Over the past several posts, I have kept you in suspense over where my future may be going. Honestly, I've been slightly hesitant to write about it, for it seems too beautiful to be true. Maybe GOD has different plans for my life; all I know is that doors have been opening, one after another, creating a blueprint for the rest of my "college career", a blueprint stamped with this flag:

My friend Kyle and I were walking through the woods at Mount Echo, talking about where we'd like to go when we graduate. I told him I didn't know where I was going to go; I just wanted to get married, start a family, and preach/teach the gospel somewhere. He said he wanted to go to Australia; he then said, "Have you ever thought about Australia?" So I thought it through and went into his room a few days later. "Let's talk more about Australia." Thinking about being a incarnational-missional pastor over there made--makes!--my heart burn and blood smoke. We decided that we would do it (what do we have to lose?). Following our decision, our friend Heather--whose dream is to be a missionary, even in Australia--told us that we could go with her to Australia for three months next summer if we wanted to. We jumped on board; I've been talking to our host there (she lives twenty minutes from the beautiful Australian beach and twenty minutes from the countryside!).

So I am saving up money to go there for three months this summer for a missions excursion; also, I know for certain that I will be able to do my nine-month internship in Australia. Three of us have gathered together to begin preparing for Australia, this summer and following graduation. We want to plant a church somewhere in Brisbane or Sidney once we graduate (we should all be graduating in 2009).

Why do I feel called to Australia? Several reasons: 1) I feel called to Western civilization, and Australia is Western civilization; 2) I feel called to preach/teach in a place where the gospel message is distorted, ignored, or even opposed (Australia fits all three of these categories!); 3) I feel called to start a new church, and Australia is in dire need of church plants; 4) I feel called to the postmodern culture, and postmodernism is on the high rise in Australia; 5) I feel called to a place where Christianity is seen as irrelevent, and Australia is being swiftly overcome (like America) by materialism and indulgence; 6) I feel called to do this with a team of friends, and two of my friends and I are uniting together.

We have numerous contacts in Australia, and we each already have a place to stay if we go (did I mention it is a few minutes from the beach?). I have been talking to one of our contacts (she's an Aussie named Natalie), and she's really excited to have us over. I just need to save money for the plane ticket for my first trip over (though Natalie thinks she can get us funded as missionaries). This summer we hope to work with the poor of Brisbane, which is right where Natalie lives. She already does missions work there, and she says that the mission will be eager to have us join them.

People have a tendency to think that I'm not serious about this. I promise you, I am very serious. The days of my kidding around and dreaming without substance are over. This opportunity is reaching out to me, and I am reaching out to it. GOD willing, in four years I will be a Christian pastor in Australia, preparing to start a new church on the white-sand beaches.

One of my friends approached me and said, "GOD does not want you in Australia." How can you say this? "It is not GOD's will." And what is GOD's will? Don't the scriptures tell us that GOD's will for us is three-fold: believe in His Son Jesus Christ, pursue lives of holiness, and advance the kingdom? So how in going to Australia, where the need of the gospel is immense, am I violating the will of GOD? I sincerely believe that GOD has told me that He wants me in Australia. Besides, if GOD wants me somewhere else, I'll end up there--even if I have to be swallowed by a giant fish for it to happen!