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COVER STORY
Wise as Serpents, Harmless as Doves
With little money, little access to training, far too few Bibles, and no religious freedom, believers in creative access areas nevertheless push on with what they own in abundance: courage, sacrifice, selflessness, and the irresistible Light of Christ. We are humbled by the privilege of standing with them.
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FEATURES
- A Dose of God’s Medicine
First God humbled the doctor, then God used him, and now the sick in this creative access area have a clinic that offers more than physical healing.
- “Imprisoned,” by Mary Egidio
Thrown in jail on its way to a refugee camp, a JESUS film team seeks the strongest possible protection.
- “Dangerous Sacrament,” as told to Mary Egidio by J. Fred Huff
Baptism takes on an even more hushed and holy significance when its elements include a plastic pitcher, a metal bowl, and the threat of death.
- “Undercover for God,” by Debbie Salter Goodwin
The missionaries in this creative access area walk a tightrope between safety and sharing the Good News. But like the two spies reporting on the Promised Land, they measure danger against the promise of God and find that God is greater.
- “Servant of the Generous God,” by Lindell Browning
Raised a Muslim but educated by Nazarenes, one young man weighs his love for Jesus against his love for his family—and chooses both.
- “And I Escaped to Tell Others,” by Debbie Salter Goodwin
He lost his wife, his children, his country, and—more than once—nearly his own life, but this former Muslim scorned the death penalty to embrace the Cross.
COLUMNS
- Essay: “For Sale: One Sacrifice, Hardly Used,” by Gay L. Leonard
We who have found the Pearl of Great Price must quit laying cheap offerings on the altar of sacrifice.
- Editor's Forum:This month’s forum compares the Transfiguration with the baptism of Christ.
- Portraits: “Terror, Grace, and Providence,” by Dean Nelson
“After a few days of hoping, it became clear that Bruce was not coming back.”
- The Deeper Way: “Nobility of Soul,” by Gerard Reed
Settling into our comfort zones rather than working to remedy our deficiencies numbs us into one of the seven deadly sins: sloth.
- Change Agent: “The Sky Is (Not) Falling! The Sky Is (Not) Falling!” by Jon Johnston
We’re bombarded by staccato changes that sting, bite, and burn. At such times, one question looms: What is the source of our misfortune?
- Interconnected: “How to Keep Your Holy Heart Healthy,” by Larry Hull
How healthy is your heart? Is it good for another 100,000 miles?
- Family Tree: “What Do the Children Say?” by Michael Christensen and Rebecca Laird
The argument for quality time over quantity time really doesn’t convince kids. They want their parents to be part of their ordinary life events.
- Commission: “Conventional Won’t Cut It,” by Jerry D. Porter
Can we call ourselves cross-carrying disciples if we cower in the shadow of our status quo comfort zone?
- Holiness: “Entire Radiance,” by Robert L. Woodruff
While it is important to preserve the doctrine and the teaching of holiness, it is even more important to see that teaching lead to encounters with God that transform hearts and actions.
NEXT MONTH – Convoluted Paths: Philosophies that Challenge the Church
- “Postmodernism: Feet Firmly Planted in Midair,” by Jon Johnston
In a real sense, postmodernism is both good and bad. For believers, it comes down to an “eat-the-fish-and-spit-out-the-bones” issue. And to decipher accurately which is which, we must commit to dedicated learning and vigilant awareness.
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