Mission trip funding: A 'crisis of belief?'

We have exceeded an $11,250 fundraising goal for our next expedition to India. Upon reaching this milestone, we sent this message to our financial partners:

A longtime friend reminded us weeks ago of Philippians 4:19, which promises, "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."

When we tell people we believe the Lord is asking us to raise $11,250 for a mission trip to India, we get a variety of reactions. As people receive our request, they are faced with a "crisis of belief." All these responses begin with, "Wow, that's a lot of money..."

• How will my gift ever make a difference?
• What makes you think people will give so much for a mission trip?
• Why don't you just pay for it yourself?
• Why are you asking me to contribute?
• What happens to my gift if you don't make your goal?
• I'm not sure God will supply all of my needs if I give toward your trip.
• I would never share my faith; why should I help you share yours?
• How can I help?

In his excellent study Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby explains what he calls a "crisis of belief."

When God invites you to join Him in His work, He has a God-sized assignment for you. You will quickly realize you cannot do what He is asking on your own. If God doesn't help you, you will fail. This is the crisis of belief when you must decide whether to believe God for what He wants to do through you.

At this point many people decide not to follow what they sense God is leading them to do. Then they wonder why they do not experience God's presence and activity the way other Christians do.

The way you respond at this turning point will determine whether you become involved with God in something God-sized that only He can do or whether you will continue to go your own way and miss what He has purposed for your life.

When we request financial support for a mission trip, we are inviting others to join God in something only He can do. Every reaction we hear is an expression of that "crisis of belief." In all, 50 donors are sending us to India this year. Thank you for being one who decided to follow God's leading, and be a part of something none of us could possibly do on our own!

Last year, our India team was privileged to see more than 700 adults pray to receive eternal life, as well as many children and youths. The harvest fields of India are indeed ripe. Thank you for allowing us to be your hands and feet in those harvest fields. We look forward to telling you about what our amazing God is doing among the people of India.

Grateful to be sent out by you,

Hank, Debbie and Ali

Why we go

This is some of the most compelling videography I've ever seen. And the message - aimed at Christians - is clear:

Lost from AsiaLink HistoryMaker on Vimeo.

Do you know the history of Pentecost?

Shavuot, also spelled "Shavuos," is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan (corresponding to late May/early June; it will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 19 in 2010). It marks the conclusion of the Counting of the Omer and the day the Torah was given at Mount Sinai. It is one of the three Biblical pilgrimage festivals (shalosh regalim) mandated by the Torah.

Unlike the other two pilgrimage festivals (Passover and Sukkot), the date on which Shavuot occurs is not explicitly mentioned in the Torah. Rather, its occurrence is directly linked to the occurrence of Passover. Beginning on the second day of Passover, the Torah mandates a 49-day (seven-week) counting period (the Counting of the Omer), which culminates in the 50th day, Shavuot. This counting of days and weeks expresses anticipation and desire for the Giving of the Torah. At Passover, the Jewish people were freed from being slaves to Pharaoh; at Shavuot they accepted the Torah and became a nation committed to serving God.

Shavuot has many aspects and as a consequence is called by several names. In the Torah it is called Feast of Weeks; Festival of Reaping, and Day of the First Fruits. The Mishnah and Talmud refer to Shavuot as Atzeret, as it provides closure for the festival activities during and following the holiday of Passover. Since Shavuot occurs 50 days after Passover, Christians gave it the name Pentecost ("fiftieth [day]"). However, the actual Christian commemoration of Pentecost occurs on the seventh Sunday after Easter.

In modern Israel and among Karaite and Reform Jews, Shavuot is celebrated for one day. In the Jewish diaspora outside Israel, the holiday is celebrated for two days, on the sixth and seventh days of Sivan.

Now you know.

Merry Christmas!

Luke 2:1-16, New Living Translation

The Birth of Jesus

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

The Shepherds and Angels

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

May the Lord be pleased with you and your loved ones, and bless you with peace this Christmas!

Week in Review: Hanamkonda, India - November 2009

Debbie, Ali and I were three of 15 North Americans who traveled to Hanamkonda, India in November 2009 on an evangelism and church planting trip. Our trip leaders, Mike and Mary Wagner, were kind enough to assemble a few photos and video from our team members. It's a nice overview of our week of ministry:

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

If you can't see or play the video on this page, just click here. We'll post more updates with additional stories soon.

Built on the Rock

On our second day in the field, our team visited Banda Meedi thanda. "Banda Meedi" means "built on the rock." We immediately thought of the story Jesus told in Matthew 7:24-27 and Luke 6:46-49. As we prayed and walked through this thanda, we observed that it really was built on bedrock!

Our team of three North Americans and five Indian nationals proclaimed the Gospel after prayer-walking. We began by singing two Banjara songs and doing a simple dance. More than 100 people gathered to listen!



Hank began by introducing himself, Debbie and Ali - in Banjara, with our Banjara names - and explaining that we had come from America. (The rest was all spoken through one of our marvelous interpreters.) After the Gospel presentation, many Banjara people had questions. The first was, "We didn't know there were Banjara people in America!"

Several people responded to the Gospel. One was a man named Venghket, pictured here (seated), with Pastor Samson and Harria Niak (Hank). After listening intently to the creation story and Good News of eternal life in Jesus, he began a spirited conversation with one of our Indian pastors. After Venghket prayed to receive the gift of eternal life, his face instantly showed the joy of the Lord! He told us through our translator that he felt like dancing! Hank asked why he felt that way. Venghket's response? "I have peace now that I have trusted in Jesus, the One True God. I didn't have peace before."

We are so thankful to have seen many Banjara people receive the peace of Christ. Our team returned to Banda Meedi thanda several times during the week, and the Holy Spirit of the Living God did amazing things! More on that next time...

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness." ~Psalms 115:1

India Mission Report 23 Nov 2009

We have returned home with hearts full of India! The journey back was more than 30 hours of bus and plane rides, and we were all exhausted when we arrived home Sunday night. We weren't able to update from the field, so we'll provide a few photos and stories in the coming days.

We began our adventure in the thandas on Monday, November 16. Hank, Debbie and Ali were paired with three Indian pastors and two translatators. We had six such teams (two or three North Americans with nationals) going out each day. As we drove two hours out into the thandas, we talked, sang and prayed together. On our first day, our national partners decided to give us Banjara names: Ali is "Walli Bai," which means "Beautiful Little Sister." Debbie's name, "Dwalli Bai," means "Pure, Fair-skinned Sister." Hank became "Harria Niak," meaning "green and growing," as in Psalm 1:3 - planted by streams of living water. "Niak" is the Banjara title for a respected leader. More next time on our names...

We presented the Gospel in Suria thanda (village of sunlight), but no one responded immediately. Our team decided to take a lunch break, and sat under a mango tree in a nearby farmer's field. As we ate, we noticed two young men watching us from a distance. When we finished, they approached us, and said they wanted to know more about Jesus, the One True God.

Ali presented the Gospel to them using an EvangeCube (see the photo above), and both professed their faith in Jesus! They were the first of many new believers in Suria thanda. The young man on the right introduced us to his brother (a Muslim) and his parents the next day. All three of them also trusted Jesus for their eternal salvation after hearing the story of the One True God.

In his grace, the Lord allowed us to share the Good News with thousands of Banjara people during the week - many of whom had never even heard the name "Jesus" before. Hundreds are now our brothers and sisters in Christ, rejoicing in new life!

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness." ~Psalms 115:1