To Long for the Vast and Endless Sea

nexusvivus — Mon, 03 May 2010 14:59:59 +0000

The tide is out in this small harbor outside Auckland, New Zealand. This boat is gounded until the tide comes in. Tidal ebbs and flows are a given part of nature’s way. The primary question isn’t ‘Will the tide come in? But will the boat be ready? Is it sea worthy?

As pithy and cliche as this may sound, this question is another way to understand who/what we are about in Nexus.

Mission and church leaders around the world are sailing hard and fast. Sometimes, like this boat, they find much needed rest in safe harbors. Our role is to come alongside whether at sea or in harbor to bring the Lord’s Encouragement, the Lord’s Exhortation and the Lord’s Equipping so they can better sail wherever young people are offering them the good, GREAT news of Jesus.

And, without exception, we come home from our time with these heroes filled up in our own journey with our Lord Jesus.

4 Weeks; 2 Trips; 7 Nations; 41,390 Miles; Impact… Priceless

nexusvivus — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:08:15 +0000

We left Denver on a cold morning 4 January and finally returned on a cold evening, 9 February. We were experienced 7 different cultures and peoples; We were involved with 112 different church & mission leaders who work with young people world wide. One King and One Kingdom in motion. An honor to be with such people.

Thank you for believing!

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For Unto us

nexusvivus — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:05:16 +0000

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given… Great words of Hope for all humankind. Please enjoy the attached video which will give you a glimpse, a very brief glimpse of the Nexus world and beyond.

Japan – A long obedience in the same direction

nexusvivus — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:35:42 +0000

Servanthood, Love and Hospitality are 3 words I would use to describe Brett and Bong Cocreham and the work of Lifehouse Ministry in Chiba, Japan.

Though the history of the church of Jesus Christ goes back many, many years in Japan, in 1988 Brett Cocreham came to Japan with some friends with the dream of beginning Young Life in Japan. In 1989, Brett attended the Asia Nexus Conference in the Philippines where he met his future wife… Yes, love at first sight, and three years later, in 1992, Brett and Bong were married. Brett and Bong are two people who esteem the work of God’s Kingdom as paramount to any one organisation. Brett and Bong forged a strong partnership with Christian Surfers, Misaki Church and Young Life and the name of their work was to be called Lifehouse. The work goes on to this day now 21 years later. Many missionaries have come and gone from Japan but Brett and Bong remain in truly one of the more difficult places to share the Gospel of Jesus. Wonderful and Beautiful people and land and very, very difficult soil for the Gospel of Jesus. Brett and Bong keep on, keep on. Heroes of the Way.

(Above Left – Brett & Friends / Below Right – Cocreham Family)

The Power of Memories

nexusvivus — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 22:20:52 +0000

Remember, Remember, Remember

God’s people are a people of history and memories. We have become a people of the immediate. History seems to have little impact on us both as individuals and as a people.

To set aside time to remember and to ponder and to wonder. To ask the Spirit of Jesus to show us how and where He has been working in our small story. To stake a claim of Faith around our here and now and our future as our small story fits into His Story.

Remember, Remember, Remember… “and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” -
2 Corinthians 10:5b
(Above: Colfax HS – My High school; Right: Colfax Pool -
My place of summer employment for 7 Summers 1971-1978)

Where is that in the Scriptures?

nexusvivus — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:17:01 +0000

One place we can find a consistency that crosses human culture is through and in God’s Word. How a person may see, understand it in an Asian culture may be quite different than in an African than in a European context.

We will have significant dialogue around the meaning of Scripture at times. Starting and ending at the point of God’s Word is key to our Nexus work and vision. So many are subject to the latest greatest new ministry program thing coming at them/us from the outside of their cultural context promising to revolutionize their ministry work and yet, if we would simply keep our “anchor” in/through God’s Word and a few simple principles He sets out for us, we would find our lives, work different.

One of our “battle cries” both here in the U.S. context and abroad, is when a new tip, trick or tool comes along to ask the question, “Where is That in the Scripture?”

“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” – Acts 17:11

Nexus Trip… It’s All about the Children

nexusvivus — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 03:05:04 +0000

Land Down Under

nexusvivus — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:56:41 +0000

Australia. Land of Beauty. Land of 7 of 10 most deadly snakes in the world. Land of 20 million people. Land where the “christian church” will be non-existent by the year 2050 unless something, someone intervenes.

A small cadre of men and women are making their mark, well, the mark of Jesus going against this tide. If they have anything to say about it, that forecast of 2050 will not happen and even if it does happen, there will be still men and women who are following Jesus. Being the Body of Christ in the Land of Oz!
(Above – Glyn Henman (CEO of Australia Young Life), Chris Douglas and Nathan Velja – Melbourne Staff at staff gathering in Sydney)

(Below – Fudge Jordan (Aussie National Board & National Leadership Team)

Uganda – Time with 12 friends from Uganda

nexusvivus — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:36:30 +0000

We were with 12 friends from Kampala and the surrounding area to follow up on our training time in April.

Two words which describe our time would be, “movement” and “friendship”. Both Ben and I leave Kampala amazed that our Lord would allow us to be part of such a work.

Pictured: (left to right) Herbert, Joseph & Mugabe at Day 1 of Training in Kampala

South Africa – Nathaniel and Reggie

nexusvivus — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:42:17 +0000

Nathaniel, Reggie along with several of the Sisters (outside my phone camera lense) at combination Bible Study, hang out, Bible memory Verses, spelling time at the 6th Ave camp where Ben & Alicia have spent a lot of time these past 2 years!

Really fun to see the power of love. (1 John 4:8)

One more full day here. Food distribution 2morrow night at the camp, dinner with Deo Katongole and his friends Thursday night.

Off to Uganda early Friday morning.