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Cornerstone Communications
Moldova
January 22, 2005

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from very cold and muddy Nisporeni, Moldova! We are ONE WEEK away from Opening Night for "The Judgment Seat". The actors have been hard at work, learning their lines and movements, and I've been the slave driver making sure they do! I'm kidding, of course, but I do want this production to be the most professional, because it's for our Lord Jesus Christ, and souls hang in the balance.

Production Update

On a serious note, please pray. We have tried to get other churches involved. Right now, the Orthodox churches rule here. The pastors of the Christian churches are weary from working so hard. However, as we try to get participation, the churches have let pride keep them from being involved. The Baptist Church here pulled out, because only 3 of their members are in the cast. They felt they should have been allowed to have more in the cast. So, they won't help us get the word out, nor help with crew people.

Please pray for the attacks of the enemy, that they be stopped, and foiled. Pray for the actors and for the crew as we put the entire production together this week.

One of my pastimes is to prepare to feed the sheep each Sunday, as different churches invite me to share God's Word. I was in the capital, Kishenau, last Sunday, and 75% of the crowd came forward for prayer.

Top Ten Scriptures On the Number TEN

I have been doing a study on the number Ten. The number 10 stands for Redemption: God's Word is fascinating to discover different things about the character or God and how He has chosen the number ten to redeem things, whether it was land, persons, or firstborns, redemption money paid to priests, or our souls.

Here is a sampling of what I've found, and it's a list of the top ten scriptures!

1. If God found ten righteous found in Sodom, the Lord would not have destroyed it. Abraham tries to redeem Sodom by finding ten righteous. There weren't that many. Gen 18:3

2. Abraham's servant took ten camels, and went to Mesopotamia, to find, or redeem a bride for son Isaac. He later purchases her with 10 bracelets, and she's encouraged to stay for 10 days. Genesis 24:10

3. Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt, and later to redeem themselves back to their brother. Genesis 42:3

4. Moses is instructed to make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet. The tabernacle is a symbol of our redemption. Exodus 26:1

5. Moses spent 40 days and nights with the Lord, then the Lord wrote upon the tables the ten commandments, or our redemption through the law. Exodus 34:28

6. Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city, and had them witness his redemption of his bride-to-be, Ruth. Ruth 4:2

7. The kingdom of heaven is like ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. We must be alert as we await our redemption. Matthew 25:1

8. One of the servants was faithful with his ten talents, and was given more from the third servant, who foolishly didn't redeem his talent. Matthew 25:28

9. The one woman had ten pieces of silver diligently seeks for the tenth that has fallen and is lost. Luke 15:8

10. Jesus cleansed 10 lepers, but only one returned to thank Him. Luke 17:17

Visiting an orpanage this week, I fell in love with these little guys. There are many orphans in Moldova.

Top 10 Things to Do in Nisporeni

Okay, so maybe this isn't the "Entertainment Capital of the World", but that doesn't mean you can't have fun here! Here are the Top Ten Things to do here!

1. Count how many times the rooster crows at night as you're trying to sleep.

2. Count how many seconds you can walk down a muddy road without slipping.

3. Have fun loading the furnace with firewood!

4. Feed the pigs!

5. Collect eggs from the chickens

6. Go and draw water from the well

7. See how long you can stand being in the outhouse before you completely freeze.

8. Count the time you can go in the ice-cold bathroom and brush your teeth, shave and wash your head (forget taking a bath) before you can't stand it any longer.

9. Look forward to the highlight of your social life by hanging out at the little general store.

10. Leave Nisporeni!

What's a newsletter without a rehearsal picture??? Here we are working on next week's Opening Night!

Top Ten Reasons Why People Don't Go to Church

As I travel around the world, I love to share the Gospel with anyone who'll stop long enough to listen. Of course, I start to hear the same stories, or reasons why people don't go to church. I have compiled a list, and want to share with you those reasons! Bonus, I have also written down ways to respond to these reasons.

1. I don't have time. Sundays are the only days I have for myself. Most of us have very busy lives, too. He knows your needs, but "If you seek first the Kingdom of God…" Matt 6:33, you will see that everything will work itself out to give you plenty of time for you and for the Lord. Try and see that I'm right!

2. Church is for good people. You don't know how bad I am! Yes, that's true, but you don't know how bad I was! Moses killed a man. David committed adultery, and had the woman's husband killed. Peter lied knowing Jesus…3 times! You'll find yourself sitting next to someone in church, whose sins were once worse than yours, but they have been changed, and so will you!

3. People in church are hypocrites! Well, if you mean that they're not perfect, you're absolutely right. The fact is, we're all hypocrites…. Somewhere. But that's why we're in church, right? We want to be better. I'd rather be a hypocrite in church than one out of church. Jesus said, "It's not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I haven't come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matt. 9:12,13

4. I don't have nice clothes to wear to church. What you wear is not important to God, nor to those who attend church. If you are in a church where people look down on you for what you wear, you're in the wrong church! I Samuel 16:7 says about God, "Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." What does your heart look like?
   
   My bed, my furnace, and my closet! The furnace is tiled, and emits lots of heat, when filled with wood. It sure is cold in the morning, though!

5. I don't need to go to church to be with God. That's true. We can live for God everyday, and worship Him no matter where we are. But how do you know what God is wanting of you unless you're there to hear? Many people have wrong ideas about God, and you can study together with others to learn more about what His Word says. Romans 10: 17 says, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Come with me Sunday and see!

6. There are so many churches. How do I know your is the right one? We all respond to different pastors in different ways. It's true that not every church is for you, so you might need to visit a few to get a feel for a church that's right for you. The important thing is to find a church that values the Bible, because that's how we learn how to be like Him. Matt. 24:35 says, "Jesus said, ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words will never pass away'."

7. Church isn't really that important. If you mean that we can't earn our salvation by going to church, well then, you're right. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian. After all, we become a Christian by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Salvation is a gift of God, and not something we earn or work for. Ephesians 2:8,9 says, "For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith, and not from yourselves. It is the gift from God, not by your works, so that no one can boast."

8. Not even the different churches agree on the Bible! You're right. It's a lot like political parties. They might not agree on how a country is run, but when it comes down to it, they love their country. When we're attacked, our country becomes one in union, and our enemies are surprised at how we rally together. The fact is, Christians love Jesus Christ, and even though we don't always agree on how to apply some scriptures, we do agree on these two things: 1. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and 2. There is only one way to heaven, and that's through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12) . Any one else who does not believe or agree with these two points is not a Christian church, but a cult.

9. I don't believe in God. Christians are fanatics, politically unpopular and always trying to shove their beliefs on others. Yes, there are those who call themselves Christians who give Christ a bad name. You'll notice that the media loves to focus on them. If you came to our church, you'd see that we're pretty normal people. If you truly don't believe in God or that Jesus is the Son of God, and therefore this is keeping you out of church, ask yourself this question: "If what you believe is not really true, wouldn't you want to know it for sure?" Give God a chance, and see!

10. I'd like to go, but I don't know anyone. I wouldn't know what to do once I'm there. It's true that anything we do for the first time is awkward, but try these things: 1. If you have noticed a church near you that you have thought about visiting, try calling them to ask about services times. 2. Ask to meet someone when you arrive, so that you won't feel alone. 3. We would be happy to take you, and pick you up, and go to breakfast. We could even just meet in the parking lot outside the church and go in together. 4. Stop by a church and have someone show you around so that it won't feel foreign when you come Sunday. 5. Just show up. Many churches have greeters and will help you if you'll let them know it's your first time there. They'll either show you around, or introduce you to someone who will be happy to sit with you.

Domnul Sa Va Binecuvan Teze!

That's Moldovan for "God bless you!" Even though I make fun of Nisporeni, I have honestly fallen in love with the people. What a precious people they are. They're hardworking, and have an earnest love for Jesus. Please pray as we reach many of the unsaved for Christ next week. Pray that the Lord will begin to move on hearts even this week. God bless you, my friend!

For the Kingdom,
Richard Montez