Annual Stones Cry Out Ministries Update: December 2012
This report is directed to all those who in some way support Stones Cry Out Ministries and is provided to honor and glorify the Lord in keeping with Psalm 111:2.
Great are the works of the LORD;
They are studied by all who delight in them. (Psalm 111:2)
First, I wish to thank all of you who pray because apart from Him, we can do nothing. All who are invested in this work know well that the amount of eternal fruit that comes from it is directly proportional to the intensity of prayer that is offered up by God’s people.
To me, the most notable highlight of this year’s report is the further establishment of the church that meets in our home. We have been meeting for several years, but God has been causing our little assembly of believers to become knit together and we are learning how to function as a body of believers. More will be said about this below.
This report contains three sections:
- The people involved in this ministry
- A review of the things God has accomplished in and through the ministry
- Looking forward through eyes of faith
- Upcoming short term plans
- Words of encouragement for all who are involved
- Prayer requests
- 2012 Answers to prayer
- The people involved in this ministry
Those who pray
The gospel has been proclaimed to thousands of people. Those of you who pray for us play a role in this because without God’s protection and enabling, our hearts would grow cold and our mouths would cease to proclaim the gospel. With so much gospel seed planted, we are reminded that unless God makes it come to life, those who have heard it will remain blind and perishing. “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it” (Psalm 127:1).
Those who engage in evangelism
Pat McMahon goes door to door with me every Saturday. In addition, there are several brothers who go with us when they can such as Wameedh (who we met going door to door), Ivan, Rubin, Eddie and more recently, Benjamin who is thirteen years old, and Michael, a 22 year old from Saline.
Those who serve in other ways
Linda: Though my wife Linda does not go door to door with us, she goes with me every week to the Bible study with Patience (a woman from Liberia) who we met going door to door in Detroit. She endures much with me in the Stones Cry Out ministry. In addition, she faithfully prepares refreshments for the home church meetings on Sunday and Wednesday evenings.
Marilyn: Recently, a friend of ours (Marilyn) began attending the meetings. She has been very supportive of the ministry and labors often by preparing of meals for our meetings. On occasions when I cannot go, she accompanies Linda to the Bible study with Patience.
Those who financially support this ministry:
Most of the financial support we receive for the ministry comes in the form of spontaneous gifts as God moves people. But there are a few people who faithfully give each month. We give thanks to God for moving his people to support this ministry financially.
- A review of the things God has accomplished in and through the ministry
- Gospel proclamation to the people of E. Dearborn
During the past five years, we knocked on the door of virtually every house in hope of proclaiming the gospel. About 18 months ago, we began again where we first started with plans to cover the entire area again. We have found that most of the people we are meeting the second time around are people we never met before. At least 1000 Muslims have heard the gospel from us face to face and comprehended it in various degrees. We try to keep in contact with over 100 of them, some expressing more interest than others of course. We consider this entire community the “parish” assigned to us by God regardless of whether they are believing yet or not.
In addition is the face to face evangelism, we personally hand out hundreds of gospels, tracts and some Bibles here in Dearborn each year. We have also begun to provide audio gospel presentations on CD.
- The reception of the Muslim community
As mentioned in last year’s report, an increasing number of Muslims we meet seem a bit hostile in their attitudes toward us. When we first started going door to door 6 years ago, we rarely met any Muslims with this type of attitude. Though we meet people like this occasionally, we also meet many Muslims who are very hospitable and friendly toward us.
- Disciples
Jesus told us to go and make disciples and teach them to observe all that He commanded. That is our mission we are working to fulfill it. This ministry is producing disciples but it is difficult to know its full impact since many people have been impacted world wide through the Stones Cry Out web site. But locally, we have more contact with those we meet face to face. The consistent gathering of believers in the home church meetings presents the most observable manifestation of salvation.
Note: We do not consider a person a Christian just because he prays a “sinner’s prayer” or walks an aisle so we do not count converts in the manner that many people do these days. (We do not tell people to pray sinner’s prayers nor do we practice the “alter call” technique because we believe that these practices are not warranted by the Bible.) We believe that if a person is truly regenerate, his life will reflect it through holy living. We believe the best way to know if a new disciple has been made is if there appears to be fruit of God’s Spirit at work in them resulting in a changed life.
In addition to the local ministry, God has seen fit to expand influence of Stones Cry Out Ministries globally. I did not anticipate this but God has seen fit to bring thousands of people (mainly Christians) to the Stones Cry Out web site in order to obtain free evangelism tools like tracts and the gospel study guide. These materials are now being used all over the world. In fact, it appears that Stones Cry Out influence is greater in places like Africa and Asia than it is here in the U.S.A. Christian pastors and evangelists from those countries learn how to evangelize biblically by watching the 48 minute evangelism training seminar and sometimes, I send them my books (at no charge). Most of them tell me that these materials have helped them greatly to minister to the people in their countries.
- The Church plant (www.DearbornBible.org) “A sending church”
We greatly rejoice in how God has blessed the little home church. The members are made up of people who attend regularly and consider it “their church.” We assemble twice a week right now.
Equipping the believers to do the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:12)
Currently, those who attend look mainly to me for leadership but it is my prayer and goal that each one learns how to lead others that come to Christ through their influence. As members become equipped to do the work of the ministry, it is envisioned that other churches will be planted under their leadership as those who are “sent out” by our church for that purpose. Rather than continue growing and acquiring a building to house the larger meetings, we believe it biblical to continually expand the body of Christ by forming new local churches.
I believe that in the future, Christians that were former Muslims, will also be equipped through Dearborn Bible Fellowship to do the work of the Ministry and then be sent (as the Spirit directs) to their own countries in the Middle East to plant churches there. I have recorded my understanding of the biblical church model in my book, The Local Church).
- Direction continually being shaped
God uses the ministry and the trials associated with it to continually shape our understanding and bring it in line with the biblical model. God has moved me to record my understanding in books like those mentioned below:
How to evangelize (Bringing back the gospel)
Church Discipline (Bring my sheep back)
The Way to Heaven – The difference between Islam and Christianity
The links above take you to the Amazon Kindle book pages. To get paperback versions, go to www.BringMySheepBack.com.
Anyone who wants to learn what I believe about these matters can do so by reading my books. Also, I invite anyone to discuss the ministry with me to learn more about it and how we do things.
- Equipping Christians for the work of the ministry
In addition to the ministry to people in other countries via the Stones Cry Out web site, we have the privilege of influencing Christians that God brings to us for short term missions exposure. Most of them come here during the summer. I conduct evangelism seminars and while they are here and then we take them door to door with us. In addition, God causes us to come in contact with a few men that are local and want to learn more about evangelism and/or simply engage in it more consistently.
My chief focus though is that those who attend our home church meetings become equipped to do the work of the ministry, including the making of disciples and then equipping the new disciples also to do the same.
- Looking forward in faith to the harvest
Based upon God’s word, we are expecting the harvest to increase.
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10-11)
Since God is causing the gospel to go forth, we have assurance that His word is accomplishing exactly what He sent it to do. We have every reason to pray fervently and expect a great harvest, including many of those who are currently blinded by Islam. Let us beseech the Lord of the harvest.
- 4. Upcoming short term plans
I have begun developing a 12-week college level, online evangelism course. This will provide a learning resource for those Christians who want to evangelize according to the biblical pattern. This course should become available within the next few months.
Two of the tracts on the Stones Cry Out web site will soon be available in the India language:
Life is in the Blood (written by Kendall Scott)
It’s Your Choice (written by Tom Bear)
In addition, the tract, “The Difference Between Islam and Christianity” will soon be mass distributed in Dearborn in Arabic and English in three parts (3 separate distributions). This will be facilitated by Scott Cherry of Anchor Ministries and their associations.
- Words of encouragement and exhortation
In the eyes of many who profess to be Christians, we probably do not appear all that blessed by God. We do not have much. Our church is small enough to meet in our basement. We are continually experiencing diverse trials.
In spite of all this, I consider us abundantly blessed with riches that are eternal. God has graciously moved us and enabled us to steward the riches of His gospel. We are blessed with fellowship with other believers in our home church. God has graciously given us disciples to nurture. He sustains us.
If we use the world’s measuring stick to measure our wealth, we are at best, people to be pitied. But when we look at it through God’s eyes, we are truly blessed. We can enjoy some of these blessings in the here and now but most of them will be realized when Jesus comes back. I want to go on record giving thanks to God for all His great blessings upon us and for all His tender mercies.
As one who has reaped great blessings from God, I can personally encourage any Christian who desires the same to lay hold of it based upon Jesus’ promise, “Seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.” Yes, the level of comfort in this life will decrease but God gives comfort and grace to endure and His gentle presence to guide.
- Prayer requests
Protection and Endurance for those in the field
Unless God keeps us under the shadow of His wings, we will wander off and fall headlong on our face. Unless He keeps us encouraged, we will soon be despairing of life. Unless He continues to send trials, we will become more filled with wretched prideful independence that we already possess. Only God can keep us and cause us to endure so please pray to that end.
Salvation for those who have heard
It is our privilege as priests to intercede for the lost. Ask, and it will be given to you. Pray for those unbelievers that God impresses upon your heart. I have provided a list below of some of the people for whom we are praying.
The building up of the church
We thank God for our little assembly of believers that meet Sunday and Wednesday evenings (and the Bible study that meets at Patient’s house on Mondays). Pray that God causes the members to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and become equipped to do the work of the ministry. Pray that God adds to our number new disciples who can become equipped for the work of the ministry. Pray that God gives us grace and wisdom to humbly serve each other so that red hot believers result. Pray that God equips one or two of the men to eventually start and temporarily lead another local church and take on more leadership in the mean time.
That God will make our prayers more fervent
As God turns up the heat in our prayers, His power will be unleashed and the harvest will be made manifest to His glory. Pray therefore, that God sends revival to all of us who pray.
That God will supply all our needs
As you may know, we are not with a mission agency and due to our convictions, we do not feel right asking people for financial support. But we can and do ask God to supply our needs. If you are so inclined, please pray that God will supply all our needs.
- 2012 Answers to prayer
The following are answers to prayers that we have requested during the year in the Stones Cry Out weekly prayer reports.
Many more people have heard and now understand the gospel.
The home church has increased in number.
The members of the church are attending more regularly.
The members of the church relate to each others as members of one body of believers.
God provided a roommate for Wameedh so he could keep living in his flat.
God provided a job for Wameedh (one of the members).
Wameedh now has a car.
The members tell people about salvation through Christ alone.
God has provided for Tom & Linda’s family with work projects and giving.
God is increasing hunger for Himself in the church members.
God provided grace to proclaim the gospel during and after my father’s memorial.
Though Sam and Leah are still holding on to the reins of their life, God continues to preserve their lives and call them to Himself.
God has caused hundreds of people (including many unbelievers) to read my book, “The way to heaven” which clearly explains the gospel.
God protected my father when he drove off in the car (Alzheimer patient).
God has helped Marilyn (Linda’s friend) to learn the gospel and follow Jesus.
God has blessed Patience and us with fellowship of Jesus.
The following are a few of the contacts we have now have heard and understand intellectually the gospel. We have had several contacts with some of them. Pray that God gives us greater opportunity to water the seed and that he brings forth a great harvest.
Hassan, Muslim father of 4 very young children who has been living here for 10 years and is of Lebanese descent. He is reading through the New Testament we gave to him.
Ali, Muslim man in his 30’s.
Mawther Lebanese woman in her 20’s.
Yesseff, man around 40 who served many years in special forces for the US. Since I first met him 5 years ago when he was in perfect health, he has suffered severe injuries, sickness and all sorts of trauma.
Waseem, Muslim university student
Muhammad. Muslim, he has a Bible we gave to him at his request.
Ibrahim, Hussein Muslim brothers
Muhammad, Muslim man about 22 years old.
Valmeer and his friend. These are college age young Muslim men from Albania.
Isra: Sudanese Muslim woman
Sajid and his brother Muhammad.
Godda Muslim mother of three and her 16 year old son, Macmoud.
Linda, Lebanese Muslim woman in her late 20’s we met last week.
Hyder, Iraqi Muslim man in his 30’s we met last week
Yassar (from Yemen) and his wife Dasha (Ukrainian)
Mysoon (May soon), young Muslim mother of three small children, and her family
Nazeer, Muslim father about 35 years old from Syria.
Muhammad, Muslim father of three young children.
Souha Muslim lady in her late 40s of Lebanese descent.
Mo, Muslim father about 40- we gave him complete Bible also
Crystal, Wicca mother in her 30’s
Ola, Muslim mother in her 40’s
Ali, Muslim teenager
Fareed, Muslim university student
Dakiva and her sister (their father died early this year) both are not yet believers
Hassan, Muslim university student
Nabil
Adil, Muslim university student
Fatima, Muslim law student