The Beautiful Children of Haiti

I've been home from Haiti for one week now. I still can't completely understand how it has affected me. When people ask me now what was most powerful, or what I miss about Haiti, though, that's easy. The people. The lovely, happy, beautiful people. Especially the kids.

I've been convicted that I should start blogging about my experience, but I'm not quite sure what to write. I think I heard one time that a picture says a thousand words. So, without further ado, I present my first 7,000 word blog about the kids of Haiti.

The dangers of an authentic life

Well, I've learned a lesson this week. Maybe a few.

A few years after I first started following Christ as an adult, I got introduced to a church that values authenicity. Actually, to say it like that kind of undersells the concept. This church believed and lived the ideal that you can be who you are, in any circumstance, you are who God made you and how He made you, and to pretend to be anything else is to deny your maker. I bought in hook, line and sinker. In fact, around that same time was when I first started having a presence online. Because of my belief in the importance of authenticity and transparency, I decided I would live my online life just like my real life... no alias, no persona. I have never had an e-mail like BigHotDaddy@... or IronMan2632@... My e-mails, this Blog, my Facebook page all have my real name. No hiding. I see this as a kind of accountability for me. By doing this, I can live a life of integrity everywhere, even among those who don't know me.

Well, I started to doubt my decision this week when I found out that I was being cyber-stalked. Someone (I think I know who, though I won't say) had been going through my FB pages, looking for anything that could be inflammatory or insulting when taken out of context. It was sad to me, too, because I like working with her. I also have a very important job, caring for people I love at a company I love, and there have been some really tough times there this year. But, this person implied (and probably really believed) that what I had written (and when) made me unfit for my job. Fortunately, the people who saw it know me well enough not to doubt my intentions, but it made me recoil. In fact, my immediate response was to make everything private. I protected this Blog, my FB page, I unfriended anyone at work (sorry to my friends there). I acted just how I would have if I'd been physically attacked.

Over the last two days, though, my response is changing. I need to not let the fact that someone doesn't want to see me succeed not change who I am. Those of you who know me well, I think, know that I am not insensitive, callous, or mean. I am, however, sarchastic, and I can be prideful. Very prideful, and I need to let Christ work in that area of my life. But, I will not go subterranean.

Many of you have told me that something on these blog pages has touched you. Several of you have enjoyed reading my race reports from time to time. And, I think it's cool that some people may be attracted to a Jesus who is madly in love with them just because some offbeat, occasionally funny runner writes about Him sometimes.

So, what have I learned? Well, being authentic is dangerous. Just as it allows you not to surprise anyone when they get to know you, it allows people who don't know you to see into all your junk. I still think that's a better way to live, and it's how God commands us (Ephesians 4:25 says, "So put away all falsehood and tell your neighbor the truth, because we belong to each other"). But, I have realized that what you write online can be seen and misused by anyone. I have also seen that people's perception can vary far from reality, and the more visible you are, the higher standard to which you are held. As a friend told me this week, "just realize your audience is bigger than you perceive." And I do.

I've also learned that not everyone will like you. No matter how much you want that.

So, if you've been offended by something I've written here or elsewhere, I can assure you I didn't mean that. Search anything I've written- you'll not find a hint of profanity, sexism, racism or insult (except to my friends, all meant in love). Unless, that is, you're offended because of something I've written about Jesus. Then, if your offended, maybe it's not my fault.

Leadership author and speaker John Maxwell says his definition of success is when the people that know him best are the ones that like him most. I like that definition. I don't think it's always like that for politicians or movie actors, but I hope it is for me.

Thanks for reading, and peace.
Steve

Genesis Church- West Plains, Missouri trip report

It doesn't seem like one year ago when Jeff Smith, the former pastor at Genesis Church in Noblesville told me he was ready to go plant a church in his hometown of West Plains, Missouri. Well, as soon as he made it official, I told Jeff I was coming to see him on Spring Break next year, so he'd better be ready.

Well, on April 5, 2009, we got the chance to visit Genesis Church in West Plains. Here are some of the highlights and pictures.

Genesis Church meets in the Opera House in downtown West Plains, a town of about 10,000 on the edge of the Ozarks. One great thing about meeting in the Opera House is that you don't have to tell anyone in West Plains where that is. You can just put up a yard sign that says, "Opera House, Sundays at 10:00," and people know where to go. Or, if you'd rather, you can put up a billboard, like Jeff and Kim have done in 2 places in West Plains.



Or, you just park your "Hillbilly Billboard" smack dab in the middle of the courthouse square on Sunday mornings, so people who aren't paying attention will drive right into it (by the way, this is one of the trailers that used to belong to Genesis- Noblesville).



Another advantage of the Opera House is that it is a beautiful building, well-appointed for crowds and with a little more class than other options. Check out the bathrooms...





And check out the Genesis Cafe... they have both kinds of donuts!



Now, for the meat of the report. What I know you've been waiting for. The week we were there, April 5, was week 8 for the church. They had 204 the week before we arrived, up from 156 the previous week, and were afraid of what might happen due to yard signs all over town and a direct mail piece accidentally going out a couple of days early. Well, on week 8, there were 254 people there, 50 more than the previous week. Fortunately, the auditorium in the Opera House was big enough and well-equipped to handle the crowd.





Where the high attendance became a bit of a problem was in the kids' rooms. But, by God's grace, the Opera House management has been very accomodating in letting the church basically take over the kids space. They have been able to really deck out those rooms and make them exciting for the kids.






But what got me really excited about this church were the people. Just think about this... 254 people on a Sunday morning, most of whom were not active in a church before 10 weeks ago. And there were great stories, too. Guys whose marriages fell apart and found Genesis at just the right time. One kid who plays in the band who had drug problems and was blown away by the love shown to him by people in the church. Look at these people... all of them created by God and on a journey to find Him!





I was really encouraged by what we saw at Genesis-West Plains. And, I'm excited to see how God is going to bring us together again in the future. Jeff and Kim are right in their element there, by the way. Jeff's a bit of a celebrity around town (though he would never admit that) and Kim is at home with family and friends. They are very nervous, but expectant about what God is busy birthing in their hometown.

By the way... Easter Sunday? 317 people. God is on the move in Southern Missouri!