Real Sin That Harms Unity Midst Diversity

My wife Trudy, when alive, used to testify that she was saved from a life of deep sin and then

after a pause when people expected her to name the common list, she would name pride, jealousy, gossip, and lying.

We often wonder why God's work through the church is hindered and start looking for the outward sins, the ones we most often name because we claim it's the other guy who is guilty; not us and we can accuse them.

Here is an article that touches on the sensitive issues that seem to be tolerated. If these were corrected then relationships would be deepened and our church could be blessed.

I have had to examine my own heart recently, before reading this but this helps self examination even more.

Here is article that identifies the sins that destroy relationships and church ministries. http://thenewculture.org/articles/a-repenting-church-by-doug-tegner/

Serving Christ by Serving others,

Prayer for Unreached

Unreached People Groups. Would you like a daily reminded to pray for them. Go to http://www.unreachedoftheday.org/unreached-email.php. It is interesting that of the 6,000 plus people from at least 60 of these groups live in the US. Maybe you could meet and win them and they could send the Gospel to unreached areas.

http://www.unreachedoftheday.org/unreached-email.php

Report on Dallas / Kachin Visit

The trip to Dallas/Ft Worth April 15 to 19 was a special blessing mixed with some concerns.

Thanks for praying. It was busy but God sustained and blessed.

I went specifically to attend the ordination of La Seng. He was the first Kachin Bible College teacher I sponsored for seminary training in the States. I then had the privilege to preach the ordination sermon. I told of my personal involvement with La Seng and his family and the opportunities to mentor him. I challenged him with Biblical principles that God has used in my life regarding ministry.

I was also blessed by the personal friendship and humbled by the way they in their culture gives honor to me for seemly small things that I have been able to do for them. I think of James 3:1 that says those who teach are judged more severely and that I am accountable for the trust they give to me.

The fellowship and opportunity to counsel was very special. The Kachin food was sooooo good. They even surprised me with a birthday cake. I preached for a new church of Burmese speaking and then to the Kachin speaking church [through translators]. To me it seems they need to have more organization as a church but I know that unless they understand and agree, too many changes would cause confusion. Pray that any advice I give will be Biblical and not just our American Baptist cultural.

Kachin Son's Ordination

Kachin Son Being Ordained

I fly to Dallas TX on 4/15/10 and return 4/19/10 to meet with the many Kachin friends [From Burma] and to speak in La Seng Labya’s Ordination Sunday, 5:00. I will also speak in the Kachin church that morning.

This will be a great honor since La Seng is my first Kachin son in the faith. I went to Dallas to meet him in 1996 while he was in a MA study. He had the wrong visa and lacked support. After spending 5 days with him I could see that if we assisted a Bible College teacher he could train many workers. I gave him money so he could go home and obtain his visa and I committed to sponsor him for $100.00 per month. This was the beginning of the vision to assist three other Bible College Teachers from Kachin State to earn a D Min degree and from that formed the Closed Door Ministries, Inc. Our motto was “Assist a few to disciple many to reach millions.” Dr Phil McDonald has been the president since 2004.

This will be a blessing. It will be an opportunity to serve since they want me to advise and encourage in the purpose and unity of the church. Thanks for praying.

The Ultimate Health Care Plan: Rev 21:3-4 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

My Grandson, Greg Long helped draw our attention to the real confidence that God offers us.

God Speaks in All Languages

Do you need or want to share the Bible with someone in another language?

Below is a link that allows you to select 2 languages and then a chapter in the Bible. When you click submit it will show the passage in the 2 languages side by side. http://www.ethnicharvest.org/parallel/index.htm

Many people from other countries think God only spoke in English. Therefore they often think that there is an American God and then their national god.

From this same web site go to link, Bibles in Your Language, in top right corner to find Bible in many languages.

Help them learn that the God of the Bible speaks to all people.

To assist churches to Disciple U S ethnic people
to evangelize ethnic people worldwide.

Eldon
Eldon Brock, DD
Email eldon26@gmail.com
Web www.EthnictoEthnic.org

To donate to Ethnic to Ethnic Ministries click on the secure link below and give from your Paypal account or credit card. For the credit card form, Select "continue" then fill out and send. Thank You for sharing.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=Q34M5ER9RUXDA

Give others freedom to serve according to gifts.

The Importance of Allowing a Person the Freedom to Serve Jesus Christ According to His Gifts and Opportunities.

Eldon Brock, DD

I trust you are passionate about the need for people worldwide to hear the Gospel. But you say I can’t go to those restricted countries. Then you discover that some of the most effective people for sharing this message to their own language group live near us in America. If so you may try to direct and control them to fulfill your passion. You may even want them to do the work so you don’t feel guilty. We should accept the responsibilities and opportunities God gives so we can obediently serve where God places us.

We must always keep in mind that each person is part of God’s total plan. We are servants of the one Lord. He gives us opportunities to serve so He can complete His plan and reveal His supreme Lordship. Our responsibility is to serve where we are and allow God to lead and direct the other person to serve with his/her gifts. They can do things we can’t.

Therefore, we need to evaluate “what is in your hand”, as God said to Moses. We have the Bible, salvation, and servant gifts. We live in a country where nearly 40,000,000 residents are foreign born. They have great loyalty to their homeland. Our opportunity is to show God’s love and disciple them so they can enjoy forgiveness and freedom from the fear of their false God.

I believe those who are from a different ethnic group will want their people to have the same joy. I believe God will give them a passion for their family so they are serving God rather than being accountable to us, our church or even our mission agency.

Below is one plan for discipleship training. I like to remind myself, “The way we disciple may be the way they will disciple”. Are we willing to serve others sacrificially in a way that they will learn how to effectively share this Good News with people in their homeland. Let’s give freedom to others who want to follow Christ.

EIGHT STEPS FOR TRAINING DISCIPLES

From Robert Coleman's book The Master Plan of Evangelism

1. Selection-people were his method.

Jesus believed that people should reach other people. He could have used an exclusive barrage of miracles, or He could have brought everything to conclusion while on earth. Instead He chose common men and women like us to reach the world. This demonstrates not only His love for us, but also His confidence in us.

2. Association-He stayed with them.

With the first disciples, the essence of Jesus' training meant just letting His disciples follow Him. He drew them close to Himself, becoming His own school and curriculum.

3. Consecration-He required obedience.

Jesus expected His disciples to obey Him. He didn't require them to be smart, but He wanted them to be loyal-to the extent that obeying Him became the distinguishing mark they were known by. "Disciples" meant they were the Master's "learners" or "pupils". Later Jesus' disciples became known as "Christians" (Acts 11 :26), a fitting description of obedient followers who took on the character of their leader.

4. Impartation-He gave Himself away.

Jesus gave His disciples everything: what the Father had given Him (John 15:5); His peace (John 16:33); His joy (John 15: 11); the keys to His kingdom (Matthew 16: 19); and His own glory (John 17:22,24). He withheld nothing, not even His life.

5. Demonstration-He showed them how to live.

Jesus showed the disciples how to pray, study, and relate to others. More than twenty times the Gospels recount Jesus' practice of prayer. He taught the disciples about the use of Scripture by extensively using works from the Old Testament. As the disciples saw Jesus interact with Nicodemus, the woman ant the well, the rich young ruler, and many others, Jesus showed them how to talk to and how to treat others.

6. Delegation-He assigned them work.

From day one, Jesus prepared His disciples to take over the mission. He gradually turned over responsibility, sending out the seventy (Matthew 10: 1-42) and giving extensive instructions to the Twelve (Luke 10:1-20). He told the disciples to follow His methods, to expect hardships, and to go out in pairs. Following His resurrection, He clearly gave the disciples the responsibility to take the gospel to the entire world (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).

7. Supervision-He kept checking on them.

When Jesus gave the disciples work to do, He followed up. He listened to their reports and blessed them. When He was with the disciples, He spent time helping them understand the reason for a previous action or preparing them for a new experience. He used questions, illustrations, warnings, and admonitions to teach the disciples what they needed to know to reach the world.

8. Reproduction-He expected them to reproduce.

Jesus told the disciples to pray for workers (Matthew 9:36-38), and He called them to teach everyone to obey His teaching (Matthew 28:20). He required the costly elements of leadership development and reproductions, and expected the disciples to reproduce by finding other disciples who would also follow Jesus.

Quoted in The Complete Book of Discipleship: On Being and Making Followers of Christ, Bill Hull, Navpress

Reaching the WORLD

DOES GOD HAVE A PLAN TO REACH EVERY NATION?

The open fields for evangelism and missions are getting smaller. More countries are saying "no American missionaries". Billions are behind closed doors when it comes to American missions. It is sad but too many Christians are assuming that this limits God's plan and they say we can't do missions there anymore.

I still believe that God has a plan that will allow every tongue and tribe and nation to hear the gospel. The question is; has He put people in your neighborhood that can be the messages to their own ethnic homeland. Maybe we don't need to go overseas to complete the job. Maybe each believer [you and me] should see themselves as a missionary to the immigrants who live near us. If you help them develop a spiritual passion for the lost they have ways whereby they can share the gospel with people of the same language group. Maybe a language group you never heard of.

Lift up your eyes to see the harvesters for the worldwide harvest.

Contact, Eldon Brock

eldon26@gmail.com

How to Become a Practicing Church

Dear Friends of Ethnic to Ethnic Ministries

As I try to follow the vision for Multi-ethnic churches it seems that several things need to change from church traditions that I have known for over 60 years. I know that most younger men have approached ministry with more personal application of Scripture to daily life and social outreach so this is not all new. The article listed below has some thought provoking suggestions for reaching the culture we in which we live.

I would love to have some response, negative and positive.

We Are the Body: How to Become a Practicing Church

Whitney Hopler

Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer

Link - http://www.crosswalk.com/pastors/11626074/

Test for your unconditional love.

Most everyone would say the are loving and accepting of anyone unconditionally. Here story to test your openness to those with a handicap, or another ethnic group or another culture whether it be those different than you. It is a challenge to me as to what I am willing to give.

Click on this link to see a slide program with text and then double click the picture.

http://www.inspiringthots.net/movie/unconditional-love.php

One Human Race

Carlos Pena, 1st baseman of Tampa Bay Rays, was in his homeland, Dominican Rep. at the time of the earthquake in Haiti. Haiti and Dom. Rep. are not friendly nations but Carlos has donated $15,000. He said" This is a good time to show we are one race - human race". If everyone understood this then Multi-ethnic ministry in our churches would be a natural. Christ's death and resurrection is for the Human Race -all. How could it b e otherwise when there is ONE Creator God.

Below are some historical and projected population stats for the USA. [Also note the web site for many interesting facts.]

This rate of growth becomes more significant when recently our newspaper reported that Florida 9 grew by 114,091 to a total of 18.5 million July 2008 to July 200. The growth was an influx of 87,381 international immigrants and a natural increase of 58,169 as births outnumbered deaths for the year. It also reported that Florida like some other states is experiencing and outflow of residents.

To some this may scare you and maybe anger you that there are so many immigrants. But I hope when you consider the potential that God has moved them to our land so you can begin to pray for them, try to befriend them and offer them the Gospel. If they should receive Christ that makes them a brother or sister in Christ. Rejoice!

Also, since these people have connections to other lands, maybe lands where Americans could never, they could find a way to send or take the Gospel to their homeland since they know family and friends, the culture, the language and probably ways around the government controls.

It is really our opportunity to "Reach the World without Leaving Home." [See the figure to show how the population is increasing.]

Total Population of the World by Decade, 1950–2050

(historical and projected)

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0762181.html

Year	Total world population (mid-year figures)	Ten-year growth rate (%)
1950	2,556,000,053	18.9%
1960	3,039,451,023	22.0
1970	3,706,618,163	20.2
1980	4,453,831,714	18.5
1990	5,278,639,789	15.2
2000	6,082,966,429	12.6
20101	6,848,932,929	10.7
20201	7,584,821,144	8.7
20301	8,246,619,341	7.3
20401	8,850,045,889	5.6
20501	9,346,399,468	—

Christmas letter, Review of 2009

Christmas Letter – 2009
Eldon and Ruth Brock
251 Timothy Rd, Sebring, Fl 33870
Eldon26@gmail.com or Laughinglady1@gmail.com

Merry Christmas to our Family and Friends,

Our desire is and has been to serve and honor the Lord with the abilities and energy He has graciously given. At our age we can’t expect much but as the opportunities come we have given our best. We pray that you also have experienced great blessings from serving Our Savior with the gift he has given you.

Ruth and I rejoice in the blessings of our marriage; it really does grow sweeter. We both enjoy good health except Eldon had a knee repair September 1 but we were able to travel for the month of Oct. with limitations. Ruth has continued contact with the Navajo ladies and served as president of the Maranatha Ladies Mission Fellowship. You should taste some of the fruit cakes she makes; they are not the typical.

Our lives tend to be filled with trips and recovery from trips. Eldon has seen God do some special things with Ethnic to Ethnic Ministries and he is trusting for even bigger developments in 2010.

2008 Christmas we rode the train [one of Ruth’s dreams] to Washington, DC where we were able to enjoy a few days with Jack and Carolyn, Don and Eldonna, the two Long grandsons and their families. Being in Florida limits the time we can have with family. April we flew to Erie, PA to speak in an International Dinner and speak in the church on Ethnic Ministries. May Eldon led the 1st Multi-ethnic Ministries Round Table, in Clarks Summit, PA. This was 2 day discussion group of 16 on the why, who and how of a Multi-ethnic Church. June was a trip to the GARBC conference in Elyria, OH where we enjoyed great preaching and made several contacts for the mission.
October was a big trip of a 4-legged air trip for 3 ½ weeks. We went to Toronto to visit a multi-ethnic church and spend a lot of time discussing ministry and the future of E-tem. This also allowed us to visit the church on Six Nations Reserve where Ruth ministered for 5 years. Even though it had been 30 years they had a special celebration with many who knew her. [perhaps the biggest highlight for her].

The second stop was in New Jersey so we could see several of Ruth’s family and to attend Ruth’s 60th H S Reunion [another one of Ruth’s dreams]. Eldon conducted another Round Table with 16 from very diverse backgrounds. The third stop Washington where from Carolyn’s we visited churches. Eldon held a Round Table in Virginia and in Maryland. Again there was great interest from pastors on how to meet the needs of the diverse ethnicity in each of their local areas.

The Kachin believers are a blessing. They are from the churches in Myanmar that Eldon visited and served from 1994 to 2004. In August a pastor came to the States to connect with many Kachin people here but he made a special effort to visit us. Then Dr Naw Mai came for Thanksgiving. He is the first teacher Eldon sponsored for a D Min degree and now he is President of Hanson Baptist Bible College in Myanmar. He brought his daughter to be an exchange student and visit churches and family but he included a trip to Florida to express his gratitude for believing in him. The college, churches and friends sent special greetings to Eldon for helping them with their ministries.

That is a peek at how God led us in 2009. It would be great to hear how God is encouraging you. This is one of the traditions we enjoy, at least it is not a bore to us.

Yours in Christ, Eldon and Ruth
Please send us an email if you would like to be on our news list

To PURCHASE People, That's why He came.

"You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation." Revelation 5:9. Today It hit me special that Christ "purchased" people from every people group. With His sacrifice to leave heaven, become man, Die and rise to be ready to welcome born again of every ethnos gives meaning to Christmas.

Multi-ethnic Chuches as Supported by Old Testament Teaching

From the beginning, as suggested by the unity of the Trinue Godhead, God planned for men who worship Him as the One True Creator and Redeemer should unite in their worship as one. This sudy cover many of the principles for united worship. God gave even the Choosen Nation, Israel, the responsibility to display His Glory so that they could welcome the Nations, the Stranger.

Click on the player to listen to this message.

Mullti-ethnic Church as seen in the book of Ephesians, Part one and two.

Have you read the book of Ephesians with the thought that this church and book sets the pattern and exhorts us to have unity among all followers of Christ who come from differnt people groups, nationalities and cultures?
Listen to the this study, part one, whith this view by Eldon

Click on this player to begin listening.



Part Two

Part One of this study focused on the Reconciliations of Jew and Gentile nations, in other words all Nations, based on one common faith in Jesus Christ. That was a new thing since God had given favor to the Jews so they could reveal God greatness to the nations. Here His favor is available to all who trust Christ by faith to become One Body.

In this message Eldon reviews WHY WOULD GOD MAKE THIS CHANGE AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE.

Click on the player and begin listening to this Part Two.

Multi-ethnic Churches, As seen in the Life Christ.

The typical church is mono-ethnic whether it be Red, Yellow, Brown, Black or White....
From Ethnic to Ethnic Ministries, Inc. Eldon Brock,

When you look at the make-up of our churches you would think the Jesus Christ gave instructions on how to worship Him in segregated groups and with very little appreciation for the brothers and sisters in the churches where the ethnic background is different. Today' a typical church suggests one plan but the Bible teaches and models something different.

A study of the Life of Christ shows a pattern, teaching and commands for Multi-Ethnic and Multi-Cultural fellowship and outreach.

Below is a link to the audio for one of my messages on the Biblical Basis for Multi-ethnic Churches. I begin with some simple and practical points about Ethnic to Ethnic ministries and then refer to a few of the principles for unity in diversity found in the Life of Christ.



Click or Copy and Paste this link into your browser -
http://www.archive.org/details/Multi-ethnicChurchStepsToBeginning

I invite your response. We need to expand our thinking and adjust our actions if we want to reach the world. It is,you know, possible for us to reach the world without even leaving home.

Prayer for the Nations, How To Develop A Multi-ethnic Passion

I welcome you to listen to my study on the life of Jesus Christ and how his life and teachings sets the pattern for Multi-ethnic Churches in our diverse nation.

Biblical Basis for Multi-Ethnic Churches

To friends of E-tem

I feel God blessed the 5 weeks of SS teaching on Biblical Basis for Multi-Ethnic Churches as I spoke here in Maranatha Baptist Church. I now have prepared more material to go out to speak if called. I also had the sessions videoed on DVD and hope that some sections can be edited for future. I spent 2 weeks on the book of Ephesians, focusing on the mystery of Jew and Gentile in one body and then God's reasons for this. I had one lesson on the OT and one on the Model and commission of Christ for M/E churches. I emphasized that multi-ethnic people serving One God in harmony can be a testimony of the Love of God that the world can not imagine. Then yesterday I made application on where can we begin by giving examples of how to pray for the Nations, world wide, locally and the unreached people groups.

Did you know that there are immigrant people from 60 unreached people groups of the world who now live in the USA? To me this supports the ideas that if we can win the nations who have moved in around us then they can become the messengers of the Gospel to their homeland by either indirect methods of communication or possible by returning to their people with the Truth.

Ruth and I have tickets to fly Oct 8 to 31, to Canada, NJ and MD. We plan to be with Rob Elkington 4 days and visit the Indian Reservation where Ruth served. In NJ she will attend her 60th HS reunion and I hope to contact some churches in the Trenton area. In MD I plan to speak in Jim Johnson's church, observe Ron Lindholm's church ELS class and contact Bryan Clark and Jim Eaton. We are open to other contacts as the Lord opens, according to my stamina.

God has allowed timing for a arthroscopic knee surgery for Sept 1 with the assumption that with this minor surgery I will be free to travel 10/8

I pray that God will bless each one that focuses your efforts to befriend people of any and all Nations.