We asked 2019 MCNW speaker, Heather Mercer about her faith journey, and several questions about this year’s theme, “Worth it?” Get to know Heather more, and be blessed by her compelling testimony below.
When did you first surrender something tangible and stand completely on faith? Was it worth it?
When I was in college, God challenged me to value people more than possessions and position, and to live among the poor.
We are thankful for York’s willingness to answer a few questions around this year’s theme, “Worth it?” Settle in and get to know York in this personal interview about his faith, and how he chooses to follow Jesus every day.
When did you first surrender something tangible and stand completely on faith? Was it worth it?
Growing up in poverty, I strove to succeed in college. I was fortunate to go to an amazing school-the University of Michigan (Go Blue!). I graduated with honors and landed a dream job. There, I worked hard and excelled, making more money than I had ever dreamed possible. I also started my own consultancy, servicing several Fortune 50 companies as an information broker. Times were very good, but fear was always close at hand. Memories of going to bed hungry while squatting in an abandoned building with no electricity would often fuel my fears and keep me going. Whenever my career or clients became difficult, I always thought back on how hard things were growing up.
After months of waiting on the Lord, we are thrilled and eager to announce that Luis Palau will be joining us at Mission ConneXion Northwest this January!
Many around the world have been crying out to the Lord for healing and strength for Luis following the announcement earlier this year of the serious health issue he was facing. The Lord has been steadily answering those prayers in unusual ways – so don’t stop now!
A friend of mine was leading a group of VIPs’ around the premises of a national corporation. When they got to an area where many of the key decisions are made, my friend, inspired in the moment said, “Let’s take a selfie!” As he gathered the group together, he called out to an employee carrying some boxes nearby asking if he would take the picture. As the gentleman put down what he was carrying, and the group pulled together for the shot, one of the VIP’s whispered in my friend’s ear: “Ah, that’s the CEO of this company!” My friend profusely apologized and (much later) they all had a good laugh!
Introductions take all forms, some planned and others unexpected. Here are some introductions that we want to make sure to get right the first time, that we are very excited about…
Crystal McGowen joined us this summer as our new, part-time, Executive Administrative Assistant – Event Coordinator. She and her husband served as foreign missionaries; they’ve done business as mission overseas, and she also served as an executive administrative assistant for a non-profit, peacemaking organization. Don’t miss my interview with her in this newsletter edition!
By Bill MacLeod, Executive Director
Recently I had the privilege of being part of a unique prayer gathering. A representative from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association shared that the Church in America has been somewhat asleep in recent years, and that it was time (for us to pray) for it to awake and lead.
I wholeheartedly agree.
If you have been paying attention you may have noticed that the Church is already stirring in the Northwest, as JESUS is becoming center stage here…
By Bill MacLeod, Executive Director
Recently my wife and I had the privilege of spending time near the ancient cities of Athens and Corinth among workers serving in some of the hardest places for the gospel throughout Asia. Two individuals had run a bookstore selling Christian literature for many years in a major city but suddenly had to shut it down, fearing for their lives, because of those who fanatically oppose followers of Jesus.
By Bill MacLeod, Executive Director
When forces act in the same direction, they combine to make a bigger force. When they act in opposite directions, they can cancel one another out. If forces combine to make an overall force in one direction, the object moves in that direction.
By Bill MacLeod, Executive Director
Dorothea Clapp lived across the street from Ramsey High School, Ramsey, New Jersey, and for seventeen years prayed faithfully for the students at Ramsey High to know the Lord. When sophomore George Verwer came across her radar screen, she put him on her prayer list and prayed that he would trust Christ and become a missionary someday. She sent a Gospel of John in the mail to him as a gift. I always love hearing George tell the story…“she never asked me for my permission to pray for me, she just prayed!”
The faithful prayers of Mrs. Clapp allowed the Holy Spirit to begin a mighty work in the life of young George Verwer. Today, 63 years later, Operation Mobilization, the organization he founded, continues to take the Gospel and Christian literature around the world, even utilizing ocean-going vessels in the process.
A message from our friends at SEND International.
….“I have personally met people who, the only image that they have of Jesus is what they’ve seen on TV in American movies. I have met people in the Philippines or in China who don’t know Jesus’ name at all. They’ll ask me, ‘Is Jesus some person living in your village?’”
Folks like these, whom International Director Warren Janzen meets as he travels to SEND’s fields around the world, live in unreached people groups. SEND International workers are part of a global movement of Jesus followers making disciples among the unreached. Today, we’ll explore what “unreached” means — and what it doesn’t.
I did not plan on it. I was reading the Book of Genesis for an assignment in college, and as I was closing in on the final chapters, suddenly I had a country on my mind that had not been in my thinking 48 chapters earlier. When these thoughts did not go away, I sought counsel from a veteran missionary who happened to teach missions at my college, and nine months later found myself being sent out by the college to this country as a summer missionary…
God has so many unique ways to get our attention as He graciously leads us to fulfill His purpose in our lives, and He often uses others in the process.
