The Joyful Burden

An Independent Church Journal
November-December 2004
IN THIS ISSUE...
The Joyful Burden
The Joyful Burden
Those of us in ministry must remember that Jesus' yoke is a joyful burden. While we acknowledge there are burdens
involved in ministry, those burdens will be shared by the Lord Jesus as we labor together with Him. There are four
words in the Bible that describe some of the burdens in ministry....more
Les Lofquist
IFCA International
Executive Director
The Burden of a Sin-Saturated Society
...Habakkuk was sorely troubled about having to witness the seemingly unchecked progress of iniquity. He rehearsed
to God the conditions of the day, and then waited for a reply. In looking at how God answered His prophet in
Habakkuk 1:5 we can find good comfort in our own struggles under the burden of sinful conditions. ...more
Henry Vosburgh
A Burden for Expository Preaching
...I took a yellow legal pad and began listing the negative effects of the superficial brand of preaching that is so rife in
modern evangelicalism. I initially thought I might be able to name about ten, but quickly my list had sixty-one entries.
I've distilled them to fifteen by combining and eliminating all but the most crucial ones....more
John MacArthur
A Burden for Evangelism
...God's work in this day and age centers in the local church, and God's concern has always been to reach out in love
to a lost and dying world with the good news of eternal life. Evangelism should be at the top of the list of what
churches do and all its leaders must be involved in and modeling evangelism.... more
Jerry Smith
The Burden of Health Crisis
I checked into the surgeon's office for a yearly post-cancer check. Each year he would reassuringly say things were
great. This year as I babbled about aches and pains, he placed his hand on my neck and said, "Do you know you have
a lump there?"... more
Pat Miller
The Burden of Grief
...this year 1986 was different. Our lives changed one tragic Saturday in June when our family was involved in an
automobile accident. Our two daughters were ejected from the car and instantly went to be with the Lord.... more
John Romanosky

A Widow's Christmas
... The worst Christmas I ever had was the year my first husband died. It wasn't the loneliness that did me in; it was
the self-pity. As a young widow, I was faced with raising my four-year-old daughter alone. I didn't know for whom I
felt worse--her or me... more
Lorna Simcox
Tragedy in Russia
On September 3, the 52 hour hostage siege at Beslan, Russia Middle School Number 1 ended with explosions and
gunfire. The school became a death trap for the 1200 children and parents inside. Terrorists shot many of those who
tried to escape the fiery debris and broken glass.. more
FEATURES...
CHAPLAIN'S DIARY
The Missionary Ministry of Chaplaincy
Ministry in Iraq and in Prison
Chaplains Kevin Doll (serving with the Army in Iraq), and Steve Francis (serving at Centinela State Prison, Calif.) offer a
snapshot of their ministries in this Voice issue. more
EVANTELL SPOTLIGHT
Community Care 2005: Growing Your Church Through Evangelism
At the 2004 Annual Convention Larry Moyer, the Evangelism Consultant to IFCA International, presented this
proposal to the Board of Directors. The proposal was enthusiastically received and unanimously endorsed by the
Board. The Vision: To see every member of every IFCA affiliated church personally share the gospel with one lost
person in 2005 and invite that person to trust Christ as their Savior from sin... more
R. Larry Moyer
CHURCH EXTENSION
Extension of God's Grace
Many times when thinking about the ministry of planting churches, a tendency is for us to lose sight of why we are
doing this kind of ministry. The following testimony comes out of the state of Michigan, and shows that there are so
many "good people" who are lost, who need the Lord, and who can be reached as we continue to extend IFCA
ministry into new communities of people... more
The Joyful Burden
Rev. Les Lofquist
Executive Director
Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon
you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy and My burden light (Matthew 11:28-30).
Jesus' reference to the yoke in Matthew 11:29-30 is interesting. It follows His invitation to the
weary to come to Him and find rest (Mt 11:28). His yoke is the reason why "you will find rest for
your souls" (Mt. 11:29). Two times He spoke of rest in the context of His yoke. Yet the yoke is not
an instrument of rest! It is rather an instrument of labor, placed upon the oxen at work.
How do those who are yoked to Jesus find rest?
First, Jesus says that if we take His yoke, we will learn from Him. The imagery is of the young,
inexperienced ox being teamed up with the more experienced ox for training. Jesus was saying

that as we are yoked to Him, we learn the gentleness and humility that characterize Him. And in
so doing, we find rest for our souls.
Second, Jesus says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. That word translated "easy" is
elsewhere translated in the New Testament "good" and "gracious" and "kind." It is important to
note that the Lord Jesus is not promising to remove all of our burdens. But He does promise to
provide His good, gracious, and kind strength to do His will while we are in His yoke. There will
be burdens, but by His enablement we can bear those burdens. They will seem "light."
Those of us in ministry must remember that Jesus' yoke is a joyful burden. While we acknowledge
there are burdens involved in ministry, those burdens will be shared by the Lord Jesus as we
labor together with Him. There are four words in the Bible that describe some of the burdens in
ministry.
Mas´´sa: A Burdensome Message
No one likes to be told what we don't want to hear. Yet sometimes it is the pastor's duty to deliver
the unpopular message. The results can be extremely burdensome. This was familiar to the Old
Testament prophets who had a "burden from the Lord": they were commanded to deliver harsh
messages of rebuke they did not desire to give and the people did not desire to receive. The word
mas´´sa is used 27 times in Old Testament prophetic contexts regarding severe announcements of
judgment from the Lord (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Volume 2, page 602). Each
time it is translated "a burden" in that the message was a burden to deliver and a burden to
receive. Some of these harsh and burdensome messages were delivered to Israel (Mal. 1:1), Judah
(Jer. 23:33-38; Hab. 1:1), Babylon (Isa. 13:1), Philistia (Isa. 14:28), Moab (Isa. 15:1), Damascus
(Isa. 17:1), Egypt (Isa. 19:1), Arabia (Isa. 21:13), Tyre (Isa. 23:1), Nineveh (Nah. 1:1), and
Jerusalem (Zech. 12:1). The preacher who courageously proclaims the Word of God no matter the
consequences certainly understands the burden this represents. Paul knew about this burden
when he wrote to the Galatians: "Have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?" (Gal.
4:16). That message of truth was a burden for Paul to deliver and the Galatians to receive. But by
the enabling power of the Lord Jesus Christ, it was a joyful burden for Paul.
Baros: A Burdensome Weight
A burden describes a heavy load, a weight. The word baros is used in Matthew 20:12 regarding
the burden of daily toil. It is also used in 2 Corinthians 1:8 and 5:4 regarding the burdens of
suffering while in life and ministry. It is a general term used to describe something heavy. In a
general way, it describes the weight of heavy responsibilities involved in ministry. Yet, it is also
true as stated in 1 John 5:3: "His commandments are not burdensome (bareiai)." This again
points to the joyful burden of sharing the yoke with our Lord Jesus.
Phortion: A Burden to Carry
It is one thing to have a burden weighing down upon you while you stand. It is another thing to be
expected to carry that burden as an extra load of cargo while you walk. Yet that is precisely the
meaning of the New Testament word phortion. Used literally in Acts 27:10 of a ship's cargo, it is
also used figuratively in Matthew 23:4 regarding the unbearable burdens of the scribes' and
Pharisees' interpretation of the Law. These religious leaders expected people to carry the burden
in their daily lives of the Pharisees' harsh interpretations of the Law. In comparison, Jesus said
His burden (phortion) is light in Matthew 11:30. Of course, there are burdens for Jesus' disciples.
But these burdens are not heavy to carry, for the Lord Jesus is jointly yoked with those who heed
His call. It becomes a joyful burden with Christ at your side.
Kopos: A Burden to Overcome

This word is used less than 40 times in the New Testament, but it is used frequently by the Apostle
Paul. In Classical Greek it originally meant a beating or to strike something or the physical
consequences of being weary (Liddell-Scott, page 978). It came to refer to any kind of work that
leads to exertion, pain, or hardship. It involved not only the activity of exertion and toil and the
process of work, but it also referred to the resulting fatigue and exhaustion (Dictionary of New
Testament Theology, Volume 1, page 262). Paul used kopos to describe the heavy burden of his
ministry, which even caused him to receive physical blows (2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:23, 27). In
Colossians 1:29, Paul described this kind of weariness as a result of his ministry to present every
man mature in Christ, the goal for which he labored (kopos). In 1 Corinthians 15:58 Paul said that
we should be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord because we know
that our labor (kopos) would not be in vain. We can overcome the burden of our ministries, and
the resulting fatigue, because of the strength of the Lord Jesus who is together yoked with us. His
yoke makes ministry an exhausting, but joyful burden.
Ministry is difficult. It involves preaching a message that not everyone wants to hear. It involves
heavy responsibilities. It involves the crush of daily burdens, and it leads to exhaustion.
But in all of the burdens of ministry, we have our wonderful Lord and Savior directly
at our side. He is jointly yoked to us. And this causes ours to be a joyful burden.
The Burden of a Sin-Saturated Society
Henry Vosburgh
2 Peter 2:8, in speaking of Lot, shows the experience of a righteous soul being vexed (tormented)
because he saw and heard the conditions of the wicked culture in Sodom and Gomorrah. This is
the experience of any believer who has spiritual sensitivity to the sinful conditions that encompass
him while living in an ungodly world. People who are made righteous through Christ will struggle
under the burden of a growing sinfulness that surrounds them. And though this man Lot is not
necessarily one for us to uphold as a role model, his experience is one that we can relate to here in
our own increasingly sinful culture.
The prophet Habakkuk went through a parallel experience in his own day. Reading his prophecy,
we learn that he too had a very difficult time coming to grips with the sinful conditions in Judah
during the late seventh century B.C. So vexed was Habakkuk's soul that he took his burden to the
Lord Jehovah, pleading for God to intervene and help him with this burden against sin. Verses 2-4
reveal how he had repeatedly begged God to deal with the sinful culture of Judah, and how
seemingly the prophet had gone unheard. Furthermore, Habakkuk was sorely troubled about
having to witness the seemingly unchecked progress of iniquity. He rehearsed to God the
conditions of the day, and then waited for a reply. In looking at how God answered His prophet in
Habakkuk 1:5 we can find good comfort in our own struggles under the burden of sinful
conditions.
God's Commands
"Behold…" God told Habakkuk to "behold … among the heathen." Where was Habakkuk
looking, and what was he looking at? He was focused on Judah. He was looking at the sin, and the
tragic results of sinners' sins. The reason he was frustrated about the situation and God's
apparent inattentiveness to it was because he wasn't looking at the right place for answers.
Habakkuk was looking at the problem and not at God's solution. The solution to the problem was
not in God just "zapping" the people of Judah in judgment; He was going to use a different means

to restore justice and righteousness to His people. Habakkuk just wasn't looking in the right place
to see it.
How many times have we been so focused on the conflict that we failed to see the proverbial forest
for the trees? We have all been frustrated when we witness evil people winning for the moment.
We look for them "to get what's coming," and nothing ever seems to happen! The Lord's
command to Habakkuk reminds us that where we are looking may not be where the answer comes
from. In this case, the answer to Habakkuk's plea was coming from among the nations, not from
within the people of Judah. Asking God for the right perspective is the first key to dealing with
this kind of struggle.
"Regard…" God next told Habakkuk to "regard," (i.e., to pay attention, to consider). As
Habakkuk would behold the nations, something of relevance would happen among them that
would be significant. Thus the prophet was commanded here to do more than just give a casual
glance; he is commanded to look very carefully, to take serious notice of what was about to occur.
Only by regarding would Habakkuk be able to pull himself out of the tunnel vision that prevented
him from seeing God's solution off on the horizon.
Again, how often is this true of us! Once we heed the exhortation to have a different perspective,
we begin to get a sense of what God wants us to look at. Things won't dawn on us until we have an
open mind about all the ways God might address the injustices that so grieve us.
"Wonder…" God then tells Habakkuk to "wonder," or marvel at what he would behold; for what
his eyes were about to take in would be quite amazing to witness. Habakkuk was going to be
blown away by the answer God would reveal.
In our moments of clarity, we readily acknowledge that God is a God Who takes pleasure in
resolving problems in ways that no man could begin to surmise. He does this so man will
remember his place; he is the creature, and God is the Creator. Just when we think that a
situation is hopelessly desperate, God provides an answer that no one saw coming, nor could
anyone imagine. The only reaction we can have is one of utter amazement at the eternal wisdom
and power of God.
These three commands become helpful to us, for they give us perspective when struggling under
the burden of sinful conditions. They tell us to change to a new focus, study the new focus for what
answer might be there, and prepare ourselves for an answer that will likely fall outside the bounds
of imagination.
The rest of Habakkuk 1:5 ministers to the soul that is struggling under the burden of sinful
conditions: "… for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told
you." In these words are three additional helps given to us as God confirms how adequately He
will deal with the sinful conditions surrounding Habakkuk.
God's Confirmation
The solution will be of God. Habakkuk wondered why God wasn't doing anything about the
problems. Yet all the prophet's pleas are answered in one confirming truth that promises, "Be
assured, I am going to deal with the sinful condition."
We must remind ourselves God cannot go against His nature, and that part of His nature is His
justice. We sometimes think that justice would be best dispensed as we think; but God's justice is
perfect and completely harmonious with His nature. We are comforted it is God Who works and
this will be done according to His perfect timing and will.

The solution will happen presently. Habakkuk was given confirmation that the solution to the
problems was very close. In this case, God is not just helping the prophet resign himself to the fact
that one day before the judgment seat of heaven, God will get His recompense. In this case, God
promises that the prophet will see the solution before his very eyes.
We must not forget God in His sovereign control over all things brings His recompenses. One
preacher described this as"The Unalterable Law of the Harvest." Yes, there is comfort knowing
that ultimately every man shall stand before God; and if this is the only justice that can be
expected, then we must accept that justice with peace. However, we cannot disallow that God will
perform His work. And that work often includes the application of His moral law for justice.
The solution will be staggering. The answers to the problems Habakkuk witnessed would come in
a way that he never anticipated. He would hear the testimony of the solution, and his reaction
would be, "You've got to be kidding me!"
Can we not accept that God is so majestic, so powerful, so wise, and so sovereign, that He can
solve a problem any way He wants, and often does so in a way that we could have never
anticipated? Of course He can. And that's easy to admit when we are not personally connected to
the problem being dealt with. But when it is our own soul that is vexed, or when we are involved in
the struggle, suddenly it is easy to forget this. That's why it staggers us when the answer comes.
We've been so focused on the problem that when the solution is applied, we fall off our chairs and
wonder, "Did I just see what I think I saw?"
This is why Habakkuk 1:5 is such an encouragement to people struggling under the burden of
sinful conditions. When they think a situation is hopeless, when they think that God isn't
concerned or listening anymore, when it looks like evil will win and continue to win, this verse tells
us what to do in combating the vexed soul and recapturing spiritual peace. We need to change our
perspective on the problem, and count on God being true to His character, true to His created
moral law, and true to His matchless capabilities.
Henry Vosburg is General Director of Midwest Church Extension and Chairman of IFCA Church
Extension Council.
A Burden for Expository Preaching
John MacArthur
Everyone who knows anything about my ministry knows I am committed to expository preaching.
It is my unshakable conviction that the ministry of God's Word should always be the heart and
the focus of the church's ministry (1 Tim. 4:2). And proper biblical preaching should be
systematic, expositional, theological, and God-centered. Such preaching is in short supply these
days. There are plenty of gifted communicators in the modern evangelical movement, but today's
sermons tend to be short, shallow, topical homilies that massage people's egos and focus on fairly
insipid subjects like human relationships, "successful" living, emotional issues, and other practical
but worldly--and not definitively biblical--themes. Like the ubiquitous Plexiglas lecterns from
which these messages are delivered, such preaching is lightweight and without substance, cheap
and synthetic, leaving little more than an ephemeral impression on the minds of the hearers.
I recently hosted a discussion at the Expositors' Institute, a small-group colloquium on preaching
hosted by The Shepherds' Fellowship. In preparation for that seminar, I took a yellow legal pad
and began listing the negative effects of the superficial brand of preaching that is so rife in modern
evangelicalism. I initially thought I might be able to name about ten, but quickly my list had sixtyone
entries. I've distilled them to fifteen by combining and eliminating all but the most crucial

ones. Here they are, roughly in the order they occurred to me. This is what is wrong with
superficial, marginally biblical preaching:
1. It usurps the authority of God over the soul. Whether a preacher boldly proclaims the Word of
God or not is ultimately a question of authority. Who has the right to speak to the church? The
preacher, or God? Whenever anything is substituted for the preaching of the Word, God's
authority is usurped. What a prideful thing to do! In fact, it is hard to conceive of anything more
insolent that could be done by a man who is called by God to preach.
2. It removes the lordship of Christ from His church. Who is the Head of the church? Is Christ
really the dominant teaching authority in the church? If so, then why are there so many churches
where His Word is not being faithfully proclaimed? When we look at contemporary ministry, we
see programs and methods that are the fruit of human invention; the offspring of opinion polls
and neighborhood surveys; and other pragmatic artifices. Church-growth experts have in essence
wrested control of the church's agenda from her true Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Puritan
forefathers resisted the imposition of government-imposed liturgies for precisely this reason: they
saw it as a direct attack on the headship of Christ over His own church. Modern preachers who
neglect the Word of God have yielded the ground those men fought and sometimes died for. When
Jesus Christ is exalted among His people, His power is manifest in the church. When the church is
commandeered by compromisers who want to appease the culture, the gospel is minimized, true
power is lost, artificial energy must be manufactured, and superficiality takes the place of truth.
3. It hinders the work of the Holy Spirit. What is the instrument the Spirit uses to do His work?
The Word of God. He uses the Word as the instrument of regeneration (1 Pet. 1:23; James 1:18).
He also uses it as the means of sanctification (John 17:17). In fact, it is the only tool He uses (Eph.
6:17). So when preachers neglect God's Word, they undermine the work of the Holy Spirit,
producing shallow conversions and spiritually lame Christians--if not utterly spurious ones.
4. It demonstrates appalling pride and a lack of submission. In the modern approach to
"ministry," the Word of God is deliberately downplayed, the reproach of Christ is quietly
repudiated, the offense of the gospel is carefully eliminated, and "worship" is purposely tailored to
fit the preferences of unbelievers. That is nothing but a refusal to submit to the biblical mandate
for the church. The effrontery of ministers who pursue such a course is, to me, frightening.
5. It severs the preacher personally from the regular sanctifying grace of Scripture. The greatest
personal benefit that I get from preaching is the work that the Spirit of God does on my own soul
as I study and prepare for two expository messages each Lord's day. Week by week, the duty of
careful exposition keeps my own heart focused and fixed on the Scriptures, and the Word of God
nourishes me while I prepare to feed my flock. So I am personally blessed and spiritually
strengthened through the enterprise. If for no other reason, I would never abandon biblical
preaching. The enemy of our souls is after preachers in particular, and the sanctifying grace of the
Word of God is critical to our protection.
6. It clouds the true depth and transcendence of our message and therefore cripples both
corporate and personal worship. What passes for preaching in some churches today is literally no
more profound than what preachers in our fathers' generation were teaching in the five-minute
children's sermon they gave before dismissing the kids. That's no exaggeration. It is often that
simplistic, if not utterly inane. There is nothing deep about it. Such an approach makes it
impossible for true worship to take place, because worship is a transcendent experience. Worship
should take us above the mundane and simplistic. So the only way true worship can occur is if we
first come to grips with the depth of spiritual truth. Our people can only rise high in worship in
the same proportion to which we have taken them deep into the profound truths of the Word.
There is no way they can have lofty thoughts of God unless we have plunged them into the depths
of God's self-revelation. But preaching today is neither profound nor transcendent. It doesn't go

down and it doesn't go up. It merely aims to entertain. By the way, true worship is not something
that can be stimulated artificially. A bigger, louder band and more sentimental music might do
more to stir people's emotions. But that is not genuine worship. True worship is a response from
the heart to God's truth (John 4:23). You can actually worship without music if you have seen the
glories and the depth of what the Bible teaches.
7. It prevents the preacher from fully developing the mind of Christ. Pastors are supposed to be
undershepherds of Christ. Too many modern preachers are so bent on understanding the culture
that they develop the mind of the culture and not the mind of Christ. They start to think like the
world, and not like the Savior. Frankly, the nuances of worldly culture are virtually irrelevant to
me. I want to know the mind of Christ, and bring that to bear on the culture, no matter what
culture I may be ministering to. If I'm going to stand up in a pulpit and be a representative of
Jesus Christ, I want to know how He thinks--and that must be my message to His people, too. The
only way to know and proclaim the mind of Christ is by being faithful to study and preach His
Word. What happens to preachers who obsess about cultrual "relevancy," is that they become
worldly, not godly.
8. It depreciates by example the spiritual duty and priority of personal Bible study. Is personal
Bible study important? Of course. But what example does the preacher set when he neglects the
Bible in his own preaching? Why would people think they need to study the Bible if the preacher
doesn't do serious study himself in the preparation of his sermons? There is now a movement
among some of the gurus of "seeker-sensitive" ministry to trim, as much as possible, all explicit
references to the Bible from the sermon--and above all, don't ever ask your people to turn to a
specific Bible passage--because that kind of thing makes "seekers" uncomfortable. (Some "seekersensitive"
churches actively discourage their people from bringing Bibles to church lest the sight
of so many Bibles intimidate the "seekers.") As if it were dangerous to give your people the
impression that the Bible might be important!
9. It prevents the preacher from being the voice of God on every issue of his time. Jeremiah 8:9
says, "The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the
word of the Lord; so what wisdom do they have?" When I speak, I want to be God's messenger.
I'm not interested in exegeting what some psychologist, or business guru, or college professor has
to say about an issue. My people don't need my opinion; they need to hear what God has to say. If
we preach as Scripture commands us, there should be no ambiguity about whose message is
coming from the pulpit.
10. It breeds a congregation that is as weak and indifferent to the glory of God as their pastor is.
"Seeker-sensitive" preaching fosters people who are consumed with their own well-being. When
you tell people that the church's primary ministry is to fix for them whatever is wrong in this life--
to meet their needs, to help them cope with their worldly disappointments, and so on--the message
you are sending is that their mundane problems are more important than the glory of God and the
majesty of Christ. Again, that sabotages true worship.
11. It robs people of their only true source of help. People who sit under superficial preaching
become dependent on the cleverness and the creativity of the speaker. When preachers punctuate
their sermons with laser lights and smoke, video clips and live drama, the message they send is
that there isn't a prayer the people in the pew could ever extract such profound material on their
own. Such gimmicks create a kind of dispensing mechanism that people can't use to serve
themselves. So they become spiritual couch potatoes, who just come in to be entertained, and
whatever superficial spiritual content they get from the preacher's weekly performance is all they
will get. They have no particular interest in the Bible, because the sermons they hear don't
cultivate that. They are wowed by the preacher's creativity, manipulated by the music, and that
becomes their whole perspective on spirituality.

12. It encourages people to become indifferent to the Word of God and divine authority.
Predictably, in a church where the preaching of Scripture is neglected, it becomes impossible to
get people to submit to the authority of Scripture. The preacher who always aims at meeting "felt
needs" and strokes the conceit of worldly people has no platform from which to confront the man
who wants to divorce his wife without cause. The man will say, "You don't understand what I feel.
I came here because you promised to meet my felt needs. And I'm telling you, I don't feel like I
want to live with this woman any more." You can't inject biblical authority into that. You
certainly wouldn't have an easy time pursuing church discipline. That is the monster superficial
preaching creates. But if you are going to try to deal with sin and apply any kind of authoritative
principle to keep the church pure, you must be preaching the Word.
13. It lies to people about what they really need. In Jeremiah 8:11, God condemns the prophets
who treated people's wounds superficially. That verse applies powerfully to the plastic preachers
that populate so many prominent evangelical pulpits today. They omit the hard truths about sin
and judgment. They tone down the offensive parts of Christ's message. They lie to people about
what they really need, promising them "fulfillment" and earthly well-being--when what people
really need is an exalted vision of Christ and a true understanding of the splendor of God's
holiness.
14. It strips the pulpit of power. "The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any
two-edged sword" (Heb. 4:12). Everything else is impotent, giving merely an illusion of power.
Human strategy is not more important than Scripture. The showman's ability to lure people in
should not impress us more than the Bible's ability to transform lives.
15. It puts the responsibility on the preacher to change people with his cleverness. Preachers who
pursue the modern approach to ministry must think they have the power to change people. That,
too, is a frightening expression of pride. We preachers can't save people, and we can't sanctify
them. We can't change people with our insights, our cleverness, by entertaining them, or by
appealing to their human whims and wishes and ambitions. There's only One who can change
sinners. That's God, and He does it by His Spirit through the Word.
So preach the Word, even though it is currently out of fashion to do so (2 Tim. 4:2). That is the
only way your ministry can ever truly be fruitful. Moreover, it assures that you will be fruitful in
ministry, because God's Word never returns to Him void; it always accomplishes that for which
He sends it, and prospers in what He sends it to do (Isa. 55:11).
John MacArthur is Pastor-Teacher of Grace Community Church and President of The Master's
College and Seminary.
Reprinted from the on-line magazine of The Shepherd's Fellowship (Sept./Oct. 2003). Originally titled: "Fifteen Evil
Consequences of Plexiglas Preaching." Used by permission.
A Burden For Evangelism
Jerry Smith
We begin by saying that evangelism is not an option for the local church, it is a command. It is not
even something that we should try to include as one of our many ministries. Evangelism must be a
primary purpose of the local church and one of the major reasons for which it exists. God's work
in this day and age centers in the local church, and God's concern has always been to reach out in
love to a lost and dying world with the good news of eternal life. Evangelism should be at the top
of the list of what churches do and all its leaders must be involved in and modeling evangelism.
Evangelism must not be confused with church growth, since the entire focus and motivation is
different. It may result in church growth, but that is not its focus. Evangelism is not intended to be

accomplished by bringing in a visiting expert to "do evangelism" for the local church. It is not just
for evangelists, pastors or church leaders, but is the responsibility of every believer. Evangelism
does not consist of long or repeated impassioned calls for and pressure to make decisions.
Evangelism is a work of God in which He uses us as instruments to take His word to people in
whom the Holy Spirit works to bring them to the place of trusting in God for eternal life in Jesus
Christ. Evangelism is not a system or program but is a personal involvement in the lives of people
to help them know the things they need to know in order to believe. "Faith comes by hearing and
hearing by the word of God." Evangelism must include the message and the presence and lifestyle
of the messenger.
As the saying goes, many people are talking a lot about evangelism but not many are doing it.
Much time and effort are put into many different plans and programs, but it seems that
evangelism is still one of our weakest areas of ministry. There are two basic principles that should
give us the starting point for an understanding of evangelism. First, the local church is central to
God's plan for ministry in this age. This means that biblical evangelism centers in the local church
and the ministry of the local church must focus on evangelism. Second, it is the responsibility of all
leaders to be involved in training others in ministry and leadership. This would place great
emphasis on the responsibility of the church and its leaders to train and equip its members to do
the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4).
Michael Green in his book on local church evangelism refers to three definitions that help us
visualize the scope of evangelism. The first one he mentions is the word "overflow" and it pictures
evangelism as a believer being so full of the joy of Christ that it overflows naturally to those
around him. A vessel that has water continually flowing in will be continually overflowing. The
second definition is the one made famous by Charles Spurgeon. "Evangelism is one beggar telling
another beggar where to get bread." The difference between the two beggars is that one knows
where to go for bread and the other doesn't. The third definition is from Archbishop William
Temple. He stated "to evangelize is so to present Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, that
men shall come to put their trust in God through Him, accept Him as Savior, and serve Him as
King in the fellowship of the Church." With these in our mind, we can develop some concepts and
strategies that should benefit churches and pastors in the focus and involvement in evangelism.
It seems to me in Ephesians 4 that the Evangelist is included in the list of gifted men given to the
church to equip and train its members especially in the ministry of evangelism. Every church
would greatly benefit from a staff member or other leader who is gifted in the ministry of
evangelism and would see his primary ministry as that of training the members in evangelism.
However if this person is not available it is the responsibility of the leaders to "do the work of an
evangelist." They would be responsible to gather the necessary resources and material to enable
them to train and equip all the members in the ministry of evangelism. I would also like to suggest
six goals or strategies that would help develop a vision for evangelism and help us focus on
equipping every member for evangelism.
1. The church should emphasize in their purpose and vision statements that evangelism is a
primary function and goal of the church. We need a passion for evangelism.
2. The church leaders must be or become evangelistic. Only when the leaders have a passion for
evangelism, can a church effectively train and model evangelism.
3. The church must develop and implement a strategy for evangelism. They must be committed to
finding a strategy that will be effective and continually seeking to find or develop new strategies.
4. The church must believe in and be committed to a strategy to train its members in evangelism.
This comes from leaders accepting the responsibility that the church must train and equip its
members for ministry and leadership.

5. The church must develop and implement a strategy for discipling all new believers. This is the
first step toward training for ministry and leadership.
6. The church needs to develop and be committed to ministry that focuses on relationships.
Relationships are the bridge to and context of all effective evangelism, discipleship and leadership
training.
Much more could be said but time limits us. We do want to quickly look at some of the reasons
people are not involved in evangelism and then close with the biblical motivations for evangelism.
Without much elaboration the following is a list of some of the reasons people do not do
evangelism:
1. Many do not believe it is their responsibility.
2. Many in the church may not really have saving faith themselves.
3. Many may not have any confidence in their own relationship with God.
4. Many are not walking in close fellowship with God and so not experiencing joy in their life.
5. Fear.
6. Many do not know how to do it.
7. Many are isolated from any relationships that give them opportunity.
The major motivations to evangelism should be enough to give us all a passion for evangelism.
First, the love of God is the primary motivation. "God so loved the world" John 3 :16. It is the
very nature of the God we love, worship and serve to love the world. If we really love Him then we
will also have a concern for the world. Second, we are commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ to go
to the world. If we love Him and seek to obey Him we will evangelize. "If you love me, you will
keep my commandments." Is not our desire to please Him and obey Him enough motivation to
cause us to do what He has commanded us to do? Third, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling each
of us as believers. This means that our life is to be directed by the Spirit and we are to "walk in the
Spirit." One of the major aspects of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ. If we are
filled with the Spirit we will be filled with a desire to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ and to tell others
about Him. Many times we think if we just had a greater compassion for the lost we would be
committed to evangelism. Actually what we need is a greater compassion for our Lord. It is not
that compassion for the lost is not a good thing, but our primary motivation should come from
focusing on God. A biblical viewpoint is that all things center in God. Humanism tries to get us to
focus everything on man.
For more information and challenge, let me encourage you to contact Larry Moyer at EvanTell or
look at the Workshops available from Biblical Ministries Worldwide, Evangelism articles by
Duane Anderson for IFCA Church Extension "Church Net" forum, or Article on evangelism in
IFCA Church and Ministers Handbook by Alex Montoya.
Jerry Smith is on the Board of Directors of IFCA International. He lives in Atlanta and is involved in
Church Relations with Biblical Ministries Worldwide.
Life can change in a moment!
The Burden of Health Crisis
Pat Miller

I checked into the surgeon's office for a yearly post-cancer check. Each year he would reassuringly
say things were great. This year as I babbled about aches and pains, he placed his hand on my
neck and said, "Do you know you have a lump there?" Now to anyone, and particularly to those
recovering from cancer, the words lump, bump, mass, tumor, etc., strike a cord of panic. What
was to be a routine visit ended with me feeling numb as I was handed sheets with dates for blood
tests, sonograms, nuclear testing, and eventually a biopsy. I felt totally fine. How could I have a
"mass"? After all, I faithfully drank my two cups of freshly made vegetable juice everyday.
And so, a new path opened before me. Have you ever been there? Maybe it was bad news from a
financial decision, a health issue, or unfaithfulness by someone you trusted. Trusting God in
difficult times can be a real learning experience. I hear you say, "But I want to learn to trust God
a different way - not through death, divorce, or a car wreck!" Just how do we trust is the question
I asked myself in the weeks that followed that doctor's visit. Some of the insights God gave me are
lessons I will hopefully carry through the rest of my life.
Trust in the Lord with All your Heart…
First, I learned how weak I am. This frustrated me greatly. My expectations said, "You have been
a pastor's wife, you are a counselor and a dean at a Bible College, you should have it together
better than this!" Notice where the focus of that statement is - all on me. When I focus on me, I
cannot TRUST! Trust in the Lord with all your heart - not part God and part me. But he said to
me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness… For when I am
weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:9-10). For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we
are dust (Ps. 103:14). We cannot trust when we are in charge - managing and having our own
plan. TRUSTING means being stripped of all we are and having to hang on to the Lord Jesus for
every breath. We need to put off our critical attitude towards self or others when we do see
weakness. We are God's creation, yet we are weak because of the fall. We cannot get through these
life issues in our own strength. Our weaknesses need to be changed into total dependence rather
than self-sufficiency. It is comforting to know that God understands our weaknesses and that
when we have moments of despair and depression, He uses our powerlessness to display His
awesome strength. That is trust.
And Lean not on Your Own Understanding…
Second, I learned how sinful I am. Trust situations can reveal the best and the worst in us. As I
prayed and fasted, God brought my sin before me. What was being ignored in my life was now as
clear as crystal, and I quickly saw how God sees my sin. Yes, there was sin and I needed to confess
and repent. To trust I had to make sure my heart issues were taken care of before the throne of
God. I could not "lean on my own wisdom." A humbling issue to be sure, but also some of the
sweetest fellowship with the heavenly Father. If I can trust Him with my sin, I can trust Him with
whatever issues He allows. That is trust.
In All your Ways Acknowledge Him…
Third, I was reminded of what an awesome God we have. When you fall into one of these
emotional craters, God gets much more of your time. Now it was not just a daily quiet time - it was
wallowing in Scripture - extensive time in the Word, immersing myself, quoting Scripture, and
much prayer. To truly trust we need to know God. I knew that while words of well-meaning
friends were encouraging, only God and His words were the true solution. No matter the outcome,
he would not fail. During difficult hours, He faithfully and constantly provides His
encouragement. That is trust.
And He Will Make your Paths Straight (Prov. 3:5-6).

Fourth, I was reminded that these lessons were not just for me. A few hours after the biopsy
results were returned to me, I was in a restaurant and a young man, whom I hadn't seen in a long
time, stopped by my table to say he was on the way home from a CAT scan of "suspicious lumps"
in his wife. He said they had given it to God. I sat there and thought, "Wait a minute, God. This is
not by chance. What do you want me to see?" The verse that instantly came to mind was Who
comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we
ourselves have received from God (2 Cor. 1:4). I pulled out a blank sheet of paper that sat with my
biopsy reports. I wrote the wife a brief note including some Scripture and enclosed my phone
number. I understood only too well what was going on in their lives.
A few days later, God placed me with a young mother who had just lost her baby. Again I
reflected on God's choice of placing me with others who were on the "trusting path."
My path - our path - however difficult, is to bring God glory. Is this the true essence of trusting -
giving God glory? Was my situation a part of life so I would be a more yielded, pliable tool for
Him to use? Did it make me more sensitive of others and their needs? Is a part of my "path" to let
others see that?
So when you feel like you cannot trust, remember God understands your weaknesses - even
though you may feel foolish. Let the process of trust refine and purify your life of areas you know
God wants you to work on. Refocus on God and who He is - this will give you immense joy and
peace in the midst of struggle. Reach out to those He brings across your path.
Yes, life can change in a moment. But God is never caught off guard like we are. He never loses
control. So as we struggle through our heartaches and out-of-control moments, we need to throw
ourselves on Him continually, for however long it takes - and that is TRUST!
"When I am afraid, I will trust in you" (Ps. 56:3).
Pat Miller is married to Keith Miller, Chairman of the Pastoral Studies Dept of Calvary Bible
College. She is the Dean of Women at CBC. They have four children and two grandchildren.
The Burden of Grief
John Romanosky
I struggled with the boxes under the stairway once more. The annual display of holiday
decorations was here again. But this year it was different. Usually we eagerly anticipated the
Christmas season. Nora and I had developed family rituals over the years.
Karolyn, Kristin and Kevin would hang the ornaments engraved with their names. We would
read Luke's account of Jesus' birth before opening presents Christmas morning. Or we'd recall
the time we were looking at a crèche in a park. After carefully inspecting the figures of the wise
men, Karolyn, our oldest daughter, innocently asked Nora, "There's the wise men, where are the
foolish men?"
But this year 1986 was different. Our lives changed one tragic Saturday in June when our family
was involved in an automobile accident. Our two daughters were ejected from the car and
instantly went to be with the Lord.
It occurred at the end of a weeklong vacation in southern California. As Karolyn was going to be a
high school senior and was thinking about college, we decided to visit The Master's College. When
we were almost out of town, I ran a red light and we were hit by a van. Nora and I escaped with

minor bruises. Kevin and the two exchange students who were with us suffered multiple injuries
and burns.
All three boys spent time in the hospital. We had to spend time with funeral directors. Now
Christmas was here. A family holiday. But our family wasn't complete. We put up the tree with
tears in our eyes. We knew the girls were celebrating Christmas (if they celebrate it at all in
heaven). But our hearts still ached.
How do you minister to those who have lost loved ones, especially children, during the first year
without that person or, in our case, persons?
First, we must recognize that grieving is a process. Working through grief lasts longer than most
people expect. Some think that Christians are not "…to grieve like the rest of men, who have no
hope" (1 Thess. 4:13 NIV). It is somehow thought that grief should pass quickly. After all, we
reason, that loved one is with the Lord. We should be happy, not sad.
The National Funeral Directors Association found, in a survey in 1987, that people on the street
think one should be over their sorrow in three weeks! Moving through the pain and heartache,
especially during the first year, doesn't come easily. Each person deals with their grief differently.
This time is when one must face a number of "firsts" without that person: the first birthday, the
first day of school, the first vacation, the first whatever. Now the first holiday season is here. Since
the holidays are often family oriented, you may want to adopt the grieving family as part of your
family during this time. Friends in California opened their home to us for that first Christmas.
They gave us love and acceptance in a season which mixes joy and tears.
You may want to prepare a small gift or memorial in honor of that loved one and present it to the
family. It can be an ornament, a flower, a plaque, or a book. It might be a photo or a memory
written in a card. It does not have to be costly. The thought behind it is far more valuable. When
you make a special effort to remember the deceased, it will minister to their hearts more than you
can understand. You haven't forgotten. You remembered.
The Book of Lamentations is a book of remembrance. It recalls the destruction of Jerusalem and
the temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. Some devout Jews observe this day with the Feast of
Av in August and read the book of Lamentations during that feast. They don't, they won't forget
what happened then.
In the same vein, the loved one is conspicuous by his/her absence. We don't want them to be
forgotten. Someone has noted that is why headstones in cemeteries are made of granite and not
cardboard.
It is hoped that your contact with the family is not a one-time event but part of an ongoing work
with them. This concept of remembering can extend past the holidays. A "thinking of you" or
"I'm praying for you" card at different times can be helpful. One family gave us a rose bush to
plant on the seventh anniversary of our accident. Another couple presented us with two Precious
Moments angels, one for each month of our daughters' birthdays.
During the four years after the accident, several of our younger daughter's friends would stop by
to visit us on her birthday. On the night of what would have been her high school graduation, they
came again and presented us with a graduation tassel. They were letting us know in their own way
they remembered her.
Maybe your ministry will take this form. Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a
contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The
winner was a four-year-old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had

ecently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard,
climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the
neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."
John and Nora Romanosky formerly served in Utah from 1971-1990. Presently John is pastor of
Sullivan Community Church in Ravenna, MI. John has been a member of IFCA since 1972.
Reprinted from Nov./Dec. 1998 VOICE.
A Widow's Christmas
Lorna Simcox
The worst Christmas I ever had was the year my first husband died. It wasn't the loneliness that
did me in; it was the self-pity.
As a young widow, I was faced with raising my four-year-old daughter alone. I didn't know for
whom I felt worse--her or me.
I knew I couldn't stay home. So I packed our things, loaded up my car, and made the long drive
from New Jersey to North Carolina to spend the holiday with my mother-in-law and my
husband's family, as we had always done when James was living. As usual, everyone was
wonderful to us. But it's easy to be miserable when you decide to feel sorry for yourself.
Looking back on that Christmas twenty years ago, I realize that God was bringing me through
something, so He could bring me to something. The lovable American baseball player Yogi Berra
once said, "Sports is 50 percent physical and 90 percent mental." Although his percentages didn't
add up, his point was well taken.
The apostle Paul made almost the same point when he said, "Let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus" (Phil.2:5). Life is filled with profound agonies that God uses to conform us to
the image of Christ for our good and His glory. And though widowhood is lonely, it is not a curse
unless you make it so. The Lord loves widows deeply and reserves for them extraordinary
blessings that many other women never receive--providing they set their minds on walking with
Him.
Anna was such a widow. The entire Bible contains only three verses about her, but they have
exalted her for more than two thousand years as a woman who put God ahead of self and service
ahead of self-pity:
"And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of
a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow
of about fourscore and four years, who departed not from the temple, but served God with
fastings and prayers night and day" (Lk. 2:36-37).
Some say Anna was eighty-four. But I doubt it. She was probably more than one hundred years
old--"of a great age"--and had been a widow eighty-four years. Jewish women were eligible to
marry when they turned twelve. She likely married young and was widowed in her twenties. The
Bible does not say if she had children. Nor does it say who supported her.
But during the four hundred "silent" years, when God sent neither prophet nor angelic messenger
to His people Israel, there was Anna--a prophetess. Undoubtedly, he blessed her with a
remarkable, personal relationship with the God of all creation. She communicated with Him
faithfully, diligently, and daily, "with fastings and prayers night and day"; and He communicated
with her. Her life revolved around the Temple and service to her Lord.

Anna lived in Jerusalem during the Roman occupation. But she had seen better days. She was
born when the Hasmoneans ruled (140-63 B.C.); and she knew what it was like to live in an
independent, Jewish Judea. The Hasmoneans descended from Judah "Maccabee," whose guerrilla
fighters eventually forced the Seleucid kingdom to grant the Jewish nation its freedom.
Although not descendants of David, the Hasmoneans brought much of the ancient land of Israel
under their control, plus Idumea (Edom), and spread Jewish influence in all directions. The
Pharisees, however, considered them too secular. And some circles particularly repudiated their
rule, feeling that the royal crown "was reserved for the House of David only."
Anna had lived through the Roman conquest of Jerusalem, when Roman General Pompey swept
into the Holy Land in 63 B.C., stationed mechanical engines and battering rams inside the walls,
and fiercely pummeled the Temple with stones. Pompey finally took Jerusalem from the Jews
after a three-month siege, seized the Temple, and entered the Holy of Holies. Wrote the ancient
historian Flavius Josephus, "Of the Jews there fell twelve thousand; but of the Romans very few."
So ended some eighty years of independent Jewish rule.
Yet, despite all her grief, both personal and national, Anna never doubted that God would keep
His promises. She served Him willingly, believed wholeheartedly that someday He would redeem
Israel, and "spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem" (Lk. 2:38).
Consequently, God, who helps widows (Ps. 146:9), executes justice for them (Dt. 10:18), condemns
those who prey on them (Isa. 10:2), and always hears their cries (Ex. 22:23), reached out to a
faithful widow in Jerusalem on that first "Christmas" and let her behold the One who would
redeem her people Israel.
Anna could not have understood the magnitude of the blessing she received that day. Many years
earlier she had witnessed the destruction of Jewish independence. Now God allowed her to see not
only the One who will restore the Jewish nation, but the legitimate heir to the throne of David,
God Himself--the one who will someday rule the Davidic Kingdom and the world forever.
The Bible says that man is "born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward" (Job 5:7). Life it not
easy. For many, particularly at Christmas, life may seem like one long road of heartache and pain.
Anna chose not to look down that road, but to fix her eyes on the Lord and serve Him fully. Like
Anna, we should do likewise until that blessed day when we, too, shall behold His face.
Lorna is presently the Sr. Editor for Friends Of Israel.
This article is reprinted with permission of Lorna Simcox, The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, PO Box 908,
Bellmawr, NJ 08099.
Tragedy in Russia
On September 3, the 52 hour hostage siege at Beslan, Russia Middle School Number 1 ended with
explosions and gunfire. The school became a death trap for the 1200 children and parents inside.
Terrorists shot many of those who tried to escape the fiery debris and broken glass.
This horrific, brutal massacre defies description. Even though they have been directly affected, the
believers of UECB Baptist Church of Beslan continue to offer hope in this seemingly hopeless
situation.
Beslan, North Ossetia has a population of 35,000 people and is located in the Caucasus region of
Russia, next to the war-torn republic of Chechnya. The terrorists identified themselves with
Chechnya's fight for secession. The church planter sponsored by Slavic Gospel Association,

named Sergey Totiev, identified himself with the Lord Jesus Christ and the Union of Evangelical
Christians-Baptists.
Sergey Totiev lives next door to his brother Taymuraz. Both serve the Lord in Beslan at the
Baptist Church. Together they had eight children trapped in the school. Taymuraz and wife Raya
fear they have lost four of their five children (only their oldest teenaged daughter survived). Segey
and wife Bella had three of their six children in the siege; their 12-year-old son lost an eye, 8-yearold
daughter was killed, and their youngest son's body is still missing and feared dead. Before the
tragedy the Totievs had eleven children combined. Only five survived the September 3 attack. At
the funeral service, the Totiev families had only two caskets for the bodies that were found.
Among the hostages taken were 33 children who attend Sunday School at the Beslan Baptist
Church located just down the street from the besieged school. Along with them was one of the
Sunday School teachers, 36-year-old Dzera Sidakova who perished in the fire-storm that ensued.
Eight of these precious Sunday School children perished with their teacher, seven of the children
are still missing and presumed among the unidentifiable bodies, six of the children are injured and
three of them severely. This leaves twelve children who somehow in the Lord's providence
managed to survive the explosions, fires, bullets, dehydration, and unimaginable trauma.
At the time of publication, the official number who perished is listed at 338. But only 207 bodies
were identifiable, including 105 children. Also, 340 injured victims remain hospitalized in regional
North Ossetian hospitals, in Rostov-on-Don, and in Moscow. Identifying the injured is extremely
difficult. Many are so traumatized that they are unable to say their names or the names of their
parents. Identifying the bodies of those who have died is equally difficult as many of them were
killed by explosions and the ensuing fires. It is felt that the number who have perished will reach
five hundred.
The Beslan Baptist Church has 224 members. They have begun visiting the homes of the families
who lost children. Their goal is to visit every home in Beslan that was affected by the crisis. They
are expressing their love, sharing the Gospel, and praying for each family. They are also giving
each family a Bible or New Testament, and children's Bibles, as appropriate, as well as a modest
present to each grieving family.
The UECB (Baptist Union) leaders have been fully involved. Dr. Piotr Mitskevitch, UECB Senior
Vice-President (who was trained at Dallas Theological Seminary), participated in the Totiev
funeral service where 2000 people gathered. Piotr reported that before the funeral, he prayed with
the Totiev mothers and these grieving women prayed, "Lord, you are teaching us to be thankful
for everything." Then during the funeral service, Segey Totiev said to those who are seeking bitter
revenge, "We don't want to curse anybody. We want even the death of our children to be a shining
light. We know that our children are with God and we want everybody in this community to have
the same hope."
Dr. Bob Provost wrote: "Beslan Baptist Church, led by Mikhail Kodzaev, is known for its
outreach to the children in the community. Join us in prayer as our Christian brothers and sisters
seize the opportunities to minister to the grief-stricken families. Pray for Bibles and literature in
the Ossetian language. Pray also that out of the ashes of this horrible tragedy, the Lord will raise
up a wonderful Antioch church to love and reach the suffering people of Beslan, a church capable
of training church workers and sending them out to reach all of Ossetia for the glory of Christ."
Those who wish to contribute to the Beslan School Victim Assistance Fund may do so by
contacting Slavic Gospel Association at 800-BIBLE50.

CHAPLAINS DIARY
LIFE & MINISTRY IN IRAQ AND IN PRISON MINISTRY
The following accounts received via email from your Army Chaplain Kevin Doll in Iraq and prison
Chaplain at Centinela State Prison, California recount how the Lord is working in lives in through
the pastoral ministries given them. [Warren Dane, Dir. of Chaplaincy]
LIFE & MINISTRY IN IRAQ
CH (CPT) Kevin Doll, USAR
This last week has been eventful with the turn over of the Iraqi government, we were all surprised
and relieved to find out the turn over took place two days early. Although the response in our area
after the news got out caused a great increase of attacks over the two last days.
In the last two days we were attacked with six different sustained attacks, that caused a number of
causalities on our part. Earlier this week we received a prolonged mortar attack with 12 mortar
rounds landing in the same general area. Yet, the grace of God was once more demonstrated in
that only three soldiers were slightly wounded, unlike two weeks ago when two mortar rounds hit
in front of our PX store and killed three soldiers and critically wounded 12 and one of them died
later in Germany.
Whatever romantic thought I might have had about going to war is forever gone and replaced
with the stark reality of the grim business of fighting a war. My perspective of war has changed
forever, there is a saying that goes "soldiers pray for peace more than anyone else." I never really
gave that saying much credibility until I deployed to a combat zone and found out first hand of the
truth and reality of war.
I pray for peace and I pray for my enemies, that God would intervene and bring peace to this
area. But at the same time I am struck with the reality of the fallenness of mankind, I cannot help
but think of how sin has so destroyed this part of the world.
I am spiritually saddened as I drive around Iraq and realize that this was once the location of the
Garden of Eden. I try to imagine what this country looked like at the time of creation but there is
nothing that I can think of that would even come close to the beauty of what God created. But I
can clearly see the devastating effects of thousands of years of the evil and the depraved sinfulness
of mankind.
I often stop and ask God's forgiveness for what we have done to His perfect creation, and for the
evil that we allowed to dominate this world. I find it somewhat amazing that the lessons I have
learned here in Iraq deal more with my own sinfulness and the devastating consequences of sin to
not only ourselves but to God's own creation.
I cannot help but to wonder how God looks upon us as He looks down on His creation and see the
overwhelming destruction we have brought to this world. But in all this, I see the mighty hand of
God's Grace. I see just how long-suffering God is and rejoice that in the midst of human evil and
depravity God's love has no end.
During those times that I travel past Mosul and the ancient city of Nineveh, visit Ur the home of
Abraham, and drive past Babylon I am reminded of God's mercy and forgiveness. How
throughout the history of this land God has always had a presence and has made that presence
known. I became aware of this fact this past Easter when I had the privilege of preaching the
Easter service here at our base camp. The significance of that day did not pass me by, as I spoke to

my congregation and shared the Gospel message with our soldiers. I reminded them that once
again God's message of forgiveness and grace is being freely preached in this land.
In the midst of all this death and destruction, hate and depravity God's light of salvation and
grace is shining bright as our men and women are accepting the forgiveness and salvation that He
so freely offers to all who simply ask. As I looked back over these first six months, I have come to
realize that my reason for being here is not to rid the world of terrorism or overthrow evil
dictators, but to present the saving message of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
This is the reason why I choose to follow God's leading into the Army Chaplaincy, to be a voice in
the mist of war and death, to proclaim peace and salvation for those who are lost and to introduce
my Savior to those who are desperately looking for a way to make sense of the madness around
them.
People often tell me how they are proud of the service I am giving to our country, but beyond my
duty to our country, I serve my Savior and proudly stand before our soldiers and proclaim the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. I openly share with them how they too can experience a life changing
encounter with God and receive His forgiveness. That is why we say in the Army Chaplaincy "For
God and Country"
In Christ,
Rev. Kevin M. Doll, U.S. Army Chaplain
Inmates Evangelize and Disciple Others
and a challenging week in ministry
Chaplain Steve Francis, Centinela State Prison, CA
The ministry challenges and rewards your prison chaplains face is vividly described in the following
account by Chaplain Steve Francis...
On Friday we had an incident on C yard between two racial groups that locked-down the yard
and of course disrupted chapel services for the weekend. Tension between the races are increasing
around the state and we are being warned to be on guard and be prepared. It is so important to
the Christian inmates to be able to "gather...together" (Heb. 10:24-25) and so often we see the
Enemy throwing up his roadblocks.
I have thought a lot about that passage of scripture over the years. Too often I have heard people
say that you don't have to go to church to be a Christian. Yet the emphasis of the passage is not on
the individual but on the body of Christ (the local church) and the importance of each individual
being there to be an encouragement (stimulation) to love and good deeds. The need for this is
really emphasized in the jail, prison or persecuted church setting.
Pray that the Lord would open the doors of the chapel as often as possible so that our brothers
might fulfill his command to gather.
On Sunday I had the privilege of baptizing 10 men on Facility D. This yard houses about 1000
men of which about 400 are on loan from the Federal Government (INS) awaiting deportation or
serving out state prison terms which will be followed by deportation. Most of them are of Mexican,
Central or South American origin and speak little English and primarily Spanish. The majority
will only be with us for less than 90 days and the inmate leadership on that yard take their
ministry very seriously. They are very evangelistic, turning many from the traditions of their
family to Biblical Christianity. They then meet with them almost daily to disciple them and
prepare them to go back home as evangelists and ministers. A number have gone back to their

home villages and instead of trying to come back into the States have begun to minister the Gospel
of Christ where there was no church other than Catholicism.
Saturday we were able to minister on all of the yards but C yard. For ten years I have been able to
say that there has never been an act of violence in the chapels. Well one of the non-Christian
groups had a pretty bloody fight in the chapel restroom and that chapel is off limits until the
investigation is completed.
Today topped all days. I arrived at the prison to find out that one of our officers had killed his girl
friend and then himself on Saturday in San Diego. He was a professing Christian but was not
walking with the Lord. He was also involved in a traffic accident a few weeks ago that resulted in a
five day coma. I spoke with him briefly on Wednesday as he was leaving and he assured me that
everything was alright. A good part of my day today was spent speaking with his co-workers and
making sure they were handling it alright.
And, right in the middle of this whole mess, we had four inmates escape sometime this morning
from our minimum security yard. I have never been involved in an escape before and since all
programs were shut down I volunteers to give what help I could. It was very interesting to see how
we ramped up from our normal weekend staff to a full call-in of the escape team and extra staff to
cover necessary positions. Fortunately the men were found about 10 miles from the prison all
together and I don't think they offered any resistance to being taken into custody. Each of them
will most likely get 18 months added to their sentence as no on was hurt. The ridiculous thing is
that one of them was to get out in August. You never know what is going through the minds of
these men.
Please remember in prayer your chaplains who are serving the Lord around the world in ministry to
the military and their families and in prison, police, fire department and civilian and VA hospitals.
Introduction
EvanTell Spotlight
IFCA & Evantell Evangelism Initiative
Community Care 2005: Growing Your Church Through Conversion
At the 2004 Annual Convention Larry Moyer, the Evangelism Consultant to IFCA International,
presented this proposal to the Board of Directors. The proposal was enthusiastically received and
unanimously endorsed by the Board.
The Vision
To see every member of every IFCA affiliated church personally share the gospel with one lost
person in 2005 and invite that person to trust Christ as their Savior from sin.
The Challenge
Will you accept this challenge and be one of those who say "Depend on me. I'm one accepting this
opportunity and challenge." NOTE: Although God honors faithfulness of any kind, such as the
distribution of tracts, the purpose of this campaign is to see IFCA churches become stronger in
evangelism. So we are asking all believers who accept this challenge to take time to give a
personal, complete presentation of the gospel and invite the person to trust Christ.
The Obstacles
• Believers are afraid.

• Believers don't know how to present the gospel.
The Solution
How can EvanTell partner with an IFCA International Church?
1. Prepare
a. Begin a daily prayer focus asking God to use each member who accepts the challenge.
b. Purchase the devotional 31 Days with the Master Fisherman and have the entire congregation
read it during the same month in 2005. Suggest that each person make a contribution to the
project by purchasing their devotional. Whether they pay part or all, people appreciate what they
pay for. ($6 per person)
2. Train
a. Have every Sunday School class watch the "How to Tell the Bad News/Good News" video the
same Sunday in 2005 or pull all the church members together for a special showing. Give each
person a copy of "May I Ask You a Question?" to have in hand as they watch the video ($14 per
video)
b. Sponsor the You Can Tell It! seminar twice in 2005 with the goal of having each person who has
accepted this challenge to attend, each paying his or her own cost. ($25 per person for
seminar/notebook included).
3. Equip
Purchase 50 "May I Ask You a Question?" tracts for each church member to use in their personal
outreach as well as to outfit your tract rack for those who will visit your church. ($6 or $6.50 per
50 depending on tract cover)
4. Encourage
a. Once a month have a church member give a 3-5 minute testimony, carefully prepared and
written beforehand, as to how he or she came to Christ ($5 for EvanTell's tape/CD "How to Give
an Effective Testimony"/ $1.25 per testimony worksheet). Also have them comment how God has
used them to present the gospel to someone else.
b. Keep a statistical progress chart as to how many presentations of the gospel are made (not how
many people were saved).
The Costs
Approximately $35 per person
Approximately $650 per church
NOTE: People love to give toward people. If finances are a problem, a "Community Care 2005"
campaign established before the end of 2004 will probably bring in all needed funds quickly. Each
church can decide if it wants to subsidize the "per person" cost. Also, IFCA members accepting
this challenge will receive a 20% "Key Account" customer discount from EvanTell.
The Results
It is our prayerful desire that the following results happen in our participating churches:
• Increased growth through conversion
• Renewed enthusiasm among believers

• More believer involvement
• New believer classes established
• Cultural change within the congregation to an outward focus
Church Extension
Extension of God's Grace
Many times when thinking about the ministry of planting churches, a tendency is for us to lose
sight of why we are doing this kind of ministry. The following testimony comes out of the state of
Michigan, and shows that there are so many "good people" who are lost, who need the Lord, and
who can be reached as we continue to extend IFCA ministry into new communities of people.
Looking back, when Brad and Carrie approached their fifteenth anniversary, they could say they
had been to church only twice in their entire marriage. Their two daughters (14, 11) would
occasionally attend with a neighbor. But, Brad and Carrie's testimony is that they were living a
very worldly life. They believed in God, but that was as far as they went in spiritual things.
Brad met a man named Bill in the workplace. Bill was a Christian, and he began to talk with Brad
about God and the Bible. Conversations led to reading Scripture during lunch and work breaks,
with Bill answering Brad's questions.
Brad's boss - another believer - learned about the men's spiritual discussions, and invited Brad to
join a Wednesday morning Bible study. Brad accepted the invitation, and "really enjoyed learning
about God." At home after work, Brad shared what he was learning with Carrie. They started
reading the Bible together, yet they struggled to understand what it was saying to them.
Some time later, Carrie's aunt and uncle came from Italy to see them. Her aunt wanted to attend a
church while visiting, so together with Carrie's mother, the family found Bright Hope Bible
Church. This is a church plant with Independent Bible Mission of Michigan, pastored by Terry
LaDuke. "We felt very comfortable and very welcomed at Bright Hope. We enjoyed it very
much," says Carrie.
It was about a month later, after enjoying many of the church's ministries, Carrie received the
Lord. She told Brad about her decision, and with joy he did the same. Sharing what happened
next, Carrie says:
"Then we sat down with our girls and explained to them what we had done and told them why.
Our oldest daughter asked about going to heaven, so we told them that until they trusted in Christ
as Savior, they would not go to heaven. They asked what they had to do to ask God for their
salvation. We explained that they had to admit that they had sinned, ask for His forgiveness and
trust in Christ for their gift of salvation. By the end of that week our whole family had received
God's greatest gift!! It was the best thing we have ever done as a family!!"
Brad, Carrie, and their daughters were all baptized by Pastor LaDuke on August 1, 2004. We
rejoice over what God has done in this family of new believers.
This is what IFCA Church Extension is all about.