What a weekend!

Dear Brothers & Sisters:

Last week Tina was on vacation. And we had decided to take a well
needed retreat to a place we both love, Lake George. We left on
Friday morning looking forward to time together. We arrived in the
early afternoon. The director of where we were staying said the
campus was pretty full. Well that was somewhat of an understatement.
We found out at dinner that the people here belonged to a Buddhist
spin off called Gangaji. And they were in the middle of a "silent"
retreat meaning they could only speak twice that week, both times to
Gangaji. I thought it was all pretty funny after an attempt at
praying for healing for one for "deafness."

Our first night we were joined by a gay couple from the ministerial
buildings. These two women were getting their heads together after
the death of a friend. A Quaker couple also joined us. And for the
rest of the weekend we all sat together for meals, perhaps to make
sure the "spirit of silence" did not overtake us. (Little chance for
that!) My wife would tell you that I "messed" with their beliefs and
their doctrines for the whole 3 days. And they were just wonderful. I
talked about Paul ("Paul said a lot of things" one of the women
said.) and marriage (His statement of marriage being a difficult
thing though I think the Lee translation I gave was a "pain in the
neck.".) and how a marriage was a lot like a funeral because 2 must
become 1 and that means someone has to die. Needless to say that
sparked laughter and the silent ones nearby figured we were the
rebellious Gangaji. We loved these people. (They even invited us to
"sneak out" for some illegal ice cream!) They were sweet. We all
hugged when we left with plans to get together. All we did was eat
and go for long walks on the beach. My wireless internet did not work
according to the manager of the ice cream store because of the
spiritual energy. Our ride home dealt with our future and business
and church plans.

Recently we have opened our home to meetings we call Deeper
Relationships. We have been overstuffed with people(And food!) and
the meetings have been working well. As I look at the people we spent
the weekend with, I see that this is the kind of people we attract.
People seeking God and His experiences. (We are planning a retreat
for a group of people in November at the same place and only God
knows what that will bring!) They may not believe like we do, but as
they say in the commercials-"imagine the possibilities!" We are
praying for the "stickiness" of God to keep people from wanting to be
anywhere else. Meetings you do not want to miss because people love
you and you, them.

Our return to the real world has be hampered by health issues with
Tina so we covet your prayers. And I still battle for the complete
restoration of a pain free life after the month of August. And yet we
are excited by what the future holds. Our living room gets smaller as
the people come in. We are seeing a real building of relationships
between people. We are in the considerations of our next phase. Part
of my weekend is dedicated to the clarification of our NEST ministry
and what it holds. Since we opened the storefront I have seen more
and more involvement of people. It has got my hands on the pulse
again. We are simply going back to what we know best. And so changes
are probably coming faster than I think. We have been praying our
future into now and we think this is God's response.

We recently had some powerful words about Springfield and the changes
to come. Many know that Springfield has been a place of revival in
the past and that we believe it is coming again. We look over the
region and we see a lot of words that have been leveled at the region
called New England. We must be close to what is so often called
critical mass. In business, critical mass is believed to have
happened when 2% of a population is hit. That is what the books would
call the tipping point. So in a community like Springfield where
8,000 live the tipping point would be 160. The population of New
England was 13,922,517-you do the math. (In my business when I obtain
160 people in Springfield I need to move on because the momentum will
take care of itself.) What does that 160 people represent? It
represents a place where the tipping of the scales becomes apparent.
In a spiritual region it will be when you see the police logs
reflecting lesser amounts of crime. You will see school scores going
up. (Recently NCLB told of the poorness encountered in Vermont
schools. It is a statistic reflective of the spiritual climate. We
ned to see that go down.)You will see divorce rates going down and
incomes going up. We ought to look at the raw stats (And not the
media spins of both sides.) and determine how close we are to
critical mass. In a state like Vermont we would need 9,000 sold out
prayers to reach critical mass. And then jump on the scale!

Because we personally meet the wildest people-the skateboarders,
bikers, Buddhists and gays to name a few, we need to find a place to
put them. For years I said I was a fisher of men and not a cleaner of
fish. And I believed I was theologically right that the Holy Spirit
was the cleaner. And I believe the truth of that. But I also see
there is a need for the careful nurturing of believers that some
might call making disciples. Many know that not a day goes by in my
home with some helpful instruction to a young man or woman. I watch
so many marriages upside down and so many screwed up people. I
recently had to repent to the Lord for walking away from people. Now
it feels like we are seeing a shift here in Springfield. Ministries
are coming alongside and saying "call me-I will help." For a while my
response has been "there is nothing going on." We were fried. Burnt
out. And now it seems like there is a shift over here. I remember how
incensed some people were when I had invited friend with different
beliefs. I did not tell them he was not a believer, in fact he was
very eastern in his beliefs. He came to a prayer session and
meditated. Ironically the people who were there were cool with it but
not those outside. Wow! What are we thinking?

My son brings home what many might consider "interesting" people. But
we just love them. And that is all God is calling us to. LOVE! I am
not sure why gay women think we are fun to be around. I haven't
changed my beliefs about homosexuality. I am not sure why we have had
people have brought beer into our meetings. I haven't changed my
belief about being drunk. I am not sure why people feel OK smoking
around me. I haven't changed my beliefs about health. I am not sure
why people swear around me from time to time. I still think profanity
is-well...profane. I am not sure why people of different beliefs
spend so much time with me. I haven't changed anything about the
cross, the shed blood or the resurrection.

Last week the older women accused me of being a "proselytizer."
Interesting. When she said it, it sound like a 4 letter word, though
as I spell it I see it is 3-4 letter words!. I think it is because we
have not learned to do it without building a relationship, a bridge.
So, I told her "yes, I guess I am. " See people want to have their
beliefs and i respect that. It does not mean I do not think there is
higher or greater truths. But the one great truth that is often
violated is the one about loving one another. And that is my main
deal in life. I can understand that Jesus might say I gave a second
chance where He had already said "no," but I am not sure I would ever
be in trouble with Him for giving too much love.

We keep saying the church must go outside. I think the church is
outside. I think the religious structure is inside, not the church. I
think what we have perhaps been doing is stuffing our "church" into
their way of thinking and expecting a different result. Love works.
When I say they are looking for the real deal I mean it. When you
prophesy into a skateboarders life and he looks into your eyes he
will know whether love is real. Love is not necessarily home baked
cookies on a Saturday morning but it can be. Or a meal dropped off to
the parents of a sick child but it can be. I believe the power will
come when the love is released. And he love of the Lord is there and
available to those who receive it and give it away. There is
something healthy about loving one's self that you might love one
another. So many are sick and dying because they can not love
themselves or others. And that is a great place to begin...loving
one's self...and for me to end.

We thank you for your prayers and your love!

Blessings,
lee

Deeper Relationships meeting on Tuesday night at 6.

http://pcfministries.blogspot.com/
http://compelthem.blogspot.com/

We have recently encountered a ministry opportunity that can bring
great blessing to both individuals and ministries. As a pastor fro 10
years I have seen many things come and go, but I feel this
opportunity shows great promise. For individuals or ministries that
need a financial boost this may be for you.

Beer drinking, cussing and promiscuity

Dear Brothers & Sisters:

As I sat there, the people all around me with beer in their hands, I
wondered what I had done to be able to fit in with this group. Earlier,
I had already witnessed the frustration of a police officer as he
talked to the owner of a truck that was "blocking" traffic while it
unloaded materials for a building site. The ongoing conversation of
somebody obviously "under the influence." The woman was just trying to
achieve some peace. A girl trying to find love by promiscuous acts. The
workers that had just been cited by the government for some illegal
"activity." And here I was right smack in the middle of it, just trying
to be a friend.

I wrote yesterday about the heathen being our inheritance.
Yeah-sometimes they take advantage of it, but the fact of it is, they
is what they is. It is why I am no longer surprised when they sin. When
I realized my life was not my own, I realized I could spend time with
them. In many respects it is a parish on the street. I have spent much
time on evangelism programs and study, but the reality of it for me is
that people just want to "hang out." These people wanted to tell me
about their successes and cry about their failures. One of them was a
bit surprised when a guy was introduced to me as a minister(His
guardian angel) and he saw the beers in everyone's hands. Why? Probably
because I was just enjoying being their friend. I was not drinking or
cussing, but I did not Lord it over them. Occasionally they apologized
for some swearing, but not because I asked them to. (It's harder when
it is the people of God with the profanity but that still is not my
problem.) They were just chilling out after a rough day. The TGIF crowd.

When I first gathered with these folks, it was to say "hi." Hours later
it was to be their friend. I watched emotion after emotion bubble to
the surface. I listened about the pet that had passed away. I heard
about the legal troubles that had come. One of the people asked me if I
would begin to network businesses again as I had in the past. God was
important to them in this group though they may not have understood it.
A young woman came up and began to tell me about her child who lay in a
hospital in Connecticut and the doctors could not figure out what was
wrong. "I will pray for her" is all I could say. (And did.) I endured
the jokes about God and satan from one man. Because I sense a tipping
point here for him.

The world is looking for an answer. I mentioned yesterday that they
were looking for a pointer. They are looking for a solution to their
lack of peace. If we do not do it, it appears that no one else will. We
have a wonderful opportunity to be a friend to the people seeking Him.
More people will be converted by friendship and love than they will by
crusades and programs. Am I the only one who remembers being in a
church when I did not love God and wanting to get out? Am I the only
one who felt embarrassment? Am I the only one who felt angry? I am not
sure worship services are for the unbeliever (Otherwise would they not
be full of them?). We love worship and we want everyone to embrace it,
but remember that the unsanctified mind is enmity, at war with the
worship of God. How much is a hand upon the soldier of a grieving pet
owner?

I think we could do more good by investing in people differently than
we do. Do we not see how many people we have in our churches who are
out in the world day in and day out. They live there. I think we have
almost got by the shock of hanging out with the drinkers, but what
about the druggers? What about the mentally ill? Or the prostitute I
occasionally talk to? Are we partied up with them? What about the
youth?(What is their sin-youthfulness?) Are we going to where they are?
When was the last time you had a skateboarder(Board in hand and wasn't
your child.) sitting in the chair next to you? Did he bring his
friends? How about the homosexual trying to find peace? Do you know I
live in a community with a greater population than most large churches.
We all watch them gather on Sundays at yardsales, auctions, beaches,
picnic areas and the like. Could it be that this is where we are to be,
to see this harvest? I am not sure about you, but I already have people
who are in the world. Would it not make more sense to "educate" them
and throw our money behind them? Why would I take a business person and
ask him to something he may not be gifted for? Why not throw money into
his workplace? What about the employee who works with 20 co-workers?
Wouldn't it be cool to put a together a dinner for them because our
brother said these people are a fantastic bunch but will not go to
church?

We have all gone through stages of desert in our life. There is great
blessing and miracle in this place, but while we are there we often
become disappointed before this happened.And part of that is real in
the sense that God is trying to get us to change. He loves us so much
He can not and will not leave us here. (Or there!) How many of us
really know about the plight of an unwed mother? Or the parent of a
handicapped child? Are we there? If just going to church could win the
war, I think we would have already won. WE have all felt rejection at
the hand of a brother. We have all felt apart from God at one point or
another. We have all felt like we could have done more in some area of
our life. Most of us have lost a family member and remember the
feelings. It is sometimes tough to look around and realize we are all
we have. But it is truth. Our highest "horizontal" relationship(with
others) dictates the level of our "vertical" relationship (with the
Lord). How little we love one is how how we get with Him.

God speaks to us in terms of loving one another (There are an awful lot
of "one anothers" in the Bible.) and being friends to one another. (I
used to have a button I made-it said "Church is not for Sundays")
Relationship is the heart cry of the church I see. I run into person
after person who is looking for relationship...and this is the church!
God tells me to esteem you higher than myself. (Whoa!) To believe the
best about you. (Hold on here.) To love you when you are unlovable.
(This can't be true.) In service that he who is least will be amongst
the most. (You have gone too far.) Or when we have legal entanglements
to choose one least thought of to arbitrate. (Not the leaders?)

We must look to God to love like that. How does this reach you? Where
is God in your love life with others? What happens when we love like
God does? I believe we have seen pockets of it. Transformations of
whole businesses, communities and even nations. I want to dance like
David did, but I want to love like Jesus did. Our earth is in crisis.
We have fuel problems and war problems. People want to kill us for what
we believe. Where is the love? I believe the loving power of the
Godhead dwelling in us gives us the ability we need to love.

Imagine a church where people loved inward and outward. A church that
moves into a community or a neighborhood by relationship and love. A
church that confronts the powers of evil by undermining them in love. A
church that wears a towel of humility and servant hood here on earth
while wielding a weapon of mass destruction throughout the heavenlies.
A church empowered by the lover Himself.

We thank you for your prayers and your love!

Blessings,
lee

Deeper Relationships meeting on Tuesday night at 6.

http://pcfministries.blogspot.com/
http://compelthem.blogspot.com/

And once again...

Dear Brothers & Sisters:

(I still have not got this email program down and apologize for the
"preview" copy.)

Thanks for all the really cool letters to the last letter. I appreciate
it. You are a great source of encouragement to me.

For the last few weeks it has seemed like every time I turn around I am
running into my past in the shape of a pre-Christian. Yesterday was no
different. It happened on 2 occasions. The first opportunity came as a
man was hitch hiking and I picked him up. He was a man who owed me a
lot of money from years ago. Interesting conversation developed and we
ended up talking about the Lord and His benefits. Turns out he lives
about a mile from me. He has agreed to work off what he owes me and
asked if he could stop over and continue the conversation about the
Lord.

The second was even more interesting. My daughter had an appointment,
so I was watching the store. I was talking to some one about old
records. And I was just telling him bout this friend I had had years
ago who I bought all my records from. A few seconds later a man walks
in to the store. I am still in the first conversation and just saying
"see you later" when the second guys says "Lee." I look over and he
says "Mark from R____." This was the guy I had been talking about. I
have not seen Mark in almost 20 years. After the premature birth of my
daughter and all that time in the hospital (Over a year.) We ended up
talking for about 2 hours agreeing to get together with some of the old
crew. A friend of his had died a short while ago and while he recounted
his pain at the loss of one of his few and best friends, I felt the
presence of the Lord. Mark was initially very surprised that I was a
minister and said that the crew would be very surprised(especially a
friend who was my best man in my wedding back then.) But as we talked
about the death of his friend(Also a friend of my daughter, Amy.), it
was evident that he was seeking the Lord on some level fro comfort.
Mark sold his music record business and he is an artist. He is looking
for a studio to sculpt. I am asking the Lord to help me find a place
for him. I want it to be in Springfield so I can see him. My life was
so torn up after the birth of my daughter and was so turned upside
down with moving, etc. , that life just went way too fast.

Have you ever had a friendship go by because of busyness or been in a
circumstance with someone needing the Lord and not knowing how to
communicate it? Both situations were awkward for different reasons. But
the Lord has given me some instruction. Love Him with all my heart and
love others as He has loved me. He also communicates to me to preach
the gospel to every living creature.

I did not want to open this office downtown. It subsequently turned
into a store where my daughter is working. And it is fast becoming a
"gathering" place when I am there. People who I have not seen in ages
are stopping by.

I think the lesson in all this, is as much as we would like to avoid
the world and all it's little tricks, there is a people out there
caught in it's clutches looking for the man(or woman) who will point
them on the way. What would happen if today as you prayed, you asked
him for that opportunity to be a pointer? What would happen if each
person on this list of friends did the same thing? Not only would we be
being obedient to the Lord, but we would be helping mankind become a
little better, a little more friendly.

Interestingly, when I knew my friend Mark, I was in business down the
road from him, in a place where international students were trained.
These were the creme de la creme of their society and countries, They
were trained in diplomacy and leadership. But on many occasions when
one of these wealthy foreign students went into town, they were treated
badly. Many of these students are in leadership positions today. They
are "remembering" what America looks like. I reviewed some of the
pictures from there. They did not look like terrorists or haters of
America.

I am convicted in my heart of my leaving behind the world at the
bequest of well meaning church people. Many suggested I stay away from
people who "might lead me down paths of unrighteousness."

As I spoke to Denny and Mark yesterday, I realized they were my
"inheritance." They are all I get to take to heaven. Who is it you get
to take to heaven?

We thank you for your prayers and your love!

Blessings,
lee

Deeper Relationships meeting on Tuesday night at 6.

http://pcfministries.blogspot.com/
http://compelthem.blogspot.com/

Finally-By what every joint supplies...

Dear Brothers & Sisters:

Thanks for all the really cool letters to the last letter. I appreciate
it. You are a great source of encouragement to me.

For the last few weeks it has seemed like every time I turn around I am
running into my past in the shape of a pre-Christian. Yesterday was no
different. It happened on 2 occasions. The first opportui

We thank you for your prayers and your love!

Blessings,
lee

http://pcfministries.blogspot.com/
http://compelthem.blogspot.com/

Finally-By what every joint supplies...

Dear Brothers & Sisters:

The last few weeks have been interesting to save the least. You have
not heard from me a lot because I lost my email program of 9 years and
I am having to learn all over. (Ever been through that new learning
curve?) What I have learned is what used to save as a draft sends the
letter off into cyberspace, hence many people have received parts 1,2 &
3. I also learned that what I thought I knew well, I probably didn't.
In a summer of shifts that included finance, family and friends, I had
pretty much lost my confidence. What had always worked for me wasn't.

I overlooked many things in the last year and suffered for it. I
allowed fear and anxiety to come into my life about certain things and
only a few weeks ago had difficulty walking and moving. It was
affecting my breathing. I was operating in a 6-7 pain range daily.
Tests showed I was a 50 year old person living in a 60 year old body. A
visit to the doctors "confirmed" my fears, only to receive a test a
week later saying that what had been "diagnosed" was not there, but
"Hey! if you are still in pain we have some great meds." I picked up a
book on healing and began to read it again. I found that as I dealt
with the roots of some of my stuff, I was getting better. And so keep
me in prayer as I continue to move ahead.

Only a week or so ago, did it begin to change, thanks in part to some
helpful members of the emerging NEST team. And to them Tina and I are
eternally grateful. We are still catching up, but feel encouraged in
our spirits. We have a lot on our plates but feel like the Lord is
doing some good work. The NEST team is coming along well as we plan a
retreat to Lake George in November and our opening major meeting in
January.

Last night my real brothers and sister got together for the first time
in years at an Italian restaurant. It included nephews and nieces and a
grand nephew(Wow-hope that is right) and we just had a good old time.
My sister finally announced that she is over her "fear" of being asked
if she is a Johndrow. As older brothers we did not leave her much of a
legacy. It was interesting to say the least. Everyone had a great time.

One of the byproducts of the last few weeks is spending time with the
unsaved. Not a day goes by, where I do not get to share the words of
Jesus with someone. God has blessed me with these precious people.
Yesterday was no exception. Tina and I went motorcycling with a
pre-Christian couple. And they rode Harleys! After riding through the
mountains of New Hampshire while we were parked on the side of the road
talking, the woman asked me "what does the back of the your bike mean?"
It says "...by what every joint supplies. Eph 5:16" So, I was given the
window of opportunity I needed. It has a lot to do with why we are
starting a group called Deeper Relationships. We(The church) have
placed a lot of emphasis on evangelism, but in many respects have
failed to teach people how to hang out with people. And so that is what
we are doing.

All in all, I had an awesome weekend. Put over 500 miles on the bike in
2 days. Got to see some really great friends at a meeting on Saturday
and hang out with some people I hardly see anymore. So, it was really
good.

We have made a lot of changes.

We thank you for your prayers and your love!

Blessings,
lee

http://pcfministries.blogspot.com/