June 17, 2011
By Alan and Jill Kropp, serving in Japan
The following is an adapted excerpt from the Kropps’ recent newsletter.
At 2:46 p.m. March 11, 2011, Japan’s landscape changed forever when a 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Miyagi Ken. In some areas, the resulting tsunami penetrated as far as four miles inland, destroying nearly everything in its path and leaving thousands homeless.
The earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima Daichi Nuclear Power Plant, triggering a nuclear crisis that is still unfolding. Although plant employees have worked heroically to cool the reactors, radiation continues to emanate from the plant. It is estimated that it will take at least nine months to bring the situation under control.
In the midst of this triple disaster, the eyes of the world have been on Japan. Recently, we heard someone say, “In no other time in history has there been such a global focus of people interceding for Japan!” We believe this is a unique time to minister in Japan.
Soon after March 11, I (Alan) tried to find a way to be involved in the relief effort. I prayed, “Lord, what is my role? Do you have something prepared for me?” Initially, the process was frustrating. I made phone calls and sent e-mails, but the doors remained shut. To make matters worse, there were logistical challenges. Roads were closed; gas was in short supply up north.
An Answer to Prayer
After two weeks of “active waiting,” an opportunity finally emerged. I made contact with a coordinator from Samaritan’s Purse (SP). She told me that shovels, rakes, and gloves were needed in relief efforts. While most of the tsunami-hit homes would eventually be bulldozed, tools would help people sift through the rubble and recover personal belongings. I also learned that roads were reopening and, with a special permit, relief workers could get fuel.
I felt like this was my chance to move. I bought as many tools as I could in Nagoya and drove up to the Tokyo area. There I met up with Kouichi, a seminary student from Kawaguchi Christ Church, which had been planted by Alliance international workers Don and Hazel Schaeffer. We rented a 2-ton truck and drove north to distribute the tools. While there were still many “unknowns,” I figured once we got to SP’s distribution center, the staff would direct and help us.
The morning that Kouichi and I arrived at SP’s distribution center, we were greeted by staff members who said, “You are an answer to prayer!” Just that morning they had ask God to provide a vehicle so they could deliver aid to hard-hit Ofunato-and there we were! I was blown away. God had masterfully orchestrated the timing and circumstances. Their words were a huge confirmation of His leading. While the tools we brought—purchased with CAMA (Compassion and Mercy Associates) funds—were appreciated, perhaps even more than the tools, our 2- ton truck was a huge asset that week. Kouichi and I helped various groups deliver supplies such as water, food, blankets, and bikes.
On the first day of our trip, the truck was loaded with aid, and we travelled to Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture. Although the coastal town had been pulverized by the waves, a small church had escaped the tsunami’s reach. The sanctuary had been transformed into a relief center. Food and clothes were displayed on tables; praise music played softly in the background. According to one believer, 200 people were coming to the church each day to receive clothing, food, and water. This humble church of 10 people was profoundly impacting its community! Several weeks earlier, to many in that community, the church had been merely a beautiful edifice—part of the landscape but not part of their lives. Now, in the midst of destruction and death, it stood as a bright beacon of hope.
As I interpreted for SP staff, I learned that one of the believers at the church had lost her home and her husband in the tsunami. In the midst of grief and loss, this woman was ministering to and comforting others. What a powerful witness of God’s sustaining grace—the grace by which we are saved and by which we serve.
A New Ministry Landscape
The entire nation was shaken by the horrors that unfolded on March 11. Even as Japan’s coastline has been altered by the tsunami’s devastating inundation, Japan’s ministry landscape has changed. Relief work, something we never dreamed would be part of doing ministry in Japan, has entered the mix!
Northern Japan, where Christianity is particularly scarce, is in its greatest hour of need. The work is far from over—it is going to be a marathon. Please pray that the millions of Japanese who have yet to hear the gospel will encounter Christ during this time of crisis in Japan. Pray that there will be a new “openness” to the gospel in the midst of this tragedy and that God will bring a spiritual awakening.
Learn More
Read about a new Alliance initiative to plant a church in the earthquake-stricken region of Japan.
What You Can Do
Pray that God will provide all that is needed for the Japan field’s church-planting initiative in northern Japan, including a rental facility where Harry and Jane Landaw, church-planting team coordinators, can carry out ministry.
Give to Alliance Great Commission Ministries and partner with Alliance workers around the world who are being light to those who need Jesus.
June 15, 2011
The Tin Lanh (“Good News”) Church of Vietnam celebrates 100 years of ministry this month. The festivities are scheduled for June 14-16 in Da Nang City, Vietnam. U.S. C&MA President Dr. Gary Benedict will speak at the event. Dr. Tom Stebbins, a former international worker to Vietnam—whose sister Ruth Thompson and her husband, Ed, were killed in the Tet Offensive—also has been asked to speak.
In 1911, a team of three Alliance international workers, led by Robert A. Jaffray, entered Vietnam, then known as French Indochina, with the purpose of establishing the country’s first evangelical church. This church was formed in 1927 and by 1940 was comprised of 100 self-supporting churches.
In 1968, Communist forces invaded the Banmethuot Leprosy Center, killing five Alliance workers and a volunteer layman. When Vietnam fell to Communist control in 1975, The Alliance had established a national church with a membership of 53,000. At that time, the Vietnamese government took possession of the buildings and land belonging to the Tourane Bible School/seminary. For the next 28 years, believers were not permitted to train for ministry.
Yet God continued to multiply and build His church, sustaining it supernaturally. Alliance workers, Vietnamese nationals, and laypeople who gave up their lives for the gospel during the 1960s did not die in vain. Because of their sacrifice, the church in Vietnam has grown to more than 800,000 believers.
In April 2001, the government of Vietnam officially recognized the Tin Lanh Church as a legal entity. Today, the Tin Lanh Church is the largest Alliance-related Body in the world.
Learn More
Watch Dr. Thomas Stebbins’ account of the Thompsons’ ultimate sacrifice as international workers in Vietnam. [duration: 05:24]
Read about the courageous believers who gave their lives for the gospel in Vietnam.
June 14, 2011
“On June 1, 2011, the city of Gulfport presented me with a letter of occupancy for Liberty Café, a coffeehouse outreach to the community. We are now on the verge of opening the doors of Freedom Hall for the next vital step in our ministry plan.” says Rev. Darren Sanford, who moved his family to Gulfport, Mississippi, in 2005—after Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast region—in order to plant Journey4Life Church and Freedom Hall community center amid the devastation. “Nearly 370 volunteers have contributed more than 15,000 hours of labor and resources over the course of two years. This is nothing short of amazing.”
Southern District Superintendent Fred King says, “We are very excited about the progress of Freedom Hall in Gulfport! Darren Sanford and his family have been the hardest working people I have ever known! His seven children jump right in and go to work. When was the last time you saw youngsters installing tile? They not only do it; they are really good at it!
“We believe this unusual ministry is of God and is very needed in the region. Though the project has made great progress, it is far from done. The need for materials and workers, as well as the Sanfords’ monthly support, continues to be something we can all share in. I plan to personally help, and I urge you to pray about what you can do. As we all participate together, I believe the need can be met.”
Darren and his family will connect with the people of the community through Freedom Hall by providing job training assistance to those who desire to become self-sufficient. “Training provides opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ with disillusioned, hurting people in a mutiethnic community of single and multi-family dwellings in which 20-30 percent are single-parent households. We offer tangible help and hope to people who otherwise would not hear about Him. This is what the mission of the church is all about.”
Establishing Community
Liberty Café will create an environment for building relationships and “bringing individual freedom to a hurting community through the indwelling life of Christ,” Darren says. ”The name ‘Liberty Café’ was chosen to reflect our purpose of bringing liberty and dignity to people. The coffees and teas served will be procured from fair/direct trade suppliers, and a portion of the profits will be donated to sponsoring ministries that are combating human trafficking.”
The grand opening of Liberty Café is scheduled for July. “While we continue to renovate Freedom Hall,” says Darren, “we realize the importance of establishing a community of local believers to provide the basis for Freedom Hall’s mission statement: ‘We bring freedom to those struggling with life’s hardships.’ Thank you for your faithful support of Journey4Life Church and Freedom Hall outreaches.”
Learn More
Read about ongoing Alliance work throughout the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina: Katrina Four Years Later
What You Can Do
To find out how you can participate in Journey4Life ministries, contact the Southern District at office@southerncma.org, or call 205-661-9585.
One More Thing You Can Do
Give to Alliance Great Commission Ministries and partner with Alliance workers at home and abroad who are being light in a spiritually dark world. www.cmalliance.org/give
May 23, 2011
Editor’s Note: The following commentary is from a blog by John Stumbo, who has served at the C&MA National Office, as senior pastor of Salem Alliance Church, and currently serves as interim pastor at Alliance Church of Fox Island in Fox Island, Washington.
I have a book in my library titled 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988. I never read it. But, I like to have it on my shelf. It reminds me of what idiots Christians can be.
Not that I should need any reminders.
Before I proceed, I should identify myself. In case a new reader stumbles onto this blog today, may I clearly state that I am a lifelong follower of Jesus Christ and (sometimes with embarrassment, sometimes with great joy) include myself in the Christian community. I’m writing as an insider.
By now you’ve no doubt heard the news that we’re down to our last 24 hours . . . at least according to radio host Harold Camping. At age 88, Harold continues a worldwide broadcast and has studied the Bible longer than most of us have been alive.
If history reveals anything to us, it tells us that just because one has studied a subject at length does not automatically make one accurate.
I believe Camping is wrong.
I believe he’s worse than wrong.
I believe Camping is in the same “camp” as the pastor who burned the Quran, the crazed individuals who bomb abortion clinics or kill doctors, and the venom-mouthed haters of homosexuals.
Let me introduce myself a second time. I believe the Quran misleads millions, abortions are the taking of a human life, and the act of homosexuality is a degrading sin. Yet, I’m convinced that Christians are to love Muslims, abortionists, gays and a thousand other people groups that have different perspectives than ours. I’m convinced that this love should be genuine and tangible . . . you know, like the love Jesus expressed.
The reason I lump Camping in with these others is because from burning Qurans to predicting dates, Christians once again come off looking like idiots.
The news media loves these stories. The skeptical community has more reason to scoff. Stand up comedians have an easy night on the job.
And don’t think that people haven’t heard about Camping’s prediction. One of the best ways to know what has the world’s attention is to follow Google Trends. The brains at Google make available to us what are the hottest searches each day. For most of this week, searches like “end of the world may 21″, “judgment day may 21″ and “harold camping may 21″ have been high on the list.
I’m no expert in Harold Camping’s theology, nor do I care to be. But, from what I understand, he came upon his date-setting by using mathematical calculations. These calculations arose from the theory that words in the Bible have numeric value. By putting together three words- atonement, completeness and heaven-multiplying them and then doing so again (squaring them)-Waa Laa-the Judgment Day is tomorrow!
Make sense to you?
Not to me either.
But that’s what billboards across the world-from Minnesota to India-are proclaiming: Judgment Day May 21 The Bible Guarantees It.
At least Harold’s Bible does.
Mine says something simpler, “No one knows about that day or hour . . . therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Jesus in Matthew 24).
None of this would matter much to me if I didn’t fear one thing. I’m concerned that because of people like Harold Camping, many serious minded people will not bother exploring who the real Jesus is.
When they wake up on May 22, I don’t think they’ll head off to find a Christian church. I think they’ll have all the more reason to write off the Christian faith as a myth or conspiracy theory.
The real Jesus-the heaven-sent Messiah come into this world to atone for our sin, conquer death and lead us to the Father-will be missed.
And that makes me sad.
Thanks, Harold.
Next time, save your math skills for a Sudoku puzzle, not the Scriptures.
John Stumbo
May 20, 2011
Learn More
Find about more about Alliance beliefs and theological perspectives, as well as the denominations rich heritage.
May 18, 2011
In a recent update, Harry and Jane Landaw asked the Alliance family to pray that God would provide housing for them in the earthquake-stricken Tohoku region of Japan, where they are serving as church-planting team coordinators. In the following adapted excerpt, read how the Lord has miraculously answered those prayers.
On April 19, Jane and I began to ask God for direction as we prepared for our new ministry assignment in the Tohoku region of Japan. In this area where many people had lost their homes due to the devastating earthquake and tsunami, it seemed impossible that someone from outside the region could even find housing. This was complicated by the fact that some property owners prefer not to rent to foreigners or Christian workers. As we began to ask God, we enlisted your partnership in praying with us.
Initially, as we researched available housing options, we found 31 rental homes in various areas that looked promising. However, as we started making the calls to real estate agents, we discovered that almost all of these properties had already been taken by those who had lost their homes in the tsunami. Of course, that is the way it should be.
We began to pursue possibilities for apartments; but most did not have parking, and the prices were almost one-third higher than single-dwelling houses with parking included in the rental fee. We checked out 27 apartments but did not find one that would allow us to have any type of ministry in our home.
As we made our way to the Tohoku region on May 5, we learned that the government was providing subsidies to displaced people who did not want to live in temporary housing. This meant that the possibilities for finding housing were becoming even slimmer. Trusting God, we submitted applications for rental homes.
“Only One Possibility”
The bottom line was that there was only one possibility. “That’s okay,” we thought. “We need just one place to live. Maybe, this is the one.”
On the day that we looked at the inside of the house, another American pulled up in front, just after we arrived. He was the owner! Who would have thought that could happen here in Japan? We had a nice chat, and then he turned things over to the real estate agent and left. We wondered, “Is he okay with Christian workers living in his house? Would the field’s legal standing pass the strict tests that many owners demand?”
On the last night of our five-day survey trip to the region, we received an e-mail from a real estate agent informing us that the owner of the one available house would consider our application. We contacted the agent to let her know that as soon as we got back to the field office, we would fill out the documents and send them off.
After filling out the formal application and e-mailing it back to the realtor on Tuesday, we had to wait until Thursday to find out if the owner had approved our application. Praise God! On Thursday night, at 10 p.m., there was an e-mail from our real estate agent informing us that the owner said “yes” and that the realtor was preparing the formal contract.
Thank you all for your partnership in prayer with us in this first stage of our move to the Tohoku region. This is a major miracle. After three weeks of searching, God led us to the only house that was available to rent, and then He gave it to us.
In the midst of all this, we also drove along the seacoast from the Sendai Airport area up to Ishinomaki and Onagawa. We had heard from others who had driven this route before March 11 that it is a very scenic drive. The roads were passable, but the debris is indescribable. The odor of death and things rotting was overwhelming. Most of the intersections on the coast road around the Sendai Airport area still do not have power, so Japanese policemen and Self-Defense Force personnel are directing traffic.
We were glad that we took the time to make this drive, but we were in tears as we drove through the area and saw the mass destruction of buildings and homes, which represented the loss of nearly 30,000 lives. Many people are grieving the death of family and friends and all their earthly possessions. Viewing all that devastation was very sad but also important as it is helping us to prepare our hearts for the next stage of engagement in the region.
Once again, thank you for your faithful partnership in this outreach! We are deeply appreciative of your prayers for us. We will keep you updated on the next stage of the process and the subsequent prayer needs.
In Christ,
Harry and Jane Landaw
What You Can Do
In your prayers, thank the Lord for His miraculous provision of housing for the Landaws. Pray that He will use them to advance His Kingdom among those whose lives have been devastated by the earthquake and tsunami.
Donate to Alliance Great Commission Ministries. In doing so, you partner with Alliance workers, like the Landaws, to reach people who are crying out for a Savior.
May 17, 2011
“We thought we might begin feel a bit claustrophobic on such a little island” says Alliance international worker Gordon Munro, who, along with his wife, Kathie, has served in Spain since 1985. “After all, it only measures 28 miles long by 17 miles wide.” That, however, has not been the case. Since the Munros followed God’s call to La Palma, with a population of 86,000, they have enjoyed the mountain view from their balcony and the sunset off of the western shores of the island. “In the 10 months we have lived here,” Gordon says, “we’ve come to love the island and its people.”
Upon their arrival in August 2010 to La Palma—nicknamed “La Isla Bonita” or beautiful island—southwest of Casablanca, Morocco, in the Atlantic chain of Canary Islands, the Munros wasted no time in initiating contact with the few believers that live there. One of the first events was a Christmas program. “Most of them are fairly new believers and had never been involved in anything like this before,” Gordon says.
Community Involvement
To reach the general population, the Munros offer English classes, which are slowly gaining momentum. “Most of the students are from the community and are responding to ads that were placed in a local newspaper,” Gordon says. “Recently, Kathie began teaching four Chinese children, opening the door for me to talk with the father of two of the children about Jesus.” Kathie also teaches English to two children from Bolivia.
Most of the people who attend church are immigrants from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Cuba, and Dominican Republic. Several people have shown an interest in learning more about Jesus, but one woman in particular “shows great promise,” says Gordon. Angustia prayed to receive Christ after a service a few months ago. One of the few people in the church who was born and raised in La Palma, the divorced single mother of an eight-year-old son, “is such a fun-loving person,” Gordon says. “She keeps us all laughing.
“When asked if she wanted to consider getting baptized this spring, Angustia candidly admitted she wasn’t ready and is too new in her Christian life. However, she faithfully attends church and is growing steadily little by little,” says Gordon, who has won the affections of Angustia’s son, Marco. “He is very mischievous and doesn’t sit still for a minute.
“Marco loves Gordon,” Kathie says, “and often wants to hang around with him at church and sit beside him when he gets a chance.”
Saturday afternoons, the Munros host Kangu Children’s Hour—a time of games and a Bible story. Until recently, only children from the church had been attending. “We want this activity to make an impact in the community as well,” Gordon says. “This past Saturday, the four Chinese kids who are studying English attended Kangu Hour. After listening to the Bible story of how Jesus gave His life for us, one of the little girls commented, ‘I don’t know much about God.’ The way she said it indicated to me that the Holy Spirit was stirring up an interest in her heart.”
Changed Lives
God is touching the lives of various people; some have seen healing miracles in their lives. Others are attending discipleship classes. “In some cases,” Gordon says, “we’ve been disappointed by people who seemingly have been touched by God in incredible ways and yet soon lose interest. But when we do see spiritual growth and commitment to Christ, it brings joy to our hearts!”
One woman, Jaquelin, shared with everyone how in the past, she had been captivated with buying expensive clothing and whatever would make her look beautiful outwardly, but she has learned through four years as a follower of Christ that only Jesus satisfies. “Jaquelin still struggles in many areas, but she presses on,” says Gordon. “She spends her breaks at work reading her Bible, which is worn and marked, but she says she doesn’t want a new one because she will have to start all over with the underlining and marking. She’s planning to be baptized soon.”
Gordon and Kathie also visit a small church periodically on the neighboring island of Tenerife, offering believers encouragement and practical help. During their last visit, a woman, Sodili, approached them and said that she’s “waiting for God to do a ‘miraculous sign’ to prove Himself to her.”
“Pray that she will recognize that the love Christ has for her and the way He cares for her is the miraculous sign she’s been looking for,” requests Gordon.
“God has allowed us to work here, thanks to the commitment of many people who regularly give to the Alliance Great Commission Fund,” says Gordon. “Thank you for partnering with us, so people like Jacquelin and Marco, as well as the four Chinese children and Sodili, can hear about the great love that Jesus has for them.”
What You Can Do
Pray for Gordon and Kathy as they build relationships within the La Palma community and on Tenerife. Also, pray that Angustia will follow the Lord in baptism and that Sodili will recognize God’s hand in her life
One More Thing You Can Do
Give to Alliance Great Commission Ministries—partner with international Alliance workers to ensure that Jesus’ physical and spiritual healing continues reaching “to the ends of the earth.” www.cmalliance.org/give
Learn More
Read about our work in Spain.
May 12, 2011
“Vast areas in North Africa have not a single Christian witness and no established church whatsoever,” an Alliance worker there reports. In response, a portion of the funds received from 2011 Great Commission Sunday (GC Sunday) offerings will go toward sharing the liberating truth of the good news in this troubled region.
“Since the recent political uprisings in North Africa, curious people have had more freedom to inquire about spiritual things,” says an Alliance worker, who is helping to form teams to meet with interested people. “Responses from TV, radio, and Web sites are unprecedented! As a result, we’re having a hard time keeping up with the demand!”
Meanwhile, many faith-based organizations are assisting with relief efforts to address the great needs of those fleeing war-torn countries by the tens of thousands. “The task is huge!” our worker observes. “Many people are necessary to care for the overwhelming needs of these displaced people.”
Noting that less than 1 percent of people in North Africa have had a chance to hear the good news, David Thompson, a medical doctor who has served more than 30 years in West Africa, says:
“The deepest need of people . . . is to know Jesus as their Savior, the One who loves them and died for them . . . We now face the greatest opportunity we have seen this century to bring the liberating truth of the gospel to more than 300 million people. Let’s not lose this chance. Let’s seize the day!”
How You Can Help
Pray for more workers to take the liberating truth to North Africa—and be open to becoming the answer to your prayers!
Give to the 2011 GC Sunday offering; partner with Alliance workers to share the gospel in places like North Africa, where less than 1 percent of the population has access to the good news.
Learn More
Want to know more about GC Sunday? Check out a Q&A that explains this annual Alliance event and our 2011 focus. The article is published in the April 2011 issue of Alliance Life.
April 29, 2011
The following is an excerpt of a letter from an Alliance international worker, who serves at the Ringjallja Community Center in Gjilan, Kosovo, a city with only about 60 believers.
Happy Easter from Kosovo! We had a great day here—a big Easter service in front of the city theater in Gjilan that included churches from all over Kosovo. It was the culminating event of a week-long evangelistic outreach program.
All week long, the volunteers from all churches wore yellow shirts with the name of our outreach—Life for Kosovo—on the back. The front of the shirts read, “Jesus said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life.’” Each day of the outreach we were involved in projects, such as drug awareness seminars in the schools, repairing a city park, so the children can play there, and a blood drive. We cleaned up some city streets, as well as the yard of the city hospital and the university across the street from the Ringjallja Center.
During the afternoons, some volunteers held soccer and volleyball tournaments while others delivered food packages to poor families or handed out flowers and invitations to the Easter service. A Saturday evening concert was a big hit for youth. All of these projects were covered in times of prayer and worship.
Sunday morning as I was getting ready to go to the service, I reflected on the week, thinking that it has been one of my best weeks in Kosovo so far! I enjoyed building relationships with the believers from other churches in Gjilan and other parts of Kosovo. I enjoyed the momentum of the week and the energy of everyone helping out with all of the various projects. The week was energizing; it was filled with blessings.
One of those blessings happened when a teenage girl, who had been helping us out with the drug awareness program in the high schools, expressed her desire to accept Jesus as her Savior. We had the privilege of praying with her before lunch one of the days. Three young men also raised their hands to accept Christ at the youth concert Saturday night.
As the time drew near for the Easter service to begin, people began to crowd around the theater. Volunteer ushers wore their shirts again, so they could be easily spotted. The blessings rose to a crescendo when approximately 300 people attended the Easter service. We praise God, who was definitely at work in us, among us, and through us this week!
Learn More
Read more stories of Alliance work in Kosovo.
What You Can Do
Pray that the new believers in Kosovo will grow strong in their faith and share the message of hope with their friends and family. Donate to Alliance Great Commission Ministries. In doing so, you partner with Alliance workers in Kosovo and in more than 60 other countries around the world.
February 16, 2011
By Brad Reynolds, serving in France
It was a surprise for us to learn at the end of January, mid-way through our home assignment year, that our young church plant in southwestern France had a grand total of 67 euros ($97) in the bank account. Due to recent renovations on the rented facility that we use for worship and Sunday school, the final bills had depleted the account that normally covers all of our costs. Facing invoices of more than 3,500 euros ($4,700) due in a week, the church board had no idea how they would come up with the funds. From the very outset of this church plant, the first church to be established in this community in more than 700 years, God had been teaching us to live and walk entirely by faith. This would be one of the greatest challenges we had faced.
The weekend prior to receiving this news, Tina and I had spoken at Risen King Alliance Church in New City, New York, where several members of the congregation had given us words of encouragement from the Lord at the conclusion of the service. One member told us that she had received a picture of trucks loaded with provisions, waiting in a warehouse and ready to leave for our church. She believed that this was God’s encouragement to us that all that was needed to purchase our rented facility would be provided. A few days later, we learned of the church’s need.
Requesting prayer from those who support us, Tina and I were waiting for God’s answer as we left for a special tour of two churches in the South Pacific District, leaving our regular tour of Metropolitan District churches. During our time in Arizona, we learned that on the last Sunday of January, the French church had received one-fourth of the needed amount in the offering and another member had promised a gift that would cover another fourth of the amount. But where would the rest of the funds come from to pay the rent and other bills?
While traveling to the second church, we told Pastor Steve Redden of Cross Point Church in Murrieta, California, about how God was teaching our church to live and walk by faith and how the members were excitedly waiting to see how the final amount would come in. At that point, Pastor Redden told us that we could phone our church and tell them not to worry because Cross Point would take care of the rest. He said that as a young Alliance congregation, the Lord had met all of their needs and that they had a heart for other church-planting situations. He said that they were “a warehouse church” because they meet in a space that was used in the past for a small business. We were so excited and touched by the generosity of this church that we had never even visited.
Later we realized that this was the picture that our friend had received, a warehouse with all of the provisions that we needed-the trucks just waiting to leave. God had provided once again as we waited in faith and trust.
On Sunday morning, Pastor Redden told his congregation about the gift that had been given in their name. Spontaneous applause filled the room. On the other side of the ocean, EPI members had learned of God’s provision and were deeply touched by their caring Father and the partnership of the Alliance family. Tina and I believe this is one more expression of what it means to “live the call together.”
Learn More
Check out our Alliance work in France.
What You Can Do
Praise the Lord for this pioneer ministry in Léguevin. Pray that all those who hear the life-changing message of the gospel in this house of prayer will receive Him as Savior.
Help keep Alliance workers such as Brad and Tina on the field.
Donate now to Alliance Great Commission Ministries.
January 28, 2011
By Shelly Kragt, serving in Germany
This is the story of a dream come true. But the story doesn’t start with the dream; it starts with a changed life.
It was 2005, and the Open Door church plant had moved from our home to a new storefront facility in a large building. The neighbors in the building were curious, and we began to make connections with them as soon as possible. It was then that Birte was invited to the church.
The Weight of Truth
The Lord began a spiritual process in Birte and her husband of getting to know Him as a personal, loving God. Birte was raised in atheist East Germany and had little exposure to God or the Christian faith. She was drawn to the love of Jesus in the people at Open Door. Rarely do first-time visitors come back on a Sunday morning in East Berlin, but Birte and her husband became regular attendees and also joined a home group.
God revealed Himself to Birte week after week, year after year, until her atheist mindset and way of thinking no longer held any weight against the truth of the existence and love of God. Birte received Christ as her Lord and Savior; she was baptized and discipled.
Two Women, One Dream
Miriam and her husband, who were already believers, also started attending the church. Birte and Miriam quickly became friends, and Miriam, a daycare/preschool teacher, shared her dream with Birte of opening a Christian kindergarten (daycare/preschool) in the neighborhood. The need for children and families to hear about Jesus is great, especially in this area where the birthrate is higher than almost anywhere else in Europe. It is rare in this socialist society that children do not attend kindergarten, usually starting at age two, but sometimes even younger.
Birte also saw the need. Having grown up without hearing about the love of Jesus and now experiencing new life in Him, she wanted to share His gift with children and their families to give them the opportunity that she never had.
The two women shared a dream that began to grow. Others joined in helping them to see it realized. In fall 2009, an organization, The Coloured World of Kids, was formed to begin the process of opening a kindergarten that would incorporate Jesus’ love and Christian values in the curriculum. Because Miriam is a native English speaker from India and there is a high demand for learning English in Berlin, the school is bilingual. As the concept quickly developed, a search for adequate rooms began.
It’s a Kids’ World
In summer 2010, God opened the doors to just the right facility. As in any endeavor, there is much red tape and so many things that make such a step seem impossible. But we have seen God’s hand in every detail of the process. He provided financially in unexpected ways and gave us an amazing architect as well as repeated favor with building inspectors.
To the glory of God, the Coloured World of Kids kindergarten school opened its doors on January 5, 2011. By summer 2011, the kindergarten will be filled with 20 children learning about Jesus’ love for them.
This is the story of a dream come true. But the dream isn’t over; it will end with changed lives.
Learn More
Visit the Coloured World of Kids Web site, and become a friend on Facebook.
Read more about Alliance work in Germany.
What You Can Do
Pray for Shelly and her coworkers in Germany as they reach out to lost people with the hope of Jesus.
Give to Alliance Great Commission Ministries. In doing so, you partner with overseas workers, like Shelly, to bring the light of Jesus into spiritually dark places.
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