Middle East mission trip

I just returned from a mission trip to the Middle East where I met with one of our ministry partners.

While I knew about the foundational scope of their ministry, the trip brought to light aspects about the manner in which God is at work that I never suspected or even considered possible. This isn’t new. In times past I have occasionally found that my sense of what God is doing – or more pointedly, isn’t doing – through others to reach people with the gospel bordered on arrogance.

In other words, I have arrogantly thought that others are just coasting along waiting for me to show up on the scene in order to get them engaged in global evangelizing, discipleship, and church planting. For some reason, I thought God could only use me in His plan to bring the gospel to all nations. Unfortunately, it is not only arrogant, but it results in me confirming my ignorance to those who may have only suspected it.

I can honestly say, my trip to visit with this partner was not due to irresponsible impressions of their ministry. In fact, it was an honest and humble effort to find out how God may allow us to further assist them in what He is already doing through them to reach Muslims with the truth of Jesus Christ.

This media company has three major ministry thrusts. Make no mistake; they are a first class audio/visual media company. Their expertise ranges from educational documentaries to 3D animation to cutting edge web sites. In addition to their in house production projects, they do significant projects for third parties. However, no project is undertaken that cannot include biblical precepts and principles in some shape, form, or fashion.

Another aspect of their ministry is to train Muslim background believers to be media teams and start their own companies in other Middle Eastern countries. This enables Christian media people to engage their culture through the eye gate and the ear gate. Media has a tremendous influence in our world and can be used to reach people with the gospel. This ministry understands how the culture can be impacted by having trained Christians in this profession producing projects in their native countries that present a range of biblical truths.

Because of the societal treatment of women and girls within the Muslim culture, there is a need to provide ongoing access to information that presents them with God’s love…the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Muslim women’s issues vary from the unmentionables to those that touch on personal grooming. God has answers to the issues that face Muslim women within the cultural context in which they live. Like other women, especially among the younger generation, they have a working knowledge of and frequent us of the internet. It is only logical that a web site, designed to reach them with God’s love and answers, would be developed. This is the newest project for our partner.

While on the trip I ventured into a local grocery store. As I walked through the aisles I suddenly realized I was hearing Christmas carols. That’s right. “Hark the herald angels sing glory to the new born King,” was clearly heard over the in house sound system. God spoke to me at that moment. Even in the midst of a culture saturated with false religious teachings, people will hear the greatest news ever given to mankind: Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.”

The announcement of that birth brings as much hope today as it did then. From WorldReach we wish you a very Merry Christmas.

News from North Korea

This report is from Voice of the Martyrs regarding the North Korean governments’ arrest of Christians. In a highly unusual press conference in Pyongyang in September, the National Security Service of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea announced the arrest of “foreign spies” and “native citizens working for a foreign intelligence service.” The Voice of the Martyrs, a ministry serving Christians in restricted nations who are persecuted for their faith, announced that those arrested in North Korea were in fact Christian believers and not spies.

The security service spokesman at the press conference said that those arrested “carried out the missions by means of diverse espionage equipment.” He did not name any of those arrested.
Voice of the Martyrs has identified the North Korean Christians who have disappeared and are believed to have been arrested by government authorities.

These North Korean Christians had started a portrait photography studio to help support themselves, and had registered their businesses with appropriate government authorities. According to Voice of the Martyrs sources working in North Korea, they were not involved in espionage activities. It is believed that equipment taken by the government was in fact photography equipment used in their portrait work.

Todd Nettleton, spokesperson for VOM , said, “Following Jesus Christ is considered treason in North Korea, where the government mandates that worship is reserved for deceased dictator Kim Il Sung and his son, the current dictator, Kim Jong Il. The Voice of the Martyrs is proud to stand with Christ’s followers in North Korea, and deeply concerned for the well-being of our brothers and sisters there. We call on the North Korean government to release these Christian believers, who were involved in legitimate business activities to support themselves and their families.”

The Voice of the Martyrs has been actively involved in helping North Korean Christians for decades. Among the projects the ministry has carried out for North Korea is the launch of thousands of “scripture balloons,” Mylar balloons filled with helium and printed on either side with scripture passages. Voice of the Martyrs has conducted other projects to help North Korean Christians but cannot discuss details publicly to protect the safety of their workers and contacts inside North Korea.

Their sources do not know the whereabouts of the arrested believers. It is possible that they have already been tried and executed.

OTHER STUFF
There are many Christian authors, but few find their books being made into major motion pictures. Robert Whitlow, University of Georgia graduate, is an attorney and best selling author. His first book, The List, will open on the big screen in Athens, Georgia this weekend. It is a great reminder of the power of prayer.

While WorldReach is not normally used to promote media events, this particular movie contrasts the spiritual battle between good and evil, and the manner in which we as born again believers can join the battle.

Rep. Paul Broun Talks about his Faith

Georgia's 10th District Congressman, Dr. Paul Broun, Jr., stands in the U.S. House and gives his testimony as part of his support for National Bible Week. It is wonderful to know that a sevant after God's own heart has chosen the mission field!

A servant after God's own heart

Georgia's 10th District Congressman, Dr. Paul Broun, Jr., stands in the U.S. House and gives his testimony as part of his support for National Bible Week. View the CSPAN feed here.

It is wonderful to know that a sevant after God's own heart has chosen the mission field!

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

Some 2000 years ago, Jesus came on a mission to bring salvation to all who would receive Him, to everyone who would believe in His name. He completed His mission as He was obedient to the Father in all things, even death on a cross.

One of His commands we are to obey is to be His witnesses, literally around the world. Whether it is right next door or somewhere across the seas, we are to be about the business of telling people about Jesus. As born again believers God uses us in many different ways to accomplish the task He has given us. Some give, some pray, some go, and some do a little or a lot of each.

Fortunately, in America we also have the opportunity to join together and form mission organizations that focus on taking the gospel to the lost people of the earth. The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention is an organization of over 5,000 missionaries that is dedicated to planting churches and making disciples to all the people groups of the world. It is supported by the tithes and offerings given by Southern Baptists through the very unique Cooperative Program. However, the funds needed to support these missionaries are considerably more than the Cooperative Program provides.

It is during the Christmas season that Southern Baptist Churches around the world take a special offering for international missions. 100% of the amount collected goes to funding Southern Baptist missionaries around the world. It is called the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.

Lottie Moon—the namesake this offering—has become something of a legend. But in her time Lottie was anything but an untouchable hero. In fact, she was like today’s missionaries. She was a hard-working, deep-loving Southern Baptist who labored tirelessly so her people group could know Jesus.

When she set sail for China, Lottie was 32 years old. She had turned down a marriage proposal and left her job, home and family to follow God’s lead. Her path wasn’t typical for an educated woman from a wealthy Southern family. But Lottie did not serve a typical God. He had gripped her with the Chinese peoples’ need for a Savior.

Throughout her career, Lottie Moon wrote numerous letters home, urging Southern Baptists to greater missions involvement and support. One of those letters triggered Southern Baptists' first Christmas offering for international missions. The success of the first Christmas-season mission offering among Southern Baptists, in 1888, resulted chiefly from Lottie’s suggestion. It had been designated in advance to send women missionaries to help Lottie in China. The goal: $2,000. The result: $3,315.26, enough to send three single missionaries.

Christmas is chosen for this special offering because it is the festive season, when families and friends exchange gifts in memory of The Gift laid on the altar of the world for the redemption of the human race. This is the most appropriate time to consecrate a portion from abounding riches and scant poverty to send forth the good tidings of great joy into all the earth.

It has been said that our greatest gift should be given to Jesus through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Whether you are a member of a Southern Baptist church or another like-minded evangelical denomination, you can give to support missionaries working overseas. For more information about the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, visit the International Mission Board on the World Wide Web at imb.org.