http://china.myadventures.org A Voice in Asia's Highlands - Brother Eugene - Preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching en-us Thu, 7 Aug 2008 19:28:23 GMT 30 http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=openair-preaching-and-a-moose http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=openair-preaching-and-a-moose In this picture I (Ruben) am open air preaching in Sandefjord, Norway.   The man in the moose costume is not with me.   He just came along and stood next to me, offering to take over.   I politely refused his offer, and he eventually got tired of it and left.   But he did draw a crowd though, so he's welcome back any time.   (I thought this was hysterical, but maybe its only funny for those of us who have experienced all that street ministry has to offer. R Thu, 7 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=if-you-have-the-hearts-of-christians http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=if-you-have-the-hearts-of-christians  "O, if you have the hearts of Christians, let them yearn toward your poor ignorant ungodly neighbors.  Alas, there is but a step betwixt them and death and hell.  Many hundred diseases are waiting ready to seize on them, and if they die unregenerate, they are lost forever.    Have you hearts of rock that cannot pity men in such a case as this?  If you believe not the Word of God and the danger of sinners, why are you Christians yourselves?  If you do believ Wed, 6 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=evangelism-questions http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=evangelism-questions Here are another couple questions that I received via e-mail recently. If you are getting tired of this question & answer format, I apologize, however I still have 3-4 more questions to go before I am through!   It is my desire that my responses can help many people who are dealing with the same issues as the man who wrote me these questions.   It is much better to have a passion to reach the lost, but lack a little bit of knowledge, than to think that you Tue, 5 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=the-chief-dangers-of-the-20th-century http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=the-chief-dangers-of-the-20th-century "The chief dangers of the 20th century will be religion without the Holy Spirit, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell." William Booth (April 10, 1829 - August 20, 1912) was a British Methodist preacher who founded The Salvation Army and became the first General (1878-1912). (William Booth, street-preaching) Mon, 4 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=shall-we-keep-men-in-a-fools-paradise http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=shall-we-keep-men-in-a-fools-paradise It is absolutely necessary to the preaching of the gospel of Christ that men be warned as to what will happen if they continue in their sins.   Ho, Ho sir surgeon. You are too delicate to tell the man that he is ill. You hope to heal the sick without their knowing it. You therefore flatter them. And what happens? They laugh at you. They dance upon their own graves and at last they die.   Your delicacy is cruelty, your flatteries are poisons, ­you are a murderer. Shall we kee Sun, 3 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=dont-waste-your-humor http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=dont-waste-your-humor I happened across a very interesting sermon this week entitled "Don't Waste Your Humor" by CJ Mahaney.   I love the way CJ Mahaney talks about humor and its proper uses in glorifying God and helping us to grow in grace. If you like C.H. Spurgeon, you will also enjoy this sermon, because much of the material is gleaned from the "Prince of Preachers" himself.   If you have never heard of Mahaney before, he is the former pastor of Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland and Sat, 2 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=bullhorn-guy-response http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=bullhorn-guy-response If you have ever seen Rob Bell's Nooma video about the "Bullhorn Guy", here are two great responses to what Bell said in his video. This subject has a great deal to do with how we are to go about sharing our faith with the lost. What does the Bible say? What did Jesus do? I think these three videos (especially when compared to Bell's original) will help to answer these questions.   Todd Friel's "Bullhorn Guy" Response - # 1   Todd Friel's "Bullh Fri, 1 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=radical-womanhood http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=radical-womanhood For those of you who are wondering about the title of this post (coming from a "Brother" Eugene), I discovered the Radical Womanhood" blog the other day when Tim Challies linked to one of her posts that was entitled, Don't Waste Your Kids.   I was really impressed by the quality and overall Biblical soundness of Carolyn McCulley's blog, so I decided to recommend it to all of you (especially if you are a woman).   She has tons of blog posts archived on all kinds of s Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=soul-health http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=soul-health In 3rd John, verse 2, the Apostle John writes to Gaius:   "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers."   Would any of us be willing to pray this prayer for our own selves?   Would you be willing to ask God to let your health and the rest of your life prosper, only in so much as your soul prospers and your walk with God is healthy?   How many of us would be scared for God to truly honor this prayer, knowing Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=obsessive-evangelist http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=obsessive-evangelist Here is another question that I received via e-mail recently and my response. This question was also inspired by my post, "How My Understanding of God was Wrecked":   After you had your understanding wrecked, did you find yourself out on the streets, preaching the gospel to passerbyers, in the mall, talking to anyone who would listen, or were you just more diligent to bring up the gospel in whatever context you were in, whether the bank, super market, etc.?   All of the above. When Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=evangelism-and-your-job http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=evangelism-and-your-job Here is another question that I received via e-mail recently and my response. This question (I think) was inspired by my post, "How My Understanding of God was Wrecked":   It's hard for me to understand how to live an evangelistic lifestyle. When I'm at work (I graduated from college in May, now I have a summer internship in a finance department) I have such a hard time understanding how to balance the urgency of evangelism and the necessity to get my work done. Any advice?    Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=nutty-firefighter-how-not-to-evangelize http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=nutty-firefighter-how-not-to-evangelize I received the following question via e-mail the other day, and I am posting my response publicly in hope that it will help someone: In reference to your post, "How  My Understanding of God was Wrecked", could you write about how it practically changed your approach to evangelism? Well, to answer simply, before I heard and understood the message Hells Best Kept Secret (which is what wrecked my understanding of God for the better), I had not a clue how to share the Gospel! I remember Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=jonathan-edwards-next-10 http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=jonathan-edwards-next-10 One week ago, I shared with you Jonathan Edwards' top 10 resolutions, which he made when he was only about about 19 years old. Today I am posting the next 10 (11-20) resolutions in his list which totals well over 100: The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards (1722) Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ's sake. Remember to Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=mountains-rivers-lakes-a-monastery http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=mountains-rivers-lakes-a-monastery I just took a two day trip with my 2 1/2 year old son Gabriel to visit some friends and do some research for our business. Here I am posting a medley of pics that I took today from the road, with some descriptions of each: A portrait of Dalijia Peak (14,850 ft.). My brother and I made it to the top this Spring. The Yellow River is the major water source for this dry, beautiful part of China. This remote mo Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=rocky-road http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=rocky-road Late last night on the way home from a weekend trip to fellowship with some friends, we had a blowout at about 50 mph on a curvy mountain highway. The tire didn't blow without cause: both of the tires on the right side of the minivan ran directly over a jagged, softball sized rock, knocking a hole the back right tire.   China's highways are notorious for all of the stuff that one might happen to find laying on them, but rocks are probably the most common and the most danger Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=what-isnt-being-done-for-the-lost http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=what-isnt-being-done-for-the-lost A couple weeks ago, I started a 3-part series on missions that was based upon an anecdote about two drowning men. The 2nd post in that series was from Hudson Taylor, the famous missionary to China. I said in that 2nd post that the 3rd and final part of that series would be forthcoming "the next day", and here we are over two weeks later.   Well, here are my final thoughts concluding this series. Please take time to go back and at least skim over the first two posts (A Tale Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=how-my-understanding-of-god-was-wrecked http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=how-my-understanding-of-god-was-wrecked It was the Fall of 1999, and I sat as a spellbound 16 year old in a small church in Stillwater, Oklahoma, listening to a man named Jim preach a passionate, although poorly prepared sermon on how and why the Church should evangelize.   It was not the cleverness of his message or the smoothness of his delivery that had me raptured; in fact, the message was rather crude and lacking in form.   It was the Truth that I was hearing for what felt like the first time that had Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=amazing-love-vs-and-can-it-be http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=amazing-love-vs-and-can-it-be Below you will find the lyrics from two famous songs. The first song, as you might already know, was obviously in some way based upon or born out of the second.   As you read the lyrical content of the songs, try to take note of what has changed in the past 270 years since the first song was written. You can find my thoughts at the bottom of this post, after you finish reading the second song. You Are My King (Amazing Love) - Newsboys (2003) Im forgiven because You were forsa Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=o-for-a-thousand-tonges-to-sing http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=o-for-a-thousand-tonges-to-sing Today is Sunday, the day of worship, so instead of taking time to write something original, I am posting the powerful lyrics to the famous hymn, "O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing". This hymn was penned over 250 years ago by Charles Wesley, who is said to have written more than 5,500 hymns.   Tomorrow I am going to look at another one of Charles Wesley's hymns, and compare it with a modern Christian song that is based on the original masterpiece.   Please use these Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=jonathan-edwards-top-10 http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=jonathan-edwards-top-10 Jonathan Edwards has been hailed by some as the greatest American-born theologian ever, although many have been put off by his famous sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". If you have never read or listened (listen to Mark Dever preach this sermon here) to this sermon, then I encourage you to do so! What I am about to share with you, however, is quite a bit different from the sermon mentioned about. I first discovered Jonathan Edwards' "Resolutions" many ye Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=what-in-the-world-is-sin http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=what-in-the-world-is-sin I wrote the following article nearly 5 years ago, in November of 2003, as a tract or Gospel presentation to share with non-Christians. When I read this today, I was a bit surprised at how little I needed to edit, and how well put together it seemed to be. I hope you think the same, if you can manage to read the whole thing! It is a little wordy, but hopefully not too much.   What in the world is sin? The average person, when they hear the word sin mentioned, may rightfully a Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-carnal-christian http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=is-there-such-a-thing-as-a-carnal-christian Is there such a thing as a Carnal Christian?   I am going to let Paul Washer answer this very important question, although the answer is plain from the whole testimony of scripture. Parts of First Corinthians are often used as a 'proof' that a Christian can live a continuously carnal lifestyle, but that is simply not the case.   Please watch the this video to be encouraged and challenged:     Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=where-do-muslims-come-from http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=where-do-muslims-come-from My father sent me this article by e-mail the other day, and it seems to be something that has been passed around the internet for quite some time. However, I found it very interesting, especially if you have Muslim friends or live in a community with many Muslims.   We personally live in very close contact to a large Muslim community here in Asia's Highlands with more than 10 million Muslims living within about a 500 mile radius. Just this morning in my o Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=4am-conversation-with-a-homeless-man http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=4am-conversation-with-a-homeless-man I spent nearly all of 2003 travelling throughout China, learning the language, doing research, and sharing the Gospel. I remember one night in particular from the Summer of that year. I had been travelling alone for nearly two weeks, bouncing from city to city, sneaking out late at night to leave Gospel booklets all over town where they would be found the next morning by curious citizens.  Late that Summer night, after I had already spent many, many hours wandering around town, I came upon Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=pictures-of-my-children http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=pictures-of-my-children Here are a few pics of the kids, showing their different attitudes and personalities: Here Ariel is showing off how cute she is: Here Gabriel is showing off how ugly he can be: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=pros-cons-of-shortterm-missions-in-restricted-nations http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=pros-cons-of-shortterm-missions-in-restricted-nations Pros: (1) As a short-termer, you can share the Gospel without worrying that you might get kicked out of the country. If they kick you out, it's no big deal because you were heading home soon anyways. (2) As a short-termer carrying a tourist visa, you can pretty much go anywhere you want under the guise of tourism, and share the Gospel in places where no long-termer will every be able to live. (3) As a short-termer, you can share the Gospel much more boldly than long-term workers. That is beca Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=human-infallibility-implicit-faith-blind-obedience http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=human-infallibility-implicit-faith-blind-obedience I came across a very encouraging and helpful quote the other day as I was reading the ever-relevant commentary on the Bible by Matthew Henry. If you have never seen a copy of this commentary, it is absolutely gigantic! It has more than 2,000 pages, with 3 columns on each page and a font size of about 4. The pages themselves are about the size of the pages in a large dictionary. It is a massive volume, but packed full of wonderful insight and application of nearly every verse in Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=tired-of-being-patient http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=tired-of-being-patient I am really tired this evening. It turned out to be a crazy day. My patience was tested and I am so glad that the Lord had mercy and ended the 'trial' before I was more tempted to lose my patience.   So, in the title of this short blog post I am not saying that I am sick and tired of having to be patient, but rather that I am literally exhausted from the the long, patient wait that we were put through this afternoon by the police in our region.   Here's the story: & Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=to-live-is-christ-and-to-die-is-gain http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=to-live-is-christ-and-to-die-is-gain The following are my own notes from a devotional that I prepared and gave to a small group of youth from a church that I used to attend way back in 2000. I prepared this as a 16 year old sophomore in high school. At the time I was in the process of memorizing the book of Philippians, so it is no surprise that I chose that book for most of my texts! Please dig into Philippians with me as you read the following!   Devotional- "Philippians Chap. 1 and 2" by B-- W--- (Broth Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=a-tale-of-two-drowning-men-part-1 http://china.myadventures.org/?filename=a-tale-of-two-drowning-men-part-1 It is often asked by those who want to promote more evangelism that if a man was drowning in a lake, would we be morally responsible to go and throw the guy a lifejacket and try to save him from drowning? Of course we would. Now imagine that two men were drowning in a lake, one not too far from the shoreline and the other far off in the middle of the lake. You see a handful of people running towards the closest drowning man ready to jump in and try to save him. The second man, however, continue Tue, 8 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT