Staff Writer – Page 18 – The GoodSeed Blog

International office expansion: Well on the way!

It’s been like this since the beginning of GoodSeed.

The more tools and training we provide, the more requests we receive from believers around the globe who share our vision for communicating the Bible’s message in a way that makes sense. And God continues to go before us, steadily expanding His ministry through His people and His resources.

You may recall in July of last year, we first shared the pressing need to purchase and build-out the International Office and warehouse in Alberta, Canada, which we are currently renting. We shared that we would trust the Lord to raise 1.2 million CAD by the end of January 2014. From our perspective, it would take a miracle.

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It’s not about the light bulb!

How life’s interruptions are hidden opportunities to further the gospel.

Pastor Dave,* in his closing remarks on Sunday, quoted 2 Corinthians 5:20: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.” He challenged the congregation to believe the Lord for “divine appointments” in the coming week. He explained that if we were ready and willing, God would give us opportunities to have spiritual conversations with people. “Some may already be believers and God can use you to encourage them. While others don’t yet know Christ… you may be the one to share the gospel with them–perhaps for the first time.” I’m sure each one in the congregation, like me, filed out the door with visions of “divine appointments” dancing in our heads.

How did it go? Well, to give you an idea, here’s a snapshot of a typical week for me:

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A brief report from Malawi, Africa

(Editor’s note: Last month we posted A very good Christmas gift for Malawians which told about the recent completion and launch of the Chichewa (national language of Malawi) edition of What are Christmas and Easter All About? This is a first-hand report from Rodrick, the translator and Bible teacher who is using this resource to equip Pastors and young people alike to clearly understand the gospel and share it with their own people.)

**A brief report from Malawi on the Christmas & Easter Booklet launch**

Some years ago, I read a very interesting statement. It said something like this:

“Zeal without knowledge is dangerous, and knowledge without zeal is disastrous.”

What a true statement!

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Pray with us for studies around the world

The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus (German)

It’s always exciting to receive prayer requests from believers around the world who have started a Bible study or who have just given away a book to someone interested in finding out more about Jesus.

We know there are studies happening in far-flung places across the globe. In these past few weeks, we’ve been praying for studies in Singapore, Thailand, Germany, Malawi, Canada and the US. Could you pray with us for the people who have been given a book and for those who are part of a study, that they will take the time to learn and understand the meaning of the empty cross and the empty tomb. Pray with us that this understanding will be a life-changing one.

Why do you give the name Yahweh high profile in By This Name and What are Christmas and Easter all about?

yhwh sky

For those with limited experience confronting non-biblical worldviews, the use of Yahweh in these books seems a little unnecessary. Why even bring that name up? Will it not be confused with Jehovah Witnesses?

To start with, those who are biblically illiterate wouldn’t know that the name Jehovah and Yahweh are related. So it is no problem to them—they don’t make the connection to the Jehovah’s Witnesses. As for the Jehovah’s Witnesses themselves, they do know the connection, which makes these two books more acceptable to them rather than otherwise.

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THIS I can understand!

(Editor’s note: We get emails every week from people all around the world. We received the following from Cynthia*, which we want to share with you because it reflects our desire to see people have access to the gospel message in a language that they can understand.)

Dear GoodSeed,

Christmas Day my husband and I had two Chinese couples to our home to dinner. Yinghan* and Mingxia* are our neighbors. Victor* and Liza* have been attending our church. Both of the husbands are engineers. Neither couple had EVER celebrated Christmas on Christmas Day in an American home.

After dinner we gave each couple the Mandarin version of The Lamb.

It will delight you to know when Yinghan and his wife, Mingxia, opened The Lamb, Yinghan commented, “I have trouble understanding the Bible, but THIS I can understand!” He seemed sincere, not insulted by its simplicity (i.e., he never asked, “Why are you giving me a children’s book?”). They were both moved by the incredible beauty of the illustrations as well.

The other couple, Victor and Liza, are here from China for a short period. They too LOVE the book. Victor saw the English version displayed in our home and he and Liza are overjoyed to have their own copy in Mandarin to read [for] themselves and to read to their young son. We also gave a copy to Liza to take to her parents who are visiting them from China.

Thank you SO MUCH for your fine work and low prices! You produce such classy products. Keep up the wonderful work. Your company is a huge blessing to me and many others I’m sure!

May the LORD bless your ministry!

Sincerely in Christ,

Cynthia

P.S. We received a follow up email from Cynthia. She informed us that Victor is now attending a weekly discipleship group at her church and Mingxia is going to attend a women’s Bible study that starts at the end of January. Praise the Lord for his work in their lives.

(*Name changed as per GoodSeed policy.)

TERM Seminars in Canada, UK and Ireland

TERM Seminar

When it comes to sharing the gospel, many of us are unsure of what to say or whether we should even try at all. Some of us quote John 3:16 or pass out gospel tracts. We appeal to the fact that God has a wonderful plan for a person’s life. But in recent years our efforts have often been met with blank stares or harsh criticism. As to those who do confess Christ, it seems many fall by the wayside or show no fruit of understanding in their lives. Some believers secretly wonder about the power of the gospel and whether it even works.

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Who shares Bible verses at a soccer match?!

Soccer match
(Editor’s note: Over Christmas, we received a very encouraging testimony that reminded us of three things: 1) the power of God to transform lives, 2) the effectiveness of the prayers of friends and family, and 3) the fruit resulting from a lifelong lifestyle of sharing the gospel.)

During a Christmas Eve service last year, Stephen* shared how he had been turned off by Christianity when he was 17. While watching a soccer match at a stadium, someone invited him to read aloud some Bible verses. That immediately put him off anything to do with Christianity.

Over the years, whatever Stephen learned about the Bible was gleaned from TV documentaries. It didn’t make sense to him. Then, Mabel*, a friend of his wife, invited both of them to attend a “By This Name” course. Stephen wasn’t interested but his wife insisted on him accompanying her. Unknown to him at the time, Mabel and his wife had been praying very hard for Stephen to attend the course.

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Theology, Mystery and an Old Riddle

puzzle and book

Theology—the way it could have been

If I am honest, I sometimes wish that the Bible had been written more like a textbook of systematic theology. I wish that the Apostle John would have included an inspired chart along with his letter to the seven churches. It would have been helpful if Ezekiel had spelled out exactly what he meant by his visions. And, like the disciples, I would have preferred if Jesus had not spoken in so many parables.

It’s a mystery and that’s okay

But God, in his great wisdom chose not to. Maybe if all we had was a theology textbook then we would all be very pious people … dead in our orthodoxy. Those things in the Bible that are not clearly laid out for us cause us to seek Him, and in doing so, to grow in His grace.

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How do I use visual aids to teach the Tabernacle to children?

Tabernacle Sunday school class

The tabernacle of Moses can be a difficult subject to teach, especially to children. How do you explain the meaning of this seemingly obsolete structure, its strange furnishings, and all the complicated priestly rituals related to it?

Pam*, a children’s ministry director at a California church, found that with the help of the free Sunday school lessons and painting guide downloaded from GoodSeed, her first-to-fifth-grade Midweek Group was soon absorbed in the great visual aid God gave the Israelites that points to Christ.

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