From ancient times it was God's plan that Jesus the Messiah should suffer and rise from the dead (Psalm 2, 16), and that salvation through him should be proclaimed to all nations (Lk. 24:46-47; see Isa. 11:10; Amos 9:11-12). Before ascending to the Father, Jesus commissioned his chosen apostles that "having gone" (literally) into the whole world, they were to herald the gospel message to all creation, thus making disciples of all nations (Mk. 16:15; Matt. 28:19). The apostles were to baptize believers then teach them in turn all that Jesus had commanded themselves (Matt. 28:20; Mk. … [Read more...]
ANOTHER VIEW ON MISSIONS
I recently recommended K.P. Yohannan’s book, Revolution in World Missions, and the mission agency Gospel for Asia as exemplifying what I believe to be the most effective way of fulfilling the great commission of Jesus Christ in our day. GracEmail subscriber Harold Patterson, Director of the World Missions Department for the Advent Christian General Conference of America, responded with a different point of view. Following are his thoughts which I am happy to share for your consideration. His email address is WorldMissions@adventchristian.org . * * * "While on the surface [western support of … [Read more...]
A LIFE-CHANGING CHALLENGE (3)
GFA has the endorsement of such highly-respected organizations as Operation Mobilization and such individuals as David and Karen Mains (Chapel of the Air) and Erwin Lutzer (Moody Church, Chicago). It was a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and it provides donors full accounting upon request. I have researched GFA to my own satisfaction and I am convinced that it is sound in integrity and management, scriptural as to gospel basics and of the Lord. By personally sponsoring a native missionary at $30 a month, you can joyfully share in taking the … [Read more...]
A LIFE-CHANGING CHALLENGE (2)
Within the 10/40 Window, a swath of land located 10-40 degrees north of the equator and stretching from West Africa to East Asia, within which live 1.8 billion persons who have never heard of Jesus Christ, spiritual darkness hovers most heavily over Asia. Every day, more than 80,000 Asians die without knowing about the love of God shown in Jesus Christ. In India alone, an estimated 500,000 villages have never heard the gospel. As a direct result of this spiritual darkness, millions in India daily live in hunger and abject poverty while multitudes die with no hope or assurance of everlasting … [Read more...]
A LIFE-CHANGING CHALLENGE (1)
When we flew to the 2004 wedding of my nephew Aaron Fudge in California, I had no idea of the mind-boggling spiritual challenge awaiting me there. Aaron, 23, and his wife Elizabeth are both deeply committed to Jesus Christ so I was not surprised when following the rehearsal pizza dinner they invited guests to their forthcoming one-bedroom apartment to pray for God's blessing and Spirit to fill them and their new residence. However I did not expect Aaron to give all his guests a book which he said had changed his life -- and which subsequently has transformed my own personal consciousness and … [Read more...]
GOD ENLIGHTENS BLIND MINDS
A gracEmail subscriber writes that although he serves Christ in a nondenominational fellowship that loves Jesus, builds up each other, gives to the needy and goes all around the world personally sharing the gospel, his mother considers him an unbeliever because he does not belong to her particular religious organization. The mother frequently gives him religious literature intended to correct his "false" views, but she is unwilling to read or listen to anything he might offer in response. What, he asks me, can he do in this situation? * * * I do understand your pain and frustration. Just … [Read more...]
THE JESUS MESSAGE
"Someone asks, "What is the core of the gospel?" This person hears preaching from the pulpit, through television, on the radio, via the internet, by video, cassettes and CD's. "None of it stirs my soul," she says. "Nothing grabs my emotions, challenges my mind, motivates my will. What is the heart of the Christian message that once turned the world upside down?" * * * They had little money and minimal education. There was no business plan, no human sponsorship, no institutional presence. Mass media was unheard of and mass transportation did not yet exist. Yet within one generation 13 plain … [Read more...]
THE UNEXPECTED MINISTER
Recently I flew to Baton Rouge, Louisiana on business, where I took a taxicab from the airport to my hotel. Upon entering the cab, I immediately noticed a large and well-worn Bible on the driver's dashboard. I commented concerning the stormy weather I had left in Houston and asked the cab-driver if they had experienced it in Baton Rouge. He responded that he had often wondered about the reason for storms but that he had recently discovered, in one of the Old Testament prophets, that storms are sometimes either punishment or warning from God. One thing led to another and we quickly launched … [Read more...]
DIVERSITY & FAITHFULNESS
The sky was pouring rain as I drove up to the Park-and-Ride bus shelter, where a line of commuters regularly chooses to ride to downtown jobs with strangers in automobiles rather than taking the city bus. We car-drivers like the plan, because it allows us to use the enclosed and fast moving high-occupancy lane instead of turtle-crawling down 25 miles of Katy Freeway from our homes on Houston's west side. My rider today was a Vietnamese lady, whose nationality I easily guessed from her accent and her appearance. We quickly struck up a friendly conversation. After I dropped a comment or two … [Read more...]
TWO RUSSIANS AND A THAI
Regular readers know that I take on riders at the bus stop each morning, enabling a fast commute in the high-occupancy lane to downtown Houston. Recent riders have included two Russian women, who chattered the whole trip in Russian, and a Buddhist lady from Thailand. The Russians and I conversed briefly (in English) about President Putin and their country's future. They despaired of progress, declaring all politicians to be crooks. I expressed my opinion that only Jesus Christ could give Russian people hope and strong character. The ladies responded with stone silence. The Thai Buddhist … [Read more...]
