This Present Age

I am a sworn optimistic pessimist.  I am optimistic because I know who has won the greatest war ever fought: the war over Sin, Satan and Death.  Jesus came the first time as the suffering Messiah to make clear the war will be won.  He will come a second time to judge the nations and all those who have turned their back on Jesus.  Thus the pessimistic side.  You see when Jesus comes as the reigning King He will judge those who rejected Him and followed their own plans under the tutelage of Satan (whether they know it or not).  Evil will be in this world until the day Jesus returns.  We are unable to control or stop it.  This does not mean we cease trying to mitigate against it.  As messengers of the Good News we are also purveyors of justice where and when possible.

There are many pundits with many ideas of what needs to happen: "we need to share the Gospel with the terrorists" or "we need to make a parking lot out of the hideouts where they plot to put feet to their hatred. "

 The reality is we are in a war whose end will come when Jesus returns.  We are not going to "fix" it or make the world into a heaven on earth.  I say this because we must be realistic and determined. Yes, let's focus on sharing the Gospel with those who hate us, no we will not be the wrath of God on our enemies.  As the armies marched towards Berlin after the Normandy landing they suffered many casualties.  The end was never in question, but the need to fight the battles was essential.  Let us be ready day and night to take the message of God's love to all, but make not mistake there will be plenty of men and women who are deceived by Satan ready to confront our love with anger, hate and violence.  We are at war and need to understand each battle is fought in the spiritual realm even as we put feet to the Good News.

Let's marshal our forces to storm the heavenlies in order to take the Good News to the whole world.

For the latest update on Kenya check out Renita Reed's blog: Click Here

Annual Banquet

Mark the date on your calendars: August 20th!  That is the date for this years annual ICM conference in Bakersfield California.

Get your tickets: Call the ICM office for more details:  661-832-9740

Our special speaker will be the President of Walk Thru the Bible, Philip Tuttle!

Extra Special Bonus:  The many of the ICM country leaders will be attending the event!!

People are Puzzling

Are you a mind reader?  Actually we are all mind readers.  Rebecca Saxe is a researcher focusing on our ability to understand other people, their motives and feelings.  She did a talk for Ted.com (click here to view).  What we often take for granted is a complex process of learning.  Understanding people is a little like trying to put a puzzle together without the picture on the box.  We make assumptions often based on ourselves and how we see the world.  But all of us see the world a little bit differently, or sometimes a lot differently.  This is because we have different glasses on called personality.  These glasses cause us to see and understand the world around us from different viewpoints.  This potentially can be a challenge when we misunderstand each others motives.  But it can be a big advantage in helping us, together, understand the world around us.

I would like to invite you to come and participate in the People Puzzle training.  Learn how together we are better and develop some important skills and knowledge that can help you at home or at work understand how to move from people conflict to team building.

Where: Across the hall from the ICM Office, 4201 Ardmore Ave., Suite 2, Bakersfield CA

When:  Friday May 31, 2013, 6:00pm-9:00pm and Saturday June 1, 2013, 8:00am-1:00pm (light lunch provided)

Instructor:  Dr. Phil Walker

Cost: $35 (includes workbook and lunch)

Preregister by calling the office:  661-832-9740

May 2013

May 2013 has been a full month.  Sheryl Giesbrecht, Executive Director, represented ICM USA at the graduations in East Africa.  She also led a team to take part in a number of activities in Kenya and Uganda.  I (Phil) went to Nigeria to teach and participated in the dedication of our new training center in Akure, Nigeria.  On Sunday I will teach a Perspectives class in Turlock, CA and on Tuesday teach another Perspectives class in Livermore, CA.

If you are in Bakersfield or surrounding area do not miss the "People Puzzle" on Friday evening May 31 and Saturday morning June 1.  I promise a great time of fun learning and challenge to some preconceived ideas about working together.  We will be using Walk Thru the Bible's course along with some other materials I have put together to give you first hand experience with team building.  If you are able to attend register now as space is limited.  Call the office (9am-1pm Mon-Thurs) to register.

May was busy, but June is going to be a bit crazy in regard to travel.  Please keep the following in your prayers:

June 2-4 - ICM office team travels to Denver
June 9-13 - Phil and Emmanuel Chemengich travel to Hong Kong for a theological educators conferenc
June 15-22 - Phil will be teaching at two sites in Egypt
June Sheryl will be going to Florida

Thanks for being part of the ICM Team!

Phil

Honors

As I write this our ICM Executive Director Sheryl Giesbrecht is in Kenya leading a team from the US and attending the Kenya Graduation.  We in ICM are blessed to have her leading the US operations of ICM.  We are not the only ones who recognize her worth and contribution to ICM and the Kingdom of God.  On May 21st she will be honored in Bakersfield at a High Tea.  If you are available why not join us as we celebrate her achievements and faithfulness!  http://www.gardenpathways.org/District/1678-High-Tea.html

Graduation

ICM's Seminary, Africa Theological Seminary is designed to give leaders an opportunity to study for the BA.  For many this would be a dream unattainable because of distance, inability to study full time, and priced beyond their reach.  But ATS bridges all of those issues.  ATS is full time ministry and part time study.  Leaders come to campus three times a year for just a month.  This means they can continue in their ministry.  Our campuses are located where the leaders are ministering and priced reasonably.  This is the season for graduations.  ICM Uganda just completed their ATS graduation and you can see some of the pictures:  

Click Here

Rejoice with ICM Uganda as the celebrate another graduation!

Phil

Only Africans Can Develop Africa

According to at least one African, Tony Elumelu, Africa can only be developed by Africans. I wonder if the same could be said of the African church?  Without a doubt African Christianity would not exist if it were not for non Africans willing to pay the ultimate price to share the Gospel in very difficult environments.  But in a time when Africa is rising to meet its future maybe it is time for non Africans to ask the simple question, "how can I best help?"  Too often help is defined as recognizing a need and then seeking to meet that need.  This has been the troubling history of foreign aid throughout African.

Many leaders who have Africa on their hearts are beginning to realize that "obvious" solutions often produce worse unintended consequences.  Foreign aid is rife with aid gone astray.  But in the new era we have African leaders making the decision of where the aid should go and how best to solve the problems in Africa.   It is also time to trust African Church leaders to come up with solutions to reach the final unreached groups and develop the main methods for discipling their members.  Africa still needs help, but the help should come by invitation not by initiation.  It is time to offer what we have to meet the request of what African leaders what to accomplish.  It is time to offer what we have to be used how they, the leaders, believe best.  The initiation should come from African leaders not from the West.

Africa is producing leaders in every arena, economic, political, and religious.  These leaders are the movers who will help Africa rise.  Let us in the West submit our resources to their leadership and let us become partners who follow their lead.

Ashish Thakkar is one of the new economic breed who is not asking for leadership as they press on to reap what Africa has to offer while offering new solutions to Africa's challenges.  Let's offer ourselves as servants who want to come along side the Church in Africa, not lead it.  Africans are writing a new story, one where Africa is rising!