I first ran into this book at LifeWay in December. I was shopping with my mom for Christmas presents, and I was nearly finished with my entire list. We spent a pretty good amount of time in the store, perusing all their offerings. I found whole categories of books I’d never seen there before. But it was the columnar display of golden books which caught my eye, and after reading the back cover of Voices of the Faithful, I was elated to be holding it! I knew this was going to be my book. I quickly located my mother and informed her I had found exactly what I wanted from her for Christmas. I was even more delighted when she promptly placed it in her basket.
I knew straightaway I’d be writing a review of this book. It would be the first one I read by Beth Moore, and the fact that it’s about missionaries was even more tantalizing! But I assumed I’d be waiting until I was finished, like I have for every other book I’ve written about. However, on February 15th I was convinced it was time. The story for that day gripped my heart and made me want to do cartwheels! I suppose it was the context of that story which so struck me; it’s about the very people to whom I’m called: the Buddhists of South-East Asia.
Christmas this year was wonderful. More wonderful, in fact, than any year prior. It was no surprise when I found this book in a box addressed to me. And at the start of the new year, having duly read all the introductory sections, I began on the first story. I was enthralled as I read, walking hand-in-hand with these missionaries as they told their stories from the Congo and Argentina and the Pacific Rim. This was turning out to be the perfect book: it’s about missionaries, and it’s biography, my favorite genre. On the evening of February 15th, as I read the story for that day, I nearly cried in glee at the thought that something like this could actually happen! I quickly told my parents about the story, and I shot an E-Mail off to Patti. I contacted the publisher the following Monday, and they gave me permission to reprint the whole article free of charge, which I’ve included below. I hope this story touches you as it has me.
An excerpt from “Voices of the Faithful”
Taking off orange robes
Isaiah 55:11 (NASB)
11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.When my wife and I began volunteer service, we were given a vivid demonstration of the truth of this verse. As trained teachers of English as a foreign language, we were requested to teach English to Buddhist monks.
Teaching Buddhists was a new challenge. After visiting a Buddhist monastery, called a wat, we discovered that monks are extremely hungry to improve their English, and they love stories.
We made friends with the monks at one particular wat. Not knowing how they would react, we chose the Bible as material for the class. We prayed and wrote brief lessons, starting with Genesis.
Our major emphasis was helping them pronounce words correctly in short, easy sentences. We modeled the sentences and answers for the class to hear, such as, “
Who made the world?” “God made the world.” Then one monk would turn to another monk and ask, “Who made the world?” The monk would answer out loud, “God made the world.” Around the entire class, the question and answer traveled. They heard every question and answer many times.After 134 Bible stories, some monks were ready to take off their orange robes and believe God’s Word. One former monk is now teaching an English class and has been able to lead 25 people to Christ.
God uses His Word to accomplish His desires, and He wants Buddhists to come to Him.
—G. and E., Pacific Rim
Lord God, I praise You that Your Word is the power of God unto salvation for me, for Buddhists, and for all peoples. Thank You for empowered witnesses, truth proclaimed, lives transformed, saffron robes exchanged for robes of righteousness, and ongoing evangelism among Buddhists who seek truth. Amen.
This story is my favorite from the book so far. That a group of Buddhist monks would allow Christians to teach them English using the Holy Bible is nothing short of amazing. And that they would subsequently receive Christ is even more amazing. But the part that nearly made me cry was when you read that one of those monks is now doing the same thing, and seeing great results. I’m filled with anticipation about what the coming days hold. What great stories are yet to be discovered? What mighty acts haven’t been read? Oh! I can hardly wait to read them! This book fills me with fire to go back to the mission field, anxious to make my own stories. I’m so glad I found it that day.
~Jonathan
Where to Get the Book
Copyright Notice
Voices of the Faithful is Copyright © 2005 International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and Elizabeth Moore.
Published by Integrity Publishers, a devision of Integrity Media, Inc. 5250 Virginia Way, Suite 110, Brentwood, TN 37027.
All rights reserved.
This portion of the book has been reprinted with permission and is not subject to the copyright notice found at the bottom of this screen.
In reproducing this work, I’ve made only slight changes to the style of typography in order to keep with the design of this site. The text, however, is identical to the original.
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