Matt in Norway... again:)

Windows blog thingy tryout

2011-02-14T17:00:00.001-05:00

So I’d like to start blogging for the folks back home again

Ebert is in town. (town=Eintrøa)

2007-04-29T06:32:00.000-05:00

This one goes out to my love ingebeth (have you seen my toothbrush?)
Matt

Second week...

2007-04-11T13:14:00.000-05:00

Hi all!
So the first week is finished; starting on another one with a wonderful teacher, Ellis Potter.
Last week was an introduction to World View with a crash course on terms, concepts and the purpose of World View teaching!
My head was full but my interest was peaked:)
Here are some thoughts...
So what is a worldview, Matthew?
Well, how's this sound? "a worldview is a set of presuppositions which we hold (consciously or unconsciously) by faith, about the basic makeup of the universe." Now these presuppositions are ideas we assume before we step out into any action, but we don't necessarily know that we think it. And we do act on them.
What sort of assumptions? Well, like "I'm a human being, not a plum:)," and I'm assuming that I know that for a fact.
Hmm... I hope my assumptions are right...
So why study worldview, Matthew?
Because I have a brain, a mind; I'm gonna try using it to know God and all around me better, and to His glory. And to question what I believe; it helps get to the core of my belief, refines it.
And why not find out what God is thinking about the world in the meantime? That sounds nice:) And because my thoughts have consequences; they're powerful, they can create, destroy, and they need to create and destroy the correct things...
And you know what? Other people's thoughts have consequences too. Some guy (hypothetically speaking), one hundred years ago, came up with a "good" idea, told others about it, they started living according to that thought, and soon a whole culture was thinking like that. And now I do too... Come to find out, it wasn't true! What do I do now?:) We should've been a bit more discerning perhaps?
I suppose I could use a bit of renewing in the mind.

So what's the situation today? Why do I do things I do? Is it because I'm a Christian and have it pretty much down, when it comes to this thinking stuff? Or is it because my culture has taught me this way? Is it bad? Maybe it doesn't matter?
Hmm... but let's find out, eh?
I also got the chance to travel to Notodden to spend Easter with Ingebeth and her family; really enjoyed that:)
Cross-country skiing for Easter anyone? yes please! Alrighty then, have a good one. Matthew

School of Biblical Christan Worldview

2007-03-31T18:23:00.000-05:00

Hi folks!

Thank you guys so much for you prayers and support while I was in VA, making it possible for me to come back here and participate in the SBCW. I had valuable times with some of you and appreciate the good send-off.

Been a while since an update here.
Seems I only get inspired to write on this blog when in Norway:)
So I'm back again for 3 months to take the SBCW at Eintrøa. We've had our official opening dinner tonight but we're still missing 5 of 9 students:)
Some are traveling from Africa and have had trouble with visas, plane tickets etc. But we hope they're all here by Tuesday. The number of students will be small so the interaction with the teachers will be maximum! This is the way to get good teaching!:)
The teaching starts Monday with an introduction to world view and philosophy!
The syllabus looks very exciting! I'll give the run-down as soon as I have a copy...

Next weekend I'll be headed down to Ingebeth's home to spend Easter with her and her family.
Easter is no small holiday for the traditional Norwegians, so I look forward to good food, a bit of skiing and a lot of valuable time with Ingebeth!

Hope y'all are well!
I'll get some pics for you as soon as I have a way to transfer my pics to my laptop...that I just fixed! Thank you God!
Meanwhile, here's a nice picture of Norway:)

God bless,
Matthew

The Home Stretch

2006-09-04T05:18:00.000-05:00

Thank you for your prayers!
The team training was an enjoyment and I believe a success! I wasn't the most exciting training we've had, but emotions are immaterial! Ok, not all the time, but we want something concrete don't we:)
Alv Magnus, the man who received the vision, recommitted to the project! and will set a new weight on it with the YWAM base leaders. The teams gained a fresh breath of vision: "what are we doing here?.... yes! that is why we joined, and its a good thing!!"

Terje Konradsen, the man in the white shirt there and leader of YWAM Norway's personell department, met with the team leaders to discuss "How do I lead a team? ... practically. How do I relate to my leaders?" and many other essential questions. They were greatly encouraged!
And there was good times as well!
Listening to old YWAMers telling stories about the radical 70s and about real life with God today!
The teams are returning to there towns better prepared than before, with a more realistic energized outlook on team life and work!

I'm now in my final two weeks here at Grimerud and in YWAM; documenting my experience thus far, and working on building a structure for the project that will serve the teams and the vision God has given us.
Please pray that I will have clear thoughts during this period. I want to be faithful with what God has given me, and give further what I need to let go. I need to get lots of sleep:) and make the best use of my time... that's a prayer point:)
Ingebeth and I are doing well. She spent a week here at Grimerud where we were able to spend a lot of time together; a very important part of a relationship I hear:) Please continue to pray for God's will to be done in our lives. Where will we be in 6 months? In the same country I hope! We want to be submitted to our Lord, and we trust in His faithfulness to guide us.

God bless you guys,
Matthew

Team Training

2006-08-15T19:13:00.000-05:00

Hey there folks.
Here's a pic of me working in the kitchen during my 2 weeks of practical work here at the base. Had a good time making food and working together with some great Mission Builders.

I'm in the middle of the Team Training right now. All 7 teams and some co-workers in the project are here for a time of training and equipping so they are more compitent when the go back to their cities.
I've been working on the program for a few months, and it's finally under way!
We in the Project Team are
-listening to the teams,
-helping direct them toward a strategy in their city for how to reach the youth, and
-planning how we can come to them with our resources so they can do their job better!
It's exciting to see all of them again, but a bit strange, because it's the last team gathering I will be a part of and the last time I'll see most of them. I start to feel things when I think about it:)

But there is much to be done yet!
Please pray that the teams could grasp the vision and be better equipped to carry it out when they leave this training; and that they would be more confident in who they are in Christ, that they would see Him as the source and reason for all of this!

The next 4 weeks I'll be working with the man that's going to lead the project for the next while, Torstein, to write down and give over all my work to him. We'll also develop a structure for the project that will provide a foundation for YWAM Norway to operate differently when it comes to sending out teams! Really exciting stuff; what's really on my heart to finish before I leave here! Please pray for wisdom, insight, and focus during this next month.

God bless you guys,
Matthew

The Midnight Sun

2006-07-14T15:14:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! Hope you're all enjoying your summers if you're in the Northern Hemisphere.
Last week Ingebeth, Per and I drove up (20 hours of driving) to visit a friend that lives a few degrees north of the Arctic Circle in Lofoten.

It was my last week of vacation and we had a lovely time. It never gets dark! weird, hard to sleep. Didn't get to see the midnight sun though, too cloudy. And I didn't get to go fishing either (they like to fish up there, it's an island ya know) 'cause I forgot my pole. So I saved a few things that I can do the next time I go up there:) Man! Norway is beautiful!!!
These days I'm busy chopping wood and doing minor construction projects here at the Grimerud base. All staff here have to do two weeks of non-ministry work each year, and I'm on my first; good to work with my hands again though!
Couple of prayer request here:
Still not finished planning the team training for August - Please pray that the right teachers would be able to come. Ingebeth and my plans for this fall and next year - that we could get to know each other better, preferably in the same town:) and that we would know the will of God!!
Thanks so much ya'll.
Love you guys and miss you.
God bless!
Matthew

questions? comments? Comment to this blog or email me - m_hochstetler@yahoo.com -

I'm not Norwegian........

2006-06-16T10:34:00.000-05:00

Hey there folks. Been a while!
Summer has finally come to Norway! And I'm wearing wool and dancing on stage... hmm...
Right now I'm joining a week of teaching in a one month seminar on YWAM youth leadership called "Slingshot". YWAMers from 28 different countries are here and Darlene Cunningham (co-founder of YWAM) was the main teacher for this week. It's been a privilede to listen to her tell stories of how the mission was founded and developed. Many exciting leadership principles were pointed out that will be practical for future leadership!
The picture you see here is of me in a Norwegian national costume just before I danced a traditional Norwegian solo dance, called Halling, for the opening night of Slingshot. Don't assume I'm good or ask me do it later, it was strictly for a one-time entertainment purpose:)
I'm going on 3 weeks of vacation now (I love Norway!!) but will need to prepare for the fall Team Training before I leave. I am leading the team training this fall and am gathering teachers now to equip the teams before they go back to their cities for another year.
Please pray for me and the time that's coming up for these teams. We're making lots of structural changes to the project so the teams come into a more stable working situation, and we need wisdom to not over-sturcture but create solid guidelines.
God bless you guys!
Matthew

P.S. - I have to appologize because I haven't updated this blog the way I said I would. If I'm not going to update it I shouldn't say I will, right?

Easter in Notodden

2006-04-13T10:13:00.000-05:00

Well Peoples, I'm currently in idle mode right now, coasting for the next few days I am. Busy times it has been. A part of the leadership training in Latvia and the Easter Camp at Grimerud have I been... enough Yoda talk for today:) The week in Latvia ended very well with some practical teaching on personal finances and how to make a budget, and build a prayer and finance base in YWAM. I enjoyed gaining a better perspective on how the evangelizing and missionary arm of the Body of Christ functions and needs to be supported. It is essential for the Body to work as a whole, and for the Gospel to be brought to the world without cost, just as we recieved it.
And last week I spent most of my time preparing for the Easter Camp that started on Friday; I put almost 200 people into a database and put them into proper housing; always good to learn new things:)
So the camp started Friday when the camp leaders came; about 35 leaders between 14 and 30 years old, for campers that would be beween 10 and 13 years old! What a great group of youth it was! They had great hearts and had quite an opportunity to make an impact on some children's lives!
There weren't enough boy leaders so I helped out with that. I had 6 boys in my group. We enjoyed great teaching about who Jesus is, and learned the entire old testament chronologically with motions.. good times! When they left the camp they all had a better understanding of what it meant to be a Christian and were challenged in their minds and hearts. It was very cool to see! I prayed with them, talked about life and the future and girls:), ate with them, tucked them in and all. I really liked it.

Baltics and stuff

2006-03-28T00:34:00.000-05:00

Hallo, allesammen!
Well after a short stop by Grimerud after a week in Ålesund, I went down to Oslo to hang out with Ingebeth, who I hadn't seen in two weeks! Just for a day though. Sunday I caught a plane to Latvia for this years Leadership Training week. This is the third year I've been a part of this and I'm really excited about the rest of the week. Yesterday was the first day and the teaching was about "Practical Holiness." Sound exciting?:) Well, it was. I was reminded of some good foundational things that apply to every Christians life, like: the Holy Spirit has empowered us to live in freedom from sin, in victory over sin, and all in practical ways. That's why we can live with such power. Good stuff! That's why we Christians can have joy and peace. Peace of mind, that's nice:)
Much of our time here will be group oriented so we have lots of opportunities to process the teachings and learn from each other.

I finished the teaching on Spiritual Warfare and they will carry it out at Eintroa tomorrow I believe. Was a bit shorter than I thought it would be but I learned so much about the subject in the process.
I also had a good time with the team in Ålesund. I did a teaching about our identity in Christ from Ephesians, and the team was encouraged! Thanks for your prayers!
And thanks for checking in:)
God bless you guys,
Matt

PS. No pics yet, but that's because my camera quit working. You guys are welcome to pray for the camera if you want! oh, and my laptop too, thanks!

2006-03-21T10:14:00.000-05:00

I'm hanging out in Ålesund this week with the team there. Chris had his final program in the schools, until it starts up again in the fall. It's been fun being involved with it and seeing a different side of Norway by being in so many different schools (close to 20 now).
It's been snowing ever since we got here; must be about 18 inches of fresh snow. And I'm sitting inside working on a computer:( I'll get over it though... Hope my friends in MT don't hear about this:)
Tomorrow I'll meet with the team here and encourage them in what they're doing and in their life with the Lord. Please pray for the word of God to be spoken into their lives through me.
I'm also working my co-workers on a Spiritual Warfare teaching that will be done at the Eintrøa DTS next week. I'm gathering stories from some of the folks in the 20Cities Project about their experiences with SW and their thought on the subject; how does this apply to team life and how do we really fight. Exciting topic! Don't be shy about putting your thoughts about the subject on this blogs comments! But please pray for this also; that I would speak the truth and not step over the boundries of revelation God has given me about the subject, and that He would reveal more about it to me.
I'm putting this stuff on a cd and sending it to Eintrøa with the others, because next week I'm going to Latvia on a leadership training week! Update more on that later....
God bless ya'll.

On the Farm

2006-03-08T06:51:00.000-05:00

Sorry no picture this time, Blogger seems to have difficulties uploading them.
Well I was just back at Gimerud Gård (farm) the last two weeks, and settled down again. It had been 3 weeks on the road and I'm actually tired of traveling right now.... Never thought that would happen; must be getting old! Nah, don't think so:)
I was in Skien the week before and talked to the YWAM base leader there. He had some very good thoughts about how to help and inspire the teams he's responsible for on to the goal of reaching the lost youth, and training those who are willing. They are under-staffed and don't have anyone that can mentor the team right now. This puts the teams more on their own and so creates more opportunities for struggles. Let's pray for the right folks to come into these positions so they can all grow together into the Kingdom, Rock 'n Roll!
I feel a bit strange meeting with these guys that are so much more mature and actually know what they're doing:) But it's a great learning experience.
And check this out: A group of us went to listen to Bruce Olson speak. I shook Bruchko's hand, a man that really knows God and still has a passion for wanting God to change other's lives. That was cool!
God bless!

On the Road

2006-02-27T07:13:00.000-05:00

Spent some free time with the Volda team leader Anders at a
climbing wall built in a silo.

Hey there everypeople:)
Please pardon the late updating. It's mostly official now that my laptop has crashed and is in the shop for recovery of certain important informationses. So I'll be working from whatever computer is closest till I sort it all out..
The last two weeks have been packed with travels and are winding down now. I've now visited all the cities in the project, 7 in all. I was in Volda Feb. 13th to 19th: helped Chris with some children's programs and spent time with the Volda team encouraging toward the vision of the project and seeing how the work was going.

Joined the Volda team at a Christian student
group, in the local High School, in prayer.

Had a good chat with the Valle team.
Anders is the team leader, 2nd from left.
Then it was up to Ålesund to chat with the team shortly and then meet with the YWAM base leader about the future of the 20 Cities project in Ålesund.
From the 22nd to the 26th I was in Valle, helping Chris with the children's programs and meeting with the team there.
The teams seem to be doing very well and I'm learning much about the different towns and the strategies the teams have for reaching out to the youth. I'm working with the teams, base leaders and the project team to see the teams be encouraged and supported. The YWAM bases seem to be taking steps to better their support of their respective teams.
Thanks for your prayers!
Wednesday, I'll be at YWAM's base in Skien to chat with the base leader about the cities they're supporting. Please pray that we'll be able to encourage each other in helping the teams reach out more and grow in the Lord.
God bless!
PS: My deepest condolences to the Hicken family.

Travels

2006-02-13T02:53:00.000-05:00

Hi Peoples. Well, Chris and I had a good trip to Steinkjer and then down to Tynset! We were well recieved in the schools and it was good to be with the team members. I'm beginning to see more of what I need to be doing while I'm visiting these teams and am much encouraged.
I spent a week here at home in Grimerud, just had a chance to settle down a bit, and now it's off again. We're headed to Volda Monday morning, then Ålesund; will stop by the base here next Tuesday and then leave Wednesday the 22nd for Valle. There's a team in each of these cities, and I don't know some of these guys so well, so please pray for a natural connection with them and also insight into the work they are doing so encouragement can be given.
I'll also have meetings with some of the YWAM base leaders concerning their follow-up of their teams. I need to approach that with humility and wisdom.
God is good and is showing me His blessings in my relationships with those that are closest to me right now (Chris says 'hi' by the way).
Still planning on coming back to VA in the fall, in case ya'll were wandering. God bless all of you! Good night:)

For your information....

2006-01-24T18:39:00.000-05:00

Well, hello everyone!
So here's my attempt to keep all of you guys updated on what's going on in my life over here in Norway. I hope to keep this blog updated often, a couple times each week, so please check back often!

Thought I'd put this picture in 'cause this is what occupies much of my thoughts these days... yes indeed:) Isn't she lovely... (that's retorical)! She enjoyed meeting you guys in Staunton when she was there after Christmas! You're good people ya know!

Right now I'm in one of the cities that the 20 Cities project is working in. I'm here with my best friend Chris (who's running some children's programs here, including one in the schools that's focused against teasing and bullying) seeing how the team is doing; checking out how the work is going, and seeing how it can be made stronger.
We'll be here till Friday, then we're driving down to Tynset, just south of Røros, to help run a children's camp with my old team there.

My main responsibility is the follow-up of the teams so please pray that I would have a clear focus for what to accomplish while I'm with the teams in their cities; it's not so clear yet: I want to see that the teams are properly followed up (and don't know how to do it), and I want to study the youth work that is being done to see how it can be improved (and don't know how).
But our God is faithful, so please pray with that in mind! Thanks so much for your support!
Matthew