Join us May 15th to celebrate Global Outreach Day!

At the end of the street I live on is the Allegheny River. Its watershed was named Alligewinenk, which means “a land into which they came from distant parts.” The name was given by the Lenape Native American tribe and was first documented by Moravian missionary, David Zeisberger in 1780.

As a boy, I spent a lot of time with my friends in and around this great river. We dared each other to swim across, but usually dropped the subject when a mighty coal barge came in sight or when one of the kids shared a tale of other boys who’d been caught in an undertow or drowned by water swells.

However, at thirteen, one of my close childhood friends, Brian George, changed our lives by jumping into the water and declaring that he would make it to the other side. Brian did a lot of crazy things growing up. He was a little bit older, fearless, creative, and had no problem leading the rest of us in and out of different adventures. We watched him grow smaller and smaller as he worked his way out into the middle.

Everyone knew the legendary undertows were in the middle channel of the river. “My uncle’s friend drowned right around there,” one boy claimed as Brian pushed on toward the other side. Each of us shook in disbelief and called out to him, “You’ll never make it! You better turn around and head back! Your mom’s gonna kill you!” Nothing seemed to work and soon Brian was well out of earshot.

Now, we could barely see him. He was past the middle channel, there wasn’t a barge in sight, and suddenly we realized, “He’s going to actually do it!” Immediately something changed. My friends and I stood in awe, on the banks of the great Allegheny river, looking out at what was moments before giant, impossible, unconquerable, and considered deadly.

“If he can do it, I can do it!”

In an instant, shoes, shorts, shirts flew off and a mad scramble ensued as each one of us frantically raced to be the next one across the river. Thanks to Brian, these ten or so boys just watched Goliath fall and were now swimming headlong towards the opposite river bank.

On May 15th, the global Christian community is gathering together with a common goal. That goal is to individually lead one person into making the decision to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. The movement is called Global Outreach Day and SEAPC is joining with many other wonderful organizations and ministries to participate in this effort.
As I talk with Christians here in the United States many of them become very nervous at the thought of asking someone else to receive Jesus. Whether it’s a result of the tales of past failures, the myths of the unknown, or by the taunting of peers, they stand idle as the community around them becomes consumed by sin. How do we get righteousness, peace, and joy into our community? You and I know the answer to that.

Please join me and your friends at SEAPC as we cross the river of fear and doubt and into the realization that we can change the world around us because of the confidence and power we have in Jesus Christ. I want to encourage you to start today by praying for that one person by name. The Lord will build up your courage, and when He does, start by asking them a very simple question, “How old were you when you first understood that Jesus is the Son of God?” God will carry you the rest of the way!

Please be sure to let us know how we can pray for you and share your testimonies of how lives where changed.

Perhaps you are reading this article on May 16, or maybe you’ve picked it up somewhere along the way many years from now. If so, make this day your Global Outreach Day and share Jesus with just one other person. If each one of us will reach one other person with Christ then we will see the true and full expression of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control begin to come back into the world around us. Just as the apostle Paul watched debauchery, sexual immorality, drunkenness, rage, and everything else that comes with the sinful nature leave the Galatians as they received Christ, so too will we see the world around us change for good!

It just takes one person to overcome the fear of sharing Jesus with others. Be that person in your hometown today!

~ Matt Geppert

“Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation. For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [invoking Him as Lord] will be saved” (Romans 10:9, 10, 13 AMP).

I was recently traveling from my office in Ohio to Wheeling, West Virginia, on a road that I have traveled on many times over the years. My journey takes me through some very old steel towns where there once were thousands of men who would work around the clock in the extreme of climate changes to produce a product that was used in many industries to produce their end product. All along the Ohio River, heading along State Route 7, you see a picture of rustic and worn out structures that at one time were vibrant and thriving enterprises where men found a way to provide for their families. Now most are vacated and left as just memories of what once was.

As I travel, I always see one sign that I will read aloud as I enter Wellsville, Ohio. The sign makes a statement of faith: “Jesus Is Lord of Wellsville “. I would read it every time but, recently as I was traveling, I heard a voice answer back, “Am I really The Lord of Wellsville, or for that matter, am I really your Lord?” As I began to meditate on that question, I pondered, “Is Jesus Lord?” This was a question I had to settle in my heart: “Is He Lord?”

The first thing that needed to be defined was: “What does “Lord” actually mean?” It was time to get into the Word and find that out. “Lord” signifies authority or having power; the word designates the owner, master, controller, one in authority. I then looked further in the Word and found in John 14:5-6 that Thomas addressed Jesus as Lord, asking “How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Then He went on to tell Philip, “I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me, I do not speak on my on authority; but the Father that is in Me does the works.” So I had established that Jesus is Lord because He only did what the Father told Him to do. He understood the authority and power that the Father had and it was transferred to Him because of His obedience to the Father’s word.

What about Wellsville or what about me for that matter? Do I do what Jesus did;
only what the Father tells me to do? Is this possible?

In John 14:20, Jesus began to clear these questions up. He said, “At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” Then in John 15:7, He gave us the clear explanation of how to know if He is our Lord: “If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you (John 15:7 AMP). There it was, right there in the Word ­— when I live in Him, He is my Lord; I only do what He tells me to do. I had heard this recently, that when Jesus lives in me He is my savior, and when I live in Him He’s my Lord.

Is Jesus Lord of Wellsville? More importantly to me is, He my Lord?

Jesus Is Lord.

~ Jeff Swogger

Blessings,

Christie Pink

To me, those were the most important things that he could say ­— friendship with a purpose: relationships built on love and trust and friendships that can weather the storms of difficulties in ministry. Please take time today to thank God for this wonderful relationship. It is impacting children and adults throughout Cambodia.

~ Tina Tomes

Cambodia – Population: 15 million people

Religion – Buddhist 83%; Ethnoreligionist 4.8%; Christian 3%; Chinese 2.85%; Muslim 2.30%

Cambodia is one of the world’s poorest countries and is heavily dependent on foreign aid. Years of war and genocide followed by corrupt governments have hindered development and kept most of the population poor; 38% live below the poverty line. Significant progress is being made in economic development, but the rural poor are being left behind. Agriculture, garments, and tourism are the biggest earners of income, with offshore oil and gas deposits promising future income. Illegal logging and the sex trade enriches a small number of wicked men, but causes many to suffer.

Prayer Focus:
1) Healing for the Nation — Scars of the terrible Khmer Rouge genocide of 1975-79 remain evident.

2) Spiritual Darkness ­— Darkness can be seen in numerous spirit shrines, Buddhism’s opposition and moral decline such as:

a) Land Grabbing — The country is being sold/stolen by unscrupulous officials.

b) Children at risk — Pray for the 60% of the population who are 24 years old or younger. Many face being child laborers, sex trade victims, homeless or orphaned.

c) Drug abuse and trafficking — have increased greatly in the past 15 years.

3) The Cambodia Church — Continued freedom of religion and deliverance; growth and maturity for its leaders. Bible schools and colleges are needed.

4) Foreign Christian Workers and Missionaries — Pray for the Pink and Gregorio families and for more laborers.

5) Pray for the Less — Reached People Groups:

a) The Buddhist majority

b) The Cham people — they are almost entirely Muslim

c) The tribal people

d) The six Chinese language groups that constitute nearly 600,000 people who are basically unreached.

6) Christian ministries like SEAPC and Creation Haus who serve in Cambodia.

Contact SEAPC for an updated list of short term mission opportunities.

~ Ed Slonchka

Later, we met the lady boss. She happened to have a niece who was one of our patients. She took us to her house. There we met Gesang Deji, a 21-year-old girl from Damshung. She had surgery in Beijing back in 2008. We were not there when she had her surgery then. We didn’t know how she was doing for the last five years. We realised that she had later changed her contact information. Now she is quite healthy.

There are no coincidences, but divine appointments. We were able to share with her and her family the good news this time. She also has a 93-year-old grandma living with her. Gesang Deji is taking care of her. We also prayed for this precious granny.
We left some books for them, and have been invited to come back to visit them. Another friendship is built between us. This is such an amazing grace. We have God’s favor and kindness wherever we go. Praise the Lord. God is so good.

~ Daniel & Gail

Pastor in Shimla, India

“This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.” Joshua 1:8

The Words of God are powerful in our mouths and minds and heart. They equip us with creative ability. The words spoken by God in the beginning created everything we know. The earth, the water and land, the sun and the moon, the animals and the plants, and man and woman in His image.

These words change our environment. When we fill our hearts and the air with praise and thankfulness to The Lord, we charge the atmosphere we live in with Him, and evil flees from us. Calamity leaves us and in its place is goodness, peace, and joy. This freedom ignites us to do our best and releases His power to prosper us — body, soul, and spirit.

The pastor in Shimla, India you see in the picture is speaking truth and gospel to the people, and God has ignited a wave of blessing. They dedicated their place of worship in February and never stopped worshipping for over a month of meetings and prayer. It has ignited the whole area. Many have heard the gospel and been saved, healed, and delivered. This revival followed a change in the local government to repeal the anti-proselytization law, freeing them to lead people from Hinduism to Jesus. This change followed a united effort of prayer and speaking of God’s Word.

Oh Lord, only You can create new men and women! Thank you for your Words that charge the atmosphere with life and blessing. Continue in the land to save, heal, and deliver. Spread your Word to the whole mountain. Be strong, dear Pastor, and bold and courageous like Joshua!

You can do this in your own lives and homes and work places. Change your environment with the Word of God and bring blessing. A special thanks to Matt and Jessica who have been practicing examples of this truth to me.

~ Ellie Geppert

As a volunteer of SEAPC, I work under the influence of God’s love for me and the influence and power of prayer, and I work with those who know that same influence and power and are driven to take it to a lost and broken world as I am. I have seen, known, and felt God’s precious love as I have worked, prayed and ministered with people like Mark, Ellie, Matt, Tina, Tony and Shelly; precious people who bring out Jesus in me when I am in their company! I feel so accepted and so loved!

Since August of 2011, I have experienced the influence and joy of God’s love in my duties here. No matter the task, by just being available and helping whenever I can, from helping to coordinate events and opportunities for staff to teach and preach the Gospel, to making sure materials, brochures, books, posters, and such are available when needed by staff members and SEAPC supporters, to seeing that parents of sponsored orphaned children receive their precious letters and drawings from their child several times a year, it is a joy to serve.

The believers of the Philippian Church lived under the influence and power of giving. SEAPC lives under that same influence, as do I, and I believe that all of you who support us do too because of your love, faith and trust in our God and Saviour. I believe SEAPC will see strongholds torn down, and see miracles and salvations in great numbers because with giving comes God’s promise – that “my God shall supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” May we always live under the influence and power of giving!

~ Cathy Bruno

You know who you are. Amidst this prosperity and somewhat discontent that you could never put a finger on, you were touched by the hand of God, got to know Jesus personally as your saviour, and experienced signs and wonders you can only ascribe to an Almighty God that loves you. You met God and discovered that He loves you. And you are never the same again. You started to meet in groups, to praise and pray. You are so grateful for having heard the gospel, you decided to do all you can to support missions that are bringing the gospel to unreached corners of this earth. You gave money, you even sent a couple of people out to help.

You know who you are. Yes, you have some grievances over the sister-in-Christ who seemed be more concerned about herself than about those around her. You have distanced yourself from her. Yet, the sermon you heard last week, the Bible passage you read this morning, brought the whisper of the Holy Spirit. “When each of you cares more for others’ interests than for your own, you will be united.” You opened your mouth to pray, opened your heart to God and asked Him to take away your pride.

You know who you are. You’ve seen many in the city managing well while building families and fortune, but stumbled and crumbled at the top. You give thanks to God for having kept you, your family and fortune intact. You are amazed by that missionary family. Oh, how they rejoice when they had little while in the fields of inaccessibility, oh how they also could manage so well when they are surrounded by abundance in the land of excessive access.

You know who you are. When you hear of a man, saying that “My God shall provide for all your needs”, you smile and reply nodding, “according to His riches in glory by Jesus Christ.” You know who you are. You are the Lydia of our cities, the jailer and his family of our times, the praying. You are the sons and daughters of Christ, sharing His love with the world.

~ Lemuel Ng

I Love Cambodia group teaching how to play guitar

Paul believed that God knew ultimately what it was that he needed even before he asked. Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6 that we need to learn to seek first the Kingdom of God and all of our needs will be provided. God knows our needs even before we ask of Him.
He is already working through others to provide for us! God who promised ever to be with us and never to forsake us is the God who sees all of our cares and concerns, and will always be there no matter how dire the need. In fact, Paul reminds the Philippians that God will supply every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

It is God’s will to supply all our needs, but it doesn’t work without us first believing. How is it that we express our faith in the area of finances? It is through giving. It takes faith to give away a portion of what we have and trust that we will have enough. If there was no God and if His promises of multiplying our giving back to us were not true, it would be stupid to give. If what we have isn’t enough, then giving part of that away will leave us with even less. But there is a God who is true to His promises, and when we give, we express that faith. People who are not giving because they don’t have enough are people who don’t believe.

The Philippians proved their faith through their giving, and Paul was confident that the Lord would meet their every need. Those who are not walking in faith through giving would not be able to claim this scripture: “But my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19.
Praise the Lord. This month was a blessing where we could reach out to more souls and pray for many people for healing. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, many youths experienced God and we witnessed God’s holy manifestation in each of them during our youth camp. Children are also growing and getting involved in our ministry. Please continue to pray for our upcoming pastors and our leadership conference on the first of May, as well as our leadership training program in each province.

Following are some areas to pray for:

▪ The I Love Cambodia project where we are impacting young lives

▪ Medical outreach to the community

▪ Cambodia Christian School Network and SEAPC-C

▪ Church planters and leadership training

▪ New Hope For Orphans (NHO), caregivers and children

▪ NHO development in each province

That is all for now, may God bless you richly.

~ Pastor Sinai