Church Notes: Victory Life Bible Church 01/30

[CLT: "With Everything" - Hillsong United]

The second week, a group of us went to Victory Life Bible Church. One of the student leaders, Shadrach, went there; his dad was the pastor there. It was a more charismatic/pentacostal church, and it was smaller than LIC, but it was definitely a good service to experience. Here's the notes:

SPIRITUAL SIDE OF CALLING:

The calling of God calls us to Himself to be children of His in obedience to Him. Just as God chose and called Abram OUT OF his father's house to follow Him, when God callus us, He glorifies us and strengthens our hearts to live for Him. When He calls us, He's expecting us to live a life in accordance to Him. If He doesn't cll us out of our sin, we can never live as children of God.

Text: Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

When God is our Savior, He directs our footsteps (Prov. 3:5-6), and He expect u to live a life according to His own purpose, which is what Rom. 8:28 says.
The purpose of your life as a Christian is to be a mirror of God (2 Cor. 3:18) and to reflect His light to the world (Matt. 5:16).
God did not give us a spirit of timidity but one of power (2 Tim. 1:7). This power is working in us to make us want Him more and work for Him (Phil. 2:13) so that we can carry out what He has commanded us to do. Apart from His merciful power working in us, we would never be able to live for Him (Rom. 9:16), and even with it, we still struggle to follow it perfectly.
God calls us to obedience in Him, and to follow His leadings in our lives, even if they don't make sense to us at the moment. In Joshua 1:1-9, the people were saying they could not beat the giants they saw in the land. They were ready to give up even though they had the promises of the Lord Almighty telling them they WOULD live in that land. As Christians, we have the promise that God will keep us in His grace, and that He will never leave us to face the challenges of this world on our own. He has indeed commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations with the promise that we will never be alone (Matt. 28:18-20, Acts 1:8). Therefore, let our hearts take courage (John 16:33), and let us go and be obedient to the One who is infinitely greater than our sin.

Cape Coast and Kakum National Park

[CLT: "Happy Day" - Steve Fee]

We just went on the first ISEP group excursion to Cape Coast! We left early Friday morning, and drove about 2 1/2 hours to Cape Coast. It was crazy to see the landscape changing so drastically after we left the city of Accra. After we left the busy streets and buildings behind, the terrain began to drop hints of a jungle. Clusters of palm trees could be seen growing on the side of the road. It was really amazing to see the little houses in communities as we drove by. In Accra and around campus in Legon, there are simple cinder-block houses and some nicer ones reserved for special people; some of the houses we've driven past in Accra even looked like mansions. Driving to Cape Coast, the houses we saw were literally mud huts. You could see several under construction where the builders had made grid-walls out of giant bamboo stalks, and they had just packed the squares with mud. When that dried they would pack more mud on top until it looked like smooth walls. The roofs were either metal sheeting or something like palm leaves. There were always people spending time outside, women hanging some laundry and kids kicking around a "football". Even when we got to the beach of Cape Coast, the houses along the ocean were nothing like the high rise luxury condos we have in the States. It was the same kind of little houses bordering the gorgeous beaches.


Our first stop was Cape Coast Castle. It used to be one of the three ports in Ghana used during the Atlantic Slave Trade. Our guide told us that Michelle Obama had traced her ancestry back there. The castle was so beautiful, yet with such an ugly history attached to it. We went out by the old cannons to look at the amazing ocean , not knowing that we were standing over the tunnel that took slaves from the dungeons to the "Door of No Return". I think the thing that most stood out to me was when the guide showed us into the Male Dungeons. This is where the male slaves were kept before they were shipped to their new owners who bought them in the auction house. On the second floor, directly over the entrance to the Male Dungeons, was the room where the church met- where people who organized and operated such an inhumane and detestable place met to worship God. I don't understand how that ever came to be okay, but I praise God that it was put to an end there.


The "Botel" was cool. They had a pond underneath the restaurant there that had crocodiles in it, so I had breakfast w/ crocs in the morning. Then it was off to Kakum National Park. I was super excited because I've always wanted to go to the jungle and see all the animals. We went around 10 in the morning, so the monkeys and cool birds were already gone because they're nocturnal apparently. But the park was still amazing! There were massive bamboo plants; I guess I just didn't expect to see that there, but they were huge. And there were vines hanging everywhere. They made these really elaborate knots around trees that had an enormous roots growing off it. And the best part was the canopy walk. They had 7 walkways that went above the canopy level of the trees. They were swinging walkways above the trees with ropes holding them up. The guide told us that the walkway was strong enough to hold up dancing elephants, so I felt pretty safe. It was such an amazing experience to look out over all the different trees and vines and the beautiful sky behind it. It took time getting used to walking on it, but I wish it had gone longer to see more of the jungle. I can't even begin to imagine what was beneath the trees. I really want to go back sometime in the early morning to see if we can spot some of the incredible animals that live there!

First Week on Campus

[CLT: "Get Loose" - Trip Lee ft. LeCrae on: 13Letters by 116 Clique]

Our first week in Ghana has literally been jam-packed w/ stuff to do. There are about 30 members in the ISEP group alone, so we've been busy meeting everyone and hanging out at night. It is really amazing to see how many Christians God has put in our group who want to encourage each other and find a church to go to together. We're even talking about having a Bible study some nights in ISH for anyone who wants to come. It's in the works.
So far we have been to orientation to learn everything (or a lot) of what we need to know about staying healthy, safe, and sane in Ghana. It was most of what we read beforehand and a lot of common sense. Basically, take your malaria meds, drink lots of water, wear bug spray, don't go by yourself at night, stuff like that. We have student guides that have showed us around campus one day. Campus is huge! It will definitely take some getting familiar with because it seems like everything is so spread out here. I used to think walking from Claxton to Jessee Harris was a long walk, but going from ISH to most of my classes is a good 20 minute walk sometimes. Plus, there are multiple walking hazards along the way including the trenches that line the streets for the rainy season and random holes that have been dug for unknown reasons. It's not really annoying, more like a cool adventure every time you go to class.



The first Sunday, quite a few of us went to church with one of the student guides to her church on campus. It was the Legon Interdenominational Church, and I was so excited to get to experience church in Ghana! When we walked in, they were singing worship songs. Most of the people were singing the songs in Twi, and the rest in English. We tried to sing the songs in Twi with everyone else, but I'm not sure how successful we were. It was definitely amazing to hear other people in another part of the world lifting high the name of the Lord in praise in their own language. We're all part of the body of Christ, and we were able to worship with parts of the body others never see. The message was great, too, and I think I would be able to go there for my time here. I'll post the notes from the sermon later.
After church, the group went to Labadi Beach. This was our first experience riding a tro-tro, the cheapest way to get around besides walking. Basically a tro-tro is a van with more rows of seats, even some that fold down to fit more people. You have to cram in together; the most people we’ve had in one so far is 25, including the driver and the “mate” – his assistant. The beach wasn't that far away, but the ride there was a new experience. Traffic is crazy at times. People don’t use turn signals; they just honk their horns. And traffic lanes are really just suggestions; motorcycles pass in between cars like it’s another lane, and if someone comes over on you, you just drive in the middle of two lanes for awhile. There were definitely times that we caught our breath because of some daring maneuver the driver made, but I'm learning to just go with it and enjoy the experience (and also learn how NOT to drive when I get back home!).



The beach was somewhat crowded, but it was so refreshing! There were performers on the beach who would do crazy acrobatic stuff like it was easy. People were riding little horses down the beach, and just relaxing at tables. The water was amazing! So cool and a change from the hot weather we'd been walking around in since then. The waves basically dominated us when we got out there; they were so strong! But we didn't really care; it felt great, especially thinking about my parents telling me it was supposed to snow at home that day (sorry to rub it in Mom and Dad!).
The food here is pretty great, too. Most of it is seasoned with pepper spices, and it's all served hot, even the "salads" to cut down on chance of food-borne illnesses. Most of the time, their salads are more like cole-slaw, but they also have some really good ones with chicken in them. It's a good thing my mom gave me a good appreciation for chicken, because that is part of most meals here! There is also so many kinds of rice to try; my favorite right now is joloff rice with spicy sauce and chicken. And the fried plantains are super super good, too! I will probably be eating some plantains everyday. They are similar to bananas, but bigger,more filling, and served hot and they can be served at every meal! Oh so good!!! And sometimes we get "Fan-Ice" for dessert, which is just vanilla ice cream in a plastic pouch. There's not much dairy in the diet over here, so Fan-Ice time is super exciting! Most of our meals so far have been from a place near ISH called "Tasty Treats". While it is indeed tasty, I can't wait to try more of the local cuisine around campus and the rest of Ghana!



Next week starts registration, so pray that the right classes are available and fall at the right times!

Church Notes: Legon Interdenominational Church (LIC) 01/23

[CLT: "What Could Be Better" - 33 Miles]

So a lot of us in the ISEP group are checking out some different churches around where we're staying. I'm want to find one that accurately handles the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) and also experience the differences between churches in this culture. The first Sunday, we went to Legon Interdenominational Church (LIC) on campus with one of our student guides, Awushi. I'm posting my notes from the sermon just so everyone knows what I'm learning about on Sundays!

WHO WAS THIS MAN JESUS: WAS HE HUMAN OR GOD?
Scripture: Luke 2:1-14,25-38

The text emphasizes Jesus' humanity, how his parents followed the same prescriptions for Him as a child as any other Jewish child. As a human, Jesus was a Jew; God placed Him in that culture, and He followed the Jewish laws.
But what about Numbers 33:19 that says "God is not a man..."? Or what about Psa. 8:4-5 that says how man is lower than God?
Luke 2:11 talks about Christ, the "Annointed One". Thus far, the chapter has been talking about Christ in human terms of His life- Son of Man- and now Luke calls Him the Christ and Savior. Luke is pulling God nature of Jesus into a humble human form. In order to bring man to God, Jesus had to be both man and God.
It is because Jesus became human that He was able to obtain and secure our salvation. If God had to become man to obtain salvation for man, think of how important that salvation is! This is why Paul tells us in Philippians 2:12 to, "work out your salvation with fear and trembling." The salvation offered to us through the death of God's only begotten Son is nothing to be taken lightly or for granted.We should be filled with thanksgiving at Christ's humility (Phil 2:5-8) and praise Him always for His sacrifice and grace (1 Thess. 5:16-18).

Comments and conversation about all the sermons are definitely welcome!

Day One: Gone 2 Ghana

[Currently Listening To: Dancing Generation - Matt Redman]

I procrastinated packing for Ghana. It was such a final act, and I wanted to make sure I spent time w/ as many people and family before I left because I knew I'd miss them. Thanks to all who helped me leave feeling loved!
It was a long trip to get to Ghana. From Knoxville to Chicago to Washington D.C. across the Atlantic and over 5,000 miles later, I'm in Legon at the University of Ghana. The trip on the plane was definitely bumpy; however, I sat next to an old Ghanaian woman and had some nice conversation with her. There was a moment in the middle of the night that I kind of panicked wondering what I had gotten myself into, but God gave me peace to get over it and sleep.


The first step off the plane was only the beginning of a hot, sweaty day. To say that it is hot in Ghana is an understatement; it is a very different kind of hot. Sometimes you may be dripping in sweat, but for the most part you are just constantly covered in a sticky film of it. That film is also an excellent dirt attractant, so walking down the red dirt roads on campus your feet, legs, clothes - everything - picks up a nice coating of red dirt.
From the airport, all the ISEP students rode to the International Student Hostel (ISH) where we will be staying for the semester here. It was so much nicer than I had envisioned, and I feel super blessed to stay here! At first some of us were put in out temporary rooms while some got to move into their permanent rooms. Since I was in a room by myself, I moved into a room with a girl named Casey who was also by herself. This is actually my first time in a dorm AND sharing a room, so this is going to be interesting!
Thank you God for bringing me here safely and providing a nice room with a fan!