Marsielle, France

Bonjour.

I was able to spend a few days last week in Marsielle presenting a few sessions at a training event. I was also able to get a preview into the May 2009 Upstream Collective vision trip to that city. We will be touching down in two cities: Rome and Marsielle.

Marsielle is an awesome city and one that will be a fascinating place to explore with the pastors who are coming along on this journey.

Some fast facts:

The picture you see above is a beautiful cathedral called Notre Dame de la Garde and it overlooks the old port into Marsielle. The idea is that "Mary" overlooks the city and protects the ships as they come in and out of the harbor.

Notre Dame de la Garde also overlooks Chateau d'If famous from the book by Alexandre Dumas entitled: The Count of Monte Cristo.

Also:

• It is the oldest city in France. Marsielle was settled in 600 BC by the Greeks.

• It is the third largest urban area in France with nearly 1.5 million people.

• Some demographic studies show that over 25 percent of the population are people from North Africa. For a great blog on ministry opportunities with these people groups check out this.

• There are also said to be almost 80,000 Jews making it the third largest urban Jewish community in Europe.

As in many cities in Europe there are beautiful buildings and scenery but the spiritual needs are vast. In reading some bible commentaries this week on the book of Acts I read this quote. The late Noel O. Lyons, for many years director of the Greater Europe Mission, used to say, "Europe is looked over by millions of visitors and is overlooked by millions of Christians. Europe needs the Gospel today as it did in Paul's day.."

If you are interested in this vision trip please visit www.theupstreamcollective.org

Why Have a Normal Job?

I wanted to give you a short post about an initiative that we have been working as a part of the Upstream Collective.

Somehow, intentionally or not, many American Christians were taught that being a professional missionary is a higher calling, the best and most appropriate way to respond to a call to missions. But the Skybridge Community would propose that being a full-time Christian worker is not the only way to be an effective missionary.

In fact, in some circles, particularly in Europe, the best way to be a missionary is NOT to be a "missionary." The most effective way many people can make an impact on their friends in Europe is by entering the culture as "one of the gang" - someone facing similar work and life situations as their peers. That's where having a normal job comes in.

It's time to elevate and validate the calling of these unpaid missionaries who take seriously their responsibility to live out their faith incarnationally overseas. It's also time for the local church to step up and take back its role in the Great Commission, sending out its best and brightest to live and work abroad, getting more personally involved in God's work through prayer, being present on the field both short- and long-term, and learning how to take good care of their newly commissioned business executives, students, waiters, graphic designers ... you get the picture.

That's what the Skybridge Community is for: networking, encouraging and equipping these "secular" workers who see their part in the Great Commission as being as valid as any commissioned missionary - and helping them, in turn, to equip their local church body to play its part in global missions as well.