Wonderfully staggering numbers regarding spiritual "seekers" worldwide! Frequently http://www.greatcommission2020.com/ receives 300,000 "hits," 30,000 indicating "decisions" for Christ, and 4,000 wanting to be followed up ... worldwide ... every day!  Visit http://www.greatcommission2020.com/ to see such in "real time."  A blue flag popping up tells where the seeker is located; a golden flag indicates that one has received Christ and what part of the world he/she is located.  Michelle Diedrich, a leader of Campus Crusade's Global Outreach, tells about these mattes, including the approximately 100 online websites Crusade hosts to address questions and provide responses to "seekers" worldwide.  Nearly 5,000 "on line" missionaries are currently volunteering to serve those asking for online follow-up.  More are needed. Should you, or someone you know, become an "online missionary?"   -- Other related and helpful websites for sharing Christ on the Internet:

• Explaining Global Media Outreach ... http://www.globalmediaoutreach.com/;
• How to become an online missionary ... http://www.gmojoinus.com/;
• How to church can be involved in Global Media Outreach; or "Always ready - Your Church Online Mission Program" ... http://www.gmoalwaysready.com/.

Danae Dobson wrote her first book, for children, at age 11, and was published at age 12.  She appreciates the great heritage that is hers as the daughter of two great American Christians – Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family; and Shirley Dobson, National Chairman of the National Day of Prayer.  Danae is another confirmation that “…the acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree.”  She is to visit and be featured at a women luncheon on Saturday, May 1, 2010 in the Canaan Baptist Church of St. Louis, MO.  All ladies and girls are invited.  Host church Canaan Baptist is “shepherded” by Dr. Bruce McCoy, President of the 2,000 churches of the MO Baptist Convention.  The invitation on www.canaanstl.org to hear and meet Danae Dobson is as follows: 

Come join other women in the Saint Louis area as
Danae Dobson asks: “Is Your Cell Phone Ringing?”

Are you answering God’s call?

The Women’s Ministry at Canaan Baptist Church is excited to welcome Danae Dobson, noted author of 23 books to date including Let’s Walk the Talk! The Best of Woof! and Parables for Kids (co-authored with Dr. James Dobson). She has appeared on the 700 Club and Time For Hope as well as being a radio guest on Minirth Meier and Focus on the Family.
Luncheon is Saturday, May 1, 2010 beginning at 11:30am at Canaan Baptist Church, 5409 Baumgartner Road, Saint Louis, MO 63129 (314) 487-1730.

The ticket price for the luncheon is $28 per person. Tables of 8 are $224 and will be given priority location. The luncheon, catered by Butler’s Pantry will include a book signing.

Pastor Harry Douma had a vision and a calling to provide a free camp experience … and the Good News of Jesus … to many underprivileged youth.  He was obedient, and his vision was blessed.   For more than 30 years tens of thousands of inner-city children went to Camp Penuel, more than 600 beautiful acres on a big lake in southeast (Ironton) Missouri (and later at two additional locations).  Harry and his family gave their lives to this passion for poor children.  Generous donors supported the great work over the years by giving millions to make it happen.  Thousands of volunteer gave their time and commitment.  Churches were involved. Harry radiated with joy when reporting that each year that many of them upon hearing the Gospel of Jesus would receive Him for forgiveness and the gift of eternal life.  (A few children, after attending Camp Penuel, would return home and be killed in the crossfire of inner-city violence.)  I was privileged for several years, at Harry’s request, to emcee the Camp’s annual fundraiser.  In January, 2011, after giving his life in service of Jesus and the children of Camp Penuel, Harry Douma went to be with the Lord.  Moe good news: every born again (John 3:3) believer will see him again.

When Joan and I passed through Branson, MO on our most recent visit, we saw the much acclaimed stage production of “Noah the Musical.”  It was more remarkable than I ever anticipated!  Learning that Noah’s Branson stage “run” concludes October 15, 2011, we hoped that many others could also enjoy and be impacted by it … as were we.   Noah must be the most remarkable stage production that I have ever seen.  It is powerful, compelling, and almost beyond one’s comprehension.

In this radio discussion, Josh Enck (Ank), Co-President and Chief Creative Officer, tells the amazing story of Sight & Sound (www.sight-sound.com).  Josh is the son-in-law of the visionary founders, Glenn and Shirley Eshelman.

From their Noah brochure:  “In the early 1970’s, God began to birth a vision in the hearts of Glenn and Shirley Eshelman ‘to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ … by visualizing and dramatizing the scriptures thorough inspirational productions …’”

While the dramatic musical spotlights the biblical account of Noah, the presentation powerfully includes events all the way from God’s creation to the resurrection of Jesus and His promised second coming.

The two locations of Sight & Sound --- in Pennsylvania and in Branson – utilize more than 500 fulltime employees.

When taking a look at www.sight-sound.com, also see a website on the Branson legacy …

www.ozarkmountainlegacy.org  ………

wherein an official Branson document is cited which concludes by stating … 

“We Are Guided by Christian Biblical Values”

In a remote section of India, Ben Edwards spoke to 60 MBB's (Muslim Background Believers), and asked: “How many of you have had a dream or vision of Jesus?”  45 of them raised their hands … 75 % of the group!  In this radio conversation Ben tells this story and others of an amazing phenomenon among great numbers of Muslims worldwide:  Jesus is appearing to them in dreams and visions.  Indeed, Jesus Christ really loves Muslim people.

Ben Edwards is the Vice-President of CBN (www.cbn.com) International.

Nick Eicher, publisher of World Magazine (www.worldmag.com), has the challenging responsibility of overseeing everything that goes into each issue of this outstanding newsmagazine. World asks the question:  Whose World is it?  World Magazine answers: "The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof; the world and those who dwell therein.” (Psalm 24:1).  World’s unique contribution is seen in its mission statement:  “WORLD’s mission is to report, interpret, and illustrate the news in a timely, accurate, enjoyable, and arresting fashion from a perspective committed to the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. WORLD is a full-color biweekly news magazine published 26 times a year, available for prompt delivery to your business or home or anywhere you like. It is not available on newsstands.”  World Magazine is an important and very readable addition to every home.  Subscribe, please!

Carolyn Elias is a mature lady who loves Jesus, the Scripture as the Word of God, and her United Methodist Church.  Passionate that her beloved denomination be true to the Bible as God’s revealed word, since the early 1980’s she has been an active and influential (and now a lifetime) member of the unofficial Good News Committee of the UMC.  In this radio discussion Carolyn describes some of the positive contributions of the Good News group: holding Biblical positions on sexuality, marriage, homosexuality, abortion, Sunday School literature, and a reemphasis on evangelism and missions.  She feels that these efforts have contributed to keeping the United Methodist Church from experiencing a “split” … which was a major objective of the Good News movement from its birth. 

This direction of strengthening the UMC’s Biblical foundations has been greatly reinforced, she reports, by the rapidly growing United Methodists of Africa, strong advocates of the denomination’s Biblical foundation and the heritage provided by John Wesley.

While active in her denomination, Carolyn for years was a leader of several hundred women in the Explorers’ Bible Study, which met in the church that I pastored in Jacksonville, IL.  It was during that time her larger family was surprised by worldwide attention.  She and husband Barney’s son, Ed Elias, a young combat pilot shot down in Vietnam, was one of the first three Prisoners of War released by the North Vietnamese, signaling a beginning of the end of the war.

Even in the 2011 death of husband Barney Elias, his sense of humor was revealed in the memorabilia displayed at the time of his funeral.  I picked up with interest a very impressive gold-edged book entitled: All I Know about Politics by Barney Elias. Opening it and thumbing through its many pages, I found every one was completely blank!

Carolyn’s prayers were dramatically answered in recent years in regard to her beloved Jewish husband.  By faith, Barney received Jesus Christ the Messiah as his own personal Messiah, providing him forgiveness of all his sins, preparing him for death, and – according to the promises of Scripture -- giving him eternal home in Heaven.

Connie Eller, head of Missouri Blacks for Life (www.missouriblacksforlife.org), tells of doing away with her first baby.  Once done, her sense of loss was so impacting that she vowed never to do so again, thus in her second pregnancy allowing that child to live.  During this time in her late teens, Connie heard the forgiving, loving message of Jesus, received Him into her life, and now to this very day rejoices in the forgiveness and inner peace that is hers.  In this radio interview Connie reports of having just experienced her 17th annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. with several hundred thousand on the 37th anniversary of the Row v. Wade Supreme Court decision. An additional highlight in 2010 was the reception for African-Americans supporting life hosted by Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana.  For 14 of those Washington visits, Connie has been the coordinator of a fleet of busses that departed the steps of the St. Louis, MO Arch to Washington.  The hundreds traveling from St. Louis would sleep on the several busses the first night, do many things the next day in D.C., and the second night sleep on the busses while returning. The atmosphere was usually festive!  I did radio interviews with her by phone as she traveled.  She now serves as a staff member of a loving, caring ministry, Our Lady’s Inn (www.ourladysinn.org), whose stated mission is to “…provide emergency shelter for homeless, pregnant women & and their precious children…”  Connie Eller’s joy and enthusiasm are contagious!