What is the Future of ACFAR?

Below is the latest update sent to my prayer partners and supporters. I will not be blogging during our ministry's transitional period. But please stay subscribed and check back for the latest on advancing biblical discernment in East Africa!

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“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8–9

Dear Friend,

Over two years ago, we established a vision and set goals to advance biblical discernment in East Africa. I’ve been devoted to making that vision a reality ever since. However, we’ve now passed our prayerfully determined goal of launching our ministry. The end of May has come, and we have less than 1/3 of our needed monthly financial support.

What does this mean? My family will not be moving to East Africa in the foreseeable future. In His providence—and in the midst of a global recession—our Lord hasn’t opened this door to us. I’ve found it unproductive to ask “Why?” and accept full responsibility for any shortcomings. As in all things, my only hope is in clinging to the cross of Christ, knowing that it’s by staying close to my Savior that I can serve and glorify Him.

At the same time, we’re just as committed to the vision for ACFAR. Our African brothers and sisters in Christ continue to ask us to come and help them defend our common faith. As a result, we’re beginning a 90-day transitional period to re-assess our approach to ACFAR.

During this time we’re exploring a number of options to move ACFAR forward —and even flourish! So we need your prayers just as much as ever. And if you financially support our ministry, we need you to keep doing so. Every dollar will go toward the cause of equipping pastors and other believers to defend the Gospel and win cultists to Christ in East Africa.

I still have a heart for East Africa and a deep desire to see African church leaders grow in their devotion to Christ and their ability to counter corruption and error. With this in mind, we’ve begun planning a strategic short-term trip to Uganda later this summer. Please pray as I prepare for this important trip!

You’re a tremendous blessing to my family and me, and we’re grateful for your ongoing prayers and support. I look forward to seeing what God shapes in the coming months!

Because of His grace,

John Divito, Director
Africa Center for Apologetics Research (ACFAR)

A Few Thoughts While Staying Busy

This past Lord’s Day I had the privilege of worshiping with a church that’s considering supporting our ministry in Africa. While our family always enjoys fellowship with our home congregation, we’ve come to appreciate the opportunities that God brings to meet other church families. Why?

First, I meet many Christians who love and serve our Savior. I’m reminded of the diversity of the body of Christ when I worship at other churches. People from different social and ethnic groups come together to worship our Savior. What a glorious sight!

Second, I meet brothers and sisters in Christ who are dedicated to the Word of God. It’s refreshing to stand in the midst of other congregations as they read the Scriptures and submit to the Bible as it’s proclaimed from the pulpit.

Third, I meet other believers who care deeply about African Christians and their need for biblical discernment. Rarely have I left a church discouraged after telling them about our ministry. Many of our most dedicated prayer partners have joined us through the time we’ve spent in their churches.

Raising awareness and support is a challenge, but when I reflect on the blessings the Lord gives in the process, I can only thank Him for the opportunities He brings. I’m not the same man I was when I first decided to become a missionary. I pray that, by God’s grace, His refining process will continue!

eBooks and Mission Work

Last week, Amazon.com made an announcement that sent shock waves through the Internet. They are finally releasing their second-generation eBook reader, the Kindle 2. Zondervan also recently mentioned that they gave away two free Sony Readers, preloaded with several leading Christian books and a Bible, at last year’s ETS and SBL annual meetings. I’ll let others debate whether we’re witnessing a transition away from printed books to electric reading, but I want to take a few moments to discuss what eBooks could mean for missions work.

The potential advantages are exciting. Imagine carrying an entire library in an object smaller than a single book! Missionaries often have very limited space to move items with them overseas, and books must usually be kept to a minimum. Those of us with ministries focused on theological education and defending the faith find this challenge especially daunting. Could eBook readers give us the flexibility we need to effectively serve Christ without losing essential information and resources? We wouldn’t have to figure out how to ship dozens of heavy boxes of books halfway around the world; our research collections could travel in our carry-on luggage.

But issues remain. While Zondervan, Crossway, and others have made electronic versions of their books available, many more evangelical publishers haven’t joined the eBook bandwagon. I’d guesstimate that under ten percent of my library is currently available in some electronic form, so devices like the Kindle and Sony Reader aren’t workable replacements—yet.

Electronic reading also has some limitations which I’m not sure can be easily overcome. As an avid Mortimer Adler devotee (and if you don’t know who I’m talking about, read this book!), I frequently mark my books with various lines and notations. How can I do this in an electronic reader and easily refer back to my thoughts in the future?

And one final concern: While this technological step may be a great leap forward in global ministry, most of the world is nowhere close to taking advantage of it. I first realized this fact as I started serving Christ overseas. Since I’m something of a tech-geek, I figured that the efficient and inexpensive way to get relevant, updated, and translated resources into the hands of the most church leaders and other believers was to establish an elaborate Internet presence. We could create a web site with articles that can be viewed and printed, plus a database offering the latest research. But when I actually went to East Africa I quickly discovered that such assistance can only go so far. Most Africans have only limited Internet access, if any—and they seldom have computers. We can’t assume that church leaders can access our information online, however badly they may need it. So we’ve had to focus our near-term strategies on using more traditional media like printed tracts, newsletters, and DVDs.

Now perhaps you can see a little better how a Kindle or Sony Reader would mainly be of value to missionaries. I could have hundreds or even thousands of books at my fingertips—but the vast majority of my African friends could not. And until technological initiatives like Ubuntunet take hold, they’ll still need theological libraries with lots of printed books, journals, magazines, newsletters, and other periodicals. Most fundamentally, they’ll need the Bible; too few African Christians own so much as a single copy of God’s Word, even when it’s been printed in their own language.

So you can see why I’m both enthusiastic and cautious about electronic readers. I may be able to use one to effectively serve Christ someday. At the same time, technology alone can’t equip our African brothers and sisters in Christ. May the Lord guide our efforts as we navigate through these complex waters!

Learning to be Content

Have you missed me? I know that it’s been a week since my last post, but last Tuesday night our area went through what’s been reported as the worst ice storm for our region in modern history. Maybe you heard about what happened in the news. The latest report is that National Guard troops are going door to door to make sure everyone is OK and provided for.

My home was without power (and heat!) from early Wednesday morning until late Friday evening. And due to the amount of ice frozen to the trees, we had plenty of branches fall down. Nevertheless, God provided for us during this difficult time. A friend’s family generously opened up their house to us until power was restored. A coworker with a 4-wheel Jeep and a winch helped move a huge branch out of our driveway. A flexible work environment has allowed me to modify my schedule as needed. Amazingly, our house sustained minimal damage considering the amount of branches and debris that fell.

If nothing else, I’ve quickly realized how important something can be which we normally take for granted. Without electricity, life as we know it simply grinds to a halt. I wish I could say that I relied on Christ and took everything in stride, but frustration and fear quickly set in. Thankfully, God uses times like these to show me how much I have to grow in my contentment in Him. The fact of the matter is that God took wonderful care of us. Far better than I deserve!

Now our lives have begun to return to normal. I’ve returned to work. I’ll begin blogging again. And I’m slowly cleaning up what remains from the storm. At the same time, I pray that I will continue to grow in my contentment in Christ. These words from the Apostle Paul keep coming to mind:

“...for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11–13)

Depending on God Through Prayer

I admit it—I have a hard time depending on God. I know that I’m supposed to trust in Him for ACFAR’s success. I will even write and talk about our ministry’s dependence on Him. Nevertheless, all too often I try to handle establishing ACFAR in my own strength. I think: “What else can I do to raise awareness and support for our ministry?” “Have I done enough?” or “How can I be more productive?” I tend to keep busy, believing that the launch of ACFAR will only happen if I can get enough done.

Now you can see my problem plainly: There are far too many “I”s in the above paragraph. Where is Christ in my thinking and planning? Instead of placing my confidence and trust in Him, I can too easily succumb to worry and doubt. Maybe you’re even surprised to read a missionary writing this way. But I’m not a perfect Christian—I continue to struggle with sin. And sin is exactly what to call my lack of focus and trust in God.

As 2009 begins, this truth has become all too evident to me. How is my Savior calling me to respond? Not by sitting back and doing nothing. No! What I need to do is keep what I’m doing in perspective. I am serving Christ, and I should not get so caught up in my work that I loose sight of my purpose in working. I seek to glorify Christ through the defense of His truth!

With this realization in mind, by God’s grace I intend to devote far more time this year to prayer, to communing with my Lord. I’m struck by the words of Jonathan Edwards:

“[P]rayer is but a sensible acknowledgment of our dependence on him to his glory. As he hath made all things for his own glory, so he will be glorified and acknowledged by his creatures; and it is fit that he should require this of those who would be the subjects of his mercy. That we, when we desire to receive any mercy from him, should humbly supplicate the Divine Being for the bestowment of that mercy, is but a suitable acknowledgment of our dependence on the power and mercy of God for that which we need, and but a suitable honour paid to the great Author and Fountain of all good.”

The future of ACFAR is not in my hands; it’s in God’s. What a wonderful truth! And by being united with Christ, I’m able to ask God to bless our ministry with confidence: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Will you join with me in prayer? If so, then please sign up to receive our e-mail ministry updates. I treasure every fellow believer who has come together with us to strengthen the church against error and win cultists to Christ in East Africa!

With just five months to go, we still have a long way to reach our required goals, and the challenges facing African believers are far more numerous and difficult than I can summarize here. But I can confidently say that only God can provide what’s needed for us to move to Uganda and launch the Center’s work there.

It may not be easy to depend on Him during the coming months, but it’s not hard to see that this process will bring me closer to Christ. And for this I praise God!

Our Year in Review

This year will soon be over. But what a year it’s been!

Two themes stand out in my mind as I reflect on ACFAR’s progress in 2008: Prayer and patience.

One fruit of your prayers for ACFAR—and the highlight of the year—was returning to Uganda with my wife in April. God has given me a deep love for this country, and she also fell in love with the people and the area. While we kept busy with research, planning, and ministry, our days in East Africa were unforgettable and marvelous.

This year the Lord also gave us greater opportunities than ever to raise awareness about the urgent need to advance biblical discernment in East Africa. I’ve spoken and preached in several states. Our web site and blog continue to attract numerous visitors. We even had a special evening in Southern California with Greg Koukl from Stand to Reason as our keynote speaker (feel free to download and listen to his message in MP3), and we produced a video to spread the vision for ACFAR.

So by God’s grace, we gathered a great deal of momentum in 2008. More and more people are catching the vision. Fellow believers, both here and in Africa, are getting excited as we work toward helping our African brothers and sisters in Christ defend our common faith. We’re closer than ever to reaching our goal and launching our ministry.

Now for the part about patience.

This year brought its share of challenges. Our oldest daughter was diagnosed with type-1 diabetes, adding expenses and delaying our target date for departure until May. The global recession is limiting our opportunities to raise awareness and support. As the year closes, we still need at least 28o new prayer partners, $5,800 in additional monthly support commitments, and $30,000 for one-time special support to reach our goal.

We’re trusting in Christ, knowing that he can generously and abundantly provide! And we praise God with the Apostle Paul, who wrote: “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Where do we stand as we head into 2009?

If I were to add a theme to carry us into the new year, it would be “persistence.” Because one thing is certain: We can’t slow down.

As you can imagine from reading the “Weekly Round-Up” on this blog each Friday, my spirit is provoked within me (cf. Acts 17:16) as I watch the steady stream of news from across East Africa—cult controversies, charismatic confusion, the surge in occultic practices—all posing a challenge to the Body of Christ and its witness.

Will we answer the cry from our brothers and sisters in Uganda? They’re asking us to equip them with the tools and the training they need to grow in biblical discernment and to resist and refute the intrusion of cults and false teaching. Will we help them to win cultists to Christ?

With just five months to go, our target date is aggressive. But we’re placing our trust in Jesus and keeping our eyes on the goals set before us.

It’s hard to express my thanks for the many of you who pray. Most of the answered intercession we’ve seen this year began in your hearts. Your continued interest, encouragement, and support are both moving and humbling. Please prayerfully consider how can you help ACFAR in 2009. Let’s serve our Lord together for the sake of His kingdom in Africa next year!

Giving Thanks

"Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!" (Psalm 107:1)

This week we celebrate Thanksgiving. While we’re called to continually give thanks to God for His abundant mercies, I appreciate the chance to set aside a special time each year to focus on His blessings to us. Here are just a few of our many reasons for rejoicing:

I thank God that I have been reconciled with Him through Jesus Christ. Apart from Christ as my substitute, I would be without hope and justly face God’s wrath for my sins. But by His grace, I have been saved. Praise God!

I thank God for my wife. Next to Christ, she is my most precious gift. She encourages me, takes care of me, challenges me, and loves me. I simply wouldn’t be the man I am today without her.

I thank God for my children. Having four kids certainly keeps me busy, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world! Children are truly a blessing from the Lord.

I thank God for my church. I’m edified and built up through the ministry of my local congregation. We’re centered on the Word of God, we have great fellowship with one another, and we’re committed to ACFAR’s vision in East Africa.

I thank God for this ministry. I have the privilege of preparing to serve Christ in Uganda. He could have chosen a much better candidate for this task, but I pray that He will be glorified through our efforts in Africa.

I thank God for Paul Carden. As CFAR’s executive director (the ministry I’m serving through), he has to put up with me! Still, he is patient, helpful, wise, and supportive.

I thank God for our supporters. Without the many believers who partner with us through their prayers and sacrificial giving, there would be no ACFAR. They are truly essential to the success of our ministry. I’m humbled to be working with them to advance biblical discernment and cult evangelism in East Africa.

Of course, there are many more things for which I should thank God, and I plan to devote Thursday to doing so. I hope you’ll join me and take advantage of this opportunity as well.

I’ll be back next week with another blog post. See you then!

Happy Anniversary to You, James White

In light of the 25th anniversary of the founding of Alpha and Omega Ministries, those impacted by James White over the years were invited to write about how the Lord has used him in their lives. Below is my testimonial. While he may still post this on his blog, I also wanted my readers to know how much respect I have for Dr. White and his ministry.


Dr. White,

You can count me as another follower of Christ deeply impacted by your ministry. While I was raised as a Mormon, I came to a crisis of faith in college. I was trying to convince my girlfriend (now my wife) of the "fullness of the gospel" when I began to see overwhelming evidence against Mormonism which simply could not be refuted. By God's grace, I found real freedom in the true Jesus Christ.

At the same time, He used you to help me navigate through the many challenges that I was struggling with. Many of your books made Christ's revealed truth understandable. Is the Mormon My Brother?, The Forgotten Trinity, and The Potter's Freedom are just a few of your books that were foundational in my budding faith. As a tech-geek, I read through much of your web site (even though you struggled to keep it up-to-date!) and started listening to the Dividing Line online (back when it was still a Phoenix radio show). Once I began seminary, my fellow schoolmates and friends would get tired of me mentioning you so they poked fun in return by always asking "what does James White say?"

Even to this day, God continues to use you in my spiritual growth. Your blog is in my feed reader. I continue listening to the Dividing Line and reading your books. My wife and I were even able to finally meet you in person through being a part of last fall's AOMin cruise. I have included a picture of us together from the cruise.

You have been a gift from God in my life as well as a gift of God to His church. Without you, I can honestly say that I would not be preparing to defend our Lord against cults and error in East Africa. I pray that Christ will continue to bless your ministry as you "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints"!

Because of His grace,
John Divito
Director, Africa Center for Apologetics Research
Web Site: http://www.acfar.org/
Blog: africacfar.blogspot.com

Cross-Cultural Stress in Marriage

My family continues to prepare serving Christ in East Africa. While we have a lot to get ready for in our ministry, we also face fundamental changes in our personal lives. How will our move across cultures impact our marriage? What will it mean for our family? How will we be discipling our children in Africa?

This month's Evangelical Missions Quarterly is devoted to helping address these crucial questions, and I have benefited greatly from its articles. One was written by Sue Eenigenburg, "Preparing Missionary Couples for Cultural Stress." She begins by confessing to getting so frustrated in her cross-cultural challenges that she considered leaving her husband in the mission field. Eenigenburg says:

Culture stress can make or break a marriage. My husband and I had a solid foundation for our marriage and went to minister overseas after eight good years of marriage and three children. I would have never imagined that I would find myself daydreaming about leaving him. With the language and cultural differences, the stress of dealing with ministry in and out of our home, keeping up with laundry, and cooking and cleaning for our family of six, I was ready for a trip to Hawaii--without him and the kids. I felt tempted to charge my trip to his account and let him take care of the bill, the kids, and the laundry. I wasn't sure if I even wanted to come back (422).

I appreciate her openness and honesty. I am also glad that she devotes the rest of her article to helping missionary couples prepare for the cross-cultural stressors that can challenge and even overwhelm the best marriages. She lists twelve: 1) lack of privacy, 2) public displays of affection, 3) time spent together, 4) competition in language [acquisition], 5) competition in ministry, 6) physical distress, 7) emotional issues, 8) feeling pressure, 9) treatment of spouse, 10) spending time together, 11) expectation of roles, and 12) environment.

Eenigenburg then provides missionary couples with six steps to proactively face these stressors as well as lists 25 questions and ideas to discuss before moving overseas. She has packed a great deal of helpful information into the few pages of this article. I may not be able to provide all of her suggestions in this post (if you are interested in learning more, I highly recommend checking out her article), but she has definitely caused me to realize the need to work through these issues now, before we move to Uganda.

Please pray for my wife and I as we prepare to serve our Lord in East Africa. I ask that you not only pray for our ministry but also for our marriage and our family. We continue to trust in Christ, knowing that only He can provide the strength we need to successfully handle the cultural stress we will face. May my wife and I glorify our Savior together!

Awakening Africa: Guarding the Gospel

Perhaps you noticed that I didn’t post my regular weekly roundup on Friday. Why didn’t I? Because I was on my way to southern California for an important fundraising event—Awakening Africa: Guarding the Gospel. Now that I’m back home, I’m still marveling at God’s grace and blessings during this unforgettable night. Let me tell you more.

Nearly 150 of us gathered at the historic Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. After greeting many new friends, we sat down to a top-notch dinner. Of course, nothing is as good as my wife’s cooking (I’d get in trouble if I didn’t say so!), but I was impressed by the quality of the entire evening.

Soloist Rob Nye set the mood with one of my favorite contemporary hymns, “In Christ Alone.” Then CFAR’s executive director, Paul Carden, answered three questions: Why CFAR? Why Africa? and Why Now? His sincere passion for our ministry’s vision was contagious.

Next we debuted a new film that vividly presents the vision for ACFAR. (You should be seeing it soon, so stay tuned!) I then shared my testimony of forsaking Mormonism and finding true freedom in Jesus Christ. I was also privileged to introduce Greg Koukl, founder and president of Stand to Reason, one of our key partner ministries in Africa.

Greg delivered a convicting message from 2 Timothy on “guarding the Gospel.” God has used Greg greatly in my own spiritual development, and I was reminded why: Greg effectively explains and applies God’s Word, giving Christians the tools they need to stand strong for truth in the marketplace of ideas.

After Greg we had a special treat: Hajni Pataki, a former Jehovah’s Witness pioneer from Hungary. Through the ministry of András Szalai, the director of CFAR Hungary, Hajni broke free from the lies of the Watchtower Society and has come to know true freedom and maturity in Christ. Hajni’s testimony was a powerful example of what we hope to see in the lives of cult members all across East Africa.

The evening’s program ended as Rob Nye brought a moving song on missions, “Our Heart.” I remained long afterwards to spend one-on-one time with our guests and supporters. What a privilege to meet so many believers who share our excitement for what God has in store for Uganda!

God used this weekend in California to rejuvenate me and renew my amazement at all He is preparing for ACFAR. I can hardly express my appreciation for all who invested so sacrificially to bring this evening about. May God be glorified as we pray and labor to raise up a generation of Africans who will defend His gospel and bring cultists to Christ!

Trials and the Purpose of God

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand." (Proverbs 19:21).

Last week I mentioned how God changed my plans as the aftermath of Hurricane Ike blew violently through our area. However, it turns out that He wasn't done with my family yet. On Thursday night our oldest daughter was taken to the emergency room and diagnosed with type-1 diabetes.

She will now be dependent on insulin for the rest of her life. The next several months will be trying ones for our family as we adapt to her medical needs. We will have to change her diet, test her blood four times a day, and give her regular insulin shots. Managing all of this well will take several months of learning and adjustment for our entire family.

My wife and I come away from this discovery thankful to God that He has provided us with ways to treat and live well with diabetes. We also realize how utterly dependent we are on Him—our daughter’s pancreas stopped functioning properly, and apart from attentive care she cannot live. But most importantly, we pray that we will glorify Christ through this time of trial. We pray that we will rely on Christ through this tremendous change. And we pray that each member of our family will draw closer to our infinitely wise and faithful God.

We welcome your prayers in the coming weeks and months and greatly appreciate all those who are committed to our family and the ministry of ACFAR. If you’d like to receive regular prayer updates about us via e-mail, let me know.

And please—continue to pray for this week’s "Awakening Africa" event in southern California (September 27)! I hope to see many of you there.

God Changed My Plans

I had plans to post a blog entry today. However, yesterday we ran into the effects of Hurricane Ike. A several hour long wind storm blew through on its way up north to Canada. The results? Downed trees and branches are everywhere. Our electric company is reporting over 300,000 outages in Indiana, with over 40,000 in our county alone.

Today my family remains without power, and I'll be spending the evening hours cutting down and removing fallen branches in our yard. Thankfully, our house does not appear to be seriously damaged. God has been gracious to us.

Obviously, our troubles pale in comparison to those in Texas and elsewhere who have been devastated by Ike. I continue to pray for those in Galveston, Houston, and other areas. I pray that those who have lost loved ones will not grieve as others do who have no hope. I pray that people will draw close to Christ, finding their security and rest in Him. I pray that our Lord will be with those who are now struggling through the challenges of rebuilding their homes and their lives.

Hurricane Ike has reminded me again of how dependent I am on God and how I must always be open to His changing my plans. As James writes:

"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit'—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin" (James 4:13-17).

Viral Video: My Testimony--From Mormonism to Eternal Life in Christ

[Video - The Testimony of John Divito: From Mormonism to Eternal Life in Christ]
You can also read my testimony at the Mormonism Research Ministry web site.

Biblical Literacy vs. Apologetics: Responding to Kobusingye (Pea)

Last week, I was made aware of a blog post written by Kobusingye (also known as Pea) on our YouTube video series "The Challenge of Cults in East Africa." Unfortunately, the entire WordPress blog site has been taken down, but you can still find Pea's post here. In any case, I wanted to take the opportunity to interact with Pea's critique of ACFAR (and since I don't know whether Pea is a man or a woman, I will use the generic "he" when referring to this blogger).

First, I appreciate Pea's willingness to think through the role of apologetics in the Christian life. He correctly points out the common problem of biblical illiteracy in Africa and is looking for a God glorifying solution. Thus, it is with respect to my co-laborer in Christ that I must disagree with his reasoning and conclusion.

The center of Pea's argument is maintaining that biblical literacy rather than apologetics is the solution to Africa's cult problem. However, in doing so he has misunderstood the relationship between biblical literacy and apologetics. Defending the faith comes out of biblical literacy. So, to learn apologetics is to become biblically literate. Christians cannot defend God's truth unless they first know God's truth.

Additionally, Pea says that we must devote ourselves to God's truth without bothering to learn about error. But this conclusion is simply unbiblical. The Apostle Paul wrote to Titus that church leaders must "be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it" (Titus 1:9). How can church leaders rebuke those who contradict God's truth without knowing what these false teachers are claiming? As a matter of fact, Pea has learned some Jehovah's Witnesses doctrine since in his article he points out their denial of the deity of Jesus Christ.

Pea also seems to adopt a "me-and-my-Bible-are-enough" approach to our faith. But we must not forget that Christ never intended for us to live out our spiritual lives by ourselves or to fight for our faith alone. He has given us His body, the church, with brothers and sisters in Christ to work together in advancing His kingdom. This is where books and resources can be helpful. Believers are able to share their God-given insights with others in these materials, allowing many followers of Christ to grow in their faith and to avoid error. Can books lead to forgetfulness of the Main Book? Sure. But this is due to the sinful tendencies in one's heart, not the result of simply learning through books themselves.

Pea closes his critique by asserting that East Africa does not need a center for apologetics research. He writes, "To tell me Biblical Literacy is impossible without a Research Centre is the same as Juanita Bynum saying she cannot pray for the nations until and unless the church donates $200,000 for her to build a threshing floor to pray on. It's a little too ridiculous for me." While I would never claim that biblical literacy is impossible in Africa without ACFAR, I nevertheless hope that African believers will see the value of having a place to go where they can learn more about responding to the cults and false teachings that regularly challenge their faith. May God use our ministry to further biblical literacy and to defend His truth!

A Blessing from God

There are many ways that God has equipped me for my future ministry with the Africa Center for Apologetics Research. I was raised as a Mormon, knowing what it is like to be raised in a religion that preaches a different Jesus and a false gospel. I graduated from seminary, equipping me to defend our faith against error and corruption. I have a heart for missions, desiring God's gospel to reach all peoples to the ends of the earth.

Nevertheless, one of God's most important blessings is often overlooked. She is my wife. Next to Jesus Christ, my wife is God's greatest gift to me. Her patience, affirmation, and encouragement allow me to serve Christ in a way that I could never do without her. There would be no ACFAR without her.

It is not every woman that is willing to move her family half way around the world. But not only is my wife willing, I am secure in knowing that she will raise our children well and provide invaluable assistance for my ministry in Uganda. Our vision for East Africa is possible by God's grace and because of our extraordinary relationship.

This week, we are celebrating 11 wonderful years together. While we have had our share of trials and difficulties, our love for each other has only grown stronger. And after all of our years together, our commitment to glorify Jesus Christ has only increased. Above all, we desire to display the gospel through our marriage (Ephesians 5:22ff).

On our 11th anniversary, I pray that God will allow me to show her in some small way how much she means to me.

Movies on Uganda

Since my family is preparing to serve our Lord in Uganda, we are striving to learn as much as we can about this East African country. While much of our research has been through books, several movies have also been very valuable. Would you like to learn a little more about Uganda? Here are some films to check out:

Movies about Idi Amin
Idi Amin was a brutal dictator in Uganda throughout the 1970s. During his time in power, hundreds of thousands of people were murdered. These were dark years for Uganda.

1) General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait (1974). A french documentary filmed with the full permission of Amin. A rare opportunity to see and hear Amin in his own words. Needless to say, he was not happy with the final result. I would suggest watching this movie after already becoming somewhat knowledgeable of Amin and his reign. Since this documentary came out over 30 years ago while Amin was still in power, it does not set up much historical context. This film is most helpful in getting a deeper understanding of Amin.

2) Raid on Entebbe (1977). A made for TV docu-drama staring Peter Finch, Charles Bronson, and others. Based on the real events of an Israeli military assault on the Entebbe Airport in Uganda, it pretty much sticks to the facts and is enjoyable. As a late '70s TV movie, the quality is limited and the pacing is somewhat slow, but I still found it helpful to watch a reenactment of a Palestinian airplane hijacking involving Uganda and Amin.

3) Last King of Scotland (2006). A recent movie revealing Amin through the lens of his (fictional) personal physician. Forest Whitaker won an Oscar for his portrayal of Idi Amin. This film effectively displays the brutality of the Amin regime, however I found the nudity and sex inappropriate and unnecessary. The violence is also quite graphic at times. As a result, I have to issue a strong caution with this movie.

Movies about the Lord's Resistance Army
The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) is a rebel guerrilla army at war with the Ugandan government. This conflict has been going on for over 20 years, leaving many dead, villages overrun, and numerous children forced to become soldiers. Mainly operating in northern Uganda, the LRA is led by Joseph Kony.

1) Invisible Children (2006). A documentary made by high school graduates who came across the sad reality of children in Uganda who are trying to avoid becoming child soldiers while living without family as night commuters. My wife and I were both heartbroken after watching this movie. An eye-opener which raises important issues that must be addressed.

2) War/Dance (2007). A documentary on children in northern Uganda living in a displacement camp who are seeking to win the national music and dance competition. This movie offers an amazing contrast between the horrors of living in the LRA conflict and the hope of winning a major contest. I highly recommend this movie.

Some of these movies are not easy to find, but we were able to take advantage of NetFlix's vast catalog. In any case, these movies will be well worth your time. And if you ever have the chance to check them out, feel free to leave your own comments below.

Ask Anything Wednesday: Christian Satire

Ask Anything Wednesday may have been on hiatus, but it is now back as a monthly regular. I have received a few questions so far, but please keep them rolling in for future editions!

Question:
"Is Christian Satire wrong?"

Answer:
Maybe. I don't think satire is prohibited for Christians. After all, even our Savior used it! At the same time, we need to probe into the use of Christian satire. Why does one want to use it? How is it used? These kinds of questions must not go unanswered.

Douglas Wilson has actually written a book on this subject, A Serrated Edge: A Brief Defense of Biblical Satire and Trinitarian Skylarking (I admit that I haven't read it yet, but it has been on my reading list since it came out!). Since this book's release, there has also been some helpful interaction between Wilson and John Frame--see Frame's Review of Douglas Wilson, A Serrated Edge and Wilson's Response to John Frame’s Review of A Serrated Edge.

Used wisely (and Wilson lays out some excellent principles), Christian satire can be very effective. However, Christian satire can also be dangerous when not done properly. I personally enjoy good satire, but would be very careful in producing it myself. Above all, I would want to glorify God in all things, and that includes in exposing folly, vice, or stupidity.

Learning at the Feet of Müller

I wish I could say that my faith in Christ always remains strong. But in the ups and downs of becoming a missionary, as I seek to raise awareness and support for our East African ministry, my trust in the Lord’s care and provision wavers. Thankfully, God has given me a good church and faithful friends to encourage me and to spur me on. One personal friend and fellow church member recently sensed my downcast spirit and suggested that I read a biography on George Müller. Since I’d often heard about Müller but never actually read anything about him, I promised my friend that I’d check it out.

I’m glad that I did! By the following Lord’s Day, I had already finished reading the book. For those of you who don’t know about George Müller, he was a 19th-century British evangelist and pastor who also oversaw a growing number of orphanages. Throughout his life and ministry, all of his accomplishments were realized without his once ever directly asking for financial help. He determined to depend on Christ completely to meet his needs, relying almost exclusively on prayer. What was the result? God provided everything Müller required. Through decades of difficult ministry, He took care of Müller.

If you’d like to know more about this great man of God, I recommend that you get a copy of the biography George Müller: Delighted in God by Roger Steer. You can also listen to John Piper’s message “George Mueller’s Strategy for Showing God.” In any case, I want to quickly list some ways that learning more about Müller’s life has made an impact on me:

• God uses men of very different backgrounds and beliefs to accomplish His work. In reading about Müller, it didn’t take long for me to start seeing places where I disagreed with him theologically. I had to stop reading and ask myself: Should I nitpick over every little area where I find some fault with this brother in Christ, or can I allow myself to admire his faith and trust in God? We may have our differences, but I came away from my study in awe of this hero of the faith. Müller reminded me of the importance of humility and our need to work with believers of different denominations and theological persuasions in order to further the kingdom of Christ.


• I must truly trust in Christ—first and foremost—to provide for the Africa Center for Apologetics Research. While I may not believe that Müller’s approach to obtaining support is the only biblical method (e.g., Romans 15:20–24, Philippians 4:10–20), there’s no doubt that he was trusting the Lord to meet his needs. As I let others know of our ministry and invite them to become partners in what we’re doing, it’s too easy to fall into the trap of depending on myself and my efforts to raise our support. True, I may need to actively tell others about our East African ministry, but only God’s blessings will enable us to move forward. Müller challenges me to never forget Who is the Generous Provider—Jesus Christ.


• I need to spend more time in prayer. Obviously, this point is related to the last, but it’s still key. What I spend my time doing demonstrates where my heart truly lies. If I’m not regularly on my knees in prayer, then my focus isn’t where it should be. One thing becomes clear about Müller—he was a man of prayer. Since I’m dependent on God in my missionary task, should I be any less devoted to prayer? Of course not. Müller is a great example: A man who not only believed in the sovereignty of God but lived his life in light of God’s purpose.

Müller both challenges me and encourages me. I’m challenged by his steadfast devotion to and reliance upon Christ. I’m also encouraged to see God’s faithfulness and love displayed through the ministry of a submissive servant. By God’s grace, I pray that Christ will use me for the glory of His gospel and the advancement of His kingdom.