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

Sickened By The Ugliness Of Their Own Sinfulness

Mon, 8 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Please watch this short 3 minute video clip!

If you don't understand this, then you don't truly understand anything!!!

Have you ever handed out a tract?

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I think that most Christians look at least somewhat unfavorably at the practice of handing out Gospel tracts as a means of sharing the Gospel. I am not entirely sure why this is the case. Maybe its because we are told so often in our culture not to impose anything on anyone. Maybe its because we believe that a tract could somehow do "more harm than good". Another complaint I have heard about Gospel tracts is that they are so "impersonal" and do not allow for the Spirit to guide us in a divine appointment encounter with a lost person.

Honestly, I do not think that any of the three complaints I have just mentioned stand up to scrutiny. Let me try to show why:

First, how hypocritical can society be when it tries to censor us Christians from sharing ("imposing") our faith (whether through tracts, open-air preaching, etc...)on others, while the world bombards us daily with secular messages exposing us to everything under the sun, including many much more "liberal" worldviews and religions?

Second, I will admit that there are some tracts (not Biblical ones) that could create a negative view of Christianity for the reader, and these should not be distributed. For instance, by focusing on one particular sin (homosexuality, for instance) to the exclusion of other sins and a clear presentation of the Gospel and our need for a Savior, a tract can simply be off the mark in its focus. This kind of literature should probably not be distributed, because it can do harm and present a skewed version of the Gospel.

However, I am talking about handing out tracts that DO share the Biblical Gospel in love. I don't think this kind of Gospel tract could ever do "more harm than good"; unless, of course, the giver of the tract did so with a mean attitude or in a rude or uncouth manner.

Third, I want to point out that it is not our 'personality' or 'charisma' that brings anybody to a knowledge of Christ. It is an understanding of the Gospel (heard through the spoken or written word and applied to the heart of the person by the Holy Spirit) that brings a knowledge of Christ and leads to repentance and faith and salvation. God can use the printed word (a Gospel tract) just as easily, if not better, than he can use you and me to share the Gospel. A tract cannot get nervous and shy away from speaking "the whole counsel of God" to its reader, but we sure can when we become nervous or are afraid of offending someone.

I've handed out tens of thousands of tracts over the past 10 years since I became a Christian and I can honestly say that the response has been overwhelmingly positive. If you are not going to hand out tracts yourself (or even leave a few laying around), then please at least pray that God would work in the lives those who read the millions of tracts that are being distributed around the world each day!

Here's the site where you can get some of the best tracts on earth: www.livingwaters.com

Please Pray for Golden Dragon Monastery

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Please help us to pray for this small community, which is part of the very remote Golden Dragon (Tibetan Buddhist) Monastery hidden in the mountains of western China.

I first stumbled upon this monastery in April of 2006, when travelling by motorcycle with a couple other short-term missionaries through a very remote region of east-central Tibet.

On that short visit to this monastery, which sits perched on this remote mountain-side, we were able to plant numerous seeds in the form of Tibetan-language Bibles and other literature.

I also remember well a conversation I had with a young monk about who the Creator of the Universe is and how important it is to know Truth. He had learned some Mandarin Chinese (as opposed to his native Tibetan) from some Buddhist missionaries from Taiwan.

I share this with you because this place is on my heart right now. Hopefully, I will soon be able to post a blog with the complete story surrounding my first visit to this place. It was one of the wildest, scariest, and coldest trips of my life!

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This is a slightly edited version of something I originally posted back on September 16, 2008

China Challenge

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the basic info for a mid-term missions opportunity that we've been thinking about trying to implement recently. It would be great to receive some feedback on this idea!

China Challenge

Travel to more than 100 cities in 11 provinces in 11 months.

Learn to read, speak, and write Chinese naturally, through immersion

Share the Gospel every day using English and Chinese (after a few months)

Personally deliver thousands of Bibles and tracts to Christians and the unreached

Evangelize Chinese Muslims & other upgs who live scattered throughout China

Blog about each city visited to raise more prayer support and more laborers

Pray and fast for China while living and traveling and ministering in China!

Each team of 2-4 people would visit 10 different provinces for about 1 month at a time, and all teams would travel to Tibet together mid-way through the year for fellowship and debrief and more strategic ministry.

Total cost would amount to about $10/day for 12 months ($3600) plus $1000 airfare and $400 visa fees ($1400) for a total of about: $5000

Please write me anytime (eugene at cotse dot net) if you'd be interested in a "challenge" such as this one!

Here are the three projected routes that teams would take during their 11 month challenge:

Western Route: (10 provinces + Tibet)

Gansu
Ningxia
Xinjiang
Qinghai
Sichuan
Yunnan
Guangxi
Hainan
Guizhou
Chongqing

Northeastern Route:
(10 provinces + Tibet)

Beijing
Tianjin
Hebei
Shanxi
Shaanxi
Inner Mongolia
Heilongjiang
Jilin
Liaoning
Shandong

Southeastern Route: (10 provinces + Tibet)

Shanghai
Jiangsu
Anhui
Henan
Hubei
Hunan
Guangdong
Jiangxi
Fujian
Zhejiang

Frank Peretti & The Door in the Dragon's Throat

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I've been a fan of Frank Peretti since almost before I could read. For as long as I can remember, my brother and I have enjoyed his books and audio messages (we used to love listening to a recording of him making fun of the New Age Movement). The first Frank Peretti book we ever read was from "The Cooper Kids Adventure Series".

As a child, I can remember reading "The Door in the Dragon's Throat" which described a wild adventure that took the Cooper kids and their father Dr. Cooper to the very door of the bottomless pit of Revelation. It was a scary story, but not hopeless. All of Frank Peretti's adventure books feature God as the ultimate Sovereign and Victor.

I just recently read "Escape from the Island of Aquarius" for the first time (Yes, I still love these books!). Near the end there is a great scene where the island is disappearing into the ocean before their very eyes:

They looked behind them at the boiling ocean now closing over the island that no longer was.

"It'll be just like it was never there," said Lila.

"And so suddenly!" said Jay.

"Just like the whole world," said Dr. Cooper.

"Ready or not, the Bible says it's going to end someday."

As I read this, Dr. Cooper's statement caught me off guard. I was really into the story and then all of a sudden, there's this practical application that crashes into my world. Yes, just like the island in the story, the world is going to end someday. Will I be ready?

I highly recommend all of the books in "The Cooper Kids Adventures Series" for anybody, but youth in particular. I can't wait for my kids to get old enough to begin reading these books for themselves!

Here are the titles of each book in the series:

The Door in the Dragon's Throat

Escape from the Island of Aquarius

The Tombs of Anak

Trapped at the Bottom of the Sea

The Secret of the Desert Stone

The Deadly Curse of Toco-Rey

The Legend of Annie Murphy

Mayday at Two Thousand Five Hundred

(Even now, as a so-called "adult", I love indulging in these books whenever I have a rare few hours of leisure!)

The Martyr's Song

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"The Martyr's Song" is sort of a fictional sequel to Ted Dekker's non-fiction book "The Slumber of Christianity" (see my review). In it he tries to give a "real-life" example of what it means to delight in Heaven, in the world to come.

Without giving away the plot, I will say that this book shares the story of a sadistic persecution of Christians that supposedly took place in Bosnia sometime in the 20th century. The evil characters will make you cringe, while those who are being persecuted will bring you to the point of weeping. Some of the main characters give their lives valiantly for the truth and show what it means to "love not your life unto death". I recommend it above most other fiction that's available out there. It will encourage you in many ways.

That being said, the one thing this book won't do is clearly share the Gospel with you. Dekker favors language about having a loving relationship with God over actually explaining what Christ did for us on the cross and what we must believe in order to be saved. The book would be much better (and infinitely more helpful for unbelievers) if he talked about both.

The Slumber of Christianity

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

(Since writing this review the other day, I have discovered another very good review of the book by Tim Challies.)

I enjoyed "The Slumber of Christianity" and won't tell you not to read it, however, I don't think this book will serve the purpose which the author originally intended. Let me explain.

The stated purpose of the book is help Christians wake up from their "slumber", which is described as a lack of desire to be in Heaven (enjoying Christ forever). Dekker goes to great length to show how so many real Christians he knows don't desire Heaven as they should, indeed, as the Bible says they would.

And that is where I think Dekker is off track. To put it simply, most of the people he describes aren't true Christians who just need to "wake up from their slumber", but false converts (fake Christians) who need to come to know Jesus Christ for the first time!

How can you know Jesus Christ for who He really is and not desire to be with Him for eternity? You can't. If you don't desire to be with Him, then you do not know Him. Its very simple, really.

If you are a Christian, read this book to be challenged as to how strong your desire for Heaven really is. If you are not a Christian (or fear that you're faith might not be genuine), then let this book help you to wake from your slumber.

Remembering Uncle Ed

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

My Uncle Ed (Edwin Faulkner) went to be with the Lord on December 27, 2009. He would have turned 76 this Saturday the 23rd of January. He leaves behind his amazing wife Bonnie, two awesome children, and a grandson.

(Uncle Ed & Aunt Bonnie when I was a mere toddler & my brother Zach was an infant.)

Looking back on my life, I can now see that "Uncle" Ed was more like a grandfather to me than anyone else in my life. Both of my grandfathers passed away many years ago. Eugene Faulkner, my mom's (& Uncle Ed's) father, died in 1984 when I was less than a year old. Gordon West, my dad's dad, passed away 1993, when I was only 10.

So for the past 16 years or so Uncle Ed has been like a grandfather to me. He has been around for almost every major family event that I can imagine, including graduations, baby dedications, my grandmother's funeral this past summer (not his own mother, but his brother-in-law's mother!) and my brother Zach's wedding in August of this past year. We will miss him dearly at these family gatherings!

(The above picture is from my son Gabriel's baby dedication in 2006.)

Uncle Ed was an extremely funny man who had a joke or a clever story for every occasion under the sun. Some of his stories we had heard a thousand times, but it wasn't uncommon for him to surprise us with a new one (at least new to us!) when we least expected it.

(Four Generations: Uncle Ed, my father Laban, my bro Zach & I, and my son Gabriel)

Most of Uncle Ed's stories were humorous ones, but many were also very serious. He spent many years working as a chaplain in the prison system in California, and he often told of his experiences of having met serial killers such as Charles Manson and being able to talk to them about Jesus.

And talking about Jesus was one of the things that Uncle Ed most loved to do. His jokes and stories were never rude or improper. He loved to tell stories that made a point, that made an impact, and most of all that made someone think about Jesus and their need for Him!

That is what I am going to miss most about Uncle Ed.

More thoughts about It

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I've been told by at least one person that my recent review of Craig Groeschel's book "It" (http://ow.ly/XiWB) was being too tough on him and his ministry. I disagree.

First, I didn't review the "man" or his "ministry", but the words he published in his book. He willingly layed those out for everyone to see. Pastor Groeschel should heed the words of James:

"Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness." http://ref.ly/Jm3.1

Second, I don't think I am overreacting. Much of the book made me feel like I was reading something written by a smart-eleck (and potty-mouthed) 12 year old to his tweenie friends. It definitely did not befit a pastor of any stature. Reminds me of another verse:

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." http://ref.ly/Ep4.29

I invite anyone who has read the book to show me if I am over-reacting and how. I truly hope and pray that Pastor Craig would grow up and fulfill the ministry that he claims to have been called to undertake!

Why you shouldn't read It

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Today I finally managed (after struggling for months to find the motivation) to finish It, by Oklahoma City pastor Craig Groeschel.

I was put off by this book from the very beginning, not so much because of the content as by its presentation. I actually held some respect for Craig Groeschel prior to reading It, but the constant juvenile humor and bordering-on-blasphemous wisecracks did not sit very well with me. I will spare you the examples. It is really pathetic, actually. Grow up, Craig.

In regards to the content, there are a few (I emphasize few) things to be learned, but not much that you wouldn't get from any number of books on leadership (Christian or secular). In fact, Groeschel quotes from these "leadership gems" incessantly.

One of my biggest frustrations with It is the author's constant effort to insist that it must be given to a church by the Holy Spirit, when it is painfully obvious that any number of organizations in the world (Christian, secular, Islamic, Buddhist, atheist, heretical) have the emotions, ethos, and passion described in It. In fact, Groeschel even mentions at least one well-known heretic pastor (one who openly denies the trinitarian God revealed in Scripture) in his frequent listings of churches or ministries that have it. In the end, his definition of it has very little to do with true, biblical Christianity or the real convicting work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of men.

In spite of all the problems, I do want to share one short section where I found some helpful questions. In Chapter 9, which talks about how we should "want others to have it" (whatever it is), Groeschel lists three things we can ask ourselves to see if we truly care about the unsaved:

- When is the last time you've had a lost person in your home?

- How many meaningful conversations did you have with non-Christians this week?

- Who are the nonbelievers you prayed for today?

I hope the above questions do stir your heart to share the Gospel more with the lost. However, even these questions had to be ripped out of context to be of any use. Much of that chapter is full of bad (read: unbiblical) advice.

I also pray that the Gospel you share with non-Christians has more content than the one found in this book. Besides a few passing references to "our need for a savior" (what's with not capitalizing Savior?!), there is little encouragement by the author for his readers to make sure all their striving to find it is based upon the only true Gospel of Jesus Christ found in the Bible. An unregenerated person could easily read this book and remain unconverted. That is disappointing and worrisome to say the least.

Take a pass on reading It unless you want to feel as frustrated as I do right now.

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You might be wondering why I even read this book in the first place. Well, I initially bought It to try and get a glimpse of where Craig Groeschel stands theologically and biblically. Craig Groeschel is immensely popular in certain Christian circles, especially in Oklahoma where I am from (and where he founded Lifechurch.tv). Pastor Groeschel even preached my aunt's (Patricia Ann Nelson) funeral back in the summer of 1994 (when he was on staff at the church that once had it but is now "dead" - see the first page of his book). So its kind of personal for me. I wish he was more grounded in the Bible and I wish I could recommend his church and ministry unequivocally. Unfortunately, this book didn't relieve any of my worries. On the contrary, It actually added quite a few more to my list.

Reaching the Boyu Tibetans

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A week ago today, I had the opportunity to visit the Boyu Tibetans, a very small unreached people group that exists in a remote valley in northwest China. The total population for the group is only around 4,000 or so people. They live in a few scattered villages along a very rutted out road near the end of a 25 mile long valley.

My goal in visiting this small, almost unknown people group, was to try to find out if there are any Christians among them (or living in nearby towns) as well as to get an idea how the Boyu live and what language(s) they currently use at home and in their trade with surrounding (mostly Chinese) towns and counties. I was also determined to make the most of my visit by trying to share the Gospel with somebody!

Well, I am thankful to God to be able to report that although I did not locate or find any information about Christians among the Boyu, one Boyu man in particular did hear the Gospel and receive a Chinese New Testament (which he is able to read). A number of other people in the main Boyu village will also eventually read the tracts that we left behind for them to find after we had left.

I learned that the Boyu still speak their own unique dialect of Tibetan at home, but most are bilingual in the regional dialect of Mandarin Chinese as well. This is good news because it means people (that's the biggest problem! who is going to spend any time there!!!???) can begin to share the Gospel immediately with the Boyu Tibetans using Chinese.

It's hard to say precisely, but I think it would be very, very difficult for a missionary like myself to learn to speak the Boyu Tibetan dialect fluently at this stage, primarily because the Boyu have long been accustomed to speaking Chinese to any outsiders. There would be almost NO opportunities for someone to even begin to learn and practice speaking that dialect. I think that Chinese will most likely be the language that God uses to bring the first Boyu to Christ. Hopefully then that person would then be able to communicate the Gospel in the native language (heart language) to the rest of the Boyu people.

As a side note, we also discovered a nearby town that is almost entirely populated by Chinese Muslims. This was a surprise, because we didn't know there were any Chinese Muslims in that region at all. As we drove through that town on our way out of the rural valley, we stopped for a few moments to talk to some Muslim guys on the side of the road. A short conversation ensued where I was able to explain the Gospel and give a Chinese New Testament to a young Muslim man who had just finished worshipping at the local mosque. Praise God for these kinds of divine appointments!

Please pray for the Boyu Tibetans as well as the Muslims of China (of which there are 10s of millions)! Pray that we would be bold as we share the Gospel and full of grace towards all men!

(I'm sorry that there are no actual pictures of the Boyu Tibetan valley at the moment. My friend took the pics with his camera and he's currently travelling in another province! The pictures above are of another, more scenic, nearby valley that is also home to unreached Tibetans.)

The Doors Are Open

Mon, 4 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

UPDATE: I've posted an update of my trip to visit the Boyu Tibetans. Find it here.

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Please pray for us! In the next few days I'll be visiting an unreached Tibetan people group (Tibetan, Boyu) for the first time.

According to Joshua Project, there has never been any work done or any Christians among these people. I am hoping to find that the Chinese believers have begun working in the region. We will see.

Either way, I will arrive there and begin researching and sharing the Gospel as of about Noon on Thursday, China Time (Wednesday, 10 pm Central Time).

If you are discovering this blog for the first time (very likely, as this is not a highly trafficked blog!), please know that we have numerous opportunities available in our region of China for work to begin among completely unreached people groups! We desperately need laborers! The doors ARE OPEN!

All to the glory of Jesus Christ,

Eugene

e-mail: eugene@cotse.net

twitter: @chinaadventures

My Burden for the Truly Unreached

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

After spending my first 3 years as a Christian in the States involved in tons of personal evangelism and now after having spent nearly 7 years living in some of the most Gospel-deprived regions in the world, I am very frustrated by the amount of Gospel preaching that takes place in the West compared to the complete ignorance of the Gospel that exists all around me over here.

Let me explain myself a little better. Although it seems that the laborers are so very few even in America, it is impossible to even compare the amount of Gospel-knowledge available to the average American with the utter lack of the Gospel found in certain areas around the world.

I happen to live in one of those places. In brief, within a few hundred miles of where I am sitting right now, there are millions of Tibetan Buddhists and Chinese Muslims scattered throughout tens of thousands of towns and villages. The vast majority of these people have never heard anything true about Christianity, and (with the exception of just a handful) the villages have never, in the history of mankind, been graced by the presence of a minister of the Gospel.

The lack of the Gospel in this place is overwhelming and I truly believe that God will call more people out into these far flung corners of the world if only they have the chance to hear about the need and are shown how they can do something about it.

I simply want to encourage the Western Church to wake up and realize that dozens of regions around the world are still completely devoid of the Gospel AND most of these places are difficult places for even 'native missionaries' to work. It is going to take people like you and me (ie, Western, cross-cultural missionaries) to be sent to go and learn these languages and share the Gospel with these people.

For instance, the large number of Christians in China are primarily located in the eastern half of the country and their culture is radically different from that of the Tibetans and Chinese Muslims. Much of the time, Western missionaries do a better job of reaching out to these minorities than do the Chinese, especially with the raciscm that exists in China and the recent wars that the minorities have often fought against the ruling Chinese.

I hope I have explained my burden clearly enough. Please let me know if anybody has any thoughts, comments, or questions. For God's glory, we want to see more laborers raised up to reach these millions with the Gospel!

How to contact me:

E-mail: eugene@cotse.net

www.twitter.com/chinaadventures

www.facebook.com/brother.eugene

How Are We To Pray?

Mon, 7 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The other day I wrote the following comments in response to this article on listening prayer:

(For those of you who don't know, "listening prayer" is basically the art of supposedly "hearing God's voice" in your personal prayer time.)

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There's no doubt that Bible study and prayer are both absolutely necessary and must go hand in hand. I can't imagine trying to study the Bible without feeling the necessity to pray for God's wisdom and direction as I study, nor can I imagine praying for any length of time without having a hearty desire to dig into the Word of God.

That being said, I think "listening prayer" is something that can be unhealthy or even dangerous, depending on who is doing the praying and how they are going about doing it.

The article says, "Perhaps the hardest part is clearing your mind."

Even though the author is primarily referring to clearing the mind of worldly worries or random thoughts, this still bothers me. I don't ever remember seeing where Paul or Jesus or any apostle taught believers to clear their mind. Instead we are taught to fill our minds with God's Word and to meditate on it day and night. Prayer is not passive, but active. We don't sit back and wait for God to fill our blank minds, but we let Him guide us as we study His Word with our minds bathed in His Word.

Also, principle #2 [in the article] REALLY bothers me:

"2. Read some scripture. Ask the Lord to speak to you through it in a way that you can understand. Ask God to protect you in Jesus' name from deception."

It sounds so non-chalant. Just read a few verses, and ask God to use those verses to speak to your situation. The Scriptures don't work like that! They aren't meant to be applied one way to one person and another way to someone else. They carry "inherent truth" in them, that we must discern (with the aide of God's Spirit) through careful study and prayer. We then take that truth and apply it to our lives, not vice-versa. In other words, we don't look at Scripture through the lens of our lives, hoping to find something that applies to "where we're at", but we look at our lives through the lens of Scripture, applying to all areas as we grow in sanctification and holiness.

The very fact that the author encourages us to "Ask God to protect you in Jesus' name from deception.", shows that even HE thinks there is some inherent danger in waiting for some inner voice to speak to us in our minds.

And finally, the verse from John 10 that [was] quoted in the comments above, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27) is not speaking of something akin to "listening prayer". Read the whole context of the chapter (verses 3-5, for example). There's a lot more going on, and deeper theologies being presented here than that. You won't find any commentary on this chapter that presents the view that John is speaking of some kind of normative form of "listening prayer for Christians.

In case anyone's interested, here's a link to a 40 yr old sermon series on John 9-10 by John MacArthur:

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermon+Series/221

And I just recently listened to a couple of sermons by blogger/pastor Phil Johnson (http://teampyro.blogspot.com) on John 10 as well. They can be found at:

http://www.thegracelifepulpit.com/philsermons.htm

Both of these sermon resources are relevant to the question that Jeff brought up in saying that he thinks "Scripture itself speaks to this issue of hearing God's voice".

Scripture does indeed speak of hearing God's voice, just not through the listening prayer techniques listed above.

(If you didn't understand some of what I've written, you should read the original article and comments that provide a context for my response.)

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If you would like to learn more, here are some helpful resources on Biblical prayer:

Prayer Resources by Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church

Prayer Resources by John Piper and Desiring God Ministries

Prayer Resources by John MacArthur and Grace to You Ministries

Tiger Woods Needs Grace

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A few thoughts in reply to this post about the recent events surrounding Tiger Woods:

1. I think the police should stop treating him like "a god" and just get a warrant and ask him the questions..even if his answers don't go public. They should be able to do their job.

2. I think the vast majority of the public are interested in this story for the WRONG reasons; they want something salacious and they are rooting for something to come out that is crazy, sinful, or otherwise "interesting". I doubt there are more than a few (Christians, maybe) who are sincerely hoping that it was really nothing at all, as Tiger claims. This is sad.

3. I personally don't see Tiger as a role model or leader that I would want my kids (or anybody for that matter) to look up to. I cringe everytime I see the blasphemy that flows from his mouth in anger and frustration when he misses a put in golf. I grieve for him.

4. Tiger woods needs "grace", but not the grace that man gives. We should pray for him, not that he would "come clean" in regards to this recent story, but that he would come clean before his Creator in true repentance and faith; that Jesus Christ would become His Savior and King!

Happy "Beijing Duck" Day

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Happy ~~Turkey~~ Beijing Duck Day!

Thanksgiving in China is never anything like the holiday in America. First of all, China doesn't recognize it as a holiday at all. Secondly, those of us who are Americans can rarely find the time or the proper foods available to make the Thanksgiving dinner something similar to what we eat at home in the States. Thirdly, even if all the foods were available, most of us do not have any more than our very closest family members with us. Its just not quite the same when brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, mothers and fathers, and grandparents are all thousands of miles away!

All that being said, we still had a very nice Thanksgiving Day today here in northwest China. My school purchased a whole bunch of pre-cooked Beijing Ducks to give away to the teachers as a gift for Thanksgiving, so we made the most of it and chowed down on duck for our meal today. To accompany the Beijing Duck, my wife prepared mashed potatoes and salad (w/ Ranch Dressing.. a huge treat to have in China!), and we had some brownies for dessert! It really was an awesome meal, especially for China!

Instead of having tons of family over for Thanksgiving (that wasn't even an option!), we invited a single South African co-worker and our kids' Chinese babysitter over for a few hours. Neither of them celebrate Thanksgiving in their own cultures, but they enjoyed it nonetheless. The need to give thanks to God at all times and for all times is not restricted to any certain nation!

In closing, I want to simply say how much thankfulness should be a part of our lives as Christians. Over and over and over again the command is given in the Bible to give thanks to the LORD and to be thankful for all He has done. We have need to be thankful for EVERYTHING that we have. Our salvation, our families, our health, our calling, our career, our daily bread, all things flow from His hand! And we must thank Him for He is good and His mercy endures forever!

Midnight Chase in China

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here's a (slightly edited) update from our good friend Denny Green, sharing some of his experiences during the last 10 days of travel and Gospel seed-sewing:

Please continue to pray for Gabriel and I as we distribute Gospel literature in northwestern China. Most days include many hours of bus rides and not much sleep. Much literature is going out so pray for those who read it.

All has been going well. Two nights ago, Gabriel and I were [distributing tracts in] lots of dark alleys in an area with much housing. After we had worked for approx. 2 hours, we walked toward the end of one of the alleys and a man and woman turned into the end that we were heading toward. We turned around and headed in the opposite direction.

The couple followed us out to the main street. We crossed the street and [the man] began to yell at us. We ignored and after a while crossed to the other side again. They followed. We jumped in a cab and went about 4 or 5 blocks before getting out to continue our work.

After about ten minutes we noticed that a cab was slowly following us at a distance. We turned a corner and then down an alley and the cab followed. We walked past a road obstruction and the couple got out of the cab to follow us on foot again. We jumped in another cab and as we pulled away, the couple jumped into a cab to pursue.

With a little distance between us, the pursuing cab didn't see us do a U-turn around a corner and head back toward them. We passed them and directed the cab to our hotel where we quickly hopped out and entered without being seen.

All praise to YHWH for His protection and help!

For China and the Savior who spilled His blood for her,

Denny

http://www.lifeandlibertyministries.com

http://www.remnantbooks.org

What Isn't Being Done for the Lost

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What Isn't Being Done for the Lost by Christians in the West

That is the question I want to try and answer in the next few paragraphs. My goal is to encourage you to examine yourself to see if there is not something more that love for God and your fellow man would constrain you to do in regards to reaching the lost around the world.

1. We are not becoming "all things to all men, that [we] may by all means save some". There are innumerable opportunities throughout the world, from London to Lhasa, for Christians to work and live and share the Gospel. There are opportunities for almost every kind of entreprenuer imaginable, and for every profession under heaven. But we rarely take advantage of these opportunities.

Here in Asia's Highlands, for instance, there are hundreds of completely unreached towns and cities where it would be easy for a foreigner to come in and start up some kind of business. But it just isn't happening. The opportunity is UNDENIABLY there, but the takers are so few. Out of the millions of Christians in places like America, you would think that at least a few thousand could heed the call to go to these completely unevangelized places... especially with so many opportunities available!

2. We are not willing to leave our lives of comfort and relative safety behind to help fulfill the Great Commission. Many are willing to take short-term vacations, but few are willing to decidedly take up lifetime residence in a strange country that speaks a strange language...and making that place your real home for life, in order to share the Gospel with the people there. This was the norm in ages past, when the modern missionary movement began.

The vast majority of missionaries today, even long-term workers, do not become like the people they are seeking to reach. Most of the time, we are simply not willing to give up our 'identity' as an American/Canadian/Peruvian or other nationality, in order to truly become Chinese/Malaysian/Pakistani, etc... and be able to share the Gospel in the most effective way possible. We sacrifice effectiveness and fluency in understanding the language and culture, for the comfort and security of keeping our own national identity and speech.

3. We are not willing to look at the spiritual state of the unreached people groups of the world, and make our life decisions based upon the obvious need and the clear call to "Go and Preach". All too often, we seek to justify ourselves and claim to not have been "called" to missions. But it was Hudson Taylor who said that we should rather ask God if he is calling us to stay at home. What would be the problem if we all (or even 50% of us) decided to be missionaries? Would God not provide for our needs and open doors as never before?

We need people who are willing to follow in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, working hard day and night, sharing the Gospel everywhere that they go. If unbelievers can build companies and create successful businesses around the world, and all for personal gain, how much more should we Christians be able to do that with our hearts focused on giving glory to God and seeking and saving the lost wherever we go?

--- I could go on, but I will stop for now. Please feel free to write me or comment on this post if you have any questions or ideas or thoughts on what I have written. I would love to have honest interaction on this subject with those of you who are seeking to love and obey God with all of your heart!

8 Objections to Becoming a Missionary

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

One of my desires with this blog is (by the grace of God) to encourage others to become missionaries and take the Gospel to the unreached people of the world.

The following article, written by John Piper in 2005, could help answer an objection that you or someone you know might have at some time offered to God as an excuse for not answering the call to be a missionary. Please read prayerfully:

Answers to Objections to Going into Missions

What I Said at Missions in the Main Hall

By John Piper November 3, 2005

When I spoke at Missions in the Main Hall Sunday night, I tried to give a biblical response to possible obstacles that are in the way for some people that may keep them from moving forward toward missions. My prayer is that God would use these responses to call more of you to go. Here are eight objections and a biblical response.

1. "I am not smart enough."

"Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe." (1 Corinthians 1:20-21)

"Consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise." (1 Corinthians 1:26-27)

2. "My body and my personality are not strong enough."

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." (2 Corinthians 4:7)

"[Christ] said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

3. "I am not a good speaker."

"Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." (1 Corinthians 1:17)

"Moses said to the Lord, Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.' Then the Lord said to him, Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak." (Exodus 4:10-12)

4. "I am afraid of the horrors I read about in the newspapers."

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore (katartisei-"mend" or "repair" your horribly disfigured body when the lions in the coliseum are through with you), confirm, strengthen, and establish you." (1 Peter 5:8-10)

5. "I am afraid I won't be fruitful"

Your responsibility is not to be fruitful but to be faithful.

"And [Jesus] said, The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." (Mark 4:26-29)

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." (1 Corinthians 3:6-7)

6. "There is plenty to do here."

True, but there is a division of labor and God calls some to MISSIONS, not just evangelism. The difference is seen in Romans 15:19-24:

"So that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I [Paul] have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named. . . Now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions . . . I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain."

How could Paul say there was no room for work when there were millions in that region to be evangelized? Because evangelism is not missions.

7. "I am not married."

The best spouse is found on the path of obedience.

"An excellent wife [or husband!] who can find? She [and he!] is far more precious than jewels" (Proverbs 31:10).

The finding is exceedingly hard. It will happen on the road of obedience.

8. "I fear that when I get there it might turn out I made a mistake and will come home with shame."

Which is worse, shame for having endeavored to follow Christ in missions, or fear to venture? Shame before others for making a mistake will not hurt you; it will humble you and can make you more useful in a new situation. But fear will make you useless everywhere.

Consider Ecclesiastes 11:4 and what it says about risk:

"He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap."

Meaning: without taking the risk of sowing when the seed might be blown away and reaping when the rain might ruin the harvest, you will starve.

Oh, how precious is the freeing word of God,

Pastor John

Desiring God

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Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

Exegetical Fallacies (Bible-Study Blunders)

Wed, 7 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I recently read a very helpful book called "Exegetical Fallacies" by New Testament professor, author, and Bible commentator D.A. Carson.

If you aren't sure what the word "exegetical" even means, it is simply "an explanation or critical interpretation of a text", especially in regards to the Bible. So the title "Exegetical Fallacies" refers to the many ways that the Bible is commonly mis-interpreted by theologians, scholars, pastors, and Bible-teachers.

This is a book that was first published in 1983 (the same year I was born!). The edition that I read, however, was the 2nd edition, published in 1996 by Baker Books. I found the book rather randomly while browsing a friend's household library last month. He said I could borrow it and I am glad I did.

Many of the fallacies (mistakes) detailed in the book in regards to interpreting scripture are simple ones that almost all of us have made out of sheer ignorance and the simple fact that we think we understand much more about scripture and the Bible in general than we really do.

In D.A. Carson's own words,

"This study is important because exegetical fallacies are painfully frequent among us- among us whose God-given grace and responsibility is the faithful proclamation of the Word of God. Make a mistake in the interpretation of one of Shakespeare's plays, falsely scan a piece of Spenserian verse, and there is unlikely to be an entailment of eternal consequence; but we cannot lightly accept a similar laxity in the interpretation of Scripture. We are dealing with God's thoughts: we are obligated to take the greatest pains to understand them truly and to explain them clearly. It is all the more shocking, therefore, to find in the evangelical pulpit, where the Scriptures are officially revered, frequent and inexcusable sloppiness in handling them. All of us, of course, will make some exegetical mistakes: I am painfully aware of some of my own, brought to my attention by increasing years, wider reading, and alert colleagues who love me enough to correct me. But tragic is the situation when the preacher or teacher is perpetually unaware of the blatant nonsense he utters, and of the consequent damage he inflicts on the church of God. Nor will it do to be satisfied with pointing a finger at other groups whose skills are less than our own: we must begin by cleaning up our own backyard."

(the bold in the above quote is mine)

The book is divided into four main chapters detailing different types of fallacies, along with one final chapter "briefly listing some areas where more opportunities for fallacies lurk in the darkness to catch the unwary":

1. Word-Study Fallacies

2. Grammatical Fallacies

3. Logical Fallacies

4. Presuppositional and Historical Fallacies

5. Concluding Reflections

I was originally planning on giving at least one example of a fallacy from each chapter, but I want to share a story from the Introduction instead that will help show why we should endeavor to interpret the Bible correctly.

Carson writes,

"When two equally godly interpreters emerge with mutually incompatible interpretations of a text, it must be obvious...that they cannot both be right."

At the bottom of the page, in a footnote linked directly to the previous statement, Carson continues,

"Occasionally a remarkable blind spot prevents people from seeing this point. Almost twenty years ago I rode in a car with a fellow believer who relayed to me what the Lord had "told" him that morning in his quiet time. He had been reading the KJV of Matthew; and I perceived that not only had he misunderstood the archaic English, but also that the KJV at that place had unwittingly misrepresented the Greek text. I gently suggested that there might be another way to understand the passage and summarized what I thought the passage was saying. The brother dismissed my view as impossible on the grounds that the Holy Spirit, who does not lie, had told him the truth on this matter. Being young and bold, I pressed on with my explanation of grammar, context, and translation, but was brushed off by a reference to 1 Cor. 2:10b-15: spiritual things must be spiritually discerned- which left little doubt about my status. Genuinely intrigued, I asked this brother what he would say if I put forward my interpretation, not on the basis of grammar and text, but on the basis that the Lord himself had given me the interpretation I was advancing. He was silent a long time, and then concluded, "I guess that would mean the Spirit says the Bible means different things to different people."

This is a slightly comical story, but it highlights something that is way too common in the Church today; that is, the belief that one Biblical text can actually say different things to different people, or that the Scriptures can have meaning apart from what the authors intended or from what the original language actually shows a word to mean.

I should probably finish this review by mentioning that this is not a "light read". It takes a lot of time and thoughtfulness to work through each chapter if the fallacies discussed are to be properly understood. I expect that I will read this book many more times in the coming years, if only because there is so much to be taken from it that I could not possibly retain it all with just one read.

Robbed by KLM!

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

(Update: Jose & his wife & son have arrived safely in China. They didn't run out of money before arriving, and they seem to be in good spirits, so thank you for those that prayed for them!)

I just received an e-mail from our good friends and partners in ministry, Jose and Eloisa Mendez. They wrote from the airport in Amsterdam to tell me that they are almost broke after having to use up most of their cash to pay $821 USD for a one-way INFANT ticket for their 2 month old baby boy for their return flight from Mexico City to Shanghai. They evidently argued with the agents about the ridiculously high price for an INFANT IN LAP for a long time, but to no avail. They finally paid because they were about to miss their flight.

(This pic is of me teaching Jose (on the right) how 2 swim in a Tibetan river during the Summer of 08)

They arrive in Shanghai on Saturday evening at about 10 pm CST and might not even have enough cash to buy train tickets to our city in NW China. He's gonna call me when he arrives to let me know more details of their situation.

Please pray that they wouldn't worry too much during their flight (that they would get some needed rest!) and that God would provide for all of their needs both today and in the coming months. Jose told me that the cash they were carrying was primarily for paying their rent upon their return to China. The $821 they paid is equivalent to nearly 2 months support in China, or 1 year's rent at their apartment. So they definitely have needs right now.

If you want to help them out with a donation of any kind, please click the "Contact" link to the left of this page or visit the following link: http://bit.ly/zRTDj. Earmark any donations for "Jose - China Needs".

Also, please be in prayer for them in regards to where they will live for the coming year. We are waiting (and praying for!) approval for them to return to their former home in a stategic Tibetan town that has been closed for foreign residents for quite some time. No news will come until mid-October sometime, but pray for that situation as well!

Thank you & may you walk close to Jesus today!

Eugene

Bachelor Party Theology

Sat, 8 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I dozed off at about 2 am this morning on the couch at my brother's bachelor party, while most of the guys were still sitting around the dining room table finishing a friendly game of poker. I awoke at around 5:30 am to find many of these same guys still sitting around that dining room table, only this time they were talking theology.

It was a friendly conversation and I wasn't awake to even know what started the whole thing. However, one question in particular caught my interest:

If our sins are punished by eternal separation from God (or, eternal hell), why did Jesus only have to suffer momentary separation and punishment?

Its not a new question, but one that I have often pondered over the years. In this conversation, the question was meant (among other things) to be something that would "leave everyone speechless" and to help serve to illustrate the supposed assumption that "there are a lot of Biblical things that we just can't understand".

And to be honest, it is a difficult question. At the moment it was presented, I wasn't certain enough of my thoughts to walk over and say anything. In fact, in order to jog my memory and try to confirm what I have heard in the past in regards to this question, I have spent the last couple hours (its now almost 8 am) doing a little online research to find some Christian answers to this question.

Here are two answers that I found from two trusted and widely respected pastors/theologians:

John MacArthur

I guess the staggering thing for me is this, Christ only suffered on the cross for about three hours, then He died. How is it possible that He could bear the full penalty for sin, for all who will ever believe, when if they had to bear it they would all spend eternity in Hell and it would never be enough?

Amazing, isn't it? If even an eternal Hell can't pay the penalty when endured by the sinner, how in the world can all the penalty for all who will ever believe be accomplished in three hours? The answer is, it was, which should take you somewhere into the realm of understanding the infinite punishment that Jesus endured. All the eternities of Hill that all the redeemed should have suffered were collectively endured by Christ in three hours.

He is infinite and He bore almost an infinity of wrath in three hours. The fury of God spent itself in three hours. Why? "This is My body which is given for you." It would take us forever and we still couldn't satisfy God. "This is My blood shed for you." He took the guilt of all our sins and the full fury of God's wrath as our penal substitute. It's the sacrifice of Christ, a sacrifice to God, a submission of Christ, a submission to the will of God.

(excerpt from sermon, "God's Glory Through Christ's Death", by John MacArthur)

John Piper:

That's a good question, and I think there's a pretty clear answer.

Another question would be, How can one man suffer when millions should've suffered? Same kind of issue. How does one suffering become the suffering of millions? The math doesn't work! How does suffering for 3 hours on a cross correspond to delivering people from eternity in hell? All those kinds of questions apply here.

The answer is that the degree of suffering, indignity, reproach, degradation, and fall that Jesus endured is not simply determined temporally. And it's not simply determined by the exquisiteness of the pain of a nail cutting through a nerve in your wrist.

It's determined by the difference between the glory that he had with the Father in heaven and the ignominy that he suffered, naked and hanging like a piece of meat as the Son of God on the cross. It's that distance that is the magnitude that provides the scope needed in his suffering to cover an eternity in hell and to cover the sins of millions of people.

The way to think about it is that we commit a greater indignity against God, not just in accord with how many sins we commit or how bad they are, but in accord with how great he is. Therefore our sins are infinitely great because they're against an infinite person and deserve an infinite punishment.

Christ, being an infinite person, became so low that that drop in suffering, that drop in indignity was such a huge drop-it was an infinite drop-that it suffices to cover the sins of millions and to cover the entire length of eternity that we deserve to be in hell.

He is a great Savior.

By John Piper. Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

--- I like both of these answers, and I think they are pretty much saying the same thing. What do you think? Are there any other good (Good = Biblical) explanations out there? Please share.

Honduras: The Real Story (& Why I Care)

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I am not sure why the so-called Honduran "coup" has captured my attention as much as it has. I think it has something to do with the fact that the situation began just a few weeks after I confirmed my plans to visit Honduras next month on Aug 12-14.

(I'm travelling there to speak to a group of churches about how they can get involved in missionary work among the T*b*t*ns of Asia. It will be my first time to visit Honduras... and what great timing!)

Like most people, when I heard the "news" (think: Obamamaniamedia) that a so-called "coup" had occurred in Honduras, I was a little bit upset and worried for the Honduran people & my new friends in particular.

However, it wasn't very long before I began receiving updates from our Honduran friends explaining what the REAL situation was in their country. There is definitely something to worry about, however it is not nearly in the way that I had first imagined.

So without further delay, please take a moment to read more REAL news from our friends in Honduras (specifically from missionaries Doug & Jan Houston):

We wanted to send out an update and prayer requests for the country of Honduras. We don't know how much coverage you are getting there about the situation. Again, a good many of the news updates we read are basically only presenting one side (that of ex-president Zelaya). This is partly because he is outside of Honduras right now and giving hundreds (literally) of interviews; as well, he has been supported by the international community with not too much regard given to the polemic incidents he was involved in before his ousting on June 28. The story is a long one (as all stories are) and should be represented fairly. This, to a large degree, has still not happened. We can't change all of that, but we can continue to inform you as best we can and join many in praying for this country.

We wanted to give you a very brief update about what is occurring presently in Honduras. Mel Zelaya has tried two times to enter into Honduras from the Nicaraguan border (July 24 & 25). Curfew has been in place near the border to avoid the accumulation of large crowds. This is done to avoid violence. Mr. Zelaya is inciting crowds to an insurrection which he continues to say is completely justifiable since he is the rightful president. These actions have been criticized by many world leaders, but he is being instructed by Mr. Chavez and others with him. Many Hondurans have crossed the border over the mountains to join him on the Nicaragua side. He has told them he will provide them with shelter and food. He plans to try again tomorrow (Sunday) using his supporters as a buffer between himself and authorities (of course, they are very willing to be his buffer). The aim seems to be to continue provoking and inciting unrest among Hondurans with the possibility of actually entering the country forcibly (not by negotiations).

We want to clarify (at least from our perspective) a few things you may read or hear in the news:

1) There is not repression of those who support Mr. Zelaya. They are allowed to block roads, burn tires, write on walls and even destroy property. Police and military try to protect people from both sides. There has been a longer curfew on the border with Nicaragua, but this is not an intent to repress, rather to protect.

2) Mr. Zelaya's family has not been repressed. They can leave the country to join him, but they have not done that. His wife and mother were kept from going to the border by land just as all other Honduran citizens on Friday and Saturday. The road was blocked by the military and police, once again, to ensure that a mob didn't form which could have led to many deaths.

3) The military and police have sought to not act in a violent and aggressive way even when provoked. To maintain order, they have had to use tear gas. Guns have been used sparingly. Only one person has been killed in the protests to this point.

4) Most people try to go on with life as normal, work, etc. There are protests with roadblocks that are random in nature and complicate life, but Hondurans are trying to move on. However, Mr. Zelaya's continued actions and words have produced tremendous fear, unrest and division, particularly on the Nicaragua border.

How do you pray? One thing is clear: God has called us to humble ourselves and pray and turn from our wrong ways so He can heal our land (II Chronicles 7:14). This implies it all has to start with us. We see so much anger and hatred and pride here in Honduras. But, what about in our own lives? God has really challenged us to allow Him to work in our hearts so we will know how to pray for this country and its leaders. If this national crisis can bring God's children to look to Him and change our ways, change can come to this country, as well.

We've included some prayer points, but we also want you to ask God how to pray for Honduras. These come for our perspective which is much more limited than God's. We are asking Him, though, to teach us to pray. We hope these give you some things to think about as you pray for this country:

1) Pray against the spirit of division, hatred and violence that has been growing more over the last few days, particularly due to inciting from Mr. Zelaya. Please pray against an insurrection from within.

2) Pray that Mr. Zelaya will not be able to return by force as this would mean returning with no limits on his power. This would be devastating to the country's future. Pray against the influence and interference of Mr. Chavez.

3) Pray for dialogue to resume and a peaceful solution to be reached that is the highest & best for Honduras. Pray for humility and wisdom for the present leaders.

4) Pray for unity in the armed forces, police and present government. Division would lead to tremendous violence and chaos.

5) Pray against violence and unrest at the Nicaragua/Honduras border in the next 2 days, particularly. Pray that arms/weapons would be kept out of the hands of protesters. Pray against military involvement on the part of Nicaragua & Venezuela.

6) Pray for the OAS, UN and US to protect Honduras from being unwillingly forced to follow an ideology the majority do not want here. Pray for fair judgment and for the truth to come out so that real dialogue can take place and the best solution can be reached. Tentatively, Mr. Zelaya is to talk with the US State Department on Tuesday. Pray against Mr. Chavez' influence in these talks.

7) Pray that God will use this situation to bring a paradigm shift towards a democracy that works: checks & balances against corruption; leaders above reproach who lead with transparency & honesty, who are concerned for all social classes, who diligently work to bring Honduras out of a chronic state of poverty and a "victim mentality," who can see the tremendous potential of this nation and its people.

8) Pray for Jesus to reign and for Christians to humble themselves and turn from wrong ways so Jesus can heal this land.

Thank you so much for your patience with these updates and for your prayers.

Doug & Jan Houston

A Plea for Prayer

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Just a week or so ago, I posted a letter and some prayer requests from some Honduran friends that I have, in regards to the current political situation that is facing their country. I just received another e-mail update from them, and I was more touched by this one than I was the first. Please read the letter below, especially the parts that I have bolded & italicized!

(BTW, the pictures you see are of peaceful rallies that are taking place in Honduras IN SUPPORT of the removal of their former president Zelaya)

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer" 1 Peter 3:12a

Hi everyone,

I hope this letter finds you well, thank you so much for your patience on our prayer requests. We trust God is the only one who can perform miracles and help our country. I just wanted to share with you some photos taken yesterday during one of the many pacific walks that take place all over the country; the purpose is to let the world know Hondurans want democracy NOT communism. I pray and wish with all my heart that the world would know the truth, but I wake up every day just to hear CNN, other international media and Zelaya lying, telling the world that there's a civil war in here, that many have died, that the army is oppressing people or that "all" the people want the dictator back. Why would we want a leftist dictator back? Doesn't even make sense!!!, I feel nauseated; all these statements are completely false.

The truth is: ONE person died since Zelaya was ousted (his followers are quite violent), we are living peacefully, our army's behavior is very protective of peace and order, our war is psychological due to Chavez's continuous threats that cause a lot of unrest cause we know what he's capable of; there is a relatively small amount of Zelaya's followers (around 10,500 nationwide) who are being financed by Venezuela (so many of them are Nicaraguans/Venezuelans infiltrates) and they get all the international media attention to spread the lies, it's beyond my understanding on why is the international media completely oblivious to the rest of us, the majority to be truthful (around 7,479,000 people).

I thank God for the good that's come out of this situation: love and unity is so palpable, I go out the streets and can talk to anyone like we are old friends, people's thirst for God is so big, also many Venezuelan people are encouraging us not to give up as they did, it's so touching they are always on our prayers and finally we are so blessed by all the love and prayers coming from outside Honduras, our hearts are thankful.

PLEASE pray with us:

1) For the truth to finally come out, once and for all so the world stops condemning Honduras without even knowing the facts or the other side of the story.

2) For us to take strength in God's promises and our faith to be stronger.

3) For God to protect our territory from Chavez's invasion and from Zelaya's call to violence.

4) For Zelaya's followers to open their eyes of the danger they are supporting.

5) For Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba, etc. to be free from this oppressing dictatorships.

6) For all Hondurans to also be passionate about God, not only our country but to the one who deserves all of our love and devotion.

Thank you and God bless you,

Waldina C.

P.S.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da9etL5uqy8&feature=email

www.supportfreehonduras.com

www.doctoralvaroalbornoz.blogspot.com

http://www.laverdadenhonduras.com/

http://www.ucdhonduras.com/

Heartfelt Thanks

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way
so that nothing is lacking for them.
Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs,
so that they will not be unfruitful."
Titus 3:14-15

I don't remember what exactly brought it to my mind today as I was driving home from school here in China, but I was suddenly overwhelmed by the fact that so many people (many of you!) sacrifice greatly to support myself and my family in the ministry work that we do.

In all honesty, there is so much that we wouldn't be able to accomplish if it were not for the loving generosity of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Without a doubt, God is our Provider and the One who is intimately at work in our lives; however, God very often uses His people to be His hands and feet.

Thank you for being used by God! Thank you for your sacrificial giving, whether it is for my family or any other ministry, mission, or individual believer... from the bottom of my heart, thank you!

Prayer Request from Honduras

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I don't know if you've heard about the recent events in Honduras regarding their ousted president, but what I've read online in the news is a very different story from what I've heard personally from friends in Honduras.

It seems that our far-left media wants us to believe that what happened there is a very bad thing, however, the so-called "coup" was a legal action by the government of Honduras (think: checks & balances) to curb a president who had broken Honduran law again, and again, and again...

Here is the latest update (along with 10 specific prayer requests) I received from some missionary contacts of ours in Honduras:

We want to thank you for your prayers for Honduras. We know Honduras isn't in the news so much now, but the situation here continues to be a complex one with no clear way out. We want to explain again that Honduras is not under military rule. There are articles stateside that continue to imply this. The military removed the president from his residence on June 28 and transported him to Costa Rica, responding to an order issued by the attorney general and the Supreme Court. Mr. Zelaya was then replaced by Mr. Micheletti, who was the legal successor, according to the Constitution. There is a real effort being made here for life to go on normally. There are problems with protests and roads being blocked on some days; other days, things are quite normal. The vandalism continues and has left its mark on Tegucigalpa. As well, one death has been reported as a result of a protest that took an aggressive turn.

Last week, the present and past governments of Honduras agreed to begin talks led by President Oscar Arias (Nobel Peace Prize winner) of Costa Rica. The talks are aimed at solving the crisis in a peaceful way. There were 2 days of talks last week, and they are scheduled to resume this weekend. Mr. Zelaya was encouraged by Secretary Clinton to take the route of dialogue rather than trying to return as he did on July 5, a tense moment that ended in chaos around the international airport. For the last two days, Mr. Zelaya has delivered ultimatums and has implied that the talks have already failed. He has said he will only wait until Friday or Saturday (July 17-18) before attempting to return using other means (which he did not elaborate on). Mr. Zelaya is in the constant company of officials from Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia. Mr. Chavez has also labeled the talks with Mr. Arias as useless and has threatened Honduras using, as Mr. Arias calls them, "verbal bullets." These "bullets" and Mr. Zelaya's ultimatums have produced a lot of tension and unrest in the population as the uncertain looms overhead. Mr. Zelaya has called on his supporters to stage an insurrection from within which he says is justified since he is recognized as the rightful president by the UN and OAS. The present government has reiterated that the talks cannot result in the reinstatement of Mr. Zelaya as president; however, Mr. Micheletti has offered to resign if bloodshed can be avoided as long as Mr. Zelaya is not reinstated. Dialogue is difficult, given the pre-existing conditions by both sides, but it is the correct route to take. The UN has recently thrown its weight behind the talks and Mr. Arias just as the US and other OAS members did last week.

Apparently, there are protests now planned for the next two days (Thursday/Friday) in answer to Mr. Zelaya's call for action. It has been reported that these protests may be more violent in nature. Classes have been cancelled, at least for some of the schools. Even if nothing major happens, these types of threats keep the country immobile. Honduras is hurting.

Hopefully, this explains a little of the present situation. Honduras was assaulted by Hurricane Mitch, a natural disaster, almost exactly 10 years ago; now, Honduras is faced with a different type of assault which has resulted in division, hatred and violence. Certainly, the democratic system has failed to address a lot of the injustices in this country over the years. This creates a tremendous emptiness and vacuum that allows people like Chavez a foothold. Mr. Zelaya and many others have been pulled into that same ideology. It is time for the injustices and corruption to be addressed and for changes to be made, but not in the form that Mr. Zelaya has been attempting here. Please pray with us for a solution to the present crisis as God leads you. Below are several points for prayer we've included:

1) That the present leaders will be humble, rather than arrogant, and accept their part of the blame here, leading correctly and righteously & with wisdom.

2) For checks and balances to be placed on Mr. Zelaya, should he return; for his alliance with Mr. Chavez to be weakened.

3) For the talks in Costa Rica; for protection for Pres. Arias and Costa Rica; they are taking a risk helping Honduras through this crisis.

4) For the OAS, UN and US to be fair in their judgments, not judging at a glance; to be willing to back up and condemn the actions of a defiant president (not just his ousting); defending Honduras from being unwillingly forced to follow an ideology the majority do not want here.

5) For security forces and the military to remain united to prevent chaos and loss of life; for borders to remain secure; for people infiltrating from other countries to cause unrest to be discovered and stopped; for any infiltration of arms/weapons to be used by protesters to be discovered and stopped.

6) For peace, safety and protection for all, particularly in the next 2 days as different groups are making public threats to follow through on the insurrection Zelaya has called for; for protection from loss of lives.

7) For the division here in the country ... that God would somehow bring healing and reconciliation ... even close friends & family are divided over this issue.

8) For non-interference militarily on the part of Venezuela & Nicaragua.

9) That God will use this situation to bring a paradigm shift in the present and future leadership of this country particularly with regards to being leaders above reproach who lead with transparency & honesty, who are concerned for all social classes, who diligently work to bring Honduras out of a chronic state of poverty, who can see the tremendous potential of this nation and its people, who lead Honduras out of the "victim" mentality ... that true change will be borne from this crisis that will move Honduras to a different plane.

10) For Jesus to reign and for Christians here to remember that their battle is against spiritual forces, not their fellow countrymen or leaders.

Thank you again for your patience with these updates and for your prayers.

Doug & Jan Houston

Twitter, Facebook, Bulgaria, Grandma

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I'm sorry for letting another month go by without a blog... it turns out that work, ministry, and raising three kids takes a lot of time :-)

I wanted to let you know (any of you who might care!) that I am updating MUCH more regularly on Twitter than I have ever done on my blog. Now, a Twitter update is nothing like a blog, but it does let people know what is going on in our daily lives. Since I signed up for Twitter a little over a month ago, I have "tweeted" about 150 times. For those who want to check out my 150 Twitter posts or follow my tweets, my name is: "chinaadventures"

Also, if you have Facebook and we are not already friends, then send me a friend request anytime. My Facebook name is "Eugene West". All of my Twitter updates are also posted directly to my Facebook account.

By the way, I am writing from a (very expensive: $2.75/hr) internet cafe in Sofia, Bulgaria. Gabriel & I were blessed with cheap tickets and a few weeks off to travel to Bulgaria to visit my brother Zach, who is working here this summer. We are also visiting Dubai (United Arab Emirates) and Istanbul, Turkey on our way back to Beijing. Pray for the thousands of people who are receiving the tracts we are distributing in each of these countries, and for our protection!

(This picture is of a typical street scene in Sofia, Bulgaria)

One last (but very important!) thing: My grandmother Mabel West is in the hospital and will probably not make it through the night. Please keep my father Laban (her only son) in your prayers, as well as the rest of the family!

Grandma Mabel was an amazing woman... her heart for God (specifically in regards to prayer & evangelism) will impact our family for generations! Her life will be an awesome (albeit difficult) one to emulate!

(This picture of Grandma Mabel (89) was taken last fall when my family had just flown in from China. Baby Abriana was still a month away from being born)

The Busiest Month of My Life

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The 30 or so days between April 23rd and May 23rd were about as busy for me as I have ever been. In that short period of time, we hosted about 65 people (4 different teams), travelled thousands of miles in my little van (in 6 or 7 different trips) over countless mountains, made a quick 3 day (3000+ mile) trip to Hong Kong, and taught English on most weekends.

It was not all work, however. We had more fellowship during that month than we do in a typical year. Our kids never got bored, because we had at least two South African ladies in our home almost constantly; playing, teaching, and helping entertain them.

Neither was the month only work and fellowship... ministry took place in abundance. More Bibles and tracts made their way into the hands of unsaved people, and more people were witnessed to than I could even begin to describe. For lack of better adjectives, it was an amazing month!

Please pray for all the seeds that were planted and for the souls that were impacted by the Gospel!

The 1st picture is of a lake located in the mountains above one of our Muslim target regions.

The 2nd picture was taken of Gabriel walking down the steep steps/trail from the lake... all by himself!

(I apologize for not blogging even somewhat regularly. I need to be a bit more disciplined.)

Laura Ingraham takes a "post-Christian" to task

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I stumbled across this interview that Laura Ingraham did recently with "post-Christian" author Ted Dekker about a new book he has coming out. The interview was supposed to focus on the book (BoneMan's Daughters), but somehow got sidetracked into what it means to be "post-Christian" and why we should or should not use the term Christian to describe ourselves.

For me it was partly comical, although somewhat saddening to hear Laura (a devout Catholic) rip Ted's argument's for "post-Christianity" to shreds with just a few simple questions and some common sense.

This interview helps to reveal the weakness of the arguments used by those who want to be Christians (believe Christian doctrines) without labeling themselves as Christians.

Here is where you can download the interview:

http://www.teddekker.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/laura_041309.mov

Here is the link to Ted Dekker's blog, where I originally came across the interview:

http://www.teddekker.com/2009/04/13/are-you-bonemans-daughter/

Settling Down

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It has been a little more than a month since I last posted an update on this blog. Things have been busier than I had expected, and look to be even busier in the month to come.

Here are a few highlights from the past month:

- Ariel turned 2 on March 26th. We had a birthday party with a bunch of our friends and coworkers. She is a beautiful young girl who looks and acts quite a bit older than a (barely!) 2 year old, especially when compared to her older brother. Gabriel and Ariel are very nearly the same size, and Ariel is not far behind Gabriel (who is 15 months older) in speech and other cognitive abilities.

(Ariel has her mouth full of a special Brazilian chocolate candy in the above picture)

- I have been teaching English on the weekends at two local English schools. These are private schools who offer classes on weekends and during the summer and winter holiday seasons to students who want to learn more advanced English. It has been fun teaching, and the work is currently providing for our family's residence permits to live in this city, as well as extra cash to help cover the cost of living in this larger city. (Which is a huge blessing especially now that we have our 3rd child!)

As I mentioned above, things are looking to be extremely busy in the coming month. Along with teaching English on the weekends, and my wife studying Chinese during the week, and taking care of our 3 kids, we are going to have a total of 35-40 visitors coming through town between April 20-May 20. We will be helping to facilitate these people's journeys through our area and on into more unreached towns in surrounding regions. Please keep us, and them, in your prayers!