Las Vegas...?Las Vegas! Yay!You won’t believe how great this trip was - and it was only a day long!! Though seminary has been full-time, we were able to take a day trip due to a short break Daniel had from some studies, and we teamed up with an awesome ministry that I was involved with in Michigan. The ministry is called Sports Fan Outreach, and it aims at getting people involved in local evangelism to their own stadiums, as well as travel to some of the big games of the year! Since we couldn't make the Super Bowl (too many studies...), though going to LA to share the Gospel with Ray Comfort is our passion, we were so thankful to make this game! It has been quite a while since I've seen Bill Adams, who runs the ministry, so it was so good to connect with his ministry again! Also, Daniel proposed on a plane that was technically headed to Vegas (it was a layover to Phoenix), so that made it even more special! ❤️ What were our highlights?? Daniel: PREACHING!! WHOOO! This trip was his FIRST time ever open-air preaching!!!! Here are two links to watch his preaching. These videos are SUPER short, so please consider watching a few of them (I would suggest just listening...you can hear a Taliah a little too!!): This link is of my favorite: What is the Cross of Christ About Open-Air link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PQt8K6jj2M This link has all the videos (only about 13min if you watch all of them: Daniel's Open-Air Preaching Videos link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PQt8K6jj2M&list=PLqumN3lIcj9pHHVRbiv2UYNIhuyTVqV5X Sarah: (Since he stole my favorite) I’ll say it was sharing the Gospel with a little boy, but honestly, I couldn’t get over the preaching - I’m SO PROUD of my husband and so thankful for him!!!! (PLEASE look at the videos!) Taliah: Though I can’t say I know for sure what her favorite part was, I think it was taking a break to see the amazing water show (see pictures). Highlights of pictures: First row - Nevada scenery; Taliah’s favorite part Second row - Daniel (my husband) preaching to THOUSANDS of people!!!! Third row - Taliah and I passing tracts! Fourth row - Funny moments with Taliah…getting a little tired… :) But I’m all seriousness, please pray for the city. I can honestly say we’ve never seen more openly provocative, sinful things out in the open. So thankful for the opportunity to share the Gospel there! Missionary focus!Why would we travel to Las Vegas just to do evangelism at a game? That's where the crowds of people were, tons of people running towards a cliff in a sense, most of which drinking, partying, and making idols of their various lusts. They need the Gospel, and even if we didn't get a lot of responses, God is glorified through our proclamation of the Gospel, and God’s glory is what we want to live for. We give the Gospel while still in America because we want to be faithful wherever we are and don't know if we will Evan have tomorrow. But when we look ahead our goal is missionary work to the unreached people groups of Papua New Guinea. Why there? Because the people there have no access to Scripture in their language, no true churches, and no true understanding of the depths of their sin (their lying, stealing, etc.), and the power of the cross save them through the perfect life, death, and resurrection of the God-Man - Jesus Christ! That's why we study... So many books...How is seminary going for Daniel? It's busy, but going well! I'll highlight some of his classes later. Daniel is enrolled at Expositor's Seminary, which has 11 Zoom campuses around the country. All the professors are pastors, they teach the classes, and the seminary is at our church, so that makes it really convenient! This picture reminds me of one of our pastor's libraries...so that's why I included it... But what else has been going on in our lives? More busy days at the park!How is Taliah?? She is doing great! I love watching her learn new things all the time! The park is the perfect place for us to go, because I'm usually able to have a Gospel conversation, or at least share some tracts with people, Daniel is able to study, and after evangelism, this girl gets to play - and sometimes she even strikes up evangelism opportunities while she does it! It's so crazy to think about how fast she's growing. I find myself standing amazed at how much more she can do each time we go somewhere! Pretty soon she'll start language learning... What is this??This is a weird looking book that my friend owns, and I don't think it's Christian, but it does explain the TPR method, which is a method we plan to use in Papua New Guinea. TPR stands for "total physical response", which means, in Papua New Guinea, you don't ask the tribal people to write you a grammar on their language complete with written tests, etc., rather, it means you learn the language by careful observation. This blog from some missionaries who are missionaries to Papua New Guinea, serving with Ethnos360 (the college I went to) might be helpful in explaining the process through some pictures. Ethnos360 blog link: blogs.ethnos360.org/sean-richards/2013/05/29/learning-language-through-total-physical-response-tpr/ If you want a quick answer to what TPR is, just think about how much you retained from the last English test you took in school, versus when your grammar-loving aunt came up to you out of the blue and yelled at you to stop saying "ain't". Which of these situations (you might have to pretend a little, I understand...) would you most likely remember more? Probably the second, just like you most likely wouldn't have payed as much attention to what I just wrote if I didn't use an illustration that either made you laugh or look at the text thinking that the author of it is quite strange... My point is: storytelling is key in a tribal setting. Creativity is highly valued and appreciated, so keep that in mind next time you talk to people of other cultures...because Westerners seem to like bullet points, but people of more tribal contexts like stories. And...in our entertainment culture today...how can you say that Westerners don't like stories as well? How can our computers aid us to this creative end?Question: Can you guess which computer is which? Answer: The one on the left is Daniel's, and the one on the right is mine. Daniel's computer has an Ethnos sticker, along with two stickers that remind us in a creative way that we are to be "salt and light" (taken from Matt. 5:13-16). Mine has countdown stickers of the tribes left in the Finisterre Mountains of Papua New Guinea (that's why our ministry is called Finisterre Vision), along with the Finisterre Vision logo, and Charles Spurgeon - the great preacher of the faith from the 1800's. We try to use our computers only for the purpose of glorifying the Lord through studying for seminary, writing on Word documents, and preparing for teaching children in church! My cute, amazing teacher and my fast learner!!THIS IS MY HUSBAND TEACHING ONE OF THE CHILDREN'S CLASSES AT CHURCH! I loved watching and listening to him teach so much! <3 He found a way to articulate the Gospel so well to the children, keeping them engaged, making them laugh, making them think, and hopefully bearing fruit that will last to eternity! Taliah had fun at church too - she's starting to walk by herself a little bit now - YAY! So thankful for my awesome, little Australian family... Ever think about different countries...?I thought this display was really cool. Have you ever seen Australian money before? What about money from New Guinea? The American dollar is valued much too highly, because currently, America is the richest country in the world, but that isn't necessarily a good thing. I won't say much about this, I just want to have the text speak for itself: Mark 10:17-27 "As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do so that I may inherit eternal life?” But Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not give false testimony, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth.” Looking at him, Jesus showed love to him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But he was deeply dismayed by these words, and he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus responded again and *said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were even more astonished, and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”" That brings us to the Ten Commandments:I think it's helpful for every Christian to memorize the Ten Commandments, so that they can think about each command as they confess specific sin. That's why I included this - to encourage you to do so! I loved finding this picture, because I love how they included the Hebrew! Will you look at each command instead of just skipping over them and consider them in your everyday life... ...and consider using them in evangelism? She's learning how to use them in evangelism!!This is Taliah's new favorite place! Just kidding, it's not, and we know she'll grow out of it soon, but she is usually pretty content sitting in there (as long as I keep moving) while I'm talking to people in the park. This red bag shown in the picture is special to me because I got in while I was in Israel, and ever since it has become the evangelism bag! It's so refreshing to be able to share my passion specifically with my husband, and to help teach Taliah to grow up in the fear of the Lord! And Lord willing, we can do that in PNG… ...so...that's the plan...it's hopefully not a puzzle like this...I thought this was a pretty cool idea for a puzzle, but I thought it would be even cooler if you used it to track unreached people groups! The problem with that, however, is that sometimes people think a country is reached when it really isn't. What do you think the standard for reached and unreached should be within specific countries? Comment below if you have ideas! And...if you're not going to...would you consider listening to this? If the question of true and false conversions is puzzling you, this should help clear things up. True and False Conversion by Ray Comfort link: soundcloud.com/livingwaterspub/true-and-false-conversion But remember that you can't listen to that without also understanding this one... Hell's Best Kept Secret link: soundcloud.com/livingwaterspub/hells-best-kept-secret This is heresy.I hope you listened to those sermons (I know you didn't, so please go do it), because you're going to need some truth before you lay your eyes on these. I have four things to say to combat FOUR different heresies on a "seemingly Christian" endcap. CLAIM #1. Prov. 31:29 taken out of context... REFUTATION: This one could mean anything, because it needs the context to be rightly interpreted. Please consider reading Prov. 31:10-31 to get the full context of the passage, and please don't go around giving women these rocks unless they meet the biblical standard of a Prov. 31 woman. CLAIM #2. "She needed a hero, so that's what she became." REFUTATION: Um...no... 1 Tim. 2:9-14: "Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive apparel, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a wrongdoer. " CLAIM # 3. "If at first you don't succeed fix your ponytail and try again." REFUTATION: This may seem cute, but it's a subtle way to try to promote feminism within Christianity, and it's not okay. Here I am, using a bullet point style. You probably would have retained that better if I wrote a story about a seemingly fearless feminist who was overcome with pride and the weight of the world, then had to stop in sudden shock of what had just happened. Crash! Without seeing anything coming, she had been hit with a Bible. "What is happening!? I'm not actually hearing from God, I don't excel than many women, I can't be my own hero, and my hair is a mess? "Oh...I guess I could read this book..." Hey, I just made a story! I hope that helps... Taliah loves stories... And she loves IKEA too!!I can't wait until I can read to her... ...and I can't wait until she can read herself! I bet she'll have a great imagination - she already does! We want to encourage Taliah to be able to share the Gospel in creative ways, finding the balance between letting her enjoy and learn to love the Gospel (not making it a burden) while also not encouraging being off in a fantasy world. That's why we pray for the opportunity to go to Papua New Guinea, but we trust what God has for us right now, striving to be diligent to whatever ends He has for us. Papua New Guinea!What are some specific ways you can pray for Papua New Guinea? You can pray for the remaining 49 tribes in the Finisterre Mountain of Papua New Guinea that don't have the Gospel, along with the rest of the unreached in the country. Some tribes are begging for missionaries and no one has come to them yet. Prayer is also needed for the believers in Do, that they would be strengthened in their faith. A serious request is for the mobs that have been terrorizing certain groups of people - for those to stop altogether. Also for Do as they work with the Mitchell's (missionaries through Finisterre Vision who are from South Africa) as they work on advanced literacy classes with the Do people. And pray for us through our studies......pray that we could get there too, when seminary is finished and the time is right, because much urgency is needed for the spread of the Gospel! So...I said I would highlight some of Daniel's classes, so here it goes! This semester, Daniel has a missions class, so that has been encouraging at times through our desire to reach the unreached. After that class, he takes a pastoral leadership class (which is a continuation of last semester). On top of that, he has four more classes: Hebrew, Exposition and Homiletics, Theology, and New Testament Intro and Survey. A highlight of all his classes has been Theology, partly because his study load is a little less for that class this semester, and also because he has a great professor. We read the books for this class together (some professors let us do that, which is a MAJOR blessing), and we both enjoyed one book in particular. The book is called Re-enchanting Humanity by Owen Strachan. Dr. Strachan is the provost of Grace Bible Theological Seminary, which I've heard really good things about. He was also on the Living Waters Podcast, which you MUST check out! Here's a quick summary of our favorite part of the book, and then some links. Re-enchanting Humanity: Dr. Strachan has a chapter on technology, which really made us think about how the church suffers from the effects of technology gone wrong, starting from the technology of the "brick" which helped create the Tower of Babel to the porn industry we face today. Grace Bible Theological Seminary Owen Strachan bio link: gbtseminary.org/gbtseminary-faculty/owen-strachan/ The Living Waters Podcast: www.livingwaters.com/podcast/ She's driving already!What a switch in topics! Taliah seems to like listening to the Living Waters Podcast... ...but she really likes playing in the mall! This is her having a great time exploring and learning while having fun! But hopefully not in idleness... Traveling should not be for vacation...I understand that people think they "deserve a vacation" sometimes, but I don't think that's biblical. We are supposed to be sharing the Gospel, in season and out of season. 2 Tim 4:2: "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction." Rest and some pleasure in moderation to the glory of God is okay, but I think people tend to take that idea and go overboard, which I'm sure I do sometimes too! That's why we keep studying... Hebrew!!!!Hebrew specifically has been going by really fast, but Daniel is keeping up well! Something interesting that makes more sense of the text if you know the Hebrew is the idea of sin ruling over you in Genesis 3 and 4. If you remember when Eve was told that Adam would be a "master" over her, in Genesis 3, and then Cain was told to "master" over sin in Genesis 4, it adds additional clarity to the text. (Not to get too in-depth, you can study it out on your own.) I owe this specific insight to Dr. Strachan (please see the links above!), but it wouldn't make as much sense without knowing the Hebrew for it, to go more in depth as to what it means. Hopefully Taliah will understand it someday, too! I think she's ready to go to the mission field too...I'm so thankful for her and Daniel! I love this girl's smile, and I love how much she looks like her father!! But regardless of that, I want to urge you to think seriously about the mission field - because people are dying around us as we speak - 150,000 a day. The sands of time are wasting away, so I urge you to pray for the lost - and to take your prayers to action - and to see what you can do to help those dying without access to the Word of God in their language. The world is black, full of sin and depravity, needing the precious blood of Christ - the Gospel of light! So, let's go!
|
AuthorsDaniel and Sarah Bruce desire to be missionaries to the unreached peoples of the world. Daniel is from Australia and Sarah is from Detroit, MI. They reside in Phoenix, AZ, where they are members at Shepherd's House Bible Church in Chandler, AZ. Archives
March 2024
Categories
All
|