The Bible for All
“You and I have received a call: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). But how? When? Where?
Last month, something extraordinary happened in Norway. A project called The Bible for All was launched with the aim of giving one Bible to every home and every family in the country.
We at Matteson Mission School were responsible for our county, Eidsberg. We visited the nearly 4,000 homes in seven days. Many Adventists from the local church and members of other Christian denominations joined students and staff from Matteson Mission School as they walked the streets carrying the gospel in their backpacks. They were all excited at the opportunity to share this message of hope and love with every person they met.
“The Bible for All helped me understand that ‘the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few’ (Matt. 9:37) as never before.” Felix Schwarz
“Many people were amazed and asked: ‘Is it for me? For free? Why?’ One evening, a young man asked me, ‘Why do you want to give Bibles to the people? Why should I take it?’ All I could say was what was in my heart: ‘Because it has changed my life and I believe it can also change yours.’ He smiled as he went back inside with the Bible in his hands.” - Sara Lucía Benito
“Giving Bibles to the homes has put us in contact with souls that are hungry for the Bread of Life. It has given me the opportunity to start studying the Bible with one of them. Now truth and love can flow from heaven into that home. Bibelen til alle!” René Havstein
“This great experience has helped me to reflect on how the Bible has changed my way of thinking, my values and how I define my own self-worth. The knowledge that I am a child of the Most High God gives me peace in my heart, and that was the message I shared with others as I handed out the Bibles.” - Emilio Fang
“The darkness was only broken by the little lights on the side of each house. Or so we thought... in reality, our backpacks were filled with Light, and so were our hearts. And as we passed by the houses and saw the smiles of those who had received the Light, we rejoiced and walked on into the darkness, carrying and sharing Light.” - Tine Cools
“As we came to a farmhouse, a boy of about 10 met us at the door. We asked him, ‘Where is your mom?’ He replied: ‘She’s inside, but I’m the one who wants to have and read the Bible!’” - Clemens Kopf
We thank the Lord for sending us to share the gospel and for using us as His instruments in spite of ourselves! Thanks to Him, there are many people now studying the Bible for the first time in their lives! Praise the Lord!
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15)
Beautiful Way
by Missy Sutton
The name of our nonprofit organization is The Beautiful Way. We fall under the 501c3 umbrella of Chestnut Hill Health located in Portland, Tennessee. We are members of ASI. This is our story.
The Adventist health message is the right hand of the gospel, but as a nurse working in home health, I was amazed that so few people outside the church knew anything about it. Even inside the church, it seemed as if only a few people knew about the health message. People are suffering from various diseases and God has given our church the healing solution.
I started reading all I could find about the health message in the Spirit of Prophecy and other books like, “The Medical Missionary Manual.” I called my church sister, Karen Spence, and we started praying together, asking God what we could do. As we began to evaluate the effectiveness of other ministries already in place (like SDA Lifestyle Centers and Sanitariums), we noticed there were key elements missing such as:
1. Advertisements explaining the benefits of going to a health outpost
2. Grants to assist those who can’t afford to go
3. Personal follow up care after individuals leave the outposts to encourage continual physical and spiritual well-being
4. Connections between clients and churches in their hometowns
4. Motivational tools for clients to promote physical and spiritual health
The Beautiful Way believes that providing these missing elements reconnects the gospel with the health message. Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, “Follow Me” (MH 143.3).
When our idea came to fruition, we needed a name for this new ministry. I suggested we call it “The Beautiful Way.” I had heard the personal conversion story of Heather Wilson who used to run the Country Life Restaurant in Nashville, TN. She explained how she fell in love with Jesus in a New York restaurant run by Rick and Gwen Shorter called, “The Beautiful Way.” These two individuals had directed and written the music for the hit broadway play “Hair.” They left their exceptional, professional careers to run a restaurant to reach people for Jesus. The name “The Beautiful Way” was perfect for our budding nonprofit organization. Why? Because God’s Way is beautiful.
Please keep our ministry in your prayers and learn more about our organization at:
Better Life Broadcasting Network: Inspiring Phone Calls
We got a phone message from a lady in Tallahassee, FL, who told us that last Friday she was having a rough day. She explained how she had spent hours in tearful prayer with God, asking for a miracle. After her prayer, she went to her computer and searched for “Miracle Stories” on YouTube and up popped Better Life’s TV program, "Stories of Faith!” Intrigued, she began watching.
As she listened to the programs, her excitement grew. Here were people who believed in prayer and miracles like she did! Although she is a born again Christian and had even pastored in the past, she had been finding it difficult to find other Christians who were interested in talking about personal testimonies and stories of faith.
The lady told us, “I came across your faith stories and have watched many and have been beyond blessed. God knew just what I needed, just when I needed it.”
She decided to share the YouTube link with her daughter, but warned her, “These programs are addictive. Once you start, you can’t stop watching!”
She also expressed an interest in Adventism and we sent her some follow up information. Please pray for this dear lady and her family.
***
We got a call from a lady who had moved in with her daughter about a year ago. She explained that she had been watching Better Life TV for the last few months. She said that although she had been raised in another denomination, she now wants to be a Seventh-day Adventist.
She went on to share that she has given up meat and is working on giving up coffee too.
***
This past weekend, we heard a wonderful story of a lady who had called the station a while ago. She was struggling with depression, and when she called, one of our staff members prayed with her and then also felt prompted to sing an encouraging song to her (singing to phone callers doesn’t happen often, but sometimes a situation like this seems to warrant something special).
Following the initial phone call, this lady began watching our "Stories of Faith” program. Sometime after, she went to see her doctor for a follow up appointment and her doctor couldn’t believe her change in attitude! When the doctor asked what changed, she said it began after she called Better Life TV, was sung to, and started watching “Stories of Faith.”
Praise the Lord that God is using Better Life to lift people out of the darkness that surrounds us.
9705 Patuxent Woods Drive
Columbia, MD 21046 USA
Email: contact@asiministries.org
Phone: +1 (443) 391-7235
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