The goal is to help the church in Southeast Asia, particularly in ministry to college students. We’re focused on that goal. We have to be, because it’s taking a lot of work to get started.
The graphic designer has finished her work, so I’ve been using it create our new look. You’ll see it at the public launch of our new work. Our presbytery has been reviewing and processing our call to this ministry. I think that will be completed by the end of this month. Meanwhile I am logging endless hours in transition. Recently this has been moving to a new email system. The good news is that I have over 3,000 contacts. The bad news is that it is a LOT of work to transfer all those to a new system, even with the marvels of automated technology. One side benefit is the opportunity to recall pleasant memories of all those people.
Earlier this year Ruth and I listened to the podcast The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. Yesterday I heard Ruth listening to something, which was an interview with Tim Keller. Tim had many interesting things to say, but the central question of the podcast was , “Why did Mark Driscoll fall and you haven’t?” Tim gave several reasons, but perhaps the most prominent was our denomination. No one in the PCA would get away with the things that Mark Driscoll did. Now, to be sure, the PCA has a boatload of problems, and our dealing with issues is often substandard. But at least we do our best to deal with issues. In the end this protects everyone, pastors as well as laymen.
Ruth and I could have been on the field months ago if we had just made our own arrangements and left. It can be frustrating to wait for the wheels of the church to turn (slowly, it feels) to approve our call. But it is best for everyone – for us, for our future colleagues, and for those among whom we hope to minster. I am deeply grateful for the long hours of the committee members who have been evaluating our new position.
David Green 