The Joyful Burden

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