Blog

The familiar Acacia trees greet us as we drive in from the remote Hawassa airport. Such a welcome friend! I cannot hold back a smile.

Beyond the native dome huts and cacti-fenced yards that scatter along the roadside, the fields of corn are now as tall as a man. I suspect that the harvest is not far away. Passing through the villages, before many homes stand piles of wide, flat stones. Each is crowned with sacks of potatoes. The markets are open.

The land of Ethiopia is a nation of great beauty, and also great turmoil. On a teaching trip there last year, I had the privilege to meet with some of our missionary church planters. The nation has recently seen a northern tribe rise up against the government, and Islamist guerrilla groups are also active in some areas. Prolonged drought in the horn of Africa has left millions of people acutely in need. Please continue to pray for our gospel workers, and for the people of this dear land.

Ask for the Lord’s grace and power for Alebachew. He works his trade and builds relationships with people among the Afar tribes. He loves to share his testimony. Pray for Medina to grow in her new faith, and for God to lead Alebachew to more open hearts.

Pray for God’s continued provision for Epheson. He is in a very impoverished area, and the needs are large even for him and his family. Believers in this animistic region are sometimes threatened and even beaten from the time of their faith in Christ. But the Lord has brought many to Christ, and there have been many baptisms. Pray for the growing church there to have a safe place to worship, and for Epheson to grow in shepherding them well.

Tesfaye’s church was scattered by war. Pray for the Lord’s great wisdom for them, and for stable and rich relationships among the weary believers. Also that the Christian witness of Tesfaye, a security guard, a barber, and several women selling bread, would be fruitful and see many come to Christ. 

Ask for God’s power amid spiritual battle for Henoke. He has been persecuted many times - losing his place of rent; being beaten and hospitalized; being driven out of town. He shares the gospel in the markets, and has seen miracles that have brought others to salvation. For safety, he also does discipleship out in the bush, and meets with friends interested in the gospel in this way.

We are beginning a series on Getting to Know your church leaders a little bit better. Read along to learn more about Pastor Frank Malizzo.

Where were you born, and do you still consider that home, or somewhere else?

I was born outside of Chicago, but Abq is home.

What did you want to be when you grew up – and is that still a dream?

At one point, early on, I wanted to be some kind of philosopher or amazing mathematician. Those kind of went together and those guys seemed really cool.

What or who was your earliest spiritual influence?

My earliest spiritual influence was going to mass. I also tried to read the Bible when I was in about 5th grade, but I didn't have any idea what I was doing, and that didn't last very long.

How and when did Christ call you to Himself?

I first heard the gospel at a mid-school summer camp hosted by another church. I knew that I was a sinner and I came to understand that Christ is the only Savior.

What is a scripture you often read or share with others?

Psalm 37 is a passage that I discovered for myself many years ago, and became one of the places that I've returned to most frequently. This word has often been the Lord's comfort to me in my distress, His peace to me in my confusion, His guidance for me in my searching, and His wisdom to me in my uncertainty.

What is a special answered prayer you’ve received from the Lord?

Most answered prayers in my life may seem small, rather than earth-shaking. Recently, the Lord gave specific medical guidance to a friend that was His clear work. He also gave a divine opportunity to see someone's eyes turned to the Lord.

What is a blessing and what is a challenge as serving as pastor?

One challenge of shepherding is that we (sheep) are almost always in-process, and we often don't see the resolution. One huge blessing is being close enough to people in our hurt to see the glory of overcoming faith and the grace of incomprehensible joy!

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them?

I look forward to a good game of sand volleyball. In graduate school in NC, I fell into playing about 4-5 times a week one summer with a group of teaching assistants. I also enjoy strategy games - when I can find the time. Oh yeah, and I also enjoy getting beat at Uno or Old Maid or other simple card games by young girls in our home.

What is your favorite family tradition?

There are tons of family memories - by God's grace - but just being together to read, pray, and sing feels to me like something out of a dream.

How do you enjoy spending a day off?

I would say reading .. but then sometimes I can't sit still long enough to make it happen. But, let's say reading.

What is the perfect meal?

Carne Adovada. I'm pretty certain that this is the meal for which Esau traded his birthright.  (I think that it says this in the Hebrew.)

Who or what never fails to make you laugh? 

Molly. Typically it goes like this: I say something incorrectly or mix up my words. She finds this hilarious, and can't help but laugh at me. I fail at playing it cool and trying to play it off. Pretty soon we are both laughing at each other. It escalates. Eventually, sometimes we snort.

We asked Molly:

What is your favorite trait about Frank? 

I have a lot of favorite traits, so this is a hard question. However, the one that comes to mind immediately is that I love his humor and his wit. I also love his ability to think through issues from all sides.  

What does he do that can always make you smile? 

He makes me smile when he plays board games and sports with our kids both big and small, creating fellowship, relationship, and laughter. And, I love that he can still sing with flourish the early 1990's P.I.D. rap "Get You A Bible" listing the books in order! So fun! 

What if you were told that you had just a few days to live?  What would you do with your time?  Would you go wild, and indulge yourself in every pleasure imaginable?  Would you find a handful of those closest to you, and savor every moment with them?  Or maybe you or I would just curl up into a ball, and never even get out of bed.

Jesus of Nazareth knew that He had only a few more days to live. 

He came into Jerusalem, greeted by a throng of public admirers; but in the background, there lurked a host of seething enemies, plotting His demise.

He knew that He was going to give His life.  It would happen before the week was out, in fact.

So, what did He do with Himself?

“And every day he was teaching in the temple; and every night he went out, and lodged in the mount that is called Olivet. And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, to hear him.”  Lk. 21:37-38

Jesus spent His last days giving Himself to the same task that had prompted His coming from Heaven; the same task that had occupied His purpose since He began His public ministry.  Every day, He spent His day serving people, and teaching them why He was here.  He was here to free them from their sin.

And the people streamed to Him.  He did not shrink back, but He invested His final hours proclaiming to them that eternal hope captured in 1 Timothy 1:15: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”

Before the week was over, His enemies would have Him killed.

And before the next week began, He had risen again, to go before all of those who would believe in Him.