JOHN SUMMERVILLE, TWR – GUEST BLOGGER. Imagine someone getting ready for bed and casually turning on his radio to keep him company and hearing about Jesus for the very first time.  That person is so intrigued that he begins listening every night.  Soon he accepts Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior.  The excitement bubbles inside of him and he begins to tell his friends to listen too.  In just a little while three of his friends are listening, and in the morning when they see each other they discuss what they’ve heard.

The “buzz” about this little radio group continues to grow and their numbers increase from four to six.  Then it grows again to 10 and the group decides that they need a bible and should start a formal study group.

Now when the group gets to be 12 members with others asking if they can join, someone in the group suggests that they ought to start a church.  They choose one person to lead this effort.  They choose one person to be their pastor.

They choose you.

But the only thing you know about the bible is what you’ve heard on the radio.  And you only began listening to it because your friend asked you to just 3 months ago.

Imagine how important it would be for you to receive TWR’s China Radio Church Kit!  How valuable would the hard back study bible with its notes, references, and maps be to you and your ability to share spiritual truths with your new congregation of enthusiastic believers?  How crucial would the text books that correspond with the programs heard over TWR become in giving you solid theology and answers to so many of their questions?

Now imagine someone handing you those resources.  The smile on her face reassures you that despite being unprepared as a pastor, she is part of God’s answer in supplying you with everything you need to lead your congregation.

Let’s change the scenario.  Suppose you are that someone who is able to hand valuable teaching resources to a house church pastor?  Your smile reassures that new pastor that you are giving him these materials for his spiritual growth and you are one of many who are standing behind him in prayer.  Be a part of something big.  Support WJTL’s effort to equip Chinese House Church Pastors with a gift today.  https://www.twr.org/campaign/rck-wjtl2010

John Summerville is the Director of Radio Station Partnerships.  TWR broadcasts Jesus in 220 languages utilizing AM, FM, shortwave and the Internet.

LISA LANDIS – Gibby Mane of Catel Village, Guinea Bissau shares his testimony with Beryl Forrester. God is doing great things in West Africa through the work of Eastern Mennonite Missions.  Help us share Jesus with the good people of Gambia & Guinea Bissau.  Click here for how you can help! And thanks for doing what you can.

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JOHN SUMMERVILLE, TWR – GUEST BLOGGER.  A few years ago, while I was serving in the military, I was depressed and disgusted with my life. One day when I was on patrol duty around the barracks, I resolved to take my life with my weapon of service. Suddenly, a friend arrived to relieve me of my patrol. Seeing my depression, he held out a small radio receiver and said, “Take this receiver. I received a broadcast from abroad; somebody was speaking our language. Go take a rest and listen well to what the speaker says.”

I turned on the small receiver and a few minutes later I heard a voice read Acts 16:27-31: The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Through this verse, I believe I heard the voice of Jesus tell me, “Do not give yourself over to death, believe only! I am here to give you life. I will give life to you and to your family, and to your friend that is with you!”

You can change a person’s life by giving a radio.  Your gift of $75 provides a beautiful hard bound study bible, a portable radio, and 7 books that correspond with the radio programs heard over TWR.  Be a part of something big.  https://www.twr.org/campaign/rck-wjtl2010

John Summerville is the Director of Radio Station Partnerships.
TWR broadcasts Jesus in 220 languages utilizing AM, FM, shortwave and the Internet.

ASHLEA BRENEMAN – In case you didn’t know, WJTL has the best listeners. Seriously. we do! We feel very privileged to partner with our listeners to impact the world for Christ. You’ve helped do some pretty incredible things in the past year, like build over a dozen new homes in Haiti, provide gifts for poor families in Asia and give the precious gift of God’s Word to those who didn’t have it.

We don’t always get to give you updates on how your gifts have impacted people/countries in the long run, but today I’m happy that I get to give you an update! I received a letter from the Chief Executive Officer at Bible League. Here is a portion of his letter.

“God uses your gifts to Bible League International in astonishing ways. Some of the stories bring tears to my eyes, others take my breath away… but they always leave me in awe of the life-changing power of God’s Word.

Look, for example, at the Karen tribes people who live in refugee camps along the Thai border with Myanmar…. The Karen have a folk legend which says that they are orphans who lost their written language after God handed it down to them. They believe this language would one day be returned to them by visitors from a foreign land. So when Christian missionaries first reached them, they assumed these were the special visitors – and readily accepted the message of Christ.

Today more than 30% of the Karen are Christians! But they are poor and persecuted, without resources, often unable to get access to God’s Word, thwarted in their need to grow deeper in their relationship with God.

But that’s where you come in. Thanks to your support of Bible League International, a Karen church at the Maerahmoe refugee camp was reached with Bible study and evangelism training – and they, in turn, have been reaching hundreds of Karen for Christ!

This all came to a head one spectacular day recently when 40 ordained ministers gathered at a nearby river to baptize 444 Karen! Imagine the rejoicing in heaven that day. And imagine the rejoicing of the Karen when our Thai national ministry director personally placed Bibles into the hands of the newly-baptized church members, then turned to share the Word of God with thousands of people watching along the river banks.

It’s a beautiful story, but best of all, it’s your story. These are the everyday miracles you help to create, even among the poorest of the poor, the people referred to in Isaiah as ‘the least of these.’”

Thank you listeners! I hope you are encouraged today with the impact that you are apart of.

Ashlea Breneman, thankful to be apart of an incredible community
ashlea@wjtl.com

JOHN SUMMERVILLE, TWR – GUEST BLOGGER. His straight black hair framed a rugged and tan skinned face.   A broad smile swept over him with a twinge of humility reflecting like a pool of water in his eyes.  “I wasn’t going to tell you my story,” started Chang, “But I will tell you.”

Chang shifted his feet and with enthusiasm explained in a gentle voice that he is a pastor of a house church in China.  “The punishment I received for running an unregistered house church in my province is harsh and I was sentenced to two years hard labor.”

“The local authorities came to my church and hauled me off to prison.  Working 12, 14 and even 16 hour days, 7 days a week, making bricks was exhausting.  In the summers, temperatures would become extreme getting as high as 113 degrees.  Prisoners would simply drop from heat exhaustion.  Unsympathetic guards dumped water over my fellow prisoners and forced them back to work.”

Then this broad shouldered man of only 5’3 pointed a thick finger upward finishing his story with this, “Thank the Lord my head is so hard.  They could not beat it out of me.”

They could not beat Jesus out of Chang.  No matter what the authorities did, they could not beat out of him his love for our Lord.

Are you looking at your trials as a predicament or a privilege?  Suffering is something I personally avoid.  Yet, this godly Chinese house church pastor regarded suffering for the Lord a privilege.

And “privilege” is a great word to use when we consider we have the opportunity to partner with committed Christians all throughout China.  Thank you for your gifts to support Chinese house church pastors like Chang. https://www.twr.org/campaign/rck-wjtl2010

John Summerville is the Director of Radio Station Partnerships.  TWR broadcasts Jesus in 220 languages utilizing AM, FM, shortwave and the Internet.

ASHLEA BRENEMAN – We’re excited to partner with Trans World Radio to see the Body of Christ better equipped in China! During the next couple of weeks you’ll hear the DJs talk about Trans World Radio and how you can help equip 250 Chinese house church pastors and lay leaders with radio church kits.

What is a radio church kit? Well, it is a kit that includes a Mandarin study Bible, study materials written by well-known Chinese pastors that correspond with programs heard on TWR and a shortwave radio from where the listeners in house churches can hear preaching, discipleship and teaching.

When I heard about what Trans World Radio is doing, it made me wonder what my own faith would be like if I didn’t have the immense amount of resources – the bible studies, books, commentaries, podcasts, teachers, professors and pastors readily available to me. I thought how sad it would be if I never learned the song about how Zacchaeus was a wee little man, or that 12 men went to Canaan and 10 were bad, but two were good. Think about all of the things you would have missed out on if you didn’t have the resources available to you. WJTL and Trans World Radio would like to ensure that Chinese believers are properly equipped! Help the church in China to be built on a firm foundation of Biblical truth. Find out how you can help here.

John interviewed President of Trans World Radio, Lauren Libby, today. Listen to the interview here.

Watch how Trans World Radio transformed the life of Rachel Davidsaver.

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Ashlea Breneman, encouraged to be apart of the growing Body of Christ
ashlea@wjtl.com

Check out Highlights from my West Africa trip with EMM!

My West Africa Trip Highlights

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Check out the footage of the current Catel, Guinea Bissau School and then read how you can help the kids of Catel Village.

School building for a West African village

At least 300 children in the village of Catel, Guinea-Bissau, are elementary school age, but many of them do not attend school. Very few are literate. Currently the village has two school classrooms, but one is made of palm fronds and needs to be rebuilt each year after the rainy season, and the other building is incomplete. Providing a durable, permanent school building will be the first step in addressing the village’s educational needs, boosting children’s self-esteem, and combating poverty.

We plan to erect a four-classroom mud-brick structure with cement floors and a corrugate metal roof. The classrooms should then be furnished with student tables and benches.

The village will provide labor for the basic construction; the village will also be providing some funds through the sale of their cashews to the MEHDA cashew processing plant in Catel.

1210 Elementary school building (Catel, Guinea-Bissau)

A – $20 will provide one sack of cement for the floor.

B – $50 will help to provide windows and doors.

C – $100 will help to provide a corrugated metal roof (total cost $4,000).

Donate now and designate your funds for “West Africa project 1210.”

What an inspiring, rewarding, eye-opening experience spending time with EMM mission workers in Pirang Village, Gambia and Catel Village, Guinea Bissau.  And thanks to a volcano that most had never heard of- let alone are able to pronounce-my trip was extended 3 extra days. 

You are welcome to view my West Africa pictures here and check out some videos I shot here.  More coming soon!

I have a new respect for missionaries working in far off lands.  EMM mission worker Beryl Forrester reminded me that while there is a great need for expatriate missionaries like Beryl in West Africa, there is also a great need for people back home to support their mission work.  During my stay in West Africa I saw & experienced the many modern conveniences given up to live and work in a far off land-like electricity, or running water and it reminded me that there is much I can give up here in the states to support what people like Gary & Denise Williamson and Beryl Forrester, and the YES teams, mission interns, etc. are doing on location. 

I invite you to join me and the WJTL team & EMM is helping to build a school in Catel, Guinea Bissau and improve education there as well as in Pirang Village, Gambia.   At school the kids learn to read, have a meal, are given opportunities for advanced education that they might not otherwise have and are introduced to Christianity.   It’s through the holistic work of organizations like Eastern Mennonite Missions that communities like Pirang and Catel are given hope through followers of Jesus meeting both physical and spiritual needs.  Pleas join me in bringing hope to West Africa through EMM by clicking here.

And thanks for all of your prayers that I arrive home safely.  God is good!

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