Christians

had with the Ethiopian in Acts 8. “What
language were you speaking to your
friend?” I ask the Indian gas station
attendant. Then I follow it with “So how
do you say ‘thank you’ in Punjabi?” Or I
might ask the Cambodian doughtnut
maker who has an obvious accent,
“How long have you lived in America?”
“What do you miss about your country?”
Conversations about their culture
and values are bridges to friendship.
Then I keep watching and praying to
know their needs and find opportunities
to share something that points to
our great God.
Give Real Care
Newly arrived refugees have great
needs and a huge adjustment to their
new country. A church in San Diego, California,
provides day-old donated food
to various families from Bhutan. A
school in Rockford, Illinois, sacrifices to
provide Christian schooling to refugee
children from Myanmar and the Democratic
Republic of Congo. A couple in
Wisconsin allows many Hmong families
to grow gardens on their property.
You also can help in such tangible ways.
Befriend International
Students
It’s amazing to think that many of the
world’s future leaders are studying at
the universities in our own towns and
cities. The king of Bahrain, Sheikh
Hamed bin Isa
Al Khalifa,
went to college
in Kansas.
Annette Lu,
vice president
of Taiwan, studied
in Illinois
and Massachusetts.
Just think
what you might do
for the world by
befriending an international
student! It can be as
simple as volunteering at a university
to practice English with a
student for an hour a week. Ron and
Cathy Bush went a big step further and
hosted a Japanese exchange student in
their home for a school year. He became
a Christian and now serves as a pastor in
California.
Relay Resources
Recently I met a literature evangelist
who said, “I felt so bad when the Vietnamese
woman shook her head indicating
she couldn’t read my books. I wanted
something to give her in her own language.
I just had to walk away.” To fix
that problem, we’ve collected Seventhday
Adventist pamphlets, sermons, videos,
Bible studies, and more in many
languages. Now it’s as easy as the click of
a smartphone or your computer. 6 Think
how their eyes will light up when you
Ready to Go?
Here Are the Tools
Prepare yourself for cross-cultural mission action right in
your neighborhood. Reach the World Next Door is just off the
press. Video presentations, small-group interaction, and out-inthe-community
activities will build your confidence to make international
friends, tangibly help refugees, share the gospel with people of other world
religions, and even partner to begin new ethnic churches right where you are. Produced
through a partnership between ASAP Ministries and the North American Division,
this material can be ordered at www.reachtheworldnextdoor.com.
hand them a downloaded pamphlet in
their own tongue or sit and watch the
“Jesus Movie” in their language with
them.
Learn Their Beliefs
You may not feel confident to talk with
someone of another religion. Perhaps
you are afraid you will make a mistake,
embarrassing yourself and God’s cause.
Don’t worry! God can do it through you.
You can learn and grow in confidence by
asking them questions about what their
religion teaches and what values matter
to them. Beyond this, the Seventh-day
Adventist Church has six Global Mission
centers that are constantly working on
developing training manuals and Bible
studies especially geared for these different
religions. 7
Share an Experience
I don’t like getting into a debate with
anyone, but I do want to share my faith. I
have found the best way to do it is by telling
stories. I introduce my God by telling
stories of how He has protected me, or
healed a friend, or set a drug addict free. I
deal with deceptions about ghosts and
reincarnation by telling the great controversy
story of Satan’s attack on God in a
way that highlights in the lies—and the
truths—of these subjects.
Some things are best experienced. I
18 (1010) | www.AdventistReview.org | November 14, 2013