A Sobering Reality posted by jwatson on May 24, 2011

The devastating tornadoes that tore through Alabama on April 27 were a crushing blow to the state. Some have called it the worst natural disaster in the state’s history. The results were hard to imagine:

• More than 200 dead
• Thousands injured
• 1,025 miles of destruction
• Two-thirds of the state designated for disaster relief

Even more unsettling is the number of those dead who did not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. After the tornadoes, EE Regional Coordinator for the southeast U.S., Dr. Jim Stewart, was contacted to discuss what EE churches in Tuscaloosa were planning for relief help. Jim’s response was a quick seven-word reply: “We have no EE churches in Tuscaloosa.”

It is a sobering reality. As we look at our “state of the ministry,” as detailed in this newsletter, EE is making a tremendous impact.Yet, in many cases, we’ve established beachheads but have so much farther to go.

For example, churches in China are asking for our help to train 20,000 more people. We’re trying desperately to meet this need, but funding is our main issue, and we have no other choice right now but to make them wait.

People in Japan are searching through rubble for God and less than 1 percent of their population can tell them about the rescue Christ brings. We are working with our National Coordinator in Japan, Tomoyoki Yamanaka, to conduct more EE training and equip more and more Japanese with the Gospel; but, it takes financial resources to be more effective.

Jim Stewart’s words are hard to process. Within minutes, hundreds of lives were lost in the Alabama tornados. How many of those families could have known Christ with more EE representation in that area? We have the workers ready and willing to serve. We rely on God’s hand and the resources you give to enable them to go.

Turn the page and you’ll discover that EE is in the midst of its most productive days even as the Gospel needs to spread farther.