Participants:
Series Code: AIM
Program Code: AIM000621A
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00:00 [OPENING MUSIC].
00:15 WELCOME TO ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS, GOSPEL OUTREACHES' PROGRAM TO 00:19 INTRODUCE YOU TO GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKERS WHO ARE DILIGENTLY SHARING CHRIST 00:24 ALL AROUND THE WORLD. 00:26 OUR GUEST TODAY IS ZDRAVKO STEFANOVIC. 00:29 IS THAT CLOSE? 00:30 YES, THAT'S IT. 00:32 WELCOME. 00:33 THANK YOU. 00:34 ZDRAVKO LIVES IN ORLANDO CURRENTLY WHERE HE WORKS AND THINKS MOST OF THE 00:38 TIME ABOUT HIS HOME LAND WHERE HE IS NOW RESPONSIBLE AS THE GOSPEL 00:43 OUTREACH COORDINATOR. 00:44 WHERE WERE YOU BORN? 00:46 IN A SMALL COUNTRY IN SOUTHERN CENTRAL EUROPE AND THE NAME IS BOSNIA AND 00:51 HERZEGOVINA. 00:53 NOW WHEN I THINK BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA I THINK WAR BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT'S 00:57 WHAT I REMEMBER PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT ON TELEVISION. 00:59 THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR IN THE CITY OF SARAJEVO. 01:02 YES. 01:03 THAT'S THE CAPITAL CITY. 01:04 SO YOU'VE GOT SARAJEVO AND ALL OF THESE CRAZY THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED THERE 01:07 OVER THE YEARS. 01:08 HOW MANY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES HAVE REALLY BEEN RESPONSIBLE OR THE BOSSES 01:14 IN YOUR COUNTRY? 01:15 WELL, YOU KNOW THERE IS THE INFLUENCE FROM THE WEST AND THAT IS CHRISTIAN 01:21 WESTERN CULTURE THAT COMES IN AND THEN A HUGE INFLUENCE FROM RUSSIA AND 01:27 THE ORTHODOX INFLUENCE THAT COMES FROM THE EAST. 01:30 AND THEN ALSO FROM THE SOUTH THERE IS MUSLIM INFLUENCE THAT COMES FROM 01:36 THE MIDDLE EAST. 01:38 SO SOME HOW MANY OF THESE STREAMS MEET RIGHT THERE IN BOSNIA AND IT HAS BEEN 01:47 A HISTORY WRITTEN IN BLOOD VERY OFTEN UNFORTUNATELY. 01:52 BUT I LIKE TO BE OPTIMISTIC IN LIFE AND I LIKE TO SAY THAT FOR EVERY 01:56 BAD NEWS IN THE WORLD THERE MUST BE A GOOD NEWS BECAUSE GOD IS STILL 02:02 ALIVE, GOD IS STILL ACTIVE AND THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL NEVER QUIT WORKING THE 02:07 HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE. 02:10 BEFORE WE BEGAN THIS PROGRAM TODAY YOU PRAYED FOR US AND YOU THANKED GOD 02:14 THAT YOU WERE PART OF A PEOPLE OF HOPE. 02:17 WHAT DO THOSE WORDS REALLY MEAN TO YOU, A PEOPLE OF HOPE? 02:21 THAT MEANS THAT WE SHOULD NEVER GROW DESPERATE IN OUR ATTEMPTS TO FIND A NEW 02:29 MEANING IN LIFE AND TO SEE GOD AT WORK. 02:32 ONE OF THE HOBBIES THAT I HAVE DONE FOR YEARS WAS TO PRESENT SEMINARS IN 02:38 BIBLICAL PROPHECY. 02:40 AND IT MAY BE DONE IN A NEGATIVE WAY BUT I HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO TRAVEL 02:45 ENOUGH AND TO BE INVOLVED IN THE WORK OF THE CHURCH AND OF THE MISSIONS SO 02:50 THAT MOST OF MY ILLUSTRATIONS WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE DREAMS AND 02:55 VISIONS OF ANCIENT PROPHETS, ILLUSTRATE THAT THE LORD IS TRUE TO HIS 03:00 PROMISES. 03:01 HE IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE AND THE SAME POWER THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO GOD'S 03:06 PEOPLE IN THE PAST IS AVAILABLE TO US TODAY. 03:10 STILL. 03:11 SO PEOPLE OF HOPE REALLY MEANS THAT TODAY WE CAN HAVE THAT HOPE AND IT'S 03:14 THE SAME HOPE. 03:15 THAT'S RIGHT AND THE WORLD NEEDS TO HEAR TOO. 03:18 VERY OFTEN WE SEE WORLD LEADERS EXHAUSTED BECAUSE THEY ARE OVERWHELMED BY 03:23 ALL THE PROBLEMS IN OUR WORLD AND SO ON AND WE GO BACK TO THE SOURCE AND 03:28 FEEL REFRESHED WHEN WE READ GOD'S PROMISES THAT GOD IS STILL ACTIVE IN THE 03:33 WORLD AND HE WANTS US TO PARTNER WITH HIM AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 03:37 LOVE IT. 03:38 YOU BROUGHT ALONG WITH YOU SOME PICTURES. 03:40 YES. 03:41 TELL A LOT OF GOOD STORIES. 03:43 I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD IT'S A DIFFICULT AND 03:46 COMPLICATED SITUATION IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD. 03:49 SOMETIMES WHEN WE TAKE STUDENTS TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE TOURIST GUIDE 03:55 VERY OFTEN WILL SAY WE HAVE A LOT OF HISTORY IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD. 03:59 TOO M UCH HISTORY. 04:01 TOO MUCH HISTORY. 04:02 AND THAT IS TRUE SO WHAT WE TRY TO DO AS GOSPEL OUTREACH WORK WE FOCUS ON 04:08 THE NEGLECTED GROUPS OF PEOPLE. 04:11 NOW LET ME BEGIN WITH CHILDREN. 04:13 FORMER YUGOSLAVIA WENT THROUGH A TERRIBLE WAR AND WE DO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE 04:19 ORPHANS OR WHO ARE NEGLECTED. 04:22 HERE IS ONE EXAMPLE. 04:24 IN THE COUNTRY OF BOSNIA WE HAVE A COUPLE OF GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKERS, HUSBAND 04:31 AND WIFE WITH THEIR OWN CHILDREN. 04:33 AND THEY HAVE THEIR HOME BUT THEY AT THE SAME TIME HAVE OPENED THAT HOME AND 04:40 MADE IT INTO A CENTER FOR SPIRITUALITY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 04:45 IT'S A SAFE HOUSE. 04:46 SAFE HOUSE. 04:48 AND THEY HAVE SPECIAL PROGRAMS. 04:50 FOR EXAMPLE VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL. 04:52 AND HERE WE SEE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO COME. 04:55 SOME ARE ADVENTISTS, QUITE A FEW ARE NOT. 04:59 AND THOSE WHO HELP IN THE WORK OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY TRAVEL 05:03 DISTANCES. 05:05 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH MEMBERS WILL COME FROM SERBIA AND OTHER 05:10 PLACES AND THEY VOLUNTEER. 05:11 THEY WORK AS COOKS. 05:13 THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE INVOLVED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF 05:17 YOUNG PEOPLE AND CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED. 05:20 I'M THINKING OF THE NEIGHBORS WHO ARE NOT SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS AND 05:24 WHEN THEY SEE YOUNG PEOPLE COMING AND LEARNING STORIES FROM THE BIBLE AND 05:29 LEARNING TO LIVE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND MINIMIZE THE CONFLICT IN THEIR LIVES 05:34 AND SO ON, THE NEIGHBORS ARE ALSO WILLING TO HELP. 05:37 AND THIS PAST SUMMER MY WIFE AND I ATTENDED ONE OF THE SERVICES THAT THESE 05:44 YOUNG PEOPLE PRESENTED. 05:47 WE SAW HOW THEY STUDIED THE BIBLE BUT MOST OF THE PROGRAM WAS THAT YOUNG 05:51 PEOPLE WERE WITNESSING WHAT JESUS CHRIST MEANS IN THEIR LIVES. 05:58 AS I HAVE SAID, SOME COME FROM VERY DIFFICULT HOME SITUATIONS AND I'M LOOKING 06:04 AT SOME OF THE FACES HERE. 06:06 A YOUNG MAN WOULD COME FORWARD AND SAY I REALLY WOULD LIKE SOME DAY TO BE 06:10 A PASTOR AND I WOULD LIKE TO TELL STORIES OF JESUS JUST LIKE WE HAVE BEEN 06:14 TAUGHT HERE IN THIS PLACE. 06:15 SO THIS COUPLE THEY ARE INCREDIBLY DEVOTED AND THIS IS JUST ONE PLACE 06:20 WHERE WE USE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE WE 06:24 KNOW THAT ONCE YOUNG PEOPLE FALL IN LOVE WITH JESUS THEY CAN BECOME VERY 06:28 EFFECTIVE WITNESSES IN THE PLACES WHERE THEY ARE. 06:31 WE CAN SEE ON THE PICTURES THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THEY WORK ARE 06:36 VERY MODEST. 06:37 WHAT WERE THE TENTS? 06:38 WAS THIS A PATHFINDER CLUB ON A KIND OF, THAT'S WHERE THEY SLEEP AT NIGHT 06:43 BECAUSE IN THE HOME THAT IS OWNED BY GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKER SPACE IS 06:48 VERY LIMITED. 06:49 OH, SO THIS IS WHERE THEY GET TO STAY. 06:51 THAT'S RIGHT. 06:52 THAT IS WHERE THEY STAY, OUTSIDE. 06:54 THIS IS THEIR OUTSIDE HOME. 06:55 WOW. 06:56 AND ALSO THIS IS WHERE THEY HAVE MEALS. 06:58 WE HAD A MEAL WITH THEM AND THEY LEARN WHAT GOOD AND HEALTHY FOOD IS ALL 07:02 ABOUT. 07:03 AND THEY HAVE SABBATH AFTERNOON WALKS AND AS THEY DO THAT AT THE SAME 07:09 TIME THEY PLAY BIBLE GAMES. 07:12 THAT WAY THEY TRY TO MEMORIZE SOME OF THE PARABLES OF JESUS AND 07:16 OTHER VERSES THAT HELP THEM RELATE TO LIFE. 07:19 THIS PICTURE BRINGS BACK SO MANY MEMORIES TO ME OF THE TRIP THAT I TOOK ONE 07:25 TIME FROM HUNGRY BACK THROUGH MANY OF THE COUNTRIES AND AREAS IN 07:32 SOUTHERN EUROPE. 07:34 BEAUTIFUL FORESTS, HILLS, CROPS. 07:39 THERE SEEMS TO BE A CHURCH ON ABOUT EVERY HILL. 07:41 THAT IS CORRECT. 07:43 IS THAT PART OF THE BAD HISTORY OR THE GOOD HISTORY? 07:46 WELL YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO PART OF THE CULTURE AND THAT IS IT SHOWS THAT 07:54 CHRISTIANITY HAS BEEN IN THE REGION FOR A WHILE, FOREVER. 07:59 THAT'S RIGHT. 08:00 BUT THERE ARE VOICES RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE SECULAR AND 08:06 SOMETIMES JOURNALISTS WHO ARE SAYING, WE HAVE CONSTRUCTED TOO MANY 08:08 CHURCH BUILDINGS. 08:10 THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH CHURCH BUILDINGS BUT THERE ARE VOICES THAT SAY WHY 08:11 DON'T WE INVEST MORE IN THE LIVES OF YOUNG PEOPLE. 08:13 WHY DON'T WE BECOME MORE ACTIVE WHEN THERE IS SERIOUS FLOODING LIKE 08:15 HAPPENED NOT LONG AGO. 08:16 AND SOMETIMES TRADITIONAL CHURCHES REACH OUT TO HELP. 08:18 BUT THEN THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF CRITICISM. 08:36 THE CLERGY MEN VERY OFTEN ARE ABSENT FROM MAJOR PROJECTS WHERE SPIRITUAL 08:44 LEADERS CAN SHOW A DIFFERENCE AND HELP PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST HOMES AND SO 08:49 ON. 08:50 AND THAT'S WHERE WE, GOSPEL OUTREACH, TEAM UP WITH ADRA AND THE LOCAL 08:53 CHURCH IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 08:56 SO CHURCH BUILDINGS, THEY ARE PRESENT EVERYWHERE AND THAT IS PROBABLY VERY 09:03 MEANINGFUL IN THE LOCAL CULTURE. 09:05 BUT AS I HAVE SAID, ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE ALLIED WITH CRY OF DESPAIR 09:08 SAYING AREN'T PEOPLE ALSO IMPORTANT. 09:11 WHY DON'T WE PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THEM. 09:13 BRICK AND MORTAR ARE FINE. 09:15 IT'S GOING TO STAY WITH US FOR AWHILE BUT THE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE REALLY THE ONES 09:19 WHO CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE SOCIETY. 09:21 I LOVE THINKING THAT THAT'S WHERE THE MOST GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKERS 09:24 ARE FOCUSING RATHER THAN ON THE BRICKS AND THE MORTAR. 09:27 JUST ON THE PEOPLE WHO DESPERATELY NEED TO EXPERIENCE THAT HOPE. 09:31 THAT'S RIGHT. 09:32 ESPECIALLY THE LITTLE ONES? 09:33 YES. 09:35 AND THAT IS PROBABLY THE BEST WAY IN WHICH WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE 09:41 IT IS MORE DIFFICULT FOR OLDER PEOPLE TO CHANGE THEIR LIFESTYLE AND TO 09:47 ADJUST TO A NEW WAY OF LIFE AND SO ON. 09:52 BUT YOUNG PEOPLE WHEN THEY HEAR STORIES ABOUT CHRIST IT MOTIVATES THEM TO GO 09:58 FOR SOMETHING BETTER IN THEIR LIVES. 10:00 AND BY SERVING MEALS TO THEM, BY OFFERING CLASSES IN MUSIC, IN BASIC HYGIENE 10:06 IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 10:08 AND THOSE DIFFERENCES PROBABLY ARE GOING TO STAY WITH THEM. 10:15 IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU ARE TALKING THE SAME KIND OF STORIES THAT I HEAR 10:20 AUDREY FOLKENBERG AND OTHERS TALKING ABOUT FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE 10:23 WORLD AND THAT IS THAT OUR FOCUS REALLY WORKS BEST IN COMMUNICATING THE GOSPEL 10:30 OF HOPE WHEN WE DEAL WITH DIRECT HUMAN NEEDS. 10:33 CORRECT. 10:35 THE TEACHING ABOUT THE STATUE OF DANIEL IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS MAKING SURE 10:42 THAT THEY HAVE RICE AND ARE LEARNING HOW TO READ AND WRITE. 10:47 NOW IT'S TIME FOR ME TO MAKE A CONFESSION. 10:49 OKAY. 10:50 BY PROFESSION I HAVE BEEN TEACHING THE BIBLICAL HEBREW TEXT, THE ORIGINAL 10:54 LANGUAGE. 10:55 YOU'RE A THEOLOGIAN. 10:57 YES. 10:58 AND I MUST ADMIT THAT IT TOOK ME MANY MANY YEARS TO DISCOVER THAT GOD'S 11:04 PRIMARY INTEREST IS IN PEOPLE. 11:07 AND THAT HAS CHANGED MY APPROACH TO LIKE SAY THE STUDY OF THE BOOK OF 11:11 DANIEL THAT YOU HAVE JUST MENTIONED. 11:13 HOW OFTEN I REMEMBER IN THE PAST I WOULD STUDY THE BOOK OF DANIEL AND BE 11:21 INTERESTED IN ALL KINDS OF IDEAS INSTEAD OF ASKING WHO ARE THE PEOPLE 11:25 INVOLVED HERE. 11:26 HOW DID GOD DEAL WITH THESE PEOPLE AND SO ON. 11:29 MAYBE WHAT IS APPROPRIATE HERE IS TO MENTION THAT I HAVE A HERO OUTSIDE OF THE 11:33 BIBLE. 11:34 WHO IS THAT? 11:35 JOSEPH WOLF. 11:37 OH YES. 11:38 YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT HIM AND I'M SURE THAT SOME HAVE ALSO HEARD BUT SOME 11:43 HAVE NOT SO PLEASE TELL. 11:44 SO JOSEPH WOLF HE BASICALLY AS A YOUNG MAN CAME FROM A JEWISH HOME 11:50 WHERE THE FATHER WAS A JEWISH RABBI FROM THE COUNTRY OF PRUSSIA. 11:56 AND HE HAD MANY QUESTIONS THAT HIS COMMUNITY WAS NOT ABLE TO ANSWER. 12:01 I'M ABBREVIATING THE STORY. 12:03 IN HIS SEARCH FOR THE MEANING OF LIFE HE BECAME A CHRISTIAN. 12:07 HE WENT TO ROME TO BE TRAINED AS A MISSIONARY. 12:10 AND AFTER HIS EXPERIENCE IN ROME HE CONVERTED INTO THE ANGLICAN CHURCH AND 12:17 MARRIED A LADY FROM THE UK. 12:20 HE QUIT HIS POST OF TEACHING ANCIENT LANGUAGES AT A PRESTIGIOUS SCHOOL IN 12:26 THE UK AND DEDICATED THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN GOING ALL OVER PLACES IN THE 12:32 MIDDLE EAST AND PREACHING THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST'S SOON COMING. 12:36 HE IS THE ONLY MISSIONARY THAT WE KNOW OF THAT TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY AND 12:41 NEVER USED A TRANSLATOR. 12:43 NOT EVEN ONCE. 12:45 IN TRAVELING FROM ONE VILLAGE TO THE NEXT HE WOULD TRY TO LEARN ENOUGH 12:49 OF THE LOCAL DIALECT SO THAT HE COULD DELIVER HIS MESSAGE. 12:52 AND THE REASON WHY I'M MENTIONING HIM IS I WAS PRIVILEGED TO WRITE A 12:56 SMALL BOOK ABOUT HIM WHICH I DONATED TO THE THOUSAND MISSIONARY MOVEMENT IN 13:00 ASIA. 13:01 AND HE MAKES AN INTERESTING OBSERVATION. 13:03 HE SAYS MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT GOD'S GREATEST POWER IN THE WORLD WAS 13:08 DEMONSTRATED WHEN THE LORD CREATED THE WORLD. 13:13 BUT HE SAYS HE BELIEVED THAT GOD'S GREATEST POWER IN THE WORLD IS 13:18 DEMONSTRATED WHEN ONE HUMAN LIFE IS CHANGED. 13:24 WHEN HE RECREATES. 13:25 WHEN HE RECREATES. 13:26 BECAUSE WOLF SAYS, WHEN GOD WAS CREATING THE WORLD NO FORCE COULD OPPOSE HIM. 13:32 BUT IN THE LIFE OF AN ELDERLY LADY WHO WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THE WHOLE 13:40 HOST OF DEMONS AND SATAN HIMSELF ARE TRYING TO PREVENT THAT. 13:44 SO NOTHING COULD OPPOSE GOD WHEN HE WAS CREATING OUR WORLD AND THE UNIVERSE 13:49 BUT IN THE CONVERSION, IN THE LIFE CHANGED OF ONE PERSON WHEN THAT HAPPENS 13:56 IT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE AND THE REASON WHY I'M HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE MY FATHER 14:01 CAME OUT OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR IN VERY BAD SHAPE. 14:06 AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF GOD'S GRACE THAT EVERYTHING CHANGED AND ALL 14:11 OF US, SEVEN OF US CHILDREN WE ARE STILL IN THE CHURCH BECAUSE OF THE 14:16 INFLUENCE OF THAT MAN WHO FROM HIS DESPAIR TURNED TO THE LORD. 14:19 IN HIS DESPAIR. 14:20 YES. 14:21 IT'S AMAZING TO ME HOW THE CHILDREN THAT WE MEET AROUND THE WORLD BECOME 14:28 AGAIN AND AGAIN THE CORE OF, THE FOCUS OF GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKERS. 14:33 LISTEN TO THE KIDS. 14:35 I NEED TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL HERE AT HOME. 14:41 WHERE IS THE 10/40 WINDOW ANYWAY? 14:45 THOSE PEOPLE LIVE TOO FAR AWAY. 14:47 SOMEONE ELSE CAN TELL THEM ABOUT JESUS. 14:50 MAYBE THEY COULD JUST WATCH TV. 14:53 NEARLY THREE BILLION PEOPLE TO REACH. 14:56 MY HEAD HURTS. 14:57 THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO. 15:00 I GIVE UP. 15:01 WHAT'S THE POINT OF TRYING? 15:04 I CAN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 15:06 ACTUALLY YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 15:09 AND JESUS ASKED YOU TO GO TO ALL THE WORLD. 15:14 WHERE? 15:15 ALL THE WORLD. 15:16 HOW CAN I GO, I HAVE COMMITMENTS. 15:18 YOU CAN PRAY. 15:20 YOU CAN VOLUNTEER YOUR TALENTS. 15:25 YOU CAN TELL OTHERS. 15:29 YOU CAN GIVE MONEY TO SPONSOR BIBLE WORKERS. 15:32 MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE SEARCHING FOR HOPE AND MEANING. 15:35 BUT THEY WON'T FIND IT WITHOUT YOU. 15:37 BE THE SPARK. 15:38 LIGHT THE FIRE. 15:41 FINISH THE WORK. 15:44 FINISH THE WORK. 15:47 BE THE SPARK. 15:50 ZDRAVKO LET'S GO BACK TO YOUR PICTURES AND TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE 15:54 IMPACT BEING MADE BY GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKERS IN SOUTHERN EUROPE. 15:59 SURE. 16:00 YOU KNOW THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHEN THEY FOR THE FIRST TIME HEAR THE STORIES THAT 16:09 JESUS TOLD, THEY ARE MOVED BECAUSE OF THE PAST WAR SITUATION. 16:16 THERE WAS TOO MUCH OF PREJUDICE AND HATRED BETWEEN DIFFERENT GROUPS. 16:23 AND TO BE IN THE PLACE WHERE THERE IS SO MUCH INTOLERANCE, ETHNIC 16:29 CLEANSING AND SO ON. 16:31 AND LISTEN TO THE STORIES JESUS TOLD ABOUT THE GOOD SAMARITAN, ABOUT THE 16:36 FORGIVING FATHER. 16:38 ALL THESE BECOME IN A SPECIAL WAY MEANINGFUL BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING 16:44 THAT CAN BE IMMEDIATELY APPLIED. 16:46 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA HAVE MIXED POPULATION AND SOMETIMES IN A SMALL TOWN 16:53 YOU MAY FIND MORE THAN 20 DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES. 16:56 REALLY. 16:57 AND SOME OF THEM HAVE VERY VERY DEEP ROOTS. 17:00 THERE IS TOO MUCH BAGGAGE COMING FROM THE PAST AND PEOPLE IN ORDER TO JUSTIFY 17:05 THEIR FEELINGS OR THEIR ATTITUDES THEY NEED TO GO BACK A CENTURY OR TWO, 17:10 BACK IN TIME TO JUSTIFY THEIR LACK OF TOLERANCE AND SO ON. 17:15 THE FRESHNESS THAT COMES FROM THE MESSAGES OF CHRIST THEY REALLY BRING 17:20 HEALING TO PEOPLE. 17:23 AND ONE OF THE CLASSES, BY THE WAY, THAT ARE TAUGHT IN THE SCHOOL WHERE I 17:29 TEACH THE TITLE IS HEALING WORDS. 17:32 WOW. 17:33 VERY OFTEN I THINK OF THAT VERY APPROPRIATE TITLE SOMETIMES OUR WORDS WHEN 17:38 THEY ARE USED IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY AND CHRIST DID THAT A LOT, THEY CAN 17:43 BE LIKE A THERAPY AND HELP PEOPLE HEAL THE WOUNDS AND TEACH US BETTER WAYS. 17:48 I ALSO WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT ANOTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WE VERY OFTEN 17:52 WORK WITH ARE THE ROMA PEOPLE OR THE GYPSIES. 17:55 OKAY. 17:57 AND A VERY INTERESTING DETAIL ABOUT THEM IS THAT IN THE COUNTRY CALLED 18:01 KOSOVO, AND THAT IS THE SEVENTH COUNTRY THAT BECAME INDEPENDENT FROM 18:06 FORMER YUGOSLAVIA. 18:08 THAT USED TO BE A SMALL COUNTRY BY THE WAY, ALL THESE ARE VERY SMALL 18:10 COUNTRIES. 18:11 AND WE HAVE A GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKER WHO IS AN ARTIST. 18:14 AND HE PRODUCES WONDERFUL PICTURES AND THE PICTURES THAT HE PAINTS ARE ABOUT 18:20 EVERY DAY LIFE OF THE GYPSY PEOPLE AND THE CULTURE THAT HE FEELS MAY 18:25 SOMEDAY BE COMPLETELY LOST. 18:28 SO WHAT'S SO NICE ABOUT THE ROMA PEOPLE. 18:30 WELL THEY HAVE BEEN DISPLACED NOW FOR CENTURIES AND PEOPLE WHO 18:34 ARE ON THE MOVE TEND TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING BETTER. 18:37 NOW THERE REALLY IS THE DOWN SIDE OF IT. 18:40 THEY HAD TO FIGURE OUT WAYS OF SURVIVING. 18:42 WE TALK ABOUT LACK OF HONESTY AND SO ON BUT THEN ON THE POSITIVE SIDE THESE 18:48 ARE THE PEOPLE WHO LONG FOR SOMETHING BETTER. 18:51 CONSTANTLY SEARCHING. 18:52 THESE ARE THE PHRASES THAT COME FROM THE BIBLE, FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT. 18:56 AREN'T' WE ALL ON A JOURNEY LOOKING FOR THE FULFILLMENT OF THE ADVENT 18:59 HOPE WHEN WE WILL BE IN A BETTER PLACE AND SO ON. 19:01 SO WHEN, HIS NAME IS BAYRAM, WHEN HE DOES HIS PAINTINGS AND HIS SISTER 19:07 ALSO HAS THE SAME GIFT. 19:11 HE SOMETIMES, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, HE GOES ALL THE WAY TO HOLLAND FOR SPECIAL 19:15 EXHIBITIONS AND HE HAS CONTACTS WITH VERY INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN ARTS 19:21 IN EUROPE, BUSINESS MEN WHEN THEY COME AND SO ON. 19:24 AS HE EXPLAINS THE GYPSY LIFESTYLE AND SO ON HE ALSO TELLS THEM THAT HE'S 19:29 A BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST AND THAT JESUS CHRIST CAN SEE SOME POSITIVE THINGS 19:34 IN HIS CULTURE. 19:35 AND THAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT HE TAKES TO HIS OWN PEOPLE. 19:39 SO THAT IS HAPPENING IN KOSOVO. 19:40 NOW HE IS ABLE TO DO THAT AS A GOSPEL OUTREACH MINISTER RIGHT? 19:45 CORRECT. 19:46 BECAUSE HE WILL COME TO YOUR COMMUNITY, CORRECT, SIT THERE, GET TO KNOW YOU 19:49 A LITTLE BIT AND THEN HE STARTS DRAWING AND THEN EVERYBODY BECOMES 19:52 FASCINATED IN THAT DRAWING. 19:54 AND INTERESTED BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO BECAUSE OF DIFFICULT 19:59 LIFE THEY TEND TO COMPLETELY NEGLECT THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE AND SO 20:04 ON. 20:05 AND HE COMES TO THEM AND TRIES TO REVIVE THEIR INTEREST IN THE ORIGINAL 20:09 GYPSY CULTURE. 20:10 AND BY THE WAY WE ARE TALKING HERE OF THOUSANDS OF TRIBES, LANGUAGES AND 20:14 IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS EXTREMELY RICH. 20:17 RICH BUT VERY EASY NOW TO BE LOST ALSO. 20:21 CORRECT. 20:22 BUT HE TIES IT IN WITH THE GOOD THINGS THAT ONE CAN GET FROM THE TEACHING OF 20:26 CHRIST AND THE ADVENT HOPE AND SO ON. 20:29 SO THE TWO SOMEHOW BLEND VERY WELL TOGETHER. 20:32 SOUNDS WONDERFUL. 20:34 DID YOU BRING A BUNCH OF HIS PICTURES BY CHANCE? 20:36 NO I DID NOT BUT IT'S AVAILABLE ON LINE SO I WOULD SUGGEST IF ONE 20:40 GOOGLES BAYRAM GYPSY LIFE PAINTINGS. 20:42 OKAY. 20:43 YOU KNOW THOSE WOULD BE THE KEY WORDS TO GOOGLE. 20:45 I WILL DO THAT. 20:46 HE HAS A NUMBER OF PICTURES. 20:47 BAYRAM, B-A-Y-R-A-M. 20:48 AND GYPSY LIFE PAINTINGS. 20:49 THAT'S RIGHT. 20:50 GYPSY LIFE PAINTINGS. 20:51 COOL. 20:53 MUST GO AND LOOK BECAUSE NOW KOSOVO WILL HAVE A WHOLE NEW MEANING FOR ME. 20:54 THAT'S RIGHT. 20:56 NOW IT'S REALLY INTERESTING THAT GOD WOULD USE ART TO BE ABLE TO BE 20:57 THE COMMUNICATIVE METHOD. 20:59 AND IN SOME CULTURES THAT IS QUITE IMPORTANT. 21:01 OH YES BECAUSE IN OTHER CULTURES IT'S STORY TELLING. 21:08 WHEN I GO TO AFRICAN PLACES AND I ASK ABOUT SOMETHING, THEY'LL 21:17 INTRODUCE ME TO THE OLDEST PERSON AND SAY YOU NEED TO ASK HIM AND HE WILL TELL 21:24 YOU STORIES. 21:25 THAT MAKES THE PAST MEANINGFUL. 21:27 AND WHAT I LIKE ABOUT JOSEPH WOLF WHO WE HAVE MENTIONED, HIS MISSIONARY 21:33 PHILOSOPHY WAS THAT WHEN WE GO TO WITNESS TO OTHERS INSTEAD OF BRINGING OUR 21:38 CULTURAL BAGGAGE WITH US WE SHOULD STUDY THE OLDEST TRADITIONS OF THE PEOPLE 21:44 TO WHOM WE WITNESS. 21:45 AND HE SAYS WE NEED TO FIND THE PRINCIPLES THAT GOVERN THE CULTURE AND TO 21:50 SHOW TO THEM THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS FOR A LONG TIME BEEN AT WORK IN THE 21:56 INDIGENOUS CULTURES AND TO COMMUNICATE THE GOSPEL TO THEM THAT WAY. 22:00 NOW YOU RAISE SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE FOR ME I'VE ASKED THE 22:05 QUESTION MANY TIMES, WHY DID GOD FOCUS ON NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND WITH ALL OF 22:11 HIS MINISTRY. 22:12 OR YOU KNOW, CANAAN FIRST AND NOW NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. 22:16 AND YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS BEEN ACTIVE EVERY WHERE IN 22:19 EVERY TRIBE AND EVERY CULTURE AND IF WE LOOK CAREFULLY WE CAN SEE THOSE 22:24 GLOWING DIAMONDS OF HOPE. 22:26 AND DANIEL WAS AWARE OF THAT WHEN HE WAS IN BABYLON AND WHEN THE LORD 22:30 WAS GIVING HIM REVELATIONS. 22:31 VERY OFTEN IT WAS COUCHED IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE COUNTRY. 22:36 DANIEL IS CALLED THE CHIEF MAGICIAN, WE WOULD FEEL A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH 22:40 THAT TERM TODAY, IN WHOM IS OR WAS THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY GODS. 22:46 BUT ALL OF THOSE SHOW US HOW AUTHENTIC THE CULTURE WAS AND THAT DANIEL WAS 22:50 ABLE TO BLEND IN WITH THE CULTURE IN ORDER TO BRING THEM CLOSER TO THE LORD 22:56 AND TO COMMUNICATE BASICALLY THE KERNEL OF THE MESSAGES FOUND IN THE 23:00 BIBLE. 23:01 OF GRACE. 23:02 GRACE, GRACE, GRACE AS FOUND IN GOD. 23:04 THAT IS CORRECT. 23:05 TAKE US BACK TO BOSNIA. 23:06 LET'S SEE IF THERE ARE MORE PICTURES LEFT. 23:10 IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MEALS YOU CAN SEE HERE THE WIFE, THE SPOUSE OF OUR 23:17 GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKER. 23:18 SHE IS A PROFESSOR IN THE LOCAL SCHOOL. 23:21 AND SHE GOES INTO THE BIBLE STUDY. 23:24 SHE CHOOSES CAREFULLY THE TOPICS THAT WILL INCREASE THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE 23:30 CHILDREN ABOUT THE BIBLE AND THE METAPHORS THAT ARE FOUND IN THE BIBLE. 23:34 AND THEN SHE ASKS HOW CAN THESE LESSONS NOW BE APPLIED IN OUR HOMES 23:40 TODAY. 23:41 WHAT IS THE LORD TRYING TO COMMUNICATE AND TELL US AND SO ON. 23:44 WHAT I APPRECIATE IN HER APPROACH IS THAT VERY OFTEN SHE ASKS THE 23:49 CHILDREN TO COME UP WITH INNOVATIVE IDEAS. 23:53 SO IT'S LIKE AN INNOVATIONAL LAB THAT SHE'S RUNNING THERE. 23:57 AND THE CHILDREN HAVE VERY INTERESTING IDEAS. 24:00 WHEN THEY SHARED SOME OF THEM MY WIFE AND I WERE REALLY TOUCHED IN 24:04 LISTENING TO THEM. 24:06 THEY SING IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY AND BY THE WAY SOME OF THE SONGS THEY DO IN 24:10 ENGLISH AND EVEN IN HEBREW. 24:12 SO THEY DO IT IN BOSNIAN, THEY DO IT IN ENGLISH, THEY DO IT IN HEBREW AND 24:14 SO ON. 24:15 THEY ARE LEARNING THAT GOD'S PEOPLE ARE FOUND IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD 24:21 AND THAT ADVENTISM BUILDS ON A VERY RICH CULTURE. 24:25 FASCINATING. 24:26 AND WHAT'S FASCINATING TO ME IS THAT SO OFTEN EDUCATION IS TRANSPORTING 24:30 DATA INFORMATION. 24:33 BUT OUR GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKERS ARE SAYING OKAY, HERE'S THE INFORMATION, 24:37 WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH IT. 24:39 HOW WILL THIS MAKE YOUR HOUSE BETTER? 24:41 HOW WILL THIS MAKE YOUR FAMILY HAPPIER? 24:43 HOW CAN YOU EXPERIENCE HOPE BY KNOWING THIS STORY THAT JESUS TOLD? 24:46 I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES THAT ARE THERE HAVE A LOT OF 24:50 RESPECT FOR OUR CENTER. 24:53 INSTEAD OF CALLING IT YOU KNOW IN A DIFFERENT MAYBE MORE RELIGIOUS WAY THEY 24:58 HAVE CALLED IT A CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL RENEWAL AND SO ON. 25:03 THAT'S VERY APPEALING TO THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY SEE THAT, USUALLY DURING A 25:06 WAR PEOPLE'S CULTURE IS DESTROYED. 25:09 YES. 25:10 SO NOW IT'S BEING REBUILT AND EVERYBODY THE WHOLE COMMUNITY APPRECIATES IT. 25:13 AWESOME. 25:15 TO THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING WHERE RATHER THAN BEING A 25:18 SECT IN THE CORNER OR SOMEBODY THAT HAS TO HIDE WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THE 25:22 AUTHORITIES SAY THIS IS GOOD, DO MORE. 25:25 AND I BELIEVE THE BEST THING THAT THEY CAN TELL US ABOUT US IS THESE ARE 25:29 THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE OUR PEOPLE AND THEY ARE WILLING TO MAKE A 25:34 DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES AND THEY ARE IMPROVING THE LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY AND 25:39 THAT'S WHERE BASICALLY WE GET A VERY GOOD REPUTATION. 25:43 WE BECOME KNOWN AS THOSE WHO ARE HERE TO HELP THE PEOPLE. 25:46 WHO ARE HERE TO HELP. 25:47 HOW MANY MORE GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKERS COULD YOU USE? 25:52 WE COULD USE NOW MANY MORE BECAUSE OF THE NEW SITUATION THAT WE ARE 25:56 FACING WITH DISPLACED PEOPLE COMING FROM SYRIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE 26:02 MIDDLE EAST THAT ARE FLEEING THE CONFLICT. 26:05 AND THAT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE A LONG-TERM PROJECT OF GOSPEL OUTREACH. 26:09 IN THE FUTURE WE'LL HAVE TO SAY MORE ABOUT IT. 26:13 THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING. 26:14 WE HAVE LESS THAN A MINUTE BUT WHEN I LISTEN ON TELEVISION NOW AND I HEAR 26:19 ABOUT THE REFUGEES COMING ACROSS THIS WAY AND EVERYWHERE, THEY'RE COMING 26:23 MANY TIMES THROUGH THE EXACT PLACE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM BOSNIA. 26:26 THAT'S RIGHT. 26:27 SO WE ARE NOW PREPARING PROJECTS WHERE THE STUDENTS FROM OUR SCHOOL 26:32 AND THE LOCAL-----THEY CAN BE INVOLVED IN PREPARING WARM MEALS PREPARING THEM 26:36 FOR WINTER AND SO ON. 26:38 SO WE DO HUMANITARIAN HELP BUT AT THE SAME TIME OUR OWN PEOPLE BEGIN TO FOCUS, 26:44 GOSPEL OUTREACH WORKERS, THE CHURCH, ADRA, FOCUS ON WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, 26:48 WHAT MATTERS. 26:49 I LOVE IT. 26:50 YOU COULD ACTUALLY SAY THAT THE GOSPEL OUTREACH PEOPLE ARE BUSY DOING 26:53 BLANKETS OF HOPE, MEALS OF HOPE, ANYTHING THAT HELPS US SEE JESUS CHRIST AS THE 27:00 GREATEST HOPE. 27:01 THANKS FOR BEING WITH US. 28:10 [CLOSING MUSIC] |
Revised 2016-06-02