All Free

The last of the Korean Hostages held by the Taliban have been freed. We prayed for the hostages while they were held captive and we should continue to pray for them and their families after they're home.

I wonder how God will use these former hostages in the future. They have pretty unusual experience under their belts now. I'm curious to know how God will use this as they press further into the world with the Gospel.

Read the story about their release here: link

S. Korean and Taliban Come to Terms

I've tried to keep up-to-date with the situation involving South Korean Missionaries snatched off a bus by Taliban Militia in Afghanistan. They've been held hostage for over a month. Two men have been killed and two women released. The latest development is that the South Korean government and Taliban negotiators have struck a deal. The hostages will be released soon.

South Korea has agreed to pull its troops out of Afghanistan and halt its missionary activities in the country as part of a deal to secure the release of 19 Christian missionaries who were kidnapped by the Taliban last month.

click here to read the rest of the story.

One thing I found interesting is that South Korea agreed to halt missionary activities. I wonder how they (S. Korea) will enforce that...

Why You Should Go To The Mission Field: Reason #8

 

8) You should go because the Holy Spirit is speaking to Christian leadership all over the world that it is God's desire for there to be a great final missionary thrust with the Gospel before the end of the age. It is His desire that every people should have the Gospel preached to them, and that the Gospel should be published in every nation and in every language. And unless YOU get involved personally, there is no hope of that ever happening in our generation!

"...And you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

"And this gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come. " ( Matt. 24:14)

"The Lord is...patient toward you, not wishing for you to perish but for all to come to repentance." ( II Peter 3:9)

Is there any doubt in your mind that God wants everyone to be saved? If you believe this, and you really love Jesus, then WHY are you so timid about getting involved in this great thrust to bring the Gospel to all the nations? Do you think that while you're reading this, God isn't grieved that His Church is being so lazy and disobedient about fulfilling his commission? He knows that you agree with the Scriptures, and He's listening to every excuse you're turning over in your mind like, "Yes, I know that more people need to go...but He just couldn't mean ME! I'm...just not the 'missionary-type'...

Source: Last Days Ministries : Into The Nations : Articles : Why You Should Go To The Mission Field

Shelley's Report from Peru

This report came from Robin and Tracy Shelley, missionaries sent out from Calvary Chapel Boynton Beach to Peru. 

Hello friends and family.

First of all, we are all ok. We are in Peru as full time missionaries and have been here for almost 2 months. There was an earthquake of 8.0 on the Richter scale Wednesday night. The epicenter was a little northwest of Chincha, not far out into the ocean. It was pretty much right between San Vicente de Canete and Chincha. We live in Lima, Peru, about 2 hours north of that. Robin and the kids were at the church working with some people visiting here on a short term missions trip. I was in San Vicente de Canete (very near to the epicenter) with 12 Americans from the group and Angie, Luz, Krystel, Lina, Jaime, Sylvia, and their kids (they are all Peruvians). We were getting ready to leave to go to the church to have service when the earthquake began. It lasted about 7 minutes, it was really more than one right after the other. The power went out almost immediately. The group was all together, except for me and one of the Americans. He was in the 3rd floor and I was outside in the 2 1/2 floor in the bathroom. When it began, he ran down the stairs and got to the group very quickly. I however wasn't sure what to do. I thought that maybe the group had gotten safely outside (they were all on the 2nd floor, close to the stairs. So I stayed there for a minute or 2. When it seemed like it wasn't going to end, I decided to try to get out. Everyone was still inside and so I was able to rejoin the group. The house shook terribly. We all began to pray outloud all at the same time. You could hear people screaming and unidentified things falling. I had relative peace in the moment, I switched into mother mode and wanted to take care of the Americans. After what seemed an eternity, the shaking ended. We were amazed that everything was still standing. We waited very still and quiet. Then we sang the Peace that I feel and prayed once again. After a few minutes of stillness, we carefully went down and out of the building. Once gathered outside, there was another earthquake. We made our way to the central park to wait it out, the safest place we could think to go. We prayed again. We went and retrieved some guitars, tracts and invitations to the church and began to sing some worship in the park. Soon after that we went to try to retrieve all the bags to try and head back to Lima. There was another quake. There were 2 officials there saying only 2 could go back in. Jaime said he could feel the stairs wavering beneath him. At the time we didn't know what had happened in Lima, if it was stronger or weaker or if they felt it at all or even knew what had happened. And all the cell phone lines were down. It was an intense night, but we all made it back to Lima eventually, safe and sound. There have, of course, been many aftershocks since then, but here in Lima they are very small. On Thursday Brian, Jaime, Angie and 2 Americans went to check on those that attend the church there and evaluate how we can help the people there. Pastor Jaime is staying there to help where he can.

I have talked to many people in these last days. Even the taxi drivers are willing to tell about how it was for them. Which I am seeing as an open door. Two days before the quake, I happened to find a stack of invitations to the church in Lima and took them and rubberbanded them to my little pad of paper that I always keep with me as I learn new words. The morning of the quake, while traveling to Canete, I had 2 opportunities to invite someone to the church and I shared my testimony with one of them (that's what happens when you sit next to me on the 2 hour bus ride!) Anyway, I don't hunt for these opportunities, and they are not always there. But that day they were. And I think Jesus wanted those 2 individuals to hear something before the quake so they could remember afterwards and turn to Him. I don't know, it's in His hands. But, opportunities abound. I know enough of the language now, that I feel secure talking to people (even to strangers that might not have as much patience with me!) We love the people here. This is our home now. And I can feel the sense of urgency. An urgency to love the people and to get to know them so that I may have an opportunity to share with them.

Please pray for the people, that their hearts would be softened. Pray for the ministry in Canete, I think the adults there have been hard to reach. Pray for the believers in the midst of the crises, that they would shine the light of Jesus Christ. Pray for Jaime and his family that their house would remain sturdy and they would be safe.

The people in Ica, Pisco, and Chincha and the surrounding areas have much hardship. Some have no water. But even more important than the water we drink that is essential to sustain life, is the living water that is freely available to them. Pray that this water would get to them.

Thank you for all your emails and concerns.

Tracy

Saving Grace World Missions sends relief to Earthquake Victims

 An email came into my box from Saving Grace World Missions about the earthquake in Peru. SGWM is an agent of hope an a conduit for you to be a blessing to earthquake victims.

As you may have heard by now, the country of Peru was devastated by a massive 8.0 earthquake on Wednesday, August 15th. Over 500 people are confirmed dead, more than 15,000 are injured, and many others are still missing. Between seventy to eighty percent of the homes in some cities were totally destroyed. SGWM is partnering with Calvary Chapels in Peru to provide emergency relief to earthquake victims. It is our desire to assist the Peruvian people in their time of need by helping them rebuild and recover what was lost. In times of great tragedy people are often open and responsive to seeing their need for God. This is a great opportunity for us to share the love of Christ to the people affected by this tragedy. I am reminded of what the Apostle John said in 1 John 3:16-17, "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the Love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."

Our prayer is to meet the urgent needs of the people by providing if possible: blankets, fresh water, food and shelter. The Apostle Paul said to Titus, "Let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful."

If you would like more information on possible relief teams, email information@sgwm.com. If you would like to donate to these efforts, please click on the button below. In His Grace, Pastor Trent Douglass Senior Pastor Saving Grace World Missions

Why You Should Go To The Mission Field: Reason #7

 

7) You should go because the time is short. More and more countries are closing their doors to missionaries and the Gospel, and we must go now. "We must work the works of Him who sent me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work." (John 9:4)

I constantly hear of country after country where missionaries used to be welcome, but now the doors are closed to them entering. Though it is true that many Christians can still go to be subtle witnesses as doctors, teachers, engineers, etc., the Gospel can no longer be openly preached in many lands.

Although there are still vast areas of the world wide open for foreign evangelism, such as western Europe, parts of Asia, and most of the Pacific (Japan, South Korea, Singapore, etc.) there are many other countries where it is illegal to hold a street meeting or pass out Gospel literature. We need to sense the urgency of this hour, and obey God by reaching out to those lost in the darkness "while it is still day."

Source: Last Days Ministries : Into The Nations : Articles : Why You Should Go To The Mission Field

Two Freed

Two ladies were freed by the Taliban and turned over to the Red Cross after three weeks of being held hostage. It's hard to imagine what those missionaries are going through. There is always the fear of this kind of thing happening to folks doing long or short-term work abroad, especially in a country where extreme violence is used without regard for human life or where people have no true awareness that their evil will be judged.

Missionaries expect that their lives will be a living witness that they serve a living God, but few expect that the Lord will allow their lives to be put on display world-wide as these Koreans lives have been. Already, I've heard that Christians doing work in the 10-40 Window are nervous. Not so much for their safety as they are worried that people back home will be fear-filled and unwilling to send teams and support. After 9/11, short-termers sent by churches to the field dropped dramatically. The church's response to attacks has been dramatic and fear-filled; not biblical. None of these events - they are as rare as they are publicized when compared to the tremendous amount of work getting done - cancels the Great Commission.

There are still 19 hostages being held. Of the original 23 that were snatched off a buss over three weeks ago, two have been shot and two released. We need to continue to remember to pray for the remaining missionaries.

(link)

FOXNews.com - Taliban: 2 Sick Female Korean Hostages to Be Freed

 A step in the right direction was the result of negotiations between a South Korean contingent and Taliban leaders.

GHAZNI, Afghanistan - A Taliban spokesman said Saturday that two sick, female South Korean hostages would be released "soon" for the sake of good relations between the Taliban and South Korea. Neither the international Red Cross or the Afghan government could immediately confirm the claim. (to read the rest of the article, click the link below)

Source: FOXNews.com - Taliban

Why You Should Go To The Mission Field: Reason #6

 

6) You should go because, as Oswald J. Smith said, "No one has the right to hear the Gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heart it once." "But if our Gospel be hidden, it is hidden to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, that they might not see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (II Cor. 4:3-4)

Has it occurred to you that Jesus wants every creature to hear the Gospel? If you had 20 children to feed and plenty of food to feed them all with, do you think it would be right to give 3 of the children 10 meals, 7 children only 1 meal, and the remaining nothing - causing them to die of starvation? That's exactly what we're doing with the Gospel in the world today!

Because we believers are so deaf to God's call to go into all nations, we keep most of God's resources to ourselves! We keep feeding and reaching the same people over and over again. I am not saying there should be no Gospel preached in America, I am saying that there needs to be a spreading out of the soldiers of God, to fight the enemy where his greatest strongholds are - "where Christ is not already named"!

Source: Last Days Ministries : Into The Nations : Articles : Why You Should Go To The Mission Field

Taliban Weigh Hostage Fate

Sandwiched between posts about why you should go into the mission field are the updates about the group of Korean Missionaries snatched off a bus by the Muslim militants in Afghanistan. Taliban extremists are offering to swap missionary hostages for imprisoned members of their terrorist organization. So far, two of the Koreans have been murdered.

Taliban Weigh Hostage Fate Taliban leaders are deciding what to do with 21 Korean hostages after Afghan President Hamid Karzai and U.S. President George Bush ruled out making any concessions to free them, one of the kidnappers said on Tuesday.

Source: Christian Today 

The situatiion has reached a stalemate and news networks really aren't following the story any more since no one's been killed lately. But we should continue to remember our brothers and sisters who've set out to serve and have ended up in captivity.

Here are a few other links for the interested:
Christianity Today
Time
Pakistan Daily Times

Why You Should Go To The Mission Field: Reason #5

 

5) You should go because America (and some other western nations) is literally drenched with the Gospel, while most other countries and cultures of the world do not have any continual, relevant witness a all. "And thus I aspired to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man's foundation; but as it is written, 'They that had no news of Him shall see, and they who have not heard shall understand.'" (Rom. 15:20-21)

It is so true that we here in America are continually bombarded with Christian witness and ministry. Almost at every turn there's a billboard or a bumper sticker proclaiming something about Jesus. Turn the dial on your radio at any time of the day or night, and you've got non-stop preaching. There are several Christian satellite and cable networks. And there are over 250 different Christian magazines and publications. In most cities there's a church on almost every corner. I am not trying to say that this is all bad - a lot of it is good, winning many souls to Jesus - but as I've traveled overseas, it is hard for me to believe that it is God's will for there to be so much Gospel preaching and literature available here, while there is comparatively little or even none in many places outside of this country.

The world is going to Hell on every continent! Is it God's fault that so few are hearing the gospel - or is it the Church's? Aren't we who love Jesus accountable to reach our generation with the gospel? A friend of mine has written, "this generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of sinners." If this is true, then each of us must take a good, long look at our lives and priorities - finding out where God would have us begin to get ready to go!

Source: Last Days Ministries : Into The Nations : Articles : Why You Should Go To The Mission Field

Why You Should Go To The Mission Field: Reason #4

 

4) You should go because God gives special anointing and grace to those who leave their own land, people, and culture to do God's will and spread the Gospel. "And the Lord said to Abram, 'Go forth from your country and from your relatives, and from your father's house...and I will bless you and make your name great; and so you shall also be a blessing; and I will bless those that bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'" (Genesis 12:1-3)

Abram ( later to be renamed Abraham by God ) is only one of the many people in the Bible who God used mightily only after he left his own people, his own land, and his own culture. Look at the travels and ministries of people like Jacob and Moses - both of whom had to go into other lands to learn from God and be used by Him.

No matter where you look in the Bible, God always gave a great anointing a and blessing to those who served Him in a foreign land. Look at Joseph and Daniel. They were the only two men in the Bible who God raised up as successful, secular officials in foreign and heathen cultures - and they remained faithful witnesses and servants of God to the very end, and often at the risk of their very lives!

What about Jonah? He was a good example of someone who didn't want to go to the mission field and preach to heathens! Stubborn, rebellious, and selfish - and yet God "made him an offer he couldn't refuse." ( I pray that God would freely move like that in all our lives, "helping" us to make the right decisions about going.)

And then there's the apostle Paul - who had such a burden for his own people and country, Israel. Oh , how he would have loved a ministry among the Jews! But what did God say? "Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles." (Acts 22:21) That's what God commanded, and "go" he did. Never was there a missionary like Paul. Take a look at II Corinthians 11 if you'd like to see a list of his qualifications: beatings, imprisonment's, stonings, mobs, shipwrecks, the list goes on and on - and so did Paul, obeying his Master who bought him.

From Noah to Abraham, from Moses to Jonah, from Daniel to Paul, God has always given special blessing to those who, leaving the comforts of home and relatives, cross the boundaries of their little worlds to bring God's message and blessing to the nations.

Remember Jesus' words about this subject, "A prophet is not without honor except in his home town" (Matt. 13:57)

Source: Last Days Ministries : Into The Nations : Articles : Why You Should Go To The Mission Field

Calvary International Fellowship: Q & A from one friend to another...

Our friend Ed Compean serving in Nairobi, Kenya, posted this interesting interchange between him and a friend that emailed him lately. This post fits nicely with the recent theme of why we should consider serving in the foreign field:

A friend recently contacted me through this blog. It has been great catching up with somebody I had not heard from in years. He had some interesting and tough questions about why I risk our family's safety by living and ministering in Kenya. I thought it would be valuable to post the response. This blog is primarily a place to keep our prayer team updated and allow people wondering about the ministry a place to learn a little more. This post is not normal, but again, maybe others are wondering these same questions and will find it valuable. While I asked this friend's permission to post this on the blog, I also blocked out his name. His questions are in the bigger and italic type

-Ed

Hi ****,

No worries about being raw. I'm the one that should apologize, getting back to you has been on my back burner for quite some time. We've been really busy, but ultimately that is an excuse. Please accept my apology.

Wow, your letter stimulated a lot of thought. To respond concisely and not wander I'll try to answer in the order you asked.

In any case, is there any part of you that is still connected to the real world? You seem so over the top with your ministry I wonder if you've lost all touch with reality???

This line if taken out of context would be a great compliment!

I will grant that from California the idea of ministry in the slums in Nairobi may seem over the top. It is certainly not where I imagined myself at this point in life. In response I want to hinge off the word "reality" because that word seems to be the core of your question. For me (I will get to my family below) reality is God's revelation of Himself in the Bible. As you mentioned, that may just confirm in your thinking that I have lost touch, but please hear me out.

I came to realize that as God revealed Himself in the Bible that He also has a standard for relationship with Himself. The reality is that by reading the Bible I realize I was separated from God. Most importantly for me, I realized my falling short of that standard was the cause of separation. I am a sinner separated from a God that is righteous and holy. Maybe by most "realities" I am a good guy, though you know enough about my past to know this is not entirely true. It's only by relative terms that I am good, but that contrasts the reality of God's objective revelation that my relationship with Him was willfully broken by me. The good news, also in the Bible, by God's reality I could have eternal life and the joy now by being reunited with Him through His son Jesus Christ. I realized that though I had been a relatively good guy, I had not kept the standard God holds. I was faced with the reality that I had only one way to have relationship with God and my being a good person, which I was not, did not help me.

I also came to realize that many of the things I had chased after for so many years had only brought temporary joy in the immediate - and absolutely no hope of eternity. The reality was that I was coveting things too small and things that do not last. God wanted me to covet something much greater - Himself. My eyes had settled on small joy but the Bible taught me to chase after fullness of joy.

To me, the reality is that God has given me the greatest gift and I can not help but proclaim it to others. I know this does not explain how we ended up in the slums of Nairobi, but I hope it explains the reality of God changing our life. Once that change took place there was nothing more real or more important than bringing the love of God to a world that so desperately needs it. The desperation in the slums is a horrible reality, but all man's efforts have failed to change that condition. Billions of dollars from the U.N. and humanitarian agencies have only resulted in more corruption and more poverty than when they began. Billions of dollars have not dented the HIV/AIDS epidemic except by creating an industry around it. By bringing the grace of God I can not guarantee a physically better life right now for these dear people, but they are assured of a mansion that Jesus is taking more than 2000 years to build. That is ultimate reality.

Seriously, I've not spoken with you for what, 30 years? Yet, I seem to remember the soulful nature of you; the happy go lucky - free spirited guy I was growing up with. But your blog entries paint such a dark and ugly picture of how you and your family are living. You seem to deliberately putting yourself and your children if life and death situations, yet your elders at your Calvary Chapel Church continue to live the life of California luxury.

We are old, but not that old! I think it's probably been 21 or 22 years since we've seen each other. I base that on my being 40-years-old and seeing you last when we were 18 or 19. Anyhow, in some ways I hope I'm still that same guy, only that God has changed my life so my greatest desire is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

I really do not wish to paint a dark picture of the work or the people here. The blog is mostly to keep the prayer team updated. Because of this it is filled with the "reality" of where we serve and real prayer needs. I have a much greater desire to share in the joy of this work and feel bad that I have conveyed a dark and ugly picture. Our life is far from that and I will be considering the way I communicate because that is the last thing I wish to express. Please know we enjoy our life and find it very full and rewarding. It is anything but dark and ugly. For clarification let me explain that there is a lot of darkness and ugliness around us, but that can be said of many places.

I can not speak for the leaders of our movement back in California and across the United States. I'll trust that their call to California (or anyplace else) is just as sure as our calling to Githurai. I can speak for us and say we are NOT putting ourselves purposely in danger. There are risks involved in ministry, which is true in the States as well as here or any other country. We try to be wise and directed by the Holy Spirit. I confess that I envy the California based guys as they enjoy more waves, more Starbucks and more Baja Fresh than we do, but none of our family desire to live there.

All the non-potholed roads, non-corrupt officials and unpolluted drinking water can never make up for what my son Jackson, 13, and I did yesterday. We walked into a Bible college campus before dawn in Kibera Slum. Getting to the campus we helped set up for the day's teaching and then Jackson slipped out when I was busy. It was a cold morning so I knew where to find him. He was downstairs sitting around the charcoal cooker allegedly "helping" the cook make chai and bread for the students. Knowing Jackson I also know he was using it as an excuse to keep warm and near the food. The whole time he is chatting with people from Kibera. While in Kibera we stopped at a friend's home that we have not seen in about 18-months. Doreen and Zachio are dear Luo (a Kenyan tribe) people that run a school in for orphans and destitute children in the slum. When Doreen came to her gate she let out a yell and began hugging us and shaking our hands. She was asking about Mama Jackson (Kelli) and "the daughter" (they have a hard time saying Haley). Within moments we were in their home having milo (a hot drink) and ndazi (like a donut). We sat for more than an hour just catching up. That is not dark, it is light!

We would not trade the depth of relationships we enjoy here for anything. Surely there is great joy for serving in the States, but we can not imagine being back there, particularly considering the States are saturated with churches and Bible teaching and here there is great need.

This leads to your next questions...

Why don't you move your family back to California and take over the ministry? Why not let your church elders in California swap places with you?

Since going to the mission field in 2002 (first to Mexico, then to Kenya) we have had opportunities to return to California or other states. Some of those opportunities were very attractive, but none were tempting. While the decision was mine to make I did not want to be a dictator and discussed things with the family. We prayed. We fasted. None want to be in the States.

My kids attend a much better school than we could ever afford in the States. All the major universities come to recruit from these already multi-cultural, multi-language and globalized young people. Jackson thinks it is normal to chase baboons from his campsite and my daughter thinks it is normal to mix Mexican salsa with her Ethiopian injera. Right now Jackson is playing down by the river with some friends from Zimbabwe. They are probably looking for snakes or shooting frogs. When Haley has a sleepover it is normal to have eight or ten cultures represented. So the question becomes why would we move back to California? Particularly since at my kid's ages it would be traumatic to bring them into a strange place that they have little memory of. They identify more with Mexico than America anyway. Frankly, seeing my kids grow up in Africa makes me wish I was raised here. America is not their home.

All of that is important and surely plays a major portion of our decisions to remain on the mission field, but the overwhelming reason is related to your first questions. The "reality" is that this is what God has for us. We thank Him for it and rejoice that we get the blessing of living and ministering in Africa.

The other point you ask about goes into methodology of the church, but I think you were asking more on a pragmatic level. In short, I do not want to get into how CC works as a church movement, but I will say that to bring somebody else out would be counterproductive. As a pastor my role is to equip saints for works of ministry. In other words I should be duplicating myself by training up Africans to pastor churches and even take over the church I am currently the pastor of. To bring more Westerners cripples the Kenyans and sends a message that we are better than them.

To step out of the Biblical view of church planting, there is also my selfish reasons outlined above - we love it here.

Why do you act so selfish as to put your own children in harms way? Maybe that is the part of your church that I just don't get.

This is a fair question but know there is no safe place for ministry. This goes back to the reality of the Bible. With all respect, maybe you won't get it.

In short, ministers of the gospel from the earliest patriarchs, the prophets and through John the Baptist, Jesus himself and Paul faced harm. We notice the reality of the Bible expresses that these challenges are normal. We also notice from the reality of the Bible that patriarchs, prophets, Jesus and Paul all made strategic escapes so as not to purposely become a martyr or be injured outside of God's will. Because of this we do everything we can to keep the kids and ourselves safe. To the best of our ability we practice good security techniques. We do what we can to lower the objective dangers and try to keep the kids from the subjective dangers.

Ultimately people take risks for what they enjoy. Consider love. The joy of a soul mate far outweighs the risk of heartbreak. After heartbreak many people take a "never again" stance, but almost all come back around and allow themselves to be vulnerable for the joy set before them. The same is true of the high school kid that pumps iron and trains to be the best linebacker. He knows every year players are seriously injured or even killed on the field of play. Yet the joy of smashing his 90kgs into the opposing player outweighs the risk. Consider the .300 hitter in professional baseball. He stands inches from a 100mph projectile that will occasionally hit and seriously injure players. I can go on, but I think you get my point. All four of us value our relationship with God and desire it for others. Safety is not guaranteed, but we do our best to protect ourselves.

Simply put, I read about your struggles and sacrifices and wonder why? Please don't tell me it is in the name of Jesus Christ, because it will just affirm that you are crazy and you've gone off the deep end. And if that's the case I will pray for you my friend.

Again I feel I must not be clearly communicating what we feel.


In one sense we do have struggles. Trials are normal, even for somebody living in California, but sacrifice? I feel we have not made any sacrifice; instead we have actually gained beyond anything we deserve. We feel bad for people in all their self-sufficiency struggling to see God, yet we see Him work every day. People pay thousands of dollars for a religious retreat or experience, yet we witness God daily. Who is really sacrificing? Have you ever heard of people wondering if God is real or if He ever interacts on behalf of the people He created? WE NEVER WONDER. We see it every day and would not trade it for the world. It would be a sacrifice to go to America.

Maybe it is just semantics and worry about words but I will say we are NOT doing this in the name of Jesus Christ. Instead I'll say we are doing FOR the name of Jesus Christ to be made known and for God to be glorified among the nations.

You wonder why we do this and I believe your question is asked in true concern. We value God and proclaiming His value. Everyone testifies to what they value, we testify to the greatness of God.

I don't want to read about you and your family's death, but I fear that is the next topic on your blog... Time to come home son. Raise your family properly and not under the umbrella of religious fanaticism. You will get killed and they will simply replace you. No martyrdom, no sainthood, just a forgotten soul.

Again I know you say these things with genuine concern. We also do not look for martyrdom or even seek any suffering at all.

Religious fanaticism would be doing crazy things as I try to manipulate and please God. That is why religion always results in death. We are simply responding to love we were shown to us by God and our reasonable worship is our life as a living sacrifice.

Is it more fanatical to go into debt for a home in Oceanside, a new SUV every couple years and struggle to keep my kids in the newest fashions? Would it be fanatical to be getting my daughter plastic surgery to help with her self esteem? Could a desire for a new kitchen, expensive vacations and my kids to have their own vehicles be considered religious fanaticism? We honor most what we worship.

Again that is not to say we are looking for any suffering whatsoever, though we know from Gods very real Bible that suffering is very real for all His people no matter to their geography. We also know the promise of joy even in that suffering.

Finally, I know God is in control. That means I am not prideful enough to think I'm irreplaceable. In 100 years we will all be forgotten anyway.

So ****
I tried not to ramble on, but I'm realizing that I have been typing for an hour. Sorry. I really appreciate your concern and willingness to communicate it to me. You said if you felt I am off the deep end you will pray. Whom will you pray to? How do you objectively know about that God? I ask these questions so you are not influenced by feelings, experiences or other people, but by objective truth. It's my experience that many people are influenced by their smorgasbord of experiences (family background/traditions) but have not really asked these three questions:

1. What do you know about God? That is not what you think, fill or have heard, but what do you know?
2. How do you know it? Is it something you have held from tradition, feelings, presumptions or a real knowledge based on objective truth?
3. If you come to the conclusion you were mistaken, are you willing to change? u find you do not know what you thought you knew are you willing to change?

If what the Bible says is true it changes everything and I would have to say that is reality. That does not mean one has to leave their homeland, or what we are doing is the ultimate expression of that reality. I am saying that we are blessed to be here in Kenya and look forward to what else we'll see here.

Blessings!
Ed

Ed Compean
Calvary International Fellowship Githurai,
Kenya
ccnairobi@gmail.com

Source: Calvary International Fellowship: Q & A from one friend to another...

Last Days Ministries : Into The Nations : Articles : Why You Should Go To The Mission Field

 In April, I started started posting an article by Keith Green listing his eight reasons for going into the mission field. I go a little side-tracked since then and have been meaning to return to the series.

Reason number #3

3) You should go because so few Christians are obeying the call, making the need even greater! "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ...how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Rom. 10:17,14)

Right now worldwide there are only 85,000 workers on the mission field - working mainly among those who have heard the gospel before.5 This figure includes missionaries from all over the world of every nationality. When you compare this number with the amount of Americans selling Avon or Amway products, it is staggering. Just in America alone there are 435,000 Avon sales-people6 (with 1,280,000 worldwide), and over 750,000 Amway products distributors,7 (with over a million worldwide)! Do you realize that these two companies combined have 14 times more representatives in the United States alone than the Church of Jesus Christ has in the whole world outside of America?

And what about the Christian representatives we do have in the world? Only 9% of the world's population speaks English, and yet 94% of all ordained preachers in the whole world minister to the 9% who speak English. And 96% of all Christian finances are spent in the United States on 6% of the world's population. Only 4% of all Christian money is spent on missionary efforts to reach the other 94% of the world's population! There are over 1,000,000 full-time Christian workers in the United States; while one half of the world's population (3 major groups - Moslem, Hindu, and Chinese), 2,200,000,000 people, have only 2,417 full-time Christian workers.8 As you can see by these figures, something is definitely wrong. While we in America have approximately one worker for every 230 people - those who have never heard the Gospel even once have one worker for every 450,000 souls! Please forgive us, Jesus, for being too timid to obey You and reach out into all the world like You have commanded us to!

Source: Last Days Ministries : Into The Nations : Articles : Why You Should Go To The Mission Field

Al Jazeera English - News - U.S. 'May Use Force' To Free Hostages

 A false alarm about a hostage ecovery operation was released by the newswires a couple of days ago. The Christian Korean Aid workers taken hostage in Jult are still being held by the radical Muslim Taliban in Afghanistan.

Please remember to pray for these hostages as well as all of the behind the scenes negotiation taking place.

US 'may use force' to free hostages Protests have been held outside some mosques in Seoul [AFP] The US is prepared to use force to free 21 South Koreans held hostage in Afghanistan by the Taliban, officials in Washington have said. Richard Boucher, the US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs, told reporters on Thursday that military action was one of "many tools" available to resolve the crisis. "There are things that we say, things that others say, things that are done and said within Afghan society as well as potential military pressures," said Boucher. "All pressures need to be applied to the Taliban to get them to release these hostages."

Source: Al Jazeera English - News - Us 'May Use Force' To Free Hostages

Rescue Mission

As I type this, a rescue mission is underway to rescue Korean Missionaries held hostage in Afghanistan. This is a breaking news. The deadline for Taliban demands to be met has passed and Korea has urged the US to intervene.

It looks like reports by Fox News and other agencies was premature. As I'm typing this, I'm trying to find the latest news. Reuters has reported that information about a rescue operation was not accurate (link).

The latest that Fox is reporting is that leaflets have been dropped in the area where the hostages are believed to be held.

Here's the bottom line: PRAY for the rescue of these hostages. Two have been killed to date and the deadline has passed.