Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. Rom 13:1

/ Ari Rocklin

“When we obey the rules and laws of a nation, even though they may restrict or forbid proselytizing, God will open an even greater opportunity for the gospel than if we break the laws of the land.”

The above quote is from a recently returned tentmaker from the northern Asia region. Officials are aggressively trying to stop Christian expats from proselytizing and even connecting with locals outside of work hours.

So how does one bring light into the darkness under such conditions?

Apparently, God always finds a way when we remain obedient to his Word. Even with officials in classrooms monitoring what was being said and taught by the teacher, the Holy Spirit was at work. Much prayer preceded each day’s teaching, praying for the students and officials by name.

Eventually, the questions from students became more and more brave as they noticed that some officials were less concerned about the class discussions with some of them even joining in on the topics.

After a few years of earning the respect of local people and even some authorities, a Bible study group was born right in the classroom. Since having a Bible is not permitted in this country, creative methods were used to get the Word into the students’ hands.

For more on what these “creative methods” are, attend one of our courses.

The door remains wide open for committed, intentional Christian expat teachers to bring the Gospel to this least-reached nation. A government-imposed spiritual vacuum is crying for something to fill this void. Let it be Jesus.

Are you up for it? 
If so, contact us – we will get you there.

Forced Exit! Christian Expatriates leave the region -again.

/ Ari Rocklin

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Once again, dozens of tentmakers have had to leave the countries where they have been serving, some for as long as a decade. Most have heeded their passport country governments’ edicts to leave due to increasing hostilities and lack of security.

Many have become proficient in the local language and accents, making them high value emissaries for the Kingdom. All have reported a new era of openness for the Gospel and some were experiencing Acts 2:47 firsthand:  And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Thus it is easy to understand how difficult this time is in their lives and journeys.

Here are some excerpts from their emails.

Safely in London now. Much relieved.  In the last 2-3 weeks there was a threat to “Christian whores teaching our children”…shooting at our school gate and 2 attacks at our local bank near our home. We were really feeling the need to get out of the country, and I’m thankful that God has brought us to safety. Now time to refocus.

As many of you know, security has plummeted over the months with militias fighting for control of the airport, fuel storage tanks set on fire and the international airport closed. We have prayerfully been watching the news with great sadness and concern for our national friends. Several have emailed or texted to say that they are safe, but the living conditions are deteriorating with lack of cooking gas, gasoline and frequent power outages.

Pray that the seed that has been sown by these tentmakers will bear much fruit now that they have been forced to exit.

Pray for the future of those who had were forced to exit and are facing an uncertain future while seeking God’s leading.

BOOK REVIEW

/ Ari Rocklin

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Tactics
Author: Gregory Koukl
Zondervan, 2009

Tactics by Gregory Koukl is an easy-to-read book for everyone who wants to become better at talking about their faith with non-Christians.

The book has two main parts. In the first section the author introduces a way of speaking to people that forces those who attack the Christian faith to explain what they believe. This is done mainly by asking good questions that leads the conversation in a certain direction. “The key is to go on the offensive in an inoffensive way by using carefully selected questions to productively advance the conversation. Simply put, never make a statement, at least at first, when a question will do the job,” writes Koukl. The Tactics author has long-term experience in Christian apologetics and he is the leader of the organization named Stand to Reason.

In part two of the book Koukl explains how Christians can find weaknesses in the arguments against The Christian faith. His starting point is clear. Everyone is created by God and lives in God’s creation. Those who do not believe in God will have to create explanations of reality that rules God out. This is often their week point.

Every person who rejects the truth of “the God who is there is caught between the way he says the world is and the way the world actually is,” states Koukl. He has found that most non-Christians are not able to explain what they believe when they are asked.

You may be surprised to know that most critics are not prepared to defend their faith. Many people have never thought through their views and don’t know why they hold them, writes Koukl.

We recommend Tactics for all Christians. It will help the readers to fulfill the calling the followers of Jesus have got in 1 Pet 3:15: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” It also helps the reader to see that the Christian faith is a logical faith.

Tactics is written in a way that engages the reader and it is full of practical, real-life examples. One of them is from the University of California in San Diego. Koukl had heard that the general attitude on campus was that Christians were stupid. He opened his talk to the students in this way:

– “I understand that many of you think that Christians are stupid. Well, many of them are. But many non Christians are stupid, too, so I don’t know how that helps you. What I want to do this evening is show you that Christianity is not stupid.”

Has God stopped moving?

/ Steinar Opheim

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A 25-year anniversary coming up next month will either put God or the global church to shame.

Expectations where high as the 4.300 leaders at the Lausanne congress in Manila in 1989 were finalizing the Manila manifesto. For the first time the great challenge of the unreached people groups had been highlighted in front of leaders from the whole world-wide church. The participants from 173 nations were eager to take the Gospel further and make Jesus salvation known among the thousands of unreached people groups that were known. Leading voices believed that the job could be finished by the end of the millennium.

Now, 25 years later, the task of reaching the unreached in many ways looks just as unfinished as it did for the participants in Manila.

According to Joshua Project close to 7,000 of the world’s 16,600 people groups must still be labeled as unreached. The total number of people in these groups is close to three billion. More than 4,600 people groups are still below the radar of the worldwide church and no one is planning to reach them with the Gospel.

Shame

“We are deeply ashamed that nearly two millennia have passed since the death and resurrection of Jesus, and still two-thirds of the world’s population have not yet acknowledged him,” confessed the participants at the Manila congress.

Who is to blame for the fact that next to nothing has changed in the quarter of a century that has passed by since then? Has God stopped being on the move or does he no longer have a desire to see all people saved? Or is it Jesus followers who have misunderstood the task their Lord gave them or maybe they are just unwilling to fulfill it.

In an article posted on Joshuaproject.net, Kent Parks in Act Beyond points out some reasons why the church has failed to fulfill the Great Commission. Lack of interest is one key factor.

– The emphasis on unreached people groups seems to have resulted in “boredom”among some church leaders – and they seem to want to find the next idea. One Asian mission leader shared that just about the time the Western Christians have succeeded in raising awareness for the unreached people groups s around the world, some seem to have developed “attention deficit disorder” and want to move on to something new, writes Parks.

Lack of friends

Joshua Project estimates that for every dollar of Christian resources less than one penny is directed at reaching unreached peoples. The American-based resource center also refers to a survey done a few years ago showing the likeliness of Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims being reached with the Gospel. According to the survey 86 out of 100 Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus worldwide do not know a single Christian.

John 1:14 states: “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood” (The Message). If God is to continue to be on the move, Christ’s followers may need to be willing to move too.

The summer months often give time for reflection. Could you consider applying for a job, start a business or study in a place where you can reach one of the people groups that has yet to hear the Gospel?