What type of person are you? Do you like change or do you avoid it? I’ve always thought I’ve loved change, but as I’ve aged a bit I realize I’m not one or the other. I long for change. Change can be exhilarating, but there are somethings that at least appear as though they should remain as is. Change is inevitable, though, and we have the decision of whether we want to make the most of it or fight against it. I choose the first option – embrace it and make the most of it!

By now you are probably wondering, “What are you talking about Zach? What is changing?” I’m glad you asked. After a challenging fall that was full of evaluation, prayers, discussions and much more, I have made the decision that it is time to move on from Athletes in Action and be in a place (rather organization) that suits my heart, passions, dreams and where I see God taking me here in the future more. Most of you have heard my presentations in the past, read my blog or heard me share my heart. You know that the “local church” has had, for years, a special place in my heart. Right now I’m in the midst of the application process with an organization named The Evangelical Alliance Mission, or TEAM. TEAM’s purpose “is to help churches send missionaries to establish reproducing churches among the nations to the glory of God. We seek to do this wherever the most people have the greatest need in collaboration with churches anywhere.”

This gets me fired up because it will allow me to partner with the local church here in Prague and, Lord-willing, be part of lots of new church-plants throughout Prague, Czech, and Europe, which has been a desire for years. I’m thankful to God for Athletes in Action and the Crossan family (AIA Czech Director), for all that they have done and been used to do here in me and through me. I’m thankful for them all for so many reasons. Some of those reasons are how I look at ministry, missions, culture, the Church and more. Over the years, I’ve had a deeper conviction that how we do ministry and life here as insiders sent on a mission into this culture, is more than a strategic way to reach, what can be termed as, “post-Christian” societies, but a way of life and foundational to making a deep impact. What is ironic is that, while this conviction has deepened, it is also a main reason for the shift to a new organization. This fall I was challenged to consider the way we, or rather I, do things here and if that fit within the vision and mission of AIA globally and here in Czech. After much prayer, thought, and conversation, I felt as if God was calling me to continue to do what I do as an “insider” with football, specifically, but I’ve also felt called to be part of church-planting and connecting my guys and many “not yet Christian” Czech friends to a local church.

With that said, please know this switch, change, and slightly new direction isn’t because of sin, unresolved conflict, or bad feelings between AIA and Billy, my director here with AIA, and myself. Rather it is about ministry philosophy and how we feel we can reach Czechs with the greatest effectiveness. We, much like Paul and Barnabas, have decided to go our separate ways, but yet we will still look for ways to partner and be in relationship, as we have become family.

I thought it would be good, and word/space saving to do a quick FAQ on this, so here we go:

So what does this mean right now?
Right now it means that I will finish out this school year with AIA, in the same capacity as I have had for the last couple of years. It means that I need your prayers to finish strong and be ALL where I am now. It also means that I need your prayers, that I get the final acceptance from TEAM ASAP and that they approve the church plant, TaCesta (The Way or The Journey), I’m a part of as an official Czech TEAM “initiative.”

How will this “change” what you do?
TEAM’s local leadership here is supportive of my “insider role” with football here, so that will remain unchanged, but in place of what I have done with AIA at the Sports University and other roles with them, will be replaced by church-planting, Lord-willing, with TaCesta, as I mentioned above. The lead pastor’s name is Alexandr (Sasha) Flek, who was the chief translator on the newest Czech translation of the Bible that was released about 3 years ago. We are in the process of praying and processing through what this will look like, but I’m excited. Our church is connected with Tim Keller’s Redeemer Presbyterian’s international church-planting effort, City to City.

Do I have to switch my support immediately?
In my next Anastatoo letter, I hope to have all the details on how you can switch your financial support. At this point, I have an account with TEAM, but I’m waiting on a few things to be in place before we switch over. So please continue on with support to AIA/CRU as usual, until I share all the details with you in a coming prayer letter. I will still need money on my AIA/CRU account through the summer and CRU has a great system in place to assure that everything with support and finances are handled well. I will make sure you are up to speed.

When will this transition happen?
My official last day with AIA/CRU will be August 31st. Then the plan is to begin to serve here with TEAM through the end of the junior season, late October/early November, and return to the States for my 6 month stay, as I communicated in an earlier prayer letter. This 6 month stay is required because of a treaty between America and Czech, that requires Americans to spend 6 months every 5 years in the States. I’m still working on what these 6 months will look like. They will include connecting with ministry partners and family, developing my support base, recruiting and more.

Thank you for all you do to reach Prague, Czech and Europe through our partnership! It has been amazing to see what God has done here through YOU and I! I hope that this change will lead to greater effectiveness and more fruit. I also pray that you will be ALL IN with me into the future, as you have been over my last 9 years with AIA and CRU. Please feel free to email me, facebook me or call me (for number please email me first) if you have ANY questions, comments or concerns. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING YOU, PLEASE KNOW THAT WE HAVE MADE A HUGE IMPACT HERE!!

This is a post that I should have hit about a month ago, but in the midst of the holidays, a lot of transition and the coaches trip/”Reverse Missions Trip” this month I never got to post this. It has been the theme for quite some time though here at zachharrod.com, hasn’t it? Maybe, just maybe, 2013 will result in some more posts and some more writing. Towards the end of last year I began getting more ideas about writing but I didn’t do more than start a few posts. We will see what 2013 brings.

I did think it would be cool to share with you some Lions videos from last year. When I was in the States earlier this month, many people asked to see them and didn’t know where they could find them. So here you go, our highlight videos from 2012 and our charity video from Christmas time.
Senior Highlight Video

Junior Highlight Video

HOPEMONTH 2012 HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

Things are happening here! We are making a difference. 2012 was a great year for the Prague Lions on and off the field, but what you don’t see in the videos a 100% is that lives are being changed. Continue to pray for life change and a revolution in the hearts of those we are reaching out to!

BE A REVOLUTION!

Veselé Vánoce z Prahy! Merry Christmas from Prague!

There is much to be thankful for this year. God has done more than I can began to recount, in the midst of life, which sometimes feels amazing and others much less than amazing. God is God in the midst of it all. As I sit here and think about life today, I’m moved as I think about it all! I really that some 13 years ago, while I was a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, this God sought me out and captured my heart with His crazy, radical, upside-down love and changed the course, the path, the journey of my future. That school year of 1999-2000 he filled me with his love, and while somedays it’s obvious that I’ve been filled with this His crazy, radical, upside-down love, there are those other days where it’s less than obvious, and it’s those days that His love, grace and mercy are even more staggering to me.

This morning as I’m wrapping gifts for my “second families” here in Prague, I’ve been watching Christmas movies, listening to Christmas music and finding new Christmas songs, I stumbled upon this song from Dave Matthews – Christmas Song. I can’t believe I haven’t found it sooner. It’ beautiful. It is from Dave so there are going to be some head scratching lyrics, but the gist of it is awesomely beautiful. Check out the song below from a video and the lyrics below that. I pray that all of us, the “soul searchers”, would be showered and filled with His crazy, radical, upside-down, perfect love this Christmas season and everyday from here on! Merry Christmas! Veselé Vánoce!

She was his girl; he was her boyfriend
She be his wife; take him as her husband
A surprise on the way, any day, any day
One healthy little giggling dribbling baby boy
The wise men came three made their way
To shower him with love
While he lay in the hay
Shower him with love love love
Love love love
Love love is all around
Not very much of his childhood was known
Kept his mother Mary worried
Always out on his own
He met another Mary for a reasonable fee, less than
Reputable as known to be

His heart was full of love love love
Love love love
Love love is all around
When Jesus Christ was nailed to the his tree
Said “oh, Daddy-o I can see how it all soon will be
I came to she’d a little light on this darkening scene
Instead I fear I spill the blood of my children all around”

The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children all around
So the story goes, so I’m told
The people he knew were
Less than golden hearted
Gamblers and robbers
Drinkers and jokers, all soul searchers
Like you and me

Rumors insisited he soon would be
For his deviations
Taken into custody by the authorities
Less informed than he.
Drinkers and jokers. all soul searchers
Searching for love love love
Love love love
Love love is all around

Preparations were made
For his celebration day
He said eat this bread and think of it as me
Drink this wine and dream it will be
The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children all around

Father up above, why in all this anger have you fill
Me up with love
Fill me love love love
Love love love
Love love
And the blood of our children all around

One of the things that I have not grown used to, is having television interviews in Czech, that is me speaking Czech in these interviews. I’m not sure how many I have done now, but with each interview I grow a bit more comfortable. However, every time I still find myself thinking something like this – “Is this really happening? Am I really going to be on national TV in this country? Am I really speaking this language?” Every time, questions like this have gone through my mind. The most recent interview was no exception, but I had an amazing time doing it. In about 45 minutes we covered from how I first got her to Czech, to why I do what I do, and why YOU, my ministry partners, partner with me to make a difference. I hope to have the interview with subtitles but until then I wanted to share the link with you.

CLICK HERE to watch the interview, then you can skip ahead to the 19:23 mark and watch the interview. While most of you reading this, will not be able to understand what I’m saying you can still appreciate the fact that we are getting what we are doing in front of many people in the Czech Republic. It’s very exciting, thank you for being part of it!

Did you see the pics from the “Reverse Missions Trip” (a.k.a. Coaches Trip 2012)? If not you should CLICK HERE and take a look at them! We had a great time and there are many, many stories of how lives were impacted as a result of this trip! At some point I hope to get a couple of short videos up here from the trip, we will see how that goes!

Until then, here’s a few pics to entice you to check them all out, again CLICK HERE!

Thank you to all who gave, prayed and were part of this life-changing trip! BE A REVOLUTION!

Have you seen, or read, the article about OUR ministry here in Prague and Czech?!?! I have heard some really, really good feedback from the article and I must thank my friends and coworkers with AIA back in Ohio, especially Tommy Young, for such a great article. It was such a HUGE blessing to have this story run and get out the word about things here in Prague! My question for you is, “Did you read the article?” If you have read the article please click “comment” below and let us know what you thought about it! IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE ARTICLE CLICK HERE!

Recently, a friend, and ministry partner, sent me a quick email to encourage me, that OUR ministry here in Prague is even encouraging those back all over the United States. Here’s what he wrote me,

A friend at work said something about giving 100% today and I said I always do, so he said I had to give 101% today and that reminded me of your 111% motto. I told him about that and about why you use it to inspire and about the culture’s apathy, etc. Well, he said that he had just read an article about a coach in an eastern block country and it turns out, it was the article about the Lions in Sports Spectrum. So he had already read about the 111% and had already known a little about Zach. Nice!

I love it, “he had just read an article about a coach in an eastern block country” and it just happened to be me! Crazy and very humbling. I love what God has called YOU and myself to here in Prague, Czech and Europe! Thank you for being part of it!

By the way, Lukas loved being in the magazine too! Thanks for being part of his life!

View Larger Map

So things are about to get CRAZY come this Monday! For the second time I will be flying three of my Czech guys over for the Second Czech Take Over America Tour! Each time it gets a little bit better! I’m so excited for Tomáš, Lukáš and Honza to get here Monday at 2:55 pm. “Why?” you ask. Well you can look at the map (I’m not overly excited about driving all that time, but I am excited to get tons of relationship time with my guys in the car.) and the schedule below to see why I’m amped for this trip. Is that not amazing? This time it is more geared towards helping these guys become better coaches as well as show them America, expose them to faith and more. While we are at each of these schools we will sit down with coaches for a few hours and get better at what we do – coach. It will be a “once in a lifetime opportunity” for them, and myself! I can’t wait to be in the midst of this all. Please pray that God would show up in many ways throughout the duration of our trip. By the way, America, ARE YOU READY FOR THE CZECH TAKEOVER?

Coaches Trip Schedule
January 30 – Monday – TRAVEL
January 31 – Tuesday – Elmhurst/Chicago
February 1 – Wednesday – Chicago
February 2 – Thursday – MSU/UM
February 3 – Friday – MSU/UM
February 4 – Saturday – Super Bowl Breakfast & AIA Dinner – Indianapolis
February 5 - Sunday am – AIA Chapel – Indianapolis
- Sunday pm – Super Bowl – Taylor, Upland, IN
February 6 – Monday – Taylor, Upland, IN
February 7 – Tuesday – Villanova
February 8 – Wednesday – Rutgers/NY
February 9 – Thursday – Rutgers/NY
February 10 – Friday – Rutgers/NY
February 11 – Saturday – AIA Northeast Winter Retreat
February 12 – Sunday – AIA Northeast Winter Retreat
February 13 – Monday – TRAVEL
February 14 – Tuesday – TRAVEL

That is an attitude adjustment! It’s funny how when I’m out “raising support” (or I should say “Ministry Partner Development”) how God shows up and blesses me in different ways. I hope to take some time in the near future to write more about this, but I wanted to share a poem with you that I heard recently when I was sharing at a young adults’ group, that God used to give me a bit of an attitude adjustment. Here’s the poem…

HIMSELF
by A. B. Simpson
Once it was the blessing, Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, Now it is His Word.
Once His gifts I wanted, Now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, Now Himself alone.

Once ’twas painful trying, Now ’tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, Now the uttermost.
Once ’twas ceaseless holding, Now He holds me fast;
Once ’twas constant drifting, Now my anchor’s cast.

Once ’twas busy planning, Now ’tis trustful prayer;
Once ’twas anxious caring, Now He has the care.
Once ’twas what I wanted, Now what Jesus says;
Once ’twas constant asking, Now ’tis ceaseless praise.

Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him, Now He uses me.
Once the power I wanted, Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored, Now for Him alone.

Once I hoped in Jesus, Now I know He’s mine;
Once my lamps were dying, Now they brightly shine.
Once for death I waited, Now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored, Safe within the vail.

I bolded the section that God used specifically in my heart to give this, previously mentioned, attitude adjustment. Those past actions – busy planning, caring, wanted, constant asking – that Simpson spoke of were, and maybe are still, things that I’m dealing with while I’m back in the States, trusting God to provide for me, so that I, and my ministry partners, can continue to make a difference in Prague, Czech, Europe and Beyond! Since I heard this poem, I’ve returned to it several times and I have been reminded of Jesus’ love for me and work in my life.

How about you? Did God use this to give you an attitude adjustment?

Thanks for stopping by! As always, BE A REVOLUTION!

Music is one of the things that God continually uses in my life to encourage me and pick me up. Over the last week I have been listening to Crowder Band’s new album Give Us Rest nonstop, especially the song “Let Me Feel You Shine.” Here’s how the song opens:

This place is trying to break my belief
But my faith is bigger than all I can see
What I need is redemption
What I need is for You for to put me back on my feet
(read full lyrics here)

As I’ve been back in the States sharing about what God is doing in Prague, the needs to OUR (your ministry and my ministry) in Prague (you can help meet those needs, click HERE!) and the challenges of living and doing ministry there, these first few words of this song are a HUGE encouragement for me. Honestly I just hit “back” and listen to the beginning of this song over and over again! Why? Because Prague and Czech does break missionaries. If you have met with me since I’ve been back you have heard that I referred to Prague and Czech as “Missionary Graveyard,” where the average missionary making a 5 year commitment makes it on average about 18 months. It’s the sad reality of a tough language, tough soil, unreal expectations and more…

Somehow, by God’s grace, I’ve defied the statistics and I’m on year number 5, but that doesn’t mean Prague, Czech and individuals there haven’t thrown their best at me to break me. That is why I love the words – “This place is trying to break my belief, But my faith is bigger than all I can see!” It’s true. It’s true. My faith, given to me by the redemption of Jesus of me, is bigger than the hurt, the betrayal, the lies, the discouragement, the lack of faithfulness, the cowardliness and the like! IT’S BIGGER! God can put you and I back our feet!

So where are you today? How do you need to cling to this truth? Do you need to start by submitting to Jesus for the first time or maybe for the thousandth time? He’s there. The faith He gives free of charge, is bigger than your situation, “your place,” “this place!” Turn to Him right now!

Here’s the song with lyrics:

Here’s also a behind the scene look at the song:

“He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (1 Thes. 5:24 ESV)

Recently I was asked to share what God has been teaching me as of late and I quickly replied with three words – GOD IS FAITHFUL.

There is nothing earth-shattering about this, is there? No. It’s a truth about God that I have seen and known for years, but in the midst of my life over the last couple of years I have forgotten this truth that is, indeed, earth-shattering! See in the midst of betrayal, slander, lies, disappointments, selfishness, people not holding their comments and the like (These are a few of the things that I have struggled through in the past couple years.), we forget that God is faithful. I’m not sure why, but I forget this and some how, some way, God always brings me back. Brings me back to the realization that He is faithful and all he requires of me, is that I am faithful back and He will take care of the rest!
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