Latest on Residency Status
As you are aware Lora and I were approved for our temporary residency just before we left for Russia. After we arrived in Volgograd we went through the process of registering under our former visa and then we went through the process of 3 or 4 trips to a different  immigration office which included finger printing and more forms to fill out. Finally we got our passports back with the residency imprinted. The next step was to again be registered and apply for a new exit visa in order to eventually leave the country. We should have that in a few days.
The net of all of this is that we can enter and leave the country as often as we like (assuming we have an exit visa for each departure) but we must not be out of the country more than 181 days in any 365 day period. It certainly would have been nice to have had this years ago. We still have to register with the tax department and in one year prove that we are not vagrants. At the end of the first year (March 2010) will be granted a two year extension.
So thanks be to God that we have finally been granted what we started seeking October of 2007. From the very first we were told by the immigration department that it would be impossible to happen but with God's encouragement we continued, trusting that if God wanted this, it would be granted. And we are indeed thankful for the witness of God's provision, the molding of our characters, the strengthening of our faith, and the awareness of his sovereignty that this short journey has given us. |
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Now What ?
For so many of you who have stood with us in prayer on this issue might you too be encouraged that God is worthy of our trust. During the these months of waiting we found that as we petitioned God for favor on this matter he removed anxiety and tension in so many areas of our lives and placed a certainty in our hearts that his answer would be the best and that he would provide the wisdom and grace for us to be good stewards of that answer.
During this time we of course considered some of the "what ifs" but soon resigned ourselves to just praying. And as we did we found that we needed to evaluate much. Just as it is foolish it be driven in life to accumulate the treasures of this world and its apparent comforts, so I think one should not strive to accumulate noble pursuits such as ministries. Our personal experience in our walk with the Lord has been that as we let go not only of the things of the world but also as we let go of ministries as they matured then God has trusted us with the next phase of our service. And when we stubbornly held on to that which he had given (not to protect it, but to own it) we find ourselves frustrated. Frustrated because we are seeking not his righteousness but our own desires (Matt 5:6).
So the seeking and granting of the temporary residency (green card) has given us an opportunity to examine our ministries more carefully as we trust God for their future. |
Website is Up Again
Straight Ahead Ministries website is now back up at www.straightaheadmin.com |
Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
I am now teaching a three-session introduction to Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. We will be teaching the complimentarian view which in essence claims that the Bible portrays man and woman as equal in dignity and value before God and that they enjoy differences in the roles in his service. The sessions cover in a quite thorough manner the foundations for roles of men and women in marriage and the church. In addition to the foundations the sessions will have practical application discussions and lots of scriptural study to guard the students' hearts against teaching that would erode their hearts to compromise on this issue and miss the wonderful blessings of God whose image they all bear and whose image they are to display as his church. After these sessions we hope to offer separate classes for the men (Frank teaching) and for the women (Lora teaching) to continue in more depth. We wanted to get this at least started before we send out a large graduating class this July.
 About 20 Koinonia members are involved in the three concurrent secessions each week |
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Preparing to Serve
We will be offering a one or two session course on "How to Choose a Church". No, we are not advocating church hopping. Just the opposite. Since many of our Koinonia fellowship are graduating from their academics and leaving this July for their home countries, we thought it wise to help them prepare for finding a fellowship in which to serve and grow rightly. Many are fearful of bad teaching (particularly the Chinese) and others are anxious about other issues. These are good concerns and it is hoped that this course will be used to channel these concerns to wise and godly choices for these young believers. |
