December 16, 2022

 

He chose us in him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of His glorious grace which he has freely given us in the One he loves.  Ephesians 1:4-6

               When I think about the season of Advent, the word that always comes to my mind is “waiting.”  It’s not a word that evokes feelings of firelight and presents or food and family.  When my kids are begging me to go somewhere or do something, the last word they want to hear is “wait.”  We spent all this past week at the school book fair, and my son wanted a different new thing every day, and he always looked crushed when I said “Wait until the end and then we’ll decide.”  I’m also hard pressed to think of an adult that I now who enjoys being told to wait.  I think patience is a fruit of the Spirit because it's one of those things that doesn’t come to us naturally.

               And yet, waiting seems to be God’s modus operandi.  For the One who is Eternally present, waiting makes sense.  How miserable would tomorrow be if everything we ever wanted happened today?  The most miserable people I know are the ones who have everything they thought they ever wanted.  Waiting is also the anticipation of a kid for Christmas morning.  It’s the excitement of a bride and groom who kept the wedding day sacred.  It’s finally enjoying the fruit of your long labor.  The joy of holding your baby after hours or days of birth pains. 

               In my own life, “hurry up and wait” is like, on my to do list.  Longing for people whom I love but am separated from for a season.  Hoping for the Lord to come through in so many areas of life, family, ministry, finance…  The temptation is to think that if God doesn’t answer me right now, according to my time, it’s probably never going to happen and everything is hopeless.  But then that small voice reminds me that I’ve been saved from hopelessness because I serve a God who authors hope, fulfills hope, and designs hope for my good.  Without that icky word waiting, there is no such thing as hope!

               Joseph overcame betrayal, slavery, false imprisonment and literally just being forgotten.  The kids books and movies don’t do justice to the decades of waiting he experienced, and yet after all of the victories seemed won, his grandchildren spent 400 years as slaves.  How many generations of Israelites were born as slaves in Egypt, lived their entire lives as slaves in Egypt, and died as slaves in Egypt without ever seeing the outcome of their suffering?  How many of them felt like God had simply forgotten about them?

               God eventually called Moses to lead them out, but to what?  More waiting.  Kings lived and died, and eventually the Israelites were led into exile, more waiting.  The prophets were silent for another 300 or so years…more hopeless generations.  But without waiting there’s no place for hope.

               Paul said that before the world was founded, we were chosen In Christ to be holy and blameless, adopted to sonship.  That’s worth waiting for.  The Israelites learned and proved that “holy and blameless” is impossible to achieve on our own.  But the Lord knew that.  He predestined us to the adoption that Christ made possible…before the world was even founded.  If he can do that, working through thousands of years of…waiting…what am I so worried about? 

               When I think about the season of Advent, the word that always comes to my mind is “waiting.”  Not because Christmas is just miserable and reminds me of the perceived misery of waiting, but because this is the season where we remember that, after thousands of years of waiting and hundreds of years of absolute silence, God finally broke through the barrier and entered His creation to be with us and fulfill that adoption that was predestined before the foundation of the world.

               Waiting feels miserable for limited, impatient, fallen people, but hope fulfilled is worth the wait.  Christ is here, He’s not a baby anymore, He satisfied your debt and freely offers you His perfect righteousness, He inaugurated your adoption plan, He promises to end it all with something even better.  Merry Christmas, following Christ is worth the wait.

 

Justin, Amy, Ezekiel and Caleb Culp

September 27, 2022

          I’ve been to more than twenty countries around the world, and every state east of Kansas City, but I’ve never been west of Wichita and Salina, KS. I’ve also driven through a few mountains but, apart from the small hills in Lohutok, have never spent time in mountains outside of a vehicle. Labor Day weekend, Amy had a friend getting married in St. Louis and I had the chance to go to a conference in Estes Park. The kids came to Colorado with me and it was an exciting weekend. 

          The conference was an event for Merge and Vision 5:9, which is an association of missions organizations who have the goal of reaching the Muslim diaspora in the USA with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a great chance to meet people from other places in the USA who are involved in the same kind of work. We got to talk about different approaches and strategies, network with people who would be interested in the training course our team provides, make some fun new friends, and connect with some old friends. I even got to talk to some people about ways to use CRM to improve processes…the boring stuff that I do now. 

          The kids are back in school full swing, Amy’s working as a para, I’m learning a new software and networking with churches to talk about Muslim ministry. I’m also volunteering as the librarian at the kids’ school (Don’t I strike you as a librarian? Haha). I’m speaking at churches and trying to get people involved in reaching the Muslims around them, and also trying to get our support back up. Other than that, these newsletters are hard to write because life just feels…boring! 

           Thank you so much for keeping up with us, our calendars, praying and caring. We couldn’t do this without you!

July 28, 2022

I introduced the boys to Star Wars…Now they have a whole new set of games to play hahaha. I went to the supper table one night and saw this

          Do you ever wonder if you’re really accomplishing anything? I do. Do you ever feel like the Lord has put you in a place where everything you are supposed to be doing is something you just aren’t good at or equipped for? I do. Sometimes the Lord gives us little glimpses of what He is doing, but not always. When I read where Paul was told “My grace is sufficient for you, My power is made perfect in weakness” I’m like…yeah that’s good for Paul who knew deep down that he wasn’t really weak…right? When I think of the Apostle Paul, weak is the last thing that comes to mind, but I’m starting to think that Paul probably saw himself differently. Maybe when he talked about only boasting in the cross, he wasn’t just speaking platitudes because he knew he could take credit for so much more…he really did feel like he didn’t deserve credit for anything. 

          In the past few weeks I’ve been struck with the degree to which I really don’t feel qualified for anything that I’m doing right now! I’ve had seasons where I’ve thought “Wow, now THIS is what I was made for” but this is not one of those seasons. Pretty much every area of responsibility I have today involves a steep learning curve, and it’s hard to find a place to stand! 

           Last week I was working on SalesForce, which is part of what I am doing for our new Pioneers team. When I talked to one of their nonprofit employees who helps people get started, he said “Most nonprofits I talk to don’t have somebody with your level of understanding” and it felt like he was either trying to be nice…or saying they all know more than I do! 

           Later that week, while running errands with the boys in the car, I was listening to a book called Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus. Here I am today as a student in the course that I should eventually be able to lead, and the author of this book was one of the speakers in the course material. The boys were in the backseat playing as I listened to the book, and then all of a sudden Ezekiel said “Dad can you pause this?” I thought he was getting bored with it, but he had actually been listening and wanted to clarify that he was hearing it right! People actually believe that Jesus is the Messiah, Word of God, sinless, born of a virgin, coming back to judge the world, and yet ISN’T God and didn’t die for sins? I got very little work done that day because Ezekiel spent 3-4 hours listening, stopping, asking questions, backing up to listen some more, and comprehending things that so many adults have trouble with. 

          Are you in Christ? If you are, God is not inactive. In his immutability, he is so infinitely active that He could never be more or less so. Despite our weakness, insecurity and failure, God chose to use you, and me, for His kingdom…believe it or not. Justin Culp

June 28, 2022

            What would it mean to you to “get your life right”? If you woke up one morning and said “Finally, I’ve gotten my life right, now I can follow God.” What would it take for you to be able to say that? 

          This is part of a conversation I had this week when I was selling off one of our used vehicles. I listed the vehicle for sale online and 3 hours later I was riding in the passenger seat with a man who wanted to buy it. He asked me what I did for a living and I told him, and he said “Man I just can’t get away from you church people.” I asked him what he meant and he started tearing up, telling me about problems at work and home. I offered to pray for him and he said “I know what I need to do, I just need to get my life right, I’ve got a lot of problems.”

          I asked my new friend what he meant and he said “I just have to stop doing some stuff.” When I asked him what he had to stop doing he just got kind of uncomfortable. I said “Can I help you with that?” He said sure, and I explained the gospel to him. The gospel is not “get my life right and God will accept me.” If someone preaches that to you, that person is preaching a false gospel. Jesus condescended himself to humanity so that he could fully and completely bear the sin, sorrow and shame of mankind. Those who hear the gospel and turn from their sin to follow Christ and faith are consequently hidden in Christ with God. That means that all of the righteousness and obedience that belonged to Jesus when God looked down from heaven and said “This is my son in whom I am well pleased” belongs to you if you belong to Christ.

          Those sins that you need to “make right” are wrong and harmful and worth getting rid of, but trying to do it by your own strength in order to “get your life right” is like a snake eating his own tail. Jesus makes you righteous, Jesus gives you the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit gives you the conviction and power (through those sufferings and trials of life, work, church, family, and so on) to have victory over sin and shame as you rely more and more on Him to redeem your utter wickedness. That’s the gospel. That’s why we do what we do. That’s why we get up every morning. That’s why all of this is worth it.

Thanks!

Justin, Amy, Ezekiel and Caleb Culp

May 30, 2022

 

         It was fifty degrees outside and Amy, Ezekiel and I were standing in Smithville Lake with a couple of hundred people watching. We didn’t get very many pictures because we were all in the water, so I don’t have any to share here, but it’s probably the coolest thing that happened since I wrote to you last. I asked Ezekiel why he wanted to be baptized and he said, “I am repenting and believing in Jesus and I want everyone to know about it.” 

          The last couple of months have flown by. I’ve been learning a new program for my new role with Pioneers, taking a course on Islam, proofreading another one, helping with field trips, speaking in churches, making hundreds of phone calls to potential supporters and churches, speaking in some churches both familiar and new, working on our house and cars, and more! The kids and Amy are done with school for the summer, we don’t have any big plans to travel. Amy is working on come continuing education/certification that she needs and we’re looking into other needs that we are working on as a family but are harder to do during the school year. 

          The past few weeks I’ve been taking the online Encountering the World of Islam course. We are currently in lesson 4 out of 12. I’ve been meditating this week on the shame and disgrace of the cross and the humility to which Christ calls us when He says “If anyone wishes to come after me he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” The cross is a hard concept for Muslims to grasp because honor and shame are so important. Who could believe that God would shame his prophet like that? 

           Even further, just thinking about honor and shame when witnessing to Muslim friends, it’s a hard thing to do effectively. We frequently listen to someone talk about what we believe as if it’s ridiculous and silly, and we are ridiculous and silly for believing it… I don’t like being talked to that way and I want to answer in kind, but can I communicate the gospel without attacking back? Can I accept the shame without shaming in return? I’m not very good at being insulted without defending myself, but that’s exactly what Jesus did. He bore our sin without ever coming to His own defense and thereby took our sorrows, shame, grief and sin on Himself so that we could have eternal life. I have a long way to go, how about you? 

          Thanks for keeping up with us and praying. Feel free to reply to this email if you want to communicate with us! 

Justin, Amy, Ezekiel and Caleb

March 28, 2022

 

    If you know, you know

A few weeks ago we were getting ready to have our nightly family Bible time. Amy and Ezekiel were still getting ready, so it was just Caleb and me in the living room. I asked Caleb, “If Jesus came back to Earth right now, do you think you would go to heaven?” He said yes. I asked him why and he said “Because Jesus died for our sins.” I said “For everybody’s sins?” He said yes. I said “So everybody gets to go to heaven?” He said “No, only people who repent and believe in Jesus.” I said “Have you repented?” He said “Well, yes I did…” and I said “So when you stand in front of God, are you going to have sin?” He said no. I asked him why and he said “I repented.” Then I said “Have you sinned since you repented?” He said “Well obviously.” I said “So what about that sin?” 

He paused for a while and then said “I don’t know.” I got my Bible out to start Bible time because Ezekiel had joined us, but Ezekiel stopped me and said “Daddy can I try?” I said sure, and Ezekiel said something like this: When Jesus died and rose from the dead, He had victory over sin and death. When I repent and believe in Jesus, He isn’t just forgiving my old sins, it’s like when God looks at me instead of seeing my sin, He sees Jesus’ perfectness.” When I finished crying, we had family Bible time. 

I love that my nine-year-old already understands imputed righteousness better than a whole bunch of people five times his age. Because Jesus’ perfect record is mine, I have the authority (and responsibility) to preach the gospel regardless of what kind of morning I’ve had, or how ministry is going, or how capable or dumb or strong or worthless I am feeling at the time. That’s been my meditation for quite some time now.

I got back from Uganda and South Sudan at the beginning of March and then the kids had spring break. I’ve started learning the new things I need to know for my role on the Encountering the World of Islam team, and have been trying to get in touch with churches and others to find opportunities to share and raise more support. Thank you all for praying for us and keeping in touch. It means the world!

Would you vote for president Caleb?

February 28, 2022

Caleb made an “Exploding Potion” for his school science fair this year.

By now most of you know about the transition that we are going through as a family.  After extending our home assignment for a while to handle some educational and health issues, and then adding “Maybe another few months” for a while, we were told that we need to plan on spending a couple of years in the USA while we work some of these things out. 
 

              You can probably imagine some of the range of emotions we’ve experienced during this process, other experiences surrounding “re-entry” as it applies to relationships and everyday life are a bit harder to relate to.  We do appreciate all of the encouraging conversations we’ve had with our supporters, and the time you spend keeping up with us and praying.
 

              I am writing this newsletter from Uganda, I have been in Africa for the last few weeks.  I had to come back and close down our home.  Anything we leave behind will get destroyed by rats and termites, so most of my time was spent deciding what to throw away, give away, sell away and pack away.  I was able to spend a few evenings having supper with other missionary friends which was nice.  After twelve years, these Germans, Kiwis and South Africans are people I can easily enjoy and relate to, while at “home” it feels way more difficult.  I had a few tearful goodbyes with Paul and Michael and Teresa.  Now I’m trying to sell one last vehicle and getting ready for my flight back to Kansas City.  When I get back I will settle into a new role within Pioneers on a team called Encountering the World of Islam.  I will also be reaching out to more churches for chances to share and hopefully replace some of the donors that we’ve lost in the transition.  The kids are enjoying their teachers and classes at a Christian school that the Lord provided for us.  It really is hard to see what’s next and know what to write about in a newsletter!

For Ezekiel’s science fair project his class did “Habitats.”  He chose savannah because that’s what we have in Lohutok.  He was pretty proud of it.

 

              This morning I was reading the Bible and I came to Psalm 13.  I was reading Psalms out loud and this one I just couldn’t get through!  I started over again and again and was just fascinated at the way that King David was saying the same thing that I’ve been praying for months.  Sometimes it’s hard to go from verse 4 to verse 5 (look it up J ) but we know that in Christ we must!  As I am grieving the reality of leaving my friends and family behind for such a long time, I’m trying to force myself to meditate on the truth of the Gospel.  No snakes, no stones…only good gifts from a perfect and loving Father who is in Heaven.

               Please pray for us as we make this transition, talk about it with our kids, try to budget while recovering from support loss, learn how to have meaningful Christian relationships with people in the USA again, and work towards healing for future ministry.