Friday, March 25, 2011

Winston-Salem, NC. Redefining Father

“What do you see happening in the church over the next five years?” is a question Andrew, our friend and leader, often leads out with during the meetings on this trip. So, when he presented it to Matt Peterson back on that fateful day in February of 2011 it wasn’t the question, but the response which followed that struck me. And by struck I mean stuck. And by stuck I mean stick. And by stick I mean it’s been over a month and I’m still “chewing” on it. Awww yeeeas.

Our crew sat outside Krankies Coffee in Winsten-Salem, NC with Matt Peterson while cars, trains and mohawks (yes mohawks-see photo---), passed by around us. Matt, an ex-CIA agent, director of ZAO Water, pastor of Awake Church (
http://awakews.org/media.php?pageID=28), and good friend of the Helsers, who arranged this hangout for us, has witnessed some pretty amazing things. A few years ago, while in Africa working on a water project, an ornery old man walked right up to him and began speaking slurs of all sorts in a dialect far from anything English. Matt, through a translator, confronted him with the reality that he was old and would die, soon, “so do you want to change?” With a chuckle as he thought back to that moment he said, “that was something I had never done, and don’t recommend it,” referring to the bluntness of his comments. The man, an African witchdoctor of high authority in that region, which Matt didn’t know until a little later, led him to his home then proceeded, under Matt’s guidance, to throw out all of the items he used for spells, along with the tokens of his power buried deep within pocket of his pants.

Within 30 minutes of their first meeting this man became a follower of Christ and was baptized. What?! After coming into this man’s home and willingly throwing everything evil out, he told Matt the same dream had swallowed his nights every since he was about 15, so around 40-50 years! In the dream he saw Matt taking hold of his head and dunking him under water. That picture penetrated the dream world into the real world as this witchdoctor received Christ and was baptized. Powerful. This story is a pretty clear testament to God going before us to prepare the way... Oh boy, now I’ve gotten off track... But that story is too incredible to share. Back to the original questions, “What do you see happening in the church over the next five years?” and his response.

The response Matt gave was not really what I was expecting. “I believe the definition of ‘who God the Father is’ is changing.” Then he went into the well known parable of the Lost Son (Prodigal Son), and shared a simple observation I, and many others I’m sure, up to that point had failed to ever notice. “The prodigal son did not know his father.” Wait... what? ............ Oh... WHOA. About half way through the parable the son is at the end of his ropes. He squandered his time and money, and reached unimaginable levels of shame. The son prepares an apology to bring back to his father, since by this point it’s the only thing he has to offer, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men” (Lk 15:18b,19), then sets off on his way back to his father’s house. In the son’s mind this was the best possible scenario he could imagine! To become a servant in his father’s home.... That was the absolute BEST possible scenario! A servant!

With his repentance speech in tongue the son makes his way back to his father’s home. The passage says, “But while he was still a long way off his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (v. 20b) Ok so, firstly, the father sees his returning son and is filled with COMPASSION for him. Secondly, he RUNS to him. And thirdly, he THROWS his ARMS AROUND him and KISSES him. Matt candidly pointed out that the son, after having been sent to the fields to work with pigs, for who knows how long, probably smelled anything but fresh. Yet, the father unabashedly embraces AND kisses him. And if that weren’t enough, before the son can even make it through his repentance speech the father calls the servants to bring out the best robe, place a ring on the son’s finger and sandals on his feet, and to kill the fattened cow. “Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate” (v.22b-24). Feast and celebrate! How often do we wallow in self pity and shame before our Heavenly Father, resisting facing Him, thinking He will never, can’t ever, receive us as sons or daughters again? And there He is in the distance watching, waiting for the silhouette of the weary and humiliated surface over the horizon so He can run to us, embrace us, kiss us, welcome us, spoil us, celebrate us. Matt’s main point through all of this was that even though he had grown up in his house, the son did not truly know the father. If he had, he would have known the father to receive him as he was, filthy, warn out, dreams shattered, but still his son. This being said it’s pretty key that this parable is told by Jesus, one who has not only come from the father but is our way to know the father (John 14:9b-10). God is not, nor will he ever be, disappointed in us.

I grew up in an amazing home, and am blessed with really really solid parents. Truly incredible. But, I feel as if at some point, I don’t know when, I hardened my heart a bit. It wasn’t that I rejected God. I seemed to just turn myself off to a lot of things, many emotions being one of them, and became more guarded. So, after hearing Matt share his insight into this story, I can’t help but feel like I’ve been living in the father’s house all my life, but without truly knowing the father. I’ve known him with my mind and not my heart.

This trip has helped me towards that realization, thanks to Matt. I am learning there is so much more to Him than I even know, and there are places I can go to with him that I’ve never dreamt of. I know in addition to what He’s shown me already, there is much more He wants to reveal to me about who He really is, and He longs to bring me into a place of deeper knowledge of Him, not just as God, but as Father. I’m ready.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Sophia, NC. A Place for the Heart

After a few wrong turns, a couple correcting u-turns, and plenty of laughter we made our way up the long moonlit driveway of the Helser family. It’s hard to get a good lay of the land in the dark, but from what little I can see it looks like an amazing place. Our home for the night rests on 52 acres of land in the country side of Sophia, NC. We had planned to meet with a man named Jonathan Helser, who spent some time at our base in Kona this last year speaking and leading worship, but had the privilege of getting some time with his father, Ken, first. Let me back up a bit and explain. Amy Sollars, one of the leaders of the Fire & Fragrance School at our base in Kona gave us a bundle of envelopes each of which had a date to be opened and a mystery “task” for us to do. The first two were to find the Paul Revere statue in Boston, meet with a man named Jamey Galloway, and third, get time with Jonathan’s father, Ken Helser. I don’t know much about Jonathan, which means I knew even less about his father, if that is even possible. Regardless, what I came away with tonight was even greater than I could have imagined.


We rolled in about 20 minutes late, but were greeted warmly and led into the Helser’s elegant dining room where we sipped on tea, ate fresh coconut cream pie (a first for me), and listened closely to Ken share his past, present and future heart with us. Many things he said were so simple, but profound at the same time. More than once did the purity and depth of his heart radiate so strongly that I was moved near to tears. I have never met a man like him.



It never ceases to amaze me how God lines things up for us. On our way here today we listened to a Kris Vallotton podcast, my first, about writing your destiny and living life in a way that sets things up for those to come after us. Life should not be only about what I get to be a part of and do, but how me doing those things sets the stage for the next generation, allowing them to go even further. That, my friends, is a powerful thought. It’s hard enough for me to think about the next five years of my life, nonetheless the next 70.



These are a few of the powerful word "nuggets" Ken shared with us:

"I want to plant seeds that create orchards. So that, like in leapfrog, I can bend down allowing you to go over and further than me."

"God has never been disappointed in you. He is not surprised by our failures. He has covered them already. All of them."


"Most people have a relationsip with the Bible, not the Author. We like to be proud of our knowledge, not knowing the Author behind it."

"Tonight you have an invitation into the best seminary there is, but it will cost you everything. The seminary of life. Your professor, the Holy Spirit. Your library, 66 books. Your labratory, life. The world is your classroom... the greatest prayer you can pray is 'You get to me, God. Don't let me hide from you."

"If you wait to get what you 'need' to do ministry, you'll never do ministry."


One of the most impacting things about Ken Helser was how his life was a living example of what he spoke about. He doesn't just impress into you the importance of community, the value of family and why we need to prepare the way for the next wave of believers. He models it.

Two of Ken's children live in homes not down the road from him, but down the driveway from him, and work alongside him in a ministry called "A Place for the Heart." If you are unfamiliar with it, like I was, I encourage you to check it out their website -
http://www.aplacefortheheart.org/. The more I heard the more I felt like this was a place I could stay forever. I think now would be a great time to figure out how to be in two places at one time...