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MIKE’S THOUGHTSI just returned from a 15 day trip to Kenya and Uganda. It gets hot and dry in Africa, and people get very thirsty! Jesus alluded to another kind of thirst with the phrase “Living Water.” Jesus can quench spiritual thirst, and the Samaritan woman asked Him how she could fill her pail in that kind of well. In this edition you will read about new opportunities for the Living Water to reach the thirsty peoples of the world. Whether it’s distributing mini-SD cards in Sudan, or outreach to millions through Spanish Internet radio programming, the impact of GNPI continues. Living Water is shared in Ukraine with the delivery of 1,000 pounds of books to people in Russia and in India as our regional center makes 1,000 copies of The Global Gospel in the Punjabi language to distribute. One of GNPI’s core values is excellence, and once again GNPI was recognized by some peers with Crown Awards. This time it was our Philippines regional center to receive the honors. However, our purpose is more than a plaque or trophy. It is our goal to produce culturally relevant media that addresses the growing thirst in people to know more about their Creator God and Loving Savior. I hope you enjoy the fresh highlights in this edition.

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GNPI is pleased to announce the release of the Android version of The Global Gospel App!

The Global Gospel App contains a series of 88 short videos presenting the life and teachings of Jesus Christ using colorful illustrations and dramatic Bible readings. These simple stories, completed in multiple languages, allow users throughout the world to see and hear what Jesus taught in this engaging, easy-to-use smartphone app.

Users can make a selection based on geographic regions or language.

The videos contained in this series cannot be downloaded through this player app. However, all language versions are available for download at www.vimeo.com/gnpiusa for no charge.

Call 417-782-0060 or emailinfo@theglobalgospel.org for more information.

GNPI is also collaborating with YouVersion, developers of the noted Bible App with more than 100 million downloads, to release a seven day Bible Plan in Russian. The “Teachings of Jesus” highlights Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. Each day features videos from The Global Gospel and includes a link to the Scripture, as well as a discipleship question. Jessica Agler, GNPI’s research assistant, received this message: “Your Bible Plan is now live in the Bible App! Congratulations! The YouVersion Team hopes it ministers to lots of people.”

We are excited to see the earth filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord (Habakkuk 2:14). To read more about GNPI apps, or to see our new promotional video for The Global Gospel App, visit www.gnpi.org/newsletter.

“There is something compelling about The Global Gospel. I started watching on my cell phone and did not want to put it down. Good job, GNPI.”

- Donna, a friend from Illinois

Making New Applications of The Global Gospel Available

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Sharing the Highlights of India, Ukraine, and SE AsiaGNPI-Damoh, IndiaManee Massey and his team have been diligently working to provide a steady flow of encouraging materials to Christian workers around India. Manee writes, “We are processing lots of Solar Kit applications! We recently gave one Solar Kit to a Bible translator in Chhattisgarh. He is very excited to use this kit in the villages.”

Manee and his team are helping address a need in the churches of India by making a 40-song DVD of popular Christian songs available. Manee says, “It will be a really useful tool for churches to worship with many instruments, which they might not be able to afford. This will give many house churches and small gatherings a tool to attract youth to their services.”

We recently mastered and replicated 1,000 copies of The Global Gospel in Punjabi for the GNPI Chandigarh regional center to distribute. Manee and his staff also worked hard to help with a survey about the use of The Global Gospel in India.

GNPI-Ukraine Sergei Golovin has been busy encouraging people of all ages. Sergei says they still miss the peaceful times in eastern Europe, but rejoice in exciting opportunities to advance the Kingdom. Sergei reports, “We shipped 1,000 pounds of books from Crimea to Russia for the homeschooling conference at St. Petersburg! There were no customs inspections, hectic paperwork, international shipment expenses, or customs fees!”

Sergei recently presented his newest

book, The Bible and Politics, at one of the top (and oldest) universities in eastern Europe at a conference in Ostroh. The Lord has opened another door as well. A brother in Christ, with a contact in parliament, has arranged to give the book to several parliament members!

Sergei shares about the Creation Exploration Teen Club in eastern Russia. He says, “This club teaches kids science with our textbooks, videos, and other resources.” In addition, Sergei’s family and coworkers just held another Creator Camp for youth in the southern part of Russia.

GNPI-SE AsiaTP and his team are spreading the Gospel in a variety of places, such as youth camps, college campuses, prisons, and homes. The team has a goal to equip every Christian with tools to share the Gospel. They recently met with church leaders from several regional churches and agreed to work together in the distribution of tools.

One new tool is a video, The God Every Nation Must Worship. This video is designed to train Christians on how to share the Gospel among Buddhists effectively. TP says, “Our coworkers in SE-Asia believe that if Christians can learn how to share the Truth, the country will surely change!”

To learn more about each story and testimony from these centers, visit www.gnpi.org/newsletter.

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I worked in television for years before I became a Christian. After 20 years in this business, I knew I should be using my experience to glorify God. I interpreted Paul’s meaning of “all things to all people” to mean that video was the “thing” to reach the unreached in a world surrounded by technology.

What began as an internship at a TV station led me to a career in photojournalism. Later I was invited to see the great work a NOMaD team was doing in Kenya and to help train a new team in Mali. It was life changing for me! Imagine my delight when Mike Schrage asked if I knew anyone willing to take on the role of NOMaD coordinator. Of course I did. How about me?

I’m quickly learning about the great work our teams are doing:

The Delhi NOMaD team is tending to the physical and spiritual needs of those around them. Team leader Prakash James said, “We feel blessed that GNPI has chosen us to do the work, but we don’t want to keep what we’ve learned to

ourselves!” They want to share what they know with those interested in using video to spread the Word of God. The NOMaD team in South Africa has been producing media that is relevant to their people and culture. Together they are working to “strive for excellence in their productions and do everything for the Lord.”

The NOMaD team in Pachuca, Mexico, has been partnering with Jubilee Christian Church. They have produced videos proclaiming the Gospel of Christ. The team leader, Sergio Alvarado, recently met with the church’s architect to add a second story to the new church building for a studio!

As you can tell there is a lot going on behind the scenes. In the coming months we’ll be creating new teams around the world to continue spreading the Good News. I look forward to seeing what God has in store for all of us working on project NOMaD, as we become “all things to all people.”

Anticipating Great Things for Project NOMaDby Mark Allen, GNPI’s new NOMaD coordinator

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“I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the Gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”

- 1 Corinthians 9:22-23

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Jesca Naavah of GNPI-Uganda writes, “We are very grateful that through your determined prayers and unwavering support God has revealed so much to us, and a lot of wonderful things are happening.”

Stephen Muturi and Othaina Eid recently took a refreshing trip to northern Uganda and South Sudan. They captured testimonies on the impact of the Solar Kits in unreached rural areas.

Stephen says, “We were also able to scout out the opportunities to spread the Gospel through media.” The mission teams are finding creative ways to use the Solar Kits among several different language speakers to show GNPI media.

One mission team has started a program where they buy memory cards, load them with audio Bibles and GNPI materials, and distribute them. The team is partnering with another local ministry to distribute the Word more efficiently.

In addition, the Christian workers have established a relationship with a local radio station that shares GNPI programs. The team has been actively involved in training youth with GNPI productions. To read more about this trip, visit www.gnpi.org/newsletter.

Scouting Opportunities from GNPI-Uganda

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GNPI-Mexico is a spiritual oasis for Latin America. Gustavo Velázquez, regional director of GNPI-Mexico, says, “I enjoy my work at GNPI because it’s a job that primarily presents the Gospel. It delivers the Message of Jesus Christ, which brings hope and salvation.”

One avenue of delivery is the growing radio ministry. Gustavo says, “The radio booth now has a module specifically for radio. We also installed another microphone to allow live interviews and improve broadcasting over the Internet.” They are working on a strongerradio signal and expanding their radio programming.

Robert Gurwell, international consultant, shares that the Maya childrens books are being used for outreach to families through a community reading room. He was surprised to find Maya books and other GNPI materials in Nicaragua as well. For more on these stories, visit www.gnpi.org/newsletter.

The team at GNPI-Mexico is now editing their fourth short film called Shadow of Flowers, about anorexia and bulimia. As they work on this film, they were encouraged by some comments on earlier projects:

Promise of Love (about domestic abuse) - “Thank you very much for making this film. It certainly brings hope to all these women.”

Network (about the use of social media) - “This film is very good for young people because there are many young people lost in the world. My Lord Jesus Christ loves them and wants to save their lives.”

Gustavo says, “We have about three million visitors and 2,750 subscribers through our social networks. It brings me a lot of satisfaction to know that our materials have served people well and helped them know there is hope and that God loves them.”

Delivering the Message of Christ to Latin America

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Congratulations to Nenette Pacoli of GNPI-Philippines and her team for winning an award for Best International Film and an award for Best Curriculum for the My Worship: Real or Replacement? series, a study on idolatry. We praise God for the recognition our coworkers have received for the work done for Him.

We also celebrate the launch of the new Say It Forward series. These TED-Talk style presentations feature prominent Filippinos sharing how they navigate the Christian life. The first 12 episodes are already filmed and funded.

Nenette writes, “I am humbled that the Lord answered our prayers beyond what we asked or imagined and honored that you find it worth your trouble to support our new series, Say It Forward. We are actually talking with four more Christian business people to fea-ture. When we’re done we hope to have 36 episodes from six people (including our first two guests), enough to last for the rest of the year. Thanks so much for your trust and your partnership in this work.”

Read more about GNPI-Philippines at www.gnpi.org/newsletter.

Celebrating with GNPI-Philippines

GNPI-Philippines series My Worship: Real or Replacement? wins a silver award for Best Curriculum and a bronze award for Best International Film.

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What Should Barnabas Do Today?

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“…Barnabas a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” Acts 4:36-37

His gift of encouragement was real, and Barnabas confirmed it through his generosity. In fact, early church members often used real property to benefit the church and their brethren.

What if Barnabas had that same piece of land in 2015? What should he do today to avoid capital gains on a gift of land?

If the land has appreciated in value at the time of sale, Barnabas will realize a taxable gain and may owe a significant capital gain tax. However, if he wants to gift the property to his church (or GNPI), Barnabas can avoid a tax by making a gift of the actual land and by letting the ministry sell it.

If he only wants to gift a portion of the value of the land, a partial gift will avoid the tax on the gifted portion. Also, the charitable tax deduction can reduce or eliminate the tax on the value he retains.

If you’re a “Barnabas” and want to give a significant gift to ministry, why not take a moment to contact our gift design specialist, David Duncan. You can email plannedgiving@gnpi.org or call 417-782-0060. There is no cost or obligation for this consultation, but it could reduce your taxes and allow you to give even more to Kingdom work.

Connect with usShare GNPI with your friends @gnpiusa. Go to www.gnpi.org/newsletter to find a video you can share on your favorite social media platform.

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