Sabbatical week 3

Our third week of sabbatical was quite busy, as we headed back up to Portland to attend Mission ConneXion Northwest, held this year at Sunset Presbyterian Church. It's a two day event challenging the Church to fulfill the Great Commission.

The speaker Friday night was Dr. Sameh Maurice, pastor of the Kasr El Dobara Church in Cairo, Egypt, the largest Evangelical (Presbyterian) Church in the Middle East (7,000 people attend services). He spoke with humility and passion on what made the first century church in Acts so dynamic. He also shared about their work with Muslims in the Middle East. I wasn't able to get the best seat, but if you click on the picture, you might see a bit better.

Each of the worship sessions at Mission ConneXion was great, and during this particular session on Saturday morning was this Native American praise and worship team leading us in their beautiful cultural style of worship.

The keynote speaker was Josh McDowell. If I'd heard him speak it was years ago, and I've not thoroughly read his books, but I found him to be quite engaging. I knew that he spoke and had written on youth and family issues, as well as apologetics and moral relativism. It was surprising then to learn that for the last decade or so, his ministry has been focused on reaching Muslims for Christ. His best selling book More Than a Carpenter, which was not written for Muslims, has been and continues to be quite instrumental in reaching Muslims for Jesus.

Josh McDowell and Dr. Sameh Maurice in what was a very informative question and answer Saturday afternoon session on issues ranging from epistemology to Islam, evangelism and Middle Eastern affairs.

On Saturday night, Josh McDowell spoke for the last time, again sharing how God is using him to impact Muslims for Christ, and talking about how his soon to be released book, a novel entitled The Witness, is already influencing the lives of many in Islamic nations.

For the 9:00 am Sunday morning service, I went to Sunset Presbyterian because our hotel was nearby but also because I haven't been to a Presbyterian Church in a while. Everything about this church was "Evangelical" in feel - the worship, the preaching, etc. As it turns out, the church is transferring their affiliation from the more liberal Presbyterian Church USA to the more conservative Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC). Pastor Kincaid preached a good message from Genesis chapter 22.

For the 10:45 am Sunday service, we attended the Beaverton Church of the Nazarene. The people were friendly and Pastor Brumbaugh delivered a very encouraging message from Luke chapter 8.

The boys swimming in the hotel pool. They also had their faces painted at the Children's Museum in Portland.

On Monday morning, we stopped to see my friends, Ray and Deidre Morris, and their two lovely girls. It was so nice seeing them and we had such a good visit! They are planting a unique church in Portland that is currently meeting in this coffee shop operated by the church called Renaissance Café. On Sunday mornings at 10:30 am, the church meets right in the café. Here's a link to a December 2008 article that The Oregonian did about their church plant - http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2008/12/pastor_plants_combo_church_cof.html

Caleb and Micah outside the Renaissance Café. If you live in the Portland area, or are driving through, be sure to stop by Monday - Saturday between 7:00 am - 3:00 pm and support this great ministry by getting some coffee and free WiFi. Caleb said it was the best he's ever had (being the long time coffee connoisseur that he is. It really is good coffee, I had a peppermint mocha and Renee had a white chocolate coconut mocha. Micah enjoyed his hot chocolate). The café is located at 1710 SE 122nd in Portland. Even though it won't get you free coffee, tell Ray that John sent you.

On Monday afternoon, I joined several of my Nazarene pastor friends and other pastors and Christian leaders for a three day seminar at Jefferson Baptist Church in Jefferson, Oregon. What makes this church so remarkable is that it is a church of approximately 1,200 people in the town of Jefferson that has a population of approximately 1,500 people.

Founding pastor of 32 years, Dee Duke teaching the first day of the pastor's seminar in their approximately 800 seat worship center. What makes his teaching extraordinary is the simplicity of the principles he extracts and expounds upon from the Bible.

Each night following the seminar, the wonderful people at Jefferson Baptist provided an excellent meal for us in their gym (along with lunch and goodies throughout the three day conference - what hospitality). The first night was some of the best steak I've ever had. Pictured here are members of the church who were my dinner hosts for the evening. They are fine Christian people and fun to be around! Pastor Duke is in the red shirt at the table behind us.