Build the Ship while at Sea

These last few weeks have been hard for many people here in the Philippines. Typhoon 'Frank' hit the southern part of the nation hard and many hundreds lost their lives. The storm came on so quickly and many were caught unaware. Around 22 sea vessels sank on that terrible night. The worst disaster was the capsizing of one of the Philippines' largest passenger liner, the Princess of the Stars'.

What a tragic story. Around 800 people boarded the ship fully expecting to arrive in Cebu the next day. There was a storm signal number 1 given at the place they were departing from ... very normal in the Philippines. Signal 1 is rain and slight wind. They got clearance from the coastguard and away they sailed. Typhoon Frank was far away in the South East and was heading north. They should not be troubled by the storm.

As they headed south, Typhoon Frank completely changed direction and went East. It was headed straight for the ferry. The Captain tried to sail for a safe haven but the typhoon hit them first. Within 15 minutes the ship capsized. At this time, only 30-40 people are known to have survived ... over 700 are still missing, presumed dead. So many bodies have been washed up on shore but there are 20 other vessels that sank that night. Tragedy.

I am beginning to realise that 'without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God." I can try many ways to please God but if there is no element of faith invollved, they are nothing. I am learning how to fully trust God even though everything else around me shouts out the opposite. Faith ... Failing All I Trust Him. It is so easy to have safety nets around my life .. but do I really trust God ... completely?

Mary was reading me a quote the other day. It was about the beginnings of the Salvation Army and William Booth's son Bramwell uses an interesting quote - "We had to build the ship while we were at sea!" He was stating that the Salvation Army developed as they worked and ministered. They followed a progressive vision whilst they were setting up a movement that would touch millions.

I think that Sefton Village is a bit like that! looking back, to 8 years ago and even to more recent times, we have had to build the boat while we are at sea. We did not sit down and plan everything when we came in 2000 ... we have had to listen constantly. We have had to think and pray on our feet. As we are sailing, we have had to listen to the Lord for direction and guidance. Very often, in the midst of the storm, we have heard a 'still small voice' that has changed everything.

It's not east to build whist at sea. There are many storms! In the last month we have had so,me very serious issues to address and it seems as if the enemy is trying to undermine and destroy the plans of God. Sometimes it is easy to make a hasty decision when we see the icebergs ahead. Sometimes human logic prevails over simple faith. And sometimes we have got it wrong.

first few years here I led consistently in various settings. I was made praise and worship director for was happening at that point - we were developing For example, when I came to the Philippines one of my giftings and things I loved to do was lead worship. In Scotland I regularly led worship and in thethethe AoG in this area. But in 2003 I felt God say, step back and train up these young guys to lead the worship. So muchthe Bible School, building the Fire Centre etc. So I did. I trained up some people at Sefton to take on the worship.

That was 5 years ago. At the beginning of last year I felt the Lord say to me that He never wanted me to step back, He wanted me to step to the side and minister WITH these young guys. Looking back, in the midst of the storms, I laid down my guitar and mis-heard God's voice. We now have some great worship leaders at Cornerstone ... but I was left with a feeling of 'I've missed it ... no way back now."

But there is! I really decided to invest in a new guitar and start to strum away again. I said, "Lord, I am not going to force my way back into leading worship (like some old out of date blues singer!) ... Someone needs to ask me." Well, last week in our leaders meeting the Cornerstone guys said that the Pastors should be the back up singers and that Pastor Mark should lead the worship! Gulp!


So we had a so called practice on Friday and last Sunday morning I led the worship and all the 13 Pastors were my back uppers (as they call them in the Philippines!) You know, I loved it. I felt as though I had come home. I felt as if this was part of my life puzzle that was a missing piece! I felt that same anointing again and most importantly I felt the presence of God. I don't know where it goes from here, coz I'm building my boat whilst I am at sea.

Many Christians never leave the harbour. Many talk about the journey, dream about the destination, are fearful of impending storms and are not prepared to leave comfort behind. They never reach the open seas. They never fulfil potential. They never have the joy of arriving or the thrill of overcoming. They never really trust the 'pilot'.

A few months ago, I received a very unexpected email from a Pastor who used to teach me at Bible School. His name is George Ridley and I hadn't heard of him for years. He informed me of the amazing work he is involved in and said that he had just stumbled across my blog. At the end of his message he wrote something that really challenged me. And I pray it will challenge you also:

"Be encouraged and keep the dreams alive!
Some talk about GOING, others think about GOING but you WENT.
Good on you ... cos it's the start that stops most people."

Don't dither in the shallows, pretending to be building a nice vessel for another day. Ask the Lord for direction. Ask Him for a dream. Launch out! He is with you. He loves faith. He loves trust. He loves adventure. Even if you have to build your life and ministry on the sea ... don't worry ... He who began a good work in you WILL be faithful to complete it! Don't let the starting stop you!

Be encouraged. Be challenged. Be changed. Be ready for adventure!

Selah ...

FEBC ... All Systems Go!

Last week was an exciting week because after 4 years of planning, waiting and talking, we finally signed the contract leasing FEBC some of our land. The photo above shows me signing the legal contract along with Em Perez from FEBC and Pastor Laurence Nanglegan of the AoG District. At the bottom of Sefton Village a large radio antenna will be built. They will also build a studio building for recording all the radio shows.

We have had several meetings with FEBC Director Dan Cura and I have become good friends with him. The first time we met was in 2003 and it was a hoot. I never knew who Dan was but he was the new FEBC Director. He wanted to meet me and so when I was in Manila we planned a meeting. I decided to go early and sat at a small table across from a guy I thought I recognised. After ten minutes I asked him, "Aren't you the guy who reads the news on Channel 35?" He said, "Yes, are you Pastor Mark Ritchie?" Then I felt like a real twit. I had literally watched Dan read the national news every night for 3 years on the biggest TV Station in the Philippines and I still didn't realise that this was the same Dan Cura as I was going to meet. We still have a good laugh about that meeting!

There is a lovely couple called Em & Miriam Perez and they have worked for FEBC for 30 years. They have been assigned the responsibility of setting up the new radio station. They have had many training events for potential programmers here at Sefton. They have also been involved in a lot of the practical details of setting things up. There is a guy from FEBC called Peter MacIntyre and he is from Edinburgh ... and his wife from Tain just north of Inverness. He came to train our programmers once and couldn't believe that we were also Scottish and that Mary was from Wick! Small world!

The plan is that we will start to build in Jan/Feb. We hope to start recording radio programmes by Easter and go on air in June 2008. Many of our Cornerstone pastors & leaders (Winston, Marlou, James Bastian, August, Danny, Jane) are going to have their own shows and they have went through all the training. They all speak different dialects and will reach out to their own people groups. It is so exciting!

We have leased out the land on a 50 year lease at P1 per year! I want to make sure that the radio station will have no problems even when I am no longer at Sefton. So when I am 88, if I am still around, I can come to the Philippines to see how the new negotiations are going!!

You have to realise that there is absolutely no Christian Radio any more in the Northern Philippines. Many pastors and leader had their own shows on local FM radio stations but a false prophet (all self proclaimed messiah) bought up the rights for all local radio in the Philippines and the first thing he did was remove Christian Radio. So for three years there has been no proclamation of the gospel or christian music.


The Radio Station is called Cagayan Valley Missionary Radio an the frequency will be 1143 AM. It will reach out for hundreds of miles and most of Northern Luzon will hear that 'Jesus Christ is Lord' again! This is not a radio station to tick the ears of Christians ... its main purpose is to share the gospel for very people group in northern Luzon. That is about to change ...

In 1999 the Lord showed me in a vision that one day we would have a radio station at Sefton Village. At that time I had absolutely no idea how it would come to pass. But I knew what God had showed me and believed it with all my heart. And now, I have been amazed at the faithfulness and plan of the Lord in bringing this exciting project to pass.

Whatever the dream or vision God has shown you ... don't give up! You don't have to know how God will do it, when He will do it or even what he will do. Just believe. Hold on. Survive the storm. Don't give up ... the fulfillment is coming!

Here is a verse to encourage you today: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Gal 6:9 - NIV)

Cardboard Boxes Can’t Cut Grass.

I went down to Manila last Wednesday and came back on Friday night. We really desperately needed to get a pile of stuff for Sefton Village and so Jonathan & I headed down in my van with a local Pastor who came to help. It was non stop shopping! We got new lights for the Fire Centre, new PA for the church, heaps of things for the Children’s Home, 40 ring-binders & notebooks for the students etc. etc. We were jam packed.

One of the things that Jonathan really needed was a new lawnmower. We had two really old ones but they graduated to the big lawn in the sky a few months ago. Jonathan tried to resurrect them, but the old mowers were no mower. Ahem. Well, we managed to get a good deal on a new Briggs & Stratton 4hp lawnmower WITH a grass catcher! Wow, in the Philippines usually the guy who cuts the grass is also the grass gatherer at the end! So Johnny boy was over the moon.

We got back and unloaded all our stuff. Of course, being a good dad and living in the Filipino culture I had brought back my two kids Pasalubongs (gifts). Just a set of 3 cars from ‘Cars’ for Josiah and a Care bear for Lydia. They started playing enthusiastically for about 3 minutes and then I noticed them looking out the window. There, with a humungus (?) grin on his face, was Jonathan unpacking and building his lawnmower. “It’s very big dad”, “Can I have a go?”, and “Do you think Uncle Jonathan will give it to us?” I was initially very impressed at their apparent interest in things mechanical … but I was confused by their desire for a lawnmower.

They ran outside and the next thing I knew they had brought the object of their desire into the house … no, not the lawnmower but the box of the lawnmower! They played and played, tossed and tumbled, laughed (and cried!), jumped and slid around for around an hour. You should have heard their laughter and obvious excitement. They poked their eyes out the sides and pretended they were serving at McDonalds! Such imaginations. Lightning McQueen and Tender Heart were soon forgotten.

Got me thinking. When Briggs & Stratton built this box, they did not have playing in mind. They didn’t have kids in mind. They didn’t have McDonalds restaurants in mind. All they wanted was an attractive but strong cardboard carton that would protect and advertise their product. But my two excited kids they saw it as a boat, a car and a fast food restaurant. They were not interested in cutting grass; they were interested in having a good time.

A bit like us. Spiritually … we love playing with packaging. We love making the minor major. We often make the major minor. We love to miss the point. We love to dwell in the insignificant. We love to talk. We love to play in the shallows of greatness.

Don’t believe me? God has amazing things for us to do. He shows us plans, dreams and vision. He gives us gifts to use to do the job. He gives us all the authority in heaven to use in any given situation. He gives us His name to combat the works of the enemy. He bestows upon us all the power inherited and won by His Son.

And what do we often do? We argue, we debate, we plan, we consider, we procrastinate, we dwell … anything but get the job done.

Take evangelism. We read books, we watch DVD’s, we talk about it, and we debate the different styles and methods. But only few churches have an evangelistic department or programme. Gifts of Holy Spirit – we know all about each gift, how to use each gift, the purpose of each gift, the power of each gift, we can categorize them into different groupings … but so very few actually use the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the church … or just as importantly... on the street. Prayer – we know we should pray, how important it is, when we should pray, we know we should be at the prayer meeting, but … our prayer meetings are empty. Often our time with the Lord is pushed aside.

We love packaging. We love to talk. We love to play. But packaging will never cut grass. Jonah loved packaging. He was more concerned about a stupid little tree than the eternal destination of 120,000 people.

My friend, there is ‘grass to be cut’. There are people to be won for Christ. There are places that have absolutely no Christian witness. Whole towns and villages are going to hell. There are people who are desperate for a healing touch … just someone to visit them with some encouragement. There are broken people, oppressed people, lonely people, damaged people. Just down your street. You don’t have to walk far to find emptiness.

The crunch of my life came when a couple sang a simple song at a youth conference in Fraserburgh. The song was about a farmer who was a father. All his family and friend were in his house having a party. They were having a ball! But as he looked out to the fields and saw the huge harvest he said to himself, “My house is full … but my fields are empty. Who will go and work for me today?” For me, this was the call of God.

Don’t play with the packaging any more. It’s time to ask the Lord of the Harvest to equip you for the work he has for you. It’s time to seek Him. It’s time to eagerly desire spiritual gifts. It’s time to cry out for your purpose, your vision, your destiny.

Because cardboard boxes can’t cut grass ….

Selah ...

Bits and Bobs ...

Well, over the last few days we have had the old Internet problems again... off for hours/days and then on for a few minutes! Aaaaggh. So annoying. Anyway, like my granny used to say, "Ah well, you can't make a better of it." I am hoping that this is a temporary blip and that normal service will soon be resumed. Pray this is the case for my (and Keith's!) sanity.

Apart from that, we are doing well. This is a bit of a catch up blog and I hope to get back on course with my blogging next week. Why do I always seem to say the same thing every week? I should know by now that there are no 'normal' weeks here at Sefton and you never know what is around the corner.

Here is some up to date news and reports:

* Well, recently Mary and I celebrated our 11th Wedding Anniversary! Haven't I ... I mean she... eh, I mean we done well! We were married in Wick on March 30th 1996 and the amazing thing is that is the exact place and date of Mary's mum & dad's wedding 30 years previous! Imagine my surprise (and horror!) when we found out that the gentleman who was going to take our photos was the same guy who took my in-laws 30 years earlier!! But, he was very good and the pictures were great. If you are reading this and you were at our wedding, why don't you 'comment' on anything you remember about the weekend. It would be good for us to reminisce!

As you look back on married life, there are many milestones - our honeymoon, our first house, our ministries, our call to the Philippines, our first child ... followed by our second, the vision of God for our lives etc. Yet, alongside these there are many difficult days, things to work out and through, trials and difficulties. I just thank the Lord for Mary and her commitment to me, our kids and the Lord. Not many would leave the UK to come to an uncertain future in a far away land. I am a blessed man and I pray for many more years together as our family grows up.

* Selina - Selina's arm is healing up really well. She has been on a strong course of anti-biotics and also we have been applying antiseptic cream on her burned arm. So it is looking much better now and is much more tender. We hope to get her operation next week as the Doctor is back in town. Pastor Winston is going to see him today to set things up.

Selina is a happy & beautiful little girl. She loves coming to Powerhouse and she has a cheeky wee smile! This photo was taken a month ago so is a little out of date, but I will get new picture next week.

Pray for her family situation. Her father is not coping well with his son's death and has turned to drink. He cannot control himself when drunk and he becomes very abusive towards his poor wife. Pray that the Lord will give us wisdom to handle this delicate situation.


* Mary Grace - Well, thanks for your prayers. The Lord has rescued this little girl from the brink of death, and now she is thriving! She was 4 kilos before .. and now she is over 6 kilos after only 3 weeks. Her skin is beautiful, she is always smiling and she has become so content. Marilyn, our Social Worker (above), cannot believe the difference in a few weeks. Even our local Pediatrician did not recognise her and took photos to show her fellow doctors. She was amazed. It is more than a medical success ... it is a miracle of God. Please continue to pray for Mary Grace and all the aunties.

* Judah Benjamin Kooistra - Mary has been very busy this week as good friends of ours from the Wycliffe Base in Bagabag gave birth here in Santiago. Jan came to Santiago with David her husband and two of their three kids. What they thought would be a regular check up ended up to be the real deal! Jan gave birth to Judah, David was there with her and the two kids stayed overnight in our house. As you can see, Lydia and Josiah are delighted with their 'sorta cousin'!


*Celebrations - This time of year is full of all sorts of parties and happy events and in the last week I have been busy doing all sorts of great things. We dedicated two houses, celebrated a birthday of a little girl from Cornerstone and on Tuesday we dedicated the little son of Marlou and Cristina Javier, who are two of our Church staff. What a great afternoon. As I dedicated Mark David Javier (what a fantastically superb name eh?) he just gazed into my eyes and laughed for ages. Wonderful moment.

* Next few blogs - in the following days I have so much to share about ...

An amazing testimony of healing
Cornerstone Easter Celebration
SOS Evangelistic Programme
Another amazing testimony of God's protection
A vision God gave me a few years ago about the Cost of the anointing
Our kids update
Keith & Anne
Matthew & Claire Kerr

I have just noticed that we have had over 10,000 visits to the blog since June 2006. Wehey! Another celebration...please tell your friends and family about our blog and spread the news about what the Lord is doing here.

But right now I am happy to even get this blog out! Lord, keep the Internet going and make this blogger patient...

Blessings and have a great weekend.