Finishing The Task is a cooperative attempt of about five missions organizations started in 2006 focusing on getting 639 people groups adopted by church and see them reached with the Gospel. I thought I would share in this update encouraging statistics that happened since 2006. Notice 6 of the 639 have over 2% Christians now, and 200 have church planting movements beginning in them. There are still 315 peoples to adopt and pray for, please visit http://www.finishingthetask.com/639.aspx and consider adopting a people group to pray for and send missionaries too.  639 List Statistics

Status

• 315 are unengaged. No one is trying to reach them.
• 103 are adopted but not yet engaged with church planting.
• 200 are engaged with church planting.
• 6 are at least two percent reached.
• 15 are on the list because of a research error.

Church Planting Indicators

• 294 have at least some known believers.
• 63 have at least one known church.

Resource Availability

Please note that just becasue a resource exists, it does not mean that anyone is using the resource or has ever used the resource in the past. In some cases, the resource was developed for a related people group who speak the same language.
• 468 have at least a portion of scripture.
• 469 have a JESUS film.
• 436 have a radio broadcast available.
• 532 have a gospel recording.

Information taken from their website: http://www.finishingthetask.com/Statistics.aspx   

A friend of mine wrote what I consider a great response to the World Perspective article. To sum it up, the balance is found by accepting both as realities that affect each other.      Part of the answers is in two diverse sayings. A proverb from a sailing magazine, “Attitude is the difference between ordeal and adventure”, and an old Zen story. The story I may be telling wrong, but the baic idea is this: two zen monks were exchanging idas about the flag they were watching, flapping in the breeze. One said, “It is the flag moving.” The other said, “It is the wind moving.” The “Zen master” happened to be about to walk by, and they hadn’t noticed him overhearing them. He said, “It is mind moving wind and flag.” the lesson is NOT that “it is all in your mind”. It’s not. It is real. At least, part fo what we experience is real. A large part of the rest of what we experience is what modern psychology calls our “perception set.” That is all the accumulated memories, opinions, beliefs, beliefs of others who have influrnced us, te mood we happen to be in, how much sleep we’ve had, whether we’re hungry or satiated, and all the similar things you can add to this list. About the zen story. remember how the apostle paul reminds us that Gos has made his truth known, or atleast partially known, throughout his creation. Thus, it should neither surprise nor confuse us that elements of great wisdom are found in other religions. We are not called to believe they are all wrong through and through. We are called to believe that Christinity contains the critical truths about who God is, who we are, and how to get to heaven. So, back to suffering, and our attitude about it. First, I must admit that it is far easier for me to try to say something true and wise about this than it is for me to have a good, holy attitude when something unpleasant happens to me. The truth is, I rarely remember to thank God in all circumstances…” when my circumstances are unpleasant. But perhaps one starting point is to observe that there seem to be folks who believe that things like divorce, alcoholism, abuse, cancer, etc., “happen to other families, not ours”. And how sad that is, because something WILL happen some day, and they will try to scrable to make up excuses as to why their holy, rightous, and charmed family is not to blame. Bad stuff happens. A lot. And it happens even to good people. And that is why the doctrine is false that “if you do the right things, pray the right things in the roght way and believe the right tings and name it and claim it, then you will receive nice things, not just spiritually, but in the physical world.” This is an insult to God because then when something unpleasant happens, they are forced to believe that either God is punishing them or Satan is attacking them. Sometimes, it’s just an ice storm, or cancer, or normal consequences from bad human choices, such as driving drunk or getting into too much debt. in other words, sometimes it’s either nature or humans, and if you have painted yourself into a corner where you are committed to believing it’s either God or Satan, then you’re stuck, and stressed out. Or copping out. If you decided to drive drunk then if you blame either God or Satan you’re copping out, and you’re deceiving yourself plus anyone else foolish enough to believe you. How will you ever be able to repent if you don’t accept responsibility? This also relates to one of the big diversions or slips in Chritianity that occured slowly during approximately 1890 to 1920 or 25.  Some of the protestant Christinas moved towards almost eclusively trying to be practical and good and kind and do lots of charity, embrace modern psychology and sociology, and de-emphasize the supernatural aspects and the repentance and salvation. The other group emphasized the spiritual, salvation, repentace, prayer, and evangelism aspects of Christianity and ended up, without realizing it, de-emphasizing the charity, and social activism. (After all, what’s the use of giving food, clothing, comfort, jobs, etc., to someone of they never hear the good news and just think that rescue is physical world rescue?)  The social activism and modern science oriented people might say, “What’s the use of preaching salvation to someone so hungry and cold they can’t concentrate?” Presumably, and large portion of Christians remained i the middle! Nertheless, this over-simplification is relatively accurate: a lagre prtion moved toward modernism, new-age, non-supernatural religion while another group become obsessed with conversion and almost ignored continuing discipling of new believers, as well as charity. How does this relate to the original questions about suffering and our attitude towards it? First, if you believe that you shouldn’t be having any suffering because you prayed the right things in the right way and are following the right (human) leader, then you are not being balanced. And conversely, if you believe it all has to do with virus, and diet, and excercise and yoga and buying an ozone producing machine, then you’re leaving out prayer, holiness, and the supernatural side. Third, if you don’t care about either of those but are just compaining and freaking out, well, you’re not balanced, either. Not hugs alone.Not pills alone.Not money alone.Not prayer alone. (conservatives, please don’t shoot me for that.)Not diet alone. Not just wind and not just flag. And not just mind. The flag is really moving and the wind is really causing. But all of our sensory input is filtered through our perception set.  If it is raining and we ar a farmer who needs rain, this is a happy day. If we are a teenager who wants to picnic with our lover, it is an unhappy day. If we are optimistic, we may say, “it will end soon.” If we are pessimistic, we may say, “well, this ruins everything.” If we have Christian Hope, then we are realsitc, and can say, “It is raining. God can make the best outcome come from anything. God is still the one true God and he is still sovereign. I will trust God and make the best of it. I will prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Praise God.” Now, ask me if I am able to do that most of the time.  Well, what do you think? No. Just because I know wise things doesn’t mean I am able to do them. In fact, I am pretty sure I complain way too much. But I hope to improve, God helping. Amen.    

“Bright eyes gladden the heart; Good News puts fat on the bones.” 

 Proverbs 15:30

ABANDONED TO JESUS | Wacky Weigand Wedding

Well it was fun to get married. I was married November 10th. Hence why I haven’t written so long.  I also recently graduated from Rose State College receiving my Associates in History and Liberal Studies. I will be attending Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN  via correspondence to obtain a BA in Global Studies. I am working full time at HGM looking to recruit 20 missionary candidates for our next Beautiful Feet Boot Camp training program. Our annual worship gathering is coming up called Nomads (www.heartofgod.com/nomads), I want to encourage you in the Oklahoma area to come.  

RESCUING THE UNREACHED | A Proverb of the Ancients

The verse at the beginning of this email struck me this morning. Jesus said those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. I was thinking of one of our teams who just recently felt comfortable in their language learning to begin more aggressive prayer and evangelism to see their people group reached. They have been fasting for 40 days giving this desire of theirs to Jesus. Please pray for them God knows who they are. But anyways, I was reminded that in third-world countries they are really skinny because of the poverty that exists among them. Jesus came to give us life and that abundantly and I was thinking that when then Good News gets to them, God’s blessings will fall on them even more, and they will begin to get fat on their bones and a glad heart. 

COMMITTED FOR LIFE | Prayer and Action

I seeking to raise funds by $1500 dollars. I had some people give and I have others who have been giving in the past need to drop. You can pray that God would raise these funds for me as I work with Heart of God Ministries. I am going to be meeting with people within this semester regularly to raise those funds. 

Prayer

1) That I would experience Jesus’ nearness and immediate, continual presence (Col 1:9-14) & that I would look more like Jesus this year then I did last year. A way to do this is to be praying for me to have a greater amount of integrity. I would like to say I am the same person when no one is around, apart from learning more about this through God’s grace my heart seems so far away from this reality.

2) I would be a good husband   

3) Pray for Janice to have wisdom as she teaches her students. 

4) For 100% full Financial Support, through new supporters, increased giving.

Information taken from: http://www.svm2.net/21days.html

I would like to encourage you all to participate in this.

Purpose: Encourage the emerging generation to Return to Christ as the Fountain of Life. Highlighted in each of the 21 days will be the core elements of repentance, personal holiness, finding joy, healing, and satisfaction in Christ, and being channels of that Fountain to the nations. Our conviction is that empowerment to proclaim the gospel to the nations comes from personal holiness. And personal holiness comes from diligently seeking the face of God, abandoned devotion to Jesus Christ.

What Kind of Fast? The kind of fast you choose should be based on the leading of the Holy Spirit and your particuluar circumstances. Generally, we encouarge that you embark on a food fast of some form. When the Bible speaks of fasting (as it does consistently) it is almost always referring to a fast regarding food. There is a powerful spiritual release when we deny ourselves in this fundamental way.You are heavily encouraged to participate in what is commonly known as a “Daniel” or partial fast. The focus here is not on a complete abstaining from all food, but on the restriction of one’s diet. Generally, this highlights a fast from meat and seeks instead to focus on fruits and vegetables. Another form of the partial fast might include omitting a particular meal each day, thus limiting the quantity of food consumed.Dates of Fast: The 21 days will commence on February 15 - March 6, 2008.21 Day Prayer & Fasting Guide: This guide will give more foundation on the discipline of fasting as well as daily Scriptures and prayer points to use during the 21 days. (Please check back in early February for the guide.) 

The following was an email update sent by one of my friends, and I was intrigued by the questions that was asked. Please feel free to leave comments on my blog to answer the questions presented. It would be interesting to find out what others think.My Friends,The longer I live, the more people I am acquainted with, the more I am faced with the reality of suffering and pain. Physical trials, broken relationships, emotional and spiritual crises seem to strike everyone indiscriminately, reminders of just how brutal this world can be. We sense that this wasnt the original plan, yet we can do little to avoid the onslaught.These past few months I have had the unfortunate opportunity to watch several of my friends as they have struggled through some incredibly difficult circumstances, blindsided by the fierce trials of life. As my heart has ached for them, my mind has been sobered by the realities of struggle and pain that seem to plague us all, regardless of where we live, what religion we follow, or how much money we have.So, the question is: where is the balance? How much of this life is to be spent celebrating the victories and how much of it is to be in mourning over the defeats? How much are we to allow our hearts to ache for a world that suffers daily, mostly apart from any hope of redemption, and how much are we to embrace and enjoy the blessings, rejoicing in the incredible gifts God has lavished upon us?