Africa: Where the Decades Still Whisper by Robert Perry

Finally, I'm making the time to post about the book I shared a section from on Saturday from Ruthie's Bookworm tag. Ever since I was a young teen I’ve been challenged by the work of the Schmelzenbach family in Africa, so this book had special meaning to me. Recently in church we watched a DVD that shared more about this family and their work in Africa. They gave up so much for their love of God and their love of our brothers and sisters in Africa. What an inspiration!

Back of Book Says:

AFRICA. The word conjures up so many images. Tigers. Hot sunshine. Safaris. War. Drought.

Yet we mustn’t forget Africa is home to so much more – including thousands of people in desperate need of a Savior. Down through the decades, the Church of the Nazarene has valiantly taken the gospel to the far reaches of this vast continent. Weathering famine, death, persecution, and war, missionaries and national leaders alike have stayed true to God as He grew our church.

Read about the prayers of those desperate to bring the Church of the Nazarene to their home countries…the joy of a young witch doctor turning to Jesus… the triumph of knowing God’s leader for Africa’s first Nazarene university.

Africa. Over a center of Nazarene work has come and gone. Yet it’s still a place where the decades whisper the glory of God’s name.

If you are interested in reading this book or five others about other parts of the world where the Church of the Nazarene does mission work, contact NPH to purchase the book or a local Nazarene Church where the books can be borrowed free of church. The church also provides six books that are appropriate for children to read.

CALL TO ACTION - Page 89

After reading this book, consider doing one or more of the following:

1. Organize a Work and Witness (short-term missions) team to take on a project in Africa. There is always a need. Contact Nazarene Headquarters (Church of the Nazarene Global Ministry Center 17001 Prairie Star Parkway Lenexa KS, 66220 Phone: 913.577.0500) and ask for the director of Work and Witness. They will provide you with information regarding needs and requirements.

2. Provide books for our Bible college libraries in Africa. For further information, contact Dr. Perry by E-mail at MazSwiSA1@msn.com, or write him at 11807 12th Avenue East, Bradenton, FL, 34212.

3. Pray for the work of our church in creative access areas on the Africa Region. The pressure on Christians and church workers is very great in these countries.

4. Invite a missionary from Africa to speak in your church.

5. Help provide scholarship funds for students at our Bible colleges in Africa. Contact the Nazarene Missions International office in Lenexa, KS for further information.

Bookworm Award

Ruthie at Just Ruthie tagged me for this Bookworm Award. It looks like fun - and I love to read as you can tell by looking at this blog. Check out Ruthie’s blog if you get a chance. She has shared some incredible stories of growing up in China and some beautiful pictures of her travels in her RV. Thanks Ruthie for the tag.

Here's how it goes.

Pass this on to 5 blogging friends.

Open the closest book to you, not your favorite or most intellectual book, but the book closest to you at the moment, to page 56. Write out the 5th sentence, as well as two to five sentences following that...

I decided that I would use the book that I’m going to post about soon – a missionary book that is published by our church – Africa: Where the Decades Still Whisper by Robert Perry. Ever since I was a young teen I’ve been challenged by the work of the Schmelzenbach family in Africa.

Page 56 – “Veteran missionaries Harmon and Beverly Schmelzenbach received the appointment to pioneer the work. They rented a house in Nairobi, Kenya, and soon were preaching in the open markets. Many people responded, and the Schmelzenbachs invited them to their home for coffee and fellowship. Several young men who felt a call to preach started house churches. At that time, however, there was no place to provide training for them. Harmon, the great improviser, took a page out of his grandfather’s book: he gathered the fledgling preachers together in quarterly meetings to discuss various aspects of preaching and pastoring."

I’m tagging some ladies who have book blogs that I enjoy reading:

Carol at Quotes and Notes
Cathy at WordVessel
Jennifer at A Booklover's Journal
Kay at Books and Starbucks
Melanie at Books and Starbucks

Have fun! If there is anyone else that would like to do this, please add it to your blog and let me know. Have a great day!

Grab Their Knees - WWJD?

I'm reading one of my church's missionary books "Africa's Soul Hope: The AIDS crisis and the church" by Ellen Decker and I came across a quote from Charles Spurgeon that really cut to the heart of the matter...

"If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for."

What a task we have...Grab some knees and don't let go.

Near the end of the book this challenging quotes jumps out...

We can ask, "What would Jesus do?" or "What would John Wesley do?" or even "What is the Church doing? But the ultimate spiritual question is, "What will I do?"

What am I doing? What should I be doing? What will I do?

The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:16-20