I'm currently reading through Tim Keesee's Dispatches From the Front and Mindy Belz's They Say We Are Infidels. The Lord is using both books to expand my understanding of the incredible advances, unique opportunities, ever present challenges, and tremendous needs discovered on the front lines of gospel ministry. Thankfully, my bubble of American Christianity is being punctured, as I thrill to see the God of the nations working among the nations and as I weep at the horrible persecution faced by so many of my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. I am continually finding myself deeply challenged by what I'm learning is happening to and through the church globally, and I realize that my experience here in America is more the exception than the rule, both in the effects of the gospel and in its obstacles. I'm not sure what the end result will be in how God is challenging me through these resources, but I'm already finding myself stirred toward three responses: (1) yearning to see gospel advance on the frontlines of the United States of Amercia, (2) desiring to be more global in my own gospel vision, and (3) strategizing how to mobilize our singles group, which is uniquely positioned to really make an impact as we take risks for the sake of the gospel. Concerning that last response in particular, I've already started exploring ways in which we can participate in global frontline missions from Indianapolis — financial aid to persecuted Christians, support for Bible projects, short-term mission trips, etc. I'll keep you posted and would covet your input and prayers, too. In the meantime, I want to highlight below some resources that I'm finding particularly helpful to remove the blinders from my eyes and to help me see the successes and suffering of my Christian family worldwide. Persecution Updates & Haystack Prayer Group These resources from Frontline Missions International (the Persecution Updates and the Haystack Prayer Group) are a valuable tool for receiving real-time updates on situations in which our brothers and sisters are being persecuted, especially in the 10/40 window. Just today, I received the following update. The West African nation of Mali is among the top nations that persecute their minority Christian population. Mali is a Muslim country currently under siege by radical Islamists in the north, whose goal is to overthrow the government. Because of previous attacks against Christians by Muslim extremists, many believers have left the country. However, Beatrice Stockly, a Swiss missionary, remained, in spite of being abducted and held for 10 days in 2012 for the crime of sharing her Christian faith. She is known for her kind and gentle demeanor, demonstrated as she passed out flowers and Gospel literature to women and children around the city. After her first capture, Beatrice was ordered to leave Mali and never return. Many, including her mother and brother in Switzerland, urged her not to return to Mali. However, her response was “It’s Timbuktu, or nothing.” So she returned. On January 8, 2016, Beatrice was again kidnapped from her home in Timbuktu by Islamic terrorists and is still being held. Please pray for special grace for Beatrice in her captivity and for other believers in Mali. Frontline Missions also offers a free 31 Day Prayer Guide that will assist you in praying for our brothers and sisters who live in countries known for having high persecution rates.
![]() They Say We Are Infidels by Mindy Belz This has been a fascinating book to read so far, for many of the same reasons as the Dispatches. However, its goal is less to chronicle the advance of the gospel, and more to tell the stories of Christian brothers and sisters silently suffering across the Middle East. The book's subtitle is "On the Run from ISIS with Persecuted Christians in the Middle East," and I've learned much about charity, endurance, and mission from the faithful testimonies of these dear believers. Furthermore, the author provides much helpful behind-the-scenes insights into the politics generating the last decade-plus of chaos in that region. You can learn about the book here and listen to an interview with the author here. ![]() FX Conferences & NEXT Missions Training These two ministries form the recruiting and training arm of Frontline Missions International. The Frontline Experience (FX) is a conference designed for those who have a heart for missions in restricted-access settings. NEXT training assists serious Gospel risk-takers as they explore long-term, cross-cultural gospel ministry through field experiences, mentoring, language acquisition, and professional development. ![]() Dear Friends and family. First of all I want to thank you all for praying for me and the team! As the days went by and as I saw God work, I knew that your prayers were being answered, thank you! Also thank you for the financial support! At the beginning of our team meetings weeks before the trip, I knew that God would provide, and that if He wanted me to go that he would open or close the door, I was ready for whatever He wanted to do. Thank you once more! On Wednesday the 8th of April, we set out our journey in the afternoon towards Chicago’s International Airport. Even though every seat in the 15 passenger van was taken, we sang, prayed, played, and bonded which made the 3 hour trip seem like 1 hour. After a few hours of walking and waiting we were off to Munich Germany for our first stop, which to be honest, I was kind of sad that it was only 1 hour layover to the final stop in Bucharest Romania, because just 27 minutes shy from the airport in Munich there was the famous and only BMW museum, sad and lonely from my excitement in German engineering. Wednesday was one of the longest days, but even though the trip was long, I was grateful that we were able to enjoy it with company and getting to know each other more. The first couple of days we spent traveling from Bucharest to Oradea which has the span of roughly 10 hours apart from each other. But on the trip to Oradea we stopped and saw castles and rather old towns. We arrived in Oradea that weekend. On Sunday we went to Church and for the first time in my life, I’d gone to a church where I had no idea what the pastor was saying. As we sang with the congregation presenting a couple of songs that we memorized in Romanian, We could feel the bonding and the same spirit, to Praise God! And That He was risen indeed. (note: it was easier for me to remember and say, “He is risen” in Romanian than, “He is risen indeed” so when I met people I was sure to be the first to greet and say, “He is risen” ) Oh, I forgot to mention that that weekend was their Easter Sunday--Such an awesome feeling to have two Easter Sundays in one year, and in two different Countries. As the week started, we were given 3 hours in the afternoon with the orphans. The team of 16 was divided between the two locations. I was put in charge of the smaller location, with four other members. In total with the interpreters we were 8. Every day we met and prayed asking God to speak through us, and be the one that leads us as we reach out and give truth to the orphan kids. The kids we reached were ages from 12 to 21, but all in the ranges of 12-15 years old. As the “Journey to the heart” started we talked about different heart conditions, Murmuring, being fearful, lies that we believe, and the importance of meditation on God’s word. As we went through these “Hearts” as a team, we also shared truth and what God had to say in the matter. The day started meeting in a large meeting area where we sang and played games. Then we separated and went into 2 small groups, a girls group and guys group. The first day we talked about being grateful. As we explained that God sees ungratefulness as murmuring towards Him, one of the kids talked about how he really wanted a bike one of his friends had, and how instead of “Lusting” after that bike he needed to be grateful for his old bike, and the fact that it still worked. A couple days later we talked about the lies that we believed. Many of them believed that they were a mistake, or that they were not good enough, as we shared scripture and from our own experience and testimonies, God was able to use that and with His word install truth into their hearts. I really wish I could explain to detail what the Lord did on this trip, even though some of us got sick during that week. As we prayed for each other and encouraged each other we all saw God work in many ways. When I shared in the large group meetings with the kids I knew that God was the one speaking, because through my own strength I could not do it. And being a part of God’s work in the kid’s life is way more exciting than going to a car museum. During this trip I was reminded that we become what we meditate on, and even though it is hard, I need to keep meditating on his Word and keep it in my heart day and night just it is stated in Psalm 1. Thank you again so much for your support in prayer! Love in Christ, Ernesto Gomez ![]() A member from our Single Focus group is currently training in Roach, Missouri with New Tribe Missions. She recently sent me the story below regarding the Biem tribe in Papua New Guinea – a tribe that just received and responded in faith to the gospel! Apparently, about every 45 days, another tribe hears the gospel from New Tribes missionaries for the first time. The story below is, according to this source, the "first re-birth reports" from this Biem tribe! I hope you will respond to this awesome report in two ways:
"Enough, enough. Stop! Don't hit him like that!" A Biem lady shouted out loud from the back as the Roman soldier (Brandon) put a beating on Jesus (Thomas). On the last day of the teaching, we acted out Jesus dying on the cross, the burial, and the resurrection. People looked on intently, trying to understand what it all means. After the drama, we taught...
Jesus is our sin substitute. The penalty of sin is death. But God always provided, just like in the Old Testament. We brought them back to Noah, God provided a boat (with one door). Abraham and Isaac, how God would not let Abraham kill his son but provided a substitute. In the Passover, the blood on the doorpost was the only way to avoid death. People have been thinking hard about these Old Testament stories for weeks and now they are all making sense. Jesus defeated death. Jesus rose again and death no longer has power over Jesus and those who trust in Him. Death is feared no matter where you live. But in a tribal culture like Biem, it is openly, regularly exhibited. The endless wailing at funerals, the finality of death and the pure dread of dying...death is a big deal to these people here. When we believe in Jesus and what He has done on the cross, our spirits become alive again in God's eyes. We used a permanent black marker on a white board and wrote some names on it and said, "whoever believes in God's talk, God will put his name in the book of life and it will never be removed." We concluded with the Great Commission and Jesus' ascension. We told them it is because of this "talk" that we all left our families in Taiwan, Germany, and the US to come here. There is so much more I can type here but let me just get to some of the responses after the lesson yesterday. "Mali? Mali? Mali Muel?" (Really? Really? REALLY?) The top fisherman on the island just kept on asking this question, in total astonishment in what Jesus did on the cross for him. He just kept on looking at everybody around him and asking the question, "Really? really?" "This is God's talk. I've heard it. See, it's just one story, from the Old Testament to Jesus. There is no other road but Jesus. God meant it this way from the beginning." "I am so free [the Biem expression is I am no longer carrying a heavy load on my shoulder]! I used to think all the good things I do would get me to heaven. But every night when I go to sleep, I knew I had not the slightest clue where I'd go if I die. So I'd get up the next morning, trying to do more 'works' so I can go to heaven. Now I know that Jesus paid for my sin debt and He said it is finished. I am so free." A young guy sat next to me with the biggest smile on his face. He didn't say anything so I asked him, "What's on your mind?" He said, "I had a big question yesterday. Why didn't God the Father help Jesus on the cross? I thought about it all night, and I didn't know. But after today's lesson, I don't have any more questions. I got it. I understand it. I am just going to sit here and be happy." He smiled on... And one young Biem man has a message for YOU. Yes, YOU. He said, "I know I should thank God for you guys, but I want to thank all three of your families for bring God's talk here." Then we told him that, no, it's not just the three families. There are literally thousands of people praying for you guys to understand God's talk all over the world. He then said, "Ok, then you go and tell them, all of them, THANK YOU. God's talk has come to our island. THANK THEM for praying and sending you guys here." This young man, along with a few others, began to discuss how they need to take this talk to other islands and even different language groups in Papua New Guinea. I shook my head and just marveled at the Holy Spirit. He is at work already! It took me how many years after salvation to even wrap my head around the need for "missions," but but these guys are talking about it minutes after they trusted in Jesus! At that moment, I was no longer "the missionary" but a fellow brother in Christ, learning from our Biem brothers in Christ. Again, this is just the beginning and there is much growing ahead for our Biem believers. Persecutions will come (and have come already). Many people are still against this talk. But as John 1:5 says, "The light shines in the darkness and darkness can never extinguish it." The light broke through and it is here to stay. ![]() At the Exchange Seminar, Jeff Musgrave defined faith as “not believing that God can, but believing that God will, through me, to the point of stepping out on it” (Hebrews 11:1-6). That is a terrific definition! I loved this quote: “The lost are already within the gates of hell. We need to use the keys of the gospel to rescue them from that realm.” What authority is ours in Christ! When applying some principles from I Samuel 17 to the specifics of boldness in evangelism, Jeff made the following conclusions, which I’ll paraphrase in bullet points to make each one sink in.
![]() This past week, we enjoyed Missions Conference at Colonial, and I thought I'd share a few nuggets that I gleaned. (1) I'm thankful to be a part of a missional church. First, as we planned for the Missions Conference, it was decided that we would host fewer missionaries, in order to be able to involve them more fully, get to know them more personally, and treat them more generously. Prior to the conference, the missionary families had been emailed in order to gather information regarding their needs. Throughout the week, our church family had the privilege of meeting those needs and presenting a different missionary family in each service with the "surprise" of certain gifts that would really be a asset to them. It was a thrill to be an encouragement to them in this way and to demonstrate our loving commitment to co-laborers that we don't often get to see! Second, our Missions Conference ended on Sunday night with the recommitting of our faith-promise missions giving for the next year. Last year, the church family had promised a generous amount and had exceeded that by year's end. This year, the commitments were even greater than last year, and by God's grace in the faithfulness of His people's giving, Colonial will be able to contribute financially to missionaries and missions projects in greater ways than before. In the past, Colonial has been able to enjoy ministering financially to a work in Myanmar, and we were able to hear in detail this past week how the Lord has used our gifts in that mission field. With the faith-promise commitments of the upcoming year, we hope to continue to store up eternal treasure by partnering in the gospel with those brothers and sisters across the ocean whom we have never met but with whom we can have a substantial and Christ-exalting impact through our finances (cf. II Corinthians 8). What a true joy to see the grace of giving in the church family, as it takes what God has entrusted to it and willingly gives it right back to Him in gospel missions! Third, last summer our church sent a medical missions team to Panama, and the Lord richly blessed their ministry (i.e., they treated over 600 patients and witnessed over 300 professions of faith in Christ in three days). This summer, we will be sending another team to different area in Panama to engage in the same kind of ministry. Last week, the team introduced themselves and shared their vision for this summer, and it was an honor to recognize our church's commitment to do more than just pray for and give to missions, but to actually do missions. God has purposely blessed Colonial with many medical personnel, so these medical mission trips are a wise usage of these entrusted talents. However, I hope in the future that Colonial will be able to offer summer missions trips for non-medical people, so that we can continue to reinforce here our individual need to fulfill the Great Commission in a hands-on manner. (2) I was challenged to maintain a missional lifestyle and ministry. First, Nathan Deatrick, a church-planter in Columbus, NC, brought a missionary sermon one evening on the life of Isaac McCoy. I had never heard anything like it, but I was greatly convicted by this man's example of faith-living. This 18th Century pastor understood that we are "strangers and exiles on the earth" (Hebrews 11:13), and he lived and ministered by faith in the unseen as the utmost and eternal reality (cf. Hebrews 10:32-11:40). I was humbled to recognize again that in my struggles on earth, "[I] have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in [my] striving against sin" (Hebrews 12:4). Thank You, Jesus, that you did! And, thank You for the example of those who have gone on before who model for us what it means in the modern day to "desire a better country…a heavenly one" (Hebrews 11:16). If you'd like to hear this powerful challenge for yourself, you can do so here. Second, Josh Hedges, a missionary to Chad, Africa, shared a unique challenge during our International Dinner. He shared the hypothetical story of a believing businessman whose business trips frequently took him to that country, where he got to know some of the missionaries there. Over time, the disadvantaged conditions of that country, its very needy people, and the missions work that he had witnessed began to greatly impact him as God's Spirit challenged him concerning what he could be doing stateside to further accomplish the Great Commission. Upon returning home, this man and his wife began to pray for wisdom about how they could participate more practically in Christ's rather radical call to discipleship (cf. Matthew 10:37-39; 16:24-25). They adopted a "wartime lifestyle" that allowed them to live modestly according to their needs, so that they were freer to contribute financially to God's mission around the world. Over time, they saw the fruits of their faith, as God blessed their partnership with Him. What a challenge to break out of our convenient, casual Christianity, and really dive in to God's mission in the world today! "The mission of the church is missions; the mission of missions is the church" (James MacDonald). In an American society that is so driven by sight, I know that I must live by faith. In an American culture that is so given to entertainment, I know that I must live with a mission. Christ, increase my faith in the unseen, and allow me to give all for You who gave all for me, because my home and reward is not on the earth! (3) I developed a deeper appreciation for Bible translators. On the last day of our Missions Conference, Josh Hedges shared more information about his Bible translation work in Chad, Africa. He sought to provide us with a theological framework for Bible translation, putting it into its proper context of preservation. Throughout the centuries, God has providentially preserved His Word through the careful transmission and translation of men devoted to carefully passing on God's message of truth. Translation, then, is vital, not just to preservation, but to the perpetuation of understanding truth in the language of the masses! Furthermore, Josh showed how translation relates to personal growth, and he did so by creating a scene in which an American church (like mine and yours) were to take a 6-month complete fast from God's Word. While some in our churches might unfortunately not be affected by such a loss, most of us would find our spiritual stability unraveling, and the preaching in our churches would greatly diminish in its content and effectiveness. We take for granted in America the immediate access to God's Word that we enjoy in our own language, but many nations have no such access. The believers in thousands of people groups around the world are illiterate and/or have no Bible translation in their language, and so are unable to experience the spiritual power that God has sourced in His Word. Praise God, then, for men and women who sacrifice their time to learn the original languages and who sacrifice their comfort to put God's Word in the hands of others. Since faith comes by hearing the gospel message in God's Word (Romans 10:17), and since God is calling out a people from every people group (Revelation 7:9-10), then we must send Bible translators to do what God has gifted them to do in fulfillment of the Great Commission. Just some nuggets for thought and application. I hope we'll partner with Christ in these things, starting in Indianapolis! |
|