This last weekend I was privileged to be able to present Christian Persecution and a table display with Voice of the Martyrs.  The event was called Reality Weekend.  Reality weekend was a multi-church youth gathering over 2 days here in Carlsbad, NM.   I was able give out GFA book, Revolution in World Missions, website stickers and CD’s by Paul Washer, Powerful Youth Message.  The response there was incredible.  Most of the youth at least checked out, asked questions and picked up free stuff.  There was roughly about 140 students and 30 adults, or so.  I was asked to do a 5 minute prayer/persecution/Reality talk during the opening worship on Sat.  When I started talking, God delivered the words, the message and the prayer.  Some of the youth were slumped onto the stage when I led prayer.   I was then able to do a 30 minute break out group presenting VOM and Christian Persecution.  There were four break out groups going on and they gave me the biggest room.  I set up over 60 plus chairs but really only expected 10 kids or so.  But the Lord brought more youth than I had chairs.  There were even youth on the floor.  I brought the truth about persecution present, VOM history and objectives and challenged the youth to Matthew 7:21-23, keeping in mind persecution and Reality!  The response was pretty amazing.  Afterwards I spent almost 3 hours disciplining and answering questions. Several of the youth showed a genuine fire for becoming missionaries.  Two girls asked me this, “Can you get us connected to becoming missionaries like you were talking about?”  They were willing to give there all to sharing the gospel.  In this time of discipling, we went through many Scriptures, especially the ones most churches will not preach, challenged the youth to true discipleship and watched a good part of the Communion of Saints Under Fire, a VOM DVD.  As a result, we could have anywhere up to 6 or 7 new youth begin to come to our home on Saturdays for fellowship, although we will see what the Lord does.  The Lord did not have to show me any fruit, but He did and I am so blessed and encouraged by it!  There is a remnant of young people who are willing to walk into and through the fire! Praise God!

        Missionaries Harrassed, Ministries Threatened

November 2, 2009

      A young woman eagerly shares her testimony at church. Many congregations in Asia know they could face opposition from local anti-Christians at any time. Hardik, Prakash and Jaival live in different parts of Maharasthra, India, but all three Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries are facing intense opposition to their ministries.

      When Hardik and Prakash first began sharing Christ’s love in a village after graduating from Bible college, it didn’t take long for a group of staunch anti-Christians to discover what they were doing—and the extremists were furious.

      On September 20, while the two missionaries were out sharing the Gospel, the anti-Christian group approached the missionaries’ landlord, demanding to know why he had rented a house to them. They ordered him to beat both his tenants and turn them out of the house.

     When the landlord told Hardik and Prakash about the incident, they decided to turn to the police. The authorities informed them that the same group had come to the station two days before and had ordered them not to allow any Christians to stay in the village because they forcibly converted people to their religion. The group had also told the police that they would disrupt another Christian ministry in the village if it continued its work. The mob threatened Jaival, telling him he would not be allowed to lead any more prayer meetings or services in the village. Rather than trying to help Hardik and Prakash, the police simply advised them to leave the village as soon as possible. The two young men were left with a choice: leave or stay in a village where they were being threatened.

      “In spite of the opposition, our brothers have decided to stay in the village, trusting the Lord and continuing the ministry,” writes GFA’s state correspondent.

      In a separate incident that took place on October 25 in the northern part of Maharashtra, a group of anti-Christians barged in and stopped the worship service Jaival was leading in a believer’s home. The mob threatened Jaival, telling him he would not be allowed to lead any more prayer meetings or services in the village.

      Just recently, Jaival had experienced the joy of seeing 15 families choose to follow Christ.

      “Now, it seems it’s going to be hard to continue the prayer meetings because of the threats,” writes GFA’s correspondent.

       GFA leaders request prayer that Jaival and the other believers will still be able to meet for worship, and for a change in the hearts of their opposers. They also request prayer for protection for Hardik and Prakash, and that God would intervene in this tense situation and work in the lives of those coming against their ministry.

Click on the GFA link above to go to the direct article.

Jaabir Verma knew the residents of the village he regularly visited strictly opposed his faith. He knew the majority of the villagers would cause trouble if he shared about Jesus, but he also knew that they desperately needed to know about God’s love for them.

When some of the anti-Christian radicals saw people giving their lives to Christ, they threatened Jaabir, saying they would burn him alive if he came to the village again.

But Jaabir is standing firm, unafraid of their brutal threats.

“It is very normal that we face opposition from the people,” Jaabir says. “But I will not stop entering the village or sharing the Gospel with them.”

With his life on the line, Jaabir continues to visit the village and minister to the people through whatever means he can.

He asks for prayer that God will shield him and his team of Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries against abuse, and that they would remain steadfast in their courage.

He also requests that the Lord would bless his ministry in that village and that many would come to know Him.

Taken directly from Gospel for Asia.  Click on the logo above.

      I want to thank everyone who came out to the book signing this last weekend (July 31st, 2009).  It was great to meet all of the new people and new brothers and sisters in the Lord.  Not only were we able to raise a few dollars for the persecuted and indigenous missionaries around the world by selling a few books, but we were successful in raising the awareness of the persecuted and indigenous missionaries by giving away Voice of the Martyrs flyers and info, Gospel for Asia book, Revolution in World Missions and Audio CD’s from Paul Washer, John Piper, Voddie Baucham and our pastor in Carlsbad, NM,  Rick Ketterling. 

     In addition to meeting several new people, I was privledged to meet the author and founder of the El Paso Christian newspaper called, The Messenger.  With the Lord’s will and much prayer, I may even be able to present VOM and the persecuted Church in the near future in El Paso.   Below I have put a link to Latin Latte and pictures of our little table display, along with picture of the coffee shop and the sunset over El Paso.  Nick Mendoza, manager, and his father Hector, were absolutely wonderful to work with and a blessing to meet.  Friday night went so well that Nick asked me to come back for a second day Saturday morning.  If ever you find yourself in El Paso, TX, make sure you stop in and say hello.  If you are interested in receiving a subscription to The Messenger, please contact Kelly McCullough at: media4him@yahoo.com or http://hismessenger.wordpress.com/  Enjoy the pictures below.  If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me. 

God bless,   Jeremy

Latin Latte – El Paso, TX

Have you ever sat in church and wondered, “something is just not right here?”  Well then you need to read, Urgency to Rise – a call to the American ‘church.’  Your purchase you will be helping persecuted Christians and indigenous missionaries around the world.  ALL proceeds and royalties goes to Gospel for Asia, Voice of the Martyrs and an annonymous missionary organization.

         “It is my Urgent cry that all professing Christians respond to God’s calling and seek to understand the deeper truths of Jesus Christ.  In the future, American Christians will face physical persecution and the immanent righteous judgment of God will be fulfilled.  No one knows the exact moment these truths will begin, therefore there should be a real Urgency to Rise and turn to the full truth of our Lord and Savior.  This book is written to shock dead hearts, through the power of the Holy Spirit, into new life.  Every professing Christian should examine their faith, understand their depravity apart from God, seek the Lord with all diligence and put their faith into tangible action.  The Urgency to Rise is upon us!”

Jeremy Strang

Order yours be clicking on the book cover today!