Good News

I recently attended the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville, TN. It included encouraging reports from internationally significant speakers who understand the Gospel and its stupendous spiritual impact of global outreach.

Among the speakers was Jay Sekulow, founder of the American Center for Law and Justice. Sekulow recounted victorious legal proceedings in which he has had a part. Years ago, he argued before the Supreme Court in protecting the rights of Jews For Jesus to freely distribute gospel literature in public places. He also argued before the International Court at the Hague in securing the safety and departure from Gaza of the family of a Christian bookstore operator who had been assassinated for operating that bookstore.

Sekulow also told about a number of cases he is currently involved with including opposition of the mosque at Ground Zero, litigation that could end Planned Parenthood, fighting for crisis pregnancy centers, and countering the dangers of “Obamacare.” He has also trained lawyers who are involved in the formation of the new nation of South Sudan. It was encouraging to know that there are people like those at the American Center for Law and Justice and other Christian legal aid organizations who are representing the cause of evangelical Christians and conservative values.

At the International Luncheon, broadcaster Paulus Wiratno told about his radio ministry in his home country of Indonesia where his ministry operates 40 FM stations, some in very dangerous places, reaching a potential audience of 46 million people. He estimates that one person is saved every day through each station’s broadcasts. He is striving to start up hundreds more stations because the time is short but the “door is wide open.” Through the outreach of radio, he has been able to plant 257 churches, and he is hoping for increased numbers of workers to plant at least 500 more.

Wiratno recounted other victories taking place in this “closed” country where Christians experience persecution and hardship. Abandoned infants are being rescued, radios are being given out in prison, and people are asking for more radio outreach. A Muslim imam even asked permission to use Wiratno’s daily broadcast of Scriptures from the Psalms and Proverbs.

Well known Christian apologist and evangelist Ravi Zacharias preached a moving message, which he closed by calling for Christian rededication. He also announced that he had recently seen 3,000 come to Christ in Egypt about the time the tragic unrest began.

The good news of Christian missions is that Christ is building His church through the good news of the Gospel. In all the overload of dreadful and unsettling current news flashes, Christian believers need healthy encouragement that all is not lost and, in fact, so much is being gained.

Let us never forget that the Gospel is, by definition, a “good message,” or, as we say, Good News. Even in the Apostle Paul’s pagan-influenced days of extreme problems and pressures, he wrote, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

An additional encouragement regarding evangelism outreach bringing many to Christ is the wondrous expectation of Christ’s return for His completed church. At the conclusion of that vital first church council in Jerusalem, James noted that God was first “calling out a people for His Name” and that after this Christ would return (Acts 14:14–16).

With all this good news, the time of His coming appears to be very soon.

Dave Virkler