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April

2011

Our mission is to develop a Christ-Centered, community-focused team of Believers who are intent on establishing a biblically-balanced ministry that addresses physical, social and spiritual needs in such a manner that a community is literally transformed for Christ.

HELLO FROM HAMTRAMCK AND METRO DETROIT

Acts 29
within our hearts, but it is contained in our fleshly bodies and human frailty. It is when this vessel is broken that the surpassing power pours out. It is the breaking of the outer man and the release of the Spirit. When we are humbled and submitted and our foolish pride and fleshly identity is broken before God, the power and knowledge of Christ and His glory flows from our lives. He does this to display that the origin is from Him and not our own lives. Pride would claim the power and glory for ourselves. It must be broken before the power can be released from within our hearts, where Christ sits on the throne. When Gideon defeated Midian in Judges 7:16-20, the Lord drastically cut down his army and ordered them to surprise the enemy in this weak condition. The orders were not to attack with weapons or brilliant strategy, but with a pre-emptive shout of victory: a cry of faith in the midst of fear and immense opposition. The symbol of their faith, their noisemaker and the object of their proclamation were torches contained in jars. With a

I am a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown with a B.A. in Writing and English Literature. I was miraculously born again out of a life of self-abuse and mental illness by my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who lives in my Heart. I currently serve as an urban missionary in metro Detroit in a 2 square mile area where the majority of residents are Muslim immigrants.

Jonathan Ammon

The Release of the Fire


When men called by God sought victory and Holy fire to combat the enemy, they often found Gods refining fire purging their hearts and reducing them to their core desire for God. The work that God has called me to do here in the city of Hamtramck burdens me with the daily needs of those around me and the heartbreaking dominion of sin and false religion. A popular maxim for ministry in Detroit says, all you can do is take a bucket of water out of the Detroit River, the rest of the river runs on. Our ministries and methods may be defeated, but the Holy Spirit is never defeated. God is raising a Gideons band, which will march on in the face of the opposition, armed with humility and obedient service. But God has to reduce the army first. He trims away the fat and the flesh. He melts down the ore and pulls out the dross. Those who are fruitful he prunes. Those who are unfruitful he fertilizes. Those who remain unfruitful he cuts down. Our greatest hope and encouragement is an expectation of Gods pruning shears. His refining fire is a promise of His answer by fire. We possess the glory of God, but we have this treasure in earthen vessels, jars of clay (2 Corinthians 4:6-7). We carry the glory and the knowledge of Jesus Christ

shout, they broke the jars revealing the flaming torches and throwing the enemy into chaos. The enemy was routed and their camp was plundered. When these jars were broken, the fire was released. In our lives the jar of clay, the earthen vessel, our soulishness and flesh, must be broken for the fire to be released. Our personal pride, strength, independence and all other fleshly obstacles must be broken to release the powerful fire of God. In the same way, when the outer ore is purged away in the refining process the true gold is left exposed. Please pray for me as I face many daily trials, but persevere in the promise that in the breaking of my outer man, the fire of Gods glory will be released in my life. The enemy will be routed and hell will be plundered. In the light and heat of the refining fire I look forward to the fire of the Holy Spirits work. Let the God who answers by fire be God!

The Gospel for Bengali Muslims


Last month I was blessed with the opportunity to bring a strong gospel message to my English as a Second Language class of Bengali Muslims. I teach English to Bengali Muslim immigrants every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30-11:30. The majority of my students are advanced, and I am teaching reading comprehension using Bible stories (Im currently teaching through the Sermon on the Mount). There is often lively discussion and moments of conviction as the words of Jesus ring true across cultures. I was teaching the story of the woman caught in adultery, which is highly relevant to their culture as Bangladesh is surrounded by countries which still exercise laws that permit the stoning and public execution of women caught in adultery. On Monday I taught through the situation and test presented by the Pharisees in confronting Jesus with the woman caught in adultery, but stopped before getting to Jesus s response. I asked the class what they would do. They sought for an answer but all agreed that there wasnt a good answer. Jesus was trapped. They explained that the law of Moses and the Quran agree on this point and that according to their scripture the woman should be stoned. I asked them if they believed the woman should be stoned then, and they were unable to answer either way, caught between the law of their Muslim scripture and their own desire for mercy. I ended the class by asking them to think about the situation and how they thought Jesus should answer. The next day I brought the story up again and reminded them of the situation. Then I revealed Jesuss answer, Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. They were amazed at Jesuss reply. They agreed unanimously that this was a good answer. They were relieved and impressed by the wisdom Jesus showed. Led by the Holy Spirit, I took the opportunity to apply the law to their hearts, explaining that Jesus said if anyone looked with lust at a woman, they were an adulterer in their heart. They were disturbed, but admitted that they had sinned in this way. I took them through some of the Ten Commandments revealing their transgression of the law and revealing our mutual guilt before God. They admitted that God would find them guilty. My most disruptive student, who had been quiet up to this point, spoke up and said a single word: punishment. The room was silent. I explained to them that Gods justice demanded punishment of the guilty. The conviction in the room was tense. I took them back to the story of the woman caught in adultery and explained how Jesus had shown mercy, but that He could have punished the woman because of His own sinless life, which the Quran confirms. I then went on to explain Jesuss death and resurrection, explaining that Jesus took the punishment that we deserve and that His blood paid for our sins, that just as He had shown mercy to the woman caught in her sin, He shows mercy to us when we are caught in our sin, and that if we believe in Him and repent, we will be forgiven because of His sacrifice. I was clear and honest and told them that the Quran says Jesus was sinless, but it does not say that He paid for our sins. God shared His compassion for them in my heart I explained with conviction that I was telling them this because this was the only way their sins could be forgiven. If their sins were not forgiven they would face eternal punishment from God. They interjected frequently asking questions, but, they were genuine and earnest in their requests for information. When I finished I asked them how their sins could be forgiven in Islam and none of them had an answer. Jesus is the only way. The conviction in the room was palpable and I know the Holy Spirit was working. We have scripture booklets in Bengali available on an information rack in our lobby, and though I have never seen a student take one, I have had to restock the rack twice since that time. In their culture, following Jesus is risking everything, but they are disturbed and affected by the gospel. Pray that the Holy Spirit continues to disturb their consciences and convict them of the truth. In all the difficulties of this place, these are the moments I live for. To God be the Glory.
Acts 29 Fellowship www.acts-29.org
12101 Joseph Campau Hamtramck, MI 48212 All donations are taxdeductible.

Jonathan Ammon www.biblereadingproject.com jonathan@acts-29.org

2300 Neibel St. Hamtramck, MI 48212 or 12101 Joseph Campau Hamtramck, MI 48212

Donations specifically to Jonathan Ammon are not currently tax-deductible and are identified as personal gifts. This is not an official Acts 29 Fellowship Newsletter. This is a personal letter from Jonathan.

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