Jose Zayas

Just call me "glocal"...

The only constant in life and ministry is change.

For me, every week, month, and year are...different.  Different countries, different kinds of outreach events, yet the same goal:  help people to know and follow Jesus.

One of the greatest and most challenging parts of this juggling act called being a husband, father, writer, speaker, and frequent flier mile hoarder is balancing what I do in Portland and where I go around the world.

For years I've been on the teaching team at an amazing church called Solid Rock. In between trips I've plugged as much energy possible to help the people of Solid Rock live on mission to the people around them.

And I've seen the church grow to two locations and thousands of worshippers from across region.  There are people driving more than 45 minutes each way to sit in a packed room...and loving it. Crazy. And inspiring.

Well this "one church in two locations" is now expanding to "three."  

And I'm going to be at the center of a team of leaders praying, dreaming, planning, and launching "Solid Rock: Sunset."

We had our first meeting last night for interested people.  Close to 250 people packed the room.  An epic start for sure.

So...to answer a question I've been peppered with a bunch this month...

"JOSE, ARE YOU STILL AN EVANGELIST?  OR ARE YOU NOW A PASTOR?

Here's my answer:  I'm glocal.

I'm fully committed to the GLOBAL mission of Jesus.  

And Jose Zayas Evangelism International, a ministry we started a decade ago, is still alive and growing.  I'll be part of outreaches to Estonia, Uganda, Romania, and the UK in the next 12 months, as well as speaking at outreach festivals across the US.

Yes...I AM STILL AN EVANGELIST.

That's not a job you apply for...it's a gift given by the Holy Spirit for the good of the church at large ---to equip God's people to live out the mission of Jesus wherever they live.

I'm also fully committed to the LOCAL mission of Jesus.

I've joined the Solid Rock team to help lead this new expression in the Sunset corridor of Portland.  And I'm praying that the end result with be many more people following Jesus in fresh ways and that thousands of Christians would be awakend to God's global plan to rescue people from every tribe, tongue, and nation.

Global.  Local.  I'm glocal.

If you're now asking "how are you going to pull off doing both?"  Great question.  I have no idea. And that's what excites me most...

 

Next stop...Uganda...August 1-16

A team of 20 university students will join me on mission to Arua and Kampala, Uganda this August. Pray for changed lives as we reach out to students with the Gospel!

One of the most exciting parts of this mission is a new church that will be planted in Arua. More details to follow...

Friday night outreach in Parnu, Estonia a few hours away...

Months of praying and planning have led to tonight's outreach.

The band has connected with more than 2,000 students in schools this week.

We've invited people to register online for the event...and we've got more than 800 registered so far.

Please pray NOW for God to move in the hearts of students and that many will respond to faith in Jesus Christ.

AND pray that those who respond come to a follow up gathering on Saturday to talk about what it means to follow Jesus day by day.

Excited (and nervous, as always)

jose

19 year old "grandmother" in Parnu, Estonia...

Many of the Christian leaders in Estonia are young.

It's early Thursday here.  We spent Wednesday in schools, doing 3 "mini-concerts," speaking in English classes (to help students practice their English...sharing our stories with them), and a team taught classes on Sex, Self Esteem, and Values.

Last night we met with some of the Christian youth groups to prepare these students to speak with those who respond to Christ.

All of these pre-events are building up to a large outreach this weekend.

One of the 19 year old leaders, who meets with younger girls each Saturday for discipleship said, "I've been following Jesus for five years now and last Saturday one of the girls who recently came to faith said--"You're like our grandmother!"

It was meant to be a compliment (I think?!).

One of the great and healthy things is that many of the leaders and pastors we meet are young.  They are serious about their walk with God and desire to see their nation follow Jesus.

And one of the challenges is that many of the leaders we meet are...well, young!

That's one of the benefits of joining churches in mission.  We learn from each other.  Share ideas.  Encourage.  And try things that might seem outside the box.

So as you pray for us here in Parnu this week...pray for the many young Christians and young leaders...that will continue to mature in their faith without losing the passion and zeal to serve the Lord.

Here's a few pics...more to come...

Yes, Ben can teach geography (will a very nice new pointer, I might add)

 

Ben and Jim meet the local...statue (short converstion...Ben and Jim don't speak Estonian)

 

 

 

Tim Cheshire...on outreach in the UK...

Hey everyone...

Tim Cheshire's become a great friend over the past two years.  We've been a part of outreaches in England, Scotland, and Wales.  He's the frontman for the band, Superhero...who are on and ambitious two-year world tour to reach as many people with the Gospel as possible through music and preaching.

Pray for Tim and the band-- www.superhero.org.uk.  And invite them to join you in outreach!! 

 

 

Tim Cheshire...on outreach in the UK... from Jose Zayas on Vimeo.

God at work in Caithness, Scotland...

God at work in Caithness, Scotland... from Jose Zayas on Vimeo.

UK Tour stop in Swanage, England...

Swanage, England from Jose Zayas on Vimeo.

Video report from northern Scotland...

2,000 years of Scottish history...in one location! from Jose Zayas on Vimeo.

UK tour about to begin...

I'm in the Seattle airport waiting to board a plane for Amsterdam and onto Manchester, England. Over the next two weeks I'll be part of outreaches and/or outreach training events in seven cities across England and Scotland.

I love ministry in the UK.

Is it easy?!  No.  Is it fruitful?!  YES!!!

Reading Acts 26v17 this morning, I'm reminded of God's call on Paul to live on mission:

Jesus said to Paul, "I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them."

You and I have been SENT by Jesus to share of His Rescue Story.  God revealed Himself to Paul and rescued Him...so that the nations would follow Jesus.  In one sense, the fact that I'm writing this email to you about the upcoming UK tour is evidence of the Gospel's power.  2000 years after Paul preached to King Agrippa, the Good News continues to spread through obedient followers.

Please pray that God would work in power as I travel to Lincoln, Bradford, Thurso, Wick, Northampton, Swanage, and London.
 
Jesus continued, "I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Pray for:

OPEN EYES:  Pray that Jesus would so convincing to cause hundreds to leave their "old life" and follow Jesus--the Light.

POWER: Pray that the power of Satan would be broken by the power of the Holy Spirit as I preach.

FORGIVENESS:  Pray that guilt and shame would be replaced by freedom and joy as people respond to Jesus.

RENEWAL:  I love the line here "a place among those who are sanctified by faith."  Pray for the Church in the UK, the there would be a renewed passion to reach those who live far from God.

I'll be updating you with more pics and video....thanks for praying!

For open eyes,

Jose

What you can bank on...

I'm not a big fan of banks these days.

For two and a half years, my wife and I have been trying to sell our home in North Carolina.  When we moved back to Portland we figured it would take a few months...(not 30 and counting!!).

The finanicial crisis that hit in September 2008 is still being felt by billions of people around the globe---no exaaggeration.  In my travels these past two years I've heard horrific stories of heartache and loss.  The overly optimistic bubble has been popped.

Housing values can and do go down.  Who believed that five years ago??!!

Well, we were one step away from selling our home on Monday.  I was anticipating a call from our bank to go over final details---as it's a short sale and the house is worth at least $60,000 less than we paid for it a couple of years ago.

The conversation turned negative.  The bank offered "new terms" that are ridiculous.  The sale offer was rejected.

What was going to be a day of hope and relief turned to confusion and gloom.

Needlesss to say, I walked around in a fog most of Tuesday (ironically on the sunniest days in Portland in a long time).

By Tuesday evening and especially this morning, the gloom has turned to joy.

Why am I "banking" on the bank to come through?  Our financial system is broken...because people are broken.  Greed rules.  Ethics are subjective.  And the finanical "bottom line" is the last word.

While we've tried our hardest to do what's right...sometimes even our best efforts are not enough.

Tough reality.

I read Psalm 33 this morning.  What a word of hope to our present situation!!  The entire Psalm is amazing...but let me remind you of verses 16-19:

No king is saved by the size of his army;
   no warrior escapes by his great strength.

 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
   despite all its great strength it cannot save.

But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
   on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

to deliver them from death
   and keep them alive in famine.

Where's our hope?  It SHOULD be, says the Psalmist, in God ALONE.  Kings fail.  Horses (smart bombs, drone planes, and nuclear weapons included) don't rescue.

But God is WATCHING everything.  I can bank on that.  God is FOR US.  I can bank on that.  God CAN AND WILL deliver us from death and keep us alive in famine.

So in a strange way this situation has been a healthy thing.  It's caused me to go deeper in my dependancy on God for day to day life and the things that I can't control (no matter how hard I try!!).

Friend....hang on....

Not to stuff, human hope, or just a "positive attitude."  Hang on to God...who sent His Son Jesus to prove to all of us once for all that His love and power are enough to get us through...with joy.

Smiling again,

jose

 

When Krispy Kreme Doughnuts are part of a healthy diet...

It's a new year.

And like most of the people I know, I'm hoping to drop a few "holiday pounds."

But I'm going to Krispy Kreme this afternoon and I can't wait!

It's healthy, sort of.

My son, Jonah, is 8 years old and has been given verses from the Scriptures at church to memorize.

It's been fun to watch him learn from the Bible each week and put God's thoughts to memory.

So we're trying something new at our house to make the most of the opporutnity (and calories).

Jonah loves Krispy Kreme...especially when the "lights are on" and he can watch the doughnuts being made.

Hot fresh glazed doughnut + cold mik= a very happy boy.

So on Saturdays, Jonah and I have committed this year to talk about his memory verses over some tasty doughnuts.

And doughnuts aren't the only incentive.  If Jonah memorizes his weekly Bible verse he gets $1.

If I don't have the same verse memorized he gets another $1.

No matter what...we get to eat Krispy Kreme and talk about "what the verse says, what it means, and why it's important to everyday life."

I want my son to learn at an early age that what God has to say is really important.  And learning about God can and should be enjoyable (and life-changing).

Yes...Krispy Kreme can be part of a heathly diet.  I get to hang out with my son, talk about the Bible, and watch my boy "light up" that he gets to be with dad and have a sugar high!

And for my "health conscience" friends that think I'd better serve my son by doing the same thing while eating organic granola or carrot sticks...here's my humble reply: "Get a life!  Be a kid.  Enjoy a doughnut."

To a new year with my son learning the Bible at his favorite doughnut spot,

jose