Why wouldn’t I believe!

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Coffee heart

What would you do if your son or daughter was interested in someone of a different worldview? Learn how one father in Australia lovingly provided a way for a young man to explore the Bible’s worldview and see what God did in this young man’s life.

We recently received an email from Greg* in Australia. He related to us how his son-in-law, Kyle,* came to put his trust in Jesus. When Kyle had been serving in the military, he had wanted to date Greg’s daughter, Megan*. She was interested in Kyle, but unwilling to date an unbeliever. Her father also made it clear to Kyle that he did not approve of a relationship. But Greg offered Kyle an opportunity to get an understanding of what the Bible is about so Kyle could understand Megan’s faith.

Kyle said he was willing to explore the Bible and so Greg led a study with Kyle and Megan. They got together to read through By This Name. Greg was understandably skeptical about Kyle’s level of interest. Was this just Kyle’s way of getting over the family’s objections? Was Kyle being sincere in wanting to investigate the Bible? Kyle had never been to any church and he had no knowledge of the Bible. He wasn’t even religious in any way. But Greg pushed ahead with the study.

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How churches are grounding their congregations

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By This Name Clas in SingaporeRecently we received two testimonies. One was from a ladies’ small group from a church in Alberta, Canada and the other was from a church in Singapore. These two churches were an ocean apart but they had the same vision: to ensure every member understood a clear gospel.

These two churches found it useful to use By This Name as the book for small group study. Longtime churchgoers as well as and people still seeking to understand what the Bible is all about benefited from going through the creation-to-the-cross approach used in the book. They saw how the Old and New Testament tied together as one story, and for many, it made them want to read the Bible more! Here are their stories.

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I found my faith in Christ through this study

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Ladies Church StudyOur ladies’ study group consisted of 12 ladies with different levels of Bible knowledge. There were ladies with no knowledge at all, some with many of years of study and everything in between. The study ran for two months and we met every Wednesday morning. Our book study was By This Name by John R. Cross of GoodSeed International. The commitment was to read 1-3 chapters every week and fill out the companion workbook before the sessions. At the sessions we would watch video segments that would reinforce the previous week’s reading as well as go through and discuss the questions in the study guide.

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Dad, are you ready to die?

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Photo credit: Bruce on flickrStuart* levelled his eyes steadily at his father Frank. He took a breath before asking one of the most difficult questions a son could ask: “Dad, are you ready to die?”

Frank had been in and out of the hospital over the past few months with a series of problems. First there was a fractured hip, then the cancer and now there was fluid in his lungs. The doctors had run tests and determined the problem—his kidneys had failed.

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Four visits to the manicurist. Four books on the good news.

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Photo credit: Hoa Dang on flickrWith willingness and a keenness to share the gospel whenever the opportunity arises, one can never tell how God will use a person to give away the Good News. Here are four consecutive visits to the manicurist that resulted in the good news being shared.

First visit
Last December, while Christina* was getting her nails done and having a chat at the salon, Christina’s manicurist wondered aloud what she should get for her seven-year-old son as a Christmas present. Ever alert for an opportunity, Christina asked if her son liked to read. The manicurist said yes and Christina went to her van and from her “Be Ready” box, pulled out a copy of The Lamb. She presented it to her manicurist as a gift for her son. On a subsequent visit, the manicurist reported that her son loved the book and got his father to read him the story every night.

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Discipling ‘baby’ believers

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Bible StudyThe following is an excerpt from an email from Simon and Lydia,* a couple in Nebraska. They are using By This Name as a Bible study guide to ground new “baby” believers. Not only did they help their students, they themselves were refreshed by the amazing grace of God in the gospel story. Here is what they shared:

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Don’t stop Easter (Part 2)

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Hair SalonWe mentioned yesterday how the Easter season is natural opportunity to share the gospel. We shared a story of how four women went out of their way to make the Easter season last all year by training teachers to share the Good News. Today, we have a story of a lady who recently understood the Good News and is already using natural opportunities in her daily life to pass on the gospel.

I consider myself a “quiet witness.” I try to mention Jesus here and there in everyday conversations. This past year, with four deaths in my family—one of them my twenty-year old cousin—I’ve had opportunities to tell how my trust in Jesus held me together when my world felt like it was falling apart.

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How are you using your retirement?

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Group Bible Study

In Quebec, two retired professionals decided to lead a course teaching other retirees the main message of the world’s all-time bestseller: the Bible. This was the write-up they had for the course which was advertised in an academy for retirees:

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Take a journey within a journey

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Photo credit: Hajime Nakano on flickr

[This post is part of our “Give away the gospe” series. Eric* writes from his personal experience.]

One day three years after receiving a bone marrow transplant, I was in the cancer clinic for my annual check-up. As I sat in the lab, a young nurse came to do routine blood work. I asked her, “Are you taking a vacation this year?”

She replied, “Yes, I am starting my holidays day after tomorrow.” She went on to say that she was leaving on a trip to Dubai to see a friend. I asked her how long the flight was, and she told me that with layovers and flight time, the trip was almost a full 24 hours. I asked her if she liked reading. She said she did.

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Video Clips for “By This Name” Interactive Edition

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Video editing for By This Name Interactive Edition

The video clip editing for By This Name Interactive Edition has been slow-going.  This upcoming edition will include a DVD with video clips that help teach the material. As people read through the book, some sections will have a DVD icon, and they can view a video clip to help understand the message better.

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