God really did more than I asked or imagined before, during, and even after my trip to Japan. As a way to tell the story of all I saw and did, I tell it by way of answered prayer.

Before we made plans to go to Japan, Kristen and I counted the cost and realized that we couldn't afford it. Yet at the very moment that we reached that conclusion, Savana brought us the mail containing a card from an old friend with "a belated Christmas gift" that she said God laid on her heart to send to us. It was 3 times the amount we needed!!

My primary reason for going was so that Mune, a close Japanese friend of mine, and I could actively engage in sharing the gospel in his home country and to his friends. Mune wasn't planning on going to Japan this summer due to research he was doing for his masters, but after talking to his professor about it he was given the freedom to go.

Since my biggest prayer was for Mune to catch a passion for the gospel to spread in his homeland, I was so encouraged when on three different occasions Mune powerfully shared the gospel:
First it was with Koji. A Tokyo University student who came up to me and said, "I would like to know more about Christianity." Mune and I were with him for over 5 hours as we shared the gospel that gives freedom with him. He is very close to salvation.
The second time was with Tomoko. She spoke little English, but as Mune translated for me he added a lot of his own words and thoughts to clearly explain the gospel message.
The last time was with Take. Mune was watching an intense discussion occur between Take and a Japanese Christian, Hiroto, when Mune jumped in and showed a passion for truth and love that I'd never seen before!
As I watched each of these events unfold, I distinctly remember thanking God for his promises and his presence.

With only 10 days to engage in this mission to help the TX team discover God's specific will for a church plant, God graciously spared me from experiencing ANY jet lag, helped me learn some survival Japanese in only 5 days, and immediately opened doors for the gospel.

We arrived in Tokyo around 4pm on Thursday. By 3pm on Friday, we found ourselves speaking at an English class at the Tokyo Women's Christian University. One lady I met there, Sayuri, later joined us for a "fun day" with 13 other Japanese. Since coming home, we've been e-mailing each other about what it means to be a Christian. Her latest e-mail said,

"He is savior and taught me the importance of my life ... Now that I have something to live for, my heart feel so free. It took me so long to see Him, but I am so glad He found me!!"

That is what GOOD NEWS looks like!

I was able to share the gospel and my testimony multiple times every day I was in Japan. One surprisingly effective way to get the gospel out was through my old testimony tract. I had printed out 30 testimony tracts, but came home with only 5 in my pocket. People were eager to take one. In fact, I even gave one to a Korean kid during my flight back to the states.

Here is a list of the people I met, shared with, and continue to pray for and keep in touch with through e-mail and facebook:

Sayuri, Koji, Tomoko, Mami, Daisuke (2 of them), and Take (sp?).

Of course, along with the joy of being engaged in the Great Commission with Mune and an old college friend of mine, Paul Scott, I also got to "enjoy" all manner of strange foods (octopus, squid, seaweed, eel, ect...), visit temples and shrines (including the latest Japanese cultural icon... the subway), and sing kareoke (the Japanese people are a very polite people, so no one ran out of the room as I sang, "Mr. Roboto".

I think you'll really enjoy watching this slide show that Kristen put together.

I miss Japan. I long to return as God wills it. May God be merciful to these people and rescue them through faith in Jesus Christ.

I will be in Tokyo Japan from May 28 - June 6 for no other reason than because I'm following Jesus.

Here's the story:
During The Rock's fall kickoff in 2005, I met a Japanese man by the name of Muneaki Watanabe. He is an ISU student studying biochemistry and molecular biology. I pursued the relationship and over a year span we became friends. Along the way, I took Mune to see "End of the Spear" and shared the gospel with him. He thought on it and we'd talk about it for several months when one night he cried out to "whomever was listening" during a desperate moment and God miraculously met him. That was mid-fall of 2006. I baptized him a few months later.

According to Matthew 28: 19-20, we are to make disciples by "teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you". That includes making "disciples of all nations". So to help Mune develop a burden to reach the people in his homeland, I asked Mune if he'd go home this summer to join me in helping a church planting team from Hope Fellowship Church (Denton, Texas) establish themselves in Tokyo. He agreed and I'm now about to step foot on soil 6000 miles from Ames.

Here are some fun details:

We will be staying at a hostel: Sakura Hotel Jimbocho

Two churches that are helping us there are: Ecclesia Funabashi church and Committed Japan that meets at KickBack Café and is associated with Calvary Chapel.

I will be leading a sub-team of 3 or 4 people and we will focus our outreach at two universities: Tokyo University and Nihon University which is where Mune did his undergraduate studies.

A total of twelve people are involved in this church planting mission trip and my sub-team will consist of Mune, Paul Scott (an old college buddy from Minneapolis), and myself... and possibly my brother Jon who is stationed at Yokota Air Base in Japan.

In addition to surveying students and trusting God for divine appointments, we will be featured guests at an English class at Tokyo University that is led by a professor who is helping the church plant. We've been told that we can not talk about the Bible, Christianity, and spiritual things in general. Satan is on the move everywhere. So we got a short talk approved on the philosophical law of "Ex Nihilo, Nihilo Fit". Believe me, it will give Japanese students who are told nothing of God and view everything through a naturalistic lens, plenty to talk about.

You can track our mission teams exploits at: theearthwillbefilled.blogspot.com. The team is already there. We are joining them half way through their stint.

And please, please pray for us. You can be a vital part of this mission trip and reaching the Japanese people through your prayers. Thank you!

Even more so, though, I urge everyone to read (or listen) to the Chronicles of Narnia books. At face value, the books are incredibly creative, exiting, and enjoyable. But when we track with the Christian symbolism in these tales, you will find your soul being drawn toward a deeper understanding and appreciation of the heart and mind of God and your own faith journey.

The movie touches on it, but dialog with Aslan in the books are inspirational. Read the books. See the movie.

My body was physically strained from a scout campout where we climbed cliff faces at Backbone State Park. You know something, climbing uses muscles that you haven't used since you were a kid climbing trees. It was fun... but it was painful.

So I was tired physically, and I emotionally was tired at the thought of another jam-packed week of meeting needs, preparing two messages, answering an onslaught of e-mail, and on and on.

But I'm a pastor-man so "I have to go". It's my job. I'm supposed to be into this stuff. And my kids are watching me... noting my choices... following my example. I needed to go. So I went.

How many times must I fight through my flesh and die to myself to discover how sweet it is to be in the presence of God and His people. I don't know, but I learned the lesson again last night. Deeper lived up to its name. It was deep.

It was a rough start, though, since the worship was with newer songs that I didn't have memorized yet... plus I had an attitude. After that, though, we dug into Ephesians 2 and discussed all that God has done to rescue us. We then broke bread (had communion) and gave thanks.

We also reflected on Acts 24:16 about having a clear conscience before man and God, and quietly gave our burdened hearts and minds over to Him. It was good to talk to God about my own faith struggles... like wanting to blow off a "prayer meeting".

But let me cut to the quick. Deeper really became rich for me as we shared with each other what we've seen God doing in our midst. Oh my, I just didn't know. I just didn't know how "on the move" God was.

It started with Jason Dietzenbach sharing that he and Eryn just an hour ago introduced a guy, Dan, to Jesus Christ! We erupted into clapping upon hearing such great news of the advancement of the Kingdom into another life.

Then Gail Colbert shared that her daughter, Kayli, led her other daughter, McKenzie, to faith in Christ yesterday!

Then Annette shared that Moriah Harris led a teenager who was coming to Youth group, Megan, to Christ two weeks ago!

Then Bob Hibbing shared about leading a Sudanese man, Dak (?), into a prayer to receive Christ! He also praised God for the ever growing International church at Stonebrook hitting a record attendance. And it just went on and on!!

And praying for each other at the end of the time didn't consist of healing my grandmother's ingrown toenail, either. We entrusted to God the impact that many of our efforts to touch people's lives in Ames this summer would have... and for 3 saints to experience safety and be a light for Christ as they go overseas to Japan, Turkey, and Germany.

It was a good night. May I never doubt again.

I was first directed toward the website last year and at first was a little turned off by the facetious nature of the website. I personally don't like it when people make fun of Darwinism (evolution) and, even more so, Darwinists (evolutionists). I don't see the conduct as winning any friends or arguments.

But, after seeing who was behind the movie (Ben Stein), and knowing his own blend of comedy and intellectualism, I tried to get past that and discover what the movie is really trying to say. According to the website and those who have seen sneak previews of the film, the movie does a powerful job of exposing a deliberate effort to suppress intellectual freedom in academia by refusing to publish papers/ documentaries that point to an Intelligent Designer as a casual agent, to denying tenure to professors who hold to such perspectives, to outright firing scientists who express serious concerns about the veracity of Darwinism (macro-evolution exclusively, the molecules to man scenario).

I myself, while taking geology at ISU, took heat for believing in Creation. While serving as the geology club president, I had our Veishea display represent the various views of origins. In the biblical view, I included scientific support for the Genesis model. As soon as the grad students and professors saw it, I was criticized for creating it and told to remove the display. My scientific evidence was not questioned, just the context and conclusion I reached via them.

For those not in the sciences or for those who have accepted Darwinism (neo or otherwise), you may find this notion of suppression of thought to be exaggerated or outright fallacious. But for those science students or scientists who are drawing conclusions contrary to orthodox evolution, it's all too real.

I strongly encourage everyone to see Expelled- No Intelligence Allowed for themselves and judge it by the actual content of the movie. In case you haven't heard, Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez (ISU astronomy professor who was denied tenure for holding to Intelligent Design) is featured in the film and will be answering questions at the Varsity II theater in Ames after the 7:30pm showing today (Friday).

But you can catch him at these other locations too:
Wednesday (4/9)
9 - Noon Hand out “Why Jesus?” magazines on central campus, south of the Library.
12 – 5 Preach on campus, south of the Library
7 Speaks at youth group at Stonebrook Church

Thursday (4/10)
12 – 5 Preach on campus, if weather permits.
8:30 Speaks at Alive at Drake

Friday (4/11)
12 – 5 Preach on campus, if weather permits.
7:30 Speaks at The Rock on "All Religions are not the Same"

Saturday (4/12)
7pm Speaks at Des Moines Downtown Church

Sunday (4/13)
9am and 10:45am Speaks at Stonebrook Church

Accounts like this makes me think of all the unsung heroes in the church. Though I've only heard a few stories from the Rock's mission trips over spring break, there are several people that I would love to give a "medal of valor" to.

John Burdine, Jr. - After being encouraged to swing through NIU to see how we might assist whatever God is doing there in the aftermath of the brutal shootings, John and his team stepped foot onto the campus not sure what to do or even where to go. After several hours of awkwardness, God inspired John to just be honest with people. So he led his crew to tell people, "We are from Iowa State and we just spent our spring break in Chicago, and we wanted to swing through here on our way home because we heard about the shootings last month and wanted to give you our condolences and to see if things are going all right."
Upon hearing this, the students were immediately thankful and appreciative, and spiritual conversation was natural after that. With violence and death being such a hard thing to talk about, John and his team demonstrated what real love looks like.

Jenny Larson - Physically scarred from a bout with cancer, Jenny would have every excuse to be reserved and wounded, but that would be among the last things anyone would say about her. While home over spring break to help her family with the chores, Jenny would milk the cows especially early (like 5 am!) so she could drive to Decorah to help the few of us who were surveying the campus to find out what God is doing there and get the gospel out. She was not only bold in talking to people about the Lord, but she aggressively networked with local Christian leaders to help me get the big picture of the needs in NE Iowa.
On the second day of our labors at Luther College, Jenny was pulled aside by security who were concerned about what we were doing on their campus. Security directed us all to the campus ministries center for approval. As we met with Pastor Amy Larson, Jenny initiated by sharing her testimony in 15 seconds flat and proudly identified herself as "born again". Jenny modeled a confidence in Christ with such grace that it put everyone at ease in a very tense situation.

Rex Borseth - At the risk of showing nepotism, I've got to mention how proud I am of my son, Rex. This was his second spring break mission trip with college students, but this one was much more evangelical in nature sharing the gospel both in a mall in Cedar Falls and on campus at Luther. At 14 years of age, it would be very understandable for Rex to stand in the shadows in the face of 18 - 24 year old college students, but he didn't! He boldly took students through the survey and would offer comments during conversations about God and faith.
While sharing with me, Rex complained that he felt useless because I did all the talking and never gave him a chance. Surprised, I went ahead and gave him the survey and he led me and others in bringing up matters of faith in Christ. Rex reminded us all that the Holy Spirit is not hindered by age, education, or experience and neither should we.

All three of these warriors deserve to be honored among God's people!

Sunday. This is what WikiAnswers says about Easter:
The English name, "Easter", and the German, "Ostern", derive from the name of Germanic Goddess of the Dawn (thus, of spring, as the dawn of the year) - called �aster, �astre, and �ostre, in various dialects of Old English. In England, the annual festive time in her honor was in the "Month of Easter", equivalent to April. The Venerable Bede, an 8th Century English Christian monk wrote in Latin:

"Eosturmonath, qui nunc paschalis mensis interpretatur, quondam a dea illorum quae Eostre vocabatur et cui in illo festa celebrabant nomen habuit."

Which means: "Eastermonth, which is now interpreted as the paschal month, was formerly named after the goddess Eostre, and has given its name to the festival."

Whereas Resurrection Sunday is a day of rejoicing. A day when people around the world remember that Christ came to fulfill all the prophesies of His life, His death, His burial and His resurrection in order to make us free! It's the day He defeated death and came back to life in a glorified body.

Pastor Brad shared a tremendous message on this historic event at Stonebrook. Give it a listen!

Some quick research on the web reveals some of the rationale for calling the day that Jesus was crucified "Good Friday". One succinct and relatively thorough sites was Rev. Ken Collins website which said,

Calling the day of the Crucifixion ‘Good’ Friday is a designation that is peculiar to the English language. In German, for example, it is called Karfreitag. The Kar part is an obsolete word, the ancestor of the English word care in the sense of cares and woes, and it meant mourning. So in German, it is Mourning Friday. And that is what the disciples did on that day—they mourned. They thought all was lost.

I’ve read that the word good used to have a secondary meaning of holy, but I can’t trace that back in my etymological dictionary. There are a number of cases in set phrases where the words God and good got switched around because of their similarity. One case was the phrase God be with you, which today is just good-bye. So perhaps Good Friday was originally God’s Friday. But I think we call it Good Friday because, in pious retrospect, all that tragedy brought about the greatest good there could be.

I can see virtue in either terminology. If we call it Mourning Friday, as in German, we are facing reality head on, taking up the cross if you will, fully conscious that the Christian walk is seldom a walk in the park. But if we call it Good Friday, as in English, we are confessing the Christian hope that no tragedy—not even death—can overwhelm God’s providence, love, and grace. Either way seems fine to me!

And I agree. Thank you Lord Jesus for dieing for me.

Maundy Thursday is the Thursday of Holy Week (the Thursday before Easter). It was the day on which Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples, sharing a meal with them which we call the Last Supper.

In those days it was usual for a servant to wash the guests feet on arrival. On this occasion there was no servant present and none of the disciples volunteered to do the menial task. Instead, Jesus got up and washed his disciples feet, giving them an object lesson in humility and service.

In some churches priests carry out a ceremonial washing of the feet of twelve men on Maundy Thursday as a commemoration of Christ's act.

In Britain it is still customary for the sovereign to give 'Maundy Money' to a number of male and female pensioners - one man and one woman for each year of the sovereign's age. The money is contained in two purses: one red and one white. The white purse contains specially minted coins - one for each year of the sovereign's life. The red purse now also contains money, in lieu of gifts which used to be offered to the poor. Up to the time of James II the sovereign also washed the feet of selected poor men.

The word "Maundy" comes from the Latin for 'command' (mandatum). It refers to the command given by Jesus at the Last Supper, that his disciples should love one another.

Family and Friends: Please ...call and/or e-mail your State senator and ask them to support the Rule 42 petition. Please read on.

As you may be aware, the Republican-led drive to get the marriage amendment out of State House committee failed yesterday. Some feel there may yet be a chance in the State Senate. I feel extremely burdened, spiritually, on this matter. Frankly, It's bothering me enough that its affecting my ability to focus on the Job this morning.

I cannot stomach an open floodgate of homosexual couples coming into this state to get "married", and then going to other states to demand marriage reciprocity.

He then included this information from organizers of the effort to allow a democratic vote on a marriage amendment issue and not let a judicial oligarchy decide for us.

Because of the thousands of calls and emails you have sent your legislators, they are starting to understand how important this issue is to Iowans. We have had several Democratic Senators sign the "RULE 42 PETITION." This petition only needs 26 signatures and it will automatically force the bill out of committee and to the floor for a vote. Senators Black and Hancock have signed this (both Democrats). This issue is not necessarily divided down party lines, so please call your senator and let them know that you would like them to sign the petition.

Call these senators at 515-281-3371 and leave a message simply asking them to please sign the "RULE 42 PETITION." I just did. We have until Thursday, March 6!
Senators to call: Staci Appel - Daryl Beall - Eugene Fraise - Keith Kreiman - Rich Olive - Tom Rielly - Joe Seng - Brian Shoenjahn - Frank Wood.
Rich Olive is a state senator for Story county.

Also, Mike Gronstal 515-281-3901, Pat Murphy 515-281-3221 head the committee that the marriage amendment process is stalled in.

After taking a stand for the good of all people (even the homosexual though they do not understand that), I encourage you to retreat with me to the peaceful and joyful confines of Zeke's to hear Derek Webb in concert. He is truly a fantastic musician originally from the band Caedmon's Call. His music is characterized by his vulnerability and authenticity.
It will be a great place to be reminded that the ultimate hope for mankind is in Christ alone.

As I stand before you
I see who I am
A man who needs to confess
His pride and foolishness
Against You only
I have sinned
I've done what's evil in Your sight
And my heart is crumbling

Chorus:
And I'm broken
Broken
To see myself as I really am
A weak broken man

Won't You hear my cry God
See this state I'm in
I know my transgressions are before me
My righteousness is rags
My sacrifice to You
Is this broken heart
It's all that I have, it's all I can give
And it won't go very far, cause it's

Chorus:
Broken, broken
Please heal this broken heart today
Don't turn it away because it's
Broken

Have mercy on me God
Do I stand condemned?
Let me know the joy and thanksgiving
God take away my sin
I want to know what is God
To have the faith to keep on running,
Keep on going, put that strength in me

Chorus:
Cause I'm broken
Broken
To see myself as I really am
A weak broken man
And I'm broken
Broken
Please heal this broken heart today
Don't turn it away because it's
Broken

I stand before You now

From the album "Against the Grain." by Altar Boys. A record (yes, vinyl) that I listened to a lot while in college.
Words and Music by Mike Stand
Listen to a sample of it.
Listen to my teaching on "Wholly Broken".

Also there are some new family pics in Photos - The Family. Some fun group shots, Rex's birthday, and Wayne's most recent surgery to fix the hole in his heart.

Enjoy!

Sorry about this, but due to continuing technical difficulties, we still can't post comments to our blog. Just e-mail us directly if you have something to say.

I’ve just returned from spending 2 days in the hospital with Wayne after his heart catheterization to fix a hole in his heart. The emotions surrounding this event have taken me to both ends of the spectrum. There has been uncertainty, helplessness, feeling out of control, anxious or worried, relief, joy, thankfulness, feeling alone, desperate… There are so many I’m not even sure I can identify them all. Most of these came within a 72 hour period and some of them passed quickly. Others were perhaps present before all this and they may still be lingering.

However, there is one ‘emotion’ or perhaps a combination of emotions that I have dealt with before and am dealing with now. The only way I can describe it is the ‘leaving the hospital blues’. I have felt this many times before (after giving birth 6 times and after Wayne having several other hospitalizations). It is basically a feeling of uncertainty, kind of ‘what do I do now?’ feeling. After spending several days in the hospital with nurses and others taking care of me/my loved and thinking of nothing else but myself/my loved (except wondering how the other kids were doing), I now find myself flung back into reality but I (and my emotions) have not had time to really adjust. I suppose there is no other way to adjust other than to just get back into the swing of things. Similar to the way Wayne had to start walking inspite of the pain in his leg (where the catheter went in). Even though it hurt he still had to get up and walk- it would help in the healing process. I need to do the same inspite of the pain.

So, in the midst of a lot of uncertainty and all the other emotions I’ve been through the last several days, I know that God is using and can use this to draw me closer to Him. Perhaps this is where He wants me most- in a place that I cannot do it myself. In a place that I need Him- a place where I am desperate for Him. In light of that I can I should be able to rest in Him, I should be able to be at peace. God does not say He will take away our difficulties, just that He will bring us through them. I’m not sure I am there yet but am striving to continually trust Him with all things.

Here's are some thoughts that didn't make the final cut in my message preparation:

When making a case for the necessity of the Holy Spirit's role in living the Christian life:

The God-head is a tight team. God sent the Son to be our savior; to rescue us from bondage and set us free. And he fulfilled the Father’s plan for Him. Now the Holy Spirit’s role is to keep us free… to keep us from being led into slavery again whether to the law or to the flesh. So it is imperative that we know how to follow the Spirit’s lead… how to walk in the Spirit.

Paul was not the first one to take about the fruit of a person's life:

Jesus spoke of this idea in the gospel of Luke 6:43-45 (ESV) where he says,
43 “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Clarifying the definition of flesh:

The flesh is our fallen condition… what we are by natural birth… what Ishmael is analogous to (4). Whereas the Spirit is what we become by the new birth, by the promise… of which Isaac is analogous to. And just like Ishmael and Isaac, the flesh and the Spirit are in sharp opposition to each other, and one or the other will have a prevailing influence on what you do and say… the fruit of your life.

When explaining Gal. 5:24 that Christians are doing the crucifying in this verse:

Now the verb “crucified” in the Greek is in the aorist tense which indicates that this is something we did decisively at the moment of conversion. We repented. We crucified everything we knew to be wrong. Crucifixion was reserved for the worst of criminals of which your flesh qualifies… "he's too dangerous to be kept alive".

When talking about being led by the Spirit:

Jesus spoke of this attitude in John 10:3-4 (NIV) when he said:
3 … the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

I hope and pray that this Thanksgiving is filled with thanks for the Holy Spirit's power manifested in your life.