Participants:
Series Code: IWTC
Program Code: IWTC000011A
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00:08 Over the past 60 years,
00:10 there's been a massive decline in foreign missions. 00:15 I'm sharing the gospel through church planting. 00:19 In 1930s, if somebody gave $10 in tithe, 00:22 it gave an additional $6 in foreign missions. 00:24 Today, just $0.28. 00:27 We're doing the best we can with what we have, 00:30 but I'm still not satisfied. 00:31 Over 2 billion people in the world today 00:33 still have no access to the gospel. 00:36 God's crazy in love with the Thai people, 00:38 and I sense His Spirit hovering over the city. 00:41 I've come to Bangkok, Thailand 00:42 to discover the truth about foreign missions. 00:45 Come with me as I follow my good friend Pastor Doug Venn 00:48 in his everyday life as a frontline missionary. 00:51 I prayed for God's biggest dream, 00:52 and He gave me this city of 12 million. 00:57 Welcome to my world. 01:11 This is a neighborhood on the east side of Bangkok 01:14 in the Ramkhamhaeng district 01:15 dominated by this massive 01:17 thousand unit apartment complex. 01:19 Right across the street is our Hope for Bangkok Church plan 01:22 led by Reben and his wife. 01:24 Our theme for this week, Jesus loves you. 01:27 This program is not a reaping but we plant seeds. 01:32 Pastor Jim is our guest speaker 01:34 from the Southern Pacific Division. 01:38 He's the director of Adventist Mission, 01:41 and we invited him to come here 01:44 to meet some of our parents here 01:49 to make friends with them. 01:52 There are so many beautiful temples here. 01:53 I'm reminded that Christ wants 01:55 to make each one of us His temple. 01:59 Here he is. Good morning, good to see you. 02:01 Morning, morning, morning. 02:02 He's doing a TV show, so you're part of it now. 02:05 Praise the Lord, you made it. 02:06 And praise the Lord that we're here, 02:08 and praise the Lord, I didn't die. 02:12 You had some big cities for in your previous job. 02:15 Yeah, but nothing in comparison to these, 02:18 these are monster cities. 02:21 What was the biggest city in your conference? 02:23 Denver. Denver. 02:24 Four million, that doesn't even get on the radar screen. 02:27 People in my division 02:28 talk to me by getting some funding, 02:30 like, "Oh, how big is your city?" 02:31 "Oh, four million," I go... 02:32 "We can't help you. 02:34 "We only help those with 10 million and above." 02:35 So have you seen the website 192021.com? 02:40 It says, there will be 19 cities. 02:42 By the year 2020, they'll have 21 million. 02:45 Now as a conference leader, 02:47 how was your guys' mission giving? 02:49 Oh, it crept along there, and then seemed kind of level. 02:54 If mission giving is down, that really is a statement 02:59 that people don't believe 03:03 there's a need. 03:06 Okay, and so I've had friends in the US, 03:10 missionaries who have come back to SSD and told me that, 03:16 "Wow I was home, 03:17 and I ran into it over, and over, and over." 03:19 People saying, "Well, what do we need missions for? 03:23 The work's done! 03:24 We're just waiting for Jesus to come." 03:26 Or the Sunday law. 03:27 Or the Sunday law, that will bring them all in, right? 03:30 If I were to put, you know, my blinders on and say, 03:34 "Well, my neighbors, they've all heard. 03:37 We had evangelistic meetings in our city. 03:40 You know 100 of them, and my town's heard." 03:44 This idea that we are in a fortress, 03:48 everyone, you know, were going to be saved 03:51 because we have these ideas, these biblical truths... 04:00 is limited in the fact that 04:03 what does these truths motivate you to do. 04:08 Do you even care about other people? 04:11 Does the message of hope that I claim to have, 04:15 does it motivate me to be less selfish in my time, 04:18 in my money, 04:20 in how I interact with the society? 04:24 Those are big questions. 04:25 This is the church plant. 04:27 Yeah, I've been here. 04:29 This is the team that's gathered to meet Pastor Jim 04:31 and plan out the week's program. 04:33 In history, they came. 04:36 Foreigner, I don't know, missionary from Spain, 04:41 from France, from Portugal, they came. 04:47 Yeah, Italy, they came and helped. 04:51 They used the medical helping, 04:57 and some of them, 05:01 not all of them, some of them, 05:05 they entered to the, you know, 05:08 to the government, to the high position, 05:14 and they get some, you know, some position, 05:17 and then become somebody, 05:21 and finally in the past they control. 05:27 Ninety Five percent of Buddhists, 05:29 very, very strong, very strong. 05:32 What we can do? 05:34 We can share our love, we can share... 05:37 We have to exist, and live among them, 05:43 and help them, and care for them, 05:49 even without mentioning of preaching. 05:56 Your job as professional pastors, 05:58 as professional caregivers 06:00 gives to understand your culture, 06:03 to understand your people, and to figure out, 06:05 "Okay, how do I communicate the good news? 06:10 How do I get the trust levels, 'cause it's," 06:12 you know what teeter-totter is? 06:14 Okay, if you have high resistance, no trust. 06:17 So as the resistance goes down, the trust level goes up. 06:21 And that usually takes time, relationships. 06:26 And that's, as I look at that, that's what this is. 06:29 This is a teeter-totter 06:31 where you're trying to increase the relationships, 06:34 lower the resistance, 06:36 so people simply get to know you as a friend, right? 06:40 Okay, so that's what you're doing. 06:42 And that takes lots and lots and lots of time. 06:47 Now that's where, simply they're talking about myself. 06:49 I go, "Wait a minute," then I need to disappear. 06:54 If you've got into this house, 06:56 this is venturing for the last few weeks, 06:58 then suddenly here comes this falang. 07:03 She is going to be sitting there the whole time going, 07:06 "Why is he here? 07:07 Who is he? 07:09 Why is he here? 07:10 Who is he? 07:11 Why is he here? Who is he?" 07:13 And she is not going to hear a thing you say. 07:14 Okay? 07:16 And that's why I'm gonna tell you, 07:17 "I love you but I don't think I should go." 07:21 Not while I'm here for a week. 07:23 Okay? 07:26 Simply because, 07:27 if I understand the whole issue of the teeter-totter 07:29 of resistance and trust, 07:32 you've been working for weeks to slowly move that. 07:38 For me to show up, 07:39 is gonna do this to the teeter-totter, 07:40 you're slowly moving... 07:42 That's what it does. 07:44 Okay? 07:45 And so, please, I hope you take no offence. 07:49 I think it's better for me to stay away. 07:51 I'm happy to come here, and talk with you, 07:53 and pray with you, 07:55 and we can talk about whatever you want 07:57 in the morning. 07:58 But frankly, to go out and visit, 08:02 I don't think that's helpful. 08:04 And every book that say, says, 08:06 "Unless I'm here for a year, and I know how to speak Thai, 08:12 and I started dressing Thai, 08:17 I should stay away." 08:19 Let's be real, 08:21 what we have done is not working, all right? 08:26 Yeah, it works in Philippines. 08:30 All right? 08:31 So in this division, you go out, 08:33 you hold meetings, you do it. 08:36 Boom! You're baptizing 100. 08:38 You set up a new church, okay. 08:40 It works in Manado, 08:43 because there's all kinds of Christians, 08:45 you have to set meetings. 08:47 It takes two years for them 08:50 to have a church full of people, 08:52 three years before they have their own church building. 08:55 What, what's wrong with you, Doug? 08:56 How come you don't have your own church building? 09:00 Okay. 09:01 So that's where from the division 09:03 which you need to hear me clearly saying to these guys, 09:06 "I'm not here to repeat all the mistakes 09:09 that have gone on for 100 years. 09:11 I'm not even here to try and tell you 09:15 what we should be doing." 09:17 Because every book that I read about 09:19 in terms of Thai and Buddhism goes... 09:23 We don't know. 09:25 I'm here to support you, okay. 09:28 And most important thing I can do to support you 09:30 is to show up, to say to you, "I love you, here's $4000." 09:35 As a result of Jim being here, 09:38 we've been centered. 09:39 Now we'll have programming money 09:41 for the next year. 09:43 Through small groups 09:45 and through our already teaching of the English, 09:48 we have the trust of the people. 09:50 We have a bridge, it's a natural bridge. 09:54 Reben will continue. 09:55 After this week is over, he will continue teaching here. 09:59 By God's grace, 10:00 this center will still be here in the next five years, 10:03 five to seven years. 10:05 Father, thank You for this good discussion, 10:07 thank You for the honesty, 10:08 thank You for the chance to just be Your servants here, 10:12 Your disciples. 10:14 We were given permission to film the team 10:16 as they began visiting the neighbors. 10:20 I was just asking if there's, in this area, 10:22 if there's methamphetamines 10:24 or it is called Thai's crazy medicine, 10:27 if that's a problem in this community. 10:30 As mothers, they say there isn't no problems now. 10:39 So she is saying that her kids are not obedient to her, 10:44 and they're really stubborn, 10:46 wherein unlike what you were saying, Reben, 10:47 is that they are very active. 10:51 So her kids are active, 10:54 and they like to play all kinds of sports. 11:01 I was just saying that 11:03 you're preparing your next year's plans, 11:05 and you're, you know, 11:07 talking about different activities for the kids 11:10 including exercise, 11:12 and so they're agreeing that that's a good thing. 11:15 What's happening with Sabbath? 11:17 Oh, yeah, we have... 11:20 We have invitation for the event. 11:29 So I was saying that the songs that they'll be singing, 11:32 or at least I tried to say that 11:33 the songs that they would be singing, 11:36 you know, God will help the kids 11:38 obey their mother, 11:41 and to give respect to their mother, 11:43 and also not be so stubborn. 11:46 I was also sharing with them that, you know, 11:49 even my children have benefited from the church plants, 11:53 there are these centers, 11:54 because it teaches them not to be selfish 11:57 or tight fisted with their lives, 12:00 so that way, 12:01 and she was saying 12:03 helping me with the proper Thai word to say. 12:24 One of the mindsets in America for Christians is that 12:27 missions is... 12:29 If it's not done already, it's almost done, 12:31 it's just about there. 12:33 What are your feelings on that? 12:37 Well, when I go home, I tell people, 12:39 "Well, Jesus can't come tonight." 12:40 And they look at me, "Oh, what do you mean? 12:42 He's coming in a day now." 12:44 And I go, "Well, there are millions, millions, billions 12:50 who have never heard of Jesus." 12:53 So I think it's safe to say He's not coming tonight. 13:00 And last Sunday, I go to MBK. 13:02 Oh, what do you think? 13:03 I think it's very good. 13:07 So what did you think of the Adventist Health Expo? 13:09 I think it's a good idea 13:14 to help the public. 13:16 Health promotion is okay 13:20 because it's a prevention for the disease. 13:25 Right. 13:26 Newstart. 13:28 Yeah, Newstart. 13:29 We are in the health industry, 13:32 so we know something about that topic, 13:37 but I think it's very good for the people 13:41 that don't know much about this. 13:44 I wanted today, and we need to get better acquainted, 13:49 and to find out from you 13:53 what are the needs from your school, 13:54 as well as what are the needs, because you're training nurses. 13:59 Yes. 14:01 And this is something asked, 14:02 we are also in health education, 14:06 we also we can work together. 14:08 But do you know why we, as Christians, 14:11 are involved in health? 14:14 Do you understand? 14:15 No. 14:17 Can you explain? I don't quite understand. 14:18 Okay, all right. 14:20 At first, it starts of with very ancient scriptures. 14:23 And so this here is, 14:25 I don't know if you've ever seen this. 14:27 It's the Bible. 14:29 Well, this actually is the Jewish Bible. 14:32 Yeah. 14:33 So this comes from many thousands of years ago. 14:37 God, when He first made the world, 14:40 He gave us choice, the opportunity, 14:44 and that's where He wanted to give us the best life. 14:48 Spiritual health, spiritual life, 14:50 our mental health, our physical health 14:54 and then how we relate to each other 14:56 into our environment. 14:57 That's why I'm a vegetarian. 15:09 Why, why am I a vegetarian all year long? 15:12 Not just nine days on the day first of all. 15:15 So it is because 15:17 that God wants to give me the best life now, 15:22 the best health, and the clearest mind, 15:25 so then that way I can help my fellow men, 15:28 and I can worship God. 15:31 Thank you so much. 15:32 I'm honored to see you again, thank you. 15:35 Thank you. 15:36 Thank you so much. 15:38 Thank you very much. 15:41 Any counsel for me? 15:42 This and they really understand how Christian is 15:49 then they try to find a way to support us 15:53 also to proclaim the good news. 15:58 Praise God that God opened the way. 16:01 Before when she was not to big 16:04 she want through Thai school. 16:08 I went to work in Canada. 16:13 If I didn't go to Canada 16:16 she could not finish the high school. 16:20 We had no money, 16:22 but I went to work in Canada for 10 years 16:25 and then sent money back for her learning, everything... 16:31 After finish, now she has a job. 16:36 I'm okay right now. 16:38 I can take it easy. 16:40 You try a way is that 16:42 the mother and father will sacrifice everything 16:46 so then that way they can give their children 16:49 the best opportunities, 16:51 and then that way in the future 16:53 that then your daughter can care for you. 16:56 Yeah. 16:57 In America or in Canada 16:59 we expect the government to take care of us. 17:01 Yeah. 17:02 The Bible's Asian, 17:05 and so as a student of Bible, 17:07 there are some things I didn't understand, 17:09 so like, you know, there's a story of a father, 17:13 and he had two sons, 17:15 and how he cares for his sons buy... 17:17 And he gives them everything. 17:20 And it's like, well, why did he save away for his retirement, 17:23 why did... 17:24 And so in my understanding I didn't understand. 17:28 And so that's what I learned here in Thailand. 17:31 Well, that's why I'm gonna invest everything 17:33 into the children 17:35 because they would then return you 17:37 when you are old. 17:38 And that's where, 17:39 like in my life I'm wanting to follow that example 17:43 that I see not only in your, in the Thai society, 17:47 we also see that in the Bible that demonstration of love, 17:51 that you really sacrificed those years 17:54 working everyday for 10 hours, that comes from a... 17:59 That part of love. 18:04 That's like a... 18:05 That picture inspires me or gives me, 18:10 it reminds me of the love that God has for us. 18:21 Please forgive my Thai. 18:23 Very good. 18:28 Thank you. 18:30 Jesus Christ died upon a tree 18:35 To change a broken life To set a captive free 18:41 You simply cannot rearrange the way your life is 18:47 There has to be a change So let me singing 18:59 So he drives taxi, he's one of the taxi drivers. 19:02 And I said I had watched him go by in his taxi. 19:05 And he drives from four in the morning 19:08 to four in the afternoon. 19:14 He is really tired. 19:18 Can you smile? 19:23 His smile has flown away. 19:24 Here we are at our neighbor's house, 19:27 and this is where we gonna have the small group meeting. 19:32 She's bringing dinner. 19:37 Yes, yes. 19:40 Sounds like your typical taco bell take out food there. 19:44 Yeah, I'm just praying for wisdom here 19:46 because in here this is, you know, our neighbors, 19:48 we've been with these people now for four years. 19:51 And, you know, we've been seed sowing, 19:54 ministering to the kids, serving this neighborhood, 19:57 and, you know, this week we're wanting to take that, 20:00 you know, be a little more intentional 20:02 at the seed planting through relationships. 20:11 The influence that we have is more 20:14 than just what we preach on Sabbath morning. 20:16 Okay, they had onions... 20:21 chili, 20:25 something I don't know, 20:28 some kind of vegetable, some green thing. 20:39 Okay, so there we go, there is a killer ingredient. 20:43 Moo is not cow. 20:48 Look here. 20:51 Yeah, okay, so there's the fish. 20:53 You know what that one is fried fish. 20:56 But Moo is not cow, and that is pork. 20:59 And so this is where we get to remind them to... 21:05 Okay, we don't do the Moo. 21:09 When you share the gospel to the Thai people 21:14 in a straight and direct way, 21:19 they don't want to listen. 21:22 But when you meet needs, and you build trust, 21:26 and the people know you, then that's a different story. 21:29 How many friends have they made? 21:31 That's a good question. 21:32 So it's hard as foreigners. 21:36 It's really hard. 21:37 What makes it so hard? 21:39 Language, number one, 21:42 you know, I've had a chance to study 21:45 about five to six months 21:47 and so, you know, I understand, you know, 21:50 when they are talking about fish, you know, 21:53 the one word that I know in the last 100, you know, 21:57 they're talking about the fish, but that's all. 21:59 Understand. 22:00 So, you know, Reben had a chance 22:03 to study Thai may be two months. 22:05 And so how do we expect our missionaries, 22:08 you know, to come in, 22:10 and you got language and cultural barriers. 22:15 He wants to go and listen to the songs being sung. 22:20 The mission tells me, 22:21 but there's no money for them to study Thai. 22:24 I'm like, "How can they do the work?" 22:28 It wasn't until one of the former missionaries 22:30 here at the Thailand. 22:32 She came through Bangkok one time, 22:35 and she just asked the question, 22:38 "Why doesn't your team speak Thai?" 22:40 I said, "Well, they've not had a chance to study." 22:42 And she... 22:43 we talked about it, and so she wrote a check 22:46 that's why even Reben had a chance to study 22:49 for the two months that he had. 22:51 And these are the missions stories that aren't told, 22:55 but here is a kid sliding up. 22:57 He comes to the meetings, 23:00 you know, that means something, 23:03 you know, that means something. 23:05 They want to shut us down for lack of funds. 23:09 The team gives their blood, sweat, and tears 23:11 to build relationships, 23:13 and then people, 23:15 because of the lack of mission giving, 23:20 they want to, 23:21 they don't know, they don't know the stories, 23:23 they don't know the people. 23:25 But do we really have to have an emotional video where, 23:30 you know, to continue giving on a regular basis? 23:36 You know, I remember the day, 23:38 or I wish I could remember the day 23:40 where we just give because Christ gave for us. 23:44 Christ came to save us. 23:46 And to me that breaks my heart, that's my motive of giving 23:50 because Christ emptied heaven for me. 23:53 And so I'll sacrifice, 23:55 so that way others can have that joy and peace. 23:59 "You're gonna be scared 'cause you'll get cancer," 24:02 she saying, he is saying to her. 24:09 They're sharing. 24:11 Now, you'll get this cancer in one lung, 24:13 I'll get the cancer in another lung, right? 24:15 God was working on my heart 24:22 He said it's time to do your part 24:28 I'm driving the new mission truck, 24:30 and so it's like, 24:32 I do not want to be the first one to dent it. 24:35 Whenever our church planters, 24:36 when he was sharing the gospel message 24:39 in his community, 24:40 his community thought he was the first Christian 24:43 coming to Thailand with this new message 24:46 that Jesus is coming again and, you know, 24:49 talking about grace and the gospel. 24:51 It's like, they never met a Christian before. 24:54 And so they thought our church planter was a very first one. 24:57 "Who is this Seventh-day Adventist? 24:58 You know, we've never heard of these people." 25:00 And the gospel commission is not done. 25:03 It's not done. 25:05 We just keep wanting to reap, reap, reap. 25:08 But what about the planting? 25:10 I receive from the general conference, 25:12 my budget each year is $100,000. 25:16 And where does that go? 25:17 We fund nine church plants, I have a staff of 12, 25:21 and so the nine Hope for Bangkok Church plants are... 25:25 I need to do a lane change here so. 25:30 That goes to fund, the salaries of our church planting team, 25:34 it goes also to pay the rent 25:36 of our nine Hope for Bangkok Church plants, 25:39 where were just at one right now. 25:41 And then we then cover, you know, 25:45 some of the overhead of like the utilities 25:48 and, you know, 25:50 for the foreign missionaries on the team, 25:52 their visas and work permits. 25:54 And so for programs like Adventist Health Expo, 25:58 for Bibles, for literature, for even for programs, 26:05 you know, the heart of how we serve the community. 26:10 That side of the funding was not included. 26:14 And so as a missionary, 26:16 it's like I'm given a car with no fuel, 26:20 or I'm told to fight a battle with no weapons, 26:23 or you come up with the analogy. 26:27 Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. 26:29 But it's just that people don't... 26:33 People don't understand that the expectations 26:39 of trying to do a job here 26:43 without the right equipment and right resources. 26:48 It's also reality check that 26:51 this is why the work here is languishing 26:54 is because I guess 26:57 it goes down to the core of selfishness, 27:01 is that when I was as a pastor, as a member in America... 27:07 Yeah, I gave to the local church 27:09 because I knew what was needed, 27:12 you know, the local programs, 27:14 you know, my pet projects, stuff like that. 27:18 And of course you give tithe because that's, 27:22 you know, that's sacred, and that gives... 27:24 You give that to God. 27:25 But, you know, foreign missions, 27:28 you know, yeah, you're putting a dollar, 27:33 but, you know, 27:37 I guess I do see that the evidence of that, 27:43 you know, that inconsistent 27:48 or that emotionally based giving, 27:51 and I'm living with it. 27:54 People are crying 27:58 Lost souls are dying 28:03 If Jesus was not content in staying in heaven 28:07 while He saw this earth suffering, and dying, 28:10 and came to reach us, 28:12 how can we sit back and just relax? 28:15 We must push forward to take the gospel, 28:18 the Advent message to every person 28:21 across this planet. 28:22 Please encourage each one around you, 28:25 and reach into your own heart, 28:29 and give everything you possibly can 28:32 to reach the world before it's too late. 28:35 Every person matters to God, 28:37 and every dollar that you give for mission 28:39 helps us to reach one more person. 28:41 And I'm so grateful to everyone who has sacrificed for mission. 28:45 One day soon you'll be able to meet the people 28:48 who found Jesus because you gave. |
Revised 2017-12-24