Participants:
Series Code: MTS
Program Code: MTS002104B
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00:15 Welcome back to St. Petersburg, Russia.
00:17 Behind me in this brown building you can see 00:20 where the Bible Society back at the beginning 00:22 of the 19th century, 00:24 translated the first Russian version of the Bible. 00:27 For our next stop, 00:29 Uncle Homer will tell us a story 00:30 from the Middle East. 00:32 Qadri was a wild young Muslim. 00:35 Actually he hated God, he hated religion, 00:39 especially he hated Christians though. 00:42 Qadri even though he was a Muslim, 00:44 he was working in a bar at a hotel. 00:46 And it really frustrated him 00:48 that Christians would come into his bar, 00:51 wearing a big crucifix, 00:53 but drinking and dancing 00:54 and flirting with the girls anyway, 00:56 as though they didn't have any religion at all. 00:59 It bothered him, he hated them for it. 01:02 But one day, a strange man came to his hotel. 01:06 He was weird really. 01:08 He was a tourist. 01:10 And he had just come on vacation, 01:12 but he was the weirdest tourists 01:14 that Qadri had ever seen. 01:16 He didn't drink, he didn't smoke, 01:19 he was always happy, he was weird. 01:22 He never had a hangover in the morning, 01:24 he never flirted with the girls, 01:25 he was really weird. 01:28 But at the end of that first year, 01:30 something had been going round 01:33 and round in Qadri's mind. 01:35 Something had been tugging at his heart. 01:37 What was it with this guy? 01:40 Well, he thought he'd never see him again 01:41 but the guy showed up again the next year 01:44 for his two week vacation and this time Qadri 01:47 started to watch him a little closer. 01:49 By the third year, Qadri had become 01:51 this man's friend and was asking questions 01:54 and actually began studying the Bible. 01:57 Today, Qadri is a Seventh-day Adventist 02:00 because of the introduction 02:02 of that tourist that came to his hotel. 02:06 I asked him one day, "Qadri, 02:08 what was it that made the difference? 02:10 What made you leave being a non-practicing Muslim 02:14 to become a dedicated Seventh-day Adventist?" 02:17 All he said it was the friendship of that tourist. 02:20 I said, "Yes. Okay. But what specifically?" 02:23 Well, he said, "After many talks, 02:26 and it wouldn't have happened without the friendship, 02:28 but after a long time of talking, one day, 02:31 that man said to me, "Qadri, 02:34 you don't have to balance the scales. 02:36 Jesus balanced them for you." 02:39 He said all my life, I thought I had to do 02:41 more good deeds than bad deeds to offset them. 02:44 So then maybe I could earn a place in God's love. 02:47 But now I know Jesus balanced the scales for me 02:51 and I can live for Him." 02:53 I said, "Wow, Qadri, that's wonderful. 02:55 What did your family think though?" 02:57 He said even though 02:58 I hadn't been a practicing Muslim 03:00 they were furious 03:01 when I left that and became an Adventist. 03:04 But now my mother thinks differently. 03:07 She says "Adventists didn't take 03:09 my son away from me. 03:10 They gave him back to me. 03:12 He doesn't drink anymore, he doesn't smoke, 03:15 he loves God and praise to Him regularly. 03:18 Adventist didn't take my son away, 03:20 they gave him back to me." 03:22 Qadri is working for the church today. 03:25 Your tithes and mission offerings 03:27 and your donations to Global Mission 03:29 have been supporting him and his work. 03:33 If you want more stories of what God is doing 03:35 around the world in powerful ways, 03:38 then go to our website at adventistmission.org, 03:42 and you'll see many, many stories and videos 03:44 that will thrill your heart 03:46 and challenge you to be involved yourself. 03:49 Next up, we travel to Frankfurt, Germany 03:52 to visit a unique center of influence 03:54 that uses the arts to connect with the community. 04:02 Tonight's activity is cooking a Mexican dinner with beans, 04:06 tortillas, guacamole, and homemade sauce. 04:09 Then savor this delicious meal in a cozy, 04:11 artsy space. 04:13 As you enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, 04:16 you may make a new friend or two. 04:17 Are you interested? 04:19 Well, come on back to the kitchen. 04:21 Tonight, you are a chef alongside other volunteers. 04:25 Let's get cooking. 04:35 When the meal is ready, 04:36 our host Simret welcomes the guests. 04:38 He also explains where we are. 04:41 Presence Kulturlounge is a place 04:43 where people can get together, 04:45 experience different cultural activities, 04:49 and engage in conversations, and in good human encounters. 04:54 In the highly urbanized city of Frankfurt, Germany, 04:57 this lounge offers a variety of activities 05:00 from cooking and eating together, 05:01 to art exhibitions, film screenings, 05:04 musical performances, 05:05 and literature and poem readings 05:07 that are followed by engaging group discussions. 05:10 And all this cultural activities 05:12 are designed for people to come together, 05:15 learn from each other, 05:16 experience inspiration 05:19 and grow in their personal journeys. 06:08 For me, this is a taste of culture and music, 06:12 something that we don't find easily in this manner. 06:16 Tonight, we even had a small circle discussion. 06:19 I received a flier of the opening 06:23 from Presence Kulturlounge. 06:26 And it was a fest with concert. 06:30 To be a part of the Kulturlounge 06:33 is very important for me 06:34 because I met always 06:38 very interesting people 06:42 from different cultures. 06:46 I am very happy to be part of them. 06:48 Presence Kulturlounge was inspired 06:50 by conversations Simret had with friends, 06:53 they often discussed life issues 06:55 and the things they experienced in their own personal journeys. 06:58 At times, these conversations happened over a meal 07:01 or were sparked by a movie, or a book they read. 07:04 With the support of the Adventist Church, 07:06 Simret made this a regular gathering 07:08 open to everyone regardless of their racial 07:11 or religious background. 07:13 When people come to Presence Kulturlounge, 07:16 we communicate openly 07:18 that this is a project 07:19 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church 07:21 and they also hear from me 07:23 that I'm a pastor and run this place. 07:26 And it is a chance or a good opportunity for us 07:30 as a church to serve others and many of the people 07:36 who come here have never heard that 07:39 the Seventh-day Adventist Church even exists. 07:42 In a context where people 07:43 aren't attracted to religion or institutions, 07:46 this urban center of influence 07:48 provides a space for new experiences. 07:52 Each event is carefully crafted to encourage the open 07:55 and sincere exchange of ideas. 07:58 Visitors come regularly to expand their perspectives 08:01 and grow in new ways. 08:04 Many Adventist centers 08:05 of influence operate across the globe, 08:07 they offer people an opportunity 08:09 to reflect on life and find answers. 08:12 Although each center's approach differs in each region, 08:15 Adventist members see creative ways 08:18 to engage the people Christ came to love. 08:21 Please pray for Seventh-day Adventist's urban centers 08:24 of influence. 08:26 And thank you for your support of Global Mission. 08:44 Well, thanks so much 08:45 for joining us on today's program. 08:47 And I hope that you've enjoyed our 360 degree 08:50 view of mission around the world. 08:53 From rural areas to the great urban centers, 08:56 we see that men and women, 08:57 boys and girls are finding light 08:59 and life for the good news of Jesus Christ. 09:03 And I want to thank you so much 09:04 for being part of our Adventist Mission team. 09:07 You may say, "Well, I'm not part of your team." 09:09 Well, we consider you to be part 09:10 because every time you pray for missionaries, 09:13 every time you pray for church planters, 09:15 every time you pray for the mission of this church, 09:18 you are partnering in mission with us. 09:20 And every time you give your mission offerings 09:22 or give a donation to Global Mission, 09:24 you're partnering with us. 09:25 And every time 09:27 that you are personally involved in mission, 09:28 you're partnering with us so thank you so much. 09:31 And as a small thank you 09:32 for your contribution to Adventist Mission, 09:34 I'd like to send you a free book. 09:36 It's called It's Time. 09:38 And it's full of stories 09:39 from the frontlines of urban mission. 09:41 This is not a book of theology, 09:43 it's not a book of just doctrines, 09:45 it's a book of practical stories of people 09:48 involved in urban mission. 09:50 And I'm somewhat biased 09:51 about this book because my wife edited it. 09:53 For Adventist Mission I'm Gary Krause. 09:56 And I hope that you can join me next time 09:58 right here on Mission 360. 10:10 Currently I feel so small 10:13 Smaller than my trials 10:15 They threaten and intimidate 10:18 My faith has seen some miles 10:20 Because there has 10:22 Never been a day 10:23 When You have not come through 10:26 My history makes it known 10:28 That You will prove that 10:30 You are never just enough 10:35 You are more 10:37 It won't be my strength 10:41 But Yours Forever 10:44 The same always 10:48 The ages declare 10:50 You have never changed 10:53 O Father, You're Faithful now 10:57 And You always will be 11:01 Your love is timeless 11:15 Your love has never let me stay 11:17 Worried and afraid 11:19 You use the circumstances 11:21 That I'm in 11:22 To make me free and brave 11:25 You spin me round 11:26 To stand and face 11:28 The mountains in my way 11:30 You smile with me as it moves 11:33 When I sing out Your name 11:36 You're never just enough 11:40 You are more 11:42 It won't be my strength 11:45 But Yours Forever 11:48 The same always 11:52 The ages declare 11:54 You have never changed 11:57 O Father, You're Faithful now 12:01 And You always will be 12:06 Your love is timeless 12:11 You will never cease to be 12:14 My daily bread 12:15 You will always be to me 12:19 My chosen fear in life 12:22 No other pleasure in this world 12:25 Could ever be as great 12:28 You love wearing them 12:33 Forever the same always 12:38 The ages declare 12:41 You have never changed 12:43 O Father, You're Faithful now 12:47 And You always will be 12:51 Forever the same always 12:56 The ages declare 12:59 You have never changed 13:01 O Father, You're Faithful now 13:05 And You always will be 13:10 Your love is timeless. |
Revised 2020-07-23