I was intrigued at the Perspectives class I attended. Andrew Minch was tonight’s instructor, and towards the end of the class he pulled out a simple piece of cardboard. It had two folds, and on one end was fastened a single nail with a clip.
He explained that God was so consumed with expanding his gospel, he had even used a simple piece of cardboard… something that to us seemed like trash. He then produced a small 75rpm record and placed it on one section on the cardboard. Next he bent the end with the nail over and placed it on to the record. He then used a simple pen (any stick or nail would also work) to turn the record. As the sound reverberated in the cardboard the record became audible, and explained how this simple device was used to preach gospel truth to many over the world. “What a nifty contraption” I thought to myself.
His next statement changed everything.
“Why do you think this was invented? To preach gospel truth? NO! It was invented because there was not enough people willing to go!”
Oh friends, are we willing to stand by silently while inanimate object begin to declare the words of life? Are you willing to be replaced by a piece of cardboard? An mp3 player? A video? Our Lord has given to us such a great ministry to declare life to a dead world, and in the absence of laborers we are forced to send technology in our stead, instead of to our aid.
Imagine the embarrassment if after last year’s tragic tsunami in Japan the United States sent a device such as this over proclaiming “Our best wishes go out to you, we will send money.” It would be as if to say: “We care enough about you to help, but not enough to come help. Not enough to suffer with you, not enough to live with you, not enough to be with you.
As Christians we are to be a people known by our love, not by our savy.
“Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”” -Matthew 9:37,38
Ross says
Thank you for sharing this. Was it Paul, upon conversion, did not seek the council of men before beginning to preach the good news. He believed, and went straight away.
Bruce Allen says
Hi Michael and Stacy,
I do not remember those old cardboard players – but I have seen one at a GRN booth – and I thank God for whoever made those old record players because many precious souls were reached with God’s Word and are now in heaven because of it.
I recently celebrated my 40th year of following the Lord. I was reached by a man speaking on television from the USA, but I never met the man – but I did own a TV. I listened to radio from the Salvation Army during my youth and learned a lot about the Lord. I never met the people speaking – but I did have a radio – and inanimate object.
When I was the communications guy for a Bible Society, I verified a story about a man who was sitting on a rock watching his sheep when a bit of a burned Bible page blew up by his feet – he read it and began following Jesus. Just one scrap of burned paper!
No, it may not be optimal communication – but I know God uses TV, radio, the Web, bits of the Bible blowing along in the wind, and anything else He wants to – to reach those for whom Jesus died. And that includes those old cardboard record players used many years ago by ministries like the GalCom ministry – who now make solar-powered radios! (An advancement technologically – but an inanimate object, nonetheless. )
I am the first to agree that there is no substitute for a comforting embrace from a follower of the Lord, and then hearing the Gospel through loving eyes and voices. But I have to say that the Lord uses what is out there – including – in the old days – things like that old cardboard record player. I didn’t check my facts before writing, but I believe that Global Recordings Network (GRN) worked for many years using those players to reach people in many lands. While playing records on those old machines, GRN also recorded the Gospel in thousands of languages.
40 years after being reached through an inanimate object (a TV), I am part of the MegaVoice audio Bible ministry and we have hundreds of amazing stories of people whose lives have been radically changed because they received one of our solar-powered audio Bibles from people like those in New Tribes. For non-readers, the Word of God is there in their language and suddenly, upon hearing it, the metaphorical lights go on.
We give thanks for NTM and those who labor to bring God’s Word to those who can – and cannot – read. I am sure the person who gave the talk above really didn’t mean to infer that God doesn’t use inanimate objects like TV, Radio, the Internet, the Bible and even digital audio players like the MegaVoice.
Last year a church in India took 200 MegaVoice solar audio players with Scripture and Bible Stories around to neighbouring villages. Over a six month period they played the messages and Scriptures – and because of that effort 5,800 people decided to follow the Lord, 1480 were baptized and 600 house churches were started. All of this is documented in detail – right down to the addresses of the homes. The work with those believers is ongoing.
There are times in life that people state emphatically that God will never use “this or that” to reach anyone – that the device was made for the wrong motives, or by the wrong person. Let us not be discouraged in well doing – let us use what God gives us to do and do it as unto him -whatever the tools he provides. If God can use you and me, he can use anything — including inanimate objects that speak. LOL
God bless you folks – keep up the good work, don’t be discouraged. Press on, be a blessing and be blessed,
Bruce Allen 🙂