Faith Story - Lee Strobel

When Lee Strobel was in the process of writing "The Case for Christ" he was interviewing a famous scholar. About halfway through the interview the scholar said, "By the way, nobody's going to read your book. Lee, we live in a postmodern world. People don't care about the historical evidence for Jesus anymore. They don't care. Nobody's going to read your book." Lee says that after this interview he was "bummed out." But he did not let this discouraging word stop him from completing the book that was on his heart and mind.

But the ironic thing is, when the book came out, and the biggest group of people who contacted him saying, "God used that book to bring me to faith in Christ," were 16- to 24-year-olds—the very people who supposedly don't care about this stuff.

When he shared this wonderful surprise, a another friend responded, "Of course, you wrote it as a story." Lee now proclaims that we Christians ought not to lose "the story" as a resource of witnessing for Christ. He is urging us to adapt story telling in sharing Christ. In his book, "Taking Everyday Risks to Talk with People about Jesus" Storbel says that through story and through relationships, we can deliver the Gospel not as a soliloquy but in dialogue and a conversation with groups." He says that people have become more relational, more story-driven. He reports that a famous youth leader used to go on college campuses and describe why to trust the Bible. And people would come to faith in droves. Then they stopped coming to faith in so many numbers, and he didn't know why. Now he uses the story approach. "You know," he says, "I was the son of the town drunk. This is how it affected my life and my relationship with [my dad]. This is what prompted me to seek spiritually. This is the evidence I found. This is how my life was changed. This is how I reconciled with my father." So now his witness for Christ is more effective.

Strobel says, "that's what my ministry is about. I tell my story: I was an atheist. I scoffed. My wife became a Christian." It prompted him to use his skills as an investigative reporter to research Jesus of Nazareth. Then he began to share the evidence he had found. He then concludes by sharing how he received Christ, the difference it's made in his life. It's his story. He found that people often are willing to engage on the level of story. See "The Unexpected Adventure: Taking Everyday Risks to Talk with People about Jesus" by Lee Strobel and Mark Mittelberg, Zondervan, May 2009.

Strobel's book, "The Case for Christ" was shared with me by my young adult son, Philip, who is by vocation a project engineer. He and I have both found that Strobel's book has helped in sharing Christ with others.

Sea Gulls

When I served in a development ministry with the Foundation for Evangelism, Clara and I usually made a "thank you" visit to Florida to see Alice Lockmiller. Alice was so much fun to be around. I usually worked in her area and spent some time with her for two or three days. She always wanted to take Clara and me to the beach. On the beach Alice truly enjoyed God's creation, especially the sea gulls. When she walked out on the beach with her bucket filled with shrimp, instead of flying away which was their usual custom with most visitors, they came to her. It was unbelievable to see the excitement that both Alice and the sea gulls had together.

In his book, "In the Eye of the Storm", author Max Lucado described the following scene.. "An old man walks down a Florida beach. The sun sets like an orange ball on the horizon. The waves slap the sand. The smell of salt water stings the air. The beach is vacant...

"He carries a bucket in his bony hand. A bucket of shrimp...for the sea gulls.

"He walks to an isolated pier cast in gold by the setting sun. He steps to the end of the pier for his weekly ritual.

"Soon the sky becomes a mass of dancing dots. The evening silence gives way to the screeching of birds. They fill the sky and then cover the moorings. They are on a pilgrimage to meet the old man.

"For a half hour or so, the bushy- browed, shoulder-bent gentleman will stand on the pier, surrounded by the birds of the sea..

"But even after the food is gone, his feathered friends still linger. They linger as if they're attracted to more than just food. They perch on his hat. They walk on the pier. And they all share a moment together." This elderly gentleman is committed to the task of feeding the seagulls, though the task seems very mundane (http://www.amazon.com/Eye-Storm-Max-Lucado/dp/0849943256).

Recently, a well known minister wrote, "We live in a society that both fears and avoids commitment. Nobody wants to be committed to anything these days. In fact, the operational attitude today appears to be, 'I want to keep my options open. I don't want to be tied down...

"This philosophy of life is tragic because the fact is that we cannot live without making commitments. Nothing truly great ever happens without the making of commitments. Lack of commitment leads to lack of focus, and lack of focus leads to a life of drifting along with the tide"(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR8rlTIU8_Y).

Learn from both "the old man of the Sea" and from our friend, Alice. Find a need and commit yourself to help meet it.

Scriptural Guide: "If you want to be my follower you must love me more than your own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters; yes, more than your own life. Otherwise you CANNOT be my disciple. And you CANNOT be my disciple if you do not carry your own cross and follow me; No one can become my disciple without giving up EVERYTHING for me." (Luke 14:25,26,33 )

Faith Story - Frances Deter

The year was 1969. We pastors were so excited for the opportunity to hear Dr. Frances Deter. He was the guest speaker for a training session for pastors in the Chattanooga area. Clarence Salee, the chaplain of Moccasin Bend Mental Health Center was sponsoring this event. His topic for the day was "You are more important than a tree."

Dr. Deter began his presentation to us with a personal story. He and his wife had made arrangements for their seven year old grandson to spend some time at their home during the Spring vacation. Their grandson, Tim, was ready. He was so excited, trying to guess what his grandparents had planned for the day. Both granddad and grandmother had some special activities in mind. At the breakfast table Tim asked "What are the plans?" Dr. Deter said, "I was ready." "I suggest we go to the plant nursery and buy a special tree in Tim's honor, and plant it today somewhere on our property." Both grandmother and Tim thought it was a great idea. As grandfather and Tim went off to buy the tree, grandmother reminded grandfather to not use up too much of the day, because she had several things she wanted to do with her grandson.

It turned out to be a long morning. First the "men" were gone about two hours picking out the tree, a beautiful cherry tree. When they returned, after some refreshments, they were off to find just the right place to plant the tree. Grandmother was getting irritated, because they were taking so long to do what she considered to be a simple task. By the time they got in for lunch, grandmother was not in a good mood. When they sat down to eat, grandmother, immediately said, "I want you two to know that I am a little irritated with you. You have used up half of the day. Now we can not do all the things I hoped we would be able to do." After listening to grandmother for sometime, she finally said, "It just does not make sense to spend all morning planting one tree. Just how long does it take to plant a tree?" To that question grandfather answered, "It took all morning because Tim is more important than the tree."

Then Doctor Deter turned to those of us he was teaching and asked, "What do you think I meant when I told my wife that the boy is more important than the tree?" We had a wonderful discussion about our need to relate to persons as more important than things, or schedules, and activities.

Scriptural insight: "Jesus asked, 'Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?' Then He called a child to come to him. Jesus took the child and put him in the midst of those He was teaching"(Matthew 18:1,2).

90-yr-old gets diploma

90-year-old Ill. woman gets high school diploma

(see story after poem)

Poem

Congratulations Eleanor for your Graduation

Eleanor Benz left Chicago Public Schools' Lake View High in 1936.

Her friends could not believe, that in the middle of the year,

She would leave, with only a short time left before her graduation.

They knew that education to Eleanor was very dear.

It was a puzzle that she would drop out with graduation so near.

To her teachers and fellow students Eleanor's reasons were not clear.

Later they discovered that her leaving was related to a family need.

When a job offer came, she took it with amazing speed.

Therefore, she became the most famous "drop out" of the year.

Over the following decades she moved to the suburb of Gurnee,

Where she developed a "career", and continued a family whoopee.

Though out the years, Eleanor increased her family,

By adding 15 children, 54 grandchildren and 37 great grand ones.

During this time she never lost her love of learning.

She continued night school along with her daily income earning.

Eleanor increased her skills by attending night school,

Where she became a proficient typist and bookkeeper,

Adding valuable offerings to her employment skills pool.

Recently, in the spring of 2009, she shared with one of her daughters,

That never completing high school was a greatest disappointment.

Her children contacted Lake View leaders, and made an appointment.

A 90-year-old suburban Chicago woman who dropped out of school.

To help family during the Great Depression now has had her graduation Jubilee.

During the first week of June, at Eleanor's 90th birthday party,

The Benz's family presented her with a Lake View High degree,

Plus a 2009 gown and cap with a 1936 tassel.

She was as pleased as a queen, being crowned in her castle.

90-year-old Ill. woman gets high school diploma

A 90-year-old suburban Chicago woman who dropped out of school to help her family during the Great Depression now has her high school diploma.

Eleanor Benz left Chicago Public Schools' Lake View High in 1936 during her senior year to take a job. Over the following decades she moved to the suburb of Gurnee and had 15 children, 54 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren.

Benz attended night school for typing and bookkeeping, but she recently told one of her daughters that never completing high school was one of her greatest disappointments. Her children contacted Lake View, and the school approved Benz's diploma.

This week, at her 90th birthday party, Benz's family presented her with the diploma and a 2009 gown and cap with a 1936 tassel.

http://my.freeze.com/StoryHandler.aspx?category=31&story=314457

Faith Story - "Jane"

Several years ago I was preaching for Curt Mckee, a close friend of mine, who was a pastor in Virginia. One of his members, a student, who was about ready to graduate from college, asked me to counsel her concerning her call. She was sure that God was calling her to become a missionary. Her heart was set on North Africa. Let's call her Jane. Today I have been reading Jane's mission letter to her supporters. She had been on vacation only a few days when she decided to call her host national family with whom she lives. She wanted to report to them that she was doing well and having a good vacation experience. While talking to the mother of the home she was surprised to learn that her young daughter, Yusra, was to be married in three weeks. This surprised Jane since she knew Yusra very well, and she had never mentioned that she had found that special one to be her husband. In fact, Yusra, had not seen her prospective husband, a cousin, for several years. Within the last few days, Yusra's cousin, had returned to their village with the desire to find a wife from among his cousins. He took a few days to visit all his cousins in the area. He decided that Yusra was the one he wanted for his wife. He worked out the details with her parents and the date was set for the wedding.

When Jane arrived back "home" she found that Yusra was very busy getting ready for the wedding. She was busy with intensive 'beauty treatments' and could not see her fiancee until the wedding day. Yusra excitedly showed Jane a suitcase full of new clothes that her fiancee had bought her. Since he arrived, looking for a wife, Yusra had only seen him twice before the day of the wedding. Since they practice another religion rather than Christianity, Yusra and her husband to be had no expectations of marriage involving shared decision making, caring for each other, building trust or a sense of equality. Marriage to them was a set of roles and tasks. They do not see that in their marriage they might have love, grace, forgiveness, redemption and a God who put on skin so we could know Him. Jane asked us to pray for Yusra and her new husband so that they might realize that it is possible in marriage to have what Jesus called, a relationship where "two shall become one."

If you want to receive missionary "Jane's" newsletter and support her in her mission work, contact me and I will be able to arrange for you to communicate with her. Call me at 423-413-5653 or email me at Curtis@farmerstel.com.

Trinity

Have you ever wondered why Jesus asked his disciples to baptize new believers in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit(see Matthew 28:19,20)? The theologians of historical Christianity describe this mystery as the Trinity: God is one, but there are three persons in the Godhead; and all three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are all the same substance.

When I was in theological training we asked professor Dr. Mack Stokes to explain the Trinity so that we could better understand it. He answered us "God is three in one. Is not this a contradiction? No, but it is a mystery. There is only one God. But, on the basis of the Bible, Christians across the centuries have urged that we say more than that. Like Philip in John 14 we keep asking, 'Show us the Father and we will be satisfied.' For the one true God is revealed in different ways in relation to our lives.

"For example, we use several identities of a person to reveal who he or she is. We ask 'Who is that man standing over there?' Someone else says, 'He is the manager of this rail road. He sees that the trains run on time and do not crash. He is more than the manager, he is the owner of this railroad. And more important than that he is my dad.' He is only one man, but he lives as a manager, the owner, and my dad.

"The one true God is revealed in different ways in relation to our lives. So, in struggling to express this fact, Christians have recognized three interrelated but distinct kinds of activities in which God is engaged. What are they?...God is one being with at least three structural differentiations...They are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. (1) God the Father is Creator and Sustainer of the universeand He maintains the creation. (2) God the Son is the redeemer and the re-creator of our souls. God has come to us as Jesus Christ, the incarnate One. In Jesus God has revealed His personal and loving character. (3) God the Holy Spirit is experienced by us as God in our hearts and minds. God is experienced as very present in the community of prayer and faith where Jesus Christ is proclaimed as Lord. God as the Holy Spirit is especially experienced by us in the mission of the Church. It is God as the Spirit who inspires us to share the Gospel with others, and who gives us gifts of the Spirit to enable us to fulfill Christ's mission in the world."(see pp.43,44; MAJOR UNITED METHODIST BELIEFS, Mack Stokes).

Find a place apart today and focus on Matthew 28:19, 20. Pray that your heart, mind, and soul will be more open to understanding who and what God is.

You can read faith stories by calling Jenny, toll free(1-866-308-6235, extention 5127), and ordering: "Into All The World."

Faith Story - Larry Williams

In 1999 I shared with Larry Williams, the pastor of Sand Mt United Methodist Church, how God had opened up a great mission field in Kazakhstan, a newly established nation in Asia. Kazakhstan, as a nation, came into existence after the 1992 fall of the former Soviet Union. I was serving as the Vice President of Development for The Mission Society for United Methodists. God had opened the door for The Mission Society to place twenty six missionaries, serving in the new country. Our missionaries had discovered a serious problem facing the people of Kazakhstan. Because of the long winters, there was only a short summer season for the people to produce all the food that was needed. Our missionaries had established several orphanages. They were struggling to keep the children alive and healthy because of inadequate food supplies.

Since Larry Williams, our part time pastor, was a full time agriculture teacher in the Georgia public education system, I felt led to ask him to consider putting together a small team of agriculture professionals and to do a short term mission in Kazakhstan,

studying the situation so as to establish an agriculture program that would be available to the people through our missionaries.

In the summer of 2000 Larry met three agriculture specialists at the Atlanta Airport. He recruited them to go with him on a short term mission to Kazakhstan. He had never met them personally until that moment when they came together for this mission. He had prepared them to do a professional study of the needs of the missionaries and the Kazak people as related to the benefits of an adequate agriculture program. One was Dr. Earl Goodman, retired agriculture professor from Clemson University in South Carolina. Another was a retired administrator, Wilson Lee from Auburn University. The third was the Reverend Steve Johnson, a pastor and former chicken farmer, from California. Their mission was not only successful for helping the missionaries and members of the six churches established by our missionaries in Kazakhstan, but has launched a new ministry of The Mission Society, called Argimissions.

Recently, I had the privilege of going to Crockett, Texas with Larry and several others leaders of Agrimissions to clean up what was at green house and garden center of an abandoned high school building. Through the leadership of Larry Williams and Doug Neel, a partnership with Crockett United Methodist Church and Agrimissions has been formed to train short term and long term missionaries how to help people to be more effective in growing their own food and also in sharing Jesus Christ, who is the Bread of life.

You can find out how you can serve with your faith and your skills in agriculture, by calling Larry Williams, a retired teacher, who lives among us, right here in Dade county.

A few days in the life of missionaries in a strange country

The following is part of a letter from Carol, a missionary with her husband Steve.


Recently, missionary, Carol Johnson, wrote, "we hosted two leaders from The Mission Society who came for the big 15th birthday of The Friendship Corporation and the Living Vine Church. The Living Vine Church actually has become two wonderful churches. The original one that we attend, which is all in Russian, and a Kazakh fellowship which meets at a different facility and whose services are all in Kazakh. There were lots of events around that weekend including a big all day church event. The morning was a worship service with mini-sermons, lots of praise music, prayer and testimonies by people of the Living Vine Church. Then there were special gifts given from America to the church and from the churches to The Mission Society. A wonderful lunch was provided by the Kazakh church for all. The afternoon service was testimonies, prayer, mini-sermons, praise music Kazakh style and it was absolutely beautiful. Some were familiar songs but with a different musical twist. I wish you could all hear it. Once again there were testimonies and then there was a very powerful skit by the university students and special dancing by Kazakh women and one young girl did her own dance all in national costumes. It was very, very special. The entire event started at 10 am and ended at about 5:15 PM. A very full and appropriate date full of celebration."

Steve, Carol's husband is working with the mission Field Leader, Douglas, concerning management and financial issues. The two leaders from The Mission Society met with Steve several times while they were there to get reports, discuss and help come up with a game plan. Steve is devoting a lot of his time and energy to this process. The Field Leader, Douglas, has been under a lot of stress. He and his family have left for a vacation and time of renewal in the States. They will be gone until sometime in July or August. Steve will be overseeing the field while Douglas is gone and as long as he and Carol are there. Steve's administrative background before becoming a pastor is a huge help there along with his natural analytical skills. His Pastor's role must cover it all so that everything is done in a Godly way. Your prayers for the entire process will be greatly appreciated.

It is amazing how God has worked in the lives of the over twenty missionaries who have served or are serving in Kazakhstan during the last fifteen years. One of the outstanding churches began when a medical doctor from Michigan went to serve for a short period of time. When missionary, Joyce Chelius, took the doctor to visit one of the villages where immigrants from Poland had come to Kazakhstan by force from the Communist government. The doctor was immediately rushed to the home of a very old lady who was very sick. When the guest doctor examined the patient, he reported bad news to the patient's daughter. He said, "I am sorrow that I can not help your mother. She is dying." When the daughter and her family insisted that he try, the doctor said, "I can not help your mother, but I have a boss who is able to heal her if it is His will." When they inquired who his boss was, the doctor said, "My Boss is Jesus Christ, the great physician. Will you give me permission to pray with your mother?" The daughter said, "By all means." When the family members filled the house, the American doctor, in fear and trembling read the story of how Jesus healed a woman who had been very ill for a long time. He concluded the story by saying, "When this woman slipped through the crowd and reached out and touched Jesus coat, she immediately felt the healing power of God go through her body." Then the doctor said, "All who will pray with me that the healing power of Jesus will go through her body, do so as I pray." When the prayers were finished, the older woman who had been very ill, opened her eyes and asked for something to eat. The whole village began to praise God. No one was more amazed than the visiting doctor, who found that his faith in Jesus Christ was the most powerful medicine available to him, and he had become the founder of a Christian Church. Scriptural Guide: Read Matthew 9:20-22.

Call The Mission Society(1-800-478-8963)