Randy Alcorn's Blog, page 147

I Can Do Nothing on My Own: An Excerpt from The Gospel of John Movie

The Gospel of John is one of my favorite movies on the life and words of Jesus. Most movies draw predominantly from Matthew, Mark and Luke, while this one comes across differently because of the unique content of John’s Gospel. In many ways I find it the most endearing and personal portrayal of Jesus, and above all it's faithful to the text of Scripture. It combines narration with dialogue and action.

This is certainly something you could watch with unbelieving friends, or give as a gift. You could watch it in weekly segments and just talk about it. It comes in both the full three-hour edition and an abridged for television two hour edition. Both are great. 

I recommend that you watch the entire movie, but here’s a 3-minute excerpt.

Why Are Christians Bitter and Unhappy?

In the opening chapter of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck lives with Miss Watson, a Christian spinster. She takes a dim view of Huck’s fun-loving spirit and threatens Huck with the fires of Hell. She speaks of Heaven as a place everyone should want to go, but Huck sees it this way:

She went on and told me all about the good place. She said all a body would have to do there was to go around all day long with a harp and sing, forever and ever. So I didn’t think much of it. . . . I asked her if she reckoned Tom Sawyer would go there, and she said not by a considerable sight. I was glad about that, because I wanted him and me to be together.[i]

It wasn’t only an unhappy Heaven that Miss Watson projected. It was an unhappy present life, full of obligation and self-inflicted misery. And although she may not have made such a claim out loud, the clear subtext is that if God is the author of a Christian life that’s unhappy, God himself must be unhappy too.

Had Huck seen in Miss Watson a deep, cheerful affection for Jesus and consequent grace that overflowed toward him and Tom and others, perhaps he would have also seen Christ, the church, and Heaven as attractive.

Huck’s view of God reflected that of author Samuel Clemens, also known as Mark Twain.[ii] I wonder if anyone told Clemens that the God he saw as so stern and humorless was, yes, a holy God, but he was also a happy God who invented playfulness, fun, laughter, and whitewash—and was the source of Twain’s wit and humor.

Sadly, the same perceptions exist today. Many non-Christian young adults view Christ’s followers as “hypocritical,” “insensitive,” and “judgmental.”[iii] These words all describe unhappy people. (If the world judges us, so be it, but it shouldn’t be because we’re chronically unhappy.)

Unfortunately, the world’s characterization of unhappy believers is too often correct. I see too many long-faced Christians who seem continuously angry, disillusioned, and defensive over politics and the infringement of their rights.

Francis de Sales, the bishop of Geneva (1567–1622), said, “I cannot understand why those who have given themselves up to God and his goodness are not always cheerful; for what possible happiness can be equal to that? No accidents or imperfections which may happen ought to have power to trouble them, or to hinder their looking upward.”[iv]

One explanation for our cheerlessness is simple: many of God’s people don’t believe that the Christ we serve is cheerful.

If we see God as happy, suddenly the command for us to “find your joy in him at all times” (Philippians 4:4, Phillips) makes sense. God is saying, in essence, “Be as I am.” Paralleling “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16, NIV), the answer to the question “Why should God’s children be happy?” is “Because our Father is happy.”

By studying and understanding what Scripture says about God’s happiness and ours, and letting those truths spill over into our lives, I believe we can reverse this trend. Then, even when we’re dealing with tough issues, both personally and in our culture, we can do so with a smile, and a sense of peace and pleasure in Christ.  That doesn’t mean we back away from clearly sharing God’s revealed words, but it does mean that we do it with a spirit of grace and truth, seeking to be like Jesus (John 1:14).

Joy and laughter should be the church’s norm, not the exception. And no, I’m not talking about pasting on a false smile in the midst of heartache. The Bible doesn’t back away from but addresses the realities of life in a world under the curse. The Apostle Paul himself said he was “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10). Sorrow and joy can and do coexist, for now. (Note that the “always” in this verse is applied to rejoicing, not being sorrowful.)

If we constantly focus on all that’s wrong with the world, then sorrow or anger will be our default. But the apostle Paul, writing from prison in Rome, calls on us to rejoice in the Lord not periodically, but always.

It’s not insensitive, unkind, or wrong to be happy. By being happy in Christ, we lay claim to the fact that God is bigger than the Fall and affirm that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will reverse the Curse and reign over a new universe. Our happiness shouts that our happy God is present with us and at work in the world every minute of every hour of every day. The narrower our view of God’s presence in this world—and in our daily lives—the less happiness we’ll experience.

Parents repeat instructions to children because kids tend to miss it the first time. Hence Paul said, “Again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). He wanted to make sure we’d get it. Synonyms for happiness appear repeatedly throughout Scripture. If God says it enough, shouldn’t we get it? Still, most of us have failed to notice the cumulative force of the biblical revelation that we are to be consistently happy in God.

Happiness in Christ is one of our most powerful evangelistic tools. People are drawn to Christ when they see true happiness in his followers and are pushed away when they see us chronically unhappy.

John Piper says, “If you ask me, ‘Doesn’t the world need to see Christians as happy in order to know the truth of our faith and be drawn to the great Savior?’ my answer is ‘Yes, yes, yes!’ And they need to see that our happiness is the indomitable work of Christ in the midst of our sorrow.”[v]

[i] Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (New York: Fawcett Columbine, 1996), 6.

[ii] See Samuel Clemens, “Letter to Olivia Clemens,” July 17, 1889; Mark Twain, The Mysterious Stranger (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1969), 186–87; Albert Bigelow Paine, Mark Twain: A Biography, vol. 1 (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1912), 412–13.

[iii] David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity . . . and Why It Matters (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2007), 27.

[iv] Francis de Sales, “Spiritual Life,” Christian Register, December 28, 1916.

[v] John Piper, “Sorrowful yet Always Rejoicing,” Desiring God, December 29, 2012.

Photo by Thong Vo, via Unsplash

SLED: A Simple Way to Talk with Those Who Are Prochoice About the Personhood of the Unborn

In my book Why ProLife? I say that every argument for abortion which appeals to a woman’s inconvenience, stress, and financial hardship can be made just as persuasively about her two-month-old, her two-year-old, her teenager, her husband, or her parents. In many cases older children are more expensive and place greater demands on their mother than an unborn child.

People immediately recognize those arguments as invalid when it comes to killing older children. So why not the unborn? After all, a three-month-old is much smaller than a ten-year-old, far less developed, and just as incapable of taking care of himself as an unborn.

Scott Klusendorf of Life Training Institute points out there are only four differences between a preborn and a newborn, and none of those differences justify killing unborn children. They can be remembered through the acronym SLED, which I’ll briefly summarize:

Size: Does how big you are determine who you are?

Level of development: Are twenty-year-olds more human than ten-year-olds, since they are smarter and stronger?

Environment: Does being inside a house make you more or less of a person than being outside? Does being located in his mother’s body rather than outside make a child less human?

Degree of dependency: Does dependence upon another determine who you are? Is someone with Alzheimer’s or on kidney dialysis less of a person? (Am I, an insulin-dependent diabetic, less of a person than before I developed the disease in 1985?)

In this 6-minute audio, Scott shares the SLED acronym with both humor and insight.

Alan Shlemon writes:

Although many abortion-choice advocates agree the unborn are human, they deny they are valuable human beings. They think this distinction justifies killing the unborn.

Often they use personhood language to express this view. They say the unborn might be human, but it’s not a person.

When confronted with this claim, ask a simple question: “What’s the difference between a human being and a human person?” They must answer this question. Why? They’ve just made the incredible claim that there are human beings that can be killed with impunity because they are not persons. What are their reasons for this view? What’s the difference between a born human and an unborn one that justifies killing the latter?

…The SLED tactic exposes the argument for abortion for what it really is: unjust discrimination. Abortion-choice advocates deny that all human beings are valuable and deserve protection. Which ones don’t qualify? The ones that are too small, not developed enough, in the wrong location, and are too dependent on other people.

The final question is not how old or big or smart or inconvenient the unborn are, but who they are.

The answer is simple: they are human beings, people fully deserving of protection.

Photo by Benjamin Earwicker

Let’s Stop Asking God to Be Our Backseat Driver for Familiar Places—and Let Him Guide Us to New Ones

I really appreciated these insights from Andy Abelein, a young man I love, and who loves Jesus. (He’s the son of Brenda, one of our wonderful ministry assistants at Eternal Perspective Ministries.) Andy recently graduated from California Baptist University and works on staff at The Grove Community Church in Riverside, California.

As you read Andy’s thoughts, I hope you’ll open up your heart and mind and consider what new places and situations God may want to guide you to. And may I do the same! —Randy Alcorn

What if God wants us to actually learn and remember what it looks like to follow Him, instead of having to ask Him for a map and directions every time?

I don't know about you, but when I drive places, I usually use my GPS. It tells me step by step how to get somewhere; where to turn, how fast I can go, where and how soon my next turn is going to be. It guides me there. And it's a useful, and sometimes necessary, tool when I'm going somewhere new; a place I'm not familiar getting to. But eventually, I ditch the GPS because I remember how to get there. I'm familiar with getting there. I've been there so many times with the guidance of my GPS, telling me how to get there safely and where to turn, that I don't need it anymore. I know the turns. I know the directions. I have them in my memory. Therefore, I have no real need to see them anymore. In fact, many of us (myself included) get annoyed when someone tells us how to get somewhere we already know how to get to, right? We call them backseat drivers. And we hate them!

But what if that's exactly what we are asking God to be? What if we just want Him to be our backseat driver? Constantly telling us what He's already told us and leading us somewhere He's already led us many times over. Now don't get me wrong, we HAVE to ask for God's guidance. We HAVE to rely on His strength and guidance. Without it we are all lost. But what if God expects us to learn and remember the directions He gives us? What if He is more interested in navigating us to NEW territories? To NEW locations? To places that we MUST rely on Him. Places that we need a GPS to get to and navigate through. Places that we have no choice but to either be completely lost on our own or completely reliant on His guidance.

Maybe if you know how to handle everything in your life and you’re comfortable with all your everyday situations, it’s time to lean into God and let Him lead you somewhere new. Somewhere unknown and scary. Somewhere that you can’t get to on your own.

Just a thought for today.

Photo credits: map photo by Milada Vigerova / Other photos courtesy Andy Abelein

An Update on David Daleiden and the Center for Medical Progress Videos

Readers of my blog are likely familiar with the controversy surrounding the undercover videos from The Center for Medical Progress, which I posted about last year. I hope you’ll read today’s blog to get an update on David, who led the investigation, and consider how you can help by continuing to share the truth about Planned Parenthood and the evils of abortion. —Randy

“What an amazing young man!” That was the response from Karen, one of our EPM staff members, after hearing David Daleiden speak at the recent Oregon Right to Life annual conference. Three of our staff attended the weekend conference (that's Sharon and Karen in the picture with David), which featured speakers Ann McElhinne, one of the producers of the documentary “Gosnell: America’s Biggest Serial Killer”, and David, who is the founder of The Center for Medical Progress. The 27-year-old headed up the undercover team that investigated Planned Parenthood’s selling of fetal tissue. (You can watch David’s full session, available from Oregon Right to Life.)

In January, a grand jury cleared Planned Parenthood of wrongdoing and indicted David for violating the state's “prohibition of the purchase and sale of human organs.” (David turned down a plea deal, and posted bail in March. His legal team has filed a motion to have the charges dismissed.)

When he was asked at the conference how we can pray for him, David requested prayer for courage, wisdom, and clarity. Let’s be sure to pray the Lord would continue to use his efforts to expose the evils of the abortion industry, especially because of the continued and successful efforts by Planned Parenthood and the media to cover over and dismiss the videos as “highly edited” and “false.” This is a complete fabrication, especially since the entire unedited videos are available for all to see. As David said at the conference, “Cameras don’t lie.”

Jeremiah’s words seem prophetic of our own time: “Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity” (Jeremiah 9:5). Speaking of the Antichrist and people’s rejection of Christ, Scripture describes those who refuse “to love the truth” (2 Thessalonians 2:10). A refusal to love the truth aptly describes those who refuse to look at the truth about abortion.

If you’d like to help support efforts to defend David legally, you can give to the Life Legal Defense Foundation . 

One Mom’s Journey into Foster Care

One of the most prolife actions we can take is to open our homes and lives to others in need. Every time you see Christ-loving people who are proactive about caring for the fatherless, it conveys the value of human life and the importance of meeting the needs of the truly needy. Scripture emphasizes helping widows and orphans, and foster care (and adoption) is all about opening your home to the neediest of those. James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…”

May is National Foster Care Month, a great time to bring awareness to the need for stable, Christ-loving families to reach out to the countless needy children in our nation’s foster care system. Is God encouraging you and your family to consider opening your home?

True, not every family is called to provide foster care or adopt. But should the people of God as a whole be challenged to get involved and support other people in the body of Christ who are? Absolutely!

Today’s blog features an article from Jamie C. Jamie and her husband have two biological children, and also provide a safe and loving home for the foster children God has brought into their lives. You can find Jamie’s blog at Foster the Family. I think you’ll appreciate what our sister has to share. —Randy Alcorn

I have not given one back yet.  At least not one that I have had for more than a few days, one that I have fallen in love with.  Friends tell me you cry the day you find out they are leaving, and you cry the day they leave.  Then you start all over again, fall in love again, say goodbye again.  Sometimes I wonder if I will be able to do it, give them back, but of course I will, whether or not I think I can.  This is what I signed up for. This is foster care.

I cannot remember what exactly brought foster care to the forefront of my mind, but in a mind like mine, when something comes to the front, it gets stuck there. So I read about it, talked about it, prayed about it, and I became compelled to do something.

I was compelled by the stories of children, just like mine, living right across town from me who were hurt, starved, raped, ignored. I was compelled by the statistics that predict these kids’ futures: jail, pregnancy, homelessness, further abuse. I was compelled by admitting what is true: God created them, loves them, values them, and died for them, just like He did for me and my own children. Ultimately, I was compelled by the most compelling thing: the fact that I, too, was rescued. These kids were just like me: helpless, hopeless, fatherless.

So, that was it. I had to do something. But my husband and I are a team; we do “somethings” together. And so began the months of talking, praying, and struggling through what this something was. We know God loves orphans, we know God wants us to love orphans, but does that mean we have to upend our happy “one-boy one-girl, all we ever wanted” family to love them?

The discussions were heavy as we struggled through the questions. What were we “called” to?  What did we want?  What could we handle?  So we simplified the discussion. Instead of talking about it as if it were a life calling, we talked about it as if it were an opportunity to serve. Maybe we could serve this way for a year, maybe for the rest of our lives. The question changed from a question of personal desire and calling to a question of faith. Did we have faith for each individual step in the process? My answer came immediately; his took a little longer. But the answer came. Yes, we did have faith to hand in our application. Yes, we did have faith to take the training classes. Yes, we did have faith to go through the home study process and yes, we did have the faith to say, “Call us when there’s a kid who needs a home.”

We got the call. I never saw her in her home with her “real” mom, but the quick story from the social worker engrained a permanent picture in my head: she sits in a play pen because the rest of the house is covered in hundreds of soiled diapers, maggots, third-world type filth. Old enough to walk, but she can barely crawl. Old enough to talk, but she cries without a sound. Old enough to eat and feed herself, but she chokes on anything but the bottle of milk stuck in her mouth to stifle her whining. Old enough to understand, but she is ignored by her mom, taken by a stranger, and brought to live with me.

I shook with nervous excitement as I opened the door to this little stranger who would now be my maybe-temporary, maybe-forever daughter. She sat in the middle of my living room, looking too scared to even move.  She stared at us with tear-filled eyes and a tight-lipped “I’m trying to be brave” smile, too frightened to even cry.  Like God wired her to do, she immediately identified me as “mom” and clung to me like her life depended on it, like some stranger would come and take her away from me, too. My head and back hurt every night from the burden of carrying her weight and the tension of trying to “figure out” this child I didn’t even know.

But that was in August. It is not like that anymore. Now she is just one of my kids. I change her diapers and feed her, kiss her and cuddle her, worry about her and pray for her, get impatient with her and sin against her. Functionally, she is my daughter in every sense of the word. Biologically? Legally? She’s not my daughter at all.  Chances are one day the same worker who brought this broken little girl to my home will pick her up, just a little more whole, and take her away from me forever. It will be the single greatest sacrifice of my life.

But, oh, my God knows about giving up a child. My God knows about sacrificial love, and so it is His sacrificial love that ultimately compels me. I cannot save any child who comes into my home. I am no savior. But I have been rescued by the Savior, transformed by the Savior, and I am now compelled to live like the Savior.

So I care for the two baby girls who have entered our lives in need of a temporary home, a temporary mom. I meet their physical needs, always remembering their greater need, their spiritual need. I love them, I tell them Jesus loves them, I sing them songs of the gospel, and I pray for them.  I pray for their little bodies, their hearts, and their futures. But my prayers do not stop there. I pray that their moms and dads will change in the only way they can actually change, by coming to know the rescuing, transforming love of Jesus themselves. And I pray for my own heart, that I will love these kids like my own while they are in my house. That I will be able to give them back when it comes to that, and that I will always have a heart to love and rescue children like my Savior has loved and rescued me.

From Eternal Perspective Ministries

You might also like to read Jamie’s post on practical ways to support foster families, as well as her post with answers to common questions for those considering fostering.

Another recommended resource is Levi Shepherd’s book Millennial Orphan, which tells his story of heartache and loss (including growing up in different foster homes), poor choices and hopelessness, as well as the amazing love and redemption of Jesus.

Photo credit: Jon Ottosson via Unsplash | Photo credit for Jamie's pictures: Hannah Marie Photography

A Message for High Schoolers and Everyone Else Too: Find Your Happiness in Christ

Last year I had the privilege of talking to a group of high schoolers about happiness. I love young people and enjoy spending time with them, so it was a pleasure to bring them a message I feel is of utmost importance for people of all ages.

When I was 15 years old, I came to faith in Christ. I discovered that a lot of my unhappiness had been due to my sin and separation from God, and that when I came into a relationship with Jesus, my life was infused with a happiness I’d never felt before.

Now, have I been happy every moment since then? Of course not. In Scripture, Paul talks about the fact that we’re sorrowful, yet always rejoicing (2 Corinthians 6:10). What we always have to rejoice in—what does not change—is the love of God for us. Romans 8 says that Jesus gave His life for us, and is going to transform the world itself and not only us, but all who have faith in Him. It says that we’re more than conquerors through Him who loved us. It says nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ, and that God loves us and causes all things to work together for good for those who know and love Christ and are called according His purpose.

My challenge to the students was this: Satan, your sin nature, and the world are going to try to convince you that you can’t find happiness in Christ. We need to counteract that with the understanding that God Himself is the primary source of all happiness in the universe. When we try to find happiness outside of God, the closest we can get is just a small taste of it.

Here's the video of my message. You can also read the full transcript.

photo credit: Nick Miller via Unsplash

Where’s Your Heart?

Christ’s words were direct and profound: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew6:21). By telling us that our hearts follow our treasure, Jesus is saying, “Show me your checkbook, your VISA statement, and your receipts, and I’ll show you where your heart is.”

Suppose you buy shares of General Motors. What happens? You suddenly develop interest in GM. You check the financial pages. You see a magazine article about GM and read every word, even though a month ago you would have passed right over it.

Suppose you’re giving to help African children with AIDS. When you see an article on the subject, you’re hooked. If you’re sending money to plant churches in India and an earthquake hits India, you watch the news and fervently pray.

I’ve heard people say, “I want more of a heart for missions.” I always respond, “Jesus tells you exactly how to get it. Put your money in missions—and in your church and the poor—and your heart will follow.”

Do you wish you cared more about eternal things? Then reallocate some of your money, maybe most of your money, from temporal things to eternal things. Put your resources, your assets, your money and possessions, your time and talents and energies into the things of God. Watch what happens. As surely as the compass needle follows north, your heart will follow your treasure. Money leads; hearts follow.

God wants your heart. He isn’t looking just for “donors” for His kingdom, those who stand outside the cause and dispassionately consider acts of philanthropy. He’s looking for disciples immersed in the causes they give to. He wants people so filled with a vision for eternity that they wouldn’t dream of not investing their money, time, and prayers where they will matter most.

Of course, giving isn’t the only good thing we can do with money. We need to feed, clothe, house, and transport our families. But when the basics are taken care of, why shouldn’t the rest go toward treasures in heaven?

Moses left Egypt’s treasures “because he was looking ahead to his reward” (Hebrews 11:26).

He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To him, death is loss.

He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity; he’s moving daily toward his treasures. To him, death is gain.

He who spends his life moving away from his treasures has reason to despair. He who spends his life moving toward his treasures has reason to rejoice.

Are you despairing or rejoicing?

Photo credit: Fabian Blank via Unsplash

From Eternal Perspective Ministries

What we do with money has an eternal impact. Randy Alcorn has written extensively and biblically on the subject of giving and money. Now you can take an additional 20% off our discounted prices on Randy's money books by using the code MONEYBOOKS at checkout. Promo includes The Treasure Principle; The Treasure Principle Bible Study; The Law of Rewards; Managing God's Money; and Money, Possessions and Eternity. Code expires on Tuesday, May 17 at 4 P.M. PT.

Kids—and Adults—Need to Get Outside

Several years ago, a friend and I were driving through a neighborhood on a beautiful summer day and he said, “We haven’t seen a single kid outdoors. They’re all inside, watching movies, playing video games and looking at computer screens.”

Nanci and I have talked about how when we were growing up, free time when it was daylight meant being outside, and free time at night meant reading a book. I have great memories of playing army in the wheat fields around our house, and playing football and basketball at the local grade school, then getting in bed early and reading sometimes for hours before turning out the light.

Our daughters, Karina and Angela, are both raising boys. Nanci and I are proud of them and their husbands, and the way they are carefully training their sons. Part of that is limiting the amount of screen time they get each day, and encouraging them to go outside and enjoy God’s creation, and read books as well!

As an adult, I still love to be outside. I especially love going out on my favorite bike trail, the Springwater Corridor, and breathing the fresh Oregon air, watching for rabbits and other wildlife and thoroughly enjoying the Creator's art work. 

Studies show there is a high correlation between indoor living and depression. As a counselor years ago, I noticed that the time of year when people suffer most from depression (and just about every other emotional disorder) is in the months of November through February. In fall and spring the requests for counseling were half of what they were in winter, and in the summer they were even fewer. (Certainly there are other factors that contribute to this, but lack of regular exposure to sunlight and fresh air in the winter months is a major one.)

This is a thought-provoking video, one that’s not Christian or Bible-based but is nonetheless very revealing, about how kids’ ideas about having fun have radically changed over the years.

One of my favorite things in the world is going on bike rides and throwing a football with my grandsons. Make time outdoors part of your daily plan for both yourself and your family. Whether it’s working in the garden, an outdoor quiet time, or a daily walk or run or bike ride, get out and do something—for God’s glory and for the good of your children and grandchildren!

Photo credit: Miles Tan via Unsplash

EPM Resources to Share with Your Spanish-Speaking Friends

That God will redeem people of every tribe and language (Revelation 5:9) suggests that He has special interest in the work of Bible translation, the broad international reach of the JESUS film, and all mission endeavors (including those for unreached people groups). I believe the diversity of languages provides a wider range of opportunity to glorify God: “We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:11).

Currently, our ministry is focusing on offering more resources in Spanish, which is now the second most-spoken language in the world (after Mandarin Chinese). Several of my books are available in Spanish and some we sell through EPM’s store, including my graphic novel Eternity (Eternidad), Heaven (El Cielo), and The Purity Principle (El Principio de la Pureza).

One fun connection in the Spanish-speaking world happened when Eternal Perspective Ministries staffer Doreen Button and her husband Mike visited Barcelona, Spain during their trip to Europe in March. The Buttons got to meet Dorcas and Marcos, who had emailed EPM about their evangelical church’s Heaven-related teaching and outreach. Marcos had written us, “It's great when we have evidence that we are part of the universal body of Christ! Please, if you even come to Spain, do visit us!”, and the Buttons had wonderful time doing just that, as well as bringing them some more of my books, including Happiness (which is being released in Spanish this November).

Over the years, we’ve heard some great things about churches utilizing the Spanish translations of my Heaven-related books. One Spanish-speaking pastor wrote this about my book Heaven (El Cielo):

El entusiasmo que ha levantado en mi iglesia el estudio de este libro es impresionante. La gente quiere saber más e invitar a sus familiares y amistades a escuchar estas verdades.

The enthusiasm that has been raised in my church because of the study of this book is impressive. People want to know more and to invite their relatives and friends to listen to these truths.

Pastor, Daniel Palaú Chávez, Iglesia Evangélica Metropolitana Emanuel

We also have over 60 free article resources in Spanish available, which I’m really excited about. Numbers of them are excerpts from my books in Spanish.  I would love for individuals and ministries and churches to utilize these and share them with Spanish-speakers.

Available resources include:

¿Puedes Saber Que Irás al cielo? Extracto del Cielo (Can You Know You’re Going to Heaven?, Excerpt from Heaven)
¿Cómo Puede Ser Cielo si la Gente Está Consciente de lo Malo que Sucede en la Tierra? (If People in Heaven Are Aware of Bad Things Happening on Earth, How Could It Really Be Heaven?)
Con una mente celestial y útiles en la Tierra, Extracto de 50 Días del Cielo (Heavenly Minded and of Earthly Good, excerpt from 50 Days of Heaven)
¿Puede Dios perdonar el aborto? Extracto de ¿Por qué ser pro-vida? (Will God Forgive Abortions?, excerpt from Why ProLife?)

Also, we have posted 26 videos in Spanish on our website.

May God use these resources to impact lives for His kingdom! (Acceso Directo is another resource, with translated articles from writers like Ed Welch, John Piper, Albert Mohler, R.C. Sproul, Paul Tripp, and others.)

Writing about how God is working in Latin America, Jairo Namnún, editorial director for The Gospel Coalition’s Spanish website Coalición por el Evangelio, says this:

Because of dissatisfaction with superficial Christianity, there is an amazing hunger for the Word of God throughout Latin America. True believers are devouring anything that will help them handle the Word of Truth. More and more we hear of churches turning to sound doctrine for the first time. In a recent conference, I saw more than a hundred pastors from different countries step forward and repent of ministries that did not honor God.

Surely there’s still much work to be done, but the Lord is already at work in this moment. I too believe we’re experiencing the beginning of a revival. It is my prayer that believers in the Spanish-speaking world would be faithful to the Lord, diligent in the Scriptures, and prepared to give an answer to any and all who question the reason for our hope. If you believe you are being called, consider going, training, planting, or serving. In any case, will you join us in prayer?

What a privilege to offer resources in Spanish, and perhaps be a small part of the great work God is doing in Latin America and in the hearts of Spanish-speaking people around the world!