An ambassador in chains

SunriseRick* has been a believer for many years and he is serving a life sentence for a crime he did not commit. But Rick is not letting his time in prison go to waste. Rather, he has led a number of fellow inmates to faith in Christ and is currently discipling a group of men. As he actively engages others in conversation who are struggling with complex questions and issues in their lives, Rick has been on a lookout for materials that will enable him to give clear, biblical answers. Most of these men know very little about the Bible and some also struggle with learning difficulties—adding to the challenge facing Rick.

His sister Justine* recently attended a TERM Seminar. She began sharing with Rick how GoodSeed tools were designed for those who were biblically illiterate. She also described how visual aids were a significant part of the teaching and how their use would help those with learning challenges grasp the central message of the Bible.

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Evangelism with internationals at state university–an interview

Screen Shot 2014-06-26 at 12.54.56 PMEditor’s note: One of our GoodSeed staff recently interviewed Veronica,* who spends much of her time teaching English as a second language (ESL) and doing evangelism Bible studies with Asian international students at a large state university. So, how does she do it?!

Read this inspiring interview that is chock-full of typical examples of how GoodSeed tools are used to lead people to a clear understanding of the Bible…

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Five ways to stand clear and let God work

Stand clear

Matt’s* living room was full of people. A mixed group of about a dozen international students plus other men and women from the small college town had been there every Thursday night for the past six weeks. Some had literally never read the Bible before. Others only knew bits and pieces. They had all learned a lot as Matt guided them through the Bible from creation to the cross in a course called Worldview Rethink.

Now, as the course was nearing its end, Matt desperately wanted each person to trust in Jesus Christ—to believe the gospel and be saved! At the same time he knew it had to be God’s work, not his own efforts to coerce or convince people. (Revelation 7:10)

Here are five ways Matt let God work in the minds and hearts of those in his group.

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God has allowed us to guide many friends

Faithful Couple
“Our days are full from morning till night… our weeks pretty much revolve around spending time with friends and doing By This Name studies.”

It all started when Josh* attended a TERM Seminar in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in 2010. He learned how to use GoodSeed tools to guide a course about the Bible in a way that makes sense. When he returned home he immediately shared what he had learned with his wife Steph*. As a couple they began praying that God would bring opportunities. Since then, their life has become quite busy–in a good way! God has allowed them to guide many of their friends and acquaintances in their small rural town to a clear understanding of the Bible’s main message–the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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How do I know if my child believes?

Mom reading The LambQuestion: I read my daughter The Lamb. How do I know if  she believes and is saved?

Answer: If you’ve read through The Lamb with your daughter and she can answer the questions in the book, this indicates that she has good a good grasp of the gospel message.

To check further, you can ask her to retell the story to you. In this way, you can see how well she remembers the story and whether she can explain the concepts. Asking her to retell also allows you to check if she  believes the facts. Ask her the following questions:

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Kenyan translator teaches as he was taught

Kenya-BTNLast year Lewis,* a pastor from Arizona, joined a team of Bible teachers organized by Village Ministries International to travel from USA to Uganda and Kenya. Their objective was to provide Bible training resources for indigenous pastors and teachers.

Abasi,* a young Kenyan fluent in both English and Swahili, volunteered to be a translator for the team. As they travelled over rough terrain from village to village, Abasi faithfully and accurately conveyed the teaching with conviction to over 200 people who attended the meetings. By the end of the trip, it was clear to Lewis and the others that young Abasi was not only a good communicator but also a keen and humble student of the Word.

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Let your speech be seasoned with salt

Salt shakerThe Scripture tells us that at all times we must be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…” (1 Peter 3:15) And also, when we speak to others, the Bible exhorts us to “let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt…” (Colossians 4:6)

Gentleness and respect. Seasoned with salt. How do we apply these principles in everyday life, especially in situations that test our patience? Here’s a story from Carol* that illustrates this.

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The tools were a God-send on my missions trip to India

Teaching the Gospel to orphans in India using the Lamb
Children at an orphanage in India learn about The Lamb

Editor’s note: Brenna Stoll recently returned home from a missions trip to an orphanage in India. She wrote the following email to us to share how she used GoodSeed tools to teach the gospel there. The Lamb was well received by both the little ones as well as the older children. By This Name is perfectly suited for India because it helps people with an Eastern worldview understand the Bible. Praise God for excellent results on this missions trip!

Brenna wrote:

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You’ll be doing well if you get three!

Worldview Rethink Course

After attending a TERM Seminar, Jacob* was eager to try leading a course just as he had been shown. He booked a room at his church and publicized that a course was about to start. He told a church leader he would be going through the book The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus. The church leader quipped, “You’ll be doing well if you get three! The study is a bit long and Friday night is not a good night.” Undaunted, Jacob trusted the Lord to bring people. He is now mid-way through the course and he sent us an update:
 

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