In this sermon, the speaker discusses the topic of violence in the Old Testament and how God's view of violence may differ from that of humans. The speaker also mentions the portrayal of violence in movies and highlights the unrealistic nature of the heroes' ability to withstand numerous wounds. The sermon then transitions to discussing the goals of the operations support breakthrough project, which aims to provide materials to individuals and organizations involved in the AD2000 network. The speaker emphasizes the need for financial support to produce literature in multiple languages and to fund projects such as providing bicycles for literature distribution in India. The sermon concludes by discussing the importance of fundraising and the excitement of seeing breakthroughs and literature being produced.

I think Special Projects goes back to almost the beginning of the work, even though it didn't have a name. I was always making use of some of the money the Lord brought in in answer to prayer to get involved in literature projects, both in and outside of OM. The leaflet I've just given you is out of date. I guess both of these are out of date. One is about Special Projects. In fact, I'm going to be meeting with Graham Turner this morning as we're trying to produce a new leaflet. The other one is about one of the ministries, just one of hundreds of ministries, that Special Projects has put considerable finance into. That is, in fact, another organization, ALOC. And there's a photo missing there. If you look at the back, see the blank space? That's the photos missing the person who created the leaflet, who is the secretary and the only full-time worker in that movement. And he's not full-time. That's Jerry Davey. And Jerry has put an enormous amount of time into this. And we've worked very, very closely together on projects in Eastern Europe. It's absolutely phenomenal, the amount of literature, especially in places like Bulgaria. This is only a few of the titles. This was done some years ago. And John Stott is very involved. There's his photo. I had a chat with him on the phone just the other day. He, by the way, is in Papua New Guinea. We're on the way there. And I know he'll be appreciative of our prayers. The purpose of sharing about this, and this tape may or may not go around to other OMers, is to get all of you on ICT to take a little bit of ownership of this. I think I have failed to communicate Special Projects in a way that the rest of the team felt a little bit of ownership. It's always a humbling experience to realize, when you're in the field of communication as I am, how many areas of failure you have. And I am actually doing graduate studies on communications on my own, reading some of the best authors, listening to some of the best tapes of the best communicators in the world. Very humbling experience. And it's amazing how people in the secular world take communication far more seriously than people generally in the Christian world. Ministers who are satisfied being C-minus speakers, when with a little bit of work and study and willingness to receive evaluation from the poor souls that sometimes have to listen to them, they could improve in their communication skills. Sometimes spirituality or false ideas of spirituality cause us to be slipshod. We say, well, the Holy Spirit does all the work, and we're nothing. We have these great phrases we use among us. The Lord uses his word. How sad it is that so much Bible preaching is so boring, and that young people say it's boring, and that great, vast numbers of young people are leaving the church. I believe, in the case of both of my children who have difficulty with the Christian faith, if the churches where they went had more exciting, relevant, cutting-edge kind of communications, I dare to say both of them might be going on today. I remember when my daughter was a little bit too late, heard the ministry of Charles Wendell in California, just the impact that made on her. So I'm trying to improve in communications on many levels. It gets a bit discouraging sometimes. Even though there are always many encouragements in meetings, I tend to see the areas where I fail more easily than the areas where I may be successful. And certainly, I've failed to communicate at times right here on the team about things we're all involved in. I wonder if you realize, for example, that without the subsidy of special projects into this team over the past years, we would really be out of business apart from God's intervention. Of course, as Christians, we tend to think that we can never be put out of business. That's not a very good term. But if you look at what's going on in the Christian world, if you look at what's going on in churches, it is amazing. And as we're in the midst of this financial crisis, let us not presume. Yes, it is true. Again and again, the Lord has rescued us, but not without a battle. And in the battle, some have been wounded, probably me among others. But God has a wonderful way of healing our wounds. Some of you know I'm a movie lover and watch the movies. That shirt, I probably don't recommend. And it's amazing how Christians are so much against these violent movies. But as I study the Old Testament, I see things that are so violent that if you put them in film, it would definitely be X-rated. So if you have the simplistic answer to violence in the Old Testament, I know what it is. Oh, we don't make movies out of it. Look, some of us have an imagination. We can make a movie better than what they put on the screen. But I think God's view of violence may not be the same as some very soft people on planet Earth about violence. But it is interesting in these films how many wounds the heroes can get and still come back and beat the other guy up. It's absolutely amazing. Of course, what we don't realize, or of course we maybe do realize, they stop after a particular scene, go have a glass of beer and a cup of tea and go home and come make the next bit of film the next day after they're well rested. So yes, I've been wounded in my efforts to try to communicate this vision of world evangelism. And the main thrust of special projects is to provide the tools to get the job done, to provide the tools to get the job done. Last year was the breakthrough year. It was a dream of a decade. And our budget in special projects went from $300,000 to over $1 million. So some of that is frozen in an account and being doubled at this present time. A number of people have worked extra hard last year, especially my wife, and Vera, and May, and people who are very much tied into special projects, which really indirectly includes everybody on the team. Because if you're providing the services and the backup for something we're doing that may look more cutting edge in terms of special projects, then you're involved on the team. And there is a real sense, without any exaggeration, that everybody on ICT is involved in special projects. I'd like us, when we have some prayer at the end and we're watching the clock, to really give thanks for what the Lord did in 94. It was in August when the dream about seeing a million above budget and basically special projects is the kind of thing that is all above budget. We can move just depending on the income. We don't have many fixed things that we have to give finance to no matter what. We have a few. Westwatch is one of them. But Westwatch is not some kind of cheap operation, even though we have it rent-free. You get an old house like that, and the changes we've made there, including even putting things in like a shower, all of that has cost money. But we don't have many things like that that are sort of always there. And we put in writing in August that we were praying that God would bring in a million, a total of a million, within the next six months. Even as I wrote that and put it in print, I was really nervous. I have a lot of struggle with putting anything in print that's a faith goal, because many times I haven't reached those goals. Anyway, we did it, and by January we had seen a total of about one million, including some of the money that will not get back to us until May or June. So that's a real item of praise. The biggest breakthrough came in connection with two matching funds, one initially out of Singapore, where the money was all doubled. That went back as far as last May. You may not remember when we launched that first matching fund. It was only for $20,000. It seemed huge. And then Mr. Gui added another $30,000, and we saw that check come in in August. And that was eligible for the match that later came on, or in that case it would be a rematch. And then Brother Frank Seeley, who I met at Network 94, and we were on the train together. We had talked on the phone before that. Somehow we got involved in another match, which was initially $50,000. And that match was going when I hit Singapore and presented it to the people who attended some of the meetings there arranged by Mr. Gui. We saw a great response. Immediately that $50,000 was matched. He said, well, let's go for another $50,000, but I want to make it harder. It's two for one now. You've got to find $2 for every one. And we saw that come in fairly soon. Then he went to the third $50,000. Then he went to the fourth $50,000. Around that time we had a famous New York City visit with Mr. Gui, who was stuck there having an operation. And he, when we heard about the new special match over in the States, he got excited about that and put out a match for $200,000 American dollars. Eventually it was only $160,000, and we had to go around and match all of that. And miraculously by the end of the year, the giving around the world took us over the million dollar. Because there was a backlog of projects, actually almost 10 years backlog of dream and projects, that money was quickly gone. None of it in any way that was just sort of, well, we've got a lot of money, where are we going to spend it? All of it well thought through, well prayed through, requests from around the world. Just for an example, what would 2,000 copies of Operation World in Portuguese cost? $12,000. I don't think most people realize when we talk about spreading Operation World around the world, what we're talking about. They're $4, $5, $6 a copy. We've ordered 5,000 in Korean. Now these projects will bring some money back, but generally I let the money stay in the country. Brazil needs money. When they sell Operation World in Brazil, we let them keep the money. This is one of the ways that special projects help fields that are in difficult financial situation. We provide them with books, which is our vision. They have a vision for books. They also have a vision for paying their bills and continuing the basic ministry. So it's what's described in Stephen Covey's book as win-win. And we have a lot of interesting win-win projects going on, not just matching funds, but other partnerships where both people in the partnership come out with benefit for the kingdom of God. I think you've understood this far that our biggest vision for special projects in regard to tools is in fact literature. What are some of the other literature challenges? The biggest is evangelistic literature. We're just right now sending off a check for tracts, desperately needed tracts in Togo. Again, it's quite a mystery how people write to us. Of course, we are in correspondence with a lot of people all over the world, but we now have an application form that people fill out if they're interested in getting money from special projects, and these people pursued. And though Togo isn't the 1040 window and isn't considered our first priority, we released that money because evangelistic literature is one of our first priorities. We also try to do things that other people aren't necessarily planning to do. If some other group is already committed to doing that, then we'll choose one of the other many projects. Evangelistic literature in the 1040 window is the number one priority rate we have right now for special projects. We're trying to put $10,000 into a children's Bible project in Kazakhstan. Many other groups are into this, think they need $500,000 for this one project. So let's just understand when we're talking about a million dollars, a greatly, how can we say, a greatly reduced value dollar in 1995 compared to 1955 when I was converted, it isn't a lot of money. That one project in Kazakhstan, they need $500,000. All we're committed to so far is the $10,000. I don't even think I actually have the $10,000 until perhaps May or June. We are sending literature or giving finance for literature now in over 100 nations in the world. It's going to be exciting to get to heaven and see the fruit of some of this giving, especially when it's backed by prayer. We just had another opportunity in Kurdistan. We have regular opportunities in Turkey. We have more opportunities in Eastern Europe than we know what to do with. We also, of course, are committed to publishing or helping finance literature for believers, to stir believers into action, evangelistic action, church renewal, and especially now missions mobilization. The biggest single project we're involved in where we're attempting to raise the money for the whole budget, unlike that Kazakhstan project, we're trying to raise the money for the whole budget, is Operation Support Breakthrough. Some of you have seen that one-page little paper. I've got a design company, ExoEmer in Canada, with that paper on his desk right now that may produce a leaflet. What in the world is Operation Support Breakthrough? I can honestly say I'm more excited about Operation Support Breakthrough than anything else I'm involved in right now, including the ship ministry in India. You say, wow, what an over-the-top statement. These Friday mornings we really go right over the top. The reason is I don't want to just talk about India. I don't want to just talk about the ships and do a little bit to help them and pray for them, which is the most important thing. I want to help these ministries take giant steps forward. I see Operation Support Breakthrough as one of the best ways we can help not only OM and mega ministries in OM, like the ships in India, both of which have budgets that go way, way beyond a million dollars. The ships a couple of million or more, as well as other organizations, especially not only through special projects, but my AD2000 responsibilities is Operation Support Breakthrough. It was very encouraging when the area leaders agreed that Operation Support Breakthrough would be an international project. Since those famous days of this high-level decision, I have seen other people outside of our little special projects group do almost nothing for Operation Support Breakthrough. In other words, getting a high-level decision in OM is not always the most meaningful experience in the world, because we're doing so many things. There are so many projects, and this project is very new. The concept is new. I have not communicated it properly, though I've made a few efforts. Maybe when we get our more attractive leadership, and also sometimes I've made the mistake of giving the idea, we're going to do this. Our little special projects group in ICT, we're going to do this. But in fact, we can't. It takes $500,000 for Operation Support Breakthrough, first stage, first stage. That $500,000 is broken into producing and distributing, financing literature in five languages. All of this literature is aimed primarily toward teaching a new person coming into the missions challenge, like these young people who make these decisions in these meetings, like against the night. I hope some people are making that kind of decision in these meetings, to immediately, within 24 hours, give them a packet to get them over the initial minefields, because 50% are knocked out within the first year. Even in places like Moody Bible Institute, where they have these whole weeks of missions emphasis with the best speakers, and all these young people stand up and make these commitments, and they're already in Bible college, a very tiny percentage ever get to the field, especially anything beyond the summer. I don't think in mission statistics we should use the summer thing very much. When we use that, it must be very cautious, because some people today, when they go on a summer, it's a misfire experience, and they decide that summer missions is not for them. This is the tragedy of some summer missions, whereas you cannot possibly evaluate missions through some little summer event. If you make a positive evaluation, of course, you're forced to go on, aren't you, and get more information, and then you may make a positive or negative decision later on. But if you immediately make a negative decision, then it is very hard to follow up on that. Operation Support Breakthrough has as its lofty goal that everywhere in the world, for anybody in the AD2000 network, or even outside the network, we will supply them with these materials, a packet. It can change from one language to the other. The present packet is people raising, friend raising, we may use one or the other, operation world, how to be a mission mobilizer, and serving as sender. Now, that may not sound like much, but when you start talking about producing those books in good quantity and in five languages, it's a lot of money. I want to say this as clear as I can say it. If we don't think that a major factor in holding up world evangelism is lack of money, then I really don't believe we know what is going on on this planet. Even in my position in AD2000, every other day it's money. They need money. Many are not going to Korea because they don't have the money for the air tickets. I personally did not commit a lot of money to air tickets, so within OM, we certainly have a big commitment toward OM people, and they're all starting to phone, fax, and write us right about now because they're booking tickets. Even places like southern Africa, South Africa is not a poor country, my friends. South Africa is an incredibly wealthy country. Some used to boast one of the most wealthy in the world. It's hit, of course, recession, but there are individuals even in the body of Christ that could write out big, very big checks for the kingdom. Instead, they have to fax us to get money internationally just to get an air ticket to South Korea. These are realities that we don't always like to face in OM, and Special Projects is committed to fundraising. Biblical, faith-filled, straightforward, loving, non-manipulative, New Testament, biblical, apostolic fundraising, and it's exciting. One of the more exciting things that I've been in in my life because we're seeing the breakthroughs and we're seeing literature come off the press. Do you remember years ago when it was decided by people in relief and development that rather than just give people equipment or especially just give them bread, just give them food, we should teach them how to do it within their own country? Do you remember that concept when it came into the body of Christ? It was nothing new now, but in that day, it was revolutionary and it impacted relief and development organizations in a big way. In fact, the word development is linked with helping a nation develop its economy so they can be self-supporting. On our particular track, Mobilization of New Missionaries track, we didn't have a lot of money for airfares, so we sent everybody who was supposed to get to Korea a copy of a book on how to raise money. A revolutionary move. I'm sure it got criticized. It's like the guy that says he has all these needs and instead of giving him some money, you say, well, be ye warmed. Here's a guy who's presenting all of his needs and you say, here's a book on how to raise money. It's not the total answer. It might bring some cynicism in, but we are talking about air tickets. We're not talking about food. But as I've looked around the world and tried to find people who are into this, people who want to teach all these Moody Bible Institute students how to raise money. I knew how to raise money before I got to Moody. That's how I paid my fees. That's how I got to Mexico. The average person does not know how to raise money. I even have field leaders telling me on the phone, they don't know what to do. They don't know how to raise money. And so we want to get these materials out. We want to see better materials. These materials need to be dovetailed into mentoring, into conferences, into seminars. We have a great seminar in Tyrone on how to raise your support. People are going through that. We've used other people's materials. Campus Crusade has had materials on this. Navigators have had materials on this long before OM was hardly thinking about it. Some of these materials have been complications in regard to copyright, and they weren't that attractive. They weren't so easily marketable. So now with the book Friend Raising and other materials, we have things that are more marketable, but we're looking for better things. We're looking for seminars on video where people can sit and go through a seminar on video and learn how to raise support, how to raise money for the kingdom of God. And we want material that combines the whole counsel of God with this particular vision. So one of the main projects right now we'd like you to pray about, get involved in, is teaching as many people as possible how to raise finance. Even if they already have their own support, they will want to raise money for their ministry. That was a major principle in the earliest days of OM through the book by Samuel Vila, a Spanish man challenging American missionaries not just to come to Spain with survival support, but to come to Spain with a little extra money to publish books and to get the ministry going. Of course, that was one of the cardinal principles of the whole movement of OM. Long after we receive and see the breakthrough for our personal support, we want to raise money for our ministry. And of course, a lot of individuals now within OM, they have projects. Gary Jean just shared on the phone he's found out that his son going to university can be a project, an official project linked to which is going to save tax. It's going to save money. This is why, of course, some of the accountants within OM, the very word projects, sends lightning up their backbone because coordinating projects, keeping track of money in connection with projects is quite complex. And there are a number of rules. So not everybody in OM or any field can just run off and launch any project. Fortunately, we were in special projects in there way ahead of all this. And we have a field. We have a fund, which means within special projects, we have a lot of freedom to get on. We can have projects within projects. The person may send the money into Tyrone. And on the check, it just says special projects. But on the phone, he tells me where he wants that money to go to. Special projects at present is very high touch. There's a lot of relationship. That means there's also a lot of correspondence. Please pray about operation support breakthrough. Maybe dig through your file and find out that piece of paper that you stashed away or request another copy. Because if we don't see a breakthrough in the area of support, the goals and dreams of aimed of both OM as well as 82,000, it will not happen. And people acknowledge that. When I challenge top leaders about that, they acknowledge that. They don't know exactly what to do about it. They don't usually have much of a plan. But they acknowledge without major breakthrough financially. And it's interesting that this morning while I'm sharing this after many months or years of failing to do so in this hopefully clear way, we are in the midst of a financial crisis. But it's interesting, the little bit of communication we sent out, most of it's going in the mail today, in the post today, some maybe tomorrow, but we sent advanced copies to just a couple people. Just to see what they thought of our little situation here. And one of them has been on the phone and is already sending equivalent from Singapore of 20,000 pounds toward our financial crisis. And this is just one of many proofs that we've had over these past months. If we pray straight and we shoot straight and we maintain our walk with Jesus and maintain these relationships, we can see the money come in for these projects that are on our hearts all over the world. And we can see people raised up who have a ministry of fundraising and releasing finance for the kingdom of God. The first group, I believe, are the intercessors. In any work of God, the first group are the intercessors. But after we have intercessors, we often think of that as the heavy artillery, we need foot soldiers. It was C.T. Studd who said that even prayer can become a cop-out. I tell you, I always found praying a lot easier than fundraising. That's why the old system, that was a beautiful cop-out for many of us, though we didn't realize it at the time. And I'm not picking on our old system, but it is. I saw this way back in the area of door-to-door. How easy it is to pray about evangelism, pray for people to be converted, pray about all kinds of things. Actually go out door-to-door and talk to somebody cold turkey about Jesus? Let's have another prayer meeting. The door-to-door vision of OM, that kind of evangelism, that went downhill fast. That started downhill the moment it was born and has almost died in some places. Praise God, there are many examples where it hasn't died. But the prayer meeting, the nights of prayer, the days of prayer, that has not died in OM. It's hard to say this, but in fact, prayer meetings and prayer together is easier for most of us human beings than going in cold turkey evangelism or cold turkey fundraising. The biggest reason consultants tell us that people don't have support is they are petrified at asking anybody for money. Pride comes in, super spirituality comes in, old ancient concepts out of British culture from 200 years ago come in. All kinds of things come in that keep us from asking people. In special projects, we ask. In special projects, we have a motto, faith without hints is dead. We see men and women going out into eternity without Christ. That's what should be disturbing us. Why is the church disturbed by so many little things? Even now with this Toronto blessing controversy, let us not allow that, whatever side you're on that controversy, let us not allow that to distract us from the bigger vision. Even most of the people who are in that would say there are things far bigger than that. And the bigger vision is that we may reach men and women with the gospel. Of course, the first task we always have is to know him, walk with him and become more Christlike. But as we work on that night and day, the big vision is to reach people. Why aren't more people upset that souls are going to hell? Now some theologically are upset and so they're writing books about it so that we can change it and it's not quite so hard as the whole discussion goes on and on. That's not what I'm talking about. Some people are professionals in the area of theology. That's what they do. They discuss theology. They get paid big money to teach theology. I'm not talking about that. Why aren't more people disturbed that souls are going to hell? On this team and in this project, we believe men are lost. Everything is geared in that direction and this is why we're asking God for big finance, evangelistic literature, literature to move believers into action, literature to see support breakthroughs, bicycles. I just heard India's lacking money for bicycles to get the literature people out. Our special project that's being doubled right now is quite narrow. The man who launched this project just turned down fuel for the ships. He just turned it down. That's one of the reasons that money is coming into ICT. Anything connected with literature, the 1040 window, helping get that literature out and that always includes video cassettes. You've seen what we've been able to do lately with the Jesus film that it always includes audio cassettes, any method of communication. Well, our time is gone. I hope this little sharing about special projects will help some of you to pray. We have many people on OM who want to get money from special projects. The letters are pouring in from all over the world and some of you listening to this tape are going to think you need to write immediately and ask for money. Actually, special projects is broke right now. All money we have is already designated, so you're late. What we're looking for right now is some people to give money. You say, well, OM people don't have much money to give. Well, that day is gone. OM is a mixed multitude. There are OMers who have money and some OMers have just put some money into special projects revolving fund. You say, what is the revolving fund? We've been doing it with Back to the Bible broadcast for 30 years. They loan us money, no interest, and we revolve it back at their request. In their case, we have to give some of it back every month, which is a bit of a pain. We prefer to get money, as this one ICT member loaned to us recently, I think it was over $10,000, another one came in with $5,000, and give us one month to get it back. We've been doing this for 30 years. Everyone has always got their money back. So anybody in OM who's sitting on money, maybe they need that two years from now to go to college. Fine, that's wonderful, but what is that money going to do between now and college? Sits in some bank account. The banks are giving such measly interest now, if you sneeze, it may disappear. Where when you put some revolving fund money into special projects, if that goes into Operation World, say in Korean, where we buy them at $5 and sell them at $10, it multiplies. Even if we don't get the money back, somebody's going to get money. Even the Korean group in California has just asked us for 500 free copies. We're seeing amazing things happen right now because we've got finance for literature and for things related and we want you to be involved. Many of you will receive benefits in one way or the other, all kinds of things, but we're also looking for some people that would like to take ownership. Taking ownership, sometimes that word gets spiritualized, but generally taking ownership costs. So we're looking for some people that maybe put a little investment, a little investment, like this businessman I met last summer. He thought, OM is a good investment. I'm looking for things that get fast return on big bucks. Boom, he gave me $10,000 right on the spot and he hardly knew me. It's interesting that people who have only met me one day sometimes take bigger steps of faith than people who have known me their whole life. Of course, what does that say about me? It might create a major misunderstanding at this point, but I believe most OMers are committed to special projects and that if they knew there was a door open, that they could get in on a little bit of investment, that they would perhaps do that. This is limited to an inner circle of people and only the people that hear this tape, which is not going that widely because organizationally you can only handle so much money. Remember that. Money is work. In myself, and this may sound like a contradiction, in myself, there's many a day I want to run away from the whole thing because it's work, it's stress, it's more relationships, it's complex. We have to follow up on every project. We have to make sure money is used for what it's designated for. We're subject to all kinds of rules and regulations. I'm subject to a board over me, to a committee that I make the decisions with. It's a lot of work. We appreciate your prayers and we're believing God for great things through special projects, which is part of the heart ministry of ICT. It is not a separate thing. It is part of the ministry of the whole team. I'll share more about that some other time. Let's pray. Father, it's just your mercy that I got the idea and the strength and courage, whatever, to just share these things with the team this morning. That we may take ownership of this phenomenal ministry whose budget has now gone over a million dollars. To see that happen again in 1995 is not going to be easy. But we believe, as we already have, this million Australian dollar matching fund launched, where we have to more or less find $3 for every $1 that that is going to enable us again to reach our goal this year. At present, Lord, that's going rather slowly. We would pray for the money to match this money from Australia. We would pray for other money that has not necessarily matching or has no strings attached, for other projects that are not necessarily part of that particular project, that particular matching fund. We thank you again for the breakthroughs we have seen. And here we are, God, this morning, sharing this vision to give away when we ourselves also need for our own food, our own clothing, our own basic needs. You said the labor is worthy of his or her hire. And maybe you're just waiting for us to put a little more oomph in our praying, a little more oomph in our investment program, spiritually and in other ways to be part of the release of the finance we need for ICT, which again and again we've seen you wonderfully, wonderfully provide. Father, I just thank you for everybody on this team. Lord, I just thank you that in your mercy, I like everybody on this team, and I encountered a joy to work with them and that we stimulate one another. We thank you for Carlisle, for Peter Maiden, for Mike Leith, for all the people who are laboring there, some of them for so many years, like the Phillips family. And we believe that together as two entities, knit with a whole of O.M., knit through 82,000 to thousands of groups and churches and millions of believers across the world that we're somehow going for a mega goal in this thing of world evangelism, that everybody by the year 2000 may receive the word of God. And Lord, at least in my own heart, that there may be as many, many churches as possible planted in the unreached people's groups, from Cameroon to Cambodia, Lord, from Central Asia to the jungles of the Amazon. Bring this to pass, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.