December Pictures
Here are a few pictures of our December. Even though we were sick much of it we were able to continue a few family traditions. Kati really wanted an “American” yellow school bus for her birthday cake this year. Children just take the public bus to get to school. She found a design she wanted, Christy baked it and Kati decorated it all by herself.
Every year we decorate a gingerbread house together as a family. This year our first attempt didn’t work out. But we found one that did work! Lots of fun and sugar was had by all. Finally here are a few pictures of our tree.
Positive Judicial Meeting on Evangelicals in Austria
Yesterday, I was at an EVAK school leadership meeting, something like the acting board for the EVAK, and again was really encouraged about the things I was hearing. One of the members was late because he had just come from a meeting that was discussing the legal status of the free churches in Austria. Right now (free) evangelicals are not recognized by the government.[1] Reinhold said it was a positive meeting and we were making progress even though we are not recognized.
Reinhold said the subject of evangelical instruction in schools was mentioned. This is a long way from 35 years ago when evangelicals were thought of as a cult. In elementary schools they still provide release time, an hour or two in the school week where religion is taught by an approved religion teacher. In Kati’s school the only classes provided are for Catholic, Lutheran[2] and Islamic instruction even though her particular class has at least five or six children who are being raised by evangelical families, which I am positive is the highest concentration in one class in Vienna in the public schools! I was very encouraged to hear this. It also made me wonder if the EVAK could at some point in time help train people to teach these religion classes when the time comes.
I am almost always encouraged to hear what some of our students are involved in. Right now we have a few students who are starting their thesis. As their proposals are worked out and they conduct their studies and research I think what they are focusing on will help Austrian Evangelicals better understand where they have come from as well as help with the current church challenges. In the next few years, we will have graduates and I am curious to see how God will use these men and women in Austria.
[1] There are a few factors that are needed for this to happen 1) there has to be a certain number of the population 2) they have to be around for a certain number of years and 3) “ the powers that be” will approve the status to name the three big criteria that need to be in place before that can take place.
[2] I do want to make a comment here for those evangelical Lutherans and Catholics in North America. One thing I have learned by living in different cultures is many times the same words are used in two different cultures but have very different connotations. In America there are so many flavors of Lutherans and Catholics that there are many that do understand the gospel and are genuine followers of Christ. This is not the case here in Austria and in most places in Europe.
The Day I Realized I was Different
It was a Saturday afternoon in Dallas, TX when I realized I was a bit different. Okay, I already knew I was different so maybe the word I am looking for is unique. Christy, my wife, and I were spending the afternoon with good friends and I mentioned that I really enjoy curriculum development. Christy and I were preparing for a summer missions trip to Ukraine to teach English as a Foreign Language as part of my seminary internship. I was revising the curriculum that our mission had used for a few years and I was telling our friends how much I enjoyed crafting the lesson plans. It was then he and his wife laughed at me and said that I was the first person they knew of who actually enjoyed curriculum development and lesson planning. It was then I realized that not everyone thought the same way I did about curriculum development and lesson planning. I did and still do enjoy curriculum development, crafting a learning event in order to help people learn, grow and be changed by new information or understand old information in a different way.
I realize now that my love for curriculum design was a short step (and a long time in-between) thinking about how to structure a Bible Academy in ways that would really help men and women know God and His word well, feel deeply about what God feels deeply about and be trained to live wisely and bring others along in the same process.
In a few days I will hop a plane for the European Evangelical Accrediting Association’s (EEAA) bi-anual general assembly. Alistar McGrath is the main speaker and the theme was “Challenging a Vision of Theological Education – A Challenging Vision“. Needless to say I was excited. I have read a few of McGrath’s books and was eager to hear what he had to say about theological education. After I reflect on his talks I might post some of the relevant points for us here in Austria.
As I lead the accrediting efforts for the Evangelical Academy I have a conviction about accrediting organizations. The Evangelical Academy is ours, those who live in Austria and work in Austria and train others in Austria. We want to do what we say we do which is Equip Christians with a Bibilically rooted, theological education for ministry and leadership roles. In order to accomplish this we need some help and we are inviting the EEAA to provide some help and I believe they are doing just that.
The way I see it, my uniqueness, my different-ness, in my love for curriculum and school development, is ultimately being used to help the Austrian church become better equipped to reach everyone they can and teach everyone they reach (Matthew 28:18-20). And if that happens I am glad I am different.
Eric turns 39
Yesterday, was my birthday and I turned 39. Since yesterday was a Friday, we decided to celebrate today. We had a nice suprise, one of our friends at church called yesterday and asked if she could bring us over a meal so we could spend time enjoying the day and not preparing something to eat. Of course we accepted. She brought over a feast. Wiener Schnitzel, cucumber salad, potato salad, and some nice sweets for dessert. It was so nice.
We spent the afternoon making/creating my birthday cake. I have been enjoying Doctor Who lately and wanted to try to make a time machine that is used in the show. It happens to be a British police box. You can see pictures of the stages of creation. It was quite a production. It was a lot of work but also a lot of fun.
