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Enter into the Supernatural Kingdom

Craig von Buseck — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:57:45 GMT

It's time to unlock your destiny.

Marguerite Evans Ministries presents the advanced "How to Enter into the Supernatural Kingdom" seminar with Ivan & Isabel Allum, March 1-3, 2012, at CBN in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Ivan and Isabel Allum have been involved in various levels of ministry and church leadership for more than 20 years. They were trained and mentored by John & Carol Arnott, who taught them to love God's people and bring healing to their lives. Their passion is to make the Father's heart and His love known to others and to release His Kingdom into their lives.

The Allums have an international prophetic ministry, ministering to people and training and equipping them in:

Hearing the voice of God;
Activating the gift of prophesy from the Father's heart;
Entering into the levels of revelations, dreams, and visions; and
Operating in prophetic worship and evangelism.

Through this seminar you will:

Hear dynamic, Biblically-sound teaching;
Receive prophetic impartation; and
Activate God’s supernatural giftings in you.

Schedule

Thursday, March 1st: 7 p.m. (6 p.m. registration)

Friday, March 2nd and Saturday, March 3rd: 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

CBN/Regent Campus
Corporate Support Building Chapel
977 Centerville Turnpike
Virginia Beach, VA 23463

Seminar Registration

$70 per person for all 5 sessions
Early bird rate (until Feb 27) $50 per person
Students $50 at the door
Early bird student rate (until Feb 27) $35 per person
$30 single day or $20 per session

Send check or money order along with your name, address, and phone number to:

Marguerite Evans Ministries
Re: Advanced Prophetic Seminar
P.O. Box 65521, Virginia Beach, VA 23467

Limited space available

For more information call 757-512-8488

Or e-mail: m@margueriteevans.com

More on Ivan and Isabel Allum

Through their ministry, Ivan and Isabel also help pastors and leaders receive vision, direction, and strategy for their ministry, their church, and for the destiny of the people under their care. As a result, many churches have been transformed and are fulfilling their destiny. They also act as apostolic and prophetic advisors to a number of churches and ministries around the world.

Their heart is to impart what they have to others and raise them up in ministry. Their prophetic ministry, which is characterized by the Father's love, brings healing, restoration, vision, and direction to the lives of people, churches, and ministries as it reveals the destiny God has planned for them (Jeremiah 29:11).

Through the years they have been involved in several church plants. They co-founded Highlands Christian Ministries, where they pastored for ten years. Currently they are the senior pastors and founders of Forest City Destiny Church in London, Ontario Canada. Both Ivan and Isabel are ordained through Anchor Ministerial Fellowship. Ivan is originally from England and Isabel is from Costa Rica.

Ivan and Isabel are the authors of the book Your Destiny ... Unlocking the Impossible Promises of God.

Recommendations

As a pastor I can scarcely recall any visiting ministry affecting a church like the Allum's affected ours. If you are looking for a prophetic ministry that will equip you and your church for the days ahead, this is it.
—PJ Hanley, Banner of Love Christian Fellowship, Port Ewen, NY USA

Ivan & Isabel have a unique prophetic ministry. Their sensitivity to the Holy Spirit is precious. Their love for every member of the body of Christ was a privilege to witness, as they came amongst us and modeled the servant ministry of Jesus. Their visit to our church gave us a wonderful revelation of the Father Heart of God.
—Andy & Sharon Britton, Kingsway Church, Manchester, England

Learn more about the ministry of Ivan and Isabel Allum at http://www.ivan-isabel.com/

More from Marguerite Evans at http://www.margueriteevans.com/

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Nate Parker: Faith and Courage in 'Red Tails'

Craig von Buseck — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:44:57 GMT

Craig von Buseck: This is a story that is known, but maybe not well-known to this generation. What was it that attracted you to this particular story?

Nate Parker: The thing that attracted me to the story was what you just said, the fact that it wasn't known. We spend so much time celebrating superheroes that are fictional, and here we have the superheroes that actually lived, and breathed, and created the legacy of the Tuskegee airmen. They helped to save Europe from becoming enslaved by Hitler. I was really drawn to it because I felt like it was a page in the history books that was never added. I try my best to pick projects where I can take that page that was cast away and put it back where it belongs so that everyone can learn the history of America.

CVB: As I was looking over the film and the history of the Tuskegee airmen, it was almost like history was repeating itself. In the American Civil War, you saw the 54th Massachusetts in a similar situation where they were recruited, but were never given a chance to fight. When they did finally get into the fight, as shown in the movie 'Glory', they opened the door for all the other black soldiers who came in afterwards. Lincoln said the contribution of these black soldiers helped turn the tide of the Civil War. You see that repeated in this story. What was your thought on that?

Nate Parker: The difference between this project and the 'Glory' film, and 'Glory' is one of my favorite movies of all time, is that this film shows black leaders empowering other black men. And while 'Glory' was an incredible movie, it relied on the older structure or archetype where the white hero makes decisions and liberates and empowers the black man. So I felt that this film was a great opportunity to have this colonel who goes to the Pentagon on behalf of his men to let them know that these things that are being said about the Tuskegee Airmen are completely false. He puts his neck on the chopping board, and puts everything on the line in favor of his men. I really was drawn to that as well. It's unprecedented to see $58 million being spent making this film -- plus the money that marketing and distribution, bringing it up to nearly $100 million -- to promote a film about nine strong, masculine, black men being celebrated for their legacy of being heroes.

CVB: You play Marty "Easy" Julian, a black pilot with incredible skills and yet he was held back because of discrimination. What did you learn playing this part?

Nate Parker: I learned a lot about the human condition. To be 20 years old and to be given the responsibility of leading other 20-year-olds into war, then to lose some of those people, and to be responsible for getting the rest of them back safely on the tarmac the very next morning was a huge responsibility. It reminded me of my days in athletics; being the captain, being looked up to, being the person who is making the "life and death decisions" for the team. But in this story, these guys were really facing life and death. That pressure, that angst, and that anxiety really made him think that he needed some sort of coping mechanism. So this internal conflict led to him drinking. There are so many situations now where you see people using coping mechanisms like food, or abuse, whether it be violence or drugs. In the end he had to face that crutch of alcohol and cast it away.

CVB: In the film, your team, the Tuskegee airmen, were finally given the opportunity to go into battle and then it was a whole new ballgame. What was it like as you were shooting those battle scenes in the air? What emotions were going through your mind as you were shooting the battle scenes?

Nate Parker: Well first of all, we were in a warehouse that was painted green, on a joystick, with half a plane. Imagine how healthy your imagination would have to be, even on a simple ground level, not to mention adding on the layers of emotion and understanding of the story. It was a lot of work, because not only did we have to make it seem like we were flying for real, but we really had to sell our relationship; our brotherhood, our bond. So some of the things that were going through my head as I stack the layers of my imagination and made the environment real was, "This is life and death." We have to be excellent because anything negative will have infinitely more impact than the positive. You have to raise up the positive to a place where our skill and love for our country cannot be denied.

CVB: You look at the accomplishments of this group of fighters and you have to marvel at the doors that they opened to people like Colin Powell, who went on to be the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and then Secretary of State. As you were working on this project, how did that affect your performance?

Nate Parker: It really reminded me that we stand on broad shoulders, and that everything that we do now is a reflection of who we were. We can't get away from our past; the good and the bad. So you have President Obama, or Colin Powell, or General Edward Rice really living through the legacy of these men. We have to also recognize that the freedoms that we have in the African-American community are as a result of these men kicking off the civil rights movement, because their work and their exploits helped bring racial integration in the military first. So the things that they did are bigger than the military. In many ways they changed the whole pallet of the country and the world.

CVB: That really is true. Much of what came in the next two and three decades in the civil rights movement were as a result of these men who had gone to war to fight for freedom and democracy, then came back home and found that these freedoms were not being given to them in reality here at home.

Nate Parker: That's right and yet they still fought. It's funny because one of the things I heard a lot was that when the Black airmen would get captured by the Germans, the Nazis would ask them, "Why are you fighting for a country that hates you this way?" In Europe they just could not understand it. But that's not too different from being in Paris and talking to a couple of Frenchmen and having them say, "How can Americans elect a black president when your country is so racist?" So something like this serves to empower the American brand. It opens a dialogue.

So what is the prequel to the Tuskegee Airmen? What is the sequel to the Tuskegee Airmen? What did they go on to do afterwards? There were soldiers who came back after World War II who were lynched in their uniform. Dr. Roscoe Brown, who was one of the original Tuskegee airmen, said when they got back to America on the boat, they walked down the off ramp and there was a guy with a sign saying white people this way, colored people that way. He thought to himself, "Were back in the good old USA." So these feelings run very deep.

But this film is medicine. It's healing for the airmen. There is scarring and trauma that goes along with a person giving your life for a country that doesn't recognize you. But then President Bush gave them the Congressional Gold Medal. Then to have a film that immortalizes what you did, and to have George Lucas and the resources that he provides be a conduit for that, I think it is really an important step in the entertainment business, and a step for our country moving forward.

CVB: You bring up George Lucas. This is the first live action film that he's been involved in that is not sci-fi since the Indiana Jones movie. What kind of interaction did you have with him? What do you think it was that drew him to this particular project?

Nate Parker: George Lucas was very present on this project. He was there a lot. He was very specific about what he wanted. He collaborated with the director a lot. Seeing them both on set was inspiring in itself. I think one of the things that attracted him was that he thought the story needed to be told. And he was obsessed with the dogfights of World War II. When you look at the trench battles in "The Empire Strikes Back", you'll see that those fights were inspired by the dogfights of the Tuskegee Airmen. So I think that he had a passion for the story for a long time, for the entertainment value especially. But I also think that the historical context was just something that he understood and was patriotic in sharing.

Read Craig's review of 'Red Tails'

Read Craig's previous interview with Nate Parker: Civil Rights: How Far Have We Come?

Learn more at NateParker.com

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'Don’t Walk By' the Homeless in NYC

Craig von Buseck — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:58:00 GMT

Helping homeless to answer: “Where do I find help?” and helping all New Yorkers to answer: “How can I help the homeless?”

Since January 2009, the “Don’t Walk By” campaign has mobilized more than 4,200 volunteers who have engaged more than 3,200 homeless men, women and children on the streets of Manhattan. Nearly 1,300 homeless individuals have returned to a church for a meal and other services, and more than 300 have left the streets that very night.

On Saturday, February 4, 2012, 2:30-7:30pm, at Bethel Gospel Assembly Church (2-26 East 120th Street between 5th and Madison Avenues) more than 300 volunteers will gather to walk every block of Upper Manhattan as part of the four-week “Don’t Walk By” campaign. The goal is to offer every homeless person on the streets of Manhattan the chance to change their life.

Volunteers will gather at 2:30pm for registration and training on specific ways to help the homeless. From 4:30-7:30pm, teams of six volunteers each will hit the streets, prepared with a map of their assigned area, as well as blankets and essential hygiene and winter items. Volunteers will engage each homeless person they encounter and invite that person back to Bethel Church for a meal.

Other volunteers will offer additional services at the church, such as clothing and professional medical care. In addition, representatives of various residential programs will invite guests to the opportunity of safe shelter for the night.

Brian Johansson, Vice President of The Bowery Mission and one of the founding leaders of “Don’t Walk By,” says, “These volunteers and organizations are driven by a common goal: To make sure that no one suffers on the streets of New York City in the winter, and to see that each person gets a chance for a new life.”

“Don’t Walk By” is a cooperative effort of eight faith-based organizations: American Bible Society, Betel America, The Bowery Mission, Hope For New York, New York City Relief, New York City Rescue Mission, Street Life Ministries, and Streetlight Mission. By pooling their resources, these eight organizations have mobilized this first-of-its-kind campaign for four consecutive winters.

The strategy is based on the biblical story of the Good Samaritan. The Good Samaritan chose not to walk by a man who was in trouble on the side of the road, but instead used his resources to get man to a place of community and help.

Media are welcome to attend the training and to accompany street outreach teams.

Outreaches will continue each Saturday in February on the following schedule:

Saturday, February 11 – West Side Calvary Baptist Church, 123 West 57th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues

Saturday, February 18 – Downtown Oversea Chinese Mission Church, 154 Hester Street, at Elizabeth Street

Saturday, February 25 – East Side Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, 921 Madison Avenue, at East 73rd Street

For more information go to http://dontwalkby.org/ or contact James Winans at 212-684-2800 (ext. 104), or 973-634-0496, or email: media@bowery.org

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At 100 Roy Rogers Still Inspires

Craig von Buseck — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:00:30 GMT

Roy Rogers' 100th birthday was marked in November of 2011 and his wife, Dale Evans, will be 100 in October of 2012. So to honor the compassion, leadership and faith of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, friends and family have released a new film, "Dale Evans: Life Beyond the Happy Trails”.

I've always loved to read and in my early teen years I picked up my mother's copy of Dale Evans autobiography, "Trials, Tears and Triumph." I was inspired by the way that Dale and Roy had both struggled in their early lives, but then came together to form a loving marriage and family. Through tremendous highs and grinding lows, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans never turned from their faith in God, their love for each other, or their commitment to their children.

And they remained a shining example of faith in the midst of trials to their fans for decades.

That same story has been retold in this new film, "Dale Evans: Life Beyond the Happy Trails", from Director/Producer Steve Morales, The Dale Evans Project, and Henniger Media Services Inc.

This documentary looks at the issues of family and faith in the lives of these icons of film, TV, and radio. Behind the curtain of their glamorous careers, the documentary portrays the heroic compassion that moved them to adopt nine orphans and the abiding faith that anchored them through the tragedy of burying three of their children.

“We didn’t want the legacy of Dale and Roy to be forgotten,” said Morales who heads up The Dale Evans Project, a grass roots organization whose mission is to unite multiple generations to discuss the character and values that make this country great. “No couple epitomized good, morale character more than Roy and Dale. Unfortunately, most people under 55 don’t know about them,” continued Morales.

The team of Rogers and Evans—and not to forget their faithful steed Trigger—lit up the big screen co-starring in more than 28 films during their heyday of the1940s and 1950s, when going to a good cowboy movie on Saturdays offered escape from the realities of a world at war. With 2,000 fan clubs from the US to England to Japan and Australia, Rogers and Evans charmed and inspired generations with their humor, vitality and solid moral character.

Life Beyond the Happy Trails

In the beginning, Evans’ beauty and song-bird like singing voice caught the attention of Hollywood film studio execs in search of a leading lady to star opposite Rogers, dubbed the Singing Cowboy. Becoming one of the first icons for American girls, Evans was labeled “Queen of the West” for her portrayal of feisty characters, who could hold their own.

Though Dale grew up in a Christian home in Uvalde, TX, she began to re-examine her faith as a mother experiencing “deep loneliness” while husband Roy worked long hours. For the first time, the focus came off of herself, and Dale found comfort and new-found happiness that intrigued Roy and others.

“He wanted to know what it was all about,” said Dale’s oldest son Tom Fox about Roy’s decision to also trust Christ as his savior.

Judy Whisenant, a close family friend, remembered, “Dale never preached or drilled you with her faith—but she lived it.”

Off the well-documented happy trails of their on-screen magnetism, Dale and Roy blazed a trail of compassion caring, against doctor’s orders, for their Down-Syndrome baby Robin who died in their home two days before her second birthday. Dale’s best-selling book, Angel Unaware, a tribute to Robin, affected millions of special needs children and their families. In the book, she recalled, “She’s our angel and we are going to take her home.”

Also during this period, Dale penned with Robin in mind the trademark chorus “Happy Trails to you until we meet again.”

Then, in 1964, their 12-year-old daughter Debbie, whom they had adopted from South Korea, was killed in a bus accident during a mission trip to Mexico. And, less than one year later, their son Sandy had a freak accident and choked to death while stationed with the military in Germany.

“You are not supposed to bury your children,” said their eldest son Roy Rogers Jr. choking back tears in the film. ”People realized their faith was real the way they dealt with tragedy.”

“Mom and dad knew something good had to come from whatever was bad,” said Marion Fleming Swift, a foster daughter Rogers and Evans adopted from Scotland. Out of the tragedies came more books, the proceeds of which were donated to humanitarian organizations like World Vision and Campus Crusade for Christ.

Order your copy of "Dale Evans: Life Beyond the Happy Trails"

For information about The Dale Evans Project and for 100th Birthday Party Celebrations happening near you, visit http://www.royanddale.com./

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Relating to God in "With"

Craig von Buseck — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:13:45 GMT

In his new book, ‘With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God’, Skye Jethani identifies the four “postures,” or ways people are relating to God, that are responsible:

Life From God - Those in this category want God’s blessings and gifts, but they are not particularly interested in God himself.
Life Over God - With a focus on organizational principles rather than prayer, one doesn’t have much space in his life or ministry for God. The mystery and wonder of the world is lost as God is abandoned in favor of proven formulas and controllable outcomes.
Life For God - The significant life, it believes, is the one expended accomplishing great things in God’s service. (Perhaps the most popular posture!)
Life Under God - Sees God in simple cause-and-effect terms—we obey His commands and He blesses our life/ family/nation. Our primary role is to determine what He approves (or disapproves) of and work vigilantly to remain within those boundaries.

So, instead of life over, under, from, or even for God … what leads us into freedom and restoration?

"Life with God is different," says Jethani, "because its goal is not to use God; its goal is God."

"When God becomes our goal," he explains, "He ceases to be a device we employ or a commodity we consume. Instead, God himself becomes the focus of our desire. But before we can really desire God, we must have a clear understanding of who He is and what He is like. The reason most people gravitate to one of the other four postures is because they’ve never received a clear vision of who God really is, and so they settle for something less."

Jethani points to Jesus, who provides an entirely different way of relating to God. Rather than stumbling in the darkness between forms of religion that are each a variation of fear and control (Life Under, Over, From and For God), through Christ, the lights are turned on and our attention is drawn to an entirely different vision—life with God.

Q&A with author Skye Jethani

Q: You say in your book, With, that you are concerned we are inoculating an entire generation to the Christian faith. How do you see that happening?

A: Many come to church with a holy desire to know God, to experience his presence in their lives, to be cared for like sheep entrusted to a meek and gentle shepherd. But this is not what they see or experience. In fact they may leave the church without ever seeing a beautiful and enthralling vision of life with God. The lights are never turned on to reveal the beauty that is present just behind the shadows. Instead they are offered a substitute form of Christianity, one that cannot break through the shadows and that never really satisfies the deepest longings of their souls. When their experience of faith leaves them disappointed they may falsely conclude that Christianity has failed. In reality, to quote G.K. Chesterton, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.”

Q: What has been your own personal experience with a particular posture that you mention in the book?

A: My Christian tradition had taught me that obeying God’s commands and being devoted to his work in the world was the prescription for joy, peace, contentment, and fulfillment, and this is what I had been teaching others. But after a decade in ministry the evidence, within and around me, was failing to verify this assumption. I could not explain why many of the people accomplishing the most for God seemed to reflect his character the least. Rather than being marked by peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and love many of them were anxious, impatient, rude, aggressive, and sometimes even spiteful. This was not universally the case, I certainly know godly men and women in ministry, but the lack of godliness among church leaders was far more common than I was comfortable with. And I saw these same disturbing traits within me as I gave myself over to the work of God and ministry. Simply put, living for God was proving to be detrimental for my soul.

Q: Your discomfort with the popular “postures” advocated by the church reached a tipping point a few years ago when you began mentoring a number of college students. What happened?

A: Most of these very intelligent young men and women had grown up in Christian homes. They had significant church involvement in their backgrounds, and some even lived with missionary parents overseas. They knew the Bible better than most, and they could engage in meaningful theological and cultural discussions. I truly enjoyed my time with them. But when I started exploring their personal communion with Christ, their practices of prayer, their understanding of sin, and how they related to God, I was dismayed. To some my questions were incomprehensible. “What do you mean, how am I experiencing God?” one would say. Others admitted never being taught how to pray apart from the perfunctory grace before meals and bedtime. Most could not identify any time of meaningful transcendence or moments of peace or joy in God’s presence. They often gauged the quality of their faith on one measure alone—how well they controlled their sexual desires. Many spoke about God as a theological reality, a sterile calculation, or the way an office worker at a large corporation might speak about the CEO whose portrait hangs on the wall but whom he’s never met. Admiration and respect were evident and even a dedication to service, but personal knowledge of God was largely absent.

Q: Where does the concept of Life WITH God come from?

A: The opening verse of John’s gospel is one of many texts in the Scriptures that support the Christian belief in a Trinitarian God. The Trinity, the notion of one eternal God existing in three persons (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit) is a foundational, and admittedly mind-twisting, doctrine of Christianity. But it is also where Life With God finds its origin. With Jesus an entirely different way of relating to God is revealed to us.

Q: Why do Christians have such difficulty grasping the call to live with God?

A: Our instinct, like all people, is to seek self-rule and a posture apart from God. The Scriptures and Christian tradition call this rebellious human desire for control apart from God sin. Yet most of us retain some sense that God is important, that He must be factored into our lives in some way even if only to control Him. But rather than engage in life-giving communion with Him, we opt for one of the other four postures through which we try to manipulate, use, cajole, or appease Him.

Since Eden, our human capacity to relate properly with God has been severely impaired. Like pilots in a fog with malfunctioning instruments, we cannot tell that we are flying upside down, no matter how sincere our efforts at navigating may be. This is the affect of sin. Life With God is different because its goal is not to use God; it’s goal is God. He ceases to be a device we employ or a commodity we consume. Instead, God himself becomes the focus of our desire. But before we can really desire God we must have a clear understanding of who He is and what He is like. The reason most people gravitate to one of the other four postures is because they’ve never received a clear vision of who God is, and so they settle for something less.

Q: So how can Christians experience this constant communion with God?

A: The Gospels show that Jesus lived in constant communion with the Father even when no words were used. This view of prayer is what Paul had in mind when he commands Christians to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Paul is calling us to live as Jesus did -- in constant communion with God. This is made possible by the presence of God’s Spirit within us. We are invited to live in ongoing communion with God, and this is made possible through the presence of his Spirit who is with us. By granting us his presence through the Holy Spirit, we can, as Dallas Willard said, “have our treasure now.” We can live in constant, unending communion with God.

Q: You say in your book that control is an illusion, but what is the alternative? How can we be set free from fear, apart from our feeble attempts at control?

A: No amount of control will ever be enough to ensure our safety, and no amount of control will ever remove our fears. In addition, whatever comfort we do gain through control is little more than a placebo effect. We are fooling ourselves into believing we are safe when in fact we are not. Faith is the opposite of seeking control. It is surrendering control. It embraces the truth that control is an illusion -- we never had it and we never will. Rather than trying to overcome our fears by seeking more control, the solution offered by Life With God is precisely the opposite -- we overcome fear by surrendering control. But surrender is only possible if we have total assurance that we are safe. We must be convinced that if we let go, we’ll be caught. This assurance only comes when we trust that our heavenly Father desires to be with us & won’t let us fall.

Q: And this Life With God posture is what breaks the cycle of fear and control that plagues the other four postures of religious life.

A: Yes. Once this cycle is interrupted, genuine faith (surrender), hope (purpose), and ultimately love, become accessible to us. What brings a person value, significance, and hope is not what he does, but who he does it with. The call to live in continual communion with God means that every person’s life, no matter how mundane, is elevated to sacred heights.

Order your copy of ‘With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God

Learn more about Skye Jathani at www.skyejethani.com

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Syria, Tibet, Eritrea, Mongolia: Praying Through the Window

Craig von Buseck — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:06:57 GMT

SYRIA, MIDDLE EAST

Population: 22,198,110

Chief of State: President Bashar al-Asad

Head of Government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Utri

Christians: 6.3%

Evangelical Christians: 0.1%

Dominant Religion: Sunni Islam

Persecution Ranking: 38th

When the unrest in the Arab world reached Syria, what followed was a series of massacres. In an attempt to maintain control and power, the government of President Bashar al-Assad launched a series of attacks against demonstrators, killing thousands and imprisoning thousands more.

Refugees have been fleeing for their lives across the borders into neighboring Turkey and Jordan. Tens of thousands now reside in makeshift camps.

CBN News Story:

Syrian Opposition Mounts as Violence Continues

PRAISE

Although they face the threat of persecution, a growing number of Syrians are choosing to follow Jesus Christ. The current civil war could serve to bring even more to Christ.

PRAY FOR

this time of turmoil to be an open door for the Gospel to be proclaimed to Syrians inside and outside of the nation. (The Bible, Colossians 4:3)
the salvation of President al-Assad and others in leadership. Pray for the government to stop killing civilians. (The Bible, I Timothy 2:1-4)
the Lord to continue adding to His Church. Pray for a great spiritual awakening in Syria as Muslims put their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (The Bible, Acts 2:47)

TIBET, SOUTH ASIA

Population: 2,894,000

Chief of State: President Hu Juntao

Head of Government: Primier Wen Jiabao

Christians: 0.3%

Evangelical Christians: >0.1%

Dominant Religion: Buddhism

Persecution Ranking: Not Ranked

Two monks have immolated themselves in 2011 to protest Chinese oppression. Tibetans continue to follow the exiled Dali Lama and seek independence. China has refused to allow the nation to be autonomous and is trying to appoint their own candidate to succeed the Dali Lama.

Nearly all Tibetans practice Buddhism. It is often mixed with the ancient religion of Bon - which involves shamanism, animism, and fortune telling.

PRAISE

According to "Operation World," Scripture and other Christian materials are being made available in the Tibetan dialects. Christian radio programs are also being made available.

PRAY FOR

the tearing down of the strongholds of Buddhism and Bon. Pray for all those who have been deceived by false religions to be set free by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (The Bible, II Corinthians 10:4)
peace between Tibet and China. Pray for the Lord to accomplish His purposes for this nation. (The Bible, Jeremiah 29:11)
a great multitude of Tibetan men, women, and children to put their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (The Bible, Isaiah 55:8,9)

ERITREA, EAST AFRICA

Population: 5,792,984

Chief of State: President Isaias Afworki

Head of Government: President Isaias Afworki

Christians: 47.3%

Evangelical Christians: 2.1%

Dominant Religion: Sunni Islam

Persecution Ranking: 12th

The government of this nation has imprisoned thousands of Christians for the "crime" of following Christ. They are kept in horrible conditions, often forced to endure torture. Many have been martyred.

Like other nations in the Horn of Africa region, Eritrea is now suffering the effects of the worst drought in 60 years. Lack of rain has led to crop failures, food shortages, malnutrition, and famine conditions.

PRAISE

The Church in Eritrea is growing despite threats, intimidation, and government abuse. Unregistered churches have been forced to shut down, but house churches have sprung up in their place.

PRAY FOR

Christians to be strong in the Lord. Pray for them to be protected and strengthened as they face persecution. (The Bible, Ephesians 6:10; Psalm 91:11)
the Lord to use Christian humanitarian agencies to respond to the drought, preaching and demonstrating the love of God. (The Bible, Romans 5:8)
the Kingdom of God to come to Eritrea in power. Pray for a great harvest of souls in this nation. (The Bible, I Corinthians 4:20)

MONGOLIA, NORTH ASIA

Population: 3,086,918

Chief of State: President Tsakhia Elbegdorj

Head of Government: Prime Minister Sukhbaatar Batbold

Christians: 1.7%

Evangelical Christians: 1.2%

Dominant Religion: Buddhism

Persecution Ranking: Not Ranked

This ancient land was ruled by a variety of nomadic empires before coming under the influence of Russia and China. It is the most sparsely populated nation in the world.

The majority of the citizens of Mongolia mix their Buddhist beliefs with shamanism and other occult practices. Nearly a third of the people are non-religious. Nineteen of the 22 people groups in Mongolia are considered unreached.

PRAISE

The growth of the Church in this nation has been phenomenal. In 1989, there were only four known Christians in Mongolia. Today, there are an estimated 40,000.

PRAY FOR

the Gospel to be proclaimed throughout Mongolia - to every tribe, tongue, and people. (The Bible, Revelation 5:9)
those who have been deceived by false religions to hear and respond to the truth of Jesus Christ. (The Bible, John 8:36)
the Church to continue growing. Pray for the Lord to use Christians to draw many into relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (The Bible, Acts 3:19)

For more about Praying Through The Window 9, visit http://www.win1040.com/ today!

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Vietnam and Yemen: Praying Through the Window

Craig von Buseck — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:48:51 GMT

VIETNAM, SOUTHEAST ASIA

Population: 89,571,130

Chief of State: President Nguyen Minh Triet

Head of Government: Prime Minister Nguyen Sihn Hung

Christians: 9.4%

Evangelical Christians: 1.8%

Dominant Religion: Buddhism 52.5%

Persecution Ranking: 18th

Vietnam is one of only five communist countries in the world today. The government continues to be repressive and to violate human rights. It continues to persecute Christians.

Like China, the people of Vietnam follow many false religions. Besides communism and Buddhism, they also practice ancestor worship, Taoism, and Confucianism.

PRAISE

Like many other nations in the 10/40 Window, the Church in Vietnam is growing despite persecution. Among the Hmong people, for instance, the Christian population has grown from no believers in 1988 to as many as 400,000 in 2010.

PRAYER

the strongholds of every false religion at work in Vietnam to be torn down. Pray for the Light of Christ to shine into the spiritual darkness of this nation. (The Bible, II Corinthians 4:4)
the salvation of government leaders. Pray for greater freedom of religion and for Christians to be bold and strong in the Lord. (The Bible, I Timothy 2:1-4)
a great harvest of souls in Vietnam as the Kingdom of God comes to this nation with great power and glory. (The Bible, John 4:35)

YEMEN, ARABIAN PENINSULA

Population: 23,495,361

Chief of State: President Ali Abdallah Saleh

Head of Government: Prime Minister Ali Muhammad Mujawwar

Christians: 0.1%

Evangelical Christians: 0.0%

Dominant Religion: Sunni Islam

Persecution Ranking: 7th

Yemen was caught in the wave of protests that surged across North Africa and into the Middle East. The "Arab Spring," as some have called it, led to massive demonstrations. Though President Saleh was forced to leave the country after being injured in a bomb attack, as of this writing, he has not stepped down from office.

Western governments consider Yemen a key nation in the fight against terrorism. The current instability could lead to greater democracy or be an opportunity for extremists to seize control.

PRAISE

Though Yemen is considered one of the least evangelized nations on earth, radio, satellite television, and internet have made an impact. There is a small but growing body of Christian Believers.

PRAYER

groups like al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Muslim Brotherhood to be barred from control of Yemen. Pray for the Lord to raise up leaders of His choosing who will serve the people with humility and integrity. (The Bible, Daniel 2:21)
Muslims in this unevangelized nation to have the opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (The Bible, Romans 1:16)
the Lord to surround Christians in Yemen with His holy angels, protecting them as they faithfully seek and serve Him. (The Bible, Psalm 91:11)

For more about Praying Through The Window 9, visit http://www.win1040.com/ today!

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Libya and Malaysia: Praying Through the Window

Craig von Buseck — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:11:17 GMT

LIBYA, NORTH AFRICA

Population: 6,461,454

Chief of State:

Head of Government: Interim Prime Minister Mahmud Jabril

Christians: 2.6%

Evangelical Christians: 0.3%

Dominant Religion: Sunni Islam

Persecution Ranking: 25th

The unrest that swept through much of the Arab world resulted in a civil war in a full-blown Libya. After months of fighting, rebels managed to force leader Muammar al-Qadhafi out of office.

The majority of the people groups in Libya are considered unreached. The largest - the Libyan Arabs - are still waiting for Scripture in their language.

PRAISE

The Gospel has been penetrating this closed, Islamic nation by way of the internet. Refugees fleeing into surrounding nations to escape the current civil war are also hearing the Gospel.

PRAY FOR

the Lord to accomplish His plans and purposes in Libya. Ask Him to raise up leaders who will serve with integrity and the fear of the Lord. (The Bible, Jeremiah 29:11)
this time of unrest to be an open door for the Good News of Jesus Christ to be proclaimed in this nation. (The Bible, I Corinthians 16:9)
the Kingdom of God to come to Libya. (The Bible, Matthew 6:10)

MALAYSIA, SOUTHEAST ASIA

Population: 28,274,729

Chief of State: Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin

Head of Government: Prime Minister Mohamed Najib bin Abdul Razak

Christians: 9.4%

Evangelical Christians: 4.3%

Dominant Religion: Sunni Islam

Persecution Ranking: 50th

It is against the law in most of Malaysia to leave the false religion of Islam. There are hundreds of extremist groups and many continue to call for the imposition of Shari'a law.

According to Humantrafficking.org, organized crime syndicates are responsible for Malaysia being both a destination and a source of trafficking. Women and girls are taken to Singapore, Hong Kong, and other nearby nations and cities for sexual exploitation.

PRAISE

The Christian population is small but steadily growing. And they are increasingly united. "Christians are networking and cooperating as never before," reports "Operation World."

PRAY FOR

the strongholds of Islam to be torn down. Pray for the Light of Christ to penetrate the spiritual darkness in Malaysia. (The Bible, II Corinthians 4:6)
an immediate end to human trafficking in this nation. Pray for the government to crackdown on this illegal and destructive practice. (The Bible, Psalm 7:9)
the Lord to strengthen and protect Christians. Ask Him to provide opportunities for them to share their faith and for many Muslims to put their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (The Bible, James 5:8)

For more about Praying Through The Window 9, visit http://www.win1040.com/ today!

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Missions, Miracles and Ministry in His 1040 Window

Craig von Buseck — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 23:00:31 GMT

Craig von Buseck: You are celebrating the tenth anniversary of ministry with His 1040. What is it that God has called you to do through this ministry?

Paul Ignacio: The Lord has given us a God-size vision, and it is really with the end in mind. We want to be instrumental in whatever capacity God gives us to do our share for the closure of the Great Commission and the coming of our Lord. God has us doing ministry where it is of great need -- the most unreached people groups. But not just the unreached, but the unengaged. This has come to our knowledge by use of the most recent data that researchers have done. Among the Muslims alone, there are 218 unengaged, unreached people groups.

CVB: Can you define "unengaged" for someone who is not familiar with that term?

Ignacio: Well, let me start with the term "unreached."

CVB: O.K.

Ignacio: In layman's terms, anyone who does not know Christ, who is a lost person, is unreached. However, the missiologist have come up with this definition by coming up with a people group with a population of one hundred thousand and above whose evangelical population has not reached 2 percent…

CVB: So Japan would be unreached…

Ignacio: Definitely so. By the time they get to two percent they drop off this list. It does not mean the job was done. It only means that now there is a cohesive group to perpetrate the reaching of the people group.

Now, there are approximately 6900 unreached people groups in the world today with a population of at least 100,000 -- some of these groups have millions of people. There are an estimated 639 Unadopted Unreached People Groups. And we know of 216 Unengaged Unreached Muslim People Groups.

So there is a great task ahead of us.

The unengaged people groups are those for whom nothing is being done. This may because of isolation, religious indifference, or other factors. There is no known witness, no church planting endeavor, no Bible in their particular language, whether written or spoken, and no evangelistic film.

But in the international missionary community today, God is bringing people together -- across denominations and across mission agencies -- with various giftings and strengths and specialties to address these issues so that there will be strategic employment of workers.

CVB: And that is what His 1040 is right in the middle of…

Ignacio: That's who we are. That's why I'm out of the country every month for at least two weeks. What God has placed in my heart is to come along side nationals. The picture of a missionary today has changed. It's no longer the average westerner putting on a "bush jacket" and a hat. Now it has changed and you have African missionaries, Indian missionaries, Indonesian missionaries, Hispanic missionaries, Arab missionaries, Chinese missionaries -- it's incredible.

God is rallying His people to get the job done.

CVB: How does His 1040 help to synergize missions? That's really what your strength is.

Ignacio: When we got started ten years ago, we were in a small group of people focusing on championing the cause of an indigenous labor force. But that group is growing now. So the role I played was to search out leaders of church planting networks. We believe that God has always been at work bringing people to Himself. We were looking for these people who had their act together, but they just needed help. So we searched them out and networked with other missions agencies to find leaders of national church planting work.

These are the unknown, unsung heroes. They are doing their share, but they are just limited because of the insufficiency of resources. So the first thing on the list for me to do is search them out and strive to develop a trusting relationship. It takes one or two visits and then they see the sincerity of our intention. Then as we consult with each other, we are able to identify what we can do together and raise the level of efficiency.

It's very effective because they don't have to go through the cultural adjustment -- about liking the food, or not (laughs). And the edge is this; these people make a stand for Jesus and pay an enormous cost. They encounter resistance and persecution. If they are severely persecuted, they just change their address. Whereas, if you send a foreign missionary, after going through all those things, adjusting, acquiring language and culture, and all of that, they are very cautious because they fear expulsion. It's a valid concern, especially with the lives of your family members.

We are very sensitive, and really appreciate those who come and transplant their family to a different culture.

We come alongside the nationals and enrich them -- and this is where I have a little edge, because I blend in well. When I'm in China, people think I'm Chinese -- or Indonesia, or India -- in India they thought I was northeast Indian.

CVB: What are some of the specific countries on your heart to target?

Ignacio: We started in the billionaire countries: India and China. India has a very special place in my heart because I had spent two years in India in the early seventies. So I know a lot of people there and God has really knit India to my heart. And after praying for more than 28 years, I finally placed my feet in China -- and brought with me an extra suitcase of study Bibles. So we started with those two countries.

Then I also tried Japan, which is a free country that gives missionary visas. But Japan is a very closed country in many ways and the advance of the Gospel there is very slow. We need to really be in prayer for them. I think with the recent tragedies in Japan, God has really gotten their attention. So those are the first three countries that I visited.

Then I started targeting the Arab world. I reunited with a dear friend who was only 18-years-old when we met on a missionary ship. Now he has risen to the ranks of leadership in the Arab world and I cannot say his name. We reunited in Jordan, then he moved to Egypt. He is in charge of the North African region of missions among Arab nations. He has opened a lot of doors for me.

My early exposure to missions was because of my involvement with a ministry called Operation Mobilization. I was on their ship and we moved around those regions that are now called the 1040 Window. So God gave me an experience within these countries and the gateway cities of the world.

CVB: What do you mean when you call them the "gateway cities of the world?"

Ignacio: The gateway cities of the world are the key cities of major countries with great populations of unreached peoples. These are normally port cities. The advantage that I had in previous years was that I was with a ship ministry and we went to cities with ports, then we went inland in some places. Now I have contacts and partners in most of these countries. God has called and prepared me for this.

CVB: Your ministry has seen some dramatic miracles. Could you tell me about one of them?

Ignacio: There is a lady from Nepal named Kamla who crossed the border into India. She came to know the Lord because of a miracle in the life of her child. She works in the street, carrying pieces of rocks over her head. One night she was awakened from sleep by people crying and weeping and she found out that her landlord lost her baby. Because of what God had done in the life of her own child, she was very bold for making a stand and witness for the power of God. So she told her landlord, "My Jesus can. My Jesus will bring your baby back to life." She kept repeating that.

Her landlord said, "Why are you doing this? Can't you see we're hurting enough? You're a nobody." She said this because the woman was in the lowest caste of all.

The woman replied, "Yes, I'm a nobody. But my Jesus can and my Jesus will."

The landlords came to their senses. Their baby was dead, so what do they have to lose? So they said to her, "O.K., here's our baby. Do what your Jesus can do."

So she took the baby, put her in her bed, laid on top of her and begged God for her life. And God honored her prayer. She came back with the child and the parents dropped to their knees and said, "Tells us about Jesus." That stirred up the entire community and many people came to Christ because of the witness of this very bold new believer who knows nothing about what we are so concerned about in witnessing.

We have a contact in the Kashmir region, which is a hot spot. In one of our first gatherings with pastors involved in church planting in Kashmir, on the western side of the Himalayas, I felt a burden in my heart to bring them together for a time of encouragement and equipping. So that was our first meeting of gathering His faithful ones. This woman was one of those faithful servants that her pastor brought to this meeting. I heard her story from the pastor.

I got a chance to interview her and she is a very quiet person, unlearned, no sophistication. But she has learned how to tap the power of God.

I have found that this indigenous workforce lacks sophistication, basic training, but all they have is God -- and they have found Him sufficient. That's the secret!

They often don't know much theology, which is our concern -- we don't want them to fall into any heresy. That's why we bring solid Bible teaching. And they love it. They devour the Bible.

Learn more about the ministry of His 1040

For more about Praying Through The Window 9, visit http://www.win1040.com/ today.

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