Missio Colonia | Kevin and Kathi in Cologne, Germany

Kevin: As we continue our prayer, we're starting to see how Satan is trying to bring division and frustration. Yesterday was very hard. Nothing happened that was particularly trying. However, little things keep cropping up that brought stress and anxiety. The resulting stress puts a strain Kathi and I's relationship. Please be praying that God would be protecting us, and that we would cleave to Him through out this time.

One piece of good news is that we finished writing our first prayer letter. I was expecting it to be tough to write, but the words simply flowed. We'll be sending those out later this week. After that we're going to start making appointments with possible supporters. Please be praying for the as well.

Kevin: Kathi and I had a wonderful time in prayer last night. We were reminded that God's grace has been so present throughout this journey. I've frequently been lamenting how I've been missing a heart for the lost. What God showed us was that what matters most is His heart for people who are suffering, who are rebelling, and who don't know Him. We simply need to trust that He going to provide all that we need to do what He has called us to do. This mean finances, attitudes, motives, strength, and joy. Please continue to pray for us as we are preparing to start our support raising.

Yesterday we received the official news that we've been appointed as missionaries in Greater Europe Mission! We had a wonderful commissioning ceremony where some of the veterans committed us to the Lord. Then we had a celebration dinner at an authentic Moroccan restaurant. Now that we're official, we started the support raising training this morning. Despite the gigantic task ahead of us, Kathi and I are pretty relaxed about the whole thing. The Lord will supply all our needs in His time.

Please continue to pray for us, particularly these next couple of weeks. We are going to take some time to seriously pray for our support raising. Pray that God would place people in our path who will share our passion for this ministry. Also, please pray for our hearts, that we would be looking toward Him as the ultimate provider and not to other people or ourselves for strength.

I know we haven't updated this blog lately, but everything here at orientation has been going so well. The past few days have been packed with information about the organization, mission, finances, etc. Today we had our interview with the personnel committee which evaluates all the candidates. It went so well and was encouraging to hear their affirmation of our call. Tomorrow we find out whether we are officially appointed to the mission field. Once that happens we start all the training for our support raising!

Our first day at orientation was very encouraging. This evening we had dinner at the house of the president of the mission. We were able to meet and get to know many of the staff at the home office here. Even more so, we had some amazing conversations about the spiritual condition of Europe. It did much to continue to reinforce our heart for that place. Tomorrow we start the indepth interview process. We have to meet with some professional counselors who are going to assess our psych profiles and ask us some questions. We also have an evaluation committee assigned to us, who are going to get to know more about our passions and call. Please continue to pray for us. Especially pray that we would be sensitive to God's Spirit this week.

Kathi and I fly out tomorrow to Colorado Spring to attend our Candidate Orientation. Lord willing, after this week we'll officially be missionaries. We're basically spending the entire week learning about Greater Europe Mission, interviewing with supervisors, and getting trained in support raising. We're praying that God use this time to fortify our vision for Germany and to prepare for the task of raising support.

Thank you so much to everyone that supported us financially and through prayer for this trip. Your love offerings and prayers are so special to us.

Kevin: We are less than one week away from Candidate Orientation! Kathi and I are starting to get excited. We've also been taking some deliberate time this week to pray for vision for our ministry in Cologne. I think that it's been pretty hazy up till now, so we're hoping that God refines some of that for us.

Even now God is beginning to answer this prayer. Yesterday during my time of prayer, God unraveled a piece of that vision. It revolves around Incarnational Ministry. Essentially, this means we hope to deeply integrate ourselves into the Cologne community, loving where they need love, ministering where they are hurt, suffering when they suffer. The Church for the most part has completely lost credibility in Europe. Therefore, a traditional proclamation apologetic is no longer sufficient. A new apologetic is required. This Incarnational apologetic is one where our lives as well as our words speak to the truth of the Gospel.

Two particular verses were important in this vision. First, 1 Peter 2:12:

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

and 1 Corinthians 9:22:

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

We hope that this Incarnational Ministry will mean our involvement in helping the community, whether it's through a homeless shelter, or an AIDS clinic, or a youth program. With good deeds our message will carry weight. All of this by God's grace.