Re-Introducing

Editor: Wayne Barrier

Founding Editor:
Global
J.C. Choate
Associate Editor,
Design, Lay-out:
Betty Burton Choate
Harvest
Publisher: A Mission Information Magazine
J.C. Choate Publications/
World Literature Publications
for Churches of Christ

You say: What?!!! Another magazine
that I donʼt have time to read?
Yes, it seems that for all of us, the days have somehow
been shortened. Maybe they’re actually only 12 hours long
now!
But, seriously, you know that we in the Lord’s church are
part of a Body. We’re not just isolated hands and feet, kick-
ing around alone in this hostile world. We are a body, of
which Jesus is the Head, and brothers and sisters all over the
world make up the millions of members. Don’t you think it
should be a part of your education as a Christian to know
at least a little about what is going on in that body of
which you are a part?
Yes, some disturbing things are happening to some of the
members, but some exciting things are going on with other
brothers and sisters! Some are growing by leaps and bounds;
others desperately need our help.
How are you to know what needs to be done -- even how
to pray -- if no one informs you? Yes, that’s why we believe
that a magazine such as Global Harvest should be near the
top of your priority list. That’s why, with tremendous effort
to gather the articles and set up the pages, and then quite a
large layout of money for printing and postage, we have
committed to do a second issue of the magazine.
Our intention when we printed the first issue was to make
the magazine a quarterly, if possible. Then, with J.C.’s sick-
ness and ultimate death, everything had to be put on hold.
Now, we are re-introducing the magazine with Volume Two.
Whether we are able to continue will, in large part, be your
decision. We need your feedback.
❃ Let us know that you received the magazine (this will
help us make needed corrections in the mailing list).
❃ Give us your comments and suggestions. Tell us more
of what you’d like to know about the church, worldwide.
❃ Provide us with articles and information about what is
going on in your area. Send us contact information for vari-
ous missionaries and their sponsors.
Looking toward the future, we hope to print a second issue
before the end of 2009, and we would like to make Global
Harvest a quarterly. But to do that, we have to have a much
greater input of materials and of funds to do the printing.
Just now, while it is fresh on your mind, could you
send $5.00 to cover the cost of printing and mailing this
issue, and another $5.00 to ensure the publication of a Fall
issue -- just $10.00! That’s not even the cost of one of
those meals that many Americans are lining up to eat
during these times of economic hardship!
Congregations that would like to order bundles may do so
at the cost of $3.00 each, plus shipping. I don’t know how long
we can stay with that offer but, for now, it stands.
Write to
World Evangelism
P.O. Box 72
Winona, MS 38967
Make checks payable to
Global Harvest

We invite submission of feature and report articles from biblically-sound brethren, along
with colored photographs, for inclusion in future issues of Global Harvest.

Disclaimer: We believe that we must answer to God for what we teach and promote. It is
our purpose to be biblical in all that we do and, to the best of our knowledge, we will not
promote in these pages the work of unsound brethren. Because we cannot personally know
all that anyone believes and teaches, we ask your help in guarding against unknowingly
publicizing those who are either liberal or fanatical. If such material is inadvertantly printed,
we ask your understanding and cooperation.
Global Harvest Volume 2 Spring 2009

Table of Contents:
Editorials Middle East
 The Work Goes On ....................................................6  The Lordʼs Work in Israel
 The Power of the Written Word.... J.C. Choate....... 7 Dr. Donnie S. Barnes........................................
32
 Global Harvest Editorial......... Wayne Barrier........... 8  An Amazing Story....... J.C. Choate.........................
36
Specials  Victory Through Christ...... Don Petty ....................37
 Sea Shells Found in the Mountains.... Don Petty ..37
 What Does It Mean to “Pray Without Ceasing?”
Betty Burton Choate ............................................5 Africa
 Benefits from Long-Term Missions
Gordon Hogan...................................................
34  U.S.A. Trip........ Sylvester A. Imogoh ......................39
 The Search for One Sheep...... Joey McKinney ......35  Brother E.O. Ajagun Is Dead!
 Do You Want the Best in Life? Sylvester A. Imogoh .........................................39
Betty Burton Choate ...........................................83  Growth and Graduations... George Akpabli ...........40
 Mozambique......... Mark Thiesen.............................
40
Gleaning from the Fields  Ladies Teaching Ladies...... Prissy Sellers .............41
North America  Winners Who Have Surrendered... Ruth Orr.......... 42
 Growth in Kenya.... David Marube ..........................44
 Wake Up, Church!
(Seminars and Retreats Planned) .....................9  Doyle Keeʼs Mission to Chad .................................45
 Weʼre Headed for Disaster .....................................10  News from Zimbabwe.... Loy Mitchell .....................46
 Our “World Evangelism” Program .........................12  The Lordʼs Message May Run.... Loy Mitchell........ 47
 WebSites: World Evangelism and  Mission Seminars.... Loy and Debra Mitchell ..........47
Gospel Gazette Online ....................................13  The Influence of the School.... Solomon Aguh....... 48
 The Voice of Truth International... Byron Nichols ..14 Indian Sub-Continent
 The Voice of Truth International (Spanish) ...........15
 Godʼs Kingdom Flourishes... Jerry Bates ..............16
 Evangelism in North India..... Sunny David............ 49
 Troublesome Times in Distant Lands
 Strengthening the Church..... Sunny David ...........50
Louis Rushmore ................................................17
 The Church of Christ and Ekklesia Bible College
 World Evangelism School of Missions .................18
S. Rajanayagam.................................................
51
 World Evangelism Catalog .....................................18
 A Mission Trip to Gujarat..... P.R. Swamy...............
52
 World Video Bible School .......................................19
 Hindu Opposition to the Gospel.... Don Iverson ...53
 Holding to the Traditions.... Bill Farris ....................20
 Cutting the Thread ..................................................53
 A Convenient Conversion? ....................................21
 Excitement in Madurai
 Evangelism Still Works!...... Travis Arrant ..............22
Philemon and Kingsly Rajah ..............................54
 House to House .......................................................23
 CDs and DVDs in Hindi...... Sunny David ...............55
 Restoration Radio...... Miles Cotham ......................23
 Taking the Gospel to the Special People
 Gospel Broadcasting Network..... Barry Gilreath... 24
Philemon Rajah ..................................................56
 Seeking the Lost............. Ken Gardner ...................26
 Widows in the Lordʼs Church.... Beth Johnson .....57
 Bible Charts for the World
 Widowed by a Cobra.... Don Iverson ......................57
Dr. Donnie S. Barnes........................................
27
 The Power of Literature ..........................................59
Central and South America  From Sri Lanka... Harold and Lilani Thomas ...........60
 A Little Glimpse of History.... Kalum Gamage .......61
 Continuing Campaigns to Guyana
Jerry L. Davidson .............................................28 Asia
 El Salvador......... Jonathan Winchester ...................29
 The Church in Sao Jose dos Campos  Serving God Among Vietnamese People
J. Randal Matheny ...........................................29 Nguyen Thi Kuan Thu ........................................62
 Cambodia....... Bill McDonough ...............................63
Europe  From Killing Fields to Life..... Sokhom Hun ...........64
 France................. Charles White ..............................30  Kalay Bible School..... Wayne Barrier .....................65
 Overview of Romania...... Harvey Starling ..............31  A Trip to Kalay..... Janet Barrier ...............................66
 The Field in Belgium......... Roy Davidson...............
31  Tibet....... Wayne Barrier...........................................
67
 Global Harvest 4

Pacific Islands and the Far East

 Indonesia -- Giant of Southeast Asia A little Quiz...
Colin McKee .....................................................69 !. The church brought food and the Gospel to
 The Picture in South Korea...... Malcom Parsley ...70 people in ___________ after the cyclone.
 On the Brink of History!........ Demar Elam............. 71 2. Which publication among us prints more
 Bible Literature for China .......................................71
 Japan.... Naoyoshi Fukushima .................................72 than 2 1/2 million copies?
 Japan -- A Thorny Land....... Akira Hirose...............
73 3. What is the name of the TV broadcasting
 Japanese Lantern network that is asking help to telecast to the
Steve and Debbie Carrell ..................................75 whole world?
 Reaching Islands and Nations with the Gospel
4. Does the church of Christ exist in Israel?
Randy English ...................................................76
 Body and Soul Ministries.... Dr. John Bailey ..........77 5. What amazing story did Dr. Khan tell the
 Simple New Testament Christianity J.C. Choates?
Scott Shanahan.................................................
78 6. How do you think you would have fared if
 Philippine Campaign..... Reuben Emperado ..........79
you had been left as Nilton Lelas was?
 “Gidday” from New Zealand..... Rod Kyle ..............80
 New Zealand...... Kent O’Donnell .............................81 7. Name some things Isaac Onyebuchi gave
 Allan Flaxman Dies.... Brian Flaxman .....................81 up in order to be a Christian.
 News from Tasmania...... Dennis Gresham............. 82
5 Global Harvest

We Need Your Help!

In order to make Global Harvest the informative, useful, and inspiring magazine we envision, we must
have input from brethren, churches, and program projects throughout the brotherhood and all over the
world.
We need four things from our readers/participants:
(1) Your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address.
(2) Submissions of articles (with accompanying high quality color photos; if sentover the internet, pho-
tos must be at least 200 dpi and 4x5 in size). Articles need to be story-form, rather than general ‘report’
form; they need to focus on a particular event, specific method of work, some turn of events, an exemplary
person, etc. Writing should be succinct, professionally done, without exaggerations or embellishment of
truth to make a more exciting story.
(3) Submissions should be accompanied with the name and contact address for references. We cannot
promote erring brethren through the pages of Global Harvest.
(4) If this publication is to become a timely quarterly magazine, we must have financial support from
brethren who will make a personal donation to receive it individually, and from congregations that will pay
for bundles to be supplied to their members.
Individual donation: $5.00 per copy
Congregational donation: $75.00 per 25 copies
$125.00 per 50 copies
$200 per 100 copies

“That’s just a ‘figure of speech’.
Of course we can’t pray all the
time!”
My father and I liked to build
things together. He was the lead,
and I was the helper. I thought I was
going right up that ladder of compe-
tency until he passed away, and then
I discovered that I was a very good
follower, bereft of my leader.
But we made a good team. Of
course we did a lot of talking and
serious planning about our projects
before we started. And then, as we
worked, we discussed the suitable-
ness of the materials, we checked
measurements, we did the cuts, the
glueing, the nailing, the sanding,
varnishing -- the whole works -- and
then we sat back and admired the
finished product. It was a good feel-
ing of accomplishment, shared be-
tween our hearts.
What Does it Mean, to
“Pray Without Ceasing”?
1 Thessalonians 5:17
As we worked, though, some-
times we talked, sometimes we dis-
cussed the project or a problem,
sometimes we worked in silence.
But always our thoughts were to-
gether, and always we were con-
scious to the other’s presence and of
what the other was doing, as well as
what we were doing together.
And, to me, that’s what that
beautiful verse has come to mean, as
I have puzzled over it and have gone
deeper into what it is saying about
our relationship with our Spiritual
Father.
God and I are in a great building
project together. He is the lead, and
I am the helper. He talks to me
through His Word. I talk to Him
through my thoughts (prayers). No,
they are not always ‘formal’ prayers,
on my knees. They are a continual
sense of His presence and involve-
ment in whatever we are doing to-
gether, whether it is parenting, doing
physical work or spiritual work,
studying with someone, or just driv-
ing down the road. His ‘divine na-
ture’ (2 Peter 1:4) permeates my atti-
tude and my response to the events
of the moment; appropriate direc-
tives from His Word come to mind
as I am working through a project or
a problem; my thoughts to Him are
real and essential communication in
all that we are doing together.
At night, usually I fall asleep
praying. I used to feel guilty about
that, but I can’t believe God would
be unhappy if our last thoughts of
the day are with Him. ✞
 Global Harvest
The Work Goes On . . .
J.C. Choate passed from this life
on February 1, 2008, after dealing with
colon cancer for more than five years.
Some Background to the Story
J.C. wasn’t a person to dominate
the scene. He didn’t joke a lot, or take
over a conversation. If there was such
J. C. recording radio tapes in
the early years of program-
ming on Radio Sri Lanka.
a thing as “church politics”, he was not
interested in using it to any advantage.
He avoided conflict if at all possible. It
didn’t matter greatly if others knew
what he was doing or not. He didn’t
feel elevated by attention or slighted by
the lack of it. Neither was he a crotch-
ety, critical person.
Perhaps he sounds like a an indif-
ferent, conformable personality. But
he wasn’t that either.
From the time he decided to be a
preacher of the Gospel as a young man,
J.C. was single-minded; Mark 16:15,16
was his focus, and the means to obey it
became his life.
In 1962, J.C. and Betty began what
became a lifetime of foreign mission
involvement, first in Karachi, Pakistan,
then in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and finally
moving to New Delhi, India. The Liberty
Church of Christ in Dennis, MS spon-
sored their efforts, with the support of
churches and individuals across the US.
During almost sixty years of
preaching, J.C. used all the mediums to
get the Word out, concentrating more in
the latter half of his life on mass media
tools: books, magazines, radio, TV, and
the building of a network of brethren in
the US and abroad to enable more work
and more effective work to be done.
The World Evangelism Team
Funds were raised for radio pro-
grams in the major Indian languages,
using the abilities of Reggie Gnana-
sundaram, Sunny David, Joshua
Gootam, P.R. Swamy, and P.K.
Varghese as speakers. Later, TV pro-
grams were added, featuring Joshua
and Ricky Gootam, S. Rajanayagam,
Philemon Rajah, B. Arjunan and oth-
ers. A dozen monthly magazines are
printed in various languages in India,
and books are also printed there and in
other Asian countries.
Wayne and Janet Barrier
The Wayne Barrier family be-
came involved in the program more
than 25 years ago. After his retire-
ment from secular work, the Double
Springs Church of Christ assumed
Wayne’s sponsorship, adding more
hands, more minds, and more support
to the overall vision. Together, they
focussed on helping foreign brethren
develop Bible schools, both for
grounding and training those who
were already Christians and for con-
verting new contacts who attended.
During the last two years of J.C.’s
life, Wayne took the lead in monthly
meetings to develop curriculum for the
World Evangelism School of Mis-
sions, which began its first classes in
August, 2008 in Winona. This school
offers practical training for prospective
short- and long-term missionaries.
Wayne, Janet, and their sons --
Jamie, Joey and Jeremy, and their
6
son-in-law and daughter, Harvey and
Jeannie Whiteside -- continue with
the overseas mission program, work-
ing with what had already been in
operation, and adding to the program
as new needs and opportunities arise.
Wayne has been asked to serve as
the new Editor for Global Harvest.
Byron and Gay Nichols
Byron Nichols of Springfield,
MO has been Managing Editor of the
magazine begun by J.C. in 1993, The
Voice of Truth International. This
quarterly publication goes to indi-
viduals and congregations throughout
the States and into 80 foreign coun-
tries. Besides the 40,000 copies
printed in English in the States (of
which more than half are sent free of
charge to foreign destinations),
10,000 are printed as possible in India
in Telugu and another 10,000 in Ta-
mil. The Spanish edition, unpub-
lished since the death of the Editor,
John Thiesen, is being resumed.
There is also a limited Braille edition
in India in English and Tamil.
Since J.C.’s death, Byron has been
asked to serve as the Editor of The
Voice of Truth International. Jerry
Bates and Louis Rushmore have been
named Associate Editors.
Jerry and Paula Bates
With the great need for additional
help in the office here in Winona as well
as in the entire program overseas, Jerry
and Paula Bates joined us in July of
2007, under the oversight of the Strick-
land Church of Christ in Corinth, MS.
Louis and Bonnie Rushmore
In October, Louis and Bonnie
Rushmore moved to Winona to begin
their work, sponsored by the Vermil-
ion Church of Christ in Vermilion,
Ohio For 10 years, Louis has edited
the Gospel Gazette Online, a monthly
web based magazine. We welcome
these co-workers to Winona. ✞
 7 From the Founding Editor
J.C. Choate
On February 1, 2008, J.C.
Choate, founder, editor and publisher
of Global Harvest, passed from this
life into eternity. His passion was the
spreading of the message of Christ by
every means possible. Radio and TV
were recognized as important voices,
but his greater love was for the printed
page, the silent teacher which is al-
ways waiting passively to be picked
up and given an opportunity to speak.
Long after the radio message has been
forgotten, and the TV image has faded
from the screen, a book, a tract, or a
magazine can continue to teach.
This was the last editorial J.C.
wrote for Global Harvest.
I am a great believer in the written
word. It has been said that the pen is
more powerful than the sword, and I
believe that. Our Lord chose the writ-
ten word to get his message out to all
of the world. Just think of the Old Tes-
tament account of creation and of the
many characters that followed thereaf-
ter. Think of God’s law, the prophets,
and the prophecies that foretold the
coming of Jesus and salvation.
In the New Testament we read of
the birth of Jesus, of the many mira-
cles that were performed to convince
the people that He was God’s Son.
The Power of the
Written Word
We read of the parables, the promises,
and of the Lord’s death, burial and
resurrection. In Acts we learn of the
Lord baptizing the Apostles with the
Holy Spirit, of the establishment of
the church, and of its spreading
throughout the world. We read of
conversions, persecutions, of the Gen-
tiles obeying the Gospel, of the
growth of the church and the many
letters that Paul, Peter, John, and oth-
ers wrote to Christians. Then in Reve-
lation John tells us about God’s peo-
ple being persecuted, of their victory,
and of their heavenly reward. What a
powerful story is told throughout the
Old and New Testaments! What if we
didn’t have those records to read, to
study, and to proclaim?
Considering all the things that
have taken place in history, the inven-
tion of the printing press has been
judged as the most important occur-
rence. The press made it possible for
the Bible to be printed and given to all
of mankind. It has led to the printing
of magazines and books, to the inven-
tion of the typewriter, to the coming
of the computer . . . . .
In America we have so many
printed materials that Satan has con-
vinced most brethren that it is a waste
of time and money to print religious
literature. Of course we know that
isn’t true. Neither is it true that the
rest of the world will not read biblical
literature. Many of the people of the
world — especially third world coun-
tries — are starving for good Chris-
tian literature. They are calling for it,
pleading for it, willing to accept even
second-hand materials.
I received a letter from a Gospel
preacher in Zambia. He said that he
had read my book, Bible Themes, six
times and that he had no other book to
read, apart from the Bible. He was
pleading with me to send literature to
help him be a better preacher.
Brethren, do you realize that there
is a war going on in these places? The
unbeliever is opposing the believer,
and if that religion wins we will have
lost a great battle. We need to be
sending Christian literature now while
people are pleading for it. If we don’t,
one day they will stop calling because
they will have concluded that we are
not willing to help, or else they will
have been won over to a religion of
hate and fanaticism that does not be-
lieve that Christ is the Son of God.
Then it will be too late to care.
We are presently sending more than
20,000 copies of The Voice of Truth
International to national Gospel
preachers in many of the third-world
countries. Each mailing costs about
$8,000, which is staggering, but is less
than 1/3 what it would cost with the
new Post Office rates. In order to con-
tinue doing this — and to do even more
— I am pleading with individuals and
congregations to give $35.00 a month
to cover the cost of printing and mail-
ing one box.
My brethren, we are looking for
people who want to do something,
who want to take the Gospel to others,
who are not willing to sit and let the
rest of the world die without God and
hope, who do not want to be lost
themselves because of a lack of inter-
est and because they would not hear,
and respond to the needs of the un-
taught.
Many of us who claim to be faith-
ful Christians are going to be con-
demned if we don’t wake up and be-
gin to take the Gospel to the world.
Some of us are going to be lost be-
cause we are so proud that we are
doctrinally sound, but when we won’t
take that sound doctrine to the lost,
how will sound doctrine save them ...
or us?
May God help us to wake up be-
fore it is too late. ✞
 From the Editor 8

GLOBAL HARVEST EDITORIAL

Wayne Barrier, Editor

World Evangelism is pleased to The first group of people to whom

publish the second — and much de- these messages are directed is Chris-
layed — issue of Global Harvest. tians in the US. We believe all of us
Brother J.C. Choate edited the first will be more concerned about the lost
issue in the summer of 2004, just prior if we know more about them. We
to becoming ill with the cancer that want to help congregations and indi-
eventually took him from this life on viduals who already encourage and
February 1, 2008. We want to con- support missions to become more
tinue publication of this magazine aware of the work activities and needs
with the same purpose and goals as of evangelists on the field.
originally envisioned. We plan to seek and publish the
Global Harvest is a tool to help stories, reports, and thoughts of work-
publicize the mission of the Lord’s ers that will strengthen and encourage
church to preach the Gospel to every all of our readers through the sharing
person in all the world (Matthew of experiences. News articles from
28:19,20; Mark 16:15,16). the present and remembrances from
I believe the church in the United the past will fill these pages. We en- Wayne Barrier
States is at a critical juncture as our courage you to send us your stories
brethren are being bombarded with and reports. Supply us, too, with the Global Harvest. We plan to publish
the teaching of fringe elements of our names and addresses of missionaries accurate, informative, encouraging,
brotherhood, leading to a departure that you know and support and we positive material about sound work
from biblically based practice of faith. will send Global Harvest to them. and workers that can help motivate
Liberalism, elitism, legalism, and nu- My background includes 26 years and strengthen all of us.
merous other forms of extremism are of close association with J.C. and Your support of this effort is
being promoted by some very popular Betty Choate in foreign missions. needed. Our prayer is that congrega-
and effective teachers and preachers. These experiences have provided me tions will subscribe to Global Harvest
Entire congregations are being influ- with the opportunity to meet many and receive a bundle of each issue to
enced to follow these attractively missionaries and to study their work distribute to the members, in order to
packaged promises of exciting but across the world. My wife Janet and I strengthen their interest in evangel-
unscriptural new ways to enter the travel to foreign mission fields several ism. We need contributions to fund
church, worship, and serve the Lord times each year to teach and help with the publication of each issue. Help us
and His kingdom. These new doc- on-going efforts. We are committed provide this tool to mission workers
trines are being exported to mission to mission methods involving the co- and churches as the demanding work
fields. We must communicate well, ordination of mass media teaching of spreading the Gospel to everyone is
work together, and maintain our focus with follow-up evangelism and devel- conducted.
on the mission given to us by the opment of local Christians for church I consider it a privilege, a bless-
Lord. This magazine can be a valu- leadership, teaching, and evangelism. ing, and an honor to be asked to serve
able tool to facilitate better communi- Our experiences will serve as a basis as Editor of this publication. I am
cation among leaders, workers, and of assessment and evaluation of po- thankful to those in my past who took
supporters. tential articles for publication in the time and expended the effort to
teach the truth to me and to encourage
Wayne and Janet Barrier are sponsored by the Double Springs me to become a Christian. I realize
that this is the greatest blessing a per-
Church of Christ in Double Springs, Alabama. They have been son can receive. We should respond
deeply involved in the over-all World Evangelism program for to the awareness of our own salvation
more than 25 years. Both the Barrier family and the elders of and citizenship in the kingdom of
the Double Springs church have shown great vision and dedi- heaven by being driven to help others
experience the same new birth and
cation in their leadership and expanding involvement in the Christian walk. Pray and work with
work. We look forward to a wonderful harvest of souls. us to produce Global Harvest for use
by faithful brethren everywhere. ✞
 9 DVDs for Local Church Growth and Evangelism
Wake Up, Church!
WHY Are We in this Alien World?
We are looking for the person with vision and leader-
ship ability to take the lead in developing a seminar/DVD
program to revitalize congregations, and we are asking
help from strong men in the church who share our
concerns. It is a program that we feel — if done well —
can have a great, positive impact on the church. Our con-
cern, as yours, is seeing congregations growing smaller,
some dying, some falling into error, and some just existing
to take care of their own needs. We are convinced that
many of these problems can be corrected and reversed if
some of us work together to develop a training program
that can be used effectively in any congregation, large or
small.
What is the program?  morality, worldly entertainment, worldly language.
In outline form, we envision that it will go like this:
1. Two highly motivational DVD lessons for the
Sunday morning Bible class (preferably, adult and teen
classes together), followed by:
2. A weekend seminar (Friday evening, all day Sat-
urday, and all day Sunday, with 13 lessons; 4 to 8 very
effective speakers), followed by:
3. A six-month study/training course, consisting of
a well-developed, educational, motivational DVD for
the Sunday morning Bible class one Sunday, followed
by an exercise book the next Sunday for discussion of
what has been presented and assignments/
projects for implementing the lesson.
Now, some explanations. The reason for the pre-
seminar Sunday morning lessons is that the typical seminar
is poorly attended on Friday evening and Saturday by the
local members. Sunday morning they hear one or two dy-
namic lessons and feel some regret over what they have
missed — but it was missed and it is too late now to do
anything about it. So we want to sell the congregations
that sign up for the program on the idea of beginning
with two powerful, motivational lessons on the Sundays
before the seminar, to ensure that more of the local con-
gregation attends. Of course, visitors from neighboring
congregations will always be welcomed, but the program
itself is designed to benefit the local church.
The weekend seminar will be highly motivational and
educational, but the problem with seminars is Monday
morning. Everyone goes back to work, to their daily rou-
tines, and everything that was said becomes history for
most of the church. So we don't want the program to end
with the seminar.
Thirteen follow-up DVD lessons that will further de-
velop the educational program, interspersed with a book
of discussions and activity assignments, covering two
quarters of study and training, will surely re-write the
thinking of a good percentage of the teen/adult members of
the class, if anything can do it.
What will be the subject and aim of the program?
To motivate Christians to get up and do what we were left in
the world to do! These will be hard-hitting sermons, requir-
ing the hearers to listen and evaluate their lives and their
religion with honesty. And there will be applications.
Some suggestions for lessons are these:
✾ "Playing Church"
✾ Hell; How to Get There
✾ The Influence of the World in the Church: Divorce
and Remarriage, mothers working outside the
home, husbands not being spiritual leaders, im
✾ Discussion for Revitalizing the Church
✾ What Did Your Salvation Cost?
✾ What Do You Owe God?
✾ EFFECTUAL, FERVENT Prayer
✾ WHEN You Fast
✾ What Does It Mean to Sacrifice?
✾ Giving; God Promises the Return
✾ Commitment: To Family; Really Training our
Children
✾ Losing our Children
✾ The Church in the Neighborhood
✾ The Church in the World
✾ What Can I Do?
✾ Exploring Various Programs of Individual Work
✾ Fundamental Doctrine and Scriptures
✾ Plan to Involve Each Christian in the Work
✾ Galvanizing, Organizing, Evangelizing
✾ Actively Looking for the Opening to Bring
Spiritual Matters into Each Encounter
✾ Personal Studies with Others; Carrying Through
with Teaching and Nurturing after Conversion
✾ Service, for the "Good" and for the Not-So-Lovable
✾ Co-workers with God
✾ Open Your Eyes to the World ......
The line-up is only suggested topics, and not necessar-
ily the final choices. The first two lessons will be recorded
on DVDs, the next eight to twelve will be “live” in the
seminar, and thirteen more on DVDs for the continuing
lessons. In conjunction with the latter lessons, a class
book of application lessons and a program of personal in-
volvement will be written and provided.
Please contact us at World Evangelism (662-283-1192)
for further information and to help with the development of
this program. Without the help of leaders and concerned
elderships in congregations, it cannot be done. It is our
prayer that together we can stem the tide. ✞
 “Into God’s World”
I Don’t Like Being an Alarmist or a Fatalist, but
Look Out!
We’re Headed for Disaster!
We’re busy people. We go along from week to week,
minding our own business, and feeling that there’s not
much we can do about the rest of the world. We’re not
activists. We’re not strongly political. We’re not overly
united behind some “cause”.
Who are “we”? Individual Christians. Churches of
Christ.
And what is happening while we are
going about “business as usual”?
✿ Evangelism — outreach to the community —
has almost ceased.
✿ We have lost 70% to 80% of two generations of
our children.
✿ Most of our homes are just as “secular” as the
rest of the world, with a token of “religion” on
Sunday.
✿ This scenario has resulted in a grave lack of
biblical knowledge among Christians in gen-
eral, and particularly among the younger gen-
erations.
✿ The church in many places is in a state of apos-
tasy.
“My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge,”
(Hosea 4:6) was God’s lament in the days of Hosea, and the
same tragic fact is the underlying cause of the crisis today.
“What crisis?” you ask.
✿ That a liberal theology is sweeping through the
church. Several of our Christian universities are un-
sound (It was through the leadership of the Christian
colleges that the apostasy of 1906 was fueled.). Many of
the larger congregations are unsound — some are openly
fellowshipping denominations, some have added instru-
mental music to the worship, some have dropped the
Lord’s name and are functioning as “community church-
es”, some deny the necessity of baptism for remission of
sins — and many more are in the process of apostasy.
✿ Unless something is done, when the older gen-
erations are gone — in another 15 to 20 years — we
will see history repeat itself with digression similar to
that of 1906 when 85% of the church became the
Christian Church and the Disciples of Christ.
10
After identifying the problem, the next question is, “How
can it be solved? How can we reach the whole church?”
Can anything be done to avert
the disaster?
There are numerous tools among us that can provide
some of the answers: faithful preachers, sound Bible col-
leges, Gospel papers, TV programs, sound doctrine semi-
nars, programs such as “Lads to Leaders” for our children,
good study books, etc.
The problem is that these things reach only small por-
tions of the church. There is no sound Gospel paper sub-
scribed to by most Christians; there is not any one thing
through which most of the church can be reached on a sus-
tained basis. But think about it! The one thing that most
congregations have in common is the use of graded Bi-
ble class literature! No, there is no uniformity in the ma-
terials used. Some of the larger churches develop their
own; some individuals have printed some materials; there
are also limited lines that have been developed by reliable
Christian printers.
By far the greater percentage of class
materials used were originally devel-
oped by denominational groups for
interdenominational use,
both for weekly classes
and for Vacation Bible Schools!
But by far the greater percentage of class materials
used were originally developed by denominational
groups for interdenominational use, both for weekly
classes and for Vacation Bible Schools! And then some
of our brotherhood publishers buy the rights to reprint
those materials under their own names, with very limited
editing. Statistics say that perhaps 85% of the children’s
classes in the Lord’s church are being educated with these
materials.
Why are they so popular? First, because most buyers
don’t know that they were written by denominational peo-
ple. Second, because they look good! They are colorful.
 11
They supply all the manuals, visuals, and activities that the
busy teacher will need for the class. And so they are used,
year after year, in the majority of congregations.
What is characteristic of these materials?
✿ Much of the artwork is cartoon-type, subcon-
sciously undermining the attitude of reverence
and seriousness we should have toward spiritual
matters.
✿ Interdenominational error is overlooked in the
editing, which many of the younger teachers
would not recognize as error, having been
brought up on the materials themselves.
The Number One problem with these
materials is that
THEY TEACH
NO DEFINITIVE DOCTRINE!
Yes! The Number One problem with these interde-
nominational materials is that they are turning us into an
INTERDENOMINATIONAL CHURCH! Are you sur-
prised? We are what we ingest!
So, if we want to turn away from the disaster that
looms before us, we need to get serious about changing
the spiritual diet of our children, and even of many of
the teen and adult classes. Yes, denominational books,
with their (sometimes, subtle; sometimes plainly written)
doctrines of “salvation by faith only”, “miraculous work-
ing of the Holy Spirit today”, “once saved, always saved”,
etc., are being increasingly used in adult and ladies’
classes. And the church is suffering because of these false
teachings.
CHURCH, letʼs work together
to produce our own literature!
CHURCH, let’s work together to produce our own
literature! That’s what we propose doing. And here is
how you can participate:
✿ CHURCHES: You can stand with us on this,
helping with funds and leadership.
✿ CHRISTIANS, you can volunteer to help with
the work.
✿ Fill out the form and mail it to us, or call,
662-283-1192. ✞ ☐ Provide co-ordinating leadership.
We expect to have our first planning
session in April, 2009. Get your name
on the list to be contacted
and to participate!
“Into God’s World”
Providentially, this is the time for such an undertaking!
Louis and Bonnie Rushmore, part of the World Evan-
gelism team, will help to provide leadership in coordi-
nating the work, but they will need many of us working
together. In this age of computers, we Christians can
do the writing and layout work ourselves, greatly cut-
ting the cost. Colored printing is not prohibitively ex-
pensive in China at this particular time. We can de-
sign and produce the best visuals imaginable, using
Chinese companies to pro-
duce them. 4
EVERYBODY KNOWS
WE NEED THIS!
COME ON!
LETʼS WORK TOGETHER
Send us this information:
I volunteer to help in this (these) way(s):
☐ Writing teachersʼ manuals
☐ Writing lesson books
☐ Data entry in computer
☐ Layout and design
☐ Planning visuals
☐ Developing visual memory verse cards
☐ Writing new childrenʼs songs
☐ Planning/drawing visuals
☐ Participating in developing the
“Time Line” for Wednesday classes
☐ Raise funds for the printing
☐ Help get word out to the Church
Name:___________________________
Street:___________________________
City/State/Zip:____________________
Phone:__________________________
Email:___________________________
 World Evangelism 12

Our “World Evangelism” Program

We’re a team, and thankful for
the talents and participation of each
one. Various aspects of the work in
which we are involved will be covered
in other pages of this issue of Global
Harvest, but for those who are not
familiar with the program, we want to
give an overview.
Foreign Work
We are directly involved with
brethren in African countries, India,
Sri Lanka, Myanmar, the Philip-
pines, Indonesia, East Malaysia, and
Viet Nam in one or more of these:
✿ Radio Programs
✿ Web Sites
✿ Television Programs
✿ Monthly Magazines L to R: Betty (J.C.) Choate, Wayne & Janet Barrier, Byron & Gay Nichols, Jerry
✿ Bible Courses Humphries, Joey & Anna Barrier, Jeannie &Harvey Whiteside (with children), Loy &
✿ Study Books Debra Mitchell, George & Gertrude Achard, Jerry & Barbara Jones, Charles & Miranda
✿ Seminars and Classes Brymer, Jerry (& Paula) Bates, and Louis & Bonnie Rushmore participated in our an-
✿ Bible Training Schools nual meeting in Winona, MS. Several others also work with us but could not be here
✿ Training for Evangelism for this particular gathering.
✿ Disaster Relief
lenging age in which we live. We are praying for those
Stateside Work workers whom God would have to join us here and help to
We are directly involved with: complete the tasks we believe need to be done.
✿ Printing of Mission Books. (Pg.18) Would it be necessary to move to Winona? In some
✿ World Evangelism and Gospel Gazette websites. cases it would be best, because we need to be able to talk,
✿ Printing and Distribution of Study Books. (Pg. 18 ) plan, sort out the current needs, and develop things to-
throughout the States and free foreign distribution. gether. But Winona is not a bad place to live, even though
✿ Printing and Distribution of The Voice of Truth it is a small town. It is located at the intersection of Inter-
International. (to 80 nations). (Pg. 14) state 55 and US 82, two major national highways. For all
✿ Printing and Distribution of Global Harvest practical purposes, it is in the “suburbs” of Memphis, TN
throughout the States. (Pg. 2,5) and Jackson, MS! Why do I say that? Because I can drive
✿ Coordination of the mission program among to either of those cities in about the same time it would
ourselves, local churches, and foreign brethren. take to drive from one side of either city to the other, in
✿ Two-year program of “World Evangelism rush-hour traffic! And I would have open roads and clear
School of Missions”. (Pg. 18) sailing instead of all the congestion of living in the city!
✿ Under development: Seminars, DVDs, and And on days of work here in Winona, believe me, you can
training program for Church Growth. (Pg. 7) get from anywhere to anywhere in about five minutes! ten,
✿ Early Planning: “Into God’s World”, graded at the most! For those who have children, soon to be col-
classroom literature, nursery through adult. (Pg. 8,9) lege age, we have a wonderful school grant available to
✿ Motivational Retreats. residents. Our son completed two Masters Degrees, and
owed nothing when he finished. Our son-in-law went
More Team Members Needed! through medical school in Jackson and owed nothing on
We are convinced that there is no better way to spend his education. That’s something to think about, with many
our lives than doing this work. But we need more help, kids owing $50,000 to $100,000 when they graduate now.
especially as we get involved in the seminars and the de- In other cases, it would not be necessary to live here.
velopment of the graded literature series. We need church- Data entry, layout for the graded literature, writing materi-
es that will stand with us in developing these new pro- als, proofreading — these can be done anywhere! ✞
grams, programs that are designed especially for this chal- CALL US! 662-283-1192
 13
The World Evangelism website
was developed to carry news about
our over-all program in the numerous
countries in which we work. This
involves reports from local preachers
who serve as radio and TV speakers,
as well as editors of monthly maga-
zines in major languages, particularly
in India. We help with Bible training
schools in India, Sri Lanka, Philip-
pines, and East Malaysia. Trips are
made each year by members of the
team to participate in the teaching
responsibilities in these schools.
Preaching brethren or elders who
would like to help with the teaching
schedules should contact Wayne
Barrier at 256-766-2807.
To the website, we have added a
bookstore, enabling visitors to order
In late 1998, Gospel Gazette On-
line (GGO) was born of an idea and a
desire to extend one’s usefulness be-
yond the local setting, coupled with
the (financial) go-ahead by my wife.
Gospel Gazette Online made its de-
but in January 1999 as a monthly, re-
ligious Internet journal. Today, it is a
20-page, monthly Gospel magazine
read by people all over the world
(from all seven continents, including
Antarctica). Obviously, GGO via the
Internet is available even in some
places in the world to which one can-
not easily go physically with the Gos-
pel of Christ (e.g. Saudi Arabia and
Antarctica). Each issue contains arti-
cles by Christian men and women on a
variety of biblical subjects, as well as
several features (an on-screen, interac-
tive crossword puzzles; youth articles;
one or more articles by women espe-
cially for women; questions and an-
swers; and an audio message). In ad-
dition, thousands of articles from past
books online and to pay for them
through PayPal. This “bookstore” is
not a “for profit” undertaking, but is a
means of making available sound mate-
rials for Bible classes which, in turn,
enables us to provide books to WBS
teachers and people involved in jail
ministries and other evangelistic efforts
at $1.00 per copy — often below our
printing cost. Many of these books are
also shipped overseas, free of charge.
The “bookstore” is a service, rather
than a business.
It is our intention also to add the
contents of the issues of The Voice of
Truth International (our quarterly
magazine, carrying articles on many
biblical topics) and Global Harvest
(this fledgling mission news magazine)
as we find the time to do so.
Louis Rushmore
issues appear in the archives and may
be selected with the help of the site
search engine.
Dozens of brothers and sisters in
Christ have lent their studious pens
through the pages of GGO to an inter-
national readership of both Christians
and non-Christians. By design, short,
teaching articles populate Gospel Ga-
zette Online. Thereby, GGO purposes
to edify both Christians and non-
Chrisitians with Bible-based lessons.
Response from readers reveals a wide
array of religious backgrounds, includ-
ing members of the church of Christ,
Web Sites
As you might guess, our critical
need now is for more help with the
multitudes of office responsbilities.
Perhaps a person involved in web
development/maintenance who is
reading this might want to volunteer
his/her services to help us develop the
site to its full potential. We are sure
that much good can be done, both
through the coverage in Global Harvest
of mission news for readers in the
church, and for world-wide readers
who are looking for the Truth and could
learn more from having access to The
Voice of Truth International as an on-
line magazine. Please contact us at
662-283-1192, or you may email us at
Choate@WorldEvangelism.org.
www.WorldEvangelism.org
denominational bodies, and world
religions. Most fan mail is positive
and encouraging, though some of it
ranges from critical to hostile, border-
ing on hate mail. A couple of the more
heartening posts include correspon-
dence about baptisms in Saudi Arabia
and the request from a Muslim in
Pakistan that I pray for his sick wife.
Subsequently, after initial contact
through the pages of GGO, and later
studying with Christians in his coun-
try, he put Jesus Christ on in baptism.
Any good that Gospel Gazette
Online has done or continues to do is
owing largely to the many Christian
writers whose articles comprise each
issue. Most of my immediate family
has had or continues to have a signifi-
cant role in any successes that may be
attributed to GGO. If there is anything
praiseworthy, let the glory be to God.
✞
www.gospelgazette.com
 The Voice of Truth International
Byron Nichols, Editor
The first issue of The Voice of
Truth International was printed back
in 1993. Depending on one’s age,
that doesn’t seem so long ago, but
since that time this quarterly Gospel
magazine has had a significant impact
both in and out of the church.
With the help of many congrega-
tions and individual Christians, we
have been able to print over
2,500,000 copies during these last 15
years. For several years this publica-
tion has been going into all 50 states
in America, and we are also sending
thousands of free copies of every is-
sue into approximately 80 other coun-
tries. Many small congregations in
this country are likewise receiving
free bundles to assist them in their
Bible studies and to use in outreach
efforts in their communities.
It is so unfortunate that the Lord’s
church is presently experiencing in-
stability and unsteadiness in numer-
ous locations. However, this fact has
caused a great many Christians to
take note and communicate to us that
they are exceedingly grateful that The
Voice of Truth International is faith-
fully adhering to its priorities of seek-
ing to strengthen the church and to
lovingly proclaim the Gospel to the
lost. They continually express their
gratitude for our pointing men to
what the Bible says, and that we do
so with a spirit of love and without
compromising the truth of God.
While we are not at all satisfied
with the extent of the success of this
magazine, the feedback from a whole
host of readers helps us to know that
this journal is truly a blessing and is
impacting countless lives all over the
world. It would be a genuine joy to
share a lot of the commendations that
have been received, but space allows
us to present just a few that are very
typical.
✦ from Kansas —“As a member of
the Lord’s church for over 40 years, I
have searched for a worthy magazine.
Finally I have found it.”
✦ from a WBS follow-up worker in
Nigeria —“These materials are very
essential to our work of follow-up and
teaching. We convert an average of 68
souls a year. We cannot succeed unless
you give us the support in supplying
materials such as this.”
✦ from Colorado —“Without a
doubt in my mind, The Voice of Truth
International is the best publication
by our brethren.”
✦ from a leader in foreign evan-
gelism —“I know from my mission
activity and some of the responses I get
from individuals that this publication is
making an impact. I am excited about
what we are doing and pray that God
will continue to bless us in this great
work.”
✦ from a preacher in Oklaho-
ma—“The Voice of Truth is so well
received by those who read it. I hear
more good comments about it over any
other literature that we have available
to the brethren.”
✦ from American workers in Guy-
ana —“We again wish to express our
appreciation for the copies of The
Voice of Truth International that we
14
received. It is super, the best maga-
zine or publication in the brother-
hood!”
✦ from Montana —“I am 92 years
old and can’t talk to people like I used
to, so these books are just what I need.”
✦ from a missionary in Zimbab-
we—“The Voice of Truth Interna-
tional is a great work with excellent
lessons. We just received two cases and
are busy mailing them out to preachers
and church leaders.”
I received a call one day from one
of our faithful supporters in Texas.
She talked of what a marvelous Gos-
pel magazine The Voice of Truth In-
ternational is and of how much good
it is doing in so many places. I then
almost chuckled out loud as she said
to me, “Byron, I just wish that you
could hear all of the things that peo-
ple say to me about this magazine
when we give them a copy. They just
think it is the most wonderful thing in
the world!” You may be wondering,
“Why would that cause you to
chuckle?” The reason is that I have
told thousands of people that I just
wish that they could hear and read the
things that people from all over the
world say to me as they try to express
their heartfelt gratitude for TVOTI!
Every congregation needs to be
providing this magazine for its own
members and also helping to provide
free copies for the millions of souls in
other lands who are longing to know
more about the God of the Bible and
how to please Him. Complimentary
copies are readily available for those
interested in seeing this publication
for the first time. ✞
Write or call:
The Voice of Truth International
PO Box 11218
Springfield, MO 65808
(417) 823-4918
 15 La Voz de la Verdad Internacional

The Spanish Edition of

The Voice of Truth International Is in Print Again!
We of the World Evangelism team are thrilled Brother Juan T. Garcia has
to announce that the Spanish edition of The agreed to serve as the Assoicate Editor
Voice of Truth International is again under of La Voz de la Verdad Interna-
production. Brother Rafael A. Barrantes, cur- cional. Juan was born is Sauce, San
rently of Jackson, TN, has agreed to serve as the Martin, Peru, in 1954. His parents
Editor. Brother Juan Garcia, of Russellville, AL, were of the Catholic religion so, as he
is the Associate Editor. Adrian and Chantel Ro- said, “I grew up in that state of idola-
has, of Iuka, MS, are doing the layout work. We try.” He came to know the truth him-
are thankful for the willingness of these dedi- self and obeyed the Gospel. He has
cated and capable people to work together to been successful in converting his par-
make the magazine a reality again, following the ents and extended family to Christ, an
death of the former Editor, John Thiesen, of Buf- achievement that he describes with the
falo, MO. greatest joy and satisfaction.
Rafael A. Barrantes was born in Alajuela, Juan married his wife, Laura, in
Costa Rica. He is married to Kattia Cascante 1979. They have three children: Paul,
who had brought him to the Truth. They have Helmut (who is a teacher in Peru), and
four children: Jeimy who is 23, Isaac is 18, Tatiana is 17, and Christopher is 13 Maria, married to Luis Juarez. Luis
years of age. and Maria are students in the Bible
Rafael has been preaching the Gospel since 1984. He has established four con- School of Preaching in Quito.
gregations of the church of Christ: one in Panama, one in Alajuela, Costa Rica, one From 1988 to 1992, Juan served
in Russellville, AL, and the last one in Jackson, TN. He worked for four years as a as preacher for the Panamericana
Bible teacher at the Panamerican Bible Institute in Costa Rica. He also taught at Norte Church of Christ in Lima, Peru.
the School of Americas in Panama for two years. He served as a Director of the The following five years he did mis-
Satellite School of Americas for four years. He has written many articles for several sion work in Santiago de Chile. He
papers. He graduated from Panamerican Bible Institute with the equivalent of a was a student in the Bible School of
Bachelor’s Degree in Biblical Studies. He also is graduated from Memphis School Preaching Las Americas in Panama,
of Preaching. He holds Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies from Southern Christi- 1997-98. He preached for the Monte
an University and holds the Master of Ministry from Freed Hardeman University. Carlo church in Lima, 1999-2005. He
Nowadays, he is working as Hispanic minister for North Jackson Church of Christ currently serves in the Hispanic minis-
in Jackson, Tennessee while working on his Masters of Divinity At FHU. try of the North Highlands church in
Editorʼs Statement Russellville, AL. ✞
I am very glad to have the opportunity to work as an Editor of the Spanish juanlauragarcia123@hotmail.com
edition of such a good Christian magazine. The Voice of the Truth Interna-
tional has broad recognition among the English speaking brotherhood. The in-
numerable brilliant writers on staff are bearing wide acceptance for their sound
articles posted quaterly. It is my intention to continue the good work that
brother J.C. Choate and Brother John Thiesen did. Our goal will be to bring the
Spanish Edition, just as the English Edition, to as large a number of brethren as
possible. There are many congregations in Latin Amer-
ica that still don’t know this work; also a great number
of Hispanic congregations in America that need to be
part of the La Voz de la Verdad Internacional reader-
ship. There many congregations that would be willing
to work with us to make the Truth known to others. I
am committed to make this happen. If you would like
to submit articles, help with translation or proof read-
ing, or support the printing and distribution of the
magazine financially, please contact me via email at
this address:
manuelkattia@msn.com. ✞
 16
Jerry and Paula Bates
Christians in the United States of-
ten become discouraged because of the
perceived lack of interest among so
many people around us. While that
may be true to a large extent, we need
to open our eyes to the larger world in
which we live. We must remember that
the kingdom of God is more than our
communities or even this country. We
should rejoice over the growth of the
church in any country, and it is growing
in many places around the world.
My wife and I recently returned
from our second trip to India. We have
spent a total of three months in 2008
overseas, and have personally witnessed
some great examples of Christ’s church
flourishing. There are problems and
persecutions in some parts of India, but
the church is also growing, particularly
in South India, in spite of opposition.
Joshua and Ricky Gootam in Kak-
inada have a tremendously successful
ministry. World Evangelism sponsors
their TV and radio programs, from
which they receive about 300 responses
per day. They send Bible correspon-
dence courses to each of them, and the
results are several hundred baptisms a
year. Many responses come from the
state of Orissa in which beatings, burn-
ings, and deaths have taken place. This
shows that persecution does not neces-
sarily stop the church from growing.
Rajanayagam in Kangayam of the
state of Tamil Nadu is also enjoying the
fruits of spiritual growth. He is the di-
rector of a school of preaching, preaches
Great News:
God’s Kingdom Flourishes!
Jerry Bates
at a local congregation and is a TV
speaker. He regularly sends reports of
baptisms throughout his area. He re-
cently had a two-day lectureship at his
school, attended by 400 people, and four
people were baptized. He also reported
that a denominational group in Sri Lanka
is studying his Bible corre-
spondence courses. They
have already invited him to
come to study further with
them, hence prospects for
some future conversions are
good.
We spent two weeks
working with Philemon Ra-
jah in Madurai. We at World
Evangelism helped him start
a School of Evangelism in
March of this year. The pur-
pose of the school is to moti-
vate and train the Christians in the pew to
be evangelists. The program is reaping
huge results, greater than Philemon even
hoped. In the last six months, about 400
Bible courses have been passed out. Just
in the last month, eleven souls obeyed the
Lord in baptism. In addition, while in
South India, I was privileged to speak at
many Gospel meetings in many places,
attended by hundreds of people, many of
whom were non-Christians. You will
find in India, as well as in numerous other
areas of the world, that people are willing
to listen to the preaching of the true Gos-
pel.
Myanmar is also witnessing the
fruits of spiritual growth, especially in
the last 10 years. I recently returned
from a two-week session teaching in a
Bible school attended by about 55 peo-
ple. Some of those people traveled 2-3
days to attend the school session. It is
hard to find such dedication here in the
States, isn’t it? Remember that Myan-
mar is a country ruled by a military gov-
ernment that severely restricts the free-
dom of its people. However, it cannot
restrict the growth of the Gospel.
Global Harvest
About a year ago, this country expe-
rienced a devastating cyclone in its
southern delta region. 1,300,000 people
lost their lives, in addition to countless
others losing all their material posses-
sions. The church around the world sent
money to help them in their affliction.
Chito, a brother from the Phillippines,
has taken the lead in the relief effort. I
met him for a few days in Myanmar and
he reported that a spiritual door is now
open in that region of predominant Bud-
dhism. Due to the love for the people
that the church exhibited, the inhabitants
of that area are now open to the saving
Gospel of Christ. Pray that the great
harvest can be reaped.
There is much good news to report
not only in India, but also in many
other areas of the world. News of
God’s kingdom growing should en-
courage us, regardless of the perceived
lack of interest we may find in the
hearts of our neighbors. We need to
open our eyes to the fields that are
white unto harvest. As Jesus said, “Say
not ye, There are yet four months
and then cometh harvest? Behold I
say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and
look on the fields, for they are white
already to harvest” (John 4:35). ✞
Jerry and Paula Bates live in Winona,
MS, working in the US and overseas
with the World Evangelism program;
sponsored by the Strickland Church.
 17
Troublesome Times
in Distant Lands
Louis Rushmore
Jackson, MS to Detroit to Tokyo
to Bangkok to New Delhi to Banga-
lore to Bangkok to Yangon to Bang-
kok to Tokyo to Detroit to Jackson in
five weeks, Bonnie and I traveled be-
tween October 14 and November 15. For
most of this trip, we were traveling com-
panions and co-workers with Wayne and
Janet Barrier.
In New Delhi, we visited with Vinay
David, his parents, Francis and Elsie
David, as well as Sunny (Hindi radio
speaker) and Nargis David. Due to ten-
sions in the city and concerns for safety,
no advertised or special services were
conducted. We were able to view the
recently acquired apartment that will be-
come the home of a new congregation
and a future Bible school. The Barriers
and we enjoyed unsurpassed fellowship
and devotionals in the home of Francis
and Elsie. It was Wayne’s good pleasure
to teach the Sunday morning Bible class
for a combined assembly of two congre-
gations (each organized separately re-
specting different languages spoken), and
it was my delight to present the Sunday
morning sermon for the same gathering
of saints. Bonnie and I left funds in New
Delhi for the translation and printing of
my tract, The One True Church, into
Hindi, to help with the starting of a new
congregation and to assist the longtime,
Hindi speaking church.
In Bangalore, we busied ourselves
all day, daily, teaching seminar classes
to brothers and sisters (and non-
Christians) who came together for the
week. (Due to similar tensions and
concerns for safety, armed police pro-
tection was offered, though declined.)
Eleven baptisms occurred in connec-
tion with the seminar, owing mostly to
the ongoing evangelism prior to our
arrival, for which P.R. Swamy (Tamil
radio speaker) is directly or indirectly
responsible. We were the guests of P.R.
and Sarojah Swamy for all of our
meals. Many able brethren, including
Vernon Douglas and Sheila Swamy,
make Bangalore one of the most active
evangelistic hubs in the world today.
The rest of the church could learn a lot
from this good work about evangeliz-
ing lost souls in and out of one’s local
community. The phrase, “In it to win
it!”, aptly applies in a true sense to
evangelism going forth from Banga-
lore, India (1 Thess. 1:6-8). Bonnie and
I left funds in Bangalore for my tract,
The One True Church, to be reprinted
in the Tamil language.
In Yangon, Bonnie and I began the
three-week leg of our journey, primar-
ily teaching in the Yangon Bible
School. (One man was baptized; two
women expressed interest in being bap-
tized; studies occurred with a Baptist
doctor and a Christian Church
preacher, who attended all five weeks
of the Bible School.) The Barriers and
we overlapped a few days with Sharon
and Dennis Larson as well as L.T. Gar-
ganus. It was my privilege to teach 64
lessons in the school, and Bonnie
taught 14 lessons to the ladies. Bonnie
also taught twice a children’s class of
35 at a new congregation beginning in
Yangon in a Buddhist neighborhood;
she was the first American to enter that
neighborhood, which required special
permission. While Bonnie was at that
house church those two Sunday after-
noons, I preached at another congrega-
tion in Yangon. Two of the three Sun-
days we were in Myanmar, I also
preached for the 8-Mile church of
Christ in the mornings.
Unexpectedly, I was drafted to
teach a children’s class of some 50 or
60 Buddhist children and their parents
in a post-cyclone bamboo and thatched
village in the edge of the delta. The
villagers constructed a building ex-
Global Harvest
pressly for the church of Christ to teach
their children (and give them snacks
and toys) twice monthly. The village
elder (appointed by the government)
helped direct children to the class and
he remained for the lesson also.
The persons responsible for the
The class for children in a Buddhist
neighborhood where help was given.
great success and ongoing growth of
the Lord’s church in Myanmar are
many, and most of them we met while
in Yangon. We left our hearts in My-
anmar with a people so humble, and
laboring for the Lord under the greatest
of political and economic uncertainties,
yet undaunted and making great strides
with the Gospel. Bonnie and I espe-
cially became enamored with my trans-
lator for all the classes I taught and all
the preaching I did, a young and very
talented preacher, Philip; he is also one
of the two directors of the school.
As we had done elsewhere, Bonnie
and I left funds with various individu-
als in Myanmar for my tract, The One
True Church, to be printed by the sev-
eral thousands in four more languages,
one of which is a Chinese dialect and
Continued on page 25
 World Evangelism School of Missions
World Evangelism
School of Missions
Are you interested in the possibil-
ity of doing mission work, stateside or
overseas, on a short-term or long-
term basis?
If so, you need to call our Winona
office (662-283-1192) or Wayne Barrier
at 256-766-2807 to learn more about
this school of mission practicalities.
Details:
❁ We meet once a month for two
days in Winona. Food and lodging
are provided in our homes, free of
charge.
❁ There is no charge for the
classes.
❁ In addition to a staff lecturer, a
seasoned missionary teaches half of
the classes each time.
❁ The course covers two years, with
two to four field trips.
❁ Studies include self-analysis and mo-
tives for going, biblical patterns for mis-
sion work, finding a sponsor and sup-
port, reporting and relationship with
sponsors, working in a new field, work-
ing with others, problems, culture shock,
world religions, and much more.
JOIN US!!!
World Evangelism Catalog 18
Books for WBS Teachers
Is it a catalog? To help World Bible School teachers, jail
ministries, and others involved in per-
YES!!! . . . We want you to know that sonal evangelism, we offer these books
the books in our catalog are special. All for your “give-away” follow-up material
of them are written by Christians, whose at the subsidized price of $1.00 a copy,
message is true to The Book. You can plus postage and handling.
order with confidence . . . Baptism
but there’s more . . . Roger E. Dickson, 64 pages
Basic Bible Lessons
Our catalog is the story of souls . . . O.P. Baird, 108 pages
of goals . . .
because we are not in the “book Beginner’s Bible
business” to make profit but to print litera- Correspondence Course
ture that can be used both here in the D. Wright, 80 pages
States and around the world to preach Bible Keys
the Gospel to the lost. No one in our J.C. Choate, 188 pages
office is supported through book sales.
Revenues generated go back into print- Bible Themes
ing more books, many of which are sold J.C. Choate, 120 pages
as evangelistic tools below printing Cardinal Concepts of Christianity
costs. Many are given away to people (Also, Limited supply in German)
here, and thousands more are sent over- Roy V. Palmer, 142 pages
seas free of charge, postage paid. So
Conversions in Acts
the purpose of our catalog is to acquaint
you with what is available and with the
Basil Overton, 105 pages
work we are doing with God . . . Growing in the Grace and
and we pray that this catalog will be Knowledge of Christ
a tool for deepening your relationship 112 pages
with Him and for broadening your out- New Testament Worship
reach for Him. J.C. Choate, 80 pages
Books we print here in the States —
and books you buy — help us to help Preaching the Word of God
brethren in other parts of the world, to Loy Mitchell, 131 pages
answer their many appeals for biblical Scriptural Organization
reading materials. Have you thought of the Churches of Christ
about it: In India and Africa and Burma Jim Massey, 157 pages
and Indonesia there is no handy Bible
The Church of the Bible
bookstore from which people can order,
(Also available in French and Russian)
to satisfy their hunger for spiritual growth!
J.C. Choate, 85 pages
We help to fill that need.
The Gospel of Christ
(Also available in Frenchand Spanish)
J.C. Choate, 77 pages
The Holy Spirit
D.R. Gnanasundaram, 112 pages
Why We Believe
What We Believe, Vols. 1 & 2
J.C. Choate, 115 & 133 pages
You Can Be Just a Christian
Jim Massey, 101 pages
The Voice of Truth International
$1.00/copy
World Evangelism Catalog
(J.C. Choate Publications)
P.O. Box 72
Winona, MS 38967
Phone: 662-283-1192
choate@worldevangelism.org
 19 World Video Bible School

Your Congregation Can Evangelize The World

Now, your congrega- program of evangelism,
tion can actively partici- benevolence, and edifi-
pate in evangelism, be- cation receives a
nevolence, and edification monthly newsletter that
— without ever leaving the provides a report on
church building. Here’s where materials are be-
how…. ing sent overseas, as well
Once or twice a year, as the fruits of their la-
Wo r l d Vi d e o B i b l e bors that have resulted
School asks congrega- from everyone’s com-
tions of the Lord’s church in America to help sister congrega- bined efforts to spread the Gospel to lost souls.
tions and schools of preaching in foreign lands that are simply In 2007, for example, free materials were sent into 29
too poor to afford even the most basic teaching tools for use foreign countries — resulting in 1575 baptisms and 128 resto-
in spreading the Gospel of Christ. We ask on behalf of these rations (and those are just the ones we know about!).
brothers and sisters in Christ because, in most cases, they Here at WVBS, we receive significant numbers of re-
have no way to ask for themselves. quests each month for free material from poor brethren all
We are not asking for money to be spent on buildings. over the world. It is only because churches of Christ in Amer-
Nor are we asking for funds to provide physical sustenance. ica send contributions to the “Church of Christ Donation
Rather, we are asking for funds that can be used to provide Fund” that we are able to provide those free materials on their
sound teaching materials to people who are spiritually hungry, behalf. Please understand that every dollar that is donated to
who want to learn, and who earnestly desire to teach others in the fund is used solely to provide churches and preacher-
order to spread the borders of the Lord’s kingdom. training schools in foreign lands with the teaching materials
The procedure we have put in place is both simple and that they otherwise would never be able to obtain. In addi-
efficient. Congregations can send a monthly, quarterly, or tion, these funds also provide free materials to U.S. jails and
annual donation to World prisons. W o u l d
Video Bible School on behalf your congregation
Did you know that there are literally thousands of sister congre-
of less-fortunate foreign breth- please consider help-
gations of the Lordʼs church, plus numerous preacher training
ren. We place every dollar we schools, that are in desperate need of your help?
ing with this project?
receive into the “Church of The demand for do-
Christ Donation Fund”. Then, Many of these are in third-world countries, and have little or no nated materials has
throughout the year we use money for the purchase of materials to help them grow in the skyrocketed in recent
faith, or to help them teach others. They are completely depend-
those funds to purchase and years. As a result, we
ent upon acts of benevolence for any teaching tools they receive.
ship free materials to as many receive far more re-
“in-need” churches of Christ If fellow Christians will not help them, who will? quests than we can
and preacher-training schools honor. We do not
around the world as possible. want to say “No” to
Every penny of every dollar you send is spent to provide any legitimate requests for the teaching tools that we are able
these materials completely free of charge (including all ship- to provide. But, currently, we are having to do exactly that!
ping costs)! Each invoice we send with materials to overseas Help us to be able to say “Yes,” won’t you? So many pre-
destinations is marked, “THIS INVOICE WAS PAID IN cious souls are at stake. ✞
FULL BY CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN THE U.S.A.” We
want the Christians who are the recipients of these items to
know that they are receiving them because of loving, caring Two valuable teaching tools from WVBS:
members of the Lord’s church, not because of anything that Class study book and companion
WVBS has done. We are merely the conduit. Ultimately, it is DVD lesons: SEARCHING FOR TRUTH
the Lord’s people here in America who are responsible for
providing everything we send to those less-fortunate brethren World Video Bible School
who live in foreign countries. 130 Lantana Lane,
But there is more than one way in which Christians can Maxwell, TX 78656 *
participate. Some churches in America select a specific sister Phone 512.398.5211
congregation in a distant land to receive the materials we Fax 512.398.9493 *
make available — either because they already support that Website: www.wvbs.org *
congregation financially, or because they have asked us to Email: biblestudy@wvbs.org
recommend congregations or schools that we know can use
the help. Each American congregation that participates in this
 Brotherhood seminars
Bill Farris
In 2001, a small group of elders,
preachers, and teachers, under the over-
sight of the elders of the Tom Bean
Church of Christ in Tom Bean, TX, met
to determine what, if anything, could be
done to halt the erosion of Truth within
the Church. These faithful brethren
understood that they had no authority of
their own, only the authority that all
Among Christians who attend the weekend pro-
grams, great interest is shown in the books and
DVDs made available.
20
Christians have: to defend the Truth in original idea for the “God’s Kingdom”
love (John 8:32). The result of that project. The idea behind this project
meeting has been the “Holding to the was to biblically identify the New Tes-
Traditions” weekend seminars, held in tament church. As of this time, over
many congregations throughout the 20,000 copies of the God’s Kingdom”
brotherhood. DVDs have been sent out all over the
It has become obvious that there is world. It is also available on high
real interest within the brotherhood to speed internet accessible at
support meetings strengthening indi- www.thebible.net/video and is regularly
vidual Christians and congregations of scheduled at GBN for viewing on tele-
the Lord’s church. Many elderships, vision. For scheduling check the GBN
congregations and individual Christians website http://www.gbntv.org/.
are encouraged by the lessons given Later, the World Video Bible School
and the biblical answers. The audience was able to develop another great DVD
hears a passionate delivery of God's tool called “Searching for Truth.” WVBS
Word. Our DVD lessons can benefit has shipped over 550,000 copies around
those who teach Bible lessons. The the world. And now, with the help of
teaching materials we have produced “Holding to the Traditions”, WVBS has
have been distributed on every popu- been able to get the “Searching for Truth
lated continent. Study Guide” translated from English
If a congregation considers hosting into Spanish.
a meeting, an agreement is reached as There have
to the most effective way to invite other been 5,000 cop-
congregations. An average meeting of ies printed this
175 people usually results in members year alone.
attending from 30-40 congregations. Over 3,000 cop-
We have had Christians from 93 con- ies of the book
gregations, with 55 Elders, with an at- have already
tendace of about 600.
We do not charge for our
meetings and our speakers re-
ceive no pay. However, there
are some costs involved! Our
speakers often need a motel
room, gas, and sometimes a
good meal. We share costs with
the host congregation. Our
DVD production of the GOD’S
KINGDOM teaching tool has
been televised through GBN
and is now available at
www.thebible.net to all Participants in one of the weekend meetings for
high speed internet us- “Holding to the Traditions”.
ers around the world. been sent out. In the short time the
Currently we are promot- Spanish “Searching for Truth Study
ing and distributing our new Guides” have been out they have gone
production of the Spanish book to seven Hispanic countries and several
SEARCING FOR TRUTH to states. Many good comments have
congregations in the USA and been made, and our Hispanic brethren
foreign countries. are especially thankful to have good,
Several efforts are now sound biblical material in their own
underway, as a result of “Hold- language — especially as they try to
ing to the Traditions” (2 Thes- convert the lost in their own countries.
salonians 2:15) waging war One Hispanic brother commented,
against liberalism and igno- “There is not much Spanish material
rance — For example, the Continued on page 21
 21 Global Harvest

Is repentance Doris of Lewisburg,

in prison meant
for God or for the
A Convenient Conversion?
parole board?
How can bad people develop good
motives? Is theirs a true transforma-
tion, or is it what skeptics call “a jail-
house conversion”?
How convenient for the critics
themselves, to pontificate from soft
armchairs at a safe distance! They sel-
dom see the struggles of believers at-
tempting to practice Christianity behind
prison bars. It is difficult to persist in
prayers and studies under the constant
glare of lights, guards and inmates. The
latter pour their scorn and threats on
anyone who dares to break ranks. Good
is often repaid with evil.
Toughest of all are the personal,
internal struggles against ingrained hab-
its and addictions, entrenched patterns
of failure and soul-destroying guilt. It
requires real courage to take on these
challenges.
David Mendiola was very young
when his father drowned, and his
mother started drinking heavily. He
was completely disillusioned, not car-
ing for anyone or anything, not even
himself. Eventually his addictions led
him to prison for stealing. He was
sentenced to 20 years. Having noth-
ing to live for, he joined a group
known as the Mexican Mafia, think-
ing he might gain respect as a “cool”
insider. Instead, they changed his life
for the worse. He had to spend 23
hours every day in his cell because
this gang was so disruptive. From his
solitary confinement, David could see
a volunteer — a chaplain from the
church of Christ -- visiting another
gang member. In time David had
many studies with this evangelist and
took World Bible School courses from
Tenn. David knew,
however, that if he
became a Christian,
the Mexican Mafia would kill him.
After much prayer, David made the
commitment to be baptized into Christ
and to begin his new way of life.
The Mafia immediately issued a
contract on his life. Fear, however,
failed to dampen the sheer happiness
of being a “new creature”. Since then,
David has been moved to a better
prison where he can go to worship on
Sundays. Doris got him a typewriter
and authorities allow him to write ar-
ticles that have been published in the
Gospel Advocate and The Voice of
Truth International.
David said, “God has spared my
life and I will serve Him whether in
prison or out, the rest of my life.”
David’s conversion and commitment
have been genuine and far from con-
venient! ✞

HOLDING TO THE TRADITIONS Continued from page 20

available.” From this statement we can see the great

need for the Spanish guide for “Searching for Truth”.
Brethren, “Holding to the Traditions” is committed
to helping the Lord’s church around the world to “grow
in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”
(2 Peter 3:18), and to spread the Gospel throughout the
world (Mark 16:15,16).
Our mission work is possible only with the kind
assistance of sister congregations who join us in our ef-
fort to spread the Gospel world-wide. ✞
For more information, contact Bill Farris at:
missions@cebridge.net
or call (870)845-3161

Dear Bill,  
The books came in about 30 minutes before we went to Reynosa,
Tamps. Mexico today so my wife and I took three boxes over.  We gave
30 books to the Central Congregation where Fredy Cerato preaches,
and sent 30 books by Chuy and Lupita Mar (pictured above) to another
congregation across town at Balcones de Alcalá alsoin Reynosa. We
will try to get the other books over in the next few days, the Lord willing.
Hispanic brethren studying “Searching for Truth” in Spanish.       Thanks for sending the material.   Carrol Robertson
 Global Harvest
Even in the USA, Evangelism Still Works!
I started as the full time minister with
the Archibald Church of Christ on 7/22/
07. We are located in a rural setting, 7
miles south of Rayville (pop. 4234), Lou-
isiana, about 30 miles from Monroe. In
fact, our building is surrounded on two
sides by a cotton field! We are blessed to
have a nice range in ages from infants to
89-year-olds. We currently have 114
members.
When I first came here, we were av-
eraging about 70 during the AM service
on the Lord’s Day and about 55 at night.
Our Wednesday night service averaged
about 30. Now, we are averaging in the
upper 80s to low 90s in the AM service
and 65-70 during the PM service on the
Lord’s day. Our Wednesday night service
is averaging 55-60. While we are pleased
with our obvious numerical growth in
attendance, we realize there is so much
more work to do.
As of November 3, we’ve had 12
baptisms and 4 restorations in the past
15 months! We’ve had 13 come forth
for prayer or to place membership. This is
a total of 29 responses in 15 months!
There is no question that God is working
mightily through His Word (Hebrews
4:12) at the Archibald Church of Christ!
There are several keys to our suc-
cess. The first is that we stress work-
ing together in unity and love as a
congregation. We take to heart Paul’s
admonition that there be no divisions
among you (1 Corinthians 1:10) and
John’s command that we love the breth-
ren (1 John 3:18). This is emphasized
from the pulpit and in our weekly bulle-
tin.
22
Travis Arrant
We started a free Bible correspon- Believe What We Believe ,Volumes
dence program, which has been a huge 1&2, You Can Be Just A Christian, and
success. We begin with “Studies in the God Means What He Says. If we are
Bible” by Hawley Publications, which is dealing with a non-Christian, we usually
a 30-lesson basic course, and then follow hand them Why We Believe, Volume 1
up with “Foundations of Faith” by or You Can Be Just A Christian. Both
Hawley Publication, a 30-lesson ad- of these have been well received.
vanced course. Since starting this pro- For those needing encouragement
gram 12 months ago, over 90 people or who have fallen away, we have
have enrolled and 45 have completed the started using God Means What He
program. Members, people in the com- Says by Paul Simon. It is an excellent
munity, prisoners, and even folks in other book and gives the person some things
states have taken these courses. Brothers to consider. In addition, we use the
David Singley and Ed Free oversee these tract, Is One Church As Good As An-
two programs. other? by John H. Banister and pub-
We stress evangelism both in Bible lished by Haun Publishing Company.
class and from the pulpit. Jesus told us Many truly believe the false concept of
to “go”, and that is what we do at the Ar- “one church is as good as another” and
chibald Church! We are blessed to have “it does not matter where you attend
numerous men and women who are will- services”. We use this tract to help
ing to teach the unchanging Gospel of
our Lord. For the first time in over
twenty years, we had a week long VBS
this past summer and thanks to our
members and the Lord, it was a great
success. We never had less than 91 in
total attendance on any of the 5 nights.
A list was made of children whose
parents were not members and a
campaign was set for 8/23/08 for fol-
low up. A group of us made 48 contacts
that day, handing out tracts and fliers.
The next day, 8/24, was designated
A busy crowd at the summer VBS.
“Friend Day” and we had 162 in at-
tendance — the largest crowd we’ve
educate people that it does make a dif-
had in many years! ference where you worship. Jesus
We teach to invite people you know
states, “On this rock, I will build My
to worship, and our members do just church and the gates of Hades shall not
that! At almost every service, we have
prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
visitors who are looking for a church We are a small congregation at the
home, who may be lost, or who are in
Archibald Church of Christ but we
need. We have visitors complete a visi- know that the “power who is behind us
tor’s card and we make sure they get a
is greater than the task before us!” We
warm welcome. We follow up with a appreciate all of the fine Bible materials
phone call or a letter with a tract. If the
that the brotherhood has to offer and are
person is not a Christian, Bible studies doing our best to make good use of
are then set up.
them in serving the Lord and doing His
We are using some books published work. ✞
by World Literature Publications (J.C.
Choate Publications), in our Bible studies travis_arrant@yahoo.com
and we are having good success. We
particularly like to hand out Why We
 23
House to House Heart to Heart
House To House/Heart to Heart is
a direct mail evangelism program spon-
sored by cooperating churches of Christ.
It is an 8-page, full-color publication
promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Since its beginning in 1994 with
1,000 magazines, it has grown to a circu-
lation of over 2,700,000 (over 16 million
per year). If each home represents three
people, the potential readership is over
8,000,0000. More than 1,100 churches
of Christ in 49 states and six foreign
countries now distribute it into their
communities.
Published six times a year, the
magazine is personalized for each con-
gregation, and each church does its own
follow-up with contacts. House to
House/Heart to Heart strives to be at-
We of World Evangelism highly recommend House to House. We use it in Winona, ourselves.
XXXXXXXXXXXEmail add.
On the south side of Nashville, Ten-
nessee, there is a band of devoted Chris-
tians that is reaching out to the world by
radio and TV with the good news of Je-
sus Christ. It is not the first and by far not
the only media effort in the brotherhood,
but God has blessed it richly over the
years, so that it is now heard in more than
120 countries around the world.
tractive in appearance, sound in doctrine,
interesting in content, and evangelistic in
thrust. It is a non-profit, bulk, saturation
mailing and covers entire postal routes at
a time. It is published under the over-
sight of the elders of the Jacksonville
church of Christ in Jacksonville, AL.
Allen Webster is the general Editor.
HTH is effectively used by small and
large congregations to get their names
before their communities and to promote
their important events. It can be sent di-
rectly into the homes in your community
for 29 cents per copy with a minimum
order of 1,000 copies per issue.
For more information about House
to House/Heart to Heart, or to request
a free paket of information, you may
email us at the following address:
Reaching Out in Love Through Restoration Radio
Miles Cotham
Years ago, Roy Beasley, a Gospel
preacher, decided it was time that he ex-
panded his outreach to the lost. Starting
with only a reel of tape and the use of the
recording equipment at a local radio sta-
tion in an Indiana mission area, he began
what would in time become a world out-
reach program. He wondered at the time
if anyone listened. Thirty-three years
later, Restoration Radio Network In-
ternational has produced thousands of
programs that go into the world in Eng-
lish, French, three Philippean dialects,
and soon-to-be Arabic and Spanish.
Restoration Radio believes that
only the Gospel in its simplicity and pu-
rity should be preached. Its very name
implies that Christians are to restore the
teachings of the Apostles, which came
directly from God, Himself. It is believed
that no creed of man is needed and that
the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all-
sufficient.
Restoration Radio does not own
radio stations. It purchases air time from
House to House
Promotion@housetohouse.com or call
the office at 256.435.9356 and ask for
Blake Hamm or Derek Raulerson. For
more information, please visit
www.housetohouse.com. ✞
… with men this is impossible;
with God all things are possible” (Mat-
powerful radio stations located in strate-
gic places around the world. The advan-
tage is that there is no expense in building
and maintaining expensive facilities, an-
tennae, personnel, and equipment. Also,
we are not tied to one target area. If an
area proves unproductive, we can easily
change to another.
Restoration Radio has a follow-up
program called “The Apollos
Program”. Workers in Kenya, Malawi,
the Philippines, Haiti, and other places
follow up on listener response, adding the
“personal touch” that is so important in
soul-winning. Over the years, over
47,000 conversions have been reported,
and more than a thousand congregations
started as a direct result of Restoration
Radio’s efforts.
It is impossible to go into all the
world in person, but the Gospel can be
taken by the use of available technology.
Perhaps one day soon you will hear
RRNI’s “God Speaks Today” on your
local radio station. ✞
 Gospel Broadcasting Network
thew 19:26). In many churches in our
brotherhood, liberalism, radicalism, and
worldliness are taking their toll on souls
and on the unity of the body of Christ.
Staying “balanced”, upholding the
Word alone, not veering from the old
paths to the left or to the right — these
seem to be undesirable or difficult tasks
for many of our brethren. For some,
acceptance and success by the world’s
standards — “that we also may be like
all the nations” — have overshadowed
truth and the exacting nature of God’s
pattern for worship, for service, and for
living. The restoration process is not a
“once done, always done” effort. Yes,
the New Testament church has been
restored, but the process of holding in-
dividual souls to obedience and adher-
ence to it will not end until the Lord
comes again.
We believe the Gospel Broadcast-
ing Network is a vital tool in this 21st
Century, to promote a resurgence of
enthusiasm in reaching the lost and in
teaching the saved to “stay saved”, by
holding to “the faith which was once
for all delivered to the saints” Jude 1:3,
NKJV). GBN can extend the soul-
saving Gospel message to individuals
in the privacy of their homes, where
they may hear, study, and become con-
victed.
We appreciate so very much our
supporting individuals and congrega-
tions. We are encouraged by the enthu-
siastic responses we receive from view-
ers; but we also thank God for the im-
pact GBN is having upon members
who respond with excitement over the
results and with the realization of the
tremendous potential of GBN. There is
a tremor of excitement stirring and
growing among the brotherhood, and
we hope it will soon erupt into an
earthquake!
When we see, today, wars, trage-
dies, and the inhumanity of man to man,
we may believe our world is completely
“upside down”, spiritually, morally, so-
cially, and
e t h i c a l l y.
The disciples
of the first
century were
called,
“These that
have turned the world upside down.”
May GBN be a leader among those who
one day may be called, “These that have
turned the world right side up again”!
“On Sunday Cecil Wilson visited
An Exciting Report
of Conversion!
our worship for the first time. We wel-
comed him and gave him a visitor’s
packet.
“On the following Wednesday
night, he came back with the guest card
filled out. Shortly after the closing
prayer, he wanted to know if he could
speak with someone. I asked what I
could do for him, and his reply was, ‘I
think I need to be baptized again.’
“We immediately went to the li-
brary and began a study. Cecil had
written on his guest card that he was a
member of a denomination. He said he
did not want to be a member of a de-
nomination, but he did want to be a
member of the Lord’s church. He
seemed to know the answers to ques-
tions about the mode of baptism and the
importance of baptism, and he knew
that the Lord adds one to the church
when he/she obeys. I even went to Acts
19 to show he needed to be baptized
again, and he seemed to be a step
ahead.
“Surprised at his answers, I asked
where he had learned the truth: Did he
just read for himself? Did a close
friend show the way? Neither! He said
he had been watching GBN for three or
four months and was studying. He
made the statement: ‘What they were
preaching just made more sense.’
“Cecil was baptized that very hour.
The preaching of the Truth of God’s
24
word by sound Gospel preachers made
a difference in this man’s life. Isn’t it
beautiful that the same Word that was
preached 2000 years ago still has the
same effect on the honest and sincere
heart, willing to obey God?
In Christian Love, Keith Ritchie .”
Would you consider supporting the
Gospel Broadcasting Network in your
We want to expand into all the
World, but we cannot do it without
the help of many concerned
brethren and congregations.
2009 budget? The network is now seen
across the nation on several cable sys-
tems and one hour daily on DirecTV
and Dish Network. We stream our pro-
gramming 24/7 on the worldwide web
and have received over a quarter of a
million hits (www.gbntv.org).
Brethren, satellite television is a
costly undertaking. The denomina-
tional religious world has dominated
satellite television since its inception. It
is time for the voice of the Lord’s peo-
ple to be heard! Countless souls need
to learn the Truth before they go into
eternity. The goal of spreading the
Gospel to the masses is possible, if
faithful brethren will stand united. We
are asking congregations to consider
giving at least $150 per month. ✞
Barry Gilreath, Sr., GBN Executive Direc-
tor and Elder of the Highland Church of
Christ. Call us at 866-525-4677.
Help Us Celebrate
Our Third Anniversary!
 25
Troublesome Times in Distant Lands, cont.
The boat bringing food supplies to peo-
ple in the cyclone area.
Bags of rice supplied by American Christians for to direct aid from the Lord’s
the cyclone victims.
Cooking oil being taken to victims
throughout the village.
A new birth into Christ, spiritual life
resulting from aid to physical life.
Continued from page 17
which will be distributed inside China
itself. My tract had already been trans-
lated and printed in Burmese, and we
enabled many more to be printed in
that language. Brethren overseas tell
me that this particular tract is very good
in communicating especially to de-
nominational believers the difference
between denominationalism and pure
Christianity.
While in Yangon, Bonnie and I
were able to learn firsthand re-
specting the Myanmar Cyclone
Relief that the churches of Christ
took upon themselves earlier in
2008. Whereas the government of
Myanmar thwarted nations in
their efforts to provide humanitar-
ian aid (even seizing planeloads of
supplies), brethren from the Phil-
ippines and Myanmar were able
church to many suffering people.
Not everyone could be helped, and
even helping as many as possible with
the limited resources would have only
prolonged the inevitable death of some
persons. Therefore, the villages first
reached were aided enough to sustain
life until they could rebound somewhat.
Americans later, including members of
the World Evangelism Team, helped
distribute relief in the form of rice,
cooking oil, tarps, and sleeping mats.
Only Burmese brethren were permitted
into the interior of the cyclone ravaged
delta area with relief supplies.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ and our
Lord’s church were companion to the
distribution of benevolent aid. Conse-
quently, families have been converted
(we met two of them and ate with
them) and new congregations have be-
gun in the delta area. The children’s
class in the Buddhist village where I
taught came about because of the be-
nevolent aid, coupled with teaching of
the Gospel. Brethren from around My-
anmar are evangelizing the delta area
where survivors received relief from
Global Harvest
the churches of Christ, and with prom-
ising success among those Buddhists.
Praise be to God!
Before our arrival in New Delhi and
Bangalore, those cities experienced
bombings. Orissa State in India is espe-
cially perilous to believers in Christ and
true Christians. While we were abroad,
protestors occupied Bangkok streets,
and bombings occurred almost daily.
Earlier in the year, protests by Buddhist
monks in Myanmar resulted in thou-
sands of deaths when protestors were
fired upon by the army, and survivors
were given 65-year prison sentences.
While we were in Yangon, an Internet
blogger was sentenced to 20 years in
prison for posting unfavorable com-
ments about the government. Since our
return, (1) terrorist attacks in Mumbai
(Bombay), India have killed over a hun-
dred, and (2) clashes between protestors
and police in Bangkok have resulted in
deaths and the closure of the airport we
used three times in our travels.
The first century world was a dan-
gerous place into which to take the
Gospel, but “Go” Jesus commanded,
and “Go” early Christians did (Mark
16:15,16; Acts 8:1,4; 17:6). And go
with the Gospel, we must also! ✞
Louis and Bonnie Rushmore are part of
the World Evangelism team, living in
Winona. rushmore@gospelgazette.com
Sponsored by the Vermilion Church of
Christ in Vermillion, Ohio.
New converts and the beginning of a
new congregation, after the hurricane.
 Global Harvest
SEEKING THE LOST
International Radio
Supported by Churches of Christ. Overseen by the Elders of the Clinton Church of Christ, Clinton, MS
Jesus came to “seek and to save that
which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Through
the use of shortwave radio, FM radio and
the Internet, Seeking the Lost Interna-
tional Radio is truly seeking the lost as we
broadcast weekly in the English language
throughout the world. The work is over-
seen by the Elders of the Clinton Church
of Christ in Clinton, Mississippi who
have been spreading the Gospel through-
out the world for many years. Seeking
the Lost International Radio is supported
financially by churches of Christ and in-
dividual members of the churches of
Christ. We do not ask or solicit any
money from our radio audience.
Seeking the Lost International Radio
went live on January 1st, 2008 with five-
minute daily (Monday – Friday) pro-
grams broadcasting to North America,
Central America, and South America. In
April 2008, the format was changed to
two fifteen-minute weekly programs
broadcasting to the same target areas. In
October, 2008 the format was revised to
include greater coverage to the conti-
nents of Africa, North America, South
America, Central America, and parts of
Asia and Europe. Currently, we broad-
cast four times weekly over shortwave
radio and once a week on FM radio in
the Philippines. The broadcasts are
available on our website,
seekingthelost.net, for worldwide distri-
bution. Transcripts and MP3 recordings
are available for download.
We broadcast in the English lan-
guage, which is used as a primary lan-
guage in many countries, and a second
language in others. Many people who do
not speak the English language listen to
radio programs in English with the goal
to learn the English language. By doing
so, many learn and obey the Truth.
Shortwave radio is a fascinating
medium that allows the opportunity for
masses of people to hear a radio broad-
cast that otherwise could not. While
AM and FM radio are limited to several
hundred miles at the maximum in their
coverage range, shortwave radio cover-
age can extend thousands and thou-
sands of miles. In third world coun-
tries, and in places where isolation and
poverty exists, it is the primary means
of hearing the news and current events
from the outside world.
Meet the Seeking the Lost Team
The Elders of the Clinton church of
Christ oversee the work and receive
and disperse funds received for the
work. Ken Gardner, a deacon respon-
sible for missions at the Clinton Church
of Christ is the Literature Coordinator
and Field Representative; Ricky Berger,
Gospel preacher from Cordova, Ala-
bama, is a speaker for the broadcasts
and a Field Representative; Harold
Bigham, a Gospel preacher from De-
Funiak Springs, Florida, is a speaker for
the broadcasts; webmaster for
seekingthelost.net and is responsible for
the production of the broadcasts.
Our Shortwave radio schedule is:
Europe, Africa, Asia:
Radio Station - WHRA. Angel 5,
11.885 MHz. 15 minutes on Saturday
at 4:00 P.M. EST, 2000 UTC.
North America:
Radio Station -- WHRI. Angel 6,
7.385 MHz. 15 minutes on Sunday at
7:30 A.M. EST, 1130 UTC. Radio Sta-
tion -- WRMI. 9.955 MHz. 15 minutes
on Sunday at 10:45 A.M. EST, 1445
UTC. Coverage includes all of the
United States, Canada and Alaska.
Central and South America:
Radio Station -- WRMI. 9.955 MHz.
15 minutes on Sunday at 8:30 P.M.
EST, 0045 UTC. Coverage includes all
Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba, Bahamas,
Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic,
Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago.
Philippines:
MINDANAO PRAISE RADIO 105.3
FM 15 minutes on Sunday at 2 P.M.
26
We are always in need of donated
material from brotherhood bookstores
and congregations such as Bibles,
tracts, class workbooks, and cassette
tapes of sermons. If you have unused
Bible class workbooks please consider
donating them to this good work. Cas-
sette tapes of sermons are very useful in
countries where people have an eco-
nomical cassette tape player but do not
have computers. Printed material is
gladly welcomed, as many read with
great hunger to know more about the
Bible.
We are constantly in need of finan-
cial support to continue to pay for the
We Need Your Prayers,
Money, and Resources
to Help Spread the Gospel
current radio airtime and to add future
target areas. We would like to be on the
air more times each week and to add
other target areas, such as Russia and
India, but currently we are cost re-
stricted.
We are in need of financial support
for shipping and postage. The cost of
mailing supplies and postage to other
countries is very high.
Most of all, brethren, you can help
by including us in your prayers for this
good work that the efforts put forth
might bring glory to God and increase
the borders of the Lord’s church. ✞
If you are interested in knowing
more about Seeking the Lost Inter-
national Radio and how to help in
this work, please contact Ken Gard-
ner at kennethlgardner@yahoo.com
or write:
Seeking the Lost International Radio
C/O Elders, Clinton Church of Christ
155 Broadway St, Clinton, MS 39056
 27
Bible Charts for the World
www.biblecharts.org
is a non-profit free website for pro-
ducing and sharing Bible teaching
materials for brethren to use around
the world. Donnie S. Barnes, minis-
ter of the Red Boiling Springs
Church of Christ in Tennessee, has
long utilized visual materials in his
teaching and preaching.
Believing strongly in what is
pen-ned in Isaiah 41:20, “That they
may see and know,
and consider and
u n d e r s t a n d t o-
g e t h e r. . . , ” t h e
author is dedicated
to preparing visual
materials to be
used in the United
States as well as in
all nations around
the world. Cur-
rently more than
2,200 Bible charts
plus sermons, illus-
trations, and invita-
tions, are freely
available for use
around the world.
Over 3,000 differ-
ent titles of materi-
als have been pre-
pared for this work
alone.
People in other
lands are translating
many of the charts into their native
languages and dialects. Emails from
India, China, England, Indonesia,
Australia, New Zealand, many states,
etc., indicate that the materials are
being used by brethren as well as de-
nominationalists in teaching the Word
of God.
People tend to remember 85%
more of what goes through the eye-
gate as opposed to the ear-gate alone.
The charts on the Holy Spirit are be-
ing taught to a class where the
Global Harvest
Dr. Donnie S. Barnes, Th.D
young-est student is 35 and the oldest ment, the Church, the Godhead, the
is 100. In one country a Muslim man Cross of Christ, Personal Work,
requested the materials for study. In Spiritual Growth, and Marriage and
Indiana a reformed Jew wanted the the Christian Home. Notes about
materials to better help him learn places in the Bible Lands are in-
about Jesus Christ. In England a man cluded as well.
requested permission to copy some of The site is designed to help all
the charts into booklets for teaching who view it to gain deeper insights
35 young adults who have never held into and about God’s infallible Word,
a Bible before. the Bible. Helpful materials for
When you go to the website you preachers and Bible Class teachers
will find a treasury of Bible Charts are included, as well as materials for
individual Bible
Study.
The author is
a s t r o n g b e-
liever in Isaiah
5 5 : 11 — “ S o
shall My word
be that goes
forth from My
mouth; It shall
not return to Me
void, But it
s h a l l a c c o m-
plish what I
please, And it
shall prosper in
the thing for
which I sent it.”
All recogni-
tion for this site,
its work, and all
the future charts
to be developed,
belong to God
for preaching and teaching, church alone. If these
bulletin charts, sermons, Bible Study materials can be of help to you in
materials, and a variety of church- spreading the Gospel around the
related materials, designed for God’s world, please use them freely for His
glory and for the teaching of Truth. glory. Please feel free to collect and
Surveys of Bible Books, Bible His- use them. There is no copyright law
tory, Bible Chronology, as well as enforcement. Hopefully, you will
materials regarding the life and work also pass along this website address
of Christ and of the apostle Paul are to others you know who would find
presented in great volume. the charts to be helpful. ✞
These Bible charts cover numer-
ous subjects, including the Bible, Bible Chart questions may be directed
God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, to the author, Dr. Donnie Barnes at
the Old Testament, the New Testa- donniesbarnes@yahoo.com.
 Guyana
Continued Campaigns to Guyana
~ Building on the Past ~
Jerry L. Davidson
Twelve American mission team members made a recent
campaign trip to Guyana, South America: J. T. Beard and Lloyd
Beard, Booneville, MS; Jason Floyd, Savannah, TN; Gene
Johnson, Carolyn Johnson and Ray Robinson, Decatur, AL;
Jonathan Hagar, Doyle, TN; Howard Pitts and Jonathan Page,
Mobile, AL; John Langham, Daphne, AL; Gwynne Weaver,
Robertsdale, AL; and Jerry O. Davidson, Summerdale, AL.
After clearing customs, we stayed overnight in Soesdyke.
The following morning we traveled to St. Cuthbert's Mission
Village, the closest Amerindian settlement to Georgetown, the
capital city. This was the first village I visited in December
1998. Brother Ernest Dundas is the preacher. In a campaign
in this village three years ago, the Lord added sixty-five pre-
cious souls to His church.
Living in the Village
Our living accommodations for the team were the best
ever! Several stayed in a new house, built by the govern-
ment for the Headmaster of the school, with indoor plumbing
and showers — almost all the comforts of home! Some
stayed in the preacher’s house and some stayed at Vime and
Mahase Ramnarace’s house. Vime recently came to Sum-
merdale for surgery. Some of the Guyanese brethren stayed
in the church building, with others staying in tents and a
rented house.
It was the rainy season, so we had rain every day, which
kept it from getting too hot. The village has a new generator
that provides electricity from 6-10 P. M. every night.
A Christian Family
It was my pleasure to work with Vibert and Penelope
Dundas, a Christian couple in St. Cuthbert’s Mission Village,
during this campaign, and to go with them to study with sev-
eral members of Vibert’s family.
Vibert paddled a small dugout canoe up the river to study
with his brother, Ian, who was living with a girl to whom he
was not married. After studying with Ian and Jemmenia,
they decided to be married. A couple of days later they were
legally married and as soon as the wedding was completed,
she went to the river to be baptized.
Later, Vibert took me to study with his sister, Ulene, and
her children’s father, Deon. They had lived together for
about twelve years without being legally married, so I stud-
ied God’s Word with them about the importance of being
legally married and becoming Christians. They were very
receptive, and made arrangements to be married. As soon as
the wedding ended, we went to the river where they were
both baptized into Christ.
Another day, Vibert carried me to his father’s house in a
small boat powered by a two horsepower motor. When we
arrived, I was introduced to his brothers, Wreford and Al-
28
phaus, and Cameel, his sister.
We had a lengthy study, tak-
ing the time necessary to en-
sure that they understood
what we taught them from the
Bible. All three gladly re-
ceived the Word and were
baptized into Christ. Brother
Monte Dundas, Vibert’s fa-
ther, told me that all of his
children are now members of
the church of Christ. After
the baptisms, we went back to
the house for a period of fellowship where I drank the coco-
nut water from the largest coconut I have ever seen!
Campaign Services
We started having services on Tuesday night, and were
glad to see so many of our brethren and friends we had
grown to love in the past. The attendance was good at all of
the services, increasing from night to night. In fact, the
crowds were so large that the children were sent to the fel-
lowship hall, the teens to a house nearby, and the new con-
verts to another location for a class taught by Gene Johnson.
The count one night was 255 adults, with over 100 children.
St. Cuthbert’s Mission Church of Christ
This is now the largest congregation in the country of
Guyana with over 300 members! Each new Christian was
given a giant print Bible, provided by the $10.00 that so
many of you generously donated. In order to continue having
these Bibles available for the new Christians, we encourage
your contributions. A very nice label will be printed with
your name and address and placed in a Bible.
In addition, we are sending the book, WHY I AM A
MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, for each family
in the village, to help them grow in the faith.
Benevolence Warehouse
We are excited to see this benevolent effort continue, and
in September we will be shipping the third container for this
year! We want to thank all of those throughout the Southeast
who are helping in this good work. Your efforts bless so
many of your fellow Christians in Guyana and show that you
“ ... remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is
more blessed it give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
We are indebted to a dear Christian family at Summer-
dale for planning and building a loading dock at the ware-
house. This will make loading the container so much easier
and faster. T hank you for your thoughtfulness. ✞
Jerry L. davidson; www.Amerindianmission.com
Phone: 251-510-9350; email: davidsonjo@aol.com
 29
El Salvador
Jonathan Winchester
The Lord blessed us with the opportu-
nity to proclaim the Gospel for the first
time ever in Tonacatepeque, El Salvador,
as we labored to establish His church
there. Brother Jack Farber did a great job
arranging and leading this campaign, with
Dave Huffman and myself assisting in
many areas. The campaign was a com-
bined medical and evangelistic effort, as
we reached out to touch both the physical
and spiritual needs of this community.
Individuals had the opportunity to see
doctors and dentists, nurses and pharma-
cists, and most importantly, they had the
opportunity to hear the Gospel.
The Lord truly blessed us, as eleven
souls put on Christ in baptism, and the
Lord’s church was established in this
community. I am certain that each team
member has a story to tell of how their
hearts were touched during the week. I
would like to tell you about one individ-
ual who touched me during the week:
Maricela.
I was introduced to Maricela on the
first day, as she had accompanied her sis-
ter to the campaign, hoping to help with
the cooking. Her sister is a Christian, and
Maricela had been attending the church in
Alta Vista for some time. I was asked to
attempt to initiate a Bible study with her;
therefore, I had Ana Maria Bonilla
(whose husband, Victor preaches in Alta
Vista) set up the study. The three of us sat
under a tree and studied God’s Word for
several hours. We studied several Bible
subjects, such as the inspiration of the
Bible, how to rightly divide the Bible, and
the purpose of both the Old Law and the
Law of Christ. We looked at Old Testa-
ment promises and prophecies concern-
ing the Christ and His church, and then
looked to their New Testament fulfill-
ment.
We noticed that Christ built one
church, His church, and that it is greater
than any man-made denomination on
earth. We studied the Gospel plan of sal-
vation, and how God adds one to His
El Salvador -- Brazil
church, and then looked
at examples of those who
have been added to the
church.
I cannot explain
how it is that Maricela
came to trust in me so
quickly, or how she
found it possible to “open her, and give her the shoulder to cry on
up” to Ana Maria and myself. In dis- that she needed. There was not a dry
cussing sin and its consequences, I asked eye among the three of us.
her if she had specific questions. I told After reading of the conversion of
Maricela that anything she brought out the Ethiopian eunuch, Maricela said she
in that study would stay between us, and wanted to be baptized for the remission
to my surprise, she responded. She con- of her sins and to be added to the Lord’s
fided in us and told us of some great church. Studying with her and seeing her
faults and struggles in her life, and pro- put on Christ in baptism is certainly one
ceeded to weep bitterly. She had never of the happiest moments I have experi-
told anyone about these sins, and has enced in the mission field. Observing
been struggling with not only accepting her confidence in me truly has touched
the fact that God could forgive her, but me forever. The tears the three of us
also was struggling with being able to shared can never be replaced with other
forgive herself. I was so grateful to have memories. ✞
Ana Maria there to console her, cry with
The Church in SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS, Brazil
Celebrates 20th Birthday
J. Randal Matheny
In 1988 the Nove de Julho church in Sao Paulo sent two families, one full-time,
to Sao Jose dos Campos to begin outreach in the region.
In the first speech of the “birthday celebration”, one of the Nove de Julho eld-
ers, Joao De Marco, compared the church to a young adult leaving adolescence.
Special speaker for the day was Mike Hughes, elder for the Somers Avenue church
in North Little Rock, Ark. The congregation supports the Randal Matheny family
and sent Mike and his wife Mary to be present for the celebration.
Mike spoke twice during the day. He praised the brethren for their work and
used the apostle Paul as an example of conversion and suffering for the cause of
Christ. Jose Roberto Silva, one of the longest-converted saints in SJC, shared with
the group how he came to obey the Gospel of Christ.
Jorge Santana dos Santos, a federal judge’s assistant in Sao Paulo and worker
with all three congregations in the Paraiba Valley (SJCampos, Taubate and Guarat-
ingueta), spoke about his conversion and his family’s work in the region.
In the closing speech, Randal applied some of the principles from the raising of
the Ebenezer stone to the work in SJC. Some 40 people attended the event. ✞
 France 30

France ...
Charles White
Charles and Pam White,
workers in France for 32 years.
As with much of Europe, inter-
est in religion is at a low point in
France. The Church of Christ, cate-
gorized as a fundamentalist group, is
often looked upon as a cult.
Charles and Pam White moved
to France from Nebraska in 1976,
spending eleven years in Grenoble
before moving to Lyon in 1987. The
Church in Lyon was begun in 1975
by Arlin Hendrix and Max Dauner
and has about 30 members today,
most of whom were contacted by
mailbox distribution. Other methods
used are study seminars, choral pro-
grams, and visits from American stu-
dents. There are regular visitors’ days
and classes for all ages. Each mem-
ber is encouraged to share his faith
with those around him. Charles has recently been re-
The city of Lyon has sponsible for the production of the
about 1.5 million people, 2nd edition of the French
including suburbs. It hymnbook, first published in 1990
was founded in 43 B.C. by Don Daugherty (deceased), Co-
by Julius Caesar, and has lette Daugherty, Robert Limb, Ed-
been a prominent city of ward Ritchie, Charles White, and
France ever since, be- Richard Wolfe. The songbook is
ginning with its place as capital of called “Chante Mon Coeur” (Sing
the Gauls throughout the Roman My Heart). The books are stored in
period. Today, it is a city of high- Lyon, and Charles is responsible for
level research, industry and culture. orders and mailouts.
It was recently named a World Charles has published three
Heritage City because of the rich- books. His latest, Upright, is cur-
ness of its archeological site, un- rently under production through
changed for 2,000 years. World Literature Publications.
Charles White works mostly in The church in Lyon is a vibrant
teaching and equipping Christians community, a mixture of races and
for living their faith. He trains the nationalities, all eager to serve the
men of the congregation for leader- Lord and to share the Gospel with
ship, one of his favorite “roles”. He others. We invite you to visit with
is hopeful that Lyon will have elders us on your next (or first!) trip to
in 5 to 7 years. In addition to his France. ✞
responsibilities with the Lyon con-
gregation, he is also the principal Contact Charles and Pam White at this
translator and director of the transla- email address: cwhitelyon@aol.com
tion center for the
monthly French ver-
sion of Truth for To-
day, “Vérité pour Au-
jourd'hui”.
In addition to her
accounting expertise,
Pam White helps her
husband in every as-
pect of his work. The
Whites have three
daughters, two of
whom live in the
States and one in It-
aly. They have five Visiting American students
grandchildren. help to evangelize in Lyon, France.

A Little “Creation Evidence” and
God-given Intelligence, on the Side:
Scientists have long recognized that bees are intelligent
creatures. At the same time they believe that this intelligence
is the product of millions of years of natural selection. The
However, the bees had also been studying the researchers.
extremely fast learning ability of the bee either puts in doubt
the millions of years or shows the hand of the Creator.
Researchers at Princeton University decided to find out
whether bees were smart enough to find their food source if it
God is our Creator and He has cleverly left the evidence of
was moved. The researchers moved the prime food source 50
meters farther away from the hive. They found that it took the
bees less than one minute to locate the moved source. Being
precise scientists, they then moved the food source another
fifty meters away. The bees still took less than a minute to
find the food source. Two more moves, each a precise 50 me-
ters, produced the same results.
Before the researchers could finish moving the food source yet
another fifty meters, they found that the bees had discovered the
pattern and were already waiting at the new location!
His Handiwork - His fingerprints if you will - in the creation itself.
Courtesy of Mark McWhorter: mtmcvb@centurytel.net
 31
Overview of Romania
Harvey Starling
The church began in Bucharest,
Romania in January, 1991, when a
large group of Bible teachers went to
follow up Bible course students. The
group included Dale and Imogene
McAnulty, Gerald and Anne Nichols
and many others.
Today there are some 19 congrega-
tions in the nation but most of them are
small, with Sunday attendance of 10 to
20 people. The largest congregations
meeting in Romania are Bucharest, Ti-
misoara and Pitesti.
Some of the most extensive evan-
gelism efforts made recently are in the
Dolj, Ares and Valcea Districts, with a
population of over 2,000,000 souls.
The Midway church in Jasper, Ala-
bama has supported Harvey Starling
over the past several years. In this area,
Christians in an assembly in Corbeni, Romaina.
the Pitesti church began in 1995 with
work by U.S. teachers, including Char-
les Olree, Ted and Barbara Knight, Bill
Johnson, Harry Middleton and others.
Through the work of the Pitesti
church and U.S. Bible teachers, there are
congregations today in Craiova, Cioroi-
asi, Valea Stanciului, Valcea, Corbeni
and Schitu Golesti. These seven
churches work together in campaigns,
special Bible classes, Bible Training
Schools, Bible correspondence courses,
and extensive ladies’ work, to grow and
mature the Christians.
Special lectures on the family were
presented recently in Pitesti and Craiova
by Daryl Newton of Baytown, TX. Joel
Inman preached lessons on general top-
ics. Both were busy each day teaching
one-to-one Bible studies, both to those
out of Christ and to Christians. They
preached and worked in all seven con-
gregations during their time in Romania.
Christina Boboc, an 18 year-old
young laddy who began attending the
assembly some months ago, was bap-
tized into Christ a couple of weeks ago.
The distribution of food bags for
the needy, especially for the elderly and
for children, is an on-going work. The
Ripley, MS church has provided $9,000
for this work, along with a few smaller
contributions from others. Many peo-
ple that we see every day do not have
the basic food needs, so a special $50
bag of food will be a great help. The
Romanian Christians will buy, package,
and deliver the food. Also, over 200
quilts made by Romanian women will
be distributed along with the food. Yes,
Dorcas is busy even today! ✞ ferent countries throughout the world.
Harvey and Pat Starling have been on
the field in Romania the past 14 years.
Romania — Belgium
The Field in Belgium
Roy Davidson
We work regularly with the con-
gregation that meets at Burcht, Bel-
gium, which is across the river from
Antwerp. There is also a congregation
at Deurne, a suburb on the other side of
Antwerp. The Antwerp metropolitan
area has a population of 1.2 million.
The Burcht congregation has a
regular attendance of about 14. We
have non-Christian visitors most Sun-
days. Since the congregation consists of
people from other countries, we conduct
our services in English. The other con-
gregation in the city worships in Dutch.
Gorgina Yankee, a daughter of one
of the families in the congregation, was
baptized the first part of the year.
From January to March we placed
want-ads 12 times in 250,000 copies of
an advertising paper in the area offering
a Bible correspondence course. There
were about 80 registrations. Ads were
also placed on certain Internet sites.
The cost of all these ads was about
$600, which I paid personally so as not
to burden the small congregation. The
congregation pays the rent of its meet-
ing place and all regular expenses.
In the Spring we invited brother
Roel DeGruyter to start helping our
congregation. He is a Dutch brother
who attended the two-year course at
the British Bible School in Corby, Eng-
land. Roel is a capable young brother
who speaks Dutch, English and Ger-
man fluently. He is an effective
preacher and Bible teacher.
I publish about 20 web sites in
various languages (English, Dutch,
French, German and Russian). The one
that gets the most traffic is The Old
Paths Archive. During the last year
there has been an average of 958 visi-
tors to the Archive each day. There has
been a total of 349,670 visits to the site
during the last year. Many of those
who consult the Archive are non-
Christians and they are from many dif-
Thank you for your prayers and
support. ✞
Roy Davidson: www.oldpaths.com
 Israel
The Lord’s Work in Israel
Donnie S. Barnes, Th.D
Israel — the land
where it all began
some 2,000 years
ago! We are what we
are in Christ today
because of what be-
gan in that special
land and is recorded
on the pages of the
N e w Te s t a m e n t .
Every faithful mis- Donnie Barnes addressing the
sion effort today is church in Nazareth.
proclaiming what was
first proclaimed in Jerusalem, Judea,
Samaria, and then to the rest of the
world (Acts 1:8). Of all the lands God
could have chosen for His Son, He
chose the one about which we are writ-
ing in these paragraphs.
Before ascending back into
Heaven, Jesus said in Luke 24:46,47,
“Thus it is written, and thus it was nec-
essary for the Christ to suffer and to rise 1971. But I am not the one you should
from the dead the third day, and that
repentance and remission of sins should
be preached in His name to all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem.” Indeed, that
pivotal point in history did begin in
Acts 2 ... and now we are endeavoring
to restore to Israel the simple New Tes-
tament Gospel that began there before
spreading throughout the world.
Many of the world’s oldest man-
made religions have anchored them-
selves in this beautiful land, while poi-
soning the minds of generations against
the Truth. Among them are Greek Or-
thodox, Greek Catholic, Roman Catho-
lic, Armenian, Coptic, Orthodox of
Russia, Ethiopia, Lutheran, Anglican,
Adventists, Mission-
ary Alliance, and
Baptists, to name but
a few. As a result,
religious traditions
are hard for the peo-
ple to break with. I
once studied with a
family in Nazareth
who wanted to obey
the Gospel but did
not. Why didn’t they?
Because their rela-
tives would have come and slit their
throats from ear to ear. Religious per-
secution in Israel did not end when Saul
of Tarsus obeyed the Gospel of Christ.
Modern History of
the Lordʼs Work in Israel
My involvement in the Lord’s
work in Nazareth and Galilee began in
know about — two other men are. Al-
though they are not men who sought
glory or recognition, they are two men
God used to restart His work in Jerusa-
lem in 1960, some twelve years after
Israel became a nation. Those men are
Ralph T. Henley and Ernie Stewart.
Together they re-planted the Lord’s
church in West Jerusalem, and brother
Henley later planted the church in East
Jerusalem. After a year or so, the Is-
raeli government refused to renew his
visa, so the Henleys moved to Greece
to do the Lord’s work there. The
Stewarts continued to work in Israel.
Through information supplied by
Dr. E. Claude Gardner, brother Henley
32
A worship assembly of the Nazareth
Church of Christ.
was able to make contact with a young
Arab man from Eilaboun who was in
school in Nazareth. Through him, the
church was planted in Eilaboun. With
the help of the Kupty family in Naz-
areth, a nice meeting place was rented
near “Mary’s Well”. From further con-
tacts in Eilaboun, Bible classes were
started in Dier Hanna, Rama (near the
Lebanon border), Cana, Reine Acco,
and Haifa. Classes were already un-
derway as far south as Beersheba. In
time, money was raised and two
dununs of Land (one-half acre) were
purchased in Nazareth and the current
church building was built.
The Lordʼs Present-Day Work
in Israel
Brother Stewart continued working
in Eilaboun as well. There was not a
school in the surrounding eighteen vil-
lages. Few young men and none of the
young ladies were able to get an educa-
tion. In a village without electricity and
running water at the time, the people
said to brother Stewart, “If you really
love us, build us a school.” Ernie re-
turned to the States where he devoted
several months to traveling and raising
money to establish Galilee Christian
High School in Eilaboun. The school
conducts classes for young Arab men
and women in grades 10-12. Every
student studies in a Bible class daily as
well as attending daily chapel. Brother
Azmi Srour, whom I had the privilege
of baptizing into Christ, along with his
wife Salma, serves as the school’s prin-
cipal. Bro. Bishara S. Bishara served as
the GCHS’s principal for almost forty
years. Bishara continues to teach part-
time at the school.
 33
Both of these great pioneer mis-
sionaries in Israel, brothers Henley and
Stewart, have since completed their
sojourn here and now
belong to the faithful of
all the ages. They are
still loved and greatly
missed.
I recall something
brother Henley
penned years ago
about those early days
in Israel. Let him tell
you in his own words:
“I watched as a Palestin-
ian man blew himself
up, trying to get inside
the King David Hotel
just across from the
YMCA. I watched as Maurice Jadon, evangelist
Israeli tanks entered working with
Bethlehem and de- the Nazareth church.
stroyed buildings and
shops. I watched as the same tanks took
aim at Bet Jola — a ‘Christian City’
and almost destroyed it and killed many
of the inhabitants. I watched as the
tanks moved farther to the south of
Bethlehem to Hebron and destroyed
Meeting place of
the Nazareth Church of Christ.
some of the city (the burial place of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is located
there). I watched as a Palestinian
bomber blew himself up on Ben Yudah
Street in the middle of West Jerusalem,
followed by a car loaded with explo-
sives (destroyed store fronts for four
blocks — our church office was only
three blocks away. ... I watched as the
market place in Jerusalem was bombed.
I saw two Palestinians machine gun
women and children in Hederah — a
city where Ernie Stewart and I ate a late
supper on our way back to Jerusalem
after a full day in the Galilee. I watched
as Muslims blew up a bus in Haifa —
Israel’s port city, killing
25 — and another bus
with school children at
Afula. I watched as
Muslim mobs destroyed
automobiles in Nazareth
and smashed store win-
dows from one end of the
main boulevard up to our
church building 20
blocks away — and
when six Muslims in a
truck, loaded with explo-
sives, tried to destroy the
church of Christ building
— and were caught by
the police before entering
our property. JESUS
CHRIST IS THE AN-
SWER.”
Brother Joe Shulam and his wife,
Marcia, have anchored the Lord’s work
among the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea
for over thirty years. The sign at the
meeting place will say “Nitivyah” (The
Way) at 16 Narkis Street in West Jeru-
salem. Attendance at the services runs
around 70-80 or so.
Work among the Jews has been
extremely difficult, due to the powerful
influence of the Orthodox Jews in gov-
ernmental affairs. The Jewish work has
known many forms of persecution
through the years. Attempts have been
made to burn the meeting place. And,
too, attempts have been made on
brother Shulam’s life and house. Each
time God has delivered Joe and Marcia
so that their lives were not taken, but
death threats are a way of life for the
Shulams. The Jerusalem brethren carry
on a tremendous humanitarian work of
a “soup kitchen” for feeding the poor.
Joe’s nephew, Eli Avraham, is
working among the Jewish people in
the general Tel-Aviv area.
Brother Maurice Jadon, a native
Arab, obeyed the Gospel in the summer
of 1971. Persecuted by his family for
having left the Greek Orthodox Church,
Maurice never gave up his faith in
Christ. In time he was able to attend
the Sunset School of Preaching for two
Israel
years, after which he and his family
returned to Nazareth to work for the
Master. For some years he conducted a
work in Kafir Yasef in the northern part
of Israel. In time he became the
preacher for the Nazareth Church of
Christ where he is doing an outstanding
work. Trained to be an accountant,
Maurice could certainly have better
supported his family as an accountant
than he has been able to do as a minis-
ter of the Gospel of Christ, but for him,
he loves doing the work of the Lord.
It is believed that in the coming
months Nazareth will appoint its first
two Arab elders to spiritually oversee
the good work being done there. Some
of the finest Christians to be found
anywhere meet in Nazareth each week.
God has been working in Israel far
longer than any other mission field I
know of. Hostilities continue between
Jews and Palestinians. Arab Christians
are on the bottom of the pecking order
in Israel. Jews persecute Arabs, and
Muslim Arabs persecute Christian Ar-
abs. During periods of hostilities, Mus-
lims have burned “Christian” shops,
shot Arab Christians, threatened “Chris-
tian” students in school, and burned
Maurice’s car that he had owned for
only twenty-eight days. Yet, in spite of
all the difficulties, persecutions, and
continued threats in Israel, our brethren
continue to hold up the banner of Christ
daily, and will continue to do so until
our Lord returns. It is our hope and our
prayer that when our Savior returns in
the air, there will be a faithful congre-
gation of His people still meeting in His
hometown of Nazareth. May God’s
will be done in this land where it all
began some 2,000 plus years ago. ✞
NOTE: I will be leading a tour to Israel &
Egypt, June 8-21, 2009. The group will
visit Galilee Christian High School in
Eliaboun, and have a cookout, and wor-
ship with the brethren in Nazareth. To
request a brochure, please email me at
donniesbarnes@yahoo.com. or review
the full brochure with all details online at
www.biblecharts.org. I will be glad to
assist you in learning more about this
journey of a lifetime . . . “An Earthly
Journey with a Heavenly Meaning.”
Shalom! Donnie S. Barnes
 We Must Go
Benefits from Long-term Missions
Gordon Hogan
Self-examination has its value
when we improve ourselves, but an
inward focus in the local congregation
is suffocating. The heartbeat of the
church is carrying out Jesus’ instruc-
tions: “Go into all the world, and
preach the gospel to the whole crea-
tion” (Mark 16:15). For this directive
to become a reality, each disciple of
Christ, and the church as a whole, must
strive to fulfill the commands of Jesus.
Each child of God makes up “an
elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, a people for God’s own posses-
sion, that ye may show forth the excel-
lencies of him who called you out of
darkness into his marvelous light” (1
Peter 2:9).
Carl Mitchell has written aptly in
an unpublished book, World Chris-
tian, “The priesthood of all believers is
the solution ... the only possible solu-
tion ... to the problem of world evangel-
ism (1 Peter 2:1-12).” If the church is
not rescued from the idea that a
small group of highly trained experts
should do all the work of the church,
it will never be able to fulfill the
Lord’s Great Commission. Paul wrote
to Ephesus that church growth can oc-
cur only when each body part fulfills its
function (Ephesians 4:16). A ‘paraple-
gic’ church will not be adequate for the
task!
The local church and its missionar-
ies, whether domestic or foreign, are in
partnership in the greatest work on
earth.
Forty years ago my wife, our three
children and I traveled to Pakistan un-
der the sponsorship of the church in
Pinellas Park, Florida. I had served that
congregation as a deacon. We knew one
another well, and a deep bond of trust
existed. As partners, together with God,
we saw the first churches of Christ
come into existence in that country.
The home congregation shared our
joys, sorrows, successes and failures.
The membership became more aware
of the needs of the world. They prayed
for us and the people of Pakistan.
Contributions at home increased, and
the spirit of unselfishness prevailed.
In 1968, we moved to Singapore
under the sponsorship of the Northside
Church of Christ, St. Petersburg, Flor-
ida, and that relationship has continued
for more than 27 years. Northside’s
involvement in the work we share has
helped give the congregation a clearer
perception of the world. We have
communicated on a personal level with
members of the congregation. Because
of our trust relationship, I have been
given the freedom to preach and teach
in Asia, Australia, New Zealand and
many other parts of the world.
Both sponsors made it possible for
two different deacons and their wives to
join us in the work for an entire year.
One of our elders and his wife visited
and worked with us on four different
occasions. Their return to the local
church after such experiences strength-
ened the home church’s resolve.
Bill Richardson, a professor of Bi-
ble at Harding University and a former
missionary in Latin America, confirms
that long-term missions strengthen the
local church. He and his family served
under the sponsorship of the Austin
Avenue Church of Christ in Brown-
wood, Texas for 15 years.
Bill says their prayer-bond, along
with letters, calls, and visits connected
them with the home congregation.
When he and his family visited their
sponsoring church, they felt a sense of
being at home because of the long-
standing relationship. The congregation
was understanding regarding finances
and other circumstances.
Young people growing up in our
sponsoring congregations have been
made more aware of their responsibility
to be personally involved in world
evangelism. Because the home church
was involved in long-term mission ef-
forts to a lost world, more young peo-
ple were encouraged to go into mis-
34
sions than the church could support.
That’s a wonderful problem.
Van Tate, a former professor of
Bible at Harding University and a for-
mer long-term missionary to Kenya,
lists the benefits to the home church
that sponsored and supported him and
his family.
(1) The home congregation had a
strong commitment to the mission ef-
fort. The leaders planned the program,
selected the field along with the mis-
sionaries, and fully supported the Tates.
(2) The Tates returned for their first
furlough after four years, to renew
friendships with the members of the
home congregation.
(3) Now, years later, they still have
close friends there. Furthermore, the
missions committee still seeks his input
in their planning, especially for Kenya.
Paul urged the church at Corinth
and by extension, the church today, to
“be steadfast, unmovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, for
as much as ye know that your labor is
not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).
The local church reaps enormous
benefits from long-term missions. The
congregation becomes more mission-
minded, knows and cares more about
missions, does more soul-saving work
at home, is more generous, and grows
spiritually and numerically. ✞
Gordon and Jane Hogan have spent
most of their adult life in mission fields
in Asia. He has recently retired from
teaching at Harding University.
 35
The Search for One Sheep
Nilton Lelas, retired civil servant,
though living in Joao Pessoa, Paraiba,
always reads the “Pernambuco Daily”
from a neighboring state. One day he
saw a “School of the Bible”. He wrote
the school and received the “How to
Become a Christian” course by mail.
Studying lesson after lesson, he
became convinced of the course’s plea
for non-denominational Christianity.
As a Bible reader he saw that the
world’s religious divisions aren’t God’s
plan for the church. In the last lesson
he answered yes to the question: “Do
you want to be baptized?”
Christians from the church in Re-
cife visited him, studied with him, and
baptized him. Nilton was overjoyed
with his new brethren in God’s family,
excited about being part of a movement
whose goal is to reproduce the church
that Jesus Christ built.
The Christians from Recife started
making regular weekend trips to Joao
Pessoa. They gathered together other
course contacts and started holding a
small church meeting in Nilton’s house.
Unfortunately, the visits became less
frequent, and the small group dwindled,
but Nilton remained strong in his faith.
He always waited anxiously for visits,
each time begging for more to come
continue the work. Finally, he received
some exciting news: a whole mission
team was planning to move to Joao Pes-
soa in the next ten months! It was a
lonely Christian’s dream about to come
true. The rest of that year Nilton re-
ceived no more visits or news, nothing.
Concerned, he wrote a letter to the
School of the Bible. He didn’t receive a
reply. He wrote a second letter -- noth-
ing! He came to the sad conclusion that
this movement of just belonging to
Christ and His church had indeed ended,
that his new family from Recife had dis-
banded just like it had in Joao Pessoa.
The year was 1991, and he was all alone.
Only in 1999 did a mission team
finally arrive, but we knew practically
nothing of the previous work. It was such
One Man’s Conversion
Joey McKinney
a long time ago that records of names and ren. How would you do if you thought
addresses had been lost. But everybody you were the last Christian on earth?
familiar with the work always mentioned UPDATE: [Editor's note: Joao Pes-
this elderly Christian and wondered what soa is the capital city of Paraiba state,
had happened to him. located on the northeastern coast of Bra-
Several times during our first year zil. This story was taken from the May
here, people would say these same words: 2000 issue of Joao Pessoa News and
“I remember there was an old man, we was published in Forthright Magazine,
would meet in his house. That was such a 21 June 2005.]
long time ago and he was so old and sick, Joey McKinney, still a missionary in
he’s probably dead by now.” Joao Pessoa, wrote on 24 April 2007: “I
The last person to say this was the am sorry but I don’t have any photos of
young man who had promised Nilton Nilton. ... He suffered from several
that a team would come in 1991. He health problems, including diabetes.
still felt bad that he never got back in When he could still read, he would read
touch with him. He explained that in the Bible for about two hours each day.
1991 the volunteers in charge of the cor- But he started losing his eyesight, so we
respondence program started helping loaned him a copy of the Gospel of Mat-
new congregations in greater Recife. thew on video, and he would watch that.
The ministry came to a standstill and He passed away in 2005.” ✞
unfortunately several contacts were lost.
Randal J. Matheny publishes the online
The promised mission team never made
magazine, Forthright, at forthright.net,
it; they ended up going to another city. and he also carries news of events in
“I’m curious what happened to churches of Christ around the world, at
him. Do you know how to get to his brotherhoodnews.com.
house?” I asked him. “I know Nilton’s
probably dead, but maybe he still has
family who can tell us something.”
He thought he could if he started
from the bus station. And off we went.
After a couple of wrong turns, we
stumbled onto the right street, found the
house, clapped at the gate, and asked
for Nilton Lelas. And out walked Nil-
ton with a surprised look on his face!
It was a joyful visit. Nilton is 72
and suffers from diabetes and swollen
legs. He doesn’t get out of the house,
yet is very much alive. He was happy
to hear that the movement to restore the
church that belongs to Christ is also
very much alive.
He said his faith in God kept him
going through these nine years that
were filled with sickness and tragedy,
such as the loss of his son. He reads the
Bible two hours every day. He has read
the Psalms so many times he has them
pretty much memorized.
I doubt I would fare so well if I
were abandoned by my Christian breth-
 Iran
R ecently a man stopped at our gate
here in Karachi, and stood looking up at
the sign “Church of Christ”. After a
few minutes he came inside the gate
and rang the door bell. We invited him
in, and an amazing conversation fol-
lowed.
Dr. A.S. Khan is originally from
Iran. He said he was checking out the
sign which identified us as the church
of Christ, wondering if he would feel
able to fellowship us. We had never
been under such an investigation, so we
were very interested in what Dr. Khan
had to say. His first astounding state-
ment was that there are approximately
750,000 people in the area of Azerbai-
jan, and extending on up into Russia, in
a very mountainous region along the
An Amazing Story
Written in 1965, during our years in Karachi, Pakistan
common border of the two countries,
who claim to be just Christians!
My wife and I have had subsequent
meetings with this gentleman and have
been even more thrilled with what we
have heard. This past week we sat with
Dr. Khan for some time and questioned
him extensively concerning this group
and their practices. We were amazed at
the answers he gave. We deliberately
did not tell him what we believed until
we had the opportunity to hear his an-
swers. On the basis of what was dis-
cussed, it appears that we are very close
indeed.
Dr. Khan ta1ked at length to give
us the background of which he is still
a part. He said that this group of peo-
ple dates back to the birth of Christ.
The Wise Men, from what has now
come to be called Iran, saw the star
and followed it, ultimately finding the
baby King. They stayed for a while
and then returned to Iran by a different
route.
Heard Peter at Pentecost
About twenty-five years later,
when the child would have become a
J.C. Choate
man, a group of twenty-five men made
a trip to Israel to see what had become
of the one they had worshiped as the
new King of Israel. They remained for
several years and were present on the
day of Pentecost toI hear Peter’s sermon.
After that they came home.
Later, another group made a trip to
that part of the world. They also spent
several years, with the last part of the
time being in Antioch. When they re-
turned home, they brought with them a
book containing “The Sayings of
Christ”, which Dr. Kahn says corre-
sponds closely with the writings in the
present day New Testament.
Dr. Kahn explained that the faith
of these people has been handed
down from father to son through the
years, and that they have not changed.
He said that although he has traveled
a great deal and has searched for oth-
ers with like faith, he has not changed
from his original beliefs.
Persecution Hindered Evangelism
As to being evangelistic, they
have not been, other than to teach the
36
truths to their own children, because
of persecution. First they were perse-
cuted by the Catholics, then by the
Armenians, then by the Muslims. So
they have remained to themselves
through the centuries, living in a
mountainous area. Although they call
themselves Christians, they are
known by the government as “the
Nazarenes” even to this day.
They Are “Christians Only”
This body of people, according to
Dr. Khan, believes that Christ estab-
lished the church and that all other
churches or denominations are the
anti-Christs. They look to Christ as
the Head of the church, with no
earthly head or headquarters. They
are Christians only. They meet each
Sunday for worship, having the
Lord’s Supper, prayer, Bible study,
singing (vocal music only), and giv-
ing.
When asked how many come to-
gether for worship in his home congre-
gation, he said 5000. He said that there
Continued on page 38
 37
Victory Through Christ
In 1975, we worked in Tehran,
Iran with a great band of American
Christians, primarily military, to es-
tablish the church among the Iranian
people as we served under the over-
sight of the elders of the Woods
Street Church of Christ (Sherman,
Texas).
For 10 months I had worked with
an Arabian woman married to an Ira-
nian man, both Muslims. My “go-
between” was Mary, a convert to the
Gospel soon after we got to Tehran.
She had been an “orthodox Christian”
in her former home of Russia.
Mary and Shafiqa, the Arabian
(Egyptian) lady, were very close
friends and neighbors. Mary intro-
duced me to Shafiqa and told me she
had studied the Bible with her for
years, and wanted me to try to teach
her God’s “true” Word.
For those many months I worked
with Shafiqa, doing everything I could
to show her the death of a Savior —
HER Savior — the logic of Scripture,
the emotion of a happy Christian, the
picture of heaven (and hell). No results.
One day Mary and I decided to
take a jeep load of food and clothes to a
small village in south Tehran, the vil-
lage of Rey. I got the food and clothes
together, thanks to some generous
American Christians who worshipped
with us, and we started on our mission.
I went by Mary’s house to get
her, and she got in “praising God”
and saying, “I love working for
God.” Before we had moved 100
feet she said she wanted to go by
Shafiqa's house and get her to go
with us. I questioned that wisdom,
and she said, “Brother, do as I say.”
Well, with that little pudgy Rus-
sian sergeant commanding me, I
went by to get Shafiqa, who some-
how (???) knew we would be coming
by, and she hopped into the jeep with
a smile.
Don Petty
We arrived at our destination and
the people saw us stop the jeep at the
front of the open village gate. When
Mary stepped down, one woman came
to her and spoke, and they chatted
briefly. Within a minute, all the women
dropped their chores and came running
and chattering to the jeep, like little
skinny greyhounds pouncing on a rab-
bit.
Some of the ladies were wiping
away from their hands the “dung-mud”
(for patching their houses) as they ap-
proached us. Within seconds the jeep
was empty. The clothes and oil and
rice and other staples were cleaned out,
and the women disappeared.
The roof inside the jeep had “mud”
smeared on it, with long stripes made
by prints from four fingers. I had mud
on my face and clothes. When I
Sea Shells Found in Mountains
North of Tehran, Iran
Don Petty
An American college-age daughter
of a worker in Tehran worshiped with
us in the American church services.
On one occasion, she participated in
a camel caravan up into the 4,200
feet El Bourz Mountains, bordering
the northern city limit of Tehran. On
the trip up into those mountains,
whose foothills projected out into a
desert, she found several fossils of
shells, off the beaten trail.
On her return, she made a gift to
me of three of those ancient shells,
confirming the reality of a great
flood that rose above the mountains.
Without doubt the only time water
was ever that high in the region
would have been the flood described
in Genesis 6 during the time of Noah.
Besides the satisfaction of working in
a foreign field to establish and
Iran
looked at Mary and Shafiqa they
looked as bad as I did. All our mouths
had fallen open, and our eyes were big
as we stared long moments at each
other.
Then — we all simultaneously
burst out laughing at our predicament.
We had a mini-group hug (not a West
Texas group “bear” hug, because Mus-
lim women get shot for less), but we
did have a brief embrace.
All the way home we talked and
chuckled at the way the women of Rey
took advantage of us, and we didn't
even get our Bibles opened. That was
on a Sunday afternoon.
On the following Tuesday, Mary
telephoned me and said, “Shafiqa now
wants to become a Christian.” She
Continued on page 38
strengthen the Lord’s church, to be in
a land of historical biblical sites was
inspiring.
Those three shells, evidences of
the biblical flood, are treasured rel-
ics, still in my possession. ✞
Don Petty and his wife, Sylvia, make
their home in Dallas, Texas.
 Iran
Amazing Story . . .
Continued from page 36
are numerous assemblies with two or
three hundred to two to five thousand
meeting for worship.
Each congregation is independent
and has its own elders. They also have
a program for education of their chil-
dren, providing three hours a week of
Bible training in addition to what they
receive on Sunday. The women do not
preach or teach publicly, but do teach
the children and other women.
Dr. Khan told us that although
they believe in immersion (for adults
only) they immerse three times, once
in the name of the Father, once in the
name of the Son, and once in the
name of the Holy Spirit. They recog-
nize Easter and Christmas, but both at
the same time, on March 4. They be-
lieve that Christ was born and resur-
rected on the same date. On that date
they have a gathering and a sermon
about His resurrection.
With the exception of these points,
we found no other differences. There
probably are others, but it is amazing to
run across someone in this part of the
world with such a background. We
concluded that there must be something
to his story for he knows a very pure
New Testament Christianity, and in
every way speaks as the oracles of God
without denominational jargon. In these
years of living on this side of the world,
we have never talked or studied with
anyone who, from the beginning, had
such a clear understanding of the Truth.
Being cautious, we asked our-
selves what he had to gain if he was
trying to deceive us. He asked for no
money, and he offered to go with me
to his home in Iran. I was eager to do
this, and we discussed potential tim-
ing. As it turned out, he was out of
Karachi at the only time that I could
work such a trip into my schedule, so
I decided to visit brethren who were
stationed in Teheran in the American
military, and to go from there alone
into the part of the country where
these Christians were supposed to be
living.
I did that, traveling by car as far
as was possible. From that point, the
way into the mountains was only by
horseback, and I decided I could not
make that trip alone. It was a great
disappointment that I was not able to
trace the story to a proven conclusion.
However, the people with whom I
talked at the stopping point did tell
me that there used to be many Chris-
tians in that area, but that because of
persecution, they had moved back
Victory through Christ
Continued from page 37
said she had seen in Christianity some-
thing deeper in wanting to help poor
people, that we were not just “teach-
ing or preaching”, but that we were
willing to work for the Lord.
Shafiqa was baptized that day,
and confessed that fact later to her
husband, who could have killed her,
divorced her, thrown her out on the
streets, shamed her, hidden her away,
or sent her back to Egypt. And she
knew all of that. He paused long af-
ter she told him she was a Christian.
He looked at her and said, “Shafiqa,
you have been a good wife for a long
time, you are a good mother to our
children, and you are a good woman.
Remain with me as my wife.”
The point is obvious. Mary did
not know why she was compelled
that day to pick up her friend, and I
surely didn't. But all the time, God
was working on Shafiqa, and not on
the women of Rey. Maybe they were
not ready to learn, but Shafiqa was.
When I left Iran, the times were
troubled, even tumultuous, but to our
knowledge Mary and Shafiqa re-
mained faithful. Contact has long
since been lost, but I was told after
we left in February, 1979 (two days
38
into the mountains, which was also
what Dr. Khan had said.
Perhaps someday, conditions in
Iran will again be such that someone
can investigate this story fully.
Knowing how many scams there are
in the world, my skeptical human na-
ture listened in doubt. But every time
I recall the detailed biblical truths Dr.
Khan spoke in those visits, I am con-
vinced all over again that there must
have been historical truth in his story
too. ✞
after Ayatollah Khomeini returned to
Iran, having deposed the Shah), that
the church of 29 we had left had
grown to over 100 members, and
THAT by the Iranians telling their
families and friends about Christ!
It’s a long story, but it illustrates
what reached Shafiqa, and I am to-
tally sure it would reach Americans
as well. I believe devoutly in staying
with the Scriptures as I have known
them all my life — mainline conser-
vative doctrine as taught in churches
of Christ, which I believe parallels
the sound doctrine of the Bible. But I
think we have to do several things in
order to remain true and strong:
✤ Install scripturally-qualified
elders;
✤ Hire evangelists who will do
two things: preach strong doctrinal
sermons and go out into the com-
munity to teach the lost;
✤ All Christians return to in-
depth study of God’s Word;
✤ Help people where they are, and
in whatever state they may be in.
I pray we can put these things
into practice and get the Gospel into
the hands of lost people before it is
too late. ✞
 39
USA Trip:
Appreciations, Experiences, and Reflections from Nigeria
It’s the greatest privilege that I have
yet enjoyed, to have been invited to-
gether with Monday John Akpakpan for
a visit to the United States this year. For
me, the trip took a total of 53 days,
from when I left home for Lagos to the
time I arrived back at home.
Appreciations: Anyone who has
the remotest idea about getting Ameri-
can visas from Nigeria knows that it’s a
great feat to attempt. We had tried and
failed twice in 05 and in 06. That and
this time, many individuals put in ef-
forts, ideas and funds to pull it through.
Doug Wheeler of course was the “an-
chor man”; my brother – Aig Imogoh –
was handy help; supporting congrega-
tions, individuals, the World Bible
School group and others sent letters of
invitation. We thank you one and all.
We realize that it could not have been
done without your contribution. And
we thank all those who sent funds to
Doug for this trip, even since 2005
when it was first planned.
Experiences: It was altogether a
wonderful experience for me to make
this trip. Before, I had never gone out
of my country. It was so wonderful to
see the marvel of God’s firmament
from an airplane! The sight was awe-
inspiring!! The American road network
– the smooth, broad roads with sign –
were so sharply different from my
home country. The general infrastruc-
ture – homes, beautiful homes, – lights,
bright and dependable; gas, running
water, shops with so much to see and
admire; and food – to eat, to spare and
to throw away. It’s amazing how many
resources are available to the average
American citizen.
Then I noticed the fellowship among
the brethren as we moved from place to
place. It was much joy to see brethren
meeting and sharing food and fellowship,
many times in spacious and beautiful
church buildings. We addressed many
Sylvester A. Imogoh
congregations and elderships that showed
so much love for the lost, in their interest
and support of mission works. We had
wonderful interactions with WBS groups
in many churches, and that is besides the
four dinners in which we participated.
We gave firsthand reports, showing the
impact of American support in the Nige-
rian Mission field. We told of the impor-
tance of the printed page in the work of
evangelism and the edification of the
body of Christ.
Reflections: I have brought useful
messages home to my countrymen:
“Americans are not giving because
they are rich, rather, they are rich be-
cause they are giving.” Many Ameri-
cans involved in supporting the Gospel
work in Nigeria are not the strong and
affluent; rather, they are the aged who
have many health and financial con-
cerns. I met many supporters and WBS
helpers who are 75 – 100 years old! I
know that the Nigerian churches need
to be working towards being self-
supporting. The changes in the postal
system pose challenges for the future of
our work together. We saw the need for
elders, Bible class teachers and authors
to maintain firmness and faithfulness in
Brother E. O. Ajagun is dead!
I was conducting a WBS
seminar when my wife called
with the devastating news that
brother Emmanuel O. Ajagun had
been injured in an accident in a
government passenger bus. She
and three others of the Ugbogbo
congregation were then on the
way to the hospital where the
casualties had been taken. Min-
utes later she called again to say
that brother Ajagun had died
from his head injuries.
Nigeria, Africa
doctrinal matters, both in America and
in Nigeria.
Further Appreciations: We re-
ceived wonderful hospitality in the
homes of brethren. We did not lack
food or other necessities. In some
places, we were not only housed and
fed, but we had our clothes washed and
ironed for us. The love, the kindness,
and the thoughtfulness showed us by
many American women were over-
whelming. Some gave us gifts – of
cash, clothes, and books. Many re-
ceived from us lists of needs for our
churches and co-workers back home.
Also, we received gifts for our wives!
Some sent notes of appreciation to
them for letting us make the trip. This
was most kind and thoughtful.
Altogether, it was such a blessing
for us to make the trip. It surely will
have a lasting impact on the mission
work in Nigeria. Yet, at the end, we
were ready to go home to our families
and to work!!! ✞
Sylvester A. Imogoh, Church of Christ,
P. O. Box 251, Igarra, Edo State, Nigeria.
mobile  234 0803 813 2325
email:imogoh@yahoo.com
All of us were shocked and
numb. Brother Ajagun was a pil-
lar in the congregation. He help-
ed in the work, both locally and
with missionaries, in every way.
The day before, on Sunday,
he had preached a memorable
sermon, “Journey to God”, in
which he had urged the church to
be prepared for eternity, as he
was prepared. Members of the
congregation remember his
words with both fears and tears.
Benin,
Benin,West Africa
West The other seminar took place in the
Africa -- Mozambique
Growth and Graduations
George Akpabli
5th Graduation Ceremony
We have now had our 5th gradua-
tion ceremony. Eleven men gradu-
ated in the presence of over 700 peo-
ple gathered under large tents, mostly
members of the churches, and friends
of the students and their families who
come to rejoice with them. For the
first time, a team from the USA wit-
nessed our graduation ceremony.
The graduates from five French-
speaking nations are as follows: Be-
nin 4, Togo 1, Cameroon 4, Chad 1,
Niger 1.
Two seminars
Another highlight of the month
was the visit of the brethren from the
USA to Benin to teach the Word of
God. It had always been my dream to
get all of the BTC graduates together
for a Bible study session, to see how
they are doing on the field after
graduation, and also to help answer
some of their questions. We were
able to pull this off with Dr. Jay
Lockhart, minister of the Benton
Church of Christ, Dr. Milton Sewell,
Chancellor at Freed Hardeman Uni-
versity, Ed Jones, elder in the Benton
Church of Christ, and Jerry Johnston,
Deacon also from Benton.
Visit of American Brethren
By the grace of God and after
long prayers, five of us were at the
Cotonou Airport to meet our visitors
on July 4th. This time four men and
six women arrived.
We had BTC graduates, preachers
who are not BTC graduates, and sev-
eral church leaders present for the
special classes. They sat and absorbed
the wisdom of these great teachers.
Brother Lockhart’s subjects, which
were theological, generated many
questions, which he answered without
leaving any doubts in the minds of
the class. After the seminar, when I
asked if it should be repeated, the
unanimous answer was that it should
be every two years.
meeting place of the Agla Church The
The other seminar took place in the
meeting house of the Agla Church in
Cotonou. This seminar had been an-
nounced only to the women in four of
the five congregations in the city.
About 75 women met on the mornings
of Monday through Wednesday.
On Saturday, before the seminar
began, visits were made to the church
in Se where some of the children pro-
vided some brief entertainment for
the visitors. We then drove off to
Porto Novo to visit the leadership
training school at Tchaada. We met
with the leaders.
After the seminar on Wednesday,
we took off in a rented bus for a
three-day journey into the towns and
villages of Benin to visit and encour-
age the brethren there. George Jr. and
I accompanied our visitors.
The trip took us to Parakou,
seven hours’ drive from Cotonou.
While there, we visited churches in
the following villages: Beterou, Sina-
hou, Wari-Maro, N’dali and the group
that meets in Parakou. On our way
home, we visited the following vil-
lages: Kaboua, Atchakpa and Agon.
The members of these congregations
kept waiting for our arrival. The vis-
iting brethren took turns praying and
giving some exhortation, while the
African brethren everywhere we went
kept presenting the same need: ade-
quate meeting places. Work is in
progress on meeting places in Kaboua
and Atchakpa, which are being fi-
nanced by Pearland Church of Christ.
The church in Ndali meets in the
home of the preacher. The reality is
that all we need in the villages to
have a full house is a place where
brethren can meet. How wonderful
that there is that degree of interest in
the Gospel! ✞
George Akpabli preaches and directs the
school of preaching in Cotonou, Benin,
a french-speaking country in West Af-
rica. eciojer@intnet.bj
40
Mozambique
Mark Thiesen
Nightfall had long since en-
shrouded our pickup as we slowly
bounced our way around the twists and
turns of the mountain trail in western
Mozambique. The headlights shone
only five or six feet through the sea of
grass thriving on the high center of the
trail. The only breaks in the grass were
the two wheel ruts that cut down to the
rock bed, which was made up of the
ledges and drop offs that were giving
us such a beating.
Miles passed with no sign of habi-
tation, only the dim perception of thick
forest crowding in on either side of the
trail as we set into a pattern of clawing
up one hill only to creep down the
other side and maneuver around the
boulders in the stream bed below to
ascend yet again. A sense of dread
came with questions in my mind like,
“What if a boulder is hiding in that
grass, waiting to rip through our oil
pan? What would we do if we had a
breakdown here in the middle of no-
where at this time of night?”
Once at a Y we took the wrong
turn. After stopping and giving our
guide the chance to argue with some-
one in the back about which way we
should have taken, we backed up
blindly the 50 yards or so to turn the
other way. Doubts crept into my
thoughts about the competence of my
guide and even his motives for taking
us way out here in the night. Memories
came of the bloody Mozambican civil
war and the horrific atrocities that had
been committed in this place in years
past. Thankfully, at this moment no
one had yet told me that people had
returned to this place only two years
ago because previously landmines had
lurked everywhere beneath the surface,
making the whole area uninhabitable.
Authorities had taken on the task of
finding and destroying them one by
one. The missed mines continue to
maim and kill regularly.
Continued on page 43
 41
Ladies Teaching Ladies in Africa
Priscilla Sellers
Greetings from Africa. For those
of you who do not know, I am on a
mission trip to Africa with Ruth Orr.
From the NY Airport we had a nice
flight to Johannesburg, South Africa.
We were both so exhausted that we
slept nearly the whole way — no
phones, no computers, no cooking, no
responsibilities except to get up when
they announced that it was time to get
off of the plane. We were met at the
airport by a woman, Mari Dewar, who
is a member of the church in
Johannesburg. She drove us to her
home where she had a meal waiting for
us. We had a good visit with her, her
husband, and son. It was time to sleep
again before long and it was sure good
to stretch out this time. The flight had
been 18 hours.
We left the next day to go back to
the airport to catch a flight to Malawi.
We were met by Randy and Marty Judd
who are missionaries in Mzuzu. They
drove us about 2 hours north to Jenda
where our first stop was to be.
That afternoon we began teaching
the ladies. I suppose that we had about
100 there for 3 days. We stayed in a
small guest house. The beds were so
close together that Ruth and I could
hardly walk in between our beds. The
“outhouse” was out back. It
was a small brick structure
with a grass roof. There was
nothing in the room except a
3 inch x 3 inch hole.
It is winter time here in
Africa and we have about
frozen while we have been
here. The sun has been shin-
ing and, no, we are not hav-
ing snow, but we just did not
bring clothes suitable for this
kind of weather, so we have
been cold.
There is a truck here in
Africa that travels through
many of the countries. It is
called “The Gospel Cha-
Africa
riot”. This truck is equipped with a
generator, lights, chairs, tent, speaker
system, baptistery, and small library.
The truck came to Jenda while we
were there and they had a Gospel
meeting on Saturday and Sunday.
The tent was so full on Saturday
night that everyone was touching
shoulder to shoulder. Finally, they
had to take the back of the tent I’ll walk, thank you!!!!
down so more people could see.
We had a good worship service Monday morning we headed for
with 3 men preaching. The singing the church building. This week we were
went on and on. Before we left Jenda, to be at this same place teaching the
we had 4 baptisms. same women for the whole week, all
Randy and Marty came back on day long each day. Ruth and I kind of
Sunday with a truck load of students looked at each other. We had prepared
from the preacher school from the north several lessons each to give during our
of the country. So, Ruth and I climbed travels, but for a whole week??? Any-
up into the truck with all the rest of the way, we proceeded to the building and
90-plus people!! We traveled about 1 began to teach and kept teaching all day.
½ hours north and were dropped in Since there was no electricity, as the sun
Mzimba to catch a taxi to take us to began going down, we knew that it was
Tombolobo where we were to work for time to stop.
the next week. Tuesday morning, we walked to
In Tombolobo, there is no electric- the church building (2 miles). Fifty-
ity at all. Water is drawn from a well seven women were there for us to teach
that reminded me of what I think Ja- that day. Ruth and I took turns teaching
cob’s well would have looked like. The for about an hour and a half each. Dur-
women draw the water in a bucket, and ing one of her sessions, I found a
then carry it on their heads, usually woman that was not a Christian, so I
with a baby on their backs!! took her outside and shared the Gospel
with her. Afterwards, she
wanted to be baptized. She was
so happy after the baptism, and I
I call this a full house! was so grateful that nothing had
happened while she was in the
stagnated water.
That day came to an end
and Ruth and I were glad to pil-
low our heads for the night.... ✞
Priscilla Sellers is the widow of
Dale Sellers, missionaries to the
Philippines. Write to her at
Sellers7@sbcglobal.net to re-
ceive her interesting and detailed
accounts of her work. If you
could help, also, with the travel
expense for her mission trips, it
would enable her to do more.
 Nigeria, Africa
Winners Who Have Surrendered
Isaac Onyebuchi,
one of my WBS stu-
dents from Lagos, Nige-
ria, is a tremendous en-
couragement to me,
because I see in him
what Jesus Christ can
do to make a winner of
one who surrenders all
to Him. Isaac has a
faith comparable to
many we read about in
the book of Acts. He
realizes the need for
Christ, not only for vic-
tory over sin, but also
for confidence, security,
strength and fortifica-
tion against the stresses
and strains of life. Isaac says he has
found something worth sharing, and
“woe unto me if I don’t share it”.
Isaac’s story began in March 2004
when he wrote, requesting to study the
World Bible School correspondence
courses with me.
Isaac was an Assemblies of God
preacher. We teach many denomina-
tional preachers, but there was some-
thing different about Isaac. He was
very sincere in his religion and simply
wanted to learn more of God’s Word,
so he asked for the WBS lessons to
gain more knowledge of the Bible. He
was a brilliant student making 100 on
all lessons sent and soon asked if I
would send him all remaining lessons
at one time. Upon completion, he was
sent ten lessons on the book of Acts,
then lessons on miracles, the Lord’s
Supper, singing, and other teaching
lessons we had. He read the Bible
completely through, studying all mate-
rials in light of the Scriptures.
In February 2005, almost one year
later, Isaac wrote, requesting baptism.
When our follow-up man went to see
him, he was very impressed with Isaac’s
knowledge of the Scriptures. Isaac told
him he wanted to be baptized to have his
Ruth Orr
sins removed and to
become a New Testa-
ment Christian. After
his baptism, in his own
words he said, “I never
looked back. I had
found something I
thought I had all
along.” In the Assem-
blies of God where he
had preached for 18
years, he was consid-
ered a “big preacher”
and they furnished him
a four-bedroom house,
a car, cell phone and a
very luxurious life
style, by African stan-
dards.
Isaac gave all that up the day he
was baptized, but his wife became very
bitter and refused to leave their
compound. The Assemblies of God
allowed her and their five children to
stay, hoping that Isaac would change
his mind. Instead, Isaac moved out and
enrolled in the Nigerian Christian
College. (By the way, they are still
trying everything to get him to come
back to them. They said, “Let them
give you an education and then come
back to us and we will pay you far
more than they ever will.” I continued
writing his wife and trying to teach her
and the children. I pleaded with her to
have an open mind to what God was
saying in His Word and then have a
willing heart to accept just that.
One year later, February 2006, as I
got off the plane in Lagos, Nigeria,
Isaac and his whole family were wait-
ing for me. His wife and two of their
children were ready for baptism. I am
thankful she took that year to become
fully convinced. I am very grateful that
God spared her life, and all the glory
goes to Him for a family not only
united together again but as a Christian
family. That day Isaac said, “Our
aim and goal is to try and teach all
42
those we taught wrong for 18 years.
I have to try and undo the teaching
of error I did in ignorance.”
In June 2007, Isaac graduated from
Nigerian Christian College with honors
at the top of his class, and his wife
graduated from a college in Lagos with
a teaching degree.
Today, Isaac is busy every day
teaching, visiting, and mentoring those
he is baptizing. I tell him I can’t keep up
with him because we try to send a Bible,
baptismal certificate, and a letter of con-
gratulations to each one baptized. Since
June 2007, when he graduated, he has
taught and baptized over 360 people!
In April and May he averaged 25 to 30
baptisms a week. I asked him how he
could make sure these new Christians
are worshipping and staying faithful. He
said that he takes each one to the nearest
congregation where they live and he
finds a mentor for them. Each congre-
gation sees that they are spiritually fed,
and then every two weeks he calls each
one or goes to see them, until they are
well grounded in the truth.
This family has sacrificed materi-
ally more than any I know. They still
sacrifice, as their living conditions are
very meager, and most of his salary
went for transportation to teach until
we bought him a motorcycle. His wife
has grown spiritually enough that she is
teaching ladies’ classes and having
studies in her home for children. We
will never understand the sacrifices
they made to have a hope of Heaven
one day, but they gladly gave all of it
up to be right with God.
When I was in Lagos this past Feb-
ruary, it was wonderful to hear the eld-
ers and minister of the Lawarson
Church of Christ praise this family for
their dedication, their determination
and zeal in teaching so many people.
I always stand amazed when I think
of how WBS works in the lives of peo-
ple of every race and profession, and
Continued on page 43
 43
how those like Isaac reach out to help
others become Christians, such as:
1. Nkem Ukpahi, a medical doc-
tor on Victoria Island.
2. Isiatar, an accountant with
whom I studied for months, and then
Isaac personally studied with him until he
clearly understood the plan of salvation.
3. Simon, who lost his job be-
cause he wanted to worship on the
Lord’s Day after becoming a Christian,
and his boss would not allow him to.
4. Patrick Apasa, a renowned
Catholic priest for 28 years who was
baptized at the Lawarson Church of
Christ. Isaac studied with him for
months, making sure he understood, had
“counted the cost” and was willing to
pay. Even though a priest, he had never
studied the Bible. He told me in an
email how grateful he was to be a Chris-
tian, and then he said, “I had everything
given to me as a Catholic priest except
the Gospel. Now I have the Gospel, the
greatest gift of all, but I have nothing
else. I have counted the cost.”
5. Then there is Peter, a Pente-
costal preacher who called me one
morning at 6:30 to tell me he had stud-
ied all the WBS lessons, had prayed
about it and was at the river banks
ready for baptism. He wanted me to
know his decision and to say a word of
encouragement to him. I could hear the
water splashing as they laid the cell
phone down and he was baptized into
Christ. What a joy to wake and “hear”
a baptism 12,000 miles away!
Isaac is still baptizing many every
week. The three ladies and Patrick are all
Mozambique
Mark Thiesen
Continued from page 40
Finally, after a full hour of sitting
on the edge of the driver’s seat and
clenching the steering wheel with
tight sweaty fingers, I noticed that we
had come out of the hills and into the
village of Chibayeni. This is where
the Gospel meeting was in progress.
As we approached the grass en-
in the Nigerian Christian
School while the last
two former priests are
still being fed spiritually
by Isaac. Hopefully
next year we will put
them in the school. He
wrote:
“The priest was
baptised yesterday at
the Lawarson Church
of Christ. The preacher
at Lawarson, brother
Moses Obakemi, was
much excited, to the
Moses Obakemi, with the newly baptized
“priest” and Isaac.
closure, hundreds of singing Chris-
tians came out to greet us, their faces
covered with broad grins. Exiting the
car, I noticed that overhead the stars
and dust of the Milky Way appeared
so close it was as if they had been
painted on canvas and hung just out
of arm’s reach. The combination of
this breathtaking view and the hymn
being sung around us reminded me
that God was already in this place and
that He had guided us to what seemed
to be the end of the world, for the
sake of His church.
These village people from 24 dif-
ferent congregations welcomed us
Nigeria, Africa
Isaac with the nuns who were converted.
extent he pleaded with me to allow him
to baptise the priest. To God be the
glory for giving me the ability to single-
handedly study the Bible with a Roman
Catholic of such status, and for the wis-
dom and grace to assist him to take this
most important decision of becoming a
New Testament Christian. I also pray
that God should give me the grace to
stay with this priest until he comes of
height spiritually. I know it will not be
easy for him materially since he will
not be getting any income or allow-
ance, as he was doing in the Catholic
Church. Please, I plead that we should
not abandon him; otherwise he may
backslide.” ✞
Isaac Onyebuchi
Ruth Orr works with WBS students and
makes follow-up teaching trips to Africa
(1272 Yell Road, Lewisburg, TN 37091);
email: wbsteach@yahoo.com
with their best. They had built grass
shelters for us to sleep in for the two-
day meeting,nd they served us meat
every meal, a delicacy that the aver-
age villager enjoys only occasionally.
After getting situated, we joined
our brothers and sisters to worship
God into the night.
At daylight we could see just how
remote was the place where we had
come — only wilderness as far as we
could see in every direction and no
hospitals, schools, or stores for many
miles.
Continued on page 48
 Kenya, Africa
Rejoice with us! NINE youths,
YES — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9! — were
baptized at Nyamue yesterday! What a
growth! Their names are: Gesiah Mo-
raa (14), Isabella Kwamboka (15),
Nancy Mongina (15), Risper Nyan-
chama (16), Divinah Kerubo (15),
Margret Kerubo (20), Brian Orango
(16), Rachel Bochere (18) and Bildad
Osoro (16).
The nine have been attending
services at Nyamue and I have been
studying with them. I am glad they
realized their lost condition and de-
cided to do something about it. Mem-
bers of the Nyamue congregation
walked down to the river where we
witnessed the 9 die to their sins, being
buried with Christ in the act of bap-
tism and rising to walk in newness of
life. My younger brother, Richard
Bisonga, administered the baptisms.
Please pray for these nine babes, that
they may grow strong in Christ.
Thanks for your involvement in the
work. The harvest is plentiful here.
Growth in Kenya
David Marube
Souls are very receptive for God’s
word. If you are not yet involved in the
mission work in Kisii and wish to part-
ner with us, please get in touch and I
will make our needs known to you.
In accordance with our WBS vi-
sion, we have planted another congre-
gation of our Lord in Kisii through
WBS follow up — the Montorome
Church of Christ. The contact person at
the new congregation is Yuvenalis Or-
angi Kenyoru of P.O. Box 2616, KISII,
Kenya. Yuvenalis is WBS student of
Marcella Mease and Paul Nall. He has
also studied with Sharon Banard. Any
of these study helpers can get in touch
for details on how things are going with
their WBS students at Montorome Igare,
Kisii.
This morning, we took our
Anti-FGM Campaigns to Ta-
baka Academy (where our kids
attend school) and spoke to
120 girls of ages between 3
and 12 at the school. We also
spoke to the school teachers.
Three ladies from one
family (who did not undergo
the cut) together with Esther
Rongana, with whom we have
been campaigning, accompa-
nied us. The three are Ednar
Abuya (who is anticipating
joining university next year), Silvia
Abuya (a BA degree, high school
44
teacher) and Zippy Abuya (a BS de-
gree, high school teacher). Esther is a
Human Resource manager. The ladies
are life examples that those who escape
the cut do not necessarily drop from
school to indulge in prostitution, as the
FGM advocates say, but can instead
excel in life. The four ladies narrated
how they suffered stigma for not being
circumcised, but that they are now
proud they gave the attacks a deaf ear.
They encouraged (or rather incited!) the
young girls at Tabaka Academy not to
accept the cut, indicating several side
effects that go with FGM.
The campaigns are going on well
(with some little resistance, of course)
and we are registering some good re-
sults.
Indeed, we are doing God’s work
and will. No parent should allow any-
one to harm his/her daughter in such a
manner. It is brutality. It is an abuse to
the innocent girls. It violates the girls’
rights. FGM is done in ignorance.
When adequate information is given to
the people, they stop the practice and in
fact they later regret it. We have heard
testimonies from those who underwent
the cut and after teaching them they just
wish it were possible to reverse it.
“Where have you been, Mr Marube,
with the campaigns? You would have
saved many girls from such an abuse!”
Remarked Madam Teresa at Tabaka
Academy after our campaign. I
told her it is not too late as we
can still help save girls.
Thanks for your partner-
ship. The campaign needs
money for public transportation,
advertisements, communication,
teaching materials, etc. It is
worthy of your support.
God bless you! ✞
David Marube is a preacher of
the Gospel in Kisii, Kenya.
marube2k@yahoo.com
 45
Doyle Kee’s Mission to Chad, French Africa
Adventures and Rewards of a Mission Trip
Doyle Kee, long-time missionary
to Geneva, Switzerland, recently
made an arduous trip to the French-
speaking country of Chad. He en-
tered Chad from the province
Extreme-Nord of the Cameroon, and
was met by a Cameroonian brother,
Jean Claude Ethé. On Sunday morn-
ing they worshipped with several
brethren in Maroua and then drove to
the Chadian border to catch a barge
over the Shari River that divides the
two countries in an isolated part of
the eastern side of the Cameroon.
Arriving too late for the barge on
Sunday, they spent the night in a
Catholic mission, planning to leave
early on Monday by the first barge.
They found, however, that the barge
pilot was ill and that there would be
no barge that day. A truck driver of-
fered to guide them over bush roads
around to an old bridge across the
Shari River. By doing that, they
missed the police and customs con-
trols at the Chadian border. Later,
though, there were police and military
controls on the route south to Moun-
dou. This involved considerable
problems and extra “costs” for ad-
ministrative expenses.
Doyle and Jean Claude finally
reached Moundou on Monday after-
noon, where a conference had been
advertized for 2:00 PM by the local
radio. While Doyle found a place to
stay in a missionary guest house, Jean
Claude began the public teaching.
This continued until 6:00 PM, with
about 100 participants.
On Tuesday morning Doyle and
Jean Claude left with Daniel Djonga,
evangelist in Moundou, for Sarh,
Chad (six hours on dirt roads). On
the way they met three brothers who
comprise a congregation in Doba,
Chad.
In Sarh they stayed in a Catholic
mission house (not always having
water or electricity). The next morn-
ing, the three brothers, along with
Gabriel Haï-teato, the evangelist in
Sarh, drove 60 km into the bush, fol-
lowing trails and cow paths, in a 4x4
Toyota pickup (got stuck twice in
deep sand). Over 200 people, who
had come from at least five villages,
were waiting for them. Three people
were baptized after several hours of
Bible teaching. It was necessary to
follow cow trails for seven km to find
enough water to baptize the penitents.
The next day the group was in
Sarh for another seminar organized
by the church. Three more were bap-
tized in a nearby river at the end of
the day. On Friday they drove back
to Moundou where another seminar
was conducted on Saturday. Over a
100 people were present and these
included at least five denominational
“pastors”. Four more people re-
sponded to the invitation and were
baptized in the Shari River.
Saturday morning, the group vis-
ited the local radio station which car-
ries two programs of World Radio
each week. Doyle, Jean Claude, and
Daniel Djonga recorded a program
which was broadcast the next day.
Sunday morning, Doyle and Jean
Claude met with the Moundou church
(24 were present) which was estab-
lished in June 2007. An unexpected
wind and thunderstorm on Sunday
evening cooled the atmosphere from
daily highs of 40 to 45 degrees centi-
grade, which the travellers had expe-
rienced every day since arriving in
the desert of northern Cameroon.
The next day Doyle and Jean
Claude drove through Ngoundéré,
Cameroon, on the way to Garoua to
catch a local plane back to Douala.
An hour from Garoua, the front as-
sembly of the rented car was broken
when they hit a large hole in the road.
They called a brother in a nearby vil-
lage who arranged for a car to come
out from Garoua to pick them up.
Chad, Africa
That night was spent in a hotel (air-
conditioned!) in Garoua.
The next morning, it was learned
that the Alysian Airlines flight from
Garoua to Douala was cancelled, so
they had no choice but to backtrack to
Ngaoundéré to take the train that goes
to Yaoundé. A French couple was in
the same predicament and offered
them a ride in their rented car back to
Ngaoundéré to catch the train. After
a 15-hour train ride, Doyle and Jean
Claude took a bus for another three-
hour ride to Douala.
Doyle’s flight back to Geneva
was to be the evening of the lst of
April, but because of the cancelled
flight out of Garoua, he missed that
plane. Once back in Douala, he ar-
ranged with Air France to use Fre-
quent Flyer miles for a return ticket
(his first ticket was not changeable).
Doyle and Jean Claude then went to
the Alysian Airlines office and, sur-
prisingly, received a full refund for
the cancelled flight from Garoua.
In all, there were eight days of
traveling for Doyle for five days of
work in Chad. Many uncontrollable
things happened and occasionally
some bad advice was followed. At
numerous police controls, in both
Chad and the Cameroon, the officials
made demands for money (which
provided, also, an opportunity to give
away several New Testaments!).
What Doyle and Jean Claude did,
however, and what they saw of a deve-
loping church growth movement in
southern Chad made all the costs and the
difficulties of heat, bad roads, lack of
electricity and water, and the unnecessa-
ry traveling more than worthwhile. ✞
Doyle Kee, 15, ch. des Laz, 1213 Onex,
Geneva, Switzerland
Thekees@bluewin.ch
 Zimbabwe, Africa
Loy Mitchell’s
News
from
Zimbabwe
“For I am not ashamed of the gos-
pel of Christ, for it is the power of God
unto salvation for everyone who be-
lieves, for the Jew first and also for the
Greek” (Romans I: 16).
With over six billion people on
planet earth, we have a great task of
carrying the Gospel to the entire world.
We thank all of you for having fellow-
ship with us in reaching the lost. Some
of you have had to reduce the amount
given to the work in Africa because of
the economy. We understand this, but
we thank God for your love of souls.
During our upcoming trip, please
pray for our effectiveness and safety.
We hope to carry funds for food for the
starving people of Zimbabwe and Mo-
zambique. We are happy that, even
though living conditions are critical in
those countries, brethren there continue
to report baptisms.
Field Program for the
Mutare School of Preaching
This program is two-pronged:
firstly, it gives our students the oppor-
tunity of practicing the theoretical side
of their training. They strengthen and
encourage church members and knock
on non-Christians’ doors. On Sundays,
our students usually lead church serv-
ices and Bible classes. In addition to
this, they also visit the sick in their
homes and hospitals. These programs
keep our teachers and students busy to
the extent that at times they get only
one day a week off. Secondly, while
our students get the practical side, con-
gregations benefit from the work they
do, under the guidance of a staff mem-
ber. Sixty souls were added to Christ
during these past ten weeks.
Troubles Continue
in Zimbabwe
Talks continue from time to time,
but nothing definite has been decided
by the political parties. Inflation has
now reached 231 million percent!
Zimbabwe dollars are worthless. Some
stores that have goods for sale will ac-
cept only US dollars, English pounds or
South African rands. The UN esti-
mates two million
are in danger of
starvation now and
five million by
January. There is
food on the “black
market” in Zim-
babwe, but at an
inflated price. Gov-
ernment schools
have been closed
because the gov-
ernment has run out
46
of money. We are trying to help as
many as we can. Pray for this land to
have peace and food. Pray that the
children of God will be faithful to the
Lord.
Word from Isiah Suwari:
HIV/AIDS
It has been estimated that one in
every four (25% total population)
Zimbabweans is HIV positive. With
the prevailing situation in our country,
the lives of these souls have been com-
plicated, leading to critical suffering
and early deaths. Medication has be-
come very expensive for the common
populace. Very few can afford private
treatment. The general situation in our
hospitals is pathetic (no food, no medi-
cation) and it is not even healthy to be
admitted into a hospital. Most of these
places have become havens for diseases
like cholera and diarrhea.
Word from Owen Ruraca
in Mozambique
“May the Lord be praised. One
was added to the church last Sunday!
He was the only one who had not be-
come a Christian, as the other five fam-
ily members had already obeyed the
Lord. We are having lessons with three
people at the moment and others are
promising to come and study with us.
We also paid some visits to the church
members who are sick and fellowship-
ping with those who are not.” ✞
Loy Mitchell; PHONE 731-287-8823
EMAIL: lsmitchell@juno.com
47
The Lord’s Message
May Run
Loy Mitchell
“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the Lord’s
message may run and be honored, even as with
you” (2 Thessalonians 3:1).
God intended that His message should be spread
into the entire world (Matthew 28:19,20; Mark 16:15).
Messengers of the Word have been imprisoned,
beaten, and even killed, but God’s Word still runs.
Bibles have been banned and burned, but the Gospel
still moves into the hearts of lost people.
One Sunday we traveled from Mutare, some 100
miles distance, to Chipinge to meet with the saints
there. After I preached, an invitation was offered.
One man came forward and spoke to the local evan-
gelist Samuel Ndhlovu for a long time. Afterwards,
Samuel announced to the church that this man wanted
to become a follower of Jesus Christ. The man stated
“I have heard Mr. Mitchell speak many times, but this
is the first time I have seen and heard him.” How was
this possible?
While we lived in Odessa, Texas, for eight years
we sent tapes of my sermons to our children in Zim-
babwe. They listened to them and then gave them to
the McCarthy family, the parents-in-law of our son,
Stan. Mrs. McCarthy listened to these lessons in their
house. The man who wanted to be baptized that day
also listened to those lessons and thus he had heard me
speak many times, but he had not seen me until that
day in Chipinge.
He was baptized into Christ to remit his sins.
However, that is not the end of the story. This new
child of God wrote a letter to his young friend, David
Makununikah, in the Honde Valley, telling him to en-
roll in a Bible correspondence course operated by Stan
Mitchell. David did take the BCC lessons and learned
his need of salvation. He wrote Stan telling him of his
wish to obey the Gospel of Christ. Stan said, “Yes,
that is good,” and offered to drive to the Honde Valley
and immerse him into Christ. David said he would
come to Mutare by bus and be baptized in the city.
That he did, and Stan baptized him.
David was still in high school but indicated he
would like to become a preacher. When he graduated
from high school, he entered the MUTARE SCHOOL
OF PREACHING. Three years later he graduated and
began telling others of Christ. Twenty-plus years later,
David continues to spread the message of God to hun-
dreds of people in Zimbabwe. The Word continues to
run in Zimbabwe, and all over the world. Tapes,
tracts, correspondence lessons, public preaching, and
home studies all play their part in telling lost ones of
Jesus the Christ.
Zimbabwe, Africa
As an encouragement for congregations and indi-
viduals to become more involved in evangelism at home
and mission work abroad, we are ready to present a series
of lessons in a Mission Seminar format.
Choose the lessons you want the members of the congre-
gation to hear, and we will arrange a seminar for one, two, or
three days. We can plan lessons for the congregation, mixed
classes, and classes for men and women.
Seminar topics
Are All People Lost?
The Sin Problem
Jesus Christ Is the Only Solution
The Worldʼs Need of the Gospel
How Local Churches Can Train Missionaries
Why Visits to the Mission Field Are Important
Problems in Overseeing Mission Work
Paulʼs Methods of Doing Mission Work
Serving God in our Homes as Missionaries
What Women Can Do in Mission Work
Becoming Living Sacrifices
Paul told the young preacher Timothy to commit what
Paul had taught him to faithful men who would be able to
teach others. This simple but powerful principle of mis-
sionary work is basic to fulfilling the Great Commission
found in Matthew 28:18-20. Christians in individual con-
gregations all over the world should be interested and in-
volved in mission work at various levels:
☛ Prayerful concen for a lost world
☛ Recruiting and training missionaries
☛ Providing monetary support
☛ Overseeing mission work locally and in foreign countries
Call us to set up a seminar that will create zeal for the lost.
Mission Seminars
Loy and Debra Mitchell
Loy Mitchell has served the Lord as a missionary in Zimbabwe
many years. He is a highly motivational speaker, and he and
Debra have a message the American church needs to hear.
 Nigeria, Africa 48

The Influence of the School

Solomon Aguh

The School of Biblical Studies in
Jos is situated in the Middle Belt re-
gion of the country of Nigeria. By
virtue of its position, geographically,
it serves the Lord’s church in all the
geo-political zones of the country, but
mainly in Northern Nigeria, domi-
nated by the Islamic religion.
Since its inception in 1989, the
School has graduated 200 preachers
for the church. Out of this number, 5
are from Uganda, 3 from Chad, 3
from Cameroon, 4 from Liberia, 2
from Bangladesh, and 1 from Ghana.
Currently, we have a student enroll-
ment of 64. Out of this, 2 are from
Sudan, 6 from Cameroon, and 1
Uganda, 1 from Zimbabwe. We did
turn down some applications this year
because of a lack of funds.
Since 1989, through our weekend
evangelism program and yearly cam-
paign outreach, not less than 2,385
people have been baptized into
Christ; 704 fallen away Christians
have been restored, about 70 congre-
gations were established. Students
have studied personally with over
63,554 individuals. Within Jos and
its environs, congregations are
stronger than in other areas. The sim-
ple reason for this is the presence of
the School, whose students and staff
work with these congregations to en-
courage and teach them.
Presently, we are running the fol-
lowing programs geared toward pro-
ducing man-power for the church: We
have B.A. in Biblical Studies and
B.A. in Ministry, both of which are
four-year programs. A diploma in
Biblical Studies is a three-year pro-
gram, we award a two-year certificate
in a Bible program, and a two-year
certificate in a Bible program by ex-
tension. The Extension program car-
ries the training to people in rural ar-
eas who want to preach the Gospel,
but can’t afford to leave their busi-
nesses and farms. Through this pro-
gram alone, the work-force for the
church in some rural areas in the
Northern Nigeria was increased last
May when twelve people graduated.
The School also conducts an An-
nual preachers/leaders’ workshop and
Annual Bible lectureship programs.
These programs have served as great
nourishment to churches in Nigeria.
Annually, preachers are offered op-
portunities to come together in the
School and workshops to study issues
that have bearing on the unity, work,
and worship of the Lord’s church.
All of this has been very helpful in
equipping preachers and church lead-
ers. ✞
Solomon Aguh directs the School of
Biblical studies in Jos, Nigeria. Being in
a predominantly Muslim area, there is
some danger of persecution.
siaguh47@yahoo.com

churches of Christ has moved to the commanded us to evangelize. ✞

western side of Mozambique. Chris-
Mozambique tians at the meeting begged us to Mark Thiesen, son of John and Ann Thi-
Mark Thiesen send a missionary to help them in esen, continues his parentsʼ work in
their further spiritual growth and to Malawi and other countries in Africa.
help reach the lost in their vast area. For Further information about Mozam-
Continued from page 43 I promised them that we would make bique, contact Mark at
their need known.
During the next two days we After our week-
learned that there is a similar lack of end teaching these
development in the church; the young brothers and sis-
churches in Mozambique are crying ters, it was time for
for competent leaders. Churches such us to return to our
as the 24 represented at the meeting work in Malawi,
have been planted, but there is a seri- but we left deter-
ous need for further training. Their mined to keep our
hunger to grow in the Word is as- promise. We pray
tounding. Some had walked for two that some will be
days to attend this meeting! touched by this
This nation of 20 million people plea from western
has only begun to be evangelized. Mozambique and
Years of civil war throughout the 1970s give themselves to
and 1980s prevented evangelists from this great work. It
entering the country. It dismayed me to is a part of the
learn that not a single missionary from world that our Lord Eager Christians meeting the visitors.
 49
Evangelizing in North India
In a book published a few years
ago, and read by many Christians in the
U.S., the author claims: “On any given
Sunday there would be at least one mil-
lion Christians taking the Lord’s Supper
in India. If the present trend contin-
ues there will be more members of the
churches of Christ in India than in the
U.S.A. in a few years. New Congrega-
tions are established in India daily.”
When people in America read that book
they think of the whole country of In-
dia, but almost everything that is pro-
jected by the author has been written
with only Andhra Pradesh in mind.
Andhra Pradesh is not India; it is only a
part of India, just as Tennessee or Ala-
bama are not the whole of the U.S.
India is very diverse, with various cul-
tures and languages and religions, and
is one-third the size of the US, geo-
graphically, with more than one billion
in population. The fact is, there are
hardly any Christians or congregations
of the Lord’s church in other parts of
the country because those states are
more predominantly Hindu, and very
few have gone to those areas to work.
Since the establishment of the
church in India in the early 1960s by
Canadian and American Christians, most
of the work has been done in the South-
ern parts of the country, and more pre-
cisely in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
I know of only one brother, J.C.
Choate, who chose to come to New
Delhi, in North India, with his family,
in 1968, when there was not a single
New Testament Christian there.
Through his efforts, a congregation of
the Lord’s church was established in
New Delhi. In fact, today, four con-
gregations meet in New Delhi. One,
with which brother Choate was di-
rectly involved, worships in English
and Hindi (the local language), while
two are Paite-speaking congregations,
a tribal language, spoken in the north-
Sunny David
eastern region, and the fourth is
newly established in southeast Delhi.
Most of brother Choate’s work
was concentrated on radio programs
and the printing of Christian literature
in English, Hindi, and several of the
languages of the south. In the last
forty years, many thousands of books
and magazines have been published
from New Delhi and centers in the
South, and mailed and distributed
throughout the country. We, in Delhi,
continue to publish two magazines, in
English and Hindi, respectively,
which brother Choate began many
years ago. Printing also continues in
the other languages.
Delhi is the capital city, with a popu-
lation of about ten million. Hindus are
the majority, about 85%. Next are Mos-
lems, about 12%. There are less than
2% believers in Christ. At least four
major sub-cities have come up around
Delhi during the last ten years. Due to
religious, social, and political pressures,
people are not so receptive to the Gospel
in most parts of the country, excepting
South India where, historically, the
number of the believers in Christ is
higher. Hence the work of evangelising
other areas has been
slow. In fact, we need
more to come and help
in the work in different
parts of the country.
There are hundreds of
cities and large towns
where there are no New
Testament Christians.
I had the opportu-
nity last year to attend
the India Missions
Wo r k s h o p i n t h e
United States where
many American
Christian workers had
gathered together for
three days to discuss J.C. Choate and Sunny David,
evangelism in india. at home in Winona, in the summer of 2007.
New Delhi, India
Almost all of those attending have
been coming for many years to work
in Andhra Pradesh, South India.
I was given the opportunity to speak
twice, and both times I challenged the
brethren to leave their territories in the
South where they have been working for
many years and to go to other places in
India. Hundreds of thousands of bap-
tisms and thousands of congregations
have been reported in Andhra through
the years, with thousands of national
preachers, and many of them on support
from American churches. Since such a
large success has been achieved in one
territory, then there is no obvious need
for American brethren to continue to go
there. Why not go to other places, and
leave that long and well-established
work to the local men?
This is my plea to the churches that
are sending brethren from America to
do mission work in India: please send
workers to places where there are no
Christians and no congregations, to
plant the church there. ✞
Sunny David of New Delhi, India, con-
verted in 1968, is the Hindi radio speaker
for programs from Sri Lanka, and edits a
monthly magazine, printed in English.
 Jarkhand, India 50

For months I have been

trying to reach a family of
eight with the Gospel, going
regularly and studying with
Strengthening two were baptized during the
most recent meetings there.
The man, Bhagirath, who
was baptized, was brought
them and some of their
friends and relatives for
hours each week. The family
consists of father, mother,
the Church from Chhattisgarh by
brother Winfred Lakra to
attend the meetings. Win-
fred, too, was reached
Sunny David
four sons, wives of the two through literature in a place
called BALCO, and the
Brother Jaswant church is also meeting there. Brother
Guria was baptized Winfred brought with him another
in 1976. He had man, Devangan, whom he had re-
heard me preach on cently baptised.
the radio, and at that In 1996, I had made a trip to a re-
time he was in the mote place called Barojharia in Chhat-
Lutheran church tisgarh state with brother Winfred and
where he played the brother Subodh Gual and their family
organ in their serv- members where I conducted Gospel
ices. He wrote me meetings and several were baptized.
and we began to Some of them were members of
study through corre- brother Winfred’s family, and I was
spondence, and I glad to learn that the church in that re-
also sent him Hindi mote place is going strong and that they
literature to read. are considering building a place of wor-
When I was going ship now.
to conduct a Gospel All of these Christians had one
Sunny and Francis David (right), worshiping with meeting in Ram- special request: They need more litera-
the new congregation in Southeast Delhi. garh, about 12 hours ture in Hindi. In fact, they say, the
married sons, and two grandchildren. journey by train
They live in a village-area in South-east f r o m J a s w a n t ’s
Delhi. We would meet in the courtyard place, I informed
or verandah, as they call it, of their him, and he came
house, in the open. Finally, six of them there and attended
decided to obey the Gospel, so I took the meetings. Be-
them and baptized them into Christ. fore the meetings
The first worship service after- were over, he said,
wards was conducted in their house or “I want to be bap-
in their courtyard, and since then the tized.”
church is regularly meeting there. I am When he re-
thinking now that we need to rent a turned to Jamshed-
place for meetings because they live in pur, brother Jaswant
just two small rooms, and the courtyard had a hard time fac-
is too small to accomodate all who ing the religious
come. I am sure this congregation will leaders of the Lu-
grow and we will be able to reach oth- theran church, but Sunny David, preaching in a tent meeting
ers in the area. he stood his ground. in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand State, India.
A Gospel Meeting in Jharkhand He taught his wife
The last week of September I was and two daughters and they, too, were same Hindi books that led them to
in the state of Jharkhand (which means baptized. know and obey the Truth should be
the state of jungles) for some meetings. I returned several times in the reprinted and made available to them
Brother Jaswant Guria had planned a eighties and nineties to Jamshedpur for for distribution. They also need song
Gospel meeting there and he had also meetings, and others obeyed. The books in Hindi. I am sending what I
invited some Christians from the church meets in brother Jaswant can, but we need to print more. ✞
neighboring state of Chhattisgarh. Guria’s house. He constructed a bap-
tistry on the roof of his house where
 51 Kangayam, India

CHURCH OF CHRIST and EKKLESIA BIBLE COLLEGE

KANGAYAM- 638701, TAMIL NADU, INDIA
ELEVENTH ANNUAL BIBLE LECTURESHIP
S. Rajanayagam

Theme: Whether we live or die, tations from at least 50 congrega- who came from outside, in the limited
we are the Lordʼs (Romans 14:8 ) tions. We always thank God for the facility we have in our campus.
encouragement and sup- However, it was a joyful challenge, to
port we receive from the have too little space rather than too
sister congregations of few attending! The church here fed
our Tamil Nadu state, all the participants for two days with-
not only for the lecture- out any outside help. We never re-
ship, but also in the ceived any penny from abroad for
Summer Bible Camps conducting Summer Bible Camps and
we conduct every year in Annual Bible Lectures. They are the
the month of May. works of the church here, and we feel
We had six speakers proud to meet the challenge and do
on the first day and four something on our own for God. It is
on the second day. Each a joy to have so many Christians in
one was assigned differ- one place and to share our fellowship.
ent topics well in ad- This is the beauty of New Testament
vance, relevant to the Christianity.
theme, and everyone did On behalf of the church that meets
As a servant of Jesus Christ and a wonderful job. We also had a Gos- here in Kangayam, I am extremely
as a preacher of the Lord’s church in pel meeting on the evening of the happy to announce the conversions that
Kangayam, India, I am so glad to first day. Things were so hectic on took place in the lectureship. Yes,
contribute this article about our re- both days, and we thank God for al- twelve precious souls have been
cently concluded spiritual feast for lowing us to keep ourselves busy for snatched from the clutches of Satan and
the Global Harvest magazine, which His cause. We consider working hard were added to the Lord’s church by
was started by our much respected for Him to be a rare blessing, and Him and by the power of His wonder-
brother J.C. Choate, who is now in a only limited people in this world have ful Gospel. Of the twelve, two were
far better place than all of us. this privilege. our magazine readers and one young
By the providence and guidance It is true that we had tough times man was our TV viewer. By this,
of our God Almighty and by the to provide boarding and lodging to all seven congregations were benefitted
mercy and love of numerically and, above all, one new
our Lord, the 11th congregation was started.
Annual Bible Lec- The church here is determined to
tureship went very conduct such events every year, if it
well. The God who is God’s will, and we covet your
answers our fervent prayers for this sake. Here, we want
prayers did won- to thank all the saints who supported
derful things for us, us through prayer. ✞
to make this spiri-
tual event a success Rajanayagam is director of the Ekk-
in all possible lesia Bible College in Kangayam,
ways. Tamil Nadu, India. He edits a
monthly magazine in Tamil, and is
A s w e e x-
the speaker on Tamil TV programs.
pected, we had a
gathering of more
than 400, who Editorʼs Note: in view of the
thronged from all growing persecution of believ-
the directions of the ers in Christ in India, the theme
state, with represen- S. Rajanayagam speaking at the Bible Lectureship for this lectureship was timely.
 Gujarat, India
A Mission Trip to Gujarat
P.R. Swamy
In the 15th century the walled city
of Ahmadabad, in the state of Gujarat,
got twelve “Darwazas” (gates), which
remain intact, reminding people of the
time when Ahmed Shaw came into the
area and built the walled city. The
gates are today state-protected heritage
monuments.
Gujarat has a population of 42.7
million people. Though having its own
state language, a good sized Tamil
population, which has migrated from
Tamil Nadu, also lives here.
In 1977, I baptized a Gujarati by
name of Krit Nirmal in Bangalore. He
and I started the work, mostly in North-
ern Gujarat and established congrega-
tions in Palanpur and Radhanpur areas.
His in-laws were from Ahmadabad.
We went and preached the Gospel for
the first time in this state capital.
In 2003, the Gujarat Government
promulgated the ordinance on anti-
conversion. Seeing the negative reac-
tion to this ordinance, the government
has withdrawn the amendment to the
Act, the original “Gujarat Freedom of
religion Act of 2003”, in 2006. But the
Act still remains.
Today, if anyone wants to convert a
person or group, he should apply in the
prescribed format to the District Magis-
trate, who would give the ruling within
three months.
Once the conversion happens, the
converted person must inform the Dis-
trict Magistrate within one month. If he
or she fails to do it, legal action could
be taken. However, there are other
hurdles before the conversion can take
place. Opposing organizations can
raise objections to stall the proposed
conversion. Once the complaint is re-
ceived, the District Magistrate can ask
an authority to enquire. If he finds that
the conversion is sought by fraud, al-
lurement or coercion, the police inspec-
tor can register an offence and investi-
gate further. If foul means were used,
perpertrators can be fined up to
Rs.50,000/ or imprisoned for three or
four years.
On this particular trip, Douglas and
I went to Ahmadabad by air. The local
preacher, Brother Selvaraj, received us.
That evening we conducted an open air
meeting in the Railway colony at
Sabarmathi.
We went to several areas where our
Tamil people are concentrated, namely
a cement factory, 5th Street, etc. full of
drunkards. People’s lives are pathetic.
They are in the bondage of sin, badly in
need of the Gospel. We did many
house visits, contacted people and
shared the word of God.
In the evening, we conducted a
Bible study at Jamal Nagar. More than
50 gathered. Suddenly a Salvation
Army man came and scared the people
saying, “Don’t get converted. It is go-
ing to be problem for you. We are al-
ready established here in this town. We
will take care of your financial needs,”
etc., etc. He tried to spoil the minds of
these people. Anyway, many signed up
for Bible courses. We need, urgently,
our present 30-lesson correspondence
course (J.C. Choate’s Bible Keys) in
the Gujarati language, to be used in this
new work.
We printed only one good tract,
“What to Do to Be Saved”, with the
money brother Jeremy Barrier and sis-
52
ter Choate provided. We need six of
that kind of tracts in different subjects.
We visited Lamba and Indira Nagar
area where Tamil people are concen-
trated. All have good jobs and they are
denominational people or Catholic.
Our brother Selvaraj is regularly visit-
ing these areas and conducting Bible
studies. Many would have obeyed the
Gospel but they are worried about the
anti-conversion law.
In the evening, we visited the
homes where our preacher has contacts
and encouraged all of them to read the
Bible and obey God’s word. We con-
ducted the Bible study in brother Sel-
varaj’s home. His neighbors and his in-
laws attended. I shared the salvation
plan. His in-laws are denominational
and clearly understood that they were
not in the true church. They are seri-
ously thinking to obey the Gospel.
Brother Selvaraj felt very happy about
our visit. We realized that lot of work
has to be done. He needs encourage-
ment, needs literatures and our periodic
visits to these areas.
Once, an American visited many
parts of Northern India. Everywhere he
went, he came across places named as
Hydera-bad, Secundera-Bad, Tughlaka-
Bad, Ahmeda-Bad, Khairatha-Bad,
Auranga-Bad etc. Someone asked him,
“Hi brother. How was your North India
tour?? He replied, “Man! Everywhere
I went, I saw Bad, Bad’s!!!!!” “Bad”,
is pronounced with a broad “a”, rhym-
ing with “sod”, and means “city”.
We returned to Bangalore in the
night flight, thanking God for the open-
ing in this State to preach the Gospel.
We thank supporting American
churches for their help with this trip.
Brethren, pray for this new work. ✞
P.R. Swamy is an evangelist, based in
Bangalore, India. He is a long-time
speaker on Tamil radio programs, direc-
tor of the Bangalore Institute of Biblical
Studies, editor and writer. His work,
along with co-workers, has resulted in
more than 50,000 baptisms over the past
40 years.
 53
Hindu Opposition to the Gospel
Among the Hindus in India is a
radical group known as the RSS.
Persecution by this group in the state
of Orissa has been a popular news
item lately. Some who profess a be-
lief in Christ have been burned to
death. Orphanages have been torched.
According to ZeeNews, a few days
ago, an angry mob of 40 to 50 men
attacked one house and a nun was
raped by the attackers. The nun
claims several policemen were aware
of what was happening and did noth-
ing to try and stop the violence.
Though Orissa is a state far from Ta-
mil Nadu, many of the RSS here are
feeling empowered.
In Tamil Nadu we are beginning a
nine-day soul-winning campaign. Ap-
proximately 1,500 evangelists, almost
all trained in our preacher training
schools here, will participate. In the
southern part of the state the work has
already begun. Some of the villages
prove difficult for our brothers to enter,
as the radicals are often threatening.
One such community is located outside
of Trichendur, and every time the
brothers have attempted to evangelize
there, they have been chased away.
The radical leader in the village is
Don Iverson
named Kumar. Just a few hours ago, I
received a call from our brothers in-
forming me that yesterday they had
baptized Kumar’s wife, Anthony Eit-
phai. I asked about Kumar’s response
and they said he had not opposed her
baptism. God is great!
In Mootham, an area where we
did much service during the tsunami
relief campaign, we have also met a
lot of opposition from the extremists.
Many of our sisters, like Paramai, are
widows in Mootham. When brothers
came into her village and started
passing out tracts, the radicals again
got angry. The neighbor to Paramai
came to her house and began swear-
ing, screaming vulgarities at her be-
cause she was a member of the
church of Christ. Other neighbors,
feeling sorry for her, came to her de-
fense. One Hindu man told the ex-
tremist to mind his own business and
that this poor widow was not hurting
anyone. The fanatic then picked up a
piece of steel and hit him over the
head, landing the victim in the hospi-
tal with six stitches.
Now the brothers are helping to
care for the kind victim. He has
“taken a shine” to our brothers and
Cutting the Thread
Every religion has its own pecu-
liar traditions. In Hinduism, one of
the important events in the life of a
Brahman boy usually takes place
between the ages of seven and nine,
though boys of other castes may go
through the ceremony at other ages.
The “Upanayana” is the cere-
mony of “the investure or tying of
the sacred thread”. The cord is cot-
ton, consisting of three threads
(symbolic of Brahma, the god of
creation, Shiva, the god of destruc-
tion, and Vishnu, the god of preser-
Tamil Nadu, India
they see a door opening for the Gos-
pel. As for the radical Hindu, he was
terrified that charges would be
brought against him. He came and
asked for forgiveness and his family
has begged for charges not to be filed.
The brothers are hoping his changed
attitude will provide yet another op-
portunity for a heart to receive the
Gospel.
Today, near Trichendur, a fifteen-
year devotee of Hinduism has been
baptized into Christ. Nagaiyam was
zealous in his former religion, mak-
ing barefoot sixty-five mile pilgrim-
ages to Hindu temples. He will now
zealously serve the True God of
Heaven.
These hard working evangelists
will be in full swing starting Monday.
As an appetizer, we have already seen
about sixteen new souls added. Pray
that we will find honest hearts that
are searching for truth. Pray that God
will give a bountiful increase. Pray
for our brothers to be steadfast, brave,
and persistent. Pray for God’s protec-
tion, as He uses persecution to win
souls! ✞
Don Iverson works with preacher train-
ing schools in Tamil Nadu, India.
vation) twisted to the right, and
placed over the left shoulder to hang
across the body at the right hip. The
sacred thread is the personal symbol
of Hinduism.
Another thread worn by Hindus
is tied around the wrist. This thread,
also a visible sign of Hinduism, is
worn for good luck and to ward off
evil spirits. Throughout India, these
symbols are recognized as synony-
mous with being a Hindu.
Continued on page 58
 Madurai, India 54

Excitement in Madurai
Philemon Rajah and Kingsly Rajah

are visually handicapped who are re- appreciation for the honorable work
ceiving The Voice of Truth Interna- they do.
tional Braille magazine. In Mumbai, Another important event was the
Dharavi area, we had two days of releasing ceremony of “Seekers
classes and, as a result, two people Braille Bible Lessons” for the visu-
obeyed the Lord in baptism. Two peo- ally handicapped. The first copy of
ple took baptism in Moolanur, where the lesson was released by brother Jerry
we had started a new congregation six and it was received by sister Paula. We
months back as a result of our televi- also released this month’s issue of “The
sion program and where brother Jerry Voice of Truth International magazine,
preached in the evening meeting. Braille edition”. Nearly 120 blind peo-
See Philemon Rajaʼs Tamil TV Again, in Madurai, three people were ple gathered for this wonderful occa-
program at this “address”: baptised due to the efforts of our J.C. sion. We gave all of them a special gift
Christian_living.mpg School of Evangelism students who packet with washing soap, bathing
are really practicing what they study in soap, tooth paste, hair oil and face
Greetings to you in the name of the their classes. We rejoice for “The Lord powder. It was a generous gift, pre-
Lord and Savior Jesus. We rejoice in has been mindful of us; He will bless sented by the Bates, and we are thank-
the Lord, for through the Gospel of us” (Psalm 115:12). ful for them. We hope that the Bible
Christ we have the hope of heaven. We We had a special workshop for lessons in Braille will help to convert
are always happy to share the happen- the preachers of our Madurai city many visually handicapped to Christ
ings here, specially the good news and some outstation preachers. They and His truth.
about people obeying the will of God in were invited, with their wives, to at- For four days we had Gospel
baptism. tend, and some 35 to 40 people took meetings in the evening in four dif-
Jerry and Paula Bates, of the part in the program. It was a good time ferent places, and brother Jerry
World Evangelism team, spent more to spend with them and with the Bates gave the lessons. In total, more than
than two weeks with us. These are couple. The preachers introduced them- 200 people attended. During the fol-
the highlights of their visit and work: selves and told of the work they are lowing days, we had special Bible
studies in four areas, among some of
1. Eleven people obeyed the Lord in Baptism. our television program contacts. We
2. Preachers workshop with Madurai city and nearby areas. are happy that interested people are
learning the truth and obeying.
3. Releasing ceremony of Seekers Braille Bible Correspondence The marriage ceremony and
Courses for the visually handicapped people. festivities for our daughter, Flor-
4. Special Evening Gospel meetings in 4 places. ence, and Camiluz was a happy oc-
5. Special Evening Bible studies, 5 times in 4 places. casion with good fellowship with
many preachers, church members,
6. Philemonʼs second daughterʼs marriage, Florence to Camiluz. and relations, and friends. Brother
7. Fellowship worship with all the congregations started due to
Jerry and Rajanayagam, from Kan-
the television program. gayam, shared in solemnizing the
marriage. The new couple settled in
8. Day classes 7 times, including the J.C.School of Evangelism

Cochin city of Kerala state where
classes. Camiluz is stationed with the Indian
9. Sister Paulaʼs birthday celebration. navy. He is a faithful and hardwork-
ing Christian.
During the last month, eleven doing. Jerry had two special classes Five congregations have been
souls obeyed the Lord in baptism, for with them, and Paula taught a separate started in Madurai city through the
the remission of their sins. We had a class to the wives. Brother Jerry also Gracious Word magazine and The
special baptism class arranged in answered several questions during the Voice of Truth television programs.
Madurai, which was taught by brother group discussion time. We had fellow- We had a joint worship service, with
Jerry, and on that day four people ship meals with all of them to show our some 200 people attending the wor-
obeyed in baptism. Among them, two ship and the fellowship afterwards.
 55
During the Bates’ visit we also
had our regular monthly J.C. School
of Evangelism classes. In this school,
organized for all members of the
church, we have classes for one week
every month, from morning 9 AM to
1.30 PM. Hence, for a year we will
have a total of 12 weeks of school ses-
sions (504 hours of classes, plus 168
hours for field training work). We have
22 to 25 students each time, and we are
training all of them to be evangelistic
workers for Christ, going in streets and
door-to-door houses, but not for pulpit
preaching.
The classes will be seven days in
a week, five days in the class room
and two days in the weekends with
field training. This way they will get
good training, and what they study
they will teach to contacts who agree
to have studies with them. If they are
asked any questions they cannot an-
swer, we can help them in the next
classes. Also we will go with them
while they get training. In the future,
after finishing the school program,
they will work with their respective
local congregations
For the field work, God has
blessed us with follow-up materials:
our Bible correspondence lessons,
monthly magazines, and books which
have been translated and printed in
Tamil. We also have audio sermons,
CDs
Blind students holding copies of the Braille Voice
of Truth International, honoring J.C. Choate with a
memorial picture on the front cover.
Madurai, India
of television sermons,
Braille magazines, and
The Voice of Truth
International in
Braille (Tamil and
English).
In one session this
time, Jerry was teaching
about the Evidence and
Inspiration of the Bible.
Another session we had
separate classes for men
and women, taught by
Jerry and Paula. For the
men’s class Jerry was
teaching from James, Kingsly baptizing a man who was converted
and Paula taught on
by students in the J.C. School of Evangelism.
Women in the Bible.
Also, while the Bates were here,
sister Paula had a birthday. We
shared our love for her with some CDs and DVDs
gifts and cards and a cake.
We enjoyed many useful lessons
Available in Hindi
from Jerry and Paula, and the churches Sunny David
in Madurai were encouraged. Some Recently I have started
contacts became Christians while they producing CDs and DVDs of
were here, and some have decided to do Gospel messages, mainly in the
so in a short time. We thank God for Hindi language, which is the
these results and we thank you for all national language of India and
is spoken in many parts of the
the help and support and prayers for country. The CDs are given or
this great cause. ✞ mailed to contacts from the ra-
Please note our website: dio programs and the maga-
www.graciousword.org; zines, and the response has
Christian_living.mpg been good. Some have called
and written to say that they are
Philemonrajah, along with his son-in- reproducing them to give to
law, Kingslyrajah, others. Some are using in their
works among Tamil- youth classes and Bible studies.
speaking people
inthe general area of
Madurai, India, us-
ing mass media
tools of literature
and television, cou-
pled with a great
deal of personal
work. They have
developed the “J.C.
School of Evangel-
ism”, to train Chris-
tians in personal
evangelism meth-
ods. They also do
extensive work with
the blind.
 Madurai, India 56

The spark about evangelizing the
visually handicapped people and caring
for their souls individually came to our
mind some ten years back when one of
our congregation members, who is
visually handicapped, stood up and
expressed his feelings with sorrow,
saying, “You are always having meet-
ings and special classes and work for
the sighted people.
We blind people are
neglected socially
by this world and Taking the Gospel
lies. Also we had arranged for some
medical doctors to examine the poor
and destitute blind people, and we had
counseling sessions by pschologists.
This motivated those who attended the
camp to talk about the lives of other
blind people all over Tamilnadu state in
India.
The next year, 65 attended the Bi-
Braille for these thousands of contacts,
and brother J.C. and sister Betty happily
encouraged us. For those visually
handicapped people who cannot read
Braille, we had also started to release
The Voice of Truth as an audio maga-
zine every month through the help of the
Choates and their supporters.
Through these camps and the litera-
ture we are provid-
ing, 110 visually
handicapped blind
people have obeyed

to the Special People

also even on the
spiritual side. Most
congregations do
not have special
work for the visu-
ally handicapped.
There is no Bible
class for us specially
and no good literature available for us
to read in our media, which you all en-
joy.”
The blind brother closed by saying,
“Please have a concern for our commu-
nity and help them to be Christians. Of
course we, too, are human beings.” This
statement made by a visually handi-
capped brother in a business meeting of
the church brothers, brought tears in the
eyes of many. From that time we de-
cided as a church to have special camps
every year for the visually handicapped.
In the very first Bible camp for the
blind people during 1998 at Ellis Nagar
Church of Christ meeting place, some
25 blind people attended the camp
which ran for 2 days. There were mes-
sages from the Bible in the morning
sessions and competitions in the after-
noon to encourage and motivate the
participants spiritually. We had singing
competitions, memory verse recita-
tion and preaching on selected topics
to both men and women participants
separately. We had good fellowship
time with them and the blind people
enjoyed the expressions of Christian
love. All our congregation members
decided to feed them both days for six
meals. Some families brought vegeta-
bles, some rice and some gave a little
money.
In our camp we also had special
counseling classes for the blind people
in groups and we prayed for their fami-
the Gospel in bap-
tism in Madurai
city alone and also
(Visually Handicapped) nearly 100 others
have become
Philemon Rajah Christians through
camps conducted
outside our city.
ble camp. Every year the number has Two new congregations especially for
increased, and in 2008 we had some the visually handicapped people, have
300 to participate! also been begun.
Until 2006 we organized the camp
for people in Madurai city only, but TV Responses
since 2006 visually handicapped peo- Every month we receive many
ple from all over Tamilnadu have come hundreds of letters from the viewers of
to the camp and have been taught and our television programs. The requests
encouraged. When the work among for Bible courses and magazines are
the blind people by the church of Christ overflowing. To increase interest even
in Madurai city came to be known to more, we ask a question from the mes-
people througout the state and also in sage. Many people, even young men
neighboring states, the necessity for and women going to schools and col-
literatures and materials especially for leges, respond eagerly through phone
the blind was inevitable. We requested and letters. After every program tele-
the Choates to help us with publishing casted, we get a minimum of 25 to 30
The Voice of Truth International in calls and more than 100 letters.
As follow up ma-
terial we send Bible
courses to all the con-
tacts. Monthly,
nearly 700 people
study Bible courses
in Tamil and English
by post and learn the
N e w Te s t a m e n t
teachings.
Please pray for us
as we continue to
teach those who are
handicapped, those
who have often been
forgotten. ✞
Visually handicapped participants
of the Bible camp for Blind people
 57
How often have you read the scripture about widows
in the Lordʼs church?
How many women do you know who fit that description?
“Honour widows that are widows
indeed...Now she that is a widow in-
deed, and desolate, trusteth in God,
and continueth in supplications and
prayers night and day.... Let not a
widow be taken into the number un-
der threescore years old, having been
the wife of one man, Well reported of
for good works; if she have brought
up children, if she have lodged
strangers, if she have washed the
saints’ feet, if she have relieved the
afflicted, if she have diligently fol-
lowed every good work” (1 Timothy
5:3-10).
According to the Lord’s com-
mands, we should be faithful in taking
care of such Christian women until
the day they go to be with Him. They
have proven themselves beyond a
doubt and deserve to be like Anna in
the Temple, who “served God with
fastings and prayers night and day”
(Luke 2:37).
Sometimes there are dedicated
women who do not fit every de-
scription. They may be the only ones
in their families who are faithful in
the service of the Lord. One such
lady in India is R. Ammani. Her
whole family was on the Roman
Catholic register in Kerala, but Am-
mani was converted in the early
1980’s. She attended the Chennai
Teacher Training School classes and
became a faithful member of the Lock
Street church. When we needed a
teacher for the children’s class which
met on a veranda of the original An-
chorage building, she was the first to
volunteer. She had nearly 100 little
children who gathered there each
Sunday for many years.
Later, Ammani went to teach
young girls in a Bible school estab-
lished by another missionary brother,
south of here. She was able to do that
work for some time before one of the
preachers’ wives took her place.
When she came back to Chennai, she
often talked fondly of the young
girls she had met and learned to love
there. Several of those young girls
made special trips to Chennai to pay
her a visit and tell of their marriages
or of their new babies. There was a
genuine rapport that could be ob-
served by anyone.
Later, when we needed a helper
in the kitchen at CTTS, sister Am-
mani was willing to work for us for
pay. Previously, we had paid her
nothing for all that she had done. I
am not sure how many years she has
been engaged in the kitchen work,
but she has been with the school a
long time. She also graded Bible
correspondence courses sent out in
the Malayam language. She offered
to help us in our secular school
classes, teaching skills to illiterate
village women to help them find
jobs. She taught basket weaving,
embroidery, and crochet. Even
while she was busy cooking the
meals every day for our students,
there would be a half dozen ladies
gathered at her elbow to watch her
cook and to ask her questions about
their craft work.
About six years ago, Ammani
was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical
cancer. She did not have surgery
because the cancer had progressed
too far, but she had chemo and ra-
diation therapy and supposedly was
cured. She recovered and was able
to work again in her normal duties.
Each year, she has gone for check-
ups and had a good report, but last
week she was told that she is termi-
nal. She has had fluids drawn off
her stomach and the test results
show that the cancer has gone be-
To receive regular reports about the work in India, call
662-283-1192.
Chennai, India
yond treatment. I feel a deep sense of
sadness at this news, as you might
well imagine. Ammani has been a
truly faithful friend and Christian
worker at CTTS for many years. Her
word was always her bond. Never
once can I remember her telling me
anything that I did not find to be true.
She never spoke of anything unless
she was absolutely sure she had her
facts straight, and that was most com-
forting to me in a land of Cretans (Ti-
tus 1:12).
Ammani is nearing 76 years of
age. Why has she worked so many
years doing so many different things?
One would expect that her children
would support her after all these
years, but they were not Christians.
Two sons, whose wives left them,
were living with her and had no jobs.
They did not help with the housework
or pay bills. Sister Ammani had all
the bills to pay and all the work to do
at home besides. She endured much
from an ungodly family who leached
off her good nature. Often she cried
about not being able to see her beauti-
ful grandchildren because the mothers
moved far away from the lazy hus-
bands. Ammani’s home life was
never pleasant, but she always had a
smile on her face and she genuinely
loved the Lord’s people.
Please pray for this poor lady as
she faces her last days. Scripturally,
she deserved to be enrolled as a
widow, but she never allowed herself
to take something for nothing. She
has done what she could. ✞
Beth Johnson and her husband, Dennis,
work in Chennai, India.
 Tamil Nadu, India
It was a day of celebration, the first
graduation ever held in the Tirunelveli
School of Evangelism. In the middle of
elation I met a thirty-five year old lady
and her three daughters, aged 13, 11
and 9. The sister’s name is Indira, and
the stress on her thin face and her un-
controlled wiry hair were evidence that
she has been through much more than
any of us could begin to imagine.
I asked about her husband and the
Indian brothers explained. Madasami,
a hard worker, a wood cutter by trade,
was asleep with his family on the dirt
floor of their mud house on August 18,
2005. He awoke his wife in the middle
of the night to say he felt a burning sen-
sation in his chest and was having a lot
of pain. They sought relief in some
available household medications and
finally found transportation to the local
government hospital. Immediately, the
doctor discovered two small marks in-
side of his thigh, the sign of a cobra
bite. Within ten minutes, this husband/
father was dead. With no way to close
windows or seal cracks around the tile
roofs, cobras often come inside of In-
dian homes during the night.
Indira now struggles to feed her
three daughters, as well as herself, on
daily farm wages that average $1.35.
The family’s food costs per day amount
to about $1.20. Their diet is mostly just
rice, and they have meat or gravy on
special but rare occasions. She has lim-
ited electricity in her house and her
electricity bill comes every two months
(usually $1.10).
This brave woman is pressed down
by others in her village. The Hindu
community will not allow her to seek
Widowed by a Cobra
Don Iverson
work outside, where she might find a
better job. The general superstitious
belief is that a widow, through her bad
“karma”, is largely responsible for the
death of her husband, so she suffers
many restrictions and ostracisms.
Until her baptism in January 2008,
Indira was a Hindu. Now the idolaters
fight to prevent her from attending wor-
ship services with the saints and accuse
her of seeking material possessions
from the church. The relationship be-
tween an Indian widow and her com-
munity is difficult for Americans to
comprehend. In spite of mistreatment,
these people are her “family” and she
feels very insecure to go against them.
Parenthetically, some may recall
during the early days of the tsunami
how one Bible student, Inbaraj, wanted
to be a preacher but was not allowed
because he had not been baptized for
more than two years. This zealous
brother was not hindered by my denial
but went to Kovil Pati and started
teaching and baptizing souls, establish-
ing congregations there. Inbaraj, now a
Cutting the Thread
Continued from page 53
So, what happens when a Chris-
tian teacher responds to the desire of
young Hindu Gypsy boys in a school
in Tamil Nadu to learn about Christi-
anity? Over a period of time, the les-
sons take hold and the boys decide to
obey the Gospel.
We were in Bangalore the day the
teacher brought twenty-two of the
teenage boys to the church property
at 7 Davis Road so that they could
“take baptism” and become Chris-
tians according to the pattern given in
the New Testament.
P.R. Swamy is the local preacher,
and a man who has spent much of the
past forty years evangelizing his state
of Tamil Nadu. On the day these stu-
58
third year Bible student in our school in
Tirunelveli, taught the Gospel to this
widow, Indirani. He is a mighty evan-
gelist.
I am thankful to God for his loving
kindness for these widows. Our Father
knows her heartache. He knows her
fears and hard labor. Now, through his
loving church, eight goats are being
purchased for Indira. She will receive
$15 per month with which to feed her
goats until they are reproducing and
making a living for her and her three
daughters. Before leaving, I sent $35 to
Indira from the mission funds just to
give her a little breathing room.
As for Indira’s attitude, she had a
fresh smile on her face as she explained
that she says to the Hindus that her soul
is finally satisfied, now that she is a
Christian.
Welcome Indira! Welcome to
God’s glorious and eternal kingdom.
Welcome to our hope and thanksgiving
for a loving Father who would give the
life of his Son for you! ✞
dents came, he spent hours, carefully
going over the basic facts of God,
Christ, the Gospel, the church, and
other questions, to make sure that the
boys understood exactly what they
were doing.
At last the teaching was done and
the time had come for the baptisms.
But, first, another important step had
to be taken in their departure from
Hinduism and their birth as
Christians. I couldn’t keep back the
tears as we watched them, one by
one, cut the threads that proclaimed
them to be Hindus. Spiritually, now,
they were free!
And then, boldly, they walked up
the steps and down into the baptistery!
What an exciting thing it was to see
their birth into the family of God! ✞
59
The Power of Literature
To my beloved brother P.R. Swamy,
An unknown man writes this letter
with love and respect. Please read pa-
tiently.
My ancestors (grandmother and
grandfather) were Lutherans and died. My
mother became Roman Catholic at the
time of her marriage. So my four younger
sisters and two of my younger brothers
became R.C. members. Now all my broth-
ers and sisters became Church of South
India members since 1980. I did not follow
their rituals and lived separately. I did not
like to go to that church.
Now let me go to the subject matter
of this letter. I was searching to find out
which is a true church. I used to send
subscriptions to many magazines, bought
them and read, thinking that there might be
some unknown church. I met some church
pastors, got their magazines and read.
I used to attend the gospel meetings
and revival meetings and enjoy the spiritual
lessons. In some meetings they used to
dance in emotions and shout till the ear-
drum tears. Seeing all this, I used to return
with a heavy heart and worry because I
was not receiving the necessary food for
my hungry soul.
On 15th June, 2004 when I went to
Madurai, I visited some old book stores
known to me and searched for some books
and magazines. I came across one book
with a title, “Let Us Go Back”, and I bought
it. This book contained articles by various
writers, translated by S.S. Rajan and pub-
lished by Dindigul Church of Christ.
When I returned to Dindigul, I finished
reading this book and thought like this:
“Though Church of Christ looks like one of
the protestant churches, its teachings are
clearer than other church doctrines. It
contains only the New Testament.”
Thinking that I could get some spiri-
tual magazines through these churches, I
went to E.A. Arumugan, following the
church address. Then only I could know
that S.S. Rajan has been dead. I was sad.
I introduced myself to E.A. Arumugan. I
got the magazine “Thiramarai Aason, Kiru-
bayulla Vaarthai”, and returned home.
Reading these magazines, my spiritual
hunger to know about the church of Christ
was increased.
Then I used to meet E.A. Arumugan
every week, placed my doubts before him
and received teaching and learnt about the
church of Christ. Then I understood that
this is the church I have been searching for
for many years, and this church is not like
the denominational churches. My mind was
cleared and I saw the living way. Thereaf-
ter I met J. Sangaya Raj and K.S. Rajanay-
agam and cleared of some more doubts. I
received some books, namely “The Truth
for Today”, “The Church of the Bible”, and
other books published through Kangayam
church of Christ.
Now I am preparing to be baptized, to
be a member of the church of Christ. I am
attending the worship.
“My mind is happy for knowing the true
church and flying to the sky.
My heart is beating, to do little work
As small as a mustard seed at least,
For the One who died on the cross.
My spiritual search is thus ended in the
church of Christ.
I am at peace, which can’t be described.”
Under the circumstances, I would like
to tell some information. Since my first
daughter and my son are in Bangalore, my
wife and I are preparing to go there and
would like to live with them. I want to get
baptized by you there and would like to
assist in your work, being retired. Likewise,
I want to spend the rest of my life in a
useful way.
I would like to have your books and
The Voice of Truth International (Tamil). I
am very eager to read spiritual books.
Looking forward to hear from you,
Your loving brother,
Nenchath Tharasu
Tamil Nadu, India
The following week, P. R. Swamy was
in a Bible seminar in Namakkal, about 150
kilometers from Dindigul. He met Mr.
Nenchath Tharasu at his house and dis-
cussed the Bible at length with him.
Swamy concluded that he is sincerely a
seeker of truth. Though he was still not
convinced about some factors relating to
the Holy Spirit, he was ready to be bap-
tized. He said that as soon as he and his
wife made the planned move to Bangalore,
he would come to the meeting house at
Davis Road for baptism.
We have since received an e-mail
from Swamy saying that brother Nenchath
Tharasu was baptized! Thank God for hon-
est hearts and for the power of literature!
P.R. Swamy showing the late J.C.
Choate just such a letter as brother
Nenchath wrote. Many souls have
been brought to Christ in many parts
of the world through literature.
We would encourage individual
Christians and congregations of
the Lordʼs church to subscribe
to our quarterly magazine, The
Voice of Truth International.
Share it also with your friends,
relatives, and contacts. ✞
 Sri Lanka
It was a severe jolt to all of us in the
church here in Colombo to lose three
men who have been so important in our
development: Reggie Gnanasundaram
(Lilani’s father) who has provided lead-
ership in the congregation since its be-
ginning, brother J.C. Choate, who started
the congregation and was our spiritual
father, and brother Paul Fernando,
preacher for the Negombo church, who
died suddenly of a heart attack.
These losses mean that the second
generation of Christians must step for-
ward and take up the work, That, we
are doing, with God’s help/
It was edifying and encourageing
for all of us to have the Wayne Barriers
and the Jerry Bates visit us. We are
looking forward to working with these
families in the next stage in this con-
gregation’s forward march, with our
final goal of starting a Bible School.
It was the encouragement of
brother Wayne and Jerry that started
this project. When these brethren, ac-
companied by their wives, came to Co-
lombo, we discussed ways to get
youngsters interested in Christianity,
and we decided that the best way is to
have a Bible School, also offering
classes in computer and other tools for
getting jobs.
Colombo City Church of Christ is
getting to be known in the neighbor-
hood as a place of learning and of much
activity. Our retired brother Moses was
manning the church office when his
wife, Jemima, was transferred to a
Government school, four hours away
from Colombo in the “Hill country”.
They have bought a house and have
moved, but we are happy to note that
they are faithfully worshiping there.
60
From Sri Lanka... Harold and Lilani Thomas
So, to fill the vacancy created by brother Paul, after his sudden death.
brother Moses, Nimal and I decided Nimal and his wife, Jayanthy, join us
that we need an elderly person who can every other Sunday to help as well.
work in the office and who will be of All this hard work has also resulted
help with the vocational training for the in the baptism of brother Ramesh and
Bible school. We are happy that Mr. his fiancée. With the additional teach-
Vincent has filled the post very well. ing of the people meeting at brother
He is a retired engineer with the Sur- Paul’s house, four others are almost
veyors Department and has closely ready for baptism. Hopefully, they will
worked in a leading radio lab. obey the Gospel soon. As the Ne-
An English class has been started gombo congregation grows, we will be
for young students in their early 20’s, able to let those families take more of
free of charge. The requirement to en- the responsibility there, enabling them
ter this class is that the student must to develop more quickly, spiritually. ✞
come from a “Christian” background.
The English teacher, Ms. Dilrushi Harold and Lilani Thomas work with the
Peiris, is using the Bible to teach her Lordʼs church in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
students to read, thereby opening a way haroldthom@sol.lk
for me to teach them the Gospel. The
secular classes are held on Wednesdays Brother Reggie Gnanasundaram,
and Fridays, 10 AM to 12 Noon. one of the first Christians in Sri
After seeing our advertisements, the Lanka, and a man who loved to
local Police of the area also wanted to be work for God, was spared the
taught English. So plans are set to make struggle to live in a physical body
this a success. Apart from this, there are worn out with heart and kidney
inquiries from other sources for the disease. He was released to go to
teaching of the English language. Our be with his Savior on June 8, 2007.
aim is to attract more people to our fi- His strength and dedication con-
nal goal – to teach Salvation. tinue to live in the hearts of those
We are happy that much of the lit- he loved and helped to train.
erature that was at the church building
has been given away to denominational
churches and people, and also we car-
ried an ad in the newspapers and had a
free distribution of literature, assisted
by the members of the church.
Last year, in the rubber factory
which I manage, I had classes with my
Production Manager and his staff. This
has given me good exposure to teach in
Sinhala. Kalum has since obeyed the
Gospel and is helping with the meet-
ings in Negombo, which is near the
factory and also where he lives.
We go to Negombo every Sunday
evening for the worship service there.
The congregation was lost without
 61
A Little Glimpse of History . . .
Kalum Gamage
(An email letter addressed to J.C. Choate)
“Mr. Harold Thomas is our boss at I.G. Browns Rubber
Industries. He is a very busy man. But for the past 1½ years
or so, he has been teaching us the basics of Christianity (as all
four of us come from Roman Catholic background, our bibli-
cal knowledge is poor). Now Mr. Thomas is teaching us the
past one month or so from your valuable book, “The Gospel
of Christ”. We have two classes per week, after working
hours. This book has given us so much knowledge of the
Bible, and we have learnt over a period of time the meaning
of sin, salvation, promise, Gospel, church, kingdom, and Holy
Sprit baptism, etc.
“During the course of our class, Mr. Thomas mentioned
to us that you had some health problems. We were really sad
to hear of this news. We now understand how you had spent
your life to bring the simple message of “Gospel” out. As
stated in 1st Timothy 1:11 – we know so many are “blinded,
because of the god of this world”.
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and may the
Lord God grant you many more years of life to do His will.
Kalum Gamage, Sri Lanka”
(A second letter, following J.C.ʼs death)
“It was indeed a shock to hear about the passing away of
Mr. J. C. Choate. Very sad for us, as on the 5th of February
we had the Bible study at brother Paul’s place and Harold
informed all about this sad news. Incidentally, we also under-
stand that the funeral was held on this day. Even more sad
was that we were holding the very book that he had written –
‘The Gospel of Christ’ which is so meaningful to us. In fact,
our study is based on this valuable book.
“We are indeed privileged, for all the hard work put in by
the late Mr. J. C. Choate, you and all the other Christian breth-
ren, that we in this small Island were able to benefit spiritu-
ally.
“Out of the four staff members taught by Harold at our
work place, it’s only me that attends the Bible studies at the
Sri Lanka
Negombo congregation. Now I am convinced that I should
get baptized and be added to the Lord’s family. I am in the
process of teaching my wife, who comes from a Buddhist
background. I am confident God will guide us. My family
and I attended the Sunday worship (10/02/2008) at the Ne-
gombo church.
“I have two sons, I keep my eldest son (10 years) in-
formed with all what I learn. My youngest son who is only 4
years, not even able to read or write, has memorized the 27
books of the New Testament. Amazing, but true!!
“We have not lost hope with other 3 staff members, but
will wait in patience. Apart from brother Paul’s place, we are
having private Bible studies in Negombo with Harold. Our
aim is to bring them to the Negombo church.
“Once again, all our love and concern for the loss of your
belovered husband, who will be in the safe hands of our Crea-
tor. God bless and kind regards, Kalum Gamage”
(Victory in Christ!)
“Dear sister Betty,
“Greetings in the name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.
First of all, I am very sorry for not replying to your kind and
encouranging email. Brother Harold has brought in three new
types of orders to our factory and we were so busy with in-
stallation of machinery, testing products, etc. But now we
have come to the end of all this and the new products have
started to leave the factory. All these are done to give a better
and steady income and to create an atmospehere to preach the
WORD.
“Reading the volume 57 of The Voice of Truth Interna-
tional, we understand the sacrifice brother J.C. Choate and
other faithful brethren have done during there lifetime.
“Negombo congregation has increased since I got bap-
tized and about 5 more souls are to render obedience soon.
My wife [SURANJI] and two sons attend Sunday worship
faithfully every week. Brother HAROLD and I have much
more work and we are preparing the ground at every given
opportunity. Sunday school for the kids has also begun. I led
administering THE LORD’S SUPPER last Sunday. I was
nervous and thrilled to do it for the LORD. On Sunday wor-
ship, when my 10-year-old elder son was reading the Scrip-
tures, tears came into my eyes because I took 33 years to turn
to the BIBLE. And I know he will be more blessed. Anyway,
God has been so merciful to me and my family to know the
Truth, or else we would have left this earth empty-handed.
“So we need not say, ‘Why do we struggle so hard to stay
here?’ Because all things work for good to those that love
GOD, and are called for His purpose. Finaly, I am thankful
for OUR LORD for giving me the oppotunity to meet such
wonderful and faithful brothers and sisters in my life. So with
these encouraging words I will stop and would love to see
you here soon. Regards, KALUM.” ✞
 Australia -- Vietnam
Serving God among the Vietnamese People
I am a Vietnam-born Australian,
and have lived in Australia for over
forty years. After finishing high school
in Vietnam in mid 1960s, I received a
scholarship from the Australian Gov-
ernment to study engineering at the
university, which was unusual at that
time for an overseas female student.
Although I was brought up in a
typical Vietnamese family, which fol-
lowed ancestor worship and other
nominal Buddhist rituals, from an early
age I yearned for a true God and sought
to find Him. I felt the traditional wor-
ship was mostly ruled by fear and un-
certainty, and it gave me no comfort or
answers to my questions about the
meaning and purpose of life.
There appeared to be no real alter-
natives: all my relatives and friends and
neighbours followed these traditional
beliefs. A few Catholic families lived
in our neighbourhood, but we were
taught that “Christianity would not be
for us” (although we did not know
much about this so-called “Western
religion”).
During my first year in Australia, I
was introduced to denominational
Christianity, being invited to church
services. Eventually, I was given a
copy of the Bible. I was fascinated by
the Bible stories, from the accounts of
God creating the universe and man, to
salvation through Jesus Christ. These
stories appeared to give plausible an-
swers to my many questions about life,
which were still looming large in my
mind and my heart, although I was now
living in a different culture and a more
affluent country.
As I became interested in Christi-
anity, I began to raise questions about
the many denominations, the conflicts
in Northern Ireland between Catholics
and Protestants, and other apparent con-
tradictions between the teachings in the
Bible and what I observed as “Christi-
anity”. Over a period of six months or
so, there were intensive debates be-
tween myself and my Baptist friends
and others about these issues. Eventu-
ally, in the absence of better explana-
Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu
tions, I reluctantly acknowledged that
the apparent problems were relatively
minor, and that, overall, Protestant de-
nominations meant well and had a simi-
lar purpose and direction – evangelising
the world for Christ.
So I “accepted” Christ, was bap-
tised to “formalise my faith” and began
a denominational “Christian” life for
almost thirty six years, until April 2002.
During this period, I embraced my new
faith with sincerity and enthusiasm, as I
had been searching for a true God all
my life. I became strongly involved in
various “Christian” student movements
and churches. I also tried to “convert”
my own family: my mother became
“Christian” in mid 1970s, followed by
one of my brothers and my two sisters
(my parents had nine children), and
soon after that my family abandoned
ancestor worship practices.
Yet, for all my activities and praises
about my “strong” faith by people
around me, I remained dissatisfied.
There were significant problems in my
own nuclear family; we were not able
to experience real joy and peace or an
“abundant life” as we would expect. I
struggled to make sense of it all, and
62
became even more concerned because
other people in the congregations
seemed to be in similar situations. We
disobeyed God’s commandments, and
yet expected Him to bless us. We tried
to justify our behaviour by saying God
“would understand and forgive” our
mistakes, because we were still weak.
We were also fond of defending our-
selves by saying that we would not be
perfect until getting to heaven!
It was in this context that, in 2001,
I became aware of the non-denomi-
national churches of Christ, through my
son’s interest and involvement in the
movement on campus. Although Minh
was already baptised in a Vietnamese
church when he was 16, he said it had
not been done correctly and wanted to
do it again in accordance with the Bible
(while Minh wasn’t seeking my per-
mission, he wanted my blessing and
attendance at this important occasion).
Although I was surprised that Minh
saw the need to be baptised again and
couldn’t really say “no” anyway, I be-
came intrigued by his new commit-
ment, particularly his strong interest in
the Word of God.
This new development about my
son’s faith raised questions in my mind
about some fundamental issues in the
Bible, such as baptism. At times, I tried
to convince myself that Minh was fol-
lowing a peculiar brand of Christianity,
and that there was nothing wrong with
my understanding of the Bible, having
read it several times from cover to
cover. At other times, I was keen to
know why I was struggling spiritually,
and I wanted to get it right with God.
Minh and his friends tried to convince
me that I needed to study the Bible
properly, in order to see where I had
gone wrong. While skeptical (as I
thought I knew the Bible pretty well), I
thought if a closer look at the Word of
God could help me to sort out my spiri-
tual issues, then I would give it a go.
When I studied the Bible with this
mindset, I was astonished to learn,
Continued on page 63
 63 Cambodia

Cambodia
Bill Mcdonough
Partners in Progress

The Ship of Life is now operating 100 miles north of

Phnom Penh, Cambodia, providing health care and hope
for the very poorest people of Cambodia. Seeing 100
patients per day, we are bringing dental and medical care
to people that have basically done without all their lives.
The Lord is being glorified, people are seeing the love of
Jesus, and His church is growing. You have helped
make this possible through your prayers, gifts and
encouragement. In the names of those being assisted we
say thank you.
300 Christian Ladies Meet in Cambodia
Three hundred ladies from numerous congregations in central Cambodia met together for a full day of fellowship, Bible
lessons and a great time on March 8, the “Internal Day of Women” which is a national holiday.
Planned by Marie-Claire McDonough, missionary speakers Rhonda Doland and Rosemary Burcham articulated the theme
of “Being Strong and Courageous in a Hostile World” a theme to which these women can definitely relate. Trying to raise a
family in a macho society on less then $1 per day, with pagan neighbors who ridicule you daily, calls on one to be strong and
courageous if you are to survive.
They came by truckload, bicycle and ox cart to share in the fellowship, and they all went home with a song on their lips, joy
in their hearts and a beautiful T-shirt to remember the day.
Four years ago there were fewer then 20 Christian ladies and, now, more then 300 can meet for a special day because
you cared enough to send the love of God to them. ✞

Serving God . . .
Continued from page 62
amongst other things, for the first time,
about baptism being for the forgiveness
of sin, although I had read the relevant
passages so many times.
I finally surrendered to God prop-
erly, and was baptised in accordance
with the Bible in April 2002. The joy
of really knowing God as my heavenly
Father and Jesus Christ as my Lord and
Saviour in these last six years has been
indescribable. As I obeyed God through
a biblical baptism, my sin was forgiven
and I received the Holy Spirit. Where-
as during the previous thirty-six years
in a denominational setting, as I had not
been baptised into Christ, my sin had
never been forgiven and I had never
received the Holy Spirit. This fact ex-
plains the struggles of those years. I’m
so grateful to God for giving me an-
other chance, to be finally saved!
I have just retired from the work-
force, having spent a few decades in the
Australian private and public sectors.
In this next phase of my life, I would
like to concentrate on helping Vietnam-
ese people in two areas: assisting peo-
ple with an ancestor worshipping or
similar religious background to get in-
terested in the Bible, as it can be shown
that the Bible answers all their ques-
tions; and helping people with a de-
nominational background to recognise
their errors and to follow the New Tes-
tament faithfully.
Regarding the former, I’m writing
a small book, discussing ancestor and
idol worship and suggesting that the
Bible can satisfy the worshipper’s
hopes and desires (Acts 17:23-31). I
hope to finish the book, which will be
in both English and Vietnamese, and
publish it in Vietnam in mid-2009. The
latter has been an on-going challenge
for me in the last six years (I’m pleased
to report that my mother, who is now
91 years old, was baptised into Christ in
2004, after many years in various Viet-
namese denominations).
When I first became a New Testa-
ment Christian, I thought my conver-
sion and experience from many years in
a denominational setting should readily
convince Vietnamese people of similar
background to be interested in what the
Bible has to say. However, those with
whom I have talked have raised many
barriers, such as: they are comfortable
with what they have known all their
life; they don’t want to risk losing
friends by leaving their church; and
they cannot see anything wrong with
what they are doing (their pastors are
saying so!).
I’m praying for courage and pa-
tience, as I continue to seek out those
who wish to absolutely obey God’s
Word, both in Vietnam and Australia.
I’m hoping to spend a few months each
year in Vietnam.
I’m giving thanks to God and hav-
ing the best time of my life, doing what
I have been dreaming of doing for
many years: focusing on God totally,
praising Him for the unspeakable joy,
praying for Vietnamese people and
seeking opportunities to share the glo-
rious Gospel with them. ✞
 Cambodia -- USA -- Cambodia
From the Killing
Fields to Life
Sokhom Hun
I arrived as a Cambodian refugee
in Dallas, Texas, with my wife, Phaline,
and baby daughter, Sophadavy, on Feb-
ruary 28, 1981. Our trip from a transi-
tion center in the Philippines was the
last leg of a journey that actually began
with the fall of Vietnam in 1975.
I was born on May 10th, 1957, in
Svay Rieng Province. In 1968, when
Cambodia became involved in the Viet-
nam War, the U.S started bombing Cam-
bodia. At the time, my father was the
mayor of the province and was also serv-
ing as Justice of the Peace. By 1970,
Svay Rieng was controlled by the Khmer
Rouge. My father and mother separated.
My father ran to the city to hide, but my
mother, my two older sisters, my younger
brother, and I were left behind in the vil-
lage with the Khmer Rouge.
A year later, at the age of thirteen, I
went to Phnom Penh to continue my
schooling. At sisteen, I joined a Com-
mando Specialist Team (protector of the
city) during the night and went to school
during the day. In 1975, Pol Pot took
over and captured everyone for interro-
gations. My father told the truth and
was executed. I lied and said that I was
only a student. A friend who told them
that I was lying and that I was one of the
protectors of the city betrayed me. They
arranged for my execution, but my life
was spared. One of the officers thought
that I would be a useful prisoner on the
farm since I was still young.
While in prison, I was malnour-
ished and became very ill with malaria
and other diseases. I weighed about
seventy-five pounds and could not walk
on my own. I was so hungry at one
point that I started to cut meat from a
dead water buffalo for food. I acciden-
tally cut my hand while I was cutting
the meat and the wound became in-
fected. The infection went to my blood
and I was going to die. An old man
came to me while I was lying ill in the
fields. He took
care of me and
nursed me with
medicine and
herbal remedies.
Two years
later, all 300
Ancient Buddhist temple site at Angkor Wat, Cambodia.
prisoners were
lined up for execution. A Vietnamese
fighting plane interrupted the execution
and everyone scattered. I was sent to the
rice fields to pick rice and dig irrigation on September 11th, 1979.
systems. Several times my life was
barely spared. I saw many of my friends
and my father tortured and murdered.
This was a terrible time, the time of the
“killing fields”. Someone might think
that I am just a natural-born survivor, but was Kao I Dang Refugee Camp, run by
now I know it was by the grace of God.
In 1979, Cambodia was invaded by
Vietnam. After the fall of Pol Pot, I
was moved to the capital, Phnom Penh,
where I was assigned to work in a
warehouse for drugs and medicine. I
saw first-hand that the government was
corrupt and that my people were still
being denied and mistreated. I tried to
help the women and children who were
suffering most of all. Favoritism and
retaliation were meted out with medi-
cine! I sneaked medicine and assis-
tance out to them. As I was sneaking
medical supplies to them one day, I was
suddenly caught in the act by the Viet-
namese patrol. I ran while they were
showering me with bullets from their
ak47’s. I barely escaped.
I then went into hiding for over a
month with a group of political people
who were against the corrupted gov-
ernment. There were thirty of us, total,
including me. We hid in an apartment
in the suburbs of Phnom Penh.
One night a friend invited me to a
get-together in Phnom Penh. He sent a
friend of his, Phaline, to pick me up.
That evening, all members of the politi-
cal group that I was involved in were
64
killed in the place where we were hid-
ing. Phaline brought me back to
Phnom Penh and later we were married
We needed to flee for safety. For
three weeks we traveled on foot from
Phnom Penh through back roads and
jungle to Battambang in northern Cam-
bodia. There, just across the border,
the United Nations. While in Kao I
Dang, our daughter Sophadavy was
born. There were no hospitals or medi-
cal facilities available.
In the refugee camp, I was im-
pressed with the love and compassion
of the Christian missionaries and aid
workers who helped us. This was such
a contrast to the “liberations” I had ex-
perienced and the inaction and seeming
unconcern of our Buddhist religious
leaders. We had somehow escaped
capture and certain death! As I look
back, I am amazed at how many times
God saved my life before He brought
me to America!
After nearly a year, Phaline, So-
phadavy our baby daughter, and I ar-
rived at DFW with several other fami-
lies sponsored through Catholic Chari-
ties. We were placed in apartments in
Old East Dallas, a location not too far
from the Highland Park Church of
Christ where Pat Brooks was the minis-
ter.
One late Wednesday evening we
saw a church van arrive to pick up
refugees to go to church. We asked
Continued on page 68
 65
Kalay Bible School
A major priority of our work in
Myanmar the past eleven years has
been to equip local brethren with
preaching, teaching, and leadership
skills needed to spread the Gospel to
Myanmar’s population of over 50
million people. Myanmar Bible Col-
lege, (MBC) near Yangon, was
formed to facilitate this objective.
The task of equipping is espe-
cially difficult because of (1) the
strict military government and its re-
strictions on the activities of its citi-
zens, (2) the very poor economy of
the country, (3) the lack of a widely
spoken national language, (4) the dis-
tances and difficulties involved in
travel for local citizens, (5) restric-
tions place on the activity of foreign
visitors, especially travel to isolated
areas, and (6) the lack of religious
freedom.
In spite of these difficulties, our
approach through the use of training
schools is working well and is being
used to reach people throughout the
country. Local evangelists can travel
Construction for Kalay Bible
College is now completed.
Wayne Barrier
The baptism of one of the students who attended the classes.
to reach people and places we cannot
visit. They can deal with cultural and
language diversity that foreigners
cannot effectively handle. There are
12 major language and tribal groups
in Myanmar. More than 125 dialects
are spoken across the country. We
often train English-speaking local
brethren who have mastered six to ten
languages and dialects. During the
past eleven years, over 400 students
have taken classes and are better
equipped for the task at hand.
Many students have attended
MBC from northern Myanmar, espe-
cially the Kalay area. These former
students have been effective in teach-
ing the Gospel to hundreds of fellow
citizens who have been converted to
Christ.
Our team has made nine trips to
Kalay during the past four years to
teach Bible classes to more than
2,000 new Christians. During our
latest trip, in April, 2008, we taught
leadership classes to 130 Kalay-area
preachers, teachers and leaders. An
ongoing school effort was needed in
this area. Based on this need, Kalay
Bible School has been formed. A
new building, constructed primarily
Myanmar
by Kalay-area brethren, has been built
to house this school. Classes con-
ducted in the past have been held in
buildings rented from others.
Kalay Bible School will provide
an ongoing Bible class program,
leadership training, and monthly
seminars for preachers and teachers.
Annual meetings with classes for new
Christians are taught by both local
and foreign brethren. Local brethren
have planned and implemented this
new effort to better keep pace with
training needs for the rapidly growing
church in the area. We are encour-
aged by their strong desire to spread
the Gospel in this Buddhist nation. It
is a blessing to us to have the oppor-
tunity to assist with their efforts to
evangelize their own country.
In Yangon itself, two training
schools are conducted each year, for
five weeks. Members of our World
Evangelism team, and other volun-
teers, take turns filling the weeks
each spring and fall. ✞
Wayne and Janet Barrier of Florence, AL
can be reached at 256-766-2807.
 Myanmar
A T ri p t o Kal ay
Wayne, Vance Hutton and I left in a
small jet from Yangon, Myanmar early
in the morning after waiting an hour for
the fog to lift. As we left the city, we
could see how much of the land along
the Irrawaddy River was near flood
stage. Low over Mandalay, we could
see the men in Chinese-looking hats
with their pairs of oxen plowing in each
square field. We rose high over the
mountains, with little villages nestled
in-between the green peaks.
As we began our decent into Ka-
lay, we could see the small teak
houses lining a partially paved road.
The plane seemed to be landing on
top of them, but we glided to a stop
beside the newly constructed airport
terminal. As we descended the steps
of the plane, we spotted brother Thian
Lian, with his bomber jacket, silver
tooth, and broad smile, waving in the
crowd of faces near the terminal en-
trance. We said our hellos and hur-
ried through the crowded corridor to
the front of the airport. Several
young preachers helped us with our
bags as we crossed the street to our
hotel.
The freshly washed sheets were
drying on lines along the front steps
of the Taungsalot Hotel. The lobby
had a wooden floor and was lined
with chairs along two walls. A short,
stocky Burmese man, with long facial
hairs protruding from a good-sized
mole on his chin, helped us to check
in. The higher up in the hotel you go,
the more expensive and less used the
room, so we took the $15 room on the
fifth floor. As we started up the steps,
several slim young girls followed
behind with our bags.
Our room looked just as we had
left it 18 months before! One queen
size bed and a twin bed, with “Taung-
salot” printed on the sheets, a table,
two chairs and a clothes rack. No hot
water, and one dingy towel each.
There were two windows; one opened
Janet Barrier
to the street, while the other gave a
beautiful view of the mountains be-
hind a very tall Catholic Church
building and school. We rushed to
freshen up a bit before we left for our
day’s adventure.
Back out on the street, we clam-
bered into the rear of a small “taxi”
pick-up truck, took our seats on the
benches on each side of the bed, and
bumped along the road about 20
blocks to the school near Thian Lian’s
place. Behind his woven bamboo
house was the newly constructed
school building. He and the local
men of the church had done most of
the work. It is two stories with class-
rooms and eating area downstairs and
living quarters upstairs.
We started our seminars with
about 160 people in attendance, some
walking distances of over 50 miles to
be there. I was to teach in the room
on the far end of the building. We
divided, and about 35 women and six
children were in my class. Mothers
brought their children to class, with
the youngest of them neatly cradled
on their backs in a sling made of
woven fabric. Lydia, Thian Lian’s
sister, translated my English into the
Chin language. She looked very
weak because she had been in the
hospital for a month and had just
checked out that day to help me.
We began our class, but a cow was
mooing outside the window and every-
one laughed. Smoke would occasion-
ally come in the window because the
cooking area was nearby. The students
were very attentive even though they
were sitting on a thin mat on the hard
brick floor, for hours at a time. We had
a break for lunch and went to the Sweet
Dreams café, a Chinese restaurant ap-
proved for foreigners. We resumed
after lunch and met until 4 PM. A night
session was held with Vance and
Wayne doing the preaching. The sing-
ing was very enthusiastic, with 4-part
66
harmony. Thian Lian had prepared a
songbook with English on one side and
Chin on the other, so it was easy to par-
ticipate.
Early the next morning we could
hear the sounds of roosters and horses
hooves, clip-clop, clip-clop on the
pavement, so we knew it was time to
get moving. Ting Ting helped Lydia
by writing the lessons on the board
for the group. She is a young mother
of two, and soon to be three. Every-
one who can read and write takes
notes for all of the lessons. Each of
the five days of classes was con-
ducted in this manner. I noticed that
on the last day it was very quiet in
class. I later learned that the cow had
been killed for a meal in our honor!
In the afternoon of the fifth day,
we all walked down to the stream that
meandered through the town, to bap-
tize the people who had decided to
become Christains. We passed many
teak houses and even more bamboo
ones, and eventually we moved on
out into the countryside. We saw ox
carts, well kept gardens and small
houses. The group became much
larger as we neared the stream. Six
people were immersed in the swollen
waters while the others were singing
on the bank.
Having finished our classes and
enjoyed the unexpected beef roast
dinner, we left early the following
morning, with many of the preachers
and teachers waiting to wave to us as
we ascended the steps of the plane.
Flying over the mist-covered tops of
the mountains, it all seemed like a
dream in another world, as we re-
turned to our hotel in the capital city
of Yangon. ✞
Janet and Wayne Barrier of Florence,
AL, part of the World Evangelism team,
can be reached at wbarrier@hiwaay.net
 67
Tibet, once an inde-
Tibet
pendent country, is an
occupied region of the
People’s Republic of
China with a population
of several million people.
Tibet is one of the most
isolated places in the Wayne Barrier
world, due to both geo-
logical and political ob-
stacles. The southern border is shared with India, Nepal,
Bhutan and Burma. The primary religion of the popula-
tion is Lamaism, a form of Buddhism. Brethren have re-
ported baptisms in some key tourist destinations, but the
Gospel has been taught to very few Tibetans.
Over the past eight years, many of the students attend-
ing Myanmar Bible College (MBC) near Yangon, Myan-
mar have traveled from northern states of the country.
Some of these students have come from the northern-most
state (Kachin) that borders Tibet. In 2004, two students
from this area expressed interest in reaching across the
border into Tibet to preach and teach. Over the next few
months, plans were formulated for this mission. With the
aid of Brother U. Kyaw Sein, who helped found MBC, the
plans were finalized in October 2004, with an initial trip in
November to define a course for trips to follow in Decem-
ber and January to reach further into the country. Brother
Ahki led these missions.
The first trip was completed as planned, with Ahki
reaching the border area, and surveying needs to go fur-
ther. The second trip took him into several villages and
small cities of China and Tibet. The third trip was much
further into Tibet, requiring several days of travel on foot
through very difficult mountain trails and passes. Upon
reaching the first city after crossing the mountains, Brother into new areas. Brother Ahki was given funds to purchase
Ahki became very sick with fever, vomiting and dysentery.
After realizing he did not have the medicine needed for
treating himself (Brother Ahki was a medical doctor), he
went to the local military hospital. He was effectively
treated, but was now exposed as an illegal visitor. He
would be imprisoned or punished in some other way. Just
Tibet
prior to arrest, a Chinese
doctor who had once
served under brother Ahki
in the military recognized
him. They were good
friends, but they had not
seen each other in 25
years. Through his
friend’s influence he was
released and given an
identity card for safe passage in Tibet. Travel that fol-
lowed resulted in preaching in 26 villages and cities with
several baptisms. With the identity card he could return
over and over to further advance the work there.
Brother Ahki in a Tibetan village.
Plans were made in March 2005 for several return vis-
its during the summer to the same region, with excursions
Bibles and medicine for distribution as he traveled. These
visits were made as planned and 36 baptisms resulted,
with congregations being started in numerous places along
his route.
Tragically, following brother Ahki’s November/
December 2006 trip with some of his students, on his re-
turn home in January, he suffered a fatal heart attack. His
death was a great loss, but we are thankful for his pioneer-
ing spirit and efforts to reach the Tibetan people. We pray
that his students, from the same region of Burma, who de-
sire to carry on his work, will be successful.
We continue to be blessed with opportunities to help
with the spread of the Gospel to places where millions
have never heard the truth. As always, we look back at the
way things happen and realize that we often achieve our
goals of reaching new areas and people as a result of cir-
cumstances and events never included in our plans, but
certainly a part of God’s providential oversight. Even in
what we would count as “tragedies”, as with brother
Ahki’s death, God is working. Please continue to pray for
us and for our courageous co-workers in Asia. ✞
 Cambodia -- USA -- Cambodia
From the Killing Fields to Life
Continued from page 64
him for help and he took us to Highland
Park Church. They invited and brought
us to worship in an orange van a Chris-
tian mechanic fixed up and gave for us.
Pat taught us with colored filmstrips
through a translator the church hired.
Pat also encouraged the congregation to
action saying, “God has brought the
mission field to our very door step!”
The Highland Park church expanded
its ministry to the Cambodian refugees.
English classes were taught twice weekly.
Our numbers at the church increased to
40 or more each Sunday. Many of us
accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord
and were baptized, including Phaline and
myself.
Our Cambodian church moved to
Peak and Eastside with Pat in 1985
where it continued to grow with support
from area congregations. The church
had recently conducted a citywide cam-
paign, calling all Cambodians to be “just
Christians”, to follow the Bible alone
and to become a strong presence for Je-
sus Christ in our community. This effort
became the basis of the congregation,
which was organized under the elders’
oversight until we established our own
leadership. I worked hard to bring my
people, who had suffered so much from
Communism, together in the name of
Christ. I was chosen one of the elders
and have served until my recent ap-
pointment earlier this year as leader of
the church’s mission committee.
Through the grace of God and the
help of many of our American brothers
and sisters in Christ, the church now
has a fine physical plant and well over
75 members. One of the former teach-
ers at the Center for Christian Educa-
tion, Dr. Michael Landon, a graduate of
Harding University, is now teaching
Bible and Christian leadership as a vol-
unteer at our congregation. He is loved
and esteemed by our people. But let
me go back a bit in my personal story.
My first job was found for me by
the refugee agency. It was in a bottle
factory, buried in downtown Dallas. I
had to be there by 3:00 AM on work-
days. There was no way to get there at
first, so Pat took me until I could find
another ride from one of my fellow em-
ployees. Later, Pat was very happy to
help us find our first car. In the summer
of 1981 he helped me find a job at an
auto trim shop on Garland Road, Brun-
ner’s Auto Trim and Glass. Here I
learned the business from the ground up.
I worked for Henry and Butch Brunner
(a member at Webb Chapel) for 10
years. In 1991, Howard Winslow, who
owned Winslow’s Auto Trim just down
the street, hired me.
By this time I was one of the best
trim men in Dallas. We bought our own
little house in Mesquite. Our children
were all attending Mesquite public
schools. We bought a new van. We were
able to bring my aging mother to the
United States. I was living the American
Dream. But I never forgot the poor
Cambodians who were unable to escape
their oppressive East Dallas environment,
nor did I forget from where I had come.
About two years ago, Van and I
began taking evening classes at the
Center for Christian Education in
Irving. One of our teachers was Dr.
Herman Alexander who told us.about
one of his missionary friends, Bill Sin-
gleton, now living in Stockton, Califor-
nia. Bill, a missionary to Cambodia,
has a great love and passion for the
work there. When he learned that my
family and I planned a summer trip to
visit relatives in our homeland in 2005,
he encouraged me to visit churches he
had planted. And then it hit me!
Our trip should become a trip to
God’s glory, a survey of churches and
conditions in my homeland where peo-
ple were still hurting from the ravages
of war, poverty, and the corruption of
selfish rulers. I would return to my
country with good news for the poor! I
knew this was a call from God. We
began praying, planning, and preparing.
The results were incredible. God
helped us raise over $8,000 for rice, rice
seed, Bibles, mosquito nets, and other
forms of assistance to the poor villagers
68
, cont.
we would visit. I personally paid for
every one of the round trip tickets that my
family of five needed for our journey. It’s
one of the first times in my life that I have
ever been forced to use a credit card!
Every cent we gathered was to help the
poor Christians and for Gospel work in
Cambodia. What an experience for Pha-
line, myself, and our three children -- So-
phadavy 25, Melinda 23, and Matthew 19
-- as we traveled through the provinces,
cities, and villages of my homeland! One
of the joys of this trip was that my old
boss and friend, Howard Winslow, now
also my neighbor in Kaufman County,
contributed to and went with us on this
trip, at his own expense. His generosity
and interest in the people were a great
blessing.
To date, over 100 people have been
baptized into Christ as a result of hear-
ing the Gospel preached through my
lessons. I simply talked about the good
news of Jesus and the church He died
to save. Jesus ministered among the
poor and needy. We wanted to do the
same. This response to God’s word
overwhelmed me.
Our 2-week trip to Cambodia
changed our lives. I feel a tremendous
need to return in the not too distant fu-
ture to check on, assist, and encourage
the young churches and the young Cam-
bodian preachers we met who are trying
to minister to them. And then there is
the long view.
Someday, maybe not too many
years from now, Phaline and I can go
home . . . to be with our people there, to
give back, to tell the story, to share the
mercy of God that has been shown to
us. In the time, between now and then,
I want to visit, and I know that I will
need help. There is no doubt in my
mind that this is what Jesus wants me
to do. God has called a small, unimpor-
tant, unlettered man such as me to fur-
ther His work among the people I know
and love. God has touched my heart
through His church, His Word and my
hurting people. How can I say no? ✞
Sokhom Hun 972-487 -0993
 69
I ndonesi a,
Giant of Southeast Asia
Colin McKee
Indonesia, the giant of South East
Asia, has a population of more than 220
million, making it the fourth largest
nation in the world, just after the U.S.A.
The country is made up of some 17,000
islands, of which about 13,000 are in-
habited. More than 700 dialects are
A baptism in the ocean at Nias
spoken, but Indonesian is the national
language since the country’s independ-
ence in 1947, and it is the medium of
instruction for all schools. Conse-
quently, one can communicate with the
population of the entire nation using
Bahasa Indonesian.
The church began in Indonesia in
1967 when the first missionary family
moved to Jakarta. A number of full
time workers from the States have lived
there over the years, and hundreds of
congregations have been established
throughout the country on all the major
islands. There are congregations also in
the large cities of Jakarta, Semarang,
Medan, and Yogyakarta.
The five-city metropolis of cosmo-
politan Jakarta has a population in ex-
cess of 20 million people. That is more
than the combined populations of Ala-
bama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Ten-
nessee!
Steve Cate spends eight months per
year in two-month stents, working in
the Jakarta area. An American family
that has been living in Irian Jaya will be
soon be moving to Jakarta to help with
Indonesia
that work. There are several hundred A training class for the Gunung Sitoli
Bible correspondence course students in Church of Christ in Nias.
the Jakarta metro, and a local brother,
Daniel Setiabudi, works with Steve and
with the students. He also conducts a
weekly radio broadcast that covers the
area.
In the last three years the church
has seen rapid growth in Nias, an island
off the west coast of the large island of
Sumatra, with some 40 new congrega-
tons. Much relief work was done there
after a devastating earthquake in 2005,
and since the church was heavily in-
volved in that effort, we reaped the Dennis Cady, Benyamin Laiya (preacher
benefits of open doors for the Gospel. of the Gospel for 35 years), and Colin
Dennis Cady was one of the prime McKee during meetings in Indonesia.
movers behind this relief work and the
new growth in Nias. He travels there
several times a year and is responsible
for on-going programs in Gunung Si-
toli, including erecting a church build-
ing and maintaining several dorms for
young people (mainly from church
families), enabling them to come from
the villages and have access to high
school and college education, which
otherwise would not be available to
them. They are all given regular Bible
classes and participate in worship with Alipe Djoehari works full time for an
the local church. American company and also preaches
There are three Bible training for the church in Jakarta.
schools in Indonesia that are maintained
by the brethren. They are spread from populace. Great challenges and great
Irian Jaya to Batam, an island next door opportunities exist for the spread of the
to Singapore. The school in Batam has truth in this Asian giant.
a beautiful new campus and facility, as One of the special needs is provid-
well as a very nice new church building ing literature for evangelization of the
in a different area from the school. lost, and maturation of the saints. My
Winston Bolt serves as the President of wife and I are focusing on meeting this
the school. need for the people of Indonesia, as
In addition to the regular training well as making periodic trips for teach-
schools, there are numerous training ing and training. ✞
seminars conducted on site with con- Colin and Ellen McKee worked for a
gregations throughout the country. number of years in Medan, Indonesia.
There are frequent baptisms in this Besides yearly trips to the country, Colin
overwhelmingly Islamic nation that, so now translates literature into Bahasa
far, has granted religious freedom to its Indonesian and raises funds for printing.
 South Korea
Measure by the Hour:
Do they really want to worship?
Sister Choi on my right in the
picture, drive two hours from the East
in order to attend worship at Kang
Nam. Brother Kim on my left comes
over two and one half hours from up
North. Next is another Kim family
that comes an hour and a half from
down south and, on the end, sister
Kang and her husband (missing from
the picture) travel two and a half
hours from the south on the freeway.
Kwihwa and I, plus several others in
the congregation, travel one hour or
more. One needs to keep in mind
Seoul is a metropolis of 16 million,
all living next to each other, and traf- edgeable in the Word in order to prop-
fic is getting worse.
WEBPAGE UPDATE
As you know, we share with you
the problems we have as well as the
results that make us all happy. Well,
this past two months, the computer
used for the webpage somehow re-
ceived a virus that our virus blocker
missed. It was down over three weeks
and most of that time has been spent
in reloading all of the files we had
backed up. We faithfully do this just
in case of such incidents. We are up
and running again, and are back to
normal. Poor brother Kim has been
working franticly to get this done.
As you can see in the picture of one the religious world around
of the team’s “publishing” meetings,
everything has to be checked and
double-checked. We have one tract
published. I am now waiting to see if
we can publish the rest in America for
if we can, it will be much cheaper.
Here prices of printing doubled in
The Picture in
South Korea
Malcom Parsley
one month due to
the oil price jump.
Now both gasoline
and diesel are over
$8 per gallon. We
drive only as we
have to, but this is a
big city and things are far apart in time
(distance is only 15-25 miles across the
city, but it is all city driving).
Brother Paul Whitehead has just
finished his adult Bible study course on
the church. It is 26 lessons. Brother
Chung has this past month translated
over ten lessons and, as he is trying to
finish up the translating, we are trying
to get all the proof reading and format-
ting done as soon as possible. We must
raise funds for this much-needed
course, for the churches have no guided
study material, and many of the church
leaders are not yet adequately knowl-
erly guide the congregation. Please be
praying with us in this and help us as
you can. We so much need material to
keep the brethren growing in unity.
CHURCH PROBLEM CAME;
CHURCH PROBLEM GONE
(we pray).
All mission fields con-
stantly face problems. However, some
problems are viewed as larger than oth-
ers. Our more recent good-sized one is
that among some of our more liberal
preachers (again, every mis-
sion field has them, as even
Paul did) some got the idea
they wanted to become like
them, and get some more
prestige and honor from man.
Therefore, they decided they
were going to use the annual
preachers’ meeting in August
to start laying hands on each
other and ordaining one an-
70
other as approved preachers (How divi-
sive can some selfish people get?). I
didn’t know about it (I wonder why?)
until brother Kwak, one of our fine
preachers on the island of Cheju, called
and wanted to know if this was scrip-
tural or not?
Brother Ham and I put our heads
together and sent him, as soon as possi-
TRACT MINISTRY IS COMING
ALONG WELL;
FIRST TRACT PUBLISHED
ble, the Scriptures and a few thoughts
we had to show why ordaining was
unscriptural. He, in turn, prepared the
materials and sent them to several other
preachers, as well as to those in charge
of the program. The results were “it
was officially decided that ordaining
preachers was not going to be part of
the program this year”. This gives us
one more year to get a tract printed and
distributed to all 112 churches. Please
be praying with us in this. We really
need to reprint all of the 52 tracts we
printed in the 1970’s. They handled so
many of these problems. Please pray
for us and help us in this as you can.
Thank you. ✞
Malcom Parsley has worked most of his
adult life in South Korea. His contact
information is ✞
“Publishing” team meeting
 71
On the Brink of
History!
Philippine Theological College
Demar Elam
Brethren, we are siting on the cut-
ting edge of history regarding evangel-
ism in the church of Christ during our
lifetime! God has placed us in an
“Open door” opportunity in the Philip-
pines, in a position to do something
monumental in evangelism for Christ.
The Philippines have been referred
to as “the gateway to Asia”. Philippine
Theological College (PTC) is located
in the region of Luzon and the province
of Pangasinan. Here, we are training
and equipping faithful Filipino men for
ministry in the Philippines, their Jerusa-
lem, but we are also preparing these
talented young men for missionary
service in China when God opens that
door. When that day comes, we need to
be ready for evangelism in that country
of 1.3 billion souls.
Yes, we need to prepare for China!
Brethren, we were not trained and
equipped for the task when God opened
the door to the former Soviet Union.
We had prayed for years about the op-
portunity, but we had not properly pre-
pared to respond. We cannot afford to
repeat that mistake regarding China!
Philippine Theological College
provides us with the tool for prepara-
tion for that challenge of souls when it
comes to us. Because of the liberal
gifts of those who have been supporting
the “Open Door Ministry”, we have a
campus and two buildings already in
use. But we badly need a three-story
multipurpose building that will house a
dining hall, classrooms, office space,
The newly established congregation on the campus of Philippine Theological College..
Philippines -- China
Bible Literature for China
The church in Spanish Fort, Alabama has been involved in reaching out to
Chinese speaking people — both in the USA and in mainland China — for the
past 14 years. One of the main thrusts of this ministry has been to provide bi-
lingual [English & simplified Chinese] Bible lessons as well as religious and
science articles to those who are searching for Truth. Written materials come
from many different sources, including Edward Short & Edward Ho from World
Christian Broadcasting in Franklin, TN; David Finch in Baton Rouge, LA;
George & Martha Tien from Ohio; Daniel Hung at the Westside church in San
Francisco; Eddie Cloer with Truth for Today in Searcy, AR; the Westbury
church in Houston; John Grubb with Truth for the World in Duluth, GA and
many more.
If you, or someone you know in your congregation, have plans to go to
China and would like to have any of these materials, please let us know. Also,
if you would like to receive a catalog of available materials, please contact us at
the address below.
Likewise, if members of your congregation are involved in reaching out to
Chinese people who are studying or working in the USA, please contact us. We
will send 6-7 lessons or studies, once a month, free of charge, to anyone living
in the USA or Canada. All materials are bi-lingual — both Chinese and English
— which makes it easy for non-Chinese speakers to share them with Chinese
friends. God has brought the nation of China to our doorstep — so please con-
tact the Spanish Fort Church of Christ at P.O. Box 7305, Spanish Fort, AL
36577 or chinaliterature@bellsouth.net for more information. ✞
and a men’s dormitory. This building dollars! In contrast, please think about
will enable us to have lodging for fifty what can ultimately be achieved with
students. What a fabulous opportunity! this building for the cause of Christ!
Our dream is to have fifty men enrolled Perhaps some individual Christian
in the four-year program for service in who has been blessed with wealth will
the Philippines, and for future service in decide to pay the entire cost of the
China. The twenty-nine new congrega- building. Or, we may have to raise the
tions and 1,300 souls baptized in this needed amount by a grassroots fund-
region of the Philippines alone gives us raising effort of $5, $10, $25, $50,
an idea of what can be done for Christ. $100, $500, etc., contributions. Which-
So, it is in faith that we launch out ever way God wants us to do it, I have
in a fund-raising campaign for the new faith that He will provide for His chil-
multipurpose building. The projected dren, through His children. ✞
cost is $300,000, which is a substantial
Dr. Demar Elam
amount of money, but just think of the 18755 Moyers Road
churches around our brotherhood that Athens, AL 35611
are constructing buildings that range Phone: 256-230-0074
anywhere from one to twenty million demar.dixie@charter.net
 Japan
Naoyoshi Fukushima and Yukikazu Obata
The Japanese
are success-driven
people. We measure
our success by how
prestigious our job is
and how much we
have. We like to
succeed, but it is
difficult to be suc-
cessful in life if you
do not know the
purpose or goal of
life.
Many people
are seeking God or
religion, but only to
fulfill their dreams.
Even Christians
tend to do this.
However, God does
not exist to serve
our purposes and to fulfill our dreams.
We exist because God had a dream in
eternity to create us in His image and to
love us for eternity. We exist to serve
God’s purpose. At the end, only God’s
plan will be accomplished.
There was a Christian boom and an
American boom after World War II.
The missionaries were able to baptize
thousands and to start many congrega-
tions. The majority of the congrega-
tions that exist today were begun then,
but many of these are dying now with-
out ever learning how to grow. Back
then there was no missions department
in any of our colleges in America, but
now there is. You American Christians
have studied and learned so much since
then. You have applied what you
learned about establishing congrega-
tions here and elsewhere successfully.
We would like to learn what you have
learned and how you are doing it. I
believe that Paul, as a missionary, kept
on growing, and what he learned he
shared with his co-workers and with
churches he established. He wrote let-
ters when he could not go personally,
and he sent Timothy and Titus to com-
Japan
plete the tasks that were not quite fin-
ished yet. We would like for mission-
aries to stay longer when they come to
Japan, or at least long enough to estab-
lish and develop churches. Time is not
the real issue.
During the allied military occupa-
tion of Japan, even the Emperor had
regular Bible studies. People rushed to
Gospel meetings held by American
missionaries. Among our fellowship, it
has been written that more than 5,000
people were baptized during this era.
This was a great time of rapid growth.
In retrospect, what happened in
succeeding years? After only 25 years
of missions, 0.8% of the population
were Christians. But why are still less
than 1% Christians after 60 years of
missions? In the post-WWII period,
5,000 people were baptized, but why do
we have only about 1,000 Japanese
Christians today?
Here I would like to point to the
problem of so-called “ex-Christians”,
or “former Christians”, “one-time
Christians”, much like those who
were at one time “hippies” or “com-
munists”. Becoming a Christian was a
72
“stage” people
went through.
One of the rea-
sons why Japa-
nese Christians
can abandon
their faith is be-
c a u s e s o m e-
where in the bot-
tom of their heart
they perceive
God in a panthe-
istic and polythe-
istic sense, rather
than as Someone
with Whom we
have a living
relationship.
Future Work
in Japan
This is why we need more. We
have had great periods of success using
English, but what do we see now?
From a larger historical perspective, we
cannot be satisfied with only the cur-
rent success of the English ministry in
Japan. We need more.
I would suggest that the future
work in Japan would be in three areas:
church planting, the partnership of
Japanese and American Christians, and
cultivating deeper spirituality.
Church Planting — The churches
are concentrated in Ibaraki, Tokyo, and
Shizuoka. Why? Those are the places
missionaries worked. We have not
grown in other parts of Japan. Why?
Because we have not planted churches
much in other areas. Churches can
lose the impulse to work redemp-
tively among unbelievers. Chrisians
turn inwardly, and they forget the
world around them. I believe we
need to think about going out and
planting new churches. We need to to
get over the survival mentality.
Continued on page 74
 73
More than 100 years have past
since the Gospel was brought to Ja-
pan. Churches and Christians have
worked very hard to spread the Gos-
pel throughout the country ever since,
but still Christians remain less than
one percent of the total population.
The church of Christ is not an
exception. The number of churches
and Christians in our group has been
decreasing. What is the reason for
this? The Japanese are not necessar-
ily against Christianity. Rather, they
warmly accept it as a culture. Most
are friendly toward Christianity and
Christians, so why is it so difficult for
them to believe the Gospel and to
become a Christian? This is a crucial
question when we think of evangel-
ism in Japan. Why?
I think there are three main rea-
sons, three thorn bushes that make
evangelism in Japan very difficult.
First, the Japanese were at one
time very religious people, but they
lost their religious mind. As the
economy began to pick up and gain
success, the people became indiffer-
ent to spiritual things. At the end of
World War II, Japan was in state of
bankruptcy. We were extremely
poor, but we had generous ears to
listen to the message of the Gospel.
In this time of poverty, churches
of Christ grew rapidly. During the
decade of 1945-55, more than 70
churches were founded and nearly
Japan
Japan:
A
Thorny
Land
Akira Hirose
5,000 people were baptized. How- trast, 75% of couples celebrate their
ever, in the course of economic marriage in a chapel with a Christian
growth Japan became rich and lost its ritual. Why does such a strange thing
interest in spiritual things. In other happen in Japan? It happens because
words, the Japanese began to wor- Japanese gods are relative beings and
ship material things. This is not a the relationship between god and
social phenomena exclusive to Japan, man is also relative.
but may occur in any affluent society
in the world. The problem of Japan A man can easily become a god.
was that the changes were so big and
There is a god named Hirose and a
took place so fast that we failed to
adjust ourselves properly. In other shrine named Hirose. The Japanese
believe gods can live among us. This
words, the worship of material things
took the place of religious sentiment image of god makes it difficult for
in the minds of the Japanese. The Japanese to understand the true God. It
Japanese people became apathetic has been hard for Japanese to know
toward Christianity, and they no and recognize the God who is absolute,
longer turn their faces toward the all mighty, and the only God we should
church. They just worry about what
they shall eat or drink or wear. Continued on page 74
Secondly, the thorn bush of
polytheism is another obstacle to
evangelism in Japan. We have lived
with Shintoism for thousands of
years. Shintoism is a typical polythe-
istic religion, which says that there
are eight million gods in the world.
When Buddhism came to Japan via
Korea in the sixth century, people
accepted it without any hesitation
because they thought it was another
god to add to their long list of gods.
They take their newborn babies to the
Shinto shrine to pray for good for-
tune, and they bury their parents with
a Buddhist funeral. However, in con-
 Japan
Continued from page 72
Partnership — McDonald’s and
Seven-Eleven are both successful in
Japan. Japanese people wanted to
bring them to Japan, and since both
were managed by Japanese people,
they adjusted to fit the local culture.
Both sides met and worked together!
We need to be wise in employing
various mission methods. Short-term
or English ministry can amplify the
central tasks of the church. However,
they are terminal strategies and, by
themselves, cannot create reproduc-
tive ministry. Japanese people have
the sense of dependency, and if we
depend solely upon American short-
term missions, there is a greater like-
lihood of producing “ex-Christians”.
Concrete examples of American
Christians and Japanese Christians
consciously working together as
partners to plant a church would be
good.
The genius of the “Let’s Start
Talking” ministry in Japan is that it
is reaching people in a non-
threatening environment. This has
matched the timely need of the Japa-
nese for globalization. Mito city’s
AET’s are getting credentials and add
credibility to the English ministry.
Other private English schools also
contribute to the credibility of the
English ministry, but we need to be
careful not to depend solely on short
visits and “missionaries” whose ex-
perience and involvement in the local
scene is one or two weeks.
Deeper Spirituality — We need
long-term, well-trained missionaries.
English ministry is a “terminal” strat-
egy. In order for us to make a transi-
tion from “terminal” ministries to
“germinal” ministries which produce
lasting fruit, we need a bridge. We
need both Japanese Christians and
American Christians who know both
languages and cultures well. The
healthy picture is to have long-term
missionaries with adequate training
in language, culture, and biblical
Japan
studies who can also utilize English
and short-term ministries.
There is a current tendency to
“re-amateurize” missions by sending
unprepared or under-prepared work-
ers. One mission leader told me,
“There is a great tide of missionary
interest and giving. But it is geared
A Thorny Land
Continued from page 73
worship. It also means that it is diffi-
cult to know God as the Creator and
man as the creature. The Japanese
have difficulty knowing the true mean-
ing of sin. This means that it is diffi-
cult for Japanese to understand the
core message of the Gospel. This is
the main reason they stubbornly shut
their hearts to it.
The third thorn bush choking
evangelism is community con-
sciousness. The Japanese are not
individualistic people. They belong
to various communities such as fam-
ily, work, neighborhood, friends, etc.
They are strongly bound by the ties of
communities. This core personality
of the Japanese has been fostered in
the course of thousands of years of
history. The community conscious-
ness is a very strong power to pull
people back from Christianity. There
are so many people who have studied
the Bible with enthusiasm for a long
time and even understood the mean-
ing of the Gospel but still cannot be-
come a Christian because they fear
being different from the members of
their community.
So Japan is a difficult place to
preach the Gospel. It is the land of thorn
bushes. Even though churches and
Christians work hard for the Gospel, few
people are saved. It can be said that
evangelism in Japan is not efficient or
74
to a wide variety of vested interests,
without a unifying focus. Missions,
it seems, has become any Christian
volunteering to be sent anywhere in
the world at any expense to do any-
thing for any time period. Is this the
reamateurization of mission work?”
(Ralph Winter). ✞
productive. The output is very small
compared to the input.
Shall we abandon Japan and let
the people surrender to the wild
thorns and perish? No, never.
Japan is one of the richest coun-
tries in the world, but the Japanese
are one of the poorest nations, spiri-
tually. Jesus Christ ordered us, “Be
my witness to the ends of the earth”
(Acts 1:18). So we go out to preach
the Gospel in Africa, Latin America,
Eastern Europe, and now mainland
China. Obviously, these places are
also the “ends of the earth”, but Japan
is one of the most remote places in
the world. Yes, even spiritually Japan
qualifies as one of the places where
the Gospel should be preached.
In the land of these thick thorn
bushes, the tree of the kingdom is still
alive and bearing some fruit. It is
amazing grace, shown at the ends of
the earth.
Ephesians 3:20,21: “Now to Him
who is able to do immeasurably more
than we ask or imagine, according to
His power that is at work within us,
to Him be glory in the church and in
Christ Jesus throughout all genera-
tions, for ever and ever! Amen.” ✞
This work is sponsored by the Park
Avenue Church of Christ, 5295 Park
Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee, 38119-
3543. Dwight and Josephine Albright
serve as their missionaries in Japan.
 75
Japanese Lantern
Here in the
Ta c h i k a w a
church, the Lord
has been working
among us in some
truly marvelous
ways, and we are
happy to report
some awesome results
over the past couple of
months.
Baptisms
Recently, Erin Simpson
invited her friend from
work, Phil Graves, to
join us in several
Bible studies. Masa
Nonogaki came with
David, Erin, and Phil
over to our house
where we talked about
grace, faith, repentance,
and baptism in relation to
salvation in Christ. We had been
studying with David’s brother, Bran-
don, who was baptized earlier, but at
this point, Phil believed that his child-
hood baptism was sufficient for him.
Phil did want to study, though. He
met a young lady named Nickie Colvin
at his work and invited her to come to
worship. Masa and I continued our
discussions with Phil, and included
Nickie as well. Very soon, they both
came to the conclusion that they
wanted to be immersed into Christ;
Phil realized that he had not really un-
derstood what he was doing at such a
young age, and Nickie was so eager to
become a Christian that she invited
four or five friends from work to wit-
ness the event, which took place at the
Yo kota building. Both were thrilled to
have their sins washed away, to be
filled with God’s Spirit, and now to
look forward to their Lord’s return.
A week before, Masa Nonogaki
baptized Mr. Sawatari, a Japanese busi-
nessman with whom he had been
studying for six months. We are
Steve and Debbie Carrell
thrilled at these new additions to the
Lord’s family and pray that He will
enrich their faith, lead them in their
spiritual growth, and help them to al-
ways bear much fruit for His kingdom.
Gohdoh Reihai
Early in the morning on April 29th,
several of us from Tachikawa traveled
three hours north of Tokyo to Ibaraki
Christian College in Omika for the All-
Japan Spring Worship (Gohdoh Rei-
hai). For the first time, some of the
military members from Yokota, along
with several of their Japanese mem-
bers, rented a van to go to Omika. We
met them there for the day’s programs
and fellowship. Brother Sugao Tadok-
oro spoke from Psalm 96:1-6 on Offer-
ing Abundant Worship. An afternoon
discussion class was conducted in Eng-
lish by Chris Rosser from the Mito
church on, Learning to Worship with
Japanese Christians. Since several
who had come from Yokota spoke only
English and many AETs (American
English Teachers) were present, Debbie
and I thought we could be most useful
in that class. A number of other long-
term missionaries were also in the
class, so sharing ideas about worship-
ping in a Japanese congregation seem-
ed to be helpful for all involved.
Yokota Classes
❆ Ladies — Our base pass has
allowed Debbie and me several oppor-
tunities for fellowship with the Chris-
tians at Yokota. The Yokota ladies
have a monthly Bible study, but often
get together for birthdays, crafts, and
anniversaries as well.
❆ Men — While the ladies meet
for fellowship, the men decided to start
a “Leadership Training” class. I’m
teaching from Nehemiah on becoming
leaders for God. Phil Graves also at-
tended these classes before his baptism.
All who have attended are highly moti-
vated to study, discuss, and contribute
their thoughts to the class. I believe the
Lord is blessing these efforts to help
Japan
our men become more involved in tak-
ing leadership roles in the church.
❆ Japanese Class — We thought
that a Japanese language and culture
study might help Yokota members who
are here for two or three years, to have
some tools to be able to communicate
more effectively with Japanese people.
By starting the leadership class an hour
earlier, we can use a second hour for
Japanese study. This met with great
enthusiasm and excitement. They
should be able to read the Bible and
sing songs in Japanese, while learning
more about the Japanese people.
❆ Wed. p.m. — Our Genesis
class finished a few weeks ago and
Masa Nonogaki began a study of 1 and
2 Kings. He has done a masterful job
of making a complicated study very
interesting and understandable. When
Phil and Nickie were baptized, Masa
and I thought a study of “The Lord’s
Supper” would be good, not only for
our new Christians, but to enable the
whole congregation to understand it
better. For three weeks, we studied,
“The Passover Feast” (background of
the Supper); “The Meaning and Sig-
nificance of the Lord’s Supper”, and
some “Practical Considerations in
Waiting on the Lord’s Table”. The
whole church has enjoyed our discus-
sions and we believe the Lord has en-
riched us all.
As you can see, we are thrilled
with all the Lord is doing at Yokota.
Please pray that we will continue to
grow spiritually, to be alert against the
devil’s temptations, to be true to the
Lord, and to learn better each day how
to serve Him. God bless you all. ✞
Steve & Debbie Carrell work as mision-
aries in Japan.
E-mail:fujikid76@yahoo.com
Web: http://church.jp/tachikawa
 South Pacific
Reaching Islands and Nations with the Gospel
Randy English and his family be-
gan bringing the Gospel to remote
homes throughout the Pacific in 1989.
Their work is overseen by the elders at
the Forest Park Church of Christ.
Based in American Samoa, they direct
an extensive team of co-workers who
serve to evangelize, edify, and equip.
In 2004 they started Pacific Broadcast
Network. Pacific Broadcast encom-
passes three types of work, each focus-
ing on proclaiming the Gospel through
radio broadcasts in the Pacific Islands.
Radio Bible Program Production
First, Pacific Broadcast produces
and distributes radio Bible programs
to commercial stations and individu-
als in the Pacific Rim region. These
programs are made available without
charge and are supplied on CD, cas-
sette, and digital file format.
24/7 FM Radio Station Network
Second, Pacific Broadcast oper-
ates an FM radio network in Ameri-
can Samoa. Licensed by the FCC in
2004, radio station KULA-LP FM
95.1 operates 24 hours a day/7 days a
week. In just four years, God has
blessed this radio network to grow far
beyond our expectations and goals in
reaching the villages of American
Samoa with God’s precious Word.
International Broadcast Facility
The third element of Pacific
Broadcast is the development and op-
eration of an International Broadcast
Facility. By using the latest broadcast
technology, this facility will bring the
Gospel to millions of Polynesian, Mi-
cronesian, and Melanesian people liv-
ing throughout the Pacific rim area.
Rather than focusing on the islands of
just one nation, the facility will enable
us to teach listeners in every nation in
the Pacific, primarily through radio
broadcasts.
This vast region is represented by
thousands of islands with many differ-
ent languages. While English is used in
Randy English
a varying degree in each of the Pacific
Island nations, the International
Broadcast Facility will also produce,
distribute, and broadcast radio Bible
programming in other languages as
well.
Utilizing the latest and most reli-
able technologies, the facility will bring
the Gospel into millions of homes in
the Pacific through FM, AM, HF
(shortwave), satellite, and Internet.
Completion of Phase 1 (which includes
land acquisition, building, equipment,
FCC licenses, and funding) will have
the facility operating.
God has blessed us to already have
raised 50 percent of the funds needed to
begin construction of the new Interna-
tional Broadcast Facility. Still, we
need your financial help and prayers
to achieve our goal of reaching every
Pacific Island home with the Gospel!
We would love the opportunity to share
more with you regarding this fruitful
work for the Lord and how it will help
us to proclaim the Gospel everyday to
remote islands.
FM Radio: Bringing Godʼs Word
To Thousands
on Tutuila Island and Beyond
With the FM station broadcast fully
underway, we are now able to focus on a
second phase of improvements for this
great work with which God has blessed
us.
First, we are making additions to
the daily broadcast. One of the most
recognizable needs is for us to present
regular programming in the various
languages that are used in our nation,
with Samoan-language lessons being
paramount.
Other programming in Tongan,
Korean, Philippine, and Chinese will
likewise be added to the broadcast.
Although the number of people using
languages other than English and Sa-
moan may be small, they nonetheless
are present in the country of American
Samoa and therefore we believe it is a
76
great opportunity to reach them with
programming in their own languages.
Second, architectural plans have
now been completed for the radio sta-
tion facility and construction is
underway. Completion is expected by
December 2008. The need for this fa-
cility is great, and once completed it
will be of immediate use in advancing
the station’s daily work. The new
structure will house production, on-air
broadcasting, and transmission equip-
ment.
Third, the station’s coverage area is
being greatly expanded through the use
of FM translators. An FM translator
simply receives the primary signal of
the radio station and then re-transmits it
to hard-to-reach, distant areas. The
simple but effective result of using FM
translators in our broadcast chain is that
more people can receive the signal in
our country. We are presently utilizing
three FM translators in conjunction
with the primary FM station.
In addition to these improvements,
the radio station will be installing a new
tower for its primary antenna, plus in-
creasing its team of those providing
excellent audio content for our daily
broadcasts.
 Short-wave Radio:
The Way To Reach People
In Every Nation of the Pacific!
Years ago, while I was working in
the Solomon Islands, I had the privilege
of studying with Gideon Alamu.
Brother Gideon lives in a very remote
area of the Western Province. One day
after a long journey by canoe, we came
upon this man and began studies. He
was baptized and has remained faithful
to God to this day! A few years later
Gideon’s wife obeyed the Gospel.
It’s just the two of them living in
this extremely remote area on 120 acres
of land, isolated from the rest of the
world. We’ve continued returning to
Gideon and his wife, to further teach
Continued on page 78
 77
Dr. John Bailey
Body and Soul Ministries led a
Medical Mission to Butuan, Mindanao,
Philippines. Dr. Samuel Cariaga organ-
ized the entire event and did a superb
job. He couldn’t have done this with-
out the assistance of his wife, Elvie.
We worked more than 12 hours each
day of the clinic and treated over 2,400
patients.
I also visited places in and around
Cebu where I have worked for several
years.
The Center Point Church in Bagiou
was celebrating its fifth birthday, and I
was asked to be the speaker at the
morning worship. I spent many hours
with the staff and members, encourag-
ing and instructing them.
From Bagiou, I traveled to Medan,
Indonesia. I was planng to assist· in the
cataract surgery clinic Caris Founda-
tion International sponsored in North
Samatra. I arrived at Medan about
midnight, and the next morning at five,
I was getting ready to drive to North
Samatra when I fell on some stairs and
injured my back. I spent five days in
the hospital and twelve days recuperat-
ing before I could fly home. While I
was recuperating, the medical mission
team completed 103 eye surgeries.
Later, I met Ron Brown of Agape
China in Shenyang, China. This is the
city where we do the cleft lip/palate
surgeries. The purpose of this trip was
to locate a hospital and hotel that could
serve the needs of our team. Surgeons
from China, Italy and USA will be
working together.
On the way back from China, I
stopped in Manila and spent some time
encouraging fellow workers. In Cebu, I
visited for the first time the “Give a
Kid a Goat” program that is organized
by Salvador Cariaga. The program is
meeting with much success and has a
great potential to help move hundreds
of families out of poverty.
Dr. Samuel Cariaga will be work-
ing for BandS for the next few months.
This allows us to do a lot of work in
needy places, even when I cannot be
present. A total of 890 patients were
treated by Dr. Sam and his team in
Buena Vista, Cagayan de Oro, San Fe-
lipe, Tacurong, and Tangtanza. The
planned clinic last year in one of these
towns was cancelled because of radical
Muslim bomb threats.
Because of our connections in
China and the Philippines, we were
able to move quickly in response to the
disasters in Myanmar and China.
Workers from the Philippines were
among the first to get into the areas of
Myanmar that were most affected. We
have teamed with Agape China to help
care for 400 children made orphans by
the earthquake.
Dr. Sam is a one-man medical
team. He travels around the Philippines
helping the poorest of the poor where
little or no medical services are avail-
able. The people he treats, or those
who come to him, usually have no
other means. He is their last resort. He
is known to walk to isolated villages
that have never seen a doctor before.
He has been to rebel-infested hinter-
lands. Recently, he was in a predomi-
Philippines
nantly Muslim area. He treats up to
100 patients a day in those missions,
sometimes late into the night.
Early in 2009, Dr. Sam will revisit
Siagao Island where he conducted his
first medical mission as a young doctor
about 20 years ago. He was offered by
his parents a gift to vacation anywhere
after receiving his degree. Instead, he
chose to go to Siargao as a medical
missionary. I was with him in that ad-
venture. There was no electricity in
that isolated island then, no running
water. He, along with other doctors,
treated patients using kerosene lamps,
past midnight, for several days.
Siargao now has electricity, but the
people there are just as poor as before.
They need medical attention. Two thou-
sand to three thousand patients are ex-
pected to be treated during that time.
We need help recruiting medical doc-
tors and other health care providers for
mission trips. Physicians, dentists, nurses,
Continued on page 78
Patients waiting for treatment.
 Pacific Islands 78

Body and Soul Ministries

Continued from page 77
if you have been thinking about making a
mission trip, let us know as soon as pos-
sible of your interest. If you would like to
join “Doc Sam” in Siargao or other mis-
sions, please write to him at
samcariaga@yahoo.com or contact Dr.
John Bailey of Body and Soul Ministries
at jcb2of3@sbcglobal.net. For US and
international volunteers, you may call Sal-
vador Cariaga to help organize your local
travel and accommodation at
817 480 1287or cariaga@yahoo.com
Dr. Sam’s humanitarian work is
sponsored by Body and Soul Minis-
tries and Caris International Foun-
dation in partnership with the
churches of Christ in the Philip-
pines and around the world.
www.bandsministries.org
PS. Livelihood workshops such
as goat raising and soap making will
be made available to patients while
waiting their turn to see the doctors.
Preachers will also be available to
provide counseling.
Dr. John Bailey, BandSMinistries, P.O.
Box 1926, Colleyville, Texas 76034; 817
480 1287; jcb2of3@sbcglobal.net.
Cariaga@yahoo.comor
samcariaga@yahoo.com

Simple, New Testament Christianity

Reaching Islands ...
Continued from page 76
and establish them in the faith. At Gideon’s native
thatch home, he has a short-wave radio. I’ve wondered
many times about what programs Gideon hears, think-
ing to myself, “What if we could reach Gideon (and
many others like him) with Gospel teaching and preach-
ing through our developing facility?” Because of the
distance, we can’t reach him very often, now, but with
short-wave capability, he and many others like him will
be able to hear us every day! Short-wave radio is far
superior than other types of broadcasts in our part of the
world, because of its ability to reach long distances.
Short-wave radio reaches across borders, but has no
immigration requirements.
Short-wave receivers are popular in the Pacific Is-
land nations and readily available, allowing people to
listen to the broadcasts in their own homes.
As with any great “tool” used in teaching God’s
Word, radio broadcasting is not intended to be an abso-
lute replacement for Christians teaching the lost “face to
face”, but even the apostles and Jesus recognized that, in
their absence, their words through letters would teach,
encourage, and equip others. Today, their words can do
the same for millions of people in the Pacific through
short-wave broadcasting. ✞ us use their house for worship, but then changed their mind when
Randy & Sharon English are strong spiritual leaders for
the work in American Samoa and the Pacific Islands.
Continue to pray for Randy, in his recovery from cancer.
They are sponsored by the Forest Park Church of Christ
in Forest Park, Georgia.
P.O. Box 1268, Pago Pago, American Samoa  96799
sonlight@samoatelco.com ;
pacificbroadcast@gmail.com
In The Village Of Mand
Scott Shanahan
It certainly is an exciting time for the Lord’s work in Pohnpei.
This month we had the blessing of worshipping for the very first time
in the village of Mand.
There were just nine souls in the small concrete house, with
the noise of the dogs and pigs ever present in the background, but
that did not stop us from worshipping in spirit and in truth! It was
Rekina Abraham’s first time to commune with the saints in the
Lord’s Supper, which is always a special time. Rekina’s husband,
Johnson, who is not a Christian, paid close attention to the lesson
and, the Lord willing, will soon make the decision to come to
Christ. Asher helped lead the worship by leading prayers and read-
ing Scripture, and the singing was simply beautiful.
The congregation is in the beginning stages, so for the next
few weeks we will be meeting with them every other Sunday
morning and with the congregation in Kolonia on the opposite
Sundays. We are also meeting with them every Thursday for mid-
week Bible class. Currently we are meeting in the home of one of
the members, but we have just learned that there might be an op-
portunity to build a small building right on the main road in the
village.
This young congregation is excited to serve and worship the
Lord, but they are not without problems. One family offered to let
a large denominational group in the village pressured them. Also
one of the members is facing some serious persecution from
friends and relatives for her decision to put on Christ in baptism.
Please keep them in your prayers as they continue to try to do
the right thing. ✞
Scott & Rebecca Shanahan, PO Box 2467, Kolonia PNI 96941, Fed-
erated States Of Micronesia. They are sponsored by the
McDonough Church of Christ in McDonough, Georgia.
 79
Philippine Evangelistic Campaign — Leyte
How do we measure success? To
say that the third yearly Leyte Evangel-
istic Campaign was a success would be
an understatement. I am saying this not
because I am a member of this team,
but because I saw God’s hand in it the
minute we left Cebu and joined our
partners in Southern Leyte.
Reuben, in the center, with Dem and
Tabar, members of the campaign team.
The four members of the mission
team from Cebu took a night trip by
boat via Hilongos. From Hilongos, we
went straight to Bontoc to Samson Oc-
tobre’s house where he and company
were waiting.
HINUNANGAN: After a short rest
we hit the road straight to Hinunangan,
which was two hours away from Bon-
toc. We conducted a Gospel meeting
that night. Two souls responded, solic-
iting our prayers. We stayed in Hin-
unangan for two days. After we left,
they had several baptisms and the resto-
ration of one big family that had been
meeting with a Pentecostal group. We
are glad that our visit had a positive
impact on the brethren there.
ST. BERNARD: The church in St.
Bernard was born out of the tragedy
that happened almost five years ago, in
which more than 2,000 people were
buried alive when the entire village was
covered by a massive landslide. After
that tragedy, a new work was opened in
the resettlement site. Christian workers
were tending not only to physical needs
Philippines
Reuben Emperado
of the victims but most especially to
their spiritual needs. In the resettlement
site, a temporary multi-purpose build-
ing was used by the church. Now that
the people are settled in their permanent
houses, the church is renting a small
house as their meeting place. We con-
ducted a two-night Gospel meeting.
Most of the members here are new,
relatives of the landslide tragedy. They
were greatly encouraged by our visit.
Another campaign point was Libas, brethren have already exhausted their
which is around 12 kms towards the local funds. They have bought the land
mountain. Libas church is the oldest and are doing their best to build their
congregation on the island of Leyte. own building. Now it is our turn to
Most of the leaders and pillars of the help those who are willing to help
churches in Leyte come from this small themselves.
village. When we arrived, the brethren TRIP TO VIETNAM: Jun Arcilla
had prepared a feast. In the evening we and I flew to Vietnam this past Decem-
conducted another Gospel meeting ber for our first teaching commitment
which resulted in two baptisms. The to our Vietnamese brethren. This 12-
church in Libas has been in existence day trip was a testing of the water for
since the sixties; however due to heavy future work there. I remember John
migration away from the remote vil- Scott’s statement in Cebu, during our
lage, the church has remained small and inter-congregational worship, when he
its members have grown older through challenged us to be the epicenter of
the years. evangelism for the whole of Asia.
ORMOC CITY: The church in Or- PIBS NEEDS BOOKS: Our school
moc City needs a lot of spiritual help. library needs good books, Bible Com-
Members are discouraged and there is mentaries, Bible Dictionaries and more.
no apparent leadership. The church If you know of some people who want
building is unfinished, and the Filipina to donate their books for good use,
wife of the former missionary plans to please tell them that we are in desperate
sell this property. This unfinished build- need. ✞
ing was our base of operation while we Reuben Emperado has served the
were working around the city. We churches thoughout the Philippines for
stayed here for one week, working also many years. He may be contacted at
with other small churches in the pibs2003@yahoo.com.
area.
SAN VICENTE: A two-night
Gospel meeting was held in San
Vicente, in front of the house of
brother Erning Manorina. This
meeting has generated a revived
interest among the neighbors of
brother Erning. Now they are
doing home studies with them.
Their building is still unfinished.
They need 10 galvanized roofing
sheets to totally cover their roof,
and cement for their flooring. The
 New Zealand
Gidday from New Zealand
Gidday from “Down-under”!
The waves of flu that have come
my way over the past three months
(N.Z. has had an epidemic) have had
me concentrating on practical tasks. So
I have been keeping on with my practi-
cal evangelism, processing my backlog
of library books, counseling, making
campaign preparations, doing recruit-
ment, promotion, and even a little bit of
preaching, continuing “work Center”
planning and preparations, involvement
with new Christians, helping brethren
move, ordering in more DBBF books
and doing home improvements and
repairs. Not much going on down here!
But the exciting news is the con-
version of Ryan and Andrea Tuunga.
Allan Fowell, our local preacher, taught
and baptized them in September. They
have four beautiful children. If Ryan
continues to grow his faith, I am hope-
ful that next year we can make a trip to
his Pacific Island of Tokelau, to share
the Good News with his village, and
leave behind a congregation of the
Lord’s people. Tokelau is smack in the
middle of the Pacific ocean.
I also completed the setting up of a
Trust for the New Plymouth church. It
is now able to be registered with the
N.Z. Government as a Charitable Trust
and the members can get a tax refund
on their contributions. The Trust deed
has over eight doctrinal ‘fish-hooks’ in
it, to avoid liberal brethren or denomi-
national religionists getting their hands
on the Lord’s resources that have been
building up in the local work over the
past 20 years.
The New Zealand
Campaign for Christ:
We have just concluded the 21st
N.Z. Campaign for Christ in Palmer-
ton North. Twenty-one workers par-
ticipated. About sixteen worked the
full two weeks on the campaign. We
knocked over 4,000 doors and spoke
Rod Kyle
to more than 1,800 souls,
setting up fifty-two home
Bible study appointments.
We found seventy-plus souls
worth calling back on to de-
velop towards a study. And
there is a team of five work-
ers carrying on the follow-
up. Based on past efforts, we
expect there to be two to six
conversions from this effort.
The campaign team was
made up of five workers from
the U.S., two from Australia Kent OʼDonnell, Rod Kyle, and Nathan Paki, Gospel
and the rest from around N.Z. preachers in New Zealand.
There was an extensive use of
the The Voice of Truth International by
the workers in this effort.
James Cammock
Now at Southwest:
James Cammock is now studying
at the Southwest School of Biblical
Studies in Austin, Texas, and loving it.
He also has all of his needed support.
So thank you from the heart, for those
wonderful brethren who contacted him
and helped him. I think your trust in
him will be well placed.
The next young man to get off to
“School” from N.Z. might well be Ja-
Happy campaign workers in Plamerston North.
80
red, my first boy. He is now getting
serious about attending the degree pro-
gram at the Bear Valley Bible Institute.
So I’ll keep you informed of his plans
and progress.
FHU Worker to Help
in New Plymouth:
Tiffany Bolks, a missionary stu-
dent from Freed Hardeman University,
has worked the past twelve months in
Palmerston North. After the cam-
paign, she plans to broaden her experi-
ence in N.Z. and come and work with
Allan and me in and around New
Plymouth. She will be a benefical
addition to the work we
are doing in this area.
The church here will be
helping her some with
her support, but we are
grateful for those
churches and Christians
in the U.S. who are
making her work
“down-under” with us
possible. ✞
Rod Kyle, long-time
worker in New Plymouth,
NZ, currently is a preacher
“at large” for the country.
Email: RodandGaye
Kyle@xtra.co.nz
 81
Kent O’Donnell from
Palmerston North, New Zealand
We currently have 2 studies continuing after the FHU
campaign. Nathan has been teaching a lady named Sonjia, and
in his words, “She is not far from the kingdom of God” (cf.
Mk.12:34). They are discussing the topic of miracles at the
moment, but after that she will hopefully obey the Gospel.
I am studying with a man named Marcus. He has dis-
agreed with denominationalism for a long time and has been
quite unhappy with some of the answers his religious leaders
have given him concerning other matters. He has been con-
stantly amazed by the content of our lessons and said what he
has seen in the Bible is very different from what he has been
taught in the past. Right now he is chewing over his need to
be baptized correctly. Next time we get together, I will also
press more firmly his need to be a member of the correct
church.
A third study we are engaged in is with a man named Ste-
phen who was reached through the Intelligent Design book. He
is a scientist, teaching at our local university. He actually at-
tended the first creation seminar we had last year, during which
he posed some questions to Brad Harrub. Between then and
Australian church Pioneer Leaves to Be with God
Allan Ernest Flaxman - was expecting to be released from the hospital within a couple
26 March 1916--July 2008
At age 92 Allan was perhaps our
oldest link to the church of the
early 1900s in Australia. He was
baptised by John McGregor in the
Sydney at the age of 12. John was
one of the three or four men in
Australia who stood firm against
the use of instrumental music in
worship in the church towards the
close of the 19th century.
Allan became an outstanding Gospel preacher, highly
respected in the churches throughout Australia and the USA
for his work in Sydney, being instrumental in encouraging
many missionaries from the USA to work in, and build the
church in Australia.
His formal training was received at Abilene Christian
College in Texas in the years 1947-1949. This was a period
of his life that was very special to him.
Tent meetings, missions, campaigns in and around Syd-
ney and throughout many parts of Australia, and regular
preaching, Bible classes, men’s training classes, teaching men
to become preachers/evangelists, personal one-on-one Bible
studies were his life. In a mission field where the response to
the Gospel is minimal, Allan successfully pursued his dream
of sharing the Word of Jesus with as many as he could.
Allan had experienced heart complications over the past
30 years. He had a mild heart attack on Thursday, 24 July, but
New Zealand
The Palmerston North Church of Christ in New Zealand.
Kent McDonnell, on the left, is the preacher.
now his views have undergone a huge change. He now be-
lieves the universe is the result of divine creation. ✞
Kent and Rachael OʼDonnell live at 44 Suzanne Gr., Palmerston
North 4414, New Zealand. Ph.: 011-64-6-3544944. E-mail:
kentandrachod@slingshot.co.nz. They are sponsored by Cen-
tral Church of Christ, 200, 25th St. N.W., Cleveland TN, 37311.
37311. Ph. 423-476-8941; Contact: Scott Medlin,
kf4gnl@yahoo.com
of days. Then suddenly another heart attack on Saturday
ended his journey here on earth.
Allan will be sadly missed by many in this world and
especially by his family. His wife, Val, and daughter, Gaye,
were by his side at the end, with his son, Bryan, and his wife,
Terri, arriving shortly after. Allan’s first wife (Gaye &
Bryan’s mother), Alice, died in December 1976.
As recently as Friday, as Bryan and Terri sat by his bed in
Blacktown hospital, he expressed his concern for the future of
the church. He saw that the direction that many congrega-
tions were taking in Australia and overseas was away from
and contrary to what God had shown us in His Word. His
desire was that the churches return to the concept of restoring
Christianity to the original model, avoiding the denomina-
tional ideas that are quickly overtaking and plaguing the
Lord’s church once again.
Perhaps as we say goodbye to such a man of courage and
faith, we should feel it is incumbent upon us, if we have any
regard for our own souls and the souls of those we influence,
if we have any regard for God who we claim as Lord, to re-
visit our beliefs — what we teach and practice — and deter-
mine now to return to what God’s will is in matters of wor-
ship and all parts of the doctrine of God.
We are confident that Allan is now resting in the security
of the presence of God, rejoicing in the company of the faith-
ful that preceded him. May the name of God be praised and
may that praise be a sweet aroma to Him who saves us by His
grace. -- Bryan Flaxman
 Australia
News from Tasmania,
Australia
Dennis Gresham
Baptisms day. That is John in the photo. High-
This year there have been five bap- croft is about 2 hours from Hobart, and
tisms: Janessia who is a refuge from we travel there each 5th Sunday to
Sierra Leon, Josh Troy who is the boy worship with them. About once a
friend of one of our members, Jeff month John and his family travel to
Roper, who contacted us through our meet with us.
Yellow Page ad, and Hannah Wells, Mission Work
who is the daughter of Greg and Katie. The congregation now has 95
Brenda Smith was baptised at the members with visitors most Sundays.
Easter Camp. We still support men in Vietnam, Af-
Mission Trip rica, Philippines and ______, although
Two of our young ladies just spent the worker there (________) has had to
six weeks in Rajahmundry, INDIA flee the country for his own safety. He
working with orphaned children. This is hopeful of being able to return to his
year at our Bible Camp, attended by wife and children and the rest of the
100+, a young man from India came brethren there soon.
and told us about his work among the I would like to ask you to pray for
orphan children there. Ruth Sinclare __________. Let me give you a little
and Gemma Wells were touched by his background about him and the brethren
message and paid their own way to go in _______. Solomon, who is _____’s
and work with Raja Vijay Kumar, a cousin and who was converted in early
member of the church. 2005, was betrayed by his wife to his
The ladies’ class at our congrega- _______ uncle who had him impris-
tion also decided they wanted to help in oned and tortured. Then they just let
some way with the work there, so they him out without explanation. The sad
(the ladies) saved up $1,000 (in coins), news is that he was murdered (we don’t
which Ruth and Gemma took with have the details) sometime shortly after
them to help feed the children. his release.
Now the ladies’ class is putting _________ fled _____ and went to
together packages of clothes and toys a refugee camp in Ukraine. His wife,
which will be sent out next week. ________, is still in _________ with
the four children. She does not know
where _______ is, and we can’t get
word to her. We got a call from a
member of the church in Ukraine who
visited him in the refugee camp. The
other Christian there whom we have
contact with, _______, is not answer-
ing the phone number we have for him.
Anyway, at this time we are asking
everyone to pray for them, especially
Solomon’s two young sons and
______. This sad news from ________
has us all in mourning.
This is the picture of the little _________ was originally con-
church building in Highcroft where the verted by one of our members through
John Smith family meet each Lord’s internet Bible studies. This congrega-
82
tion has supported the work there for
four years and basically have weekly
contact with then.
Brother Rick Walker, working in
the Ukraine, said this of _________:
“This man is a very, very good
man! I have been in ministry almost 30
years, and I do not believe I have ever
met a man with more sincerity of faith
and purity of heart. He is a real joy to
be around, and in the very short time he
has been here, my family has already
found a very special place in our hearts
for him. He is a very rare jewel! Yes-
terday he told me that when he was a
Muslim and went to the mosque, he
was always praying, ‘Lord, help me
find the right way. Then, I found the
WBS advertised in the newspaper.’
“His great desire, once he gets set-
tled, is to study Bible formally. He can
do that right here! I am a Sunset
teacher at the distant city of Donetsk in
Ukraine. I have a number of preachers
who take classes from me and receive
full credit at the school in Donetsk.
Thus, I can teach _______ much! This
week we will be starting an academic
study of the Pastoral Epistles.
“I told ______ that the Lord has
brought him to Kiev for a purpose. I
believe that as much as I have ever be-
lieved anything in my ministry career.
As I have walked around the city with
______ I have noticed how easily and
casually black men approach each
other and talk about where they are
from, where they are staying, exchange
addresses and phone numbers.
“This being the case, I have been
thinking — there is a large refugee
population in Kiev and Ukraine. Per-
haps the Lord has brought ______ here
to study and begin a teaching ministry
among the refugees? In the short time
he has been here he has also learned
that there is a particular city/village in
western Ukraine to which almost all
_________ refugees migrate.
“Perhaps, after things get settled
down, I will go with ______ and visit
this city.” ✞
dsgresham@bigpond.com
Internet Bible Study @
www.wbschool.org/home.html
rickthewalker@yahoo.com
 Do You Want the
Best in Life?
Betty Burton Choate
Of course! All of us do!
But let me ask more specifically,
drawing from our personal experiences:
✟ Do you want to feel the peace
and joy of total surrender to God?
✟ Do you want to wake up each
morning with the prayer, “Father, I am
Yours to use; this day is Yours to use;
whatever You have committed to my
care is Yours to use —”
✟ Do you want to work with the
“cream” of the Lord’s church, congre-
gationally and individually?
✟ Do you want to see the fulfill-
ment of Jesus’ promise, ”And everyone
who has left houses or brothers or sis-
ters or father or mother or wife or chil-
dren or lands, for My name's sake, shall
receive a hundredfold, and inherit eter-
nal life” (Matthew 19:29)?
✟ Do you want to KNOW, beyond
a shadow of a doubt, that EVERY-
THING WILL BE ALL RIGHT?
If you want this kind of “best” in
life, let me tell you how you can
achieve it.
1. Commit yourself to be a seed,
free to be sown WHEREVER God
wants you to grow; that may be
right there where you already live, or
it may be in a mission area of the
US, or it may be ANYWHERE IN
THE WORLD! If you “let go”, He
will do the opening of doors and
closing of doors, so that you will
ultimately be where He wants you to
be. (But remember, there is purpose
in your situation and your location
now — you are there to grow and
produce, not to wait until what you
think should happen does happen.
Maybe you are in a “waiting” state,
but God has no time for you to
waste; work where you are, while
you are there.)
2. Prepare yourself for the work
that is in your heart. Most Chris-
tians prepare themselves for secular
careers, choosing (perhaps unknow-
ingly) to do battle every day with a
secular world on the world’s turf.
But if you choose to do battle with
Satan in the spiritual warfare, instead
of secular struggle, it’s such a differ-
ent perspective and different life.
So, I would encourage you to desire
to preach, to teach, to go to a mission
field, to be 100% in outreach and
evangelism. EQUIP yourself for
that life, so that God can use all the
talents you have, and multiply them,
as he did with Moses and others of
His great servants.
3. Be ready for opposition. Satan
will raise barriers. He will try to
discourage you. You will look at the
hurdles of raising fund — beg-
ging— the seeming “insecurity” of
launching out on the mercy of the
brotherhood. But let me assure you,
through almost fifty years of living
that life of “begging” and “insecu-
rity” that your faith will be strength-
ened daily as you see God’s many
ways of taking care of you and your
needs and the needs of the work you
are doing with Him.
4. Yes, there will be challenges,
but faith and strength grow only
through such challenges. These are
useful tools in God’s hands; don’t be
afraid of them.
5. You will learn that those in the
church who are concerned about
people they’ve never met are a
taste of heavenly fellowship on
earth. They will love you and en-
courage you and support you every
step of the way.
6. Your work in foreign places
will bring a harvest of souls who
will become your spiritual chil-
dren and grandchildren. Because
of your mutual love, whatever they
have will be yours, and the world
will become your “houses” and
“lands” and family.
We live in troubled times. We
cannot know what lies ahead for our-
selves or for our country, or what
tragic changes may be on the horizon.
Often even tragedy and great hardship
are God’s best tools for awakening a
sleeping people and bringing them
back to Him.
But, even in troubled times, if we
have truly committed our all to God, we
can rest in the assurance that He will
make everything all right. In such dire
situations, He will be the only safe haven
for any of us. I urge you to run to that
safe haven now, and know the priceless
joy and peace of being co-workers with
Him in the life of winning souls.
If you want to learn more about this
promise, write to me and ask me to send
you a copy of First Steps in Faith, a
book I wrote many years ago as a
young wife and mother, learning to live
by faith in Pakistan. Numerous ones
who are serving in mission fields today
have told me that that book was a great
help and inspiration to them. I’ll send it
free of charge,
because I want to
do anything pos-
sible to help you
know the won-
derful life I’ve
been privileged to
live in the mis-
sion fields of the
world with God
and my family. ✞