Davis Family- EFCA ReachGlobal Europe

EFCA ReachGlobal Madrid City Team

2012-01-31T14:39:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful for Sam & Jill Tabiendo and Katie Dudgeon, pioneer members of the Madrid City Team. They are experienced missionaries and experienced in Christian ministry, but new to the city of Madrid.

How important are foundational conversations and clear expectations for a new team? How important are conversations about the future of a city team? That's what we are about during these days in Madrid.

Please pray 4 us!

Lisbon City Team plans for bright future, 2012-2022

2012-01-28T10:46:00.000-08:00

The Lisbon City Team has been meeting the last two days catching up relationally, doing a team assessment, talking through their context and resources, and looking at vision for the future.

Tommorow we continue looking at the vision and then set goals for the coming months and years. Please pray for us, especially City Team Leader Jonathan Shoemaker.

The photo shows team and the important elements to be included in their team vision.

Lisbon, Madrid, and Europe Teams

2012-01-26T05:13:00.000-08:00

Today begins 2 plus weeks working with and for the Lisbon City Team, the Madrid City Team, and the Europe Area Leadership Team. TEAM, TEAM, TEAM.

Pray that each of these teams is able to accurately assess where they are at, what are their resources, what is their vision, what are their goals (shorter and longer term) and what they need to do in the coming months.

Please pray for Lisbon, Madrid, and Europe.

want to understand what missionary candidates are going through, really?

2012-01-20T06:06:00.000-08:00

Read these two blog entries:

http://par-lay-voo.blogspot.com/

http://leadingfromthesandbox.blogspot.com/2012/01/missionary-support-team-building-very.html

FINANCIAL SUPPORT NEEDS 2012

2012-01-11T04:56:00.000-08:00

First, thank you to ALL of those who have given us a one-time gift or supported us annually since 1992. Yes, we have been at this since 1992, over 20 years!

Secondly, doing gospel ministry anywhere in the world is difficult and costs money. Europe is difficult. Europe is expensive. We don't choose where we should work in the world based on which country would be the cheapest, nor the "easiest" in terms of "bang for your buck." We are Europe missionaries because God has called us, and continues to call us, to this needy continent. The missionaries I work with and oversee in Europe continue to be my heroes, working in countries where the "degree of difficulty" is great and the "financial commitment" both professionally and personally is substantial. This is a tough one-two punch for all those working in Europe.

Thirdly, I would ask you to prayerfully consider supporting our ministry on a one-time or monthly/annual basis. My best guess is that we are lacking $1000 a month, $12,000 a year, to meet our financial needs in 2012. Please know that no one-time or monthly/annual gift is too small.

Lastly, I will be in Lisbon and Madrid at the end of the month leading in a long term planning process (assessment of present ministry, context, resources, 10 & 3 year goals, 6 month tactics). Lord willing, I will be involved in this process in each of the 12 West Europe cities I oversee in 2012. I think you can see how potentially important these times will be.

Europe video worth watching...take a look!

2012-01-10T06:15:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-Qn4p6HtuE&feature=youtu.be

Christmas Day 2011

2011-12-25T17:22:00.001-08:00

Mike's 49th bday

2011-12-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

2011 Looking Back

2011-12-22T05:34:00.000-08:00

Want to receive our 2011 family and ministry summary? Let me know! I will send it your way.

Christmas news from Lyon, France

2011-12-06T04:41:00.000-08:00

Jim Carlson writes,

We had a wonderful time at the 7th Annual Traditional Christmas Carol Celebration with over 400 people singing Christmas carols! Thanks to all for coming and for helping!

12.04.11

2011-12-04T13:18:00.001-08:00

1. 12 Teams of Christmas---that’s right, I am praying for the 12 teams I oversee in West Europe and Montreal, Canada. These teams have a wide variety of evangelistic outreaches and special events during December and January. They also will gather with family, friends, and churches in the locations where they live and work. Please pray.

• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Birmingham, England
• Brussels, Belgium
• Flanders, Belgium
• Innsbruck, Austria
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Lyon, France
• Madrid, Spain
• Marseille, France
• Montreal, Canada
• Rome, Italy
• Toulouse, France

2. Home for Christmas--- Bethany and John will be home for Christmas. The last time we were all together was in the summer. Bethany finishes her college courses at Liberty in a few weeks. She is now working full-time as an admissions counselor, specifically helping with potential Spanish and Portuguese speaking students.

3. Home today (December), gone in January, February, March, April & May---I will be doing team assessments and long term planning with my teams:

• January-Lisbon & Madrid
• February- Brussels & Flanders
• March-Toulouse, Lyon, Hong Kong (ReachGlobal leadership gathering), & Nashville, TN (visit John over Spring break)
• April-Birmingham
• May-Lynchburg, VA (Bethany’s graduation) and Wheaton (Matt’s HS graduation)

4. Financial support --- Please help us end 2011 well through your prayer and financial support. We have some very expensive travel months in 2012.

3 out of 4 home for thanksgving 2011 in wheaton

2011-11-26T09:39:00.000-08:00

Quintin Steiff and Emilie Gibbons, Mars Hill

2011-11-14T06:30:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zmQLMA79TOA

Athens, Day #7

2011-11-10T05:46:00.000-08:00

Cal Swan's reflections from the Camino de Santiago:

we're only pilgrims passing through this world---how true and how important we understand this truth!
we're walking with brothers and sisters on life's journey
building a bridge is important...are we helping to build bridges for others on their journey?
encourage others to walk forward
sweet walks with Jesus are not devoid of temptation

Quintin Stieff shared a number of leadership axioms...put together from 20 plus years in ministry.

We were done as a group by 11:30 am this morning so that the majority of the group could get to the Acropolis before the 2:30 PM closing time.

Don and I are going to head to the airport late tonight, as he has a 4:30 am something flight and mine leaves at 6:30 am...it is airport hanging out (an maybe sleeping?) with a good colleague and friend---could be worse!

The Berlin/Athens journey is coming to a close. So many good sights, sounds, smells, tastes, conversations, meetings, and new friends these past two weeks. I am blessed. I am thankful.

I am leaving with a number of new friends and a new country that I love---not bad :)

Athens, Day #6

2011-11-09T13:23:00.000-08:00

Too late to write much...it's 11:30 PM here. Anyway, another great day spent with the Europe West City Team Leaders learning about the work in Greece, hearing from our main speakers Cal & Quintin, and topping off the day with a great Greek meal in a local restaurant.

Tomorrow is our last full day...

Athens, Day #5

2011-11-08T12:43:00.000-08:00

Oh, what a day...

Cal Swan begins to share about the Camino de Santiago walk he took with his son Ben...

Son Ben began walk with Dad after cancer treatments
30 something days
500 miles
Pilgrimage gives us one less prejudice and one more idea
Let us throw off everything that hinders (Hebrews 12)
Father and son time the real highlight

Don Reynard shared regarding our ReachGlobal wide strategic planning process...

Quintin Stieff shares his testimony in chapter form...

Pastor of the First Greek Evangelical Church shared with the group and answered questions...

Director of Greek Bible Institute shared history of school...

Most of the folks then headed to Athens for the afternoon and evening (not back yet and it is 11PM)...

Again, a good time was had by all...see you tomorrow

Athens, Day #4

2011-11-07T12:25:00.000-08:00

Don & I were able to get on the internet again this morning. I guess the magic switch was pushed when the office of Scripture Union opened.

We went down to Kifissia this morning and scouted out the town a little more, saw the hotel where the couples would be staying, went shopping for snacks, etc. for our gathering, and then had lunch---more gyros!

This afternoon the City Team Leaders began to arrive and by the end of dinner time all our folks had made it. 5 couples are staying in Kifissia in a hotel and 13 guys without their wives are here at Bethel.

Stefanos and Manon shared with the group about growing up in Greece (and some in the US). We then all shared a nice meal together, topped off with baklava, and Socrates from Scripture Union told of the history of this place where we are meeting/staying...

Everyone has a bed and is fed. I am looking forward to a great day tomoroow.

Athens, Day #2 & Day #3

2011-11-06T22:45:00.000-08:00

Day #2---Don & I spent the morning with Stefanos and
Manon. It was a great time to hear about the evangelical church in Greece,
their life in the US the last 10 years, and their calling to return to their
country of Greece and share the Good News. It is hard to put into words the
passion and conviction they have regarding returning to Greece “at such a time
as this.” If you follow international news at all, you know these are
tumultuous economic times here in Greece.
Some very difficult days could be ahead in Greece. We had lunch at a little place not far from
where we are staying and I ate the BEST gyros I have had in my life---the best!
The only bad news about our lunch date was that there was a ticket on their car---and
we were parked like everyone else on the block.
When we returned from lunch, Quintin Stieff from Valley
Church in West Des Moines, IA was waiting at the door of Bethel. He is here as
one of our guest speakers. He will focus on family and ministry issues for our
missionary leaders. Quintin, Don & I enjoyed an Italian dinner in Kifissia
(20 minute walk from here) and some very good conversation. I was able to
listen to Matt’s playoff football game live on the internet radio. The game was
a real bummer, as Wheaton North lost, as it did not sound like Wheaton North
played too well. We lost the internet where we are staying right as the game
was ending. I will try to send this out on Monday morning from here or a wifi
spot in town.

Day #3---Today was a great day---that is an understatement!
We took the metro into Athens and went to the Greek Evangelical Church. This is
Manon’s church. I had trouble understanding too much with my headset and the
translation, but I really enjoyed what I picked up, the music, the call to be people
of the Word during difficult days in Greece, the communion service, and just
seeing a full sanctuary of evangelicals in the heart of Athens. The Acropolis
stands in the distance from the church, and high on the hill, if you stand back
across the street from the church. Get the idea of the contrast: a full
evangelical church and the Acropolis, which is a thoroughly impressive empty
temple and tourist attraction. After church Don, Quintin, and I went to lunch
in a very cool setting: outside, under the trees and vines, folks walking by in
the narrow streets around, and super tasty Greek food (what else!). We then
went walking on one of Rick Steve’s recommended Athens walk. The highlight was
the Acropolis, but winding up the tiny streets, paths, between the houses was a
close second. Mars Hill from Acts 17 was also super cool.
Rich Burrill, Europe Advocate, was “home” when we arrived.
The 4 of us had a good time chatting together…getting tired and time to sign
off…again, hope to send this off on Monday.

Athens, Day #1

2011-11-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

I had to get up way too early this morning for my flight from Berlin to Munich and then on to Athens. I arrived in Athens right about noon.

The taxi ride from the aiport to Bethel, the place where we are staying about 30 minutes north of Athens, was a great one. Anthony, this 30 something year old dude, wanted to talk. He talked about the economy, people double and triple parking, the food in Greece, and a whole lot more. He asked me the "what do you do?" question and actually came back a second time to find out more. He said that you just can't judge people by how they look. Anthony said, "You just don't look like a pastor. I thought you were one of those rowdy Brittish soccer fans." Anthony also went on and on about how Greek olive oil is the best, much better than Spain, because the workers here touch it with their hands, not machines. The trees also have to work much harder to grow in Greece, thus the superior olives."

When I arrived at Bethel, Stefanos Mihalios, our ReachGlobal missionary soon to be full time in Athens, was there to greet me. He showed me the ropes of the place and talked over the week ahead.

Don Reynard arrived about 4:00 PM. He is with us for the week as well. The City Team Leaders all arrive on Monday. We will be 23 people in all.

Don and I walked downtown in the suburb where we are located. It is upscale and downright swanky. We found a Mexican restaurant---very good food.

Internet works well here...as you can see

Berlin, Day #5, last full day in Berlin

2011-11-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

My time in Berlin is coming to a close...at 6:30 AM I leave for Athens (arrving a little past noon).

Today was a time to walk through our teams, one by one, giving a brief update on each team and looking for connections between the teams and ways to serve each team better. It was time well spent!

This afternoon we talked through the vision of the ReachGlobal Europe Division:

The ReachGlobal Europe Division exists to Glorify God by serving as a catalytic, kingdom-minded partner as God transforms individuals, communities, and societies through the hope and power of the Gospel.

We committed ourselves to get the vision out many times and in many ways...they say it takes 7x before something really sticks...

Follow me in Athens as I gather with the Europe West City Team Leaders...

Berlin, Day #4, Checkpoint Charlie to start the day

2011-11-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

I walked to Checkpoint Charlie with 4 of my colleagues, from 6:30-8:00 am. It was a cold but good start to a great day. Want more about Checkpoint Charlie? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checkpoint_Charlie

David Ruiz had a good word during the devotional time on mentoring others: "Who am I passing the baton to?"

The Europe Area Leaders fall into two basic groups: Area Leaders with City Teams under them and Area Leaders in charge of strategic partnerships. We came to greater clarity today on how we should most effectively work together.

Berlin, Day #3, David Ruiz' birthday ;)

2011-11-01T13:59:00.000-07:00

Wolfgang Buesing, German missions leader, shared his perspective on modern Europe during our morning session. We are thankful for his time with us and see much partnership potential for the future. We , ReachGlobal Europe, are always looking and finding kingdom-minded partners.

The afternoon consisted of a # of business and calendar items...sounds boring, huh? Believe me, it was anything but boring!

This evening we shared a Vietnamese meal and a celebration of our leader's birthday---Happy Birthday, David! It is hard to believe today is your birthday ;)

Berlin, Day #2

2011-10-31T15:38:00.001-07:00

Following a devotional by Mike Edwards and an orientation to what we would see during the day, we headed out walking, riding buses, subways, walking, and more walking. The idea was to primarily see the diversity of Berlin, hear from missionaries and ministry partners, and pray for the people and neighborhoods in the areas visited.

We had a couple of typical Berlin eating experiences for the day...

Anybody know the location of our guys in the night photo?

Berlin, Day #1

2011-10-30T18:30:00.001-07:00

I guess you can call it Day #1...I flew from Chicago to Munich and then Munich to Berlin. I then took a taxi to the hotel where we are gathering for the Europe Division Leaderership Team meetings. My brother Matt has been in Berlin for Tim Keller's City to City (or something like that) conference. Matt joined us for our evening meal. Good fun and memory together. Matt returns to CA this morning.

Today (I am up in the middle of the night, after having a great "nap") we will be seeing Berlin through the eyes of Mike Edwards, fellow Area Leader and City Team Leader for Berlin. Mike knows his city well, so this should be very fun and informative. Understanding the important cities of Europe is a value and committment for us in RG Europe.

Time to see if I can sleep a little more...Todd is taking me on a run at 6:30 this morning---hope he has a leash so I don't get lost.

Berlin & Athens

2011-10-27T05:20:00.000-07:00

I will be in Berlin with the Europe Area Leaders beginning Sunday...please pray for our time of assessment, planning, seeing ministry in Berlin...

November 7-11 I will be in Athens with my City Team Leaders (Europe West)...this is a time for us to build community and coach one another...this is also a "show and tell" for the Gospel ministry in Athens. Our pioneer missionaries to Athens, Stefanos & Manon, will be leading/showing us around.

Follow the bouncing blog...thankful for your prayers!

2011-10-15T07:12:00.000-07:00

Montreal City Team, Oct. 9-13

2011-10-13T04:57:00.000-07:00

I am finishing up my time in Montreal with the city team as well as fellow Area Leader Don Reynard.

We enjoyed a great time looking at present reality, vision, and working on long term goals.

Please pray for this team as they finish out the initial goal setting process and continue on with eyes focused on the vision God has given them.

John-Marvin, Matt, & Montreal

2011-10-05T06:14:00.000-07:00

John-Marvin---heads home today for a short fall break from Vanderbilt University. He returns to Nashville, TN early Monday morning.

Matt---we’ll (John included) be able to see Wheaton North’s home football game this week vs. Naperville Central. This should be a good one!

Montreal---I leave for Montreal, Canada early Sunday morning. I will be spending several days with the Montreal City Team (Pinneys, Wheelers, Hemmerles) as well as fellow Area Leader, Don Reynard. We will be doing a time of assessment and strategic planning. Please do pray for our time in Montreal. Pray for relationship building, team building, a clear assessment of present reality, and a road map for the future.

Matt and Grandpa Aiken

2011-09-03T13:11:00.000-07:00

August 30, 2011 newsletter

2011-08-30T18:16:00.000-07:00

OK, let’s get specific…how can you pray for the Davis Family?

1. Mike---pray for me as I work with the teams of West Europe and Montreal, Canada on their long range ministry goals. We have a mission wide process we are using over the next year or so involving evaluation of present ministry, 10 and 3 year goals and 6 month action plans. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit would guide the process. Would you pray for this planning process and implementation?

2. Janet---my wife has her hands full with an all day bilingual kindergarten class. She teaches in Spanish in the mornings and English in the afternoons. We firmly believe that God has prepared her for this role in every way---but it is still daunting! Janet is also finishing English Language Learner classes this year at a local university. This will enable her to keep her teaching credential valid for the long haul. You teachers know what I am talking about. Please pray for my busy wife.

3. Bethany (21) ---finishes her coursework at Liberty University this December. She will “walk” in May 2012 graduation. Bethany does not know what comes next for her in terms of graduate school and work. Please pray for Bethany.

4. John-Marvin (19) ---is loving life at Vanderbilt University. He is a sophomore transfer student. His engineering and math courses are very challenging. Please pray for John-Marvin.

5. Matt (16) ---is a high school senior. As far as we know, he is the youngest senior in his class (thanks to life in Europe). Matt is in the midst of varsity football and a busy schedule full of AP courses. This fall is also the decision making time in terms of college applications. Where will he end up? Right now he is looking at about 4 possibilities. Please pray for Matt.

6. Gabriela (12) --- has now started 7th grade. Gabi continues to do well, though Jr. High certainly has its struggles. For example, last week she had tryouts for the volleyball team but did not make it---at least this time around! Please pray for Gabi.

7. Davis Family --- my prayer is that each month we would see one new church or individual either join our support team or give a special one-time gift. Would you pray for our financial support?

Mike & Janet, August 2011

2011-08-30T04:15:00.000-07:00

1st week of school for Matt (HS senior) and Gabi (7th grade)

2011-08-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

Sarah Bennetch---Rome City Team

2011-08-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

http://www.efcatoday.org/site/article/no-one-volunteers-to-be-exploited#.Tk6-6FouRk0.facebook

Home from Europe Conference

2011-08-19T03:52:00.001-07:00

This year's Europe Conference was a special one in many ways:

David Ruiz and TJ Addington shared messages of hope, challenge, and encouragement
the US teams coming to minister through worship, kids, youth did excellent work
for me personally, God gave dozens of good conversations with those I work with and for
the Recruitment Lunch Forum I organized seemed to be a big help for folks
I feel like I have good "tracks" on what I should do next and what areas need attention

This weekend is a family wedding for Matthew Aiken...it will be good to be together

the conference continues - Sunday the 14th

2011-08-14T11:11:00.000-07:00

Singing the Beatles "Can't buy me love" is how we kicked off our morning session. Kevin Cross (CPA, Pastor of Stewardship at a church in Atlanta) spoke on the subject of money. His presentation was super high octane. I think he consumed a six pack of Red Bull before getting up on stage. Kevin said "crazy" stuff like don't spend more than you have, save some money, and don't always go for the bigger and better. Crazy stuff, huh? The statistics on the average American family related to spending, debt, savings (lack of it), and lack of generous giving are staggering and sobering. I was both convicted and inspired to live differently and to speak out more on money issues.

Human trafficking was the equipping session of the afternoon. Wow, talk about a sad, horrible reality. Human trafficking is SLAVERY. Two very informed ladies walked us through the subject, asking us to both "hear" and then "answer" the call.

the conference continues - Saturday the 13th

2011-08-13T11:49:00.000-07:00

Wow, a really good night's sleep is wonderful...I felt totally with it today

The morning challenge by TJ Addington was a perfect fit for me...it was really a challenge of faith.

I remember a seminary prof at Liberty said to us over and over again in Hebrews class, "Faith is believing what God says and acting as if it were so, even when it appears not to be so, in order that it might become so."

David Ruiz spoke in the afternoon, challenging us to integral mission (whole person, whole society).

Europe Conference 2011, Germany

2011-08-12T23:47:00.000-07:00

Wednesday --- travel from Chicago to Frankfurt...I was able to spend good time with Bill Perkins, teacher at the Bucharest Christian Academy, as he was on the same flight. Any teachers out there looking for places to serve overseas?

Thursday- I arrived at the Frankfurt airport at about 5:45 am...I was able to meet and greet missionaries as they were coming in...when we had 20 or so arrive we got on the bus and drove 2 1/2 hours to the conference center. There were several more buses picking up people at the airport after my bus .

Following the typical opening introductions, David Ruiz (our International Leader for Europe) shared his testimony/story in the opening evening session. David shared his passion for Lord and his hope for Europe.

Friday- Day of prayer and fasting...evening session with City Team Leaders

End of Summer, well, sort of...

2011-08-09T06:59:00.000-07:00

I (Mike) head to Europe Conference 2011 tomorrow, Chicago to Frankfort, and then a bus ride to the conference center. This the THE Europe gathering of our missionary families. Please pray for the event. Pray specifically for me and the dozens of conversations I will have with folks.

Janet is preparing for teaching bilingual kindergarten this year at Johnson Elementary in Winfield, IL.

Bethany is travelling out east before attending the wedding of a friend and then meeting up with us at a family wedding (Matthew Aiken) in VA.

John finishes up this Friday his summer as a counselor at Covenant Harbor, Lake Geneva, WI.

Matt is in the midst of doubles football practice...his first game is Friday, 8/26. Pray that the big guy stays healthy.

Gabi has a few weeks left before school begins. She is helping mom get her classroom ready for action. PHOTO---GABI A FEW WEEKS AGO AT COVENANT HARBOR

A BIG SUMMER THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED FINANCIAL AND PRAYER SUPPORT...

Gabi spends week at Covenant Harbor

2011-07-31T09:12:00.000-07:00

Photo of Gabi and her counselor Hannah.

Gabi went to camp where John is working as a counselor.

if you want to follow Matt's ministry in Chicago...

2011-07-18T05:49:00.000-07:00

http://chicagoimpact2011.blogspot.com/

Chicago, WI, DC, Wheaton, and Europe

2011-07-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

Chicago---Matt (16) heads into Chicago today (Sunday) to do inner city ministry with Sunshine Gospel Ministries for a week with the Chicago Impact Team from College Church, Wheaton, IL.

http://sunshinegospel.org/who-we-are.php

Lake Geneva, WI---John (19) continues to serve at Covenant Harbor this summer in archery/riflery and is also a counselor. He is a 4 X 4 this year, doing all he is asked and more.

http://www.covenantharbor.org

Washington, DC---Bethany (21) is attending a conference on the State of Israel in DC this week. She left yesterday, after being home for less than a week. She returns Thursday.

Wheaton, IL---I am working with some teams across Europe facing real personnel challenges. I am also greatly burdened for our new missionary candidates seeking the needed financial support to serve in Europe---the financial challenge faced today is greater than I have ever seen.

Europe---Our ReachGlobal Europe Family Conference takes place the 2nd/3rd week of August. What an important event for our missionary staff in so many ways!

Shedd Aquarium visit with ladies, July 14

2011-07-14T14:48:00.000-07:00

July 4, 2011

2011-07-04T14:48:00.000-07:00

As Area Leader for the ReachGlobal City Teams of West Europe and Montreal, Canada, I am always seeing something new, different, interesting, praiseworthy, and inspiring. There is not a week which goes by that our missionaries do not make very significant Gospel contributions in Europe. There is also not a week they don’t face very significant challenges.

• The Seume Family (Amsterdam) has some very significant support needs…they just finished their work at Tyndale Theological Seminary and will be coming on Home Ministry Assignment to the Wheaton, IL area later this summer.
• Stefanos and Manon Mihalios continue to raise support in preparation to open the Athens City Team.
• The Tabiendo Family have returned to Spain and are taking the initial pioneer steps for the Madrid City Team. They hope to move out of temporary housing and into a permanent home in the near future.
• The Montreal City Team is offering English Language Camps again this summer. The Montreal City Team and the Flanders City Team (Belgium) both have a long history of very effective ESL camps.
• The Baliva Family have joined the Rome City Team and now have their own place to call home.
• The Toulouse City Team has hosted a number of interns this summer, including Catherine Michaelis from the Free Church in Merced, CA. Interns/short-termers are an important part of the work going on throughout Europe.

And what about our family?

• Bethany (21) returns home from Guatemala on Sunday. She has been part of a tremendous ministry in Guatemala during her college years at Liberty University.
• John (19) writes from Covenant Harbor, Lake Geneva, WI:

This was my fourth week at camp, second week of actually having kids come around. I taught more archery and rifles this past week, and had a blast with 10 kids during private hour and a half lessons. When I wasn't doing the private lessons, I had hundreds of kids come during the other 4 hours or so I'm in the archery pit every day. Besides archery, I was also a cabin buddy. That means that I followed a cabin around and helped a counselor for the week after dinner until the lights were out. One of the most exciting things I did this week was speak! I got to speak to 230+ kids and staff. It was a mini-sermon, about 10 minutes long and the topic was faith. It was about what faith is, how God has been faithful to us, and how we can be faithful to God. I used Hebrews 11:1 as our passage to study. All in all, great week!

• Matt (16 and a HS senior) continues with football conditioning. He will be part of the Chicago Impact Team from College Church, July 17-23.
• Gabi (12) is a busy girl with sports camps (lifeguarding, basketball, volleyball, and soccer).
• Janet is glad to have some well deserved time off from teaching this summer.

John-Marvin @ Covenant Harbor, Summer 2011

2011-06-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

John is working at Covenant Harbor in Lake Geneva, WI...details coming soon

Guatemala

2011-06-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

Bethany is currently in Guatemala for the 5th time during her college years and for her 3rd consecutive summer with the Liberty University Spanish Institute. I was super thrilled to be able to see her and the work she is doing. Bethany finishes her coursework at Liberty University this December---wow, this has gone quickly.

John-Marvin is in Lake Geneva, WI. John is working at Covenant Harbor for the summer in sports/recreational activities. He is transferring to Vanderbilt University in the fall. We are thrilled!

Matt will be serving in inner-city Chicago for one week this summer as part of Chicago Impact (July 17-23). HS football conditioning and summer football camp will fill the rest of the summer. Matt is looking forward to his senior year at Wheaton North HS.

Gabi will fill her summer with sports camps and time at the pool. That’s what 12 year olds get to do --- sounds pretty good!

Mike (me) was in Guatemala for meetings of the ReachGlobal Europe Division Leadership Team, May 23-June 1. Our International Leader, David Ruiz, is from Guatemala, thus it was a great opportunity to see his country and family on their home turf. David and family did a superb job serving as our hosts. During these meetings the following was accomplished:

• Really coming together as a team under David’s leadership. This was our 3rd time together under David, and I left Guatemala with much hope and anticipation regarding the future of RG Europe.

• Clarity on our teams within a team---that is, we have Area Leaders with City Teams and Area Leaders with the role of strategic partnerships. I continue on the side of an Area Leader with City Teams (as I’ve been for nearly 6 years).

• We were able to learn much about the history, evangelical culture, and see a few sights in Guatemala. Our meetings took place in Antigua (what a cool place).

• The time with David’s family was important for each of us.

The following are details of my time with Bethany and her work in Guatemala…taken from emails

PART 1---May 31
After dropping you guys off at the airport (the Europe Area Leaders), I went with David to Hertz, unloaded the rental van and loaded up Andrea’s (David’s daughter) car. David and Andrea took off.
I was picked up at Hertz about 40 minutes later. Esperanza de Vida, the center in Llano Verde where Bethany has worked these last 3 years, had sent two drivers, Chon & Henry. Actually, one guy serves as driver and the other is watching for trouble and is armed with a hand gun. Turns out that the drivers/bodyguards are not believers. Bethany told me that later. She also told me that believers don’t normally carry guns (or drink). Drivers/guards do. After my pickup we went to the airport to pick up Kimberly, a mother of one of Bethany’s team members. There are about 20 on the team from Liberty University. We ended up waiting for 1 ½ hours for Kimberly to come out and then had to go a local hotel to pick her up. She did not feel she had confirmation for her pickup so she had come off the plane, out the exit door, and straight to a hotel where her and her husband are staying. He is doing work for Delta Airlines at present this week. So after this delay, we went to Pollo Campero for lunch. Yes, David, I got to try the chicken (good stuff). Then we started out on our nearly 3 hour drive. The road to Llano Verde was filled with construction, tons of commercial trucks, and a lot of “big rocks” in the road (literally). When the driver was able, we were going 80mph, and we crossed that solid line in the middle of the road probably a hundred times. By the way, nobody wears a seatbelt. I would have but mine was broken. The drivers just prefer not to. I enjoyed talking with both drivers and Kimberly on the way up. Kimberly was glad I speak Spanish. We arrived about 5 PM at Esperanza de Vida (photo below).

The drivers took me right to Bethany. She looked really good, tan and healthy. She was in the team room/internet room where they have Spanish courses, etc. After getting settled in my room (with air conditioning since Bethany is a “big shot”), Bethany showed me around the grounds/ministry property (it is very big). Everyone here knows Bethany well. I saw their warehouse/staging area where they keep supplies, the nutrition center where they care for very sick and abandoned babies/toddlers, the school, the main offices, etc. We then had dinner with Bethany’s team, followed by their devotional time. We then went into the town of Llano Verde, broke up in small groups with at least one guy, and did home visitation. I went with Bethany and Candace, the co-leader with Bethany. We went in the homes of some folks they know well as she wanted them to meet her padre. Everyone says the same thing to Bethany: “I see why you are so tall.” Bethany’s Spanish is perfect. She has made the switch from Spain to Guatemala so well and it is so obvious that they appreciate and love Bethany. Afterwards we went back to the team room where Bethany and I did internet for a few minutes before heading to our rooms (she is right next door).
After a shower and a good night’s sleep (with AC), we had breakfast with the team. The place where they eat is like the dining area at the beach resort we went to with the EDLT. There is a beautiful pool right beside the dining area (really nice). Following breakfast we went to the warehouse where Bethany and a Guatemalan worker instructed the team how to put together food bags for visits to the small, poor towns in the area. The bags consisted of a big bag of corn, some noodles, canned goods, etc. They probably weighed 20 pounds when completed. Bethany does a great job leading the troops. While the team was finishing up with the bags, Bethany had the drivers take us to the house where she lived for a month three years ago. You talk about simple and primitive---wow. Her “Guatemalan mother” was thrilled to see her and meet me and kindly brought us pure water, an apple, and later an orange Fanta to take with us --- how generous! We also visited another family across the street. One of the guys was a soccer player on Guatemala’s national team. The drivers then picked us up, as Bethany was called to come back because the bags were ready to be delivered. The team is taking them to a nearby town to give away and will come back at 1PM or so for lunch. I stayed back to keep out of the heat for a bit. I know the rest of the day will be full. I think there is more warehouse work this afternoon and Bethany wants to take me out to visit more people. In addition to a lot of the aid work, Bethany and Candace teach Spanish to the Liberty Team as well as help with homework, grade papers, etc. The days are very full.

Bethany has spent so much time and many of her Guatemalan friends and co-workers. I could not be more proud of the work Bethany is doing here. That’s enough…internet is NOT that good here..

PART 2-June 1
I am sitting here in the lounge at the Guatemala airport. David, your “passwords” still work  They let me in.
The team Bethany was leading returned later than expected yesterday morning/afternoon (2:30 PM). The truck full of food bags for the distribution was late in arriving to the town. The team handed out food bags for each family and then fed them a nice lunch of beans, tortillas, etc.
After the team returned to Esperanza de Vida they all ate a late lunch and had free time until dinner---they were thrilled after a full morning in the sun. Bethany and I were moved by the director of Esperanza de Vida, Carlos Vargas, to the house on top of the hill to spend some time together. This place had AC, a stocked frig and snacks, a couple big beds, and an incredible view both during the day and at night with the sky full of stars.
I shared regarding my missions journey after dinner during their devotional time. What a great audience---20 college age kids open to missions and on a missions trip in Guatemala. The interest level for Europe was very high. About a half dozen kids talked to me afterwards and had real interest in serving in Europe.

From 7:30-9:00 PM we then went into town and the Liberty team played hard court soccer in the town’s sports facility with kids, youth, and adults from the town. There were probably 50-75 people out to play soccer on this rainy, wet night. They come every Tuesday while the team from Liberty is there. After the games, one of the Liberty students shared his testimony in Spanish for the first time. He did a nice job! All the Liberty kids share their testimony on a couple of occasions during their 1st month in Guatemala. They also learn how to share a basic plan of salvation for the door-to-door work. Bethany works with them on their testimonies, etc.
Bethany and I arrived back at our room on the hill by 9:15PM. We had some time to chill and talk before going to bed. I was picked up at 4AM to take me to the airport as they had an airport pickup of 6 folks at 7am. This time the two dudes with guns (Chon and Henry) followed us in their truck while we (Juan Jose, me, and Kimberly, a mother of Liberty student) drove in a dark windowed van to the airport. I was up front with the driver. At least I look like a bodyguard a bit, though I didn’t have a gun. 
So here I sit in the lounge…9:30 am. Flight loads at 11:30am.

05.15.11---GOAL, ACT/AP, Vanderbilt, Guatemala, ESL classes, and Guatemala (again)

2011-05-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, here we go around the horn with the Davis Family…

•Gabi (12)---scored her 1st goal on the big field yesterday, as well as made a great stop at goalie. Gabi continues to do very well at Franklin Middle School, church, etc.

•Matt (16)---Matt has been “test boy” of late, taking the ACT with all of his junior class and 3 AP tests. He also had his wisdom teeth out and really enjoyed that (not). Matt is serving on the Chicago Impact Team at the end of the summer, doing work in the inner city of Chicago.

•John (19) ---was accepted to Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN as a transfer student. He will be working at Covenant Harbor this summer as a counselor. Covenant Harbor is a camp of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Lake Geneva, WI.

•Bethany (21) ---finished up her 3rd year at Liberty University. She served as SGA President (1st female) this past year. She is currently on route to Guatemala where she will serve as Assistant Director at the Liberty University Spanish Institute. This is her 5th time in Guatemala during her college years.

• Janet ---in addition to teaching English to students needing extra help, Janet has been taking graduate courses on bilingual education this past year…she has had a very good, but busy year.

• Mike---this time next week I will be in Guatemala for meetings of the Europe Division Leadership Team. Our leader, David Ruiz, is from Guatemala. We look forward to spending time in David’s country, see his family, and plan for ReachGlobal Europe’s future. At the end of our meetings, David will accompany me as we visit Bethany.

• We are praying that one new church or individual join our support team each month. We need some new supporters on our team!

The Royal Wedding

2011-04-19T07:22:00.000-07:00

The Royal Wedding

Elizabeth II's (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, born 21 April 1926) full title is "Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

Prince William of Wales (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982) is the elder son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, and second eldest grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He is second in the line of succession, behind his father, to the thrones of 16 independent states, while he resides mostly in, and is more directly involved with, the United Kingdom, the oldest of these realms.

The Prince's style and title in full: “His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales, Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.”

Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" Middleton (born 9 January 1982) is the fiancée of Prince William of Wales. Their wedding is to take place on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey.

They were engaged in October 2010 while on a private holiday in Kenya; William gave Middleton the same engagement ring that his father had given to William's mother, Diana, Princess of Wales—an 18-carat white gold ring with a 12-carat oval sapphire and 14 round diamonds.

Middleton will have a wedding ring, which will be made from Welsh gold. Since 1923, it is a tradition in the royal family to use Welsh gold for the wedding ring of the bride. This ring will be made from a small amount of gold that has been kept in the royal vaults since it was originally presented to Queen Elizabeth II.
--

It is so interesting to note the titles, thrones, realms, cathedrals, rings, and royal traditions.

I was thinking yesterday (Palm Sunday, April 18, 2011), as I watched the kids walk down the aisles in their blue choir robes, white collars, with palm branches waving in hand, that the upcoming Royal Wedding at Westminster Abbey, which undoubtedly will be filled with beautiful people, places, sounds and images that will last until this earth is finished, is nothing (nothing, nothing) compared to the present and eternal beauty and majesty of our Savior and King of Kings, Jesus Christ, His Kingdom, The Wedding of Christ and His Church, The Wedding Feast, The Royal City, and all that awaits us in heaven.

--

Information on the Royal Family and wedding taken from wikipedia

March 20, 2011

2011-03-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

The days of winter are fading in Chicago. We look forward with hope and anticipation to the rest of 2011.

The first few months of 2011 were full of snow, including the Blizzard of 2011, and a lot more:

• January---Europe Area Leaders meeting in Orlando, FA---setting of 10 and 3 year goals for RG Europe

• February---A few days with Shoemakers (Lisbon City Team) in Wheaton

California Road Trip with Rich Burrill (Europe Advocate)--we counted 17 gatherings. My dad is doing great post his December bypass surgery. I was able to spend a few days with my folks

• March---Central District Conference in West Des Moines, IA
Arthur, IA Missions Conference

Area Leaders with City Teams in Lititz, PA

Some highlights in the coming months:

• May---Europe Area Leaders to gather in Guatemala with our International Leader, David Ruiz (Guatemalan) …I will also see Bethany

• August---Europe Family Conference in Germany

• November---Europe Area Leaders to meet in Germany
West Europe City Team Leaders gather in Athens, Greece to see our new newest City Team

CA Road Trip comes to an end...

2011-02-21T12:56:00.001-08:00

Mike & Rich's CA Road Trip has come to an end...we counted 17 gatherings.

If I missed you this time around in CA please let me know and you can top the list the next time.

We felt that the following was accomplished:

1. Our personal European stories were told. We worked very well as a "team"

2. We were able to share about the gospel work going on throughout Europe, promoting all the City Teams in Europe...we told them RG Europe is a GREAT place to work and why...

3. The Vision 4 Europe Vision Trips for 2011 were promoted and explained

4. We renewed connections with many supporters, friends, and partners

5. West Europe City Team Summaries were shared/handed out at about every stop (thanks, CTLs for getting these to me)

5. Rich was able to make very good connections with many of my supporting churches

6. Most of our gatherings were over a meal, cafe, food in general (Panera, Starbucks, Mexican restaurants, potlucks, etc.)

7. The great need in Europe was told over and over again

8. We met many young people (and some older ones) interested in serving for the long haul. Many of these folks learned that we were looking for a great variety of people (musicians, artists, teachers, athletes---not just the geeky seminary types)

PHOTO---Rich and Mike after a meal at Black Bear Diner (very good comfort food)

Mike & Rich's CA Road Trip

2011-02-08T07:39:00.000-08:00

I will be on a "road trip" in CA with Rich Burrill from the 10th-21st of the month. We start up north in Redding and head down to Southern CA.

The purpose of this "road trip" is to recruit a new generation of missionaries, share regarding the Vision 4 Europe Trips offered in 2011, and to tell our personal Europe stories and what the Lord is doing in Europe.

Here's a bit of what we're doing by the #'s:

95 EFCA ReachGlobal Europe missionary families
24 City Teams in Europe
12 City Teams in West Europe (the teams I oversee)
10 Vision Trips in 2011
2 guys (Mike & Rich) sharing their stories and listening to yours
1 Great God and 1 Gospel needy continent

Chicago Blizzard 2011

2011-02-03T05:35:00.001-08:00

Europe leadership meetings in Orlando

2011-01-31T11:43:00.000-08:00

2010 FAMILY AND MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS

2011-01-19T09:32:00.000-08:00

LOOKING BACK N 2010 @ FAMILY AND MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS 4 THE DAVIS FAMILY---MULTIPLYING HEALTHY CHURCHES IN EUROPE --

--AREA LEADER, EFCA REACHGLOBAL EUROPE---

January --- Bethany (19) serves in Guatemala for the 2nd time, doing a TON of interpretation for a large US team. It is a great joy to see our kids serving in missions.

February--- a number of our Europe missionaries respond to the needs in Haiti after the earthquake, with the Rome City Team stepping up and out in a special way ---our desire is to be a flexible, mobile missionary organization, open to God’s leading to serve in new places and new ways.

March---EFCA ReachGlobal Lead Team meetings in Mt. Hermon, CA---once every year or two we gather with mission leaders from around the globe. City Team Leader Forum and Church Planting Institute takes place in Amsterdam, Netherlands. During CTL Forum we “exegeted” the cities of Berlin, Lyon, and Montreal. The CPI focus was holistic ministry, with DA Carson as keynote speaker. Our church planting missionaries, as well as about 75 national partners from through Europe, thoroughly enjoyed both listening to and interacting with Dr. Carson.

April---Bethany (20) runs for Vice President of Student Government Association at Liberty University---and wins!

May---Bethany spends two plus months in Guatemala (her 3rd time in Guatemala) as a student leader of Liberty University Spanish Institute. Our plan to extend our time in the US is firmed up and communicated. Thanks for your continued faithful support.

June---John (18) graduates from Wheaton North High School, then goes on to do work and ministry for the summer at the Wisconsin Dells. Matt (15) starts summer conditioning for varsity football @ Wheaton North. Janet takes special education course in order to help fulfill requirements for her Illinois teaching credential. Her CA and VA credentials had lapsed during our 15 years in Europe.

July---Spain beats the Netherlands 1-0 to win the World Cup. Summer 2011 Vision Trips are born: http://www.efca.org/reachglobal/where-we-serve/europe/about-europe/europe-vision/summer-2011-vision-4-europe-trips
John serves in Spain on a short-term missions team with College Church for 2 weeks --- we were thrilled!

August---John begins at University of Illinois at Chicago. We move out of missionary furlough homes and into a private home---our basement was flooded on the 2nd night

September---meeting with Europe Area Leaders in Minnesota---David Ruiz, from Guatemala, fully takes over as International Leader for Europe . Bethany takes over as SGA President of Liberty University, as the President needs to step down.

October---working with our missionaries and City Teams reviewing 2009-2010 and making plans for 2010-2011---each missionary family and each City Team has a monthly and annual plan and accountability. Gabi is doing well @ Franklin Middle School and also playing soccer on church team.

November---West Europe CTL gathering in Lyon, France---Dr. David Gushee speaks on Kingdom Ethics --- David was superb, so challenging! Matt’s (16) football team concludes exciting season, losing to the eventual State Champs, Wheaton South.

December--- My dad survives an 8 bypass open heart surgery---this was totally unexpected. We praise the Lord that Marvin is with us in 2011.

Europe leadership meetings in Florida? Yep

2011-01-15T09:43:00.000-08:00

enjoying some down time at Orlando airport as I return home to Chicago this afternoon...looking forward to going HOME...thankful for the time with the ReachGlobal Europe Area Leaders in FL (yes, Florida, as one of our leaders had family/health concerns and needed to be in the area)...hopeful and prayerful that these meetings will be of great benefit to our missionaries and City Teams in Europe

Christmas Day 2010

2010-12-25T14:38:00.000-08:00

one more picture from the City Team Leader gathering in LYON

2010-12-07T07:29:00.000-08:00

14 DAYS IN EUROPE

2010-11-15T05:22:00.000-08:00

I had this idea that I would journal a bit each day during my 14 day trip to Europe, with the goal of giving you a better idea of what I do, what is going on in our City Teams, and most importantly, what God is doing in Europe. Here are just some highlights of my recent “14 Days in Europe.”

DAY 1, CHICAGO 2 LYON, FRANCE
• “I hope I have everything and I’ve done everything I needed to do in preparation for the trip” That’s the feeling as I head out.
• Reading David Gushee’s Kingdom Ethics book as background for the City Team Leader gathering in Lyon. David will be our guest speaker.
• Reading through and responding to monthly ministry reports and newsletters from our missionaries.
DAY 2, LYON 2 BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
• Finish up ministry reports and financial approvals for ministry expenses of missionaries I oversee.
• Fly from Lyon 2 Brussels on EasyJet (discount airline in Europe) to visit our staff in Belgium.
• Spend time with missionary family, talking a lot about family and ministry --- good talks especially about raising adult kids during college years and beyond --- whew, a challenge for all of us.
DAY 3, BRUSSELS 2 LEUVEN, BELGIUM
• See ministry center and neighborhood where missionary family works---hear about ministry strategy and activities.
• See former church planting work/location where the work continues.
• Drive 2 Leuven to meet up with all our Belgium staff over an evening meal out. At present we have 3 households on Belgium field (Brussels and Flanders City Teams) and 2 on home ministry assignments.
DAY 4, LEUVEN 2 DILBEEK, BELGIUM
• See ETF- http://www.etf.edu/ where missionary family works as teacher. Talk to ETF leader about possibilities for short-termers.
• Check out possible location for housing October 2011 Vision Trip participants---contact me if you would be interested in a Vision Trip to Belgium.
• Drive 2 Dilbeek to stay with another missionary family.
• Talking through church plant in Dilbeek with missionary family---good time talking at café regarding our need to spend time with Jesus (so easy for all of us to get away from this). BTW--- this is the #1 reflection of our missionaries in both monthly and annual reports, that is, they want and need to spend more time alone with God.
DAY 5, DILBEEK 2 CHARLEOI, BELGIUM, THEN ON 2 ROME, ITALY
• Bus, train, bus, plane, bus, and metro as I traveled from Dilbeek 2 Rome.
• Evening meal and extended time with house church in Rome (great fun). We currently have 2 missionary households in Rome.
DAY 6, ROME
• Time with Brian & Sarah Bennetch talking about the work in Rome and personnel possibilities in Rome, Madrid,. Brian & Sarah, City Team Leaders in Rome, also serve as Regional Leaders for our teams in Spain and Portugal. I was also able to spend time with our newest addition in Rome, Trinity Kay. Lord willing, we’ll see many more like Trinity join our teams in the coming years.
DAY 7, ROME 2 LYON
• I returned back to Lyon in preparation for our City Team Leader meetings, Each year we gather to build community, learn together, coach one another, and see a current or potential city of ministry. Background photo is the City Teams Leaders in downtown Lyon.
• Visit International Church in Lyon---how encouraging to see this growing. We have 3 households at present in Lyon. Jim Carlson serves as Regional Leader for our 3 City Teams in France (Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse), so I was also to talk through our teams in personnel with Jim.
DAY 8-12, LYON --- CITY TEAM LEADER MEETINGS
• Finish preparations for our meetings. City Team Leader meetings begin with the evening meal (8th). Brief time of introductions with David Gushee & his wife Jeannie, our guest speaker and his wife.
• David Gushee teaches/leads us in a variety of topics related to Kingdom Ethics each morning (9th-11th)…want to know more?
• Brian Cole and wife Marla also attended and shared at our meetings. Brian is Executive Director for Mobilization for the EFCA.
• In the afternoons we saw both the city of Lyon and some of the Gospel ministry in Lyon (among university students, Muslims, national French churches).
• In the evenings we shared evening meals in downtown Lyon, plus one dinner at a French partner church and its pastors.
DAY 13, LYON
• Day trip with the Carlsons and Gushees to Le Chambon-sur-Lignon (a haven for Jews fleeing the Nazis during WWII)…Look it up!
DAY 14, LYON 2 MUNICH 2 CHICAGO
• Time to go home! I find that flying days are productive for reflection concerning both family and ministry.

RG West Europe City Team Leaders in Lyon

2010-11-12T08:27:00.000-08:00

Brian Bennetch, City Team Leader in Rome with his wife Sarah, sent me this summary of our Christian Ethics discussions in Lyon, France.

We all need to be challenged to go deeper, to think more biblically about what we're doing morally, why we're doing it, and who we are. It is an incredibly rich experience to gather with other believers, with diverse experiences, in order to ask each other the hard questions about the underpinnings of who we are as a community. What does it mean to live for Christ, in Christ, in the dawning of His Kingdom on this planet? We, the city team leaders of ReachGlobal in West Europe, had the rare opportunity to interact with a brother and scholar who has given himself to the study of these questions for the sake of the Kingdom. Dr. David Gushee, author of “Kingdom Ethics” (IVP Academic, 2003), joined us in Lyon, France for three solid days of lecture and discussion on some very pertinent topics:

1) Sexuality in post-modern, post-Christian Europe

Hmm. There is a lot we could say about sex in Europe. That's not really the point. What does the Church have to say to Europe about sexuality and the nature of God? So far, the organized church of most stripes has said a lot more about what is not permitted than it has said about what God has intended. Part of the reason is that believers are not always so clear on what God has intended. God has certainly intended a covenantal, intimate partnership that mirrors his own image. Europeans (and most human beings) are desperate for this sort of relationship, and it is an integral part of revealing the character of God to our society. Problem: believers have also bought into Walt Disneyan, and Colin Firthian ideals of marriage: the be-all end-all pinnacle of human experience. Even our Evangelical churches (I include myself in the criticism) have sometimes given us a fantastical idea of marriage that has little to do with the day-to-day reality of living out Christ in a broken world. Bottom line: the world needs to see committed married believers, walking out their lives in an authentic way, and reaching out to those around them. It is a lifeline.

2) Political Impact

It’s important to pay attention to definitions. What do we mean by politics or political activity? The fact is that the Christian community has always had a political impact on the society that surrounds it. Dr. Gushee brought us back to the origin of politics, that is, all that has to do with life in the polis, Greek for the “city.” Living our life in any other situation than the cloister or the monastery is an exercise which always has political ramifications. (And, indeed, the monastery has its own politics!) Many believers have varying views on what we classically understand as political engagement. I have come to understand (and even more deeply this week) that at worst or at best, the mechanisms of politics are by definition spiritually neutral . At one end of the spectrum, experience might suggest that political engagement by classic political means (numbers, pressure, voting) requires a certain amount of compromise, an involvement in what in practice is a corrupt sphere. The other end of the spectrum sees political tools wielded by believers as a necessary part of being a Christ-like influence in this world. You and I are somewhere on the spectrum. What kind of tools should we as the Church, we as citizens of heaven, we as strangers and aliens in this world pick up? Sometimes we pick up a hammer to turn a screw. If you're really lucky, that might work. I would like to call my brothers and sisters in Christ to pick up our spiritual gifts in Christ, employing them in such a way as to make an impact in our neighborhoods, in our world. I know for a fact that the Kingdom reverberates in the polis.

3) Justice

The word justice usually evokes the forensic idea of punishment of those who have infringed rules. The Bible most often uses the overlapping concept of righteousness/justice as doing what is right for the good of all concerned. The application of justice sometimes means the punishment of wrongdoers. Most often it challenges believers to do the right thing, be the right person. The point of the Good Samaritan story is to point out to the religiously proud that being a right kind of neighbor is more important than talking about it. The Golden Rule before Jesus was posed in the negative. Don't do what you don't want others to do to you. Jesus turned this saying on its ear, telling us to do righteousness/justice. Do to others the very thing that you would consider the right thing done to you. Justice is not something we exact from others, but something that we owe to our neighbor.

4) Sanctifying Life

Dr. Gushee hopes to finish a new book with this title in 2011, to be published by Eerdmans. It is a holistic look at life and its sacredness at every point on the age spectrum, and at every point on the globe. We know that fetuses are little people who often have their rights trampled. Their voices are not heard. Decisions go against them in court. It would be the right thing to have laws that did not permit the murder of these innocents. And supporting the sanctity of life, of all who are made in God's image, goes much further. Supporting life means that we as a community of believers must be ready to take in those who have been left outside to die. Sarah told Dr. Gushee over lunch about the catacombs outside of Rome. It has been discovered that many of the occupants of Christian family burial galleries in the catacombs do not have the same DNA. Why would that be? It turns out that Christians, unlike their pagan neighbors (the majority population), took in the babies that were left out in the fields to die. Our brothers and sisters in the early Roman empire would go out searching for the most vulnerable in the population; those who had no power, and little voice. These children became a part of the family, and part of the family of Christ! Our commitment to the vulnerable goes beyond armchair politics. Are all humans human? Let's ask ourselves about those who have no rights, no voice, no pull, no judicial process. Are our "enemies" human?

14 days in Europe

2010-11-06T02:34:00.000-07:00

I just got past the Italian challenges to entering my blog account...just because I am in Italy does not mean I speak Italian :) ...I guess it could have been worse---at least I can understand some words and the alphabet is familiar ...

I am keeping a journal of my 14 days in France, Belgium, and Italy and will be pulling out some highlights to share ...my goal in doing this is to give you a better idea what I do---like you wanted to know that!?

Mike

Bethany---1st Female President at Liberty University

2010-10-12T18:49:00.000-07:00

https://www.liberty.edu/academics/communications/champion/index.cfm?pid=10609&CAID=1551

10.11.10

2010-10-11T11:21:00.000-07:00

Gabi reminded me that yesterday was 10.10.10---I hadn’t even noticed. I must be SLOW.

Here is what is coming up for us:

1. Great Lakes District Conference of the EFCA, October 12-13---Pray specifically that Vision 4 Europe, Summer 2011 will make many good connections with attendees.

http://www.efca.org/reachglobal/where-we-serve/europe/about-europe/europe-vision/summer-2011-vision-4-europe-trips

2. My folks, Marvin & Mary, visit this weekend---As usual around here in the fall, it is a football weekend. Matt plays both Friday and Saturday. We are also attending the Wheaton College vs. North Park University game on Saturday.

3. Lyon, Brussels/Flanders, and Rome, November 1-14---I will be in Europe the first 2 weeks of November, visiting the City Teams in Lyon, Brussels, Flanders, and Rome. The 8th-12th will be a gathering of the City Team Leaders of West Europe in Lyon, France. Dr. David Gushee will be our guest speaker. The 3 main topics David will be addressing are:

• Day #1---Sexual Ethics and ministry in post-Christian Europe
• Day #2---The Ethics of ministering in diverse contexts with diverse ministry partners
• Day #3---Seeking Justice: Human Trafficking and other issues

http://www.davidpgushee.com/Gushee/Home.html

09.23.2010

2010-09-23T07:25:00.000-07:00

Europe Division Leadership Team--- I leave on Saturday to Brainerd, MN for meetings of our Europe leadership team. Our new International Leader for Europe, David Ruiz, will lead us through the week. Please pray that God would give us adequate time, unity, clarity, and direction.

Vision 4 Europe, Summer 2011--- Are you interested in long term service in Europe? Do you know of others who might be a good fit in Europe? Let’s connect.

College “kids”--- Bethany (Liberty University) and John-Marvin (UIC) both have very challenging academic schedules. Please pray that God would give them energy, strength, and peace during this season of life.

Matt & Gabi---Friday night football is a weekly highlight at the Davis house. This week is Homecoming, with fireworks, bands, and all. Matt and his team continue to play very well (3-1 record). The season has at least 6 weeks left---it depends how long they can survive in the state playoffs. Gabi is doing so well in Middle School. She was really stressed this summer leading up to the beginning of school, but we are so thankful with how the year is going.

what's your next chapter?

2010-09-16T17:19:00.000-07:00

our 2011 budget #'s---lacking $356 a month

2010-09-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

I just looked at and confirmed our 2011 support schedule (missionary budget), as I do every year. According to the #'s, we are lacking $356 a month in meeting our financial needs. We would ask you and your church to prayerfully consider joining our support team or increasing your giving by 5-10%.

We know you have many very good directions to send your money. We simply want to let you know the need and trust our 2011 finances to the same Lord who has provided for our missionary work since 1992.

Kenzie Aiken's wedding in Northern VA

2010-09-06T15:48:00.001-07:00

john at UIC

2010-08-22T18:34:00.001-07:00

John 2 UIC and Bethany 2 Liberty and MORE

2010-08-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

2 out of 4 of our kids are "partially independent." These are John's words after his first days at the University of Illinois at Chicago. We dropped off and set-up John on Wednesday in Chicago to begin his college days. I (Mike) had taken Bethany back to Liberty last Sunday/Monday.

Matt (HS Junior) continues to live and breathe football. Double-day practices are finished, the Blue/Gold scrimmage has come and gone (last night), and games begin next Friday night.

Gabi continues to fill her summer with all sorts of play, though middle school (6th-8th) starts for her next Tuesday.

Janet is returning next week as a teacher's aide for the school year in the same special education kindergarten class.

Regarding Europe ministry, here is a brief update:

I (Mike) am currently involved in a # of good conversations with potential missionaries for Europe
I have been able to spend some good time this summer here in the Chicago area with a number of our Europe missionaries, including the Tabiendos this last week and the Lonnie Smith family next week.
Vision 4 Europe Summer 2011 is gaining momentum...want in? This MENU of 10 vision trips is designed for potential missionaries for Europe.

Home in Wheaton

2010-08-10T07:09:00.001-07:00

Laura Laurie (Beckner) and cousins

2010-08-10T07:04:00.000-07:00

2010-08-02T19:09:00.000-07:00

The Davis Family: A summer full of travel, moving, challenges for our Europe missionaries, and Vision 4 Europe

Travel: Bethany to Guatemala and John-Marvin to Spain
Our kids now travel with or without us. Life changes, huh! Bethany spent two and a half months in Guatemala this summer. This was her 3rd time in Guatemala the last couple of years. She served as a team leader, interpreter, accompanied sick teammates to the hospital, and much more.

John is currently in Spain as I write (see team photo from Spain). He is part of this World Impact Trip with College Church (Wheaton). John is the only fluent speaker on the team, so he will be a very busy guy.

Moving: Out of the Missionary Furlough Homes and into a private rental home
Moving is a lot of work. You’ve all been there. We moved out of the missionary furlough homes and into a private home about only 1 mile away. God provided us with a great home and landlord. Can’t beat that! Brooke, our landlord, also left us with a house full of furniture---exactly what we needed! We did have our basement flooded on night #2 in our home, but things could have been much, much worse.

Challenges for our missionaries: legal, financial, transitions, and ministry
Our missionaries are always facing challenges, but I wanted to bring some specific prayer requests to your attention:
• A missionary family working in France is facing a huge tax bill from local officials (this was a total surprise). This same family has faced some serious health issues of late as well.
• Another family from France is working on some very important residence/citizenship issues which will impact greatly what they pay for their college age daughter to attend university in England.
• There are about 10 missionary families in West Europe who are lacking needed financial support. Looking for good missionaries to encourage through your financial gifts? Contact me.

Summer 2011 --- Vision 4 Europe
Actively recruiting a new generation of missionaries, ReachGlobal Europe is planning 10-14 day trips to ten different destinations the summer of 2011 for potential missionary candidates and partners serious about recruiting in their church or ministry community. Check out the website for more information and contact me (Mike). I am the initial contact person for these trips.
http://www.efca.org/

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Summer 2011 Vision 4 Europe Trips

2010-07-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

http://www.efca.org/reachglobal/where-we-serve/europe/about-europe/europe-vision/summer-2011-vision-4-europe-trips

Spain Beats the Netherlands to Win 2010 World Cup

2010-07-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

They did it! Spain beat the Netherlands 1-0 in the final minutes of the 3o minute overtime period. We are celebrating the win here in Wheaton, IL.

World Cup Edition: Spain vs. Netherlands

2010-07-08T13:03:00.000-07:00

World Cup---Yes, with all the countries in the world, the World Cup will be decided between two countries in West Europe, Spain and the Netherlands. How cool is that? Well, it is super cool for me. Yes, the Davis House wants Spain to win. During our 10 years in Spain (1994-2004) we lived through with our Spanish friends a # of disappointing showings in the Euro Cup and World Cup tournaments. Want to see a great video or two? They are worth your time!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GnHPxsBWQc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH-kO-tV3r8

I am equally excited about ReachGlobal’s work in these two countries. In the Netherlands we have 3 households in leadership at Tyndale Theological Seminary, an excellent training ground for students from Europe, Africa, Asia and more.

http://www.tyndale-europe.edu/

In Spain we have been involved in evangelism, church planting, church based training, theological education, and much more since 1994, primarily in Pamplona and Zaragoza. We are currently opening a new City Team in Madrid. Contact Sam.Tabiendo@efca.org for more information.

Jon & Meta Nelson have faithfully served in Spain for 5 years, living in Zaragoza, and helping build the Spanish Free Church (FIEIDE) seminary in Spain. Organizationally they are part of LATN and not RG Europe, but we still consider them part of “us” and much appreciate their good, faithful work. Blessings to the Nelsons!

Would you like to visit Spain or the Netherlands next summer (2011) as part of a vision trip? This trip is designed for potential missionaries to these two countries and many other countries across Europe. Right now, we have 10 different trips on the MENU. The MENU is subject to change, but this will give you a rough idea.

Bethany---Bethany will return from Guatemala July 17…it’s about time! She has been in Guatemala all summer.

John-Marvin---John has finished up his work and ministry in the Wisconsin Dells. He learned a great deal about work, life and ministry during his time in WI. John heads to Spain as part of a missions team from College Church (Wheaton) the first two weeks of August.

Move---Our family will be moving from the Missionary Furlough Homes into a private home in Wheaton the week of July 18-24. Moving is always a lot of work. Pray for us!

One full week of work

2010-06-23T05:06:00.000-07:00

It seems like a lot longer than just 5 days, but we were able to push through our first full week of work and are now sitting a sports bar enjoying some free time (and internet).

Training was a bit rough the past few days, but we all escaped with most of our dignity intact. The only problem is that now I have no excuse when my mom asks me to clean the bathroom...

We met some international students on Sunday and shared some watermelon with them, it was a good time!

Hope ya'll are doing well,

John

where have they gone?

2010-06-19T19:18:00.000-07:00

The house is kind of quiet, at least compared to “normal” around here. Bethany has been in Guatemala for about a month. John-Marvin is working and doing ministry in the Wisconsin Dells. Matthew is at a Titus 2 high school weekend (somewhere). Gabi is upstairs playing. Janet is typing away on a paper for a summer class on special education she is taking at College of DuPage.

• I attended the EFCA’s annual Leadership Conference in Columbus, OH from Monday-Thursday. Tuesday I participated in the ReachGlobal/ Europe Summit. The main speakers for this year’s worship services were EFCA President William Hamel, John Ortberg, TJ Addington (ReachGlobal) , and Samuel Rodriquez. As always, the time was filled with good conversation, contacts, steps forward, and challenges from the messages to “put on the road.” I love good messages. Colleague John Westrum was my roommate for the event.

• Matt started varsity football practice this week. Yes, they call it “football conditioning,” but it is really just a “legal” way to hold practice in the summer. He is doing well.

• John-Marvin began working at the Wisconsin Dells. It took at little while for John and the other MK’s to find work, but their persistence paid off. He is doing housekeeping at the Wilderness Resort. They have ministry activities planned with the international students in the coming days.

• Bethany got really ill in Guatemala last weekend. She called me on Monday, letting me know she was better, but informing me she had taken some students to the hospital (herself included this time). She was on the mend, but fatigued from Montezuma’s Revenge and more.

Week 3 in Guatemala--- Bethany

2010-06-17T07:28:00.000-07:00

Our third week in Guatemala was full of challenges, but it was also full of many blessings!

Monday was a standard ministry day in which the team worked in their ministries during the morning and afternoon.

Tuesday we all went to La Línea, Los Limones to distribute food to hundreds of families who had been affected by Tropical Storm Agatha. In order to reach the families we tracked through a muddy town in which most of the houses were destroyed or completely flooded with mud. We also sang the Spanish song El Señor es mi Pastor, with the author of the song in one of the churches where we taken food. That evening we had our weekly youth/sports night in town.

On Wednesday we worked in our ministries and had VBS in the afternoon.

Thursday we went to Gualán to clean houses which had been flooded by the river and completely filled with mud. Some houses were ankle-deep in mud while other houses were knee-deep in mud. It was such a blessing to be able to help people clean out their houses! However, we did have to take a trip to the emergency room with one of the girls. She is all better now, but she had had an asthma attack.

Friday we worked in our ministries once more and visited houses in Llano Verde. We were all sore from the day before, LOL!

Saturday we went to Chiquimula for the day to visit the city and relax a little after a long hard week. That evening we went to church in Llano Verde along with a new team that is here from Florida. I translated the testimonies and sermon.

Sunday we went to church in Gualán in the morning and to church in El Rosario that evening. That night I was in the emergency room in the city of Zacapa until 2:30am with three teammates. They are all getting better now.

Please pray for the health of the team!

Bethany

following john???

2010-06-10T07:23:00.000-07:00

http://bridgepoint1.blogspot.com/

you can follow John's journey this summer on the blog adddress above

John-Marvin's life and ministry at Wisconsin Dells

2010-06-10T07:21:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share a little bit about what John-Marvin is involved in this summer up at the Wisconsin Dells. John will be working at one of the resorts in the Dells and doing ministry among the international students who come to the Dells to work for the summer. I think once you hear a bit, you’ll see that he needs our prayers.

Yesterday we drove the 3 hours to the Wisconsin Dells, dropping off John, and participating in a parent/participant orientation event.

Here is a bit of what we learned yesterday about the Dells and ministry opportunities:

1. The Wisconsin Dells is a town of less than 2,500 people, but swells to nearly 100,000 during the high season.
2. 3,800 international students are excepted to come work in the Dells this summer, and this # is a bit down from last year.
3. The international students come from 20-some nations.
4. Money is a part of why these students come, but for many the opportunity to live in the states and speak English is just as important.
5. Living conditions for many of these students is pretty Spartan, with 4-6 students in a normal sized hotel room. The students pay about $70 a week per student for this style of housing (no food in the deal). Many of the students make minimum wage or less (yes, this is a special employment category which allows pay less than min.) .
6. Of the Dells 2,500 residents, nearly half are catholic.
7. The Ho-Chunk Native Americans have a LARGE reservation in the area, with housing, casino, and unbelievable facilities. Though shiny on the outside, the story of what is going on in terms of alcoholism, teenage pregnancy, high stakes gambling, and prostitution is a VERY sad one. Jay is best friends with Joe, a Ho Chunk leader who he led to the Lord, and spends a lot of time among the people. He is even being adopted into the community.
8. The Free Church in the area , planted and pastored by Jay Heesch, is about 100 folks. Jay and his wife caught the vision for reaching out to international students some years back after giving a group of students carrying bags of groceries a ride back to their hotel. After hearing their story, they began to go where these international students were housed and give out watermelon, root beer floats, bbq, and talk to these students. Jay and some members of the church have been reaching out in this way for 4 years or so.
9. Jay and the leaders of this ministry realized they were in great need of additional workers to come work this harvest, and out of this came the vision to have 20 MKs come to the Dells to work at the resorts (making some money), and work with Jay and his team on developing friendships and strategy for continued long term work among internationals. 20 MKs did not show up for this pilot project---and that’s good---4 MKs will be the guinea pigs. They are really excited about the MKS who have come, as our own John-Marvin speaks Spanish and Portuguese, Spencer Lahr speaks Polish, and Andrew and Sarah are MKs from Malaysia (not sure of their language abilities). 3 of the 4 families represents are ReachGlobal families and all are Free Church families.
10. Pastor Jay’s boys both played football at Trinity, and he loved working out with them during their playing days. So we have something in common!

Ok, that is enough info..please do pray for John…there are many Spanish speakers who live in and around the Dells, and hundreds of Spanish/Portuguese speakers who come to work. They are really counting on John to help push this ministry forward over the summer.

John-Marvin's graduation announcement and more

2010-06-08T07:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,

I am thrilled to announce that I graduated from Wheaton North High School in Wheaton, IL, on the 5th of June of 2010. I have had a very long and unusual journey to graduation day that has taken me from the beaches of Lisbon to the freezing winters of the Midwest. I spent 8th, 9th, and 10th grade in Portugal, which was a very difficult but rewarding experience. During those years I acquired much more than just a third language: I learned that with hard work and God’s help all things are possible. Living in Portugal was not my first experience with European life and education; for the first 10 years of my life I lived in Zaragoza, Spain. In Spain I grew up being completely bilingual and integrated into Spanish culture. All of my friends were Spanish, all of my schooling was in Spanish, and I went to Church in Spanish. As a child you don’t realize how valuable being a missionary kid really is, and what kind of an impact it’s going to have in your life. I received first-hand exposure to God’s work in Spain and Portugal, and I have two wonderful parents who helped me through the good and bad. Being trilingual and tri-cultural has undoubtedly helped to shape who I am and has given me a very wide perspective of the world. These past two years I have been living in Wheaton, Il. It has been a great opportunity to experience the American public school system and to be a part of my country’s culture. Schooling was fortunately an easy transition for me and I was able to be successful immediately; my European school experiences created great study habits and ingrained the importance of a great education in my mind. I was very actively involved in a nearby youth group that has been a huge blessing in my life, and it is filled with wonderful people who are very passionate about God. I can honestly say that I don’t think I could have asked for a better situation to live in, or better people to be surrounded by. This coming fall I will be attending the University of Illinois at Chicago where I will be studying Computer Science in the Engineering College. I have been a computer geek for as long as I can remember and I can’t really imagine majoring in something unrelated to computer technology. I would also like to announce that I will be going on a mission’s trip to Spain later this summer through my church’s youth group. We will be evangelizing in a town called Fuengirola and working with several other youth ministries to bring the gospel to the people of that town. Please pray that the trip will be a success both for the team and for all of the people we will meet there. I am very optimistic that these next few years will be filled with new challenges to face, new people to meet, and new places to see. I am very thankful for your prayers and support throughout the past few years, and I pray that God will bless you like he has blessed me.

In Christ,

John-Marvin Davis

2010-06-01T06:03:00.000-07:00

Hey Mom,

The flooding has not hit our town. And we are safe since we live on the top of the mountain. There is flooding just 15min away. We may go to a few towns that were flooded and destroyed to bring food and medical supplies.
The volcano eruption and ash was in the capital, 4 hours away, so we are good.
I love you very much,

Bethany

Second Week in Guatemala

2010-05-31T14:25:00.000-07:00

God has protected us throughout this entire past week and weekend. We have not been affected by the volcano which erupted in the capital three hours from here, and no flooding has yet to hit our town. We praise God for his protection!

Last night Sunday while the team was performed at another church, I went to the orphanage to celebrate the “quinceñera” of one of the girls there. It was great to be able to with her on that special day.

Monday we started with class and then the team worked in the various ministries in the morning and afternoon. I spent the day in Zacapa at doctors’ offices with a team member who was sick. He is almost completely better now. In the evening we visited local houses in town.

Tuesday we went to Zacapa and performed our program at both a school for the deaf and blind and at a public park. In the afternoon we went to an orphanage in Chiquimula.

Wednesday we started with class and then worked in the various ministries in the morning and afternoon. I spent some time in the main office once more running errands. VBS has held in the town school and we visited a family in town that evening.

Thursday we spent time during the morning and afternoon to perform our program and spend time with the students at the school run by Hope of Life.

Friday was yet another normal ministry day in which I taught class and then the team went to their different ministries. That evening we had a “cena típica” with youth from the town. The team shared several testimonies on their dreams and goals in life that God has layed on their hearts.

Yesterday we had planned to hike to a small waterfall, but due to the tropical storm Agatha, we stayed indoors most of the day. Saturday evening we performed at the church that my Guatemala family and I had attended last summer during my second month in Guatemala. It was such a blessing to see them once more.

This morning we went to the Cuban church and this evening we will perform at yet another church.

Continue to pray for the team as people keep on getting sick and that the volcano eruptions and tropical storms may stay far away from here.

Love, Bethany

Bethany's 1st week in Guatemala, Summer 2010

2010-05-24T04:49:00.000-07:00

After a long journey, including two four-bus rides and two plane rides, we arrived in Guatemala! We had a very large team of 29 people from Liberty University, including a couple college students from Virginia Tech and Oklahoma Baptist. Sunday afternoon we started to feel the extreme heat!

Monday we started the day with a two-hour class and then we practiced our program with songs and skits to perform in churches. We also walked through the neighboring town to announce our various ministries.

Tuesday the majority of the team went to a poor village in the mountains, called El Jute. We spent the morning doing door-to-door evangelism, and in the afternoon we ran a medical clinic, VBS and a church service. The team had the privilege of leading a couple ladies to Christ. Eight team members went to the city of Zacapa where they helped build a church in a prison.

Wednesday we started with class and then worked in the various ministries (orphanage, nutrition center, school, construction, and elderly home) in the morning and afternoon.

Thursday we went to perform our program at a junior high, with many kids who belonged to the largest drug lord town in the area. We also performed at the elderly home and at the high school in the afternoon. In the evening we went into the town for visitation; I visited the same family I used to visit last year.

Friday we started with class and then worked in the various ministries in the morning and afternoon. I spent some time in the main office, where I had my internship last summer.

After I long week of hard work and some sickness on the team (as they learn how to deal with Montezuma’s Revenge!), Saturday we were taken to a nearby water park for the morning. In the afternoon we went to church and presented our program.

Today, Sunday we went to church this morning and performed our program. We will go again to church tonight to perform once more.

Thank you everyone for your prayers!
Bethany

Summer 2010 and Beyond

2010-05-20T06:10:00.000-07:00

The Davis Family: Summer 2010 and Beyond (kind of sounds like Buzz Lightyear, huh?)

We’ll, it is not quite summer, but we are not too far away. What are our summer plans? What comes after this summer for the Davis Family? I think I’ll answer these two questions in reverse order. You’ll see why, I hope!

What comes after this summer for the Davis Family?

We have decided, after much prayer and counsel, to extend our Home Ministry Assignment. That is, Lord willing, we’ll stay in the USA until the summer of 2012, continuing to serve as Area Leader for the City Teams of West Europe and the team in Montreal, Canada.

• Our USA location seems to be the best fit right now for our family. The kids loved Europe and are also thriving in the USA. We have great peace about living and working from the USA at this time.

• Our USA location helps me to more effectively recruit for ReachGlobal Europe. One specific recruiting project is the vision trips for summer 2011. This is a menu of about 10 vision trips. How about U? Want N?

• Our USA location allows for greater connection with our National Office in MN.

• Our USA location, specifically the Chicagoland area, allows me to easily travel to and from Europe. I continue to attend all our Europe events and meet with our missionaries and City Teams.

• Our USA location saves us dollars and Euros. This relieves much of the support team building pressure.
------------------------------------------
What are our summer plans?

I’ll start with the kids:

• Bethany is in Guatemala for much of the summer. This is Guatemala missions trip #3 for our oldest. Bethany was also recently elected as Vice President of the Student Government Association at Liberty University. Her junior year at Liberty will be a full one.

• John-Marvin graduates from Wheaton North HS in a few weeks. He will be attending the University of Illinois at Chicago in the fall, studying Computer Engineering. John is also headed to Spain for 2 weeks in early August on a missions trip with College Church.

• Matt will be a junior at Wheaton North HS in the fall. Matt is our history and sports encyclopedia. Matt continues to play HS football (OT, 6-2, 250---the details are for you football folks). Matt will have summer conditioning for football much of the summer (that’s running and lifting weights

• Gabriela is ready to play (the joys of being 11 years old). She is also thinking about MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th grade), her fall destination.

Now on to the adults (and the whole family):

• Janet finishes her teaching year in the coming weeks. She has been working as an aide in a special education kindergarten class. She is also looking for employment for the next school year. With IL state budget cuts, her present position is not secured or guaranteed. Please pray for God to open a door for Janet’s 2010-2011 employment.

• Mike attends the EFCA Leadership Conference in Columbus, OH in June.

• Our Family moves from the Missionary Furlough Homes to another rental in Wheaton, IL (July 20 is the move date). The family attends two weddings this summer (Kenzie Aiken and Laura Beckner).

West Europe City Team Summaries

2010-05-06T05:46:00.000-07:00

I oversee the following City Teams in West Europe and the team in Montreal, Canada. Recently I asked the City Team Leaders of these cities to send me their highlights, a current update. I hope this gives you some good “pictures” of the wide variety of gospel work going on in Europe. If you would like to know more about one of these cities, please let me know and I will connect you with the City Team Leader.

Amsterdam, Netherlands-- They come to us from every corner of the globe. They come to study with us. Yet study is only one method that God uses toward the end-goal of transformation.

Transformation is brought about as the grace of God ministers to us through his Word. It comes by the “bump & tussle” of living closely together as a multi-cultural community, 24/7. It comes about as a result of suffering: long hours of mind-wearying study; early mornings and late nights to earn income to be sent to the family back home; loneliness, alienation, and separation from loved ones, sometimes just when it seems they need us most.

Through all these things the image of Christ is being formed in student and teacher alike. We are being transformed from what we were to what we shall be. Our character is in transformation.

This is what Tyndale Theological Seminary is all about. Our goal is to participate in the work of the Spirit to produce leaders of character. We are producing Christ-like men and women who can give godly leadership to the church and its various ministries in the many places these students call home.

Athens, Greece – NEW TEAM –- WANT INFORMATION?

Birmingham, England -- So far in 2010, different members of our team have continued to be involved in the following activities, many of which include informal partnerships with churches and other ministries: community-wide Muslim-focused prayer meetings; relational and cold call evangelism; weekly English class for Muslim women, using Bible stories; helping a local church become missional; various other ministries at local churches we belong to; pursuing development of the South Asian Friendship Centre; and developing a long-term church planting strategy among least-reached groups. In addition, we are excited about three new initiatives:
1) a trial series of “Heart to Heart”, a weekly tea and chat time for Muslim women that explores topics such as parenting and relationships, bringing in Biblical principles
2) re-launch of Muslim/Christian Men’s Gatherings under a new paradigm involving a presenter from each community sharing about a specified topic, followed by group and one-on-one discussion
3) as part of the SAFC ethos, offering to help resource existing outreach projects of local churches with a view of multiplying the Kingdom
We also look forward to David and Tina Brogan and family who plan to arrive mid-summer for one year to work with Muslim young people. They are interested in eventually returning to the field as career missionaries.

Brussels, Belgium – In March, our team hosted a series of ministry events with Jerry and Nancy Foster from Des Moines, IA. They included: a marriage seminar, an evening called Influence@work, an evening with not-yet-believers on the 5 love languages, and a morning with Iranian ladies on being Christian wives and mothers. Olivier’s (Belgian National) leadership gifts shine in these kinds of events. He is also working in the Lighthouse Church plant to strengthen the leadership team. Joel & Dennise Smith just moved into a new neighborhood and are coming alongside a Christian cultural center to help strengthen their struggling church plant. The Iranian Church (Dan & Carrie Ritzman) just moved with their French-speaking church hosts into a new building. It is still a construction site, but is working. The Iranian lead home groups are progressing and we are preparing for baptisms in June.

Flanders, Belgium—

Outreach English Camp (OEC) April 2010
Our tenth annual OEC was a joint effort of five U.S. team members from Trinity EFC, Redlands, CA, and our three Reach Global families working with local churches in Flanders—Fisks in Leuven, Galbraiths in Dilbeek (suburb of Brussels), and Unruhs in Ghent—together with four cooks from Flanders, the bus driver and his wife and child totalling a camp of 53 persons. We thank God for this strong Gospel camp ministry to Flemish youth, local churches, as well as outreach to un-churched youth. A mother told us this week that her daughter prayed to receive Christ at our camp this year.

Evangelical Theological Seminary (ETF) in Leuven
The ETF desires to equip leaders to be biblically grounded, well educated, and culturally enriched, bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to our world. There are about 60 Bachelor and Master of Theology students in residence, eight in the Th.M. Open University (distance learning program) and 50 Ph.D students representing together 30 different nations. One of these PhD students is our own Greg Strand with the EFCA

ETF joins Yale University in research for the Jonathan Edwards Center (http://edwards.yale.edu)
This is a welcome contribution for ETF considering the initial enthusiasm abroad for Edwards as a missionary biographer, theologian, strategist, and advocate for worldwide awareness of the growth and influence of Christianity. ETF and Yale hope that the Center will be helpful for both scholars writing books, pastors writing sermons, and the general public looking for spiritual guidance and knowledge.

Lisbon, Portugal – 2009 was a good year of learning and moving out in new ways in ministry. We (Shoemaker family) are partnering with a Brazilian missionary couple and an existing Portuguese church to plant a new church in a growing part of the city. This summer we will invite a summer team to help us with outreach in the neighborhood of this new church plant.

We are excited to offer our first missions internship program this fall! We are praying that the Lord can use opportunities like this to bring more young people to serve with us in Lisbon.

We continue to learn more about the needs of this city, the church here in Portugal, and how God can use us to help build his church in Lisbon.

London, England – NEW TEAM --- Matt & Kimberly Davis (hey, I know them )

Lyon, France -- The LCT has been very encouraged this year through the growth and excitement that people have been showing in the International Christian Community of Lyon. This church has become truly international with members coming from many different countries – and the new music pastor is from South Africa. The ICCL has been the primary ministry focus for the DiGenas and the Carlsons. The Haddads have had an eventful year in that they have finished their language study in Albertville, moved into a sixth floor apartment in Lyon, began an internship with a French pastor in a Reformed Evangelical church and have just welcoming twins into their home during this month. The DiGenas have kept up their involvement with the St Genis Laval church during the year, though Mike has now stepped down from the church board. The DiGenas will transition out of the church this summer in order to focus on new French work in the Northwest of Lyon, the LCT’s main target area. The Carlsons have been attending Rue Louis on Sunday mornings and Jim has continued to preach in various French churches as well. This year has been a key year for laying ground work for ministry to human trafficked victims particularly caught up in prostitution. Though the efforts of the dawning ‘Hope Alliance’ remain humble we look forward to what the Lord has prepared. Other Highlights of the past year include hosting a team from First EFC of Portland, Maine to implement a bilingual Kid’s club and Thanksgiving outreach dinner and our annual Christmas Carol service with over 300 in attendance. Our hope is that each event and action of the LCT will lead to the multiplication of healthy communities of worshipers among all people.

Madrid, Spain – The Transburgs are joining the Tabiendos to form a new city team of Spirit-empowered Christians to love and serve Jesus, one another and the grand city of Madrid. Their hearts’ desire is to launch a network of relational, grace-based discipleship communities throughout Madrid and overflowing to the rest of Spain.

Marseille, France – Marseille has been a great place to serve not only the French but also North Africans and many other peoples like the Comorians. Recently we started an English class in an immigrant neighborhood. Nathalie, one of the youth from our church, who lives in the apartment complex where we hold the classes is helping me teach. The class has already grown from five to ten students and we are running out of room. Marseille is unlike any other French city with its high North African and immigrant population. It has provided the training grounds for another ministry that we are pursuing in Tunisia. In a recent vision trip to Tunis, we have seen many opportunities to serve the country on practical levels that have already led to opportunities to share our faith in our almighty loving creator God. We continue to pursue relationships with the help of our home group in our community as we pursue house based churches that are ministering together to the surrounding needs.

Montreal, Canada -- In Montreal the Hemmerles and Wheelers participated in the first Mosaique French church service on Easter Sunday. Mosaïque is a daughter church of River`s Edge. Regular Sunday services should begin sometime in May. Virginia Hemmerle will oversee the all important children’s ministry. Two OEC teams are being trained by the Wheelers and will come up this summer to teach English to French speaking adolescents. Usually about a third of them are Muslims. Jay Pinney helped teach the “Overturning Strongholds” retreat and begins follow up with three participants from his church. Kathy Pinney continues to meet with several women as a coach and lead worship in church. The team is reading the book Pray & Watch and focusing on this new approach to evangelism and prayer.

Pamplona, Spain -- As our team comes to a close after eight years of ministry, we are seeing glimpsing of the impact of the gospel message and gospel community on Pamplona, Spain. New relationships formed, tears shed, spiritual interest awakened, Bible’s received and read, and a small group of believers committed to living out the gospel as a community and with intentionality, with or without missionary help.

Rome, Italy –

Since establishing the Rome City Team in September 2008 we have seen movement that we could not have hoped for. Brian & Sarah Bennetch are expecting the arrival of their first team member in June 2010, and it is their goal to see this team greatly expanded in the next few years to meet the spiritual needs of the 4.5 million people of Rome and to stimulate the existing church there to continue building outside their own walls. God has sent to our neighborhood some very gifted co-workers from another organization with whom we are partnering to establish our first house church in Rome. It has been an exciting process and we are beginning to see a group of about 15, mostly men and women in their 20s “gel” into a community. Already group members are maturing toward servanthood within the group.

Toulouse, France – We continue to develop three ministry projects in our team context: 1) urban-centre multi-ethnic organic church plant, 2) Chinese student ministry project; 3) non-assimilated immigrant ministry.

We are encouraged with the progress in these projects and for the workers the Lord is raising up. Our German interns Lia and Maren have been a big help in project 1. Several new young people have joined our RAPP (proto-church) group and there are also some new believers. Leonor, our Colombian volunteer, is a big help with this group. John & Sharon Stacknik arrived in January to launch the non-assimilated immigrants ministry ; already they have developed a significant network of MB contacts and with the other MBM workers in our city. The student-led Chinese Bible study continues to grow. Our team is mentoring Minxi and Cloé, who lead the study. These new believers from mainland China continue to reach out to their non-believing classmates. Every six weeks the Gibbons allow the Chinese believers to use their apartment for a fun ‘soirée chinoise’ outreach to Chinese students. Michael will travel to Hong Kong in early May to meet with several Chinese seminarians interested in coming to Toulouse. The Gibbons also continue to lead an English Discussion Group for French professionals wanting to improve their English. Our team anxiously anticipates the arrival of more workers, including: Lyd Pensado (recently graduated from seminary in Mexico City—slated for project 1); Lucy Chidister (raising support in Iowa—slated for project 1); Evette Waters (African-American, slated for project 1). There are several others who are at various stages of inquiry and interest in our team. Thanks for praying for Toulouse!

Zaragoza, Spain - We’ve been graced to see, in the space of 19 months, one house church planted and released. After 8 months on their own, they have their struggles yet are growing in their little community of grace. Ten young believers have been through basic discipleship training. Three of the young guys, Jairo, Poli & Wilson, are in training to serve and lead. They are planning baptisms and are wrestling over the decision to have to separate and start another home group.

---

We need a new generation of missionaries 4 the cities of Europe. How about U?

We are currently in the process of planning vision trips to these cities and others across Europe for the summer of 2011. Our goal is to “fill” these trips with potential missionary candidates and those who will help us recruit this new generation of missionaries. Want in?

DONATIONS TO DAVIS FAMILY:
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901 EAST 78TH STREET
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
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PS—I just realized that I have PEOPLE in all the pictures. It is all about PEOPLE and their relationship with GOD. Though the people pictures were not intentional, it really is true---people, people, people…

Bethany is Running for VP at Liberty University

2010-04-29T15:34:00.000-07:00

RG Europe Area Leaders in CA

2010-04-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

04.08.2010

2010-04-08T08:32:00.000-07:00

CITY TEAM LEADER FORUM --- March 4-8 in Amsterdam, Netherlands --- I spent time with the Amsterdam City Team (one of mine) and their work at Tyndale Theological Seminary prior to the CTL Forum. TJ Addington shared with the CTLs regarding expanding our “gospel vision and impact” in the cities where we are serving. We also looked at several of our very own City Teams as “case studies”: Lyon, Montreal, and Berlin. Hearing colleagues tell the story and history of their City Team, and interacting with these stories, is always a winner.

CHURCH PLANTING INSTITUTE (CPI) --- March 9-12 in Amsterdam, Netherlands --- D.A. Carson was our keynote speaker. Our church planting missionaries, as well as about 75 national partners from through Europe, thoroughly enjoyed both listening to and interacting with Dr. Carson. There were very significant times for team interaction throughout this event, as City Teams met with their national partners and discussed what they were hearing and how to “put it to use.”

LEAD TEAM --- March 21-26 in Mt. Hermon, CA --- The annual gathering of EFCA ReachGlobal Leaders took take place in CA this year. Before and after the event I was able to spend some brief time in Modesto. I shared/preached at Desert Hot Springs on Palm Sunday (2x in English and 1x in Spanish). On the way back from Desert Hot Springs, I took a quick look at the new facility of the Tulare Free Church, talking with their pastors (Rich & Dave)---what a beautiful job they have done (as a church) on this very multi-purpose facility!

NEW GENERATION OF MISSIONARIES --- We have an outstanding group of experienced missionaries doing superb work across Europe, about 95 missionary households. We need to build on this foundation by asking God for a “new generation of missionaries.” How about U?

more tweets from Lead Team, Mt. Hermon, CA

2010-03-24T11:15:00.000-07:00

colebria: My sources tell me Todd Hiltibran and the Europe team got pasted last night in full contact basketball, could that be true? #LeadTeam

ToddHiltibran: we have to exegete the people around us to see how we can increase their effectiveness TJ #LeadTeam

colebria: The Holy Spirit speaks for us; through us; to us and gifts us for empowered ministry! B Hamel

mikedavisrg: the HS speaks 4 us, through us, 2 us, gifts us 4 empowered ministry

BerlinMike: "It is not a scary thing to let the Holy Spirit speak to you. If you are fearful, get over it." Bill Hamel

ToddHiltibran: RT @BerlinMike: Bill Hamel is challenging us as a movement (EFCA) to strongly return to the doctrine of the Holy Spirit to transform the world.

BerlinMike: Bill Hamel is challenging us as a movement (EFCA) to strongly return to the doctrine of the Holy Spirit to transform the world.

colebria: RT @ToddHiltibran: We've jazzed up the music, spiced up the sermons, & spruced up the buildings but the wheat still isn't harvesting itself.

mikedavisrg: could it be that we forgot that Jesus would send another? this "another" is the Holy Spirit

ToddHiltibran: We've jazzed up the music, spiced up the sermons, & spruced up the buildings but the wheat still isn't harvesting itself.

ToddHiltibran: RT @mikedavisrg: #LeadTeam RG Europe WINS the 2010 LEAD TEAM Basketball Tournament, with wins over Africa, Asia, Latin America, MENA, and the NATL OFFICE

mikedavisrg: #LeadTeam RG Europe WINS the 2010 LEAD TEAM Basketball Tournament, with wins over Africa, Asia, Latin America, MENA, and the NATL OFFICE

mikedavisrg: #LeadTeam Todd H just said, "I work hard..." For those of you that know Todd, do you have any questions about this statement?

colebria: Think Gospel centered and the emphasis in ministry become holistic and transfomative lives and communities

jblanchard23: RT @ToddHiltibran: #LeadTeam RG Europe challenged the other divisions to streetball tonight, they look scared

colebria: RT @ToddHiltibran: RG is a Gospel-centered movement transforming lives, communities, & institutions worldwide in the power of God's Spirit. TJ

jblanchard23: RT @ToddHiltibran: RG is a Gospel-centered movement transforming lives, communities, & institutions worldwide in the power of God's Spirit. TJ

jblanchard23: Wondering why @EFCAPrez is sleeping while TJ is speaking..lol

ToddHiltibran: RG is a Gospel-centered movement transforming lives, communities, & institutions worldwide in the power of God's Spirit. TJ #LeadTeam

ToddHiltibran: RT @BerlinMike: Ordinary people can have an extraordinary impact on the Kingdom if they are willing to give themselves away. #LeadTeam

BerlinMike: Ordinary people can have an extraordinary impact on the Kingdom if they are willing to give themselves away. #LeadTeam

jblanchard23: RT @colebria: Talking about our ministry legacy. If I only have 20 years left, how can I make the maximum impact for the Kingdom? #LeadTeam

jblanchard23: RT @ToddHiltibran: #LeadTeam RG Europe challenged the other divisions to streetball tonight, they look scared

jblanchard23: RT @ToddHiltibran: Experience is what gives us our deepest influence. TJ #LeadTeam

mikedavisrg: #LeadTeam You want 2 multiply? Look 4 faithful, teachable individuals. Spend time with them. Dialogue with them. Involve them. Give feedback

colebria: Passion for minstry is caught not taught. #LeadTeam

colebria: Talking about our ministry legacy. If I only have 20 years left, how can I make the maximum impact for the Kingdom? #LeadTeam

ToddHiltibran: Experience is what gives us our deepest influence. TJ #LeadTeam

ToddHiltibran: Our ministry legacy won't be what we do, but those we raise up to serve with us & after us for the sake of the Gospel TJ #LeadTeam

Lead Team 2010 tweet posts

2010-03-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

mikedavisrg: #LeadTeam Fantasy Basketball begins tonight. Don Reynard is ranked #1 in the fantasy pre draft list.

ToddHiltibran: #LeadTeam RG Europe challenged the other divisions to streetball tonight, they look scared

mikedavisrg: Mike Edwards is sharing re. the Europe Division, specifically regarding r recent City Team Leader Forum, Church Planting Institute #LeadTeam

mikedavisrg: How much feedback are we receiving concerning r leadership? #LeadTeam What tempations do u need 2 fight against when going though suffering?

jblanchard23: Wishing @toddhiltibran would play more #U2 during #LeadTeam breaks

BerlinMike: #LeadTeam "Leaders are responsible for clarifying vision, alignment to that vision, and measuring effectiveness." TJ Addington

ToddHiltibran: There is a price for me to pay as I follow my Father's calling on my life. Phil 3.10 Am I willing to pay it? #LeadTeam

ToddHiltibran: The only coinage that we have is the quality and quantity of our personal influence. TJ #LeadTeam

ToddHiltibran: introducing David Ruiz as the new International Leader for RG Europe at #LeadTeam this is God's provision for us

ToddHiltibran: RT @mikedavisrg: David Ruiz is being introduced at #LeadTeam as the new Intl. Leader for Europe, sharing his heart and his first observations of ReachGlobal

mikedavisrg: David Ruiz is being introduced at #LeadTeam as the new Intl. Leader for Europe, sharing his heart and his first observations of ReachGlobal

mikedavisrg: praying for new members of #LeadTeam and changes on LeadTeam--- EFCA ReachGobal

ToddHiltibran: Fear not. Live it. TJ #LeadTeam

mikedavisrg: Hi, I am Mike, and I am a sinner, and I do not deserve the grace of God tj addington #LeadTeam

ToddHiltibran: Christians often diminish the image of Jesus by not believing Him -TJ #LeadTeam

ToddHiltibran: It is all subject to God, everything, all the time. Where are you trying to hold back? TJ #LeadTeam

mikedavisrg: where are you holding back from fully engaging with God in your life or in your ministry? tj addington #LeadTeam

ToddHiltibran: #LeadTeam is kicking off! This is gonna be great!
1 day ago from web
ReplyRetweet DavidPBliss: In prayer for #LeadTeam. It is an important week for them.

ToddHiltibran: #LeadTeam starting off with the Quiet Waters retreat, looking forward to a day of prayer with these men & women

mikedavisrg: #LeadTeam heading over to Felton Bible this morning to say hello...then on to the day of prayer to begin Lead Team meetings

ToddHiltibran: tucked in at Mt. Hermon. Tomorrow is the Day of Prayer for RG Leadership, #LeadTeam starts Monday, been up 26 hours, going down

3 kids in braces---money, money, money

2010-03-15T18:53:00.000-07:00

last tweets from CPI in Amsterdam

2010-03-11T12:26:00.000-08:00

mikedavisrg: #CPI2010 D.A. CARSON Remember there are eternal things at stake. Remember that we have been saved from hell itself.

mikedavisrg: #cpi2010 what is it that de-gods GOD? wealth? in what ways are your desires over the top? do you have a lust for power or authority? CARSON

mikedavisrg: #CPI2010 the rich man, even in hell, cannot imagine giving up his self importance LUKE CHAPTER 16, VERSES 19 TO 31 D.A. CARSON

ToddHiltibran: Last night of #CPI2010, God has been here among us, Dr. Carson bringing it home from Lk 16.19-31

mikedavisrg: Lorenzo is "wrecking the roof" here at CPI ...holes in the roof! #CPI2010

mikedavisrg: a national brother at the conference asks for your prayers for his marriage---some serious issues... #CPI2010

mikedavisrg: the conference is a reminder to return to the cross for proper perspective...have you walked up to the cross today? #CPI2010

mikedavisrg: when you are struggling under trial remember the goals of a Christian: maturity and crown of life DA CARSON #CPI2010

more tweets from Amsterdam

2010-03-11T02:14:00.000-08:00

ToddHiltibran: if you still have questions, go to the Cross and then shut up until the consummation Dr. Carson #CPI2010 this guy rocks

DavidPBliss: "From one point of view, I don't give a rip." DA Carson #CPI2010

ToddHiltibran: God is good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good DA Carson #CPI2010

DavidPBliss: Once again enjoying listening to D. A. Carson at #CPI2010. It's the final day.

HaslerJE: Looking forward to the final day of conference world. I'm hoping & praying that God still has one or two things to accomplish here #CPI2010

ToddHiltibran: Last full day #CPI2010, great worship together, time in the word, exciting stories, kingdom connections, thanks for being here TJ

DavidPBliss: Great teachers at #CPI2010. I really have enjoyed D.A. Carson as well as all the others.

ToddHiltibran: A great day at #CPI2010, stories from all over, Don Carson used flippin and dude plus great content...

DavidPBliss: "Wickedness thrives because people plan wickedness . . . Righteousness does not thrive because we don't plan it." -Dennis Tongoi #CPI2010

mikedavisrg: listening 2 Pam talk about parish nursing N Ukraine...caring 4 people w/out family N hospital, assessing health of people at church #CPI2010

ToddHiltibran: Pam Dandre relating experiences from caring for needs in Kyiv. Moving and exciting #CPI2010

mikedavisrg: story time this afternoon at Church Planting Institute...Prague, Roma people AND Kiev, AIDS #CPI2010

gzusfreak: Enthralled with the teaching of DA Carson and Tim Attington at #CPI2010 in Amsterdam http://myloc.me/4DY54

mikedavisrg: Christians have a weapon of mass construction...that weapon is LOVE... DENNIS TONGOI #CPI2010

mikedavisrg: Christians ought to be concerned about suffering, both TEMPORAL and ETERNAL D.A. CARSON #CPI2010

mikedavisrg: How are we waiting for the coming of the Lord? D.A. Carson #CPI2010

ToddHiltibran: Wait for the Lord as gospel-transformed people who unselfconsciously serve brothers/sisters in Christ -DA Carson #CPI2010

ToddHiltibran: D.A. Carson just said flippin in a sermon along with dude. He is connecting with me #CPI2010

mikedavisrg: ETF in Leuven, Belgium and Tyndale Theological Seminary in Amsterdam connecting with RG Europe missionaries and Europe nationals #CPI2010

ToddHiltibran: Great discussions in sessions. Hearing God-sized vision in conversations. #CPI2010

ToddHiltibran: Great discussions in sessions. Hearing God-sized vision in conversations. #CPI2010

tweet, tweet, tweet ...tweets from CPI

2010-03-09T11:43:00.000-08:00

mikedavisrg: "People do not learn all we teach them but what we are excited about." D.A. Carson #CPI2010

mikedavisrg: Christ and Culture Revisited by D.A. Carson sounds like a book I need to read #cpi2010

amyrichey: #cpi2010 "the opposite of God justifying us is self-justification" - D.A. Carson

dcosterhus: "...but the Church is not called to survive history, but to serve humanity..." - Erwin McManus #CPI2010

DavidPBliss: "Are you a thermometer or thermostat?" -Dennis Tongoi #CPI2010
about 9 hours ago from web
dcosterhus: "If the church does not disciple the nation, the nation will disciple the church!" - Dennis Tongoi #CPI2010

mikedavisrg: African leader is sharing with European leaders about the power of the gospel to transform individuals, communities, and nations #CPI2010

DavidPBliss: Taking a break from #cpi2010 to go to a meeting in Amsterdam to discuss ministry possibilities in Bulgaria.

ToddHiltibran: It is a wonderful thing to come to a place where we have nothing to trust in but God. -TJ #CPI2010

ToddHiltibran: my schedule is filling up with conversations, Sweden, Estonia, Albania and more to come #CPI2010

mikedavisrg: enjoyed talking to Polish pastor about reaching the Polish population in London ---so many people groups in London #CPI2010

mikedavisrg: David Ruiz, new Intl. Leader, shared his story at opening night of the Church Planting Institute--encouraging for everyone to hear #CPI2010

ToddHiltibran: 24 countries from across Europe represented here. Awesome! #CPI2010

DavidPBliss: At #CPI2010. Thirty countries represented. It is great.

amyrichey: at #cpi2010. it's great to dream together about what God will do in Europe!

ToddHiltibran: About 160 people here from around Europe, it's electric #CPI2010

mikedavisrg: Good to see the arrivals from Portugal: Antonio, Alfredo, and Quintani ...Also great to talk to Joel Smith #CPI2010

ToddHiltibran: People arriving for #CPI2010 see what it's about http://bit.ly/9QvqAz

Breakfast with David Ruiz, our new International Leader 4 Europe

2010-03-07T00:27:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed breakfast with David Ruiz, our new International Leader for Europe. We heard more about his family, his current challenges, and his life journey. David and his family are from Guatemala.

3rd day of CTL Forum

2010-03-06T12:45:00.000-08:00

David Ruiz (International Leader, Europe) & TJ Addington (Executive Director) both gave great messages/charges to start the day.

We "exegeted" the cities of Lyon, Montreal, and Berlin, with their leaders sharing the story of the how the vision for the cities came to be.

and many good conversations with friends and co-workers...

2nd day of CTL Forum

2010-03-05T13:11:00.000-08:00

Today was a day of fasting and prayer, filled with worship and times of sharing. Praying to God as our Father, and us, His children, was the recurrent theme throughout the day. We broke the fast for the evening meal.

The CTLs from the West Europe cities, the cities I oversee, got together after the evening meal to catch up with one another.

1st day of CTL Forum

2010-03-04T23:31:00.000-08:00

-left Baldwin home and moved over to hotel
-everyone arrived safely
-good conversations with CTLs during afternoon and evening
-opening session of CTL Forum
-great to see Brian and Sarah Bennetch after one month in Haiti
-Ernest & Effie Dyck share re. Converge Global (Latin American/Europe connection)

Amsterdam: City Team Leader Forum and Church Planting Institute

2010-03-03T20:05:00.000-08:00

I arrived in Amsterdam yesterday (3/3). As far as transatlantic flights go, Chicago to Amsterdam is an easy one. Gary Wittevrongel was on my flight as well, in fact, we were able to have them seat us by each other---cool deal to spend some time with Gary before and during flight.

*Henry Baldwin, Tyndale Theological Seminary VP and City Team Leader for ReachGlobal Amsterdam, kindly picked me up at the aiport about 10 am. Nice to have a friendly face pick me up. Micah, his big black sheepdog, was also there to welcome me. Micah could tell right away that I am a dog guy.

*After a nap at Henry's, I headed over to Tyndale to spend some time with Jeff Seume, Tyndale's President. The Seumes are missionaries with ReachGlobal as well. The work at Tyndale has an extensive impact globally.

http://www.tyndale-europe.edu/

*The evening was spent with the Baldwins, over a great meal at a little Dutch restaurant along a canal (where else would it be in Amsterdam :))and then back at their home.

*After a few hours of good sleep, I have been reading and doing e-mail. Hey, I slept well, just from 10PM - 2AM.

*I will head over to the hotel at about 10:30 am this morning....the CTL Forum starts today.

Pray for the safe arrival of all the City Team Leaders from RG Europe and for their families left behind.

Davis newsletter--- e-mail/blog edition

2010-02-08T07:28:00.000-08:00

CITY TEAM LEADER FORUM --- March 4-8 in Amsterdam, Netherlands --- Final preparations are underway for the 2010 CTL Forum. T.J. Addington will be our main speaker as we discuss how to "exegete your city" for ministry impact. Our first day will be focused on prayer and fasting. This event brings together our ReachGlobal Europe City Team Leaders from across Europe.

CHURCH PLANTING INSTITUTE (CPI) --- March 8-12 in Amsterdam, Netherlands --- D.A. Carson will be our keynote speaker. This is a week of networking, training and brainstorming about church planting in Europe as we consider "The Gospel and Your City." We expect to see about 75 national friends and partners at this year’s event.

LEAD TEAM --- March 21-26 in Mt. Hermon, CA --- The annual gathering of EFCA ReachGlobal Leaders will take place in CA this year. I am thankful for the short flight! Previous events have taken place in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Lisbon, etc.

NEW GENERATION OF MISSIONARIES --- We have an outstanding group of experienced missionaries doing superb work across Europe, about 95 missionary households. We need to build on this foundation by asking God for a “new generation of missionaries.”

THANK YOU --- Many of you have supported us through your prayers and finances since 1992. Wow, that is a long time! Whether you began in 1992 or 2010, we want to express our sincere appreciation. Your support of career missionaries (long term missionaries) like us is much needed and much appreciated.

Attempt #2, Meetings in Budapest, and HAITI

2010-01-30T23:29:00.000-08:00

Today (Sunday) is attempt #2 to leave for home (Chicago)...I am checked in and @ gate 4 Budapest 2 Frankfort ...then Frankfort 2 Chicago UA 941...

The Europe Division Leadership Team meetings in Budapest were very productive:
-we got done the event planning and budgeting issues we needed to (this stuff has to be done)
-we indentified new initiative priorities for Europe (i.e., what is not getting done or done well enough that needs to have our attention and action)
-we better understand each other on the leadership team (i.e., how we are gifted/wired, who should do what, who is in the right or wrong position)

Haiti---Brian & Sarah Bennetch (Rome City Team) are already in Haiti. A # of our missionaries might follow. Would you be open to serving in Haiti, whether you are a fellow missionary, supporting individual or church? Please let me know.