This is an article worth your reading and a topic worth praying about it. I can't speak for the rest of Europe but I try to follow Germany closely because of the abundance of Turks. This is really a big problem. What Merkel is talking about is really a dream, but it could be a dream being worked towards if all the supposed Christians in her country were actually doing their job. The laborers are few!
Read this article
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Change in Turkey
I don't know whether it is because I live here or not, but since we've been in Turkey it seems that they have been in the news more often than not. Today there was a vote on a referendum to amend the Constitution. There were 26 amendments that they want to add. To me it seems that 22 of the 26 most people would say yes to. The others put some questions in some people's minds. Today it past. We're not so concerned with the results. We know that God will use it to bring glory to His name. Rather, with all the attention Turkey is getting, I'm hoping that God is bringing it to your mind to pray for us and the nation of Turkey. By the way, the U.S.A. and Turkey play tonight at 9:30 p.m. (2:30p.m. eastern) for the Basketball World Championship.
Monday, September 6, 2010
A good welcome home!
We are back in Turkey! On our third day back I was sending out some N.T.s that people had requested from the website. So it was a large number of books. One guy who didn't even work there said, "I think you're a missionary." I said, "Oh you do?" I told him that those were religious books that I was sending but if he meant that I was an agent or I was trying to divide the country then he was wrong. He said he thought that using religion for political purposes was wrong. I agreed to that, and explained that I don't like religion either. I told him that a relationship with Jesus is different than religion. He said some stuff about different wars and then he said that the American government supports you because they give money to the churches (this is what the majority of people in this part of the world think). So I told him that our government is not like the Turkish government. They don't send people to Germany or other countries to make sure their people are taught their religion. I explained that we are sent by churches and are supported by them and by friends and family. This was a shock to him. The conversation went on nicely. I hope he was actually listening because then maybe he'll understand a little better then he did before. The great thing was that everyone else in the cargo company heard the same thing. I'm grateful for the opportunity.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Reluctant about going into missions
This is an article that I read from John Piper. Maybe it will help you with some questions or doubts that you've had.
Why Are People Reluctant to Go into Missions?
John Piper
When I spoke at Missions in the Main Hall Sunday night, I tried to give a biblical response to possible obstacles that are in the way for some people that may keep them from moving forward toward missions. My prayer is that God would use these responses to call more of you to go. Here are eight objections and a biblical response.
1. "I am not smart enough."
"Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe." (1 Corinthians 1:20-21)
"Consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise." (1 Corinthians 1:26-27)
2. "My body and my personality are not strong enough."
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." (2 Corinthians 4:7)
"[Christ] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
3. "I am not a good speaker."
"Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." (1 Corinthians 1:17)
"Moses said to the Lord, 'Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.' Then the Lord said to him, 'Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak." (Exodus 4:10-12)
4. "I am afraid of the horrors I read about in the newspapers."
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore (katartisei—"mend" or "repair" your horribly disfigured body when the lions in the coliseum are through with you), confirm, strengthen, and establish you." (1 Peter 5:8-10)
5. "I am afraid I won't be fruitful"
Your responsibility is not to be fruitful but to be faithful. "And said, 'The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." (Mark 4:26-29)
"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." (1 Corinthians 3:6-7)
6. "There is plenty to do here."
True, but there is a division of labor and God calls some to MISSIONS, not just evangelism. The difference is seen in Romans 15:19-24: "So that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I [Christ] have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named. . . Now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions . . . I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain."
How could Paul say there was no room for work when there were millions in that region to be evangelized? Because evangelism is not missions.
7. "I am not married."
The best spouse is found on the path of obedience. "An excellent wife [or husband!] who can find? She [and he!] is far more precious than jewels" (Proverbs 31:10). The finding is exceedingly hard. It will happen on the road of obedience.
8. "I fear that when I get there it might turn out I made a mistake and will come home with shame."
Which is worse, shame for having endeavored to follow Christ in missions, or fear to venture? Shame before others for making a mistake will not hurt you; it will humble you and can make you more useful in a new situation. But fear will make you useless everywhere.
Consider Ecclesiastes 11:4 and what it says about risk: "He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap." Meaning: without taking the risk of sowing when the seed might be blown away and reaping when the rain might ruin the harvest, you will starve.
Oh, how precious is the freeing word of God,
Pastor John
Why Are People Reluctant to Go into Missions?
John Piper
When I spoke at Missions in the Main Hall Sunday night, I tried to give a biblical response to possible obstacles that are in the way for some people that may keep them from moving forward toward missions. My prayer is that God would use these responses to call more of you to go. Here are eight objections and a biblical response.
1. "I am not smart enough."
"Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe." (1 Corinthians 1:20-21)
"Consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise." (1 Corinthians 1:26-27)
2. "My body and my personality are not strong enough."
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." (2 Corinthians 4:7)
"[Christ] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
3. "I am not a good speaker."
"Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." (1 Corinthians 1:17)
"Moses said to the Lord, 'Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.' Then the Lord said to him, 'Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak." (Exodus 4:10-12)
4. "I am afraid of the horrors I read about in the newspapers."
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore (katartisei—"mend" or "repair" your horribly disfigured body when the lions in the coliseum are through with you), confirm, strengthen, and establish you." (1 Peter 5:8-10)
5. "I am afraid I won't be fruitful"
Your responsibility is not to be fruitful but to be faithful. "And said, 'The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." (Mark 4:26-29)
"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." (1 Corinthians 3:6-7)
6. "There is plenty to do here."
True, but there is a division of labor and God calls some to MISSIONS, not just evangelism. The difference is seen in Romans 15:19-24: "So that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I [Christ] have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named. . . Now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions . . . I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain."
How could Paul say there was no room for work when there were millions in that region to be evangelized? Because evangelism is not missions.
7. "I am not married."
The best spouse is found on the path of obedience. "An excellent wife [or husband!] who can find? She [and he!] is far more precious than jewels" (Proverbs 31:10). The finding is exceedingly hard. It will happen on the road of obedience.
8. "I fear that when I get there it might turn out I made a mistake and will come home with shame."
Which is worse, shame for having endeavored to follow Christ in missions, or fear to venture? Shame before others for making a mistake will not hurt you; it will humble you and can make you more useful in a new situation. But fear will make you useless everywhere.
Consider Ecclesiastes 11:4 and what it says about risk: "He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap." Meaning: without taking the risk of sowing when the seed might be blown away and reaping when the rain might ruin the harvest, you will starve.
Oh, how precious is the freeing word of God,
Pastor John
Sunday, April 4, 2010
He is Risen!
Happy Easter to all of you! This morning I was excited because we were celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. At the same time, when I left my house, I felt a bit of sadness. Sadness because everyone around me knows nothing of what we celebrate today.
God blessed in the services at the church where we are training. There were eight visitors all of which were not believers. I had a chance to talk with two young men who came. They had questions about the forgiveness of sin. It was a great opportunity to explain Jesus' death on the cross and then of course his resurrection. I'm always so amazed to see sincere seeker's reaction when we explain the Scriptures to them. The great thing is the day is not over. We will get together tonight and have a big dinner. There will be visitors there also. May God bless our conversations!
God blessed in the services at the church where we are training. There were eight visitors all of which were not believers. I had a chance to talk with two young men who came. They had questions about the forgiveness of sin. It was a great opportunity to explain Jesus' death on the cross and then of course his resurrection. I'm always so amazed to see sincere seeker's reaction when we explain the Scriptures to them. The great thing is the day is not over. We will get together tonight and have a big dinner. There will be visitors there also. May God bless our conversations!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Correction
I had a typo that I've since corrected. I wrote the Great Commission does end with converts. I meant to write The Great Commission does not end with converts.
Committment
LeRoy Eims, author of The Lost Art of Disciple Making, gave his opinion on time frames for discipleship. He himself says that the times vary according to people. Here is what he says:
Convert to disciple-2 years
Disciple-worker-2 years
Worker-leader- 3 year
Here is a quote from him. "Let's say Jesus spent 12 hours a day with his men for three years. That's 4380 hours a year, and 13,140 hours in those 3 years. If we are able to spend seven hours per week with a person (four in church and three elsewhere)-and that's a high figure-it would mean that we would spend 365 hours a year with that man. At that rate it would take us 36 years to match the time frame used by Jesus..."
The point is that we need Christian workers who are willing to stick it out. In what are called closed countries the turn around time is very short. In our time here in this country we've known 10 families that have left the country. If it takes 5-7 years to train a leader, it is no wonder there are so many immature believers in this country. There is always a need for what we call short-termers. If you feel called has called you somewhere, be committed if necessary to stay a lifetime. The great commission does not end with converts.
Convert to disciple-2 years
Disciple-worker-2 years
Worker-leader- 3 year
Here is a quote from him. "Let's say Jesus spent 12 hours a day with his men for three years. That's 4380 hours a year, and 13,140 hours in those 3 years. If we are able to spend seven hours per week with a person (four in church and three elsewhere)-and that's a high figure-it would mean that we would spend 365 hours a year with that man. At that rate it would take us 36 years to match the time frame used by Jesus..."
The point is that we need Christian workers who are willing to stick it out. In what are called closed countries the turn around time is very short. In our time here in this country we've known 10 families that have left the country. If it takes 5-7 years to train a leader, it is no wonder there are so many immature believers in this country. There is always a need for what we call short-termers. If you feel called has called you somewhere, be committed if necessary to stay a lifetime. The great commission does not end with converts.
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