From the Field

Back to Blog

French Bible Study

Christians studying the Bible — it seems like a tautology. As born again Christians, we recognise the need to read and study the Bible, benefit from doing it and miss out when we don’t. Without being legalistic, it’s a fair assumption to say that Christians who are walking with the Lord are reading His Word. And yet, here in France, this is not widespread. ‘Christian’ here in France simply means that you belong to (or have loose ties with) the Catholic Church. Thus most ‘Christia...

God Is Faithful

My grateful thanks to all who uphold me in prayer, and for those who take the time and trouble to write. Receiving news of individuals and assemblies is always appreciated.  As 2017 came to an end, the Lord enabled us to organise a special meeting, and most of the believers were very diligent in inviting folk to attend. Although many didn’t accept the invitation, over 20 unsaved came under the sound of the gospel, and we continue to pray for these that they might come to a saving kno...

Golden Opportunities

Myanmar, once known as Burma, is a nation of 60 million people, bordered by six neighbours in South-East Asia. In area it is a little larger than Victoria. The Venetian adventurer Marco Polo came to Burma in the Thirteenth Century and called it the Golden Land. The name has stuck, reflecting Burma’s richness in natural resources and also because of the gold-clad Buddhist pagodas to be seen everywhere around the country, said to be over one million in number. ‘The Golden Land’ is also the t...

Magleri

Decision making is part of our everyday lives. On many mornings my first decision needs to be made the moment I wake up. I have to decide, “Where am I today?” It could be Madrid, Montreal, Manchester, Munich, Miami, Malavalli, Madrigueras, Malawi, Mongolia or Magleri — or any of the many other places beginning with a different letter of the alphabet where I’ve stayed in the past year. My second decision of the day quickly follows — and it’s equally as important as the first i...

Now Is The Time

Ray Bradbury’s short story ‘The Great Wide World Over There’ tells the tale of an illiterate woman who leads a lonely existence until her nephew visits one day. She asks him to write to people in the great wide world (including ubiquitous junk mailers) so that she can correspond with them – albeit through the nephew, as she doesn’t learn to read and write, even while he’s there. Her exciting life change continues for a time after her nephew eventually leaves, but inevitably the one-w...

On the ROAD with the Buckleys

The Transform the Nations Guest House is situated not far from the Bagmati River in Jorpati, Kathmandu. The way into the guest house is through skinny little lane ways that are the norm for the road network in Kathmandu. Most of the minor roads are dirt and if the road is sealed in some way, it is normally full of pot holes and has dirt or mud along both sides. This makes for very interesting driving, either in the wet or in the dry. If it is dry season there is a constant dust haze over the Kat...

Porky Pies

Applications for mobile phones, iPads and tablets are all the rage these days. Which developer wouldn’t love his or her app to get 200,000 downloads in the first month of release — and have Apple pick it to be included on the Apple Watch demonstration model. This is what happened to Belle Gibson, who also had a book deal attached to her ‘health, wellness and lifestyle’ app called The Whole Pantry. However, her meteoric rise was built on a lie. She claimed to have had brain cancer that wa...

Send Me - Start The Discussion

So you're interested in missions and ready to try a short term trip. Or you've already experienced it firsthand and want to go for a longer term. Initially there are three groups that you can talk to:1. YOUR ELDERS & MISSIONS COMMITTEEThey will surely be pleased to know of your intentions and will encourage and support you in your endeavour. They may also be able to suggest possible contacts with regards to potential areas of service with your particular gifts, skills and enthusiasm in mind....

Transformed By Jesus

At the end of each year, I set a goal for my Bible reading for the following year. In December 2015, I decided that I would saturate myself with the life of Jesus in 2016. The four gospels have 89 chapters. I made a plan to read three chapters a day, and as a result I would read all four gospels each month — 12 times during the year. I chose four different versions and read the story of Jesus’ life three times in each. This has had a powerful, transforming impact on my life. As I come to...

Wilting Wild Flower

And those who walk in pride He is able to humble. – Daniel 4:37 But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. – James 1:10 My son Zac and my Dad share the same birthday. I had finished this issue’s original editorial that opened with Zac — but today I’m compelled to write about Dad. My Dad is 86 and has severe Alzheimer’s disease. For many years He has been a close friend, teacher (for better or worse) and Christian a...

How Do I Pray?

AN EFFECTIVE PRAYER GUIDE"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." - Eph 6:18 (NIV)GOD WANTS US TO PRAYChristian workers require prayer for their physical (e.g. protection in a war-torn country; health risks from infectious diseases and poor available medical care; harsh living environment), psychological (long periods in remote areas without easy access to external support) and sp...