By the time you read this correspondence I'll be in the midst of meetings with high-level members of the Canadian government. I will have delivered the keynote address at Canada's annual National Prayer Breakfast and addressed a group of hand-picked university students at the National Student Forum.

A month before this, I was in India speaking at a graduation. It was a beautiful evening service, held in the open air. After the ceremony one student introduced me to his sister, a woman in her forties." She is the only one in our family who has not yet given her life to Christ. We are all from a Hindu background and my sister has been the one with the most questions," he said. And there, under the dark, night sky, with many standing around literally on tiptoe listening to the dialogue, I had the privilege of seeing her come to Christ.

That's what all our efforts are about, aren't they? To see men and women all over the world yield to the gracious invitation of our Lord who says, "Come to me, all ye ends of the earth." As I shared with our staff in Atlanta, even after almost forty years of evangelism I never, ever tire of seeing how fresh is the working of God in each individual life! To see a life literally move from darkness to light is a joy beyond description. I earnestly pray that we will be faithful in this calling. Our finest opportunities are before us right now, and I trust you'll get a glimpse of these from the team's reports below.

Thank you again for your prayers and friendship to this ministry. If we may enrich your walk with the Lord in any way please do not hesitate to contact us. It is our joy to serve you.

Engaging Today's Culture with RZIM:

• Summer Institute at Wheaton College
  The Apologetic Life: Consistent Living, Credible Witness
  
  

  June 14-19, 2009

  Click here for a sample MP3 file from last year's Summer Institute
  (Please note, this is not a product available for purchase)

  Our goal for the 2009 Summer Institute is to encourage, equip, and inspire our participants to embrace the full meaning and implications of truly living the apologetic life. The Summer Institute is an in-depth week of study conducted by RZIM speakers and multiple adjunct lecturers. The week is a series of five sessions divided by topic/emphasis, as well as daily corporate worship and devotions. Speakers include Ravi Zacharias, John Lennox, Margaret Manning, and Stuart McAllister, among others. Registration ends June 10.

• RZIM Classics Series: A Celebration of 25 Years of Ministry
  
  

  Continuing the celebration of our 25th anniversary, we are offering the next product in our "RZIM Classics Series": The Best of the Open Forum Series Part II (featuring question and answer sessions from Open Forums at the University of Illinois and Penn State). Purchase this DVD set for $20 during the month of June (regularly $15/each). Offer begins today. Click here to find out more and watch an online preview of the Open Forums.

  The RZIM Classics collection is a unique anniversary series showcasing Ravi and the team's most memorable messages and celebrating the wisdom and wit that has come to characterize RZIM. Look for a new discounted product each month of 2009!

• Recommended Reading-- June
  
  God, Freedom and Evil by Alvin Plantinga
  
  

  Are you feeling at a loss for what to say or do during these uncertain times? Do you have questions about where God is in the midst of the difficulties that today brings? Do you have family or friends asking if there is hope beyond the hardships they may be facing? We pray these messages from our Spring Product Offer and website resources will encourage and inspire you:

• And more online RZIM resources:
  
  

  • Visit RZIM's YouTube page for our frequently answered questions.
  • Listen to Ravi's message titled Chopra's Manufactured Jesus in the Let My People Think archives
  • A Hearty Offense for the Atheistic Worldview by Margaret Manning

Where in the World is RZIM? Highlights from across the globe...

United States

Ravi Zacharias traveled to New York on May 17 to speak at the Brooklyn Tabernacle on the topic "The Problem of Pleasure." Ravi then traveled to Canada for a series of meetings.

Stuart McAllister went to Oxford this month to lecture at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA) for a week. Please pray for safe travel home and for the Lord's anointing on his time with the students.

United Kingdom

Michael Ramsden spoke at an open-air, citywide event called "Love Oxford," held in South Park on Sunday, May 17. Most of the Oxford churches took part and many used this opportunity to bring their skeptic friends to hear from various Christian speakers. Michael only had twelve minutes to speak, but the response was tremendous.

He then journeyed to Hungary for the European Leadership Forum from May 23-28. Michael Ramsden and Michael Green, together with Tom Price (tutor at OCCA) and Vlad Criznic are leading the Evangelism track at the Forum. There are 42 young evangelists from across Europe attending the track, which is very exciting.

Amy Orr-Ewing returned from South Africa earlier this month. She had two busy yet exciting weekends of ministry in different churches in Cape Town. Following this trip, she was back in Oxford to speak on May 6 at the Clive Weston Memorial Lecture on "The Historical Evidence for the Resurrection" followed by the Apologetics Training Day in London.

Both Michael and Amy's contribution to the Apologetics Training Day in London on May 9 was very well received. It was a joint venture between St Paul's Theological Centre and Zach Trust, and the partnership worked well with the entire European team involved.

The team continues to keep a full schedule launching the OCCA eight-week business program on May 11. The students have arrived and are settling in well. They have a busy and exciting program ahead of them, culminating in The Oxford Summer School.

Romania

At the beginning of the month, Vlad Criznic attended a small conference with twenty graduates in pastoral theology. All of them are former classmates from Emanuel University and most of them are pastors all over Romania. The conference will allow for sharing and planning for future speaking engagements and will help Vlad to better support these pastors in their evangelistic ministries.

Please continue to pray for the official registration of RZIM Zacharias Trust Romania.

India

LT Jeyachandran led a meeting with pastors from the Khasi' Jaintia Presbyterian Synod on "Contemporary Challenges of Christian Ministry."This was the first of its kind in the region and was attended by pastors of both urban and rural churches.

The India team, led by LT, held the first specialized training program in the Northeast Region on "Postmodernism" from May 5-6. Twenty professionals from various walks of life (lawyers, lecturers, doctors, Ph.D. students, etc) attended and the team had a tremendous response to the meeting.

LT then spoke at an open forum at North Eastern Hills University (NEHU) on the topic "Pursuit of Excellence" on May 6.

On May 9, The Nepal Christian Fellowship organized an evangelistic outreach meeting called "The Coffee House Club." The team writes, "We praise God for the way He touched the lives of the young college students through the message that was delivered by Balajied on "Remember Your Creator during the Days of Your Youth." Balajied gave an invitation and was amazed to see several students respond. Please pray for the follow-up with these young people."

Neil, Arun, and Tejdor had a busy month with various speaking engagements at New Calvary Church, Chennai, the city of Mangalore, Jowai, and Shillong Baptist Church. Tejdor also spoke at the Golden Jubilee Year Annual General Meetings of the UESI-NE held in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh from May 22-24.

Please pray for the team as they conclude the RZIM Academy of Apologetics three-week Certificate Course on Apologetics. The team asks for prayer for the delegates as they go back to their respective places, that God would help them remember and apply what they learned and become effective communicators of the Gospel.

Prakash Yesudian

After leading several sessions at the RZIM Academy of Apologetics in May, Prakash will address the Listeners Conference (about 1500 participants) of Trans World Radio at the end of the month.

Canada

The Canadian team was busy preparing for Ravi's trip to their region this month. We are anticipating a wonderful report detailing their events next month.

Singapore

LT Jeyachandran was in India at the beginning of the month for several speaking engagements and then returned to Singapore to speak to a large group of engineers at the Professionals’ Fellowship for Indian Talents on May 14.

The International Baptist Church Singapore has asked I’Ching Thomas to do a series on Jesus among Other Gods for their ladies group. The first session started on May 14. Please pray for these women as they embark on this study.

Jose will be in India teaching at the Academy at the end of the month.

Middle East

D.K. writes of Ravi’s recent trip to the region, "It warms one’s heart to see what the Lord is doing through the ministry in the region."

On his first stop, Ravi spoke three times focusing his messages on "Peace with God" "Peace in Personal Grief," and "Peace in an Uncertain Future" all inspired by John 14:27, "My peace I give to you."

On May 6, Ravi had a TV interview with the Syrian National TV. D.K. was there for the interview and recalls, "The journalist asked him questions such as how he became a Christian. Can different religions meet at one table? Does God permit violence? Ravi gave the complete message with no compromise; it was nothing less than amazing. After that, he gave two short messages for Christmas and Easter that will be broadcast during the next holiday seasons."

On May 7, Ravi spoke on "Peace in an Uncertain Future." One person in the audience passed a message saying, "Dear Dr. Ravi, Let me tell you that if you keep talking until next morning, we are willing to stay and listen to what the Lord has given you."

During this particular visit, more than 75 people came to the Lord.

On May 9, Ravi met with the church leaders in Cairo. In the evening Ravi spoke at a local church where over 2,000 people attended the meeting. The topic was "Who Is God?" and by the end of the message, more than 100 people gave their lives to Christ.

On May 10, Ravi spoke two more times at the church and over 2,500 people attended when he spoke on "The Uniqueness of Christ." Over 200 people gave their lives to Christ that day.

D.K. writes in summary, "We have seen wonderful things in short days; many items have emerged and are under consideration following the events of this trip. Please pray for the ministry of RZIM in the M.E."

China

Grace Lee
RZIM Hong Kong has been on the receiving end of new friends and many blessings over these past few months. Most recently, Grace was invited to meet with campus ministry workers that cover all of Hong Kong's major universities. They are eager to know about RZIM and how it can possibly be a part of their work. The stories of these godly, young, extremely bright Chinese workers are as inspiring as their work is fruitful and encouraging.

Grace would ask prayer for these developing relationships and for future RZIM outreach at Hong Kong University, Chinese University of Hong Kong, HK University of Science and Technology (or Stress and Tension as it's fondly known), Polytechnic, and others.

Grace writes, "Thank you for remembering the work here, much of it behind the scenes as things unfold: praying for wisdom, right timing, and a continued growing sense of belonging for RZIM in Hong Kong."

Please know that we are here to serve you in any way that we can. Feel free to contact us by phone at (770) 449-6766 or via our website, www.rzim.org.

God bless you,

If you're interested in learning more about making a gift to support the ministry of RZIM or learning more about various unique gift opportunities through gift annuities, Estate Planning, or stock gifts, please contact Jeanette Chuquiure at (800) 448-6766 or click here if you would like to donate online.