Would post pictures

Kristie, Emily, and Elsie went out with some other ladies today to enjoy some fellowship. The plan was to spend some time together doing "lady type activities."

Kristie took some pictures which I would post except that her purse was stolen from its spot next to her feet while she was eating lunch. The camera she had been using was in the purse along with a sum of money. Our Mongolian friend, Uganaa, brought the missing purse to the attention of the restaurant staff including a couple of security guards who were there. Although everyone was very sympathetic, no one was able to locate the purse.

Of course, it made the rest of the day much less enjoyable for Kristie. It would be easy and wrong to become cynical about the lack of honesty in this culture. We want to continue to love Mongolians and point them to Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life.

Quote of the week

"I believe that if there is one thing which pierces the Master's heart with unutterable grief, it is not the world's iniquity, but the church's indifference." - D.L. Moody

Weekly update

Last week I mentioned that we would be having a leadership seminar. The seminar was well-attended with several people coming who I hoped would be there but was unsure if they would be able to come. I thought the teaching went well; we spent a significant amount of time dealing with the mode of baptism and speaking in tongues. There were a few people there who have not had Biblical teaching on the subject. I was anticipating doing such a leadership seminar once every two months. However, because I presented less than half the material that I had prepared for this seminar I anticipate having another seminar next month.

We will be having a baptismal service this month. I have had four Mongolians approach me so far desiring to be baptized. Let's pray that these four and several others would follow through with this important decision.

Pray for Togsoo

Togsoo is a young man that came to us after attending another church for some time. He has an interest in studying God's word and a willingness to be taught. He has come to the church services faithfully for many months.

He has one obstacle, however, to becoming a member of our church. He was sprinkled instead of baptized and was told that sprinkling was biblical baptism. He has only recently been exposed to the idea that sprinkling is not biblical. However, it is hard for him to accept that his previous sprinkling was not biblical baptism.

Today he told us that he would pray about it. I encouraged him to pray about it because I want the Holy Spirit through his study of God's word to show him what biblical baptism is. Please pray for Togsoo to came to a proper understanding of baptism and its importance in the Christian's life.

Quote of the week

When statesmen have had their last parley,
And despots have made their last threat;
When prophets are dumb with misgiving,
And forces of conflict are set;
When factions misleading and treacherous
Bring chaos where order prevailed;
When freedom long-cherished is vanquished,
And leaders long trusted have failed,
When God and His Word are derided,
And men call it useless to pray;
Remember that God is still sovereign,
And HE has the last word to say.

In a time when many who are not Christians are wondering what in the world is happening- swine flu in Mexico, an insane dictator in North Korea determined to play with nuclear weapons, the resurgence of an aggressive Russia, and uncertainty in world markets - it is a peace and comfort to know that God has never abdicated His throne. The Creator of the universe is still in control, and there is no lack of power with Him.

While I cannot answer why He allows evil to grow bolder, I do not worry about the future because I know an omnipotent, all-wise God is watching over us all!

Weekly update

We had a good attendance on Sunday. Ganpurev's sermon was better than mine: his illustrations were more appropriate to Mongolian life and his application was more pointed. It is an encouragement and blessing to see Ganpurev grow.

We have a Leadership Seminar scheduled for this Saturday. The intent of the seminar is to give added instruction to those Mongolians who want to be leaders in the church. I think this will become a regular event to edify our prospective Mongolian leaders and strengthen them for ministry. The upcoming seminar's topic will be "The leader as a servant." Please pray that God would bless the seminar and all who attend.

The source of evil

Recently, I came across an article most likely written by a non-Christian that had a very interesting statement about the source of evil. In the article two people who were held in captivity on two different continents discuss their painful memories from captivity.

Towards the end of the article the two former captives discuss the impact of their faith (or lack thereof). One did not feel he could pray during his ordeal for two reasons: first of all, he had not been praying before he was kidnapped and felt it would not be right to start then. Secondly, he heard over the radio of people whose condition because of war was even worse than his own and believed that if God was not helping them, God would not intervene on his behalf. Curiously, when he was released from captivity, he failed to see God's intervention in his release. That simple omission may reveal a foundational problem in his attitude: he is not seeking God and therefore is not "finding" Him.

The second captive challenged his thinking by commenting that the first captive had been asking God the wrong questions. She went on to say that the source of the world's ills was not God or His lack of intervention. According to her, the source of the world's ills was mankind.

I do not know her spiritual state; she may be a Christian or she may not. However, her insight is impressive. It is not that God wants sin and evil to be present in the world or even that He allows it. What God grants mankind for good or ill is the ability to choose. Robbed of our right to choose but allowed to express our opinion, we would probably complain that God was keeping us confined. Conversely, having the right to choose, we complain that it is God's fault that men are so evil. There is certainly something sinfully perverse in mankind's thinking.

I do not claim to be able to understand or explain how God's complete sovereignty interacts with man's free will. However, I do know this: as I look at the social ills in Mongolia and the United States, I see people consumed with selfishness and willing to injure others in their efforts to advance their own interests. The problem of evil is not God's but ours.

Weekly update

Attendance on Sunday continues to be strong. This past Sunday there were not as many visitors as there have been in the past. Many of the people who attend are facing unusual pressures. Some of them have job pressures, some have family pressures, some are facing an uncertain future. I would ask you to pray that God would mold all of us more into the image of His Son Jesus as we grow in grace through these difficulties.

New things at the church

We've had some people working diligently recently to make the church's meeting place look more comfortable and less sterile. Before the church rooms all had white walls and black chairs. The room where the nursery is located had some colorful toys but other than that the place looked very uninviting.

Two of the ladies offered to make chair covers for the chairs that they thought would give the chairs some color and extend the wear of the chairs. It would also allow the ladies to remove the covers and wash them if necessary. The church purchased the material but the ladies did all the work as a labor of love which was a considerable amount of work considering that they used hand-cranked sewing machines.

Ganpurev also put together a cross for the front of the main meeting room and a tract rack that is in the entry way where people can help themselves to Gospel literature.

Another lady in the church who is an artist by training made a beautiful hanging even purchasing the materials with her own resources. The hanging is written in Mongolian Old Script which has sentimental value to the Mongolians. The center says, "Love" while the smaller text on the sides is I Corinthians 13. That art was hung in the back of the main meeting room.
It is gratifying to me to see the Mongolians take the initiative to give the meeting rooms a warmer, more inviting atmosphere. Such labor gives the Mongolians a sense of ownership; after all, it is their church.

Uganaa's salvation testimony

It is always exciting to shift someone’s name from the “praying for their salvation” side of one’s prayer list to the “praying for their growth in grace” side. This recently happened to me.

I wish I could tell all that I know about the situation and perhaps some day I will be able to. At the present time, certain agreements that exist between Kristie and Uganaa and me that prohibit me from giving some of the details that would bring glory to God. What follows is the part of the story I can tell.

Months ago, Trina Cofer in Hatgal had the opportunity to meet a tour guide, a young Mongolian lady who had come to Hatgal with some tourists on a trip. This young lady noticed the way that Trina was dressed and came to her to ask if she was a Christian. When Trina told her that she was a Christian, the young lady whose name is Uganaa told her that she was interested in Jesus Christ.

However, Uganaa’s tourist work was soon taking her away from Trina. So Trina suggested that when she returned to the city, she should call me and attend the church where I am serving.

Then Trina called me to explain Uganaa’s situation and to ask me to contact her should she not contact me. However, I was surprised that almost as soon as Uganaa returned to town in late summer she contacted me. We met a few times to talk about Jesus Christ and the Bible.

We had only met together twice when I was suddenly taken very ill. Uganaa was scheduled to come over for another Bible study with Kristie and me; however because I was so ill, I called her and canceled. The next day or possibly the day after Uganaa called me to tell me that she was on her way to Hatgal to spend some months living with Mickey and Trina.

After she returned from Hatgal we had several more meetings to study the Bible. She also had learned many things from Mickey, Trina, and some of their Mongolian friends while in Hatgal. She kept insisting that she could not believe that Jesus was God. Although I showed her many Scriptures she clung to her belief that Jesus could not have been God. She also said that we must suffer for our own sins.

I began to discern that they must be some other barrier to belief besides a lack of Biblical understanding. When I pointed this out she seemed conflicted but did not tell me what the obstacle was. Although she quit attending church only a few weeks after her second return to the city, I continued to pray for her salvation.

Several weeks ago while walking home from church, I heard someone behind me saying, “Jeff, Jeff.” I ignored it thinking that perhaps I was mishearing someone because most Mongolians cannot pronounce the letter ‘f.’ Thinking that I must be hearing something other than my name, I just kept walking. However, I heard it again more clearly this time, “Jeff, Jeff.” Looking around me, I say that Uganaa was walking behind me by about 30 feet or so. She had been calling me.

I waited for her to catch up with me, greeted her warmly, and asked her where she had been. She said that she had been very busy working two jobs but that now one of the jobs was finished and she would have more time. I invited her to come to church on Sunday.

She came that Sunday and the very next Sunday which was Resurrection Sunday. Whenever she comes she listens so intently to the sermon and almost always asks questions afterwards.

This past Friday on met her again on the street as I was walking to a friend’s house. She had a mark on her face where she had been struck. She told me that she was in some trouble and needed advice. I invited her to come to my house on Saturday when Kristie and I could talk to her.

So it was that Uganaa came over to my house on Saturday. She recognized that she was a sinner and that she needed Jesus to save her. She said that she was ready to repent of her sin and ask God to forgive her. So we prayed.

She came to church today and made a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Please pray with us that God would protect this baby Christian and keep away evil influences.