If you have a passion for spreading the Gospel, India is one of the most critical mission fields — and now is a key time to support Mission India as they touch kids’ hearts.

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

Raina Miller with Mission India says, “Giving Tuesday falls during our 10-Day Children’s Bible Club matching challenge, so it’s a great time to take advantage of that…. Every dollar that you give to 10-Day Children’s Bible Clubs is currently being doubled — so $1 is doubled to reach two children with the good news of Jesus!”

India is home to 1.4 billion people, and 96% have never heard the Gospel. Mission India works with local Christian partners for these Children’s Bible Clubs — even as believers face intense persecution.

“India is actually the 11th most dangerous nation in the world for Christians,” Miller explains. “There are people who are ostracized from their communities, they are facing violence, they’re facing intimidation in all different forms for following Christ…. And yet, we’re finding that the more persecution increases, the more the Church grows.”

(Photo courtesy of Mission India)

You can donate to Mission India’s 10-Day Children’s Bible Clubs today at www.missionindia.org/double.

This Giving Tuesday, help make an eternal difference for children in India.

Miller also asks, “Pray that the kids who are reached through the Bible Clubs that are being sponsored during this match would have their hearts changed in a way that pushes them to lead others to Christ as well. [Pray] that it just creates a domino effect where the kids reached through this match then go on to reach entire communities!”

Header photo courtesy of Mission India.

It’s a move lamented by Christians around the world. Greg Musselman of Voice of the Martyrs Canada says: “The thing that is so troubling about this is hat India is supposed to have some freedom of religion and conscience, but when you’ve got a radical government – the radical Hindu party the BJP – their desire is to see India become a fully Hindu country. If you’re Indian, you’re Hindu.”

Unfortunately, this isn’t the start of a trend; it’s a pattern that other states have already set. “Rajasthan is following the lead of the previous 11 states that have gone this direction, and it’s just going to be causing more and more problems with fines, imprisonment, and really what it is is intimidation.”

Both suggested policies could put undue pressure on the local Church. Conversion is rarely something a person expects, and demanding 60 days notice before someone makes a life-changing decision is a nearly impossible task. Arguably, that’s the point.

Then there’s the ban on forced conversions. Local magistrates would be the ones to decide whether a conversion is “forced.” Some officials have already suggested that charitable aid could be seen as a bribe. In other words, if an organization helps someone with their practical needs, the government could label any resulting conversion as a “forced conversion.”

That’s a huge problem for groups like Voice of the Martyrs Canada, which makes practical compassion a cornerstone of their work. “When you go into these situations and you give them food, you give them clothing, and you encourage them, they’re going to see the love of God, and the desire is that we would then share the Gospel with them,” Musselman says. 

“Now, I don’t believe in proselytizing people if there’s any kind of coercion involved – that’s just not the way that Jesus ministered. But we believe in evangelism. We are compelled to share the Gospel.”

All of this puts an intimidating obstacle in the face of the Indian Church, especially young believers. “Somebody comes to know the Lord through the kindness of believers and now they’re facing persecution as a result of that,” Musselman says. “I know many pastors and leaders in India. They’re not being intimidated by this, but it’s the newer believers, those that are young in their faith, especially if they’ve come from Hindu backgrounds.”

And yet despite the anxiety and persecution, God’s presence in India continues to grow. “​​God is working. Many are coming to know the Lord,” Musselman says. “I think the big prayer here would be that the church would not pull back, that they would continue to share the message of God, the message of God’s love through his son Jesus, that they would do it with humility, but they would also do it with boldness.

“We need to be bold. We need to go forward and do what we’re to do, but we’re also to show humility and kindness, and that would be my prayer for our brothers and sisters in India.”

Learn more about the work of Voice of the Martyrs Canada here.

Header photo courtesy of Unsplash.

Spoken Worldwide is a Christian ministry that equips leaders to share the Gospel with oral learners. Their work includes orality coaching, pastor development, and oral Bible translation initiatives.

Like many of their ministry partners, Spoken Worldwide is feeling COVID-19’s impact on their supporters.

Uncertainty in finances

(Photo courtesy of Nik Shuliahin via Unsplash)

Ed Weaver, President of Spoken Worldwide, says, “We’re completely dependent on the generosity of believers and when they express fear and uncertainty in terms of their careers or their personal wealth, then it creates a downstream problem for us. As confident as we want to be in the Lord and His provision for us, how do we provide confidence to those who support us?”

It is understandable that charitable giving decreases in times when families aren’t sure how to pay their bills or afford groceries.

Rather than making financial decisions out of fear, Weaver encourages believers to bathe their situation in prayer. He also says nonprofits should empower and trust their donors to make wise decisions as the Holy Spirit leads — even if that means a decrease in giving.

“I know that there’s plenty of people that suggest that part of the ministry is a ministry to donors and to disciple donors. Well, I’m never one to presume that I know more spiritually than a donor does so it’s not like I can counsel them. If someone is experiencing fear in what to do with their money and maybe they want to pull in their horns, who am I to say that’s not what God’s telling them to do?”

(Photo courtesy of Nathan Dumlao via Unsplash)

Uncertainty in leadership

The pandemic has also put leaders like Weaver in very tough positions. As people look to their leaders for guidance and encouragement, ministry heads especially have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders.

“We know that we need to stiff-arm fear and recognize that’s not from our Lord and God…but then how do you really face that? How do you articulate that to your team — that you are confident [but] at the same time, not unaware of what everybody else’s fears and uncertainties may be, and then helping them manage through what their fears are?”

Weaver says being proactive in team communication is key. “We’re not in the office together and so, therefore, we really can’t very tangibly lift each other up or have each other’s back. So there has to be some intentionality that not only I have to deliver to the team, but the team needs to be able to lift each other up in the process.”

Spoken Worldwide also supports indigenous ministry leaders around the world in orality Gospel movements. Weaver says he is also trying to empower these leaders in their own contexts to support and encourage the people they work with.

“There’s compassion that we need to have on our local leadership…and provide whatever strength and support that they’re going to need in navigating this uncertain time.”

Uncertainty in the future

(Photo courtesy of Nikko Macaspac via Unsplash)

Personally, Weaver is no stranger to financial devastation and uncertainty. He and his wife Laura got married in 2001. Within a year, they both lost their jobs.

“Our income for the next three years was never more than ten percent of what we had made collectively before we got married. So you go through three years of that and every time you reduce a certain expense, it’s just never enough. Finally, after a while, you don’t have anything.”

However, Weaver says times of future uncertainty and even tragedy are reminders that our confidence shouldn’t rest on the money we have in our bank accounts.

“We’re all equally in a dependent position on God and His provision for us. If we look…at His Word and we read what He says about His faithfulness to us,…we typically interpret that as saying, ‘Well, then I’ll never lose my job.’ No, He means He’ll never leave us or forsake us. That doesn’t have anything to do with our income and our livelihood.

“We are just beginning to realize how dependent we are on God, how dependent we always were. Nothing has changed from yesterday to today.”

Certainty in God

Finances, leadership, and the future may all be uncertain. But one thing is sure — we serve a God who is certain.

(Photo courtesy of Whoislimos via Unsplash)

“That is what my go-to is,” Weaver says. “It’s the parallel between God’s Word and my personal experience that prove He was faithful. But you know what? I did lose my job. I did lose my income. It was a long, painful process and there were a lot of things I had put my faith in that God said, ‘You don’t need to have your faith in that. You need to have your faith in Me.’”

If there’s one thing we as believers can do to take advantage of this season, it’s pray.

Please pray for Spoken Worldwide and other ministries to persevere in telling people about Jesus. Ask the Lord to give nonprofit donors and supporters wisdom. Pray for many people to turn to Christ for hope and peace in the midst of uncertainty.

Weaver asks, “Pray that God will reveal Himself to us in a new and fresh way and remind us that He is the same God today as He was yesterday. He’s the same God today when things are uncertain as He was when we thought things were certain two months ago. I think reminding each other of that is incredibly powerful.”

Click here to learn more about Spoken Worldwide!

Header photo courtesy of Milada Vigerova via Unsplash.

India Partners’ Donna Glass says the help extended to their organization goes even farther today through a matching grant.

“On Giving Tuesday, we have [an] over $5,000 match. So, that’s pretty exciting to think that for every gift you give, it can be doubled so it does twice as much,” she states.

What does India Partners do?

By collaborating with groups on-the-ground, India Partners works toward an India rich in hope, justice, and compassion. From education and vocational training to disaster relief, India Partners supports the work of indigenous organizations by training local leaders and raising funds.

Your support of this work can help change a life.

“These gifts matter because a lot of the folks that we work with are Dalits; they are the ‘Untouchables,’” notes Glass, referring to India’s social hierarchy known as the caste system.

Dalits are rejected because they weren’t born into the right social class. The physically disabled are another group of social “misfits” helped by India Partners. “One of our partners provides free computer training to the physically disabled,” Glass shares.

Learn more about that program here.

“The disabled have been ‘shunted’ away so much,…but computer skills are something you don’t have to have a lot of mobility to do.”

Some of the projects outlined in India Partners’ 2018 Gift Catalog aren’t necessarily “popular” among donors, but they’re just as important.

For example, teaching village kids how to read and write may not seem like a big deal.  However, in many instances, the benefits extend to parents because they “sit in” on classes and learn along with their children.  In turn, Glass explains, this new knowledge helps parents make wiser business transactions.

Through India Partners, just $22 provides “four children [with] the supplies they need to sit under the tree or sit in the house and…they can learn,” says Glass. “It’s not a full day of school, but it provides for a teacher to come in and help these children do basic math [and] learn to read and write in their native language.”

A full list of needs is outlined here.

How can I help?

Philanthropy, the focus of Giving Tuesday, is defined by Merriam-Webster as “goodwill to fellow members of the human race” or “an act or gift done or made for humanitarian purposes.”

Glass says Giving Tuesday is the only time your philanthropic gifts can go four times as far.

“How much do we spend on gifts for people that maybe they don’t really need? This gift would be doubled, and on Giving Tuesday, it’s doubled even again.”

Check out the opportunities here in India Partners’ Gift Catalog, and ask the Lord how He would have you steward your resources.

Header and story images courtesy India Partners via Facebook.

(photo by http://epsos.de/Simple-Safe-FOREX-Trading-Strategy-Advise)

Int’l (FHH) — This time of year, it’s sometimes hard to know how best to express one’s charity.

Barry Gardner with Food For The Hungry gives some helpful tips on how to give around the Christmas season, without the guilt.

There’s the bell-ringer outside the store (always able to make me feel guilty, even if I gave yesterday). Celebrity-sponsored tel-a-thons on television. The walk-a-thons, ski-a-thons, bike-a-thons for various diseases. If your e-mail or postal mailbox is like mine, it’s stuffed with once-a-year “friends” who plead with me to start giving to help solve at least one of the world’s problems.

But what motivates me to take action? What makes me respond to that e-mail, to call a phone number, or send back that letter? How do you choose?

If you’re like me, deciding amongst the competing voices comes down to three things when giving.

1. The first thing I look at is whether the charity is focused on problems I think need solving. For example, if I’m motivated to bring clean water to the poorest people in Africa (or Latin America or Asia), I’m going to be giving to that particular cause, regardless of how many cute pictures I get of needy dogs at the local animal shelter.

At this time of year, Food for the Hungry (FH) helps its donors understand the breadth of projects that we’re engaged in. They hope that there’s something in that list that each donor might find attractive. That’s the reason they have a catalog and appeals for various causes. But more than informing you, they hope they inspire you.

2. The second thing I consider is the charity’s values. It’s possible to do the right things for the wrong reasons or in the wrong way.

A charity might have a good program, but without sharing my values, it won’t count for much. So if I have a choice between a secular charity and a Christian one working on a similar problem, I always go for the one that shares my religious commitment. I think the Christian organization will more completely share the spirit of why I gave, hopefully with a witness to Christ–the Hope who inspires us all.

3. The last thing–but not least–I consider is trust. After I make my gift, my control ends. Will the organization follow through on its promises? Will my money be kept safe? Will the organization act responsibly toward my intended recipients, people like me, made in the image of God?

Based on those three principles, sorting the mail or e-mail isn’t so hard. I depend on charities to be instruments of my heart. When I can trust them to do the right thing for the right reasons, it’s easy to give my money away and partner in doing good works, just like Christ commanded.

According to a news release from Faith Comes by Hearing (FCBH), being recognized for the sixth straight year elevates the ministry into the top 3% of all charities.

Charity Navigator said this means FCBH "demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust."

In the notification letter, Charity Navigator President and CEO Ken Berger wrote, "We are proud to announce Faith Comes By Hearing has earned our sixth consecutive 4-star rating. Only 3% of the charities we rate have received at least six consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that Faith Comes By Hearing outperforms most other charities in America."

FCBH said the recognition is especially meaningful as "Charity Navigator evaluates 10 times the number of charities than [its] next closest organization and draws more visitors to [its] Web site than every other charity evaluator combined."

FCBH founder and president Jerry Jackson said in the news release, "It has always been our priority to be good stewards with every donation given to complete our mission. The best way to ensure accountability is to be open with our finances."

Jackson added, "As an outside and impartial evaluator, Charity Navigator's continued recognition of our transparency and fiscal responsibility is testimony to our current and prospective donors that they are giving to a ministry that is using their funds wisely."

With many households taking a hit with the growing economic crisis, families often have to make budget cuts. What’s usually one of the first things to go? Charitable giving.

Giving USA recently reported that charitable funding of religious organizations went down 1.7% last year. It’s the second year in a row that support of churches and non-profit religious groups has decreased.

Jerry Jackson, President and Founder of Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH), says, “One of the issues all of our non-profits face is that our costs are going up: the cost of gas, cost of transportation–everything is going up. So to have a reduction is a double hit.”

However, FCBH isn’t a trend-follower. Jackson says last year they saw an increase in funding by nearly 12%.
“We were very appreciative that the donors recognize the value of the Word of God and actually increased their giving and kept us more than current with rising costs,” says Jackson.

What makes FCBH so different that their supporters are confident in their giving consistency? “We really are championing the cause of the poor and illiterate…. I think that touches the heart of people in America where we live an awfully good lifestyle and these folks are living in areas where they don’t know what God’s Word says.”

One of FCBH’s most effective areas of ministry is their production of the Proclaimer, a small mp3 player the size of a pack of gum, continaing God’s Word recorded in the heart language of the listener. “To have the Word of God in a foreign language makes Jesus a foreign God,” explains Jackson. “So, I think people are really getting that and understanding that and empowering us to record and get these Proclaimers in the hands of people in the language they pray to God in, so He can become their God.”

FCBH was featured last year in Return On Investment Ministry’s list of the Top Ten religious non-profits that have the largest eternal impact per donated dollar. FCBH ranked sixth on the list. According to RIO Ministry, FCBH’s work disciples one person to faith in Christ per every $1.75 donated. FCBH has also earned a four-star rating for the past five years on Charity Navigator.

You can be a part of helping to make an eternal impact with the Gospel. Click here to support FCBH.

The Mavericks will highlight Buckner as part of their "Mavs Charity Challenge" on February 7th, 2011 when they play against the Cleveland Cavaliers. For every ticket purchased through this offer and through the special "buckner" code, the Mavericks will donate $5 toward Buckner Children and Family Services.

In addition to helping Buckner through basketball games, the team lent a hand during Thanksgiving time. Mavericks guard Jason Terry, in partnership with Kroger Food, helped to deliver 200 turkey meals to families supported by Buckner; these families also received a $25 gift card to Kroger.

The team then partnered with Nick & Sam's Steakhouse to host 120 children from Buckner after-school programs. The Mavericks played basketball with the kids and then served them a Thanksgiving meal. This was the first time that the Mavs' "Turkey Dunk" partnered with Buckner for the event.

Vice President of Public relations and marketing at Buckner said, "We are so thankful to the Mavericks and Nick & Sam's for providing this great day for our kids. You could tell everyone was having a great time."

The Dallas Mavericks, along with supporting Buckner International, have set up additional game days that ticket sales will go to support separate charities. The charity that generates the most ticket sales for their designated game date will also receive an additional $2 per ticket donated by the Mavericks.

"The work that the Mavericks do in the Dallas community has a huge impact, and we are thrilled that our children and families will be a part of this," said Myndi Easter, Buckner Events Manager. "They are a great organization to work with, and the night will be a lot of fun for those who want to support Buckner and the Mavs."

The hope of Christ can be shared by just the purchase of a NBA Maverick ticket. By following the instructions on the Maverick Web site, you can support a child or family in need this basketball season. If you can't go to the game, you can still donate to Buckner International to help support an orphan, at-risk children, and families. Pray that the Mavericks' support of these charities will be affirmed by ticked purchases and attendance at the games. Also pray that the Lord will use this event to bring support to Buckner International's ministry to families around the world.

"Spare the
Change" is a campaign sponsored by WZZM 13 and Choice One Banks. Donations
made to the campaign will help Bethany place older kids and teens in foster
care with families. Bethany is featured on WZZM's news broadcasts and local
talk show, Take 5. The host of Take 5 is an adoptive mom who also
serves on Bethany's National Board.

This campaign is
part of "Hero Central," WZZM's effort to inspire regular people in
West Michigan to help those in need. By telling stories about everyday heroes,
WZZM hopes to raise up an "army" of people to address the needs of
the community.

"Spare the Change" runs through September 12. You
can donate at any of the Choice One Banks in West Michigan, or make an online
donation by clicking here.

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship is reviewing budgets,
considering how it can use its resources more carefully and efficiently as it
plans events like Urbana
09, its triennial student missions conference.

The ministry is thankful for the
many donors who faithfully support its vision of seeing students and faculty
transformed, campuses renewed, and world changers developed. As one donor said, "The Kingdom of God does
not stop because of a bad economy." 

InterVarsity has set a goal of planting 100 new chapters on
campuses over a period of five years. 42
chapters have been planted since 2006, and at least 40 more are planned for the next couple years. 

During the 2007-2008 school year, InterVarsity operated 855
chapters on 556 campuses, serving more than 32,200 students. The chapters are making an impact on
campuses for the kingdom
of God. 

The president of Mesa
Community College in San Diego was impressed by an AIDS awareness
exhibit that was co-sponsored by World Vision and the college's InterVarsity
chapter. 

"InterVarsity impacted our college
and moved it to acquire a heart," he said. 
"InterVarsity's Impact One tent touched the campus, and it touched me. We
are not the same."

In November, InterVarsity's eight
chapters at Harvard
University worked
together to sponsor an on-campus lecture series by N.T. Wright, an Anglican
bishop. Bishop Wright challenged Harvard
students to change the world, biblically. Days later, a Chinese student who had attended the lectures became a
Christian at a chapter event. 

The purpose of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA is to
establish and advance at colleges and universities witnessing communities of
students and faculty who follow Jesus as Savior and Lord. You can help InterVarsity continue fulfilling
its purpose in tough economic times.