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B
e Loved! This may sound
love God perfectly, 24 hours, 7 days
self Be-Loved! This is where you
strange, but what an invita-
a week! We love Him because He
find your favor in life from God! It
tion! You and I are to be
first loved us. 1 John 4:19 This is why
is called grace! It is unmerited, it is
loved by the Father in our daily lives.
God gave us His only begotten Son
unearned! When you are daily loved,
In fact, this really is the primary ob-
– the love display towards us – even
you take your place as the Beloved!
ligation of every believer!
while we were yet sinners! Romans 5:8
This is where you are accepted, for-
Sometimes I meet people who
Now, our task is to receive His
live continually frustrated with
love! This really shows our devotion
This is what our mission work
themselves, because they feel as
to Him – letting Him love us! And
at Mutual Faith is about – imparting
though they are not loving God per-
our love to Him is a reciprocal! It is
to people charisma!
fectly! They strive to do this loving
because He first loved us that we are
us in this journey! Participate with
God thing – with all their heart, all
able to love Him. So our love to-
us in this assignment! Let us tell
their soul, all their mind and all their
wards Him is not a work or effort to
people everywhere to Be-Loved!
strength! Mark 12:30 They try and then
feel approved, but rather a response
This is really true and trustwor-
they fail! And the result? Living life
because it is only possible to be ap-
thy for each of us! Because of Jesus
feeling condemned, like you just
proved in Christ, and every believer
and His wonderful finished work,
can’t become good enough to be ap-
is “in Christ.” When we receive
you can be assured that God loves
proved by God, and accepted by
Jesus and His work on the cross for
you completely, and we do too!
Him!
us into our life then we are giving a
However, this is why the
genuine love response to God’s love.
Gospel of Jesus Christ is such good
And that is true love because it is
news! This pattern of our own ef-
based on the unconditional love we
fort to love Him, is man made and
have received from Him!
has never been possible! No one can
Do yourself a favor! Let your-
given, favored and fruitful!
Romans 1:11-12
In Mutual Faith,
Keith Hershey
PUBLISHER: KEITH HERSHEY y DESIGN: CARLO KROUZIAN y COPYWRITERS: KEITH HERSHEY, JOSH HERSHEY
Nations is published by Mutual Faith Ministries Int’l., a non-profit missionary evangelistic organization. ©MFMI. All rights reserved. Nations magazine and logo are trademarks of Mutual Faith Ministries Int’l. in the U.S. and countries where it circulates and MFMI offices are established. Mutual Faith Ministries P. O. Box 951060, Mission Hills, CA 91395 Tel.: 1-800-367-8887 / mutualfaith.org
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BY JOSH HERSHEY
Photo: Abigail Hershey / born August 23, 2011
The Joy Of New Birth
G
light, and starting to know yourself
ood News! My daughter
Nicodemus had snuck out at
Abigail Hershey was born
night to see the great wonder-work-
into the world on August
ing rabbi that all of Jerusalem, in-
Just as being born naturally is a
23, 2011. Her name means “fathers
cluding his great Jewish ruling
passive process, whereby the baby
joy” and she has already been a ful-
council, the Sanhedrin, were talking
simply rests in the work and love of
fillment of that name in so many
about. When Jesus saw Nick, he
it’s mama, so too is being born
ways. Not just for her earthly father,
knew that it was not just night for
again! All that is required is that one
but for her heavenly Father who
him on the streets of Jerusalem but
rests in the work and loving arms of
“knit her together in her mothers
it was night for Nicodemus in his
your heavenly Father. The good
womb” and from whom she was
inner man. While Nick wanted to
news is that as believers we know
“fearfully and wonderfully made.”
impress Jesus by telling Him how
that we have the best parent in the
Psalm 139
Additionally Abigail is the
great he thought he was, Jesus did
Universe who is infinitely more lov-
first grandbaby for my parents Keith
not return the accolades, and cut
ing, caring, and involved than all the
and Heidi Hershey. She has been
right to the chase. He told Nick,
best mothers and fathers who have
their joy too!
“You must be born again.”
John 3:3
as a be-loved disciple.
ever lived.
Yet while she may be her “Fa-
Nick may have known a lot
Being “born again” is about
ther’s joy” when she was born ac-
about God, but he still didn’t know
having new life. It is about experi-
cording to the flesh, when she
God. He still was cowering in the
encing on the inside the joy, love,
begins to receive of that joy and love
darkness of his own religion and
and relationship with God that He
of her heavenly Father, that is when
needed to open himself up to the
has always wanted to have with us.
she becomes “born again” or “born
life, light, and love of God. Being
It’s about having the life of Christ
of the spirit” as Jesus put it. This
born again is really all about receiv-
Himself living His life of love and
brings me to the passage I want to
ing the love of the Father, seeing
faith through us so that we can say
your darkness swallowed up by His
with Paul, “the life that I now live I
discuss
John 3
.
NATIONS MAGAZINE PG 3
live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me.” Galatians 2:20 Many people have turned being born again into a work. Something that one has to do, like loving God more or loving people more, rather than just the passive act of receiving the love of God, of being loved – being the be-loved. This is when one begins to see their inner man or their spirit being birthed into the glorious reality of who we are in Christ and the Father’s love for us. This is when one opens their eyes to the kingdom of light, and has stepped out of the darkness of their own religion. This is when they begin to see the kingdom of God John 3:3 which is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. This is when love for God and for people happens as a natural fruit of being engrafted into the love of God, and no longer becomes a work.
“Many people have turned being born again into a work” Maybe there is someone reading this and you are coming to Jesus in the darkness of your own religion. Jesus would say to you “be born again!” Receive of the love and life of the Father. Do not continue wandering around in spiritual darkness. Believe in the love of the Father who sent me so that you can receive of my life and not perish. For the Father sent me to rescue you and not condemn you. John 3:16-17 Do not believe that you have disqualified yourself from my love. Do not get caught up in looking to your own work and effort, but just rest in my work and my effort. That is what the Father would say to you. That is when life will begin to run well. When we simply allow ourselves to BE LOVED! That is when we truly begin to have new life surging through us, when we feel like new people, like we have been BORN AGAIN! “May the love of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all” 2 Cor 13:13 Josh Hershey is the assistant Pastor at Overcomers Church. He and his wife Kelsey, along with daughter Abigail reside in Southern California.
For podcast, articles and other resources by Josh Hershey, please visit www.joshhershey.com PG 4 NATIONS MAGAZINE
CAMPUS #1 GUATEMALA
Healing, restoration and changed children A 17-acre campus with three homes, a school and a cafeteria guesthouse. The LIFE HOMES have brought healing and restoration to many needy children.
D
uring the late 1980s, Keith
completed the following year.
leadership roles for the ministry
Hershey began to do a far-
Now the Life Homes campus
reaching evangelistic work
includes two different homes for the
Over the years more than 120
throughout Latin America. A team
children, a school building, short-
children have lived on the Life
and offices were established, strictly
term missions group quarters, and
Homes campus. Many have grown
for the purposes of evangelism and
the most recent building, a cafeteria
up into wonderfully mature men
leadership training, headed at the
and long-term missionary guest-
and women of God, who are now
time by Karen Wong Mayes. One
house.
employed and contributing to their
of the missionary families that as-
The Life Homes rescue street
there.
communities.
sisted extensively was David and
children and HIV babies.
We
The mission of the Life Homes
Becky Dvorak, who later would be-
presently have 33 kids living on the
has been to receive children that
come the team leaders in Guatemala
campus, which is ministered to by a
have no other options in life – aban-
in 1998. This is when the Life
dedicated team of national workers,
doned, no known family member,
Homes began to be developed. In
and paid staff of 14 people. Presently
abused and even HIV positive. We
1999 a 17-acre campus was pur-
three of our national leaders, Edy,
are there to love them completely,
chased and the first building was
Froilan and Javier are taking the
disciple them in Christ.
David & Becky Dvorak / Team Leaders NATIONS MAGAZINE PG 5
CAMPUS #2 GHANA
Rescuing women & children from bondage Making an impact on the Volta region has been rewarding and life changing
M
utual Faith has had a
ment in ministry has been the estab-
young ladies stay on our campus for
presence in Ghana for
lishment of the Restoration Center
6 – 9 months, and are trained in the
the last 18 years working
in the Volta District. This campus
Word of God as well as given a basic
with team leader Ben Nanortey and
has been built to rescue and restore
education reading, writing, and sim-
his wife Dorothy. Before their as-
women who have been bought and
ple mathematics. The ladies are also
signment in Ghana, Ben and
released from Trokosi slavery (a
trained in various trades, cooking,
Dorothy had previously been work-
hideous practice in parts of West
hairdressing, sewing, so they can es-
ing with Mutual Faith in Monrovia,
Africa where fetish priests take
tablish their lives once they graduate
Liberia, until they were forced to
young girls into slavery as a repay-
from the Restoration Center.
flee to their home country of Ghana
ment for the sins of their ancestors).
Currently, 12 girls are living on
We have seen the grace of God
the campus, going through the pro-
The main campus for Mutual
working so mightily as our teams
gram. Over 180 girls have gone
Faith is located in Tema, where
minister the love of God, to bring
through the program since it was es-
leadership conferences, evangelism
restoration and renewal from all
tablished in 2004. Additionally we
outreaches, and the local church all
sorts of bondage. God’s love for
have built a school on the campus to
play a vital part of the ministry.
people everywhere is greater than
educate many of the kids from the
However, the most recent develop-
anything and everything!
villages in the region.
due to the Liberian civil war.
These
Ben & Dorothy Nanortey / Team Leaders PG 6 NATIONS MAGAZINE
CAMPUS #3 PHILIPPINES
Establishing Churches Through The Mutual Faith Channel Church planting, evangelism and leadership training are the fruit of the ministry – of the Mutual Faith team and TV channel.
I
n the late 1980s a young Filipino
Faith Channel. The Mutual Faith
main thrusts of ministry is the es-
pastor, Johnny de Vila, connected
team is also planting churches in
tablishment of new churches. Four
with Mutual Faith after hearing
areas where people have come to the
new churches have been planted in
Lord via the television.
the last couple years by local men
of Keith Hershey’s newest book Breaking Your Barriers. Johnny had
In 2006 a Mission Center
and women who have come to know
an evident gifting and calling to
building was erected, and the TV
the Lord through the ministry of
reach his nation, so we joined our
studio’s were completed. This is
Mutual Faith and it’s television
faith together, and the Mutual Faith
when we started broadcasting 24/7
ministry. This includes the cities of
team was established in General
on the Mutual Faith Channel
Litan, Fatima, Greenville and Polo-
Santos City, Philippines.
throughout this region.
molok.
The main focus has been on
At present, there are six paid
God keeps doing wonderful
leadership training through the Life
staff persons administrating and
things
Leadership Institute, as well as
ministering on behalf of Mutual
Josephine de Vila and the Mutual
evangelism through the Mutual
Faith in this region. One of the
Faith team in the Philippines!
through
Johnny
and
Johnny & Josephine DeVila / Team Leaders NATIONS MAGAZINE PG 7
CAMPUS #4 COSTA RICA
Thriving Latin America Bible Institute Don Korach and the Costa Rica team establish Bible Institutes to equip a new generation of leaders and servants for local churches throughout Latin America.
D
onald Korach met Keith
Don Korach joined Mutual Faith
the Mutual Faith Conferences,
Hershey in Bible School in
and established the Bible School
where Keith Hershey and other
the early 1980s. In fact
training ministry throughout Latin
USA pastors participate to train and
America.
equip leaders throughout the region.
they worked together on a job moving furniture at the City Of Faith in
Headquartered in San Jose,
Thousands of people have attended
Tulsa, Oklahoma. During those
Costa Rica, Don and his team ad-
these conferences and many people
early days together, they often talked
ministrate the Life Leadership In-
have been transformed by the love
about missions, and ways of reach-
stitute, with over 3500 active
of the Father!
ing people with God’s wonderful
students in seven Latin nations
Don and his wife Marjorie,
love and forgiveness.
(Costa Rica, Colombia, Nicaragua,
along with their two children,
Upon completion of his school-
Panama, Venezuela, Honduras and
Rachel and Donny, are blessing the
ing, Don moved immediately to
El Salvador). Additionally, Mutual
nations
Latin America to begin his life and
Faith Costa Rica has also produced
America region.
ministry on the mission field. Over
Spanish TV programming, which
the years, Keith and Don would
has aired in various nations.
connect for ministry events. In 1993,
Every year Don Korach hosts
throughout
Latin
Thanks for helping us establish students in Latin America and give life away!
Don & Marjorie Korach / Team Leaders PG 8 NATIONS MAGAZINE
the
CAMPUS #5 NIGERIA
Evangelism outreach & leadership training Richard Johnson has been a part of a Mutual Faith African Team since the 1980s. Nigeria has been a rich land for preaching the Gospel and Leadership training.
R
ev. Richard Johnson, a
Nigeria where once again he was
Liberian citizen, started
connected with Keith Hershey.
At this time Mutual Faith
working with Mutual Faith
Over the next few years, Richard
Nigeria has a sta of 12 people who
as a team member in 1986. As a
launched a new Mutual Faith team
are coordinating ministry on the
very strong and motivating leader,
in Nigeria, West Africa.
Mission Center campus. The Mis-
these years blessed years.
Richard was instrumental in the
This ministry has always been
sion Center campus was purchased
growth and development of Mutual
focused on evangelism and leader-
in 2001, and hosts conferences and
Faith in the early years. During the
ship training. Many evangelistic
concerts as well as the on-going ac-
end of the Liberian civil war in
outreaches have been conducted and
tivities of the local church.
1990, the Mission Center of Mutual
hundreds of people have given their
Richard and his wife, Florence,
Faith-Liberia and its assets were
lives to Christ. Additionally, the
are special servants of the Lord, who
stolen and destroyed by rebel forces.
Life
are used by God in a wonderful way
Richard fled as a refugee to
Leadership
Institute
has
trained over 7000 students during
throughout this region.
Richard & Florence Johnson / Team Leaders NATIONS MAGAZINE PG 9
CAMPUS #6
LEBANON
LEBANONst Life Center
The Midd le Ea
A JOYFUL SONG! Some of the children of our Spring of Life school singing of God’s love at our annual Kingdom Fiesta - Beirut, Lebanon
S
ince the horrific events of 9/11/01 Keith Hershey
Naaba district in Beirut, opened. This facility was acquired,
had an assignment in his heart for the precious peo-
by Mutual Faith Ministries, in July of 2009 and fully reno-
ple of the Middle East. While traveling throughout
vated during the following 8 months. In March, 2010, the
the region and meeting Christian leaders in various nations,
Life Center was dedicated to the Lord!
Keith’s heart was touched in a special way in Beirut, Lebanon,
This Middle East Life Center campus now houses on-
when he met Pastor Said (Si-eed) Deeb. Said, and his wife
going ministries for the region, all of which are coordinated
Cecile are very uniquely gifted people who have a great pas-
by Said Deeb and the Mutual Faith Lebanon team.
sion for the people in the Middle East. After a season of
Ministries at the Life Center include: Spring of Life
talking and praying together, Mutual Faith Lebanon was
school and mentoring program; free medical clinic four times
launched and registered as an official NGO in Lebanon.
a week; Arabic television broadcasting; and our annual con-
For several years MFMI hosted conferences and events in Beirut. Then an opportunity to purchase a large 40,000 square foot facility in the heart of Bourj-Hammoud, the
ference called Kingdom Fiesta! Continue to pray for Said and Cecile Deeb as they lead hundreds of people to Jesus.
THE FINAL PAYMENT OF $200,000 At the Middle East Life Center, hearts are being changed through the various programs and spiritual impartations. WE’RE INVITING OUR FRIENDS TO HELP US FINISH STRONG IN 2012. THANK YOU FOR HELPING GIVE LIFE AWAY!
T
he international headquarters of Mutual Faith Ministries is located in Mission Hills, CA. The two-story office building was purchased in August 1996 two years after the devastating Northridge earthquake. After extensive repairs and seismic retrofitting to the building, Mutual Faith acquired the property to house the administration and media production components of the ministry. The USA Mission Center hosts periodic events including Leadership Training, Ladies Teas and our annual Pastors’ Conference – all for the purpose of helping enlarge vision in the hearts of men and women for mission outreach around the world. The USA administrative team has served alongside Keith and Heidi Hershey and have been invaluable in their efforts to manage the entirety of the Mutual Faith Ministries assignments in the nations.
MUTUAL FAITH USA TEAM
Faithfully serving the lord with excellence & gladnesss. Cheryl Benedick 1984 Does the bookkeeping and administration of the Mission Center
Tim Bergstrom 1985 Coordinates the distribution of media resources around the world.
Carlo Krouzian 1999 Oversees Int’l campus development as well as creating graphics, and new media management.
Justin Hershey 2008 Handles photography & videography as well as “short-term” missions group coordination.
NATIONS MAGAZINE PG 13
People & Events
Top Left: Part of our Life Home Guatemala leadership team, Javier & Leticia Caballeros, plus pictures of our rescued street kids during a lunch outing on the grounds of the Life Homes.
Justin Hershey visiting our Ghana Mission Center with Pastor Ben Nanortey
Enjoying Lebanese food and fellowship in Beirut!
Boarding plane on way to next missions assignment in Panama.
Pastor Kelly Dupee, of Faith Community Church, with his team in Beirut, Lebanon.
at appy golfers” A group of “h t. en ev t iru lf4Be the annual Go
MFM Simo Lebanon n new da cele staff Ha b addi d tion rating t y & ! heir
end at the with special fri ala. Keith Hershey em at mpus in Gu LIFE HOMES ca
nda n & Bre Mar k o in Lebano g in k t a t t o h r it g Ke the as to Thom
Heidi H the W ershey min ord! isterin g
Some of the beautiful precious ones who are receiving God’s love in Ghana & Guatemala.
P.O. Box 951060
Mission Hills, CA 91395 Change service requested
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