DECEMBER 2019
LFTL.AG.ORG | MEN.AG.ORG
Light for the Lost provides evangelistic resources for missionaries and missionary partners through five platforms: print, audio, video, internet, and technologies.
RESCUE, RESTORATION FOR SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Words
FROM RICK
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would like to thank you for faithfully praying for Light for the Lost and including this ministry in your monthly missions giving.
You are part of the core of Light for the Lost. We hope you and your family have a BLESSED Christmas and New Year’s!
We on the National LFTL team pray for those of you who have given faithfully even while engaged in serious physical or spiritual battles this year; and we rejoice with those who have seen God’s miraculous hand at work.
Here’s a quick look at this December’s 360 Spotlight. Page 2-3 describes an urgent missions initiative that needs immediate attention. Thousands of women across Europe are being sex-trafficked against their will.
LFTL is providing some unique and innovative evangelism tools to reach these women and girls with the gospel. We’re asking you to consider a year-end gift towards this missions opportunity. Remember to have your offerings post-marked by the December 31 deadline to receive 2019 giving credit. This issue also contains an article from Men’s Ministries about men and gift giving, info about National LFTL Day next month, and a special Christmas message from our team. Once again, thank you for resourcing missionaries with evangelism tools worldwide and in the United States. Merry Christmas! Rick Allen National Director Men’s Ministries/LFTL
SHARING CHRIST, RESCUING WOME
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ast year I traveled to Spain to observe Project Rescue in action as they help rescue, restore, and care for survivors of human trafficking. I met several rescued women in a safe home and heard their miraculous stories. But then I was taken to the streets, where I met women who are still being trafficked. All of them are victims of kidnap, horrific abuse, and oppression by spiritual darkness. We gave each woman we met a gift bag containing some unique evangelism tools.
Bible in the safe homes, and every evangelism tool possible to reach these girls!
“LFTL WILL HELP PROVIDE EVERY… EVANGELISM TOOL POSSIBLE TO REACH THESE GIRLS!” Cost isn’t an issue. If it were my daughter or yours on a dark street, dreaming of rescue, looking for hope, needing Jesus, we’d give anything to help her. Thousands of women and girls are within our reach in Europe. So we need help providing thousands of gift bag items, Bibles, and other evangelism tools.
These gift bags contain secret items designed to help women find rescue and freedom.
First, to communicate the message of the Savior who is “a Father to the fatherless,” and wants her to experience restoration and redemption. Second, to provide a means for a trafficked woman to get to safety. Each bag contains several items that help start the rescue process. We’re keeping the details secret so traffickers will not find out. After that trip, I determined that LFTL will help provide every gift bag item, every
A trafficked woman waiting for customers.
Every gift bag item costs about $5. Some gift bags contain as many as 20 items, and, in many cases, reach the hands of numerous girls. This is a spiritual RESCUE OPERATION. These girls need Jesus, and they need our help!
EN LOST IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING I urge you this month, as you include LFTL in your year-end giving, designate a special offering for this project by marking the “360 Spotlight Featured Project” box on the enclosed response form. You can also give online at lftl.ag.org/giving. Select LFTL Project List and keyword search LFTL-Project Rescue. Every $5 we give helps provide a potentially life-changing gift for a trafficked
woman in Europe, and can even help bring about her rescue day. You can give a gift that provides one, five, or 10, 20 gift bag items or more. Each gift is used for evangelism purposes.
“EVERY GIFT BAG ITEM COSTS ABOUT $5.” Thank you for joining LFTL and Project Rescue in launching a spiritual rescue operation in Europe. Rick Allen National Director Men’s Ministries/LFTL
One of the women rescued because of a simple gift bag.
SEE AN ACTUAL RESCUE OPERATION TAKE PLACE! Watch the Celebrate the Light video about one trafficked girl who was rescued because of a simple gift bag! Go to lftl.ag.org/en/Celebrate-theLight/Video-Library and watch the SPAIN video. Or scan this QR code:
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ast Christmas, I picked out a LEGO set for my seven-year-old son. I knew he’d love it. After all, he’d asked for LEGOS. The look on his little face when he opened it brought me incredible joy. It still does. Getting good gifts for my son has never been hard. I’ve ALWAYS known what gift would make him happiest. How is that? Because he’s never failed to ASK!
What are the kinds of gifts that a man can give to his family? This month, we encourage you to read that verse, think on it, and then ask God what good gifts He wants to give your family through you. My dad taught me the value of earnestly asking God for good things. When I lay in bed at night and listened to Dad pray in the next room, he often asked God for help with Mom or one of us kids. He recognized his need for God’s help in shepherding the family. What good things can you give to your wife or children, with God’s help? Maybe they’ve been making it easy (like my son always has). Maybe they’ve been asking.
My son, Omar, with his prized LEGO set.
Some men often feel like good gift giving is not a talent they possess. But our Heavenly Father is an incredible gift giver, and He can help us learn how to give good things to our families. Matthew 7:11, “If you then who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
Whether it’s more quality time, extra affection, a listening ear, patience, service, or something else, take their asking to heart. Your heavenly Father knows how to give good gifts to His children. Ask Him how He wants to reflect that truth in your family through you. Dan Kersten is Director of Communications and Development for LFTL and MM. He was a ‘missions journalist’ from 2004 to 2018, during which time he wrote and directed LFTL’s Celebrate the Light. Email Dan at dkersten@ag.org or call 417.862.2781 ext. 4174. He would love to hear from you.
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very year we see the hand of God working through you, as you give to resource our missionaries with evangelism tools they use to share the gospel everywhere. Your prayers and giving make the difference! There are thousands of stories we could tell. Here are just three. This year you made the difference for 82-year-old Ambutai, a former Hindu in southern India. Ambutai worshipped the elephant god Ganesh her whole life until LFTL introduced her to Jesus. This month she celebrates Christmas as a follower of Jesus. You made the difference for Maria, a mother of five in Dominican Republic. LFTL partnered with a clean water initiative in her village. Clean water filters were provided, and with them came Bibles and
Ambutai: India
evangelistic items funded by LFTL. Along with clean water, the missionaries gave her news about the Living Water! You also made the difference for David, a five-year-old boy in a rural village in Romania. LFTL funds provided David with his first Bible, a Children’s FireBible in his heart language. The National LFTL Team is grateful for your partnership in missions. But our gratitude pales in comparison to the gratitude of those whose lives have been radically changed by Jesus. On their behalf we bless you and say thank you. Have an incredible Christmas and New Year’s celebration! Rick, Jimmy, Dan, Melanie, Casey and Cynthia
Maria: Dominican Republic
David: Romania
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To receive a digital version of the LFTL© 360 Spotlight, sign up at lftl.ag.org or email request to lftl@ag.org. 360 Spotlight is the official voice of Light for the Lost, an evangelism missions focus of the Assemblies of God. National Light for the Lost Director: Rick Allen; LFTL Advisory Committee; Designer: Josh Thomassen. LFTL may be reached at 1445 N. Boonville Avenue, Springfield, MO 65802. Please feel free to visit our website: lftl.ag.org or send us an email at: lftl@ag.org. If you are a missionary or missions partner that utilizes Light for the Lost funds and would like to send us your story, please email us at lftl@ag.org.
© 2019 by Gospel Publishing House, 1445 N. Boonville Ave., Springfield, MO 65802. All rights reserved.