Participants: Bruce Moyer
Series Code: AIM
Program Code: AIM000399
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00:00 [OPENING MUSIC]
00:22 WELCOME TO ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS. 00:24 I'M JULIE SANDERS-KEYMER HERE AT GOSPEL OUTREACH. 00:26 WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU HAVE JOINED US. 00:28 TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT A COUNTRY THAT WE HAVE HEARD OF BUT THAT WE REALLY 00:42 MAYBE REALLY DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT. 00:43 BRUCE MOYER, I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO ADVENTURES IN MISSION S. 00:45 THANK YOU; IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. 00:47 BRUCE, WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT A COUNTRY CALLED IRAN. 00:49 IRAN. 00:51 I'VE HEARD IT ERAN, IRAN AND ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS, DIFFERENT PRONUNCIATIONS. 00:52 IT IS ALSO CALLED PERSIA. 00:53 WELL, THERE YOU GO. 00:54 SO WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS COUNTRY HERE TODAY. 00:56 YES, I'D LIKE TO PUT IT IN CONTEXT IF I CAN FIRST, 00:58 THE WHOLE ISSUE OF MISSION AMONG MUSLIMS. 01:01 I'VE GOT A SLIDE THAT I'D LIKE TO PUT UP ON THE SCREEN 01:04 THAT KIND OF GIVES US AN IDEA OF WHAT'S HAPPENING. 01:06 BECAUSE YOU'RE INVOLVEMENT HERE AT GOSPEL OUTREACH 01:10 IS YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH MISSIONS TO THE MUSLIM WORLD. 01:14 YES, BUILDING RELATIONS WITH MUSLIMS AND REACHING OUT. 01:17 WE HAVE SO MANY FRIENDS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD THAT IT IS EXCITING, IT REALLY IS. 01:23 ISN'T THAT A GOOD WAY TO PUT IT? 01:25 I THINK SOMETIMES WE HEAR ABOUT EXTREMISTS IN ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT RELIGIONS AND MAYBE WE 01:28 HAVE HEARD ABOUT THAT A LOT IN THE NEWS AND SO WE HEAR THE WORD MUSLIM HERE IN THE WESTERN WORLD 01:33 AND WE ARE A LITTLE CONCERNED. 01:35 YES, WE ARE AND THE PROBLEM IS WE HAVE BAD PERCEPTIONS OF EACH OTHER. 01:40 MUSLIMS HAVE A VERY BAD PERCEPTION OF US. 01:44 A MUSLIM, FOR INSTANCE BELIEVES THAT TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN: #1 YOU HAVE TO EAT PORK; 01:50 YOU HAVE TO DRINK ALCOHOL; YOU'VE GOT TO WATCH MOVIES LIKE BAYWATCH CONSISTENTLY. 01:55 YOU'VE GOT TO BE IDOLATROUS; YOU'VE GOT TO BE A SECULAR MATERIALIST. 02:00 THAT'S CHRISTIANITY TO THEM. 02:02 AND THEY SAY NO, NO I WOULD NEVER BE THAT. 02:05 IT WOULD SHAME MY FAMILY TO EVEN THINK OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 02:09 BECAUSE IN THEIR MIND, THAT IS COMING FROM THE WESTERN WORLD WHICH IS CHRISTIANITY, TO THEM. 02:14 INTERESTING. 02:15 THAT IS THEIR PICTURE. 02:17 ON THE OTHER HAND, WE HAVE A PICTURE OF MUSLIMS AS PEOPLE WHO GO AROUND WITH BOMBS STRAPPED TO 02:21 THEIR BODIES, BLOWING THEMSELVES UP AND WOMEN COVERED IN BURKAS. 02:25 YES, AND WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT #1: MUSLIMS ARE DEEPLY SPIRITUAL PEOPLE. 02:33 WE WORSHIP THE SAME GOD. 02:35 THERE IS ONE THING, I KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF NOISE GOING AROUND THAT YOU WILL HEAR BUT BASICALLY 02:40 WE WORSHIP THE SAME GOD. 02:41 WE ALL GO BACK TO FATHER ABRAHAM AND WE LOOK TO HIM. 02:45 HE IS THE BEGINNING. 02:47 THEY SAY HE WAS THE FIRST MUSLIM AND WE SAY HE IS THE FIRST BELIEVER. 02:53 WE ARE AGREED ON THAT AND THE GOD OF ABRAHAM IS THE SAME GOD 02:57 THAT THEY WORSHIP AND THAT WE WORSHIP. 02:59 ALLAH IS THE NAME FOR GOD THAT HAS BEEN USED BY ARAB CHRISTIANS FOR CENTURIES. 03:04 SO, WE USE THE TERM GOD BUT THAT'S NOT BIBLICAL. 03:09 THAT HAS ITS OWN ROOTS THAT PROBABLY HAVE HEATHEN CONNOTATIONS 03:15 IF YOU GO BACK FAR ENOUGH. 03:17 SO, IT IS THIS MISCONCEPTION. 03:20 BUT THEY ARE A DEEPLY SPIRITUAL PEOPLE FOR US, SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS. 03:27 HOW MANY FUNDAMENTALS DO WE HAVE? 03:31 I DON'T KNOW. 03:32 28. 03:33 OH, OF THE BELIEFS. 03:34 YES, 28 AND WE SAY THESE ARE WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO BELIEVE IN ORDER TO BE A SEVENTH DAY 03:40 ADVENTIST, YOU SEE. 03:41 MUSLIMS, HOW MANY? 03:42 FIVE, REALLY, WHAT ARE THEY? 03:44 FIVE! 03:45 THEY ARE, AND I'VE WRITTEN THEM DOWN SO I MAKE SURE I HAD THEM, GOOD, GOOD, GOOD. 03:48 NUMBER 1 SHAHADA, SHAHADA, THE DECLARATION THERE IS NO GOD BUT GOD, MOHAMMED IS HIS PROPHET. 03:55 THAT IS THE BASIC DECLARATION. 03:57 TO BECOME A MUSLIM YOU STAND UP IN A MOSQUE AND YOU SAY THAT 3 TIMES. 04:01 O.K. 04:02 AND YOU ARE NOW A MUSLIM. 04:03 YOU MAKE THE DECLARATION AND MUSLIMS DO THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS. 04:08 THIS IS PART OF THEIR PRAYERS ON A REGULAR BASIS, THE SHAHADA. 04:11 THEY CALL IT GOD IS THE GREATEST. 04:14 THERE IS NO GOD BUT GOD AND MOHAMMED IS HIS PROPHET. 04:16 I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT. 04:18 NO. 04:19 THE SECOND IS PRAYER 5 TIMES A DAY. 04:22 MY GOODNESS, THIS IS BAD? 04:24 NO! 04:25 I HOPE IT'S MORE. 04:26 NO, I HATE TO SAY IT; I HAVE A LOT OF CHRISTIAN FRIENDS 04:29 THAT COULD PRAY A LOT MORE AND BENEFIT. 04:32 FIVE TIMES A DAY AND THEY ARE SERIOUS ABOUT IT. 04:36 THE CALL TO PRAYER GOES OUT OVER THE MINARETS AND PEOPLE STOP, THEY GO TO THE MOSQUE OR THEY'LL 04:42 STOP IN THE STREET WHEREVER THEY ARE, WHEREVER THEY ARE. 04:45 I REMEMBER WATCHING A MAN AT AN AIRPORT OUT ON THE GROUND, ROLLED OUT ON THE GROUND HIS 04:50 CARPET RIGHT THERE AND WAS DOING HIS PRAYERS RIGHT THERE. 04:53 REALLY? 04:54 WOW! 04:56 NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE, THEY ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS AND IT IS EASY FOR US TO SAY, 05:00 "THAT IS REALLY LEGALISTIC". 05:01 WELL, KEEPING SABBATH IS LEGALISTIC. 05:04 YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS ON YOUR ATTITUDE BEHIND IT. 05:07 TRUE. 05:08 WHY ARE YOU DOING IT? 05:09 AM I LEGALISTIC BECAUSE I PRAY A LOT? 05:12 I HOPE NOT. 05:13 NO. 05:14 I PRAY BECAUSE I LIKE TO TALK TO GOD. 05:15 ABSOLUTELY. 05:16 MUSLIMS DO THE SAME, SO WHEN I AM IN A MUSLIM COUNTRY AND THE CALL GOES OUT FROM THE MINARET 05:22 TO PRAY, I STOP, I STOP RIGHT THERE, I HOLD MY HANDS OUT, LIKE THIS: WHICH IS A MUSLIM FORM OF 05:28 PRAYER AND I PRAY, ACCEPTING THE LORD. 05:31 I ACCEPT GOD AND WE PRAY FOR ALL OF GOD'S PEOPLE IN THAT PARTICULAR LAND. 05:37 I WANT TO BE PART OF IT AND I WANT THEM TO SEE ME DOING IT. 05:40 I DON'T WANT TO HIDE THIS. 05:42 NO. 05:43 TOO OFTEN CHRISTIANS HIDE THEIR SPIRITUALITY. 05:47 RIGHT. 05:48 WE MIGHT THINK IT IS POLITICALLY INCORRECT TO GO THERE. 05:50 YOU GO TO A RESTAURANT, THE WAITRESS COMES AND SETS YOUR FOOD DOWN. 06:00 YOU'VE JUST SAID YOUR BLESSING. 06:02 OH SURE, I SEE WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. 06:03 YES. 06:04 COME ON. 06:05 COME ON. 06:06 MY POOR DAUGHTERS, THEY HAD TO LIVE WITH ME. 06:09 WE'D GET IN A RESTAURANT AND I WOULD ALWAYS SAY "LET'S PRAY". 06:12 ABSOLUTELY. 06:14 YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU DO SOMETHING ELSE, JUST LIKE TAKING YOUR GLASSES OFF? 06:17 OK LORD, SILENTLY YOU PRAY FOR YOUR FOOD. 06:19 YES. 06:20 I DON'T WANT TO BE OBVIOUS ABOUT BEING A CHRISTIAN. 06:23 YES. 06:24 THEY DON'T MIND BEING OBVIOUS ABOUT BEING MUSLIMS. 06:25 YES. 06:26 THEY ARE VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD ABOUT IT. 06:28 THEY ARE HAPPY TO BE MUSLIMS. 06:29 SURE. 06:30 THEY ARE PROUD OF WHO THEY ARE. 06:32 SO, THOSE ARE 3 THINGS, YOU HAD 2 MORE. 06:34 NO, THOSE ARE 2. 06:35 OK. 06:36 SHAHADA AND PRAYERS 5 TIMES A DAY. 06:38 ZAKAT , THE REGULAR ANNUAL DONATION FOR THE POOR. 06:40 OH! 06:41 NOT FOR THE CLERGY, BUT FOR THE POOR. 06:43 OK. 06:44 EVERY YEAR? 06:45 EVERY YEAR AND IT COMES OUT TO ABOUT 15 PER CENT OF THEIR INCOME. 06:48 SOME PEOPLE GIVE A LOT MORE BUT 15 PER CENT TO ZAKAT. 06:51 I HAVE SAT IN MUSLIM COUNTRIES WITH PEOPLE, AND I HAVE SEEN THEM FIGURING IT OUT, 06:56 WORKING OUT IN THEIR HOMES, THIS IS WHAT WE WILL BE GIVING THIS YEAR. 06:59 AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THEY GET ALL THEIR BOOKS OUT THERE. 07:03 SURE. 07:04 SO, REGULAR DONATIONS. 07:05 THEN THE NEXT ONE IS THE HADJI. 07:09 THE HADJI. 07:11 IN THEIR LIFETIME EVERY MUSLIM WHO CAN SHOULD MAKE A TRIP TO MECCA. 07:15 IT'S NOT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR; THERE IS A CERTAIN TIME TO GO. 07:18 IT HAS BECOME A HIGHLY COMMERCIAL SITUATION TODAY, THE PILGRIMAGE. 07:25 THERE ARE THOUSANDS CONVERGING ON MECCA AT THIS ONE POINT, SO HAS TO BE HIGHLY ORGANIZED. 07:32 THEY ARE BUILDING HUGE HOTELS AROUND THERE, EVEN MORE. 07:35 WOW! 07:36 BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING THERE FOR THE HADJI . 07:38 IT IS A REGULAR RITUAL OF ACTIVITIES THAT REMEMBERS DIFFERENT THINGS, 07:43 DIFFERENT PARTS OF MOHAMMED'S LIFE OR OF THEIR FAITH AND IT IS A WONDERFUL WAY 07:48 TO REENACT THEIR FAITH, YOU SEE. 07:52 COMMUNION SERVICE IS A SIMILAR THING FOR US. 07:55 SURE. 07:56 IT IS A REENACTMENT, YOU SEE. 07:57 SURE. 07:58 THERE IS THE HADJI. 07:59 THE LAST ONE IS THE FAST OF RAMADAN FOR 30 DAYS. 08:04 NO MUSLIM WILL EAT OR DRINK FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET. 08:08 PIOUS MUSLIMS WILL NOT EVEN SWALLOW THEIR SALIVA. 08:12 REALLY! 08:13 YES! 08:13 OK, NOW THAT IS NEW TO ME, I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT. 08:15 YES. 08:16 INTERESTING. 08:17 I HAVE BEEN IN RESTAURANTS IN THESE COUNTRIES AND WE GO IN AND YOU SIT DOWN. 08:22 THE PLACES ARE CROWDED, PEOPLE ARE THERE. 08:25 YOU ORDER YOUR FOOD AND THEN YOU WAIT, THEN YOU WAIT. 08:30 THEY MAY BRING YOU YOUR FOOD AND YOU SIT THERE AND EVENTUALLY YOU WILL HEAR THE CALL FROM THE 08:37 MINARET, RAMADAN IS OVER. 08:40 AND THEN EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY EATS. 08:42 WOW, FASCINATING! 08:43 RAMADAN IS SORT OF LIKE CHRISTMAS, THANKSGIVING AND BIRTHDAYS, 08:49 IT IS A TIME OF CELEBRATION AND VISITING EACH OTHER 08:52 AND A TIME FOR SERIOUS SPIRITUAL REFLECTION. 08:55 THE IDEA OF FASTING IS TO INCREASE THE SPIRITUAL CAPACITIES. 08:59 IT'S NOT A PUNISHMENT. 09:01 IT IS NO MORE LEGALISTIC THAN WHEN WE FAST. 09:04 IT DEPENDS ON THE ATTITUDE. 09:05 SURE, ABSOLUTELY. 09:07 SO, YOU KNOW FOR US TO BE ABLE TO WORK AMONG MUSLIMS YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THEM. 09:13 YOU HAVE TO BEGIN TO THINK A LITTLE BIT LIKE THEY THINK AND SYMPATHIZE. 09:18 YOU HAVE TO LIVE OUT THEIR WORLD. 09:21 PAUL SAID IT IN 1 CORINTHIANS 9, HE SAID "I TRIED TO BECOME AS MUCH A PART OF THEIR WORLD AS I 09:29 CAN, NEVER LOSING MY BEARINGS IN CHRIST, I TRY TO SEE THINGS THE WAY THEY SEE THEM, 09:34 I WANT TO REACH ALL PEOPLE NO MATTER WHERE I AM". 09:38 WHAT A GOOD EXAMPLE TO ALL OF US. 09:39 YES. 09:40 THIS IS PART OF THE PROCESS OF DOING IT. 09:43 HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND WHO WE ARE AND OUR SPIRITUALITY. 09:49 SURE. 09:50 I TELL MUSLIMS, I SAY YOU KNOW YOU BELIEVE IN CERTAIN DIETARY RESTRICTIONS, BUT I SAY, 09:57 I AM MORE KOSHER THAN YOU, NOT KOSHER, I AM MORE HALAL THAN YOU. 10:03 AND HALAL MEANS? 10:04 CLEAN. 10:05 OK. 10:06 SEE, I WILL NOT EAT SHELLFISH, I WILL NOT EAT CAMEL. 10:08 HOW DO THEY RESPOND TO THAT? 10:11 OH, YOU ARE SERIOUS. 10:14 I SAY YES, I AM. 10:15 AND WHEN THEY ASK WHERE YOU GET THAT FROM WHERE DO YOU SAY? 10:17 I SAY, I GET IT FROM THE TORAH . 10:20 THEY LOVE THE TORAH ; THEY KNOW THAT THERE ARE BASICALLY FIVE FILES. 10:26 THERE ARE CERTAIN HOLY BOOKS THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO READ. 10:29 TORAH; ZABOOR , THE WRITINGS; AND INJIL , NEW TESTAMENT AND THE QURAN . 10:38 THOSE ARE THE FOUR SACRED BOOKS. 10:40 THEY KNOW THAT, BUT THEY RARELY READ THE FIRST THREE. 10:44 INTERESTING. 10:46 WHAT I HAVE FUN WITH, IS GOING THERE AND SAYING "LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO THESE". 10:49 WE READ THE QURAN TOGETHER AND I'LL ASK THEM, "DO YOU UNDERSTAND THIS? 10:55 DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS SAYING?" 10:56 NO, NO. 10:58 QURAN TO THEM, THEY LISTEN TO IT AND THEY HEAR IT HERE, NOT HERE. 11:05 THERE IS THE DIFFERENCE.YES. 11:08 AND IT IS LIKE SOUL FOOD. 11:11 INTERESTING, BRUCE. 11:12 YES. 11:13 SO I TELL THEM DO YOU UNDERSTAND THIS, NO I DON'T. 11:16 I'LL TAKE THEM TO THE PASSAGE IN THE QURAN ; 11:19 IF YOU LACK UNDERSTANDING GO TO THE FOUR BOOKS. 11:23 I SAY, WHAT ARE THESE FOUR BOOKS? 11:25 THEY SAY, OH, THE TORAH , THE INJIL , THE ZABOOR , LET'S GO. 11:30 THAT'S WHERE WE GO AND THEY SAY, WOW, THIS IS AMAZING. 11:34 I NEVER REALIZED THIS. 11:36 IT IS EYE OPENING, SO IT IS A TWO WAY STREET. 11:39 YES. 11:40 I HAVE HAD MY EYES OPENED BY MUSLIMS. 11:43 I HAVE HAD MY OWN DEPTH OF SPIRITUALITY CHALLENGED BY WORKING AMONG THE MUSLIMS. 11:51 I REALIZED SHORTLY AFTER I STARTED, BASICALLY I WAS A PRETTY SECULAR PERSON. 11:56 WOW, THAT WAS PRETTY DEEP! 11:58 ALL OF THIS TIME I'VE BEEN A MINISTER AND TRAINING MINISTERS. 12:03 I THOUGHT YOU KNOW IN COMPARISON I AM PRETTY SECULAR. 12:07 THEY CHALLENGE MY SPIRITUALITY. 12:12 I HAVE GROWN. 12:13 SO IT HAS BEEN A TWO WAY STREET. 12:14 ISN'T THAT FANTASTIC? 12:15 I AM BLESSED BY THEM, THEY ARE BLESSED BY ME. 12:18 AND THAT IS WHAT I THINK IT IS ALL ABOUT. 12:23 YES. 12:24 THAT'S WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT. 12:27 THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE ON "ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS" AND IT IS FASCINATING TO TALK WITH 12:32 BRUCE HERE AND LEARN ABOUT THE MUSLIM WORLD. 12:34 YOU TOO CAN BE IN PART INVOLVED HERE AT GOSPEL OUTREACH BY GIVING OF YOUR DONATIONS AND WE 12:38 WILL TALK ABOUT THAT HERE A LITTLE BIT LATER WITH BRUCE'S TERRITORY. 12:41 BUT IF YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT GOSPEL OUTREACH AND YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS AND YOU WANT 12:46 TO GIVE, WE WOULD SO APPRECIATE YOUR DONATIONS BECAUSE IT HELPS WITH GOSPEL OUTREACH. 12:50 IT HELPS US TO SHARE THE LOVE OF CHRIST AROUND THE WORLD AND ESPECIALLY IN THIS 10/40 WINDOW 12:55 WHERE WE ARE CONCENTRATING AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE MUSLIM WORLD THOUGH, 12:58 BECAUSE THAT IS AROUND THE WORLD. 12:59 SO AT GOSPEL OUTREACH HERE, YOU CAN REACH US AT THIS ADDRESS 13:03 IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING A DONATION AND WHAT YOU CAN GIVE. 13:13 WITH YOU ABOUT ACCEPTING YOUR CREDIT CARD OR HOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE. 13:29 THAT STANDS FOR GOSPEL OUTREACH ADVENTURES IN MISSION DOT ORG AND THAT IS A GREAT WAY TO LEARN 13:35 MORE ABOUT ALL OF THE FASCINATING AND EXCITING THINGS 13:38 THAT ARE HAPPENING AT GOSPEL OUTREACH. 13:40 WE ALSO HAVE AN ADDRESS IN CANADA AND THAT IS GOSPEL OUTREACH CANADA, 13:53 WE'D ALSO LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU OUR "ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS" NEWSLETTER 13:57 AND THAT COMES TO YOU IN THE MAIL. 13:59 WE'D BE HAPPY TO SEND THAT. 14:01 IT HAS ALL SORTS OF GREAT ARTICLES, PICTURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU 14:05 ARE KNOWING EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON HERE AT GOSPEL OUTREACH. 14:08 GOSPEL OUTREACH IS CURRENTLY WORKING IN 50 NATIONS WITH 100 MISSIONS AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE 14:14 ABOUT 2 THOUSAND MEN AND WOMEN WORKERS WHO ARE SERVING IN THIS 10/40 WINDOW. 14:19 WE ALSO HAVE A PHONE NUMBER IN CANADA, IT IS 250-545-2212 AGAIN, 250-545-2212. 14:28 WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT BECAUSE IT IS THROUGH OUR 14:32 DONATIONS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE GOING HERE AT GOSPEL OUTREACH AS WE SHARE THE LOVE OF 14:36 THE LORD TO OTHERS. 14:38 SO, BRUCE, LET'S GO BACK TO IRAN. 14:40 YOU WERE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MUSLIM WORLD AND SPECIFICALLY IN IRAN. 14:45 YES, FIRST OF ALL LET'S PUT THE FIRST SLIDE UP ON THE SCREEN. 14:48 O.K. 14:49 I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A PERSPECTIVE. 14:51 THIS IS ACTUALLY A FEW YEARS OLD BUT IT HASN'T CHANGED THAT MUCH. 14:56 THIS PICTURE GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING IN MISSIONS AND THE 15:04 NUMBER OF PEOPLE THEY ARE WORKING AMONGST. 15:07 GOT IT. 15:09 AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN YOU SEE MISSIONARIES WORKING AMONG WESTERN PEOPLE, 15:13 SAY IN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA. 15:16 THERE IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF THEM AND YET THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE. 15:21 IT'S A SMALL PORTION OF THE POPULATION. 15:24 GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BOTTOM, YOU SEE THIS HUGE MUSLIM POPULATION. 15:29 WOW! 15:30 LOOK OVER AT THE OTHER SIDE AND YOU SEE THE ALMOST INFINTISIMAL 15:34 NUMBER OF PEOPLE WORKING AMONG MUSLIMS. 15:38 THIS PERHAPS IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS PEOPLE WHO WILL GO AND LEARN LANGUAGE AND 15:44 LEARN TO UNDERSTAND AND BE EMPATHETIC AND BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH MUSLIMS, 15:50 NOT ANTAGONISTICALLY. 15:52 CERTAINLY NOT. 15:54 NO, AS I SAY SENSING THE FACT THAT IT IS A TWO WAY STREET THEY ARE LEARNING AS MUCH AS THEY ARE 15:58 SHARING RIGHT NOW. 16:00 BUT WE CERTAINLY NEED MORE PEOPLE. 16:02 THIS IS A MAJOR LACKING IN MISSIONS TODAY. 16:05 THIS NEXT SLIDE I WANT TO SHOW IS A PICTURE OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE. 16:12 TAKE US THERE, BRUCE. 16:14 GO BACK 600 YEARS BEFORE JESUS, THE TIME OF DANIEL, RIGHT? 16:18 WHEN DANIEL HAD HIS VISIONS THIS IS WHAT THE PERSIAN EMPIRE LOOKED LIKE. 16:22 IT IS HUGE ISN'T IT? 16:23 YES. 16:25 ALL THE WAY OVER AND A BITE INTO EUROPE THERE ACROSS WHERE TURKEY MEETS EUROPE. 16:31 ALL THE GRAY AREA THERE, ALL THE GRAY AREA DOWN THROUGH MUCH OF EGYPT INTO THE UPPER NILE AND 16:40 THEN ALL THE WAY OVER, IT DOESN'T EVEN TAKE YOU AS FAR AS IT GOES TO THE INDUS RIVER. 16:45 THAT IS THE PERSIAN EMPIRE. 16:46 IT WAS A HUGE EMPIRE. 16:49 THESE ARE PEOPLE WITH AN INCREDIBLE HISTORY AND THEY KNOW THEMSELVES. 16:55 THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR PLACE IN HISTORY. 16:57 THEY UNDERSTAND WHO THEY HAVE BEEN AND WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. 17:01 AND DO THEY APPRECIATE IT? 17:02 THEY DO! 17:03 THEY DO, THEY VALUE, THEY HAVE A STRONG POSITIVE SELF IDENTITY AS IRANIANS AND THIS IS IMPORTANT 17:10 FOR ANY PEOPLE TO HAVE. 17:12 THE SECOND SLIDE IS A PICTURE OF IRAN TODAY. 17:15 OK. 17:16 THIS IS THE CURRENT COUNTRY. 17:19 AS YOU CAN SEE, IT HAS SHRUNK. 17:21 YES, INDEED. 17:22 YES. 17:23 THIS IS THE AREA WE ARE WORKING IN. 17:25 IT IS BORDERED, AS YOU CAN SEE BY AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA, TURKEY, IRAQ, TURKMENISTAN, AFGHANISTAN, 17:29 AND PAKISTAN. 17:30 THESE ARE THE BORDERS OF THE COUNTRY. 17:33 IT IS A LARGE COUNTRY, VERY VARIED COUNTRY FROM DESERT TO LUSH MOUNTAINS AND HILLSIDES, 17:45 A LAND OF INCREDIBLE BEAUTY. 17:48 I HAVEN'T HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING THERE YET, 17:50 BUT EVERYTHING I HAVE SEEN IN PHOTOGRAPHS AMAZES ME. 17:55 WE HAVE BEEN BROADCASTING INTO THIS COUNTRY FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS NOW, I THINK. 18:02 FANTASTIC! 18:03 SATELLITE TV IN FARSI. 18:05 SO, IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLE. 18:09 THE IRANIANS LOVE SATELLITE TV. 18:12 BECAUSE? 18:13 THIS IS THEIR CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD. 18:15 IT IS ALMOST A POLICE STATE. 18:17 IT IS A POLICE STATE. 18:18 IT IS A VERY RESTRICTIVE GOVERNMENT. 18:20 BUT IT'S O.K. 18:21 FOR THE SATELLITE TV TO GO IN AND GET THESE CHANNELS? 18:23 WELL, I'M TOLD BY MY IRANIAN FRIENDS EVERY FAMILY HAS 3 DISHES, SATELLITE DISHES. 18:30 THREE? 18:31 THREE. 18:32 YES. 18:34 ONE THAT WORKS, ONE THAT IS A DECOY IN CASE THE POLICE COME, YOU SEE. 18:38 INTERESTING. 18:40 AND A THIRD ONE DOWN IN THE BASEMENT THAT THEY CAN PUT UP IF ONE OF THE OTHER ONES IS TAKEN. 18:43 THESE ARE PREPARED PEOPLE! 18:44 YES. 18:45 YES. 18:47 THEY ARE VERY, IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY, THEY ARE VERY, VERY HIGHLY ADVANCED. 18:51 VERY SHARP PEOPLE. 18:54 SO, THEY LOVE SATELLITE TV. 18:55 THAT IS THEIR MAJOR CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD. 18:58 THEY WILL SPEND HOURS A DAY WATCHING SATELLITE TV. 19:02 ISN'T THAT FANTASTIC? 19:03 SO THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING IN FARSI, OBVIOUSLY. 19:08 SURE. 19:09 THEY AREN'T GOING TO WATCH ENGLISH. 19:10 THEY ARE GOING TO WATCH SOMETHING IN FARSI WHERE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE. 19:12 SO WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS AND WE HAVE HAD INCREDIBLE RESPONSE. 19:17 WE ARE BROADCASTING ON HOPE CHANNEL, WE ARE BROADCASTING ON A COMMERCIAL, IRANIAN SATELLITE. 19:20 OH! 19:22 SO IN NUMEROUS WAYS WE ARE GETTING TO THE COUNTRY AND WE'VE HAD WONDERFUL RESPONSE. 19:26 GOOD! 19:27 ONE MAN WHO HAD JUST RECENTLY COME OUT OF THE COUNTRY, HE ATTENDED THE CHURCH SERVICE 19:33 WHERE OUR SPEAKER HAS CHURCH AND HE CAME UP AFTERWARDS AND SAID "I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL YOU SAT 19:40 DOWN AT THE PIANO WHO YOU WERE?" 19:43 OH REALLY! 19:44 HE PLAYS ON THE PIANO. 19:45 HE IS A CONCERT PIANIST AND HE PLAYS ON THE PROGRAM. 19:48 UH, HUH. 19:50 HE SAID, "YOUR PROGRAM IS THE MOST POPULAR PROGRAM TODAY IN IRAN". 19:53 ISN'T THAT FASCINATING? 19:55 IT IS ANECDOTAL BUT AT LEAST IT MAKES US FEEL GOOD THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO REALLY THINK THAT 20:00 AND WE'VE GOTTEN NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, FAXES FROM THE COUNTRY. 20:05 THE PEOPLE ARE SO HUNGRY FOR THE GOSPEL. 20:08 ISN'T THAT FANTASTIC? 20:10 THEY ARE JUST STARVING FOR THE GOSPEL THERE. 20:13 THEY ARE OPEN, WIDE OPEN. 20:15 HOW DO WE GET IN, WHAT DO WE DO? 20:18 TELL US. 20:19 WELL, WE HAVE MANAGED TO SEND SOME MATERIALS IN. 20:23 BIBLES, STUDY MATERIALS. 20:25 WE MANAGED TO GET MATERIAL INTO THE COUNTRY AND THAT HAS BEEN HELPFUL. 20:31 WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WE KNOW THERE ARE A NUMBER OF GROUPS THAT ARE MEETING AROUND THIS 20:36 PROGRAM AS THEIR CHURCH. 20:38 OH, INTERESTING. 20:40 SO, THEY ARE GRABBING ON TO THAT. 20:41 OTHER THAN THIS, THERE NEVER HAS BEEN A FARSI ADVENTIST CHURCH, EVER. 20:48 WE HAVE HAD ARMENIAN CHURCHES IN IRAN BUT NOT FARSI, NOT IRANIAN. 20:52 THE FIRST FARSI IRANIAN CHURCH IS THE ONE WE JUST STARTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IN SOUTHERN 20:58 CALIFORNIA. 20:59 WOW, WOW! 21:00 SO, WE NOW HAVE GROUPS THAT ARE MEETING, GATHERED AROUND THEIR TV SATELLITES 21:06 AND WATCHING THIS PROGRAM. 21:08 HOUSE CHURCHES! 21:09 THIS IS THEIR CHURCH, YOU SEE. 21:11 HOW DO WE MAKE CONTACT WITH THESE PEOPLE? 21:12 HOW DO WE TRAIN THESE PEOPLE? 21:15 SO WE'VE DECIDED THAT WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO-BY THE WAY, 21:18 LET ME GO BACK TO THE THIRD SLIDE. 21:19 O.K., LET'S GO BACK. 21:21 SIMPLY, BEFORE I GET INTO THAT, BECAUSE IRAN IS SO CRITICAL IN THE WORLD TODAY. 21:25 THIS IS A VERY CONTENTIOUS SPOT IN THE WORLD TODAY, RIGHT NOW. 21:30 THIS IS THE STRAITS OF HERMUZ. 21:32 CAN WE GO BACK TO THE SECOND ONE? 21:36 SECOND SLIDE? 21:37 OK, RIGHT DOWN AT THE BOTTOM YOU CAN SEE IT. 21:39 OH YES, I SEE IT, THE PERSIAN GULF RIGHT THERE. 21:42 I SEE WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. 21:47 NOW GO BACK TO THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ SLIDE, IF YOU WOULD. 21:51 O.K., OMAN IS RIGHT THERE AT THE TOP. 21:54 LOVELY COUNTRY, WONDERFUL PEOPLE. 21:55 JUST OVER, NOT THAT FAR, 30 SOME MILES ACROSS THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ INTO IRAN. 22:00 JUST RECENTLY, THEY HAVE BEEN THREATENING TO BLOCKADE THIS. 22:03 FOR THE SHIPPING AND ALL OF THAT? 22:05 SOMETHING LIKE 80 PER CENT OF THE OIL IN THE WORLD GOES THROUGH THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ. 22:08 WOW! 22:10 IT IS ONE OF THEMOST STRATEGIC PIECES OF REAL ESTATE IN THE WORLD. 22:15 IRAN IS NOW THE MOST IMPORTANT NATION, THE MOST POWERFUL NATION IN CENTRAL ASIA. 22:25 THEY ARE TO CENTRAL ASIA WHAT THE UNITED STATES IS TO THE WEST. 22:30 IF WE WANT TO DO BUSINESS, WE NEED TO KEEP THAT OPEN. 22:35 WE NEED TO BE DEALING WITH THE IRANIANS, SOMEHOW. 22:38 THE PROBLEM IS THEY ARE NOT EASY TO WORK WITH. 22:42 IRANIAN POLITICS IS HIGHLY NUANCED TO SOME DEGREE IT SEEMS VERY FRAGMENTED 22:47 AND YET IT ISN'T TO THEM. 22:49 IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR US. 22:52 SO, WE ARE WORKING IN A VERY AWKWARD SITUATION. 22:56 IT IS NOT AT ALL EASY. 22:57 BUT WE HAVE THESE PEOPLE AND SO WE HAVE DECIDED 23:01 THAT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS DO SOMETHING ON THE BORDER. 23:06 BETWEEN? 23:07 BETWEEN IRAN AND ONE OF THEIR NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. 23:09 GOT YOU. 23:10 DO SOMETHING ON THE BORDER, BECAUSE MANY OF THESE BORDERS ARE POROUS. 23:14 THERE IS TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH. 23:16 BUSINESS FLOWS BACK AND FORTH. 23:17 TRADE? 23:18 YES. 23:19 ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE ARE MOVING. 23:21 I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE IN UZBEKISTAN WHO HAVE BUSINESS IN IRAN AND GO THERE REGULARLY. 23:25 OH. 23:26 INTERESTING. 23:27 THERE IS NO PROBLEM GETTING IN AND OUT. 23:28 SURE. 23:29 SO, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS HAVE SOME SORT OF AN OUTPOST 23:31 NEAR ONE OF THE BORDERS WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME TO. 23:36 WE CAN MEET WITH THEM THERE. 23:37 WE CAN DO TRAINING THERE. 23:38 IT IS SORT OF A SAFE HOUSE SITUATION. 23:43 SO, HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO GO THERE WITH OUR SPEAKER AND BE 23:52 ABLE TO LOOK AROUND AND BEGIN TO SET UP SOME SORT OF AN OUTPOST. 23:56 AGAIN, WE ARE GOING TO NEED FUNDS. 23:57 YES. 23:59 WE NEED SERIOUS FUNDS TO SETUP SOME SORT OF A PERMANENT HOUSE FOR WORSHIP AND FOR TRAINING. 24:06 THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN FEATURES THAT IT WILL HAVE TO CONTAIN. 24:09 SO THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS COMING YEAR. 24:13 OK. 24:14 IT IS EXCITING, BUT WE NEED TO TRAIN LEADERSHIP IN IRAN. 24:18 WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE PEOPLE IN THERE THAT KNOW WHO WE ARE, THAT WE KNOW THEM, 24:23 THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE WITH PERIODICALLY, SET UP ROUTES OF COMMUNICATION SO THAT WE CAN 24:29 KNOW HOW TO CONTACT. 24:31 THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH. 24:35 IT IS NOT YOUR GRANDFATHER'S MISSION STATION. 24:37 NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY YOU THINK ABOUT THIS LOGISTICALLY AND THEN YOU THINK OF ALL THE 24:44 DIFFERENT OTHER IMPLICATIONS THAT ARE INVOLVED AND IT'S A HUGE PROJECT. 24:48 WHEN I FIRST WENT OUT AS A MISSIONARY, I WENT TO ZIMBABWE. 24:53 IT WAS IN RHODESIA. 24:54 IT WAS RELATIVELY SIMPLE. 24:56 IT REALLY WAS. 24:57 EVERYTHING WAS ALL SET UP. 24:59 THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT MADE SURE OF THAT AND CHRISTIANS FOLLOWED THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND 25:04 EVERYTHING WAS SIMPLIFIED. 25:06 NOT THE WAY IT IS TODAY. 25:08 NO. 25:09 NOT THE WAY IT IS. 25:10 NO. 25:12 AT THE SAME TIME, WHILE OUR GOVERNMENTS ARE RATTLING SABRES AT EACH OTHER PEOPLE LOVE EACH 25:18 OTHER. 25:19 IT'S TRUE. 25:20 THE IRANIAN PEOPLE LOVE AMERICANS AND THE MORE WE KNOW THEM, BELIEVE ME, 25:24 THE MORE WE'LL LOVE THEM. 25:25 THEY ARE OUR BROTHERS AND OUR SISTERS AND THEY ARE CALLING TO US, THEY ARE CRYING TO US, 25:30 PLEASE HELP US, AND PLEASE TEACH US MORE ABOUT JESUS. 25:35 HELP US TO KNOW HOW TO RELATE TO HIM. 25:37 GOSPEL OUTREACH IS PROBABLY THE, VIRTUALLY THE ONLY WAY THAT OUR CHURCH IS REACHING INTO THIS 25:48 COUNTRY, THE MOST STRATEGIC AND IMPORTANT COUNTRY IN ALL OF CENTRAL ASIA. 25:53 WELL, BRUCE I THINK YOU'VE JUST SHARED WITH US THE PROJECTS, I THINK YOU'VE SHARED WITH US THE 25:59 VISION AND THAT'S WHERE OUR VIEWERS CAN GET INVOLVED. 26:02 ISN'T THAT RIGHT? 26:03 YES. 26:05 BECAUSE AS YOU HAVE JUST HEARD FROM BRUCE, IT IS GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS 26:08 TO HELP WITH THIS AND THAT'S WHERE GOSPEL OUTREACH IS APPEALING TO YOU. 26:12 IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT YOUR DONATIONS AND WHERE YOU CAN ALLOCATE THOSE, 26:16 I HOPE THAT YOU WILL THINK OF GOSPEL OUTREACH AND THE MISSION WORK THAT IS GOING ON IN IRAN 26:20 AND ALL OF THIS, GATHERING PLACES AND THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT IS A WONDERFUL 26:23 OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS OVER IN IRAN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LOVE THAT JESUS 26:28 HAS FOR THEM AND TO DO IT IN A SENSITIVE MANNER AND EVERYTHING, JUST LIKE YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, 26:32 RIGHT BRUCE? 26:33 HOPEFULLY, YES. 26:35 SO, WHAT ARE SOME, YOU'VE GOT EXCITEMENT, YOU'RE PLANNING FOR THINGS AND OUR PRAYERS WILL BE 26:39 WITH YOU AS YOU DO ALL OF THAT. 26:40 THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 26:42 WE ARE, WE-CHRISTIAN MISSION IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST ADVENTURES. 26:47 WHEN WE SAY ADVENTURES IN MISSION THAT IS VERY REALISTIC. 26:52 WE ARE REALLY MEANING IT, RIGHT? 26:54 THERE IS NOTHING MORE EXCITING THAN CHRISTIAN MISSION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE JESUS IN 27:00 LANDS WHERE HE IS NOT KNOWN, WHERE PEOPLE ARE DYING FOR HOPE, FOR INFORMATION, 27:07 FOR RELATIONSHIP, IT'S JUST A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY. 27:11 WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY; WE DO, 27:13 THROUGH SATELLITE TV. WE DO. 27:15 THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US HERE ON "ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS" AND YOU'VE HEARD IT 27:19 HERE FROM BRUCE. 27:21 I'M JULIE SANDERS KEYMER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. 27:22 [CLOSING MUSIC] |
Revised 2015-02-06