Message Magazine Online - Vol. 54, No. 02, Summer 2006

In This Issue

• See All The People
  By Angela Shuff
• A Little Taste of Heaven
  By Michael G. Loftis
• Canadian Editorial
  By David W. Smith
• The Canadian Mosaic
  By David W. Smith
• A Bend in the Road
  By Bill Commons
• Redirected for a Purpose
  By Phil and Barb Klumpp
• From His Eyes
  Ton Alcantara
• Trading Places
  By Chuck Frerichs with Angela Shuff
• Emergency in the Amazon
  By Ruth Scheltema
• Building Relationships with International Students
  By Mallory Parmerlee
• In Their Own Words
• A Little Church Meets a Big Need
  By Ron D. Lindholm
• Support for Prefielders - Introducing Brad Winkler
• Partnering to Provide a Creative Way of Giving
  By Spencer Jackson
• The Missionary Family: Re-entry Realities for Third Culture Kids
  By Russ E. Ebersole, Jr.
• Pray For The Home Office
• ABWE 2005 Annual Report
  (PDF Document)
  

A Little Taste of Heaven

Michael G. Loftis, President

“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10 (NKJV)

There is not a missionary in the history of the church who hasn’t read the previous verses in the book of Revelation with a lump in his throat and a burning passion in his heart. 

What glory! What beauty blossoms as the nations of the earth lay their redeemed cultures at the feet of Christ in unified worship! Most missionaries can at least partly visualize what this kind of a multitude will look and sound like. We look forward to the day when we can introduce our international brothers and sisters in Christ to family, friends, supporters, and prayer partners. Will you be able to do the same?

The nations of the world, including America, continue to struggle with political and social strife over who should be allowed to live within their borders. But the church should never be divided over who is allowed through its doors. In fact, I believe that God is presently giving an unprecedented opportunity to churches around the United States and Canada to become living illustrations of what heaven looks like. 

I also believe that many, if not most, of the petty disagreements that cause division in churches around the nation would become completely irrelevant if our pews were filled with Africans, Asians, Europeans, Central and South Americans, as well as North Americans. Can you imagine having a serious discussion over which instruments to use to worship Jesus Christ before people who have never seen an organ?

As this issue goes to press, there are over 400 distinct people groups living in the United States. This means that at any given time, there are scores of opportunities for believers to touch these peoples of the earth with the faith, hope, love, and family relationship that only exists in the body of Christ. They are out there in our neighborhoods, lonely, uncertain, needing a friend, and wanting to belong in their newly adopted nation. Some have come to escape difficult circumstances and some to improve their lifestyle; but is the earthly reason they came really that important to the family of God?

I wonder what it would take to transform our churches into a little taste of heaven. Do you suppose international churches have a more powerful impact in their communities or even in our nation? There is no doubt in my mind. As you read through this issue of the Message, make each article a prayer request as you visualize what it would take to transform your church into a heaven-like gathering of believers from every nation.