"LET the REDEEMED. of the LORD SAY SO..." TESTIMONIES of SAVING GRACE Welcome to the Spring Edition That Make up This Redeemed Congrega- of the Heartcry Magazine

74 JAN - MAR 2013 THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS

"LET THE REDEEMED. OF THE LORD SAY SO..." TESTIMONIES OF SAVING GRACE Welcome to the Spring Edition that make up this redeemed congrega- of the HeartCry magazine. With the tion? The psalmist informs us, they are budding of a new season comes the “from the east and from the west, from yearly reminder of God’s renewing work the north and from the south!” in the creation that surrounds us. With As you flip through the pages of this in mind, we desire that this spring this magazine, it is our hope that your magazine be a reminder to you of God’s hearts would be lifted up in Psalm-107- renewing, redeeming grace, not simply type praise as you encounter truths as it is pictured in the world around us, and testimonies of God’s never-ending, but as it is gloriously portrayed in the world-encompassing love. You will find, lives of men and women across the first, an excerpt from Paul Washer’s globe who have embraced the Gospel second book in the “Recovering the of the Lord Jesus. Gospel” series, The Gospel Call & True In Psalm 107, the psalmist Conversion. Second, you will read testi- writes, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for monies from all over the world of God’s He is good, for His lovingkindness is ev- continual redemption of sinners through erlasting. Let the redeemed of the Lord the preaching and proclamation of a say so, whom He has redeemed from crucified, dead, and risen Savior. Final- the hand of the adversary and gathered ly, you will hopefully get a good idea of from the lands, from the east and from what the men which you labor to sup- the west, from the north and from the port are doing in Indonesia. south.” The imperative that is charged to We not only hope that the Chris- the redeemed is a gradual unfolding of tian reading these testimonies would be praise to the God of our salvation: “Give encouraged by hearing of the Lord’s thanks to the Lord!” Why? The psalm- work in claiming souls for the Kingdom, ist answers: “For He is good!” Why is but we also greatly desire that every He good? Again, the psalmist replies: man, woman, and child consider the “For His lovingkindness is everlasting!” condition of their soul in light of a holy Further prodding of the psalmist asks, God that offers free grace through the what has He done for these redeemed? Cross of a crucified and risen Messiah. His answer: “He has redeemed [them] from the hand of the adversary and Sincerely, gathered [them] from the lands!” From where then are these gathered ones The HeartCry Staff

Believe and Confess ...... 3 Europe ...... 17 An excerpt from The Gospel Call & Germany: Testimonies from Peter True Conversion, the second book Schild and Anita Kupferman of Paul Washer’s “Recovering the Gospel” series. Middle East ...... 22 Israel: Antony S. saved from Judaism; A View from the Field Arabia: Ahmed saved from Islam Testimonies of God’s saving grace and Russia...... 27 missionary updates from men and Siberia: Testimonies from Andrey women throughout the world. Danilov and his wife Liana Africa ...... 10 South America...... 30 Zambia: Conrad Mbewe’s story of Peru: Pastors Gilberto Nole and JAN - MAR 2013 conversion and calling to ministry. Arturo Marin’s testimonies

Asia ...... 13 Missionary Spotlight...... 33 India: Samuel’s testimony; Japan: A report from Matt and Amanda Glass, Luis’s account of God working. who are living and working in Indonesia.

2 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 "BELIEVE AND CONFESS"

AN EXCERPT FROM

The Gospel Call & True Conversion by? Paul Washer “But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: ‘Do not say in your heart, ‘who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ -- that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Romans 10:6-10

his is arguably one of the most el- oquent and important passages in "the perfect saving work T all the Scriptures regarding what of Christ marked the end a “man must do” to be saved.1 Through- out the centuries of Christianity, it has of all attempts to establish served as a source of comfort for all who believe and as a wall of defense one's own righteousness against the almost constant barrage of before God through human every false teaching that would seek to mingle works with faith as the means of merit or effort" salvation. Salvation is not won by any valiant deed or noble pilgrimage on the en man that he cannot accomplish any part of man, but by calling upon the more than he can “ascend into heaven” Name of the Lord in faith. or “descend into the abyss.” However, faith is entirely different. It requires no A NEAR WORD heroic feat or impossible religious con- formity. Instead, it calls a man to ac- n the verses immediately preceding knowledge his “helpless estate”4 and to our text, the apostle Paul demon- rest upon the person and accomplish- I strates the great theological error of ments of Christ. For this reason, the the greater part of the nation of Israel. apostle Paul assures the Christians in Though they had a commendable zeal, Rome that everything they required for they did not seek a right standing be- a right standing before God was ap- fore God by faith in the atoning work of propriated to them through their faith in His Son. Instead, they sought a righ- the “word” of the Gospel that had been teousness through a rigorous and ex- brought “near” to them5 through the ap- cruciating obedience to the Law.2 Paul ostolic preaching. They could rest as- counters their false view by declaring sured of their salvation because they that the perfect saving work of Christ had believed in their hearts the Gospel marked the end of all attempts to es- message which was preached to them, tablish one’s own righteousness before and they were openly confessing Jesus God through human merit or effort.3 as Lord. The Law places demands upon fall-

4 The phrase is taken from the beloved hymn, 1 Acts 16:30 “It Is Well With My Soul,” by Horatio Gates 2 Romans 10:1-3 Spafford (1828-1888). 3 Romans 10:4 5 Had been made readily available to them.

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 3 Believe and Confess Continued...

died for his sins and rose again from the THE MISUSE OF THE TEXT dead. Subsequently, he is encouraged his passage has rightly become to asked Jesus to come into his heart one of the most popular and and to be his Savior. Afterward, he is T most employed among modern promised that, if he prayed this prayer day evangelists and all who seek to sincerely, he is now saved. Finally, he is share their faith with others. However, directed that if he ever doubts his salva- what does it truly mean, and what is tion he should stand upon this one mo- its proper application in evangelism? ment in time when he prayed the sin- Have these biblical requirements of “believing and confessing” been fulfilled Have these biblical requirements merely because someone has made a decision for Christ, prayed the sinner’s of "believing and confessing" prayer, or confessed Christ before a congregation of affirming believers? been fulfilled merely because To answer these questions, we must consider Paul’s words in their proper someone has made a decision context, and determine the precise meaning of his language. We must be for Christ, prayed the sinner's wary of “assuming” that a text means a prayer, or confessed Christ before certain thing or that it should be used in a certain way merely because it is the a congregation of affirming prevalent interpretation and application of the text by our contemporaries. believers? We often assume that we understand a text simply because it is the interpreta- ner’s prayer and confessed Christ. tion we received without question from Although there is somc truth in those who received it without question these various elements, there are sev- from others. In the same way, we of- eral serious objections that should be ten use or apply a text simply because raised to this methodology of inviting it is the modus operandi6 of all those sinners to Christ: First, it has no bibli- around us. However, this naïve chain of cal precedent. It was not employed by unquestioned trust is often broken the Christ, the apostles or the early Chris- moment someone actually studies the tians. Secondly, it was unknown to the text “to see whether these things are greater part of the church throughout so.”7 Having said this, we would do well history. That is, it is a recent inven- to ask ourselves the following question: tion. Thirdly, it has the danger of turn- “Did the apostle Paul write this text with ing the Gospel into a credal statement. the purpose of giving us a model for the Countless individuals who show no “sinner’s prayer” or did he have an en- biblical evidence of conversion believe tirely different purpose in mind? themselves saved simply because one In contemporary evangelicalism, time in their lives they made a decsion the “sinner’s prayer” has become the for Christ and repeated the prayer. Al- foremost means of inviting men to though this is not the intention of those Christ and granting them assurance of sincere Christians who use the sinner’s salvation. It is found on the back of most prayer in evangelism, it has been the evangelistic tracts and heard at the end overwhelming result of this methodol- of most evangelistic sermons. It usually ogy. Forthly, it has almost entirely re- includes the following: The seeker is led placed the biblical invitataion of repen- to confess that he is a sinner and to ac- tance and faith. It is astounding that knowledge his inability to save himself. the biblical examples of inviting men to He is then directed to confess that Jesus Christ are virtually ignored in favor of a modern-day construct. Fifthly, it has be- 6 Latin: A manner of operating or working; a come the primary, and oftentimes, the distinct pattern or method of procedure (Web- only basis of assurance. That is, count- ster). less individuals, who bear little or no ev- 7 Acts 17:11

4 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 idence of God’s work in their lives, are has been our intention or not, no one convinced or assured of their salvation can deny that there are countless in- only because one time in their lives they dividuals in the street and in the pew prayed the sinner’s prayer sincerely. who believe themselves to be “saved” This popular application of our because one time in their lives they text to the seeker is contrary to Paul’s supposedly “believed in their heart” and logic and purpose. It distorts one of the “confessed with their mouth,” but there Scriptures’ most powerful teachings on is little or no abiding fruit. They live the sola fide8 and one of its most powerful full course of their lives in carnality and promises to the people of God. It has worldliness without any real evidence of also turned the text into an empty creed the enduring power of God which Scrip- that has been used to give a false as- ture teaches will always accompany surance of salvation to a countless mul- salvation. Yet they believe themselves titude of individuals who bear little or no “saved” and are even adamant in their fruit of conversion. For these reasons, convictions because one time in their it is imperative that we take a thorough lives they “made their decision” and/or look at this text in light of its grammati- “prayed the prayer.” The problem is fur- cal and historical context. ther exasperated by the fact that count- To grasp something of Paul’s less evangelical ministers validate the meaning and purpose, it is helpful to salvation of such individuals. They base understand that he is referring to both their confirmation upon a “supposed” a one-time event in the believer’s life conversion experience, but neglect to and to the result or fruit of that event consider whether or not there is any evi- which continues throughout the entirety dence of an on-going work of sanctifica- of the believer’s life. In other words, he tion or the bearing of fruit. It seems that is speaking of a person’s conversion they have forgotten a foundational truth experience and of the on-going fruit of of the Gospel: That genuine saving faith that conversion which validates it or is validated by its perseverance and demonstrates it to be genuine. A man fruit;11 that the evidence that we have is justified and reconciled with God the been saved from the condemnation of moment he truly believes in the person sin, is that we are currently being saved and atoning work of Christ. However from the power of sin. the evidence that he truly believed and was genuinely converted in that one BELIEVING WITH THE HEART moment of time is that he “goes on” n our text, the apostle Paul tells us believing and confessing all the days of that we are saved if we believe “in his life. This is not to say that the true I our heart”12 and “with the heart.”13 believer will be immune to doubts, free If our salvation depends on such faith, from failure, or unhindered in his growth then our consideration and correct in- to maturity. However, it does mean that terpretation of these two phrases are the God who began a good work in him of utmost importance. Before we be- will continue perfecting that work un- gin any discussion regarding faith, we til the final day.9 Salvation is by grace 10 would do well to remember that the alone through faith alone. However, demons also believe and tremble, but the evidence of saving faith is a genu- not unto salvation.14 When Jesus be- ine and enduring confession of the lord- gan preaching in Galilee, the demons ship of Jesus Christ throughout the life who had possessed a certain man in of the believer. the synagogue cried out, “I know who Herein lies the problem with the You are – the Holy One of God.”15 The modern day use of this text. Whether it Gerasene demoniac spoke in even greater detail when he confessed that 8 Latin: faith alone; it refers to salvation by faith alone in the redemptive work of God through 11 Philippians 1:6; Mark 13:13; James 2:18 Jesus Christ without any mixture of human 12 Romans 10:9 merit. 13 Romans 10:10 9 Philippians 1:6 14 James 2:19 10 Ephesians 2:8 15 Mark 1:24

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 5 Believe and Confess Continued...

Jesus was the “Son of the Most High also having a dramatic or even drastic God.”16 From these examples, it would effect upon the totality of his person. not seem beyond the bounds of Scrip- To believe in our heart that God ture to suggest that Satan and demons raised Jesus from the dead is to believe have an acute knowledge of the person with our innermost being that every- and work of Jesus Christ, and that they thing Jesus said about Himself is true. accept them as absolute realities. They This may not sound too radical until we know He is the Son of God, that He died consider some of the things that He ac- on Calvary for the sins of His people, tually said: and that He rose again on the third day. However, all their knowledge and He is the eternal God and the Creator of the universe.18 recognition of the realities of Christ do not lead to their salvation. They are not He is the Life and Light of all men.19 saved by what they know to be true, but 20 rather they are condemned by it. This He is mankind’s only Savior. same malady is found among men! He is the absolute Sovereign of the Any honest evaluation of contem- universe.21 porary evangelicalism will prove that there are countless individuals walking He will determine the eternal destiny 22 the streets and sitting in pews that have of all men. “received a faith of the same kind”17 as He is more valuable than the com- demons. They know something of the bined wealth of the world.23 person and work of Christ, and they will make something of a confession when The promotion of His will and agenda it is convenient. However, there is little is the purpose of the universe and of evidence of an ongoing reality of the every individual’s life.24 saving work of Christ in their life. Their He is to be loved above all other per- hope of eternal salvation is founded 25 upon the sincerity of a decision they sons and things. made long ago to “accept Christ” by He is to be radically followed and means of a simple prayer. Their hope obeyed no matter the cost.226 was confirmed by ministers of the Gos- pel who should have known better. Like He will judge His people’s service to 27 demons they are lost. Yet, unlike de- Him and reward them accordingly. mons they do not know it! Having given this warning regard- These radical claims of Christ do ing the dangers of a heartless faith, we not leave much room for a nonchalant are now ready to examine a true faith response. Nor can they be believed of the heart: A faith that not only recog- with the very core or center of our intel- nizes what is true about the person and lect, will, and emotions without having work of Christ, but relies upon these a radical, drastic, or even devastating realities and is transformed by them. In effect upon our lives. It is impossible the Scriptures, the heart refers to the for a rational creature to embrace these very core or essence of a person. It is truths and not be noticeably changed the seat of one’s intellect, will, and emo- by them. The very nature of the claims tions. In one sense, we may say that it themselves demands a cataclysmic is the control center of all that we are. change in the character of one’s person What happens there affects everything else about us. Therefore it is absurd to 18 John 1:1-2; 8:58-59 think that a man could believe some- 19 John 1:4; 6:35; 8:12; 11:25 thing “in” or “with” the heart without it 20 John 8:24; 14:6; Acts 4:12 21 Matthew 28:18; Acts 2:36 22 Matthew 16:27; 25:31-46 16 Mark 5:7 23 Matthew 16:26 17 This phrase is borrowed from 2 Peter 1:1, 24 Luke 6:46; 12:47 where the genuine Christians are referred to as 25 Luke 14:26 “those who have received a faith of the same 26 Matthew 16:24-25; Luke 14:27-33 kind as ours [i.e. the apostles].” 27 Matthew 16:27; II Corinthians 5:10

6 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 and the direction of his life. “One is reminded of the demand Therefore, true saving faith is not a made to Polycarp that he say Kúrios passive or partial reliance upon Christ, Kaisar32 and how each time he replied but a reliance that is active and growing. Kúrios Iesous.33 He paid the penalty Through the continuing work of sancti- for his loyalty with his life. Lightheart- fication, it eventually encompasses the ed men today can say ‘Lord Jesus’ in entirety of the believer’s life. The proof a flippant or even in an irreverent way, of saving faith is not that once upon but no Jew or Gentile then said it who a time we merely “accepted Christ” did not mean it.”34 through a prayer repeated by rote, but that since the moment we first believed We are saved by faith alone in the the Gospel, Christ’s claims about Him- person and work of Christ, but the evi- self and His claim upon us continues to dence that our faith is genuine is our be a greater and greater reality in our confession of the lordship of Jesus lives. Christ and our allegiance to Him, even when such a confession costs us dear- CONFESSING WITH THE MOUTH ly. The early church suffered and died aving taken a brief glance at because it faithfully proclaimed Jesus heartfelt faith, we must now as Lord and refused to worship Caesar. H consider what it means to con- At this very moment, Christians suffer fess with the mouth. The first thing we imprisonment, torture, and death be- should notice from our text is the speci- cause of the same confession. Even in ficity of the confession. It is not merely a the Western world, where there is little confession of faith in Jesus Christ, but a or no physical persecution to speak of, confession of His absolute and univer- the true believer is the one who submits sal lordship. Thus, the evidence that a to the lordship of Jesus Christ rather than live by the standards of this pres- man has believed with the heart and is 35 trusting in the saving virtue of the per- ent evil age. This is the meaning of the son and work of Christ is that he is also apostle Paul when he writes: confessing Him as Lord. The long history of Christianity “If you confess with your mouth Jesus proves that nothing could be more radi- as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you cal or costly than to confess, kúrios Ie- 36 sous28 or “Jesus is Lord!” In the Roman will be saved.” world, there was only one Lord and his name was Caesar. Even to mention True faith in Jesus shows itself in the possibility of another was political a real submission to and an open con- treason, resulting in exile or execution. fession of the lordship of Jesus, which In the Jewish religion, there was only deepens as the believer matures, and one Lord and His name was Yahweh. grows stronger even in the most ad- To give the title of Lord to another was verse of circumstances. The great evi- blasphemy and worthy of death. The dence of salvation is not merely that a renowned Greek scholar A. T. Robert- person made a decision for Christ and son writes: “No Jew would do this who confessed Him as Lord at the end of an had not really trusted Christ, for kúrios29 evangelistic meeting, but that he contin- in the LXX30 is used of God. No Gen- ues on to maturity in this same faith and tile would do it who had not ceased confession. Commenting on our text, worshipping the emperor as kúrios.”31 the renowned Scottish Baptist Robert Again Robertson writes: Haldane writes:

28 Greek: “Jesus is Lord!” 29 Kúrios is the Greek word for “Lord”. 32 Caesar is Lord. 30 The abreviated symbol representing the 33 Jesus is Lord. Septuagint – the Greek translation of the Old 34 Word Pictures, 1 Corinthians 12:3 Testament Scriptures. 35 Galatians 1:4 31 Word Pictures, Romans 10:9. 36 Romans 10:9

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 7 Believe and Confess Continued...

peated after me an invocation to the “A man becomes righteous, perfectly god’s, and offered religious rites with righteous, through believing God’s wine and incense before your statue, record concerning His Son. But the and even reviled the name of Christ… evidence that this faith is genuine is I thought it proper, therefore, to dis- found in the open confession of the charge them.”38 Lord with the mouth in everything in which His will is known. Confession of Pliny writes of several persons who Christ is as necessary as faith in Him, were obviously falsely accused of being but necessary for a different purpose. followers of Christ. In proof of their in- Faith is necessary to obtain the gift of nocence they called upon the Roman righteousness. Confession is neces- god’s, offered worship to the emperor, sary to prove that this gift is received. and reviled the Name of Jesus. Accord- If a man does not confess Christ at ing to our text, they did the very oppo- that hazard of life, character, prop- site of what a Christian would do. erty, liberty, and everything dear to Although the content of Pliny’s let- him, he has not the faith of Christ. In ter provides us with only a negative ex- saying, then, that confession is made ample, it does give us a solid foundation unto salvation, the Apostle does not for supposing how the scenario would mean that it is the cause of salvation, have turned out differently if the ac- or that without it the title to salvation cused had truly been Christian. Imagine is incomplete. When a man believes that a small house church is discovered in his heart, he is justified. But con- and brought before the Roman official. fession of Christ is the effect of faith, In order to prove or disprove the accu- and will be evidence of it at the last sation against them, they are led to a day. Faith which interests the sinner small altar where they are commanded in the righteousness of Christ is mani- to perform a few simple rituals. First they fested by the confession of His name must call upon the Roman gods. Sec- in the midst of enemies, or in the face ondly, they must participate in a form of of danger.”37 emperor worship to prove their loyalty to Caesar. Finally, they are told to revile CONFESSION IN ITS Christ, either to deny His lordship or to HISTORICAL CONTEXT declare Him accursed.39 To the horror n order for us to understand what of the small fellowship, two of their own Paul meant when he wrote of the ne- promptly take their place before the al- I cessity of confessing Jesus as Lord, tar and do as they are commanded. As it is helpful to consider what it meant they are discharged, another is forced to the Christians of the early church. In to his feet and commanded to obey. the following is a portion of a letter writ- Though full of fear and trembling, he ten by Pliny the Younger, governor of not only refuses to venerate the Roman gods and Caesar, but he replies Kúrios Bithynia to the Roman Emperor Trajan 40 who reigned from A.D. 98 to A.D. 117. It Iesous or “Jesus is Lord!” He is taken briefly describes how those accused of away by force to await either exile or being “Christian” were interrogated and execution. One by one, the rest of the how the charge against them was either fellowship makes the same faithful con- proven or dismissed: fession and their fate is sealed. Though the scenario is scripted, the archives of “An anonymous information was Christian history prove that a countless laid before me, containing a charge multitude of believers have faced such against several persons, who upon testing and prevailed at the cost of their examination denied they were Chris- own lives. Their testing proved that they tians or had ever been so. They re- believed in their heart unto salvation,

38 New Testament Times, Merrill C. Tenney, 37 Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans, p.329-330. p.508; Robert Haldane (February 17, 1764 - 39 1 Corinthians 12:3 December 18, 1842). 40 Jesus is Lord.

8 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 because they confessed Jesus as Lord He who first wrought saving faith in the even unto death. heart of the believer will see to it that that faith perseveres, deepens, and A PROPER APPLICATION manifests. One such manifestation will n light of the true significance of this be the confession of the lordship of Je- text and what it has cost so many sus Christ through both word and deed, I followers of Jesus throughout the and regardless of the cost! ages, its popular use in modern-day How then should we employ and evangelism is nothing short of repulsive. apply this text? With regard the believ- To even hint that this text is the bibli- er, it should be a constant consolation cal foundation for the sinner’s prayer and warning. The consolation is that we found at the end of countless evange- are saved by grace alone through faith listic tracts and sermons is a gross ex- alone. Our right standing before God is egetical fallacy. Yet due to this popular not the result of our strenuous efforts or belief, countless multitudes of uncon- mighty deeds, but the result of Christ’s verted men, women, and children have great effort and mighty accomplishment an almost impenetrable assurance of on Calvary. The warning is that one of their eternal salvation simply because the chief evidences of saving faith and one time in their lives they affirmed a true conversion is the growing reality few biblical truths and repeated a model of Christ’s lordship in our lives and our prayer. Afterwards, there was no trans- willingness to follow him even at the formation, no continuing work of sanc- greatest cost. With regard to evange- tification, no rejection of the world, and lism and our treatment of the seeker, no desire for Christ. Borrowing from the our text should be used in a three-fold pen of the apostle Paul, it is proper to manner: First, to prove to the seeker the ask, “You foolish evangelicals, who has uselessness of works, and admonish bewitched you?”41 him to lay aside all hopes of gaining sal- The text before us teaches that we vation through personal virtue or merit. are saved by faith alone. Salvation is Secondly, it should be employed to en- not earned by some heroic feat or ex- courage him to look to Christ alone and hausting endeavor on the part of the to believe in Him unto salvation. Thirdly, Christian, but it is received by faith in it should be used as an on-going litmus the person and work of Christ. Those test for the genuineness of his profes- who truly believe have long given up sion. He should know that if he is truly any and every attempt to establish their converted, the lordship of Jesus Christ own righteousness. They have fallen will become a growing reality in His life. upon Christ, and upon His virtue and Although he will pass through great merit they stand! struggles, and suffer many failures in However this faith in Christ is nei- his faith, piety, and confession, through- ther temporary, static or undetectable, out the years of his life, his identity and but persevering, dynamic, and evident. purpose will be increasing bound up in This is ensured because salvation is the mastery of Christ over him! the work of God for the glory of God.

41 Galatians 3:1

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 9 TESTIMONIES OF SALVATION AND MISSIONARY UPDATES

ter in which he told me about the need for me to turn to God in repentance and Africa put my faith in Jesus Christ. The con- tents of this letter hit me like a blow be- A PARTNER'S tween the eyes. I recall that as I read it, I felt so convicted that I knew I needed TESTIMONY to do something about my life. Instead CONRAD MBEWE of doing what the letter said, however, I convinced myself that all I needed to Conrad is the preaching pastor of do was change my friends and become HeartCry’s primary partner in Africa, more regular at church. Kabwata Baptist Church in Lusaka, For three months, from Janu- Zambia. We have partnered with Kab- ary to March 1979, I tried to do this and wata Baptist for almost 13 years in failed lamentably. During this period, I helping to underwrite the support of was at Zambia National Service (ZNS) their missionary pastors. The following doing my compulsory military training. I is Pastor Conrad’s account of his con- discovered that sin was so much a part version to Christ and his subsequent of me that I could not quit it on the whim calling into the ministry. of my will. While at ZNS, I was in the same block of residence as Fred and CONVERSION saw how, whereas I was trying and fail- was brought up in a religious fam- ing to live the Christian life, his Christian ily; hence, I always thought I was a life just flowed “naturally”! I Christian, as I went to church most of Fred’s testimony was comple- my life. The first time a person ever con- mented by my elder sister’s. She was fronted me with the Gospel was while I converted towards the end of 1978, and was at Chiwala Secondary School. I re- I was able to see the amazing change fused to believe that I was not a Chris- in her life. This was at a time when we ZAMBIA tian – especially because the student were having a very difficult time in our witnessing to me lived the same worldly home. My sister was ever joyful in the and sinful life that I was living. midst of our troubles, while I was always upset. I figured that this difference was Soon after completing school in because my sister had received some- December 1978, a friend of mine by the thing in her conversion experience that name of Fred Simposya, wrote me a let- I did not have. So, these living testimo-

10 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 "...my old sinful desires were gone, and I had new godly desires. I hated sin with the same intensity with which I once loved it."

nies set me searching for salvation de- CALLING AND MINISTRY spite my religious upbringing. It was not until the end of March hat is how I became a Christian. that the search came to an end. On But how did I sense God’s call March 29th, I left ZNS for home with T to the preaching ministry? Soon the express purpose of sorting out my after my baptism, I began to have relationship with God once and for all. a strange experience. Often during On the way home, I bought myself a my personal devotional exercises, Bible. The following morning, when ev- especially while praying, I would feel a eryone had gone to work and school, I strong urge to go and preach the gospel got Fred’s letter out and read it again. I to all who needed to get saved. At first I noticed that he had directed me to pray tried to overlook this feeling, but it grew to the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive and with time until I finally decided to seek cleanse me. I looked for a prayer among counsel. At this time, I was studying the tracts in my sister’s room and found for my Mining Engineering degree at one that seemed to represent my plea. I the University of Zambia. I went to the knelt down and prayed that prayer twice room of a Christian whom I admired over. Feeling no change, I threw it aside for his godly life and his knowledge of and cried to the Lord from the depth of the Bible, and I confided in him about my heart. this experience. I was hoping he would It was not long before I felt immediately tell me to quit my studies the urge to pray disappear. I got up and go off to Bible College, but he did from my knees and wrote down in my not. He counseled me that it was one new Bible: “Today, the 30th of March thing to know the Lord’s call upon your 1979, I, Conrad Mbewe, have accepted life and it was another to know when it Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and was that the Lord would have you to Saviour.” Then I opened to the book of fulfill his call. So he advised me to get Ecclesiastes and read it from beginning back to the Lord and respond to this to end. I was completely amazed that the growing burden upon my heart, and Bible was so sweet to read. I went back then to wait prayerfully until He opened to ZNS with a desire to tell everybody the door for either training or ministry. that Jesus saves. I found that my old That is precisely what I did. sinful desires were gone, and I had new It was not until 1987, seven godly desires. I hated sin with the same years later, that the Lord finally opened intensity with which I once loved it. the door into pastoral ministry. It was in Exactly one year after my con- July of that year that Kabwata Baptist version, on Sunday, March 30th, 1980, I Church issued a call for me to become was baptized at Lusaka Baptist Church their pastor, and I commenced ministry by Pastor Joe Simfukwe. As I came out there on September 1st of that year. The of the water, I thought I could hear the seven years of waiting were not spent angels singing, and I excitedly prayed, looking into the sky wondering what to “Lord Jesus, from now on, I’m gonna fly do with myself. I was involved in pri- all my flags high!” vate theological studies and a growing

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 11 preaching ministry, and my leadership versity and college campuses across gifts were exercised and developed in Zambia. various ways. I recall one day a fellow Outside the university, I was student coming into my room during my also involved in the life of Lusaka Bap- last year of studies at university, looking tist Church, especially in leading the at my bookshelf, and saying, “Conrad, Bible study group for university and tell me, what are you studying at this college students. (I also secretly was university? Looking at your bookshelf, understudying the life and ministry of one would think you are doing a Major my pastor, Joe Simfukwe, seeking to in Theology and a Minor in Mining!” He learn from the way he managed his was right. I had invested all the money personal and ministry life how I would I could spare on the kind of books I felt go about my work as a pastor when my were recommended textbooks for theo- turn came). I was also involved in the logical students. These books were not planting of Kabwata Baptist Church. We just decorations on my shelf; I studied used to go out on Saturdays to evan- them, especially during my vacations gelize door-to-door, and then invite and after I finished university and went people to church on Sunday. When I to work in the mines. graduated in 1984 and went to work in My leadership development the copper mining town of Mufulira, the largely took place at university. Dur- church I joined immediately made me ing my last two years of studies there, leader of the youth work. By the end of I was chosen to lead the University my first year in that church, the leaders Christian Fellowship (UCF), which at had decided that I would preach every that time had a membership of about Sunday, as long as I was not working! 400 students on a campus of about Other churches began to call on me to 3000 students. Due to the different de- preach for them too, so that by 1987 nominations represented in this group, I (the year I left to go into full time min- was stretched to the limit in terms of my istry), there was hardly a Sunday when leadership skills. During my last year I was not preaching somewhere. So, at university, I was also chosen as the when the call came to pastor Kabwata national student chairman for the Zam- Baptist Church, I was more than ready bia Fellowship of Evangelical Students to throw aside my hard-hat and hold the (ZAFES), which brought together an plough with both hands. evangelical student witness in the uni-

12 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 Asia A MISSIONARY'S TESTIMONY SAMUEL B. Samuel B. is a pastor and missionary leader in South India who HeartCry began partnering with in February 2013. He is married and has two children. To- gether with his father, Samuel oversees a missionary organization that is currently supporting and training 12 pastors who labor in the villages surround- ing his church.

y name is Samuel B. I am 33 sad impression in my life. I used to pray years old, and I got married to to God to let me come out of this jail- M Vijaya in the year 2006. We are like life as soon as I could, and I felt now blessed with two children, Shane as though my prayers seemed to have (4 1/2 years) and Shireen (2 years). been unheard. I was not given permis- Let me start my testimony with sion to go to church on Sundays, and my childhood. My sister and I were during this time, I was introduced to the born into a Christian family where my sinful world of my friends. father was a Baptist minister. This was By the year 1996, I was able SOUTH INDIA a miracle in and of itself as we look at to pass in math, physics, and chemis- the countless Indians who do not have try, and I decided to say a permanent any clue whatsoever about Christianity. goodbye to the sciences. But my father We were exposed to the Scriptures and insisted that I should pursue a B.S. in to Sunday School right from the begin- electronics at a time when I wanted to ning. As a child, I could clearly remem- do anything but the sciences. Education ber how I used to pray to God when I plays a very important role in India. Un- couldn’t find things I lost, and when less you are educated and highly suc- I eventually got them, I used to thank cessful, you cannot even get married. If the Lord. We had a Gospel meeting in you were to get a decent job, you would school when I was 12 years old, and the be competing with countless other peo- speaker emphasized the topic, “Giving ple. Although I was told by my dad that one’s life to Jesus.” This was something I was to become a pastor later on, he I never pondered upon, but it would always insisted that I should at least soon vanish from my mind. earn a Bachelor’s degree in sciences as When I was 16, I had to go to he thought that would fetch me a job. junior college in a city called V______So I was left without any choice. From from the year 1994 to 1996. Those two the year 1996 to 1998, I went to do my years were the worst years in my life as bachelor’s degree in electronics, but I it was a residential college and the prin- was very unsuccessful. During these cipal was a hard taskmaster. Against two years, I would not go to college; I my will, I was forced to join mathemat- would skip classes to go to movies. But ics, physics, and chemistry when I during this period also, I would not be knew I was no good at mathematics. absent from going to church on Sun- For these two years, I would have to days. stay away from my family. In addition, In the year 1998, I decided endless exams, constant humiliation I could not go ahead with my stud- for being a Christian who belonged to ies. Those were the days when I was a lower caste, and regular beatings by nervous even to speak to my dad. the principal left a very deep and very But somehow I told him that this sci-

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 13 ence thing would not go well with me. my life in October 2001, I started think- In those days, I constantly prayed to ing, “Why did the Lord choose me and God, asking Him to give me a new start pick me out of millions of people to do to my life, as I was tired of living as a His service? What’s so special about hypocrite. And not only that, I was also me?’ (I must tell you that I was over- a failure in the eyes of society, because whelmed with the fact that the Lord was I was unsuccessful with my studies. actually taking me to the distant land of This is when the Lord broke through my England to let me know who He was). life and opened a way for me to do my On my first Sunday, I went to Bachelor studies in English literature. the Metropolitan Tabernacle, as I would From 1998 to 2001, I worked continue to do throughout my two-year on a B.A. in English literature. During stay in London. As I sat in the evening these three years, I was constantly Gospel Service, Dr. Peter Masters was reading God’s Word and praying and preaching the Gospel and pleading with trying to live a good Christian life. To sinners earnestly to come to Christ, live a Christian life without Christ was who was punished on the Cross. I could impossible. When my dad approached not stop myself from beholding the glory me with the option of studying at the of God. The Gospel came to my heart London Theological Seminary right more clearly than ever before in my after my bachelor’s program, I was life. For the first time in my life, I saw delighted for the fact that I would soon the Lord Jesus dying on the Cross for be leaving for London. I applied for the my sins, for my transgressions, and my two-year program at LTS and soon got heart melted, and immediately I rushed admission into it. to my room and started weeping. Tears Everybody believed I was a ran down my cheeks as I understood good Christian, including my dad. He that I had sinned against my God and thought I would come back to India to I had hurt Him so badly all through my help him serve the Lord. Deep down life. Suddenly I could see, and the Word in my heart, though, I knew something of God became more meaningful to me, was seriously wrong with me, and I and prayer became all the sweeter. Lat- knew I needed to get right with God. As er on, I was interviewed and was bap- I boarded an airplane for the first time in tized at the Metropolitan Tabernacle.

14 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 Please pray for us. Pray for God's help so we can display His glory and power through our lives so that many people will come to Christ, to worship and praise Him.

month, problems with his relationship with his son brought him to my office to ask God’s advice for his son. Toshiro said that something changed his beliefs and now he believes that Jesus is God and in the reality of heaven and hell. In spite of this, he said he feels sad because he acknowledges now that he is a sinner, but he does not feel repentance in his heart – only short remorse. He asked prayers because he said he wants to come to repentance and be like other Christians, but that he can not MISSIONARY fake repentance and love for God. UPDATE We don’t know how God is LUIS R. working in Toshiro’s life, but we can praise God because this problem with his son is bringing him closer to God. Luis R. has been serving the Lord in Ja- Praise God because Toshiro recogniz- pan since 2004. He is a native of Lima, es now the need for a Savior and the Peru, and was once a member of the problem of his sin. Please pray that God Church of the Savior in Lima, Peru. He continues calling him patiently, so he met his wife Nicola in Japan and they will come to faith and repentance. were married in 2005. They are primari- ly laboring among the large Latin Amer- Miriam is a lady who came two ican community in Tokyo. Japan is one years ago to our church as a Jehovah’s JAPAN of the most Gospel-hardened places in Witness. After attending our Bible the world. The following accounts are studies for these years, she ended up stories of God working through Luis’s rejecting the doctrine of the Jehovah’s ministry. Witnesses, believing in the Trinity. Sadly, she doesn’t want to repent and raise God for continuing to call surrender to God. Two weeks ago, with mercy and patience numer- we received a phone call because P ous people who reject Him and Miriam could not move. We took her fail to believe the Gospel. to the hospital, and she remained there because the doctors found she Toshiro is an unbeliever who had two strokes. Miriam lives only with has been attending our services and her daughter and grandson. They live Bible studies for almost two years. Even always struggling financially because of though Toshiro attends all the men’s unemployment, and now they are facing Bible studies with other Christians, he many challenges. We are also praying professed that there is no God. This for her recovery, as she sometimes

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 15 cannot understand conversations, Sister K___ does not want to live in the and, with the help of rehabilitation, she past, remembering the persecution and is trying to walk again. Please pray costs as a result of her faith. Now she that Miriam would be lucid again so is asking for prayer as she reconciles that she might be able to listen to the her broken relationship with her mother. Gospel and that she would heed the She also wants to praise God because voice of a merciful God calling her to her son also used to hate and reject reconciliation. Please pray for Miriam’s God, and now he has been reading rehabilitation and for her daughter as the Bible and praying with her for more she tries now to support the family as a than one year. Please pray for her son single mother. to come to Christ.

Kenji is the husband of Aya, a Please continue helping us to lady who was baptized in our church pray for our desire to go to Peru so our one year ago. He is not a Christian and family there can meet our three kids for never comes to services, but he came the first time. We are patiently waiting to the service with his wife and kids as for God’s timing, but it is our prayer to a family for the first time last Sunday. go as soon as we can. He came asking prayers because his friend, a mother of four kids, had an an- Please pray for our church: for eurysm. Kenji was shocked and wanted God’s help so we can display His glo- to get close to God. Please pray that ry and power through our lives so that this situation would help Kenji to hear many people will come to Christ, to wor- the calling of God and that he will come ship and praise Him. to Christ. Please also pray for the family of the lady with the aneurysm; she passed away, leaving four kids in a Buddhist home.

After a long time of persecution and attacks against Sister K___, one of our Japanese church members, God has mercifully ended all the con- flict. Though Sister K___’s husband does not want to return home or be reconciled to her as a Christian, God has ended all his violence and persecution.

16 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 EUROPE and this brought my life even further A MISSIONARY'S into the pits. Having no rules and no purpose in my life, I started drinking TESTIMONY and doing other things to daze me. PETER SCHILD Rage was burning like a fire inside of Peter is working to plant biblical me, and those around me had to suffer churches in Germany. Throughout the from it. I became a criminal, and while week, he and his co-worker Nathana- still a child, I carried weapons. I stole el Armisen are teaching, preaching, things, rioted, and got involved in fights. and evangelizing in the streets. Peter At school, I humiliated and threatened is a member of the Reformed Baptist my fellow students on a daily basis. I Church in Wetzlar (Hessen). He and his hated my life, the people around me, wife Priscilla have one son, Josiah. and God. I thought that if He existed, He must also hate me and must have cursed me.

his testimony was written to give At the age of 16, I lost all de- GERMANY glory to Christ alone. It is not sire to live. I decided to commit suicide; T about me but about the sovereign yet my destructive plans never became grace of the Lord. He shares His glory a reality. One night, I visited a Filipino with no one else, so we do not proclaim friend whose parents were Christians. ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord. At his house, I found a tract about Je- According to God’s providence, sus Christ and His work of salvation on I was born in Germany in 1985. I experi- the cross. I did not know the Gospel, enced a godless and consequently, sor- and my Filipino friend also did not con- rowful childhood. I grew up in an atmo- sider the message of Christ important sphere of complete neglect, in a house enough to believe it with all of his heart where all of the rooms, including my and share it with others. Except for the own, were trashed with piles of rubbish. fact of God directing things according to My mother left me when I was about 9 His providence, I cannot explain why I years old and fled from Germany. Some took the tract with me and read it when days later, I was found alone. My father I got back home. was rarely ever at home, as he worked In His incomprehensible love as a truck driver. I was sent to various and grace, it pleased the Lord to do psychologists, but none could help me. a great work for me. Though I was an I had already seen and experienced too enemy of God worthy of damnation, He much, and there was nobody who could opened my eyes to see by faith Him heal my deep wounds. who can save the greatest of sinners. My life did not change. As a Through the Word of God, the Spirit matter of fact, it was quite the contrary. of God noticeably convicted me of my My stepmother was a strong alcoholic, great sin, and I saw how much I needed

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 17 Jesus Christ and His work of redemp- tracts and telling people about Christ. I tion on the cross. His call in that night bought myself a Bible and would often was so real and irresistible that I had no read it all day long. other choice and no other desire than to Through studying God’s Word, fall on my knees and ask Him to forgive my desire to be baptized and become and save me. He gave me new birth; part of a church became increasingly granted me repentance and faith; and greater, so that I asked the Lord daily to declared me righteous, not on account lead me to Christian brothers and sis- of my works. I had nothing to show, but ters. I knew no Christians who would in- solely on account of Christ’s blood and vite me to visit their church. After some righteousness. It was He who in grace months of solitude, my longing for bap- drew me to Himself even though I did tism became especially great. I stopped not seek Him. in front of a big church. Thanks to God’s That night, I experienced how providence, my heart was beating wild- He took away all my rage and set me ly, and it seemed to me that the Lord free from all my chains. He filled me forbade me to enter that church. At that with a peace that passes my under- time, I did not understand why, but I standing and changed my heart so that I wanted to be obedient. Today, I know now hate sin and love Christ. I could not that this church, like most churches in keep this incomprehensible grace that I Germany, is liberal and does not preach experienced to myself. Instead of beat- the crucified Christ. I thank the Lord for ing people, I now began passing out having protected me.

and therefore my entire life, severely A BELIEVER'S damaged. Yet I equally hope to encour- age you! I can testify with great joy and TESTIMONY thankfulness that the Lord Jesus Christ, ANITA KUPFERMAN during my time at university, healed my unbelief and called me to follow Him. The testimony of Anita Kupfermann I hope and pray that God will be is sending shock waves through the glorified through these pages and that churches in Germany. As you will dis- you, the reader, will be encouraged to cern later in her testimony, both Peter fully trust the Word of God. Schild and Nathanael Armisen were instrumental in her coming to Christ. THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE Her complete testimony was published & THE HIGHER CRITICAL in German in “Bibel und Gemeinde” in GERMANY the October 2011 issue. METHOD (HCM) Through my parents, I was y name is Anita Kupfermann confronted with the Christian faith at an and I would like to tell you about early age. I regularly went to Sunday M my time studying theology. It is School and was baptized at the age of my hope that this little account of my 14. A full ten years later, whilst working experiences will serve as a warning at a nursery, I was gripped by the de- and an en- sire to do something else with my time, couragement something equally meaningful. I wanted to you. I would to submit myself to the Word of God like to warn and reflect on my walk with God. you of how Although I had been baptised, the so-called I realised that I did not know the Bible. “Higher Criti- I couldn’t say I had a living relationship cal” (Histori- with God. I longed to know God bet- cal Criticism) ter, to better understand what being a method left Christian meant. So, I decided to attend my relation- a theological college for ten months. My ship with God, hope was that these ten months would

18 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 supply what was missing in my faith. God; the conquests, such as those Right from the beginning of my that are recorded in Joshua, never time at theological college, I was con- happened; Jesus’ words and deeds in fronted with Biblical criticism in the form the Gospels were often invented later by of the “Higher Critical” method (HCM). well-meaning Christians; Paul was not The HCM is the current philosophy of the author of Colossians, Ephesians, understanding and explaining Bible 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, or passages at German universities, as Titus; and nor did Peter write the letters well as at many free-church theological ascribed to him. These are just some of colleges. According to this philosophy, countless examples. the Bible is not understood to be the The theories of the HCM were inspired Word of God but a contradic- not taught at this theological college, or tory, mistake-prone, human work. Just in my later studies, to merely acknowl- like any other piece of literature, it must edge them. Instead they were taught be critically questioned and examined. and proclaimed with conviction. Under This method of approaching the bibli- the influence of such teaching, the re- cal texts normally leads to rejecting the liability of the Bible was increasingly historicity of the Bible - in other words, questioned. I became more and more the historical accuracy and reliability of convinced that the Bible is not the infal- the Bible is questioned. Simply put, the lible Word of God, but a jumbled collec- Bible’s stories are just myths that never tion of human (i.e., imperfect) thoughts happened. about God and life. An example of this technique An unavoidable question mark may help explain what it looks like in was now next to every person and practice: event in the Bible. Moreover, as well as my new discoveries about the unreli- Mark’s Gospel has its origin dated ability of the Bible, my ethical convic- back to roughly A.D. 70. According tions were also brought into question. to the HCM, it is categorically denied At the college, we discussed themes that it was possible for Jesus Christ such as homosexuality and sex out- to have seen the future. However, side of marriage. Were these perhaps Mark’s Gospel reports that Christ pre- permissible after all? In short, I felt my dicts the destruction of the temple in doubts about Christianity and the Bible Jerusalem. This prophecy was per- grow and grow. If everything is not as it fectly fulfilled: in A.D. 70, the Romans was written then, how could I be sure of razed the temple to the ground. The anything I believed? majority of critical researchers be- My scepticism blossomed as lieve that the prophecy in Mark is a we took up the theme of world religions fake prophecy (vaticinium ex eventu). in our classes. Faced with a deep crisis Only after the event, they assume, of faith, I seriously considered giving up was Jesus’ prophecy added to the Christianity. My lecturers were so cer- text. The Gospel of Mark cannot have tain that it could only be good for me predicted the future destruction of the to give up the fundamentals of my for- temple; therefore, it must have been mer faith. Only such a “deconstruction” written afterwards. would give me a new mature and re- sponsible faith. Such was their convic- With this fixed, faithless tion for my life, and I desperately hoped presupposition, the Holy Bible is that they were right. critically evaluated until all her reports are questionable. A few more short THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY examples give a fuller picture of the results of this modern critical scientific After these ten months, I re- approach to the Bible: Adam and Eve turned to my old job for a year. During never existed; Noah and the ark is a this time, I toyed with the idea of fur- legend; the first five books of the Bible thering my education. As the questions were not written by Moses; the Ten raised by the HCM still occupied my Commandments did not come from thoughts, I was keen to further study

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 19 theology. In addition, I rather liked the ends, far removed from history and real- thought of becoming a pastor. So it was ity. The Jewish worship of Yahweh - the that 2007 saw me begin to study theol- temple system, services, festivals, and ogy at the Theological Seminary of the commandments - was mostly copied German Baptist Union. I received no call from the religions of Israel’s neighbours to this by God, although I tried to talk at that time. Over hundreds of years, the myself into believing this was the case. I biblical texts were added to, changed, talked with many people about my plans, and consciously manipulated by numer- but not with God Himself. ous unknown authors. This is why the In the meantime, I no longer Bible is (apparently!) so full of contradic- sought to question the HCM, as I was tions. If given room to do so, the HCM well familiar with its teachings from my swiftly gains power, tearing through ev- previous time at college. However, the ery point of doctrine like a hurricane, un- criticism of the Bible was to increase dra- til assurance of faith lies shattered. matically over the next few years. I heard many students say that I can still remember, for ex- these “academic” discoveries were a ample, a lecturer leaving a lecture hall, great help for them; at the time, I agreed, stopping at the doorway to say, “Tomor- or at least talked myself into agreeing. In row we’ll kill Moses!” He meant that the reality, I was beginning to reap the bitter following day we would be taught that harvest of my new, “mature” faith. At the historically, Moses never existed as the end of the second semester, I came to Bible taught. Furthermore, I learned that the firm conclusion that the Bible was to- many of the Old Testament accounts tally unbelievable; and thus, I laid it aside were nothing more than myths and leg- at the bottom of my bookshelves. I had

THE CHANGE! A few weeks later, the preach- not feel forced to defend themselves. I er’s prayer was answered. On Decem- did not think this was a normal reaction ber 6th, 2008, the Lord opened my to such a situation, and I was greatly eyes to see my guilt and godless life. impressed. They simply passed the hu- The catalyst for this was a po- miliation that they suffered on to Christ, lemical speech given by a lecturer at a so that anger or a desire for revenge film evening at the seminary. Above all, simply had no hold on them. he mocked those who put their trust in After all these events, I drove the reliability of every word in the Bible. home to spend Christmas with my fam- One of those being mocked sat right ily. There I recognised even more that in front of me and didn’t react. I talked I had despised God through my em- to him afterwards, and he assured me brace of higher criticism. I had denied that he was not ashamed of his faith. God’s Word, rejected God’s grace, and His inner peace and assurance made mocked God’s servants. Worse than me stop and think. I wondered how the all, I had called myself a Christian and rest of the Bible-believers, or “Fundis” cared nothing for the atonement Christ (short for fundamentalists) as we called bought at the cost of His life. This I them, reacted to all this. realized to be an unbearably dread- To my great amazement, they ful mistake. Over Christmas and with did not consider boycotting the classes. many tears, I repented of many things, Instead, they continued to meet togeth- seeking God in prayer, and rejoiced to er every day to pray for the mockers, know His full and free forgiveness. With lecturers, and the entire seminary. I a glad heart, I bought a new Bible and saw that the Lord was their shield, that began to read it eagerly and joyfully; to- He had given them a firm faith. The day, I enjoy this Book as much as I did Bible says that Christians do not live for then. themselves anymore, but for Him who I called on the Lord Jesus died for them. Thanks to these young Christ, humbling myself before him. I men, I was able to see that the grace entrusted my life to Him and told Him of God was working in them. They did that from now on I would believe His

20 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 no more desire to read it, let alone to try In doing this, I was not in the and live according to it. I did not pray any least bothered by my conscience. I had more, nor did I ask God for help or wis- long lost any fear of God or an eternal dom. I was just too confident of my new punishment. The words of warning in critical attitude. the Scriptures weren’t important to me. Despite having no inner rela- The god I had discovered through my tionship with God, I continued with the studies did not get angry, respected outward appearance of wanting to be a people’s doubts, and forgave everyone pastor. I preached and seemed religious everything. What did I have to be afraid - at least while in church! It was a dif- of? Why not have fun and live life to the ferent story when I was with my fellow max? This was my new philosophy for students. There I did not hold myself life, and this was how I lived. However, back, increasingly getting drunk at par- once the initial euphoria had left, life be- ties and losing my distaste for lying and came worse and worse for me, until I felt cheating. I especially enjoyed gossiping there was nothing for me to stand on. and slandering the other students. In this An inner emptiness made it increasingly case, I had a specific target, a group of clear that I had no true life or peace. In young men who annoyed me beyond books critical of the Bible and in conver- all else. They wholeheartedly believed sations, I tried to find what I was missing, in the Scriptures as the Word of God. but to no avail. There was a small group of students in Finally, I asked an evangelist I my semester who defended the trust- met at a church event to pray for me. I worthiness of the Scriptures - even in longed for a real relationship with God, our classes. This greatly irritated me and but felt unable to ask Him. It was as if I other students, and we thus delighted to had lost any ability to pray. spread rumours about them.

Word, no matter what questions I might by His grace I believe that His Word is have. To this day, I do not have an answer truth. (John 17:17) It is very precious to to everything; but I am fully convinced that be able to believe with childlike faith; I do the Bible is completely inspired by God, not bother myself with any doubts or so- inerrant and infallible in all that it teaches. called academic discoveries that call into I thank God from the bottom of my heart question the trustworthiness of the Bible. for the sovereign grace that He poured Instead, I find in Christ, the true subject over me in letting me see my sinfulness of Scripture, all the riches of wisdom and and the Saviour who has given me such insight. Let us trust our Lord and Saviour, forgiveness. for then He will bless us. My prayer is that Dear Reader, I am so happy you too will be saved from unbelief and that you have read my testimony to the that your faith in God and His Word will end. God has richly blessed my life, and grow from strength to strength.

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 21 fronted with: “your iniquities have sepa- rated between you and your God, and MIDDLE your sins have hid His face from you” (Isaiah 59:2); all my “righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6); and EAST “there is no man which sinneth not” (2 Chronicles 6:36). I was lost and did not A MISSIONARY'S know God’s forgiveness. God said that without the shed- TESTIMONY ding of blood there is no forgiveness: “it ANTONY S. is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11). Rabbis Antony S. is the pastor of a Russian- contradicted God’s Word by substitut- speaking church in Israel. Through- ing mitzvahs (or good works) such as out the week, he and his partners lead repentance, giving to charity, and say- ISRAEL evangelistic tours, while he also wit- ing prayers for the atoning blood. Little nesses to Muslims, Jews, and anyone did I then realize that all my good works else he meets. Antony’s giftedness is could never measure up to God’s re- most clearly seen in his burden for the quirements for atonement. lost and his boldness in sharing the As a youth, I had ingrained in Gospel with them. Pray for Antony, his me a contempt for all non-Jews who I wife, and their three children. The fol- believed to be Christians. Eventually, lowing is an account of his conversion this attitude got me in trouble when, to Christ. at age eighteen, I went to work for a month in a kibbutz in Israel. There I I was born in Manchester, Eng- met a Christian named Terry. I mock- land to Jewish parents, from an early ingly nicknamed him “John the Baptist,” age attending Jewish schools, where I which he did not appreciate. He even learned about God. I was taught that He was omnipresent (present everywhere). Jonah thought he could escape from God but found that it was impossible. The Psalmist declared, “If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there” (Psalm 139:8). I sensed God’s presence everywhere I went, but I was not taught about a Holy God who hated sin. We celebrated all the festivals, such as Passover, the Day of Atone- ment, etc. We went along with all the traditions, but I did not see God, just as the prophet said: “…this people draw near with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men” (Isaiah 29:13). Once, I asked my father what happens after death, and he said that we all go to heaven. This satisfied my curiosity about life after death. But in my Jewish schools, I was never con-

22 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 ISRAEL complained to the director, who repri- heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst manded me for it. I complied, but my of my bowels. My strength is dried up attitude did not change. Providentially, like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth God had arranged a Jew who believed to my jaws; and thou hast brought me that Jesus was Messiah to be my room- into the dust of death … they pierced mate at the kibbutz. For some reason, my hands and feet … all they that go he never spoke to me about his faith down to the dust shall bow before Him: during my first stay in Israel. God was and none can keep alive his own soul … to use him later. They shall come and shall declare his After a few months in England, righteousness unto a people that shall I returned to Israel to live in another be born, that he hath done this.” After kibbutz. There I met a girl I knew in hearing this I said, “I am Jewish; I don’t Manchester, and she told me there was want to know about Jesus.” I shocked a Christian on the kibbutz whose name to find out that this passage was not in was Charley. She said, “Be careful, the New Testament, but was written by because he might try to convert you.” David 1,000 years before Jesus came I replied, “Not me; I’m not interested.” (Psalm 22:1, 14-16, 29). These and God had other plans, however. My other prophecies – such as Zechariah roommate, it turned out, had a terrible 12:10, Isaiah 53, and Isaiah 7:14 – led problem with snoring and agreed to me to believe that Jesus was the Mes- move out. While I looked for volunteers siah. to change rooms with him, my former I got so excited about these roommate from the first kibbutz came new discoveries that in my exuber- to visit. When I learned that he was a ance I went around the streets telling believer, I introduced him to Charley. everybody. I also went to see a Rabbi God used this acquaintance to move in a place called Kfar Habad to discuss Charley into my room. Daniel 9:24, 27, that the Messiah need- We started discussing prophe- ed to come and die before the Second cy and the Scriptures together. Through Temple was destroyed. This Rabbi told this time, I had not read the Bible apart me that it was King Agrippa that had ful- from the book of Esther. Charley did not filled this prophecy. His answers from a tell me about Jesus until one day he re- commentary were so absurd that I was ferred to a chapter which read like this: convinced even more that Jesus was “My God, my God, why hast thou for- the Messiah. Yet I did not believe in saken me? …I am poured out like wa- Him at this time. I only knew about Him. ter, and all my bones are out of joint: my Another believer at the Kibbutz named

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 23 ISRAEL ARABIA

James often took me to Christian meet- again. I repented of my sins and trusted ings in Haifa. One day he asked me, Christ as my Savior. Now I can say like “Who do you believe Jesus to be?” David, “I will dwell in the house of the My answer was emphatic: “The Son Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). My prayer of God, the Messiah of Israel!” On this today is that other Jewish people will day, December 24, 1982, at the age of also come to believe and trust for salva- 18, I found peace with God: I was born tion the Messiah of Israel, Jesus Christ.

MISSIONARY UPDATE DR. ANDREW The following is an account from the Muslims here and across the Arab work and ministry of Dr. Andrew, an world. He was curious and thirsty to evangelist and church planter working know more of the Christian faith, but in an unspecified country in the Mid- had many questions and simply needed dle East. Dr. Andrew’s primary calling a willing person to risk and take the time

ARABIA and gifting is in evangelizing Muslims to share with him. One day, Ahmed met and working to see churches planted an Arab Christian man who was willing among them. to open up to him about his Christian faith and answer some of the questions I wanted to inform you that we on Ahmed’s mind. They talked for hours have a new brother in Christ! Below is discussing Islam and Christianity but the story of Ahmed and how he turned there were some questions the Chris- from Islam and began following Jesus. tian man was unable to answer due to This story is one of many illustrating his lack of knowledge of Islam. That led how the Lord is faithfully working in the the Christian man to refer Ahmed to Arab world… some local contacts that he knew could Ahmed’s story begins with a answer all of his questions. I was one curiosity and thirst, like many other of those local contacts doing my ‘under-

24 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 "He was curious and thirsty to know more of the Christian faith, but had many questions and simply needed a willing person to risk and take the time to share with him."

right way the Bible teaches.” After this meeting, I, along with other staff members working in the south of my country, continued meeting with Ahmed, building a friendship with him, and being readily available to answer any questions he might have along the way. One day, after a long conversa- tion about the faith, Ahmed looked at ISRAEL ARABIA me and asked me: “If I want to pray to God – your God, not the god of Islam – ground’ work nearby. what should I tell Him?” That was such I and two other people met with a shocking statement for me! Ahmed Ahmed last year on January 12, 2012 was able to recognize that the God of for the first time. We talked for two and Christianity is different than the god of a half hours and answered all of his Islam without me saying a word! questions. His two main questions dealt I then explained the Gospel, with the following: that all humans are sinners by nature. I explained the necessity of the cross and • The reason for the cross the crucifixion of Jesus, and that without • The language the Bible uses in Song the cross and the death of Christ, we of Songs are left in our sin and unable to stand before a Holy God. I showed him how To help you understand the Jesus is the only One able to meet the second question, Muslims struggle and requirements of the justice of God. misperceive greatly Song of Songs We continued to meet with and the description of a woman’s Ahmed for months, watching him strug- body parts, which in Islam is consid- gle between the new discovery of the ered shameful. In order to clarify this cross of Christ and the faith of Islam misperception, we, as believers, have that he had always known. In the midst to explain and show them what the Bi- of this constant struggle, I gave Ahmed ble teaches about women overall. We a Bible and a commentary to be able to showed him that women are not con- read and dive deeper into the Christian veyed as sexual beings in the Bible, faith. but they are to be loved, honored, and One day, Ahmed had to travel respected. My question to Ahmed was, home to stay with his family for two “Why is it shameful for the Bible to men- months and leave the city he had been tion the body parts of women, and it’s working in. (Many Arab men leave their not shameful to mention the body parts families to work in another country to of men? The answer simply is because provide and only come home to visit for Islam has been teaching you to see a short time). He was worried that dur- women as sexual content only. So, being his stay, his family would discover fore reading Song of Songs, you need he was reading the Bible, which would to understand and see women in the guarantee major trouble for him. So he

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 25 took his Bible and hid it in a drawer that and shocked at this answer! he knew his wife rarely opened. After A week later, at 12:30 AM, the two months had passed, he began Ahmed asked me how to pray to be to pack his bag to return to work. Sud- saved through the blood of Jesus. denly, his wife began frantically search- Ahmed prayed exactly as follows… ing in his bag until she found the Bible and took it from him. “God, thank You for Your love to Ahmed looked at her with eyes me.... (silence for two minutes) wide open, in shock, wondering how Ahshado an la elah ella Allah and she knew that there was a Bible in his ashhado anna Yasou’ ebn Allah.” suitcase. Ahmed’s wife told him, “You are not taking this book, ‘the Bible,’ with His prayer translated means, “I you. I have been reading in it for the last testify that there is no god but God and two months, and I can’t stop reading.” Jesus is the Son of God.” Usually, Mus- Ahmed’s worry of his family finding the lims say this sentence to testify their Bible turned out to be the door of salva- faith in Islam, but they say Muhammad tion for his entire family to know Christ! is the prophet of God instead of Jesus In December 2012, Ahmed as His Son. Ahmed knew this sentence called and asked to meet me at 11:00 and had quoted it for years and years PM. He shared with me the challenges as a Muslim, so he modified it to affirm of becoming a follower of Jesus and all Jesus as the Son of God, denying Mu- the persecution from the government he hammad as the prophet of God. would face when they found out about Ahmed now considers himself his conversion. He understood for his a follower of Jesus and has decided conversion to be official, it meant he had to live his life for Him despite probable to go to the government office and ask persecution. Ahmed is going through a for his religious status to be changed, discipleship process and will soon be which is what is required in Islam. I ex- baptized when we are sure that he un- plained that God does not require per- derstands the full meaning of baptism mission from the government to be His and the meaning of being a follower of child, only to know your sin and believe Jesus. in His Son as the Savior from your sins. After this, God would do all the changes inside of you, within your heart, through your faith in Christ. Ahmed was amazed

26 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 "After the juvenile prison Russia I became the crime boss I A MISSIONARY'S had dreamed of.... I lived as TESTIMONY though I were the only person ANDREY DANILOV on earth who mattered." The following testimonies are from HeartCry missionary Andrey Danilov and his wife Liana. Andrey is a gradu- ate of the Samara Center for Biblical Training. He pastors a young church in Omsk, Siberia which he helped establish in 2008. Andrey is a man who has been radically transformed by the grace and power of Christ. He is com- mitted to being a godly husband and father as well as shepherding the people of God.

y name is Andrey Danilov, and I was born in 1972 in the city of M Omsk, Siberia into a working class family. Before I was born, my father had already been in prison twice because of theft and drug use. The most vivid im- pressions I have from childhood are the beatings of my mother by my raging, drunk father; many tears; fear; and long- ings for a happy family. In our house, the criminal life- style was glorified and looked up to. After of death that lay before me, but my hope- eighth grade, I started hanging out with less and meaningless existence began to corrupt people on the street, looking for terrify me. All my plans had been dashed. meaning and belonging in life. By the time I was alone and helpless. I was sixteen, I was sent to a prison for ju- My problems were aggravated SIBERIA venile offenders. There I started to dream after I began meeting with a pastor who of being a crime boss. I started to gather would regularly visit the prison. I thought I around me a group of like-minded young could use these meetings for my own self- men whom I could organize for criminal ish purposes (to alleviate my loneliness, activity and defense against other crimi- etc.), but it was through these meetings nals. that I began hearing the Gospel of the After the juvenile prison, I be- holy, merciful, loving Person of the Lord came the crime boss I had dreamed of. Jesus Christ. This affected me deeply. I In the midst of the many damaging and began to see my depraved, desperate wicked things that I was involved in, I spiritual condition. Despite my tough ve- developed a very strong addiction to neer, everything inside was corrupt. I al- drugs and narcotics. To experience the ways remember that there was something next high, I more than once betrayed the about the pastor that drew me to him. He people who were closest to me. I lived as had a beauty in his dedication, genuine- though I were the only person on earth ness, and selflessness. These were quali- who mattered. During this dark time of my ties that I had never seen before. life, I served three different prison sen- One day, still without the proper tences. The last time, I was sent to prison motivations and desires, I repeated a on drug-related charges. Of course, at prayer of repentance. As I look back, I that time, I was too blind to see the abyss marvel at the mercy of the Lord. He did

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 27 "I eventually saw that in my own strength I was incapable of overcoming my sinful desires, my fear of man, or my fear of God's eventual judgment."

not neglect me, but He used all of my evil bars. to bring good to me and glory to Him. After My life then truly changed from I prayed this prayer, I told everyone that the inside. I began persistently talking to I had become a Christian, and I began the other inmates about the Gospel. News to do the outward behavior that a Chris- about my conversion spread throughout tian should do. I quit smoking. I started the prison, and people started to say that reading a Bible which was given to me. I had lost my mind. I began to meet with But the more I focused on outward ap- two other inmates who also had become pearances, the further I ignored the need Christians. Nothing brought me greater for true regeneration, which only God joy than to pray, read the Bible, fellowship can give. Yet by God’s grace, I began to with these other believers, and testify realize that being a Christian was more about the forgiveness of Christ. than just quitting smoking and reading Today, now that I have been out the Bible. I eventually saw that in my own of prison for a good number of years, strength I was incapable of overcoming these very things are what I now spend my sinful desires, my fear of man, or my most of my time doing. My life has fear of God’s eventual judgment. I feared changed completely. I very much believe death. I was embarrassed to be around that God called me to the ministry very other Christians, fearing my hypocrisy soon after He saved me. The most joy- would be exposed. ful and satisfying things I did after my One evening, while still in prison, conversion were witnessing about the I punched another inmate for laughing person of Christ and sharing the Gospel, at me. I realized at that time I had no and then later, preaching God’s Word. I true Christianity. I withdrew to my cell started testifying and calling sinners to shattered, but thoughts about Jesus faith and repentance back in prison, and I flooded my mind. I began to reflect upon tried to do it everywhere. Not only did this the Jesus I had heard about from the bring me joy, but I also felt a great respon- pastor and from my reading of Scripture. sibility before God to give to others the I saw the great contrast between His life great treasure that I saw and received in and mine. I saw the great reason for His Christ. After I was released from prison, death on the cross. I kept thinking that I started to witness about Jesus to my what Jesus did on the cross could not old friends and family. Christ, His truth, be applied to me. But the thought kept and His will have become the center of returning that what happened to Christ my life. Today, I think about His glory. It on the cross was indeed for me! He died is not that I never struggle with doubts. for me! I fell asleep with this thought But I can say confidently that to this day pounding in my mind. these doubts have never once overcome When I woke up the next morn- my faith. This is because I believe that ing, I was a new man. I had great joy and on the night in prison when I fell asleep the deep conviction that what happened with that dominating thought of Christ’s to Christ on the cross was for my own sal- death, filled with tears from pain and the vation. It seemed that my joy had no end. sense of my own insignificance, God by I had a very clear realization that now I His grace granted me saving faith in the was in the hand of God the Son. I had righteousness of Christ and His substitu- a strong sense of freedom from sin and tionary death for me. To God be the glory! fear of man–even though I was behind

28 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 A MISSIONARY WIFE'S parents for having brought me into this world only to be preoccupied with their TESTIMONY own problems. LIANA DANILOV As time passed, I decided that if I had no need for my life, then I should SIBERIA give it to serving God by serving others. I y name is Liana Danilov. I was wanted to spend my life in hospitals, nurs- born in 1981 in the town of La- ing homes, and orphanages among those binsk in the Krasnodar region M in need. I told my mother that if I were of Russia. Our family had a lot of kids. ever to marry someone, it could only be My parents told me about Christ when I a minister of the church, so that our doors was a child, but their lives did not seem would always be open to those whose like an example of Christianity. We of- souls ache, the needy, and the poor. Time ten had arguments in our family, and went by; I continued attending a Baptist we were very poor, which made it all church. I was happy to serve God, as I the more difficult. I came before God knew I would see Him one day face to in a prayer of repentance for the first face. I really wanted to do as much as I time when I was 11 years old. I thought could for Him. In 2002, I married Andrey. I did everything I needed to do on my At that time, he served in a rehabilitation part to be able to call myself a child of center for people with addictions. God God and to go to heaven. I thought that blessed us with two kids. I had to read the Bible since I was a I believe that the most important church member. One evening, while I shift in my life as a believer happened was reading the Bible (out of obliga- when my husband went to study at the tion), God touched my heart, and I was Samara Center for Biblical Training. Each broken before Him. I prayed, wishing to time when he would come home from his devote my whole life to serving Him. time there in Samara, he would tell me Soon after that, my parents got things about God that I had not heard be- divorced, and my mother took me to fore. I began to better understand God’s Siberia. We did not have a permanent holy character, that He was both great in place to live; so my mother, my younger judgment as well as in salvation of sin- brother; and I went from relative to relative. ners; that He was great in His provision; I missed my hometown very much. I was and that He was the only One worthy of bullied at school because of my faith. praise and worship. I saw all the religious Living in poverty and having no friends veils that had been hanging over me that only grew me closer to God. I found in Him prevented me from seeing the truth. God the only and most loyal Friend. However, continues to reform my heart, and this is it was very difficult for me at times. There true happiness! I am grateful to God for were moments of despair when I begged His kind providence in my life, and the God for different circumstances or when only thing I long for is to remain faithful to I struggled with resentment toward my Him until the end.

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 29 South America A MISSIONARY'S TESTIMONY GILBERTO NOLE Gilberto lives in northern Peru where he serves as a church planter, pastor, and associational missionary. God has used Gilberto to plant many churches throughout the mountains of northern Peru. There are more than forty churches in the association that PERU Gilberto serves.

remember that when I was about tarial work for them. Once, I heard one ten years old, my mother told me of the priests mention the Bible. I asked I that she had heard of a book called him what he knew about the Bible, and the Holy Bible. She had heard that it I told him that I had been trying to get said that the Day of Judgment was go- a copy. The priest told me that it was ing to be awful. After that, when I was a not in my best interest to read the Bible; youth, I always had an interest in find- instead, he took me to the bar to drink. ing a copy of the Bible. When I was twenty-two years Then I became friends with the old, my neighbor told me that when he local priests, and I went on to do secre- died, he had a book that he wanted me

was twenty years old. Before that time, I A MISSIONARY'S did not want to know about Christ. I was a young man seeking after all the vani- TESTIMONY ties of this life. I would have been lost, but ARTURO MARIN God had me thrown into one of the worst Arturo and his family live in the north- prisons in South America – the prison of ern jungles of Peru in the department Lurigancho in Lima. One Sunday (7:30 of San Martin. He pastors the Baptist PM, May 29, 1988), after being beaten Church of San Rafael and also leads by the police, I received Christ as my per- the training of a dozen pastors through- sonal Savior. I was filled with joy, and my out the San Rafael region. life began to change immediately. Nine months later, I was pardoned and let out of prison, fully exonerated. I had been arrested because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. My sister-in-law had been doing some kind of illegal business, and I happened to be in her house the day the police arrested her; so I was taken as an accomplice in her crimes. After nine months of investigation, my name was cleared, and I was allowed to leave as a free man. Immediately after leaving pris- y name is Arturo. I was born in on, I began to attend a Baptist church the jungles of San Martin, but I where a missionary named Carlton was M came to live in Lima when I was pastoring. His life and preaching had a very young. great effect on my life. Through brother I came to know Christ when I Carlton, I met a pastor named Jonas,

30 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 to put in his coffin. I asked him what thought about it for a little bit and then book it was. He told me that it was said, “Yes, that’s exactly what I want to called the Holy Bible. I told him that that do.” So, my friend directed me to talk was the very book I had been looking with the pastor, a young unmarried for! I asked him if I could read it, and he man named Angel C. let me begin to come over to his house Angel shared with me the to do so. A few days later, he showed Gospel, and I repented of my sins and up at my house with two copies of the believed in Christ. After that, I invited Bible. I kept one for myself, and I gave Angel to come to my home to share the other one to my father-in-law. the Gospel with my family and friends. Once I had my own copy of He did so, and five more people were the Bible, I began to read it every day. converted. I also took him to another I became consumed with it, and I even community nearby where several other stopped going out with my friends. As people were converted. We then be- I read the Bible, I found the part that gan starting mission churches in each my mother had told me about. Yet I was place. still not a Christian. In 1974, we planted the church Then one day, I came to the where I am still pastoring. Our church city of Sullana on some business. While has gone on to plant ten more church- I was in town, I saw a Baptist Church, es; and including churches that were and I saw that the door was open; so I planted by those ten, there are now a decided to go in. When I went in, I was total of forty-four churches in our asso- surprised to find a friend of mine there. ciation! I continue to pastor, and I also He asked me what I was doing there serve as an associational missionary and if I had come to get converted. I within the association of churches.

who also helped me greatly in my spiri- people need the Lord and the salvation tual growth. In 1993, the church where that only comes through the Son. I was I was a member started several new able to witness to four of the main lead- works, and I felt a call to serve as a pas- ers of the “Shining Path” terrorist move- tor; but again, God had other plans. The ment. One of them was an engineer, very night that I was to preach at the new another one was a professor in the uni- mission, I was stopped at a police check versity, and the other two were students. point and asked for my documents. The They were desperate because they were police immediately detained me. At first, I going to be in jail for thirty years to life. thought it was because of my past jail re- When they saw me in the prison preach- cord, but then I discovered that the police ing to sixty or seventy men every day, suspected that I was personally involved they began to see their great need for with a gang of drug dealers! The year be- Christ. One of the men approached me fore, my documents had been stolen and and told me that Christ could not forgive used by terrorists and drug dealers to him because of all the terrible things he falsify their own identities. As God would had done. He was second in command have it, I once again found myself in in the “Shining Path” terrorist movement. prison. I told myself that I was dreaming I sat there and spoke with him until five and that it could not be possible. I was in in the morning. Finally, he broke down seminary and looking forward to pastor- and began to weep. God saved him. He ing, but once again God had me thrown later introduced me to others that were in into one of the worst places in the world. jail for the same reasons. Some of them For the first forty-seven days were saved, and some rejected the mes- of my imprisonment, I was in the prison sage. Some of these men were allowed below the Governmental palace. As I to leave prison under the law of repen- look back, this was, after my salvation, tance afforded by the State. I never knew one of the best experiences of my life. I anything else about them. was able to see first hand how so many

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 31 authorities are very corrupt. It does not matter if you are innocent; you have to pay to get justice or nothing will happen. The authorities asked me for $3,000 in exchange for my freedom. They told me that my lawyer was being paid by the drug traffickers so that my case would remain hidden and I would stay in jail. For these reasons my case would not move. After six months of prison, my church and my family could no longer pay for a lawyer. It was then that a missionary friend of mine found out about my situation and I had never before had the op- was able to pay a new lawyer to keep my portunity to speak with men like these. case open. I thank God for this, because They were intellectuals and terrorists, but I would have been in prison for twelve God changed some of their lives. There years if HeartCry had not helped me. were days in which I stayed up until the The day that I was released from early hours of the morning sharing the prison, I was preaching an open-air ser- good news with these men. During those vice to the men in prison. I did not know days, I did not know much about what that I was going to be released, but after was happening outside the prison or with my sermon, the authorities came and told respect to my case; but after forty-seven me to leave. I could hardly believe my days, I was put in the Lurigancho prison ears! As I said before, there are innocent again, the worst prison in Peru. In Lurig- people who spend years in jail because ancho, you can see dead people every of the corrupt lawyers and authorities day. Most of the inmates are filthy and who use the innocent as a way to make sick with tuberculosis money. Through all this, God showed me Before going to prison, I had al- that He does provide for everything. ways doubted God’s care for me. I had While I was in jail, I had been seen other pastors suffering and doubted praying for the jungle region of San His care and provision for my life. In pris- Martin where I was born. After prison, I on, I learned that I would never have to traveled there and saw that there were no doubt God’s faithfulness. I entered prison evangelical churches and that the Word weighing 145 pounds and left weighing of God was not preached. There were 190. I always had enough food to give many cults moving into the area, and it to others in the prison because of loving broke my heart because the true Church brothers that would come to visit me and was not doing anything. I presented bring me food. I was able to evangelize the project of starting a mission in San many people with the Gospel and even Martin, and my church told me they could started a church in one of the sections of not support me or be involved in this type the jail. of work because they were focusing more Prison turned out to be a bless- on the city area. After that, with the help of ing for me. God transformed a living hell a friend who was already being supported into a blessing that changed my life. I was by HeartCry, I presented my project to able to preach day and night and experi- Paul Washer. I knew that brother Washer enced the joy of seeing the lives of men was very interested in reaching people changed. What beatings and bars and with the Gospel, especially in places years of prison could not do, the Word of where it had not been preached before. God was able to accomplish in the lives of With support from HeartCry, I am now men. Many of those who were converted serving in the jungle. are now preaching the Word also. Time This is my testimony, and if God went by very fast because I was preach- gives me many years of life, I want to use ing and ministering around the clock. Be- them all for His glory! I know God will use fore I knew it, a year had past. me and that He will carry out His will in In the prison of Lurigancho, the my life. May God bless you!

32 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 MISSIONARY SPOTLIGHT

MATT & AMANDA GLASS with Matt and helped with the lessons INDONESIA and games, and they really enjoyed it! As a conclusion to this issue of the Traveling to Utep’s village magazine, we have included a letter has also given Matt the opportunity to from Matt and Amanda Glass, who meet new people, especially Utep’s are currently living and ministering on family. Before teaching each Thurs- the island of Java in Indonesia. Matt day, Matt and Utep usually drink coffee serves as the Coordinator of Southeast with Utep’s brother and father, while Asia for HeartCry. He and Amanda, sitting on the floor in front of a fire in together with their three young sons their family’s kitchen. Pray for these – Aidan, Elliot, and Owen – have two men. In the past, they took part in also been serving as missionaries in the persecution against Utep when he Indonesia since July of 2011. We hope came to faith in the Lord, but now they that this update will help you to know a seem very open. Matt has also met an little of the work God is doing there and ustad (Islamic teacher) from a neigh- that it will stir you to pray for this family boring village. He had many questions as they seek to serve the Lord in this for Matt and Utep when they first met. dark country! This gave them the opportunity to not only answer questions about their faith, ENGLISH LESSONS IN THE VILLAGE but also share with this man. He wants Matt has been waiting for sev- to begin meeting with Matt in order to eral months for permission and the learn conversational English. Pray that right circumstances to begin teaching these would be fruitful times of sharing English lessons in Utep’s home vil- the gospel with this man. lage south of our city. (Utep is the only one from this village who has ever MATT'S VISIT TO PAPUA believed). A few weeks ago, Matt and Matt came back from a visit to Utep traveled there by motorcycle to Papua on January 12th. The trip, al- conduct their first lesson, and around though brief, was very profitable. There forty children showed up! Matt was en- are three evangelists with whom Heart- couraged by the turnout and that the Cry partners in this Indonesian prov- students were very participatory and ince (Yulianus, Jimi, and Perin), and eager to learn. There has continued to Matt had yet to visit them in their native be a good turnout every week, usually place. Yulianus is from the Fuau tribe, with twenty or thirty kids in attendance. and Jimi and Perin are from the Dani This week, Aidan and Elliot went along tribe. Matt also visited Trevor Johnson

THAT GOD’S NAME BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS 33 and Paul Snider, both of whom are working with World Team among the also supported by Yuli, is Bastian Korowai tribe. Here is a brief summary Guani. I met him in Jakarta in 2010 of the trip in the words of Trevor John- when he was studying at Kartidaya son: (SIL’s linguistic training). He and Yuli are in the process of translating fif- Praise God that last week we teen key Bible stories into the Fuau preached or taught at three villages language, after which they will begin in the Mamberamo and three coastal translating the New Testament. They locations to almost 1,000 people; didn’t feel prepared enough to direct- passed out more than 2,000 tracts/ ly begin with the New Testament, so booklets/Bibles (easily over 700 in they decided to start with the stories outdoor evangelism and over 1,300 in order to at least get something in inside the church to build up believ- the hands of their people, while also ers); preached or taught eight times in getting some good practice/training seven days for about eighteen hours for the bigger project. You can read cumulative (mostly on distinguishing more about the Bible story project at the new birth from a mere external www.theseedcompany.org (their lan- religiosity); and yesterday, I had visi- guage is technically called “Abawiri”). tors finding my house to come and tell me that they were greatly moved. I preached in the service in Bahasa, Indonesia. I felt like the Lord helped, Also, here is the brief update and I’m beginning to feel much more Matt sent out while he was still in comfortable preaching without any Papua: notes. Trevor also gave a couple different strong exhortations to the Today (Sunday [January 6th]), we people. There’s such a great need worshiped at a church comprised here for people who call themselves mostly of people from the Fuau re- Christians to be born again. They gion (where we’re flying to tomor- live like the world, many coming to row). Most of them have come out church on Sunday mornings and of the interior jungle for educational then getting drunk a few hours later. purposes. Some are studying in a HIV and prostitution are also big so- local Bible college, and others are cial problems, indicative of the spiri- pursuing various other occupations. tual darkness of those who profess Yulianus helps them in different the name of Christ but deny Him with ways, including providing scholar- their lives. So, much of our teach- ships for those who show the most ing and exhortation centered around potential. His desire, though, is for the new birth and what it means to them to return to the interior in order be genuinely saved. After eating to be a blessing to their own people; lunch, we went to a local market to so he made them promise to return pass out Gospel tracts and share the before ever giving any sort of schol- good news with the people there. arship. One of the men there today, Together we were able to pass out

34 HEARTCRY MAGAZINE VOL 74 perhaps 400-500 tracts, and I got the years, it seems there was an awakening opportunity to share the gospel with among a small minority of the people. dozens of Papuans, along with many However, there are still so many who Muslims. There is a much more open have no saving knowledge of Christ. climate to do this sort of thing in Pap- Pray that God would prepare Yulianus ua compared to where Amanda and and Bastian to translate the Bible into I live in Java. Please pray that God Abawiri. Pray that God would also would use the words spoken and the prepare Yaber Faboisa and his team literature given in order to save many to translate the Bible into Diebroud (the souls. langage spoken in Taria). Pray also as After leaving the coastal area Yulianus recruits other translators for (where the above update took place), the eighteen other languages spoken we flew into the Mamberamo River in the Mamberamo. Basin, visiting three different locations - Fuau, Taria, and Kasonewega. The SHARING THE GOOD NEWS first two are small villages with very Over the last few months, little ethnic diversity. Sometimes there have been several opportunities Danis from the highlands or brown- to share the good news with people in skinned Indonesians come down to our province in Java. Although we can’t these lowland villages in search of be open here like Matt was able to be in sandalwood or other natural resources. Papua, the Lord continues to lead and All the people in both Fuau and Taria open doors to speak truth into the lives would claim to be Christian. But, similar of others. Last night, two young men to the paragraph above, there are very who are university students came over few who have genuinely experienced to our house. Both are Muslims from the the new birth. Generally speaking, Sundanese ethnic group (the primary the two tribal groups have a Christian ethnic group in our province, which is identity, but they understand very little consider the largest unreached people about the gospel. It’s perhaps hard for group in Indonesia. One of them is re- many Westerners to understand, but ally seeking to know the truth and had just like there is a “cultural Christianity” a lot of good questions. The Lord gave in America, there is the same among us (along with our friend Vira) the op- these tribal peoples. They claim the portunity to answer his questions while name of Christ, but His reality has also sharing many other gospel truths. affected very little about their lives. Please pray for these two young men. They may not share all the same vices It really does seem like the Lord is at as the Papuans living near the coast work, and we hope to meet with them (since they have less available and again soon. less opportunity), but they share the same spiritual problems. Please pray With much love, for these people. Pray that God would use Yulianus to continue to evangelize Matt, Amanda, Aidan, Elliot, and Owen his own people. In the last two or three

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