Um, I'll just have water.

I thought this was a novelty gag gift when I saw it at the end of the check-out aisle at Buc-ees in Luling. But as I commented out loud to Amanda that it had to be joke, the customer in line behind us assured us that it was not. He should know -- he happened to be a Budweiser employee.

If you haven't connected the dots just yet, let me spell this out for you. Inside that can is a combination of tomato juice, beer -- and clam juice.

That's right. Tomatoes, beer ... and clams.

So tell me ... how thirsty would you have to be to drink that? If I ate sand and sucked on cotton balls for two days straight I might -- might -- lick the condensation off the can -- but that's as close as I would get.

A God-Given Platform

On Sunday, June 10, I had the honor of representing all megachurches in a brief interview on Fox News Channel. In case you missed it, click here to view the interview using QuickTime.

THE BACKGROUND
So, how did this all come about?

On Friday, I received a call from a FNC staff member. They wanted to know if our pastor would be available for the story at 12:30 pm on Sunday. I checked with Gregg to see what he thought, and it truly would have been too much of a burden on his schedule. His first priority on Sunday morning is to teach the Word of God and be here as our pastor. He did not want to be rushed to get out the door as soon as the service was over.

With Gregg's blessing, I confirmed with FNC that I would be available for the interview.

THE EXPERIENCE
FNC asked me to report to Total Video in downtown Houston's warehouse district. This is now one of my most favorite buildings in all of H-Town: historic, eclectic, funky, character, you name it.

One of the crew members walked me through the place, pointing out pictures of people who had used their studios over the years. He shared that Bill O'Reilly is a nice man -- and very tall -- and that Greta Van Susteren is a sweetheart -- and very short. He also showed me the 10,000 square foot studio used by ZZ Top and Destiny's Child for rehearsals and video shoots. ("One day," I thought to myself. "Maybe one day!")

With just a few minutes before airtime, they sat me in the seat, powdered by forehead and nose, put the earpiece in place, and told me where to look. I asked the camera guy if he had one of the fancy cameras that actually takes off 10 pounds. He assured me that they did. But, he confessed that he did not have enough money to buy one of the cameras that adds hair to CEOs.

As you'll see in the video, I wish they had told me to smile. For those of you who do not know me, I really am NOT that serious looking! I promise! (Can I get a witness?)

THE INTERVIEW
I love how God works in our lives. There was a time -- years ago -- when I was exactly where Ruth was in my view toward megachurches. Having grown up in a small church, I had many of the same opinions that she expressed in the interview. But they were just that -- opinions. Theories. Assumptions. Guesses. By no means were they based on personal experience.

Fast forward to last Sunday and there I was representing all megachurches on national TV. Had I had the chance, I would have shared that the size of the church is not the issue -- rather, it's the heart of the church. HFBC does not believe that all churches should be megachurches. We support over 20 small mission churches in H-Town alone. We started in 1841 with a congregation of less than 20 -- half of whom were freed slaves!

I would like to think that no church purposefully seeks to be a megachurch. Rather, that they seek to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that they are obedient to be good stewards of the people God brings through their doors. As Pastor Gregg has said, Houston has millions of residents who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior. HFBC cannot minister to all of them -- even if they were to walk through our doors on Sunday. We need Bible-believing and Bible-teaching churches of all sizes to work together to reach a lost world.

THE THANKS
I am thankful for my friends who were praying for me before and during the interview -- and for the text messages confirming that they were! I am thankful for Pastor Gregg for giving me some helpful pointers on Friday and for his phone call afterwards. I am thankful that God gave me the words to use in the interview -- even in the moment as the interview was being conducted. My prayer request in advance was that God would get the glory -- not me or HFBC or megachurches in general. To the extent that He did, it's all due to Him making it so!

(And so I wouldn't get the glory, God saw to it that FNC misspelled my name!)

The Bible Scholars

If you read my reports from the Belize mission trip, you'll remember the story of the "Bible scholars" at the orphanage. Here's a picture of the guys (l to r): Errol, me, Aaron, and Kendrick.

Aaron joined me while I was guarding the basketball hoop tower against the other kids. They wanted to climb it or shake it in an attempt to knock Russ off while he was helping to install a new hoop.



On our last day in Belize City, Carolina and I ran errands to buy more things for the orphanage. When we dropped off the toys and supplies, guess who we ran into? Our friend Aaron. He had come home from school for lunch along with the rest of the kids. Here he is in his uniform with one of the new basketballs that we bought.



Please pray for these "Bible scholars" -- that they would truly be a light in a dark place among their young peers in Belize.

Ronnie says ...

The latest addition to my office:



If the camera phone picture isn't clear enough for you, it says:

"I wasn't a great communicator, but I communicated great things."

Ronald Reagan

For me, this quote summarizes what I do here at HFBC. I'm not that great, but the Message is GREAT! (Insert Tony the Tiger impression here.)

From scrolls to IMs

Have you ever pondered what it was like for the early church to communicate with one another as the faith spread around the present-day Middle East and beyond -- especially when they were out on missionary journeys? How long it took to hear from one another?

That thought crossed my mind once again this week in a moment on the mission trip to Belize. While sitting in the business center at the Radisson in Belize City, I was using Skype to communicate with Carrie and Jerrell in the Missions Office at HFBC while waiting for an e-mail from Sarah with the lyrics for a song to use at the orphanage. While doing that, I was on IM with Elmer, a student ministry leader we met in Cuba last summer.

In my inbox was an e-mail from Ricky -- the guy in India I've been encouraging since our trip in January 2005. There was also an Evite from Stan inviting me to a party to learn about all that happened on the HFBC trip to China (which was leaving the next day).

During these few moments in the business center, I also received a reply to my Belize update from Susannah. She arrived in Mongolia earlier in the week for a one-year missionary commitment. She added that two Baylor alums had just arrived, too -- one of whom had just come from doing mission work in Belize!

I mean, come on. That's amazing, isn't it? I'm sure full-time missionaries who may be reading this may be thinking, "What's the big deal? I get e-mails here in my hut in the jungle all the time!" But as a guy who only goes on a mission trip about once a year, I have to sit back and just marvel at it all.

(By the way ... as I type this, I'm sitting in an internet cafe in San Pedro, Belize. I said goodbye to the rest of the team as they took off from the pier about an hour ago for Belize City. In my inbox was an e-mail from Trena updating us on her plans to be a two-year missionary to Africa.)

Unbelizeable Update #2

Howdy from Belize!

Sorry for the delay between reports. This will be the last one from the trip. I'm typing over a cup of coffee (sweetened with pure cane sugar) in an internet bar called "Lime" across the street from the "airport" in the heart of San Pedro. Prop-planes are lined up and ready to go. I'm pretty sure Jimmy Buffet is sitting a few stools away.

So, where were we? Oh right, Tuesday ...

Tuesday, May 29
We returned to the orphanage on Tuesday afternoon to greet them when they returned from school. The team did a great job putting together some songs, a couple of parable-based skits, and a gospel message. It was very difficult for us to leave these kids. Each one of us connected with at least one in some special way. I'm sure the members of the team will share their stories when we get back. One highlight I saw that many of you will appreciate: Janet teaching girls the "Math-arana" (her "Macarana"-based song for teaching how to multiply fractions that she uses with her students). At one point there were about 5 or 6 girls in the playground doing the song over and over and over and over again. Fantastic!

From the orphanage we took off for Belmopan -- Belize's capital city. Ironically, they do not have a hotel in Belmopan so we stayed at San Ignacio about 20 miles or more on the other side of town. This was the hotel where a member of the rookie trip was bitten by a scorpion so we all had our guards up! No attacks this time. The hotel is very open to the outdoors, and I had the ladies at the front desk assure me that no howler monkeys would come running through the lobby or down the hallways. They promised, and they were true to their word.

Wednesday, May 30
We headed back into Belmopan to visit the Baptist high school. It's located on a dirt road outside of town -- two story cinder-block building with no central air, an outdoor "cafeteria" with a snack bar and a large covered pavilion for general assemblies. We were asked to lead their chapel service the night before -- one of those "be flexible" moments that we were not expecting. Lance and Cristina led some songs, David shared his testimony, and James delivered a powerful message. Keep in mind that the whole service was about 45 minutes and the kids were not allowed to sit down. (Ouch!)

The bell rang while James was still preaching. But, none of the school officials came to stop him, so he kept going. When he wrapped up, the principal still was not in sight, so I went up to the microphone and dismissed all the students (about 200?) for lunch. They looked around somewhat confused and unsure of what to do (even though lunch WAS the next thing on their schedule). They seemed hesitant to take off. Finally, the principal appeared and rallied them back together for some announcements (calling kids out BY NAME for skipping classes and asking them to report to his office immediately) and for a blessing over the food.

Our team mingled with the kids during lunch, even playing basketball with some of them using some new balls we provided. Lori struck up a conversation with a table and must have shared with them that we would be going to San Pedro later in the week. Why do I know that? Because when I walked up to the table, she was singing Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" -- "I fell in love with San Pedro ..." And yes, I joined in. The kids were amused to say the least.

After lunch, our team divided up into three groups and spoke to different classes -- sharing testimonies, breaking out into groups of guys and girls, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. This is a Baptist school, but we were saddened to hear how many students knew so little about the Bible and about Jesus. Carolina shared with us that in her small group of 6-8 girls, every one of them said that they were NOT going to heaven because of bad things that they do (cussing, drinking, etc.). Here they are at the end of a school year at a Baptist high school and they don't get it -- even when they have chapel every day and Bible classes.

Please, please, please pray for the Truth to penetrate the hearts of these students! On top of being normal teenagers with all of the challenges that come with that, they appear to have grown callous to God's message since they hear it all the time. And it doesn't help matters that not all of the faculty are believers, either. When we kicked off the chapel service, I shared with them that we may know all about a celebrity (movie star, athlete, etc) -- name, birthplace, accomplishments, salary, etc. -- so much so that it may feel as though we KNOW them personally. But, the fact is, knowing about him or her is not the same as knowing him or her -- and that's how it is with God. The students know about Him, but do not know Him. Please pray for them.

After our day there, we headed back to Belize City.

Thursday, May 31
We called an audible late Wednesday night on what to do Thursday. Our original plans were to go to another high school, but the logistics just were not working out. So, we decided to do some good ol' fashioned street evangelism around the part of Belize City where the cruise ships let off their passengers. The team divided up into groups of 3 and hit the streets. Carolina and I noticed some hesitation on the parts of several team members. Street evangelism ain't some people's cup of tea! As she and I left to run errands around town, we just smiled and said to each other, "Well ... this is what a mission trip is all about! Stretching, growing, and stepping out of your comfort zone!" (I experienced that the day before at the high school when I found myself talking with two painfully shy and introverted 14 year-old boys with limited English abilities and a healthy dose of teenage attitude. Ugh!)

Some glimpses at what our teams encountered: a couple who had a child out of wedlock 11 years ago, separated, and came to know the Lord independently of each other and reunited later in life -- now on their honeymoon; an elderly Jehovah's Witness couple; a drunk American who claimed God told him to go down to the market and buy a beer (at 11:00 am); a bongo-player in full native face-paint and grass skirt; several taxi drivers; and many other interesting characters and stories.

During our group devotional time last night, it was a joy to hear the stories -- and to see how each person was blessed by their obedience to step out and share God with others. I won't share all of the insights they shared since they may not want it spread via e-mail, but it was a truly special joy to see people grow and work together -- building off of each other's strengths and learning from one another.

While all of this was going on, David, Lance, Rich, and Nathan went to a men's prison about 30 minutes outside of Belize City. David and Lance had gone here on the rookie trip in March, so they were able to reconnect with some of the men there. When the guys entered the prison, their bags were not even checked so they were able to bring in Bibles, tracts, photos from the rookie trip, and other items. The guys challenged a group of about 70 believers to be salt and light where they were -- in prison. David encouraged them to get out there and share Christ with the other prisoners. After this time with the believers, the guys were given the opportunity to get on the public address system for the whole prison. David was able to preach the Word over the PA system for all the 1,400 prisoners to hear! Praise the Lord for opening those doors!

That afternoon, we headed out to San Pedro on a 1.5 hour boat ride across turquoise waters and past tiny islands with thatch-roof huts and fishing piers. I took pictures of as many of them as I could for future reference when looking for a place to retire. =)

We had dinner at a fantastic place about a 15 minute walk down the beach from our hotel. During dinner, we had a breathtaking view of the moon rising over the Caribbean -- and we experienced a tropical downpour, too. Eventually, we had to just give in and walk home in the rain. Keep in mind that I was trying to be all "tropical" and cool and had worn a thin white long sleeve shirt, sleeves rolled up, without a t-shirt underneath it. It was a great look for a cool evening at a beachside restaurant -- but not a good look for a 15-minute walk in the rain. I'm a little too modest for a wet shirt contest, thank you very much.

Friday, June 1
That brings us to today. People are sleeping in, taking bike rides, reading on the beach, and so on. We will probably go snorkeling this afternoon. It's a great way to end a great week.

Final Thoughts
I wish I had included this in my previous update, but I'll try to catch you up. For the team's devotional, Carolina and I chose some "hall of fame" verses from the Bible to meditate upon each day. Knowing that Belize is considered to be "over-evangelized" and many people believe that they are Christians when they truly are not, we wanted to challenge our team to truly know what they believe. We picked verses that have -- sadly -- almost become cliches to us American Christians since they are so frequently quoted, used on Christian merchandise, etc. We put them in order as they appear in the Bible (or in Christ's life) and assigned one to each day.

Each day, we asked the team to "ponder, picture and pray" about the day's verse. At night, we talked about how the verse was made real to them as they went about doing their ministry. As only God could do, each verse was perfect for what we did that day. For example:

• Sunday - Proverbs 3:5-6. Carolina and I had difficulty getting in touch with our ministry partners here in Belize as we prepared for the trip. On Sunday, all of our plans fell into place and we got in touch with the right people -- even new people we had not met yet. It was such a relief to see the LORD work it all out!
• Monday - Jeremiah 29:11. This verse is often taken out of context, and we talked about it as a group that morning. As we met the children at the orphanage, we were comforted by the knowledge that God does, indeed, have a plan for those precious kids. The verse may not apply directly to them in the proper context, but the truth that God is in control of their lives -- and it is not up to us to protect them or provide for them -- was reassuring.
• Wednesday - Matthew 28:19-20. The students at the school need discipling -- in a major way! Looking out among the faces in the crowd, there were students of Hispanic, African, and Asian descent. In this remote part of Belize, down a dirt road, we were touching people (and families?) of all nations.
• Thursday - "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21). This was perhaps the most powerful application of our daily verse to what we did that day. Paul wrote this verse while in prison -- and this was the day the guys went to the prison. Also, this was the day that our team had to "die to self" and step out in obedience for street evangelism -- laying aside their fears, preferences, and so on. God's timing ROCKS!

OK ... if I spend anymore time in this internet bar people are gonna start talking. Thanks to you all for your prayers and encouragement. This trip has been such a blessing to all of us -- and one in which the ministry seemed to never stop as we witnessed to hotel workers, street vendors around the hotel, and others. Keep us in your prayers as we go about our day here in San Pedro, and for a safe return on Saturday. (If you want to pray for me while I stay here and kick back until late Monday, feel free to do so, too!)