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Alan Buterworth Family Update
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Newsletters - click "Get Resource" to see complete PDF version with photos and more
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Entries from
March 2005
March 2005 Newsletter
Tuesday, March 01, 2005 :: 381 Views :: Newsletter
Shalom!
We began our venture here in 1996. Through your generous support, and with God’s guidance and blessing, we have:
Equipped believers in over 1,000 churches to share the Gospel with Jewish people!
Reached more than 500,000 people with gospel tracts!
Trained dozens of new leaders during short-term mission events!
Started new missions in St. Louis, New York City, Houston, and Moscow!
Most importantly, your generous support has allowed the Holy Spirit to work through us so that Jewish people and gentiles are coming to faith in Christ.
Right now, we face a daunting financial challenge. We have used $66,000 of the $75,000 available in our line of credit. Why? We said Yes! to the start of historic ministry opportunities: by taking on new missionaries like Alan Butterworth and Alexey Shepelev; and starting new missions first in Russia, and now looking to Israel.
We could have said NO. But the mission is urgent! People are dying every day without faith in Jesus! We are compelled to “go and make disciples”.
To meet our financial challenge, we have tightened our belts. Our next step is to move out of our office in May and work out of our homes. Before we take such drastic action, we have been praying and seeking the leading of the Lord and we are coming to you for help.
Will you ask the Lord if He wants you to expand your partnership with us and invest in the future of our ministries by saying Yes! to the start of these historic missions?
Yes! to Apple-Russia reaching millions of Russian speaking Jewish people worldwide
Yes! to Apple-Israel reaching five million Israeli Jewish people
We are a faith mission in
partnership
with:
The Apple
of His Eye
- LA
The Apple
of His Eye
- Houston
The Apple
of His Eye
-NYC
The Apple
of His Eye
- St. Louis
The Apple
of His Eye
- Moscow
Congregation
Chai V’Shalom
LIJE
The Caspari
Center for
Jewish &
Biblical
Studies -
USA &
Jerusalem
We are a
charter
member
of ALMA.
Praise God for Fruit: A New Believer! By Gary Timm in New York City
God answers prayers! I’m sure that statement doesn’t come as a shock. But when we’ve been praying for someone for a long time and don’t see any answer to our prayers, we sometimes forget that God IS listening.
For those of you who have received our newsletter for over a year, you may remember the name. Jan is a Jewish young man whom I originally made contact with during our “Jesus Loves New York” campaign in 2003. I had a weekly Bible Study with Jan for about nine months. During that time, we discussed books that Jan was reading, books about different gods and religions. Jan noticed that God seemed to honor the prayers of Christians. I asked him point blank: “So what’s keeping you from receiving Jesus as your Messiah?” But Jan just wasn’t ready.
Ultimately, Jan didn’t see much point to our meeting anymore, since he had became convinced that Jesus wasn’t the Messiah whom he was expecting. I tried many times to contact Jan through letters and phone messages. At one point, I saw Jan in Forest Hills, where he lives. We set up another appointment to meet, but he never showed up. I even sent Jan a Christian book that addressed some conspiracy theories that he had concerns about. Still, no response. So, I resolved to just pray for him.
Well, about another nine months passed. I continued to pray for Jan. I often wondered what was happening to him, and if he’d come to know Jesus as his expected Messiah. On one recent Monday evening, I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM JAN! He explained, “I’d like to get together again.” “Oh, why is that?” I asked. Jan responded, “Well, I’ve kind of had a change of heart. I believe Jesus IS the Messiah, and that without him we’re going to suffer in hell because of our sins.” I remember thinking, “Wow, Jan couldn’t have quoted the creeds much better than that.”
Come ‘Schvitz’ and Help
Us Meet Calebs
By Alan Butterworth
‘Schvitz’ is Yiddish for sweat. This summer, if you take time off work, pay your way to St. Louis, pay for housing and food and come to our outreach to ask people, “What do you think of Jesus?,” I promise you will ‘schvitz.’ It will be hot!
Are we crazy? Yes! We are fools for Messiah! I can’t promise a comfy vacation. But I can promise you will experience the joy of your salvation as never before.
Last summer, the Lord did some amazing things. You can see pictures and hear from the participants at www.aohems.org (at “2004 Mission Outreach Update”).
As we share the Gospel with people, we are not always aware of what happens with the seed that has been planted. Last summer, Sarah Ascher, one of the participants, shared with an unbelieving Jewish man named Caleb at Barnes Jewish hospital. Recently, I began following up with Caleb by e-mail. Caleb expresses much resistance. But he also says that he can feel Jesus drawing him!
WHAT ABOUT BOB? By Steve Cohen
Recently, I met with a Jewish man named Bob, who has been contemplating the Gospel. Bob had married one of the members of a local church. Bob took part in some of the Bible classes and in the men’s group; however, certain questions remained as obstacles to Bob’s confessing Jesus as his Messiah.
When we met, Bob was quite open about his spiritual search for the truth; we discussed a wide range of issues. For many Jewish people, the primary concern is NOT theological: “Does the Bible present evidence that Jesus is the Messiah?” Instead, the primary concern is sociological: “What will my family and friends think if I believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah (especially when our rabbis say that he is not)?”
I shared some of my personal story. At first, my family thought my faith was a fad that I would outgrow. In 1977, my parents disowned me. They made that choice not because they had read and rejected the scriptures, but because of Jewish tradition. Traditions are hard to break.
Bob and I spoke for about an hour. Bob saw that indeed one can be Jewish and believe in Jesus. That evening, Bob was not ready to confess Jesus as His Messiah. However, Bob demonstrated a willingness to read more of God’s word, asking prayerfully that the Lord might reveal the truth. I am certain that God Himself will answer Bob’s request. Why? Consider Matthew 16:13-17. “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But what about you?’ He asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.’ (Emphasis added.)
Please pray for Bob’s salvation and for his growth to spiritual maturity. Perhaps you know someone who is willing to meet with us, too. We are here to serve!
Jewish Evangelism: Harder in the Face of Anti-Semitism
By: Alexey Shepelev in Moscow
On Jan. 13, 2005, some 20 Rodina and Communist deputies filed a petition with the Prosecutor General of Russia. Their goal was to launch proceedings “on the prohibition in our country of all religious and ethnic Jewish organizations as extremist.” Echoing anti-Semitic tracts of the tsarist era, the petition accuses Jews of working against the interests of the countries where they live, and of monopolizing power worldwide. The petition says: “It is possible to say that the entire democratic world today is under the monetary and political control of international Judaism, which high-profile bankers are openly proud of.”
These Parliamentary deputies call themselves Russian Patriots. One of the main tenets of Russian Patriotism is proclaiming the faith; most of these so-called “patriots” call themselves Orthodox Christian. Such proclamations of hate make evangelism to the Jewish people more difficult. As a Jew, I understand what kind of feelings Russian Jews have when they hear or read such information.
When anyone comes to Jews after such words, and starts witnessing about Jesus, the Jews replay in their minds: “How can I believe in Him if, in His name, His people persecute my people?” Russian president Putin has said that those deputies do not have any support from Russian officials. However, if one examines German history of the 1920s, the Nazis had only a few deputies in the German parliament. Within ten years, they became the main power in the country.
After news like this, it’s so easy to give up. It’s so easy to tell ourselves, “If so-called Christians make the Gospel unacceptable to Jewish people, maybe we should just stop what we are doing.” Yet Yeshua tells us always to pray, and not to faint. (Luke 18:1) Please keep praying for our ministry in Russia.
Did you know that The Apple of His Eye is a FAITH MISSION?
By that we mean: we trust God to provide us with missionaries; and each missionary who joins our staff trusts the Lord to provide for full mission support through caring friends like you who give us a vote of confidence by praying, witnessing, and giving over and above their regular church support.
Each missionary seeks to win the hearts of people like you who share the urgency we feel in reaching the lost with the Gospel and equipping Christians to do the same.
It takes $80,000 a year to keep a missionary on the field in North America.
Can we count on your regular support to help advance the Gospel? THANK YOU!!
For YOUR
convenience in donating:
* Use our secure web site and your credit card:
www.aohems.org.
* Mail a check to:
PO Box 6977
St. Louis MO 63123
* Send us information for monthly donations from your credit card.
* Automatic debits from your bank through Simply Giving® by Thrivent.
* Ask your church, employer or Thrivent to match your donation.
* Include our ministry in your estate planning to give the gift that keeps on giving.
* Ask your church to include us in their annual missions giving.
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