We welcome Brent Scully, his wife, Heather, and their three daughters to the Gospel Outreach family.

Brent Scully named president of Gospel Outreach

Posted June 6, 2017

COLLEGE PLACE, Wash.—Brent Scully has been named president of Gospel Outreach, a Great Commission organization headquartered in College Place, Wash.

“I’m excited to be part of the team,” Scully says. “Jesus is coming soon. Now is the time to be praying, seeking Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and let Him use us to the fullest extent in reaching others with the gospel message.”

Scully, a Walla Walla businessman, has served for the past two years as executive director for Good Samaritan Ministries, a Walla Walla nonprofit agency that provides counseling for underprivileged families. He serves as an elder at the Village Seventh-day Adventist Church in College Place, where he has been active with youth ministry for many years. He and his family have also traveled to India on mission trips.

Jon Dybdahl, the previous president of Gospel Outreach, resigned in April for health reasons.

“I plan to continue involvement with training and strategy,” Dybdahl says.

“Jon’s background and focus on mission, education and training has been a huge blessing to Gospel Outreach, along with his work in expanding the volunteer office staff. We appreciate his service and dedication,” says Larry Dodds, board chairman. “And we extend our thanks to Brent for accepting this position and for his desire to follow God’s leading in directing our work. We welcome him, his wife, Heather, and their three daughters to the Gospel Outreach family.”

Gospel Outreach is one of few ministries to focus on the 10/40 Window of the world. This area is so named because it’s located between 10 and 40 degrees north latitude. It stretches eastward from North Africa to include the Middle East, India, China and the Philippines, as well as scores of neighboring countries.

Of the world’s unreached 3.1 billion people, 97 percent live in the 10/40 Window, according to the Joshua Project. This makes the 10/40 Window the most important area of the world in fulfilling the Great Commission.

As Paul wrote in Romans 15:20, “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known.”

Gospel Outreach sponsors more than 2,000 indigenous Bible workers in the 10/40 Window. For more information, visit goaim.org or adoptaworker.org.

Anne Wangalachi / Creative Commons

One day a woman said God would destroy the entire world—even Ghana.

Ghana

Animist becomes Gospel Outreach worker

Posted May 29, 2017

Ghana—My family were animists. Since my father was a fetish priest, he taught me how to communicate with the dead and how to evoke or call on the spirits. Jehovah’s Witness people came to our village and told us that God will destroy this world. I left Togo and went to Ghana. I thought, “God is not coming to destroy Ghana, just Togo.”

One day I heard a woman teaching. She said that one day God would destroy the entire world. I was shocked to think that this was going to happen here in Ghana too! When this woman went to church, I followed her and later became an Adventist Christian. I have now been a GO worker for 19 years.

Ram Reddy / Creative Commons

Miracle of the rain

Posted May 29, 2017

India—In a village where I serve as a GO worker, the rainy season should start in June. However, one year no rain came. The farmers had already sown their seeds and were waiting for the rain. Days passed, but the rain did not come. The farmers gathered together and asked me to pray for rain. Other church members accompanied me to the fields where we prayed and fasted for a whole day and night.

The Lord heard our prayers and sent torrents of rain that very night. We praise God and thank Him for the miracle of rain.

VIDEO: Gospel to the boondocks

With guest Fred Webb, Gospel Outreach regional director for the Philippines. Hosted by Dick Duerksen. (28:30)

BBC World Service

Refugee camps are often hopeless places of refuge for those fleeing civil war. Madra has brought good news about Jesus to many who live in the camps.

Saved for God’s army

Posted May 25, 2017

SOUTH SUDAN—Working in countries like Sudan presents many dangers and challenges. A group called the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) comes into villages in countries like Uganda, South Sudan, and the Congo. They abuse and mutilate women and capture men and boys, forcing them to join their army.

Growing up, Madra went to a school operated by a Christian denomination. Here Madra read his Bible and joined in the singing of hymns. Through the influence of his brother, he learned about the Sabbath and was baptized as a Seventh-day Adventist.

“God, these are your people. They don’t know what they are doing. Please provide a way for our escape!”

In 1981, civil war broke out between North and South Sudan so he fled to a refugee camp. In a raid by the LRA, he along with 17 other men and boys were captured. Their hands were bound so that they felt paralyzed. Eventually, the soldiers untied their hands and made each one carry a 110-pound sack of corn all night into the thick of a forest guided only by a flashlight. In the morning, they were allowed to have a 30-minute rest. All through this experience, Madra was earnestly praying. The soldiers searched everyone looking for money. Madra had only his Bible in his pocket, but for some reason, the soldiers didn’t take it. Then they continued their march until late afternoon when they were finally told to rest under a tree.

Madra prayed, “God, these are your people. They don’t know what they are doing. Please provide a way for our escape!” Just then, the commander stepped forward and unexpectedly asked, “Who wants to join the Lord’s Resistance Army?” Madra told him, “We can’t, because we are refugees.” The commander replied, “OK, you can go.” This was an absolute miracle!

Madra helped to bring many people to Jesus in the refugee camp and to plant and build a church. In January 2016, he joined Gospel Outreach as an evangelist.

Kristian Bertel

Grandma brings orphan grandson to Jesus

Posted May 24, 2017

INDIA—Mutyalamma is a Hindu believer. She has been coming to church for the past three months. Our GO worker noticed that she came regularly and asked for her address so that he could visit her. She refused to give her address and left. A few weeks later, however, she wanted to talk to our worker. She waited after the church service and explained why she has been coming to church.

She showed him a small boy and said, “This is my grandson. His parents died recently in an accident. None of the Hindu gods saved them. I believe Jesus is the only One who can help his life.” Our GO worker prayed for her and invited her to come to church every week. Please remember Mutyalamma and her grandson in your prayers.

Ramdingi and Dambar use their well-worn picture roll to teach more people about Jesus.

The traveling picture roll

Posted May 24, 2017

NEPAL—Dambar could not find work in Nepal, so he traveled to the northeastern part of India. Not only did he find work there, he also found an amazing Adventist Christian lady, Ramdingi, who impressed him with her sweet Christian manner. She invited him to church where he found others who studied the Bible. Ramdingi brought out her Bible picture roll, and the simple picture stories about Jesus made a powerful impression on Dambar. He fell in love with Jesus and also with Ramdingi. Following his baptism, Dambar and Ramdingi later married.

Growing concerned about his parents back in Nepal, they decided to return to Dambar’s home. Should Ramdingi bring her old picture roll that had been damaged by termites? They decided “Yes,” because the picture roll had been such a help in explaining the Adventist message to Dambar.

Dambar now serves as a Gospel Outreach worker in eastern Nepal and continues to use the picture roll. Most of the interests he works with cannot read, so the picture roll is a valuable teaching tool. People love stories and can grasp the main points easily. The picture roll has come full circle. It was the means by which Dambar first learned of Jesus, and now he is able to use it to share with his Nepali neighbors the stories of the One who gives us new life.