India 2.0 - Day 6-7

(You can receive this Blog via email by entering your address on the right.)

Finally, after 36 hours our train ride ended in Pathankot, Punjab. We arrived just after noon, were met by the local pastor Vinod, and were whisked to our hotel for much needed showers.

Because of a delay with the train the previous night, we were behind schedule so we had to quickly be shuttled to our first medical camp. Over 100 people were waiting for us in a small village of about 1,500. A total of 134 patients were ministered to.

The doctors saw patients, Zach filmed, and I prayed for people. This village is very resistant to the Gospel, and after 2 1/2 years of a Christian presence, there are only a handful of families to make up the 15 member church. But the pastor of this village church is not discouraged, and he felt that the presence of a medical camp that he sponsored would be an opening reach to reach the villagers.

Because of the train delay and its effect on our schedule, we didn't have time for lunch but went right to work. At about 4:00, fresh samosas and tea was served to the team. Zach and I were so impressed with the samosas that we asked our host to make a couple more for just us (international guest privilege...). Ah, India!

After a dinner served right there where the medical camp was held, we conducted a service for the few who chose to attend. I presented the Gospel, however no one responded. I did notice that our hired driver, a young Hindu man, was hanging onto every word I spoke (through my interpreter). When he brought us back to the hotel, I hung back from going to the room and with Dr. Srinivas as my interpreter, I led the young man to Christ. It was a great ending to the day!

Today we conduct a medical camp beginning at 9:00 am, then we travel four hours to Jammu, check into a hotel, then travel one hour to the Hundu shrine city of Katra to begin a two-day crusade meeting.

Thanks for following!

If you like this post, you can re-post, 'share' it on your Facebook status, or forward it to your friends. Follow me on Twitter @bigcloudmusic if you find me interesting. Subscribe to this Blog if you'd like.

India 2.0 - Day 5

(You can receive this Blog via email by entering your address on the right.)

The Indian railway system: Hour 23, the city of Jheansi. We pass the time with conversation, reading, and trip planning. And of course sleeping at night.

Zach has been in full creative mode: Filming the countryside from the moving train, creating time-lapse sequences, and shooting interviews.

Because of reservation challenges, our team of seven is not in the same car, but separated in two different ones. Pastor Daniel, Dr. Srinivas, Zach, and myself are sharing a compartment (curtains separate the compartments and the walkway). Dr. Pratibha, our pharmacist Lalitha, and Mark Peter (the pastor who organized the two-night meeting in the communist village) make up the other car's occupants.

The stops are limited on this train, so just about every time we do stop Zach and I jump off and take some footage during the 5 minute layover. The platforms are a wild mix of passengers, vendors, food carts, and freight to be transported. At this stop, I saw two policeman transporting prisoners (see pic).

India... Thanks for following!

If you like this post, you can re-post, 'share' it on your Facebook status, or forward it to your friends. Follow me on Twitter @bigcloudmusic if you find me interesting. Subscribe to this Blog if you'd like.

India 2.0 - Day Four

(You can receive this Blog via email by entering your address on the right.)

I have learned to expect the unexpected...

Last night, what was planned as an evangelistic service turned into a service where over 300 people came forward for prayer.  And I was tasked with praying for each of them individually. After I prayed for each person, Pastor Daniel spoke to them and had several share their testimony through the mic so others could be encouraged.

It was a big night with a big presence of God and big miracles!

Today was a day of preparation for our train journey to Punjab and Kashmir. Zach, Jesher and I went into the city once more, this time to purchase some extra memory for backing up the film project Zach is working on.

Then it was divide and pack: We had to trim from our luggage anything that was not absolutely necessary, both personally and technically. We are very limited to how much we can carry on the train and in the hired cars, so trimming was required.

One of our team's doctors has arrived, and in just a few moments we will head for the train station where we will be joined by our other doctor, and then board the train for the north.

We have a 34 hour train ride ahead. This will be the fourth time I have made this journey, but it doesn't make it any shorter. I will have the team to spend time with, will meet people on the train and engage them, and of course will have some good time with my son.

Thanks for following!

If you like this post, you can re-post, 'share' it on your Facebook status, or forward it to your friends. Follow me on Twitter @bigcloudmusic if you find me interesting. Subscribe to this Blog if you'd like.

India 2.0 - Day 3

(You can receive this Blog via email by entering your address on the right.)

Last evening we began an outdoor crusade in a predominantly communist village about a 30 minute drive from Pastor Daniel's home and church.

The atmosphere was electric as we drove onto the grounds: Hundreds upon hundreds of people had gathered, the worship band was playing, the singers and flag-bearers were on the stage in full force, and there was a great anticipation among the people!

After welcomes, garlanding, and acknowledgments, I was handed the mic and proceeded to bring a word about Jesus healing a blind man who called out to Him.

I told the people that everyone had needs: Some are physical, some are emotional, some are spiritual. Whatever need we have, we should call out to Jesus. He desires to meet our needs.

At the altar call time over 200 people responded, most to commit their lives to Jesus for the first time. Pastor Daniel and I split apart, and with the help of the "altar girls" we individually prayed for each person who came.

Not only did most express a desire to commit their lives to Christ, but many of those experienced physical hearings, even as they received Christ! We stopped periodically to allow a few to give testimonies of salvation and healing.

It was a HUGE!

Today Zach and I spent a few hours in the Hanamkonda shopping district getting a few things... and Zach got to experience Indian street life for the first time. It was cool to watch his reactions, as well as watch him creatively capture footage for the documentary film he will be creating.

We came back to Daniel's for another of his wife Azuba's wonderful Indian meals. Right now Zach is spending time with Jesher taking Apple tech, while I am in our room writing this Blog.

Tonight we go back to the communist village to conclude the crusade. Daniel says that the crowd should be larger, with even more Hindus attending. I will again be bringing a message on the saving power of Jesus Christ. We are anticipating another HUGE response.

Thanks for following!

If you like this post, you can re-post, 'share' it on your Facebook status, or forward it to your friends. Follow me on Twitter @bigcloudmusic if you find me interesting. Subscribe to this Blog if you'd like.

India 2.0 - Day 2

(You can receive this Blog via email by entering your address on the right.)

If Sundays define the life of a Christian, then this Sunday morning does a great job of establishing hat the rest of our ministry in India will be:

The day began with our participation in the main worship service of Ecclesia Ministries Church, where Daniel Kalyanapu (our host) is the pastor. We sang songs of praise & worship, we prayed for a family of believers who represented three generations of former Hindus who came to Christ, and we commissioned new leaders to serve in various capacities in the church.

After Zach and I were "garlanded", he continued his diligent video work, and I took the mic to bring the word to the many hundreds of people who had gathered (with the help of Jesher, my translator).

I had prepared to bring another message to share with the people this day, but as the service time approached, I was compelled by God to go a totally different direction.

So with great focus I spoke about Mary, the mother of Jesus, and relayed the story of when the angel approached her and told her she would become the mother of the Son of God.

I shared with the people how we too are called to do both small and great things for the Kingdom of God, and like Mary we sometimes respond with "How can this be? I am not...". It is not by our own natural abilities that we are able to accomplish what God has designed for us to do.

I encouraged them to look beyond the natural and see things the way God sees things: In the supernatural, to look beyond our abilities and see things through the Holy Spirit's power.

As Zach and I were whisked by car across the city to the next place where I was to preach, Jesher (who is on the Pastoral team at the Ecclesia Ministries Church) told me that my message was spot on, and was exactly what the people needed to hear at this time.

We arrived at a mission church begun by Ecclesia, and found a couple hundred people already engaged in hearing a word from their pastor. They were simply making good use of their time as they were waiting for our arrival. The pastor closed down his message in short order and I was once again given the mic.

Sensing that the message that was fresh in my heart was applicable to this group of people also, I again brought the same word of encouragement and exhortation. Once again the response of the people proved me accurate in hearing what was the right word, for the right people, for the right hour.

I laid hands on and prayed for every person in the building, and finally a very tired Brad and his son were driven back to Ecclesia where a wonderful Indian meal was waiting for us. (Complemented by southern fried chicken for Zach! Well, we are in Southern India...)

This evening we will drive to a church that was established in the communist part of the city and once again bring the Word of God. I know it will once again it will be a great experience.

Thank you for following!

If you like this post, you can re-post, 'share' it on your Facebook status, or forward it to your friends. Follow me on Twitter @bigcloudmusic if you find me interesting. Subscribe to this Blog if you'd like.

India 2.0 - Day 1

(You can receive this Blog via email by entering your address on the right.)

Technically, we arrived in India yesterday (Friday), but with customs, extended luggage scrutiny (recent terrorist activity in Hyderabad) and the required travel to Pastor Daniel's home in Kazipet, it was midnight and therefore Saturday when we finally got settled.

Zach spent about an hour-and-a-half preparing his equipment for filming, and I reviewed my notes in preparation to speak at the "Second Saturday Revival Service" that is held monthly at Daniel's church.

After a good night's sleep to reverse the jet lag we were ready to go this morning!

I was overwhelmed with joy when I saw the large crowd already engaged in spirited worship as I entered the building. So many of the folks are people I have encountered on my other trips to India and Daniel's church. It was great to see so many familiar faces!

Zach and I were welcomed in the traditional way of "garlanding and shawling", and then I was given the microphone and proceeded to bring the word, speaking about a man who had an unexpected encounter with God (Acts 3), assisted by my favorite translator Jesher.

As I finished, Pastor Daniel took over and concluded the service with a brief word of encouragement. We then had a time of prayer, where Pastor Daniel and I prayed for a few hundred people. We saw many instances of physical healing and spiritual ministry. (Zach filmed, and filmed some more...)

One young man (pictured above in the purple shirt) had traveled over 140 km to attend with the assistance of friends. He had fallen from a bridge a year ago and had lost the sight in his eyes. Today while I was preaching God's Word, his sight was restored! It was a HUGE testimony as he shared during the prayer time.

A great beginning to a great time of ministry in India! Tomorrow I will speak three times at three different churches, twice in the morning and once in the evening. Zach will film...

(Look below and to the right in the 'Blog Archive' menu for more posts on this India trip.) Thanks for following!

If you like this post, you can re-post, 'share' it on your Facebook status, or forward it to your friends. Follow me on Twitter @bigcloudmusic if you find me interesting. Subscribe to this Blog if you'd like.

India 2.0

My son Zach and I leave for India this Thursday! This will be my 10th mission trip there, but will be an entirely new experience for me because I will be sharing it with my son. We are both incredibly excited!

We leave very early on Thursday from our respective airports (he from Ft. Lauderdale, me from Pensacola) and will connect in Dallas for the flight together to Dubai, and then on to Hyderabad.

As I have been preparing for the upcoming trip, I came up with a list of what I am looking forward to:

• My son will be joining me, and we will get to experience the India I have grown to love... Together!
• We will be conducting medical camps in remote villages in the Himalayan mountains.
• We will once again partner with Pastor Daniel Kalyanapu of Ecclesia Ministries.
• I will have the opportunity to preach God's Word to non-Christians and see them come to Christ, and pray for the sick and crippled, seeing God work miracles.
• My son will be filming a documentary of the work in India.
• I will rekindle the relationships I have developed with friends, pastors, doctors, and the Indian people whom I minister alongside of.
• The noise, the smells, the people, the experience of India.
• We will be extending the work of the two ministries I am connected to here in the US: GraceChurch, and Immanuel's Church.
• Great Indian food! (Although my wife has become quite the Indian Culinary Master.)
• The time spent with my son will be invaluable...

If I haven't already mentioned it, we are both incredibly excited!

Thank you to those who have supported this endeavor financially. Thank you to those who are praying for my son and myself.

 

Follow our trip right here on this Blog. I will be updating regularly.

 

It is going to be a great trip and a great time of ministry!

If you like this post, you can re-post, 'share' it on your Facebook status, or forward it to your friends. Follow me on Twitter @bigcloudmusic if you find me interesting. Subscribe to this Blog if you'd like.

Suitcases

(Please click and read this personal word from me about my India Mission Trip.)

There is a lot of traveling happening among my immediate family over the next few weeks. My oldest Son is going to South Florida this week. My wife is going to visit her family in Tennessee in a few weeks. My other son and I are traveling to India next week.

This makes for a complicated situation with our suitcases. We need to make sure that all of us have adequate suitcase space for our respective trips. And so a bit of creative suitcase juggling is going on at Catamaran Manor (our home).

Suitcases are an interesting thing. The first known suitcase made its maiden voyage in 1897. Since then there have been many suitcase developments.

There have been buckskin packs, steamer trunks, hat boxes, Pullmans, soft sides, semi-soft, matching sets, garment bags, fanny-packs (really...), rolling, spinners, backpacks, duffel bags, brief cases, and carbon fiber carry-ons. They all have one thing in common: They carry our stuff when we travel.

(There is even the vintage Fender Rhodes 73 MK 1 Suitcase Electric Piano, named that way because the entire instrument packs up as a suitcase for easy transport between gigs.)

We fill them, weigh them, measure them, carry them, pull them, stow them overhead, and live out of them.

Yes, for those who travel the suitcase is a necessity.

Similarly, our minds are like suitcases. They carry our ideas, our imaginations, our solutions, and our dreams.

They come in different sizes and configurations. Some are soft, while others are strong. Some have a large capacity. Others hold very little. Some are weathered and worn. Others are kept in the closet and hardly used.

How do you 'pack' your mind? Do you fill it with valuables? Do you only hold 'fluff'? Do you stuff yours full, continually adding more and more?

Question: What type of suitcase would you compare your mind to? Share your thoughts below in 'comments'.

If you like this post, you can re-post, 'share' it on your Facebook status, or forward it to your friends. Follow me on Twitter @bigcloudmusic if you find me interesting. Subscribe to this Blog if you'd like.

Between The Lines

(Please click and read this personal word from me about my India Mission Trip.)

As I was driving home yesterday evening after work, I saw the evidence where a vehicle had run off the road and crashed into a wooden fence. A nice, clean "front-end-sized" hole had been punched through the barrier, but it appeared to be a drive-away situation where no one was hurt.

I reflected on the scene as I continued to drive, and the phrase between the lines crossed my mind. It was obvious that the driver of the previously mentioned vehicle did not stay between the lines.

In the not so distant past another phrase was making the rounds as a description of creativity (as an alternative to the overused phrase out-of-the-box): Outside the lines. As in "he colors outside the lines".

Why I thought of the phrase between the lines was this: The driver had not stayed there. Rather, he (or she) had strayed from the imaginary protection of the painted lines on the asphalt and ventured into unsafe territory.

As in this case, sometimes it's okay (or even better) to stay between the lines.

In sports, straying outside the lines has different consequences: In football, the play is over and the ball is spotted at the point of crossing. In basketball, possession is forfeited. In baseball, the ball becomes foul instead of fair. In track, disqualification.

What about in creating?

Pure creativity has to begin somewhere. I believe it starts between the lines, and then evolves. In music, a melody or a chord. In painting, colors and canvas. In writing, words and phrases.

Sometimes creativity pushes boundaries. Sometimes it steps over them. Sometimes it establishes new boundaries.

What do you do to create? Where do you start? Where do you end up?

Question: Can a person be creative and stay between the lines? Share your thoughts below in 'comments'.

If you like this post, you can re-post, 'share' it on your Facebook status, or forward it to your friends. Follow me on Twitter @bigcloudmusic if you find me interesting. Subscribe to this Blog if you'd like.

Go With What You Know

(Please click and read this personal word from me about my India Mission Trip.)

A few years ago I was visiting at the home a member of our Worship Ministry where I was the Worship Arts Pastor. Antonio Acevedo was one of our bass players, and he had invited me to a gathering of the Hispanic Ministry, where he and his wife were on the leadership team.

More than 70 people were eating and enjoying conversations in their backyard, and Spanish was the language of choice for the afternoon. As I looked around at the assembled crowd, I realized that I was the only Gringo of the gathering.

The menu was Puerto Rican, Guatemalan, and Salvadorian. The food was fabulous, the laughter was loud, and the sharing of stories was superb. (At least I assumed that stories were being shared. Remember, everything was in Spanish...)

As the afternoon began to move towards evening, "Tony" got together an impromptu band to lead the people in the singing of some worship songs. Tony chose to play the guitar, and a drummer, percussionist and another guitar player rounded out the group. A bass player was needed, and I was drafted.

As all musicians know that it is difficult to refuse a gig, I quickly agreed to jump in. Donning Tony's bass guitar, we tuned up and got ready to play. Tony told me that we were going to play Hispanic worship songs that I probably wasn't familiar with, but not to worry: He would call out the chords to me as we played.

Tony kept his word and turned towards me at the beginning of each phrase and called out the chords. But there was a problem: He was calling out the chords in Spanish!

Now I know a handful of words and phrases in Spanish, but the alphabet is not held in that hand. I found myself needing a solution on the fly.

Instead of feeling frustrated or lost, my creativity kicked in. I found myself relying on my musical ear to follow and anticipate the chord changes, rather than my physical ear to hear Tony calling out what chords to play.

The music flowed, the people sang, and the worship was rich. My experience and creativity was put to the test, and I was able to hang in with the band.

Not only did I survive the foreign language musical experience, I was invited back to play for the Hispanic Ministry's next gathering. Whew!

Why do I share this story?

All of us find ourselves in situations where the available resources are inadequate, and we don't have the luxury of proper preparation to accomplish our task. You will be forced to go with what you know. Don't be strangled by those situations, but rather embrace the task and rely on your experience and creativity to propel you through.

Question: When have you been required to go with what you know? Share your thoughts below in 'comments'.

If you like this post, you can re-post, 'share' it on your Facebook status, or forward it to your friends. Follow me on Twitter @bigcloudmusic if you find me interesting. Subscribe to this Blog if you'd like.

Running On Someone Else's Beach

(Please click and read this personal word from me about my India Mission Trip.)

One morning in February 2007, I was out for a run along the beach. It wasn't the Gulf of Mexico, but rather the Indian Ocean on the southeast coast of India.

Just two years before, the great Christmas Tsunami had ravaged the coastline of this part of India, bringing unimaginable devastation to the town of Mahabalipuram.

As the miles and the coastal fishing villages passed by me, the signs were evident everywhere: Empty shells of buildings, water lines over 12 feet up the trunks of palm trees, and bare foundations where homes once stood. It was was sobering to even the most optimistic of people.

The devastation and destruction were great, but life continued. Boats were repaired, nets were mended, and fishermen engaged in their generations-old practice of challenging the sea for their sustenance. 

What I learned later was this: The fishermen weren't the only ones who suffered at the hands of the Christmas Tsunami. It was the farmers who had an even greater challenge because the seawater pushed inland, in some places for miles, effectively poisoning the fertile farmland for years.

Bare brown land was all that was visible, but to the farmers who depended on that same land, they saw the end of life.

Media coverage of the Tsunami devastation was focused on resorts and places of wealth. Most of the news reports were limited to westerners who had their vacations interrupted.

I did not hear about the fishing village devastation from the media. I had to experience it firsthand as I ran along the beach. The farming losses were not visible to me, but were only brought to my attention by the locals. Had I not been there, I would have remained ignorant of the real plight of the people there.

What can I bring to us from this story:

• We must look deeper than what is seen by those who feed us information.
• We need to look further than what is visible on the surface.
• People who live outside of our worlds deal with the realities of life everyday also.
• Sometimes it's good to get off of our treadmills and run on someone else's beach.

Question: What have you seen as you have run on someone else's beach? Share your thoughts below in 'comments'.

If you like this post, you can re-post, 'share' it on your Facebook status, or forward it to your friends. Follow me on Twitter @bigcloudmusic if you find me interesting. Subscribe to this Blog if you'd like.