Kvetching Christianity

For three days last week Cornerstone, a Christian minstry on the campus of UNC, set up a board in the middle of campus where students could come and write down questions and complaints they had about Christianity. At the end of those three days, on Wednesday night, the head pastor of Summit Church, J.D. Greear, came to the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill to answer questions that students had about Christianity. Around 400 students came out to the event. Questions asked include things such as: Why does a good God allow suffering? What separates Christianity from other religions and cults? And what makes Christianity valid? Throughout the session Pastor Greear encourages people to focus on the one question that matters most: Is Jesus who He says He is? To hear the recording of the event follow this link:

http://www.unccornerstone.org/2011/11/kvetching-christianity-why-do-christians-believe-that-stuff-anyway/

Malaysia: The End of a Remarkable Summer

It's hard to summarize all the amazing experiences God allowed me to have in only two short weeks in Malaysia, but here goes...

First of all I want to tell you how my last full day in Malaysia ended. On Friday night before my team left Malaysia, we were invited by multiple students we had met to come to an International Cultural Festival being held at their school. During that night my team and I were made to feel a part of the school, after only two short weeks. Hanging out with several friends and running into many more we knew  while there made us feel like we had lived in Malaysia and gone to their school for years. On top of this, in the middle of the event, I was able to have one of my most fruitful gospel conversations with one of the students I had met and later that night give him a Bible. I would never have imagined getting to know so many people in such a short amount of time, and on top of that getting to share the gospel at probably the most impractible place of the whole trip. I will back up now and try to give you a sense of how I got there...

After arriving in Malaysia and getting a good night's rest after about 30 hours of travel time,  my team and I went onto campus at the local college the very first day. Our goal was simply to meet students and let them know about a Christian Conference being held that weekend, in hopes of some wanting to come. Standing in the middle of an international college in another country being the only American there (other than my teammates) was fairly intimidating at first, but as God would show me later, it was a blessing. I wandered around and handed out a few flyers at first, not getting into many good conversations. A few teammates and I then decided to head upstairs to the gym to see if we could meet anyone there. It turns out that they were having a new student orientation there and this led to some great conversation with several students. One of those students in fact turned out being the same student who I was able to share the gospel with my final night there...something I would have never predicted or planned.

Every day for the rest of the week we went out on campus, continuing to advertise the conference. One of the biggest outlets for meeting people turned out to be a language lab that we went to one day to help the students learn English. Here we met four Iraqi guys who we would develop a great relationship with, a couple of guys from Yemen, several Chinese students, and others. The students were very excited to practice their English with native speakers and it was a great way for us to talk to students without having to approach them in the middle of campus.

One of the biggest things which I feel God blessed my team and I with the opportunity to do was simply to break stereotypes, both of us and of those we met. Most students that we encountered, if not all, obtained their view of Americans through Hollywood and the movies that had seen. Unfortunately, a lot of students also thought that most all people in America were Christians, and therefore thought that Christians were just like the actors they saw in movies. We were able to help them understand that Christians were very different from that. Unfortunately, some Muslim students we met also only really knew one other thing about Christians, and that is that they went on a Crusade to kill Muslims several hundred years ago. Together we were able to learn that you can't stereotype people by where they are from or what religion they are, whether they are Christian, Muslim, American, or foreign. God helped give me a love for people of all cultures through this trip, one that I pray I will continue to have now that I am back in America and one that I hopefully can pass on to others.

Another blessing from this trip was being able to play basketball at night with students from the college. I never would have expected to go to another country and get to meet people through the use of this sport, but God's blessings and surprises at times seem limitless. One person who we met playing basketball actually came to the conference and was able to hear the gospel preached multiple times.

My second week in Malaysia was focused soley on connecting with students and continuing relationships that had been established the week before. While there we did things such as game nights and a cookout at our house, going to hear music played one night, going to a market, eating dinner, playing sports, and other things with the new friends we met. Most importantly, however, we were able to get several of these students connected with Christians who lived in Malaysia that we worked with.

My favorite food that I encountered while in Malaysia was roti. Which is essentially a very thin tortilla that they cook with different things such as egg, banana, chocolate, coconut, or mostly whatever you want. My least favorite food however was a fruit called Durian. To those who don't like this fruit it smells like feet and tastes...about the same. Most of the locals, however, enjoy the smell of the fruit and are nearly addicted to the taste. Unfortunately for me, I wasn't in that category. Other than the food, it wasn't a huge culture shock for me, since much of their industry was westernized and most everyone I came in contact with spoke English.

Trying Durian for the first time

During the trip we were able to visit a few places as well. The first place we went was the Batu Caves, which is now the site of several hindu temples:

Steps leading to the entrance of the caves

Monkeys on the steps to the caves

We also visited a market in Kuala Lumpur:

As well as a mall near the Petronas Towers:

And lastly a market for buying souvenirs, many of which were knock-off American goods.

I believe the thing that I will most take away from this trip, as well as from my summer as a whole, is that God doesn't always work in the way that we think he will, but He does always work in the way that is best. During a summer like this it is easy to see that, but the truth is that even during the hard times God is working to further His glory, and as Christians, that means ours too. The best advice I could give after this summer is simply to give up your plans to God and let Him work, and I can promise you that His plans will always be better than ours.

Thank you for all your prayers and support throughout the summer! It was a great encouragement to me knowing that so many people joined with me in this trip in one way or another to serve and praise our Lord Jesus Christ and to help spread the good news of His death on the cross for our sins and of His resurrection! Pray now that this trip will simply be a prepatory trip, and that I (and all of us) will now go out and continue to serve God with our lives!

Malaysia Bound

On Sunday morning I will be leaving Durham and heading overseas for my first time ever. The flight to Malaysia will be about 24hrs of flight time as it is on literally the other side of the world. Myself and 6 other City Project students will be going to Malaysia for two weeks while the rest of our team will be heading to Kenya. The area of Malaysia I will be in has a large Muslim population, as well as a large Chinese population. Mostly we will be working with college students, however, which are likely to be from all around. I am now completely done with my seminary class for the summer and have spent the past week working on cleaning out gutters and reroofing a shed for a community garden as part of a church wide effort called ServeRDU. Although the work was physically exhausting it was a great mental break after four weeks of a Philosophy class.

My time in Durham has ended up being a time for spiritual cultivation and growth. I have been learning a lot from the example of the pastors at the Summit, my team members, and others I have come in contact with while here. It has been a real blessing getting to give back to the church and the community through service while I have been here, but they have been even more of a blessing to me. I look forward to staying involved in the area even after the summer ends.

I will be updating my blog either in Malaysia or as soon as I return. I ask that you pray for safe travels for my team and that those we share the gospel with will have receptive hearts.

If you’re interested in hearing more encouraging stories about what God is doing around the world check out: http://hopefortokyo.blogspot.com

Jeremiah 9:23-24

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord.”

Update from Bull City

It’s been awhile now since my last blog post, mostly because I’ve been staying so busy since I got back to Durham from New York. The first week back I began my seminary class, Christian Philosophy, my community internship with Child Evangelism Fellowship, my pastoral internship with the Student Ministry, and at night time helped out with Kids Week (The Summit’s version of Vacation Bible School).

For kids week I worked with the elementary school kids at their different stations, which included snacks, crafts, games, and the lesson. I really enjoyed this time but never realized before how much energy young kids have and how quickly they can tire you out.

 

For my pastoral internship I am working with Jason Gaston, the student pastor at the Summit. One of my jobs for this is helping out with “Elevate,” which is a Wednesday night gathering for all the 7^th – 12^th grade students at the Summit. This summer is the first time in several years that the student ministry has met during the summer and on a Wednesday night. However, there were over 100 kids there the first week. At least 2 kids came to Christ the first night, and I was able to talk with one of the guys immediately afterwards. It was a true blessing to see his excitement after coming into God’s family. My other main duty in the student ministry is hosting a guys’ bible study along with Brian, who is also on The City Project. The Summit has not previously held bible studies during the summer and only two people were at the first one, but it was still a blessing getting to share in both guys’ lives. We are praying that we will have more people at our next meeting.

For my community internship I am helping Child Evangelism Fellowship of Durham reestablish sports camps, mainly basketball and soccer, for underprivileged children in the area. I was very excited when I learned that I was going to be helping out on this, having helped out with several basketball camps over the years and having done nearly the exact same thing for my Senior Project. Right now we have made significant progress on tying down a coaching staff and finding a location for the camp and hope to hold our first camp in early August. We are also considering having Saturday clinics during the school year which I hope to be able to help with even after the summer ends.

The seminary class has proved to be very challenging, as the class lasts only four weeks, and within that four week period we have 9 quizzes to take, 3 books to read, 2 tests to take, and 1 paper to write. Not to mention the fact that simply understanding many of the concepts we discuss takes awhile. There is now only a week left of the class however, which seems hard to believe, and it has turned out to much more enjoyable than I thought it would be. The past several classes have been very discussion based and we have been tackling problems such as: The problem of evil? Do we have free will? Does God really work everything together for our good? Ultimately though, we must remind ourselves that our salvation lies not in getting all our theology right, but simply in the grace of God.

Other fun events from the past three weeks include playing basketball every Thursday morning at 7am with the Summit pastors, planning and grocery shopping for “meals” with the other 3 guys in my apartment, going to my first Durham Bulls game, having to do my own laundry, dressing up to go bowling with my team, baby sitting for the first time, dealing with leaking bath tubs and ceilings in the apartment, learning to play the guitar, taking advantage of free time for naps, and learning which nearby business and restaurants have free wi-fi since our apartment has no internet or TV (which we admittedly haven’t missed much with how busy most days have been).

My team leaves for Malaysia in two weeks now. I am excited to leave the country for the first time and to be able to experience a religious and social culture that is totally different from what I have known. Continue to pray that God works in the lives of my team members and I and all those we come in contact with.

Making Friends Across Cultures in New York City

The last time I went to New York City was well over 10 years ago when the Twin Towers were still standing. Having lived in North Carolina and the South my whole life I wasn’t sure what to expect from this fast moving city full of hundreds of different people groups. Before going to New York I would have said that I never wanted to live in a big city, after a week there I can honestly say that while I will always probably enjoy the country more, I came to care for the people of the city and to appreciate the diversity that it offered.

My team and I flew into LaGuardia on Sunday and spent the day getting moved in to the area of Queens which we were staying in. We then walked around Time Square and Central Park. The City was overwhelming in ways as billboards and signs bombard the people there with things they should do and buy and ways in which you should look. My prayer for the people of New York from the first day is that they would look higher than even the buildings there and begin to see God who is above it all.

On Monday we spent our first day on the streets of New York meeting people and sharing the gospel. This task was daunting from the start, but seemed even more impossible after a few hours on the streets of Jamaica in Queens. Not knowing the area or the native languages of most of the people there, it felt like a foreign country. However, upon wondering into a shop to get a Henna tattoo God quickly changed my outlook. Here, I was able to meet a man named Rehmani and several other members of his family. We talked for the next almost 3 hours as he shared his beliefs with me and I shared the gospel with him. I ask that all who are reading this please pray that Rehmani and his family come to realize what Jesus did for us all on the cross. And if you or your family are reading this Rehmani, I am glad to call you all my friends.

On Tuesday we continued to explore and meet people in the Jamaica area. Rehmani drove us to a restaurant that he likes and helped us order Pakistani food. The next day we took a break during the afternoon and did night evangelism. During this time we met a girl named Julia and her muslim mother, they too were from Pakistan. Julia walked us around the Jamaica area and took us to a park where I was able to join in with some local kids to hit in a game of cricket. 

On Thursday morning I went with Rehmani and his family to what was voted to be the best street vendor for Halal food in all of New York. During this time I was able to meet Rehmani’s nephew Ali who had just moved to the country 2 weeks ago as well.

On Friday our team went to Time Square to eat lunch, then road the Staten Island ferry by the Statue of Liberty. Afterwards we went to see ground zero. That night we walked the Brooklyn bridge. One of the highlights of the day for me however was running into a group of street performers. Check out the video below to see why:

Some of our team members took to the streets themselves and danced for the locals as well:

This week my team and I will begin our seminary class, our internships, and will be helping out with Kids Week at the Summit. Pray that we will have the strength and rest we need throughout this week.

Moving in and Discovering Durham

All my money is now raised and I am officially moved into Durham for the summer. I want to thank everyone who has supported me, whether it be financially or through your prayers. I ask that you continue to pray for my team and I as we reach out to those around us this summer.

I am living in an apartment with four other guys from the City Project during the part of the summer I am in Durham. God has blessed me with a great group of people to serve Him with this summer. It has been awesome getting to know everyone on my team so far, they all seem to have hearts that desire to serve God and it is encouraging to be surrounded by all of them. The first day here we were able to help some people we met at the apartment boost off their car and introduce ourselves to some of the people living around us. I am still getting to know the area but we are very close to Duke’s campus and I am excited to go out and meet people who live here.

On Wednesday we spent the morning in Duke Gardens studying and reflecting on John 15: 1-17. Afterwards we went on a four hour scavenger hunt that took us all over downtown Durham. It was neat getting to see that area and getting to know everyone on my team better. In the process we went to the local homeless shelter and got a small taste of what many people in that area are experiencing every day. Later that night we had a cookout at one of the host family’s houses.

Our next day in Durham we went to a building called the “Exchange” in Durham that hosts several nonprofit organizations such as Bless Durham and Urban Hope. I found out that I will be interning with Jason Gaston, the student pastor for the Summit. Later that day the lead pastor of the Summit, J.D. Greear, came and talked to us about his book, “Breaking the Islam Code” and about ministering to the Muslim community. That night I was able to explore the Walltown area with some of the other guys from my team and ate at a local Mexican restaurant. I continue to find Durham to be a very interesting city and look forward to sharing the gospel with this community.

On Friday we went down to the Exchange again and I learned that I will have the opportunity to help establish a Christian sports camp in the Durham area. I am excited to apply what business knowledge I have and my experience working with basketball camps to this area, while at the same time serving others. We also participated in fasting that day in order to prepare ourselves spiritually for the upcoming trip to New York. We will be leaving early Sunday morning for New York and will be there until Saturday. I will be writing about the New York trip once I get back so check in in about a week to read all about my team's experience there!

Looking Ahead to Summer 2011

Usually during the summer time I look forward to being able to take a break from school and head back home to the coast of North Carolina to relax and go to the beach. This summer, however, I have felt called to do something different. Throughout my sophomore year of college I have grown a great deal in my faith and have been attending a church in Durham, NC called the Summit Church (http://www.summitrdu.com/). Through the Summit I will be going on a nine-week missions trip this summer which is sure to challenge me as I go to both inner city New York and overseas to South East Asia to spread the gospel. I will also be spending five weeks of the summer in Durham while interning at the Summit. I look forward to this great opportunity to grow in my faith alongside the Christian team members that are also going on the trip.

One of the first challenges that I am facing is to raise $4500 in support in order to be able to participate in this trip. I have grown to find that there is nothing too big or too small for God to do and I have no doubt that He will provide for me in this area as well. In Hebrews 11:1 it says that "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  Even when it is difficult to see how God is going to provide, whether in support raising or other areas of our lives, we must find hope in the knowledge that God will provide for our needs.

Having said this I am trusting God to raise up a team of people who will share with me in the experience of this summer both prayerfully and financially. First of all, I ask that you please pray for our team and myself in the coming weeks as we prepare to begin "The City Project." Pray for the communities we will be serving, that they will be able to see the love of Christ through our service and time spent with them. Also, pray for our safety as we travel and good health for all involved. I hope to have my eyes opened to many things which I have only heard about but never seen, such as the poverty and oppression in the places I will be going.

It would also be a great blessing if you would prayerfully consider supporting me on this trip financially. If the Lord leads you to share in this mission, your checks can be made payable to "The Summit Church" and can be mailed to:

Summit Church - The City Project
2335-114 Presidential Drive
Durham, NC 27703

Please be sure to put "The City Project: Trace Clevinger" in the memo line on the check.

You can also donate online by clicking the yellow "Donate" button on the top right hand corner of this blog!

Check out the side bar for the official website of the City Project, or click here: http://thecityproject.summitrdu.com

Also, for information on helping to spread the gospel to one of the largest unreached people groups in the world, visit the "Hope for Tokyo" blog at: http://hopefortokyo.blogspot.com

-Trace