ITISWRITTEN.COM
SPRING 2019
impressions
PAGE
16 06 24
A Harvest in the Desert Valley
Down Under: Looking Up Above
Melbourne prepares for decisions
Trinity
Comfort in divine complexity
on the cover
16 A Harvest in the Desert Valley aspects 04
Director’s Desk
08
Mission Report
10
Escrito EstĂĄ
20
My Place With Jesus
22
Community Connection
27
Staff Highlight
30
Devotional
06
Down Under: Looking Up Above
Melbourne prepares for decisions
24
Trinity
Comfort in divine complexity 2
It Is Written impressions
In October, It Is Written will hold a city-wide evangelistic series in Phoenix, Arizona. In preparation, church members and pastors all over the city are reaching out to their neighbors with a message of hope.
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impressions magazine SPRING 2019 ISSUE 16 EXECUTIVE EDITOR John Bradshaw EDITOR Ellen Metcalf ART DIRECTOR Michael Prewitt GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ariel Warren Copyright © 2019 by It Is Written. All rights reserved. It Is Written, Escrito Está, My Place With Jesus, and SALT are registered trademarks and/or service marks of It Is Written, Inc. Except otherwise noted, scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
connect with us itiswritten.com BUSINESS HOURS M – Th, 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. EST SUBSCRIPTIONS impressions@iiw.org It Is Written, P.O. Box 6, Chattanooga, TN 37401-0006 423-362-5800 SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/itiswritten instagram.com/itiswrittenmedia twitter.com/itiswritten youtube.com/ItIsWritten DESIGNED TO SHARE This Impressions magazine is designed to be shared with your friends, family, and neighbors. When you are done reading it, please pass it on.
notes 05
Escrito Está Report
12
Partnership Highlight
14
Resources
26
Impressed
28
Planned Giving
29
Tributes & Memorials
calendar John Bradshaw, speaker/director APRIL 5—6
Gulf States Camp Meeting in Dadeville, Alabama
APRIL 11 — 13
ASI Southern Union in Gatlinburg, Tennessee
APRIL 27
Speaking at Revelation Conference in Dunlap, Tennessee
MAY 3 — JUNE 1
Evangelistic series in Melbourne, Australia
JUNE 7—9
Arizona Camp Meeting in Prescott, Arizona
JUNE 11 — 15
Pennsylvania Camp Meeting in Rossiter, Pennsylvania
JUNE 19 — 22
Michigan Conference Camp Meeting in Cedar Lake, Michigan
Eric Flickinger, associate speaker APRIL 27
Speaking at Revelation Conference in Dunlap, Tennessee
MAY 3 — JUNE 1
Evangelistic series in Melbourne, Australia
JUNE 14 — 16
Indiana Conference Camp Meeting in Cicero, Indiana
Join Summer SALT on location in Indiana and New Zealand this July. For details visit salt.training
Director’s Desk
Twenty-One
H
is smile showed me he had faith in Jesus—then there are many others something special to tell me. he has reached out to but who haven’t “Pastor,” he began, “I have been made decisions for Jesus yet, or who said in the church since 2013. In that time, the no. Clearly his focus is not on what he has Lord has allowed me to bring 21 souls to not been able to do, but on what he has been Christ! Twenty-one people able to do. And he is encourhave been baptized, pastor! I aged to continue on. “I help them, praise the Lord.” And then he I heard a powerful sermon I am a friend to recently, preached by Jeff added, “Twelve people in the last year alone.” our associate them, and then I Blumenberg, I asked him what he did to director of Planned Giving and reach people with the gospel. introduce them Trust Services at It Is Written. “I feed them physically and In the message, Jeff shared 10 to Jesus.” spiritually,” he said. “I help simple ways that any person them, I am a friend to them, can share Jesus with others. I and then I introduce them to Jesus.” think the sermon could revolutionize the Twenty-one souls in five years! There are church, and I’m certain it will be a blessing many churches who haven’t won that many to you. Visit iiw.us/21 to hear a sermon that people to Christ in that period of time. could change your life. And here is one faithful church member Jesus is coming back soon. It’s our privilege who is bringing people to faith in Christ. to share that good news with others. I wonder what the church and the world would be like if more people had that kind of dedication to Christ. If Jesus really exists, and if He’s really coming back to this earth soon, then sharing Him with others has to be absolutely the most important thing that we could do. I expect that if my new friend has brought 21 people into the church—to
John Bradshaw 4
It Is Written impressions
speaker / director
In the past 25 years:
22 270+ 42 42,000 100 45 600 1,381 58
Twenty-two satellite evangelistic campaigns simultaneously connected 12,000 to 19,000 churches and groups in the three Americas and western Europe. More than 270 evangelistic series and schools of evangelism have been held in churches, auditoriums, and stadiums. In Peru, Pastor Costa preached 42 days in a row in 84 cities. At the end, 34,542 well-prepared people were baptized, thanks to more than 25,000 small groups working faithfully for almost a year. During five years of work in partnership with Peru and Bolivia, more than 42,000 people were baptized as a direct result of Escrito Estรก and small groups. One hundred water wells in the Namibian desert and thousands of mosquito nets and drinking water systems in the islands of Tuvalu and Vanuatu have been provided. Forty-five motorcycles and bicycles and a fully-equipped mission boat were provided to facilitate the preaching of the gospel in Africa, South America, and Central America. Funds provided drinking water, tents, and medical attention to more than 600 people per day for 10 days in Guatemala after the eruption of Volcรกn de Fuego. Since 2015, 1,381 episodes of the devotional program Una Mejor Manera de Vivir (A Better Way to Live) and other weekly programs have been filmed, including programming for the deaf, mini-series on location, and programs dubbed into other languages. In Mexico, Escrito Estรก airs on Azteca TV and Univision to reach 58 million homes weekly.
Feature
Do wn U M nd er elbourne, Australia, is ranked as one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. In the span of fewer than 10 years, the city has grown by over 1.2 million people to reach a population of 5 million. And it’s not slowing down. Melbourne has experienced huge waves of immigrants coming from China, India, Vietnam, Greece, and Italy. Today, over 33 percent of the population was born outside of Australia. The resulting cultural diversity has also meant a great religious diversity. Only 55 percent consider themselves Christian, while the rest are Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, or have no religious affiliation. Melbourne looks like a place Jesus described, where “the harvest truly is plentiful” (Matthew 9:37). That’s why It Is Written is excited to be closely working with committed Christians in Melbourne to proclaim the wonderful news of Jesus. This coming May, John Bradshaw and Eric Flickinger will be conducting simultaneous life-changing Bible presentations in four strategic locations around the city the entire month. Yes, simultaneously. No, no clones involved. Instead, these guys will be doing double-duty preaching YVES MONNIER is the evangelism director for It Is Written. He schedules and oversees all of the ministry’s evangelism projects around the world.
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It Is Written impressions
g n i k ve o Lo Abo Up Melbourne Prayer List Pray for the people living in the 81 homes we visited, and pray for our friends who are returning to these homes week after week with new lessons. Pray for the 130+ trainees to be able to apply what they have learned in their respective churches. Pray for the Holy Spirit to impress thousands of people to attend It Is Written’s meetings in May. Pray for the local organizers of the It Is Written meetings who are managing multiple logistical details. Pray for pastors John Bradshaw and Eric Flickinger as they conduct these intensive meetings.
multiple times a day and rushing from one location to another. It’s going to be a tiring journey, but oh, how rewarding it will be to see these hungry people accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior! In preparation for these Bible presentations, Eric Flickinger, Jack Phillips, and I recently went to Melbourne to train over 130 people on how to effectively make friends for Jesus. Part of the training involved going door-to-door to meet people and invite them to receive It Is Written Bible lessons (see one story from Eric on page 30). Many of our trainees were skeptical about finding
It’s going to be a tiring journey, but oh, how rewarding it will be to see these hungry people accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior! anyone really interested in Bible lessons. But they went anyway—just for an hour. The results shocked them: People in 81 homes were willing to receive a return visit with a second Bible lesson. I partnered with a trainee, and we started knocking on doors. At one home, the young lady who answered was a little hesitant about these strangers, especially the one with an American accent (me!). But when we introduced the Bible lesson, her face lit up. She told us when the best time was to come back the following week to deliver another lesson. Our 130 trainees were encouraged that the harvest was plentiful and ripe. They courageously took the tips we gave them and continued sharing Jesus with people seeking something better in life. SPRING 2019
7
Mission Report
A Little Moldova Mission Trip 2019
I
in a Lot SALT
n February, It Is Written completed its third mission trip to the Eastern European country of Moldova. Pastor Douglas Na’a, director of It Is Written’s evangelism school, SALT, led the trip and conducted evangelism training with 60 local church pastors. Despite chilly temperatures in the 20s (F), the pastors were encouraged as It Is Written volunteers held meetings in some of their churches. Pastor Na’a preached at a church in Chisinau, Moldova’s capital, and had around 80 people brave the cold, snowy weather to attend each night. Some of them were members who remembered It Is Written’s previous mission trips, and they brought visitors with them. One guest at Pastor Na’a’s meetings was born and raised in the church, but he had
turned his back on God. He moved to Israel and made a lot of money before returning home to Moldova. Because Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe, the wealthy are often targeted by thieves. One night when he was away, thieves broke into his home and harmed his parents. Another time, he was pursued and shot at. All of these experiences led him to search for God again. He and his family came to Pastor Na’a meetings and made decisions for baptism. Six volunteers accompanied Pastor Na’a to Moldova and held their own evening meetings. Coral was one of the volunteers.
“I was deeply blessed to be part of a team bringing hope and God’s love to people truly seeking for more.” She had previously gone with It Is Written on a medical mission trip to Mongolia. Coral is a nurse, but she had been praying that God would lead her to a mission trip where she could present an evangelistic series. “When I saw that It Is Written was going to Moldova, I felt God was opening the door,” Coral said. “I was deeply blessed to be part of the team. Many of the people that attended my meetings told me that they had never heard the
of
Snow
gospel so simply stated and now had a better understanding of who God is. This was an answer to my prayer!” Dr. Gordon Guild, an It Is Written mission trip veteran, also joined the team in Moldova. He worked with pastors in the northern part of the country, visiting churches and schools and helping them to conduct health presentations. After presenting drug education at a high school, the pastor invited the teachers to stay behind for medical exams. “These people do not go to doctors,” Dr. Guild said. “I identified two diabetic patients, and two ladies agreed to go for mammograms. I am amazed how God leads and brings people to us.” One church member asked her boss if Dr. Guild could present healthful living principles with her co-workers. Amazingly, he said yes and asked for specific presentations on smoking and alcohol because Moldova has the highest alcohol consumption rate in Europe. Factory work stopped for an hour, and the presentation room was packed as Dr. Guild shared practical counsel. The owner was so impressed that he asked Dr. Guild to come back. In another location, Dr. Guild was preaching a sermon when he noticed a
14-year-old girl go pale and suddenly leave the room. Dr. Guild knew something was wrong, stopped preaching, and examined the young woman. She was crying and sweating from intense lower back pain and was unable to bend forward or backward. Dr. Guild prayed with her and treated her with hands-on therapy techniques. He asked her to stand up, and she did. For the first time in a year and a half, she was pain-free and able to bend over! “Medicine has taught me many skills, but I know Jesus had His hands on my hands as I treated this young girl,” Dr. Guild said. We agree with Dr. Guild who summed up the trip perfectly: “Jesus is still in the healing business physically, mentally, and spiritually.” CASSIE MATCHIM Hernandez is a development assistant for It Is Written. Cassie is happily married to Chris, and they live in Collegedale, Tennessee.
SPRING 2019
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Escrito Está
It Is Written’s
Spanish Voice
The skies over 140 countries of the world are laced with the signals of It Is Written’s global programs beamed from stations, satellites, and the internet. Like the three angels of Revelation 14, God’s last message is flying swiftly across the heavens. Escrito Está, It Is Written’s Spanishlanguage television program, began on April 4, 1994, with Pastor Milton Peverini as the speaker/director. The first filming was conducted in studios in Thousand Oaks, California, and what followed were years of production and expansion for the ministry. The programs were released to channels and cable systems around the country. Chile was the first country to pioneer the programs outside the United States in 1996 with a nationwide release. The CAROLINA BONILLA is the administrative assistant for Escrito Está. Born in Ecuador, Carolina has a passion for reaching the Spanishspeaking community with the gospel.
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It Is Written impressions
response was phenomenal with more than 11,000 requests for Bible lessons and 1,245 people baptized the first year. Argentina followed in 1998 with Escrito Está airing on 430 stations and touching most of South America. The giant leap in coverage for Escrito Está came late in 1998 when TBN Enlace began releasing the programs from its giant satellite station in Costa Rica. In 2002, Pastor Robert Costa was invited to be part of the ministry to coordinate the evangelistic activities generated from
Pastor Bruno Raso with Pastor Robert Costa streaming live from Santiago, Chile in 2010
the television programs. After Pastor Peverini’s retirement, Pastor Costa became the new Escrito Está speaker/director. By the grace of God and thanks to the prayers, hard work, and financial support from It Is Written, Escrito Está has grown into one of the largest Hispanic television ministries in the world. Escrito
extension of the hands, feet, eyes, ears, voice, and heart of Jesus to alleviate the needs of others. This year, as we celebrate our 25th anniversary, the focus of the celebrations will be evangelism and community projects in the three Americas and western Europe. As we look at the past and project ourselves into the future, we can certainly exclaim, “Praise God for what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do so that through Escrito Está and the mass media, millions will be exposed to the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ until the earth is illuminated by the glory of God!”
Escrito Está has grown into one of the largest Hispanic television ministries in the world. Robert Costa, speaker/director Está is seen on more than 11,000 television channels in 138 countries and on hundreds of radio stations, in addition to on-demand content online. As a result of the overwhelming response from hearts touched by the television program, Escrito Está’s ministry has expanded over the past 25 years. In addition to a weekly television program and daily devotional videos available on TV and the internet, we conduct live public evangelism events each year around the world, hold schools of evangelism, conduct Bible studies, and produce resources in Spanish for sharing and learning about the love of Jesus. Escrito Está is fully committed to God and to presenting the whole biblical message for this hour in a comprehensive way. We are focused on the everlasting gospel as proclaimed by the three angels in Revelation 14. We want to be the
APRIL 4
Escrito Está’s 25th anniversary
APRIL 5—7
Evangelistic series in Reynosa, Mexico
APRIL 24 — 27
Evangelistic series in Salt Lake City, Utah
MAY 4 — 11
Multisite evangelistic series in Mexico City, Mexico
MAY 22 — 25
Evangelistic series in Edmonton, Canada
JUNE 12 — 15
Evangelistic series in Vigo, Spain
JUNE 22 — 29
Evangelistic series in Libertador, Argentina SPRING 2019
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Partnership Highlight
Finished,
Unfinished Business
I
n November 2008, my wife Avenelle and I attended our first It Is Written Partnership weekend. We had just retired from careers in education and were excited about retirement. I had been raised a Roman Catholic and attended Catholic schools while growing up. I wasn’t exposed to a lot of direct Bible teachings. Over time, I fell away from the Catholic Church and attended Mass just once or twice a year. Infrequently, I had attended church services with my wife and was impressed by the friendliness of the church members. So in 2008, I agreed to attend Partnership, a weekend retreat with the Partners of It Is Written. After all, they were picking up the hotel bill, and it was right on the beach in Monterey, California! After one of the messages, the speaker/ director at the time, Shawn Boonstra, walked directly over to our table and sat down right next to me. He smiled politely JIM NEWELL is an It Is Written Partner from northern California. He and his wife Avenelle are retired educators and enjoy taking bike trips around the country.
12
It Is Written impressions
to everyone but turned to me and asked me what is was like to be with a bunch of Bible believers. I was surprised and asked if it showed that much. He explained that this was just one of the skills he had honed over the years. I left the meeting intrigued and began to watch the weekly It Is Written television program. I wanted to figure out what made this guy tick. Several years later, Avenelle and I were again at Partnership. John Bradshaw was the new speaker/director, and he was sharing his life story. I was amazed to hear many similarities to my own Catholic upbringing. After sharing his testimony, John and his wife joined us at our table for dinner. I told him that I had enjoyed his story. He asked if I had been raised Catholic, too. Wow! Even after years of attending Partnership meetings and watching It Is Written, it still showed. I wasn’t part of the group! I decided to continue watching the weekly program and try to figure this guy out, too. One day, I was watching a particularly good sermon on the power of the Holy Spirit. This one hit home like nothing I had seen before. John was comparing the power of a volcano to the destructive and
Little did I realize that the Holy Spirit’s power was about to become very real in my life.
re-creative power of the Holy Spirit. Little did I realize that the Holy Spirit’s power was about to become very real in my life. In the fall of 2016, I was dealing with a serious concern for my grown son. He died, and the pain was more than my heart could take. At the following Partnership meeting, I was still not doing well spiritually. John sat down next to me. My first words to him were unplanned. “We have some unfinished business,” I said. My words surprised me. He kindly smiled, as if he knew what I meant. But how could he? I didn’t. Over the next year, I felt compelled to commit to my belief in Jesus as my Savior. My wife and I had planned a long winter trip to Florida with a stop in Chattanooga to see the progress of the new It Is Written headquarters. I found out that John would
be presenting the sermon series Face to Face with the Real God at Orchard Park Church at the same time we were going to be in the area. The week before my wife and I left on our trip, I visited my son’s grave. I was feeling so much pain that I fell to my knees in the snow and cried. At that moment, I received a text message from his older brother, who is not a Christian: “Dear Dad, you must trust in the power of Christ and that He welcomes your son with open arms…. If you want to be with him again, you have to let go of this pain and believe that Christ is your Savior.” The Holy Spirit was sending me a message. I arrived at the church and listened to John's presentation. When he made an altar call, I answered. The next night, he baptized me. My unfinished business was finished. And the best part of my life was just getting started. Praise God!
Resources
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Prepare to give Bible studies in your community by visiting salt.training SPRING 2019
15
Cover Feature
A
Harvest in the
Desert Valley “On Saturday we clean. On Sunday we go to church.” Tana knew that is what her mother would say if she asked to practice giving her mother Bible studies. Tana and her husband were attending the Bible work training program I was teaching, and I could see their zeal to share God’s Word. Tana wanted to share with her parents, and she needed to practice her English before giving other studies, but how could she convince them to study with her? She prayed, asked, and they said yes! They loved studying together. “My parents have decided they want to get baptized this Sabbath!” Tana excitedly told me. She could barely contain her joy, and my team and I rejoiced with her. As the Bible work coordinator for the Phoenix area in Arizona, I am privileged to see God working months ahead of the It Is Written meetings that will be held here in October. Part of my strategy was to partner with the local Good News television channel so our trained Bible workers could follow up with viewers who asked for more information. Janice was one of those viewers. Bible workers Betty and Laura went to visit her.
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It Is Written impressions
Janice had been watching the Good News channel and thought she had everything she needed. She had been a church member 25 years ago but left due to tragedy after tragedy in her family. Life had John and Janice kept knocking her down. But she loved God, and He used the local pose for a picture Good News television programs to bring her back into His Word. after John's rally She was quite comfortable in her relationship with God until one presentation in day two strangers came to her door asking if she’d like to study Phoenix. the Bible with them. Janice said yes and began building friendships she hadn’t experienced in years. “They kept coming to visit me and wouldn’t give up on me,” Janice shared. “I enjoyed the Bible studies and knew I should worship with God’s people on the Sabbath. The enemy kept telling me that I was too fat, that I didn’t have the right clothes to wear, or that I was just too lazy.” Then in January, Janice’s best friend sent her a new outfit for her birthday, and she knew it was God putting an end to her excuses. The next day, Janice was in church worshiping. “I’m just so happy to come,” she said. “Everyone is so loving here.” Weeks later, Janice is still attending and still excited. Phoenix is the fifth-largest city in the United States with over 1.6 million people and a metro area of 5 million people. The largest city in “…every evening we have people almost Arizona, Phoenix is known as the Valley of making decisions to accept Jesus the Sun, or the Valley, for short. Phoenix boasts a hot desert climate with summer and to be baptized.” temperatures regularly reaching 110° F. The Valley’s spiritual temperature is also heating up as a result of local churches and It Is Written’s citywide evangelistic outreach emphasis in 2019. The series will be held this fall at the Mesa Convention Center from September 27 to October 26. John Bradshaw and Robert Costa, speaker/director of It Is Written’s Spanish ministry, Escrito Está, will be sharing the love of Jesus with this massive population.
SPRING 2019
17
Since June 2018, I have been working with area pastors and church members to build friendships for the kingdom. Our theme is “Hope for the Valley,” and the churches are building bridges in their communities through clothing distribution, sleeping mats for the homeless, and care bags for children in foster families. They are preparing for Arizona Sonshine, an event in which medical professionals will offer free health care to thousands in a Phoenix suburb. As church members build relationships, they want to take the next step in sharing Jesus with their new friends. One Sabbath, after I finished a training seminar on giving Bible studies, Alvin and his wife called me as I was leaving. “Karen, Karen, we need help right away!” they said. They had attended my training a week before, and the following Monday they had delivered some food to a halfway house. They were impressed to ask the leader if they could share Bible studies with some of the men. The leader gave immediate permission, and all of a sudden Alvin and his wife had 100 men to study the Bible with. Alvin needed Bibles and more Bible workers fast! I was excited to help them develop some small groups and equip them with the studies and training they needed. In February, John joined the Phoenix area churches in hosting a rally for everyone involved in this evangelistic initiative. He preached five times in a span of 24 hours to hundreds of attendees, who enthusiastically pledged their support of the upcoming series. “We want our neighbors to know that we love them and care about them first,” said lay worker Sarah. “Then when they’re ready, we can share Jesus with them.” Sarah spoke from personal experience. She had met Janice while conducting a community survey and immediately saw a need for this mother and her five children. She worked with her church to present a box of food to Janice’s family. “I’m so glad our little church is making such an impact in our community,” Sarah said. Prayer has been a crucial component in the Valley as pastors and church members prepare themselves for the work ahead. Recently, during ten days of prayer, I joined members from nearly 20 Phoenix churches gathered together in homes, churches, and on conference
All of a sudden Alvin and his wife had 100 men to study the Bible with. Alvin needed Bibles and more Bible workers fast!
Local church members are meeting the physical needs of their community.
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It Is Written impressions
calls to pray for the city. They were hungry to experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and ended the season of prayer with an anointing service. As a result, Hillary was inspired to do something different in her community. “During the ten days of prayer, God impressed me to go on a daily prayer walk,” Hillary shared. “I live in a senior community, so as I walked, I prayed for my neighbors at each door I passed. God then gave me the courage to start a women’s Bible study and invite my friends in the community. I currently have four women attending, and we’ve now met three times.” The Holy Spirit is working on the hearts of His people and preparing them to share God’s love with Phoenix. Please join me and the Valley church members in prayer as they continue to share their best friend with their five million brothers and sisters. KAREN MATAMBO is from Zimbabwe and grew up in England, Scotland, and America. She is the Bible Work Coordinator for Phoenix, Arizona.
MEXICO, April UTAH, April
It Is Written Escrito Está
AUSTRALIA, May CANADA, May MEXICO, May ZIMBABWE, May ARGENTINA, June PERU, June SPAIN, June ETHIOPIA, July ARIZONA, October MARYLAND, October NEW JERSEY, October FRENCH POLYNESIA, October COLOMBIA, November
EVANGELISM
2019–2020
itiswritten.com/calendar
®
My Place With Jesus
Journey Through the
Y
Bible
ou don’t have to read too far into the Bible to understand that it’s not just an ordinary book! The Bible was written to shine light on the path of our journey through life (Psalm 119:105). The Bible teaches us, corrects us, helps us develop patience, and helps us find hope and comfort; and its promises lead us to make wise choices (2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 15:4; Psalm 119:11). The Bible is our guide for successful Christian living! As you daily read God’s Word, you will become better acquainted with Him and His plan for your life. So, let me introduce to you the My Place With Jesus Journey Through the Bible—an exciting Bible-reading adventure you can follow on your own or as a family. Once you have completed this Bible reading, have an adult contact me with your name, age, and mailing address, and I will send you a special sticker! (See preview on opposite page.) Since this journey is only one of many, visit myplacewithjesus.com for more information about other Journey Through the Bible readings. Pick up your Bible and begin your journey today! MELISSA BRADSHAW is the My Place With Jesus coordinator at It Is Written. Melissa and her husband, John Bradshaw, have two children and live in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area.
Contact me at: My Place With Jesus P.O. Box 6 Chattanooga, TN 37401 Or email me at: msmelissa@myplacewithjesus.com
AN
IT IS WRITTEN MINISTRY
Daily Reading P 1
Genesis 1:1–5
2
Genesis 1:6–8
3
Genesis 1:9–13
4
Genesis 1:14–19
5
Genesis 1:20–23
6
Genesis 1:24–28
7
Genesis 1:29–31
8
Genesis 2:1–3
9
Genesis 2:4–9
10 Genesis 2:15–17 11 Genesis 2:18–23 12 Genesis 3:1–5 13 Genesis 3:6–11 14 Genesis 3:12–15 15 Genesis 3:16–19 16 Genesis 3:20–24 17 Genesis 4:1–7 18 Genesis 4:8–12 19 Genesis 4:13–17 20 Genesis 4:25–5:4 21 Genesis 6:5–10 22 Genesis 6:12–16 23 Genesis 6:17–22 24 Genesis 7:1–5 25 Genesis 7: 6–12 26 Genesis 7:13–19 27 Genesis 7:20–8:4 28 Genesis 8:5–13 29 Genesis 8:14–22 30 Genesis 9:1–4
Genesis
Crossword Puzzle Across 3. God made man from the _________ of the earth. (Genesis 2:7) 6. It started to rain a _____________ after Noah and his family entered the ark. (Genesis 7:10) 7. The clean animals went onto the ark by _____________. (Genesis 7:2) 9. The ark rested on the mountains of _______________. (Genesis 8:4) 10. Adam lived ________ hundred and thirty years. (Genesis 5:5) Down 1. Created on the first day. (Genesis 1:3) 2. A ________________ brought an olive branch back to the ark. (Genesis 8:11) 4. Eve was tempted by a ________________. (Genesis 3:1) 5. The unclean animals went onto the ark by ___________. (Genesis 7:2) 8. The name of Adam’s first son. (Genesis 4:1)
Place completion sticker here Completion Sticker #1 Like us on Facebook! facebook.com/myplacewithjesus
Community Connection
Cultures, Routines: G
Changed by God
od is always looking for people who are willing to be used for Him, people who are willing to make a difference in the lives of those who have not experienced Jesus’ forgiveness. God found willing hearts at the Orchard Park Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee, this January. The predominantly AfricanAmerican congregation was determined to do things differently, and they partnered with It Is Written, a traditionally Anglooriented ministry, to hold a series of meetings in the Chattanooga area. The two organizations wanted to minister as one to reach the wider community. As a result, Face to Face with the Real God was held over a nine-day period at the church. There were members of Orchard Park Church who were skeptical that a white preacher could keep their attention. But they were very impressed each night with John Bradshaw’s Christ-centered messages, delivered with energy. Each night, John preached powerful, relevant TROY BRAND is the pastor of the Orchard Park Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee where he has served since May 2017. He and his wife Charolette have five children.
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It Is Written impressions
sermons. An elderly black woman from the community attended because she watches him on television every Sunday morning and wanted to see him in person. A white gentleman and his wife were traveling through the area, heard that John was preaching a series of meetings,
We are to leave our comfort zones, go into communities where sinners are, and compel them to come in. and attended. Before they left the area, the gentleman was baptized (see his story on page 12). Face to Face with the Real God served two main purposes. First, the meetings brought people into the fold of Christ. The meetings were an intentional attempt to cross cultural divides and attract black people to the church who watch It Is Written’s television broadcast.
Second, the meetings inspired the church congregation to believe that they could do big things. The series was filmed by It Is Written’s production crew, and the congregation got a chance to see a television ministry operate up-close. As a result, the members learned invaluable lessons that changed how they are planning aspects of their future ministry. God has demonstrated that He can and will use unlikely combinations to do His bidding. It is easy to get into a routine of doing church only for people who have similar likes in music and preaching. As a predominantly African-American congregation, hosting It Is Written broke the Orchard Park Church from its routine. They worked alongside a group of believers who were different from them and exposed them to a larger Christian community, and all were blessed as a result. The church is God’s personal presence in the world manifested through a body of believers empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The mandated mission of the church from Jesus Christ is “go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). In simple terms, we are to leave our comfort zones, go into communities where sinners are, and compel them to come in. Sometimes leaving that comfort zone means doing things differently, working with people we might not always work with. And it is in those times when God takes over, and our humanly-intended purposes are overshadowed by His larger purpose. Face to Face with the Real God at Orchard Park was God’s larger purpose changing hearts and minds.
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BY JOHN BRADSHAW, speaker / director
TRINITY Comfort in divine complexity
hallenges against the doctrine of the Trinity have increased in recent years. Trinitarianism teaches that there is one God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and that God is a unity of three co-eternal persons. There are neither three Gods nor one God expressing Himself in three separate ways. In Genesis 1:26, God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,” indicating a plurality within the Godhead. The individuality of the three members of the Godhead is clearly spelled out in Scripture. But what challenges many minds is that understanding the Godhead isn’t simple. Instead of causing consternation, this should actually be a source of encouragement. God said in Isaiah 55:9, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” In Job 11:7 (KJV), one of Job’s friends asks, “Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?” God is inherently complex. Endeavoring to
understand the very nature of God requires some humility, and one should expect it will pose challenging questions. A major point of contention regarding the teaching of the Trinity is that some modern Protestants have adopted the position of the Catholic Church on the Trinity. But whether a teaching is taught by one church or another should never be, and has never been, the test of orthodoxy. Many modern anti-Trinitarians who claim that Jesus came into existence at some point in history are, in fact, repeating the teachings of some early church “fathers.” As seminary professor Dr. Darius Jankiewicz pointed out in the Adventist Review, both Origen and Clement of Alexandria taught that Jesus emanated from the Father, proposing the idea of “eternal generation.” Some of the earliest proponents of the teaching that Jesus had a beginning make for strange theological allies. Protestants generally believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all eternal,
Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?
having no beginning. Speaking of Jesus, John 1:4 says, “In Him was life.” When challenged about His mission, Jesus famously answered, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), declaring His eternal union with the Father. A concerned individual once told me that the book of Proverbs teaches Jesus had a beginning. He pointed me to Proverbs 8:24, which says, “When there were no depths, I was brought forth.” But this type of literary expression is not rare in the Bible. Isaiah 14 is clearly addressed to the king of Babylon, yet verses 12–14 are obviously applied to Lucifer. “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!” (Isaiah 14:12). While the king of Babylon is clearly the primary subject of Isaiah 14, certain verses referring to the king of Babylon also refer to Satan. The same is true in Proverbs 8. The theme of the chapter is wisdom, although it is true that some—but not all—verses can be used to refer to Jesus. Over-complicating straightforward passages of Scripture typically results in confusion. Some anti-Trinitarians contend that the Holy Spirit cannot be an individual person because the Bible refers to Him as “the Spirit of God” or “the Spirit of Christ.” But rather than speaking of origin or dependence, such phrases simply highlight
interconnectedness and relationship. He is the Holy Spirit, and He is the “Spirit of Christ” because the Holy Spirit brings to a sinner the personal presence of God and is therefore identified very closely with both Jesus and the Father (1 John 3:24; 4:13). The fact that the doctrine of the Trinity is deep and complex doesn’t make it faulty. Ambiguity or the presence of questions to which there are no easy answers can leave a person feeling that the teaching itself is at fault. The existence of God, the virgin birth, and Creation all challenge our understanding, but we accept them by faith because of the complete picture painted by the Bible. It’s easy to feel threatened by arguments that reveal one’s lack of understanding. And it isn’t difficult for a persuasive teacher to convince someone that they are wrong when they are merely uncertain about what they believe. We live in an age in which Satan is doing all he can to sow discord and disunity. He is the master of separating people who should be pressing together. As complex as the doctrine of the Trinity can be made to appear, it’s as simple as we allow it to be. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three—and are one. The unity that exists within the Godhead is representative of the unity God wishes to see among His people as they prepare for the return of Jesus. SPRING 2019
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Impressed
Impressed by the Holy Spirit, lives are forever changed
My wife and I enjoy your television broadcast. Messages from Pastor John Bradshaw keep up our belief in Christ the Savior. Thank you. — New Jersey, USA I’ve enjoyed hearing my favorite evangelist John Bradshaw! After my seven-year-old son attended all the Revelation seminars, he gave his heart to Jesus and was baptized. Thanks, John. The meetings went by fast! I didn’t want them to end! — Kansas City, Kansas I just got some mail. I had applied for energy assistance some time ago. They replied they didn’t have enough funds right then. I stepped out in faith and made that pledge to It Is Written. Today I got a letter saying they are applying a $500 credit to my electric account. To God be the glory. I believe He had it happen right now for a reason. —Tennessee, USA Thank you for producing such wonderful, Christ-centered programs. — Arizona, USA We watch this program every morning at 5:30 a.m. on the 3ABN channel on Roku. A wonderful way to begin our day! — USA
I just want to say thank you, pastor. I watched a minute devotional TV segment you do, and it converted me from being a Catholic to an Adventist. I was in a dark place, and you helped me find God, and then God helped me. I give thanks to God but also His messengers. — Washington, USA
Thank you for presenting so beautifully and professionally your inspirational programs and marvelous booklets you so freely give! I’m 91 and know a good thing when I see it and… you are good! :) God bless you bountifully. In Jesus’ name with love. —California, USA
Do you have a story about how God has touched your life through the work of It Is Written? Tell us! Simply e-mail impressions@iiw.org
Staff Highlight
Robert Costa ESCRITO ESTÁ SPEAKER /DIRECTOR
As speaker/director of Escrito Está, Robert Costa leads the effort to reach It Is Written’s Spanish-speaking audience with the gospel. Since joining It Is Written in 2002, Robert Costa’s genuine love for Christ has brought thousands to Jesus through television programs, evangelistic campaigns, Bible resources, and community service projects. “It’s really an honor to work with Pastor Costa,” said John Bradshaw, It Is Written speaker/director. “His experience, professionalism, and commitment has a real impact on our team. He leads by example, and his example speaks loudly to us all.” Robert is a native of Uruguay, earning his college degrees in Argentina and the United States. He has served as a pastor and ministry leader in North America and Latin America since 1980. Prior to coming to It Is Written, he served as a church conference vice president. But when he got the call from It Is Written, he said, “After much prayer and advancing by faith, I accepted the call, trusting that God was opening a door of service through media. If God calls, He also enables.” God has certainly enabled Robert and his team! Escrito Está regularly receives more requests to conduct evangelism campaigns than they can accept. Having to turn down meetings is difficult. Finding the best way to reach secular minds with the love of Jesus is also challenging. And frequent traveling makes it difficult to work with his administrative assistant, Carolina Bonilla. But BY CASSIE MATCHIM HERNANDEZ
through “prayer, dependence on God, and hard work,” he said, they are able to get past these challenges. To Robert, “It Is Written and soul-winning are synonymous.” He works here because he believes this ministry is a powerful instrument in the hands of God. “The fruits speak for themselves,” he said. “Hundreds of thousands of people have been led to accept Jesus.” And Robert has been a big part of that. “People who watch Escrito Está often comment on the simple way he can explain what is written in the Bible,” Carolina said. “He is a man who loves Jesus, he loves people, and he loves serving others. That is a great contribution.” We’re blessed to have him.
Get to know Robert Costa: What is your favorite meal? Gnocchi What was your first job? Farmer What is the best advice anyone has given you? Your task on this side of eternity is not to be successful but to be faithful.
What is one thing most of your co-workers don’t know about you? I am an artist, a painter, but I also like to run 10k races and half marathons. SPRING 2019
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Tributes & Memorials If you would like to give a donation in memory of someone, please visit itiswritten.com/give or use the enclosed envelope to mail your donation. IN LOVING MEMORY OF Anantua, Ricadeau by Ethnie Anantua Bartlett, Virgil and Frances by Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Starr Bascom, Barbara by Betty Phillips Bauer, David H. by Mrs. Marilyn J. Bauer Benn (EdD), Bernard by Sonia M. Benn Blumenberg, Katie by Mrs. J. Rita Vital Candies, Mary by Mr. and Mrs. William Ambron Christensen, Bruce by Mrs. Marilyn Christensen Christiansen, Hugo by Mrs. J. Rital Vital Concepcion, Adelaida, Elino, and Modesta by Dr. Luzminda Concepcion
Hammer, Francis by Judith F. Metzen
Sherman, Bill by Mrs. J. Rital Vital
Harris, Melinda J. by Mr. and Mrs. Gary Dodds
Taylor, Victoria by Charles L. Taylor
Isensee, Walter and Betty by Mrs. Cynthia Isensee Boyle
Wallace, Don by Denise Whitaker
Kiefer, Frank by Claudette Johnson
Watson, Whitney by Marilene Wang
Kim, Yan Yi by Dr. and Mrs. Harold G. Lee
Weaver, Charmes L. by Ms. Brenda Derryberry
Kim, Yoo Kwan by Dr. and Mrs. Harold G. Lee
IN HONOR OF
Miller, Edith by Mr. Richard Johnson Nauman, Ron by Mr. and Mrs. James C. Culpepper Nelson, Elmer by Mr. Thomas A. Nelson, Dr. and Mrs. Darryl G. Hosford, and Mrs. Florence Stuyvesant Newton, Peter B. by Linda Flower
Crews, Joe by Claudie English
Partridge, Norman W. by Ms. Alma D. Partridge
Doll, Arlene by Carl and L. Jean Thomas
Ramkissoon, Connie by Dr. Reuben Ramkissoon
Fenton, Hyacinth by Anntionette Fenton
Rhodes, Dale and Beverly by Lynette D. Rhodes
Gatewood, Victoria by Victor Gervais
Rhodes, Dwight and Ruth by Lynette D. Rhodes
Geli, Deborah Rachel by John Geli
Schutte, Elsie J. by Ms. Vonda Bareford
Brandt, Vicky by Mary Mehaffey Graves, A. H. by Ms. Shirley Graves–Poles Lee, Roy by Donald Widby Madison, John by Mrs. May Pedersen Rada, Dr. Dini and Eliezer by Dr. Dini and Eliezer Rada RISDA Young Families by Lindy Legoh Russell Jr., JaJuan Dewayne by Latasha McMiller Sydnor, Colie Mae by Judi Sydnor-Norris Tillman, Lee Ellbert by Ms. Carla Rachals To see the complete list of tributes and memorials, please visit itiswritten.com/tributes
Remember someone special with your love gift to It Is Written. Your memorial or honorary gifts are helping spread the gospel around the world. Unless you request otherwise, your name will be listed on the Tributes web page and may be printed. If you wish, we will send a gift acknowledgment card to your desired recipient. Please be sure to include the recipient’s name and address.
Eric Flickinger and Bernadette after a day of visiting community members.
Devotional
Knock, Knock Works
Melbourne, Australia Sunday, Jan 27, 2019, 2:22 PM
(Knock, knock.) GENTLEMAN: Hello? BERNADETTE: Hello, my name is Bernadette, and this is my friend Eric. We are working with the international television program, It Is Written, which will be airing on a local channel very soon. We are in the community today doing a short survey to see what people would like to see on the programs. Do you have a moment? GENTLEMAN: Yes, certainly. Please come in. My wife is preparing lunch. I will ask her to join us as well. BERNADETTE: Thank you so much. And within five minutes, Bernadette had a Bible study scheduled with a lovely Sri Lankan couple. That would be cause enough to celebrate, but Bernadette and I were not out knocking on doors alone that day. There were over 130 people who were attending Joining Christ in By the end of the Harvest, a four-day evangelism training 90 minutes’ seminar held in advance of our evangelistic meetings this coming May. By the end of 90 worth of minutes’ worth of outreach, our group had outreach, our established 81 Bible studies in the city of Melbourne. group had Today, some people seem to believe that evangelism is dead. But to borrow a quote established 81 from the great writer Mark Twain, evangelism Bible studies might say of itself, “The report of my death was an exaggeration.” in the city of Speakers representing It Is Written will be Melbourne. involved in evangelistic endeavors this year in Moldova, Lebanon, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, the United States, and of course, Australia. At the same time, dozens of It Is Written evangelism training classes will be held around the world. The promise in Psalm 126:6 is just as inspiring as it was on the day when it was penned: “He that ERIC FLICKINGER is the goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, associate speaker for It Is Written. shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringEric’s passion for teaching the Bible has been experienced ing his sheaves with him.” by thousands across North And that might even include a Sri Lankan couple America and around the globe. in Melbourne.
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It Is Written impressions
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Mission Trips 2019
Join us in Arsi Negele, Ethiopia July 5 – 21 We’d love to have you come along for It Is Written’s first mission trip to Ethiopia! We’re headed to one of those communities most of the world overlooks. Health professionals will serve at a hospital built and funded by Christians, inviting people they work with during the day to attend evening Bible presentations. Need: Up to 26 health professionals and support staff, and four preachers. Cost: $1,400/person* Registration and deposit ($500) due: May 23, 2019 Final payment ($900) due: June 20, 2019 *Note: Trip cost amount does not include airfare.
Join the Ethiopia trip today!
Call 423-362-5846 or go to itiswritten.com/missiontrips
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IN S PIRE OTHE R S WITH YOUR SUPPOR T Purchase a Commemorative Brick and be a part of the new It Is Written headquarters.
¼ This is an architect’s rendering of the walkway at the front entrance where your brick will be displayed.
As our gift to you, each supporter who has purchased a brick will also receive a special mini Souvenir Brick. »
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