A Call to Youth . . .
"We have a work to do. Educate, educate, educate, educate young men and women to give themselves to the ministry of the Word. Educate them to become canvassers, to sell those books which the Lord by His Holy Spirit has stirred minds to write. This reading matter will thus be given to a large class of people who would never hear the truth unless it was brought to their doors. This is the work of the Evangelist." - Letter 135, 1900. (Colporteur Ministry, page 20).
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A Pastor's Experience . . .
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Completing the task . . .
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"I would like that book . . .
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A Pastor's Experience on the Doors with
Jump Start! (Pr Clayton, Waitac church)
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This week has been another reminder of God’s unceasing work in the hearts of mankind. Sometimes focusing on the anger and hate towards God and Christianity around us, we can almost be driven to assume everyone out there thinks like that, and lose sight of the hunger and thirst for God that is being awakened in people all around us. After God spoke to me that I needed to be out at the doors, I decided to commit time to go out with Dave. Just this week alone, we have had so many ‘divine appointments’.
We visited a lady named Olivia (name changed), who happens to be a relation of an Adventist Literature Evangelist that both Dave and I knew. Olivia quickly recognised that we were Adventist because of previous encounters with Marea Campbell’s Literature Evangelism work. She expressed her disenchantment with the confusion within Christianity and appeared to have lost faith in organised denominated Christianity as a whole, and had given up on going to church altogether.
After Dave canvassed the health books, she expressed her love for the Adventist health work, and that gave us leverage for the spiritual conversation in terms of a holistic approach to health. She enquired more specifically about the Great Controversy and what we personally saw as a benefit of this book in order to recommend it to her. Thank God both Dave and I had a personal experience to relate to her in this regard. She was totally intrigued by the proposition that this book would clear out a lot of questions she held about the present religious confusion, and actually help her understand, not only where it all went wrong, but also where we are headed in the future. As we were leaving, Dave offered to pray and at the close of his prayer, she honestly seemed as though a burden had been lifted off her shoulder. As she repeatedly thanked us, she had a genuine look of relief, almost saying ‘you came right on time’, or as we would say, this was a divine appointment.
We then met a middle-aged lady named Rachel (name changed) at our last house for the day, and for the sake of the story, I will mention that she had piercings everywhere. By God’s grace, her dog was fighting to get out of the house while we were conversing at the door, so she was forced to invite us in for the dog’s sake.
She happened to be an ex-Christian who had left because she felt judged by her pastor because she got pregnant out of wedlock. She had come out of severe depression and had gone through a tremendous amount of abuse, both physically and emotionally. She had rejected Jesus and saw herself as a Universalist, and frequently saw spirits.
As we were sharing, both Dave and I were compelled to share our testimonies which both involved the prophecy of Daniel chapter 2, and having also rejected Jesus, I was able to share how Christ had brought me back, and this time into deep personal, satisfying relationship with Him. She said she got goose bumps when we told her God has a purpose for her.
She bought all the spiritual books Dave had canvassed and before we prayed she said she knew there was a reason why she had pulled out the box of stuff that happened to have her old Bible in it. Even though she looked tough on the outside, and hardened by life, deep down she was a lonely, broken soul that desperately needed Jesus’ love in a personal and intimate way. Of all the books she had bought, she said she wanted to start with the Great Controversy which, to me was amazing because, like Olivia, she had also become disillusioned by the corruption and hypocrisy in the Church. God is doing something special, in fact, He has never stopped, and what a privilege it is to be a part of His work.
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Brent Aplin
Team Leader, Jump Start, New Zealand
Why not send Brent or any of our Literature Evangelists some encouragement, Scripture or a prayer. CLICK HERE
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NEVER STOP LEARNING,
BECAUSE LIFE NEVER STOPS
TEACHING :)
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Completing the task that God
has set!!
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I had met Paul's wife, Manisha, on the Wednesday, but she spoke little English and could read even less. I returned to pick up the Survey on the Friday once her husband had time to peruse it. Paul told me that he was a Nepalese Christian who had been persecuted for his faith in his home country. He had spent some time in a Refugee camp until he came to live in Tasmania.
Paul counts it a blessing from God that he has the life he does. His whole family is now Christian, but they do not belong to any specific religion and worship at a church in Lenah Valley with a congregation of approximately eighty Nepalese families.
Paul asked lots of questions and I showed him our book, Today Tomorrow and You, with regard to 'what happens after death?' He asked what does our name, Seventh-day Adventist stands for and I explained in brief.
In the course of our visit I discovered that much of their beliefs are very similar to ours. I gave him a copy of The Great Controversy and he gratefully accepted it. I shared with him how it explains what is happening in our world today. I left Paul the Beyond DVD entitled "Pain". He was happy to accept the whole set! So, I filled out a card for Follow Up. He would also like Manisha to attend a vegetarian cooking class.
My visit to this family was very rewarding and showed me that it is always worthwhile to return to a home in order to complete the task God has set before you. God be praised! Donna van der Jagt Literature Evangelist Tasmanian Conference.
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Donna van der Jagt, Literature Evangelist, Tasmanian Conference
Why not send Donna or any of our Literature Evangelists some encouragement, Scripture or a prayer. CLICK HERE
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"I Would Like that Book for My Wife"
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A few doors down from where I live I met new immigrants Ton & Mae who had just moved into the neighbourhood about a week ago. Ton invited me in straight away and I started canvassing him while Mae was busy with 15-month-old baby Kara.
He didn't seem interested until I pulled out the Great Controversy. He quickly flicked through to the back and started reading it. He said, "this looks like a very interesting book", whilst skimming through the pages. He called his wife and started talking in their native language. I was impressed to keep canvassing the Ministry of Healing. “'I would like that book for my wife”, he said. I then quickly pulled out the Story Book. Then he remarked, "This is perfect for my kids". As he paid for the books I was impressed to also give them the Desire of Ages which he said they will read it and then send it to his Mother-in-law.
I asked if I could say a prayer which he accepted and then he asked that we specifically pray for him to find work soon being new to the country. "God will supply all your needs", I said as I left.
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Merita Cutts
Jump Start LE, North New Zealand Conference
Why not send Merita or any of our Literature Evangelists some
encouragement, Scripture or a prayer. CLICK HERE
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