Mattsson-Boze

russia

2010-04-02T16:35:00.002-05:00

http://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/andrei-loshak/kafka’s-castle-is-collapsing

This article is an interesting commentary on the Kafkaesque world that calls itself Russia.

India

2010-02-10T17:48:00.002-06:00

Ingrid taught all these children in a small room while Joel (Mattsson-Boze) was preaching in the room next door. It was a bit hectic, but the children were very responsive.
I went in to help her play "duck duck grey duck" with the children

Annika Marie Mattsson-Boze

2010-02-10T17:45:00.001-06:00

Here she is reading the Wall Street Journal. She was born October 17, 2009 to Karl and Kate. Ingrid and I have been taking care of her since January 11, and will continue through February, 2010. Then we will work our way back to Minnesota.

2007-10-24T14:59:00.000-05:00

Bre'r Fox

2007-10-23T18:13:00.001-05:00

Here is a friend we met at Itasca State Park on October 21

2007-10-01T10:56:00.000-05:00

Joseph Mattsson-Boze

Karl and Kate

2007-05-27T18:44:00.000-05:00

Karl and Kate are moving to the Boston area. Karl will work for Millipore and Kate will work for Welch's. Houses are very expensive, like southern California. But they love the Boston area, and will be loyal participants in the Red Sox Nation.

Back to Russia

2007-05-27T18:42:00.001-05:00

I will return to Ekaterinburg and Perm on May 30, and will be teaching church leaders there. This has been very effective. Most of the leaders used to be drug addicts or alcoholics, but God has delivered them. Now they are becoming preachers.
I'm honored to be a part of their development in ministry.

An old picture from Marstrand

2007-05-27T18:37:00.001-05:00

After World War II, my parents brought us kids to Sweden. I had a tendency to get lost, and they went looking in the water around the island to see if I had drowned. But I had gotten on "the streetcar" which is what the ferry to the island was called, trying to visit my uncle Erland. Some nice lady found me and put me to bed for a nap. Later she informed the authorities, and I was reunited with the family.
So this streetcar has a fond place in our family history

Ove Hagne in Honduras

2007-04-14T12:39:00.000-05:00

rehab

2006-12-31T23:27:00.000-06:00

A survey was done in Russia that determined that our program in Perm is the most effective alcohol/drug rehabilitation center in Russia. This provided them with an additional 9000 dollars to help with their expenses.
We got word of this just after we had sent 3000 dollars to help them put a heating system in the main center.

2006-11-29T03:19:00.000-06:00

The rehab center in Krasnokamsk. The Herald of Faith helped them buy it, and now they are making major improvements.
We treat about 120 people every 3 months in the various rehab centers in Perm Oblast.

2006-11-29T03:16:00.000-06:00

Keyboard player in Seroburalsk

2006-11-29T03:13:00.000-06:00

This is in Yekaterinburg, Russia in November, 2006. I was in Russia for 3 weeks with Dale Collins.

One of my Russian friends

2006-06-09T19:48:00.000-05:00

Tanya has studied English for 4 years, and she always comes to me speaking some English. She and her father Alexei (the pastor in Ekaterinburg) went with me on the train to Perm. This picture is taken on the river at Perm

Bluebirds

2006-06-04T18:57:00.000-05:00

The mother has a mouth full of mealworms. The father is feeding the birds inside the nest box. There were five of them.

Ingrid cleaned out the nest when the babies flew. The birds seem to have started building another nest, so we might have some more.

More from Russia

2006-05-01T07:36:00.000-05:00

I finished up on the eastern side of the Urals and came back to Perm today, Monday. I was in Ekaterinburg, Polevskoy, Talitsa, and Artemovsky. It went well. I was really visiting old friends. But I figured out that I had used 8 interpreters in the two plus weeks of ministry here.
Today we met with leaders in the church, and probably produced more change than all the teaching.

Russia

2006-04-19T19:19:00.000-05:00

Steve and I have been here in Perm for a week now, and are pretty much over our jetlag. We have around 40 people coming to the teaching every night, though not the same people every night. It's an experiment in finding practical ways to help train their people in a rapidly growing church.
I was in a town called Kudymkar on Monday and Tuesday of this week, teaching on the Cross. The church there is less than a year old, but we had 15 people each of the two nights, and I taught for about 3 hours a night. The town is about 120 miles away, a 3 hour drive.
I visited their rehabilitation center, the third one I have visited on this trip. The churches start with the rehab centers, and then develop the church structures.
The weather is pretty gray. There are still patches of snow on the ground. Winter wheat is starting to turn green, but that is about the only green thing you see. All this while they are having beautiful spring weather at home!
Bruce Watson came yesterday, and will stay here in Perm while I go to Ekaterinburg.

Ingrid and Peder

2006-04-01T18:20:00.000-06:00

We brought our old car to North Carolina for Peder and Melissa to have. This was Ingrid's farewell to her faithful friend (the Volvo!). We had it for 10 years.

visiting in March 06

2006-03-27T08:59:00.000-06:00

Ingrid, Luke, and Katrina on a ferry in North Carolina

Luke

Howard and Betty Mattsson-Boze at their bed & breakfast in Beaver Falls, PA

Gus (He doesn't like when his grandfather calls him that), better known as Steffan.

New Car

2006-03-01T08:41:00.000-06:00

Today we will go and pick up an 02 Volvo Cross Country. Our old one (a 95 with 280,000 miles) will go to our son Peder.
It kind of reminds me of a time in Argentina when a friend exchanged a 62 Falcon for a 71 Peugeot. This was in about 1994! We kept putting water in the radiator as we drove down the road in his new car.
Our new one has only 37000 miles and is Volvo certified.

Clinic in Honduras

2006-02-23T18:21:00.000-06:00

Majken Broby, my father's cousin, worked with the Congregational Churches to establish a holistic work in Rivera Hernandez, near San Pedro Sula, Honduras. This building is the clinic she built. It is led by Josue Hernandez, whom she helped send through medical school.
I was there together with John Carson, the missions coordinator for the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, and Johannes Alsbo, the leader of the Swedish mission, Barn i Nod.
We are grateful for the great work that Majken did. The church is also moving along very well, and there were about 300 people there on the Sunday evening that John spoke.
My nephew, Joel Mattsson-Boze was with me on the trip. We were in Olanchito, La Ceiba, and then on the Miskito coast in Cusuna with the Garifuna pastors. After that we were in several churches in the San Pedro Sula area. Joel is pastor of an Alliance church in Fremont, California.
Bob Kallem, from the Minneapolis area, was also with me on the latter part of the trip. He is an experienced teacher and pastor, and spent 18 years in Brazil as a missionary with the Alliance. He had been with a group led by Dave Seehusen that worked on several construction projects.

Nimule, Sudan

2006-01-30T16:40:00.000-06:00

Alice and Moses solemnized their marriage while I was in Sudan. This was the first Protestant wedding ever in Nimule. Moses has never been seen happier, and the dancing went on for about 40 minutes!

Honduras

2006-01-30T16:33:00.000-06:00

I'm leaving Thursday for Honduras. I'll be in Saba, Olanchito, and La Ceiba on the weekend.
Then I'll go to Cosuna, a Garifuna village on the coast, to meet with pastors on Monday to Wednesday.
After that I'll be in the San Pedro Sula area for about 10 days, preaching in various churches.
It's interesting in that I'll be in conferences for 3 denominations as well as the teaching for the Garifuna pastors.
I'll be away for about three weeks.

Marstrand

2006-01-23T11:05:00.000-06:00

I found this nice picture from Marstrand, the island where my father was born in Sweden.

California

2006-01-18T08:12:00.000-06:00

I'll be in San Diego Jan 24-28 along with Ingrid at the AGIF convention. On Friday morning they have asked me to present the work of the Herald of Faith.

2006-01-16T06:42:00.000-06:00

Evah is a midwife working with the American Refugee Committee in Sudan. We gave her some birthpacks that she will use to reward women who come in for prenatal screening.
The other picture is Charles Okongo's family. His wife, Caroline, and Joe, Charity Ingrid, and Emmanuel. They are on the Nile River at Murchison Falls National Park.

2006-01-16T06:39:00.000-06:00

Student in Nimule examining a short concordance that Steve Fitzpatrick donated. The books were a gift from Nelson publishers.

Sudan

2006-01-15T14:47:00.000-06:00

In Sudan we taught 25 pastors for 4 days and set up a program for 4 days of teaching every two months through the year. At the end of the year we will issue a certificate to those who attend all the sessions. We will do this with African teachers.
It was quite hot in the afternoons, and it seemed that my attention span was about 5 minutes. I did my teaching in the mornings. The African guys had more discussion, and that seemed to keep people alert on the hot afternoons.
Charles Okongo, Fred Latim, and Kenneth Gong were with me.

Put the X back into Xmas

2005-12-21T16:13:00.000-06:00

The fuss over Merry Christmas reminds me of the phrase a friend used back in the 60's. "It's time to put the X back into Xmas."
There is an X-factor that is largely ignored as we solemnly insist on saying Merry Christmas rather than Happy Holidays, as if somehow we are betraying Christ by not saying the proper words. The incarnation is a mystery: How can He be wholly God and wholly man? How can a virgin conceive? How is the New Birth possible?
Certainly we can find linear theological answers, but there is still mystery. The Enlightenment doesn't cover all the issues, and in fact it hinders us from considering the awesome aspects of Christ's birth.
The ancient Orthodox use of Xmas probably reflects the ancient Jewish hesitancy to pronounce the Divine Name. They were so afraid they might take it in vain, so they didn't say it at all. To bandy about the Name, or to insist that the secular stores do so, seems to me like we are encouraging them to use it for merely commercial purposes. I think the issue isn't political correctness; rather, it is a carefulness to not take the name in vain.
Having said those things, I personally rejoice in the Incarnation. The Word became flesh. The baby was born, and He was the Son of God. The shepherds worshipped, the angels sang, and the Wise Men came. Merry Christmas!

Daga, Anna Lisa, and Soffi

2005-12-01T15:42:00.000-06:00

My Mother, Daga, is on the left, and her sister on the right. Soffi, the woman God sent to raise the family when their parents' died, is seated.
Mom was born in 1911, so this picture must be from about 1930

Uganda car

2005-11-26T11:58:00.000-06:00

This is the car we bought a few weeks ago.

These are my African grandchildren, Emmanuel, Charity, and Joseph, along with their parents, Charles and Caroline Okongo

Honduras flooding

2005-11-20T19:03:00.000-06:00

Tropical Storm Gamma
The gamma storm left Honduras devastated again. Some were killed, and 11 thousand people were evacuated. Progreso, near San Pedro Sula, was especially hard hit.
I talked with Pastor Oscar in La Ceiba, and he said that his house was flooded, and he had to build up a retaining wall that fell.
In Saba, a pastor had heavy damage to his home.
I've helped some, but can't do a whole lot now because of other commitments. But if you want to help you can donate online at charitybox.com/hf
I'll be in Honduras in February.

Uganda unrest

2005-11-16T09:39:00.000-06:00

A probable presidential candidate, Besigye, was arrested and put in jail, causing unrest in Uganda. He is charged with treason, and among other things, rape. He laughed at the rape charge, perhaps because rape is so common in Africa that they hardly consider it a crime.
There have also been student strikes at the Makarere University.

Iowa

2005-11-14T10:00:00.000-06:00

I had an interesting weekend, visiting a conference for Living Waters ministry, a group that helps society's outcasts in Illinois.
Then I was in two churches associated with my friend Jim Hartman. One is a community church in Whitten, Iowa and the other the Assembly of God in Conrad, Iowa. The preaching (on the servant song in Isaiah 49) seemed to be well received

Uganda

2005-11-09T17:38:00.000-06:00

Steve Fitzpatrick is on his way to Uganda, where he will meet McElvain and teach in Kitgum. Mac is already there and is teaching in Gulu this week. Murphy and Eudy are in Bugiri teaching, and will go on to Kenya next week. I would guess that among the four teachers, we will teach about 500 preachers during this two week period

Phillip and Ingrid

2005-10-26T14:52:00.000-05:00

This was at Phillip's room at the University of Vermont a couple of weeks ago.

AGIF

2005-10-24T08:42:00.000-05:00

I was at the AGIF conference in Norwalk Connecticut. (Assemblies of God International Fellowship, an independent ministers group of which I am one of the elders) I asked some people what they liked about it, and the response was "fellowship." The leaders sat at the table with everybody else, and they were accessible.
There are preachers who have a need to communicate with peers, rather than competing for denominational positions. We saw that happening again, as it always does in our conferences. George Ekeroth has proven to be a good leader, and Dale Collins has been a good editor and advisor. This is not the direction I thought the fellowship would follow when Ted Lanes died, but I'm pleased with the result. There is a divine hand guiding us.

back from the east

2005-10-18T16:32:00.000-05:00

Ingrid and I were together on a driving trip to Vermont and Maine, with Jack the dog and Tess the cat. We pulled our little camper.
We visited with Phillip at the university and then went to Acadia National Park, with its wonderful scenes along the "stern and rockbound coast" of Maine.
We were gone for two weeks.
I'll go back east for a convention in Connecticut, and return on Saturday.
Here is Phillip and Tess outside our little camper.

stormy night

2005-09-22T19:12:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
We had straight line winds and heavy rain last night. A big tree or two fell down into the small forest behind our house. Not far away two homes were destroyed. Hundreds of trees have fallen, many of them a hundred years old. We were without power for about 4 hours.
Now you hear chain saws all over the neighborhood, and people are acting like real Minnesotans, cleaning up the mess.

Sara Gonzalez

2005-09-15T21:45:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
Sara died on September 1, and was buried in Sweden. Jose was there with her. She was a courageous and diligent missionary who often climbed the mountains to minister in remote places. She inspired many young people to go into missionary work.
She had struggled with cancer for the past couple of years.
I was able to have Hans Larsson represent me at the funeral. He had already been asked to sing. I wanted to go, but I had sent my passport in for renewal, and was without it.
Sara was an early missionary to Patagonia, and there are still many people who came to faith through her trip when she was young back in the 1950's.

Job's friends comment on New Orleans

2005-09-07T13:28:00.000-05:00

Some people are reacting to the hurricane by calling it God's judgment. They didn't do that when Grand Forks flooded due to a lack of systems to protect it. Funny, isn't it? Grand Forks gets sympathy; New Orleans gets judgmentalism.
Barbara Bush managed to see the cynical bright side for the victims, and will probably be forever remembered by that. It reminds me of Ann Richards' comment on her son, "born with a silver boot in his mouth." It's too bad that her image becomes so tarnished, because she is such a likable lady.
Jesus' reaction to such tragedies was, "unless you repent, you shall likewise perish."

katrina

2005-09-04T16:29:00.000-05:00

Of course, my daughter's name is Katrina. There was a previous tropical storm with her name as well, but now I suppose she is getting a lot of teasing for causing so much trouble.
Doug Smiley called the other day to let me know that about 40 Garifuna people from New Orleans are camped out at a Garifuna church in Houston. He has helped them, but I haven't been able to because of some anticipated expenses in Uganda.
There are Garifuna chuches in Chicago, New Orleans, Houston, New York, Miami, and I think in Los Angeles. Doug has kept in contact with them as well as with Belize, while I have concentrated more on the Garifuna in Honduras.

empty nest

2005-08-26T09:11:00.000-05:00

Phillip left for the University of Vermont this morning. The weather cooperated by raining all night, causing us to be delayed to the airport so he had to take a later flight.

We're back!

2005-08-16T17:02:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
The travel times are long, especially when you are coming back. But things went well on the trip. We were in Buenos Aires, that great city, in Salta (la linda, they call it, because of its location in the mountains), in Libertador General San Martin (which isn't pleasant at all), and in Cachi, high in the Andes after a beautiful trip that takes you up to 3500 meters as you follow the switchbacks up.
It was important to be there, especially in the absence of Jose and Sara Gonzalez. They are in Sweden, where it appears Sara is in her last days.
I'm quite concerned about the G12 system they are using in some of the churches. It's as if they have replaced biblical church structure with something a man received in a dream. I believe in eldership, not hierarchy. But there seems to be no room for biblical models in the g12 movement. They also put great emphasis on an initiation rite called encuentro, as if the church is some kind of secret society.
I hope we can see some progress toward an equilibrium.

Argentina

2005-07-24T10:09:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
On Friday, Phillip and I go to Buenos Aires. We have a teaching in Jose C. Paz on Saturday evening, and two meetings (Flores and Insuperable) on Sunday.
We are tourists on Monday, and go to Salta on Tuesday. From there we will be in Libertador and later in Cachi. We will be in Salta itself on the weekend.

Rahab

2005-07-24T10:06:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
Last Sunday I preached on the Faith of Rahab at Anoka Covenant. I was surprised at the laugh I got when I said, "I wish she had been a schoolteacher or a nurse." The point is that Rahab acted on what she believed (that history was flowing with the Israelites, and they were going to conquer). Rahab turned from her prostitution, married, and was integrated literally into the history of Israel and the body of Christ. She welcomed the spies instead of rejecting them.
So Faith welcomes and protects God's messengers. Faith sees the future and acts in accordance with it. Faith leaves the life of sin behind. Faith takes hold of the "scarlet thread"--that is, it trusts in the blood of Christ. Faith integrates itself with the people of God.

Back from Honduras

2005-07-06T09:27:00.000-05:00

Hot and hotter.
But I got a lot done in Honduras. It was gratifying when a woman (with blue hair!) talked to me about the advice I had given her about her daughter on a previous trip. The girl had been ensnared by a cultic group, and the mother had been pestering her. I told her to lay off and pray instead. The daughter was back within two weeks, and has resisted the efforts of the other group to re-enlist her. I had forgotten about the situation. It was nice to hear that God helped them.
The correspondence school has over 300 students, and they seem real serious about their theology. Several have gotten bachelor's certificates through an American school, and I reviewed the books they use. They are serious, and require good thinking. I spoke in their annual convocation, giving 3 one hour sessions.
We reviewed the social projects, and have decided to pull back on our nurse and our gardens coordinators. These projects have run for a long time, and we think they have produced change. But now people need to take responsibility themselves. The government has also increased their health presence in the communities. We will continue to provide medicines in the village medicine cabinets and also seeds for gardens. The sewing project will continue. We see more spiritual results from the sewing schools.
I'm planning to return in February. I expect to work with at least 4 different groups over a period covering 3 Sundays.
We had an especially effective meeting in Corozal, in the Garifuna church. The electricity had gone out, so we were in candlelight and couldn't "preach". But God helped me to tell some missionary stories and then present a challenge to respond to God's call. The church was quiet. Usually I have to struggle with children's noise. But evidently the darkness and the softness of the situation had a calming and receptive effect that can only be described as precious.

Preaching

2005-06-21T15:09:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
I will preach at the Bible Church in Oskaloosa Iowa in the morning on July 10. Doug Smiley is the pastor.
In the evening I will preach at one of two churches that Jim Hartman pastors. He lives in Union, Iowa.
On July 17 I will preach (on Rahab the Harlot) at Anoka Covenant Church.

Honduras

2005-06-21T15:07:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
Tomorrow, Wednesday, I leave for Honduras. On Monday Bob Kallam will come and join me for meetings in the La Ceiba area. He will stay on with a team from his church doing a building project.

Switch to Argentina

2005-06-17T19:41:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
Phil and I have canceled the Africa trip because of security issues and the fact the the costs were getting to be very very high. Instead, we are going to Argentina from July 29-August 13. We plan to be in Buenos Aires and the province, and then go north to Salta and Jujuy. We're hoping to have a youth conference one weekend because I want him to use his Spanish as much as possible.

Phillip's speech

2005-06-10T08:58:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
Phillip's speech at the graduation ceremony had a tone of thankfulness to those who had invested in his life, and a desire to be worthy of that investment. His voice was just a little nervous for about 5 seconds, and then he relaxed. It was clear and carried well to the audience of something around 5000 people.
We are very proud of him.

the Great Commission

2005-06-06T10:01:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
I hope there isn't a tendency to make the Great Commission say, "Stay at home and invite your neighbor to church."
Jesus said we should make disciples of all nations. It is too easy to think in terms of our immediate local needs when the calling is to reach the entire world. Reaching out to others is good at a local level, but the reaching is done with a 4 foot pole in your own county. We need a 25 foot pole to reach far beyond the people that merely benefit us locally.
Last year, I was given grace to pray with over 150 people who publicly confessed Jesus as Lord. The people we taught prayed with many more than that, probably numbering well up in the thousands. For example, a pastor started a church in Sudan that has 120 baptized believers. Another opened up a new village in India, and has 40 believers. Most of the people we taught don't speak English and don't know how to use the internet to inform us. But they are constantly praying with people for salvation, and are constantly teaching them so that they grow in faith.
The Great Commission says that going, we should make disciples of all nations. Let's not limit that to making disciples of people who are just like us. The challenge is much bigger.

News as of today.

2005-06-02T10:14:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
Charles Okongo surprised me by being accepted into an MBA program in Uganda. He will study for one year.
We established a pilot program in Patagonia with Sergio Jerosimich. It will run for 6 months in cooperation with 4 or 5 churches.
Phillip was eliminated in the first round of regional finals in Tennis. This ends his high school tennis career. He has done well. The guy who beat him went on to beat the guy everybody was afraid of.
We have a breakfast on June 4 for Minneapolis area people interested in the Herald of Faith. Steve Fitzpatrick is coming in from California. We will have a board meeting afterwards.
Last week, Vijay held a seminar for pastors in India, with about 25 attending. He taught my material on Colossians.
Over the last few weeks, Pablo Munoz, a pastor in Argentina, has been teaching my material on Romans 12.

Patagonia

2005-05-27T07:58:00.000-05:00

Sergio Jerosimich is in the US. He will come to Minneapolis this Sunday and go back to New Jersey on Tuesday. This gives us a chance to talk about the work in Patagonia.
I am looking for stronger cooperation among the churches in Comodoro Rivadavia. Sergio's church isn't strong enough to maintain a program in the interior, but if he can get cooperation among the churches, we might be able to start quite a few works in the interior.

Uganda/Sudan

2005-05-27T07:57:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
Security seems poor for Nimule, Sudan. It has deteriorated significantly in the past two weeks. But Labone, which is directly north of Kitgum, Uganda, is more secure.
We have decided to make the final decision on the trip on June 15. Ultimately, we have to hear from God. But we believe that one of the ways in which He speaks is through the situation on the ground.
I've never let security hinder me. The first time I went to Kitgum, about 1999, they had burned a bus on the road I traveled the previous day. I was there by choice during the ebola crisis in Gulu. We have driven through rebel territory several times, and once had a breakdown there. The last time I was in Kitgum, there was shooting right outside my room. Fear wants to get hold of you, but we have decided to do what we feel God has led us to do in spite of those fears.
We need prayer and we need wisdom.

Sudan

2005-05-24T09:15:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
Moses Okeny reports that he is visiting 3 places in southern Sudan regularly. He has good contact with the military, and has seen many come to Christ. He has about 120 people in his church (80 men, and 40 "female" in his quaint way of speaking).
He recently moved into Sudan (or rather "New Sudan") after the peace accords had been signed. His family is with him. But he still needs to travel by military convoy.
We are investigating the security situation because of our planned trip in August. Phil and I will go together with my nephew Joel Mattsson-Boze and possibly Milton McElvain. But we will give careful consideration to the security issues. We have good contact with the intelligence people in the Ugandan army, and Moses is known to the military in southern Sudan as well. Both groups are quite sympathetic to what we are doing in training village pastors.
When I was in Nimule, Sudan a few years ago, we heard the soldiers doing their drills at 5 in the morning, singing Christian songs.

2005-05-24T09:07:00.000-05:00

Phil

2005-05-18T19:52:00.000-05:00

Together with Samuel Benjamin

Phillip

2005-05-18T17:56:00.000-05:00

Today Phillip was one of the honorees at his high school, graduating with highest honors. The other day in the scholarship assembly he received two scholarships to help him go to the University of Vermont.
I'm pleased with the excellence at the Anoka schools. Phil is among the best, and has taken challenging courses. He's doing microbiology now. He's also on the soccer team and captain of the tennis team.
As I mentioned before, he is one of the graduation speakers.

Uganda University

2005-05-15T19:40:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze<
Today Charles Okongo was asked to speak at the university on the Christian's role in the business world. I sent some suggestions concerning the "power to produce wealth" from Deuteronomy. But a big battle is the ethical battle in a culture that wants bribes in order to sign routine pieces of paper.
We're glad for the opportunity to influence the students with Christian teaching.
In July, Charles has been invited to speak at the leading military college in Uganda. If you have suggestions on what he should say, please write me, and I will forward them

Latter Rain

2005-05-13T13:13:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
I'm think a bit about the accusation that latter rain people are "neo-montanists." The Montanists were people in the early centuries of the church who relied on the Holy Spirit more than on the Scriptures. Certainly there are people like that around today, but our tradition has always been to let the Scriptures judge any prophecy or ministry.

The lists of things they accuse latter rain-ers of seems silly. I grew up in the revival and didn't see those things. I'm sure they existed, but my father stood against them. He had the wisdom to not throw out the baby with the bathwater.

I believe in prophetic and apostolic ministries, though I'm nervous about the titles that people are claiming for themselves these days. Especially the self-named group called the Supreme Council of Prophets and Apostles that Ralph Winter makes reference to.

The Scriptures are always in first place. Any current apostles cannot and should not hold a candle to the original 12. They certainly do not supercede them.

Uganda/Sudan

2005-05-11T10:07:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
Charles reports increasing violence in northern Uganda, and reports of another group opposed to President Museveni that is forming in Ethiopia.
We also have activity in Sudan that impedes the work somewhat. In spite of this, the churches move forward. People recognize that Faith is the only real security. We are watching the situation carefully.
Charles has been asked to raise up churches for the Foursquare movement in Sudan.
This weekend he will speak at the University on a Christian approach to business. In July he will speak at the principal military school on morality in the military.

Russia

2005-05-06T08:41:00.000-05:00

It was so nice to get an email from Valery in Perm. He said he valued the teaching, and it wasn't like the "fast food" that so often passes for teaching overseas.
My general plan is to visit Russia every other year, but it makes you want to go back sooner when people send comments like this. I've been there 5 times now, mostly in the Ural mountain region. On the last trip I went as far east as Kurgan.

Road in Kitgum

2005-05-05T09:19:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
On of the challenges in the center in Kitgum is the lack of a good road to the property. This affects people who might want to stay in our rooms. The town has approved it, but there is an individual with power who is opposing it. I don't know if he is waiting for a bribe or if he is simply being ornery, because the road will benefit him as well. We are not willing to bribe. We are praying the God will resolve the situation in such a way that He is glorified.
The center is beautiful. There are many people who come for lunch because we have good food. We actually had a guy connected with the Sheraton kitchen in Kampala come and give us advice.

Mattsson-Boze

2005-05-04T15:19:00.000-05:00

Mattsson-Boze
It looks like we will have a breakfast for people in the Anoka area on June 4 at 7:30-9:00 AM at Anoka Covenant Church.
Steve Fitzpatrick will come in from California. We will talk about the ministry of teaching village pastors overseas. It's an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about my ministry.

Proud of Phillip

2005-05-03T16:07:00.000-05:00

Our son Phillip was selected to be one of the graduation speakers at Anoka High School. He has done well throughout school, and now has decided to attend the University of Vermont in the fall. He isn't decided on career, but will start out in psychology.

Still trying

2005-04-30T10:11:00.000-05:00

I'm back from India (December) Russia (January) and Argentina (March-April). I'm home for a while, but will go to Honduras in June/July, and Sudan/Uganda in August.