Participants:
Series Code: AIM
Program Code: AIM000627A
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00:00 [OPENING MUSIC].
00:14 WELCOME TO ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS, GOSPEL OUTREACH'S OPPORTUNITY TO 00:19 COME INTO YOUR LIVING ROOM AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE DO IS SO MUCH 00:23 FUN. 00:24 I HOPE YOU'RE HAVING AS MUCH FUN LISTENING AS WE ARE SHARING. 00:28 TODAY I HAVE TWO GUESTS WITH ME. 00:30 THE FIRST IS TIM SAXTON AND THE SECOND, AND YOU'LL GET TO KNOW BOTH OF THESE 00:33 GUYS REALLY WELL AND WE PROBABLY WILL EVEN GIVE YOU EMAILS SO THAT YOU CAN 00:40 HASSEL THEM ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THEY ARE GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU, BRYAN 00:44 GALLANT. 00:46 BRYAN, WHERE ARE YOU FROM? 00:48 I'VE JUST MOVED TO MISSOURI BUT I'VE BEEN LIVING IN INDONESIA AS MY 00:51 SHIRT DISPLAYS HERE, I SEE THAT, FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS. 00:54 BUT WE ARE STARTING A NEW WORK NOW IN MISSOURI, IN IOWA-MISSOURI CONFERENCE 00:59 FOR THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH. 01:01 AND YOU HAVE JUST MOVED FROM WORKING IN INDONESIA? 01:03 THAT'S RIGHT. 01:04 AND WHAT IS YOUR JOB IN IOWA-MISSOURI? 01:06 I WILL BE WORKING WITH DEAN CORIDAN AND THE REFUGEE MINISTRIES 01:10 COORDINATOR TRYING TO HELP MOBILIZE THE CHURCH. 01:13 NOW, NOW WAIT A MINUTE. 01:15 YOU'RE GOING TO BE WORKING IN IOWA-MISSOURI IN A REFUGEE MINISTRY? 01:20 THAT'S RIGHT. 01:21 THAT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL. 01:23 YOU'RE GEOGRAPHICALLY CORRECT IN SOME SENSE BUT, NO I JUST FIGURE IF YOUR 01:28 DOING REFUGEE MINISTRY YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN HUNGRY OR CAMBODIA OR SOME 01:32 PLACE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, BUT IOWA- MISSOURI? 01:35 THE IOWA-MISSOURI CONFERENCE, OKAY, HAS A VISION THAT SAYS WHEN GOD 01:40 BRINGS PEOPLE TO US, AND THERE ARE REFUGEES THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY 01:44 AND THERE ARE MANY IN IOWA-MISSOURI, WHEN GOD BRINGS THEM TO US IT IS 01:48 OUR PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY AND GOSPEL MANDATE TO BLESS THEM. 01:51 AND SO THE IOWA-MISSOURI CONFERENCE IS LITERALLY DOING WORK OVER AND BEYOND 01:56 MANY OTHER PLACES WHERE THEY ARE REACHING OUT TO REFUGEES IN THEIR PLACE AS 02:00 WELL AS PARTNERING WITH GOSPEL OUTREACH TO MINISTER ABROAD. 02:04 TIM, YOU'RE GOING TO TELL ME THAT YOU LIVE IN KANSAS AND ARE DOING REFUGEE 02:10 MINISTRY. 02:11 RIGHT? 02:13 WELL ACTUALLY I'M HISTORICALLY FROM MISSOURI AND AM IN THE PROCESS OF 02:17 RELOCATING TO IDAHO BUT YES, IOWA-MISSOURI IS VERY INVOLVED WITH REFUGEE 02:21 MINISTRY AS IS GOSPEL OUTREACH. 02:24 AND GOSPEL OUTREACH IS PARTNERING AND DEAN CORIDAN THE PRESIDENT OF 02:29 OUR CONFERENCE WHO BRYAN IS ASSISTING DEAN AND MYSELF. 02:32 DEAN IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE GOSPEL OUTREACH TEAM. 02:37 AND WE HAVE A BURDEN FOR REFUGEES ESPECIALLY AS WE SEE THE GROWING CRISIS OF 02:42 REFUGEES AROUND THE WORLD. 02:45 OKAY, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO HELP ME. 02:48 YOU'RE WORKING IN IOWA-MISSOURI BUT YOU'RE LIVING IN IDAHO. 02:50 YOUR WORKING IN IOWA-MISSOURI FROM INDONESIA AND YOUR JOB IS 02:55 REFUGEES FROM WHERE THAT ARE COMING TO IOWA-MISSOURI? 03:01 IT DEPENDS ON THE CITY BUT WE HAVE REFUGEES FROM COUNTRIES IN AFRICA AND 03:05 FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA THE KAREN PEOPLE AND SOME OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY MEMBERS 03:09 ALREADY AND SO THEY'VE STARTED THEIR OWN FELLOWSHIPS AND 03:12 CONGREGATIONS. 03:13 AND NOW OF COURSE WITH THE SYRIAN DISASTER THAT'S HAPPENING THERE WE HAVE 03:18 THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MANY SYRIANS COMING ALSO. 03:20 WE HAVE RUSSIAN-SPEAKING, FORMER USSR GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE CONFERENCE 03:25 AND THERE'S MORE COMING IN EVERY YEAR. 03:28 OKAY, SO I NEED TO JUST SIMPLY COMPLETELY READJUST MY THINKING. 03:32 AND MAYBE THE BEST WAY FOR ME TO DO THAT IS TELL YOU A STORY OF MY GREAT, 03:37 GREAT, GREAT, GREAT, GRANDFATHER WHO WAS A MENNONITE FARMER IN 03:42 UKRAINE AND ENDED UP GOING TO HOLLAND AND COMING TO THE UNITED STATES AND 03:49 SETTLING IN KANSAS AS A RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REFUGEE. 03:57 OKAY, SO I'M WITH YOU NOW. 03:58 OKAY. 03:59 I THINK IT'S JUST THAT'S SOMETHING I'M HAVING A HARD TIME FITTING INTO MY 04:03 HEAD THAT IN THE CENTER OF THE UNITED STATES WE HAVE A REFUGEE CRISES RESPONSE 04:08 TEAM. 04:09 COOL. 04:10 GO AHEAD. 04:12 WELL TO UNDERSTAND THE REFUGEE CRISIS, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN REFUGEES. 04:16 YOU CAN SEE REFUGEES GOING BACK TO BIBLE TIMES, THERE WERE REFUGEES. 04:20 BUT IN THE LAST TEN YEARS THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES WORLD WIDE HAS INCREASED 04:25 FROM 38 MILLION TO 60 MILLION. 04:28 NOW DEFINE A REFUGEE FOR ME THEN. 04:31 A REFUGEE IS A DISPLACED PERSON AS A RESULT OF WAR OR STRIFE OR PERSECUTION. 04:38 SOMETHING THAT MADE THEM LEAVE HOME. 04:40 YES, THEY ARE DISPLACED. 04:41 THEY ARE NOT IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY ANYMORE. 04:43 THEY ARE NOT WITH THEIR HOME ANYMORE. 04:45 SIXTY MILLION PEOPLE. 04:46 SIXTY MILLION PEOPLE. 04:47 AND AS CONFLICTS HAVE INCREASED, YOU KNOW WE HAVE SEEN MORE AND MORE 04:52 REFUGEES. 04:53 TODAY WHAT'S GOING ON IS WE'RE SEEING THE GREATEST REFUGEE CRISIS THAT EUROPE 04:57 HAS SEEN SINCE WORLD WAR II. 04:59 NOW THESE ARE THE SYRIANS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. 05:01 YES. 05:02 IN FACT SINCE JANUARY OF 2015, JANUARY 1 OF THIS YEAR THERE HAVE BEEN 05:08 APPROXIMATELY 500 THOUSAND REFUGEES STREAMING INTO EUROPE. 05:13 NOW THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT OF THOSE 500 THOUSAND REFUGEES 400 05:18 THOUSAND OF THEM HAVE ENTERED THROUGH ONE PLACE AND THAT'S GREECE. 05:24 SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 80 PERCENT OF THE REFUGEES COMING TO EUROPE ARE 05:27 ENTERING THROUGH ONE COUNTRY. 05:29 AND THEY ARE BEING DISPERSED FROM THERE. 05:32 ONE OF THE GOALS OF GOSPEL OUTREACH IS TO PUT WORKERS THERE TO MEET THESE 05:37 REFUGEES TO HELP THESE REFUGEES TO POINT THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO 05:41 MEET SOME BASIC NEEDS AND ULTIMATELY TO CONNECT THEM TO LOVING MEMBERS OF THE 05:46 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH WHERE THEY WILL ULTIMATELY BE GOING. 05:49 SO YOU HAVE BEEN, LET'S ASSUME THAT YOU'VE BEEN ASSIGNED TO GREECE RATHER 05:52 THAN IDAHO AND THAT A BOAT LOAD OF REFUGEES HAS ARRIVED. 05:57 THEY'RE ILL, THEY'RE SUFFERING FROM EXPOSURE AND MALNOURISHMENT AND 06:02 THEY HAVE FEW CLOTHES AND THEY DIDN'T BRING ANYTHING WITH THEM AND WHAT WAS THE 06:06 PIRATES STOLE. 06:07 THAT'S KIND OF THE PICTURE THAT WE GET IN THE NEWSPAPER. 06:09 THAT IS. 06:11 WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO MEET THEM WITH, WHO ARE YOU GOING TO MEET THEM WITH 06:14 AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? 06:15 OKAY. 06:16 SO WE WANT TO MEET THEM FIRST WITH A LOVING ATTITUDE. 06:19 IS THAT YOU OR ADVENTIST MEMBERS FROM GREECE? 06:23 THAT IS GOSPEL OUTREACH VOLUNTEERS WORKING IN GREECE. 06:27 OKAY. 06:28 SO WHOEVER IS MEETING THESE PEOPLE, SAY WE'RE GOING TO MEET THE PEOPLE. 06:32 HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. 06:33 FIRST WE WANT TO MEET THEM WITH CHRIST-LIKE LOVE AND COMPASSION. 06:38 SPEAKING ARABIC? 06:40 SPEAKING ARABIC OR SPEAKING ENGLISH. 06:42 THE SYRIANS ARE VERY EDUCATED PEOPLE. 06:44 SO THEY'VE GOT MULTI-LANGUAGE. 06:46 SO ENGLISH MIGHT WORK. 06:47 YES, ENGLISH MIGHT. 06:48 IN MANY CASES ENGLISH WOULD WORK. 06:50 AND IF ENGLISH DOESN'T WORK THE GROUPS THAT ARE COMING YOU WILL LIKELY 06:52 FIND SOMEBODY IN THE GROUP THAT SPEAKS ENGLISH. 06:54 ALRIGHT. 06:55 SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ARABIC THEN. 06:57 RIGHT. 06:58 SO YOU MEET THE PEOPLE WITH CHRIST-LIKE LOVE AND COMPASSION BECAUSE A LOT 07:02 OF PEOPLE CAN GO AND OFFER HELP WITH A FROWN ON THEIR FACE. 07:06 THAT'S TRUE, YOU'VE SEEN THAT. 07:08 (LAUGHTER) JESUS MINISTERED TO PEOPLES' NEEDS, HE CONNECTED WITH 07:13 THEM, HE LOVED THEM AND THAT'S THE LOVE THAT WE AS GOD'S PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE 07:19 FOR REFUGEES WHETHER IT'S IN GREECE OR EVEN IN OUR OWN COUNTRY. 07:22 THAT'S RIGHT. 07:23 SECOND IS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THEIR BASIC NEEDS AND DO OUR BEST TO MEET 07:27 THOSE BASIC NEEDS WHETHER IT'S FOOD, WATER, SHELTER. 07:30 WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY'LL TYPICALLY BE? 07:32 THE BASIC NEEDS? 07:33 YES. 07:34 FOOD, WATER, SHELTER PLUS YOU KNOW TOILETRY KITS. 07:39 BASIC CLOTHING. 07:40 BASIC CLOTHING. 07:41 ELECTRICITY TO CHARGE THEIR PHONES. 07:43 YES. 07:44 NOW THAT'S REALLY A DIFFERENT LOOK AT REFUGEES ISN'T IT. 07:47 WE'VE GOT TO HELP THE PEOPLE CHARGE THE PHONES THAT THEY BROUGHT ALONG. 07:49 EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD HAS A PHONE. 07:51 IT'S A LIFE LINE. 07:52 IT IS TO MANY MANY PEOPLE. 07:53 IT IS. 07:55 SO YOU'VE GOT YOUR ELECTRIC CORD AND YOU'VE GOT LONG STRIPS OF PLUG IN 07:57 AND THREE TEENAGE, NO THREE EIGHT GRADERS WHO ARE DILIGENTLY CHARGING 08:02 PHONES. 08:03 YES. 08:04 VERY TRUE. 08:06 AND LAUGHING AND SMILING AND TALKING WITH EVERYBODY. 08:07 EVEN THOUGH THEIR WORLD IS UPSIDE DOWN. 08:09 YES, THAT'S WHAT'S GIVING PEACE. 08:11 RIGHT, RIGHT. 08:12 ANOTHER PICTURE. 08:13 IT'S A GREAT PICTURE. 08:15 SO WE TAKE THESE PEOPLE AND WE HELP THEM THERE WHEN THEY COME. 08:17 WE WELCOME THEM, WE HELP THEM BUT THEN WE DON'T STOP THERE. 08:21 WE FIND OUT WHERE THEY ARE GOING. 08:23 YOU KNOW A LOT OF THEM ARE GOING TO GERMANY. 08:25 BUT WE FIND OUT WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND THEN WE TRY TO SET THEM UP WITH 08:28 LOVING SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS AT THE END OF THEIR JOURNEY. 08:31 WE SAY HERE'S SOME PEOPLE YOU CAN CONTACT WHEN YOU GET THERE. 08:34 OKAY, SO THAT MEANS THEN BEFORE YOU FLY OFF TO GREECE YOU HAVE FLOWN INTO 08:38 FRANKFURT OR SOMEWHERE ELSE IN GERMANY, SOMEWHERE. 08:41 OR YOU HAVE CONNECTED. 08:42 YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED THE COMMUNICATION LINES TO CONNECT SO THAT PEOPLE ARE 08:47 THERE AND WHEN THEY RECEIVE THE PHONE CALL THEY WILL GIVE LOVING 08:52 RESPECTFUL SERVICE TO THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED AND LOST 08:55 EVERYTHING. 08:56 AS CHRIST WOULD. 08:58 THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. 08:59 I'VE HEARD SOME INTERESTING STORIES IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS 09:02 ABOUT SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO APARTMENT 09:05 BUILDINGS IN GERMANY AND IN CANADA WHO ARE THERE FOR ONE REASON AND THAT'S 09:08 TO START BIBLE STUDIES AND CARE GROUPS AMONG PEOPLE WHO MUST LEARN TO SPEAK 09:18 ENGLISH OR MUST LEARN TO SPEAK GERMAN OR JUST LEARN TO DO THIS OR THAT OR 09:21 SOMETHING ELSE. 09:22 TAKE WHATEVER SKILL THEY HAVE AT HOME AND LEARN TO ADAPT IT TO THIS NEW 09:26 WORLD. 09:28 SO THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT GOSPEL OUTREACH IS HELPING WITH? 09:30 THAT'S RIGHT. 09:32 BUT I WANT TO ADD ONE THING TO WHAT YOU SAID, PLEASE, BECAUSE WHEN YOU 09:33 SAY WE WANT TO GO THERE TO START BIBLE STUDIES, A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN GET THAT 09:38 IDEA. 09:39 I'M HERE TO SHARE SOMETHING WITH YOU. 09:41 RIGHT. 09:42 BUT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE WAY JESUS APPROACHED PEOPLE. 09:45 JESUS LOVED PEOPLE FOR WHO THEY WERE. 09:47 HE LOVED THEM FIRST AND AS THAT CONNECTION BONDED THEN HE COULD SHARE WITH 09:52 THEM. 09:53 OFTEN TIMES WE MUST LISTEN TO THE OTHER PEOPLES' STORIES. 09:56 WE MUST BEFRIEND THEM BEFORE WE SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH THEM. 10:00 BECAUSE IF WE DO THAT THEIR HEARTS WILL BE MUCH MORE RECEPTIVE TO THE 10:04 SPIRIT OF GOD. 10:05 IT'S GOING THERE WITH THAT CHRIST-LIKE LOVE VERSUS GOING THERE SAYING I HAVE 10:10 SOMETHING AND YOU NEED TO READ THIS. 10:12 NOW IF I HAD A MOMENT AND FULL CLASS ROOM CONTROL I WOULD SAY, PAUSE AND IN 10:17 YOUR HOME I WANT YOU TO TAKE 10 MINUTES AND TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE JUST 10:21 HEARD. 10:22 THE FIRST THING YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITH A GROUP OF REFUGEES IN YOUR 10:25 COMMUNITY IS LISTEN. 10:29 SO WHAT DO YOU HEAR AND HOW DO YOU TEACH PEOPLE TO LISTEN? 10:32 HOW DO YOU TEACH PEOPLE TO LISTEN? 10:34 YES, TIM, HOW DO YOU TEACH ACTIVE TYPE A AMERICANS TO LISTEN INSTEAD OF TALK AND 10:40 DO. 10:41 I CALL IT DIVINE DUCT TAPE DUTY. 10:43 DIVINE DUCT TAPE DUTY. 10:44 I LOVE IT. 10:46 ALRIGHT, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS. 10:48 WELL I'M JUST GOING TO LISTEN. 10:49 ALRIGHT. 10:50 GOOD LUCK. 10:51 I'M GOING TO TRY. 10:52 IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF GOD, THE CHARACTER OF GOD IS ALWAYS 10:54 SELFLESS. 10:55 IT'S ALWAYS WHAT'S BEST FOR OTHERS, ALWAYS FOR SOMEBODY ELSE. 10:57 IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LISTENING AND SPEAKING, 10:59 LISTENING OFTEN TIMES IS THE SELFLESS APPROACH. 11:01 YOU'RE GIVING OF YOURSELF, YOU'RE BEING QUIET, YOU'RE LETTING SOMEBODY ELSE 11:03 SPEAK AND YOU'RE LISTENING. 11:04 AND YOU'RE DOING IT FOR THEM. 11:05 WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO TALK ALL THE TIME INCESSANTLY THAT IS A VERY 11:07 SELF-CENTERED APPROACH. 11:08 AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST AND WE WANT TO BE 11:10 LIKE CHRIST, CHRIST WASN'T ONE THAT SAID I HAVE TO SPEAK ALL THE TIME. 11:12 YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO WHAT I SAY. 11:14 NO, CHRIST IS ONE TO SIT BACK AND LISTEN AND THEN TO RESPOND. 11:16 WE ARE TO BE LIKE THAT WHEN WE MINISTER TO OTHERS. 11:18 AND SO YOU'VE ASKED THE RIGHT QUESTION, WHAT DO WE HEAR? 11:20 AND WHAT YOU HEAR IS INCREDIBLE HUMAN TRAGEDY AND PAIN AND BROKENNESS. 11:57 GIVE ME SOME STORIES. 11:58 PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST EVERYTHING. 12:00 WHAT THEY ARE CARRYING ON THEIR BACK AS YOU ALREADY MENTIONED, THOUGH THE 12:04 PIRATES MAY TAKE AS WELL. 12:06 SO YOU IMAGINE WAKING UP ONE DAY EVERYTHING IS GOING NORMAL AND THEN ALL 12:10 OF A SUDDEN YOUR TOWN IS OVER RUN AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO LEAVE AND YOU 12:15 CAN'T DILLY DALLY, YOU CAN'T GO PACK A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS. 12:17 YOU DO WHATEVER IT TAKES. 12:19 TYPICALLY THE ONE THING YOU WOULD HAVE WITH YOU IS YOUR CELL PHONE AND YOU 12:22 WILL THROW IT SOMEWHERE ON YOUR BODY AND TRY AND HIDE IT AS BEST YOU CAN SO THAT 12:25 IT WILL SURVIVE. 12:26 AND BASICALLY NOTHING ELSE. 12:30 WHAT WE'RE FINDING AS WE LISTEN TO PEOPLES' STORIES IS EVERY SINGLE PERSON HAS 12:35 A STORY OF PAIN. 12:36 AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S GOING TO BE SO CRITICAL IN REFUGEE 12:40 MINISTRY, AGAIN AS WE'RE UNPACKING A LITTLE MORE DIFFERENT THAN JUST BIBLE 12:44 STUDIES, IT'S NOT ABOUT AN INFORMATIONAL TRANSACTION. 12:48 WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE NEEDING MOST OF ALL IS A HUMAN CONNECTION OF 12:52 EMPATHY AND SYMPATHY IF WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE EMPATHY FOR THAT BUT 12:58 TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT AT A HEART LEVEL AND TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE'S 13:01 SOMEONE WHOSE LOVING AND PRAYING AND CRYING WITH THEM AND NOT HAVING TO 13:04 HAVE ANSWERS BECAUSE FRANKLY THERE AREN'T ANSWERS FOR MANY OF THESE 13:07 THINGS. 13:08 THE BROKENNESS OF HUMANITY RIGHT NOW IS JUST CRYING OUT IN WAYS THAT THERE ARE 13:11 NO ANSWERS. 13:12 YOU CAN'T FIX IT, YOU CAN'T GO BACK AND REBUILD THE BRIDGES. 13:14 NO YOU CAN'T. 13:16 THERE'S NO SIMPLISTIC PLATITUDES YOU CAN SHARE OTHERWISE AND SO IT'S A 13:19 MINISTRY OF COMING ALONG SIDE AND WEEPING AND THEN AS YOU LISTEN AND YOU FIND 13:28 OUT WELL THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO IN THIS SITUATION OR IN THAT 13:31 SITUATION. 13:32 OR IF YOU'RE GOING TO THAT PLACE THEN WE CAN HELP AS WE HAVE A NETWORK OF 13:36 LOVING AND LOVEABLE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW WE MAY EVEN HAVE A 100 NUMBER 13:40 DIAL HERE AND PLEASE HELP, OR SOMETHING. 13:42 YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO LOVE LIKE THAT THEN THAT'S 13:45 WHEN WE CAN, GOSPEL OUTREACH CAN CONNECT THEM TO WHEREVER THEY'RE GOING 13:50 AND SAY PLEASE MEET THEM AT THE AIRPORT, PLEASE HELP THEM IN THIS WAY. 13:55 AT THIS POINT IN OUR PROGRAM WE OFTEN SHOW YOU A LITTLE VIDEO OF CHILDREN 13:59 TALKING ABOUT BE THE SPARK. 14:01 I WANT TO TAKE OVER THAT VIDEO FOR JUST A MINUTE. 14:04 WHAT YOU'RE LISTENING TO TODAY IS AN APPEAL, A DIRECT APPEAL TO YOU FOR 14:09 FUNDS, FOR PRAYER, FOR LISTENING WHEREVER YOU ARE. 14:13 AND I WANT YOU TO NOTICE AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM OUR ADDRESS AND ALL OF THE 14:17 INFORMATION ABOUT WHO TO TALK TO AND WHEN TO TALK. 14:20 BUT I WANT TO JUST KEEP LISTENING HERE FOR A FEW MINUTES BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE 14:23 GOING TO SAY IS A HUGE CHALLENGE TO ACTION FOR YOU. 14:29 AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO END THE PROGRAM WITHOUT DOING THAT ACTIVITY OKAY. 14:34 SO I WANT TO COME BACK. 14:35 COLUMBIA MISSOURI, COLLEGE TOWN. 14:39 YOU ARE LIVING CLOSE BUY. 14:41 YOU HEAR THAT 150 REFUGEES HAVE JUST ARRIVED FROM SYRIA, PART OF THE 10 14:49 THOUSAND THAT ARE COMING TO THE UNITED STATES, OR WHATEVER NUMBER IT WILL 14:51 BE. 14:52 WHAT DO YOU DO? 14:54 WELL THE ADVENTIST CHURCH IN COLUMBIA MISSOURI IS ALREADY ACTIVE IN SERVING 14:56 REFUGEES. 14:57 WHAT ARE THEY DOING? 14:59 THEY ARE HELPING WITH ENGLISH LANGUAGE, ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE 15:03 COURSES AND TRYING TO MINISTER THERE. 15:05 THEY EVEN, THIS LAST SUMMER THEY DID A CREATIVE VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL. 15:09 THEY REALIZED ALL THESE REFUGEES WERE CONGREGATING AT A PARTICULAR PARK AND 15:15 SO THEY SAID INSTEAD OF EXPECTING THEM TO COME TO US, NOW THAT'S OUR 15:19 CULTURE, WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME EVEN THOUGH JESUS SAYS GO. 15:21 SO INSTEAD OF EXPECTING THEM TO COME TO US AND TO CROSS OUT OF THEIR 15:27 CULTURAL BARRIERS AND ALL THOSE THINGS LANGUAGE AS WELL, THEY TOOK VBS TO 15:32 THEM. 15:33 BUT HERE'S THE THING THAT WAS REALLY QUITE INTERESTING AND 15:35 CHALLENGING. 15:36 THE WEEK BEFORE THAT THEY WERE SCHEDULE TO GO AND DO THAT VBS AND TO CARE FOR 15:41 THE CHILDREN THERE AND THE FAMILIES AND THE NEEDS, THERE WAS A SHOOTING IN 15:45 THAT EXACT PARK. 15:47 AND SO THE LEADER OF THIS GROUP CALLED UP DEAN CORIDAN AND SAID WHAT DO 15:51 WE DO. 15:52 AND DEAN HAS A VERY PRACTICAL WAY OF ANSWERING QUESTIONS. 15:55 HE SAID ARE THE REFUGEES STILL THERE. 15:58 THEN YOU GO. 15:59 THEN YOU GO AND THEY WENT. 16:02 WHY ARE THE REFUGEES IN THE PARK? 16:04 WHY AREN'T' THEY IN HOUSES? 16:05 THEY WOULD HAVE HOUSES AVAILABLE POSSIBLY, BUT SOONER OR LATER. 16:08 ARE THEY LIVING IN TENTS IN THE PARK? 16:10 NOT IN PLACES LIKE THAT BUT THEY NEED HELP TO GET ESTABLISHED IN APARTMENTS. 16:15 THEY NEED, MANY OF THEM, IMAGINE IF YOU HAVE NOTHING. 16:19 IN MANY OF THESE COUNTRIES THEY DON'T HAVE A WALMART THE WAY WE DO. 16:22 THEY'RE NOT USED TO HAVING A ROW OF CEREAL CHOICES AND SO ONE OF THE MOST 16:27 SIMPLE BASIC THINGS WE CAN DO IS TO LITERALLY JUST SAY HEY COME SHOPPING WITH 16:31 ME. 16:32 TEACH THEM HOW TO SHOP. 16:33 HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY. 16:35 HOW DO YOU SPEND IT WISELY. 16:37 IN FACT, ONE OF THE DREAMS THAT WOULD BE A REALLY NEAT PROJECT AT SOME POINT 16:43 FOR GOSPEL OUTREACH, AND IOWA-MISSOURI IS PLANNING TO DO THIS AS WELL, IS TO 16:47 HAVE PEOPLE IN REFUGEE CAMPS IN THESE OTHER COUNTRIES WHETHER IT'S IN 16:51 INDIA OR BEIRUT AND ACTUALLY SET UP A MOCK WESTERN STYLE HOUSE SO 16:59 THAT YOU CAN TEACH THEM HOW TO USE THE TOILET, TEACH THEM HOW TO WASH 17:02 CLOTHES. 17:03 IT'S COMPLETELY NEW. 17:04 AND WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT YOU'RE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, YOU'RE 17:06 GIVING THEM SOME ENGLISH. 17:07 AND OF COURSE WE CAN TEACH BEAUTIFUL GOSPEL PRINCIPLES IN ALL THESE 17:12 THINGS. 17:13 BUT GIVING A BIBLE STUDY IS NO WHERE NEAR THE TOP OF YOUR LIST. 17:17 YES. 17:18 TEACHING THEM HOW TO USE THE TOILET, TEACHING THEM HOW TO BUY CORNFLAKES OR 17:21 TO BUY RUSKETS, TO BUY SOMETHING VALUABLE INSTEAD OF SOMETHING USELESS. 17:26 ABSOLUTELY. 17:27 YOU KNOW DICK, YOU MENTIONED BIBLE STUDIES AND IT REMINDS ME OF A 17:31 STORY THAT HAPPENED IN THE IOWA-MISSOURI CONFERENCE WITH REFUGEES RECENTLY. 17:35 OKAY. 17:36 AND DEAN CORIDAN RELATED THIS STORY, BUT THERE WAS A GROUP OF SEVENTH-DAY 17:41 ADVENTISTS MINISTERING TO REFUGEES IN A PARK. 17:45 AND OUT OF THAT A BIBLE STUDY DEVELOPED. 17:47 NOW THE BIBLE STUDY WAS DEVELOPED WITH SOME IRAQI REFUGEES. 17:51 AND SO THE ADVENTIST FAMILY WAS HOME THINKING WELL WHEN WE GET TOGETHER 17:54 TO STUDY THE BIBLE WHAT SHOULD WE STUDY WITH THEM FIRST. 17:56 WHAT SHOULD BE THE FIRST TOPIC. 18:00 WELL DANIEL 2. 18:01 THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT DICK. 18:03 THAT'S WHAT THEY DID? 18:05 THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE THINKING BUT THEN THEY THOUGHT THESE PEOPLE ARE 18:07 FROM IRAQ, THAT MIGHT OFFEND THEM BECAUSE IRAQ, DANIEL 2. 18:11 IT'S ALL THE SAME PLACE. 18:13 IT MIGHT OFFEND THEM. 18:13 MAYBE WE SHOULD STUDY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. 18:16 SO AS THEY'RE PONDERING THIS THEY HAD A COUPLE DIFFERENT STUDIES THEY 18:19 WOULD START WITH. 18:20 THEY GOT TOGETHER WITH THE IRAQI FAMILY AND BEFORE THEY COULD START THE STUDY 18:23 THE MAN OF THE HOUSEHOLD SAID I WANT TO ASK YOU SOMETHING. 18:28 I HAD A DREAM. 18:30 I HAD THIS DREAM AND IN THIS DREAM I SAW THIS GREAT BIG IMAGE IN A 18:35 FIELD. 18:36 A STATUE WAS OUT IN THIS FIELD. 18:39 AND I LOOKED UP AND THIS LARGE ROCK CAME OUT OF THE SKY AND IT HIT THIS STATUE 18:43 AND IT SMASHED IT. 18:45 CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THIS DREAM MEANS? 18:48 SO WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY STUDIED THAT EVENING. 18:51 OH I THINK WE'RE REALLY BUSY BECAUSE WE'RE IN MATTHEW 5 TODAY. 18:54 HOW AWESOME. 18:55 GOD DOES AMAZING THINGS. 18:57 YOU KNOW THAT'S LIKE THE BROKEN STONE MISSION STORY WHICH I ALWAYS WILL LOVE. 19:00 THE MISSIONARIES COME BACK WITH A HALF OF THE STONE THAT SAYS WE ARE ALL 19:04 TOGETHER NOW. 19:05 YES. 19:05 SO GOD IS WORKING AMONG THESE REFUGEES. 19:08 AND MANY TIMES IN MANY OF THESE COUNTRIES THESE ISLAMIC COUNTRIES WE HAVE 19:15 NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH THE PEOPLE IN THESE COUNTRIES AS EFFECTIVELY BECAUSE THE 19:19 COUNTRIES WERE SO CLOSED. 19:20 RIGHT. 19:21 AS A RESULT OF ALL THESE TERRIBLE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, THESE WARS, NOW 19:26 THE PEOPLE THAT WE COULDN'T REACH ARE COMING TO US. 19:30 WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO. 19:31 I MEAN GOD HAS PLACED THESE PEOPLE ON OUR DOOR STEPS WHETHER IN OUR 19:35 COUNTRY OR IN EUROPE. 19:37 GOD HAS PLACED THESE PEOPLE ON OUR DOOR STEPS AND GOD IS SPEAKING TO 19:41 THEIR HEARTS. 19:42 OUR JOB IS TO GO OUT THERE AND REACH THEM. 19:45 OUR JOB, IF WE CAN'T LEAVE OUR HOMES, WE CAN SUPPORT GOSPEL OUTREACH 19:49 FINANCIALLY. 19:50 WE CAN ALSO, WE CAN ALSO REACH OUT TO THE PEOPLE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITIES. 19:54 WE CAN ENCOURAGE OUR CHURCHES TO BE INVOLVED, OUR CONFERENCES. 19:58 YES, BUT, BUT, BUT, THAT'S NICE, BUT I DON'T LIVE IN IOWA-MISSOURI AND SO I 20:04 DON'T HAVE THAT LEADERSHIP FORCE. 20:08 NOW I CAN TELL YOU AN INTERESTING STORY. 20:10 IN SACRAMENTO WHERE WE LIVE OUR SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH AT 20:14 CARMICHAEL FEEDS AROUND TWO TO THREE HUNDRED UKRAINIAN AND RUSSIAN 20:20 FAMILIES EVERY WEDNESDAY. 20:22 SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S UP TO A THOUSAND INDIVIDUALS THAT 20:26 WE ACTUALLY PROVIDE FOOD FOR FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK. 20:29 EVERY ONE OF THESE PEOPLE IS A REFUGEE FROM THEIR COUNTRY TO SACRAMENTO. 20:36 SO YOU BRING UP A QUESTION DICK, YOU SAID YOU KNOW WHAT IF I LIVE SOMEWHERE 20:40 WHERE THERE'S NO LEADERSHIP LEADING OUT IN REFUGEE WORK. 20:44 BUT THAT WOULD NOT BE AN EXCUSE NOT TO BE INVOLVED BECAUSE GOD CALLS ON ALL 20:49 OF US TO SHARE WHAT WE KNOW WITH OTHERS TO HELP OTHERS. 20:53 SO HOW DO WE START? 20:54 FIRST IS BECOME AWARE OF WHO REFUGEES ARE. 20:57 I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. 20:58 I WAS AT A RESTAURANT IN ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI A FEW YEARS AGO. 21:02 IT WAS A MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT. 21:04 AND THERE WAS A MAN THERE AND YOU COULD TELL HE WAS FROM AFRICA AND HE LOOKED, 21:09 HE LOOKED LIKE A REFUGEE. 21:10 SO I STRUCK UP A CONVERSATION WITH HIM. 21:12 HE LOOKED LIKE A REFUGEE. 21:13 WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? 21:14 OKAY, HE LOOKED LIKE AN IMMIGRANT. 21:16 HE LOOKED LIKE AN IMMIGRANT IN THE SENSE THAT HE LOOKED LIKE 21:18 SOMEBODY WHOSE NOT COMFORTABLE HERE YET. 21:20 YES. 21:21 IS THAT A BETTER WAY TO PUT IT? 21:22 YES. 21:24 BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK LIKE A REFUGEE I MEAN I LOOK LIKE A BUM SOMETIMES. 21:25 SO HE LOOKED LIKE SOMEBODY WHO WASN'T COMFORTABLE HERE YET. 21:27 SO I STRUCK UP A CONVERSATION WITH HIM. 21:30 WE STARTED TALKING. 21:32 HE STARTED TELLING ME ABOUT HIS BACKGROUND. 21:35 HE'D ONLY BEEN HERE FOR A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME AND A FRIENDSHIP DEVELOPED. 21:38 NOW THE THING DICK IS PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO THIS COUNTRY FROM OTHER 21:42 COUNTRIES ESPECIALLY FROM BROKEN SITUATIONS, WHEN YOU BECOME THEIR FRIEND 21:48 YOU'RE THEIR FRIEND FOR LIFE. 21:50 THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT BREAKS EASILY. 21:52 IT'S NOT. 21:53 IT'S BEEN SEVERAL YEARS. 21:56 HIS NAME IS JOEL AND WE'RE STILL FRIENDS. 21:58 HE'S FROM BURKINA FASO. 21:59 BUT THAT STARTED BECAUSE OF ONE CONVERSATION IN A RESTAURANT. 22:04 AND MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE DO NOT COME ALONE. 22:07 THAT'S RIGHT. 22:08 THERE'S A FAMILY, THERE'S SOME CONNECTION. 22:10 AND IT WOULDN'T BE VERY HARD TO START WITH JOEL AND GET INTO A CROWD OF 22:16 PEOPLE WHO ARE WAITING FOR GOD. 22:19 THAT'S RIGHT. 22:20 IN ATLANTA BEFORE I WENT TO INDONESIA WE HAD A TEAM OF PEOPLE MINISTERING 22:24 THERE IN THE CLARKSTON AREA WHERE WE HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF REFUGEES AS 22:27 WELL. 22:28 AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO, ONE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS JUST VOLUNTEERS 22:31 HER TIME TO TEACH ENGLISH. 22:34 NOT NECESSARILY THE VERY BASIC ENGLISH BUT THOSE THAT CAN FUNCTION WITH 22:38 CONVERSATIONAL BUT THEY HAVE A MISERABLE TIME TRYING TO DO THE ESSAYS 22:41 FOR COLLEGE ENTRANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 22:43 OH YES, WHAT THE GOVERNMENT REQUIRES. 22:45 EXACTLY. 22:47 OR SHE HELPS THEM FILL OUT THEIR CITIZENSHIP PAPERS OR THEIR DRIVERS LICENSE 22:49 AND TAKES THEM. 22:51 ANOTHER ONE OF OUR FRIENDS WOULD TAKE THEM TO THEIR DENTIST APPOINTMENTS AND 22:54 LISTEN AND HELP THEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THESE 22:57 TECHNICAL THINGS. 22:58 JUST LOVING PEOPLE. 22:59 THERE ARE A THOUSAND WAYS. 23:03 YOU KNOW WHEN YOU SAY LOVING PEOPLE, WHAT I REALLY HEAR YOU SAYING IS 23:07 EXPANDING YOUR FAMILY. 23:09 YES, OF COURSE. 23:10 IF THAT'S FAIR TO SAY. 23:12 YOU KNOW WE HAVE THREE CHILDREN AT HOME BUT WE NOW HAVE FIVE AND TWO OF 23:19 THEM HAPPEN TO BE 50 SOMETHING. 23:22 OKAY, I'VE GOT TO ASK YOU A VERY PRACTICAL QUESTION. 23:24 THERE ARE A LOT OF MY FRIENDS WHO ARE AFRAID THAT REFUGEES ARE PLANTS 23:28 HERE TO KILL AMERICANS. 23:30 WHAT DO I DO WITH THAT AND HOW DO I WORK AROUND THAT? 23:36 I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MUSLIMS FOR THE LAST 14 YEARS AROUND THE WORLD IN 23:39 DIFFERENT PLACES AND WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY HIT THAT HEAD ON AND THE DIFFERENCE 23:45 IS, AS PEOPLE REDEEMED BY THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST WE SHOULD BE THINKING 23:50 ABOUT LOVE AND THE GOSPEL AND KINGDOM PEOPLE. 23:53 NOT BEING MOTIVATED BY FEAR OR EVEN PATRIOTISM NECESSARILY. 23:58 AND GOD SAYS THAT WE ARE TO LOVE THE STRANGER. 24:02 GOD SAYS THAT WE ARE TO SERVE THEM TO THE LEAST OF THESE MY BRETHREN. 24:06 THERE'S A CHAPTER IN DESIRE OF AGES WITH THAT TITLE IS PHENOMENAL WHERE 24:09 WE'RE TOLD THAT HOW WE RESPOND TO PEOPLE IS LITERALLY AN EXPRESSION OF 24:14 OUR OWN EXPERIENCE WITH GOD. 24:15 AND SO PERFECT LOVE IS MEANT TO CAST OUT ALL FEAR. 24:19 BUT HERE'S THE REALITY. 24:20 THERE MAY BE SOME DOING THAT. 24:22 BUT WE ARE CALLED TO MINISTER LIKE CHRIST AND TO BLESS THEM AND TO BE 24:27 PART OF WHAT GOD IS DOING TO BRING THEM AND BLESS THEM. 24:30 AND HERE'S THE OTHER THING. 24:31 WE WERE TOLD IN 1914 BY AN OLD LADY WHO WROTE A HUNDRED YEARS AGO THAT GOD 24:35 IN HIS PROVIDENCE BRINGS THE STRANGER TO THIS COUNTRY HERE SO THAT WE 24:40 MIGHT BE ABLE TO REACH THEM WITH THE GOSPEL AND THEY CAN TOUCH THE WORLD 24:42 BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE THOSE CELL PHONES. 24:45 BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE HEARTS AND BECAUSE THEY ALL UNDERSTAND HOW TO 24:47 LISTEN AND TO CARE AND TO LOVE AND IT'S JUST CRUCIAL. 24:50 AND ACTUALLY FROM SOMEONE WHO WORKS WITH MUSLIMS NOW FOR MANY YEARS ONE OF THE 24:55 BIGGEST IDENTIFIERS OF WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO FALL INTO FUNDAMENTALISM 24:58 AND VIOLENCE IS WHETHER OR NOT THEY'VE EVER HAD A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WITH A 25:02 CHRISTIAN. 25:03 AND IF YOU'VE HAD THAT POSITIVE EXPERIENCE IT CHANGES EVERYTHING, YES. 25:07 THAT'S MY EXPERIENCE. 25:08 THE MESSAGE THAT I CONSTANTLY TRY AND SHARE IS THERE'S NO REASON TO BE 25:16 AFRAID OF ANYTHING. 25:19 CHRIST NEVER SAID BE AFRAID, HE ALWAYS SAID DON'T FEAR, I'LL TAKE CARE 25:23 OF YOUR FEARS. 25:24 I WILL GIVE YOU PEACE, I WILL GIVE YOU CALM, BESIDES I'LL WALK WITH 25:27 YOU. 25:28 HOW COULD YOU BE AFRAID. 25:29 PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR. 25:30 SO I'M IN SACRAMENTO, HOW CAN I HELP YOU? 25:33 FIRST YOU CAN PRAY. 25:36 PRAY FOR GOSPEL OUTREACH, PRAY FOR REFUGEE MINISTRY. 25:39 OKAY, NOW ASK ME TO DO SOMETHING THAT HURTS. 25:41 OKAY. 25:42 BECAUSE I WANT TO DO THAT. 25:45 SECOND YOU CAN FINANCIALLY SUPPORT REFUGEE MINISTRY OF GOSPEL OUTREACH. 25:49 AND HOW MUCH DOES THAT COST TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? 25:52 HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? 25:54 ANYTHING YOU CAN GIVE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE WHAT YOU GIVE CAN PRINT 25:57 MATERIALS, IT CAN BUY FOOD PACKS, IT CAN HELP SUPPORT A WORKER'S SALARY FOR 25:59 APPROXIMATELY 600 DOLLARS A MONTH TO GO OUT THERE AND WORK WITH THESE 26:01 REFUGEES. 26:02 OKAY, TO WORK SIDE BY SIDE AND HELP ORGANIZE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE PARK. 26:04 AND THIRD YOU CAN GET INVOLVED YOURSELF. 26:06 AS YOU PRAY AND GOD OPENS THE DOORS PEOPLE WILL COME ACROSS YOUR PATH THAT YOU 26:08 KNOW ARE NEW TO THIS COUNTRY AND YOU CAN MINISTER TO THEM. 26:15 AND JUST TO ADD, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE QUITE AS PAINFUL BUT IT'S ACTUALLY 26:19 A VERY PRACTICAL EXAMPLE. 26:20 DEAN CORIDAN MENTIONS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO FIND THESE FOLKS IS START GOING 26:24 TO AN ETHNIC RESTAURANT ABOUT ONCE A WEEK AND LISTEN. 26:32 ON THAT'S FASCINATING. 26:35 LET ME ADD ANOTHER ONE. 26:40 GO TO A FIELD WHERE A BUNCH OF YOUNG MEN ARE PLAYING SOCCER. 26:46 ABSOLUTELY. 26:47 AND MAKE A FRIEND. 26:48 ABSOLUTELY. 26:50 AND ALL YOU GOT TO DO, THE BALL ALWAYS GETS KICKED OUT OF BOUNDS, TAKE IT 26:54 OVER AND HAND IT TO SOMEBODY AND ASK THEM, ARE YOU NEW HERE? 26:58 WHAT DO YOU THINK. 26:59 WE NEED YOUR HELP. 28:08 [CLOSING MUSIC |
Revised 2016-06-02