Short Term Mission Evangelism Opportunity to India!

Dear readers of Free Grace Theology Blog: I come to you in the name of the Lord Jesus. Between the dates of October 10-21, 2007, God, our Father, will be using a team that He is raising up to declare His glory to the Meitei and Rongmei people groups of Imphal (city), Manipur (state), India. The team will be proclaiming freedom to the captives and healing to the brokenhearted by doing saturation evangelism in villages with a view to planting an estimated minimum of four (4) new churches.

Are you willing to prayerfully consider stepping out in faith to bring the gospel to people groups that are less than 1% 'Christian'? During a recent missions conference at my church, the plenary speaker gave a most sobering statistic:

If you add the number of unsaved in North America, Central America and South America to the unsaved of Africa, you still have less unsaved people than you have in India.

India is in the strategic 10/40 window and is in dire need of men and women from the ages of 14 - 100+ to come share the gospel. The fields are white for the harvest! It is impossible to get full-time missionary visas in India, so the Short-Term option as presented in this specific trip is a strategic endeavor that will result in new church assemblies in villages that do not have a single Christian witness.

This team, which I will help in leading (the Lord willing) and that I am in the process of recruiting and mobilizing, will be partnering with a national mission organization that will be the team's guides and interpreters. Once the evangelism has been done, funds are left for the full time salaries for ably trained and experienced disciplers to do the follow-up work.

Because of tribal distinctions and caste considerations, these nationals cannot even go to the villages to do evangelism! The team that God is recruiting is the 'in' into these villages, as Western people's are viewed as the highest caste and heartily welcomed by the tribal people.

The commitment of this trip is minimal in time: only 11 days, from the time we leave LAX to the time we return. Anyone in the United States (citizen or resident aliens) are able and welcomed to come. Actually anyone from around the world is welcomed!

Please contact me if you are interested in going on this strategic and significant trip. The itinerary is chock full of interesting and unique ministry opportunities and divine appointments.

Matt 16:25-26
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?

Expand your horizons, and build upon and invest into the abundant life that God has for you. This trip will be one of unlimited significance. What are your plans for this year? The significance of our actions that are not done with eternity in mind is lost the very moment we live them, like the fleeting taste of candy on our lips. But such sacrifice as this, to take the gospel to a foreign land in great need, will achieve a meaning, not only for time, but one that will transect into eternity, to the praise and glory of the Father, and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Are you willing to go?

Evangelism and Free Grace Theology in India

Dear Readers of Free Grace Theology Blog:

Tomorrow I set off on a journey that has been in the making for over a year. The Lord has seen fit to orchestrate a missions endeavor in the great country of India for me and 17 other individuals. During this trip, the Lord willing and providing, the glory of the Lord will be proclaimed, freedom will be preached to the captives, consolation and compassion will be shown to the broken-hearted, and the good news of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ will be offered.

If I am one whom you consider a brother in the Lord, and I have found grace in your eyes, please bring this whole trip to the Lord in thoughtful prayer. I appreciate every petition offered on our behalf.

The spiritual warfare that has been waged against me during the course of the last few weeks has been intense and increasing as each day moves nearer our purposes.

I consider myself insufficient to rise to this task. I am humbling myself under the mighty hand of our God, and in faith, seeking His strength. May I decrease that Christ may increase.

As tomorrow draws closer, my mind wanders on those things in life which are most important to me. As I picked up my daughter this afternoon from school, she wouldn't let go of my arm, and said, "I don't want you to go to India, Daddy!" It took every ounce of strength I could muster to keep myself from tears. I love my family very much, and although, the Lord directing, I will only be gone 11 days, the thought of separation from the one's I love pierces right through me.

Of course, I have explained the purposes and objectives of this trip to my daughter. She knows that people are slipping away into eternity apart from the message of life. She considers herself to be my partner, here on the homefront. I am so proud of my kids and their prayers. They understand that such activities are a matter of life and death. As I think about the magnitude and scope of such responsibility, I cringe and feel shame that I have spent so much time lately debating theology on the internet, and have failed to a significant degree, to apply myself to the saving message of Jesus Christ and to those whom he died for.

Yes, I will miss my family!

At this time, I am reminded of a passage I heard on my CD bible in the car today:

Luke 18:29-30

So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."

This will be the 4th time I have been to India, and the third time I have travelled to this part. I have family there! And many more brothers and sisters who will be born in the family of God. My heart does ache to see those whom I love over there. I wish to encourage them, and, if perchance the Lord will use me, impart unto them some spiritual blessing. I desire to share in fellowship with them, pray with them, and embrace them.

May the sufficiency be of God and not myself. May the glory be to the one who loved me, and gave His life or me. May I not fail to do the work that God has prepared for me.

John 4:34-38

Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true:'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors."

My desire is to plant and reap on this trip. I want to eat of the heavenly food which the Lord has for me. Would you enter into this labor with me? Your labor will receive wages! Fast and pray for this endeavor.

My brothers and sisters in the Lord: I love you, and I await the day that we will recline at the Lord's table together in the kingdom of God.

Press on! Press on! Looking unto Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross and despised the shame!

Let us run the race that is set before us with endurance!

your humbled fellow slave,

Antonio

PS: Please check my blog out at:

India Campaign Journal

daily to see prayer requests and updates from the field.

GES Conference Overview

The GES National Grace Conference was a great time of fellowship, teaching, meeting new friends, and book-buying.

The conference was held at the Southern Baptist Southwestern Seminary. What beautiful facilities met us at this venue. On the first two days the attendance was between 200-220. The last day it dropped off significantly due to crazy weather (freezing rain, sleet, and snow).

The first evening I got in at 9:30 pm to Dallas Love Field airport. Rene Lopez and his friend Lamont picked me up. We went by Denny's on the way to his house so I could pick up some food (I had a flight from San Diego at 2:40 that had an hour and a half layover in Albuquerque, and there was no food on either flight).

Right away Rene and I started talking theology and discussing various issues dealing with Free Grace Theology. Rene is very sharp. We had talked on the phone before my trip a few times, one being over 3 hours, discussing different doctrines. I had read Rene's commentary on Romans, Romans Unlocked: Power to Deliver for a second time in order that I might discuss items I had more questions on, or disagreed with him on. I highly recommend Rene's commentary, as it truly unlocks that book's theme.

The next morning we had to wake up very early, as the Southwest campus is about an hour away from Rene's home, and Rene had to set up a table for his new book on the Jesus Family Tomb (foreward by Darrel Bock). He had a couple of manuscripts there and a a sheet for pre-buying as the book was currently being published.

There were good displays there, but my favorites were the ICR table and the Schoettle Publishing table. ICR (Institute for Creation Research) used to be headquartererd in El Cajon (just 5 minutes from my house), where they were for over 30 years. I have had the pleasure of having much interaction with ICR material in the past, both in Bible College and in pleasure reading. I have also been able to take a few classes from ICR authors for Flood geology, Noah's Ark feasibility, and the book of Genesis. One of my friends became involved and employed with ICR and moved to Dallas, where they are now headquartered. It was good to see him manning the booth of ICR. Lewis Schoettle had many tables of new books and 3 huge moveable shelving units (with books on both sides) of used books. What a great time perusing all those books! I just love books. I bought books authored by G.H. Lang, A. Edwin Wilson, Robert Govett, and one by Nancy Missler (Chuck Missler's wife). I also got a free-bie from Lew Schoettle authored by Arlen Chitwood on the book of Jude.

The GES table was full of good deals that they reserved only for the conference. I was able to pick up 5 James Commentaries by Zane Hodges, 3 Grace in Eclipse by Zane Hodges, and another Absolutely Free! by Zane Hodges, so that I may give them out to friends. I also picked up a book called Setting the Stage for Eternity, a book on rewards and the judgment seat of Christ, by Dr. Harlan Betz. This book has a foreward by Howard Hendricks, and endorsements by Dr. Stanley Toussaint, Dr. Norman Geisler, Dr. Thomas Constable, Dr. Earl Radmacher, and Zane Hodges. The material so far in the book is highly encouraging and motivating for the Chistian life. As a side, the books written on rewards by reputable authors are very motivating to live for Christ. I would recommend buying an assortment. Please ask me to make some referrals for you if you don't know where to start.

The first day had 4 plenary sessions and 3 chances for workshops:

Plenary #1 was Bob Wilkin, "Searching the Scriptures to Find the Truth: Remember the Bereans (Acts 17:11)!" Talking about being diligent to study the Scriptures, finding our doctrines there and not holding them by mere tradition. A favorite line that Bob used in this session went something like this, "Evangelicals and Fundamentalists, for the most part, believe the same things. But the difference is that Evangelicals know why they believe what they do while Fundamentalists hold fast to their tradition."

Plenary #2 was Zane Hodges, "In the Upper Room with Jesus the Christ (John 13-17)" which described how the Last Discourse (AKA the Upper Room Discourse) fits within John's purpose for his gospel.

Plenary #3 was Nathan Holsteen, "A Topography of Grace" that distinguished two Reformer's views on "faith": Robert Rollock and John Calvin.

Plenary #4 was Ken Yates, "The Complexity of the Doctrine of the Deity of Christ" which showed all the confusion that thinkers and clergy had developing the doctrine of Christ's deity over the first 4 centuries A.D.

The workshops I attended on day 1 were, "Faith in the NT" by Fred Chay, "Scientific Evidence for a Young Earth" by Frank Sherwin, and "Perseverance in Perspective" by Jody Dillow.

For lunch I went to the Southwestern cafeteria and shared the meal with a friend, Charlie Bing, and a few of his friends that ministered in India with him. What great conversations about India, which I love.

In the evening I was able to go out to dinner with a friend of mine who went to India with me last October, Mr. Jon Case. We went to a great little Texan eatery where I had fried green tomatoes, lobster bisque, and porkchops with wood roasted vegetables. I ended with an oreo crusted key-lime pie.

Day two likewise had 4 plenary and 3 workshop times:

Plenary #5 was Jody Dillow, "Did Jesus Teach Salvation by Works?" which examined what he called "neo-nomianism" (aka Federal Vision, Auburn Ave Theology, and Norman Shepherdism), that unambiguosly states that works are necessary for final salvation.

Plenary #6 was Zane Hodges, "Miraculous Signs and Literary Structure in the Fourth Gospel", that beautifully interwove John chapters 13-19 into the consideration of the purpose statement (Jn 20:30-31) based on literary evidence.

Plenary #7 was William Dembsky, "Life on Earth is the Result of Intelligent Design", that used philosophy and empirical science to argue that the universe came to be by intelligent design.

Plenary #8 was Bob Wilkin, "Is the Evangelistic Message Jesus Preached a Sufficient Message for Today?" which argued that Jesus' words from the Gospel of John are the saving message for today, in other words, are the bullseye and call to everlasting life that we are to give the unsaved today.

I attended on day two these workshops, "Salvation of the Psyche" by Patillo, "Falls from Grace in Church History" by Sterling, and "Full Assurance?" by none other than
Bud Brown (Dr. L.E. Brown), remember him?

I ate lunch at What-a-Burger with Jon Case and yet another one of the friends I went to India with, Trent. What-a-burger is not even a shadow of our lovely In-and-Out Burger here in California. What-a-burger was lame.

This evening I was able to have face time with Zane Hodges, where we ate dinner at Steak and Ale. What a great time! We discussed his bio, Dallas Seminary, theology, soteriology, books, and my current studies. What a humble, gracious, and patient man of God! I had salad bar, lobster bisque, and a medium rare ribeye and baked potato with the works.

The last day, again, had 4 plenary and 3 workshops:

Plenary #9 was John Niemela, "Jesus Gives Believers Everlasting Life: Will Unbelievers Live Forever?" that discussed the idea that life is only for believers, and distinguished between existence and life as taught by the Apostle John.

Plenary #10 was Bob Wilkin, "The Gospel is Good News about the Lord Jesus" which argued that the words for "gospel", "preach the gospel" and "evangelist" never have an import of a technical expression denoting solely what one must believe to have everlasting life, never!

Plenary #11 was Bob Bryant, "The Search for the Saving Message Outside of the Gospel of John" that argued that there is not a single expression outside of the gospel of John that gives the saving message, not even one!

Plenary #12 was Dan Hauge, "Practical Implications of the High Priestly Ministry of Christ" which taught that studying who Christ is and what He has done has tremendous practical use.

The workshops I attended were, "Introducing FG theology to Resistant Friends" by Swihart, "The Person of Christ in the Prologue of Hebrews" by Yates, and "Holy, Blameless, Beyond Reproach" by Leach.

Today I had lunch at Chick-Filet, my first time. It was nothing really to write home about. A good chicken sandwich. The rain was freezing!!!!!

The weather was so harsh on this last day that all of the flights going out of Dallas/Fort Worth were cancelled. I had plans to go out with Jeremy Myers, his wife and family to go out to dinner, but decided against it because of the extra travel and weather conditions. The Dallas/Fort Worth area is huge. I ended up taking Rene Lopez and his wife out for dinner at a Cuban restaurant a few blocks from his house (Rene and his wife are Cuban). I had shrimp, crab, ceviche, and lightly fried plantain chips with a garlic oil spread on the top (so good!) for appetizers and a Cuban soda. Next I had a fried pork dinner with rice, black beans, yucca root, and plantains. For desert I had flan.

My plane got out of there on time yesterday (Friday), and here I am.

If ya'll have any questions about anything, please feel free to leave a comment. I will try to get to some of the sessions in the days following to give some assessments of the plenary sessions.

Antonio

More pictures from India

These "drank of" the Living Water, never to thirst again! Please pray for them!

At this housing tract, I was able to preach to over 35 people, who the Lord gathered unto eternal life!

Me, my interpreter Pastor Naba chandra (center) and a converted Physician to Christianity (please pray for him! He lives with his father and mother and brother and sister-in-law who are still Hindu. Please pray that God would raise him up as a Christian leader in his village!)

Meeting with some believers in a village I did evangelism in 1999. There is a church there!!!

Me with national missionaries. Please pray for them: strenth, finances, perseverance, grace, and effectiveness!

My interpreter, Naba, bidding you all come to come to India and share your faith! (look at the background!)

Please pray as I am seeking God's will to see if he would have me lead a trip back to Manipur next year. The top man of e3 Partners, the mission board who I went with, was the lead on this trip and has requested that I seek the Lord on this matter. Maybe some of my readers may feel inspired to go to grow for God's glory with me next October to Imphal, Manipur, India!

Manipur, India -- Evangelism Team

Greetings all my faithful readers (all 3 of you!)

I desire your intercessory ministry for me!

On October 4, 2006, A group of 28 Americans (including me), will be travelling to Imphal (city), Manipur (State), India for a missions trip.

On this trip we will be doing saturation evangelism in many villages (going from one end of the village to the next, door to door, until done). Usually a group of two Americans with their translators and national guides can get through 2-3 complete villages door to door by the end of the trip. This may result in 24-36 Indian villages hearing the gospel! We will be working with an existing national church planting outfit who will do the follow up work of discipleship, leadership training, and assembly logistics.

The outfit that I am going with is called e3 Partners. This has been an area that they have been targeting with short term trips for over 10 years. Each time they go out there (between 3-5 times a year with an American team), they continue to train the nationals. Our group will also have the opportunity to train nationals in evangelism using the EvangeCube. We will be bringing 700 cubes with us.

Please pray for this trip. Literally thousands of people who have never heard the gospel and the name of Jesus Christ have a divine appointment.

10/4 - 5 Wednesday/Thursday
Teams departs U.S. Travel to Singapore

10/6 Friday
Travel form Singapore to Calcutta

10/7 Saturday
Travel to Manipur. In country orientation.

10/8 Sunday
Worship with local believers. Most likely I will be preaching in a national assembly. Village door-to-door saturation evangelism. Training nationals in evangelism.

10/9 - 12 Monday - Thursday
Home to home evangelism and outreach ministy.

10/13 Friday
Travel to Calcutta

10/14 Saturday
Debrief in Singapore. Day off.

10/15 Monday
Team returns to U.S.

Please pray for:
1) Safe travel
2) Protection
3) Boldness
4) Worship
5) Encouragement
6) Perseverance
7) Praise
8) Great moving of the Holy Spirit
9) Health
10) God would be glorified by the gathering of much fruit unto eternal life
11) Follow up, nationals

Thank you all for your prayers. I covet them.

Also, please pray for me this week as I prepare physically, mentally, and spiritually for the trip. I have already been experiencing spiritual warfare.

The Lord bless you all!

Antonio

Zane Hodges Comments on the Practice of Requiring the Doctrinal Assent to Christ's Deity as a Condition of Eternal Life

The following email transcription contains a reply from Zane Hodges to my request that he comment on the whole idea of Free Grace people (let alone other brands of theology) requiring the lost to believe in the deity of Christ before they can be saved. His answer is as sharp today as it was 4+ years ago when he gave it.

Note: I have included the scriptures to the references he makes in his comment. Also, I added some italics and bold for emphasis, but the uppercase emphasis is all his.

Before we get to the post, I want to issue a challenge:

To any who is convinced that God requires the lost to assent to the deity of Christ as a condition to receive everlasting life:

Please forward to me your scriptural apologetic arguing from the text of the Bible, or send me a link to something or the reference of a book that that makes the case for you. I will post whatever you give me (1 per person) and we will examine it together and see if the evidence fits your conclusion. You can find my email address on my blogger profile.


Email Correspondence of Antonio da Rosa with Zane C. Hodges

-----Original Message-----
From: Antonio da Rosa
Sent: Sep 30, 2007 7:49 PM
To: Zane Hodges
Subject: Believing that Jesus is the Christ

Dear Zane, I pray that all is going well with you. You are constantly in my prayers for your strength, endurance, health, and wisdom for interpretation and writing.

In your two part talk and paper at the Grace Evangelical Society, How to Lead People to Christ (Part 1 and Part 2), you illustrated the tenet that God only requires faith in Jesus for eternal life; there are no doctrinal stipulations and pre-qualifications to simply receiving the free gift of God through faith in Christ.

As much as you would care, would you comment, please, on those who seek to front-load the saving message with their “God-mandated” requirement that one assent to the divinity of Christ?

BTW, please pray for me as I am leaving October 10 for India. I will be doing evangelism for 5 days and having a conference with 100 Indian pastors, whereby I am going to give them a crash course on Free Grace theology.

I am praying for you!

Antonio

From: Zane Hodges
Sent: Oct 2, 2007 10:28 AM
To: Antonio da Rosa
Subject: Re: Believing that Jesus is the Christ

Hi Antonio,

People who speak about believing in the "divinity" of Christ to be saved rarely seem to define what they mean by that. Must one have a Trinitarian theology to be saved (=Jesus is the second Person of the Godhead)?

Did the disciples themselves understand His deity? Note John 14:5-9; Matt. 8:27, etc.?

[Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?” (Jn 14:5-9)]

[So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" (Mt 8:27)]

The fundamental error here, however, is the assumption that one must know everything about a person to be able to believe who He is. That is illogical and wrong. Do I have to understand the President's powers, or his personality, to believe he is the President and trust Him for something?

Of course, the promised Messiah WAS divine, but He was also the King of Israel (note John 1:49).

Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (Jn 1:49)]

There was no such person as a Messiah who was not Israel's King. Must one believe that, too? In fact it can be argued that in Nathaniel's statement, "Son of God" is defined AS "King of Israel." The Messianic sonship was the sonship promised to David's kingly descendants in 2 Samuel 7:14

[I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. (2 Sam 7:14)]

…it is the sonship the writer of Hebrews has in mind in Hebrews 1:5

[For to which of the angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, today I have begotten You"? And again: “"I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son"? (Heb 1:5)]

…which cites 2 Samuel. Psalm 2:7

[I will declare the decree: the Lord has said to Me, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.” (Ps 2:7)]

…shows that THIS sonship was not eternal. If a person does not believe all this, he even misunderstands the title "Son of God" in its Messianic sense. Is he saved???

The illogical beginning assumption leads inevitably into a logical quagmire and produces absurd conclusions. There is so much sloppy thinking out there it is appalling. Some people seem to believe in salvation by correct theology rather than salvation by faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:26).

[[God is] the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Rom 3:26)]

A tragic error!

But the simple fact remains that no one has ever believed in Jesus of Nazareth for the gift of eternal life, who did not get it! Thank God for that!

I'll pray for your trip to India. Have a good week,

Zane

A few pictures of my recent missions trip to India

Me in Singapore

A church fellowship where I visited and shared

Newly born-again believers with the first New Testament they have ever seen, and in there own language!

I am on my way to the next neighborhood of houses to preach the gospel of the grace of God!

Infant Christ worshippers who need your prayers!

Please pray for us! We have Bibles!

A boy whose mom you will see in heaven wears my sunglasses.

A group picture of most of my fellow gospel workers.

Meitei Tribes: Imphal, Manipur -- Sunday, Monday

Greetings from the beautiful and fascinating land of India!

I don't have a lot of time because I have been invited to a church tonight for authentic curry!

Sunday:

Woke up very early and went to two national churches. I preached at both. I was able to drop off cubes at the first. At the second I taught how to evangelise using the EvangeCube. I took 10 leaders from the church and taught them, then we went around their village using the cubes and their new found confidence to preach the gospel. 15 people came to the Lord, including the sister-in-law of my interpreter and her family.

Monday:

Woke up very early and headed to a large village with 24 americans and our guides and interpreters. I spent the day presenting the gospel to groups of people my interpreter rounded up (as did everyone else). Every family I spoke to professed that the beleived into Christ for eternal life. I was able to give the families a New Testament in their language. Not including children, around 30 adults believed. My partner was able to speak at a school and preached to all the children there. I believe that over a thousand will come to Christ by the time the trip is over. I suspect well over a thousand.

The interpreters are all pastors, evangelists and missionaries. I am impressed by their dedication to the Lord. It puts the American church to utter shame.

Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for conversions and health and all that.

Please be in prayer for all the follow-up that will be required!

in the love of Christ,

Antonio