Open publication - January 2012

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Still Offering Hope in Russia

   The Soviet Union (USSR) came to a formal end on Christmas Day, 1991. By then World Missionary Press had already begun printing large quantities of five Scripture booklet titles already available in Russian. Production increased by 26 percent in one year, as WMP shipped container-loads of God's Word to ministries working in newly-independent states.

   In the 20 years since that exciting time, one of our networking partners has become our main contact in Russia, the largest country in the world by area. Over the years Alex B. in Moscow has provided faithful oversight over millions of Scripture booklets and Bible study booklets, prayerfully distributed by networks of believers throughout Russia's 140 million population.

   In spite of the difficulties encountered in this powerful nation, Alex and his team of co-workers persistently share the gospel message through the printed Word of God. Alex writes:

   The literature of WMP is the main literature we distribute now. In previous years we were able to use different booklets from other Missions, but they don't print in big quantities anymore, and your literature is the only source now that provides us with the necessary amount of printed Word.

   You are now our only Mission, our hope, who prints for us,  helps us to receive it, and prays for distribution of this literature. We are very glad to have such partners in you. We praise the Lord for you!

   We still have about 25,000 of your booklets in storage. It will be enough for the next 3-4 months. We don't know yet what we will do after that. We don't lose faith and hope that the answer to our prayers will be you and your support for us.

   Yesterday I sent two cargo trucks 1,000 km and 4,000 km from Moscow: 300 kg of WMP booklets went to Bashkiria and Siberia, where the people have need for such simple and easy-to-understand booklets that clearly explain the love of God for men. About 90 percent of churches in Russia are using the booklets. Isn't it a joy when you know that the fruit of your hands is used by almost all Protestants in Russia!

   A container shipment is planned for ministry in Russia: 70 percent of the boxes will be 48-page Scripture booklets in Russian The Way to God, How to Know God, and Help From Above. The balance will include WMP's Bible studies on John, Genesis, and Revelation as well as Gospels of Luke. 

   [You can impact Russia. Every donated dollar provides 20-25 people with a 48-page booklet full of God's powerful Word OR will help 5-7 Russian believers grow in Christ through an 80- to 112-page personal Bible study.]

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Message from WMP president, Jay Benson

Vision for the Future

I envision exciting growth of the worldwide ministry of World Missionary Press during these tumultuous times. The need is great! The need is now!

I have been claiming this (moderately edited) prayer of Jabez from 1 Chronicles 4:10:

"Oh, that You would bless World Missionary Press indeed,

and enlarge our territory,

that Your hand would be with us,

and that You would keep us from evil,

that we would not cause pain."

God has provided (a) facility, (b) equipment, (c) talented and dedicated staff, (d) a strong volunteer support team, and (e) ample open doors of opportunity to motivate and justify our growing to print 7,000,000, 8,000,000, 9,000,000 booklet equivalency every month!

I earnestly desire to reach that level.

It is frustrating and tragic to be producing less than we are capable of.

The major determining factor for increasing production is an increased level of income, along with increased prayer support and an increased level of believing God.

Vision for Greater Friend Involvement

God has gathered you - friends and supporters of World Missionary Press - people who bring together significant networking opportunity with your friends and business associates, with people who love the Lord and the Word of God and who can be motivated to develop a heart for sharing that Word with millions around the world who have none of God's Word.

I envision an enlivened and empowered team of friends actively sharing with others the amazing opportunities that God sets before us to offer spiritually starving people the Bread of Life, praying earnestly for World Missionary Press, soliciting others to pray, giving as you are able, and challenging others to invest in this truly significant cause.

I envision our working together as a faith-filled team, trusting God for greater things than ever before in the 50-year history of World Missionary Press. I believe He wants us to help flood the world with the Word of God while doors are open and responsiveness is exhilarating. I believe He intends for us to keep working, to keep growing, to continue shipping containers filled with His powerful Word until He returns.

Today is a Good Day to Move Ahead

I envision moving ahead with these enlivened efforts. I know that we each have a heart and motivation to get a grip on this deeply important activity. I encourage you to search your own heart as to what you can bring to the cause, and in what ways you would be willing to make the work known and to help us move forward steadily. The need is great. The need is now.

Volunteer national coordinators who can literally use millions of Scripture booklets for networks of distributors in their countries are waiting for us to provide a new supply of spiritual ammunition for the life-and-death warfare raging about them.

How eternally important it is for this God-inspired, God-enabled, God-guided ministry to do everything we possibly can to run our big printing press for longer hours, to keep our binderies going for more hours six days per week, to schedule loading a steady stream of containers for delivery to distributors around the world who are waiting for ministry tools!

I challenge you, I plead with you, to bring your best game to your involvement with World Missionary Press. There is no greater cause than to share God's life-giving Word with men, women, boys, and girls who are headed for an eternity in hell, separated from God who loves them.

There is nothing more significant that you can do with your life than to help others find HOPE, PEACE, and JOY in a personal eternal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.

May TODAY be the first day of moving steadily, purposefully, to a significantly higher level of World Missionary Press impact on the world for the glory of God!

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Mozambique: "The Word of God Is So Rare"

   Dynamic missionary Tanneken Fros emailed from Mozambique: "We are so privileged to be the hands, the feet, the mouths for Jesus as we distribute the Word of God through WMP Scripture booklets, through evangelism, and through caring for the orphans, the widows, the very poor. 

   "What is beautiful is to see how our Mozambiquen brethren are growing spiritually. I am especially thankful for Pastor R's leadership in the church, in wisdom and counsel to many, . . .  in how he witnesses to the government, and his wisdom in distribution of the WMP Scripture booklets. Its a privilege to work with him and the pastors as they come from so many areas to receive the booklets for distribution in their districts.

  "I told Pastor R. the good news of the possibility of receiving the great blessing of How to Know God as an emergency shipment. We thank WMPress so much for this gift. We are glad that Pastor A. also can receive part of this [shipment] for the Every Home for Christ ministry. It is such a blessing to see pastors from many different churches come to eagerly receive their boxes of Scripture booklets. . . .  It is such a gift, especially in a nation where the Word of God is still so rare. [Very few Mozambiquen believers have a Bible.] People grab for booklets, not wanting to be left out."

   [You can minister in Mozambique with Portuguese Scripture booklets. Every donated dollar can reach 20-25 people! A gift of $100 will touch up to 2,500 lives; an investment of $1,000 will impact up to 25,000 people with the printed Word of God.]

The Power of a Penny by an involved donor

   I don't remember how many years ago it was when I first learned about World Missionary Press. To be able to share the love of Jesus and His gift of eternal life in other countries for 4 cents per person (25 people for $1.00) seemed absolutely incredible. WOW!! And so began an amazing adventure that continues, and surprises, in wonderful ways. When I told others about how I was saving pennies, they started saving pennies.

   I visit a daughter in another state once a year. We'd spend a special day, pouring out on the dining table the pennies and other coins she and her family had saved over the previous twelve months. Soon a friend of my daughters started to save her (and her family's) coins! We'd sit and count coins, wrap them, then take them to a bank, make the deposit, write a check to World Missionary Press, and mail it off.

   One year my daughters friend brought in a gallon jar almost full of pennies! The story? The Lord had told this friend to start saving her pennies. The friend obeyed, and for several years she had been putting the coins in a jar, not knowing why she was supposed to save them. When she heard about our endeavor, she said, "That must be what the pennies are supposed to be used for!" Souls will be in heaven because of this dear woman's simple, consistent obedience.

   My mother had an old car, where she kept the odds and ends people left behind in the empty rental houses/apartments she cleaned. When the car went kaput, she gave it away without removing the conglomeration. A week or so went by, and the man shed given the car to knocked on the door. He said he'd cleaned out the car, thrown most of the stuff away, but was bringing something he'd found that he thought Mother would like to have. It was a lovely little glass tray, with a cup in it full of pennies! I asked my mother if I could have the pennies, and she said Yes. (She didn't remember where shed found the coins, or when.) My cup runneth over.   Because of the mans honesty and my mothers generosity, souls will be in heaven.

   When I became a member of a church, I went to a board meeting, explained what World Missionary Press does, and asked if I could start a ministry for WMP with no expense to the church. I would set a plastic see-through water pitcher on a folding TV tray by the front door every Sunday. A teenager made a lovely poster about World Missionary Press to set up next to the pitcher, and every month I'd pick a different country we'd designate our coins for WMP's work. Pennies? Yes, and more! One Sunday, someone put two Kennedy half-dollars in. A friend of mine saw them and excitedly offered me $2.00 each! I took it. More souls reached with the good news of Jesus Christ!

   One Sunday, I put up a card designating Poland. One of the ladies came over and said with tears in her eyes, "Thank you for choosing Poland this month! My family came from there."

   Then there was the time I found a quarter, dime, nickel, and pennyall at the same time! They were laying on the floor of a fast food restaurant. Because of the early hour, the custodian hadnt come in to clean yet. Praise the Lord for the 41 cents!

   Anytime I find even a penny on the floor of a store, or on the ground, sidewalk, etc., I'm thrilled. Those little coins have eternal value! I put all my coins in a special container, and when it is full, I deposit them in the bank and send a check to WMP.

   Sometimes, the Lord surprises me in other ways too. A friend who leads a small Bible study for women saved coins, and once in awhile she'd send me a check for the total amount. A granddaughter whose boyfriend saved quarters decided he'd put them to good use, and so I received a check for over $50!

   A daughter and family rented a house with a fish pond in the backyard. A couple of fish had survived, but the water looked pretty dirty. One day my daughter cleaned out the pond. There were some pennies in the bottom! She gave them to me.

   One reason these events are so exciting is because the Lord Jesus reveals His plans for these coins in His timing. In the newsletters WMP sends are testimonies of people who've been saved or encouraged. WOW! I've sent a regular monthly check to World Missionary Press for years. Good soil to sow seeds in, and a great harvest is being reaped. Thank you, World Missionary Press, for your obedience and love for souls!            Claudine P., Oregon

   [NOTE: It is not unusual for those who receive Christ through a Scripture booklet in their own language to share it with family and friends who, in turn, become followers of Jesus. Sometimes a new church is planted as a result. Praise God for His powerful Word!]

   Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Ephesians 3:20