Week of Prayer for Missions

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Psalm 100:1

Little Christmas Angels Proclaim Good News

Groggily, I glanced over at the clock - 4 a.m. What was that noise outside? I dragged myself out of bed to find more than 100 Indian children waiting for me, their faces illuminated by small candles and exploding sparklers. It was Christmas Day, and their faces were radiant.

An older boy from this South Asian children's home motioned everyone to follow behind his rusty bike. The boys spent most of the previous day rigging a battery-powered speaker system to it. We walked out the gate and headed for a village.

Interrupting the crisp morning air, a loud, scratchy, speaker voice screamed, "Happy, happy Christmas!" Children shouted joyfully, "Merry, merry Christmas!" This happy procession continued shouting and singing through one village after another. Villagers stepped out of their homes to see the commotion.

I asked if anyone got mad at the children for waking them up at 4 a.m. "But sister," came the reply, "if we didn't do this, no one would know that it's Jesus' birthday." He pointed to the older boys walking along the edge of the group. "They are telling the Christmas story to everyone we meet."

In this 99.9% Hindu area of South Asia, these children proclaimed Jesus' light in a vast darkness riddled with false gods.

When the microphone finally made it into my hands, I screamed in my best Telagu accent, "Happy, happy Christmas!" The children responded with shouts followed by exploding fireworks in the sky. It's the day of our Savior's birth, and everyone should know!

- Sue, overseas correspondent

Week of Prayer for Missions

Today's story from Voices of the Faithful is written by Debbie, who works in central, eastern, and southern Africa.

Power over the enemy

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." 

Luke 10:17-20

Roger works with university students in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He came to know Christ a few years ago, but his family still practices traditional Africa religions, consults with doctors and worships their ancestors. When his sister came to live in Kinshasa, Roger prayed that she would become a Christian.

Soon after arriving in the capital city, Roger’s sister became very ill with tuberculosis. Roger grabbed some students from his Bible study and rushed to the hospital to pray. His sister was barely conscious as the group prayed for her.

Suddenly, the sick woman started screaming at the top of her lungs. The voice that came out was not her own, but the voice of a demonic spirit. The voice screamed in agony anytime the group prayed.

Roger addressed the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ, come out.” The sister fell into a deep sleep as the group prayed over her.

When the sister woke up, Roger shared about the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for her, and she asked Jesus into her life. Even though she died three days later, Roger rejoiced that she would be in heaven.

The Bible came to life right before the student’s eyes. “I understand the Bible even more than before. This experience was just like when Jesus cast out spirits, “ Roger said. “That day, Acts came alive for me and my students. When you see God work like this, you can’t keep quiet.” 

- Debbie, central, eastern, and southern Africa

Week of Prayer for Missions

Voice in the Night

And they said, 'Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.' Acts 10:22

The woman awoke startled. She frantically glanced around the dark room. No one was there, yet she knew she had heard a voice speak clearly. Confused, the Muslim woman fell back on the foam mattress. She closed her eyes and heard the voice again. Okay, she thought to herself. I'll do what You say.

The next morning, she sent a child to the exact location in her dream. There, the child met me walking down a dirt path. The child said there was someone wanting to see me. I thought it was a case of mistaken identity - especially since I had never walked down this path before. However, the child was so insistent that I finally followed.

Once we neared the home, a Muslim woman ran out to greet us. Before anyone could shake hands in introduction, she blurted out, "Tell me about God!" I smiled and asked, "How did you know that I was a Christian when we don't even know each other?"

The Muslim woman recounted the dream that she had the previous night. "This voice told me to send a child to meet a woman walking down the dirt path at the exact time you were walking there," she said. "It then told me to ask this woman about God, and then I would know the truth."

Knowing that many Muslim converts come to Christ through dreams, I began to share. I thanked God for the "voice in the night" that encouraged her to hear and accept the truth of Jesus.

- A worker in central, eastern and southern Africa

Week of Prayer for Missions

Continuing with our week of prayer for missions, today's story comes from a worker in China.

Four Questions

That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. Philippians 3:10

This was the second group of leaders we had trained in two weeks. The training had been going well even though many of the believers were young: some young in years and some in their faith. A couple of them were only 15 and 16 years old. Some had only been Christians for a few months.

The teaching for the morning was on baptism, and a 15 year old girl wanted to be baptized. She had been a believer from a young age but had never been immersed.

Four questions are asked during a baptism: (1) Do you believe in Jesus?  (2) Has He forgiven your sins?  (3) Do you promise to walk with Him always?  But there is one more question.

I watched and listened to the father, who would be performing the baptism. Calmly, and with much joy, he asked the first, second and third questions. Then I heard a surprising question. The father asked the fourth question, "When they come in to our house and take us away, when they beat us and try to get us to deny Him, will you still follow Jesus?"

There before my eyes, a father was asking his daughter to be willing to be persecuted for her faith in Christ and to be willing to see him persecuted for his faith. With a sense of awe, I prayed that I might be more like them. I think they understood more clearly what the Father felt when He sent His Son to die for us.

- A worker in China

Week of Prayer for Missions

If you are a follower of Jesus, you are part of the task to fulfill the Great Commission.

Paul says, “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). Jesus has commissioned us to be His heart, His hands, His voice. Through praying, giving, and going, Southern Baptists have fulfilled this legacy for more than 160 years.

Yet billions remain lost and time may be running out for them. We must pray more intentionally and give more sacrificially than ever before. Our churches must take direct responsibility for helping reach the nearly 3,800 unengaged, unreached people groups that missionaries may never be able to get to.

And, since most unreached people groups likely are represented in the world's urban centers, we have unique challenges and opportunities to reach the world through the cities, as illustrated in this year’s week of prayer features.

What can you do, individually? Start by being “Southern Baptist missions” through your prayers to be an extension of His heart, hands, and voice through unprecedented giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering®.

- excerpt taken from the International Mission Board website.

Yesterday began the Week of Prayer for Missions. Each day this week I would like to share a story of a missionary from the book Voices of the Faithful. Today's story is written by Angie who is serving in South Asia.

Beginning with One

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)

            One thing you can count on in Asia is that the electricity will go out. A prudent homemaker has a candle (and matches) in every room for such occasions. One night when the power went out, my husband and a friend stepped out onto the balcony into the pitch darkness. No house lights, no streetlights, no lights from cars or motocycles, just darkness. They faced a hill some distance away, which was peppered with houses. As they watched, one candle was lit, and they saw its small light shine. Two more were lit, then five more, then 20 more. At an increasing rate, the hill became illuminated with small lights.

Sometimes our family feels overwhelmed at the task before us, especially when we focus on the many lost people in our target group. There just isn’t enough time in each day to impact every life by ourselves. But we have chosen to pour our lives into a few believers who have a strong influence in the community. These few, in turn, are each discipling several new believers, who will disciple several more and so on, spreading the Light. Even Jesus chose only 12, knowing that those 12 would impact their own people as well as other nations surrounding them. He knew our human limitations.

            Using His example of discipleship, many more will be added to the kingdom at an increasing rate. That’s what I hope for – the rapid spread of the gospel, starting with just one: me.

Angie, South Asia

Cookie Exchange

Are you ready for a sweet treat! The Cookie Exchange will be Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 6:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall.

Please bring 3 dozen cookies to exchange - no store bought cookies please! E-mail your cookie recipes to calvarywomen@gmail.com before the 15th so we can have them ready to share with everyone the night of the exchange!

See you there!