Internet Report by Brian Cummins In the first five months of this year the number of unique visitors to our website more than doubled from the same period last year, putting us on track for perhaps half a million visitors by the end of this year. ese are not just numbers—they indicate that many more people are finding our 652 online lessons. And this means that the Lord can then use this resource to win more to Christ and “ develop people after God’s own heart”. Here’s what a 12-year-old girl wrote us: “I have accepted the Lord as my savior. I am 12 years old and a child of God. I know because it says so in his word… it’s all thanks to you. God bless you!! love you guys!!” A Sunday School teacher of teenagers in the USA found our website lessons and wrote: “I cannot begin to tell you what this [Flash online lessons] means to me and to my class. ey were so excited about being able to use the visual aids and to learn about God and his Love for us.” And an Indian missionary in Botswana reported: “One Sunday School teacher introduced your lessons in our Sunday School… Our children learned so many divine things in their lives. en we used the same lessons in Junior Schools, they also got benefited and many are saved, then we used them in prisons, they are saved and got real life in Jesus and transformed into the divine ways.” Vol. 8 No. 2 sharing God’s heartbeat for growing godly kids Newsletter Summer 2012 Testimony “ank you for your lessons. As a home-schooling mom I have really enjoyed reading them to my boys. I have also grown in my faith. I would love to do an outreach to children in my neighbourhood and have gleaned many ideas just from reading the lessons.” (a Mom) Discipleship by Vaughan Durston Who is looking for who? I once heard a song that went like this — “I was looking back to see, if you were looking back to see, if I was looking back to see, if you were looking back at me.” The question was: who was looking for who? In my case I have come to the conclusion from Scripture that God is looking for us long before we are looking for Him. The Bible says that He came to seek and to save that which was lost. He does it because He loves us and longs to save us from our sins, and have fellowship with us. This is why He sent us His Son, Jesus Christ. God has a problem, however, and that is our hearts. Jeremiah says our “heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it” (Jeremiah 17:9). Many of us have asked Jesus Christ to save us from our sins, but do we have a heart that desires to please God? What is a heart that desires to please God like? I think it is a heart that loves God, loves the things that God loves, hates the things that God hates, and chooses to do the things that God would choose. From time to time He found a person like that and began to guide him in the ways of the Lord. Such a person became “the apple of His eye.” Most of us know what that would be like and hopefully want to experience it. Pray for God’s children that this would be the desire of their hearts.
Transcript
Internet Report by Brian Cummins
In the first five months of this year the number of unique visitors to our website more than doubled from the same period last year, putting us on track for perhaps half a million visitors by the end of this year. These are not just numbers—they indicate that many more people are finding our 652 online lessons. And this means that the Lord can then use this resource to win more to Christ and “develop people after God’s own heart”.Here’s what a 12-year-old girl wrote us: “I have accepted the Lord as my savior. I am 12 years old and a child of God. I know because it says so in his word… it’s all thanks to you. God bless you!! love you guys!!”A Sunday School teacher of teenagers in the USA found our website lessons and wrote: “I cannot begin to tell you what this [Flash online lessons] means to me and to my class. They were so excited about being able to use the visual aids and to learn about God and his Love for us.”And an Indian missionary in Botswana reported: “One Sunday School teacher introduced your lessons in our Sunday School… Our children learned so many divine things in their lives. Then we used the same lessons in Junior Schools, they also got benefited and many are saved, then we used them in prisons, they are saved and got real life in Jesus and transformed into the divine ways.”
Vol. 8 No. 2
sharing God’s heartbeat for growing godly kidsNewsletter Summer 2012
Testimony“Thank you for your lessons. As a home-schooling mom I have really enjoyed reading them to my boys. I have also grown in my faith. I would love to do an outreach to children in my neighbourhood and have gleaned many ideas just from reading the lessons.” (a Mom)
Discipleship by Vaughan Durston
Who is looking for who?I once heard a song that went like this —
“I was looking back to see, if you were looking back to see, if I was looking back to see, if you were looking back at me.”
The question was: who was looking for who?In my case I have come to the conclusion from Scripture that God is looking for us long before we are looking for Him. The Bible says that He came to seek and to save that which was lost. He does it because He loves us and longs to save us from our sins, and have fellowship with us. This is why He sent us His Son, Jesus Christ.God has a problem, however, and that is our hearts. Jeremiah says our “heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it” ( Jeremiah 17:9). Many of us have asked Jesus Christ to save us from our sins, but do we have a heart that desires to please God?What is a heart that desires to please God like? I think it is a heart that loves God, loves the things that God loves, hates the things that God hates, and chooses to do the things that God would choose.From time to time He found a person like that and began to guide him in the ways of the Lord. Such a person became “the apple of His eye.” Most of us know what that would be like and hopefully want to experience it.Pray for God’s children that this would be the desire of their hearts.
Our Mission“developing young people after God’s own heart”
Testimony“I feel like there is something big that God wants to share with me; but I have to get past my personal stuff first. I want to give my life to whatever God wants, but I’m not sure what that is right now. I will continue to do the lessons “Majoring in Life” as it seems interesting.” (teen)
ALBERTA/BC“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)As we celebrated Pentecost, I was again reminded of the need to be with Jesus to do the jobs he has called us. Each year camp directors from across Canada face the daunting task of choosing the right staff to fill all the positions at their camp, including counselors, kitchen staff, nurses etc. They also choose the devotional lessons for the campers as well as the staff (that’s D&J’s part). Many of these people feel overwhelmed by the task before them. They are ordinary men and women like Peter and John, who have felt the call of God on their lives. It is through the time they spend with Jesus they are able to fulfill huge undertakings with joy and enthusiasm.Here in the office we are busy counting, printing and mailing out lesson orders to camps. As each box of lessons goes out we pray that the Word of God found in each lesson will reach into the lives of the children and make a lasting impact.
Club DJI believe God has a job for all of us to do and there is no greater joy than answering His call with a “Yes!”This spring I have had several opportunities to present Club DJ to local churches and continue to send out Club DJ information packets. We are encouraged with every opportunity we have to work with local churches and draw the children into the local church through Club DJ. A few years ago we developed Club DJ CONNEXTION which blends Club DJ with BIBLE QUIZZING and we are seeing up to 90% of the children we reach continue on from Club DJ into Club DJ CONNEXTION. It has been exciting to see all God is doing in and through this ministry.
PRESIDENT’S HEARTBEAT
Gone to Bible Camp
- Vaughan V. Durston
Recently I went to Manitoba to help a camp celebrate their 65th anniversary. I attended their first camp 65 years ago located in the foothills of Riding Mountain close to Dauphin, Manitoba.We slept, ate and held our meetings in a tent. I believe the camp fees were $5.00. Baseball was our #1 recreation. The camp director, Hugh Campbell and his wife, were the same people that led us to Christ, and the same people who discipled us for years afterwards. You could read the story in “The Boy and the Cabin” on our website at UBDavid.org.What do I remember about camp? The ball games, races, fun? Yes, but most of all was what I began to learn about God. Who God was and what He was like. I learned that I was a sinner, and needed the Saviour, and could receive Jesus by faith.For me the best thing was the the Bible lessons. This is why I have invested 55 years reaching out and discipling children through camp and follow-up Bible lessons.
SASKATCHEWANOnce again we find ourselves in anticipation here at the Saskatchewan David and Jonathan office. It’s spring and like so many we are preparing for planting season and harvest. Thousands of Mailbox Club lessons are being prepared to be planted into the hands and hearts of thousands this summer through 5 Day Clubs. As I’ve been working outside in my gardens around my house, I am reminded that in order for seeds and plants to grow the soil needs to be prepared. Would you join with us in prayer that the Lord would go before us and prepare the hearts and minds of all who would be reached through this ministry this summer? God knows exactly what the soil of each person’s heart needs in order to be prepared to receive His Word. Conditions are right for a large spiritual harvest but we cannot do it without the Lord preparing the way. We give God the glory for what He will accomplish.
ONTARIOWe continue to be thankful for the Bible lessons that come through our office day by day.Our desire is to be a strong support to camps in helping them minister to their campers.When camps purchase the “start-up” Bible lessons and hand them out or send them to their campers, little do they know what God might do with that one Bible lesson.In 2008 a camp in Quebec sent a Bible lesson to a young girl who
Our Vision“to see Jesus seated on
the throne of every ‘David’ and ruling over all the aspects of their life.”
completed that lesson and mailed it to us. She continued through the first series but then there was silence. In 2011 she sent in another lesson. Now a teenager, we responded with three new lessons in the Timely Topics for Teens series. With renewed interest many lessons have been completed including questions about life and salvation.Recently, she wrote and thanked us for being a help to her in her life and that these lessons are a real blessing to her.Another Mom wrote and said this about the “Jonathan Sperry Movie”: “Thank you very much for the movie. It has inspired both my daughter and myself to reach out to others with the Truth of our Lord.”Also, we receive positive comments from our online students.
TEXASMany boys and girls will be doing lessons while attending summer clubs again this year. But we are encouraged that adults are also studying God’s Word through the lessons.Men seeking victory over their addictions are beginning to walk with the Lord in a wonderful Christian home here in the city. Some of them are being challenged through the lessons and the biographies of great men of God that we send them, such as David Livingstone and George Muller.In other countries where good teaching materials are not as plentiful, adult Sunday School teachers and youth workers are finding our online lessons and using them to teach their classes. One man from Mexico writes, “Thank you for your lessons. I am working in a very poor town where the Lord has placed us. Your lessons have been a great blessing in the church where I serve.” God’s Word speaks to hearts of all ages!
CAMPSGreetings from Northern Alberta. A lot has changed since my last report on what God is doing in my life. In the end of March I packed my bags and moved to La Crete, Alberta (approx. 8 hours north of Edmonton) where I have been serving the past two summers as Camp Director of Pinelodge Bible Camp.The past few months I have had the opportunity to contact camps either by phone or email about what they are doing for follow-up this summer. Many of the camps that I have talked to have not worked with us for a number of years and have expressed interest in once again using us for follow-up. Camp ministry has such an impact on so many lives, either as a starting point or a renewal in the Christian walk of many children and youth. I pray that camps will encourage their campers to grow closer to Christ throughout the year.This being an Olympic year, camps have the option of ordering a new series entitled “Olympians for God’s Glory”. These highlight God’s impact on three different Olympic athletes. God can use these lessons to impact the lives of the campers when they accept Jesus as their Savior and grow in their walk.
Our MethodJonathans building up Davids
“And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking
with Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”
(I Samuel 18:1)
PRAYER REQUESTS* Continue to pray as Darren Froese
serves and builds his support team. * Pray for staff and campers in camps across Canada this summer.* Pray for the lessons that are
distributed to camps that they will have an impact on lives for God’s glory.
* Please continue to pray for our financial needs.
* Pray with us for the young men and women who will serve God as leaders and helpers at camp this summer, that they will be recognized as people who have been with Jesus.
OFFICES Website: ubdavid.org
Head OfficeVaughan V. Durston, President74 Marquis Crescent Regina, SK, Canada S4S 6J9
Donations may be sent toany of these offices, made payable to“UB David & I’ll B Jonathan Inc.” Online donations can also be made via the CanadaHelps link from our home page.
“HeartBeat” is the periodic newsletter ofU.B. David & I’ll B. Jonathan, Inc.
Printed in Canada.
TESTIMONIES...“Thank you for the lessons over my pre-teen and teen years. Thay have been informative, encouraging and interesting.” (teen)“Thanks for sending me these activities and prizes with the lessons. I realized it’s fun since I don’t really get much mail.” (age 10)“Thanks for the Birthday card. I really appreciate all you do for everyone. Keep on keeping on!” (age 17)“I like the stories [from a gift book] and that there are verses after each story. The little questions too, but really like how the stories are.” (age 10) The mother reported: “He has read it 2-3 times since receiving it last week.”
