Comments on: Reader Missionary Stories? http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/03/reader-missionary-stories.html Looking for the 1st century Church in 21st century America Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:37:15 +0000 hourly 1 By: plouffiehttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/03/reader-missionary-stories.html#comment-1847 plouffie Fri, 03 Mar 2006 10:13:00 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/03/reader-missionary-stories.html#comment-1847 I went on a mission trip to Cuba during my senior year of high school with a team of about fifteen people, mostly my age. We did door-to-door evangelism in pairs with members of a church in Jovellanos during the day and led Bible studies at home churches in the evening, which were also led by members of the church. Three gnarly stories off the top of my head... On one of the first two days of the trip, I was leading a couple of women in prayer to accept Christ, and it seemed as though the room we were in had gotten a lot darker, and it was like I was surrounded in a fog. And for some reason, I felt really confused and kinda got stuck with the prayer. I was also sweating bullets. Fortunately, my team member was able to lead me lead women with the rest of the prayer. When we'd finished, it was as if the room had become lighter, and when I walked outside, the sun had never looked so good. There was one member of our group, about my dad's age, who always seemed run into all the people who practiced Santeria and be able convert them. Midway through the week, we switched teams for a day, and I was paired with him and another guy. Towards the end of the day, we were walking along the street, and was saw an older guy sitting on his porch. We tried talking to him, but everything he said was jibberish, and his eyes seemed glazed over. We started praying, and it seemed like that dark fog was back for a bit. After a while, the guy's eyes became clear and he spoke coherently. The last little story from my trip took place on the same day. We were planning the Bible study and decided to go over a passage and have someone share their testimony. The older member of our group decided that I should share because he wanted to hear my story. I figured my testimony made just about the most boring narrative on the face of the earth and told him that. He replied that God could do anything with it, but I was still somewhat doubtful. When we got to the house where the study was being held, there was a little boy, about 11, who lived there. We interacted a bit, and I thought it would be really cool if he would accept Christ. After I told my testimony, he accepted Christ, and God proved me wrong. I went on a mission trip to Cuba during my senior year of high school with a team of about fifteen people, mostly my age. We did door-to-door evangelism in pairs with members of a church in Jovellanos during the day and led Bible studies at home churches in the evening, which were also led by members of the church. Three gnarly stories off the top of my head…

On one of the first two days of the trip, I was leading a couple of women in prayer to accept Christ, and it seemed as though the room we were in had gotten a lot darker, and it was like I was surrounded in a fog. And for some reason, I felt really confused and kinda got stuck with the prayer. I was also sweating bullets. Fortunately, my team member was able to lead me lead women with the rest of the prayer. When we’d finished, it was as if the room had become lighter, and when I walked outside, the sun had never looked so good.

There was one member of our group, about my dad’s age, who always seemed run into all the people who practiced Santeria and be able convert them. Midway through the week, we switched teams for a day, and I was paired with him and another guy. Towards the end of the day, we were walking along the street, and was saw an older guy sitting on his porch. We tried talking to him, but everything he said was jibberish, and his eyes seemed glazed over. We started praying, and it seemed like that dark fog was back for a bit. After a while, the guy’s eyes became clear and he spoke coherently.

The last little story from my trip took place on the same day. We were planning the Bible study and decided to go over a passage and have someone share their testimony. The older member of our group decided that I should share because he wanted to hear my story. I figured my testimony made just about the most boring narrative on the face of the earth and told him that. He replied that God could do anything with it, but I was still somewhat doubtful. When we got to the house where the study was being held, there was a little boy, about 11, who lived there. We interacted a bit, and I thought it would be really cool if he would accept Christ. After I told my testimony, he accepted Christ, and God proved me wrong.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/03/reader-missionary-stories.html#comment-1846 Anonymous Fri, 03 Mar 2006 07:01:00 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/03/reader-missionary-stories.html#comment-1846 I haven't gone in a mission trip either but when I read the live of David Brainerd I am humbled. His life of prayer and his dedication to preach the gospel to the indians back in the mid-18th century is exemplary: 8 years as a christian, 4 of them devoted to missions and a life that impacted many lives. I bet you've heard about him. I became acquainted with his diary after listening to a sermon by Leonard Ravenhill. Brainerd's life inspired Henry Martin who went to India and preached the gospel for 7 years without seeing any convert. Nowadays that may be considered a failure in terms of megachurch "soul-winning". However, after his death many reports were given of people converted to Christ as a result of his ministry. Both of this men died young. The church needs to hear/be reminded of men like those: godly men on fire for Jesus! Francisco I haven’t gone in a mission trip either but when I read the live of David Brainerd I am humbled. His life of prayer and his dedication to preach the gospel to the indians back in the mid-18th century is exemplary: 8 years as a christian, 4 of them devoted to missions and a life that impacted many lives.
I bet you’ve heard about him. I became acquainted with his diary after listening to a sermon by Leonard Ravenhill. Brainerd’s life inspired Henry Martin who went to India and preached the gospel for 7 years without seeing any convert. Nowadays that may be considered a failure in terms of megachurch “soul-winning”. However, after his death many reports were given of people converted to Christ as a result of his ministry.
Both of this men died young. The church needs to hear/be reminded of men like those: godly men on fire for Jesus!

Francisco

]]> By: Dan McGowanhttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/03/reader-missionary-stories.html#comment-1845 Dan McGowan Fri, 03 Mar 2006 02:02:00 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2006/03/reader-missionary-stories.html#comment-1845 For 23 years (or so) I've had a good friend handle my taxes - besides the typical W2 stuff, I also have a lot of 1099 and other "side business" stuff that's just a tad crazy to figure out. But in the past few years, my buddy's prices have gone up considerably - now that he works for a larger firm... So, this year, I bought Turbo Tax and I'm trying to do our own! Since I have his info from the last several years, I figure I should be able to follow his plan - just plugging in the numbers for this year... But I am a tad frustrated - cuz I don't know if I'm doing everything right. My plan is to make tomorrow the last day I attempt to "do our own taxes" and, if I can't make sense of it, then I'll just send him my stuff, let him worry about it, and pay him for worrying and doing my taxes correctly... Ugh... I'm a MUSICIAN, not a MATHMATICIAN! For 23 years (or so) I’ve had a good friend handle my taxes – besides the typical W2 stuff, I also have a lot of 1099 and other “side business” stuff that’s just a tad crazy to figure out.

But in the past few years, my buddy’s prices have gone up considerably – now that he works for a larger firm…

So, this year, I bought Turbo Tax and I’m trying to do our own! Since I have his info from the last several years, I figure I should be able to follow his plan – just plugging in the numbers for this year…

But I am a tad frustrated – cuz I don’t know if I’m doing everything right. My plan is to make tomorrow the last day I attempt to “do our own taxes” and, if I can’t make sense of it, then I’ll just send him my stuff, let him worry about it, and pay him for worrying and doing my taxes correctly…

Ugh… I’m a MUSICIAN, not a MATHMATICIAN!

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