Paths v5n2 2016 spring

News & Views from Walk Thru the Bible

Launching GGS in Moldova Open Doors in Public Schools

Weekly Devotionals for Spring

Spring 2016

Walk Thru the Bible 5550 Triangle Parkway, Suite 250 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 www.walkthru.org Volume 5, Number 2 Spring 2016 Published quarterly President Phil Tuttle Vice President of Advancement Michael Gunnin Editor Chris Tiegreen Designer Michael Koiner Contributors Chris Tiegreen Emily Tuttle Michael Gunnin

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ome friends recently asked me an interesting question. “When you’re putting a course together, you’re already picturing where it might be used, right?”

Seems like a simple question, but it really isn’t. Yes, of course, I think about who I might be talking to when I’m preparing a study. And,

as a ministry, we have ideas about where God

might use it. We approach things with a strategy.

But do we really know when we produce a new

biblical resource all the places it’s going to go?

Well, God is not nearly that predictable.

There’s no shortage of examples: a lunch-hour Bible study in Asia

not only being approved by a company president but being funded

by him in all six branches of the company; in a city dominated by drug cartels,

the police force using one of our courses as part of their ongoing trainin

parliament members in an Eastern European country studying one

resources; soldiers in Ukraine receiving copies of Crucible to encour

strengthen them on the front lines; and on and on.

much we prioritize regions, countries, and language groups, God

expect to reach, He has creative ways of reaching more.

© 2016 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. All rights reserved.

of our

age and

We could not have anticipated any of these events. No matter how

times opens unexpected doors into others. No matter how many

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

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some-

people we

You’ll see examples of that in this issue of Pathways—training in one free country opening the door to several closed ones; the number of people reached in one region nearly doubling while the cost to reach them remains amazingly low; opportunities to teach biblical truth in public schools in European countries that once were hostile to Christians. We could not have strategized for any of these opportunities; God simply gave them to us.

I’ve learned now not to plan too rigidly on where God should use this ministry but instead to envision where He might. I hope you’ll enjoy envisioning with me as you read the stories of His creativity in this magazine. He never falls short of our expectations in our lives. In fact, I think He enjoys surpassing them.

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.

SPRING 2016

VOL. 5

NO. 2

FEATURES

6 A Launch with Leverage

The Making of a Movement in Moldova It’s a small country, but many of its emerging Christian leaders hope to have a big impact in the region. The launch of God’s Grand Story in Moldova in January was a significant step in that direction.

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Public Schools with Open Doors

Teaching the Next Generation In many countries, public schools cannot teach the Bible. But several European countries have opened their classrooms to Bible instructors, and Walk Thru the Bible is taking advantage of the opportunities.

Devotionals 22 T K B he

ingdom

lessing

Weekly readings excerpted from indeed magazine

DEPARTMENTS

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New at Walk Thru the Bible

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Regional News

Resources for the coming year

Highlights from around the world

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Country Profile

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Step Into the Story

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Leader Profile

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Donor Profile

Moldova

What 50 Cents Can Accomplish in Asia Seeing the Needs Beyond the Fear Wahid Wahba, regional director for Middle East/ North Africa Investing the Word Greg and Laura Champion

Moldova is a small country, but it’s strategically situated in Eastern Europe with the potential to influence surrounding countries. An emerging generation of Christian leaders has dreams of doing just that.

What’s New @ Walk Thru Meet the New VP >

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alk Thru the Bible has a new vice president of North American ministries, but she isn’t new to the ministry at all. In fact, she has quite a bit of experience with Walk Thru the Bible stretching back 23 years.

Genny Baxley moved from the position of vice president of administration to assume responsibility of North American ministries in December. “It feels like coming home for me,” Genny says, “because I started in seminars (now called live events). It embodies everything I love about Walk Thru the Bible.”

After working in the live events section of the ministry, Genny became director of human resources in 2000, a position that eventually developed into the vice president of administration. In her new position as leader of North American ministries, she will oversee live events, publishing, and product development for the North American region.

1 + 1 = 13

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hat happens when you combine one component of the God’s Grand Story collection of resources with another? In this case, the result is a 13-week resource for small groups called Finding God in the Big Picture: Old Testament Version.

The new study compiles the six sessions that were in the God’s Grand Story: Old Testament workbook with the six sessions of Jesus in the Old Testament. Added to the 12 combined sessions, each covering one week of readings plus a discussion guide, is a one-session wrap-up to the entire study. Together, the collection takes participants through the major storyline of the Old Testament, introduces them to the essential themes, characters, and events of the story, and explores the numerous examples of messianic references, symbolism, and prophecies in the Old Testament that point to the life and ministry of Jesus.

This 13-week resource includes a DVD and workbook, but unlike the God’s Grand Story: Old Testament, it does not include a Walk Thru the Old Testament kickoff event and is not part of a church-wide campaign. It functions primarily as a small-group discussion guide and can also be used for individual study.

Finding God in the Big Picture fits nicely into the calendar for churches that schedule

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classes and small groups on a quarterly basis, but of course can be used any time of year for groups and individuals not on a specific schedule. It is scheduled to be released in late spring or early summer this year.

For more information on Finding God in the Big Picture: Old Testament Version, visit www.walkthru.org/bigpicture-ot.

New Kids >

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ids in the Book: New Testament, the children’s version of Walk Thru the New Testament often taught simultaneously with the adult version, has been updated. The new graphics and visuals modernize the look and feel of the resource to be more consistent with contemporary graphics.

The Kids in the Book live event reveals the “big picture” of God’s story through a unique, fun, kinetic style of learning. Children gain lifelong benefits from participating in the event. Not only will they learn the big picture of the Bible, they also learn how to pray, read the Bible effectively, and apply biblical principles to their everyday lives.

Regional News Asia> Al Watson, national director for Australia, recently led Walk Thru the Old Testament classes to train Walk Thru the Bible instructors for the work in Japan. A team is currently being organized to promote the work in that country.

Al also taught Walk Thru the Old Testament in the mountains of Nepal in January, traveling hours uphill to reach a predominantly Hindu village where a Christian church has been meeting. About 45 people attended the open-air meetings, and many had never heard the story of the Old Testament before.

Europe > KovĂĄcs BalĂĄzs, national director for Hungary, is teaching weekly Walk Thru the Old Testament events this winter in several cities in Hungary, including one training event at the Hungarian Baptist Theological University, where 53 pastors and two professors learned how to teach the event in their churches and classes. Other events in public schools are often reaching 500 or more students per week (see story on p. 16).

CIS/Ukraine > Yuri Shelestun, regional director for CIS/Ukraine, led a live event for youth in Ukraine in November. About 400 young people from Zhytomyr, a city

in the northwestern part of the country, attended, and 55 of them are planning to teach the event in their local churches in the coming months. Yuri and Sergey Stepanchenko also conducted a marriage event for 70 people in the Moscow region of Russia.

A leadership event in Ternopol, Ukraine, drew students from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and Ukraine in December.

Also in December, a camp for graduates of orphanages in the Rovno region of Ukraine was based on the Detour course on the life of Joseph.

Many young people made decisions to forgive, to forsake bitterness, to embrace hope for the future. Some accepted Christ as their Savior.

Latin America > God’s Grand Story was launched in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in February, with 70 pastors and leaders from the city and surrounding communities attending the event. The training included simulated home meetings and sample sermons for the leaders to be able to adapt in their churches and small groups programs. .

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A Launch with Leverage The Making of a Movement in Moldova

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he room was full of students—nearly 200 of them. For a training like this, the audience is usually composed of pastors and leaders, experienced teachers who want to add another effective tool to their ministry toolbox.

There were, in fact, some there who fit that description. Pastors and experienced teachers came from churches in Chisinau and other regions of Moldova for the launch of God’s Grand Story. But the vast majority of attendees were students from a local Christian high school and two Christian universities. These are the ones who will carry this church-wide campaign into small groups, satellite churches, and even countries that are normally restrictive toward Christian teaching. They will bring a contagious level of energy to the campaign.

In the process, they will gain much-needed experience in Bible teaching.

The ripple effects of this training will reach farther than most. One reason is the small-group program at Biserica Filadelfia (Philadelphia

University students who minister to victims of human trafficking ask Beni Lup, regional director for Eastern Europe, about Walk Thru the Bible courses that may help.

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Church), the host church in Chisinau, Moldova’s capital city. The church currently has 510 members, but as many as 1,200 to 1,500 attend every week, and almost 1,000 are in small groups. Each small group meets for three months and then takes a month off; then the groups reassemble into different groupings and meet for another three months, and so on. This not only deepens relationships across the congregation; it also serves as the vehicle to meet the needs of people in financial difficulties.

The government refers needy people to the church, and small groups adopt and integrate them into the fellowship. Members of each group contribute groceries or other necessities. This approach not only helps the city, it has built up the church.

A robust and growing small-group program like that is the perfect situation for God’s Grand Story, which is centered on a congregation’s discipleship groups to help people deepen their understanding in and commitment to God’s Word. This comprehensive campaign involves every ministry

of a participating church—preaching, Sunday School, and small groups, for example—engaging the entire congregation in daily Bible reading and prayer for at least six weeks. The whole church is united in its Bible study—everyone literally on the same page—and developing what can often become a lifelong habit of Scripture reading. For many churches, it’s a truly transforming experience.

An International Vision

the gospel back to their home countries of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, and other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (see sidebar article, page 11).

Another group from a Christian university that has a social work emphasis came not only for the training but to inquire about other Walk Thru the Bible courses, specifically those that will help women victimized by the human trafficking trade and in recovery programs. They minister not only in Moldova but in many other eastern European countries.

In total, the potential ministry reach of the Moldova launch of God’s Grand Story totaled at least 12 countries, based only on the people in the room and the countries they came from or have ministered in. The next round

FOR MANY CHURCHES, IT’S A TRULY TRANSFORMING EXPERIENCE.

But the impact of this God’s Grand Story launch will extend farther than the host church, the city of Chisinau, or even Moldova. Students from two universities in the Chisinau area came with very distinct goals.

One group of Russian-speaking students is currently pursuing education that will help them take

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of trainees—those who will be taught and trained by those at this training—would likely increase that number even more. That’s a lot of leverage for a roomful of 200 students and church leaders.

Of course, this launch was only the kickoff for the God’s Grand Story campaign, which normally begins with a Walk Thru the Old Testament event.

Beni Lup, Walk Thru the Bible’s regional director for Eastern Europe, taught the event and kept the entire room focused with his engaging style and humorous stories. Most attending the launch aren’t trained to duplicate the kickoff event, though they can certainly use some of its teaching methodology in their own ministries. But after the event, most of them will go through further training in how to lead a

small group and, for those not involved at the host church, how to bring the full experience to their home churches.

THE POTENTIAL MINISTRY REACH OF THE LAUNCH TOTALED AT LEAST 12 COUNTRIES.

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A Rich History

The God’s Grand Story event has a slightly different translation in Moldova because the word “story” implies something that isn’t true—a fable, a tale, a piece of fiction. But God’s Great History resonates with people who are proud of their own country’s history, in which the most prominent figure is Stephen the Great, the prince of Moldavia in the late 1400s who halted the Ottoman advance into Europe. He became not only a national hero but also a hero in Orthodox tradition, which continues to dominate the religious landscape of the country.

More than 60 percent of Moldovans are practicing Orthodox believers, and many more claim some affiliation with the church. A substantial portion of the population is secular—common in post-Soviet territory—with the remaining pieces of the demographic pie divided between Protestants, Catholics, and Muslims. That puts evangelicals, the group most likely to use Walk Thru the Bible events and resources, very much in the minority, though they are growing and finding innovative ways to meet the needs of a society where government is seen as inefficient. Filadelfia Church and other outreach-minded congregations are making a difference.

Many Moldovans have fallen on hard times, the economy is stressful on the middle and lower classes, and protests are a regular occurrence in front of the Parliament building in central Chisinau. Protests began months ago along proRussian and pro-European lines; most Romanianspeaking Moldovans lean toward Europe and want their country to join the European Union,

Reaching the Hard-to-Reach

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adia and her friends performed all the hand signs and laughed at all of Beni Lup’s jokes at the God’s Grand Story launch in Moldova, but sometimes those movements and laughter were a delayed reaction. That’s because they were listening to a Russian translation of the Romanian presentation through earpieces. Most of them come from countries that end with “stan.”

This group of attendees are students at a Christian University in Moldova that exists to train students from Muslim-dominated countries, most of them former Soviet republics, and then send them back home equipped to teach the Bible and spread the gospel in that context. In fact, the students can’t attend unless they already have arrangements with their home countries to return after their three years in school. But before they return, they know how to reach people in creative, unconventional ways.

Nadia is from one of those “stan” countries, and though she had some difficulty understanding the presentation, she was encouraged by it. She saw the teaching as relevant for people of any age, but she was especially aware of how it might be used with children. In her country, children are not allowed to be in church; some churches have been shut down for having children in them because government authorities do

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not want the Christian faith to be passed down to the next generation. So Nadia plans to take the Walk Thru the Old Testament teaching to children outside the church in her home community.

“I see lots of missionaries come with courage to preach the gospel,” she said. “This training helps me take courage with me, along with greater knowledge of the Bible.”

Past students from the Christian university have returned to their countries—most from the Commonwealth of Independent States, including Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and others—and opened new churches, started new ministries, or influenced secular organizations with the gospel. Some are sent not to their home country but to Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East. Their fields of ministry are difficult, but the university teaches them how to approach children and adults in those contexts and, as Nadia says, “how to talk to people in a way that they will understand and connect with us.”

Other students and leaders from an evangelical university also attended the training, but their focus was quite different. They came not only to receive instruction in God’s Grand Story but also to learn about other Walk Thru the Bible courses.

They do a lot of work with people in recovery— from addictions, from abusive relationships, and particularly from the ravages of human trafficking. Resources from the Biblical Character Series, especially Detour on the life of Joseph and the new Chosen course on the life of Mary, may be helpful.

The group wants further training in any resources that help restore faith, hope, and vision, and they plan to use them in Moldova and the Baltic states, and in several countries closed to evangelistic work. Through pastoral counseling, teaching, and social work, they can meet needs with government approval while spreading biblical truth. .

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while many Russian-speaking Moldovans lean toward Moscow in the east. But those protests have converged, and now both socialists and democrats simply voice their displeasure with the current government. Socialists protest in one place on certain days and democrats in another, but both call for an end to corruption and new leaders they can trust.

Meanwhile, civic-minded Christians involve themselves in the business and public sectors to bring about change in their society, and some are finding substantial success. And some are using Walk Thru the Bible materials to help (see article on p. 16).

So the teaching—God’s Grand Story, as well as our courses on leadership and marriage and family—is needed. People are hungry, some churches are growing, and there is a clear need for leadership training, especially among younger Christians. That’s one reason the host church for the training is utilizing its high school and college students to lead small groups; they not only bring energy and enthusiasm to the experience, they gain valuable experience in the process.

“I learned a lot of things today,” said Catalina, one of the students who received training. “I

felt the presence of God here.” She already knew the Old Testament “pretty well” before the launch event, but the modes of instruction—kinesthetic memory devices and audience participation, for example—gave her a clearer understanding and also a clear vision of how she might teach others. She wants to use the training not only in God’s Grand Story follow-up but also in Sunday School, summer camp, and “with my friends who don’t know Jesus.”

Marina found the teaching style “interesting and funny,” marveling that she never felt compelled to look at her watch during the day.

“I enjoyed every minute,” she laughed, and expressed her desire to teach the material herself after further training and practice. “I think we need more of this at our school,” she said. “We are the next generation, the future leaders. I’m excited about the opportunities.”

Another student said this event was the best training she has ever received in her life. A more experienced teacher said he had tried teaching the Old Testament in churches, “but this is a better way.”

After the teaching, a student-led worship team led the attendees in stirring songs of worship and prayer, specifically for God to move in Moldova. Most left at the end of the day with a sense of mission to reach their country—and many others beyond its borders—with the truth of Scripture. They not only sang about a movement; they want to start one. And at the God’s Grand Story launch, they found a tool that will help it grow. .

“WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION, THE FUTURE LEADERS. I’M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES.”

Left: Protests are such a regular occurrence in front of Moldova’s Parliament building that platforms and signs are semi-permanently installed. Right: Beni Lup launched God’s Grand Story in Moldova with a Walk Thru the Old Testament event.

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Country Profile

Moldova Population: 3.5 million

ic) 93.4%; Turkic 4%; other 2.6% Ethnicity: European (Latin, Slav ; 75.2%; Russian 16%; Ukrainian 3.8% Language: Moldovan/Romanian 1.1%; other 0.7% Gagauz (Turkish) 3.1%; Bulgarian

Political system: Republic in the world, slightly larger than Geography: 140th largest country Maryland 4%; igious 21%; Muslim 5%; Protestant Religion: Orthodox 62%; Non-rel Catholic 2%; other 6%

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oldova has freedom of religion, though the Orthodox Church wields a lot of cultural influence, and secular influence from the Soviet era remains. Many Moldovans are discontent with the government; socialists and democrats both hold regular demonstrations outside the parliament building to protest corruption and economic policies that benefit the wealthy but not the working classes. Unemployment, alcohol abuse, and human trafficking are significant social problems. A narrow eastern territory within Moldova, called Transnistria, is technically part of the country but in fact functioning autonomously.

Prayer Needs: Evangelical Christians are increasing in number and gaining influence in the public sector and business. Economic hardship has forced some Christians to leave Moldova in recent years, but many more have remained and are helping address the social and economic needs of the country.

Education and leadership training are significant needs within the Christian community, and schools and churches are working to raise up mature leaders.

• Pray for Christians to have profound influence in the country’s education system and to develop effective leaders within their own congregations.

• Pray for evangelistic opportunities in this country that offers freedom of religion but is also home to some groups and institutions that resist the Christian message.

• Pray for Moldovan pastors, leaders, and teachers who are translating and distributing Walk Thru the Bible resources within Moldova and in neighboring countries. Pray that these materials will equip pastors and churches with the tools they need to help their nation grow stronger and more faithful. .

Sources: U.S. Department of State (www.state.gov), CIA World Factbook (www.cia.gov), and Operation World

by Jason Mandryk, 7th edition, ©2010.

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Influencing - a Generation Schools with Open Doors

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n atheist principal approached Romica, the host pastor, after a recent training event for educators. “I don’t believe what you teach,” he said, “but you’re doing something right. I can see that this works for you.”

It was intended as a compliment and received as such by Romica, whose church runs a private Christian school. The man continued: “But how did you get your teachers to lead the sessions?

I can’t get my employees to do anything outside of their normal working hours. How much did you pay them?”

“Oh, I didn’t pay them anything,” the pastor replied. “They love to serve. They want to help others.”

The principal found that to be a difficult concept, but he applauded the methods and thanked Romica for letting his school and teachers share them. His experience with churches in general, and the Orthodox culture in particular, had led him to

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believe that any church school would be steeped in archaic methods and doctrines. “But you do things in a modern way,” he said, “and with excellence.

This is good and useful for us.”

Most of what was taught at that educators’ event was from Walk Thru the Bible. The ministry’s courses on effective teaching and leadership, biblical principles for raising children, and the value of marriage and family relationships were not originally designed for secular audiences, but they have been used effectively in that context.

The educators’ event at Romica’s church in Moldova was structured around those courses, and they were gratefully received as cutting-edge tools that will help public schools across the country.

It wasn’t always that way. Not long ago in Moldova, public school leaders assumed that anything that came from a church was second-rate and hardly worthy of attention. But the school at Romica’s church has had a 100 percent success rate with its students passing the baccalaureate exam

Kathy’s position in Moldova’s Ministry of Education gives her a ready audience with public school teachers and administrators.

and was recently ranked the fourth best school in the country. When it put on a training event for teachers last year, some administrators advised their employees not to go—“What can a Christian school teach you?” they asked. But many went anyway; they wanted the certificate to help fulfill their continuing education requirements. They came away with such positive reviews that the administrators and principals attended this year. Now the church has been asked to offer more trainings, and in more parts of the country.

This year’s event was organized by Kathy, a Walk Thru the Bible instructor who also works in the country’s Ministry of Education. Her influence has given the church’s training events credibility, and her desire is to train every educator in the country with Walk Thru the Bible courses. Because of the excellence with which she and her coworkers have presented them, public administrators are eager to receive them.

That kind of reception would seem farfetched in many secularized countries, just as it

was in Moldova until recently. At the recent training event, virtually every attendee other than the Christian school’s staff was a non-Christian. Yet two principals stood up at the end of the event and described how overwhelmed and encouraged they were by the day’s teaching—which included a brief portion of the Walk Thru the Old Testament event as an example of kinesthetic learning. The principals encouraged all the educators present to take the training back to their teams. One said he had a high school of 1,000 students in southern Moldova and would invite the team to conduct further training in their area. Another said, “We don’t know where you find your presenters, but we are thankful they share their methods with us. Maybe we should look more to religion for things that work. You may have the keys for transforming our nation.”

That’s a profound statement coming from an education leader in a former Soviet republic. It’s also a golden opportunity; now public schools are inviting Walk Thru the Bible partners to train their teachers at their expense.

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ot far to the northwest of Moldova, Kovács Balázs, Walk Thru the Bible’s national director for Hungary, is taking advantage of similar opportunities. The current president of Hungary is a Christian who has led his government to require biblical teaching in public schools. Five denominations are permitted to meet the demand for in-school training, and Walk Thru the Bible is in partnership with some of them. Kovács is currently teaching between 200 and 600 students per week in Walk Thru the Old Testament in public school classrooms.

That kind of ministry has been going on for years in the United Kingdom and Sweden, where Walk Thru the Bible instructors are reaching 30,000 students per year in each country. Religious education is a requirement in those countries for students finishing primary school, but only for instruction that is non-denominational and not in any way aimed at conversion. In other words, it has to be instruction about religion rather than persuasion for a religion. But adapted versions of the Old Testament and New Testament events—called “Bible Explorer” in the U.K. and “Bible Adventure” in

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Sweden—accomplish that for instruction in both Judaism and Christianity, thus fulfilling the curriculum requirement.

Teachers appreciate the assistance, as most don’t want to fulfill the religious instruction requirement themselves. Walk Thru the Bible instructors are welcomed into schools, and with the innovative methods of their teaching are able to give students a memorable, educational, and positive impression of what the Bible is—an alternative impression from the one secular society gives them.

It gets kids excited about Scripture.

From a teacher’s perspective, this is an entertaining, easy-access program that holds students’ attention. And for most of the students, those five to ten hours are the only exposure to the Bible they have ever had.

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hese opportunities to have an impact in the field of education, particularly public education, are satisfying at many levels. For one, mission-minded Christians have long felt the frustration of wanting to reach the world outside the church’s walls while being largely limited to activities within them. These are exactly the kind

of open doors in the public sector many believers have been looking for.

Another benefit is the impact these initiatives are having on the next generation. The gospel is good news for anyone of any age, but the opportunity to reach tomorrow’s leaders today, and to captivate hearts with the truth of the gospel while they are young, is irresistible. This is how entire nations are changed.

That concept is behind the vision of Romica’s church to build a Christian university that is based on faith and instilled with excellence.

Standing before a room full of secular educators, he told the story of how one of the school’s students came to them from a small house with a dirt floor. That student is now doing post-doctoral work in biochemistry in Switzerland, and she wants to return to Moldova to help students get a good education. Romica

extended the same offer to other students that was once given to this one: he would give free room and board to any qualifying student who wanted to go to his church’s school but couldn’t afford it.

It’s a promise backed with the conviction that every person has value and potential, and that education is how nations are changed.

If that education is biblically based, not only are minds changed; so are hearts.

Romica, Kovács, and all other Walk Thru the Bible instructors who are reaching into public school systems believe that. And their faithfulness is influencing an entire generation. .

THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH TOMORROW’S LEADERS TODAY IS IRRESISTIBLE. THIS IS HOW ENTIRE NATIONS ARE CHANGED.

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Into the Word w e e k l y

the

d e v o t i o n a l s

KINGDOM BLESSING

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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

March 28–April 3 Mark 16:9-20

THE REALLY GOOD NEWS He told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”

(Mark 16:15 nlt) IN WORD The word gospel is part of the basic vocabulary of most Christians.

We use it to describe the message of Jesus, one of the first four books of the New Testament about Jesus’ ministry, or a genre of music. Many are aware of its common translation as “good news.” We take it for granted that the gospel equals Jesus equals goodness.

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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.

But there’s a difference between our intellectual under­standing of “gospel” and how we apply it to our lives and the lives of others. In the experience of many, the gospel hasn’t been very good news at all. Some believers, misunderstanding the freedom it gives or the depths to which it can take them, feel burdened by its high standards or unrealized fulfillment. And those outside the faith often equate it with the condemnation they sense from Christians, the political views of vocal Chris­tians, or a holierthan-thou facade Christians often present.

None of that seems good.

What is the truly good news Jesus sent His followers to preach? That the Kingdom is coming, and the King is very kind, generous, and welcoming—even to those who do not accept Him. This King will put everything right, heal all wounds, wipe away every tear, and

establish true freedom in this world. Life on earth will be “as it is in heaven,” and heaven is better than human stereotypes have portrayed it. This kingdom is the desire of all nations and the longing of every human heart.

IN DEED Much of what we preach to all creation is not the good news. Many Christians either preach good news to some of creation—usually those who agree with them—while those who preach to all creation often present news that isn’t very good. The true gospel is always appealing, always winsome, always a blessing to those who need it.

Not every hearer will recognize its goodness or its value, but they should at least hear of it. Our assignment as kingdom citizens is to make sure they do.

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

WEEK 4

Isaiah 11

Proverbs 11:10-11

Proverbs 11:10-11

April 4-10

April 11-17

April 18-24

THE SAME SPIRIT

PROSPERITY AND PURPOSE

BORN TO BLESS

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him.

(Isaiah 11:2 nlt)

When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices.

(Proverbs 11:10)

Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted. (Proverbs 11:11)

IN WORD The Spirit of the Lord rested on Jesus. He quoted another prophecy of Isaiah to make that point when He preached in His home synagogue: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18). When God sent His Son into this world in human flesh, stripped of all His divine, supernatural rights (Philippians 2:6-8), He invested in Him the Spirit of His own character. Like God would later do in every person of faith in and obedience to the gospel, He gave the human Jesus His own divine nature. The Spirit and the flesh met in Christ.

God’s desire in sending His Son was not just to save the world. Salvation is just the beginning. No, God’s desire was to save people first in order to pour His Spirit on them and in them. We are to be like Jesus, not just in habits and outward performance, but in inward nature. God’s plan was (and still is) to have a multitude of incarnations of Himself—human beings clothed in His Spirit to be ambassadors and reconcilers in this rebellious world. We are the temple of God Himself. The presence of God in this world is His Holy Spirit in human hearts.

IN WORD Most people don’t rejoice when other people prosper. Sometimes they get jealous; others just ignore the prosperity of others as irrelevant to their own lives. So why does Scripture tell us that the city rejoices when the righteous prosper?

Because the righteous—not simply those who have been justified by God but those who live in a way that reflects the kingdom of God—use their prosperity for the good of all.

Think about it: if we’re living with a kingdom orientation, how likely are we to use our positions selfishly? to have influence without using it for the good of those who need advocates? to build networks without those relationships becoming an influence for good? to build mansions without building lives? to do a job without serving others in it? No, the kingdom mindset looks for ways to exemplify the kingdom everywhere. And when the righteous prosper, the opportunities to exemplify the kingdom multiply. That’s good for everyone.

Look at it this way: the kingdom is a realm of no injustice, no lack, no abuses, no brokenness. And kingdom citizens long to be pictures of the kingdom culture, so we offer foretastes of it. We find ways to embody it and bring people into it. We see our jobs, our platforms, and our networks as kingdom collateral that advances the kingdom ways. So when kingdom citizens prosper, everyone benefits.

IN WORD We sit in traffic and complain about all the cars blocking our way. Or we stand in line wondering how long we will have to wait and lamenting the waste of time. The conversations that go on in our minds at such moments are often filled with criticism or frustration. But there’s one voice that we should listen to above all others. It’s the voice that says, “Look at all the people I’ve put in your line of sight to bless! Look at all the problems in front of you that you could be praying about! Look into the hearts of the people around you and ask Me to meet their needs!” In other words, we have numerous opportunities to bless people. And we miss them.

Those opportunities aren’t limited to prayers, of course. Virtually everyone lives, works, or studies among other people who, in some way or another, could be influenced by a godly attitude and a desire to bless. The Christian community has a plethora of platforms among us, and we could use them to improve lives, encourage hearts, and show glimpses of the kingdom way. Instead, many of us use our time in arguments and critiques on social media, or by focusing on our immediate needs and not the needs of others, or by looking for a chance just to get away from it all. But God has given us a multitude of open doors to get into it all in a way that blesses the neighborhood, the community, and the city. He has called His people to be blessers as a demonstration of what the kingdom looks like.

IN DEED We tend to see so clearly the uniqueness of Jesus that we forget that He is also the prototype of all of redeemed humanity. That’s why He told His disciples that He was sending them into the world the same way the Father sent Him (John 20:21). That’s why He told them they would do even greater works than He did (John 14:12). That’s why a ragged band of disciples was able to turn the world upside down in a few short decades.

Never forget that Jesus is your prototype. God’s Spirit rested on Jesus. It’s also His desire for His Spirit to rest on you.

In faith and obedience, walk the path He ordains for you, and ask Him for the same Spirit He invested in His Son.

IN DEED For far too long, whether intentionally or not, the church has preached a message of going to church on Sundays, worshiping and tithing, and sharing your faith during the week. All of that is good, but it’s woefully short of a kingdom lifestyle. Kingdom citizens repair and restore cities. Being a lawyer, teacher, real estate agent, or anyone else who lives righteously to serve and influence the system is a sacred calling. When we serve society with a kingdom perspective, we serve the kingdom. And the city rejoices.

IN DEED The kingdom doesn’t benefit when we withhold our influence, resources, and relationships from those outside of it. The kingdom’s reputation isn’t enhanced when we miss opportunities to demonstrate the kingdom in the world.

And no lives are touched when we forget to say a blessing, even a silent one, over the needy lives and families around us.

When the upright serve the welfare of the community, the community responds with joy. That’s what the kingdom looks like. It certainly will later; but it can even now.

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WEEK 5

WEEK 6

WEEK 7

Zechariah 8

Zechariah 8

Zechariah 8

April 25–May 1

May 2-8

May 9-15

WHERE GOD LIVES

HOW GOD FEELS

WHEN GOD APPEARS

“I am returning to Mount Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem.” (Zechariah 8:3 nlt)

“I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.” (Zechariah 8:2)

IN WORD The most glorious predictions of the prophets are for a future time. The world hasn’t seen their fulfillment yet.

They are sweeping and majestic, so much so that many people take them to be exaggerated symbolism. But they are not. God is building His kingdom, and it won’t be small or incomplete. It will be worthy of His majesty and glory. It will be even better than the prophets describe.

Zechariah prophesied during a time of rebuilding, when captives had returned to Jerusalem and begun the work of restoration. In case the laborers forgot the magnitude of their sacred task and began to see it as simply a building project, Zechariah’s prophecy gave them a powerful motivation: God Himself was returning to Zion. The restoration of Jerusalem was not a manual labor nightmare. It was a privilege of the highest order.

There’s a parallel for those of us who have been grafted into God’s kingdom. The things we do in His name, even the most mundane of tasks, are eternally significant. To the extent we are given over to His purposes, we are laborers in a sacred endeavor. And our task is focused on something far greater than a temple of stone in which our Lord will dwell. We’re craftsmen of a temple of flesh in which each one of us is a building block—and in which the King of Glory lives. There is no higher service in the universe.

IN WORD Many people believe God to be calm, objective, unemotional, and completely dignified. It’s an idea that comes from humanity’s highly cultivated religious imagination. It’s a noble spiritual thought that comes from our understanding that God has foreknowledge and is never surprised, and that He is omnipotent and able to accomplish whatever He wants. Theoretically, He has no reason to get excited about much. And He has no inclination to feel emotional pain.

That very religious perception, however, is completely wrong. It isn’t the way God portrays Himself in Scripture.

No, when God paints His self-portrait in the words of the prophets, He’s deeply passionate—a Husband wounded by His bride’s adultery, a Father grieving over His prodigal children, a Potter frustrated with the clay He is shaping. And it isn’t all negative: God rejoices and sings with delight over His beloved. There’s nothing bland about Him. He experiences the highest highs and the deepest lows.

That may be hard to express theologically—theology always has a hard time with the emotions of God—but it’s a thoroughly biblical picture. God is burning with jealousy over His people.

He zealously accomplishes His purposes.

The intensity of His feelings would be overwhelming to us if we experienced them. We would short-circuit if we got a real glimpse of them. Our infinite God has infinite emotions, and He often has them over us.

“In those days ten men from different nations and languages of the world will clutch at the sleeve of one Jew. And they will say, ‘Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’” (Zechariah 8:23 nlt)

IN DEED You may have gotten up this morning dreading the work you have to do, or perhaps being completely bored with the prospects of your day. If so, consider the magnitude of your position. You are a key element in the eternal kingdom, and your labor is never mundane. Whatever you have to do today, you can do it in the Spirit of Jesus, with grace and reverence, knowing that in God’s kingdom even small stones are big. Your potential today is huge—and it’s absolutely sacred.

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IN DEED Spend some time thinking about that today. God’s love isn’t just sentimental pleasantry; it’s an intense burning of passion that is never quenched and refuses to be thwarted. His delight over His children is more than an encouraging word for the day; it’s an ecstatic celebration in heavenly places. And His grief over our sin—well, we’d just die if we got a taste of that. The point is that God feels deeply. When we realize that He feels deeply for us, it’s enough to change our lives forever.

IN WORD The Bible makes it clear that God does not show favoritism (Acts 10:34)—He is “no respecter of persons,” as one translation puts it. Peter spoke those words when God called him to go to the house of Cornelius, a Gentile who, according to traditional Jewish opinion, was outside of the kingdom of God and would stay that way. But God’s message to Peter was that the doors of the kingdom were wide open to anyone who would believe and who would seek God on His terms.

The blessings of God were to be global, not national.

God’s impartiality notwithstanding, He has demonstrated throughout Scripture that He is a God who chooses to reveal Himself in context. He chose an individual (Abraham) and then a people (Abraham’s descendants through grandson Jacob).

Then He birthed a Messiah through that nation. The Messiah is the one who blew the doors of the kingdom open. He’s the one who offers life to anyone and everyone who will receive it. Selectivity expands to inclusiveness during the course of salvation history. The seed of Abraham grew into a tree of life, and the fruit is there for all.

So what does Zechariah mean when he prophesies a day when the world will seek the God of the Jews? He means that we cannot enter His kingdom without knowing a very Jewish Messiah who came in the context of one nation’s revelation of law, worship, and religious culture. It’s impossible to know God without knowing how God revealed Himself in Judaism and its Messiah. When He appears again, it will be clear: everything in Hebrew history pointed to Him. IN DEED We who believe in Jesus have been grafted into this vehicle of revelation, this religious/ethnic culture that became the soil for our Messiah. Like Israel, we are priests to our world. As Israel was ordained to do, know how to point to Him. As one chosen by God, offer His blessings to everyone.

WEEK 8

WEEK 9

WEEK 10

Psalm 72

Psalm 72

Psalm 72

May 16-22

May 23-29

May 30–June 5

JUSTICE AND FAVOR

FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

THE GOD WHO CRUSHES

Give your love of justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s son. (Psalm 72:1 nlt)

May the mountains yield prosperity for all, and may the hills be fruitful. (Psalm 72:3 nlt)

Help him to defend the poor, to rescue the children of the needy, and to crush their oppressors.

(Psalm 72:4 nlt)

IN WORD Psalm 72 is more than a prayer for a king. It’s a picture of Israel’s hopes.

It speaks of justice and righteousness, prosperity and blessing, honor and glory.

It’s the shalom—the wholeness and fullness and peace—that every human heart longs for. The people’s expectations for their king, and therefore their kingdom, looked a lot like this.

It begins with justice. When we speak of God’s judgment, we often have in mind His eternal decrees against sin, a spiritual and cosmic settling of accounts. But there’s another kind of justice in Scripture that is purely focused on society and its problems. It involves human governments and social dynamics. It isn’t about the last day; it’s about today. The Bible’s common calls for justice—whether exercised by governing authorities or by God—are about establishing justice for the oppressed, not about establishing justice against the oppressor. It’s a call for mercy.

Any Christian that doesn’t take this call seriously doesn’t understand the kingdom of God. We can’t ignore justice issues in this age and simply long for the day when God will make everything right.

If He wants things to be right, He wants us to help make them so now. We won’t get it done perfectly; Jesus said the poor will always be with us. But He never said that’s an excuse not to meet the needs of the poor.

God expresses profound concern for those who are at the bottom of society.

IN DEED If we are to be kingdom people, we need the King’s heart. And if we want to see a picture of the King’s heart, Psalm 72 is a powerful one. It echoes the Isaiah prophecy Jesus quoted in Luke 4—God anointed Him to preach good news to the poor, release captives, give sight to the blind, and declare the Lord’s favor.

Kingdom people are advocates of favor for all who need to see the kind heart of God. Before we ever even think of His judgments, we are to declare His justice—His support for those in need. We demonstrate the kingdom by demonstrating the heart of the King.

IN WORD God loves righteousness and justice for their own sake. They represent His nature and are a comfort to His people.

But they go further than that. They have ripple effects. When righteousness and justice are expressed in the land, the land bears fruit in greater measure.

That’s what this psalm—and many other places in Scripture—tell us emphatically. We don’t like to think of a cause-andeffect relationship between our sin and the land’s fruitlessness, but there seems to be a solid connection in God’s Word. The rest of this psalm spells it out—the righteous flourish, prosperity abounds, grain grows, and crops thrive (verses 7 and 16). God promises blessing to groups of people who line up with His nature.

Does this mean trials, tribulations, and suffering are always the result of some sin on our part? Of course not. The righteous often suffer in this world simply because they live in a fallen world. It does mean, however, that eventually and increasingly, aligning with God’s nature has benefits for communities and cities and countries. We don’t earn His favor, but we can certainly position ourselves to receive it. He loves to support those who seek His kingdom.

IN DEED This is no license for legalism.

It’s entirely possible to conform outwardly to the letter of the law and have a heart that’s far from God. No, this is about seeking His kingdom above all else, internally and externally. When the King’s heart beats within us, especially at a corporate level, blessings follow. Why? Because those who become like Him also become a vessel for Him. He rides into our world on the roads we establish in our hearts. He responds to faith. He calls His royal children to welcome the ways of their Father.

Be a kingdom person in your community. Bless. Serve. Demonstrate righteousness—not judgmental moralism but the merciful heart of the King. See what God does. Sooner or later, there will be fruit.

IN WORD Some passages of Scripture disturb us. They call for judgment against enemies—something Jesus emphatically did not do even while He was being condemned and crucified. Old Testament prophets write of vengeance, and psalmists pray for the punishment of those who hurt them. These aren’t dominant themes in Scripture, of course, but they are there.

And they don’t seem very merciful.

God is merciful, to be sure. But in His mercy, He opposes evil. We would do the same, reacting harshly to anyone who threatened our spouses or children. When people we love are being harmed, we do whatever it takes to stop the one who harms—not because we are aggressive but because we defend. Likewise, God doesn’t crush enemies because He is full of hate; He crushes them because He is full of love.

Later verses in the psalm make this clear. This picture of a good king and a fulfilled kingdom takes a hard line against injustice. Neither the king’s purpose nor God’s is to crush; it’s to deliver the needy, take pity on the weak, and rescue the oppressed and afflicted (verses 12-14).

When the time is right, He takes decisive action against evil forces. That’s what His kingdom is like.

IN DEED Kingdom people should be filled with a fiery attitude against evil— not a preachy “thou shalt not” at every hint of misbehavior, but active defense of the defenseless. It isn’t our job to crush the oppressor—God tells us to leave vengeance to Him (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19). We are to be merciful. But in our mercy toward those who suffer injustice, we can’t afford to be passive toward those who inflict it. Being quiet in the face of evil is tantamount to aiding and abetting the enemy. In most kingdoms, that’s treason. In God’s, it’s a forgivable offense that needs to be corrected. We need to remember who we are: representatives of the King in a hostile environment. Seek to make things right.

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WEEK 11

WEEK 12

WEEK 13

Psalm 72

Psalm 72

Ephesians 2:1-10

June 6-12

June 13-19

June 20-26

THE GOD WHO REFRESHES

THE GOD WHO WINS

TROPHIES OF GRACE

May the king’s rule be refreshing like spring rain on freshly cut grass, like the showers that water the earth. (Psalm 72:6 nlt)

All kings will bow before him, and all nations will serve him. (Psalm 72:11 nlt)

God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

(Ephesians 2:7 nlt)

IN WORD We long for seasons of refreshing. Life has a way of taking us into dry deserts, dark forests, and dangerous mountain paths. Those parts of the journey sometimes give us a sense of adventure, but when they drag on, we need relief.

The good news of the kingdom is that God promises it. The picture of God’s realm in Psalm 72 includes a gentle rain that refreshes us and leads to a harvest.

Sometimes those dry deserts and dangerous places are our own fault. We wander into them either by passive negligence of God’s purposes or active rebellion against them. Our own guilt tells us we have to put up with the consequences; we’ve made our bed, so now we have to lie in it. But while there are consequences to sin, we belong to a God who is truly merciful. The seasons of refreshing aren’t only for those who have innocently endured a hard time; they are for everyone who has endured a hard time. He doesn’t leave us in the desert, even if we walked away from Him to get there. He listens to our cries for relief.

God’s kingdom is in some sense a restoration of Eden, or at least of Eden’s satisfying, fulfilling blessings. One day we will fully experience these blessings, but even now we get to taste many of them. Weary souls can have their strength renewed; we can mount up with wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31). We can know that the hard seasons of life are temporary.

IN DEED In your longings for the kingdom, don’t be afraid to ask God for seasons of refreshing—for the dews and gentle rains of His love to fall on you and bring new growth. Not all of life is a problem to endure; much of it is a blessing to enjoy.

If the blessings ever seem few and far between, ask Him for relief. Open your heart to receive His touch and His promise.

Let His rains refresh you.

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IN WORD In this psalm, the desire for all nations to honor the king is in the form of a blessing. In Psalm 2, it’s in the form of a prophetic prayer request (2:8). But in Philippians, it’s a certain fact (2:9-11); and in Revelation, it’s a completed picture (5:13).

What begins with human implications for a human king takes on divine overtones for the King of Kings. The Son will receive the worship of the nations because He is the guaranteed victor over humanity’s rebellion.

His victory is no brutal beat-down.

Unlike the rulers of our age who win their battles with decisive force, our King has quashed earth’s rebellion with kindness and love. His victory over all the forces of evil in both visible and invisible realms is complete and final. When history ends, He is the undisputed champion. And the whole earth will be filled with His glory.

That’s important to know when you feel defeated. No matter how overwhelmed you feel by evil, opposition, oppression, discouragement, or futility, you are a member of the winning team as a child of the King. You may wonder why His victory isn’t manifesting in your life at the moment—there are plenty of reasons for that, not the least of which is that He is teaching you to overcome in His strength— but regardless of your questions, victory is certain.

IN DEED Remember that if you’re struggling today. You serve a victorious God who gives you access to His weapons for victory. Learning to wield them may be a painful process that requires patient endurance and faith, but those enduring, trusting investments of your heart will not go unrewarded. Faith and patience always lead to some kind of blessing, and overcomers in the kingdom always grow stronger in each battle. The end result isn’t just a victory for the King; it’s a victory with the King. Through His grace and generosity, His throne, His reign, and His spoils of war are yours.

IN WORD We may think we live private lives, and in many respects we do. We are hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3). But God has a plan for His own glory. No artist wants to create masterpieces that remain unseen by the world, and God is the ultimate artist. He has every intention of putting His greatest works on display, and, according to His Word, we are some of His greatest works. At times in this age and emphatically in ages to come, He plans to point to us as examples of His lavish grace.

As former citizens of darkness and current citizens of the kingdom of glory, we are destined to be in His showcase.

Some of us may be embarrassed by that kind of attention, but we’ll have to get over the embarrassment. This demonstration of grace is primarily about God, not us. We certainly benefit, and for grace to be meaningful, it has to have an object. In that sense, it is about us. But the bigger story is about the Giver, not the recipients. His best works are for the display of His glory.

We are Exhibit A in the case that God is full of love, mercy, compassion, grace, and comfort.

IN DEED Think about that. Many attributes of the King would never have been seen in a perfect environment like heaven, where mercy, forgiveness, healing, deliverance, and comfort are not needed. But these characteristics come into stark relief against the backdrop of our fallen world.

Your pain? It’s there as an occasion for God to show His deliverance and comfort. Your need? It’s there to show His provision.

Your sin? It’s the stage on which His mercy becomes visible. It’s a privilege and honor to play the role of His trophies, and the demonstration will be visible for countless ages to come. Our lives are the perfect landscape for His most beautiful works. .

Step Into the Story

What Can

50 CentsDo?

In South Asia, You’d Be Surprised

F

or years, our South Asia region has reached more than 1 million people per year through live events. No other region has an impact on that many people in face-to-face ministry.

So when the zonal leaders from this region— it includes India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh divided into sub-regional territories—met in January, as they do every year, it was no surprise that their impact in 2015 reached 1.2 million people across the subcontinent. Their annual consultation was a great time of fellowship, teaching and learning, and celebration.

It was also a time for ambitious planning and strategizing because this year, with the launch of God’s Grand Story, the potential is much greater than 1.2 million. In fact, if goals are met, the South

Asia team will reach an additional million through the God’s Grand Story campaign.

What Is God’s Grand Story?

God’s Grand Story is a comprehensive campaign for churches that involves virtually every ministry of the participating church, engaging the entire congregation in daily Bible reading and prayer for at least six weeks.

The campaign launches with a Walk Thru the Old Testament live event and then follows up with daily Bible reading, a weekly Bible study overview of the Old Testament with DVD and guidebook, and sermons that introduce and explore the Old Testament in six major sections.

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Step into the Story

(Contd.)

The campaign doesn’t just start the momenA Lot of Bang for Less than a Buck tum. It keeps it going—officially for six weeks, but That means Walk Thru the Bible partners that’s long enough to dig deeper into Scripture, in South Asia have the opportunity to transform understand its overarching the effectiveness of thousands of story, develop new habits that churches and the lives of a million THE KEY VARIABLE people over the next year. It will can last a lifetime, and ignite a church’s passion for God’s cost $500,000 to implement the IN DISCIPLESHIP Word. During the six-week plan, but the math is very encourIS NOT period, small groups and Sunaging: the enormous impact of this day school classes are energized resource can be realized for only 50 NECESSARILY and lives are transformed. It’s cents per person.

CHURCH long enough not only to expose That’s a lot of impact at a person to Scripture but also minimal cost. For 50 cents per perATTENDANCE to help him or her develop the son, we can offer a million people OR EVEN long-term practice of reading the God’s Grand Story experience, it daily. The entire culture of a which includes daily readings, disOCCASIONAL church can shift. cussions, sermons, and ultimately BIBLE That’s because statistics a lifetime of engagement in God’s show that the key variable in Word. This could be a key moment READING. IT’S discipleship is not necessarily in the spiritual life of India and surREGULAR BIBLE church attendance or even occarounding nations, and there’s no sional Bible reading. It’s regular better time to step into their stories.

ENGAGEMENT. Bible engagement. When people With your help, God’s kingdom in engage with Scripture at least this region will grow dramatically four times a week, lives change dramatically. And through this initiative. . when lives change, families, churches, communities, and even nations change.

How You Can Help Please pray for the impact of God’s Grand Story in South Asia—that it will change lives, revitalize churches, and establish for many people a lifelong practice of reading God’s Word.

We need to raise $500,000 in order to get this teaching into hearts and lives throughout South Asia. That’s only 50 cents per person to reach one million people! You can reach 200 people with $100, 500 people with $250, or a thousand with $500. Please consider whether God might be prompting you to partner with us in the launch and distribution of God’s Grand Story, and please let us know by: • calling Mitchell Ridgeway, manager of donor services, at 678-578-5534 • connecting to www.walkthru.org/donate

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Leader Profile

Seeing Needs Beyond the Fear WAHID WAHBA, REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA

W

ahid Wahba was teaching Solving the People Puzzle, Walk Thru the Bible’s course on God-given personality types and relationships, in a Muslim country. Two members of the secret police came to the resort where the conference was being held and started asking questions.

“What are you doing? Who is responsible for this?” they asked. The organizer pointed to Wahid, who spent the next hour answering questions.

“Here are the books,” Wahid said. “Please take them with you. We have no secrets.”

Wahid worked the gospel message into his explanation of the conference. At the end of the conversation, he was concerned that the officers might forget everything he had said, so he wrote the gospel out on a piece of paper for them. They were delighted. They thanked him and left.

The next morning, they returned. “You have everything already!” Wahid told them. “In Egypt, our facilities are ‘equipped’ [the local euphemism for ‘bugged’]. I know you are not equipped here; come and sit in and listen.”

The police were reluctant, but they sat in the back and eventually warmed up to the teaching.

But toward the end, they got restless. Wahid began to worry. “What did I say?” he wondered.

Terrified, he went straight to them after the session and asked if anything was wrong.

“We were arguing,” they said. “We don’t know which personality type our boss fits into.”

Relieved, Wahid asked if the teaching had

been helpful. They assured him it was. He offered to come to the police station and teach it to the entire staff. They enthusiastically accepted. A stressful situation ended with an opening to share God’s Word.

That’s a snapshot of both the tension and the opportunity in working in the Middle East, and Wahid has experienced each extreme during the course of his ministry.

Wahid has a background in dentistry, and Laila, his wife, is a pediatrician. He first encountered Walk Thru the Bible in 1995 and was invited to training events in England and later in Jordan.

He was eventually asked to lead Walk Thru the Bible’s ministry in the Middle East/North Africa region. That was in 2001, and Wahid has been instrumental in reaching more than 20 countries in this part of the world where Christian ministry can be so difficult.

Wahid established the Middle East Leadership Training Institute as a partner ministry for Walk Thru the Bible in the early 2000s, and he and Laila have trained many influential leaders across many branches of the church, both Protestant and Orthodox. Every year, roughly 250 pastors and leaders are trained, thousands attend events, and millions are reached through satellite television.

In the process, he has broken through barriers of fear, both for himself and Christians he works with. “There is a fear inside of all Christians here, and it isn’t true,” he says. “People are people everywhere, with the same needs. Everybody needs the Word of God.” Two police officers in a Muslim country received the Word because Wahid looked beneath the surface and saw an opportunity. And many more continue to receive it in a difficult region where God is opening more and more doors. .

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Donor Profile

Investing the Word GREG AND LAURA CHAMPION

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reg and Laura Champion first encountered Walk Thru the Bible at a live event hosted by their children’s school in Birmingham, Ala. Over the years, they’ve attended several conferences and become regular supporters of the ministry.

“We love seeing how God is using this ministry to spread His Word across the world,” Greg said. “I love the emphasis and the honor placed on God’s Word and on sharing it throughout the world. I love that this ministry couples the Word with the power of the Holy Spirit to encourage each individual believer to become firmly rooted in the Bible.

“They help people hear God’s Word, know God’s Word, and apply God’s Word to their lives.”

Laura has a personal connection to the ministry Walk Thru the Bible is doing around the world: “I had never been able to read the Bible cover to cover, and I wanted to. I got a Daily Walk Bible, and I read the whole thing. I started in January and made it all the way through to December 31. It completely changed my life. I couldn’t have done it on my own. I did it because Walk Thru’s resources walked me through it.”

They’re especially excited about the impact the ministry is having in the Muslim world.

“It’s a part of the world that’s typically resistant to any type of Christian movement,” Greg explained. “But Walk Thru the Bible has contacts that can bring the message of Christ there.”

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“I’ve heard our international partners from the Middle East asking for even more resources because Walk Thru the Bible is having such an impact there,” Laura said.

Greg and Laura are teaching their children the importance of missions and generosity, and their son Luke, a high school sophomore, attended the Live the Word conference with them last fall.

“We’ve tried to teach our children the most important thing in life is their relationship with the Lord, and the best thing they can do is lead others to Him,” Greg explained. “Our desire is to have a family on a mission to honor God and help others.

We love this ministry because it lines up with our desires for our family. Walk Thru the Bible cares about evangelism and discipleship, and our kids get to see what we’re involved in and develop their own passion to serve God.” Luke reflected on what he has learned through his parents’ involvement with the ministry: “I think my parents give because they know their resources are going to be put somewhere they’re needed. They’re not just giving to give.

They can see the growth that happens because of their generosity. It inspires me to give in the future.”

Laura summed up what supporting Walk Thru the Bible means for their family. “There are two things that last forever: the Word of God and the souls of men. In America we have so much, and we get so distracted by the things we want to get that we forget to give. But the most important thing is to know God’s Word and hide it in your heart.

Take God’s Word and invest in other people.” .

The Last Word

L

ong journeys are always worth it when there is a wonderful destination at the end.

The trip from Atlanta, Ga., to Hyderabad, India, is long.

Very long! But for the privilege of joining our South Asia leadership team for their annual consultation in January, the long journey was definitely worth it. I spent a few days with our team from five countries in the South Asia region. In addition to training 25 of our leaders with new resources, it was my first chance to meet our team and understand more about Walk Thru the Bible’s ministry in the region. Their passion and hard work, often in the

face of difficult opposition, is something special.

On Sunday before I began the long journey home, I was invited to preach at a church located in a very impoverished area

of Hyderabad. The simple building, with its concrete floors and modes

with people who love Jesus.

t furnishings, was filled

Following the service, the kids in the photo below gathered around , and I was asked to pray for them. Following the prayer, we squeezed together for a photo, and it became one of my favorite pictures from the trip.

But there’s more to this story than just smiling faces in a photo. My translator for the morning service was the pastor ’s daughter. She ministers to the childre n in the surrounding community. She is also a trained Walk Thru the Bible instructor and uses our resources in serving these kids.

When I look at this photo, I see a group of kids who have very few material possessions and live in poverty, but I see a contagious joy. I’m confident that this joy is the hope they’ve found in learning about Jesus. And Walk Thru the Bible has been a tool God has used to help these kids learn how much He loves them.

This same story happens around the world every single day. God is pleased to use Walk Thru the Bible to bring hope, joy, and the message of His love to people in desperate situations—even to kids in the slums of Hyderabad.

Thank you for your partnership with this ministry. Be encouraged that your prayers and gifts are changing lives and bringing the hope of God’s Word to people around the world.

Sincerely,

Michael Gunnin

Vice President for Advancement

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IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF PATHWAYS: If you ask African pastors about the church’s biggest needs, strong leaders with character and integrity are almost always at the top of the list. Upcoming training events in our Biblical Character Series will make huge strides toward addressing that need in Nigeria, Ghana, and Togo.

Discover more about Walk Thru the Bible at

WWW.WALKTHRU.ORG