Posts Tagged ‘Missions’

Abraham Thomas

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

Wow, what a great missions service we had on May 16! Dr. Abraham Thomas from Trivandrum, India, was outstanding. I cannot remember when I have been in a better service focusing upon foreign missions!  Jesus said, “The fields are white already unto harvest!”

I was so pleased with how warmly our church received Dr. Thomas. As I took him to the airport on Tuesday, we rejoiced over what a great visit he had here in Orlando. Dr. Thomas hosted me in India in January. I was so glad we could return the favor. His love offering was the best I have seen here at our church. He deserved it!

Dr. Thomas certainly stirred our hearts with the opportunity to partner with him in his outstanding ministry in India. His ministry has started and supports 185 churches throughout India, plus 16 children’s homes, and a college of approximately 150 students at Logos School of Theology. Spiritually India is a needy country. With a strong Hindu population, it is known as the “land of 300 million gods.” The born-again Christian population is no more than 1 % out of an overall population of 1.2-billion people. There is much work to do to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank God for men like Abraham Thomas, who was born and raised in India. We are thankful to be able to support his effort!

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India

Friday, January 29th, 2010

I have had the opportunity through 32 years of ministry to go on no less than 20 missions trips. My recent two-week trip to the southern part of India was the most outstanding trip I have ever been on. The spiritual impact was remarkable. The enthusiasm and record turnout of pastors for our training conferences was second to none.

Evangelist Larry McFadden and I spent one week in Trivandrum on the Indian Ocean near the southern tip of India. We conducted a 3-day pastors’ conference, and then a 2-day conference at Logos College of Theology. Our host was Abraham Thomas. The ministry was extraordinary. The second week seemed equally good in Chennai (Madras). Our host was Jason Palmer. We had about 75 people in attendance for the 4-day pastors’ conference.

The highlight of the trip for me personally was hearing the testimonies of faith in Christ from converted Hindus, including one former Hindu priest! The power of Christ was evident. To God be the glory!

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Missions in India

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Our church is praying for me as I prepared to go to India on a missions trip. Evangelist Larry McFadden and I will be preaching and teaching the Word of God in Bible training seminars in southern India. We will speak to about 175 pastors and 165 college students in Trivandrum and then to about 200 pastors in Chennai. For many of them, this is the only Bible training they receive.

India is a land of one billion population. Predominantly Hindu, only about 2.5% of India’s people profess to be Christians of all denominations, and only about 1% profess to be evangelical, or born again Christians. That figures out to about 10-million Christians among 1-billion population.

There are 200 people groups in India not yet reached with the Bible in their own language. India is called the “land of 300 million gods.” Because Indian people are often ready to “add” any new god to their pantheon of belief, it is important to proclaim the exclusivity of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father except through Me!” That is the message I will take to India.

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Father’s Day

Saturday, June 20th, 2009

One of the most amazing stories I’ve ever heard should inspire each of us fathers to make a difference in our family tree — beginning with our own family. About seven generations ago, a young Englishman named James Taylor led a rather worldly life, even opposing a revival in his own town. But on his wedding day, he could not erase from his mind a verse of Scripture he had memorized as a youngster — Joshua 24:15, “As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord!” With the Holy Spirit applying the pressure, he was under conviction all day — the day of his wedding (an evening wedding). Finally, he surrendered to the Lord. He put his faith in Christ as his Savior, and said, “Yes, we shall serve the Lord!” His new bride was dismayed. But in a few short days she also accepted the love of God in receiving Christ as her personal Savior. Together they established a Christian home.

What is remarkable about that story? James Taylor began a family line of generations serving God. His great-grandson was J. Hudson Taylor, one of the the world’s foremost missionaries — a pioneer missionary to China who founded the China Inland Mission. Today that same mission is known as the Overseas Missionary Fellowship. Recently the new director of the OMF was named — the great-grandson of J. Hudson Taylor, the founder.

Wow! That is seven generations from the commitment James Taylor made on his wedding day, “As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord!” What if James Taylor had decided to do something else with his life?

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Summer Camp

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

These are busy days at our church! Our youth are off to camp this week. Our special ed members are off to camp this week. We just finished VBS. Next month our youth will be going on a missions trip. Somewhere along the way many of us will try to squeeze in some vacation time as well. Meanwhile, we will celebrate Father’s Day this Sunday, followed by a patriotic emphasis on June 28 and July 5. To God be the glory!

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