ACCTS Newsletter December

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ACCTS in action To assist in the development of Christian leaders in the armed forces of the world and in the establishment and growth of military Christian fellowships.

Softened Hearts and Opened Eyes: Interaction in Australia

October’s Interaction leadership training program for military Christians from Pacific nations inspired participants to soften their hearts and open their eyes to new ways to minister to police and armed forces personnel in their nations.

Pacific Interaction Participant Nations: Papua and New Guinea Solomon Islands East Timor Tonga Kiribti

ACCTS and the MCF of Australia hosted the Interaction program in Brisbane directly following the AMCF Southwest Pacific Regional Conference. Because many of the participants came from somewhat remote nations where Christian teaching isn’t readily available, the Interaction seminars on starting a military Christian fellowship were extremely useful to the attendees. The training team helped them understand how to start a group by inviting just one person to meet for prayer or Bible study, and moved out from there to help them learn how to lead an inductive Bible study and conversational prayer - both of which were new concepts to several participants. Each country’s participants made specific plans about how they would use what they learned and take advantage of the resources and training available through ACCTS and other supporting organizations.

At the end of the program, recently-retired ACCTS staff member Russell Bielenberg concluded, “There were moving scenes as we finished. Many friendships continued on page 2

Republic of Korea Federated States of Micronesia New Zealand Australia

Softened Hearts ... continued from page 1

had been established or reinforced, and action plans were presented. Then each country group knelt as we laid hands on them and prayed for them as they were about to return home. Hearts were softened and eyes opened during the Interaction. We thank God for what he did in the hearts of these men and women, and pray that as they return home, the Holy Spirit would continue to guide and strengthen them, leading them to build up or establish their MCF, deepen family relationships and be a witness to Christ in their work place. Praise the Lord for his goodness to the children of men!”

It’s Over!!

2012 - by the time you receive this newsletter, the year will be nearly over and its events written down in history books (or, in modern terms, in online information sites!). But you have one last opportunity to be a part of ACCTS’ 2012 international military ministry by sending in your tax-deductible gift. Your gifts have allowed ACCTS to share Christ with military personnel for 40 years, and we are excited about what He will do in the years to come. Join us in our ministry through your prayers and financial support! We’ve enclosed an envelope for your donation, and thank you in advance for your love for military personnel around the globe.

ACCTS IN ACTION • Page 2 •December 2012

Listening, Praying, and Encoura Southwest Pacific Conference Ministry Opportunities

To accomplish ACCTS’ mission of building military Christian leaders and helping MCFs grow strong, our staff must first understand how a Christian in uniform can demonstrate godly professional excellence and Christian witness in the context of their own society and culture. ACCTS’ director Phil Exner reports that the October AMCF Southwest Pacific Regional Conference in Australia was a perfect opportunity to understand the different cultures of military Christians from the Pacific Island nations: “This conference was a rare chance for us to build relationships with military Christian fellowship leaders from widely-scattered island nations in the Southwest Pacific region and to learn about the unique challenges each one faces. Prior to his departure as AMCF president, General Lee had asked ACCTS to become more involved in helping to establish and nurture MCFs in that region because there are quite a few nations that don’t have MCFs. The conference held in Brisbane enabled us to meet with MCF leaders from Australia, New Zealand, Korea, and six Pacific Island countries in a single location.”

“It was very helpful for Sue and me to improve our understanding of the needs of the MCFs in the region and the cultures in which they operate. The things we learned will help us to better assist national MCFs to overcome some of the limitations that they face and to focus on their unique needs. We will explore taking Combined Assistance Training Teams to these

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ns in order to provide tailored Interaction-style leadp training to several nation-groups at once. This would st-effective and would allow us to involve our partner izations as well, multiplying the impact of our ministry s.”

xner shares that, in addition to participating in a famrkshop at the conference, individual one-on-one time vital part of her time at the conference. “These events de military Christians with the tools they need to return and minister even more effectively. They also helped meet internationals and build relationships. At this conce we were on the go from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and were antly meeting new people, listening to them, talking hem, learning from them, and praying with them.”

of the armed forces in the smaller nations of this reare police forces, and most of the nations consist of different islands separated by hundreds of miles of waters. Even within a nation, travel to other islands e difficult and prohibitively expensive. Pacific islanders ace the challenge of living in nations which are often nally Christian. The diversity of Christianity among the ns highlights a need to clearly articulate what it means us on and follow Jesus Christ.

International soldier photos courtesy USDOD.

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The Exners’ flight required a stop-over in Fiji, and they used that time to meet with a military Christian leader, since no one from Fiji was able to attend the Australian conference. Getting from their hotel to her location required an extremely bumpy, eight-hour round trip bus ride, but they were excited to learn of ministry that God has opened up for her and her husband through their relationship with the national police commissioner. She and her husband work with Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) in Fiji, and God is opening up the opportunity to present a Christian marriage seminar throughout the Fijian police forces. She offered to connect ACCTS with the police commissioner and with Christians in the police forces, and responded positively to the idea of a future training conference for Christian police personnel, which would help to revive their MCF, which was impacted by a coup several years ago.

Please pray with our brothers and sisters in these Pacific nations as they face both challenges and opportunities to share Christ with their co-workers and families, and pray for wisdom as ACCTS pursues several ministry opportunities with them in the years to come.

ACCTS IN ACTION • Page 3 • December 2012

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Dave Wilson Photography, Creative Commons license via flickr.bmp

“In the same manner in which we clean and prepare our homes in the anticipation of welcomed guests and family members this Christmas season, let us also prepare our hearts in anticipation of the Lord’s coming. Christ, our most honoured and eagerly anticipated guest, desires to meet with us in a heart prepared for his arrival. So eager is he to meet with us that he offers to help us with our spiritual housecleaning, working with us; creating a resting place for Himself within our hearts.”

-- Katherine Walden, I Lift My Eyes Ministries

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PO Box 27239 Denver, CO 80227-0239 Phone: 1-800-487-8108 Fax: 303-986-4710 Email: accts@accts.org Web: www.accts.org

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ACCTS Prayer Reminder December 2012

“I think that the true meaning of Christmas is about possibility. It is possibility that comes solely from the fact that God is God, and that he is the kind of God who comes into our own human existence to reveal himself and call us to himself.”

-- Dennis Bratcher

The Christmas season is a time to give gifts, and this December we hope that God will use ACCTS’ intercessory prayers as our gift to the international military personnel and civilians in each nation for which we pray. Thank you for giving the gift of prayer at this blessed time of year!

1 Only 1% of Afghanistan’s population is non-Muslim, so

information about Christ doesn’t easily reach into this large nation through indigenous sources. Our prayer for Afghanistan is that Christ’s peace, hope, and redemption will permeate this nation so that all its citizens will be blessed by God.

2 In Angola, most people live on less than $1 a day. 47% of people hold indigenous beliefs while 53% are Christian. Pray that believers in this nation, which has been wracked by warfare, will find peace through Christ and share that peace with those around them.

3 Jesus’ disciple Thomas is believed to have taken the good news of Christ to the nation that is now Armenia. Today Armenia is approximately 99% Christian. Lord, today we pray that those long-ago seeds sown by Thomas will flourish in Armenia’s armed forces so that all its military men and women may know Christ in a life-changing way.

4 In Belarus, straw is put on the table on Christmas Eve to remind everyone of Jesus’ humble beginnings in a stable. Today, please pray that Belarussian military Christians will have many opportunities to share the humble-born Christ with their coworkers, families, and friends.

5 Belize is largely Christian, although there is much syncretism of faith systems even among Christians. Lord, please guide military men and women in this nation as they “worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

6 Please pray that military Christians in Bolivia will continuously “carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2) as they follow Christ and share Him with others.

ACCTS prayer reminder • December 2012

7 Military Christians and civilians in Comoros have endured persecution because of their faith. Pray for God’s blessings as He carries out the good work he began in them (Philippians 1:6) even amidst oppression.

8 Lord, please bring our hope to the nation of Cuba and be

especially with all Christians, military and civilian, who aren’t always free to worship you openly. Pour out Your blessings on these brothers and sisters who so faithfully follow you.

9 Mary, Joseph, and Jesus fled to Egypt in search of sanctuary from the murderous King Herod. Today, Christians account for about 10% of Egypt’s population. Pray that they will continuously seek sanctuary in Christ and spread His sanctuary throughout Egypt’s military forces.

10 “Afishapa” - that is how a Ghanaian would wish you a merry Christmas! Ghana was one the first black African nation in the region to be independent from its colonial power, and was also the first African nations with a military Christian fellowship. Praise God with us and pray for His blessings on Ghanaian military and civilian Christians.

11 Greece is one nation among several that the Apostle Paul travelled to after Christ’s resurrection, and this nation was an early stronghold of the faith. Praise God for this history of Christianity and ask that military Christians in Greece be drawn toward the loving heart of Christ.

12 Israel at Christmas-time - the place of our Lord’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. Lord, please bless the military Christians of Israel and may they shine the light of Christ’s love on this holy land.

13 Christians are few in number in Kazakhstan - praise God with us for the military and civilian Christians in this Central Asian nation, and pray that, through them, God will pour out His blessings in abundance.

14 Polish households put out an additional chair for an unknown guest during their Christmas suppers, in remembrance

that Mary, Joseph, and Jesus looked for shelter. Lord, please let the homes and lives of military Christians in Poland be a place of shelter and sanctuary for their friends, coworkers, and family as they share You.

15 “Feliz Navidad” is how Puerto Ricans say “Merry Christ-

mas” -- and their island nation is beautiful this time of year with blooming poinsettia. Puerto Rico doesn’t have a military force, but does have a national guard and police force. Pray for the Christian guard members and police as they serve both Christ and their nation.

16 Praise God with us for the military Christians in Rwanda,

and ask that they feel the sense of Christ’s never-failing compassion and faithfulness to them.

hand of protection on your sons and daughters in this nation and scatter Your gifts (2 Corinthians 9:9) to them as they serve you.

24 Praise God for military Christians in Uganda, and ask God to bless them as they look not only to their interests, but to the interests of other, less fortunate people at this time of year. (Philippians 2:4) 25 Christmas Day “Hail, the heav’n-born Prince of peace!

Hail the Son of righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, ris’n with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. ‘Hark!’ the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King.’” - Charles Wesley

17 The kingdom nation of Saudi Arabia is the birthplace and

26 Dear Lord, among all the beautiful traditions of the Christstronghold of Islam, and is officially 100% Muslim (although mas season in the United Kingdom, pray that Your name Christians are thought to comprise about 5% of the populaand Your hope will be seen, experienced, and shared above tion). Lord, pour out Your blessings on your Christ-followers all among the U.K.’s armed forces. in this nation and bless them with safety as they live out their lives in a country that “The birth of the baby Jesus 27 So many U.S. military personis hostile toward their faith. stands as the most significant nel are stationed overseas and event in all history, because it has away from their families, and many 18 Singapore celebrates Christmas with meant the pouring into a sick world who have returned home have massive light displays and, as in many physical or psychological wounds of the healing medicine of love to show for their service to their other countries, gift-giving itself often outshines the reason for the holiday. Pray that which has transformed all manner country. Pray that these difficult of hearts for almost two thousand times for U.S. service men and the humble, low-born spirit of the Christ child will permeate Christian celebrations women will cause them to turn years.” in Singapore and bring inspiration to those their hearts toward the Christ who -- George Matthew Adams who don’t follow Jesus. redeems them.

19 As in many European nations, Christianity’s influence has waned severely in Sweden. Lord, please empower military and civilian Christians who are working to share Your relevance with their friends and coworkers.

20 Many stores in Taiwan sell Christmasrelated items, although Chinese religions dominate in this densely-populated island.

Taiwanese Christians are few in number Lord, please bless them this season with a sense of your presence and purpose for their lives!

21 Christians in Tajikistan are few in number and often

isolated. Pray that they will find solace and the hope of His redemption for their “lonely exile” on this earth: “O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice!

Rejoice!”

22 The Apostle Paul preached Christ’s good news in Turkey, although today less than .2% of the nation is Christian. Pray that the small number of indigenous believers in Turkey will be blessed this Christmas season and that Christ’s love will shine through them to their compatriots.

23 Turkmenistan is the least populated of the former Soviet republics in Central Asia. Freedom of religion isn’t prevalent for Christians or others of minority religions. Lord, place Your ACCTS prayer reminder • December 2012

28 Uzbekistan is 88% Muslim, with approximately 9% of the population being Eastern Orthodox. It celebrated 20 years of sovereignty from the USSR in 2011. Pray for strength and safety for the small number of military Christians in this Central Asian nation.

29 Lord, please bless the military Christians in Venezuela with endurance, encouragement, and a spirit of unity as they follow Christ so that their hearts and mouths will glorify God the Father.

(Romans 15:5) 30 Before Christmas, Zambians carol on local streets to collect money for charities. Pray that the words of this Christmas carol will resound in their nation and bring military and civilians to Christ: “Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconcile. Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies; With the angelic host proclaim ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem’.”

31 New Year’s Eve On this New Year’s Eve, pray for the

armed forces in your own nation, specifically asking that God would, in His unfailing love, lead His redeemed ones through His strength to His holy dwelling. (Exodus 15:13)

Many national facts taken from BBC’s Country Profiles and the CIA’s World Fact Book, both of which are available online.