Monthly Letter

Dear Partner in ministry,

“Miracle” is a word that might be overused. But I’m not sure how else to describe Sandro’s experience.

Sandro was raised in a slum in Bogotá, Colombia. The death of his mother when he was 16 years old saw him spiral into a deep depression, which led him to alcohol use and the dangerous life of living on the streets. When his girlfriend’s family hired two men to kill him, he thought his life was over. But after praying that God would deliver him, Sandro saw the men walk past him as if they didn’t see him. Sandro said, “Then I saw the power of the Lord.”

While serving a prison sentence, he fell from a great height and landed on his back. The inmates nearby thought he had taken his own life and believed he was certainly dead. Sandro felt his body break as he hit the ground, and he cried out to God for help. Instantly, “my body came back together”, Sandro said. “The inmates formed a huge line. There was amazement because a miracle had happened.”

After his release from prison, Sandro saw It Is Written’s Spanish-language program, Escrito Está. He called the phone number on the screen and before long was studying the Bible with an It Is Written Bible worker.

Sandro said, “My life has completely changed. I met Jesus as my Savior. I was baptized, and am now a part of the church. I was guided by Escrito Está and the Bible workers who gave their time to share the gospel with me.“

Hosted by Pastor Robert Costa, Escrito Está

In August of this year, It Is Written will be conducting a major evangelistic outreach in Ibagué, Colombia, a city of more than half a million people. Pastor Robert Costa will be conducting a major evangelistic series, as will myself and Wes Peppers, director of evangelism and missions at It Is Written. In addition, 10 guest preachers will hold meetings, along with another 100 meetings led by local pastors.

We are grateful the local church is partnering with us in this life-altering ministry. The 10 sites each require funding of #3,500, while the 100 sites need It Is Written funding of $500 per site. Your support of this comprehensive evangelism initiative will yield a rich harvest of souls for the kingdom of heaven.

God continues to use It Is Written’s Spanish-language programming in remarkable ways. A medical doctor in Mexico was eating at a restaurant one Sunday morning when she noticed Escrito Está on the television. When the restaurant owner said, “This is from my church,” the physician began to cry. She said, “For months, I have been wanting to know who sponsors this program. God sent you at the right time!” She studied the Bible and was baptized, along with 17 others in her extended family!

I am asking this month that you prayerfully consider investing in It Is Written’s Spanish-language ministry, Escrito Está. Robert recently finished evangelistic meetings in Southern California, where 40 people will be baptized. God is using Escrito Está here at home and around the world.

While conducting evangelistic meetings in Hermosillo, Mexico, Robert met an attorney who hosts a program on a secular radio station. A dedicated church member, he has aired Escrito Está on his radio program for the past 21 years. As a result, he has had many, many people express interest in Bible studies. More than 80 people have been baptized, and a church has been planted, due to the impact of Escrito Está programs.

Spanish-language media ministry has been so effective that the church in more cities and countries wants to air Escrito Está on television. The challenge we now face is funding the program in as many markets as request to air it.

Another significant investment was made recently when we purchased 20,000 Bibles for distribution in Colombia. The cost of the Bibles was not budgeted, but it was important to purchase Bibles to further the very significant work It Is Written is doing in the country. Each Bible cost $3.15, and while that is an extremely good price for a beautiful Bible, it does leave us needing to find $63,000 to cover the cost of bringing the Word of God to the hearts of tens of thousands of individuals and families.

This month, your gift of $100 provides more than 30 Bibles for people searching for the freedom contained in God’s Word. $200 would enable us to fund almost 65 Bibles, while $1,000 places more than 300 Bibles into the hands of future citizens of God’s kingdom. $500 will sustain an evangelistic series by a local pastor during our August evangelism focus in Colombia. $3,500 will sustain an entire series preached by one of our 10 guest speakers.

And we are praying for funding for the major meetings being held by Robert, Wes, and myself. Auditorium rental, advertising, transport, and many other factors prompt us to ask God to move on hearts to provide $25,000 per site.

While these costs are not insignificant, we will witness God’s Spirit move with great power, and many will be won to Jesus. Intensive preparation is underway, and thorough follow-up will be conducted. Please pray about what God would have you do to advance this work. Providing Bibles, enabling public evangelism, or facilitating media evangelism will advance the kingdom of heaven.

In eternity, you will meet Sandro. And he and many, many others will thank you from the bottom of their hearts for introducing them to Jesus and eternal life.

Thank you for your gracious support of It Is Written soul-winning. I thank you for being a vital part of this powerful moving of God’s Spirit. Isaiah wrote that, on the cross, Jesus saw of the travail of His soul and was satisfied. He was satisfied because He saw Sandro, and many, many others coming to faith in the Christ of the cross.

Yours in the blessed hope,
Pastor John Bradshaw
President, It Is Written

P.S. God is doing truly exciting things through Escrito Está, the Spanish-language ministry of It Is Written. An evangelical pastor who attended an It Is Written evangelistic meeting held by Pastor Robert Costa in Uruguay—an extremely secular country—is now preparing to be baptized. “I have found the truth,” he told Robert, “God is calling me to follow Jesus according to the traditions of the Bible.” Your support of It Is Written’s Spanish-language ministry will enable many more miracles of grace to take place. Thank you for growing God’s kingdom!

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