EIE M S

n focus In Asia
CONNECTING
EQUIPPING
In the world MULTIPLYING

A publication of Evangelism Equipping Mission (Singapore) Aug / Sep 2009

EE MIINNIISSTTRRYY IINN ASSIIAA

The EE ministry continues to grow in a restricted access country in Asia. More and more of
tribal minority groups are learning about faith in Jesus Christ.

EE—a part of everyday life
In a restricted access country, a family boarded a bus to
attend an EE clinic. During the bus ride, they met a man
named Rattana. Rattana was carrying a book on
Buddhism. A spiritual conversation ensued and the
family shared the Gospel with Rattana. The family also
invited Rattana to come to their church. Rattana did not
make a decision for Jesus, but he gave his business card
to them so they could be in touch.
Tribes for Jesus
More and more people of a tribal minority group are
professing Jesus Christ as their savior. Pastors are
working on translating the EE materials into the tribal
language. At the most current training, there were 43 in
attendance representing six different churches. The
Gospel was shared with 133 people and four of them
made professions of faith in Christ.
“I can use EE easily . . .”
A young man of a tribal minority group professed Christ
as Savior in 2000. He became a leader of a small group of
new believers in his village. In 2007, this young man was
trained in EE and began to implement the ministry in his
church. Many people have been equipped and the Gospel
has been shared with 280 people. He says, “Before EE, I
didn’t know how to tell my people about Jesus. Now I can
use it easily so that more people will be brought to know
Jesus as their Lord and Savior.”
Eight make commitments
In Asia, a man, age 21, made a profession of faith in
Christ. His seven other siblings also professed Jesus as
their Savior. Unfortunately, their mother tried to stop them
in their faith because she was frightened that others who
hated Jesus could kill them. Some of his brothers and
sisters fell away from their faith, but he remained steadfast.
One year later, the brothers and sisters renewed their
commitment to Jesus and their mother has softened in her
stance. This young man is now a youth pastor in his
church.
Excerpted from http://www.eeinternational.org/

EE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF
INN HO
OUUSSE
E FASTING & PRAYER
TRRAAIINNIINNG
GSS 3 NOV 2009
XEE at Light of Christ Church Woodlands:
Aug 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 UPPCCO
OM NG
MIIN G CL
LIIN CSS
NIIC
Sep 6, 13, 20, 27
Oct 4, 11, 18, 25 Adult (Chinese) EE Leadership Clinic at Newton Life
Nov 1, 8 Church. Date: to be confirmed.
This training will prepare the trainees to
build up a platform for the harvest season Quick Start will be conducted on Oct-Nov 2009 in the
between Christmas 09 and Easter 2010. prison ministry.

Quick Start and Zoom at His Arrow Church: For more information about these clinics, please visit our
Sep 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 website: www.ee.org.sg or contact Jenny Oong,
Oct 6, 13. Administrator, at 65853911 or Lion Soegiharto, IFW, at
90979865
c/o Newton Life Church, 16 Newton Road, #02-208, Singapore 307995 / Tel: 65853911 /
www.ee.org.sg / eemsing@singnet.com.sg Page 1 of 2
 COME FISHING WITH ME
by Moishe Rosen, founder of Jews for Jesus
[This is an archived article that originally appeared on May 1, 1979. Some information may be outdated. Nevertheless,
it makes the important point that it is often not the tool, however good it may be, even if it is “state of the art”. Taking
time to know the fish, know the pond and use the right bait is sometimes all that is needed.]
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." - Galatians 6:9
When I was a boy in Colorado, I loved to go fishing. Often very early before school time, I went to fish at Sloan’s Lake a
few blocks from where I lived. I couldn’t afford a fishing rod or fancy equipment, but I had a linen line with a big lead weight
at the end. I attached a number of hooks to the line, and with doughballs as bait, sometimes I caught a couple of carp. I would
bring them home and my mother would make gefilte fish.
I liked to go to the lake and I knew almost everyone who fished there. It wasn’t a popular resort area
because there were only carp and catfish. If I ever caught a catfish on my line, I had to throw it back in the lake
because it wasn’t kosher. (Fish must have scales and fins in order to be kosher.) Still, as much as anything else,
I liked going to the lake because I liked early morning, and I liked the other people who went there to fish.
One morning a man drove up in a shiny car. All dressed up in a fancy fishing outfit with a real canvas
fishing vest, he started putting together a lightweight bamboo fishing rod. Then he attached a green automatic
reel and took out some trout flies. At first I thought I was going to see an expert fly fisherman so I kind of
ambled over to watch. I couldn't figure out why he was fishing that way since there certainly were never any
trout in that lake. Then again, it occurred to me that maybe the Colorado Department of Fish and Game had
stocked some trout in Sloan’s Lake. At least the people I met in the mornings sometimes talked about the
possibility of putting some hatchery fish into old Sloan’s Lake.
But even a boy like me could see that for a fisherman the man was awfully clumsy. Twice he hooked
those colorful trout flies into the back of his jacket, and had to cut them off. I wanted to talk to him the way I
talked to the other people at the lake, but he gave me one glance that indicated that conversation would not be
welcome.
Since my own line was set, I went past him to another man who was out at the lake every day. To tell the
truth, I don't know if he ever put any bait on his lines. He mostly seemed to be there because he liked the lake
and he liked talking to the fishing people. He lived right at the edge of the lake and was retired, so he was
always there. I asked him, “Did they stock the lake with trout?” He looked at me and said, “Nope, not so far as
I know unless they stocked the lake when everyone else was asleep.” Then I glanced again at the man doing the
flycasting. I thought to myself, “Well, he could just be practicing, trying to learn how to use his equipment.”
As I passed him again, I heard him muttering furiously, using some words my parents didn’t like me to use:
“No blank blank good fishing rod; no-good tapered line; blankety-blank-blank reel; they must have sold me
some no-good trout flies in the sporting goods store!” Etc., etc., etc. For someone who didn’t invite
conversation, he was doing a lot of talking!
Then he watched me as I pulled in my line and there were two huge carp. “Better than usual,” I thought to
myself. When he saw those two huge fish I caught on my 15 ¢ fishing outfit, it just seemed to make him
angrier. I took the fish off, baited the line again with some smelly doughballs, and threw it back in! Within a
few minutes, I saw the line go taut and I knew I had another big one!
When the flycasting man saw that, he brought in his own line, broke his fishing rod in half, whirled it
and threw it way into the lake. Then he began walking toward me. He frightened me because he seemed so
angry. “They sold me a lot of no-good fishing equipment at that sporting goods store!” he blustered.
He went on and on telling me how he had been cheated. He stared openmouthed as I pulled in my fourth carp. As a boy I
was rather shy, but I decided to be helpful, so I said, “You didn't catch any fish because you were using the wrong bait. That
was good for trout and for bass, but there aren't any of those fish in this lake.”
He glowered at me and shouted, “Don't you tell me how to fish! I was fishing long before you were born!” With that he
got into his shiny new car, slammed the door and drove off.
Why am I telling you this story? Well, it’s an illustration about life, ministry and the preaching of the Gospel. That man
wanted to believe he was right more than he wanted to catch fish! He was at the lake at the right time, and his equipment was
more than adequate. I would have even given him some of my bait. Fisherpeople did that at Sloan’s Lake. His failure was that
he never took the time to learn about the fish in that particular lake.
Some people are like that, and I guess pride and human nature won’t let people take suggestions or instructions from a
child.
I have seen ever so many Christians, yes, even Christian organizations − come out with some rather grand ideas as to
how they’re going to do the work of evangelism and fish for men. Usually their ideas are exciting and sometimes expensive,
like some new kind of method, some kind of radio program or a new kind of visual device or a new kind of meeting format or
something new. It’s always something new. When they’re talking about reaching Jews for the Gospel, I’m tempted to offer
some suggestions. But then I remember that man at the lake and I think, “If they really wanted to know, they'd probably ask
me.”
There is a harvest of souls to be gained and there is a lake full of “fish” to be brought in for God. Fishing for souls is the only
kind of fishing that is just as good for “the fish” as it is for the fisherman. Many fail to catch fish or to reap a harvest
because they impatiently refuse to consider the place where they are trying to do God’s work. If it’s fishing for souls
you’re doing, you’ve got to know what kind of fish are in the lake.
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