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.