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Of course, they’re coming from wherever they went–wherever they’ve been beyond our walls serving the Lord! This summer, unless more we haven’t heard from are on the way, they come from Mexico City, northern Mexico, and China. Maybe you heard Bob and Donna Waguespack of Mexico City, who were here with their charming teenage youngsters, Sam and Mariann. That was on Sunday evening June 9. Then, by the time this issue is in your hands, you will have had the opportunity to hear Charles Diebold and Carol Murray give us the dope on the Diebold Mission’s work in rural Michoacan and in the Tarahumara tribe of Chihuahua. And on July 23 the  family from China will provide both the message and the music for our worship service.

These are special opportunities for deepening your knowledge of some of the work of Christ in other parts of the world, work which we of this congregation pray for and support financially. A number were thrilled at the picture Bob Waguespack painted of his and Donna’s outreach in Mexico City. Their emphasis is on motivating and equipping Mexican Christians to take the good news of Christ’s salvation and abundant life to others, both in Mexico and in other places.

Bob based his presentation on Jesus’ famous declaration to his followers as recorded in Acts 1:8, just before he left the earth, "But you will receive "power" when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (ESV)

The equivalent of Jerusalem for los Mexicanos whom Bob serves is Mexico City. There the pastors of Mexican churches and the members of those churches are reaching out as never before to let the millions of Mexico City know what Christ can be to them in this life and beyond. But they are also going to Judea and Samaria, beyond the federal district to other states of Mexico and to tribal groups of Mexico. There are even those going beyond Mexico’s borders–-to other parts of Latin America and Africa, for example.

You’ve heard of the Chichimeca Jonaz (approx. hoh-nahs) tribe of Mexico, have you not? You have if you heard Bob Waguespack the evening he was here. He related the fascinating account of how a young Christian he discipled went, largely on his own, to tell the generally retiring and unfriendly Jonaz about Jesus. This, perhaps, is analogous to going to Samaria.

You probably know some missionaries–-perhaps other than those our congregation helps support. If so, you realize that missionaries as a category tend to be especially capable. And, just as in other areas of life, the connections among different people and projects can be impressive. You should know, for example, about a man named Paul Hiebert. He grew up on the mission field in India, earned a Ph.D. in anthropology at the University of Minnesota, returned for several years of mission work in India, taught at Kansas State University, the University of Washington, and Fuller Theological Seminary, and is now a professor at Trinity Evangelical Seminary in Illinois. He is in demand as a consultant in cross-cultural communications and has written extensively on the principles and methods of missiology, Can you guess, now, who uses Dr. Hiebert’s insights as he helps to prepare Mexican Christians to be Christ’s witnesses in groups culturally different from Mexican nationals. Yes, you’re right! It’s Bob Waguespack! It’s really interesting how God brings people together and uses them to accomplish his purposes.

If you didn’t hear Bob Waguespack and see his video, or missed the presentation by Dr. Diebold and Carol Murray, do try to be present when other missionaries come. These opportunities are not only enjoyable, they help us know what we are supporting and prepare us to appreciate and pray for the outreach efforts involved. We hope you can make it when other missionaries report to us.

Many of us are impressed with how secular American culture is becoming. There are increasingly intense efforts to downgrade the Christian faith, and even a little mild persecution of Christians. Our former pastor John Poling and many other Christian leaders have observed that the day may come sooner than we think when Christians in the U.S.A may have to choose between severe persecution and denying their faith. The centers of Christianity are shifting increasingly to other countries of the world, and Christians in some of those countries are dying for being faithful to their Savior. Italian journalist Antonio Socci, in his book, The New Persecuted, estimated that two thirds–45 million–of all Christian martyrs died during the twentieth century. He also estimates that 160,000 Christians have been killed every year since 1990 in places like Algeria, Nigeria, Sudan, and Pakistan. He writes further that "global persecution of Christianity is still in progress but in most cases is ignored by the mass media and Christians in the west." We don’t know whether or not this kind of thing will reach the U.S.

Christians in non-Western countries are also taking their faith to Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. We hear of missionaries from other countries working in the United States. Koreans are going to Mongolia and other places which require them to learn to bridge cultural differences. A Korean is pastor of a Baptist church in Costa Rica. We need to be "in solidarity," as some say, with Christians around the world, and one way to work that direction is to learn from the missionaries that come to our church to share what is happening in other places.