Just yesterday I was marveling with my some of my family over a shared pizza at the speed of this year, which is now approaching its close. Though every year seems to go by so quickly, I am convinced that the speed gets greater with each year. The Lord has brought some new friendships alongside our ministry this year, and it is thrilling to see how we are able to partner together with some of these individuals to further spread the Gospel into new arenas. I enjoyed a few minutes of shared conversation with one such as these yesterday evening as we discussed the very special ministry and impact he is having in the arena the Lord has placed him as a professional athlete. Though I grew up with a love of sports, and at times only for sports, with my back in the shape it's in today, I hardly have the athletic stamina to receive the bear hugs some of these guys give. Yet it's thrilling to see so many of these athletes sport the skill and expertise they show on the field and then glimpse the behind-the-scenes example they are living for the Lord. Many of these athletes are now coming to us, asking for more materials to help them in their own personal ministries, and we will have the privilege of partnering with them in many of these endeavors in the year ahead.

Although your platform may not be a speaking ministry or professional sports, each one of us is given a very special platform from which we may minister to others and live out the Gospel with those around us. As you do this, if RZIM can help you by providing resources or answering your questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. Since the beginning days of this ministry, just short of 25 years ago, we have existed to reach the skeptic and the seeker, yes, but also to come alongside the Christian too, to enable and empower the believer to contend for their faith in their own spheres of influence. It is part of RZIM's distinct calling to support you in this way, so please don't hesitate to contact us.

As we approach Thanksgiving here in the US, may I take this opportunity to tell you once more how thankful we are to the Lord for your friendship with this ministry and how through you, the Lord has sustained us this remarkable year. These are strange times for us all and I know uncertain for many, so thank you for the way you have stood with us in faith. May the Lord bless you and your loved ones this holiday season; may you feel his presence in your hearts and know of our prayers for you.

Engaging Today's Culture with RZIM:

• 2008 Christmas Offer is now available!
  
  RZIM's Christmas Offer is now available. Don't miss this exciting opportunity to complete your Christmas shopping! This offer features wonderful products from our team including the last four Foundations of Apologetics Curriculum DVDs with messages from Ravi Zacharias, John Lennox, Michael Ramsden, and Stuart McAllister. Also included in this offer is Ravi Zacharias's keynote address from the 2008 National Day of Prayer, Amy Orr-Ewing's new book Is Believing in God Irrational?, and the beautiful leather accented 2009 Inspirational Daily Planner.
  
  Receive Stuart McAllister's compelling documentary Gifts in a Holy Land free with every purchase and 10% off every purchase of $50 or more.
  
  Please visit 2008 Christmas Offer to view the entire offer.
• RZIM on the Road!
  
  See Ravi Zacharias and John Lennox in Atlanta, GA!
  
  Mark your calendars! Ravi Zacharias and John Lennox will be speaking at the Atlanta Civic Center on February 26, 2009. Join RZIM for a thought-provoking evening as Ravi Zacharias addresses the intellectual assumptions of atheism while contrasting the validity of the Christian faith in his special message "Is Faith Delusional?" This unique message promises to inspire, answer questions, and provide an opportunity to dialogue about today's most important questions. Question & Answer session to follow this message. Tickets are on sale now! Visit http://www.ticketmaster.com for your tickets or visit Atlanta Civic Center event for more information.
• See Ravi Zacharias and Michael Ramsden in Costa Mesa, CA!
  
  Join Ravi Zacharias for his special message "Need God? What If I Don't?" as he explains why God is more than a psychological crutch for the weak-minded and why success and independent living fade in comparison to knowing the eternal Truth found in God. Michael Ramsden will join Ravi Zacharias for a special Question and Answer session after the message. If you had the chance to fill a void in your life that prosperity and accomplishments can never fill, or to bring a friend who struggles with God or faith, would you take that opportunity? Attend this free event at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa on January 16, 2009 at 7pm. You can find more information here. Child care will be provided.
• Listen to Rev. Arun Andrews's Message delivered in Detroit, MI!
  
  Rev. Arun Andrews spoke at Woodside Bible Church on November 9, 2008. Listen to his stirring message now by visiting this http://www.woodsidebible.org/podcast/re-connect/.
• Web Only Special!
  
  Purchase the RZIM Apologetics Study Bible through November 30 for 20% off. Real Questions. Straight Answers. Stronger Faith. The Apologetics Study Bible will help you better understand and articulate your beliefs. More than one-hundred key questions and articles placed throughout the volume about faith and science prompt a rewarding study experience at every reading. Highlights of this new edition of God's Word include the full text of the popular Holman Christian Standard Bible® translation, a two-color page layout, an introduction to each Bible book focusing on its inherent elements of apologetics, and profiles of historic Christian apologists from Justin Martyr to C. S. Lewis. Also featured are valuable contributions from apologists such as Ravi Zacharias, Chuck Colson, Norm Geisler, Josh McDowell, and J. P. Moreland. To purchase this unique Bible please click here Apologetics Study Bible.

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

Ravi Zacharias traveled to Oxford this week. He will be speaking to the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA) and Wycliffe Hall students on November 20 and 21.

From November 7-9 Stuart McAllister and Margaret Manning and European associate Vlad Criznic traveled to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the "Conversations That Count" weekend at Calvary Chapel. Stuart spoke on atheism and agnosticism within the context of a discussion on the nature and importance of worldview. Our worldview informs the way we think and live in this world. Margaret Manning spoke on secularism, postmodernism, and the New Age Movement and took the audience on a historical journey of ideas to learn how and why these philosophical/spiritual movements have influenced our thinking today. Stuart and Margaret took questions from the Calvary Chapel participants (approximately 600 in attendance) and then spoke to the Calvary Chapel students who participate in the apologetics training program through the church and in conjunction with RZIM. Margaret reports, "We are grateful for the opportunity to equip believers and to encourage those who participate in the ministry of RZIM through their faithful prayer support and generous giving."

To learn more about hosting a Conversations That Count event at your church, visit our website at Conversations that Count.

Michael Ramsden spoke at St. Paul's School of Theology in London on November 15 and will host Ravi Zacharias at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA) on November 20-21.

Please pray for the team as they conclude the OCCA term and prepare for the Christmas season. Please visit the OCCA website http://www.theocca.org/ to learn more about this exciting opportunity.

Balajied Lang Nongrum conducted a Fingerprints workshop for 41 attendees in Silchar, Assam, from October 31-November 1.

The team then shared the Word of God in two Baptist churches in Silchar on November 2. The congregation appreciated the ministry. Events such as these help the team to strengthen its relationship with churches.<>

That evening Balajied spoke at an open forum at Silchar Medical College on the topic "Does Morality Matter?" The forum was attended by about sixty students from various religious backgrounds from the National Institute of Technology and Silchar University. The team shares, "We are grateful to God for an overwhelming response; even after the Q&A students continued to interact with us during the time of refreshment."

On November 8 Tejdor spoke at the Christmas meeting of the Indian Institute of Technology in Guwahati. He chose the topic of "Christmas in the Midst of Pain and Hatred" because just one week prior to the meeting eleven bomb blasts in Assam had killed many people from the area. Please pray that God would continue to speak to them and that the seeds sown will bear lasting fruits.

Neil Vimalkumar spoke at Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences to about fifty Christian medical students and a few doctors on November 11 on the need for apologetics. There was an extended time of Q&A and it was proposed that an open forum be held on this campus in February.

Rev. Arun Andrews traveled to Detroit, MI, where he ministered at four services at Woodside Bible Church. Rev. Andrews writes, "The Lord blessed these times by the work of the Holy Spirit. The privilege of meeting several in the congregation who had been blessed by the ministry of RZIM, especially Ravi, was a matter of much joy to me." The message Arun preached at the church was televised and the church sources indicate that the telecasts reached a worldwide audience of 2.5 million viewers.

Rachel Tulloch addressed university students in Waterloo during the first week of November before beginning a busy month of Canadian events with the rest of the team.

On Friday, November 7, Andy Bannister connected with the Canadian team in Montreal for the first Believing Is Seeing event of the season. The event had a standing-room-only audience. Rachel Tulloch and Andy Bannister gave the addresses, which were both well-received. Interest in RZIM was sparked in that part of the country and the team hopes to get back there soon.

On Sunday, November 16, another Believing Is Seeing event took place in the Hamilton area. To learn more about the Believing Is Seeing events in Canada please visit Believing Is Seeing.

Ticket sales are beginning to move quite well for Capture the Wonder of Christmas. Please keep the Canadian team in your prayers as they prepare for this event. It is their prayer that the Lord will bring people to this event that need to hear the hope of Jesus. Learn more about the Capture the Wonder of Christmas events by visiting Capture the Wonder of Christmas.

On November 9 L.T. Jeyachandran spoke at City Gate Church's Sunday service, followed by a talk at Bukit Panjang Methodist Church's afternoon youth service. Please pray for the team as they conclude a busy month of travel.

Please continue to pray for the Middle East team as they are busy translating books into Turkish and Arabic. Their heart is to see these apologetic materials available for people in their region.

Grace Lee has a series of important meetings in preparation for RZIM team members to return to the area. Please keep her in your prayers as she meets with new and old friends of RZIM and seeks to see ways RZIM can minister in the region.

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,

The Board of Directors of RZIM deeply appreciates your faithful support for this worldwide ministry. The reach of our ministry and the relevancy of our message is now, more than ever, strategically significant for our times. We continue to receive numerous unique opportunities for the RZIM team to touch both the heart and intellect of leaders, opinion-makers, and cultural influencers throughout the world. As these opportunities increase, the prayer support and financial gifts of our faithful friends have never been more needed than now.

As this momentous year comes to a close and we prepare for unprecedented ministry in the coming year, RZIM's 25th year of ministry, we would appreciate your prayerful consideration of RZIM in your year-end giving. For tax purposes all gifts must be postmarked by December 31, 2008. Thank you for your prayers and friendship as we answer this call together.

Additionally, 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.