Legacy Shepherding Updates

Legacy Shepherding Ministries, Inc. – Randy’s October 2008 Update

                                                         East Africa

 This month’s Update is a brief snapshot into one of the young leaders we are investing in.  For me, hearing people’s stories can be powerful.  I hope you will feel as inspired as I did.

Scotty is 24 years old.  He is currently in Africa on a two-month mission trip, helping develop a school and humanitarian efforts in that country.  Here are a couple of updates from Scotty:

“Around 5pm every day after work we meet up with all of the neighbor kids.  They have developed the habit of waiting outside of our gates around this time.  There are usually between 30 and 50 kids that come to hang out.  Of all the things we are involved in, this is my favorite ministry.

“These kids are extremely prone to violence.  Almost all of the violence includes rocks.  Each time a child gets angry with another, they’ll immediately pick up a stone larger than their hand and try to hit the other in the face with it.  This happens probably 15 to 20 times every time we play a sport.  Some of the kids have fresh wounds on their foreheads from getting hit with rocks.  Others have bad scars.

“One of the women that works for us came in late yesterday because her son had to be rushed to the hospital due to head trauma from a rock being thrown at him.  This probably seems nuts to you, but it’s actually really normal in this culture.

“I have already seen three fights between men in the marketplace in the last couple weeks.  A crowd gathers around them as they start arguing.  Each man immediately picks up a rock slightly larger than his hand and tries to smash the other’s head with it.  Some people laugh. Others just ignore it, because it’s so common.  The children just stare.  The kids learn everything from them.

“A friend gave me the book ‘Just Courage’ by Gary Haugen to read while I’m on this trip.  Gary devoted a whole chapter of his book to the problem of violence in 3rd world countries.  He says, ‘Rather than looking away from such ugliness, Christians actually have to go looking for it.’

“My teammate and I stayed out of a lot of the fights in the beginning because we weren’t sure how to handle it.  Now we have taken a different approach.  Our main ministry has become teaching the kids how to love each other.

“When tempers flare, we jump into the fight immediately even if that means getting hit with stones.  If they don’t stop right away, we are done playing sports for the day.

“We have learned certain phrases that let them know that any form of violence is unacceptable.  Boundaries have been set and the fights have decreased substantially in the last week.

  “I think they are starting to see how much more fun things are when they don’t try to kill each other.  This is only a drop in the bucket, but it’s a start.

“I thought I heard gunshots in the distance while sitting in my living room late last night.  I did what any sensible foreigner would do in that situation.  I put on my shoes and went out for a stroll under the stars!

I opened the gates to our compound as my guards hurried to get their guns, slipped on their shoes and put away their Khat. (Khat is a drug that has similar effects to Cocaine without the addictive side effects.  Most men use it.  It isn’t illegal because it keeps their economy afloat).

“The air was chilly and the moon was so bright I could see my shadow.  I began praying and processing through all that had happened during the day.  I noticed my guards just staring at me from a distance as I prayed.  I felt an urge to share Jesus with them, but I had no idea how.

“I went back inside wondering how Jesus was able to make it look so easy.  He connected with people in the simplest ways and the effects were profound.  How come I can’t do that?

“I got on my computer and saw that I had left some pictures open from the last time I had used my laptop.  The light bulb in my head went on.

“I brought my computer outside and found the guards in their shack hurriedly putting their shoes on, fetching their guns and stowing away their Khat.  This time I told them to relax and stay seated.  I crawled into their shack, got in-between the three of them and sat down on the dirt floor.  I set the laptop in front of us and turned on a slide show.

“They watched in awe as tons of pictures appeared on the screen of Germany, Florida, Chicago, Colorado, college friends, Arlington Heights friends, family, Ethiopia, and much more.  Their eyes were wide and their mouths hung open.  Occasional ooohs and aaahs could be heard.

“Their expressions changed immediately when we started looking at the pictures I took in Africa.  It was like they were looking at their people and seeing their beauty for the first time.  It’s easy to miss it when all you see is poverty, suffering, and fighting.

“Their eyes were proud and grateful as they looked at photos of people they knew, children they see on the streets and landmarks that look like rubble to the naked eye.  They thanked me numerous times as I got up to leave and asked me to come back sometime soon and show them more.

“They no longer looked at me like I was an ignorant nuisance.  They looked at me like I was their friend, their friend that didn’t judge them for chewing Khat and didn’t think twice about conversing with the lower class in their society.”

I love that Scotty and the other young leaders being impacted through Legacy Shepherding Ministries, Inc. are actively getting their hands and feet dirty, and bringing Jesus’ love to the poor, to the violent, to the oppressed, to the addicted, and to the next-generation.  I think you’d be really proud of them.  I know I am.

An investment in Legacy Shepherding Ministries, Inc. is an investment in these young leaders, like Scotty, who I believe are going to make a loving difference in this world.  

Would you consider partnering with me by providing financial support?  

I’m currently at about 84% of my goal for the year.  I’d love to have you join my team.  We can make an impact together.  

In His Love,
Randy

 randy@legacyshepherding.org

Legacy Shepherding Ministries, Inc. – Randy’s September 2008 Update

 On an annual basis, I like to use one newsletter to answer some questions I get asked about the ministry work I’m doing.  Here are some of the more Frequently Asked Questions:

How many people do you shepherd/disciple/mentor/develop?
I regularly meet one-on-one with between 25-30 next-generation leaders.  These young leaders have leadership roles overseeing approximately 3,000 people, many of whom are in their twenties.  This ministry truly is having an amazing impact!  It is equipping leaders of the future.

I also do some development in small group settings and at spiritual retreats.

What are you doing?
I am mentoring, developing, and shepherding next-generation leaders, specifically people in their twenties – a generation that sadly seems to be falling through the church cracks in many ways.

In my life, the greatest transformation and growth has occurred when someone who was further down the path came along side me and walked with me for a season.  When I look at Jesus and his disciples, that’s exactly what Jesus did.  He chose to lovingly invest in a small group of individuals who would then be equipped to pass it on to others.  He multiplied himself.  He told them to do the same – “Go and make disciples”, be fruitful and multiply.  The world hasn’t been the same since.

In attempting to humbly follow Jesus’ example, my desire is to assist God in impacting the largest number of young people possible.  I believe that happens by focusing on people who are gifted in leading and shepherding others, and who desire to pass on what they have been given.  Paul told Timothy, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men (and women) who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Tim 2:2).  Everyone I meet with has shown that they are reliable, qualified, influential, loving, and they desire to multiply.  They are difference-makers and the more people out there making a loving difference the better.

Where do you find young people to develop?
There is such a great need for what I am doing that finding hungry, young leaders is easy.  In fact, many times they find me.  Being that I desire to do this in the context of the Church and invest in its future leaders, I attend various church related events where 20somethings may gather so I can meet the leaders and potential leaders and they can meet me.  Many of them have heard about me from their leader-friends or have seen the life-change this ministry has had on their friends.  Many of them want in.  They, like me, are hungry to grow.  A culture of personal discipleship is being created.

Unfortunately, there are so few people doing what I am doing within the Church that many opportunities go unmet.  The issue for me is less about finding people and more about discerning whom, out of the overwhelming number of people, I should invest in.  It’s hard for me to say, “no”, but many times I have to.  It reminds me of a story about Jesus as he traveled the countryside:

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’” (Matt 9:36-37).  Please pray for more workers.

Who do you have in your life who mentors/develops/invests in you?
In my ideal world, the ministry model Jesus showed us would be happening regularly within the Church and mentors/disciple-makers would be plentiful.  Unfortunately, it’s hard to find people who are equipped to do this type of personal development.  The ones who can are usually maxed out.  I’m still searching.

In the meantime, God has lovingly provided people in my life who are equipped to act as peer mentors.  In my meetings with them, we split our time in half, intentionally spending half the time on them and half the time on me.  These friends know me, love me, challenge me, and pour into me.

I am also part of a small group that is focused on sharing our lives and struggles, being known and loved.  I attend periodic Spiritual Formation retreats, which are always good for my soul.  I read quite a bit and listen to podcasts, so certain authors and speakers develop me in some ways.  Also, some of the people I shepherd are at a place in their journey where they are now giving back and loving me really well, which is very encouraging to see.

TOP 10 Reasons why you should prayerfully consider contributing to Legacy Shepherding Ministries:

10) Michael Phelps thinks this ministry is pure GOLD! (or at least I’m convinced he would if he knew about it!)

9) If the ministry was ever given an extravagant luxury jet – that would be over the top – I’d sell it on ebay!  “Thanks, but no thanks!” (said with an Alaskan accent)

8) I have more “community organizer” experience than Obama!  (leading/coaching small groups for over 20 years)

7) My most recent pair of jeans has a hole in the knee.

6) It may help break the billy-goat curse so the Cubbies can finally win this year!  Look how far your last year’s contributions got them!  We could do even better this year (and possibly in all the years to come)!

5) Can you say, “Tax write-off”?  Why give it to the government?

4) None of the money you contribute goes toward buildings, debt financing, unnecessary programs, or fancy coffee makers (which may make some of you coffee lovers angry – Sorry).

3) Your return on investment would be way better than anything our markets can offer!  (That may be a sore spot right now. Ouch!)

2) I would be soooooo grateful if you did!

1) Lives are changing.  The next-generation is being invested in.  For more personal stories go to http://legacyshepherding.org/blog and the testimonial pages at http://legacyshepherding.org

Conclusion:
I think this type of disciple-making kingdom work is well worth investing in.  I want to see it offered to young people as a gift, free of charge.  I believe it should be at the very heart of the Church.  It is directly engaging the Great Commission (making disciples) and the Greatest Commandments of Love (love God, yourself, and others).  It invites deeper union with God.  It equips people to multiply more love in our world.

Please prayerfully consider me, and this kingdom work, as you contemplate your year-end giving, as well as your future giving.  Your contributions to Legacy Shepherding Ministries, Inc. (a Charitable non-profit organization) will be tax-deductible.  If you have any questions, you can reach me at randy@legacyshepherding.org.

Blessings,
Randy