Hold on Holders

Learning about your personal heritage can move you to a better understanding of who you are and where you came from. In some cases this encourages you on the path that you are on, but other times it helps stir you to action and to carry the mantle of what once was. During my recent trip to Turkey we visited five sites that helped me better understand the spiritual state of Turkey: a port, a palace, ancient tombs, a decorated mosque, and the home of a follower of Jesus.

1. The Port of Antioch

In visiting the ancient biblical city of Antioch, we got to go to the port where Paul and Barnabas would have left for their first missionary journey.  This held great significance, not because we consider the Apostle Paul to be the greatest missionary of all time, but for me it was the church at Antioch that sent him out to do the work…The church of Antioch is described in Act 11: 19-26 as the first area where followers of Jesus who fled persecution preached about Jesus to Hellenists and would come to be called Christians for the first time:

19Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. 22The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. (ESV)

In addition to the being the first church to preach Jesus to the Hellenists and the first place where the disciples were called Christians, they also send out Paul and Barnabas for their first missionary journey, as seen in Acts 13:2-3

2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. (ESV)

To walk where Paul walked, as he was leaving for his first missionary journey, on my first vision trip as a Catalyst working with unengaged people groups was a very powerful and encouraging moment for me personally. It was something that I will not forget. He was a champion of preaching to the gentiles of which I am! The way that he and the other apostles did what Jesus modeled had an impact almost 2000 years ago that resulted in a network of people coming to know Jesus that would trickle down through generations and God would use to bring about my salvation. And Paul left on that first journey in faith right there. God could use us to continue to pass that down through generations to see Matthew 24:12 fulfill as all nations will hear the testimony of His gospel, and then the end will come.

The church at Antioch took up that call and took ownership of fulfilling the Great Commission in reaching gentiles where they live and sending Paul and Barnabas to help reach the nations, but as generations would pass, and regimes would rise and fall, this call was not passed down and there are a mere 25 believers in Antioch now.

2. The Topkapi Palace

As the Ottoman Empire took over the region, Islam almost wiped out Christianity as people were given the opportunity to pay high taxes, convert to Islam, or be killed. During our seven hour layover in Istanbul, we took a trip to Old City to see some of the historic sites. The Topkapi Palace was built in the mid-to-late 1400s by Mehmed as the Ottoman Empire took over Istanbul. The Topkapi Palace was the administrative, educational, and art center for the empire for nearly 400 years.1

As we walked throughout the palace and go to see the architecture, upkeep of the grounds, views of the city and the sea, and walk through the museums I began to feel a spiritual weight on me as we read and learned more about the takeover of the Ottomans and the political and financial oppression of Christians and Jews throughout the once Byzantium claimed territory.  Artifacts within the museums at the palace included many weapons used against the Byzantium Empire throughout the Crusades and even the different sacks of Istanbul and the surrounding areas.

Christians and Jews were tolerated because of Islam’s recognition of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus as prophets, but they had higher taxes, poll taxes, and were limited in their occupation because all government jobs were to be held by muslims.2 This would eventually lead to generational creep away from Christianity and an even greater celebration of Islam from the political leaders.

3. Tombs in Antioch

During our trip to the port of Antioch, we took a detour to see some ancient tombs that have been empty for years.  This made me think of the spiritual state of Turkey. The Turks as a people group are considered to be the unreached people group with the largest population in the world. The people who live in what was considered Asia Minor, where Paul proclaimed in a two year journey that everyone had heard the gospel, now have a less than 2% population of Christians. While I have no clue who laid in these tombs, I felt as if this represented the church of Antioch of the past.

4. The Sophia Mosque

Built by Constantine II of the Byzantine Empire as the largest Church in the sixth century, the Hagia Sophia was to be the biggest church in the world. After the Ottoman take over of Istanbul in the 1400s, it was turned into a mosque. Some of the paintings were changed, and large 12 foot diameter tablets
with Islamic calligraphy were hoisted into their current place. This is celebrated as a mosque that has been secularized as a tourist spot now. There is one hallway that talks about the construction of the Hagia Sophia as a Christian church, but other than that it is celebrated and commemorated as the Sophia Mosque and people can learn about the historical significance that it played.

In America we are starting to relate to some of this as we see Mosques go up in areas that held significant to us for something else once upon a time, but it is still hard for me to imagine being a believer and going to the Hagia Sophia for service, but then it being converted into a mosque. What destruction I would feel for my faith! This was all the more a sign for me not to consider a building as ‘The Church’ and a reminder that followers of Jesus are ‘The Church’.

5.Family of Jesus Followers Home

While in this home we got to hear how the man, an automobile mechanic shares Jesus’ story with people at his job. The family even had an evangecube under their TV so that they could share Jesus’ story with anyone who came over.

We got to hear this family say that they looked for people who were not close to their family to share with. The idea behind this thought is that they will not fear their family being upset with them for starting to follow Jesus.  In the states this is something that we often do, looking for the person who is an outsider…we sometimes view them as having less to overcome to start following Jesus…they must be desperate and searching.  There is indeed some truth to this, but in a muslim culture we encouraged them to try to gather the family together to hear stories about Jesus so that they could talk through and make those decisions together.  We are hearing that in situations where this takes place that they are more encouraged for their new walk with Jesus.

The family was open to this approach, the same way that many Sunnis and Alawites that we encountered were open to hearing stories about Jesus.  Jesus is a prophet to them in their Quran and therefore we ever heard some of them tell us that they love Jesus.

I did not realize how much Islam has a hold on Turkey, but upon coming to grasp that I also came to see that the people are open to hearing stories about Jesus. I was again reminded about how you get a favorable response when you ask people to gather to hear a story about Jesus and continue to invest in them, loving them as Jesus would. Could this approach help restore millions of Turks to the faith of generations past? Please join with me in praying that it does.

Sources:

1. http://topkapisarayi.gov.tr/en/history
2. http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/islam-ottoman-empire
3. http://www.canuckabroad.com/places/place/hagia-sophia/
4. http://hodolomax.deviantart.com/art/Hagia-Sophia-Mosque-306479384

Hello all, it’s Emma here to tell you about Luke and I welcoming the first child into our home…this not your typical pregnancy story!

June, 2015 was the start of Luke and I’s first summer in our new home and our first summer off from teaching school together. We had packed the summer calendar full of activities, weddings, mini trips, and had just been home from vacationing with my parents a day or so, (thanks Mom and Dad) when things took an unexpected, emotional, and exciting turn.

ALL of Luke and I’s friends had recently announced their pregnancies, were beginning to try, or had just had a baby. We were constantly hearing, when will you two be starting your family? After a fun family planning trip with Luke, we decided we were waiting until the summer of 2017 to try to start our family. I confidently agreed to the plan, but prayed and hoped for something different for our family. I cannot count the amount of times when asked when we would start our family I would say, “We are going to start trying next summer, but I’m just waiting for someone to drop a baby off at our door step.” Though this may sound silly, keep reading to hear how the 21st century stork brought a baby into our home and into our hearts….

I will never forget the morning we learned we might be parents or the events that shortly followed. Luke was up, working in the back yard before it got too hot. I, on the other hand, am not one for early rising during the summer (okay fine, ever) and was lounging around. I finally moseyed my way to the bath tub to start my day around 11am. I was in the bath when I checked my phone. I noticed, while I was sleeping in I had received what would come to be the most important call of my life thus far.

I saw a missed call and a voicemail from a contact of mine that I had not heard from in awhile. My heart sank. I knew what the call would be about. As I listened to the voicemail, the knot in my stomach got tighter and tighter. The voice sternly said, “Emma, call me as soon as possible.”

Two weeks earlier, I had learned of a sweet baby that had been brought into the family of the voice on my voicemail. From the day I learned of this child, I prayed for her. Knowing that my return call would no doubt be something about this child, I continued to take a bath and ran through all the possible things I might hear when I returned the phone call. I came up with 2 scenarios.

1. “Emma, we found someone to take care of her! Thank you for praying for us.”
2. “Emma, are you interested in taking a 2 week old baby?”

After I came up with these to possible scenarios, my sweet husband came in to take a break from the heat. I nervously called him in to the bathroom to tell him of my mornings events. I will never forget how nervous I was to start this conversation with him. This wasn’t our life plan…would he think I was crazy…or even more scary, would he agree to take a baby if the voice reported scenario #2? I felt as if I was a child again and asking my parents for permission to do something I knew they would say no to instead of a confidant, young, married woman.

As I reflect back on this moment in time, the things I remember seem so silly. Luke was covered in grass and leaning on the white door trim. I remember wanting to tell him, “Stop leaning on the door way, you’re going to get grass all over it,” but not wanting to upset him before this conversation. I remember the way he looked at me when he said, “This was not the plan Emma,” and the hurt I felt and my heart breaking for a baby I had never met. I remember the way he looked when he finally said, “We can foster, but that is it. We cannot adopt.”

The only thing I couldn’t tell you, is what changed his mind. Why he went from such a strong no, this isn’t our plan, to we can foster this baby. I cannot remember the words that I spoke to him, the words that I so carefully planned out while waiting for him to come inside. The only explanation to Luke’s quick change of heart is God. God had a plan for Luke and I, God was giggling as we sat months before on our family planning date, God gave me the words to reassure to my husband that now was our time. How amazing is our God, a God who can answer my prayers.

I could not give myself any time to process the conversation we had just had or let the reality of what had just happen sink in. I had to call right away before I lost my courage. I dialed the number and waited impatiently to hear what the voice on the other end would tell me. Did I just have the most emotional and challenging conversations with my husband over a scenario #1? Did I just become a mother figure to an infant? The voice from my voicemail confirmed what my new fate would be. I was given the number of the people I could contact if I was interested in fostering a 2 and a half week old baby, who I knew nothing about and who I had never seen, but I already loved.

The next few hours and days, and even weeks of Waiting for Baby were very challenging. I cannot wait to share the events and emotions that we experienced in the next blog post.

Sweating, panting, running through the airport to the constant clicking sound of my carry-on pulled behind me on the tile after they already had already made the final boarding call for Luke Holder, I hoped that there would be a way that I would somehow make my last flight home. Knowing that I could not do it without the help of a friend and those in charge of the flight, I prayed that God would make a way, because I desperately wanted to be going home to Emma. This wasn’t the way that things were supposed to work out, we were supposed to have a couple hours of a layover, but things don’t always go the way we think they should or hope they will, especially when we aren’t in charge. God reminded me of that as I sat on the plane ride home jammin’ to some David Crowder reflecting on this trip.

As I left a little over a week ago, I asked for prayer coverage for safety, that God would prepare the field and go before us, for people of peace, and for the laborers who are on the ground working among the Alawite People in Turkey. Let me tell you how good our God is! This was my first vision trip to an unengaged people group within a muslim country, and it was fruitful for our work as well as for me personally.

The Alawite People of Turkey are a Turkish Muslim unengaged people group who are very hospitable and based on the conversations that we had are open to hearing stories of Jesus. The people of Turkey are about 99% muslim and have been for generations now.  One story we heard from one of our co laborers on the ground was about a man who started to follow and after being ostracized from his family for leaving their religion later spoke truth about how he was not leaving their family’s religion, but rather returning to that which their family followed generations prior.  This even stirred up my heart for good, faithful family discipleship for generations to leave behind a legacy of following Jesus.

There are some laborers on the ground that we stayed with who want to see God move throughout the Alawites and we’re excited to see a way that we shared Creation to Christ using a tool that was simple enough for the person who heard it the first time could tell their family. We were very encouraged upon leaving them, expectant about what God is going to do.

We met and connected with an American, Chip*, who moved to Turkey about 6 years ago with a heart to reach the Turks. One of the Alawites that we would meet named Joshua* is like a son in the faith to him. They are excited to continue sharing Jesus’ story among the Alawite people in hopes of seeing people start gathering in groups that would study to know, love, and follow Jesus more.

Joshua shared his story of how the hardest things that he wrestled with in starting to follow Jesus was about loving people and understanding Jesus’ love of him and others. He shared how this was so counter-cultural to the Alawite Muslim background he grew up around. Joshua translated for us sharing Creation to Christ with Teddy*, he helped Teddy practice sharing Creation to Christ in preparation of telling his wife and mother, and asked him if he would be open to meeting in Teddy’s home so that they could learn another story together. Joshua was amazed at this and loved the way that Teddy was able to share the story back.

Leaving Turkey we were encouraged from hearing the hearts of the laborers on the ground and their desire to see God move in their midst. Join me in continuing to pray for them.

• Pray for more gospel seed to be sown, that from it there would be a mighty harvest, 30-60-even 100 fold (Mark 4:8).
• Groups to start gathering, like one in Teddy’s home.
• Some of the groups that are already gathering to reproduce as they become more Kingdom minded (2 Timothy 2:2, 1 Corinthians 1:11).

Lastly, I owe you all a thanks for continuing to pray for us while I was in Turkey and here after to see God move among people groups for the first time in generations, if ever. Excited to see what God will do as He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3: 20)!

Before I leave for Turkey I have to say the biggest thank you to Emma. Before we started to date a couple years ago, I made the statement that we wouldn’t date unless I could see myself marrying her, and that I would have to know that she would not only “be okay” with me going abroad, but that we would be a unified front and hopefully going together someday.  While that day is not today, she has been a champ with the planning of me being gone and her taking care of Annie without me for six days, with her birthday falling during this trip.

Emma, thank you for your companionship, partnership, and unending support. I love you.

Turkey Trip Prayer Requests

Monday-Tuesday

• Safety during our travels
• Preparation of the field

Wednesday-Friday

• Growth of the family that started to follow
• People to start following and gathering in groups
• People of peace and Houses of peace to receive our message and us
• Faithfulness of leaders on the ground

Saturday

• Travel back and greater growth upon us leaving

We are Luke and Emma Holder writing our real life stories to keep people up to date and document our lives. We aren’t important people, but we live exciting lives.

We got married on June 12th of 2015 and there is no looking back. The first year of marriage was an exciting ride, but year two is turning out even more interesting. Luke is starting full-time ministry. Emma owns a couple businesses and teaches second grade. We are going through the process of fostering to adopt a sweet, little girl. Marriage, fostering to adopt, full-time ministry, and owning businesses make our lives quite busy, so we have started this blog to help us remember this season of life.

We want to be real about the successes and struggles that we are having in these different areas to share our experiences and encourage others like us. We also want to document this so that our kids can one day read and learn about the different seasons of life that we have been through.

FOSTERING TO ADOPT: The entire process of fostering was quite sudden and nothing short of unexpected. Thus far, it has been amazing and we pray that more people would step out in faith to have a similar experience.  It is not something that we were planning on doing and therefore gives us more motivation to share our stories. As we continue this process there will undoubtedly be more stories to share. This is one of the main reasons that we wanted to start our blog to inform on the system and encourage others based on our experiences.

ON MISSION: As Christ followers we want to strive to be the hands and feet of Christ…this isn’t always easy, especially because we are wretched sinners. Thankfully our Savior, Jesus Christ, has paid for our sins. We have been bought with a price, as it is described in 1st Corinthians 6, and because of that, Romans 8 helps us learn that there is no condemnation for our sins because Jesus already took that condemnation on. It isn’t just what we believe and say, but the way that we walk in light of this that can make an impact on the world.

REAL MARRIAGE: We believe that there are many misconceptions about what marriage is and isn’t…some of the best advice that we received close to our wedding was to be attentive about the people’s marriages who were giving us marriage advice. We just want to be real about the fun that we have together and the silly arguments that we find ourselves in; such as a 30 minute argument about it not being appropriate to serve tacos and taco salad at the same sitting.  We are two imperfect people trying to love each other best as possible. We believe that marriage is a covenant between a husband, his wife, and God to be upheld ’till death do us part.

BUSINESS: Between the two of us, we are involved in four small businesses that we love: On Skinker Lane Monograms and more, Mirabella, LulaRoe on the Lane, and Sugar Creek Beard Supply Co…we strive to give our best at everything that we do and these are no exception to that. While they can make our lives busier that we want at times, we enjoy them and the people we are involved with.

OTHER THOUGHTS: Not everything that happens in our lives will be filtered through the lenses of the above categories, but will be nonetheless meaningful to us, so we will still share whenever that happens.

HOLD ON HOLDERS: “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men often go awry.” very few (if any) of our stories are noteworthy because they happened the way we planned, but in life when God laughs at our plans because He has something different in store for us, we can just stick together, trusting Him through the process.