Training to be a leader

One of the great things of our Bible camp (Ardennen Bijbelkamp or ABK) is that it is for and from everyone in the various churches in the Netherlands and Belgium. From the beginning this was a place to help church members grow, to grow contacts among church members, and to learn new skills - all in the wonderful beauty of the Ardennes. I know that I have learned and grown so much through the years because of the things organized at camp. 

One of the things that we want to make possible is that those who want to become a camp leader have the training necessary to do that. And those who don’t know that they can become camp leaders, actually can. We have done this in the past by inviting people to be an assistant camp leader and training them “on the job”. Those who have served as counselors have also grown into camp leaders. And we continue to use this way of training, because it is very hands-on and personal. 

In addition to this we have dreamed for some years of developing a training to help teach some of the things we have all learned through the years. This could be a weekend, a week or simply a day. It is always hard to find slots in schedules for people from across the country, so we settled this year, for the first time, on a day. This was a training session, as we called it: Inspiration for Aspiring leaders. We want those learning to lead to know that although it is scary to take this kind of responsibility, we are not alone. We are busy working with God and in His might. So His Spirit can lead us in these efforts. That is why I called it “Breathe”. 

I planned this together with pour colleague from Ghent, Luk Brazle, and with Shirley. We had a compact group of 5 others who in some ways had already helped at camp, either as counselors, assistant leaders or teachers, but wanted to learn more about being a camp leader. Our camp weeks take on the character of the camp leader who is leading them. There are some things which are always the same (like the age group of the campers, dates and some of the themes, but there is a lot that comes down to the style of the camp leader. 

The training day was a mixture of information that is necessary for a camp leader to run a week of camp as well as practical information and training on how to deal with certain situations that experience has taught us will always show up. “What is leadership?:” was the most important question and we looked at Jesus for our example and answer. 

We are so thankful to be able to be part of this effort. It is so good to see how camp has touched so many lives throughout the years and that it is still a place where members can learn to lead and serve. It continues to be a wonderful place and time where campers get to know who Jesus is, what God does and is doing, and how life in God looks like and works in everyday life. 

This summer Shirley and I will be working with a team leading the oldest age: Youth Camp (15-20 year-olds). We are thankful for the team we have been able to gather to help with sharing the beauty of this life in Christ. 

What experiences have you had with Bible Camp? Did you go to camp when you were young. Have you helped in the past? Are you a helper still? How else are you letting God change you and grow you in His grace and love? 

(In the picture - How do you work with a team to complete a task?)

Where oh where Wednesday: Borgloon

Not far from where we live is the Blossom region of Belgium. This is an area where much of the fruit grows on trees: mostly apples and pears. The herald of fruit season is the explosion of blossoms on all of the fruit trees in this area. Bicycle tours, walking tours, special accommodations - all are focused on this time of year and the fruit which is forming. 

The syrup made from pears is well-known in this area and in the French-speaking area around the city of Liege. Tourists can buy little jars of this specialty to put on their bread in the morning. In the area of Borgloon it is more apples. Both are spreadable, not fluid like molasses (as slow as that can be). 

Whereas the Netherlands has the cheese market in Alkmaar and the flower auction in other areas, this section of Belgium has its fruit market. It is in this area that the price is determined for how much a bushel of apples or a basket of strawberries, red berries or raspberries will cost. The major center of all of this sweet merchandizing is the city of Borgloon which hosts the largest fruit auction of Belgium.

Borgloon, which has now been combined with the city of Tongeren to Tongeren-Borgloon, has always been a smaller city, but steeped in rich history. Several Roman highways in this area show that the Romans were busy here from quite some time before others also settled here. In the 10th century Count Giselbert van Loon built a castle on the hill which now still looks out over the city. Even before the 13th century this little town gained city rights. Wars, witch trials and trade guilds continued to make this an important place throughout the centuries following. 

More recently people might be more familiar with the see-through church (“Doorkijk kerk” or “Read-between-the-lines church”) which was erected in 2011 as part of a project to let people see the surrounding landscapes in a different way. Borgloon is about 30 minutes from where we live and just down the road from where the Ukrainian couple from church live in Tongeren. 

Getting to know Jesus

One of the most important things we do here is help people to get to know Jesus. In our daily lives we want to be an example of the life we have been given in Jesus. We also want our speech to be full of the reality of living with the grace that Jesus has brought to our lives. This all means that we try to live intentionally in our lives together and our speech is full of the beauty of what we have found in Jesus Christ. And this takes different forms. 

When we meet someone who is wanting to know more about us and the life we are showing, that can come in different ways. Most recently we received a few phone calls from people who wanted to know if we could pray for them, if they could meet with us, if they could attend our worship time on Sundays. Sometimes these are short conversations on the phone. Other times they have turned into weekly Bible studies and conversations. 

I have often thought about set studies - booklets or programs that asre available. But in my experience, everyone is coming from a different place and meets Jesus in a different way. So I usually want to first hear where they are coming from and then start looking at the story of Jesus. In this walk together through the gospels, we inevitably touch on the points that need to be discussed in relation to life with Jesus. Then we can take more time where the need is greatest. 

This has been how my conversations have gone throughout the years. Sometimes people have met Jesus and have decided that they are not really that interested in what is being offered or the way it is being offered. Jesus is very exclusive and not everyone wants to accept this. In this case, sometimes my relationship with the person we have been talking to either ends or changes. Often times we may maintain a relationship, but it becomes one where I continue to help, but in a different way, offering mercy. 

This has been and continues to be the case with a few people in our lives - taking people to hospital visits and being there after the diagnosis has been declared, helping with physical limits and even being the person to help the family say goodbye when the time comes. 

Other times, the relationship turns into one of family as the person’s desire to know Jesus grows and they give their lives to Him. At this point then the relationship turns into one where we help one another grow in faith. It has been exciting to see how some of the new members of this family challenge us to be servants, to be listeners and to be faithful in times of difficulty. This has been true of several of our sisters who have been added to the church in the last 5 years. 

We recently put out an invitation for a series of “Getting to know Jesus” held at our building. We have usually held these at our home, which is a much less intimidating venue. But we wanted the neighborhood around our building to know of this opportunity. No one responded this time. We will look at offering the opportunity again in the Fall, but in the meantime we will continue with the conversations we have at the moment. 

This includes a conversation with a woman who originally called and asked about what we believe and if she could visit. She has been visiting for several months as well as reading through the gospels (getting to know Jesus) almost every week. Last week she said she has been confronted with the need to be bron again - everywhere she reads, every song she listens to, in all of her prayers. I think of Lydia (Acts 16) whose heart was opened as she listened to the story that Paul was recounting. We pray that we will soon be adding a sister to the family. 

And we continue to look for how God will use us, our example, our speech to touch those around us with the amazing story and life of good news in Jesus Christ. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. Consider yourself - are you willing to follow Jesus wherever He goes, as He wants? This seems to be our biggest struggle as people. Can we submit to someone else and trust. If we know that He is God Almighty, come to save us and risen from the dead, then we can follow Him even into death, but certainly into obedience in daily life. 

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

Whensday: History of Neerharen

Just down the street there is discrete hammering and building noise. The village church is surrounded by scaffolding all the way up and around its discrete little tower. The building is being restored, the limestone cleaned and replaced, the roof  and gutters completely replaced and the mortar between the stones cleaned and repointed. It will still be many months before anyone other than the dedicated small group of restorers are able to approach the church building. We drive by it every day on our way out of the village and remark at any progress we can see. 

This little church building was built in the neo-roman style in 1875, but the village has a much longer history. Peoples, including the actual Romans, have been crossing the river at this spot for quite some time. There are graves from around 800 B.C. and Roman artifacts everywhere. Many of these things were found when the canal behind our house was dug. This canal is a connecting canal between two larger canals which lead to the two largest harbors in Europe (Antwerp or Rotterdam). 

We live on the Castle street, although it used to be called the Church street. When our village was incorporated into the town of Lanaken (which is made up of 7 villages), they renamed our street. But it was named the Castle street because this street led to three different castles in the area. One of these has disappeared, but the other two still exist. 

Neerharen took part in the 80 years war and the various Spanish succession wars. It was burned down in the 18th century because of this. The house across from ours is the oldest in the village and dates from after this time. It was built in 1818, well after the wars and well before our own house was built in 1936. Much earlier, in the 16th and 17th centuries, there were all sorts of trials against witches and several women were condemned and burned in Neerharen. This all seemed to stop around 1620. 

Although there is a good bit of history that took place in this area, we have simply been enjoying the area with our various guests this week. A walk along the canal, which is mostly peaceful if you watch out for the bikes, and the rural setting - as much as this is possible within 10 minutes of Maastricht - make for a restful spot. We are thankful for being able to host some good friends along the way. This week Dale and Vicki Hawley stopped in as well as Tom McKleroy. Both of them were on their way elsewhere, but made time to spend with us as well. Neerharen has always been a place of comings and goings. 

(You can find more pictures here of the area where we live).

Whatsit Wednesday: Cassonade sugar

We have been gluten-free for quite some years now, but I still love me a nice cake where possible. Shirley always comes up with some amazing gluten-free possibilities. Pumpkin pie is one of my favorites and she always surprises me with a pie when she can. Most recently when we were shopping she let me know that she was looking for brown sugar for another specialty she was wanting to make. 

When we are in the US, brown sugar is not hard to find. But in Belgium and the Netherlands there are different types of sugar. The main sugar factory for Belgium is in the city of Tienen where, years ago, we held some youth weekends (in the city, not the sugar factory). When I lived in Haarlem as a very young man, I would bicycle past the sugar factory in the town of Halfweg on the way to Amsterdam. Sugar has been around for a long time and is of course well-known in two countries where chocolate reigns supreme. 

But brown sugar is a different story. I remember getting my coffee while visiting at a home in the Netherlands years ago - when I still drank coffee with milk and sugar. They brought out sugar lumps, but they were brown. It was cane sugar - instead of sugar from sugar beets (which is more common here). Many people considered it more “natural” - although there is certainly nothing natural about eating sugar. 

This cane sugar was brown, but it was not brown sugar - if you know what I mean. Shirley was looking for brown sugar for her baking recipe. In Belgium this is “cassonade”. This is beet sugar mixed with a form of molasses and is not only darker brown but mixes more easily in recipes (I am told). 

In 1953 the sugar factory in Tienen, Belgium, took over the Graeffe company and their cassonade, but kept the packaging which has almost always had a picture or drawing of a child on the front. Because of this it was called “kinnekessuiker” or “kiddie sugar”. The actual name - Cassonade - means “broken”. In the store you now shop for Cassonade Graeffe. 

I don’t really care that much what it is made of or what it was called or even which kid originally was on the packaging (it was a kid from Brussels). And to be honest, Shirley is usually looking for the even darker sugar (called bastard sugar) which is also in both countries. What I am excited about is what she can do with it. Last month she made a sort of spice cake (gluten-free of course) and it was delicious. What a treat!. 

Sweet sisters

We are part of a fairly diverse family of God in Maastricht. I have always been so thankful for the hearts of everyone who is here, their willingness to help one another and intentionally be family for each other. This is especially evident in the sisters of the congregation. 

This past weekend several of our ladies went to the Ladies Retreat which is organized every year in Germany for English-speaking ladies or those who which to attend (there are other German-speaking or French-speaking retreats for ladies as well). It is encouraging to see how some of our ladies attend and encourage one another. 

Some of our ladies do not go to these sort of events, mostly because they cannot handle the travel or the sleeping accommodations. But others because of the situations at home (young children, unbelieving husbands, work schedules). The ladies who go and the ladies who stay both encourage one another, sharing about the weekend, supporting one another. 

This family encouragement continues throughout the year. Some of the ladies meet every Friday morning for a Bible study together. Some of the ladies take time on a Sunday to visit our sister who cannot attend and care for her. Others keep connected via social media or an old-fashioned telephone call. Some even write cards and letters. We have grandma’s, wives, working women, students, single women and daughters - all of them daughters of the King. 

The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy to encourage the older women in the church top help the younger women in the church. Just as with the men, we know that we all can learn from each other. Older members can catch the excitement and energy of younger members. Younger members can learn from the experience and wisdom of older members. This is what I see happening and it is exciting. 

Recently we have had a woman from the neighborhood visiting. She comes for a Bible study on Tuesday, but on Sunday she comes to worship, even as she is discovering what it means to follow Jesus. She sits in the row where several of our ladies sit together and they have wrapped her in their arms. During the coffee yesterday it was great to see sisters connecting with her and encouraging her. 

This coming weekend the ladies have planned a Ladies Day for the neighborhood. They want others to know this great love that God has for us. Please pray for this effort and their continued desire to share the love of Jesus with all of those around them.  

(Photo of the Ladies Day organized by Maastricht sisters November 2023)

Whodunit Wednesday: Composers

Music has long been a part of this area in Europe. While Belgian Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone, there have been various composers throughout the centuries who have also come from this area. 

In the 15th century Guillaume du Fay was a master of polyphonic music. Another 15th century composer, Adrian Willaert, was born in Roeselare where we will be visiting to preach in May. He spread the Franco-Flemish polyphonic music style to Italy. 

Two composers from the city of Liege, Belgium spread their influence in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Eugene Ysaye was known as the “King of the Violin” and thus played pieces composed specifically for him by such as Debussy or his Belgian compatriot composer, Cesar Franck. More recently Django Reinhardt was well-known in jazz circles and gypsy jazz music. 

On the Dutch side Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck composed music during the Baroque era. His compositions predate Bach and Handel who were both influenced by him. Constantijn Huygens was born at the end of the 16th century. He became a diplomat and poet as well as a musician and played for the Danish court, King James I of England and Willen II, Prince of Orange. 

And of course there have been both Belgian and Dutch influences in popular music to this day. Many of these influences come from areas with which we work even today. More importantly, the members of the churches in Belgium and the Netherlands continue this joy of music and song in the songs we have for the churches. 

Singing soothes the soul and teaches the heart. Throughout the history of the churches here members have collected songs to make sure that singing was an integral part of living with Christ. In more recent years this has meant that members have even composed songs to be sung by the churches. 

Songs have been written for Bible camp and taken up in the church songbooks. The congregation in Maastricht held special days and weekend retreats where songs were also composed by the members. And Song Workshops have included training and opportunities to compose new songs. 

The most recent efforts have now been made by Luk Brazle and I to get some of these songs online in various forms. Acapella versions are recorded so that churches can learn the songs and use them where needed. Versions using music notation help those who read music to learn the various voices as well. Above all, we want to encourage members to sing. These songs can be found on the YouTube channel set up for this. New songs as well as songs we use every week are in Dutch and English, for adults and kids, helping us to sing in our hearts.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.    Colossians 3:15-17

Sowing seeds

A lot of what anyone sharing the good news of Jesus is comes down to sowing seeds. Although I have never been a Gardner and certainly do not have a green thumb, I can understand when Jesus talks about a sower sowing seed in a field. But there are many different ways to sow. 

One of the things that is true about this picture is that it requires some perseverance and plenty of patience. I feel like I am pretty good at the first, but I have definitely had to learn the latter through the years. I, like many in this life, want things to happen quicker and to be visible. But God works with lives. And lives develop through time. My life in Christ did not just spring into being, although I had a moment of birth, for sure. But God has taught me, formed me and shaped me through the years and all of the experiences He has given. 

This is also how things are with the people we are working with, the people with whom we share this wonderful news of a new life in Jesus Christ. We do not always see immediate change. Although often some change is more visible by some than by others. That is now down to us. God gives the growth - we sow the seed. 

Some of this sowing has to do with what we say, talking about our life in Jesus and about how to meet Jesus. Many of the people I have worked with started by learning about the Bible and how to read it. Although many people, certainly here in Western Europe, will say that they know about Jesus, most have never read the Bible. Most see the Bible as a large book written in the past which tells some weird stories and also has some stuff about this Jesus. 

I have always tried to teach people that the Bible is a remarkable library. It is not a book, but a library of books, a compilation of all sorts of different literature. This helps many understand immediately that it must be read in a different way than a book would be. But I emphasize that it is a remarkable library - a collection that could not be possible if it did not come from God. 

Besides helping people see what kind of library they have at their disposal, I take time to help people learn how to read the Bible so that they can get to know who Jesus is. It is in the Bible that we truly get to meet Jesus and see what he really said and did. Unless we go to the Bible, we cannot say that we know anything about this Jesus.

This is one of the things that I have done throughout the years with some of the Catholic kids in our villages. Years ago our colleagues were asked if they would help with the local Catholic confirmation kids. Our colleagues are known in their village as the people who know the Bible. So through the years we have tried to make sure that these kids-becoming-adults (12-13 year-olds) are not only presented with the Bible, but are taught and shown how to read it. We try to take away a bit of the mystery and strangeness and teach them how to become familiar with what is there. 

In the coming month I will be able to revisit some of this teaching when these kids organize a reunion. We are interested to see where they are now and to remind them of how good God can make our lives, remind them that at a time in their lives they made a choice. We would like them to remember this choice and consider an even more momentous choice for their lives. 

We will also begin another course of “Getting to know Jesus” in the neighborhood of where we meet in Maastricht. We never know how many people will be interested or challenged by such a course. We invite people and know that God is calling those who are ready at this time to hear. Then we try to not only pass on the information, but to live the true life that Jesus gives us so that people can see that the seed actually bears fruit. 

We have no idea how long we might need to wait to see if any of this seed grows in the hearts of the people around us. We may never see the fruits in that sense. But we trust the grace and might of God in doing what He is doing. I may not have a green thumb (or green fingers as they say in Dutch), but I know that God is the one bringing growth and He is truly mighty.