Never in our collective lifetimes has the world around us seemed more bizarre. The publicly admitted plans of global elitists play themselves out at home and abroad. It is as if we are all trapped in the pages of an Orwellian novel or in the scenes of a horror film. The viral pandemic and subsequent social-distancing requirements have brought with them severe complications. The potential economic ramifications may prove to be unprecedented. My own parents have flu symptoms and difficulty breathing. One of our sons was supposed to move to the United States yesterday, but flights from here to there have been postponed indefinitely.
Our language-services business, which was shifting into high gear, has suddenly screeched to a grinding halt. Guests who were participating in Sunday services are now afraid to take public transportation and have no other way to attend. Friends and supporters, who had excellent jobs, now find themselves unemployed. Liberty and freedom are a lingering memory, as preachers around the world are being arrested for holding services. Life as we once knew it is fading away, replaced by an ominous uncertainty.
The word of the month seems to be “compliance.” It isn’t that elected officials have passed new laws with which we are expected to comply; it is just executives issuing edicts—edicts that are demonstrably unconstitutional and arbitrary. At the same time that rapists and murderers are being released from prison, law-abiding believers are being threatened with jail time for attending church. As liquor stores and marijuana dispensaries are kept open, churches are being classified non-essential, and at least one famous globalist is on record saying they will perhaps never be allowed to reopen.
For those who might be wondering, we are committed to compliance—compliance to God’s Word. We will obey God rather than man. We will continue to have church and continue to witness. In fact, one silver lining that may come from this “live exercise” (as Mike Pompeo referred to it), is that American Christians will receive a new appreciation for believers around the world for whom attending services has long included the possibility of arrest. I want to take this opportunity to thank church members who themselves face doubts about their own future economic status, yet who faithfully continue to keep the financial commitments they have made to God.
One of the greatest blessings for us, that has come out of this surreal moment in history, has been the completion of a major project that has been years in the making! It has been extremely difficult for people in our country to get their hands on a Bible. Even if they manage to find one, they may not be able to afford it. For those who can both locate and afford to purchase a copy of God’s Word, they will likely be timid about carrying it with them. Our extra time at home, due to class cancellations, has allowed us to complete a project that solves this dilemma. A Received-Text-based New Testament in the language of the people is now available as a free download in a digital format. Not only is this New Testament indexed and searchable, but people can keep it with them as a file on their smart phone or tablet. This is also a great soul-winning tool, as believers will now have instant access to the Scriptures everywhere they go. We have already shared this download with other pastors, serving both in this country and in other countries, who minister to people of this same language group. Your support and prayers have made this possible!
Missionary #6501