February Newsletter

Dear friends,

Mark Thrash(CRM Development), Will and Maggie Brooke
(CRM Board), Norris Williams(CRM Middle East Director),
Sam Metcalf(CRM President) enjoying the Mediterranean
during our recent trip to Beirut. 

Last February, I left for Memphis, Tennessee to start my new role as Sam Metcalf’s assistant. I was excited and nervous about all of the unknowns, but I had no idea what God had in store for me. As I look back, it has been an amazing year where God has worked in my life, but also in the lives of other people. So today I would like to share one story about the impact God has had in the life of a young Chinese man. 

But first I want to just say that we serve an amazing God who deserves all of the glory and praise. A God who from the beginning has longed to bring the nations closer to Him, through intense dedication to this plan God has consistently sent out and established servants to be messengers for Himself. From Abraham to Jesus and now to us we have all played apart in bringing God glory through reaching the world for Christ. So thank you for actively being apart of God’s heart to bring the nations into His kingdom and may you be blessed with the same promises God made to Abraham!  

 Michael

In a simple Chinese apartment, a small group of young individuals meet to hear the testimony of two visiting Thai woman. It was in this setting that I met Michael a young college student with a passion for soccer. Our conversation was limited because of the language barrier, but we connected over sports. It sounds trivial, but that led us to hang out a few times while I stayed in China.

Some of the CRM board members and CRM staff in front of
 John Bunyan's grave. Taken in London during our Conext
meetings.

Over the next few weeks we met only a couple of times and it is an amazing blessing to have had some influence on God working in Michael’s life. Despite my short stay and limited language, some how God used me and other people to bring him to a relationship with Jesus. This is an email I received from Michael shortly after I left China.

…”Anyway, you impressed me deeply, glad to know you, some things happen to me, I have followed Jesus.

 I feel good! and I made a lecture about reading the Bible yesterday, another guy translated for me, I look up to Jesus!”

What a privilege to see God working in a young Chinese leader and I pray the God will continue to use Michael to bring a message of hope to his country.

In the upcoming months Sam and I will be coming up to Spokane. I am really excited about this opportunity and I hope you are as well! We have a number of meetings planned with local pastors and community leaders, but my parents are going to be hosting an event on Sunday March 4^th at 1pm where you are all invited to come and hear Sam share about how God is using CRM around the world. It is not everyday that the president of a missions organization comes to your hometown so I feel quite honored to be hosting him. I hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to meet the man I have spent the last year with!

St. Paul's Cathedral in London where we
participated in Remembrance Day. 

In other news, I am getting settled into Long Beach and have started meeting new people. Although it is hard with a busy schedule God is beginning to open doors. But soon Sam and I will be off to Nigeria where we will be visiting our Conext Partners. Please be praying for this trip since there has been sporadic violence in the country!

I am deeply grateful for each of you and look forward to another God filled year!

Wherever He leads,

Josh Altmeyer

Christmas and World Travels

Black Forest

The vibrant red, orange and yellow leaves create a nostalgic thoughtful ride as we make our way up the side of a mountain in the Black Forest. Slowly winding around the dense forest, we find ourselves at the top of a hill overlooking miles or should I say kilometers of beautiful German countryside. Mark, Tyler, Sam and myself spend the afternoon catching up on life and what God is doing through them in Germany.

It was a wonderful start to a very busy trip where I had the opportunity to meet some amazing people and get an even broader picture of what God is doing around the world. Sam and I traveled to Karlsruhe (Germany), Budapest (Hungary), Novi Sad (Serbia), Beirut (Lebanon), and London (England).

Serbian leaders on track to become a Conext partner

The purpose of this trip was to meet with our Conext partners. Conext was established a number of years ago when “we made a decision in CRM over a decade ago that we would not evolve into a multi-national corporation. Rather, we would embrace a global ministry model that was an international partnership of national CRM entities, relating to one another on a relational, fraternal basis. We call that international partnership CRM Conext, meaning going together into the future.”

Within CRM our primary goal is to develop Christ centered leaders around the world. Conext is sort of a culmination of that goal in that we desire to see national leaders create their own missions organization within their country. These mission entities work to meet needs within their own country as well adhering to the “great commission” in sending missionaries.

Practically Conext partners have created their own missions organizations in ten different countries.

Nadim sharing about the Middle East

·      Australia

·      East Africa (Harvest Leaders Network)

·      Germany (Mateno - click here for the Google-translated site)

·      Hungary (Barnabas Csoport)

·      Korea

·      The Middle East

·      Singapore (CRMS)

·      South Africa

·      United Kingdom

·      Venezuela

Conext Conference in London

So on this trip Sam and I had the opportunity to meet with the President’s and some board members of our Conext partners. It was a great opportunity for me to sit and listen to men and women from around the world share their story and the amazing things God is doing through their faithfulness.

Metcalf tree trimming party

Its in the simple moments on these trips, like sitting on top of a hill in the Black Forest, that I just sit in awe and gratefulness for all that God has done. Seeing His creation spread out in front of me was a fresh reminder of how truly great our God is and how much He cares about His creation. In addition it was incredible to see and hear from our Conext partners who broadened my perspective on the story God is continuing to write here on earth. So this Christmas I am again inspired by Gods plan and how much Jesus’ life is still changing the world today!

Thank you for your faithfulness and may you be blessed with the joy that Jesus’ birth brings this Christmas!

October Newsletter

Dear friends,

As I write this I am sitting on a folding chair in an otherwise empty apartment in Long Beach, California. With unopened boxes and bare walls the reality slowly begins to settle in that this is my new home. After being on the road for the past seven months staying with so many amazing people around the world it is strange to be in my own home, but on the other hand there is a tremendous peace and excitement in what God has for me here. Before I share what comes next for me a quick update on where I have been is probably needed. Since my last newsletter I have been in Italy, China, Singapore, London, Beirut, Dallas, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. If you would like to learn a bit more about what I have experienced in some of these places, please visit my blog http:/joshaltmeyer@blogspot.com.

My Calling

Brick Lane, London 

Over the past few months God has been refining a clearer calling in my life and how I can go about living that out. I feel that God has called me to serve full time as someone who develops and sends out Christ centered leaders to impact the world for His Kingdom. The investment into one individual leader has the potential of allowing God to impact an entire city, country, or even the world. When a leader understands what God has uniquely gifted and called them to I hope to place them within a structure that facilitates growth and encouragement of those gifts, so that their impact can be maximized. I am willing to step into this calling more long term and fortunately God has placed me within in an organization that has the same passion. So I am happy to say that I will be participating in what God is doing through CRM around the world for the foreseeable future.

Why Long Beach?

Friends in Asia

A question I have asked myself. Since there are many places around the world in which I could choose, but ultimately it is not my choosing because I hope to place myself wherever God leads. Right now that place is Long Beach for a number of different reasons, but primarily God has opened many doors and has given me a real peace about settling into Long Beach for the next few years. That leading is tied into what I am called to do and so here are a few reasons I feel God is leading me to Long Beach. 

Verona, Italy

As many of you know I have been in a unique role as the ministry assistant to Sam Metcalf, the president of CRM. It has been an amazing opportunity that I am extremely grateful for. I will continue to be Sam’s assistant and since he lives in Fullerton, CA it practically makes sense that I live close by. Where personal financial funding allows I will continue to travel with Sam to different countries. For example this November I will be going with Sam to London for a “Conext”  (national leaders who have started their own missions organizations in different countries which are affiliated with CRM) leader conference, Beirut, Serbia, Germany, and Hungary to check in with our missionaries there.  This has been and will continue to be an incredible opportunity that God has used to shape my life.

Mission Exchange Leadership Conference 

When I am not assisting Sam I will be joining a team here in Long Beach called Newminster. Our goal is to work alongside the existing local church to enhance growth, healthiness, and leadership development. Along with that we hope to create new expressions of the local church to reach those who are not followers of Christ. We do all this through a devotion to prayer, relationship with Jesus, solid Biblical foundation, Coaching, Spiritual formation, Church Planting Movements,  “Focused Living” course, inner healing prayer, community development and outreach, and leadership development.  I am very excited to have a community of people who are dedicated to sharing the love of Jesus with Long Beach and I am eager to see how God is going to use each of us.

In closing, there is a lot to be grateful for in my new home and it is wonderful to see Gods hand in the process. Thank you for participating in what God is doing in my life, in Long Beach and around the world.

Wherever He leads,

Josh Altmeyer

 

China and Pathways

Old and New China

Before I left Spokane I watched a BBC series called ‘Wild China’, which showed a vast array of what China has to offer, from beautiful rice paddies to the modern cities. This was not the China I saw although it was beautiful the culture runs so much deeper. Spending five weeks in the city of Kunming has only allowed me to scratch the surface on a country with such a vast history. For most Westerners China is a mysterious country steeped in communism and because of the language barrier most know relatively little about what life in China is really like. Fortunately God has provided a door for some of our staff to live and work there. So I visited this new Pathways team as they seek to learn the language, culture, and most importantly what God has for them in the next few years.

Food Court

As many of you know, my journey started with the intention of going to Spain with a team. The model for doing that was through a program called Pathways, which is now taking place in China.

Pathways strategy:

1. Pathways spurs natural leadership development.  It is a challenging program that will necessitate individuals to be stretched and leadership qualities to emerge.

2. Pathways transplants whole teams into a new or existing CRM ministry site, rather than solely merging individuals into an existing CRM team.

3. Realistic ministry objectives—centered around developing intentional relationships—is expected from the individual’s work, stretching the faith of the individuals involved.

4. Pathways central personal development philosophy is to create experiential learning environments and to process the learning that takes place through coaching and mentoring. Training is interlaced to compliment this style of learning.

Eating deep fried bugs

Pathways goal in each city is to:

1. Catalyze a new generation to authentically connect with Jesus.

2. Create viable and sustainable communities / expressions of the Body that will grow and multiply.

3. Develop leadership that facilitates these types of movements.

Downtown Kunming

It was wonderful to have the opportunity to visit the team in China especially since we were all on a similar journey. I admire their adjustment and integration into a culture as diverse as China. While studying language and settling into normal routines the team has been listening and observing what God has already been doing there. It’s an exciting place to be in terms of hearing and meeting the needs of the Chinese people. I believe God has a big vision as to how He plans to use this team to expand His Kingdom in China. I am also eager to see how God uses the Pathways program to send people all over the world.

Nightlife

Singapore and Coaching

While I have been staying in Kunming, China I had the opportunity to go to coaching training in Singapore. Now for many of you that is probably a broad term so I would like to expand on what coaching means for me as well as tell you about my exciting week in Singapore.

 

http://www.creativeresultsmanagement.com

Coaching defined: “Christian coaching is an on-going intentional conversation that empowers a person or group to fully live out God’s calling.” Another term that some may be familiar with would be a life coach, which focuses on moving a person forward in a variety of different aspects within their lives. Where this type of Christian coaching varies is that we believe the Holy Spirit is an active part of this process. The process happens through a simple model of: Connect, Outcome, Awareness, Course, and Highlights. This model plays out in guided steps by the coach where question asking is the primary focus. Allowing the “coachee” to process and discern what the Holy Spirit is speaking to them about.

Where this differs from counseling is that you are only dealing with the present and future so that the “coachee” moves forward in action. Whereas counseling will often dive into childhood and past experiences to help frame why current issues are being presented, often in emotional areas. One requirement of a candidate who wants to be coached is that they are emotionally healthy.

To give further understanding on coaching, some examples as to what people may come to a coach for would be transition periods, (moving, out of work) creating, (church planting, new business startup, ministry focus) and personal development (physical health, spiritual patterns, relationships, family). These are some broad areas and they do not come close to covering the many different topics where a coach could be very useful.

The coaching process is somewhat hard to describe because we often think of a coach in relation to sports. Where they have a plan and are telling you how to do something like shooting a basketball. Although there is structure, a life coach is not telling you what to do. Where most people struggle with life coaches is that they are used to people sharing their input. For example, we may present an issue to a friend that we don’t have an immediate answer to, often our friends will just give their solution to the problem. Another example would be going to your pastor for advice (which is a very good thing) about an issue. When it is presented your pastor usually tells you their thoughts or experiences. This is not at all a bad thing, but at times when we are simply told something there is a lack of ownership especially amongst adults. Typically adults remember best what they found the solution to and are much more likely to see it through, causing the learning to stick with us a lot longer.  Please don’t take my word for it I would encourage you to process on your own how effective it has been when you have told another adult exactly what to do in a situation. So in coaching we do not give the answer to the “coachee” but through questions help them to self discover with a dependence on the Holy Spirit to speak to them. In life there is a need for personal advise to others, pastoral care, and counseling, but when an individual enters the coaching process we as coaches desire to draw out what God has placed inside of them as the best solution through pointed questions.

At times I thought this sounded simple or easy but I quickly learned how easily I love to give my opinion or thoughts. When I disciplined myself to not share my opinion it was amazing to watch how simply asking questions can even at times bring people to the same answer you would have given them, but now they have complete ownership of it and are much more likely to implement it into their lives because its their idea not yours.

If you are curious to learn more or would like to experience being coached I would be happy to do that over skype with any one. Just send me an email with your thoughts or questions and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

On a separate issue, but still pertaining to Singapore I was thoroughly blessed by the people I was able to meet. Most of the individuals going through training were from different parts of Asia and I had the chance to meet a few locals from Singapore. They have been some of the most amazing hosts thus far in my travels primarily because they barely even knew us, but they took Josh (CRM Missionary) and I out for dinner every evening. We had a wonderful time getting to know them and had many memorable conversations. In my mind great conversation often happens around food and Singapore is probably one of the biggest food capitals in the world. As many of you know I am rather passionate about food and so I am posting a list of some of the top dishes I had while I was there. I would thoroughly recommend flying to Singapore to try each of these dishes; they could change your life!

    

Chili Crab- crab in a semi spicy sauce

Sauté – sweetly marinated meat on a skewer cooked over coals

Stingray – surprisingly tasty with a spicy pineapple flavored puree on top

Laksa – a Malayasian dish of rice noodle in coconut milk with a little shrimp and vegetables.

Carrot Cake  - Turnips with eggs onion and a indefinable meat. surprisingly spicy

Indian food- too much to name… it was all good

Chicken and rice- this dish is as simple but as good as it gets. It is breast meat on rice. I could eat it plane because the flavors are so good but then you add their spicy dipping sauces and it moves to another level.

Italy - London

It is interesting to now be sitting in China while writing about Italy and London. When you are in three different cultures in three weeks there is a tendency to get a little behind. In some ways it feels that I have been running nonstop, but I still feel quite energized by the new places, experiences, people and most of all by the work that God is doing!

While I was in Verona, Italy I stayed with a couple named Nick and Zona. Nick is originally from Verona and after spending some time in the states has now gone back with his family. The interesting aspect about this visit is that they are the only CRM’ers in Italy. So I had the opportunity to see a different variation of what it means to live cross-culturally. Getting to know this couple further was something I really enjoyed and I especially appreciated the many conversations out on their porch, talking about the different aspects of working within a strong Catholic culture.

Obviously Italy is well known for its rich tradition in Catholicism, but a new generation seems to be shying away from the Church. To meet the growing need for relevant spiritual direction, Nick has actively been working with existing leaders through coaching. Coaching is a process where through a series of pointed questions you are able to lead the individual to their own answer and maybe even more importantly action steps to achieve their God given goals. It is a valuable tool that a number of staff within CRM use to help leaders grow and develop. Next week I am going to be attending this training and so I am excited to learn and experience more. (http://www.CreativeResultsManagement.com )

Overall my experiences in Italy reshaped the need for more missionaries to be sent and removed my own perceptions of what Italy is. I had been to Italy before doing the touristy thing a few years ago, but this time I was able to see a very different side. Food, wine, villas, mass, Romans, coliseums, scooters, and history have all influenced my view that Italy is just a vacation destination, but the current spiritual need of the people is what hit me most this trip.

 

Switching over to London now, I met up with the team for a week over Easter. I am used to being with my family on Easter and obviously this year that could not happen and so I was very blessed to have others to enjoy the day with. During my time in London, I stayed in an Anglican Priory (Nunnery), which was a new experience. Needless to say it was very quiet most of the time and the sisters were friendly. :)The team is located in an area of London called Shoreditch where it’s a mixture of upper class moving into a less expensive part of the city. This creates a mixture of financial cultures coming together and so the area is very diverse. It is also known as an artistic district where the famous Brick Lane is located.

 

Much of what I shared about the Church climate in Scotland is the same in England. The irrelevant church’s are dying, leaving gaping holes in terms of spiritual leadership. So the team here has placed a focus on finding key influential leaders to develop, so that English can lead English long term. Amidst this culture and maybe more specifically this part of the city there are hurdles that have to be worked through.

One of those big hurdles that has become a battle that God has to wage for the team is on the spiritual warfare side. Obviously praying plays a big role in this, but as I travel around the world and experience different teams, the reality of how God has gifted us and how He desires to use those gifts often, has come into play. Shying away from the power that God desires to have in my life and in other people’s lives greatly hinders the impact that He desires to have in each city. So using those gifts to do battle is highly important and this team does a good job of covering their city in specific prayer.

Often in the States I interpreted spiritual warfare as being tempted by something bad, now this term has taken on a new meaning. What I am referring to here is demonic attack, which seeks to hinder physically (colds, fatigue, headaches, fever, sharp pain) and emotionally (depression, loneliness, lies about identity). I have seen these and many more first hand, which through prayer dissipated immediately. Ephesians 6:12 has taken on a whole new reality for me, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” I realize this may be out of some of your boxes or viewpoints, but the reality is that for me God has made His authority known, removing the box I had previously set up for Him.

With that said I would greatly appreciate your prayers of intercession asking that God may move in power within my life and that He would provide physical and emotional protection. If you would like to talk further about this topic feel free to send me an email and I would be happy to give the full story. I greatly appreciate each of you and glad I can share this journey with you!