Foundation Work

This summer, the 133 year old church building of the Nez Perce Indian Presbyterian Church received a new foundation. The building still rested on the original foundation consisting of large boulders and wooden blocks, which had suffered rot over the years leading to buckling of floor and walls.

A local contractor jacked up the building with many heavy duty truck jacks, excavated the old foundation, removed the rotten beams and poured new footers on which concrete blocks were set, fortified with iron bars and filled with concrete. After the concrete had cured for several days, the building was gently let down onto the new foundation.

Now the building is once again level and the previously bowed out wall is straight.

This much needed work also showed us as a congregation just as in the natural so to in the spiritual: a secure and straight foundation is necessary for the soundness and growth of the whole congregation, the living church.

50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration

Marianne‘s parents were able to celebrate their 50th Wedding anniversary this September. We were blessed to be able to be in Germany and join in the festivities. Both Mom and Dad were in good health for the event which included a service at their church and a sumptuous meal at an old Fire Station that has been converted into a Restaurant. One comment from Marianne‘s Dad was: „This was the nicest celebration of my life“!

Although Marianne was able to help with some of the work that occurs with such festivities, most of the preparation was done by her sisters Mirjam and Tabea. We are thankful for their loving effort!

So that Volkhard didn‘t have to go completely without applying himself, he was able to help his brother‘s in law in installing a new carpet for the large living room area of Hans Martin‘s and Gerda‘s apartment.

Items of Interest:

• A young Nez Perce man is currently completing his Discipleship-Training-School with YWAM Tribal Winds in Flagstaff, AZ. We were able to support him financially
• Mark & Michaela Garrison joined our team as volunteers this summer. Another couple is seeking the Lord as to whether they are to join us.
• We have tentatively scheduled a 6-month DTS to be held here in Kamiah for 2009. Florence Loo from Malaysia, who served here with her husband ten years ago has already committed to join our staff for the DTS!
• Volkhard completed his second full year of serving as Commissioned Lay Pastor of First Indian Prebyterian Church, Kamiah.

The Book that transforms Nations

 

The fact that the Bible shows us the message of God of heaven and earth becoming man is celebrated every Christmas.

However, does the Bible only give us instruction about our sin and His plan of salvation or does it also provide us with principles and directions for every area of life?

Have we interpreted the Great Commission given to us by our Lord Jesus only as an invitation to evangelize and left out an important part of the Commission? Matthew 28:19-20a…“make disciples of all NATIONS (peoples) and teach them ALL that I have commanded you“.

About 176 years ago a delegation of four Nez Perce made a long trek to the most western outpost of the Union of States to find the „Book of Heaven“ Historians have varying opinions about this journey. They think that they made the arduous trip to gain more influence, possessions and technology from the white man, not to find the Bible or the „Christian Religion“. Whatever their true reason for the search was, it led directly to the coming of the first Christian missionaries a few years later. They were received with great enthusiasm and began teaching God‘s Word.

In 2008 we want to engage in a distribution of Bibles, which will reference the original search of the Nez Perce. We would like to point out that the „Book of Heaven“ speaks about the coming of the Son of God and the salvation he brought but that it also provides us with clear principles for all areas of life. Obedience to these principles can build up and cause growth, while disobedience can cause destruction of individual lives as well as for a whole nation.

The Bible describes Israel‘s history under the government of King Manasseh as a nation which has turned away from God and turns to divination and idolatry, causing uncleanness for the whole nation. The King even sacrifices his own sons to the idol Molech and sheds much innocent blood. After that his son Amon is King. He was even more evil and corrupt than his father and is assassinated by his own servants.

During this time an eight year old boy, Josiah, is enthroned as King. Amazingly this young man begins to seek the Lord. As a 26 year old he begins to reconstruct the Temple during which the long lost scrolls of God‘s Word are found. Josiah is very much impacted by the words he hears and he calls all people together for public reading of God‘s Word. The King then leads his people in repentance, does away with idolatry and commits himself to live by the Word of God, which causes healing and restoration for Israel.

Whether it is in Israel‘s times long ago or our current age, the result remains the same: When God‘s Word is buried, left unobserved or even dishonored, it can lead to the fall and even the destruction of a nation.

„If a majority of people in a nation honors and obeys God‘s Word, blessing follows. World history clearly shows, if a critical mass of people honors God‘s Word and obeys what is says, a whole nation can be changed.“ *)

http://www.ywampublishing.com/p-1069-the-book-that-transforms-nationsbrthe-power-of-the-bible-to-change-any-country.aspx  (* The Book that transforms Nations, Copyright © 2007 by Loren Cunningham, p22)