Dispatches 2: A Bold Advance
March 10, 2010 – 5:19 pm“Dispatches from the Front is the best missions documentary I have ever seen.” So began my November 2009 post regarding the release of the first of a series of documentaries that open windows into gospel ministry around the world.
After watching the second Dispatches - A Bold Advance - I would revise my statement to say that “Dispatches from the Front are the best missions documentaries I have ever seen.” The second episode certainly lives up to the standard of the first, surpassing it in many respects.
In A Bold Advance, missionary David Hosaflook leads a tour of God’s work in Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. From a former Communist capital city to secluded mountain villages, from a thriving ministry to gypsies to new contacts in Kosovo, David and Tim Kessee (director of Frontline Missions International) open windows of gospel ministry through which Western Christians can see.
Particularly encouraging to me are the stories of pastors that David has discipled over the years. They persevere in gospel proclamation and instruction in the face of poverty and blatant persecution, yet their joy in Christ is abundant. Their lives serve as much needed reminders that faithfulness to the truth is the mark of a healthy gospel ministry, not immediate, visible success or flocks of converts.
We would do well to meditate on David’s three-step process to church planting and let it serve as a model for our relational evangelism: 1) Pray for opportunities; 2) Meet people; 3) Tell them about Jesus.
A helpful addition to this second episode of Dispatches is the extended interview of David that is attached as a bonus feature of the DVD. His answers to questions regarding church planting, contextualization, and ministry in the context of Albania are simple, yet instructive, principles for ministry on the mission field and back here in the States.
I often highlight David’s creative, honest blog posts about missionary life on the MM blog. I had the privilege of spending a few days (and long talks late at night) with him in Istanbul, Turkey during a survey trip a few years back. His life has refreshed and ministered to me often.
I am sure that the attached study guide will also serve as a helpful tool in educating believers in a biblical view of missions.
Whether you are a pastor shepherding a flock, a parent raising a child, a church member serving as a missions sender, or a missionary serving as a “goer,” A Bold Advance is a resource you need to add to your missions library.
Below is the trailer for Dispatches from the Front: A Bold Advance:
Individual copies of episode 2 can be ordered for $15. You can purchase episodes 1 and 2 together for $25.
