St. Patrick’s Day GREEN means GO!!!

Throughout the month of March, St. Patrick’s Day decorations can remind our families to pray for Christian missionaries and to highlight the need for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.  St. Patrick’s Day GREEN can remind us that we’re all called to GO!

Encouraging Missions Throughout the Year - MARCH

St. Patrick’s Day

To many people, St. Patrick’s Day is nothing more than a holiday to commemorate the traditions of Ireland. People wear “Irish” green; stores decorate with shamrocks, leprechauns, and rainbows; and restaurants feature meals of corned beef, cabbage and potatoes . . . or green-colored mint milkshakes.

To others, March 17th is a day to gratify the flesh: to guzzle beer, or to glorify sinful lifestyles through disgraceful city-wide parades and demonstrations. How far we have come from the real story Saint Patrick and his early missionary sacrifices to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people Ireland. Today, more than ever, our world desperately needs the Lord, and the message that Patrick preached.

During the month of March, let’s remember the missionary story of St. Patrick. And let’s use all the GREEN decorations as a constant reminder, wherever we see them (in stores, restaurants, etc.), that we’re all called to GO with God’s GOOD NEWS!

Quick Facts:

St. Patrick’s Day - MARCH 17th

Patrick was the first Christian missionary to Ireland. In the United States, celebrations include city parades, Irish cultural celebrations, and the wearing of green.

Who was Saint Patrick?

“Saint” Patrick (389 – 461 AD) actually went to Ireland twice – first as a slave, and later as a missionary. Born in Britain (in Wales), Patrick is widely known as the first Christian missionary to the Irish people. During his youth (from 16 to 22 years old), he was captured and taken to Ireland. While there, young Patrick repented of his sinful, backslidden condition. Years later, after escaping to his homeland, he received a vision from God calling him to return to the Irish people to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. Patrick obeyed God’s call and went back.

For the remainder of his life, Patrick ministered among the heathen tribes of Ireland – confronting Irish idolatry and sorcery, converting many to Jesus Christ, and baptizing thousands of people. Tradition says he used the three-leaf Irish clover to teach the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

According to historian William Federer, who wrote St. Patrick: The Real History of His Life, From Tragedy to Triumph, “He was actually a missionary and he converted 120,000 druids from paganism to Christianity.” Federer claims that in the fifth century A.D., Patrick did more than perhaps anyone in history to spread Christianity in Europe. Although druids attempted to kill him over a dozen times,  Patrick continued to preach the message of Jesus Christ, and throughout his ministry he pioneered over 300 Christian churches. Patrick also spoke out against slavery, and because of this, some call him the world’s first abolitionist.

Mission-Minded Family Resources:

To learn more about St. Patrick, I recommend Hero Tales - Volume III, by Dave & Neta Jackson (Bethany House Publishers). Along with the short biography summary, St. Patrick: Missionary to Ireland, the Jackson’s include three devotional stories (each with a focus “From God’s Word” and “Let’s Talk About It” discussion questions) to read aloud:

• “Your Ship is Ready” — Trust
• The Fire on the Hill — Boldness
• Blood on the White Robes — Righteous Anger

VeggieTales has a funny “flannel-graph” version of the St. Patrick story, which is surprisingly historically accurate, on the VeggieTales DVD, Sumo of the Opera.

Also, Focus on the Family has a special “Days to Remember” edition of Adventures in Odyssey, with two episodes specifically highlighting the true meaning of St. Patrick’s Day.

Prayer Focus:

Pray for peace in Ireland, especially between Protestants and Catholics. Pray for the true message of salvation to spread throughout Ireland and for missionaries who are sharing the Gospel throughout Ireland today. Remember people in the United States, who are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day by doing evil things, and that these people would hear about the real story or St. Patrick, and the Gospel he preached. Pray also that we would have an obedient heart to go wherever God calls us to go.

NOTE: This article is adapted from the chapter “Enjoying Missions Throughout the Year” from Ann’s newest book, The Mission-Minded Family - Releasing Your Family to God’s Destiny.

2010 Magale Mission: NEW VIDEO!!!

God demonstrates His LOVE . . .

Here are some exciting photos and a NEW VIDEO from Harvest Ministry’s recent evangelistic outreach in East Africa to the remote mountain village of MAGALE, Uganda (on the border of Kenya). Over the course of the outreach, over 25,000 people came to hear the preaching of the GOSPEL, and approximately 5,000 people surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ. The city (previously a tribal-religion/witchcraft stronghold) was impacted for GOD’S KINGDOM. Many were touched by the Lord, including a “head witchdoctor” who came forward to repent of his sins and to receive God’s salvation.

To God be the GLORY!!! What a JOY to reap a HARVEST of SOULS!!!

Mission to Magale, Uganda - NEW VIDEO!!!

Rare Solar Eclipse, “Raw” Evangelism, & a Rainbow!

On the first day of the MAGALE MISSION, this area of Uganda experienced a RARE SOLAR ECLIPSE (the news referred to it as a “RING OF FIRE” - and to us it was a “TOKEN” - like Rahab’s Scarlet Cord from Joshua 2:12-21 - emphasizing the BLOOD OF JESUS and God’s saving love, even in the midst of destruction). The mission was truly “RAW & RUGGED EVANGELISM (with rainstorms, witchdoctors trying to curse us, a crazy guy charging through the crowd with a rock, thousands of villagers hearing the Gospel and about 5,000 people surrendering their lives to Jesus Christ!!!) Then, on the final night, right during the preaching, there was a beautiful RAINBOW over the crowd! How AWESOME!!!

God loves the whole world, and even this remote and hidden area of Magale, Uganda!

MORE ABOUT THE ECLIPSE: On the opening day of the Magale Mission Outreach (while the world’s eyes were focused on the devastating aftermath from the earthquake in Haiti) Uganda witnessed a very rare solar eclipse. A red ring around the darkened sun, described by national newspapers as a “Ring of Fire”, was a “token” to us and to the people of Magale, like the “true token” of the Scarlet Cord of Rahab from Joshua 2:12-21, remarkably illustrating God’s provision of salvation for the whole world, only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, even for the people of this remote and hidden village of Magale, Uganda.

What can wash away my sin? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!
What can make me whole again? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!
Oh, precious is the flow, that makes me white at snow!
No other ‘fount I know. NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!

PLEASE KEEP PRAYING FOR MAGALE!

Please continue to keep these people of Magale, Uganda in your prayers. Right now, a qualified national pastor (a friend of our co-worker and NETS minister, Drake Kanaabo) is working hard to establish a new church in this area to help these brand-new believers to grow in their faith and to become fruitful for Christ.

“Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown” (Mark 4:20).

Thanks for your prayers, and for all who helped send us!

To God be the GLORY!

In His Love & Harvest,
Jon & Ann (& all)

P.S. If you would like to join with us in specific prayer and/or mission support to help us to reach the lost with the Good News and Gospel message of Jesus Christ, we would be honored to send you our monthly HARVEST MINISTRY newsletter (for those of you in the US and CANADA). If interested, please CONTACT US with your mailing address!

RARE ECLIPSE, RAW EVANGELISM & RAINBOW

Just a second . . . We’re redirecting you . . .

MEATY: A Vision for Souls - by Amy Carmichael

Ezekiel 3:18-19 says, “When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity but you have delivered your soul.”

These verses stress the vital importance of our Christian and biblical command to share the Gospel with the “heathen” (this term is outdated and unpopular, yet it is vital for mission-minded focus. “Heathen” refers to precious unsaved people who have never yet heard the Gospel message of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ). So often, we are distracted by good and busy activities, even in the church. The following vision, received by Amy Carmichael, compares these activities to making “daisy chains.” As you read this, may you allow the Lord to challenge your heart. May we “see” the waterfall of souls who so desperately need Him, and may we be more aware of God’s passionate love for these people, and allow His love to flow through us . . . through our prayers, our giving, and our obedience.

Give me the Love that leads the way
The Faith that nothing can dismay
The Hope no disappointments tire
The Passion that will burn like fire
Let me not sink to be a clod
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

-Amy Carmichael

Amy Carmichael
Missionary to India (1867-1951)

Amy Carmichael was born in Northern Ireland to a wealthy family. When she was eighteen, her father died, and as the eldest of seven children, Amy received much of the family responsibility. In 1892, at the age of twenty-four, Amy Carmichael received a “call to missions,” and soon left for Japan, and later, Ceylon. After returning home for a brief time, she finally set sail for the country that would become her long-term home: INDIA!

Within twelve years, Miss Carmichael had 130 children in her care and had rescued many hundreds more. For fifty-five years, she sacrificially lived and ministered in India…without even a furlough. Many others were inspired to join with her, and together with these co-workers, she established an Indian mission work called “The Dohnaver Fellowship”.

Amy Carmichael is best remembered for her life work of saving precious Indian children (especially rescuing many young girls from Hindu temple prostitution). Even today, through her books and writings, the impact of her life and testimony continues to challenge many to a deeper walk with the Lord, and a deeper commitment to His service.

Thy Brother’s Blood - A Vision for Souls

The tom-toms thumped straight on all night, and the darkness shuddered ‘round me like a living, feeling thing. I could not go to sleep, so I lay awake and looked; and I saw, as it seemed, this:

That I stood on a grassy precipice, and at my feet at crevice broke down into infinite space. I looked, but saw no bottom; only cloud shapes, black and furiously coiled, and great shadow-shrouded hollows, and unfathomable depths. Back I drew, dizzy at the depth.

Then I saw forms of people moving in single file along the grass. They were making for the edge. There was a woman with a baby in her arms and another little child holding onto her dress. She was on the very verge. Then I saw that she was blind. She lifted her foot for the next step…it trod air. She was over, and the children over with her. Oh, they cry as they went over! Then I saw more streams of people flowing from all quarters. All were blind, stone blind; and all made straight for the crevice’s edge. They were shrieks as they suddenly knew in themselves that they were falling, and a tossing up of helpless arms, catching, clutching at empty air. But some went over quietly and fell without a sound.

Then I wondered with a wonder that was simple agony, why no one stopped them at the edge. I could not, I was glued to the ground. And I could not call; though I strained and tried, only a whisper would come.

Then I saw that along the edge there were guards set at intervals. But the intervals were too great; there were wide, unguarded gaps between. And over these gaps the people fell in their blindness, quite unwarned; and the green grass seemed blood-red to me, and gulf yawned like the mouth of hell.

Then I saw, like a little picture of peace, a group of people under some trees with their backs turned towards the gulf. They were making daisy chains. Sometimes when a piercing shriek cut the quiet air and reached them, it disturbed them and they thought it a rather vulgar noise. And if one of their number started up and wanted to go and do something to help, then all the others would pull that one down. “Why should you get all excited about it? You must wait for a definite call to go! You haven’t finished your daisy chain yet. It would be really selfish,” they said, “to leave us to finish the work alone.”

There was another group. It was made up of people whose great desire was to get more guards out; but they found that very few wanted to go, and sometimes there were no guards set for miles and miles of the edge.

One girl stood alone in her place, waving the people back; but her mother and other relations called, and reminded her that her furlough was due; she must not break the rules. And being tired and needing a change, she had to go and rest for a while; but no one was sent to guard her gap, and over and over the people fell, like a waterfall of souls.

Once a child caught at a tuft of grass that grew at the very brink of the gulf; it clung convulsively, and it called — but nobody seemed to hear. Then the roots of the grass gave way, and with a cry the child went over, the two little hands still holding right to the torn-off bunch of grass. And the girl who longed to be back in her gap thought she heard the little one cry, and she sprang up and wanted to go; at which they reproved her, reminding her that no one is necessary anywhere; they gap would be well taken care of, they knew. And then they sang a hymn.

Then through the hymn came another sound like the pain of a million broken hearts wrung out in one full drop, one sob. And a horror of great darkness was upon me, for I knew what it was; the cry of the blood.

Then thundered a voice, the voice of the Lord. And he said, “What hast though done? The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto Me from the ground.”

The ton-toms still beat heavily, and darkness still shuddered and shivered about me. I heard the yells of the devil-dancers and weird, wild shrieks of the devil-possessed just outside the gate.

What does it matter, after all? It has gone on for years; it will go on for years. Why make such a fuss about it? — God forgive us! God arouse us! Shame us out of our callousness! Shame us out of our sin!

Amy Carmichael, Thy Brother’s Blood Crieth:
(India: The Dohnavur Fellowship).
Obtained from an article from Bethany Fellowship, Inc.
Minneapolis, MN.

Lwakhakha HARVEST! - mission video

Our recent Harvest Ministry outreach to Lwakhakha, Uganda - on the Kenya border - was so exciting! The Lord moved mightily as this remote and predominantly-Muslim area was “shaken” for Jesus Christ!

Five small local churches gathered together for this first ever open-air Gospel outreach in Lwakhakha - with worship, dancing, prayer, and preaching of the Gospel. During the daytime, hundreds of local believers gathered together (with NETS Ministers Naboth, Paul, and Joseph) for a local believers training, and in the evening approximately 5,000 people a night gathered in this isolated area (standing 360 - all around the platform!!!) to hear the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Multitudes listened intently and many (approximately 1,800 precious people, over the course of the evangelistic outreach) turned from their sins and surrendered their lives to the Lord. On one evening, lightning and wind came just after the altar call - It was awesome!

These people definitely need our continued prayer support, as the Christian persecution and opposition many will face (especially newly saved wives) in this Muslim area may be great. Please pray for the five hard-working local pastors, and for the local Christian leaders, as they are beginning to follow-up on these new believers.

Thank you for your prayers, your heart for world missions, and for standing with us at Harvest Ministry to REACH SOULS for Jesus Christ. To God be the GLORY!!!

The Challenge: DAY 35 - Get Ready to GO! #5

The EvangeCube

Welcome to DAY 35 of the 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE!

Today’s focus is getting your family ready to GO is learning to use a witnessing tool called the “EvangeCube.” This effective Gospel evangelism tool is effective and fun to use (for all ages), and sometimes called the “Jesus Film” of one-on-one evangelism.

C’mon . . . Take the Challenge!

• Recommended Mission Resources: - More about the EvangeCube
  Simply Share Jesus - How to effectively use the EvangeCube
• Today’s Mission Quote: “As long as there are millions destitute of the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it will be impossible for me to devote time and energy to those who have both.”" - J. L. Ewen
• Geography Quiz at lizardpoint.com: EUROPE,
• Memory Verses - Learn the Bible verses for the EvangeCube
• Today’s 5-minute online video

The Challenge: DAY 34 - Get Ready to GO! #4

The Gospel Colors

Welcome to DAY 34 of the 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE!

A common children’s witnessing tool is using the “Five Colors” - gold (God wants us to live forever with Him in heaven), black (all have sinned), red (salvation is only possible through the blood of Jesus), white (by God’s grace and faith we can receive forgiveness from sin), and green (God want us to GROW and to GO).

C’mon . . . Take the Challenge!

• Recommended Mission Resources: - The Five Colors, Good News for Children
• Today’s Mission Quote: “This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth.” - Keith Green
• Geography Quiz at lizardpoint.com: EUROPE,
• Memory Verses - Learn the Bible verses for the Five Colors
• Today’s 5-minute online video

The Challenge: DAY 33 - Get Ready to GO! #3

The 4 Spiritual Laws

Welcome to DAY 33 of the 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE!

As you’re getting your family ready to go, be prepared to share your stories of how God has been real and alive in your own lives (your personal testimonies). Today’s specific focus is also learning how to share the Gospel by using the 4 Spiritual Laws by Campus Crusade for Christ.

C’mon . . . Take the Challenge!

• Recommended Mission Resources: - The 4 Spiritual Laws in many languages, Campus Crusade for Christ, 4 Spiritual Laws - FLASH version
• Today’s Mission Quote: “We must be global Christians with a global vision, because our God is a global God.” - John Stott
• Geography Quiz at lizardpoint.com: EUROPE,
• Memory Verses - Learn the Bible verses for the 4 Spiritual Laws
• Today’s 5-minute online video

MISSION to LWAKHAKHA!

August 2009 - Harvest Ministry conducted a city-wide missions outreach in LWAKHAHA, Uganda. This Uganda/Kenya border town has been rampant with prostitution and AIDS. People there have been desperately in need of Jesus. Jon Dunagan preached together with N.E.T.S. minister, Drake Kanaabo, and also met together with all of the African N.E.T.S. ministers.

PLEASE PRAY!

Please be interceding with us for God’s Holy Spirit to be moving and stirring in the hearts of the people in Lwakhakha. We’re believing for many people to come face-to-face with the reality of God, and to be moved to repentance from their sin. May God be glorified in

Specific prayer needs:

• Pray for the local pastors and Christian leaders as they are preparing for the outreach
• Pray for God’s provision for Jon’s airfare & traveling expenses to Uganda
• Pray for effective outreach advertising (flyers, word of mouth, and promotion)
• Pray for effective advance work (led by N.E.T.S. minister, Paul Kintu - coordinating prayer, ushers, follow-up - and Geoffry - coordinating local music and worship)
• Pray for safe transportation of the ministry equipment and team to Lwakhakha
• Pray for provision for food and lodging for the whole team throughout the outreach
• Pray for support and wisdom for the technician team, as they take care of details

Jon Dunagan and Drake Kanaabo will also be ministering at Harvest Ministry’s Osanidde Village orphanage, and they look forward to the time together with our wonderful extended “family” on Bussi Island. Please be praying with us for this entire mission outreach, for all of these people, and for these needs!

The Challenge: DAY 4 - Get the Vision! #4

GOD’S PASSION!

Welcome to DAY 4 of the 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE!

Today’s 5-minute focus will encourage you to love God and to love others, and specifically to love others who don’t yet know the Lord. Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY to heaven, and we need to share this news with others. And we need to realize that the Gospel is not BAD NEWS, it is GOOD NEWS!

C’mon . . . Take the Challenge!

• Recommended Mission Resource: Evangelism by Fire - Igniting your Passion for the Lost, by Reinhart Bonkke
• Missionary Quote by Oswald J. Smith
• Geography Quiz at lizardpoint.com: ASIA
• Memory Verses: John 14:6, John 3:3, John 3:18, Acts 4:12

A few questions for feedback: Do you have a list of 5 people in your sphere of influence who don’t yet know Jesus? Did you pray for them? Have you ever shared the Gospel with these people? Ask God for more of His love for these 5 people, and for wisdom to share the Lord.

Next Page »