"Bruce" walks through the church door out into the warm Columbian evening and begins panning the horizon to see if he can see the missing person from his party. Bruce doesn't get shook easily. Back home, he's a tough negotiator-a leader in his church and community. But the guerillas in the Columbian jungle don't play by civilized business rules; they're brutal.

Bruce was alert to the guerillas' tactics of kidnapping and extortion. That was part of the reason he was in Columbia in the first place, he wanted to find a way to strengthen the persecuted church and help them survive and thrive in an evil environment. Could his fellow American have fallen into their hands? Could she be the next victim?

Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement, over by the bus. There she is, he thought she's safe. Suddenly, he felt a strong grip on his arm. He turned to look into the piercing eyes of a stranger. "You either get on the bus, or go back in the building." The man said, "It's not safe out here."

Bruce nodded, and turned to walk inside, into the safety of the church. Over his shoulder he glanced at the jungle, the evil—filled jungle. He thought about the coca leaves, and the drug lords and the kidnapping. He thought how much they need the Lord.

I understand why Bruce walked into the church to fellowship instead of the jungle to witness. What I don't understand is why I spend more time fellowshipping in the church than I do witnessing in my world-a world where it is safe outside.

"With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all." (Acts 4:33 NIV)

"Canadian theologian John G. Stackhouse Jr., tells of sitting next to a passenger and talking about his faith. Finally the passenger interrupted him and said, 'Who is this apostle Paul you're referring to?' This widespread ignorance, even among the educated, leads Stackhouse to conclude: Too much of our Christian witness today concentrates upon trying to convince people that Christianity is true. We need instead to consider two prior problems. First, most Americans and Canadians are ignorant of even the basics of authentic Christian faith. And second, most people think that they do understand Christianity and thus feel entitled to dismiss it out of hand."

Charley and Sara sometimes hang out together, but Charley really doesn't like Sara very much. One day it hits him: The way to help Sara is to date her! If we were to go out, my strengths could rub off on her, and she would be far better off for it. It will require sacrifice on my part, but it's the least I can do.

Charley marches up to Sara's door with a book entitled 100 Things Sara Needs to Change in Order to Become a Real Person. He rings the doorbell. When she answers, he shoves the book in her face and states, "I've decided it would be best for you if we date. When you finish reading this, I'll be waiting in my truck!"

The Nigerian women stopped washing their clothes and stared at the "crazy" white missionary women. The missionaries—decked out in long, flowing skirts and pith helmets—searched frantically for a way to cross the stream. They wanted to talk to the Yoruba women who'd been doing laundry on the other side.

Finally, a bright idea struck. The missionaries found a large calabash (gourd), crawled into the water with it and hung on for dear life. Meanwhile, one missionary decided to ford the stream, sitting in a wash basin with her legs flapping over the side. The scene was enough to cause the Yoruba women to drop their chores and listen to the missionaries tell of a Christ they did not know.

A couple of years ago, Tim Forneris, a 22 year old groundskeeper gave Mark McGwire, a million dollar ball, saying "I think I have something that belongs to you." McGwire in turn gave it to the Hall of Fame to display beside Ruth's and Marris' record breaking balls. Why? He said it didn't belong to him, it belonged to the world.

Forneris and McGwire, both displayed the kind of attitude Christians should have about their salvation. We do not hoard our treasure, we share it with the world.

—http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/1998/09/08/the_ball/ Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Matthew 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

An extensive study released in May 2002 depicts religious life in America as both hopeful and cautionary. The Lilly Endowment sponsored the survey and involved interviews with 300,000 worshippers in 2,200 churches, representing 8 denominations found that three-fourths of churchgoers report they came the first time because someone invited them. Yet 54 percent of those surveyed said they had not invited anyone to church in the past year.

—Pentecostal Evangel, June 23, 2002, pg 11, Survey outlines strengths and weaknesses of churches. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

2 Tim. 2:2 NASB “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”

An extensive study released in May 2002 depicts religious life in America as both hopeful and cautionary. The survey was sponsored by the Lilly Endowment and involved interviews with 300,000 worshippers in 2,200 churches, representing 8 denominations.

The survey found that 10 percent of congregations in the United States, the largest ones, draw 50 percent of all the people who attend worship each week. The average church has fewer than one hundred attendees. 50 percent of the total number of churches only serve 11 percent of the total number of worshippers each week.

One of the major strengths the survey discovered is that 63 percent of those who attend worship services also spend time in devotional activities such as reading the Bible, or praying several times a week. 55 percent of these people also said they felt they had experienced growth in their faith in the past year. Yet less than half of regular worship attendees are involved in a small group, such as a Sunday School class, or Bible study outside of worship services.

—Pentecostal Evangel, June 23, 2002, pg 11, Survey outlines strengths and weaknesses of churches. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Romans 10:14-15 NIVS “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.’”

Churches and synagogues kept their lights on all night on April 27, 2001 in Manchester, New Hampshire to show their support of a church that was a target for a hate crime. Rabbi Arthur Starr of Temple Adath Yeshurun organized the protest to demonstrate solidarity with the Brookside Congregational Church, that had obscenities and satanic symbols painted on their building the weekend before.

It is good that these churches and synagogues are sticking together. Too bad they are leaving the wrong lights on.

Matthew 5:14-16 KJV Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. [15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. [16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Deion Sanders, who is the only athlete to play in both the Super Bowl and the World Series, said, “No touchdown, no home run, no stolen base, no tackle, no interception could compare to me leading someone to Christ. Nothing comes close.”

1 Peter 3:15 NASB “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;”

During the Gulf War Crisis, Ann Landers asked citizens to send letters of encouragement to our soldiers. She asked we address the letters to “ANY SERVICE MEMBER, OPERATION DESERT STORM, APO New York,” and put Operation Dear Abby on the return address. When Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse, heard about the campaign, he decided to get involved. He purchased a million tracts printed in Arabic and distributed them to Churches, who in turn gave them to their members to send with their letters for the soldiers to distribute in Saudi Arabia.

Though the Arabs were glad to have the Americans shed their blood to defend them, they would not allow them to share their faith. They couldn’t even wear a cross. When General Schwartzkopf asked a Colonel to call Franklin to confront him about what he was doing.

In his book, Rebel with a Cause, Mr. Graham allows us to eaves drop on his conversation with Schwartzkopf’s Colonel that called him:

‘‘We, as chaplains, are not here to evangelize,” “We’re here to provide for the spiritual needs of our men and women in uniform. Our responsibility is to them only. Period. Is that understood, Mr. Graham?”

“Colonel, I appreciate that. Everyone in this country is backing and supporting our men and women in uniform. We’re proud of you. But I’m going to be honest with you, sir. The religious unfairness has upset me and a lot of others in America. Our men and women are being asked to put their lives on the line—possibly to spill their blood to protect the oil there. And you, a chaplain, can’t even wear your cross in public! The Saudis want our blood, but not what we believe in.”

“But, Mr. Graham, you have to understand their perspective …Sir the Cross of Jesus Christ is what made America great. America was built upon the Christian faith of our ancestors. It ticks me off that the Saudis are pressuring our military to restrict our religious expression. It doesn’t sit well with the American people either.”

After. I finished; a hush fell over the line. “I understand what you’re trying to do,” The Colonel finally replied. “I’m an evangelical too. But I’m under orders… “So am I, sir—orders from the King of kings and Lord of lords—to go into all the world and preach the gospel and make disciples of every nation.”

Matthew 28:18-20 NASB “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”

Hockey fans in Pittsburgh have found reason to hope again. Mario Lemieux, one of the top players in NHL history, has returned to the NHL this season as not only a player, but a superstar.

"I wouldn't come back unless I thought I could play at a high level… to try to regain the title of the best player in the world," says Lemieux.

2: Conn Smythe Trophies as playoff MVP, as he led the Penguins to two consecutive Stanley Cup championships

He is also the only player in NHL history to average more than two points per game.

If Pittsburgh fans have reason to hope and rejoice, how about Christians? We have the greatest of all on our "team", going with us wherever we go. He accompanies us not just to observe, but to conquer hearts through the power of His gospel.

Matthew 28:18-20 NASB "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

In forty years of involvement in his church's visitation program, Wilt Durant had led one person to Christ. You know what they say, if only one person comes to Christ its worth all the effort, right?

When he retired in 1992, he moved to Rogers, AR and joined Immanuel Baptist Church. One Sunday, his pastor preached on soul winning and Durant responded to the invitation and devoted the remainder of his life to winning souls. Since that time, he's prayed with over 600 people to receive Christ. He isn't casual about his witness, he averages visiting in over 60 homes a week. What does he consider the secret to his success? "A willing heart."

Proverbs 11:30 NASB The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.

Just a small note on the screen door told Robert all he needed to know about his Grandfather's plans for the day-he'd "Gone Fishing!" Whenever Robert saw the sign, he knew he might as well go back home or join his Grandfather. When he got to the river, he'd sit on a log or bank, cast a hook into the back waters, watch the bobbing cork, and wait for a fish to come by or listen for hours to the local squirrels barking to each other.

His Grandfather would say, "They are telling each other about those crazy humans who are messing up their neighborhood." "In Grandfather's mind," Robert said, "the Squirrels knew more about keeping their neighborhood clean than all mankind put together." Maybe they were right because look what we did to their neighborhood in the name of progress.

Look around at your neighborhood and see the things that need to change. Is there crime, ungodliness, and sin? As you look around, don't forget to love the person who needs "cleaning up." These people need love, care and they are the reason why Jesus came to this Earth in the way He did. He cared for sinful people and wanted to do something for them. It is as if Jesus hung a sign on Heaven's Screen Door that said, "Gone Fishing!" Love, Jesus.

Our task is to be like Jesus and we should be about our job of Fishing for Mankind. People who are seeking salvation should find it through our efforts! People who are hurting should find compassion, mercy and a warm hand shake through our hands! People who desire to know more about God should find him through our teaching.

Matthew 4:19 NIV "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

Kurt Warner, the quarterback of the World Champion St. Louis Rams, prints his own trading cards to give to his fans. No, he's not on an ego trip. The card has his testimony on it. He wants to give something more meaningful than his autograph to those who ask. He wants them to know Christ too! He is gossiping the gospel!

Members of the Gideons International were arrested for giving away Bibles at a school in Novopolstsk in Belarus. But they didn't stay in jail for long.

The chief of police set them free and asked them to distribute copies of the New Testament to his staff, then he drove them back to the school so they could give out the rest of the Scriptures.

Michael S. Hamilton, Assistant professor of History at Seattle Pacific University wrote, "In the 1930's, most missionary agencies emphasized evangelism, church-planting, and discipleship. In 1998, however, four of the five largest overseas ministries specialized in relief, development, and education work. For many of these agencies, evangelism is a secondary concern."

—http://www.christianityonline.com/ct/2000/007/1.36.html, 6-9-2000 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

If Professor Hamilton is right, the church is drifting from our purpose. We've stopped charging Hell with the gospel. Instead, we're spending our efforts trying to alleviate Hell on earth. We're charging the wrong Hell. Suffering on earth, "Hell on earth" if you will, isn't even a drop in the ocean of the suffering that awaits those who will spend eternity in Hell.

If we don't feed the poor, someone else will. If we don't clothe the naked, someone else will, but if we don't spread the gospel, who will?

Acts 1:8 KJV "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Pastor Kim is active sharing his faith, leading 25 of his peers to Christ over the past year. No, he didn't lead 25 pastors to the Lord, he led 25 prisoners to the Lord. Kim Stanislav, Pastor of the Chilchik Christian Church is serving a three and a half year prison sentence for trumped up charges leveled against him by the Uzbekistan government.

Even though he suffers severe beatings for sharing his faith, he continues to bring the light of Jesus to the darkness of the Tabaksai Prison. Like the apostles of old, Kim and other evangelistic Christians cannot stop sharing their faith. "we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:20 NASB)

Unfortunately, many Christians who do not live under the threat of persecution have found a way to stop speaking.

The Open Doors organization reports that Mohamed Ismaeel said, “I have to go back to my family to tell them the truth, even if they kill me. I will never deny Christ.”

A man wielding a machine gun killed Mohamed Ismaeel in February 2003 in Northern Iraq. While authorities say they do not know the exact motive for the murder, friends of the man say Ismaeel’s increasing openness about his faith in Jesus was likely the reason.

Ismaeel drove a taxi and frequently shared his faith with passengers. After his second arrest last year police told him that there were people who did not like the fact that he was talking about Jesus.

Other local religious leaders declared Ismaeel an apostate and warned him he might be killed if he did not renounce Christianity. Ismaeel reportedly returned to open life and told his family, “ With Jesus on my side, I have nothing to fear.” Ismaeel leaves behind a wife and five children. So far, his family has been unwilling to claim his body for burial.

—http://charismanews.com, February 24, 2003, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

The Washington Times is reporting that Anti-War activist and Academy Award winning actress, Jane Fonda has become a born-again Christian and is faithfully attending a predominantly black church, the Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

Though Fonda is friends with Christians in powerful positions, it was her chauffeur who shared his faith with Fonda and invited her to attend his Church.

The gospel knows no racial or class distinction and when it is shared, it is powerful.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16 NASB)

While Mary Baker was at work at her job, the Holy Spirit was at work in her; He put a new family that had moved to her neighborhood on her heart and she became convicted that she should go to their house after work and invite them to her church's revival services. The father in the family was in the military, serving overseas and his wife and six children from two months old to age thirteen had recently moved from the stateside military base housing to an old two story house.

Her sons were friendly with the two oldest boys and invited them to their church's boy's club. But Mary had not met the mother, who was unchurched. All day at work, Mary fully intended to walk the three blocks to their home and extend the invitation, but when she got home there was laundry to do, supper to prepare, and children to get ready for services and besides, Mary was tired. Since the revival was to continue all week Mary decided to postpone her visit to a more convenient time.

The next morning Mary's car pool friend asked her about the fire in Mary's neighborhood the night before. She had heard the fire trucks go that way. Mary didn't know what to say, she'd slept right through it so they drove around the neighborhood to see.

When they came to the site of the old farm house it was only a pile of ashes and twisted debris Five of the children perished that night in the flames. The mother and oldest son clung to life for two weeks before their earthly suffering ended. The father sat by their side until the last of his family was gone, then in desperate depression returned to base, took his military issue gun and ended his own life.

The fire had started about eleven p.m. when an old gas water heater exploded and spread flames through the old wooden building. By the time they were awakened, it was too late to escape.

The house belonged to the family that the Lord had laid on Mary's heart the day before.

"I will always wonder if anyone in the family knew the Lord." Mary said. "I will always wonder if I had visited would they have responded and gone to services that night? Would they have been a little later getting to bed? Would the mother still have been up when the explosion occurred and able to get her little ones and herself to safety? Could that day have been the day of their salvation?"

William Shatner refuses to boldly go where so many have gone before. Shatner, forever etched in the public mind as the futuristic Captain James T. Kirk of Star Trek-has never surfed the Internet.

Though he is the highly visible spokesman for Priceline.com, he admits, "The truth of the matter is that I don't know how to operate a computer." Shatner says he has been involved in some Internet chats, but "I had someone typing my answers for me. I'm a second-hand user of technology. I'm not a fan."

It is difficult to be vocal about our Christian faith if we have not personally been transformed by it. Perhaps our impotence in reaching this generation is because we are second-hand users of our faith, not fans.

Officials at the Trinity College in Cambridge, UK recently received a letter mailed to George Green. What is unusual is that it was mailed 58 years ago. The note said, "George, will meet at Monty's next weekend. Is 2pm acceptable? Love Gwen."

Perhaps George and Gwen met at Monty's even though George never got the note, or perhaps they didn't. It would have been next to impossible for George to of been at the right place at the right time without an invitation.

—http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=609&id=730292006 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Romans 10:14 (Darby) "How then shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without one who preaches?"

While some people debate whether or not they should view the latest "Star Wars" motion picture, a professor at one of the largest seminaries on the country says believers in Jesus should see the film.

Reg Grant, director of arts in media and communications at Dallas Theological Seminary says by viewing the movie we will be able to dialogue with others in the culture who have seen it. Grant believes there is room to bring truth into discussions of the film, which reflects a composite of religious themes "in the context of a classical mythological structure."

Grant says, "Christians can use the main theme of dualism—good or evil or light and dark—as a starting point for a dialogue about the personal nature of the Lord." He says that while "The Force" cannot have a relationship with anyone. The Lord wants to have a personal relationship with people and sacrificed His only Son to secure salvation, for those who will place their faith in Him.

Grant says the gospel is good news when compared to the hopelessness of other religious systems. He adds, "The Force cannot promise deliverance from the sin that is our spiritual lot, whereas the Lord promises, not only deliverance from sin, but eternal life and joy in the person of Jesus Christ."

2 Tim. 4:1-5 NASB "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: [2] preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. [3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; [4] and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. [5] But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

Six weeks after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Nancy Hicks held "Precious," her seven-pound Chihuahua mix for the first time. When she left her home, she left Precious with a tub of water and twenty-five pounds of dog food. Fortunately, Hicks' dog was one of the animals saved by rescue workers and taken to a shelter in Gonzales, LA. With the help of a volunteer at the New Orleans SPCA, Hicks' family tracked Precious down over the Internet. Delighted by the reunion, Hicks said, "The only advice I can give is to not stop looking, keep on looking,"

—http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051013/ap_on_fe_st/katrina_canine_reunion Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Matthew 18:12 (NKJV) [12] "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

The highest ranked college football team of 2006 is giving credit to God for their success. Thousand packed into an arena on the campus of Ohio State University to hear Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel and several members of the team speak about Christianity, and how it impacts their lives and college football. The event called 'The Main Event' looked a little like a pep rally with a band playing and game highlights running on projection screens.

Coach Tressel said he wanted the opportunity to step away from his role of coach and speak "as a child of God." He told the crowd how he attended a high school summer sports camp in 1969 where retired New York Yankees second baseman Bobby Richardson asked him, "If the game of life ended tonight, would you be a winner?" Tressel asked the crowd the same question and explained how they could have a relationship with Jesus. Senior Joe Penton echoed the coach's comments saying, "When Jesus Christ, God in human flesh, died on that cross, he took on the penalty for our sin. Because he paid it, we can have a relationship with Him. We can know Him personally. We can have the promise of eternal life—living forever with God." He added, "We would feel so bad talking about our relationship with Christ tonight, without giving you the opportunity to enter into that very same relationship."

—http://www.mnnonline.org/article/9230. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

2 Corinthians 4:5 (GW) "Our message is not about ourselves. It is about Jesus Christ as the Lord. We are your servants for his sake."

Perhaps you've seen the Avodart commercial where the man goes to his doctor thinking that he had a "going problem," and he finds out that he has a "growing problem." The idea is somewhat comical, but for the church, the idea is a principle. Is it not true that churches that have a going problem also have a growing problem? The normal Christian life is a life of going and sharing. Part of a believer s growth, as well as the church's ought to be the discipline of sharing the good news.

It is clear that he heard the Lord say go (Jonah 1:2). It is clear that Jonah understood the character and compassion of his Lord toward Nineveh (Jonah 4:2). And, yet Jonah was still bitter after seeing spiritual awakening in Nineveh. Perhaps the growing problem for Jonah was this: Jonah knew the character of the Lord intellectually, but did not live out the same values of the Lord. If you have a going problem then you have a growing problem.

—http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=4661&Section=AGING. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Eric Herrstrom.

Jonah 4.2 (NASB) "He prayed to the Lord and said, Please Lord, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity."

In "Church in Emerging Culture: Five Perspectives", Frederica Mathewes-Green writes "Our effectiveness as witnesses is tested not on the public stage but by our private daily conduct."

Mark 5:19 (NKJV) "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."

Instead of feeling sorry for herself when Brian Nichols abducted her, Ashely Smith said "I believe God brought him to my door."

Smith, the widowed mother of a five-year-old daughter, said her ordeal began about 2 o'clock in the morning when Brian Nichols, stuck a gun in her side in the parking lot of her apartment building. Nichols initially tied the woman up while he took a shower telling her, "I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anyone else." Over the course of the evening, Nichols untied Smith and they talked about the Bible and looked at pictures of Smith's family. Smith made the fugitive pancakes with real butter. According to Smith, Nichols said he "just wanted some normalness to his life."

After asking permission from Nichols to read some things to Him, she got her Bible and a copy of Rick Warren's "The Purpose-Driven® Life." According to Smith, Nichols asked her to repeat a paragraph "about what you thought your purpose in life was—what talents were you given."

Smith encouraged Nichols, telling him that the fact he was still alive was a "miracle." She told him "You're here in my apartment for some reason." She told Nichols he might be destined to be caught and then to spread the word of God to fellow prisoners.

—http://www2.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/14/atlanta.hostage. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Even under theses extreme circumstances, Smith kept her cool and used it as an opportunity to share the gospel message with her captor.

2 Tim. 4:1-2 NASB "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: [2] preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction."

In "Building a Contagious Church", Mark Mittelberg writes, "Most Christians have very few non-Christian friends.

In an often-quoted, eye-opening statistic, Joe Aldrich, president of Multnomah School of the Bible, tells us that within two years of becoming Christians, most of us lose contact with all of our non-Christian friends."

1 Peter 3:15 (NASB) "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;"

Pele, the Brazilian soccer player, has perhaps the most recognizable name throughout the world. When a reporter said to him that the entire world had heard of three things, “Jesus, Coca-Cola and Pele,” he responded:

“I remember going to a small island off the coast of Japan once, and everyone knew who I was. But, as most of the inhabitants were Buddhist, not all of them had heard of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, there are large parts of the world where Jesus Christ is not so well-known.”

Matthew 24:14 NASB "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.”

In Japan, an 80-year old Shinto priest burned all the gods, clothes and books associated with Shintoism and placed his faith in Jesus.

After accepting Christ, an elderly Awadhi man in India removed an idol from his personal shrine. Over the next six months over fifty people placed their trust in Christ, many of them attending the church that meets in his home.

In Bangladesh, another fifty people found Christ after a leader of another world religion converted to Christianity. Twelve of them have been baptized, another thirteen are awaiting baptism.

A traveling Christian in Vietnam left a copy of the Jesus Video behind as he left the area. A Dao woman found it, watched the video and shared it with others. The video was passed from family to family. Two years later the Christian returned to the area and discovered the news that more than a thousand people came to Christ as a result of the tape he left behind.

Romans 1:16 NIV "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile."

In his book Listening to God: Spiritual Formation in Congregations, John Ackerman writes, “My friend Ed White, a senior consultant for the Alban Institute, often asks churches, ‘What business are you in?’ A lot of churches are in the business of providing a wonderful worship service on Sunday. Others are in the business of providing a nice religious museum for a handful of the likeminded. Some are in the business of getting people involved in activity, particularly to work for justice in the world. White says that there is just one business that the Gospels describe: the disciple-making business”

--Listening to God: Spiritual Formation in Congregations, 41. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Matthew 28:18-20 (CEV) “Jesus came to them and said: I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.”

For more information on Listening to God, go to: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1566992451/fm082-20

On January 15, 2009, Captain Chesley Sullenberger averted a near disaster when he landed his commercial airliner in the Hudson River. Taking off from New York’s LaGuardia Airport, US Airways Flight 1549 flew through a flock of geese, sucking some into the engines causing both engines to malfunction. Without power and without the needed altitude to return to the airport, Captain Sullenberger landed in the river saving all 155 people on board.

In an interview with 60 Minutes Sully said the next few nights were sleepless. He said that the responsibility he felt for the lives of the 155 people has weighed heavily on him.

--USA Today, February 9, 2009. P. 3A Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

As Christians, we sometimes feel the responsibility for the lives, eternal ones, of the people in our churches, our neighborhoods, our communities. Unfortunately, we do not spend many sleepless nights wondering about how to bring them to safety. Maybe a close call such as the airliner had would remind us of our responsibility to go into the whole world with the gospel.

Matthew 28:18-20 (MSG) “Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: ‘God authorized and commanded me to commission you: 19 Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 20 Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.’"

In a 2008 Religious landscape Survey, The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life interviewed 35,000 Americans and mapped American beliefs state by state. One interesting discovery is that 41% of people had switched their religion at some point in life.

--USA Today March 9, 2009 p. 6A; Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

This is good news to those who take the Lord’s command to evangelize seriously. It means people are not as firm in their religious commitment as previously thought. If 41% will switch, the evangelist should be seeking to get as many to switch towards Christ as possible.

Mark 4:21-23 (NIV) “He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

The Rev. Kendall Harmon, theologian for the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina says he is seeing kids today who have no vocabulary of faith, and neither do many of their parents. Harmon recalls one incident where “A couple came into my office once with a yellow pad of their teenage son’s questions. One of them was: ‘What is that guy doing hanging up there on the plus sign?’”

--USA Today March 9, 2009 p. 6A; Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

More and more Americans are losing their civil religion. Biblical references and events once known to every citizen are becoming obscure to a growing number. This will contribute to the lack of understanding of once universal themes, but it will also expand the evangelistic opportunities.

Luke 8:17 (NIV) “ For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.”

No, this isn’t a Seinfeld episode—it is real life. The U.S. Postal Service in a surprise audit discovered that some local managers temporarily stashed unprocessed mail in parked trailers so that the letters and packages so supervisors wouldn't notice it as delayed. Auditors found millions of pieces of undelivered mail, including 2.3 million bulk-business letters, some of which were delayed nine days, and 800,000 first-class letters, which had been held for three days.

What should the penalty be when the people entrusted with the news fail to make the delivery?

The world may not be expecting the delivery, but they are at home awaiting the message of the good news concerning God sending His Son. We must be faithful to deliver the message.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,981188,00.html Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Acts 1:8 (NKJV) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

In Ten Minutes from Normal, Karen Hughes, former counselor to President George W. Bush writes, “I gradually became more comfortable talking about my faith. I don’t try to impose it, but I do wholeheartedly believe it; it’s too important not to share.”

--Ten Minutes from Normal Kindle Loc. 2214-15 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Acts 4:19-20 (HCSB) “ But Peter and John answered them, ‘Whether it’s right in the sight of God [for us] to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; 20 for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.’”

In the book, 10 Things I Hate About Christianity, author Jason T. Berggren presents a unique challenge to believers. Berggren says, ”Consider no longer calling yourself a Christian.” He writes, “Take a few minutes to think about what it would mean if you had to stop using that term to describe yourself. What would you have to do? Most likely you’d be forced to do something drastic. Above all else you’d have to consider your attitude and actions in everything. Like never before you’d have to take into account how you represent the truth hidden in your heart. At work. As a friend. As a neighbor. As a husband. As a father. As a mother. As a wife. As a son. As a daughter. As a boss. As a follower of Jesus. I think nothing would be more productive for you and the state of your faith.”

Berggren then adds another level of challenge. He says at the same time only talk about your faith when asked about it and don’t start a conversation about God or the like. He says if no one is asking you, it may indicate you have more work to do on your life. Berggren says, “Your actions and attitudes will have to be the catalysts But when people do ask about how you handle anger, stress, hardships, failures, success, leadership, authority and submission so well, you’ll have a chance to talk.”

--10 Things I hate about Christianity, Working through the Frustrations of Faith, Jason T. Berggren, 2009, X Media LLC. Pg 213-214. Website: http://10thingsihate.com

Matthew 5:16CEV Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.

We never know the impact on a person when sharing the gospel of Christ. Penn Jillette is a comedian who has beenvery antagonistic toward Christians and followers of the Bible. He is an avowed atheist and scientific skeptic. He was approached at the close of his show one evening by a man who had attended his show the previous evening. The man presented Penn with a Gideon Bible and wrote his contact information in the Bible. The man shared with Penn that he loved him and Christ loved him. Penn is very impressed with the man’s authenticity and concern for him. We never know when we are going to make an impression for the kingdom of God when we share Christ with sincere love and compassion!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JHS8adO3hM Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and David Tomme

Romans 1:16 (NIV) I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

“The Blind Side” is a pro-Christian movie relating the true story of Baltimore Ravens rookie Michael Oher. Sean and Leigh Anne Touhy, a Christian family, took in Oher, a poor black teenager living in the projects in Memphis. At first, they were just trying to help him get through the cold part of the winter, but as they became more and more involved in his life, they adopted him.

The story is about this new family growing together and the challenges they faced. Oher eventually went to the University of Mississippi on a football scholarship and the Baltimore Ravens chose him in the first round of the NFL draft.

Actor Sandra Bullock, who represented Leigh Anne Touhy in the movie, was impressed with a family that lived out what they believed. Speaking of the Touhys she said, “I’ve finally met someone who practices but doesn’t preach. . . I now have faith in those who say they represent a faith. I finally met people who walk the walk.”

--World, November 21, 2009, p. 18-19 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Carrying the name of Christ in our world, which we do when are called “Christian,” should mean that the world sees people who do their preaching with their living and not just with their words. We should all “walk the walk.”

Luke 6:46 (NASB) (46) "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?

Ever since Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples, they have been working to use available technology to spread the gospel. It began with word of mouth through preaching and witnessing. Later, the printed word, radio and television became tools to tell the good news. Now the technology of the Internet and networking sites are being used to touch the world.

Recently, the Twitter Bible was unveiled at a German book fair. Twitter is a social networking site that limits text messages to 140 characters which appear on the author’s profile page. Anyone who subscribes to that person’s profile, a follower, can receive the messages known as tweets. The Twitter Bible summarizes the Bibles’s 31,000 verses into 4,000 tweets. The official title of the work is ‘And God Decided to Chill.’

It took more than 3,000 believers, 10 days to compile short and sometimes humorous tweets that make up the Twitter Bible. They hope it will be an effective to reaching people who may never open or read a traditional Bible. Greg Stier, president of founder of Dare 2 Share asked if Jesus would have been on Twitter if it had been available while He was on earth. Stier suggested a couple of possible tweets Jesus might have posted. Jesus might have said, “40 days without food. Satan doing a full court press. Does he really think he can win?” After His resurrection Stier suggests Jesus would have tweeted “ Showed Thomas my scars. He’s not doubting anymore.”

--Tweets For Jesus; http://championnewspaper.com/news/115tweets-for-jesus-115.mtml, October 28, 2009, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Romans 10:15-17 (NASB) “How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!" (16) However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, "Lord, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?" (17) So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

In his book, Just Walk Across the Room, Bill Hybels shares a portion of a letter he received from a worker at a restaurant that said, “Please let me convey a few things about Christians from a non-Christian waiter’s perspective . . . It’s quite well-known among waitstaff that when tables of Christians get seated in your section, it will be anything but a positive experience. Christians are demanding. They tend to stay at tables for a long time. They often try to push literature. And they rarely tip generously.”

As I read this quote, I thought song we used to sing around the campfire when I was a teenager—“They will know we are Christians by our love. . .”

Philippians 1:27 (NLT) (27) Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing side by side, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.

It makes perfect sense for some Church folks to require people to believe what they believe before accepting them into their group. Unfortunately, some will never hear the message to believe in outside of the group setting. If the church requires people to believe before they make them feel like they belong, they may never have a chance to hear the message.

In The Celtic Way of Evangelism, George Hunter writes, “Indeed, many new believers report that the experience of the fellowship enabled them to believe and to commit. For many people, the faith is about three-fourths caught and one-fourth taught.”

Later in the same book, he stated the principle quite succinctly, “For most people, ‘belonging comes before believing.’"

Titus 1:8 (NKJV) “but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,”

Christians must walk a fine line between being in the world, yet not being stained by it. For many, the solution they choose is just to withdraw from relationships with nonbelievers, which solves one problem, but creates another.

In his book, Just Walk Across the Room, Bill Hybels writes, “The longer a person attends church, the fewer evangelistic discussions they engage in with family members and friends. Fewer presentations of the life-changing plan of salvation are given, and fewer invitations to events that attractively present the message of Christ are offered, mostly because Christ-followers have fewer friends outside the faith to whom to offer them.”

Before long, they listen to their pastor talk about the importance of sharing their faith, yet honestly, they don’t personally know anyone that doesn’t know Christ. In effect, they cease being salt in the world and become salt in a shaker. Or if you don’t mind me mixing metaphors, a boat is made for the water, it should be in the water—the problem isn’t when the boat gets in the water, but when the water gets in the boat. However, some have such a water phobia that they never set sail, and in doing so, they never fulfill their destinies.

Matthew 5:13-15 (NLT)“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. (14) You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. (15) No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.”

In his book “Chasing Daylight,” Pastor and author Erwin McManus challenges believers to actively engage the task we have been given. McManus asks, “..What would happen if we changed our thinking? If we heard the first word of Jesus in His Great Commission, Go, as all the permission we needed to do the will of God? How would your life be different if you worked from a giant YES rather than a giant NO? While there are moments when God steps in and calls us to a specific task or assignment, even without that kind of special directive, we are not left without a mission or calling. Every follower of Christ has the prime directive of representing Him on this earth. We are all called to be His witnesses. We are all commissioned to make disciples. We are all given the assignment of serving as His ambassadors of reconciliation. We are all mandated to follow His example by serving others even as Christ has served us.”

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

A study published last year in the journal, Current Biology provides the first empirical evidence that humans do in fact walk in circles when they have no directional landmarks. “The tendency is so strong, in fact, that when volunteers are blindfolded, they virtually never travel more than 100 yards from their starting point, no matter how long they are given to walk.”

--“You Can Take The Blindfold Off Now,” Backpacker, May 20, 2010 p. 76 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

The same thing is true of people who have no landmarks to guide them in life. People without Christ need someone to remove their blindfold and share the way to Christ.

Romans 10:14 (NLT) “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?”

“There are about 200 million non-churched people in America, making America one of the four largest ‘unchurched’ nations in the world.”

--John Piper, in a Jan 31 sermon titled “I will build My church.” Quoted in World February 27, 2010 p.16 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

While we need to keep looking to the spiritual needs of the world, missions and evangelism start right where we live. Jesus said we are to be his witnesses “both” at home and abroad. (see Acts 1:8)

John 4:35 (NKJV) "Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!

A campaign launched on Facebook is encouraging believers to “pray for an atheist.” The site asks believers to select an atheist friend or believer and pray for them each day starting the month of April 2010, and beyond. The goal of the project is equip those who believe in Christ to tell others about their faith in a respectful manner. The only question that has arisen since the call to pray was issued is, “Do atheists want people to pray for them?”

Several atheists posted objections on the site immediately, and many had to be deleted because they were profane or vulgar. Author James Spiegel, who wrote, The Making of an Atheist, explained the atheist’s point of view in an interview. Spiegel said he would find it personally offensive if someone were to pray for him. He said, “Atheism is not at all a consequence of intellectual doubts.” He explained the root cause is moral rebellion. Spiegel stated, “The rejection of God is a matter of will, not of intellect. In short, it is sin that is the mother of unbelief.” He added,” For the atheist, the missing ingredient is not evidence, but obedience.”

--New campaign:’Pray For An Atheist’ in April, http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100331/new-campaign-pray-for-an-atheist-in-april/index.html; March31, 2010, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Mr. Spiegel’s thoughts are certainly food for thought, and perhaps a call to prayer.

Psalm 53:1 (ESV) To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David. The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.

During the Civil War, congress passed a bill and President Lincoln signed into law a commission to build a Railroad to the Pacific Coast.

Stephen Ambrose tells the story in his book, Nothing Like It In The World. Building the Transcontinental Railroad was a dream, a call, a commission, a compelling goal.

-- Nothing Like It In The World, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Somehow, I see the early church with that kind of passion for reaching the world with the good news story concerning Jesus Christ. The Union Pacific planned and built the railroad like they were going all the way to California. The Central Pacific planned and built the railroad like they were going all the way to Omaha. When the survey crews met, they laid out a route many times in sight of each other. When the graders came along, they were grading two roads, next to one another. Congress finally settled on a meeting place in Utah.

If every church could grasp Jesus’ commission as a commission to her, there may be some overlap, but we would all be racing to reach a world for Christ.

Matthew 28:18-20 (HCSB) Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (19) Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Before he died, in 1910, Mark Twain wrote a 5000 page autobiography. However, he left instructions that the book was not to be printed until 100 years after his death. In the fall of 2010 the first of three volumes is due to be published.

--http://www.amazon.com/Autobiography-Mark-Twain-Vol-1/dp/0520267192/
ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282083352&sr=8-1) Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell
Our friends, neighbors, and co-workers need to hear the good news story of Jesus today. They cannot wait!

2 Corinthians 6:2 (HCSB) For He says: I heard you in an acceptable time, and I helped you in the day of salvation. Look, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.

When Swedish designers proposed building an almost invisible environmentally friendly tree house, most of the people who heard the idea thought it could only be generated within a computer, and if it were built, would be dangerous for birds. Recently architects Tham and Videgard, completed one unit of a proposed six unit “Treehotel” 40 miles south of the Arctic Circle. The units are constructed from sustainable harvested wood, and have electric radiant floor heating, and even an ecologically friendly toilet.

The outside of the unit is covered with a reflective glass that makes it virtually invisible in the forest. To lessen the danger to birds that might not see the unit, the designers will coat the glass with a film that birds can see. Co-owner of the TreeHotel, Ken Lindvall says the four-meter cube looks as spectacular in reality as it did in the original rendering. He adds, “Everything will reflect in this – the trees, the birds, the clouds, the sun, everything. So it should be invisible nearly in the forest.”

--http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/07/almost-invisible-mirrored-treehouse-built-in-sweden.php . Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Blending into the environment is good at times, and bad at others. Sometimes we believers try to be invisible, keeping our faith under our hat. The Lord wants us to proclaim our message, not hide it.

Matthew 5:14-16 (CEV) You are like light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, (15) and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. (16) Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.

Richard Lucas, driving his bus in Buffalo, noticed smoke coming from the back of a house alongside his route. He stopped his bus, leaving the passengers; he ran to the house and began banging on the door. The people inside the two-family home, all of whom had apparently been asleep, stumbled out, just as the house burst into flames. Lucas was a hero, but he didn’t have time for thanks. His passengers in the bus needed to get to work.

--The Week, July 30, 2010, p. 4 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

If you knew people were in danger of losing their life, you would be a hero to get them to safety. Since we know they are in danger of missing eternal life, shouldn’t we be as concerned?

The bus driver left his passengers, his charges, to save the lives of others. Jesus said the shepherd left the 99 to find the one that was lost.

Luke 15:7 (NASB) "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

How likely are you to share the gospel with a person you know to be without Christ? Do you normally share with them their need for Christ or do you keep silent, unwilling to put your reputation on the line by speaking up? Martin Luther King Jr. captured the essence of our silence in just a few words. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.”

The claims of Christ call us to neglect silence. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

2 Timothy 4:2 (NIV) Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.

Recent surveys have suggested Christianity is losing ground around the world. A new book,by author Jim Rutz says the truth is more exciting. Rutz claims a new, or even, the original form of biblically inspired evangelical Christianity is the fastest growing belief system on the planet, sweeping through places such as China, India, Africa, and Southeast Asia. In the book, Megashift, Rutz calls this fast growing segment of the population, “core apostolic” or “the new saints who are at the heart of the mushrooming kingdom of God.”

Rutz says the reason Christianity is overlooked as the fastest growing faith in the world is because most surveys look at traditional protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church; ignoring believers who are not part of either group. Rutz claims the church made of what he calls “switched on disciples” is exploding in growth and already numbers more than 700 million. He says at the current rate of growth the entire world could be composed of such believers by 2032. Rutz says, “The growing core of Christianity crosses theological lines and includes 707 million born-again people who are increasing by 8 percent a year.” He says events like those recorded at Pentecost in Acts chapter two are taking place every day around the world. He adds, “By tomorrow, there will be 175,000 more Christians than there are today.”

Christianity taking over planet, http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=245201; December 31, 2011, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Matthew 24:14 (HCSB) This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations. And then the end will come.

Rolf Klasson, a 62-year-old man living in Sweden was prepared, even if he did not look like he was. A former boxer, today Klasson requires the use of a rolling walker. When two thugs thought he was an easy target, they tried to hold him up at an ATM machine.

First Klasson warned them; “This isn’t going to go well.” The knife-wielding thief and his partner ignored the warning. With a right hook to the jaw of one man and a left jab to the nose of the other, the two perps realized they had the wrong man.

Like Mr. Klasson, we should be prepared. Our preparation should be to give an account for the hope we have in Jesus Christ. Our account would be most beneficial if it was as concise and to the point as a one-two punch.

1 Peter 3:15 (CEV) Honor Christ and let him be the Lord of your life. Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope.

Multiculturalism is rapidly losing its attraction in a world gripped in terrorism. German Chancellor Angela Merkel commented on its failure recently; “The tendency had been to say, ‘Let’s adopt the multicultural concept and live happily side by side. . .’But this concept has failed, and failed utterly.”

Statements by other European leaders, UK Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy have somewhat mirrored the Chancellor’s remarks. Cameron said, “under the doctrine of state multiculturalism, we have encouraged different cultures to live separate lives, apart from each other and apart from the mainstream. We’ve failed to provide a vision of society to which they feel they want to belong.”

Sarkozy expressed his feelings this way. “We have been too concerned about the identity of the person who was arriving and not enough about the identity of the country that was receiving him.”

The one thing we cannot forget; the gospel is for every person, every culture every time.

Acts 10:34-35 (CEV) (34) Peter then said: Now I am certain that God treats all people alike. (35) God is pleased with everyone who worships him and does right, no matter what nation they come from.

Predicting when and where an earthquake will occur is an inexact science at best. A group of Italian seismologists has found out, earthquake prediction can have legal ramifications as well. Judge Guiseppe Romano decided to try seven members of a committee charged with determining the risk of an earthquake in the L’Aquila region where a quake killed 300 people. The judge said the group did not alert the public ahead of time about the risk of a quake in the area before the quake occurred in April of 2009.

Many people in the area say they believe the committee should have seen the quake coming because of earthquake swarms that occurred days before the big one struck. Most scientists say the criminal charges of manslaughter were expected, but admit it is not the fault of the committee because predicting earthquakes has too many unknown factors involved. John Vidale, a Washington State seismologist told reporters, “We’re not able to predict earthquakes very well at all.” During the interview, Vidale added, ”We get swarms of earthquakes all the time without a big earthquake. There was nothing strange about this swarm to suggest a big earthquake.”

--Seismologists Tried for Manslaughter for Not predicting Earthquake, http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20110526/sc_livescience/seismologiststriedformanslaughterfornotpredictingearthquake; May 26, 2011, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.
All believers are to be awake and watchful. It is our responsibility to warn the world of what is to come.

Ezekiel 3:17-19 (CEV) (17) Ezekiel, son of man, I have appointed you to stand watch for the people of Israel. So listen to what I say, then warn them for me. (18) When I tell wicked people they will die because of their sins, you must warn them to turn from their sinful ways so they won't be punished. If you refuse, you are responsible for their death. (19) However, if you do warn them, and they keep on sinning, they will die because of their sins, and you will be innocent.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Leonard Pope was at a birthday party when six-year-old Bryson Moore slipped and fell into the deep end of the swimming pool. Hearing cries for help, Pope leaped in, fully dressed, with cellphone and wallet in his pockets, to rescue the boy.

“I wasn’t waiting on anyone else,” Pope said. Later he discovered he was the only person at the party who knew how to swim. There wasn’t anyone else.

--Sports Illustrated, June 27, 2011 p. 20 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Evangelism is the willingness to go into the deep end and rescue those who are perishing without Jesus Christ.

Matthew 18:14 (NASB) "So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

“Tristin Saghin, 9, knew just what to do when his 2-year-old sister was found floating unconscious in the pool at his grandmother’s house.” When his sister was pulled from the pool, Tristin started to perform chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Tristin said, “I knew what I was doing.” His sister started breathing again and doctors said she is doing fine.

What a great thing it is to save a life! Even greater in the eyes of eternity is leading a person to eternal life. Do we know what we are doing when we meet a person in need of saving? Could we be as successful as Tristin in leading a person to eternal life?

Tristin said he learned the lifesaving technique while watching television. Where are you learning the techniques to lead those without Christ to eternal life?

John 3:16 (NASB) "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

The recent disappearance of a previously unknown tribe in the Brazilian Amazon emphasizes the urgency of taking the Gospel to those who have never heard. In February 2011, the Brazilian government released aerial photos of a tribe that was previously undiscovered. The government took steps to protect the people group by setting up a guard post in the area to keep outsiders away. In early August, a group focused on protecting the rights of tribal peoples sadly reported that armed drug traffickers had overrun the post.

Concern over the tribes well being grew when a government search team found no trace of the group but discovered a broken arrow in a rucksack allegedly belonging to one of the traffickers. They said such a sign was a clear indicator of uncontacted people groups and pointed to a potential catastrophe. Reflecting on the news, Tom Eliff, president of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board said, “This event is another very chilling reminder of the urgent nature of our mission endeavors. We must reach out with the Gospel now, especially to the world’s unengaged, unreached people groups. Our Lord’s sobering reminder that ‘night comes, when no man can work’ is a call for faithfulness at a time when ‘the fields are white unto harvest.’”

--Vanished tribe highlights Gospel urgency, Eliff says, http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=35936 ; August 15, 2011, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Romans 10:14 (CEV) How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them?

Fifty years ago Paula Pierce of Hampton Beach, N. H. stood with her father on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. Her dad put a message in a Coke bottle and tossed it into the surf. The note said, “Return to 419 Ocean Boulevard and receive a $150 reward.” One half century later, Clint Buffington, beach combing in Turks and Caicos Islands, southeast of the Bahamas, found the bottle with its message intact. After 5 decades, Paula’s dad’s message had come home.

Our responsibility as believers is to faithfully deliver the word and cling to Isaiah’s statement that his word will not fail to return. Just as Paula was not responsible for where the message ended up or what the person did that received it, neither are we responsible for the reactions that people give to the gospel. Our responsibility is to share the message.

Isaiah 55:11 (HCSB) so My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it ?to do?.”

The Blackhawks of Fennville High School were rejoicing. They had just completed an undefeated 20-0 regular season. As they let their star player, who had made the winning basket, down off of their shoulders back to the floor, he collapsed. Wes Leonard was a three sport star at the high school but unknown to anyone he had an enlarged heart which chose that moment to quit.

As parents, coaches, and school administrators tried to gain control of the situation and do something to help Leonard, Amber Lugten, the high school principal remembered the defibrillator. She rushed into an empty office and found it in a pile of unused athletic supplies. Someone had removed it from its place on the hallway wall because too many students tampered with the case. When they applied the pads to Wes’s chest and waited for the machine to work, nothing happened. The battery was dead.

Doctors say that a charged defibrillator most likely would have saved Wes’s life. As it is, he is gone because the school was lax in their preparation for tragedy.

--Sports Illustrated, The Legacy of Wes Leonard, February 20, 2012 p. 55-62 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Good preparation is critical in the Christian life. We might never get a second chance to share the gospel with a person if we are not prepared when the opportunity presents itself.

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV) but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

On his way to middle school, Jeremy Wuitshick saw the bus driver slump over in his seat. Jeremy sprung to the rescue and saved his classmates lives by steering the bus to the side of the road and bringing it to a halt. If the opportunity arises, again he will be even more prepared. He is taking a CPR class because he wishes he could have done more.

On the other side of the country from Jeremy’s home in Washington, New Jersey truck driver Michael Hawthorne, during an emergency, delivered a baby in the back seat of a car. That is a once in a lifetime event in the life of a truck driver. Michael wanted to be prepared in case it ever happened again so he put together a medical birth kit for the cab of his truck. He has delivered two more babies.

--The Week, April 20, 2012 p. 2 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Are you prepared to share the gospel if the opportunity arose? If someone were to ask you how to accept Christ as savior, would you be able to lead him to a personal relationship with Jesus?

2 Timothy 4:2 (ESV) preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

On April 14, 1912, the unsinkable Titanic struck an iceberg. It sent out a message that began, “C.Q.D.” –“Come Quickly Distressed” to weather stations along the East Coast. Until recently, historians believed that no one received the message.

In 2005, workers renovating a weather station at Cape Hatteras on the North Carolina coast discovered a logbook from that evening. Richard Dailey, the agent on duty that fateful night recorded the call, “C.Q.D. Have struck an iceberg.” When he tried to pass the telegraph along his superior told him he was “junking up the lines” and sent him home. Historians believe that if the weather station supervisor had taken the message seriously, help might have arrived in time to save more Titanic passengers from their watery death.

--USA Today, April 13, 2012 p. 4D Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

You and I should take the message of the gospel seriously as well. Taken more seriously the good news might save more from an eternal death. It is a message with enough importance Christians should be shouting from housetops and proclaiming in the fields of harvest.

Matthew 10:27 (ESV) What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.

In an article for FaithWorld, Tom Heneghan writes, “In the Netherlands, where faith has faded more dramatically than in many other parts of Europe, two churches close down on average every week. The sacred art left over is piling up in cellars and storerooms around the country.”

--http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2012/05/03/as-dutch-churches-shut-their-sacred-art-finds-new-uses-abroad/ Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

The article focuses on what happens to the art that these churches once displayed. For art lovers everywhere, this is an important issue and deserves attention. However, the real tragedy in the story is not that there is some religious art without a home, but that two churches a week are closing in the Netherlands and are not being replaced by new ones.

Every church is one generation away from closing. We must reach out to others, or face the consequences of not doing so. The real danger, however, is not that our church could follow the fate of the churches in the Netherlands, but that those we should be reaching, will never hear the gospel and misses their chance at finding hope.

Matthew 28:18–20 (HCSB) Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The summer of 2012 is proving to be difficult for the managers of America’s pools and beaches. They are undergoing a lifeguard shortage. Operators of both private and public swimming places are having a difficult time maintaining public safety. In Minneapolis 16-year-old Chiccena Carpenter drowned in a lake that is budgeted to have a lifeguard on duty but because of the lifeguard shortage it had no protection. Beach operators are offering more than minimum wage to potential lifeguards, but there are too few available.

We are in danger of a lifeguard shortage in the church as well. The church needs men and women who will spend time searching for those in spiritual trouble and sharing with them the precious lifesaving gospel of Jesus Christ. The pay for spiritual lifeguards doesn’t meet minimum wage standards, but the eternal benefits are fantastic. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

“Lifeguard shortage leaves pools, beaches unprotected.” USA Today, June 29, 2012 p. B1

John 4:35–36 (HCSB) “Don’t you say, ‘There are still four more months, then comes the harvest’? Listen to what I’m telling you: Open your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ready for harvest. 36 The reaper is already receiving pay and gathering fruit for eternal life, so the sower and reaper can rejoice together.

In a twelve hour period, the father and son team of Jesse Shaffer and Jesse Shaffer Jr. rescued 120 people, from the flood in Plaquemines Parish in Louisiana resulting from Hurricane Isaac. They were able to access places using boats that traditional first responders couldn’t go with their trucks.

As heroes always seem to do, the Shaffers deny they are heroes. They responded to impending danger and helped people who would likely perish without their intervention. I pray that all of us will respond to the danger that our neighbors will go to hell without the gospel and intervene on their behalf with our witness. –Jim L. Wilson

Louisiana Father-Son Team Rescues 120 From Flooding, By JENNIFER ABBEY http://news.yahoo.com/louisiana-father-son-team-rescues-120-flooding-223023752--abc-news-topstories.html (accessed 8/30/12)

Matthew 28:19–20 (HCSB) “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Lifeway Research has found that most regular church attendees think it is important to share their faith with others, but admit they don’t do it. 80 percent of those who attend church one or more times a month say they think telling other about Jesus is important, but over 60 percent of those had not talked to anyone about the Gospel in the previous six months. Over 70 percent of the people questioned said they felt confident in their ability to talk about their faith, but only about a quarter had talked to someone else about becoming a Christian recently. Almost half of those same people had not invited a friend to church with them, and only about a quarter said they prayed for someone who was not a professing Christian every day, while another quarter prayed for nonbelievers a few times a week. The president of Lifeway Research, Ed Stetzer says praying may be the best indicator of a person’s spiritual maturity level. He plans to use study results to help believers grow in their faith and adds, “ If you are going to be intentional about sharing your faith, praying for others is a great way to start. We often acknowledge the importance of prayer in people coming to faith in Christ, but we also found it has an impact on the person praying.”

Though they say sharing their faith is important, most Christian don’t -- Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell,
Study: Churchgoers Say Sharing Faith Essential, Many Never Do; By Alex Murashko, http://www.christianpost.com/news/study-churchgoers-say-sharing-faith-essential-many-never-do-80020, Accessed August 15, 2012.

Mark 5:18–19 (HCSB) “As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed kept begging Him to be with Him. 19 But He would not let him; instead, He told him, “Go back home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how He has had mercy on you.”

You may be closer to a complete stranger than you may think. Stanley Milgram popularized the six degrees of separation concept in his 1967 study. As it turns out, a 2011 study conducted by The University of Milan and Facebook shows that there are only 4.74 degrees of separation between you and a total stranger. The study said, ". . . a friend of your friend knows a friend of their friend."

Theoretically, if I told my friend, who told his friend about Christ, without interruption in the chain, after everyone told 5 people, the world would hear. If only good news traveled as fast as bad news. --Jim L. Wilson

Matthew 28:18-20 (YLT) (18) And having come near, Jesus spake to them, saying, `Given to me was all authority in heaven and on earth; (19) having gone, then, disciple all the nations, (baptizing them--to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all, whatever I did command you,) and lo, I am with you all the days--till the full end of the age.'

In the Netherlands a 16-year-old girl forgot to check “private” on a Facebook invitation to a birthday party. Three thousand people showed up.

Sometimes it seems like the church has set its privacy settings too stringent, and no unexpected guests ever shows up. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Matthew 22:9 (HCSB) Therefore go to where the roads exit the city and invite everyone you find to the banquet.’

Doctors told Michael Crowe that he had an acute heart infection and without a heart transplant, he could not survive. However, 23-years-old Crowe had picked up a blood infection that made surgery impossible. Then, with no explanation, his heart began pumping blood again. To his doctors’ astonishment, his heart had simply shaken off the infection.

It is a marvelous thing when medicine heals a physical heart. Even more amazing is when a heart heals itself as Michael’s heart did. The spiritual heart cannot heal itself. That healing must come from the Lord Jesus. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Acts 28:27 (HCSB) For the hearts of these people have grown callous, their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and be converted, and I would heal them.

The philosophy of the master martial artist, Bruce Lee, is being revealed to James Franciscus in, The Way of the Intercepting Fist, one of the episodes of the TV series, Longstreet. Bruce tells James that he should become like "water," forming to the very essence of his opponent's character and skills, so that as he ultimately faces that adversary he will be able to anticipate his fighting strategy and defeat him.

Christians must be flexible or to use Lee’s words, like “water” to effectively share the gospel.—Jim L. Wilson and Larry Floyd

"The way of the intercepting fist Longstreet - Bruce Lee / Lei Seil Loong"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjpbUaqJqyw
@ minute 6:56 within the clip; date accessed: Nov. 4th, 2012

1 Corinthians 9:22 (HCSB) “To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.”

Former college basketball coach Bobby Knight talks about the importance of preparation. “The will to succeed is important, but what’s more important is the will to prepare.”

Peter reminds us that preparation is important in evangelism as well. We need to prepare so we are ready to share the gospel when the opportunity arises. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

A new message service known as “Evergram” could be the digital universe’s equivalent of a message in a bottle. The free website offers a way for users to send video messages and set them to arrive on a specific date to coincide with weddings, graduations, or other important events. Evergram co-founder Duncan Seay says he got the idea from a motion picture in which a father with terminal cancer uses a video camera to record messages to his unborn son. Seay says technology today makes the process even easier, because all someone has to do is record a 15-second message with their smartphone camera or webcam, upload it, and select a date for it to play. The site allows users to put the message in an online album that can be available to the public or restricted. An example of such a message might be a congratulatory message for a couple to view on their wedding day. Seay says it may even be possible to send a message to people you may never met. He says, “Currently the system is based on a time trigger. Conceivably, you could set a date for your loved one to receive a message far into the future.”
—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Talking Tech: Evergram leaves video messages for the future,
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/talkingtech/2013/01/02/
evergram-digital-video-messages-for-the-future/1800325/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=206567
, Accessed January 2, 2013.

Psalm 45:17 (NKJV) I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations; Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever.

The Wycliffe organization, a leader in translating God’s Word translated into every language has announced that they have reached a milestone by bringing the number of languages that still need the Gospel down to less than two thousand. Wycliffe Bible Translators COO Russ Hersman says 1,967 languages still need to be translated, and this is the first time the number has been that low. Most of those languages are located in Central Africa, Asia, and the region known as Oceania. Hersman says the number means fewer projects need to be started than are already in progress. Political and religious roadblocks make translation work hard in some areas, but the lack of Scripture impacts other ministry areas because church planters and pastors cannot disciple new believers without the Bible.

Hersman asks for prayer for access and more opportunities to work in areas lacking God’s Word. He said God has promised “that His Word will go out and accomplish what He wants for it. But He’s also given us a stewardship to be involved in that.” He added, “We see getting the Scriptures into each language as being a key part of completing the Great Commission.”— Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Pending projects drop below 2,000 for the first time, http://www.mnnonline.org/article/17964, Accessed December 4, 2012.

Luke 24:46-47 (NASB) (46) and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, (47) and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Several pastor and Christian leaders had positive things to say about the TV miniseries, The Bible, which aired on History channel in March 2013. Expressing his views in writing, Franklin Graham said, it was fitting that the series aired during the month leading up to Easter, because it would remind people of the sacrifice Jesus made for the world. Graham said it was good to turn to the truth of Scripture and remember the gift of salvation and forgiveness that Jesus provided. He acknowledged that some story lines were interpreted differently, but wrote, “the truth is that in all things the Lord Jesus Christ is seen lifted up before the world and glorified as the King of kings.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Franklin Graham: 'The Bible' Series Will Lead Viewers to Open Scripture.’
By Stoyan Zaimov, http://www.christianpost.com/news/franklin-graham-the-bible-series-will-lead-viewers-to-open-scripture-91708, Accessed March 12, 2013.

John 3:14-15 (ESV) (14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, (15) that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

The New Life Assembly of God church adopted a new vision statement in 2003. The church decided “To make the Janesville area Christ conscious.” Ten years later, the church is building a sixty foot cross on their property to give life to the vision. The cross weighs about 25,000 pounds, and will be lit by three lights. It is anchored by enough concrete to ensure it can withstand 90 mph winds. The church says so far, they have received relatively positive feedback, although they are ready for those who may not support it. Pastor Michael Jackson said he doesn’t expect the sight of the cross to make everyone a Christian, but said that really is not the point. Jackson said, “It has certainly sparked discussion. We are glad to be part of that discussion, whether people agree or disagree.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Big cross: Janesville church determined to be seen, http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/viewart/20130511/WDH01/305110298/Big-cross-Janesville-church-determined-seen, May 11, 2013

John 12:32 (ESV) And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

Os Guinness is a noted speaker and the author or editor of more than 30 books. Born and reared in China, the son of missionaries, Guinness spent the first 10 years of his life there. In 1949 the communists who had seized power forced his parents out of China.

In an interview with World Magazine Guinness was asked if his father was able to return to China. When his dad was almost 90 he went back for a short visit. While there, he met people he had led to Christ 50 years earlier. He came back to the states so filled with joy he was ready to go.

I wonder what kind of legacy we are leaving behind as we live for Christ in the 21st Century?--Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

1 Timothy 1:2 (CEV) Timothy, because of our faith, you are like a son to me. I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind and merciful to you. May they bless you with peace!

Manuel Reija is a convenience store clerk in La Coruna, Spain. He found a lottery ticket on his counter and before throwing it away he checked the numbers. He discovered it was a $6.3 million winner. “I was standing up, but I had to sit down. I almost broke the chair, I was so flustered,” Reija told local reporters.

He turned the lost ticket into authorities. After one year the city began an advertising campaign to try to find the buyer of the ticket. Should they fail to authenticate the ticket’s actual purchaser within two years of its purchase date, the lottery authority will give Reija the $6.3 million jackpot.

How interested in finding the lost owner do you think Manuel Reija is. How motivated is Jesus in finding those who are lost? --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Those who are looking for just the right place to live should read the result of a study conducted by a British team. The study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology has mapped the United States by rating personality and temperament on a state-by-state basis. The study that involved 1.6 million people over thirteen years discovered what many Americans already suspected, Texans are friendly, New Yorkers are rude, and Californians are laid back. The team says most people settle in areas where they feel comfortable, which further entrenches the prevailing attitudes, and passes them on to future generations. The researchers used their results to develop a test to help people find the place where they would fit best.—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Which state fits your mood? The answer might surprise you, by Tim Sprinkle, http://news.yahoo.com/what-state-fits-your-mood--the-answer-might-surprise-you-231459081.html, Accessed October 22, 2013.

Mark 16:15 (NKJV) And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

American planes carpeted the Philippine islands with pamphlets announcing the end of the WWII. Hiroo Onoda read the announcement, but without an order from his commanding officer would not stand down. Instead he continued the war in the Jungle.

In 1974, nearly 30 years after the September 2, 1945 Armistice agreement, Japanese adventurer Norio Suzuki encountered Onoda in the jungle. Onoda told him, “I will not quit fighting unless there is an order that relieves me of my duty.”

In a great act of compassion, Suzuki found Onoda’s commanding officer, who went to the island and gave him the order to lay down his arms. His country welcomed him home a hero.—Jim L. Wilson and Elijah Tafoa

- http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/01/17/263350879/japanese-soldier-who-fought-on-for-29-years-after-wwii-dies

Telling others good news, sometimes, takes great effort, but it is always the right thing to do.

John 4:39 (NIV) Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did."

A study by Lifeway Research suggests that Christians are not sharing their faith but are feeling a responsibility to do so. The survey focused on Canadians, and found that 43% of those surveyed felt a responsibility to tell non-Christians about Jesus, but 78% had not shared how to become a Christian in the previous six months. Lifeway research described the survey as part of discipleship research project focusing on spiritual maturity designed to measure eight biblical attributes that should be found in “spiritually mature” people, including selflessness, obedience, and biblical engagement. Among the interesting things the survey uncovered is when people are most active in sharing their faith. A lot of people have heard that new believers actively tell other about Jesus, but the survey found the opposite to be true. People who had been a Christian longer usually shared their faith more often than newer believers. Ed Stetzer, president of Lifeway Research, offer some advice in light of the findings. He said, “If you are going to intentional about sharing your faith, praying for others is a great way to start. We often acknowledge the importance of prayer in people coming to faith in Christ, but we also found it has an impact on the person praying.” —Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Most Christians not sharing the Gospel, by Michael Trimmer, http://www.christiantoday.com/article/most.christians.not.sharing.the.gospel/35280.htmPublished January 7, 2014.

Mark 16:15 (ESV) And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

Scientists believe there are as many as 70 isolated tribes in the Brazilian Amazon that have had only limited contact with the outside world, mainly through rubber harvesters and mahogany loggers. It is rare for an uncontacted people to emerge from the jungle, but scientists say they were ready when an unknown tribe made their first contact with the outside world in June 2014. The event was the first official contact with an isolated tribe in 18 years, but was not totally unexpected. For about a month fearful villagers in the area contacted authorities about a group of about 35 strangers that were raiding their crops and trying to steal tools. Authorities had experts in the area just in case the tribe decided to make contact. They believe the tribe fled from loggers illegally working on protected lands in Peru about 186 miles away. Now that the tribe has made contact, scientists hope to protect them from contracting dangerous diseases like the flu and whooping cough because they have no immunity.--Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Isolated Amazon tribe makes contact with scientists, By Lori Cuthbert, http://www.foxnews.com/science/2014/07/09/isolated-amazon-tribe-makes-contact-with-scientists/?cmpid=NL_SciTech, Accessed July 9, 2014.

Matthew 24:14 (HCSB) This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations. And then the end will come.

Microsoft Corporation has announced plans to offer real-time translation from one language to another via computer and this new technology could potentially make it possible for every person on earth to hear the Gospel in their own language one day. The company introduced the concept a few years ago, and now they are ready to take it to next level by adding the software to the popular Skype program. At first, only a handful of languages will be available, though Microsoft hopes to add more languages quickly. The original concept, demonstrated by Microsoft Vice President Gurdeep Singh Pall, when he used a computer to translate a speech from English into Chinese. Admitting that it is often difficult to turn innovations into commercial success, Singh Pall observed, “Every piece of technology was there, but it’s never been put together.” He said the goal is to get the technology out there with the languages it can do well and go from there. He added, “There’s a lot of ‘moonshot’ going on in our world. You’ve got to make it land.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Microsoft’s Skype “Star Trek” Language Translator Takes on Tower of Babel, By Ina Fried, http://recode.net/2014/05/27/microsofts-skype-star-trek-language-translator-takes-on-tower-of-babel, Accessed May 27, 2014.

Matthew 24:14 (HCSB) This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations. And then the end will come.

The odd story of a loss at sea 17 years ago provides insight into how long the impact of an event can last, and how widely it can spread. In 1997, a shipping container carrying 4.8 Lego pieces fell into the sea about 20 miles from the British coast. Ironically, many of the pieces were nautically themed, and they continue to wash up on the shores of Devon, Ireland and Wales. One local woman has created a Facebook page that documents where pieces have washed up and where people are finding them. She says her page has provided a lot of insight about the movement of ocean currents as well because some pieces could have drifted 62,000 miles by now which means they could show up on beaches virtually anywhere. There are unconfirmed reports that some of the pieces may have traveled all the way to Australia. Oceanographers say they think the spill is fascinating to study, but they are concerned because there may still be millions of tiny plastic pieces floating around the world’s oceans. They say theoretically, some of the pieces could keep circling in the ocean for centuries.—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

--An Epic Lego Shipwreck Has Been Washing Thousands of Lego Onto Beaches,http://www.huffingtonpost.com/roadtrippers/an-epic-lego-shipwreck-ha_b_5606742.
html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news&ir=Weird+News, Accessed, July 21, 2014.

Isaiah 11:9 (NASB) They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.

Thomas Artiaga was passing a home in Fresno, California when he saw a house engulfed in flames. He ran into the house, threw 73-year-old Robert Wells over his shoulder and carried him to safety. Wells says he is lucky to be alive and is thankful for the man who saved him.

Every day we run into people who are lost without Christ. The danger they are in resembles the danger Wells was in, just not as pressing. We need to make every effort to give them the message of Jesus that will save them. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Amazon is always searching for better and faster ways to deliver products to customers. Never satisfied with the status quo, Amazon has tried several alternatives to UPS and FedEx. The company has asked the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to deliver packages via aerial drones. Now in San Francisco and Los Angeles, they are using cab drivers for delivery.

Believers could learn from the Amazon’s dedication. We need to continually be looking for new and different way to make the greatest delivery of all. Like Paul, we should have no bounds on preaching the gospel. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NKJV) “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; (20) and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; (21) to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; (22) to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. (23) Now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.”

Neville Morrison discovered his house was on fire. Fortunately he lived only four houses from the fire station. He sprinted to get help. The firefighter that met him at the door told him to call 911. “I don’t have a phone, but you can see the blaze coming out of my roof!” Morrison replied. The firefighter shut the door in his face. By the time firefighters did respond, the home was a total loss.

We need to take care that we don’t become as complacent as these firefighters in our proclamation of the Gospel. Whatever reasons the fire fighters think they are there for, the primary function is helping citizens put out fires.

Paul understood that his purpose was the gospel. That is the church’s purpose as well. We must not get sidetracked. --Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/plantation/fl-plantation-fire-house-20141121-story.html

1 Corinthians 1:17 (HCSB) “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to evangelize—not with clever words, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied ?of its effect?.”

Five years after the earthquake in Haiti, leaders in the country say the event has become a catalyst for spiritual development. Churches that started meeting in the open air after the quake are still growing and changing lives, and new orphanages have been built to meet the needs of the people. A renewed interest in the welfare of others has created a new infrastructure with ambulances, garbage trucks, road work and new construction are visible everywhere. Craig Colbert, a strategist for a missional support group said he remembers the look on the faces of workers when he arrived just after the quake. People were sad and hopeless. Since then things have changed, Culbreth said, “I saw the sparkle in their eyes return. Now I see a passion to share the Gospel of Jesus like people on a mission.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

5 years later, Haitian pastors say quake opened doors, By Barbara Denman,
http://www.bpnews.net/44045/5-years-later-haitian-pastors-say-quake-opened-doors, Accessed January 15, 2015.

Colossians 4:3 (HCSB) “At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the message, to speak the mystery of the Messiah, for which I am in prison,”

Reverend Wena Parry a minister in Great Britain says she was told that stickers saying “Christ Must be Saviour” and “Christ For me” could be regarded as modifications and might void her insurance policy. Parry though she was being treated unfairly and was concerned that someone in the company had something against Christianity. Parry said she placed the stickers on the hood and side of her car to tell people about Jesus and estimates that at least a million people have seen them. The company denies the threat had anything to do with the Christian nature of the graphics, but admitted that they will review the wording on their applications to ensure customers understand which sort of modifications are allowable on their cars.—Jim L. Wilson & Jim Sandell

Insurance row over vicar's Jesus Christ car stickers,
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-31064998, Accessed February 1, 2015.

Deuteronomy 32:3 (TLB) I will proclaim the greatness of the Lord. How glorious he is!

What is the impact of our lives and our churches on our communities? Are we fulfilling our mission to reach the world with the message of the Gospel? Or are we just marking time and creating wonderful, peaceful communities of believers who are not impacting the world?

The Barna Group has released a 2015 study on the state of atheism in America, and revealed that one in four unchurched adults in the country now call themselves atheists or agnostics. Barna found that the three main reasons people decide not to believe in God stem from rejection of the Bible; lack of trust in the local church; and the "cultural reinforcement of a secular worldview." "Skeptics dismiss the idea that the Bible is Holy or supernatural in any way. Two-thirds contend that it is simply a book of well-known stories and advice, written by humans and containing the same degree of authority and wisdom as any other self-help book," the report said. It added that the other one-third believe that the Bible is either a historical document that contains "the unique but not God-inspired accounts of events that happened in the past," or do not really know what to make of the Bible.

So, the question becomes for us, “How do we reach those alienated from the Church?”
I believe we can address all of Barna’s three main reasons for unbelief.

Second, we must bolster the local church, by truly living as authentic disciples. No more hypocrites.

And third, we must become Cultural Thermostats, influencing the culture, rather than being just
mere Cultural Thermometers, reflecting what is going on around us. --Jim L. Wilson & Ron Wood

http://www.christianpost.com/news/barnas-2015-state-of-atheism-report-finds-one-in-four-americans-dont-believe-god-exists-136327/

Romans 12:1-2 (HCSB) Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. (2) Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Penn Jillette of the magician duo of Penn and Teller is an atheist with a word to believers. “I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize, I don’t respect that at all. How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? I mean if I believed, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe that truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you. . . . “

Do we really believe that men and women without Christ are destined for an eternity apart from God in Hell? Then we must be driven to share Christ with them.
-- Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Romans 1:16-17 (HCSB) (16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. (17) For in it God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.

The American Bible Society has released their fifth annual State of the Bible report, which contains several assumptions that Americans have about the Bible. Among other things, it shows that a majority (72%) of Americans were not aware that many languages still do not have a Bible translation. Linguists estimate there are more 6,900 languages and more than half of them do not have a completed Bible translation. So, while Americans have easy access to God’s Word, many missed the need for ongoing Bible translation so others can have the Gospel in their first language.— Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

State of the Bible, http://www.americanbible.org/features/state-of-the-bible-2015, Accessed May 27, 2015.

Matthew 24:14 (HCSB) (14) This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations. And then the end will come.

There is an interesting debate occurring in France. The French government owns all church building built before 1905. There are thousands of government-owned church buildings that are standing empty and unused. “Only 6 percent of French people attend Mass every Sunday, and rural churches are ‘falling into ruin.’”

One option for these unused churches is to convert them to mosques. While unused churches dot the countryside there is a shortage of mosques. The same fate could be in store for thousands of church buildings here at home. We can never forget, the church is only one generation from disappearing. God has no grandchildren. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

2 Corinthians 5:20 (NASB) “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

As Intervarsity Christian Fellowship students head back to school on more than 100 campuses, they are asking fellow students about their bucket list to delve into other’s deeper motivations. When the topic turns to conversations about spiritual topics, interested students can be invited to learn more about purpose and meaning in life through small group Bible studies. A study released a decade ago found that 75 per cent of college students said they were looking for meaning and purpose in life, and they expected their college experience to help them in that search. Intervarsity’s interim president Jim Lundgren said, “College students are the leaders of tomorrow. We hope that they will lead with the skills they gain in college, but also with a purpose that comes from discovering Christian values that aren’t always taught on campus.” —Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

What’s on your bucket list?, By Lindsay Steele,
https://www.mnnonline.org/news/whats-on-your-bucket-list/InterVarsity speaks with students about their ‘bucket list,” Accessed September 9, 2015.

1 Peter 1:24-25 (HCSB) For All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, (25) but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was preached as the gospel to you.

Evangelism

When Journey Baptist Church sold their building, they had plans to build in a new location that was in a better location and gave them room to grow. They purchased a new site, but found that building a new structure cost too much, so they decided to continue meeting in temporary facilities. Then, the church heard about a mission board’s decision to reduce the numbers of staff and missionaries on the field because of decreasing funds. The church prayed about how they could help and the Lord opened the doors for them. A local man who wanted to start a new ministry in the area contacted them about purchasing the new location, and another church offered them a place to meet that would meet their needs for as long as they needed it. The church then voted to give all of their reserve funding to the mission board. The pastor Kyle Ray said the more they prayed about it, the more convinced they were that the church did not need to spend money on a new building. The church gave $29,000 to the mission board and Kyle says they have also increased the percentage of giving every month. He said their prayer focus was based on three things. “(1) If we truly seek first God’s kingdom, not our own, then He will take care of these other things. (2) Are we going to believe it is better to give than receive? (3) Will we love our neighbors more than ourselves?”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Missions-focused church donates reserve funds to IMB, By Jane Rodgers, http://bpnews.net/bpnews?id=45967, Accessed December 07, 2015.

1 Corinthians 9:23 (HCSB)“Now I do all this because of the gospel, so I may become a partner in its benefits.”

Evangelism

Jesus told His disciples to take the Gospel to the entire world. Two thousand years later, the world is connected like never before, but hundreds of millions of people still do not have access to the Gospel in their heart language. Louann Hunt, who works with a ministry called Faith Comes By Hearing says emerging technology could offer a solution. She says technology such as the Internet, Smart Phones, and Social Media are reaching more and more people each day, and they are being harnessed to get God’s Word to them. Hunt said using these and other emerging technologies may make it possible to fulfill Jesus’ command in our lifetime. She says the time to take advantage of the technologies is now and, “Jesus is telling us to take the gospel everywhere, including into every system.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

https://vitalmagazine.com/pulse/harnessing-technology-to-spread-the-gospel, Accessed January 25, 2016.

Matthew 28:19–20 (HCSB) Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Evangelism

When her son Cole was in the hospital with cancer, Mary Esther Elam needed a way to pass the time. Some friends urged her to journal, so she bought a journaling Bible. As she studied and prayed each day, Elam drew illustrations along with her notes on the page. She began sharing them on social media and they became an instant hit. Elam has created over 100 illustrations reflecting Bible stories, Scripture passages, and significant verses. She enjoys drawing and says, so far, her journaling has been shared more than 32,000 times. Elam says, “It’s hard not to look at it as the Lord providing a platform for His Word to be shared.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

MS woman's Bible illustrations go viral, By Kathryn Miller, http://www.wdam.com/story/31093389/ms-womans-journaling-bible-illustrations-goes-viral, Accessed February 1, 2016.

Isaiah 55:10–11 (HCSB)For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, ¹¹ so My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.”

Evangelism

Leaders attending the GC2 Summit at a Chicago church urged believers to reach out to those in need such as Syrian refugees. They said that despite anxieties over differences of religion, reaching out to people is an opportunity to preach the Gospel. The GC2 Conferences stands for both the Great Commission and the Great Commandment which require Christian to love God and their neighbors, and to evangelize. The aim of the summit was to spark new outreach to meet the physical and spiritual need to refuges. The 5-year-old civil war has sent millions of refugees into neighboring countries and Europe. The United Nations estimates there are as many as 59 million refugees worldwide, which is all-time high. Jenny Yang of World Relief summed up the call when she said, “The real enemy is fear. God is allowing us to encounter people different than us.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

http://gazette.com/evangelical-leaders-see-syrian-refugees-as-opportunity/article/1568292, Accessed January 21, 2016.

Evangelism

In “Being the Salt and Light to the World,” Pete Cuison writes, “With Christ in our hearts and the power of the Holy Spirit, we are the salt and light of the world. When we do so, people will see our good works and praise God in heaven. The salt doesn’t do any good in the shaker, and neither does light help to light a path if it is never turned on. To live out Jesus’ teaching of being salt and light, we must live our faith before others and be willing to speak about our faith with friends, neighbors, and co-workers.”

Matthew 5:13–16 (HCSB) “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men. ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

For more information on Living the Sermon on the Mount, go to: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1523787473/fm082-20

The country of Sweden wants you to call one of its citizens if you have any interest in or questions about their beautiful country. Sweden has its own phone number that connects the caller to a random Swede—who could be anyone living anywhere around the country.

"We are making Sweden the first country in the world with its own phone number and giving our fellow Swedes the opportunity to answer the calls, express themselves, and share their views, whatever they might be," say Swedish officials. They suggest topics like the northern lights, darkness, meatballs and suicide rates.

What if we set up a “Call a random Christian” service? We would publish a number that would randomly forward to a volunteers ready and available to talk to callers about the church, the gospel, Jesus, etc. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/07/call-a-random-swede---we-tested-the-swedish-tourist-boards-quirk/

2 Timothy 4:2 (HCSB)“Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching.”

Michel Flamant, a French baker, and Isaac Wenrich, a youth league baseball coach have something in common. Both of them had their lives saved in the same week by non-professional and unlikely people. Flamant had collapsed on the floor of his bakery when the room filled with carbon monoxide gas from a faulty oven. Jerome Aucant, a homeless man that Flamant had befriended happened into the bakery, found the baker unconscious on the floor, and rescued him.

Isaac Wenrich, 26, was coaching his 13-year-old baseball players in Chandler, Arizona when he suffered a massive heart attack. One of the eighth-grade boys, Nathan Boyer, remembered his Boy Scout training and sprang into action. He called 911 then rolled the coach over and began pumping Wenrich’s chest.

Both the baker and the coach are fine, and now owe their lives to others. One who had been trained in CPR at an age most would think of as too young, the other a homeless man who had been befriended. God’s word never is wasted, it will never return void. –--Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Isaiah 55:11 (HCSB)“so My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.”

More than one billion people around the world are “gamers.” That means video games are a major part of their life. 24-yer-old Matt Souza has been playing video games since he was a toddler, and has used his love for gaming to reach other people for Jesus. Matt heads up “God Squad Church on twitch.tv and is known as Pastor Souzy. He says at first, he was concerned about what people would think of him. After realizing that as a child of God, God loved him just the way he was, the door opened for ministry opened. God Squad Church holds weekly services on the website and 178 people have become believers in the last year. Souza says, “It’s one of the most rewarding things when I’m online just playing and people are interacting with me. And someone will come back in the chat you know, ’Pastor Souzy, I got baptized today at my local church.’” —Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

1 Corinthians 9:22 (HCSB) “To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.”

Triphn and his wife MyDung did not know much about Christianity when they moved to Oklahoma so that Tri could begin Ph.D. studies in 2004. One of the first things they received was a postcard from a local church inviting them to open house for their new children’s building. They decide to attend and see if the church had any programs that would help them learn English. The people were friendly, so they decided to come back the following Sunday. Two months later, MyDung enrolled in an English-language class. She started learning English and making friends. A year or so later, Tri accepted Christ, and though it took a little longer MyDung eventually did too. After graduating, Tri and his family moved to Houston, where they now serve a Vietnamese church. Tri said, “We are serving and spreading the Good News to the Vietnamese American community in southwest Houston. Looking back now, I realize the way God brought me and family to Him is truly amazing.” —Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Postcard placed Vietnamese couple on path to faith, By Luana Ehrlich, http://www.bpnews.net/47204/postcard-placed-vietnamese-couple-on-path-to-faith, Accessed July 11, 2016.

John 6:44 (HCSB) “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Victorville First Assembly of God works hard to meet the needs in their community. The area around Victorville, California went through a period of rapid growth in 2000. The economic crash eight years later decimated the area, and today unemployment remains high and the area is experiencing rampant crime, drug addiction, and gang activity. The church provides food at three sites in the area each week to help break the cycle of poverty and misery in the area. Three-dozen volunteers keep the operation running as they pray with people in line, and then invite them to Bible studies, events, or ministries. Each week, they feed and care for 700 families. John Marin, lead pastor of the church said that despite the problems in the area, there is a positive side. He said, “Amid the darkness, and there is darkness on the High Desert, the light shines brightly. The Lord has given us the ability to touch people, one life at a time.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Feed My Sheep, By Deann Alford, http://penews.org/news/feed-my-sheep, Accessed June 8, 2016.

Proverbs 14:21 (HCSB) “The one who despises his neighbor sins, but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.”

Candace Payne had been praying for ways to share her faith with people outside her local church. She could never have imagined the way God would answer her prayers. In May 2016, she shared a purchase she made with her Facebook friends by posting a video of herself wearing a mask of the Star Wars character Chewbacca. While recording the video, Payne got tickled, and began to laugh. Her laughter drew in her friends who shared the video with their friends, quickly growing into a Facebook trend with 20 million views. Payne’s success opened doors for her to speak on television and at a Texas youth gathering. In those settings, she urged others to be diligent, patient, and obedient to Christ. Payne said, “[God is} opening doors of influence and possibilities to be able to reach people upon people that have never heard the name of Jesus!”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

"Chewbacca Laughter" Brings an Unexpected Platform, By DanVan Veen,http://penews.org/features/chewbacca-laughter-brings-an-unexpected-platform, Accessed May 26, 2016.

Galatians 5:13 (HCSB) “For you were called to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.”

In 1998, Officer Peter Getz had just arrived at a burning apartment building in Hartford, Connecticut, when a firefighter handed him an unresponsive 5-year-old. He realized he had no time to wait for an ambulance. Getz administered CPR as a recruit drove them to the hospital. By the time they arrived, the little girl was breathing again.

Josi Aponte was the little girl. She just received her diploma from Eastern Connecticut State University. Officer Getz, now retired, was there to observe as an invited guest. The invitation from the little girl whose life he had saved humbled him as he expressed how well he thought she had done.

The same feeling is ours when we meet others who we have been able to lead to the Lord when we discover that they have continued to follow in the truth. –--Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

3 John 4 (HCSB) “I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

The Russian legislature recently passed a bill that will prohibit people from sharing their faith, even inside their own homes. Only with a permit could people evangelize at religious sites like churches. It will be illegal anywhere else, even online.

While this may sound serious, I wonder how many of us a similar law would really affect. Statistics show that most of us do not do much evangelism anyway. We do not need a law to stop us. How would such a law have affected you this week? –--Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Matthew 10:27 (HCSB)“What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper, proclaim on the housetops.”

EVANGELISM

Three California men were fishing when they found a whale entangled in crab pot lines. The animal was in distress and was bleeding heavily. At any time the massive whale could have capsized their little boat, but they came along side and began cutting the ropes. Deck boss, Ken Garliepp says “It was like he knew we were trying to help him,” as the whale rolled over, seemingly showing them where the lines were snagged. Today, in California, these three are being hailed as heroes. Heroes will go to extreme measures to rescue those in need.–Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Luke 14:23 (HCSB)“Then the master told the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and lanes and make them come in, so that my house may be filled.”

Brian “Head” Welch was one of the founding members of the heavy metal band Korn and one of the least likely people one would expect to show up in church on a Sunday morning. But several years ago, that is exactly what happened. In a recent video he talks about his previous life consumed by sex, drugs, and alcohol. At the invitation of a friend, he visited a church, and realized that Christ offered everything that he was pursuing but couldn’t find with his party lifestyle. “I tried everything to try to get pleasure out of this life, and I thought I could fulfill my life with all of this stuff… but it didn’t fulfill it. When Christ came in, He gives you the gift of understanding this life… and it’s the most incredible feeling, because you’re where you belong,” said Welch.

Many times we have our own idea of who makes a “good candidate” for the Gospel. The truth is that God does not look at the external, and at the things that we consider when judging the suitability of a person for being used by God. God can take the least likely person, the one most unlike the “Christian ideal” and completely turn their lives around. Have the courage to respond to the prompting of the Holy Spirit when He asks you to invite that person you think would be least likely to accept the invitation. —Jim L. Wilson & Eric Mann

- “Brian Welch – White Chair Film – I am Second” http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/brian-welch/

Acts 9:10–16 (HCSB)There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Here I am, Lord!” he said. ¹¹ “Get up and go to the street called Straight,” the Lord said to him, “to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. ¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so he can regain his sight.” ¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go! For this man is My chosen instrument to take My name to Gentiles, kings, and the Israelites. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for My name!”

Each spring, about 400 people arrive for spring training at the Texas Rangers facility in Surprise, Arizona. They include players, wives, coaches, and office staff. When the team arrives, Pastor Jason Griffin begins his role as Team Chaplain for spring training. Griffin also pastors a church in the area, and offers prayer and devotions for Ranger staff each morning at 6:30. In 2016, Easter fell in the middle of spring training. So the team leadership decided to shut down baseball operations to allow players and staff to attend a 45 minute chapel service. Several team members said they put their trust in Jesus during that service. –Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

HEAR How The Texas Rangers Spring Training Was A Spiritual Success,

2 Timothy 4:2 (HCSB)“Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching.”

On June 11, 2107, Clarence Williams died at church after suffering a massive heart attack. One minute he was listening to a sermon about Jesus. The next he was in the presence of Jesus. That in itself is a remarkable thought, but there’s more. A few minutes later, he returned to life.

Members of the church who are medical professionals said he had no pulse for 8 to 10 minutes and had turned gray and cold, before returning to life. In less than two weeks, he was back at church with a healthy heart.

Williams said he suddenly saw the Lord coming down an old, dusty road toward him. He said Jesus didn’t speak to him at first, but he knew in his Spirit who it was. Williams said his encounter has taken away his hesitancy to witness, and now he wants to tell everyone he sees about Jesus. He added, “He (Jesus) told me, ‘There’s much work to be done. The time is short. I will return.’”—Jim L. Wilson & Jim Sandell

2 Peter 1:16 (CSB) “For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”

On July 5, 2017 a surprising trend appeared on Twitter. That day, many people began using the phrase “I, the Lord” in their feeds. Twitter reported that the phrase was used 15,700 times on the day the trend started. Many of the references were from the book of Jeremiah, with others found in Exodus 20:5, Isaiah 41:13, and Isaiah 60:22. Supporters say it was good to see users giving glory to God their social media because it was a positive witness for the Gospel and exposed users to God’s Word in a unique way. The new trend also caused many to wonder if other Bible-centered trends might follow in the future. —Jim L. Wilson & Jim Sandell

Acts 5:32 (CSB) “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Roberta Ursrey was paddling in the waters off Panama City Beach, Florida when she heard her sons screaming. Realizing they were caught in a riptide and being pulled out to sea she paddled out to help them, only to find her and other family members trapped as well. The people on the beach formed a 100-yard human chain that reached the family and pulled them to safety. “I honestly thought I was going to lose my family that day,” says Ursrey. “These people were God’s angels.”

The church with the gospel on its heart will find a way to band together to reach those who are perishing apart from Christ. —Jim L. Wilson & Rodger Russell

Matthew 28:19–20 (CSB) “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Rjukan, Norway, is a small town nestled deep in a valley around 100 miles west of Oslo. From September through March the sun doesn’t reach the town because of surrounding hills and the low angle of the sun in the northern sky. The town decided to do something about it and installed three mirrors on an overlooking ridge. The mirrors reflect beams of sunlight down into the town’s center. Town mayor, Steinar Bergsland says “it is really special to stand in the light down on the square.”

This is a perfect picture of the gospel, shining the light of God into a dark world. That is our commission as Christ followers. “Send the light, the blessed Gospel light.”

In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.

Gareth Clark is an army veteran who lives in northern England. Over the last two years he has saved the lives of four people. At a gas station, he resuscitated a heart attack victim. He stopped a suicidal woman from jumping from an overpass. He has saved two drowning people from the same spot at a local river. Clark says he is happy to be of service. “I just don’t think you should look the other way when someone needs help.”

Gareth seems to always be in the right place at the right time. You and I have people in danger all around us. How many of them do we reach out to with the life-saving message of the gospel of Jesus Christ? —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf: “Be reconciled to God.”

Eight year old Steffan Williams was kayaking in the sea near a treacherous stretch of coastline when he spotted an elderly woman and two teens trapped on a rock. In a spot where the tide can trap unknowing tourists he took his rubber dinghy and towed them to shore. The next day he noticed two more teens stranded on the very same rock. He notified the local life guard team. In those two days Steffan was responsible for saving five people from the sea. Steffan said, “I want to be a lifeboat person when I get the chance.”

As a Christian that ought to be our desire. Every time we get the chance we want to be a life saver. We want to share the glorious life changing gospel of Jesus Christ with those who are in danger of life without Christ. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Then he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

Claudia Ackley lives in Crestline, California. She has sued the state of California to compel it to admit the existence of Bigfoot. She says she has encountered three Sasquatches while hiking in the local forest. In her lawsuit she argues that the state Department of Fish and Wildlife had a duty to acknowledge the existence of Bigfoot. A judge has granted her an initial hearing date.

Christians know that you cannot force others to believe. When we share Jesus Christ with others, many think we are talking about a mythical character like Bigfoot. But we know that apart from a court of law, the court of heaven will help convince a doubter of the existence of an exalted Savior. We share the gospel, not a lawsuit. –Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake.

Ryan Schneider did not compete in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, but as a chaplain, he had the opportunity to chat and mingle with many who did. Schneider knows a lot of the American winter Olympians because he serves a church in Lake Placid, New York, where many Olympians train. Schneider met many athletes he knew at the games and said he understands the challenges they face and their unique needs. To respond to those needs, he helped with daily worship services and taught a Bible study over the course of the competition. Schneider said ministering to athletes requires getting into a performance mindset because that’s how athletes are wired. He said he teaches the message of Jesus, which is the opposite because no one can follow Him or get to heaven on their own. The only way to live a Christ-centered life is rely on the teachings of Jesus.—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching.

Craig Groeschel, pastor of LifeChurch.tv says that “To reach people no one else is reaching, we have to do things no one else is doing.” —Jim L. Wilson and Doug Hixson

Johnny Morgan is a self described “country boy,” and he and his dogs have helped thousands find new life in Jesus. Morgan has always had a passion for hunting dogs and competed with his dogs chasing ribbons and trophies. He never thought he would have an opportunity to minister until someone at a competition read a Bible verse that challenged him. Morgan now travels to churches and community events sharing lessons from the Bible through his dogs. He said Luke 10:27 was the verse that changed his direction. Morgan added, “It says, ’Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.’ You know, that’s the way these dogs are with us. I can make my dogs run a couple hundred yards to pick up something they didn’t even see fall because they trust me. And that’s the way it should be with God. We should have completely sold out trust with God.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.

Susi Huelsmeyer-Sinay made headlines when she saved a resident of Yellowstone National Park—a wandering llama. The llama, normally used for guided tours, escaped after a guide loosened its halter. Speaking of the llama, the guide said, “Ike slipped out of the halter completely…because he’s sneaky, and he knows he can.” Previously the llama had evaded several capture attempts and was very much lost to the park rangers. Huelsmeyer-Sinay, with the blessing of the park, brought three of her own llamas to entice Ike to return with her. After finding Ike, his rescuer arranged to keep him. —Jim L. Wilson and Benjamin Fox

https://abcnews.go.com/Weird/wireStory/montana-woman-rescues-wandering-llama-yellowstone-park-58934293

Micah Wilder was a young man from a very devoted Mormon family. His family had deep ties with the Mormon Church as his father held position in the Temple and his mom taught at BYU.

Wilder was fully devoted to his faith and was excited to go on his mission to Orlando, FL. While on mission, Wilder encountered a Baptist minister in hopes of converting the minister to Mormonism. The Baptist minister took the time to talk through the scripture with Wilder and left him with a challenge to simply read scripture and ask God to reveal truth to him. Through that study, Wilder found faith in Jesus Christ, which left him with a choice when it was time to go home. He could turn away from his faith, or face being shunned by his family and his fiancé.

Wilder chose Jesus. Due in large part to the depth of faith that Micah displayed and the knowledge he gained searching for the truth, Micah was used by God to lead his fiancé and entire family to faith in Jesus Christ. —Jim L. Wilson and Brian Hicks

Luke 14:25–27 (CSB)“Now great crowds were traveling with him. So he turned and said to them: ^‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.’”

The Chosen, a new streaming series about the life of Jesus used a unique marketing approach by releasing a concept pilot on social media to gauge public interest and asking for viewers to help fund it. 15,000 people responded. The Director, Dallas Jenkins expects the story of Jesus to be binge-watched as much as other popular steaming series. Jenkins added, “We can dig deeper into the people who encountered Jesus, we can see their ‘before,’ and if the audience can see Jesus through the eyes of those who met him, perhaps they can be changed the same way.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Ephesians 6:19 (CSB)“Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.”

In Season 9, episode 16 of Seinfeld, Elaine’s boyfriend David Puddy is a “Christian” and Elaine is an atheist. Throughout the episode, Elaine is frustrated with David, because of his apathy towards her spending an eternity in hell. In the final scene. David tells Elaine to steal the neighbor’s paper. Elaine refuses and tells David to get it himself.

Elaine: “David I am going to hell, the worst place in the world! With those devils, and those caves, and the ragged clothing, and the heat, my God the heat! What do you think about that?!”

Elaine begins to hit and push David, yelling: “This is why you should save me?!”

Elaine: “I am not going to hell! And if you think that I am going to hell, you should care that I am going to hell! Which I’m not!”

Elaine is right about David. If David cared about Elaine, he would help her understand the hope of the gospel. We can be like David. We care more about speaking the truth and not the person. The words we say and how we say them matter to others. Paul encourages us to speak the truth in love. —Jim L. Wilson and Steven Cabrillos

Ephesians 4:14–15 (CSB) “Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. ¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.”

In June 2018, the Barna Group released results from a study that included Evangelistic practices on Social Media. They found that “three in 10 (28%) share their faith via social media, and almost six in 10 (58%) non-Christians say someone has shared their faith with them through Facebook.” —Jim L. Wilson

Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Steve Montelongo was on his way home with his granddaughter when she spotted a car sinking into a canal in Modesto, Calif. As the girl alerted Montelongo, the 80-year-old quickly sprang into action and pulled the driver out of the car to safety. This is not the first time Montelongo has saved a life. Nearly 20 years ago, he rescued two of his elderly neighbors from their burning house. “I don’t consider myself a hero,” Montelongo said. “I was just a fella that got put in the right place at the right time.”

In every country, on every day, someone is in the right place at the right time to lead someone to Christ. We need to be alert to those opportunities. What a shame if we were in the place to give a dying sinner eternal life and we passed it up for any reason at all. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.

Ark Encounter is a life-size replica of Noah’s Ark in Williamstown, Kentucky, which saw crowds quickly return to pre-pandemic levels as restrictions lifted. Ken Ham, CEO of Answers in Genesis, which oversees the exhibit said he believes there is a hunger for biblical truth and Ark Encounter opens the door of understanding. Ham said they are planning to add an attraction dealing with the “Tower of Babel,” which will deal with the account of Adam and Eve and the sons of Noah, who gave rise to all the different people groups on the planet. Ham believes this new exhibit will help people deal with issues of racism and prejudice through a biblical understanding of genetics and skin color. He added,” We shouldn’t look on peoples’ outsides to judge them. We should be like God, who says it’s the inside that matters.” –Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

https://www.klove.com/news/faith/ark-encounter-adds-tower-of-babel-biblical-evidence-we-re-all-one-biological-race-podcast-24068

These are the clans of Noah’s sons, according to their family records, in their nations. The nations on earth spread out from these after the flood.

The seller of “Le Tricorne,” a signed Pablo Picasso painting, that recently sold at auction for $150,000.00 gave the following providence for the painting:

“This painting was discovered in a house owned by my great aunt which was passed down to her from her uncle in the late 1930s. There were several paintings kept in a closet for 50 years (including this example) which were left by her at the time of the passing of the house to my father and now to me.”

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.