Dear Family and Friends:

From March 4 to March 26 GMO scheduled sort of an evangelism marathon: hosting over 500 continuous hours of live evangelism via chat technology. One of the wonderful things about our ministry is that it publishes the gospel 24x7x365 - but during these 22 days, we asked for volunteers to make themselves available for live, interactive follow-up with visitors from around the world as they were making decisions about Jesus.

I will let these volunteers tell you in their own words about their experiences:

“I spoke [with] a man who was Muslim... chatted with him from 11-noon Central time. He was from the Maldives. I just read Operation World about what an unreached, historically cut off from Christianity country this is. What an amazing opportunity!” (Theresa)

“Two people from different countries at the same point in the chat hour asked the same questions! One of them really felt a weight lifted off them as they were both feeling like they couldn’t pray very well. Just telling them it didn’t matter what or how they talked to God just freed them up. So simple and yet profound! I also really felt with the one person like a burden of many years roll off of them. So seeing God work with very few words in a short period of time was refreshing!” (Kathleen)

During this time, we personally led visitors from sensitive countries like Morocco, Pakistan and Vietnam as they prayed to receive Jesus. Online Missionary Janet prayed with a visitor for healing, only to have her return the next day and report that she was healed. Ruth testified, “I have learned that… when I don’t know what to say, I pray—and God speaks.”

During our three weeks of testing, Online Missionary Doug hosted literally thousands of chats. As I got to know Doug better, I began to get a picture of a man consumed with God’s love for the lost world. He was confident and skilled in evangelism. I soon learned why: he has been an AWANA leader for many years. I also learned something surprising about Doug. He has 20/200 vision in both eyes, he is deaf in one ear, and he has cerebral palsy. To me, Doug seemed like a man with profound understanding that physical limitations are no obstacle in God’s calling. When I asked Doug what he learned during our trial run, he said he learned “to believe God for more”

Diana describes herself as a 65 year old wife, mother and grandmother. She became a GMO Online Missionary volunteer in 2010, and urged her sister-in-law Ruth to join her. Ruth returned the favor last September when she convinced Diana to try live chat. Here’s what Diana experienced when she stepped out in faith to believe God for more:

“It’s funny how much Live Chat has done for me, as a believer. For example… my brother does not know Jesus. I’ve shared the gospel with him many times over the years. It’s mostly been awkward and has not gone very well. However, since learning to communicate the gospel on Live Chat, I have become much more confident and experienced at one on one conversation about Jesus Christ. Last week I was speaking to my brother on the phone, (he lives in another state), and before we got off the phone I had gently engaged him in conversation about Jesus ... like I do with people on Live Chat. It was amazing because my brother became interested by my questions and went to find his Bible and look at a scripture verse I had mentioned. We’ve never had a give and take conversation like that before and I attribute it to what I’ve learned about communicating the gospel on Live Chat. Just wanted you to know. Keep on keeping on brother. You are doing amazing things in the Kingdom work!”

It has been one of the great privileges of my life to serve with people like Diana, Doug, Kathleen and Theresa! I just wanted to pass along Diana’s encouragement, because you make it all possible. Keep believing God for more and keep doing amazing things by His power for the Kingdom!

Love, in Christ,

 

Mike & Cindy
One Day Closer! (Romans 13:11)