Partners 304: Mission Heros Books, Pastors' Breakfast, Spiritual Gifts Training

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is all about the lost. Jesus is the reason for the season, but the Father's love for the lost is the reason Jesus was born. "For God so loved the [lost] world, He sent His only begotten Son..." Jesus didn't come for the righteous. He was sent to the lost. He started His ministry saying he came to seek and save the lost. His final words on earth were a command to us to seek the lost and make make disciples of them for Him. Let's make our short lives on earth count by winning millions more before we go home to heaven! Together we can! Recommitting to that would be the best Birthday present you can give Jesus.

Free Pastors' Breakfast: January 5, 2008, at 9:00 AM, at the Founders Inn. The breakfast is sponsored by the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship and Catch the Fire Ministries. This is an intro to a conference at Founders Inn on February 20-23, 2008. Conference Speakers include John and Carol Arnott, Gordon Robertson and Bill Johnson. They will be offering a free complimentary conference registration for all senior pastors and their wives attending this breakfast.

Since 1994, over 4 million people from around the world have come to a church in Toronto to experience the Presence of the Lord. I know the Arnott's. There still two of the most godly and humble people I know--despite the 4 million visitors to their church. They have had to hold meetings six nights a week for 12 years to accommodate everyone. The love and power of God in their meetings is still the best ministry I have even seen to to bind up the broken hearted and set the captives free. I heartily recommend that pastors attend this breakfast and that everyone come to the free evening meetings or pay to attend the day portions, if you can.

To register for the Pastors' Breakfast, call Maureen Connors at 362-8015, or emailing Pastor Ken Gerry at kgerry@cox.net. Ken is the local coordinator for this breakfast and is willing to answer any questions Pastors may have.

Another Martyr from Bethlehem: Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus --a son of Bethlehem who was killed for His faith. Another man from Bethlehem, 26-year-old Rami Ayyad , who loved Jesus, recently died. CBN reported that he was assassinated by Muslims as he worked in the Bible Book Store in Bethlehem. "Rami was the most gentle member of our team, the ever-smiling one," a co-worker said. He left a pregnant wife, Pauline, and two small children. Click here to read more details.

I and a friend are collecting some money to send to his pregnant widow and children for Christmas. If you would like to send a donation for them, please write a check to the ministry below and send it to that address with a note: Bethlehem Martyr's Family. 100% of all donations will go to that family.
Arabic Ministries Network
1920 Centerville Turnpike
Suite 117 PMB#282
Virginia Beach , VA 23464-6800 USA


Mission Hero's Books: I wish I had told you about this incredible resource two years ago when I first came across it. These are wonderfully written, simple books for children of all ages about men and women who changed thousands of lives through their heroic missions work. People like Eric Liddell, Hudson Taylor, William Carey, Mary Slessor, Amy Carmichael, Gladys Aylward, Nate Saint, etc. I laughed and cried my way through the Glady's Aylward book this morning. The Hollyood movie, Inn of the Sixth happiness, starring Ingrid Bergman, tells the story of this amazing British maid who flunked out of missionary school ,went to China without money or missions agency and became famous and revered among thousands of Chinese people within 15 years. Many became Christians because of her.

Buy these books for your kids and grandkids, as we have done. Pray that God will use these models of Christian heroism to lead our descendants to the lost billions just waiting for someone to show and tell them about the Father's love for lost people that sent Jesus to us in Bethlehem.

Jesus is the reason for the season, but the Father's love for the lost is the reason Jesus was born.

Check with your local Christian bookstore or click on ywampublishing.com to get see or order these books!

Spiritual Gifts Seminar: Jan 8-Apr 15 at Regent University--sponsored by the school of divinity an the Asian Center for Missions. Yes--you can learn to grow in spiritual gifts--even ones like prophecy, healing, word of knowledge, etc. I'm a graduate of this training. This is an excellent class with lots of practical coaching and practice sessions by Gordon Robertson, Pastor Travis Thigpen ( a well-known prophet), Pastor Mark Stafford, etc. Click here for printable bulletin inserts. Contact Maryanne Chamberlain at (757) 286-8066 or at marysta@regent.edu for more details.

Partners 303: Dede's B-day, Golden Compass

Dede Robertson is 80! Monday, December 3 was a big day at the Christian Broadcasting Network in Virginia Beach, VA.

Dede Robertson, the wife of well-known Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson just turned 80. Her birthday was announced the same day her son Gordon Robertson was publically acknowledged as the new CEO of CBN. Pat also reported that CBN has now reached it's goal of 500,000,000 people who have called a CBN center around the world to accept Jesus as Lord!! That's correct: 500 million! Half a billion. Comparatively few churches in America seem to know or publicly acknowledge how incredibly fruitful CBN is all over the world. History will show that CBN has been a major evangelistic harvest machine for the Lord in dozens of nations. God's Church should be very proud of CBN.

The Church everywhere should also be proud of Dede Robertson. She has raised four wonderful children, one of whom will now lead CBN into the future. Another daughter, Ann, helps lead major CBN department.

May I suggest that we now honor this wonderful woman who has helped build CBN and the Kingdom in more ways that we will ever know.

If you want to send a card or gift, send it to

Dede Robertson,
CBN
977 Centerville Turnpike
Virginia Beach, VA 23463

Emails can be addressed to her through this email address: partners-editor@cox.net
Fax's can be sent to her via: 757-226-6205


The Golden Compass: This new movie is a well told tale that is chock full of evil. This Christmas season's newest child's fantasy film is anything but that: is is not fantasy; it is theology--of the darkest kind, describing the real spiritual world we live in. This is not merely children's entertainment; it is video propaganda based on the author's (Philip Pullman) strongly anti-religious, anti-authority book series. In a 2003 interview, Pullman stated that his books—a trilogy titled, His Dark Materials—were about "killing God."

It is not to help us enjoy Christmas; it seeks to destroy Christmas.

Black is White: children have cuddly animal demons (sic) that the Magesterium (Church) wants to take away. Only the witches can help the children keep their demons and save the day.

This would be overly-done religious parody if the author of the movie was not dead serious about his intentions. He actually believes that God is evil and people must be protected from Him and His Church. It's a very old premise. A snake in the Garden of Eden thought of it first.

But it's only a fantasy film, right. What kid will really understand all that theology or care about the author's published intentions? Mark Early, President of Prison Fellowship writes:

"But it is just a story, isn't it? Of course, it is. But as Philip Pullman himself once wrote, "'Thou shalt not' might reach the head, but it takes 'Once upon a time' to reach the heart." That is exactly the point made in the new book The Pied Piper of Atheism, which draws the connection between Pullman's fantasy tales and the legendary figure who stole children away by playing music that appealed to their emotions."

Whatever captures your imagination will capture your heart. Strong fantasy can be to children what porn is to adults: seductive and self-destructive.

Pastors and parents: please protect your flocks from this wolf in sheep's clothing.