a winter season of your life. Allow yourself to overcome this time and be ready to embrace the life that will come, as you fully trust the God that is shaping you.

"Only in a dimension where faith is difficult, could faith be faith."

-Pastor Ed Gungor-

Written by Joy Wimer, Go Intern.

Go Weekend 2010

Simply put, this year's Go Weekend can only be expressed with one word: “Amazing”. Who knew that in such a short amount of time so much could be accomplished? As one of the interns, Brittany Norris put it: "It should've been called, 'A lifetime's worth of lessons in one weekend' weekend."  Starting Friday, the interns quickly took hold of the core values that were presented to them and established friendships without hesitation. Continuing into Saturday they showed the love of God through various outreach opportunities and leadership challenges that stretched their abilities to new lengths. Lauren Bruhn, another first year stated that: "Through the Go Weekend, I slowly let myself accept the beauty and uniqueness that God gave me! Ahh, it was like a breath of fresh air.” It was evident that not only were people's lives touched in Kansas City, as well as the members of our team. As it ended on Sunday, it was apparent that a new family had emerged and that this year's group of Go Interns had a new energy and momentum! We are expectant to head into the year with this group of wonderful people who are willing to dedicate themselves to reaching others!

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