Serving In Partnership with: The Bryant’s Bulletin
Quarterly Update
16th February, 2010
www.ie.om.org
Upcoming Events:
Can’t We Just Be Friends?
F o r m a n y
Christians, nothing
i s m o r e
intimidating or
frightening than
sharing their faith.
However, there is
no doubt that we
are all called to do
just that—to tell others about Jesus!
A common term heard throughout the
Christian world is “friendship
evangelism.” It’s something that has
been coming up recently and I’ve been
thinking a lot about it. But what exactly
does it mean?
For some it is a method of leading
people to Christ when you become their
friend first, and then and only until then,
should you share the gospel with them.
Others believe it means living such a
wonderful life that people will be
prompted to ask you how you can live
such a life, at which point you will share
the gospel with them. There is yet
another group who believe that it means
leading people to Christ strictly by living
a life that is a good example without
ever verbally sharing the gospel. These
people might say “I let my life be my
testimony.”
What is behind these ideas? Are they
biblical?
Certainly Christians should bear the
fruits of the Spirit and be loving, patient,
gentle, and kind. In short, we should be
good friends to people.
However, we should not be deceived into
thinking that there is an easy, non-
confrontational way of telling people that
they are sinners who are in desperate
need of a Savior. Nor should we be
deceived into thinking that people are
not ready to hear the gospel.
The fact is that the gospel is offensive!
Why? Because sinners hate God and
love their sin. They hate the message
that they can do nothing about their
salvation by themselves and that they
Volume 2, Issue 1
March 12-20th—St. Patrick’s Outreach
April 3rd-10th—Teens in Mission
March 29-April 2—Junior Golf Camp with Easter Outreach with Big Red Bus
Anders Forsbrand and FCA Golf
April 26th—Dax’s Birthday
April 3rd—Resurrection Sunday
Prayer Points
need God. A permanent meeting location for the
We often worry about damaging church we attend in Roscommon town.
relationships or “turning people off”
by telling them about Jesus too soon. Boldness in sharing the gospel with peo-
But what is the alternative? ple we meet through the community fit-
It is either terribly selfish or coldly ness program that we have started, and
indifferent (or both) to wait for the lost the basketball teams Dax is involved with.
people around us to see something
special in us and ask us about it. Final details and planning around the golf
We are commanded in the Bible to go camp taking place the week before
and preach the gospel to as many Easter, as well as for the 60 or so kids
people as we can, whenever we can, who are expected to attend.
as often as we can. Time is far too
short to do otherwise. Liam’s follow-up hearing test after initial
Let me stress that by all means we tests indicated he may have some hearing
should be investing time, energy, and loss in one ear with a certain tone. Also
love into establishing relationships for an ongoing evaluation for any potential
with people. But not as a strategy to learning disorder that he may have.
share the gospel with them
eventually, perhaps years later, when People to come and serve with us on a
the “time is right.” short-term trip this summer! Please let us
God is sovereign. And he doesn’t know if you are interested.
need our help. The gospel alone is
the power of God for salvation Financial and personnel needs for Lacken
(Romans 1:16). No one goes to House (OM Ireland’s headquarters). To
heaven because we made friends pay off the initial amount owed on the
with them. And no one goes to hell
property and to upgrade and expand the
because we didn’t make friends with
them. facilities.
Friendship evangelism, as it is Continued personal financial support that
commonly practiced, falls short
allows us to serve full-time in ministry.
because it ends up being neither good
friendship nor effective evangelism.
The friendship may eventually make
the Christian known, but all-too-often
fails at making Christ known.
Evangelism is a lifestyle—not that how
we live our life is evangelism; but
rather that our verbal proclamation of
the gospel (Romans 10:14-17) should
permeate every aspect of our life and
In this issue:
impact every relationship we have.
“For we cannot help Can’t we just be friends? 1
speaking about what we
have seen and heard.” Mission: Possible! 2
Acts 4:20
Meeting Needs and 2
Bringing Hope
 2010 GO Conference—Mission: Possible!
“Where are the elevators?” we continually Doulos ship? In ’90 to ’92?” “No…did you
asked ourselves as we made the trip by van, go to the Go Conference 2 years ago in
plane, and train to Mosbach, Germany last Holland?” And so on. Even our kids
month. Travelling with kids is never experience this. “Mom, did I know that kid in
easy. Try descending and ascending Las Vegas or Oregon?” “Neither, honey, you
multiple flights of stairs with 3 large never met him before.” It is wonderful to be
suitcases, a baby in the stroller, one kid on a apart of an international group who have
leash, a diaper bag and a laptop. Oh, and Christ in common. There is no worship as
make sure you try not to show too much powerful as people from many different
stress in front of the children, so they don’t nations singing in their own languages and
freak out. “Freak out” is one of Liam’s styles all at once.
favorite phrases, as in, “It’s so cold and
Though stressful at times, our trip was well
windy at this outdoor train station, I think I’m
going to freak out!” worth some valuable information about
travelling, transition, and adapting to new
The Global Orientation (GO) Conference in cultures with children. It takes superhuman
Germany completed our OM training and strength to achieve that fine balance of
aided our family’s transition from one culture hyper-vigilance and calm exterior when you
to the next. We attended along with roughly have little ones and enter into new
300 others from around the world, also in environments. We have realized it cannot be
transition. The life of an “OMer” is done without constant reliance on God and
complicated. You see vaguely familiar faces unceasing prayer. Even in this, He makes us
everywhere at these conferences, and weak, so that His glory may shine through
overhear conversations like this: “Where do I more clearly. Praise God for putting us in
know you from?” “Have you ever lived in situations where we have no other
Morocco?” “No…were you ever on the alternative but to trust Him!

We’d love to hear from you!

To our prayer and financial Our Address: Portrunny Lodge

Portrunny
partners:
Co. Roscommon
Go raibh maith agat! Ireland

(guh-riv-muh-AH-git) Home: 001 353 90 666 1482

Office: 001 353 90 662 3964 x154
Which, of course, is Irish for: Email 1: dax.bryant@ie.om.org
Email 2: bryantsinireland@gmail.com
THANK YOU! Website: bryantsinireland.blogspot.com

The Brothers Bryant

Liam is adjusting back to his routine
after missing nearly 5 weeks of school Meeting Needs and Bringing Hope
(between Christmas break, weather
closures, and travelling). He has dis-
Recently we launched a fitness program for the residents of one
covered a new passion in life...LEGO’s!
the more run-down and poorer neighbourhoods in Roscommon.
Finn has decided he likes the idea of This came about as a result of relationships that were built when
having a baby brother. He tickles, the OM Ireland Big Red Bus visited last summer. We had 17
talks to, holds, and kisses the baby. people turn out for an information night, and then 15 people
We just have to watch that he doesn’t came back the following week for the first workout session. It
get overly enthusiastic about it. has been a very encouraging start to the outreach and there are
opportunities for the rest of the OM staff to participate in or even
Cormac is growing every day and really
lead sessions. For us, this was a really confirming way of how
likes to watch his brothers. He makes
sports and recreation can be used as a bridge into a community
lots of interesting squeaks and grunts
to not just meet a physical need, but to impact people’s lives by
when he can no longer contain his
sharing the gospel and the hope that we have in Christ.
excitement.