Photo credit: Tat via Morgue File

When the Apostle Paul hit Ephesus and people came to Christ, Luke records Paul's efforts there.

Acts 19: 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.
10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

In this short period of time everything was set into motion that multiple churches would be planted all across Asia Minor, setting the stage for Constantine to give the church an international setting in the fourth century. The key was the training he gave these men of potential.

The question is: What would and can it look like in a fast-paced society with many technological resources? Can we think outside the current parameters in order to expand our impact?

Christmas time meant time to read - and history is always a favorite. The movie Downfall recreates those last crazy days of a desperate and now paranoid dictator. It is inconceivable from our cultural background to view the fanatical loyalties of an intelligent culture that would anesthetize their own conscience to perform unthinkable requests.

Goebbels, hitler's propaganda minister and his wife are so fanatical, that they take their own family of six young children under 13 years of age and would rather poison them in the bunker complex than face the possibility of of raising them in a world without Nazi politics in charge of the country.

The following is a guest blog entry [Editor: Used with permission] from Brian and Bailey Pruett, serving in the Phillipines. I found it extremely helpful as I seek to understand and address attrition rates among missionaries. No one starts on the long and expensive journey to minister cross-culturally to end up either sick or emotionally distraught and hopeless. Nonetheless, it happens all too often.

Photo credit: Keith Gandy

Christmas is always wonderful, but this year has been exceptionally moving for my heart. We have concluded services, had a family dinner with all our children and guests at the table, all the gifts are unwrapped.

So although the lights in the living room say Christmas celebrations have not concluded, I look back at why this year meant so much to me. Four quick reasons come to mind immediately.

Photo courtesy of: GraceHillMedia

On Christmas day 2014 the movie Unbroken, directed by Angelina Jolie hits the theaters.

Back in 2011 I reported on the book Unbroken (here), written by Laura Hillenbrand, which is the backdrop for the screenplay for the film.

In Germany the film hits theaters on January 15.