Faithbooking on Facebook

An excerpt from Faithbooking on Facebook
By Ken Wade, Kenya
April-June 2012

The Internet, including social media such as Facebook, is not good or evil in itself—the use and the user determine that. In a technological world, it is my conviction that the Lord would have us not ignore, or refuse, such avenues, but adopt them and adapt them to further God’s purposes. God wants to use the tools He has given to spread the gospel.

Here is a conversation via Facebook chat with a lady named Lydia in South Sudan:

Lydia: I don’t know how I stumbled to this, but please lead me to Christ!
Ken: Ok. Can you pray with me?
Lydia: Yes.
Ken: Ok. God is speaking to you or you would not be drawn to Christ like this. I will write a prayer, then I want you to pray it sincerely. Ok?
Lydia: Yes, man of God.
Ken: Dear Heavenly Father, I know I have sinned, but I know You love me and sent Christ to die for my sins so I could be forgiven. I am sorry for my sins. Please forgive me. I give myself and my life to You right now. I turn from sin to You. I want You in my life, Lord Jesus. Please come into my heart. Be my Savior. Deliver me and heal me. Help me to serve You and obey You. I trust You now for salvation and ask for You to give me Your Spirit and the gift of faith. Thank You, Father. I pray in the name of Jesus, Your Son. Amen.
Lydia: Thank you; thank you. God bless you abundantly. I’m a new person and it’s a new dawn for me. As I prayed, I felt the presence of God. He knows my name. I love Him for His mercies and forgiveness.
Ken: Praise the Lord. He has been lifted up and drawn you to Himself! You have made a great decision; one never to be regretted and never to be forsaken. Hope you have a Bible. Start reading Gospel of John and also 1 John. Let me know. I will pray with you continually and have our prayer team join me in praying. Thank you for reaching out to me for help so I could point you to Him. Let’s stay in contact.
Lydia: Thank you, Pastor Ken. I would definitely love to meet you when I come to Kenya. I am blessed beyond anything I know. May God increase you so much. (Note: Lydia is from the part of Kenya where we live and work but is working in South Sudan.)

Let’s help people receive the truly Good News of the gospel. Networking by “faithbooking” for Jesus is not a waste of time!

Unfriend It and End It

An excerpt from Unfriend It and End It
Progressive relationships
By Michael Johnson, Special Assignment
April-June 2012

After almost 35 years of marriage, I am amazed that my wife has not unfriended me yet. I have given her plenty of reasons to do so. She could just unfriend it and end it.

I thank God that He does not work that way. After 59 years of life, I have given Him plenty of reasons to unfriend it and end it. But He does not work that way. There is nobody on God’s “I am not speaking to you” list. In fact, God just keeps on talking to me, even when I completely ignore Him.

Even though He has good reason to unfriend me, He refuses to do so. I have given Him ammunition moment by moment from the past to the present and even future. But He doesn’t. God does call me friend, and He refuses to end it.

ACT: God calls you His friend, too. Read John 15:15.

How a game of ISpy can change everything...

An excerpt from View Your World Differently
How a game of ISpy can change everything
By Shushan Richardson, Ukraine
April-June 2012

While on homeland ministry assignment this past fall, I had the privilege of speaking at my alma mater, Kentucky Mountain Bible College, for its fall recruiting event/missions conference. The theme was “I Spy…Seeing the World through God’s Eyes.” The premise of the event was Matthew 14:14, where Jesus was with the people and He looked on them with compassion, seeing their real needs and the need for laborers. This is a special verse to me, because God clearly spoke to me through it as I began to understand He was calling me to missions, calling me to see the world differently.

A game was set up on the KMBC Facebook page, challenging people to come and to play every day. Challenges were posted with an activity that would encourage players to see their world differently. Things like “ISpy the work of the Holy Spirit,” “ISpy a prayer warrior,” or “ISpy someone who needs to be encouraged.”

ACT: Create your own ISpy game for missions with your network of friends and family or with your Sunday School class. Look for the examples Shushan listed in this article and create a few of your own. You may just see the world differently too.

An excerpt from Connecting Partners to Ministry
By Kelly Hallahan, Uganda

April-June 2012

Social media is the new normal. If you’re not tweeting, blogging, or Facebooking, you’re missing out on some vital connections with this generation.

WGM Uganda has a variety of options for you if you want to stay connected with what God is doing here:

Prayer Room blog: www.247prayeruganda.blogspot.com

Twitter prayer request feed: 247PrayerUganda

Facebook community: WGM Uganda (your one-stop shop, linked to our blog and Twitter)

Keeping you, our prayer warriors, informed and connected is key for the success of God’s kingdom work here in Uganda.

The possibilities are endless for connecting with missionaries on a daily basis. Are you seizing the opportunities that are available? Can’t wait to connect with you!

Times Have Changed

An excerpt from Times Have Changed
By Benji Jenkins, Papua New Guinea
April-June 2012

Six weeks to get a letter sent to the U.S. and then six weeks to get a reply back. Three months of waiting to hear a response from your newsletter. That’s how it used to be for missionaries in Papua New Guinea. I should know; I grew up there. Now 20 years later, I am back in PNG, and it still takes several weeks to get a letter to the U.S. and longer to get something back this way. But I can now send something to my family, friends, or supporters back in the U.S. and start getting responses two or three minutes later.

I use Facebook to stay connected with our ministry team. I know people use Facebook for many different reasons, but I see it as the perfect tool for keeping in close contact with those people who want to stay involved with our ministry.

Times have definitely changed since I was a kid here in PNG. I am really glad that I live and work in a time when I can have such close contact with those who pray for us and our ministry no matter what time zone we are living in.

ACT: Some things never change. The need for missionaries to serve with strong prayer support remains. To pray for WGM missionaries serving globally, request a prayer calendar at globallink@wgm.org or visit www.wgm.org/praycal.

A New Trick

An excerpt from A New Trick
By Todd Eckhardt, Support Staff
April-June 2012

Never underestimate what people can learn. A group that has learned a new trick is Men With Vision. You got it. MWV is on Facebook, we have a blog, and we are on the Web. The Lord has helped us stretch and learn some new things.

At www.mwvblog.org, you can read the latest updates on what is happening in MWV. Track the emergency appeals done through the Minutemen/Minutewomen program.

This emergency program is an easy way for a missions beginner or veteran to get involved. To be part of this program, go to www.wgm.org/minutemen and sign up. It’s simple: you commit to donate $10 three times a year to help with an emergency need. That is only $30 a year.

Here’s how it works. MWV will send you no more than three emergency requests from a WGM ministry a year. Once you get the e-mail with the emergency need, you click on the link and offer your $10 gift.

Minute-men/Minute-women emergency alerts are also available by postal mail. To sign up for the program with this preference, contact Bill Bucher at mwv@wgm.org.

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FaceBook Users Unite

We will be gathering for prayer on behalf of Haiti in just a couple of hours. Our brothers and sisters in Haiti could certainly use our prayers as their land has been devastated by the recent hurricanes.

Just in case you need the phone information again...

YOU’RE INVITED! Join other readers for a five-minute prayer for the 30-day challenge. Prayer will begin every day at 12 noon (EDT). Call 800-868-1838 (domestic) or 404-920-6368 (international). Use code 247679#.

See you at the concert!

For those of you who can't get enough of Face Book I wanted to let you know I have set up a new group called Call to Prayer Readers. Join if you like. I'll give the prayer requests daily during the Concert of Prayer. In the future it will be a place to toss out ideas, discuss articles, and collaborate together.