Over the past two weeks my wife and I have been in New England. What a beautiful part of the country this time of the year. The changing of the colors of the leaves almost causes you to become awestruck. We even had the chance to spend a few days in Boston, the cradle of American Independence. While in New England we had the opportunity to preach and report and/or present in four different churches, as well as make a couple of visits to churches. While touring Boston, we had the chance to visit Paul Revere’s house (over 330 year’s old), the Boston Tea Party museum (that was fantastic), and the John F. Kennedy Library. We also visited Noah Webster’s house in Hartford, CT. Neat experiences to say the least. Thankful for our heritage!

Pray that America will return to her roots as a nation that once looked to God for guidance, provision, and protection!

I have been spending quite a bit of time doing research on the country of China, including contacting a few missionaries asking them various questions concerning China and doing ministry there. As you no doubt remember, one of our tasks while here in the states is to work alongside Pacific Baptist Church and try to help in the future planning of the possibility of sending a team to China.

China is a country of 1.4 billion people, with less than 100 IB missionaries. That would be less than one missionary for every 14 million people. To put that in better perspective, that would be like three missionaries trying to reach the entire state of California. The only difference would be that China has more landmass to cover. We are told that somewhere between 3-5% of the population are professing Christians. There is such a great need in China, and as we have mentioned previously, it was a dream of my brother’s prior to his being hospitalized!

While at a church, just outside of Boston, a pastor asked me if I was simply “recruiting laborers from our church in Long Beach or was I recruiting laborers from other churches also?” I am guessing, after hearing me preach, you might get the idea that I was recruiting laborers for the 1040 Window in general and Asia more specifically. I plead guilty!

Not long ago I read these words of Hudson Taylor’s, which were apparently made while he was in England recruiting laborers for the harvest fields of China:

“Can all the Christians of England sit still with folded arms while these multitudes [in China] are perishing-perishing for lack of knowledge – for lack of that knowledge which England possesses so richly, which has made England what England is? What does the Master teach us? Is it not that if one sheep out of a hundred be lost, we are to leave the ninety and nine and seek that one? But here the proportions are almost reversed, and we stay at home with the one sheep, and take no heed to the ninety and nine perishing ones!”

A bit later, I read these words:

While trying to rest on England’s coast, Taylor was unable to watch hundreds of Christians enjoying the consolation of a Sunday service while 400 million (today 1.4 billion) people were perishing in China. Walking along the seashore at Brighton, he (Taylor) committed all to God. “I surrendered myself to God for this service.”

The service Taylor is referring to above was the service of recruiting laborers for the task of bringing the Gospel to China. While the need is so great in the 1040 Window, in China, and in Southeast Asia how can we not busy ourselves with recruiting as many laborers are possible?

Please continue to pray that God will use us, while in the states, to “recruit” laborers for the harvest!