Here I am sitting at the Virgin Blue gate waiting to go to the Gold Coast where I am speaking at a women's breakfast and at Kings Church Buderim on Sunday. It feels almost surreal to be in Australia and flying domestic, but I am pumped to be going to some of the most beautiful coastline in the world. I have had fun with the girls this week as we started eating the chocolates in our Advent Calenders, and today was chocolate number 5 (oh the calories!!!) Catherine jumped into bed at 5.30 am to declare, "Mummy, it is only 20 days to Christmas - I am so EXCITED!" (Needless to say I did not share her excitement at that hour.) But I realised how much I love the advent season - a season of preparation of getting ready for the coming of Jesus, and we do remind our children regularly that Christmas is about Jesus entering into the world and Santa is not the reason for the season (although he does bring presents down the chimney at our place).

John the Baptist was the PREPARER for the coming of Jesus. I have been immersed in Mark 1:1-8 this week thinking about Advent and the preparations we make for Christmas. In the same way that God used the very unlikely and unusual person of John the Baptist to Prepare the way of the Lord, He wants to use us in our normal seemingly monotonous everyday lives to prepare people to receive Jesus. Imagine how we would live each day if we believed that every encounter we had and choice we made about how we spend our time, talent and treasure was part of that "Preparing the Way" process... In a season where people are living in uncertainty, let's always be prepared to prepare people for the One who can bring true meaning, peace, love, joy, purpose and forgiveness...

Well yet again I am about to board, so I will chat soon, and if you are able you might consider downloading the podcast for the next 3 weeks where I am bringing a SPECIFIC word for this hour that I felt to share with you (the first one goes up on Monday). It's not a recorded sermon message - It is a specific "now" word for the times in which we are living.

xxx

I am sitting here at Thessaloniki airport waiting to depart for my epic journey back to Australia - 3hrs to Frankfurt, 10hr layover, then 13hrs to Singapore, 3hr layover and then 7hrs to Sydney - so 35 hours until I get home!!! Yes I MUST love the Greeks.... (Nothing to do with the food!) Oh by the way, keep checking out the podcast - Nick and I just did one from here - VERY FUNNY!!!

What an amazing time we have had over here advancing the Cause of Justice through the A21 Campaign and helping to rescue young women from sex slavery. Things are definitely moving ahead big time - stay tuned in to what is happening by going to the A21 website.

God has given us incredible favour and opportunity and we must see this evil end. Nick is just on the way to Moldava and Bulgaria and looking to develop strategic relationships in those countries of origin - the issue is huge and can appear overwhelming but we must always remember it is about the one. If we can help change the life of ONE girl it is all worthwhile.

Our offices in Sydney, LA and Thessaloniki are all committing to 21 minutes of prayer each day specifically for the A21 Campaign and that girls would be rescued and restored. We have the prayer guide on-line and it has listed specific things to pray for and Scriptures to pray over this situation. We must pray and believe God for breakthrough. Why not consider joining us because we believe that the Spirit of the Lord is upon me BECAUSE..... He has called me [us] to set the captives free!!!

Will keep you posted as I make my way across Europe and through Asia to home.

I love serving God in the 21st century. I preached in Hamburg yesterday morning, Basel last night and am now at the airport going to Thessaloniki. I love modern travel - you can cover so much ground... We had the most amazing time with Church of the Open Door in Basel. What a great church full of life and young people. The meeting was packed and many people gave their lives to Christ (awesome).....

At the airport you have to choose whether to enter Germany/France or Switzerland - it is so cool (I almost went into the wrong country)... This is a border town and a great strategic place from which to reach this part of the world.

The announcements are made in French/German/English - I feel like I am in the UN... We had such a strong connection with these people who have been faithfully serving God here for decades and are seeing phenomenal fruit... I feel like we will definitely be back here (and not just for the scenery).

Well the adventure continues to Greece and so make sure you stay connected to the Podcast. I have some amazing interviews coming up - great photos of the trip on my blog/webpage... how pumped am I about all that God is doing on the earth! At a time when the world is facing economic, environmental, social, moral and spiritual challenges, I am excited to say that God is alive and well, in control and bringing life, hope, peace, answers to people - these are exciting times in which we live.

I must be becoming Euro - the flight attendant just spoke to me in German and I understood (as I have heard them speak bilingually so often) and I answered without flinching!!!

Have just had the most incredible time in Hamburg, Germany! What an amazing city and great people. There was such great unity in this city as 100 pastors from different churches/tradition/denominations came together to pray and seek God for the city. I had the opportunity to speak and it truly was an example of God commanding a blessing where there is unity - how good it is when brethren dwell together in unity (Psalm 133).

We had a packed house last night with people packing every conceivable bit of space in the Elim Church, and there was an amazing sense of God with 175 decisions for Christ over the weekend - such a hunger for God! I love Germany and the German people. We had a powerful meeting with youth leaders from across the city who made a commitment to pay the price and pick up the baton of faith and carry it to their generation so that another generation does NOT arise that does not know God. I love the zeal, passion, commitment and enthusiasm of young people.

As always, had a great time with my friend Gaby Wentland who is amazing and will be leading the A21 campaign in Hamburg. What a city of history - I visited the Main Church of St Petri - the oldest Parish Church of Hamburg (when you are from Australia, it seems unbelievable that something could be so old!), and also visited the Church of St Nicholas built in 1195. It was bombed during the Second World War as the 147 metre tower served as a target for Allied bombers. (It was high up there - man, those early church builders knew how to make God BIG through architecture - this was once the world’s highest church!) All that remained of the church was the tower and walls. It is now a memorial to all the victims of war and persecution between 1933 and 1945. I saw some gut-wrenching images of the devastation of war - in one bombing siege over 10 days, more than 35000 citizens were killed. War is senseless... God's heart must break that we cannot live in peace. I think of this Christmas season: PEACE and GOODWILL to ALL men... How different would our world be if we could truly learn to operate in peace on a personal and global level... let's determine to live in peace whatever part of the world we are in right now.

Main Church of St Petri

The view from the top!

I just received the most amazing email from a Mercy Ministries Graduate and wanted to share it with you. I LOVE this ministry and the amazing freedom that the girls find in Christ. Nick and I Love Nancy Alcorn - she is a hero of the faith. I love her passion and zeal as the founder of Mercy and the way that she has remained faithful to the vision that God has given her.

Laura is an amazing graduate who obviously has listened to a lot of our teaching that has played a part in her freedom- check this out!

Hi Chris,

I met you when you came to the St. Louis Mercy home and I am in the picture with you labeled "One of the legends at Mercy" on your website. I wanted to let you know that yesterday I graduated the program and I am now back home with my family!

Everyone knows how much I enjoy your books and teachings, so for my graduation ceremony, my counselor presented me with a "Chris Caine encouragement" and I just wanted to share it with you. I hope you don't mind--I thought it was so cool.

Martha, my counselor, said:

"If Chris Caine was at your graduation, Laura, I believe she'd share:

"I'm Not Who I Thought I Was" but I've "Stopped Acting Like a Christian to just Be One." At Mercy, you've "Activated Your Potential," done "Divine Assignments" and "Encountered Jesus" so now you're ready to live a "Life Unleashed." Laura, now "Dare to Win" and "Run to Win" because "God Wants You to Win"--you've gained "Wisdom for the Journey," "You can Change the Future" and "Your Dreams Can Come True." Go be "Single and Confident," "Leaving a Legacy" because you never know when "It's Time for Breakthrough."

Again, I really enjoyed meeting you and I can't wait to see you at the Joyce Meyer conference next year!

Laura

It is testimonies like this that keep us keeping on. All we do is about people finding answers, hope, freedom and life in Christ.

Love, Chris xxx

We have just had an amazing time at C7 church with Jason and Jodi Cask with services in Glascow and Edingburgh... simply awesome!! This is a new church with hundreds of people attending and many decisions for Christ being made. I loved the passion, zeal and intensity of the church - up here in freezing Scotland!! God is alive and His Church is growing - full of young people!

Both Nick and I spoke at the Resourced and Resourceful seminar, reminding people to continue to press into God, to be diligent in prioritising Him in every area of their lives, and that we should always be resourced by Him and resourceful for Him. If you download our podcast next week, I have a great interview with Jason!! Check out the photo of us recording it below!

We spent last weekend with our Hillsong London family, speaking in Paris on Friday and the Sisterhood in London on Saturday, and then church in central London and Surrey on Sunday - absolutely amazing and over 200 decisions for Christ - it was awesome!!!

When we launched Project Europe, we were believing for the testimony over the continent to change from "the darkest place on earth spiritually speaking (TIME magazine), to a continent that was full of the light of Christ. It is truly great churches like these and many others that are helping to ensure that the light of Christ continues to burn brightly.

Tomorrow we are off to Hamburg and then Basel, Sofia and Thessaloniki - so the European tour continues, and I'll keep you posted! xxx

Recording a podcast with Jason Cask

We have just had an amazing time at Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida with our awesome friends Stovall and Kerri Weems. What a great church - literally bursting at the seams and preparing to build a 4,000 seat sanctuary which will be state of the art.

I love progress, growth, and expansion. In fact Paul, when writing to Timothy said "let your progress be evident to all". I love many things about Celebration Church, but in particular their emphasis on prayer, fasting and the power of God.

We have talked a lot over the past few days on the need to ensure we are totally God-dependant in all that we do. Systems, infrastructure and best practice models are great, but we must ensure at the forefront we always remember that Jesus said He will build HIS church and the gates of hell will not prevail. We are in a spiritual battle as we advance the Kingdom, and it is not a formula or model that will build His Church, but the power, wisdom and enablement of the Holy Spirit of God.

It does not mean we throw one away to have the other, it is not either/or but BOTH/AND. I think as the church continues to move forward we are realising more than ever that we need to keep our ears finely tuned to the voice of the Spirit, block out distractions and rely on God like never before.

Determine to make some time and carve out a place daily to connect with Jesus in an intimate way. With so much instability and fear in the world today we must cling to Jesus - "this hope we have as an anchor for our soul both firm and secure". Remember, "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love power and a sound mind". We were born to prevail in these days!!!

We are off to Paris/London (our own Hillsong church family - yaay!) Glasgow/Hamburg/Basel and Thessaloniki so stay tuned and we will keep you posted!

Pursue Jesus with a passion!!

Love,

Chris xxxx

Here is Pastor Stovall Weems as the weather dropped from 90 to 80 in Jacksonville!!!

I was just thinking about the amazing things that God has done since we launched the A21 Campaign in March this year. We really stepped out of the boat and took a risk of faith and like David taking on Goliath when we purposed in our heart to help fight the global injustice of human trafficking.

We have started in Thessaloniki, Greece, and God has opened supernatural doors of opportunity and favour. His grace continues to daily amaze us. Many churches, ministries and individuals from all over the world have joined with us to help bring freedom and a transformed future to girls imprisoned in sexual slavery. It is still early days, but I am literally amazed on a daily basis by how when we get behind what is already on the heart of God... THINGS HAPPEN!

Watching God work so profoundly, supernaturally and rapidly has reminded me yet again that the faith and adventure of following Jesus is outworked "in the world". It is in that place of pain, brokeness, marginalisation, oppression, poverty, disease and hopelessness that the GOSPEL (the Good News) is actually PLAYED OUT.

We need to constantly shake off complacency and comfort to step into His Cause which is the place where signs, wonders and miracles take place. I would not change this journey we have embarked on for anything. Yet to bring this vision of hope to the girls has made radical demands of our entire team. It has required us to learn new skills, habits and capacities; the skills of a new way of seeing, the habits of a new way of thinking, the capacities of a new way of living. It has stirred, challenged, changed, stretched and developed us in ways we never knew possible. Often we fear this kind of change and retreat to the familiar, the predictable and the known. Yet I believe God is calling us increasingly into the unfamiliar, the unpredictable and the unknown - that is where we find Him.

Jesus is calling us to action - to move mountains of injustice and allow rivers of mercy, compassion, truth, hope and justice to flow. We are here to point people to Jesus and to reshape the social and spiritual landscape of our world.

Let's do the impossible for His glory. It starts today right where you are. If we each consider all we do as an opportunity to advance His Cause, then we all become agents of the Kingdom of God, builders of a new world.

Our A21 office in Greece!