George Verwer (www.georgeverwer.com) was radically converted to Jesus Christ in a Billy Graham meeting in New York City.  After being called to serve in missions, in proposing to his wife he said: If you marry me, you’ll probably be eaten by cannibals in New Guinea!  As a part of his sold-out commitment to Jesus he founded Operation Mobilization (www.om.org), now with 6,500 servants of Christ in more than 100 countries.  I met George in an annual meeting of The Mission Exchange (www.themissionexchange.org), composed of representatives of more than 100 mission-sending agencies, this one convening in St. Louis, MO.  I was there to see my friend from college days, Avery Willis (www.averywillis.com), receive TME’s very first Innovations in Missions Award in behalf of himself and the “orality” movement.  But at that same gathering my new friend George Verwer was awarded TME’s Lifetime Of Service Award. Under George’s leadership, OM spotlights 7 Global Concerns: (1) children at risk; (2) abused women; (3) the extreme poor; (4) the HIV & AIDS patient; (5) people with impure water; (6) the unborn; and (7) the environment.  In OM’s worldwide distribution of literature, the paperback book True Grit on the plight of women worldwide is being promoted and offered free.  George Verwer gives testimony that it changed his life.  Order your free copies for your reading and distribution.  Donations accepted but not required.

Part 1

Most churches have less than 100 in attendance, thus most church youth groups are small.  Ryan Webb, 25-year-old middle school art teacher, founded and is leading the Food for Life ministry.  It embraces a vision of helping Christian students from different churches discover and encourage each other in their respective schools.  You may not live in Ryan’s area, but the need is everywhere.  Perhaps his vision can also become yours.  Hear Ryan discuss the two-day Food for Life Conference in efforts to advance the vision.  Adults and students are invited, meeting at the Eagan Florissant (MO) Civic Center on January 8 & 9, 2010.  See www.foodforlifeconference.com.

In visiting Vancouver, St. Louis Pastor Jeff Wells is attending his fifth Olympics…in ministry.  His “team”  -- Action Ministry International  founded by former Olympian David Guinn -- utilizes the Olympic tradition of exchanging lapel pins.  The pins they distribute – one by one – simply read “Jesus.”  So with whomever they can have a conversation – Olympians, their family members and friends, and spectators -- Jeff and his team begin a conversation like: “I’ve got a pin and I’d love to give it to if you’ll let me tell you the story behind it.”  80% agree.  Then in 60 – 90 seconds they summarize the story of Jesus.  Many have prayed to receive Christ.  The visit goes longer if the recipient chooses, as they frequently do. Their goal was to share with 15,000 people in Vancouver. Action Ministry Olympic Updates (AIM) appear on Facebook.

Cindy Wells and Andrew Shores of CEF (www.cefonline.com) explain how your church can sponsor a weekly after school Good News (Bible) Club in an elementary school in your neighborhood … legally.  The U S Supreme Court has ruled, under “equal access” laws, that public schools cannot deny Christian believers after school meeting access…if they allow such meeting access to other groups.   So Cindy and Andrew of Child Evangelism Fellowship explain how CEF provides support (training, expertise, materials, mentoring, etc.) to individual Bible-believing churches in order for them to minister the love of Jesus to elementary school children in their respective neighborhoods.  This focus and support is a major part of the CEF ministry.  They want to help.  Call on them to discuss it. – Child Evangelism Fellowship is a wonderful, well established and solid world-wide ministry (in more than 160 countries) sharing the Gospel of Jesus to the world’s most responsive age-group to the Gospel – children.  CEF recognizes that the majority of the world’s people who come to saving faith in Christ do so by the time they are in mid-teen years.  So they focus on presenting a child-like, clear and simple Biblical message to the children of the world. --  The world headquarters of Child Evangelism Fellowship is one hour west of St. Louis, in Warrenton, MO.  A very important website to help you advance this vision, this great “open door,” is www.cefonline.com.   Call on CEF!  (Cindy Wells – 636 724-7992 is the acting Director of CEF in St. Louis, MO.  Andrew Shores is a member of that local board of directors.)

Hear Joe White (www.kanakuk.com) discuss the vision of this developing nation-wide movement called Men at the Cross (www.menathecross.org).  The very first gathering of MATC was in the Scott Trade Center in St. Louis, MO, July 11 & 12.  Similar gatherings will occur in upwards of 30 cities throughout the USA in the next two years.  While having some similarities to the great meetings of Luis Palau, Billy Graham, and Promise Keepers, an added focus of MATC will be specific action toward one-on-one Biblical discipleship.  Before leaving, each man present will be given (1) a challenge to meet for several weeks with another man and will be given (2) materials segmented for weekly use in assisting another man to be a growing follower of Jesus. 

This is II Timothy 2:2 in action:

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. (Paul…Timothy…reliable men…others) (II Timothy 2:2)

About Joe White:

• Speaker at 75 Promise Keeper rallies.
• President of Kanakuk Kamps (www.kanakuk.com), a series of 12 sports camps in and around Branson, MO (22,000 attending each year), 4 of which are designated specifically for inner-city young people and are heavily subsidized to make it possible for them to attend (www.kidsacrossamerica.org).
• Perhaps the most frequent guest appearances on Dr. James Dobson’s Focus on the Family national radio program.
• Has experienced life-threatening cancer.

Joe White, fully aware of the enormous challenges that men face in today’s world, has founded Men at the Cross (www.menatthecross.org).  Through great music and highly motivational speakers, Men at the Cross events provide high inspiration, encouragement and humor for men “right where they live.”  Similar to the Promise Keeper movement, MATC meetings occur all over the country. At www.menatthecross.org options of dates and locations can be found that should fit into each man’s life. – About Joe White: a former coach, Joe heads “Kanakuk Kamps,” (www.kanakuk.com) a series of sports camps with a Christian focus around Branson, MO, hosting 20,000 each year.  He is a frequent guest on Dr. James Dobson’s nationwide Focus on the Family radio and has been a featured speaker in more than 70 Promise Keeper stadium and auditorium gatherings around the country.  Major subtle factors in Joe’s impact are his complete one-to-one focus on the person with whom he is talking, his warm compassion for each, and his great motivational encouragement that results.

Joe White, leader of the several Kanakuk Kamps (www.kanakuk.com) all around Branson, MO, began the Men at the Cross movement. (www.menatthecross.org).  The  vision of it is based upon the biblical command of Jesus found in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19, 20) that we “…make disciples of all nations…” 

The biblical role model of MATC is found in II Timothy 2:2.  In that one verse four spiritual generations of discipling are depicted: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” (NIV)  (1) Paul impacted (2) Timothy who was to help (3) reliable men who teach (4) others. 

Men at the Cross features highly inspirational and enthusiastic half day Saturday meetings led by Joe White and his team in cities throughout the USA.  While this radio discussion with Joe spotlights one MATC city (St. Louis, MO), it provides an example of what is happening in cities all over the USA.  Invitations to men to attend and answers to questions are found at www.menatthecross.org. 

A moving example of the vision of MATC is found in another radio conversation on www.haroldhendrick.com.  Mike Blake, a professional gardener, like many men, had been away from a faith walk with Jesus.  Upon returning, Mike now passionately and joyfully helps others follow Jesus.  He shares about a bible study he did in the New Testament’s first book, Matthew, listing five characteristics of a disciple … which you can now hear in Mike Blake’s own words.

Tony Whittaker is the International Coordinator of a vision whose time has come – Internet Evangelism Day (www.internetevangelismday.com).  It is observed worldwide every fourth Sunday in April.  The website is wonderfully helpful and easy to navigate, and includes, for example, many ways a church or other ministry can develop and improve its website for more effective ministry.  Tony, interviewed from his home in Derby, England, notes that such great ministries as Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL are involved in the endorsement and development of Internet Evangelism Day.  www.everystudent.com, the evangelistic website of Campus Crusade for Christ, is cited as an effective example of using the internet for pointing people to Christ.  Click the link below to hear Tony Whittaker discuss it.

Jerry Wiles, President of Living Water International (www.water.cc) tells of a 1991 group making a short term mission trip to Kenya.  They returned with shocking reports of the bad water that many people there routinely consumed because of no available pure drinking water.  It underscored the reality that more people die world-wide from diseases resulting from bad drinking water than die from starvation.  From that short mission trip Living Water International was born.  In these few years of its existence, Living Water has led in the digging of 7,000 pure water wells in poor countries around the world.  Due to their great efforts and that of others, the number of people no longer having access to pure drinking water has lowered from 1.2 billion to 800 million, a reduction of 1/3^rd worldwide.  – This movement has motivated the creation of the Advent Conspiracy (www.adventconspiracy.org), now an  international movement wherein churches and individuals commit to (1) worship fully, (2) spend less, (3) give more, and (4) love all.  Many of these Advent Conspiracy participants – by giving more -- are partnering with Living Water International in financing the digging of more pure water wells in poor countries worldwide.  Thus they are substantially increasing the number of poor people who have access to both pure drinking water and of The “Living Water.”  (John 4:10-14).

Charlie Williams, Executive Director of St. Charles (Missouri) Ministry to Men (www.ministrytomen.net) fills us in regarding more than 800 men coming to the very creative “Hunting and Fishing” Ministry Extravaganza on the west edge of the St. Louis, MO area. Speaking effectively at the event was author, guide, and master storyteller Rocky McElveen (www.rockymcelveen.com) who hosts individuals and groups in his lodge in Alaska.