Missio Colonia | Kevin and Kathi in Cologne, Germany

Kevin: It's official! We received an email yesterday informing us that we are now missionary candidates with Greater Europe Mission. Of course, that doesn't mean that we are actually missionaries. We still have to go through the candidate process. This means we have to attend their candidate orientations in June, and then we'll find out if we'll be assigned to the field.

This brings up another issue. The candidate orientation is expensive. We have to find a way, either through our personal funds or support, to pay the $2000 fee for this week of training. We may be able to simply raise the support for it after the fact, but we're not sure yet. Please be praying that God provides the money we need to go.

Kevin: While Kathi and I were home for Easter this weekend, we were able to meet with Ron Silver, who is the pastor at Christ Community Church, which is the church Kathi grew up in. What an encouraging meeting. We shared with him our desire to go and share Christ in Germany as well as our vision for ministering to rural community churches. We also expressed our desire to have that church send us out into the field. He assured us that the church would be honored to partner with us in this ministry.

The more I think about it, the more I become convinced of the enormous opportunity that awaits us in support raising. By spreading a vision for the Kingdom, we could possibly have a greater impact for missions than we will have in Cologne. Think of it. We partner with five churches that normally would have never thought about missions. Through our ministering to them, they get fired up about it and decide to send out two or three missionaries each. That's multipication for you!

This was one of the last pieces for our application to Greater Europe Mission. With this figured out, we're on track to getting approve for candidate training in June. Please be praying that the Lord would continue to guide us.

Kevin: I think we've finally finished all of the stuff for our application. After we sent in our initial application packet, we got in the mail a big envelop with a bunch of other forms we had to complete. This time we had to do a psychological test, a couples evaluation, a personal and family history, and a Bible and theology test.

On Friday we went to Caribou and took the psych test and couples evaluation. The psych test was 600 questions asking you anything from "Would you like to be a florist?" to "Do you hear voices?". It was definitely interesting. We had to double check what we put down whenever we came to the crazy questions. We don't want them believing that we "think someone's trying to kill us".

We just bit the bullet on Saturday and finished up the other two tests. The personal and family history went really deep. It's hard to write down all of your personal struggles and sins. Greater Europe Mission pretty much knows everything about me now though. Kathi had a rough time on the theology test. She knows the Word really well, but she isn't good with memorizing Scripture references and such. That one really stressed her out. But, that's behind us now. Time to look forward to candidate orientation (Lord willing, we're accepted).

Kevin: A friend of mine told me a story last night about a missionary she knows in London. She related how the man had come to faith after living an outrageous wild lifestyle. After his conversion, he threw himself into ministry and began sharing his faith boldly. He would stand up in the middle of a crowded streetcar and start talking about Jesus. He moved to London and opened up a pub and through this has been able to reach so many. And people were coming to the Lord through him! He was a Soul-Winner.

I want to be a Soul-Winner. I don't know how you become one, but I want God to use me in that way. Unfortunately, the questions that dominate writings about missions and evangelism have to do with culture and context. What's the best method for sharing the Gospel with post-moderns? Is relationship evangelism the way to go or is proclamation better? What sort of nice, pretty packages can we wrap the Gospel up in to make it appealing to people today? That seems to be the attitude underlying most of that conversation. But is that not the "human wisdom" and "wise and persuasive words" that Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 2:4? I hate to be sounding too radical here, but doesn't real Soul-Winning come through boldness and the Spirit's power?

That's not to say God doesn't use all of those evangelistic methods to save the lost. Most people who ascribe to those methods and philosophies would declare first and foremost that evangelism is the work of the Holy Spirit. But, how do you move from evangelistic methods to Soul-Winning, from cautious and timid encounters to people coming to faith through boldness and power?

I don't know. I know for certain though that I don't have it in me. Another aspect of the man who my friend told me about was that he was persecuted...I mean persecuted. He has been beaten, mocked, threatened, and cursed. He had to pay for his boldness. But, the reward has been people coming to faith. I want the reward without the sacrifice. I short, I fear. But, 1 Corinthians 2:1-4 give me hope. Paul says that he came to Corinth "in weakness and fear, and with much trembling". And yet, God still used him.

We're going to Germany with much trembling. I'm afraid that my weakness and my lack of boldness will hinder any impact we could have possibily had in Cologne. But, my one prayer to Jesus has been: Lord, I pray that our ministry in Germany would be a ministry not of fancy packages, timid encouters, or "wise and persuasive words" but one of power and boldness. I come to you as one who is not bold, not powerful, not capable. Meet us in our weakness, and transform us into Soul-Winners.

Kevin: At this point the plan is to attend candidate orientation in June at Greater Europe Mission headquarters in Monument, Colorado. Then, we'd throw ourselves into the support raising adventure. For the first couple of months, we'd both be working because the lease on our apartment isn't over until August. But, once that lease is up we'd be able to move out and I could leave my job to raise support full time.

This raised the issue of where we would live after August. Well, while we were in Germany visiting the team in March, Adam's wife Bethel made a suggestion. Her mother, Elizabeth, owns a home in Libertyville, which is right down the road from where we live now. She frequently has people stay at her place temporarily for free. What amazing blessing that would be!

Well, this afternoon we had lunch with Elizabeth and talked with her about the possibility of staying there for a few months. She was so nice and welcoming. Basically, we now have a place to live this fall while we finish support raising in Chicago. Praise the Lord! We're so thankful that this need is being provided for.