*UPDATE* T-Shirts and Newsletters

Hey Gospelink Community! It’s been a while since we’ve posted to the blog, but the last entry carried enough weight, I hope everyone had a chance to read over it. Wanted to bring a couple things to your attention though – we’re VERY excited about both:

1. T-SHIRTS ARE IN!
Yes, our new t-shirts are here! They’re hip, they’re soft, they fit spectacularly! Many of our shirts are already out the door and people are LOVING them!  Not only that, the funds we’re receiving from these t-shirts are helping us continue to empower nationals to reach their own people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ; it helps us continue doing what we’ve been doing. And what better cause is there?

Want to buy your own Gospelink T-Shirt? Click here!

2. The ALL-NEW Advance… [ Gospelink's monthly newsletter ] is ready for print!
That’s right! September’s edition of Advance… will feature full-color, eye-popping graphics, great articles, a special recognition of our sponsors and donors, and a list of several of our more urgent needs. It will also have information concerning our new t-shirts and a promotion for the month of September. So keep your eyes on your inbox (or mailbox)…you won’t want to miss it!

Gospelink Community: A Force For Good In the World

“On our own, we each can make a difference in the world. But together we are a force for good that exponentially surpasses what we can do alone. Moving together, small sacrifices from each of us can make a huge difference in the lives of the people around the globe.” – Do Something Now, Passion Conferences

If you have prayed for, given to, or otherwise supported Gospelink, we are overjoyed to call you a part of the Gospelink Community!  Up to now, we have had so many great causes for you to participate in! With every cause, our ultimate goal is to take the name of Jesus to as many hearts, as many villages, as many cities, and as many nations as possible. We exist to bring Him maximum glory.  The Gospelink Community has been a great force for good in the past! We have taken the Gospel to hundreds of thousands across Africa and Asia. Together, we have equipped the pastor, reached the lost, fed the hungry, cared for the orphan, provided for the widow, and brought hope to many. We rejoice in what God has done, but we look forward to what He WILL do! We are soaring to new heights! We invite you to engage with us in one of our many causes:

Project Anja 2011 // Watch the Video

Anja means LOVE in the heart language of many in Zambia and Malawi. We want to reach 25 schools with the Gospel of Jesus Christ – each school having at least 500 children. Do the math – that’s 12,500 kids! We want to put a copy of the Scriptures in their hands and the Gospel message in their hearts! We will also be purchasing soccer balls for every school.

The cost of reaching ONE school: $300.

We have had several individuals contribute to this cause.
Many, however, are teaming up to be a greater force for good.
*VBS Offerings, Sunday  School Classes, Youth Groups, Small Groups, Neighborhoods, etc.

Yes! I want to give online to Project Anja // Line 22, specify “Project Anja”
If you would like to give by check, make it payable to Gospelink, Inc. and write “Project Anja 2011″ in the memo line.

National Preacher Sponsorships // Watch the Video

Since its inception in 1998, Gospelink’s main thrust has been the preacher sponsorship program.  We want to free every Gospelink-sponsored pastor up from having to work a second job (and focus solely on ministry). We want to equip him with the tools he needs to effectively reach the lost in his community. We want to do everything we can to empower our preachers to have an explosively fruitful ministry!

We aim to get every preacher 3 Ministry Sponsorship (@ $35/month), 1 Outreach Sponsorship (@ $25/month), and 1 Training Sponsorship (@ $15/month)

Click here to meet our preachers!

Orphan Sponsorships // Watch the Video

True religion means seeing and being moved with compassion for the distressed orphan and widow. Every precious child we seek sponsorship for has lost both parents and until a Gospelink preacher took them in, they had no one to love them or care for them. These children need to see the unmatched LOVE of God; they need to be provided for (food, shelter, clothing, education, and spiritual development).

We have a number of orphans ready for sponsorship.
CLICK HERE to read their stories!

**COMING SOON!**
Gospelink will launch a ministry that trains up men and women who are passionate about discipling YOUTH! We want to reach and mobilize an entire generation to multiply the Gospel and become a force for good in their world! Stay tuned for more information!

An Easter Message From North Congo Preacher Athanase Habimana

In his last quarterly report. Pastor Athanase Habimana (national director of NE Congo) included this Easter message. Take a few minutes to read and reflect on his words.

Shattered but Revived

In Matthew’s account of the trial of Jesus, one memorable moment the evangelist captures presents Pilate washing his hands (Matthew 27:24). The governor’s wife had sent him word of a warning she had received in a dream and Pilate appears to have wanted to avoid having anything to do with Jesus.

Throughout the passion narrative, Matthew depicts Jesus as the person in control of the situation. Our Lord is accused, arrested, sentenced, and crucified, but none of this comes as a surprise to the one who comes with royal splendor to accomplish the will of the Father.

Pilate appears to have decided to use the provision of a paschal amnesty as a means of freeing himself from the difficult bind in which he found himself. When this strategy failed, Pilate washed his hands, in a gesture aimed at creating distance between himself and Jesus’ sentence of guilt.

Whatever the reason for Pilate’s action – and speculations are many – the governor was unable to evade responsibility for what he had done. He, too, had a share in the guilt of those who desired, and made possible, the execution of the Messiah.

Many are the situations in which we may face the dilemma of making difficult choices. Yet, there is no escaping responsibility for the decisions we make. The complex challenges of the decision-making process – developing an accurate definition of the situation, clarifying the loyalties informing our values, applying sound reasoning, and so on – do not release us from responsibility for the choices we make.

Jesus’ refusal to choose the path of self-defense did not make Pilate’s dilemma any easier. His majestic silence bespeaks his resolute decision to do the will of the Father.    In the circumstances, Jesus decided to remain loyal to his Father, whatever the cost. As it turned out, our Lord faced the terror of the cross. He suffered the death of a criminal!

Yet, suffering does not have the last word when we are guided by the Holy Spirit to make hard choices. On Easter day, Jesus rose from the dead unveiling for our benefit that, sometimes, sovereignty is mediated through brokenness.

When we have to make painful decisions, we may need to remember that, in the end, the purity of our motives and the defensibility of our actions may be vindicated.

Easter reminds us that, from the crucible of harsh choices, we may rise with confidence and joyfully take hold of the future that God unfolds before our eyes. The resurrection of our Lord Jesus reveals that life trumps death and truth shines brightly when, by the grace of God, we refuse to avoid the path of costly discipleship.
Pastor Athanase Habimana
National Director

Christy Nockels // A Mighty Fortress

Our God is, a consuming fire,
A burning holy Flame, with glory and freedom
Our God is, the only righteous judge,
Ruling over us with kindness and wisdom

We will keep our eyes on You
We will keep our eyes on You

A mighty fortress is our God
A sacred refuge is Your Name
Your Kingdom is unshakable
With You forever we will reign

Our God is, jealous for His own
None could comprehend, His love and His mercy
Our God is exalted on His throne
High above the heavens
Forever He’s worthy…

We will keep our eyes on You
We will keep our eyes on You

We will keep our eyes on You
We will keep our eyes on You
So we can set our hearts on You
Lord we will set our hearts on You!

Gospelink Vietnam | Gifts That Make A Difference This Christmas

Christmas is the time of year that we enjoy exchanging gifts with
our loved ones. As we enter this special time of year when we
celebrate God’s gift of salvation to us, would you consider
sharing this same gift of eternal life with the people of Vietnam?
There are 86 million people in Vietnam, many who have never
even heard of Jesus Christ. Gospelink is currently sponsoring
over 50 preachers in Vietnam who are evangelizing, discipling, and
planting churches in their provinces. The items shown are
needed to help facilitate the efforts of these men and all play an
important role in sharing the love and hope that God offers
through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. Would you help tell the
people of Vietnam about this love and hope by providing for one
or more of these needs? Give a gift this Christmas season that
will make the difference in the lives of many for time and eternity.

Click here for “Gifts That Make A Difference”

VIDEO: Ukrainian Church Catches Fire | Pray

Please pray for the Pastor and members of Dnepropetrovsk central church – a Baptist Church in central Ukraine – a church which was set ablaze yesterday just 30 minutes after an evening worship service released. What started the fire is still in question.

Though the building was nearly completely destroyed, the Church  was not damaged at all.  Not one person was reported to have been injured. Our prayer is that God would use what appears tragic now to bring Him all the more glory and that this church would see so many more hearts turn to Christ in the coming weeks and months.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FOOTAGE

Gospelink’s Core Beliefs | One Word

From the Gospelink Statement of Faith

ONE WORD | the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, given by the plenary and verbal inspiration of God; and the only infallible rule of faith, doctrine and practice.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

2 Peter 1:16-21 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

God – the very One who created the vast cosmos – is not a distant being. In fact, He desires for all people to know Him intimately. We know this because He has given us His Word; a library of works which describe everything we need to know about Him and about ourselves.

As 2 Timothy states, the Word of God is good for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. Let’s unpack this together:

1. The Word of God is profitable for Teaching
As we read the Bible, we come to understand what God loves, what He hates, His attributes and character, human identity and condition, how God interacts with humanity, how God has designed the world to work, how we can lead rich and fulfilling lives, how we can worship Him, and on and on.

2. The Word of God is profitable for Reproof
The author of Hebrews – in chapter 4 – describes God’s Word as living and active, sharper than any double edged sword, piercing to divide soul and spirit; joints and marrow. As we read Scripture, the Spirit uses the Word as a scalpel to cut away sinful desires; it circumcises our hearts so it can live and grow and be healthy.

John 15 commands us (branches) to abide in Christ (the true vine) because without Him, we can do nothing. As we bear fruit, God prunes us (reproof) so that we can bear MORE fruit. Reproof is always always for restoration.

3. The Word of God is profitable for Correction.
We all have a tendency to drift spiritually – usually unconsciously.  It’s similar to the drift we experience when we visit the beach. We go out into the water, enjoy the waves for 10 or 15 minutes, and glance back to our family or friends back on the shore, and it’s only then that we recognize the drift.  In the same way, we have a propensity to drift, so as we open God’s Word, our minds are refocused on the Lord and we see that we’ve gone off-course. We need to be intentional about correcting the drift – because unfortunately, we cannot passively drift back on-course.

4. The Word of God is profitable for Training in Righteousness.
Holiness is not attained by passivity.  Just as with any sport, training is required for spiritual development. We have to be intentional about being in the Word, praying, pursuing Christ-centered relationships, and so forth. Paul is very clear in his letter to Timothy that spending time in the Word will train us for righteousness. It may be difficult at times, but the benefits will far outweigh any costs.

To read Gospelink’s entire Statement of Faith, click here.