Learning from a Humble Man

 

At our pastors' retreats, one of the most humble men left the deepest impression. I'll refer to him as Pastor R. He was a member of the Terrenos Indian tribe and lived on the FUNAI reservation in Mato Grosso do Sul, in Western Brazil. Pastor R. spoke with a resolute faith and a quiet demeanor that indicated his cup was full and running over. He knew he was led by the Lord, even in the most difficult situations. Before he finished praying, my eyes were always brimming over with tears.

Pastor R. is now with God, rejoicing with the saints in glory, awaiting the day of the Great White Throne judgment when the Lord will judge the living and the dead. Perfect justice will be done, unlike the years during which injustice was all too often committed against the Terrenos Indians. 

Decades before, a humble Christian worker, sent out from North America, shared the word of God in one of the Terrenos villages. As a revival swept the tribe, and as household, after household came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, some men resolutely set out to kill Pastor R. One day they arrived at his home at sundown and stated, "Tomorrow, at this time, we are coming to kill you. We don't want your message!"

Pastor R. and his wife fell on their knees. They knew the men were paid to murder, something that was all too common in that part of Brazil, three hours from where we lived. They spent the night in prayer, interceding for the men who were  paid to "put that pastor out of commission."

The next afternoon, these two saints waited for the gunmen and when these men arrived, Pastor R. met them at the front door of his small, rural, two-bedroom house. "I know you are going to kill me and my wife," he said, "but would you grant me a final request. Please let me die on my knees. I'll kneel down, then I'll pray, and then you can kill me."

With the request granted, he fell on his knees. With hands spread out to the heavens and with tears pouring down his face, he prayed, and prayed, and prayed. He asked the Lord to show his mercy to these three men. He wept for their wives and children. He asked the Lord to be gracious to them. Then he prayed some more. He asked that Jesus Christ, who had taken his sins and forgiven him, would now forgive the men who were about to kill him. 

Finally, he was out of words, and he opened his eyes. Sometime during his prayer, the men had a change of mind. 

Pastor R. told this, and many other stories. Always his conversation with the Lord was that of a child, maybe five or six years of age, just talking naturally with his Heavenly Father. No fancy words. No planned sentences. Just a free-flowing conversation. Many retreats came and went at Piraputanga, the lovely camp on the edge of the verdant Pantanal, (Brazil's beautiful, gigantic swamp), but what stands out for me were the prayers of a humble Terrenos Indian pastor who walked, really walked, with God.

What happens when you make disciples?

 Jesus made disciples. He spent three years living with them, experiencing many and varied situations. Then he said, "As you go, make more disciples."

Where did those disciples GO TO? Well, history tells us that:

Thomas went to South India;

James the Just went to the Arabian Peninsula;

Matthew went to the Gulf region, today Iran and UAE;

Simon the Zealot went to Persia;

Bartholomew went to Persia and Afghanistan region;

Andrew went to Turkey and the Black Sea, then to Greece;

Philip went to Western Turkey, to Hierapolis;

John went to Western Turkey, to Ephesus;

Peter went to Rome;

James the Greater went to Spain;

Mark went to Cyprus and then to Egypt.

WOW! Lord, continue to equip your disciple-makers!

Character is ...

"Character is what you are in the dark." - Dwight L. Moody. 

"If Christ lives in us, controlling our personalities, we will leave glorious marks on the lives we touch. Not because of our lovely characters, but because of His." Eugenia Price

"Though I am always in haste, I am never in a hurry; because I never undertake any more work than I can go through with perfect calmness of spirit." John Wesley

"To allow the hungry man to remain hungry would be blasphemy against God and against one's neighbor, for what is nearest to God is precisely the need of one's neighbor. It is for the love of Christ, which belongs as much to the hungry man as to myself, that I share my bread with him and that I share my dwelling with the homeless If the hungry man does not attain to faith, then the fault falls on those who refused him bread. To provide the hungry man with bread is to prepare the way for the coming of grace." Dietrich Bonhoeffer. (For the intensity of such faith, Bonhoeffer stood against Nazi Germany and paid for his faith with his life.) 

Joao Keidann - A True Man of God

 After almost two months, I'm still in mourning. My good friend, Joao Keidann was called to the presence of God on June 28. We were expecting him to pass away because he had been going downhill for several years. He had been at home under special care for some years and then he became less and less responsive. When he stopped eating and drinking, the end was near. Nevertheless, when Beth let us know he had passed, it came as a shock. 

Joao came to Canada from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As a student at the Baptist Seminary in Rio, he was the student who inevitably had the widest scope of questions. Underneath his arm, he carried a ton of books. He was outgoing and spoke with anyone and everyone. His interest in human nature was only matched by his desire to lead all the people around him to the Lord through salvation in Jesus Christ. 

When he heard about the opportunity to reach Portuguese speaking people in Canada, he applied to be a missionary with the International Missions Board of the Brazilian Baptists. His new home was in Toronto, Ontario. Immediately, the breadth of this young pastor's vision became apparent. The English-speaking local congregation supported him. Over the years, while working in Toronto, Joao heard about other Portuguese speaking persons in surrounding cities. 

Soon, new congregations sprang up in these cities: Cambridge, Kitchener, Guelph, London, and several other cities. Today, there are nine congregations that make up the Portuguese speaking portion of the Canadian Baptist of Ontario and Quebec. Joao is intimately connected to the birth of these churches.

I loved the way Joao endeared himself to people. He spent hours on the telephone encouraging people. He invited me to his home and each time he had new books to place in my hands about evangelism. He recorded a phone message each day, making sure that the listener would be encouraged and would always be challenged to live his or her life for God. He pastored several churches in the Toronto area as well as founding new congregations. 

His two daughters in the USA, and his son and daughter in Canada are examples for Christ. Young Jonny's words at the Zoom-YouTube Memorial Service showed how his father's life is going to live on in the work in British Columbia. 

Dear Beth, we too miss Joao. I don't know how he managed to get everything done in a 24 hour day. He always seemed relaxed, even when problems were causing him to lose a heartbeat or a night's sleep. He was a dear husband and his was a life well-lived.

Persecution of Christians continues in Nigeria

 In the last three weeks of July, 171 Christians were killed by Fulani tribesmen in Northern Nigeria. Some of the people who pulled the trigger were mere children who are being taught to kill. 

The media around the world refuses to cover these details. This insightful article, full of details, brings you up to date with happenings in the last two months. In the past four months, 620 Christians have been killed, two-thirds by Fulani tribesmen, and one third by Boko Haram.

Significant numbers are displaced. Violence affects every member of a family. Livelihoods were already damaged before the Covid-19 lockdown. The news offices of Gatestone Institute have been overwhelmed for months and yet the world's media does not even mention the ongoing deliberate slaughter of men and women, boys and girls. Christian lives are being wiped out, in some cases, whole villages. 

Since 2009, approximately 32,000 Christians have been killed in Northern Nigeria. Fuller details here:  https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/16349/genocide-christians-nigeria

Separation between Church and State?

 Should churches receive money from the State? Should there be a strict division between the State and the money and control over churches?

This question has rarely been asked with as much intensity. Covid-19 has brought many new questions to the fore. 

In the USA, federal funds were made available to churches as part of the CARES Act, providing that 75% of the money was used for payroll. This article from Christianity Today examines the situation of several churches in California that received the funds. 

What is your opinion of Ram Cnaan's description of the "Halo effect"? 

https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/august/coronavirus-cares-act-ppp-loan-sba-trump-megachurches.html?utm_source=ctweekly-html&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=15765617&utm_content=727456868&utm_campaign=email

Moses and the Exodus

The story of Moses is one of the most thrilling in all of history. We know the story very well, most of us. Who hasn't watched, "The Ten Commandments" movie? From the River Nile to the place where he was named - "Moses" means "Pulled from the Water" - he became one of the most important princes in Egypt. Then, within twenty-four hours, he lost it all: privilege, position, honor, entitlement, prestige, his people, and even his future. (But he did gain a wife, a great father-in-law, two children, and lots of experience helping sheep find food among the rocks.)

Starting at the age of forty, his character was forged in the blinding heat of the desert. One day, approximately at age eighty, he heard the Lord speaking to him from a burning bush. "Tell the Pharaoh, 'Let my people go.'" 

The story of the Exodus became the foundational story for the Jewish people. We as Christians find in the Passover and the Exodus patterns that come to fruition in our Lord Jesus Christ. We bless the Jewish people for having preserved the documents of the first five books of the Bible that largely laid the basis for Western Civilization.

Moses is a hero for many reasons. Two stand out above the rest. First, he listened to the Lord JHWH and obeyed, resulting in the deliverance of millions of people who became the nation of Israel. Because of that, the LORD is proclaimed as being more powerful than all earthly gods. The gods of Egpyt, multiplied dozens of them, are judged and overthrown.

Secondly, Moses delivers the Law, the Torah, to the people of Israel. The Ten Commandments and all the other commands and precepts declare to the nations that the Lord is above all powers and principalities. No king on earth can improve upon the laws given by God. A standard of justice, righteousness, love, and equity stands at the center of God's will. The nation that follows these laws will prosper. 

For an amazing, up-to-date view of the Exodus, you will be incredibly blessed as you view this two-our free movie. You will see compelling new reasons from archaeology to understand the dating of the Exodus. https://www.revelationmedia.com/watchexodus/RM16360/

Pray for Muslims in Canada

 Canada is now hosting more than a million Muslims. Most live in the larger cities.

Take a moment to pray with a Muslim background believer who pours out her heart for people who have come from many countries. Prayercast.com has done a fabulous job of blending the prayers of people with images that take you into homes, mosques, places of work, and neighborhoods. When you see these images, you will be reminded that Jesus Christ died for all, for men and women, boys and girls, and people from all nations. 

https://prayercast.com/muslims-in-canada.html

The Saddest Day for Jews - Two Temples Burned on the Same Day

What is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar? The Ninth of the Jewish month of Av is known as Tish B'Av. 

Nebuchadnezzar's army destroyed the city of Jerusalem on this day in 585 BC.  

(Painting - Roberts: The Seige and Destruction of Jerusalem, from Wikipedia)

Roman troops under Titus burnt Jerusalem on this

day in 70 AD. 

Furthermore, Jews were expelled from England on this day in 1290. 

Two centuries later, in 1492, on the same day, Jews were banished from Spain. 

(Painting - 1683 Dutch Painting - "The Burning of the Temple" from Wikipedia)

 

No wonder Jews all around the world are keeping a 24 fast with sackcloth clothing. 

No water and no food for 24 hours as they read the book of Lamentations. This is an unbelievable day of mourning. Deep questions about the purposes of God are asked. Many passages from the Scriptures are read.

(Sculpture - General Titus Arch, in Rome)

Systematic Persecution of Christians Documented

Systematic persecution continues of Christians. The June 2020 report is in. 

You will read in the link brings you news from several countries in West Africa: Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Mozambique, Uganda, and Mali. In the Middle East and Asia, reports of brutal persecution come from Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Pakistan, and Indonesia.   Raymond Ibrahim is an authority on the persecution of Christian populations across these nations.

Within the link, at the bottom of this lengthy report, you will find the monthly reports FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS. This meticulous reporting lists the names, dates, places, nature of beatings, and killings of tens of thousands of persons over the last decade. 

"Lord, we have no idea why so many are being permitted to die, being beaten, burned, and raped. We lift up those who are still alive, those who have lost homes and businesses in mass attacks, those who are blinded and unable to secure medical attention. We bless you for strengthening these men and women around Northern, Western, and Eastern Africa, and across the Middle East and Asia. Their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Touch our hearts that we might be sensitive to the needs of others, less burdened with our own problems. Help us to find ways to bring comfort to Christians in the lands where hundreds have recently lost their lives for the sake of Your Name. And we bless you, Lord, for bringing this suffering and pain to our attention. Amen." 

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/16274/persecution-christians-june-2020

Finishing Well. "Well done, good and faithful servant, John Forrester."

This blog focuses on the faithful service of God's people. That includes women and men, boys and girls, and people in different countries. I want to see the Church as it has been served by godly people across the years, across the centuries. 

Two weeks ago, on July 9, John Forrester, one of my dear friends, suddenly passed into the Lord's presence. John and Betty were with their family for a holiday in central British Columbia. An aneurysm and stroke caused him to be taken to Kelowna General Hospital, and a few days later, he breathed his last.

I came to love John and Betty in 2004. They were part of a group that visited the Seven Churches of Asia Minor. John's quiet humor was captivating. Totally unique, he was able to see the humorous side of anything. I never heard a barb or unkind word in the comments that brought quiet chuckles. John uniquely loved the Lord. He was born in Stockport, England, and later lived in Wales. After immigrating to Canada, he made his living as a farmer in Prince Edward Island. 

From his involvement as a lay leader in a local congregation, he moved to Vancouver, BC. After completing theological education, he became the lead pastor at Trinity Baptist Church. It was during that time that he and Betty came to Turkey for a two-week visit. 

John came to live in Turkey. He and Betty had a unique way of creating friendships with their Turkish neighbors. With Betty's delicious cooking and John's chuckle and a friendly smile, they became close friends with families on every floor of their building. Their door was always open to visitors, and opened continuously! They lived in two different cities, and after three years, they returned to Canada. The friendships they created were not abandoned. John kept in touch with his Turkish friends and returned to their homes, crossing many time zones. He wanted people to know the value of a Turkish cup of tea, an enduring symbol of hospitality and friendship in the culture. 

In Canada, a new ministry opened up to him in the Toronto area, and once again, he created deep and meaningful relationships.

In the years before his proposed retirement, John taught classes in Merritt. His gifting led him to many professions: as a painter,  a farmer, a pastor, a servant of the Lord across cultural lines, an author, and a teacher.  

I loved to hear John preach. He had a fantastic understanding of the complexity of the inner life and thoughts of human nature. His book on shame and grace captured the Gospel in ways I had never heard from another preacher in North America. He understood the power of a shame-based culture and how the good news of Jesus Christ could reach into the darkest corners of our hearts. 

Behind his gentle humor and pleasant conduct, his mind was always buzzing, thinking of another project, remembering to comfort one of his students, or composing another illustration for his gripping sermons. He was gentle and compassionate. His love for Jesus Christ permeated all he did, wherever he lived. 

I share the loss of the Forrester family. John loved to talk about his children and grandchildren.

What about a visualized Bible for iPhones?

A Bible portion in Hebrew

 Bibles used to be copied out by hand. Imagine doing that today!

 Then, along came Mr. Guttenberg, and invented movable print. The first book published was the Bible - in German!

 Later, we had the mass production of Bibles across all the western languages. Missionaries traveled to distant lands, and one of the first things they did was translate Greek and Hebrew texts into the dominant language of the region.

 Now the Bible is available in more than 700 languages. Portions of the New Testament reach another - perhaps - 1,500 languages. 

 What about the other smaller language group. There may be 3,000 or 4,000 unreached languages, it depends on how the various linguists define the terms. (It's a complicated decision to say that this language or that one can understand that group. Hey, sometimes English speaking people have trouble understanding one another.)

Now comes a new idea. Providing an iBible to the 5,000,000,000 (billion) iPhones in the world. Enjoy this video! 

https://www.i.bible/about/

Yanis Smits - He Finished Well

Listening to Yanis Smits tell his story of living through persecution from the Russian KGB was more electrifying than watching a two-hour movie about the Cold War. This was real life!

In 2007 I had the marvelous privilege of sharing a week with Yanis. He drove a car that I rented in Istanbul and we traveled thousands of kilometers on well-kept Turkish roads. As he kept his eyes on the highway, I kept my thumb on the recorder. After six days of travel, enjoying the ancient sites known as the Seven Churches of Revelation, I had thirteen hours of recording. He described in vivid detail how the KGB tried unsuccessfully to stop him from preaching throughout the Soviet Union. Time and again, heartless agents nearly caught him, but as the stories in the Old Testament, Russian soldiers were never able to capture him.  It must have been the Lord, blinding the eyes of KGB agents.

Then, for two months, I transcribed the life story of my friend and dear colleague. I never knew what a fearless preacher of the Gospel he was. And in many parts of the Soviet Union! The unpublished manuscript was something I wanted to complete for his 80th birthday. 

However, on April 23, 2020, Yanis' heart finally gave out. The years of intense labor, endless stress and his weakened physique caught up with him. The Lord called him home. "Yanis, it's time for you to end your ministry of love and compassion for Russian, Latvian, and English speakers. You have completed your work for your homeland, the country of Latvia that you love so much. Come now, my Son. Well done, good and faithful servant." Hearing of his home call, Cathie and I found tears flowing down our cheeks. We loved this wonderful man. We love his dear wife, Ruth, and their beautiful children. 

Yanis and Ruth had become close friends when we moved to Toronto, Canada. I visited the church where the family worshiped and thus began a beautiful friendship. Yanis and Ruth's children formed an orchestra and led a church with various sub-congregations. This reflected the city's multi-cultural and multi-lingual nature. Then, it was back to Riga, Latvia for the Smits family. 

They ministered to Baptist Churches there, and he was the pastor of the Salvation Temple. The massive building at one time held as many as 2,000 people for services, but under the Russian occupation, the church was turned into a sports center. For fifty years, the smell of beer and urine accumulated. As in everything else, Yanis brought this situation before the Lord. Two congregations emerged in the Salvation Temple. One was a Russian-speaking group, and the other the Latvian-speaking congregation.

The Smits arrival back in Latvia happened after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Whereas the Russians had the upper hand from 1945 to 1989, they were now a widely rejected minority. Yanis and Ruth, and several of their sixteen children, found ways in Riga to meaningfully share the love of God with Russian citizens who now had no jobs and no income. 

Upon the return of the Smits family back to Canada in his retirement, Yanis was not content to simply "retire." How could he? He loved to preach the Gospel! He never tired of telling people about Jesus Christ. He longed for each individual to truly enjoy the Lord. He spoke of sin and repentance, of hell and Heaven, or restoration and salvation. He preached with passion. When speaking of Jesus, his slim body was transformed into a dynamo of rare energy. 

I'm looking forward to the publication of his book. It is now in the hands of the Smits family. As I write these few lines, I remember cities in Latvia, places I had never heard of. 

I transcribed details of how he was able to get around the Soviet Union when he was forbidden to travel. Incredibly, in the id 1970s, pressure came from US senators, and he was invited to the United States. In Washington, he spoke to a joint session of Congress about the persecution of Christians in the USSR. My mouth fell open listening to the minute by minute account of his escape from Moscow. The Soviet authorities used every cruel trick to keep him from leaving Russia. How was it that Yanis kept on preaching and was never sent to Siberia? These events compose only a few of the chapters in the upcoming book. I'm so happy that I learned about his life as he kept his eye on the road and spoke into the microphone. 

Yanis Smits - we love you and miss you. You finished strong. You finished the race. There is a great reward laid up in Heaven for you. May we also complete the race and stay strong.