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#SurpriseUsin6 – Following the leader…

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One of the shifts we have seen serving in Prague as Czech and Europe continue to deeper shifts into what is called post-Christian culture is that the models for missions over the last 50 years are becoming dated. We don’t simply see this as a challenge for the Church in Europe but that the American Church needs to notice, as cultural shifts are happening throughout the world. The question is, “Will we adjust or continue status quo as things have been done, ignoring the changing world around us?” I must offer a disclaimer, the Gospel doesn’t change, but the way we communicate it does.

There’s several buzz words attached to the shift that some are making – insider, missional and incarnational are just a few. While I use these words often, this is nothing new, I believe this was present from the beginning of our faith. Jesus modeled it,

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

Then Paul lived it out in the context of serving,

“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. … I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. [23] I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” 1 Corinthians 9:19, 22b-23

This is nothing new, but somewhere in the last 50 years, we started buying into attracting people to us, planning programs, writing manuals to go through, in the place of GOING TO THEM as Jesus did and his early disciples followed His lead on. So this is nothing new, it’s more like getting back to our roots and being “old school” even though we attach different words to these things today.

Nonetheless we need not get hung up on our systems, theories and programs and start BEING the church again and become all things to all, so that we might win some and then we share in their blessing.

The question for us is will we, the Church, observe, adapt and ultimately follow Jesus’ lead?

#SurpriseUsin6 – “Why football?” pt. 2

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I was asked, “Why football?” During the start of our trip back and in my first post about this, I shared that I worshipped God through my work in the details as a coach and as a result that allows me to be fully present for my players and those in our organization. The other reason why I coach football is that through coaching I can show our guys God’s love in practical ways, which in a post-Christian society goes a long way.

Showing God’s love in practical ways comes in many different forms and it starts with stepping back and being very, very intentional. One of the ways we show this is radical generosity, which is a deep value of ours. Radical generosity means meals, creative opportunities for team building, donuts at practice and more! Generosity changes people.

Another way I show God’s love is through coaching differently, while I’m passionate and get excited, I strive to coach how I think Jesus would coach, and also be me in the process. I’m not Tony Dungy and I’m not Dabo Swinney, while I wouldn’t mind to have their success, I’m not them, I’m Zach Harrod and God wants to me to coach my guys and lead in the way he made me and ultimately in the way of Jesus. So for me, that means being quick to say, “I’m sorry” when I get too excited and need to repair a bridge. Being this type of coach is delicate balance between being a friend and also being an authority, which leads to those moments when I need to swallow my pride and pursue forgiveness. Also being this type of coach, and ultimately friend, means being honest and truthful, even if that isn’t the popular thing. I like how Brian Knight put it, “The simple skill of honesty is to tell the truth as you understand it, with love and purpose, in an effort to share something of value.”

“Why football?” Simply put, it allows me to bring value, love and purpose through relationship, which has led to character change and eternal change through a common language. While I’m still growing as a coach, leader and man, I’m humbled to see God move through the sport!

#SurpriseUsin6 – “What’s your story?” – Guest post by Mike Jarrell

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Guest post by Mike Jarrell

Zach and Míša Harrod stayed with my wife Jackie and I for a 5 day stretch. It’s not often that my wife tears up and my kids make me promise to ask someone to consider not leaving. We had a wonderful time with this family.

I met the Harrods a few years ago on a trip to Prague, while I was providing some coaching and support for missionaries. Zach and I immediately hit it off outside of the restroom at the place where their church gathers weekly. It became clear that Zach was an authentic guy with a genuine love for others and desire to make a difference for the kingdom of God. The Harrods soon after began a coaching relationship with me. I lead a Collective, CREO, that is committed to multiplication of disciples out of the harvest. In my coaching I have found Zach and Míša to be both MOTIVATED to make a difference in Prague and TEACHABLE (Two critical qualities).

I’ve connected with a number of people who CLAIM to be making disciples and serving their community yet they have no STORIES. Zach and Míša laughed with my family, ate great food, and shared REAL STORIES of people they actually know and love. This makes all the difference to me! This couple is not simply a family that talk the talk, they know real people, shed real tears and share their table with others. I often say that the real test of a missionary isn’t in their ideas and strategies but their STORIES.

Zach loves coaching football and loves the guys he coaches. It is difficult to paint a picture of the life and mission of Jesus if you are not engaged, building real relationships and establishing common bonds with people through something that you mutually share. Because Zach is not an outsider (just a missionary raising support) but an insider (a coach who cares about his players and other coaches). He has credibility as someone who is not just “targeting” someone as his next convert, but someone who has come to build real friendships with people that are not projects but are valued friends. In the context of real friendship with no strings attached, Zach naturally shares the things he is enjoying (including his faith).

Míša has a passion for entering brothels and helping women who are being trafficked and treated as sex slaves. This couple is not distant to the pain and hurt of the city they live in, they have entered the mess and engaged the world with compassion and care like Jesus.

The challenge I want to leave you with is this; Do you have stories, or do you only share theories?

#SurpriseUsin6 – Surprise us with love!

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We are back in the Lake Geneva area for a few more days before heading back, the 6 weeks that have been part of our #SurpriseUsIn6 series, are nearly behind us. The only significant traveling before us comes on Tuesday when we head back to Prague. As Míša shared in an earlier post there have been some downs and some struggles along the way on this trip, but there have been amazingly beautiful moments as well!

When we started this #SurpriseUsIn6 deal, it started with a prayer and hope that God would surprise and he has. Through this trip God has taught us more than we could have expected. We had hoped that God would bring a lot of the pleasant surprises but knew the bitter ones might be there too. When we started these posts, I found Psalm 90:13-14 in the Message paraphrase and it is has been a source of encouragement for us:

“Come back, God – how long do we have to wait? – and treat your servants with kindness for a change. Surprise us with love at daybreak; then we’ll skip and dance all the day long.”

There have been moments of tears, when we were asking, “How long God?” Moments when we were real with him and asked, “Why?” Then there have been sweet moments of love where we have been surprised, which led to a skip and a dance. As we sit days away from returning to Prague we are waiting with anticipation for daybreak and a surprise! Honestly we don’t know what to expect, we don’t know how we will see the needed support raised, we don’t know where we will be Sunday or even if we will have one last chance to share our story of God’s work in our lives and through our lives, but we do know that in the midst of these things that God knows and we can cling to Him.

As I write this I sit in a quiet house, everyone is asleep and while I’m tired and even a bit sorrowful that things might not have gone how we desired, my heart is full, I’m thankful and I’m hopeful that God will show at daybreak tomorrow morning and I know He will be enough no matter if daybreak brings more waiting or more skipping!

 

#SurpriseUsin6 – The Long Haul

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“What I appreciate about Zach & Míša is that they are in Prague, they’ve put their roots down and they’re there for the long haul,” one pastor shared during our trip back. I was moved upon hearing this, it reminded me of what we shared from Jeremiah 29:7. This verse has impacted our church and our church’s vision, but in the last few years this section has impacted our family and how we’re living,

“Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.” vv. 5-6

Míša and I have a growing conviction that God wants us to invest more deeply into the city of Prague and put our roots deeper than we ever thought. As we read the whole of Jeremiah 29, God has called us to be fully present for the long haul in Prague. This has moved us to decisions that I never thought I would be considering or moving towards – being a co-owner of something, pursuing Czech citizenship (I can now be dual citizen) and more.

We believe this is what God has called us to, as he called the Israelites that were exiled in Babylon to build, plant and multiply for their good and more importantly the good of the place that God has brought them to. God has called us as a family to put roots down, to build, to plant, to multiply, to pray for the good of our great city, to seek her welfare and to keep our eyes off the airport. He’s called us to be ALL there and be ALL IN. In some ways this is pragmatic, because to see deep, lasting change we need to have a long-view approach, it is also a decision to be fully present. As we have inched closer to this, I have had my moments of fear, but God continues to draw us to Him and to the city that has become our home.

Has God called you to put roots down to where he has called you? What prevents you from doing that? What is he calling you to do in this moment?

Please consider helping us to be in Prague for the long haul by joining our team! CLICK HERE to give today.  THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

#SurpriseUsin6 – #HeWillSurelyDoIt

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It’s more than a hashtag.  It’s been my anthem for nearly 16 years, when it comes to my approach towards raising support and trusting God to provide for me and now for our family.  It’s from 1 Thessalonians 5:24, which reads:

“He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

I don’t remember exactly when this became my anthem, I think it was as I sat in a my car pleading with God to provide and show up in my life, as I was first raising support to go to Prague for my two year internship.  See I had been invited to a big fund raising event and told that I would have a chance to share and, Lord-willing, see some new people partner with me to make a difference in Czech.  Which was HUGE because I had seen very little new support from the area I grew up in, but I was still hopeful.

It didn’t go as I had hoped.  I sat there, no chance came.  No one barely even talked to me.  I went to my car heartbroken and angry with those who invited me and seemingly forgot about me,  ultimately I was frustrated with God.  I asked, “God why would I go there and just sit in the corner and be ignored? Why God?”  I continued, “God you called me to this, I know that, why aren’t you showing up?  I don’t know who is going to help me here.”  

As I wrestled with God in my little Oldsmobile Achieva, I didn’t hear any answers, no big signs came.  Nothing.  Just silence. Then I got to the point where I just shut my mouth, sat in my own frustration and waited.  What seemed like forever later this verse came to my mind and these thoughts, “God is big, God has called me, God is faithful, He provides for what He calls to, keep trusting, keep moving towards Him, keep going.  He will surely do it!”  

God moved in that moment in my life, that was when I began to get traction when it came to raising support in the area where I grew up.  God indeed provided.  He surely did it and He continues to do it!  Míša and I need this reminder often and we pray it often.  

So the question is, “What is your IT, that you need him to surely do?”

 

#SurpriseUsin6 – Kolem Stolu

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In following my wife’s lead with her theme about “by doing less, we saw God do more!” (Read her POST HERE)  This is a lesson we have learned in our church community as well. Two years ago after a tough season in our church, we in many ways were replanting a church and we looked at the situation and realized we couldn’t pull of “normal” Sunday gatherings every week, that is with music, preaching and what you would expect on a “normal” Sunday. We were also tired but we had a shared value of sharing our table and gathering around the table (or “kolem stolu” in Czech), as Jesus modeled.  

So in somewhat of a pragmatic decision we decided to have “kolem stolu” Sundays where we would gather around the table, share our lives, stories, thoughts and prayers. Some of us in leadership, included me, were reluctant in “doing less,” but we had a shared value and just couldn’t continue putting on shows for the sake of putting on shows each Sunday.  

What did God do in this midst of this? We saw DEPTH in relationship and our walks with Jesus in ways that we hadn’t experienced in years, I began to learn the stories of those that I had attended for years as we shared our stories and lives. Some started to invite their friends to the table to engage in conversation.  We saw God do more amongst us when we were honest with the situation and also decided to live out a shared value.  It was beautiful and one of the decisions that I love to brag on us and God about. 

Of course, not everyone enjoyed it, and others gritted their teeth to get through it, but we could not produce the growth in depth of relationship, community and even in looking outside ourselves to invite our friends to our table.  We saw God move and surprise us again!  When we were tired, exhausted, didn’t have a clue what to do and admitted this to God, he showed up and brought beauty from what was our perceived weakness.  Now the challenge is to continue to pursue him in this brokenness and honesty.  CLICK HERE to check out the rest of our #SurpriseUsIn6 posts and learn about us, #teamHARROD.

If you would like to give and help us reach our goal, so that we my return to Prague fully funded, please CLICK HERE!

#SurpriseUsin6 – Doing more by doing less

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Written by Míša Harrodová

Not many things change your world like becoming a parent. I thought I had some idea what it’d be like because I helped a lot with my brother, who’s 16 years younger than me.

Nope.

Really, I can’t think of a single thing that hasn’t changed since Ollie joined us almost 2 years ago.

A lot of those changes have been valuable lessons. God’s been using all of the unexpected, tiring yet miraculously energizing, overwhelming and fulfilling to teach us things that – I think – would not be normally accepted.

For me, one of the lessons applied to my demand for control. I have a plan, a way I expect things to go, and I want everything to go according to that plan. When things start going awry, I get anxious and even unpleasant.

When Ollie joined us I learned quickly, I wasn’t in control anymore, it started during labor and continues!

I pictured being able to do A LOT of things I used to do with little to no change.  Things like getting coffee with my friends, reading, getting to places on time, NEVER working around my child’s nap time, preparing for meetings I have, studying and getting deeper into things I want to give my time to and etc.

To my surprise, that’s not how it went. I often feel like I’m just trying to navigate through a lot of chaos, don’t have any time to myself, and have no capacity to read, study or prep. Sometimes it is really hard just to listen to another person and sometimes even harder to simply shower.

But through this all, something amazing happened. The relationships that I had seemed to be deeper! How? Instead of being prepped and having a plan of how my meeting would go, I had to start being real – share my mess, hang out, be ok with the fact that we don’t always have a clean house, I don’t always take shower or put my make-up on and I ultimately learned to trust God in the midst of it all.

God showed me, that by me doing less – and He understands why – HE IS CAPABLE OF DOING MORE! By learning to give up control, I learned this amazing truth about our heavenly Father.

Want to help us reach out goal before we head back to Prague on February 12th?  CLICK HERE to help us!

#SurpriseUsin6 Update – 2 Weeks to go!

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Some have asked us, “Zach & Míša how’s the #SurpriseUsin6 campaign going?” Here’s our update with just two weeks left! Thank you to all of you have blessed along the way, it has been a challenging season, but many of you have encouraged us to trust and keep going. Thank you. If you would like to learn more or help us send us a message or if you would like to give you can find more info on the GIVING PAGE. THANK YOU ALL!

#SurpriseUsIn6 – “Why Football?”

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Recently someone asked me, “Why would you invest so much in football in Prague & not just be a pastor?” I wasn’t offended, I’ve been hearing something like this for years. The first reason is that I believe the Bible makes it clear that we can indeed worship God in the most mundane of things, that’s why Paul wrote this,

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor. 10:31

I believe that doing my work well and unto the Lord is a spiritual act of worship, even though that might be watching hours of game film or putting together playbooks. It’s the priesthood of the believer (1 Peter 2:9), that Luther wrote so much about. I’ve always loved this quote from Luther,

“The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”

I wonder how Luther would answer the gentleman who asked me about football, I think it would be something like, “The Christian football coach does his duty not by merely dropping, “Jesus” in every interview, but by being prepared, loving and listening to his players, by being fully present for his players and pushing them to be the best men on and off the field that they can be and is also ready to share the Good news when the Lord gives the opportunity.”

Wow. As I’m sitting here that got me more than a little fired up to do what I do, the way I do it, where I do it. There are more reasons to “WHY FOOTBALL?” that will follow in another posts, but I think that is sufficient for this moment. My question to you is,

How would Martin Luther’s quote about the shoemaker look in your context?

I’d love to see what you think. We hope and pray our #SurpriseUsIn6 posts are encouraging to you and challenge you in your own life. We also are still trusting God through many like you reading this to SURPRISE us in our last 6 weeks in the States and help us go back to Prague fully funded on February 12th! If you’d like to help you can CLICK HERE to give today!

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