Good News for Today

 Episode 510

Ford Plant Brings Growth to Stanton, Street Evangelism in East Asia & What Pastors Think When They Preach

A small town in west Tennessee received some overwhelming news this year. Stanton, a town of 414 souls, was awarded the title of a Blue Oval City by the Ford Motor Company. Markus and Mary Feirer are taking the gospel to the streets of a major East Asian city. Even though some told the gospel workers that approaching strangers and striking up conversations about the gospel wouldn’t work, they tried anyway. And, maybe you’ve wondered what your pastor is thinking as he preaches. In a Baptist Press article, a few pastors share some observations you might find interesting.

Host

Brandon Porter

Resources

Ford plant is ‘once-in-a-lifetime event’ in West Tennessee

Street evangelism works in East Asian megacity

The Voice of the Martyrs

What pastors actually think about when they preach

Transcript

A small town in west Tennessee received some overwhelming news this year. Stanton, a town of 414 souls, was awarded the title of a Blue Oval City by the Ford Motor Company. That means Ford will be building a plant there and other support manufacturers will follow. Estimates reveal the city will grow to a population to over 90,000 in the next 10 years.

Some small towns might shrug off the offer. Not Stanton. They’re embracing it.

Even more, believers from the state of Tennessee are leaning in to help welcome new residents from all over the world. Churches are partnering together to make plans to welcome the residents and plant churches to share the hope of the Gospel with them when they arrive.

Outreach efforts have already begun to reach construction workers building the facilities.
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Markus and Mary Feirer are taking the gospel to the streets of a major East Asian city. Even though some told the gospel workers that approaching strangers and striking up conversations about the gospel wouldn’t work, they tried anyway.

What they’re finding is encouraging. The Feirer are focusing on street evangelism.

A question as simple asking someone if they’ve ever been told God loves them is helping to begin conversations at busy street corners while people wait to cross the street.

Now a local church in the city is joining with the Feirers. Would you pray for them in their efforts to share the hope of Jesus?
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Good News for Today is sponsored by The Voice of the Martyrs

Good News for Today is made possible through our friends at The Voice of the Martyrs, a nonprofit organization that serves persecuted Christians around the world. Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM is dedicated to inspiring believers to deepen their commitment to Christ and to fulfill His Great Commission — no matter the cost. Find out more and sign up for their free monthly magazine at vom.org/goodnews.
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Maybe you’ve wondered what your pastor is thinking as he preaches. In a Baptist Press article, a few pastors share some observations you might find interesting.

First, I don’t notice who i...

 Episode 509

Jesus Revolution, Asbury University & Books to Read During The Christmas Season

Many of the reported 4,500 who were baptized at Harvest Christian Fellowship’s “Jesus Revolution” baptism back on July 8 climbed rocky terrain and were subject to state fees to enter Pirate’s Cove Beach. Speaking of spiritual renewal, 2023 will also be remembered as a time when God visited Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. And, maybe you have some extra time to devote to reading during the Christmas season. A Baptist Press Toolbox piece suggests five good books to read.

Host

Brandon Porter

Resources

4,500 baptized at Pirate’s Cove Beach, iconic site of Jesus Movement baptisms

Asbury revival: ‘A beautiful experience of seeking God’

The Voice of the Martyrs

5 books to read this Christmas

Transcript

Many of the reported 4,500 who were baptized at Harvest Christian Fellowship’s “Jesus Revolution” baptism back on July 8 climbed rocky terrain and were subject to state fees to enter Pirate’s Cove Beach.

The baptism number Senior Pastor Greg Laurie reported surpasses the estimated 4,166 who were baptized at Pirates Cove in the Baptize SoCal event May 28, sponsored by Oceans Church. Pirate’s Cove is memorialized as the site of thousands of baptisms during the Jesus Movement of the late 1960s-1970s. Laurie was himself baptized during the 20th century movement, telling his story in his 2018 book “Jesus Revolution,”. That book was made into a movie in 2023 that surprised the film industry and helped spark a spiritual renewal.
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Speaking of spiritual renewal, 2023 will also be remembered as a time when God visited Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. A weeks long meeting broke out this spring in the small Wesley school in rural Kentucky. Thousands of people from around the world joined students as they spent time praying, confessing sin, hearing sermons and worshipping through singing.

The campus was the scene of a similar awakening in the 1970s.
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Good News for Today is sponsored by The Voice of the Martyrs

Good News for Today is made possible through our friends at The Voice of the Martyrs, a nonprofit organization that serves persecuted Christians around the world. Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM is dedicated to inspiring believers to deepen their commitment to Christ and to fulfill His Great Commission — no matter the cost. Find out more and sign up for their free monthly magazine at vom.org/goodnews.
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Maybe you have some extra time to devote to reading during the Christmas season. A Baptist Press Toolbox piece suggests five good books to read. Here are two of them.

During Christmas, we talk a lot about gifts—who we are going to buy gifts for and what gifts we wish to receive. But we would be amiss if we did not take time to focus on the gifts God has given us. Gregg Allison—a theologian, teacher, and professor who has spent much of his life studying the Holy Spirit—recently published a concise and extremely practical book on the Holy Spirit. In this book, Allison argues...

 Episode 508

Christmas Day & Reflecting On The Old Testament

It’s Christmas Day! Passed as a federal holiday in 1870 by Pres. Ulysses S. Grant, there are many theories as to why the Congress and the President made the day a national holiday. And, as believers look to Scripture during the holiday season, they often reflect on passages from the Old Testament. A Baptist Press Toolbox pieces reminds us the ancient writings are still relevant today.

Host

Brandon Porter

Resources

The Voice of the Martyrs

Transcript

It’s Christmas Day! Passed as a federal holiday in 1870 by Pres. Ulysses S. Grant, there are many theories as to why the Congress and the President made the day a national holiday. According to the Freedom Forum, some believe Grant pushed for the holiday to try to restore unity to a fractured nation following the Civil War. Others believe it was an opportunity to appease factory workers who were feeling the pressure of the Industrial Revolution. No matter your politics, most Americans mark the day by gift-giving and sharing time with significant people in their lives.

Perhaps our hearts are bent this way because it is a reflection of what Christmas truly is. The day we remember how our Creator God pursued humanity through giving the gift of His Son. The Bible calls Jesus Christ the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature. In another place, Jesus is called Immanuel or God with us.

Christmas is the day when we are reminded of God’s love and generosity in sending a Savior into the world to make peace between God and man.

The humble Christ child…born of the virgin Mary…would grow up to be found in favor of God and man yet, ultimately, rejected by His own people as they longed for political freedom more than freedom from the bondage of rebellion against God.

His teachings provide the foundation for moral codes and philosophies that have shaped the world. Yet, it was his work in fully obeying God’s law that allowed Him to be the perfect sacrifice on Good Friday’s cross. It was there He brought forgiveness and mercy as He died in the sinners’ place.

But even on Christmas, we must not forget the Easter resurrection where Christ overcame even death bringing hope that can only be found in Him.

Today, let us trust in Him not only on Christmas but every day as live in His love and grace.
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Good News for Today is sponsored by The Voice of the Martyrs

Good News for Today is made possible through our friends at The Voice of the Martyrs, a nonprofit organization that serves persecuted Christians around the world. Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM is dedicated to inspiring believers to deepen their commitment to Christ and to fulfill His Great Commission — no matter the cost. Find out more and sign up for their free monthly magazine at vom.org/goodnews.
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As believers look to Scripture during the holiday season, they often reflect on passages from the Old Testament. A Baptist Press Toolbox pieces reminds us the ancient writings are still relevant today.

Here are three major reasons Christians should consider the Old Testament forever relevant.

1. The Old Testament remains relevant because it is God’s timely and inspired Word.

Let’s consider the meaning of the two key adjectives in our definition: timely and inspired. The latter term, inspired, refers to the process by which the Holy Spirit supernaturally and concurrently worked in the human authors of Scripture to produce t...