Trailblazing Newsletter - Winter 2016

WINTE R 2016

The newsletter of Josh McDowell Ministry

INSIDE Page 2 Changed lives YOU help make possible Page 3 TECHNOLOGY: the language of today Page 4 Use technology to help share the gospel

New technologies like hotspots broadcast wireless access to libraries of Josh McDowell resources — even in closed countries of the Middle East.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world . . .”

Matthew 24:14a

The Digital Era: unleashing the gospel in closed countries How you are providing safe, effective and cutting-edge technologies that share the truth about Jesus Aziz (not his real name) is a believer in a closed country.

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More than anything, he wants others to know about Jesus. But sharing the gospel where he lives is dangerous.

Those who mention the name of Jesus to the wrong person could find themselves arrested — or worse.

Technology opens doors for evangelism in closed countries But YOU are helping make it possible for Aziz and others to share

the gospel safely and effectively. He’s reaching more people than he ever dreamed of!

Each morning, instead of parking outside his workplace, Aziz drives to a populated area downtown near the train station. He parks his car and turns on his hotspot — a portable device that provides a free internet connection via Wi-Fi. He then walks the few miles to work, leaving his hotspot to broadcast till the battery runs out.

KEEP READING to see how your gifts are sharing the truth >>>

The Digital Era: unleashing the gospel in closed countries Continued from page 1

Each evening after work, when Aziz returns to his car, he’s able to see that hundreds of people have accessed his hotspot while he was away — accessing Christcentered books (both audio and digital), short videos, movies like the Jesus film and Undaunted — all in their heart language.

The digital mission field is endless!

Ahmed, another Josh McDowell staff member in the Middle East (name changed to protect his identity) recently shared that digital resources like hotspots have created an unprecedented opportunity in his country.

According to Ahmed, the possibilities for evangelism are endless. Airplanes, hair salons, universities, markets.

“One man shared how he puts one [a hotspot] in each corner of his home to reach his neighborhood. Another man said he turned it on and the whole train car was accessing it,” shared Ahmed. Sitting in Starbucks even provides ministry opportunities. “You can have your coffee and save souls at the same time,” said Ahmed.

You are helping reach countless people with the gospel Recently a man shared with Ahmed, “I am so very

Airline passengers flying in and out of closed countries are able to access truth-filled resources thanks to hotspot technologies.

thankful for Josh McDowell Ministry and the generous funds that have been provided for us to reach so many more people than we ever thought possible.”

Thank you for your gifts of digital resources that help us take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity!

Changed lives YOU help make possible “When we work with youth, we want to reach them — if you give them a hard copy of a book — it doesn’t work well because they are so attached to their devices. The best way to contact them is through their device.” — Aaron, Middle East “This seems to be a critical time for Josh McDowell Ministry to launch resources on the e-platform . . . it is much needed to enter into the digital world in East Asia and to fulfill the dream to be able to deliver Josh’s books electronically into the hands of the seminary students.”

— Thomas, East Asia “A man stood up with great emotion and said, ‘This is amazing and beyond our dreams to have a ministry tool like this, and I am so excited that I can reach so many more people because of this [hotspot].’”

— Staff member at the North America and Middle East Conference

TECHNOLOGY: the language of today How YOU are sharing the gospel worldwide through cutting-edge digital tools SD Cards Secure Digital (SD) cards store data files for use in portable devices, such as cellphones, tablets, computers and cameras. SD cards are secure, durable and have a high storage capacity, safely providing evangelistic resources for closed countries. Benefits include: • Multiple resources in multiple languages all on one card • Easy-to-read digital books, audio books, videos and Bibles • Protection from deleting or erasing materials • Password protection — if the password isn’t entered, the device appears to contain simple music or video files

USB flash drives A secure USB drive allows our ministry partners to safely share the gospel with men and women living in closed countries. It also allows them to reach places where missionaries cannot travel and to maximize their resources and effectiveness. Just one USB drive can hold up to 14 of Josh McDowell’s books and audio books, Undaunted on film, other video resources and even a Bible translated in the heart language of those receiving it.

Hotspots Hotspots are portable devices that can be used in strategic locations (such as coffee shops, airports, hotels, university campuses or public transportation vehicles) to safely reach many people with the truth. When people connect to our free Wi-Fi, made available through a portable ministry-enabled hotspot, the connection takes them to downloadable versions of Josh McDowell’s books, DVDs, CDs and a Bible translated into their own language. (Hotspots only link users to resources, they do not provide an internet connection.) Through hotspots, our ministry partners are able to distribute resources to 10, 20 or even 50 people at a time!

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Our digital world: an unprecedented opportunity In the beginning, God’s Word was shared by word of mouth. From generation to generation.

Later, it was shared by written scroll.

Laboriously copied and recopied.

And in the days of the early church, Paul and others spread Jesus’ teachings through letters “broadcasted” to the masses.

God’s Word spread — but it spread slowly.

That all changed in 1456, when the first Bible — the Gutenberg Bible — was printed. This new “technology” made spreading God’s Word easier than ever before.

Today, technology is evolving at an exponential rate.

With so many digital resources and a multitude of devices at our disposal, sharing the good news of the gospel is easier and the effects more far-reaching than ever before.

TECHNOLOGY is the language of the day.

Whether you’re a young person here in the U.S. or a seeker in a rural village in a closed country, the digital world has opened up a whole new way of connecting.

As you read through this newsletter, I pray you’re encouraged by all your support has made possible. Thank you for standing with us during this unprecedented time.

Until the whole world hears,

YOU can use technology to help share the gospel!

Today more people own a cellphone or smart device than ever before. And as our world and the technology that connects us changes, so must the ways we reach out to people with the good news.

Digital tools — such as SD Cards, USB Flash Drives and Hotspots — help reach places where missionaries cannot travel and where printed materials cannot safely be distributed.

Digital resources are highly effective because they are: • Less expensive than printed materials • Easily concealed, which makes them ideal for closed countries • More far-reaching, since one digital resource can be downloaded hundreds of times, reaching thousands upon thousands of people Right now, you can help provide much-needed digital resources such as The Deity of Christ, More Than a Carpenter, Undaunted, How to Be a Hero to Your Kids, The Witness, The Secret of Loving, See Yourself as God Sees You, Evidence That Demands a Verdict and more — even an Arabic Bible! $12.33 will provide one SD Card $11.12 will provide one USB Flash Drive $244.50 will provide one Hotspot

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