NO MATTER WHAT

Books Read in 2011

2011-12-09T15:34:00.000-08:00

I thought I would share some books that I read in 2011. I would have to say that there was something profitable in each book and they were worth reading. I am putting together a reading list for 2012. I am also taking suggestions. I plan to read the Bible again and 23 others.

Books Read in 2011

And: The gathered and scattered church – Hugh Halter and Matt Smay

Barefoot Church: Serving the least in a consumer culture - Brandon Hatmaker

Bible - God

Economy of Love – Darin Peterson

Erasing Hell: What God said about eternity and the things we made up – Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle

Fatherless Generation: Redeeming the Story - John Sowers

Generous Justice: How God’s grace makes us just – Timothy Keller

Gospel in Life: Grace changes everything – Timothy Keller

Radical Together – David Platt

Sacrilege: Finding life in the unorthodox ways of Jesus – Hugh Halter

Speaking of Jesus: The art of not-evangelism – Carl Medearis

The Hole in Our Gospel: The answer that changes my life and might just change the world – Richard Stearns

The King Jesus Gospel: The original Good News revisited - Scott McKnight

The Man who makes a Difference: 10 keys to a life of impact – Jim George

The Poor Will Be Glad: Joining the revolution to lift the world out of poverty – Peter Greer and Phil Smith

The Tangible Kingdom: Creating incarnational community – Hugh Halter & Matt Smay

The Tangible Kingdom Primer – Hugh Halter & Matt Smay

To Own a Dragon: Reflections of growing up without a father – Donald Miller

Tribes: We need you to lead us – Seth Godin

When Helping Hurts: How to alleviate poverty without hurting the poor and yourself – Steve Corbett and Brian Fickert

...stay off the paved road

-craig

Mentoring Project Update

2011-12-06T08:27:00.001-08:00

I am excited that we have a team of twenty three that have completed the Mentoring Project training as well as an orientation through Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Juan County. It is great to be in partnership with BBBS. They have an excellent staff and volunteer team. Would you consider being a friend to a child? Here is a statement from the BBBS Orientation Guide:
"Friendship is a powerful thing. It's fun, most anyone can be a friend and it's important. Experiencing fun activities together and forming a trusting bond with a child can have a powerful impact on the child."

Awesome Thanksgiving Dinner

2011-11-26T10:00:00.000-08:00

What an amazing time we had at our first annual F.B.C. Thanksgiving Dinner. We served a total of 150 with a great volunteer team. From our perspective, we believe one of the reasons the church exists is to serve and care for people. It is true we live in a "church skeptical culture." And I would say much of the skepticism is deserved. It is time for the church to "live out" the Gospel and not just talk about it.

...stay off the paved road

-craig

Truth Conference

2011-11-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

We had a great time with Dr. Del Tackett during our Truth Conference weekend. Question: What are you doing with the truth you have received?

...stay off the paved road

-craig

Water Water Water Water Water

2011-10-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

You have heard the statistics. Millions are still dying every year from disease related to unclean drinking water. The pics below are from our August 2011 trip to Sultan Hamud. Are you interested in helping to drill wells in Africa?

...stay off the paved road

-craig

2011 Truth Conference

2011-10-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

From our current newsletter

2011-09-30T14:03:00.001-07:00

double click on image to enlarge

The Mentoring Project at F.B.C.

2011-09-29T08:53:00.000-07:00

F.B.C. Missions Night

2011-09-29T08:11:00.000-07:00

Kenya Mission Trip

2011-09-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

I am working on getting these uploaded with a little better quality, but I wanted you to see the amazing pics and video from our recent trip to Kenya. God blessed in so many ways. We will be sharing more info and pics in the near future.

Getting Ready for Africa

2011-07-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

"Kwa maana jinsi hii Mungu aliupenda ulimwengu, hata akamtoa Mwanawe pekee, ili kila mtu amwaminiye asipotee, bali awe na uzima wa milele." Yohana 3:16

In 12 days we leave for East Africa. We are very grateful to those who have supported the project. Our resources will enable us to drill a well and provide much needed famine relief to those who are suffering due to the drought. There is tremendous need so obviously we are open to receiving additional support. Contact me for more information.

stay off the paved road... --craig

Fatherlessness

2011-07-11T07:45:00.000-07:00

Did you know that youth from fatherless homes account for:

63 precent of youth suicides
71 percent of pregnant teenagers
90 percent of all homeless and runaway children
70 percent of juveniles in state-operated institutions
85 percent of all youth sitting in prison
85 percent of all youth who exhibit behavior disorders
80 percent of rapists motivated with displaced anger
71 percent of high school dropouts
75 percent of all adolescents in chemical abuse centers
(from the Mentoring Project Operations Manual)

It's time we (the church) come together to rewrite the fatherless story in our nation!

Hell

2011-06-30T14:42:00.000-07:00

Could failing to help the poor damn you to hell? In light of Matthew 25:45-46, I just thought I'd ask? (my shortest blog post ever)

Some Thoughts

2011-05-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

Wow, has it really been a month since my last post? I do have a few things that I want to share. Let's begin with a quote from the Tangible Kingdom.

"Since he seemed opened to talk, I lobbed up this question: 'If Christianity was only about finding a group of people to live life with, who shared openly their search for God and allowed anyone, regardless of behavior, to seek too, and who collectively lived by faith to make the world a little more like Heaven, would you be interested?' 'Hell yes!' was his simple reply. He continued. 'Are there churches like that?'"

The question I have posed to groups recently is, "Does the church today in anyway resemble the church of the first century?" Most admit it does not! My purpose is not to engage in church bashing - there is enough of that going on today. The most constructive thing we can do is get serious about being a "follower" of the one who said, "Deny yourself." We think we do well at "following" Jesus to the church ...and to Bible study ..and to small group ...and to prayer meeting . What about "following" Him to the poor, the needy, the homeless, the addict, the prostitute, the imprisoned, the skeptic, and the openly godless.

Are you a fan or a follower?

2011-04-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

Completely. Committed. Follower

On the Streets

2011-04-04T23:02:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to engage in conversation with several homeless individuals this evening. The most lengthy dialogue was with Linda. She told me the story of getting involved in a gang at a the age of 16. Her story was one of turmoil, conflict, and broken dreams. She shared that her life nearly came to and end a couple of years ago at the hands of a rival gang in Albuquerque. She showed me the scar on her head where she had been shot. We spoke a for a while about her journey on the streets. Her pain was obvious and her face told the story of a person who had aged far beyond her years.

Glenda was another person in need of a hot meal. She told of turmoil in her family and of time spent in jail. Her harsh environment has definitely created a hard exterior. As we engaged in conversation, her emotions told a different story. It is hard for anyone to live on the streets, but particularly difficult for women.

In the back of my mind is always the thought of the 2,000+ passages of scripture that deal with those in need. So...church...what are we going to do? "Truly I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me." -Jesus

10 things you may hear at a homeless shelter

2011-03-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

I want to share 10 statements that I have heard recently serving at the homeless shelter. Each of them has significant meaning and were shared by guys who really want to be in a better place. (both physically and spiritually)

"I know that I am better than this."
"I want to change but I just can't."
"My children don't care about me anymore."
"I would like to get my family back."
"Would you happen to have a pair of shoes?"
"No one would care if I died."
"I would really like to have a home."
"I know that I'm an alcoholic - I need help."
"We really appreciate you guys bringing us food."
"Will you pray for me?"

I read something recently that I also want to share. "We are called to do two essential things: announce the good news of the coming of the kingdom of God and salvation through Jesus Christ, and provide signs of God's redemption by doing good works that God has prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).

For the sake of His name,

Craig

Church???

2011-03-16T15:54:00.000-07:00

The powerful videos below come from the Nike Foundation. They are doing awesome things to help girls around the world. Church, I want to quote Radical here, "Regardless of what we say, or sing or study on Sunday morning, rich people who neglect the poor are not the people of God."

Africa Bound

2011-03-05T11:43:00.000-08:00

We are currently in the planning stages of a mission trip to East Africa this summer. Our main purpose will be to introduce people to the Jesus of Scripture - not the "Prosperity Jesus" or the "Santa Jesus" or the "Wimpy Jesus" or the "Social Jesus" or even the "Just Pray This Prayer Jesus" that many false teachers espouse today. People everywhere need to hear the words of Jesus who said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." Luke 9:23-24.

As we share and minister holistically, we will also be involved in a water project, church planting, church building, medical and veterinary clinics, abstinence training/HIV awareness, and ministry to children.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE FBC BLOOMFIELD TEAM

Do you know where your "STUFF" came from?

2011-02-10T16:42:00.000-08:00

For the Sake of His Name... --craig

Clean Drinking Water

2011-02-09T14:40:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in a recent facebook post, 600 wells in sub-saharan Africa could be drilled for the cost of one 30 second spot during the Super Bowl. In case you are not up to date with the current situation related to unclean drinking water, I am posting the following stats from the "Living Water International" website.

LIVING WATER INTERNATIONAL KEY FACTS

• 884 million people in the world do not have access to safe water. This is roughly one in eight of the world’s population. (WHO-UNICEF)

• 1.8 million children die every year as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation. This amounts to around 5000 deaths a day. (UNDP)

• LWI projects providing safe water and hygiene education at an average cost of twenty dollars per person, for a generation. (LWI)

• The simple act of washing hands with soap and clean water can reduce diarrheal diseases by over 40%. (UNICEF)

• Providing water and hygiene education reduces the number of deaths caused by diarrhoeal diseases by an average of 65%. (WHO)

• Water-related disease is the second biggest killer of children worldwide, after acute respiratory infections like tuberculosis. (UNDP)

• The weight of water that women in Africa and Asia carry on their heads is commonly 40 pounds, the same as the average airport luggage allowance. (UNDP)

• Water and sanitation infrastructure helps people take the first essential step out of the cycle of poverty and disease.

God is With Us from Living Water International on Vimeo.

for the sake of HIS name -craig

Introducing "Not For Sale"

2011-02-01T13:48:00.000-08:00

Not For Sale Shadowhands from Not For Sale Campaign on Vimeo.

Focus for 2011

2011-01-11T13:28:00.000-08:00

Is Jesus worth abandoning everything for? That is my focus question for 2011. I may say yes, but what about my actions? As I was studying recently, I began thinking about my grandchildren (imagine that). I began to compare their situation with children around the world.

Hunger –Hannah, Caleb, and Noelle will never go to bed hungry. Around the world, 850 million children go to bed hungry every night.

Child Mortality—It is unlikely that Hannah, Caleb, or Noelle will experience the pain of losing a brother or sister before they reach elementary school. Worldwide, eleven million children die each year before reaching their fifth birthday.

Drinking Water—Hannah, Caleb, and Noelle can drink water from one of the four sinks in their home without any issues related to their health. Twenty percent of the world has no access to clean water.

Health Care—Hannah, Caleb, and Noelle dislike the pain of routine shots. This year, 10 million deaths will occur from the four most common preventable diseases: diarrhea, acute respiratory illness, malaria, and measles. In many cases, one simple shot could save a life.

There are many other sobering statistics that I do not have room to share. We can also look directly around us and see great need. Conditions in the world (both physical and spiritual) will require a RADICAL response by the church.

From the words of David Platt, author of the book RADICAL:
We have a Master who demands radical obedience...
...a mission that warrants radical urgency
...and we do not have time to waste!

If we are going to live for the 4.5 billion lost people and thousands of children who are dying everyday because they don’t have food on their table –then that means a radical change in our lives, in our families, in our church. CHURCH, we are plan A and there is no plan B!

Jesus is Worth Abandoning Everything For,

CRAIG

Thoughtful Videos

2010-12-21T08:47:00.000-08:00

Check out these thoughtful videos from rightnow.org

For the Sake of His Name,

Craig

A Christmas Wish

2010-12-20T12:50:00.000-08:00

I want to wish you a very “uncomfortable Christmas.” Let me explain!
On Christmas day, over 16,000 children are going to die of starvation. That means one child every five seconds on Christmas day and every other day will loose their life because they have been malnourished. Last year nearly 9 million children died before they reached their fifth birthday. This is also a national problem. Nearly one in four children in the U.S. live in households that struggle to put food on the table. That’s 16.7 million children. I personally will be uncomfortable on Christmas Day. The words of John Calvin are very poignant. He said, “All the blessings we enjoy are divine deposits, committed to our trust on this condition, that they should be dispensed for the benefit of those in need.” Let’s all make a real difference in someone’s life this Christmas.

For the Sake of his Name,

Craig

He Knows

2010-11-29T13:08:00.000-08:00

I want to share a quote from the book "A Hole in Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns. He states, "There are some 340,000 individual congregations in the United States, which together possess unprecedented resources and capabilities. There are also hundreds of thousands of poor churches in the developing world, whose members struggle with daily survival. I try to imagine how this looks to God as He sees all His churches--the wealthy and the needy--and wonders why the churches he has blessed have not reached out to the poor, burdened brothers and sisters."

Stearns is the president of World Vision. I certainly hear his heart in this statement. The only thing I would challenge is the word "wonder." God does not "wonder." He knows why we are not reaching out to our poor burdened brothers and sisters. We are too absorbed with ourselves. We are lazy and apathetic. We will only be inconvenienced to a point. We want a starting point and an ending time to our "missionary projects." I am sure you get the point.

Let us be reminded of Isaiah 29:13 "The Lords Says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.'"

For the Sake of His Name,

Craig

RADICAL

2010-10-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

Our Radical study at FBC Bloomfield begins on November 7. Get a free copy of the first chapter of the book RADICAL Here.

For the Sake of His Name,

Craig

The Middle Road

2010-10-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

During our Wednesday evening men's Bible study we have been taking a look at Francis Chan's book called Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit. I highly recommend the book and the study. I came across a video of Francis teaching at a leadership conference. Perhaps too many followers of Christ are on the middle road.

For the Sake of His Name,

Craig

Did You Know?

2010-10-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

It is amazing to think anymore our children and youth are simply becoming another statistic, simply another number that is recorded. Did you know that:

70% of all youth in prisons are from fatherless homes
63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes
71% of teenage pregnancies are from fatherless homes
75% of drug abusers are from fatherless homes
90% of all homeless are from fatherless homes

Taken from: US Dept of Health & Human Services. National Center for Health Statistics. Survey on Child Health. Washington, DC. 1993.

This is information I received recently from the Mentoring Project.

For the Sake of His Name,

Craig

Are you willing to be called?

2010-09-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

I had the joy and privilege of sharing in the services at FBC Bloomfield yesterday. We are currently in a series called Follow Me: The Calling. I spoke from Luke 5:12-26. The topic of the message was, "Are you willing to be called?"

Scripture teaches that our calling as followers of Jesus Christ is never about us and always about Him. The passage in Luke deals with the cleansing of the man with leprosy and the healing of the paralytic. I shared seven points and seven words that describe what Jesus is calling us to.

Engaged - Jesus went where people were hurting.
Exalted - Jesus lives to the glory of His name.
Radical - Jesus is in the business of changed lives.
Counter Cultural - Jesus wasn't impressed by the attention.
Passionate - Jesus was focused and intentional.
Contagious - Jesus is the draw.
Unpopular - Jesus confronted the skeptics.

I then asked seven questions related to these seven points. How would you answer them? I am personally giving attention to each one.

1. What would you have to change in your life in order for you to come in more regular contact with people who are different than you?
2. God, is this all there is, or is there more?
3. Are you willing for God to interrupt your comfortable life?
4. Who are you really living for?
5. Do you really believe Jesus is worth abandoning everything for?
6. Would you be willing to pray for God to raise up a holy passion in you?
7. If you were absolutely, 100 percent submitted to the will of God at this moment, what do you think he might ask you to do?

For the Sake of His Name,
Craig

A Penetrating Question!

2010-09-08T08:35:00.000-07:00

What about you?

For the Sake of His Name,

Craig

Mentoring

2010-08-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

I Love what the "Mentoring Project" is doing. Check out this video.

The Mentoring Project - Elephant Musth Cycle from The Mentoring Project on Vimeo.

For The Sake of His Name,

Craig

Evangelism

2010-08-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

The first quote in this video is from Oswald J. Smith. He states, "We talk of the second coming; half the world has never heard of the first."

For the Sake of His name,

Craig

A GREAT WEEK AT FBC

2010-08-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

I have posted some pics below of recent activities at First Baptist Bloomfield. Last Saturday, August 7, we hosted an awesome block party. Check out the last set of pictures below. There were about 500 guests in attendance and we had the privilege to bless many families in the community.

You will also see pictures below of our Sportsmen's Banquet. There were over 600 in attendance for this event. The food was great... the fellowship was excellent...and the prizes were awesome. Most importantly, 84 individuals responded in some way to the Gospel message shared by Ronnie Hill.

God moved in a tremendous way on Sunday, August 8, and we baptized 44 people in our two morning services. Please pray for our continued outreach to those who responded during the Sportsmen's Banquet and Sunday morning services.

The pictures directly below are from our booth at the county fair this past week. We gave away about two thousand packets of information and hundreds of New Testaments. Of course I can not forget to mention the 500 pounds of popcorn.

FBC BOOTH AT THE COUNTY FAIR

SPORTSMEN'S BANQUET

F.B.C. BLOCK PARTY

for the sake of His name,

craig

School in Sudan

2010-08-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

In my last post I put up the video of our most recent mission trip to Kenya. Some of the video showed a school project in Sudan that we started two years ago. I have included some of those pics below. This is in an area of Southern Sudan call Leer.

There is still much rebuilding to be done after the civil war. Most children do not have a place to go to school. Phase II of the project is complete but there is still much to do. Please pray for the work in Sudan. Contact me (cmontroy@qwestoffice.net) if God leads you to be involved in any way.

for the sake of His name,

--craig

Africa Video

2010-07-18T23:07:00.000-07:00

Thank you Michael Jones and Reid Turner for a great job on the video. The pics and video were taken on our most recent trip to Kenya this past January. Please contact me if you are interested in supporting the ministry in any way. We are still trying to complete the work on the school in Sudan.

stay off the paved road ...

--craig

Did You Know?

2010-07-07T14:46:00.000-07:00

...On a given night, an estimated 672,000 people experience homelessness. This means 22 out of every 10,000 people are homeless in America.• 42% of those 672,000 are unsheltered (meaning they live on the streets or in other forms of shelter not meant for human habitation), while 58% are living in shelters or transitional housing.• 37% of the homeless are people in family units, • The most common makeup of a homeless family is a mother with one or two children.

Drug addiction continues to be a major problem in the United States. It is estimated that over nine million Americans need drug treatment, making addiction more prevalent than coronary heart disease and stroke and as prevalent as cancer. Addiction exacts an enormous burden on the nation, costing an estimated $69 billion in lost productivity, $12 billion in health care costs and $10 billion in spending on child welfare systems. There are more than 9,000 drug-induced deaths each year; and 25% of the nation's AIDS cases result from injection drug use. Further, drug related arrests have significantly contributed to the doubling of the nation's incarceration rate since 1985.

Abortion Worldwide
Annually, 46 million babies die from abortion worldwide. That’s approximately one baby being aborted every two seconds.
Abortion in the United States
An estimated 48 million babies have been aborted since 1973. Approximately 24% of all U.S. pregnancies end in abortion.
Characteristics of Women Having Abortions
Over half (56%) of all women having abortions between are in their 20’s.
Nearly eight in 10 U.S. women obtaining an abortion report a religious affiliation.
43% are Protestant
27% are Catholic
8% are other religions

ARE YOU ENGAGED?

stay off the paved road...

---craig

You Do Not Want To Miss This Event

2010-07-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

Click on the poster for a larger version

stay off the paved road ...

--craig

World Cup

2010-06-28T08:26:00.000-07:00

Of the six teams from Africa who entered world cup play, only Ghana is going through to the second round. Naturaly I was cheering for the U.S. but now I will be rooting for Ghana. I want to share a quote that I read after the Ghana victory; " “Today, little boys all over Africa are carrying their soccer balls and dreaming big dreams.” It would be great if this were true. I am sure little boys are dreaming big dreams, but most are not carrying their soccer balls.

I have been to Africa 8 times and have been around thousands of children. I have yet to see a child who owned their own soccer ball. We have distributed hundreds of soccer balls to children at schools, clinics, and churches. We take these simple things for granted, but for a child in most African countries, a soccer ball is an indescribale gift.

We will continue to bring soccer balls to Africa. Please let me know if you are interested in helping in any way.

stay off the paved road ....

--craig

Word Design

2010-06-26T21:14:00.001-07:00

Check out this project called Word Design. The creator is reading through the Bible and over a period of 66 weeks and creating images for each book. Below are the images from 1 Samuel and Job. The website is worth checking out.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Great Father's Day

2010-06-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I have three great children and a very beautiful wife. I do have one Father's Day suggestion. Considering the fact that cards do not usually get here on time (I guess the pony express isn't what it used to be) we should expand the whole thing and make it a father's day week. Speaking of Father's day, I came across a video recently that listed 10 things that dad would never say.

#10 - Well, how 'bout that?' I'm lost, Looks like we will have to stop and ask for directions.

#9 - You know pumpkin, now that you're thirteen, you'll be ready for unchaperoned car dates. Won't that be fun?

#8 - I noticed that all your friends have a certain hostile attitude. I like that.

#7 - Here's that credit card and the keys to my new car. GO CRAZY CHILD!!!

#6 - What?! What do you mean you wanna play football? Figure skatin' not good enough for you son?

#5 - Your mother and I are going away for the weekend. You may want to consider throwing a party.

#4 - Well, I don't know what's the matter with your car. Some sort of doo-hickey is broke or something. Just have it towed to a mechanic and pay whatever he asks.

#3 - No child of mine is going to live under this roof without a punk rock hair-cut and multiple piercings. Now quit your belly-aching and let's get to the mall.

#2 - Whaddya wanna go and get a job for? I make plenty of money for you to spend.

#1 - Father's Day? AAhh don't worry about that. It's no big deal.

stay off the paved road...

---craig

Take Responsibility for the Vision

2010-06-16T12:21:00.000-07:00

I spoke recently about "taking responsibility." I want to quote a paragraph from Andy Stanley's book called "Making Vision Stick."

When it comes to making your vision stick, here is the most important thing to remember: You are responsible. It is the leader's responsibility to ensure that people understand and embrace the vision of the organization. We are all tempted at times to blame the people around us for their inability to understand and act on the vision we have cast. But when the leader blames the follower for not following, the leader has ceased to lead. If the followers don't get it, we probably haven't delivered the vision in a way that makes it get-able. WE are responsible for keeping the vision of our organization at the forefront."

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Lessons Learned

2010-06-14T20:03:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about some recent news stories and possible lessons learned.

1. BP Oil Spill - "Blaming consumes a great deal of time that can be better spent solving problems."

2. 16 Yr. Old rescued in the Indian Ocean - "It's 10 o'clock do you know where your child is?"

3. Vuvuzela noise makers at the world cup - "When in South Africa ..."

4. Democratic primary in South Carolina - "This Al Green doesn't sing or preach."

5. Jesus statue in Ohio struck by lightning and burned to the ground - "Never make a statue out of foam or fiberglass (especially one of Jesus)."

stay off the paved road ...

--craig

An Observation

2010-06-12T08:31:00.000-07:00

Presently our country is more polarized than at any point in my lifetime. It seems that there are growing numbers of angry people doing and saying hurtful and hateful things. For followers of Christ a different response is required.

Consider the words of Jesus in John 14:27 - "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." The words of the Psalmist are also instructive. "Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Good Graphics! Great Message!

2010-06-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

The Ten Commandments - motion (kinetic) typography from Vit Ryznar on Vimeo.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Books

2010-06-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

Just in case anyone is interested, here is a list of books that I have read recently or are in the process of reading. I do not recommend reading them all at the same time.

The Christian Atheist - Craig Groeschel

Making Vision Stick - Andy Stanley

Seven Practices of Effective Ministry - Andy Stanley

Total Church - Tim Chester and Steve Timmis

The Slow Fade - Reggie Joiner, Chuck Bomar, Abbie Smith

Radical - David Platt

Transformational Church - Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer

Think Orange - Reggie Joiner

The Knowledge of the Holy - A.W. Tozer

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Don't Forget to Vote

2010-06-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hey New Mexicans, don't forget to go to the polls today. Totally unrelated is this "Charlie Bit Me video." Too Funny!

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Sessions

2010-05-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

We will have "Sessions" again this summer at FBC Bloomfield. Our first event will be on June 6. Our one night "sessions" will be a preview of some studies that we will do in the fall. The first one is called "The Me I Want To Be: becoming God's best version of you" written on John Ortberg. Here is a preview.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

The Knowledge of the Holy

2010-05-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

Contemplate the words of A.W. Tozer in the preface of his book The Knowledge of the Holy.

The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us. A whole new philosophy of the Christian life has resulted from this one basic error in our religious thinking.

With our loss of the sense of majesty has come the further loss of religious awe and consciousness of the divine Presence. We have lost our spirit of worship and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence. Modern Christianity is simply not producing the kind of Christian who can appreciate or experience the life in the Spirit. The words, "Be still and know that I am God," mean next to nothing to the self-confident, bustling worshipper in this middle period of the twentieth century.

By the way, this book was written in 1961. I wonder what Tozer's assessment would be today.

stay of the paved road...

--craig

Sunday's Coming

2010-05-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

This video was shown at Northpoint's DRIVE conference last week. It might make you take another look at what you do on Sunday morning.

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

stay off the paved...

---craig

What do you think?

2010-05-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

As we look around the church landscape in America, is it possible that we are seeing church leaders who think of themselves more highly than they should? I want to use another Spurgeon quote because it speaks to the heart of the matter. This brilliant, talented, and eloquent speaker one said;

"If we had the spirit sealing our ministry with power it would signify very little about talent. Men might be poor and uneducated, their words might be broken and ungrammatical; but if the might of the Spirit attended them, the humblest evangelist would be more successful than the most learned divine, or the most eloquent of speakers.

It is extraordinary power from God, not talent, that wins the day. It is extraordinary spiritual unction, not extraordinary mental power, that we need. Mental power may fill a chapel, but spiritual power fills the church with soul anguish. Mental power may gather a large congregation, but only spiritual power will save souls."

stay off the paved road...

-craig

C.H. Spurgeon

2010-04-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

I want to share a quote that I came across recently by Charles Spurgeon:

Dear Friend, salvation would be a sadly incomplete affair, if it did not deal with the whole part of our ruined estate. We want to be purified as well as pardoned. Justification without sanctification would not be salvation at all. It would call the leper clean, and leave him to die of his disease; it would forgive the rebellion, and allow the rebel to remain an enemy of his king. It would remove the consequence but overlook the cause, and this would leave an endless and hopeless task before us. It would stop the stream for a time, but leave an open fountain of defilement which would sooner or later break forth with increased power.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Celebrating Earth Day

2010-04-22T06:57:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth Day I thought I would share some scripture just in case we have begun to worship the creation rather than the Creator.

Genesis 1

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

6 And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water." 7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the expanse "sky." And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

9 And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.

11 Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.

14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

20 And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

24 And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so.

31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

God is Awesome

2010-04-19T00:49:00.000-07:00

Have you given much thought to the Grand Canyon? Many people view this massive geological feature as a temple to evolution. A recent visit (see pics below) simply caused me to worship my God who created it.

I recently visited the Encyclopedia of Creation Science Website which provides the following information. There is much more. Take time to check it out.

The Grand Canyon is a massive geological feature in the US state of Arizona. Due to efforts of conservationists, the region became a Forest Preserve in 1893 and was protected from unrestricted hunting and logging. Later, because of its popularity, the region was made into Grand Canyon National Park. The park covers over 1.2 million acres of land[1], and hosts nearly 5 million visitors annually.[2].

The formation of the Grand Canyon is a problem for uniformitarian geologists, but fits well into the framework of the Biblical global flood. Exposed within walls of the Grand Canyon are rocks that were likely created during the creation, along with massive layers resulting from sedimentation during the flood. Flood geologists such as Steven Austin assert that during the last half of the year of the flood, the Colorado Plateau was lifted by tectonic forces more than a mile above sea level. This uplift then formed a dam, which blocked river drainage and caused one or more lakes to build behind the dam until it was breached. The erosion of the massive canyon system was probably driven by landslides and high-speed waters carrying gravels and other sediments during the catastrophic lake drainage.[3]

stay off the paved road...
--craig

Pray - Invite - Attend

2010-04-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

FBC Bloomfield will host Team Impact April 23, 24, and 25. Listen to the powerful testimony below and be sure to Pray - Invite - Attend.

Pray - Invite - Attend from Team Impact on Vimeo.

Team Impact in Action from Team Impact on Vimeo.

Outreach and Evangelsim

2010-03-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

Below is a recent article for our newsletter at FBC Bloomfield. Feel free to check out our website

The distinction between outreach and evangelism is not always delineated. When we engage in outreach activities such as our weekend GPS event, we are outreaching in the community. This purpose of the event was to share information with as many people in the community as possible. We shared Gospel information in written form, invitations to our Easter services, an invitation to Team Impact, and an information piece about the church. This is all great and important!

We should not forget however that Outreach IS NOT Evangelism. What we do after these events is most critical. I heard a shocking statistic last week that, “95% of believers in evangelical churches will die without EVER telling a single person about Jesus Christ.”

Evangelism is specifically sharing the claims of Christ. There are three words in Romans chapter 3 that should compel us to share our faith.

1) Justification - In the Greek, justified is a legal term that means “to declare righteousness.” This includes pardon from the guilt and penalty of sin. It carries with it the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to the believers account.

2) Redemption – In ancient time’s redemption meant paying the necessary ransom to obtain the prisoner or slave’s release. The only adequate payment to redeem sinners was satisfied in the work of Christ on the cross.

3) Propitiation – This is a word that we do not use very often but one that carries extreme significance. This word carries with it the idea of satisfaction. What it means for us is that Christ’s death satisfied the offended holiness and wrath of God.

We do outreach to get out into the community, share information, help people, and build relationships. We evangelize because man is incapable of satisfying God’s justice apart from Christ, except by spending eternity in Hell.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

resource (MacArthur Study Bible)

Exciting pics from Sudan

2010-03-17T12:26:00.000-07:00

Last summer we had the opportunity to travel to southern Sudan. One of our projects was to begin the construction of school in the town of Leer. On our recent trip, funds were given to continue the construction. Below are some recent pics. Additional resources are needed and support to pay teachers. If you would like more information about the Sudan school project, please contact me.

Please continue to pray for the work in Sudan.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

More Kenya Pics

2010-02-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

Back From Kenya

2010-01-15T14:30:00.000-08:00

Over the next several posts I will share pictures from our recent mission trip to Kenya. I also want to share a brief report. We saw God work in tremendous ways. Our goal was simply to be available and responsive to him.

Report:

764 people came to know the Lord
429 students committed to True Love Waits
1,200 Bibles and Gospels of John distributed
Treatment given for 20,000 goats
Treatment given for 2,000 cows
1,068 people treated at 3 clinics in the Narok region
820 families fed
400 mosquito nets distributed
Resources provided for 3 church roofs
Resources provided for desks and bookshelves at the Busia Bible School
Resources provided to complete phase two of the school project in Leer, Sudan
Resources provided to support Kenyan pastors

ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD!!!

FBC Bloomfield Team

Medical Clinic

Food Distribution

Children at Water Well

Mosque in Narok

Please continue to pray for the ongoing work in the Rift Valley.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

The Journey Has Begun

2009-12-29T19:26:00.000-08:00

Well, the long awaited day has arrived. We traveled to Albuquerque today and will be flying out at 6:00 AM on our trip to Kenya. A big thanks to the FBC Bloomfield family for all of your support. We will try to keep the blog updated while we are in Africa but do not know how often that will be possible. Please keep us in your prayers.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Good News

2009-12-14T13:54:00.000-08:00

Great Christmas Concert at FBC Bloomfield last night. The "Good News" was strongly proclaimed. Thank you Lew and choir leaders for an outstanding job. We are looking forward to a joyous Christmas Eve Candlelight service.

Also, on the "Good News" front, our proclaimers arrived today (3 in Swahili and 3 in Maasai). These were given by "Faith Comes By Hearing." This gives us the opportunity to travel to rural villages and proclaim the spoken "Word" in the native tongue.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Called to Be Holy

2009-12-10T18:48:00.000-08:00

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, You shall be holy as I am holy."

1 Peter 1:13-16

New House Pics

2009-12-09T16:56:00.000-08:00

How exciting to see Drywall being hung in our new home. It won't be long before some inside finish work begins.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Africa Day

2009-12-08T14:14:00.000-08:00

Tuesday is Africa Day on the Blog. I am very excited to share these pictures with you. They were sent today from Kenya by my son-in-law Trey Fuller. He is currently in Kenya on a vision trip for Mayatima International Ministries.

The well project that we conducted last year is functioning and hundreds of people are now receiving clean water. Praise The Lord.

water before the well

generator house
Trey on a Motor Bike
Well
generator

starting the generator

clean water

Pastor John Kisia

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Great Job!

2009-12-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

The worship and drama teams at FBC Bloomfield did a great job this past weekend as they presented our annual Christmas Pageant. A significant amount of time was spent preparing and is greatly appreciated.

Do not miss our Christmas Concert coming up this Sunday evening at 6:15 AM. You will be greatly blessed as all age groups make special presentations.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

House Progress

2009-12-04T13:50:00.000-08:00

Next you we will share some new pics of the house. Things are moving along quite well. The shingles are on and the exterior walls have been prepared for stucco. The subs are nearing completion and the insulation is in. We can't wait to start doing some interior work.

stay off thepaved road...

---craig

Getting Healthy

2009-12-03T14:07:00.000-08:00

The "ring thing" I spoke about in an earlier Thursday blog is about getting healthy. Just in case of an emergency I do not want to get my wedding ring cut off (which as you can see below is the current state of things). I will keep you posted on how things are going.

stay off the paved road ...

--craig

Watch and Pray

2009-12-02T13:28:00.000-08:00

I wanted to bring back our video from last years mission trip. Please pray daily as we prepare to leave on December 30. God is doing amazing things in this time of preparation.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

29 Days

2009-12-01T07:43:00.000-08:00

In 29 days we will be departing for the continent of Africa. A total of 22 of us will be on mission in Kenya. In previous blogs I have shared a number of things that we will be doing. I want to take this opportunity to share briefly about "Faith Comes By Hearing." Below is a brief description from their website.

Faith Comes by Hearing

Mission - Our mission statement is to record and use heart-language Audio Bibles to bring His church together and make disciples from every nation, tribe, language, and people. God's Word is for every tribe, people, and tongue.

Faith Comes By Hearing is committed to reaching the nations with the Word of God in Audio, offering the Bible in a format that will connect with the world's 50% illiterate population. To accomplish this enormous task, the Lord has assembled a group of committed leaders and dedicated servants of His Word to develop into a reality the vision of bringing His church together and making disciples.

The word "nation" is the Greek word ethnos, which means "of the same language and people group," not the political borders of a country. The worldwide Bible translation and distribution ministries have determined there are 6,809 ethnos, or nations, in the world, most of which cross many political borders.

Faith Comes By Hearing is providing 6 Proclaimers for us to bring to Africa. The Proclaimer is an audion Bible that can be used withoout electricity or batteries. The beauty is that we will be able to share the Word of God in Kiswahili as well as the Massai languge.

The Proclaimer

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Great Weekend

2009-11-30T07:37:00.000-08:00

It was a great weekend at FBC Bloomfield. After both morning services we had the opportunity to write scripture and prayer on the framing of the new multi-purpose building. Our prayer and deepest desire is that this will be a place of outreach and ministry.

You do not want to miss the FBC Christmas Pageant on December 5 and 6. Be sure to bring a friend. Free tickets are still available in the church office.

stay off thepaves road...

-craig

Friday House Update

2009-11-27T21:07:00.000-08:00

Be sure to check out http://www.craigandsusan.blogspot.com/ for the lastest info and pictures of our new house building project. As you can see in the pics below, we have windows and doors, a new fireplace and some shingles on the roof. Very Cool!

Come See Us,

Craig and Susan

Not Yet

2009-11-26T21:04:00.000-08:00

Sorry! Not ready to reveal the Thursday Challenge yet. It will be revealed before November 30. Keep checking in.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Mayatima International Ministries

2009-11-25T09:58:00.000-08:00

As promised yesterday, you will be seeing blog posts at least five days a week. I wanted to share some timely information with you today. The following statement was taken off Trey and Ashley's (my daughter and son-in-law) Facebook page. Consider how you may help.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Hey guys,

As many of you already know, my wife Ashley and I have recently started an orphan care ministry called Mayatima International Ministries. We are a non-profit organization, registered in Mississippi. We are currently in the planning process for building an orphanage in Kenya, Africa. As you might imagine, it is very difficult to accomplish something of this scale in another country without being there. Because of this I will be taking several trips to Africa over the next couple of years. I am planning a “vision trip” in a couple of weeks to meet with real estate agents and look at possible sites for the orphanage, I will also meet with a builder to get an idea of what it will cost to build the orphanage. In addition to meeting with the real estate agents and the builder, I will be touring existing orphanages in Kenya and meeting with their directors. This is a very important trip for the organization and is vital for getting this ministry going in the right direction.

This trip will cost about $1700 and I am looking to friends and family that believe in this ministry to help in funding this trip. Because this trip is so close, I am sending this message on facebook as a challenge to give in the next 24 hours. I am sending this message to 200 people. If everyone gives $5 each, that will be $1000 in 24 hours. If everyone gave an average of $10 each, that would pay for the trip and allow extra money to provide food and assistance to the orphanages I will be visiting while I am there. As you can see, if we all come together for this, it can be done quickly and easily. I understand not everyone can give $5 or $10 dollars but if you can give $1 or $2 or any amount that you feel comfortable with, it will be greatly appreciated.

There are two ways that you can give. The easiest way is by visiting our website at http://www.facebook.com/l/c2787;www.mayatimainternational.com There you will find a link to donate through paypal. Paypal is secure and easy to use. All you have to do is set up a free paypal account and in about 3 minutes from start to finish, we will receive your donation. Since this is a 24 hour challenge, this would be the preferred method. The second way that you can give, is by mail. If you do not have a debit card or credit card, you can send a check to Mayatima International Ministries at: PO Box 720958, Byram, MS 39272.

We thank you so much for your prayers and monetary gifts and ask that you would continue to pray for us as we follow the Lord in this important and exciting ministry.

Trey Fuller

Something New

2009-11-24T15:21:00.000-08:00

I have had some requests to blog a little more frequently so I am going to attempt to post at least five days a week. Some may be brief but I am committed to this (at least through the month of December). In fact I will have a theme for each day.

Mondays - I will talk about what is going on at First Baptist Bloomfied and give a report on the weekend.

Tuesdays - My discussion will focus on Africa and our upcoming mission trip.

Wednesday - I will write a brief devotion every Wednesday.

Thursday - "It's a ring thing" - you will have to check out my post on Thursday to find out what this is all about.

Friday - I will give updates on our new home construction project.

stay off the paved road ....

--craig

Lessons in Witness Bearing

2009-11-03T15:37:00.000-08:00

The church as well as individual believers send out numerous messages. The question that should be answered is this ... "IS JESUS CENTRAL?" Below is a portion of an exposition by FF Bruce Called The Bible and Evangelism:Lessons in Witness-Bearing. I believe it provides some great insight.

In the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles we are told how the apostles received their evangelistic commission from their risen Master in the words: “shall be my witnesses.” It should be noted that it was in these terms, according to Isaiah 12, that the restored community of Israel was commissioned to spread the knowledge of the true God and His saving acts among the nations. In the remaining chapters of Acts, and indeed we may say in the rest of the New Testament, we are told how the apostles discharged their witnessing commission.

Although so many centuries separate apostles’ time from ours, there are still practical lessons of great value to learn from the narrative of their evangelistic activity. In the Book of Acts, particularly in the earlier half of book, we have several summary addresses delivered to various audiences by the apostles and their colleagues. Without entering here into the critical questions raised by a study of these addresses, we may confidently take them as genuine outlines of first-century Christian preaching. And we may recognize in them several features of evangelistic substance and method which the lapse of time has made obsolete.

Jesus Christ was central to their message. The apostles never forgot that their primary business was to witnesses to Christ, as ambassadors of Christ. So, in all their preaching, they put Him in the foreground. His appearance on earth, they affirmed, marked the accomplishment of God’s eternal purpose, whether that purpose had been explicitly revealed through the prophets of Israel or dimly at guessed by poets and sages of other races. By His life and death and resurrection God had brought His long-promised salvation near, not for Israel only but other nations, too; not for that one generation only but for their children as well.

stay off the pave road ...

--craig

Sights and Sounds from Kenya

2009-10-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

As we prepare for our next trip to Kenya and raise support for ministry projects, (see previous blogs) I wanted to share some sights and sounds from our previous trips.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Keep Praying

2009-10-05T07:34:00.000-07:00

The word from Kenya is that the drought continues to worsen. In addition to ministry during our upcoming trip, resources are being sent NOW to purchase food and provide much needed hunger relief.

As you will note in my previous blog, this is an ambitious trip. We do have a strong sense of God's leadership and are already seeing God do amazing things. Please contact me if you are interested in partnering with us (cmontroy@qwestoffice.net). Below are some pics from our 2008 trip.

stay off the paved road ...

--craig

Doing Something

2009-09-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

The title of my last blog was PRAY AND DO SOMETHING! Well, we have been praying - are we are doing something. The article on my previous blog describes the desperate situation in Kenya. We have an aggessive goal to meet as many needs as possible during our upcoming mission trip to Kenya. First of all, we have our largest group ever. A total of 23 of us will travel to the African Continent on December 30. Below I have listed some of our fundraising goals. If you can help or know of an organization that can share resources, please contact me at craigmontroy@msn.com.

Medicine and Medical Supplies - ($3,000.00)
Mosquito Nets - ($2,000.00)
Bicycles (for pastors transportation) - ($1,000.00)
Church Building Projects - ($6,000.00)
Food (for relief from famine due to drought) - ($5,000.00)
Home/Shelter for a Kenyan Pastor - ($3,000.00)

Our total goal is $20,000. In the coming days I will share detailed information about all of the ministry projects that we will be invovled in.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Pray and DO SOMETHING!!!

2009-09-11T13:02:00.000-07:00

The article that follows the pics is one of the longer that I have posted. I feel it is very important to share this information. This is an extremely desperate situation. As you know we have worked in Kenya for about 8 years.

We will be going back to Kenya in December. We have worked in the northern region of Kenya where the Turkana are experiencing tremendous hardship due to the drought. We would like to be able to provide some immediate help. We are planning to work with pastors to provide much needed food and aid to those in affected regions.

If you would like to help you can contact me at craigmontroy@msn.com.

LOKORI, Kenya — The sun somehow feels closer here, more intense, more personal. As Philip Lolua waits under a tree for a scoop of food, heat waves dance up from the desert floor, blurring the dead animal carcasses sprawled in front of him.

So much of his green pasture land has turned to dust. His once mighty herd of goats, sheep and camels have died of thirst. He says his 3-year-old son recently died of hunger. And Mr. Lolua does not look to be far from death himself.

“If nobody comes to help us, I will die here, right here,” he said, emphatically patting the earth with a cracked, ancient-looking hand.

A devastating drought is sweeping across Kenya, killing livestock, crops and children. It is stirring up tensions in the ramshackle slums where the water taps have run dry, and spawning ethnic conflict in the hinterland as communities fight over the last remaining pieces of fertile grazing land.

The twin hearts of Kenya’s economy, agriculture and tourism, are especially imperiled. The fabled game animals that safari-goers fly thousands of miles to see are keeling over from hunger and the picturesque savanna is now littered with an unusually large number of sun-bleached bones.

Ethiopia. Sudan. Somalia. Maybe even Niger and Chad. These countries have become almost synonymous with drought and famine. But Kenya? This nation is one of the most developed in Africa, home to a typically robust economy, countless United Nations offices and thousands of aid workers.

The aid community here has been predicting a disaster for months, saying that the rains had failed once again and that this could be the worst drought in more than a decade. But the Kenyan government, paralyzed by infighting and political maneuvering, seemed to shrug off the warnings.

Some government officials have even been implicated in a scandal to illegally sell off thousands of tons of the nation’s grain reserves as a famine was looming.

So far, a huge, international aid operation to avert mass hunger has not kicked in, or at least not to the degree needed. The United Nations World Food Program recently said that nearly four million Kenyans — about a tenth of the population — urgently needed food.
“Red lights are flashing across the country,” the agency said.

But donor nations have been slow to respond, and a United Nations-led emergency appeal for $576 million is less than half financed.

Part of the reason may be the growing disappointment with Kenya’s leaders. They have been poked and prodded by Western ambassadors — and their own citizens — to overhaul the justice system, the police force and the electoral commission. The outcry followed a widely discredited election in 2007 that set off a wave of violence, claiming more than 1,000 lives.

But Kenyan politicians seem more preoccupied with positioning themselves for the next election in 2012 than with cleaning up the mess from the last one. Few reforms have been accomplished and corruption continues to flourish, as the grain scandal currently under investigation has made painfully clear.

“At a time like this, we need donor confidence,” said Nicholas Wasunna, a humanitarian adviser for the aid group World Vision. But he said that donors might be put off by “the politics of what’s happening in the country.”

The arid lands of northern Kenya have been the hardest hit. In some villages, it has not rained in years. But the drought has become a problem nationwide.

In Baringo, in the Rift Valley, people are eating cactus because corn and wheat have gotten so expensive. In Nyeri, in central Kenya, some have turned to pig feed. In Nairobi, the capital, even the fanciest neighborhoods often go without running water for a week. And it is dark too. Kenya relies on hydropower for electricity, so less rainfall means less power.

The Kenyan government has begun to respond, organizing some highly publicized food deliveries to famine-prone areas. But many Kenyan officials almost seem in denial.

Chaunga Mwachaunga is the acting district officer in Lokori, an especially parched town in northern Kenya. He bristled when presented with reports that dozens of children in his area had recently died of hunger.

“Hunger? How do we know they died of hunger?” he said. “I know there’s not enough food for people, but we can be sure that nobody will die of hunger while the Kenyan government is here. Show me the death certificates.”

It is hard to find any death certificates when there are few hospitals. Entering this area is like stepping back in time.

Lokori is home to the Turkana, who cling tightly to their traditions. The women wear wreaths of beads and shave their hair into Mohawks. The men scar their backs in puffy patterns and wear disc-like bracelets that double as razors. They live in gumdrop-shaped huts scattered across the sandy plateau and herd animals to survive.

Even in a good year, life here is extremely precarious. But this year malnutrition rates among the Turkana have soared way past emergency thresholds.

Turkana children, dressed in little more than a sheet, are hiking 20 miles for a gallon of water. Turkana men are abandoning families, simply vanishing into the desert because they cannot face the shame of being unable to feed their children. Many people here now have nothing to eat but the chalky, bitter fruits that grow wild in the desert. They smash them open with rocks to get at the barely edible part inside.

World Vision is distributing emergency rations to the worst-off areas. The other day, Mr. Lolua, who said he lost his 3-year-old son in June, waited with a group of men under a thorn tree for a scoop of porridge.

Another whisper of a man named Ekitela was so skinny and his hands shook so much he could barely hold the cup he had been given.

“I’m not as old as I look,” he said. “It’s just I don’t have any food.”

He then started choking on the porridge, which was the color and texture of sand, and was rescued by a capful of water from his granddaughter.

Perhaps equally worrisome is the rising ethnic conflict. The Turkana call their neighbors, the Pokot, ”the enemy” and said intense clashes recently broke out because of the shrinking amount of grazing land. One Turkana woman said “the enemy” had killed her son, stolen all her animals and driven her off her land.

Meteorologists predict rains will be coming by October, and they may even bring the other extreme from present conditions. Another El Niño cycle is forecast, which after years of drought and earth baked to a rock-hard crust could bring the opposite problem: floods.

stay off the paved road...

-craig

A Reminder

2009-09-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share this pic. It was taken this past weekend at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was a very sobering time as we had a service for our very good friend Don Oatley. Don was proud to serve his country and requested his burial be at the National Cemetery. As we drove through the cemetery it was certainly a time to reflect upon the freedom that we have in this country because of so many brave men and women who have gone before us. We were also reminded that many of them made the ultimate sacrifice. Take the opportunity to honor our service men and women.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Everything That Doesn't Hurt Doesn't Work

2009-08-31T08:37:00.000-07:00

My blog title is just one of the signs that greeted me this morning in my office. Below are some pics. I am still counting black baloons. I do have to say that "50" is not so bad.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

The Love of a Father

2009-08-28T16:10:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you have seen this, but I wanted to put it up because it is an incredible story of devotion, sacrifice, and the BEAUTIFUL love of a father.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Helping Hands

2009-08-03T00:15:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share some pictures of helping hands. We gathered at FBC on Saturday morning to put together school supply packs to distribute to children in the community.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Operation Helping Hands

2009-07-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

I just have a few thoughts about our "Operation Helping Hands" projects at FBC. By the end of the summer, we will have had the privilege to change oil in the cars of single moms, make home repairs and do yard work for those in need, provide school supplies for children in San Juan County, and provide smoke detector batteries for numerous homes in the Bloomfield area. I see this as the church being the church. Yes we will continue to give attention to spiritual needs. We will also continue to follow the model of Jesus' ministry and give attention to the whole person.

Let's Keep Being the Church,

Craig

Block Party

2009-07-24T08:17:00.001-07:00

Question: What do all of the images below have in common?
Answer: You are going to see them at the upcoming Block Party at FBC Bloomfield on August 8.

Stay off the paved road...

--craig

Helping Hands

2009-07-16T14:37:00.000-07:00

FBC Bloomfield recently conducted a Single Mom's Oil Change. Additional ways we will share "Helping Hands" this summer are through A Home Repair Project, School Supply Give-a-Way, and Smoke Detector Battery Give-a-Way in the community. Below are some pics from our oil change.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

TRIBES

2009-07-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to New York I picked up a book called "Tribes - We Need You to Lead Us." The author presents the basic premise of the book as follows: "If you think leadership is only for other people, you're wrong. We need YOU to lead us." A tribe is described by the author as a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea. I want to share a quote from the book concerning the posture of a leader.

If you hear my idea but don't believe it, that's not your fault; it's mine.

If you see my new product but don't buy it, that's my fault, not yours.

If you attend my presentation and you're bored, that's my fault too.

If I fail to persuade you to implement a policy that supports my tribe, that's due to my lack of passion or skill, not your shortsightedness.

If you are a student in my class and you don't learn what I'm teaching, I've let you Down.

It is a common thing to blame others for our lack of effort, passion, or vision. Let me conclude with one final quote by the author, "You get to choose who understands."

stay off the paved road...

--craig

It's Been a While

2009-07-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

Things have been very busy this summer, but we are having an awesome time engaging in ministry at FBC Bloomfield. As most of you know, we were in the Chicago area earlier this month as our son was married. It was such a blessing to share in this special day with Zach and Jacki. We also had a great time with grand babies?

More pics of the wedding will be coming soon.

stay off the paved road,

-craig

A Night at the Races

2009-05-23T23:51:00.000-07:00

The pic above was taken at the Aztec Speedway. I had the privilege on Saturday evening to pray for the drivers at the driver's meeting, and then pray prior to the start of racing. In consideration of this being Memorial Day Weekend, I wanted to share the prayer with you;

Dear Heavenly Father - we gather at the track this evening with a great sense of appreciation and thankfulness to you for the freedoms that we enjoy in our nation. On this Memorial Day weekend we are grateful to those who have gone before us - upon whose shoulder we stand - those who have fought for our liberty and for the scores who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Let us never forget.

We turn our attention to the track this evening and again acknowledge your sovereign grace. God, you know each driver, in fact you know them by name, and you know each of their families represented here this evening. Father, guide them, protect them, watch over them, and keep them safe.

Dear God, we pray that you will bless this night, we pray that you would bless our great nation - and Father we pray that you will bless those who stand watch this evening - all over the world - safe guarding our liberty and our Freedom. We know that freedom is never free.

In the precious name of Jesus I Pray. AMEN

FBC Bloomfield

2009-05-19T14:28:00.001-07:00

Be sure to check out our new website at http://www.fbcbloomfield.org/.

stay off the paved road.....

-craig

Nets, Bikes, and Water

2009-04-27T13:53:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my previous blog, malaria is a major problem on the African Continent. Every 30 seconds a child in Africa dies of Malaria. Our desire is to meet physical as well as spiritual needs. During our mission trip in December, we will provide mosquito nets (like the one below) to families in western Kenya. Another one of our goals is to help with the economic situation in the villages by purchasing as much as possible in the country. Please contact me if you are interested in contributing to this project. We will be able to purchase treated nets in Kenya for about $10.00 per net.

We also plan to provide bicycles for pastors serving in the western region. Most pastors have to travel long distances by foot. The photograph below is of pastors in the Nairobi area receiveing new bicycles. This project was sponsored by the Ruiru Baptist Church where Samson Kisia is the pastor. We have worked with Samson for about 8 years. Please contact me if you would like more information about providing bicycles for pastors.

I also wanted to give a report on the Kenya water project. The picture below shows the pump house which houses the well and the assembly of a storage tank system. The plan is to also pump water to different areas. God blessed us with the opportunity to provide much needed clean drinking water. The final picture shows how desperately the well was needed.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

Help Fight Malaria

2009-04-16T14:11:00.000-07:00

Malaria plagued Europe and North America as recently as 60 years ago. Simple public health measures were crucial to eliminating the disease and helping those regions achieve growth, prosperity and stability.

Today, for the first time in 50 years, the international community is poised to win the fight against malaria worldwide. Effective, low-cost tools exist to prevent and treat the disease and new and improved tools are currently being developed and tested. A consensus global action plan has been put forth to guide a coordinated international effort to control, eliminate and eventually eradicate malaria. A robust Partnership, uniting all key actors and stakeholders in malaria control, is in place to respond to challenges that no organization or government can face alone.

The next two years present a rare window of opportunity to save a million lives by rapidly delivering malaria interventions - protective nets, diagnostic tests, antimalarial drugs and indoors spraying - to all people at risk of the disease and to pave the way towards virtually ending deaths by 2015. (from World Malaria Day Blog)

Each 30 seconds, a child dies from malaria. We would like to provide protective nets when we travel to Africa in December. Please contact me for more information.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

The Love of God

2009-04-14T15:28:00.000-07:00

That's My King! Do You Know Him?

2009-04-09T10:53:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you have seen a version of this video, but as we draw close to Resurrection Sunday, I thought it would be a great message to share.

stay off the paved road...
--craig

Africa Mission 2009-2010

2009-04-02T14:56:00.000-07:00

Since our first mission adventure to Africa in 2001, God has tremendously expanded our outreach. I will continue to communicate the needs so you can pray intelligently, support the projects, or be on mission with us during our December 30, 2009 to January 10, 2010 trip. This is a joint venture between Crossroads Church of Pittsburgh and First Baptist Church Bloomfield, New Mexico.

One of the new areas of ministry this year will be optical and medical ministry. We have been blessed with opportunity as well as the committed individuals to conduct both an eye clinic (with distribution of glasses) and a basic medical clinic (with vaccinations). During these clinics, we will also minister the Gospel as hundreds of men, women, and children gather each day for medical attention.

In addition to the medical clinics, we are planning to engage in church planting, construct a church, conduct a pastor's conference, go hut to hut to share the Gospel, teach teens True Love Waits, (abstinence education) conduct ministry (VBS type) to children both in schools and in the community, prayer walk, and possibly help with another well project. Much of what we are able to do will depend on resources.

As you read this blog, it may confirm that you need to step out and go "on mission." We highly value prayer and would ask that you begin to pray now for every aspect of the trip. If you would like to support projects such as church construction or a water well please contact me at cmontroy@qwestoffice.net.

You can check out a video of previous work in Kenya on YouTube.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

East Africa Mission 2010

2009-03-31T10:39:00.000-07:00

We are currently planning a mission trip to Kenya. The dates are December 30, 2009 through January 10, 2010. The video is a compilation of pics from previous trips and video footage from our 2008 trip. Please contact me at cmontroy@qwestoffice.net if you would like to receive further information. I will also be sharing more details on the blog.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

PRECIOUS

2009-03-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like time with the grandchildren to keep one off the computer. Hannah and Noelle did request that I share these pics with you.

Hannah is ONE

2009-03-14T15:20:00.001-07:00

Well, it doesn't seem possible, but grandchild #1 is a year old today. This is Hannah Elizabeth's first taste of cereal. I took the video last July before we moved to New Mexico. This is my first experience in video editing so it is somewhat brief. There will be more grand children (Hannah, Caleb, Noelle) videos to come. We are traveling to Pennsylvania next week and will certainly take many pics and video.

stay off the paved road...

---craig

Leer School Project

2009-03-13T07:38:00.000-07:00

This is the site of the Leer School Project that was begun last summer. Leer is close to the Nile in the South Central part of Sudan. This is an area that was totally devastated during the North South civil war. Many of the communities have had to be totally rebuilt. There are thousands of children in the area with very limited school facilities. In fact, this would be the only school for a large population of children. Our goal is to finish the project. Resources are needed for completion of the school. If you are interested in helping, please contact me by e-mail (cmontroy@qwestoffice.net) for more information. We also plan to return to Sudan in January of 2010. When e-mailing you can also request more information about the trip.

stay off the paved road...

--craig

"Into Africa"

2009-03-06T12:49:00.000-08:00

If you check out my blog history, you will find a great deal about Africa. In the coming weeks and months you will hear much more. We are in the planning stages of a January 2010 trip to Kenya and Sudan. We are partnering with some awesome believers in Africa and look forward to being "on mission" with them soon. We will be working in a new area on the Kenya/Uganda border. We also have an unfinished project in Sudan that we would like to complete. We started building a school last summer and would love to see it finished. I will share more details in the future. Please let me know if you have an interest in mission work on the African continent.

stay off the paved road...

--craig