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Dear Friends,
Pictured above from Left to Right: Emmanuel (Haiti), Alan (Taiwan), Phineas (Nigeria), Duckens (Haiti), Syed (Pakistan), Elijah Miller & myself.
Last night, Duckens (Haiti) invited several friends to join Elijah Miller (Ryan & Tonya Miller's son) for dinner. One of the young men, Syed, is from Pakistan and is here in Taiwan studying Psychology.
We sat next to each other at dinner and I turned to him and asked if there was something he felt Christians misunderstood about Islam. Very kindly he had a lot to share. Some of it I understood and some I was a little unclear.
Afterwards, he asked me what I was doing in Taiwan, if I was a teacher or some kind of businessman. I told him I was a Christian pastor. He then said, wow, I've never had the opportunity to talk with an "expert" in Christianity. Would you please share with me about Christianity.
Here's what I shared: God made us - which means every person, no matter their belief or unbelief is given a unique and infinite value. We broke the relationship with God and chose to live on our own. The grand story of the Bible is God coming after us. The sad story of humanity is us trying to make a way to God or to be god. So God sent his Son, Jesus Christ to do 3 great things.
1. He lived a perfect life. As the one and only God-Man - he alone was perfect in word, thought, deed and desire which made him a worthy and acceptable sacrifice.
2. On the cross, he willingly offered himself as a blood sacrifice to pay the sin debt that men owed.
3. The resurrection of Jesus is the proof that the debt was paid in full and God has accepted the payment and cancelled the debt of sin.
After our talk, he said he had a Bible and had read some of it, had spoken with other people about Christianity but he never understood what Christians really believed. For the first time he had heard "the Gospel". Please pray for Syed - he's surrounded by the friends you see in the above picture who are part of our church. I invited him to come and join our services to experience the love of God and know it for himself. I hope to meet him again in the fall to press God's love into his life.
Internships
It's been an intentional season of ministry formation for Crista and I. For the past few months, Asa Roberts, from Fremont EV Free Church has been staying with us. Not only have we been blessed by him personally and as a ministry, but we've learned from him and really enjoyed having him in our own and lives.
And then about a week ago, Elijah Miller, also from Fremont, came to stay with us for about 5 weeks. They will both go home at the end of July before Crista and I come to the states for our August visit.
August Visit
I'm so excited to again see many of you face to face in August. And also to meet a lot of new friends as well. Our events in Amarillo, Dallas, Temple and Round Rock are growing in number every day. If you have not signed up, please use this link or the link below to do so. SIGN UP HERE
Summer English University Camp — We're on the 2nd day of our camp and God is definitely working in the students lives and ours as well. Each team came prepared and ready to serve and it shows. We are very grateful.
VBS with Hope Fellowship — Saturday morning, the next two teams will be here to begin preparing for our annual VBS with Hope Fellowship. The majority of children this year are unchurched and unreached. Please pray especially for this event to help us reach more families for Christ.
TIF Youth Camp — Finally, July 13 to 17. Our first Mission Taiwan Intern, Brian Lee, who is now the Youth Pastor at New Hope Church, Tarrytown, NY is bringing a team alongside of a team from FBC/Parkside, Durham, NC for a week of spiritual encouragement and growth with the students from TIF.
PRAYER UPDATES
- I just received word from Wenlun today that their daughter La's fever is gone.
- Please continue to pray for Andy & Elaine, the young couple I wrote about both in our Texting Prayer Requests and here recently. They are truly struggling. Andy wrote me last night to say they decided to accept the marriage counseling we offered to provide. One of our great partners is a Christian, Biblical Counselor who is committed to helping our ministry - and she is going to start working with them immediately. We have great hope for this young couple.
- Pray for Crista and I. These 3 weeks are full and wonderful - and also taxing mentally and emotionally. Ask God to give us his presence and peace - and to sleep well when we lay down at night.
Todd & Crista Blackhurst
Mission Taiwan
P.S. Join the Taiwan Texting Prayer List - Details below!
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