Thanks for the Prayers

As some of you know I have suffered from strep throat for about a week. Thanks to medicine and prayer and rest I am recovering.

I had been feeling well until this infection hit me hard. The contrast was huge and it caused me to think about how much I can take wellness and wealth for granted. When I was feeling well I could not remember how it feels to be ill. But after my throat swelled up and I ached all over I suddenly remembered why health is so important.

When I am back in the USA I easily forget how hard life is for many billions around the world. In Russia I saw thousands of destitute people, many of them drunk on very cheap vodka, who lived in shacks beside the railroad tracks. But now I am surrounded by American wealth and I really love it. I grew up in poverty and I can remember that I do not wish to go back to it.

Thanks for the calls, prayers and sympathy. Thanks to God we have good medicine. "All good gifts come down from the Father above."

Marc O'Hara is the Winner

My old friend Marc correctly responded with the answer. It was FDR who wrote that Social Security funds would last only a few years. FDR was my hero as a child. Dad was a left wing Democrat that loved Roosevelt-pronounced Roooozi-velt- and thought he and the other Democrats could do no wrong and I followed in his footsteps.

FDR was a great man who understood reality as well as politics. He would not have a chance of winning the Presidency today because he did not fit the current beautiful man profile of a candidate. But he understood something about economics and that the government could not pay for everything forever. That is another reason many current voters would reject him. Nowadays politicians must promise everything to the citizens.

I think we need to return to the law that said only taxpayers can vote. If a person pays for an item it seems more important.

Take a look at my new ministry blog at http://gsweetenministryblogspotcom.blogspot.com

A New Blog by Gary

I am starting a new blog to focus on my professional and ministry life so I can restrict Brave Heart to personal and family issues.

You can find it at

http://gsweetenministryblogspotcom.blogspot.com

Who Wrote This???

"For perhaps 30 years to come funds will have to be provided by the States and the Federal Government to meet these pensions. But after that it would be necessary to move to voluntary contributory annuities by which individual initiative can increase the annual amounts received in old age.

It is proposed that the Federal Government assume one-half of the cost of the old-age pension plan, which ought ultimately to be supplanted by self-supporting annuity plans."

If you can who wrote this I will by a cup of coffee for you.

The answer will be shown later.

Formal Ecucation is Failing

I just read an article in the WAll Street Journal's online version OpinionJournal OpinionJournal@wsj.com. It is the best online paper I receive and I strongly suggest that you subscribe to it.

The article is pasted in below and it affirms the research I did on my doctoral dissertation about training lay and professionals in 1974-75. We have known since the sixties how to help people grow and change. We know what works and what does not work. We know the educational methodis that work and those that do not work. Yet, for the most part, schools, universitis, seminaries and churches continue to pursue outmoded and non-working models to train our children, youth and adult.



(The) Discovery News reports on a new study that suggests "a growing number of people are retaining the behaviors and attitudes associated with youth":

A "child-like flexibility of attitudes, behaviors and knowledge" is probably adaptive to the increased instability of the modern world, [British biologist Bruce] Charlton believes. Formal education now extends well past physical maturity, leaving students with minds that are, he said, "unfinished."

"The psychological neoteny effect of formal education is an accidental by-product -- the main role of education is to increase general, abstract intelligence and prepare for economic activity," he explained.

"But formal education requires a child-like stance of receptivity to new learning, and cognitive flexibility." . . .

"People such as academics, teachers, scientists and many other professionals are often strikingly immature outside of their strictly specialist competence in the sense of being unpredictable, unbalanced in priorities, and tending to overreact."

This would explain the lack of discipleship in most churches and seminaries.

Papa Scrambles at Scrabble

Grandson Jacob is the champion of Scrabble despite his tender age and low level of schooling. As you can see from the photo he took of me I was stunned to have a "B" when I needed another letter.

Jacob regularly beats the adults at a lot of games and Grand Daugher Lily seems to have the same gift. Even in games of pure chance they always come out ahead.

There are few activities in life that can build emotional, relational and economic health than board games.

When we had our in-patient hospital many of the patients had never spent time with their families and most never played games, We could see the damage that did when they grew up without learning basic relationshl skills, how to win and h0w to face failures.  

Story Telling With Verve

Hazel's Great Nephew Joshua is a born entertainer and he joined her in re-telling some dramatic stories about her childhood. This one had to do with Her oldest brother getting his arm shot off in a hunting accident.


As you can see, Josh added a lot of emotion, intensity and "facts" to the tale. 

Happy Father's Day

Son Timothy and Wife Shelley found the perfect gift for me this year. In the midst of Hazel's 90th Birthday Bash they remembered me and wrapped up two dozen geezer-golf balls from Titleist. These are soft and made for old guys with a slow swing speed.

It was just one more aspect of the week that made it into a wonderful experience. No aspect og family life is better than playing games and telling family stories. Now I have 24 balls to add to my low score mythology.

I hope all my golf buddies also got good dad and grandad gifts. 

The Lucas Children

Celebrating Hazel's 90th Birthday with her children, grand and great grandchildren, nephews Terry Lucas and his three kids Meg, Matt and Johs as well as Fred Davis and wife Sally and daughter Sharon and other friends was one of the highlights of my life. In fact, having Hazel move here 15 months ago proved to be a great gift for all of us.

As I teach generational family blessings I have a lot of great new stories and anecdotes to tell. We played Pinochle, Scrabble, swam and told old timey stories.

What a joy to see our kids and grandkids laugh, play and listen to tales about Terry's dad Mike, a real WWII hero. 

For Russian 12 Steps

visit www.liferoute.ru

Illustrations from Listening for Heaven's Sake-Russian Version 

Mighty Men of God in Russia

Perhaps the single greatest need in all of the former Soviet Bloc is for God to raise up thousands of strong and healthy males. Along with Steve and me are six good men.They hail from several different denominations and they love God. They lead men's groups for recovery, counseling and Christian care.

It is unusual to see this many sober males with smiles, good skills and a relationship with God. 

Key Leaders With Steve in Russia

Costas and Gallina are brilliant and insightful
Russians who have been active in leading and
publishing materials for Recovery Groups, She
translated Listening for Heaven's Sake and His company will publish and distribute it along with A.A. and other Recovery Materials.

Costas also translated for Steven when he ministered to a Men's Group. We are very thankful for their assistance.

Pray for good sales and many readers to receive help. Pray that we can publish other books. 

I Don't Believe

It does not bother me if people do not believe in a round earth for I do and I have flown around it. It does not bother me that some people do not believe in flight. I do and have flown overseas over 100 times and I belong to several frequent flyers' programs. It does not bother me if people do not believe in God. I do and I have spoken with Him and have personally experienced Him many times.

I cannot understand, however, why a person who believes in a flat earth would desire to join the round earth society. I cannot understand why a person that refuses to accept flight would want to join the frequent flyers' associations.

But I am most mystified about why an atheist would want to join a Christian Church. Even more so, why an atheist wants to be the "pastor" of a Christian Church. Why would Satan want to belong to a heavenly choir or a mouse join the local cats' club? It just does not go together.

Yet, we continue to read about people who go to seminary and then become involved in a Christian church in order to destroy its traditions and teachings. Read this dispatch.

From time to time throughout their colorful careers, UT journalism professor Robert Jensen and St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church pastor Jim Rigby have come under attack for their outspoken views of the world. Jensen's biggest stir swirled around his post 9/11 remarks suggesting that U.S. policies provoked the attack. For Rigby, it was his ordination of an openly gay elder and his willingness to bless same-sex unions that once threatened his standing in the Presbyterian Church.

Now Jensen and Rigby have teamed up Â? this time as parishioner and pastor Â? to challenge the conservative wing of the Presbyterian hierarchy, which seeks to have Jensen tossed out on his atheist ear. Jensen grew up in the Presbyterian Church but later rejected organized religion altogether. He joined St. Andrew's late last year after striking up a friendship with Rigby. For the last two years, Jensen has led a monthly series of political film screenings at the church. "It's hard not to feel at home there," Jensen said. "It's a very welcoming church."

In November, St. Andrew's formally threw out the welcome mat for Jensen, who then wrote aofop-ed article about his experience. The article, which opens with the provocative line "I don't believe in God," first ran in a December edition of the Hindustan Times, one of India's two largest English-language newspapers. The item barely created a ripple in India, but when the Houston Chronicle picked it up in March, conservative Christians went bananas. "I hadn't received this much of a reaction since 9/11," Jensen said. "It really got people going."

Rigby tried to quell the uproar with an opinion piece titled "Why We Let an Atheist Join Our Church." Religion, he explained, "is not about groveling before a savior, it's joining in the work of saving our world." (A subsequent article Rigby wrote on the same subject is playing to appreciative audiences on the left-leaning Web sites of AlterNet and The Huffington Post.)

I do not believe in movies but I want to run a chain of theatres.
I do not believe in sports but I want to own a professional team.
I do not believe in education but I am president of a college.
I do not believe in America but I want to be President.

At least it was the Communists not the Priests and Ministers who attempted to kill the church in Russia. In America it is the clergy that are trying to kill it.

Listening For Heaven's Sake


Listening is being translated and published in Russian now! Many years ago we gave Galina the rights to all our materials but the maddeningly long time it takes to get books translated and published has led to delay after delay. Thank God for the final product for it is desperately needed.

Pray for money to be donated so more of my books can be published in Russia. 

Hazel and Family

Nephew Fred Davis of Florida, Daughters Toni Smith of St. Louis, Karen Sweeten, Cincinnati and Nephew Terry Lucas of San Francisco join with Hazel in thanking the Lord for her dynamic 90 years on earth. 

Mother-In-Law's 90th Birthday

Karen's mother, Hazel Guriel, was born in 1916 in Perry County, Illinois and has lived there ever since except for the last year.

Relatives came from California, Texas, Florida, Missouri, Illinois and Ohio to celebrate with her. As you can see from the photo Hazel is a ball of fire who survived the great flu epidemic of 1918, two World Wars, The Great Depression, the deaths of three husbands and single parenthood to live with joy and vitality. 

Getting to Galina's Office

The Cultural Palace is a wreck
but Galina must pay a great deal
of money to rent an office at the
top of these stairs. 

Steve Shows How Common Russians Live

On our daily walks we passed many homes like these or in much worse shape. A lot of Russians live in conditions similar to the USA in the 1930's and 40's.

Socialism and militarism are evils to be avoided. 

Graduates from Counseling Skills Retreat

These men and women are the future of Russian Healin, Pastoral Care and Counseling. This bunch includes some very influential persons in various churches and faith communities. 

Gary and Steve Wait for the Train

It takes us back to Moscow from the seminary

Having Steve with me again was a real blessing. He travels well, is very low maintainance and knows how to teach all of our material. He is a key man in developing and producing almost everything we do.

 

Our Team at an Evangelical Seminary

From left to right are Galina Chentsova, M.D., Marina, Gary, Yvgenia and Anatoly. We spent all day with the faculty of this Seminary discussing how we could possibly help them design a curriculum in Pastoral Counseling. Steve Griebling took the photo.

Pray that God will guide the faculty and us as we consider future ways of cooperating with them. 

Russia Report #6.

Tipping Points

The photo below is of two Pastors who met with Galina and me the day before I left. They came to ask us to minister to and equip the pastors in their association of over 100 churches. A few years ago, the Russian Government passed a law that requires every church to be a member of an organization that is at least 15 years old. The association of these men serves a wide-variety of independent churches and gives them a legal covering.

While praying about the Spring 2006 trip to Russia I was caused to think that this year would be different. After almost 15 years of ministry in Russia they were ready to take the next step in the evolutionary development of an independent, self-supporting ministry in Russia. The visit by Sergei and Michael showed me I was thinking after God.

During the revival of the Nineties thousands of men and women came to know Christ. Many of them were addicted or co-addicted to alcohol, drugs, violence, crime and assorted other issues. After becoming Christians some felt called to be pastors and church workers so they started new congregations among their former associates.

Unfortunately, most never went through any kind of Christian counseling or recovery so they continued to think, act and feel badly and essentially became addicted to religion and religious activities. In America we call them, "Dry Drunks" of people who stopped drinking but did not get to the heart or root of their problems.

As pastors and leaders such persons show a variety of dysfunctional behaviors such as an obsessive desire to control the flock; anger that comes out as "hell fire and brimstone" sermons;
abnormal suspicion; authoritarianism; workaholism; co-dependency; s exual aberrations, etc.

The pastors pictured here are familiar with recovery programs and Christian counseling and they want to make our ministry available to their leaders. Pray that the Lord will allow to help them establish an ongoing ministry of Pastoral Care and Counseling for this group of churches. It could result in thousands of healthier leaders, healthier churches and healthier membership.

Two Russian Pastors 

Russia Report #5.

Building human capital.

This is what we do. We are not good at building houses, providing funds to buy anti AIDS meds or constructing church buildings. We are good at building PEOPLE. We educate and empower ordinary people to do extra-ordinary things for themselves and others.

The Communists did everything possible to destroy the hopes, dreams and potential of the Russian people. They hate to see anyone develop more skills, more money or more talent than someone else. Russia needs an infusion of faith, hope and love.

This is why we work so hard to help our people get seminar and workshop training as well as state and church sponsored education. That which will make Russia strong is not just oil and gas but a well equipped society-especially Christians. People make the difference. They care, act, give and pray.

We help support some pastors and couselors get more education. We ask our supporters to help us provide very small subsidies and stipends so they can pay the small but prohibitive school fees necessary to complete their education and become certified to teach, counsel and work among the charities.

Almost every airplane has several American "Tourists" going to or returning from Moscow or Vologda or Ukraine where they help the local churches do charitable work. Many Russians continue to live in abject poverty but were it not for Christians and their donations of time, money and encouragement the situation would be even more critical.

Let me remind you that there are no atheists or humanists leading charities over there nor are groups of agnostic philosophers and pagan professors sending massive amounts of money to help the poor Russians.

It is the same there as it is with the Katrina and 911 victims. It is the same as it was with the survivors of the tsunami. Christians; all Christians. No secularists are involved in these acts of love and sacrifice.

Keep giving and keep living. It is making a difference.

Russia Report #4.

Mary came to us for help almost 15 years ago. She was a recent graduate of the Moscow State University School of Law and was in deep emotional pain. She wanted a baby as soon as possible. She and husband Michael had been married for two years but had been unable to conceive. She sought counseling about how to handle her fears and anger about the lack of a quick pregnancy.

Before long we discovered that Mary was a survivor of long-term sexual, emotional and physical abuse. She was a brilliant student and was having great success in a western law firm but her life was in a shambles. Since her situation was so overwhelming one of our therapists was asked to see her on a regular basis.

For the past five years Mary and Michael have been leading groups in their Baptist Church just south of Moscow. Many members of the community have been attending the groups and are showing signs of better lives at home, church and work. The groups are growing in number as the members invite their friends and family. Many people are experiencing mercy, grace and the ability to leave their addictions behind.

This is a composite of several persons whose lives have been touched through the Russian work. One man has recently been reconciled with his father who was divorced from his mother 30 years ago. Because of our class on Family Systems and Christianity Peter searched and found his long-lost father and got into contact with him. Both received great relief and forgiveness as a result.

Our ministry is about people; families; mothers, fathers, children, grandchildren and friends. All of them come to us in a great deal of pain but God's love is allowing them to leave the painful past behind and seek a more fruitful future. We do not hold big meetings for thousands but we meet with individuals and small groups of hurting persons and teach them how to grow in grace, mercy and the abundant life.

Russia Report #3.

I do love to help the Russian people. Since I started traveling to Russia in 1991 as an active counselor and counselor trainer I have seen the people grow in grace, economic security, openness to others and healthy interpersonal relationships. The church leaders are stronger and the local expression of Christian charity is growing---slowly, but surely. However, the works of mercy and charity are facing two major challenges:

1. The ability to actually help widows, orphans and needy people is still largely dependent upon people from other countries.

A. During the Communist Era 80% of the GNP was spent upon military and space development. This left very little for schools, health care, mental health, family life, etc. Secondly, the Socialists were and are callous toward the poor, downtrodden, sick and needy.

B. The economic infrastructure was not developed along efficient and effective lines and this left Russia without a viable source of income. The Socialists refused to build factories, stores or other places that operated on supply and demand principles. Now that they are competing with the rest of the world the old unwieldy system is woefully ineffective and most of them have closed down completely leaving the common people in abject poverty similar to that which we in the USA experienced during the Great Depression.

2. The needs are overwhelmingly large and intractable. Alcoholism, smoking, extremely poor diets and ruinous risk lead to many early deaths. The Communists did not allow their schools to train therapists or doctors that actually counseled people. This left the people with a national death wish and a nationalized but horrible health care.

There is also a strong resistance by the government to any charitable works. The officials demand bribes, high taxes and tough rules that kill or severely hinder the church and charitable groups from doing good works.

Pray for God to change that mind set.

Russian Report #2.

The story about health and welfare in Russia is still bad, very bad. That is what originally got my attention way back in the early nineties. At a conference I heard about the extremely high rates of alcohol and drug abuse among the Russian people due to the despair and brutality of their Communist captors.

Although the needs of the people of the Russian Federation are great helping them spiritually, emotionally and relationally is the key to almost all future progress. People who are falling down drunk cannot care for their children so millions have been abandoned and the orphanages are overflowing with beautiful children.

Christians who suffer from the dysfunctions of past addictions and present struggles cannot lead churches with love, truth and power unless they are healed and restored to sanity and sobriety. The seminaries and Bible schools are filled with former addicts who have come to faith in Christ but who cannot find peace and healing.

People who are high cannot work and produce an economic recovery so there are thousands of abandoned factories and millions of starving families.

Men that fall asleep from dope cannot rear their children so there is an epidemic of divorce, abuse and needy children.

In Moscow, a city of 7 million population and 4 million addicts there are only about 30 regular Alcoholics Anonymous Groups. That is less than one group for over a million addicts. On a normal weekday morning one can see hundreds of men and women walking to work from the subways drinking beer and vodka while drawing deeply on a smoke. As Steve said, "That is the breakfast of champions."

In all of Russia, population 190 million, there are fewer groups than we have in Cincinnati.

The churches in our networks have set up hundreds of Christian 12 step groups, Renewed Thinking, Listening with Apples of Gold and Family Healing Groups that help young people and adults break the cycle of addiction and return to responsible parenting, work and family life. They are earning a living, volunteering at their churches and helping others recover. This is a widening spiral of good works, right thinking and family reconstruction.

A few seminary leaders and denominational leaders are interested in how we can help them train Pastoral Counselors and establish ministries of health and family restoration. PRAY for them to have wisdom as they consider our proposals.


Look at the first photo on the www.liferoute.ru web site to see a photo of a key seminary that is praying about asking us to set up their graduate program in Christian Psychology.

Russian Report # 1.

Thanks to all who prayed and supported Steve's and my trip. The flights were smooth and we made most of the connections. Jet travel sure is glamorous with those 10 hour trips with 300 people on a crowded steel box surrounded by sneezing adults and crying kids. Welcome to modern travel. Despite these challenges our health was good and we avoided the viral infections so prominent in Russia.

Our time in Russia was fruitful. We had the sense before going that our 15 years of ministry trips there and bringing people here were about to "TIP" into a broader opportunity for leadership development. Our goal has always been to set up a training program and process that enabled nationals to expand their effectiveness and reach. Many things point to that happening with this trip.

Our first week was spent in a Roman Catholic retreat center just outside Moscow. We have met there three times and it is a great place of peace and quiet to study, pray, train leaders and experience God's presence. We celebrated Pentecost/Trinity Holy Day in the chapel with Brother Michael preaching a great sermon on Unity in the Spirit.

Our ministry in Russia is unique in that it includes folks in the leadership team from Russian Orthodox, Baptist, Pentecostal, Charismatic and Reformed backgrounds. In Russia that is almost miraculous. The Communists did almost everything possible to divide and conquer the faith community and they are still recovering. Our ministry is a strong leader in developing fellowship across denominational lines in our groups, classes and training sessions.

We spent several days of learning and small group work empowering over 20 men and women leaders who already have key positions in their local and regional ministries. Some are clergy, some teach in seminaries and schools, some are lay leaders, some are professional counselors and all are influencers.

Our topic that first week was "Advanced Counseling Skills" and we showed them how to move beyond 12 step groups and addictions to deal with other issues. They are amazingly open and eager to learn and apply their insights to their personal lives and ministries. Their healing testimonies are incredible and encouraging.

(See www.liferoute.ru for more information.)