Are You Safe?

The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe. (Proverbs 18:10)

This powerful verse from the book of Proverbs should be an encouragement and an exhortation to all of us. There is hope, life, and truth in this verse. Here are some of those truths…

The Name of the Lord: Many Christians tag all of their prayers with a quick “in Jesus’ Name, amen.” without considering the power behind that short phrase. When we call on the Name of the Lord, heaven stops and God’s attention is focused on us. When we say “Lord”, He says, “Here I Am”.

Strong Tower: God is a refuge for all Believers. He’s an impenetrable fortress that protects, defends, and covers. Picture a mountain fortress that has no outside access, yet is full of abundant provision and supply. Nothing can get in to harm us, and yet we still go through the exit and “play in front of the enemy” instead of resting in the safe place of the Lord's Presence.

The Righteous: Here is where the responsibility falls on us. We must seek to live righteously. Many Believers live their lives the way they want, and then when trouble hits, they cry out “Help!” We must take on the responsibility of becoming the righteous people that God has called us to be. Being a Child of God does not give us a free pass to live the way we want.

Is Safe: Safety needs to be experienced always, not just when we are in need of help. While driving, we don’t move over and drive on the wrong side of the road when no cars are coming. We know that safety is experienced when we stay between the lines of our lane. In the same way, God wants us to experience the safety of His protection all of the time, and not only when we have a problem or a need.

May we call out on the Name of the Lord, hide in His tower of protection, and stay there.  Always… Lead Well!

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Taming The Tongue

I have said in this space before, one of the top axioms I try to live by is: Be interested, not interesting. What I mean by this is keep my mouth shut and listen to others, rather than speaking and expecting others to listen to me.

Do you ever find yourself following another person’s comment (both verbal and social media) with, “That happened to me.” or “I like, I did, I have…” We are seeking to be interesting. We are saying: Listen to me about my life.

A good example of this happened when I was listening to a conversation. One person said, "They just found out my Mom has cancer." The other person immediately responded with, "My Mom died of cancer." (ouch!)

Too often we quickly follow another person's comment with a statement or story from our own lives.

Relating the other person's comment to us very rarely enhances their lives. All we are doing is telling the other person how their experience relates to us. We are essentially saying, "It's not about you, it's about me."

Good Believers, good leaders, good parents, good conversationalists, and good friends are interested more than they are interesting. Being interested makes it about others. Being interesting makes it about self.

And when we do speak, consider affirming, encouraging, supporting, and exhorting the other person. In other words, be interested in their lives. Don’t immediately turn the conversation to make it about you and your life.

Ask the other person to tell us why they enjoyed a restaurant they just mentioned (don't tell them about your favorite restaurant). When a person tells of their vacation, ask them to tell you more (rather than telling about your vacation). 

But if they are critical of something or someone, don't join in on the crjiticism and/or gossip. (Remember: gossip includes speaking about people we don't know personally: politicians, celebrities, people who cut us off in traffic, etc.)

Be a positive influence, not a spreader of negativity.

There is great wisdom in what the writer of Proverbs says in 10:17: Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.

May we listen more, speak less, and be much more interested than interesting… Lead Well!

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Perspective And Faith

“When will this week be over?” “I can’t wait for the school year to end.” “Could you believe the poor service at that restaurant?” “I can’t stand all of this traffic!”

If we are honest, statements like these work themselves into our conversations, every day. We hear ourselves using these very words to describe our lives. We get annoyed. We get impatient. We don’t like what is happening to us.

And with good reason: Life is difficult.

But as Believers, perhaps we ought to be using different words. Words like:

• Thank you for my job, Lord.
• When I am finished with this school year, I will need to find another place to influence people for the Kingdom.
• I wonder how I can pray for our server?
• Lord, protect all the drivers on the road.

I have found that how we view the situations where we find ourselves can be simplified into two things: Perspective and Faith.

Perspective: How do I view the situation that I find myself in? Am I expecting the world to revolve around me, or revolve around God and other people? Is this about me or about others?

Faith: Do I really believe that God is working on my behalf to make me more like Christ? Do I really believe all that God says in His Word? Am I demonstrating the way I believe?

Here’s another good question to ask ourselves: Am I talking about how big my problems are, or am I talking about how big my God is? Lead Well!

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Inda 2017: Epiblog

Here are some highlights from my 15th mission trip to India:

Sharing Christ at a large outdoor crusade...

Praying for the sick...

Conducting Medical Camps in the Himalayas...

Sharing Christ through an interpreter after a worship service...

Commissioning a Sewing Center helping Muslim women develop a skill...

Enjoying Kashmiri Tea...

Connecting with Leaders in Kashmir...

Meeting and being blessed by a 125 year old Believer...

Reconnecting with my good friend, leader, and "Hero" Kelu...

It was an extraordinary time of ministry and mission. I am privileged to go and minister among the people of India, especially the Kashmiri people. As my wife says, "When Brad goes to India, God does miracles and he gets to watch!"

Would you like to be a part of the ongoing ministry in India? The work doesn't stop when I return to the USA. You can click on the "Donate" button at the top right of this page, or send checks to me at PO Box 2125, Ft. Oglethorpe, GA 30742. (Please write "India Mission" in the memo line of the check.) Thank you for blessing me!

India 2017, #2

On Friday evening, we conducted the outdoor evangelistic meeting in a small village that grew red peppers.  Preach the word and prayed for everyone present…

On Saturday, we kicked off VBS at Ecclesia Church, and unfortunately had to cancel our evening outdoor village meeting because of your new radicals.

 We just finished Sunday morning to services at Ecclesia. Worshipped, preached the Word, and had a great experience in the Presence of God! 

India 2017, #1

Finally arrived in India via London, after 2 flights and 24+ hours! Very glad to be here! (It is 11:00 am on Friday as I write.)

We still had a 2.5 hour trip by car from the airport to Pastor Daniel's home & church campus. Ate some fruit and took a much-needed bucket shower. We leave in a few minutes to perform a wedding. (I'm glad I come to India ready for anything...)

This evening we conduct an evangelistic open air meeting in a village church. Then, I'll catch up on some sleep.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I love India!

India Video Blog

I'll  be leaving for my 15th mission trip to India on April 19th. Click on this link to get a small glimpse of India and the ministry there: India Video Blog

Would you like to help financially? You can click on the "Donate" button at the top right of this page, or send checks to me at PO Box 2125, Ft. Oglethorpe, GA 30742. (Please write "India Mission" in the memo line of the check.) Thank you for blessing me!

Another View From India

Here is an account of the first two days of ministry on one of my recent India mission trips:

After two days, five flights, and six airports, I was met by my ministry partner Pastor Daniel and local Pastor Danis in Jammu City, Kashmir on a Friday afternoon.

We began the evangelistic crusade in the evening, and with over 1,000 in attendance, I brought a simple evangelistic message about the woman who was sick for 12 years reached out to Jesus. When the altar call was given, people began streaming forward. It was incredibly exciting to see over 1/4 of the attendees standing in the front and repeating a prayer, giving their lives to Jesus for the first time!

The next day, we began with a humble medical camp, after traveling 40 km into the foothills of the Himalayas to a city called Akhanor. We were joined there by Emmanuel, the worship leader from last evening's crusade.

Braving 105 degree temperatures, we set up under a huge banyan tree in the middle of a field strewn with dusty shrubs, complete with piles of water buffalo dung. There we ministered to 60 poor people. Our medical team dispensed medical help, and Pastor Daniel and I dispensed spiritual help, praying for the people who desired it.

One lady asked me to pray for her, and after I did, I began to share with her and her husband about Jesus, aided by the translation of Emmanuel. (Got to love worship leaders...) Both the lady and her husband prayed and asked Jesus into their lives!

We had an excellent crusade meeting that evening, where Pastor Daniel and myself preached to an even larger crowd than the first night. At the altar call, once again, hundreds came forward to receive Christ!

It was what happened before my message that I want to highlight: There was a time of testimonies, and four people spoke. Aided by a translator sitting next to me, I was told that one of the testimonies was a woman who had attended last evening's crusade and heard my word about the woman who had a sickness for 12 years.

She related that she also had been sick for several years, and when I had told the people that like the woman we need to reach out to Jesus, she said she began to pray and reach out to Him. Immediately, she said, her pain began to subside, and her body "felt lighter". She also related that not only did her body feel at peace, but her spirit and soul did also. All that she had been worrying about seemed to go away, she said, and she felt "very close to God."

Once again, I was humbled by the Presence of God, and of hearing what He was doing in the lives of people who need a touch from Him. I am in awe of His love, and that He allows me to be a part of what He is doing.

I quote my wife Elaine who says, "When Brad goes to India, God shows off, and he gets to watch."

Would you like to help financially? You can click on the "Donate" button at the top right of this page, or send checks to me at PO Box 2125, Ft. Oglethorpe, GA 30742. (Please write "India Mission" in the memo line of the check.) Thank you for blessing me!

An Englishman In India

(God is always providing spontaneous, unplanned, and divine appointments in our lives. We simply have to look for them.)

On one of my recent mission trips to India, I spent several days partnering with a local Pastor named Sammi. He pastors his own church, founded and runs an orphanage with 37 children, plants villages churches, and installs pastors to lead those churches.

We spent our days conducting evangelistic meetings in the mornings, afternoons and evenings, in three different villages each day.

On one of those evenings, we were in the town where Pastor Sammi had his own church for an evening crusade meeting.

That evening, a large tent was erected in front of Pastor Sammi’s house/church building right on the main road in the middle of town. We were praying for a large crowd of Indian people to hear the Gospel.

(Don’t picture a huge worship center with a beautiful lawn and shrubbery. Think more of a modest, aging stucco structure with a thatched roof, and a dirt yard with a tent in it, along a dirty, busy road.)

During the worship time, a white man (non-Indian) in his mid-thirties walked up to the tent. Pastor Sammi greeted him and introduced him to me. His name was Jonathan.

He told me that he was from England, and that he was here on a month-long spiritual retreat among the Hindu people. I told him that if he stayed around, that I believed he would find what he was looking for.

He stayed, and I preached about the blind beggar who called out to Jesus and whom Jesus told him that his faith had made him see.

After the preaching, as myself and other local pastors were praying for people, Jonathan came up to me and said, “I only speak to experts about spiritual things. I think you are an expert on faith.” Well, needless to say I am no expert, but I do know a thing or two about faith. So we talked, and at the end of our conversation, he committed his life to the Lord!

The next day, Pastor Sammi and I went to the place where he was staying to continue to encourage and challenge him. I gave him my bible, and told him to share what what he found in Jesus with his family and friends when he returned to England.

Jonathan came to India looking for answers, and left having found the Truth! This is why I love to go to India and minister…

Would you like to help financially? You can click on the "Donate" button at the top right of this page, or send checks to me at PO Box 2125, Ft. Oglethorpe, GA 30742. (Please write "India Mission" in the memo line of the check.) Thank you for blessing me!