July-August 1998
We have to go where they are!
I've made this statement many times in recent months while preaching about missions. I try to make the point that people don't usually come to us seeking for salvation. People in our communities don't normally come to church on their own. We have to bring the Gospel to their homes, their workplaces, and public places. People in other countries don't usually come to America looking to be saved. We need to send missionaries to their countries as God leads.
With that in mind, let me tell you about an experience we had in August. My daughter Cindy and I went soulwinning in Bettendorf, Iowa. We knocked on doors in an apartment building, and had some good opportunities to present the Gospel, but nobody trusted Christ. We went out to the sidewalk to wait for the pastor to pick us up. After a little while, we noticed a young lady walking slowly down the other side of the street. We decided to cross the street and try to witness to her.
She was very interested in what we had to say. Her name was "Nigeria", and she had come to this country from Kenya, Africa just two weeks before! During her trip to America, she had stopped in England, where she purchased a Bible. When she got to Iowa, she took a job selling books door-to-door. This had been a rainy, discouraging day, and she was ready to stop and talk with us. She told us that she had been reading her Bible and thinking a lot about God. When she heard the Gospel, she gladly received Jesus as her Savior!
I have preached many times that "people from other countries aren't going to come here to get saved, we have to go there!" I'm glad there was an exception to this rule. I still believe that there is no substitute for getting the gospel where the people are. We would not have reached Nigeria for Jesus if we had not taken the Gospel to the streets. There are plenty more lost folks out there who would like to be saved. Why not go and get you one?
By now, everybody has heard about the major economic and political troubles in Russia. This will certainly have an effect on missionary efforts. We continue to believe that "The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men." (Daniel 4:17) We intend to stay faithful. We have a Divine call to bring the Gospel to the Russian people, whether the Russian government cooperates or not. Please be much in prayer about this situation.
In the service of the King,
Don Ossewaarde