Announcing the launch of Reconciled World

We are so excited for our friends in Asia to officially launch their new organization called Reconciled World!

God is doing astounding, community-transforming work through these people whose mission is to apply Biblical Truth to brokenness in all areas of life.

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By understanding and applying Biblical Truth in a variety of contexts, Reconciled World tackles some of the most pressing issues of our day:

• Ashish Centre for the Differently Abled (India): Helping others see the blessing and potential of children with special needs
• Ending Gendercide (India): Building a movement to see the end of gendercide
• Skills and Discipleship Center (Southeast Asia): Training youth to be future leaders
• The Create Commission (India): Creating art to give a voice to the marginalized
• Truth-Centered Transformation (Southeast Asia): Equipping rural churches to move their communities out of poverty

While each of these programs already has been operating for years, they now will be united under the umbrella organization Reconciled World. Click here to learn more about these programs. In past blog posts, we have shared some exciting stories from these partners here, here and here; click here to read many more.

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Story: The Drunken Pastor

History with the DNA

The founder of Reconciled World (a current member of the DNA’s board of directors) attended a Vision Conference in 1999 where she encountered a new set of Biblically grounded ideas on poverty. Some of the key DNA messages about the local church and the impact of a biblical worldview on poverty became embedded in her mind, and she spent the next four years researching them through Scripture. In 2003, she began to test these ideas with local churches, and the response was “like an out-of-control fire.” Church leaders were thirsty for this training was transforming people’s lives.

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Over the years, walking by faith and listening to God’s direction, the Truth-Centered Transformation movement grew and, today, more than 1,000 churches in Southeast Asia have been trained to apply Biblical Truth to their communities. To learn details on this model, click here.

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From the founder: “Reconciled World (RW) leaders are great fans of the DNA teachings. Formerly part of Food for the Hungry, almost all the partners and program leaders of RW would point to studying the DNA ideas as a turning point in their ministry. As an organization, our focus is the application of these ideas.”

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Learn more by visiting reconciledworld.org.

Sustainable, amazing community transformation in Southeast Asia

One of the DNA’s seven core truths is that the ministry of the church must be wholistic. God is the Lord over all, and his sacrifice on the cross is meant to reconcile all things to himself (Col. 1:19-20). Just as Christ in his ministry addressed physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs, so must the church. The DNA exists to help local churches recognize and live out this calling.

In Southeast Asia, God is transforming individuals, families and whole communities through local believers applying biblical truth to their everyday lives. The results are stunning and long-lasting; this truly is transformation that only God could do. Here is one such report from our friends at Reconciled World, who closely worked with 30 churches in a certain rural area and returned to the region two years later to see the results.

While we have always believed that what God has started in these areas will continue, we didn’t have experience of what would happen. We were amazed to discover how much the areas have changed. Today, more than 95 percent of houses are made of concrete, whereas when we started, 95 percent were made of mud.

The community has made incredible strides in education. Only a few years ago, no one here continued school past grade nine. But during our visit, a pastor showed us a list of all the students from the area now attending university. Fifteen students (10 from the churches we worked with)  were granted scholarships by the government–a prize typically awarded to students in urban areas where there are better teachers. This is an astonishing accomplishment!

The groups were continuing to build roads opening up even more farm area. One pastor was acting as a buyer for most people in the area ensuring that everyone got fair prices. The communities were now investing in machinery to process their crops, further increasing their income.

Perhaps most startling was the news that six families now have cars! Cars are extremely expensive in this country. This is an incredible step up in a place where, only seven years ago, bicycles were considered a luxury. Families are using their vehicles to meet the community’s needs like transporting sick or injured people to the hospital.

God never ceases to amaze us with his ability to transform hearts and minds. May he receive all the glory for this wonderful work!

To learn more Reconciled World’s ideas, approach and programs, visit www.reconciledworld.org. Read more of their stories of transformation here!

On holy ground: A night when God’s power filled the room

God is at work all the time, everywhere, day and night. Many of his efforts go unnoticed (which is not to say they’re insignificant). But sometimes, he moves so mightily that it commands awe from every witness–his power fills the room like a thick smoke you can’t ignore.

So it was one evening in May when DNA co-founder Darrow Miller fulfilled an invitation to speak to a group of 100 people in Spain. This was a gathering of Youth with a Mission (YWAM) colleagues from 21 countries, and “the whole place just came unglued,” says Darrow.

His topic that night was “Sexism and the Spirit of Baal,” which explored the spiritual root of sexist culture in pagan, animistic religion. Baal worship led the Israelites to define husband as “owner-master.” This stands in contrast to God who is the loving, self-sacrificing husband (Ishi in Hebrew). He also taught “The Coming of the Bridegroom,” explaining how Christ treated women with dignity and respect. Jesus was the “true feminist,” breaking the mold of sexist culture in his own day.

These biblical revelations–of God’s nature as husband to Israel and Christ’s nature as husband to the Church–penetrated many hearts, one of whom was Mikel, a Spanish pastor who then publicly declared how the Spirit of God was moving him to do something he’d never done before.

Here is Pastor Mikel’s testimony:

From the first day, I was very impacted by all that I was hearing regarding the dignity of the woman. I was being confronted personally, to the point of being challenged by God. Then I said to myself, I have to do something!

The next day, I was once again touched by the theme of the dignity of women and everything in my mind was revolving around this. That night, Darrow shared about the character of Ishi and, when the meeting ended, something arose strongly in my heart. I had to ask forgiveness to all women, especially those in Spain!

God showed me how to do this: how to use a prophetic act of washing the feet of one of the sisters there who would represent all the women in the world. I was to ask forgiveness for all the abuse, deceit and indifference that they had experienced at the hands of men.

A sister volunteered and came forward. I began to wash her feet, and I could perceive her tenderness, but I couldn’t look her in the face. God told me that was because of our “acts of shame” as men that I was unable to look her in the face.

Then, I kissed her feet trying to “show the tenderness” of God and express that we men want to change.

Finally, I drank the water that I had used to wash her feet as a sign of repentance. God said to me: “So it is that men must swallow their words, insults and vexations that they have been doing for so many years.

Then it was so special to see how all the sisters present fulfilled this prophetic act by offering their forgiveness. A weight was lifted, for them and for us and in Spain.

Beatriz is the woman who had her feet washed that night:

My name is Beatriz, I am 24 years old in Spanish nationality. This is my testimony about the night the Darrow spoke about the dignity of women. That night, God spoke to a Spanish pastor that he should honor woman and wash her feet. At no time did I think about going forward, but finally, I decided to take the step and be the chosen one.

From the time I took a seat in the chair, I started to feel God’s presence in a supernatural way. Never in my whole life had anyone washed my feet, much less a man. I had always had traumatic experiences with the opposite sex where the enemy had stolen my identity as a woman.

That night, I was able to receive freedom, restoration, dignity and truth. I saw the love of God toward women through the pastor and how God returned to me all that I had lost. I felt privileged to be able to represent many Spanish women. I know that this is marked my story and it has broken many lies. I am sure this is the beginning of the return to the original culture that God created.

“It was one of the most remarkable moments of my life; the Spirit of God met with us,” says Darrow. “Thank you, Lord, for blessing us with your presence.”

If you would like to learn more about the biblical value of women, please consider:

• Browsing Darrow’s teaching sessions on this topic

• Watching a taped presentation on this topic by Darrow

• Purchasing Darrow’s book on this topic, Nurturing the Nations, in English or Spanish

• E-mailing the DNA with any additional questions

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PERSONAL TESTIMONIES IN SPANISH

Pastor Mikel:

Desde el primer día me impactó mucho todo lo que estaba escuchando en cuanto a la dignidad de la mujer incluso yo mismo estaba siendo confrontado.

Hasta el punto de ser retado por Dios, entonces dije en mi interior:algo tengo que hacer.

Al día siguiente se volvió a tocar el tema de la dignidad de la mujer y todo en mi mente giraba en torno a ello.

En esa noche Darrow compartió a cerca del carácter de Ishi y al finalizar la reunión subió algo muy fuerte a mi corazón, tenia que pedir perdón a todas las mujeres en este caso de España.

Dios puso la manera: como un acto profético Dios me dijo que lavase los pies de una hermana de las que allí estaban representando a todas las mujeres en el mundo,y le pidiese perdón por todos los abusos, engaños, maltratos e indiferencias que habían experimentado de parte del los hombres.

Una hermana voluntaria vino y empecé a lavarle los pies podía percibir su ternura pero no le podía mirar a la cara, Dios me decía que era por nuestros

“actos de vergüenza” como hombres que no podía mirarle a la cara.

Luego besé sus pies tratando de “mostrar la ternura” de Dios y expresando que los hombres queremos cambiar .

Finalmente bebí el agua con que había lavado sus pies en señal de “arrepentimiento” y Dios me dijo: así es como tiene que tragar el hombre sus palabras, insultos y vejaciones que ha venido haciendo por años.

Luego fue muy especial ver como todas las hermanas presentes completaron este acto profético ofreciéndonos su perdón, un peso fue quitado; para ellas y para nosotros y en España.

Beatriz:

Mi nombre es Beatriz tengo 24 años y mi nacionalidad es española,y este es mi testimonio sobre la noche que darrow hablo sobre la dignidad de la mujer;

En esa noche dios hablo a un pastor español  que devia honrrar a la mujer y lavarle  los pies,en ningún momento pensé en salir pero al final decidi  dar el paso y ser la escogida. Desde el momento que me sente en la silla empece a sentir la presencia de dios de una manera sobrenatural, nunca en mi vida nadie me había lavado los pies y menos un hombre ,siempre había tenido experiencias traumáticas con el sexo opuesto donde el enemigo robo mi identidad como mujer, en esa noche pude recibir  libertad, restauración, dignidad y verdad ,vi el amor de dios hacia la mujer a través del pastor  y  como Dios me devolvía todo lo que perdi .Me sentí privilegia de poder representar a muchas mujeres Españolas , se que esto a marcado la historia y que a quebrado muchas mentiras  y estoy segura que es el comienzo de regresar a la cultura original que Dios creo.

‘Christianity Today’ magazine features special report on the Church in Japan

This month’s issue of Christianity Today includes a special report from long-time friend of the DNA Soohwan Park who has been closely involved with the recovery efforts following Japan’s massive series of disasters in March 2011.

Click here to read the full story

As an associate with the Marketplace Institute at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada, and in collaboration with the DNA (including DNA Korea) , Friends with the Voiceless (Japan), Food for the Hungry Canada and Food for the Hungry Intl., Soohwan completed extensive field research in Fukushima, Japan’s prefecture now famous for its nuclear disaster following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Her story in Christianity Today, titled “Redeeming Disaster,” takes a sober look at emergency-relief efforts and their tendency to overlook three vital aspects: spirituality, story and sustainability. She recounts how many local churches made great sacrifices to meet deep, invisible needs in Fukushima.

“Disaster relief is complex,” Soohwan says. “Theologically, it involves restoration of all things that were broken and all relationships that are in need of reconciliation in order for a community to flourish (Col. 1:15-20). Fundamentally, this is not the work of a professional agency but of ordinary people in a local church loving their neighbors out of love for Christ. Christian relief work happens only when the local church realizes its mission to serve the world, giving themselves for others and restoring the fabric of a broken society.”

Soohwan’s report reflects many of the DNA’s Seven Core Truths, particularly #4: The local church is God’s principle agent in his primary agenda of advancing his kingdom.

This story will appear in Christianity Today – Korea this September.

Click here to read the full story and gain a better picture of how God is at work in Japan.

Follow Soohwan’s blog at http://www.FearNotFukushima.blogspot.com.

Announcing two new DNA Local Networks: Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic!

DNA Local Networks are teams of national Christian leaders organized to carry out the mission of the DNA in a defined geographic region. They have demonstrated commitment to building God’s kingdom in their own nations by teaching and modeling a biblical worldview. These networks are the DNA movement, and we are excited to announce the formation of new Local Networks in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic!

Yarley Niño is the contact person for the DNA Local Network in Puerto Rico. She has led the Youth With a Mission (YWAM) base there since its start in 1984 and also is part of the DNA’s Global Leadership Team. Yarley, a native of Colombia, has a special passion for discipling children and is a facilitator of the 4/14 Window Movement, meanwhile sharing DNA materials with interested churches and their pastors.

“Through this work,” she says, “I believe the message will be spread across the whole island, because we have divided the island in 17 regions, with pastors as regional facilitators leading the movement. As a DNA Local Network, we will be able to network with pastors from around the world, to be encouraged to see transformation in Puerto Rico. We will continue to be discipled by the DNA leaders and resources.

“Our vision is to raise up a new generation with a biblical worldview–to be able to birth the DNA movement in Puerto Rico and facilitate its spreading around the island.”

E-mail Yarley at yarleynn@gmail.com.

Luis Sena is the contact person for the DNA Local Network in the Dominican Republic. He serves as coordinator of the School Development Program (Esperanza-Edify Program) at Esperanza International. Luis was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and came to faith in Christ in 1980. He earned his master of business administration in 1992. Luis founded and served in Iglesia Fundamento Bíblico until 2009. He served as the program director and country director for Food for the Hungry International (FHI) in the Dominican Republic and oversaw FHI’s programs in Haiti from 1982-2010. He has served as a trainer and speaker in several organizations.

The DNA Local Network in the Dominican Republic promotes church-based community transformation through local nonprofits in this nation where the gross national income per capita is just over $5,000 (World Bank). They teach the importance of Christians working locally to redeem and heal broken parts of their societies.

Please click here to watch an excellent presentation by Luis titled “Why the Church Is Not Discipling the Nation,” and e-mail him at luis.sena@esperanza.org.

Please contact us if you’d like to find a DNA Local Network near you. Presently, we have 30 in Africa, seven in the Americas, nine in Asia, and three in Europe/Central Asia. Please e-mail info@disciplenations.org.

Announcing the first-ever DNA Regional Forum in Latin America! / ¡Anunciando el primer Foro Latinoamericano para discipular las naciones!

September 10-13 in Panama City, Panama, DNA leaders and partners from all over Latin America will gather to share stories, renew vision and address the Great Commission which involves making disciples of all nations!

Please click here to learn more and register!

Why the church acting as an organization will never transform society

Just as Jesus admonished the religious leaders of his day by calling out their legalism and hypocrisy, so today we have prophetic men and women who challenge the painful truth that, in many cases, the nation has discipled the church–we Christians have put on the clothes of our surrounding culture, sometimes no longer even resembling the radiant Bride of Christ.

Is it too late? How can we return to the original call God gave his Church? How can we tell when a local church has lost its identity?

Luis Sena is the contact person for the DNA local network in the Dominican Republic. He has decades of experience in wholistic community development and presently coordinates the School Development Program (Esperanza-Edify Program) at Esperanza International.

His 15-minute speech from the 2013 DNA Global Forum in Brazil will make you cringe, but in a good way. After you watch the video (it is in English and Portuguese), please share your comments on the blog. You may also wish to follow along with the written transcript or simply listen to the audio file.

Excerpt: “…in general, the church in our generation has adopted the form, the model of the ‘corporation’ from the western culture. As a consequence, instead of discipling their members, in most cases, churches have Christianized cultural practices like advertising and marketing. They have done this in order to be friendlier to the public and to have a wider impact in their city as religious organizations, but not as the people of God.”

The 2013 DNA Global Forum: A Milestone

Since 1999, DNA partners from all over the world have gathered about every two years to renew their vision for their work, to share how the biblical worldview plays out in their various ministries, and to build new partnerships for even greater impact.

This year, the DNA Global Forum was a milestone. For the first time, it was hosted in Latin America, and two new countries declared themselves as local DNA networks: Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic!

The Forum, in mid-March, was hosted by the newly formed DNA-Brazil network. More than 60 delegates from 16 countries spent six days at a retreat center operated by Igreja Batista da Lagoinha, a 51,000-member church in the city of Belo Horizonte. Many leaders and members of the church participated in the Forum, the topic of which was “Possessing the Kingdom: A Call to Truth and Love.”

Here are some reflections on the week by John and Kate, long-time partners of the DNA serving in South Asia:

John and Kate on the DNA Global Forum 2013 from Disciple Nations Alliance on Vimeo.

Below are a few photos from the week. Click here to see many more! Over the next few months, we’ll feature stories on many of these people and the work God is doing through them. Subscribe to our e-newsletter to stay informed!

You’re invited! DNA Vision Conference in Korea, Jan. 23-25

Year-round, DNA Vision Conferences are conducted all over the world by people trained in the dissemination of the DNA’s biblical-worldview materials. The conferences often are discreet and unbeknownst to most of the DNA network, but when we do hear of an upcoming conference, we want to broadcast it for those who might like to attend.

January 23-25, at Seoul Church in South Korea, the DNA Korea team will join DNA co-founders Darrow Miller and Bob Moffitt in a close examination of local Korean churches–their history and their current efforts to make disciples. The sessions will be available in both Korean and English.

This is not a typical DNA Vision Conference, which usually lasts five days and has a broader focus than described above. However, it’s an excellent opportunity to engage with passionate Christ-followers and see how God is using them to build His kingdom.

The cost is KRW 50,000 (about $50 USD), and you can learn more about DNA Korea here.

Interested? E-mail info@disciplenations.org!

A great fourth quarter… and a song! Remembering a hero of our faith

Looking back on 2012, we’d like to honor our good friend and colleague, Ric Nesimiuk. Ric completed his journey here on October 21, 2012 after a difficult battle with brain cancer.

Those of us at the Disciple Nations Alliance came to know Ric and his dear wife, Gail, in 1996 when, after a successful career in real estate, they moved to Southeast Asia.

Ric and Gail applied their gifts to serve and love the Burmese people in the country of Myanmar.

Ric and Gail both were active champions of the DNA training messages, and God gave them favor with many local Christian leaders. In 1988, Ric organized the first-ever DNA Vision Conference with future DNA leaders and champions from all over the world.

Of that time, Gail writes: “…remembering well how the first [Vision Conference] changed my own life and direction of ministry!! Bob and Darrow, you changed and filled our lives with God’s map for our lives … what an awesome adventure it has been!”

Ric was instrumental in helping bring unity to the Christian church in Myanmar, organizing many more Vision Conferences and training programs, and bringing key leaders together, often for the first time.

Aung Thet and his wife, Charity, are DNA colleagues in Myanmar. They write:

Our beloved friend Ric was a man of relationship. Whenever he came to serve in Myanmar, his priority was building relationship. He built a strong and deep relationship with the people: pastors, ministers and Christian leaders. He found the potential in the leaders. This was so appropriate in Myanmar, a country of relationship. Ric never rushed ministry. He connected the relationship of the leaders to be stronger and deeper. He looked for ways to bring leaders and people together. For several years, he raised money to bring the leaders together in Chiang Mai. They talked together, listened to one another, sharing the issues and problems. In 2006, these leaders formed the National Prayer Committee which is now effective and extending throughout Myanmar. The effort Ric has paid is fruitful. We keep building on the work he so cherished.

Where some persons may choose to coast in the last quarter of life, Ric and Gail have done just the opposite. Instead, they pressed deeply into their calling and shared generously from their gifts and abilities to bring blessing, reconciliation, and healing to others. In sports lingo, they’ve had a great fourth quarter!

What is not so well known is that Ric also had a song. He was trained professionally and loved to sing. In his final year, he was able to share this love and gift with others as well.

Take a minute and enjoy hearing him sing one of his favorite songs, “Overshadowed.” Hear Ric sing! Following the first song, you can hear Ric tell his testimony and express more of his gift for music.

The point is to live life well, no matter how old you are. But, especially for those of us in our 50’s — take a principle from Ric, and don’t leave anything on the field in your fourth quarter. Make sure your “to-do list” represents the calling and priorities you claim to be most important in life. In turn, it may just be the best and most fruitful quarter of your life on this side of eternity.

Richard (Ric) Bruce Nesimiuk
May 29,1938 – October 21, 2012

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Lyrics for the song mentioned above:

Overshadowed

How desolate my life would be,

How dark and dreary my nights and days,

If Jesus’ face I did not see,

To brighten all earth’s weary ways

CHORUS

I’m overshadowed by His mighty love

Love eternal, changeless pure.

Overshadowed by His mighty love

Rest is mine, serene, secure.

He died to ransom me from sin,

He lives to keep me day by day,

I’m overshadowed by his mighty love,

Love that brightens all my way.

With burdened heart I wandered long,

By grief and unbelief distressed;

But now I sing faith’s happy song,

In Christ my Saviour I am blest.

Now judgment fears no more alarm,

I dread no death, nor Satan’s power;

The world for me has lost its charm,

God’s grace sustains me every hour.