P.O. Box 53055    
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CONNIE: "This Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." Join us as we look at how this promise of Jesus is being fulfilled today. Giving God's trumpet a Certain Sound for more than 70 years, this is the Voice of Prophecy. Hello, I'm Connie Jeffery.

LONNIE: And I'm Lonnie Melashenko. Connie we really have an exciting program today--something very out of the ordinary. Five of our Voice of Prophecy team members have just returned, with me, from participating in one of the most exciting evangelism events in history, and we're just bubbling over with enthusiasm for soul winning.

CONNIE: And it is contagious, Lonnie, I know that as I've talked with some of you, and read your reports, the Lord truly did work in a marvelous way in the meetings held half-way around the world in Mwanza, Tanzania, and we don't want to take away any time from you and the others who were there and saw what was happening first-hand, so let's invite Walter Arties, our worldwide evangelism coordinator, Kurt Johnson, our Bible School Director, Calvin Smith, our associate Bible School Director, and Phil Draper, our Development Director into the studio, and I'm going to step out and let you gentlemen share your first-hand account.

LONNIE: This is a first, because we haven't seen each other in this particular capacity since we were all together over there in Africa. Calvin Smith, you went over there 31 years ago. Welcome.

CALVIN: Thank you so much.

LONNIE: Say something to us in Swahili.

CALVIN: (Calvin proceeds to say a very long sentence in Swahili)

(Laughs)

ONNIE: And Phil Draper! Welcome home. You just arrived; in fact your luggage got in just this morning.

PHIL: Hey, it's good to be here. I think I'm awake.

LONNIE: Alright, and Kurt Johnson, Walter Arties, tell us a little bit about what is happening with Voice of Prophecy overseas, particularly in the great, great continent of Africa.

KURT: Well Lonnie, you know we have Bible Schools all over the world in probably a hundred and twenty countries, and Bible Lessons in probably 65 to 70 different languages and dialects.

LONNIE: You know people don't know we're sort of like Coca-Cola and Good Year tire, we're everywhere.

KURT: That's right. And so there in Mwanza, Tanzania we sent in several containers of Bible Lessons over the past few months, and the people there have taken those lessons and begun to study them, and in fact the Discover Bible Lessons that people can get right here at home, we translated those into Swahili and sent English and Swahili versions over to Africa.

LONNIE: And we had the privilege of a unique joint venture, Phil. We had several people coming together to partnership and to make this thing happen.

PHIL: It was incredible. Voice of Prophecy, being the father of evangelism, it seems, partnered with North Pacific Union and Light Bearers Ministries and the Advent Media Center of Washington. We had so many people working together.

LONNIE: And there was the live uplink of course.

PHIL: Through satellite, it was broadcast all over Africa, India, parts of Europe, parts of Asia, and it's even being broadcast here.

LONNIE: And we had the privilege of being there for the opening weekend, and kind of setting the table for this event through the Voice of Prophecy with a big graduation, and what was the projected numbers. It's still hard to figure it out, isn't it Kurt?

KURT: Yes, the leadership there in Africa told us that they have a goal before all of the results of this are finished, that they'll have a half a million graduates. And we know on that Friday evening of that satellite graduation there were 4,000 in the stadium, and another 11,000 in the city of Mwanza watching by satellite from the down link. So we were excited, 15,000 just there in that one night, in that one city.

LONNIE: In that one city, but all the projected downlink locations, they had planned to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 500,000 graduates. Walter, this was a return trip to Africa for you, but you kind of pinched me there one night. What was one of you impressions that came to your mind as you thought about the Gospel being fulfilled, publicly in big large meetings as well as house to house one at a time?

WALTER: You've heard me say it before, but it bears repeating: one of our leaders saying it won't be finished anywhere until it's finished everywhere. Evangelism, all of our people in Tanzania are excited about evangelism, and it's catching. I'm listening to you men standing around the microphone this morning and you're still excited about it. And the people were just so excited. To see them going out, and telling their friends, and sharing their Bible Lessons, and the pastors, and everybody that took part in it. It was just exciting to see.

LONNIE: When we all got a chance to go out on a Sabbath morning to visit the various little churches way out in the hinterland. Some of them couldn't get to the big CCM Soccer Stadium that seated 22,000 people. You know we've had the impression, Phil, that Africa is a dark continent, but you really didn't feel that way, did you? As you listened to and witnessed these marvelous people, these loving people.

PHIL: Poverty does not mean ignorance. I've never seen such bright intuitive minds, even from the very young. These people can grasp the Gospel, and they not only grasp it, they want to proclaim it.

LONNIE: Tell us a story about one particular instant. Maybe highlight some of the things and the kinds of people. I think of that witch doctor who brought his paraphernalia, and he decided to give his life to Jesus Christ, and at our graduation, he made his commitment and a week and a half later, I guess you were there Phil and maybe you were there too Walter when he walked into the beautiful Lake Victoria, even though there's crocodiles all around. Among those many thousands, he was baptized and gave his life to Jesus Christ, but some of the people under some hardship conditions too. Tell us a few experiences that you've had that were sort of highlights of your trip.

PHIL: One young lady took the Discover Course and soon she was very convicted about the message she was receiving. Her father was very angry. He beat her, and she said, "No, I'm going to follow my new teachings," and she was going to do this no matter what. They had her place her hands on the Bible, and he renounced her from the family. She has no family now except the new believers, but she maintained to the truth of the Gospel, and she was there every night and was baptized.

LONNIE: Oh that's wonderful!

WALTER: And baptisms, just think of the baptisms. We stayed out at the beach there for hours, and when we left to go back to the hotel, people were still coming to be baptized, if you can imagine that. After being there for three hours. Thousands and thousands of people literally being baptized at the same time. It was marvelous.

LONNIE: Think of the text of Jesus, "The harvest is ready." In fact they were lacking pastors to baptize them. Calvin, you were there as a young missionary, 26 years of age, what was the situation like then, verses now in terms of the growth factors?

CALVIN: Well, we had only 26,000 believers at that time, and like I say today 250,000, and with this meeting it's going to add a lot to that.

LONNIE: Isn't that marvelous? One more story.

KURT: Well Lonnie, I think of a lady who began to study the Discover Guides and her husband told her that he didn't want her learning about Jesus, or studying the Bible, and as she studied, her heart was convicted, she accepted Jesus, she was baptized, and her husband didn't like it and he told her that he didn't want her going to church or studying anymore, but her father-in-law, this man's father, she began to share with the father-in-law what she'd been learning and he was excited about it and he went to his own son and said to him, "You need to learn about this Jesus, You need to study this Bible." And so the family and husband began to study, and the mother and the father, and they're all now studying the Bible and looking forward to baptism.

LONNIE: Praise the Lord. I think one of the most exciting moments for me was when Kurt, you and I got to go into the Serengeti and Phil is just showing us some pictures of lions and cheetahs, leopards, but way out in the middle of the heart of Africa, where I had this pith helmet on, and dark sunglasses, looking through a camera. You and I are still looking at lions, and some of the Land Rovers that pulled up next to us. One of the persons calls out, "Melashenko! Aren't you Lonnie Melashenko, Voice of Prophecy, Discover Bible School, Family Reunion, Chattanooga, Loma Linda, Texas." He recognized me out in the middle of Africa that the Voice of Prophecy has had an impact on this guide, and he's not a member of my faith, but he had found us through the computers and he's been studying the Bible Lessons.

PHIL: Lonnie, I just got off the plane last night, and have not had time to tell you, but the last words from the leadership at the airport in Mwanza, Tanzania, they are so excited about Discover, this is their very future. Discover Bible Lessons lead the way, and they want you back in Africa. They want you to hold a bigger meeting than this one. They are so excited, so you have some exciting things ahead.

WALTER: An indeed think of the Cayman Islands that will be coming up in January, and then of course we're looking at Indonesia, but most importantly folks, right on top of us right now, is South America in October when Lonnie will be conducting a large meeting there, and he will have 5 associates coming with him from North America will all be there in the city of Caracas, preaching simultaneously. Evangelism, that's the key.

LONNIE: It is just a fantastic thing to see so many eager souls studying their Bibles, turning their eyes toward Jesus, beginning to look forward eagerly to the Second Coming. And that's really what evangelism is all about--preparing our hearts and others' hearts to hear that trumpet--Gabriel's trumpet--sounding, announcing the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

"AMEN!" (from all participants)

CONNIE: That will be a great day, when we hear that trumpet sounding, and look up into the sky and realize that the hopes of all the ages have finally been fulfilled in the Second Coming of Jesus in the clouds of glory. It'll be a glorious day. No secret, sudden disappearance of taxi drivers and airline pilots, but a day when "every eye will see Him."

LONNIE: And no doubt, every ear will hear that trumpet sounding!

CONNIE: No doubt about it. That was our own Walter Arties, our director of evangelistic outreach here at Voice of Prophecy, singing "Hear the Trumpet Sound." We'll be hearing more of Walter's clarion tones a bit later in the program as well, so stay tuned.

LONNIE: And if you'd like to know more about any of the music, or anything at all you hear on our broadcast, be sure to stop by our web page at VOP.COM. You'll find program transcripts, Bible study aids, and much much more on the Worldwide Web at VOP.COM.

CONNIE: Our focus today is on evangelism--spreading the gospel to all the world in preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus, and we'd like to invite you to participate in this ministry.

LONNIE: That's right. When we took on the challenge of expanding our outreach through Bible schools and evangelistic meetings in new areas of the world, we had to make that move on faith. You may have heard that many Christian ministries are having to tighten their belts right now, because donations to almost all organizations are down. Well, we've felt a bit of that pinch too, but rather than retreat, we've chosen to move ahead with new vigor.

CONNIE: It's a move of faith, but we hope that you'll want to join us in stepping out, trusting God to bless.

LONNIE: Would you like to join us in this step of faith? Friend, if the Lord has laid a burden for soul-winning on your heart, would you take a moment right now, just to ask Him what He would have you do to help expand the worldwide outreach of Voice of Prophecy? And then would you call this toll-free number: 1-800-872-0055, and tell the friendly person who answers that you'd like to make a donation to help Voice of Prophecy spread the gospel to all the world?

CONNIE: We have a gift for you as well. For everyone who makes a donation of $10.00 or more, you'll receive a beautiful, recent book by one of our VOP staff members--the writer and producer of this program, Ken Wade. The book is called Jesus for a New Millennium, and it's a fascinating look at prophecies of the Second Coming, and especially at what Jesus is waiting for, and what we can expect just before His return.

LONNIE: You can make a credit-card donation of any amount toward our worldwide evangelism fund by calling us at 1-800-872-0055, or by writing to us at Voice of Prophecy, Box 53055, Los Angeles, 90053. And if your donation is $10.00 or more, you'll receive this beautiful book, Jesus for a New Millennium.

CONNIE: We'll give this information again at the end of the program, but right now, it's time for Lonnie's message, "Into All the World."

Into All the World

In Matthew 24:14, we read these words:

" 'And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.' " (NKJ)

This is a prophecy directly from the mouth of Jesus about when His Second Coming will occur, and it's a pretty specific and definite prediction.

Now, one of our goals here at Voice of Prophecy is to help spread the gospel to all the world. But have you ever wondered what exactly that means? What exactly has to happen before the Second Coming?

In his book The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Universe, Douglas Adams describes the end of the world in a way you might not expect.

I mean, if you've focused your end-time reading on biblically-oriented books, Adams's description is probably not like anything you've ever read. In his science-fiction spoof, the end of the world comes about suddenly, with only a few minutes' warning, at the hands of a construction crew building a new "hyperspatial express route" for travelers going from one planet to another. Earth is suddenly and unceremoniously blown to bits because it was in the way of a galaxy-wide construction project!

When earth inhabitants, who become aware of their impending doom at the last possible minute, complain to the construction foreman that they had no warning, he seems incredulous. "It's not like you didn't have a chance to protest long ago," he says. "A notice about this construction project was posted fifty years ago on a planet just four light years away. If you folks just hadn't been so earth-centered. If you'd only taken time to travel a few light years to the other planet, you'd have been able to file a protest before the construction crew arrived. Maybe the powers that be would have spared your planet by moving it out of the way instead of blowing it to smithereens."

Well, Adams's story is intended to make us laugh. No one really expects the end of the world to come about in that way, but the story does raise an interesting question.

At what point does a warning become a genuine warning? If it is posted in a place totally inaccessible to those who are to be warned, is it really a warning at all?

By the same token, when can a message be considered to have been delivered? Must it be received and understood, or must it only be sent?

Jesus said that the gospel must be "preached in all the world as a witness to all nations." What does that really mean? Would it be enough to simply send a preacher to every nation registered in the United Nations list of nations, have him or her preach one sermon, and then leave? Is that how the gospel will be preached in all the world?

Or did Jesus have something else in mind? What did Jesus want to go to all the world? Sermons? Or is there an even better way to "preach" the gospel than just standing up on a soapbox and letting fly with an oration?

Did you ever stop to think that no one ever sat down to write out the gospel--the good news about Jesus--until twenty-five or thirty years after the Lord had ascended to heaven?

Jesus never assigned a scribe to sit down and take notes at His sermons, so that they could be preached again and again until the whole world had heard them.

Jesus didn't write a little red book of pearls of His wisdom and leave it behind for all of us to study.

What Jesus did leave behind was a group of men and women who had followed Him day after day, year after year, and had seen the grace and truth of God lived out in human flesh. He left behind people who had been through the mud, muck, and mire with Him, and had watched the grace and truth of God operating in myriad difficult circumstances. Men and women who had been converted and changed by the love He bestowed on them. Men like the apostle John, whose ready temper earned him the nickname "Son of Thunder" After a few years with Jesus, the once-ready-brawler became a gentle, loving, lovable representative of how Jesus' power changes lives.

Jesus knew that the secret of spreading the gospel to all the world was not to preach better sermons and have them recited in every town and village. He knew that what He needed to leave behind in the world was not a series of cassette tapes explaining about the kingdom of heaven.

What the world needed was people who had already become part of His kingdom by walking with Him, learning from Him. Their very lives would be a sermon that would do far more to convert the world than any words anyone could ever speak.

Now, don't misunderstand me. The apostles, as they began spreading the gospel to all the world, preached plenty of sermons. And sermons are important. But what's more important is the testimony of a changed life.

We see this over and over again in Africa, and everywhere that we go to do evangelism. It's people who win people to the Lord. It's people with changed lives who help other people to be changed by God's power as well. Of the thousands of people who were baptized, most were brought to the Lord by someone who took the time to share on a personal level what Jesus had done in their own life, and took the time to share the gospel through Bible studies and personal interaction.

That's the way the gospel has always spread, and always will spread. From person to person.

Putting up a placard four light years away, or even four miles away, won't do nearly as much good as a life lived in a way that says, "I care about you, because Jesus cares about you." Preaching a sermon, even with the help of radio waves and satellite transmissions, can help to spread the gospel message to millions of people. But the most effective outreach is always one to one.

That's why we here at Voice of Prophecy carry on a multi-faceted outreach. Through our Discover Bible schools--one-on-one contact, and also through public evangelism.

And friend, the greatest thing about this is that it's not just the great preachers of the world who have a part in spreading the gospel It's all of us.

As I've launched into evangelistic ministry with new dedication, I've become surer than ever that Jesus wants to return soon, and that we all can have a part in hastening the day of His return. Listen to this from 2 Peter3, verses 10 and 11:

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed. . . . Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God." (NAS)

It is our privilege, all of us, by our lives, to testify to the hope that is within us. To be a sermon in our own neighborhoods, proclaiming that Jesus has come into our lives, and will come again--in the skies.

The gospel will go into all the world. Through people like you and me. And then the end will come!