Helping Our Handicapped Family

Dear Friends,

I sometimes wonder if I might be the most blessed person on earth, on a divine adventure. I just wish there was a way for all of you to join me everywhere I go, or even a way to convey it all by means of this newsletter. There are so many good things happening. This will just be a synopsis.

First, I just returned from a wonderful five-day pastors’ conference in Lagos, Nigeria. I’ve been blessed to minister to thousands of pastors over the past seven years in many conferences all over Africa’s most populous nation, as well as give thousands of books to them. This most recent conference was attended by 600 pastors who came from many parts of Nigeria, and we gave copies of The Great Gospel Deception, Forgive Me for Waiting so Long to Tell You This and Bernie Koerselman’s Saving Faith to hundreds who had not previously received them. Those of us who live in North America can’t imagine what a blessing a book can be to pastors in Nigeria, where 90% of the population lives on less than $2 per day. Nigeria is 24th-from-last on the U.N. Human Development Index. (The bottom 25 countries are all in Africa.) Lagos, a city of 12 million people, cannot be imagined by a Western mind. Take the worst inner city environment you have seen, multiple by ten, and then extrapolate that to include a little less than 12 million people. Add diesel exhaust, open sewage, never-ending traffic jams, corrupt police, and too many people. But I can assure you that you still can’t imagine it! But Jesus’ church is thriving there. (See some comments about the conference’s impact from Nigerian pastors at the end of this newsletter.)

We were also blessed to help over 60 disabled Christians with $20 to $25 gifts received from many of you just before I left for Nigeria. That would be more than what would pass through their hands in a month. I had originally intended to assist some of Lagos’ thousands of handicapped street beggars, but I discovered that there were many handicapped Christians in the churches of the pastors who were at our conference. It seemed best to help them. On the last day of the conference, many of those who were able to make it came to the conference. We blessed people crippled from polio, as well as blind, deaf and mentally handicapped people. They thanked God for his provision through Shepherd Serve partners. Thanks for making it possible.

Books

This last month, because of your help, we shipped over 700 books to pastors in Ghana, Sierra Leone, the Philippines and the DR Congo. There isn’t any doubt that we are going to help more pastors through our books than through any other means. The Disciple-Making Minister is going to press within just a few days in the U.S. It is currently being translated into eleven languages. We’re beginning to post some of those translations on our website, and we’re already seeing web traffic in response. Below is a sample of the Urdu translation (make sure you read it right to left!), as well as the cover of the just-printed Bulgarian version of Christ’s Incredible Cross and the just-designed cover of The Disciple-Making Minister (my daughter Charity’s creative work).

Orphan’s Tear

Since we posted the new Orphan’s Tear website just about a month ago, over 60 orphans have already found sponsors. We know that the Lord cares for orphans and wants us to imitate Him (Jas. 1:27), but until now there wasn’t much that an average North American Christian could do. We’ve made it simple and affordable so anyone can do it. If you haven’t already, check out Orphan’s Tear.

Savvy Stewards

Please also check out the new “Kingdom Commerce” section on Shepherd Serve by clicking on George Washington on our home page. You’ll find links there to about 100 popular on-line retailers who will pay Shepherd Serve 5% or more of your purchase price of any item or service you buy if you click through our website! And your purchase won’t cost you any more than if you had gone directly to their website. I was pleasantly surprised when I recently bought a battery I needed for our ministry’s video camera from Batteries.com. That battery was $23 cheaper than than the same one at Best Buy, and shipping was free. There are bargains to be found! We’ve got Family Christian Stores, Amazon.com, Target, Wal-Mart, Orbitz, Bass Pro, and many more. If we don’t have your favorite retailer, let us know… there is a good chance we’ll be able to add them. So remember, “Savvy Stewards Shop at Shepherd Serve!” (But they don’t lay up earthly treasures.)

By the way, those retailers only tell us Shepherd Serve’s earnings. They don’t tell us anything about the purchases or purchasers, so we won’t be able to thank you. And you can’t deduct Shepherd Serve’s 5% as a charitable donation on your taxes! Sorry, we’re in sales, not management! (And we’re not in charge of the I.R.S.)

Also new on the website are two articles, the final two chapters of The Disciple-Making Minister. They are “Biblical Stewardship” and “Secrets to Evangelism.”

March Ministry

I will not be traveling anywhere overseas in March (due to a visa delay in Cuba), but I will be teaching at a conference in Kansas City, as well as at churches in Oregon, Florida and British Columbia, Canada. Your prayers for my effectiveness in those places will be greatly appreciated.

If you are wondering if we need your help, please wonder no more! Our greatest needs are for monthly partners and folks who can help us print books to give to pastors. Shepherd Serve is in God’s hands, and we rely on miracles every single month. Thank you for listening to the Lord. You are laying up treasure in heaven and helping people who will thank you there.

Much love,

David & Becky

Nigerian Pastors testify…

This is to attest to the powerful and significant impact that the ministry of brother David Servant has made in my life and ministry as I listened to him, especially his last message on how to overcome lust. I am using this medium to thank whosoever is providing the financial support for this humble, and at the same time, great man of God. [Editor’s comment: “If only this pastor really knew David!”—Becky Servant] That someone could dare to be preaching obedience and integrity in this era of “sin-acceptance” all over the world, is really heart-warming and encouraging to some of us pastors who are almost being ostracized because we stand for holiness.

My attention was arrested by the anointing upon the man of God, David. The quality of his ministration attracted me so dearly. His humility and dedication challenged me…. [Editor’s note: “Another deceived pastor!”] I was so challenged because most of the American preachers do not teach on holiness…

During your “Disciple Making Minister” talk, you gave naked truth on the sexual temptation [Editor’s note: No pun intended!] how it is affecting our youth, church and ministers. It really blessed me. I am also campaigning against immorality in local churches of Nigeria…listening to you gave me more boldness to speak the Word. God bless you…