“You’ve never sinned?” “No,” came the response from a man who had seen much in his 65 years. And that’s how the conversation went as he responded to each of the missionary’s promptings about lying, stealing, etc. After years of sharing the gospel, something happened that we never prepared for: we had finally found the…
Do you ever wonder how many Christians it takes for one person to come to Christ? Consider the case of two school girls in Australia. Ruby and Charlotte met in junior high, and their friendship grew naturally. Ruby’s family had taught her the gospel from the earliest age, but Charlotte’s family had no interest in…
That is what it was like recording the Farsi version of King of Glory. The whole week was energizing as we saw how the Lord pulled together a recording session that was first thought to be impossible. About three quarters of the way through the project, the person doing the recording stopped and said, “Now…
A commonly used name for God is “Creator King.” However, the local tribal people we minister to believe His ability to create is not attributed to His uniqueness, sovereignty and omnipotence but rather His keeping of secrets. Here is one example: It is said, “When God was going to put Adam’s spirit into him, He…
Whether they are identified as “white” lies or “little” lies, the truth is that we are all guilty at some point of succumbing to the engagement of them. That’s where one discussion went at a particular Bible study in the book of Hebrews. This particular study was made up of many unbelievers, and so few…
Hong Kong is a city where East meets West. Culture and ideas mix together or clamor for dominance. Religions, philosophies, and traditions compete for influence. Each morning as I walk out of our village, I pass the village altar for the worship of ancestors. At the altar, the villagers have left offerings and incense for…
The furniture salesman was quite friendly. “What is your occupation?” he asked. I hesitated. His clothes demonstrated that he was not from my religious background. What would he think of me? “I am a Christian missionary,” I replied. Later in the conversation, the furniture man said, “I want to personally deliver your furniture; and when…
High expectations preceded Michael’s fall—both his own expectations and those of his missionary mentors. A ministry student at Bible college, no one knew of his secret girlfriend and the sordid hotel tryst. Though he was smiling and singing as usual at church, his conscience nagged him about the hypocrisy of his double life. Miserable and…
Arriving back to the field brings excitement and apprehension. There’s the usual life events: births, deaths, and people moving away. Despite all the usual life dramas, Brad and Ber are happy to be back and tackle whatever comes their way – especially getting reacquainted with Sami. Sami is the person Brad has been working with…
Though she’d been an English teacher in this class composed of four students for only two months, a bond had already formed. She appreciated their thirst for knowledge and their drive to excel; they admired her intellect, and the respect with which she treated them. She was approachable and seemed to genuinely care about them….