December 2014 ACCTS in action Our Mission: Jesus, the Light of the World was the theme that drew military Christians together for the eighth annual Romanian military Christian fellowship conference. Fifty delegates representing all regions of Romania attended the October conference, and participants from Bulgaria, Germany, Moldova, and the United States also attended. The Romanian MCF, Cornelius, has two main goals: to offer fellowship to strengthen relationships and the shared bond of Jesus Christ, and personal outreach and evangelism. Vlad, an active duty officer, gave an encouraging report on military ministry initiatives in the eastern part of Romania that included conferences, Bible studies, and children s activities, all of which are led by serving members of the Romanian MCF. The Moldovan MCF representative, Eduard Rosca, expressed appreciation for their close working relationship with the Romanian MCF, and described some of the unique challenges that the Moldovan MCF faces. Although they have thousands of members on the rolls, many have left the country in search of jobs to sup continued on page 2 To assist in the development of Christian leaders in the armed forces of the world and in the establishment and growth of military Christian fellowships. Outreach and Evangelism in Romania
Outreach and Evangelism in Romania continued from page 1 port their families. The MCF has several ongoing projects, including the distribution of camouflage Bibles and digital Bibles, as well as humanitarian projects for needy military families. Khristo Pankow, the president of the Bulgarian MCF, St. George, also provided an update on the ministry of their MCF, including their work to distribute a book of testimonies in the Bulgarian language. As you think of our brothers and sisters in these nations, please pray for their ministries. In Moldova, pray for the Lord s provision for military families who choose to remain in that country. Ask that the Romanian MCF be able to develop a wider range of activities that includes military spouses and children. And finally, pray for military Christians in Bulgaria as they distribute their book of testimonies. ACCTS IN ACTION Page 2 December 2014
Yes, THIS is a Bible! ACCTS is partnering with Faith Comes by Hearing, a New Mexico-based ministry, to provide Scripture recordings to international military Christians in their own languages. Faith Comes by Hearing s recordings of the New Testament are in over 830 languages. About 3.5 inches long and less than an inch thick, these pocket-sized audio Bibles are field-friendly for soldiers to use wherever they serve. It is rugged enough to withstand tough weather conditions, can be used in low-light situations, and easily fits into uniform pockets. To date, Faith Comes by Hearing and ACCTS have provided thousands of Bibles to military Christians and non-christians in Moldova and Ukraine, and each participant at this November/December s Global Interaction world conference in South Africa will receive a Bible stick with the New Testament in their native language. Praise God with us for this new ministry partner, and pray as we seek to expand the ways we help indigenous military Christians reach their coworkers, family, and friends for Christ. International soldier photos courtesy USDOD. Featured Staff Members Gina Rajah ministers to military Christians in the Brazilian military Christian fellowship, the largest MCF in the world, and in Portuguese-speaking nations. Carson Tavenner is ACCTS China Deputy, and both Carson and Wendy minister in China in the area of English language programs. Ed and Sally Ward minister in Mongolia and China, providing leadership and biblical teachings and cultural exchanges. ACCTS IN ACTION Page 3 December 2014
Our Core Values: Biblically-based Spirit-led Prayer-centered People-focused The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (John 1:14) The Christmas message, embodied in one word, is that the Word becomes Flesh...One word: incarnation. God becomes human and, to quote Eugene Peterson, moves into the neighborhood. God becomes what we are humans so that we might become what he is. -- Scot McNight Public domain image of painting by Dutch master Gerard van Honthorst ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID LITTLETON, CO PERMIT NO. 162 Association for Christian Conferences Teaching and Service PO Box 27239 Denver, CO 80227-0239 Phone: 1-800-487-8108 Fax: 303-986-4710 Email: accts@accts.org Web: www.accts.org
ACCTS Prayer Reminder December 2014 Late on a sleepy, starspangled night, those angels peeled back the sky just like you would tear open a sparkling Christmas present. Then, with light and joy pouring out of Heaven like water through a broken dam, they began to shout and sing the message that baby Jesus had been born. The world had a Saviour! The angels called it Good News, and it was. -- Larry Libby 1 Global Interaction, AMCF s once-every-ten-year leadership conference (www.amcf2014.org), continues today through December 6th in South Africa. Pray that the participants will be attuned to the Holy Spirit this week as they learn more about military Christian leadership and military ministry in their home nations. 2 Pray that today s Global Interaction seminars, discussions, and small group meetings will lead participants to a deeper understanding of Christ and their role in military ministry. 3 Many times, the one-on-one conversations that occur at world conferences are as important and Spirit-led as any of the formal meetings and events. Pray for God to guide people to each other to encourage and motivate each other in their personal lives and ministries. 4 Pray for a spirit of unity among Global Interaction, so that AMCF s vision that its members be all one in Jesus Christ will be a reality. 5 Today, pray for God s wisdom for those who are teaching or leading discussions at Global Interaction. 6 Today is the last day of the once-every-ten-year world conference for military Christians! Praise God for the dedicated work and effort of members of South Africa s military Christian fellowship, who hosted this conference, and pray that participants will use what they learned to share Christ with their coworkers, friends, and family. 7 Pray for safety as Global Interaction delegates begin returning home today, and pray for AMCF leaders and coworkers, including many ACCTS staff members, as they meet in South Africa today and tomorrow for the Quinquennial, a once-everyfive-year meeting, to pray and plan for the future. 8 Today, AMCF leaders and coworkers continue meeting at the Quinquennial to discuss future ministry opportunities and to seek God s will for those opportunities. Please pray for the Spirit s leading on these meetings. 9 AMCF s vice presidents were heavily involved in Global Interaction, nominating participants, helping them with travel details, speaking at the event, and mentoring participants. Pray for God s blessings on them as they return to their home nations. 10 Pray for wisdom for ACCTS director Phil Exner and deputy director Bernhard Kaltenbach at this busy time of ministry. 11 Pray with us as we plan for a European Battle- ACCTS prayer reminder December 2014
field Trip for cadets, mids, and young officers in the summer of 2015. 12 ACCTS desire is to have staff members at every gateway location in the U.S. where international military students study. Please pray that God will lead people to us who will minister at the war colleges, in Monterey, Fort Leavenworth, San Antonio, and Dayton, Ohio. 13 Today, please pray for our staff members who are currently ministering to international military students in the U.S. The Christmas season is a busy time for them, with many opportunities to share the reason for the season with these students and their families. 14 Pray for ACCTS Exploration Program, which takes cadets and midshipmen from U.S. academies and ROTC units to visit MCFs in different countries and to learn about those nations history and culture, while also learning how to integrate their faith into their military calling. 15 Pray with ACCTS as we get our online Journal of Faith and War back up and running on the website faithandwar.org. 16 Now that Global Interaction is completed, our staff are planning follow-up visits in 2015 to those who attended. Many of those visits will be in conjunction with regional conferences, while others will be to specific individuals and their military Christian fellowships. Pray for God s wisdom and timing as we make these plans. 17 Praise God for the headway that has been made against Ebola, and pray for the nations that are still being hit hard with this life-threatening disease. Pray also for chaplains and pastors as they comfort families of those who have died. 18 At Global Interaction, ACCTS partnered with Faith Comes by Hearing to distribute audio Bibles in participants native languages. Pray that these Bibles will be used by the participants to study His Word diligently. 19 Pray for Nigeria s Christians as they endure persecution, and that the militant Islamist group Boko Haram will be defeated quickly and other groups like it will be ended worldwide. 20 At a recent St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force Evangelistic Crusade many people received Christ as their Savior. Pray that these men and women will continue to grow in their faith. 21 Pray for wisdom for Carson Tavenner, who is ACCTS new deputy director of our China ministry, and Wendy Tavenner as she also ministers in China. 22 AMCF Vice President Nestor Ogilvie requests prayer for military Christian fellowships in his region as they raise funds to support their ministries without outside assistance. 23 Ukraine held presidential elections in October. Pray for God s guidance on all of their elected political leaders, as well as for their military leaders. 24 Christmas Eve And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2: 10-11 25 Christmas Day And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. Philippians 2:8-10 26 Pray for governments that are working to end the use of child soldiers. South Sudan has seen an epidemic of child soldiers pray for those children to be returned to their families and communities. 27 In October, Tunisians voted in parliamentary elections. The elections were part of political changes under way since the Arab Spring. Pray that these newly-elected leaders will be guided by justice and fairness. 28 Four ACCTS board members have completed their term of service please thank God with us for the leadership that Steve and Molly Hoffman and Ward and Jody Bursley provided for ACCTS in these last years. 29 Pray for ACCTS board officers, who will guide our ministry during 2015: Sue Huggler, president; Tony Pfaff, vice president, Cathy Speer, secretary; and Ira Savoie, treasurer. 30 On January 1st ACCTS has several new board members beginning their service. Please pray for wisdom for Tom Capps, Dave Hall, Terry Pierce, and Steve and Deb Sifers in their new roles as directors of ACCTS. 31 New Year s Eve On the edge of a new year, we d appreciate your prayers for God s guidance on our ministry in the next twelve months. May everything we do be for His kingdom and His glory! ACCTS prayer reminder December 2014