"Preparing to Connect with our Globe"

The door is wide open for many to be involved in global missions. Opportunities abound. We could utilize 1,000 short-term missionaries now. Who is preparing to go?

Whether your interest is in knowing about efforts to reach the world, or becoming actively involved, this page will be a blessing to you. Read about the challenges and victories of global missions. The United Pentecostal Church International has a presence in 177 nations, and we are striving to reach the whole world, with the whole gospel. Be involved. Allow the articles found on this page to motivate you toward missions. Connect with the world!

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Persuaded by Truth and Power

By Rev. Bruce A. Howell, General Director of Foreign Missions

Recently, I received a great report and testimony from Brother and Sister Shane Hayes, our missionary to Columbia/Chile. He said, “God has really been dealing with me about us as the church, taking the power of God to the streets.  Two Sundays ago, I preached, ‘Persuaded by Power’ about how the greatest evangelism tool for the Church is for God to be God.  If we will preach this message, His power will be there to back it up. A man in our church, Bro. Franklin, decided to put this to the test.   He works construction and has been witnessing daily to his coworkers.   Last week, there was an accident at the construction site, a young man, Nelson Reales, fell four stories to the ground in front of his coworkers.  As Nelson laid there, body twisted and dying, Bro Franklin said, ‘Ok, God, You promised.’  So he began to pray for him.  He began rebuking death.  As he did so, he commanded Nelson to get up.  And he stood up!  The job site foreman insisted that he go to the hospital in the ambulance to be checked out and when there, they did an x-ray.  The entire time, Nelson was saying, ‘I am fine.’  The doctor said that he could not understand how this young man fell that distance and not a scratch on him! Because of this miracle, these construction workers were in church Sunday, persuaded by the power of God!” This gave Brother Hayes the opportunity to share truth with them.
The early apostles and preachers ministered in power utilizing both a truth encounter and a power encounter. “And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen” (Mark 16:20).

In the Scriptural sense “signs” may be a power encounter that points people to the one true God. They confirm God’s Word and have a way of shouting, “Hey! God is at work here! This is truth being preached to you!”

Rick Love in his book Muslims, Magic, and the Kingdom of God explains that “the manifestation of the kingdom pointed to and corroborated the message of the kingdom.” He also mentions “Witnessing in Acts…includes both bold proclamation and supernatural demonstration. The two go hand-in-hand (2:43; 4:30, 33; 5:12; 6:8; 8:6; 14:1-7; 15:12).”

Look at how the Apostle Paul conducted his ministry encounters. “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:1-4).

I started with a testimony, so let me close with a couple more. This is from Brother Allen Gordon, and concerns something marvelous that took place in the Solomon Islands, a few years ago. A young mother, a member of the Anglican Church, was dying because of a deteriorating wind pipe. A neighbor told her that she should have her pastor to come and pray for her. She agreed, so Brother Gordon came, explained divine healing, and prayed for her. The next day the lady was feeling better. She called her doctor who said he would see her. Frieda had quit taking medication because it wasn’t helping her. Examining her, the doctor asked the name of the medicine she was now taking. She answered, ‘Him be Jesus!’ X-rays were taken and the doctor surprisingly exclaimed, ‘You have a new wind pipe!’ News of the miracle spread, and a number of people who knew Frieda started to seek the Lord.

Wayne and Sofia Monday, missionaries to Panama report, “Nine year old Edimar Duarte was with his family celebrating the holidays. Suddenly, he passed out. His panicked father began the journey out of the mountains to get medical attention for the boy. When they arrived in Panama City, Edimar was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. Juan Duarte was told that his son had less than a fifty percent chance of surviving and if he did live, he would be seriously impaired. Juan prayed, "God, you know that I am an unworthy sinner, but I’m asking you to heal my son." His son remained in intensive care fighting for his life.

A few days later, a family in our church ran into Juan. In the course of conversation, they mentioned that they were believers. Juan shared his son's situation and they set a time to go pray for him. Brother Juan testifies that when the saints arrived to pray for Edimar, he felt the powerful presence of God enter the room. From that day forward, Edimar began to show improvement. The very next week, he was out of intensive care. In the next three months, he began to respond, talk, and finally walk! The doctors pronounced him a miracle! In June, Brother Juan brought Edimar to our church. His dad asked him, "What is your name and how old are you?" Edimar responded "My name is Edimar Duarte and I am nine years old!"

Jonathan and Darla Sherry, deputizing missionaries to Vanuatu write: “While traveling on deputation in the Texico district, we were prompted to stop at a gas station in the middle of ‘No Man’s Land.’ We decided to purchase a few dollars of gasoline while we were there, and went inside to pay. There was one lady behind the counter, and instantly the Holy Ghost prompted us to pray with her. As we began to talk to her, tears began running down her face as she felt the presence of God and it filled the store. She had a great need that she felt desperate for Jesus to intervene in. After prayer we were able to get her contact information so that we could keep in touch with her. What a great God we serve, that He would send someone to us on the back side of a desert, just so we might know Him in the power of His resurrection. The beautiful thing is that He cares about each one of us in the same manner.”

I recall another faith-building story that demonstrates that people are persuaded by truth and power. Alex Marquez, Sr. was preaching in a small Mexican town. He told Blind Bartimaeus’ story (Mark 10:46-52).  A man, whose blind brother was in the service, began to cry, “If God could do it then; can He do it now?” As Brother Marquez spoke, he took his brother by the hand and led him to the front. He asked, “Preacher, do you believe my brother can be healed?” With simple faith Brother Marquez affirmed that God could and would. He laid hands on the man who instantly began to shout, “I can see! I can see!” The church exploded in worship. The people were amazed. This man had lost his sight eighteen years earlier. His eyes were gouged from their sockets during a fight. At three o’clock in the morning, Brother Marquez was awakened and summoned to the town plaza. Over fifty people were waiting to be baptized in Jesus’ name. The healed man had gone around the neighborhood testifying of what God had done. Nothing attracts attention and brings people running like a church on fire, and miracles happening.
Let’s continue to share the Word and demonstrate the power. Lives will be eternally changed, and the message will be spread throughout the world. They will be persuaded by truth and power!

 

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