ASSOCIATED PRESS

MOUNT MERAPI, Indonesia - Thousands of people fled the fertile slopes of Indonesia's most dangerous volcano Saturday as glowing lava oozed down the side and ash and rock spewed from the mountaintop, leading authorities to warn that an eruption could come soon.

"People around here believe that if Merapi is going to explode there will be a sign, a magical sign," Budi, a 30 year old farmer said, sitting on a mat sipping coffee. "Either it comes in a dream, or in the form of a hallucination."

Although most Indonesians are Muslim, many also follow animist beliefs and worship ancient spirits. Often at full moons, they trek to crater rims and throw in rice, jewelry and live animals to appease the volcanoes. Merapi, is one of at least 129 active volcanoes in the country, which lies along the Pacific "Ring of Fire" — a series of fault lines that feed volcanoes stretching from the Western Hemisphere through Japan and into Southeast Asia.

                                                                                     Associated Press Photos

Mount Merapi is about 250 miles east of our current location in central Java. Spewing hot ash, lava and superheated gases into the air the authorities are declaring that an eruption is eminent. Many of the villages surrounding the volcano are undergoing mandatory governmental evacuation.

It has been my observation that when life threatening natural or human inspired disasters strike a nation, people group, or city, like the one unfolding in central Java, a unique opportunity usually presents itself. During the intensity of the situation, a window into a cultures’ worldview slides open, and for a second it is possible to peer into the soul of a people, somewhat understanding how they perceive the universe and world around them.

In Indonesia the amalgamation of centuries of imported hollow shelled religion including Hinduism and Islam has left a highly syncretistic society. What we may see on the surface level, the world’s most populous Muslim nation in number and form, is a far cry from what is truly pulsing through the heart of the people.

I wonder what Jesus would tell Budi, the 30 year old animist, who refuses to leave his home near the base of the volcano despite its impending eruption. King David said it best in Psalm 144:5 when he wrote, “Part your heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, so that they smoke,” Where the presence of the Lord is…the fire follows. For our God is a consuming fire!

until the whole world knows,

Sarah and I are currently rocketing at 572 miles per hour 38,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean in route to our new home, the largest Muslim nation per capita in the world. David Crowder’s song “Open Skies” is serving as a great accompaniment to the amazing bolts of lightning shooting across the literally midnight black sky…it is about 12:20am.  Psalm 29 is rocking my world.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
       worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

 The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
       the God of glory thunders,
       the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

  The voice of the LORD is powerful;
       the voice of the LORD is majestic.

                                                 Psalm 29:2-4

As we are in route to our new home, halfway across the world, Sarah and I pray that the voice of the Lord will continue to thunder in all of our lives.

Until the whole world knows,

  drew and sarah

KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan man who allegedly converted from Islam to Christianity is being prosecuted in a Kabul court and could be sentenced to death, a judge said Sunday.

The defendant, Abdul Rahman, was arrested last month after his family went to the police and accused him of becoming a Christian, Judge Ansarullah Mawlavezada told the Associated Press in an interview. Such a conversion would violate the country's Islamic laws.

Rahman, who is believed to be 41, was charged with rejecting Islam when his trial started last week, the judge said.

During the hearing, the defendant allegedly confessed that he converted from Islam to Christianity 16 years ago when he was 25 and working as a medical aid worker for Afghan refugees in neighboring Pakistan, Mawlavezada said.

Afghanistan's constitution is based on Shariah law, which states that any Muslim who rejects their religion should be sentenced to death.

"We are not against any particular religion in the world. But in Afghanistan, this sort of thing is against the law," the judge said. "It is an attack on Islam. ... The prosecutor is asking for the death penalty."

FOOD FOR THOUGHT | PAULS CHARGE TO TIMOTHY | 2 TIMOTHY 3:10-12

"You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted..." 2 Timothy 3:10-12

Abdul Rahman is currently on trial for his faith in Afghanistan. What Paul communicated to his spiritual son, Timothy, almost two thousand years ago is currently transpiring in many of the least reached nations of the world today. Believers living godly lives will be persecuted.

As I sit here and write this I wonder when the last time I was persecuted for following Jesus. After serving in Iran, Iraq, Indonesia and many other intensely persecuted nations I can’t pinpoint a single instance. From my life experience the most severe times of persecution have not come from outside the church but from believers within. Paul did not say that every believer will be persecuted he said that every believer who wants to live a godly life will be persecuted.

Abdul Rahman’s faith is being reported all over the world. Pray that God would continue to give him the grace to live a life of love and uncompromised faith as he sits in an Afghani prison waiting for trial. Pray as Paul did when he was uncertain of his fate sitting in prison writing to the church in Philippi “I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” (Philippians 1:19-20).

until the whole world knows,

Last Friday was my last official day at Viastream Media Corporation. Walking out of the office I turned around just outside the doorway and peered back into the entryway for a moment as so many thoughts and memories rushed through my head.  For the last two years I have poured my life into the concept and creation of the company, growing from an idea around a kitchen table to an enterprising team of eight professionals in a downtown office. The vision is alive and growing and it belongs to Him.     

 I felt a very real and significant transition as I closed the door behind me and walked down the hallway. I knew that I was walking into what I have asked the Lord to be His desire for my life’s work. One thing I have learned over the last few years, but which has graciously been made known to me again in the last few months is this simple truth. My life is not my own. I do not belong to myself.

A genuine wise guy named Solomon once said, “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the sun” (Eccl 3:1).  Right now, Sarah and I are in a time of preparation gearing up for our move to Indonesia. For you it is most likely something else, but as one season of our lives transitions to the next, there should be one common to us all…the season of Jesus’ lordship ruling the decision making thrones of our hearts. It is only in the heat of this season, as the King sits on His throne in our hearts, that we can truly cry…My life is not my own...use my life for your glory Lord Jesus.

until the whole world knows,

    drew and sarah

Welcome to the new site! We sincerely hope that you enjoy it. Adam, with his mad skills has worked night and day to bring this bad boy to life. If you are looking for the best in web engineering and graphic design, Viastream Media Corporation is the only way to go! (Ok, so I am a little biased since it is the company that I founded with some of the most talented people east of the Rocky Mountains…seriously).

Over the last couple of weeks Sarah and I have begun to make serious preparations for the next season. Oh yeah, for those who don’t know what that entails we are relocating to the largest Muslim nation in the world! After the World Mandate Missions conference in Waco, Texas at the beginning of this month we felt the Lord wanted us to buy our tickets and leave the first week in May. The cool thing is we bought ONE WAY tickets. For those of you who have never done that before I suggest doing it at least one-time in your life! When reading our flight itinerary (half of its usual length) a humorless feeling of commitment, which is somewhat sobering, always settles in my chest. I think that is why I have read the itinerary a dozen times or so in the last couple of days. It is official…we are committed.

Talking about commitment, I definitely wonder what went through the masses of people’s heads who where traveling with Jesus through the countryside from town to town listening to his teaching. For example, in Luke 14:25 Jesus turns to the crowds and makes a few radical statements regarding what it means to truly follow him. “Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27) and again “Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). Jesus is telling the crowds a hard truth regarding what it takes to move from the masses (hearers of his word) to his inner group of followers (committed and disciplined doers of his word). These statements are definitely hard to deal with, but through these extreme certainties Jesus made his point. To be intimately close to him, in his inner circle if you will, it will cost you even more than commitment…it will cost you everything.

Sarah and I invite you to begin this exciting journey of uncompromised obedience to Jesus and his will for your life with us. Following Jesus is going to look different in every one of our lives…for Sarah and I it involves moving to Indonesia, for you it might be raising a family or building a business, but despite our different callings one thing remains the same. No one can serve two masters. “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). When we made Jesus the Lord of our lives…we ALL bought a one way ticket.

Until the whole world knows,

drew and sarah