The following is a guest post by Ryan Black, coordinator of marketing and communication for ChinaSource .

On October 1st, the People’s Republic of China celebrated the 60th anniversary of its founding in 1949.

Brent Whitefield has written an article entitled “Chinese Protestants and the West Since 1949” that is very helpful in understanding what transpired with the church in China during these 60 years. There was little communication with the West during the years of Mao Zedong’s communist reign, so many began to wonder “whether there remained a Chinese church to speak of.”

Despite the oppression, the church “had not only survived but had grown” during this time into a prominent position in Chinese society and the worldwide church in general:

Poised to dispatch legions of missionaries to the world, some to take on the re-evangelization of the West, the Christians are asking: “What can China do for Christianity?”

How did this growth take place?

You can read Brent Whitefield’s article and a host of others at ChinaSource’s new site. Visit to learn about China and connect with others interested in China.

ChinaSource is a partnering organization dedicated to serving those who serve China. They provide analysis on current China-related issues through their publications while also informing, networking, and mobilizing individuals and organizations through their events.

A wonderful brother and partner of this ministry told me this story recently and I knew right away that we should share it with you. It illustrates the kind of God-ordained provisions that we joyfully witness almost every day. We’re withholding his name to protect his ability to get visas for travel to sensitive countries.

The call came from the office of the President of Burundi (Central Africa). Since the cessation of civil war a wonderful new Christian President had been elected and he has a new and vibrant Secret Service and National Police Force. He wanted them trained in leadership, but it needed to be leadership taught from the Bible! What a joyous request from the President.

Upon landing in Burundi we were met at the airport by Pastor Theopolis (name changed) and taken to our hotel to prepare for the week of training. We met with the Colonel of the Secret Service and I must admit that most of the Burundian officials wondered out loud what the Bible could really say about leadership in post-war Africa.

By mid-day of the first day of training the postures of the men and women changed from laid back to sitting on the edge of their seats. We had given each of them a Bible in French and it was beginning to come alive to them. They were seeing how the leadership issues and examples from their new Bibles  connect to a post-war nation.

Stories could go on about the week of training. I left the officers with tears in my eyes. They had a Bible and manuscript of the Bible teachings, but they asked for more. They wanted to study about this glorious and wonderful God. I had nothing more to give them, until…

A few months later I was meeting with Bill Walsh of Desiring God International Outreach and we discussed the needs in central and eastern Africa. After that conversation, Desiring God decided to send me cases of books that would benefit the pastors and the Secret Service men and women.

But how to get these heavy boxes there? The shipping cost was prohibitive. Three wonderful cases of books for Burundi, but who travels to Burundi?

I was at home when the phone rang. It was Pastor Theopolis. We chatted and I asked about the ministry and his continued work with the Secret Service and National Police. He said that many were now Christians and working in churches across the cities and nation, but they were thirsty for materials.

I told him of the cases and then the news came! Theopolis was calling me from a two-day visit to Virginia and was leaving the next day on the evening flight to Amsterdam. It did not take me but a few minutes to get his address and depart for the FedEx office. The three cases would be in pastor’s hands by 10:00 the next morning and in Burundi two days later! Theological training was on its way. God’s providence is magnificent.

The ministry of Desiring God International Outreach is a blessing from God. And couriers are that special link—people who can stuff a duffle bag with resources to help relieve the theological famine in this world. Now there is a marvelous library in central Africa and Christians who can access a deeper understanding of God.

But, in my travels to 40 nations I also know that we need these materials in other languages—Russian, Turkish, simple Chinese, and many more. I was blessed that God flew one pastor to the USA to become his own courier, but I would guess that every church in the USA has at least one “courier” that will be headed overseas in the next few months. The goal is to take that extra duffel bag and Pack Hope!  

Will you be traveling from the U.S. overseas soon? Learn more about how you can join us in getting free resources around the world.

The following post is by Bernie Anderson, missionary to Mongolia and brother of Scott Anderson, Director for Networking & Partnerships here at DG.

Every culture on earth has fatal flaws. If any particular culture is followed to its logical and practical end, there is nothing but a grave. In American culture, one of these flaws is the assumption that materialism is right. Where I work in Mongolia one of those fatal flaws is the expectation of excessive alcohol consumption.

NPR recently did an interesting expose on alcoholism in Mongolia. I found the piece to be accurate in exposing the heartbreaking reality of what we see every day here. Watching a young child burdened with the responsibility of leading their drunk father or mother home is something we see frequently.

The man in the NPR article references the hopelessness of shamanism and folk superstition. There is a general sense of acquiescence among the people here regarding this issue. “It’s our culture.” “It’s the way it has always been. It’s the way it will always be.”

There is opportunity for the young church in Mongolia to step up and meet this problem with the power of the Gospel. People are ready for hope to be introduced. However, alcoholism is found in the church here, too. Again, where there there should be hope, there is hopelessness and apathy.

We who are working in Mongolia see this passivity as opportunity for the Gospel. Jesus will redeem the soul from the pit (Psalm 103:4). The challenge is in focused disciple-making within the Mongolian church.

Our dream to is to see men and women who love Jesus more than alcoholic euphoria. We want to see the church in Mongolia grow strong in the Word and deep in the Gospel so that this culture will ultimately transformed for the Glory of Jesus, and the glory of the Lord will fill the earth as the water fills the seas (Habakkuk 2:14).

We have the privilege of working with such disciples here in the capital city Ulaanbaatar. Our work is primarily with students and young people, and we have a small handful who love Jesus more than anything else. We pray that God will deepen their love and their faith, root them in his Word and increase their number—for his name and renown in Mongolia.

Desiring God recently partnered with Yeni Yaşam Yayinlari (New Life Publishers) in Turkey to translate Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ into Turkish.

It's very exciting to have this book translated, because ministering to Turkish-speaking people involves many nations, not just Turkey. Bulgaria, Germany, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Moldova and other countries all have large populations of Turkish-speaking people.

We chose to translate Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ because it's accessible to both unbelievers and new believers.

It was written so that people would see Jesus for who he really is and come to enjoy him above all else. Pray with us that God would use this new translation to give more people eyes to see him as solid truth and hearts to savor him with great joy.

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me. (John 17:24).

Although Turkey and surrounding countries have roots in Christianity historically, there's a great need today for theologically sound resources. It is our prayer to partner with and encourage more ministries involved in equipping the Global Church with Christ-centered resources.

You’ve put together a checklist for your upcoming overseas trip. Gone over it numerous times to make sure you haven’t missed anything. (After all, where you’re going, you can’t just make a quick stop at Target for something you forgot.)

Now that all your clothes and toiletries are packed, what more do you need to bring?

How about packing some extra hope?

We’re looking for international travelers to help us donate and deliver critical resources to our partners in faraway places.

The global Christian church has experienced tremendous growth in recent decades. But with the increase in numbers there remains a widespread famine of biblical teaching, leaving many weak. DG International Outreach is partnering with a growing network involved in cross-cultural ministry. We distribute books and media to friends involved in missions and church-planting all over the world. But, international shipping is exorbitant, often costing more than the resources themselves.

That’s where you come in!

Whether you’re a business traveler or a missions worker heading to the field, we want to pack your bags full of Christ-exalting, hope-filled resources.

Here’s how it works:

As you prepare to go overseas, let us know if you are willing to serve as a courier. If we have a partner near your destination in need of resources, we will ship them to you stateside before you leave. Your role is to pack them in your bags and deliver them upon your arrival.

Through this very practical means, you can join us in providing theological famine relief for the global church. Together we can pack hope in your bags and deliver God-centered teaching to believers in need all over the world.

Special Offer for National Conference Attendees

We will have a special opportunity for those who will be attending the Desiring God National Conference this coming weekend.

The International Outreach team will be set up in the Exhibition Hall/Bookstore, prepared to sit down and talk with you about connections you may have with missions and church-planting efforts outside the United States. We will be ready to send cases of DG resources with you on the spot if you will make a commitment to getting them overseas in the next 6 months.

Please look for us where you see the graphic below. We’d love to sit down and talk! Lord willing, you may end up with a little extra luggage as you depart from Minneapolis.

Friday was spent hiking through the various communities built along the side of the Andes with Food for the Hungry partners. We were able to spend time with three remarkable pastors—Pastor Ramos, Pastor Navarro, and Pastor Antonio—and one of the community presidents. It was instructive to see the holism that accompanies the ministry of these pastors and their churches. Both words and deeds have to be present in these poverty-stricken communities.

“Holistic ministry,” of course, is fast on its way to becoming another evangelical cliché. But these pastors are a testimony to the power of a truly gospel-centered ministry. It is a worthwhile study to work through the complementary nature of Jesus’ demonstrations of new creation (miracles and confrontations with powers) and his discourses that follow. The preaching is an explanation of the miracles. And the miracles are testimony to a new reality; the new reality of God setting the world aright through the life, death and resurrection of his Son. This pattern is also repeated through the testimony of the church in the book of Acts.

We are whole persons, with intellectual, psychological, physical, and spiritual needs. Gospel-faithful ministry must tend to all of these. The vision of International Outreach is to strengthen the global church to carry out holistic ministry. And part of holistic ministry is the faithful preaching and teaching of the gospel.

It has been a thrill to listen to the pastors here and hear of their triumphs. It has also been a joy to provide resources and help them along in their service to communities in dire need.

Read the post from Day 1.

This week Mike Thate and I are in Lima, Peru as part of a vision trip with Food for the Hungry. DG International Outreach has partnered with FH over the past couple of years in several ways. We have given them resources for their candidate school and staff in the field. Also, you may have seen a past blog post about an FH famine relief project in Myanmar that Desiring God supported.

On this trip we are continuing to strengthen our partnership with our friends at Food for the Hungry. We are spending time meeting with Peruvian church leaders in some of the poorer communities of Lima in an effort to gain understanding of the nature of holistic ministry and the part that DGIO can play in bringing some relief to the theological famine.

Here’s an update from Mike on our first day:

Today was a full day of cultural orientation, spent mainly between the Peruvian Museo de la Nacion and the Franciscan Monastery and Museum in Lima, Peru. The entire seventh floor of the Museo is dedicated to the terrorist activities from 1980 - 2000. According to the video shown at the head of the tour, the seeds of violence began in the lecture halls of Maoist communist philosophers, notably Abimael Gúzman who lectured at San Cristóbal of Huamanga University. The twenty years of bloodshed stole the lives of some 70,000 people.

While walking through the Museo, one couldn’t help but feel the massive implications of failed utopias. The promise of a “better tomorrow” has repeatedly proven to be a noose around the necks of the recipients of these “promises.” When the future is the all-consuming goal the present becomes malleable to whatever whims are currently in power. The power of the gospel is the now-and-to-come nature of the kingdom and the continuity between this earth and the earth that will be reborn at the Lord’s return (Revelation 21). The groans of this earth are heard and will be redeemed (Romans 8) instead of simply scrapped or “cleansed.”

Bulgarian

• Go, Your Son Will Live
  Върви, синът ти ще живее
• What Does It Mean to Seek the Lord
  Какво означава да търсиш (да се стремиш към) Господа?

Chinese (Simplified)

• The Pleasure of God in Obedience
  耶和华喜悦顺从
• What God Has Joined Together, Let Not Man Separate, Part 1
  神所配合的，人不可分开，第一部分
• What God Has Joined Together, Let Not Man Separate, Part 2
  神所配合的，人不可分开，第二部分

Japanese

• Not in This or That Mount, but in Spirit and Truth
  この山でもエルサレムでもなく、霊とまことによって

Portuguese

• Christ and Cancer
  Cristo e o Câncer
• The Pleasure of God in His Son
  O Prazer De Deus em Seu Filho
• The Absolute Sovereignty of God: What Is Romans Nine About?
  A Soberania Absoluta de Deus: De Que se Trata Romanos 9?

Spanish

• Let Marriage Be Held in Honor Among All
  Honroso Sea En Todos El Matrimonio
• How to Welcome a Weak Brother
  Como Acoger Al Hermano Débil
• Each One Should Be Fully Convinced in His Own Mind
  Cada Cual Esté Plenamente Convencido Según Su Propio Sentir
• By Signs and Wonders: Where Christ Has Not Been Named
  Con Potencia De Señales Y Prodigios: No Donde Cristo Ya Hubiese Sido Nombrado
• Holy Ambition: To Preach Where Christ Has Not Been Named
  Ambición Santa: Predicar No Donde Cristo Ya Hubiese Sido Nombrado
• Joy+Debt = A Two-Thousand-Mile Detour to Jerusalem
  Gozo + Deuda = Desvío de 2000 Millas Hasta Jerusalén
• Resting and Wrestling for the Cause of Christ—Together
  Luchar y Descansar por Amor a Cristo—Juntos
• The Beautiful Faith of Fearless Submission
  La Hermosa Fe de la Sumisión Sin Temor
• The Tragic Cost of Her Cavernous Thirst
  El Trágico Costo de la Su Profunda Sed
• Racial Harmony and Interracial Marriage
  La Armonía Racial y el Matrimonio Interracial
• Abortion, Race, Gender, and Christ
  El Aborto, La Raza, el Género, y Cristo
• What Makes the Good News Good? Seeing the Glory of Christ?
  ¿Qué Hace Buenas a las Buenas Noticias? Ver la Gloria de Cristo
• Honoring the Biblical Call of Motherhood
  Honrando El Llamado Bíblico A La Maternidad
• Fathers, Bring Them Up in the Discipline & Instruction of the Lord
  Padres, Criadlos En Disciplina Y Amonestación Del Señor
• Marriage, Singleness, and the Christian Virtue of Hospitality
  El Matrimonio, Soltería, y la Virtud Cristiana de la Hospitalidad
• Marriage Is Meant for Making Children...Disciples of Jesus, Part 1
  El Matrimonio Es Para Tener Hijos..Discípulos De Jesús, Parte 1
• Marriage Is Meant for Making Children...Disciples of Jesus, Part 2
  El Matrimonio Es Para Tener Hijos..Discípulos De Jesús, Parte 2
  

With 300 million internet users in China and millions more worldwide, the Chinese language has now become the number one language on the internet. In order to provide more Christ-exalting resources for Chinese speakers, Desiring God’s International Outreach is ramping up our translating efforts and getting more and more sermons and articles into Chinese.

We're looking for volunteer translators who have the passion and ability to translate from English to Mandarin Chinese (simplified characters).

In order to ensure consistent quality, we've established an application procedure for serving as a volunteer translator for this project. This includes filling out an application and translating a sample sermon and article.

If you're interested in helping us translate Desiring God resources into Chinese, please email us at Chinese@desiringGod.org.

Bulgarian

• Be Careful Lest the Light in You Be Darkness
  Внимавай да не би светлината в тебе да е тъмнина

Russian

• If You Can Be Godly and Wrong, Does Truth Matter?
  Если можно быть благочестивым, но заблуждаться, то важна ли истина?

Spanish

• Not in This or That Mount, but in Spirit and Truth
  Ni en Este Monte ni En Aquel, Sino en Espíritu y en Verdad
• Is There a "Lord's Day"?
  ¿Existe un “Día del Señor”?
• We Will All Stand Before the Judgment of God
  Todos Compareceremos Ante El Tribunal De Dios
• Do Not Destroy the Work of God
  No Destruyas la Obra de Dios
• The Kingdom of God is Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit
  El Reino de Dios es Justicia, Paz y Gozo en el Espíritu Santo
• Welcome One Another to the Glory of God
  Recibíos Los Unos A Los Otros Para La Gloria De Dios
• All Things Subject to the Risen Christ
  Todas las Cosas Sujetas al Cristo Resucitado
• How to Be Spiritually Minded
  Como Tener Una Mentalidad Espiritual
• The Goal of God's Love May Not Be What You Think It Is
  La Meta del Amor de Dios Puede No Ser La Que Tú Crees Que Es
• Let All the Peoples Praise Him
  Que Todos los Pueblos le Alaben

Japanese

• You Will Never Be Thirsty Again
  二度と乾くことはない
• The Tragic Cost of Her Cavernous Thirst
  途方もない深い渇きの悲惨な代価
• The Prodigal's Sister, Part 1
  放蕩息子の妹, パート1
• The Prodigal's Sister, Part 2
  放蕩息子の妹, パート2
• The Prodigal's Sister, Part 3
  放蕩息子の妹, パート3

Spanish

• God So Loved the World, Part 2
  De tal Manera Amó Dios al Mundo, Parte 2
• You Will Never Be Thirsty Again
  No Tendrás Sed Jamás
• Subjection to God and Subjection to the State, Part 1
  Sometimiento a Dios y Sometimiento al Estado, Parte 1
• Subjection to God and Subjection to the State, Part 2
  Sometimiento a Dios y Sometimiento al Estado, Parte 2
• Subjection to God and Subjection to the State, Part 3
  Sometimiento a Dios y Sometimiento al Estado, Parte 3
• Subjection to God and Subjection to the State, Part 4
  Sometimiento a Dios y Sometimiento al Estado, Parte 4
• Love Is a Fulfilling of the Law, Part 1
  El Amor es el Cumplimiento de la Ley, Parte 1
• Love Is a Fulfilling of the Law, Part 2
  El Amor es el Cumplimiento de la Ley, Parte 2
• Love Is a Fulfilling of the Law, Part 3
  El Amor es el Cumplimiento de la Ley, Parte 3

Muslim-Christian relations are troubled, important, and necessary. The necessary navigation of these important, troubled waters requires a trusted, Gospel-saturated, experienced, courageous follower of Jesus. I only know a few such trusted navigators.

One of them has been blogging for about six weeks now. The blog is called His Peace Upon Us. I have read enough and I know him well enough to recommend him to you. Here is what he says about himself at the blog:

I am a Christian follower of Jesus who loves the people of the Middle East. The basic premise of this blog is that we cannot love those we do not know. So I am hopeful that this blog is one way Muslims and Christians get to know each other.

I thank God for my wonderful wife and three beautiful children. I enjoy people of other cultures, telling Arabic jokes, eating shawarma and falafel, and studying US presidential history.

Walk with him as he walks with Jesus among Muslims in the Middle East.

If you're interested in missions and how God is moving around the world, consider following DG International Outreach on Twitter.

I asked Bill Walsh, the director of International Outreach, what their goal is with their Twitter account. He told me they want to point to the positive things that are happening around the world because of the Gospel. There are a lot of great ministries that track the struggles of Christians and the church, and IO wants to supplement that with what wonderful things are also happening.

So about a dozen times a day they post links to content that will help you learn and pray about the advance of Christ's kingdom worldwide.

In June, a few of us at DG visited China in order to increase our understanding of the history and culture of this great nation and how we might more effectively meet some of the needs of the rapidly growing church there.

One of the places we visited was Shepherd’s Field Children’s Village in Tianjin. It is an amazing place, providing an openly Christian home, school, and even vocational training for well over 100 orphans, many of whom are living with disabilities. We had the privilege of spending time with some of the orphans and touring the campus.

While there we became aware of a financial need. Tim Baker, the founder and head of the ministry, showed us a construction site for a new building that will prepare orphans who have aged out of the adoption process for independence with vocational and life skills training.

But due to some construction timelines imposed on them by the authorities, construction on the building had to begin without having the funds in hand. So the Foundation is seeking to raise a significant amount by June 1, 2010, in order to complete the building.

We do not make it a practice to highlight the financial needs of other ministries, or our own, on this blog. But since few know about this project, and because of the Bible’s clear instruction about caring for orphans (James 1:27), we felt that we should make this need known.

If you would like more information or if you feel moved to help complete this vocational and therapy center, you may contact the staff at Shepherd’s Field (link fixed).

It gives me great joy to announce our new Spanish website Niños Deseando a Dios and to introduce our first children’s Bible curriculum in Spanish, El ABC de Dios (The ABCs of God). The entire curriculum is available for electronic download.

This announcement is significant for a number of reasons. First, it is a tangible effort, we hope and pray, that will move us forward in our mission statement… “equipping the church to spread a passion for the Supremacy of God in all things, for the joy of ALL peoples, through Jesus Christ.” Translating our website and curriculum into Spanish is an initial step to reach the next generations of Spanish speakers “…so that they set their hope in God” (Psalm 78:7).

Second, it is significant because many churches and individuals have partnered with us in this project. In particular, this would not have come to fruition without the incredible passion and investment of three churches: Iglesia Bautista de la Gracia and Iglesia Bautista del Nuevo Pacto in Dominican Republic and Cimiento Estable in El Salvador.

Key individuals at each of these churches have taught CDG curriculum and helped translate the resources with a desire to one day make CDG curriculum widely available in Spanish. Clearly God has placed a passion in their hearts to reach the next generation in their churches, in their respective countries, and to make Jesus known to all Spanish-speaking people in the world.

It is an understatement to say that we are grateful for their investment in CDG.

We are not resting in a Spanish website and a single curriculum translated into Spanish. Our desire is to be “…always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord our labor is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58. Therefore, CDG 2009 Conference audio and CDG Vision video will be available on the website soon. Our second curriculum in Spanish, ¡Cuan Glorioso Es Tu Nombre! (How Majestic is Your Name), is scheduled to be released before the end of 2009.

We invite you to partner with us by praying for the development of additional CDG resources in Spanish. We’d also love your help in spreading the word about these resources to those you know who are in ministry with Spanish speakers in the United States or overseas. Would you be willing to join us in our mission and become effective “spreaders” for Children Desiring God?

If you would like more information, please visit Niños Deseando a Dios or send us an email.

*               *               *

Children Desiring God Habla Español

Es con sumo gozo que les anuncio nuestro nuevo sito en la web en español: Niños Deseando a Dios y les presentamos nuestro primer currículo bíblico para niños en español, El ABC de Dios. El currículo completo está disponible para ser descargardo electrónicamente.

Este anuncio es significativo por un gran número de razones. Primero, es un tangible esfuerzo, esperamos y oramos, por continuar hacia delante con nuestra declaración de visión y misión… “equipando la iglesia para esparcir una pasión por la Supremacía de Dios en todas las cosas, para el gozo de todas las personas, a través del Señor Jesucristo.” La traducción de nuestro sitio y currículo al español es un paso inicial para alcanzar las próximas generaciones de los hispano-hablantes. “…para que ellos pongan su confianza en Dios.” Salmo 78:7.

Segundo, es significativo porque muchas iglesias e individuos han participado con nosotros en este proyecto. En particular, esto no habría dado ningún fruto sin la pasión increíble y la participación de tres iglesias: Iglesia Bautista de la Gracia, e Iglesia Bautista del Nuevo Pacto en la República Dominicana y la Iglesia Cimiento Estable en El Salvador.

Individuos claves en cada una de estas iglesias han enseñado el currículo de Niños Deseando a Dios y han ayudado a traducir los recursos con el anhelo de que un día los currículos de Niños Deseando a Dios estén disponibles completamente en español. Claramente Dios ha colocado una pasión en sus corazones para alcanzar la próxima generación en sus iglesias, en sus respectivos países, y hacer a Jesús conocido entre todos los hispano-hablantes en el mundo.

Está por demás decir que estamos muy agradecidos por su aporte a Niños Deseando a Dios.

No estamos descansando únicamente en un sitio en español o en un solo currículo traducido al español. Nuestro deseo es estar “…abundando siempre en la obra del Señor, sabiendo que nuestro trabajo en el Señor no es en vano.” I Corintios 15:58. Además de esto, el audio de la Conferencia del 2009 de Children Desiring God estará disponible en nuestro sitio en la red pronto. Nuestro segundo currículo en español, ¡Cuan Glorioso Es Tu Nombre!, está programado a ser publicado antes de que termine el 2009.

Les invitamos a participar con nosotros en oración por el desarrollo de recursos adicionales en español de CDG. Por otro lado nos encantaría su ayuda en compartir con otros la noticia sobre la traducción de estos recursos a aquellos entre sus conocidos que están en el ministerio con hispano-hablantes en los Estados Unidos o en otras partes del mundo. ¿Estarían dispuestos a unirse a nosotros en nuestra misión y llegar a ser “propagadores efectivos” de Niños Deseando a Dios?

Si desea más información, por favor visítenos, en Niños Deseando a Dios o envíenos un correo electrónico.

Bulgarian

• Signs and Wonders and Suffering
  Знаменията, чудесата и страданието
• Consequences of Forgiven Sin
  Последиците от простения грях
• He Must Increase, I Must Decrease
  Той трябва да расте, аз трябва да се смалявам

Spanish

• Use the Inspired Scriptures to Rejoice in Hope
  Regocíjese en la Esperanza que Le Brindan Las Escrituras
• Boiling for Christ
  Hirviendo por Cristo
• Lavish Giving, Loving Guests, Living Christ
  Compartiendo Pródigamente, Amando a los Huéspedes, Viviendo en Cristo
• Bless Those Who Persecute You
  Bendecid a Llos Que Os Persiguen
• Live Peaceably with All, If Possible
  Si Es Posible, Estad En Paz Con Todos
• God's Wrath: "Vengeance Is Mine, I Will Repay," Says the Lord
  La Ira de Dios: "Mía es la Venganza, Yo Pagaré," Dice el Señor
• The Present Effects of Trembling at the Wrath of God
  Las Consecuencias Actuales De Temblar Ante La Ira De Dios
• When Is It Right to Repay Evil With Pain?
  ¿Cuándo es Justo Pagar el Mal Con Dolor?
• Christ Overcame Evil With Good—Do the Same
  Cristo Venció El Mal Con El Bien, ¡Haga lo Mismo!

Bulgarian

• I Have Seen the Lord
  Аз видях Господ
• This Is the Judgment: Light Has Come into the World
  Това е осъждението: Светлината дойде на света
• Why Some Spiritual Gifts Attract Unstable People
  Защо някои духовни дарби привличат неуравновесените хора
• God's Word in Battle with Homosexual Temptation
  Божието слово в битка с изкушението от хомосексуализма
• John's Crazy Joy: More on Bridegrooms and Purification
  Лудата радост на Йоан или още за Младоженеца и очистването

Spanish

• God So Loved the World, Part 1
  De tal Manera Amó Dios al Mundo, Parte 1
• Faith: The Root and Trait of All Spiritual Gifts
  La Fe: La Raíz y Característica de Todos los Dones Espirituales
• We, Though Many, Are One Body in Christ
  Nosotros, Que Somos Muchos, Somos Un Cuerpo en Cristo
• Using Our Gifts in Proportion to Our Faith, Part 1
  Usando los Dones en Proporción a la Fe, Parte 1
• Using Our Gifts in Proportion to Our Faith, Part 2
  Usando los Dones en Proporción a la Fe, Parte 2
• Using Our Gifts in Proportion to Our Faith, Part 3
  Usando los Dones en Proporción a la Fe, Parte 3
• Let Love Be Genuine
  El Amor Sea Sin Hipocresía
• Abhor What Is Evil; Hold Fast to What Is Good
  Aborreciendo Lo Malo; Aplicándoos a Lo Bueno
• Happy in Hope, Patient in Pain, Constant in Prayer
  Felices en la Esperanza, Pacientes en el Dolor, Constantes en la Oración
• This Is the Judgment: Light Has Come into the World
  Este Es el Juicio: Que la Luz Vino al Mundo
• He Must Increase, I Must Decrease
  Es Necesario Que Él Crezca, Y Que Yo Disminuya

Lon Allison's article "A GPS for Global Mission" from Lausanne World Pulse sums up well the current questions and issues relevant to the global changes underway in the church. At this stage, I think questions are more helpful than anything. Here are four that Dr. Allison raises,

1. Since the demographic shift to the Global South is at hand, how do Western mission agencies and churches respond?
2. Resources, both financial and human, have, in general, not shifted. When should they? More importantly, how should they?
3. How does the Church in the West welcome missionaries from the Global South and East to re-evangelize our continents?
4. What role is there for ongoing mission to the Global South and East from the West?

These ought to keep us thinking for quite some time. They will be key in the discussion that takes place at the 2010 Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in Cape Town, South Africa.

Please pray for John Piper who will be speaking at the event and for the Desiring God team who will be traveling there next year.

Twenty years ago, Bethlehem Baptist Church sent out a missionary family with Arab World Ministries. The relationship with AWM continued when in 2003 John Piper spoke at the AWM conference and highlighted the joy of serving God in missions.

For the past few years, Desiring God has been collaborating on a project to translate Piper sermons into Arabic for free online access. Now the sermon series Desiring God, preached back in the early 80’s is available both here at DG and through AWM’s Arabic-language outreach websites.

AWM began 128 years ago in Algeria and today has ministry teams throughout the Arab world. They employ two strategies: church planting through evangelism and discipleship, and mass media outreach through literature, radio, TV, and the Internet.

The interactive, relational media of their web ministry engages, evangelizes, and disciples young adults. These online ministries include mentoring, blogs, chat rooms, podcasts, television series, and an online magazine.

Desiring God and Arab World Ministries are dreaming about additional translation projects. This region of the world remains one of the least reached. Please pray for more ministry outreach among the Arab peoples.

While Ryan and his family prepared for long-term missions, he graciously gave his time as a volunteer for DG International Outreach. He brought tremendous skill and integrity to his work which bore wonderful fruit including this helpful post.

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As our family prepares to move overseas, we sometimes encounter this question in one form or another: 

Is the Western missionary model still legitimate?” 

The question stems from a variety of concerns and perspectives, but our basic answer must be “yes.”  Even with the high cost of sending and recent shifts in the global Church, it is still strategic and fitting for Western missionaries to cross geographical and linguistic boundaries in the pursuit of new worshipers of Jesus. 

Here is why I think so:

1. God wants his name to be great in every place as well as among every people. 

Though missiologists in the past couple of decades have rightly emphasized the importance of unreached people groups ("nations") as the focus of the Great Commission, there are a number of texts which seem to require a geographic and not exclusively an ethnic focus (e.g. Malachi 1:11). 

The Great Commission cannot be fulfilled by only reaching the unreached who migrate to America, or Christ doesn’t receive the glory he deserves.

2.  There are still hundreds of remote peoples who haven’t heard the gospel.

Many Unreached peoples are unrepresented in reached cities. In these cases, someone is going to have to cross cultural and geographic boundaries to deliver the message in the flesh.

3. Too little money is given to missions, not too much. 

God has blessed this nation with an abundance of resources, yet a staggeringly low percentage of Christian spending is channeled toward missions, especially missions to the unreached. 

When God’s people here in America are biblically calibrated, there are plenty of resources both to continue sending workers from the West, and to support indigenous pastors and church planters.

4. In many cases, the Church in the West has something to offer. 

With a long history of Christian thought, abundant resources, and relative lack of persecution, the Western Church can often make a contribution in places where the Church is younger and less grounded. 

Just as it would be arrogant to think that we know it all and have no need of the global Church, it would be arrogant to sit on our wealth of resources, history, and doctrinal development rather than make it accessible to the world.

5. Crossing cultures is a fitting means for the message. 

When Christians from more privileged and dominant-language cultures (such as America), set aside their comforts, rights, and security in order to identify with and minister to people of lesser-privileged cultures and more obscure languages, something powerful and gospel-adorning is communicated. 

To wrap up our posts from China, we’ve asked our friend and guide during this trip to describe the activities of our day and point you to a valuable online source of information on China.

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As a friend of DG, and someone who has lived and worked in this great land for 20+ years, I have had the privilege of playing host to the team this week. I absolutely love showing people around and helping them to get a glimpse of what God is doing here.

We spent a good part of the day in tourist mode—shopping, eating great food, and visiting the Temple of Heaven. This is where the emperors of old, who were regarded as Heaven’s representative on earth, came once a year to make sacrifices and offer prayers on behalf of the people. 

We also visited with a friend of mine who runs a tea house and heard amazing stories of how God is using her and her tea house as a launching pad for spreading the Good News.

As the DG team's time in Beijing is winding down, our thoughts are now turning toward ways in which they can stay informed about the Chinese Church and dig deeper into the challenges and opportunities she faces. 

My main recommendation is a quarterly called the ChinaSource Journal. ChinaSource is a California-based think-tank dedicated to providing balanced perspectives and analysis on the Chinese Church. 

It's a subscription publication, but they have graciously made a special offer for DG readers. For the next two weeks, you may download the current issue for free. The theme of this issue is leadership development, and it looks at new patterns and trends in the development of Chinese church leaders. 

To quote the editor of the journal:  “Chinese church leaders are changing their strategies. Is the global church ready?” 

We began the third day of our China vision trip by viewing some of the historical and cultural sites of this amazing nation. It has been a joy to learn about this great land, its history, and its people.

We started off at Tiananmen Square (literally, Gate of Heavenly Peace), the symbolic center of the nation. We then journeyed north to the massive gate-laden compound called the Forbidden City, which served as the home of China’s emperors from the 1400’s to the 1920’s. (The last emperor of China abdicated in 1912, but was allowed to live there until 1924.)  

In the evening, we continued our crash course on the current state of Christianity in China, fellowshipping and learning from some dear brothers about the victories and challenges stemming from the unprecedented growth of the Chinese church.

We have learned many things this week, yet in many ways are more confused. In preparation for this trip we read the book “China Road,” by Rob Gifford and one of his quotes has been rung true:  “If you’re not confused you’re not paying attention.” My respect and appreciation for the leaders who maneuver these complex situations and relationships grows day by day.

Another highlight yesterday was learning about a company called Baojiayin, a book distribution center delivering legally published books all over China. As we walked into their distribution center we saw stacks and stacks of newly published books like Mere Christianity, Theology of the Reformers, and Through the Gates of Splendor. It was great to meet the staff and hear their vision of helping Chinese believers access encouraging Christian literature. 

If you have friends in China please direct them to Baojiayin to see what books are available. Books can be ordered and delivered anywhere in the country for less than $1.

One of the books they sell is a recently-published bilingual version of The Big Picture Story Bible. That such a book has been approved for publication and distribution in China is truly amazing.  If you would like to help get copies of these books into the hands of Chinese orphans, please contact them.

Yesterday we visited a Christian bookstore here in China and came across a title you might recognize. So for an update on the DG team in Beijing, here’s an image from the second day.

You may be surprised to find out that Christian books can be legally published and distributed inside mainland China.

We spent most our day discussing Christian publishing in China and getting an update on current projects involving translation of DG resources into Simplified Chinese for publication and for the web.

Pray with us that God will assist us in these projects and that they will bear fruit for the church in China.

DG International Outreach has developed a wonderful partnership in the past few years with several key ministries that focus on Russian-speaking people groups. 

One of these ministries is Samara Preachers’ Institute and Theological Seminary. This seminary is part of a network of schools associated with The Master's Academy International, an ever-expanding ministry to educate pastors to love the Scripture and preach it faithfully in the context of their own cultures. They have locations in 15 countries, and since 2000 the seminary in Samara has graduated about 250 students, many of whom have continued into leadership across Russia.

In October of this year, John Piper will be visiting Samara, along with a team from Desiring God. He will be teaching a seminar on pastoral leadership for national church leaders and students in the region. We are praying that God will bring abundant fruit from this trip. 

The Institute and DG-International Outreach both partner with In Lumine, a publishing company located in Ukraine. Much of their work consists of translating resources into Russian and distributing them at a low cost. Many of their books go to the seminary students at TMAI.

So far they have translated five books by John Piper, the latest of these being Don't Waste Your Life. They are currently in the process of translating Christian Beliefs by Wayne Grudem.

Although much progress has been made, we encourage your involvement in prayer and possible financial support of the students in Samara. Some points for prayer:

• Pray that the leadership of the seminary would have great wisdom in the decisions they make and strength in completing the daily tasks that they face.
• Pray that the seminary students would have perseverance in their studies and courage to preach the Word of God boldly. 
• Pray that the seminary graduates would be faithful to "preach the word; to be prepared in season and out of season" (2 Timothy 4:2).  Pray that they would seek after holiness and proclaim the truth faithfully, accurately, and fervently.
• Pray In Lumine that God would open doors of opportunity to publish resources that will strengthen Russian-speaking church leaders and believers.
• Pray that the believers in Russia would be built up and strengthened in God's Word.  Pray also that they would be obedient to the Scripture's call to personal holiness and to the Great Commission.
• Pray that Russian non-believers would hear the gospel and repent, turning to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 

Many of you are probably familiar with the devastating cyclone that hit Myanmar roughly a year ago. Tens of thousands were killed or displaced by this disaster. Many governments and Christian NGO’s responded with aid.

A lesser-known crisis is currently bringing hardship to the Burmese in a remote region of this country. Beginning in July 2008, a famine was caused by a phenomenon known as “mautam.”

Every 50 years flowering bamboo trees produce a fruit that nourishes the rat population, causing it to explode in numbers. These rats have been decimating farmlands, destroying crops such as rice and maize, the staple foods of the region. Now potentially 200,000 people face starvation. PBS has done an excellent documentary describing the situation while the Burmese government is doing little to help its own people.

Our friends at Food for the Hungry are currently working to provide relief assistance for the families in this region. God has given them great connections with local churches, but they are still working to raise more than $300,000 for this project.

The director of the program writes from the field,

[The victims] are struggling with God's good and sufficient help to do what they can to contribute to their own survival…These funds will go to the remote areas that are stranded in isolation. The volunteers look forward to the joy of delivering assistance where no others go. They will also take with them nutritional quick start gardening manuals with methods to rescue families under stress, and blessings from those who faithfully pray for them.

Desiring God is contributing to this relief effort and would like to encourage you to consider joining us. Food for the Hungry has a site you can visit in order to participate. Please pray for the Burmese, the country of Myanmar, and the workers in the field.