I realize that this prayer letter is LONG overdue. I apologize for not sending more detailed letters out recently! I have been in contact through e-mails, but haven't sent out an actual letter in a while. For the past few months, everything has been very much up in the air with my work here in Ecuador, as well as with my return this next school year. I wanted to wait until I had some details set in stone before I sent out anymore information.

Let me start by saying that God is awesome! These past few months have brought me closer to Him in more ways than I ever could have imagined. It has been physically and emotionally exhausting for me many times since returning from Christmas break. But, without God stretching me in the ways He has, I never would have experienced Him in such specific ways. I can do nothing but thank and praise Him for just allowing me to be broken and used by Him. "I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand - from my own eyes and ears!" (Job 42:5)

You all have received e-mails and many of you probably received a prayer letter in the mail with the recent changes of my return next year. I will be returning as a volunteer with HCJB, which means while I am still associated with the mission (for work and visa purposes), my finances will no longer be handled through them. My finances are now all being routed through my home church, Crew Community Church.

This past spring has been a flurry of activity and I've been busier than ever! Amidst all the business, I had several people visit me. It was fun to spend time with family and friends and to share with them my everyday life down here. I did a lot of traveling and had a great time showing off the country!

School has, of course, been very busy, and getting busier as the year winds down. It's still hard to believe that there are only two weeks of school left! My students have been busy practicing for an "American Heritage Night" in which they performed many traditional patriotic songs. The entire school did a great job preparing with lines, songs, and even playing recorders! It was a great learning experience for them, as well, because most of the students were not born or did not grow up in the United States.

I am still heavily involved in Spotlight, the English program/class on Thursday nights here in Shell. Although our numbers have been dwindling lately, there are still a few that faithfully come every week. I was just talking with another volunteer the other day and commenting on how exciting it is to see how our students have improved in their English. It's always rewarding to see improvements over a long period of time when the week-to-week doesn't give a true picture of learning.

Please continue to keep me in your prayers throughout the next few weeks, as well as over this summer. I will be arriving in West Virginia on June 14^th and plan to return to Ecuador sometime in mid-August. Below are some specific ways you can pray/praise for me over the next couple months.

Praise: God's constant presence, even when I don't always "feel" Him.

Prayer: Safety in traveling. I'm leaving Ecuador June 13^th, arriving in Charleston, WV the next afternoon.

Praise: Friends and family who were able to visit me!

Prayer: Wisdom for decisions on my part, as well as the school board, on what grades to place me in for teaching this fall.

Praise: The amazing friends God's blessed me with here in Shell!

Prayer: Financial support for my return to teach another year.

Should You Be A Part of the Crew Community?

Alot of Christians change churches in the Huntington area. They go to one church for a period of time usually a few years and then go to another one and then another one. Huntington isn't alone I know. This happens in other areas of the country, I get that. Maybe it's because Huntington is only 50,000 people that I notice it more than in a big city. I don't know. But it's on my mind this morning. And it isn't on my mind because Crew is being directly affected with gain or loss of this kind. Its on my mind because in the past week I've talked to several folks who are connected in a church and have stated that they're going to check Crew out. Some reasons sound valid, most don't. So enter the mind of Josh Perry as I write out loud some good reasons to switch churches and some bad reasons to switch churches. This won't be exhaustive. You can add more in your comments. I'd be interested to hear them. But these are some that come to mind as I type. Let's start with the bad reasons:

• You like the music style at one church better (This is the most popular yet most stupid reason to switch churches)
• You like the pastor(s) style at one church better (I personally hate my pastor's style)
• The church you like has something to offer everyone (The church is not Walmart, it is a place to worship and to be sent out for mission)
• You can dress a certain way (usually more casually, but sometimes more formally)
• One church "loses" it's family feel (REALLY LONG PARENTHESIS: A church is going to grow if its healthy, that's a good thing. A church can have small groups, community events, and all kinds of things to promote friendship, family, etc. But you can only know 6-10 people well no matter how big a church is. So freaking invite people over to your house and make friends, rather than expect another church to make friends for you.)
• Your family goes to a church, so you or I should go there now. (This is a very popular reason in our area, maybe not others. It's a legitimate desire to want to join a church your family is at. And not a bad one. All things being equal this can factor in, but not trump good reasons to join a church. It tends to be a top three reason around here. Kind of creepy)

Ok, here are some good reasons to leave a church and go to another one. (I get major help out of a book "STOP DATING THE CHURCH" by Joshua Harris.

• It's a church that is about Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection. This is called the gospel. Everything is about this. Not just to get people to know God through Christ death for sinners. But our lives are being changed thourgh Christ's work. Our lives model what Christ looks like. It's not a self help church, but a Christ centered church. If your church stops being about this, leave it!! Go to one that does. If there isn't one. Start one.
• It's a church that preaches the Bible. Read 2 Timothy 3:16; 4:2. Not a church that reads the Bible at the beginning of a sermon and then the preacher gives his opinion about politics or social causes or some seven steps to get along with your mother in law. Not a church that says they preach the Bible. Not a church that has it in frames in the church. But teaches you accurately, clearly, and winsomly what God is saying. And he is pointing to the Bible as the authority. If this does not happen at your church. Leave it and go to one that does.
• It's a church that cares about good theology. Read Acts 2:42; 2 Timothy 4:3-4. Theology and doctrine is intimidating for many folks. It's for the person who goes to seminary or the dork who cares about big deep words and thoughts. That's crap. If your church isn't really passionate that you know your Bible and the teachings and doctrines of the Bible then leave it. If you hear things like, "It's just about Jesus, not about divisive things like whether or not people really go to Hell or if Jesus was born of a virgin", leave that church. If you and I want to know Christ and worship Him and live for him, we're going to need to learn big words.
• It's a church that is about Christ's mission. Read Matt. 28:18-20The purpose of the church isn't to teach you the Bible, take care of your kids, make friends for you, take you on trips to Gatlinburg, or get you to sign petitions. You can do all of those things. But the mission of every church, everywhere, in every time is to make Christ followers. Fully devoted Christ followers. Men and women who are doing everything to know Jesus Christ and become like Jesus Christ and help other people do that. If you are at a church and they don't know that. Leave it.
• It's a church where the leaders are qualified. Read 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. God has made it explicitly clear what kind of leaders the local church is to have. It isn't the richest men, smartest men, most connected men, or even the greatest leaders. It's men of integrity, character, a servant heart, love, and defend the gospel. If you're leaders aren't these kinds of men or don't live up to the qualifications in these two passages. Leave that church.
• It's a church that wants deep real life change. Read Ephesians 4-6; Galatians 5:17-25. If a church is all about external man made religion where its all about not drinking beer, smoking cigarettes, dipping snuff, getting tattoos, watching TV, listening to secular music, and going with girls that do that. If you're church doesn't challenge you to stop gossiping, have unbelievers into your home and be friends with them, watch your temper, love people, be generous, be kind, be gentle, exercise self control, forgive people, serve others above yourself. Then you got it--leave that church.
• It's a church that calls you to serve it. Luke 14:25-35. If you go to a church on Sunday and consume and are never asked or challenged to commit to it and serve it, then leave that church. A true church is about being on mission and calling people to follow Christ on this mission. Jesus was clear on who could be his disciple and who could not. He had this crazy idea that he was God and demanded to be worshipped and followed. A good church should demand that of all of us as well.
• It's a church that will kick you out. Read 1 Corinthians. 5, 2 Corinthians 2, Matthew 18. This sounds mean doesn't it? It's not. It's loving. If a church loves you too much to let you hurt yourself and your family and the cause of Christ then it is going to confront you when sin is there. If it doesn't love you enough to do that then it's of no benefit to you. A church that will kick you out is serious about protecting you and the church. Sin is a part of every church, but is the church dealing with it or just letting it go. If it's dealing with it then it's a church of sinners with integrity. If it's overlooking it, it's a church of sinners with hypocrisy.
• It's a church you're passionate about as it is. I love this one! No church is perfect. Every church has problems. Every church needs to improve in many areas. That's the way it is. So decide: Is this a church (teaching, leaders, direction) that I can FULLY support with my money, my time, my energy regardless of it's flaws? If not, then leave it. If so, stay.

Thoughts on this sissies?

Danny Lost a Tooth

Hey guys. My oldest son Danny lost his first tooth tonight. And it only took me 2 punches to get it out of there!!!! He's fascinated to think that a brand new and improved tooth will come out of the death of this old one. Did you know there's another story about death and renewal? Yeah, we talked about that too. You get your theology lessons in every chance you get.

Hope for the Hokies

Hey guys. A great friend of mine named Clay Burkle has good post on the Va. Tech Tragedy. Also, he gives a link to some solid tunes. Check it out:

http://clayburkle.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default