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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
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| 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?
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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,
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
