Do you believe that good people go to heaven?

This recent article caught my attention.

The problem is that the Bible clearly teaches that eternal life comes by faith in Jesus Christ, not through good works. More amazingly is the belief in universalism mentioned in the article. If universalism is true than missions is a scam. Frankly, if God loves everyone and has no requirement for righteousness and all are going to heaven, why send missionaries around the world to preach Jesus Christ as the way, the truth and the life?

The truth is that without Jesus Christ, there is no hope of eternal life for any man, woman, or child. That is why we are in Mongolia; and that is why you pray for us.

At Christmas

We went to the United States Embassy in Mongolia the other day to renew our children's passports. We had a very pleasant experience (thank you to the United States Embassy staff!). As we were leaving one of the consular office staff said, "Merry Christmas." Don't tell the ACLU!

It is easy to say “Merry Christmas” and forget what should make Christmas the joy that it is. Perhaps for many Christmas time is a season of receiving gifts, a time when we put out a wish list and see how much of it comes in. I know that people talk of deprivation in the United States because of the difficult economy and all, and I have no doubt that some are truly suffering at the Christmas time. But for most Americans it is too easy to notice all the sales and discounts, the lights and songs, the seasonal TV specials and sports. We miss the Person of Christmas because the season of Christmas has distracted us. We say "Merry Christmas" and are sincere, but the Person Who is the reason for Christmas is crowded out by the hustle of the season that is Christmas.

For others Christmas is a time with family. It is the one time of year when the entire family comes together. Reminisces, laughter, old memories, new ones—these all make Christmas a joyful season. During the years that I was in college and later my brothers, we often had summer ministry that kept us from coming home to family. But we never missed coming home at Christmas. But for those of us separated from family by oceans of distance, focusing on family at Christmas only brings feelings of disappointment. After all, of course we want to be with our family during this time. We truly thank God that Christmas is not really about families, unless one means God’s family.

A few perhaps think of food first when they think of Christmas. I was reading recently about the history of the Christmas meal. Unique foods have always been a part of the Christmas meal, and those Christmas foods are something to which we look forward to, as well. But Christmas is not the food.

But at Christmas we can focus on the joy of our salvation, promised at the birth of Christ (Luke 2:11) and fulfilled at the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It is a chance to marvel at the fulfillment of the great prophesies of the Old Testament—some made thousands of years before Christ’s birth. If we give ourselves time, we might wonder anew at the love displayed when God sent His son to be born.

We might be astonished once again that the wise men from the East knew when Christ would be born and the religious scholars in Jerusalem knew where he would be born. But only the foreigners came to the young child to present gifts. Perhaps the religious scholars were too busy with their studies or too fearful of Herod’s wrath to make the journey of a few miles to the village of Bethlehem to see the Messiah for which they had been waiting for so long.

We might kneel again to the King of kings and say, “I love you. You are worthy of praise. You are the Ruler of righteousness. I commit myself afresh to your service.” Or we can enjoy the food and the family, and we can just relax after all the time spent preparing and “get to Bethlehem” later when it is more convenient.

Merry Christmas, and may Christ be glorified on this the day we celebrate His amazing love.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Quote of the week

Christians do "not superstitiously observe days, merely as days, but as memorials of important facts. Christmas might be kept as well upon one day of the year as another; but there should be a stated day for commemorating the birth of our Saviour, because there is danger that what may be done on any day, will be neglected." – Samuel Johnson

Deans' weekly update

This is the week leading up to our celebration of the Savior's birth. Here in Mongolia, they do not celebrate Christmas. You may see pictures of Santa Claus, colored lights, and even Christmas trees. There are sales at the stores, and employees work overtime to keep up with the demand. But if you ask a Mongolian, he'll tell you that they are celebrating New Year. Mongolians have adopted all the commercialism of Christmas with none of the meaning: a sad commentary on the influence of America in Asia.

So while churches in North America will be extra busy trying to get people to come out to special services, cantatas, and candlelight services during this time of year, churches in Mongolia are trying to preach the birth of a Savior! The good Lord has blessed me with two prime opportunities to clearly present the Gospel in people's homes. The best ending would have been for the sinner to bow in repentance and humility before our holy God and request forgiveness of sins and eternal life. That did not happen. But the second best result was that both men (and one wife) agreed to meet with me again to hear more. Please pray for Tengis and Battulag to be saved. I am scheduled to meet with both of them within the next week. Please pray that they will keep their appointments and that God would be pleased to grant them the gift of eternal life during this time of year when we celebrate the One who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

Another quote of the week

"Nothing so successfully discourages slovenliness in the use of language as the practice of translation. Focusing upon what a word means and then finding its just equivalent in another language compels one to look and to think before he commits himself to any expression." — Richard Weaver

Quote of the week

"A great 'without' is written over heathenism: men and women without a Bible, without a Sunday, and without righteousness. They have homes without peace and marriage without sanctity. Their ... little children [are] without purity, the mothers without wisdom or self-control. There is poverty without relief, sickness without care or skill, sorrow without sympathy, sin without remedy, death without hope and without Christ. All this is wrapped up in the words, 'without Christ.' This is why Christ has told us to go 'into all the world, and preach the Gospel.' This is why we urge you to give and pray without stint, for the only answer to the world without is to have Christ within."

Deans' weekly update

A warm welcome to all of you reading this:

I say a warm welcome because we've hit our first cold snap this year. Since we spent last winter in the United States, this is our first really cold weather in two years. How cold you ask? It was -38 this morning when I woke up. That is a little colder than I like. Of course, our apartment is warm enough, for which we thank the Lord.

What are you thankful for this week? The sermon on Sunday was about "Thankfulness." It is easy for all of us to become so focused on ourselves and begin to only see the things we "need" and ignore all the blessings that God has given us. I don't suppose that Mongolians are any more liable to this than Americans. Still, I see much of this among Mongolians: a constant focus on what they do not have rather than a grateful response to what God has given them.

Ask God this week to give all of us a spirit of gratitude and a willingness to serve.

The cold weather is here

Every year it is the same. When it begins to get chilly at night in September, I welcome the cool nights that break the heat in this un-airconditioned country. I have no complaints about putting on a jacket or sweater when I go out in the mornings. After all, you can always peel that layer off later in the day as it warms up.

Then in late October or early November the winter comes. Temperatures drop well below freezing at night, and in the day it hovers only a little above zero.

Towards the end of November and the beginning of December the weather gets a little colder. The temperatures even in the bright mid-day sun are still below freezing. At night temperatures can be as cold as -20. One begins to be very thankful for a warm apartment with centralized heat. Those in the ger districts often wake up in the morning to find water left out overnight frozen. Someone has to get up and start a fire. Every year when this cold comes I think to myself, "Oh, I'm finally used to the cold—properly dressed, of course." I imagine that this year the cold won't bother me so much.

And then it happens, the real cold comes. The cold that seems to seep through all though layers and dwell in your bones. One discovers why Mongolians like to drink their hot drinks nearly boiling hot: the hot liquid drives the chill out of one's bones. Two days ago while making a short walk up to the marketplace, I remembered the true cold. Today is no different. When I started this post the temperature outside was -6 F (-21 C). And I started this post in the middle of the afternoon, the warmest part of the day.

Oh well, another two months of this and then the cold, cold weather will break and we'll be back to the cold that I can stand.

Quote of the week

"The beliefs which underlie virtually every movie story are precisely the ones which are hurrying us on to perdition. The entire globe is becoming imbued with the notion that there is something normative about the insane sort of life lived in New York and Hollywood—even after that life has been exaggerated to suit the morbid appetite of the thrill-seeker." — Richard M. Weaver (1948)

Deans' weekly update

There is a lot going on here in Mongolia. Our Sunday night service which is in English was packed out. Every seat was filled and still people kept coming in. A fellow missionary jumped up and grabbed some extra chairs which he began putting in the aisles. Then during a break in the songs, we dismissed the children early. When the children left about a dozen chairs opened up. People re-situated themselves so that they were comfortable. We had a good service.

Part of the reason for all the people was that several missionary families were visiting the city in December. This week quite a few people are leaving to visit family in other parts of the world. (And who can blame them: temperatures this Sunday are predicted to be -5 for a high!) So this coming Sunday we should have a little more room.

Please continue to pray for wisdom and joy for me as we serve the Lord in this cold place.

Deans' December prayer letter

For a modern society, Mongolia is still bound in demon worship and witchcraft. Mongolians may have mobile phones and the Internet, running water and modern glass high-rises; but in their hearts there is still a bondage to shamanism and superstition that hides under the veneer of technology.

This past month our neighbors illustrated this for us. Our neighbors are very pleasant people. We have been in their home, and they have been in our home. We have had the opportunity to tell them about Jesus Christ. They respect our beliefs but see them as a foreign religion. The wife even attended a church service many years ago, perhaps out of curiosity. Whatever the reason, she has never returned.

Both are educated professionals. One works with aviation electronics; the other has a college degree and is employed by the government. One of them has spent some time studying abroad. Outwardly, they appear to be modern people. If you were to ask them, they would tell you that they are not religious people.

However, their son’s long-term illness has caused them to seek for a cure. First, they approached us to request help locating a foreign non-profit that might help them take their son to another country for treatment. I was as helpful as I could be and suggested contacting a non-profit suggested by a fellow missionary.

However, recently we heard a thumping sound. As I went into our apartment building corridor to investigate, I realized that the thumping was the pounding of a drum coming from our neighbor’s apartment. From the corridor, I could also hear chanting and the ringing of bells. The smell of pungent incense filled the air. Drums, bells, chanting, incense—all these are the tools of the Mongolian shaman, also known as a witchdoctor in other cultures and places. Mongolian shamans claim to have a direct connection to the spirit world that allows them to heal disease, ward off catastrophe, or curse the unprotected. Indeed, I do believe that they have a connection with spirits, evil spirits.

This incident reminds us, that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” We need to continually be on guard and need God’s power to overcome the powers of darkness. Your prayers are an important part of the ministry here. Pray for God’s power to be evident in the conviction of sin and in holiness in the lives of God’s children.

Visiting Tonga

Kristie and I went to visit Tonga this afternoon. There's not much to tell. She is not doing well. Dashka seems in good spirits. But it's hard for me to say what is going through his head. Kristie tried to talk to Tonga about Jesus our Savior. But she said she didn't need to hear it.

Earlier this week when Dashka tried to talk to his wife about her salvation, she asked him to never talk to her about it again. I am very saddened by all this, as you can imagine.

Quote of the week

"The proper study of the Christian is the Godhead. The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy which can engage the attention of a child of God in the name, the nature, the person, the doings, and the existence of the great God." — C. H. Spurgeon

Chosen Vessel

The Master was searching for a vessel to use;

On the shelf there were many - which one would He choose?

Take me, cried the gold one, I'm shiny and bright,

I'm of great value and I do things just right.

My beauty and lustre will outshine the rest

And for someone like You, Master, gold would be the best!

The Master passed on with no word at all;

He looked at a silver urn, narrow and tall;

I'll serve You, dear Master, I'll pour out Your wine

And I'll be at Your table whenever You dine,

My lines are so graceful, my carvings so true,

And my silver will always compliment You.

Unheeding the Master passed on to the brass,

It was widemouthed and shallow, and polished like glass.

Here! Here! cried the vessel, I know I will do,

Place me on Your table for all men to view.

Look at me, called the goblet of crystal so clear,

My transparency shows my contents so dear,

Though fragile am I, I will serve You with pride,

And I'm sure I'll be happy in Your house to abide.

The Master came next to a vessel of wood,

Polished and carved, it solidly stood.

You may use me, dear Master, the wooden bowl said,

But I'd rather You used me for fruit, not for bread!

Then the Master looked down and saw a vessel of clay.

Empty and broken it helplessly lay.

No hope had the vessel that the Master might choose,

To cleanse and make whole, to fill and to use.

Ah! This is the vessel I've been hoping to find,

I will mend and use it and make it all Mine.

I need not the vessel with pride of its self;

Nor the one who is narrow to sit on the shelf;

Nor the one who is bigmouthed and shallow and loud;

Nor one who displays his contents so proud;

Not the one who thinks he can do all things just right;

But this plain earthy vessel filled with My power and might.

Then gently He lifted the vessel of clay.

Mended and cleansed it and filled it that day.

Spoke to it kindly. There's work you must do,

Just pour out to others as I pour into you.

Disclaimer: I enjoyed reading this poem again recently. I received it many years ago from a friend. I found it on the Internet here and posted it to be an encouragement to my readers. God does not need our ability as much as He needs our availability.

Deans' weekly update

A big thank you is in order to those of you who have been praying for us. Recently, the Lord has used Hebrews 6:10 to encourage me. It says: "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister." Though we may not see the results of our labors on the time schedule that we have ordained, God has a plan. Like a giant tapestry that is yet to be finished, our lives and ministries may seem incomplete, but God is using our efforts to fulfill His beautiful plan.

This past Sunday was actually a good day for us with thirty Mongolians in attendance. I have been inviting my neighbor out to church. He told me earlier that he would try to come this Sunday. So Saturday night I visited his place to check on him and encourage him to come out in the morning. He was brutally honest. "I'm having some friends over. And we plan to drink this whole bottle of vodka," he explained opening his freezer and showing me a bottle of vodka on ice. After that, we plan to go to the store and buy more vodka. If I can come in the morning, I will."

The next morning, I waited as long as possible to visit his home. Although I knocked several times, no one ever came to the door. I think I know what that means.

Another neighbor of mine has a son who has a chronic lung condition. He has had this condition for some time, but the doctors misdiagnosed it. Now they are worried that his lung condition is affecting his growth. So they had a shaman come to their house. We could hear the banging of the drums from our apartment. When we went out into the hallway, we could hear the chanting and smell the burning of incense. Here is a family, both husband and wife are well-educated. The husband has even studied in other countries. They have a nice apartment and both have good jobs. By all standards they look very modern. But they have reached back to their religious heritage from centuries past in search of a cure for their son. We have witnessed to them before. The wife even attended a service once. But they see Christianity as a foreign religion that is not for them.

Pray for a work of God to begin among these people! I am so burdened to see Mongolians saved, baptized, and growing.

Thanksgiving Day

Today I wish to acquaint you with George Washington's Thanksgiving Day proclamation from 1789. I myself was unfamiliar with it until this week. I found the text at this website.

"Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to 'recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:'

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best."

When I read this to my family during a family time around the Bible, my daughter Elsie, who is only seven, said, "Dad, there were a lot of big words in that so I couldn't understand it." For those of you with a reasonable literacy rate, let's be thankful for the ability to understand such archaic texts as a presidential proclamation from over 200 years ago.

Please take time to remember the Father of lights from whom every good and every perfect gift comes.

Deans' weekly update

It is -24 F outside as I write this update.

Last week I asked you to pray for the dinner that we were scheduled to have with friends. They had to cancel their plans for dinner on Thursday night and re-scheduled for Friday night.

We had a good dinner. I had taken a Gospel aid with me to introduce them to our Savior. The aid is a chart that starts with creation, discussing sin, spirits, Jesus as the Son of God, His crucifixion, His resurrection, and our response to truth. At one point I discussed the Ten Commandments to illustrate that all of us are sinners and have broken God's law. You all know the commandments; my host named Temulen didn't seem too surprised by any of them until I reached the seventh commandment at which point he looked at me and said, "Really." Even Kristie noted his surprise at that commandment. About that time we were interrupted by their neighbor coming to visit.

Soon after that the issue of whether I drink vodka or not came up. (It comes up more often than you might expect in Mongolia.) Temulen said that he didn't think I was allowed to drink vodka. I told him that I didn't want to drink vodka and pointed out that there are two reasons that people drink alcohol: to forget their sorrows and to find joy. I then read to them Ph. 4:6-7 where it says that if we give our requests to God He will give us the peace that passes all understanding. I told them I don't need to drink liquor to find joy or forget my troubles because Jesus gives me peace & joy. It was incredible how quickly the conversation switched to other topics after that.

While our conversation didn't turn out the way that I wanted it to turn out, I felt confident that God will take what was said and use it. So I will probably follow up soon. Just drop in and ask Temulen if he's been thinking about what I said.

Please continue to pray for the salvation of Mongolians!

On the passing of a loved one

“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”

My father's mother passed away long before I was born. And my mother's mother passed on before I become a teenager. And so it was not unexpected that my brothers and I “adopted” my mother's dear friend who was about the appropriate age as a new "Grandma." We called her Grandma Powell for as long as I remember knowing her. We met her at church the same way that we met so many significant people in our lives. But she was the only one we called "Grandma." To those who have grown up all their lives with grandparents it may seem odd to pretend that someone unrelated by blood is a grandparent. But for those of us with a grandparent one appreciates the wisdom of age and the stability of experience. As Proverbs says, “The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

Besides, every family needs a grandparent to be present at weddings. I needed someone to dispense wise advice. It feels right to attend church and keep one eye out for “Grandma,” and if she is missing to inquire as to her health. It is fun to celebrate octogenarian birthdays with one whose life radiates peace and righteousness. And there is certainly no need to insist that only a “blood” relative can do those things. Grandma Powell fulfilled those responsibilities well.

But there was something else that she did that my other grandparents never did for me as earnestly: she prayed ... fervently. Never underestimate the heart devotion of a praying grandparent! It is not the God is more likely to give in to a grandparent more than a young person. No, God is perfect in all His ways, no one can stay His hand, nor can any change His mind. But a grandparent who prays earnestly is a constant reminder to the grandchild of godliness. Those prayers offered so constantly are a regular source of encouragement. And let’s be honest, grandparents often have more time to pray than many of us. Grandma Powell would spend hours in prayer each day for me, for my family, for the Mongolians to whom I ministered and for so many others.

Grandma Powell showed to me the meaning of the verse, “Now she that is a widow indeed, ... trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.” In fact, one of her frustrations the past few months was that she was unable to always stay awake while she prayed.

My family was blessed to have spend some time with her while in the United States recently. It will seem odd to return to Westgate Baptist Church and not see Virginia Powell in attendance and know that she is not sick, will never be sick again.

My wife has godly grandparents who still pray for us, and I am truly grateful for them. But I feel desolate and alone in an unexplainable way. It is not that God has changed for He is immutable. Rather, I sense that an important piece of my life has been taken away from me for the moment.

Some day, I hope to be the inspiration and prayer partner for another that Grandma Powell was for me. Only now in glory does she realize how much so meant to be and by extension the work that was accomplished in Mongolia by the power of God through the prayers of a godly woman.

So let me conclude by saying don’t take the prayers of those who love you for granted and don’t avoid God’s call to pray thinking that it does not matter.

Quote of the week

"Something in the evil spirit of our time forces people to always pretend to have found some material and mechanical explanation [for behavior]. It never crosses the modern mind that perhaps a people is chiefly influenced by how that people has chosen to behave." — G.K. Chesterton

Deans' weekly update

We have been invited to our neighbor's home for dinner. We have witnessed to them before, and their response has been to say, "We're not religious people." Recently, God has brought some pressure into their lives that we believe may be preparing them to hear the Good News that Jesus saves and respond to it. Please pray that Kristie and I would be bold as we talk to them. Also ask God to soften their hearts and lead them to repentance.

Cold weather comes

This morning as I was preparing to dress for the Sunday church service, I checked the temperature outside: -11 F (-24 C). Looks like I will need an extra layer today.

Dealing with a building project in Mongolia

Every building project has its quirks. I never thought that a building project in Mongolia would be any different. The greatest frustration is not the little quirks but rather the lack of workmanship that plagues Mongolia.

For example, I had an electrical subcontractor come to do all the wiring, lights, light switches, etc. I specifically asked that in one room for two switches so the lights in the back of the room could be turned off or on separately from the lights in the front of the room. Day by day as I visited the construction site I checked to be sure that two light switches were put in the room. I should have known that was not enough.

After the electrical subcontractor left, I checked the two switches. First of all, the two switches do not control the lights in the front and back but rather are tied to the lights on the right and left side of the room. Second, the two switches are set up so that the switch on the right side turns on the lights on the left side of the room. But the switch on the left side only turns on the lights on the right side of the room if the lights on the left side are turned on too. So rather than have the lights in the front of the room and the back of the room lit separately, I have a situation where the lights on the left side of the room can be on or all the lights in the room can be on. However, the lights on the right side of the room cannot be turned on independent of the lights on the left. In fact if the lights on the left side of the room are turned off and the switch for the lights on the right is switched on, nothing happens until the other light switch is also turned on. Did the electrician know this when he left the room? Perhaps not, he probably wired the switch and left the room without ever checking to see what the switches accomplished.

The switches for the men and women’s bathrooms are also wired in a non-intuitive way. In Mongolia, lights for the bathrooms are typically placed in the corridor next to the bathroom door. (I do not know the reason for this.) The men’s and women’s bathrooms are side by side which means that the light switches were placed side by side between the doors. But the light switch for women’s bathroom is placed on the men’s bathroom side. The light for the men’s bathroom is placed on the women’s bathroom side. Why?

All in all, the project is going well. When you consider that finish work on the second floor only started in the middle of September, it is apparent how much progress has been made. The crew working with Buren is to finish up their work any day now. After that, we will need to clean, touch-up, re-arrange electrical switches, and deal with numerous little pieces to the project.

Quote of the week

Speaking a foreign language takes either a lot of talent or a lot of humility.

Deans' weekly update

Let me begin by thanking you for your prayers. I have been challenged recently to be certain that my prayers are aligned with God's will rather than simply tell God what it is that I want. In that same spirit of aligning our prayers with God's will, let me mention a few prayer requests.

Joy: David says in the Psalms: "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation," and joy is one part of the fruit of the Spirit. During our recent trials with poor health and significant lack of spiritual interest among those to whom we minister, I cannot say that I exhibited much joy. Other fruits of the Spirit perhaps were more evident. Please pray that our joy regardless of our circumstances would be evident to those around us.

Discerning God's will: all of us face choices every day. Jeremiah says, "O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Here is a man who realizes that we need God's leading every day and in every activity. However, we are currently facing some decisions that will have more long-term effects than most of the decisions that we face. For example, in the next several months I will be making decisions about the property and building, about the proper balance between pursuing professing Christians and seeking out new contacts, the continuation of the Bible institute, and other decisions that will have an impact that may extend even beyond my personal ministry in Mongolia. As Hudson Taylor said so aptly, "We can make the best plans we can and hope they succeed. We can make our plans and ask God to bless them. We can ask God what He wants us to do, and then obey!" I intend to follow the third method and ask you to join me in prayer asking that I will clearly discern God's will and have the courage and fortitude to follow it.

Hudson Taylor also once said, "Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits, there is no need for faith." Maybe I need to increase the risk level a bit.

Praying for missionaries: loving others

If loving God is a missionary’s first priority then loving others is his second. When Jesus was asked what the great commandment in the law was, He responded first, loving God, and next loving our neighbor.

You would think that loving others would be easy for missionaries, after all that is why they went to country X. But it is not that simple. Regardless of a missionary’s field of service he almost invariably will not be among his “own people.” Most definitions of missions include the idea of cross-cultural contact, the idea of a Christian leaving the society and culture which he knows well and ministering in a new culture.

One of the first issues that arises in any cross-cultural contact is misunderstanding, miscommunications, and mis-steps. A brief examination of history will suffice to reveal the broken pieces where two cultures have crashed into each other.

For the missionary a primary adjustment is learning to live and minister within a new culture. A new language to memorize, new cultural taboos, a different system of values—these all confront a missionary with a shock that is sometimes never overcome. (At the same time, meeting a missionary with his poor language skills, unusual practices, and sharply differing ethics is also a shock to the local society; but this essay does not deal with that.)

A missionary have several ways to deal with the culture shock that strikes him when he enters a new culture especially one that is dramatically different than his own.

One response, perhaps the most common response, is to insist on the cultural superiority of his own way. In cases where the missionary comes from a culture that is significantly more powerful such a claim of greatness is enhanced and supported. When missionaries to the Northwest United States met the Nez Perce Indians, they insisted that the indigenous tribes settle down and learn to farm. According to the missionaries such a domesticated lifestyle was far superior than the nomadic society to which the Indians were accustomed. Because the missionaries were from the dominant culture their cultural ways in the end succeeded and today there are very few people who continue the nomadic ways.

Frankly, most missionaries today work in countries where theirs is not such a dominant culture. Their reaction to the shock of a new culture may continue to be to proclaim their cultural superiority. But no one is listening. Unfortunately rather than find ways to accommodate cultural norms that are not addressed in Scripture most missionaries search for ways to criticize the local culture. They may criticize the nationals for being lazy or for lacking in hygiene. They may worry that the food is bad for one’s health. (This is especially ironic coming from American missionaries because the cuisine that much of the world identifies as “American”—the McDonald’s hamburger—is hardly healthy.) They complain that the nationals drive “on the wrong side of the road.” Or they fret that the local children are corrupting their kids.

The effect of their complaints is to drive away the local people. They are soon recognized for a critical spirit that never seems to be satisfied with anything that the nationals do. The nationals perceive that they can never do anything right in the missionary’s eyes.

Sometimes the nationals will conform because they want to be “American.” I am not talking about the change of heart that comes to people whom the Holy Spirit convicts and brings to repentance. I am referring to a superficial change: they may begin to eat with utensils instead of with their hands or they may try to raise their children “the American way.” They are as likely as the missionary to criticize their own people and traditional way of life. The missionary who sees this as an improvement is mistaken. They have not created Christians who imitate Christ, they have created Americanized nationals who imitate Americans.

There are superior cultures, but cultures are superior as they are true to the principles of God’s word. A society that strives for justice is better than a society where bribery and corruption are normal. Families built around a father loving the mother who in turn sees her Scriptural duty clearly is better than a society organized around polygamous marriage. But a culture is not superior simply because it is my culture. Americans in particular need to be aware of those parts of their culture that are blessed by God because we have been faithful to His word and those parts of the culture that are merely preferences, like whether we hold our fork in our right hands or our left (the British way).

Additionally, American missionaries should be particularly sensitive to those unbiblical aspects of American society that are propagating around the world. I once had a Mongolian ask me if most of America was a desert. Surprised, I responded that desert made up a very small part of the American landscape and then asked her the reason she thought America was dominated by desert. She replied that most of the American movies that she had watched took place in the desert.

Most Mongolians identify Americans with the “American culture” that they experience most often: television programming, movies, and music. Those of us who strive for a Biblical approach to entertainment may not realize how evil (at worst) and vapid (at best) American entertainment is. But when most Mongolians associate Americans with Lady Gaga, Brokeback Mountain, and Bill Clinton it is only amazing that they listen to us missionaries at all.

There is another reaction to culture shock: some missionaries withdraw from society. Those of us who have served overseas call this the “missionary compound” response. But it is not unique to missionaries. Those of the U.S. State Department who serve overseas in radically different cultures also tend to congregate in compounds with people of similar cultures. Whole buildings and sub-divisions become filled with Americans, Europeans, amd expatriates. Entire schools are established to educate their children. Restaurants are known as expatriate havens. If the culture is sufficiently shocking, the missionary simply spends the majority of his time with those of a similar culture with whom he feels comfortable. Amy Carmichael saw this effect a century ago when she wrote, “We can never know an Eastern people while we find our chief recreation to be an escape from their companionship into the society of our fellow-Europeans. The people of the land are keenly observant: they mark our preferences in the choice of our friends, as in everything else. If we find our rest and pleasure in being away from them, will they open out to us and let us understand them.” Later in the same book she wrote, “The tendency of English society to keep us apart has been noted again and again by missionaries in every land. ... The company of Europeans keeps a man separate from the people of the land and no one will ever be a good missionary who cannot be happy among them.” (God’s Missionary. Fort Washington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade, 1998, p. 43-44) In my country I have noticed that there are missionaries who know all the other missionaries, and their are missionaries who know many Mongolians. But there are few that know many of both cultures well.

Now to the fundamental statement: one would think that the missionary travels to a new country, finds a fundamentally different society, and just loves the people. But in my experience that is not the norm. You can help by praying that your missionaries truly love the people. Ask God to help them overlook the strange smells, oddly flavored food, and crazy culture. Petition God to point the missionary to the deep needs that the nationals have and to love them.

Whenever I struggle with adjusting to the culture I try to remind myself the adjustment that Jesus had to make. He who was once Creator humbled Himself and became a man. He put up with sinful humans and bickering disciples, hateful religionists and callous politicians to be the perfect sacrifice. Ask God to remind your missionaries of Hebrews 4:15-16: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Quote of the week

"We will not change the minds of the spiritually blind through logic and the majority vote. This problem [the desecration of marriage] is an outcry for revival. We will never end the holocaust of abortion, the insanity of redefining marriage, or a host of other problems until we have a Congress with character, which we will never have without an electorate with principles. That will only come through evangelism and the regeneration of individuals." – Dr. John Vaughn

Another door handle story

I have another door handle story for you. This one I remembered as another missionary was relating to me her story about a door handle.

We were at one of the largest churches of our deputation experience. I can't speak for other missionaries but for me, the larger the church the more nervous I am. I know I shouldn't be but ... well, I'll leave that for another time.

Anyway, I had left Kristie with Charissa (about 4 years old) and Emily (maybe not two years old) in the church's house for guests and had crossed a rather large campus that included a school, dedicated gymnasium, etc. to reach the church's main building which included the auditorium. I was busy setting up my slide projector when Charissa came trotting into the auditorium without Kristie and quite early.

"What are you doing here," I asked, "And where is mom?"

"Mom is locked in the bathroom," she responded in her little four year old voice. "She says she can't get out."

The campus was big enough that traveling across it and back to the auditorium would take some time. So I picked up Charissa and hurried back to the guest house. Sure enough, the handle and somehow broken on the inside so that turning the handle no longer opened the door. Of course, Kristie had locked the door upon entering, and the door required unlocking. It must have been one of those bathroom doors with a small hole on the outside to unlock it because I don't remember it requiring much time to unlock.

I do remember two things clearly. The delay had caused us to be running right on time, and both of us felt the pressure to get out the door. Second, to this day I wonder at Charissa finding her way across the campus to the auditorium by herself.

What happened was this: as soon as Kristie realized that she was locked in she called loudly for Charissa. When Charissa came to the door but couldn't open it, Kristie instructed her to find the big building and daddy would be inside. Somehow, Charissa wandered to where I was (guided providentially, of course). Sometimes having a bold, independent four year old is a good thing.

Deans' weekly update

Thank you for praying. I never say that statement lightly though I may say it many times. The power of God is essential to our productive work in Mongolia, and prayer is the connection we have to request God's work. But I was reminded recently by a Mongolian that prayer is not requesting God to do our work; but rather, prayer is requesting God to do His work and agreeing to work together with Him.

I am sitting here on Wednesday morning occasionally checking on the election results. The time difference can be disconcerting. As I left for work this morning, the polls were closing in the United States. I know that many of you reading this are very interested in the results of the mid-term elections in the United States. I am interested too. I sent in my ballot for Oregon and have been praying for these elections. I hope that you did the same.

Dashka is recovering slowly from his surgery of last week. His wife Tonga is in the National Cancer Hospital—though she may be discharged today. She had her first series of chemotherapy this last week, a seemingly massive dose that wiped her out physically. As I have mentioned before, medically there is not much hope for her complete recovery from this. But we know that with God all things are possible. The question we need to ask ourselves is what work is God doing in her life and her family. I know that it is God's desire that none perish but that all come to repentance. Pray with me for Tonga's salvation and the salvation of her family.

Dashka's health & family

I know that many of you are praying for Dashka’s health and his family. Here is an update on them.

Let me begin with a little background. Dashka has a wife and four children. The oldest is about Charissa’s age (14) and the youngest is about two years old.

About six years ago, I traveled with Roland Gay, Mickey Cofer, and Dashka to Uvs aimag where Roland looked at the possibilities for ministry. At that time, the three of us were able to witness to Dashka.

About five years ago, Dashka became a Christian. Roland had a large part in his coming to Christ and later baptized him. Dashka’s wife Tonga, however, comes from a devout Buddhist family. While most Mongolians consider themselves Buddhist, most of those who consider themselves Buddhist are not very devout, but rather are nominally Buddhist. Because of her Buddhist background and mother, Tonga has been resistant to even hearing the Gospel. She has heard the Gospel before but not been responsive to it.

On occasion, Dashka’s children will attend church services with him. Usually, he leaves them at home when he attends the services.

About 18 months ago, Tonga was diagnosed with stomach cancer. The doctors advised her to have surgery to remove her entire stomach followed by aggressive chemotherapy treatments. Having her stomach removed was difficult enough; the chemotherapy was even worse, I understand.

In August, she had a follow-up visit with the oncologist who told her that her cancer was in remission. However, near the end of September she began to experience abdominal pain. Visits to the doctor led to tests. The tests revealed that she now had pancreatic cancer.

Meanwhile Dashka has been struggling with a physical ailment that finally required surgery last week. He is currently recovering from surgery. He expects to make a full recovery.

Bill and I want to visit Dashka’s family recently. His three oldest children were at school, leaving only his youngest, a two and a half year old daughter, at home. Tonga looked so frail during our visit. It seems incredible that she could endure more cancer treatments.

The doctors have not been explicit as to how bad her cancer is; however, they have already ruled out surgery and are advising chemotherapy. Because there is a single hospital specializing in cancer treatment in Mongolia currently, it means long lines to see a doctor and long waiting periods for treatment.

As Tonga described a small part of her situation to us during our recent visit she began to cry. She is obviously under an incredible amount of stress. Although she said nothing of this nature to us, she has mentioned to others including her husband that it would be better if she simply died. Whoa! That would be a difficult sentiment to hear from one’s spouse. She is only thirty-six years old.

She was admitted to the hospital the day after our visit to undergo her first round of chemotherapy. I will try to keep you updated as I her more.

I had a brief opportunity to preach the Gospel to her during our visit. Please pray that the clear witness would lead her to ask questions and open up the door of opportunity for Dashka to speak to her about our Savior. We know that hope, forgiveness, and eternal life are only found in Jesus Christ. It is my hope that Tonga will realize that, admit her sinfulness and her need for Jesus Christ, and accept the gift of eternal life that God offers to her through His Son.

Quote of the week

"The 'pride of life' is one of the greatest curses in [churches today]. The false teaching desires a holiness like that of the Pharisees. It is just a question of not doing certain things that we ourselves have agreed upon because they do not happen to appeal to us in particular. Thus we have reduced holiness into something that is easy, and we crowd into that broad way and try to practice it." —Martin Lloyd-Jones

Weather update

It was 9〫F (about -13〫C) when I went out this morning about 8:30. How's the weather where you are at?

Deans' weekly update

The highlights of this week are more visitors, the building continues to progress, and a fall-off in attendance at the Bible institute. Let's dive right into these items.

I am glad to report that we continue to have visitors. Last Sunday morning Ganbold came in off the street to sit in on our service. When I talked to him he told me that he just came in off the street with his son. We talked a while, and he left with our detailed tract describing salvation. This week he was back without his son whom he said was sick. He came in about halfway through and said to me (I was greeting late-comers at the time) something about being late. Please pray that Ganbold would continue to come and that others like him would join us.

We had three others come in but they left without even sitting down. One man came and asked what kind of lesson was being taught. I told him that a Bible lesson was about to begin and invited him to take his coat off and join us. I left him as he began to take off his coat and walked around the corner to give him time to take off his coat. A minute later he was gone. I looked out the door and saw he was already far down the walk. Perhaps he was looking for an English lesson. Two more came in a few minutes later, said that they had only come to church to meet someone and that they must be at the wrong church because their friend was not there. They then left.

The building project is going very well. The tile upstairs is nearly done. Work remains to be done on the walls, and the plumbing needs to be installed. All in all, I am impressed with how quickly everything is coming together.

Last week's Bible institute class was not very well attended. We started with four Mongolian men and added a fifth the second week. But last week, one man was in the countryside for work, another student was in the hospital prepping for surgery, another student was struggling with chest pain and had an EKG, and the fourth did not show up. With a single student and a big test scheduled in one of the classes, we postponed the class for a week. Keep praying because for me, training these men is one of the main reasons that I am here.

700 posts

The previous post was the 700th post for this blog. my first post was June 28, 2006 talking about goals for this blog. Now 4 years and 4 months later, I have reached 700 posts. Thanks for reading.

Sunday update for the 4th Sunday of October

We only had fourteen Mongolians in attendance at the Mongolian service yesterday—a disappointingly low number for October; not that I am discouraged, not at all. It just means that I need to focus more on reaching out to new people and less on discipling the ones that I don’t have.

I felt like my Mongolian during my sermon yesterday was clear and flowing, a feeling that I have not had for some weeks. I was sitting through Ganpurev’s sermons and enjoying listening to his good preaching. However, recently I have been sitting in the entryway to greet people and ward off thieves. We have lost many coats over the years to people who come in off the street, notice that no one is watching the coat rack and make off with whatever they can. Currently, there should always be someone sitting in the entryway to greet people as they come in; however, every once in a while someone overlooks his duty and something goes missing.

Three people came in on Sunday morning, found out we were having a Bible study, and abruptly left. Two of them claimed that they were looking for a different church. The storefront where the church currently meets is surrounded by “Christian” churches. There are literally about four building used for religious purposes within a long stone’s throw of where we are.

Sunday evening we had a decent crowd come out for the service which is in English. It never ceases to amaze me the group that we have come: some from Mongolia, some from Europe, some from North America.

Kristie continues to struggle with her health. Some days are better than others. Sunday was a good day for which I am grateful. Today she seems to be recovering from Sunday. Please continue to pray for her.

Quote of the week

"Let us see that we keep God before our eyes; that we walk in His ways and seek to please and glorify Him in everything, great and small. Depend on it, God's work, done in God's way, will never lack God's supply." —Hudson Taylor

We often hear the second half of the quote but rarely hear the first. The two parts go together.

news from Mongolia

They are filling the rooms and spilling out into the hallways. There are so many of them that there is not room enough for them all. Such is the latest report from the children's hospital here in Mongolia where a flu epidemic has sent many little ones to the hospital to prevent dehydration. I think Kristie and Charissa have already experienced this flu outbreak. The rest of us have yet to be sick with it. Young children are especially susceptible to dehydration. Several church members' children have been very sick with this.

Several members who once came regularly to church have quit coming. Perhaps they just do not have time for church. On the other hand, we have had several new visitors recently. Here is an interesting story about one of our visitors.

The current location where the church meets is not easy to find because it is surrounded by construction projects that make it seem as if nothing could be there. Further, the entrance to the store front that we rent is in the side of the building away from the alley that passes by. What that means is that people in vehicles cannot see the church's sign unless they park their cars and walk around the building. (I hope to have a more prominent sign in the future.) I was expecting guests to come to the English service last Sunday night. I had actually invited them three weeks before but a series of events (including a fishing trip) prevented them from attending. As I waited for them at the entrance, I realized that maybe they would come down the alley and miss the church's sign. I walked around to the other side of the building to catch them. As I turned the corner, a taxi whizzed by me; and I caught a glimpse of Tengis sitting next to the driver. Unfortunately, they had already passed driving at a rather high rate of speed for an alleyway with pedestrians. I immediately called Tengis on my cell phone.

"Hey, I just saw you pass our building in a taxi. Turn around and come back," I told him.

"Stand in the street where we can see you," he told me.

I hesitated to stand in the street remembering how quickly the taxi had been traveling before. After all, it is hard to stand and lead songs if you have two broken legs ... anyway, I did as instructed, standing in the street and waving as soon as I saw the taxi. There turned out to be no danger, and Tengis and Bolormaa attended the service. Please pray for their salvation. Tengis is depending on his good works to make him righteous. Bolormaa told me that she is Buddhist (but interested in improving her English).

Until the next update, keep praying.

Sunday update

There are so many things that I could write about that I am not sure where to begin. There are church members who have a daughter in the hospital, another member who is scheduled to have surgery this week. His wife’s cancer has come back, this time in her pancreas.

We have visitors coming; praise the Lord! And members who have quit coming.

The construction project is going well: pieces falling into place that evidence the hand of the Lord. But as fast as it is going, it always seems that it is taking a long time.

Ganpurev preached today on celebrations. After a discussion earlier this month, Ganpurev and I felt that someone should preach on Mongolian celebrations. People will borrow nearly a month’s salary worth of money from family and friends to celebrate something as simple as a birthday. It seems to both of us that much of the impetus for such elaborate celebrations is the desire to show off wealth that they do not have.

Along with our partners in ministry here, Kristie and I perceive a significant amount of spiritual opposition. Discouragement, temptation, illness, disappointment, failure—trouble seems to surround us. But we are not defeated; in fact, we are on the victory side!

But we need your continued prayers. We hear that many of you also are facing discouraging circumstances. At the same time, we hear of God’s power being evident. We should not be surprised that our adversary fights us the hardest when we are closest to victory. Perhaps our present distress is the sound of abundance of rain before a season of revival. Let’s keep praying, keep working, and keep hoping.

Weather update

This may be the last week of "nice" weather before it becomes cold. Highs have been in the forties this week. Next week's lows are predicted to be in single digits (near -15 for those of who track your temperatures in Celsius). Typically, October is the last month in which we have weather that is above freezing. November, December, January, and the first part of February rarely see temperatures that are above the freezing point. If you live in Mongolia, get ready for the cold.

A Day of Difficult News

Dashka told us today that his wife’s cancer has returned, this time in her pancreas. Considering her still recent bout with stomach cancer this is not good news. During a visit to the doctor in August she was told that she was doing well. A ultrasound of her abdomen yesterday showed a recurrence of cancer.

With tears in his eyes, Dashka told me today, “I have prayed for my wife to be saved; I have prayed for her to be healed.” We then took time to pray together.

Dashka’s wife Tonga has been on the top of the prayer list for salvation for some time. We had been thanking the Lord for giving her victory over cancer. But the last few weeks she has been experiencing some pain that she thought might be a symptom of her cancer’s return. Her visit to the doctor yesterday confirmed it.

As I understand it currently, the doctors say that Tonga’s pancreatic cancer is inoperable. She may be able to undergo radiation or chemotherapy treatments. However, she is still very weak physically because she just had her stomach removed about 15 months ago and then underwent about a year of intensive chemotherapy treatments. She is hardly in a condition to undergo a rigorous round of chemotherapy.

Dashka himself has been going through a difficult time. On top of his wife’s condition, he has a physical condition that needs surgical treatment. His surgery is scheduled for next week. Dashka’s older brother Dawaa has cancer that most doctors have said is untreatable. Dawaa is currently at home gaining strength before starting chemotherapy treatments.

There is much pressure on Dashka from many directions. Mongolians are so quick to attribute bad circumstances to a god that has been offended or who does not care. I desire for our God to show Himself mighty in these circumstances and to bring glory and honor to Himself in the way that He answers prayer.

Please pray with me that our Lord and God would be glorified in Tonga’s health and in Dashka’s life. And pray earnestly for the salvation of Tonga.

Quote of the week

"The missionaries realized [that paying nationals to do the work of the ministry] would have proved a hindrance in the long run rather than a help. To pay young converts, however sincere, for making known the Gospel—and to pay them with money from foreign sources—must inevitably weaken their influence if not their Christian character. The time might come when their call of God to such a work would be evident to all, and when the Christians themselves would be ready to support them. How was China ever to be evangelized but by the Chinese [Christians]? And how were the converts ever to know the joy of unpaid, voluntary service, from love to the Lord Jesus Christ, unless the missionaries could be patient and wait for spiritual developments?" from Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret

Oregon cherries in Mongolia

The items that I sometimes find when I am out shopping is very interesting. You just never know what you will find: a 103" television set, for example.

This week while I was out looking for hamburger, I found cans of Oregon cherries. I have seen them in the U.S. in Oregon (of course) and Indiana. But I would not have guessed that you can find them in Mongolia.

Get them while you can though; we may never see them again. For those of you who are wondering, the price is approximately $5.40 a can.

Weekly update

I am blessed to have a good crew of folks who take an interest in us and pray for us. Google Analytics tells me that I have readers in 18 states (including one state I have never visited), Mongolia, Canada, and Brazil. Amazing to think, huh? I never cease to be amazed.

I had not been up very long this morning when I checked the temperature outside. It was -9 C (16 F for you Americans). That is cold enough for me. But it is only October and should become much colder here in the next month.

We have some very real spiritual opposition facing us, perhaps I will post about it another time. I want to take this opportunity to inject a little bit of humor into our situation here. In the last three days, we have had three door handles break off. I am trying to remember if I ever remember a door handle breaking in the States, much less three in a matter of days. Do your door handles break off regularly?

The first one was the bathroom door handle in our apartment. My daughter brought me the handle from the hallway side and said that it came off in her hand. At first several in my family wondered if the bathroom could be used effectively without a lock, but they did not need to worry. Have you ever tried to open a door from the hallway when there was no handle? The trouble is that if someone accidentally shuts the door, it takes special tools and skills to open it.

The second handle was the bathroom door at the building that we use for church services. This handle broke on the bathroom side which meant that someone had to stand guard on the outside to prevent inconvenient interruptions. Ganpurev is already working on repairing that handle. I insisted that such a repair needed to be done right away (tongue in cheek).

The third handle is on the front door of our apartment. We have a door handle with an armature, not a round knob. I came home yesterday to discover that our door handle's armature instead of pointing to the right was pointing down. Odd, I thought. Opening the door, I discovered the interior handle was missing entirely. Pieces that should be there were also missing. The children and I used a flashlight to search for the pieces without success. I am not sure how to fix that one. One of the children was closing the door and found the interior handle in her hand. Come to think of it, it was another daughter who ripped the handle of the bathroom door.

So I need to get a handle on all these door handles. It is the little frustrations that can build up and give room to bitterness or apathy. Pray for God's grace to be evident in our lives. Oh, and if anyone needs a super-strong girl to rip door handles off, we can send you one.

Quote of the week

"Many times have I been ready to shrink back, and to say, Lord, I pray thee, have me excused; but if God should honor us by permission to lay foundations, foundations of his church in Siam, ... we shall have reason to praise Him through all eternity, for having employed us in such a service. Over and over again have I been obliged to say to myself, that the only way of doing any thing to promote a great object is to try and try again, and when one plan fails, to resort to another; and if God spares my life, I am resolved to keep on trying till my work is done." —Eliza Jones (from This Day in Baptist History II)

Forty years in the wilderness

I was reminded again recently in my Bible reading that Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness before returning to Egypt to confront Pharaoh. Forty years that must have seemed pointless to well-educated Moses. Forty years of watching sheep, a job despised by the Egyptians among whom he grew up. Forty years of desert heat and cold. Forty years of dust and thirst. Forty years of wasting his talents.

Most likely Egypt reached its pinnacle of power during Moses time in Midian. He may have even heard whenever he was around human company of the great power of the Pharaoh, of his many exploits, and his victorious campaigns. All that while, he sat in the desert. He had been trained in all the wisdom of Egypt. But while men with whom he had grown up reached the zenith of success, he presided over stinky, stupid sheep.

But God was at work during this time. He was giving Moses the opportunity to learn what life in the desert was like. He was training Moses to deal with childish, superstitious people. He was preparing Moses to be completely reliant on Him. Wow! And Moses had no idea.

It was not Moses plan to return to Egypt in triumph. When God told him to go back to Egypt, he made every excuse that he could. Moses did not want anymore to do with his fellow Hebrews; he even married a Midianite and neglected to circumcise his sons, an obvious sign of forsaking his Hebrew heritage.

And so God plucked another man from among sheep—a forgotten no one—to challenge the greatest ruler on earth at the time. Do not fret in your time in the wilderness. Maybe God has you there for a reason.

Prayer request

I am planning several visits tomorrow to be a witness for Christ and strengthen other Christians. Please pray for the Holy Spirit's power to be evident. Pray that God would remove obstacles and give me boldness and wisdom tomorrow. Acts chapter 4 has been a challenge to me recently. Read it for yourself and pray as the Spirit leads you.

Keep praying

It sounds like Dashka himself will need surgery next week. His wife Tonga is scheduled to go to the hospital on Saturday when she might be admitted. Please pray for that family.

Weekly update

We had an unusual Sunday morning this past week ... again. This time the item of note was that few people came. We had Ganpurev's family there, of course; and another visiting family joined us. Though we had bits and pieces of a few other families it was a disappointing turnout. I was preaching on the benefits of meditation too, a topic that I believe is important to every Christian's life. Neither of the two ladies scheduled to be in the nursery were there! But it was not a big deal since only two nursery age children came. The other members valued other opportunities above the chance to join with their brothers and sisters in Christ to worship, fellowship, and exhort one another. Some were sick, some were doing home repairs, some just did not come.

Please pray that these Mongolian Christians (many of whom are young in the Lord) would learn to place the most important priorities first. This past Sunday I encouraged them all to read their Bibles daily, pray daily, and meditate on Scripture daily. I even gave them a little booklet of verses which they could memorize and use to meditate. Spiritual growth occurs when we make a conscious effort to follow Jesus Christ and place heavenly things first.

We had another good turnout in the evening for the English service. A family that Kristie and I had visited and invited to attend was unable to join us because of illness. They were healthy enough on Saturday when I visited. But Sunday afternoon when I called, the husband was sick. Could it be our enemy trying to prevent people from hearing truth? Pray for those to whom we minister to be impacted by the word of God.

Quote of the week

"Protestant missions had enjoyed over one hundred and fifty years of contact with the Tibetan Buddhist world since William Carey's visit to Bhutan in 1797. For much of that period Western Christians had been a favored elite, free to evangelize and set up permanent mission stations at strategic spots on the borders of Tibet and Mongolia. Faithful missionaries had prayed, preached, and given their lives. Yet despite these great sacrifices, nowhere did a strong Christian movement appear among a Tibetan Buddhist people. The results were disappointingly different from the high hopes of early missionaries." Marku Tsering in Sharing Christ in the Tibetan Buddhist World

Pray for Dashka

The main purpose of this blog is to keep my prayer partners informed of prayer needs in a timely manner. Such a situation exists right now.

Many of you know of Dashka. He's the church member with a wife who underwent cancer surgery and chemotherapy last year. His wife Tonga has actually made a fair recovery from all that.

But that does not mean that the pressure is over for Dashka. His youngest child Amee ("am" like in I am; not like the common name "Amy") has been sick for some days and not sleeping well. You mothers know that when a child is not sleeping well, you don't sleep well. Tonga had not been feeling well anyway, but combined with a lack of sleep and other factors has been quite depressed recently. She has made statements in the last few days such as, "It would have better had I died." This is very discouraging to Dashka.

Then yesterday Dashka found out that his older brother Dawaa has cancer that has spread to his liver, pancreas, and stomach. The doctors told him that surgery is pointless and asked him to come for some tests today to see if chemotherapy would be useful. They are seeking second opinions, but in a national health care system second opinions do not always provide options.

Because Dashka's father died of a similar cancer some years ago, the family is very worried about Dawaa. Dawaa is 46 years old and has six children.

These circumstances are weighing heavily on Dashka. Please continue to pray for the salvation of Tonga and add Dawaa to your list. Also pray that Dashka would find peace and comfort despite his tumultuous circumstances.

The family has already been to the Buddhist temple to perform rituals for Dawaa's healing. Dashka graciously declined to go (a serious step of faith for a Christian here) but told Dawaa and the family that his church would be praying which we are. I am praying that if God in His mercy and lovingkindness reaches down and heals Dawaa that He would get the glory for the healing and not false gods.

I am comforted to know that we have a God Who cares. May He be glorified in our weakness!

Mongolians assault the Great Wall

During the time of Genghis Khan China's Great Wall had fallen into disrepair. The Chinese dynasty who drove out the Mongolians repaired and extended the Great Wall. It is their wall that we see the ruins or reconstructions of today. Still, it makes for an interesting picture.

Weekly update

We are extremely grateful to those of you who love and pray for us. We have had several unusual things happen the last few weeks. In the midst of strangeness we take great comfort that the God who watches the sparrows cares about us and that many of you in the United States continue to pray for us.

Two Sundays ago now, we had a visitor come late to the service. It is not unusual for visitors, regular attenders, or even members to come late to a service. What was unusual is that the young man claimed to be an artist and had small gifts for all of us. No one in the church could remember meeting him before, but he seemed a pleasant fellow and followed the preaching closely.

After the service, he hung around and hung around which was a little unusual. Unknown to me, he left with a married lady whose husband had left the meeting early because of work. So this stranger and a married member left together. He told her that he wanted to take her to lunch which he did. At the end of the meal, he asked if he could borrow her phone to make a quick call. It is not odd for people to borrow another person's phone to make a call because most cellphones in Mongolia are on a pre-paid system. I have found myself without any money to make a call before. He then disappeared with the lady's cellphone and left her to pay the bill! He was a con man all along. These things happen in churches. Here in Mongolia con men often frequent churches because they believe Christians to be more gullible than the average person.

This past Sunday, I arrived at church forty minutes early to find that there was a leak dripping in our main room where our church meeting is held. Ganpurev usually is in charge of maintenance but was away to attend his sister's wedding in the countryside. I did not have a phone number for the maintenance crew for the building. Fortunately, I knew where the maintenance men could be found. After spending the remaining minutes before the service arranging for a plumber to look at the leak, I arrived at the service harried. However, before too long the leak was stopped. Praise the Lord!

We had a good service despite the distraction of the water leak. Bilgee preached a good message, and there was a good turnout. Please pray for these water leaks. The water is leaking again today (Tuesday). Also Kristie has had some serious trouble sleeping with no apparent cause. Please pray for her to sleep well.

Sunday update

We've had a lot of different things occur in the last few days. We had our first snow in Saturday. It didn't stick and September 25 is a little early for a first snow.

We had a decent crowd out on Sunday. Ganpurev and Ulzee went out to the countryside to attend a wedding. Bilgee preached in his place and did a good job.

When we arrived at the church building on Sunday morning, there was water on a chair and down unto the floor. Our neighbors above us had sprung a leak, and water was dripping from the ceiling. I had to spend my time before the service tracking down the plumber. By the end of the service the dripping had stopped. Usually Ganpurev would have done this for us. He has phone numbers for the plumbers and all the neighbors. During our time in the States, the church experienced dripping more than once including a massive leak on one occasion. So Ganpurev has been busy calling plumbers. But this Sunday it was my turn.

Prices in Ulan Bator 2

As interesting prices of items come to my attention, I intend to post them. Today's item is a 103" television. The price was equivalent to $42,000. You might wonder what I was doing in a store that sells forty-two thousand dollar televisions. I was looking for an office printer. I did not pay nearly that much for the printer.

Weekly update

It was 23 F yesterday morning when I woke up. I took a walk a few hours later, and it was still cold. It is an early start to winter for us.

We had our first Bible institute class yesterday. There were four Mongolian men there for which I was grateful. The first class was a Greek class. The second class was a Doctrine of Salvation class. I want that class to be more than just head knowledge. My goal is for the students to become a better witness for our Savior and to be ever more grateful for the great salvation that God has given us so liberally. Last night's class led to some interesting questions. Please pray for spiritual growth and that all of us in the class would have our eyes opened to the many opportunities to preach Jesus Christ in this country.

Weather in Mongolia

I have not updated you on the weather in Mongolia recently. We have had very pleasant weather since our arrival: not too hot and not too cool. But cold weather is already coming. This week temperatures are predicted to be below freezing at night, and forecasters are calling for snow before the end of the month. It makes growing anything outside difficult here in Mongolia because the frost-free days are so few.

Quote of the week

"America's Founding Fathers knew full well the kinds of troubles experienced by ancient Greece and Rome [where republics were first founded]. They knew how fragile [a republic] could be. A lady once asked Benjamin Franklin after the Constitutional Convention had drawn to a close what he had given the nation. The old man replied, 'You have a republic, madame. If you can keep it.' The founders knew that keeping a [republic] is often more difficult than starting one."

—Arthur W. Hunt III in The Vanishing Word

Rain from above

We appreciate rain here in Mongolia because it is a dry country. But we do not appreciate rain inside our apartment which is what happened this morning.

I had been up for some time, had finished my devotions, and was preparing to leave for work. Before I left, I choose to check my water meters since the water meter reader would be coming any day to ask for the readings. For some time as I finished my devotions and prepared to leave for work, I had heard water running, but I did not think much of it because we often hear the water running.

But minutes before I would leave Elsie pointed out to me that water had begun to run down from the corner of the kitchen. Soon we had water dripping from all over our kitchen and living

room. In some cases, the water dripped directly on the plants which meant that they would need no watering that day. But it was also "raining" on the piano, piano books, pictures, and stereo. Charissa and Elsie assisted and we began bring out pots to catch the water, move delicate items out of the way, and mop up the mess that had already been made.

I went up stairs to talk to the neighbors. Some pipes below the sink had become disconnected and flooded their entire kitchen and living room area before flowing down into our apartment. Wow!

They soon had the water stopped but not before some damage had been done to our apartment. I posted a picture of the most heavily water-damaged corner.

Weekly update

We are so grateful to know that you pray for us. Without the help of God our ministry in Mongolia is vain. Let us spend extra time looking to Him this week.

A praise: the English service on Sunday nights has been packed out. This past Sunday we had 45 people in attendance. There were only two empty seats in the whole place. I had the opportunity to preach for which I was grateful. The Pattersons returned last week, and Bill will start preaching again. We are grateful to God for their good help.

First prayer request: we will be having a church business meeting of sorts with the Mongolians to remind people of their responsibilities. While many aspects of the church ministry went well while we were away, there are some programs that need shoring up. Also, I want to present some new possibilities of ministry and challenge the church to continue to move forward.

Second prayer request: Kristie continues to spend a significant amount of time feeling ill. There have been several and various viruses and germs making people sick in UIan Bator just like there is sickness everywhere. However, Kristie has had something that has been lingering for some time. Please pray with us for substantial relief and strength for her.

Work begins on the interior

They began work today to build walls in the interior of the building. Those of you who are planning to come and help with construction work in the future: don't worry. We will leave plenty for you to do.

Quote of the week

"When in our churches we have money, we have what money can do. When we have education, we have what education can do. When we have culture, we have what culture can do. When we have organization, we have what organization can do. When we have size, we have what size can do. But when we have prayer, we have what God can do."

Weekly update

To those of you who faithfully (and maybe not so faithfully) pray for us:

Some of you may wonder a little bit at this week's greeting. It is not intended to be an insult to anyone. I am well aware that some of you intercede for us; you spend much time each week lifting up us and our relationships to the Father. To say that we and those Mongolians who are impacted by God's power are eternally grateful is no exaggeration.

But I also know that some of you may only be curious about our ministry here. My intuition tells me that some may even be a little skeptical: perhaps you disagree with my method or mock my results or question my sincerity. Whatever brings you to read this update, welcome! May God use this update to inspire your love for God, increase your love for souls, and instill greater interest in Central Asia.

Sunday night after a long day of ministry, I thanked the Lord for His goodness in letting me minister in Mongolia and asked Him to take my human efforts done for His sake and multiply them. In other words, I considered my ministry outside of my family to be done for the day. We locked the front door and began to spend some moments together as a family before retiring for the night.

There came a knock at that door. One of the children going to check the door thought it was Buren. She called me, and I went to the door to talk to Buren. Only it was not Buren, but a fellow that I met once on the stairs of our building. I believe that at the time he was casing our apartment building looking for things to purloin.

To make a long story short, he had come to my place to ask me to forgive him for stealing a Bible several years ago when he had visited my house. He admitted that he stole it to sell it for money. He then stated that he needed help. It seems the police are looking for him because of his involvement in crime. He also tells me that he wants to be saved ... from the police, it seems. Despite meeting with him three times in the last three days and presenting the Gospel clearly multiple times, he tells me that he does not want the salvation from sin that God offers because he is afraid that he will be forced to turn himself into the police.

He was waiting for me this morning when I left for a meeting with another missionary. I truly wish that I could help him, but he does not seem to want the help that God offers. Please pray for me to have wisdom to deal with these difficult situations. One never knows whom one will meet when he goes out his door in the morning.

Praising God for His goodness and His wonderful works to the children of men,

Scott Dean

Interesting article

My friend, Dave Janke, who serves in British Columbia sent me this article about Mongolia. It seems that there is some xenophobia here.

I was talking with an expatriate yesterday and was able to quote the verse: "The heart is deceitful about all things and desperately wicked." In some respects, people are the same everywhere.

Quote of the week

We look back upon history, and what do we see? Empires rising and falling. Revolutions and Counterrevolutions. Wealth accumulated and wealth disbursed. Shakespeare has written of the rise and fall of great ones, that ebb and flow with the moon. I look back upon my own fellow countrymen, once upon a time dominating a quarter of the world, most of them convinced, in the words of what is still a popular song, that the God who made them mighty, shall make them mightier yet.

I've heard a crazed, cracked Austrian announce to the world the establishment of a Reich that would last a thousand years. I have seen an Italian clown say he was going to stop and restart the calendar with his own ascension to power. I've heard a murderous Georgian brigand in the Kremlin, acclaimed by the intellectual elite of the world as wiser than Solomon, more humane than Marcus Aurelius, more enlightened than Ashoka.

I have seen America, wealthier and in terms of military weaponry, more powerful than the rest of the world put together, so that had the American people so desired, they could have outdone a Caesar, or an Alexander in the range and scale of their conquests.

All in one lifetime, all in one lifetime, all gone. Gone with the wind. England part of a tiny island off the coast of Europe, threatened with dismemberment and even bankruptcy. Hitler and Mussolini dead, remembered only in infamy. Stalin a forbidden name in the regime he helped found and dominate for some three decades. America haunted by fears of running our of those precious fluids that keeps their motorways roaring, and the smog settling, with troubled memories of a disastrous campaign in Vietnam, and the victories of the Don Quixotes of the media as they charged the windmills of Watergate. All in one lifetime, all in one lifetime, all gone. Gone with the wind.

- Malcolm Muggeridge

...and I helped him carry his bags to the far side of the street

This is going to be an unusual post. I don't plan to give you the actual names of people involved to protect their confidentiality. So I'll give them Western names: I'll call them Jack and Bill. And the second unusual thing about this post is that it actually happened several years ago. It has taken me a while to publish this post.

Several years ago, Bill, a member of Faith Baptist Church where I serve, was caught in public sin. When confronted he initially appeared to reject counsel but within a few days made the right decision.

Not long after those events, Bill came to my house bringing Jack. Jack is a Christian that I have known for some years but is not a member of my church. He attends another church one of the largest and most well known congregations in my city. On a Thursday afternoon Bill contacted me asking if he could come over to my house. I was planning to make a visit Thursday night but was able to re-arrange my schedule so that I could meet with Bill. When Bill came over on Thursday night, Jack was with him. Jack and Bill visit my house a couple of times a year. Usually, there is some Biblical topic of discussion that gives me the opportunity to teach.

On that Thursday evening we talked until after 9 o'clock but not about anything important. Jack told me that he had a girlfriend and that he had not been planning to come over that night; however, when he and his girlfriend argued over her plans for school Jack stormed out and ran into Bill. Bill who was coming to my house suggested that they both come over together. So they did.

We talked briefly about his girlfriend whom I had never met. (Let's call his girlfriend Sandy). Then Jack said that they should go and suggested that we pray. We prayed about some needs that they mentioned. As soon as I said, "Amen," Jack said, "There's something else I want to tell you. I've been living with my girlfriend ..." This statement started a discussion that went well into the night about a Christian's walk. His said that his girlfriend was a Christian, and they moved in together initially because they both needed a place to live, etc.

Though it was already late this led to a long discussion about what the Bible says about marriage and purity. Jack readily admitted that what they were doing was wrong and wanted advice on what he should do now. I told him frankly that he needed to at least live apart from his wife, refrain from any intimate activity, and ask the forgiveness of his girlfriend Sandy and his parents (who are not saved) and Sandy's mother (who also is not saved). I told him that because he continued to live in sin he was hurting the his testimony. This was the reason that he should approach his parents and Sandy's mother (her father has passed on) and admit that he was not living according to the Bible.

In the end, I offered to meet with him and his girlfriend. He said that the two of them could meet me on Saturday. He then went back to the apartment that he was sharing with his girlfriend and told her that they would have to sleep in separate beds without telling her anything else.

On Saturday night, I headed over to the apartment that he was sharing with his girlfriend to talk to both of them.

Every couple my age and younger in Mongolian that I have met and become acquainted with in Mongolia has lived together before they were formally married. Usually, a couple will live together until the woman becomes pregnant at which time they will get married.

Jack and Sandy were no different. They admitted that what they were doing was wrong but made various excuses. It was obvious that Jack was trying to soothe his conscious through a variety of stratagems. He and his father had asked for Sandy's mother's permission for Jack and Sandy to marry in September. In November they had announced to their friends that they were engaged to be married. Then since the Thursday night that I had approached them they had been sleeping apart but in the same apartment. It was obvious that they both felt guilty about what they were doing and were looking for ways to assuage their guilt without actually living apart.

Cultural, it is very appropriate to spend the first ten or fifteen minutes in light conversation even if both parties know exactly why they are meeting. (It used to be a real burden for me to talk for ten or fifteen minutes about nothing of consequence when there were bigger topics looming on the horizon.) After the initial small talk we came back to the reason that I had come over: what were these two Christian young people going to do. I expressed it this way to Jack: "Are you completely convinced that living God's way is best or not?" We kept coming back to this over and over that evening.

Jack first told me a well-known Mongolian joke about an alcoholic that goes to alcoholic rehab for treatment. After a period of treatment the doctor comes in and says, "You're cured. Now don't drink any liquor for 56 days." To which the recovering alcoholic responds, "Can I drink beer?" When I heard the story, I understood the Mongolia cultural milieu in which the joke was born. If I cannot have whisky, can I drink beer? Jack then proceeded to suggest that he could sleep on one side of the room and Sandy could sleep on the other. I laughed out loud at first both at the ridiculousness of the concept and because I thought Jack was trying to be funny since his suggestion came immediately following the joke.

We dispensed with that possibility rather quickly, and I think it is superfluous to the story to explain how I dealt with his idea. Suffice it to say that both of them quickly realized the impossibility of maintaining their Christian testimony and living in the same apartment. I pointed out to them the need for Christians to "flee youthful lusts," not merely find ways to accommodate them.

His next objection was that people would misunderstand why he had moved out. They would think that he and Sandy had quarreled and think that their engagement was off. I went back again to my initial question: "Are you completely convinced that living God's way is best or not?" I stated that all his objections could be overcome if he truly trusted that living according to God's word was best.

He had other objections: where would he live? - I told him he could live at my place if he really needed a place; what if their love for each other waned while they lived apart? - I asked if their love was really that weak.

Then I went back to my original question, "Are you completely convinced that living God's way is best or not?" When they finally agreed that God's way was best, I asked them what that admission meant. How were they going to live out what they knew was God's best for them? People around the world are the same: we can easily fall into the trap of admitting truth but claiming that it we are somehow the exception to the rule.

Jack suggested that he needed to move out.

"When?" I pressed.

"Soon"

"Why not tonight?" I asked.

This led to another round of conversation. I won't bore you with the details, but in the end Jack and Sandy agreed that he would move back in with his parents. I watched as he packed his things and then helped him carry his bags to the far side of the street to catch a taxi.