rayburkholder.com

So Little … But So Much !!!

raymond5052 — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 10:40:37 +0000

August 22-29 Steve Robinson & I (Raymond Burkholder) experienced the great privilege of teaching a MTM leadership conference in Yangon, Myanmar. This was now the third conference that MTM has conducted in this country in the past two years. This has resulted in beautiful relationships and friendships. We certainly count this a very special privilege and blessing. Our max attendance was 125 church leaders from most every state in Myanmar. Some of them had traveled several days to attend the conference. As I hear their stories of sacrifice and ministry, I am so challenged. They have so little but they do so much for Jesus Christ ….while many of us have so much and we do so little for Jesus Christ. To whom much is given, much is required. May the Lord help us all be faithful?

Some of them do not even have complete Bibles in their native language. They may only have a few passages of scripture or maybe a few pages. But still they travel to remote villages and regions to preach the gospel the way they have heard it or in the limited Bible knowledge they may have. How challenging is that to us who have many Bibles and have known the scriptures from little on up?

We are very excited about a literature project that MTM is partnering with Five Loaves Ministry. We are printing 1000 copies each of a booklet titled “The Christian Family Values” in four different Myanmar languages. The languages are Lisu, Burmese, Mizo & Hakha. These booklets will be distributed among the many church leaders of Myanmar as Bible helps. As Bible teachers we make available our notes. One pastor brother told me that last years teaching notes were translated into Burmese and distributed among many church leaders all over Myanmar. They were again requesting permission to do the same with this years teaching notes. There is a GREAT need of solid Gospel material in Myanmar.

We want to express a special thank you to all who support this ministry. Without your prayers and financial support MTM could not be the blessing it is to the dear folks of Myanmar. Over and over these dear brothers and sister express their gratitude and thanks giving to all who make MTM possible.

Pastors, Evangelists & Church Planters From All Regions Of Myanmar

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THE BURKHOLDER’S TO AMERICA & BACK TO THAILAND

raymond5052 — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 01:31:31 +0000

July 6th through August 13th we all were in America for our yearly Thai visa renewal. Our time there was marked by many highlights indeed. As part of a 16 day MTM PR trip we all visited the Creation Museum at Cincinniati, Ohio. While Lorida and Jana vistited friends in the mid-west (and then flew on back to PA), Naomi & traveled on out through MO, KS, IA & MI doing MTM PR work as well as ministry. We were very encouraged at the great interest in the Lords work of IGo-MTM. Blessed be God.

The greatest highlight was simply to be with our dear family. We were able to travel to Harrisonburg, VA and be with our eldest daughter Krista. Then later in our stay Krista traveled to PA to be with us. Michael and Laura live in Lancaster county and we were able to spend much time with them and their two boys. Then through a special gift from the Lord, Naomi and I were able to fly to SC and spend three days with our son Duane and Leann and their three boys. How we thank God for our dear family which we often miss so much.

We were also very blessed to be part of Bill Coutain & Brenda Yoders wedding at Belleville, PA. Bill called me only three weeks before the wedding and ask if I would marry them. We certainly felt very blessed and privileged to have a part in this special couples wedding. Bill Coutain is a Grenadian and was a member of the Limes Mennonite church in Grenada where we served as a missionary pastor for 12+ years. It is such a great blessing to see Bill walking with the Lord and choosing a godly wife as his life companion. God bless you my dear brother Bill !!!

Then there was an early 60th birthday surprise party my wife and family pulled off on me. Even though my birthday is not until September 3rd….my where have the years gone? I was overwhelmed as all evening friends dropped in to bless me. I certanly am not worthy of so many wonderful blessed supporting Christian friends …but I certainly am very grateful. Thank you Jesus. A very special thank you to all who made this event a blessed suprise.

Out trip from America to Thailand was very eventful to say the least. It all started when we went to check-in at JFK. Our flight was delayed for 11 hours. So rather then check-in and board…we checked in twice ….once with the airline and then into a hotel. The next morning we departed and not real long into the flight we experienced very turbulent flying. In all of our years of travel we never experinced anything like this. The flight attendents were urgent that all passengers were seated with their seat belts fastened….and they were also urgent that all the window shades were pulled down and the cabin was darkened. Later the flight attendent told me the reason they do that is so the passengers would not freak out with all the flexing of the cabin (which can be seen) and the aircrafts wings. The flight attendent said with such extreme turbulence the wings of our Boeing 777 aircraft flex from 29-35 feet. If we would not have experienced what we experienced I would admit I would hardly believe that….but after that experience and the way we were thrown around every which way … I REALLY DO BELIEVE IT !!! Blessed be God that he took us through that experience safely. I guarantee you most everyone was praying. While Lorida & Janna were praying outloud…the Muslim lady beside Lorida said “are you Muslim” … Lorida repied, “no, I am Christian”… her response was only “oh”. This Muslim lady she was leaning forward grasping ahold of the seat in front of her in the emergency landing position. She was terrified indeed. When we finally landed in Kuwait City, Kuwait, we discovered the first avalable flight to Bangkok, Thailand was 21 hours away. So we checked into another hotel and slept and waited. We also took a walk on the beach with temperatures around 120+ degrees. It never rains in Kuwait city. It is all desert and sand with absolutly no agriculture commodity. All food is imported. The country is very small and very oil rich….thanks to America. After 63 hours of travel time we safley reached Chiang Mai, Thailand. How we thank God for taking us safley through the whole experience. Blessed be God.

A very special thank you to all of you who daily pray for us. We clearly sensed you prayers.

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Are You Really Christians From America ???

raymond5052 — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:42:10 +0000

This was the question that came to the heart of our native Nepalese coordinator, Pastor Peter Rai, as our IGo-MTM team came walking through the door at the Kathmandu International airport in Nepal. Peter told me later that he never seen American Christians with the sisters wearing the headship veiling and being attired with modest dresses. Peter teaches the headship veiling in his church for worship and prayer. He is under great criticism from other church leaders in Nepal. Likewise American pastors and teachers discourage him as well. Peter said when we walked through those doors at the airport his heart thrilled as he seen our lives with a faith and practice that obeys the scripture. Another clear finger print of God upon MTM connecting us as conservative Anabaptist people with those in Asia who are seeking to obey the scriptures. God is clearly pressing upon our hearts that our godly witness for Jesus Christ greatly multiplies when we take our wives as well as IGo students along for these MTM conferences.

This MTM conferences was just that way. It was a three way partnership with IGo-MTM, IGo Ransom Ministries as well as the IGo Bible Institute students on their ministry trip. The MTM teaching team was Levi Brubaker, Marvin Kauffman (IGo board member) and Raymond Burkholder. Levi also had his wife Emma with him and I also had my wife Naomi with me. Brother Marvin brought his daughter Marilyn along as well while his wife and son stayed in Thailand. Rosa King (Ransom ministries) & Vera Champ (IGo student) served as teachers for Ransom ministries. They taught a young ladies class on godly femininity. The effectiveness of this class was truly touching. There is a great need for women to understand their great worth in Jesus Christ in the midst of a culture that tends to looks down on women. Then there were also six IGo students who served at the MTM conference in testimonies as well as singing. Other times they were serving in orphanage ministry as well as other various aspects of ministry.

L-R Back Row, Naomi & Raymond, Emma & Levi, Annette Beiler, Vera Champ, Marilyn Kauffman (Marvins daughter), Kelly Rohrbach, Rosa King & Jewel Stoner. Front Row Kneeling, Marvin Kauffman, Michael Ropp & Delmar Penner.

All The Conference Delegates And The Full IGo Ministry Team

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IGo Second Term / MTM To Nepal

raymond5052 — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 03:02:45 +0000

It is hard to believe that we are at the end of the second term already here at IGo. I taught a course on the book of Genesis. Marvin and Rosanna Kauffman along with their daughter, Marilyn, and son Fentress were here from Iowa. Marvin taught a course on the history of missions. Marvin also serves on the IGo board. It has been a very good term indeed. Blessed be God !!!

IGo First Semester Students

L-R Back Row; Jeffty Miller, Darren Sommers (first term only), Bryan Martin, Andrew Rank, David Brown(first term only), Delmar Penner, Michael Ropp, Peter & Marcia Penner.

L-R Front Row; Krista Roth, Yvonne Mishler, Kelly Rohrbach, Melanie Beachy, Vera Champ, Annette Beiler, Jewel Stoner, Anna Carlisle & Beth Atkinson

Following Each Term Means Ministry Trips. June 23 thru July 2 MTM will be partnering with the IGo students in ministering in Kathmandu Nepal. MTM will be conducting a Bible training conference with Church leaders while the IGo students will be ministering in various different ministry aspects. Levi & Emma Brubaker traveled from Lancaster PA to go along to Nepal. Brother Levi will be serving as a teacher. Brother Marvin Kauffman will also be going along to serve as a teacher while his daughter Marylin ministers with the IGo students. Rosa King who is part of the IGo Ransom Ministry will be teaching a ladies class on women finding their true worth in Jesus Christ. This trip will also be special in that my dear wife is also going along.

The other two IGo ministry teams will be ministering in Tibet and Malaysia. We all would appreciate your prayers for these ministry trips. Thank you.

93 Baptized Believers Among The Unreached In One Year

raymond5052 — Tue, 25 May 2010 09:33:07 +0000

Why does MTM conduct Biblical leadership training seminars among native Christians in SE Asia? The Title Of This Post Says It All! Ninety Three baptized believers (all from the unreached tribes of Nepal) in one year. The result of the sacrificial living of native Christian missionaries who daily lay down their lives to take the gospel to the unreached. This is the testimony that came to our ears as we recently conducted a MTM training seminar in Dhading, Nepal. How long would it take a foreign missionary to learn the language, learn the culture to attain such a success rate among the unreached? Perhaps three to five years and quite possibly….never. These dedicated passionate native Christians are fully equipped with the native language and culture and their dedication and passion for Jesus Christ is a great challenge to every western Christian ….including myself.

We had approx. 50 native Christian leaders attend the MTM leadership training conference. Many of them came from distant remote villages which can only be reached by on foot. Their hunger and great desire to hear the Word of God taught is extremely invigorating for any Bible teacher. They will sit for hours on the floor to hear the Word of God taught. How privileged were Brother Rick Rhodes and I to experience such a blessing as this? Darren Sommers also was greatly blessed to be part of our MTM ministry team.

After the conference we traveled approx 5 hours by bus to Pokhara, Nepal to continue our ministry there. Saturday morning Darren and I ministered in two different churches and then Sunday morning we shared in the baptism of 18 new believers who came to Jesus Christ from the unreached people groups of Nepal. All 18 of these new believers are the result of native Christians laying down their lives in reaching the unreached for Jesus Christ. Words totally fail me to express the joy I experienced in that baptism. This really is the bottom line of what MTM is all about. A Very Special Thank You To All Who Support This Ministry And Make MTM Possible.

Dhading Nepal Godly Leadership Seminar Students & Church Leaders

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Go Ye Into All The World …..

raymond5052 — Tue, 11 May 2010 05:04:45 +0000

My flight from America back to Chiang Mai, Thailand was uneventful. It sure was great to be reunited with my dear wife and family. A special thank you to all who were praying for me. My time here at home in Chiang Mai was very short. I returned Wednesday evening and by Friday afternoon, yes…of the same week, we were headed to the Chiang Mai airport once again. This time my dear wife as well as Lorida and Jana were also going along to Jakarta, Indonesia. We all were invited wedding guests to Mike Stoltzfus and Yuliana (Lia) special wedding day. Lia is Indonesian. Michael David Stoltzfus originally comes from Morgantown, PA. I felt very privileged to have part in the wedding ceremony by bringing the wedding message. We stayed an extra day in Jakarta just for some special family time. This sure was great just to be together as a family.

Now we are all together back in Chiang Mai once again …. but not for long. I will soon be heading out once again. This Saturday (May 15th) I depart for a MTM Bible conference in Dahading Nepal. Brother Rick Rhodes (IGo Staff) will be traveling with me and serving as a MTM Bible teacher. Also part of the MTM ministry team is brother Darren Sommers and Pastor Harold Carpenter. Harold is from Sturgis MI and will also be serving as a MTM teacher. Please do pray for us as we go. Our students will be native church leaders and missionaries. Our native coordinator is projectiong approx 100 students. This conference theme is on Servant Leadership and was requested by the native coordinator. Thank you to all who faithfully pray and support this ministry.

Mike & Yuliana (Lia) Stoltzfus

More Wedding Pictures

Going Home to SE Asia

raymond5052 — Mon, 03 May 2010 10:55:08 +0000

My departure from Dulles International airport is nigh at hand. My time in USA certainly was very good and a great blessing…..but I really missed my dear wife as well as Lorida & Jana.

The revival meetings in Alliance Ohio truly were sweet visitations from the Lord. Blessed be God alone! Thank you to all who were praying. God had His hand in my travel itinerary and had me entering into America through California rather then New York. If I would have been traveling through Europe I would have been stranded there due to the volcanic ash cloud. Blessed be God for His hand in planning my itinerary months before I ever flew.

Another answered prayer was the lack of jet-lag. It never existed. I traveled for approx 35 hours and passed through 12 time zones to the other side of the world…..and experienced no jet-lag. Now that is just short of a miracle. One dear brother, at the meetings the first night, said this… “jet lag”….nothing doing, Jet Power !!! Bless his heart and may God be glorified !!!

Perhaps the greatest blessing was being with family. I spent several days with Mike and Laura as well as my two grandsons Kyran & Raygan in PA. Words fail me to express how special it was to be at Krista’s graduation from EMU at Harrisonburg VA.

Congratulations Krista !!!

Summa Cum Laude

Revival Meetings In Ohio

raymond5052 — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 03:11:08 +0000

I greatly covet your prayers as I travel to America for a week of revival meetings. The meetings will be at Hebron Conservative Mennonite church at Alliance, Ohio. The dates are April 18-25. Please pray for traveling safety as well as grace to quickly overcome jet lag. I will be in transit approx 30 hours and within a few short hours of my arrival the meetings begin. Please also pray that God would grace these meetings with His presence.

Please also pray for my dear wife and daughters who are staying here in Thailand to keep the home fires burning.

After the meetings I will be making a quick pass through Lancaster county. For those of you in that region, April 28 I will be doing a IGo-MTM presentation at Word of Life Mennonite church in Lititz PA. I would love to see you there. For more information please call (717) 468-1773

Then I will be traveling on to Harrisonburg VA, for our daughter Krista’s college graduation from EMU. I thank God for the blessed privilege that I can attend this special occasion in our daughters life.

And then on back home to Thailand. Thank you so much for your much appreciated prayers.

MISSIONS - NOT OPTIONAL BUT RATHER AN EMERGENCY !!!

raymond5052 — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:18:25 +0000

IGo Asian Bible School

March 8-26, 2010

Left to right - Back Row: Pastor Daniel (India), Mr. Chanaporn (Thailand), Mr. Nang (Thailand) Pastor Isaac (Myanmar), Pastor Rupak (Bhutan), Mr. Stephen (China)
Second Row: Mr. Michael (Singapore), Pastor Peter (Thailand), Pastor Man (Nepal), Mr. Bun Na (Cambodia), Mrs. Rupak (Bhutan), Ms. Ang Ang (Thailand)
Front row: Teachers - Val, Raymond, Rick

IGo Asian Bible School is all about equipping and training Asian church leaders who are well able to teach others. Thereby the gospel goes forth and penetrates the great darkness of Asia. Blessed be God !!!

MANY MORE PICTURES Of IGo-ABS

* PRINCIPLE! * PURPOSE! * PASSION! *

raymond5052 — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:07:37 +0000

MTM To Sundergarh India
Rajgangpur (Orissa State)
February 22-26, 2010

The following article was written by Jordan Flory who was part of this MTM team. Jordan is from Ellensburg WA and is an IGo alumni student.

* PRINCIPLE! * PURPOSE! * PASSION! *

These three words came to me as I sat down to write this report for Bro. Raymond. Praise God Jehovah! Accompanying my brothers to Orissa, INDIA for the very purpose of teaching God’s Holy Word was a very refreshing blessing! I believe the need for deeper teaching/discipling is every bit as important a need as evangelism. This is clearly the heart passion and desire of MTM. I had never been to India before, and didn’t know what to expect…but I have a feeling that won’t be the last time!

THE LORD GOD IS ACTIVELY AT WORK IN INDIA! Even in the face of severe persecution, bloodshed, and Spiritual wickedness, the Word of God is prevailing and gaining ground in Orissa State. Thousands have lost their homes, but they have a home incorruptible. Entire congregations are dirt-poor and lacking bread, yet “every word of God” is being taught to them. Here is a small insight… “Suresh” was beaten and left for dead…; “Nag” was forced to flee to the forest to spend sleepless nights.

The pastors/church workers who attended the conference were mostly seasoned men (+ 2 sisters). I would say that the average age was around 38 years old. The eldest pastor was 57 while the youngest was 19. These are Brothers and Sisters who have hazarded their lives for the divine sake of the Gospel.

PRINCIPLE! “Go ye…TEACHING them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…”

Bro. Raymond taught “World Evangelism from the Book of Acts”. He initialized by laying the foundation of a Biblical PRINCIPLE: “KNOW CHRIST AND MAKE HIM KNOWN”. This principle is God’s very heart for you and me! I was challenged deeply as I pondered that principle. If I don’t “know Christ”, then I CAN NOT “make him known”. Bro. Wilmer also laid principles for Biblical Apologetics (Knowing Your Bible).

PURPOSE!

My heart was moved as I began to see more clearly the eternal PURPOSE of the God of Heaven. The Purpose of the Anointed Son of God is to bring many sons to Glory! If my purpose is any other than that, I must be found guilty before a God of principle. If I know Christ, the result is that I will make him known! If I don’t know Christ, then the answer is easy: I won’t make him known. My Purpose must be God’s purpose, otherwise I am only spinning my wheels. But Hallelujah, what a Savior! – a purpose-driven Savior who took the sins of my once lost soul upon him to the grave (as well as all those who sit in darkness)!

PASSION!

I wish you could have been there to see the faces of those Brothers and Sisters light up as they were gripped by the principles and purpose as taught by Jesus Christ. They came from different locations, tribal backgrounds, and denominational persuasions; yet they were even as an army of mighty, lion-hearted men - united with PASSION to serve the Lord God with Purpose of Heart. They left resembling Sampson’s foxes…SET ON FIRE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE TO SET THE WHOLE WORLD ABLAZE WITH THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! HALLELUJAH!

MTM Ministry Team
L-R, Jordan Flory (Ellensburg WA), Wilmer Shenk (Dublin GA), Raymond Burkholder (Thailand) & David Brown (Ephrata PA).

All 27 pastors were from the persecuted state of Orissa India. One pastor gave his testimony how he was beaten and left for dead. When the Lord spared his life many Hindu extremist turned to Christ. Most all the ladies were our conference cooks.

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