Dorothy was born and raised in Guinea, West Africa, where her mother was also a missionary.  After completing her Bible School and nurses training in the United States, Dorothy was assigned by the Christian & Missionary Alliance in 1951 to return to Guinea to serve as a medical missionary.  She served the Lord faithfully there in Guinea for multiple terms and many years.  Upon leaving Africa, the doors opened for Dorothy to live in Brooklyn, New York, where she served for a number of years ministering to Muslim women in that community. 

Dorothy’s missionary career was, and still is, a tribute to God’s grace and power as displayed through an individual’s life.  Through all the years in Africa, as well as in Brooklyn, God’s protection and preservation were made manifest time and again in the face of dangers and challenges.  When she spoke of her encounters with those that meant her harm, she always gave glory to God for the way that He turned those potential disasters into opportunities to share a testimony for Christ.  When she told of various healing miracles that she witnessed in her work, she did it with confidence that He could do the same for us. 

Dorothy Adam is a truly remarkable missionary.  She doesn’t look at the difficult circumstances that we encounter in this life as obstacles to her ministry, but rather as opportunities for ministry in the name of the Lord.  She challenged us last evening to be thankful for where God has placed us and to use our situations to testify of what the Lord can do through us.  In fact, Dorothy reminded us who we were – companions of Christ as we walk with Him, a sweet-smelling aroma to God the Father, and partakers of all His blessings through the Spirit. 

We were all deeply moved by Dorothy’s testimony.  We’re grateful to God for using Dorothy the way He has for so many years, and for bringing her to our church to share her stories of His faithfulness.  May God continue to richly bless her and her ministry for many more years.

It’s designed for you to personalize it with particular missionaries that you know of and may even support.  Each of the points listed provides a blank space where you can fill in the individual names to make it more specific.  I’ve found the resource to be so helpful that I’m going to be using it for the entire month at each of our services to pray those things over our Alliance missionaries, as well as some of the particular ones that are close to our own church family. 

I’ve also decided to make it available to you right here, in the paragraphs that follow.  I hope you’ll find it as useful as I did.  However you use it, please make a commitment to pray for missions and for missionaries around the world.

Prayer for Missionaries and Their Families

(by Heather Kaiser)

Missionaries are like soldiers on the front lines of a fierce battle.  These prayers will help you intercede more specifically and effectively for the missionaries you know. 

Intimacy with God.  Lord, keep _________ close to You.  Cause them to love You with all their hearts, souls, and minds.  Draw them into Your Word each day, and fill them with thankfulness. (Mt. 22:37; Col. 3:16)

Language.  Help _________ to learn well the language of the people they serve so that they may present the gospel clearly.  May their speech always be seasoned with love. (Acts 2:11; I Cor. 13:1)

Cultural sensitivity.  Dear Father, enable __________ to understand and appreciate the local customs.  Help them to be humble, wise, and respectful as they interact with others so that they will not offend their neighbors or sin against You.  (I Cor. 10:23-32; Jas. 3:17)

Evangelism.  Great God, equip __________ always to be ready to give an account for the hope that is in them.  Teach them how to do so with gentleness and reverence.  (I Pet. 3:15)

Discipleship.  Lord, help __________ to make disciples who also can teach others so that Your kingdom will expand. (II Tim. 2:2)

Protection.  Lord, I praise You that You do not slumber as You watch over ___________.  Grant them good health, and protect them from physical danger.  Shield them with Your armor so that they can stand firm against evil.  Remind them that You have not given them a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (Ps. 121; Eph. 6:13; II Tim. 1:7)

Support.  Father, supply __________’s financial needs fully.  Lead others to contribute even before they are asked.  Stir up individuals and congregations to be zealous for ___________’s well-being, to rejoice and mourn with them, to encourage them while they are in the field, and to refresh them when they are on home leave. (Phi. 4:19; II Cor. 7:6-7)

Peace.  God of all peace, remind ___________ not to worry but to commit all their concerns to You.  Comfort them when they are homesick.  Help them to rejoice in You whatever their circumstances. (Phi. 4:4-7, 11)

Marriage.  Cause ___________ to honor their marriage and remain faithful to each other in every way.  Help them to love one another as You love them so that their relationship will point others to You. (Heb. 13:4; Jn. 13:34-35)

Singleness.  Enable ___________ to enjoy undistracted devotion to You.  Provide ___________ with godly companionship that will give encouragement, support, and a sense of belonging. (I Cor. 7:35; Ps. 68:6)

Children.  Heavenly Father, draw ___________’s children into relationship with You.  Enable them to adopt to the culture and deal well with the extra attention they may attract.  Grant them good friends, and provide the education they need to fulfill the purposes You have for them.  Give ____________ wisdom to discern each child’s unique needs.  Help the children to understand that they, too, are witnesses of You. (Mt. 19:14; Pr. 1:5, 22:6; I Tim. 4:12)

Friends.  Surround ____________ with wise, faithful, and caring friends.  May their friends encourage, strengthen, and comfort them with Your truth and bring joy to their lives. (Pr. 17:17, 27:6,9; Acts 27:3; Ecc. 4:9-12)

Holiness.  Holy One, protect ___________ from every kind of impurity.  Teach them to fear You rather than man.  Enable them to resist the compromises that may be present in the sourrounding culture so that they can shine like stars in the universe as they hold out the Word of Life. (Eph. 5:3; Gal. 1:10; Phi. 2:15-16)

Unity.  God, the evil one wants to destroy the unity of the believers where ___________ serve(s).  Help ___________, their fellow missionaries, and the local believers daily to exercise hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love for one another. (Col. 3:12-15)

Local peace.  King of kings, grant ___________ favor with the officials and those in authority where they serve so that they may lead tranquil lives of godliness and holiness. (I Tim. 2:2)

More workers.  Lord of the harvest, please send out more workers to help ____________ serve in the place to which You have called them.  (Mt. 9:38)

Fruitfulness.  Mighty God, cause ___________ not to lose heart in doing good.  As they seek the growth of Your kingdom, let them see the fruits of their labors. (Gal. 6:9; Col. 1:10)

There are certain months of the year that are known for something particular.  For example, January is known in our circles as “sanctity of life month” which values the life of the unborn while remembering that fateful “Roe v. Wade” decision that made abortion legal in this country.  February is known as “black history month” as it celebrates the achievements of African-Americans in the development of our nation’s history.  So why can’t we treat March as the month to celebrate missions and honor the Lord for the work that He’s done, and continues to do, through His faithful missionaries. 

Because of the additional missions speakers, we will be blessed to have a different missionary speaking on every Sunday evening in March.  And we’ll have several missionaries speak during the week of our missions conference.  Our church is excited about how the Lord will awaken and challenge us to the work and needs of missionaries around the world.  Below is a schedule for our Missions Conference, along with the pre-conference and post-conference speakers:

Sun. 3/7        6:00 p.m.          Dorothy Adam (Africa)*

Sun. 3/14    10:30 a.m.         Home Missions Report: Joseph Wong

                       6:00 p.m.          Don and Joan Ewan (South America)*

Mon. 3/15     7:00 p.m.          Reynold Jean-Baptiste (Haiti)

Tues. 3/16    7:00 p.m.          Toby and Kiersten Hull (Africa)*

Wed. 3/17    7:00 p.m.          Toby and Kiersten Hull (Africa)*

Sun. 3/21    10:30 a.m.         Missions Message: Barry Peterson

                      6:00 p.m.          GCF Pledge: Evelyn Mangham

Sun. 3/28     6:00 p.m.          Chris and Cassie Hill (South Asia)*

*Identified by continent for security and sensitivity reasons

Please join us for our 2010 Missions Conference.  The theme for this year’s conference is “Open Doors.”  We will trust the Lord for more and more open doors to share the gospel throughout the world, both at home and abroad.  May God be glorified!  May Christ be magnified!  May the Holy Spirit be electrified!  And may each one of us be fortified!

While still newlyweds, John and Mary Paton sailed away from their Scotland home to become missionaries to the islands of the South Seas in 1858.  Months later they landed in the New Hebrides Islands and began to build a house and start a new life there together.  From their home they would work to reach the superstitious natives with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Little did they know how much their own lives would be in danger because of their presence on the islands and their persistence in sharing about God’s love. 

As a missionary, Paton would soon have to learn how to endure loss.  Shortly after the first year on the islands, Paton’s young wife contracted a serious illness and died.  Just one month after that his infant son died as well.  Years later he married again, to his second wife Margaret (Maggie) and had more children.  But four out those six children died at birth or in the first year too.  In spite of his personal losses, however, Paton worked relentlessly to help the island peoples.  He diligently labored to translate the Bible in their native language, and to proclaim the gospel to the unreached, even against strong opposition.

On one occasion when Paton was preaching in one of the villages, three sacred men stood up and declared that they could kill him by Nahak (sorcery), if they could only get possession of any piece of fruit or food of which he had eaten. With the Lord’s help, Paton decided to turn this challenge into an opportunity to strike a blow at the tremendous power for evil used by the sorcerers. After taking a bite out of three plums, he handed one of them to each of the sacred men. The natives were astounded at his action and expected to see him fall over dead at any moment, as the sorcerers proceeded with their spells. With many gestures and mutterings, they rolled up the three plums in leaves, kindled a sacred fire and burned them.  Confident that their gods weren’t real, Paton began to mock them.  (Much like Elijah mocked the false prophets on Mount Carmel in I Kings 18)  ”Stir up your gods to help you,” urged Paton. “I am not killed. In fact I am perfectly well.”[i]

Finally, the sorcerers said that they would call all the sacred men together and that they would kill Missi (what the natives called him) before the next Sunday arrived. Paton told the people he would meet them at that same place the next Sunday morning. Great excitement prevailed on the island. Every day messengers came from different places inquiring if the white man was ill. On Sunday morning he appeared before the people in sound health and said: “Now you must admit that your gods have no power over me and that I am protected by the true and living God.  He is the only God who can hear and answer prayer.  He loves all human beings, despite their great wickedness, and He sent His dear Son, Jesus, to save from sin all who will believe and follow Him.”[ii]  From that day two of the sacred men were very friendly.  But the others continued to be bitter enemies and incited the natives to new levels of hatred toward him.

About this time, terrible things were happening on the island of Erromanga.  Years earlier, two missionary men were beaten to death by clubs and eaten by the Erromangans.  But in time other courageous missionaries took their places.  Then, after four years of devoted service, the new missionaries, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon, were beaten and murdered, too.

When the Tannese heard of this horrible deed, they shouted to one another: “Our love to the Erromangans! They are brave men. They have killed their Missi and his wife while we only talk about it.”[iii]

Because of the frequent attacks upon their lives and the murder of one of them, all the native  teachers, except Abraham, returned to their own island.  This dear fellow, formerly a blood-thirsty savage, was a true hero of the Cross.  In the face of imminent death he determined to stay with the missionary at the post of duty and danger.  As hundreds of furious cannibals shouted for their death, the two knelt in prayer.  ”O Lord,” Abraham prayed, “make us both strong for You and Your cause, and if they kill us, let us die together in Your good work, like Your servants, Missi Gordon the man and Missi Gordon the woman.”

The savages encircled them in a deadly ring and kept urging each other to strike the first blow or fire the first shot. Suddenly a killing-stone, thrown with great force, grazed Abraham’s cheek. The dear old saint turned his gaze heavenward and said, “Missi, I was nearly away to Jesus.”

“In that awful hour,” writes Paton, “I saw Christ’s own words, as if carved in letters of fire upon the clouds of heaven: ‘Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.’”  As he stood praying, he saw the Lord Jesus hovering close by, watching the scene, and an assurance came to him, as if a voice from heaven had spoken, that not a musket (gun) would be fired, not a club would strike, not a spear leave the hand in which it was held vibrating to be thrown, not an arrow leave the bow, or a killing-stone the fingers, without the permission of Jesus Christ, who rules all nature and restrains even the savages of the South Seas.[iv]  How were the savages prevented from carrying out their murderous plot?  It was a miracle, coming from the protecting presence of the Lord.  When he was asked how he could have survived such an ordeal, Paton said that he was protected from the same hand that restrained the lions from touching Daniel.

On another occasion, the men of the village surrounded the Paton’s home with the intention of killing them.  They were all painted for warfare, wearing their traditional battle attire and carrying spears and other deadly weapons.  When it became obvious to the Patons that there was no possible way of escape, they began to pray intensely to the Lord, surrendering their lives to His will.  They prepared themselves for the worst, submitting to God’s sovereign purpose if this was how He desired to take them home.  After a while, when nothing had happened, they looked out to find the natives quickly retreating to the jungle.  Immediately, John and Margaret thanked God for His hand of providence in allowing them to continue to live and do their missionary work.  A year later, when the chief of the tribe had come to believe in Jesus Christ, John asked him what prevented the natives from following through with their plan to kill them that day.  The chief said it was because of the army that was protecting the house.  But John told him that there was no army, for it was just he and wife at the house.  Then the chief proceeded to tell him that there was indeed an army there.  There were hundreds of large warriors wearing shiny suits of armor with their swords drawn, circled around the home of the two missionaries.[v]

Were these shining warriors really angels that God used to protect His faithful missionaries?  Only God knows for sure.  But God had certainly used supernatural events to display His victory over false gods in the past.  And our God will most surely accomplish His intended purposes, whether it be through natural means or supernatural means.  God was greatly glorified through the life and ministry of missionary John Paton.  And as a result, many of the natives in the islands he served were harvested for Christ’s kingdom.  Praise God for His marvelous protection and providence! 

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Ibid.

[v] Graham, Billy, Angels: God’s Secret Agents (Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Company, 1975), p. 3.

One of the things that makes her biography so compelling is that the Lord accomplished so many great things through her missionary service, despite the incredible odds against her.  Throughout her life she had to overcome incredible challenges to reach her goals.  And during the time she was on the field she encountered several major setbacks that would have devastated the career hopes of any average person.  But she continued to persevere, prevailing over each obstacle in her way, and giving the glory to God.

Gladys was born in Edmonton, England in 1902.  And by the time she was a young woman, she knew that the Lord had called her to be a missionary in China.  However, because of her poor academic background and her small physical stature, the China Inland Mission refused to commission her, declaring her to be unqualified for missionary service.  Nevertheless, in spite of their decision, she held onto her dream and began saving money to make the trip to China.  She didn’t quite know how, but was more determined than ever to find her way to the mission field.

After a couple of years of hard work and self-sacrifice, she had saved enough money for the one-way train fare to the far east.  But the trip itself turned out to be far more than what she had bargained for.  Because of the military skirmishes at the Russian-Chinese border, she was forced off the train during severe winter weather conditions, and left to find her way by other means to her ultimate destination.  There were many perils along the way, including some terrifying encounters with ruthless men, but she survived as a result of God’s grace and providence.  She finally found her way aboard a freighter headed to China, after nearly a month of travel, and without any food or money left. 

When she arrived, and finally found the veteran missionary woman that she was going to assist, she was not met with a warm welcome.  In addition to the sneers and taunts of the Chinese, she experienced many difficult living conditions and culture shocks that left her discouraged.  And just when she was starting to get used to her new home, her elderly missionary mentor, Ms. Lawson, unexpectedly died, leaving her on her own as the lone European in their village of Yangcheng.  But instead of leaving to find another mission opportunity, she vowed to stay and make the best of her situation. 

This resolution would begin to pay off for her.  Before Ms. Lawson died, they had decided to turn their mission home into an inn for the mule drivers, which they affectionately called, “The Inn of Eight Happinesses.”  They would use this inn as a means to make connections with the local people in order to have a platform for sharing their Christian gospel.  Consequently, she began to see her first signs of success as her first converts were introduced to Christ.  But, without the financial resources of Ms. Lawson, she was facing the inevitable prospect of closing the inn.  That’s when she received her big breakthrough!

Gladys was informed that she was to be visited by the Mandarin, the prestigious village ruler who had sovereign authority.  This was a rare visit by the Mandarin to a private residence, something that caused her much anxiety.  She was afraid that he was going to require her to pay heavy taxes on the inn that would have broken her financially.  But instead of this, he came to request a favor from her.  This request would be the answer to her prayers and concerns, and it would far exceed her greatest hopes.

The Chinese had developed a horrible custom of binding the feet of their little girls so that as they grew the feet would remain smaller, and more attractive to would-be marriage suitors.  However, the government had only recently banned the practice, and they needed an able-bodied woman with unbound feet herself to serve as a foot inspector for their entire province.  This foot inspector would travel to all the villages, on behalf of the Mandarin, to enforce the abolition of the foot-binding practice.  Gladys was happy to oblige the Mandarin’s offer with the condition that she could share her Christian faith with all those she came into contact with.  Upon the Mandarin’s approval, she now had an open door for ministry in every home of her entire province – a ministry that would be funded by the salary she received from the Mandarin!  Only the Lord could arrange the circumstances in that way!

Soon Gladys became the most well-known and respected person in the province.  Her inn was experiencing increasing popularity, partly because they told Bible stories that the travelers loved.  She had tremendous success at her job as foot inspector, to the extent that the practice was completely eliminated.  Therefore, the Mandarin and the elders of the village of Yangcheng began to rely upon her for other matters of need as well.  She would attend to the sick and assist the poor, all while neglecting her own needs for rest and rejuvenation. 

Once she was called upon to stop a bloody riot at the local prison.  The prisoners had somehow accumulated deadly weapons that they were using against one another without any control.  The scene was horrific, as many were already dead and maimed.  But the prison guards refused to enter the prison to regain control.  They were understandably fearful of being killed themselves.  So they asked Gladys to go in.  When she hesitated, wondering what she could possibly do, the prison guards reminded her that she tells everyone that she had God to protect her.  So now she had to go in.  And asking for God’s help, she immediately took control of the situation and had restored order in just a few minutes.  She was appalled, however, at the prison conditions and instantly became a champion for the prisoner’s rights.  This, along with her other virtues, earned her the title, “Ai-weh-de,” which in Chinese means “virtuous one.” 

Gladys’ ministry began to take on a new direction when she encountered a woman selling a helpless baby.  She was outraged at the thought of what would happen to the child, so she bought the baby herself with all the money she had, nine pence. (which became the name of the baby)  Before long, she had acquired other children who were orphaned or abandoned, and she took care of each of them as if she had been their mother all along.  Gladys was raising five of these children in her inn at the time that tragedy struck. 

The Japanese army suddenly invaded the country of China.  At first, they thought they were too far north to be threatened, but before they had time to prepare they were attacked as well.  The children and the townspeople were delighted when they first saw the planes, but they ran in terror when these Japanese Zeros began dropping bombs and shooting rapid gunfire.  In no time, the village was devastated!  Everyone had no choice but to evacuate and head for the safety of other villages in the mountains.  “Ai-weh-de” knew the terrain well, and she had many friends in each of the villages.  So she organized an effort to protect and provide for the homeless families. 

The effects of the war took their toll on the Chinese civilization.  The Japanese had absolutely no mercy on the people of China, even with regard to the countless refugees.  More and more isolated children found their way to Ai-weh-de and appealed to her mercy and love.  She taught them about Jesus and His adoptive grace.  It became increasingly clear that something would have to be done to take care of the surviving children, now totaling almost 200.  Gladys became aware of a chain of orphanages in the southern part of China that would take the children if she could get them there.  She sent 100 of them to make the trip with one of her most trusted workers.  He successfully delivered the children to their destination but was caught and killed by the Japanese on his return trip.  But she was now responsible alone for the fate of the remaining 94 children. 

Without any other alternatives, she decided to lead the children herself on the treacherous journey over the mountains.  Facing the enormous risk of encountering the enemy, and enduring many other imminent dangers along the way, they set out on foot with only a few provisions that wouldn’t last long.  When their resources ran out, they had to hope for generous villagers to make a sacrifice.  It took many long days of grueling travel.  They were famished, cold, cut and bruised, and without much hope for ever making it alive.  But the Lord miraculously prevented them from illness and death. 

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, and after using every bit of strength and health she had, Gladys reached her destination.  Each of the children were received into a home or orphanage that would provide for their needs.  Against all odds, she had accomplished her mission.  All of the children were accounted for.  None of them would be lost!

There’s much more to the story of the great missionary hero Gladys Aylward.  After recovering for years back in England, she returned to China to work with refugees and students.  But throughout her entire missionary career, every experience of her life was permeated by the presence and providence of God.  It’s ironic that she was once deemed to be unqualified as a missionary.  She may well have been unqualified, but the Lord that she served was more than qualified to lead her through. 

Gladys Aylward is an inspiration to me, because she is the evidence of how God can use someone who was fully consecrated to Him.  She gave up everthing to become a missionary to China.  She simply trusted God to take care of all her needs.  And indeed He did!

Evidently, the younger generations have found other things that they deem to be more important to do on Sunday mornings.  Many church members are missing from church when they’re supposed to be gathering together as the body of Christ.  It seems as if the church is losing ground with each successive generation.  And most of the churches aren’t holding the people accountable, but instead are letting them wither, unattached to the vine! 

But what is the answer to this problem?  We can’t brow-beat people, or use strong-arm tactics to get them back into church.  If the people aren’t there on their own volition, they might as well not be there at all!  Manipulating people into church would be as bad as parents sending their children to church while they stay home to watch TV or do chores around the house.  Too many children grew up in a culture where their parent’s modeled the lesson, “Do as I say, not as I do!” 

Now it seems that parents, aware of their own hypocrisy, have given up on church altogether.  Or, as a result of bad mistakes in the past, just can’t get their own adult children to see the need for church now that they’ve renewed their commitment to the Lord.  Too much damage has already been done.  Too much love for the world has permeated their hearts.  They just don’t see a need to go to church!

The younger generations claim that the church has become irrelevant, and it appears that in many situations they have a valid point.  Wherever the church has exalted programs and methods to a place of preeminence, they have lost something irreplaceable.  When the gospel has taken a back seat to pragmatism, then the church has lost its unique witness.  When the young people get over the initial euphoria that’s generated in these places, they realize there’s really nothing substantial to fill the void in their lives.  Therefore, they conclude that the church is irrelevant.  I don’t blame them! 

However, we need to call them back to faithfulness in the church without twisting their arms.  Instead we ought to be displaying the value of what they’re missing by ignoring God’s command to be in church.  The Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:25 that we should “not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some.”  I’ve heard many people use this verse as a hammer to pound those who are unfaithful.  But this doesn’t just resort to finger-pointing and scolding.  The words before and after this are crucial in our understanding.  Beginning with verse 19, the author of Hebrews, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is reminding us that we have a Great High Priest, who has broken down the barriers for us so that we could enter the Holy of Holies!  What was once unaccessable to us has now become accessable through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

In other words, we have been granted entrance to worship the Lord without the restrictions and limitations that were there before!  Praise God!  Therefore, it continues in verse 22 by exhorting us to “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.”  We’ve been made clean through Christ and we have been given the right to enter.  Then, verse 23 asks us to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who is promised is faithful.”  This means that we should boldly proclaim with our words and our actions (by honoring Him in worship) that He is faithful and worthy to be praised. 

Verse 24 gives us another strong argument for church attendance.  It says, “let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.”  This is followed directly by the popular appeal for church attendance that so many use out of context.  But even after that, there is another call in verse 25 for “exhorting one another.”  This reminds me of the instructions from Paul in I Corinthians 12 for the church to function as an effective, working body, dependent upon one another for life and growth. 

We should heed the warnings from verses 26 and following as well.  Why should we “sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth?” (verse 26)  Why should we “trample the Son of God underfoot” and “count the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing?” (verse 29)  Why should we “insult the Spirit of grace?” (verse 29)  By God’s grace, let us not “cast away our confidence, which has great reward.” (verse 35)

Each of these things has tremendous implications for a person who claims to be a believer, but refuses to take the time to honor and glorify God through regular worship in the church.  In other words, the Bible is pointing out the incongrueties of those that say they love God but won’t honor Him in church.  As Hebrews 10 teaches us, we should take advantage of the great privileges that have been provided for us through Christ.  We should attend worship because our Lord is worthy of all worship and glory and praise!  And we shouldn’t go with a what’s-in-it-for-me attitude.  We need to consider the needs of others, to stir up love and good works, exhorting one another as faithful believers should. 

So, believers in Jesus Christ are not given an option about church.  If we love the Lord and love His Word, we will love the church as well.  Remember, it was Christ Himself that ordained the church as a means of grace for us.  It’s time for us to lovingly call believers back to the church!

But there are implications for the non-believers here as well!  Church attendance is not optional for non-believers either.  The church has been designated as the place where the Lord calls people unto Himself.  He wants to show non-believers His glory and rescue them from their life of sin and misery.  The gospel call shines no brighter anywhere else than in a church that faithfully displays the magnificent splendor of Jesus Christ and His work.  Therefore, the general call of the gospel is for all people.  God is calling people to church to hear the gospel call.  Without the call, the non-believers will suffer eternal punishment apart from God. 

So, church is absolutely necessary for those that are seeking Christ’s kingdom, whether they know it or not!  Why not come to the place where we worship God, through the redeeming grace of His Son Jesus Christ, by the power and presence of His Holy Spirit.  Do it now while we have the chance to do it willfully!  One day, without exception, every knee will bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.  But that day may be too late!  Considering all this, is a few hours really too much to give to the Lord every Sunday morning?

When Hurricane Katrina made landfall, it became one of the five deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history.  It was the sixth strongest hurricane ever recorded and the third strongest to make landfall in the U.S.  Altogether, Katrina caused extensive devastation along much of the north-central Gulf Coast.  After making an initial brief landfall in Louisiana, Katrina made its final landfall near the state line, and the eye passed over the cities of Bay St. Louis and Waveland as a category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph.  Katrina’s power caused a powerful 27 plus foot storm surge, which penetrated 6 miles inland in many areas and up to 12 miles inland along bays and rivers.  In some areas, the surge crossed interstate 10 for several miles. 

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the reports of casualties were overwhelming.  238 people were dead, 67 were missing, and thousands of homes were destroyed.  Some of the neighborhoods were battered by such strong winds and storm surge that they were completely leveled.  Up to 90% of all the coastland structures were washed away by the storm.  Not one single municipal building in Waveland survived Katrina’s fury. 

The clean-up began immediately.  Along with another church, the Christian Life Center responded first to offer assistance.  What began as the intention of a temporary assignment quickly grew into a full-scale assistance and relief center.  Before long, thousands of volunteers were coming to work and help in any way that they could.  So the Christian Life Center became “ground zero” for the entire operation. 

Four years later, they’re still diligently working to provide home repair and restoration, housing, and food for relief workers, and maintaining a clear gospel witness in that community.  Camp Katrina, as they call the entity for the volunteer ministry, still has over 250 families seeking some kind of building assistance. 

That’s where we come in!  We won’t be able to help all of the 250, but we can do our part.  Please pray for us as we seek to provide a valuable service to the community of Waveland and hope to share the reason for the hope that is within us.  We’re looking forward to jumping in and rolling our sleeves up, as they say. 

I would highly recommend other groups to go and volunteer their skills in this way.  This is particularly important for those that have construction skills and experience.  Since the hurricane hit almost four years ago, people have a tendency to forget the needy folks of those regions.  But there are still many very important needs that need people like you and me to meet them for the Lord’s sake. 

In the coming weeks, I’ll write a follow-up report of how things went on our ministry trip.  In addition to praying for the success of our trip, pray also that we don’t face the threat of another hurricane while we’re there.

As a pastor, Tozer faithfully tended to his flock with authoritative preaching and penetrating love.  Of course, as a true leader in the Alliance, the denomination started by A.B. Simpson, Tozer preached passionately about the “deeper life.”  He devotedly urged the people under his care and influence to live for the Lord without duplicity.  He was concerned about the casual nature that most people treated the church, and particularly the Lord Jesus Christ.  He called for a reorientation of the people’s hearts, minds, and wills.  In short, he desired to see an authentic Christianity reclaimed or restored. 

Many considered Tozer to be a modern-day prophet of God because of his uncompromising messages and relentless pursuit of divine truth and justice.  He stood firmly in the gap during a time when many others were corrupted by the increasing pressures of liberal theology and the social gospel.  And his words of rebuke and exhortation not only served as a warning to the church of his own era over 60 years ago, but they still speak just as clearly and forcefully to us as well. 

Tozer also served for many years as the Editor of the Alliance Weekly, now known as the Alliance Life, the magazine of the Christian & Missionary Alliance.  During that time, he wrote editorials in the same spirit as his sermons, with hopes to awaken all of the Alliance churches and constituencies from their slumber.  Tozer became well known and respected throughout the entire denomination as one who issued the clarion call revival.

But Tozer’s influence extended far beyond the scope of the Alliance.  As an author and speaker, his appeal reached across all conservative, Protestant evangelical churches throughout the world.  He wrote books such as The Pursuit of God, The Knowledge of the Holy, and The Attributes of God that became instant classics.  As his circulation expanded, his overall impact had tremendously increased.  Now he is one of the most highly regarded American evangelical leaders of the 20th century. 

With that introduction, I return to why I like to read Tozer.  I just finished reading a book by him entitled Reclaiming Christianity.  It’s a very simple, easy to read book that is also very convicting.  I thoroughly recommend the book, which is in print today, to any serious Christian.  And to those who aren’t serious, perhaps you will become serious if you read the book! 

In the Introduction, James Snyder gives a terrific characterization of Tozer’s ministry.  He shared a few examples of how Tozer reacted to nonsense in the church and then he added these words: ”Tozer believed that when believers gathered, they should cultivate the presence of Christ and honor the One who bore the shame and indignity of the cross for our sins.  The Church was not a place to be silly or act crazy.  These things were symptoms of the spiritual decline of the Church, and it concerned him greatly.” 

Could you imagine what Tozer would have to say about many of our churches today?  I’m of the opinion that things have not gotten better since then, but instead they’ve gotten worse.  I think this problem of dishonor and irreverence all stems from the fact that we have a replaced the true Almighty, Sovereign, and Infinite God of the Bible with a much smaller and more pedestrian god of our own making.  Is it any wonder that many people of today don’t see any relevance with the church!

Consider this excerpt from the Introduction as well:  “Tozer saw the need to restore once again to the Church the lofty idea of who God really is.  His passion was always to introduce the excellencies of the one called Christ to this generation of Christians.  The effort to bring God down to a human level was absolutely anathema as far as he was concerned.  The Church needed to get back again to reverent worship – worship deserving of God.  He wanted to once again see church services in which the presence of God was so all-inspiring that you could not speak out loud; where the preaching of God was so high and lifted up that the people would go home in silence, unable to talk. 

We’ve really lost something in the church.  What should be the house of God has become the house of man.  And whatever sense of transcendence there ever was has become a faint memory of the past.  Whatever power that was generated by the Holy Spirit’s abiding, supernatural presence has been exchanged for the power from the electric company.  Tozer didn’t appreciate the trend toward an over-dependence on modern technology.  But nobody seems to be saying these things today in our techno-crazed culture.

Here’s another excerpt where Tozer criticizes the addiction to gadgets:  “We have externalized worship in our churches.  Jesus put it in our heart and we have put it in side rooms.  Jesus put it in our heart, but we have put it in the projection booth.  The average Christian cannot practice his religion now any more than a Catholic priest can without his oil bottle and beads.  If you cannot practice your worship with nothing in your hand but your Bible, you have not got victory.  Nobody needs to claim succession from the apostolic church if he has to support his Christianity with a lot of gadgets…” 

Tozer continues:  “Most churches and pastors are addicted to gadgets and could not run their church without being more cluttered up with a small truckload of junk than you can climb up a moonbeam.  We have fixed it that way, and it is taught in Bible College.” 

Remember, Tozer was writing these words before the advent of personal computers.  There was no PowerPoint then.  There were no DVD players.  There was no You-Tube.  There were no high definition worship videos designed to sensually enhance your worship experience.  I know that many would suggest that Mr. Tozer was not in touch with the media advancements of his day, and he certainly wouldn’t be any more so in ours.  In other words, he would be irrelevant and obsolete!  But I agree with his analysis that we’ve externalized worship.  We must certainly never come to depend upon external accommodations.  When this happens, people begin to be disconnected from all that is vital in the church – relationships. 

I love what Tozer writes to those that want to make excuses about not coming to church.  Sometimes they suggest, as I pointed out a few months ago in Barna’s book Revolution, that they can have church by themselves.  But Tozer refutes that claim:  “Sheep are not solitary creatures.  They work together, live together, feed together, and lie down together in the green pastures beside the soft waters.  The only time a sheep goes off by itself is when he is lost or sick.  A sick sheep does not go with the flock; and when I find a Christian who is such an individualist that he never goes to church, he is a sick Christian.  So if you are a healthy sheep, you will go where the flock is.  If you wonder where the Shepherd is, I would like to tell you: He is where the flock is.”

He further adds: “If any of you wonder where the flock is, I would like to tell you that it is where the Shepherd is.  So the Shepherd and the flock always stay together, and I, for my part, have neither the courage nor the disposition to go off by myself and try to live my Christian life all alone.  I need others; I need the other sheep that are of the fold and the other sheep that are not of this fold but are coming into the fold.”

Don’t you just the love the way that Tozer writes and says things?  He was incredibly brilliant, without much formal theological education.  But he also had the special ability to draw from simple illustrations to emphasize important Scriptural truths.  And on top of all of that, he wasn’t afraid to say what he knew that he had to say. 

I found Tozer’s book, Reclaiming Christianity, to be wonderfully compelling and convicting.  It’s the kind of books that Christians need to read rather than sappy, unbiblical, “Christian” novels that tickle our fancies.  In fact, I think that Tozer would have agreed with me on this!

In the early 1700s, almost 300 years ago, the American colonies were still controlled by England but struggled through many hardships in order to survive.  The early American settlers, or Pilgrims as they were called, came to this land on ships across the Atlantic Ocean searching for a better life and for an opportunity to teach the people of this New World how to live for the Lord. 

However, conditions were very different then than they are now.  First of all, most of the colonies were located in the northern regions of our country.  And they quickly realized that starting a new life was going to be very challenging for many reasons.  They encountered harsh winters, without electricity to heat their flimsy houses.  They experienced many deadly illnesses without proper medicines or hospitals to treat them.  And they even had to fight against the attacks of the Indians who didn’t want to share their land with these foreigners. 

Into this setting came a young man from Connecticut, named David Brainerd, who was preparing to become a Pastor.  In 1739, at the age of 21, David had given his life to Christ and was attending Yale University to study for the ministry.  But during his third year at Yale, David said something unkind about one of his own professors, for which he suffered serious consequences.  He had commented that this particular professor didn’t have any more grace than a chair! (a reference to the absence of genuine conversion)  Because of this, he was promtly kicked out of school.  And even though he tried several times to make things right, he would never be allowed back to the university.  And, to make matters worse, he wouldn’t be allowed to become a Pastor if he didn’t have his degree.  So now it seemed that his life would be a complete failure.  He couldn’t finish his college education as he planned and he couldn’t even be a Pastor as he had desired. 

But God was working His plan out in young David Brainerd’s life.  Although it seemed like his life was a failure to others, and even to himself, he would not be a failure to God because God was directing his life.  Ironically, it was because he was expelled from Yale that someone suggested to David that he become a missionary to the Indians.   Until this time, all of his training and other preparations were done so that he could become a Pastor.  He had never really planned on becoming a missionary.  But now he was forced to re-evaluate his life and change his course.  So, in 1742, he left for his first missionary assignment.  This would prove to be the ultimate purpose that God had for David’s life. 

At first, there were no big success stories to tell.  He ministered faithfully in two or three different assignments, translating some of the Psalms and helping to start schools for the Indian children.  Unfortunately, however, he developed a serious case of Tuberculosis (a deadly disease of the lungs) that would ultimately take his life.  But, in spite of the pain and the difficulties associated with his illness, he continued on working as best he could.  He often felt discouraged, though, and wrote about his sorrows in his diary. 

Brainerd wrote about many other hardships in his diary, too.  He was all alone in his ministry without anyone else to assist him in his work.  He wrote about the poor or limited content of his meals, such as boiled corn, hasty pudding, dried out meat, etc.  And sometimes he had to travel many miles to get something to eat, only to find that it was moldy or sour by then.  He described his extremely uncomfortable sleeping conditions on a bundle of straw.  He also writes about the times that he got lost in the woods, or had his horse stolen, or was injured in a fall, or was extremely cold, etc.[i] 

But then the Lord started to do His amazing work through David’s life.  David began working and preaching with the Crossweeksung Indians of New Jersey in 1745.  It was there that God began to move among the people which resulted in a tremendous blessing.  As he earnestly preached and taught, many of the Indians soon came to faith in Jesus Christ!  During the first year of ministry at Crossweeksung, he baptized 77 people, half of which were adults.  By the end of that year, there were 130 Indians in his growing church, all of which were drawn by the Lord under Brainerd’s care.  What a difference a year makes!  It was reported later that a large number of these Indians had been forever changed by God’s mercy and continued living according to His will.

If love is known by sacrifice, then Brainerd loved the Indians immensely.  In fact, it seemed at times as if his heart was melted with the love of God for them.  On July 2, 1745, he wrote in his diary, “Felt my heart drawn out after God in prayer, almost all the morning; especially while riding.  And in the evening, could not help crying to God for those poor Indians; and after I went to bed my heart continued to go out to God for them, till I dropped asleep.  Oh, Blessed be God that I may pray!”[ii]

A year later, as the Indian congregation grew, they had to relocate in order to have their own land and village.  Brainerd stayed with them as they settled in their new homes and continued to work with them until his health wouldn’t hold out any longer.  He left his Indian friends to convalesce in the home of his friend, Jonathan Edwards, the same New England pastor/theologian that the Lord used mightily during the Great Awakening.  David Brainerd died there a few months later, without being able to return to his mission.  But the Lord had already begun His work which continued on long after David’s death.  Brainerd was a faithful witness to the Indians, but it was God who accomplished His purposes. 

Over the course of his life, David never had many of the things that people have today.  He didn’t even have much of what other people of his own generation had.  He never got rich, and he never had much more than he needed to survive.  He didn’t store up a lot of personal possessions, and he didn’t have much room to put them into his small cottage.  He never even got married and he never had any children.  He lived a short life and died young.  But he understood what really mattered – what God meant to both himself and to his Indian friends.

Although he only lived to be 29, David Brainerd’s story has motivated many other men and women to become missionaries for the Lord.  Brainerd’s testimony has lived on for many years after his death because throughout his entire time as a missionary he kept a journal of his experiences and thoughts.  The pages of his journal have been recorded in a book called, “The Life of David Brainerd,” written by Jonathan Edwards, which can still be bought in bookstores today, almost 300 years later. 

[ii] Piper, John, The Hidden Smile of God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2001), pg. 144.