Wonderful children's DVDs about Christian heroes

I wanted to let you know about some awesome DVDs available for your children. They are DVDs based on the lives of Jim Elliot (missionary to Auca Indians), Perpetua (one of first Christian martyrs who heroically gave her life in the Coliseum), Eric Liddell (runner made famous in movie Chariots of Fire), John Bunyan (wrote Pilgrims Progress...most influential Christian book outside of Bible), Gladys Aylward (missionary to China who led over 100 orphans to safety during WWII), Richard Wurmbrand (imprisoned for his faith for 21 years in Romania and founder of Voice of the Martyrs), and William Tyndale (translated the Bible into English and killed by English government for that).

Each of them are TRUE Christian heroes and people our children should know about and admire. The DVDs are very well done and for those who were martyred (Elliot, Perpetua and Tyndale) that fact is done in such a way as to give honor to God and to show that their lives were not in vain. 

Plus, each DVD comes with about 30 pages of printable activities for your children. Nathan, who is 4, enjoys these and so does Grace so I would say they are geared toward Elementary age. All 7 would regularly be $105 but Vision Video (the production company) is selling them all for $60.  This is an awesome price for all 7 of them!  To order them go to Torchlighters

I wanted to let you know because, in my experience, it is often hard to find videos which are about heroic Christians and are done in such a way as to keep your children's attention. But these do both and I can't say enough great things about them! 

The following email explains more:

Vision Video is celebrating!

We started with a vision to give youth ages 8-12 alternatives to typical sports and entertainment heroes. Torchlighters is a series of animated programs, presenting the lives of true-life heroes from Christian history. When kids see what God can do through a "Torchlighter" who is devoted to carrying out His will and purposes, they too may want to carry a torch of faith by serving Him.

We are thrilled that, seven years later, we've shipped over 100,000 Torchlighter DVDs in the U.S. and many more internationally. In celebration of this tremendous milestone, we're offering the set of 7 for the special CELEBRATION PRICE of only $59.99 for a limited time. That is a $105 value at an over 40% savings!

For this super-low price, you will get much more than just a movie. Each DVD also comes with terrific extras such as a student workbook full of great activities, a teacher's guide with four lesson plans and discussion questions, and a full-length documentary on the hero featured!

Join the celebration! Now is a great time to introduce your children to these dynamic, faith-building stories at a price you can afford! Use promo code "TORCHDEAL" at step 4 of checkout for this special offer which expires July 10, 2010.

God Uses Women in Missions

"After the last road ended, there was still a 2-day hike to where the Balangao people lived. Two single women missionaries were making that hike. The Balangao, a tribe of former headhunters in the Philippines, continued to sacrifice to powerful and demanding spirits who caused sickness, death and constant turmoil. These women, trained in Bible translation, had volunteered to work among them.

When they arrived, they were greeted by men wearing G-strings and women wrapped in cloth from home-made looms. It is hard to say who was more amazed. The Balangao had asked for Americans to come live with them and write their language, but they never dreamed the Americans would be women!

An old man offered to be their father and was faithful in looking after them. Besides the work of translation, these women began giving medical assistance, learning about the spirit world, and answering questions about life and death. One of them, Jo Shetler, stayed for 20 years, winning her way into the hearts and lives of the people and completing the New Testament translation. Because of this dedication, thousands now know Jesus as Lord of the Balangao.

Jo Shetler, a shy farm girl with a dream, has stirred many with her story. However, stories remain unwritten of multitudes of women who likewise obeyed the call of God to serve Him on the far horizons. Many women do not realize how greatly God can use their giftedness and commitment in situations such as this."

This excerpt was taken from an article entitled Women in Mission by Marguerite Kraft and Meg Crossman. You can read it in its entirety at Women in Missions. During the last school year, our family truly enjoyed reading about Jo and the tremendous way God used her in an excellent book entitled And the Word Came With Power. 

God has used women tremendously in the missionary movement. Beginning with Jesus, he recognized and enlisted the help of women, as did Paul. One such woman was Priscilla. She had an impact for God in at least three different nations: Rome, Greece and Asia Minor. With her husband Aquila, they supported Paul, hosted him in their home, “led a house church, and were assigned by Paul to disciple the eloquent and committed Egyptian Jew, Apollos, ‘instructing him in the way of God more perfectly,’ (Acts 18:26)” (Kraft & Grossman). Priscilla' role in mission outreach did not seem out of the ordinary which leads one to believe that many women were involved in the Great Commission from the beginning. 

Despite the Protestant Reformation’s restrictions on women, some women did enter the mission field, usually married to missionaries. Their husbands recognized the role they could play in reaching women and children in these nations...people who would generally not respond well to a man or who may not have been allowed any contact because of their culture. These women “received very little recognition for the heavy load they carried, managing the home and children as well as developing programs to reach local women and girls,” (Kraft and Grossman). 

“Overall, probably two-thirds of the missions force has been, and currently is, female. Many mission executives agree that the more difficult and dangerous the work, the more likely women are to volunteer to do it!” (Kraft & Grossman) This is an amazing truth that may not be very well known. In fact, though most Americans would probably think that the largest women’s movement in American history was the suffrage movement, in fact, it was the women’s missionary movement...”By the early decades of the 20th century, the women’s missionary movement had become the largest women’s movement in the United States, and women outnumbered men on the mission field by a ration of more than two to one,” (Kraft & Grossman).

One group of people who are difficult to reach are Muslims. Yet, God is using women to reach them, partly due to the non-threatening nature of women. One such story is set in a nomadic Muslim group in Sub-Saharan Africa, where a single woman is effectively training Imams (Islamic teachers) in the gospel. They perceive her to be non-threatening, 'just a woman.' Building upon a foundation of interpersonal relationship and Biblical knowledge, she does not give them answers herself, but directs them to the Word. The Lord has confirmed her teaching giving dreams and visions to these leaders. As they have been converted, they are now training many others. She is accepted as a loving, caring elder sister, who gives high priority to their welfare," (Kraft & Grossman).

“From Mary Slessor, single woman pioneer to Africa, to Ann Judson of Burma and Rosalind Goforth of China, wives who fully served; from Amy Carmichael of India to Mildred Cable in the Gobi Desert; from Gladys Aylward, the little chambermaid determined to go to China, to Eliza Davis George, black woman missionary to Liberia; from translator Rachel Saint to medical doctor Helen Roseveare; from Isobel Kuhn and Elizabeth Elliot, mobilizing missionary authors, to Lottie Moon, pacesetting mission educator; from simple Filipino housemaids in the Middle East to women executives in denominational offices to unsung Bible women in China, the roll is lengthy and glorious!

That roll, however, remains incomplete, awaiting the contribution of current and future generations. God's women now enjoy freedoms and opportunities their forebearers never envisioned. Most small businesses started in the U.S. are owned by women. Women now hold highly responsible positions in government, business, and medicine. "To whom much is given, much is required." How will women of God today harvest such opportunities for their Father's purposes?

Women, stirred by the task that lies ahead, can mobilize, devoting their skills, their accessibility, their knowledge, their tenderness, their intuitiveness, their own distinctive fervor to the work. The pioneer spirit, full of dedication and faithfulness, which women throughout history have shown will set the standard. The task is too vast to be completed without all God's people!" (Kraft & Grossman).

Is America the rich young ruler?

This message has been weighing on my heart for some time. When I read the account of the rich young ruler, every time I am reminded, not only of myself, but of America. It's found in Luke 18:18-30

A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" America, a ruler amongst the world's nations, still, as a majority, looks to Christianity/Jesus for salvation. 

Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good-except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'" The message of the Bible is as true today as it was when it was written. We must obey its teachings in order to inherit eternal life.

"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.  America, throughout history, has done much that is good and has kept the Lord's commands in many instances. She is still a symbol of hope and freedom for many millions in the world. 

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." This is where the difficulty for me and the American Church lies. Many of us, when we read this, instantly feel uncomfortable. What is God saying? Are we to actually sell everything we have and give to the poor? That is a hard question because we are a nation with so much stuff! According to World Bank figures, there are only two countries who make more money, per capita, than Americans - Luxembourg and Bermuda. Now, we are a country who gives much to charity (see A Nation of Givers) but this only accounts for 3-4%, on average, of the yearly income of Americans. Thus, this is the question that each of us needs to ask...are we giving to the Lord all that He would ask of us? Are we storing up treasures on earth, with the money He has blessed us, or are we storing up treasures in Heaven? To put this in perspective...I read that Americans spend more money on cosmetics, annually, than they do on mission outreach. Are our priorities right, as a nation and as individuals? And for those of you who know me, you may be thinking..."what a hypocrite." Yes, we as a family are very well off and have accumulated a lot of possessions. I struggle with this reality daily. How to be obedient to God and not be the rich ruler. I don't have the answer to that. All I know is that it burdens my heart and causes me to seek after the Lord.

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Do we become sad at the thought of selling our possessions and giving that money for the furtherance of the Gospel? I believe our feelings about this reveal our inner beliefs on money in general. Is it God's money that He is allowing us to have for His purposes or is it our money? How each of us views this often determines our willingness to give generously. 

Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."Jesus never said it was impossible but He did say it was hard. And the worldwide facts bare this out. In other nations, the segments of the population which come to Christ more quickly are the poor and destitute. They have no great possessions to keep them tied to this world. They seem to be much more eager and willing to hear the Good News of Jesus, who promises them hope and peace in a difficult world.  But those who are rich tend to put their hope and security in their possessions, making it more difficult to appreciate and accept the wonderful gift of salvation that the Lord offers them. 

Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." Here is the key...in our human nature it is almost impossible for us to imagine selling all our possessions, giving the money to the poor and following Him wherever He leads. But, if we are truly seeking after Christ, He is able and will give us the strength we need to do ALL that He has asked us to do.  Jesus ends this discussion with an incredible promise:

"I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life." I believe it is so important for each of us to ask God what He would have us do and then to be obedient. The Bible is very clear that we are not to horde worldly possessions, building up our treasure on earth, but to give generously. May we give all that God asks of us, whether it be money, time or our very lives and believe that He is more than enough to satisfy and bring us joy and peace. 

The Hot Water Bottle

THE HOT WATER BOTTLE - A True Story By Helen Roseveare, Missionary to Africa

One night, in Central Africa, I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all that we could do, she died leaving us with a tiny, premature baby and a crying, two-year-old daughter.

We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive. We had no incubator. We had no electricity to run an incubator, and no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts.

A student-midwife went for the box we had for such babies and for the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly, in distress, to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst. Rubber perishes easily in tropical climates. "...and it is our last hot water bottle!" she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilled milk; so, in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over a burst water bottle. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways. All right," I said, "Put the baby as near the fire as you safely can; sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm."

The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with many of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle. The baby could so easily die if it got chilled. I also told them about the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died. During the prayer time, one ten-year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt consciousness of our African children. "Please, God," she prayed, "send us a water bottle. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, the baby'll be dead; so, please send it this afternoon." While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added by way of corollary, " ...And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?" As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say, "Amen?" I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything: The Bible says so, but there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator!

Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time that I reached home, the car had gone, but there, on the veranda, was a large twenty-two pound parcel! I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone; so, I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then, there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children began to look a little bored. Next, came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - - that would make a nice batch of buns for the weekend. As I put my hand in again, I felt the...could it really be? I grasped it, and pulled it out. Yes, "A brand-new rubber, hot water bottle!" I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, "If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!" Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone: She had never doubted! Looking up at me, she asked, "Can I go over with you, Mummy, and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?"

That parcel had been on the way for five whole months, packed up by my former Sunday School class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. One of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child -- five months earlier in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it "That afternoon!" "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." Isaiah 65:24

Helen Roseveare a doctor missionary from England to Zaire, Africa, told this as it had happened to her in Africa. She shared it in her testimony on a Wednesday night at Thomas Road Baptist Church.

Do not fear the Muslims

"Then I said to you, 'Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them." (Deuteronomy 1:29)
The Bible tells us more than 365 times not to be afraid, do not fear. But do we hear Him? Do we believe God when He says He will be with us and that we should not be afraid?

The Muslim world terrifies many Christians. Images of hooded terrorists chopping heads off, of towers burning, of mobs chanting and lifting high their weapons seems to have immobilized the progress of the Christian Church into the Muslim world. Statistics speak this truth plainly. The greatest concentration of Muslims is in a place labeled the 10/40 Window which includes North Africa, the Middle East and Southern Asia. Many of these countries are predominantly Muslim. The Western Church sends only 1 out of every 40 missionaries to this region according to Jason Mandryk in State of the Gospel  This means that in many Muslim countries there are less than three missionaries per one million people.
Why the imbalance...part of it is that many in the Western Christian Church fear the Muslims.

Yet “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind,” 2 Timothy 1:7. The Church needs to believe in the power of God to overcome the obstacles Satan has placed in the 10/40 Window. The gates of Hades will not prevail against the Lord. We need to believe this and move out in trust, wisdom and power.

We also, as Christians, need to learn about the Muslims. What do they believe? What is their family life like? What makes them happy, sad, concerned? As we learn about them, God can begin to break our hearts for them. They need to hear of the love of Jesus. They need someone who is willing to cast aside fear, which so easily entangles, and follow the call of Christ into the Muslim world. Jesus is waiting, but He needs obedient servants.

There are many stories of how God uses the willing servant to reach the Muslim people who He loves. One is set in a nomadic Muslim group in Sub-Saharan Africa, where a single woman is effectively training Imams (Islamic teachers) in the gospel. They perceive her to be non-threatening, 'just a woman.' Building upon a foundation of interpersonal relationship and Biblical knowledge, she does not give them answers herself, but directs them to the Word. The Lord has confirmed her teaching giving dreams and visions to these leaders. As they have been converted, they are now training many others. She is accepted as a loving, caring elder sister, who gives high priority to their welfare," (from Women in Mission by Marguerite Kraft and Meg Crossman)

We can begin today by praying for them specifically, learning about them and then asking God how He would have us reach out to the Muslim world, be it our neighbor, a university student in our city or to an unreached people group half way around the world.

Why was Jesus so angry?

     Only once, in all of Scripture, is Jesus portrayed as passionately, actively angry. Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17, Luke 19:45-46 and John 2:12-17, all record how Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem, saw the buying, selling, cheating and utter chaos that was going on, took a whip and drove out all those who were selling. I used to wonder at this. Why did He get so angry at the moneychangers and sellers of sacrificial animals in the Temple? Shouldn’t He be more angry about the injustice to people He saw every day -- slavery, treatment of lepers, shunning of children, disbelief, corruption of the religious leaders? But His righteous anger at the Temple points to a truth that I have only recently discovered.

      Jesus did not come to earth primarily for us, as we like to believe and are often taught. Yes, He came to earth to show us God, to teach us how to live and to die for our sins, thus purchasing salvation for all those who would believe. But his primary reason for coming to earth was to bring glory to God. “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.’ And what was the work? ‘I manifested Your name to the men You gave me out of the world” (John 17:4, 6)                                                                      

Jesus’ main concern was that His Father in Heaven might be worshipped fully and completely by those He had created. God is the creator of all things. He is so incredibly holy, mighty, just, beautiful...truly beyond words. He made us and sustains us and deserves all our thankfulness, praise, wonder and worship. Jesus recognized that more than any other human being on earth and He was jealous for His Father’s glory and worship. 

     When He entered the Temple that day, whose actual building was directed by God “to establish His name there for His dwelling” (Deut. 12:2-14), His anger was roused by what He saw. In the Court of the Gentiles, the place set apart for non-Jews to encounter, worship, pray to and find relationship with God, He found noisy, smelly, deceiving distractions to this relationship, prayer and worship. How could people encounter God, pray to and worship Him amidst the buying and selling of animals and the hundreds of pilgrims yelling and arguing with money changers who were doing their best to make a profit and cheat country folks out of their meager earnings? 

The fact that all this money changing and selling of animals was being done in the Court of the Gentiles showed the lack of concern and love that the Jewish leadership had for non-Jews. Time and again Jesus had seen their lack of concern for the Gentiles surrounding them. Like Jonah, they hoarded their “privileged” status as followers of God and were not eager to see Gentiles coming to faith in the one, true God. This, of course, did not reflect the mentality of all Jews but it certainly seemed to be the mentality of the Jewish Temple leadership who would allow such a cacophony of noise and corruption in the very place set aside by God for the prayers and worship of foreigners. This angered Jesus! How dare they prevent people from coming and worshipping the Lord? The Lord deserves all praise and glory and anything that hindered that, and hindered the salvation of Gentiles, needed to be destroyed. 

I believe that all those who were there knew, in their hearts, that what was going on in the  Court of the Gentiles was wrong, even before Jesus so publicly pointed it out. The reason for my belief...no one challenged what  He had done; no one tried to stop Him. He was justified in His anger and His actions and they knew it! God deserved every bit of praise and worship and all people deserved an opportunity to meet Him, fall in love with Him and worship Him. 

I wonder what Jesus would do today if He stepped into some of our churches? Would He find congregations totally focused on prayer and the worship of Him; congregations that welcome all who would seek Him, causing no hindrances to the worship of Him? Or, would He find churches eager to show off their wealth, eager to sell the worship goer the latest best-selling Christian novel, eager to entertain the congregation and the visitor rather than challenge them to serve God more whole-heartedly. Would He find red-hot worship of God, people whose primary goal in life is to glorify the Lord and find total satisfaction in Him or would He find luke-warm, self-serving, self-focused weekly gatherings of a bunch of people who call themselves Christians but who are living lives no different from the world around them? 

Are we Jonahs?

     Did the idea of missional outreach, of sharing the message of who God is and of His love for mankind, begin with the Great Commission? Is this the first time God tells His people to share the message of who He is with the surrounding nations? No, in fact the idea of mission outreach can be seen throughout the entire Bible, beginning with Abraham.
     God did not choose Abraham solely because He liked Abraham and wanted to bless him alone. No, God chose Abraham so that "all the people on earth will be blessed through you," (Gen. 12:3).
     Why was Israel chosen? Why were they set apart from the other nations? Was it because this people was better, more holy, than the nations around them? It only takes reading the Bible just a bit to see that this is not true. Israel sinned and disappointed God just as the other nations did. God singled them out to show Himself through them. They were set apart so that "God can pave the way toward achieving His world-embracing goals. In choosing Israel as a segment of all humanity, God never took His eye off the other nations; Israel was a minority called to serve the majority," (The Biblical Foundation for the Worldwide Mission Mandate by Johannes Verkuyl).
     Israel wasn’t blessed just to be blessed but they were a nation, set apart by God, to call all other nations to Him; to reflect His glory; to not only be blessed but to be a blessing, This idea of being blessed to be a blessing to others is what we, as Christians, are also called to do.  Since the beginning of time, God has loved all nations and desires to see all nations come to Him.  (To see this through Scripture, read Psa 67:1-7; Matt 24:14; Matt 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:45-49; Acts 1:8, Rev 5:9-10 and Rev 7:9-10.
     Following Genesis 12, God gradually and indirectly draws people from other nations to Himself through His miraculous interventions on Israel’s behalf and through His show of power to bring them the promises of the covenant (land, children, His presence). In the process, some people of other nations (Rahab, Ninevah, Egyptians, Ruth, ...) are drawn to Him as well.                                                                                                              
     One story that has a lot to say about mission outreach is the story of Jonah. "Jonah is a lesson in educating a person to be a missionary. It reveals the need for a radical conversion of one's natural tendencies and a complete restructuring of his life to make it serviceable for mission," (Verkuyl). Basically, Jonah did not want to share the message of God's call and His forgiveness with the people of Nineveh because he did not think they deserved it. Nineveh had persecuted the Jews horribly in the past. Jonah didn't just fear this godless nation, he hated them. They did not deserve salvation in his eyes. But, as Jonah learned, it is not up to us to determine who deserves salvation...that is God's call and He wants all nations/people groups to turn to Him.
     No matter what Jonah did, he could not escape God's missionary mandate on his life. God pursued him relentlessly until he finally obeyed God. And to his amazement, the people turned to God with all their heart and repented. "What Israel continually refused to do the heathen Gentiles did do: the cruel king of Nineveh stands as anti-type to the disobedient kings of Judah," (Verkuyl).
     So we see throughout the rest of the Old Testament, God countering Satan’s evil reign with His presence, blessings and intervention on behalf of Israel, for the nations. Israel is given the primary blessing but they are then expected to confer that blessing on the nations around them. When they ceased to do that, He caused them to be scattered in the diaspora. This scattering of the Hebrews resulted in their living in various nations, thus bringing to these nations the message of one, sovereign God, a message foreign to the polytheistic cultures around them.  The results of this missional outreach by the Jews during their dispersion is evidenced when, at Pentecost, there "were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven," (Acts 2:5).                
     As believers in Christ witnessed His return to Heaven, Jesus assured them of the blessing of His continued presence with them through the Holy Spirit, but He also charged them with a responsibility that went along with the blessing. Like the Hebrews, they were blessed to be a blessing to all nations. In the “Great Commission” they, and all Christians since them, are directed to go into all the world, past Jerusalem, Judea, Syria and even the Roman Empire and preach the good news of Jesus to everyone. And for each person that receives Christ as Savior, Satan loses a bit of ground.                                                                                                                     It is now up to us, as Christians, to follow in the footsteps of Israel and Jonah; to be a blessing to the rest of the world by blessing them with the message of Jesus Christ. But we have a choice, will we obey or disobey? And will we obey joyfully or reluctantly? "While God never forces any of us, He tenderly asks us to put our whole heart and soul into the work of mission. God is still interested in transforming obstinate, irritable, depressive, peevish Jonah's into heralds of the Good News which brings freedom...If a person draws his lifeblood from the one greater than Jonah and yet declines to spread the Good News among others, in effect, he is sabotaging the aims of God Himself. Jonah is father to all those Christians whe desire the benefits and blessings of election but refuse its responsibility. Thomas Carlisle's poem, 'You Jonah,' closes with these lines:
     And Jonah stalked
     to his shaded seat
     and waited for God
     to come around
     to his way of thinking.
     And God is still waiting for a host of Jonahs
     in their comfortable houses
     to come around
     to His way of thinking."  (Verkuyl)

Pastors, your people are perishing because they don't know God

This article was written by a friend of ours. We have left two churches because of what he describes.

Pastors your people are perishing because they don't know God

June 16, 7:55 AM · John Rackliffe - Charleston Conservative Christian Examiner

"My people perish from a lack of knowledge." Hosea 4: 6 

This passage of scripture has always spoken volumes, but more so even in these difficult times.  If you are in the market for a new church and your new to the Charleston area, as I have said in previous articles on this subject the task is onerous.  However, I believe God provides his people a good solution to this dilemma.  In choosing your next church ask yourself  "will my next place of worship reveal a deep knowledge of who God really is?" How can I tell, if the church I attend or am considering, is revealing to me who God is?

I believe the answer to this question is quite simple.  Is your pastor regularly teaching from the bible?  If he is not, if he is choosing topics, teaching from popular authors or theologians writings, or bringing in guests to talk about self help issues, it may  be time to look elsewhere.  The times we live in are difficult.  Terrorism, frequent natural disasters, the American dream disappearing before our eyes, and reports of wars all over the globe are in our faces daily.  People want to know why these things are happening and they want to hear it from God, not Oprah!

Pastors, if you are reading this, the people want to know what God has to say about our world!  Please tell them.  If you don't know read God's word and find out!  Your flock is perishing from a lack of knowledge.  Rev.  Shuler can't help you.  Rick Warren's books are inadequate.  1-800-Send Money is not the answer.  The Bible is our only answer book.  Please tell your people.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, if you leave church each Sunday with a sense that something is missing from your spiritual walk.  If you don't feel like you know who God is any better now than when you started attending your current church, perhaps its time to make an appointment with the Pastor and ask him why he is not helping you know who God is. 

Many churches today are watering down the word of God and or not even using the Bible in their church.  God is bringing all of us through a great period of reflection and is allowing our Enemy (like he did with Job) to have his way in many things.  God is bringing all of us to our knees if we can see with Holy Spirit eyes that he ultimately is in control and wants us to trust him with everything.  If your church is not talking about this, if it is not worshiping and lifting up Jesus Christ, if entertainment over substance has infiltrated your Sunday services, God may be sending you a message to get out and find a place that will honor Him not the worship team!

Please pray for God to reveal to you where you should spend your worship time.  Ask him to help you find a good church, a bible study, or a home group that is learning about God from the Bible and who is honoring Him through genuine worship and personal obedience to His word.  Our time is short and God wants to use us for his purposes.  Get out of the dark places and move into the light so that God can put you to work.

African Sending

In some of my blogs, I'd like to highlight the mission-sending activity that is happening in other parts of the world. No longer should we think of the typical Christian missionary being a Westerner. More and more, God is raising up workers in the mission field from the "Majority World." Today's blog will focus on Africa and is taken from an article by Timothy Olonade, Executive Secretary of Nigeria Evangelical Missions Association, and by Jason Mandryk's article The State of the Gospel.

"When Europeans came to Africa in the mid-1800s, some wanted the economic value their newly acquired territory could generate, while others wanted the souls of Africans for God's kingdom. Passionate mission fervor characterized the missionaries that brought the gospel to Africa. But sadly, that mission passion was not passed on to the churches that emerged in Africa out of their efforts.

Beginning in the 1950s, major national initiatives crystallized which were aimed at birthing new churches that were authentically African. In the 1960s, most African countries gained independence from colonial powers. Political change inspired a corresponding change in the Church with a major surge of indigenous leadership (Africans were now leading African churches). The new sense of ownership sparked revivals in Burundi, Zululand, Zaire and Nigeria.

The 1970s were characterized by full-blown national initiatives to mobilize Africans for missions, particularly in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and Kenya. Nigeria illustrates the transfer of mission vision in a dramatic way. There were nearly 10,000 expatriate/foreign missionaries serving in Nigeria in 1986. That same year, there were just slightly over 500 indigenous/native missionaries from Nigerian churches. In just 20 years, the figures virtually reversed. The number of expatriate missionaries shrunk to some 860 by 2006 (which should happen since the Nigerians were taking control of their own mission sending), and missionaries sent by Nigerian churches increased to over 5,200. Cross-cultural missionaries from Nigeria alone now serve in 65 countries around the globe.

The gospel has found fertile soil in Africa (Daily, in Africa, there are 20,000 new believers - 2020 Vision by Bill and Amy Stearns). And Africans are now doing their part to take its life-giving message around the world with characteristic zest and passion. African missionaries are found as far east as Japan and China and as far south and west as Brazil and Bolivia. The presence of African flavor in global evangelism can also be seen in Europe, where the five largest churches are led by Africans."

"In sub-Saharan Africa, in 1900, there were 8 million Christians (3% of the population); by 2000 there were 351 million (50%)...it is now the majority religion. Despite living with economic stagnation, hardships or even decline, African evangelicals sent out an estimated 13,000 cross-cultural missionaries. Still, there is critical need for theological institutions, or curriculum appropriate to the African context and for African theologians who can immerse their own people in Scripture in a finning manner.

Lack of infrastructure, widespread disease, devastating wars and unstable or corrupt governments all contribute to keeping millions of Africans, in over a thousand people groups, largely unevangelized. The relationship between Islam and Christianity is a major challenge for the continent, and the potential for widened conflagration and confrontation between these two groups is high."

Praise God for what He is doing in Africa and through our African brothers and sisters! May we remember to lift them up in prayer. Some day we will all rejoice around God's holy throne!!!

Pray for Afghanistan

A member of the Afghanistan parliament has called for the "public execution of Christian converts."  After a video was broadcast on Afghan television showing men being baptized and praying, the deputy secretary of the Afghan lower house stated that such apostates from Islam should be arrested and executed.
A video showing Afghan men being baptized and praying in Farsi has caused an uproar in Afghanistan.  After being broadcast on national television, members of the parliament said these and other apostates should be publically executed.  They also called for foreign aid groups to be investigated.  Some suspected of proselytizing have already had their activities suspended.

Proselytizing in Afghanistan is illegal and anyone choosing to leave Islam can be punished by death.

According to International Christian Concern (ICC), national Christians have gone into hiding to avoid being arrested and possibly executed.

The statements made in the Afghan parliament, noted one observer, sounded like the sentiments of the Taliban.  Even as military forces from non-Islamic nations are fighting to free Afghanistan from terrorism, Christians inside the country are being threatened with deadly persecution.

"Intervention is not a choice," said ICC, "but a responsibility."


PRAY FOR:
- Believers in Afghanistan to be protected by the mighty Hand of the Lord.  Pray for them to put their hope and trust in the Lord and be strengthened by the Spirit of the Living God.  (The Bible, Psalm 46:1)
the Lord to move among members of the Afghan parliament, transforming hearts and leading them from the violence and oppression of Islam, into the liberty and life of Jesus Christ.  (The Bible, II Corinthians 3:17)
- Pray President Hamid Karzai to publicly denounce this threat and to vow to protect all Afghani citizens.
- Christian humanitarian agencies to use wisdom in dealing with this new threat and for the Lord to give them favor with the Afghan government.  (The Bible, Proverbs 1:7)
- the Lord to set the people of Afghanistan free from the bondage of Islam, the fear of the Taliban, and the clutches of the enemy.  (The Bible, II Corinthians 4:4)
- the Taliban to be defeated and those deceived into fighting for this  terrorist organization to have the opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel.  (The Bible, I Timothy 2:4)
- the Lord to intervene and for Christians throughout the world to pray and stand in the gap on behalf of Afghanistan, our Christian Brothers and Sisters, the lost, and unreached of this nation.  (The Bible, Hebrews 13:3)
- Believers to be strong and courageous. Pray for them to not be terrified; to not be discouraged, for the LORD our God will be with them wherever they go. (The Bible, Joshua 1:9)
- the Kingdom of God to come to Afghanistan in great power, with signs and wonders.  Pray for multitudes of Afghans to put their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.   (The Bible, Matthew 6:10)

Sources:  International Christian Concern, Associated Free Press

Love those who are aliens

The illegal alien issue in America garners much impassioned talk from both sides. Personally, I am in favor of immigration. Our daughter Grace is an immigrant from China. My father's family...two generations ago...all came from Europe to America. I am not in favor of illegal immigration because of the influx of crime coming across our borders, increase in taxpayers' money going to support them, etc.

Yet, for some time now God has been speaking to my heart about this issue. How does God feel about the alien...illegal or legal? Today, while reading Deuteronomy, I came across this verse in 10:18-19:
"He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens..."

In America today, there is a huge influx of people coming across our borders who know very little about Jesus. Yes, they come from Catholic countries, but in many of those countries, the religion practiced is often mixed with voodoo or other pagan practices. Very few of them, I would guess, have a deep, personal relationship with Christ.

So, beyond the politics of the situation, what is the Church in America to do? Well, if we follow God's Word to us, we are to "love those who are aliens." Some churches do this. Our "home" church in Fayetteville, NC, Northwood Temple, has a Spanish-speaking service and has had one for many years. More churches need to do this. There are many ways, beyond this, that churches can reach the aliens.

What about each of us as individuals? Are we to hate them because they are "invading" our country? No. They are men, women and children created in God's image who He has allowed to come to America, maybe, so that they will have the opportunity to hear the message of Jesus in a "Christian" land. The question is up to us? Will we let our opposition to their illegal entry cause us to turn away from them. Or, like the "Good Samaritan," will we pray for them and reach out to them?

Our pastor at Crosstowne Christian Church, here in Charleston, reached out to one family. It was right around Christmas this past year. He was driving down the road and saw a Hispanic man next to his broken-down car. He was about to pass him by, wondering in his heart whether this guy was a drug-dealer or violent criminal, when his wife cried out, "there are children in the car." He immediately stopped.  They took the family home to a very poor trailer park, and said good-bye. But Pastor Paul sensed that God wanted him to do more. So on Christmas they brought the family gifts and food. The children were so happy and this Hispanic family was not the only ones blessed...Paul and Susan were as well.

That is the heart of Christianity. Will the world know us for our opposition to things only or...will the world know us for our love?

A passionate mom

I wanted to share an email with you from a friend of mine in Korea. She so beautifully expresses the experience of having your heart changed by God...of Him burdening you with an issue that is important to Him, and of how we should respond. Here is her email to me. 


Hi Tania,
 When I saw the title of your blog, moms4missions, I was SO surprised and... I can't even describe how I felt in words. You see, I have made a commitment recently and have been trying to rally other moms in Korea- not to just work with me for the cause that God has stirred in my heart but for something, anything. So many moms are able to do so much and have accomplished so much but we get married, have kids, move to a foreign land, give up our careers and everything we know and we start living here like it's a curse and that we are totally powerless. Well, God has really started stirring my heart for human trafficking and recently revealed to me a way that I can financially support this mission.
So, I've really been led and have been praying for myself as well as the oppressed and also for the moms around me who want to do something but feel very powerless to do so.
I'll share more later!

I am so excited that you've shared this link with me and I feel like this was a part of His Divine plan... to be honest, I've been growing weary with various things going on right now- feeling completely drained, frustrated, angry and even sad. The enemy is definitely trying to take me down and I have to admit that he has been having an effect on me. I realize from your message that God has heard me and He has answered me- He is GLORIOUS!!! Just today, I was praying Psalms 13.

Thank you Tania and I can't wait to go through your site in more detail and to continue to read your updates."


Here is my response to her:


"He is glorious Jeana!!! I am so glad that you gained encouragement from the blog. That is one of the special privileges God has given us, to encourage each other in our faith and in what God is calling us to do. 
You know, human trafficking became a concern of ours after living in Korea and learning more about it...it is especially heavy on Jeff's heart!  
There is so much we moms can do but like you said, I think we begin to feel powerless, like our lives need to be totally consumed by our children and that we really won't have much left over for anything else. But it doesn't have to be that way. I look at the lives of Jesus (especially), Paul, Peter, Susanna Wesley, so many others who had their plates FULL yet they were used so greatly by God. 
I have found that if there is one thing a busy mom can do right now, to be used more by God and get more involved in what He is doing in the world...it is commit to and maintain a daily quiet time. I wake up early, 4 or 5 am, every morning, and spend about three hours alone with God, praying, reading the Bible, writing the blog, etc. What I have found is that He is so faithful to give me the energy I need during the rest of the day. 
We serve a super God...the same God of Moses, Paul, Elijah, George Washington, Jim Elliot...I think we sometimes forget the help that God promises to provide if we will step out in faith, admit our weaknesses and trust Him to lead.  
This blog idea just would not leave me...for 7 months I put if off but now I am so glad I have begun. It is a lot of work and not that many people read it but God spoke to my heart awhile back about this, basically saying, "you are writing this blog out of obedience to Me. I asked you to do it so don't worry about how many people read it. Just keep obeying me and writing what I put on your heart. I will take care of the results." 
I think that is a message for you too Jeana! Obey His call on your life about trafficking. Share the message with those who hear and pray for other moms' (and dads also) hearts to be open. Only God can grow passion in a believer for something that is near and dear to His heart. Missions and human trafficking definitely fall into those categories. We are planting the seeds of information...God causes them to grow.  
I admire what you are doing and you have encouraged me! Sometimes I get frustrated and sad when I read my friends' Facebook pages or emails and it seems that so many are consumed by day-to-day living and not looking beyond their immediate life. But only God can cause us to look up to Him and get passionate and excited for things beyond ourselves. And often it's through the valleys where we begin to look beyond ourselves (I know that was true with me!).  
Whew...I've gone on and on. I wish we had gotten to know each other better while in Korea but we can grow our friendship over the distance! Our thoughts and prayers are with you, James and your precious children. I pray we will be able to worship together again someday! We miss Korea!"


I pray that if there is something that God is growing in you...something you are becoming passionate about, whether it is missions or another area, don't be afraid to step out in faith and obey God. We are all His instruments. It is not by our strength, but by His. God bless you my friends!

Apostolic Prayer

Father God, grant me apostolic passion! 

May the world no longer rule my heart. 

May I no longer be seduced by getting and gaining but be devoted to spreading and proclaiming Your glory, Lord God, in the nations. 

May I live as a pilgrim, unattached to the cares of this world. 

May I not be afraid of loss. 

May I even dare to believe that I may be given the privilege of dying to spread Your fame on the earth. 

May Your passions, Lord God, become my passions. 

May I find my satisfaction and significance in You. 

I believe You are with me always, to the end of life itself. 

Help me to be sold out to You, and to live for the Lamb. 

May my greatest dream be that Your Name will be praised in languages never before heard in Heaven. 

May my reward be the look of pure delight I anticipate seeing in Your eyes when I lay at Your feet, Lord Jesus, the just reward of Your suffering: the worship of the redeemed!