They keep us pretty busy with this training out here in Ft. Collins, CO but we have moments to sneak away and enjoy God’s creation! This past Sunday afternoon 17 of us went rafting! It was a blast! What a great day of worship! It started with corporate worship at MountainView Community Church and continued with corporate worship in God’s wild! Loved it!

I enjoy keeping up with Czech news via an English speaking news paper in Prague – The Prague Post – and every now and then they have an article that serves as confirmation for why I believe God is calling me to Czech, but specifically Prague. Over the last two years I have had a growing conviction that Christians need to focus on the cities. With the idea that if you reach the City, you reach it all. It definitely was Paul’s approach, see Acts 17 1-9 where Paul and his crew pass through Amphipolis and Apollonia and go to Thessalonica. Were there not people in Amphipolis and Apollonia that needed to hear about Jesus? Of course there were, but Paul’s method was to reach the City and then reach the countryside. I’ve also been growing in conviction through Tim Keller and Mark Driscoll (A Biblical Theology of the City, Christ and the city, Planting a Church in the City, Leadership Lessons from Nehemiah (Part 1), Leadership Lessons from Nehemiah (Part 2), Advancing the Gospel into the 21st Century Part IV: City-Focused Strategy) that we, Christians, NEED to be in the Urban contexts throughout the world to reach the world. Especially since the cities are swelling, the U.N. recently reported, “Some 3.3 billion people will live in cities by 2008, a report by the U.N. population agency report said. By 2030, the number of city dwellers is expected to climb to 5 billion.” (see ARTICLE)

Anyway, back to why we need to be in Prague. I truly believe that the impact Prague will have on Europe and the rest of the world will only increase and a recent article I read at the Prague Post affirms this thought. The article is entitled, “Prague schools attractive to East Students from former Soviet bloc storming the Czech capital.” Needless to say it caught my eye. Here are a few interesting quotes, for the whole article click HERE.

Prague is fast becoming a top destination for many students from former Soviet countries seeking a Western-accredited university degree, which, most agree, helps open a lot of career doors. With numerous U.S. universities choosing Prague as the location for their overseas campuses, word is quickly spreading throughout the Central and East European region of the affordable “Western-style” education available in the Czech capital.

Nonetheless, students at these universities are confident that their education in this city will help them towards a better future. “The truth is, I would recommend [studying in Prague] to anyone who wants to work hard, gain practical skills, learn English and get useful and necessary knowledge for her or his career,” said Oliverius.

As I read this article excitement and anticipation filled my heart! There are students from all over the world (I met many Africans who were also studying in Prague besides other European countries) coming to Prague to seek knowledge and we have the opportunity to help them seek true knowledge!

Last night was great! I love those moments where you sense God so clearly moving and using you! They are great! Oh, I guess I should tell you what actually happened last night. AIA has an 8 week summer project, called the AIA Colorado Project, with 25 student-athletes from across the country here in Ft. Collins every summer to grow in relationship with God and much more. I have a special place in my heart for this project because I was a participant back in 2001 and God changed my heart that summer. It was that summer that God ignited my heart for the world! It was in that meeting room that I spoke in last night that I heard a talk 6 years ago that God used to propel me into the World and give me the heart of a World Christian.

So last night I had 7 of my XTRACK friends (THANKS FOR COMING GUYS, YOU ROCK!) join me for the International Night at the project. The 8 of us spoke of 6 different regions of the world that God has called us to and then I finished with a 25 minute talk from Acts 1:8, entitled Does Jesus Expect Me to Change the World? I would love to give you a run down of it but I can’t today. But you can click HERE and download my keynote presentation in PDF format and also you can click HERE to see my short 10 minute presentation about Eastern Europe and Czech.

Before wrapping this post up I do want to share with you what I was praying for and why I was so excited about last night. First off, having the opportunity to be used by God to, Lord-willing, help people have an appropriate heart for the Nations that mirrors God’s heart gets me fired up. The reason being is that percaptia each year the United States sees many entering full-time ministry and of those approximate 100 that enter less than 10 will leave our boarders to do full-time ministry. My director in Czech, Billy Crossan, often describes it like this, “If you were to see 10 men carrying a huge telephone pole and there were 8 on one end and 2 on the other, which side would you help with?” THE SIDE THAT HAD TWO PEOPLE, right? I hope so! But this doesn’t happen with the number of U.S. full-time missionaries and it certainly doesn’t happen with the amount of money given to World Missions! So it gets me fired up to be used to open people’s eyes to this.

The second reason I get so fired up is that I know that the sky is the limits if some of these students or staff were to follow God’s call and go. Who knows what God would do! I can only dream of the changed lives across the globe! I get giddy thinking of what God could do to add to His Revolution that is known to us as Christianity. I just don’t get excited about them going but also being proactive to pray for the nations, to support the reaching of the nations, and to look for international students right here in America to reach! Because after all HAVING A HEART FOR THE NATIONS ISN’T AN ADD-ON OR SOMETHING WE DO ONCE AND CHECK OFF A LIST! IT MUST BE A CONSTANT BECAUSE IT IS A CONSTANT ON THE HEART OF JESUS!

Lastly, I was fired up about last night because I pray that God would help our organization, Athletes in Action, have a greater heart for the nations and sending to the Nations. We send lots of summer tours, which are great, but they aren’t enough! Going in for a few weeks playing a few games and seeing some people come to Christ is great, BUT IT’S NOT ENOUGH. “Why?” you ask. Well, what happens after the team leaves? I pray for AIA often that we would be sending STINTers out for 1-2 years and that we would have more than one person going long-term every now and then. I believe when organizations, churches and movements make SENDING to the Nations a priority God honors that.

WOW, I got excited. I have to get going, but I would love to hear your thoughts, so use the response feature and let us hear it. May God move in your heart and my heart to see how we can be part of what He is doing across the globe! Below you will find a vodcast from John Piper. I used this last night because in so many ways Dr. Piper hits it on the head when it comes to World Missions! May we not be disobedient (watch the video to see what I mean)!

During our training this week, Mike Carr shared a quote from Charles Spurgeon about our heart for the lost and being motivated to share the greatest news of ALL history with those who have never heard. The quote floored me. It might be my new favorite quote! I pray this moves you to share this Great News with passion!

“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our dead bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned or unprayed for.”

I would love to hear your thoughts about this quote. What emotions stir in you as you read it? Are their any immediate action steps that the Lord laid on your heart as you read this? Use the response feature to speak out about it!

As you may know I am a huge fan of John Piper. God has used his preaching and writing in some amazing ways since I came to faith. Today (Wednesday) and tomorrow all his books are $5 on his website! I highly suggest you take advantage of this! Here is a list I of my suggested Piper books:

I really recommend any of his books, so take advantage of this sale! Have a revolutionary day!