Without a mask

None of us enjoy being exposed. We all have things or experiences in our lives that we are ashamed of. Things we've done. Places we've been. People we've hurt. But when we come to God, we come as we are. We often forget that He knew us before we were born and that there’s simply nothing He doesn't already know about us. Yet, we continue to hide behind our past and guard it like it we are the only person in the world who has ever been in this mess.

If we could only realise that our healing would be so much faster if we could open our hearts and mouths to let things go! Not just ‘willy nilly’ but to those who are there to help us. We have all heard the saying from Ecclesiastes "...there’s nothing new under the sun..." and when we lay out our paltry lives with all the anxieties and worries that we carry, we realise that we are joining an army of people who have done almost exactly the same. With a few tweaks, we’d be carbon copies!

One of the hardest battles we struggle with is being honest. I know it’s hard to even admit that, but it’s true. We want everyone to love us, and we think that maybe if they knew ‘the real me’ they would have reservations - but that isn't true of real friends. It isn't true of God. He hates the sin, but He loves the "me". It’s a great relief to be free from having to hide, and from covering up. Deceit causes all kinds of sicknesses, and yet we all live with it.

I’m grateful that it is possible to be free from this bondage. I’m grateful that is possible to find healing from fear. It isn’t easy to ‘come clean’, but the feeling of freedom is exhilarating. In my relationship with Sava (because we were mature and came into this marriage both carrying baggage from the past - good and bad), we realised if we were to survive and have a successful life together we would have to be sure all our secrets were on the table. It ensures the demons from our past have less power over our lives, and it frees us from blackmail (in however mild a form).  It allows us to walk confidently forwards without the manipulation that sometimes we have brought on ourselves.

When God called us to open Kairos, we brought this principle with us. One of our core values in Kairos is "fara masca" – ‘without a mask’. These days so many people try to hide their failures – especially in church. If they smoke, they try to hide it from the pastor. If they drink, they try to never be seen with a glass in their hand. If they take drugs, they do their best to appear "normal" especially around anyone from the church. We seem to have missed the point. We’re only hiding from people, but we’re not hiding from God.

"Fara masca"- without a mask – does that mean we are liberal or agree with everything that goes on? Not at all. But we have learned through personal hard experience, to draw a big circle of love. So often churches try to ‘clean the fish’ before it’s caught! We don’t encourage anyone to continue with bad habits, but we do want to draw them into our circle of love. We believe God extends His hand to help those who are in trouble. We believe there is nothing too hard for Him to fix. We believe we need to draw bigger circles of love and to be inclusive.  People who are struggling already know what they need to do - we just need to love them into doing it!

Living without a mask isn't easy. It makes us vulnerable. It leaves us exposed to criticism. But if we want to be free and whole, it’s what we need to do. There’s nothing worse than living a lie. And none of us can criticise, as we all do it. Pride hinders us from being ourselves and allowing God to change us.  Sometimes we enjoy what we’re doing, but forgiveness is what we all need, repentance and then change. I am in no position to think badly about you. I am equally guilty, if not more guilty than most. God is big enough to extend healing to each and every one of us. If only we will remove our mask.

Wendy Tomin

Co-pastor, Kairos Church

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5 pâini și 2 pești

5 pâini și 2 pești.

De atât a fost nevoie ca să hrănească mulțimea de oameni care venea după El. Minune.

Oamenii Îl urmau pe Isus pe când Acesta trăia pe pământ; văzând mulțimea înfometată, lui Isus I s-a făcut milă de ei și le-a spus ucenicilor: „Dați-le să mănânce!”  Ucenicii au răspuns: „N-avem aici decât  5 pâini și 2 pești.”

El a luat pâinile și peștii, a privit spre cer, a binecuvântat, a frânt pâinile și apoi ucenicii le-au dat mulțimilor să mănânce.

5 pâini și 2 pești. De atât a fost nevoie ca să hrănească mulțimea de oameni care venea după El. Minune.

De o minune ca aceasta am avut și eu parte. Eram prin clasele I-V, era seară, stăteam cu toții la masă  și în mijlocul mesei … o bucată de pâine, uscată parțial. Eu, sora mea cea mare, mama și tata. Nu știu dacă ai mei s-au rugat înainte pentru o minune dar știu sigur că am trăit s-o văd.

Mama a început să taie bucata de pâine: o feliuță pentru tata, o feliuță pentru mine, o feliuță pentru sora mea și o feliuță  pentru ea.  Apoi… Mai vreau o felie!  Eu de colo, că doar eram în „creștere” J și mai un rând de felii a trecut prin fața noastră și bucata de pâine nu se împuțina.

Numeste-o cum vrei, iluzie optică, efect placebo, nu știu, tot ce știu este că am mâncat cu toții, ne-am săturat și a mai rămas. Minune.

Te încurajez astăzi să te uiți în urmă la viața ta, a familiei tale și să cauți să recunoști minunile pe care Dumnezeu le-a făcut pentru tine la un moment dat. Adu-I mulțumire pentru minunile pe care le-ai trăit. Amintește-ți de binecuvântările din viața ta, spune-I „Mulțumesc!” și dacă azi ai nevoie de o minune, te încurajez să aduci puținul pe care-l ai înaintea Lui și El - doar El - îl poate înmulți.

5 pâini și 2 pești. De atât a fost nevoie ca să hrănească mulțimea de oameni care venea după El. Minune.

Luizi Lupșescu

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In the beginning

Timisoara is a beautiful City in the west of Romania, situated not too far from the Hungarian border.  It is a very Westernised City and because of the thousands of foreign guests that poured into it just after the Revolution, it has become a contradiction in itself to the rest of Romania.  The first time I came here in 1990, with humanitarian aid, I was overwhelmed by the poverty and lack of everyday items, such as sugar and milk and a whole lot more.  I came back many times during that period with different teams, and we often stayed in one of the main hotels in Timisoara. I recall many times when we could not find food or drink – the water was undrinkable – and life was very hard for the people.

Although now times have changed for most people in this city, there is still a great divide between those ‘who have’ and those ‘who have not’.  The poverty is hidden by the huge amount of expensive cars that are driven around the city, but the poverty is still here for many thousands of people. But this is the city God called us to plant our church in, and so here we are. It has around 400,000 inhabitants with a student population of around 40,000 from all over the world.

There are so many wonderful churches here in the city and one would wonder why God had called us to plant another – but call us He did, and we’re so thankful for the opportunity to serve Him.  Sava and I have needed much grace.  We realise that people expect Pastors to have always been ‘saintly’ and ‘holy’, but nothing could be further from the truth.  Just like everyone else, Pastors are in need of the grace of God in their lives, and we are no different.  For many years – in fact since Bible School days – Sava had been writing out the format for the church that he would one day pastor – he even had the name chosen - Kairos - believing that somewhere in the world God would place him to lead others into a fuller knowledge of God. The last place he expected God to call him to, was back home to his very own city of birth!  But God doesn't make mistakes.

We walked through several doors thinking they might be the right ones, but eventually we realised that God had called us to launch a new church altogether.  Both of us trembled at the very thought – what if nobody would join us – what if we failed – what if we hadn't really heard from God? There were many anxieties in the early days until we walked along with God and saw His hand open doors that no man could shut!  We launched on Facebook – something that was quite unheard of.  We had no team, no financial support, no building and no backup – but we took a step of faith that God would provide all that we needed and leaped into the dark!  It wasn't too long before God began to send us the most unlikely and wonderful people.

Rebecca Mace – an English girl who had worked for many years in the city doing an incredible work with hundreds of children – was inspired by the vision that God had placed in Sava’s heart and felt that God had spoken to her to join us.  Then, Luizi and Razvan, a young couple who were both brought up in Christian homes, came alongside us.  They helped us to paint the very first building we rented for our church and as soon as we spoke of the vision God had given, they felt it was something they could function in and grow closer to God. 

We now had five in our team and we felt that was enough for us to move ahead.  We met for prayer daily and were overwhelmed at the incredible miracles God wrought in those early days.  He showed us clearly that we were in His perfect will – despite the opposition that inevitably goes with taking blind steps of faith! 

God added to us slowly and surely.  A lovely young English couple called Lindon and Sam Craven felt God call them after reading our posts on Facebook, and enquired if they could possibly come and help us for a year.  They were an answer to prayer and on their arrival they clicked immediately with our team and brought their talents to the table, giving God their all. 

There have been many mountain top experiences since then and a few valley experiences too but we can truly say we have never had one day’s regret as to the call of God for us to be in this wonderful city at this pivotal time in the history of Romania.  We believe that the best is still ahead and we look forward with great anticipation as to where God will lead us. 

Please continue to pray for us as we endeavour to bring change in our city – a spiritual Revolution in a city that knows the consequences of change from the previous Revolution.  God can do it again!! Thank you for standing with us – financially and in prayer.

Wendy, Sava & the Kairos Team.

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Ce fain e când mă cheamă la biserică!

„Ce fain e când mă cheamă la biserică!” 

Cam așa aș parafraza eu primul verset din Psalmul 122. 

(În traducerea Cornilescu, sună așa: Mă bucur când mi se zice: Haidem la Casa Domnului!)

Mă întreb: cu ce sentimente mergem (sau nu mergem) la biserică?  Când sună ceasul duminică dimineață, oftăm adânc la gândul că trebuie să ne trezim, să ne îmbrăcăm și să traversăm orașul ca să ajungem la timp la biserică?  Mergem pentru că simțim că trebuie să mergem?  Sau avem într-adevăr o bucurie, o fericire în suflet când ne gândim că mergem să ne întâlnim cu frații și surorile - și cu Dumnezeu?

Când mie îmi este greu să mă trezesc duminică dimineață, îmi aduc aminte de ce merg la biserică:

• Merg la biserică pentru a mă închina lui Dumnezeu.

Da, putem să ne închinăm și acasă - și trebuie să facem asta!  Însă, închinarea colectivă este foarte importantă!  Însuși Isus a spus că atunci când ne rugăm mai mulți împreună (chiar doi sau trei sunt de-ajuns), El este prezent și ne ascultă rugăciunile.  Închinându-mă lui Dumnezeu alături de alții, scap de perspectiva mea egoistă, în care toate rugăciunile se centrează în jurul nevoilor și sentimentelor mele.  

• Merg la biserică pentru a-i sluji pe alții.

Indiferent care sunt sarcinile pe care le am de îndeplinit la biserică duminică dimineață, eu sunt acolo pentru a-i sluji pe alții - pentru a-i ajuta să se apropie de Dumnezeu.  Fie că predic, fie că conduc închinarea, fie că reglez sunetul, fac totul pentru a sluji celor din jurul meu.  Chiar dacă nu sunt implicată în cadrul programului de biserică, voi căuta să spun o vorbă bună celor de lângă mine, să îi întâmpin pe cei care vin cu un zâmbet sincer, și să mă rog pentru cei care suferă.  

• Merg la biserică pentru a fi slujit.

Suntem Trupul lui Cristos și ne slujim reciproc.  Eu am nevoie de o îmbrățișare caldă.  Am nevoie de rugăciune atunci când am probleme.  Am nevoie ca cineva să mă primească, să mă asculte și să mă iubească.  Iar toate aceste lucruri se întâmplă în familia lui Dumnezeu - biserica!

Ce sentimente te încearcă atunci când primești invitația de a merge la biserică? Duminica aceasta, amintește-ți de ce mergi, și s-ar putea să spui și tu:  „Ce fain e când mă cheamă la biserică!”

Rebecca Mace

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(Extra)Ordinary Women

I don’t think there’s ever been such an exciting time to be a woman as today. For many years, culture has dictated that women are second class citizens and indeed, to this day, in many countries women don’t even have a voice. They are not allowed to go to school, not allowed to vote and their only role in life is to stay at home and be prisoners of their husbands and homes. (Please understand, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with being a home-maker - I believe it is one of God's highest callings to be a mother and a wife.)  I am so grateful to live in a free country and one that is beginning to come into the realisation of just how much potential there is any one woman!

Women are pushing all the boundaries these days. In work places (when the men always used to run the show), women are coming up with higher standards of education, brighter ideas and vision for many projects that seem insignificant to men. Because of their inbuilt compassion and care, they are producing incredible results in almost every sphere.

All of us are blessed with varying talents. We have different mind-sets depending on our upbringing and background, but the one important thing that binds us all together is our womanhood. In this changing world, one thing is certain: that God can use anyone who is dedicated to Him. For so long we've believed that we are the ‘weaker vessel’ and that God couldn't use us. We lack confidence in God and the fact that He can use anything or anyone who places themselves in His hands. We forget that it isn't really about us at all – it’s ALL about Him!

Women are often very sensitive to God's voice and his call.  Perhaps it’s the way we are wired, but whatever the reason, we cannot afford to miss the call of God. Whether it is for something big or small, God has a plan for each of us and only we can fulfil it!

I believe in these days, women are beginning to stand up and be counted in the church as well as in society. They are taking their place in leadership: they are taking their place in praise and worship and even in counselling and prophetic gifts; women are rising to their calling within the ministry of the church. I do not believe that every woman is called to be a preacher or a pastor. Each of us has a unique place and a special role to fulfil in Christ's body, the church.  I do believe that as we seek the face of God and surrender to His will, He will make a way where there seems to be no way!  All we need to do is dedicate ourselves to the work we are called to do.

We are blessed to have several leaders in Kairos who are girls. We all have different gifts and thus complement each other, and as we grow, I believe God will add to our team the people we need to further the work He has called us to do. Is it because we deserve it? No, it’s only by God’s grace. If we remember that God can give and God can take away, we will always be in a safe place for God to show Himself to us and thus fulfil the destiny He has prepared for us! Take courage girls – the future is as bright as the promises of God!

Wendy Tomin

Co-Pastor, Kairos Christian Centre

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A fi femeie

Ieri (duminică), a fost 8 martie, Ziua Internațională a Femeii.  A fost ziua în care copiii își cinstesc mama, soții își cinstesc soția și elevii își cinstesc profesoarele!  

Această sărbătoare m-a provocat să îmi pun întrebarea:  ce înseamnă să fiu femeie?

Am ajuns la concluzia că, pentru mine, a fi femeie înseamnă:

• să fiu vulnerabilă;
• să fiu neputincioasă, sau slabă;
• să fiu emotivă, influențată de hormoni;
• să fiu cea care așteaptă ca altul să ia inițiativa.

Însă, în același timp, a fi femeie înseamnă:

• să fiu empatică - să înțeleg trăirile altora și chiar să le simt și eu;
• să am grijă de alții atunci când au nevoie;
• să fiu frumoasă și să creez lucruri frumoase;
• să fiu prețuită și prețioasă;
• să fiu puternică cu o putere interioară.

Da, uneori este greu să fiu femeie, mai ales în societatea noastră.  Dar sunt mult mai multe momente în care sunt extrem de bucuroasă că fac parte din „sexul frumos”!  Eu Îi mulțumesc lui Dumnezeu că părinții mei m-au crescut să am încredere în mine și în forțele mele, și că niciodată nu mi s-a spus: „Nu poți, pentru că ești fată!”  Eu niciodată nu am considerat că este un dezavantaj să fiu fată, și niciodată nu am crezut că sunt inferioară băieților (chiar din contra!).  

Eu cred cu tărie că bărbații și femeile nu trebuie să fie la fel, ci să se completeze. Fiecare avem calități diferite, și trebuie să învățăm să apreciem și să valorificăm aceste diferențe.  Chiar aceste diferențe fac ca relațiile dintre noi să funcționeze bine. Eu nu trebuie să încerc să fiu atât de forțoasă ca un bărbat - și nu mă voi aștepta ca un bărbat să aibă simțul matern! 

Ni se spune în Biblie că, în Cristos, nu este iudeu sau grec, nici bărbat sau femeie (Galateni 3:28).  Dumnezeu ne primește pe baza jertfei lui Isus, nu pe baza etniei sau sexului.  Nici măcar faptele noastre nu ne pot mântui!

În zilele acestea, când aproape toată lumea sărbătorește femeile, sunt bucuroasă pentru că știu că „sunt o făptură atât de minunată”.  Știu că Dumnezeu m-a creat să fiu o femeie care umblă cu El.  Știu că am un loc aparte în Trupul lui Cristos, unde Îl pot sluji pe Dumnezeu cu darurile și talentele pe care El mi le-a dat.  Știu că nu sunt nici inferioară, nici superioară față de frații și surorile mele în Cristos!

La mulți ani tuturor femeilor!

Rebecca Mace

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The KAIROS Moment (repost)

Have you been wondering what Kairos means? This blog post from back in 2011 explains it...


KAIROS describes a time when conditions are right for the accomplishment of a crucial action: the opportune and decisive moment.

Even though the Greek meanings are complex and culturally dependent, Kairos (καιρός) refers to the right time, opportune time or seasonable time. It cannot be measured. It is the perfect time, the qualitative time, the perfect moment, the “now.” Kairos brings transcending value to kronos time. 

Kairos is the right moment of opportunity which requires proactivity to achieve success. 

Kairos moments can catapult a person into the very essence of life, which often comes with great consequences. Yet, it is there, in kairos moments, where we live the great drama of life. Maybe it is in those times when we feel most alive, most in touch with our eternal purpose. Make no doubt about it, these moments are not just discerned, they must be seized.

Tempus Occasio! Seize the kairos moment!

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Never underestimate the prayer of a woman!

A long time ago now, in my ‘other’ life, we used to enjoy a wonderful time of fellowship with lots of lovely like-minded Christians every Friday night.  This gathering was called the ‘Friday Fellowship’.  We met together and shared the goodness of God.  We had Praise and Worship which I used to lead with my accordion and we would sometimes sing for an hour, just song after song, about the goodness of God.

One weekend, a lovely lady visited us from America.  Her name was Judy Buch.  She was a professional Ventriloquist but as well as this she was a special ‘woman of God’.  She shared in our meeting and one of the unforgettable blessings, for me especially, was when she shared her inspiring life story.  It had been one of heartbreak with a drug abuser in her family that almost brought the family to despair, but through it all she found God to be her strength and comfort.

During one of her visits, she showed us how to make a ‘prayer blanket’.  It was quite simple but her explanation so inspired me that to this day I have ‘adopted’ her ministry of prayer blankets.  We all know how important prayer is.  Until I came here to Romania, I used to pray on the run.  I worked very long hours, I was a mother and grandmother, which left very little dedicated time for prayer.  But since God allowed me to change my status for this period of time, I find much more time to dedicate myself to seeking Him and spending quality time in His presence. 

Making a prayer blanket

Many of you know that I do prayer walks as often as I can in the mornings.  These bring me closer to God (I believe) as well as opening up my heart and ears to hear what He wants to say to me.  Lots of people come to God and talk non-stop without realising that He wants to talk to us!  As soon as I leave my home, I begin to thank Him for all He has done for me.  I praise Him with all my heart for the blessing He has allowed into my life and the people who He has sent to minister to me in so many aspects of my life.  I walk and talk with God for the whole distance of around ten kilometres!  For me this is an amazing distance to walk as I am really a ‘couch potato’, but so great is my desire to hear from Him, I have made a physical effort to move myself towards God! I ask Him to give me wisdom and guidance in every decision I take, for the advice I give to people, and for the things I write on Facebook too.  All of it - what we say, what we do, that which we transmit to others, can have a positive or a negative effect on people’s lives.  God has to permeate everything that we do and all that we are so that we can be an effectual tool in His hand.

In our ‘Breakfast with Wendy’ meetings, we have adopted the ‘prayer blanket’ as our own.  Some blankets are donated and we make a special effort to send one to those in our circle who are sick and in need of a healing touch or from anyone who notifies us of a need.   We place two fleece blankets on top of each other, and cut six inches deep into the two blankets, every two inches along the edges of both blankets.   We then tie both cut pieces in a knot, and as each is tied, we pray that God will take this blanket and comfort those who are in need, trusting God for miracles as in Acts 19:11-12: „God did extraordinary miracles through Paul so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.”  We are encouraged to hear great reports from the people who receive these prayer blankets of renewed hope and strength. 

God is no respecter of persons.  He is more willing to give than we are to receive.  He can change your life through prayer as He has done mine.  He can give you the strength to reach out and pray for others who are less fortunate than us. He can do anything as He is God.  Make a renewed effort to reach out and touch God – He can do more than we can ask or think.  He is waiting for willing candidates – I certainly am nobody special.  But our willingness to be used in God’s kingdom makes us a conduit for His blessing and healing power.  It’s not about us – it’s all about Him.

Wendy Tomin

Co-pastor, Kairos Christian Centre

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