| Front Line News August 2010 |
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FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS Several weeks ago I received several emails with a desperate tone to them. The author of one was trying to confirm if I had disappeared without a trace and was probably no longer alive. The second person had heard that I had abandoned the faith, taken all the money and fled the country. In another, a friend wondered if silence meant that things were going badly and the work was dying. I recognize that periods of silence could be a fertile breeding ground for rumors, and for that I must apologize. Yet I am happy to state that none of the above scenarios in any way reflect reality. Even if it means short reports on our GMI webpage blog, I will try to be more regular in keeping in touch. My Twitter name is “Gospelministry” if you want to sign up for short updates and spiritual thoughts. TIGHTEN YOUR SEATBELTS When an organization adopts a corporate culture of this type, it should not be surprising to see how difficult economic times actually fuels growth. Just like any other organization, finances have been getting tighter resulting in everyone learning to live with less and sacrificing more. Yet, we have had record numbers of volunteers, of all skills and professions, applying for mission service positions (www.gmivolunteers.org). The dark storm of financial collapse is straight before us and will burst sooner than we think… with it will come hundreds, maybe thousands of volunteer applicants. Among them I expect a large group of unemployed pastors who have long waited for an opportunity to voluntarily serve anywhere they are needed. Volunteers, prepare your minds and households for leaving all behind. Volunteer-based organizations, organize yourselves for the tsunami of applicants you will soon have. Though times are going to get more difficult, God promises to provide for our basic needs. When lack of finances seems to indicate total collapse, start thanking God for his many evidences and blessings, keep your eyes on Him, and allow your spiritual muscles to grow. No pain…no gain. AVIATION FLIGHT SCHOOLS TELEVISION/RADIO MEDIA NETWORKS After the birth of our ADvenir Spanish TV network nearly eight years ago, the media work grew to include 11 other separate networks in different languages. All 12 were on five satellite covering the about 99% of the globe. If anyone believed an economic crisis was on the way, I did. But that knowledge didn’t stop us from expanding for we knew that we were in the center of God’s will and would accept going forward or holding as He willed. As it turned out, God did allow eight of our networks, which were under a single contract, to go off the satellite. On these we continued to broadcast on our TV channels locally and/or on Internet until once again God would restore our global visibility. The delay has been painful, but not as much as when we waited for 18 months to pay the $1.5 million debt on the network purchase. We have learned to trust more through that. God came through then on the last day and everyone knew that God had acted. Will He come through again? Of course He will! But what do we do meanwhile? “When God opens the way for the accomplishment of a certain work, and gives assurance of success, the chosen instrumentality must do all in his power to bring about the promised result.” ChS 262. In order to do our part, our GMI board voted to place our Twin Comanche, one of our two primary international aircraft, on the market in order to generate sufficient funds to go back on satellite again. The sacrifice must begin at home. Should God chose to provide the funds without having to sell the plane, we wish to place the aircraft in the South Pacific for the purpose of opening up the islands of the Guam Mission with the news of Jesus’ soon coming. The plane belongs to God and He will decide what to do with it. We thank God for our other television networks that are faithfully broadcasting on a local scale in Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela, Grenada, Martinique, the Philippines, Africa and India. And in Europe we have our Light Channel networks expanding production and broadcasting in Romanian, Hungarian and German. Progress is still happening on soon-to-be-born networks in Dutch, Italian and Swahili. Can we be anything but thankful? SPEAKING INVITATIONS In 2010 I accepted less than half of my invitations. Even if I spoke 52 weekends a year I still would not have kept up because every appointment generates several invitations more. One never catches up. I have been asking God for wisdom to handle these invitations as the mission responsibilities around the world have also increased, and I am not getting younger. The result has been that in 2011, I will try to focus on more video recordings which can be distributed by DVDs and broadcast on television. This will allow me to bring balance back into my work and family life, while providing materials which can be freely distributed and used for friends and church congregations. Upcoming appointments include: Keep your eyes on our web page (www.gospelministry.org). We are uploading new audio and video sermons which we have recorded during the last several weeks. They will confirm your faith and help you prepare for coming events. Our God is in control, and we must trust Him no matter what. But that kind of trust comes through learning to be totally dependent day-to-day on Him. We MUST have experience (oil in our lamps) if we will be ready for His soon coming. May God bless you richly. From the front lines, Uncle David Gates TV NETWORKS |
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