Review: Mark 3:13-15
Follow along with Barnabas as he shares with us photos and stories of God's amazing work on the other side of the world!
The sometimes incomprehensible stories of the disciples in Acts has played out in Barnabas and Martha's life over the past thirty years by simply following God's guidance and not holding back when speaking God's gospel and truth to those in need of hearing it in Thailand and beyond.
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Pastor Jeff:
00:00-00:12
You guys know this because I've been saying this like for quite a while, but I can't even describe how excited I am for our special guest speakers today.
Pastor Jeff:
00:12-00:15
Barnabas and Martha, would you please come up and join me?
Pastor Jeff:
00:16-00:17
Up so everybody can see you.
Pastor Jeff:
00:22-00:24
Thank you very much.
Pastor Jeff:
00:24-00:29
Now, some of you are like, I come to Harvest Bible Chapel all the way from Gibsonia.
Pastor Jeff:
00:30-00:35
And some of you say, I came to Harvest Bible Chapel all the way from Allison Park.
Pastor Jeff:
00:35-00:38
These two came all the way from Thailand.
00:41-00:41
(congregation applauding)
Pastor Jeff:
00:43-00:48
And if you're wondering where Thailand is, it's literally on the other side of the planet, literally.
Pastor Jeff:
00:49-00:51
Do you know what time it is in Thailand?
Pastor Jeff:
00:51-00:56
You just change AM to PM with whatever time it is here, and that's what time it is there.
Pastor Jeff:
00:56-01:00
So right now it is 10.38 p.m. in Thailand.
Pastor Jeff:
01:00-01:10
And I am so thrilled to have these two come and share what the Lord is doing in their lives and ministries and bring a word from the Lord today.
Pastor Jeff:
01:10-01:17
But Barnabas graduated from Chiang Mai Bible Institute and from Cincinnati Christian Seminary.
Pastor Jeff:
01:18-01:20
And he speaks seven languages.
Pastor Jeff:
01:22-01:23
Now make sure I got these all right.
Pastor Jeff:
01:23-01:33
Thai, Chinese, Burmese, Lisu, Lahu, Aka, and English.
Pastor Jeff:
01:34-01:35
Yeah, that's the one.
Pastor Jeff:
01:36-01:37
Fortunately for us, he speaks English.
Pastor Jeff:
01:39-01:49
And since the early '80s, Barnabas has spread the gospel in the hill tribe villages in the Northern Mountain Jungle region in Thailand, around Chiang Mai, if you're trying to look it up on a map.
Pastor Jeff:
01:50-01:58
The dominant religion in Thailand is Buddhism, But when you get to these tribal areas, it's mostly animism that you will find.
Pastor Jeff:
01:58-02:00
And what does Barnabas do?
Pastor Jeff:
02:01-02:12
Well, Barnabas and Martha recruit and train evangelists as they go through sharing the gospel, leading people to Christ, and training evangelists and church leaders.
Pastor Jeff:
02:13-02:18
He's also founded three children's homes in Thailand and in Myanmar.
Pastor Jeff:
02:19-02:23
How did I get connected with these wonderful servants of the Lord?
Pastor Jeff:
02:24-02:32
Well, most of you know I became a Christian in 1995, and shortly after I came to Christ I was called into ministry.
Pastor Jeff:
02:33-03:26
I remember I was having lunch with Pastor Bob, Bob Huber, who had spoken at our church, and I was telling him, "Hey, I came to Christ, and I just feel like I'm called to ministry, and I want to talk to you about it because I have no idea what I'm doing, and I still don't. And you're like, "Amen?" And Pastor Bob said, "Well, we have a group of people that are going to Thailand in a couple of months. Would you like to join us?" And I was like, "Okay." I didn't have a nickel to my name. I didn't know where Thailand even was on a map. I was just a new Christian. I'm like, "Yeah, I'll do whatever God calls me to do, and that was February of 1996. Can you believe that? It was over 20 years ago that I went to Thailand and was completely blown away at the way the Lord is at work.
Pastor Jeff:
03:26-03:42
You know, this stuff that we're reading in Acts about the apostles going and sharing the gospel and these conversions and these spiritual attacks and all of these things that are happening, that's sort of the life that Barnabas lives.
Pastor Jeff:
03:43-03:46
And I was amazed at the way the Lord is at work.
Pastor Jeff:
03:46-03:50
And I've enjoyed spending time with them whenever they come stateside.
Pastor Jeff:
03:52-03:57
And as you know, I was able to go back and help with training last November, a year ago.
Pastor Jeff:
03:58-04:05
And at one time, Barnabas was at our house and he shared with me a verse that sort of sums up his life.
Pastor Jeff:
04:06-04:13
And that verse is 1 Corinthians 9.23 that says, "I do all things for the sake of the gospel." Remember that conversation?
Pastor Jeff:
04:14-04:15
That's just, that stuck with me.
Pastor Jeff:
04:15-04:19
Everything he does, he puts that banner over it.
Pastor Jeff:
04:19-04:24
I do all things for the sake of the gospel and everyone needs a hero.
Pastor Jeff:
04:26-04:26
So here's mine.
Pastor Jeff:
04:27-04:34
So give a warm welcome and get ready to listen closely to Barnabas Martha Singsarakoon.
04:38-04:39
[Applause]
Barnabas:
04:41-04:47
Good morning. In Thai we say sawadee krap. Sawadee krap.
Barnabas:
04:48-04:59
and Lisu is very easy, (speaks in foreign language) and in Burmese we say (speaks in foreign language) and the Lao who will say
Barnabas:
04:59-05:01
(speaks in foreign language)
Barnabas:
05:03-05:07
this is a greeting words from different language.
Barnabas:
05:08-05:24
Thank you very much that allow me to have this opportunity 30 years, how the Holy Spirit has done through my life.
Barnabas:
05:25-05:31
I'm not going to preach, but witness how the Spirit of God is working in my life.
Barnabas:
05:34-05:42
Starting from zero, right now, God's world is bigger and bigger, much more than myself.
Barnabas:
05:43-05:57
I can do it right now. Today is just witness how God, how the Holy Spirit get things done through my life. And I thank you, every brother and sister, you pray for me.
Barnabas:
05:58-06:04
And I thank every brother and sister, you also donate the money for the ministry.
Barnabas:
06:05-06:58
and may the Lord bless you. Your check deduction for the ministry, may the Lord fill according to his promise 30 times, 60 times, and 100 times. This is what we cannot imagine what Christ promised it for sacrificial giving, it's much more than we can understand. But he is, Jesus Christ is God. For him, this is possible. So like this morning, I would like to go by picture and how, you know, 30 years of my ministry, try to short it to about 45 minutes.
Barnabas:
07:00-07:11
That would be pretty, how to say, anyhow, that would be good enough time to share that experience.
Barnabas:
07:12-08:08
Actually, I would like to witness that. Mark chapter 3, verse 13 to 15, what Jesus Christ said in the Bible. Mark chapter 3, verse 13 to 15. Jesus went up on the mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve, designating them apostles, that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. But this is like also for us difficult to do. How can you drive the demons out from someone? It's very difficult to do, but for God it's possible.
Barnabas:
08:10-08:18
So in my life, I drive the demons a lot, whether older person or whether younger person.
Barnabas:
08:21-08:31
So what Jesus Christ was said 2,000 years ago, still true till today, still powerful, still powerful.
Barnabas:
08:32-08:39
So it's really worthy to obey God and to worthy to serve the Lord.
Barnabas:
08:40-08:49
And then our life will be blessed and we are ready to bless our children and coming generation in our country.
Barnabas:
08:50-09:10
Especially when I arrived over here, America is like from our forefathers, it red carpet, a healthy country, a very beautiful country, very comfortable, very safe.
Barnabas:
09:12-09:17
So this generation is responsible for coming generations.
Barnabas:
09:18-09:20
Then we will give them the same message to them.
Barnabas:
09:22-09:28
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Barnabas:
09:30-09:37
Then by this way, we lead our country, our family, to the internal kingdom of God.
Barnabas:
09:38-09:40
There will be much more than we can tell.
Barnabas:
09:41-09:52
The way that God prepared for us is, our Father, God, we see on the screen, no eyes has been seen, no ear has been heard.
Barnabas:
09:54-09:56
No heart has been thinking of this.
Barnabas:
09:57-10:00
So, totally new, totally new.
Barnabas:
10:02-10:07
So, by that time we feel that, okay, much more than we can imagine.
Barnabas:
10:09-10:11
Things that God prepared for us, much more than we can imagine.
Barnabas:
10:12-10:20
We will be surprised because of this unwilling to serve the Lord in my life.
Barnabas:
10:22-10:28
Most of us would like to say God is with us, or God is with me.
Barnabas:
10:29-10:30
Yeah, I accept that.
Barnabas:
10:32-10:36
But the most important is whether I am with God or not.
Barnabas:
10:37-10:38
Now this is the problem.
Barnabas:
10:39-10:44
God is with me, God's waiting for me to repent.
Barnabas:
10:44-10:50
But whether I am with God or not, if I repent, I'm with God.
Barnabas:
10:51-10:55
If I don't repent, God is with me, He's awaiting me.
Barnabas:
10:56-10:57
I never come back.
Barnabas:
10:59-11:07
So the most important thing is like, yeah, we accept that God is with us, or God is with me.
Barnabas:
11:08-11:19
But the most important is think of ourself, whether I am with God or not in our action, in our speaking, in our thinking.
Barnabas:
11:20-11:23
If we can change, that means worshipping God.
Barnabas:
11:24-11:26
That's the true worship is changing.
Barnabas:
11:26-11:33
Unless we change our attitude, that's not, we don't have a chance to worship God yet.
Barnabas:
11:34-11:46
So, oh, coming to the church also, we hearing the gospel of the word of God, and then when you come and when you go back, will be different.
Barnabas:
11:47-11:53
When you have a new, when we have learn new things, then we will apply into our heart.
Barnabas:
11:53-11:56
That's, we are with God.
Barnabas:
11:57-12:01
So that's the most important thing.
Barnabas:
12:01-12:03
Just cannot be done one thing.
Barnabas:
12:03-12:06
It's going to be done every day, every day, every day, every day.
Barnabas:
12:07-12:10
That makes sure we are with God.
Barnabas:
12:10-12:14
If we are not with God, there's no protection.
Barnabas:
12:16-12:21
If we are with God, we are safe in our daily life.
Barnabas:
12:21-12:24
Okay, I would like to show some pictures.
Barnabas:
12:25-12:26
Thank you.
Barnabas:
12:26-12:33
Okay. Yeah, this is me and Martha in a wedding, the little dress.
Barnabas:
12:36-12:37
And this is my family.
Barnabas:
12:38-12:45
When we came to 1998, when we came over here, my youngest daughter is only four months old.
Barnabas:
12:46-12:51
But right now, she is at the first year at the college.
Barnabas:
12:51-13:20
Okay, second one. Yeah, this is my father. This is my mother. I was born between Burma and China border area, nearby the border area. We can go to China, but we didn't come to Burma side in order to go to market. From our house to go to market is you have to walk for four hours.
Barnabas:
13:21-13:24
If go to China, yeah, about four hours.
Barnabas:
13:24-13:27
If go to Burma side, about one day.
Barnabas:
13:30-13:34
So usually mothers, they didn't see anything.
Barnabas:
13:34-13:38
They just stay at home because cannot go to the market.
Barnabas:
13:39-13:42
Usually men go to the market.
Barnabas:
13:42-13:43
OK, second.
Barnabas:
13:44-13:46
Yeah, this is Martha's parents.
Barnabas:
13:47-13:56
and Martha's father involved a lot in the Lisu Bible translation, starting from 1963.
Barnabas:
13:58-14:06
And our 1967 then, we have Lisu Old and New Testament, they finished.
Barnabas:
14:06-14:09
So we have right now Lisu Bible.
Barnabas:
14:11-14:14
Yeah, this is in Thailand, CBI.
Barnabas:
14:15-14:18
CBI means the Chiang Mai Bible Institute.
Barnabas:
14:20-14:25
In our village, there was Burmese Communist Party and the government.
Barnabas:
14:27-14:30
So they fighting many years.
Barnabas:
14:32-14:35
So in the village, very difficult to live, very difficult to work.
Barnabas:
14:36-14:39
There are so many bad things going on.
Barnabas:
14:40-14:42
And some are stepping on the landmine.
Barnabas:
14:43-14:47
And at midnight, sometimes there's gunfire.
Barnabas:
14:47-14:49
We don't know which way to run.
Barnabas:
14:50-14:56
And we thought banana tree is better to hide.
Barnabas:
14:56-14:58
So try to hide beside the banana tree.
Barnabas:
14:59-15:04
It's not-- banana tree is not a good protection for the bullets.
Barnabas:
15:07-15:15
When I came down to Thailand, people I went to Bible college only four years, but I took six years.
Barnabas:
15:16-15:17
The reasons I didn't have ID.
Barnabas:
15:18-15:21
The second is I didn't know Thai language.
Barnabas:
15:22-15:24
So sometimes I can be in the class.
Barnabas:
15:24-15:30
So sometimes I went and I stay with the Lishu people where the police did not come.
Barnabas:
15:32-15:38
So when the condition is pretty quiet, then I went down and went to the Bible school again.
Barnabas:
15:39-15:41
So I was there for four years.
Barnabas:
15:41-15:51
Actually, that Bible school at the beginning, we are the one who pulled the cement and everything from the beginning that way.
Barnabas:
15:51-15:57
When I graduated, the Bible school also finished building.
Barnabas:
15:58-15:59
And this is in Burma.
Barnabas:
15:59-16:06
After I finished my Bible school there in Thailand, I went back to Burma and suffered a lot at the country area.
Barnabas:
16:08-16:18
traveling a lot, no time to stay at home, traveling to the north, to the south, to the west, to the east, traveling a lot within these four years.
Barnabas:
16:20-16:29
After four years, this is what we call General Secretary of Myanmar Council of Churches.
Barnabas:
16:30-16:37
The middle one is the General Secretary of the Church of England.
Barnabas:
16:38-16:45
And this is me, I dress in Burmese, official dress is like this.
Barnabas:
16:46-16:51
When we go to Burma, you will see this dressing is mostly you can see at the office.
Barnabas:
16:52-16:58
So I was there at the Lisu Christian Church as a General Secretary for four years.
Barnabas:
16:59-17:01
Then I wanted to preach the gospel.
Barnabas:
17:01-17:06
That's why I came down to Thailand in 1986.
Barnabas:
17:09-17:18
And when I came down over there, a group of American group preaching the gospel came to Thailand, but they don't speak any Thai.
Barnabas:
17:19-17:22
They don't speak any Lisu or something like that.
Barnabas:
17:23-17:28
So, they also went to join the Bible class.
Barnabas:
17:29-17:32
And nobody can translate for them.
Barnabas:
17:33-17:41
So I translate for them into Burmese, Lisu, and Lahu, three languages at the same time.
Barnabas:
17:42-17:58
And Mr. Wallaby, he said that, "Okay, if you willing, I'm going to, he's willing to support me two years to go to Cincinnati Bible Seminary." Yeah, this is Burmese writing language.
Barnabas:
17:59-18:11
Yeah, Mr. Willoughby and Mrs. Virginia Willoughby, they brought me to America and I went to Cincinnati Bible Seminary for two years.
Barnabas:
18:13-18:14
This is in Ching Dao.
Barnabas:
18:16-18:17
Yeah, this is Cincinnati.
Barnabas:
18:18-18:21
I was here for two years.
Barnabas:
18:22-19:13
was so urgent. I came to Thailand for a couple of weeks, and I met Mr. Wallaby. I didn't have a chance to prepare that, to go to school. And then when I came over to America, I was late for school, two weeks already. And I couldn't catch, it was difficult to catch because my English was not good. I didn't know this kind of a big city and many rooms like that. I'm lost in the Cincinnati Bible Seminary. I don't know which way to go. So somebody took me to a room, a classroom. Okay, I tried to listen to the professor. And about three, four minutes later, somebody came and said, "This is not your class." So he took me to another class.
Barnabas:
19:15-20:15
And when I came out, I don't know which room is my class, because Usually we have only one room or two rooms, but a big city, I'm lost in the Cincinnati Bible Seminary over there. So after two years, exactly two years, I went back to Thailand and I start preaching the gospel. One thing, when I graduated from Cincinnati Bible Seminary, now I finished. Looks like all the heavy burdens for the preparation and reading for the examination is so much, you know, since it's my second thought language, and I couldn't -- difficult, you know, every day we are struggling, reading assignments, all these things. Usually, American students are three hours in the class. At home, they read maybe about 30 minutes or 10 minutes, then they finish.
Barnabas:
20:16-20:21
But for me, in the class, three hours, back home, another three hours, you know.
Barnabas:
20:22-20:30
So some nights, I stay until in the morning, because our challenge is so great.
Barnabas:
20:30-20:42
I couldn't sleep, so the whole night, typing and also reading, and I think not less than three, four nights that I still do in the morning, you know.
Barnabas:
20:44-20:52
My time is almost finished in staying in America, but I don't have any support to go back and serve the Lord.
Barnabas:
20:53-20:59
Thailand is not my homeland, so I need some support.
Barnabas:
20:59-21:04
So in one class, I met Mr. Bob Huber in the same class.
Barnabas:
21:05-21:06
Actually, the time is gone.
Barnabas:
21:07-21:08
The time is finished.
Barnabas:
21:08-21:10
But one more subject is not finished yet.
Barnabas:
21:11-21:17
So in the midterm, they have a two-week class.
Barnabas:
21:17-21:20
So Mr.
Barnabas:
21:20-21:22
Bob came over there, and we met over there.
Barnabas:
21:22-21:28
So usually in the school, people don't introduce themselves very much.
Barnabas:
21:29-21:37
But Mr. Bob introduced himself to me, then that's why we came to know each other.
Barnabas:
21:37-21:46
Another thing he said, "Our church willing to support a missionary to Thailand." That's me, you know.
Barnabas:
21:47-21:56
And that is the Holy Spirit brought us to know together in order to do the ministry there in Thailand.
Barnabas:
21:57-21:58
I didn't know him.
Barnabas:
22:00-22:02
I have to go back home without support.
Barnabas:
22:02-22:04
That means that we cannot suffer more.
Barnabas:
22:05-22:07
I have to find some other jobs like that.
Barnabas:
22:07-22:14
Yeah, when I went back to Thailand, Mr. Ben Felix gave me a dog bike.
Barnabas:
22:15-22:17
You have only one bike.
Barnabas:
22:17-22:22
Marta stayed at home, no bicycle, no scooter.
Barnabas:
22:23-22:27
When she go to buy some, go to the market, still difficult.
Barnabas:
22:27-22:32
But our families are depending on one dog bike.
Barnabas:
22:34-22:43
Me and Martha in the city, me and Martha, and even Arthur and Lisa, we four people ride on the dog bike.
Barnabas:
22:45-22:52
So whether we go to the village or live in the town, we use four people on one bike.
Barnabas:
22:53-22:54
This is Mr. Phillip.
Barnabas:
22:56-23:04
We came in 1988 here in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Barnabas:
23:05-23:07
During that time, it looks like snowing.
Barnabas:
23:09-23:10
OK, this is Mary Phillip.
Barnabas:
23:12-23:16
She donated-- later that she donated one truck.
Barnabas:
23:16-23:19
And that's very powerful to use in the country area.
Barnabas:
23:21-23:24
To do the ministry, I walk a lot.
Barnabas:
23:25-23:26
I walk a lot.
Barnabas:
23:26-23:30
Looks like our sweat is taking a shower, you know.
Barnabas:
23:30-23:33
Sweat comes out and it dries up.
Barnabas:
23:33-23:35
When you rest, it dries up.
Barnabas:
23:35-23:38
When you walk out, the sweat comes out again.
Barnabas:
23:39-23:42
Okay, so this we call animism.
Barnabas:
23:43-23:46
They worship their forefathers' spirit.
Barnabas:
23:47-23:49
And also we call jungle spirit.
Barnabas:
23:50-23:54
They have two kinds of spirit in their family worship altar.
Barnabas:
23:55-24:06
So when they accept Jesus Christ, we have to take out their spirit altar and put it into the basket, and we burn it outside their house.
Barnabas:
24:06-24:14
And this is —we—so many pictures on this thing, just only a few pictures we can see.
Barnabas:
24:16-24:18
And this is what we call Aka Village.
Barnabas:
24:20-24:27
And the first day they became Christians, 70 people just accepted Jesus Christ within one day.
Barnabas:
24:29-24:39
Yeah, this is, I took off from their spirit altar and I put it on my truck and they said, "Oh, don't let us see that our forefather's spirit.
Barnabas:
24:40-24:51
We burned them in front of my eyes." They said, "Difficult to accept it." So you take away and burn them somewhere else, but not in our village.
Barnabas:
24:51-24:55
So I carried all these things to another village.
Barnabas:
24:55-25:07
But some people said, "Barnabas carries some kind of spirit, "so don't let him burn this area." So, okay, I can burn somewhere else.
Barnabas:
25:10-25:25
Well, we all burn this area, even though we just like, we have to pray to God that nothing happen to us and to the people who accept Jesus Christ.
Barnabas:
25:25-25:26
We have to pray.
Barnabas:
25:28-25:37
Yeah, when we take out the spirit altar, we usually the cross sign put into the family.
Barnabas:
25:38-25:45
So I used from the Joshua, me and my family will worship our God.
Barnabas:
25:45-25:49
So I write the word over there in this.
Barnabas:
25:50-25:51
So in the, that's bamboo wall.
Barnabas:
25:52-25:54
They pick up, put it on a bamboo wall.
Barnabas:
25:55-26:01
And then when we step into their house, we can easily know that this is Christian.
Barnabas:
26:02-26:05
If non-Christian, they are pretty much superstitious.
Barnabas:
26:06-26:12
But Christians, the same Bible changed their life, and the same Bible changed us.
Barnabas:
26:13-26:16
So we feel like brother and sister, you know.
Barnabas:
26:16-26:21
We don't feel afraid or suspect or something like that.
Barnabas:
26:23-26:28
Yeah, they have some threat, white threat or sometimes colorful threat.
Barnabas:
26:28-26:34
They bite on, tie it on their wrist or on the neck.
Barnabas:
26:35-26:39
So they vow something to the spirit.
Barnabas:
26:41-26:43
Sometimes this can be very dangerous.
Barnabas:
26:45-26:52
And so when they accept Jesus Christ, we use the scissor or a knife, cut them off.
Barnabas:
26:52-26:54
Then we lay hands on them and pray.
Barnabas:
26:55-26:59
And then let them follow after our prayer.
Barnabas:
27:00-27:05
So whenever they accept Jesus Christ, I stay one or two more nights.
Barnabas:
27:06-27:07
I cannot go home immediately.
Barnabas:
27:09-27:14
Or sometimes, today, one family become Christian, usually I stay with them, you know.
Barnabas:
27:15-27:18
So my life is, I have, looks like many house, you know.
Barnabas:
27:19-27:21
I can stay with any family.
Barnabas:
27:22-27:25
Means I don't have my private room.
Barnabas:
27:25-27:30
We just sleep on the floor, nearby their stove.
Barnabas:
27:31-27:38
They lit the fire, And in the country area, not enough blankets, so I have to close to the stove.
Barnabas:
27:39-27:40
Then a little bit warmer.
Barnabas:
27:41-27:44
You know, shaky nights, you know, very cold.
Barnabas:
27:45-27:50
Yeah, when they accept Jesus Christ, we baptize them.
Barnabas:
27:51-27:54
Many, many people were baptized, many, many.
Barnabas:
27:55-27:57
Sometimes 70, sometimes 60.
Barnabas:
27:59-28:02
So when we —my truck is enough, not enough.
Barnabas:
28:03-28:12
So I have to hire three more taxi trucks over there, then to go to the water in order to be baptized.
Barnabas:
28:12-28:15
In the village, the water is not enough.
Barnabas:
28:15-28:22
So we have to go out about maybe 40 minutes' drive at the jungle, going very dusty.
Barnabas:
28:23-28:25
Here, I don't see any dust here.
Barnabas:
28:26-28:29
Over there, one truck goes, don't follow after them.
Barnabas:
28:29-28:32
You know, dust.
Barnabas:
28:32-28:34
We couldn't see the next truck.
Barnabas:
28:36-28:40
And we become American because all the hairs become gray.
Barnabas:
28:43-28:45
This fellow is a general, Thai general.
Barnabas:
28:46-28:54
I didn't know him, but his house helper, she's a Lee Su, and knew her, so I give a call to her.
Barnabas:
28:54-28:57
Please ask permission from your boss.
Barnabas:
28:58-29:00
Can I share the gospel to him?
Barnabas:
29:00-29:08
And she asked, and she said, "Yes." So me and my wife and one more couple, we went to preach gospel that night.
Barnabas:
29:10-29:16
And for Thai people, they are really difficult to approach high officers.
Barnabas:
29:17-29:22
When we step in, for Hilltribe people, we just step in this way.
Barnabas:
29:23-29:29
But the two Thai fellow, they just kneel down and crawling in front of the yard.
Barnabas:
29:31-29:31
General.
Barnabas:
29:32-29:37
So I'm a Thai, but counterfeit, you know, fake Thai, you know, like that.
Barnabas:
29:38-29:46
So when I shared the gospel, the general said, "How can it be? I'm the leader of Thailand.
Barnabas:
29:46-30:03
I'm leading in the Second World War and the Vietnam War, joining with the U.S. force." He said, "If I don't know this one, how can I be a leader of Thailand?" So Barnabas give me one night, then I will give you the answer.
Barnabas:
30:04-30:07
So it's about one hour drive from my house to his house.
Barnabas:
30:09-30:18
And then when I'm back home in the night about 8 p.m., watering my plants, you know, the flowers, he give him my call and he said, "Barnabas, I couldn't wait.
Barnabas:
30:19-30:28
If something going to happen to me this night then, tonight then, how can I solve the problem?" He said, "Come over tonight."
Barnabas:
30:28-30:28
(laughs)
Barnabas:
30:29-30:30
I said, "It's very dark.
Barnabas:
30:32-30:40
"God is with you." At the second that you wanted to accept Jesus Christ, God is with you, he's gonna give you protection.
Barnabas:
30:41-30:46
So on Sunday, he came to the church, and we lay hands on him, pray for him.
Barnabas:
30:47-30:50
And the Holy Spirit helped him a lot.
Barnabas:
30:51-30:57
He was 85 and caught car accident a couple times, so his health is not good.
Barnabas:
30:59-31:02
Slivers are dropping all the time.
Barnabas:
31:02-31:09
So whether he, with the net tire or the white shirts, getting wet.
Barnabas:
31:11-31:14
So he came to, he stayed with us for three days.
Barnabas:
31:15-31:25
And then we prayed together and the dropping slivers, Slavery is gone, immediately gone.
Barnabas:
31:25-31:29
He said, "If this happened to someone, "I don't believe," he said.
Barnabas:
31:30-31:31
"But it's happened to me.
Barnabas:
31:32-31:33
"What shall I say?
Barnabas:
31:33-31:36
"If I don't believe, now I'm dried up.
Barnabas:
31:37-31:42
"If I believe, what happened to me?" He said, "Jesus Christ is so surprised," he said.
Barnabas:
31:44-31:49
So in the Second World War, he killed so many Vietnamese.
Barnabas:
31:50-31:52
So that bothered him a lot.
Barnabas:
31:52-31:54
In the nighttime, he couldn't sleep.
Barnabas:
31:54-32:05
All the people that he killed coming back to him in the nighttime, even though he closed eyes, still coming, and he couldn't sleep the whole night.
Barnabas:
32:06-32:10
So after we went to his house and prayed for him, all this gone.
Barnabas:
32:11-32:12
He was so happy.
Barnabas:
32:13-32:19
So wherever our evangelists are going, the Holy Spirit is with us.
Barnabas:
32:20-32:28
How can we drive, how do you say, the spirits in the Second World War come to bother him?
Barnabas:
32:28-32:30
How can we drive them out?
Barnabas:
32:30-32:32
Only in the name of Jesus Christ.
Barnabas:
32:33-32:37
So when he became a Christian, he was so happy.
Barnabas:
32:38-32:39
He was so happy.
Barnabas:
32:41-32:53
As you see the dirt bike, very muddy, the hillside, our bridge, it's only wooden bridge, not last long, but we're very scary.
Barnabas:
32:54-33:03
In this motorbike, me and my wife and my son and my daughter, four people on our dirt bike, very slippery.
Barnabas:
33:05-33:07
Don't say to ride on a motorbike.
Barnabas:
33:07-33:11
Just walk down is not easy, you know, not that way.
Barnabas:
33:13-33:21
To ride on motorbike, we have to ride, and the left leg must be strong, because you have to keep side by side like that.
Barnabas:
33:22-33:28
So this is, I walk at the country for one day, two days, I walk.
Barnabas:
33:30-33:35
because I want to know Jesus Christ more, you know.
Barnabas:
33:36-33:41
By traveling, God has performed something better than before.
Barnabas:
33:41-33:43
Something new, something new.
Barnabas:
33:43-33:46
I always keep this thing all the time in my mind.
Barnabas:
33:48-33:52
So, I didn't feel like I'm tired.
Barnabas:
33:53-33:54
You know, I didn't complain.
Barnabas:
33:55-33:59
Even those difficulties, I didn't complain.
Barnabas:
34:00-34:02
But one day I complained one time.
Barnabas:
34:04-34:05
The road was so slippery.
Barnabas:
34:06-34:11
Before I could reach the village, I fell off a motorbike six times.
Barnabas:
34:12-34:16
You see, I fell off a motorbike six times.
Barnabas:
34:16-34:23
So I said, "Lord, only one mile." I fell off six times.
Barnabas:
34:24-34:28
There are another 30 more miles. How can I go?
Barnabas:
34:29-34:41
So I sit before the Lord and I pray, "Help me on this trip." And then the rest of the journey, I didn't fail out from the bike, you know, right to the village.
Barnabas:
34:41-34:47
My motorbike road is a path, it's a very small path, very steep.
Barnabas:
34:48-34:53
When you come, I will point out for you the places that I went.
Barnabas:
34:53-34:55
You just don't believe me.
Barnabas:
34:56-34:57
You don't believe me.
Barnabas:
34:58-35:03
But it's real. All the people over there, they knew that I went this road.
Barnabas:
35:04-35:05
Very difficult.
Barnabas:
35:07-35:14
Yeah, Mr. Wallaby, when we have a motor with a dog bike and he bought me this truck.
Barnabas:
35:15-35:18
This truck looks like all the Leasing people owned it.
Barnabas:
35:19-35:21
One truck, we loaded 30 people.
Barnabas:
35:23-35:24
27 people.
Barnabas:
35:27-35:28
Very helpful.
Barnabas:
35:29-35:32
Got a truck in the country, very helpful.
Barnabas:
35:32-35:36
Not necessarily with the air condition, a warmer system.
Barnabas:
35:39-35:41
This is not with air condition.
Barnabas:
35:43-35:47
And also, the steering is not power.
Barnabas:
35:48-35:57
So my journey is about 150 kilometres, but you have to drive five to six hours.
Barnabas:
35:59-36:11
More than a thousand turns, you know, almost, yeah, just, almost turning all this way without steering, HDR, how to say, shoulder pain, arm pain, like that.
Barnabas:
36:13-36:23
Mary Phillip, she donated this truck, So we put the other truck is now four by four, so cannot go this way.
Barnabas:
36:23-36:27
So this one, we have to put four chains on four wheels.
Barnabas:
36:30-36:34
Yeah, here, like this is Mr. Chuck Ralph.
Barnabas:
36:35-36:41
Now he is here, Denise and Mr. Chuck, they donate this truck.
Barnabas:
36:41-36:50
And now I'm not using this one because my left leg is not so strong.
Barnabas:
36:50-36:52
So this truck came.
Barnabas:
36:54-36:57
At the time, I really needed this kind of a truck.
Barnabas:
36:58-37:00
So that really helped me a lot.
Barnabas:
37:00-37:03
So will you please stand up for me, Mr. Chuck and Denise?
Barnabas:
37:05-37:07
OK, Alexis, thank you.
Barnabas:
37:07-37:08
Give applause to them.
Barnabas:
37:08-37:08
OK.
Barnabas:
37:13-37:13
[APPLAUSE]
Barnabas:
37:14-37:29
When we loaded generator, sandbox, and everything's on one truck, above them we have six, seven people sit on the top.
Barnabas:
37:29-37:32
So very shaky like that.
Barnabas:
37:32-37:34
In the country, the road is not good.
Barnabas:
37:34-37:40
You must learn how to hold—we have to learn from monkey, you know, how much they are strong.
Barnabas:
37:41-37:45
And when you lose out, you'll be losing out like that.
Barnabas:
37:46-37:51
So we have to-- the whole time that we are on the top, you have to hold this way.
Barnabas:
37:52-37:57
And so riding the truck over here is a lot easier, very comfortable.
Barnabas:
37:58-38:01
Over here is-- you hold very tight.
Barnabas:
38:02-38:02
OK.
Barnabas:
38:04-38:15
And the truck right now is like-- actually, I couldn't drive the truck anymore because my left leg, so since we have automatic gear, I got this one.
Barnabas:
38:16-38:24
So my stay at home and stay and live in the truck, my time in the lift truck is more than my stay at home.
Barnabas:
38:25-38:28
So traveling in the day or in the night.
Barnabas:
38:28-38:34
So like I have to be, in the past time, I run 40 village by myself.
Barnabas:
38:35-38:43
But right now I keep 20 village, maybe 25 village, and we have 17 fellow evangelists.
Barnabas:
38:45-38:51
So right now, not alone, you know, we have some fellow evangelists that I trained.
Barnabas:
38:51-39:06
We train them monthly, and from time to time I go to the village, and especially I met with the headman of the village, or spirit man, like a witch doctor.
Barnabas:
39:07-39:12
So they're a little bit hesitant to go, but for me, it's no problem.
Barnabas:
39:13-39:16
To see the headman or to see the witch doctor.
Barnabas:
39:17-39:20
We are come here to challenge, to meet these people.
Barnabas:
39:22-39:25
Okay, these are some of our church right now.
Barnabas:
39:26-39:28
That was Nong Choe Church.
Barnabas:
39:29-39:42
Yeah, all this church, we mostly send, The money came from non-seclusion church, that we can able to build all this church.
Barnabas:
39:42-39:44
This is my fellow evangelist.
Barnabas:
39:46-39:55
Yeah, when we have some money, we pave church floor, and our church members are helping in the mixing cement, like that.
Barnabas:
39:57-40:02
Yeah, in my life, I just don't agree with the Muslim, what they do.
Barnabas:
40:02-40:07
So I use this one and I pray for Muslims.
Barnabas:
40:09-40:11
The reason is like very difficult.
Barnabas:
40:12-40:19
If we don't pray for the Muslims, don't send our kids as a missionary to other countries.
Barnabas:
40:21-40:22
They will be killed, you know.
Barnabas:
40:24-40:28
So we have to, our prayer must be like a long reach missile.
Barnabas:
40:29-40:31
Let our prayer go there first.
Barnabas:
40:32-40:46
I remember when the Jews, Israelites came up from Egypt to Canaan, 600,000 Israel were lost.
Barnabas:
40:47-41:00
So the same thing, like in this generation, if 600,000 Jihadis gone, then the next generation is open to the gospel.
Barnabas:
41:01-41:07
So I pray for them like a war.
Barnabas:
41:08-41:16
So I lit the candle and kneel before God and fast and pray.
Barnabas:
41:18-41:24
Because even this generation's gone, we want coming generation to come to Christ.
Barnabas:
41:25-41:31
It's not the end time, but still we have hope like that.
Barnabas:
41:31-41:38
But here in America, I think you better not use your candle, because you are paved with the carpet.
Barnabas:
41:40-41:47
Carpet is very flammable, so if you-- sometimes it burns your house away.
Barnabas:
41:47-41:49
Over there, we don't have a carpet.
Barnabas:
41:49-41:54
So even though it drops down there, there's only cement floor.
Barnabas:
41:56-42:03
But here it's very difficult if you use the candle, must use a light, electric light.
Barnabas:
42:05-42:07
Yeah, this is a monthly meeting.
Barnabas:
42:07-42:09
So Martha is cook.
Barnabas:
42:10-42:11
Our meeting is three days.
Barnabas:
42:11-42:16
One day they come, the second day I teach, I train them the whole day.
Barnabas:
42:17-42:21
And they have to give me report, every monthly report.
Barnabas:
42:22-42:25
What has been done this past month?
Barnabas:
42:26-42:27
what is your new plan for next month?
Barnabas:
42:29-42:36
So like monthly, but starting from this year, I divided out two sections.
Barnabas:
42:37-42:41
This first mission part, this is second part like that.
Barnabas:
42:42-42:50
So they will be meeting their own village, and then the second month come to meet me in Chiang Mai.
Barnabas:
42:51-42:56
So when evangelists come in my house, about more than 20 people.
Barnabas:
42:57-43:01
Mother are cooking and well to prepare for their sleeping.
Barnabas:
43:01-43:08
But here in America, every time when I came over here, they give me private room like that.
Barnabas:
43:08-43:11
Over there, we don't have a private room, just sleeping line.
Barnabas:
43:14-43:18
This is just before I came over here, when they were sleeping, I just took a picture.
Barnabas:
43:19-43:19
(laughs)
Barnabas:
43:22-43:27
Yeah, my ministry in Chiang Mai is not to start a Lisu church.
Barnabas:
43:28-43:31
From the Lisu to start a Thai church.
Barnabas:
43:33-43:39
So now the country people become pastors in the city or evangelists in the city.
Barnabas:
43:40-43:43
Country people went to Bible college a lot.
Barnabas:
43:44-43:51
So like I preach in Lisu, Mata interpreted into Thai language.
Barnabas:
43:53-43:57
Up there was the Christmas time, down there is Thanksgiving.
Barnabas:
43:57-44:07
So Mata is always cooking, cooking for the Christmas or Thanksgiving or monthly meeting.
Barnabas:
44:09-44:14
This is last year that Mr. Bob came to Thailand.
Barnabas:
44:15-44:20
And our Thanksgiving and here your Thanksgiving is a little different.
Barnabas:
44:21-44:27
So this is our Thanksgiving is what you can see from biblical like that way.
Barnabas:
44:29-44:32
Yeah, this is Ben Rath.
Barnabas:
44:33-44:34
He came to Thailand.
Barnabas:
44:35-44:40
And also, he also encouraged the people over there.
Barnabas:
44:42-44:48
Yeah, this is just beside my house.
Barnabas:
44:49-44:50
This is what we call bamboo house.
Barnabas:
44:52-44:55
We use the bamboo, make a big hole.
Barnabas:
44:56-45:08
We don't let, how to say, in the middle, we don't have the post, so we try to make ourself a bamboo house, and then we can hold many people.
Barnabas:
45:09-45:12
In my house church is still very small.
Barnabas:
45:13-45:17
Maybe 67 people can stay, but 300, 400 people.
Barnabas:
45:17-45:23
Sometimes, Thanksgiving, we have more than 1,000 people came.
Barnabas:
45:23-45:25
Sometimes 300 people came.
Barnabas:
45:25-45:26
Sometimes 400 people came.
Barnabas:
45:28-45:31
Yeah, this is how bamboo house.
Barnabas:
45:32-45:35
That is my fellow evangelist.
Barnabas:
45:37-45:43
My fellow evangelist from Lisu, Thai, Laos, Aka.
Barnabas:
45:45-45:49
So I'm serving the Lord among the four tribes here in Thailand.
Barnabas:
45:51-45:54
So I speak Burmese and sometimes I went to Burma.
Barnabas:
45:55-46:01
At the border one time I met the immigration officer.
Barnabas:
46:02-46:03
He's a Burmese.
Barnabas:
46:04-46:08
When I share the gospel to him, he accept.
Barnabas:
46:09-46:22
And I said, "Okay, you who live here in Burma, you can take out his idol, all idols from his house." And they said, "No, no, no, Barnabas.
Barnabas:
46:23-46:24
We cannot do it.
Barnabas:
46:24-46:25
You do it.
Barnabas:
46:26-46:41
We don't know how to do it." So I told this immigration officer, "Okay, let's go to your house." So I went to his house and asked, "Do you agree that we take all these things?" He said, "I agree." I decided.
Barnabas:
46:42-46:54
So I put all the idols, the Buddhist idols, put into the paper box and I tied it up and I told one young man, "Take and run."
Barnabas:
46:54-46:55
(laughs)
Barnabas:
46:56-46:59
They can run and don't let anybody see.
Barnabas:
46:59-47:00
They don't speak this rule.
Barnabas:
47:01-47:07
So I said, "You went out there in the wood and you can use your hammer to break out.
Barnabas:
47:08-47:16
Don't let anybody know." The idols used the hammer, hit their heads at the jungle.
Barnabas:
47:16-47:19
We cannot hit them in front of them.
Barnabas:
47:22-47:26
Actually, your support is good enough for my family.
Barnabas:
47:28-47:35
I can spend more money, but I cannot do, I cannot be each village.
Barnabas:
47:36-47:42
So, what sort of a you give me, I separate it up, give to 70 people.
Barnabas:
47:45-47:46
So, what sort of a left?
Barnabas:
47:46-47:53
Maybe $100 left, $200 left, and our family depend on that.
Barnabas:
47:55-47:59
So God, the Holy Spirit give us more food, you know.
Barnabas:
48:00-48:04
When they have Thanksgiving, they give some more rice to us.
Barnabas:
48:05-48:08
When we go to the village, they give some chicken to us.
Barnabas:
48:09-48:15
So I don't lay my treasure here on earth.
Barnabas:
48:16-48:20
What's all that we have, just share with the evangelists, share with the evangelists.
Barnabas:
48:20-48:24
They can be where they are, I cannot be, you see.
Barnabas:
48:25-48:28
Then this little money I can spend, yeah, I can spend it.
Barnabas:
48:29-48:33
But if they have it better than it has in my hand.
Barnabas:
48:34-48:38
So I share all the support to our fellow.
Barnabas:
48:39-48:42
Yeah, in their hand, their whole envelope.
Barnabas:
48:44-48:45
One family, $100.
Barnabas:
48:47-48:49
One family, $150.
Barnabas:
48:50-49:04
Every month when I give them, "Okay, you pray for North South Christian Church and also how to say, Mr. Jeff, I give them the name, you have to pray for them.
Barnabas:
49:06-49:13
So when they hold the envelope and pray for you, and you are responsible to use this money.
Barnabas:
49:15-49:25
So like the word of God is, you know, going to 17, 18 area, usually 25 villages that we are running.
Barnabas:
49:26-49:27
Yeah, they are praying.
Barnabas:
49:27-49:28
Next one.
Barnabas:
49:28-49:30
Yeah, actually here we have one song.
Barnabas:
49:32-49:33
Can we hear their song?
Barnabas:
49:35-49:37
Actually we together sing a song.
Barnabas:
49:39-49:44
In my prayer, God use me a lot.
Barnabas:
49:44-49:51
So just we, let us give ourselves to God first and he can use.
Barnabas:
49:52-49:55
Like your money, if you don't give me, how can I use your money?
Barnabas:
49:57-50:02
The same way, if we don't give our life to God, God cannot use.
Barnabas:
50:03-50:12
If I say this is mine, then God, okay, you are, by your own, then God cannot use us.
Barnabas:
50:13-50:36
So like Father says, a while ago we read Mark chapter, verse three, chapter three, 13 to 15, is that the signs will be authority, the same authority that he gave to 12 disciples and 70 people and gave it to the apostle Paul.
Barnabas:
50:37-50:45
And even today, the same authority we receive to drive demons and evil spirits.
Barnabas:
50:47-50:51
So what he had said in this world is true.
Barnabas:
50:52-50:58
Then what he said for the coming promise that he will take us to heaven, that will be true.
Barnabas:
50:59-51:03
So our hope is really true.
Barnabas:
51:04-51:06
So don't be discouraged in our life.
Barnabas:
51:07-51:11
Worshiping God and preaching the gospel.
Barnabas:
51:13-51:33
Actually, in preaching the gospel, like a bear in fruit, like a bear in fruit means when I receive the Bible and I have to speak out the Bible, go to all nations, means let the word of God go out from our mouth.
Barnabas:
51:35-51:38
Let the word of God come out from our mouth.
Barnabas:
51:39-51:39
It's good.
Barnabas:
51:40-51:47
the Word of God go anywhere and everywhere, you can let the Word of God go out. Let the Word of God go out.
Barnabas:
51:49-51:53
Then God will use his Word to change someone's life.
Barnabas:
51:54-52:06
So evangelist means I told my people like we must be talking Bible, walking Bible. This Bible is not talking Bible.
Barnabas:
52:07-52:12
It's not walking Bible, but it transfer to in our life.
Barnabas:
52:13-52:18
Then the Bible, we ourselves like the Bible, talking Bible and walking Bible.
Barnabas:
52:20-52:25
So even on the way, anywhere you can talk the gospel to everyone.
Barnabas:
52:27-52:30
Since we did dedicated to the Lord.
Barnabas:
52:30-52:34
So God will, we give and God will use.
Barnabas:
52:36-52:41
Many times we face the spirit problem, spirit battle.
Barnabas:
52:42-52:57
I faced many times, but God gave me, suppose something is happening, I couldn't see clearly, but in my dream, God gave me, who is bothering this young boy?
Barnabas:
52:58-53:00
I know that the spirit is bothering.
Barnabas:
53:01-53:02
Which spirit?
Barnabas:
53:03-53:06
Where even spirit, they have a higher position, a lower position.
Barnabas:
53:07-53:11
The spirit of Bardo, this younger, is from the higher position.
Barnabas:
53:13-53:19
So I drove one hour, two hour, to go there and help this youngest out.
Barnabas:
53:20-53:22
So she's now okay.
Barnabas:
53:24-53:34
So like, I wanted to witness that, what the Bible said in the Jesus time is still true to this day.
Barnabas:
53:36-53:39
If we dedicate to him, he will use us.
Barnabas:
53:41-53:47
And then things that are happening, we don't understand.
Barnabas:
53:48-53:52
It's increasing, the number of Christians is increasing.
Barnabas:
53:53-53:59
In my area, just before I came over here, One family, it's a Thai family, became Christian.
Barnabas:
54:00-54:03
Three children and a father and mother, all five people.
Barnabas:
54:06-54:15
So my preaching gospel place is whenever I meet non-Christian, that is the place that I preach in the gospel.
Barnabas:
54:15-54:23
I don't choose the place, whether at the cemetery, whether on the bus, at the restaurant.
Barnabas:
54:25-54:32
Usually when I eat something at the restaurant, the restaurant over there is, you know, at the city and the country area is very different.
Barnabas:
54:33-54:38
One meal about $1, but here it's maybe not one meal, $1.
Barnabas:
54:40-54:46
And then, if not many customer, I can share the gospel to shop owner.
Barnabas:
54:48-54:58
So like, I would like to witness that the Holy Spirit done it in my life and all these spirits gone.
Barnabas:
54:59-55:00
And many people become Christian.
Barnabas:
55:01-55:07
Right now we have more than 2,000 people become Christian within this 30 years.
Barnabas:
55:08-55:11
So worker also more increased it.
Barnabas:
55:12-55:20
So like here also more stronger support must be increased it and then we will reach more area.
Barnabas:
55:21-55:24
and my preaching the gospel is a lot improved.
Barnabas:
55:24-55:35
At the beginning, I have to, in order to preach the gospel to one person, is have to wait opportunity, make a friend, make a friend.
Barnabas:
55:36-55:40
Like I said, be a friend, be a friend, be a friend, the rest of all your life, be a friend.
Barnabas:
55:41-55:43
Nowadays, I don't make a be friend, you know.
Barnabas:
55:44-55:46
I just directly preach gospel to them.
Barnabas:
55:48-55:52
Be a friend is take, spend a lot of time.
Barnabas:
55:53-55:54
Just share the gospel immediately.
Barnabas:
55:56-56:01
I said, I'm faithful to your life, so I share the gospel to you.
Barnabas:
56:02-56:05
I'm faithful to your life, that's why I share the gospel to you.
Barnabas:
56:07-56:16
So like, I thank you for your prayer, and thank you for your listening, and thank you that allow me to be with you.
Barnabas:
56:17-56:17
It's a great honor.
Barnabas:
56:18-56:19
May God bless you.
56:22-56:22
[APPLAUSE]
56:23-56:26
[APPLAUSE]
