Too Small to Ignore, by Dr. Wess Stafford

This book is part memoir and part an awareness raising effort about children and our need to value them. Dr. Wess Stafford is the President of Compassion International which is a Christian child sponsorship nonprofit, and a recognized child advocate. He is the son of missionaries. His degrees come from Moody Bible Institute, Biola University, Wheaton College, and he earned a Doctorate from Michigan State University. Much of his childhood was spent in a small village on the continent of Africa. All royalties from this book, at his request, are being donated to Compassion International. The Christian rock singer, Michael W. Smith, wrote the forward to this book. After writing a forward, Stafford writes an introduction to his book. This book is arranged in two parts. Part One traces Stafford's growing up-years. Part Two leads into his later teen years all the way till present, with later chapters his call to action on behalf of children. This book is written with Dean Merrill, an award-winning author and ordained minister.

This book has exactly the impact that the author says he wants it to have. From start to finish, he champions children, their needs, their interests, their fears, their hurts and the wrongs and injustices done to them. I found myself reading about his upbringing in the African village, and feeling strongly, that we have much to learn from these people whom many consider primitive, backward, even savages. Yes, he does not sugarcoat the hardships and the poverty they faced, and yet he lauds them for the community that he and his family knew, the lack of materialism and consumerism and competition and how this drew the people closer to each other and caused them to rejoice in the face of their hardships. I have long been painfully aware that we Westerners, especially in the United States, pay a hidden price in our alienation from each other and loneliness, even in the Christian community--especially, I will say, in the Christian community. The author describes how African culture values community while our individualism alienates us from each other. I kept mentally assenting "Amen" to all of his opinions. I was sickened as he described his periods of abuse at his boarding school, and despite that, I felt a tinge of envy for him that he has been able to rise to such success and be so used by God as the leader of a Christian humanitarian nonprofit. Yet I felt compassion for those at his boarding school, who suffered the same abuse but who did not overcome their pasts, as he did. I felt that he may romanticize children and their good qualities, which we know come from ignorance rather than active, deliberate holiness. In many ways, the younger they are, children's good qualities come from the need to survive rather than from virtue. I got a major sense that he has a dim view of us adults, but I cannot say that I blame him for that. I did not agree with him that children are instant good judges of character, for if they are, then how can so many of them be lured by their abusers and how can they be abused? This is no criticism of children, as we were all children once. But I found it interesting that he pointed out how often God used children in the Bible when He could not trust adults with certain jobs. This book can be too hard-hitting for comfort and was hard, emotionally, to read parts of it. This is not light, entertaining reading. While the author mentioned the need to sponsor children in need, he brought up the topic of child sponsorship only several times in this book and admits that it is only one way to combat global poverty.

What about my recommendations for this book? This author has included a short address to Christian leaders, so this book is obviously addressed to Pastors and to all those who hold positions of influence in the Christian community and in local congregations. So I recommend this book to every Pastor, Board Members, other church leaders, and to all Christian leaders in the public eye. I also recommend this book for all child advocates so they can see their passion from a Christ-centered perspective, and know that Jesus is the biggest Champion of children. I recommend this book for all people who are interested in careers with children or who desire to enter any position of leadership in the Christian community. I recommend this book for every Christian, but be forewarned: This is not light, fun reading. But you will be challenged to action on behalf of children.

Interested In Being A Part of the Solution to Child Poverty? Visit Here.

Dear President Barack Obama, On Behalf of the Christian Community......

Dear Mr. President:

I know that you have given your opinion about some of us in the Christian community. I heard the sound bytes, over and over, of what you said in this year's National Prayer Breakfast. I think it is safe to say that there is "bad blood" between you and many in the Christian community, certainly between you and those who consider themselves "right wing, conservative" Christians. I think we need to be clear about the Biblical meaning of what a Christian is. This person is not any political party but is a person whose primary allegiance is to the Person of Jesus Christ and this allegiance transcends loyalty to political party or anything else. These Christians who are looking to "Christianize" politics and get Christians (meaning "right wing" Christians) mean well, but they are sincerely wrong. We believers are not to look to Washington to save us, but to Jesus.

I know that many in the Christian community do not believe your profession of Christian faith. They call you a Muslim (and I am not at all implying that it is a bad thing to be a Muslim). The issue here is that your integrity is being questioned. I know that your citizenship is still questioned by some. Myself, I believe in taking the professions of people at face value, unless there is strong evidence to the contrary. But, as a frequent user of social networks, I am seeing you and your very character and humanity being called into question. Have you ever wondered why?

Just today, when I scrolled through my Facebook Newsfeed, I saw this survey question that this campaign wanted people to answer. I did not answer the question. It was simply this: "Do you think that President Obama is deliberately trying to destroy the United States?" All we needed to answer was "Yes" or "No." Months ago, I would often visit a Christian website, which I reduced my visits to, not only because of its political bias but because of its many ads and its slow loading time. The topic of the article was a question that was submitted to a Pastor columnist. That question was: "Is it okay for a Christian to hate President to hate President Barack Obama?" I was appalled at the question; did the person really think he or she was going to be granted permission to do what we are clearly commanded not do to, dishonor government leaders? I was just as appalled at what I thought was the mild tone of this Pastor's reply, in sympathizing with the person's feelings about you. Have we come to this, that this office is no longer honored?

I have often been appalled at how so many treat you and talk about you. In fact, I have seen Facebook users call you the Anti-Christ! I remember one incident of a former Facebook friend who posted about you and when she was admonished to pray for you, she declared that you were beyond hope as you are the Anti-Christ. I could not take it anymore and, tired of seeing all the hate directed at you (or what looks like hate), I posted a mild admonition about our need to show respect for our government, even if we don't agree with them or do not like them. A few days later, I found I was "unfriended" by this Facebook user. Years ago, a "Pastor" made the news because he "prayed" for your death because you "had to be" punished for approving the murder of unborn babies through approving abortion at all stages of fetal development. This morning, I saw a post, written from your viewpoint, with talking points about how you are destroying the country. I can go on and on; these are far from isolated instances. And, much of the anti-Obama sentiment comes from the Christian community. I see a pattern here.

Mr. President, these many Christians who are unhappy with you do have a point. I hate to say this, but I cannot dismiss all that they say. I do not know if you remember the Sudanese woman, Meriam Ibrahim, who was imprisoned in Sudan, along with her two children (one who she gave birth to while in chains). Along with many others in the Christian community, I signed many petitions for her release from prison, where she and her children were only because she would not deny her faith in Jesus Christ. I well remember that we signed petitions for Meriam and they were directed to you and I remember the time when a bunch of human rights and religious freedom nonprofits got together to appeal to you and call on you to demand Meriam's release. They were meeting outside the White House, I remember. According to the reports of some of them, you were totally unresponsive to their concerns, though her husband was an American citizen. Yes, Meriam was finally released after some seven months though she and her family had to go through "red tape" before they could leave Sudan and get re-settled in the United States. More recently, we have appealed to you on behalf of Pastor Saeed Abedini, an Iranian Christian and an American citizen. Currently, you have threatened to veto any measure that would forbid any nuclear deal with Iran without releasing Pastor Saeed and other three American citizens from Iranian prisons. Last week, the U.S. Senate voted "Yes" to release Saeed and the other three American citizens, from Iran's prison and to allow no deal with Iran without this. We hope and pray that you will not carry out your veto threat. But I'm being forced to admit that you seem apathetic to what happens to Christians around the world. You made a remark about some of us being "less than loving" because we speak up on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Jesus who are suffering oppression, violence, imprisonment, and martyrdom just because they love Jesus?

I remember how you referenced the Crusades as a comparison to Islamic State (ISIS). Many of us have problems with this comparison. The Crusades were definitely wrong. They were not okay and nothing can justify them. But as I read history, these Crusades were a wrong response to wrongs done against Christians are, more accurately, Catholics. They were not unprovoked attacks. They were wrong, because taking revenge is wrong and because violence is wrong. But to compare them to what ISIS is doing today, with their totally unprovoked and barbaric attacks on innocents, including babies and children and religious minorities, does not make sense and this logic does not hold water. Many Christians firmly believe that your support for them is shaky and weak, while your support for the Muslim community is unwavering and strong. Again, your support for Muslims is a good thing. But you need to show wholehearted support for the Christian community. I applaud your advocacy for working-class people, economic justice, social justice, and health care access. I agree with many of your policies. I hate to see the rift between you and so many believers in Jesus Christ. What will it take to change this?

Mr. President, these believers truly believe that you have betrayed your country and may be trying to destroy it. Your policies on abortion and gay marriage are deal breakers enough for many "religious right wing" believers whose deeply held convictions forbid these things as wrong. I don't think you are out to destroy this country or to persecute Christians, as many of my brothers and sisters in Christ believe. Not deliberately. I can't dismiss all these concerns. At one time, all of us were unborn children. What if abortion had been legal when you were in that stage of development? I don't need to answer that. Also, ask yourself if your foreign policies may be actually enabling persecution of Christians and other religious minorities, as some in the Christian community believe. Just as I think you need to reach out to the Christian community and listen to us, so we in this community need to respect you, even though we may not agree with you, and listen to you. I take your word for it when you made your Christian profession, Mr. President, but you please produce fruit (in the form of policies and conduct that are Biblical) that matches your profession of faith. We, in turn, need to refrain from the disrespect that many others are indulging in.

Sincerely,

Lisa DeSherlia

Living Water by Brother Yun

This book was written by a Chinese Christian who has suffered harsh persecution for his faith. His powerful testimony was told in his biography, THE HEAVENLY MAN. In 1997, Brother Yun, whose actual name is Liu Zhenying, had left China at the insistence of his fellow believers there. He believed that he was being called by God to wake up the Church throughout the West, and challenge Christians in the West to dare to pursue wholehearted, on-fire living for Jesus. Brother Yun has seen God move in powerful ways inside China, which he reports has experienced a stunning revival, exploding in both numerical growth and in maturity of individual believers. He takes the hard-learned lessons from his life of persecution and miracles in China, and applies them to LIVING WATER. Paul Hattaway, an expert on the Chinese Church (and who has written books on the Church in China), has written the introduction to this book. This book is arranged in three parts. Part One shows the problems in the Western Church, and calls the reader to individual repentance and wholehearted turning to Jesus. Part Two shows what the living water is and how to experience its reality in one's life as one seeks to serve God wholeheartedly. Part Three provides much exhortation, motivation and challenge to live as soldiers for Christ and to maintain hearts on-fire for Him. This book ends with contact information for Asia Harvest, which Paul Hattaway, a New Zealand missionary, directs. This book ends with a short first chapter preview of Brother Yun's first book, THE HEAVENLY MAN.

I knew full well what would be in store for me as a reader of this book, as I had read the earlier book by this same author. From the start of this book, Brother Yun makes it clear that he has a relationship with Christ that is more intimate and strong than I have ever seen or experienced. He is not at all afraid of using old-fashioned, offensive but solidly Biblical words like repentance and obedience. He uses those words constantly all over this book. I have always been profoundly challenged by his writings in his first book and now in this book. I could do little more but be amazed as Brother Yun writes of the intense zeal for the cause of Christ, that all Chinese Christians show in their daily lives and their willingness to pay any price to see Christ be exalted and made known to those who have not heard. One account details where a gathering of believers were told about Chinese missionaries who needed funding. Immediately, all those present promptly emptied their pockets to give all they had to these missionaries. One person had no money but felt so moved that he got into the basket where the funds were being collected, to signal his eagerness to give his all! Brother Yun says that this is no isolated incident, that Chinese Christians are willing to go without to further the cause of Christ on earth. On the other hand, Brother Yun says that he has been in churches in the West where he saw that people looked for minimum amounts to put in the collection basket. I could fully understand his point in including this, but I wonder if some of those he had in mind may simply not like how so many local fellowships lavish funds on buildings rather than the needs of people here and abroad. I do not think it says so much about these people's lack of love for Christ, but may say far more about their displeasure at how the money would be spent--on buildings rather than missions. Though I know that Brother Yun and most Chinese Christians have suffered much persecution, I find myself feeling that persecution has actually been good for them. As Brother Yun has pointed out, before harsh persecution and Communism had hit China, Chinese Christians had been more lukewarm in faith and believers but not disciples. But persecution has purified them and simplified the larger Chinese Church. I cannot help but mentally say "Amen!" when this author observes that the traditional church structures throughout the West actually hinder, rather than help, Christians grow in faith and to live in grace and freedom. I have often felt that the way that our church structures, worship patterns and the way we have re-defined fellowship to be exchanging greetings and acting on our best behavior when we meet, stifle transformation. I feel that this word is way overused in our local fellowships, for our well-meaning Pastors and church leaderships have set things up where transformation, in the Biblical sense of the word, is hard to experience. But though Brother Yun does not, from what I remember, mention transformation, clearly he and his fellow Chinese believers know all about it by experience. Though we ought to thank God for our religious freedoms, it seems that we actually pay a hidden price for enjoying them in missing out on the freedom and grace in serving God without the constraints of institutionalized Christianity, that we in the West know. You need to read Brother Yun's books to get the idea.

I recommend this book for every Pastor and all others in church leadership, in every Christian congregation here in the West, especially in the United States. I warn you, though, that if you do not believe in signs and wonders, that you may be offended at this book and even be angry. Brother Yun is clear in that he sees signs and wonders as being simply a normal part of the obedient, faith-filled Christian life. You may be tempted to dismiss him as a false teacher, but you should check all he says with Scripture, just like anyone else. Brother Yun testifies to what he has seen and heard in his country; I am not aware that he has any affiliation with any Western Christian movement, much less the signs and wonders movement, or the Charismatic movement. I recommend this book for every single Christian. It will serve as a rude awakening to many believers. That is better to happen now that at the Judgment Seat of Christ, when it will be too late to get it right in your walk with God. If you cannot find LIVING WATER at your library, you should be able to find Brother Yun's earlier book. Please try and read this book.

What You can Do for Nepal

By now, you no doubt have heard about what is probably the most tragic earthquake in human history. Currently, the death toll has risen to over a gruesome 7,000 souls. Each of these souls had a family who are mourning them and will never be able to forget. Many thousands of people have been injured. Each of these individuals has a harrowing story to tell. Many, many people have lost homes and/or businesses and have to start all over again. They, too, have stories to tell. There are native Christians in Nepal who have been affected by this earthquake. Their faith is being sorely tried as never before. Many, many people--individuals, groups and nonprofits--are involved in the massive effort to bring hope, help, and restored lives to countless desperate people. We as Christians know that we are called to do our part. But the need is so completely overwhelming and massive; what can we do?

Pray

1). Pray for all the individuals, groups and nonprofit workers bringing hope and help to these desperate people. Pray for resources, guidance and support for these workers. Pray that they will be given peace of heart and strength as they work to rebuild the lives of earthquake victims. Pray that Christian workers will show and tell of the love of Jesus to those they serve.

2). Pray for all those who have lost loved ones, that they will be given comfort and hope.

3). Pray for all those who have lost homes and/or businesses, that their losses will be restored.

4). Pray for the many thousands who are injured, that God will heal them from their physical and emotional wounds.

5). Pray for Nepal's native Christians affected by the earthquake, that God will give them comfort, peace, hope and grace to not only survive but thrive and to be light amidst the sadness, to those around them.

6). Pray that God will use this terrible tragedy to open the hearts of many people to Jesus, that they will be given opportunities to encounter Christians, will hear the Gospel and respond in saving faith.



Raise Awareness


Cannot donate? You certainly pray, using the prayer tips above, or coming up with your own ideas. These workers and the desperate people they are serving, are in dire need of our prayers. The workers need our prayer support to do their difficult work and as they see all the misery first-hand. The people need our prayers as their lives are rebuilt and they heal from the trauma. prayers are needed to open hearts to the Gospel and to prepare the hearts of people to hear the Gospel from Christian workers. You can raise awareness by sharing this post as well as visiting the website of the link I will give at the end of this post, and sharing it. Gospel for Asia, as its name suggests, specializes in meeting the material, social, emotional and spiritual needs of people on the continent of Asia, and Nepal is in Asia.

Give

Yes, I know that you no doubt have already received your share of donation requests to fund the massive relief effort in Nepal. I certainly have. And we all have financial pressures and commitments that should not be broken. If you are able to give, there are no shortage of those who want your donation buck. I recommend Gospel for Asia because I have done my due diligence on them, as much as I can. Not only do they serve many felt, desperate needs of people, but their primary goal is to make Christ known among the people they serve. Nepal is a closed country, but this disaster may open many hearts to the Gospel. If you can give, you can give to quite a few fine nonprofits, but I recommend Gospel for Asia. If you want to give, go here.

These photos are provided courtesy of Gospel For Asia.