Category: Monthly Letters

Focus on the Positives

Dear Partners and Friends,

Here in the developed world, we take so many things for granted, things that are scarce or completely absent in the developing world. Electricity, clean water, and plentiful food are just the beginning. We expect roads to be paved and well-maintained. We expect free Wi-Fi to be everywhere. When things don’t go right, when we have a “glitch” in our plans, we get upset. Not so in developing countries.

In the villages of India, they are accustomed to problems, delays, and things going wrong. Amid the disappointments, they still manage to maintain a positive outlook on life. They focus on the positives among all the negatives. That’s part of our problem here in America, at least for me. I find myself constantly barraged by negative news stories and negative social media posts, even from some Christian friends.

This month’s newsletter brings us true stories of truly positive things happening across the world. Yes, life is difficult. Yes, there is corruption in society. Yes, there are wars and rumors of wars. But Jesus reminded us that “when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)

Now is not the time to focus on negative things that can lead to discouragement. Now is the time to share the message of Hope in Jesus Christ, and the testimonies of what He is doing around the world. This month, if you find yourself discouraged, call out to the Lord. Immerse yourself in His promises. Fill your mind with testimonies of His love and power. And expect Him to do the same in your own life. Keep believing, and keep expecting God to reward you as you seek His face. And send us your testimony when He sends the answer.

Investing in the Future

Much of what we accomplish is impacted by the amount of funds we receive from our partners. Our teams are ready and willing to work. Will you help us to equip them? If you are able to help, complete the enclosed response card. If you aren’t able to help this month, please pray. Your prayers are extremely important. And please share this newsletter with as many believers as you are able. Copy it, send them to our website, do whatever you can do to get the word out. We overcome by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the word of our testimony. The more people who receive this newsletter, the more hearts will be touched, and the more God will provide for our missionaries. Without your help, we could do nothing to promote the Gospel.

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

Thomas

Dear Partners and Friends,

In today’s “microwave” society, we expect answers to come immediately. We have little tolerance for things that take time. When the Internet is going slow, we complain. When traffic is congested, we complain. On the other hand, when we pray, sometimes we don’t expect God to answer. We tell ourselves “He has other, more pressing things on His agenda.” So we can sometimes miss God’s provision and supply because we are looking in the wrong direction.

Let Your Kingdom Come

In this month’s newsletter, we share the story of Pastor P, a man whose family desperately needed God’s touch. But he didn’t know where to find help. For years, he struggled. But once he found the Lord, God brought healing and blessing into their lives. Once they committed their lives to the Lord, He took responsibility for their care and well being.

This month, if you find yourself in a desperate situation, call out to the Lord. His arm is not too short to save. But, remember, when you call out to Him, believe that He is both willing and able to meet your needs and bring restoration and healing to your life. As it says in the book of Hebrews “he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 NASB So, keep believing, and keep expecting God to reward you as you seek His face. And send us your testimony when He sends the answer.

Please remember us in prayer. We are in the midst of lots of changes. Due to some financial difficulties, I have gone back to full-time secular work. As a result, Teri will be assuming most of the ministry workload, so please keep her in prayer. Meanwhile in India there has been an increase in persecution, along with terrorist activity along the border with Pakistan. We have suspended our travels to India until we have both the vacation time and the money to resume them, and until the terrorist activity decreases so it is safe for Americans to travel there. Our team leaders will probably be coming to the US sometime in the fall of 2019. Look for more information about this as the time gets closer.

Investing in the Future

Much of what we accomplish is impacted by the amount of funds we receive from our partners. Our teams are ready and willing to work. Will you help us to equip them? If you are able to help, complete the enclosed response card. If you aren’t able to help this month, please share this newsletter with as many believers as you are able. Copy it, send them to our website, do whatever you can do to get the word out. We overcome by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the word of our testimony. The more people who receive this newsletter, the more hearts will be touched, and the more God will provide for our missionaries. Without your help, we could do nothing to promote the Gospel.

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

Thomas

Dear Partners and Friends,

As we reflect on the year that just ended, and look ahead to the year in front of us, we have an opportunity to thank God for everything He has done in us and through us in 2018. He has provided everything we need pertaining to life and godliness. In other words, He cares for us both spiritually and physically. Let’s take a moment to stop and thank Him for His goodness in our lives.

Celebrating Last Year’s Successes

Last year, you helped us reach 1700 formerly unreached villages with the message of the Gospel. Our teams shared the Gospel with more than 350,000 people. That’s like the entire city of Honolulu, Hawaii hearing the Gospel door-to-door in 10 days! We started more than 300 new prayer groups and house churches in unreached villages. We gave baptism to more than 6,800 people. We trained 418 men and women to be new house church leaders. We gave away more than 9,000 Bibles, more than 29,000 New Testaments, and thousands upon thousands of Gospel tracts and other literature. We started 11 new sewing centers, where 243 women finished the training and can now provide income for their families. All this was accomplished because of your prayers and financial support, along with the hard work of our outreach teams.

In this month’s newsletter, you will read stories about our Christmas outreach, and how the Gospel message continues to touch and transform all who embrace it. Unreached villages need to hear the message of hope we carry. They need spiritual help, but they also need food and shelter, and sanitary ways to prepare food. God sent the manna from heaven when the Israelites wandered through the wilderness, but today food often comes through believers who make sacrifices and share their resources with others who are in need.

Looking Toward the Future

As you can see, our ministry has impacted more than a quarter of a million people in the past year. How many people can we reach this year? Much of it depends on you. Our teams are ready and willing to work. Will you help us to equip them? As the New Year begins, please remember the needs of the unreached people of India. If you are able to help, complete the enclosed response card. And please share this newsletter with as many believers as you are able. Copy it, send them to our website, do whatever you can do to get the word out. We overcome by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the word of our testimony. The more people who receive this newsletter, the more hearts will be touched, and the more God will provide for our missionaries. Without your help, we could do nothing to promote the Gospel.

Thank you for continuing to pray for all of us here. And thank you to those who support us sacrificially every month. No words can adequately express our gratefulness for your partnership!

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

Thomas

Dear Partners and Friends,

How much power is contained in the Gospel message? We probably all agree that the Gospel has the power to forgive a person’s sin and in so doing, provide a place for that person in heaven. But could there be more power present than we think? Could we be overlooking anything? Jesus came to give us abundant life, but is that abundance confined to spiritual things, like the fruit of the Spirit? What about healing? What about food and clothing? What about the roof over our heads?

In this month’s newsletter, we hear how the Gospel message touched a community in spiritual ways, and also in physical ways, by caring for physical needs. People living in slums need to hear the message of hope, and be able to laugh and smile again. But they also need food and shelter, and sanitary ways to prepare food. God sent the manna from heaven when the Israelites wandered through the wilderness, but today food often comes through believers who make sacrifices and share their resources with others who are in need.

We have now trained hundreds of people, mostly women, how to operate a sewing machine, and how to run a tailoring business out of their homes. So often we find that teaching this simple skill, and giving the student a sewing machine (costing about $60) is the catalyst for transforming the economic situation of a whole family. They are filled with thankfulness and grateful that a God in Heaven would motivate people like us to care for people like them. One Muslim woman said she couldn’t believe that a church, of all things, would do such a loving thing as this. She had been conditioned to believe that Christians are bad people who want to take advantage of the poor. Our generosity opened her heart to the Gospel, and she, like so many others, is just a few steps away from committing her life to Jesus Christ.

As Christmas memories fade and the New Year begins, please remember the needs of those around you. Would you like to buy a sewing machine for a woman in India? Just write this in, on the enclosed response card. And please share this newsletter with as many believers as you are able. Copy it, send them to our website (https://revivalnow.excitingword.org), do whatever you can do to get the word out. We overcome by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the word of our testimony. The more people who receive this newsletter, the more hearts will be touched, and the more God will provide for our missionaries. Without your help, we could do nothing to promote the Gospel.

Thank you for continuing to pray for all of us here. And thank you to those who support us sacrificially every month. No words can adequately express our gratefulness for your partnership!

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

Thomas

Dear Partners and Friends,

How often do we limit God? Maybe a better question is “how often do we limit what God can do through us?” When I read over the two stories in this month’s newsletter, and did my job as editor, I couldn’t help but think of the words of Jesus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.” (John 14;12, NASB) So often in America, when we read “greater works” we respond by saying “Salvation of a soul is the greatest work of all.” While that is true, I think sometimes we allow our experience (or lack of experience) to influence our interpretation of Scripture. The thinking goes like this: “I am a faithful, dedicated believer, and I have never raised anyone from the dead, therefore God just doesn’t do that anymore.” But is it possible that this kind of thinking actually limits what God can do through us?

When Jesus was in his hometown of Nazareth, Matthew records that “And He [Jesus] did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.” I love to read testimonies from believers in India. They are new believers. They haven’t had the time (or the disappointments that will come) to develop a framework of what God does and doesn’t do. When they read the Bible, they just believe it, like a little child. So whether they are raising a baby from the dead, or ushering an old man into Glory, it’s all the same for them – God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20, KJV)

Their childlike faith inspires me to ask “What can God do, if I will only believe?” I hope you, too, are inspired. Let’s pray, stand on the Word of God, and ask Him to do His “greater works” in us and through us. Believe that it is His will, and thank Him in advance that we have anything we ask for, in accordance with His will. And please share this newsletter with as many God-honoring, Bible-believing Christians as you are able. Feel free to photocopy it, send them to our website (https://revivalnow.excitingword.org ), encourage them to email us, do whatever you can do to get the word out. We overcome by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the word of our testimony. The more people who receive this newsletter, the more hearts will be touched, and the more God will provide for our missionaries. Without your help, we could do nothing to promote the Gospel.

Thank you for continuing to pray for all of us here. And thank you to those who support us sacrificially every month. No words can adequately express our gratefulness for your partnership!

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

Thomas

Dear Partners and Friends,

This month’s story reminds me of what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6, NASB). The people of India are hungry and thirsty for the truth of the Gospel. Two things threaten to stop the Gospel. First, the enemy sends persecution on the ones who, in their hunger and thirst, come to know the Lord, and then share what they have found with their families, friends, and neighbors. Second, if the enemy can’t stop the people from sharing the good news, he attacks the ones who, through their prayers and sacrificial giving, enable and empower the missionaries to share the Gospel.

This month we have seen both of these attacks. We have seen an increase in persecution, both in its severity and in its coordination. The enemy is out to kill, steal, and destroy, and nothing we value is off limits. Seemingly in concert with the increase in persecution, we have seen an attack against our finances, and those of our partners. Both personal finances and ministry finances have dropped, just as we have an increase in needs in the ministry. It should not come as a surprise that those who oppose the Gospel will attack those who promote the Gospel.

It is not a time to shrink back; it is a time to storm the gates of hell! You may be under attack. Your finances may have suddenly dropped. In light of the troubles you are facing, you may be asking, “What can I do to help?” Here are two things you can do. First, pray. Stand on the Word of God, and ask Him to provide for all those who proclaim the Gospel. Believe that it is His will, and thank Him in advance that we have anything we ask for, in accordance with His will. Second, share this newsletter with as many God-honoring, Bible-believing Christians as you are able. Feel free to photocopy it, send them to our website (https://revivalnow.excitingword.org ), encourage them to email us, do whatever you can do to get the word out. We overcome by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the word of our testimony. The more people who receive this newsletter, the more hearts will be touched, and the more God will provide for our missionaries. Without your help, we could do nothing to promote the Gospel.

Thank you for continuing to pray for all of us here. And thank you to those who support us sacrificially every month. No words can adequately express our gratefulness for your partnership!

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

Thomas

Dear Partners and Friends,

This month’s testimony is one of love, mercy, and redemption. God gives His love freely, first at the cross of Calvary, and today through His people. But a popular Christian song asks some difficult questions: “If we are the body, why aren’t His arms reaching? Why aren’t His hands healing? Why aren’t His words teaching? And if we are the body why aren’t His feet going? Why is His love not showing them there is a way?”

It is our ministry’s mission to reach the unreached with the Gospel. Thankfully, God desires to reach unreached tribal people more than we do. He moves on the hearts of formerly Hindu believers, who dedicate their lives to reach their tribal community with the Gospel. Then he touches the hearts of others to pay their living expenses, so they are free to carry out their ministry assignment.

The Gospel message is free, but it costs to communicate it. Evangelists and missionaries need food, clothing, transportation, and outreach materials. And in addition to physical needs, they also need training. Romans 10:9 says “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” But someone has to be trained to share the message. And then they must be provided with funding so they can be sent to those who need to hear.

Through generous people like you, our ministry provides the funding for missionaries to be trained and equipped to freely share the Gospel. We plant more than 300 churches every year, and train more than 300 church leaders every year. Without the help of people like you, we could do nothing.

Will you stand with us and help us reach the unreached? Pray, and ask the Lord what He would have you do to get involved. And then take action, whether it’s in prayer or financial help. When you do, please drop us a line and tell us how you are getting involved.

Thank you for continuing to pray for all of us here. And thank you to those who support us sacrificially every month. Please tell all your Christian friends about our new website and encourage them to join us as partners. Invite them to visit us at https://revivalnow.excitingword.org and they can read some of the same newsletter stories that you enjoy! (the names have been changed to protect our pastors and missionaries)

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

Thomas

Dear Partners and Friends,

The Gospel message is free, but it costs to communicate it. Evangelists and missionaries need food, clothing, transportation, and outreach materials. And in addition to physical needs, they also need training. Romans 10:9 says “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” But someone has to be trained to share the message. And then they must be provided with funding so they can be sent to those who need to hear.

We find there are many people who come to faith in India, who want to be trained to be effective in sharing their faith. The need is great, but we are limited in our ability to train these eager, new believers. The potential harvest is great, but the laborers are few, not because they aren’t willing, but because they haven’t been trained.

Many of the people who come to faith in Christ through our ministry come from a Hindu background. So they know literally nothing about the Bible, or how to make biblical decisions regarding lifestyle choices, family relationships, and many other things we in America take for granted. When friends and relatives ask questions, they have no framework in which to develop an answer. So they often just stay quiet.

You can help equip and empower them to speak up. They have real answers to real problems in their society, but unless we train them and help them articulate these answers, there will be no transformation. Will you stand with us and help us train them? Pray, and ask the Lord what He would have you do to get involved. And then take action, whether it’s in prayer or financial help. When you do, please drop us a line and tell us how you are getting involved.

Thank you for continuing to pray for all of us here. And thank you to those who support us sacrificially every month. Please tell all your Christian friends about our new website and encourage them to join us as partners. Invite them to visit us at https://revivalnow.excitingword.org and they can read some of the same newsletter stories that you enjoy! (the names have been changed to protect our pastors and missionaries)

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

Thomas

Dear Partners and Friends,

Sometimes we think the Gospel is complicated. We analyze it intellectually, discussing things like atonement, incarnation, eschatology, and other topics. But does the Gospel need to be understood intellectually in order to be received? When Jesus said in Luke 18:16 “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these,” He was indicating that even children, with their limited intellect, have the capacity to embrace the kingdom of God.

In fact, He goes on to say in verse 17 “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” Sometimes we adults must follow the example of children, and set aside our rational intellect, in order to embrace the Person of a God who loves us, cares for us, and is able to change our world if we let Him.

As I said last month, how much do we expect God to really do? And, do we ever, unknowingly, put limitations or boundaries on His Power? Sometimes we see VBS programs as an afterthought, a necessary charity program to keep children occupied and out of trouble. But a VBS is more than that. Our teams are encountering more resistance to direct evangelism. So VBS programs are an effective spiritual strategy to reach into communities where there may be resistance to the Gospel. Once the children are reached with the message of love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ, their parents are much more open to receive the Gospel for themselves.

Will you stand with us in prayer for our VBS programs? Ask God to direct our leadership teams in everything they do. And then, ask God if He would have you partner with us financially. We have seen donations drop off during the summer, as people’s minds are on other things. But God’s work must continue.

Thank you for continuing to pray for all of us here. And thank you to those who support us sacrificially every month. Please tell all your Christian friends about our new website and encourage them to join us as partners. Invite them to visit us at https://www.excitingword.org/revivalnow and they can read some of the same newsletter stories that you enjoy! (the names have been changed to protect our pastors and missionaries)

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

Thomas

Dear Partners and Friends,

How much impact can the Gospel have? How far down can God reach His hand to bring someone up? Throughout the Bible, it says “all who call upon the Lord,” and “everyone who thirsts, come and drink,” but does God really want to save everyone? How much do we expect God to really do? And, do we unknowingly put limitations or boundaries on His Power?

This month’s testimony almost didn’t happen. The village was a forbidden place, especially for Christians. It was only because someone forgot to warn the outreach team not to go there. And then, when people responded to the Gospel, it was a challenge for the Christians to accept that they were sincere. The villagers had been living in sin for 100 years – how could they possibly change?

In fact, these tribal people have gotten the attention of many people, within India and outside the nation. International humanitarian groups have been calling for better education and better health care, but they say what is needed is a “major shift” in the mindset of the people. And what better way to bring about a “major shift in mindset” than to share the Gospel!

What we are unable to do, God can do. Where our love has limits, God’s love has none. Where we are powerless to bring about change, God is powerful. Sometimes, even when we know that we can help someone, when we know we have the answer, only God can get through and touch their hearts.

It can be difficult to overcome our fears and speak to people, to share the Gospel, but we want to make sure we aren’t limiting God’s reach. So, as you go about your daily life, be willing to share His love with those who cross your path, even the seemingly “unlovable.” Look for ways that God the Father can shower His love upon them. And then, ask them if you can pray for that need. And finally, when you pray, expect God to provide the answer.

God can and will do much more than we can ask or even imagine. Thank you for continuing to pray for all of us here. And thank you for your sacrificial support every month. Please tell all your Christian friends about our new website and encourage them to join us as partners. Invite them to visit us at https://www.excitingword.org/revivalnow and they can read some of the same newsletter stories that you enjoy! (the names have been changed to protect our pastors and missionaries)

Blessings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

Thomas