 DEC.
2004 |
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Volume
2, Issue 24 |
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Need Some Encouragement?
 Please
don't miss reading Ray's column "Better
Than a Humvee," where he tells about
a very special birthday present he received
two weeks ago. We usually don't mention either
one of the columns within the newsletter, because
a link to the newest columns already appears
in the top right-hand corner... But we really
wanted to make sure you didn't miss this
column. It's sure to encourage even the most
timid believers to share their faith with others.
Ministries
Today Magazine
 Ministries
Today has done a comprehensive profile
on our ministry. This cover-story article for
the January/February issue comes out just before
Christmas. Please pray that God uses it to spread
this teaching. The magazine goes to 30,000 pastors
and is read by an estimated 162,200 church leaders
each month.
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|  Militant
Evangelism
This one sent
in by Jessica K.
My husband bought me an i-pod and
I was able to download your sermons.
I went back to school this fall at
a university that is 30 minutes away.
I listen to you all over campus, on
my way there, and back. I have an
hour and a half of Ray almost every
day. My favorite sermon thus far is
Militant
Evangelism. I have listened to
it at least 75-80 times and almost
have it memorized verbatim. I never
tire of listening to it--and I think
you are very funny. My husband and
I have witnessed to more people in
the past six months than we have our
34 years on this planet.
It was encouraging
to get the above email because we
believe that the message on the tape
is incredibly relevant to today's
Church. "Militant
Evangelism" and "How
to Obtain Zeal" are now available
on CD.
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| Appreciated
Support
As most of you know, we never ask
for support, and we are very grateful
to those of you who so kindly send
gifts to the ministry. However, we
would ask that you send whatever you
want to us directly--at the ministry
(see our mailing address at the bottom
of the newsletter). If you send gifts
to certain TV networks, they have
reserved the legal right to keep the
checks, even those that are made out
to our ministry.
Thank you again for your love and
support throughout this year. May
God bless you this Christmas and give
you your heart's desire in the coming
new year. |
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|  Update
on Lev's Surgery
Kirk's sister, Candace, and her husband,
Val, have a four-year-old boy (Lev) who
recently had surgery for an ear infection
called "cholesteatoma." Below
you'll find a letter from Candace to all
who have been praying:
Family and Friends,
Thank you all so much for your
prayers. God was SO there with us this
morning (Nov. 30th).
When we went in for the pre-op
yesterday and met with the surgeon, it
was the first time he was able to view
the CT scan. From our previous meetings,
he only relied on the reports. After looking
at the films, he told me that, unfortunately,
the cholesteatoma was not in the early
stages, but had been there awhile and
was quite large. He then told me that
they would have to do a much more invasive
procedure that would involve not only
removing the cholesteatoma, but cutting
out much of the cartilage in the ear canal,
causing a wide open hole that would be
very prone to infection. If this was to
be done, Lev would never be able to swim
again for the rest of his life or get
his ear wet. (Lev is a master diver already!)
He also told me repeatedly to be prepared
for the possibility of facial nerve damage
because the cholesteatoma had severely
wrapped itself around those nerves.
Yesterday was an emotional day,
preparing for the worst, and hoping to
have heard better news earlier in the
day. We got to the hospital at 6:30 this
morning. Lev was a trouper. He went into
surgery around 11:20 a.m. About an hour
later, a nurse came out to tell us that
they were performing the lesser of the
two surgeries!! Words could not describe
our joy. We waited another hour or so
when the doctor came out to give us the
final news. He told us the surgery went
very well. The cholesteatoma was quite
large indeed, but they keep working at
it, and were able to remove it without
opening the ear canal. There was no facial
nerve damage. Praise the Lord! Out of
the three hearing bones, two had already
been destroyed. He removed those two and
half of the remaining bone. Lev is now
almost completely deaf in his right ear.
(But that was truly the least of our worries.)
Lev will have another surgery
in six months to see if there is any cholesteatoma
left. If there is, they will remove it.
The chance of some remaining is 40 percent.
Lev would continue to have surgery every
six months until it is clean. When it's
completely clean, he will have reconstructive
surgery for his hearing. They will put
in prosthetic bones that will greatly
improve his hearing and possibly restore
it to almost normal.
It was an exhausting day, but
with the Word and prayer, we made it through
with much peace and confidence from the
Lord. He is the Great Physician. Lev is
home and doing well. His head is all wrapped
up, which is annoying him. He hurts and
at the same time wants to run around and
play. Of course, he can't do that, so
it's even more frustrating for a four-year-old.
Thank you again for all your
prayers. It not only helped Lev, but it
really helped Val and me. Knowing that
so many of you were praying over this
surgery, Lev, and the doctors gave us
so much comfort. We are truly grateful
to all of you. Thank you, thank you.
In Christ,
Candace and Val
(Above,
Lev is pictured with his dad, Val.) |
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Grab
a cup of coffee
and dig in. We
offer these stories
to encourage you
that ANYONE can
share their faith.
These are real
people, just like
you... if they
can do it -- you
can do it!
Life is
quick -- stay
focused.
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 ..::
Getting Out There!
::..
This one sent
in by Ross A.
(Atlanta, GA)
Our Sunday school
class at First
Baptist Church,
Atlanta, goes
out once a month
with the "Are
you a good person"
tracts. We
have signs saying
"Are you
a good person?
Win $100!"
We also had t-shirts
made with "Are
you a GOOD person?
Tell me why...Mark
10:18." Sometimes
we have people
lined up to talk
to us about law
and grace. For
the months of
January, February,
and March, we
will be indoors
learning more
and more of "The
Way of the Master."
Each week our
Sunday school
class of around
25 receives a
new lesson from
the School
of Biblical Evangelism
book. If you
haven't purchased
this book, it's
a must! The lessons
are easy, effective,
and fun...with
great questions
at the end of
each. I hope this
photo encourages
everyone to plow
some ground with
the Law and plant
some seeds of
the gospel!
..::
The Journey of
One Tract ::..
This one sent
in by Les S. (Lynchburg,
VA)
I was staying
at a hotel in
Kansas City, and
after eating in
the hotel restaurant,
I left a "Test
Your Reading Skills"
tract in the
folder with the
bill I had signed
for the meal.
I thought about
giving one to
the chef, but
I didn't see him
as I was leaving.
The next night
after my meal,
I left a tract
again, but saw
the chef leaning
against the bar
in front of the
kitchen. I walked
over to him with
the same tract
in my hand, but
before I could
give it to him
he started smiling
and said he'd
already seen the
one I had left
the night before.
He then told me
that after some
other staff members
had read the tract,
a customer came
in and sat at
the bar and ordered
a drink. The customer
looked really
distraught. The
chef (who turned
out to be a fellow
believer) found
out after talking
with this man
for a few minutes
that his wife
had just left
him and the rest
of his world was
crumbling as well.
So the chef pulled
out the tract
out that I had
left the previous
day, and after
the customer read
it he broke down
and wept, and
allowed the chef
to lead him to
Christ.
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Do
you want to contribute
your witnessing
experiences, tract
stories and creative
evangelism ideas
to the "Coffee
Break" column?
Send them to: share@wayofthemaster.com,
and maybe we'll
use yours!
(Please
include your first
name, last name,
and location, in
case we use your
story!) |
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Working
on Something Big