16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[1] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."-Matthew 28
"Missions Video with missions statistics around the world"
I really encourage to use your "God given" network/connections that you already have before going to some missions organization that you don't know or have a personal relationship with!
Motivation behind this site:
I was inspired to finally write about �missions� after attending a Wednesday evening IVCF: �Impact�. It was just the other day, January 28th when I somehow got my shift change at work (2-10p) when I worked for another co-worker this past Sunday 2-10p. I took advantage of this rare opportunity to see what God is doing in IVCF after I haven�t attend a fellowship/worship gathering for awhile (since last semester). Well, I thought it was God�s perfect timing as a student speaking on �missions�. I even prayed during the worship that God will meet each individual present hearing His Word-oh boy-He did! I was so touched that I had to write this homepage early this morning and continue on this evening after I worked both 6-10a & 3-6p. I felt God spoke to me on some issues on mission and re-collected all the resources I�ve gathered in the past .
I would love to share with you many countless testimonies of who God has put in my life to share the Good News with. There is soo�much to share and to much confidentiality at this point of time, so if you really want to hear some-you gotta get a hold of me ummalpha@yahoo.com! However, I rather challenge you to come up with your own personal testimonies and e-mail me back!
Co-mission!
Do you ever feel you are the only one that is doing what you are doing? Do you ever feel you need to be one that makes a difference in the world? Well, this is a sign that you are too selfish and individualistic! The �Great Commission� is a teamwork �call� for all us �believers� or �children of God� (verse?)! We need to work together with God! This mission work can�t be fulfilled with one individual, one campus student organization, one church congregation, one nation, etc�We need all of us with God! The speaker at this particular IVCF gathering shared how we all have equal parts as we do different parts in sharing the �Good News�, just like�
35Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor." -John 4
Just remember, when you share a piece of the �Good News� with somebody-there is a chance that God already used someone else to plant a seed of faith in them already.
Also, here is a cool story after the speaker at IVCF's "Impact"...When I came out of Edson Auditorium, I went to look for a friend of mine to drive home during this "deep freeze" (20 below zero most of the week with -40 below and more wind chills!), God sent me a Native American Indian student I've been "small-chatting" with these couple of years. While I was chatting with him, his friend came over to chat with us. I ended up finding out he was Somolian, which is a current big ethnic refugee group that just immigrated to Minnesota in a big wave the past decade of years or so ago. I thought this was "God divine" to really look into getting the "body of believers" to "reach out" to the nations God is sending "next door" to us!
Come on guys, lets go!
"Send me...to the nations of this world"-this is part of a worship song asking God to send us to "preach the Good News to nations. When many come to a personal relationship with Jesus, they become eager to become a missionary overseas. For example, I (Sal) personally wanted to travel around the world-particularly the Philippines (did in 2001-see my experience) where my parents came from before moving to St. Paul, Minnesota.
However, we sometimes look to far and we just need to see what God puts before us. One time in IVCF, a student that went to Urbana shared how she was inspired by a speaker sharing about a car with headlights analogy. When we drive a car at night, we can only see what's before us within the lights coming from the car's headlights. That is how us Christians sometimes need to look as God shines his light on particular people that are reachable within our reach-mission wise.
After 4 plus years of part-time campus ministry work at the University of Minnesota-Morris, I've been trying to do His will in reaching the nations that God sends here.
Just take a look at the demographic population of this campus with the different "minority" student organizations:
They are all right here! I've had the opportunity to do missions work in Nogales, Sonora-Mexico and a family trip to the Philippines in 2001! After these trips, God kind of tugged my heart that He sent me here to (parents immigrated here in 1973) Minnesota for a reason! I could've been born in the Philippines, but I feel God got me here the way He did to do his work in this college campus community-state-nation! I would love to travel, but I feel that He wants to prepare me "locally" before He sends me "globally"!
God will not give you something that you can't handle. He wants to prepare you before the next "step" or "level" in faith! It's a humble thing-you need to be obedient and patient during the "season of preperation".
Season to go Abroad
Why do missions work? Want to do missions work? Ask God first on who, when, and where?
"14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"-Romans 10
As these verses above explains, we need to be "called"! Before going on my first mission trip-Mexico 01'- (see Mexico)I was praying on when, where, and how? It's a long story, but God provided the finances and worked all the circumstances (timing, finances, mission team, etc..) "perfectly" for me to know that He wanted me to go with some college students from IVCF to Mexico in 2001. Now, God has tugged my heart for the nation of "India". For example, a Christian spoke a "word of prophecy" that I'll someday go to India at a conference called "Hear & Obey". Some friend would later mail me some missionary information on "Gospel for Asia". I can continue to share more "circumstances" directing me to this particular nation. However, I need to be careful on "what I think" because I need to have my eyes open (e.g. headlight story) on what's around me already. God has put Indian-Americans already in my path to "reach-out" too!
Disclaimer: I'm not an "expert" on this (cultural evangelism), so I just want to share what I've done so far. Please feel free to e-mail me any of your personal tips or suggestions to ummalpha@yahoo.com. Thanks
"You must be the change the world sees before you can make a difference in the world"-Mahatma Gandhi
Before going out there to "make a difference", you need to do some changes within yourself first. Remember, Jesus didn't start His ministry till he turned 30 years old. Seek after God�s heart to have the same heart-"love God, love your neighbors" (Matthew 22:37-39). We can easily share the Good News with people just simply by being His light! Look how a light bulb gives light. What make it bright? The wattage and the clearer the bulb. Where do we get power or the boldness to share? Through the Holy Spirit (more teaching�)! How does the bulb get clearer? Dusting it to make it shine brighter, so we need to do the same with ourselves-sin-less! Trust God�s Word on this! As an avid reader of the Bible, I try to read it as much as I can and become a doer of it! When I become a doer of His Word, I�ve been able to shine His light more. The more I�m able to shine His light more, the more people around you will be asking question about God-then you�ll be able to share more!
ACTION:
1. Ask God to show you 5 people from different racial/ethnic ("nations") backgrounds that God seem to put in front of you (e.g. headlight story) and write it in a list.
2. Pray for each one regularly (daily, weekly, monthly, etc...) and their particular nation as a whole (e.g. "Jiwon" and "South Korea")
3. Ask God how to build a relationship with them-"friendship evangelism" more ideas..
a. "Getting to know THEM": Look for cultural opportunities (local events: campus/community calender) to "hangout" with them. For example, attend their particular student organization event (e.g. ISA-international students do a yearly "International Supper")
b. "Getting them to know YOU": Invite them to do what you "like to do" (interest/hobby). For example, invite them to your house for supper and go out to something YOU like to do (e.g. soccer is a global sport, so take them to a local soccer game). I personally love baseball, so I took a Korean student to play baseball at Miller Field in Morris one summer
c. "Getting them to know GOD": Pray for opportunities/open door for you to "share" the Good News. For example, invite them to a church activity or event (*reccomended to gradually introduce them to "church") before inviting them to an actual church service-if you know they haven't been to a "church service" before. I personally invited the same Korean student to play for our church softball team, which he did for a whole summer. Later, he did "check-out" one of the services of my local church.
Benefits/Rewards from Missions Work
(Sunday, January 13th of 2008)
One of the biggest obstacle that deters many to consider missions work is finances. Read my story above, which tells about how God provides when it's His will. Like the saying, "When there is a vision, there is provision"...Amen?! One of the many benefits from my experience going to Mexico back in 2001 was learning how foturnate/bless we are of having "clean" water in the United States. Yes, it may not be perfectly clean, but at least we won't get sick or die after just one cup from tap water (depending on where in America I guess?). When I was in Mexico, I learned how valuable water is. For example, I remember I was going to help was dishes for the pastor that hosted us to show him my gratitude for feeding us. As I was just starting to wash the dishes, he yelled (nicely) at me to turn it off! He explained that the town (Mascarenas) we were in gets water flowing only twice a week. They have to conserve what water they have by leaving it in the sink to wash dishes until the next "day of water". This really opened my eyes to know how bless/thankful we are in the U.S.! After this experience, I'm very conservative of water. For example, I like to collect water from rain/snow and put it in my basement sink. I store water for various uses (e.g. "flush" the water in the toilet, water plants, and even water for my top-load washing machine!-yes, crazy huh!). My water bill has been cut down close to $20 each month, which adds up you know!
"... Missions trips and many other fun and interesting things. ... The youth groups allow the members a chance to get together with others and have fun and at the same time develope into young adults that are ready to serve thier church and communities.You don't have to be a member of the church to participate."-Springville FUMC Youth Groups
I agree on what it say above. I know it pertains to youth groups, but missions work really builds individuals. It also solidifies/bonds people together. For me, my experience from missions work has got me move involved in reaching out to my community too.
"
14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"[e] and he was called God's friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."
"TWIN CITIES — The United States has long been considered a melting pot—a nation teeming with diverse communities, groups and nationalities who have come here looking for a better life for themselves and their families.
Today, Minnesota is home to a diverse group of individuals from Central America, Laos, Liberia, Russia and many other locales. In response to this influx of cultures, more missionaries are coming to the U.S. to attend to the spiritual needs of these diverse groups—establishing churches and religious programs that speak to these individuals’ unique Christian traditions.
Reaching their own communities
“Much of the focus of international missionaries in the U.S. begins as they try to reach people of their own nationality living in the U.S., but it often very quickly expands beyond that,” says Carl Nelson, president of the Greater Minnesota Association of Evangelicals.
“An example would be many of the Liberian congregations that have been planted in the U.S,” Nelson says. “They were initiated to minister to Liberian immigrants, but several Liberian congregations in the Twin Cities now have truly international congregations.”
Nelson recently visited with the president of the Liberian Ministerial Association, who observed that the external situation that forced them to come to the U.S. was the civil war in Liberia, but that he and many others believe that God had a purpose in mind for them to be missionaries to America and to plant churches here.
“Initially, they reach their own nationalities, but many of them have a fundamental desire to reach the whole U.S. culture,” Nelson says. “Some of them are motivated by a missionary fervor to reach what they believe is a lost society.”
So how prevalent is this missionary work throughout Minnesota and beyond? “While I don’t have exact specifics, we know it’s happening—particularly in major metropolitan cities, and the Twin Cities is in that group,” Nelson says.
Indeed, a visit to the Web site www.ethnicchurch.com displays dozens of Christian churches in Minnesota serving Hmong, Chinese, Portuguese, Hispanic, Arab, Sudanese, Russian, Laotian, Korean and Liberian individuals. And this missionary presence is found throughout the Twin Cities—from the Hmong worship services at the New Life in Christ Worship Center in Brooklyn Park to the Twin Cities Chinese Evangelical Free Church in Minneapolis.
As Nelson points out, there is a rising influence of Hispanic churches within U.S. denominations. “The Assemblies of God recently joined the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference because well over one-third of their congregations in the U.S. have major Hispanic memberships,” Nelson says.
“Latino Christianity is going to be a growing force within American Evangelicalism in the coming decades,” he says. According to the National Hispanic Leadership Conference, nationwide the Hispanic population will hit 24 percent in the next decade. In the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota, there are more than 28 Hispanic-based churches.
Voice of renewal
“The presence of international Christians is also trying to be a voice for renewal within some U.S. denominations, like the Episcopal Church, and is being felt through the establishment of new Anglican congregations under the jurisdiction of particularly African Bishops,” Nelson says.
Not surprising, incoming missionaries have made a significant impact on certain ethnic communities throughout Minnesota. For example, according to Nelson, there are some 40 Liberian congregations in Minnesota—several of them today have an international membership.
These congregations are simply a sampling of the many ethnic Christian churches that have been established by missionaries who saw the need to serve particular demographics.
“A Catholic parish in Minneapolis, near my home, is bursting at the seams with primarily Vietnamese worshipers today,” Nelson says. “And several newly-planted Anglican congregations in Minnesota, including Church of the Cross in Hopkins, receive leadership from Asian and African bishops. And one local Baptist denomination recently ordained three Karen ministers to work here in Minnesota” (Karen are an ethnic minority group from Burma, and there are an estimated 5,000 in Minnesota).
In some cases, American denominations are helping these international missionaries; in other cases, it has been slow to take hold among lay people and church leaders.
“The Church remains so rooted in the paradigm of the Western church evangelizing the rest of the world that we haven’t paid much attention to the evangelists coming to us here,” Nelson says. “The truth is most U.S. churches don’t have this on their radar. Many of these church-planting missionaries are independent and not part of local denominations and therefore go unnoticed by most U.S. church leaders.”
However, the Christian & Missionary Alliance (CMA) and the Southern Baptist Convention have particularly good track records of supporting pastors and church planters to reach Hmong, Laotian and Vietnamese populations in Minnesota. The Northwestern District of the CMA offers a wealth of resources for pastors, clergy and lay people who may be looking to reach diverse communities within Minnesota.
“The center of global Christianity has shifted from the west to the east, and from the north to the south,” Nelson says. “So it is inevitable that the U.S. will be a growing recipient of international missionaries if, for no other reason, than that the Church is declining in the U.S. The Church is thriving in much of the rest of the world, and particularly a Christianity that is evangelistic, Pentecostal and theologically orthodox."
"A short promotional announcement for the Urbana 09 Mission Conference. It was created by and for Suburban Bible Church for the Sunday service on 10/11/09 and it isn't connected to Intervarsity."
Life
-Evangelism
Evangelism: Here I Am Lord, Send Me - Today's Christian Videos
'http://www.BeamerFilms.com">Download this video
An ordinary man walks his ordinary neighborhood, but something epic is happening in his heart... a willingness to lovingly evangelize."
"It�s the song of the redeemed
Rising from the African plain
It�s the song of the forgiven
Drowning out the Amazon rain
The song of Asian believers
Filled with God�s holy fire
It�s every tribe, every tongue, every nation
A love song born of a grateful choir"
"Half of China's 1.2 billion people are under the age of 24. This year more than 7.4 million people in China will die without Christ "
*see GoodnewsEverybody: Asian-Chinese
"HOUSTON, TX (ANS) -- Some may think of orality as just a method of communication, just transferring information from one person's mind to another. But it's much more, it's also about relationships and community, about the impartation of the Spirit and sharing life.
When we think of all the great needs in the world today, we naturally think of physical poverty, the people without adequate clean water, food, clothing or shelter. However, many of the wealthiest people and nations in the world today are living in relational and spiritual poverty.
Let's consider what we can learn from oral cultures, oral traditions and orality that address the relational poverty issues that are so prevalent in the so called “developed nations of the world”.
There is a growing recognition that orality-based communications and teaching methods have many benefits beyond just the transfer of knowledge and information. There is so much we in the Western World can learn from the rest of the world.
For decades missionaries from Western nations have been taking highly literate styles of communication, teaching, evangelism and disciple making methods to the primarily oral cultures of the world. It has been estimated that 90% of the time, the Gospel is presented in a highly literate style of communication and teaching. Even though it may be in an audio or visual form, in many cases it is still not compatible with oral cultures or oral preference learners.
Thankfully, the Lord seems to be using the Orality Movement in changing that trend. There is a growing awareness that the majority of the world (some estimate 4.35 billion) are oral learners, by necessity or by preference.
A vehicle breakdown provides an opportunity for Storying and Orality training
Those missionaries, evangelists, church planters and ministries who have made the transition to a more oral suitable approach among oral cultures are seeing and experiencing a significant increase in response and amazing results.
Great Commission focused followers of Jesus are beginning to ask important questions:
1. How much and what does one need to know in order to have a relationship with and become a follower of Jesus?
2. How much and what does one need to know to be a reproducing disciple of Jesus and bring others into a relationship with Him?
3. Also, what are the best and most appropriate delivery systems and methods to accomplish questions 1 and 2?
A 10 year old retells a story at an
Orality Training Workshop
It's time for all serious followers of Jesus to ask these fog cutting questions about the Great Commission, which is to communicate the Good News of God to everyone, everywhere and to make disciples of all people groups. What a fantastic opportunity!
We are certainly living in some of the most paradigm shifting times in relation to advancing the Kingdom of God. There is great power and value in asking the right questions. These are a few others we should be asking:
1. How did Jesus teach, communicate and make disciples?
2. What do we learn from how He did these things that we can do today?
3. How would Jesus be making disciple if He were alive on earth today?
The truth of the matter is that He is alive on planet earth today, and living in each of us who has been born of the Spirit of God.
One of the temptations we face in the orality movement, as well as in most other areas of life, is to focus more than we should on our methods, strategies, skills, abilities and techniques. In doing so, we often neglect to recognize the spiritual, supernatural and miraculous activities of the Holy Spirit working through us.
In our experience in conducting Orality Training Workshops in various parts of the world where Living Water International is working, questions such as these often arise:
1. Does Jesus still have power over nature and the spiritual world today?
2. Can He still perform miracles today?
3. Is there a problem with demon-possession today?
4. Can and does Jesus still deliver people from evil spirits today?
Of course the answer to all these questions is yes, and people are always amazed and encouraged when they see and experience the Lord at work in these ways.
We often have people share testimonies in our workshops of how the Lord has performed the same kinds of miracles that we hear about in the stories of Jesus from the Bible.
Many today have a head knowledge that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, but admit that they are not experiencing His divine activity and intervention.
Orality Training in the bush in West Africa
Faith seems to grow in people's hearts when they hear the stories from the Word of God, and embrace them for themselves. The power of God's Word (His story), the power of simplicity and the power of questions seem to be universal and transferable to any people and any place.
What many of us, who are on this orality journey, are learning is that the methods that are effective in oral cultures are actually more transferable to Western, literate cultures than the reverse. Also, the added benefit of creating and enhancing relationships and community is important in our disciple making efforts.
An orality training participant recently said, “This is liberating to realize we don't have to wait until Sunday and we don't have to be in a church building to share our faith and make disciples.” It is true that anywhere and at all times we can join God in His redemptive activities.
One of the big challenges we all face in ministry and missions is to continually recognize and acknowledge the Lord's presence and His willingness to show Himself strong on our behalf. The work of the Kingdom is not our own; it's His.
A dear friend I have known for many years has often said, “We should be careful to keep our finger prints off what God is doing.” If we are successful in that, God can continue to bless, multiply and reproduce His work through us.
As God intensifies and pours out His Spirit, not only on the Orality Movement, but all His kingdom endeavors, let us not become too enamored with our plans, methods and strategies, or our skills, abilities and performance. It is great to develop and implement all these things, but apart from the Lord's hand on our lives and His work, it will count for nothing. (See Psalm 127 & John 15:5.)
Let us press on with all that is within us, bathing everything in prayer with a deep recognition of our dependence upon and trust in Almighty God.
In all our training workshops we emphasize that it is not our activity on His behalf, but His activity on our behalf that produces lasting fruit.
We don't have to be great story tellers, because we have great stories to tell. It is the Holy Spirit that touches hearts and changes lives as we simply tell the stories and ask the questions.
The Orality Movement is certainly gaining momentum and increasing numbers of leaders are recognizing its importance. Dr. David J. Hesselgrave, Founding Executive Director of the Evangelical Missiological Society, said, “…one of the most significant and praiseworthy aspects of modern mission strategy has to do with the re-discovery of the importance of storying the Story of the great redemptive plan of God. No better way of communicating the gospel and discipling the nations has ever been, or ever will be found.”
"
Global Opportunities, mobilizing tentmakers to reach the world by helping you use your vocation through training and connecting you to individuals and teams overseas
Jobs in a Flash, Intercristo-�the Christian career specialist�
-Computing
JAARS, together with Wycliffe Bible Translators need �more than 210 people with knowledge and skill in computing and info. tech. To bring God�s Word to all�
"Missions trips are not free. Most Christian teens considering going on a mission trip will have to raise money in order to travel. However, knowing the most effective ways to raise money for these mission trips can give most Christian teens peace of mind when it comes to the financial aspect of missions. Here are some of the best ways to raise money for a missions trip:.."
Jesus Run, an annual marathon raises money for missions and features missions speakers and a Christian music concert in Denver, CO
Pura Vida Coffee, "get premium coffee delivered directly to your door and also help sponsor a child through World in Need
"Feed The Kingdom Vision is an overview if the vision which includes orphan rescue homes water wells that include purification systems and agriculture and villages of hope as well as a bible college."
-Children
"What we can do as the church to help From World Vision"
-Clothing
Orphan Grain Train, In loving response to Christ, the Servant, the Orphan Grain Train movement encourages and enables God's people to share personal and material resources in bringing Christ's name and character to needy people both far and near.
*referred to Dan Hansen (local contact) by Jewel of Salvation Army on Friday, June 15th of 2007; using Dunker Trailers of Hancock, MN
One Million Witnesseses " don't care how long it takes....I don't care if I have to pass this site down to my children or grandchildren...we want to gather 1,000,000 witnesses strong. Can you dream with me for one second...what a powerful testimony that is! And once it is filled we will attempt to keep the site live for as long as humanly possible.
It Gets Better....
The proceeds of this experiment will bless others.
With the first 100,000 witnesses we will be building wells for people in Liberia. By the time this first page is complete, we will have provided water to over 100,000 people. Working hand in hand with Living Water International, you will see the projects being completed as the Witness Wall is built."
*found the sites above through the article down below that I read this evening (Thursday, Dec 20th of 2007)
OneMillionWitnesses.com asks Christians to share blessings, faith stories
Initial proceeds from site donations will help provide clean water in third world countries
by Bryan Malley
Published by Minnesota Christian Chronicle � December 2007 "TWIN CITIES � Discouraged after losing his father to level 4 cancer, Jason Wenell, founder of the online Prodigal Son Magazine, began asking God, �Where are you? Where are all the great things you are doing?�
In that difficult time, Wenell needed encouragement. From his need, an idea began to rise that eventually led to the formation of OneMillionWitnesses.com.
Launched in November, the new Web site gives visitors the chance to share their faith testimonies and make a donation to the missions the site partners with. The site�s home page features thousands of small blocks in a grid layout. When visitors mouse over purchased blocks, a window pops up highlighting the testimony of the person who donated to reserve it.
Testimonies can range from a job promotion to physical healing. When a visitor adds their testimony for a minimum donation of $10, it is posted on the �witness wall� and the proceeds go to missions the site is partnering with�the first of which is Living Water International.
The site�s founder hopes it will become an �online monument to God� that shares His goodness with others. Visitors to the site can also search all the testimonies by keyword to find encouragement relating to specific issues or needs.
�I know people have many outlets to share their testimony, but it seems like all the negative things in the world drown out the great miracles that are happening all over the world,� Wenell said. �It is the concept of power in numbers. We have a much larger voice when we sing His glory together. A non-believer can shrug off a story here and a story there to coincidence, but what about 1 million stories?�
Living Water International works to provide clean drinking water for people in the most needy parts of the world.
�The lack of clean water is the number one killer in third world countries, and I think that is so tragic that God has provided it for free. It is right under their feet, they just need the tools and skills to harvest it,� Wenell said.
LWI will provide the site with reports and before and after pictures and stories of every well they build from OneMillionWitnesses.com. The goal is to build 100 wells with LWI.
�As for the next nine partnerships, we would really like to help in all kinds of areas from large scale efforts such as rescuing kids from the diamond mines, to smaller domestic issues where we can make a difference,� Wenell said.
Wenell believes the Internet can be an effective tool for witnessing because that �is where the world is communicating.� Over 65 percent of U.S. households own a computer, and older generations are becoming more computer savvy.
�My grandmother in rural Iowa just sent me an e-card for my birthday, and my mom does most of her shopping on CraigsList.org, so the environment is changing,� Wenell said. �The cool thing is that younger people don�t respond well to mailers from different charities, but they can get behind a Web 2.0 movement and they like to see the change their donation is making.�
Wenell has gone from asking God where he is doing great things, to asking Christians worldwide to answer that same question.
�I figure if places like YouTube get 10 million visitors a day, and [campaigns] like �1 million supporters for Stephen Colbert� can reach their goal, there has to be 1 million Christians in the world that are willing to build this legacy,� he said. �OneMillionWitnesses.com is really my question to the world, and I hope to get 1 million answers.�"
*see GoodnewsEverybody: Environmental-Water
COLDPLAY VIVA LA VIDA lyrics variations comparison (latest VS v.1) ... 6, Roman Cavalry choirs are singing, Roman can't be quiet, she said it, 6 ... 8, My missionaries in a foreign field, A missionary's in a foreign field, 8 ... 12, I know Saint Peter won't call my name, I know Saint Peter will call my name, 12 ...
"Songwriters: GUY BERRYMAN, CHRISTOPHER A. MARTIN, JON BUCKLAND, WILL CHAMPION
"...I really like this song.
Coldplay seems to be throwing in a ton of Religious and Christian references into there newer songs.
"Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever wanna be king?"
-This could be a reference to John the Baptist of the New Testament.
In The Book of Mark, John is noted as the one that comes before Jesus to announce His coming to Earth. A lot of people thought he (John) was going to be their Messiah, however he corrected them and told them that it was the One after him that would fill that role. I, also, argue that point because it is said somewhere that John's head was brought to king Herod on a Silver Platter.
Also, while on this subject - at the beginning:
"I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sweep [sleep?] alone
Sweep the streets I used to own"
-The speaker used to be a king, now he is not... and has turned over kingship. Potential reference of someone giving God kingship over his life.
"Never an honest word"
-I heard "work" instead of "word."
"I know Saint Peter won't call my name"
-The speaker has doubts about going to heaven after he dies??? Maybe, he may just believe that good, "honest" works won't get him in to heaven.
That is it for now.
This is only my opinion, and would like to see if anyone agrees with me.
VIVA LA VIDA! "
"There is a TON of spiritual imagery in this song. One that particularly caught my eye was when he refers to his castles standing "upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand". I think this possibly is a reference to the sermon on the mount where Jesus speaks of a wise man building is house on a rock while the foolish man builds his house on the sand, only to be washed away. I am not sure on most of the meaning of this song but I do think that there is a link between total power and foolishness, contrasted with the loss of power (dependence on something else?) and gaining wisdom of your situation. "
"I think it is about the decline of the Roman Catholic Church. At one point the church was the major world power. It had total control and during the crusades the crusaders were thought of as missionaries which would help to make sense of the chorus. ..
"
Given that this album seems to revolve around the theme of celebrating life (Viva la Vida) and revolutions (the cover art depicts the French Revolution by Delacroix), I think this song embodies the nature of revolutions. The lyrics to this song seem to refer to revolutions in history thus far, about kings, queens, emperors, and other rulers who fall from high places after revolutions from below. The French Revolution, the Chinese Revolution, the Russian Revolution, and the British Civil Wars in the 17th century all come to mind when I hear these lyrics. Each revolution overthrew a powerful central government, with a powerful head of state in a violent and bloody fashion (think "heads on a silver plate"). These lyrics are telling their stories from the point of view of the fallen leader, in a very poetic way, but the message is essentially "Oh, who would ever want to be king?" Because revolutions have occurred over and over in history, and they will continue to occur, but such is the story of life and of humanity."
"Our directory has over 500 short-term mission trips and another 1,300 Christian volunteer opportunities. Our estimate is that each link to our site has a value worth a donation of $10-100, so while I realize it may take some time to add a link, it can make a big difference."
*contact Paul J. Caputo
Volunteer Network Coordinator (personally sent this to me on Thursday, October 17th of 2007)
-Africa
South Africa: Mission Trip Reports Trip Reports Home
South Africa, Africa
First Year Missionary Internship (from adventures.org)
Faith 14
3/14/2006 By: Amanda Petersen, FYMer "...Some days our work at Ithemba seems dry. When in relationship with children, often times we don't get to see the benefits of our time and energy because the seeds start growing later on in life rather than right now. It's been amazing to watch God work in different ways though our commitment there, and last night our team got to experience one such reward that is new to us in South Africa..."
*contact John Downer, who has visited Morris through wife-Naomi P. (UMM Alumn 00')
Thank you for visiting GoodnewsEverybody! Please feel free to e-mail me (Sal) at info@goodnewseverybody.com on any comments, suggestions (e.g. any new websites),complaints, or anytype of feedback to improve this website.
I became a member of IVCF, a campus student ministry organization after I came to a personal relationship with Jesus in 1996-freshmen year! I grew a lot in my early walk with Christ during my years involvement as a member and later on with the outreach committee my junior year. I then got plugged in with a local church family-Morris Community Church around 1997 when I grew with more of a passion for the �Great Commission�. I would like to thank God for these two faith builders in my life to continue to make me more like Christ today and tomorrow!
