Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Throw in the Towel or Throw Down the Gauntlet?

Here's a terrifying stat: In 20 years, 4% of todays youth will be committed followers of Jesus Christ. What are we going to do?
Two options: throw in the towel or throw down the gauntlet (mid-evil metal glove).

I recently read a great quote from Rev. Jesus Urteaga:

“Amid the ruins and debris of our pitiable humanity there are still women and men who hold the secret of that solution. And don’t say there are hardly any left. There are enough to found a new race, a noble race, of human being. These are people whose hearts are saturated with God: courageous men and women; passionate followers of Christ; ‘crazy’ people bursting with faith, bursting with hope, bursting with love. They alone have the secret which others vainly seek.”

There's no need to throw in the towel, but it will take a concerted effort to change the tide. In 1993, I heard the voice of Jesus. He said: "Will you risk everything for the next generation?

I've tried to live my life since then with a focus on radically investing in young adults.

For the last 3 1/2 years I have served two ministries: The Expansion Network and The International House of Prayer. I direct The Apostolic Mission School in Kansas City. I get to pour my life into fathering a generation of young people who are saturated with God.

This year, it has been difficult to live as a missionary to the next generation. We trust in Jesus and depend on partners who will help support us.

WOULD YOU CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH US THIS COMING YEAR?

You could give a monthly gift or a one time gift.

We receive tax deductible support at:
The Expansion Network
4513 East 110th Terrace
Kansas City, MO 64137

I trust that this year you will be bursting with faith, hope and love!

In His Amazing Grace,

Rich Stevenson

PS. If you hurry and get your check in the mail by the 31st, you get tax credit for this year! (It would really help us as well!)

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Top Ten Things to Say About a Bad Christmas Present

10. Hey! There's a gift!
9. Well, well, well ...
8. Boy, if I had not recently shot up 4 sizes that would've fit.
7. This is perfect for wearing around the basement.
6. Gosh. I hope this never catches fire! It is fire season though. There are lots of unexplained fires.
5. If the dog buries it, I'll be furious!
4. I love it -- but I fear the jealousy it will inspire.
3. Sadly, tomorrow I enter the Federal Witness Protection Program.
2. To think -- I got this the year I vowed to give all my gifts to charity.
And the Number One Thing to say about a Christmas gift you don't like:
1. "I really don't deserve this."

Am I a Missionary?

I live in a great house on a cul de sac in the suburbs of Kansas City. Can I really be a missionary?
If I had to defend my case, I could describe visiting 10 nations in the last 12 months. I could describe the young missionaries I am investing my life in through the school that I direct.
This is not a job like most have. Our ministry, The International House of Prayer, functions as a "missions base." We have a university with over 1,000 students attending. And a young adult can attend all four years for the price of one semester in most colleges.
How do we do it?

My generation has surrendered to a "missionary lifestyle" so that tuition can be extremely low. We trust Jesus to move in the lives of faithful partners so that our needs are financially met by others.

Do I like it?

Most of the time, no. I have not fully surrendered to the humility necessary to always ask, or to the vulnerability of having our finances totally out of my control.

Am I growing spiritually because of it?

Yes. God is after our dependence and this lifestyle forces me to pray and to believe.

Do we need more partners?

Absolutely. I am committed to asking more and more this year. Here goes: Would you partner with us?

You can send your support to:

The Expansion Network
4513 East 110th Terrace
Kansas City, MO 64137

Or you can use paypal by going to http://www.paypal.com/, clicking "personal" and using this e-mail address: richstevenson@ihop.org.

Thank you so much for your willingness to partner with us.

Rich

KC Christmas

This is a great picture of the Plaza in Kansas City at Christmas time. There are 80 miles of lights with over 280,000 multi-colored bulbs. That's a lot of holiday cheer!

There might be only one display that had to be greater: "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests'." (Luke 2:13,14)
Can you imagine how all those fiery angels lit up the dark Bethlehem skyline?
The Plaza is breathtaking...the angels announced the coming of the "breath of life."