Happy Reformation Day!
Everyday is a good time to rejoice and celebrate in the gospel - but especially today. I praise God for Martin Luther, and for bringing Christianity back to God's Word, the Bible.

On October 31, 1517 Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door of the church in Wittenburg. The first 13 min. of this video tells part of that story.

Wise Words from Oswald Chambers

The Method of Missions: "Go ye therefore, and teach (disciple) all nations." Matthew 28:19 Jesus Christ did not say - Go and save souls (the salvation of souls is the supernatural work of God), but - "Go and teach," i.e., disciple, "all nations," and you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself. When the disciples came back from their first mission they were filled with joy because the devils were subject to them, and Jesus said - Don’t rejoice in successful service; the great secret of joy is that you are rightly related to Me. The great essential of the missionary is that he remains true to the call of God, and realizes that his one purpose is to disciple men and women to Jesus. There is a passion for souls that does not spring from God, but from the desire to make converts to our point of view. The challenge to the missionary does not come on the line that people are difficult to get saved, that backsliders are difficult to reclaim, that there is a wadge of callous indifference; but along the line of his own personal relationship to Jesus Christ. "Believe ye that I am able to do this?" Our Lord puts that question steadily, it faces us in every individual case we meet. The one great challenge is - Do I know my Risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God’s sight, and foolish enough according to the world, to bank on what Jesus Christ has said, or am I abandoning the great supernatural position, which is the only call for a missionary, viz., boundless confidence in Christ Jesus? If I take up any other method I depart altogether from the methods laid down by Our Lord - "All power is given unto Me . . , therefore go ye."

What a Great Idea
"Sell a shoe, give a shoe."
Blake will be coming to Japan on Nov. 2 to speak to churches here.
Watch the video here from ABC News.

Sweet Redemption from Sin
My friend Eric Shumacher co-wrote this beautiful song. Check out the new video below. The piano score, lead sheets and learner recordings are all available for free on the website.

After 7 Months
This massive ship was finally moved off the Kamaishi harbor (where I was helping in April). It was the ship that was sailing through town and finally came back out near the harbor as the waves pulled back. The crew wouldn't leave the ship for a whole week as they were still in shock.

CBS' 60 Minutes on Fukushima

A Statement to Pray over Today
Fourteen million Japanese live in 1,515 communities of 3,000 to 50,000 population that are still without their first church.

Great Interview: LeCrae and Trip Lee w/Justin Taylor
I encourage you to watch this.

Mission Through Meals

Mission Through Meals

So true...

Jesus didn’t run projects, establish ministries, create programs, or put on events. He ate meals. If you routinely share meals and you have a passion for Jesus, then you’ll be doing mission. It’s not that meals save people. People are saved through the gospel message. But meals will create natural opportunities to share that message in a context that resonates powerfully with what you’re saying.

Hospitality has always been integral to the story of God’s people. Abraham set the agenda when he offered three strangers water for their feet and food for their bodies. In so doing he entertained God himself and received afresh the promise (Genesis 18:1–18). God was Israel’s host in the Promised Land (Ps. 39:12; Lev. 25:23), and that would later shape Israel’s behavior. A welcome to strangers and provision for the needy were written into the law of Moses. Rahab is saved because of her faith expressed through hospitality ( Joshua 2; James 2:22–25).

Hospitality continues to be integral to Christian conduct in the new covenant: “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (Rom. 12:13);“Show hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Pet. 4:9; see 1 Tim. 5:10); “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me” (Matt. 10:40; see 25:35–40); “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Heb. 13:2).

- Tim Chester, A Meal with Jesus, p. 89
(HT: VitaminZ)

News Many Don't Want You to See: Fukushima
Go to YouTube and press CC in the bottom right corner for English subtitles.
I find it very upsetting that so much is hidden from the public.

You Cannot Be a Loving Person and Not Care about the Unreached
Great reminder.

What to Do...
Keep praying for Japan. More experts are saying that Fukushima is worse than Chernobyl. We are going to test the places around our area this week with a Geiger counter.

Scary
Please pray for us and for Japan.

Where is all that Fukushima radiation going, and why does it matter? from Fairewinds Associates on Vimeo.

The Centrality of Jesus'/ God's Word

If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:31b-32)

...you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. (v. 37b)

Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. (v.43)

Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not of God. (v. 47)

Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. (v. 51)

but I do know him [the Father God] and I keep his word. (v. 55)

Plutonium detected in soil outside Fukushima nuclear plant

This sounds scary.

Surviving the Tsunami
The PBS- Nova Special (from NHK) shown on Sept. 28 in America.
Note: Kamaishi is one of the two places I went to in early April to help out.