Warm Greetings from sunny Beijing in Jesus Name!
In June Mark snuck over to Seoul, Korea. We hoped he
could slip out, AND back into, China. More importantly we prayed that 100
Chinese pastors would do the same. You might remember that in October 2010 Mark,
and 4000 other church leaders from 98 countries, got to Cape Town for Lausanne
3. But 250 Chinese leaders, with tickets in hand, did not.
So it was a great joy to gather the last week of
June with 100 Chinese leaders; and to know that we’re all safely home and
resuming our ministries. We were asked to ‘go dark’ on sharing about this dodgy
endeavor but now the Lausanne movement has sent out the press release and the
photos: http://www.lausanne.org/en/about/news-releases/2148-symbolic-moment-as-chinese-gather-in-seoul.html
It was a great honor to be one of the small number of
“Westerners” to hear – and I hope encourage – these Asian church leaders. Take
a look at the “Related Links” at the bottom of the web page to see what
happened.
Not the Fastest Way to Fill a Glass with Water….
But Dayna and her team had plenty of “bonding time”
using this method at our recent BICF Staff Retreat. We are thankful for the
great team the Lord has assembled here and the privilege of belonging.
Fall Push
We have been in our new church location for over a
month now. It works very well. And now students from around the world are
pouring into our neighborhood. Also, many of our members are back from their
summer travels. Pray that we can “strike while the iron is hot.” One study of
high school seniors transitioning into college found that if they did not find
and get plugged into a church within a month of their arrival they never do! Of
course God is bigger than our percentages, but it is all too easy for people to
establish habits – good and bad. The bars and clubs around us are allowed to
have neon signs and hand out flyers. We, like the first Christians, grow when
friends bring friends to a rather out of the way meeting place! And they do.
Sunday we had a “Welcome to Beijing” program led by
a panel of our members from Singapore, Samoa, Gabon, New Zealand, Hong Kong,
and USA with more than 40 years of living experience here. Lots of “newbies”
came and really appreciated this free program. Did you know there are more than
20 “apps” to help folks live in Beijing? I didn’t! Today Dayna took a group of
ladies to the ‘plant market’ to buy houseplants to improve the air quality in
your home. Great for Beijing!
This Fall Mark will begin a preaching series through
the book of Revelation. This is in conjunction with a Small Group study of the
Letters to the Seven Churches (chapters 2 and 3) he wrote for the whole BICF to
study this year. You can download a copy, in English or Mandarin, at: http://bicf.org/resources
Thanks for Standing with Us!
In the last couple months our support has been more
stable! Thanks so much for your generosity and most of all your prayers. Been
reading a very helpful book on ministry that offers this timely encouragement
as we have been studying the life of Abraham on Sunday mornings…
“I would argue that there is nothing more critical
for the evangelical church today than to emphasize the support of urban
ministry. The need is great, as is the cost – ministry in city centers is
considerably more expensive…If Christians want to reach the unreached, we must
go to the cities. To reach the rising generations, we must go to the cities. To
have any impact for Christ on the creation of culture, we must go to the
cities. To serve the poor we must go to the cities. Many people who are not
naturally comfortable in the city will have to follow the example of Abraham.
Abraham was called to leave his familiar culture and become a pilgrim, seeking
the city of God.” Tim
Keller, “Center Church,” p. 162.
Pressing
Toward that City with You, Mark and Dayna Blair
Our Mission
Pioneers - 10123 William Carey Drive - Orlando, FL
32832 – USA www.pioneers.org
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separate note attached saying: ‘Mark and Dayna Blair, Beijing.’ Electronic
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Skype blairstan
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