Paths v3n4 2014 fall by MK Designs

News & Views from Walk Thru the Bible

Facing Challenges in Ghana Discovering Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Heart Weekly devotionals for Fall

Fall 2014

Walk Thru the Bible 4201 North Peachtree Road Atlanta, GA 30341 www.walkthru.org Volume 3, Number 4 Fall 2014 Published quarterly President Phil Tuttle Editor Chris Tiegreen Designer Michael Koiner Contributors Chris Tiegreen

Walk Thru the Bible ignites passion for God’s Word through innovative live events, inspirational biblical resources, and lasting global impact.

© 2014 by Walk Thru the Bible® Ministries, Inc. Contents may not be reproduced in any form unless authorized in writing by the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 2011 by Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

ratitude comes in a variety of ways, and I found myself experiencing lots of them as I read through this issue of Pathways. The recent training opportunities Walk Thru the Bible has offered in rural Ghana sent my mind in several directions. I thought about how grateful I am for my own training. My mother went back to work so

her children would have money for college. God

provided good jobs for both Ellen and me that

helped me get through seminary, and I’m thank-

ful for many other opportunities for continuing

education that have been available over the years. I take none of that for granted.

The people we serve don’t take their training for granted either. I’m grateful that we get to serve grateful people. I realize teaching and training ministries are needed everywhere in the world, but some places are a little farther off the beaten path and have more acute needs. I get a lot of satisfaction when local leaders ask us, “Why did you come where no one else comes?” And I know what they are going to do with the resources we give them. They will share it and multiply the fruit of it again and again. That fact hit home for me a few years ago when I was teaching some pastors in India. I asked, “How many of you know when you will teach this material in a church?” Almost all of them raised their hand, so I assume d the translator didn’t communicate the right question. I asked again and got the same answer. They were going to use it immediately—that Sunday. There was an urgency in their training that we sometimes fail to grasp in a country of abundant Christian resources. Many Christian leaders around the world are grateful for our efforts to equip them, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve them. I hope as you read this issue of Pathways that you take time to thank God too. It really is a privilege to participate in His mission of discipling the world. And I never want to take it for granted.

Phil Tuttle President

If you are not currently receiving Pathways and would like to, email pathways@walkthru.org or use the attached envelope to let us know.

FALL 2014

VOL. 3

NO. 4

FEATURES

6 Beyond the River

Facing the Challenges in Ghana’s Afram Plains Many Ghanaians won’t venture into this region, but Walk Thru the Bible does. And church leaders in many villages are getting the training they need to help their congregations grow.

Devotionals 22 T B F he

attle of

aith

Weekly readings excerpted from indeed magazine

DEPARTMENTS

New at Walk Thru the Bible

Regional News

Resource Updates and Events

Highlights from around the world

Country Profile

Step Into the Story

Leader Profile

Donor Profile

Ghana

Discover God’s Heart with a New Bible Resource A Far and Fruitful Reach Yuri Shelestun, regional director for CIS The Value of Relationships Phil and Sue Minton Cover and above: There are plenty of churches in Ghana, even in remote riverside villages. But without better trained leaders, many of them will not be able to grow.

What’s New @ Walk Thru A New Resource for Discovering God’s Heart >

or years, the Daily Walk Bible has taken people through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation with a daily systematic plan. That resource has served adults well, but there has also been a long-standing need for a similar Bible directed toward students and young adults. Now that Bible is available as a new release from Walk Thru the Bible and publishing partner Zondervan. The Discover God’s Heart Devotional Bible (NIV) helps readers “explore the King’s love for His people.” This Bible includes 312 engaging devotional readings— one for each weekday and one on the weekends—to serve as your tour guide, walking you through Genesis to Revelation in manageable portions. Each devotional (see excerpt on p. 27) includes a summary section of the Scripture passage, an application section that reveals God’s good heart, and an insight section that ties each passage into the rest of God’s great story. Those who experience God’s Word through this devotional Bible will see His divine fingerprints from beginning to end, even in the most unexpected places.

The Results Are In >

eventeen churches in 12 states, as well as many more in select countries around the world, participated in the pilot phase of God’s Grand Story—Walk Thru the Bible’s comprehensive campaign that helps churches go through Scripture together. The program essentially puts every church member “on the same page.” It includes a Walk Thru the Old Testament live event, daily Bible reading, a weekly Bible study overview of the Old Testament with DVD and guidebook, and sermons that introduce and explore major sections of Scripture. So how did the pilot program go? According to more than 400 survey responses from individual participants, the results were impressive. Participants experienced numerous positive changes: • greater understanding of the key people, places, and events of the Bible; • a commitment to regular engagement with the Bible; • lifestyle changes as a direct result of biblical truths; • more compassion for those who are not experiencing a fulfilling relationship with God; • greater passion for learning and applying Scripture together with others; • no more sense of being overwhelmed by the Bible. “We had a lot of synergy coming off the live event . . . The continued six-week study enabled people to continue the enthusiasm for God’s Word,” said one pastor. A Bible study leader in another church said the process was energizing. “We held up the church service on two different occasions because the adults did not want to end the Bible study.” Most participants said they would recommend the program to others. And now that the campaign is available to any church, that recommendation can be followed. Go to www. walkthru.org/ggs for more information.

everal years ago, devotional readings based on the early church were collected from indeed magazine and published as The One Year Wonder of the Cross Devotional by Chris Tiegreen (Tyndale 2009). This fall, the book is being republished in a leatherlike gift edition as The One Year God With Us Devotional. The book is the fourth devotional drawn from indeed material. All were first released in paperback, but the durable leatherlike cover makes it suitable for gifts and long-term use. The English version of The One Year God With Us Devotional is scheduled for September release. A Spanish edition will follow in November.

Regional News North America > Phil Tuttle, Dawn Daily, and Matt Plunkett led Walk Thru the Old Testament events near Indianapolis in March that included 350 adults, 65 youth, and more than 60 elementary school students. To schedule an event in your area, visit www.walkthru.org/host-anevent. A mission team from Cornerstone Bible Fellowship in Bermuda taught Walk Thru the Old Testament and Kids in the Book to families and churches in South Korea and Cambodia. The team also taught 300 missionaries from over 40 nations on the Logos Hope ship in South Korea.

Africa > A Crucible conference was held in midJuly in N’Djamena, Chad, in Central Africa with more than 250 people representing different denominations attending. Many of these attendees will take the teaching to their home churches and others in their regions. A two-day Crucible conference was held in Ivory Coast in July with more than 225 people from various denominations attending. Many young church leaders attended the training. Local coordinators have pledged to schedule other conferences around the country to equip churches with this resource on developing biblical character. Angola director Pieter de Villiers partnered with local leaders to do a series of teaching events along the coast of Angola in May for national fire department, military officer corps, and secret service leaders. Instruction included Solving the People Puzzle, Vision of the Leader, and marriage and family material.

Preparing for morning prayer meeting at 4:30 a.m.

Asia > The translation of God’s Grand Story material has been completed in 10 out of 12 targeted languages in India. Our partners in India are now in the process of printing and distribution as the God’s Grand Story churchwide campaign spreads across the subcontinent.

More than 22,000 people in Pakistan have been reached with Walk Thru the Bible conferences and materials in the last three years. Pastors attending conferences have been trained in The Testing of Your Faith, Detour, and Crucible. They have then taught these courses in 17 cities across the country. In the words of one pastor, “The situation in Pakistan is critical, and this has strengthened the faith of Christians.” More than 270 house church pastors and leaders were encouraged in six provinces in China through four pastors conferences, three marriage events, and several preaching events in April. More than 230 people received Christ at these events.

Latin America > Walk Thru the Bible materials have now been printed in 41 languages— the most recent being Spanish Braille. The Braille workbook is being used in Cuba to teach Walk Thru the Old Testament. .

Beyond the River

Facing the Challenges in Ghana’s Afram Plains

astor Benjamin Koku Agbotse is responsible for 12 churches. B. K., as his friends and colleagues know him, doesn’t visit all of them every Sunday, of course. They are far apart and hard to get to—not to mention the fact that 12 appointments is a lot, regardless of where they are. So B. K. visits four churches some Sundays, navigating his motorbike for miles and miles along paved roads pocked with potholes, or along dirt roads where the bumps and holes are just as numerous. One Sunday each month, he only visits one church because it is so far from the others. But by the end of each month, he has visited all 12, ministered to 600 members and 36 lay leaders, and made his presence known among thousands of villagers. That’s what ministry often looks like in the Afram Plains, a rural region of south-central Ghana that covers hundreds of kilometers and is home to nearly 600 villages, most of them poor. The responsibilities of pastors like B. K. can be widely scattered across plains, along rivers, and tucked away behind grassy hills. Most get around on motorbikes, which may become improvised transport to the hospital for pregnant women or snake-bitten farmers—all in a day’s work for a servant-hearted pastor. But motorbikes on bumpy roads lead to long days and sore backs, and, since travel in this region can be filled with dangers in the dark, they limit a pastor’s ministry to daylight hours. It’s a demanding job. But B. K. and many other pastors like him are up to the task, and they

find creative ways to fulfill it. Those with multiple churches handle a lot of preaching responsibilities on Sundays, but they also rely on pastors-intraining and lay leaders for hands-on ministry during the week and on Sundays when the lead pastor is elsewhere. When they receive training and resources from a ministry like Walk Thru the Bible, they call two or three leaders from each church to gather in a central place—Donkorkrom, for example, is the capital of the Afram Plains district, and the paved road running through it makes it accessible from a distance—where they teach the new material they have learned. In some cases, all congregations under a supervising pastor gather once or twice a year for a large meeting. There are significant difficulties not only getting around in the Afram Plains but getting to it in the first place. For one thing, it is generally inaccessible without crossing a river or a lake—the long arms and fingers of Lake Volta, the largest reservoir in the world, border three sides of the region. Many Ghanaians draw the line right there. “They are afraid to cross the water,” says virtually everyone in Donkorkrom when the subject of outsiders comes up. There’s only one ferry crossing, and the wait to cross can back up for hours. Plenty of outboard motor boats offer crossing services, but a few notable disasters cause some would-be travelers to shy away from those. And the mountains to the south are a barrier too. A trip to the plains from Accra, the capital, takes about six hours, even though it’s only about 150 miles. So residents of Accra rarely visit the plains for geographical reasons alone. But there are other reasons too. The area is one of the poorest in the country. The district capital, Donkorkrom, only got widespread electricity

and potable water within the last decade (though several cell towers are visible now). The reputation of the schools does not compare well to the reputation of schools in other regions. It is considered a hard place to live. That explains why many government workers who are assigned to Afram Plains continue to live in large cities like Accra or Kumasi and commute to their offices. They arrive on Monday and leave on Friday because their families don’t want to move there, preferring the comforts, shopping, and better schools of the population centers. It isn’t a convenient life, but it’s considered more convenient than enduring the roads and poverty of the plains. Said one pastor who was assigned by his denomination to the region five years ago: “If you are posted to this place, we look at it as though you have done something wrong and are being punished.” That’s all the more reason training is needed in places like Afram Plains. There are plenty of churches in Accra, some quite large, and plenty of resources among those churches to draw from. Christian training is not a rare commodity in the cities, even though many pastors already have a background in Bible college or seminary. Far fewer church leaders have such training in Afram Plains. Many who supervise multiple churches do, but leaders at ground-level are much less prepared for ministry.

“IF YOU ARE POSTED TO THIS PLACE, WE LOOK AT IT AS THOUGH YOU ARE BEING PUNISHED.”

alk Thru the Bible is one of the few ministries that take training to the regions of Ghana in which it is most needed. Country director Philip Tutu and local pastors have partnered for numerous events over the last few years that bring

Pastors and teachers attending a recent training event in Donkorkrom immediately returned to their rural churches to teach their new material.

Ghana

Kumasi

Afram Plains

Accra

rural pastors and teachers together for several days of equipping, after which they are certified to take the material and train others in it. With this model of multiplication, it spreads throughout the region, even to some of the smallest, most obscure, leastresourced congregations around. “These trainings are very important,” says Kyere Kwasi, a pastor who oversees 13 congregations. He holds a certificate in theology from a Bible college, but the leaders under him do not. “I am impacted personally in the way I handle leaders or problems that come my way. The insights will help me so much. But I will also use it to teach my church members so they can apply it for themselves.” Pastor Kyere believes the biggest need in the Ghanaian church is for quality leadership— an issue specifically addressed in Walk Thru the

Bible’s training approach. And rural churches won’t get this leadership development if training events remain only in the cities. “You need huge sums of money to accomplish this in Accra and Kumasi,” he says. But when ministries fund training in the hard-to-get-to districts, the costs are reduced and many more people can attend. “You don’t pay anything for travel, you are fed, and the resource materials are freely given. It’s a great joy and blessing when programs like this come.” James Dadzie, a pastor of another denomination who lives in Donkorkrom and oversees six churches, agrees. “If you had not come, we would not get such good training. The people in the cities, they are blessed. But churches such as ours, we find it difficult to get training to reach the standard here.”

“IF YOU HAD NOT COME, WE WOULD NOT GET SUCH GOOD TRAINING.”

Philip Tutu, country director for Ghana

oughly two-thirds of Ghana’s 25 million people consider themselves Christian, with Muslims being the next strongest faith group (and growing). But even though many Ghanaian Christians are mature disciples, a frequent prayer request among Christian leaders is that church members would learn to apply the truth of Scripture rather than simply attend church and appear superficially Christian. That would deal with at least two problems that pastors and teachers wrestle with. One is that in spite of Ghana’s majority Christian population, its social systems are tragically affected by widespread corruption. Payoffs, abuses of power, large contracts and payments for work that was never actually done, favoritism . . . no society is immune from these practices, but citizens of West African nations think they experience them in undue proportion. “We have so many natural resources,” says Philip Tutu. “There is no reason for us not to be a prosperous nation, but for corruption.” Christian leaders long to see the Word of God impact people at a level that changes how they conduct their business in social systems and the marketplace. The other problem is that, as in many other cultures, people who turn to Christ in faith often

hold on to many of their past practices and beliefs. “We have a lot of fetishes around,” says Joseph Baidoo, the pastor of a growing church in Donkorkrom that hosted a recent Walk Thru the Bible conference for the region. “One of the needs is to empower the pastors to be able to face the challenge of fetish religion—idol worship. We have various forms of them in various ethnic groupings. Wherever you are, you face them. And many of their leaders will try to discredit you. They tell lies about the pastors.” Again, this is why church leaders long to see growing disciples who can discern truth from error, dispense with idols and animism, and adhere to God’s truth. And the best way to accomplish that is for leaders to effectively impart the truth they have learned. In other words, Walk Thru the Bible’s ministry addresses huge needs in this part of the world. Other needs are simply part of the environment in an impoverished, rural area. Some church buildings consist of a thatch roof on four posts (see photo on p. 9). So where do they meet during the rainy season? They don’t. And because the area is poor, a new building is rarely feasible, and a home for the pastor . . . well, in most cases, he has to completely fund that himself. Also because of the poverty level, “every pastor is a philanthropist,” pastor Joseph says.

“You are the source of hope, of livelihood, of health to the people”—as with the aforementioned trips to the hospital on a motorbike for pregnant women and snakebite victims, for example. “The pastor’s work is not limited to what the church has designed for him. You have to help in a lot of situations.” This range of issues puts a lot of weight on the shoulders of pastors and teachers, as in other parts of the world. “Minister” is not a job description. It’s a way of life. And it extends not only to church members, but to those far outside the church—geographically and culturally.

ilian was a Muslim three years ago. But she was a Muslim with an open mind and a receptive heart. She lived in a small town near a mosque, but also near a church that often held prayer meetings at night. And one night she decided to go. “I’ll just listen to what they are teaching and find out what they are about,” she recalls. “And I enjoyed it.” So Lilian told her parents she wanted to start going to church. “Why do you want to go to church?” her mother asked. “That’s what I think I should do. God created me for a purpose.” Her father’s reaction was not nearly so tactful. He vowed to disown her if she went to church, so for a while, Lilian went to meetings only in the evenings when she could do so secretly, never on Sundays. But one Sunday morning, she decided it was time to be open about her new faith. She dressed up for church and told her mother where she was going. And as she was leaving, her father spoke up. “If you step out of this house,” he told her, “don’t come back again. You are not my daughter.” “Daddy, you gave me birth,” she told him. “The Bible says if your mother or father abandons you, the Lord will take very good care of you. So if you abandon me, fine. The Lord knows the reason He called me. I am very excited to go, even if you disown me.” And she left for church. When she returned, her father demanded that she pack her bags and leave, even as her mother

Multiplication in actionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;pastors and teachers learning and praying for their congregations (above), then congregation members receiving new teaching (below).

pleaded with him to let her stay. That was three years ago, and today Lilian is a strong and growing Christian who attended Walk Thru the Bible’s recent training in Afram Plains. She teaches children, her “junior sisters and brothers,” she calls them. “I want to teach them that every problem you find yourself in, God can save you.” That thought certainly fits the recent training Lilian attended, one segment of which was the Crucible course on the life of David and his moments of decision. She has been through a crucible herself and has come through it with enduring faith. Lilian has become a strong advocate in her community for the Bible—“It teaches you everything!”— and for Bible teaching. And she wants to see Walk Thru the Bible come to the area often. “Seriously. More trainings like this would be very, very important. Some Christians are just churchgoers. They don’t even read the Bible. Ask them a question and they cannot tell you. I would be very happy to go again and again.”

come to help us?’” says Philip. But it’s the only way for them to access the training they need and develop leaders who can reach their towns and villages. “There is no way they can do it themselves.” Philip’s vision extends to every corner of the country. He wants his work with Walk Thru the Bible to reach all five strategic regions—the northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast, and central. Some places require 11 or 12 hours of driving. Others, like the islands of the Volta, can only be reached by a privately hired boat, as no ferry runs between them. Ministry in these regions can be time-consuming and costly. But, as Philip and Joseph point out, some people in these places have never heard the gospel. And those who have heard it may only have a superficial grasp of the Christian faith, in practice keeping their traditional beliefs and fetishes. So much work remains. But the work being done through teaching and training events is accomplishing a lot. As Joseph says, “Now you can send somebody to a village without fearing that he will go and teach something that is wrong. He has been equipped through these programs to teach well.” .

“NOW YOU CAN SEND SOMEBODY TO A VILLAGE WITHOUT FEARING THAT HE WILL GO AND TEACH SOMETHING THAT IS WRONG.”

hilip Tutu’s vision for Ghana is “to inspire passion for the Word of God in the hearts of the people.” And his strategy for doing so is through biblical teaching that does not wait for people to come to the large cities but goes where the people are. Few Christians and church leaders expect ministries to do that. Their expression when we bring the teaching to them is surprise. ‘Who would

Country Profile

Ghana Population: 25 million (45th in

the world) â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Guinean/Kwa 69%; Gur 26%;

Ethnicity: about 100 ethnic groups Language: English (official); 53

other 5% ups

languages in 7 major language gro cy

democra Political system: constitutional

ntry in the world, slightly smaller

Geography: the 82nd largest cou Oregon Religion: Christian 64%; Muslim

24%; traditional religions 12%

than

Mauritania Mali

Niger Chad

Senegal Guinea Sierra Leone Liberia

Ivory Coast

Benin Togo

Burkina Faso

Ghana

Nigeria

Cameroon

Gabon

emocracy has continued uninterrupted in Ghana since the 1990s, and the country has avoided the kind of large-scale wars that have troubled neighbors Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone, making it one of the more stable countries in the region. This former British colony hosts a mix of ethnic and language groups. While it has a wealth of natural resources and a growing economy, it continues to struggle with poverty in many areas of the country. Prayer needs: Christianity is the majority religion in Ghana, yet the country’s government and public agencies still struggle with corruption and inefficiency. Pastors and church leaders attribute this unfortunate contradiction to the fact that many people profess Christian faith and attend church but do not make much effort to apply God’s Word to their lives. Traditional religions remain a strong influence, as many professing Christians continue to retain animistic beliefs and rituals, and Islam is growing in some regions of the country. Pray for greater commitment among Christians and stronger churches. In addition: • Pray for the growth and development of strong, mature leaders who can disciple new Christians and confront the many false doctrines that have spread throughout Ghanaian churches. • Pray for unity among churches and across denominations that will allow Christians to work together effectively to reach their country for Christ. • Pray for mature Christians in government agencies, schools, businesses, media, and every other sector of society to reflect the truths of God’s kingdom and effectively address social problems. • Pray for Walk Thru the Bible instructors in Ghana—that they would have opportunities to minister effectively and impact many churches, marriages and families, and individual lives. . Sources: U.S. Department of State (www.state.gov), CIA World Factbook (www.cia.gov), and Operation World by Jason Mandryk, 7th edition, ©2010.

Into the Word w e e k l y

the

d e v o t i o n a l s

BATTLE of FAITH

alk Thru the Bible exists to ignite passion for God’s Word wherever we go and to provide the opportunities and resources for eternal truth to work its way into people’s hearts. One of the best ways for the truth of scripture to sink in is to meditate on it daily. The following devotionals, adapted from indeed magazine, are a valuable tool to aid that process. One devotional is provided for each of the next 13 weeks. You can read the weekly reading any day during your week, but you may also want to revisit it every day of the week to make it a regular part of your time with God. If so, many have found this approach helpful: On Monday, read the devotional. Become generally familiar with the Bible verse, its original context, and the insights in the devotional reading. On Tuesday, look upward. How does this verse or passage apply to your relationship with God? What does it teach you about His will and His heart? What aspect of His character is He inviting you to experience and enjoy? On Wednesday, look inward. How does this truth apply to your heart

WEEK 1

September 29–October 5 1 Timothy 6:11-16

THE BATTLE Fight the good fight of the faith. (1 Timothy 6:12) IN WORD Anyone who thinks the Christian life is for the weak at heart is sadly mistaken. Nowhere is that more evident than in areas of faith—i.e., believing what is unseen. People who think of faith simply as hoping for a positive outcome in the future or expecting heaven when they die can perhaps be passive and complacent about it. But those who truly live as though invisible realities

o n

and your own spiritual growth? What does it teach you about yourself, your needs, or your goals in life? In what aspects of your personal life is God inviting you to grow and mature? On Thursday, look around. How does this truth apply to your relationship with others? What does it teach you about how to relate to them? What is God inviting you to do differently in your relationships? On Friday, look outward. How does this verse or passage apply to your ministry and mission in life—to your role in God’s kingdom, in society, and in the world? What does it teach you about God’s purposes? What part of His mission is He inviting you to participate in? On Saturday, look forward. How does this verse or passage apply to your future, both in this age and in eternity? What does it teach you about God’s plan for your life, now and forever? What aspect of eternity is God inviting you to participate in? This approach can help you look at God’s Word from every angle and incorporate its implications into your life. As you saturate yourself in scripture, God will shape your heart to align with His own.

are real are in for a fight. We are tested daily. Do we take the next step according to what we see, or do we base it on an unseen promise? Do we listen to the second-guessing—whether from others or in our own minds—or do we press ahead stubbornly into what God has said but not yet shown? These are not easy battles. We have to fight to live by faith. And it can be a nasty fight. The enemy hurls lies at us that would undermine what God says or bend us toward compromise. The world often ridicules or even persecutes those who stake their lives on what is unseen. That’s why Hebrews 11 lifts up those who displayed great faith and honors them as examples. People like Noah and Abraham and Moses paid a high price for believing God. Faith cost them dearly. They based their lives on eternal hope and on specific words from God, and

few people understood them. Anyone who chooses to live by faith will have to fight—against competing claims, against contrary advice, and even against their own doubts—to do so. IN DEED To believe in God and hope in heaven is perfectly acceptable and inoffensive to most of the people around us. But to base our daily decisions on what God has specifically spoken? That’s another matter entirely. That kind of faith has to endure relentless assaults. We will have to fight enormous battles, both internally and externally, to defend actions based on unseen truths. It can unsettle the people who support us and offend the people who don’t. But that’s what we’re called to do. We’re to fight the good fight, at all costs, to hang on to what God has said.

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

WEEK 4

John 20:24-29

October 6-12

THE TYRANNY OF THE TANGIBLE “Stop doubting and believe.” (John 20:27) IN WORD We get onto Thomas for his doubting, but he, perhaps better than any other disciple, represents the modern mind well. We live in an “age of reason” in which many demand that if anything is true, it must be verifiable in a test tube. Unless we’ve seen it, touched it, tasted it, smelled it, or heard it—i.e., had some sort of sensory evidence—it’s not worth our time. Need an example? The skeptics of our age, like Thomas, insist that the Resurrection is a religious fabrication. Why? Because they’ve never seen it happen. Believers, too, can live under the tyranny of the tangible. We haven’t seen the Resurrection, either, at least not in the visible sense that the first disciples did. While we aren’t skeptical to the point of agnosticism, we have doubts when we pray. Why? We often have seen the power of the Resurrection only in our hearts. That should be enough, but for those who pray for God’s direct intervention in their circumstances, the circumstances often seem much larger than the power of God. We are Thomases; unless we see, it’s hard to believe. Jesus, as we know, tells us we usually won’t see until we believe. Faith is the priority in the kingdom. And it is a choice. Like Thomas, we have the option of hearing the disciples’ report and saying, “That sounds like my Savior; it must be true.” But like Thomas, we often do not let ourselves believe the best about Him. Perhaps we don’t want to set ourselves up for disappointment. Perhaps we just haven’t seen enough miracles to convince us. Perhaps we let the concrete evidence of circumstances rule our minds. IN DEED The minds of those who follow Jesus cannot be limited by visual appearances. Jesus’ command is both harsh and loving: “Stop doubting and believe.” To what shall we apply this stern command? The Resurrection? Yes, and everything else that requires resurrection power—our prayers, our works, and our attitudes. Do not let discouraging circumstances define you. Stop doubting and believe.

October 13-19

October 20-26

DEALING WITH DOUBT

RESPONDING WITH FAITH

“Stop doubting and believe.” (John 20:27)

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

IN WORD Every genuine Christian has struggled with doubts. At first, they are doubts about the big questions—does God really exist, is there life after death, etc. As we progress in the life of faith, we settle these major questions, but we continue to struggle with the more subtle ones. When God says He is my Refuge, does He really mean it? When I pray, has He really heard me? When He promises me my daily bread, can I really depend on it? A world of unfulfilled need and despair nags us into thinking God is not always reliable, or that He is too obscure for His reliability to mean anything to us practically. When we see people go hungry or suffer harm, can we realistically expect God’s promises to be true for us? Doubts—very real ones, often based on others’ experiences or even our own—creep in and try to convince us that God isn’t all He says He is. They wage war against our faith. Sometimes they seem to win. Jesus’ remedy is not to argue them away. He does not tell Thomas to reason with his doubts. He just tells Thomas to stop doubting. Thomas already has enough evidence—he has now seen the Resurrection, if the whole of Scripture had not been enough already—and must simply stop doubting. The questions are not legitimate in the face of a God with a proven track record. IN DEED We will find ourselves in one of two cycles: a downward cycle, in which doubt undermines faith, which undermines experience, which in turn further undermines faith; or an upward cycle, in which faith births the experience of God’s intervention, which in turn supports greater faith. Elsewhere, Jesus has said it will be to us according to our faith—God will respond to our trust. The converse is also true; God will not always respond to our doubt. He will not constantly prove Himself to a closed and doubting mind. The evidence is already there. Thomas saw it. We must believe it. The doubts must simply be forsaken and faith embraced.

IN WORD Not only does this blessedness apply to the initial faith we have in our Savior; it is the sum of the Christian life. We are constantly asked to stake our lives on an invisible God and a risen Savior whom we do not see. His footprints are all over history, so it isn’t a baseless faith. There is nothing naive or blind about it. It is entirely rational and rooted in experience—ours and others’. But it is still often hidden to our five senses, and when we let those senses rule, we find the life of faith difficult. Thomas found the life of faith difficult, at least at first, in those early days when the Resurrection seemed like such an impossibility. Would he have been a Christian in these days, when the Savior’s ascension is considered ancient history? Though He lives to make intercession for us, He is hidden to our eyes. Those who depend too heavily on their eyes will miss the blessings that come only by faith. They will be suspicious of the many promises of God, as though there is a fine-print legal loophole to all of them. They will wonder whether Scripture is a reliable revelation of His character. They will more and more find the invisible God “unknowable,” while those with the eyes of faith find Him more and more real. IN DEED How much of your walk with God is based on your five senses? Do you invest your heart in Him only when He is demonstrating His favor? Or do you trust that His love is real even when you don’t see it? When the Bible says that God is a refuge, a help in trouble, a deliverer, a healer—and all the wonderful things it says about Him—that revelation is a greater reality than the paper and ink you hold in your hand or anything else your eyes can see and fingers can touch. There is a profound blessedness in believing that. God manifests His presence to those who believed Him before having seen Him. He readily intervenes on behalf of those who know He will. Believe, and be blessed.

WEEK 5

WEEK 6

WEEK 7

Job 13:13-19

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Isaiah 37

October 27–November 2

November 3-9

November 10-16

IMPLICIT TRUST

THROUGH FAITH

FAITH UNPERSUADED

Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him. (Job 13:15)

I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 37:6)

“It is true, O Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands.” (Isaiah 37:18)

IN WORD Every desperate situation in your life implies a critical moment of decision. There comes a point when you either believe that God has promised what He has promised, or you believe that His promises for you aren’t understandable, applicable, or true. Those who are able to believe in the life-breathing God will know that He is the Lord. They will see the evidence of His wisdom, power, and love. Those who are not able to believe in the life-breathing God will not know that He is the Lord. They may accept His lordship at an intellectual level, but they will not see it or experience it. They will not receive faith’s reward for faith they did not have. That’s a consistent principle of the kingdom of God. Witnessing God’s power results in greater faith, and missing His power results in weaker faith. Those who see dry bones get up and dance have fewer struggles with doubt in the next crisis situation. Ezekiel believed—he didn’t dare say no when God asked him if dry bones could live (v. 3)—and he saw a miracle unfold. The vision God gave him would be dramatically fulfilled when God restored the chosen people to the Promised Land. Ezekiel’s faith in the prophetic word would lead to Israel’s and Judah’s knowledge of the Living One.

IN WORD God had promised to deliver Hezekiah from Sennacherib, the vicious king of Assyria. Hezekiah had believed the promise and prayed for it to come to pass. According to popular theology, that should be the end of the story. It’s a rock-solid formula: promise plus faith equals the powerful intervention of God. But our God is not a formula God, and popular theology isn’t always true. We can’t live the Christian life assuming that faith in a promise is a simple formula. It’s true that God makes promises, and it’s just as true that we receive their fulfillment by faith, but there’s a lot that happens between the faith and the fulfillment. Threats grow larger and promises get tested. And God allows it; that’s how faith is stretched to be more God-sized than we’ve ever known it to be. Hezekiah knew the dynamic well. While his faith was being severely tested, he acknowledged how devastating Assyria’s army had been. The invading kingdom’s territory was massive; Jerusalem was a lonely holdout in a vast empire. The odds were enormous that Sennacherib would complete his conquests by sacking the city of God’s people. That’s why his taunts were so boastful (vv. 10-13). But Hezekiah knew that God doesn’t give in to the odds. He understood that the enormity of a threat is always minuscule compared to the enormity of God. He insisted on believing.

IN WORD When faith can look death in the face and say that God is good, it is true faith. It was not contingent on miracles and blessings, and it was not uprooted by trials. When Satan’s savagery intimidates and wounds, the truly faithful heart can say that God is faithful. It does not let superficial evidence impugn the steadfast character of the loving God. This does not mean, however, that those with faith cannot ask questions. We cannot ask accusing questions—that would be sin—but we can ask God to show us His ways. We can ask if our pain is the result of our own sin or of some other divine purpose. We can ask God to show up in our trial and use it to reveal Himself in a deeper way. Job certainly did. His great statement of faith—“though he slay me, yet will I hope in him”—was a preface to another declaration: “I will surely defend my ways to his face.” In other words, Job committed to hang on to faith regardless, but in the meantime he was going to ask some questions. Faith does not imply ignorance. It allows us to discover God. A story is told of a doctor in the jungle who was forced to do surgery on his young son without anesthesia. Would the son look at his father’s scalpel with horror or with trust? That would depend on the relationship. In this story, though the pain was excruciating, the son lay still in compliant trust. He knew who his father was, and he knew his father’s love. IN DEED Do you? Can you look at the Father’s scalpel with an implicit trust that He knows what He’s doing? Are you certain of the love that is behind your trial? Even if He appears to slay you, will you still trust in Him? Genuine faith will always come to that point. It may ask a lot of “whys” in the meantime, but it knows that the answers, whatever they are, are not going to destroy the faith. That is certain. Regardless of our crisis, God is trustworthy.

IN DEED What has God spoken about your life? The answer may be obvious to you, or it may be obscure. You may have never considered that He has a specific plan and purpose for you, though you’ve probably sought His will on a number of issues. What you need to remember, however much knowledge of His will you have, is that God’s plan for you is to discover His purposes; to believe His promises, no matter how unlikely they seem; and to know Him as a result of the process. Your heart is designed to connect with His and to experience His loving agenda for the rest of your days.

IN DEED That’s the posture of a Christian life: insisting on believing. We can’t afford to live by formulas. The Holy Spirit is always on the move, stretching our faith this way and that way. It’s never predictable and always challenging. Those who live by faith have to expect the unexpected. And we have to persist through all obstacles to stake a claim on what we know is true: that God always comes through.

WEEK 8

WEEK 9

WEEK 10

Psalm 3

Lamentations 3:26

Hebrews 10:19-25

November 17-23

November 24-30

December 1-7

OUR SHIELD

WAITING IN FAITH

BROKEN SIGHT

I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side. (Psalm 3:6)

It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. (Lamentations 3:26)

IN WORD We read a verse like this in the Psalms and we marvel at the beauty of David’s faith. Cast him in a modernday environment, however—without the historical and spiritual reverence in which his writings are held—and we would consider this statement dangerously irrational. Those who are surrounded by tens of thousands of hostile forces on every side should be afraid. Only the mentally ill would say they aren’t. We would label such folly as escapism, denial, or delusion. We would tell David to be realistic. But David knows something many of us don’t consider. The invisible God is more real than the visible enemy. Tens of thousands are hopelessly powerless in the face of His power. With spiritual eyes, David can say with Elisha: “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (see 2 Kings 6:15-17). Those who only see the many enemies are not focused on reality. They are only focused on the visible. They have forgotten a foundational principle of the spiritual life: The “visible” and the “real” are two vastly different things.

IN WORD Waiting quietly is not what most of us do best. We prefer to be activists, at least in the matters that pertain to us. Perhaps we like to maintain an illusion of control. Perhaps we just don’t trust other people as much as we trust ourselves. Regardless, it’s against our nature to wait patiently when we think we might be able to affect an outcome. We make a statement when we act. We are answering all our questions about God: Does He care? Does He have a will in the situation? Does He intervene in our affairs? Does His Word have something to say about our situation? Every time we act, we are answering these questions one way or the other, at least for the matter at hand. Maybe we don’t realize how loaded with meaning our behavior is, but it is profound. Almost everything we do indicates our beliefs about God. God tells us how to approach life. We are to come to every situation with faith, an expectation of His goodness, and a desire to do His will. While we would like these heart attitudes to be instantaneous, they rarely are. They take time, and therefore we must approach each situation with time and thoughtfulness. Whenever we find ourselves in a difficulty, instead of barging our way out of it along the path of least resistance, as we are prone to do, we must first ask the Lord His will, wait for His answer, and let Him take the initiative by preparing the way before us. His is not an instant way.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

IN DEED Are you bogged down in the burdens of life? Do you have a multitude of enemies? Are you overwhelmed by the spiritual battles you are in? Are you losing hope? Do not forget this principle: What you see is not all there is. Above and beyond your problems are: (1) the power of the Lord of Hosts; (2) all of His obedient servants ready to do warfare on your behalf; and (3) your prayers and your faith—the clear lines of communication between you and your Deliverer. Like David, we can refuse to be intimidated by the tens of thousands drawn up against us. Why? Because we know a Savior infinitely stronger than tens of thousands. This is not an irrational hope. It is not escapism. It is reality. We have no reason to fear.

IN DEED Ask yourself why it is hard to wait sometimes. Is it impatience with the situation? A desire to be in control? A suspicion that God is not going to intervene? Let God search your motives, and then search His will. Wait quietly until He reveals it. Doors will open and victories will fall into your hands, rarely in your timing, but always in His. Waiting quietly demonstrates trust like nothing else. It is a way to honor Him.

IN WORD The life of faith can be excruciating. Why? Because it’s a continual process of breaking us from what we see. In order to live by faith, we have to redefine what we call “reality.” Is it the evidence our eyes and ears perceive? Or is it what God has said? We’d like to think those two pictures blend, but they often don’t. Faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the evidence of what we don’t see (Hebrews 11:1). It’s embracing the invisible. Consider Abraham, for example. For years he lived with the promise of a multitude of descendants, even though he was childless. Even after he had fathered a son by his wife’s maid, he was told that the promise would come through another son—and he continued to be told so after he and his wife were old and wrinkled. It’s hard to live confidently with the word of God when it sounds so absurd. But after decades of the reality being invisible, it became visible. Abraham became the father of those who believe because he accepted an “impossibility” as reality. That’s hard to do. Every natural impulse we have tells us to accept what we see as the clearest evidence of reality. Somehow we got it in our minds that the testimony of circumstances is the most truthful one we can hear. But if we want to follow an invisible God, if we want to walk in faith as He calls us to do, we have to be broken of that assumption. The testimony of circumstances often lies. When God says one thing and visible evidence says another, we have to choose which “reality” we’ll believe. IN DEED You may be faced with impossible circumstances today. Perhaps you’re barely hanging on to hope but questioning whether it’s faith or wishful thinking. God doesn’t give us blanket statements about those situations, but He does make one thing clear: if He has promised something, it’s a greater reality than any other evidence you face. When He has spoken, it’s true. Let nothing persuade you otherwise.

WEEK 11

WEEK 12

WEEK 13

2 Corinthians 5:1-7

Mark 5:35-43

1 John 5:1-5

December 8-14

December 15-21

December 22-28

FEARFUL FIRST STEPS

A DISCIPLINE OF THE MIND

BELIEVERS

We live by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Don’t be afraid; just believe. (Mark 5:36)

Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:5)

IN WORD The problem most of us encounter in this life of faith is that we must base our decisions, our futures, our families, our jobs—our everything, in fact—on realities we cannot see. Not only can we not see them clearly—though God will open our eyes to them more clearly if we ask—those around us cannot see them, either. That’s where the misunderstandings, the rejection, and even the ridicule come in. When we live by faith, we are at first uncertain of where we’re going. We can’t see very far in front of us. And our family members and friends are watching. While we’re barely understanding our next steps, they can’t understand them at all. The principles of this world are all based on sight. Our human culture likes tangible evidence. It has learned to thrive on the limitations we’ve been given. But start bucking those limitations and see how quickly your peers back off. When you refuse to live by sight, you refuse to play the games of this world. You reject its most foundational beliefs. Religion is only speculative, we’ve been told. Our world doesn’t mind us believing whatever we want, as long as we don’t base our lives on the unseen. But when the eyes of faith are opened to the greater reality of God’s kingdom, the label of “unstable” or even “crazy” comes quickly. Just ask Abraham, whose mission it was to move to a place he would be told of later, and who was promised a most improbable son. Or Moses, who was called to demand from a hostile ruler the release of a million profitable slaves. Or Elisha, who was surrounded by a vicious army, but more greatly encompassed by heavenly hosts. Or Mary, who bore the Son of God by quite unconventional—and socially unacceptable—means. IN DEED Are you afraid to live by faith? Welcome to the club. But the Faith Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11 was made of such a club. Be bold and forsake nearsightedness. Faith sees more than sight ever can.

IN WORD Do we really believe that our fears are based on lies? We must. We have to realize that every threat that comes against us is under God’s watchful eye. We must understand that every concern of our lives is easily within His ability to relieve. While our sinful flesh and an aggressive enemy want to keep us preoccupied— even obsessed—with our security and status, God wants us preoccupied—even obsessed—with Him. If we would invest all of our emotions and thoughts into Him, He would manage our lives. We have such a hard time with that. We try to manage ourselves and give Him what’s left over. But nothing is ever left over. We’re completely spent on other things long before we turn to Him. Why? Because we believe the threats are real. We believe the future may be dreadful. We believe that the economy may collapse, that the terrorists may win, and that the culture may grow inhospitable. Closer to our hearts, we believe that we may get sick, that we may not be able to pay the phone bill this month, or that our relationships may be easily broken. And as long as we think about these things, we cannot have faith. No one ever gets mountain-moving faith by obsessing about the mountains. They get it by focusing on God. IN DEED This takes discipline. It requires an active management of the thought life that perhaps we’ve never tried. It means that when a bill comes that is too large to pay, we must think about the God who is larger. We cannot lie awake at night wondering how we will pay it. It means that when there is crime in the neighborhood or terror in the world, we cannot obsess about the possible threats. We must think about the God who is Sovereign—our Protector, our Refuge, and our Strength. We think that we are victims of our fear, but we are wrong. We actually cultivate it. We think about the threats to our well-being, never realizing that the threats are lies and our God is true. Will we suffer harm? Perhaps—but not ultimately, not out of His time, and not without a greater purpose. Faith knows that, and it isn’t afraid.

IN WORD Throughout history, people have tried to reach beyond the confines of our own humanity—to connect with a world beyond space and time, to rise above struggles, to understand beyond human wisdom, to live beyond death. But creatures of dust that we are, we all fall short. No human invention has allowed us to discover the transcendence we seek. We are, by nature, more limited than we want to be. The promise of the gospel changes that. We are still finite creatures, but we are integrally connected with the life of our God. We are still human flesh, but we are filled with a supernatural Spirit. We still die, but we live forever. In profound and mysterious ways, we have overcome the world. How? Not by the normal means human beings have always attempted. Not by magic or rituals, nor by education and experience, nor by simply persevering or praying or fighting for our lives. There is only one God-ordained way to overcome the world: by believing. And not just by believing, but by believing in Jesus as the Son of God. IN DEED That seems simple enough, doesn’t it? But surprisingly, we forsake simplicity for human effort. We still try to receive God’s blessings by earning them. We still try to do the work of the Spirit in the strength of the flesh. We still try to overcome sin by fighting it. We have a multitude of ways to rely on techniques other than simple faith. Still, God insists. Those who overcome must believe. When all else fails, simply believe. Believe what God promises, trust His strength, rest in His grace. Life is much less complicated than we try to make it. Our connection with God’s presence is a matter not of striving but accepting. When you get to the end of your own efforts and still haven’t overcome, remember the Overcomer. Believe and trust. The rest is up to Him. .

Step Into the Story

Diving Deeper into God’s Heart An Excerpt from Our Newest Devotional Bible

new Walk Thru the Bible resource was released in September, and it promises readers a deeper relationship with God and a greater understanding of His Word. With a focus on the heart of the King and the big-themes of His epic story, this Bible will help students and young adults grasp God’s deep love and desire for His people. Following is an excerpt—the introduction to Genesis and the first day’s reading—from the Discover God’s Heart Devotional Bible: Explore the King’s Love for His People on a Cover-toCover Journey Through the Bible written by Laurin Makohon Greco.

GENESIS

enesis is God’s great introduction. How does the God of everything introduce Himself? His first act is revealing: Out of the overflow of His good heart spills an astoundingly good invention—the universe and our world. He pours out a myriad of creatures on earth and makes a man and a woman to be His friends, telling them to fill and enjoy His magnificent world. Creation reveals the bedrock truth of reality: It is good because God is good. But God has an enemy whose evil heart is soon obvious—he wants to hurt God. This enemy knows that he isn’t powerful enough to defeat God directly, so he finds another way to pierce God’s heart by going after what God loves the most—the people, His friends. God wants people to know

and love Him. The enemy seeks to turn their hearts away. He succeeds. God’s friends betray Him. As a result, they fall under a deadly curse and are infected with a fatal disease—sin—damaging the connection they had with God. But God promises to rescue them. Evil continues to spread until humanity is nearly completely sin-sick. They are going to destroy themselves. God sends a flood and starts the human race over with Noah. Eventually people form nations and spread out, worshiping all manner of evil “gods.” In the midst of this, God takes another step toward closing the distance between Himself and His much-loved creations. He calls a man, Abraham, to walk closely with Him. True to His desire for relationship, God tells Abraham He’s going to rescue the world through a family—His family.

Step into the Story

(Contd.)

Genesis shows us who God is, how our world started, and why life is the way it is. We are deeply loved, yet we are all deeply broken—separated from the God who designed us to be close to Him. Through this first book in our story, we find that the foundational plotline of human history is one that’s written in the longings of our hearts. Life doesn’t feel quite right, but that’s because we’re far from the One from whom our hearts were made. And our God, who loves us deeply, intends to ransom us back.

DAY 1 GENESIS 1–2 GOD’S GREAT INTRODUCTION God’s Story

n the beginning God—the Master Artist—speaks. He calls the universe into existence—setting moons, planets, stars, and galaxies in a masterful yet dizzying rhythm of orbiting and spinning. Like a painter surveying a blank canvas, His Spirit hovers over the empty earth. “Let there be light,” He declares, and light bursts through the darkness. He parts waters and calls up land. He brings about lush, green plants and grasses. He decorates the sea, sky, and land with fish, birds, and animals. The once-barren planet dances with life. Then the Master Artist comes in close to shape His highest work, His pièce de résistance, the creatures who will carry the honor of bearing His image: man and woman. In a gesture of intimacy, God leans in to breathe life into the nostrils of the man. Soon after, woman is called forth from his

side. God sets His crowning creations in a garden He has made especially for them, giving them only one command so they can fully enjoy their magnificent home.

God’s Heart

od had the ability to call anything into existence that He wanted. As the all-powerful, infinitely thoughtful One, the possibilities before Him were endless. So what He did choose to create reveals much about His heart. Out of the overflow of His heart spills a world of beauty and goodness. Warm rays of sunlight feed the upturned leaves of the waiting plants below. Powerful displays of lightning and thunder announce the delivery of life-rain. Creation is a masterpiece with a message. As the worker ant marches on to accomplish his daily tasks, he proclaims: “I am diligent because my Creator is diligent.” As a lion stands guard over his pride, he declares, “I am ferocious because my Creator is ferocious.” As the butterfly gently flits over flowers, he proclaims: “I am beautiful because my Creator is beautiful.” Tumbling bear cubs profess: “We are playful because our Creator is playful.” As God creates, He keeps agreeing: “Good! . . . Good! . . . Good!” The Artist is pleased. It is good. The King’s actions trumpet forth the foundational truth of His heart, which is also the foundational truth of the universe: Creation is good because God is good. He is good, good, good.

Insight

phesians 1:4 tells us that God loved us before the creation of the world. That means that before the earth existed, before it took its first spin around the sun, you were on God’s mind and in His heart. .

For more information on the Discover God’s Heart Devotional Bible, visit www.walkthru.org/bibles.

Leader Profile

A Far and Fruitful Reach YURI SHELESTUN, REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR CIS

couple years ago, Yuri Shelestun received an email from a man who had heard him teach Walk Thru the Old Testament in 1993. The event had stirred something in the man; he decided to seek God and discover the truth. His search took several years, but he eventually accepted Christ and became a pastor. He simply emailed to say he had been looking for Yuri all these years and had finally found him. He thanked Yuri for the impact of his teaching and how it had changed the course of his life. That Old Testament event was early in Yuri’s ministry, which began in the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Raised in Kiev in a Christian family, he had once wanted to enroll in the Institute of Economics but was denied entry because of his religious status. Christians were not allowed to study at universities, so Yuri went to vocational school and became a refrigerator repairman. But after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Yuri entered the Ukrainian Bible Seminary and became a missionary. He began teaching Walk Thru the Bible programs to his students as he worked in middle schools, and then began working directly with Walk Thru the Bible in 1994. Four years later, he became the director of Ukraine, then the regional director of the Commonwealth of Independent States in 2000. That position allows Yuri not only to minister

in Ukraine among the enormous political and social turmoil of the last few months, but in many other places that burden his heart. He has recently held events in Kazakhstan and Georgia, and is grateful for the technology that allows his team to translate courses and reach places as far away as Siberia. Live teaching events are effective, but in a region as vast as his, it can be much less expensive and time consuming to produce DVDs and online resources. Closer to home, Yuri’s focus is on Ukraine’s pressing needs, intensified by the unrest of the last year. In a country where the divorce rate approaches 65 percent, he spends much of his effort promoting Walk Thru the Bible’s marriage and family resources. He says the events and resources are well received because people are hungry for answers, and “we show them a better way.” God has opened doors for this ministry by giving Yuri the opportunity to speak to public school teachers around the country through the Solving the People Puzzle event, during which he informs them about marriage and parenting resources. Attendees are mostly non-Christians, and the event connects them to biblical teaching at the level of their personal and professional needs. It gets the Word beyond the walls of the church. Yuri and his wife, Natasha, have been married for 25 years and have three children: Liza, Benjamin, and David. .

Donor Profile

The Value of Relationships PHIL AND SUE MINTON

hil and Sue Minton have attended quite a few donor events over the years, but it took some convincing to get them to their first one. That was back in 1994, and Phil wasn’t particularly interested in the event itself, particularly its topic: prophecy and the book of Revelation. He went because of his wife and because of his friendship with John and Mary Isch. Twenty years later, both he and Sue are glad they did. The Mintons appreciated the ministry of Walk Thru the Bible immediately, but the impact of the ministry really hit home for Phil when he went on a trip to Russia in the ’90s. The entire experience was meaningful, but Phil was particularly moved at the end of the trip when a Russian translator approached him with tears in her eyes and thanked him for how he had made the gospel real to her. The impact of seeing her life change through his and Walk Thru the Bible’s work has stuck with him ever since. The Mintons value the relational aspect of Walk Thru the Bible’s ministry, both for how it changes lives on the field and for how it has kept them connected over the years. They don’t see their contributions to the ministry as a distant, detached investment in people halfway around the world.

They see them as a personal partnership with friends and fellow laborers who share a common mission. They value hearing directly from leaders like Yuri Shelestun of Ukraine (see previous page), Philip Tutu of Ghana, and Alejandro Colombo of Argentina, who, along with many other regional and country directors, have spoken at recent donor events. They are reminded often that “these are incredible people.” These connections grow deeper and more personal over time and allow friends of the ministry to follow the work more closely, pray for it more specifically, and appreciate the longterm impact of their gifts. The Mintons also appreciate the fact that these relationships are bridges not only across cultures but also across denominations. “It’s a universal thing, not tied to any sect or label,” Phil says. “Granted, Walk Thru the Bible has a name and identity, but its identity seems to be free of any recognized discussion of denominations.” That focus on a common mission and connecting people to further that mission have kept the Mintons engaged with Walk Thru the Bible. What began through relationships has continued because of relationships—for 20 years and counting. .

The Last Word

hile I was Ghana working on the cover story for this issue of Pathways, I let my attention wander from the training conference for a few minutes to take some pictures of schoolchildren playing on the playground outside. Within seconds, a mob had run up to the window and was clamoring for the camera to be pointed in their direction. This could be a little disruptive, I thought to myself. So I lowered the camera and backed away from the window. A few seconds later, an even larger mob of kids had run to the front door of the church and were chanting, “Obroni! Obroni!” which apparently means, “White man! White man!” Yes, I would say the camera had disrupted the conference. At least for a moment. I later asked the host pastor why there had been such an enthusiastic reaction to my camera and our team. Hadn’t these kids seen Americans and Europeans in this area before? Yes, he assured me. Mission teams come through from time to time. But they don’t come as often as they do in other parts of the country. And even though this training was being led by Ghanaians, our presence made it clear that it was supported by an outside ministry. It wasn’t completely unusual, but neither was it an everyday occurrence. I felt privileged to see the fruit of Walk Thru the Bible’s partnership with Ghanaian leadership, but I wished others could have seen it too. Quite a few people undergird this kind of event, which happens all over the world throughout the year. There are people who keep the home office running, who produce the resources used, who manage finances and logistics, and who fund the ministry with generous donations. It’s quite a team, and everyone shares in the fruit. Perhaps that’s a bit of what heaven is like—people who worked, gave, and prayed getting together and discovering the fruit of their efforts. But until then, I hope magazine articles like this one contribute to that purpose too. Even though training events are common in some parts of the world, they are especially valued in places where they are rare. As someone who has connected with and supported this ministry, you need to know just how valued your partnership is. It makes a difference in places like Ghana, and it makes a difference to us too. And it’s worth celebrating today, tomorrow, and in heaven forever.

Chris Tiegreen Editor

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IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF PATHWAYS: Church leaders in the country of Georgia have access to only a handful of Christian books in their language, but new translations of Walk Thru the Bible resources are adding to the number.

Discover more about Walk Thru the Bible at