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GENEVA WEBLOG |
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August 18, 2004On the shores of Lake GenevaWith sunshine, 25 degrees and a light breeze, Lake Geneva is the place to be. The promenade is just 500 meters from the youth hostel where we stay and is leading to a beautiful park with an astouding view over the lake, the yachts, the mountains, and the majestic Mont Blanc range. Geneva's iconic Jet d'Eau is
impressive. With 140 meters it's the tallest fountain in the world. It shoots
water into the air with incredible force (200km/h and 1360 horsepower). At any
one time seven tonnes of water is in the air. With 250 nationalities, 300 languages and 300 international organisations, Geneva is very cosmopolitan. Many of the organisations and institutes here have to do with charity and social justice - think of the International Red Cross, the WHO and the UNHCR. But there's also corruption of power and abuse of money. The CERN institute in Geneva is the birthplace of the World Wide Web, and hosts the world's biggest machine - a 27km circular particle accelerator - and the largest magnet. Add to this Geneva's historic role as a city of reformation, and it is clear that this is an interesting place to connect.
In the park we meet the Finnish and Norwegian group. They decided to come three days before the event to pave the way in prayer. On the surface the Finns and Norwegians look so quiet, but when they start praying heaven breaks loose. Their role will prove to be quite key in the days to come. It's good to see each other again, and wonderful to experience that although we don't meet that often, our friendship has deepened. A bit later Heidi and Ben arrive from the UK. In the evening we have our team meeting in the youth
hostel. Only five of the team could make it (Maaike, Heidi, Matt, Niina and
myself), but the advantage is that we can move a bit faster as we prepare. As we
pray and lift Jesus up, we draw a mindmap on the wall, with the issues God is
bringing up. We make some cross connections and pray into it. Cats and dogsIt's raining cats and dogs today, and although Matt offered me his nice 2-person room in the roof top of the youth hostel, I had a pretty bad night, just like the two previous nights. Normally I'm a good sleeper. I wonder what is going on in the heavenlies. Looking at the grey sky I pray that with the rains God will cleanse the city and grant us an open heaven. It turns out we have a practical problem: the meeting room that the youth hostel provided for us has very bad acoustics. It will be difficult to hear each other, especially in broken English. We decide to move to another location, but where? My prophetic friends Dolf and Patricia, who ministered in Geneva several years ago, provide me with the addresses of pastors and churches in the city, and we make several phone calls. Without success. In the meanwhile we continue to pray and plan
for the weekend. Two key things come up: Jesus wants us to go out two by two
(like in Luke 9 and 10), and He wants our generation to live a lifestyle of
reformation. So what is the vision?A bright sunny day again. I took Jussi’s advice to anoint my room with oil and slept very well. And guess what - God provided a meeting place. In the mornings we can use the youth hostel’s games room. It has a better sound, it’s bigger and has nice sofas. In the late afternoons and evenings we can use the upper room of a nearby church, that Matt bumped into. It’s a great place with authentic 19th century woodwork, and a classical piano that we can use in our worship times. We finish our team planning time and join the
Finns and Norwegians for a picknick in the park. On a bench overlooking Lake
Geneva I do a little power nap and prepare my kick-off presentation for tonight.
When I return in the youth hostel for dinner, everyone has arrived. There are
tribes from seven nations: Norway, Finland, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany,
Italy and Portugal. The youngest participant is 14 years old, the oldest is in
his sixties – the ‘emerging generation’ is actually quite
intergenerational, although most of the ‘connectors’ are between 18 and 35. In the evening we announce that we haven’t booked a worship band or asked people to ‘lead the worship’, we will simply move with God’s Spirit. Anyone can join in with his or her giftings, be it music, dance, songs or prophetic prayer. It works out well. Conny from Dresden heads for the piano, Anne-Maria from Oslo plays her violin, Matt from Glasgow brought a drum, and several others play the guitar. But most of all, we pour out our hearts to God, and want to hang out in his presence. Because half of the folks are new to Connect Europe, I take 30 minutes to tell our story and explain what the vision is all about. I share about John Hus and Count Zinzendorf, the outpouring of God’s Spirit in Herrnhut, and how in our time God spoke prophetically through several younger leaders that it’s his time to connect the emerging generation in Europe to align with God’s purposes for our continent. The restoration of 24-7 prayer and living on the cutting edge of community, missions and justice is part of our dna. The church will become mobile again, out of the buildings into the streets and places where people hang out. I explain that the purpose of our meeting is
three-fold: During the weekend we will process this in a simple format of pray, play and obey. One third of our time is for prayer, worship and the prophetic. One third is for building friendship, meals and having fun. One third is for strategy issues, practical outworking and the apostolic. After the introduction we break up in small
groups with people we don’t know yet. Back in the plenary everyone is shortly
being introduced by someone else, which is quite hilarious. Maaike announces
that the person we just introduced will also be our prayer buddy. A flying start
of our weekend together. He sent them out two by two
Today several people feel intimidated and disconnected. We pray for them and I explain how satan uses intimidation and our inner insecurities to keep us from our calling and how we can deal with it. Then I move on to the theme of this morning: Luke 9 and 10, in which Jesus sends out his disciples two by two. It's a prototype of apostolic ministry and a more mobile form of church. Jesus gives his friends the authority over demons and sickness, and tells them not to bring food, money or extra clothing. He's moving them out of their comfort zone, so they really have to trust God for their daily needs and to find the 'people of peace', folks that God prepared to receive the Kingdom of God. I share from my own life how God led me into a deeper depencency on Him, and that this can be strugglesome. But I believe God is calling our generation to a prophetic lifestyle that is counter-cultural. Living without human securities will break strongholds in our own lives and others'. It prepares us for more difficult times, like times when Christians won't be able to buy or sell, and have to trust God's provision daily. It's also the heart of apostolic ministry: laying down our lives for the unreached, meeting people's needs right where they are, bringing Jesus into the conversation and into their experience. By offering prayer or blessing people relationally or practically we are imparting something of the Kingdom of God.
After a picknick in the park we go out two by two into Geneva to hang out with people and bless them, trusting Jesus to pave the way and make the right connections. Everyone is excited about this opportunity. Maaike and I link up and take a stroll along the lake. When we come across an older man, Maaike receives a word of knowledge that he lost contact with his son. The guy only speaks French and confirms that his son lives in Zürich and doesn't really care about him anymore. Now things get complicated, because he's a bit drunk and I have no clue what else he's talking about. Suddenly he gets up from his bench and walks away. We pray for him that God will heal his hurt and restore the relationship with his son. And above all, that he will receive a revelation of Jesus Christ and the calling on his life. A bit later we spot a 'pillar of smoke' above the park and decide to check it out. It turns out to be a group of people having a BBQ, and they are so kind to invite us to partake in the meat. At least we'll be able to fulfil the 'eat and drink whatever they give you' part, I ponder. The group is quite young and international: a guy from Mongolia who looks like Zenghis Khan, a guy from Turkmenistan who apparently loves the good things in live but misses his wife and kids back home, a girl from Asia, an intellectual looking guy from Israel, a business trainee guy and several girls from Russia, a guy from France. This unlikely band of friends seem to work together on a project for the restitution of money to victims of the holocaust. The girl from Asia tells me that in order to decide on the applications of the Jewish victims, she had to read through the stories of what had happened to them in the concentration camps. This caused her nightmares for the fist two months she worked on the project. The group is spoiling us with sausages, steak, juice and wine. Then the wodka starts pouring and we are being treated on Russian songs. We share that we're in Geneva with a group of 50 friends from different nations to pray for people and share Jesus with them. When we leave they all shake hands and say 'God bless you'. The guy from Turkmenistan says: "Think of me, Tahir." I tell him I'll pray for him. When we arrive at the church, our group starts
pouring in. Everyone has had special encounters with people and it's wonderful
to hear the stories. In the evening we hear stories about what God
is doing among the emerging generation in Finland, Norway, the Shetlands, the
Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Portugal. Then we pray for the participants from
these nations. Matt has an interesting way of doing this. We first get the
people in a circle while they embrace each other's shoulders. Then we shout to
the Lord to thank Him and call on Him for these nations. I can tell you, this is
not just shouting, but something is breaking through in the heavenlies and
released in these people. Then we pray in tongues over them. Then a time of
silence and hearing from God. Then a time of sharing and praying out prophetic
words over the nations. Then we 'push' God's destiny and promises into them. No
need to say it was awesome. Calling for reformation
1. Jesus is Lord of everything. The first two imply that there is no room for idolatry or compromise in our lives or in the church. The last three imply that we are called as Christians to sanctify the ordinary and bring the Kingdom of Jesus into every sphere of life. "You can save thousands of euros on theological education by just embracing these three simple principles of life," Winkie says wittingly: "God is God. You are not. Make it hard on God and easy on you, because He can afford it." And: "What your generation got from God, will not fill the (church) boxes, you're supposed to break the rules. Reformation is about bringing us back to our foundations." After Winkie's talk Tim Fellows throws in three questions to work out in small groups: 1. What is the difference between revival and
reformation? Then it's time for lunch, we hang out in the park and some go for a swim, soccer or a tour through the city. I take a shower and head for a stroll along the lake with Winkie. My right eye is hurting. Somehow I've developed an eye infection. Winkie gives me some eye salve. Reminds me of Revelation 3, the need to receive God's eye salve so we can see Him and the real state of the church. In the evening we draw out some of the answers to Tim's questions. Just to summarise the many good inputs: 1. Revival is new wine, an outpouring of God's Spirit, people returning to God. Reformation is the forming of new wineskins that are needed to contain the wine, a reshaping of the church to make sure she keeps flowing with God's Spirit. 2. Reformers are sold out to Jesus and his Kingdom. They hear his voice, have a willingness to be persecuted and killed for Christ's sake, and live their lives as worship to God. They don't get intimidated by religion, they obey God more than men, and are known for changing the rules of community and missions. 3. Prophets (see-ers) and apostles (master builders) move the church outward and into the future. It's important they learn to flow as a team and include the other ministries.
An unusual communionThis morning is our final meeting. We take time to evaluate the weekend (what was good and what should be improved), and ask everyone to indicate the area where they sense God is calling them, and what they want to contribute to and receive from the Connect Europe network. Tim Fellows presents our basic development plan, after which we break up in regional groups. As Europe has 50 nations (counting the UK as four and including Israel) and is hard to 'grasp' as a continent, we decided to create an extra 'level' of 7 European regions: the nordic (north Atlantic, Scandinavia and Baltic nations), the anglosaxon (British Isles and Ireland), the germanic (Benelux and German-speaking nations), the catholic south (Spain, Portugal, France and Italy), the balcan (all nations in the triangle Slovenia-Greece-Moldova), the slavic (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary) and the russian (Belarus, Ukraine and Russia). The first four regions are represented here in Geneva, so we use the opportunity the strengthen relationships and encourage the nations in these regions to pray for and help each other where possible.
The first Christians made their 'bond of love' very practical: they shared their resources, so that all needs would be met. Andreas from Germany suggests we have a special love offering: "Give joyfully as the Spirit leads, but feel also free to take money out of the offering if you have any need." I love this, wished every church would do this on a regular Sunday morning! The basket is filled with ease, but no-one takes anything out. Maybe because this is unusual and public, but more likely because God already blessed us out of our socks these days. Still I believe He wants us to experience something special, so I suggest we take a minute silence to hear from God whom of the participants He wants us to bless and with what amount. About 15 people come up to me, whisper into my ear what they received and we divide the money accordingly, praying over everyone. It's wonderful to bless people this way, and a great experience for us all to learn to share our resources in Christ. After this experience no-one wants to leave. Jussi comes up with some specific words for people and we pray over them. Then it's time for a group picture and really close our gathering.
In the afternoon we have a debriefing with the team in the park overlooking Lake Geneva. We look back on a blessed time together, but also look forward. Today it's exactly two years since the start of our adventure in Herrnhut. A new window of opportunity is opening up, a new phase of God's plan to raise up the emerging generation in Europe for his purposes. We feel it's important to pray into and connect the (missing) regions in south-east Europe. We will meet every two weeks in a virtual space on the internet to pray and plan together. Connect meetings will be held in different nations this year. It's time to focus and develop the network, as God's Spirit leads the way.
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Matt
Scrimgeour (insert) is an amazing guy. He takes care of all the logistics of the
weekend, and is still able to facilitate meetings in a fresh and releasing way.
Jussi from Finland is also quite a character. Half an hour before the meeting
starts he's on location to pray for breakthrough. Often he's singing so loud
that I'd wish John Calvin was still alive, as in his time 'loud singers' were
treated on a tongue piercing. In some respects Calvin was way beyond his time...
Maaike
(insert) shares her heart for the lost and hurting. "Did you know that if
you would just mention the names of the world's street kids one by one to God -
like Peter, Jeremy, Hannah, Joyce... - you would need five years to mention them
all?" So many people hurt and it makes a big difference if someone prays
and cares in Jesus' name. Then Maaike and Heidi Plympton give a very practical
lesson in how to prophesy over people and speak destiny into their lives. We
practise in small groups of three with people we don't know yet.
Did
I tell you we have Winkie Pratney (insert) with us? He's a quite well-known
teacher on revival and reformation and gets many invitations from all over the
world, but he came over from the States to just hang out with us. With his
nerd-like appearance (he's a former chemist), broad experience and insight,
sense of humor, and non-assuming attitude he's quite a character. It's wonderful
to have him with us and this morning he's teaching on the five truths/fruits of
the reformers:
Then
Simon Mason from the UK presents a simple strategy for multiplication that's
helpful to translate vision into practice. Helen DaCosta of 
Then
it's time for communion. Not in the churchy sense of the word, where everyone
puts on his solemn funeral face, while quietly passing on the bread and wine.
No, this is a time of joyful celebration, encouragement and ministry to each
other. We put the elements in the centre and everyone can take bread and wine
and share Christ. All over the room people are praying for each other. It's this
kind of community that marked the first church in Acts and made many people
decide to follow Jesus.