Season of Giving

There is snow somewhere with our name on it.  That's right, folks - meteorologists say that by Christmas night, there might be little tiny flakes of snow delicately falling down from our Texas skies, drifting fleetingly upon a our winter-neglected lone star lands. Wouldn't it be amazing?  Maybe if we're all good for the next few days, our gift will be a winter wonderland.  But hold your icy breath . . . its a big maybe.

But even while Texas might might match up to all those iconic songs about sleigh bells and snow, we still understand the real meaning of Christmas - giving:  how God gave us the birth of His son, Jesus, and how we in turn should be giving to others.  Isn't this what is meant by the saying  "peace on Earth and good will towards men?"  Perhaps this is never needed more than now.

In the wake of the  New Town massacre, the senseless violence towards those that we hold most dear has hit all of us hard.  And with new issues that we'll have to deal with coming up on the horizon, like the overwhelming availability of high-powered weapons and our deficiency as a nation in addressing mental illness, we know that we will have some major challenges ahead.  America will have to change.  And one of the first steps we can take is to make 'peace on Earth and good will towards men' a real thing - to actually do something in the lives of those that we love, and even in the lives of strangers, realizing that we are all connected to and responsible for our brothers.  One kind word, act or deed.    

This Christmas season, I encourage you to do some good deeds for the people in your life, even those you have never met. Below is a link to 26 Acts - a challenge brought forth by Ann Curry of ABC news do 26 acts of kindness for strangers to honor the memory of the 26 victims in the Sandy Hook shooting.  

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/17/15972814-inspired-to-act-26acts-of-kindness-to-honor-those-lost-in-newtown-conn?lite

To all of your families from ours, we wish you blessings and happiness this season - have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,

Brandon 

LINC North Texas 

Isaiah 61

One of the most powerful realities expressed in Isaiah 61:1-7 is that the poor are the ones who become the new leaders in society.  It is easy to read through the passage and forget that the pronouns later in the passage still refer to the poor and brokenhearted described in the first few verses.  It is not the wealthy or powerful who become oaks of righteousness, rebuilders of ruins, priests, ministers, and joyful owners of land and sheep.  God has chosen the poor and marginalized as His leaders.  Transformational development, like what LINC NT is trying to do in communities in North Texas, helps the poor recover their identity and vocation and empowers them to live it out.  Once people are restored by both the Gospel and community development, they rise up and act.  They begin to reform their societies with ideals of justice and peace in accordance with God’s Word.

As Christians, we must therefore acknowledge that the poor are ultimately the leaders and that they must be allowed to step up to lead the efforts and define the outcomes.  While the non-poor clearly have many of the resources necessary to change the future for the poor, they must carefully live within the boundaries of their roles.  Ultimately, the non-poor must have the humility to set themselves at the feet of the poor to listen and follow.  The poor already have many of the resources they need to accomplish great things, but they are, as Isaiah 61 shows, in captivity and ruined by their shame and disgrace.  The role of the non-poor is to proclaim freedom from captivity and offer the Gospel.  Then the poor will lead.

According to Isaiah 61, proper holistic Christian development seeks out the marginalized, proclaims the good news of the Gospel, and restores marred identity.  Development brings total release from poverty, addresses the systems that contribute to poverty, sees evangelism and social action jointly, transforms people holistically on all levels, and allows the poor to lead.  This passage has been instrumental for us at LINC NT as we allow God's word to guide us!

In Whom Do They Believe?

(scroll down for translation)

Dos días después de nuestra celebración hispana, una señora preocupada me llamó y me dijo: don Beto, llame a Sofía (nombre cambiado) y hable con ella porque está muy confundida. Su hijo le dijo que porque ella como Católica Romana fue a la iglesia evangélica para asistir a la celebración.  Ella le explicó que no estaba cambiando su religión, que era solo un evento y nada más, sin embargo quedó dudando si de verdad ha traicionado su religión. (Sofía, asiste semanalmente a un estudio bíblico en casa de unos amigos también católicos romanos, con Beto y Toña)

Lo hice de inmediato y después de una extensa explicación, quedó más tranquila con mi respuesta.  3 días después me llamó de nuevo la señora y me dijo que el domingo en la misa, el sacerdote estuvo hablando acerca del valor de la religión y dijo que no tenía ninguna importancia, sino en quien debían creer. Estaba feliz por la respuesta de sus oraciones de una manera tan rápida.

"La evangelización no es un asalto hostil a las creencias de alguien, sino una búsqueda de la persona total por la verdad y la realidad de Dios. Es posible hallar puntos de identificación y terreno común incluso en personas cuyas creencias acerca de Dios difieran completamente de las nuestras. Si edificamos sobre este fundamento, podemos presentarles progresivamente a Cristo."

Escrito por Beto Alzate

Two days after our Hispanic celebration, a worried lady called me and said, “Mr. Beto, call Sophia (name changed) and talk to her because she is very confused.”  Her son had said that because she was a Roman Catholic and was at an evangelical church to attend the celebration, he was wondering if she had betrayed her religion.  She explained that she was not changing her religion, that it was just an event and nothing else.  (Sofia attends weekly Bible study at the home of friends who are also Roman Catholics, with Beto and Toña)

I called her immediately, and after a lengthy explanation, she was calmer with my answer.  Three days later, I called again, and Sophia told me that on Sunday at Mass, the priest was talking about the worth of religion and said that religion did not matter, but only in whom they believe.  I was delighted that their prayers were answered so quickly.

Evangelization is not a hostile assault on someone's beliefs, but a search of the whole person for the truth and reality of God.  It is possible to find points of identification and common ground even in people whose beliefs about God completely differ from ours. If we build on this foundation, we can present Christ progressively.

Written by Beto Alzate

Spreading It

Is there anything like a screaming group of middle schoolers running around a gym playing 'foxes and chickens' on a cool November night to make it feel more like fall?   Last night at Blalack's Parent Night, autumn was in full force and it was a great feeling.  

If you've never heard about our parent nights, allow me to tell you about it.  LINC partners up with 14 schools around the metroplex and Ft. Worth to connect kids with their parents in a meaningful way - giving both the opportunity to grow closer over pizza, classes that teach parent how to reach their kids, and group games that focus on teamwork and goofiness for all.  Our focus is the promotion of healthy families and healthy relationships. 

I'm in charge of running the games, and let me tell you, it gets crazy.  There's everything here: toilet paper, bananas, a great human-chain snake that tries to catch its tail . . . the list goes on.  But the best part is when the parents get to come back into the gym and engage with their student in teamwork and goofiness. They get really into it, and that makes me get really into it.    I might be having a lousy day or be bogged down with school work, but when I'm in the midst of all those students and their energy, and when I see their parents let their guard down and let themselves look silly with their kids,  it just makes me feel better.  I genuinely fell like I'm making someone's life a little better than it was.  

If you've never gotten the chance to experience this, then just go out and do something nice for somebody and you'll see; or better yet, come out and volunteer at one of our parent nights -we're always looking for new people to come and make a difference in the lives of these kids, even if its just one night running one game.  So, until next time - if you've been blessed, then go out and bless others more.  Maybe I'll even see you sometime at one of our parent nights, who knows?  I hope so!  

God bless,

Brandon 

Whose Ways?

God is good at reminding us that He is higher than we are.  He repeatedly tells us throughout Scripture that He is not like us - from saying that He looks at the heart (1 Sam 16), to saying that He is outside of time (2 Pet 3), to simply saying that His ways are not our ways (Is 55).  There is a way that seems right to men....but God's ways lead to good things.  I get the "privilege" of writing a blog post the week before the election, and I think there's something relevant in it for us.  We've been discussing the issue as a staff.  What do we, as Christians, have to do about the political process?

In case you've missed it, there's a lot of fear and consternation about the election.  Each side feels like disaster is imminent if the other candidate wins, and both sides are sick of the caustic bickering and fighting.  Jesus, in the Gospels, has a great reminder to us about the government.  Don't go looking for it, however - He made a strong statement by not talking about it.  As much as his disciples and his detractors prodded Him, he would only say, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's."  Of course Jesus was concerned about earthly governments, He just tried to encourage His disciples not to be.  His Kingdom had nothing to do with it.  His thoughts are not our thoughts.

Today, we see the Kingdom of God flourishing in places where the government is most hostile to it.  The stories of the church flourishing under persecution are everywhere, including throughout history.  We needn't fear that the government will crush the Church - the Bible says that all authority is established by God (Rom 13)!  Both parties seem to want the government to do the Church's job - either by establishing morality or by caring for the oppressed and marginalized - but we as a Church can step up and reclaim our identity and role in society.  This should all give us some peace and comfort, that no matter what happens our citizenship is in Heaven and Jesus is still on the throne.  His ways are higher than our ways!

So what should we do?  The law tells us, as a charitable organization, that we can advocate for various issues but we cannot endorse a candidate.  I think that this is actually a helpful line for Christians.  We can, and in fact we must, stand up for what the Bible says about various issues.  The Bible commands care for the poor.  Since both parties believe that they are caring for the poor, it's up to you to decide which one will be more successful.  It's only by adopting this sort of posture that we can live up to our calling of being "salt and light" in the world (Matt 5), rather than antagonists.  Go vote and be the Church!  Just remember, His thoughts are not our thoughts!

Be ready!

I wanted to share a brief prayer request with you today.  At one of the schools we are working in, Creekview High School, they have experienced the deaths of two current students and one who graduated just last year.  Many of the students have written about one of those students in their journal time and shared their struggles.  School has only been in session for two months, and this is a lot to process for them.  All of the circumstances were unexpected and traumatic.  Please be praying for the students to have peace.  Pray the teachers, counselors, and administrators can continue to help guide the students.  Pray for the families to be supportive and aware if their child is struggling.  Lastly, pray for the SALI teachers there who are trying to build trust and security about the students.

Todo Comienza en el Hogar (Everything Begins in the Home)

(Scroll down for English translation)

Todo lo bueno en una nación comienza en el hogar. Todos los problemas de una nación comienzan en el hogar. Cuando consideramos los problemas que enfrentan nuestras naciones, podemos encontrar tranquilidad y esperanza porque el remedio a esos problemas también se encuentra dentro de las paredes de nuestros hogares.

Con mucha frecuencia se dice que la familia es la primera institución de la sociedad, pero ¿realmente comprendemos, valoramos e invertimos en la familia con miras a proteger nuestra sociedad? ¡Lo dudo! O por lo menos no estamos haciendo todo lo que deberíamos; porque si fuese así, no estaríamos enfrentando los problemas de robo, inseguridad, deshonestidad, insensibilidad, irresponsabilidad, agresividad, deslealtad, etc.

Veamos algunos puntos que pueden ayudarnos a valorar y asumir la responsabilidad y hacer la parte que nos corresponde para contribuir a la cura de nuestra nación.

Primero, debemos comprender que el matrimonio es el fundamento del hogar y los ladrillos de este fundamento son: el amor y el respeto mutuo. Papá y mamá están modelando con su ejemplo a sus hijos, lo que significa amar y respetar en toda su magnitud, estas dos condiciones son necesarias y sobre ellas construimos otras conductas  resultantes como la tolerancia, la solidaridad, la amistad, la honestidad, la puntualidad, la responsabilidad y otros que se derivan de estos ladrillos fundamentales.

En segundo lugar, el hogar es un lugar de entrenamiento, su hogar es la primera iglesia de sus hijos, porque es el lugar donde ellos primero aprenden acerca de Dios y Sus caminos. Su hogar es el lugar donde sus hijos aprenden primero a amar a Dios, amar Su palabra -la Biblia, aprenden acerca de la salvación y a adorar a Dios.

En tercer lugar, su hogar es la primera escuela de sus hijos. La educación de los hijos es la responsabilidad de los padres. La educación comprende toda una serie de instrucciones y disciplina la cual tiene como fin iluminar el entendimiento dando una visión clara para comprender y diferenciar entre la verdad y la mentira, entre lo correcto de lo incorrecto, entre lo legal de lo ilegal, etc.

La educación debe incluir corregir el temperamento, debe animar a hacer lo correcto, lo justo, a seguir  las buenas costumbres y a formar los buenos modales y hábitos de la juventud; y ¿qué significa formar? es modelar mediante la instrucción y la disciplina, modelar por influencia; por entrenamiento.

Los hábitos empiezan con un pensamiento, ese pensamiento nos lleva a una acción, las acciones repetidas forman el hábito y los hábitos determinan el carácter, y nuestro carácter determina nuestro destino. Hábitos y modales y, en última instancia el carácter proviene de decisiones diarias. Decisiones son el resultado de la forma en que una persona se gobierna o rige a si misma.

Para tener verdadera libertad, el hombre debe gobernarse  internamente por el Espíritu de Dios y no por fuerzas externas. El gobierno es primero individual, luego se extiende al hogar, la iglesia, y la comunidad. Este principio de autogobierno es Dios gobernando internamente desde el corazón del individuo.

La educación en el hogar debe equipar a los hijos para que sean personas de bien, aptas y útiles, de provecho para si mismos y para la sociedad. Como dijo John Whitehead – “Los hijos son el mensaje vivo que enviamos a un tiempo que no veremos”. 

Por último el hogar es también el primer lugar donde nuestros hijos aprenden acerca de gobierno, es dentro de nuestras casas donde aprenden acerca de la ley y las consecuencias, la obediencia o la desobediencia; y  es en el hogar donde sus hijos primero aprenden acerca de la autoridad, si los padres ejercen su autoridad con amor, entonces los hijos transmitirán con facilidad su obediencia de los padres a Dios, porque el uso de la autoridad amorosa inspira obediencia y respeto por ella.

Podemos concluir que, ¡todo comienza en el hogar! Reproducimos lo que somos y esto se revela mayormente en el hogar, es allí donde se aprende a amar, a respetar y a vivir en armonía y verdadera libertad. No esperes más. Ahora es el tiempo de empezar a usar el remedio para sanar los problemas que enfrenta nuestra nación.

Escrito por, Antonia Ocampo Alzate

_______________________________________

Everything good in a nation begins in the home. All the problems of a nation begins in the home. When we consider the problems facing our nation, we can find peace and hope because the remedy to these problems is also found within the walls of our homes.

Frequently it is said that the family is the first institution of society, but do we really understand, value and invest in the family with the goal of protecting our society? I doubt it. Or at least we are not doing everything we should; because if we were, we would not be facing the problems of theft, insecurity, insensibility, irresponsibility, aggression, disloyalty, etc.

Let’s look at some topics that can help us value and assume the responsibility of doing our part to contribute to the cure for our nation.  

First, we must understand that marriage is the foundation of the home and the bricks of this foundation are: mutual love and respect. Dad and mom are molding their children through their example, and what it means to love and respect in all its magnitude. These two conditions are necessary because we build upon them our behavior such as tolerance, loving-kindness, friendship, honesty, punctuality, responsibility and more that develop from these fundamental bricks.

Second, the home is a place of training. Your home is the first church for your children, because it is the place where they first learn about God and His ways. Your home is the place where your children first learn to love and love God, love His word – The Bible, learn about salvation, and to worship God.

In the third place, your home is the first school for your kids. The education of the children is the responsibility of the parents. Education comprehends a whole series of instructions and discipline which has as an end to illuminate understanding, giving a clear vision to differentiate between truths and lies, between right and wrong, between legal and illegal, etc.

The education must include correcting the temper. It must encourage to do what is right, just, to follow good customs and form the good manners and habits of youth. What does it mean to form? It is to model through instruction and discipline, influence and training.

The habits begin with a thought, that thought then takes us to an action, our actions repeated form the habit, and the habits determine our character, and our character will determine our destiny. Habits and manners and at last our character comes from our daily choices. Decisions are the result of the form a person chooses to govern him/herself.

In order to have true liberty, man must govern himself internally through the spirit of God and not through external forces. The government exist first in the individual, then it extends in the home, the church and the community. This principle of self-government is God ruling internally from the heart of the individual.

The education of the home must equip the children so they can be people of good, skilled and useful for themselves and for society. As John Whitehead said  - “Children are the living message we send to a time we won’t see”.

Lastly the home is also the first place where our children learn about government. It is inside our homes where they learn about law and its consequences, obedience and disobedience. And it’s in the home where your children will first learn about authority. If the parents exercise their authority with love, then their children will easily transmit their obedience from their parents to God. The use of loving authority inspires obedience and respect.

We can then conclude that, everything begins in the home! We reproduce what we are and this is revealed largely in the home. It is there where we learn to love, respect, and live in harmony and true freedom. Don’t wait any longer - now is the time to use the remedy to heal the problems that face our nation.

Written by, Antonia Ocampo Alzate

What Must We Do for Victory?

Victory requires 4 things, according to Gideon in Judges chapter 7: good works, proclamation, God's power, and our action.  Charles Spurgeon shares a great devotional from this passage of Scripture that details Gideon's victory over the Midianites.  Gideon had his small band of 300 men approach the innumerably large foreign army with unusual weapons: trumpets and torches in clay jars.  All at once, they broke the clay jars and exposed the torches, blew the trumpets, and then shouted "A sword for the Lord, and for Gideon!"  With that, the Midianite army fled in terror.

These simultaneous actions bring victory for us today.  Matthew 5:16 teaches that we should let our light, as in our good works, shine before men.  Just as Gideon's army blew their trumpets, we should loudly proclaim the truth of the Gospel.  Finally, we should declare our reliance upon the Lord and the power that we have to act.

We cannot separate the light and the trumpets.  Many people, citing St. Francis' (alleged) saying to "preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary use words," rely upon their lives to testify to God.  The truth is that Francis never said this, nor did he live it - he was an itinerant preacher.  There is no doubt that too many Christians talk the talk but don't walk the walk.  They give Christianity a bad name by their hypocrisy.  A whole lot of us, myself often included, are guilty of that.  However, far too many Christians walk the walk but don't talk the talk.  They seclude Christianity into a corner and don't spread the Gospel.  A whole lot of us, myself often included, are also guilty of that.  We cannot separate living a life that testifies from sharing the Gospel verbally.

We must also recognize the balance between the work of the Lord and the work of us humans.  It is far too easy to declare our reliance upon the Lord, and then promptly sit down to do absolutely nothing.  Furthermore, it is far too tempting to work hard and leave no room for faith.  Just the same as we can't separate words and actions, we can't separate reliance upon the Lord from hard work and action.  Undoubtedly, the battle belongs to the Lord.  After all, we are talking about 300 men against an enormous army.  Yet, Gideon did nonetheless lead them into battle.  Without trusting God, we are running the risk of disaster.  Without acting ourselves, we are running the risk of watching God move on to another servant more willing to do His work.

Today, at LINC NT, may we show our good deeds in the community while simultaneously proclaiming the good news!  May we trust God, and walk forward boldly!  We hope that you will join us!

Lord, thank you for intervening when I'm trying to do it alone

When I sat down to write this blog, I thought to myself, "I hate blogging."  I feel pressured to be super-inspirational, and although I was an English major, I am not very eloquent in writing.  I always think it has to be perfect, so I never start.

As I looked over my colleagues blogs envying their way with words, God chimed in (thankfully) and brought to mind a message I had heard only two days ago.  At our Lutheran Women's Missionary League meeting, Pastor Landon Ledlow again reminded us that God tells us to share the amazing things He has done in our lives.  This is not something that God would like us to do, but something He commands us to do.  So here I go:

In my job, I spend a lot of time dealing with multiple schools and school districts, along with over 1000 students.  This can become difficult and taxing because everyone has different needs, and I would love to be able to meet them all.  I have been trying to work with one school in particular that experienced a large turnover of teachers over the summer.  I was upset to find that the teacher in charge had left because I felt comfortable with her and had built up a relationship.  Now there was a new counselor in charge, and I started to get nervous.  How much does she know about our program?  Is she excited about being involved?  Does she want to work with us?  As I got focused on planning for the worst, I forgot who is actually in charge of this shindig (and it's not me).

Thank you, Lord, for showing up even when I'm trying to do it alone.  You have such a better plan.  I met with the new counselor today, and she is wonderful and amazing.  She actually came to two of our parent nights with her sister and nephew at a different school, so she is already familiar with our SALI program.  She is passionate, and she has a long-term view of how the AVID program could grow.  I am so excited to work with her more as the school year goes on.  This is an answered prayer for renewed focus at that school.  Again, thank you, Lord, for reminding me that this mission to change the community is not one you have just given me or just given LINC, but one you are spreading through your followers.  Thank you also for reminding me that sharing your awesome works with others is part of the calling too.  Perhaps there will be more frequent blogs from me in the future!

The Harvest

Spring is the traditional season for sowing seeds - and rightfully so; the birds are chirping, the sunshine is warm on your face, and the shy weather is never bolder than 80 degrees with white puffy clouds.  How could these young seeds not want to sprout into their full blooming potential?  But for anyone who lives here, they realize that spring is less like a season and more like, well . . . a  prelude.  Two weeks of perfect weather before jumping in head first into a blazingly hot and long summer.  Welcome to the great state of Texas.

At LINC North Texas, we're also in a season of spring planting, only ours lasts a little longer than 2 weeks.  Like busy farmers, we're toiling away sowing seeds into the community, bringing families closer together to blossom into their full potential of what they could be.  Though the labor is intensive as we wipe our brows in the hot Texas sun, we think on the harvest: the amazing ways that God uses us to bring each other together to help us live better, richer and fuller lives that blossom into a bountiful harvest.  That's our goal her at LINC NT - not just to help others around us grow, but to cultivate character and relationship that produce much fruit.  Whether it be lessons on leadership and ethical principles in the classroom through our SALI program, bringing parents and students closer through our parent nights, or supporting our Latino community through our new ESL program and house church ministry - we toil forward with one ultimate goal:  to harvest all of God's people for his kingdom.

As you go through your weekend and into a new work week ahead, keep a question in front of you:  what kind of seeds are you sowing?  For those of you who toil towards your own rich harvests, may God bless you in your labor.  For those of you who are still looking for a chance, you're always welcome here at LINC.  The harvest is bountiful but the hands few!

Looking forward towards the fruit God is producing in and through us,

Brandon

How Do You Measure a Life Change?

One of the foremost challenges facing many nonprofits is the challenge of reporting success.  Is the program working?  Is it accomplishing its goal?  Is it worth investing in?  LINC North Texas believes that our programs are worth investing in, because we believe that they change lives.  But don't take our word for it.  Really!  You should be able to see concrete proof that they change lives.  Grant-making foundations have been leading the way in pushing charities to scientifically prove their results.  They are famous for saying, "Measure your outcomes, not your outputs."  Here at LINC NT, we take that seriously, and we are launching a major campaign to do just that.

The most popular measure of a program's success, whether it's at a nonprofit or a church, is attendance.  That's an output.  For example, last year we served 1246 students and many of their parents through our Student Advancement & Leadership Initiative.  That's great, but at the end of the day, does it matter?  They could have all slept through class, or gone home and immediately forgotten everything.  One of LINC NT's outcomes for SALI is for students to learn essential character and leadership skills that will enable them to succeed in school and beyond.  Measuring attendance doesn't indicate success.  To do that, we have to find out whether these students are better people after SALI than they were before.  That is a much more challenging task, but the journey is rewarding.  Not only are we able to show our significance to foundations and people like you, but we are able to find out for ourselves what improvements we need to make.

A recent survey of 702 students shows the impact of SALI is significant.  After SALI, 294 students said they resolved a conflict with what they learned.  More than fifty percent of students said they argue less with their parents due to learned conflict resolution skills.  In addition, 83% of students said they would take some form of action when witnessing a student being bullied.  This fall, we are taking it to the next level.  With a precise system of pre- and post-tests over two-year segments of SALI, and with the help of two awesome volunteers (Michael, who helps design surveys; and Sara, who is a data mining expert), we intend to show scientifically that SALI is achieving its outcomes.  We look forward to reporting that success here!

At the end of the day, I believe that this shift from measuring outputs to outcomes is a valuable change beyond LINC NT.  Are there places in our everyday lives where we need to change the scorecard?  Many people today report being busier and busier each year, but at the same time we tend to feel drained, unfulfilled, and unimportant.  At the end of the day, do we measure a successful day by how hard we worked, or how well we achieved our goals?  What if our goals went beyond working hard to things like making a positive impact on people around us, and to things like glorifying God in every aspect of our day?  How could our lives be more fulfilling by changing the scorecard every day?

Through the Eyes of an Intern

It’s a little hard to believe that this is my last week interning with LINC NT. I’m loath to leave this place – partly because I don’t want to start school yet, but mostly because it’s a wonderful place to work.

The people here are funny, intelligent, and hardworking. They put God above all else, holding devotionals in the mornings. They care about what they do, and they care about each other. They’ve been kind enough to accept me into their family this summer, and that love and sense of unity is what’s really struck me the most.

I’ve also been able to witness the effect of their work firsthand. About a month ago, I attended one of the Bible studies that Beto started. It was wonderful. I got to talk to the kids in this family, and we had a great time. My friend and I ended up staying long after the official Bible study ended, going to watch fireworks with the whole family and politely declining the million snacks that were offered us. The family was so kind and welcoming, and that’s both a product of culture and the healing that has been taking place as God uses LINC NT.

In the same way that they work to foster community among the families in this city, they also foster community in the office. Stacy and Colleen cheerily invited me to their desk on my first day and have included me since. John is ready to help out with everything from Tylenol to fixing computers, even driving Oscar to the airport. Beto has treated me like a member of his own family, taking me out to eat and always speaking to me in Spanish, the “language of heaven”. And I’ve got to write something nice about Oscar, since he’s my boss…just kidding. He’ll tease you ceaselessly, but he also cares immensely about the ministry and the people that work for him, and he makes sure you know that.

Working here has been both fun and rewarding. I’m so glad to help out with such a wonderful and effective ministry, whether I’m organizing files or writing stories. I have been so blessed to meet everyone here, and I’m going to miss them all immensely when I leave.

 - Kristen O'Neal

Where Is Your Treasure?

Not all poverty is created equal. I was reminded this past week that there is a sharp distinction between voluntary poverty, or "poor in spirit," and involuntary poverty. Francis of Assisi, along with many other spiritual forefathers, famously renounced worldly possessions, seeking to grow closer to God and the pattern established in Scripture. Billions today, however, live in a state of poverty that has been pushed upon them. For some few, it is because of poor choices. For the vast majority, however, it is because of their ethnicity, their birthplace, their society, disease, disability, and more things beyond their control. Many of these spiritual forefathers believed that choosing to live in poverty brought them closer to these downtrodden people on the margins of society, which happens to be the place where Jesus frequently was found hanging out. There are upsetting statistics coming out. From 2005-2009, median household wealth among Hispanics in the US dropped by 66% (the same figure for white households was 16%). That left about a third of Hispanics and blacks with zero or negative net assets. Another quarter had no assets other than a vehicle. In 2011, only 36% of American households had savings to cover a $1000 emergency. That's a very small crisis indeed, for a homeowner or a vehicle owner! A recent Dallas report defined "household asset poverty" as being unable to live for 3 months at the federal poverty line if they lost their income. By this definition, 39% of Dallas households are asset poor. Fully half of minority households are asset poor. What are we, as Christians, to do when we face this type of forced poverty? Some, such as Francis, chose to subject themselves to poverty. Even Francis recognized, however, that God did not call all Christians to live in such a way. He founded the "third order" of the Franciscans to provide a way for Christians to live "poor in spirit," as Jesus called them in the Sermon on the Mount. By choosing to allow God to use their resources instead of calling them their own, they cultivated a posture of reliance on God rather than reliance on their own assets. Is God calling American Christians to a similar posture today? What does it look like, in today's world of asset-building insurance policies, retirement accounts, and Social Security, to depend on God rather than our own safety nets? Sources: Kochhar, Rakesh, and Richard Fry and Paul Taylor. “Hispanic Household Wealth Fell by 66% from 2005 to 2009.” Pew Hispanic Center report, released July 26, 2011. Downloaded 30 April 2012 from http://www.pewhispanic.org/2011/07/26/the-toll-of-the-great-recession/ Corporation for Enterprise Development. Assets & Opportunity Profile. February 2012. www.cfed.org

Who Cares? The Key for Real Impact

Mark 2 tells us the story of a paralyzed man and his four friends who went to great lengths to meet Jesus in Capernaum. When they heard that Jesus was in the city, the four carried the paralytic on a mat to the house where Jesus was preaching. However, when they arrived, they saw that the gathering crowd was so enormous that it spilled out of the house itself. They could not get through. But instead of leaving when they encountered this obstacle, they tried to find another way in. Who suggested the plan first? And how must the friends have reacted to an idea as insane as climbing through the roof of someone’s house? It probably seemed like the craziest plan they’d ever heard. But they persisted past this seemingly impossible idea and together, they hoisted their friend onto the roof. If we consider the passage for a moment, we also realize that these men didn’t own the house. Although it didn’t belong to them, they began to dig through the roof of somebody else’s home in order to reach Jesus. They saw the risk of the endeavor as an investment that they would have to pay later. As they lowered their friend down in front of where Jesus was speaking, the last risk presented itself. In addition to the risks of physical harm, crazy ideas, and financial disputes, they risked humiliation and failure when they brought their friend to the front of the crowd. All of these risks and obstacles were overcome, however, when Jesus saw their faith and forgave the sins of the paralyzed man. When the teachers of the law scoffed, Jesus told the man to take up his mat and go home. He did. The entire crowd was amazed and praised God, saying “We have never seen anything like this!” One of the greatest miracles that we at LINC NT saw in the last year was the healing of Luis’ physical, relational, and spiritual brokenness. We didn’t find Luis, and he didn’t find us. His cousin, Javier, was so burdened by Luis’ pain that he asked us to visit him in spite of the fact that Luis lives thirty-two miles away, far outside our current area of work. Javier had faith, and we believe that through that faith, God brought healing to Luis. Many times, we don’t have a perfect solution for a struggling friend or family member. We feel powerless and helpless. But God is strong where we are weak, and He is faithful to hear our prayers and respond to our acts of faith. In times of need, being a good friend requires us to not only believe but to risk as well, putting our love for our friend above our own desires and worries. We must risk our reputations, our finances, and our personal convenience to go out of the way to help our friends. Although it may not be comfortable or easy, we make an impact when we care enough to help others. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35   - by Oscar Benavides and Kristen O'neal

Summer days are here again- and almost gone

Oh summer, you are speeding by so quickly!  At LINC NT, the creative juices are flowing as we work on growing our ministry in various aspects from new curriculum to multiplying our faith communities. 

This week starts a staff chapel time.  We will spend time together in His word and in worship.  As our ministry gets more in depth and intense, this time will be critical in keeping us aligned with God's vision for the organization and for our lives.  I am very excited about this time every week to refocus on why we are here and to reflect on all the amazing things God has been doing through us.  It is humbling and comforting to know that God already sees what will happen and is preparing us for that.

As we pass the halfway point to this busy summer, I hope everyone can take some time to listen to God; let Him uplift you and remind you of your purpose.

If you feel God calling you to a new ministry, we are currently interviewing new teachers for our SALI program for the 2012-2013 school year.  Those interested can e-mail your resume to colleen@lincnt.org.  If you are wanting more information, please e-mail me as well, and I can get that to you.

How Big is the Mission Field?

In the church we talk a lot about reaching the city and transforming the community.  But just how large is that mission field, and can we really reach it with our traditional methods?  There's about 120,000 people here in Carrollton, where our offices are.  Add in Farmers Branch, and there are more than 53,000 households in the school district.  Through SALI, we are able to reach about 900 of them.  And we thought that we had an enormous impact on the community!

A quick check of the statistics shows that the average Christian church has 184 members (although half of all churches have 75 members or less).  The largest LCMS church has around 2500 in attendance every Sunday.  At this rate, it would take 652 average American Christian churches to record every person in Carrollton alone as a member.  It would take 48 of the largest LCMS church in America.  Fellowship Church in Grapevine is listed as the third-largest church by attendance in the entire USA, and they have approximately 24,000 attendees every Sunday.  That means it would take 5 Fellowships in Carrollton alone to reach the entire city!

Based on these numbers, is it even possible to reach the entire city with our current strategies?  After seeing these numbers, it's no surprise that you never find a traffic jam on a Sunday morning!  Most churches seek to grow through addition of new members, but these numbers are depressing....a church would have to grow extremely large just to meet a significant number of people in a single small city.  Jesus transformed the entire world, but he didn't seem interested in addition.  In fact, he focused on just twelve men, growing extra-close to just 3 of them.  He believed in the strategy of multiplication.

It's said that Billy Graham, were he to be holding his crusades daily today, would not even be able to keep up with the global rate of population growth.  We need to embrace a strategy of multiplication if we want to have any hope of transforming our communities, cities, and the world!

Lessons at LINC NT

There have a been a lot of lessons I've learned in time I've worked with LINC North Texas, which has been almost a whole year now.  And as this is my last blog entry before I depart for a two month journey to Guatemala to study Spanish (don't worry, I'm coming back),I thought I'd share some with you.    

In the Parent Nights, I've learned patience and kindness.   Having to organize masses of excited kids who don't always like to listen isn't always easy; and having  them work together with their parents as a team can be a challenge.  But in the end, its totally worth it. 

In projects with my peers I've learned the importance of teamwork --  that as much as I believe sometimes that I can do everything on my own, never refuse a helping hand or slap it away.  In this way, I've also learned excellence.

In our ESL program, I've learned compassion and dedication, continually fueled every week by our terrific teachers, Tamara and Sarah; every week I see their passion and interaction with the students as they give them something invaluable: not only the English language, but a piece of their own heart.

But overall, the most important lesson I think I've encountered by far is simply just 'being there' - really living in the moment wherever you find yourself and having a good attitude about things.  This can determine your entire experience.  This goes the same for life - that with an open mind and an open heart, you get the most out of the world, and in turn, the world receives you at your best.   This is an attitude I can carry with me always - throughout my community, across foreign countries, and ultimately back home.

Hope to see you all soon,

Brandon 

What is the Value of a Strong Family?

While researching scholarly journals, studies, and other organizations, I came across something interesting.  It'd be more accurate to say that I noticed a lack of something interesting.  I struggled to find a single article or report on the significance of a strong, healthy family in a strong, healthy community.  There is a great deal written on the importance of all sorts of factors, but I couldn't find much reported link between a family bond and a thriving community.

This surprises me, when we're talking about a basic structure of society that creates an environment for kids to grow up in.  Kids, also known as "our tomorrow."  Even if there aren't studies proving it, at LINC NT we believe that a strong family is the foundation of a strong community as well as the foundation of a strong church, so that's why we focus on building bridges between parents and kids through our public school programs.

We had our last Parent Night of the school year on Thursday.  It's always great to see families leaving in smiles, especially the ones that seemed to come in with bad attitudes and with walls up.  There's something powerful about playing games together, and we're glad to provide that environment.  No matter what you teach people outside the home, if it isn't being reinforced at home, it's not going to take root and grow.  When the home is safe and secure, the family will be strong, and when the family is strong, the community will thrive.

Fulfilling Potential

During our time so far teaching our new ESL classes, we've gotten to see some real change.  Not that our students are now able to speak the English language overnight, but our students' progress is noticeable.  It's awesome to see them so excited to learn.   There's this one student, Maria - a woman in her 50's with two kids.  Maria is a great student and loves learning; she's always the first one to raise her hand to answer a question in class.  We got to talking during the break one night and I asked her what was her drive behind her studious manner and positive attitude.  "I don't want to clean rooms my whole life,"  she told me.

I got to thinking about this.  It's so easy to get around if you speak the language; it's just something we take for granted.  But for others, everyday is a real struggle.  But with this struggle, there is also real drive and real hope - and that's where the best parts of people come out: the plain willpower people have to improve themselves and aim for a something higher than they are.

Maria is an exceptional student; I am sure that if she continues on this path, she will be speaking English fluently very soon.  But there's a lesson in this for us, too:  all the things we take for granted and the power inside of ourselves that we are very rarely asked to extract . . . if we were ever forced to reach higher and fulfill our the potential that God has given us, what incredible and beautiful things would we find?  What would we be capable of?  For Maria, it starts with learning English.  Where does yours begin?

Our 3rd Annual LINC NT Gala!

Prepping hard along with all our other diligent staff members for our 3rd annual 2012 LINC Gala, May 4th at 6:15 at the Irving Arts Center; with an evening planned to the 'T' and everyone dressed to the '9s,' there is so much more to offer.  So without further ado, we respectfully request the presence of your company to come and enjoy delicious gourmet foods, a silent auction of  elegant artwork and useful (and indulgent) services, mystical illusionist Rudy Reynoso, Jr., and motivational guest speaker and hip hop artist, Fred Lynch.  See you there!

Brandon

Sweet Sweet Spring

Lovely April showers mean new growth - and not just for the plants and flowers.  This spring as we wrap up another successful year of the SALI program, we take a moment to breathe in the fresh air, soak in the sunshine, and give thanks for the opportunity God has given to be where we are.  Having been able to be a part of these kids lives in the classroom and helping them grow in the right direction has truly made a difference in my own life, too.  I came in to give a lesson, but left learning more myself.  Funny how that works.  I will truly miss those kids over the summer - and as for my 8th graders at Polk, I know it will be a tearful goodbye as they go off the next stage of their lives.

But all things must grow and change.  As spring passes to summer, our lives pass on to the next chapter in this great story in which we find ourselves.  But the memories of the great and most meaningful times last forever . . . or at least until the next year of SALI!

Thanks once again for your prayers and support of our program.  And to our teachers - we know that all it takes is one person to make a difference; we couldn't have done it without you. Thanks.

Brandon

Dynamic Moves

The idea of transforming lives and changing communities comes alive in our latest project, LINC NT's brand new ESL program.  We are so excited!  And as we count down the days till our first class of teaching non-English speakers a brand new language, we also reflect on how scary the first day at school was for us as brand new students.  What if the teacher was mean?  What if the other students didn't like us?  What if we didn't understand what we were taught?  Now we're in the driver's to answer these questions, ready to prepare the way for a new wave of students whose fears and hopes very likely mirror those that were once our own.

What about you?  Looking to help? If you or anyone else you know might feel your heart pulled towards being involved in this process, we're looking for 2 more teachers.   Classes are start Monday Nights at the old Trinity Valley Church at 3114 Old Denton Rd in Carrollton from 7:00-9:00 pm and on Wednesday mornings from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm at our LINC NT offices at 1925 E. Beltline Rd, Suite 426, in Carrollton .  Our launch date is April 23 & 25.  Please contact Brandon Garcia at brandon@lincnt.org for details.  Thanks and God bless!

LINC NT to start new ESL program!

The mission of LINC North Texas is to transform lives and communities, especially of those that immediately surround us.  Spanish speakers are a substantial demographic force within our proximity, many of whom speak little to no English. According to a 2010 survey by DFW International, in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch area alone the Latino populations are 49% and 28% of the total, respectively (13,459 in Carrollton and 14,053 in Farmers Branch). Moreover, in 35.3% of homes in Carrollton, English is not the language spoken.  Similarly, this is the case for 46% of homes in Farmers Branch. A full 24.5% of Carrollton’s entire population, as well as 28% of Farmers Branch’s, are immigrants or foreign born.



These statistics mean that this community is ripe for growth and mission. We find that a Latino community that is able to speak English is not only empowered - open to more numerous and greater opportunities as well as to deeper relationships within their communities and families - but more importantly, open to hearing a message.  Our ESL program will become a base around which we can instill this message. In order to develop communities, people must build relationships with people. We believe in programs that simultaneously offer benefit to people while building those relationships. That's why we teach character, leadership, and parenting to public school families, and why we are starting ESL. Through these efforts, LINC North Texas can grow and foster new and strong relationships among unreached groups around the metroplex.


If any of your family or friends might benefit from this, we'd love to give them more information. We are also looking for volunteers to help facilitate the program. Please contact Brandon Garcia at brandon@lincnt.org or call our offices at 972-417-5950 for more details.