|
HIGHLIGHTS:
|
Since 1991 we have seen the Lord do some mighty works among the former communist strongholds of the Soviet Union and in Cuba and in East Africa.
A few of the highlights:
- Over 25,000 people have put their faith in Jesus Christ! Thousands are being discipled in ongoing Bible studies.
- Many churches have been started.
- A medical conference attended by 1500 lost Ukrainian doctors yielded 800 new believer physicians. These have been followed up in their particular villages with Bible study materials and, whenever possible, plugged into existing Bible teaching churches.
- Concerts in Ukraine with a four day harvest of over 400 college students coming to Jesus.
- Christian guests lecturing in many different areas of study at universities and medical schools.
- Hundreds of volunteers have been involved, investing 1-3 weeks of their vacations in eternity.
- Over 1,000 medical students and physicians accepted Christ at a medical conference held at one of the largest medical and dental universities in the world.
- Ten days working with dozens of local churches and evangelistic concerts resulted in 3,200 Ukrainians putting their faith in Christ.
- Evangelistic crusade/concerts held in Tanzania, East Africa saw 3,000 new believers, the follow-up of these forming the core for many church starts.
- Door to door (or more accurately - hut to hut) evangelism winning over 1300 to Jesus Christ.
All these ministries have taken place through God's direct engineering. None of us take any credit for what we have witnessed, but we will say the Lord has been faithful to use us as His instruments and vessels to His glory.
Issa is firmly entrenched in the Biblical model of itinerant missions, eliminating much of the overhead associated with traditional, resident mission strategy. Having been on the mission field in East Africa for four years, Sid understands the enormous amount of "survival" time it takes to keep a family intact. There are many frustrations associated with living in a different culture. On the other hand, as we now function, taking six to seven short-term trips per year, the net result is actually better than being stationed on the "field".
A few of the advantages are the short-term trips allow for a "no-holes-barred" approach, running full tilt for the entire trip. We have the nationals' undivided attention for the entire time because we present somewhat of a novelty, a special break from the routine. If we live there we become part of the mundane, standing in lines, waiting for services, spending our time surviving instead of ministering. We are not implying that there is no longer any place for resident based missions. But we are saying that many areas of the world are so accessible today that the most effective use of time and financial resources is in short-term, long time involvement.
Another benefit is the hands on involvement of volunteers. There is nothing that will spark the mission fires in a church more than having sent some of their own and have them return home with a world-wide vision for reaching the lost. NOTE: We do not actively recruit volunteers, but simply ask the Lord to send the teams He wants to join with us. He has been faithful to orchestrate some beautiful groups!
We greatly appreciate your prayers for this ministry! God Bless you.
|
|
|
|
|
History and Statement of Purpose
|
Issa (the Islamic name for Jesus) International, Ltd. is a non-profit, tax deductible 501(c)3 mission organization based in Hampton, Georgia. Sensing the Lord's leading, Ralph Bethea, Jr. and Sid Stansell, together with a prayer support team formed Issa with the commitment and dedication under Christ to take a clear gospel witness and Bibles to the men, women, and children of the world who are desperately hungry for the Word of God. We were chartered as an organization in October 1991. Since that time hundreds of volunteers have joined Issa on short term mission trips which are scheduled aproximately every six weeks.
Our board of directors emphatically believes the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God containing all that is needed for regeneration, spiritual growth, and eternal life. In it the Lord commands us to "go make disciples of all nations" and we believe He has called us as His ambassadors, to work together as the body of Christ in fulfilling the Great Commission.
We believe our part in making disciples is defined by the following Biblical guidelines:
1 - Our desire is to preach the gospel where Jesus is unknown. (Romans 15:20)
2 - Establish a firm foundation among the new believers, not building on someone else's. (Romans 15:20)
3 - Go where people are receptive and teachable (Matthew 10:14, Ephesians 5:16)
Our strategy:
- Preach the gospel (using volunteer, short-term missionaries sharing the Good news in villages, cities, towns, university campuses).
- Those who are won to Christ, involve in disciple training conducted by nationals.
- Encourage the new believers by relationships built over time through:
*Agricultural projects
*Medical and dental seminars
*University retreats
*Student to student involvement
Board of Directors: W. Hal Elder (Griffin, GA / Treasurer - Issa / CPA); Joseph H. Fowler (Douglasville, GA / Secretary - Issa / Attorney - Hartley, Rowe, and Fowler); Terry Horton (Arlington, TX / Former Chairman CSI, International Mission Board, SBC); Jonathan Hood, M.D. (Birmingham, AL / Medical Director - Issa / Physician, Emergency Medicine) Sid Stansell (College Park, GA / President, Missionary - Issa)
|
|
|
|
