World Evangelism

Taj Foot

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DRL Note: As I was unpacking some boxes from my recent move, I came across a photo and some notes of my trip to India in 1986. I thought I might share some of that here…

I have made two trips to preach the gospel in the great nation of India (1986, 1994). These trips were made at the invitation of my friend and fellow Brown Trail alum, Royce Frederick.

On my very first internatioinal trip, the port of entry was CALCUTTA. How’s that for getting introduced to the vast differences between Bernie, Missouri (where I lived at the time) and the intensely populated nation of India? On that first trip I was able to look up and work with two native Indian preachers who had been receiving financial support from the Bernie church (where I preached) for quite some time. It was a wonderful experience!

Among many other places, Royce and I were also blessed to be able to visit and teach in the capital city of Delhi. We were graciously allowed to use the facilities at E-10-B (I forget the street), where J.C. & Betty Choate reside when they are in India. I am saddened at the recent death of brother J.C. We made contact with some of the subscribers to Royce’s paper, International Gospel Teacher. We invited them to meet with us for assemblies to study the Bible together.

While in Delhi, it being so close to one of the great wonders of the world, I took a day off (20 February 1986) to visit the Taj Mahal. Royce had already seen the Taj Mahal, having visited India many times before, so I went alone. I booked a bus tour. The trip to Agra took about four hours. We crossed two state borders. I had a very comfortable front seat all to myself. We stopped at Secundera, then spent about an hour at the beautiful Taj Mahal. We ate a very nice buffet luncheon at the Taj Restaurant nearby. Of course, we were taken to a government-run marble works factory and store to spend some rupees. It was on this tour that I also saw the Red Fort–A stunning sight!

As we returned to Delhi, about halfway back, we stopped for tea. It was about dusk when we stopped, and as I was leaving to get back to the bus, I missed a step in the darkness and severely injured my left ankle. The photo above was taken the next day.

What a blessing it was, though, to work with brother Royce Frederick and other brethren and to spend a total of 14 weeks in two trips to beautiful India. The people of India are wonderful and it really is a gospel preacher’s dream. They will listen attentively and keep you preaching from sunrise to sunset.

Hot Off the Press

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SOURCE: Truth for the World Update, November 2007
Visit the Truth for the World Website: http://tftw.org/

HOT Off the Press

by William S. Howard

The term “hot off the press” is peculiar since the print room is rather cool and the press is certainly inky, but never hot. “Wet off the press” would be more accurate. The term, “hot off the press,” of course, means some news or some thing which has been anticipated or desired and is now finished and ready to be distributed. The Gospel is the good news that always stays news. It is the news that always keeps the presses rolling. It always needs to be “hot off the press” and ready for the next soul. There is always another soul who needs to be told of God’s grace, His mercy, and His salvation. There is always another town, village, or country that needs the Word of God. There is always a generation that needs to be taught and a generation of Christians who must teach.Through the years Truth for the World has produced tons upon tons of printed materials (over 5 tons last year in tracts alone) which are shipped for the purpose of evangelism around the world. All are free of charge. the Gospel, the news that remains news, brings salvation. It goes hot off the press to a world in sin. The print work at Truth for the World is a continuation of what was accomplished by Gutenberg in Germany (Fifteenth Century), by the early Christians in the first century and by the scribes before them. They all took the Word of God (and lessons from the word of God) and copied it. They passed it to those in their generation and for all generations that followed. This helped to teach the lost and build up Christians. The same job is being done today on a larger scale to an enormous world population.

The printed word is of great importance in civilization and salvation. God has established His Word which includes teaching, commands, promises, warnings, and the offer of mercy for all mankind for all time. It is permanently set upon the earth. He could have accomplished this in several ways, but how did He choose to do this? He did it in print. Since He put it in book (or scroll) form then we are intended to read. Reading is easily learned by small children because we are designed to read. It is a part of everyday life. It is also the means by which God’s laws are communicated. Jesus replies to Satan’s temptations in Matthew 4:4 with the words, “It is written.” By those words He is saying the laws of God are established, set and recorded for all to learn. Words have meaning and the Word of God applies to all of mankind. Jesus then quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 by saying, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” The words proceeded from the mouth of God were placed into print by the Prophets and Apostles. As each inspired writer finished his work, another section of God’s word to man was completed. To the righteous this was highly prized, anticipated and greatly desired (1 Peter 1:10-12). They copied, circulated, and taught from it. Is the printed word necessary today? The answer is obvious. Though there are many ways to communicate (as there have always been many ways to communicate), the printed word outlasts them all.

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Sad Letter from a Missionary

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This letter is a sad one to me because I know the facts.  The fact is that Steve is returning to Indonesia without having raised the funds that he needed to raise to continue his work in Indonesia.  He returns in good faith that brethren will YET come along side to help.  There are contact links at the bottom of this message.  If you are a member of churches of Christ and have influence will you see what you might do to help?  PLEASE!!!
_________________________

Dear brethren, family, and friends,

Susan and I plan to begin our return trip to Jakarta in exactly two weeks, the Lord willing. We are now making final preparations for that trip– making last visits to our family, changing our thinking from American back to Asian, using Bahasa Indonesia with each other more than we have (we actually do have to do that in order to be ready to face the complete culture change when we arrive in Asia), and planning our packing (making sure we have all of our documents in order and in-hand, etc.).

I have no more scheduled speaking engagements in the USA at this time, and I am making no new appointments during this visit.

Brethren, as one good preaching brother and friend used to say on the radio, “May I talk to you heart to heart?”  I wish to write to you “heart to heart” for just a few moments.

As we think about our stay in the USA on this trip, we have thoughts of joy, sadness, and concern. Many good brethren have been so helpful to us in so many ways. We have met brethren who are new to us, and who have an interest in the work that we have been doing in Indonesia. We have met some who have made serious personal sacrifices to help support these efforts financially—some with limited incomes who have given all they are able to give. We have met those who have been able and willing to help by adding to what they have already been sending to support this effort.  So many have been so generous and helpful in so many ways!  Thank-you so much!

On the other hand, we have spoken, by phone and letter to those whom we have known for years, who refused to allow us to even come into their presence to discuss this mission effort. I realize that every congregation is not able to help every missionary or benevolent work that comes along. I have lived long enough, preached long enough, and worked with local churches here in the USA long enough, to know that not every request for help can be supported in a financial way.

I have lived long enough and understand the Scriptures well enough to know that one must honor the decisions of elders in local churches as to which mission and benevolent works their flock will support, and how much support will be given to such efforts.

I have also lived long enough to know that (in some cases) there are brethren who have funds (undesignated thousands upon thousands of dollars in church bank accounts ) that are doing nothing with it and who seem not to understand the urgency of spreading the gospel, and supporting those will help to spread the gospel into the harvest field, around the world.

One of the things that gives me great concern is that, considering the current threat to free nations of this world, why some brethren cannot see that supporting the spreading of the gospel into primarily Muslim nations (Indonesia for one, it being the largest Muslim nation in the world) would not only be in the best interest of the Cause of Christ and the conversion and salvation of the Muslim people to Christ, but also in the best interest of Americans and American freedom. If one wins his enemy to Christ, he helps to transform that enemy into a brother!

In a case or two, I was surprised when we lost some support this year from a couple of brethren due to petty personal feelings and church politics. How sad that is. I have thought about such verses as 2 Timothy 4:14-18.

Our hope is that those new congregations that we have visited will soon be able to help this work on a regular basis. We look forward to hearing from them.

One of the joys of being able to be back in the USA this time has been to spend some time with both Susan’s mother and my mother. Our mothers are very important to us. Our time together with them has meant so much to us, and it means more as we all grow older. We wish it were possible to take them back with us to Indonesia.

One of the saddest losses that we have experienced through the years is that I have had little or no influence on my four grandchildren and two dauaghters due to the fact that we have been separated from them for the most part of the past 10 years in the work in Indonesia. My grandchildren do not even really know who we are because we rarely see them. I have not been able, therefore, to have the influence on them that I enjoyed from my own grandparents when I was a child. I used to crawl all over my grandfathers’ laps and go places with them, and learn from them. That is one of the greatest sacrifices that I have made as a father and grandfather. Not being able to be with one’s children and grandchildren is difficult. And, it is the cause of some of the greatest sadness that I have as we contemplate our return to Indonesia.

In the congregation that meets in the Kelapa Gading area in northeast Jakarta, on Sunday, 08 July, there were 14 people in Bible Class. Walter Rolos was the teacher. He taught again on “The Mission of the Local Church.”  In the worship service, there were 14 people. The sermon was preached by Marolop Simatupang on the subject, “Lessons From The Way of Cain” (Jude 11).

Brother Marolop wrote the following to me: 

“Our sister from Philippine, Evangeline and her friend, Alma, already come again to Jakarta. They stay in Mediterania Apartement, Kelapa Gading, and work at SIS (Singapore International School) close to our congregation building.
Our hello to our brethren and your family. Thank you!”

This is good news from Jakarta! Sister Evangeline, a Filipina teacher, has been able to return to Jakarta in a new job in a different school. She will be staying closer to us than in the past. This will make it easier for her come to worship. And, her friend and co-worker, Alma, a young lady who is a Catholic, has also returned. Maybe this time we will be able to convert her. Both of them speak English fluently.

Brethren, thank-you for your support, for your prayers, for your interest in the work that is being done in Indonesia. We are already planning our work for the next few months. There is much to do. We hope that we will have the opportunity to accomplish it.

In Christian Love,

Steve and Susan Waller

———————————————————-

Steve Waller — Jakarta, Indonesia

http://spwrsw.indonesia-missions.com

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_______

–DRL

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GBN at the Ryman…

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My family and I enjoyed a visit to the old Ryman Auditorium in Nashville last night to hear B.J. Clarke and Jim Dearman preaching in a series called: THE TABERNACLE SERMONS TODAY. This was sort of a flashback to the time 85 years ago when N.B. Hardeman, one of the founders of Freed-Hardeman University, preached his powerful sermons to thousands in the original TABERNACLE SERMONS. We heard and participated in great singing and listened to two wonderful sermons and thoroughly enjoyed being there. The effort was put on by the overseers of the GOSPEL BROADCASTING NETWORK, a 24-7 TV network dedicated to preaching and teaching God’s Word. You can find it on the internet at: http://gbntv.org One thing UNIQUE about this network is that there is no fundraising done on the air.

Brother Winford Claiborne handed me a copy of his new book, Books, Books, and more Books, as I was walking out the door. It was good to see him again. I wished I could have heard him and all of the others speak during this meeting. The new book from brother Claiborne is a listing of many books he has read and recommends under different topics. I recommend it to you. Visit the International Gospel Hour website by clicking HERE.

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