The GoodSeed Blog – Page 25 – Articles, news and testimonies

New, simple online giving

Thank you for being a partner! As a faith-based, not-for-profit ministry, GoodSeed relies on a network of financial supporters. Our supporters are partners in ministry because without each of you, our missionaries could not continue their work and the projects would stall. We thank the Lord for each one of you.

We are happy to let you know that we have a newly-launched giving system. It is just as simple to make a one-time gift as it is to set up a recurring monthly donation from your credit card or bank account. Clear menu options make it easy to select a missionary or project, and you can set up a profile account to log into and track your giving or print records as needed.

Continue reading “New, simple online giving”

Urgent need in the Canadian office: Business manager

Canada Office

GoodSeed Canada is in immediate need of a Business Manager to be based in the Olds, Alberta office.

Basic Functions

Provide accounting support for governmental, auditorial and operational reporting.
Ensure adequate internal controls are in place and maintained.
Conduct financial analysis in such areas as forecasting, budgeting, cost reduction analysis, and operations.
Oversee all areas of the finance department, including its bookkeeping personnel.
Maintain a documented system of accounting policies and procedures.
Maintain banking compliance and relationships.
Participate in the capital development program (e.g., planned giving).
Assist with cost accounting and pricing.
Create additional analyses and reports as requested by management.

Qualifications
The Finance Manager candidate should have education in finance or accounting, or equivalent business work experience. Experience in Not-for-Profit Charity accounting is a plus. Preference will be given to candidates with the CA, CMA, CGA designations and/or Not-for-Profit Charity accounting experience. Should have a working knowledge of spreadsheets such as Excel. A working knowledge of QuickBooks is also a plus. Must be a team player, able to work with others. Continue reading “Urgent need in the Canadian office: Business manager”

Caring for Mexican seasonal farmworkers in Michigan

Girls reading The Lamb

Every year, over 49,000 seasonal farmworkers and their families make their way north from Mexico to Michigan’s fertile fields and orchards for the summer and fall harvest. Michigan Migrant Ministries (MMM) shows the love of Jesus Christ to these guests who visit their state. They give gifts, conduct bible classes in Spanish and English, do summer school programs and day camps for the children, and have regular get-togethers for fellowship.

The approach of MMM is similar to how the Israelites welcomed and cared for sojourner families among them. They taught them about the Lord from Scripture:

Continue reading “Caring for Mexican seasonal farmworkers in Michigan”

Sunday school: Teach live or watch the DVD?

Classroom Our resources have been creatively used in a wide variety of settings ranging from self-studies to camps and small small groups. Here is one lady’s email to us with a question regarding the use of The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus in Sunday school.

Continue reading “Sunday school: Teach live or watch the DVD?”

Christ becomes real to a Chinese atheist

This is Lien’s testimony which was originally published in her church’s newsletter. We have edited it for brevity.

The Bible says that God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:4-5 NKJV). My name is Lien,* and up until just a few years ago, this verse made no sense to me as a young Chinese atheist.

Growing up in China without God

I grew up in Beijing, one of the biggest and busiest cities in the world. I had seen people going into temples and giving money to idols, wishing for good fortune. I had grown tired of people saying, “Be good” so that we could come back in the next life with good fortune. I had also heard about western religions from movies and books. These left me with the general impression that only good people can go to Heaven. I considered religion to be nothing more than a man-created tool to manage society and to advocate for morality. At the time, I did not consider the more important question, namely, what is morality derived from?

I also thought that religious people were bribing their way into Heaven by giving money to the poor people, doing good works and, in some cases, not eating meat or getting married. This kind of thinking never made sense to me. None of my family members were religious and so I did not grow up believing that there was a God.

Continue reading “Christ becomes real to a Chinese atheist”

Please don’t go to the Bible study!

Pharmacy Some years ago, Kathy* was puttering around in the garden one afternoon when a couple on the sidewalk approached her. In the conversation that ensued, the two strangers quoted some Scripture verses. Kathy was excited. For some time, she had been longing to learn more about God but she didn’t have a clue where or how to get more information. Now, here were two people who were willing to share about the Bible!

Upon their return visit, Kathy invited the couple into her home and had a long conversation with them. She was keen to learn more and enjoyed the time together so much that she invited them over for a third visit. On that occasion, the couple invited Kathy to a Bible study.

Continue reading “Please don’t go to the Bible study!”

Panama: Reconnecting and sharing the gospel

Lavonne-Naso-kids — Lavonne reads *El Cordero* (The Lamb in Spanish) to a very attentive audience in Panama.

One of our GoodSeed staff couples, Simon and Lavonne, were missionaries in Panama for 17 years before returning to the USA where they now continue ministry at the GoodSeed office in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho.

Recently, after being gone from Panama for more than a year, they had an opportunity to go back for a visit to reconnect with many of their dear friends in a remote village as well as in the city. In preparation for their trip, they packed a “Be Ready” suitcase full of GoodSeed resources that explained the Bible’s message clearly. Among the books was a copy of All that the Prophets have Spoken in Arabic to be given to their friends who own the hotel where they often stayed. For the Chinese shopkeeper where they used to buy their groceries, they had The Stranger in Mandarin. Also included in their suitcase were several copies of El Forastero (The Stranger book in Spanish) and El Cordero (The Lamb book in Spanish).

Continue reading “Panama: Reconnecting and sharing the gospel”

Are believers judged for their sins?

Sasha* had been struggling for quite some time with an overwhelming sense of uncertainty. He sought help from, Alex,* a counsellor. As they talked, it didn’t take long for Alex to realize that, although Sasha said that he believed in Jesus for salvation, he was lacking a solid biblical foundation with which to navigate through his trials.

Alex prayerfully began guiding Sasha through The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus because he thought it would be helpful for Sasha to have a better understanding of the Bible’s message from creation to the cross.

Everything was going well until one day, near the end of the study, on page 274 of Chapter 15, Sasha read these words aloud:

Continue reading “Are believers judged for their sins?”

Photo-tour: before, during, after Idaho renovations

We’ve been needing to renovate our Idaho office for the longest time, but because each of us were juggling multiple projects, this task had been repeatedly pushed to the bottom of our to-do list. However, we were finally able to coordinate our schedules and spent this month finishing up the renovations.

Continue reading “Photo-tour: before, during, after Idaho renovations”

The gospel set to music

GoodSeed Musical — We had staff and friends form a small choir. Though they only had a few short weeks to rehearse, they really poured their hearts into it.

The atmosphere was charged as staff and friends gathered in the hall and found their seats. They were about to watch not just any musical, but one about the gospel. And it wasn’t just any musical about the gospel, it was one produced by GoodSeed.

“I had no idea how it would be like before the performance,” quipped one staff member. “We knew the project had been going on for years, but we just didn’t know how it would turn out.”

Continue reading “The gospel set to music”