1 Samuel 24

A view of Wadi David at En Gedi, Israel

The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’ Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed…”
1 Samuel 24:4-6

Times of crisis reveal one’s true character.

This was a moment of temptation for David. As his men said, it seemed to be a divinely-given opportunity to put an end to all this running and hiding – an opportunity to place himself on the throne without further effort and without further delay. Yet, he was unable to do the deed. He only cut off a piece of Saul’s robe instead of cutting off Saul’s life. Why?
To someone who was only concerned for their own self-advancement, it would have seemed that God had providentially put everything in place: Saul was helpless and unaware; David’s men were urging him to kill him and David had the upper hand. Even if something had gone wrong, En Gedi provided many options for escape. Had he been Saul, David would have struck without a second thought.
But that’s just the point: David wasn’t Saul. In fact, God was in the process of “beating the Saul” out of David in order to prepare him to rule in a godly fashion. As the focus of Saul’s murderous intent, David had plenty of opportunity to observe the disastrous results – on the king, on his staff and on Israel – of Saul’s manic selfishness. David’s experience as a fugitive reinforced his commitment to do things God’s way. And that’s indicative of true godly character.
When we don’t really have time to think, we react out of our true nature. This situation demonstrated David to be a man of integrity. Forced to make a split-second decision under tremendous pressure, David reacted in a godly fashion. Though he was a warrior, he did not kill. Given time to think, David manifested further proof of his integrity in that his conscience was troubled by the fact that he had even touched Saul’s robe.
David was unwilling to use any means in the accomplishment of God’s will that was dishonoring to God. God had obviously placed Saul in the position of king. David acknowledged that fact by his frequent references to Saul as “God’s anointed.” God had also promised that David would succeed Saul as king. To deny either of these truths would have been tantamount to denying his faith in God. Furthermore, David was determined to embrace not only God’s promise but also to the means by which God would fulfill His promise. Surely, God had already planned some resolution to this conflict which would bring Him glory. To hasten the fulfillment by taking Saul’s life seemed to be a tawdry – and faithless – way to gain the throne.
In his whole circumstance, David demonstrated a remarkable spiritual maturity for one so young. His willingness to deny himself in submission to God’s will clearly foreshadowed the response of our Savior. Jesus also followed the Father’s timetable, eschewing easier paths to His throne, out of submission to God’s will. (See Matt. 4:8 and John 6:15. Compare with Matt. 26:39.)
David subsequently rebuked the king, while demonstrating that he could have easily taken Saul’s life. Instead, David expressed his continuing faith in God: “May the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.” Ever the manipulator, Saul acknowledged David’s integrity. He even prophesied that David would succeed him as king. (The author here uses Saul’s own words to buttress the legitimacy of David’s reign.) But Saul immediately tried to tie David’s hands by asking him to swear he would not harm his family. Ironically, an ungodly man can recognize integrity, but will often seek to use it for his own ends.
Even in this, David’s integrity shone through. Although it was common practice among the nations for a new king to wipe out the family of the former king – thereby removing all potential claimants to the throne – David trusted that God would make his throne secure. Without hesitation, he swore to Saul that he would “not cut off his descendants or wipe out his name from his father’s house.” David kept that promise by his kindness to Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth.
Trusting God and acting upon that trust is the essence of Biblical integrity. May God strengthen your faith and make you a David, not a Saul.

Sunyani, Ghana

The azure sea is bordered by picturesque tropical beach. The waves gently roar their soothing mantra; coconut palms sway in the breeze; fishing boats nod through the swells on their way out to sea. Yet, clashing with this idyllic scene, a whitewashed monument to man’s sin and cruelty squats menacingly at the water’s edge. It’s difficult to imagine a more incongruous setting for a slave castle than the seashore at Elmina, Ghana. In the U.S., such prime beachfront would be lined with luxury hotels and condominiums. But here, the tourists come to view something much more sobering – a testimony to the African holocaust called “the slave trade.”

Starved, beaten and chained, they were marched to this location for over 300 years: seven million people fed to the dungeons of Elmina Castle; fewer than half survived to be loaded onto the boats bound for the Americas. Four million people died within these walls. The stench of death clings to the place.

Standing there as a descendant of Europeans, you feel deep shame. As a believer in Christ, you are stunned to see the chapels where the Portuguese and Dutch slavers callously worshiped above the dungeons. And yet, there is also a sense of wonder – that believers took the lead in ending this obscenity; that descendants of Europeans also brought the gospel to these shores; that multiplied millions of Africans were able to look past the messenger to embrace the Christ who gave Himself “to purchase men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

Our week in Ghana began with this Sunday visit to Elmina Castle. If I could, I would require every American to visit there because it’s an important (and disturbing) part of OUR history as well. The next day, we left for Sunyani to begin the TOT (training of trainers) on Tuesday morning. The group of prospective trainers in Ghana numbers about 20 men, each highly influential in their respective denominations. They include senior pastors, district pastors (with responsibility for 10-15 churches) and one general overseer of an entire denomination. In fact, as we talked with Rev. Sam Oppong (EPI’s coordinator for Ghana), he stated that conservatively these men directly influence over 14,000 people! What an encouraging example of the effectiveness of Paul’s “commit to faithful men” strategy (2 Tim. 2:2).

Tuesday dawned cloudy and a bit cool. The second half of the rainy season is approaching in West Africa, and we had surprisingly cool weather along with several torrential downpours during the week. As the men arrived, we introduced ourselves and began about 9:45 am by reviewing what had been taught them in February. Dr. Caines and I usually alternated teaching, working through the material about an hour at a time. Since we didn’t have a tea break like we did in Nigeria, we gave them “5 minutes” in the late morning to stretch. Even with regular breaks, the work was challenging – both for the teachers and the students. However, we found throughout the conference that the Holy Spirit provided both energy and insight as we taught. It was a very encouraging experience.

As Tuesday progressed, we became rather discouraged by the lack of response from the men, thinking perhaps they were disinterested. Sam assured us this was not the case at all. In fact, he said, the men remembered what they had been taught before and had no questions because they already understood it and agreed with it. They were simply being polite while waiting for us to move on to the new material. Once we began the new material on Wednesday, the students became excited and much more animated. As we applied the Biblical teaching regarding God’s covenant with His people to marriage, church and culture, the questions began to come thick and fast. The men remained deeply engaged with the material throughout the remainder of the week.

They asked MANY questions – most of them about the application of these truths to the transformation of their own culture. We were able to answer most of these questions, but at times we had to say, “We don’t know.” While the truths of Scripture do not change, sometimes the way they apply differs from one culture to another. Obviously, there are many situations that are unique to Ghanaian culture and, without a full understanding of the cultural context, we could not make the application for them. However, we encouraged them to discuss these questions among themselves and to begin applying these truths in their own ministries. It was exciting to see them wrestling with the Scriptures and seeking to be consistently Biblical within their own cultural setting. By God’s grace, this training session will bear much fruit for Christ’s Kingdom in the years to come.

The conference wrapped up on Friday and, on Saturday morning, we began the long trek back to Accra. With traffic congestion, blocked roads and construction, it took us over eight hours to reach the capital again. Then, a long restless night before flying out on Sunday morning. We arrived home about 11:30 Sunday night – about 43 hours after leaving Sunyani. It was a challeging, but profitable, trip. We thank the Lord for His grace and for His constant presence. Thank you too for your prayers and support.
Grace and peace,
Dan.

Akure, Nigeria

It was the first day of the conference in Akure, Nigeria, and we were all set to begin at 9:00 am. Our hosts were bringing breakfast and coffee early so we could get to the Servant Leadership Institute in time. Up bright and early, we cleaned up and were ready to go by 7:30. And then we waited: 8:00 am - no breakfast…9:00 am - no breakfast and no word from our hosts…10:00 am and we are now officially concerned. Knowing Gideon Umukoro, this delay was unusual. We prayed for him and for the Lord’s provision and protection in the situation. I finally asked the hotel to call him and find out if everything was alright. Gideon responded that he had sent his car and it had broken down. So, he sent a second vehicle and it broke down too! As a result, our breakfast was coming via taxi while he worked to find a third vehicle that could bring us to the SLI facility. We finally arrived and began our teaching at 11:00 am.

Welcome to ministry in Nigeria! Although it is the largest and one of the wealthiest of the black African countries, Nigeria suffers from a whole range of ills: extreme poverty, choking pollution, crumbling infrastructure, political corruption and (in some areas) Islamic violence. Sadly, many of its people seem to be addicted to get-rich-quick scams and a false gospel of prosperity. It’s a place that desperately needs the whole gospel applied to the whole man.

We are here to continue the Training of Trainers (TOT) program by teaching the second half of the Our Covenant God curriculum – the part that deals with the application of Biblical theology to culture. I taught the first part in February and received an enthusiastic response from the men we are training to be EPI national instructors. Dr. Render Caines, senior pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga, TN, is on this trip to share the teaching load and to see first-hand the work of EPI in West Africa. The two of us share a passion for extending the Kingdom of Christ through the biblical transformation of culture. And we used this week to share that passion with the men gathered in Akure.

Although the group was small (about 35 pastors and leaders), the potential of this training is immense. Hailing from most of the major regions of Nigeria, these men will directly impact over 4,000 people – many of whom are cultural leaders themselves. We saw an example of this influence in a prayer request given at the very end of the conference: Pastor Isaac had just received a call from the ceremonial chief of his tribal region. The chief had decided to close all the churches for 7 days so that everyone could focus on the festival he was promoting – a festival dedicated to the traditional African gods. He had already ordered the distribution of machetes and guns to be used against anyone refusing to close their church. The call was to notify Isaac about the closing. But when the chief found that this well-regarded Christian pastor was out of the district, he postponed his final decision until he was able to consult with him. As we prayed for Isaac, we asked that God would give him the words to say that would convince the chief to allow Christian worship to continue or, if not, the courage to obey God rather than man.

Once they are trained, these men will be teaching the basic EPI curriculum to their fellow Nigerians, greatly multiplying the impact of this Biblical curriculum in that country. Each man hopes to become certified in one or more of the courses: Marriage, Church Leadership, Biblical Stewardship, Christian Education and Biblical Counseling. They are so eager to get started that some are already passing on what they have learned through the Our Covenant God curriculum. Two OCG conferences have been scheduled for the next month: 40 pastors and leaders are being trained in Ogun state this week and then 80 will be trained in Kogi state. Who knows how many people THEY will influence? The combination of Biblical truth and Biblical methodology (2 Tim. 2:2) is powerful!

It was a challenging week for us: The food was different; the cultural atmosphere seemed oppressive and the work was strenuous. However, the joy and gravity with which these men received the things we taught made it a joyful experience for us. We thank God for His grace that sustained us through the five days of teaching, that provided us with answers to questions we did not anticipate and that gave us a spontaneity that enlivened the presentation. We also thank Him that we were constantly upheld in prayer by many, many people. Thank you, too, for praying. Don’t stop yet! We will repeat the same instruction in Sunyani, Ghana this week.

Abesim Update

As soon as we turned off the paved main road in Abesim, we were in the Third World: potholed, rutted red dirt track, old buildings with scabrous, faded paint or (if made of mud brick) crumbling walls, women bending over wood-heated cooking pots, and children everywhere. Here is a rough-hewn table with a few hot red peppers for sale; there is an open-air woodshop where a man makes small stools, smoothing and fitting the wood pieces by hand. The center of activity seems to be a local “restaurant,” a lean-to with a cooking pot balanced on three large stones. Apparently, the corn meal mush is quite popular with the locals, because there’s a line every time we pass by. Everyone is curious about the car slowly staggering through the mud puddles, and they stare when they see the passenger is a white man. It’s as if we are a one-vehicle parade, so I smile and wave to the children who look back wide-eyed. Some of the younger children wave back, but a few hide in fear because they have never seen such a funny-colored man before.

The Agape Evangelical Church of Abesim is located at the end of the track – a nice cement block building with a tin roof. The school they have started is down the hill behind the church – I can see some of the 250 students in their red and blue uniforms as they play at recess. While there are many denominations in Ghana and some are quite wealthy, the AEC has its largest constituency among the poor and the illiterate. Both the church and the school are educational centers, meeting the spiritual and educational needs of the people around them. They are a living example of the kind of holistic ministry that the CEDI conference was designed to encourage, and several of their key leaders were in attendance last week in Accra. At their request, I’m here to teach the leadership of the Agape Evangelical Church about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and their use in the church.

The AEC has been going through something of a Reformation in the past five years as some of the younger leaders have begun to push for a Bible-centered approach to doctrine. Some of the leaders have been attending the EPI conferences in Sunyani and, earlier this year they asked us to help train the denominational leadership. Chuck Emerson and Allen Monroe taught them on Romans in February, and the response was enthusiastic. But the leaders felt, because of the rampant abuses of prophecy and tongues that exist in Ghana, they needed some clarification in this area of spiritual gifts.

The conference ran Tuesday through Thursday from 9 am to 4 pm each day and we had about 75 men and women in attendance. It was hot and humid in the building, even with the ceiling fans, and I guzzled bottled water regularly. But the presence of the Holy Spirit among us, guiding our discussion, was so exciting and energizing that I hardly noticed the heat. They were excellent students: listening, taking notes and asking penetrating questions. As we worked through the Scriptures on these issues, I identified abuses on both sides – those who misuse the gifts as well as those who ignore them as if they don’t exist. The Bible’s clear teaching helped them to sort through issues like the baptism of the Spirit, the filling of the Spirit, the nature and use of Spiritual gifts and the unity in Christ’s body that they are designed to produce. I encouraged them to interpret their experiences on the basis of what the Bible says and tried to give practical, Biblical answers to their many questions. God graciously provided wisdom and insight into the Scriptures, teaching me even while I was teaching them! It was an amazing time.

I left the notes with them, and they finished the conference determined to implement the Biblical teaching on spiritual gifts in their own churches. I have no doubt that this was a divine appointment for all of us, and that these truths will shape the beliefs and practices of this rapidly growing denomination. Thank you for your prayers. I am not able to do this work without them.

And so I come to the end of another teaching trip. I begin my trip home this afternoon. God has blessed my time in Israel and Ghana far more than I ever anticipated, and I trust that Christ’s Kingdom has benefitted as well. I’m already planning to return to West Africa in late August, to do some more training of EPI national trainers. Please pray for safety as I travel and for wisdom as I prepare the curriculum for August. Thank you again for partnering with us in this ministry.

Grace and peace,

Dan.

Accra, Ghana Update

The room was stifling – the air conditioning wasn’t working and it was about to rain. Perspiration seemed to be dripping from my elbows, my shirt was soaked, and it was difficult to pay attention. And it was only 10:00 am! Looking around at the other 30 participants in this session, I could see that I was not the only one struggling. So, we opened the windows, and as the wind whipped the curtains and the raindrops spattered, we pressed on in our discussion of small business principles. With the rain came a measure of cooling, and the break time brought coffee and a meat pie (heavy pie dough with “mystery meat” inside), and we were able to refocus.

It’s the beginning of the rainy season in Ghana – a time when you’re thankful for AC as much for the humidity as for the heat. I arrived here last Sunday night after a long trip from Israel. It was good to see Sam Oppong waiting for me outside the airport and, 23 hours after I left Jerusalem, it was good to see a bed too! The conference was held in Accra, so we drove 15 minutes to the hotel and I was able to crash. Thank the Lord for a safe trip and thank you for your prayers.

This week I was a student instead of the teacher - attending the very first Christian Economic Development Institute (CEDI) to be held in West Africa. The conference ran from Monday morning through Saturday morning and we were busy all day, every day. CEDI is the brainchild of the Chalmers Institute for Economic Development, based in the Chattanooga area, and provides training for Christians who want to minister to the needs of the poor. Those who attended this CEDI learned about Microfinancing and Microenterprise Development as ways to assist churches to extend the Kingdom of Christ by ministering to the poor in their communities. Of the 120 participants, there were representatives from 14 nations – most from West Africa, but also from Uganda, Malawi and Rwanda in East Africa. Add the teachers (“facilitators” as they are called here) from the U.S. and Kenya and the representatives of the five cooperating/sponsoring agencies and it was quite an international gathering. All the meetings were in English (difficult for our brethren from Ivory Coast and Senegal), but the accents varied as widely as our countries of origin. What a fascinating experience!

By God’s grace, and at the request of our national leaders here, EPI helped make the initial contacts that lead to this conference. And seeing the results that came from it, I’m very thankful we did. This CEDI not only provided practical training in how to minister to the poor, but also grounded that training on a Biblical understanding of the root causes of poverty. So, rather than just throwing money at the problem, believers will know how to create self-sustaining economic development while sharing the gospel and bringing about reconciliation. We western Christians often have a tendency to think our responsibility to our brethren in the developing world extends only to teaching them to understand the Bible. That view bypasses significant portions of Scripture that require us to minister to the whole person, just as Christ did. Churches in Africa and other poor areas of the world are often hindered by their overwhelming poverty from becoming self-sustaining and from carrying out the Great Commission. This conference provided the kind of training that our African leaders have been asking for. They see very clearly that the African church must minister holistically (i.e. to the whole person) if it is to have any deep and sustained impact on African culture. Theology without practical application does not change lives or transform cultures.

Thanks to all of you who prayed for this conference. The feedback on the CEDI was very positive. I believe that its effects will be profound and long-lasting. The leaders here are already planning for another one in Ghana next year, along with one for French speakers as soon as the curriculum can be translated. Because of your generosity, we also were able to provide scholarships so that three of our key Nigerian leaders could attend. They returned home intending to teach their own CEDI in Nigeria in the fall. God is working in Africa and this is all part of the process. Praise God for the privilege of being involved in this event!

This coming week, I will head to Sunyani to teach a conference to the leaders of the Agape Evangelical Church. They have asked me to give them some Biblical instruction on the gifts of the Spirit and how they are to be used in the church. I hope to do this in the context of finishing the instruction on Romans that the EPI team began in February. Please continue to pray for safety and for God’s wisdom as I teach.

Grace and peace,

Dan.

Israel Update #2

This picture was taken in Wadi David at En Gedi, Israel.

As I drove past the modern hotels and shopping district of West Jerusalem, I wondered what I would find on the other side of town. I was following the route mapped out by the GPS system, on my way to the Dead Sea and the oasis of En Gedi. I entered the double tunnel that carries traffic under Mt. Scopius and emerged in another world: This was the Arab section of town and it’s noticeably shabbier. The hotels and glittering stores were gone and the building boom that has hoisted construction cranes all over West Jerusalem seems to have bypassed this part of the city. Just a few more kilometers down the road to Jericho, and I was in a third world country – treeless desert with Bedouin shanty/tents, camel rides for tourists and obvious poverty. And ironically piercing this almost lunar landscape, plummeting down through the barren hills, ran a busy, new 4-lane expressway. The contrasts in Israel can be startling at times:

· T*Two Muslim men performing their afternoon prayers on the front lawn of the YMCA on King David St.

An * An all-vegetarian Sbarro Pizza next to a Burger King without cheeseburgers: kosher cooking forbids mixing meat with milk products like cheese.

· * *A young lady enjoying a day at the beach carrying a well-worn military issue rifle.

It’s a fascinating country, not easily reduced to a few pat clichés. In addition to the contrasts, there is a social complexity in Israel that seldom makes it through the sound bites we hear in the U.S. Israelis come in different shapes, colors, cultures, outlooks and religions – rather like Americans. On any street in Jerusalem you are likely to see Hassidic ultra-orthodox with their side curls and black hats, tattooed secular Jews in t-shirts or halter tops, visiting American kids with the New York accents – each boy with a little skullcap carefully pinned to his hair, Muslim women in their long dresses and headscarves, young soldiers (male and female) armed and in uniform, and backpacked, camera-snapping tourists from all over the world. There seems to be tolerance toward virtually everyone - even the Jews can’t tell you what constitutes a Jew! That makes the hostility toward Jewish believers in Jesus Christ saddening.

I continued this past week teaching the class on Hebrews through Revelation. It was a wonderful treat to see the response to the Word of God. Wednesday night, as the week before, I taught the entire congregation along with the students. At that point we were in James and, since Pastor Sam requested it, I make some rather pointed applications – including some comments about “the demons also believe and tremble.” The response was good, all except one couple: the young lady kept interrupting: laughing and making loud comments. She eventually got up and left. The next night, the students told me that her name was Vika and she was very troubled. She had told someone that night that she couldn’t stay in the room because I was talking about her, and what I was saying was true. But by God’s grace, Friday night both she and her boyfriend, Sergei, professed faith in Christ! The Word of God is powerful.

We wrapped up on Saturday – Shabbat. I preached again in Tel Aviv in preparation for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. It was a blessed time of fellowship with these dear believers. I then drove about ½ hour to Petach Tikva to finish the course. After 5 hours of teaching, we were all exhausted. But we were able to cover most of the material and they grasped it very well. After a short night in Jerusalem, I was back up at 3 am to drive to the airport to catch my flight to London and then to Accra.

I thank the Lord for the opportunity to spend this time in Israel. Both the teaching and the touring were encouraging to me – En Gedi was particularly awesome. Thank you also for your prayers. I am in Accra for this week, attending a Christian Economic Development Institute. More on that later.

Grace and peace,

Dan.

Israel Update #1

The picture is the ascent leading to Wadi David, David's hiding place in En Gedi on the Dead Sea.

It felt like coming home. After all the hurry and concern over the trip and making sure all the details were covered, I found myself driving over the Galilean hills and down into the bowl that holds the Sea of Galilee. And it was the strangest sensation of having been there before. The brown boulder-strewn hills looked for all the world like the region in Eastern Washington where I grew up. It was the same desert heat, the same startling blue of water in an arid region, echoing the cloudless blue sky. It could have been a slice of America: the boats and jet skis on the lake, the crowds of people on the rocky beaches, the restaurants and the tourist shops were all familiar. There were differences, of course. The pungent odor of sage brush was missing and there were palm trees in the place of scrub willows. Instead of wheat fields, there were acres of bananas and citrus fruit – each field laboriously cleared of the rocks that walled its perimeter. The signs were all in Hebrew (with English subtitles) and the prices in sheqels (about 3.5 to the dollar). But the similarities were astounding.

It also felt like home because I’ve spent my entire life hearing these names and many years studying about events that occurred in these locations. The opportunity to see the land first hand will be an invaluable aid to my Bible teaching.

Some other impressions from these first days in Israel:

1. It’s SMALL. From the surrounding hills, you can easily see from one side to the other of the Sea of Galilee. Tiberias, Magdala, Chorazin, Capernaum and Bethsaida are all within an 8 mile radius. Galilee to Jerusalem is a 2 ½ hour drive. And virtually everything Biblical in Jerusalem is in walking distance. But that leads me to my second point…

2. It’s HILLY. Although the Mediterranean coastline is flat and there are some valleys scattered about, a lot of the country is mountainous. I simply wasn’t prepared for the amount of walking up and down and then up again that you encounter in Jerusalem. It makes for stunning views but can be quite tiring. This is also the reason why, no matter where you are traveling from, you “go up” to Jerusalem.

3. It’s OLD. Of course, every place of religious significance has some kind of structure built on it. And the structure you see is probably the third or fourth such structure on that site. The archeological sites are fascinating and in a place like Meggido or Hazor, you can literally see thousands of years of layered construction.

4. It’s REAL. This is where it all happened – the Bible stories, that is. Although it can be difficult to see past the 2,000 years of religious overlay, these are the actual sites where Abraham, David and Christ lived and died (and, in the case of Jesus Christ, rose again). And with a little imagination, you can visualize the events that are so familiar from your Bible reading.

5. It’s NOISY. My first hotel in Jerusalem was on Jaffa St. near the Old City. The traffic and noise from the street continued virtually all night long. So many people in such a small area. And the parking costs were high. The Lord provided much quieter (and less expensive) accommodations last Tuesday – a hostel run by the Seventh Day Adventists that is just across the street from the famous King David Hotel. It’s still within walking distance of the Old City, and I can park for free!

But, although I’m thankful for the time I’ve had to see some of the sights, I’m actually here to teach a seminary class: a survey of Hebrews through Revelation. I began that task on 28 May, after I met my translator, Yulia. We drove down from Jerusalem to Petah Tikvah, near Tel Aviv (a little over an hour from Jerusalem). There we met with a group of Russian Jews who are believers in Christ. I was there to teach the seminary students, but the congregation used the class as a substitute for their mid-week meeting. So, I taught through the first 4 chapters of Hebrews to a group of about 40 people. (By the way, the translation is not into Hebrew but into Russian!) The class met again on Thursday evening as we continued our study in Hebrews.

Today is Shabbat (the Sabbath, or Saturday) and I drove into Tel Aviv to preach to another Messianic congregation – again, mostly Russian. It was a good time of fellowship and a blessing to be able to preach the gospel in Israel, the place where the gospel was first preached. It is also a blessing to be involved in equipping men to pastor Jewish churches in Israel. I believe that Romans 11 teaches that a day is coming when God will send revival among the Jewish people. Some of these young men may be the instruments of that movement of the Spirit. After a wonderful lunch of swarma (like a gyro but much better), the class resumed this afternoon and ran for over 5 hours. In the next update, I’ll tell you a bit about the situation in Israel.

Grace and peace,

Dan.

1 Samuel 23:14

“David stayed in the desert strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.”

1 Samuel 23: 14

The wilderness teaches us to find our satisfaction in God alone.

David’s location in the Desert of Ziph cross-references to the introduction of Psalm 63. This particular psalm was written by David early in his time of fleeing from Saul, when he was in the “Desert of Judah.” While many of David’s psalms do not refer to a particular time or place, the Lord clearly wanted us to know that Psalm 63 was the result of David’s wilderness (desert) experience. This psalm gives us an insight into David’s heart attitude – into what God was teaching him – while in the wilderness.

This wilderness experience is a common one for God’s people. He often leads us there when He wants to teach us without distraction. We see this take literal form in the lives of Moses and Israel and also in David’s life. Later in Scripture, we see Elijah, John the Baptist and Saul of Tarsus each led into God’s wilderness school. Even our Lord Jesus often withdrew into the wilderness for times of fellowship with His Father.

So, what is the wilderness? Where is it found? For David and many others in the Bible, it was a physical place of dry land and dangers. For others of God’s people, it is a place where God can get their undivided attention. Sometimes, it’s a hospital room or a graveside. It can be a time when relationships are broken or come to an end. For some, it’s a time when even God seems (at first) to turn His back on them and not to hear their cries. And again, it can be a place of “exile,” where we feel ourselves to be far from home and family. Regardless of the outward circumstances, the wilderness enables God to teach us painful lessons we would/could not learn in any other way. (See Michael Card’s song, The Wilderness)

As in so many other areas, David again becomes our tutor as we watch him walk through this wilderness experience. Reading this psalm, we find David using the desert topography – this vision before his physical eyes – to lead his heart to devotion and prayer. This is a technique often used in days gone by, but one that is neglected by many believers today. God’s hand is evident in His creation and the world is full of parables that can lead us to Him in worship and praise. When you find yourself worshipping God as you view a sunset or while you enjoy a mountain vista, or when you draw spiritual lessons from the things you see around you, you are duplicating David’s experience in this psalm. You are also following the example of our Lord’s own teaching. (see Matt. 6) Often our circumstances enable us to more accurately describe the “emotional topography” of our hearts to God.

So, David speaks of this soul’s yearning for the Lord, comparing it to the dry land he sees around him. (v.1) He then remembers his experience with the Lord in the sanctuary (v.2), , and uses the analogy of his physical thirst to speak of his intense desire to see God’s power and glory as he had seen it before. This is the desire of all of God’s people – to experience God’s power and to see His glory manifested in the world. All of this leads David into a worshipful frame of mind. (vv. 3-5) He is reminded of the blessing of God’s covenant love – that it is “better than life.” In this way, David acknowledges that he desires nothing above God, not even life itself. But, having life as a gift from God, he commits himself to praising God for as long as he lives. (v.4)

The combination of danger, desertion, desperation and desert leads David to the conclusion that having God is enough. This is the lesson of the wilderness: God is the only One who can fill our hearts, and who is the Satisfier of our deepest desires. Ultimately, our external circumstances matter very little and can never be a source of true satisfaction. This is why God brings wilderness experiences into our lives: to remove the distractions of the daily bustle, and to put all of our other relationships into proper perspective. He uses the wilderness to dry up our fleshly ambitions (They seem so futile and small in the wilderness!) so we will focus our desires upon what is really important: God’s grace, His presence, His provision, His covenant commitment to be our Helper and our Refuge.

David hasn’t forgotten Saul’s threats or the betrayal of the Ziphites (see 1 Sam. 23:19ff). In fact, he mentions “those who seek my life” in verses 9-11. However, the wilderness has restored his perspective by renewing his relationship with God. He is confident that God’s promises will be fulfilled in his life and that, in God’s good time, he will become king. And so, the trial of the wilderness has become a blessing to David because it stripped away everything except God.

So it should be with us. Because there WILL be wilderness experiences in the life of every one of God’s children. Because of the many spiritual benefits, God will ensure that we travel the wilderness road on a regular basis. But only when everything but God is stripped away, do we truly learn to trust his faithful covenant love, His providential timing, His wisdom and His protection. May each of us learn to thank God for the difficult circumstances that bring about such heavenly blessings.

Kumasi, Ghana EPI Update

We experienced a moment of situation comedy last Monday. We had arrived in Kumasi and realized that the food prices at our hotel were astronomical! So, we decided to eat dinner at a less expensive local Chinese restaurant. (Prices for almost everything were increased because Ghana hosted the African Cup of Nations – a soccer event – in January.) As we waited for our food, we were suddenly struck with the hilarity of sitting in a Chinese restaurant, waited on by African waiters, sitting next to an Indian couple, while the stereo blasted American country-western music! The world is getting smaller all the time.

We were privileged in this final week to teach Romans to the leaders of the Asante Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. The PCG is a large and well-established denomination with a strong evangelical bent. They continue to have a strong adherence to Scripture although many of their leaders have been educated in liberal seminaries overseas. So, a study on Romans was something they were strongly interested in. This opportunity was the result of Sam Oppong's friendship with the current Moderator of the denomination. Because of this connection, the denominational leadership opened the door for an EPI conference. They were the ones who suggested working in Kumasi (a city of over 2 million people) with the Asante Presbytery. Asante is the second-largest presbytery in the country, ministering to over 86,000 people in 410 congregations. If the conference was well-received in Asante, then the remaining 13 presbyteries would also be opened to EPI's ministry.

All of their senior pastors and key leaders – including the Presbytery chairman and a former Stated Clerk of the denomination - were in attendance and were very interested in what EPI would bring them. Perhaps because we were there on something of a trial basis, they were friendly but noticeably reserved for the first day and a half. As we began the instruction on Tuesday morning, there were only about 75 people there. But as the morning went on more people arrived so that, by afternoon, we had nearly 150 and the historic Ramseyer Memorial Church was filling up.

Since three of us were teaching this week, I had a bit more free time. (Both Allen and Chuck were very well prepared and, frankly, they didn't really need me to teach since the two of them had taught the same curriculum in Sunyani the week before.) I took advantage of that freedom to meet with another church leader in the Kumasi area on Tuesday. The Right Reverend Daniel Sarfo is the Anglican bishop of Kumasi and another good friend of Sam Oppong. He is also a warm and open evangelical, who greatly desires to see his church leaders be better trained in the Scriptures. Bishop Daniel agreed to meet with me briefly before he left on an international trip. We hit it off well, and as a result, we will be teaching a conference for the Kumasi diocese in the near future. (You may have noticed that virtually everything of substance that happens in West Africa, takes place on the basis of personal relationships. This is a cultural reality in Africa. Consequently, key church leaders don't just want to know about EPI, they want to MEET the guy in charge. If they like you, then the door opens for ministry. But this all requires time for the development of a good reputation, time for the contacts to develop and time for them to learn to trust you. After three years of regular work in Ghana, the doors are beginning to open. Praise God!) Meanwhile, Chuck and Allen taught through Romans 4.

Wednesday and Thursday followed the same general pattern, as we worked sequentially through Romans. By Wednesday afternoon, the folks were beginning to warm up to us and to the teaching. And it was then that the questions began to come. So, we fielded questions on predestination, eternal security, salvation in the Old Testament and many other topics. By Thursday, they didn't want the conference to end, and neither did we! As it was, we were only able to teach through the beginning of Romans 12. So, we may return later this year or early in '09 to do "Romans Part II."

Friday was a travel day, and we returned to Accra in preparation for our flight back to the U.S. There were some significant traffic delays due to road construction, but we arrived in time for an early dinner, enjoying the buffet at the hotel. Along with such delicacies as fried plantain and goat soup, the buffet included "seafood Provincale," a spicy sauce with shrimp and a mystery meat that we afterward learned was octopus! It was actually quite good. I met that evening with Ben Ahadzie, a pastor from near-by Tema, for some good fellowship. We talked about what the Lord is doing through his ministry, and I hope to see him involved with an EPI conference in the future. Saturday Sam, Chuck and I met with Pastor Wisdom Ameku, who trains Baptist pastors in the Volta Region (eastern Ghana). We made plans for a conference in the next year that will include pastors from Ghana as well as from neighboring Togo. Another open door! The rest of the day was LONG, as we waited to fly out at 10 pm.

The weather began to change during this final week of the trip. The dry season is ending; the winds are shifting from the northerly Harmattan winds from the Sahara to the more southerly monsoon winds off the Atlantic. So, we had several heavy afternoon showers with some impressive lightning and thunder. The dust was washed out of the air and the visibility began to improve. By mid-March the monsoons will be in full swing and the rainy season will have begun.

There was also a distinct shift in the nature of EPI's ministry during this trip. Previously, we have focused on conferences for local pastors that focused on practical Biblical instruction. That will continue to be a part of what we do. But on this trip we began the process of training national instructors, who we hope will significantly expand the reach of EPI's curriculum. The "Our Covenant God" curriculum excited the 48 leaders we trained in Nigeria and Ghana and they are on board with the vision of an African Reformation. God has confirmed our new direction by opening four new groups to the ministry of EPI: Agape Evangelical Church, the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, the Anglican diocese of Kumasi and a fellowship of Baptist pastors in the Volta region.

I'm glad to be home and thankful for the safe trip. But I'm also thinking of West Africa and the doors for ministry that God has opened for us. With these new opportunities and the training of EPI national instructors, I need to at least double the time I spend overseas. That will require a significant increase in financial support and several new part-time teachers. But our God is able to provide ALL of our needs – we simply need to ask. As partners in this work, please join me in asking God for the people and the resources to meet these exciting challenges.

Grace and peace,

Dan.

Sunyani, Ghana EPI Update

African children in the more rural areas are intrigued by the sight of white people. Given the opportunity, they want to touch us - in part to see whether the white will rub off! These neighborhood boys wanted their picture taken and were posing for the camera. The construction behind them is the foundation for the African Leadership conference facility in Sunyani.

Sam and I sweltered in the heat at Katoka airport until all the passengers from the KLM flight had come out of the terminal, and still the press of the waiting crowd was gone. Still, we hadn’t seen either Allen or Chuck. Finally, almost 1 ½ hours after the plane landed, Allen came out of the terminal to announce that both he and Chuck were searching for their luggage. Everything except their carry-ons had been lost in transit. In addition, I had forgotten to tell Allen that he needed a visa to enter Ghana! So, back he went to begin the lengthy process of applying for a visa, and we went to get a cool drink and wait. It took another hour, but Allen finally emerged as a legal visitor to Ghana – and in the meantime they had found his luggage. So he was set. But Chuck only had the clothes on his back and his teaching notes. In addition, he was the one carrying the study Bibles and the copies of the Westminster Confession of Faith that we intended to distribute. Fortunately, I had some clean clothes he could use, so we returned to the hotel, praying that his bags would arrive before we had to leave for upcountry. Thank the Lord; they came in on the next flight from Amsterdam. In Africa, you learn to expect delays and to be thankful for small mercies.

We set out on Monday morning for Sunyani - a regional capital some 7 hours northwest of Accra, and the site of our first conferences. It took us over an hour to get out of Accra because of the heavy traffic and road construction. But the rest of the drive was largely uneventful, and we passed through Kumasi in time for a late lunch. We stopped to visit Bishop Samuel and reminisced a bit about last August’s conference for which he was the sponsor. He is hopeful we will be able to return and teach the nearly 100 students at the Bible college he heads in Kumasi. Another couple of hours brought us to Sunyani and we settled into our quarters for the night.

We began teaching on Tuesday morning. Allen and Chuck were taken some 45 minutes out of town to a small Agape Evangelical church. About 100 leaders from this new denomination had gathered there to be instructed from the book of Romans. This was the first Romans conference taught by EPI, and by all accounts it went very well. Both men connected well with the people and the deep truths of Romans were enthusiastically embraced by those who attended. (I never get over how eager African Christians are to hear God’s Word. We Americans could learn something from our brethren here.) Sam and I drove to a venue about 10 minutes from the hotel and I began teaching on Our Covenant God. This conference was by invitation only and was designed to begin the process of training national EPI trainers. So, there were about 19 men attending, each of them a key church leader that is well-known to Sam. I began slowly, but quickly picked up the pace since I only had four days instead of the five I’d had in Nigeria.

The men in my conference each had the equivalent of 1 year of Bible college. So they had more Biblical background than did the group in Nigeria. They listened rather quietly for 2 ½ days, as I laid out the basic themes of a unified Biblical theology. There were a few questions, but mostly just quiet attention. Since so much of what I was teaching them was new to them and some of it contradicted what they had been taught before, they wanted to be sure they understood what I was saying before they asked too many questions. They weren’t rejecting the teaching, but they were carefully evaluating what I said and comparing it with what they knew of Scripture. Still, I could sense that they had not yet accepted what I was teaching. However, they all evidenced a seriousness of approach, except for one man whose lackadaisical attendance caused the organizer to ask him not to return.

Late on Thursday morning as I finished the discussion of Biblical covenants, the entire atmosphere of the conference changed. Although they had been friendly before, they became openly enthusiastic about the content and began asking application questions. They now grasped the idea of the covenants; they embraced the sovereign grace of God in salvation; they saw these things were Biblical and they were willing to follow where the Scriptures led them. What a blessing! Through the remainder of Thursday and into Friday, they were almost bubbly with excitement, eagerly anticipating each new application of these truths. What made the difference? The Holy Spirit came and gave them a new understanding of the Scriptures. The change was dramatic. Their enthusiasm was such an encouragement to me because I know many of you had been praying for these conferences. Christ’s Kingdom advances on the prayers of His people. In America, we sometimes only give lip service to that truth, but here in Africa that truth is a daily necessity. God heard your prayers and “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.”

Our week in Sunyani has resulted in a growing denomination that is eager for its next EPI conference and a group of 18 key leaders who are committed to the vision of an African Reformation. God is doing something exciting, something transformative, through the teaching of His truth. Each of us is privileged to be a part of it as you pray and we teach. I hope to return to Ghana in June to continue the process of training and equipping these men. This will be in addition to a return trip to Nigeria in August and/or September for the same purpose. Meanwhile, I plan to continue mentoring these men via email, sending them information and answering questions for them.

Saturday was a rest day as we toured around Sunyani a bit and then took the afternoon to prepare for Sunday and for next week’s conference. Each of us had the blessing of sharing God’s Word in a local church on Sunday. Allen preached in an Agape Evangelical church to about 65 people, Chuck spoke at a Youth Rally for the same denomination and there were about 300 in attendance. I preached in the church of one of my “students” from the week – Jubilee Chapel International – to about 70 people. In each case the Word of God was received with joy. We thank God for these opportunities.

We are now on the home stretch of this trip. It has gone so well and so quickly that it almost seems like a dream. However, please continue to pray for us as we conduct next week’s conference in Kumasi. This will be the first EPI conference with the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and we pray it will open the door to all of the presbyteries in the country. More opportunities mean more trips. So keep praying that the Lord will provide the energy, wisdom, love and money that we will need to meet this ever-expanding schedule.

Thanks for being our partners in ministry!

Grace and peace,

Dan.

Akure, Nigeria EPI Update

I'm posting the updates from the latest trip to West Africa. I wasn't able to post them while overseas, since the internet service is generally poor. However, I'm post-dating them to the time they were written. Hope you find these interesting.

Imagine, if you can, a world in which none of the rules of the road apply. Where drivers pass on the right, use excessive speed, drive into on-coming traffic even on divided highways, pass without visibility and will brake and park on the shoulder without warning – and without brake lights. A world in which the driver is not only forced to contend with the maniacs in the other vehicles but also with logs on the roadway, immense overloaded trucks that will not give way, capricious police roadblocks, begging lepers waving makeshift flags in the median and vast fields of HUGE potholes that force him to weave from one side of the “road” to the other, just to find a route that will not swallow the car. Then punctuate this nerve-wracking experience with the constant blaring of horns, overlay it with a greasy fog of diesel smoke from the trucks and top it off with blowing dust from the Sahara that reduces visibility to ½ mile. That’s driving in Nigeria. Stress is too small a word to comprehend the experience. But this is where God has brought EPI to equip leaders. And it is a WONDERFUL blessing to be here!

I flew in the evening of Saturday, February 9 and Dr. Gideon Umukoro met me at the airport in Lagos. We shared a hotel room in the city (obviously, you don’t want to drive in the dark) and drove on Sunday to Akure – about 3-4 hours northeast. Once I was safely ensconced in a hotel with a working air conditioner, I began reviewing the first sections of Our Covenant God, the curriculum I came to teach. This was to be an experiment – a small group of men, who would be taking the first step toward becoming certified EPI national trainers. The violence in Kenya has encouraged us to move more quickly toward establishing a national training corps that will be able to continue teaching the EPI curriculum, even if teachers from the US can’t get into the country. So, I am training trainers both in Nigeria and Ghana as the first step in that process. Our Covenant God is intended to provide an introduction to Reformed covenantal theology as the foundation for all the subsequent curricula these trainers will teach.

The instruction began on Monday morning and continued until Friday afternoon. Each day, we would begin around 9:30 and I would teach and answer questions steadily until lunch at 1:30. We would resume at 2:15 and continue until 5:00. It was not an easy schedule for any of us. These 30 men were being confronted with ideas they had never considered before and I came close to losing my voice several times. The book has six chapters: The Sufficiency of Scripture, The Nature of God, The Nature of Man, Our Covenant God (the covenants through the Bible), God’s Plan of Redemption (as an outgrowth of His covenant purposes) and The Covenant Community. We were meeting in the new Servant Leadership Institute facility in Akure and, although the afternoon temperatures hovered in the low 90’s, God gave us all strength to persevere.

Words fail to describe the response of these godly leaders to the truth of God’s Word. For the first time in their lives, they were presented with a view of the Bible from beginning to end that, at many places, challenged the beliefs they have taught for years. Yet, they never faltered. They peppered me with literally hundreds of questions and searched the Scriptures to see if these things were indeed true. They were “Bereans” in the best sense and, at my encouragement, evaluated every point on the basis of God’s Word. By the time we had finished the chapter on covenants on Wednesday morning, they were convinced and they readily accepted the doctrines of grace on Wednesday and Thursday. My driver, Pastor Praise, as he was taking me back to the hotel on Wednesday, said this curriculum was “mind blowing” and he was so excited. I finished by Friday morning with some brief discussion on the church, even taking it to the point of explaining why some believers baptize their children. Again, they gulped but rode it out. I told them this should not be a point of division, but that I wanted them to understand how this is a consistent application of the covenants. Most were not convinced, but they all have a greater appreciation for the concept of covenant baptism.

As I concluded, I shared with them my vision for an African Reformation. They were SO excited! The thought of rejoining the Word and the Spirit to restore truth and power to Christ’s church filled them with hope and determination. They are ready to move forward to reform the church in Nigeria and are eagerly anticipating the next step in the training process.

We said our farewells on Friday afternoon, and I intend to follow up with them in the months to come via email. Gideon, Praise and I left early Saturday morning for Lagos – another adventure in driving. Although it had been repaired, Gideon’s car continued to overheat. Although we added water and drove with the heat on full blast, by the time we reached Lagos, it began to stall when we were delayed in traffic. Twice, through prayer, it restarted; but the third time it wouldn’t budge. My flight was scheduled to leave in less than an hour. So, Gideon flagged down a car and paid the man to take us to the airport. By God’s grace, I was able to check in and made it to the flight in time! Such events challenge my faith, for the American in me wants matters to move according to MY schedule and becomes very fretful and stressed when they don’t. Thankfully, God is patient even when I am not and He answered our prayers in His own way.

Thank you all for your prayers also. They were answered above and beyond what I could have thought or asked. The Holy Spirit was with us in each session, giving me thoughts and verses that I did not prepare and giving them teachable hearts. He gave us safe travel in both directions and has brought me to Ghana, where I will do it all again this coming week. All the glory goes to God.I have been joined here by Dr. Allen Monroe and Mr. Chuck Emerson, who will be teaching Romans this next week to a larger group.

The opportunities in West Africa are immense and your support is a vital part of this work. Please continue to pray for us as we seek to embrace these opportunities for the glory of God in the extension of Christ’s Kingdom.

Grace and peace,

Dan.

The Resurrection of the Blog

I'm not sure how many people still check this blog, since I haven't posted for quite some time. However, the blog is about to be resurrected. I'm headed for Nigeria and Ghana at the end of the week and I hope to post some email updates during the three weeks I'm there.
The explanation for my silence is really rather pedestrian: I have been very busy. At the request of Dr. Gideon Umukoro, our EPI contact in Nigeria, I have been writing an introduction to Reformed Theology for use in training national EPI trainers in Africa. During this upcoming trip, I will be training some 40-50 pastors using this introduction, which is titled Our Covenant God. The goal is to give them a theological foundation for teaching the other EPI curricula.
The potential is immense. I have often hoped and prayed for an African Reformation. We have begun to see some evidence that it is beginning to happen. I pray the Lord will use this curricula to carry that process forward.
I'll post more soon.