Urgent!

Sometimes we just get sick and tired of hearing, "right now," or, "hurry up," or "faster!" If it isn't our parents saying it, it is our teacher, our boss, a client or someone else. Everyone is in a hurry and wants us to meet their needs.

There is a saying, "the tyranny of the urgent." This refers to our responding to all the demands on us as if each one were priority. The problem is that we can never respond to all the demands or satisfy everyone. We're left with two options: run around until we collapse and get nothing done or establish priorities and action plans in order to actually get things done in good time according to the true importance of each demand.

In the Bible there is an urgency that requires that every true believer in God place as a priority: the message of Jesus Christ.

Jesus has compassion for everyone and does not desire that anyone perish or suffer for their sins. That is the reason he came to the earth, died and rose again from the dead.

Jesus' mission did not end there. In Matthew 9:35 - 37 we see that Jesus transmitted an urgent priority to his followers. He saw the multitudes who were harassed and tired, without any direction or purpose to their lives. Deeply moved, Jesus commanded his followers to see the situation as he saw it and pray that God would send people to meet the desperate needs of the people of the world.

Jesus said that everyone was ripe and ready to receive the message of love and salvation from God, but there were few workers who were out there proclaiming it. Therefore millions and millions of people stayed, and stay today, far away from a new life and hope in Jesus.

It is the obligation of every true believer in Jesus to continue the work that he started nearly 2000 years ago. There is a urgency to this command for two reasons.

1) Life is short. Few people in this world today live past 80 years. In most underdeveloped countries many do not even reach 45 years of age. The book of Hebrews says that it is appointed to man that he dies once and then there is the judgement. How terrible to live a short life and then arrive at God's judgement seat carrying with yourself all of your sin and guilt.

2) The second coming of Jesus is imminent. Jesus could come at any time. Very few are ready to meet him.

Therefore, it is the priority and obligation of every true Christian to share the message of salvation, forgiveness and hope through faith in Jesus to every person.

Don't wait until you are "ready". You already have everything you need to proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ.

Don't wait for someone else to do it. God has called YOU to do His work in the world.

Don't wait until the "time is right." Today is the day of salvation. I'm not saying you should run into the middle of the street and scream out the message of Christ, but you can live a life now that is completely different from the rest that it will call the attention of others.

Finally, we must have a passion to see the world saved through faith in Jesus. If we have no conviction, we'll never start, and, of course, no one will see that we have something special to offer: eternal life in Christ.

El Camino's Vision

We work with a christian congregation called El Camino in Arequipa, Peru. It is very important in a work like this to be clear on what we want to accomplish. To get to that point, we need to be very clear in why we are here. Over the last year we have worked hard on developing a vision statement that applies not only to us as the team that established El Camino, but also for the church itself.

The vision of El Camino is this: "Impact the families of Arequipa and their circle with the truth of God through our testimony, service, multiplication and leadership.

Impact: that there would be a deep change in life in the people.

Families of Arequipa and their circle: To reach all members of the family of all ages and then touch those who are in the circle of influence of a person.

Truth of God: There is absolute truth that reflects reality: this is only found in a relationship with God based on our faith in Him.

How do we accomplish this:
Testimony: Our lifestyle and message that we present.

Service: How we serve others in the church and in the community. Not only with our deeds, but the attitude of the heart behind those deeds.

Multiplication: Jesus said in Matthew 28:19 that we are to "Go and make disciples". We are to reproduce the new life of Christ in other people. Also, El Camino isn't to be the only congregation: it is to be the first of several.

Leadership: through effective leadership a church grows and stays healthy.

Pray with us as we now work through this vision and make it real: a part of our life that changes other lives.

Brad, Lori, Kayla, Brandon and Elizabeth Quiring

P.S. If you want to see photos: just head to http://picasaweb.google.ca/qsinperu

Tired is in the air. And it means something BIG and GREAT!

The title of this post is a quote from my teammate, Bob. We had our team meeting this morning and we all said we felt quite tired.

We weren't saying this because we felt sorry for ourselves or because we wanted someone to pity us, it's reflecting the reality in which we live and work. We're tired because there is so much happening. And, it is exciting.

This last weekend, actually beginning May 1st, we went full blast. That afternoon we opened up our youth café. 46 kids showed up, with a host of parents, too. It was a lot of fun. A lot of noise, too. The next day, Friday, we had 32 show up and stay until closing time at 11PM when we finally kicked them out. Then Saturday rolls around and there is music practice, youth group meetings and then the café again, with 36 kids wanting to hang around, visit and play.

Then there was Sunday, May 4. The first Sunday of May is our church's anniversary Sunday. El Camino is now 7 years old. 21 people came up to the front of the church and by placing a candle in the cake up front indicated that during the last 12 months they had made a decision to put their faith in Jesus Christ. Looking at the group I saw more than faces, I saw changed lives, saved marriages and restored relationships.

Sunday evening was our monthly prayer meeting. It was so much fun to share our experiences as a church over the last 7 years. Some people in the meeting had been with us since the beginning. Others had only started attending a few weeks ago. Nevertheless, one got the feeling that we were part of something much bigger than ourselves and much better than anything this world has to offer us.

After a week-end like that were we tired? You bet! But what a way to get "worn down." Celebrating God's power and goodness and being with people you love deeply.

You don't have to be a pastor or missionary to experience this: you can do it within your own circle of friends, contacts and your church. But it begins with your relationship with God. Is God big enough to meet your needs, or do you think you can do it. Trust me, we can't. Also, do you think life is "fun" and "adventure-filled" with your own ideas of entertainment. Try stepping out and doing what God wants for your life. It'll blow your mind and change you forever.

If you want to see the pictures just head to this address: http://picasaweb.google.ca/qsinperu

God bless,
Brad, Lori, Kayla, Brandon and Elizabeth Quiring