The GoodSeed Blog – Page 43 – Articles, news and testimonies

Be ready for your trip: short-term missions training

Short-term mission trip — Photo courtesy of Joni Hudson

Teams in churches and Christian organizations all around the world are in the midst of mapping out their schedules for upcoming short-term mission trips. The first part of the training schedule usually focuses on preparing the “mission trippers” so that everyone is clear on the biblical mandate for missions. One aspect that is often overlooked is ensuring that the entire team is “on the same page” with regards to the Gospel. It’s risky to assume that every member of the team understands the Bible’s central message or in the same way. It makes sense for leaders to get all the team members to go through a “Gospel refresher” course so that everyone is clear on what they will be proclaiming on the field.

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Worldview Rethink curriculum: a handy gospel tool for parents

It is important for moms and dads to ground their families in God’s Word. But many parents (especially fathers) are so busy providing, that it’s difficult to find time to share the truths of God’s Word with their children. Many parents also haven’t had the training to feel comfortable teaching the Bible. Where should they start? How do they handle questions about death, Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice, and faith? How can they lead their children to understand that they need a Saviour? Sometimes parents are not sure they have the answers, let alone the time it takes to teach their children.

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When family rejects the gospel

When Family Rejects the Gospel If only every family were like the Richards’* family.

“It was in 1965 that my sister and I first trusted in Jesus at Sunday School. Then my mother came to church and she believed. It took a while, but finally my father came with us… he heard the message, and also trusted in Christ. God brought our entire family to salvation and now, three generations later, dozens more have been added.”

When someone understands and believes the good news, their relatives, quite naturally, are affected. When the Philippian jailer believed in Jesus for his salvation, that very night his household also heard the Gospel, were identified as believers, and were baptized (Acts 16:31-34). Testimonies like those of the Philippian jailer and the Richards’ family still happen today. Unfortunately, though, it’s not always the case. Countless believers live each day with the heartbreak of knowing their own loved ones have, for one reason or another, not accepted the Bible’s message. Family relationships are complicated, and sharing the Gospel with family can be risky and discouraging.

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Across the desert

We work hard to make tools that present a clear gospel and we work doubly hard to make translations that will help people all over the world. So when we came across this magazine cover of “The Voice of the Martyrs”, we could only stop to marvel and thank the Lord for taking our tools across the world. Here’s a quote from the article:

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We do love our interns… seriously we do.

Interns at GoodSeed tend to “photo bomb” and eat all the food. But they also roll up their sleeves and get involved in producing tools that will be used around the world to teach a clear gospel.

Are you looking for a chance to gain practical ministry experience? Do you know someone who is interested in interning at a ministry? Here at GoodSeed, we’re always on the lookout for people who are keen on stretching their skills.

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Chocolate and Crosses and Eggs and Tombs. What is this Easter thing?

Giveaway in school

Easter is coming round the corner and the stores are stocking candies and toys for this holiday. If a person who doesn’t know anything about the Bible looked at what was in the stores, what do you think he or she will conclude about Easter?

Easter is a natural time to share with friends and family who Jesus is and what he did here on earth. It’s an opportunity to share the gospel.

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It’s a shame I didn’t understand as a teenager. I might not have rebelled.

Photo credit: Vincent on flickr

We received a note from Jane* about her sister. This is her note:

Recently my sister, Sue,* has been inquisitive about God and the Bible. I suggested that she read, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus. She told me she couldn’t put it down! She wrote me an email and I was so moved and thankful in my heart for God’s working in her life. Here is what my sister wrote:

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89 years old, a phone and a Stranger

We received an amazing call at our office just this past week from an 89 year old lady, Martha*. She wanted to order a few copies of “The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus”. She told us that she had just completed a long-distance study of the book with a friend. How did she accomplish this? Well, Martha and her friend would read a chapter on their own and then they would get on the phone with each other. Since Martha’s friend had better eyesight, she would read aloud the same chapter and the two of them would discuss it as a way to review the material. They did this routine over a number of weeks and finally they finished the book! Martha told us that her friend—who was not doing well spiritually—now had a much stronger foundation for her faith.

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How are you using your retirement?

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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How do we share the gospel on a mission trip?

One of the biggest questions when planning a short-term missions trip is “How do we share a clear gospel that our audience can understand?” When you think of the village or people group you are going to meet, can you picture what you would need to teach them so that they understand the gospel clearly? What if the people do not have any Bible knowledge or know nothing about the God of the Bible? How do you explain the good news?

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