The week in preview

     This week, at least the evenings, will be interesting. Jerry Rahm, a pastor from Texas, is here in Kiev to teach a class for elder candidates in Big City Church. He's here for the week and will also be speaking this weekend at the church retreat. There is a group of six guys from the church that have been going through classes and training for eight months toward the end of serving as elders in Big City. They are all relatively young. Their ages range from mid 20's to late 30's. In America that would be considered young (by my reckoning). But here, mental and emotional maturity seems to happen at a much younger age here than in the States. That they are even considering this shows the need and calling that they have felt and heard.
     As Jerry described it, this is not a lecture. He wants the candidates to ask the hard questions. His purpose is to get them to examine their reasons for wanting to become elders. It's actually an interesting idea. We're all human. We all have different motivations for the things we do. We can do something for the right or the wrong reason. So the purposes that drive us, and especially those in the elder training process, need to come from God. Part of understanding those purposes is feeling the call to be an elder. One of the questions the guys are wrestling with is if they even feel the call. Jerry encouraged them that in asking this and other questions they go back to God for guidance and support.
     That is the point I most appreciated. I'm not taking the class but I hope that by being there, I'll pick up some useful information. That point is what I've been constantly learning these last three weeks. I can talk about my successes and small victories all day long. But them moment I forget that it's God who orchestrates those victories and gives me the strength to get through the difficulties, then I'm lost. I'm setting myself up for a disastrous failure. I need to constantly trust Him for guidance, instruction, and strength.
     This class/discussion/challenge is not summer camp. The process of training, choosing, and electing elders is extremely serious. And after they are elected, they will continue to face difficult choices and situations. Jerry stressed the importance of mutual reliance and "getting into each others lives." They need to understand that the enemy will try to disrupt their work in any way he can. To combat that, they need to keep each other accountable while also supporting and praying for one another.
     That's all I have for now from the class. It'll be interesting to follow where the discussion leads. All of that is just from the first night. I'm not sure how much I'll be writing about it this week. It's already shaping up to be an intense series of meetings. And I'm not even training to be an elder.

     In other news, I've started language lessons today. I knew learning a new language wouldn't be easy. I forgot though how much memorization there is. I'll start with two lessons a week and we'll see where it goes from there. My teacher is a woman from the church. She teaches Russian at Kiev Christian Academy where the Eide and Purvis kids attend. It's also where the missionary kids from upstairs go to school.





     Oh, I forgot to talk about Saturday. I went to the zoo. I saw a mullet. That is all.