Issue 38

 

In Jesus’ time and ours, the main predicament of winning the lost is aptly summed up in Christ’s own words in Luke 10: 2, “There is a great harvest, but only a few working in it – which means you must pray to the Lord of the harvest that he will send out more reapers to bring in his harvest.” (Philips Modern English)

A harvest of great proportions await the Church in many parts of our world – rural China, Myanmar, Sabah and Sarawak of Malaysia, India , and Nepal, just to name a few. The answer to the problem of few reapers in a great harvest lies in prayer – prayer to the Lord of the harvest that he will “send out” (Greek –“thrust forth”) more reapers to gather in his harvest.

The Lord of the harvest holds the key- he will  act in response to urgent, pleading prayers and send out more reapers to get  the job done. The malaise of the modern Church is that we trust more in modern  “princes and horses” – technology, know-hows etc., than biblical,  Christ-ordained, prevailing prayer! What takes top priority in the prayer list  of our prayer meetings? Why are the prayer meetings in most churches often the  least attended ones?

Robert E. Speer, a leader in the modern American missionary movement, sizes up the situation well when he writes:

“Deeper than the need for worker; deeper far than the need for money; deeper down at the bottom of our spiritual lives, is the need for the forgotten secret of prevailing world wide prayer. Missions has progressed slowly abroad because piety and prayer has been shallow at home.”

Let us pray continually to the Lord of the harvest. Ours is to ask, His is to send.

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REAP IN MANY MANY LANDS~ Gaining Good Grounds

Since the launch of REAP in 2006 the work has spread to many many lands: Orang Asli’s and Chinese New Villages in Peninsular Malaysia, Tribal Peoples of Sabah and Sarawak, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, and The Philippines. From 2 evangelists in Malaysia, we have by God’s grace, grown to over 360 in 10 nations of Asia-Pacific today.

Over 1.2 million gospel tracts are being distributed; over  32,000 came to Christ, over  9,500 baptised and  8,000 bibles given to new believers. We give God the glory and we give thanks to all who have prayed and supported in making such gospel advance possible.

With your continued partnership in the gospel, we seek to distribute at least 5 million gospel tracts and give out at least 50,000 bibles to new believers by the end of this decade.

Pray for us as we spread the good news in Christ. We share with you below some exciting developments in the field for your thanksgiving and prayers.

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REAP Myanmar – A Very Fruitful Field

    Myanmar is a field ripe unto harvest – probably only second to rural China. MAP launched REAP Myanmar in July 2008 and the evangelistic labours of 12 REAP evangelists over the last 4 years saw:

• Over 226,000 gospel tracts distributed
• Over 5000 receiving Christ and
• Over 600 baptised.

We plan to send 1000 Myanmar bibles for the new believers by the end of 2012.

 

Evangelist Naw Si Tan shares:

“By the grace of God, we went for a few mission trips this year. In December 2011, we went to the villages in Ayeyawaddy delta. It was a 10-day mission trip. We organized special Christmas programmes for these villages. Every night we showed “The Life of Jesus”. During the day we go door to door sharing the good news of Christ and gave them Christmas presents. God is so good by providing everything that we need for this Christmas programme. Besides sharing the gospel to non-believers, we gave bible training to the believers who will be baptized in a few months time.”

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Evangelist U Wunna, requests for prayers over the seeds of the gospel sown:

“By the grace of God I was able to tell the gospel to many non-believers. Some responded with the mindset that “all religions are the same”. I shared with them the difference of Christianity and what God can do in our everyday life.

I visited a slum area where I met a Burmese widow. I gave her a tract and told her about the love of Jesus. She was jobless and struggling to support her family. On a second visit, I told her more about the living God and encouraged her to trust in Him. We prayed together for God’s help in finance. The Lord answered our prayers. One of her relatives gave her 5000 Kyat (about RM2200). With that, she bought buns from a supplier and resells them to some tea shops every day. Her landlady has kindly agreed to delay the rental payment. Please pray that she will come to know the Lord.”

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Do uphold Myanmar and the work of the faithful 12 evangelists in your prayers. Our REAP Myanmar Coordinator, Rev. Aung Thet Nyunt, asks that you keep Myanmar in your prayers.

Pray that:

1. Our current government will work out well with all the parliament members for the sake of the citizens and country.
2. The people’s hearts be open to the gospel and come to know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
3. Unity of the Church grow stronger and she become a great light to the nation.
4. REAP evangelists will reach many people with the gospel and disciple them in the Word of God.

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REAP Sabah – Launched in March 2012

MAP, upon the invitation of Rev. Jerry Dusing, President of SIB Sabah, launched REAP Sabah on 29 March – 1 April 2012 with a three-fold purpose:

1. To train, support and send the first batch of 12 REAP Sabah evangelists for the evangelisation of unreached tribal peoples in Sabah.
2. To lay the foundation with SIB Sabah for future REAP work and expansion across Sabah.
3. To deputise the work of MAP across churches in Sabah with the view of raising awareness, prayer and support.

Highlights of the inaugural mission include:

1. All 12 evangelists in 12 field locations, reaching out to Murut, Lun Dayak, Bonggi and Dusun tribes met at Ranau for intensive training and familiarisation with the work of MAP and REAP. Training Sessions include:

• REAP-How it Works by Ooi Chin Aik
• Power of Prayer and Evangelism by Philip Soh
• Principles for Effective Evangelism by Ooi Chin Aik
• Spiritual Warfare and Evangelism by Albert Tang

1. 1000 gospel tracts: “4 Spiritual Laws” in Bahasa Malaysia together with “Turning Faces Towards Heaven” and “Master Plan of Evangelism” in Bahasa Malaysia were given to the 12 evangelists.
2. 2 of the evangelists were themselves saved through the “4 Spiritual Laws” tracts.

 

Yasmin Royan, a newly adopted REAP Sabah evangelist writes:

 

“I am grateful to God for healing my disease and saving my life. I decided to be well equipped by enrolling into a Bible School. My heart’s desire is to share the gospel to many, many lost souls.”

 

 

 

 

Justina Balikus shares her testimony and calling into gospel ministry.

“I was saved by God’s healing from a deadly disease. God has been calling me to serve Him full time but I was not receptive to it. God’s calling came via a miracle and His voice: I took a cooked red chilli padi in my hand and it was turned into green and I heard, “Go, I want all my people to be healed and saved before my second coming.” There were four who witnessed the miracle.

 

 

 

 

We thank SIB Sabah, churches, and individuals that are partnering with MAP so that we can work for the speediest evangelisation of the tribal peoples in Sabah. Pray for us as we press on.

 

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MAP New Building Update

As of 1 June, 2012 we have a total of RM829,855 inclusive of RM125,000 of interest free loans against the required sum of RM1.6 million.

Renovations will begin in September 2012 and completed by December 2012. The MAP New building will house:

1)      An increasing staff team to support the vision of sending at least 1000 evangelists in Asia and the distribution of 5 million gospel tracts and 50,000 bibles,

2)      A lecture hall to train REAP Evangelists and Christian leaders in church and marketplace in Evangelism Leadership from 2013 onwards, and

3)      The storage of Christian literature and bibles.

To each one who has contributed sacrificially, thank you. For those who have yet to respond, we ask you to prayerfully consider making a one-time generous contribution or provide an interest free loan as a gesture of practical fellowship in the gospel. Every gift, big or small, counts, so long as it is cheerfully given unto the Lord for His gospel advance. (2 Cor. 9. 6-7)

Gifts can be made to: MAP Partners Berhad

1) Payment by cheque/bank draft/money order: Please make the cheque to MAP Partners Berhad and send it to MAP Partners Berhad, 16-1, Jalan Ara SD7/3B, Bandar Sri Damansara, 52200, Kuala Lumpur.

2) Payment by online banking: You may also bank in directly/telegraphic transfer/bank standing instructions for credit to MAP Bank Current Account: –

Public Bank Berhad
SS2 Branch
Account No: 3108884208

Remember to indicate your name while doing the online transfer “From John for B/Fund”

3) For partners in Australia: Payment by cheque/bank draft/money order: Please make the cheque to MAP Partners (Aust) Inc. and send it to MAP Partners (Aust) Inc. Evangelical Community Church, 19-23 Holland Road, Blackburn South Victoria 3130. Contact person: How Yit Meng. Mobile Phone: 0422 456 812.

4) Or, you can bank in directly/telegraphic transfer/bank standing instructions for credit to MAP Aust. Inc. Current Account:-

BSB number: 013 225

Account Number: 1980 29684

ANZ Banking Group Ltd.

10, Main Street, Boxhill, VIC

Together, we can advance Christ’s gospel much further.  Be blessed as you bless His Name.