Spring Break Missions

At Bethel, everyone is getting back from spring break, and it seems like everyone did something different. The people that I talk to whose stories stick out the most are those who went on spring break missions trips. Over 135 students went on them, most of them going to far away places like Louisiana and West Virgina. They built homes, and did a variety of other things for the communities they worked with, and I have heard nothing but wonderful experiences coming out of it. Almost everyone I have talked to also cannot wait to go back and serve there again. In order to go, the students had to have a certain amount of money which they had to raise on their own. A few people I know had a little trouble raising all the money they needed, but they managed to do it. I just think it's important for people to also support trips like this, even they weren't going to do vacation Bible schools or anything like that. They had opportunities to share the gospel with the people and show Christ's love to them in a real way. That's so important and I hope that it continues to be important to those who went on these trips. There are some people who are on my church's Nett Lake team who have been going longer than I have. A guy named Aric Sorenson has been going for 10 years, since we first started. He loves every one of the kids on that reservation, and they know it. Nothing but love and consistency could have shown that.

Northwest Angle

I got something in the mail today from Rob Boyd, Director of Church & Pastoral Vitality at the Minnesota Baptist Conference. It was an information packet about Kenneth Danielson and the ministry that is starting at the Northwest Angle reservation in northern Minnesota. It was so encouraging to read! It was nice because someone at the MBC really cares about what is starting to happen there. Kenneth is just starting his fund raising, so it's not like he will be going there tomorrow, but things needs to start happening now to get the ball rolling. Rob Boyd is also friends with Kevin Lasley at Nett Lake, which helps the situation a lot.

After reading the packet, I am so much more grateful for Kenneth! Northwest Angle is near the town of Warroad Minnesota, but is very far away from any large city. The reservation itself is divided into islands, with different groups living on the islands. Not all of the groups necessarily like each other either, which makes the situation tricky, but not impossible. They have been asking for a pastor and a church for years, now they will finally get one! He will need lots of help, so I hope churches will be willing. His fund raising isn't far along so it's difficult to tell how it's been going so far, but I hope and pray that he gets what he needs because the need at this reservation is so great. But praise the Lord that people at the MBC and other places around Minnesota are excited about this ministry!

What's the deal?

There was an article in the Star Tribune that was talking about how this Mega Church in a suburb of Minneapolis where the main pastor made over $1 million a year. This pastor even went so far as to borrow money from the church so he could buy his own airplane. When I heard that, it almost made me physically sick. It made me think of Nett Lake, and of the Lasley family. Kevin Lasley had a good job in southern Illinois, making a lot of money. But he felt God calling him to Indian Ministry, and left that all behind. He left the money, the security, everything behind because he felt like it was where he was supposed to be. Now his oldest daughter Maggie has Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, and they are trying to figure out how to pay for it. Both of these men are pastors, yet one is struggling to pay his daughter's medical bills while the other one is spending millions of dollars on an airplane? An airplane that he does not need. Does that seem a little twisted to anyone else or is it just me? Why do we put so much emphasis on having "things" and being part of mega churches? God is working the same in Nett Lake Baptist Church with it's 60 members, just like any other mega churches anywhere in the world.

The Lasley's have set up an account with the Minnesota Baptist Conference to try and help with some of the expenses. One of the things I admire most about the Lasley's is their faith. Their faith that God will take care of everything, that there is a purpose to everything that is happening at Nett Lake and to their family. I don't know if I could be as strong as them. God is rooted in everything they do, and I wish that more people would see that. We need to support those who do what God has called them to do, and maybe this pastor felt called by God to buy an airplabe, but I doubt it.

New Hope

I just got back today from a trip to Nett Lake. I always love going there, but this time I went for a sad reason. One of the church members, who is actually the first Native I met there, one of my dad's best friends there, Les Connor died last Thursday night, and I went for his funeral. It was wonderful to see all the people at the church, and to see them listening to Pastor Kevin and their old pastors Wally and Mark talk to them about why Les was so involved in the church and how he is in Heaven and why. It's only through support from churches and other people that these pastors were able and are able to be there talking to these people about Christ. It amazes me every time I think about it. And I know that Les is in Heaven, and I know without a doubt that he was ready to go home.

While we were there, my dad and I also got to talk to a man we had never seen before, but after talking to him realized that he is going to be the new Pastor at a brand new church at the Northwest Angle church in northern Minnesota. We have been praying for over 2 years for a pastor to come along and want to work with these people. It's a hard place to be, but those Natives have been asking for a pastor and a church, which is absolutely AMAZING! This pastor's name is Kenneth Danielson, and he is raising support for his ministry to begin. I talked before about the support that is needed, and the impact that it can have, and this is a perfct example. My dad almost feel over when he found out because he is so excited, and so am I. I can't wait to work with him and see what God has in store next.