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I’ve thought a lot lately about how media and technology transcend obstacles we face in sharing the Gospel. Some of those are readily apparent in the news. There are wars and rumors of wars, poverty, and security issues that seek to thwart the spread of God’s Word.

Even when those barriers are surpassed, there are unseen forces at work to keep the seed of the Gospel from taking root. It may be a fence of family tradition, a roadblock of guilt, or a maze of confusion stemming from the hard Truth.

Yet, when we let the Word do its work, we can simply step aside and let the power of the Holy Spirit obliterate the challenges. If you’re not convinced, look at what God says in Isaiah 55:11, “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

In a word, God’s Word is boundless. Nothing can stop it. That’s why we’re so intent on getting it to as many people as possible through our productions and delivery tools. There’s no better example than our speaker for this year’s Vision Night, featured in this edition of our newsletter. Take the time right now to register to attend one of three events we’re hositng in March (www.gnpi.org/visionnight). Sergei Golovin, regional director of GNPI-Ukraine, will share at Vision Night

how God’s kingdom is being multiplied in Europe despite great adversity.

People may try scheming and planning to put down the things of God, but it can’t be done. The Psalmist reminds us that the wicked plot against God, but God simply laughs at them. The Gospel is boundless.

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Our center in Mexico flourishes in the midst of constant struggle of community violence, machoism, cult worship, poverty, and other hardships. We’re often reminded of the unshakable commitment of our staff at GNPI-Mexico when we hear from our regional director, Gustavo Velázquez.

Gustavo recently brought together about 50 pastors and their wives, along with other guests, to debut the short film No Return. About 100 people were present to delve into the important issue of suicide, a dilemma that is on the rise around the world.

Even with such a serious issue, the audience was deeply impacted by the production, responding with obvious signs of support when the film ended.

“We were very pleased with the reaction of the audience, to hear their applause at the end of the film,” Gustavo said. “[We were even more pleased] when they verbally expressed congratulations and their wish to share the short film with their congregations.”

Each pastor in attendance left the presentation with a gift DVD that included each of the short films GNPI-Mexico has completed to date. These include segments on the dangers of social media and drug addiction, in addition to the current offering on suicide. The next short film, in what is hoped to be a series of ten, will address eating disorders.

“We thank God for a year of hard work.” Gustavo said. “We trust that God is working in each project that is seen by thousands of people through social networks, mass communications, churches, street ministries, and in homes through cable channels.”

We praise God for the unshakable commitment of GNPI-Mexico! To watch No Return, please visit www.gnpi.org/newsletter.

To help produce GNPI-Mexico’s next film, navigate your web browser to www.gnpi.org/donate and type “Mexico short film” in the donation notes section.

RELEVANT TOOLS FOR MEXICO

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“India,” Operation World, accessed February 5, 2015, http://www.operationworld.org/indi.

Johnstone, Patrick. The Future of the Global Church. Colorado Springs: Global Mapping International, 2011. PDF e-book.

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Despite the seeming increase in misunderstanding toward people of faith in the United States, we still enjoy religious freedom in our nation. Even if it’s not popular, we have the right to assemble in our houses of worship and give honor and praise to Jesus.

That’s definitely not the case in all parts of the world. According to Open Doors, there are more than 65 nations in which Christians are actively suffering persecution. India is one of these nations, ranked as 21st in the world for persecution of Christians. However, it’s not just Christians, it’s anyone trying to follow anything other than what the State says is acceptable.

Burdened with the enslavement of the caste system, people are finding it increasingly difficult to follow Christ. Simmi Dhingra of GNPI-Chandigarh, India, shares that the pastors of northern India are experiencing a lot of problems in their churches because of the current anti-Christian movement in India. Simmi says they are joining together in prayer that God will strengthen them to face this problem.

Simmi writes, “With looming tension from threats of persecution, forced conversions, burning of church buildings, and other satanic works, we are pushing forward in our race that the Apostle Paul has invited us to fight. We continue to save souls, we continue to take the Gospel to the remotest parts of the villages, and we continue to hope.”

Even with increasing persecution, Manee Massey, regional director of GNPI-Damoh, India, shares about their incredible opportunity for outreach. On Christmas Eve, the center in Damoh aired a special program on the Sahara Channel, which has an approximate viewership of 40 million.

The program included two music videos with a Western-Indian mix of Christmas songs performed by local college students and a Christmas message by Dr. Ajai Lall, who leads Central India Christian Mission.

Before the telecast, special text messages, Facebook, and other social media spread the word to as many people as possible about the program. Sometimes when we go to the trouble to share our faith, we wonder about the impact it’s having. GNPI-Damoh, India, though, got some very specific feedback about how the programming played a powerful role in the life of a local congregation.

Mr. Patras, a local preacher, decided to show this live program and invite everyone in the neighborhood. As a result, he opened dialogue between members of the congregation and non- Christian families as they learned about the birth of Christ and the Message of Christmas.

These centers in India face pressures most of us in the West couldn’t imagine. Yet, they are not simply pressing forward, they are thriving in their efforts to share the Gospel using media and technology. Continue to pray for the work in India.

As we approach this year’s Vision Night program, we recall fondly our visit last year from Manee Massey. At that event, we showed two videos that featured our work in India. These provide an excellent inside view of how God is using GNPI throughout India. To watch the videos, simply navigate to www.gnpi.org/newsletter.

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GNPI has, for nearly four decades, been about the business of equipping nationals and missionaries throughout the globe with culturally relevant, biblically sound media resources. To do this, though, the ministry has made it a core value to engage in strategic partnerships. By working with national ministries, local communities can benefit from those that walk among them who have a pulse on key issues and a heart to speak into them in ways not possible for outsiders.

One of the partnerships that has blossomed during the past 16 years is that with GNPI-Ukraine and Sergei Golovin. Sergei has added media to his efforts to share the scientific truths of God’s Word with tribes of intellectuals in a post-communist society.

“We highly value projects with both immediate impact and long-term influence,” says Sergei.

Immediate impacts are being made and long-term strategies are emerging in the midst of the political conflict and military action that has engulfed the Crimean peninsula. Warring nations have opened the door for new discussions with a people questioning the purpose behind bloodshed and the displacement of so many citizens, a situation Sergei is experiencing himself.

Displaced from his home, Sergei has multiplied the ministry and begun new initiatives in Ukraine. Committed to changing the worldview of people throughout Europe, no matter the circumstance, Sergei and his team are finding ways to maintain their former work while birthing a new one.

One of the projects opening doors in Ukraine is a regional youth leaders conference. It teaches on the urgency of apologetics and creation evangelism for the transformation of the worldview

of the church in Eurasia. Arranged in the southeast corner of Ukraine, attendees were able to come from Crimea as well.

“The conference was encouraging both for the audience and for us,” Sergei said. “It was a great joy to see young people longing for the transformation of society for the sake of the kingdom!”

More conferences like these are in the works, and Sergei has a mission to raise up a biblically literate generation that is prepared to take the Gospel to a searching people. Only time will reveal the full effect of God’s plan to use what we see as adversity for the advancement of his kingdom.

That day, though, is the fuel that powers Sergei Golovin and GNPI-Ukraine.

Join Sergei at Vision Night in March. GNPI will be hosting Sergei and his wife, Olga, in three locations. Register at www.gnpi.org/visionnight to view event details and reserve a place.

Choose from one of three venues:

March 12: Joplin, MOMarch 24: Indianapolis, INMarch 27: Phoenix, AZ

You won’t want to miss this up-close-and-personal look at the Golovins’ recent experiences. Sergei will also recap his amazing conversion story and share his view on the next steps for spreading the Gospel in Eurasia. Call 417-782-0060 or register online today to attend!

If you would llike to watch a video on how GNPI-Ukraine is reaching the post-communist society, please navigate to www.gnpi.org/newsletter.

A VISITOR FROM UKRAINE FOR VISION NIGHT

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“What you have produced is

really helpful in sharing the

Gospel with Buddhists!”

GNPI-SE Asia focuses on reaching Buddhists with the Gospel of Jesus. PD, manager of production and public relations, recently sent a report detailing exciting developments for the team. In his words:

“Our team recently had a great privilege to go to a new city in the southeastern part of the region to train evangelists. We were invited by pastors and evangelists from different denominations who are ministering in that region. They wanted to see what GNPI has produced and learn how to use the ministry tools for effective evangelism.

“Our group of six traveled on the bus the whole night. The next day we drove up a rough and winding mountain road. It took the entire day for ascending and another full day for descending that mountain.

“Once we arrived, church members and ministers from several churches warmly welcomed us. We had a wonderful day of worship and prayer and training. Then the ministers told us, ‘What you have produced is really helpful in sharing the Gospel with Buddhists! We are very happy for what you have done.’ They invited us to many other places to share, but time was limited.

“The second part of the trip took us across the border and into another country. We started the training especially for church members who had all converted from Buddhism. They were from our country and spoke our language, so we could communicate with them easily.

“We received a positive response from the day of training. The pastor of the church invited us to come back again and share the Message, not only in this church, but also in the largest cities of the country.

“New believers were very encouraged and acknowledged that they learned more about the True God. We were encouraged to see how strong their

faith was and how firmly they were standing on biblical teachings.

“They told us, ‘Even if the authorities offer us a lot of money and try to persuade us not to worship Jesus, we won’t forfeit our belief in Christ.’ Then they said, ‘We won’t deny our faith, even if the authorities threaten to kill us. Money is for this world, but Jesus Christ is forever.’

“These believers assured us that using our tools to share the Gospel with Buddhists would be effective. We also spoke to a non-believer about what she thought of our lesson. She said that she had never realized their acts of worshipping men (monks) and paying homage to idols to be wrong until she heard the Message from us. She told us that she would be studying more about God. We continually pray for her and that God would open her heart to accept Christ as her Savior.

“Our trip was good, and we had a wonderful time sharing the Gospel by using the tools. We saw God opening the door for our people, as well as those across the border. Thank you very much for your help and for your prayers.”

Join us in prayer with GNPI-SE Asia as they continually spread the Gospel and minister to new believers.

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“I will be sending you a check today for project NOMaD in Chile. We are committed . . . We are excited for what God will do to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ through this new team.”

When Plainfield Christian Church in Plainfield,Indiana, let us know they’d be taking on sponsorship for our team in Santiago, a surge of life was literally felt in our office and 5,108 miles to the south.

That’s because NOMaD-Chile team leader, Habacuc Diaz, is working to preserve life in his culture. The team, which he calls Indigno (Unworthy) is working to create a dialogue about what Christ did for all people. Among these people are those who face the controversial issue of abortion.

While lawmakers in Chile are considering the legalization of therapeutic abortion, Habacuc Diaz and our NOMaD team in Santiago have partnered with a pro-life ministry to develop ¿Sabías Qué? (Did You Know?) — a Website, series of videos, and Facebook page. The slogan for ¿Sabías Qué? is “Infórmate para decidir,” meaning, “Inform yourself before deciding.”

This video, created by NOMaD team leader Habacuc, shows clips from testimonies and interviews conducted with women who have all had first-hand, practical experience with abortion. Each woman will have her own video and blog post on the site. In addition, the series features interviews with doctors and other testimonies.

The team in Chile is also working on some new projects for ¿Sabías Que?, including a teaching series of premarital counseling material and one on biblical principles of finances.

¿Sabías Qué? http://www.sabiasque.cl/

If your church would be interested in impacting culture by starting a NOMaD team, write us at gnpi@gnpi.org.

TAKING A STAND IN CHILE

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Request or download Liam & Ruby today! These quirky kids are at their grandparents’ house for the week, learning about GNPI and Solar Kits. The short episodes are perfect for missions moments for the whole church, kids worship, or your upcoming Vacation Bible School.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and hopefully, be inspired to join so many others in mobilizing Solar Kits for missionaries and nationals around the world!

The animated series also comes with a discussion guide.

Often times, GNPI visits churches for the express purpose of sharing what God is doing through the ministry:creating award-winning productions, starting new NOMaD teams, and delivering the Gospel through delivery tools such as mobile Apps or Solar Kits.

Did you know we’re also available to pour important information into your church as well? Call GNPI today to request a free, planned giving seminar, coupled with a presentation about the ministry, or as a stand-alone workshop to equip your members to effectively

steward the resources God has given to them.

Estate planning and planned giving can be daunting. That’s why approximately seven of ten people in the United States don’t have a will, and it is also the reason untold resources are lost that could potentially benefit your favorite in the future charities.

Call us today at 417-782-0060, or email gnpi@gnpi.org to schedule this useful seminar. Available dates are limited, so make plans today.

To order, visit www.gnpi.org/kids or call 417-782-0060 today!

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