It hasn’t escaped me that following a devastating earthquake in Haiti, that Chile and Turkey have been hit by quakes too. We live in interesting times of biblical importance which means that these events should not surprise us.

Here on WordJourney, I could cover every quake, tsunami, fire, flood or other natural disaster and still miss out on some event that took place recently on the other side of the world. When disaster hits Christians are often among the first to respond, bringing disaster relief and the message of salvation of Jesus Christ with them.

Proclaiming the Gospel

Never do I want to underestimate the importance of sharing the truth with people even during their grimmest hour. It is often during those times when we’ve lost much that our worldly perspective changes. Suddenly all other pursuits in life don’t really matter–but our relationship with our Creator, God, always does.

There are a number of ministries whose work is to proclaim the gospel and help people out during their time of need. Large or small, each of the following organizations is active in their own area as well as overseas. I come up with a list of several for your review, good ministries worth considering for your support:

Christian Blind Mission (CBM)
450 East Park Avenue
Greenville, SC 29602-9602
864-239-0065
cbmus.org

Compassion International
12290 Voyager Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80921
800-336-7676
compassion.com

Food For The Hungry, Inc.
1224 E. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85034-1102
480-998-3100
fh.org

Food For The Poor, Inc.
6401 Lyons Road
Coconut Creek, FL 33073-3073
954-427-2222
foodforthepoor.org

Lutheran World Relief
700 Light St
Baltimore, MD 21230-3850
410-230-2700
lwr.org

Medical Teams International
P.O. Box 10
Portland, OR 97207
800-959-4325
medicalteams.org

Mercy Medical Airlift
4620 Haygood Road, Ste. 1
Virginia Beach, VA 23455-3455
757-318-9174
mercymedical.org

Mercy Ships
P.O. Box 2020
Garden Valley, Texas 75771-2020
903-939-7000
mercyships.org

Samaritan’s Purse
801 Bamboo Road
Boone, NC 28607-8721
828-262-1980
samaritanspurse.org

World Vision
P.O. Box 9716, Dept. W
Federal Way, WA 98063-9716
888-511-6548
worldvision.org

Always acquaint yourself with ministry first before sending a donation.  Specifically, pray how God would direct your giving–He may use you to meet an unmet need through one of these organizations.

Popularity: 3% [?]

After becoming a Christian my snowboarding was no longer something I had to do, it was something I was made to do and could actually have fun.  (Kelly Clark, Pro Snowboarder and Olympic Gold Medalist)

Lasting Riches

Precious gold is the ultimate objective for a large number of the world’s top athletes who are currently competing at the 2010 Winter Olympic games in Vancouver.

However, for one group of Olympians someone more precious than gold medals has taken hold of their lives and they are sharing their personal testimonies with fans throughout the world via BeyondTheUltimate.org.

BeyondTheUltimate.org features stories and videos of current and past Winter Olympic athletes, such as:

• Kelly Clark, Pro Snowboarder and Olympic Gold Medalist

• Chad Hedrick, Speed Skater and Olympic Gold Medalist

• Cindy Klassen, Speed Skater and Olympic Gold Medalist (Canada)

• Brock Kreitzburg, Former Olympic Bobsledder and World Cup Gold Medalist

• Jilleanne Rookard, Olympic Speed Skater

• Curt Tomasevicz, Olympic Bobsledder and World Cup Gold Medalist

Symbolizing the highest in personal accomplishment, these sports athletes talk about not just their passion for sport but also devoted interest from which they are able to gain strength for competition – and for life.

“From the outside perspective it looked as though I had too many things working against me. People expected failure. But I had one thing going for me: God,” said Olympic Sprint Skater Jilleanne Rookard. “I’ve learned that success is not defined by the outcome, but by the courage it takes to chase God-sized dreams.”

Athletes In Action

BeyondTheUltimate.org was originally developed together with Athletes in Action, the sports ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, as a manifesto for Super Bowl coaches Tony Dungy, Lovie Smith and their players to share the important role that faith in Jesus Christ has played in their own lives. BeyondTheUltimate.org has since expanded to reach fans of a variety of sports.

“Even though you are on the wrong path at one point in your life, it’s always possible to get going in the right direction. Life without Jesus is tough….” (Chad Hedrick, Speed Skater and Olympic Medalist)

Ultimate Prize

So, when you are watching your favorite athletes compete on the slopes, rinks, and other venues around Vancouver, some of these people with extraordinary physical talents are your brothers and sisters in Christ, athletes who have found that pursuing the ultimate prize puts everything else into its proper perspective.

Source: BeyondtheUltimate.org

Popularity: 23% [?]

I have yet to see it because previews are not being shown, but the Tim Tebow Super Bowl ad inspires. It inspires controversy, that is.

Not that controversy is a bad thing even when it is misplaced or wrong headed. Sometimes that special added attention can help people focus with laser-like precision on the topic at hand, allowing what is being said to penetrate their hearts.

The Tim Tebow Super Bowl ad is amazing for a number of reasons.

Firstly, it is being brought to the airwaves by Focus on the Family, a well known Christian family values organization. Focus, as many of us like to call it, is headed by James Dobson, a licensed psychologist. Dobson’s radio show and related media ministry works to build up families on biblical grounds though I won’t argue the fact that some psychology is brought in. Focus is a non-profit organization and they are strongly pro-life.

Secondly, the way that the ad came about is amazing. Focus would never had considered purchasing such an ad which costs $2 million to air the 30-second spot. But, anonymous donors have funded the entire cost of producing and running the commercial, which means no ministry funds were tapped.

Thirdly, Tim Tebow is a remarkable young man. You likely know him as the Heisman award-winning quarterback who recently finished up his college years with the Florida Gators and will be playing in the NFL next fall. But he is also a Christian, something he proudly and actively shares with all. Take a look at the black outs (smudges) under his eyes when he is playing and you will see a bible chapter and verse featured. Talk about being bold!

Fourthly, Tim’s mother, Pam, is quite a woman. When she was pregnant with him, her doctor advised to abort her child because of possible complications with the birth. She was told that she might die in delivery, but chose life instead. Of course, that decision has certain wrongly named pro-choice people rankled who fear that Tebow’s message might convince people not to abort. Oddly, if you call yourself pro-choice, then what is wrong with choosing life?

Partnership Praised

Jim Daly, president and CEO of Focus on the Family, said the chance to partner with the Tebows and lift up a meaningful message about family and life comes at the right moment in the culture, because “families need to be inspired.”

“Tim and Pam share our respect for life and our passion for helping families thrive,” Daly said. “They live what we see every day – that the desire for family closeness is written on the hearts of every generation. Focus on the Family is about nurturing that desire and strengthening families by empowering them with the tools they need to live lives rooted in morals and values.”

If you are planning to watch the New Orleans Saints take on the Indianapolis Colts in South Florida this Sunday, keep your eyes peeled for the ad. It will be run once, I am not sure when, but let’s pray that it has the intended effect of touching lives for Jesus Christ.

Source: Focus on the Family

Popularity: 16% [?]