The GoodSeed Blog – Page 31 – Articles, news and testimonies

Question Time with Oaks Christian School No.1: Spiritual Warfare

The eighth grade class from Oaks Christian School did a Bible study using The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus VideoBook. When they had finished, the students had a number of questions for the author. Rather than just sending their questions over email, the class made a video!

We’re pleased to have John Cross reply, also by video. Over the next few weeks, we will post the series of video questions along with John’s replies.

The first Q&A video features a question about spiritual warfare. We were charmed by Molly, who asked if John had encountered any spiritual attacks while he was filming the Stranger VideoBook. Though he didn’t experience any overt spiritual attacks, John pointed out that the Bible tells us we are waging spiritual battle daily. Each day, we have to make choices in life and the Bible says we can either make wise choices or foolish ones.

The choices we make are part of the daily spiritual battle we each fight. In the video, while near Nablus (biblical Shechem), John points to two large visual aids that God used to teach this truth. There in the background are Mt Gerizim and Mt Ebal, the mountains of blessing and cursing (see Deut 11:26-32). They are God’s reminders that in our daily spiritual battle, wise choices lead to blessings while foolish choices bring curses on our lives.

Watch Molly and John Cross below:

See more Question Time videos with The Oaks Christian School:

We would like to express our thanks to The Oaks Christian School, the students’ parents and the students for allowing us to feature the kids’ videos!

It’s an Xbox 360 controller, Grandpa!

Editor’s note: When one of our staff spent time playing video games with his grandson, he gleaned an insight into the challenges that face us when we try to explain the gospel message to someone who is biblically illiterate.

My wife and I were visiting our grandchildren for the first time since they acquired a state-of-the-art video game console—a gift from a generous neighbour. The youngest, 7-year old Thomas*, was beside himself with excitement. He could hardly wait to show me his prowess.

I was no sooner in the house when Thomas plopped a strange-looking object into my hand. The clear plastic, kidney-shaped device immediately reminded me of the cockpit of a commercial jetliner. Buttons, toggles, switches, levers, dials and diodes of every size and colour poked out at odd angles and from all sides. I asked Thomas, “What is it?”

The look on his face betrayed utter surprise that someone as old and wise as Grandpa could be so uneducated. “It’s an Xbox 360 controller, Grandpa!”

Well of course! I guess I should have known that. But the truth was, I didn’t know. “You’ll have to show me, Thomas,” I ventured, for I knew full well this was the response he was hoping for.

Thomas led the way downstairs where he plugged the controller into another mysterious piece of equipment, turned on the TV and began pressing and poking buttons with the dexterity of my great aunt’s knitting needles.

A snazzy red race car appeared on the monitor, sound effects and all. In response to Thomas’s nimble fingers, the powerful car navigated the speedway with amazing precision and realism. Thomas’s body twisted and jerked in concert with each bend and turn of the racetrack. It was obvious my grandson was on familiar ground, in his element; I was definitely out of mine.

Later, when it was my turn to operate the controller, disbelief and frustration were evident in my grandson’s face as he watched me struggle to extract my race car from high in the grandstand.

Reflecting on the experience later, it occurred to me there are multitudes of people who are as unfamiliar with the Bible as I was with my grandson’s video game. The pages and events of Scripture are a complete mystery to them. It may seem incredulous to us that a person could be totally ignorant of the Bible but, in reality, more and more people in our society are biblically illiterate. Put a Bible in their hands, and they will feel much like I did trying to operate my grandson’s Xbox 360 controller.

The Scriptures record how a Middle-Eastern man—a very intelligent Ethiopian official—struggled to make sense of the Bible. When he was asked if he understood what he was reading, he replied, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” (Acts 8:31 NIV)

In our eagerness to share the good news of God’s Word, are we doing enough to help our friends and loved ones understand the gospel message? If we hand them any Christian book, or a tract with only brief explanations, wouldn’t it be akin to handing them an XBox 360 controller for the first time without any explanation?

Instead, what if we handed our friend a tool specifically designed for people with no knowledge of the Bible, a tool that will gently, respectfully and objectively explain the Bible’s core message. Wouldn’t that be a better help?

To understand how we’ve carefully written our tools in order to simply and clearly explain the Bible’s message, please visit our Tools Architecture Page.

(*Name changed as per GoodSeed policy.)

Photo credit: “Xbox 360 Controller” by Scott Ackerman is licensed under CC BY 2.0

See you at MissionFest, Toronto!

We have a booth at the upcoming MissionFest Toronto on April 4-5, 2014.

If you’re in the vicinity, please drop by and chat with us. We’re more than happy to answer your questions and share ideas on how you can either give away the gospel or guide a friend or loved one through a study. And we look forward to hearing your stories of sharing the gospel too!

If you need to restock your Be Ready Box, we will have our tools at the booth.

Details:
MissionFest Toronto
Date: April 4-5, 2014
Location:
Global Kingdom Ministries
1250 Markham Road
Scarborough, Ontario
(South of Hwy 401, north of Ellesmere Road on the west side of Markham Rd)
See map

GoodSeed booth: D1

How can I make the best use of Easter?

The Lamb... an Easter gift Easter is a natural time of the year to explain the message of the gospel with others. Many of our neighbours, friends and co-workers are curious about the significance of this occasion. In addition, churches often use this opportunity to host special events in order to share the Bible’s message with interested people in their communities.

Continue reading “How can I make the best use of Easter?”

Guess what? I’m now a Christian!

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!

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

Announcing the brand new goodseed.com

We’re still unpacking but please come in!

We’re excited to announce a brand new goodseed.com. Over the years, as our ministry has grown, we needed an easier way to keep you updated. The new website is designed to do just that.

You know when you move into a new home, it takes a while before all the boxes are unpacked and all the furniture is in the right place. So it is with our new website. We’re still fine-tuning and adding to it based on feedback. We have additional content coming soon: articles on how to be better ambassadors for Christ, online training and more. So check back often!

To get acquainted with our new website, why not take a three-minute video tour:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwz1KFF4fko&feature=youtu.be

I don’t speak their language… how can I explain the good news?

It was very good to be present at 2014 Missions Fest Edmonton. Many visitors stopped by the GoodSeed booth to check out our tools and ask us questions. We were very encouraged by the believers who had people in their lives with whom they wanted to share the gospel.

Bob* was one of the people who dropped by with a question. Some time ago, a young Chinese couple came by his office by mistake. They were actually looking for a clinic and mistook his office for it. Bob saw an opportunity to make friends and he not only helped them out, he kept in touch with them. Over the months, he met with them several times for coffee and a chat.

Continue reading “I don’t speak their language… how can I explain the good news?”

Conferences and a workshop this weekend

GoodSeed booth

There’s lots happening this weekend. If you have the time and are in the neighbourhood, why not drop by for the following events.

Missions Fest Edmonton
We have a booth (H1) at this year’s Missions Fest. Drop by to speak to our staff about upcoming TERM Seminars or learn how to use our tools to share the gospel with your friends and family. If you need to refill your Be Ready Box with resources, the booth has plenty of our materials.

On Saturday, Feb 22, we’ll also have a 50-minute seminar on “Ambassador: A lifelong lifestyle of sharing the Good News.” We’re schedule to speak at 4:15 p.m. so join us if you can.

Continue reading “Conferences and a workshop this weekend”

A letter from prison

Man writing letter

(Editor’s note: We were reminded of the apostle Paul when our UK office received the following letter from a believer in prison.)

To Sir or Madam,

Hi how are you doing.

Can you please send me a leaflet and order forms and price list and some other information on Worldview Rethink the course so when I get out I can teach it to other people. I would be grateful if you could. I want to be one of your teachers who is teaching the word.

From your brother-in-Christ,
Raymond Carlton*

Continue reading “A letter from prison”