A Simple Challenge

This is the sign outside the restroom at one of the colleges we do evangelism on.  I took the picture because it accurately depicts the world we find ourselves in. It amazes me how many Christians are in absolute shock when they see it. That tells me something about the "rocks" many of us live under. We must not make the mistake of hiding from the realities of a broken world. We must respond. As believers, we have two options. Retreat into a cave of religious piety or engage our broken society with the truth and hope found in the gospel.  How are you engaging this broken world with the gospel?  

Family News

We are all doing well here. Staying busy with kids activities.  Our lives are a mix of never ending grocery runs, carpooling kids to certain activities, and occasionally a minute or two a week of relaxing!  We are so grateful for God's blessings in our lives. The home we live in, the food in our fridge, the car we drive. Those common things that we quite simply don't deserve, yet the Lord graces us with. Thank you so much for your prayers and support. No words can say thank you enough. The above picture is from a day trip we took up to the mountains a few weeks back to play in the snow. Oregon is a beautiful place year round. Great to get outside and away from the rain and into the snow for a day! 

Pray for Samuel

I would like to introduce you to Samuel. Samuel is from India, and was a student in my Outward Apologetics School. Samuel is a very kind, simple man who has a love for Jesus and the proclamation of the simple gospel. I have learned so much from him already in his humility, and boldness. He wants to come back here to work full time with us in August, as he has to leave the beginning of March for his visa. I know he would be a tremendous blessing to Gospel Focus in so many ways. I rarely do this, but I would like to ask you to pray for Samuel financially. He needs a minumum of $500 a month to return and be on staff here. He has very limited resources in India, so I am reaching out to people on his behalf. If you would, please pray for him. Maybe there is someone you may know who would be interested in supporting him? No pressure at all, just felt led to share his need with people as his "pool to draw from" in terms of support is very limited. 

Friday Monrnings with Buddhist Monks

The above is picture is from our January Temple Talk. I took people to a Buddhist Temple nearby. About a month ago, I started to spend an hour on my Friday mornings going to the Buddhist temple to hang out with the Monks. They are all from Thailand, and speak very little English. It has been a great time of learning for me about Buddhism, and a great time for them to practice English. I honestly do not know what will come of these Friday morning times, but my prayer is that the Lord would somehow use me to reach the monks for him. They are so lost, and blinded by Satan. In a way, it feels very much like when we first went to Russia...I am clueless about everything there. At the same time though, the monks are so intrigued as to why I would want to hang out with them. I tell them because God loves them. Of course they don't believe in God being Buddhists, but the seeds of truth are being planted. Please lift them up in your prayers, and if you remember on Friday mornings to pray for me!  Often believers ask me why I do these types of things. My answer is simple. Jesus hung out with the lost. He went to the dark places. He came to call the sinner to repentance, not the righteous. What dark places are you going to with the hope of the gospel today? May we engage the lost!

Pulpit to Pavement

This past week we hosted our 4th Pulpit to Pavement outreach. We had 19 pastors signed up, but in the end around 14 were able to make it. The day was a crisp dry day, and we had an amazing time of outreach. Started the morning with coffee, donuts and fellowship. I then share about Gospel Focus Ministries a bit, and we heard from a local pastor who share how GF has influenced his life and church. It was very encouraging to hear!  Then we all hit the streets and had some fantastic witnessing conversation. The highlight of course was we saw 2 people give their lives to Christ. We plan to have our next Pulpit to Pavement this summer. 

Not the best picture, but here are a few of the pastors who came to Pulpit to Pavement. Not all were in this picture.

Before we did evangelism, we had a small Bible Study together. We looked at Matthew 22:1-14. Studying the Word, then doing evangelism! What a great day!

From the US to the Nations

Some students sharing Christ with college students

The Winter quarter here at YWAM Salem is in full swing. As usual, we are taking DTS students out each week (Monday afternoons) to do evangelism in preparing them for their 2 month overseas outreaches.  We also have the priveledge of taking students from YWAM Salem's "School of Apostolic Missions" out each week( Tuesday afternoons). This school is specifically for those who are heading over long term into nations that are either Muslim or in an area of the world where it is illegal to preach the gospel. Students who will be going long term to Morocco, Jordan, and other middle eastern nations. Each week we get the opportunity to help equip them to think strategically on how to share the gospel in the nations they will be going to. We have seen a few people come to Christ already this year through these students, which has been amazing.  One thing that has been very interesting is the amount of Satanists we have been meeting on college campuses. Pray for their eyes to be opened to the gospel.

Cole and Samuel on a college campus doing our "Take Your Pick" table.