Category: I Believe!

A pint of frozen custard

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Frozen dessertHere is an email from our archives. We received this back in 2010 and it has not ceased to be a source of encouragement for us. Here is the story of one young person leading another to faith in Christ through the use of By This Name and frozen custard! We pray it might encourage you to do the same with someone in your life (well, except for the frozen custard). Here is Timothy’s* story.

I was putting away chairs and clearing up the hall after our youth group meeting. I’d been teaching the group and it had been a very good time of learning and fellowship. One of the new members of the group approached me. His name was Jake,* and without any preamble, he started talking. Though this was our first conversation, he wasn’t bashful or reserved. He spoke to me as if we were old friends.

As Jake shared bits and pieces about himself, I was able to piece together his life. Jake had started attending our youth group because he had fathered a child with one of the girls in the group. At age 16 and still in junior high, he was already a father. But it didn’t seem to trouble him at all.

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Ireland: “Youth are the future of the church”

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Irish-teensOften we are asked, “Do you have any materials written for teenagers?” The answer is both yes and no. Although GoodSeed books and videos are not specifically designed for youth, their message connects with most teenagers. Just last week Hansen,* a Dutch church planter in Ireland, wrote to tell what God is doing in raising up young disciples who are able to share the gospel clearly with their own family and friends using GoodSeed tools.

Hansen writes:

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Seven baptisms one stormy Sunday

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StormThick black clouds and the threat of hail did not deter Abundant Grace Church from going ahead with plans for a summer baptism service. Instead of their usual venue—a rural swimming hole with picnic tables and lawn chairs, they gathered in the shelter of a local church.

Seven in all—from young boys and girls to parents—took turns standing waist-deep in the cool water of the baptismal tank. Each one spoke of the One in whom they had placed their faith.

Pastor Mark wrote to tell how GoodSeed resources were instrumental in bringing about this special day of celebration:

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Lord, where would you have me use these tools?

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Praying handsThe warm spring sunshine lit the windows of the church fellowship hall. Nestled among a group of 50 or more TERM Seminar participants, Marie* felt a growing sense of anticipation. She had spent three days learning how to share the gospel, concluding with hands-on experience in guiding a course. Now, she had been won over by how simple it was to use the Worldview Rethink curriculum to lead someone through a clear presentation of the gospel message. Along with her fellow participants, Marie had been asked to think of people in her life with whom she could invite to a course. She started to make a mental list.

Back at home, Marie prayed, “Lord, where would you use me? Where would you have me use these tools?” She took her responsibility as an ambassador for Christ seriously and started with a neighbour. She invited Laura* to sit with her through a study of the Bible.

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The Lamb at a children’s camp

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The Lamb book with lambs

Editor’s note: We received an email from the director of a children’s camp in central Alberta, Canada. He wrote to encourage our hearts. It sure did!

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Counselling troubled adults with a children’s book?

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Woman-silhouette

For years, Isabelle* felt lost and hopeless. Finally, she went to get some help in order to sort out a lifetime of past hurt, confusion and deception. One day her counsellor recognized an underlying problem. Isabelle wrote to tell us what happened…

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A second chance at sharing the gospel

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SunsetPeter* wanted to share the gospel with a 65-year-old friend named Thomas.* They watched The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus VideoBook together but Thomas did not understand the gospel message. He clung to the idea that to be right with God, he simply had to live a good life and follow God’s rules. A year later, Thomas became terminally ill with cancer. Peter visited him at the hospital and, over the course of two weeks, read aloud from The Lamb.

After the first week, Thomas still insisted that one simply had to live a good life to be acceptable to God. But as he learned of God’s ten rules, he began to see he was a helpless sinner. Then, Thomas came to understand how God could punish sin without punishing the sinner through the provision of a substitute lamb. He realized that unless God provided a way for him, he could not live with God in Heaven.

When Peter finished the book, he asked, “Thomas, who is your lamb?”

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Salvation at a meat plant

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Meat worker

Editor’s Note: Many believers find that being an ambassador of Christ involves… building relationships, giving away resources that explain the gospel clearly, and guiding people in a course so that they can understand the message of the Bible for themselves. Kyle* has been doing just that in his work place for the past several years. He wrote recently to share what God has done:

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Guess what? I’m now a Christian!

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Football toss

Editor’s note: Last July, George* shared how he led a group of troubled teens in a resident recovery program through a Worldview Rethink study. Recently, he reconnected with them to find out how they were faring. George wrote us the following email.

I recently had a chance to watch the students from the resident recovery program play a game of flag football. I was eager to reconnect with the guys to see how they were doing. I had not seen them in some time.

When I had finished a Worldview Rethink course with them, there were several teens who professed faith in Christ. There were others who needed time to process what they had learned. Joe* was one of them. He said he had benefited greatly from the study. But how was he now? At the game I was watching, I saw Joe playing. When he caught sight of me, he shouted, “Hey, George! Guess what! I’m a Christian!”

I‘ll admit I was happy and shocked at the same time. Joe had been very cynical during the course and displayed a hardness towards the gospel during the time I had spent with the group.

“WHAT! Are you serious?” I responded.

“I knew you would say that,” Joe said. “You worked on me all spring, and I fought you hard, but I put my faith in Christ this summer. I’ve been waiting to tell you!”

I was so excited I ran over to give him a hug. Humbled, I was reminded of the power of the gospel, to penetrate even the most resistant soul (Rom. 1:16). It has been so exciting to watch Joe grow in his knowledge of the Lord this fall as I have continued my studies with the group.

I have been having a new series of studies with the teens once a week and among them are new students joining in the recovery program. Some are eager to learn about the biblical worldview and others have an attitude similar to that of Joe when we had first began studying the Scriptures together. Again I press forward, trusting not myself but the message of the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit to change the lives of these troubled teens.

(*Name changed as per GoodSeed policy.)

 

I finally understand what they talk about in church!

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Bible in pew at church

Editor’s note: One of our GoodSeed staff members, Reuben*, had the opportunity last year to speak at a sports camp for youth. He wanted to share the testimony of one of the campers.

Last October, an email was relayed to me from a young man named Tyler* who I had met at camp several weeks earlier. Tyler wrote:

“Reuben* is the reason I turned back to God. I met him at the sports camp this summer and I have been unable to find his email address… I would like to contact him again. He has truly inspired my faith. Also, he gave me a book called By This Name and it has helped me a lot to make progress in my faith. =)”

Tyler gave me credit for turning him back to God, but I give the credit to God and thank Him for using me in His work. In His strength and guidance we stand! I managed to get in touch again with Tyler and he shared with me about his walk since hearing me teach the Bible’s message from creation to the cross. He writes:

“I have been reading the book you gave to me. It has really changed my life. I wish my friends were able to experience what I did at the sports camp. I have one friend who does not believe in God and only wants to believe in what he can understand. I have gotten him a bit more towards following Christ. But I don’t know what more I can do. At my church and youth group, I still make references to what you talked about at camp and it has helped me FINALLY understand what they talk about in church.”

An understood gospel is a powerful gospel; it changes lives and gives believers the confidence to share it with others. Pray with us that, just as Tyler was guided through the gospel message, he can guide his friend through the good news of the Bible in the same way.

(*Name changed as per GoodSeed policy.)

 

Photo credit: Bala Sivakumar on Flickr