Sandwiched by week-ends!

Let me tell you about the greatest place on the planet… seriously. A place where Bible school students learn to testify and live the life of servant hood in the aisles of the Christ’s body. A place where worship is so free that the beats from the keyboard thump through the dusty streets of Shewaber… drawing crowds of every sort. A place where street guys, still smelling of kat and cheep beer, gather on the furthest benches from the stage… desiring truth and power from my God. A place where prostitutes, shoe-less orphans, business men, armed military men and Oromo women wrapped in a plethora of colorful scarves gather in search of the power of the cross and a relationship with the creator and lover of the universe.

It’s my Harar Church of Joy.

It’s only the middle of the week… but I’m anxious… sitting between two weekends, sandwiched in the middle of two Sunday meetings. I’m longing for the people of Ethiopia to file into church again!

This last Sunday was mighty. Worship was electrifying. It was almost impossible not to jump, dance, shout and clap with the Mesmor. Then our magnificent first class of pioneer Bible students took the stage for the revealing of their first drama… “This Blood”. I was in tears watching Teshome covered in fake blood, crying out from the cross like Jesus did over 2000 years ago. I was in even more tears when he rose from the dead and his persecutors began praising him with radical hearts. Wow wow. Then 8 magnificent students received their diplomas with eight of the biggest smiles in Africa. I was in more tears…

Then my hero, my love, my inspiration, my everything took the platform and preached one of the most anointed messages I’ve heard. “Jesus the Miracle God!” What a mighty word!! In a land of mohammed-worshipers and idol-lovers, declaring the power of a miracle-working and LIVING God is indescribable.

Today… my new disciple Adrianna (baptized just 1 ½ weeks ago) filled out her application for the next Bible school class! Now we’ve found ourselves on the quest for new students… on the quest for class number 2. A quest for signs, miracles, laid-down lovers, missionaries and radical Ethiopians to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth!!!