2008
by Pat Harrison
President and Founder
 The Bible makes a case for honor, a necessary element in all our relationships.
John 5:23 says that we must honor God. Ephesians 6:1-3 talks about children honoring their parents. The Apostle Paul wrote that we are to respect (honor) leaders (1 Thess. 5:12) and our employers (1 Tim. 6:1). Marriage should be held in honor (Heb. 13:4), and we are to honor widows (1 Tim. 5:3) and the poor (1 Cor. 12:23). Actually we are to respect (honor) everyone (1 Peter 2:17), even those who question our Christian faith (1 Peter 3:15-16). Tags: church | honor | leadership | respect
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by Arden C. Autry, PhD “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”—Matthew 21:22 NIV
 In one of his most unusual miracles, Jesus cursed a fig tree: “May you never bear fruit again!” When it withered, the astonished disciples asked: “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matt. 21:19-22 NIV)
Tags: believe | faith | its greek to me | receive
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By Bob Buse
International Director
 This past autumn my wife and I had the chance to help our younger daughter resettle in North Carolina. She is 22 years old and graduated from college last spring with a degree in International Community Development. Like many others in her age group, my daughter is making the big step into the work she will do for much of her life. Preparing resumes, searching employment ads, going on interviews – all are a part of this season. It can be daunting but also exhilarating.
Tags: God | leadership | missions | vision
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Introduction By Lonnie Hilton
National Director & International Vice PresidentI have asked Dr. Wes Oakley, an FCF pastor in Hays, Kansas, to share from his heart on the subject of “Staying Power.” I know the following article will bless you. by Wes Oakley
FCF Pastor and Relational Representative
 Staying Power: the capacity for continuing (in existence, influence, or popularity) without weakening.
My time in Hays, Kansas, has turned into decades. Actually, a more accurate count would be twenty-six years—almost three decades. When asked how long I’ve been in Hays, I say, “Twenty-something years.”
Tags: God | persistance | strength | vision
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By Pat Harrison
President and Founder
 New year, new programs, new directions, lots of work to do—so my advice to you is “Don’t do it!” Let’s learn to delegate.
Andrew Carnegie, tycoon and philanthropist, said, “I owe whatever success I have attained by and large to my ability to surround myself with people who are smarter than I am.”
Tags: God | leadership | opportunity | vision
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By Arden C. Autry, PhD
“Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.”—2 Peter 3:1-2 NIV
People need reminding more than they need instruction. One of the greatest dangers faced by Christians in any era is the danger of forgetting. When we forget foundational truths, we lose discernment for evaluating other truth claims. Since reminding is so important, the Apostle Peter wrote both his epistles for this very purpose. (2 Peter 3:1-2.) The letters would remind the church of important truths, even after Peter’s impending death. (2 Pet. 1:12-15.)
Tags: faith | God | its greek to me | prophecy
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Introduction By Bob Buse
International Director
The value of partnership—the sharing of complementary strengths and resources—can’t be underestimated. Simply put, we accomplish so much more. We set in motion that which will have an eternal impact. In the month of December, the partnership of a denominational church in Illinois with our FCF family in Guatemala produced a harvest of souls and not just in Guatemala. Several members from the Illinois team also received Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Let this story encourage you as you seek the Lord regarding partnerships for your life and ministry. We here at the International Office stand ready to help you find that place where your gifts and graces and those of your church can complement and strengthen those already on the mission field.
By Craig Harvey,
FCF Missionary, FCF of Guatemala
 “Take the ministry down into the village for all people” is what the Lord spoke to me early in 2007. In the past, all ministry had taken place at the FCF of Guatemala’s (AKA Harvest the World) mission base in Jobompiche, which is located on one of the highest properties in town. For most of the 1,050 inhabitants, that meant walking approximately two miles up a steep mountainside—something that isn’t easy to do.
Tags: church | God | missions | partner | vision
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By Lonnie Hilton
National Director & International Vice President
 A familiar command to those who have been in the military is, “Fall In.” The command means to take one’s proper place in a military formation. This basic move is taught in the military but omitted in many churches. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could give the same instruction and watch people hurry to their proper places?
Tags: army | church | God | prayer | vision
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By Bob Buse
International Director "You [LORD] are a helper of the fatherless."—Psalm 10:14
 The latest statistics published by UNICEF indicate that there are 132.7 million orphaned children in the world. Most of these are found in regions affected by war, famine and disease. Some have been abandoned by parents who don’t have the wherewithal to care for their children. The AIDS pandemic has created the largest number of orphans.
Tags: God | missions | orphans
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By Arden C. Autry, PhD “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.”—2 Corinthians 1:3 NKJV
 Why does Paul begin this letter with an emphasis on mercy and comfort? That becomes clear in verses eight and following, as the apostle refers to some terrible experience he had just endured. Mercy and comfort were on his mind, as deliverance from a life-threatening danger (which he does not name) was still fresh in his memory. But Paul is doing more than sharing his praise and testimony. As he indicates in the verses we want to examine more closely (vv. 3-7), Paul wants to communicate important, life-giving encouragement to the Corinthians and to us.
Tags: benefit | comfort | encouragement | its greek to me
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Introduction By Lonnie Hilton
National Director & International Vice President
Too often in our Christian walk, we focus on what we can’t do. You fill in the blank: “We can’t do this because ______.” However, when we choose to love, obey, and pursue God, and be where He wants us to be; then we can hear His voice and be in the center of His will. When we focus on God, He takes our “little” and sets in motion that which will make an impact for His kingdom.
The size of your church doesn’t determine its influence or impact upon your community. Your obedience does. The article by Kim Saylor demonstrates this principle.
By Rev. Kim Saylor
FCF Minister, Ottumwa, Iowa
 On October 5, 2007, our church received the Iowa Governor’s award for volunteerism. No, we do not have hundreds of people in our church doing lots of volunteer activities around the state. Our church, Jubilee Bible Church, has about 70 committed members.
We pioneered our church in 2000, and for the first five years we did little community outreach. We were busy building the infrastructure of the church and teaching the body. Honestly, we were missing God concerning outreach.
Tags: church | God | missions | passion | vision
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By Pat Harrison
Founder and President E.B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web, was also a celebrated columnist for the New Yorker magazine from the 1920s to the 1950s. He wrote, “The miracle of Christmas is that like the distant and very musical voice of the hound; it penetrates finally and becomes heard in the heart.”
In the days when dogs and men hunted, the hunters used a small trumpet that they would hold to their ears to hear the distant sound of the hound. Tags: church | God | leadership | missions | outreach
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By Arden C. Autry, PhD “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man."—Ephesians 3:16 KJV
Sometimes we don’t know what to pray, and we lean on the Holy Spirit to pray according to God’s will (Rom. 8:26-27). But much of the time we can know what God’s will is, and what we should pray for, because Scripture tells us. Ephesians 3:16 tells us one thing God certainly wants to do. He wants to make us strong “by His Spirit in the inner man.” Through study of this revelation in the context of Ephesians 3:14-21, we can learn more about the kind of strength God wants us to have, and the purpose for which God gives us this strength.
Tags: faith | its greek to me | paul | prayer
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By Lonnie Hilton
National Director & International Vice President
 Reverence and respect are at an all time low. This is evidenced by irreverent behavior toward funeral processions, the way certain people address our president, and the way the elderly are treated—just to name a few. This general lack of reverence also affects how Christians “fear the Lord.” In too many places God is no longer seen as the infinite, almighty, Holy God who sees all and searches the heart of man.
Tags: church | God | vision
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Introduction By Bob Buse
International Director
Occasionally one of our FCF churches is involved in an overseas outreach that captures the imagination and the heart. Lenny and Gerda Liebmann, pastors in Red Bank, New Jersey, are involved in a project that ministers to pastors of the underground church in communist China. This initiative helps provide these servants with valuable ministry tools and also offers encouragement through words. I ask you to please consider this as a viable opportunity for your church, youth, or children’s ministry. This will allow the compassion and creative element in God’s people to come forth.
By Lenny Liebmann
FCF Pastor
 In cooperation with Revival Chinese Ministries based in Hong Kong, Red Bank Community Church (an FCF affiliate in New Jersey.) is sending packages with Bibles and teaching materials to 1,000 pastors in China. These packages cost $20 each, and each package will be accompanied by a card that has original artwork on the cover and a personal note of encouragement on the back.
Tags: encourage | missions | outreach | vision
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By Nolan VockrodtA hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of home I lived in, or the kind of car I drove; but the world will be different because I was important in the life of a child.—Unknown Author
 In 1986, I went on a missions trip to the Philippines and was overwhelmed by the poverty-stricken children roaming the streets. Poorly clothed and shoeless, they were filthy, malnourished, and sick. The need was great, but I thought, as most of us do: One person couldn’t make much of a difference for these children.
Tags: church | God | missions | vision
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By Pat Harrison
Founder & President
 “Saying ‘I don’t know’ when you don’t know is a sign of good leadership. Pretending to know when you don’t know is a sign of insecurity. The only person a pretender deceives in him- or herself,” says author Andy Stanley.
Not knowing the answer to everything is not your enemy. Not knowing all is great job security and endless opportunities for your future.
Tags: decision | leadership
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By Arden C. Autry, PhDAnd when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” —John 20:22 NKJV
In John 20:19-23, on the evening of Resurrection Day, Jesus appeared to a group of disciples. This is apparently the same incident reported in Luke 24:33-39 and 1 Corinthians 15:5. A few details are worth comment before we focus on Jesus’ action and words in verse 22.
Tags: God | gospel | john
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By Lonnie Hilton
National Director & International Vice-President
 Several years ago while I was driving around an area visiting FCF ministers, I was talking to the Lord about several situations that greatly concerned me. I heard in my spirit the Lord’s answer: “Perception.” Where there is inaccurate perception, there is deception.
Most problems in life begin with a wrong perception. Then that wrong perception produces wrong attitudes, which in turn produce wrong actions.
Tags: believe | communion | receive
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By Bob Buse
International Director
 Last June we introduced our 2007-2008 Mission Campaign. Our International Strategy consists of four areas:
SENDING—We send ministers around the world for ministry, particularly to our FCF International family.
PROJECTS—We finance approved projects that have been submitted by FCF family.
MINISTERS’ MEETINGS—We conduct meetings in support of FCF credentialed ministers.
MONTHLY FINANCIAL SUPPORT—We financially support our Regional Offices and ministries working among Unreached People Groups.
I am happy to report that we have accomplished nearly everything we set out to do. You have helped us to realize more than nintey percent of our financial goal of $205,000 for which we are grateful.
Tags: God | international | missions | vision
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“Fall back, spring forward,” adjust the clock, adjust the body—it’s all part of the yearly ritual. But as I age, the time between the events seems shorter and shorter. I had just gotten used to “falling back” when I had to “spring forward,” or I have sprung back and it’s now time to fall forward? Either way, we have to deal with time and seasons.
En mi último artículo, escribí que no es difícil llegar a conocer a Dios. A lo largo de la historia de la humanidad, Dios apasionadamente ha buscado una relación con nosotros.