It Just Takes Time

This week, I’ve had many people ask about my experience living in the South Pacific for the last two years.  I most likely responded with a few words:

“Amazing,” “Powerful,” “Life-changing.”  “Tough, but rewarding.”  All of these words and statements are true. 

And then comes the next sentence.  The time when the person expects me to expand on the first sentence.  Why was it influential?  Difficult?  Rewarding even though stressful?  My response, the next sentence, is incredibly hard to formulate.  How can I truly summarize the immense joys and hurts of the last two years into a few sentences? 

I could start to talk about the amazing things I’ve experienced:

            -Teaching students to record 21 worship songs in a local recording studio

            -Traveling to 6 different countries in Asia/Australia

            -Leading student trips for teaching and service, as well as a worship conference and                                    a Model UN conference

            -Seeing a worship program grow immensely at my school

            -Meeting people and forming friendships from all over the world

            -Influencing the lives of amazing students from grades K-12

            -Growing much deeper in my personal relationship with God

            -Sharing the Good News in a second language, and having people understand

            -Understanding God’s call on my life in a powerful way

            -And so many more!

But I would be missing a piece of my story if I didn’t include the difficult times.  After all, no experience is only positive or only negative.  I would need to share these harder situations too:

            -Seeing a community of like-minded Christian workers struggle to be a community

            -Struggling to pick up extra responsibilities as teachers leave school

            -Missing home for key life events (sister’s college graduation, Grandma’s 80^th                                                birthday party, a funeral of my student teaching mentor)

            -Loosing trust in the leadership placed in front of me

            -Watching close friends move away

            -Battling weariness and apathy in myself, other teachers, and students

            -Feeling lonely and stressed by cultural differences

            -And so many more!

And as I consider all of these experiences, I realize it is impossible to synthesize all of these life events into a few sentences.  I want to share the positive things, because there were so many, while also painting a realistic picture of the difficulties that abound on this field.  Serving in a different country has made me feel some of the greatest joy and deepest sorrow I have ever experienced. 

So if you truly want to know how this experience has influenced me, I am happy to talk.  I would love to share how I have changed and matured and how God has continued to write His story through my life over the last two years.  I would encourage you to think about how you can influence others with His love.  I would share the pictures of the people and places I’ve experienced.  I would ask you to pray for the rebuilding that my community will go through in the upcoming years.  There is so much to talk about. 

But there is no way to talk about it in only a few sentences.  Maybe after the wounds heal and the experience becomes a distant memory, I will have a greater understanding and have a few sentence summary. 

For now, I ask you to give me time.  Time to process.  Time to heal.  Time to grow.  And time to talk, to share, and to confide in you. 

Just know that this all takes time.  A few sentence conversation will never be enough to share all that God has brought me through these last two years. 

That being said, if you have an hour of time to spare, at any stop throughout my journey of the next few months, it would be a joy to sit down and share my life from the last two years with you.  It has truly been a life-changing experience, and I am thankful for all of the situations that have formed me to who I am today.   Just know that I have a lot of talking to do.    

And if my second sentence doesn’t come right away, I promise I will eventually have a second sentence. 

It just takes time. 

Luke Forshey

June 1, 2017

The Guidance of Joshua 1

Joshua has always been one of my favorite Bible characters.  I find his trust in the Lord to be so inspiring: Moses has died, and Joshua has been asked to step up and lead the Children of God.  With Moses as their leader, the Israelites saw miracle after miracle, from the parting of the Red Sea, to the manna from Heaven, to the Ten Commandments.  The Word says, “No one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel (Deut. 34:12).” And it was now Joshua’s turn to take Moses’s place and lead these people. 

That’s a pretty big job for an inexperienced leader.  I would be very hesitant to step into something this big.  But Joshua accepts the challenge and begins to hear from God just as Moses did.  In God’s first words to Moses, he says “Be strong and courageous” three times, and “I will never leave you nor forsake you” two times (Joshua 1).  It is clear that God will give Joshua the strength he needs to complete this mission.

After hearing from God, Joshua gives orders to his people.  He tells them to get supplies prepared to take the land God has given.  But a few groups of people had already heard a command from Moses: “The Lord your God is giving you rest (Joshua 1:13).”  Joshua understood that these tribes did not want to fight, but he asked them to “help your brothers, until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you (Joshua 1:14).”  The community attitude of Joshua’s leadership allows all members of his people, regardless of tribe or nationality, an ability to achieve the common goal together.  Only after the work is done can they all rest, together. 

The people then answer Joshua, saying they completely support Joshua’s plan.  Even after a short time as leader, Joshua has instilled trust in his people, and they are willing to follow him.  The final words of the chapter are the people echoing God’s commands to Joshua: “Only be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:18).

The opening chapter of Joshua shows us a very effective, 3-step model of leadership for us to use.  This process continued to work for Joshua throughout his whole time in leadership, through many victories and miracles, just like Moses did. 

Step 1: Joshua hears from God.  It is important that the Lord talks to Joshua in the second verse of the book, showing right from the start how important it is to hear from God before trying to lead. 

Step 2: Joshua leads clearly, giving the people a model to be followed.  Joshua very clearly shared his and God’s ideas of what would happen, with directions for how to involve everyone, even the Teubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Mannasseh, who were promised rest but Joshua knew they could help the greater good.

Step 3: Joshua brings others into the plan and vision.  The Israelite people respond to Joshua “Whatever you have commanded we will do, and wherever you send us we will go…only be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:16-18).”  These words are a direct echo from the words of the Lord at the beginning of the chapter.  This shows that Joshua influenced the people with the Word of God, empowering them to succeed in the challenge placed before.  Empowering the people you are leading should be the goal of any leader. 

Joshua’s leadership gives us a great example of how to lead in a Christian perspective.  May we all use this example as we lead others throughout our lives.

Luke Forshey

May 25, 2017

Promises of God

Promises of God

*This was written about a worship service last week. 

 

Tomorrow is the last time I get to lead worship at English congregation I attend.  I have so enjoyed the opportunity to lead worship here, getting to share my worship with worshippers from all over the world, with various traditions and music styles to learn and experience.  Regardless of where I lead worship next year, I will miss the diversity of people and worship styles that we experience in this congregation. 

As I was praying about what theme to focus on tomorrow, I was repeatedly struck by the word “Promises.”  God’s promises will carry us through whatever difficult times we face. God’s promises stick out because of the vast contrast that God’s promises present to human promises; His are always true, one hundred percent of the time, where as human promises often fail.  Politicians promise to implement these great reform measures, yet fail to find funding in their government.  People promise to love each other when they get married, yet 50% of marriages end in divorce.  Employers promise higher pay, greater experiences, better benefits to get people to move jobs, only to realize they don’t have the money or personnel to live out these promises.  In very, very few places of the human condition can humans actually carry out their promises. 

This fact makes God’s promises carry much more weight; His promises are always true, every second of every day.  He lists hundreds of promises in the Bible, and every day He keeps all of them.  These promises are such a source of strength through the issues in life.  These are just some of His promises I have been relying on throughout the last few months:

            -“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:31).”

            -“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you (Isaiah 43:2).”

            -“If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).”

            -“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours (Mark 11:24).”

            -“Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9).”

            -“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).”

These promises of God are true yesterday, today, and forever.  The greatest power of the universe will never leave or forsake us, and always hear our prayers and work situations out for our God.  What an amazing promise these are!  This list misses so many other powerful promises of God; there is simply no way I could write all of His promises into one blog post.   

Tomorrow, during worship, it is my goal to paint a picture that God’s promises will always carry us through the hard times.  No one wanted to deal with all of the issues we are dealing with, but if these times help us to greater understand the promises of God, we have learned a valuable lesson through the struggle.  Only if we are focused on these amazing promises, coming together to pray and worship, will we begin to see His power transform our current situation.  

Luke Forshey

May 19, 2017

How Positive are Christian Schools?

I’ve spent the last two years teaching at a Christian school.  Overall, I’ve enjoyed my time, seeing many positives in the Biblical curriculum that my school teaches.  But I’ve also seen the negatives of a Christian school education.  I am not here to say that Christian or non-Christian schools are better: I just want to ask some questions and share my experiences.

There are many positives in a Christian school education.  I’ve taught US History, and we had some wonderful conversations about a Biblical perspective on these issues.  My history students said that this was the most engaging and most relevant history class they’ve ever taken.  I was able to relate course material to the Bible, starting discussion about our personal response as Christians to these events.  Clearly, this would not be able to happen at a non-Christian school.

My music classes are almost entirely religious-based.  We spend the first week discussing why we as Christians are called to create, as God is a creative God, and then study how to write music that promotes the truth of the Bible.  Again, I find joy in this, and my students have clearly shown an understanding of the Biblical basis for music and creation.  There are definitely benefits of the well-rounded, moral education that a Christian school provides. 

But on the other hand, these benefits can quickly become negatives too.  Last year, I gave my US History class a survey about the first semester of class.  I remember one student’s response: “There’s too much Bible in this class.”  This student clearly had been brainwashed by the continual Christian education that Christianity became negative.  Other students have told me, recounting past Bible classes, “I will never enjoy reading my Bible after that class,” “Inductive Bible Study will never be enjoyable for me,” or “I couldn’t wait to get out of Bible class each day.”  If this is the general feeling of many students at a Christian school, we as educators are doing the students a disservice.  If the students hear the Bible seven periods, five times a week, isn’t it natural that they will zone out or become less interested?

Working at this school is my first experience in Christian education.  I went to public school K to 12, and I had a great experience.  I had many friends from various religions, which prompted many great conversations about religious topics.  My faith grew from defending myself and my beliefs, both in these conversations and my daily actions.  I also led a Christian athletes club, where I had my fellowship with Christians.  I wouldn’t change anything about my public school experience: it prepared me well for the “real world,” while still having a solid Biblical worldview that has led me to serve in a cross-cultural ministry context. 

Many students at my school have developed this Biblical worldview that will lead them to ministry and other Christian careers and lives, but many students haven’t yet.  I worry about the students who feel they are being “brainwashed” by seven periods a day of Bible- will they have as many positive memories from this school as I have from my public school?  It would be a shame if our efforts as Christian educators actually turn our students away from the faith that we are so actively trying to share.

When I come to the end of this discussion, I don’t know which school system is better.  I know what worked for me, but I know other schooling situations work for other people.  But I do know that we as Christian teachers are called to share the love of Christ.  A Christian teacher in a public school and a Christian teacher in a Christian school have the same calling; to love the students with the love that Jesus shows to us.  If Christian teachers are not showing this love, the debate between which school system is better becomes irrelevant.  Regardless of the school situation, professing a “Christian” life but not showing it does much more harm to students than any Bible class ever would. 

I can’t change the world- I can only influence the lives and hearts of the students in my classroom.  I am not perfect, and I fail daily at this call.  But above all else, I hope they see that they are cared for, loved, and valued in my classroom.  They are more than a grade, a name, or a mark on a paper.  They are children of God. 

If all Christian teachers embraced this concept, I believe the Christian education system could be the positive catalyst for change we need in this secular world.  But before any change happens on the outside, it happens on the inside, in the hearts of every Christian teacher around the world. 

My future in teaching is unclear.  I’m not sure where I will teach next, or if I will teach again.  But I pray that whether I find myself in a classroom in the future or not, I will continue to be a Christian educator in all parts of my life. 

Because…

They don’t care what you know, until they know how much you care. – Theodore Roosevelt.

Foreigner in a Foreign World

Hong Kong is an amazing city.  Not only is it a beautiful, modern city, with more skyscrapers than any other city in the world, it is also full of traditional culture and delicious food.  I’ve gotten a chance to experience this city for the last few days, and it has been a joy.  One night, I went on my own adventure through Hong Kong.  I took the train through town to watch an international badminton tournament, visit the main tourist sites, get food, and return to the hotel.  These thoughts come from my hour-long adventure on the subway as I noticed the people and situations in my surroundings. 

In my country in South East Asia, I don’t feel too much like a foreigner.  I can speak enough of the language to get around, I have expat and local friends, I know where to go, and I generally feel fairly comfortable.  It has become a second home for me; in some ways, more of a home than America.  But that night on the subway, I felt exactly the opposite: I don’t speak the language of Hong Kong (except for “thank you” which I learned from the nice usher at the badminton – it is pronounced “Nn Goh” for those of you who want to learn Cantonese!), I have no friends there, I have no idea where I am going, and I am overwhelmed by the people, the pace, and the cultural differences so very present in this huge city.  We are not in in my country anymore. 

When faced with this difficult and sometimes stressful situation, being a foreigner in a foreign world gives a person two different options.  A person could chose to embrace the challenge, learn from it, and grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, or choose to avoid the hard work, run away from the challenge, and lose the opportunity to grow through the differences.  This is a choice, a success-defining choice, that all cross-cultural workers chose before they arrive on the field.  They know the hard work, and they commit to making the foreign become familiar in as many ways as they can.

This same concept, of being a foreigner in a foreign world, is true in education.  If I were to hand my ninth grade music students my Music Theory 4 college textbook, they would be lost.  They would be foreigners in a foreign world, understanding none of the terminology, concepts, or ideas.  They would be as lost as I was on that Hong Kong train.  But through many hours of hard work on my part and theirs, they can become more comfortable with the concepts of Music Theory 4.  I could assign a composition project, and they could use the correct techniques and terminology to create a piece.  They would think more like a musician and less like a ninth grade student.  And once these students see that they are actually understanding, applying, and succeeding in their new “world” of music theory, they gain confidence that they can succeed in other challenging situations as well.  Whether they go on to use their music theory knowledge as they perform in a professional orchestra or just enjoy singing in the church choir is irrelevant: the joy is in the process, and from learning the process, they can find hope and confidence to continue making whatever “foreign worlds” they experience become familiar. 

The same thing happens in history.  History is the study of the past, which presents itself as a foreign world to us.  I know about as much of the culture of France in the 1200s as I do about the public transportation culture in Hong Kong, very little.  Yet both of these places have research, various articles, and case studies written about them, where we can explore their culture and become more familiar.  Again, through persevering in the challenge, we can learn about the foreign culture of the past and become more familiar, as our present world intersects with the world of our ancestors.

At the ACSI Teacher’s Conference I attended in Hong Kong, many presenters talked about the process of education, that the joy and the reason of education is less about the final result and more about the process.  Although certain results are important (you must be able to read by high school graduation to be a successful adult!), I agree with many of these presenters.  In music theory, I understand that these topics will have little influence on the rest of their lives, unless they continue to perform music.  I understand that learning the culture of France in the 1200s is not extremely relevant to the world today.  If you as a student have ever asked yourself “Why are we learning this?” I understand, and even sympathize with you, in certain aspects. 

But through this conference, I’ve gained a new perspective on what is truly important in education.  Because of my previous education, both in cross-cultural work training and my high school and college education, I could navigate Hong Kong by myself.  I could read a map, think critically when I got lost, communicate with who I needed to communicate with, and eventually return home safely.  I could analyze these people, learn from them, adapt to their culture (as much as I could- don’t look at people on the train or else you get really angry looks), evaluate the positives and negatives of their culture, and enjoy the journey of this experience.  Various teachers throughout my educational career have taught me all of these life skills. 

When I think about high school, I don’t remember any one specific lesson that was taught, and I finished high school was only six years ago.  I don’t remember the literature that was read, the specific physics formulas, the choir warm-ups we sang, or the important events from world history.  But what I do remember are the life skills that I learned from these teachers.  I learned to write and communicate effectively, to think critically, to feel empathy for people in different situations, and to give my best effort to accomplish each goal.  In every subject, I had another chance to practice adapting to change, to practice making the unfamiliar more familiar. These lessons have equipped me to be successful as I travel the world, teach, and become a more globally informed citizen. 

So maybe education is all about the process, all about teaching students how to transition and adapt to change.  As we watch each student go from being a foreigner in a foreign world, to an amateur in an comfortable world, or a professional in a enjoyable world, we should encourage his or her growth more than the product, knowing that the process learned and life skills developed will be what each student remembers.  Learning how to adapt, understand, and appreciate other “worlds” will have a lasting effect on the culture and society of our future generations, and influencing these students far past the doors on the classroom or the school should be every teacher’s goal. 

And if I can teach my students to enjoy the “foreign world” of music theory, a world where I find so much joy and understanding, that is an added bonus!

Luke Forshey

November 27, 2016

PS. I welcome your thoughts on this post!  I know this might be a different way of thinking than most teachers, but I’ve been quite inspired by some new thinking at this conference.  If you are a teacher (or even if you aren’t), please let me know your thoughts.  Thanks!

An Eternal Perspective on November 8, 2016

The US presidential election has had more drama, more anger, more division, and more cruelty than I, and so many Americans, ever thought possible.  Who could have imagined these two candidates would emerge from a pool of over fifteen candidates, who both sides agree are not qualified for the responsibilities of President.  These two candidates beat long-time senators, representatives, and governors, some with a fairly decent record, and have left us all in a huge predicament: which of these two potential leaders do I want to support? 

Living on the other side of the world, I have only gotten to observe this election from news articles, biased Facebook posts, and occasional conversations with the people around me.  I clearly am not an expert on the candidates’ positions, I’ve never heard them speak in person, and I’ve only rarely heard them on TV.  But I want to bring you a perspective a bit different than what you might be used to hearing. 

Through the last year or more, we’ve spent so much time worrying about the people that we are choosing, while we spend such little time thinking about the One who allowed this situation to happen.  It’s so easy for us to say, “How could He not find any better people to lead our country?”  But instead, let’s take a look at a few commands that He says in the Holy Book that could give us an eternal perspective on the upcoming week.

1. All of us are flawed people.  Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of (Him),” and that means you, me, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and every other person in the world.  In His eyes we are all sinners, regardless of the wrong that we have committed.  In earthly terms, some sins are larger than others, but in His eyes, all sins are the same.  As we strive to bring His kingdom to earth, we need to have this same attitude as we observe and critique the lives of others. 

2.  The laws of Heaven will always be more important than the laws of man.  Recently, I’ve been reading through Mark, and last night I came to Mark 7, where JC calls out the Pharisees for following the laws of the people, not the laws of Heaven.  The Pharisees are so focused on the disciples not ceremonially washing their hands before eating that Jesus calls them hypocrites, by saying “You have let go of the commands of (Him) and are holding onto human traditions (Mark 7:8).”  Throughout all four gospels, JC criticizes the teachers of the law for placing more importance on human laws.  Regardless of which leader we have leading our country, the laws of the Kingdom should always be our first aim, while the laws of the people should be second. 

3. Whoever wins the election, his or her authority has been established by Heaven.  Paul states this in Romans 13:1: “Everyone should be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which (He) has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by (Him).”  Through this verse, I believe that He is working something through this election.  His plan was for these two leading people to be the two candidates and for us to have to support one of them in this election.

So as you focus on your final decisions of who to vote for, I hope that you remember these few thoughts.  Even in bleak situations, such as this one, He has a plan, and everything will work out for “the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28).”

Instead of reading the last news articles leading up to this election, I’m going to spend extra time in prayer, thanking God that part of His plan will be fulfilled through this election.  I know that thankfulness has not been the common state of our hearts (mine included) through this election season, but even when we don’t understand why, He always does, and for that, we should to be thankful. 

Happy Election Week from across the world. 

I pray you feel His peace through this potentially stressful, dangerous, decisive time.   

Luke Forshey

November 5, 2016

Live Above Reproach

Live Above Reproach

I don’t enjoy watching boxing. I don’t know why people would want to go beat each other up for sport and entertainment.  It seems violent, unnecessary, and definitely not a Christian idea of recreation. 

But on ESPN this week, I read an article about a boxer named Manny Pacquiao, a Phillipino boxer who is training for a large fight in Las Vegas on November 5.   This is no different than the thousands of other professional boxers training for fights coming soon.  But what makes Pacquiao different is he is also a national Senator in the Philippines, spending 8 hours a day in Congress, serving his people, and training only before and after his Senate duties are finished.  He is also a devoted Christian, and he commonly professes his faith in interviews. 

When Pacquiao fought his “last fight” in April, he claimed he was retiring to focus on his political campaign, which he eventually won.  In those campaign meetings and interviews, he claimed that if he would return to boxing, he would never miss a Senate meeting.  And for the last few months of his training regiment, he has continued that commitment to his people, and ultimately, God. 

His daily schedule starts at 5am, where he runs, lifts weights, and works with his personal trainer.  He finishes around 7, takes a shower, spends time with his wife and kids, reads his Bible, and gets ready for Senate duties by 9.  He serves in the Senate from 9-5, and then returns to the gym to work with his boxing coach until 9pm.  He has continued doing this routine for the last few months, and his trainer says he “outworks ever fighter I’ve ever worked with (ESPN),” even at the age of 38.  His manager has scheduled his fight and promotion in America over the two weeks that the Senate has recess, so even for his fight, he will not miss any Senate meetings. 

When I read through this article, I was very inspired by Pacquiao, a devoted Christian who often fights with Bible verses printed on his pants, gloves, and even headband.  Here is a multi-million-dollar celebrity, who stays focused on his devotion to his country and God.  He never misses a day of Senate meetings, just like he never misses a day of his Bible reading.  He continues to focus on spending time with his family, even in the midst of his busy schedule.  His priorities are in the right place: God first, his country second, and his personal fame and fortune third. 

In 1 Timothy 3:2, the writer instructs the overseers and deacons to be “above reproach.”  To me, living beyond reproach means living a life that no one has any reason to criticize.  This idea has been a focus of mine at school this year.  I’ve tried to give my best effort, be hospitable to everyone, keep short accounts if someone wrongs me, and love everyone with the love of Christ.  I know that I have failed at this, as we all have, but seeing celebrities like Pacquiao who strive to live this life too, gives me hope.  If he has so many more responsibilities than I have, and God gives him strength, I know God will strengthen me to continue His work as well (Philippians 4:13). 

I’m still not encouraging the sport of boxing, but I am encouraging us to appreciate the examples of faithfulness that God places around us.  I pray that you will be strengthened and encouraged by Pacquiao’s testimony just as I have. 

And if you happen to be a boxing fan, please watch Pacquiao’s fight and pray that God gives Pacquiao the strength to “run in such a way as to get the prize.” 

1 Corithians 9:24-27

 “ ²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. ²⁷ No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

Luke Forshey

October 23, 2016