that they might hear!

story set translated into 500 languages of unreached people groups.

I’m excited about this goal. I know it is hefty, but completely worthwhile and will challenge us to reach even more than we might have before. It will sharpen our processes and invite others to join us with the same burden for people who have never heard the gospel.

I’m also compelled by it as I see that our ministry focus in East Asia is incredibly strategic. There are literally thousands of those unreached people within reach of our focus.

~ Steve

Four New Churches in Five Months!

Last spring, a StoryRunners team trained 28 pastors in a restricted country in Southeast Asia how to use a set of 20 oral Bible stories. Most of them had suffered imprisonment at least once because of their faith. They gathered again during the summer for a second round of training. They reported that five new house churches began since the spring training. But it’s the stories of their lives as they encounter the gospel that is most amazing.

One pastor shared the story of the demoniac man (Mark 5:1-20) to a group of villagers who lived in fear because they believed evil spirits cursed the local farm and they could die working there. Seeing the power of Christ in the story over evil spirits, five families in the village put their trust in Jesus. They told a local witch doctor about Christ’s authority to heal and he and his family believed. Some of the witch doctors followers also believed. Altogether 8 families turned to Christ.

The local authorities–displeased with the conversions–accused the pastor of illegally sharing the gospel and tried to arrest him. But these new followers of Christ defended him and shared how they now believed in the power of God to overcome evil spirits and no longer need to sacrifice their cows and chickens. They told the authorities they would not forsake Christ and the authorities let the pastor go.

Please join us in prayer for this pastor and his colleagues as they share the gospel, story by story.

Sincerely,

Ron Green

Director

Making a Stop at Mayo Jacksonville

I have hemochromatosis – genetic condition resulting in high iron absorption.  I’ve started treatment this week… phlebotomies.  It will take 1-2 months of this to see if it is helping enough to avoid surgery for the intussusception.

I also have an intussusception in my small intestine.  We are waiting to see if the above treatments help my abdominal problems, so as to avoid surgery for the telescoping.

Been gluten free for at least a month now–except for a few mistakes (ouch)–and it sure has helped me!

Thanks to all who have been praying for me and us.

Steve

We’ve been so grateful for everyone’s prayers and encouragement.  I will post an update as soon as I can.

Been to Mayo twice the past two weeks, but one more trip.  Monday (10/25) I will have a procedure to correct the telescoping (intrussusception) of my small intestine.  Please pray this goes smoothly, works, and nothing to take care of afterwards.  It has been a long 2 months especially, but this all really started by Sept 30th of 2009.

God has been showing me much in this, and growing me and Jess in the process.  I’m thankful to walk with Him through this–that He walks with us and has cared for us in every way.

We use that word, hypocrite, to describe people we perceive as having a dominant current characteristic of behavior not authentic to their heart.  But aren’t we all hypocrites to some extent on a regular basis?

Lest I be misunderstood, I am not trying to find comfort in the company of hypocrites.  Nor do I seek comfort in finding others I that I like to think that I am better than. There is NO comfort in either place! And there’s ample opportunity to test that out.  I guess there are some that embrace being a liar and find it a commendable necessary means of survival.  But that ‘comfort’ is certainly temporary.

My comfort truly is in Christ.  I’ve never found a comfort anywhere else.  There is comfort in his forgiveness as I admit my own hypocrisy and seek His help to live faithfully as he did.  Yeah, it is contrary to the thinking of much of our world, but I have found real comfort in admitting that I am a miserable failure in all God’s standards–or even in just my own standards, to be honest–and that I want and need His help to live any other way.

1 John 1:1-5; Ephesians 5:15