We would see Jesus
NATIONS
One of the great joys of ministry is to see the faces of people when their hearts explode with the revelation of God’s love for them!
Editor KEITH HERSHEY Creative Director CARLO KROUZIAN Senior Editor JOSH HERSHEY
Since 1984 Heidi and I have endeavored to impart to people the finished
Writers JUSTIN HERSHEY
work of Jesus letting them know that
JOSH HERSHEY
they are loved completely and accepted
BOB OWEN
eternally before God in Christ!
PATTY OWEN
This is why we want people to see Jesus so they can understand what He
Proofreader CHERYL BENEDICK
has done on the cross as well as how they can rest in Him by faith.
Graphic Designer CARLO KROUZIAN
With our six international campuses around the world, and with some of the
Distribution TIM BERGSTROM
most beautiful and blessed team members serving along side of us, we want to let everyone know how much God loves them just as they are!
Questions & feedback:
Thanks for joining your faith with us in all of our “missionary assignments” around the world. Together, as we join
10600 Sepulveda Blvd. Mission Hills, CA 91345
our faith, we can change our world! In Mutual Faith,
Phone: 818-837-3400 Fax: 818-837-4686 Email: info@mutualfaith.org Online: www.mutualfaith.org
Keith Hershey
Nations is published by Mutual Faith Ministries Int’l., a non-profit missionary evangelistic organization. ©MFMI. All rights reserved. Nations magazine and logo are trademarks of Mutual Faith Ministries Int’l. in the U.S. and countries where it circulates and MFMI offices are established.
I can see clearly now!
Have you ever had a difficult time seeing? Recently I had my eyes checked, as I was having difficulty reading small print – a task that has always been simple for me. Getting older, I have realized my eyes don’t always see clearly. In other words, I do not have 20/20 vision. Now, reading glasses are a necessity. Often, in our lives, the eyes of our heart get blurred and we forget to focus on Jesus and what He has done for us to qualify us completely before the Father. Instead, we focus on ourselves and our performance towards God. And when we are honest with ourselves, we realize that we cannot perform perfectly so we become frustrated and condemned in our walk with God. This is why we are introducing 20/20. This is a thrust of ministry that Mutual Faith is launching for a duration of 8 years until the end of 2020. We desire to help people make the appropriate “adjustments” in the way they see Jesus so they can have a stronger revelation of God’s love for them! In John’s Gospel, when the Greeks showed up to the feast in Jerusalem, they asked Philip, “Sir, we would see Jesus!” John 12:21
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When Andrew and Philip told Jesus His response was somewhat surprising. Instead of inviting the Greeks to see Him physically, Jesus spoke of His death on the cross. Jesus wants us to see Him spirutally and recognize what His death has done for all of us in qualifying us eternally before the Father! Grace is now granted to all in Christ Jesus! We desire people to “behold the Lamb” and see what He has done for all of us. His sufficiency is now our sufficiency! His work is what works for us! By faith, we can believe and receive everything He has provided. Join us everyday by beholding Jesus! Your spiritual eyes will see more clearly what He has done for you! Your faith will flourish too! Follow us on Facebook and twitter, and log on to the www.2020focus.org website to see videos and listen to podcasts. We believe your heart will be blessed immeasurably as you see Jesus more clearly! When we see Jesus clearly, and understand what He has done for us at the cross, we can appraise the value of His love for us in a greater way.
Since 1984, after years of teaching, preaching, and planting multiple Missions Campuses around the globe, Keith and Heidi are still enthused about their assignment to impart the grace of God in an even greater way in the hearts of men and women around the world, and see hearts encouraged and united in faith.
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BlOG POSTS Daily devotional postings which focus exclusively on Jesus and His finished work on the cross.
PODCAST Audio teaching podcasts from Keith and Joshua Hershey
WEEKlY VIDEOS A weekly TV program – beholding Jesus and seeing clearing His full sufficiency for our lives.
ARTIClES Written articles focusing on the work of Jesus Christ, and teachings that unveil the beauty of Who He is, and What He has done!
lIVE EVENTS To help encourage others to behold the Lamb of God - and see clearly what He has done for us!
SPECIAl GuESTS Partner pastors and leaders imparting God’s love and the finished work of Jesus.
JOIN US
Our missions assignment has always been to impart charisma -the finished work of Jesus! Romans 1:11-12 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. We would like to invite you to be a missions partner with us through our “20/20-I can See Clearly Now” campaign. We are asking people to partner financially with us by donating $20.20 a month. This can be done with a debit or credit card. Each month you will be receipted for your generosity, and you will also receive a personal email with the months latest ministry video update as well as a full-length teaching podcast to help you “Behold Jesus” more!
These teachings will not just be accessible on websites, Your support, also will help podcasts and TV prosustain all the mission The 20/20 gramming, but will outreaches – in our six also be the anchor program is a teachings for all simple way you can international campuses around the our mission enhelp reach the world! deavors, confernations and point ences and people to Christ! Thank you for joining leadership events us on this journey. around the world! Together, as we join our faith, we can change our world! www.2020focus.org Facebook.com/keithhershey Twitter/com/keithhershey
WWW.MuTuAlFAITh.ORG
1-800-367-8887
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INT’L CAMPUSES Imparting God’s love, favor and ability
lebanon 700 people fill the Life Center auditorium for Kingdom Fiesta. A three day event that is telecast live via sattelite throughout the Middle East.
Philippines Scores of village children are reached weekly with the Gospel and feeding programs as part of the regular Mutual Faith ministry outreach.
Guatemala The 34 kids at the Life Home campus love to recieve gifts of clothes and toys. They are being raised in a loving environment and recieving God’s love.
Costa Rica
Ghana
Nigeria
Over 1000 students in the Life Leadership Institute. Annual graduations take place with Don Korach director of Latin America outreach for Mutual Faith.
Young ladies restored from the effects of Trokosi slavery. They are trained in a trade and are given money to help them with a fresh start in life.
Evangelism and training offered throughout the nation of Nigeria, Africa. Many are being trained in the Bible schools to give life away.
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THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT GENERAL SANTOS CITY, PHILIPPINES by: Justin Hershey
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his fall I was blessed to join my father and visit our team in General Santos City, Philippines. Between the four flights and layovers, the trip took over thirtyfive hours of travel from my home in Los Angeles to reach the southern tip of the island of Mindanao. It is here we have our Mutual Faith Mission Center and our twentyfour hour MFM Cable TV Channel. Talk about reaching the corners of the earth! The islands of the Philippines are
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very diverse in geography and topography. The area where our team ministers is a mixture of farmlands, forests, and beautiful clear water beaches. Our Mission Center itself is located just below an inactive volcano. For the past decade we have managed the Mutual Faith TV Channel; broadcasting the love of Christ from many of our partner churches here in the states, as well as indigenous Filipino programming produced onsite at our studio in the Mission Center.
As of now, we are the only Christian programming available on cable networks in the region. Since the channel has grown and expanded to more areas, we have been able to plant churches with alumni from our Life Leadership Institute Bible schools as pastors and elders. Although the television ministry is a big part of what our team does, they do so much more. Mutual Faith Ministries has continued to work in the Philippines for over twenty years now and has
Mutual Faith; Philippines outreach. been blessed to have as our directors, the husband and wife team of Johnny and Josephine DeVila. Their desire to reach the unloved with the love of Christ is infectious. Josephine is constantly traveling to different villages each day holding Bible studies and literacy programs, teaching children and adults how to read and write. This not only benefits people in their walk with the Lord but also helps them keep up with the local government and vote in elections. In addition to leading the Mutual Faith team, Johnny pastors a local church, which meets on the Mission Center Campus. The Church has become a huge part of the outreach team for Mutual Faith, that serves people living in villages throughout the area. This past year we were given a parcel of land adjacent to our property and are now putting together the primary plans together for an orphanage! The need in this region is so great as there are many children on the street without families or hope. The twostory structure will be a home for up to forty children. Our team is excited to bring a future to these kids and show them the love of Jesus. In addition to the orphanage project, we hope to buy an additional piece of land on which to construct a school. From the outside looking in these two projects can look very daunting, but we are blessed to be joining our faith with the local believers and our supporters worldwide to make this a reality. In the past few years there has been quite a bit of unrest from Muslim terrorist groups in the area. The first time I visited the city five years ago, the bus depot was bombed the day I left. People are looking for answers and hungry to know the love of Christ. It is because of partners like you that we can tell people all over the world that God loves them completely, and we do to!
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The Mutual Faith TV channel is the only Christian program on cable in the region.
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New land is being acquired to enlarge the exiting campus to build a school.
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Life homes orphanage being built for 40 kids who are in need of being cared for.
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Village programs are equipping believers in their new life in Christ.
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Church planting - 3 campuses with new believers from Mutual Faith TV Channel.
Justin, the oldest son of Keith & Heidi, started working with Mutual Faith Ministries in 2008 after graduating from Hillsong International Leadership College in Sydney, Australia. Since then, he has become the liaison with MFM international offices and manages group mission trips.
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PAID IN FULL BEIRUT LEBANON by Justin Hershey
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ave you ever heard the saying, “being in the right place, at the right time?” Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, one of the main assignments of Mutual Faith has been to bring the “Grace Truth” of Jesus to this Middle East region. As a teenage boy, knowing my parents were traveling to what is thought to be one of the most dangerous regions in the world, it didn’t exactly put my nerves at
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2001
After the events of 9/11, Mutual Faith begins planning for Middle East outreach.
2002
Traveling to Midde East region, Mutual Faith connects with Pastor Said Deeb.
2009
Aquired Middle East Life Center campus in the Nabaa district in the heart of Beirut.
2012
Completed the $900,000 payment of the Middle East Life Center.
ease. But now working with my parents in that region and being a part of the acquisition and remodeling of the Middle East Life Center, it has helped me learn firsthand: that God is working mightily in the Middle East! This is one of the most strategic places to be able to share the love of Christ. The needs in the Middle East are so great. From the civil wars in Syria and Egypt, to constant political unrest in Lebanon and Israel, we have
A present problem Over 180,000 Syrian refugees are in Lebanon, with many seeking help at the Middle East Life Center. It’s been a wide open door to share the love of Jesus Christ!
for a three day celebration. In addition we hold Leadership Training & Evangelism programs to equip the leaders of the future. Our journey these past four years of acquiring and building out the Life Center has been anything but easy, but it has been awesome to see the love of Christ begin to saturate this very influential region. Nothing would have been possible without the generous donations and prayers from partners—like you! Right now we can say that the center is DEBT-FREE, and we are so grateful!
seen a steady stream of refugees pour into Beirut from the surrounding area. Each one of these people has a story, many looking for a new beginning, and many just trying to survive. This summer while ministering with a team from Southern California, I met a lady who had lost her leg and her husband due to civil war. She was filled with so much rage and hate. After talking with a translator, we prayed with the woman and she started to weep. That week, every time the doors of the center were open, she was there, laughing, talking, and wanting to help in any way possible. Another one of my acquaintances these past few years has been a young boy named Muhammad, who was a refugee from Syria. When he first came to Spring of Life, our free school for refugees and under privileged children, he was full of hurt and didn’t want to listen to anyone in authority. But, as the years went on I saw him grow into a respectful young man full of love. Muhammad wasn’t at the center this last year, and had returned to Syria with his family, but I know that the love of Christ will be with him wherever he goes. This is what our team is doing right now in the Middle East, raising up tomorrow’s leaders, and I have to say, they couldn’t be doing a better job. At the Spring of Life School, we have up to 80 children learning three languages, mathematics, and science. They are treated with the love and respect that every child deserves. In addition to the school, we have a free medical clinic onsite that serves the needs of many of the undocumented refugee families that have flooded into the neighborhood. We also have a warehouse in which we are able to give food and clothing to those in need. Throughout the year we host Approximatly 80 children each day recieve education and mentorevents including our largest event, ing, along with a good meal. Most of the children are from Muslim and refugee backgrounds-and they are introduced to the goodKingdom Fiesta, where we bring news of the Gospel. Thanks for praying and helping these kids. together many of the cultural churches throughout the region
SPRING OF lIFE CHILDREN’S SCHOOL
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GHANASLAVE RESCUE Every year ladies are being rescued and restored from Trokosi slavery in West Africa.
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estoration! We all need it at one time or another… And once we find our restoration in Christ, we should look for opportunities to pass it on, and provide others with an environment where they can find hope and help through the finished work of Jesus. In the Volta region of Ghana, West Africa, this is exactly what Ben Nanortey and our Mutual Faith team is doing. Ben reports, “We are grateful to God that we met our targets this year. We were able to graduate twelve girls from our Restoration Center program.” Since building this campus, Mutual Faith has
graduated scores of young ladies who either have been freed from Trokosi slavery, or susceptible to the hideous scheme. God has been so faithful to each of these precious ladies, and they have learned of the Father’s love for them as well as gained an education and skills for an occupation so they can be re-established in their villages and communities. Ben commented, “Our students graduated in December, and they were sent to their home villages. This year they came from 6 villages in 3 regions. It was a time of tears of joy as we laid hands on them praying and releasing them into Gods hands. We trust the Lord that they will continue in the things that they have learned, and to make an impact where ever they go.” The Restoration Center has a staff of four people – Christy, Sarah, Gordon and Pastor Christopher. The team also has a weekend feeding program for village children and mentors them academically as well as in the love of God! The campus is always full of kids learning and playing.
lEARNING AND APPlYING A TRADE Jewelry making is just one of the trades the women learn at the Restoration Center. They also learn sewing and baking. These trades along with the business startup money that is given to them upon graduation enables them to make a living for themselves. The lives of these ladies are blessed abundantly at the Restoration Center.
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GUATEMALA KIDS lIFE hOMES STREET REhABIlITATION Marcelita is the newest child at the Guatemala Life Homes. This is just one of 34 kids who presently lives on our 17-acre campus in Las Flores, Guatemala. This remote village is about an hour outside of Guatemala City. Our joy is to see the lives of these children transformed. Most of the children are either from the streets or HIV infected babies. The government court systems have granted us stewardship over their lives. And what a blessing the 14
AVOCADO GROVES One of the projects of the Life Homes campus is the development of an Avocado grove with 485 certified trees. When in full harvest in another year or two, will be able to be exported all over the world, and provide an indigenous revenue to help sustain all the children at the center. What a blessing God is providing on the property.
Authentic friendship and comraderya few of the treasures the kids learn at the life homes Guatemala .
member Life homes staff does to facilitate a healthy and live-giving environment. In addition to being in a home environment, the children get a top-notch education – at our elementary school on campus – or other private high schools in neighboring towns. Four of the kids who have graduated from high school have gone on to trade school or college. One has even been accepted to study to be a doctor. We are so thankful for each of these precious children and are excited for their futures. God has been faithful with each of these children and it’s a pleasures to see them grow in God’s love for them.
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ACCEPTING THE FATHER’S LOVE “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all of his children because he was the son of his old age. Also, he made him a tunic of many colors” Genesis 37:3
Joseph could have had a tough time accepting his father’s gift. He had done absolutely nothing to earn it. He could have thought that proudly wearing such a beautiful and ornate robe would anger some of his brothers whose hearts were not rooted in love and decided not to wear it. Many people have a hard time accepting gifts with no strings attached. They either want to pay something for it, or they feel obliged to return the favor in the future. Martin Luther put it this way, “If God were willing to sell His grace, we would accept it more quickly and gladly than when He offers it for nothing.” But Joseph did not hesitate to gladly receive and wear the gift of his father. His brothers gave him a very tough time simply because Joseph had accepted his beloved position. One day, while his brothers were out tending the flock, Joseph was asked by his father to go see if all was well with them. After heading out, the Bible goes on to
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say that his brothers, “saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him” (Gen 37:18). They said things like, “Let us now kill him and cast him into some pit and we shall say some wild beast has devoured him” (Gen 37:19). So they “stripped him of his robe—the richly ornamented robe he was wearing—and they took him and threw him into the cistern” (Gen 37:23-24). What an interesting detail in this story! Joseph did not come in just any old robe. Joseph came in the richly ornamented robe of his father’s love! He was not intimidated by what other people thought of his beloved status. The first thing his brothers thought to do, because of their anger towards him, was to strip him of that beloved status. In their hatred and resentment they went for the jugular hoping that Joseph would have an identity crisis and never identify with his father’s love again. A little later they would sell him as a
Joshua Hershey completed his education at Oral Roberts University with a bachelors degree in New Testament and grad studies in Practical Theology.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my God for He has clothed me in the garments of salvation. He has covered me in the robes of righteousness Isaiah 61:19
slave to the Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver. Then they dipped his richly ornamented robe in the blood of a goat, to convince their father that a wild beast had killed Joseph. Similarly, Jesus was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, stripped of His clothes, beaten, scourged, and mocked with a purple robe. Then He had that blood-stained robe ripped from his body, and was forced to carry his own cross to Mount Calvary. Just as Jesus looked in faith to his Father during this trial, so too, Joseph never lost faith in his father or his father’s God. Though his brothers had attacked what they thought was the most meaningful thing to him—the robe of his father’s love and affection; the robe was only a symbol. Joseph had already deeply internalized the love of his earthly father as well as the love of his Heavenly Father. While his brothers may have been able to take away the symbol of their father’s love and affection, they could
In January 2011 Joshua came on board the pastoral staff at Overcomers Church in North Hills California. He also works with Mutual Faith Ministries, an international missions organization that was founded by his parents, Keith & Heidi Hershey. Joshua is the proud husband of Kelsey Hershey and father of Abigail Lynn. He loves reading, writing, the outdoors, travel, family time, historical theology, and sharing the love and grace of God.
not take away what had already found deep roots in Joseph’s own heart. Having the love of the Father anchored in his heart was crucial not just for the life of Joseph, but it is crucial for the life of every child of God. It is essential that we ever possess deep, unshakable roots in the Father’s love toward us. The Apostle Paul said that his prayer and desire for us was that our “roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong” and we would “experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully” (Eph 3:17, 19, NLT).
An excerpt from chapter 2 of Beloved, the newest book by Keith and Johua hershey. To be released soon. NATION MAGAZINE PAGE 13
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People & Events
EXCluSIVE!
KINGDOM FIESTA KIDS GROuP
latin America Tour
Ministering of God’s great love in Managua, Nicaragua
Philippines Thanksgiving
Justin hershey, one of the “judges” during the cultural dances!
Spring Of life students and champions!
VIllAGE ChuRCh OuTREACh Josephine DeVila Philippines outreach ministry.
ica Ghanara,tioAnfr Center.
heidi hershey at the Resto
SlAVE RESCuE GhANA, AFRICA Ben Nanortey presenting diplomas to graduates.
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Learn about God’s complete love for you. Rest your faith in Him and be loved.
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