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!

Turning Strangers into Friends

An excerpt from Social Networking: Turning Strangers into Friends
By Elizabeth Carter, Spain
April-June 2012

Confession time: My name is Elizabeth, and I’m an introvert. I love people, but I definitely need my alone time.

Real-life reality: As we’ve been traveling around the country on homeland ministry assignment, I get to meet—and talk to—many different kinds of people.

Here is our quick guide for The Introvert’s Guide: Turning Strangers into Friends:

1.Find common ground with the “stranger.” Take a class or volunteer for a project that will bring you into contact with people you might never have met otherwise. You may have nothing in common except for the class or project, but that’s a great starting point.

2.Use “free information.” (Thanks to my mom, Glenda Moon, for this point!) Using free information is drawing on common topics to start conversations. We have learned people love to talk about their towns.

3.Ask questions. Make sure that you’re genuinely interested in the answers or this one won’t work! Most people are knowledgeable about at least one thing and are happy to share their expertise.

Social media isn’t a substitute for real-life friendships and connections, but if it’s used properly, social media can definitely enhance and strengthen those relationships.

ACT: As you read this article, has someone come to mind that you need to take some steps to get to know better? Reach out to that person today.

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.

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!

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.

Then and Now

An excerpt from Then and Now
By Larry Overholt, Honduras
April-June 2012

My family and I came to Honduras in 1982. I can only imagine what veteran Honduras missionaries would have thought at that time if we had told them that we needed to “tweet our latest activity,” “Skype a stateside missions committee,” “chat with our son in Germany,” “talk to our daughters using a voice over IP phone,” or “log in on Facebook.”

Facebook and other social networking sites are another modern marvel. Nine months ago, we responded to a “friend” request from Mike Garrett on Facebook. Our friendship, from years past, was quickly renewed over the Internet. Within a few weeks, Mike began asking, “What can Sharon and I do to help in Choluteca?” Mike and Sharon were recently approved by WGM to come to Choluteca and work with us in the vocational school and in church ministry.

ACT: Create your own social network by sharing the ministry in Choluteca with others. Grab a speaker outline at www.wgm.org/outlines.

The April/May/June issue is now available!

In this issue, The Call focuses on the online social network, sharing how missionaries are using these tools in ministry. You will read about ministry partners who pulled together a team—a network—to make a missions impact from their own home.

The social network can have a missions impact if you are looking for ways to serve. Find out how you can join a network or create one of your own as you explore this issue of The Call.