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Good News From A Distant Land
9/26/2004
"Like cold water to a
weary soul is good news from a distant land."
Proverbs
25:25
In these weary days in a desert
of spirituality let us drink the refreshing "good news from...distant
lands." Last week we received the following emails to all of us in
the Portland Church.
When Lowell Hoover, the
evangelist of the Worchester, Massachusetts Church attended the "World
Missions Jubilee"*
in June he was searching for practicals to help his congregation. On Friday
night he heard the "Portland Story" where Portland brothers and
sisters shared how God began healing our congregation with an "Evening of
Atonement." Our "Evening of Atonement" was an unforgettable,
landmark congregational meeting. Our leadership confessed arrogance, harshness,
and anger and our fellow members confessed bitterness, rebellion and a loss of
faith.
These public confessions resulted in overflowing tears of forgiveness, a
renewed zeal for God, and a heartfelt unity that allowed the Portland Church to
move forward. Lowell writes:
...On August 27th [our
"Night of Rededication"] we truly had an evening to remember in the
Worchester Church. The church gathered and had powerful singing, prayers on our
knees and then two hours and ten minutes of sharing from the church. It was
powerful and deeply moving. By our second song I had that hair standing on your
neck feeling, and it wasn't just emotions, it was God moving. Many tears were
shed. Several ex-full time leaders shared and poured out their hearts to God and
the church. We have a long way to go but we have definitely started! I would
like to thank the Portland Church for their prayers and their example of faith
and humility.
Also attending the Jubilee was
Tim Kernan of Montreal, Canada. He went back and persuaded the Montreal Church
to have a "Night of Atonement."
...It went great. You could
hear the breathing and see the peaceful expressions spread over peoples' faces
as brothers and sisters got up and shared one at a time. I broke the ice and
confessed that I am guilty of not always listening, not being compassionate...It
was great. Thanks for restoring this [Biblical] practice [of public
confession]...my trip to Portland keeps paying off. Thank your wonderful church
for me...We are sincerely grateful.
From the distant state of South
Dakota, the power and "reach" of the internet can be seen as an
isolated sister writes:
Dear Portland Church, I
want to thank you so much for your streaming sermons in English and Spanish!
Because of your hearts and conviction of spreading the Kingdom any way possible,
I have been fully restored to Christ. I was all alone here in Rapid City, South
Dakota, but now I find myself with you in spirit. I would move out to Portland,
but my non-Christian husband is not willing. Please pray for him...The streaming
sermons keep me convicted, challenged, joyful and most of all, they keep me in
Christ...
From the far away land of Ukraine
we received an email from a very zealous house church leader in Kiev. He wrote:
Portland Church, I want to
express my gratitude for your Upcyberdown21 initiative...I admire your effort to
bring light to the darkest and farthest places in the world. Portland has become
a true lighthouse...and so far I have not missed any of your sermons available
for download. I even recorded all of your audio content and feature articles on
a CD and now I distribute it among disciples in Kiev, Odessa and Lviv. (It is
hard to reach your CD ministry from Ukraine, therefore I apologize for any
copyright infringement.) [Tell Kip] it is very exciting to know that video
footage of his sermons will be available...Now I am trying to translate some of
Kip's articles in Russian. I started with Mandate of God and next I will go for
Revolution III (existing translation is not very accurate). Maybe we can think
of a Russian mirror for Upcyberdown21? I would gladly put my money and effort
behind it and my friends will surely support me...
Well, as for disciples
downloading the sermons, Amen! As for copyright infringement, brother, you are
more than forgiven! Praise God there is "good news from distant
lands!" And to God be the glory!
Kip McKean
*The name was
changed from International Discipleship Jubilee to World Missions Jubilee.
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