Christmas Family Update

Isaiah 55:9 says, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.”  As we look back on eighteen months in Michigan, we can certainly agree with Isaiah’s perspective.  God continues to surprise us with challenges and opportunities.  Sharon has enjoyed getting back into choral music.  As a member of the Grand Rapids Symphony Choir she has sung several challenging pieces in concert halls this fall.  She has had opportunities to preach and sing in worship services as well.  Zach was on the road a lot this fall with preaching and ministry trips to Japan, Korea, Alberta, Ontario, Chicago and Orlando.  With four children going four separate directions, life can get pretty complicated in his absence.  Isaiah enjoyed soccer, band and playing his clarinet this fall.  Esther, our social butterfly, surprised us by playing lacrosse and basketball with her friends this fall.  Vivian continues to improve on her violin and make new friends at school.  Hannah, our oldest, has perfected feats of strength and dexterity such as the splits, handstands and l-sits (in addition to being a great student).  It seems that all of our children are enjoying their second school year at Grand Rapids Christian Schools, which is a huge answer to prayer.  Though we didn’t expect to finish 2018 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, God has blessed us tremendously.  May God bless you this Christmas!

My Favorite Thing

Pastor Juan Flores founded Christ’s Vineyard CRC in the Humboldt neighborhood of Chicago.  In the 80s when he began the ministry, the neighborhood was in the midst of economic crisis and increasing crime.    Christ’s Vineyard reached out to the economically and spiritually struggling residents of the neighborhood.  Because of gentrification, today the neighborhood is increasingly affluent and many long-term less affluent residents have been displaced.  Despite these changes, Christ’s Vineyard continues to serve the spiritually and economically struggling residents of its neighborhood.

CRC pastor Rick Abma founded a ministry called Good Neighbour Coffee in which he roasts Guatemalan coffee and serves it from an expresso bike (pictured above) in local neighborhoods.  Over coffee and conversation Rick builds relationships and takes advantage of opportunities to share Christ’s love with his neighbors.

Many people ask me (Zach) what I enjoy the most about my job.  Without a doubt, my favorite part of being the Director of Resonate is the opportunity to witness the amazing things God is doing in mission around the world.  Last October I shared the story of the Reformed Church of Japan. I want to share the stories of two pastors I met this fall: Rick Abma and Juan Flores.  Rick, who lives in Lacombe, Alberta, is a Resonate Local Mission Leader and part of Resonate’s Western Canada Regional Mission Team.  The second pastor, Juan Flores, has worked in urban mission in the inner city of Chicago for over thirty years.  Both Rick and Juan have an infectious passion for evangelism and mission which is a blessing to me and those they serve.

Building a Team for Mission

Resonate's Michigan and Ontario-based team.

At Resonate, we know that God uses teams for the work of mission. Jesus’ disciples were a mission team sent from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.  Building a team with a mission-focused culture is one of Zach’s primary tasks.  This fall, Resonate gathered its Grand Rapids and Burlington-based staff at Camp Geneva to reflect on Resonate’s core postures: prayer, listening, serving, learning, mutual care and accountability and peace-making.  At Resonate, we saturate all we do in complete dependence on God.  We listen to God’s Spirit and Word to discern where God wants us to act.  We encourage local leaders, congregations and communities by following Jesus in taking the posture of a servant.  We continually seek to learn from each other and others rather than presuming we have all the answers.  We seek to build mutual care and accountability into all aspects of our organizational life as well as ministry relationships.  Finally, we model authentic relationships of trust and respect across barriers that divide people.  Please pray that God will help us build a strong culture of mission at Resonate.

Segaar-King December Update

Esther enjoying a Michigan fall in 2018

Chicago is one of the key areas for Resonate's church planting work in the US.  Zach took this picture from the Hancock Building after spending a day learning about that work.

Dear Friends and Family:

 Our desires can be powerful vehicles to bring us closer to God and his mission for our lives.  Simeon, a devout Jew who “was waiting for the consolation of Israel” is a case in point (Luke 2:25-32).  The Holy Spirit revealed to him that he would not die before his desire was granted.  When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus into the Temple on the eighth day to be circumcised, there was Simeon, patiently and joyfully awaiting the fulfillment of his desire. Simeon held the baby Jesus and praised God, “For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”  May God shape our desires in 2019 as he shaped those of Simeon so that we may share God’s light and salvation with all people.  Merry Christmas!

 Please pray for:

1.       God’s wisdom and grace as Resonate enters into its budgeting cycle in January.  We will need that wisdom and grace to make difficult decisions about ministry priorities.

2.       God’s guidance as Resonate evaluates its church planting ministry in North America.  We have about 250 church planters, spouses, and parent church pastors who have given us feedback about the CRC’s church planting system.  Pray that God will give us courage to act wisely on what we learn.

3.       Peace in the countries where Resonate has mission workers.  It seems that civil unrest and government persecution of Christianity has increased in many places in the fall of 2018.

4.       Generous giving to mission from God’s people so that Resonate’s work can continue in 2019.

 Please give thanks for:

1.       A safe but intense fall of travel for Zach.  Zach was in Orlando, Japan, Korea, Alberta, Ontario and Chicago this fall for Resonate.  We appreciate your prayers and support for this ministry of leadership to which we have been called.

2.       God’s blessing on our family in 2018.  As we finish our first full year in the US, we give thanks for progress made adapting to our new home.

3.       The tremendous privilege to witness how the Gospel of Jesus Christ is changing the world in which we live.  In the attached newsletter you will read the story of two people that God is using “as a light of revelation for the Gentiles.”

Thanks for your prayers and support,

Zachary, Sharon, Hannah, Vivian, Isaiah and Esther Segaar-King

Serving with Resonate Global Mission

Family Update

"Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”  Based on the number of times this phrase occurs in the Psalms, this must have been the most popular praise and worship song for nearly a millennium.  As a family, we can join God’s people in this refrain.  It is a blessing to see our children building relationships and getting more comfortable in their new home. After having spent twelve years befriending Haitian children, it is not surprising that many of their new friends are from  diverse backgrounds.  We have enjoyed getting to know the parents of our children’s friends as well.  Hannah has begun her sophomore year and will soon be driving and looking at colleges.  Isaiah and Vivian are in seventh grade and Esther is in fourth (her final year of elementary school).  Sharon has stayed very busy managing the children’s activities and going through some intense physical therapy.  Zach’s travel schedule has sometimes been intense and the weight of learning about and leading the mission work of Resonate has often felt overwhelming.  We are all consoled by the fact that our souls, our bodies, our aspirations, and the work that God calls us to all belong to him.  We are simply stewards, co-laboring with the Holy Spirit.  We continue to depend on your prayers and enjoy praying for you, our partners in mission.  May God shine upon you this fall and give you his peace!

A Different Flavor of Mission

Church members begin cleaning moments after Zach finished his sermon at the Funabashi Reformed Church in preparation for an evangelistic service later in the week.  You won’t see that in Haiti!

Zach greeted the 73rd General Assembly of the Reformed Church of Japan in October and preached in one of its churches.

After  having spent most of our first two decades of ministry in Latin America and Africa, I (Zach) really had little idea of what mission looked like in the developed countries of East Asia.  In October, I got my first taste.  I visited two countries that are outwardly very similar—Japan and South Korea.  Both of these countries have had a significant missionary presence.  One of these countries has a large Protestant Christian population and sends out one of the highest numbers of missionaries of any country in the world.  The other celebrates Christmas and often uses churches for marriage ceremonies but only counts 2% of its population as believers.  The first country is South Korea and the second is Japan!  While the Christian Reformed Church doesn’t have a large missionary presence in Korea, 10% of the CRC is ethnically Korean.  In Japan, Resonate has had a long presence and has helped the Reformed Church of Japan plant 50 churches.  The passion of Japanese believers for Christ comes out not in the loud music and long sermons of Africa and Latin America.  It rather comes out in meticulously organized, harmonious worship services and the difficult life that Japanese Christians lead as a small minority in their

Segaar-King September Update

This scene (minus the green grass) could be from anywhere in Haiti.  Actually, it is from Orlando, Florida.  Zach got a chance to spend a few hours with members of Pastor Obelto Cherubin's church in Orlando (see below).

Dear Friends and Family:

Sometimes the wisdom of God seems like foolishness to us.  In 2007, soon after our arrival in Haiti, Pastor Obelto Cherubin immigrated from Haiti to Orlando, FL.  From the beginning of Resonate’s work in Haiti in the 1980s, Obelto was a key leader and founder of our national church partner, the CRC of Haiti.  At that time I didn’t realize how important Obelto was, but his absence became more and more apparent over the course of our next eleven years in Haiti.  Last week things came full circle.  During a visit to Orlando, I stopped by Obelto’s church, called the “Haitian Christian Reformed Church.”  Under Obelto’s leadership and the Spirit’s blessing, the congregation has reached out to many Haitian immigrants who have come to Central Florida to work at Disney World and the other big amusement parks.  What was a loss to me in 2007 became a gain for the CRC in North America—a vibrant and growing congregation in the middle of Orlando’s Haitian community.  God’s wisdom can be surprising!

Please pray for:

1.       A long trip to Korea and Japan in October.  While Zach is looking forward to seeing Resonate’s ministry and partnerships in East Asia, it will be exhausting, especially as Zach has to attend (and lead portions of) denominational board meetings the day after he returns.

2.       The church in China as it faces increased opposition from the government including seizure of property and harassment.  While specific info cannot be published on the Internet for security reasons, we can rejoice that God continues to protect the staff members and ministries we are connected to.

3.       A concussion that Isaiah sustained at school.  After two weeks of full and partial day absences, it seems that Isaiah is improving quickly.

Please give thanks for:

1.       A great three-day meeting of Resonate’s Leadership Team in Detroit, Michigan.  During our meeting we had a chance to visit Hesed Community Church in the heart of Detroit.  It was amazing to see what God is doing in inner city Detroit through church planting and community engagement.

2.       A successful retreat for the Grand Rapids, MI and Burlington, ON based team.  About 44 Resonate staff members prayerfully reflected on the six core postures of Resonate: prayer, listening, serving, learning, mutual care and accountability, and peacemaking.  One of Zach’s greatest privileges is to be involved in building a God-honoring culture at Resonate.

3.       School is off to a good start this fall for our kids.  It feels like “year two” is going to be an improvement over our first year back from Haiti.

 Thanks for your prayers and support,

Zachary, Sharon, Hannah, Vivian, Isaiah and Esther Segaar-King

Serving with Resonate Global Mission