IN JESUS CHRIST, God came to us as one of us. The Incarnation displays both the height of God’s creation – human beings made in His likeness – and the stunning love of the Word, who came in the likeness of men, humbling Himself to share in the common human experience. Through His perfectly obedient life, death, and resurrection, He won for us the right to become sons and daughters of God. Even now – before He comes again in glory, when every eye shall see Him and every knee shall bow before Him – His kingdom is growing in the hearts of believers around the world.
Earthly kingdoms rise and fall and are replaced by new ones just as temporal, but “of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:7a). Jesus told Pilate, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37b). As we celebrate the birth of our Savior this Christmas season, let us contemplate that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, … and has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19). What an amazing privilege it is to participate with the King of kings in this worldwide ministry of reconciliation!
Ways to be involved in sharing God’s Word:
Idea #1 – Producing Scripture Booklets
Two of WMP’s topical 48-page Scripture booklets – Who Am I That a King Would Die in My Place? and The Amazing Life of Jesus Christ – are perfect reminders of the worth of Christ at this time of year. Booklets like these impact lives as they are distributed in various parts of the world. When a young mother in Burkina Faso gave her heart to Jesus, a Christian worker shared with her “the booklet about Jesus being King.” She went right home and shared the gospel with others. From Ethiopia came this testimony, “From the beginning I was not with Jesus, but one day I saw your booklet, The Amazing Life of Jesus Christ, and read it. My heart was broken to take Jesus as my personal Savior. Now I understand the truth that because of my sin, God sent His only Son to save me. Also I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sin. Your booklet can change me.” God has promised that His Word will accomplish His purpose.
[A gift of $25 will cover the cost of producing 500 topical Scripture booklets in various languages, while an investment of $1,000 will touch 20,000 people with the life-giving Word of God.]
Idea #2 – A Roll of Paper
What good is a high-speed web press without paper? Each 35-inch wide, 1,500-lb. roll is twelve miles of printable potential. That’s enough paper for the inside pages of 85,000 48-page Scripture booklets. One roll costs $1,073. Or help fund a half roll for $536.50 – providing the inside pages for 42,500 Scripture booklets, each containing hundreds of powerful Scripture verses.
Idea #3 – Paper for 4-Color Covers
With the provision of our own six-color press, WMP is dramatically increasing the use of more attractive 4-color covers. One skid of 8,500 flat sheets of 80# cover stock costs $740.52 – enough paper to print 136,000 color covers for the small 48-page topical Scripture booklets or 68,000 color covers for the larger Bible studies.
Idea #4 – Powerful Ink on Paper
Ten pounds of black ink for our web press costs $16.84 and will make the pages of about 51,500 Scripture booklets “come alive” with precious gospel truth. A 450-lb. drum of black ink costs $758 and prints the inside pages of approximately 2,320,000 48-page Scripture booklets. WMP is increasing its use of red, yellow, and blue ink for 4-color covers. A 5-lb. can of color ink costs $23.76; a gift of $1 provides color for 6,100 4-color covers!
Idea #5 – Arabic New Testaments
Across great parts of northern Africa, Islam prevails, yet the Word of God is going into these areas through the vision and diligence of believers who know firsthand the power of God’s Word. Many Muslims have an interest in the New Testament and in the person of Jesus. In Niger, Mali, and Guinea (4% or less Christian), Arabic New Testaments from WMP are used to introduce Jesus as
the Son of God and to present His love and sacrifice for all people.
In Chad, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Burkina-Faso, and Cote I’voire (5-39% Christian) Arabic New Testaments are shared with police, military personnel, school children, and merchants. After discussing with an overseas national the best tool to reach Arab people for Christ, a WMP ministry partner reported, “Printed matter, the Word of God, is the best way to learn about Christianity. In his country 99% of the people have never had a Bible, New Testament, or any other Christian material. They know nothing about Christ. There are millions of people in this situation. The government in his country is not afraid of tanks, planes, or pilots, but is afraid of the black-and-white printed Word of God.”
An Arabic New Testament costs WMP about 89 cents to produce. Think of the entire New Testament – with the story of Jesus, His teachings, the writings of the apostles, and the promise of eternal peace with the end of sin and death – all for 89 cents! Will you provide such a gift to a seeking soul? Or sponsor a box of 26 for a gift of $23.14.
Idea #6 – Salvation Coloring Books
Jesus was “moved with indignation” when His disciples rebuked those who brought young children to Him. Explaining that all must come to Him as a little child, He “took them up in His arms” and blessed them (Mark 10: 14-16). With Scripture verses, text, and pages to color, WMP’s salvation coloring books, He Is Risen! and God Loves You, bring children to the Savior. In many cultures they are shared with parents who hear of Jesus’ love for the first time.
In a service in Zambia where He Is Risen! coloring books were distributed, a witchdoctor was converted. Later he burned his “tools of the trade” – magic charms, a demon stick, and other items. A ministry reaching Chinatown in Toronto, Canada, considers He is Risen! a “powerful God-given tool.” Will you help share the story of Jesus with children in fourteen languages, including (soon) Haitian Kreyol?
[Investing $10 for 54 salvation coloring books -or $100 for 546 – will touch whole families.]
Idea #7 – Minister to Those in Prison
WMP produces Scripture-text Datebooks especially designed for inmates in the U.S. To meet the growing demand for these treasured booklets, WMP will supply 845,000 copies of the 2016 edition to chaplains, inmates, and prison ministries. Many inmates write to tell of the impact of the daily Scripture verses on their lives. In Michigan, an inmate who had initially rejected it as “religious propaganda,” was given a copy by a cell mate. Not wanting to be seen as rejecting a kindness, “I put on a show of reading it. I eventually used it to write down daily plans and deeds. I then started reading the daily Scriptures, and His light opened my eyes. My heart felt a great burden lifted as I opened it to His righteousness. I cannot do this time or my life alone. I need Him to stay with me and support me with His love and forgiveness.”
[You can shine a light in the darkness by supplying 87 inmates with a Scripture-text Datebook for a gift of $10 or minister to 877 inmates year-round by investing $100.]
Idea #8 – Regular Prayer Support
As a ministry founded and dependent on prayer, World Missionary Press craves your intercession! Every petition on our behalf is greatly appreciated, and God has been faithful to honor such offerings with blessings year after year. If you would like to be a part of God’s providence for WMP, please consider signing up to receive our monthly prayer letter, which features a prayer request or praise report and related Scripture for each day of the month. It will be mailed along with the newsletter, or e-mailed if requested.
Idea #9 – Time as a Volunteer
The generosity of volunteers is the bread and butter of WMP’s production. Hundreds come monthly to fill, weigh, and strap boxes on the binderies; stuff envelopes for mailings; or fill small orders. Without volunteers giving their time and energy, production could not continue or increase. Groups of 3-8 people can be scheduled to work for 2-3 hours per month (almost any time of day). Groups of 9-12 people can keep two binderies running! In addition to weekdays and evenings, groups can also volunteer on Saturday mornings and afternoons.
Openings on the “fifth” week of any particular month, when no regular group is scheduled, also need to be filled, and anyone living close enough to our facility can be put on a “call-if-needed” list. If you or your group lives farther away, consider coming to stay for several days. Ask about arranging special overnight events like a “missions marathon” or “midnight madness” (late shift) for youth groups.
Contact our Volunteer Coordinator at (574) 831-2111 (ext. 215) or volunteer@wmpress.org. For more information, including a training video, visit www.wmpress.org and click on “Get Involved”, “Volunteer.”
Idea #10 – Shipping God’s Word to the World
The opportunity to send quantities of Scripture booklets in 40-foot and 20-foot containers to countries around the world has greatly increased the accessibility of WMP literature. It also saves millions of dollars in postage, allowing the production and shipping of more Scripture booklets, Bible study books, coloring books, and New Testaments. The cost savings to ship just one ten-pound box – $1.00 a box instead of $25.00 a box – provides for 480 more 48-page booklets.
Shipping costs vary from country to country. In the coming months we will be shipping a 40-foot container to India for about $2,602. We are also planning a 40-foot container for land-locked Central African Republic, to be shipped at a cost of $14,182. Will you help us ship boxes of God’s powerful Word to India at 62 cents a box rather than $30 a box? Can you help send boxes of Scriptures to Central African Republic for $3.36 a box rather than $36 a box?
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